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The summer transfer window of 2017 overhauled the way the football transfer market was run thanks to the transfer of Neymar to PSG. His transfer didn’t just break the previous transfer record held by Paul Pogba (£89 million), it blew the previous record out of the water!
Neymar’s transfer was followed by other big moves like the ones of Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Philippe Coutinho, although Mbappe’s fee will be paid this summer and Coutinho’s move happened during the winter transfer window.
The repercussions of Neymar’s transfer will affect all major transfers that will happen this summer and there will be some major transfers happening.
The rumour mill has been throwing around big names like Nabil Fekir, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Ousmane Dembele and Jorginho already. However, the transfers of these stars could be overshadowed by the transfers of some of the game’s biggest superstars!
Yes, if these five superstars make a move in the summer, then a lot of money could be involved and a lot of records will be rewritten.
#5 Robert Lewandowski
Robert Lewandowski has scored 254 goals in 382 games since moving to Borussia Dortmund in 2010 and that’s a record very few players can match or better.
The Pole moved to Bayern Munich in 2014 with the aim of winning the UEFA Champions League but the Bavarian club has failed to get past the semifinal stage since winning the tournament in 2013.
Now 29, Lewandowski knows that he has very few years left at the pinnacle of the football world and this could explain his now well-known desire to leave Bayern Munich.
The Pole turns 30 in August and has been strongly linked with a move to Real Madrid in the summer. However, a move to Real Madrid hinges on Real Madrid’s ability to sell some of their own superstars as it is very difficult to find suitors for some of the game’s biggest stars because only a few clubs can afford their wages.
In addition, Bayern will also need to find a replacement for Lewandowski and it is likely that Timo Werner of RB Leipzig will be the man to do that job.
Lewandowski’s agent, Pini Zahavi, added fuel to the fire by saying:
"Robert feels that he needs a change and a new challenge in his career"
#4 Antoine Griezmann
Now 27, the only major trophy Antoine Griezmann has won so far was the Europa League he won with Atletico Madrid this season. Considering this, it makes sense for Griezmann to make a move now and win as many trophies as he can when he is still wanted by some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
The Atletico Madrid forward is all set to lead the attack of a fantastic France team at the World Cup but he made it clear that his club future will be sorted before the World Cup and this could help him focus on the World Cup completely.
Following France’s 3-1 win over Italy in which Griezmann scored, he was asked about his future at Atletico Madrid, to which he responded - “Yes, things will be determined before the World Cup.”
Griezmann was linked with a move to Manchester United last summer but the Premier League club signed Romelu Lukaku instead. He is now rumoured to be a priority target for Barcelona and that the Catalan club will reportedly meet his €100 million buyout clause.
If Barcelona sign Griezmann, then the future of players like Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele could also be affected.
#3 Gareth Bale
Gareth Bale’s Real Madrid career has been bittersweet. He scored the eventual winners in the final of the UEFA Champions League and Copa del Rey in his debut season but has struggled with injuries in recent seasons.
After the arrival of Zinedine Zidane, Bale was often left on the bench even when he was available for selection and so was the case in the final of this season’s Champions League. However, he came off the bench to score a spectacular goal to give Real Madrid the lead and scored another to seal the win.
After his man of the match display in the final, Bale made some big comments about his future.
"I want to enjoy this moment first, then rest over the summer and I'm sure we'll sit down at the table and see what's for the best,'' Bale said.
"For me personally, I feel like I should be playing week in, week out and I haven't been."
"I've been doing well, scoring goals, but I haven't been playing as much as I would like so, as I said, I am going to have to sit down over the summer and seriously consider what we do next.''
The Welshman has been strongly linked with a return to the Premier League but the rumoured destination is not Tottenham Hotspur, it is Manchester United.
However, with Zidane no longer at the helm, one cannot rule out the possibility of Bale staying in Spain.
#2 Neymar
A year ago, Neymar made headlines with his move to PSG. However, just months after he joined the club, he was linked with a move to Real Madrid.
Real Madrid have not made a major signing since the arrival of Gareth Bale in 2013 and they are probably the only club on the planet that can afford to buy Neymar at the moment.
This will be a very complicated move if it will happen because Real Madrid will clearly have to pay more than what PSG paid for the player a year ago. Meaning, Real Madrid will have to break the record transfer fee once again.
In addition, if Neymar does sign for the defending European Champions, then the club will also have to sell a few of their prized assets to balance the books and one such player who could be sacrificed is Gareth Bale.
PSG President, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, was confident Neymar will stay following the club’s Round of 16 exit at the hands of Real Madrid.
"Who has said Neymar will not be staying? Has somebody said that? Nobody. Neymar has a contract with us -- he will 2,000 percent be here next season. I am sure. Neymar wants to stay.”
He reaffirmed Neymar's desire to stay last month with the following comments:
"Neymar is tired of these rumors about his future. His father told me that his future is in Paris. It is the Spanish media that says [Neymar will go to Madrid]. If you believe them, that's worse for you."
However, this is Real Madrid and Neymar we are talking about, so you cannot rule out a transfer this summer.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo
Every summer, there are rumours linking Cristiano Ronaldo to Manchester United but the Portuguese superstar has remained at Real Madrid every single time and banged in goals.
This season, despite winning the Champions League and scoring 15 goals in the tournament, Ronaldo has clearly not hit the heights he hit in the previous seasons.
Now 33, it might finally be time for Real Madrid to consider a future without their talisman who has scored an unbelievable 450 goals in 438 games for the club!
Following the Champions League final, Ronaldo made comments which hinted that his future could be elsewhere by saying "It was beautiful to be at Real Madrid."
Ronaldo was criticized for the timing of his comments and because of which, he made further comments which cement his desire to leave the club.
"I spoke when I shouldn't have done but something is going to happen. It wasn't the right time, but I was honest," said Ronaldo.
"In a week I'll say something because the fans have always supported me and are in my heart. I don't speak much, but when I speak, I speak.
"Obviously I have something to say, but it wasn't the right time, although I don't regret it, because I was honest. I've kept putting up with this but then I couldn't control myself."
Ronaldo has a release clause of €1 billion meaning any club that wants to buy him will have a tough time negotiating with Real Madrid.
Which of these superstars do you think will be on the move this summer? Tell us in the comments below!
