A collection of deals we believe could come to fruition this summer.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Saint Etienne
If there is one player who has been linked with a move to everybody this season it’s Aubameyang. The Gabonese striker is hot property after scoring 18 goals in 38 appearances as he helps Les Verts make a surprising assault on the Champions League places in Ligue 1.
The 23-year-old began his career at AC Milan but has spent the bulk of his time playing in France with the likes of Dijon, Lille and Monaco before joining Saint Etienne on a permanent deal in 2011.
Since coming to prominence last season, he’s been followed by the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Spurs, but has remained faithful to the French outfit so far.
It’s increasingly likely that he’ll move on over the summer, though his destination is still unknown, but with so many admirers looking for fresh striking options then it’s fair to say that his future will lie away from the south of France.
Billy Sharp, Southampton to Reading
Sharp played under new Reading boss Nigel Adkins at Southampton, though the striker failed to get in the side once they’d been promoted to the Premier League and has spent this season on loan at Nottingham Forest where he has scored 11 goals in 31 games.
Adkins first signed Sharp from Doncaster Rovers for £2 million last year to help with the Saints’ promotion push.
With Reading now bottom of the league with relegation a distinct possibility, Sharp would be a wise investment should they suffer that outcome. The 27-year-old has a proven track record in the Championship and would surely help any bid for promotion. If Reading somehow manage to survive then he would still be worth bringing in as he has earned a chance to impress at this level.
Mauro Zarate, Lazio
The 26-year-old asked Lazio to cancel his contract since falling out of favour at the Rome based giants last month. He had spent last season on loan at Inter Milan but caused an outrage earlier this month by being snapped poolside in the Maldives whilst he was supposed to be recovering from an injury.
The skilful Argentine has a long list of adoring managers waiting patiently to see how his situation develops. Sunderland reportedly came close to bringing him in on loan in January, but Liverpool, Stoke and Arsenal are all said to be interested too. The manager also got a closer look at the player when he spent part of the 2008/09 season on loan at Birmingham City. Despite scoring four goals in 14 games for the Midlands club his spell there was ultimately unsuccessful as they were relegated from the Premier League.
He’s yet to break into the full national team, but has made an impact in Italy by scoring 34 times in 126 games for Lazio. However his days in the Italian capital look numbered and a return to England looks like more than just a possibility.
Tomas Rosicky, Arsenal to Borussia Dortmund
The Czech international has played a peripheral role in Arsenal’s season, making just a handful of appearances in all competitions and he is said to be extremely frustrated at his lack of opportunities.
“The 32-year-old joined Arsenal from Dortmund in 2006 after enjoying a cult hero status with the German side and reports recently have suggested that hid former employers may turn to him again as they prepare to lose a number of their stars this summer.
Jurgen Klopp is said to be keen on bringing ‘Little Mozart’ back to the Westfalenstadion to add some wily experience to his young side. However, it’s mooted that any possible deal would like be on a pay-as-you-play basis. Rosicky has made 171 appearances for the Gunners during his seven year stay in North London, scoring 20 goals.
He has been a key figure in Wenger’s plans, but a string of niggling injuries has seen his role diminish into him becoming a bit-part player. English sides Everton and Fulham are also rumoured to be interested but a return to Borussia could prove too tempting to turn down now that he’s entering the twilight of his career.
Thibaut Courtois, Chelsea to Atletico Madrid
Diego Simeone has tested the goods and will now surely look to buy.
The Belgian youngster is into his second season on loan at the Vicente Calderon and seemingly the 20 year old is no nearer to displacing Petr Cech as Chelsea’s number one so a permanent move to the La Liga side seems very likely.
Atletico Madrid have the best defensive record in the Spanish top tier and that is down in no small part to the big Blues custodian.
Chelsea could elect to use Courtois as a bargaining chip in their pursuit of Colombian Radamel Falcao but it is also plausible that a good straight cash bid from the Spanish side could be enough to persuade the Stamford Bridge side to sell, not least because of the fact that UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules are beginning to bite the West London side can not afford to keep hold of such an expansive first team squad.
Nathan Redmond, Birmingham City to Norwich City
One of the most exciting prospects in the Championship, Nathan Redmond is likely to move on this summer to continue his education at a higher level and Norwich are in poll position to land his signature.
Former Blues boss Chris Hughton will utilise the contacts he made in the second city during his time as manager there last season to land the 19-year-old.
Birmingham would have hoped to hold on to the winger, but a disappointing season has seen them settle in mid table as attendances continue to dwindle at St Andrews. With rumours of financial trouble behind the scenes at Birmingham they may be forced to cash in on their more profitable stars to stave off the creditors.
Not that they haven’t attempted to battle the inevitable, Norwich were rebuffed in a £2 million bid for Curtis Davies in January.
