Ranking the Week's 20 Hottest Transfer Rumours, with Rooney, Ibrahimovic, Icardi
Pep Guardiola reshaping Manchester City, Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool rebuild and yet more players on the way to the Chinese Super League—all transfer rumours that shape this week's collection of stories from the global media.
We've ordered the potential moves according to the fee involved, reputation of the player and the size of the club in question to bring you the 20 biggest rumours of the week.
There's plenty of time remaining before most of these have the chance to go through, so discuss in the comments below which targets would improve your team—and which your club should steer clear of!
20. Nicklas Bendtner
1 of 20
Another name on the way to China: Nicklas Bendtner could be the latest player to swap Europe for the CSL, with the Mirror reporting he could treble his wages with a move away from Wolfsburg.
The Danish forward has only scored twice in the Bundesliga this season and is down the pecking order at his club for a starting role, and he was left out of their UEFA Champions League squad entirely for the last 16 game against Gent.
Crystal Palace tried to sign him in January.
19. Michael Carrick
2 of 20
Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick is out of contract in the summer but already has a big offer ready for him to sign elsewhere.
The Mirror reports that Arsene Wenger will happily take the former Spurs star at Arsenal, having already tried to sign him three times during Carrick's career so far.
Mathieu Flamini, Tomas Rosicky and Mikel Arteta are all out of contract at Arsenal in the summer, leaving space for something of a midfield overhaul.
18. Adam Maher
3 of 20
Atletico Madrid are hoping to bring in a new midfield option for next season before their transfer ban kicks in, if the appeal is not successful, and AS report Transfermarkt suggesting that Atleti are looking at PSV Eindhoven starlet Adam Maher.
Maher, 22, has scored once in 12 Eredivisie games this season but has fallen out of favour of late, playing just nine minutes of league action since mid-December.
PSV and Atletico face each other in the UEFA Champions League last 16, so the Vicente Calderon side will get a good look at their supposed target—if he works his way back into the team.
17. Yaya Toure
4 of 20
One of the first casualties of Manchester City's time under Pep Guardiola's management will be Yaya Toure, with the Ivorian midfielder set to depart to MLS.
New York Red Bulls and Orlando City have both made enquiries, according to the Star, with at least one other States-based team interested in Toure's signature at the end of the season.
Chinese Super League sides are also said to be interested, with Toure potentially earning around £450,000 per week if he moved there.
16. Isaac Success
5 of 20
Watford look to be hoping to take advantage of the Pozzo family link-up this summer, with Quique Sanchez Flores admitting he is interested in Granada's forward Isaac Success.
The Daily Mail suggests Success could be an option for the Hornets if Odion Ighalo is sold, with Flores saying "We have been checking players for a long time. Success is a very good player, he has power, he has the physical characteristics to play in England, but he’s younger and we need to think about the future of this player, or if we have the possibility of this player in the future."
The Pozzo family own Udinese, Granada and Watford and have regularly switched players between the sides on loan or on permanent moves.
15. Ahmed Musa and Aleksandar Dragovic
6 of 20
Leicester City are prepared to spend big if they go on and seal a top-four finish and reach the UEFA Champions League for next season.
The Mirror reports that they will return with a £20 million bid for Ahmed Musa of CSKA Moscow, whom they tried to sign in January, and Aleksandar Dragovic of Dynamo Kyiv will be targeted with a similar bid.
Leicester could earn up to £100 million from prize money and TV cash thanks to their title tilt this season.
14. Antonio Adan
7 of 20
Liverpool's search for a new goalkeeper will see them move for Antonio Adan in the summer, reports Spanish newspaper AS (h/t Mirror).
The Real Betis stopper has been in good form in La Liga for the newly promoted side, and his release clause of £6.2 million appeals to the Reds, who also have to rebuild in plenty of other areas over the summer.
Liverpool lead the race, according to the report, though other Premier League clubs are interested.
13. Inter Milan's Loan Trio Rejected
8 of 20
Serie A sides are notorious for their attempts to renege on loan deals, but Inter Milan are going to the next level, according to Tuttosport (h/t Football-Italia).
The report indicates that the Nerazzurri don't want Adem Ljajic, Stevan Jovetic or Alex Telles on permanent deals—at least not under the current conditions set.
Galatasaray left-back Telles is wanted at half the originally agreed cost of €8.5 million, while Manchester City forward Jovetic is too high-priced at €14.5 million.
12. Thomas Vermaelen
9 of 20
Barcelona centre-back Thomas Vermaelen hasn't managed to settle into the team on a regular basis, with both injury and the form of Javier Mascherano keeping him out, and Spanish outlet Fichajes reports (h/t Express) that two big Premier League clubs want to prise him away this summer.
Liverpool and Chelsea are expected to recruit defensive options at the end of the season, and both are said to be hunting Vermaelen, a former Arsenal defender, with Barca happy to listen to offers.
The Reds have already signed Joel Matip on a free transfer from Schalke, which will go through at season's end.
11. Ilkay Gundogan
10 of 20
Borussia Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Gundogan looks somewhere back to his best this season but, with just one year left on his contract, looks to be headed out in the summer.
