The upcoming summer transfer window is the prime opportunity for football clubs across Europe and the world to invest in their teams and get some deadwood off their books.
A successful window can see a team’s fortunes change in an instant, whereas those teams who get it wrong could see themselves falling short of their targets.
With the rise of the Saudi Pro League and with revenues in the game being at an all time high, it wouldn’t be surprising to see this summer’s spending reach record high levels.
Ahead of this year’s window opening, our guest transfer expert Evelyn Balyton has been on hand to tell us which transfers we should be keeping an eye on.
Summer Window: Five Top Transfers in 2024 to Keep an Eye on
Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid
We all knew it was coming, but Kylian Mbappe has confirmed that after seven years he is leaving PSG.
Upon making his official announcement, Mbappe told fans, ‘I wanted to announce to you all that it’s my last year at Paris Saint-Germain. I will not extend my contract, and the adventure will end in a few weeks.’
Whilst we are used to PSG transfers being worth millions, Mbappe will leave the club for free, and a host of top clubs will be vying for his signature.
Bettors are actively following all of the footballer’s movements. Some are actively betting on the new club, the timing of the move and other options. After all, sometimes you want some drive, action and interesting pastime.
Over the past few years, betting on soccer transfers has become huge, and you can now find markets for every major transfer. In our recommended list of 10 top football betting sites we can also try to find interesting soccer bets. You might even be lucky enough to bet on a summer transfer if your bookmaker has this option.
Over the last few years betting on football transfers has become huge and it’s common to find markets available for every major transfer. Currently it is Real Madrid who are leading the race to acquire the services of the French captain.
Over the last few seasons Madrid have been stocking their team with the best young players in the world and Mbappe would be seen as the jewel in the crown.
At the time of writing, a contract between Mbappe and Madrid hasn’t been confirmed but if it goes through as expected, Mbappe will become the best paid player in the world.
Although Madrid find themselves in the driving seat, teams know that signing a player of Mbappe’s quality is a rare occurrence.
Summer 2024: Mo Salah to Saudi Arabia
Despite previously saying, ‘there’s something very special about playing for Liverpool’, the future of Mo Salah stands to be the one of the stories of the summer window.
A Liverpool icon, Salah has just over one year on his contract to run and is the primary target for the Saudi Pro League.
Salah is seen as a symbol for Muslims all over the world and Saudi officials would love nothing more than welcoming the Egyptian superstar to their league.
In the 2023 window, Liverpool were able to resist the league’s advances, but with Salah nearing the latter years of his career they might find it harder to turn down a mega money offer that is bound to arrive.
Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford Could be Set to Leave the Theatre of Dreams
It’s been a rough season for Manchester United, having struggled to advance out of their Champions League Group, there is a real chance that for the first time in Premier League history they could miss out on European football altogether.
Under new football ownership, reports have emerged that both Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford could be sold this summer to fund other transfers.
Both Fernandes and Rashford are amongst the best paid players at Manchester United and the two are often used as the symbols for any failures at Old Trafford. However, both have struggled for consistency this year.
Fact! Of the two, the most likely to move is Fernandes.
Fernandes has made no secrets that he wants to keep playing in the best competitions in the world and the time to leave Utd could be now.
Barcelona have long been admirers, but whether they have the money to attract Fernandes will be a major hurdle. A move to Italian giants Inter Milan also makes plenty of sense, but like Barca, they might not have the financial power to fund the deal.
Despite success, Bayer Leverkusen Set for Summer Rebuild
Crowned as Bundesliga champions for the first time in their history, Bayer Leverkusen have taken European football by storm.
Under the expert tutelage of Xabi Alonso, several Leverkusen stars are set to be hot property and throughout the summer there are bound to be plenty of Leverkusen transfer rumours.
One of the most prominent Bayer Leverkusen transfer rumours centres around Jonathan Tah.
A giant at the back, Tah has many admirers in the Premier League and it’s believed that Manchester United are at the front of the queue when trying to secure his services.
Other names to keep an eye on this summer are the Nigerian Striker Victor Boniface, star midfielder Florian Wirtz and Dutch defender Jeremie Frimpong.
Newcastle Could be Set to Lose Star Men
Despite Newcastle enjoying a rapid rise up the Premier League and being owned by some of the richest owners in the world, Newcastle face an uncertain summer.
Close to falling foul of FFP rules, it’s believed that in order to fund any further investments, Newcastle will need to sell some of their prized assets.
Two men who could leave Tyneside this summer are Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimeras.
Fact! Both would fetch a handsome transfer fee but of the two it’s Guimeras who looks the most likely to depart.
With rumours of a transfer fee clause in his contract, Arsenal and Real Madrid are believed to have the Brazilian at the top of their shopping lists.
A flexible and dynamic midfielder, Guimeras would bolster both sides and if Newcastle sanction the deal, expect an intense bidding war to acquire his services.
Although we have reached the business end of the domestic season, this summer will see international football tournaments take place in both Europe and South America. With several stars set to emerge and with several clubs monitoring their financial situations, this summer promises to be busy.
With a host of big names set to be on the move, this summer window could be one that is talked about for years to come.
