In today’s football transfer rumors, we assess the credibility of the Real Madrid striker Gonzalo García leaves the Spanish capital for the south coast, and Antoine Semenyo goes to Anfield.
Brighton wants to loan Real Madrid striker Gonzalo García
Football transfer rumors ranked by rating: 5
It is not difficult to understand why there is interest in Real Madrid striker Gonzalo García.
Not every 21-year-old is able to step into Kylian Mbappé’s shoes, as García did when the celebrated Frenchman fell ill during this summer’s Club World Cup in the United States and emerged from the experience with four goals, an assist and the golden boot. From his neat finish against Salzburg to the thumping close-range header that did it for Juventus, there were shades of fellow La Fábrica graduate Raúl in García’s performance – perhaps unsurprising given the striker trained under the Madrid legend in Castilla. Here was a player who could lead the club’s front line for years to come.
Only it hasn’t quite turned out that way yet – given the wealth of attacking resources at Madrid’s disposal, that was never going to happen, at least not immediately – and that heady summer has since given way to bench-warming duties. Most of García’s football this season has been played for the Spain Under-21 team, for whom he has scored three goals in five games. At club level, he has started just once in La Liga, playing alongside Mbappé against Espanyol in September; there have been five league appearances as a substitute, for a total of 35 minutes, and a further two cameos in the Champions League, where he has played twelve minutes.
Manager Xabi Alonso remains a convinced admirer of García, but everyone within the club recognizes that the striker needs more minutes. Reports in Spain suggest Real are bracing for an influx of loan requests in January. Premier League interest appears to be led by Brighton, but how high is a striker currently on Fabian Hürzeler’s list of priorities?
Danny Welbeck is in flying form with six goals in 11 games, and although Georginio Rutter is yet to open his account, he has already collected three assists, just one fewer than he managed in 33 games last season. Add to this the limited opportunities afforded so far to Greek strikers Charalampos Kostoulas and Stefanos Tzimas, who joined from Olympiacos and German second-division side Nürnberg respectively this summer for a combined fee of more than £50 million, and Brighton’s need for attacking reinforcements is not immediately apparent.
The counter-argument is that, for all his creativity, Rutter has never been a particularly prolific goalscorer, meaning 34-year-old Welbeck carries a disproportionate goalscoring burden following João Pedro’s summer departure to Chelsea. With Kastoulas and Tzimas needing more game time to adapt to English football, something they are unlikely to get straight away amid the hustle and bustle of a Premier League season, could Brighton’s over-reliance on Welbeck come back to bite them later in the season?
A move for García in January would undoubtedly help mitigate that possible scenario, but much will depend on Real Madrid, who will likely receive proposals from the major European leagues. And if the Spaniard prefers to continue in all white, a spell at Leeds, who showed interest in his services last summer and are crying out for a goalscorer, might make more sense.
Liverpool are in pole position to sign Antoine Semenyo in January
Football transfer rumors ranked by rating: 5
The scenario is now known. Antoine Semenyo, whose stormy start to the season has already yielded six goals and three assists, is a wanted man. The new contract he signed with Bournemouth this summer, which will theoretically keep him at Bournemouth until 2030, contains a £65 million release clause, which will drop further next summer. Calls for his signature are raging through the upper echelons of the Premier League, with Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester City all linked with a move for the 25-year-old Ghanaian international.
The latest development in the saga centers on claims that Liverpool are now in pole position to sign Semenyo, who set the tone for his standout campaign with a two-goal volley at Anfield on the opening day of the season. Semenyo wants Liverpool, Liverpool wants Semenyo: that’s how the story goes.
Yet questions remain. Having spent lavishly on attacking reinforcements including Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz, does Arne Slot really need another addition in an area of the pitch where he is already struggling to get everyone into place? What would Semenyo’s arrival mean for the prospects of Federico Chiesa and brilliant teenager Rio Ngumoha, both of whom are already pushing for more playing time? And why would Liverpool sign another attacking player when the more obvious need, given Ibrahima Konaté’s erratic form early in the season and the devastating injury suffered by summer signing Giovanni Leoni, is a centre-back?
Much depends on whether Slot plans to continue deploying Ekitike and Wirtz on the left flank, where both have already been deployed on occasion, and whether he decides to stick around or rotate where Mohamed Salah is concerned. Gakpo and Salah, Slot’s existing options in those areas, have struggled to find their best form of late, and there can be little doubt that Semenyo would bring new dynamism and energy. The Bournemouth man’s willingness to apply pressure would also be a clear asset for Liverpool, who have felt the loss of Luis Díaz keenly in that regard since the winger’s summer departure to Bayern Munich.
However, despite these potential upsides, Semenyo’s arrival would only add to the challenges Slot already faces when it comes to integrating new players. A new move for Marc Guéhi, whose expected move from Crystal Palace this summer ended at the eleventh hour, would make much more sense.
#Transfer #rumors #ranked #Brighton #pursuit #Real #Madrid #star