Transfer Rumors: "For us the market is closed. I don't want any player" - Coach Jose Mourinho

On Friday "The Special One" Jose Mourinho announced to the press that Real Madrid were not in the market to bring in any players during the winter transfer window which opens at the beginning of the new year.

"The market is an opportunity that is open to those who need it, but we fortunately do not need it," he said during an end of year interview with the club's television station. "The squad has been built with much work to provide the club with the means to fight for what we are fighting for. "For us the market is closed. I don't want any player, I have not asked for one and I am not going to ask for one."

--Source

Emphasis is mine, all mine I say!!

Sorry, where were we? Oh that's right, once again Mou is talking about the fact that the team doesn't need any OUTSIDE help -- in other words according to him no one is headed in bound. Now since all we can do is speculate, why not. Reading between the lines, and you know how he likes to mess with the press -- this doesn't mean that a player or two might be on their way out.

Two of the big names that have been rumored outbound are: Kaka and Gonzalo Higuian. This has been debated here, at least with the Kaka sale. According to your votes dear readers, you're very split on this issue. As of this writing it's almost too close to call: 51% For, 48% against. So pretty much split down the middle in regards to the much embattled and unlucky attacking midfielder.

You can't deny that Kaka's time in Spain has been less than stellar, injuries -- a giant lack of form he's displayed on and off since he's been a blanco. Can we really blame him? There was a lot of pressure on the lad coming in from AC Milan where he was top of the world -- he had won a Ballon d'Or and was moving to one of the top clubs in the world -- and then finds himself injured and at times unreliable.

Now lets move on to striker Gonzalo Higuian, he too has had a interesting time in white. He came over from River Plate during the winter transfer window of 2006. It wouldn't be until the 08-09 campaign that he became a starter and did well with 22 goals in league - 24 in all competitions. He's also got some history attached to him as he's scored Real Madrid's 5200th goal in league play, and the teams 700th Champions League goal.

In the summer of 2010 Real Madrid rewarded Higuain's play with extending his contract to the 2016 season. As we know in December of the same year, he injured his back and was supposed to be out for at the least 4 months time. He was able to make an early comeback, the only problem is that he was to come off the bench on and off at the outset of the 2011 as Karim Benzema had taken over the starting role.

At the beginning of this season he was supposedly in Jose Mourinho's 'dog house', thus he wasn't started right away. Though with the lack of a third striker -- it made this point moot as he and Benzema would rotate at the striker spot. Mourinho would decide to play the hotter hand from match to match.

I find it highly unlikely that Higuain would be on the way out during this window. That would leave us with one true first team striker -- and with trying to win trophies across multiple competitions -- it just not a wise business move. Especially after your manager announced that the team was not in the market to bring a player in. Plus, you'd have to be slightly off your rocker to let the 3rd leading scorer in La Liga go to the highest bidder.

Now of course I could be wrong on all counts, but there is better odds that Kaka goes. If Mou was to sell Higuian (I think) it would be this summer (something I'll be writing about later). Who know's what is going on in Mou's mind -- and I wont really be surprised by anything this man does. If we do nothing, so be it and it'll be fun to watch other teams go into freak out mode and spend tons of cash.