Less than five months after his switch from Fiorentina to Chelsea was confirmed, rumours are now swirling that winger Juan Cuadrado may be on the move again. 

According to Spanish outlet Sport (h/t Sport Witness), the 27-year-old Colombian has been offered to La Liga giants Barcelona for €35 million (£25 million), which is about what the Blues paid to snap him up from Serie A.

It would seemingly be somewhat premature for Jose Mourinho to be offloading him so soon, as he only played him four times as a Premier League starter last season, per WhoScored.com. It was hardly enough to truly establish his credentials.

It seems that Barca are not prepared to take Cuadrado, though, as they have apparently rejected the offer from the Blues, as they are still under a FIFA transfer ban until January and have already signed Aleix Vidal from Sevilla, per Sport (in Spanish).

Bleacher Report’s Andy Brassell has preached patience over Cuadrado, insisting he should be given more time at Chelsea:

Indeed, they must have rated him at Fiorentina to spend over £20 million on him, and the player himself seems to want to carry on in the Premier League:

However, Barcelona are not the only side to be in conversation with the Stamford Bridge outfit over Cuadrado.

Inter Milan are reportedly advancing in talks to take the versatile Colombia international on loan for next season, with an option to buy eventually, per Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio.

Having played in Serie A previously, Cuadrado may be open to such a move if he is not to be given the chance at Chelsea.

Barca, though, have likely made a good call in turning down Cuadrado, as €35 million (£25 million) seems a lot of money for a player who Chelsea seemingly do not rate highly enough to keep at Stamford Bridge.

Laporta Talks Up Pogba Deal

Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta says the Camp Nou giants could gain the edge in the race for Juventus star Paul Pogba if he wins at next month’s elections.

Talking up his relationship with Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola, Laporta suggested he could hold the key to signing up the highly-rated and much-targeted Frenchman.

Previously president between 2003 and 2010, the 53-year-old also noted the potential influence of ex-Barca defender Eric Abidal, whom he hopes to make his technical secretary should he win the election, per Goal.com’s Mark Doyle: 

We feel that the key to a potential signing of Pogba is Mino Raiola, with whom we get on with very well, both Abidal and myself. We carried out negotiations with him for the deals involving Maxwell and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Abidal also knows Pogba on a personal level and if this is something that gives the supporters confidence in our project, then, we’ll talk to Juve, as he would be a positive addition.

While Laporta is likely simply trying to gain an edge in the election race, Spanish outlet Sport has previously suggested Barca as Juve’s preferred destination for Pogba should the Serie A champions end up selling him on, via Bleacher Report UK:

He would certainly be a blockbuster addition to an already phenomenal side, while Pogba’s arrival at the Camp Nou would be a coup for the Catalans considering he is being courted by numerous top European clubs.

However, at the moment, it all seems to simply be speculation. There has been little indication from Pogba and his camp on whether he will depart Juve, less still where he may end up. 

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Jackson Martinez finally confirmed his move to Atletico Madrid after Colombia’s Copa America loss against Argentina, bringing an end to transfer speculation and rumours linking him with Arsenal.

AS‘ Nicholas Rigg shared comments from his agent indicating the striker’s move to Spain was all but official just days ago, and per Metro‘s Lee Thomas-Mason, the player himself has now confirmed the transfer, saying: “I can confirm I am going to Atletico. I am going there for four years but I still do not know when I will be introduced.”

Atletico have yet to officially confirm the move, and while normally that would seem like a formality, the past few weeks have shown us that with Martinez, nothing is. The 28-year-old seemed certain to sign for AC Milan earlier this month, to the point Milan Channel, the club’s official TV station, had already welcomed the striker, via ESPN FC’s Julian De Martinis.

FC Porto even officially announced Martinez had signed for the Rossoneri, per Metro‘s Lee Hurley, before the striker suddenly turned his attention toward Atleti. La Liga blogger Sergi Dominguez noted that has become a common theme for Milan this summer:

Clearly, Martinez can’t be officially confirmed as the latest player of his new team until we see a picture of him holding up his new jersey with a signed contract on the table. His flip-flopping in the past few weeks has been ridiculous, as per football writer Kristian Sturt, Atletico is the third team he’s now courting―he originally wanted to join the Gunners:

Atletico will pay Martinez’s release clause―€35 million, per Thomas-Mason―to bring the Colombian to the Spanish capital, where he’ll serve as Mario Mandzukic’s replacement after the latter was sold to Juventus.

The prolific scorer has enjoyed much success in the Portuguese league, and while he hasn’t always looked convincing in the Champions League, his scoring form never deserted him, with seven goals in seven matches last year, per WhoScored.com.

