The English soccer star is determined to leave Manchester United this summer, having told outgoing manager Sir Alex Ferguson in late April that he is looking for a fresh start, according to the Telegraph.

Ferguson’s response to Rooney was that United would not sell him, and on Wednesday, a United spokesperson said “Wayne Rooney is not for sale.”

Rooney reportedly did not submit a formal transfer request, but he could do so in the coming weeks or months if he chooses to.

Bayern Munich, AS Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain are closely monitoring Rooney’s situation with an eye on launching a transfer bid for him, but they face competition from one of United’s domestic rivals.

“It is understood that Rooney, 27, has no desire to move away from the Premier League and that Chelsea is his most likely destination,” the Telegraph reports.

Interested clubs are expected to bid around £25 million ($38.9 million) to £30 million ($46.7) for the United forward. Chelsea has already made contact with Rooney’s agent and Blues’ owner Roman Abramovich has personally sanctioned a £30 million transfer, according to the Mirror.

Rooney’s future has been the subject of intense speculation in recent months, as his status on the team has diminished this season. Ferguson has made Robin van Persie the focal point of the United attack, and he now uses Rooney as a support striker or attacking midfielder instead of playing him closer to the opponents’ goal as in prior campaigns.

Rooney’s role was made clear in early March when Ferguson left him out of the starting lineup in a crucial UEFA Champions League game against Real Madrid. Reports claiming Ferguson had become frustrated with Rooney’s ongoing fitness issues and was ready to sell him dominated the headlines in the days following United’s Champions League exit.

Rooney’s contract expires in 2015, but it is common for players to either sign extensions or face transfers as they approach the final year of their existing deals. He is United’s highest-paid player, reportedly earning £250,000 a week. United officials are thought to be hesitant to continue making such a financial commitment to a player whose best days might be in the past.

Rooney and Ferguson clashed in October 2010 when the star forward requested a transfer, saying United lacked ambition. Ferguson convinced Rooney to sign a new contract five days later. The two were again at odds in December 2011 when Rooney broke curfew and Ferguson benched him in United’s next game.

But Ferguson will retire at the end of May. David Moyes will succeed the legendary United manager, and one of his first tasks as manager will be to address Rooney’s situation. It’s an interesting bit of symmetry, as it was Everton manager Moyes who sold Rooney to United in  2004 for £27 ($40.7 million).

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

The Manchester United manager is considering retiring after this season, and he could make an announcement as early as this week, the Telegraph reports.

Ferguson, 71, has been United’s manager since 1986. The Red Devils clinched the 2012-13 Premier League title last month — their 13th under the legendary United boss.

It was thought that Ferguson would remain in charge for at least another season (perhaps grooming David Moyes to become his successor), but rumors saying he would step down immediately have gathered steam this week.

United’s press office has not commented on the reports. The club is partially listed on the New York Stock Exchange, and rules require it to promptly disclose information about changes to its management.

“With United now forced to adhere to the strict rules and regulations of the New York Stock Exchange in terms of the release of significant information relating to the running of the club following last August’s partial flotation, any change of management would fall within those requirements,” the Telegraph reports.

“As of Tuesday night, no statement over Ferguson’s future had been issued by United.

“However, with sources close to the players confirming that the squad’s golf day had been overshadowed by suggestions that the Scot would be making an announcement ahead of Sunday’s clash with Swansea at Old Trafford, any ongoing uncertainty is unlikely to be allowed to continue to the point where it would affect the confidence of investors and, in turn, United’s New York share price.”

Ferguson has been bullish about United’s future prospects in recent weeks. In his program notes ahead of last Sunday’s game against Chelsea, Ferguson said he looked forward to leading United into a new era of dominance.

“We will get better and if we apply ourselves in our normal fashion, I see our 20th league title as nothing but the start of another decade of success,” Ferguson wrote.

“Whether I will be here to oversee another decade of success remains to be seen, but I certainly don’t have any plans at the moment to walk away from what I believe will be something special and worth being around to see.”

The has often said his health would be a deciding factor in deciding when to retire. He will reportedly have an operation on his hip during the offseason, and some expect the procedure to keep him off the sidelines until September (next season starts in mid-August).

Few would have foreseen Ferguson walking away after winning the title in such emphatic fashion, but that appears to be a possibility.

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

In recent days, British oddskmakers have drastically lowered the odds of Moyes becoming United’s next manager, the Mail reports.

Moyes has served as Everton’s manager with great distinction over the last 11 years, but his contract expires this summer and he has yet sign a new deal. He says he will decide his future after the current campaign, but it is thought that he is considering leaving the club in search of greener pastures.

United would offer Moyes the chance to manage a leading club but not right away. The Mail report says Moyes would join United this summer and serve as Ferguson’s assistant for one season while he learns the ins and outs of the club. Moyes would then replace Ferguson on the Old Trafford bench, when the legendary United manager retires after the 2013-14 season.

The Mirror reports Moyes’ rumored move to United have prompted British oddsmakers to slash the odds of him taking over for Ferguson. He started the season as the favorite with 6-1 odds, but those have been lowered to 1-2. The Mirror concludes with the most important piece of information regarding the Moyes to United rumor.

“Punters be warned though: If they really knew you wouldn’t be able to bet on it.”

That about says it all.

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

Michel Moulin served as an advisor to PSG in 2008, and he now owns and operates French media outlet Le Sport 10. On Sunday, he told a French television station that Manchester United will definitely sell Rooney to PSG this summer, the Mirror reports.

“I announce to you from trusted sources: Rooney to PSG is done,” Moulin said on Sunday. “He will be at PSG next season.”

Rooney’s future has been the subject of widespread speculation in recent weeks, after he was dropped from the starting lineup ahead of United’s UEFA Champions League game against Real Madrid in March.

Those reports suggest that United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has ongoing concerns about Rooney’s fitness. He and other club officials could be of the opinion that the 27-year-old’s best years are behind him and now is the time to move him out of the club.

Rooney’s contract reportedly pays him around £250,000-a-week. It expires in 2015, and this summer should see him either agree to an extension (in which he will reportedly face a pay cut) or move to another club.

Rumors of PSG’s interest in Rooney date back to last May, when the French club reportedly budgeted around £120 million ($184.7 million) to fund a potential move for the English star. AS Monaco is also reportedly ready to present Rooney a lucrative, tax-free option should he leave United this summer. If Moulin’s claims are correct, Rooney will be plying his trade in France’s capital city rather than in the principality in the south.

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

United is reportedly close to signing Radamel Falcao from Atletico Madrid. The Colombian striker is ready to leave the Spanish club this summer, and United has already made a down payment on his transfer to Old Trafford, according to Marca.

“Manchester United has every chance of being the team that Radamel Falcao joins for next season,” the report says. “Despite speculation in recent months linking him with Chelsea and even with Real Madrid, the fact is that the Old Trafford club is the best place to sign the Colombian forward. Sources close to both parties suggest that a down payment may have already been made as a guarantee for a future transfer.”

Falcao has established himself as one of the world’s premier strikers in recent years, showing lethal finishing ability and a knack for rising to the biggest of occasions. His scoring prowess helped Atletico Madrid win the UEFA Europa League and Super Cup in 2012. His 22 La Liga (Spain’s first division) goals this season have put the club in position to achieve its highest finish since 1996.

The 27-year-old has been the subject of widespread transfer speculation in recent months. Chelsea and Manchester City are two of the clubs which are reportedly prepared to pay his buyout clause of £51 million ($78 million) to land him this summer. Rumors of a secret agreement sending Falcao to Real Madrid arose in late 2012, but Atletico Madrid denied its existence. Marca reports that United will not pay the full value Falcao’s buyout clause, but any transfer fee for the marksman will be significant.

