While fans around the globe can argue whether it is called football or soccer, they can all agree that the beginning of the summer represents a beautiful part of their sport’s year: open season on transfers.
When the major leagues in Europe come to a close and all that is left are Cup Finals, fans start to discuss what positions their team needs to improve in, who they want their club to buy or sell, and of course what the blockbuster-transfer will be.
Last summer gave fans the long-drawn-out Zlatan Ibrahimovic transfer as he left Paris Saint-Germain for Manchester United on a free contract; this huge marquee transfer was soon outshined when Man U bought Paul Pogba from Juventus for €105 million, the most expensive transfer ever. Combined with other huge transfers like Gonzalo Higuain from Napoli to Juventus, Mats Hummels from Borussia Dortmund to Bayern Munich and Andre Gomes from Valencia to Barcelona, the summer of 2016 held what could go down as one of the most exciting, and expensive, transfer windows ever.
Fortunately, for all global fans of the sport that like to see mammoth clubs throw absurd amounts of money around for certain players, this summer has the potential to put up a fight for that title. Here are some of the top transfer rumors for this summer’s transfer window.
Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid) to Manchester United
It wouldn’t be a transfer window if Man U didn’t target a huge name and offer a large sum of money for their talent. United don’t need someone of Griezmann’s caliber considering the year Zlatan is having (even at 35 years old), and the constant growth of 19 year old Marcus Rashford. But if there’s one thing the red side of Manchester lives by, it’s that there’s no such thing as too many attackers. The prospect of Griezmann playing with France teammate Pogba may help woo him from Spain to England, but Man U would have to pay Altleti a pretty penny for the No. 7, with a rumored transfer value of around €80 million on his head. Atleti would be parting with an integral member of their team, but €80 million is a lot of money that could be used to buy some other great players, such as…
Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal) to Atletico Madrid / Juventus
Despite having a great season thus far after switching from left-wing to striker for Arsenal, Alexis Sanchez has visibly been unhappy playing for Arsenal this season. His impressive ability to play a sole-forward role this season, leading the Premier League in total goals created with 27 (18 goals, nine assists), would make him the perfect replacement for Griezmann at Atletico Madrid if the Frenchman leaves. Another destination for the Chilean could be Italian giants Juventus, who could pair Sanchez up front with Higuain and Paulo Dybala to create a terrifying attack force that could rival Barcelona’s MSN and Real Madrid’s BBC. Wherever Sanchez ends up will cost teams about €60 million, no small amount for the 28 year old.
Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) to Everton / China
Wayne Rooney has been on the chopping block in Manchester for a while now with this season, the first under new manager Jose Mourinho, acting as the push out the door for their 31 year old captain. There seems to be only two potential destinations for Rooney; back to his boyhood club Everton, or become the latest global star to exit to China for an astounding paycheck. The England captain would have to take a pay cut to rejoin Everton, whom he left in 2004 for Man U, or a pay raise to play less competitively in China away from his home country.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund) to Real Madrid / Manchester City
Aubameyang’s great form this season with Dortmund, scoring 24 goals in as many matches in the Bundesliga thus far, has attracted the eyes of big-name clubs Real Madrid and Manchester City. With Sergio Aguero possibly on his way out of Manchester (to, coincidentally, Real Madrid), City could look to bolster a new era of an attacking line by purchasing Aubameyang and pairing him with 19 year old Gabriel Jesus, who looked to dethrone Aguero after arriving in England, but was derailed by a broken foot injury just four games into his City stead. Dortmund’s CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke, however, has said that the Gabonese speedster won’t be going anywhere unless they receive an “outrageous” bid for him.
Hector Bellerin (Arsenal) to Barcelona / Manchester City
The speedy Spaniard has developed into one of the best fullbacks in England over the past couple seasons, and has gained attention from his former club Barcelona as well as fellow Prem club Manchester City. His loyalty to Arsenal is tied to manager Arsene Wenger, and seeing as Wenger will surely be sacked by the Gunners in the offseason, a move for Bellerin could be imminent. Barça would surely love to gain a solid choice in at right back, a spot that has been met with criticism since the departure of Dani Alves to Juventus. Aleix Vidal took over for Alves but picked up a devastating ankle injury earlier this season, leaving Sergi Roberto (who is much better fit in the midfield) to struggle at times out of position. Though Arsenal would be hesitant to sell their young star to a league-rival, the money Manchester City has been able to throw at teams for players in the past few seasons would be tough for them turn down.
Romelu Lukaku (Everton) to Chelsea / Manchester United
After rejecting a new contract with Everton, Romelu Lukaku seems to be on his way out of Merseyside. The current top goal-scorer in the Premier League with 21 goals, Lukaku looks ready to join a team that can offer Champions League play, something Everton could potentially get this season but are not favored to. The two clubs most likely at this point to gain Lukaku’s signature look like Prem-powerhouses Chelsea and Manchester United. Chelsea, whom Lukaku played for from 2011-2014, offered Everton a transfer for Lukaku before the season, preferring him over Diego Costa, which Ronald Koeman and co. subsequently rejected. Now they are planning on increasing that transfer fee, and they’ll have to with Lukaku’s value hovering around €80 million. If Manchester United are unable to sway Griezmann their way this summer, they could very well jump ship to trying to steal the Belgian away from Chelsea with a sizable offer of their own to Everton.
Kylian Mbappe (Monaco) to possibly anyone willing to offer A LOT of money
The 18 year old has stunned this season both in the Champions League (Monaco just knocked off Manchester City to advance to the quarterfinals against Dortmund) and Ligue 1 (Monaco has a three-point lead atop the table over usual-champions Paris Saint-Germain) and, as such, has gained a lot of speculation over possible moves away from Monaco. Since he is so young and talented, however, whoever ends up landing the Frenchman will have to really pay up. Claims that a €96 million offer from a Premier League team was rejected displays how valuable Mbappe can be for a team, both on the field and in the bank. Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, and both Manchester United and City are the highest suitors for Mbappe’s signature, but we will have to wait until this summer to see what team will land who many are calling the “next Thierry Henry.”
