Transfer News

The B/R Football Ranks transfer column is your guide to which rumours are legit and which ones you can dismiss.

Our secret sources have top intelligence on the inside stories, and our informants have details on the delicate dealings of talks between top clubs and superstar names.

The aim here is to open up the truths inside this transfer window—we kick off this week with...

       

Talks Progressing: Michy Batshuayi to Aston Villa

Striker Wesley has been ruled out for the rest of the season with knee ligament damage, and Villa are suddenly scrambling for a new striker.

The club wasted little time in drawing up a shortlist of options, and their focus turned immediately to Chelsea, who have Michy Batshuayi and Olivier Giroud on the fringes.

Batshuayi is the one they are prioritising, and two key figures involved in getting this one sorted are Blues legend John Terry and former Chelsea managing director Christian Purslow, who both now work at Villa. 

Sources expect that the situation will become clear quite quickly as to whether a transfer is possible, and Villa are aware Batshuayi is in two minds about whether to fight for his place or try something new.

Villa are also interested in Daniel Sturridge, but current club Trabzonspor hope he will stick with them.

       

Keep An Eye On: Cengiz Under to Everton

Cengiz Under has not been on great terms with Paulo Fonseca, and Roma have begun to look for new options in his position. Clubs across Europe are now being alerted of his potential availability.

Spurs have already touched base about a deal, and Everton have joined them by asking about the terms that would have to be met.

Sources suggest Roma will sell Under for €40 million—they also feel the Premier League is his ideal next destination.

His representatives sounded out a few clubs last summer, and there is a feeling that Everton's project under new manager Carlo Ancelotti could be ideal for him.

      

Don't Rule Out: Christian Eriksen to Inter Milan

Christian Eriksen's contract expires at the end of the season, and ideally, he wants a move to La Liga. His eyes are open to opportunities in Italy, though, and Inter have joined Juventus in making contact over the terms he would be looking for.

Initial discussions have been positive, but Inter are happy to wait until the end of the season for him—meaning they can sign him for free.

Yet an offer in the region of €25 million would mean Spurs allow him to leave in January instead, so other clubs might still jump in...or Inter will accept the fee if it means they win the race.

         

Work To Do: Moussa Dembele to Chelsea

Chelsea need a striker to challenge Tammy Abraham, and Moussa Dembele has been one of their key targets.

Lyon have taken the strong decision to release a statement, warning of their desire to keep hold of him, so Chelsea will need the player to agitate for a move if this one is going to gather pace.

With the future of Batshuayi and Giroud up in the air, signing a new frontman is important. Dembele is rated at €40 million—and Giroud could be thrown into the deal—but if it can't happen, they might look towards an experienced loan signing to get them through the campaign.

      

Doubts About: Jerome Boateng to Arsenal

We all know Arsenal could do with some help in defence, and Calum Chambers now faces a lay-off with a knee ligament injury, so it is a relief to fans that the club are making contact with experienced defenders about moving to north London.

The latest name to be linked by Sky Germany is Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng, but the German star already has a couple of other clubs trying to sign him.

B/R sources close to the situation claim Spurs and Juventus are both interested and are better situated at this moment to complete a deal. 

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Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City are reportedly all interested in Norwich City midfielder Todd Cantwell. 

According to the Daily Mail's Adrian Kajumba, United have joined their rivals in considering a summer swoop for the 21-year-old, who is said to be valued at £30 million.

The youngster has scored six Premier League goals this season as well as contributing two assists.

His most recent effort came on Wednesday when he opened the scoring against Crystal Palace:

Cantwell's other strikes have come against Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Norwich lost 2-1 to Wolves in December, but football statistician Dave O'Brien shared the numbers behind an impressive performance from the midfielder:

Todd Cantwell’s first half vs. Wolves by numbers:

100% final third pass accuracy
88% pass accuracy
7 ball recoveries
3 tackles won
1 goal

Made the difference. 🎯 pic.twitter.com/PZqr5iAQAk

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) December 21, 2019

Football writer Graham Ruthven has likened Cantwell's playmaking and striking ability to Aston Villa's Jack Grealish, while the left-sided midfielder's desire to push forward in support of a centre-forward is reminiscent of Dele Alli.

His talents aren't particularly required at City, who hardly struggle for goals and creativity in their ranks with midfield options such as Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva, Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez.

David Silva's contract is up in the summer, but the Sky Blues already have Phil Foden waiting in the wings to take his place.

