Top five: Transfers unlikely to happen this month

Mark Holmes
Nolito: Celta Vigo striker linked with Arsenal

Nolito: Celta Vigo striker linked with Arsenal

Nolito, Thiago Silva, Robert Lewandowski, Ricardo Rodriguez and Saido Berahino to join top Premier League clubs this month? Not in our opinion…

The January transfer window traditionally sees few big-money transfers completed, but that does not mean there has been any shortage of exciting rumours muted by the press over the past few weeks.

You never know, some of them may well come off, but here are five that we can’t see happening before next Monday’s deadline…

NOLITO TO ARSENAL

Arsene Wenger has dropped strong hints that Mohamed Elneny will be his only signing in January, pointing to the impending return of several injured players, but that doesn’t sell newspapers.

One player that has continually been linked with a move to Emirates Stadium is Celta Vigo forward Nolito, who is apparently wanted by Nolito, but the likelihood of Arsenal signing a 29-year-one that plays in Alexis Sanchez’s position has always seemed unlikely to us.

It’s a rumour that began in Spain and has been regurgitated several times over here, but how much truth there has ever been in it remains to be seen.

Talk that Arsenal are set to bid £61million for Juventus striker Alvaro Morata, meanwhile, should be taken with a truckload of salt.

THIAGO SILVA TO CHELSEA

Thiago Silva

Having conceded 34 goals in 23 games in the Premier League this season, it is certainly conceivable that Chelsea have been looking at centre-halves.

We seriously hope for the Blues’ sake, however, that they have not, as the Daily Star Sunday suggested, targeted Paris Saint-Germain captain Thiago Silva as an answer to their problems.

Chelsea would like to sign Silva on loan, the tabloid claimed, but the chances of PSG, now one of world’s football superpowers, allowing their best centre-back to join the club they face in the last 16 of the Champions League seem remote to say the least.

ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI TO LIVERPOOL

Robert Lewandowski

Liverpool have been linked with several Bundesliga-based players since the appointment of Jurgen Klopp, but none of the rumours have been as far-fetched as that suggesting the Reds could sign Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich.

Lewandowski, who was signed by Klopp for Borussia Dortmund, recently spoke out in praise of his former manager, describing him as perfect for Liverpool and the Premier League, but the Poland striker would be a brave man to leave one of the best teams in the world for a club currently looking unlikely to be playing in the Champions League next season.

Lewandowski summed up the speculation pretty well himself, saying: “There is not a single club in England that will catch Bayern just because they have more money all of a sudden.”

RICARDO RODRIGUEZ TO MANCHESTER UNITED

Ricardo Rodriguez

With Luke Shaw still out injured, Manchester United have understandably been linked with several left-backs in recent weeks.

Of all the rumours, the Sun on Sunday’s claim that United want to sign Wolfsburg’s Ricardo Rodriguez stood out as one of the less believable.

Given United already boast one of the world’s most promising left-backs, who will be back before the end of the season, it’s hard to fathom why they would spend big money on another who, like Shaw, only has experience of playing at left-back.

SAIDO BERAHINO TO TOTTENHAM

Saido Berahino

A controversial selection, perhaps, and one which we stand to be proven wrong about, but the chances of Tottenham signing Saido Berahino this month seem pretty slim to us.

First of all, Mauricio Pochettino has made it clear that he does not want to risk upsetting the dressing-room harmony at White Hart Lane by signing a player that has been accused of having a bad attitude.

His comments could be a forewarning to Berahino, of course, but Pochettino has also said that he would only be willing to spend more than £15million on a player that would instantly improve Spurs’ first team, something which cannot be said with much certainty about Berahino given his struggle to nail down a place at Albion and Harry Kane’s form in attack for the Lilywhites.

What has convinced us that Berahino will not be joining the north Londoners this month, however, is that Daniel Levy is apparently preparing a final offer of £17million, well short of the figure West Brom rejected in the summer. The Baggies would surely rather wait for a bidding war in the summer…