Redmond broke into Blues’ team under Hughton last season and went on to score seven goals in 37 appearances. He has since continued where he left off this campaign by wracking up another 37 appearances, scoring twice.
Norwich are keen on brining in a creative midfielder to provide service for new striker Ricky Van Wolfswinkel and Redmond fits the bill as both a tricky winger and a hot prospect for the future.
Joao Moutinho, Porto to Tottenham Hotspur
The 26-year-old, who almost joined Spurs last summer has apparently demanded to leave the Portuguese giants as he seeks a new challenge elsewhere. A £25 million pound deal had been agreed on transfer deadline day in August but the move stalled as the necessary paperwork could not be completed in time.
Zenit St Petersburg, along with several unnamed Italian sides enquired about the Portuguese international, but it is thought that he remains keen to link up with former manager, Andre Villa-Boas with whom he enjoyed quadruple cup successes in 2010/11.
The fee is likely to remain the same, but Spurs will have extra funds available due to the sale of players such as Heurelho Gomes, Danny Rose, John Bostock, Bongani Khumalo and David Bentley. William Gallas is also unlikely to be offered a new contract and there speculation over Emanuel Adebayor’s future, which if the duo leave, will free up funds on the wage bill and in the transfer kitty.
The midfielder joined Porto from rivals Sporting Lisbon in 2010 and has made 112 appearances during that time, scoring 24 goals. Porto president Pinto Da Costa has reluctantly granted Moutinho his wish of a move, but refuses to stand down on the price.
Alvaro Negredo, Sevilla to Tottenham Hotspur
The Spanish international, who had been interesting Manchester City, is thought to be Tottenham’s key target this summer as they look to bring in some renewed firepower following disappointing campaigns for Emmanuel Adebayor and Jermaine Defoe.
Spurs boosted their attack in January with the acquisition of Lewis Holtby, but they craved a striker who the young German could act as an outlet for. Unfortunately, nothing materialised for the Lillywhites, which has forced them to scout extensively for an out and out striker to try and tempt during the off season.
Negredo has been in fine form this term, already notching 20 times in 30 games as the club languish in mid table and reports in Spain claim that they may be resigned to letting him go. The player himself is remaining open minded; “In the end we are all in the shop window. I want to end the season here and then the president will decide. For better or worse, we will all benefit.”
The striker, who has 13 caps for the national side is thought to cost the North London club in the region of £15 million, which will be much needed by Los Rojiblancos as the financial state of the club has been in disarray for some time.
Carlos Tevez, Manchester City to Boca Juniors
The 29-year-old began his career with the Argentine giants, graduating from the youth academy to make his debut in 2001 where he stayed until 2004, scoring 38 goals in 104 appearances.
The 62 cap international has endured a turbulent tenure at The City Of Manchester Stadium. Last season he publicly fell out with manager Roberto Mancini during a Champions League tie with Bayern Munich, but he redeemed himself by helping the club to their first Premier League title.
So far this season he has been cautioned by police for driving whilst disqualified and he’s seen City’s challenge for a successive title slip away with eight games remaining, as well as stuttering through a limp Champions League campaign, crashing out at the group stage. Reports in Spain suggest that he’s a target for his former club as City look to clear out a number of their current squad.
Tevez has suggested before that he would like to return to Boca, having grown up in the Fuerte Apache district close to the stadium.
He has scored 16 goals in 37 appearances so far this season across all competitions.
Scott Sinclair, Manchester City to Everton or Aston Villa
The talented 24-year-old has seen his career stall since joining the champions last summer and City are thought to be willing to listen to offers ahead of their summer clear out.
Having made his name as one of the hottest properties with Swansea, he linked up with City for £6.2 million and hopes of challenging the likes of Samir Nasri and James Milner for a starting role in another assault on the title. However, things haven’t worked out quite the way the club or player were expecting.
City have virtually seen their defence of the trophy slip away with a month still to play and Sinclair has made just 12 appearances across all competitions.
Sinclair did has aspirations of breaking into the England squad and will have to move if he wants to realise those ambitions.
Both Everton and Aston Villa were linked with a loan move for the former Swansea man in January but to no avail. It’s though that both will make renewed bids over the summer to lure him on a permanent basis. Everton’s priority is a striker but they won’t want to pass up the chance to bring the tricky winger to Merseyside for a fraction of the price he was a year ago. Villa are seeking to add more experienced players to their roster while still keeping an eye on youth after a difficult campaign.
Just in case you missed the first half of our list of deals we feel are likely this summer here it is below.
Stevan Jovetic: Fiorentina to Arsenal
According to reports this deal is already done and all that’s left to do is sign on the dotted line, and not a moment too soon.
