Jurgen Klopp's first Liverpool signings?
The winter window draws closer with each passing day, and the transfer rumour mill is starting to pick up steam. As always, Transfer Talk has the latest and greatest. See all the summer deals here.
TOP STORY: Klopp’s first signings
On the evidence of his side’s 3-0 defeat at Watford, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp could do with a reinforcement or two.
No sooner said than done, says the Liverpool Echo, which reports that a deal for Red Star Belgrade midfielder Marko Grujic has been wrapped up.
The paper says Serbia under-21 international Grujic has agreed a five-year contract — which will include a sell-on clause — and will join the Reds for £5 million.
So if Grujic is Klopp’s first signing, who might his second be? When the German took over at Anfield, speculation surrounded potential moves for players from his old club Borussia Dortmund.
Here’s some more, with news that midfielder Ilkay Gundogan will not be going to Juventus in January leading to reports that he could arrive on Merseyside instead.
On Monday, Juventus general manager Beppe Marotta, who has seen his club roar back into contention for the Serie A title, told Mediaset they would not be spending big in the window.
“Gundogan and [Ever] Banega? I can rule out a move for them — and the same goes for [Ezequiel] Lavezzi,” he said.
Liverpool are in with a chance, then?
Berahino could be a Hiddink hero
Talking of first signings, who does Chelsea caretaker manager Guus Hiddink want to bring in as he shakes things up at Stamford Bridge?
The Express and Star says he wants a striker, wants that striker to be English and wants him to be either Jamie Vardy — revealed as a Chelsea target last week — or West Brom’s Saido Berahino.
It says Berahino, long linked with Tottenham, is the more realistic option with Leicester top of the tree for Christmas and their manager Claudio Ranieri adamant that Vardy won’t be going anywhere.
“Albion boss Tony Pulis might decide to cash in, and the player would likely jump at the chance of a move to the champions,” the paper concludes.
Mour news for Man United fans
The Jose Mourinho-to-Manchester United whispers are developing into a dull roar.
Sources from both camps have confirmed to ESPN FC that the Old Trafford brass have spoken with the former Chelsea boss about taking over from Louis van Gaal, and now the Star says that Mourinho is willing to take a massive pay-cut to make the deal happen.
“Jose is making no secret of how keen he is to take charge of United if the job becomes available,” the paper quotes an inside source. “It is not about the money.”
Something’s gotta give. And soon.
Daily Star back page: Gunners hang on + Jose’s £16m hit to join United #tomorrowspaperstoday #AFCvMCFC #mufc pic.twitter.com/Z5AEHmb1yR
– Nick Sutton (@suttonnick) December 21, 2015
‘Magnificent’ Zlatan and Becks reunited?
“A physically magnificent specimen.” That’s David Beckham’s glowing verdict on Paris Saint-Germain star Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who Becks wants to bring to Miami to get his forthcoming MLS franchise off to a spectacular start.
Beckham and Ibrahimovic worked together at PSG in 2013, and the former England captain tells Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet the Sweden skipper is someone he would sign without hesitation.
He said a stadium for the new franchise could be completed in two or three years, and that if Zlatan “is still active” at that stage, “I want to buy him right away.”
“He is a physically magnificent specimen, so it’s entirely possible,” he added. “I’ve played with or against the very best in the world. I have never met anyone who was so serious during both practice and games.
“He is a born winner. He is a beast with huge self-confidence, and I am one of his biggest admirers.”
How about that for a character reference? And how about that for a potential opening signing?
Non-dream scenario
When transfers happen, we’re often told it’s a player’s dearly-cherished dream to play in the Premier League.
You’d almost think everyone had the same dream — but it would appear Sevilla midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak doesn’t.
Poland international Krychowiak, you may recall from the summer window, was strongly linked with Arsenal — and reports in Spain suggest the Gunners remain interested.
They might well do — but it’s not an interest shared by 25-year-old Krychowiak, who told Spanish outlet Estadio Deportivo that the dream-like qualities of the English top flight have not seduced him.
“I haven’t any dream like that,” he said. “I just want to have the best possible career. I can be a Seville icon for years. How many clubs are better [than Sevilla] in Europe? 15? Perhaps up to 20?
“If I reach a point where I find I can’t take a step forward here, I will want to change to a new club. But right now I do not think about what will happen in January or in June. I do not want to plan anything.”
Dream on, Arsene, appears to be the message here.
Better latte than never
Where does one go these days to sort out a loan move to Watford for the rest of the season? Starbucks, that’s where, according to the Sun.
Roma striker Juan Manuel Iturbe and Hornets officials held talks in a London branch of the coffee shop to finalise a move that could end up becoming a permanent deal, it reports.
Iturbe, 22, who cost Roma £17.4 million from Verona in 2014, has scored only once in 19 games this season.
One thing’s for sure — he won’t find opportunities easy to come by with Odion Ighalo and Troy Deeney in such devastating form for the Hertfordshire high-fliers.
Austin could be a Rangers stranger
Back in the summer, it seemed striker Charlie Austin would be on his way out of Loftus Road following QPR’s relegation, but he opted to stay and try to help them back to the top flight.
But QPR’s season hasn’t been easy so far, and director of football Les Ferdinand has said Austin — a target for Newcastle before the start of the season — could be on his way.
“There are teams in the top six of the Premier League that are struggling,” the London Evening Standard reports Ferdinand, no slouch of a striker himself, as saying. “If one of those teams comes in and bids for Charlie, he will want to go because that’s where he sees himself. “
Tap-ins
– Wolves man Benik Afobe could yet join Norwich City, the Eastern Daily Press says.
The Canaries were interested in bringing Afobe to Carrow Road in the last transfer window, and he remains a target for boss Alex Neil. An offer of around £12 million could be enough to land the player, while other names in the frame include Utrecht’s Sebastien Haller and Sampdoria’s Eder.
– Reports in Germany suggest Bayern Munich defender Jan Kirchhoff is of interest to Sunderland, who have sent scouts to keep tabs on him according to the Sunderland Echo.
Kirchoff would give boss Sam Allardyce an extra option at centre-half, where he has only John O’Shea, Sebastian Coates and Younes Kaboul from whom to choose.
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