Who Could Be Moving in the Summer Transfer Window?
by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath
We have already seen several marquee signings made this summer, with the likes of Kylian Mbappe making the switch to Real Madrid and Douglas Luiz heading to Serie A to join Juventus. However, there is still plenty of business to be done and we’ve picked out a few player moves that we feel are likely to get over the line before the transfer deadline.
De Ligt to light up Old Trafford?
Now under the ownership of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Manchester United have embarked on a massive overhaul this summer. The Red Devils have already parted ways with seven players on free transfers, while several more are expected to be sold in the coming weeks to raise funds for new arrivals.
Man United have already secured their first signing of the transfer window in Joshua Zirkzee and are now turning their sights to his Dutch compatriot Matthijs de Ligt. Raphael Varane left Old Trafford at the end of last season and the Red Devils are in desperate need of defensive reinforcements after Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Jonny Evans all spent time on the sidelines with injuries last season.
De Ligt has fallen in the pecking order at the Allianz Arena with the arrivals of Kim-min Jae and Eric Dier, and the Dutchman is reportedly looking for a move away from Bavaria in search of regular playing time this summer. United are believed to have opened discussions over a move for the 24-year-old and are long-time admirers of him having tried to sign him back in 2021.
This looks like a win-win for both parties if a deal can be agreed, but with three years remaining on his contract with the Bundesliga giants, De Ligt will not come cheap. You can follow all of Manchester United’s games and results on our Premier League Livescore page once the season kicks off on August 16.
Amadou Onana set to become a Villan?
After an excellent 2023-24 league campaign, during which they secured Champions League qualification for the first time since 1983, Aston Villa are expected to bolster their squad ahead of a busy season and have their eyes on Everton’s Amadou Onana.
The Villans bid adieu to the highly sought-after Douglas Luiz for around £50m to Juventus at the start of July, leaving them with a massive hole to plug in the middle of the park. Onana only arrived at Goodison Park from Lille in 2022 but is already considered one of the Premier League’s top defensive midfielders and there are talks of Unai Emery’s side lining up an offer for the talented Belgian.
Given the issues that Everton endured around PSR breaches last season, a cash deal for Onana could prove to be extremely useful for the Toffees ahead of the new campaign. Check out all the pre-season Premier League odds live right here on SportyTrader.
Julian Alvarez to swap Blues?
World Cup and Copa America champion Julian Alvarez shocked Manchester City fans in July by asking to leave the Etihad Stadium this summer after turning down a reported four-year contract.
Despite scoring 36 goals and providing 18 assists in just 103 appearances for the reigning Premier League champions, the Argentine continues to play second fiddle to Erling Haaland and is believed to be looking for a move away from Manchester in search of regular game time.
Alvarez’s record for the Sky Blues over the last two seasons will likely mean that he will have no shortage of suitors this summer and it is the Blues from West London who are showing the most interest in taking him to Stamford Bridge. Take a look at our experts' Premier League predictions about Man City and Chelsea’s chances this season below.
European giants gunning for Nketiah?
Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah has been the subject of transfer speculation for several seasons now but this could be the window that he finally exits the Emirates Stadium with several clubs showing interest in signing the talented attacker.
Nketiah had a fairly poor season for Mikel Arteta’s side in 2023-24, scoring just six goals in over 30 appearances, most of which came as a substitute. The 25-year-old is also likely to remain behind Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus in the pecking order for the next campaign.
Among those linked with a move for Nketiah is Ligue 1 outfit Marseille, while the Gunners are widely rumoured to have prioritised signing a new centre-forward this summer with Viktor Gyokeres emerging as one of their primary targets.
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Greenwood to rebuild career outside England?
Mason Greenwood has not featured for Manchester United since he was arrested in 2022, and while all the charges brought upon him were dropped, the Red Devils still opted to send him on loan to Getafe last season.
Still only 22 years of age, Greenwood has plenty of football ahead of him and impressed onlookers during his time in La Liga where he scored eight goals and provided six assists in 33 appearances last term.
However, it seems that the England international’s future is destined to be away from not only Old Trafford but the Premier League as a whole. Marseille were on the verge of agreeing a deal for the forward but pulled out at the last minute over concerns of backlash from their fans.