Arsenal are in desperate need of a goalscorer as well as a touch of class. The forwards Wenger has brought in recently have so far flattered to deceive and with the sale of Robin Van Persie last summer the club lack a genuine threat that those around them have.
Marouane Chamakh, Gervinho, Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski have struggled to wrack up the goals in North London and though Podolski could be considered as world class, his input for the national team far exceeds anything he’s ever done at club level.
Jovetic has transformed from a gangly teenager into a truly top level player. His price tag is justified too as Arsenal won’t just be buying him for what he can do but for the future potential as well. He guarantees goals as well as adding to the all round attacking threat and he should fit in well with the manager’s plans.
The player himself has spoke of an ‘affinity’ for the club, but has done Fiorentina the respect of refusing to comment on speculation until Champions League football has been guaranteed for The Viola.
Ezequiel Garay Benfica to Manchester United
It wasn’t long ago that Garay was at Real Madrid being lauded as the next defensive colossus who would take the world by storm. However, competition is fierce at the Bernabeau and he has since been shipped out to Benfica.
The Argentine international has been seen as the ideal replacement for Nemanja Vidic, who has seen his United career skid to a halt over the last two seasons thanks to injury. The big Serb is also expected to be heading to Milan this summer.
Only Garay doesn’t resemble Vidic as much as he does Rio Ferdinand. The England man may be enjoying a slight renaissance at the moment but it’s clear that he’s a long way from the player he used to be.
Like the young Ferdinand, Garay is quick, clever and comfortable with the ball at his feet bringing it out from defense. He is a key man for pressing whenever the side lose the ball and is adept at making the right tackle at the right time.
At 26 years of age, the timing for a move to the Premier is perfect. He has been under the club’s radar for some time now and United will want to pounce before he has his head turned elsewhere.
Yaya Toure: Man City to Paris Saint Germain
When a club courts a player under contract elsewhere, the speculation takes over but the interest between club and player is like a playful flirt.
One will inevitably play hard to get, and deny claims of a move made by the press, but nine times out of ten they will be joined in glorious union come the end of the season.
A few years ago it would have been laughable to suggest that Toure would join PSG, but now the tables have turned as one mega rich club look set to look out to an even richer side.
The player’s agent claims that his client isn’t happy, and after all of the rumblings and bust ups at City this year the rumour may not be unfounded.
The player has denied it, of course, but has also refused to make his plans clear until the end of the season – which usually only means one thing.
PSG will not only be able to pay for him, but offer him a competitive platform alongside some of the world’s finest player as they gear up for an assault on the Champion’s League next season. Toure would be the perfect pivot man for the capital club providing an athleticism and experience that not many others possess.
Radamel Falcao: Atletico Madrid to Chelsea
A deal that has been in the works for a while. The move would suit both parties greatly as it would likely involve a part exchange with an Atletico old boy who is currently down on his luck in London.
The Madrid side knew they couldn’t hold on to Falcao forever, he’s just too good to not be at one of Europe’s elite. There aren’t many who could afford him either, but Chelsea are due one big summer signing every year and have made it clear that the Colombian is their man.
Of course, any move would pave the way for Fernando Torres to return to the club where it all began. The Spaniard has found his Liverpool form tough to replicate at Stamford Bridge and an escape route to familiar surroundings could prove to great to resist.
Quite possibly the best out and out striker in the world right now, the thought of him teaming up with return loanee, Romelu Lukaku would give Chelsea a menacing front line that would strike fear into the hearts of any defence.
A secret meeting between club and player are rumoured to have transpired last week and if that is the case then all bets will most surely be off when the summer arrives.
He will make Chelsea one of the most dangerous sides in the league again as many have feared the club has gone stale. All eyes will be on who the manager will be that harnesses his talent, and whoever it is will have a powerful weapon on his hands.
Christian Benteke: Aston Villa to Tottenham Hotspur
The big Belgian has hit the ground running in the Premier League this season and with Villa resting precariously above the drop zone, there’s a good chance that he’ll be wearing someone else’s colours next term.
A surprise signing from Paul Lambert, Benteke has proved that he’s not over awed on the big stage and, in truth he probably deserves a higher platform than Villa can provide him with.
At just 22, he can still look a little raw. Villa have relied on him heavily this season and at times he can frustrate himself by trying to do too much. But one thing is certain; his finishing is lethal.
Spurs look on course to reach the Champions League next season and Benteke has made it no secret that that’s where he wants to be.
He won’t come cheap, though, Villa signed him for £7 million and he is only eight months into a three-year deal. Whether stay up or go down, they can charge triple that after the way he’s performed this campaign.
Luke Shaw: Southampton to Chelsea
Young talent is snapped up quickly these days, and Luke Shaw will be no different.