If Falcao moves to the Premier League club, he would join a corps of strikers which currently includes Robin van Persie, Danny Welbeck, Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez and Wayne Rooney. United is also expected to bid for Borussia Dortmund’s Polish star Robert Lewandowski during the summer transfer window, while Rooney and Hernandez have been linked with moves away from the club. It could be a summer of change for United and its stash of world-class forwards — especially if Falcao arrives.

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

Should he take the Chelsea manager’s job at the end of the season, Mourinho will attempt to bring Cristiano Ronaldo to West London, according to the Express.

“[Chelsea owner Roman] Abramovich believes Mourinho has unfinished business at Chelsea and is prepared to welcome him back — with the cheque book open,” the report says.

“Once back in London he [Mourinho] will do his best to lure former Manchester United star Ronaldo away from Spain.

“Mourinho knows that the 28-year-old isn’t content at Real and will test the water with a £60 million ($91 million) offer.”

Mourinho is reportedly closing in on a sensational return to Stamford Bridge, nearly six years after he was fired from the same position. While most Chelsea fans would be delighted to welcome their former leader back to the club, the prospect of Ronaldo accompanying him would surely send them into a state of delirium.

Ronaldo is enjoying another stellar season, despite his reported desire to leave Real Madrid. Manchester United is thought to be preparing a blockbuster transfer offer with hopes of bringing the superstar forward back to Old Trafford, but Mourinho’s personal touch (and Abramovich’s wealth) could convince him to choose Chelsea instead. Mourinho and Ronaldo share the same agent, Jorge Mendes, which could also tip the scale in Chelsea’s favor.

Chelsea is transitioning from the era of the “Old Guard,” which rose to prominence during Mourinho’s first (and to this date, only) stint as manager. If the Portuguese tactician returns with Ronaldo in tow, the next era at Stamford Bridge could be even more “Special” than the one that is coming to a close.

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

Nemanja Vidic is only starting to recover his form, but the Manchester United captain could be playing in Italy by the time he returns to his best level.

AC Milan has made Vidic its top summer transfer target, and United could be ready to part ways with its longtime defensive stalwart. The Italian club will bid £10 Million ($15.1 million) plus add-ons to land the Serbian defender, Goal.com reports.

“With a quality center-back the priority for the Rossoneri, their eyes have turned towards the Serbian, whose contract is set to expire in 2014,” the report says.

“He has featured in only 18 of a possible 44 club games so far this season, the first leg of his side’s crucial Champions League clash with Real Madrid among his higher-profile absences.

“Added to his contractual situation and age of 31, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson would be willing to entertain offers of £10 million or above for his skipper, despite any sale likely to prove unpopular with fans.”

Vidic is in his seventh season at United. The center-back is closing in on his fifth Premier League title with the Red Devils, adding to the three League Cups, one UEFA Champions League and one FIFA Club World Cup winners’ medals he has already earned at Old Trafford.

Calf and knee problems injuries have sidelined Vidic for much of the past 18 months, and the club is cautiously managing him back to peak fitness. His injury nightmare, combined with the emergence of a new generation of defenders at the club might have convinced Ferguson that the defender’s best years are behind him and his future lies elsewhere.

Despite his injury troubles, Vidic has continually attracted interest from around Europe. Real Madrid reportedly prepared a transfer bid before his first calf injury in August 2011. Juventus, Barcelona and Russia’s Anzhi Makhachkala have reportedly maintained their interests in him throughout the current season.

Milan is living in an age of financial restraint, so it is centering its rebuilding project around young players with high-potential. But Milan fans are not known for their patience. They will expect the club to shore up its defense as it hopes to contend for next season’s Serie A title.

Milan officials could see Vidic as a quick fix, while their United counterparts could be ready to usher another fading force out of the exit door.

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

Photo via Faceboook/Nemanja Vidić

The French clubs are ready and willing to offer as much money as it takes to land the English star this summer. British media outlets are reporting that Monaco wants Rooney to headline its return to Ligue 1 (the French first division), while PSG sees him as a potential replacement for Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Speculation over Rooney’s future has been rife ever since Sir Alex Ferguson dropped him from the starting lineup ahead of United’s biggest game of the year (last week’s loss to Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League). Reports suggest the omission widened an existing rift between the player and manager. Rooney’s contract expires in 2015, and reports claim United will sell him for as little as £20 million ($31 million) rather than offer him a new deal. Ferguson denies the rumors, saying Rooney will play for United next season, but the speculation persists.

PSG’s interest in the United star dates back to last summer when it reportedly considered launching a transfer bid but backed away in the end. The French club signed Ibrahimovic instead, adding star-power to its ambitious project. The Mirror reports Ibrahimovic hasn’t settled in Paris, and PSG is turning its gaze on Rooney once again.

“Zlatan Ibrahimovic could leave Paris Saint-Germain — paving the way for a £35 million bid for Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney by the money-bags French side,” the report says. “Ibrahimovic is said to be disillusioned with life in France after less than one season, and could be ready to move on this summer to what would be the eighth club of his nomadic career.

“That would leave the mega-rich Qatari-owned PSG free to raid the Old Trafford club for Rooney.”

Monaco was a Champions League finalist in 2004, but it fell from grace in latter part of the last decade. It is currently leading Ligue 2  and making grand plans for its return to the French top flight. Monaco emerged as a suitor this week, after the Daily Star reported that its billionaire owner Dmitry Rybolovlevit told club officials to break the bank for Rooney.

“Starsport can reveal Monaco officials have told Rooney’s camp they are prepared to blow their rivals ‘out of the water’ with a huge transfer fee and tax-free wage deal,” the report claims. “Fellow super-rich French side Paris St-Germain and German giants Bayern Munich are also keen on the unsettled England hitman, with Rooney himself understood to fancy Barcelona.”

Monaco has been linked with moves for Manchester City’s Carlos Tevez and Samir Nasri. This suggest Rybolovlevit intends to return the to European competition as soon as possible. Rooney would highlight the project and signal the club’s financial clout. PSG has already demonstrated its (financial) heavyweight status, and it will be a player — along with Manchester City, Bayern and Barcelona — in the Rooney race should United make him available.

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

The Portuguese superstar reportedly wants to leave Real Madrid and return to Manchester United this summer, and it is far more likely to happen if two of United’s main sponsors act quickly.

Should General Motors (GM) and Nike wrap up new sponsorship deals with the Premier League leader in the coming months, United will be able to finance the blockbuster transfer without running afoul of UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations (FFP).

Ronaldo shocked the soccer world in August when he announced that he was “sad” about a “professional situation” and wanted to leave the club. He declined to elaborate, but speculation suggested that he felt unloved in the Spanish capital. It later emerged that image rights are at the heart of Ronaldo’s conflict with Real Madrid, according to the Star.

“The Portugal star’s current contract has a clause written into it which sees Real rake in 40 percent of the player’s individual personal endorsements,” the report says.

“Given that Ronaldo is one of the biggest stars in the sporting world, that effectively means he pays the club more out of his own pocket than Real actually pay him in wages.”

Real Madrid will offer Ronaldo a contract extension which looks to address the image rights issue at the end of the season, but most observers expect him to reject it. The Spanish club will then look to sell the star forward during the summer transfer window. United and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are reportedly the clubs most interested in signing him, but recent reports claim he prefers a return to Old Trafford over a move to Paris.

