Manchester United have reportedly made an approach to Valencia’s Sofiane Feghouli over a possible move to the Premier League.

That’s according to Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport (h/t Will Giles of Metro) who claims the Red Devils will rival both Tottenham Hotspur and Inter Milan for the Algeria international. Feghouli’s current deal with Valencia expires at the end of this season, meaning he could sign a pre-contract with another club from January onwards.

For Valencia, it’d be a big blow to lose the 25-year-old, who has been one of the team’s standout players in recent years.

As OptaJose noted earlier in the year, Feghouli has been a consistent creative presence at the Estadio Mestalla:

Given the teams apparently looking at him, perhaps it’s little surprise the winger is stalling on signing a new deal with Valencia. While Los Che are an illustrious outfit, the likes of United will offer more lucrative terms and more guarantees when it comes to chasing the top honours.

From United’s perspective, landing Feghouli would definitely represent a bargain. The winger is a vibrant presence on the right flank, scorching up and down the line, linking up the play and regularly getting himself on the end of chances. However, this season has been a frustrating one for him, making just five La Liga starts so far.

As noted by Kevin Palmer of ESPN FC, so often this season the Red Devils have really struggled when it comes to turning possession into genuine chances:

Feghouli would definitely add a dash of ingenuity to the team’s forays forward, and on a potential free transfer, it’s a risk-free deal for United. If manager Louis van Gaal can guarantee the Algerian a key role in the squad, then this one could be goer, as well as a shrewd move on the part of the Old Trafford outfit.

United Looking at Oguzhan Ozyakup

According to Eurosport Turkey (h/t Mark Brus of Metro), United are looking at former Arsenal youth team player Oguzhan Ozyakup, who is now plying his trade at Super Lig side Besiktas.

In the piece, it’s suggested former United and Arsenal star Robin van Persie has provided the Red Devils with some encouraging feedback when it comes to Ozyakup, who plies his trade in central midfield.

The 23-year-old, who has 12 caps for Turkey national side, has been making encouraging progress this season. As OptaCan note here, the midfielder has not only been controlling matches with a poise, but he’s making decisive contributions in clashes, too:

United would be a big step up for Ozyakup. While he has plenty of talent, starring in the Premier League is a lot different to thriving in the Turkish top flight. The temperament and physicality needed to play for a club such as the Red Devils can also inhibit players coming in from less illustrious leagues, although having played for Arsenal previously would assist him in that sense.

Perhaps most pertinently, central midfield is not a position that United need any additions. Morgan Schneiderlin and Bastian Schweinsteiger were acquired recently, joining the likes of Ander Herrera, Marouane Fellaini, Michael Carrick and Daley Blind as options in the middle of the park. Ozyakup, therefore, would struggle to get a look in.

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Branislav Ivanovic’s agent has revealed that the Chelsea right-back could make a move to Serie A giants Inter Milan when his Blues contract expires at the end of the season.

The Serbian has made a very poor start to the 2015-16 campaign—along with a number of Chelsea’s other players—and he has yet to sign on to an extended deal at Stamford Bridge.

If Ivanovic does not commit himself to the west London club he will be able to sign a pre-contract agreement with another outfit in January.

His agent, Zoran Krneta, said a new deal with Chelsea is certainly a possibility, but he did not quash rumours linking Ivanovic with Inter, per the Mirror‘s Darren Lewis:

“It’s quite possible that he will renew his contract with Chelsea. The rumours about Inter? In football anything it is possible.”

Ivanovic has been a terrific asset at Chelsea since his arrival in 2008, but the new season has seen a remarkable downturn in form for the 31-year-old.

He made a woeful start to the season and his absence through injury since early October has been more blessing than curse.

Chelsea’s entire back four have been consistently poor this term and manager Jose Mourinho undoubtedly needs to bring in reinforcements.

While that does not mean Ivanovic is definitely primed for the exit door at Chelsea, his agent’s latest comments suggest his future at Stamford Bridge is far from certain.

Similarly, Chelsea’s link with Paris Saint-Germain right-back Gregory Van der Wiel is unlikely to be good news for Ivanovic.

According to French outlet Le10 Sport (via Jamie Anderson in the Daily Star), Mourinho is weighing up a January move for the 27-year-old Dutchman.

Van der Wiel has less than a year remaining on his contract and thus Chelsea may be able to get him cheap in the new year—or for free in the summer.

Having been usurped as PSG’s No. 1 right-back by Serge Aurier, Van der Wiel may well be open to a move to Stamford Bridge where he could likely claim a starting spot ahead of Ivanovic—with Cesar Azpilicueta playing at left-back ahead of Baba Rahman.

Van der Wiel’s strengths in defence are complemented well by his attacking prowess, and he would be a solid addition in a Chelsea defence lacking depth and, currently, any great quality.

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Real Madrid are willing to sell Jese Rodriguez to Arsenal if the Premier League club match their £21.1 million valuation of the prodigy. 

Spanish outlet Don Balon (h/t Luke Gardener of the Daily Star) reported Gunners manager Arsene Wenger is “very interested” in taking the starlet from Los Blancos after the attacker failed to nail down a place in coach Rafael Benitez’s regular starting XI. 