He has an incredible nose for goal and is quite agile for his size, although he’ll never be mistaken for Theo Walcott. His playing style in and near the box is tailor-made for Atletico, and while there are question marks regarding his ability to continue his scoring in a tougher league, he’s well worth the €35 million fee.

The Gunners have been linked with Martinez for a long time, but following the news he was set to sign for Milan, the fans have already accepted the fact he won’t be moving to the Emirates. Knowing he turned on his commitment to Milan to complete a move to Atletico may sting a bit―he could have done the same for Arsenal―but in reality, it hardly matters.

And who knows, maybe the Colombian is fickle enough to break his latest commitment, turining this particular saga into the most bizarre of the summer.

Martin Montoya Set for Inter Milan Move

Barcelona’s Martin Montoya is close to completing a two-year loan move to Inter Milan, and the Nerazzurri will hold the option to make the move permanent for just €8 million, according to Sport‘s Samuel Marsden.

The 24-year-old right-back was also linked with Arsenal and Liverpool, according to the Daily Express‘ Uche Amako, but it appears Inter have won the race for his signature. The Nerazzurri have enjoyed a fantastic summer so far, via BT Sport’s James Horncastle, and the Montoya-signing would be the latest addition to a promising core of players:

Montoya was once regarded as the next star to emerge from La Masia, Barcelona’s famed youth academy, but after a promising start to his senior career, he was forced to play second fiddle to Dani Alves, the Catalans’ longtime starter at the right-back position.

Alves signed a new deal at the end of the 2014-15 season, but even before the Brazilian veteran put pen to paper, it was clear Montoya would leave the club. Now aged 24, he needs a change of scenery in order to jump-start his career and prove he can be a top defender.

Montoya is a promising prospect, and while most pundits assumed he wouldn’t be an expensive signing in the summer of 2015 due to his lack of playing time with the Blaugrana, it’s remarkable the club seems willing to ship him out on loan, rather than cash in now.

If it’s really that easy to sign him, you have to wonder why more clubs haven’t sent Barcelona a better offer. Montoya offers plenty of upside for a minimal investment―a transfer would pose few risks and could potentially yield substantial rewards.

Inter’s fantastic summer continues with yet another great value signing, and while the Nerazzurri won’t be playing in Europe during the 2015-16 campaign, the club seems more than ready to make a run at a top-three finish in Serie A and a trip to the Champions League next year.

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According to the latest reports, Barcelona are hoping to land the signature of Atletico Madrid star Arda Turan.

The Daily Mail‘s Matt Maltby, citing Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, reports Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu “has already tied up a deal” for Turan.

Turan’s agent, Ahmed Bulut, has already confirmed the Turkish star will depart the Vicente Calderon this summer, though he hinted it would not be to another club in La Liga. Per Maltby, he told AS: “His intention is to leave Spain this summer.”

However, the temptation to play for giants Barca could entice Turan to remain in La Liga.

Real Madrid TV’s Phil Kitromilides believes Turan to be one of Atletico’s best players. High praise indeed, considering the level of talent in Diego Simeone’s squad.

The Turk is indeed a fine player but would be far from guaranteed a place in Luis Enrique’s starting lineup.

Front three Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar are practically untouchable, while Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta and Ivan Rakitic are unlikely to make way in midfield.

However, Turan scored three goals and made six assists in all competitions last season, making him comparable creatively with Iniesta and Rakitic, while his willingness to retrieve the ball and help out in defence would ease the reliance on Busquets.

If the versatile midfielder were to arrive at the Camp Nou this summer, he would most likely find himself moved into a more central role and rotated among Barca’s midfield trio.

If he is deployed in his more traditional wider role, then he could feature as cover for the marauding Dani Alves at right-back.

While Barcelona are a tempting prospect, Turan would be given a more important role in the team elsewhere, so a move to the Premier League still looks the more likely outcome in his desire to move on.

Inter Milan to Loan Martin Montoya

Sport‘s Samuel Marsden reports Barcelona full-back Martin Montoya is on the verge of joining Inter Milan:

The Spaniard has failed to establish himself in Barca’s first team, starting just six games in La Liga last season.

Alves’ contract extension means Montoya’s opportunities will continue to be limited if he remains at the Camp Nou.

As reported by Sergi Dominguez, Montoya was eager to leave in January:

A move never materialised, but it now seems Montoya will finally get his wish.

Barcelona undoubtedly would have preferred a permanent move rather than a loan deal, but it represents a low-risk opportunity for Inter, who can evaluate the player long-term before committing to buy.