Ronaldo would reportedly command a transfer fee of around £55 million ($82 million). United would reportedly have trouble paying that fee, meeting Ronaldo’s salary demands and remaining compliant with FFP regulations (which link the amount of money clubs are allowed to spend to the income they generate) under current financial conditions. That’s where Nike and GM come back into picture.

Nike currently manufactures United’s uniforms under an agreement that expires in two years, but the two sides are negotiating a new deal that would be more lucrative for United than the current one, according to the Mirror.

“The kit manufacturer are keen to extend their existing equipment deal with the Red Devils that expires in 2015, and by agreeing to up their £320 million [$477.8 million] deal they could assist United in bringing back the player they sold for over £80 million [$131.6 million] nearly four years ago,” the report says.

GM and its Chevrolet fleet of cars will become United’s jersey sponsor after the 2013-14 season, but the Mirror reports that the automaker wants to start the partnership one year ahead of schedule and make Ronaldo the global face of the Chevrolet brand.

“It is believed that General Motors want to buy out United’s current sponsors Aon from the final year of their existing deal, which is due to expire in the summer of 2014,” the report claims.

“GM want United to sign a marquee player who would also act as a global ambassador for their company and Ronaldo fits the bill.”

If new sponsorship agreements with Nike and GM take effect next season, United’s coffers would be full of money to spend on Ronaldo (and meet FFP requirements). The contract Ronaldo signs with United would presumably allow him to keep a greater share of his image rights than the 60 percent he pockets under his contract with Real Madrid. He would then sign endorsement deals with GM and Nike to capitalize on his global profile and make him a very happy man. It would undoubtedly have the same effect on the estimated 660 million United fans around the world.

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

United is reportedly ready to sell Rooney this summer for as little as £20  million ($31 million) because manager Sir Alex Ferguson no longer sees him as an automatic starter. The United boss is also thought to be fed up with the star forward’s inability to maintain peak fitness and conditioning levels, according to the Telegraph.

“Rooney has left the manager exasperated with his ongoing failure to overcome concerns relating to his match fitness,” the report says. “Those issues, combined with the perception that Rooney’s mobility and energy have been compromised, have accelerated his fall from grace at Old Trafford.

“United have no plans to open negotiations with Rooney over a new contract to replace the final two years of his £250,000-a-week deal, but with the former Everton player approaching his 28th birthday in October, his age and salary have left sources within the game placing his market value as low as £20  million.”

Ferguson left Rooney out of the starting lineup in United’s biggest game of the year — Tuesday’s defeat against Real Madrid. Many take it as a sign that the England international’s days as an indispensable part of the United squad are finished. The summer signings of Robin van Persie and Shinji Kagawa, combined with the emergence of Danny Welbeck may have convinced Ferguson that United would be best served by selling Rooney. His contract expires after the 2014-15 season, and United has until the close of the summer transfer window to sell him at maximum value.

Rooney’s age, salary and reputation narrow the list of possible destinations to a select few. Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) reportedly considered making a transfer bid for Rooney last summer before settling on other targets. The French club could return with a formal bid this time around. Real Madrid and Barcelona are the most logical destinations in Spain, while Bayern Munich presents the most likely German option.

English media outlets have reported that Rooney and his wife Coleen don’t want to uproot their young family, so a move abroad seems unlikely. Chelsea and Manchester City are the English clubs that have financial muscle to sign Rooney.

Rooney joined United from Everton in 2004 for £27 ($40.7 million). He was a teenage star at the time, and many predicted that he would go on to become one of England’s all-time greats under Ferguson’s watchful eye. Where he stands among the best players in his country’s history is up for debate, but he is unquestionably one of the greatest players to don a United jersey. He has made 394 appearances and scored 195 goals (fourth most in club history) for United. Since Rooney arrived, United has won one UEFA Champions League title, one FIFA Club World Cup title, four Premier League titles and two League Cups.

However, his time at United has not been without controversy. In October 2010, he publicly doubted the club’s ambition and handed in a transfer request. Ferguson convinced him to stay, and United signed him to a record-high contract extension. Rooney later admitted that requesting a transfer was the biggest mistake of his career.

Ferguson and Rooney nearly fell out again in December 2011. Ferguson fined and dropped Rooney after he broke curfew on Boxing Day and was unfit to practice the next day. United issued a statement denying it wanted to sell Rooney amid reports of a widening rift between the two. The player and manager are thought to have a strong relationship to this day, but it’s unknown if it is as good as it was before Rooney’s five-day transfer saga.

Rooney was once valued in excess of £40 million ($62.2 million), and he remains a force at the highest level. The reported price of half that amount suggest United has concluded that Rooney’s best days are firmly behind him. The Premier League leader is ready to move Rooney’s salary and issues out of the club and march into the future without him.

Is it time for United to part ways with Rooney? Vote in our poll below.

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez is frustrated playing third fiddle behind Wayne Rooney and current Premier League goal-scoring leader Robin Van Persie.

Hernandez voiced his discontent with United manager Sir Alex Ferguson’s decision to stick Rooney and Van Persie in big-game situations. Real Madrid is monitoring the situation with an eye toward signing the disgruntled Mexican striker, according to the Mirror.

To his credit, Hernandez has found the net 15 times in just 26 appearances with United this season, establishing himself as one of the marquee goal scorers in England.  However, the young attacker is still hungry for more playing time.

Perhaps a move to the Bernabeu, where Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho and company have kept a keen eye on Hernandez’s growing displeasure, would satiate Hernandez’s desire for more minutes?

It probably wouldn’t. Real Madrid already has a pair of world-class strikers in Gonzalo Higuaín and Karim Benzema — the team’s top two scorers behind some guy named Cristiano Ronaldo — so it seems that Hernandez would likely run into the same issue he currently faces in Manchester.

Some are calling for United to include Hernandez in a cash-plus-player deal for Ronaldo amid speculation that the former Red Devil is seriously considering returning to Old Trafford.

Hernandez might be pining for brighter days and greener pastures at Real Madrid, but for now, he’s stuck with the unenviable task helping  United run away with the Premier League title. It’s a tough life he lives.

Have a soccer question? Send it to us via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here.

The former England captain has yet debut for his new club, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), but he’s already lining up a side job. Beckham is in talks with the Chinese Super League (CSL) to become its international ambassador for the 2013 season, according to Xinhua.

“Zhu Qilin, boss of the CSL company, said that it is almost certain that the 37-year-old star will be the CSL international ambassador, but some procedures still need to be done,” the report says.

Beckham left the L.A. Galaxy as a free agent in December, and Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua was reportedly one of the many clubs around the world that were wooing him.

In late December, a source close to Beckham told the Mirror that he was keen to “conquer the Far East” and “promote football in places where it isn’t particularly high-profile.”

But he eventually joined PSG on Jan. 31 after signing a five-month contract. He’s building up his fitness ahead of his Ligue 1 (French First division) debut, which is expected to happen Sunday against Olympique Marseille. It’s unknown if he plans to continue playing after PSG’s season ends in May.

The 2013 CSL season kicks off on March 8, and Zhu had hoped Beckham would be able to attend the opening ceremony, but that seems highly unlikely due to commitments with his new club. PSG plays the second leg of its UEFA Champions League Round-of-16 tie against Valencia on March 7, and Beckham could play a part in that contest.

“We planned to invite him, but as he will be busy preparing for the European Champions League at the time, so I don’t think he can come,” Zhu said.