Tottenham are set to lose Christian Eriksen when his contract expires in the summer, if they don't part with him this month, so they could use another attacking midfielder.

As The Athletic's Alex Kay-Jelski observed in Spurs' 1-0 defeat to Southampton on Wednesday, the Dane remains their most important creator:

https://twitter.com/AlexKayJelski/status/1212451639405223936

So too do United need someone who can contribute goals and assists from midfield.

They largely rely on Paul Pogba to provide that—he produced 16 and 11 in all competitions last season, respectively—and he has played just eight times this season because of injury.

What's more, the Frenchman will have only a year remaining on his contract this summer, so it's unlikely he'll remain at the club beyond that as they'll risk losing him for free.

Ligue 1 side Lyon have said they are counting on striker Moussa Dembele amid speculation Chelsea could try to land the 23-year-old in the January transfer window. 

The French club issued a statement making it clear they have no interest in selling one of their most important players:

"Olympique Lyonnais has taken note of certain information relayed by the media suggesting that Moussa Dembele could interest other clubs during this transfer window. OL would like to reaffirm its wish, as in the summer of 2019, to keep Moussa Dembele. The club has full confidence in Moussa and counts in particular on him to build a successful team for the seasons to come."

Dembele moved to Lyon from Celtic in 2018 and has been a big hit with the Ligue 1 side. The striker netted 19 times in all competitions for the club last season as they finished in third place in the table.

Moussa Dembele: Only Kylian Mbappe (32) has scored more goals from open play than @MDembele_10 (16) in Ligue 1 since the start of the 2018/19 season

For more player stats -- https://t.co/5Qg9YB4KUt pic.twitter.com/yMxWr1aXcP

— WhoScored (@WhoScored) August 20, 2019

The Frenchman has continued his prolific form in 2019-20. He has 10 goals in Ligue 1 so far, only Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe and Monaco's Wissam Ben Yedder have more.

Chelsea are reportedly interested in the striker and have had a £34 million bid rejected by Lyon, according to Foot Mercato (h/t Rhys Daly at the Daily Express).

Sky Sports News have reported that manager Frank Lampard sees Dembele as a similar player to Blues legend Didier Drogba and has been "tracking" the youngster for some time.

Lampard has suggested he could look to strengthen in January:

Lampard reiterates that Chelsea “have to improve if we can” in January and adds that he’ll be recommending names, though recruitment is a collective effort #cfc

— Liam Twomey (@liam_twomey) December 13, 2019

Chelsea look likely to try and reinforce their attack. The Blues have struggled to kill off games this season, while Olivier Giroud and Michy Batshuyai have barely featured and could be allowed to depart.

There are also doubts over veteran wingers Pedro and Willian. Both players are into their thirties and out of contract at the club in the summer.

Dembele is not the only attacker rumoured to be interesting Chelsea. Borussia Dortmund's Jadon Sancho and Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha have also been linked, per the Guardian's David Hytner.

However, Lampard has already played down a move for Zaha:

Lampard on Zaha: "I wouldn’t talk about Zaha and the idea of that [swap with Giroud] deal is something I have never even considered. As I say I won’t talk about Zaha because he is not a player of ours." #CFC

— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) January 1, 2020

Chelsea have handed Lampard £150 million to spend in January after their transfer ban was lifted, according to the Telegraph's Tom Morgan, Ben Rumsby and Matt Law. Bringing in more attacking talent is likely to be the team's focus in January, but Lyon have made it clear interest in Dembele is unwelcome.

Mikel Arteta has said Arsenal are duty-bound to run the rule over every possibility available to improve talent in the squad during the January transfer window. 

The Gunners chief spoke ahead of Monday's FA Cup third-round tie against Leeds United, per James Benge of Football.London: "We're going to try to be in the market to see options that can strengthen the team. That's for sure. That's our obligation. We're going to be working on that. My obligation is to give my opinion on the things I think we can improve."

However, while Arteta admitted Arsenal will consider finding help from outside sources, he also said he's keeping his focus on working with what he has: "I'm more concerned at the moment to get people back from injuries than signings and try to improve the players we have here, get everybody on board with what we're trying to do. If something extra comes up and we think it's the right opportunity let's do it."

Injuries are a sensible place to start when considering what Arsenal may or may not do during the winter window. Arteta referenced the case of Calum Chambers, the centre-back who was withdrawn during Sunday's 2-1 defeat at home to Chelsea.