There’s plenty of scope for Montoya to nail down a starting berth in the right-back position with Inter, as Hugo Campagnaro is now 34 and neither Danilo D’Ambrosio nor Yuto Nagatomo have cemented themselves as the undisputed first choice, but he must start contributing more effectively.

The 24-year-old has an excellent chance of kickstarting his career after a difficult spell, but he needs to take the opportunity with both hands and show that he can live up to his potential. 

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Liverpool have been adding players at a staggering rate all summer, but according to the latest transfer rumours, the Reds had even bigger plans.

Inter Milan have reportedly turned down their approach for midfielder Mateo Kovacic, and it seems no deal will be made for the Croatia international.

According to Sport Mediaset (h/t the Daily Star‘s Jamie Anderson), Liverpool are unwilling to offer the Nerazzurri more than £15 million for his services, whereas the Italians are holding out for a fee of £21.3 million. Rumours that Liverpool had already agreed to personal terms with Kovacic also turned out to be false:

Some media outlets claimed Kovacic had agreed personal terms with Liverpool, however the player himself moved quickly to dismiss such talks.

He told Tuttosport: “There’s no need for us to talk, I recently renewed my contract.

“Now I’m thinking about my holidays. I only know that I’m due back at Appiano Gentile on July 5. That’s why I haven’t heard anyone (sic) from the club yet.”

The Reds have been remarkably busy ahead of the upcoming transfer window, with the Times‘ Tony Barrett reporting the club is talking to Southampton‘s Nathaniel Clyne just days after picking up Roberto Firmino. Both had been linked with the Reds for a while, but it’s still surprising to see the club move this quickly in order to secure them.

Bleacher Report’s Graham Ruthven sees Firmino as a potential replacement for Raheem Sterling, and similarly, Kovacic was viewed as a potential long-term replacement for Steven Gerrard:

The 21-year-old still has a lot of developing to do and suffered through a pedestrian campaign in 2014-15, but his potential is tantalising. He has more than held his own in Croatia’s star-studded midfield so far and projects as a top-level attacking midfielder in a couple of years.

WhoScored’s Cristiano Acconci thinks Inter’s recent transfer business means he would be in a position to succeed in the Italian fashion capital, providing the Nerazzurri can keep him there:

As reported by Sky Sports, Inter have been hit with sanctions for breaching UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations, and the arrival of Geoffrey Kondogbia will have to be offset with some departures.

Kovacic is seen as one of the players most likely to be sacrificed, given the fact manager Roberto Mancini didn’t trust him last season—even benching him on several occasions—and that the player himself holds plenty of value on the open market.

But if the Croat leaves Inter this summer, he will do so for a significant transfer fee, and £15 million just isn’t going to cut it. And if the Reds are unwilling to go any higher, as suggested by Anderson, that should bring an end to this particular transfer rumour.

Despite New Contract, Pedro Still Linked With Host of Clubs

Barcelona winger Pedro signed a new contract earlier this season after months of transfer speculation, but that isn’t stopping Mundo Deportivo (h/t Metro‘s Tom Olver) from linking him with a host of foreign suitors.

The Blaugrana youth product is well behind the likes of Lionel Messi and Neymar in the pecking order, and according to Mundo Deportivo, a £18 million fee could still see him move. Liverpool are on the list of potential destinations, along with Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City.

The 27-year-old’s role diminished greatly after the arrival of Luis Suarez, and he’s set to see even less playing time due to the emergence of Munir El Haddadi and Adama Traore, who are both expected to play bigger roles next season.

Fans may point to Pedro’s new contract as a reason he won’t be leaving the club, but he wouldn’t be the first player to sign a new deal only to leave just months later. Mundo Deportivo isn’t the only Catalan newspaper considering the possibility―Sport‘s Lluis Miguelsanz suggested the player may actually prefer a move away from the Camp Nou:

The academy product renewed his contract a few week ago, but recent events have led to a decision. He has an important offer from PSG, where he has been assured he would start. He thinks he will have less opportunities at Camp Nou following the arrival of Aleix Vidal at Barcelona.

Of the clubs reportedly interested in his services, PSG should be considered favourites. Pedro would be an immediate upgrade over Lucas Moura and Ezequiel Lavezzi, all but guaranteeing him a starting position in the French capital.

Les Parisiens have massive funds, enough to easily facilitate the move and offer the winger an attractive wage deal, and given their need out wide, they would gladly overspend to secure their guy. Liverpool aren’t strapped for cash, but after a flurry of early signings, they simply can’t beat PSG on a financial level.

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