The Emirates team have lost Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Aaron Ramsey and Hector Bellerin to injury in recent times, per Gardener, highlighting the club’s lack of depth, and forcing Wenger to look towards the January transfer window with bated breath.

Jese is thought to be keen to find a new club after his failure in the Spanish capital, as French publication Le10 Sport (h/t Jamie Anderson of the Daily Star) reported his current disharmony in La Liga. 

Despite Anderson describing the north London side as “front-runners” in the chase for the 22-year-old, they will face stiff opposition from Inter Milan, who want the attacker at the San Siro. However, they value Jese at £15 million, per Anderson, which is short of the Galacticos’ estimate. 

The player has previously been tipped to be a star of the future for Real, but with a host of alpha males in his path, the progression to the starting XI has been blocked. 

Despite not completing 90 minutes for Madrid this season, according to Squawka.com, Jese has appeared seven times in La Liga, scoring twice and impressing. 

His progress was cut down in 2014 due to a serious knee injury, as reported by Sky Sports, but he has battled his way back to full fitness, and desperately needs first team football. 

The Spain under-21 forward was reflective after his knee injury and operation, but he took a mature stance on a difficult situation, as quoted by FourFourTwo’s David Cartlidge: “I had a very tough time, but I think that things in life happen for a reason. Maybe I had the injury because I needed to learn and become a more mature footballer.”

Football writer Jamie Kemp believes it is frustrating Jese has not been given a bigger role since the start of the season:

Jese is a supremely talented individual, and he just needs the right side to prove his worth.

Arsenal play a brand of football that will suit the youngster, but Wenger’s collection of attacking midfielders may ensure the player spends as much time on the bench as he currently does in Spain. 

Arsenal Watch Xhaka

Wenger is tracking Borussia Monchengladbach’s Granit Xhaka and has sent a club official to watch the player in the Bundesliga. 

German publication SportBild (h/t SportWitness.com) said the Gunners will continue to monitor the Switzerland ace, who has impressed since joining the team from Basel in 2012.

Xhaka has a buyout clause in his current deal set at €30 million, but it can only be activated in 2017, according to SportBild.

The player is a jack of all trades in midfield and can perform a defensive function while also moving box-to-box, making the 23-year-old perfect for Wenger’s needs.

The Swiss is certainly more suited to the Gunners’ current requirements than Jese, as Wenger searches for a player who can provide defensive stability while allowing his attackers to play their flair game.

Xhaka is ready for the step up to the Premier League and has proved in Germany he has the class and motivation to play at a higher level.

The central operator has plenty of experience despite being young and would blossom at the Emirates if given the chance. 

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Arsenal’s hopes of landing Real Madrid’s Jese Rodriguez have been boosted after reports suggested the attacker is ready to leave the Bernabeu. 

French publication Le10 Sport (h/t Jamie Anderson of the Daily Star) said the 22-year-old player wants to secure a starting berth, and will “seriously consider” departing Los Blancos in order to do so.

Anderson described the Gunners as “front-runners” in the race to capture the youngster, but they will face stiff opposition from Inter Milan, who want to buy the Spanish under-21 international. The Italians are ready to spend £15 million to earn his signature, dashing manager Arsene Wenger’s hopes.

Jese hasn’t featured in a full 90 minutes for the Galacticos under new boss Rafael Benitez this term and a move to one of Europe’s traditional elite will appeal. 

AS (h/t Daily Mirror, via the Irish Independent) report Madrid are willing to discuss the player’s transfer with prospective suitors, allowing Wenger to make his move in the forthcoming transfer window.

The Spaniard has fought his way through the youth system at Real, and appeared to have a bright future before suffering a serious knee injury in 2014, as reported by Sky Sports.

However, he returned to full action last season as he battled for match fitness, but he has failed to become a regular starter among Madrid’s superstar contingent.

Squawka‘s Phil Kitromilides believes Jese warrants a bigger role at Madrid as he further develops:

On Saturday, he scored against his hometown club Las Palmas – his second goal of a season in which he has started just four league matches. Both his strikes this term have been of serious quality, showing an innate hunger as well as an awareness of goal, and Monday’s edition of Madrid-based sports daily AS has him on their front cover with the headline: “Jese’s Moment”.

They, along with others, are calling for the 22-year-old to be given a run in the side, even when Madrid’s litany of injured stars return.

The attacking midfielder has featured seven times in La Liga this season, scoring twice from his versatile attacking role, per WhoScored.com.

Jese has the ability to play across the attack, from left to right, and he would add another dimension to the Gunners’ forward line.

However, he is not the striker that the team craves, as Wenger looks to add weight to the contributions of Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott. 

United To Beat Arsenal To Chelsea Wonderkid

Manchester United look set to pip Wenger to the signature of Chelsea teenager Charly Musonda after the player has become frustrated with life at Stamford Bridge.

French outlet FootMercato.net (h/t Luke Gardener of the Daily Star) said the 19-year-old is prepared to jump ship from west London after joining the Premier League champions’ youth academy from Anderlecht in 2012.

