Football
Stefan Bienkowski, Football Whispers 6y

Transfer Rater: Saul Niguez to Barcelona, Piotr Zielinski to Liverpool

Things change in the blink of an eye in football. The Football Whispers Index takes the latest transfer rumours and gives them a score out of five; the higher the score, the more realistic and reliable the Whisper.

Here are today's top five emerging whispers. And keep an eye on Transfer Talk for all the latest gossip.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek to Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson would be more than happy to re-sign Loftus-Cheek on loan in January if the midfielder continues to struggle with game time at Chelsea. So far this season the 22-year-old has only played 33 minutes of first-team football for the Blues under new head coach Maurizio Sarri. England boss Gareth Southgate has spoken about the need for Three Lions players to be featuring more regularly for their clubs, and that could come at Selhurst Park.

Saul Niguez to Barcelona

Barcelona may be tempted to pounce on an opportune clause in Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Níguez's contract. According to Mundo Deportivo, Barca obtained the right to match any offer for Saul when they sold David Villa to Atletico in 2013. That clause still stands and allows Ernesto Valverde's side to muscle in on any other club's bid for the player.

Piotr Zielinski to Liverpool

The improving form of Napoli midfielder Zielinski has caught the eye of a number of Europe's biggest clubs, including Liverpool. According to Calcio Mercato, Carlo Ancelotti's side have been so impressed with their Poland international that they plan to offer him a contract extension until 2022, which will boost his release clause from €65m to €100m. But will that put Liverpool off?

Benjamin Pavard to Manchester City

Pep Guardiola's latest big, defensive signing at Manchester City could be Stuttgart's Pavard. According to Le Sport 10, via the Sun, the French World Cup winner has caught the eye due to his ability to effortlessly switch between centre-back and right-back. But City could face competition from Juventus, Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

Nicola Barella to Milan

Milan are targeting the signature of young Cagliari midfielder Nicolo Barella over the course of the next two transfer windows. However, according to Corriere Dello Sport, the Italian giants may find the €40 million price tag daunting while they try to stay within UEFA's financial fair play regulations. Milan could be rivalled by their cross-city rivals Inter, who are also reportedly interested in the 21-year-old star.

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