Daily transfer news and rumours roundup - 12th February 2017
Top leagues across Europe are slowly but surely entering the business end of their season. As such, the top teams are also finalising their targets for the upcoming summer transfer window. Here are the top transfer stories and rumours from 12th February:
Manchester United want super-striker Andrea Belotti
Manchester United have joined European giants Real Madrid, PSG, Chelsea and Arsenal in the pursuit of Torino super-striker Andrea Belotti, according to reports in Tuttosport. The Italian striker has 16 goals for the Serie A side this season and has been attracting interest from all of Europe.
The 23-year-old’s current contract with the Turin outfit expires in 2021 and he has a £85.2m release clause in his contract. It is believed that the Old Trafford outfit will have to meet the striker’s release clause to lure him to Manchester.
Liverpool and Arsenal to battle it out for Premier League goalkeeper
According to reports in the Daily Star, Arsenal and Liverpool are set to battle it out for Leicester City shot-stopper Kasper Schmeichel. The Anfield outfit’s woes between the sticks is well known, with both Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius struggling to put in commanding performances.
Arsenal’s first-choice shot-stopper Petr Cech has also struggled to live up to his form of yesteryears and has cost the Gunners points on more occasions than one. The Foxes are battling relegation despite winning the league last season and should they be relegated Schmeichel is certain to leave the club. Manchester City – whose goalkeeping woes are well documented – are also keeping tabs on the goalkeeper.
European giants to battle for Sergio Aguero’s services
According to reports in Spanish daily Mundo Deportivo, Manchester City superstar Sergio Aguero will leave the club in the summer transfer window. The Argentine hitman has fallen down the pecking order under new manager Pep Guardiola and has struggled for game time this season.
Add to that, his disciplinary woes this season and it is looking more and more obvious that he will leave the Etihad outfit in the summer. According to the report, Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid are prepared to battle it out for the Argentine’s services in the summer.
Juventus and Inter Milan to battle for Arsenal superstar
According to Corriere dello Sport, Juventus and Inter Milan are leading the race for the services of Arsenal superstar Alexis Sanchez. The Chilean has been on fire this season and leads the Premier League goalscoring charts. However, he has entered the last 18 months of his contract with the Emirates outfit and talks over a new contract has stalled.
As the season is inching towards the ends it appears more and more likely that the former Barcelona man will leave Arsenal in the summer and the Serie A giants are willing to pay £38.4m for his services. It has also been reported that Alexis is holding out on signing a new contract as he wants to know if Arsene Wenger is going to be at the helm of the club next season and if he isn’t going to be there then who will be replacing him.
Another report in the same newspaper reads that Massimiliano Allegri – the Juventus manager – who has been heavily linked with a move to the Gunners in the summer as a replacement for Wenger, is keen on bringing Sanchez and PSG’s Marco Verratti to the Turin outfit. The Italian believes that the arrival of these two superstars will help Juventus challenge for the Champions League next season.
AC Milan want to bring back Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Borussia Dortmund super-striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s future has been the subject of much future in recent times with top clubs across Europe including Barcelona, Manchester City, Liverpool and Inter Milan interested in his services.
The Gabonese international had also expressed his desire to move to Real Madrid but Los Blancos are reportedly not interested in bringing him to the Santiago Bernabeu. According to Tuttosport, fallen Serie A giants AC Milan have entered the race for his signature as they plan to bring him back to San Siro.
In case you didn’t know, Aubameyang spent 4 years of his career at Milan but failed to break into the first team before he was shipped to France, where he made a name for himself.