The January transfer window may be closed around Europe, but teams are looking ahead to the summer and there’s plenty of gossip swirling around. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings, goings and, of course, done deals!
TOP STORY: Mane set to leave Bayern?
Bayern Munich will look to move on forward Sadio Mane when the transfer window opens in July, says Sky Germany.
Mane, 31, has 11 goals and five assists since moving to the German club in the summer from Liverpool for an initial €32 million. But new boss Thomas Tuchel is reportedly not planning to use him much as he doesn’t fit into the tactical system he wants to employ.
Mane was suspended and fined after his postmatch altercation with teammate Leroy Sane after Bayern’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City in their first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal tie on Tuesday. Multiple reports said Sane suffered a cut lip after the two players clashed in the dressing room.
The Senegal international hasn’t settled in Munich — with only six league goals so far — and Bayern are ready to listen to offers, though former club Liverpool are not considering a move to re-sign him, according to Bild.
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12.12 BST: Barcelona president Joan Laporta insisted the club have never bought referees after a Spanish court opened an investigation into payments made to the former vice president of the refereeing committee.
In a news conference which lasted two hours on Monday, Laporta said there was a smear campaign against Barca, strongly criticised LaLiga president Javier Tebas and called out Real Madrid’s “cynicism” for joining the legal case against the Catalan club.
Barca paid ex-referee Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira’s company over €7m between 2001 and 2018.
Prosecutors allege the club sought to gain favour through the payments, but Laporta says they were paying for services related to scouting and technical reports about refereeing.
“Barcelona have never acted with the intention of altering or influencing competitions to gain a sporting advantage,” Laporta said. “The courts have found no proof otherwise because there is none. It is not possible. This is the result of a smear campaign against Barcelona. It is the fiercest attack ever against Barcelona and has been done to ruin the club’s reputation and destabilise us.”
11.55 BST: Brighton midfielder Alexis Mac Allister is expecting to leave the club this summer, says Fabrizio Romano.
Mac Allister, 24, won the World Cup with Argentina and has impressed in the Premier League. However, he has a contract until 2025, with Brighton having an option to extend by a year, and his transfer is reportedly valued at £80m.
Liverpool and Man United are reported to be interested in signing him.
11.20 BST: It’s safe to say Man City made the right decision to sign Erling Haaland.
