A lot has already happened this summer, but surely a lot more is to come in the transfer market as deadline day approaches. After all, the activity always ramps up in the final weeks thanks to the hei...
A lot has already happened this summer, but surely a lot more is to come in the transfer market as deadline day approaches. After all, the activity always ramps up in the final weeks thanks to the heightened urgency, sagas get resolved, and surprises and flash deals are always just around the corner. Here are some of the biggest things we can reasonably expect to occur, although they don’t seem close at the moment.
Inter Will Sign Ademola Lookman
Things have come to an apparent standstill since Atalanta formally rejected a bumper offer. The player has reportedly left Italy altogether. The prospective buyers are waiting for a signal from the counterparty. It’s part of a familiar strategy for La Dea, which doesn’t want to look like a feeder’s team, and for good reasons. It also sends a message to their other players, which is that leaving isn’t that easy and that the team is in charge of the negotiation. Mateo Retegui’s departure was unusually swift only because Al-Qadsiah met the request promptly. It’s easy to argue that, while he’s 27, the rumored figures are below market value for an attacker of his caliber. The Orobici can wait for the entire month, but they aren’t going to reel him in. The only way the transfer to San Siro collapses is if a super-duper foreign club barges into the talks. It is probably what the Bergamaschi officials are hoping for. There are only small traces of that for now, and the star has dug his heels in about the destination.
Milan Will Acquire Dusan Vlahovic
Manchester United purchasing Benjamin Sesko opens the door for Ramus Hojlund and/or Joshua Zirkzee’s exit(s). The Rossoneri have quickly inquired about the former. The Red Devils don’t oppose a loan with an option to buy, Gianluca Di Marzio reports. Instead, the center-forward isn’t in a rush to leave Old Trafford, but there’s time to talk him into it. The same goes for the Serb, who’s the biggest thorn in Juventus’ side on the transfer market. So far, he’s provided an opening only toward a reunion with Massimiliano Allegri. The two sides can address each other’s needs, both technical and financial, through a late swap if nothing more convenient comes around. The Old Lady could certainly use Alexis Saelemaekers or Strahinja Pavlovic, but they might settle for a pair of deputies. They aren’t terribly deep in any role. Still, the fee wouldn’t be an obstacle even in a straight acquisition, while his personal terms indeed are. While it’s true that he’s due to pocket €12M next year, it’s because of a €4M bonus that the Bianconeri will most likely have to pay regardless of whether he’s still with them, while the net salary is €8M. It’s still high for other teams’ standards, but not absurdly so.
Antonio Conte Will Raise the Temperature Concerning the Transfer Market
Napoli have had a strong summer, making their squad more equipped to deal with multiple competitions through quality additions, even though some negotiations have taken longer than expected given their supposed firepower. On the other hand, they haven’t secured all their targets. They haven’t pivoted toward other top-notch wingers after Dan Ndoye moved elsewhere. Considering the gargantuan Victor Osimhen deal, their spending doesn’t look all that impressive and isn’t as lavish as they trumpeted when they convinced the boss to stick around amid Juventus’ courtship. It won’t be anything traumatic or earth-shattering, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the coach needled the higher-ups on the matter in an interview or a press conference while there’s still time to make more deals.
Federico Chiesa Will Return to Serie A
It’s been mostly radio-silent for the Italian winger so far, even though he’s reportedly very available and eager to transfer. Perhaps clubs are waiting for him to become even more of a bargain, or maybe his demands are a tad too rich for most Italian outfits. Still, with the World Cup hopefully around the corner, he needs to get out of Anfield to resume featuring consistently. He’s too young to be washed and afterthought already. He would fit nicely on several sides.
Parma Will Sell Giovanni Leoni
They have every reason in the world to keep an 18-year-old whose trajectory is crystal clear and whose ceiling is immense, considering his physical skills and the poise and reliability he has already shown. On the other hand, in addition to obviously wanting to keep enjoying a young stud, teams generally hold out on selling a youngster on the transfer market to get larger offers in the future. Even though this feels like one of the safest bets possible, if the Ducali can pocket €35/40 million this summer, that’s more than satisfying already. If the proposals reach that magnitude, they shouldn’t take the risk of something odd happening. A bidding war would facilitate it since some top English teams are in the mix. The caveat is that the player and his camp aren’t pushing to leave and are aiming for a destination where he’d have a starring role, which is where things might get tricky, as good as he is already.
Category: General Sports
