[ad_1]
The summer transfer window is closed for the top leagues in Europe! After a summer full of international football, countless clubs waited until the last minute to pull off their transfers. See all the major deals here and check out how we graded the biggest signings. But just because the window is shut until January, that doesn’t mean the rumours won’t keep coming.
TOP STORY: Juve eye Lacazette in January
Juventus are preparing a move for Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette in January, according to reports in Italy.
2 Related
Juve are looking to jump to the front of the queue with a shrewd January move for the former Lyon striker who wants to leave the Emirates to win trophies in the final stages of his career.
Atletico Madrid, Sevilla FC and AC Milan are also rumoured to be keen on a move for the forward who scored recently in Arsenal’s 6-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion.
– ESPN+ guide: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, FA Cup, more (U.S.)
– Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. only)
– Don’t have ESPN? Get instant access
LIVE BLOG
10.34 BST: Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists that Jesse Lingard will remain a Manchester United player as contract talks continue.
United are preparing to face West Ham, the club where Lingard reinvigorated his career last season during a loan spell, scoring nine goals in 16 appearances for the Hammers.
“He’s got this season left on his contract and of course the club is talking to him and his dad,” Solskjaer said. “We see him as a Man United player in the future as well.
“Jesse has come back to us after a great spell at West Ham. He showed his qualities and got back into the England squad, scoring goals for England. We really want to see the best of him this season, we support him and we hope to keep him here with us, he’s a red through and through.”
09.43 BST: Chelsea are risking losing Antonio Rudiger on a free transfer next summer as they refuse to meet his demands over a new contract, sources have told ESPN’s James Olley.
The 28-year-old has entered the final year of his existing deal at Stamford Bridge and there has been little progress in talks over an extension since Euro 2020 finished in July.
Sources have told ESPN Rudiger wants to double his £100,000-a-week wage to sign what would likely be the last big deal of his career. Chelsea have so far only indicated they are willing to offer around £150,000-a-week and the impasse has alerted the interest of several top European clubs.
The financial impact of COVID-19 has limited the transfer power of many top sides and so the prospect of a Champions League winning centre-back in the peak years of his career being available for nothing will likely attract Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Juventus — all of whom have previously expressed an interest in Rudiger.
He will be free to talk to overseas clubs directly from Jan. 1. Rudiger also previously said he discussed a move to London rivals Tottenham Hotspur last summer when Jose Mourinho was in charge.
08.49 BST: Mikel Arteta has dismissed reports of a rift with goalkeeper Bernd Leno but challenged the Germany international to rise to the challenge of competing with Aaron Ramsdale for Arsenal’s No. 1 spot.
Leno was dropped last weekend as Arsenal secured their first win of the Premier League season with a 1-0 victory over Norwich. Ramsdale made his league debut following a £32m summer switch from Sheffield United, after which reports emerged in Germany suggesting Leno had reacted badly but had been told he would start the north London derby against Tottenham later this month.
“No, that’s not true,” Arteta said on Thursday afternoon ahead of Saturday’s trip to Burnley. “He responded, you can be frustrated, but he was top with his team-mates in training with everything so that is not true.
“I don’t know where they are coming from but they are ahead of me! I think I am the one who picks the team at the weekend and sometimes I read things that I haven’t decided yet. They give me ideas at the most, but nothing else because I haven’t made a decision for Saturday — so imagine [if I had] for the north London derby.
“What we want to do is empower performance and ask them to train, behave and play the best possible way. How can I guarantee somebody something?
“It wouldn’t make sense with what we are demanding them to do. So it is on a daily basis, what you did three months ago in football, it doesn’t count. So is what you’re going to do today and tomorrow, and that’s it.
“Aaron has come here to try to make us better. We needed a result on that day and I decided to play him. That’s all.”
08.00 BST: More than 2,500 fans attended Radamel Falcao’s unveiling at Rayo Vallecano. The 35-year-old joined the club as a free agent on deadline day after terminating his contract with Galatasaray,
The former Atletico Madrid player said: “One of my aims is to be in the Colombian national team. We are fighting for a spot in the World Cup in Qatar and what better way than to come to this club that gives me the opportunity to play.
“I’m thrilled to be at Rayo. My dream is to give all of the fans many goals and a lot of joy. LaLiga is a competition I know. I’m very excited. I’ve found a team that has a lot of quality and is hungry.
“I feel good. I’ve taken advantage and I’ve been able to focus on my fitness in the last few months. Perhaps I didn’t have consitency because I knew that I was going to leave Galatasaray. I need continuity, to have minutes and I’m certain that I have that, all will go well.
“I know what the aims are at Rayo. We are ready for this. Everyone here wants to win. As soon as we achieve our aim, which is to defend our league status, we can dream of achieving higher things.”
PAPER GOSSIP (by Adam Brown)
• Barnwell’s best moves: 100-51 | 50-1
• January transfer grades
• Latest completed major transfers
– AS reports that members of Barcelona’s board have asked that Ronald Koeman be sacked immediately. Some of those in the club’s hierarchy are said to have lost patience with the Dutch manager and have no belief in his ability to take the team forward. Recent rumours suggested that Koeman could be in line to be offered a new deal by club president Joan Laporta, but that could be be delayed as concerns mount after Barcelona’s 3-0 defeat to Bayern Munich.
– Internazionale will target a striker in January, according to Calciomercato. It is reported that the Nerazzurri are not totally confident in Edin Dzeko, and are beginning to identify potential options for a move in January. Sassuolo’s Gianluca Scamacca and Napoli’s Andrea Petagna are two forwards who the Italian club were previously interested in, with the club set to revisit the idea of signing one of the Serie A frontmen.
– Barcelona could cool their interest in Karim Adeyemi with concerns over whether the winger will maximise his potential. Mundo Deportivo writes that the Blaugrana see the Germany international joining RB Leipzig, with the LaLiga club prepared to wait to see how the 19-year-old performs in a more challenging league. The FC Salzburg winger has been the subject of interest from numerous clubs including Liverpool, who have reportedly opened talks with the Austrian club.
– Real Madrid were keen on the signature of David Luiz, according to Le 10 Sport. The report claims that Carlo Ancelotti was interested in bringing the former Chelsea defender to the Santiago Bernabeu, but was unable to finalise a move over uncertainty with foreign player slots left for squad registration. The Brazilian signed with Flamengo after playing for Arsenal last season.
– Fabrizio Romano says that contract talks with Jesse Lingard are underway with Manchester United. The attacking midfielder’s deal is set to expire next summer and the 28-year-old is yet to agree on new terms over reservations whether he can be promised regular game time. It is reported that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants to keep the England international at Old Trafford after an impressive loan spell with West Ham United last season.
[ad_2]
Source link
