7 wild January transfer rumours that surely won’t happen

The January transfer window is in full swing, giving clubs another opportunity to strengthen their squads ahead of the business end of the season.

Spurs have made their move in the Premier League, signing Radu Dragusin and Timo Werner from Genoa and RB Leipzig respectively, but there haven’t been really any other major movers and shakers – contrary to the information of every gossip column going.

Some links have some genuine substance to them, while others have elements of truth to them that rely on a number of things falling into place. And some, can you fathom, would appear on the surface to be nothing more than pure fantasy, keeping things ticking over so we all have something to write and talk about.

Here’s six of the best January rumours so far that surely (surely) not going to happen…

Jhon Duran – Aston Villa to Chelsea

The latest Christopher Nkunku injury blow has led to suggestions that Chelsea may look to Aston Villa’s Jhon Duran as a short-term option. The same Jhon Duran who is yet to start a Premier League game for Villa this season – unsurprisingly really given Ollie Watkins’ ongoing brilliance – and has scored two goals in the competition in a year.

Granted, the 20-year-old is a developing talent who is clearly going to get better. He’ll also start to garner more first-team opportunities, which may end up justifying links to a club the size of Chelsea. But for Mauricio Pochettino to be considering a gamble on a player in the infancy of his career when goals are in short supply at Stamford Bridge? It makes absolutely no sense.

Duran arguably doesn’t add any further quality to the Blues’ squad – Nicolas Jackson and Armando Broja we’re looking at you – and would most likely be squabbling for minutes as soon as Nkunku is ready to go again from the off.

Joshua Kimmich – Bayern Munich to Newcastle

There’s not really much to say here other than Bayern Munich are Bayern Munich and Newcastle United are Newcastle United. It’s as simple as that.

Kimmich may be seeking a new challenge away from Bavaria, that much is true, but the German is absolutely not going to be the player to fill the injury-crisis void in Eddie Howe’s Magpies midfield. For starters there’s FFP considerations which mean Newcastle are in no position to be splashing the cash this January – they’ve done…