35 stars who will define the summer transfer window

With the Champions League final closing the book on the 2018-19 European club campaign, focus now shifts to the summer transfer window, which promises to feature a bevy of high-profile deals and obscene fees being splashed about.

Here are 35 players who could be on the move in the coming months.

Premier League

Eden Hazard (Chelsea)

This one is all but done. Eden Hazard’s protracted switch to Real Madrid – where he’ll join new signing Luka Jovic – is only missing the signatures. He’s already bid farewell to Chelsea, and it’s just a matter of time now.

Paul Pogba (Manchester United)

The Juventus and Real Madrid rumors aren’t going away. The Red Devils would be wise to keep hold of their best and most explosive midfielder, but an opulent offer could tempt them to sell Paul Pogba.

David De Gea (Manchester United)

An ongoing contract standoff leaves Manchester United in a precarious position. The club can either cash in on the Spaniard this summer and wave goodbye to one of the best ‘keepers on the planet, or hold on to David de Gea and risk watching him leave for free at the end of next season.

Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham)

Toby Alderweireld was the backbone of Tottenham’s excellent campaign. With an ideal blend of strength, positional awareness, and ball-playing ability, the Belgian is the epitome of the modern center-back.

Leroy Sane (Manchester City)

Bayern Munich want to sign Leroy Sane – they’ve admitted as much – but whether a deal actually gets done is another matter. The Manchester City winger with blistering speed is still only 23 years old, and he would cost a “crazy” amount of money.

Mesut Ozil (Arsenal)

A pitiful performance in the Europa League final may have been the last straw for Mesut Ozil at Arsenal. The midfielder, who’s often unfairly maligned for a perceived lack of effort, gave his detractors plenty of ammunition by sleepwalking through the loss to Chelsea. Can anyone stomach his wages, though?

La Liga

Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid)

Antoine Griezmann’s summer transfer is a matter of when, not if. The only question mark is the destination. The Frenchman has confirmed he’s leaving Atletico Madrid, but while many assumed he’ll hop over to Barcelona, that may no longer be a slam dunk.

Gareth Bale (Real Madrid)

Despite helping deliver multiple titles to the Real Madrid faithful – and scoring some of the most memorable goals in club history – Gareth Bale looks set to be sacrificed as part of Los Blancos’ summer rebuild. Madridistas have never truly appreciated the Welshman’s talents.

Philippe Coutinho (Barcelona)

Barcelona paid a small fortune to acquire the tricky Brazilian playmaker from Liverpool, but he’s become a poor tactical fit at the Camp Nou. The club is already looking to ship him off in a bid to recoup some of the reported £142 million (!) it coughed up to get Philippe Coutinho.

Saul Niguez (Atletico Madrid)

The trail has somewhat disappeared of late, but for a long time Saul Niguez was the Atletico Madrid star that every other European powerhouse had its eyes on. Already assured of losing Griezmann and captain Diego Godin, Atleti will surely battle to keep the 24-year-old midfielder.

Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis)

Real Betis look destined to make out like bandits on this one. After plucking the superb Argentine midfielder from Paris Saint-Germain for a modest fee, the Seville club could now flip Giovani Lo Celso to any number of suitors for serious cash.

Carlos Soler (Valencia)

Tottenham have been sniffing around the Mestalla for some time, keeping tabs on the impressive Carlos Soler. The 22-year-old midfielder was pivotal in helping Valencia turn a potentially dreadful season into one that ended with both a Champions League berth and Copa del Rey title.

Serie A

Alex Sandro (Juventus)

Both PSG and Chelsea tried to bring the Brazilian aboard last summer, but it remains to be seen if they’re still interested after a season in which Alex Sandro lacked the explosiveness and attacking impetus of years past.

Paulo Dybala (Juventus)

Coming off the back of a bitterly disappointing campaign, swirling rumors suggest Paulo Dybala isn’t long for Juventus. The Argentine has said he wants to remain with the club, but selling him and repurposing the funds to secure a big-name midfielder is a legitimate option for the Old Lady.

Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli)

Arguably the best central defender in the game right now, Napoli will almost certainly shun any offers for Kalidou Koulibaly that don’t exceed the €100-million mark. The list of clubs that can afford the Senegalese superstar is short.

Mauro Icardi (Inter Milan)

The soap opera that is Mauro Icardi’s relationship with Inter rumbles on. The striker is undoubtedly lethal on the pitch, but after numerous sagas involving everything from contract demands to clashes with fans, perhaps it’s finally time for a move.

Alessio Romagnoli (AC Milan)

In an ideal world, AC Milan wouldn’t even consider selling their young captain. But after the potentially crippling blow of missing out on the Champions League again, financial concerns may dictate the club’s transfer plans.

