Arsenal want Suarez, Reus to Real, Liverpool & United battle

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Borussia Dortmund star Marco Reus will snub Chelsea for Real Madrid, Liverpool and Manchester United want AC Milan’s Stephan El Shaarawy, and Arsenal want Mario Suarez – we rate the transfer rumours.

TRANSFER RUMOUR: Marco Reus will snub interest from Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City in order to sign for Real Madrid (Daily Star).

RUMOUR RATING: Could happen. In the footballing world, you have Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. They are the undoubted top two, and no-one in the modern game comes close. In that next echelon, players such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Manuel Neuer, Sergio Aguero, Luis Suarez and Marco Reus reside. Of the stars in this second bracket, few are available for Europe’s elite to snap up, but Borussia Dortmund man Reus fits that criteria.

The loss of Reus to two separate injuries so far this season has rocked Dortmund so far. At 25, the forward is the attacking talisman for BVB, and looks set to follow in the footsteps of Mario Gotze and Robert Lewandowski in fine-tuning their game in yellow and black before moving on to a ‘bigger’ club.

With Reus though, you don’t feel that he’s desperate to leave. Having missed Germany’s successful World Cup campaign, the forward is more hungry than ever, and will feel that he has plenty of unfinished business under Jurgen Klopp. If he makes his long-awaited return in the new year, look out for Dortmund’s stop-start season to kick into the higher gears.

But what after that? In the summer, if Reus has truly rekindled Dortmund’s season, one issue remains: his contract. The reported release clause, which stands at around £20million, looms over the Germans, and with the top clubs circling, they may not even have a choice when it comes to Reus’ [CENSORED]ure.

If Reus does leave, there are a select few clubs of the necessary calibre to lure him. The likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United cannot truly claim to be considerably better – if at all better – than Dortmund, so why would Reus join them? Bayern Munich is a possibility, but Reus has previously stated his disapproval over former team-mates Gotze and Lewandowski’s moves there.

Chelsea or Barcelona, perhaps, but where would he fit in? Logically, that leaves the superstar haven of Real Madrid, and don’t bet against Reus being the next Galactico at the Bernabeu come June.

TRANSFER RUMOUR: Liverpool and Manchester United are ready to battle it out for AC Milan winger Stephan El Shaarawy, who is available for just £11.5million (Daily Express).

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RUMOUR RATING: Unlikely to happen. A brace in this week’s friendly may have reminded many an on-looker of the potential that Stephan El Shaarawy was once said to possess. Signed by AC Milan as a teenager in 2011, the 22-year-old was tipped as one of the shining lights of Italy’s footballing [CENSORED]ure.

Having burst onto the scene with 14 goals in his first 17 Serie A games of the 2012/13 season, El Shaarawy was on the radar of top clubs around the globe. Just two more goals in the rest of that season followed, and an injury-hit 2013/14 meant the winger faded into the background. The Italian has bounced back somewhat this season, featuring in 11 of Milan’s 16 games.

The reason El Shaarawy’s [CENSORED]ure may come under questioning is certainly not down to the player, but is perhaps a result of his club’s current position. Sitting 7th in the league, two points off European qualification, things have been far worse for AC Milan in recent times. Filippo Inzaghi has recently been appointed in an attempt to instigate a resurgence from the side whose previous reliance on experience has recently come back to bite them. After winning the 2007 Champions League, they have been on a downward spiral ever since.

As a result, Inzaghi reportedly wants to rejuvenate his squad with new signings, and as one of Milan’s most profitable assets, El Shaarawy could be pushed to the exit door. While the Real Madrids and Barcelonas of this world won’t come calling, it’s perfectly possible that clubs such as Liverpool and Manchester United will.

With the attacking talent on display at United, Louis van Gaal is unlikely to move for the forward, however. El Shaarawy may be talented, but he isn’t of the level of Angel Di Maria, Wayne Rooney or Juan [CENSORED]. For Liverpool, Brendan Rodgers may find the appeal in rejuvenating the youngster’s career, but it would represent a big risk for the Northern Irishman.

As things stand, El Shaarawy’s [CENSORED]ure lays at the San Siro. In fact, the 22-year-old admitted as much himself after that two-goal salvo against Real Madrid: “I’ve already said, I’m staying at Milan and I want to do well.”

That doesn’t sound like a player on the verge of moving.

TRANSFER RUMOUR: Arsenal are set to sign Atletico Madrid midfielder Mario Suarez, who has only played a bit-part role this season (Daily Star).

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RUMOUR RATING: Could happen. At least one defender and at least one midfielder. That is how simple Arsene Wenger’s January shopping list should look. For all the beauty Alexis Sanchez adds to the team, Arsenal’s frailties are still on show week in week out. If Champions League progression is to be ensured, the Frenchman needs to reinforce his squad in the transfer market.

Mats Hummels, Aymeric Laporte, William Carvalho, Morgan Schneiderlin and many more; Arsenal are certainly not short of options for either position. Many of these players are unrealistic and expensive targets, however. In January, Wenger could move for a stop-gap, a solid and relatively cheap improvement on what he already has, with a view to spending big in the summer. Winter transfers are always a risk, after all.

If he does go down this route, Wenger should look no further than Suarez. Mario Suarez, that is. The Atletico Madrid defensive midfielder has been at the Vicente Calderon since 2010, and played a part in their La Liga title win and Champions League runners-up place last season. With 17 appearances however, he wasn’t a mainstay in the first-team. He filled in admirably when needed, but Atletico have enough steel in midfield with Tiago, Raul Garcia, Gabi and Saul Niguez among their options, something Arsenal cannot boast.

So title-winning experience, relative youth at just 27, and he will come cheap as Atletico would be willing to sell. With Arsenal’s resident bulldog being Mathieu Flamini, it’s easy to see how Suarez would improve the Gunners at least temporarily.