Ranking the Week's 20 Hottest Transfer Rumours with Matic, Teixeira, Ronaldinho
As the closure of the January transfer window draws closer, the rumour mill can be expected to crank into top gear, with teams sure to be giving hefty consideration to signing a new player or two to help them achieve their ambitions for the season.
Our selected transfer rumours for this week have something of a Brazilian theme to many of them, with some big-name stars linked with new teams. As ever, we have ordered them according to factors including transfer fee, reputation of the player and size of the buying club.
Enjoy the rumours, and let's hope that your club picks the right player to sign—or to not sell, as the case may be!
20. Emmanuel Adebayor
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Crystal Palace are likely to make a short-term offer for Emmanuel Adebayor, according to Dominic Fifield of the Guardian, who suggested that the former Spurs striker could sign until the end of the season.
Adebayor is without a club after leaving Tottenham in September and was expected to join a new club in January, but so far there have been no certain takers.
Palace have seen moves for Islam Slimani and Khouma Babacar thwarted by high price tags.
19. Emmanuel Emenike
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Nigerian striker Emmanuel Emenike is on the transfer target list for West Ham United this winter, according to Matt Law of the Telegraph.
Currently at Fenerbahce and having been out on loan at Al-Ain, Emenike is wanted on another temporary deal by the Hammers to see them through until the end of the season after injuries to Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho in attack.
The report also suggested that Wilfried Bony is a target, though more likely for summer.
18. Ronaldinho
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Legendary Brazilian attacker Ronaldinho says he is set to find a new club in February after the Rio Carnival, having made a farewell appearance for Fluminense in the States this week.
Goal.com reported that the attacker is without a club—he cancelled his Flu contract last year—but has no plans to retire, despite having mainly played in charity matches over the past few months.
He has previously played for the likes of AC Milan, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, while most recently playing back in his home country for Flamengo and Atletico Mineiro before Fluminense.
17. Victor Valdes
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Manchester United outcast Victor Valdes is set to sign on loan for Standard Liege, according to BBC Sport's Simon Stone, after not playing a single game for United this season.
A deal until the end of the campaign is the likely scenario, when Valdes will be out of contract at United as well free to decide on a new permanent club to join.
Valdes has played just over 100 minutes of first-team football since March 2014, 22 months ago.
16. Joe Allen
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Liverpool central midfielder Joe Allen has been the subject of a loan inquiry from his former club Swansea City, according to BBC Sport's Owain Llyr.
The Welsh midfielder has been a backup option for both Brendan Rodgers and now Jurgen Klopp this season but has played a big part in cup successes in the last month or two.
The report suggested that the Reds therefore rejected the loan bid, with Swansea thus still looking to replace Jonjo Shelvey, who moved to Newcastle United.
15. Alexandre Pato
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Reports in Brazil are cited by Sky Sports in suggesting that striker Alexandre Pato has agreed terms with Chelsea ahead of a possible move to the Premier League this month.
The current Corinthians attacker is seemingly not wanted by his club, and a move to England's top flight has long been rumoured to be on the cards.
John Cross of the Mirror had reported that Chelsea's hierarchy had already met with Pato's representatives.
14. Andros Townsend
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Tottenham Hotspur winger Andros Townsend looks no nearer to sealing an exit from the north London club, with interested side Newcastle United being told to up their bid if they want him.
Spurs have called for a £14 million fee for their backup winger, according to Ed Aarons of the Guardian, with Newcastle only having made an offer for around £10 million.
The Magpies are considering Scott Sinclair and Matty Phillips as alternative options if they cannot manage an agreement for Townsend.
13. Sandro
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Tottenham Hotspur's search for a new striker has led them back to Barcelona and Sandro Ramirez, with the young attacker having dropped down the order of choice for Luis Enrique.
Charlie Phililppe of the Express reported that Sandro has a £9 million release clause and cited Spanish outlet Sport in suggesting that Spurs will meet that fee without a problem during January, as they seek to give Son Heung-min and Harry Kane more backup options in attack.
Sandro played a part in the first half of the season for Barcelona, predominantly while Leo Messi was injured, but failed to impress enough and now looks set for an exit, with Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal both covering the wider areas of attack and Munir impressing centrally in the Copa del Rey.
12. Andre Ayew
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Swansea City's versatile attacker Andre Ayew is wanted by Sunderland to aid their relegation fight, but Sunderland have seen a £10 million bid rejected.
The South Wales Evening Post's Gareth Vincent reported that the Black Cats could quickly return with another bid for the Ghana international, though, with Liverpool also on the scene and interested.
Ayew only joined Swansea last summer from Marseille after his contract with the Ligue 1 club expired.
11. Moussa Sissoko
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Newcastle United's Moussa Sissoko is interesting Italian Serie A side Napoli, according to Liam Canning of the Independent.