The CSL lost a bit of luster when Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka left Shanghai Shenhua and returned to Europe in January, but Beckham’s arrival should ensure that the Chinese makes headlines around the world — even if only for a few days.

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

Angel di Maria

Real Madrid is shopping the Argentine winger around Europe because it intends to sell him in the summer as part of a squad reconstruction project, according to the Mirror.

“The former Benfica and Rosario Central wideman was one of Europe’s most coveted talents while with the Lisbon club, but with likely upheaval at the Bernabeu this summer — including the possible departures of Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho — he may join the queue for the exit door,” the report says.

“The deal that took Di Maria to Madrid was worth up to £30 million [$45.9 million] including incentives, and Madrid President Florentino Perez would be hoping to receive a fee near that amount for a regular in the Argentina team and a player contracted until 2018.

“The player’s representative is renown ‘superagent’ Jorge Mendes, who has strong links to both Chelsea and the Old Trafford club.”

Di Maria joined Real Madrid from Benfica in the summer of 2010, and the Spanish club rewarded him for his promising start to life at the Bernabeau with a new contract early last August. But discord with Mourinho and Ronaldo thrust the club into turmoil at the end of that month, and Real Madrid has yet to fully recover. Like the team itself, Di Maria has struggled to build on last season’s success.

In December, Perez reportedly made the decision to fire Mourinho this summer. This week, the club president reportedly decided to sell Ronaldo after the 2012-13 season. The prospect of signing Di Maria will certainly interest a few of Europe’s top clubs, so it’s likely that the 25-year-old will follow the aforementioned duo out the exit door.

It’s unknown how much interest di Maria has in leaving Real Madrid. After he signed his contract, he spoke of wanting to stay at the club for many years, but Mourinho’s impending exit could cause him to rethink his future. The Portuguese manager is one of his biggest supporters at the club, and his departure could consign di Maria to life on the fringes of the first team. Recent history has also showed that if Real Madrid wants to sell a player and he does not want to leave, it will pressure that player into changing his mind and moving to a new club.

Rumors have linked Di Maria with PSG, Manchester United and Inter Milan in recent months. The Mirror cites Mendes’ connections with Chelsea as reason to believe the Premier League club will join the race to sign the Argentina international.

Real Madrid reportedly intends to launch transfer bids for Gareth Bale, David Silva, Isco among other players. Selling Ronaldo and di Maria in the summer should raise enough money to fund the club’s wildest transfer dreams.

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

Photo via Facebook/Angel di Maria

The Real Madrid president has decided to sell the Portuguese superstar this summer and use those funds to build a new squad for a new manager, according to the Daily Star.

“According to reports in Spain, Real president Florentino Perez has finally grown fed up with the Portuguese forward’s refusal to sign a new contract,” the Star reports. “And the Real chief is now determined to cash in on the club’s £80 million [$131.6 million] record signing, while Ronaldo’s value is still at its peak.

“And Perez is also keen to splash out on an overhaul of the Real squad this summer, as he faces a presidential re-election campaign in upcoming months.

“Tottenham’s Gareth Bale and Manchester City’s David Silva are top of the list of Real’s summer targets, along with Malaga starlet Isco and Brazil phenomenon Neymar.”

Ronaldo shocked the soccer world last summer when he told Perez that he wanted to leave Real Madrid. Perez tried to placate the 28-year-old with an offer of a lucrative new contract, but Ronaldo rejected the offer, and his name was thrown into the transfer rumor mill. Manchester United, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are reportedly interested in bidding for the star forward.

Real Madrid is facing the prospect of watching both Ronaldo and manager Jose Mourinho leave the club after this season. Those losses alone would likely hinder Perez’s re-election efforts, but he can put a positive spin on the situation by hiring a top manager and signing a few stars of the present and future.

Ronaldo’s legendary exploits at Real Madrid ensure that the world’s richest clubs would shell out serious money to sign him, but it’s unknown if his transfer fee would match the record set in 2009. In late October, Jorge Mendes (agent of both Ronaldo and Mourinho) reportedly spoke with Perez and PSG owner Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani about bringing the star player and manager to the French capital. PSG is thought to be willing to spend up €100 million euros ($129.6 million)  to sign the pair from Madrid.

Perez (or a new Real Madrid president) would be able to sign a number of world-class players with that kind of money, and the Spanish club remains an alluring destination for most players despite this season’s soap opera.

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

7:30 p.m.: Well it looks like there are no more deals in the pipeline, so we’ll leave it at that. Balotelli, Beckham, Samba, Graham and Monreal look to be the big signings of the day.

Check back with us early next week, as we’ll have analysis and opinion on some of the January transfer window moves, it’s winners and its losers.

6:45 p.m.: Earlier this week, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says showing restraint in the January transfer window fills players already at the club with confidence and belief.

A few days later, he went shopping for a new left back and landed a good one. Spanish international Nacho Monreal is on his way to the Premier League from Malaga. The 26-year-old will likely go straight into the Arsenal lineup, as regular starter Kieran Gibbs will miss three weeks with a thigh injury, and backup Andre Santos has shown himself to be a defensive liability in recent weeks.

6:15 p.m.: Highly rated goalkeeper Jack Butland has left Birmingham City for Stoke City in a £3.5 million ($5.5 million), but he’ll still play for Birmingham. Here’s how: Stoke will loan the 19-year-old stopper back to his former club where he will stay for the rest of the season.

Butland will then join the Potters in the summer. The real question is whether incumbant No. 1 Asmir Begovic will be there too. There are rumors that both Manchester United and City are looking to sign him in the offseason.

6:10 p.m.: Jermaine Jenas is heading to QPR from Tottenham to help old boss Harry Redknapp’s fight against relegation.

The 29-year-old couldn’t break into Tottenham’s team this season, so he spent a bit of time on loan at Nottingham Forest. It’s likely that Redknapp will give him every chance to cement a regular place in the QPR midfield.

6:05 p.m.: Everton has signed right fullback John Stones from Barnsley for an undisclosed transfer fee.

Stones, 18, was the rock in defense for the Championship club. The highly rated rookie will make the jump to the Premier League during his formative years.

5:30 p.m.: The deadline is fast approaching, so we should have news about late deals soon.

Meanwhile, Barcelona allowed one of its attacking players to leave. No, it’s not Villa. It’s young forward Isaac Cuenca, who will join Ajax on loan for the rest of the season. He’s only recently recovered from a serious knee injury, and he’s more likely to get regular games at the Dutch club than with a potentially all-conquering Barcelona team.

3:30 p.m.: Peter Odemwingie’s might get himself in trouble (if he hasn’t already). The West Brom striker has made it clear he wants to join QPR before the deadline, but the club doesn’t want to sell him.

Nevertheless, Odemwingie drove himself to QPR’s stadium and gave an interview with Sky Sports where he says how excited he is to start a “new chapter.” Watch it below.

Meanwhile, Sky Sports reports West Brom issued a statement saying Odemwingie has not received permission to speak to QPR, as the clubs have not agreed on a transfer fee.

“Albion have moved to clarify developments regarding Peter Odemwingie after the striker was filmed a short while ago arriving at Loftus Road.

“The club can confirm they have held further discussions with QPR today but those talks have so far proven fruitless and no agreement has been reached.

“Albion would also like to make clear that Peter has not been given permission to speak to QPR about a potential move.”

This saga is getting very strange, indeed.

3:10 p.m.: Fulham is going Dutch again … sort of. The Cottagers have landed defender Stanislav Manolev on loan from PSV Eindhoven. The Bulgarian international will grace Premier League fields for the rest of the season.

