The FIFA Club World Cup pushed teams to handle their transfer plans early. Real Madrid wasted no time fixing their right-back issue by snapping up Trent Alexander-Arnold, while Manchester City went big, adding Rayan Cherki, Rayan Aït-Nouri, and Tijjani Reijnders. But now, the tournament is over, and we’re now in the “real” part of the window, with less than a month to go until the return of the English Premier League.
While some clubs have gotten their business done early, others still have work to do. So, let’s check out 7 big European teams and the one player who could really take them to the next level next season.
Who do you think can level up your favourite elite team?
Arsenal - Rodrygo (LW)
It feels like we’ve been shouting about Arsenal needing a proper striker forever and now, it looks like it’s finally happening. Viktor Gyökeres has all but joined the Gunners for a fee around £55m + £12m in add-ons. Hallelujah!
Next up on the to-do list: that left wing spot. Arsenal has a solid history of smart pickups from LaLiga, especially guys who are top-tier talents but maybe not loving life at their current clubs. Think Alexis Sanchez from Barcelona, and Özil & Ødegaard from Madrid. Smart buys.
Rodrygo fits that mold. He’s not exactly unhappy at Real Madrid, but he’s a natural left winger who keeps getting pushed to the right, something he’s clearly not thrilled about. That wouldn’t be a problem at Arsenal. Bukayo Saka owns the right flank, and Rodrygo would be a serious upgrade on Gabriel Martinelli on the left and that’s me being respectful.
Forget his €1bn release clause, it’s just there to make clubs come to the table, but word is that a bid around €85m could be enough. Sure, it’s a big number, but if Arsenal pulls it off, it could be the final push they need to end their trophy drought.
And as usual, we have the best odds for our online betting folks.
Bayern Munich - Bradley Barcola (LW)
With Leroy Sané and Kingsley Coman heading for the Bayern Munich exit, the club is definitely in the market for a new left winger. Last season’s signing of right winger Michael Olise turned out to be a genius move, as he scored 17 goals and 21 assists in 50 games. Now, it looks like they’re eyeing his fellow Frenchman Bradley Barcola to lock down the other flank.
Barcola was having a breakout year at PSG and ranked among the top in both goals and assists in Ligue 1. But things changed in January when PSG splashed €70m on Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, pushing Barcola to the bench. It felt harsh, but hey, the treble win kind of justified it.
That said, Barcola still ended the season with 21 goals and 19 assists, including a brace in the Coupe de France final and an assist in the Champions League final. His pace, flair, directness, and knack for scoring make him a standout at just 22. He’d be a long-term solution for Bayern’s left wing and a pretty exciting one at that.
Barcelona - Marcus Rashford (LW)
Barcelona had a fantastic season, winning the Copa del Rey, LaLiga, and coming really close to a Champions League final. They were arguably the most dangerous attacking side in Europe, leading the top five leagues in goals (102), xG (92.99), and average possession (69.1%).
Raphinha was their standout performer, scoring 34 goals and 25 assists, mostly playing off the left wing but with plenty of freedom to drift inside. So yeah, on the surface, it might sound crazy to say that’s a position they need to strengthen. But behind the scenes, the club has been thinking long-term, and ideally, they’d want a natural left winger holding that flank while Raphinha plays more centrally.
Nico Williams was their dream option, especially since he’s close friends with Lamine Yamal. However, that door was shut dramatically after he shocked Barcelona with a contract renewal with Bilbao.
The next option on Barcelona’s list is Marcus Rashford, who’s been on the market for a while and would come cheaper. The Man Utd forward spent 6 months on loan at Aston Villa, and while he was decent for them, they opted not to make the deal permanent. Rumours from Spain now say that the Englishman is close to a move.
Barcelona fans, are you excited to see Rashford play for your team?
Liverpool - Hugo Ekitike (ST)
On the 3rd of July, Liverpool, and indeed the entire football world, was hit with the devastating news of the passing of Diogo Jota who was involved in a car crash alongside his brother, Andre Silva. The news is a reminder of how fickle life is and re-emphasizes the importance of making each moment count.
It’s an emotional pain that will stick with the Reds and their supporters, but the sad reality is, they must now plan on how to replace the Portuguese forward, especially considering Darwin Núñez’s struggles in front of goal. Last season, Núñez scored just 7 goals in 47 appearances. I mean, even Rasmus Højlund hit double digits. It was so bad that at different times, Arne Slot benched his main striker for Díaz or Gakpo.
