If it still feels like the season just started – well, its because it just did! However, fans are already assessing the performances of their respected teams and are taking to a variety of social media outlets to get a heads up on whom their team may be targeting in the January transfer window.
Although there is still three months to go before the next transfer period, rumours are already circulating on who is going where this winter.Lets take a look at some of the transfer talks taking place and rate the likelihood of them actually going through.
Juan Mata
This saga already has the Chelsea fans questioning Mourinho’s methods. Mata was Chelsea’s player of the year last season, but has found himself frozen out by Mourinho thus far.
Mourinho has made no secret of his preference to use oscar in the attacking midfielder role, as he was quoted in the Telegraph last month saying,
“In this moment, Oscar is my no.10, and if somebody tells me that Oscar is not Chelsea’s best player since the beginnings of the season, I’d disagree”.
Liverpool and PSG have both been linked with him, with PSG’s riches being the most likely team to win his signature. Whether this happens in January is not known, but I can’t see Mata putting up being in Mourinho’s ‘doghouse’ for too long.
Christian Benteke
Beneteke wasn’t shy when it came to discussing his desire to leave Villa Park in the summer, however, not many clubs put in any serious bids and the Belgian was left with no choice but to re-sign with the Villa club.
He has since then picked up where he left off last season, and although he is nursing an injury at the moment, stories linking him away from Villa Park are starting to resurface again.
It seems that clubs took the cautious approach by waiting to see if last season was a one year fluke before putting in a bid for the Villa target man. But with his form looking even sharper than last season, you can be assured teams will come knocking this time around.
The Daily Star are reporting that Arsenal may interested, while the Express are stating that Manchester United may also be keen.
Personally, I don’t think Arsenal will make a bid with Giroud now firing and Wegner’s hesitation to pay the money Villa are asking for. However, United are struggling for to score, and if the reports that the Red Devils may have a 50 million pound war chest in winter are true, then I can see Moyes looking to the Belgian to bolster his attack.
Luis Suarez
It seems like this summer’s longest transfer saga is refusing to go away with Suarez contiously being linked with a switch to Real Madrid.
Recently, fellow Uruguayan team, Edinson Cavani taken to being Suarez’s spokesman, yet again, by coming out and stating that Suarez may still be holding out for a move to the Bernabeu this January.
However, highly respected Spanish football journalist – Gullem Balague, has helped to ease the minds of Liverpool fans by stating that the much maligned striker may not want to disrupt his rhythm in the lead up to the 2014 World Cup.
Balague recently told a readers section on the SKY Sports website:
“I don’t think Luis Suarez is going to leave in the winter, […] but in the summer, who knows? His priority has to be to have a good season and World Cup, and then we’ll see.”
He went onto confirm that Diego Costa was approached by Liverpool in the transfer window but chose to remain at Atletico Madrid, where he is in top form.
Ironcially enough, Liverpool are currently in a tie for first position with Arsenal in the EPL – the Londoners the put in a number of bids to prize Suarez away from the Reds this past summer – and if they find themselves in the top four come January, then I find it hard to believe Suarez will leave. His biggest desire is to play in the Champions League and if Liverpool can finally offer that next season, their chances of keeping the player will only increase.
Stephan El Shaarawy
Tottenham have spent over 100 million pounds, and if reports are to believed, don’t seem like stopping either.
Apparently, there’s still some money from Gareth Bale coffers, and according to the Mirror’s Dave Kidd, they want to spend it on AC Milan’s Stephan El Shaarawy.
Again, it’s just speculation, and i’m not sure how accurate this link is. Also, I haven’t read any articles that are linking the San Siro hitman to Liverpool, so it’s probably not true…
Just kidding Tottenham fans….Actually, i’m not – you guys do love to go after Liverpool’s targets.
Fabio Conentrao
This link gets a little tricky with a few papers reporting different things.
TalkSPORT are reporting that Moyes has no interest in signing the defender, whereas the Daily Mail is claiming that he’s another Tottenham target (is there a player they HAVEN’T been linked with).
I don’t think Moyes will go in for him, as I can see him taking less of a risk and going for one of his former boys in Leighton Baines instead.
Tottenham are still looking to strengthen the left side after losing out on Bale’s replacement – Willian to rivals Chelsea.