Messi, Guardiola off to the Premier League?
The transfer window might be closed, but the rumours keep ticking. As always, Transfer Talk has the latest and greatest. See all the summer deals here.
TOP STORY: Messi ‘more open’ to Premier League
Just last January, it looked as though Lionel Messi was as close to leaving Barcelona as at any point in his illustrious Spanish career. The Argentine had reportedly fallen out with manager Luis Enrique and Chelsea were rumoured to be ready to offer Messi the stars in wages to ensure a deal went through.
Of course, such a deal never materialised, and the diminutive No. 10 won another Treble at the Camp Nou.
But Friday’s papers suggested that the English — fronted by Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United — are attempting to bring Messi to the UK once again. Speaking with Sky Sports, Spanish journalist Guillem Balague said that Barcelona’s crown jewel is “more open” to a move to the Premier League than ever, but that’s not to say that his mind has been made up.
“He’s been there a long time, it’s his life, he’s got it all set up there,” Balague said. “But the fact that one of the reported clubs approached him and his representatives twice in the last week suggests something is going on.
“The receptions have been interesting because it has been like ‘OK, we are listening, what do you have to say?’ It doesn’t mean he is coming, but it means he is more open to the idea, which you couldn’t have said two or three years ago.”
Guardiola has London bosses on notice
Potential big-name moves to the Premier League aren’t just confined to players if the Daily Mail are to be believed. The outlet are reporting that managers in London and Manchester have good reason to be looking over their shoulders for a certain Spaniard plying his trade in Munich.
Pep Guardiola is out of contract with Bayern at the end of this season and has been on record in the past saying he’d love a chance to manage in England and a job in London in particular might suit him quite nicely. That might not sit too well with Manchester City’s owners, who have long been rumoured to want Guardiola to replace current boss Manuel Pellegrini.
City, however, can take comfort in knowing that high-profile jobs in London may not come available by next season, and in the fact that they have plenty of cash to lure the 44-year-old to the Etihad.
The former Barca boss recently said that a long stay in Bavaria “would be boring,” and FC TV’s Raf Honigstein says his gut tells him Pep will leave.
Cuadrado wants Juve stay
It would not be an understatement to suggest that Juan Cuadrado’s Chelsea career never really got off the ground. After arriving in the January transfer window for £23.3 million (plus the six-month loan of Mohamed Salah) from Fiorentina, the Colombian made just 14 appearances last season — just four of which were starts.
Cuadrado left West London no sooner than he’d arrived, signing for Juventus on a year-long loan in August. According to Juve CEO Beppe Marotta, the Colombian would like to make his move to Turin a permanent one.
“We have no agreement to [sign him on a permanent basis], it is just a loan,” Barotta is quoted as telling La Gazzetta Dello Sport, according to the Express. “He’s expressed his happiness at being here with us, and his happiness to continue here in future.
“We’ll look at things with Chelsea at the appropriate time, but it’s very likely that there will be a good conclusion.”
Vela to MLS resurfaces
The goals haven’t been coming for Mexico international Carlos Vela at Real Sociedad, despite the striker having started all eight games for David Moyes’ side in the Spanish Primera Division. That lack of production has once again fueled speculation that Vela might be ready for a change of scene and a move closer to home.
One likely destination that has surfaced in recent months is Major League Soccer. ESPN’s John Sutcliffe is reporting that a move for Carlos Vela from La Real to Major League Soccer is in “very advanced” stages, although other ESPN FC sources have said the sides are committed but still a long ways apart.
The Colorado Rapids would have first of refusal on Vela if he left Sociedad, with the Chicago Fire next in line for the 26-year-old’s services. Vela has scored 57 times in 166 league and cup appearances for La Real.
Tap-ins
– Barcelona vice-president Susana Monje has said money will be available for new signings, with the club set to confirm record annual revenues of €608 million for 2014-15. Barca have been hit by injuries to key players including Messi and Andres Iniesta, with summer signings Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal unable to play until January because of a transfer ban imposed by FIFA.
– According to TalkSport, Italy international Stephan El Shaarawy will join Monaco on a permanent deal at the end of the season. Liverpool and Arsenal were rumoured to be interested in the 22-year-old, who was loaned from AC Milan to the Ligue 1 side ahead of the 2015-16 campaign.
– Inter Milan tried to sign Hajduk Split midfielder Nikola Vlasic last January, but were unable to finalize a deal for the 18-year-old Croatian to join Roberto Mancini’s club. Now Gazzetta World are reporting that Inter are readying another winter bid for Vlasic, who’s been linked with Arsenal in the recent past and has been compared to Real Madrid’s Luka Modric.
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