The transfer window for Europe’s biggest clubs is closed, but click here for all the deals, and keep track of who has joined the big boys. Transfer Talk will continue to scour the world’s media and set correspondents loose to see what’s on the agenda for the summer.
Real make first move for Hazard
Zinedine Zidane’s return to Real Madrid has left Chelsea facing fresh uncertainty over Eden Hazard‘s future, according to the Telegraph. The winger is set to enter the final 12 months of his current deal at Stamford Bridge and has made no secret of his admiration for Zidane.
With no signs of a contract extension being agreed so far, Los Blancos have reportedly tabled a proposal for the Belgium international. Zidane previously recommended the 28-year-old to the Bernabeu hierarchy on several occasions and his return to the hot seat is set to put Chelsea in a difficult position this summer.
A two-window transfer ban would restrict Chelsea’s ability to spend any funds from selling Hazard, but they will risk losing him for free in 2020 if he is forced to stay for a final season.
An unhappy reunion for Ceballos?
Not everyone in the Spanish capital will be celebrating Zidane’s homecoming, however, with Marca reporting that Dani Ceballos faces a potentially unhappy reunion. The midfielder has become a regular figure but endured a turbulent start following his 2017 arrival from Real Betis.
Ceballos revealed earlier this season the full extent of his poor relationship with the Frenchman, which could lead to some difficult conversations about his long-term future.
“I asked Zidane why I wasn’t playing because I didn’t understand it, he told me he valued the players ahead of me,” he said in September.
“There was a time in the season when [Luka] Modric and [Toni] Kroos were injured and he changed system to play other players, that burns you a bit and it hurts.
“He was clear with me and I’m not bitter, when I was little I watched him and he was always a star wherever he played, maybe he doesn’t know how it feels as a player to be on the bench. It will help him in the future to not make the mistakes he made here.”
Solskjaer cuts his losses on Sanchez
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s likely appointment as Manchester United’s next permanent manager spells bad news for Alexis Sanchez, say The Sun. They claim that he may be forced to leave on loan in the summer. The Chilean has struggled to make an impact since arriving from Arsenal last year and doesn’t seem to feature in Solskaer’s long-term plans.
Old Trafford chiefs are hoping to shift Sanchez’s eye-watering wages of around £25 million per year by tempting potential suitors by offering him on an initial loan deal. The 30-year-old is currently sidelined for up to eight weeks with a knee injury picked up against Southampton.
Tap ins
– Inter Milan will try to convince Monaco to lower their asking price for winger Keita Balde, according to Calciomercato. The Nerazzurri have already paid a €4m loan fee with the option to trigger a €30m buy-out for the Senegal international at the end of this season.
– Manchester United’s pursuit of Aaron Wan-Bissaka has intensified, with The Sun noting that scouts from Old Trafford have been keeping tabs on the Crystal Palace defender in recent weeks. But the Red Devils will face stern opposition from Premier League rivals Arsenal and Manchester City for the 21-year-old, who is considered a replacement for Antonio Valencia.
– Brendan Rodgers knows that Leicester City will have to pay a significant fee to ensure Youri Tielemans‘ permanent stay at the King Power Stadium. The Monaco loanee scored his first goal for the Foxes against Fulham on Satyurday and is valued in the region of £40m, according to the Leicester Mercury.. The Daily Mail are reporting that Rodgers will wait until the summer to make a decision on his future.
– Matthijs de Ligt will join Barcelona ahead of Juventus this summer, reports Calciomercato. The impressive central defender has been a target for some of England’s top clubs, as well as Bayern Munich, but the Italian press believes the Ajax man will join current teammate Frenkie de Jong at Camp Nou.