Things are officially open in the January market, and while things don’t usually get finalized this early in the window, some rumors do occasionally end up squashed as smaller clubs look to keep hold of their best players while the sharks circle.
Liverpool have been recently linked with 24-year-old winger Emil Forsberg, but Red Bull Leipzig have declared the Swede off the market. “Everyone can rest assured that we are not interested in any enquiries for Emil Forsberg,” said Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff via Twitter. “He is not for sale.”
Forsberg has five goals and four assists in 17 league appearances in the 2.Bundesliga this season as Leipzig, a club only established in 2009, leads the league table.
Oliver #Mintzlaff: "Und genau deswegen können alle versichert sein, dass uns etwaige Anfragen, ... 1/2
— RB Leipzig (@RBLeipzig) January 1, 2016
… Angebote und Spekulationen um @EmilForsberg1 nicht interessieren, er ist unverkäuflich.“ 2/2 #Forsberg #EF10 pic.twitter.com/1j4ieEbWMr
— RB Leipzig (@RBLeipzig) January 1, 2016
Meanwhile, Watford were also dealt a blow as Lazio striker Keita Balde Diao pledged his loyalty to his current club. It had been thought that the Premier League side could use their sister club Udinese as a conduit, but Diao told Sky Italy, “I am fired up, I work hard every day to improve with the objective of becoming an important player for Lazio. Coach Stefano Pioli knows he can count on me.”
Arsenal is on track to complete its first signing of the window as reports all across England indicate they will finish a deal for Mohamed Elneny in the next few days. While boss Arsene Wenger is known for spending few and far between, The Sun is reporting he could look for help up front by making a play for Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The 26-year-old is one of the most in-form players in Europe this season, with 18 goals in 17 Bundesliga games, including goals in eight straight games to start the season. The report says “an intermediary” has been dispatched to speak with Dortmund about the idea, with a price tag of $62 million.
Another man not for sale is Bayer Leverkusen striker Javier Hernandez. The club bought Chicharito from Manchester United this past summer, and he’s been fantastic with 11 goals in 14 appearances. Bayer manager Rudi Voller has staunchly rejected any speculation
“We’re not selling Chicharito to Arsenal or anyone else,” Voller told Sky Sports. “‘He’s not for sale. It’s easy to reject offers when you are in a position in which you don’t need to sell. We are in such a position. We will keep the players we want to help us achieve our goals. Chicharito has played a big part in our success so far, through his style of play, through his goals. That’s why we brought him here. In the first half of the season, everything has worked out fine.”