Barcelona to bring Bellerin home?
The winter window might have shut, but the rumour mill rolls on. As always, Transfer Talk has its finger on the pulse when it comes to the latest rumours and gossip. See the latest deals here.
TOP STORY: Barcelona battle to bring back Bellerin
With Hector Bellerin impressing at Arsenal, Barcelona are desperate to bring one of their La Masia graduates home. The charm-offensive is being kicked off by some of the Blaugrana’s biggest stars. Stop us if you’ve heard this story before?
According to Spanish newspaper Sport, Barca have allegedly expressed interest in Bellerin after the player shined in last Tuesday’s Champions League clash. Despite succumbing to a 2-0 defeat on the night, the ex-Barcelona man clearly left his mark on the visitors.
The paper says both Andres Iniesta and Gerard Pique approached Bellerin with regards to his current situation at the north London club. It’s suggested that the Barca congratulated the 20-year-old right-back on his performance but also inquired “about his personal situation.”
With 31 appearances under his belt this season and a series of impressive performances, the Spaniard has gone on to cement his position in the Arsenal starting XI. But with Dani Alves’ contract expected to expire at the end of next season, it’s possible that a return to the Camp Nou could be in store for him.
Scott Dann-ed if you do
Chelsea are considering a move for Crystal Palace defender Scott Dann as Pep Guardiola looks to make John Stones his first Manchester City signing, according to the Mail. The Blues bid £38m for Stones last summer, but rivals City now look favourites to sign the England defender when Guardiola takes over as manager in June.
Palace are reportedly set to ask for £20 million Dann, given that the centre-back signed a new five-year contract last summer.
But at 29 years old, Chelsea surely would not pay that amount for a player with no resale value, so the fee would have to come down if the Blues are to pursue their interest.
Manchester clubs fail in Alex Sandro pursuit
According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, Manchester United and Manchester City have both had bids rejected for Juventus’ Alex Sandro.
The Brazilian joined the club from FC Porto for £20m in the summer, and he has impressed at both left-back in a 4-2-3-1 formation and at left wing-back in a 3-5-2 this season.
However, any deal looks unlikely, as Juve believe the 25-year-old to be the second best at his position in the world, behind Bayern Munich’s David Alaba.
Quique Flores and Watford aiming for Albiol
Watford boss Quique Flores is eyeing a summer reunion with Spain international Raul Albiol. The Napoli defender is heading into his final year of his contract, and Flores wants to lure him to the Premier League, reports the Mirror.
Albiol, who played under Flores at Valencia and Getafe, could move for as little as £1.5m if Watford get their wish.
The Hornets want another centre-half to increase competition, and the 51-times capped Spaniard fits the bill.
His potential arrival could see out-of-contract duo Joel Ekstrand and Sebastian Prodl move on. Getafe playmaker Pablo Sarabia, another long-term Flores target, is expected to join Albiol at Vicarage Road.
Tap-Ins
– The Sun says Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero is ready to pledge his future the club by signing a four-year, £52m deal after the Capital One Cup final against Liverpool.
– Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has expressed his admiration for England forwards Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling, according to the Mail. The Frenchman revealed that he is excited to see them in this summer’s European Championships.
– The Mirror reports that Arsenal and Chelsea are battling to try to sign Barcelona youth team striker Abel Ruiz, who is only 16 years old. Ruiz has not yet signed a professional contract, and the Catalans fear they could lose him to an English club.
– Manchester United are keen on signing Werder Bremen youngster Johannes Eggestein, according to German outlet Weser Kurier. The 17-year-old striker has been in fine form, finding the back of the net 22 times for Bremen’s U19’s this season.
– West Ham have added Swansea striker Andre Ayew to their list of summer targets. The Ghana captain is set to quit the Welsh club this summer, and he is seen as a cheaper alternative to Marseille’s Michy Batshuayi — that’s in the Star.
This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service – if this is your content and you’re reading it on someone else’s site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers.
