Transfer rumors, news: Chelsea, Man City lead race for Barça’s Fernández

Barcelona teenager Dro Fernández is wanted by Chelsea and Manchester City among others, while the Blues are up against Bayern Munich for the signing of defender Jérémy Jacquet Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe.

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TRENDING RUMORS

– Chelsea and Manchester City are leading the race to sign 18-year-old Barcelona sensation Dro Fernández, talkSPORT reports. Sources have told ESPN that the attacking midfielder has informed the club of his desire to leave this January by exercising his €6 million ($7m) release clause. Borussia Dortmund are also keen on signing Fernández, who has made five first-team appearances this season and is highly rated by coach Hansi Flick.

– Bayern Munich could rival Chelsea for Rennes centre-back Jérémy Jacquet, Florian Plettenberg reports. While the Blues have stolen a march on their rivals by initiating direct talks with the player, Bayern chiefs continue to hold a very high opinion of him. Jacquet’s transfer valuation, thought to be more than €50 million, could prove to be the biggest stumbling block for the German champions, however, especially if Kim Min-Jae stays. A host of other top clubs are thought to be tracking the 20-year-old’s development, who is under contract at Rennes until June 2029.

– Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta‘s camp held a meeting with Juventus on Friday, according to Fabrizio Romano. The 28-year-old is also attracting attention from several Premier League clubs, although no formal bids have been made at this stage. Talks between Mateta and Juventus over personal terms are said to have been «positive,» with the Italian side hoping to sign him on an initial loan deal with a future obligation to make the move permanent. The proposed transfer now hinges upon Crystal Palace’s final decision over exit conditions, with sources telling ESPN that Eagles defender Marc Guéhi is set to move to Manchester City this month.

– Fulham have not yet given up on signing PSV Eindhoven forward Ricardo Pepi, despite the United States international recently suffering a broken forearm, Sky Sports reports. Pepi has scored 11 goals for PSV this season, including three in the UEFA Champions League, but he now faces two months on the sidelines following surgery.

– Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner is on Manchester United‘s managerial shortlist, according to the Daily Mirror. The Austrian coach, who led Palace to the FA Cup last season and won the Europa League at previous club Eintracht Frankfurt, recently announced he will depart Palace at the end of the season.

EXPERT TAKE

ESPN’s Barcelona correspondent Sam Marsden explains why there will be a long line of top clubs wanting to sign Dro Fernández:

Signing Fernández is a no-brainer for any European club. The €6 million release clause represents a drop in the ocean compared to the spending by some teams, especially in England. The worst-case scenario is his development doesn’t continue as expected, for whatever reason, but even then it’s hard to imagine his value plummeting too much. The potential upsides are huge.

A playmaker who can operate in the advanced midfield roles or wide, Fernández — compared in-house to Thiago Alcantara and Pedri — caught Hansi Flick’s eye playing for the U19s and was take on the preseason tour last summer with the first team, scoring a fine goal against Daegu FC. LaLiga and Champions League debuts have followed, but with Fermín López, Dani Olmo and Raphinha all used in the No.10 role ahead of him, his path to regular first-team football is not clear right now.

However, that is normal for players that are 18 — and Fernández only turned 18 this week. The cases of Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí, playing regularly between 16 and 18, are not normal, but they have set a precedent which means other Barça youngsters are itching for more involvement.

Even so, Fernández’s announcement that he plans to leave has shocked the club. Manchester City and Chelsea have tracked him for years, as have Borussia Dortmund, who perhaps offer the best immediate development opportunities, but it’s Paris Saint-Germain who may win the race. PSG coach Luis Enrique’s friendship with Fernández’s agent, Ivan de la Peña, could tip the balance in the French side’s favor.

OTHER RUMORS

Manchester United have rejected several approaches for Harry Maguire this month. (The Sun)

Inter Milan will offer Francesco Pio Esposito a new contract to ward off interest from Premier League clubs in the 20-year-old Italian striker. (Tuttosport)

Celtic are preparing a loan offer for Eintracht Frankfurt defender Auréle Amenda. (Sky Germany)

AFC Bournemouth have agreed a deal to sign Alex Tóth from Ferencvárosi worth a reported €10 million plus add-ons. (Sky Sports)

Burnley are weighing up a loan move for West Ham United midfielder James Ward-Prowse this month. As things stand, no approach has been made. (The Sun)

Leeds United have enquired about the availability of Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Jørgen Strand Larsen. (The Athletic)

Austin FC are close to completing a deal to sign Palmeiras winger Facundo Torres. (Tom Bogert)

Al Saad are ready to submit a bid for Lazio centre-back Alessio Romagnoli. (Nicolo Schira)

Stoke City have made a move to sign Crystal Palace winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi on loan until the end of the season. (Football Insider)