Transfer Talk: Real Madrid inch closer to Camavinga deal with Rennes

Published on: 19 December 2020

The coronavirus pandemic made the summer transfer market unlike any before it, but there were still plenty of deals done, and you can check out the major ones here. The window might be closed across the top leagues in Europe, but here are the best rumours from around the globe.

TOP STORY: Camavinga edging closer to Real Madrid move

Eduardo Camavinga is edging closer to a move to Real Madrid after Rennes have lowered the fee they are willing to accept for the teen sensation, according to AS.

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The midfielder has come under some criticism after a drop in performances, but he is still backed by France coach Didier Deschamps and Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane remains interested.

The 18-year-old recently switched agents and they are targeting a move to the Bernabeu, with Luka Modric and Toni Kroos both getting on in years.

The report says that Rennes are now willing to listen to offers of €50m, rather than the €80m demanded in the summer, which will be music to Real Madrid ears.

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10.27 GMT: Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford is close to signing a big new contract at Old Trafford, the Daily Mirror reports.

Rashford's current deal runs until 2023, with the option of an extra year after that.

United are reportedly keen to commit their youth product to a new contract as a reward for the 23-year-old's form this season and to ward off potential interest in him this summer. He has scored 12 goals so far this season, and is set to play a key role for England in their European Championship campaign.

The Mirror reports that European heavyweights such as Real Madrid, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain are monitoring Rashford, who can expect a big raise on the £200,000-a-week wage he earns at the moment.

09.42 GMT: Former Arsenal captain William Gallas believes the Gunners need to strengthen their squad with more experienced players, and that manager Mikel Arteta's transfer business up to now has not been good enough.

Arsenal travel to Everton later on Saturday sitting 15th in the table, with a goal difference of -5. They will be without midfielder Granit Xhaka and defender Gabriel Magalhaes for the trip to Goodison Park, after the pair were sent off in recent matchers against Burnley and Southampton respectively.

"They have to bring some players in," former defender Gallas told Ladbrokes. "I'm still not convinced about the defenders. You need more experienced players that the ones they have. When you look at their defence, who has experience? David Luiz is injured. Maybe Hector Bellerin is one of your most experienced players at the back now, but he's not been very good.

"Then you look in midfield. Where is their experience coming from? Granit Xhaka? I'm sorry but for me, after what I've seen, I think there's something wrong with him. You can't give away so many fouls and get so many cards. He makes too many mistakes. If he's your most experienced player and he doesn't have the experience to know you can't make these mistakes and keep getting booked, you're going to be in trouble.

"Mikel Arteta has brought in plenty of players since he took over, but there's a difference between bringing in names and bringing in quality players that are going to fit in your team. At the moment the players he's bought haven't made the difference -- which is a big problem.

"Arteta wants to play the way Pep Guardiola did with Manchester City when he first came to England, but don't forget Pep has had that system in place for a long, long time. You can't just go into a club and expect to successfully apply that system straight away. Maybe he has to change his style."

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09.00 GMT: Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma is being closely followed by Liverpool ahead of the January transfer window, sources have told ESPN's Julien Laurens, with manager Jurgen Klopp tracking him as a potential replacement for Georginio Wijnaldum, who is out of contract in the summer.

Bissouma, at 24 and with a likely value of around £30 million, fits the profile of potential players that Liverpool sporting director Michael Edwards and the club's recruitment team are interested in.

Liverpool won't be the only club after him, though, as sources told ESPN Monaco and Manchester United are also keeping tabs on the former Ligue 1 star, as well as two Spanish clubs. Brighton are expecting to receive offers for him, possibly in next month's transfer window, and will face a battle to persuade him to stay.

Bissouma, who joined Brighton from Lille in the summer of 2018 for around £15m, has raised his game massively this season. Some of his statistics so far this term are pretty much on par with Wijnaldum, who looks likely to leave Liverpool in the summer as his contract expires, with Barcelona hoping to sign him.

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Barcelona willing to sell Coutinho

Barcelona are willing to sell Philippe Coutinho during the January transfer window, reports ARA.

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This partly comes as a consequence of the club's financial issues, with a proposed move for Junior Firpo not enough to remedy those.

However, the main reason Barca are willing to let the Brazilian leave is just how impressive Pedri has been since coming into the team.

The report says that Coutinho's best bet is likely a return to England, though the 28-year-old's wages could prove to be a stumbling block.

Nice looking to sign Ajer

Nice are aiming to sign Celtic centre-back Kristoffer Ajer in January, according to Goal.

The 22-year-old is also wanted by AC Milan, but Nice will move to sign him after seeing Dante ruled out for the rest of the campaign.

Nice's Director of Football, Julien Fournier, has already openly admitted to RMC Sport that he wants to bring in reinforcements at the back.

Goal is reporting that Nice will need to pay somewhere in the region of €13 million to sign the Norway international.

Tap-ins

- Las Palmas president Miguel Angel Ramirez has accepted that Jese Rodriguez will not be joining his club after being released by Paris Saint-Germain, reports Marca. This comes with a number of La Liga and foreign clubs have shown interest in signing the 27-year-old. Valencia is said to be one of the top-tier clubs who are looking at bringing in the Spaniard.

-- Fernando Llorente may be set to complete a move to Sampdoria within the next week, reports Gazzetta dello Sport. Napoli are ready to release the Spaniard from his contract, with Sampdoria stepping in to sign him until June when there will be a renewal option. Llorente has already agreed to the deal, having been uncertain about a move in the summer.

Source: espn.co.uk

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