Welcome to our daily transfer news roundup from across Europe. We are a few days into the transfer window and the rumour mills are going haywire. The big news of the day include PSG targetting an Arsenal superstar and Chinese Super League clubs willing to pay £41.5m in wages to Premier League stars.
Here are all the transfer news and rumours from 7th January 2017:
Serie A
Paulo Dybala evaluating his options
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Juventus superstar Paulo Dybala is considering his options amidst reports of interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona. According to Spanish daily Marca, the 23-year-old is undecided whether to move to one of the La Liga giants or stay with the Turin outfit for one more year. The reigning Serie A champions are keen on renewing his contract that will give him a bumper wage hike but a move to Real Madrid or Barcelona will also make him one of the highest-paid players in Europe.
AC Milan to splash €150m on four players
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Serie A giants AC Milan are prepared to splash a whopping €150m in the pursuit of 4 players namely – Domenico Berardi, Federico Bernardeschi, Keita Balde Diao and Mateo Musacchio.
The San Siro outfit are looking to get back to being considered amongst Europe’s elite and as such have zeroed in on the players who can help them get there. The 3 forwards and the defender are at the top of Vincenzo Montella’s wishlist.
Bundesliga
Holger Badstuber targeted by Manchester City
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has admitted that his side could make a move for out-of-favour Bayern Munich defender Holger Badstuber. The former Barcelona manager has admitted that he will discuss all the prospects with the club’s director of football Txiki Begiristain.
Speaking in his recent press conference, Guardiola said: "We are evaluating if there's a chance to take one (defender). I know Holger, he's a fantastic player, a fantastic guy, but he's a Bayern Munich player, and we should first of all speak with them and with him.
"Now, on the table, there are no names because we had a lot of games. But now we have 10 days until Everton, so we have time to discuss with Txiki, with the club, what is the best for the rest of the season."
Robert Lewandowski turned down crazy Chinese Super League offer
Bayern Munich hitman Robert Lewandowski’s agent has claimed that the Polish striker has turned down a WORLD-RECORD move to China. According to Cezary Kucharski, Lewandowski’s agent, the 28-year-old was offered wages significantly higher than what Carlos Tevez is set to earn with Shanghai Shenhua – a world-record in itself.
Speaking in an interview with SportoweFakty, Kucharski said: "If Lewy had decided to move to China, his salary would have been significantly higher than €40m, which means more than Carlos Tevez earns.”
Premier League
Arsenal to hand new contracts to veterans
Premier League title hopefuls Arsenal are willing to hand new contracts to experienced duo Per Mertesacker and Santi Cazorla, according to manager Arsene Wenger. Both Mertesacker and Cazorla’s expire in the summer but the Frenchman has insisted that the duo will be staying with the North London club.
Wenger said in his press conference: “We have an option on both of them and I think we will take it. The priority first is as football players but as well for their mental guidance.
"We need to have a balance between youth and experience and they are important in that as well.”
Chinese Super League outfits prepared to offer £41.6m in wages to Premier League stars
Chinese Super League is currently one of the hottest and most active ones in the transfer market. They have already completed the signing of Carlos Tevez on world-record wages and are also closing in on Axel Witsel, while Chelsea midfielders Oscar and John Obi Mikel have also been lured by the Chinese outfits.
However, according to the Daily Mail, the Chinese outfits want to lure away many Premier League stars including Real Madrid target Dele Alli, Harry Kane, Ross Barkley and Daniel Sturridge, among others, and are prepared to offer them wages of around £800,000 per week to facilitate the move.
La Liga
Tottenham Hotspur want Isco in Dele Alli deal
According to the Sun, Tottenham Hotspur want to include Real Madrid’s Isco in any deal involving the transfer of Dele Alli to the Santiago Bernabeu. Daniel Levy, Chairman of Tottenham Hotspur, is known to be a shrewd negotiator and tried to include Mesut Ozil in the then world-record transfer of Gareth Bale to the La Liga giants.
Arsenal join Antoine Griezmann chase
According to the Mirror, Arsenal are the latest club to join the chase for Atletico Madrid superstar Antoine Griezmann. The Frenchman’s stock has sky-rocketed in the last few years and he has been linked with a move to some of Europe’s biggest clubs including Manchester United.
However, according to the report, Arsenal want to make him their marquee signing in their quest for a first Premier League title in 13 years. A direct bidding war with Manchester United is not one the Gunners can afford and will be hoping that Arsene Wenger could convince the Frenchman to choose the North London outfit ahead of the Manchester side.
Rest of the World
PSG want Alexis Sanchez
PSG are not done with their spending for the ongoing transfer window, despite spending in excess of £30m for the transfer of Julian Draxler. According to the Sun, Arsenal superstar Alexis Sanchez is wanted by the Parc des Princes outfit and their director of football Patrick Kluivert is himself on the case to sign the Chilean sensation.
Sanchez is yet to pen a new contract with the Gunners and is reportedly holding out for wages in excess of £200,000k per week. His current contract with the Emirates outfit expires at the end of the 2018 season and new contracts for him and Mesut Ozil are top priority for the Gunners.
Olympique Marseille want Gerard Deulofeu
French outfit Olympique Marseille are planning a rebuilding job of sorts and the latest name to be linked with them is Everton’s Gerard Deulofeu. The Spaniard has been linked with a move away from Goodison Park with Italian giants AC Milan interested in his services.
However, according to le10sport, Maseille are keen on the 22-year-old and will try their best to seal his signature in the ongoing transfer window.
