This summer has already seen some big transfers, including Casemiro’s arrival at Manchester United and his expensive replacement Aurelien Tchouameni to Real Madrid, the sale of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko from Man City to Arsenal and Darwin Nunez from Liverpool....CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
The Premier League has been by far the biggest spending league this summer, as the English football league looks to confirm its dominance over the rest of the European football landscape.
Although many deals have already been done, many are still unfinished as the window draws to a close.
In this article, we present a list of the most talked-about transfers that could happen before the transfer window closes on September 1.
The top 10 possible transfers before the summer transfer window closes in 2022:
1. Cristiano Ronaldo leaving Man United
The biggest deals involve the biggest players and there is no bigger name in the current football world than Cristiano Ronaldo.
His current position at Manchester United is uncertain, as Ronaldo is expected to leave the club before the deadline. However, he needs to find a willing client, which is a big issue considering his high wages and even bigger personality.
There are links to Atletico Madrid, but it is unclear whether Diego Simeone can convince the club’s management and fans that it is a good idea to take Ronaldo back to the Spanish top flight to play for a former rival.
2. Frenkie de Jong leaving Barcelona – Man United or Chelsea?
Frenkie de Jong at Barcelona has been a long drawn out story all summer, as Manchester United continue to chase the Dutch midfielder and Barcelona continue to play hard.
Barcelona are in a deep financial hole and after two games have still not managed to sign new signing Jules Kounde in La Liga. They need player departures to increase capital and free up space on the payroll for Kounde and possible other arrivals.
De Jong appears to be an outcast at Barcelona, as he struggled in his first La Liga appearance against Real Sociedad on 21 August, when he was deployed at number 6 in place of the suspended Sergio Busquets.
Despite this, he is said to be steadfast in his desire to fight for a place at the club, although Barcelona have taken legal action to revise his contract in the hope of gaining more financial space.
Will Manchester United finally persuade the Dutchman to sign a contract? Or will Chelsea intervene and bring about a turnaround? Or will De Jong stay at Barcelona and fight for a place in Xavi’s long-term plans? It is still very unclear how the matter will end.
3. Antony to Manchester United
Another player Man United have been chasing throughout the transfer window is Brazilian winger Antony, who plays for Ajax in the Eredivisie.
The Red Devils have reportedly had a number of bids rejected and the Dutch club are hoping to break their own record in terms of transfer fee for departures.
United were linked with a cheap loan deal for US international striker Christian Pulisic, but on 22 August a report was published that United had ended their interest in the Chelsea player in order to focus entirely on bringing Antony to Old Trafford.
According to Sky Sports, Man United are preparing a further improved bid for Antony, which will go beyond the €80 million offer they previously rejected. However, Antony has been removed from the Ajax squad while talks continue.
4. Cody Gakpo to Man United
Another wide player United are said to be interested in is PSV’s Cody Gakpo. The 23-year-old was a key part of the club’s path to the Eredivisie title last season, finishing only behind Ajax.
Gakpo was linked with Arsenal for most of the last transfer window, but recently Man United seem to have become the team most interested in the Dutch footballer’s services. However, they need to get PSV’s approval to complete the deal, as Gakpo’s contract runs until the summer of 2026, giving the Dutch club every opportunity to make a move.
According to Dutch journalist Rik Elfrink of PSV, the club has valued Gakpo at £42.2 million (€50 million/$49.7 million), which means that United’s latest bid of £34 million is too low and must be changed.
5. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Chelsea
With Barcelona still having financial problems in recent years, striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang may be an unnecessary part of the squad.
Last summer, Robert Lewandowski arrived and forced Aubameyang into a reserve spot up front.
Since Aubameyang was in good form in the second half of last season, but he is also 33 years old, Barcelona may act now to save some transfer value and get rid of his wages.
According to Sky Sports and other reports, Chelsea are in “advanced talks” to sign Aubameyang, with a contract of between £15 and £25 million reportedly close to being agreed.
6. Memphis Depay against Juventus
Another striker from Barcelona who could move is Memphis Depay.
The Dutchman was instrumental in the first half of last season and provided the Blaugrana with a solid presence up front while the rest of the squad was out of balance. Depay finished the campaign as the club’s top scorer in La Liga.
Since then, however, he has been relegated to a lower tier of the competition, where Aubameyang and Lewandowski are now the preferred options, so Depay must find a new home.
Italian journalist Gianluca di Marzio reports that Juventus are pushing for a deal for Depay and that the clubs are currently working on the details.
Di Marzio told Sky Sports Italia, as reported by Italian newspaper Tuttomercatoweb, that more will be known in the coming days.
7. Anthony Gordon to Chelsea
The Blues appear to be interested in several players, including Everton’s young winger Anthony Gordon.
Toffees manager Frank Lampard has openly stated that he wants to keep the 21-year-old, but is aware that it may be impossible.
As Chelsea look for reinforcements in attack, Gordon could be an option, although the price tag would be high.
According to multiple reports, Chelsea have rejected another bid for Gordon, which is expected to be £45 million. It is unclear if they will return with another, although it could depend on other deals like Aubameyang.
8. Sergino Dest wants to leave Barcelona
One of the players completely excluded from the Barcelona squad is the American winger Sergino Dest.
The 21-year-old is the only natural right-back in the team and Ronald Araujo has tried to fill in on the wide flank, but Xavi is sticking to his line and leaving Dest out in the cold.
Dest has been linked with Man United for a while, but it looks like he will have a lot of work to do before the deadline to find a new club.
According to Spanish newspaper Sport, Barcelona are said to be offering Dest in exchange as part of bids for other wing-backs.
But the report also says that Desta’s representatives have informed Barcelona that they will not sign any contract and that the player wants to stay and fight for his place. This could lead to a disagreement.
9. Wesley Fofana to Chelsea
The Blues have left a number of defensive players this summer and reinforcements are needed. Kalidou Koulibaly has joined, but Thomas Tuchel wants more.
One of them is Wesley Fofana from Leicester City. The Foxes were desperate to keep the 21-year-old France youth international, but it looks increasingly likely that he will leave the club, and for a large sum.
According to reports, Fofana has made it clear to the club that he wants to leave and that he is disappointed with the price the club has demanded.
The defender was left completely out of the squad in the defeat to Southampton in the third week of the competition, suggesting that the club may be willing to give in to the sale.
10. Youri Tielemans to Arsenal
Another Leicester City player who could leave the King Power Stadium is midfielder Youri Tielemans.
The Belgian has developed into a strong player during his time in the Foxes and top clubs have started to turn their eyes towards him.
Arsenal are the club most associated with Tielemans’ move and, like Fofana, he was not in Leicester City’s squad for the Southampton game.
According to Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Arsenal are expected to make a new bid for Tielemans in the coming days. If that doesn’t work out, Sandro Tonali could be moved.
