Five players who could still make a big money move this summer

With the World Cup capturing the attention of every football fan in the world, it seems like the transfer window has almost been forgotten.

But now we are just five weeks away from the start of the Premier League, and attention may soon turn back to club football, and the transfer window. The likes of Germany and Spain are already out, so their focus may have turned to who’s going where, rather than what is going on in Russia.

We have already seen some massive transfers completed so far this summer. In England, Liverpool have paid a combined £90 million to sign Naby Keita and Fabinho, while Manchester United paid nearly £50 million to sign Fred from Shakhtar Donetsk.

In Italy, Radja Nainggolan has left Roma to move to Inter Milan, while over in Spain, Atletico Madrid signed Thomas Lemar from Monaco for over £50 million.

The biggest of the lot is yet to come. Juventus have offered £88 million to bring Cristiano Ronaldo to Turin from Real Madrid, and if reports are believed, that deal could be wrapped up within the next few days. It would undoubtedly be the story of the summer.

But, however much he’d like it to be, it isn’t all about Ronaldo. There is still time for some moves to go through, and here are five players who could move for big money this summer.

#1 Anthony Martial (Manchester United)

Eyebrows were raised in 2015 when Manchester United, managed then by Louis van Gaal, signed a 19-year-old Martial from Monaco for a fee that could rise to £58 million. His stock has grown since then, after some impressive performances in Manchester. However, he looks like he could be on his way out of Old Trafford, after becoming unhappy with a lack of first-team action under Jose Mourinho.

He made just 18 Premier League starts last season, with a further 12 appearances coming from the bench. This is likely what cost him a place in the French World Cup squad, something that is bound to have hurt the 22-year-old. There is no doubting his range of talents. He is fast, good on the ball, and a natural finisher in front of goal. His confidence looks to have taken a massive hit by his treatment at the end of last season, so it might take a little bit of time for him to return to his best. He would be worth the investment though.

#2 Willian (Chelsea)

Newcastle United v Chelsea - Premier League

Where Willian ends up this summer will likely depend on who is in charge at Stamford Bridge next season. It is clear for all to see that he has fallen out with Antonio Conte, and if he is still at Chelsea when the season begins, Willian won’t be. If Maurizio Sarri is in the dugout, he may be prepared to give it another chance.

He, like Martial, didn’t get the amount of action he wanted last season. He made 36 Premier League appearances, but he only started 20 of them. There is interest in the Brazilian from Manchester United, while Barcelona have already had a £50 million bid rejected by Chelsea. The Blues did miss out on Champions League qualification last season, so that is something that may tempt Willian away, and at 29, this may be his final chance to move to another top club.

#3 Nabil Fekir (Lyon)

Fekir looked certain to make the move to Liverpool earlier this summer, but the plug was pulled on that deal after Lyon became frustrated over the amount of time it was taking to wrap up. The 24-year-old has had an excellent couple of seasons at Lyon, and with last year’s showing, has made himself one of the hottest properties in Europe.

He scored an impressive 23 goals in all competitions last season, stepping up in the absence of Alexandre Lacazette, who left to join Arsenal last summer. Despite the move to Liverpool being called off, Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas hasn’t ruled out the possibility of Fekir leaving France this summer, and there is still interest from Anfield. It would be a surprise if he was still at Lyon when the season gets underway.

#4 Alisson (Roma)

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There aren’t many goalkeepers in world football who are attracting the sort of attention Alisson is this summer. There has been significant interest from Chelsea and Real Madrid, as well a number of other top clubs. The 25-year-old had a superb season with Roma, playing a key role in helping them to the Champions League semi-final, where they were beaten over the two legs by Liverpool. His performances also saw him become Brazil’s number one ahead of Manchester City’s Ederson.

He is in great demand, and because of that will command a massive fee. Roma are looking for a fee of around £70 million, and there aren’t too many teams in Europe who can afford to spend that amount on a goalkeeper. If Real Madrid or Chelsea are to make a move for the Brazilian, they will have to offload players first. For Real, Cristiano Ronaldo looks like he might be on his way out, but if he is to move to Chelsea, Thibaut Courtois will have to leave Stamford Bridge first.

#5 Leon Bailey (Bayer Leverkusen)

Bayer 04 Leverkusen v Hannover 96 - Bundesliga

Bailey is probably the least known name on the list, but in a few years’ time, that is unlikely to be the case. He is still only 20, but is already one of the most sought-after stars in Europe. He has had 18 months at Bayer Leverkusen, during which he has proven that he is capable of doing the business in a top European league, after beginning his career with Belgian side Genk.

He is far from the finished product though, so if anyone signs him, they will have to be patient. He is another one who will cost a hell of a lot of money, but in the long term, he will be worth it. He is a winger who has all the attributes that make it tough to defend against. He is fast, direct, and has the finishing product to match.