With the transfer market now open, recent reports have linked Raheem Sterling with Real Madrid, Paul Pogba with Manchester United and Raphael Varane with Chelsea. And though it is normal for transfer rumours and stories to fly around in the busy month of January, lets take a moment out to analyse the merit in these potential transfer bids.
Raheem Sterling To Real Madrid
According to reports, Real Madrid are keen to sign Liverpool wonder kid Raheem Sterling and will bid A?35 million for the Englishman. The Galacticos are willing to offer Sterling a massive A?120,000-a week contract to sweeten the deal and are expected to sign the midfielder next summer.
A prized footballer at Anfield, Sterlinga s future at Liverpool will depend on several different reasons. Brendan Rodgers will try his best to hold on to Sterling after losing Luis Suarez to Barcelona but the attraction of playing for Madrid could be a bit too hard to resist for the youngster. Sterling witnessed Reala s dominance in Europe first hand in the Group Stages of the Champions League where Liverpool meekly surrendered to the European Champions. The chance to play alongside the likes of Ronaldo, Bale and Modric will be an offer too hard to resist. On the other hand, with Gerrard leaving and Liverpool slumping to other old ways, Sterling will not be keen to stay back at Anfield if they fail to qualify for Champions League after making a short-lived return to the tournament. Liverpool are currently on the 8th spot in the Premier League, 7 points behind 4th places Southampton.
However with the presence of James Rodriguez, Isco and Jese in the squad, Sterling will be aware that a move to Madrid will not result in regular football. Isco and Jese are the darlings at Santiago Bernabeu and are backing their position in the team with consistent performances. At this stage in his career, Sterling will look to play regularly, something which he will not be assured under Carlo Ancelotti.
The Englishman is due to sign a highly lucrative contract at Liverpool which might tie him to Anfield for the next five years. However the contract is sure to have a high release clause, as was the case with Luis Suarez, in order to ensure that the player does not leave cheaply.
It also remains doubtful whether Sterling will be required at Real Madrid. The Los Blancos are well-stocked in the attacking department and are in need of a central midfielder and Carlo Ancelotti will look to secure that position before he buys another attacking midfielder.
Paul Pogba to Manchester United
Manchester United is interested in signing former player Paul Pogba, according to recent reports. Van Gaal and Ed Woodward have identified the Juventus midfielder as a transfer target and are ready to part with A?77 million to land the former academy graduate.
Paul Pogba, who left Manchester United for free, recently signed a new contract with Juventus which will effectively keep him at Juventus till 2019. However the French youngster, who has been identified as one of the worlda s most talented midfielder, is also being targeted by other European clubs such as Manchester City and PSG. The lack of a monetarily lucrative career at Juventus might force Pogba to part with the Italian club and hence a big money move to Manchester United is a possibility that might see the light of the day soon. United have been reported to be willing spend more money after their expensive summer and are in an urgent need of a midfielder. Someone of Pogbaa s calibre has the ability to link the defence with the attack effectively and will settle in well with the likes of Wayne Rooney and Angel Di Maria. The fact that Pogba graduated from the United academy will only make it easier for the youngster to travel back to Manchester.
However if Pogba does become available in the market, the likes of Real Madrid, Chelsea, Manchester City and PSG will also be interested in signing the young prodigy, hence making the transfer deal difficult for Van Gaal and co.
Raphael Varane to Chelsea
According to reports, Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane is looking for a move away from Spain and could move to Chelsea or Manchester United in search of more playing time. Varane, a regular under Jose Mourinho, has struggled with injuries under Anceottia s reign where he lost his starting position to Pepe. The Portuguese defender on the other hand has shown incredible improvement in the last season and a half and has established himself, along with Sergio Ramos, at the heart of the Real Madrid defence.
Having made just 4 starts this season, the 21 year old has reportedly insisted on leaving Real Madrid and is available in the market for just A?20 million. Manchester United, along with Chelsea are interested in singing the French defender who has already established himself in Europe.
Varane rose to fame under Mourinho where he played spectacularly in the El Clasico and featured consistently towards the end of Mourinhoa s rein at Real Madrid. Varane edged out Pepe from the starting line-up with the manager openly claiming that the Frenchman was better than Pepe. Since Mourinhoa s move to Chelsea, the Portuguese has been vocal in his praise for Varane and hence there are chances that Varane would like to pair up with his old boss at Stamford Bridge. Manchester United also seems like a potential destination if the defender is put up in the market, considering that he almost signed for the Red Devils before Zidane convinced him to come to Spain.
However, it seems unlikely that Varane will leave Real Madrid this season or that Ancelotti would part with his prized defender during the crucial business end of the season with no replacement in sight. The alleged price tag of A?20 million also doesna t add up as Real Madrid are not a club that will be forced to make desperate transfers.