Guido Rodriguez and Ivan Provedel are Man Utd transfer targets
Manchester United are planning two big upgrades in 2024 with an Argentina midfielder and an Italian keeper wanted, Liverpool are to spend €45m on a France star, while Arsenal are keeping tabs on a €50m-rated Barcelona defender.
MAN UTD WANT GUIDO RODRIGUEZ TO REPLACE SOFYAN AMRABAT
Real Betis are doing their utmost to convince Guido Rodriguez to sign a new contract – though there is a growing fear the Argentina midfielder will depart for Manchester United in the new year.
The 29-year-old is an important figure in Manuel Pellegrini’s engine room, clocking up 157 appearances since his arrival from Mexican side America in summer 2019.
Recognised as one of the best defensive midfielders in LaLiga, his form has earned the player 29 caps for his country, having collected a World Cup winners’ medal after his nation’s success at Qatar 2022.
However, with Rodriguez‘s deal expiring in the summer, Betis are now in a race against time to convince him to stay and commit to a new deal.
And with Barcelona and Man Utd among his suitors, there is a growing feeling the player has had his head turned and is ready for one final career challenge.
To that end, it’s claimed a January move to Manchester United looks to be on the cards with new investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe earmarking the tigerish midfielder as a possible target.
That’s amid claims that club chiefs have already ruled out the permanent signing of loanee Sofyan Amrabat, who has struggled to make an impact since his arrival from Fiorentina.
And with the player likely to return to the Serie A side, Ratcliffe is reportedly set to move for Rodriguez as an upgrade.
Betis may be forced into selling star to Man Utd
Discussing his situation, sporting director Ramon Planes is refusing to give up on convincing him to stay.
“I’ve always said that there are two parts,” Planes told Marca. “The one we can influence is doing everything so that Guido can continue at Betis. We did it in the summer, which has a lot of merit in rejecting the offers that were made for him. It would have been easy to accept them and we didn’t, we continue to give him that affection and that interest, those negotiations are still ongoing.
“Today he is here, seeing the facilities. He is a magnificent boy, on a human level he is tremendously humble, and I said to him ‘look, you are going to enjoy all this’, and he laughed.
“One more demonstration that we love him is that he is here today as captain of the team and that he sees that the club has a project and we would like him to be there.”
However, if Rodriguez does not commit to a new deal in the forthcoming weeks, Betis are reportedly open to his sale in January, with United in the hunt for a potential €15m (£13m) deal.
Barca also remain keen, though the reigning LaLiga champions would prefer to swoop in the summer when the player is a free agent.
Man Utd also want Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel
United are also reportedly tracking Lazio goalkeeper Ivan Provedel amid ongoing concerns over the form of Andre Onana.
The Cameroon keeper joined United in the summer for a hefty £43.9m from Inter Milan – making him the third on the list of most-costly goalkeepers ever.
Onana, however, has been in indifferent form since the move, coming in for some criticism for some less-than-convincing displays.
He is also due to attend the African Cup of Nations in January, after reversing a decision to retire from international duty. That will leave United without their No 1 for up to six weeks at a crucial phase of the season.
Another summer signing Altay Bayindir will likely get a chance to shine in his absence.
However, Calciomercato claims United have made an approach to Lazio to ask about the possibility of signing Provedel.
The 29-year-old has established himself as Lazio’s first-choice keeper this season, appearing 18 times in all competitions. He has also excelled in the Champions League with the Rome-based club already qualifying for the knockout stages with a match to spare.
Prising Provedel away from Lazio, however, will not come cheap with the Serie A outfit quoting a €35m (£30m) fee for his services.
That asking price will likely end United’s wishes of signing Provedel in January, though it’s reported they will continue to track his progress with regards a possible summer move and depending on how Onana fares over the rest of the campaign.
LIVERPOOL TO SPEND €45M ON KHEPHREN THURAM
Liverpool are willing to spend €45m to sign Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram in January, beating Juventus to his signature. (Calciomercato)
Aston Villa are ready to trigger the €40m (£34.6m) exit clause in Jeremie Frimpong’s Bayer Leverkusen deal with Unai Emery seeing the former Man Utd as a upgrade for Matty Cash. Real Madrid are also reportedly keen. (Kicker)
Manchester City are willing to offer a whopping €150m (£130m) for AC Milan forward Rafael Leao in 2024, per fanciful reports, with the player viewed as a replacement for Jack Grealish. (various)
Celtic are looking to sign Estoril Praia winger Tiago Araujo in the January transfer window, with the Portuguese winger likely to cost around €5m (£4m). (Record)
Barcelona will bank up to a €10m (£8.7m) windfall if Jean-Clair Todibo completes a 2024 move to the Premier League due to a clause in the deal that took the France defender to Nice. Man Utd and Tottenham are among the clubs keen. (Mundo Deportivo)
Arsenal and Manchester City are keeping a close watch on FC Copenhagen’s 15-year-old Danish midfielder Tristan Aldcroft Panduro. (various)
Real Betis president Angel Haro has dismissed speculation they are plotting a January move Leeds United defender Junior Firpo. (Marca)
Mason Greenwood is wanted by Real Sociedad, Valencia and Getafe in the summer with Man Utd ready to cash in on the forward. (various)
MAN UTD TRACKING SHAKHTAR MIDFIELDER SUDAKOV
Manchester United are keeping tabs on Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Georgiy Sudakov, with the player having 13 goals and 13 assists in 82 appearances. (TuttoJuve)
Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk, 22, is urging Mauricio Pochettino to sign his former Shakhtar Donetsk and Ukraine national teammate Sudakov, 21, in the January window. (Gazzetta dello Sport)
Donny van de Beek has confirmed his intentions to leave Man Utd in January after confirming a summer move to Real Sociedad broke down. (AS)
Liverpool and Newcastle target Federico Chiesa is willing to pen a new contract with Juventus, which currently has two years left to run, but will first wait to see who will be the next Juventus coach first. (Tuttomercatoweb)
Massimiliano Allegri is considering leaving Juventus in summer 2024 and is reportedly open to the idea of a move to Premier League or Saudi Arabia. (Corriere dello Sport)
Real Madrid are chasing Lille defender Leny Yoro, who is rated in the €40m – €50m bracket, seeing him as a long-term partner for Eder Militao in the heart of their defence. (L’Equipe)
Liverpool have been told why they should sign Franculino Dju from Danish club FC Midtjylland, with the forward drawing comparisons to Sadio Mane. (various)
ARSENAL REMAIN KEEN ON JOAO CANCELO
Arsenal are keeping a close watch on Joao Cancelo’s situation amid claims Barcelona may struggle to finance Man City’s €50m asking price on his services in the summer. (Sport)
Joao Cancelo celebrating for Barcelona
Bayern Munich have been scared off a possible deal for Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo, with the LaLiga giants demanding a fee well in excess of €50m. (Sport)
Arsenal are considering a 2024 approach to RB Leipzig for talented Slovenian striker Benjamin Sesko. (various)
Bayern Munich are discussing internally a possible move for Man Utd outcast Raphael Varane but are uncertain if a move will be possible. (Sky Deutschland)
Napoli forward Giovanni Simeone is open to a future move to LaLiga in order to be closer to his family and his father Diego Simeone. (Marca)
Valencia are chasing Carlos Vicente from Segunda side Racing Ferrol, though Los Che owner Peter Lim feels the €600,000 asking price is too steep. (Cadena Ser)
Real Valladolid are battling Real Zaragoza to sign Barcelona’s Pablo Torre, who has spent the first half of the season on loan with Girona. (Sport)
