Arsenal bid for Illarramendi, Chelsea want Cuadrado
Gunners make an offer for Real Madrid midfielder as Campbell leaves again, Blues chase Colombian winger
Chelsea have been unusually quiet during the transfer window but that could be about to change with comings and goings rumoured at Stamford Bridge, while Arsenal fans may have a sense of deja vu as they prepare to pack off a striker on loan and appear set to miss out on an in-demand midfielder:
• Reports in Spain suggest that Arsenal have made an offer for Real Madrid midfielder Asier Illarramendi, and with Brazilian Lucas Silva apparently on his way to the Bernabeu in an £11m deal the Spanish midfielder is said to be contemplating an exit. Athletic Bilbao have made an offer of £18.7m for the 24-year-old but website Here Is The City says Illarramendi is "none too thrilled" about the prospect of moving there. Taking its cue from Marca, HITC says that the player would much prefer a summer move to the Emirates.
• Arsenal striker Joel Campbell "is considering his Emirates future" according to the Daily Express and may leave on loan - again - in the next ten days. Described by the paper as an "outcast", the Costa Rican has been unable to nail down a place in the Gunners starting XI and apparently his agent, Joaquim Batica, has visited Arsenal's training ground "to discuss potential options for his client". The Express adds that Everton, Tottenham and Liverpool have all expressed interest in Campbell.
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• It's all change at Chelsea according to Sky Sports, which reports that Jose Mourinho is arriving late at the January party but in some style. Sky claims that the Blues are "in talks" to sign Colombian World Cup star Juan Cuadrado from Fiorentina, although an opening offer of £20.6m was rejected by the Italian club. A deal looks likely however as the player's agent Alessandro Lucci is set to arrive in England for talks. Is there room for Cuadrado at Stamford Bridge? Sky believes so because Mourinho is also close to offloading two members of his squad and is waiting for "improved offers for Mohamed Salah and Andre Schurrle from Roma and Wolfsburg respectively".
• Chelsea have earmarked Shakhtar Donetsk attacking midfielder Douglas Costa as a fallback option if they are unable to secure the services of Cuadrado this month reports the Daily Telegraph. However, the Russian outfit are demanding a "staggering" £30m for the Brazilian, which is more than the Blues would have to pay for Cuadrago. The price tag on Douglas makes a deal unlikely says the paper as Chelsea were hoping to pay £20m.
• A "hammer blow" for Man United and Arsenal is how the Daily Star describes the news that Wolfsburg midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has no interest in a return to the Premier League. The Star claims that Arsenal and Manchester United were both chasing De Bruyne with Arsene Wenger particularly keen to sign the former Chelsea star, who left Stamford Bridge 12 months ago after failing to make a name for himself at the Bridge. Asked about the rumours linking the Belgian international to England, his agent Patrick Koster responded: "De Bruyne is feeling very good…he does not want to move. He's only concentrating on [helping Wolfsburg] to the Champions League."
• The Daily Mirror alleges that Wenger also has his eye on a new goalkeeper - Fiorentina's Brazilian star Neto. The 25-year-old has also been eyed up by Liverpool and Juventus after he made it clear he intended to seek a fresh challenge at the end of this season. The Mirror says that Wenger has had enough of Wojciech Szczesny's antics and intends to make a play for Neto.
• That rarest of things, an actual concrete deal, has been agreed by Manchester United, who will send striker Will Keane to Sheffield Wednesday on loan until the end of the season. The 22-year-old was unveiled as an Owls' signing on the club's official website. Noting that Keane was "highly rated by Old Trafford legend Sir Alex Ferguson" (but apparently less so by Louis van Gaal), Wednesday add that the young frontman is in line to make his Championship debut on Tuesday against Birmingham City.
• And another player on the move temporarily is Chelsea's Marko Marin, heading to Anderlecht for the remainder of the season. The 25-year-old winger has been at Fiorentina for the last few months but an announcement on the official Blues website confirmed that Marin is now linking up with the Belgian champions. Additionally, Chelsea announced that their frontman Ulises Davila has been loaned out to Portugal at Vitoria Futebol Clube.
• Swansea and Tottenham have finally agreed terms for Kyle Naughton with The Guardian reporting that the full-back has penned a three-and-a-half year deal with the Welsh club. Naughton, who made 74 appearances for Tottenham after joining from Sheffield United in 2009, will earn Spurs around £5m. "I'm sad to be leaving Spurs because it's a great club," said Naughton. "But now I just want to settle into life at Swansea and try to play regularly. It all comes down to playing football – after all, that's my job."
• Liverpool and Manchester United are preparing to "battle it out" for the services of a Paraguayan "teen sensation" according to Talksport. It claims 16-year-old sharpshooter Sergio Diaz has caught the eye of two of the Premier League's biggest clubs. Currently plying his trade with Cerro Porteno in the Paraguayan capital Asuncion, Diaz has already been called into Paraguay's under-20 side and Talksport report that Liverpool and United have "opened talks" with Cerro Porteno who'll expect £5m in return for the youngster.
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