Transfer Zone: Ins, Outs, Rumors
With a Champions League final to be played this weekend, the curtain is about to be drawn on the current season of European football. While there’s been plenty of news to follow courtesy of the unfolding FIFA scandal, in the background, the transfer rumor mill has been quietly powering itself up. With the summer window set to open at the end of the month, let’s take a look at some of the deals that could be in the works this summer.
Liverpool has announced that James Milner will be joining the club on a free transfer from Premier League runner-up Manchester City. Meanwhile, the already tiring saga of Raheem Sterling’s campaign to leave the Anfield club shows no sign of abating: The latest rumors have the 20-year-old winger linked to Manchester United, with Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Bayern Munich also said to be monitoring the situation.
After a loan spell to Manchester United that was by all accounts a failure, Radamel Falcao is reportedly on the radar of Jose Mourinho and Chelsea. The Special One is a known admirer of the Monaco striker, who has hinted he may join the Premier League champions in the next few weeks.
Meanwhile, Manchester United chief executive Ed Woodward was spotted at the Savoy Hotel in London, meeting with Karim Benzema’s agent, fueling speculation that the Real Madrid striker could be on the verge of replacing Falcao at the Old Trafford outfit.
Man United’s resolve to keep hold of David De Gea is sure to be tested in the coming weeks; the keeper is seen as the logical successor to Iker Casillas at Real Madrid and is thought to be on the verge of a $45 million move to join the La Liga runner-ups.
Win or lose, Juventus midfield maestro Andrea Pirlo will apparently be headed stateside after this weekend’s Champions League final. Reports have it the veteran pass-master will be joining fellow aging midfielder Frank Lampard at New York City FC, giving the MLS expansion outfit a combined age of 110 in the center of the park.
Having been linked to every top club in Europe, Pirlo’s teammate Paul Pogba will also likely be playing his final game in a Bianconeri kit Saturday. The midfielder was thought to close to joining Paris Saint-Germain earlier this spring but the latest has it that he could move to Manchester City or Barcelona. Either way, it’s looking extremely unlikely that the France international will still be representing The Old Lady when the season kicks off in the fall.
Lastly, Arsenal are reportedly in for Monaco’s Geoffrey Kondogbia. Arsene Wenger apparently sees the 22-year-old as a potential solution to the Gunners’ longstanding deficiency in defensive midfield. However to sign the former Sevilla man, Arsenal will have to see off interested from Inter Milan. Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin also continues to be linked with a move to the FA Cup champions.