However, the midfielder signed a new contract in March, tying him to coach Jose Mourinho’s outfit for four years, pushing his transfer value to “around £10.6 million,” as noted by Gardener.

Musonda might be one that gets away, but the capture of Jese would more than soften the blow.

The Spaniard has been one of La Liga’s burgeoning talents for a couple of seasons, and he has appeared to be on the verge of a big breakthrough before several false starts.

North London would be a great platform for Jese to perform on, as Wenger’s tactics would allow him to play the passing style he is used to. 

Sealing his signature early should mean he is not too expensive to sign in January, and his developing talent would be appreciated by the Arsenal faithful.

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Real Madrid are reportedly open to the idea of selling young forward Jese Rodriguez, amid rumours that Arsenal are interested in the 22-year-old forward.

That’s according to Madrid-based newspaper AS (h/t Daily Mirror, via the Independent), which claimed that Jese is growing tired of his lack of opportunities with Los Blancos and that Real are now reportedly willing to move the player.

Jese has started four La Liga matches so far in 2015-16, scoring two goals, as noted by WhoScored.com. Those four starts have largely come whenever top striker Karim Benzema was unavailable; when the Frenchman is healthy, he’ll always be the automatic starter.

That’s not to say Jese hasn’t proved himself a valuable asset when given the chance. Squawka‘s Phil Kitromilides thinks he has certainly shown enough to be given a bigger role moving forward:

On Saturday, he scored against his hometown club Las Palmas – his second goal of a season in which he has started just four league matches. Both his strikes this term have been of serious quality, showing an innate hunger as well as an awareness of goal, and Monday’s edition of Madrid-based sports daily AS has him on their front cover with the headline: “Jese’s Moment”.

They, along with others, are calling for the 22-year-old to be given a run in the side, even when Madrid’s litany of injured stars return.

Jese has long been regarded as one of the brightest talents to emerge from Real’s youth setup in years, displaying a phenomenal scoring touch that saw him promoted to the senior squad in 2012. He impressed greatly during the 2013-14 season and appeared to be on the verge of superstardom.

All was going well for the youngster until he suffered a serious knee injury in March of 2014. He didn’t return to the pitch until December of that year and has been working his way back to top form ever since.

His performances in the past couple of weeks indicate that he has finally made it back, providing Real with a capable and talented backup to Benzema. Jese will continue to see his minutes in cup matches and against La Liga’s lesser teams, allowing Benzema to be well-rested for Los Blancos‘ top clashes.

AS have made the most of Jese‘s triumphant return in the last couple of weeks, as Kitromilides alluded to in his piece for Squawka. Just last week, it claimed Inter Milan have been scouting him for a while with an eye on a January transfer (h/t Football Espana), followed by these latest claims linking him with Arsenal.

It’s hard to believe the youngster would be disappointed with a lack of minutes, given the fact he’s currently playing more than ever and having spent so long working his way back from injury. Likewise, Real’s willingness to let him leave now that he’s establishing himself as a viable backup makes little sense.

Jese‘s future will become clear once Benzema is fully healthy and ready to rival him for the starting position. If the Spaniard can’t find enough minutes to continue his development, a deal similar to the one Juventus struck for Alvaro Morata could come into play.

Like Jese, Morata was stuck behind Benzema in the pecking order and was sold to Juventus in a deal that included a buy-back clause. It’s unclear whether Real will use the clause or whether Morata is interested in returning to Madrid, and the outcome of that situation should in turn play a role in how Real move forward with Jese.

Galatasaray Want Joel Campbell?

Turkish news outlet Fanatik (h/t Turkish Football, via Metro‘s Mark Brus) believes Galatasaray are preparing a January move for Joel Campbell.

The 23-year-old winger has seen limited opportunities with the Gunners after a series of loan spells and is widely expected to leave the club at some point in the near future.

He recently told IBTimes UK’s Eduardo Fernandez-Abascal that he has no intention of leaving north London, however:

No (I didn’t want to move). I’m here at Arsenal, I am very happy. I keep fighting for my dream and I think I still have a long-term future here.

Obviously a player always wants to play but in a team which has so many quality players like Arsenal, you need to be patient and taking the chance when it arrives

The Costa Rican has recently seen an increase in playing time due to a series of injuries to his team-mates, but when everyone’s healthy, Campbell hardly ever leaves the bench. Last season was supposed to be his breakout campaign after a superb showing at the 2014 World Cup, but he didn’t start a single Premier League match and was ultimately loaned to Villarreal.

James McNicholas of uMAXit Football thinks he still has a role to play, but not as a starter:

Fans have been waiting for Campbell to break out and establish himself as a top attacking option for years, and it still hasn’t happened. He’s a solid depth option who can add something to Arsene Wenger’s squad, but if Galatasaray are willing to pay fair value, a transfer should be considered.

Campbell deserves the opportunity to prove himself in a situation where he has the chance to play more minutes, and Galatasaray could provide that option. His insistence on proving himself with the Gunners is admirable, but at some point he has to make the best decision for his career.

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