That transfer window curmudgeon, FFP, may be having its way, with clubs rather spooked by falling foul of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules. As Jacob Steinburg notes, the general rumour mill is hardly whirring. Well, this column likes a challenge so, as with a clogged up blender, let’s give it a poke and get things spinning again.
If Chelsea can’t help us, no one can and, thankfully, the trolley-dash spenders are being linked with several incomings and outgoings. The biggest source of speculation and confusion surrounds the Sporting striker Viktor Gyökeres. Depending which back page you read or link you click, the Blues are going full steam ahead to pull off a deal, have already had a £73m offer rejected, or are cooling their interest. The 25-year-old Swede, who has 20 goals in 24 appearances this season, was once on Brighton’s books so Chelsea forking out ridiculous cash for him would seem to make sense.
One possible alternative for Chelsea is a loan deal for Aston Villa’s Jhon Durán although … Googles Duran Duran songs for potential pun but fails … the Midlanders look unlikely to play ball with that one. But those column inches aren’t going to fill themselves so some sources have decided to just chuck some names out there (fancy doing that, coughs awkwardly) by claiming that Saudi Pro League stars Karim Benzema, Roberto Firmino and Aleksandar Mitrovic have all reportedly been offered to Mauricio Pochettino.
How about the defence then? Chelsea could revive interest in Southampton’s Kyle Walker-Peters despite the full-back’s unconvincing spell at Tottenham. But this one won’t go down well with Blues fans: the centre-back Levi Colwill is the subject of talk over a move to Liverpool. The Reds were linked with the 20-year-old in the summer and are keeping a close watch if Chelsea have to balance the books in light of those pesky profit and sustainability concerns.
Staying with Liverpool, and former Reds captain Jordan Henderson looks close to doing one from the Saudi Pro League by heading to Ajax. Henderson has reportedly reached an agreement with Al-Ettifaq to terminate his three-year contract and agreed a switch to Ajax. In other midfield news with a Liverpool flavour, the Merseysiders are monitoring Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich after the German champions revealed they’re now ready to negotiate. Kimmich isn’t ready to go yet, so this would be a summer move. Newcastle have been linked too. Many others will follow.
Manchester United will likely join that Kimmich race in the summer but in the right here, right now they’re being linked with a couple of defenders. Erik ten Hag is believed to have a beady eye on his countryman Matthijs de Ligt. The Dutch duo were together at Ajax and De Ligt is struggling to oust Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae for a starting position in Bayern’s central defence. Barcelona’s Ronald Araújo is another target, with United believed to be pressing for a January move rather than waiting until the summer.
Finally, news from the Africa Cup of Nations, where the Wolves defender Rayan Aït-Nouri is in action for Algeria. There’s talk of a transfer battle between Arsenal and Liverpool for the £50m-rated left-back, although Anfield would seem a surprise destination right now with Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas close to returning from injury. Bayer Leverkusen’s Dutch defender Jeremie Frimpong has been mentioned as another candidate for Arsenal.
