Chelsea are said to be running the rule over Swansea City’s prolific striker Wilfried Bony, although he might not be the only striker on the radar of the Premier League leaders.

The Blues are also reportedly keen on Inter Milan’s young star, Mauro Icardi. Landing the 21-year-old would offset the club’s potential failure in their attempts to land Borussia Dortmund’s lethal attacker Marco Reus.

Meanwhile, the best news for Chelsea this winter could be the proposed availability of Atletico Madrid centre-back Miranda. He’s the exact style of defender Blues boss Jose Mourinho usually covets.

But it’s Bony who rates as the most surprising name on the list of Chelsea’s latest targets. Rory Smith and Tony Barrett of The Times (subscription required), state that chief Chelsea scout Mick Doherty was recently an interested observer when Bony and Swansea were beaten 4-1 by Liverpool.

But Chelsea face stern competition from Premier League title rivals Manchester City. That’s according to Matt Law of The Telegraph.

However, Law states the Swans have made moves to ensure they can demand maximum value for their prolific target man:

City face having to spend around £50 million in transfer fee and wages if they decide to follow up their interest in Bony after Swansea took the release clause out of the Ivory Coast international’s contract. There was a £19 million release clause in Bony’s initial Swansea contract, but that was removed when his new deal, which runs to 2018, was signed in November, allowing the Welsh club to name their price for the 26-year-old.

That could deter Chelsea, who hardly have an immediate need for a striker. Mourinho‘s squad can currently rely on Diego Costa. Although his durability and temperament are questionable, the former Atletico Madrid man is in fine form.

Veteran Didier Drogba can also still offer a lot coming off the bench. So can Loic Remy, who, when healthy, has the pace to complement Costa and Drogba‘s power.

However, Mourinho might decide Bony offers a more all-round game. He combines pace, technical guile and awesome physical strength, qualities that recently convinced B/R’s Sam Tighe to dub him a “complete forward:”

But if Mourinho decides Bony is too expensive at the current rate, he could try to lower the fee for Icardi. Mohamed Salah would be the key to that type of deal.

The out-of-favour winger is tipped to be offered as a makeweight, according to Daily Star reporter Alex Harris:

The Nerazzurri are exploring the potential of a loan deal for the 22-year-old but reports suggest Chelsea could use him as bait in a bid to sign Icardi.

Speculation earlier this month suggested Inter are willing to offload the £32m-rated striker in a bid to free up funds for Roberto Mancini to spend.

Icardi is certainly a different type of striker to the ones Chelsea already possess. He is less a natural centre-forward and more a roaming attacker, one who can thrive wide or through the middle.

Icardi is at his best when he has the freedom to roam from the flanks and ghost into central positions. In that sense, he fits with the growing fluidity in Chelsea’s attack.

Those qualities make Icardi a good alternative to Reus. The Germany international is another forward who defies positional definitions.

Reus was set to be one of the most coveted targets in the January window. But it appears as though reigning La Liga champions Atletico Madrid may have beaten Premier League suitors to the punch.

That’s according to Daily Star reporter Chisanga Malata. He’s cited sources in Spain: “Well respected Spanish journalist Juan Gato, who works for Punto Pelota, yesterday sensationally claimed that Atletico boss Diego Simeone had agreed a deal in principle to sign the coveted German.”

If Atletico have wrapped up a deal for Reus, it could free Miranda to be sold during the winter window. The rock-solid central defender has now been made available for “£19.5 million,” per Daily Star writer Rhys Turrell.

During the past two seasons, the 30-year-old Brazilian has formed a fearsome partnership with Uruguayan bruiser Diego Godin. This stingy pairing has been broken up at times this season, thanks to the form of youngster Jose Gimenez.

That could provide Mourinho with the cue to add Miranda as a quality third option behind John Terry and Gary Cahill. Youthful Frenchman Kurt Zouma hasn’t really made his mark, and the Blues are still very reliant on 33-year-old Terry.

The Bony rumour is definitely the most intriguing. He fits the mould of the quick and bullish striker Mourinho loves to count on to lead the line.

However, any deal in January seems unlikely. So does a proposed bid for Icardi. Even Miranda seems destined to avoid Stamford Bridge, despite Mourinho‘s fondness for uncompromising defenders.

Instead, it’s safer to assume Chelsea will stick with what they have for the remainder of the season. After all, Mourinho‘s squad is well stocked in every area.