Arsenal have since confirmed 24-year-old Chambers is set for an extended spell on the treatment table. He will need "six to nine months" to recover from knee surgery, per the club's official website.

Being without Chambers' athleticism at the heart of the back four weakens an already suspect defence. However, Arteta can rightly feel confident about the options he has after incumbents like David Luiz have shown improvement.

David Luiz’s game by numbers vs. Man Utd:

100% aerial duels
100% tackles
86% passes
0 goals conceded

Dominant performance. 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/b33Fx4b7Vu

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) January 1, 2020

Luiz and fellow central defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos both excelled during the 2-0 win over Manchester United on New Year's Day. Along with Rob Holding and Konstantinos Mavropanos, they offer Arteta a decent amount of choices for how to deploy his personnel at the back.

Sokratis looks like Sokratis again. Absolutely thundering around the pitch, imposing himself on the forwards. Not perfect but much more like himself. You could say that for so many players so far.

— James Benge (@jamesbenge) January 1, 2020

It's a similar story in midfield, where Lucas Torreira is playing up to his talent since Arteta reinstalled him into a more natural holding role. Meanwhile, mercurial No. 10 Mesut Ozil is working harder on the watch of his former team-mate.

Yet Arsenal's midfield suddenly seems amply stocked because of how well Xhaka has responded since Arteta became manager. The Switzerland international has been heavily linked with a move to Hertha Berlin, according to Gary Jacob of The Times (subscription required).

Even so, Arteta has been consistent about saying he wants the pass-master to stay:

"I had a conversation with him, I wanted to understand his feelings" 👌

Mikel Arteta explains how he managed to win over Granit Xhaka, with the Swiss midfielder now set to stay at @Arsenal this month 🤜🤛 pic.twitter.com/PA6umYaJxN

— Hayters TV (@HaytersTV) January 2, 2020

With Xhaka, Torreira and Ozil in the middle, backed up by Matteo Guendouzi and Joe Willock, Arteta has enough central midfielders. It's a similar story up front, especially after the Gunners opted to recall Eddie Nketiah from his loan deal with Leeds.

The 20-year-old striker confirmed his return to north London on Wednesday:

Unfortunately my time @LUFC has come to an end. It’s been an amazing experience and a privilege to play for such an amazing club. I would like to say a big thank you to my teammates, the coaching staff and the manager for making my time here an enjoyable one. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/IgQNfkOWn5

— Eddie Nketiah 📞 (@EddieNketiah9) January 1, 2020

Lastly, a big thank you to all the wonderful fans for taking to me so quickly. I wish the club all the best and I’m sure you’ll get to the promised land. #MOT @LUFC ⚽️🙏🏾 2/2 pic.twitter.com/6hEWZS2f3i

— Eddie Nketiah 📞 (@EddieNketiah9) January 1, 2020

Nketiah could join Alexandre Lacazette and Gabriel Martinelli as players who can operate through the middle for Arsenal.

It also helps Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang told RMC Sport (h/t Alex Harris of the Daily Star) he is "100 percent here" in response to rumours linking him with Barcelona and Inter Milan. For his part, Arteta has said he doesn't "even think about the possibility" of Aubameyang moving on, per Benge.

The Gunners aren't short of strikers, playmakers in the middle or centre-backs. One area Arteta could strengthen is on the flanks, where academy graduates Bukayo Saka and Reiss Nelson have tried to support inconsistent club-record buy Nicolas Pepe so far this season.

However, Pepe's superb display against United offered hope the ex-Lille star is likely to come good:

Nicolas Pépé's game by numbers vs. Man Utd:

100% pass accuracy
100% passes in opp.half
50 touches
16 total duels
6 recoveries
4 take-ons completed
4 chances created
2 aerials won
2 shots
1 goal

A brilliant display. 💪 pic.twitter.com/vQh699tz5S

— Squawka (@Squawka) January 1, 2020

If so, Arteta won't need to rush into the market for another versatile forward who can operate on either wing. Instead, the 37-year-old will be free to continue implementing his philosophy and tactics among the experienced group of players he's already working with.

After collecting four points from three games, there are signs Arteta's actions on the training pitch will be more beneficial than anything Arsenal do in the market during this month.

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said the club will be looking to bring in a signing or two in January after their 2-0 defeat to Arsenal on Wednesday.

