Barcelona have ruled out signing Argentina forward Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid in January, with the 24-year-old waiting to see whether Paris St-Germain or Arsenal make a bid for him, or whether he should stay put. That is the top item in today’s transfer gossip, according to Fichajes, which reports the decision in Spanish.
The story also touches Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Aston Villa, each with its own rumour to add to the mix.
Barcelona Rule Out Alvarez
Barcelona have told Alvarez that a move to Camp Nou is off in January. The 24-year-old Argentina international was linked with a January switch from Atletico Madrid, but the Catalan club have made their position clear.
Alvarez now faces a wait-and-see period. He can join PSG or Arsenal, or he can stay put at Atletico. His future depends on which club decides first.
Liverpool Refuse Wirtz Sale
Liverpool will not sell Germany midfielder Florian Wirtz, 23, to Bayern Munich in the January transfer window. Christian Falk, the Bayern insider at Bild, reports that the German giants would only consider making a move next summer if France winger Michael Olise, 24, turns down a new deal.
Chelsea Chase Two English Midfielders
Chelsea’s main midfield targets are Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, 23, and Crystal Palace and England’s Adam Wharton, 22. CaughtOffside reports that the West London club is no longer interested in Monaco and Senegal’s Lamine Camara, 22.
The pair would give Chelsea a young English midfield combination.
Villa Reward Buendia With A New Contract
Aston Villa are keen to tie Argentina midfielder Emi Buendia, 29, to a new contract as a reward for his outstanding form. The Mail reports that the club want to recognise his contribution with a fresh deal.
Buendia has been a key player for Villa this season.
Shaw’s Contract Runs Down
England left-back Luke Shaw, 31, could leave Manchester United when his present deal expires with the club next summer. Teamtalk reports that the situation is developing, though no firm plans have been announced.
Alaba Signs For Udinese
Austria defender David Alaba, 34, is set to sign for Udinese after leaving Real Madrid in the summer. Fabrizio Romano reports the move.
Alaba spent years at Real Madrid.
The Gossip In One List
| Club | Transfer Rumour |
|---|---|
| Barcelona | Rule out Alvarez from Atletico Madrid |
| Liverpool | Refuse to sell Wirtz to Bayern |
| Chelsea | Chase Scott and Wharton, drop Camara |
| Aston Villa | Reward Buendia with a new contract |
| Manchester United | Shaw’s contract runs down |
| Udinese | Sign Alaba |
That is the full picture. Barcelona are out of the Alvarez race, Liverpool are holding onto Wirtz, Chelsea are chasing two English midfielders, Villa are rewarding Buendia, and Shaw’s future at Manchester United remains open.
The gossip is a strange beast. It brings together a Barcelona ruling, a Liverpool refusal, a Chelsea chase, a Villa reward and a United contract issue, all in one list. Each item is a story in itself, but together they make for a week of football talk that covers almost everyone.
This is the kind of transfer window that rewards following the news. One day you are chasing a deal, the next you are watching it fall apart. The gossip machine keeps turning, and today it has produced a list that touches every corner of European football.
See the a run of 44 images at the BBC.
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