2 p.m.: Argentine champion Velez Sarsfield has signed Fernando Gago on loan from Valencia. The holding midfielder will play in his home country through June.

Gago, 26, has played for Boca Juniors, Real Madrid, AS Roma, Valencia and Argentina during his career. That pedigree will serve him well as Velez looks to win Argentine and Copa Libertadores titles in the coming months.

2 p.m.: Mohamed Sissoko for the Africa Cup of Nations as a PSG player. When he returns to club duty, he will do so as a Fiorentina player.

The Malian midfielder has joined the high-flying Italian club on loan until the end of the season. Fiorentina will have the option to buy the former Liverpool man in the summer.

1:40 p.m.: Major League Soccer is exporting talent on deadline day.

Sky Sports reports Brek Shea has been granted a work permit, clearing the way for him to sign with Stoke City. The 23-year-old reportedly cost around  £2.5 million ($4 million), which represents a good bit of business for both FC Dallas and Major League Soccer.

Also, Andy Najar has joined Anderlecht. The Belgian club paid D.C. United and MLS around $3 million, according to the Washington Post. Najar came through the D.C. United youth system and won the MLS Rookie of the Year Award in 2010.

Shea and Najar were groomed in the U.S. soccer system, became internationals with the U.S. and Honduras, respectively, and have now fetched multi-million dollar transfer fees.

12:30 p.m.: There’s been a lull in the transfer news for the last few hours. Our only guess is that this is when those last-minute deals are being hashed out. Expect a flurry of activity in the hours to come because … that’s how it always is.

We do have some more news on Beckham’s move to PSG. He is playing with the capital club for less than six months, but he hopes to be associated with it on a long-term basis.

He also told assembled journalists that PSG won’t pay him. Instead, he will donate his salary to charity, according to the BBC.

“One of the reasons I wanted to come to Paris was we decided on something quite unique,” Beckham said. “I won’t receive any salary. My salary will go to a local children’s charity. That’s one of the things we’re excited and proud to do. It’s something exciting and I’m not sure it’s been done before.”

9:15 a.m.: Danny Graham has completed a £5 million ($7.9 million) transfer to Sunderland from Swansea City. The striker lost his place in the Swansea lineup, so he’s moving on.

Graham arrives at Sunderland with some baggage. He was a boyhood fan of Newcastle — Sunderland’s bitter local rival — and fans of his new team reminded him of that on Tuesday. They booed him during Sunderland’s scoreless draw against Swansea. Maybe Graham will call Rafa Benitez for coping tips.

9 a.m.: Norwich City has been searching for a striker for some time now. It seems the Canaries got a man, Luciano Becchio from Leeds. The Argentine has scored 20 goals in all competitions this season, but it remains to be seen how he’ll fare in the Premier League spotlight.

Norwich got a man but not its man. That would be Celtic striker Gary Hooper. The Scottish club has turned down two bids from Norwich for the Englishman.

Steve Morison is headed to Leeds as part of the deal. He’s been a regular substitute at Norwich, but he should be a starter at Leeds.

8 a.m.: Fulham will have the services of midfielder Urby Emanuelson  for the rest of the season. The Dutchman joined the Cottagers on loan from AC Milan.

Emanuelson fell out of favor at the Italian club in recent months, and he’ll be hoping to benefit from a change of scenery. He’s familiar with Fulham manager Martin Jol, who coached him at Ajax in 2009-10.

7:55 a.m.: Last  February, Christopher Samba bolted from the sinking ship that was Blackburn Rovers for Russia’s Anzhi Makhachkala. Well the towering defender is back in England for another relegation fight.

He’s finalizing a £12.5 million ($19.8 million) move to Queens Park Rangers (QPR), where he’ll join Harry Redknapp’s band of brothers in what should be a wild next few months.

His presence should shore up a defense which lost Anton Ferdinand and Ryan Nelsen in recent days.

7:40 a.m.: David Beckham looks like he’s on his way to Paris Saint-Germain. The former L.A. Galaxy star and England captain has been without a club since leaving Los Angeles at the end of 2012.

He’s been training with Arsenal in recent days, but his future lies in France, according to the BBC. He’s reportedly in Paris finalizing a free transfer.

Beckham flirted with PSG following the 2011 MLS season, but he chose to play one more season with the Galaxy before heading back to Europe. He’ll join a team which is competing for domestic and European glory this season and beyond.

7:30 a.m.: One move we knew about for the last couple of days is official. Mario Balotelli is an AC Milan player, having completed a £19 million ($30 million) transfer from Manchester City.

The Italian international returns to his homeland to play for his boyhood club. He scored 30 goals in 80 games for City, but his two-and-a-half years at the club were full of antics — both on and off the field.

6 a.m. ET: David Villa has lit up Spanish and international soccer with goals for the better part of the last decade. “El Guaje” (“The Kid”) could be taking his talents to the Premier League.

Villa has let it be known that he wants to leave FC Barcelona. The club says it will keep him until the end of the season, but that won’t stop the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City from launching deadline-day transfer bids. In normal times, Villa would cost around £15 million ($23.7 million), but suitors are hoping to land him for around half of that fee during silly season.

Villa, Spain’s all-time leading scorer, is just one of the high-profile players that could switch teams Thursday. The transfer window closes, leaving clubs in Europe’s biggest leagues just a few more hours to buy or sell players in an effort to boost their fortunes this season.

We’ll be following all the transfer action right here.

Join us at 7 a.m. for all the deadline-day deals as they happen.

Past transfer rumors: Jan. 21 >> |Jan. 16 >> | Jan. 15 >> | Jan. 14 >> | Jan. 10 >> | Jan. 9 >>

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

Thirteen-year-old Brooklyn Beckham, the oldest of Beckham’s four children, is having a tryout with London club Chelsea and played in an under-14 game Tuesday at the team’s training facility, people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the teenager’s activities.

The Daily Mail newspaper’s website first reported the news Wednesday.

Pictures were posted on Twitter of David Beckham watching Brooklyn play Tuesday. Top pro teams routinely sign talented young players to their youth academies.

The elder Beckham, a former England captain and Manchester United star, is mulling offers from clubs around the world after leaving the Los Angeles Galaxy at the end of a six-year stint in Major League Soccer.

When Beckham played in the U.S., Brooklyn was on the Galaxy’s youth team. He still appears on the Galaxy website as a member of their under-14 squad, but the family left Los Angeles last month and returned to England.

The current Real Madrid manager serves as an unofficial advisor to Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich. He also maintains contact with remaining members of Chelsea’s “Old Guard,” according to the Daily Star.

“But the news that Abramovich has been seeking out Mourinho’s advice in texts and calls during the Blues’ troubled season is the strongest indication yet that the Portuguese coach will be back at Stamford Bridge this summer,” the report says.

Mourinho purchased a house near Stamford Bridge last year. The report adds that his teenage daughter is taking a course at the Camberwell College of Arts in London, which is also near the Chelsea stadium.

Mourinho managed Chelsea from 2004-07, winning two Premier League titles, one FA Cup and two League Cups. He sensationally left the club (by “mutual consent”) in September 2007 after falling out with Abramovich. The two have since mended their relationship and have reportedly warmed to the idea of working together in the future.

It is widely expected that Mourinho will leave Real Madrid at the end of this season. He has a poor relationship with club president Florentino Perez and several key players.

Chelsea’s managerial situation is in flux. Interim manager Rafa Benitez has stabilized on-field matters, but a vocal section of Chelsea’s fan base won’t accept his presence at the club. His contract expires at the end of the season, and it’s unlikely that Chelsea will retain his services.