The French international has been a big part of the Magpies' team since 2013, and his value now stands at around £25 million, according to the report. However, he has long been linked with Champions League sides.
Napoli were linked with Cristoph Kramer earlier in the window, according to Kicker (h/t Football Italia), but the move failed to materialise.
10. Alvaro Morata
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Juventus striker Alvaro Morata is being linked with a move away again, but not back to Real Madrid—the club who have an impending transfer ban and a buy-back clause for the player—but to Tottenham Hotspur.
The English club are of course searching for another strike option to go alongside or in place of Harry Kane when required, and James Benge of the Evening Standard claimed that Spurs are interested in Morata.
Morata has been behind Mario Mandzukic and Paulo Dybala in the Juve attack this season.
9. Nemanja Matic
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Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic has endured a difficult season is considering his future, according to Simon Jones of the Daily Mail.
There are suggestions that Matic's team-mates think he has already opted to move on in the summer, as a new club could boost his career, though it is also mentioned that he may wait to see who the new permanent boss is for next term.
Matic has not been as regularly in the team of late under Guus Hiddink.
8. Felipe Anderson
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Bleacher Report Insider Dean Jones reported that Manchester United may pull the plug on their move for Felipe Anderson if they cannot get his club, Lazio, to budge from their £35 million asking price.
The initial idea was to bring Anderson to the club in January, but with a higher-than-expected price tag, Jones reported that United won't make a move either now or in summer.
A drop-off in form and possible attitude issues have been cited as reasons for the Red Devils to not pursue the deal at such a steep price.
7. Marc-Andre ter Stegen
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Liverpool have given a new contract to goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, but that hasn't stopped reports floating in that Jurgen Klopp wants a new No. 1.
Reports in Spain from Don Balon (h/t Express) claimed that Klopp wants Marc-Andre ter Stegen and that the Reds have bid £10.8 million for him, but Barcelona are holding out for £23 million.
The German goalkeeper remains Barca's cup stopper, with Claudio Bravo in action in La Liga.
6. Aaron Ramsey
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Here's a new one: Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey is being watched by Barcelona.
That's according to the Express (h/t Mirror), despite the Spanish side adding Arda Turan to their ranks in recent weeks, having initially signed him in summer. Add Andres Iniesta, Ivan Rakitic, Sergi Roberto and Sergio Busquets into the equation, and Ramsey would be in heady company indeed.
The Mail (h/t Mirror) also indicated that Barcelona are still watching John Stones of Everton.
5. Alex Teixeira
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Alex Teixeira has impressed at Shakhtar Donetsk this season by scoring at a rate of a goal per game and every 61 minutes in league play.
BBC Sport's Phil McNulty reported on Thursday that Liverpool had made an offer for him of around £25 million, in what would be the Reds' first major signing under Jurgen Klopp, though the move would officially be their third of the window after the loan capture of Steven Caulker and the purchase-and-loan-back of Marko Grujic.
The report indicated that Shakhtar want far more, closer to £40 million, for their star Brazilian.
4. Edinson Cavani
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Manchester United are looking to Paris Saint-Germain forward Edinson Cavani this winter in a bid to solve their attacking problems, according to ESPN.com's Miguel Delaney.
Cavani's agents are reported to have contacted United directly to initiate the discussion, with PSG seemingly happy to let him go.
The French club look as though they'll be renewing their entire attack this summer, with Ezequiel Lavezzi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic both out of contract.
3. David De Gea
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Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea was a big target for Real Madrid last summer, and the Spanish club have reignited interest in light of a pending transfer ban.
However, Tom Sheen of the Independent reported that De Gea has told United he has no plans to leave.
The Spanish stopper has been in terrific form again for the Red Devils this season since signing a new deal in September and would be likely to cost far more than the £30 million suggested in summer, when he had only one year left.
2. Romelu Lukaku
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Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku has been linked with another huge-money move away from Everton, with Matt Hughes of the Times reporting that the likes of Juventus, Real Madrid and Manchester United are all looking at him.
With a price tag of more than £60 million, the Everton attacker would be one of the most expensive signings of all time if he leaves for that amount.
The report also indicated that Chelsea did not negotiate a sell-on clause for him when they sold him to Everton, meaning they will not take a share of any profit when he leaves.
1. Neymar
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One of the most improbable deals of all time? Quite possibly so.
Spanish programme Al Primer Toque on radio station Onda Cero spoke about Neymar's representatives meeting with Real Madrid to establish initial contact on a possible move from Barcelona, according to Carlos Carpio of Marca.
The suggestion is that Real would pay the €190 million needed to bring Neymar from their biggest rivals while offloading one of Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale or Cristiano Ronaldo in the process.