Spending big now would only disrupt the balance.

from Bleacher Report – Front Page http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2315414-chelsea-transfer-news-wilfried-bony-rumours-emerge-latest-on-marco-reus-more
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Brendan Rodgers has finally decided Mario Balotelli doesn’t fit at Liverpool and wants “the new Sergio Aguero” to replace him. That’s according to Daily Mirror reporter Bill Cooper, who explains what the “new Aguero” will cost Liverpool:

“The Kop boss will have to fork out £12 million and fight off interest from Euro giants Real Madrid and Inter Milan to land Villarreal hitman Luciano Vietto.”

Cooper also states Rodgers’ belief that 21-year-old Vietto can add the goals that would return Liverpool to a top-four place and participation in next season’s UEFA Champions League.

That remains the priority for the Reds this season and Rodgers is now ready to firm up his interest in a long-term target to make it happen. Liverpool’s interest in Vietto goes back at least two years.

In September 2012, Talk Sport reporter Lee Roden detailed that interest. Roden also described the role current Atletico Madrid gaffer Diego Simeone played in Vietto‘s rise to prominence: “Simeone, who was Racing’s coach in 2011, was stunned by the youngster’s abilities in training and immediately went to inform his technical staff of his decision to promote him to the first team.”

This season Vietto has been in inspired form for Villarreal. He’s netted 10 goals in La Liga and UEFA Europa League action, along with providing four assists, per WhoScored.com.

That’s evidence of the kind of versatility and creativity Rodgers values in his strikers. It’s the dual-threat Luis Suarez provided so often last season, a threat Liverpool have sorely missed this term.

Since selling Suarez to Barcelona in the summer and then losing Daniel Sturridge to injury, Rodgers has found solutions to his team’s woes in front of goal hard to come by.

New signings Balotelli and Rickie Lambert have both floundered. The former has been particularly disappointing.

There have been the customary question marks over Balotelli‘s temperament. But perhaps just as important, there have also been nagging doubts about his suitability for the type of game Rodgers wants to play.

Prior to Christmas, Mail Online reporter Ian Ladyman detailed Rodgers’ belief that Balotelli‘s lack of technical guile didn’t suit Liverpool. That makes sense considering the Italy international is a very individualist striker, often preferring to rely on his awesome physical strength to bully a defence into submission.

Balotelli also rarely varies his movement or engages in the type of combination passing Rodgers preaches. That disparity recently encouraged B/R’s Ryan Bailey and Janusz Michallik to speculate that Balotelli could be headed for the exit during the January window:

It’s that type of combination game that has encouraged the Anfield chief to move winger Raheem Sterling through the middle as the focal point of his attack. Rodgers has surrounded the lightning-fast Sterling with creative-minded advanced playmakers such as Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho.

Their mercurial flair and Sterling’s pace have brought the verve back to Liverpool’s attacking play. The Reds are unbeaten in their last three league games, scoring seven goals in the process.

As a quick-witted and fleet-footed roaming forward, Vietto is certainly a better fit for the game Rodgers wants his team to play than the bullish Balotelli.

The search for alternatives to the latter had seen Liverpool strongly linked with West Bromwich Albion’s prolific forward Saido Berahino. However, the Baggies recently took the unusual step of firmly denying any proposed deal with the Reds, via the club’s official Twitter feed:

Snaring Vietto would earn the Merseyside club an exciting young talent who would form a potent combination with Sterling and eventually Sturridge. That trio would give Liverpool the pace and fluidity in attack that made them so dangerous last season.

from Bleacher Report – Front Page http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2315351-liverpool-transfer-news-new-sergio-aguero-luciano-vietto-eyed-in-new-rumours
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Paris Saint-Germain ended 2014 on a positive note with a 1-0 win over Inter Milan at Grand Stade de Marrakech on Tuesday to end the Qatar Winter Tour of Morocco successfully. It has been a testing couple of days for the French champions, with coach Laurent Blanc’s hopes for a concentrated environment dashed by some unforeseen circumstances.

Les Parisiens’ match-winner on the night came courtesy of forgotten man Yohan Cabaye. The French international midfielder ghosted in unmarked after 57 minutes to slot home after Gregory van der Wiel’s cross from the right deflected into his path, which was all the Ligue 1 side needed in the end.

Although the game was a largely futile exercise, with little in the way of quality football played, Cabaye arguably gained the most from the clash because it will serve as a reminder that the 28-year-old is still there in the squad and capable of doing a job.

In poor form since the start of the season, Blanc was understandably reluctant to give the former Lille OSC and Newcastle United man a chance to replace the ageing Thiago Motta as PSG’s deep-lying defensive midfielder. However, Cabaye’s goal has suggested that the Frenchman might be ready to put the Italian under greater pressure from the start of 2015.

With Blanc now accepting and even publicly acknowledging Motta’s decline in form, Le President may need to turn to the man whom he made the creative hub of his France team when in charge of Les Bleus between 2010 and 2012.

