Transfer Talk: Ramos to reunite with Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia?
With the opening of the January transfer window coming closer, there’s plenty of gossip swirling about who’s moving where. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr are awaiting the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo and want his former Real Madrid teammate Sergio Ramos to reunite with him in the summer, according to Marca.
Ronaldo, who terminated his Manchester United contract by mutual agreement last month, is expected to sign with Al-Nassr soon on a deal that will pay him over €200 million a year in wages.
Like Ronaldo, Al-Nassr would be able to sign Ramos as a free agent with the 36-year-old’s contract at Paris Saint-Germain expiring at the end of this season.
Ramos and Ronaldo playing alongside each other in Madrid from 2009 to 2018, winning four Champions Leagues and two LaLiga titles. However, with Ramos having secured a key role in PSG’s squad, a move to Saudi Arabia may be deemed complicated.
Al-Nassr’s priority for now is still to get Ronaldo to Saudi Arabia, as they have already released three players and delayed two other signings in anticipation.
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22.00 GMT: Newcastle United have pinpointed attackers James Maddison of Leicester City and Christian Pulisic of Chelsea as their primary targets for January, according to Football Insider. The Tyneside club will be backed with the funds to bankroll the deals in January as they look to strengthen their grip on a place in the top four, but they’re willing to wait until summer if they’re unable to finalise transfers for either next month.
21.27 GMT: Cristiano Ronaldo has joined Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr after leaving Manchester United in controversial fashion, the club announced Friday. Ronaldo forced his way out of Old Trafford last month, mutually terminating his contract following a contentious TV interview. Read the full story.
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20.54 GMT: Newcastle United have made an offer for Real Madrid left-back Ferland Mendy, according to Foot Mercato. Paris Saint-Germain and a host of other Premier League clubs are said to be interested in the 27-year-old France international, but the Magpies are the only club to have made a concrete offer.
20.21 GMT: Chelsea have identified Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister as a potential alternative to Enzo Fernandez should a deal for the Argentina starlet prove too costly, according to the Guardian. The west London club are said to be frontrunners for Fernandez, but Benfica have been adamant that his €120m release clause be met while Chelsea would prefer to negotiate a higher transfer fee that can be paid in installments, leaving the Stamford Bridge hierarchy to sound out Fernandez’s fellow Albiceleste midfielder.
19.48 GMT: CBS Sports reports that Cristiano Ronaldo has signed a $75m-a-year contract with Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr, with the Portugal captain’s arrival in Riyadh said to be announced on Saturday. The compensation package for the 37-year-old includes a family home in an affluent area near the club’s training ground, and his wages could double once his image rights are incorporated.
19.15 GMT: Sampdoria and Empoli have agreed a swap deal that will see striker Francesco Caputo sign for Empoli, according to Calciomercato. In return, Atalanta striker Sam Lammers, who’d spent the first half of the campaign on loan at Empoli, will go on loan to Sampdoria.
18.42 GMT: Tottenham Hotspur are interested in Inter Milan right-back Denzel Dumfries, according to Rudy Galetti. The Nerazzurri are said to be open to offers for the 26-year-old Netherlands international, while Spurs considering allowing their own right-back Emerson to leave North London in January.
18.09 GMT: Southampton are reportedly interested in Villarreal forward Nicolas Jackson, reports Sky Sports News. The LaLiga outfit are looking for a transfer fee of £20m before they consider letting go of the 21-year-old Senegal international, who is being monitored by other Premier League clubs as well.
17.36 GMT: Tottenham Hotspur are in talks to extend the contract of winger Romaine Mundle amid Bundesliga interest, according to Fabrizio Romano. The 19-year-old Londoner has taken part in Spurs’ first-team training sessions, and is now catching the attention of Eintracht Frankfurt and FC Cologne.
17.03 GMT: Sampdoria have submitted a fresh offer for Red Star Belgrade centre-back Aleksandar Dragovic, according to Calciomercato. The Serie A side are looking to take the 31-year-old Austria international on loan in January with an obligation to make the move permanent for a €1m transfer fee should the Italian club avoid relegation.
16.30 GMT: Where could Joao Felix end up next month?
Julien Laurens explains the potential transfer options that could see Joao Felix leave Atletico Madrid.
15.59 GMT: Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch has said the lack of a US-style salary cap in the Premier League makes the English top-flight harder as not every team “has a chance.”
On Saturday, Leeds face Newcastle United, who have bolstered their ranks with several new signings since they were taken over by a Saudi Arabia-led consortium in October last year.
