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With the financial ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic beginning to ease off, clubs are beginning to splurge to land their top targets.
Manchester City and Chelsea spent upwards of €100 million this summer to land Jack Grealish and Romelu Lukaku, respectively. Bayern Munich signed Dayot Upamecano from their Bundesliga rivals Leipzig and La Liga holders Atletico Madrid got hold of Copa America 2021 winner Rodrigo de Paul.
AS Roma have brought Chelsea's wantaway striker Tammy Abraham, while Ligue 1 giants PSG have snapped up four high-profile players on free transfers and young right-back Achraf Hakimi.
However, there are a few big-name players who are yet to receive any bids despite being linked with exits from their current clubs this summer. Of course, things could change if an incredible offer comes along in the last few days of the transfer window.
On that note, here's a look at five such players:
#5 Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
Bernardo Silva has been widely tipped to exit Manchester City this summer, especially after Jack Grealish's arrival and City's pursuit of Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane.
The 27-year-old has had a decent four-year stint at the club, scoring 35 times and assisting on 44 occasions in over 200 appearances across competitions. But the quality in City's roster, especially after Grealish's arrival, means Silva has become surplus to requirements at the Etihad.
City tried to use the three-time Premier League winner as a makeweight to land Harry Kane, but Silva refused to join Spurs.
With the transfer window closing in less than a week's time, no offer from any club has arrived for Silva yet. However, recent reports suggest that the Portuguese has agreed personal terms with AC Milan and is close to joining them.
#4 Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City)
Another player surplus to requirements in Manchester City's star-studded squad is Spain defender Aymeric Laporte.
Like Silva, Laporte also arrived at the Etihad in the summer of 2017, but has made far fewer appearances for City than his Portuguese counterpart. After playing a stellar role in City's 2018-19 Premier League win, Laporte endured a long injury layoff, which cost him a place in the first team.
In his next two campaigns, the 27-year-old made only 31 combined appearances, four less than what he registered in 2018-19. A ball-playing centre-back, Laporte's first eight goals for the club came away from home before he netted his first at the Etihad in his first league match of the 2021-22 campaign.
Although Laporte's contract at City runs till 2025, he is widely tipped to leave the club. That's because Ruben Dias's arrival last summer and the emergence of John Stones means Laporte is no longer a first-choice player for Guardiola.
City have put a £60 million price tag on Laporte, who has been linked with AC Milan and Real Madrid this summer. So far, no offer has come for the Spaniard, though.
#3 Paul Pogba
Paul Pogba is finally living up to the hype since returning to Manchester United five years ago.
After dazzling at Euro 2020 for France this summer, Pogba produced an emphatic performance in his opening game of the 2021-22 Premier League. He registered an incredible four assists in United's 5-1 home win over Leeds United. The Frenchman followed that up with another assist in his next league outing.
However, as is the case with Pogba every summer transfer window, he has been linked with an exit from the club this summer as well. The Frenchman has had a few contract extension talks with United, but hasn't signed one yet.
Pogba was heavily linked with a move to PSG before the Ligue 1 giants landed Lionel Messi. The Frenchman has also been linked with Real Madrid, but it's more likely he could run down his contract at United to join the Merengues next summer.
#2 Erling Haaland
Erling Haaland is one of the best young players in the game at the moment. The Norwegian announced himself with a rousing hat-trick on his Champions League debut in 2019-20, and hasn't looked back since.
After arriving at Borussia Dortmund last January, Haaland has scored over 60 goals in as many games for the Bundesliga giants. Considering his staggering exploits, a lot of top clubs in the continent are interested in landing Haaland.
At least three Premier League clubs - Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea - have been reported to be interested in the player. City have been linked with Haaland as his father Alf Inge played there; United's links with the player have emanated from the club's manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's acquaintance with Haaland. Chelsea were interested in Haaland this summer, but they have now landed Romelu Lukaku.
Erling Haaland has three years left on his contract with BvB, but the club are unlikely to part with another young player this summer after seeing Jadon Sancho join United. Of course, Dortmund's resolve could be tested if they receive a ridiculously good offer from one of Haaland's many suitors before the transfer window closes.
United could be one of the frontrunners to land Haaland next summer when he'll be available for free, as Edinson Cavani is reportedly leaving at the end of the season.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo
Perhaps the biggest name linked with an exit this summer is Cristiano Ronaldo. That could be surprising at first glance because the 36-year-old is coming off a Capocannoniere-winning campaign, and has hardly shown signs of slowing down any time soon.
After a sizzling Euro 2020 campaign, where he scored five goals and provided an assist, Ronaldo almost grabbed a late winner off the bench in Juventus' first game of the 2021-22 season. But the effort was ruled out for a marginal offside.
Ronaldo, who has a year left on his Juventus contract, has been linked with an exit from the club this summer. That's because he happens to earn at least thrice more than anybody else on the roster, which is putting a huge strain on Juventus' wobbly finances.
However, Manchester United and Real Madrid have no intention of reuniting with Ronaldo; Manchester City apparently do not want to pay €25 million for the player; PSG are also out of the reckoning despite the club owner's brother putting out a playful tweet of Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in a PSG jersey.
So Ronaldo is all set to see out his contract at Juventus unless a late offer for him arrives, in all likelihood from PSG or Manchester City before the transfer window closes.