Although PSG’s defensive struggles and wastefulness in front of goal remain concerning, Motta’s loss of form and mobility is arguably the most pressing issue for Blanc to solve at this time.

David Luiz stepping into midfield from the heart of the defence would create a space in the back line for the impressive Marquinhos to fill, while the former’s move forward would make the midfield more dynamic. However, Cabaye is a more natural fit in Motta’s deep-lying role and would be a reliable enough option in place of the Italian.

If Blanc were to decide to go with this idea, then it would present Cabaye with an unlikely shot at redemption.

Up until now, it has been difficult for the PSG No. 4 to break into Blanc’s plans. No matter how well the Frenchman could have played, he knew that Motta was pretty much untouchable in Les Parisiens’ midfield three.

However, now Blanc is under pressure to make changes, and it appears that even the Frenchman sees that his No. 8 is well below the levels of performance he was reaching last season. Cabaye, if given a few consecutive games, could become a genuine alternative to Motta in the PSG midfield.

The French international will need more than just a goal in an ultimately meaningless friendly against Inter in Morocco. Cabaye will need to build up some momentum with this and take the first chance he gets in early 2015, which could be away at Montpellier HSC in the Coupe de France next week.

If Cabaye can put in an encouraging display on the back of the Inter success, then maybe he does have a future at Parc des Princes after all. There is a long way to go, though.

Should the France star find himself turning his PSG career around, he will have to work extremely hard to remain consistent enough to keep that place in the starting XI once he takes it over. One thing is for certain—Cabaye will never have a better chance to oust Motta than he does at present.

from Bleacher Report – Front Page http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2315065-could-2015-see-yohan-cabaye-salvage-psg-career-after-inter-milan-friendly-goal
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The picture of Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the giallorossi strip of AS Roma is one that has been imagined before.

In 2003, while still at Ajax, the then-22-year-old remarked that he would “like to play for Roma” and was only awaiting a formal approach before sealing a move to the Stadio Olimpico, according to Sky Sports.

“I know that [Roma] president [Franco] Sensi’s club were interested in buying me,” he said. “But I don’t know if they still are.”

Fabio Capello was in charge of the Serie A heavyweights at the time, and less than two years prior, they had won the Scudetto with a squad including the likes of Cafu, Walter Samuel, Emerson, Vincenzo Montella and Gabriel Batistuta.

And, of course, Francesco Totti, who became an eternal legend in the Eternal City in 2001 and remains in the team to this day.

But Totti is all the current Roma side has in common with its famous forebears. When Ibrahimovic was first pursued, Italian football was awash in cash, popularity and high-profile players, and while the heyday lasted a bit longer, it reached its symbolic end with the Sweden international’s transfer from AC Milan to Paris Saint-Germain in 2012.

By then Ibrahimovic had left his mark on the peninsula—just not with Roma.

In 2004 he joined Juventus for €16 million, and in 294 matches with the Bianconeri, Inter Milan and AC Milan he scored 148 goals, won six titles (two of them revoked after the Calciopoli investigation) and was named Serie A Footballer of the Year on three occasions.

Italy saw the best of the striker, and even when he left for France, there was the sense he might have preferred to stay put.

On Tuesday, he was, for a second time, linked to a Roma switch, with Swedish outlet Aftonbladet hinting at unhappiness in the French capital and a “stormy relationship” with PSG boss Laurent Blanc, as relayed by Football Italia.

Given team-mate Edinson Cavani’s absence from warm-weather training in Morocco and fellow forward Ezequiel Lavezzi’s apparent desire to quit the Ligue 1 champions, according to Get French Football News, the notion of widespread discontent at Parc des Princes isn’t all that hard to buy into.

But would PSG entertain offers for Ibrahimovic with Cavani and Lavezzi supposedly on the way out? Hardly. And although he could force a move, it’s highly unlikely Roma would come in for him. They’re simply in no position to do so.

The striker’s contract lasts until the end of next season and, as reported by Football Italia, pays the now-33-year-old €12 million annually. He’s not only out of Roma’s pay range but that of Italian football generally, and at this point his age makes a big-money commitment a luxury few clubs can afford.

That picture of Ibrahimovic in the Roma shirt didn’t become reality in 2003, and it’s certainly not going to now.

Follow @jerradpeters

from Bleacher Report – Front Page http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2314994-ibrahimovic-may-leave-psg-but-not-now-and-not-for-roma
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Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has hinted he will not be moving for any attacking players in the January transfer window but has suggested he may still make New Year additions if the right player should become available.