The manager said after the match: "Well, you can see the squad, and yeah, one or two additions could do nicely. We are building towards something, and it just depends on what we think is right for us will be available."

Solskjaer's comments came alongside confirmation that Paul Pogba could be out for up to another month after suffering a setback with his ankle, while Scott McTominay could be out for two months as a result of the knee injury he suffered against Newcastle United on Boxing Day.

It's been suggested the Red Devils should prioritise new bodies in midfield because of those injuries and those who left and weren't replaced last year:

With McTominay and Pogba in and out of the side through injury, as well as losing Fellaini and Herrera, it is essential Man Utd sign a midfielder in January. Depleted.

— Liam Canning (@LiamPaulCanning) January 1, 2020

The Athletic's Adam Crafton also identified two midfield positions in which United need reinforcement, as well as further forward:

Not learning much new about United. Need an 8 to dictate & a 10 with magic. Dan James overused and a proper squad would allow him a rest. Lingard not up to it. Need a No9 who presses more than twice a month. And no idea if Solskjaer the man to coach the squad if signings do come

— Adam Crafton (@AdamCrafton_) January 1, 2020

United's injuries this season have exposed their poor squad management in recent transfer windows, as they have not had the depth to cope with the absences.

On Wednesday, Nicolas Pepe and Sokratis Papastathopoulos gave the Gunners a deserved lead at half-time, and United struggled to threaten them much after the break:

The Red Devils were left short of attacking options this season when Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez joined Inter Milan in the summer and the club did not bring in any forwards.

Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood have duly stepped up and contributed 34 goals and 11 assists between them, so another forward may not be an immediate priority.

However, without Pogba for much of the campaign—he's played just eight times—United have often struggled for creativity from midfield.

Andreas Pereira, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata have contributed a combined total of three goals and six assists in all competitions this season, so a midfielder who can provide more of an attacking threat and creativity is a must.

The winter transfer window is open and negotiations on new signings are under way, so we are taking a peak at potential ins and outs that you need to know about for the month ahead. 

By calling on Bleacher Report sources across Europe, we have been able to get insight on some of the big storylines that are likely to unfold.

We kick off with the fallout from a transfer that has already been confirmed in Germany... 

         

1. The Erling Haaland Knock-On Effect

Borussia Dortmund have won the battle for Haaland's signature and we will now see how the result of that agreement is impacting the Bundesliga club and their European rivals. 

The man most directly impacted is Paco Alcacer, the 26-year-old striker, who will seek a new home as his chances of game time are going to be very limited.

Haaland will be a guaranteed starter at Dortmund, and sources suggest that intermediaries working on behalf of Alcacer are already sounding out other clubs about a move. One of those is Atletico Madrid, who are in talks with Edinson Cavani but have not yet sealed the deal. 

Away from that, it is Manchester United who are the club most affected by Haaland's decision to join Dortmund. They have to decide whether to now sign someone else, like Lyon's Moussa Dembele, or rely on Mason Greenwood to provide back-up to Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford for the rest of the season.

        

2. The Battle for Jadon Sancho to Intensify

Haaland will be excited about the prospect of teaming up in attack with Sancho at Dortmund...but they won't be working together for long.

Sancho, 19, is likely to remain at the club for the rest of this season, but B/R sources have indicated it is very possible that an early agreement could be put in place for a summer transfer—similar to the way Christian Pulisic was signed by Chelsea one year ago.

Man United have their eye on Sancho and are thought to be keen on the idea of making an early offer for the England international, given they are not planning to spend significant money in January. But bear in mind that Manchester City have a buy-back option on Sancho—which means they will be given the chance to match any acceptable bid on the player.

Dortmund are going to seek a fee upwards of €100 million—a major rise on the €9.3 million they bought him for from City in August 2017. Liverpool are being kept in touch with any developments, but Chelsea are more likely to be tempted into such a big transfer. 

      

3. Chelsea Return with Big Money to Spend

The Blues are bouncing back from a transfer embargo and have a £180 million transfer budget, according to sources. Boss Frank Lampard is hopeful of improving the side in at least two positions this month.

An early deal for Sancho would undoubtedly be their biggest business of 2020—and there is desire for a new wide attacker despite Callum Hudson-Odoi, Christian Pulisic and Willian looking part of their plans for the next year.

Chelsea also made checks on Wilfried Zaha—available from Crystal Palace at £80 million—but are not planning to pursue that unless the price drops by at least £20 million. Samuel Chukwueze of Villarreal and Leon Bailey of Bayer Leverkusen have also been scouted extensively.

