As the Premier League season draws to a close, so the transfer window opens and the usual rumour mill and frenzy that goes with it keeps us going until August. Here are 6 transfers to keep an eye on.
Gareth Bale
The PFA player and young player of the year winner could be the hottest commodity on the transfer market this off season, should he decide to leave Tottenham in search of trophies and should anyone have the funds to tempt the North London club into selling.
There is no doubting the young Welshman’s talents and he has proven that he is no flash in the pan after his extraordinary Champions League performances for Tottenham last season, so it begs the question, how much is he actually worth?
Given his age and the fact that he has shown he can perform on the highest stage, you have to be looking at around the 50 million plus mark, which straight away rules out pretty much all of the Premier League clubs.
One club however who may be tempted and have shown over the years that money is no object if the player fits the mould, is Real Madrid. They will be smarting after losing La Liga by such a big margin to their rivals Barcelona and going out in the semi finals of the Champions League again will prompt the need for another Galactico to enter the fray and join Ronaldo – should he still be there.
Will Bale’s loyalty see him line up in the white shirt of Tottenham Hotspur or will Bale have his price like so many before him. Watch this space.
Wayne Rooney
So it came out the other day that Wayne Rooney has actually handed in a transfer request at Manchester United and not for the first time. Being left out for Manchester United’s crunch Champions League tie against Real Madrid seems to have bruised the once irreplaceable scouser’s ego and this could be another story that runs and runs over the summer.
As with Bale’s transfer though, the asking price could be the stumbling block. There aren’t too many teams around who would be willing to stump up the £30 million plus it would take to prise him away from Manchester United. It’s a lot of money to pay for someone who seems to score goals in bursts rather than consistently bang them in, although the amount of assists he gets a season does make up for that.
There is also the fact that Manchester United wouldn’t want to sell one of their prize assets to a Premier League rival.
Could this just be Rooney displaying his frustration once more or could he finally be ready to move to pastures new with PSG being rumoured to be interested in re-uniting him with his former teammate David Beckham? One thing is for sure, PSG have the money to make it happen.
Christian Benteke
The one bright spot to come out of Villa’s frustrating season, is the Belgian colossus known as Christian Benteke.
He has terrorised Premier League defences this season with his sheer brute force, his aerial threat and his knack for scoring goals, 19 of them to be precise. If he can manage 19 league goals for Villa, imagine what he can do at a club who will provide him with a better supporting cast.
Villa will no doubt pull all the stops to hold onto him with a view to building the team around him but given his age (22) and the lack of strikers around with his impressive attributes and particular skill set these days, they may be forced to sell him over the summer.
The sweet spot may be around £20 million and at that price, I can see many suitors maybe even in the Premier League, with Spurs in the market for a centre forward and City licking their wounds after a disappointing season.
Marouane Fellaini
Another Belgian who makes the list is Marouane Fellaini. A man with a talent as big as his hair who adds some serious steel to the midfield and a potent goal threat from set pieces.
With David Moyes heading to the Red half of Manchester, I wouldn’t bet against Fellaini following him there, although the price won’t be cheap.
It’s no secret that Manchester United have failed to replace Roy Keane with the sort of dominating midfielder who can change the course of a football match, and Fellaini has shown this season that he can be that man. When he is in the mood, he is unplayable.
Manchester United got to see that first hand when he ran the show in a 1-0 victory at Goodison Park back in August against the eventual champions.
This offseason could be when Fellaini decides he wants to realise his potential with one of the bigger names around and £25-£30 million could see that happen.
Radamel Falcao
The 27 year old Columbian sensation has attracted plenty of interest during the season, with Chelsea rumoured to be willing to match the £50 million release clause it would take to lure him from Atletico Madrid and Mourinho targeting him as a player he would want to have when he inevitably ends up back at Chelsea.
However, according to a recent report by the Daily Mail, the striker is desperate to play for Atletico’s Rivals, Real Madrid. In an attempt to do so, it seems he is planning to sign for freshly minted French side Monaco, who are also willing to match the release clause on his contract, providing they allow him a clause that lets him leave after one year in order to join the Galacticos. I feel that this is not the last we have heard of this saga.
Robert Lewandowski
Lewandowski’s stock has sky rocketed since his 4 goal super-show against Real Madrid in this season’s Champions League competition, so it is no surprise that you will see his name in the coming weeks linked to a host of big name clubs vying for his signature. The fact that his contract is coming to an end, and the reluctance of Lewandowski to sign a new one with his current club, Borussia Dortmund, just makes this story even tastier.
It was rumoured that there was already a deal in place for the Pole to move to fellow Bundesliga juggernaut, Bayern Munich, however reports of this have previously been denied.
It is thought that other clubs interested in his services include Manchester United and Chelsea but nothing concrete has come from either of those two clubs at the time of writing.
Written by Mark U.
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