Transfer & Loan Deals – January 2014

Last summer many of our players made a move at club level ... for better or worse, this has an impact on our NT ... during the January window many could benefit from one ... especially KDB ... in top form he could be our MVP in Brazil as he has proven during the qualifiers. BTW last season he was in the top 3 of most decisive youngsters in the big leagues (together with Gotze and Hazard) and even regardless of age he's highly rated based on Opta data.


PS Witsel is popping up in more & more transfer rumours too ... unsubstantiated it's useless and it could very well be that there aren't too many moves during the January window.

 

Ironically during the summer mercato Lukaku wanted to stay at Chelsea while KDB was hoping for another season on loan to a Bundesliga club ... Lukaku seems at ease now (confirming last season's performance) while KDB has struggled and might only get a few more apps. Plenty of festive fixtures coming up but unless his situation at Chelsea improves considerably he remains an unlikely candidate to start regurarly. KDB probably has attracted more suitors than any of our other players ... the rumour mill is spinning out of control ... I'd be disappointed if a loan/transfer deal doesn't materialize, although KDB said that the Belgian press & public were blowing his 'predicament' out of proportion.

I agree that Vermaelen will most likely settle in quicker at a club where he fills a genuine need than become a mainstay in Arsenal's back 4. However Wenger has started rotating his best CBs and I'm guessing Vermaelen will feature in more & more matches soon ... if Vermaelen is reassured before the January window closes, he could stay on. At Arsenal he can slowly return to form (less risk of a new injury) and he wouldn't be exhausted ... when Wenger makes good use of him (Goldilocks principle applied to the quantity of matches and quality of opposition), Wilmots might reap the rewards.

PS also Vertonghen keeps popping up in transfer rumours (yet even the players that made their move last summer resurface in those rumours) ... still ideally Vermaelen gains more experience at LB (with his speed he'd pose more danger when attacking and defensively he can recover from a flaw) while Kompany and Vertonghen are our first choice CBs ... Vertonghen at LB seems like a done deal though (as long as Spurs don't have a better option at LB he'll feature there too).

PPS that KDB makes a move during the January window is worth a punt (hopefully being loaned out to a Bundesliga club or joining forces with other Belgian players at an EPL club) ... Vermaelen's odds of leaving his club before Brazil2014 could be similar to those of Defour, Witsel, Benteke, Courtois, etc. The summer mercato was eventful for our guys and I don't think we'll see a repeat in January ... maybe 1 or 2 players switch clubs (3 max.) while the others 'postpone' a move ... KDB + probably one (or two) of Vermaelen, Courtois, Defour, Witsel & Benteke ... while the likes of Dembele & Mirallas most likely stay put and Alderweireld, Chadli & Fellaini having to assert themselves at their current club.

 

I'm interested in next weeks news about KDB:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...-Bruyne-keen-to-leave-Chelsea-in-January.html

PS more & more sources have Vermaelen down as 'not making a move during this window'

 

http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/foo...for-chelsea-to-let-midfielder-go-9017931.html

Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg seem to be the frontrunners (KDB doesn't like a stint at A.Madrid) if KDB moves during the January window.

An exerpt from that article: 'De Bruyne would prefer to leave on a permanent basis rather than go on loan for a third time but Chelsea are going to take a few days to decide.

They are considering five options discussed in the meeting: keeping him, granting a permanent transfer, selling him with a buy-back clause, loaning him with an option to sign him later or just a simple loan.'

 

Like during this summer, Nainggolan was generating plenty of transfer buzz again ... I was ignoring it until this rant.

Juve, Inter, Milan, ... lots of suitors vying for Radjas signature.

 

Wolfsburg called Malanda back.

Defour is very eager to leave Porto ... seeing that even with Moutinho gone, he didn't get a lot of time on the pitch ... if he's considering Zenit, maybe best to talk with Witsel ... Russian league can be a trap as owners make it hard to leave those clubs (unless e.g. Chelsea wants you) ... a Bundesliga or EPL club could be a good home for Steven.

 

30M euros for KDB ... that's 4x what Chelsea paid for him 2yrs ago ... still I don't see that happening but Wolfsburg are willing to spend big (just not that big) ... most likely KDB will move during this transfer window ... I'm interested to see which club will land a transfer or loan deal.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...t-25m-from-Wolfsburg-for-Kevin-De-Bruyne.html

 

Although they could have used Nainggolan, Milan is looking to sell some players that are misfiring before adding fresh blood ... Napoli reportedly have made an offer too (to strengthen their squad in chase of the Scudetto) ... but like you said Roma is the most likely destination.

