Sports Burst - Zidane: No Real Madrid Bale Out
Despite late flurry of hope for Real Madrid fans, Gareth Bale to remain at club until the end of the season after Zidane rules out Spurs move
by Tim Stannard
Zidane claims he is counting on Bale ahead of Saturday’s Madrid derby
For a few teasing minutes, the winter window transfer deadline day was looking almost interesting. The very grown-up paper, The Times (of London no less), in an apparent Brexit Day fit of fizz, was predicting that Gareth Bale would be hot-footing it to Tottenham on Friday.
But then reality took over with both two key players that would need to be involved in the transfer taking the wind out of the sails out of this particular transfer boat. "Gareth is with us, I am counting on him," declared Coach Zizou on Friday, ahead of Saturday's Madrid derby.
Of course, when he is says "counting on him", the Real Madrid manager is not referring to any kind of muscle, tendon, leg, arm, calf, elbow, back, knee or ankle knack that might keep the Welshman out of action again.
Bale's agent, Jonathan Barnett, was on the same page by declaring that he would not "talk about invented stories."
Across the divide and Barcelona have signed a player! Get excited!
Francisco Trincao will be joining from Sporting Braga for around $35 million! What a boost to go on top of a morale-boosting Copa del Rey win on Thursday. Except that the footballer will not be joining up until July. Stand down.
Speaking of the Copa del Rey and the quarterfinal draw has been made. Real Madrid are at home to Real Sociedad in a one-off game, while Barcelona travel to Athletic Bilbao, a team that defeated them in San Mames earlier this season.
The Sports Burst live show will be all over the latest transfer moves. Just head to our beIN SPORTS USA Facebook Page or Youtube channel at 12PM ET.
No Cavani but a familiar figure returns to Atletico Madrid
However, there is a bit of transfer fizz on Friday in LaLiga and it does relate to Saturday's Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid clash.
While Edinson Cavani looks increasingly unlikely to be joining up with Atletico - some $10 million difference in valuation preventing a deal - a Rojiblanco old flame was training with the club on Friday.
Yannick Carrasco, who left Atletico two-years-ago for Chinese Super League club Dalian Yifang, is back on board with a loan deal being signed off today. “I really like his desire to come to Atletico Madrid,” declared Simeone whose team are looking to stop a slide in form at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday.
There is a chance of the forward player making a surprise return in time for the derby, although the footballer has not played competitively since December 1st. Then again, nor have much of Atletico Madrid's squad.
Real Madrid against Atletico Madrid is live, live, live on beIN SPORTS on Saturday with coverage getting underway at 9:30 AM ET.
United look to sneak in a striker as Giroud remains in Limbo
Manchester United opted out of signing a Norwegian forward earlier in the transfer market to allow Erling Haaland to join up with Borussia Dortmund.
However, there might be another go with the club reportedly pursuing Bournemouth forward, Josh King, who began his senior career with the EPL club, under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Then again, Solskjaer himself claimed that "I don't think we'll do any more business," on Friday after signing Bruno Fernandes the day before.
Olivier Giroud is living three separate existences on Friday. The French striker is either remaining at Chelsea, moving to Tottenham or changing country by joining up with the Expendables at Inter Milan, which is apparently the cool place for the hip 30-something footballer these days.
Juventus might be doing a tremendous bit of business on Friday by selling a player. Emre Can joined the Old Lady for free from Liverpool in 2018 but looks set to be flipped after being given a new counter-top and bathroom refurb for an eventual $27 million fee.