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The 2017/18 season saw some sensational transfers in the summer which smashed all the records previously held. Just when Paul Pogba's £89 million transfer in 2016 appeared to be breathtaking, Neymar's transfer fee eclipsed the Frenchman's price tag quite convincingly.
PSG paid a mammoth €222 million to secure the Brazilian's signatures. Utilising the cash, Barcelona announced the signing of Osumane Dembele from Dortmund for €150 million.
In January, Philippe Coutinho became the world's second most expensive player at £142 million. Meanwhile, Manchester United announced the signing of Alexis Sanchez in a deal which would see him earning close to £180 million during his spell with the club.
The clubs like Real Madrid, Chelsea and PSG are expected to break the bank in the upcoming summer.
Here, is a look at the playing XI of the best players who could be up for a move in the coming months playing in a 4-3-3 formation.
All the statistics have been derived from squawka.com
Goalkeeper- David De Gea (Manchester United)
The Manchester United goalkeeper came close to joining Real Madrid back in 2015 only to be denied by some faulty fax machine. Since then, the Spaniard has established himself as arguably the best goalkeeper in the world.
Also read: Top 10 clubs with the biggest wage-bills in European football
The Spanish No. 1 is in sublime form this season. He currently leads the charts for clean sheets in the Premier League for the 2017/18 season at 15. The Spaniard has an average success of more than 89% and produces about four saves per goal in 2017/18.
"De Gea to Real Madrid" hot topic every time the summer transfer window opens. Reports in Spain also suggest that a £100 million deal is being struck out to lure the 27-year-old to the Spanish capital.
The deal could finally face a breakthrough this summer.
Defenders
Right-Back: Thomas Meunier (PSG)
Thomas Meunier is regarded to be among the best full-backs in the business at the moment. However, the player has been struggling for proper game time at PSG.
He has been a back-up to Dani Alves in the PSG squad and could be up for a move this summer. The Belgian has impressed with the club and country and demands more credit for his performances.
Meunier has made only ten starts for PSG in the league so far, this season. He has a passing accuracy of 85% and created ten chances in 14 Ligue 1 appearances this season.
Reports have surfaced which link him with a move away from the Parc des Princes as Manchester United, Juventus and Real Madrid to be interested in the player.
Centre-back: Toby Alderweireld
Widely regarded as one of the best center-backs in the world, the Spurs man is on the target of Europe's elites this summer. The player takes as much as five defensive actions per game in the league and has a passing accuracy of 86% in 2017/18.
Recently, the defender was reported to be unhappy at the London club and demanded a pay-hike with immediate effect.
However, Spurs have often been criticised for their stringent pay-structure. The Belgian would enter the last year of his contract at the end of 2017/18 season.
Reports in England link the player with a potential move to rival clubs- Chelsea or Manchester United in the summer.
Centre-back: Leonardo Bonucci
After a successful spell with Juventus, Bonucci secured a shocking move to AC Milan in 2017 even though some big clubs were looking for the defender.
The Italian regretted the decision within a few months after the club's terrible run of form. Bonucci is clearly among the top three centre-backs in the game at present.
In 2017/18, the defender has an average duel winning rate of 48% and took six defensive actions per game, domestically.
The 30-year-old is eyeing an exit from San Siro in the upcoming transfer window. The defender would certainly find takers given his abilities.
Chelsea and Real Madrid have already been reported plotting a move for the player in the summer.
Left-Back: Alex Sandro (Juventus)
Alex Sandro, the Juventus left-back was heavily linked with a move to Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2017. However, the deal could not get any breakthrough then.
Chelsea boss, Antonio Conte is understood to be a long admirer of the Brazilian full-back. The 27-year-old is a sublime dribbler and crosser of the ball. Defensively, the player is equally effective as his tackling and positioning make him the man to beat.
The defender has a passing accuracy of 86% and has created 20 goal scoring chances for the team in 17 league appearances this season.
Sandro is a highly rated player in Serie A and considered to be the ideal player to have in the team. Juventus have slapped a price-tag of close to £52 million on the player.