Many Chelsea fans idolize Mourinho for the success he brought to the club. Older players like Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, John Terry and Petr Cech hold him in the highest regard. They maintain tight bonds with the 50-year-old tactician, exchanging calls and texts on a frequent basis.

Abramovich has been criticized for his hands-on ownership and management style. Many feel that is why Pep Guardiola, who topped the Russian’s list of potential managers, chose Bayern Munich instead of Chelsea. Landing Mourinho would be much more than a consolation prize for Abramovich, many Chelsea players and many more of its fans.

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

4:40 p.m.: That’s all for Jan. 21. We’ll pick up the roundup later this week, so make sure to check NESN.com for the latest transfer news and rumors.

4:30 p.m.: Arsenal could be looking north and south in an effort to strengthen its midfield in January. The Gunners are eyeing Yoann Gourcuff and Victor Wanyama as potential signings, according to the Mail.

Gourcuff could move to North London on loan from French club Lyon. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admired Gourcuff for years, and Lyon wants his hefty salary off its book. It could work for player and both clubs.

Wanyama has excelled in Scotland for Celtic, earning plaudits for his intelligence and tough tackling. He could cost as much as £25 million ($39.6 million) — a fee Arsenal would probably be unwilling to meet in January.

12:30 p.m.: David Villa, Spain’s record goal scorer, has asked to leave Barcelona this month, according to the Independent.

Arsenal was thought to be preparing a £16 million ($25.4 million) transfer fee for the 31-year-old striker earlier this month. Barcelona was adamant that Villa was staying, but this news could alter the landscape.

Villa broke his leg in late 2011, and although he recovered after eight months, his role has been reduced to that of a squad player.

Barcelona wants to keep him until the end of the season and sell him for as little as £12 million ($19 million) in the summer. Arsenal hopes to get him in January for a fee in that region after he made it clear he’s ready for a new challenge.

The Gunners are in danger of missing out on next season’s UEFA Champions League, and manager Arsene Wenger thinks Villa could power them up the standings.

12:15 p.m.: West Brom will not allow Peter Odemwingie to leave in January. The Baggies turned down QPR’s £2 million ($3.2 million) bid for the 31-year-old striker last week, and they are determined to hold onto him.

West Brom manager Steve Clarke said Odemwingie hasn’t lost focus amid all the transfer speculation, according to the Birmingham Mail.

“I’ve spoken to Peter, I had a good chat with him and all he wanted to talk about was this game,” Clarke said. “He wanted to put on a good performance and I think you saw he was motivated to play.

“There was interest from QPR — Harry [Redknapp] told everybody! It doesn’t unsettle good professionals though. They understand that when it gets to January, it’s silly season. Clubs come in, teams are linked with everyone.”

11:55 a.m.: Martin O’Neil has been one of the busiest Premier League managers in this current transfer window. The Sunderland manager is set to clinch the signing of Mauro Zarate on loan from Lazio, talkSPORT reports.

The loan will include an option to make the deal permanent at the end of the season for £6.7 million ($10.6 million). Lazio hopes Zarate will stick at Sunderland, as he has reportedly fallen out of favor with head coach Vladimir Petkovic.

Zarate is no stranger to English soccer. The Argentine striker played 13 games for Birmingham City during a 2008 loan spell.

The 25-year-old has been linked with Arsenal, Stoke City, Fenerbache (Turkey) and Spartak Moscow in recent months.

11:40 a.m.: Manchester United striker Federico Macheda is wanted by German club Stuttgart and Spain’s Elche. The two clubs are interested in a loan deal for the talented Italian.

The 21-year-old is stuck behind United’s world-class quartet of strikers. He could be set for yet another loan spell or leave the club on a permanent transfer.

10:45 a.m.: Gary Hooper has been a big hit ever since he moved to Celtic FC in 2010. Norwich City now wants to repatriate him from Scotland and has put up money to do so.

The Daily Record reports Celtic has already rejected a £5 million ($8 million) offer for the star striker. Norwich intends to come back with a  £7 million ($11.1 million) bid, which could be enough to pry him away from the Scottish champion.

Celtic boss Neil Lennon is expecting a tense end to the January transfer window, as he looks to keep hold of his best players.

10:30 a.m.: Remember Flourent Malouda? The veteran Chelsea winger, last seen in the 2012 UEFA Champions League final, has been banished to practicing with the Blues’ Academy team all season.

QPR wants to bring the French winger to the other side of West London, but his salary demands could hinder that effort, the Mail reports.

Chelsea didn’t register the 32-year-old to compete in the Premier League, nor has he appeared in Champions League game. His hefty contract expires this summer, so he’ll certainly be gone by the start of next season. It remains to be seen whether he’ll escape Chelsea in time to help (or hinder) another team’s fortunes this season.

10 a.m.: Yann M’Vila is the subject of a new-age transfer tug-of-war. The French midfielder wants to move to the Premier League, and QPR is just one of the English teams pursuing him. The problem is that his club, Rennes, has received the biggest offer from Russian club Rubin Kazan.

Citing a story in French newspaper L’Equipe, ESPN reports Rubin bid £9.6 ($15.3 million). That offer trumps QPR’s bid, and Rennes gladly accepted it.

“A four-year contract worth an initial €4 million after tax with hefty pay increases written in has convinced M’Vila his future lies in Russia,” the report adds.

QPR manager Harry Redknapp hoped to add M’Vila to his club’s relegation fight, but it appears that financial considerations will prompt the 22-year-old to head to Russia to get his career on track.

7:30 a.m.: Newcastle has some good news to ease its recent transfer pain. French defender Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa will have a physical exam on Monday, as he looks to seal a £6.7 million ($10.6 million) transfer from Montpellier.

The 23-year-old is reportedly an Arsenal target, but it looks like he’s headed to Newcastle, the BBC reports.

Newcastle sold Demba Ba to Chelsea as the January transfer window opened. It had to watch in horror as QPR hijacked its move for Loic Remy, who was tipped to replace Ba. Captain Fabricio Coloccini could be headed back to Argentina after telling the club he wants to leave for personal reasons.

Capturing Yanga-Mbiwa will help soften those blows, but it may not save Newcastle from relegation.

7:15 a.m.: The L.A. Galaxy have offered Frank Lampard a contract worth £4 million ($6.4 million) a year, but the Chelsea star is waiting to accept or decline it.

Lampard, who will become a free agent at the end of the season, wants to see what offers come from Premier League or European clubs before making a decision, according to the Express.

“Frank is free to speak with other clubs. He is aware of strong interest from LA Galaxy and has expressed a desire to move to the United States,” the report says. ”But he still believes he can do a job for someone in the Premier League and wants to take his time and see if any other offers come up.

“This is a big decision for Frank. It is probably the last move he will ever make in his playing career and he wants to make sure that it is the right one for him and his family.”

It was reported over the weekend that the 34-year-old midfielder had already signed with L.A., but that’s not the case. Monaco, AC Milan and Manchester United have reportedly expressed an interest in signing the England international. Lampard will consider those options before choosing or declining to sign with the Galaxy.

6 a.m. ET: Those “Mario Balotelli to AC Milan” rumors gathered steam over the weekend. Milan is talking, Balotelli is acting, and it looks like he might make that dream move before the January transfer window closes.

Last week, Manchester City reportedly put a £31 million ($49.2 million) price tag on the Italian striker. Milan balked at that figure, saying it wouldn’t talk about a deal until that price dropped.