Earlier in the window, the Reds addressed an important need by signing Florian Wirtz for a league-record €150m. Mo Salah was out of this world last season, topping both the goals (34) and assists (23) charts for the team. But that kind of output isn’t something you should expect every year at his age, especially since he missed just two games all season. So, dropping €150m (with add-ons) on one of Europe’s brightest creators in Wirtz actually takes a lot of creative burden off Salah.
Now, the Reds have to turn their focus to the #9 position, and Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike looks like the likely candidate. The Frenchman had 22 goals and 12 assists for the German side, helping them finish 3rd in the Bundesliga - their best finish since the 2011/12 season. At just 23, he’s a few years away from his prime and would be an excellent addition to a team with lots of creators.
Paris Saint-Germain - Alessandro Bastoni (CB)
How do you even improve the Champions League winners? I’ve been thinking about it and honestly, it’s tough to find a real weakness. Their front 3 has Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (who they just paid €70m for), Désiré Doué (arguably the best young player not named Lamine Yamal), and Ousmane Dembélé, the potential Ballon d’Or winner.
The midfield? Best in the world. Fullbacks? Easily the best pairing out there. And at center-back, Marquinhos and Willian Pacho offer the perfect mix of experience and youth.
If I had to nitpick, maybe I’d look at center-back depth, especially with questions around Presnel Kimpembe’s recovery from that Achilles injury. One smart move could be targeting Alessandro Bastoni as a long-term successor to Marquinhos. It’s not a necessity, but it would give Luis Enrique a real selection headache in the best possible way.
Manchester United - Benjamin Šeško (CF)
Manchester United desperately needs goals. Like, I don’t even know how else to say it - they need goals. Last season, they managed just 44 in the Premier League, outscoring only four teams, three of whom got relegated. Their two strikers, Rasmus Højlund and Joshua Zirkzee, combined for a whopping seven league goals. Across all competitions, it was 17 goals in 101 games. That’s genuinely shocking. No surprise they ended the season 14th.
To be fair, the club is aggressive in trying to fix it. Matheus Cunha is in from Wolves (he alone scored 17 last season), and Bryan Mbeumo - who had 20 goals and 8 assists in the league for Brentford - is close to being done. It’s a new-look frontline, but if United really want to chase a top-four spot, they need to go get a top 9 and forget about Rasmus Højlund.
With Viktor Gyökeres only interested in playing for Arsenal and Victor Osimhen’s salary demands still unclear (besides, it seems he’s leaning towards a return to Turkiye), Man Utd’s only options are going to Germany to get either Benjamin Šeško from RB Leipzig or Hugo Ekitike from Frankfurt (if his move to Liverpool somehow falls through).
Neither player will come cheap, and both are on Liverpool’s radar right now. Obviously, Liverpool is the more attractive club at the moment for obvious reasons. It seems like the Red Devils might have to wait for Liverpool to make their pick and go for the leftover. Humiliating, I know.
But desperate times call for desperate measures. If it means throwing some extra money at either one, preferably Šeško due to his EPL-ready physique, the club might need to do that. And just in case the board is hesitating because of the price tag, someone just needs to remind them of this: “Rasmus Højlund and Joshua Zirkzee combined for a whopping seven league goals. Across all competitions, it was 17 goals in 101 games.”
Real Madrid - Alexis Mac Allister (CM)
Real Madrid is staying busy in the transfer market as they try to bounce back from a rollercoaster season. With Álvaro Carreras almost signed, the focus is slowly shifting to midfield options.
Xabi Alonso has asked for reinforcements there, and one name that keeps popping up is Alexis Mac Allister. The Argentine World Cup winner has become a key figure at Liverpool, and Madrid’s interest in him actually goes back to his Brighton days.
The problem with this move is that it won’t come cheap. Liverpool reportedly won’t budge unless Madrid coughs up over €100 million, an amount they’re not ready to spend… unless they make a big sale.
That sale could be Rodrygo. The Brazilian has slipped down the pecking order since Mbappé arrived, and clubs like Arsenal and even Liverpool are circling. If Madrid gets close to €100 million for him, they might just go all-in for Mac Allister. Perhaps there’s a swap deal both clubs could work out.
After a season with 15 losses, 84 goals conceded (a joint club-worst defensive record), and only minor trophies, Madrid knows serious changes are needed, and Mac Allister could be a key part of that rebuild.
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