After the Manchester City-Inter Milan Champions League final (Saturday, 9 p.m.), the world of football will put an end to the 2022-2023 financial year. The clubs are already active on the transfer market to prepare for next season. The opportunity to sniff out some good moves on the side of players free of any contract and thus avoid transfer compensation.
If some big names have already found their base – Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kanté at Al-Ittihad, Lionel Messi at Inter Miami – others, free as the air, are still studying their options. Overview.
Disappointed with the turn of their season, the leaders of PSG have been working behind the scenes for long weeks to qualitatively strengthen their workforce. Among the priority targets are two players at the end of the contract. The first is Marco Asensio, who has already passed his medical examination and will commit to the capital club any day now. The 27-year-old Spanish attacking midfielder was not retained by Real Madrid after 286 matches with the white tunic. He should sign for four years. Another popular name is Marcus Thuram. The French international (25 years old, 10 caps) will leave Borussia Mönchengladbach and would be receptive to the Parisian project.
While waiting for hypothetical expensive recruits – Harry Kane (Tottenham), Victor Osimhen (Naples), Randal Kolo Muani (Frankfurt), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) – PSG reiterates its “free” transfer policy which had allowed them the latter seasons to enlist Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, Gianluigi Donnarumma or Georginio Wijnaldum.
SEE ALSO – Marco Asensio’s superb career at Real Madrid
Among the many players at the end of the contract are some French. If he feels good at Juventus Turin, where he arrived in 2019, Adrien Rabiot has desires elsewhere and may not extend. The Blues midfielder (27 years old, 37 caps) does not rule out a return to PSG, his training club, but has a good popularity rating with other major European teams. “Seeing football today, it’s difficult to position yourself on anything. Nothing should be prohibited. […] I leave the options open, we will see in a few months, ”he confided in March to Figaro.
Another tricolor free agent, the young defender Evan Ndicka (23 years old). Trained in Auxerre, this Parisian by birth has just spent five seasons at Eintracht Frankfurt but did not wish to continue his adventure in Germany. PSG and AS Roma would be interested. Also Cameroonian and Ivorian, Ndicka recently chose to represent the Elephants in selection.
Finally, Hugo Lloris should also be talked about this summer. The record holder of selections with the Blues (145) is not quite at the end of the cycle with Tottenham since he still has one year left on his contract. However, he could find an arrangement to leave free after thirteen years of good and loyal service. Saudi Arabia and MLS would have ticked his name. A return to OGC Nice, his training club, is also envisaged. Unless the 36-year-old doorman lets himself be tempted by another adventure in England.
Real Madrid have already struck a blow in the summer transfer window by securing the services of Jude Bellingham (19) against a check for more than 100 million euros. What should old rogues Toni Kroos (33) and Luka Modric (37) worry about? Not sure. Despite Saudi approaches, the German and the Croatian have reportedly sworn loyalty to the White House for at least one more season. Both have garnered significant playing time this season to the detriment of the two Frenchmen Aurélien Tchouaméni and Eduardo Camavinga, their “successors”.
Former Madrid cador, Sergio Ramos could bounce back to him in Spain after his two years spent in Paris. His training club, Sevilla FC, dreams of a return. In England, several hot issues are causing ink to flow. First there is the extension of Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea and Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, under study but far from being recorded. The second is very popular with PSG.
Long tracked by the Big Four, the Ivorian striker of Crystal Palace Wilfried Zaha would have received a fabulous offer from Al-Nassr to join Cristiano Ronaldo. A destination that Roberto Firmino could also join, pushed towards the exit by Liverpool after having formed one of the most prolific attacks in Europe with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané. Reluctantly dropped by Leicester, relegated to the Championship, the Belgian Youri Tielemans is meanwhile in the sights of Aston Villa and AS Roma.
Across the Rhine, there is talk of an agreement between Bayern Munich and Portuguese international Raphaël Guerreiro (29 years old, 62 caps). After seven seasons in Dortmund, the former Lorient would join the long list of players who have passed from the Ruhr to Bavaria.
Finally, Angel Di Maria is also in the sights of Saudi Arabia after the end of his adventure at Juventus. Unless “El Fideo” joins Lionel Messi at Inter Miami to reform the lethal duo of the Argentine selection…