A wide attacker is not the priority, though, as Lampard sees a new defender and central striker as more immediate fixes.

Bournemouth's Nathan Ake is almost certain to be the subject of an offer from Chelsea, and a £40 million buy-back clause should see that one go through. He can operate at centre-back, left-back or defensive midfield and would be a great asset in the second half of the season once fit again after a hamstring problem.

A striker is wanted to challenge Tammy Abraham for his place, and Dembele of Lyon is emerging as a major candidate. He is valued at around £40 million too. Chelsea will be opening up one of their forward slots by letting Olivier Giroud leave. 

        

4. Arsenal Plan 2 Signings—and Won't Sell Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

New manager Mikel Arteta is bringing renewed energy, work rate and drive to the club, but he also needs some additional quality in his squad if there is to be any vast improvement from Unai Emery's reign.

To that end, Arsenal are willing to help their new boss in the window by actively pursuing a new defender and central midfielder.

Various options have been explored in terms of the defence, with Merih Demiral of Juventus and Dayot Upamecano of RB Leipzig two of the names they have looked at. The issue with both is that the players prefer the status of the club they are already playing for.

It could be that Arsenal bring William Saliba back from a loan at Saint-Etienne instead. The 18-year-old was signed in the summer but loaned back to the French club as part of the deal. 

In terms of midfielders, sources told B/R to remain cautious over a big name arrival like Thomas Lemar or Adrien Rabiot, who have both been linked. But there is a belief that the Gunners will strengthen, and one contact suggested they might be one of the clubs enquiring about Lille's Boubakary Soumare.

As for Aubameyang? He's going nowhere yet. There is concern about whether he stays beyond this season, but the board are not willing to entertain the idea of him leaving halfway through this tricky campaign.

The same goes for Mesut Ozil. There will probably be rumours over his future, but he is going nowhere. 

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said the club will not sign a new forward "for the sake of" it in the January transfer window. 

The Red Devils were strongly linked with a move for Erling Haaland in the upcoming midseason market, but the Norwegian prodigy completed a transfer to Borussia Dortmund instead this week.

Speaking ahead of the team's clash with Arsenal in the Premier League on Wednesday, Solskjaer hinted the team were still interested in improving their options up top but wouldn't rush to sign a player who didn't fit their blueprint, per James Ducker of the Daily Telegraph:

"I'm a striker by nature and I've always been an optimist. I'm optimistic we can keep players fit and, if the right ones become available, we do have the resources, and I do have the backing from the board, but it's also about getting the right ones.

"There's no point suddenly bringing someone else in now for the sake of three or four months if that can disrupt any good feeling or chemistry in the group, because the chemistry in the group is really good. It has to be the right type, and it has to be a good investment for the long term as well."

United's attacking play has been their strong point this season, with Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial providing a trademark thrust in the final third.

Mason Greenwood has also emerged as an excellent alternative to the duo, with the 18-year-old showing he's capable of scoring goals at the highest level. Squawka Football examined the current firepower available to Solskjaer:

Marcus Rashford:
⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️
⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️🅰️🅰️🅰️🅰️🅰️

Anthony Martial:
⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️🅰️
🅰️🅰️

Mason Greenwood:
⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️🅰️

Average age: 21 years and 5 months old. pic.twitter.com/PQ7jvAHS3G

— Squawka (@Squawka) December 26, 2019

Daniel James has also been a shrewd attacking addition since arriving from Swansea City in the summer and referenced his own strong linkup with Rashford:

DJ x MR 😄

More of this link-up to come🙌🏼 https://t.co/Iqxi2f4qga

— Daniel James (@Daniel_James_97) December 30, 2019

According to Ducker, having missed out on Haaland, the club will look to secure another option in the attacking third. "United also want a midfielder and are among a host of clubs interested in Dortmund and England winger Jadon Sancho," continued the report.

Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News outlined why United eventually opted against signing Haaland:

#mufc felt the terms of the buyout proposed for Haaland meant the agent effectively controlled the sell-on, rather than the club. United weren’t prepared to put themselves in that position.

— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) December 29, 2019

While there are areas of the United squad that require improvement, it's understandable that Solskjaer doesn't want to upset the dynamic in the setup at the moment.

United have shown great potential at times this term, earning wins over Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur; they also secured back-to-back wins against Newcastle United and Burnley before Wednesday's showdown with Arsenal.