Marsch praised Newcastle’s turnaround under manager Eddie Howe but told reporters at his Friday news conference that the financial disparity between the two sides meant Leeds had to take a different approach.
“We all know in this world of football it’s something that’s different from American sports,” Marsch said. “We have salary caps and everyone has a chance when the season starts. I’m sorry, but the way European football works that’s just not the case.
“I would love to say we want to win every match and we are in a position to do that. But we know we are in the reality of who we are right now that that is not realistic.
“I know we are tasked in this league to compete with teams such as Man City, Chelsea, Liverpool, but our true competitors are the mid-table, bottom-of-the-table teams and now [we have] to try to do better than we have done against them. That’s the reality and there’s a bunch of us in this same category and it’s not just about money, but certainly it’s a factor.”
15.08 GMT: It sounds like it will be a quiet transfer window for Barcelona.
Manager Xavi has been speaking to reporters and said: “It will be quiet. I am happy with the squad, with everyone… with what we have, we are going to compete. We have a great squad to compete for the four competitions we are in… I am delighted with the squad. [Gerard] Pique has gone. I would prefer no one else to leave… really happy with the squad I have and the objective is to win trophies.”
On the future of midfielder Sergio Busquets he added: “He has a contract until June and will stay until the end of that and then we will see. [It will depend] how he ends the season… I think it’s more of a decision for him, based on his feelings, how he feels on the pitch, if he’s important. For me, he is. We will try to convince him [to stay] if things go well, but it will depend on his personal decision.”
Asked if he had spoken to the 34-year-old about renewing, Xavi said: “No. We have six months of competition to go and are focused on this season… there is a lot to play for. We can’t make plans for June for next season because we are 100% focused on this one.”
14.28 GMT: TYC Sports says that Benfica are ready to negotiate a deal with Chelsea for midfielder Enzo Fernandez.
Fernandez, 21, was one of the stars of the World Cup as he helped Argentina to the title. He signed from River Plate last summer for €12m but now has a €120m release clause.
Chelsea are reportedly set to offer that amount to land the midfielder ahead of their rivals, with Benfica ready to listen.
14.09 GMT: Manchester United are keen to sign Real Madrid forward Marco Asensio in January, says Sport.
Asensio, 26, is yet to renew his contract with Madrid and is a free agent at the end of the season. As such, he could sign a pre-contract agreement with United to join for nothing in the summer.
But United could move for the Spain international in January for a reduced fee.
13.25 GMT: Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has said Darwin Nunez reminds him of Robert Lewandowski at the start of his career and insisted he is staying “calm” when it comes to the Uruguay striker’s progress.
Nunez has endured a mixed start to his Anfield career since signing from Benfica in the summer, scoring nine goals in 20 games across all competitions but also misfiring when presented with some big chances.
Klopp dismissed the idea he had any doubts about the 23-year-old, however, comparing him to Lewandowski after he joined Borussia Dortmund under the German manager in 2010.
“There are a lot of similarities to be honest,” Klopp said. “I think Lewy would tell the same story. We had shooting sessions where he didn’t finish off one. We had bets all the time for €10 — ‘If you score more than 10 times, I will pay you 10, if you don’t, you have to pay me.’ My pocket was full of money!
“It’s all about staying calm. When you see the potential, stay calm.”
13.00 GMT: Arsenal are keen to land Mykhailo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk in January.
Don Hutchison and Julien Laurens explain what Mykhailo Mudryk could bring to Arsenal.
12.10 GMT: Real Madrid are ready to make an offer of more than €100m to sign Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham and are confident they will be able to speed up transfer talks in January, sources have told ESPN.
The LaLiga giants view the England international, 19, as a priority signing for next season but are aware of competition from Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and, above all, Liverpool.
In November, sources told ESPN that while Liverpool were leading the race to land Bellingham, Madrid believed they were still well positioned to win the battle for the teenager’s signing.
Since then, Bellingham’s outstanding performances for England at the World Cup have increased his value even further — but sources have told ESPN that Madrid are unwilling to make what they would view as a “crazy” offer to sign him.
Madrid would view a €100m fee as a sensible figure and hope that the good relationship between club president Florentino Perez and Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke could help clinch the deal.
11.07 GMT: Al-Nassr, who are expected to complete the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo, have also made a move to sign Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets, according to Mundo Deportivo.