It was expected that he would head to Barcelona in La Liga—but Sport report (h/t Goal.com) he has turned down the Catalan club as they have taken too long to seal a move, in favour of heading to Manchester City to work under Pep Guardiola.
Gundogan has played 28 times for BVB this season.
10. Michy Batshuayi
11 of 20
The rumours surrounding Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi are almost certain to go on between now and the end of the season, and it's a two-way tussle this week between London clubs.
Tottenham Hotspur are long said to be interested in the Marseille forward, and according to the Mirror, West Ham United have joined them in casting admiring glances his way .
A £25 million battle is on the cards for Batshuayi's signature.
9. Aymeric Laporte
12 of 20
Aymeric Laporte has given an interview where he suggests that a move to Barcelona from Athletic Club may be on the cards in the summer.
Spanish outlet Sport quote Laporte's interview with football365, with the defender saying: "For now I am with Athletic and I am focused on the season. Barca are the best team in the world, but for now there is nothing concrete and no-one has directly called me. I asked and I’m patiently waiting."
Laporte also suggested that recent rumours about moving to PSG were of little truth.
8. Ricardo Rodriguez
13 of 20
Wolfsburg left-back Ricardo Rodriguez is back in demand, and Manchester United want to make a move for him in the summer, according to reports in Germany.
SportBild (h/t Express) say the Red Devils and Real Madrid are battling for the Swiss defender, who has a £23 million release clause in his contract.
Rodriguez is quoted as saying: "I have a goal, as a football player, and that is to win titles regularly and be playing as a top, top club." Wolfsburg are eighth in the Bundesliga.
7. Wayne Rooney
14 of 20
Manchester United are open to selling Wayne Rooney at the end of the season, reports the Manchester Evening News, but there are a few conditions.
The club have an offer from the Chinese Super League, from an unnamed club, which could earn the Red Devils many millions—while also landing Rooney a half-a-million-a-week contract.
However the report indicates that United would in turn need at least one marquee signing of their own to appease club sponsors who view Rooney as hugely marketable.
6. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
15 of 20
Paris Saint-Germain forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic is out of contract at the end of the current season and has given rise to rumours that he might move to the England, saying: "big things will happen...let's just say I am in shape for [the Premier League]."
The Mirror reported the Swedish striker's answers and have suggested that Jose Mourinho may try to bring him to Old Trafford if he lands the Manchester United job, having previously been keen to sign him at Chelsea before being sacked.
Zlatan is reportedly joining Miami's MLS franchise in 2018, but he has two years to fill before that time and is clearly still near the top of his game.
5. Granit Xhaka
16 of 20
Pep Guardiola is reported to be already lining up targets for Manchester City next season while seeing out the current campaign fighting for honours with Bayern Munich, with Goal.com quoting the Spanish boss saying he can "control both situations."
The centre of midfield is apparently where the biggest changes will be made, and an all-Bundesliga cast is mentioned as top of Pep's priorities, with Borussia Moenchengladbach star Granit Xhaka the biggest name involved.
German paper Bild (h/t BBC Sport) say City will offer BMG just under £40 million for the Switzerland international, under orders from Guardiola.
4. Edinson Cavani
17 of 20
Paris Saint-Germain forward Edinson Cavani scored the winner for his team against Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday—and the Premier League club immediately drew up plans to sign him in the summer.
That's according to the report from TMW (h/t Metro), which suggests the Blues have already detailed the length of contract and wages that the Uruguayan forward will be offered.
Cavani has scored 11 in 22 Ligue 1 matches this season.
3. Mauro Icardi
18 of 20
Jose Mourinho has seemingly already begun scouting transfer targets for next season—even though he doesn't yet have a club.
The Portuguese boss is widely considered to be headed to Manchester United for next term, with Corriere dello Sport (h/t Independent) reporting that Mourinho is headed to take in Inter Milan matches with a view to watching Mauro Icardi, in the hope of making him one of his first signings at Old Trafford.
There is also speculation that Inter boss Roberto Mancini may lose his job in summer, while Mourinho has previously managed the Italian side to the treble.
2. Renato Sanches
19 of 20
Benfica's 18-year-old starlet Renato Sanches has been making headlines over the last few months for energetic displays in midfield, and the Express (h/t Sky Sports) are suggesting that three big English clubs are prepared to make huge bids this summer for him.
Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal are all keen to make a move for the Lisbon-born midfielder, who has a €45 million release clause.
A complete box-to-box style midfielder, Sanches' powerful running and a couple of spectacular goals this season have made him one to watch in quick fashion.
1. Arturo Vidal
20 of 20
Bayern Munich midfielder Arturo Vidal could be on his way out of the Bundesliga and heading to La Liga next season.
Reports from Chilean outlet El Mercurio (h/t Marca, in Spanish) suggest that the national team star is on his way to Atletico Madrid, where manager Diego Simeone has expressly requested his signature.
Not for the first time, Atletico are said to be wanting to strengthen the centre of midfield ahead of next season; Tiago is out of contract in summer and currently injured, while Matias Kranevitter has yet to be fully incorporated into the team.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