Well it did, according to Italian sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport. City is now asking for around £23.5 million ($37.3 million). The same report says the defending Premier League champion will allow Milan to spread the payments over six installments to ease the financial burden during this age of austerity.

On Sunday, Football Italia reported that Milan vice president (and transfer supremo) Adriano Galliani said his club will “jump for Balotelli” if the price is right.

“It depends on them,” Galliani said. “I am waiting, they are there and if the price drops then we will jump for Balotelli. Otherwise, we will stay in Milan. They are his legitimate employers, so we wait, observe and see what happens.

“How much does it have to drop? We don’t know. Paying in installments is an option, but you still have to pay.”

The Daily Star adds momentum to this transfer rumor. The British tabloid reports Balotelli has not only purchased an apartment in Brescia, Italy (one hour away from Milan), but he also has started shipping some of his personal items back to Italy. That is not all.

“Now it is understood Balotelli, 22, has given notice on his Cheshire home where he has never settled since his £22 million switch from Inter in 2010,” the report adds.

“Milan are interested in rescuing the fiery star’s career but they will not pay more than £15 million ($23.8 million).”

Now we wouldn’t put it past Balotelli to jump the gun and start moving out of Manchester before its prudent to do so. But there are too many factors to suggest this is a rumor which lacks substance.

The two clubs are roughly £8.5 million ($13.5 million) apart on their respective valuations. It’s possible that they’ll bridge that gap with a combination of performance clauses, sell-on fees, player exchanges or forming a Tottenham-Real Madrid-style partnership. It’s more likely that a game of high-stakes brinkmanship has begun, and each club is waiting for time (and fan) pressure to make the other blink. Either way, it’s looking like Balotelli’s days in English soccer are numbered.

Past transfer rumors: Jan. 16 >> |  Jan. 15 >> | Jan. 14 >> |  Jan. 10 >> | Jan. 9 >>

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

Check here throughout the day, as we’ll be following the moving targets that are January’s transfer rumors.

7 p.m.: The Guardiola appointment took up most of the afternoon, so we’ll finish the day with a David Beckham update.

Sky Sports reports AC Milan’s vice-president Adriano Galliani has no interest in bringing the former England captain to the Italian club for a third time.

“Speaking to Gazzetta.it, Galliani said he was ’99.9 percent’ sure the move would not happen,” the report says.

Beckham spent loan spells at Milan in 2009 and 2010, but a lot has changed at the storied Italian club since then. Austerity, not celebrity rules the day — not only in Milan but throughout Serie A.

That’s all for Jan. 16. We’ll pick up the roundup on Jan. 17, so make sure to check NESN.com for the latest transfer news and rumors.

12:25 p.m.: Guardiola’s appointment is official. Bayern said it has added an “expert” who will help the club find success in the coming years.

We’re working on some analysis that we’ll link to in this space.

In short, it’s a good move for him. Guardiola’s Barca experience showed that he can succeed at a club with a rich tradition, strong squad and money to spend.

If he plays internal politics properly, he shouldn’t have any problem keeping Bayern in contention for Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League titles in the coming years.

11 a.m.: Hours after telling everyone how much he wants to manage an English club, Guardiola is going to Bayern Munich.

The German club announced that Guardiola will take charge at the start of next season. He signed a contract which expires in 2016.

He’ll replace Jupp Heynckes, who will step down at the end of the season.

10:50 a.m.:  Peter Odemwingie is in Harry Redknapp’s sights. The West Brom striker is a QPR target, but his current club has no interest in selling him.

QPR made an offer that West Brom turned down. Odemwingie thinks it was good enough, and he’s ready to request a transfer to force a move, according to Sky Sports.

“If nothing else materializes then it is understood that, as a ‘last resort,’ Odemwingie is prepared to hand in a formal transfer request to try and push through a move to Loftus Road,” the report says.

The 31-year-old has four league goals to his credit this season. He would join Redknapp and Loic Remy at QPR, as the West London club fights relegation.

10:30 a.m.: Montpellier would like to sell Younes Belhanda in January, but the French club hasn’t received an offer from interested clubs such as Tottenham or Arsenal.

Turkey’s Fenerbache made a bid for the Moroccan playmaker, but Montpellier chairman Louis Nicollin didn’t think much of the offer, according to Sky Sports.

“Tottenham’s interest? There has been nothing official as yet, but I would like there to be,” Nicollin reportedly told L’Equipe. ”If a good offer arrives, he will leave. We can live without him and he can live without us.

“Nothing has evolved,” he said about talks with Fenerbahce. “They wanted to pay us in three installments. They can keep their money.”

The French club has had trouble repeating last season’s feats, and it is ready to cash in on Belhanda to fund a rebuilding project.

10 a.m.: Loic Remy’s transfer from Olympique Marseille to QPR is complete. The Premier League club announced the signing Wednesday, the Telegraph reports.

The 26-year-old reportedly cost a club-record £8 million ($12.8 million). He signed a four-and-a-half year deal which pays him around  £75,000 a week.

“He’s always been a player I’ve admired,” QPR manager Harry Redknapp said. “I’ve watched him on so many occasions throughout the last few years. I actually spent three or four hours with him last year so he knew what I thought of him, and I think that was important.

“He’s quick, can score goals and makes great runs. His movement is excellent. He’s got the potential to be a really outstanding striker.”

Last week, it looked like Remy would join Newcastle, but QPR swooped in and hijacked the deal. The developments heap more misery on Newcastle, as Remy was tipped to replace Demba Ba in the Magpies’ attack. The speedy French forward will now be central to QPR’s fight against relegation.

9:35 a.m.: Joey Barton is making a good impression in France. The on-loan Queens Park Rangers (QPR) midfielder has earned the admiration of new colleagues with his professionalism. Sky Sports reports Olympique Marseille is hoping to extend his loan, which runs through the end of this season.

“We haven’t started the discussions yet with QPR but he’s a likeable lad and we want to keep him, although we have no guarantees,” Marseille’s sporting director Jose Anigo said. ”We have very good relations with QPR and extending the loan could be in the cards.

“He likes it in Marseille, he loves this city, which breathes football. He has a good attitude. He’s a good professional in his work and in his day-to-day commitment. A lot of French players should take their example from him.”

Barton left England in shame after he melted down and tried to spark a brawl during the final game of the 2011-12 season. The FA hit him with a 12-game ban, which France’s Football Association (FFA) enforced. Barton went right into Marseille’s starting lineup once he became eligible, taking up a place in the central midfield.

8:30 a.m. ET: Pep Guardiola is in the process of choosing his next job, and all signs point to Manchester City. The former Barcelona manager expressed his desire to lead an English club Wednesday. He said English soccer presents a unique challenge he hopes to face during his managerial career, according to the BBC.

“As a player I couldn’t realize my dream to play there [in England],” he said. “But I hope in the future, I have a challenge to be a coach or a manager there.

“It is unique, to play in that league. I want to feel the supporters, the environment, the media and the style of the players and everything. I am still young, just 41, so I hope in the future I could be able to train there and enjoy that.”

Guardiola is halfway through a one-year sabbatical he took after leaving Barcelona at the end of the last season. He is living in New York City with his family, but he and his agents have been in contact with some of Europe’s biggest clubs.

Chelsea, AS Roma, AC Milan and Bayern Munich are interested in landing the most in-demand manager in the world, but City may have the inside track. In recent months, Txiki Begiristain and Ferran Soriano have joined City from Barcelona as director of football and chief executive respectively. They were directors at Barcelona when Guardiola was installed as manager, working closely with him to achieve great success.

