Story by Fabiana Della Valle
Down to the Wire
The transfer market is now in its final stages: with barely a fortnight left until the summer window closes, many teams are still in the process of building their squads. Between free transfer opportunities, star players deemed surplus to requirements, and promising young talents on the verge of a breakthrough, here are the players who could ignite the European shopping spree.
Victor Osimhen
The Nigerian forward from Galatasaray, formerly of Napoli, could leave Turkey for the Premier League, specifically Arsenal. Having rejected a €130 million offer from Saudi Arabia, Gala must now fend off an offensive from the Gunners, who have already initiated contact to sign the player. Osimhen has never hidden his desire to play in England.
Rafa Leao
Despite Amorim’s arrival on the bench, the Portuguese star remains likely to leave AC Milan. Following his farewell statements at the World Cup, his impact with the new coach has not been convincing, and the Rossoneri are increasingly determined to sell him. An initial asking price of €50 million has now dropped to €40-45 million. Galatasaray are interested, but the player is not keen on a move to Turkey and is holding out for a better offer.
Manu Koné
The saga that began even before the transfer window opened is still ongoing: will the French midfielder stay at Roma or not? He seemed destined to leave the Giallorossi due to financial fair play concerns, but the €43 million offered by Atletico Madrid was not considered sufficient. Roma value him at €50 million, and he is attracting interest from Manchester United, Chelsea, and several Saudi clubs.
Gabriel Jesus
The Brazilian striker, a long-standing target of Massimiliano Allegri, has entered Napoli’s radar after they offloaded Romelu Lukaku’s substantial wages. The desire is strong, but the deal remains complicated: Arsenal are demanding €20 million for his transfer, Gabriel Jesus has a contract expiring in 2027 and earns €6 million. Other departures would be needed (Lucca and Lang are front-runners).
Darwin Nunez
From Saudi Arabia to Turkey: the Uruguayan forward is ready to embark on a new adventure and reunite with former Liverpool teammate Momo Salah. The rampant Trabzonspor are close to an agreement with Al-Hilal to rebuild the Premier League’s golden duo. Italian clubs (Napoli and Juventus) had also considered him, but his wages are very high.
Franck Kessié
The Ivorian midfielder, formerly of AC Milan, represents a classic free transfer opportunity. Released by Al-Ahli, after his experience in Saudi Arabia, he has never hidden his desire to return to Italy. The club that has pursued him most persistently so far is Juventus, who currently lack space in midfield. Massara has already spoken with the player’s entourage multiple times, but departures are needed to finalise the move.
Johan Bakayoko
Fiorentina have had a stellar transfer window (nine signings so far) and are not finished yet. Grosso needs an attacking winger to complete the offensive department, and the most intriguing name is the Belgian from Leipzig. The German club values him at no less than €20 million and, crucially, would prefer not to sell him. Paratici is studying the formula and how to convince Leipzig.
Curtis Jones
Inter Milan’s main midfield target is the English player from Liverpool. The club’s valuation is very high (€35-40 million), but the player’s contract expires in 2027, which could prompt the Reds to lower their demands. With the sale of Frattesi, Chivu has freed up a spot in midfield, and Jones has so far rejected all other offers to wear the Nerazzurri colours.
Ethan Nwaneri
AC Milan have shown interest in Arsenal’s young (19-year-old) left-footed attacking midfielder. The Rossoneri have already submitted a €40 million offer, structured as a loan with an option to buy, which was rejected by the English club. However, the youngster needs regular playing time, as coach Arteta himself stated (‘He has great qualities but needs to play’), and this could favour the Diavolo, who intend to return with a renewed bid.
Liam Delap
A Premier League striker for Fabregas. After a long search, Como have set their sights on the English forward from Chelsea to add more firepower to their attack. The Hartono-owned club has already approached the Blues with the aim of securing a loan deal. Relations with Chelsea are excellent, especially after the Chalobah deal. This would be the icing on the cake for their Champions League campaign.