Speaking ahead of the Gunners’ Thursday clash with fourth-placed Southampton, Wenger expressed his belief that Arsenal are all set in terms of forward players, but he could be tempted to strengthen elsewhere, per the club’s website:

There is a need there but the right opportunity has to come up. To buy [just] to buy is not what we want to do, but if the right opportunity comes up, we will do it. […]

Offensively we have many options [when everyone is fit], too many to keep everyone involved with the right number of games, that is for sure.

These comments seemingly rule out the possibility of Arsenal signing Edinson Cavani from Paris St-Germain in January, despite the Uruguayan being heavily linked with the club, per Jamie Anderson in the Express. 

Anderson suggests the fact that Cavani has not joined up with PSG’s winter training camp in Morocco points to a potential £50 million switch to Arsenal as being a possibility.

However, along with Wenger‘s assertion that he is not in the market for a new forward man, Ligue 1 expert Jonathan Johnson also relayed Le Parisien‘s report that Cavani will not be leaving the Parc des Princes in January:

Despite being sent off in Arsenal’s Boxing Day win over QPR, the Gunners’ current main front man, Olivier Giroud, has looked in fine form of late, as have the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Danny Welbeck.

Thus, Wenger is likley right to not pursue any more forwards in January, a window so often characterised by inflated prices and panic buys.

However, the Gunners could do with improvements elsewhere and Wenger has pointed at a shortage in midfield because of injury:

If you look at the number of games some players played, and the injuries we have with Wilshere, Ramsey and Arteta, we are a bit short at the moment in midfield.

A mooted central target for Arsenal is Newcastle’s Moussa Sissoko—valued at £16 million, per Nick Lustig in the Daily Star—but the Frenchman has recently insisted he plans to stay at St James’ Park, thus pouring cold water on any hopes the Gunners had of signing him, per The Sun‘s Colin Young (subscription required):

“I said all along I was happy here at Newcastle. I will be here and trying to do my best for this club in 2015.”

For many Arsenal fans, this may come as something of a relief as, although Sissoko is a fine player, he is not the type of midfielder that the Gunners have been crying out for and his purchase would potentially be a misuse of valuable funds, per B/R UK’s James McNicholas:

What Wenger needs is a defensive-minded midfielder—which Sissoko is not—to protect the back four and bring a certain calm and composure to the middle of the park, hence why Arsenal have so long been linked with Sami Khedira and Morgan Schneiderlin—the latter analysed below by B/R UK’s Sam Tighe:  

On potential departures, Wenger ruled out a move for Lukas Podolski to Inter Milan—who are interested in the German, per the Daily Mail‘s Jack Briden—but a loan move for Yaya Sanogo could be on the cards:

I don’t really doubt [loan deals] in some positions where players need experience. That’s not the case for Podolski but players who need practice because they’re at a very young age like Sanogo, it is not impossible.

A victory over Southampton on Jan. 1 would see Arsenal leapfrog Saints into fourth place, the final Champions League spot.

Thus, despite an inconsistent start to the season, the Gunners are steadily moving up the table and are in a good vein of form of late having won three of their last four league games.

It seems that drastic January transfer moves are not necessary, but added strength in defence would certainly be welcome. 

from Bleacher Report – Front Page http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2314368-arsenal-transfer-news-edinson-cavani-in-doubt-arsene-wenger-addresses-rumours
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Arsenal have been given a boost ahead of the January transfer window with key defensive target Mats Hummels reportedly looking for a way out of under-performing Borussia Dortmund.

The Gunners have been left short at the back on many occasions this season after Arsene Wenger failed to bolster the back line in the summer.

However, the French manager may have the opportunity to rectify that in January, with the German press reporting Hummels‘ desire to depart the Westfalenstadion with Dortmund currently sitting in the Bundesliga’s relegation zone, per David Wright in the Express.

Dortmund have lost 10 of 17 league matches this season—more than any other team in the division—are second from bottom and unlikely to qualify for next season’s Champions League, with Hummels recently slamming his side’s form this term, per Wright‘s report:

We’ve managed pretty well at home in recent weeks, but not at all away. It’s pretty astonishing that we are so pathetic.

The German centre-back is one of the best in Europe—per B/R UK’s Sam Tighe below—and he would be a fine addition to the Gunners squad. Wenger may even be able to sign him for less than the previously quoted £47 million valuation if Hummels does indeed wish to force a move:

One Gunners target who will seemingly not be making a move to the Emirates is Barcelona’s Pedro, who has reportedly ruled out a move away from the Camp Nou after holding talks with boss Luis Enrique, per Marca (h/t Chisanga Malata in the Daily Star).