KDB's move also seems like a formality ... Wolfsburg are waiting to hear back from Chelsea while other Bundesliga clubs are trying to 'jump' the queue.

 

Seems as if KDB's move to Wolfsburg is complete ... unclear if it's a loan deal or a transfer (+20M has been dropped a lot over the past few weeks) ... if true, he'll join Malanda soon.

Nainggolan already had a decent first start for Roma.

Next week Defour might be moving too.

 

KDB transfer has been completed ... Wolfsburg is spending big ... ironing out the details of the payment plan seems to be the reason why KDB had to wait a few days.

Everton is keen on Michy ... Standard trying to keep hold of him for the remainder of this season. Michy key to Jelavic transfer? Without Jelavic Everton has limited options ... still I'm unsure, to say the least, that Michy can fill in for Lukaku already.

Kouyate on Wenger's radar ... maybe Vermaelen makes a move after the World Cup?

 

Some sources have mentioned an even higher transfer fee (the revenue that Wolfsburg receives for KDB's international duty will also go to Chelsea ... most sources estimate that the fee will be in the 20 - 25M euros range) ... in any case I agree, more than 20M euros is a big deal for a player that hasn't unlocked his potential (yet).

Wolfsburg are reportedly only second to Bayern when it comes to cash to burn ... I'm hoping they also are planning on attracting a clinical finisher ... I'd like to see a player that makes the most of KDB's supply.

PS Defour's most likely destination remains Schalke (if he moves in January) ... was more interested in Witsel but haven't heard anything about him.

 

Defour('s agent) is trying every trick to make a deal happen ... and according to Porto it now has to be a permanent transfer. That means Anderlecht has no chance (unless Porto reconsiders)?

There were rumours hinting at linking up Defour with Benteke but allegedly wages were a stumbling block at AVFC ... their manager asserted he wasn't looking to make a move (“No, there’s nothing in that. I’ve not seen that one,” said Lambert).

Is Defour's agent the only source claiming that Spurs are interested? ... most likely not going to happen too.
Despite plenty of rumours, Schalke haven't received offers for Draxler (they'd like to hold onto him) and Holtby might join them as Spurs are looking to trim the squad. Maybe Chadli leaving Spurs is even more likely than Defour joining them.

PS there's enough buzz surrounding Vermaelen ... yet no reputable sources.

 

What a waste of all those Fellaini wigs ... Man Utd fans probably going to a Jackson 5-themed carnival. Big Fella has resumed training and Moyes still hasn't brought in a replacement ... let's see if Kompany's praise convinces Moyes to use Fellaini more.

 

KDB has spoken of how he ‘lost his joy’ at Chelsea.

 

Defour moving to Fulham? We'll know soon enough if he's going there to help them stay up.

Still plenty of rumours surrounding Vermaelen ... he'll stay at Arsenal as long as Wenger doesn't sign a decent replacement.

 

Maybe Defour makes a move before the weekend (possibly tomorrow) ... several sources have Fulham and Schalke down as frontrunners ... according to Steven's manager no Belgian club is able to sign him.

Michy most likely stays at Standard ... but Anderlecht could still land T.Hazard ... seems there are a few shoppers out there that see life through purple-tinted glasses:




PS Wenger gives Vermaelen a reason to stay:

 

Reportedly Defour has been told that he can not leave Porto (because Porto captain Lucho is off to Qatar) ... too bad, I feel that a move to Fulham would have worked out well ... Steven will need to become a regular starter at Porto asap ... still I don't think that Wilmots will stick to his 60% rule (most likely a few players will have less apps ... e.g. Van Buyten will never reach 60%).

 

Defour reportedly will get a 2nd chance at cracking the first XI at Porto ... I'm hoping for the best.

Lamisha Musonda is on the move ... destination unknown.

 

Lamisha Musonda ... destination = KV Mechelen (loan deal).

 

OWMIGOD Thorgan ... why???

 

There's still a (very slim) chance that Vermaelen moves to Zenit ... still what do you think about the moves our players made in this window +/- the previous one?

Courtois will have to make a decision about his future soon and I'm guessing agents will be busy in Brazil too.