The season has come to an end in European football. The matches were a bit dull without the supporters, but the players did their best to give memorable moments for fans. The excitement moves towards Euro 2020, which is going to start from June 11. Along with international football, the summer transfer window will be one to keep an eye on due to the impact of the pandemic. The transfer window will allow the clubs to sign some players from other clubs and offload players that are surplus to their squad.
The pandemic has made severely impacted the finances of all football clubs across the globe. This summer’s transfer window is going to be difficult for clubs that are looking to sell players. It could be a window where free transfers and swap deals could be the norm as clubs look to balance the books. Despite a tough financial situation, some players will be heavily in demand, so let us look at five players that are likely to make headlines during this summer’s transfer window.
Memphis Depay
Lyon and Netherlands striker Memphis Depay has been one of the most consistent forwards in Europe last season. He netted 22 goals and grabbed 12 assists in 40 appearances. Depay will be instrumental for the Dutch team in Euro 2020. The Dutch forward is also certain to leave Lyon since his contract expires at the end of June. He has been heavily linked to Barcelona but there will be interest from other clubs too. The former Manchester United player’s salary at Lyon is €4 million per year which is affordable for several top clubs.
Depay is a versatile forward. He can operate on the left flank and also play as number nine in certain systems. Considering the impact of the pandemic on the finances of clubs across Europe, a free transfer of Depay’s quality will be a coup for whichever club gets him. He will enter the peak of his career, so performances are going to get better for him.
Gianluigi Donnarumma
Gianluigi Donnarumma is one of the brightest goalkeeping talents in the world. He is firmly number one for Italy and served as the first-choice goalkeeper at AC Milan for many years. However, the 22-year-old is set to move away from Milan this summer since his contract expires at the end of June. AC Milan has also replaced him with Lille goalkeeper Mike Maignan who was officially announced as Milan’s new goalkeeper.
Considering the quality of Donnarumma and the number of years left in his career, he is going to attract a lot of interest from big clubs this summer. However, his wages could be a stumbling block. Donnarumma reportedly wants to earn €12 million net at his next club. Moreover, the commission from his agent, Mino Raiola is also likely to be astronomical. As of now, FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and Chelsea have been linked with the Italian goalkeeper.
Jadon Sancho
Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho was heavily linked to Manchester United but the transfer never materialised due to the German club’s transfer fee demands. However, Dortmund’s CEO has confirmed that they are open to hearing offers for the young forward this summer. They were also keen on selling him last season but Dortmund was demanding around £108 million for Sancho. The reports in Germany and England suggest that Sancho could leave BVB this summer for a fee close to £80 million.
In 38 games this season, Sancho has 16 goals and 20 assists to his name. Despite finishing in the Champions League, Dortmund will have to sell Sancho this summer since only two years are left on his contract. Manchester United reportedly remains in the driving seat to finally conclude this transfer, but some reports have suggested that Chelsea and Liverpool are also interested in the English winger.
Harry Kane
Tottenham and England talismanic striker Harry Kane has enjoyed an exceptional season on the personal. Even though his team struggled, Kane was probably the best forward in England. The 27-year-old scored 33 goals and 17 assists in 49 appearances for the club this season. He won the Premier League golden boot and the playmaker award for most goals and assists in the season. After a frustrating end to the season for North London club, Kane reportedly wants to leave Spurs.
However, Kane has three years left on his current contract so Spurs chief Daniel Levy is unlikely to make this transfer smooth. Levy is reportedly not ready to listen to offers below £150 million for Kane. The English forward is the highest-paid player at Spurs, earning excess of £200k per week. In the current climate, it will be intriguing to see how this transfer takes place. Manchester United and Chelsea have been credited with an interest in Kane, but Premier League Champions Manchester City are most interested in signing the English striker.
Lionel Messi
The captain of FC Barcelona, Lionel Messi is a surprise name in this list but last year he told the club that he dropped the bombshell about leaving the Catalan club. However, the Spanish club was in no mood to part ways with probably the best player in the history of the game. After one year, Messi could become a free agent in four weeks’ time.
According to Forbes, the Argentinian earns €80 million per season in wages. PSG and Manchester City were very much interested in signing the 33-year-old player but Barcelona was not ready to sanction a departure. Messi played 47 games this season and netted 38 goals and had 14 assists to his name. He was the top scorer in La Liga with 30 goals this season. There is interest from Manchester City and PSG in the player, but new Barcelona president Joan Laporta is confident about Messi signing a new deal at Barcelona. The next few weeks are going to be interesting regarding the future of the Argentine superstar.
Stats courtesy in the piece: Whoscored