Following in similar footsteps as Wayne Bridge and Glen Johnson, the 17-year-old has been consistently linked with a possible move to Chelsea this summer.
Already eyeing a replacement for the ageing Ashley Cole, the West Londoners will still have a few years yet for the England man to pass on his wisdom to the youngster, or they may decide to send him back on loan to the Saints for another year.
Shaw is in his breakthrough season on the South coast and has made the left-back slot his own.
A boyhood Chelsea fan, Shaw will most likely see his dream come true despite the club still unsure over who their next manager will be, but they have kept the England youth international a top priority.
When you’re a fan of a club, and constantly described as ‘the next Ashley Cole’ there really is only one place that you will end up.
Frank Lampard: Chelsea to the MLS
With the club still not offering their talismanic midfielder a new deal beyond this season, he could seek to follow in the footsteps of David Beckham and make the move across the pond.
Clearly with a lot still to offer, it’s hard to imagine him wearing the shirt of another Premier League club for another two to three years and there are far worse places to live than the United States.
Realistically, only the LA Galaxy or the New York Red Bulls would be able to afford him, but they have filled their designated player spots for the season and may have to shift somebody out in order to accommodate him.
And what an asset they’d be getting. The Americans know their soccer and Lampard would represent a big attraction for a club, both financially and on the field.
It is easy to sneer at the MLS and dismiss it as a low quality league, but this is the place that has spawned the likes of Clint Dempsey, Brad Friedel and Tim Howard, amongst others, and it’s only now that America is learning to keep its homegrown stars as well as make additions from abroad.
Lampard would thrive in the league that has no clear winners, and he could play a major part in the beginnings of a dynasty.
He may not possess the same star quality as Beckham, but he is more than capable of stealing a few hearts while his is out there as well as making a healthy addition to his bank balance.
Tom Ince: Blackpool to Liverpool
This deal was such a certainty in January many thought it had actually gone ahead.
Liverpool is where it all started for Ince, and though he is a completely different player to his father, this is one move where he is likely to follow in his footsteps.
Of course, when your father is your manager at your current club, it is obvious to know that there is someone there with your best interests at heart.
Ince has been sensible about his career so far. He’s stayed at Blackpool, a club that he truly seems to care about, not only because he’s virtually guaranteed a starting spot, but the time has come for him to take the step up back to the Premier League.
Rodgers is rebuilding at Anfield, and there will be many comings and goings over the summer. Ince’s move will be beneficial for both as he oozes top-flight quality and the club need someone with a little more potential that Stuart Downing.
Now an established England under-21 international, Ince will need a Premier League platform if he is to push on and become the star for the national side that we’re all hoping he can be.
Joleon Lescott: Man City to Aston Villa
The writing seems to be on the wall for Lescott at City. Despite clawing his way back into the side as of late, it’s clear that they need something else.
Links with his hometown team have been flying around for years, but the England man has always kept himself just out of the club’s reach, but at 30 years of age, and with City looking to reshape their squad, the time could be night for him to go home.
Villa will have to stay up first, though, but they will be having a clear out of their own. Darren Bent, Richard Dunne, Shay Given and Stephen Ireland are all thought to be moving on in the summer. Moves that will bring in fees in Bent and Ireland’s case, and free up a substantial chunk of space on the wage bill.
Lescott would be a crucial man for Villa as they’ve struggled with defensive stability this season. A young and often patchwork defence has seen them devoid of confidence for large parts of the campaign, but recently they’ve been able to shut teams out in the dying moments.
But Ron Vlaar’s injury problems, as well as his unsteady leadership have caused Villa problems and they have had to fast track Ciaran Clark and Nathan Baker into becoming regular starters and at times they’ve been overawed.
Lescott would be vital for the club, providing some much needed nous and experience in a side that is so desperately devoid of both.
Marouane Fellaini: Everton to Chelsea
Fellaini almost joined Chelsea in January but David Moyes has managed to hold on to his star midfielder for just a little longer.
A key figure in the Toffees midfield ever since he joined back in 2008, he’s payed his dues long enough to deserve Champions League football, or at least a move to a club that can offer him that.
Unplayable at times, he has become a mainstay in the Belgian national team that have seen their stock rise considerably with the influx of their stars into the Premier League, he really deserves to be in a world class side.
A fee of £25 million has been mentioned several times and in truth, he’s probably worth every penny. He has everything in his game and the chance to link up with Edin Hazard is probably to great to resist.
News came of Chelsea activating a clause in his contract at Everton were rife when the player had cancelled an autograph session at the side’s megastore shortly after the shock 3-0 defeat to Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup earlier this month and the speculation quickly mounted.
The money will be good for Everton, they may be losing a key player, probably their best, but their financial difficulties have been well documented and that fee will go a long way into Moyes’ pocket for reinvestment.