Friday's papers bring one transfer story that was apparently settled before it started. Mundo Deportivo say Barcelona made an enquiry about Josko Gvardiol last season and got far enough to establish that the 24-year-old Croatia defender had no interest in leaving Manchester City. That is the whole item, and it is more useful than most — it tells you a player's position rather than a club's.
Roma are back on Endrick. Gazzetta dello Sport report they missed a loan for the Real Madrid striker in the summer and still want the 20-year-old Brazil international in January, which is the sort of link that tends to survive until it either happens or quietly stops being written about.
Liverpool are looking a long way south
Gilberto Mora, Mexico's 17-year-old midfielder at Club Tijuana, is on Liverpool's radar according to Teamtalk. Borussia Dortmund and Benfica are reported to be interested as well, which is usually the point at which a teenager's price stops being negotiable.
Atletico Madrid, meanwhile, are coming round on Jonathan David. Fichajes say the 26-year-old Canada forward, on loan from Juventus, is starting to convince them that a permanent deal at around 21m pounds is worth doing.
Two defenders and a succession plan
Barcelona and Inter Milan are both watching Finn Jeltsch at Stuttgart, with Premier League clubs circling the 20-year-old German too, per Sky Sports Germany. Inter also have a domestic option in mind: Gazzetta say they could move for Alessandro Romano, the 20-year-old Italy midfielder on loan at Cagliari from Roma, if Hakan Calhanoglu leaves when his contract runs out next summer. The Turkey international is 32, so this is less a replacement than a handover.
Olmo's long game, and one deal that is done
The oddest line of the lot comes from Fichajes, who report that Dani Olmo wants to finish his career at Dinamo Zagreb. The Spain and Barcelona midfielder is 28, so there is no urgency attached to it, but it is the kind of intention players rarely state early.
And Bologna have agreed to sign Matteo Darmian on a free. Fabrizio Romano has it as done. The former Manchester United defender is 36 and left Inter Milan at the end of last season, which makes him the only name on this page whose next club is already settled.
Sourcing: Gvardiol (Mundo Deportivo), Endrick and Romano (Gazzetta dello Sport), Mora (Teamtalk), Jonathan David and Olmo (Fichajes), Jeltsch (Sky Sports Germany), Darmian (Fabrizio Romano). Gossip items are reports, not confirmed deals.
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