LIVE: Zidane helps Arsenal for Benzema?
The winter window opened on Jan. 2, and, as always, Transfer Talk has its finger on the pulse when it comes to all the latest rumours and gossip. See all the latest deals here.
TOP STORY: Madrid changes ‘boost Arsenal’s Benzema hopes’
Is the latest changing of the Real Madrid managerial guard going to be good news for Arsenal? It might well be, says the Telegraph, which reckons the sacking of Rafa Benitez and his replacement by Zinedine Zidane could open the way to a move for striker Karim Benzema.
Benzema was linked with a move to the Gunners throughout the summer window, and the paper contends that the departure of Benitez means “Arsene Wenger’s hopes of signing him have received a timely boost.”
The France international stayed put under Benitez and enjoyed a prolific start to the season but, the Telegraph says, Zidane’s arrival has “thrown Benzema’s future into doubt, despite the fact that the new manager confirmed his intention to play him alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale against Deportivo on Saturday.”
Why might that be? Well, the Telegraph thinks Bernabeu president Florentino Perez is “keen to add to Real Madrid’s attacking ranks in a show of power” — and that means an existing frontman is likely to be sold.
LIVE BLOG:
10.36 GMT: Sunderland have agreed a deal to sign former Hull City striker Dame N’Doye on loan, sources have told ESPN FC.
10.12 GMT: It doesn’t seem like Toronto FC striker Sebastian Giovinco has any plans to move back to Italy anytime soon — but that may change. He told SportItalia: “Serie A? For now I don’t miss it, we’ll see in a couple of years, but at the moment I’m happy. I don’t know what will happen in the future, you can never say never in football.”
09.49 GMT: Celtic have ruled out making a move for Aiden McGeady, who is out-of-favour at Everton and believed to be available for transfer. “Aiden is a Premier League player on Premier League wages. We have always got to be realistic,” said Bhoys assistant boss John Collins.
09.28 GMT: Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger says David Ospina could be Arsenal’s long-term No. 1 despite Petr Cech being 33 — meaning he has many years in front of him.
“I personally think he is world-class,” Wenger said. “I did not take Petr Cech based on the performances of Ospina. Petr Cech was just an exceptional opportunity where it was difficult to say no. It was not because I was unhappy with Ospina.
09.06 GMT: Welcome to another live day of transfer rumours! Let’s start with a story in the Daily Mail, which claims Sunderland manager is set to dump both of his goalkeepers, Costel Pantilimon and Vito Mannone, and bring in a new one. Jussi Jaaskelainen anyone?
PAPER ROUND
Eagles eye Slim pickings
How times have changed for Crystal Palace — in the top half of the Premier League and flourishing, they have also secured new investment. And, the Sun says, they could be spending some of that cash pretty soon.
It cites an A Bola report that the Eagles are keen to bring in Algeria international striker Islam Slimani from Sporting Lisbon and are prepared to meet his £22.5m buyout clause, eclipsing the club record £13m spent to bring in Yohan Cabaye from PSG.
So what would they be getting for all that cash? Slimani, 27, has scored 41 times in 90 appearances for Portuguese club Sporting — the sort of strike rate that would interest anybody.
Baggies in market for gift of the Gab
Could a move across the Midlands be imminent for Aston Villa stalwart Gabriel Agbonlahor? The Sun thinks so, reporting that the Villa captain could be on his way to West Bromwich Albion.
The paper says Albion boss Tony Pulis wants to bring Agbonlahor, 29, to The Hawthorns and could wrap up a move for £1.5 million as Villa, adrift at the foot of the Premier League table, look to freshen up their squad.
Saturday’s Sun back page: Lou-turn #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers #mufc pic.twitter.com/0Zv3t1GyyU
– Nick Sutton (@suttonnick) January 8, 2016
“Lifelong Villa fan Agbonlahor has fallen out with new manager Remi Garde,” it adds, with the attacker having barely featured under Garde.
Libor Kozak, Charles N’Zogbia, Joe Cole and Philippe Senderos are also thought likely to move on during the January window.
Niasse closer to Chelsea switch?
What about Chelsea’s January under the management of Guus Hiddink? While plenty of reports have predicted that striker Loic Remy could be heading for the exit, the Telegraph suggests Lokomotiv Moscow’s Oumar Niasse is moving closer to being an incomer if that happens.
It says the Senegalese would cost more than £15 million after a fine run of form that has seen him score eight times in 15 games.
Niasse has previously claimed Jose Mourinho had been “very keen” to sign him — but “unfortunately he was fired.”
Five keen on Baggies’ Berahino
Talking of West Brom as we were earlier, it must be time to consider the future of Saido Berahino again.
Manager Pulis, whose striker had been consistently linked with Tottenham but is now thought more likely to join Stoke, has said he is not concerned about using him in the Baggies’ FA Cup clash with Bristol City on Saturday amid another flurry of transfer speculation.
The Daily Mail quotes him as saying that saying that up to five clubs could be considering a bid for Berahino but that Albion “are paying him and expect him to go out and play.”
Tap-ins
– Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote is attracting the attention of Chinese Premier League side Shanghai Greenland Shenhua, where he could link up with ex-Magpies striker Demba Ba, the Newcastle Chronicle reports.
Ivory Coast international Tiote, a recent target for Turkish club Galatasaray, has worked his way back into the first team under Steve McClaren, and Newcastle want to keep him as they look to lift themselves out of the relegation zone.
– News that Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Benik Afobe is the subject of a £10m bid from Bournemouth could be bad news for Norwich, the Mirror suggests.
Afobe had been a summer transfer target for the Canaries, whose manager Alex Neil had been keen to try and get a deal together in January, the paper says. It adds that “officials at Carrow Road have been trying to contact the striker’s agent throughout Friday — without success.”
– The transfer window is often a source of stress for managers, but not for Steve Bruce. The Hull boss has said he is keen to keep the squad he has together but is “very relaxed” about what January might bring.
The Hull Daily Mail quotes him as saying: “I will try my utmost to hang on to what we’ve got because we’re limited over what we can do ourselves. I’m very pleased with the squad of players we’ve got. We’ve got to get on with it, and I’m very relaxed about the situation.”
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