One of the transfer sagas of the summer rumbles on as Juventus look to try and offload Paulo Dybala, a player who was seen, until recently, as one of the best players at the club. The most crucial change since then has been the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo. After dominating Italian football, Juventus have increasingly been turning their attention to trying to win the Champions League for the first time since 1995/96. Ronaldo was seen as a clear statement of intent as the Portuguese international has had repeated success in the competition, winning it 5 times with two different clubs.
With Kieran Trippier recently leaving for Atletico Madrid and Tottenham looking to refresh an aging squad, the next in the firing line seems to be Danny Rose. After 12 years in North London and almost 200 appearances racked up, the left back has been left out of the Spurs squad for their pre-season tour of Asia, which has only intensified the rumours.
After a breakout season for Villarreal, in which he helped them to avoid relegation and finish in 14th place with 7 goals and 2 assists in 24 La Liga appearances, Samuel Chukwueze seems to be attracting a lot of attention from other European clubs. Aiding this interest is the fact that at just 20 years old he has already been crowned Nigerian young player of the year back in 2018 and is already getting regular game time for the Nigerian national team.
After winning the U21 European championship with Spain and being named in UEFA’s team of the tournament, Dani Ceballos now faces the prospect of moving to a new club in his search for increased playing time. Despite him playing 23 times and scoring three goals for Los Blancos, Zidane still isn’t keen on the 22 year old midfielder. So what are the centre midfielder’s potential destinations?
Nicolas Pepe is one of the most wanted players in Europe after a brilliant season with Lille which saw him rack up 22 goals and 11 assists to help them finish second in Ligue 1, behind the French giants PSG. Although Lille’s chairman does seem resigned to losing the 24-year old, his contract isn’t up until 2022 so they are in no hurry to sell even though there are some big European clubs circling.
Another player who has been reportedly identified by Zidane as part of Real Madrid’s upcoming rebuild is Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen. The former Ajax academy graduate has been integral to Pochettino’s side in their run to the Champions League semi-finals and in their pursuit to secure Champions League football for the fourth consecutive season. The path from Tottenham to Real Madrid has been well trodden, with both Luka Modric and Gareth Bale making the move in recent years. With the Danish playmaker expected to follow in their footsteps this Summer, how much is he really worth?
With a transfer ban looming over the Blue side of London, speculation regarding Eden Hazard continues to intensify as the 18/19 season draws to an end. Maurizio Sarri is surely reluctant to let the talismanic Belgian leave the club but with Christian Pulisic arriving in the summer and Callum Hudson-Odoi desperate for first team football, is it time for Chelsea to move on from their star man?
Fernandinho has proven to be one of Manchester City’s most influential players during Guardiola’s reign in Manchester. Much has been made of the lack of a capable understudy for the Brazilian, with Ilkay Gundogan, John Stones and Fabian Delph all tasked with filling in for Fernandinho whilst he has been unavailable this season; none of these whom are natural holding midfielders.
Philippe Coutinho’s dream move to Barcelona was heralded as part of a new era at the team, with both individual and team rewards expected. As three quarters of his first full season have been completed, Coutinho has been hit and miss; underwhelming in the domestic league but showing his quality in the Champions League. Is time already up for the Brazilian in Barcelona?
This summer may see the end of the curious case of Alexis Sanchez. Hailed as a coup for Man United, having been snatched from under the noses of Pep Guardiola and Man City, Sanchez was expected to repeat the form that saw him praised from all corners of the English game whilst operating within a lacklustre Arsenal squad. That form never materialised and with Ole Gunnar Solskjær likely to be named Man United’s next permanent manager, it seems as though Sanchez will be leaving.