Arsenal have long been linked with the Spanish forward, per Anthony Chapman in the Express, but recent comments from Wenger seem to suggest he is not even eyeing any attacking signings in January, although there is the potential of reinforcements elsewhere, per the north London club’s website:

There is a need there but the right opportunity has to come up. To buy [just] to buy is not what we want to do, but if the right opportunity comes up, we will do it. […]

Offensively we have many options [when everyone is fit], too many to keep everyone involved with the right number of games, that is for sure.

Inter Milan are targeting one of Wenger‘s offensive options in Lukas Podolski, San Siro boss Roberto Mancini confirming his interest in the German forward, per Sport Mediaset (h/t Peter McVitie on Goal.com):

“Podolski is a good player. He is part of a list of players that we are following, so we will see what will come of it.”

While Wenger insists he wants to see Podolski stay at the Emirates, per the club’s Twitter feed, the 29-year-old has not started a single game in the English top flight so far this season and may look to force a move in order to play more first-team football:

Arsenal have endured an inconsistent start to the season but currently see themselves in fifth, tied on points with fourth-placed Southampton as they creep toward the Champions League positions.

Wenger undoubtedly needs to bring in new blood in defence and it would be a major coup if he could add Hummels to his squad in January as, at 26 years old, the German could be a huge asset in years to come. 

However, Wenger seems to have the right attitude in terms of attacking players as the likes of Santi Cazorla, Danny Welbeck and Alexis Sanchez all look to be working well together, but Podolski may yet be on his way if he keeps being relegated to the bench.

from Bleacher Report – Front Page http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2314307-arsenal-transfer-news-mats-hummels-wants-move-latest-on-pedro-rumours
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Liverpool are being linked with moves for both Ezequiel Lavezzi and Saido Berahino in the January transfer window as manager Brendan Rodgers looks to add more firepower to his attack.

Paris Saint-Germain’s Lavezzi is reportedly unhappy in the French capital and is looking for a move away, with Ben Jefferson of the Daily Express linking the Argentine with an £8 million switch to Anfield in the new year.

The 29-year-old Lavezzi has also been heavily linked with Inter Milan as manager Roberto Mancini looks to bolster his forward line, per La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Ligue 1 expert Jonathan Johnson), but Jefferson’s report suggests a potential loan move for Arsenal’s Lukas Podolski to the Serie A club gives Liverpool a greater chance of signing the former Napoli forward:

Lavezzi has started only eight Ligue 1 games so far this season—scoring two goals, per WhoScored.com—and has not joined up with the PSG squad for winter training in Morocco, per beIN Sports’ Tancredi Palmeri:

It does indeed look as though he may want out of the Parc des Princes, but while a talented player, Lavezzi is not a prolific goalscorer, making him potentially a poor target for Rodgers.

Liverpool’s main problem in attack so far this season has been a loss of goals caused by Luis Suarez‘s departure, Daniel Sturridge‘s injury and the inadequacies of replacements Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert.

They need a proven goalscorer, and Lavezzi is not that—former U.S. international Janusz Michallik discusses some potentially better options with B/R UK’s Ryan Bailey below—although a price tag of just £8 million does make him a more attractive signing.

As for West Brom‘s Berahino, the Englishman started the season in storming fashion, scoring seven league goals in nine appearances, but he has failed to net once since October, per WhoScored. 

However, the rumours surrounding his potential move to Anfield continue to grow, with John Cross of the Mirror reporting that Rodgers is looking to hijack Tottenham’s January move for the England international.

Cross describes the Reds’ pursuit of 21-year-old Berahino as “deadly serious,” with Liverpool prepared to go head-to-head with Spurs for his signature as soon as the January window opens.

Opinions differ surrounding his price tag, but Sami Mokbel in the Daily Mail suggests West Brom will demand £25 million although Liverpool are preparing to negotiate that figure down.

As WhoScored‘s Martin Laurence suggests, such a high price seems somewhat inflated for a player who has yet to prove that he can score goals on a consistent basis:

Liverpool should definitely think twice before considering spending such money on Berahino. The Reds have been stung before on overpaying for players, a prime example being the £35 million paid for Andy Carroll back in 2011.

While Liverpool do need added goals, Sturridge is close to a return, and their convincing 4-1 win over Swansea on Monday proves that there are goals elsewhere in the squad.

Rodgers’ current problems may not be solved by simply throwing money around, and the Reds must be sensible in the January transfer window, as they do seem to have the quality in the current squad to vastly improve their performances from the first half of the season.

from Bleacher Report – Front Page http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2314296-liverpool-transfer-news-huge-ezequiel-lavezzi-and-saido-berahino-rumours-emerge
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