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Post-season might not be a time to relish for football aficionados and weekends are a lacklustre affair with live football action curtailed for a couple of months. The only thing that saves them from this perpetual ennui during the summer is either continental events (like Euros or World Cup) or the fabled transfer rumours. They start as early as February and go up to deadline day as sports portals and blogs make merry.But some transfer stories transcend the boundaries of rumours and move into the pastures of done deals, deals which give fans reasons to rejoice and celebrate their club and players in the off-season.We look at some of the most mouth-watering and most probable prospective transfer stories of the upcoming summer involving some of the hottest prospects in world football.
#5 Mats Hummels - Borussia Dortmund
Probably the most-sought after centre back of recent times and also the most talked about player in worldwide transfer columns, the World Cup winning defender has been chased by all the big clubs of European football for a dreadfully long time. He is the prime time story of every transfer window, but somehow Hummels is yet to make that much-awaited move away from Borussia Dortmund. This summer might be the most opportune time for his suitors to end this long-standing episode.
Why is he so sought-after?
Hummels is irrefutably the most accomplished and complete centre back in the world right now. Height, aerial ability, tackling prowess, strength, tactical know-how, passing ability and experience – you name a quality and the German possesses it in his repertoire. He was the foundation around which the successful Dortmund side was built by Jurgen Klopp at the turn of this decade.
The German quickly made a name for himself during Dortmund’s consecutive Bundesliga triumphs and their scintillating run to the final of the Champions league in 2012/13. He was also the commander-in-chief in defence for the German national team during Euro 2012, playing every minute of Germany’s campaign.
Last year’s World Cup reaffirmed Hummels’ stature and quality as he played a pivotal role in Germany’s sensational triumph. Hummels scored the winner against France in the quarter-final and then drew plaudits from all quarters for his performance against Brazil in the semi-final. There might be a number of defenders who might match up to his experience and ability, but Hummels is the only one who is still unsettled and looking to move away from his current club.
Will Dortmund sell him?
Hummels’ current contract with Dortmund runs out in the summer of 2017 and with no news of any imminent contract extension, Hummels might have finally decided on his future. If that is the case, Dortmund would be itching to cash in on him rather than lose him on a Bosman and repeating the same mistake they made with Robert Lewandowski.
The summer of 2015 might well turn out to be the time in which newspapers have the honour of printing a done-deal on Mats Hummels.
Market value in the summer
€35-45 million
With just a year left on his current contract, Hummels might not fetch an amount comparable to what was being offered last season, but the fierce competition between big clubs for his signature might shoot up the price. Dortmund would love to make as much money as possible with this deal, but they will also be wary of losing out on everything if the deal doesn’t go through this summer.
#4 Marco Verratti - PSG
Marco Verratti is destined for great deeds. He is already slated to carry the legacy of Andrea Pirlo into the next generation and is one of several PSG players on the transfer radar of different clubs to make a record-shattering move away from Parc de Princes this summer.
Why is he so sought-after?
Verratti has all the qualities of a world-class deep-lying playmaker. He inherits some of them from his idol and compatriot, the Italian legend Pirlo. He has tremendous ball control, his passing range and vision is quite exemplary for his age, and like most Italian footballers, he is gifted with the grace of unadulterated football technique.
At 22, Verratti is already an established member of the PSG first team and has also cemented his place in his national team. This season, he boasts of a pass completion of 92% and has created 22 chances in as many appearances. Verratti orchestrates the midfield like a natural regista and the experience of playing in some of the most competitive tournaments in the world like the World Cup and Champions League has enhanced his skills and emboldened his confidence.
Good quality holding midfielders are hard to come by these days and, thus, Verratti is a much-wanted man in the European circuit.
Will PSG sell him?
Ever since it was taken over by wealthy oligarchs of the middle-east, PSG has only had a history of buying top footballers (read Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani, Ezequiel Lavezzi) but this might be the first time that the board might contemplate selling a high-value asset. Money is never an issue at the Paris club and all players are being compensated handsomely, so Verratti’s case for a move away depends only on pure footballing reasons.
After reportedly snubbing Arsenal in January, Verratti is rumored to be only considering a move back to his native country. PSG have all but guaranteed a place in the Champions League next season, and PSG’s owners would be unwilling to sell one of their future stars, who could help them win club football’s ultimate prize – the Champions League. The only credible reason if Verratti were to make a move would be to play for a bigger club in a more competitive league.
Market value in the summer
€50 million
Verratti’s contract doesn’t expire anytime soon (2019) and PSG have pockets deep enough to splash money on new players rather than fund new deals by selling their own players. Verratti has everything he ever dreamed of at the age of 22 – a handsome paycheck, Champions League football, company of Ibra, Cavani et al and the beautiful city of Paris to call home. Any club looking for his signature might have to make PSG an offer they can’t refuse!
#3 Raheem Sterling - Liverpool
Some say he is the best thing that has happened to English football since Wayne Rooney burst onto the scene at Euro 2004. Raheem Sterling might just be 20 years of age, but he has already taken the world’s most popular football league by storm and the Liverpool boy is only going to get better from here.
Why is he so sought-after?
For a teenager to become a regular at a club like Liverpool is an achievement in itself but Sterling practically lives on defying the odds and pushing the boundaries. Spotted by Brendan Rodgers in Liverpool’s youth set-up, Sterling was given his big break in the 2012/13 season and he hasn’t looked back since.