Manchester United and Chelsea are understood to be interested in the player ahead of the summer.
Midfielders
Jorginho (Napoli)
Jorginho is a name that might need some introduction at the moment.
The Italian midfielder is a sublime passer of the ball. He possesses the ability to bypass the opposition with his pin-point balls over the top. From the base of midfield, the player has scored four and provided for another four goals this season.
His passing accuracy stands at 89% in 2017/18 while he created 32 chances for his team in 23 Serie A appearances.
The 26-year-old is believed to be high on demands for Jose Mourinho this summer. The player's agent has himself admitted that his client's future is not certain at Napoli.
An offer to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world would not be easy to decline for the player.
Sergej Milinković-Savić (Lazio)
Savic was another name not heard of till the 2017/18 season kicked off. This season has seen the player evolve massively in Italy.
The Serbian is a versatile player capable of being deployed any role in the attacking or defensive midfield. He has 11 goals and six assists for the club in 33 appearances this season so far.
The midfileder has created 36 chances while boasting an average pass length of 17 meters this season. His agent has confirmed the interest of Real Madrid, Manchester United and Liverpool in the player.
Savic, 23, has a long playing career lying ahead of him. He would be a great player to bank on for the big clubs.
Matteo Kovacic (Real Madrid)
Mateo Kovacic is a name that has been regularly featured among the Real Madrid substitutes. Real had signed Kovacic from Inter Milan in 2015. The 23-year-old is seen as one of the most talented midfielders in the game.
The Croation is known for his brilliance on the ball. His ability to pick the ball up deep and push the opponent with his sprints is note-worthy. Kovacic has managed just 17 appearances for the Los Blancos this season.
He has a passing accuracy of 94% this season in Spain. His average duel winning rate is impressive at 63% so far.
Reports have linked him with a move away from Spain with Inter Milan and Manchester United claimed to be interested parties.
Forwards
Right-Wing: Gareth Bale (Real Madrid)
Real Madrid signed Gareth Bale from Spurs back in 2013 for then, a world record fee of £86 million. After impressing in his first season with the Los Blancos, the Welshman began struggling with injuries.
Bale, despite the lack of fitness, was trusted by the Real Madrid hierarchy. When fit, Bale is an absolute nightmare for the defenders.
In his limited game time, Bale has a passing accuracy of 81% where he has created 26 chances and netted seven times in the league this season.
However, Real appear to be losing patience with the 28-year-old lately. Mourinho has publicly expressed his desire to sign the Welsh forward. Reports suggest that Bale could be a makeweight in any possible deal for United goalkeeper De Gea.
The winger could finally on his way out of the Spanish capital this summer.
Centre-Forward: Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
The England international is easily the hottest property in Europe at the moment. His consistency over the years reflects in his tremendous goalscoring record.
Harry Kane would surely be on the radar of all the European heavyweights who are looking for a top quality striker.
Kane has netted 35 times in 36 appearances in all competitions. His minute-per-goal ratio is a staggering 86. He has a shooting accuracy of 56% and boasts one of the best conversion rates in Europe.
Daniel Levy would be highly reluctant to sell Kane who is currently having a joyous spell in London and scores goals as per his will. Although, anything close to £300 million can force Spurs into selling the player.
Spurs have a tough job at hand in holding the player up with the elites interested in him.
Left-Wing: Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
Real Madrid's interest in Eden Hazard is no secret. Los Blancos have admired the player for the past few seasons and could be up for the player's signatures this summer.
This summer could finally be the one where a lucrative move is finalised given Ronaldo's struggles at the top level in recent months.
Sure, he's flourished in terms of goals in the Champions League - but that's precisely it, and British news outlet the Express believes the La Liga giants have already sealed a move in principle for Hazard.
Hazard has 15 goals and 11 assists in his 38 appearances for the Londoners this season. His passing accuracy in the league stands at 83% for this season while he has won 74% duels.
Hazard is clearly stalling his contract negotiations with Chelsea till now. Maybe the player is eyeing a summer move to the Spanish capital.
