With the summer transfer window only a couple of weeks away, clubs are snapping up players on a free and waiting for the deadline to begin the big work. The new British TV deal has provided renewed faith to Premier League clubs in the knowledge that they could outbid most European counterparts comfortably.
And with the Premier League getting ever so competitive, it’s getting tougher and tougher for clubs to secure their targets – unless of course, they skip the salmon and go for the whale. Almost all of the Premier League’s top six, Spain’s top three, Germany’s top two, Italy’s top three and France’s top two have been linked with players that could cost them a fortune.
So, here’s looking at those deals: the kind of deals that fans only dream about but with enough traction to actually go through this summer.
Antoine Griezmann to Manchester United
Jose Mourinho seems hell bent on bringing in forwards in the summer. With Wayne Rooney essentially out of all plans, the club’s preparing for a future without the talismanic Englishman. And who better to replace someone so deadly in the box than Atletico Madrid’s current jewel in Antoine Griezmann?
The Frenchman has repeatedly reinstated that his desire is to remain at the La Liga club but with the kind of money Manchester United and Jose Mourinho are willing to spend, there might not be a chance for the former Real Sociedad man to insist otherwise.
The number 7 shirt is free at Old Trafford, waiting in the shadows for someone worthy to put it on. There hasn’t been anyone who has done the jersey justice but Griezmann is definitely the kind of player that could.
Alexis Sanchez to Manchester City
Should Manchester United sign Antoine Griezmann, Pep Guardiola and Manchester City could reply in kind by signing Arsenal’s want-away forward Alexis Sanchez. The Chilean feels the North London can no longer satiate him in terms of trophies and is willing to move within the Premier League for said desires.
Pep knows Sanchez’s strengths and how he plays given their time together at Barcelona and should the transfer go through, it’ll represent a total shift in power from London clubs to Manchester clubs. Again.
Arsenal are said to be demanding in the region of €50 million for the Chilean should he put his foot down and insist on the move away; and given how the club have lost a host of talent to the Citizens, it’s another blow for Arsene Wenger in the search of silverware – and one that reaffirms the notion that Arsenal are simply no longer a club who compete for top honours.
Kylian Mbappe to Barcelona
There’s been a lot of talk on how young Kylian Mbappe could switch AS Monaco for the Premier League with Arsenal and Manchester City reportedly the first in line but FC Barcelona are another club steadily monitoring the 18-year-old in the hope that he can grow into a potential superstar under the tutelage of Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
Mbappe has been in fine form this season and is set to trigger another bidding war in the summer. But should Barcelona come in with a firm offer and an unbreakable desire to secure the Frenchman’s services, it’ll no doubt put the rest of the interested clubs at the back of the queue.
Barcelona are in the midst of an identity crisis and need some heavy rebuilding in the summer if they are to keep within touching distance of Real Madrid and Europe’s finest and signing the 18-year-old will firmly reassure current members of the squad that the future can be bright again.
Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea
Diego Costa is reportedly angling for a move away from Stamford Bridge. The Spanish striker was all set to leave the club last summer to go back ‘home’ as Atletico Madrid were seemingly in the market to receive him back but this summer, Chelsea can let go of him in the knowledge that they have someone who could return to them, too.
Romelu Lukaku is the Premier League’s Golden Boot race leader – ahead of Costa – and has confirmed time and again that he wishes to play for a club firmly in the UEFA Champions League. Chelsea can give him that opportunity and play him in a system that could bring out the best in him.
Lukaku will cost in the region of €80 million and should Chelsea offload Costa to Atletico Madrid – who’ll need to replace possible outgoing forward Antoine Griezmann – they’ll have the kind of money to invest in Lukaku without losing any sort of quality up top.
Paulo Dybala to Real Madrid
Yes, Paulo Dybala just signed a contract extension with Juventus only this week and yes that contract keeps him at the club till 2022, none of those reasons, however, could stop Real Madrid from putting in a world-record bid for a player deserving of every penny.
Dybala reiterated his quality to the world with his two superb goals for Juventus in the UEFA Champions League against Barcelona and should Real Madrid and Zinedine Zidane restart the Galactico programme and bring in one of the world’s most sought-after players, he can continue to do it on a season-to-season basis.
Real Madrid need to refresh their forward line with Karim Benzema and substitute wingers nowhere close to the level required and signing Dybala will send the strongest message yet that the club are interested in rising above every other one in the world.
