A few stories to have caught the attention throughout the festive period come from Europe. Manuel Neuer is wanted by Bayern, while Jose Mourinho wants another striker in January, but doesn't think he'll get one.

''We need reinforcements, but I highly doubt that will happen,'' said Jose. ''One thing is what we need, another is what we do. And in this case, I really need, but I doubt we will do it."

Juan, Roma's defender who is attracting some attention from the big-boys, will be another heading back to Brazil once his contract expires. He says: ''I will definitely return, since I left Flamengo I have thought about coming back.''

Striker Luis Fabiano could also be returning to Brazil if Internacional can persuade him to end his time at Sevilla.

Franz Beckenbauer has slammed the Bayern Munich board for not managing to sign Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer quickly enough.

"If we really wanted him, we should have acted earlier," he told Welt newspaper. "Now it is difficult. His market value has since gone above and beyond the boundaries. If we don't get Neuer, then we are not going to get Rene Adler from Bayer Leverkusen either and that leaves us no other choice but to try an experiment once again.''

Over in Italy, Inter Milan have completed the signing of 12 million euro defender Andrea Ranocchia from Genoa. Although the 22-year-old was already co-owned by the Champions League holders.