Nicolo Zaniolo (Roma)

A relative unknown at this time last year, teenage sensation Nicolo Zaniolo turned heads across Europe with a series of spectacular performances, both domestically and on the continent. Roma quickly need to tie him down with a new contract.

Bundesliga

Timo Werner (RB Leipzig)

That Timo Werner hasn’t already left RB Leipzig is a surprise with the hoopla around the young German forward in recent years. He’s no longer the hottest name during the transfer window, but any club that can secure his signature will be ecstatic.

Kai Havertz (Bayer Leverkusen)

Bayer Leverkusen are going to make bank whenever they decide to sell Kai Havertz. The 19-year-old attacking midfielder scored 17 Bundesliga goals this season, and he’s been linked, naturally, to Bayern Munich.

Renato Sanches (Bayern Munich)

The 21-year-old midfielder’s stock has fallen off a cliff since he moved to the Allianz Arena, and the only way to resurrect his career is to get some minutes on the pitch. Bayern Munich may not be the place for that to happen.

Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund)

Manchester United have reportedly taken a step back in their pursuit of the dynamic teenage winger, with Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke categorically ruling out a summer sale of any kind. Next summer, though …

Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich)

Once considered among the best central defenders in the world, Jerome Boateng has been told, in no uncertain terms, that he should leave Bayern Munich in the coming months. The 30-year-old shouldn’t struggle to find a new club.

James Rodriguez (Bayern Munich)

With confirmation that his loan spell in Bavaria is over, James Rodriguez will return to Real Madrid. Where he ends up from there, though, is anyone’s guess. His breakout showing at the 2014 World Cup feels like a lifetime ago.

Ligue 1

Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)

It seems like a foregone conclusion that Kylian Mbappe will end up at Real Madrid eventually, but this summer’s window may be too soon. The all-world French attacker will single-handedly shift the balance of power in world football if – when? – he leaves the French capital.

Tanguy Ndombele (Lyon)

Honestly, Lyon could populate the entire Ligue 1 portion of this list because of the club’s renowned ability to churn out young talent. The gem of their current crop is do-it-all midfielder Tanguy Ndombele, who will command a monstrous transfer fee if he leaves Les Gones.

Thomas Meunier (Paris Saint-Germain)

Manchester United and Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing the Belgian full-back, who saw his role in Paris diminish this season due to the presence of veteran Dani Alves. Entering the final year of his contract, he’ll reportedly cost around €30 million.

Houssem Aouar (Lyon)

While not expected to be as costly as Ndombele, versatile 20-year-old midfielder Houssem Aouar won’t exactly be sold for a pittance, either. Lyon owner Jean-Michel Aulas is a notoriously tough negotiator, so any club interested in Aouar will need to reach deep into its pockets.

Nicolas Pepe (Lille)

Only Mbappe scored more goals in Ligue 1 this season than the 22 that Lille star Nicolas Pepe bagged. When you’re mentioned in the same breath as the French phenom, people take notice. The 24-year-old Ivorian has been linked to clubs in both England and Germany.

Ferland Mendy (Lyon)

Real Madrid are circling Ferland Mendy. Get used to hearing that this summer. With Marcelo aging and Sergio Reguilon looking solid but unspectacular, Mendy, an exciting young left-back, has reportedly been tabbed as the long-term solution.

Elsewhere

Matthijs de Ligt (Ajax)

It was long thought that the Ajax captain would follow teammate and compatriot Frenkie de Jong to Barcelona, but the Blaugrana have reportedly hit a snag in their approach for the commanding 19-year-old center-back. Manchester United and Juventus hope to be the benefactors of Barca’s misfortune.

David Neres (Ajax)

Amid a squad loaded with exciting young talent, David Neres was forced to wait before getting the recognition he deserves. It finally came pouring in after he dominated Real Madrid in the Champions League. The Brazilian winger is now one of the transfer window’s most sought after players.

Hirving Lozano (PSV Eindhoven)

“Chucky,” as he’s affectionately known, continues to bide his time. A host of European superpowers have expressed interest in the Mexican winger, but there’s yet to be a clear indication he’s on the verge of leaving PSV.

Joao Felix (Benfica)

Widely tipped as the future of Portuguese football, 19-year-old prodigy Joao Felix is going to net Benfica an ungodly sum when he’s sold. The two Manchester clubs are said to be in an arms race to acquire his services.

Ruben Dias (Benfica)

Though the constant talk of De Ligt’s future is overshadowing him, Ruben Dias, Benfica’s other prized piece, could emerge as the best young defender to switch clubs this summer.