Busquets, 34, is out of contract at the end of the season and, per the report, has received a “dizzying” offer from the Saudi Arabian side to join them in January. However, there is no indication the midfielder will accept the proposal, with Barca keen for him to see out the campaign and Major League Soccer side Inter Miami also hopeful of signing him.
Busquets has said he hopes to have some clarity on his future by February having previously admitted he is “attracted” by the idea of playing in MLS.
Meanwhile, Diario Sport reports there is division among the Barca hierarchy as they search for an eventual heir to Busquets at the base of the midfield.
Coach Xavi Hernandez is desperate to sign Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, but financial restrictions are forcing the club to look elsewhere as well.
The board of directors, led by president Joan Laporta, are keen on Wolves’ Ruben Neves, represented by Jorge Mendes, and director of football Mateu Alemany likes Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante, who is out of contract in June.
10.27 GMT: U.S. and Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie could make a move to Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund, says Tuttosport.
McKennie, 24, had a good World Cup with the U.S. but his club future is less secure and could leave Turin.
Dortmund are looking to replace 19-year-old star Jude Bellingham when he eventually makes a €150m move to either Real Madrid or Liverpool, with McKennie viewed as a fine option.
McKennie previously played for Schalke in the Bundesliga and his transfer may cost around €30m.
09.58 GMT: Manchester United and Chelsea are tracking Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, says Mundo Deportivo.
Zubimendi, 23, was being heavily linked with a move to Barcelona to replace Sergio Busquets, but signed a new contract until 2027 in October.
However, the defensive midfielder has a reported release clause of €60m and the two Premier League sides are looking to increase their options in the centre of the pitch.
09.21 GMT: Fresh from impressing at the World Cup, France striker Olivier Giroud has agreed a two-year contract extension with AC Milan, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
Giroud, 36, overtook Thierry Henry to become France’s all-time men’s top scorer in Qatar and will continue at the Serie A champions until 2024.
He has nine goals in 19 games for his club this season.
09.00 GMT: Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said that Cody Gakpo did not need convincing to join the club, despite Netherlands teammate Virgil van Dijk talking to the forward before his move from PSV Eindhoven.
Klopp’s side beat Manchester United to the signing of the Dutch forward for a transfer fee which sources told ESPN was worth around £37m (€42m).
Klopp described the signing as a “home run” and said the 23-year-old did not need to be persuaded to join the club.
When asked whether Van Dijk spoke to Gakpo before signing, Klopp said: “Before he technically signed, yes, but Virg was involved from a specific moment on. But we didn’t tell him ‘Talk to him’ because there was no reason for it. When I was allowed to speak to him, I spoke to him.
“There are some of these nice moments when you are manager of Liverpool FC and you realise you think you have to convince somebody and then you realise during your talk, ‘Oh, the door is wide open, it’s more or less a home run.’ And it was cool.
“So we didn’t need Virgil to convince him. But after that, obviously Virgil likes to be involved in these kind of things and from a specific moment on he had his say as well. But all good.”
– Ogden: Gakpo signing piles pressure on Nunez
Mark Ogden explains why Manchester United missed out on Cody Gakpo, who looks set for a Liverpool move.
– Manchester City are set to trigger the $8m release clause of Velez Sarsfield midfielder Maximo Perrone, according to Fabrizio Romano. The move is expected to be completed soon if all goes to plan, and the 19-year-old would join City after the Campeonato Sudamericano Sub-20.
– Marseille want to replace Gerson with Angers midfielder and Morocco breakout star Azzedine Ounahi, reports Foot Mercato, which adds that the Brazilian’s destination in January is likely to be Flamengo. While OM want to sign Ounahi, they refuse to pay a World Cup premium and will negotiate the €25m transfer fee that Angers are asking for.
– Barcelona scouts have been following the development of 16-year-old Velez Sarsfield winger Gianluca Prestianni, according to Ekrem Konur. It is also suggested that Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City are keeping an eye on the Argentina youngster.
– Brendan Rodgers is keen to strengthen his Leicester City side in January, reports the Guardian, with the priorities a speedy winger, a left-back and another centre-back. The Foxes currently sit 13th in the Premier League table after their 3-0 defeat to Newcastle United and are four points above the relegation zone.
– Lille still want to sign AS Monaco attacking midfielder Maghnes Akliouche after looking at the 20-year-old in the summer, according to L’Equipe, which adds that Atalanta have also made contact about him in recent weeks. Monaco don’t want Akliouche to leave and are taking steps to extend his contract.