The January transfer window rarely offers the same kind of fun as it does in the summer, but that doesn’t mean the buzz is slowing down.
The fun is now in full swing. Some clubs are making new signings and others are eyeing potential summer signings, opening the door to a whole host of lines vying for a place in the gossip column.
Here’s our take on six of the wildest rumors circulating right now.
the rumor
Barcelona Sporting director Deco has reportedly met with Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran’s agents SPORT in Spain. He could be available for up to £60m in the summer.
Our take
Will Barcelona ever learn its lesson? Sure, they’ve gone back to the League’s 1:1 spending rules, but they’ve only gotten there by pulling all the levers in a 50 mile radius. They have done it struggled to register Last summer’s big signing, but he seems happy to risk even more to get Duran’s signature.
That’s no knock on Duran, who has established himself as a real attacking powerhouse this season with Villa. It’s good enough for a club like Barcelona, ​​but the cost of winning this race is likely to see the Blaugrana slip back into financial uncertainty.
the rumor
relief claims Virgil van Dijk’s agents have been talking Real Madrid on a big free transfer in the summer, only for the Spanish side to decline the opportunity to close a deal.
Our take
A stranger, this one. First, the fact Liverpool They have let Van Dijk’s contract run out to such an extent that he could even talk to Madrid in the first place is mental, but Los Blancos’ reluctance to do a deal is just as perplexing.
Of course, at 33 years old, Van Dijk is getting on a bit. It’s clearly a short-term fix in a problematic position, but is that such a bad thing? Carlo Ancelotti has been operating with a fit senior centre-back for what seems like forever, so why not take Van Dijk for a year or two while you find a long-term solution?
the rumor
The rumors of arsenalInterest in Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak is nothing new, but the fact that they have not left after the Swede was valued at £150m is noteworthy. Football Insider you continue to describe Isak as a “key target”.
Our take
Let’s just clear this up. There isn’t a single footballer on the planet worth £150m so can we stop with the silly transfer fees?
Isak is brilliant and exactly what Arsenal need – someone who can actually score goals from open play – but the Gunners simply aren’t going to spend £150m on anyone in the current PSR climate that has left every club in England’s top flight terrified to loosen their purse strings.
That said, if Newcastle fail to qualify for the Champions League again and Isak decides he’s had his last Brown Ale, his price could drop. One to watch for sure.
the rumor
The National Paris Saint-Germain have identified Cole Palmer as their dream transfer target, with a €200m (£166m) bid set to arrive on Chelseadesktop imminently.
Our take
no
PSG have been burned in the past by big transfer fees and have shut the door on their reckless spending past in favor of building a group of equals who can share the load, rather than playing second fiddle to a main star
It’s easy to claim that Chelsea wouldn’t sell Palmer at any price, but let’s be real. £166m is the kind of money even Premier League clubs wouldn’t say no to, especially when there are South American teenagers they need to snap up.
the rumor
With concerns over the lack of progress in talks on a new contract, Manchester United Midfielder Kobbie Mainoo has been linked with Chelsea Daily Mailwho claim the Blues are already “leading the race” for the 19-year-old.
Our take
Is there even a race to lead at this point? Mainoo is under contract until 2027 and also has a 12-month extension clause in his £20,000-a-week deal which United will activate 100% if only to spite their rivals. Just cancel a few more staff bonuses and it will pay for itself anyway.
Chelsea are already full of midfielders. Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo are the preferred starters, as they should be after costing a combined £222m, while Romeo Lavia is doing a solid job as a substitute and Andrey Santos is stealing hearts on loan at Strasbourg.
A cut-price deal for Mainoo is one that any club would consider regardless of the make-up of their current squad, but it’s hard to see Chelsea seriously pushing for a hypothetical move that wouldn’t happen until 2027 anyway .
Also, claims that he is “no longer untouchable” sound far more dramatic than necessary. United don’t want to sell, but could be tempted if a club comes in with silly money. This is the case of literally every player in the world.
