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Friday is one of the most important dates in this summer’s football calendar, and not just because it’s the start of Euro 2024.
As Germany faces hosts Scotland in Munich, it also marks the official start of the Premier League’s summer transfer window. Clubs and players can start making deals as all eyes turn to the European Championship.
The biggest transfer of the summer has already been signed, with Real Madrid confirming Kylian Mbappé’s move to the Santiago Bernabeu at the end of June following the expiration of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain.
But there are still plenty of transfer sagas likely to happen over the coming weeks, perhaps until the Premier League deadline of 11pm GMT on August 30.
Some players will be pushing for a move, others will sit idly by and wait for a deal to be reached, while star names will be the subject of speculation whether or not they intend to find a new club.
So, with the transfer window opening on Friday, which players will be the center of attention?
Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford signed a five-year contract with Manchester United last summer, so his future should not be up for discussion. But the 26-year-old has just endured one of the worst seasons of his career, scoring eight goals in 43 appearances. It was a loss of form that cost him a place in England’s Euro 2024 squad.
With United subject to a new footballing system following the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe as minority owner in February, sources told ESPN in April that the club would consider offers in excess of £70m for Rashford, although they are not actively seeking to offload the striker.
Having lost his regular place under coach Erik ten Hag, Rashford has also been the subject of criticism from his own fans.
Any fee received for Rashford would boost United’s small transfer budget, but the big problem for the club and the player is that no club is willing to do a deal.
Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona have been linked with Rashford in the past, but neither are considered a realistic option. The picture could change, so Rashford’s situation at Old Trafford is certainly one to monitor.
Trent Alexander Arnold
Trent Alexander-Arnold faces the most important summer of his career and one that will make or break his future at Anfield.
The Liverpool defender, who will participate in the UEFA Euro 2024 with England, has only one year left on his contract with Liverpool, and speculation links him to a move to Real Madrid.
In a summer of change at Anfield, with former Feyenoord coach Arne Sloat replacing Jurgen Klopp, Alexander-Arnold has a big decision to make.
Does he sit down with the club and negotiate a new long-term contract that commits the 25-year-old to his hometown club for the best years of his career, or does he signal his intention to leave, either this summer or next? By choosing to terminate his contract?
This is the player’s dilemma, but it also faces the club. Liverpool cannot afford the financial hit of losing Alexander-Arnold for nothing next year, and allowing him to do so would be equally damaging.
So once the Euros are over, Alexander-Arnold’s future will become a big issue for everyone at Liverpool. They will need to agree a new contract or consider options available in the transfer market.
Kevin De Bruyne
1:45
Is it time for Manchester City to sign Kevin De Bruyne?
Gap Marcotti and Mark Ogden discuss Kevin De Bruyne’s future at Manchester City.
Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne frankly admitted last week that he was willing to consider a move to the Saudi Professional League because he would be “able to earn an incredible amount of money” there.
With 12 months remaining on his contract at the Etihad, De Bruyne’s comments were interpreted as him being open to a transfer when his City deal expires. But with the Belgium international approaching his 33rd birthday this month and his final 18 months at City having been plagued by injury problems, the possibility of De Bruyne ending his nine-year stay at the Etihad this summer is real.
This decision was likely driven by City manager Pep Guardiola and director of football Txiki Begiristain due to the possibility of any fee for De Bruyne being reinvested in the first team.
A year ago, City raised a total of £53.6m through the sale of Riyad Mahrez (Al Ahly) and Aymeric Laporte (Al Nasr) to Saudi Arabia, so a similarly lucrative offer for De Bruyne could be too good to refuse, both for City. And the player.
Mohamed Salah
0:57
Marcotti: There is no point in pressuring Salah to conclude a new contract with Liverpool
Gap Marcotti and Mark Ogden discuss whether Mohamed Salah will sign a new contract with Liverpool.
Mohamed Salah appeared to give the clearest indication yet that he intends to stay at Anfield by posting on his Twitter account last month that he would “fight hard” to win trophies at the club next season.
But Salah, who turns 32 on Saturday, remains the subject of interest from Saudi Arabia, and Etihad’s bid is likely to be renewed.
