The new European football season is almost upon us, as fans eagerly anticipate the return of Premier League action, while also assessing the summer transfer market in hopes of their team strengthening before the opening weekend.
The sports betting markets were proved wrong across the continent last season – from Bayern Munich finally being dethroned in the Bundesliga, to Manchester United shocking rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final, it will be interesting to see how things go this time around.
Across every league, there are rumours on the grapevine that Europe’s best sides are looking to recruit – especially with the new format of the Champions League, with those extra games requiring even better squad depth.
That said, let’s assess some of the biggest potential transfers that could happen this summer and the influence those players could have on their new clubs.
Florian Wirtz to Bayern Munich
One of the hottest prospects from last season, Bayer Leverkusen won the Bundesliga undefeated last season as well as the DFB Pokal thanks to the magic of winger Florian Wirtz.
The Germany international impressed at Euro 2024 on the back of a standout campaign with Die Werkself, as they won the league for the first time in their history under Xabi Alonso. This has attracted interest from Bavaria, with Bayern Munich interested in Wirtz’s signature.
Having already signed Premier League duo Michael Olise from Crystal Palace and Fulham’s João Palhinha, it’s been a busy window for Vincent Kompany as he looks to reestablish Bayern as Germany’s strongest force.
Alphonso Davies to Real Madrid
With Kylian Mbappé finally agreeing terms with Real Madrid after years of speculation, attention now turns to Carlo Ancelotti’s other transfer targets – namely Alphonso Davies.
The Canadian helped his country reach the semi-finals of the Copa America over the summer, narrowly beaten by Argentina, and Los Blancos could be the next step for his career having stagnated at the Allianz Arena.
Davies still has a year left on his contract in Munich but would then be available on a free transfer, meaning Madrid would pick the left-back up on a cut-price deal.
Riccardo Calafiori to Arsenal
Arsenal are set to challenge City for the Premier League title once again this season, and the signing of Riccardo Calafiori would bolster the Gunners’ ranks. The Gunners conceded the fewest goals in the league last term.
It’s likely Calafiori would deputise as a full-back, with Mikel Arteta unlikely to disrupt the partnership of William Saliba and Gabriel, and the Italian showed excellent versatility as he helped Bologna finish fifth in Serie A. It would cost around £50 million to bring him to the Emirates Stadium.
Ivan Toney to Manchester United
For the last few months, Ivan Toney has made it very clear he intends to leave Brentford this summer. His cameos for England at Euro 2024 helped put him in the shop window, with Manchester United expected to sign the 28-year-old.
Toney has scored 36 Premier League goals since Brentford were promoted in 2021, with 20 coming in the 2023/24 season. He would join fellow new striker Joshua Zirkzee, who signed from Bologna earlier in the window, in a revamped strike force that will improve on the Red Devils eighth place finish last year under Erik ten Hag.
Victor Osimhen to Paris Saint-Germain
The biggest challenge for Luis Enrique and Paris Saint-Germain this summer will be finding a long-term Mbappé replacement. From Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Edinson Cavani, PSG have always had an elite striker lead their line since their Qatar takeover in 2012, with Victor Osimhen identified as the next number nine at the Parc des Princes.
The Nigerian won Serie A with Napoli in 2023 and narrowly lost this year’s Africa Cup of Nations final against the Ivory Coast, representing a consistent goal scorer, having scored 48 across the last few seasons in Italy’s top flight and the Champions League. However, it will take big money to get Osimhen to trade Naples for Paris, with a fee expected to be around £75 million.