Current City manager Roberto Mancini is in a tight spot. His club crashed out of the UEFA Champions League and now trails Manchester United by seven points in the Premier League. If City fails to retain its Premier League title, Mancini could pay for it with his job, paving the way for Guardiola to step into the breach.

Click here for transfer rumors from Jan. 15 >>

Click here for transfer rumors from Jan. 14 >>

Click here for transfer rumors from Jan. 10 >>

Click here for transfer rumors from Jan. 9 >>

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.

5:30 p.m.: Crystal Palace winger Wilfred Zaha is one of the Championship’s (England’s second division) hottest properties, but Manchester United isn’t treating him like one in the transfer market.

The Mail reports United will lodge a low-ball transfer bid of £6 million ($9.7 million) within the next 48 hours.

Palace originally wanted around £20 million ($32.2 million) for its prized asset, but it is thought that the club would accept a package totaling £12 million ($19.3 million).

If Zaha is sold in January, he’ll most likely be loaned back to Palace for the rest of the season. The club is hoping to secure promotion to the Premier League.

5: 15 p.m.: Shaktar Donetsk could be ready to sell Brazilian attacker Willian to Chelsea or Tottenham this month. The London Evening Standard reports the playmaker is available for around £20 million ($32.2 million).

Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas likes Willian and considered buying him last year during his ill-fated tenure at Chelsea.

Shaktar signed Taison from Metalist Kharkhiv last week, so it may be willing to part ways with Willian ahead of the UEFA Champions League Round-of-16 tie against Borussia Dortmund.

4 p.m.: Ajax star Christian Eriksen is not considering a January transfer, but won’t rule one out either. Eriksen’s agent acknowledges that the player is drawing interest, but he says the Danish midfielder is focused on the task of playing for Ajax, Sky Sports reports.

“For the last couple of weeks, and also because of the holidays, the press have kept their distance, which is something [Eriksen] does not regret.

“I’m not saying that this means no-one is interested as it would be strange for a player who has been followed by the biggest clubs in football since he was 14 years old to not be on their radar anymore.

“Christian just wants to concentrate on his football, but you never know what might happen in football.”

3:30 p.m.: Martin O’Neil is not done shopping, despite adding Kader Mangane and Alfred N’Diaye to Sunderland’s squad in recent days.

Sky Sports reports the Sunderland manager is hoping a couple more new faces will help his club steer clear of relegation, according to Sky Sports.

“On February 1, whatever you’ve got left, that’s it and we’re still short here on players,” he said. “Every side has had their injuries this season so we want to make some provisions for those things happening to us. They will be inevitable over the next few months.”

Sunderland doesn’t have much money to spend, so the players it adds will not be high-profile ones. That doesn’t mean they won’t end up making a name for themselves in English soccer under O’Neil.

11:20 a.m.: Robbie Keane is training with Tottenham, but that’s the extent of the L.A. Galaxy striker’s involvement with his former club, according to Sky Sports.

Keane said he wants to let lingering injuries heal ahead of the 2013 MLS season.

“It’s been a long season, with the Euros and what have you,” he said. “I’ve a few little niggles that need to be sorted out so I don’t think at this moment in time it would be right for me to go anywhere.”

Keane excelled during a loan stint with Aston Villa last season. With no major international tournament to prepare for, Keane thought it best to use a full and lengthy offseason to recover rather than play competitive games at a high level.

10:30 a.m.: Lucas Piazon, Chelsea’s 18-year-old Brazilian forward, is heading to Malaga on loan for the rest of the season.

The talented attacker will spend some time in La Liga, developing under the watchful eye of Malaga head coach Manuel Pelligrini.

Piazon joined Chelsea last January, but he’s only appeared in three games for the Blues’ first team.

10 a.m.: Barcelona president Sandro Rosell has seemingly bolted the door as far as striker David Villa is concerned.

Rosell said that the Arsenal target will not leave the club in January, Sky Sports reports.

“Villa will not leave,” said Rosell. “But coming back from a serious injury to play in this team is not easy.”

Rosell reinforces what Barca head coach Tito Vilanova said last weekend: Spain’s all-time leading goal scorer is not for sale, regardless of what club is willing to pay £16 million ($25.7 million) for him in January.

9 a.m.: David De Gea has been quietly silencing critics with his improved performances in goal for Manchester United. The 22-year-old is earning the trust of United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and catching the attention of FC Barcelona.

The Daily Star reports Barcelona wants to sign De Gea after contract talks with current No. 1 Victor Valdes broke down recently.

There are whispers that De Gea is homesick in Manchester and wants to return to his native Spain. This could give him the chance to do so without going to Real Madrid, which would enrage his boyhood club Atletico Madrid.

De Gea himself denies the rumors of homesickness. He joined United in 2011 for £17 million ($27.4 million).

8:30 a.m.: Loic Remy sensationally turned down Newcastle on Monday, choosing to head south to Queens Park Rangers (QPR) instead.

The French striker looks set to join QPR’s relegation fight. Joey Barton, his Olympique Marseille teammate (who is also a QPR player) confirmed the move on Twitter.

Looks like I was right 2nd time about Remy going to QPR. Good signing. Good player Loic. And good lad as well. Wish him luck there…

— Joseph Barton (@Joey7Barton) January 15, 2013

8: 15 a.m.: Kader Mangane will join Sunderland on loan for the rest of the season.

The Senegalese center back was playing in Saudi Arabia for Al Hilal, but he is more famous for the 10 years he spent in Switzerland and France.

Sunderland manager Martin O’Neil thinks Mangane will compete with Carlos Cuellar and John O’Shea for playing time in the center of the Sunderland defense.

8 a.m.: AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi has apologized for calling Balotelli a “rotten apple” last week, according to FIFA.com.

“What I said was based on the fact that I feel positive people are useful in the changing room,” Berlusconi said. “I was not referring to Balotelli and I apologize if it is was taken as a slur against him.

Berlusconi, the former (and possibly future) prime minister of Italy, has pulled a classic “flip-flop” when it comes to Balotelli. But that doesn’t mean a transfer is imminent.

“Could he still come to Milan? No one from my club has held any talks with him, and neither [vice-president Adriano] Galliani or I has identified him as a transfer target,” he added.

6 a.m. ET: Rumor has it Manchester City is desperate to sell Mario Balotelli. AC Milan is Balotelli’s most likely destination, but the Italian club doesn’t want Balotelli as much as City wants to get rid of its misfit striker … for now at least.

On Jan. 14, Milan vice president Adriano Galliani said  Milan would not be signing any strikers in the winter transfer window. There are already five senior strikers at the Italian club, and Milan doesn’t need another one, according to the official story.

Unofficially, Milan was hoping to sell Pato and Robinho in January to raise funds for a marquee signing. Balotelli would certainly meet that billing, but Pato departed while Robinho couldn’t seal a move to Brazil’s Santos.

Despite turning professional at Inter Milan, Balotelli was a boyhood Milan fan. Those same fans have watched star after star leave the club as Milan tightens its financial belt. Balotelli (of all people) could be the perfect tonic, but they’ll have to wait until the summer for the prodigal son to return.

Roberto Mancini, Balotelli’s biggest supporter at City, might be gone before the start of next season. Don’t expect Balotelli to remain at the club for too long if it happens.

Click here for transfer rumors from Jan. 14>>

Click here for transfer rumors from Jan. 10>>

Click here for transfer rumors from Jan. 9>>

Have a question for Marcus Kwesi O’Mard? Send it to him via Twitter at @NESNsoccer, NESN Soccer’s Facebook page or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.