He was the prime architect in the flourishing partnership between Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge, an attacking trio which instilled fear into the hearts of all opposition defenses. At such a young age, Sterling has already taken over the attacking and goalscoring mantle of the team, and has kept Liverpool in the reckoning this season despite the departure of Suarez and the absence of Sturridge.
The pint-sized attacking midfielder has already amassed 80 appearances for the Reds in less than three full seasons, has played in both European competitions and represented his country 13 times. His pace, trickery and gameplay resembles those of his contemporaries (Ronaldo, Hazard, Bale) and he’s already a superstar in the making.
Will Liverpool sell him?
His potential departure depends on a number of factors. There’s no denying the fact that Sterling is an indispensable member of the Liverpool squad and figures prominently in the long-term plans of Brendan Rodgers, but if Real Madrid come in with one of their marquee bids, then it will be a different ball-game altogether.
The prospect of playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Toni Kroos et all might be too hard to resist for the 20-year-old. Liverpool, who have been struggling with squad depth this season, might also find Madrid’s offer a little too tempting, given how the Spanish giants love to spend big on young footballers.
But if Liverpool can make a late surge and guarantee another season in the Champions League with an improved squad, Sterling might be exhorted to reciprocate the love and trust the Kop has shown him over the years.
Market value in the summer
€30-40 million
If reports in the British and Spanish media are to be believed, Liverpool have already accepted a bid from Real Madrid. But any club looking to pounce on the youngster in the summer will have to table a substantial bid which is worthy of his current ability and future potential.
#2 Paul Pogba - Juventus
The man who gave Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United the snub in the summer of 2012, after declining to sign a new deal and left Manchester for free, has blossomed into a comprehensive midfielder and is now being vehemently pursued by various clubs across Europe. Juventus have been keen to hold on to him thus far, but the relentless pressure might take a toll on the Italian giants this summer.
Why is he so sought-after?
Paul Pogba was destined for a great future ever since Sir Alex Ferguson brought him to Old Trafford. But lack of first-team playing time frustrated Pogba, who had great confidence in his own ability, and the Frenchman decided to move on.
Juventus have afforded enough playing opportunities for Pogba to prove his mettle and make the world notice his tremendous potential. In his first two seasons in Turin, Pogba scored 11 goals and made 9 assists in 77 starts. But his breakthrough in terms of global popularity came during the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The midfielder was at his dazzling and commanding best as he played all five of France’s games in Brazil.
Pogba scored the winner in his team’s round-of-16 clash against Nigeria. Although a resplendent French side lost to eventual champions Germany in the quarterfinals, Pogba shone through with his ability and was deservedly rewarded with the World Cup’s Best Young Player award.
Will Juventus sell him?
Although Juventus have traditionally been one of the giants of European football, but sooner or later Pogba would want to step into the real limelight of the Spanish La Liga or the Barclays Premier League. He signed a contract extension up to 2019 this season, but that’s hardly going to stop him from making his desired move. A number of clubs have been lining up for his signature, most notably Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Barcelona.
Although teammates and coaches have urged him to stay in the Serie A, a huge monetary bid and salary package during the summer might be too good to turn down for both Pogba and Juventus.
Market value in the summer
€70-80 million
Chelsea reportedly tabled a bid in the region of €60 million last summer and in the January transfer window Pogba’s asking price has only gone up since then. He has shown a marked improvement in his reading of the game and is undeniably one of the greatest talents in world football today. His agent’s prediction of Pogba breaking the world transfer record might be an exaggeration but, if he is to move during the summer, expect a few heads to turn because of the fee involved.
#1 Marco Reus - Borussia Dortmund
The German winger has been a constant on Europe’s perpetual transfer rumour mill but a move to finer pastures hasn’t materialized in the recent transfer windows. Reus’ name is the first to crop up before any imminent transfer window, be it the summer or January. But call it his reluctance to leave home or the inability of any club to match his asking price, the German has confounded the entire football media industry time and again.
Why is he so sought after?
Reus is undoubtedly one of the most talented footballers in the world right now and his performances at both club and international level bear testament to that. Playing as a natural winger or an attacking midfielder, Reus scored 23 goals in all competitions last season, 16 of which came in the Bundesliga, making him the joint fourth highest goalscorer – just four behind seasoned strikers like Robert Lewandowski and Mario Mandzukic.
He also finished with the highest assists tally (16) in the league, which means that Reus was directly involved in 41 of the 113 goals scored by his club last season, a staggering involvement of 36%.
Will Dortmund sell him?
The 25-year old recently took the world by surprise by signing a new five-year contract in the midst of an appalling run of results for Dortmund which saw them slip into Bundesliga’s relegation zone. The new contract will keep Reus at the Signal Iduna Park until the summer of 2019 but he remains a hot prospect for summer bids irrespective of this development, especially if Dortmund fail to finish in the European qualification spots, a feat which is looking very unlikely given that the club currently sits 15th in the league table, just one point off the relegation zone, with only 13 games left to play.
Reus might have reiterated his willingness and passion to keep playing for his boyhood club and stand by them in these tough times, but an extravagant bid from one of the European giants might force Dortmund to cash in on the German international, more so because of the estimated fall in revenue next season owing to lack of European football and their likely below-par finish in the league this season.
Market value in the summer
€50-70 million
Reus’ suitors will have to loosen their purse strings if they are to hold any chance of attracting Dortmund’s attention in the summer. A new contract will give Dortmund the breathing space to negotiate a deal on their own terms. And with his release clause reportedly done away with, clubs like Real Madrid, Manchester City or Barcelona will have to break the German transfer record to prise him away.
