From Kylian Mbappe’s dream transfer to Real Madrid to Mikel Merino’s highly anticipated switch to Arsenal, we have witnessed some mega transfers since the summer transfer window opened on June 14. Most big clubs have done their business in the last two-and-a-half months, but we are confident that the action is not over yet.
August 30 marks the summer transfer deadline day for most major European leagues. As always, there will be a lot of movement in those final hours, with some big names finally taking the leap after thinking things over throughout the summer.
In today’s list, we will take a look at five players who could switch clubs before deadline day and line up for new clubs in September. Let’s begin!
#5 Ivan Toney – Brentford
Brentford has spent the whole summer looking for suitors for star forward Ivan Toney. After pushing hard to sign in the winter transfer window, Arsenal was seen as the favorite to land the striker. However, Mikel Arteta has not shown the same urgency this summer, suggesting the Spaniard is likely to rely on Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz to produce the goods in front of goal.
According to reports, Arsenal’s local rivals Chelsea have announced themselves as potential suitors. The Blues want to sign a striker, and Toney, who has scored 36 goals in 83 Premier League games, is one of the players they admire. The Pensioners, however, are not the only team in the running, with Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli also lodging their interest. The Bees are reportedly happy to let the 28-year-old go for a mere £40 million ($52.91 million) fee this summer.
#4 Jadon Sancho – Manchester United
Jadon Sancho and Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag were on terrible terms last year, with the forward publicly calling his coach a liar after he dropped him from the squad for a Premier League bout with Arsenal. Sancho spent the second half of the 2023-24 season on loan at Borussia Dortmund, where he caught everyone’s eye with his performances, helping the German outfit to the UEFA Champions League final. Sancho returned to United after his loan and has since reconciled with Ten Hag. However, according to reports, he is unlikely to continue at Old Trafford.
After signing Leny Yoro, Joshua Zirkzee, Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, and Manuel Ugarte, Manchester United are looking to offload some of their non-essential players, including Sancho. Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, and Chelsea have all been linked with a move. However, agreeing terms with the £250,000-a-week ($330,700-a-week) player is proving to be difficult.
#3 Federico Chiesa – Juventus
New Juventus manager Thiago Motta is determined to build the club from the ground up. And to do so, he is prepared to make some hard calls, ship off players who were once integral to the Juventus project. Unfortunately for Federico Chiesa, he is on the list of players deemed surplus, and he must find a new club before the transfer window closes on August 30.
Initially, Barcelona emerged as the frontrunner in the race for Chiesa. But the situation has changed since Liverpool entered the hunt. According to reports, the Reds have made contact with the club and the player’s camp, and the Italian is excited to move to the Premier League. It will be interesting to see if the Merseysiders can reach an agreement with the Old Lady in the final days of the transfer window.
#2 Raheem Sterling – Chelsea
Another victim of a managerial switch, Raheem Sterling is on Chelsea’s transfer list for the 2024-25 summer transfer window. New Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has communicated to the 29-year-old that he does not have a place for a winger of his skillset, warning he will struggle for minutes if he chooses to stay at Stamford Bridge. Naturally, Sterling does not want to jeopardize his career by staying in West London and is actively looking for opportunities.
Sterling still has around three years left on his £300,000-a-week ($397,000-a-week) deal with Chelsea. He is unlikely to find a club in Europe that is prepared to give him such a huge salary. Although Chelsea wants a permanent sale, only a loan deal, with shared salary, seems likely at this point.
#1 Victor Osimhen – Napoli
Easily the most sought-after striker available for sale, Victor Osimhen is almost guaranteed to leave Napoli in the summer transfer window. However, his destination still seems unclear. Initially, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) reached an agreement with Napoli over Osimhen’s transfer, but the club could not agree personal terms with him. Arsenal were also seemingly in the running, but they have since cooled their interest. As things stand, Chelsea and Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli are the two clubs vying for his services.
Al-Ahli reportedly has an agreement with Napoli, but Osimhen’s agent has suggested his client does not want to move to Saudi Arabia. Stamford Bridge, meanwhile, is an enticing destination for Osimhen, but the London club is not in a position to trigger the Nigerian’s £113 million ($149.47 million) release clause. It will be interesting to see if Chelsea can find a creative solution to sign Osimhen before deadline day.
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