The transfer windows in Europe’s top leagues are closed, but it’s never too late to look forward to January. Click here to view the latest transfers, and keep up to date with the newest gossip below.
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TOP STORY: Barcelona to swap Griezmann for Neymar?
Given the fuss that signing Antoine Griezmann from Atletico Madrid for €120m caused them, it’s slightly strange to see Barcelona reportedly ready to offload him already.
Griezmann, 28, moved to Camp Nou this summer after years of speculation about his future and Barcelona were fined €300 (yes, that’s not a typo) by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) over alleged irregularities regarding the transfer, which they will appeal out of principle.
Now Le10Sport reports that Barca are so desperate to re-sign Neymar from PSG that they are now ready to include Griezmann in a potential deal for the Brazilian.
A number of bids were rejected over the summer with Philippe Coutinho and Ivan Rakitic refusing to move in part-exchange, while the final offer was based on a figure of €170m, including Rakitic and Jean Clair Todibo, plus the loan of Ousmane Dembele for a season.
Sources at Barca have told ESPN FC that they don’t view the summer’s failure to land Neymar as the end of the saga. The club have not ruled out returning with another offer next summer for a player they consider to be a “strategic” signing — someone who brings the club as much on the pitch as he does off it — and could be willing to make Griezmann part of the deal.
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10.56 BST: Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius (remember him?) is on loan at Besiktas, but claims he could return to the Reds or join another Premier League club once his spell ends this summer.
Karius, 26, has never really lived down the gaffes he made in the 2018 Champions League final and certainly won’t get his No. 1 spot back at Anfield now the club have signed Allison Becker.
“I have a loan until the end of the season and then I will see, back to Liverpool or somewhere else in England or somewhere in Germany, you never know,” he said. “Right now my focus is on playing games here every week and then we’ll see.”
10.02 BST: Things not looking so good over at Barcelona, reports our correspondent.
Meanwhile, Victor Valdes told the U19s today he doesn’t expect to continue as their coach. Won’t be in charge tomorrow and meetings ongoing to discuss his future. Don’t expect him to survive.
— Samuel Marsden (@samuelmarsden) October 4, 2019
09.00 BST: West Ham defender Issa Diop has been linked to Manchester United, with the club previously interested in a £50m move before signing Harry Maguire, but now the Frenchman is on the radar of Arsenal.
Football Insider claims that the Gunners have scouted the 22-year-old regularly this season as they look to strengthen their defence.
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Juve, Real reach to poach Chelsea’s Kante
Real Madrid will challenge Juventus in the race to sign Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante, Sport reports.
The World Cup winner with France has spent the last few years turning himself into one of the world’s most reputable stars in the middle of the park, and as a result, he’s been attracting a great deal of attention from some of European football’s top clubs.
It’s been well known that the Italian giants have been interested in bringing Kante to Turin, but now, Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane is also putting his resources behind a potential move for Kante.
Man United interested in Sobolev
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is interested in signing Russian forward Aleksandr Sobolev, says the Sun.
The 22-year-old has flown under the radar in the last few years, but after scoring nine goals in the Russian Premier League for Krylia Sovetov this season. United’s scouts are said to be closely monitoring his progress as the club try to find a replacement for Romelu Lukaku.
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– Anderlecht boss Vincent Kompany wants to bring Ashley Williams to the Belgian club once his spell with Bristol City comes to an end, The Sun reports. The Wales veteran has been at Ashton Gate since earlier on this year, but the former Everton man is believed to be one of the keys to success for Kompany who has struggled to make an impact since returning to his former club.
– Despite having previously been linked with on-loan Real Sociedad star Martin Odegaard, Manchester Evening News is reporting that the club aren’t interested in bringing him to the Etihad. The 20-year-old has been turning heads in the first few weeks of the season after a strong series of performances for the La Liga club. Odegaard is on a two-year loan from Real Madrid, but this recent surge has form has led many to believe that his future lies away from Sociedad. City sources have put any speculation to bed, though, indicating that the youngster isn’t on their radar at this moment in time.
– Former Manchester United and Villarreal star Giuseppe Rossi is still a wanted man with three Italian sides being interested in securing his services, Tuttosport reports. Rossi has been forced to deal with a series of injuries throughout his professional career that have derailed his time at the top, but despite that, Cremonese, Frosinone & Empoli all still want to bring him on board.