Transfer dramas we expect to see in the 2024 summer transfer window

The 2024 summer transfer window circus is about to arrive in town in just a couple of months.

The global transfer market is expected to soar this summer as Europe’s top teams resume their frantic shopping sprees, following an especially tough January window of frugal spending.

Although there are already a lot of rumours circulating about possible summer moves, transfers these days are rarely simple affairs with intense and visible competition for the world’s most talented players.

Let’s look at the transfer sagas that we expect to unfold this summer.

Mohamed Salah

Even though Mohamed Salah has once again performed at an incredible level for Liverpool, his future there is still pretty unclear. The Reds are keen to keep their 31-year-old star at Anfield, but negotiations for a new contract have not yet come to a firm conclusion. His current contract is scheduled to end in 2025.

Undoubtedly, Saudi Arabian teams will be vying to sign the striker and were prepared to pay between £150 and £200 million for him during last year’s summer transfer window. The Saudi Pro League will return for Salah in the upcoming transfer window, even though Liverpool resisted the impulse to cash in on him.

Victor Osimhen

It may take a while for teams to compete for the signature of the 2023 African Footballer of the Year because his contract is probably worth well over £100 million.

After moving to Napoli in 2020, Victor Osimhen has been nothing short of extraordinary. He even led the team to its first Serie A championship in more than thirty years the previous season. Though his relationship with his club is far from ideal, the Nigerian striker has been unwavering in front of the goal.

Osimhen is expected to depart Napoli this summer, according to club president Aurelio De Laurentiis, and there is speculation that he will end up in the Premier League. Several teams, including Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, are rumoured to be interested in the 25-year-old, with Chelsea being among them.

Joao Palhinha

In an attempt to finish his physical, conduct his first media appearances, and snap pictures in the club uniform, Joao Palhinha travelled to Bavaria last summer in a desperate attempt to sign with Bayern, only to have his move fall through on deadline day.

Because of his unsuccessful move, the Portuguese international will have to make do with another season at Fulham. January’s interest in the defensive midfielder did not result in a formal offer. Bayern’s level of interest in signing the 28-year-old has remained questionable, but we predict that he will have many suitors this summer.

Lucas Paqueta

Last summer, Lucas Paqueta was on the verge of signing an £80 million contract with Manchester City, but it fell through.

The Citzyens are prepared to make a move for the 26-year-old this summer because they are not yet prepared to give up on the gifted attacking midfielder from West Ham United. This might go back and forth since the Irons showed they are capable of tough negotiations when they sold Declan Rice for £105 million.

Frenkie de Jong

These days, it is uncommon for a transfer window to go by without talk about Frenkie de Jong leaving Barcelona, even if the Dutchman keeps insisting he is happy in Catalonia. Nevertheless, despite the midfield player’s annoyance at the constant speculation about his future, connections to the Premier League continue.

Manchester United is rumoured to be a long-term target, and Ten Hag is eager to collaborate with De Jong once more following their successful time together at Ajax. But Chelsea is also considering bringing in the 26-year-old, another high-profile addition to their midfield this summer.

Ivan Toney

It was no different last January from previous years when Ivan Toney informed rival teams of his availability. As he tries to advance in his career, the Brentford striker has openly toyed with leaving for west London.

Toney has not wasted any time in getting back to his goal-scoring ways since serving a protracted gambling suspension at the start of 2024. His outstanding performances have made him a valuable asset.

His departure this summer may be impossible due to a possible £100 million price tag, despite links between Arsenal and Chelsea—two teams looking for more conventional number nines—being established.

Jadon Sancho

Following his public dispute with Erik ten Hag, the manager of Manchester United, Jadon Sancho, an English winger who has found it difficult to establish himself at Old Trafford, returned to Borussia Dortmund on loan in January.

Sancho’s future will be uncertain once more this summer since his loan agreement supposedly contains no clause for Dortmund to sign him permanently. Though it’s unclear if the Red Devils are just trying to hold onto him until the next window opens, his time in Manchester appears to be running out.

If Manchester United decides to sell Sancho, how much of the £72 million they invested will they be able to recover?

Alphonso Davies

Though Alphonso Davies has been one of the better players for the lacklustre Bundesliga winners this season, the Canadian left-back could not be wearing a Bayern jersey for very long.

Spanish powerhouses Real Madrid and Barcelona are keeping a close eye on Davies, but the 23-year-old is probably more drawn to the idea of playing in the Spanish capital with players like Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, and most possibly Mbappe.

Joshua Kimmich

Joshua Kimmich has been a member of Bayern Munich for more than nine years, but he may be leaving the Allianz Arena this summer. With several teams interested in the German midfielder, the 29-year-old is still a very gifted player despite some criticism of his recent performances.

Champions League winner Kimmich is well-liked by Barcelona, too, although the Spanish team could probably only afford to sign him when his Bayern contract expires in 2025. World champions Manchester City are among those predicted to woo Kimmich in the summer window.