In August 2023, Al-Ittihad made a £150m bid for Salah in the final hours of the transfer window, but Liverpool rejected it. Salah also did not push for a move away from Anfield.
But with Salah’s contract expiring at the end of next season, Liverpool faces a more complex decision if Al-Ittihad or another Saudi club comes back with a new offer.
As with Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool will not want to lose a star player like Salah for nothing, but there is also the risk of allowing their most reliable goalscorer to leave, just weeks after Klopp’s departure as coach.
Both Salah and Liverpool are keeping their cards close to their chests at the moment, but if Saudi interest returns, the player and club will have a big decision to make.
Connor Gallagher
During a difficult season for Chelsea, Conor Gallagher has been a rare example of consistency in Mauricio Pochettino’s side, and a player who is usually seen as a crucial figure in the coming years.
But the 24-year-old is yet to agree a new contract to replace his current one, which expires next year, and Chelsea have made it clear he will be offloaded this summer if he fails to commit to his future.
As a local player, any fees received for Gallagher will be classified as pure profit in his financial accounts, a key factor for the club which needs to raise funds to comply with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.
So the possibility is that Chelsea will exploit interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa as they try to raise around £50m for Gallagher, who could be away from England at Euro 2024 until mid-July.
Tottenham have maintained their interest in Gallagher since last summer, but Villa can offer Champions League football. Unai Emery’s team may have aces.
Evan Tony
Brentford have stuck to their determination to keep Ivan Toney at the club after he returned in January from an eight-month ban for breaching FA betting rules, but keeping the England striker this summer will be a much tougher challenge.
Quite simply, every team that needs a proven goalscorer has Toney at the top of their list, or at least very close to it.
The 28-year-old’s contract with Brentford expires at the end of next season and he is already the subject of interest from Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester United.
However, the problem facing Brentford and Toney is that none of these clubs have the funds to seal a deal this early in the summer, and all would need to offload players to offer something in the region of £80m for the former Newcastle player.
But make no mistake: Toney will be on the move this summer, and with several top clubs chasing his signature, Brentford will be able to use that interest to push their transfer fee even higher.
Jarrad Branthwaite
Manchester United want to seal a deal to sign Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite, who narrowly missed out on earning a place in England’s Euro 2024 squad.
The 21-year-old centre-back cost Everton just £1m when he signed from League Two side Carlisle United (who will receive 15% of any future transfer fee) in January 2020. With Everton under severe financial pressure due to the collapse following the deal acquisition with 777 Partners earlier this month, they may have to unload guns before the end of June to ensure the fees are part of this year’s PSR calculations.
Branthwaite’s transfer is valued at more than £75m by Everton, but United could strike a deal for much less if Everton’s financial constraints begin to take their toll.
Much now depends on whether Everton are able to steady the ship financially by offloading two more players or finding a new buyer for the club, but the clock is ticking, and United are ready to capitalize.
Casemiro
Casemiro signed a four-year contract with Manchester United when he arrived from Real Madrid in a £70m transfer in August 2022, but sources have told ESPN that the club are trying to offload him this summer to make room on the wage bill.
Former football director John Murtaugh even traveled to Saudi Arabia earlier this year in a bid to assess potential interest from professional league teams. Although United do not expect the Saudi clubs to spend as much money as they did last summer, there is confidence a deal can be struck for Casemiro, who missed Brazil’s Copa America squad.
Having fallen out of favor under manager Erik Ten Hag, the 32-year-old is said to be open to a move away from Old Trafford in order to spend the final years of his career playing first-team football.
Michael Ulysse
Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise has become one of the hottest players in the Premier League and is attracting interest from Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool.
Michael Olise signed a new four-year contract with Palace last August after rejecting a late move to Chelsea, but sources said the 22-year-old has a release clause in his £100,000-a-week deal which will become effective this summer. .
Manchester United have emerged as strong candidates to sign the France Under-21 international, with ESPN reporting in January that former Palace defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka could be offered as part of the deal.
But Chelsea’s interest has not disappeared, and they are expected to compete with United for Olise this summer.
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