Another day in football, another wave of transfer rumours to keep up on.
Take a look at the most recent names and gossip being floated around in the media.
Will any of the following deals happen?
Let us know your thoughts by getting in touch via Twitter and Facebook.
Liverpool are prepared to rekindle their controversy-dogged pursuit of centre-back Virgil van Dijk if Southampton declare they are finally prepared to listen to offers, according to the Liverpool Echo.
Van Dijk, 26, has been training on his own in the aftermath of a ‘tapping up row’ erupting last month which saw the Reds officially withdraw their interest.
The Saints hope their disgruntled Netherlands defender will soon accept a £60 million (Dh286.8 million) transfer will not occur this summer. But Jurgen Klopp’s men are willing to wait and see if their stance changes before launching a club-record bid.
Liverpool are wise to tread carefully in this situation, with the club already being hit this year with a transfer ban for signing domestic Academy players.
Yet with their defence a clear Achilles’ heel, it is a prudent approach to see what unfolds with Van Dijk. The Saints could be determined to hang on, or could be drumming up a market for a player whose made it abundantly clear he wants to be at Anfield next term.
Virgil van Dijk.
Borussia Dortmund have insisted that prolific striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s future remains with them.
Aubameyang, 28, has continued to be linked to a big-money switch to the Chinese Super League in January because a summer move to a European giant such as AC Milan – his former club – has, thus far, failed to occur.
But BVB sporting director Michael Zorc has told kicker that the Gabon international is staying put. He said: “There are no talks, there are no negotiations and there’s not even an indication of it.”
How times have changed. A year ago, football was awash with Chinese money.
Now, stringent regulations to curb spending by the Chinese Football Association appear to validate Zorc’s viewpoint. A newly-introduced 100-per-cent foreign player tax would see the reported €70 million (Dh299.6 million) transfer fee doubled to a prohibitive €140 million (Dh599.3 million), before extravagant wages are factored in.
Only £11 million (Dh52.7 million) was spent during the recently-closed summer market. That wouldn’t even buy Aubameyang’s gloriously-gifted big toe.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Manchester United have a clear path at Nemanja Matic’s signature after Juventus baulked at Chelsea’s £40 million (Dh191.7 million) asking price, according to Corrierre dello Sport.
Matic, 28, has been allowed to leave Stamford Bridge after the Premier League champions bought France and Monaco battler Tiemoue Bakayoko. The Old Lady had expressed interest in snapping up the Serbia defensive midfielder, although not at the price requested.
There is a sense of inevitability about United’s chase for Matic. Manager Jose Mourinho knows him well from their time together at Chelsea and he would provide a battle-tested solution to their balancing issues in the middle of the park.
With Juve – shrewd operators in the transfer market during recent years – only prepared to proceed on their terms, expect to see Matic at Old Trafford sometime soon.
Nemanja Matic.
