Rumour Rater: Sanchez to leave for Inter, Llorente to replace him at Man United?
Julien Laurens thinks Neymar’s options have become increasingly minimal and he’ll most likely now remain in Paris. (1:49)
With the Premier League window closed, Italy’s transfer market on the brink and the rest of Europe given until Sept. 2, David Amoyal evaluates the hottest rumours from around the world of football.
Neymar to Juventus — 5%; Neymar to Barcelona — 45%; Real Madrid — 45%
Juventus have been linked to the Brazilian but because of the enormous cost of acquiring him, as well as paying his wages at a time that they are trying to move players out to lower their payroll, it’s very unlikely that they will get a deal done before the Italian window closes on Aug. 23. And if that weren’t enough, Juve would prefer to sign a No. 9 striker to get the most out of Cristiano Ronaldo and replace Paulo Dybala, who may be on his way to PSG to replace … guess who?
A return to Spain is the likeliest outcome for Neymar. Barcelona have been taking concrete steps to acquire him even before recent injuries to Ousmane Dembele and Luis Suarez. The Catalans have shed Philippe Coutinho‘s significant salary as they get ready to intensify their pursuit of the Brazilian superstar, but Real Madrid are banking on the fact they have a strong relationship with PSG to win the race. Real president Florentino Perez can meet Neymar’s valuation of €250m by offering a combination of cash and players including Thibaut Courtois and Casemiro.
Alexis Sanchez to Inter Milan — 85%
The Chile international is set to return to Serie A, having previously played for Udinese from 2006-2011. Manchester United have reportedly agreed to pay part of Sanchez’s substantial wages, with Inter set to acquire the striker on a season-long loan with an option to buy set at a rather low €15m. The final details of the negotiations are still being discussed but Sanchez is expected to travel to Italy for a medical this week.
Fernando Llorente to Manchester United — 20%
The transfer window may be closed in England, but because the former Tottenham striker is available on a free transfer, he could still sign for a Premier League club. United are interested as they will need more depth in their front line after Sanchez’s departure, but the 34-year-old is also a target for Napoli who are keen in case they fail to sign Mauro Icardi from Inter.
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Mauro Icardi to Juventus — 40%
With Edin Dzeko signing a contract extension with Roma, there’s one less suitor for the Argentine striker. Icardi has never considered a move abroad for family reasons and there are now just two realistic destinations left in Serie A for him.
Juventus are by far his preferred destination, but they would have to move out two out of Paulo Dybala, Mario Mandzukic or Gonzalo Higuain to even consider broaching a negotiation with their bitter rivals. Meanwhile, Napoli’s offer of Arkadiusz Milik plus cash is less enticing to Inter now that they have signed Romelu Lukaku and are set to acquire Sanchez.
Icardi is still willing to stay at Inter, even with no guarantee of having a role in the squad should a deal with Juventus not materialize before the window closes. And he may have to.
Mario Mandzukic to Bayern Munich — 10%
The Croatia international was being linked with Manchester United before the window closed in the Premier League, but he ultimately decided to stay in Turin to try to convince new manager Maurizio Sarri he is worthy of a first-team spot. However, Mandzukic would be willing to return to Bayern Munich (where he previously won the Treble) but, despite not having an experienced backup for Robert Lewandowski, the German club have told Juventus they do not intend to pursue him this summer.
Marcos Rojo to Fenerbahce — 35%
The Argentine defender was furious that a move to Everton fell through on deadline day, but he still has options in Europe. Fenerbahce have shown interest, but persuading the player to join the Turkish league at this stage of his career could prove more troublesome than expected.
Gianluigi Donnarumma to PSG — 30%
The Ligue 1 champions tried to sign the Italian goalkeeper last June, but Milan turned down their offer of Alphonse Areola and €20m. PSG are expected to make one more attempt to acquire the 20-year-old before the transfer window closes should they cash in on Neymar. Milan could use the money as they try to adhere to the strict financial fair play parameters and, while Donnarumma’s preference is to stay at the club and negotiate an extension to his contract which expires in June of 2020, he may be sold if a bid of €60m arrives.
Hirving Lozano to Napoli — 80%
After falling short in the race for Nicholas Pepe, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is ready to give Carlo Ancelotti a different addition to his front line. Napoli are willing to pay Lozano’s exit clause of €40m to sign him from PSV and have agreed to terms with the Mexico forward’s agent Mino Raiola (with whom they also worked with on the Kostas Manolas deal) on wages and image rights. Lozano is expected to have his medical this week.
Timo Werner to Bayern Munich this summer — 15%; next season – 65%
After dominating the German transfer market (and league) for years, Bayern could be set to welcome yet another significant addition on a free transfer from a rival Bundesliga club. Werner, 23, has turned down the latest contract offer from RB Leipzig to extend his current deal, which is to expire in 2020. The Germany international reportedly wants to move this summer, however the Bavarians won’t want to spend €40m for a player they could get for nothing in a year’s time.
Edinson Cavani to Inter Miami in 2020 — 45%
With his contract expiring in 2020, PSG striker Edinson Cavani has already begun to make plans for his future. The Uruguayan is reportedly in advanced talks with soon-to-be MLS side Inter Miami and the club owned by David Beckham has offered a three-year deal to him. At 32, Cavani would be more than interested to sign one last financially significant contract and become the marquee player of the newly founded franchise.