Transfer rumors: Man City might be giving up on Sanchez, and MLS might have landed a huge coup
Welcome to FC Yahoo‘s daily transfer roundup, where we’ll dissect the January market, assess the credibility of gossip, and discuss the likelihood that deals come to pass. Every day, we’ll split the various links between players and clubs into four categories to sift through the BS and direct your attention to the reports that deserve it.
Here’s the transfer roundup for Thursday, Jan. 12:
FRIDAY’S DONE DEALS
Alex Pritchard | Norwich City —> Huddersfield Town — In a slow day amid the transfer market, Huddersfield strengthened its attack by signing the 24-year-old former Tottenham academy product for a fee reported to be in the $16.5 million range. Huddersfield didn’t have any glaring areas for improvement this window, but the club has only scored more than two goals in a Premier League match twice all season, and Pritchard’s capability going forward should help as it continues to grind out results in an attempt to stay up.
REPORTS
Ezequiel Barco | Independiente —> Atlanta United — In what could be a coup for Major League Soccer, one of the world’s most promising youngsters has reportedly agreed to join Atlanta United for a league-record $15 million transfer fee from Argentine club Independiente. The 18-year-old Barco can play on the left or centrally in the midfield, and gives Atlanta United yet another young South American attacking threat as it heads into its second season.
CHATTER
Manchester City ready to end Alexis Sanchez pursuit this month — And it’s supposedly over money. Man City doesn’t want to pay Arsenal’s reported $48 million valuation for the Chilean star, preferring to spend somewhere in the neighborhood of $27 million. But with Sanchez out of a contract this summer, City might not have to pay any transfer fee. Of course, there’s also the looming specter of rival Manchester United, which is reportedly driving up the cost and willing to include talented midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the deal. So waiting out Sanchez (and Arsenal) appears to be a somewhat dangerous game. Is City willing to play it?
Riyad Mahrez isn’t going anywhere … for now — Leicester City manager Claude Puel has momentarily shot down rumors that star winger Riyad Mahrez is going to leave this month, saying, “I can only say the same thing, there is nothing new about him.” Liverpool is reportedly circling, and Arsenal is reportedly Mahrez’s dream move, but for now, all they are is reports.
Schalke in talks with Chelsea fullback — Discussions of a deal between Baba Rahman, a talented 23-year-old who’s been recovering with Chelsea this season after a devastating knee injury during last year’s African Cup of Nations, and the Bundesliga side are ongoing.
RUMORS
A quick note, before we get to a few rumors: Contrary to our strategy earlier in the window, we’ll no longer be including the rumors that are obviously nonsense. We’ll effectively blacklist outlets like Don Balon and the Sun who have terrible track records, and quite clearly report things that are totally unsubstantiated.
Javier Pastore | Paris Saint-Germain —> Manchester United or Liverpool — The Argentine himself took to Instagram to refute PSG teammate Thiago Silva’s claims that he’s pushing for a move away from Paris this month, preferably to United or Liverpool or another Premier League power. “I never put pressure on anyone. It’s not my style,” the post read in part. “… I have always been loyal. It’s not true that I want to leave! I would like to stay here to finish my career.” So there you have it.
JANUARY’S TOP DONE DEALS
(Chronological order)
Yerry Mina | Palmeiras —> Barcelona ($14.2 million)
Francis Coquelin | Arsenal —> Valencia ($14.4 million)
Fousseni Diabate | Gazélec Ajaccio —> Leicester City ($2.4 million)
Renato Steffen | FC Basel —> Wolfsburg ($2 million)
Mark Uth | Hoffenheim —> Schalke (summer, free)
Moritz Bauer | Rubin Kazan —> Stoke City ($6.8 million)
Georges-Kevin Nkoudou | Tottenham —> Burnley (loan)
Kevin Mirallas | Everton —> Olympiacos (loan)
Philippe Coutinho | Liverpool —> Barcelona ($192.5 million)
Cenk Tosun | Besiktas —> Everton ($36.5 million)
Wesley Sneijder | Nice —> Al-Gharafa (undisclosed)
Ross Barkley | Everton —> Chelsea ($20.3 million)
Marko Pjaca | Juventus —> Schalke (loan)
Konstantinos Mavropanos | PAS Giannina —> Arsenal ($2.4 million)
Terence Kongolo | Monaco —> Huddersfield Town (loan)
Virgil van Dijk | Southampton —> Liverpool ($101.4 million)
Diego Costa | Chelsea —> Atletico Madrid (€71.5 million)
Adrien Silva | Sporting CP —> Leicester City ($29.8 million)
Previous rumor roundups: Jan. 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11
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Joey Gulino is the editor of FC Yahoo and moonlights as a writer. Follow him on Twitter at @JGulinoYahoo.
