At the end of the season, some of Europe’s biggest teams will be on the lookout for a striker. Read the top 10 potential movers in the summer transfer window here.
Diego Costa (Atletico Madrid)
Diego Costa has become the first ever player to score seven (or more) times in his first five UEFA Champions League appearances.
The Brazil Spain international has helped Atletico Madrid reach the quarter finals of the competition for the first time in over a decade – as well as mount an impressive title challenge in La Liga against the duopoly of Real Madrid and FC Barcelona.
With 21 goals in 26 league matches this term, he is the fourth highest goalscorer in Europe’s top five divisions, with only Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Suarez and Zlatan Ibrahimovic ahead of him.
Costa has been strongly linked with Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool.
Edinson Cavani (Paris Saint-Germain)
Edinson Cavani has had a tricky season at Paris Saint Germain, missing a Ligue 1 match and an international break to fly back to Uruguay and deal with his divorce, as well as being deployed on the right wing in order to accommodate Zlatan Ibrahimovic up front.
Still, the 27 year-old has still managed 21 goals in his 31 games for PSG this term, including four strikes in five UEFA Champions League fixtures, and remains amongst the best finishers in the game.
Cavani has been linked with Manchester United and Chelsea, reportedly having talks with representatives of each in the January transfer window.
Mario Mandzukic (Bayern Munich)
In January, Bayern Munich finally confirmed what everyone in football already knew – they would sign Robert Lewandowski from Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season on a free transfer.
The Croatian forward is a hard worker from the front who presses both defence and midfield, and his aerial ability and finishing makes him a brilliant target man.
His build up play requires work though, and he is rarely involved in goals that are not his own – making just 18.4 passes per game in the Bundesliga this term.
Mandzukic has been linked with Arsenal.
Radamel Falcao (AS Monaco)
Radamel Falcao has been a success for AS Monaco this season, scoring nine times in his 16 Ligue 1 starts, but injury curtailed his season – and possible hopes of returning to fitness in time for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
The Colombian has been linked with Chelsea for a number of years, with his incisive movement, instinctive finishing and body strength all likely to help him flourish were he to move to the Premier League.
“I have a team, but no striker. Falcao does not have a team. A player like him can’t play in front of 3,000 people. Monaco is a club to end [your career with],” said Jose Mourinho last month.
Mario Balotelli
Mario Balotelli is only 23 years old, but has already played for three of the biggest clubs in Europe, and if he once again proves unsettled this summer he could be on the move again.
The Italy international has scored ten goals and provided three assists in his 17 Serie A starts for AC Milan this term, but a poor disciplinary record of eight yellow cards and one red in that time illustrate his vulnerability – and any team that signed him would be taking quite the risk.
Balotelli has been most often linked with Chelsea, with Jose Mourinho saying
“In football you never know the future,” Mourinho told Yahoo last week, as quoted by Sky Sports.
“Balotelli is with a big club at the moment but you never know the future.
“They want to keep the best players and want to keep the best Italian players. But Mario has already been in English football before.
“I’m not going to be manager of Milan or the Italy national team, but he’s a good kid and somebody I’d like to work with again.”
Given that Blues boss Jose Mourinho once told this hilarious – if frustrating – tale about his former charge at Inter Milan, it is hard to see him signing him.
Loic Remy (Queens Park Rangers)
Queens Park Rangers striker Loic Remy has proven a fine loan signing for Newcastle United this term, with 13 goals in his 23 appearances.
The France international forward has a reported £8 million release clause in his contract at Loftus Road, meaning that even a team as notoriously cautious in the transfer market as Arsenal could be tempted to make a move at that price.
Robin Van Persie (Manchester United)
Manchester United’s poor season has resulted in a plethora of rumours linking their very best players with Old Trafford exits, and although Wayne Rooney has signed a colossal new wage package, David Moyes may well subsequently have to fend off players demanding similar raises.
Robin Van Persie has been strongly linked with a return to former club Arsenal, who have overtaken the Red Devils by some distance this season, and the Metro claim that Arsene Wenger has spoken to the Gunners board about the possibility of a deal.
The Dutchman proved crucial in Manchester United’s title winning season of 2012-13, and has been typically prolific in the current campaign when fit too, with 11 goals in his 16 starts.
Demba Ba (Chelsea)
With Chelsea set to sign a new striker this summer, Demba Ba is likely to be surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge.
The 28 year-old has had two great campaigns in the top flight total, beginning with his half season at West Ham United. Despite seven goals in 12 appearances, he could not prevent the Hammers from avoiding relegation.
A move to Newcastle United followed, with 29 goals in 54 Premier League games for the Magpies in the next season and a half.
The Senegal international appeared ready to make the step up to a big club, and moved to Chelsea in January 2013 but has been unable to replicate that success at Stamford Bridge, and looks likely to move on at the end of the season.
Ba has most recently been linked with Trabzonspor, but missed out on an Arsenal last summer with Jose Mourinho deeming the Gunners a title threat following their aquisition of Mesut Ozil.
Luis Suarez (Liverpool)
Liverpool forward Luis Suarez has joined the upper echelon of players in world football over the past year or so, and it is easy to forget that he was not deemed a natural finisher when he arrived in the Premier League.
It is safe to say that he has acclimatised to the English game now, with his tally of 24 goals in 23 league games this term only matched by Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.
Suarez has also provided 10 assists in the top flight, which makes him the most creative attacker in England as well as the highest goalscorer.
The Uruguayan has been widely linked with moves to Real Madrid and Arsenal, though with Liverpool ahead of the Gunners in the Premier League, a move to Spain appears the more likely of the two if he does leave Anfield.
Alvaro Morata (Real Madrid)
Alvaro Morata is considered a highly promising talent at Real Madrid, but has struggled for playing time at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, and needs first team football if he is to continue his development.
The Spaniard has made just a solitary start in La Liga this term, with 12 substitute appearances, but three goals in that period and intelligent movement and hold up play suggest he could well turn into a top class forward.
In addition, Morata managed eight goals in six UEFA Under-21 Championship qualifying games, indicating that he will take opportunities so long as he is given game time.
Arsenal are the strongest linked team, though a move to Manchester United has also been mooted.
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