It would be a shock if United made major moves in the January window after missing out on Haaland. The challenge for the Red Devils, who sit in fifth in the Premier League, will now be ensuring they secure UEFA Champions League football next term and remain in the market for elite operators.

Juventus are reportedly close to signing 19-year-old Dejan Kulusevski and have agreed personal terms with the Sweden international. 

The Serie A champions are willing to pay up to €50 million (£42.6 million) for Kulusevski and will hand him a contract that runs until June 2024, according to reports from Sky Sport Italia and La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Football Italia).

Kulusevski is currently on loan at Parma from Atalanta and is expected to remain with Roberto D'Aversa's side until the end of the season before moving to Juventus in June.

The teenager is enjoying a breakout season in Serie A and has netted four goals and bagged seven assists in 17 top-flight outings for Parma:

Dejan Kulusevski was directly involved in a Serie A goal every 118 minutes in December.

POTM. 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/p8fWDDz0Yd

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) December 27, 2019

Kulusevski's performances saw him named Serie A's Player of the Month for December, as Parma beat Sampdoria and Napoli and drew with Brescia to end 2019 in seventh place in the table.

Lazio's Luis Alberto is the only player to have contributed more assists than Kulusevski so far in the Italian top-flight in 2019-20:

Kulusevski has been asked about his future ahead of the January transfer window but gave little away when talking to SVT Sport (h/t Calciomercato.com):

Only Luis Alberto has more assists in Serie A this season than Dejan Kulusevski.

He has had a hand in 11 of Parma's 24 league goals. pic.twitter.com/w4nvo2hEVw

— SCOUTED (@scoutedftbl) December 23, 2019

"When you think about the future, you forget the present. I think about improving, I don't know what will happen in the future. I focus on improving and at the end of the season I will make a decision."

The youngster's performances do not appear to have gone unnoticed. His representative, Stefano Sam, told Radio Punto Nuovo (h/t Calciomercato, via Joe Bray of the Manchester Evening News) that he is "followed by several Premier League clubs."

Atalanta president Antonio Percassi told Radio Deejay (h/t Football Italia) his team were willing to "monetise and reinvest" amid reported interest from a host of clubs including Juve, Inter Milan, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea.

Italian football writer Carlo Garganese explained why Kulusevski is a good fit for Juventus:

Kulusevski to Juventus? He's an incredible talent & one of Serie A's most exciting teenagers for years. He's exactly the kind of player Juve are lacking. Someone direct with pace & dribbling who can eliminate & stretch opponents. Currently only Costa can do that in the squad

— Carlo Garganese (@carlogarganese) December 30, 2019

Maurizio Sarri's side appear to have won the race as they look to strengthen the squad and refresh their attack. Mario Mandzukic has already departed for Qatari side Al-Duhail, while Marko Pjaca has reportedly attracted interest from Verona and Sampdoria, per Football Italia.

The B/R Football Ranks transfer column is your guide to which transfer rumours are legit and which ones you can dismiss.

Our secret sources have top intelligence on the inside stories, and our informants have details on the delicate dealings of talks between top clubs and superstar names.

The aim here is to open up the truths inside this transfer window—and this week, we have delved into six big storylines that are opening up, starting with a major deal in Italy.

                      

Nailed On: Zlatan Ibrahimovic to AC Milan

This deal has finally got the green light: The 38-year-old Zlatan Ibrahimovic is heading back to AC Milan.

After quitting LA Galaxy at the end of the MLS season, his priority was to find a way back into Serie A. And after initial interest from Bologna and Napoli, he has settled on putting the famous black-and-red stripes on once again.

He will join on an initial six-month deal and will be at San Siro for Milan's clash with Sampdoria on January 6 if all goes to plan.

                  

Looking Likely: Edinson Cavani to Atletico Madrid

We always knew he would be leaving Paris Saint-Germain in 2020, but it looks like Edinson Cavani will land in La Liga rather than MLS, where he had been touted to join Inter Miami.

Talks over personal terms are at an advanced stage, according to sources in Spain, but an agreement still needs to be reached between the two clubs.

Ideally, PSG wanted to keep the player for the rest of the season, but Atleti are hopeful of taking him from France to Spain in January. Either way, Cavani is excited by the move and will wait it out if his current club insist he sees out the season.

