The January transfer window rarely provides the same sort of fun as we get in summer, but that doesn’t mean the rumour mill slows down.
The fun is already in full swing. Some clubs are making new signings and others are setting their sights on potential summer acquisitions, opening the door to a whole host of lines vying for a spot in the gossip column.
Here’s our take on five of the wildest rumours currently doing the rounds.
The rumour
Barcelona sporting director Deco has been meeting with the agents of Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran, according to SPORT in Spain. He could be available for up to £60m in the summer.
Our take
Will Barcelona ever learn their lesson? Sure, they’re back at La Liga’s 1:1 spending rules, but they’ve only made it there by triggering every lever in a 50-mile radius. They’ve scrambled to register last summer’s big-money signing but seem happy to take even more risks to land Duran’s signature.
This is no knock on Duran, who has established himself as a genuine attacking powerhouse this season with Villa. He’s good enough for a club like Barcelona, but the cost of winning this race is likely to send the Blaugrana spiralling back into financial uncertainty.
The rumour
Relevo claim Virgil van Dijk’s agents have been speaking with Real Madrid about a blockbuster free transfer during the summer, only for the Spanish side to decline the opportunity to seal a deal.
Our take
A weird one, this. Firstly, the fact Liverpool have let Van Dijk’s contract wind down to such a point that he could even talk to Madrid in the first place is mental, but Los Blancos’ reluctance to do a deal is equally as perplexing.
Sure, at 33 years old, Van Dijk is getting on a bit. He’s clearly a short-term fix in a problem position, but is that such a bad thing? Carlo Ancelotti has been operating with one fit senior centre-back for what feels like an eternity, so why not take a year or two of Van Dijk while you find a long-term solution?
The rumour
The rumours of Arsenal‘s interest in Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak are nothing new, but the fact they haven’t gone away after the Swede was valued at £150m is noteworthy. Football Insider continue to describe Isak as a “key target”.
Our take
Let’s just get this straight. There isn’t a footballer on the planet worth £150m, so can we just stop…
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