Transfer rumours ranked: Liverpool to sign Marc Guéhi in January? Marc Cucurella to leave Chelsea?

In today’s football transfer rumours ranked, we look at the latest speculation surrounding Marc Guéhi, more claims that Karim Adeyemi could be eyeing the Borussia Dortmund exit, and suggestions that Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella could return to Spain. 

Crystal Palace believe Liverpool would be Marc Guéhi’s only January suitors

Rumour rating: 7

Marc Guéhi is a bit like the latest must-have phone: wanted by everyone until the invoice lands. Since a projected £35m move to Liverpool fell through in the final hours of the summer transfer window, the Crystal Palace defender’s future has been the focus of relentless speculation. Would Liverpool rekindle their interest in January? Would Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Barcelona or any of the other countless European clubs linked with the 25-year-old England international move to secure a pre-contract agreement come the new year? Would readers of the sports pages ever be able to read about anyone other than Guéhi again?

Well, word on the street is that only Liverpool may be willing to stump a fee for the defender before the season’s end, with the rest of the chasing pack only interested in signing him on a free. That sounds plausible. Real Madrid are famously averse to forking out transfer fees. Barcelona aren’t exactly rolling in it, what with a £1.1bn stadium renovation to pay for. And Bayern have central-defensive contract issues of their own to sort out, given that negotiations to extend Dayot Upamecano’s stay in Bavaria remain ongoing. 

Beyond those considerations, though, what do we actually know? Well, we know that Guéhi will leave Selhurst Park at some point next year, because Palace manager Oliver Glasner was kind enough to tell us so. We know Liverpool’s defence has been unusually porous this season, with Ibrahima Konaté struggling for form, much chopping and changing in the full-back positions, and 17 goals shipped already. We know Giovanni Leoni, the teenage centre-back signed this summer from Parma, is unlikely to return until next season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament tear. And above all, we know Liverpool have a firmly established interest in signing Guéhi.

But what does it all mean, we hear you cry. Well, on balance it would suggest a January move for Guéhi is entirely credible. In the immediate aftermath of their unsuccessful attempt to acquire the Palace captain this summer, Liverpool were loath to countenance the idea of paying a fee in January for a player they could get for nothing six months later. But Leoni’s injury, and the club’s unexpected early-season struggles, may well have altered that thinking.

Any fee Liverpool might pay now would be nominal relative to Guéhi’s market value, or the cost of signing a contracted player of comparable quality. And while the arrival of another new face at a club already in a state of upheaval following a spate of new arrivals could pose further challenges, the real question is not whether the Anfield club will move for Guéhi in January, but whether they can afford not to. 

Manchester United and Inter Milan are in talks with Karim Adeyemi’s agent

Football transfer rumours ranked rating: 5

We discussed Manchester United’s reputed interest in Borussia Dortmund attacker Karim Adeyemi in detail earlier this month. 

To recap in brief: Adeyemi’s relationship with Dortmund boss Niko Kovač has shown signs of strain lately, his form has dipped and his affairs are managed by the Portuguese agent Jorge Mendes, who not only represents United players Leny Yoro and Manuel Ugarte but also has a good relationship with fellow countryman Ruben Amorim, the club’s manager.

However, more than £200m of attacking talent arrived at Old Trafford this summer in the form of Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, and United seem likelier to focus on reinforcing other areas, particularly midfield.

As for Inter’s alleged interest, it follows similar speculation linking Adeyemi with a move to Serie A earlier this year, when Napoli headed a list of reported suitors that included Juventus, Roma and Milan. 

Suggestions that a projected summer move to Napoli fell through over the player’s wage demands seem particularly relevant here. Adeyemi appears understandably intent on ensuring his future is secured on favourable terms, with talks over a potential contract extension at Signal Iduna Park, where his existing deal expires in 2027, reportedly stalling over his wish to include a release clause.

While it might be argued there is no smoke without fire – and the rumour mill is currently aflame where Adeyemi is concerned – a sceptic could be forgiven for speculating that links with rival clubs are simply part of a wider strategy to secure the most favourable deal with Dortmund.

Atlético Madrid want Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella

Football transfer rumours ranked rating: 5

A curious one, this. 

It is no secret that Atlético Madrid are open to strengthening at left-back, especially following the departures of César Azpilicueta and Reinildo Mandava. Liverpool’s Andy Robertson was strongly linked with a move to the Spanish capital this summer, before Diego Simeone turned his attention to Atalanta’s Matteo Ruggeri instead.

It would be entirely unsurprising if Atlético had been monitoring Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella as an option for further cover. It would be a major surprise, however, if they were able to prise the Spain international from Stamford Bridge with a mooted offer of £35m. 

While that is roughly the price Chelsea paid Ajax for Jorrel Hato this summer, it is far from clear that the 19-year-old is ready to eclipse Cucurella in Enzo Maresca’s starting lineup just yet. The Spaniard has been an integral figure in Chelsea’s push up the table this season, and if a title challenge is to be mounted, Cucurella would surely need to be part of it.

Factor in that the left-back is playing arguably the best football of his career, and cost Chelsea almost double what Atlético are offering when he joined from Brighton in 2022, and it is unclear why the Blues would sanction his departure.