                  

Could Happen: Gerson to Tottenham Hotspur 

For a few weeks, there have been murmurs inside football circles that Tottenham Hotspur will try to make Flamengo midfielder Gerson one of Jose Mourinho's first signings, and the story is gathering pace.

B/R Football sources indicate that talks have been going on and that officials are hopeful of a deal being concluded.

               

Watch Out For: Cenk Tosun to Besiktas

Everton striker Cenk Tosun has been frustrated with his lack of game time this season and fears his situation will not change under new boss Carlo Ancelotti. B/R sources suggest Everton have opened the door for him to find a new club.

Ideally, he wants to remain in the Premier League and is on the look out for a loan switch, but Besiktas are the only club showing clear interest right now.

They are desperate for a new striker but have no funds for significant signings. They would be willing to pay a chunk of his wages, though, in order to make the switch happen.

                  

Some Doubts About: Vicente Guaita to Manchester City

He has been one of the best performers for Crystal Palace this season, and now goalkeeper Vicente Guaita has caught the attention of recruitment staff from Premier League champions Manchester City.

A report in Spanish publication AS suggested City are targeting him as a back-up for Ederson. But sources at Palace told B/R to take the transfer talk with a pinch of salt. They know scouts from various clubs around Europe have been watching him closely but intend to reward his good form with an improved contract. 

        

Not Happening: Joshua Zirkzee to Ajax 

Questions were asked last summer as Ajax scouts spotted a gem in Bayern Munich's youth department—they made a call to see whether 18-year-old forward Joshua Zirkzee might become available.

Bayern officials made it clear that they wanted him to progress with them this season, even though first-team chances seemed unlikely. Ajax continued to monitor the situation but now know any chance of him moving is dead.

Zirkzee has been a revelation, scoring on his Bundesliga debut against Freiburg and then grabbing another vital goal against Wolfsburg three days later. He's played eight minutes of Bundesliga football and has two goals!

The agent of Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka has said the player has agreed terms with Hertha Berlin and wants to leave the club.

Per BLICK (h/t The Athletic's James McNicholas), new manager Mikel Arteta has privately told Xhaka he can leave in the summer while publicly backing the Switzerland international:

Xhaka said to be angry that while Arteta publicly professed his admiration for the player, he told him in private he could leave in the summer.

Hertha believed to have submitted a bid of €25 million, but Arsenal are holding out for more.

— gunnerblog (@gunnerblog) December 26, 2019

German Football Daily shared the comments from agent Jose Noguera:

#Xhaka‘s agent Jose Noguera confirmed that Xhaka wants to leave #Arsenal: "Granit Xhaka agreed terms with #Hertha. He has asked the Arsenal bosses and also Mikel Arteta to let him go to Berlin". [FT] #afc #hahohe

— German Football Daily (@GERFootDaily) December 26, 2019

Per the Guardian's Nick Ames, Arteta said he wants Xhaka at the Emirates Stadium earlier this week:

Mikel Arteta tells ‘terrific player’ Granit Xhaka his future lies with Arsenal. By @NickAmes82 https://t.co/f9Mc1UrsdO

— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) December 25, 2019

An exit has seemed inevitable since Xhaka reacted angrily to jeers from the home fans during a 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace in October. Wearing the captain's armband, he cupped his ears to invite more boos, took off his shirt and walked straight past then-manager Unai Emery and into the tunnel.

He later issued a statement to explain his reaction:

The following is a message from Granit Xhaka... https://t.co/YG5lBKmQvi

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) October 31, 2019

The 27-year-old returned to the starting XI a month after the incident in the 2-1 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt in the UEFA Europa League. His level of play has gradually improved in the past few weeks, and he was among the standouts during the 1-1 draw against Bournemouth on Thursday.

According to Bleacher Report's Dean Jones, a January move is possible, and Xhaka would welcome even a loan deal with Hertha. He previously played for Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga.

Hertha entered the winter break just four points ahead of the Bundesliga's relegation play-off spot and are expected to strengthen their squad significantly in January.

The experienced Xhaka would be a major coup for the club from the capital. With plenty of Bundesliga experience under his belt, he likely wouldn't need too much time to get settled and contribute.

Arsenal could also experience turnover in January, giving Arteta the chance to start forming the squad to his liking. The primary objective for this season has to be a European ticket, however, and to achieve such a goal, experienced players like Xhaka are needed.

A bid of €25 million seems fair value, but more may be needed to convince the Gunners to cash in on their former captain.