The season has come to a close, and with international football on the horizon, we also can start up the rumour mill once again for a couple of months in which players are touted for clubs across Europe, money is being splashed about and fans get a little too carried away with their expectations.

This summer could realistically go either way in terms of excitement, as we may see another Covid-led window such as last summer in which clubs will hold and retain their top talents as buyers won’t meet the price tag expectations, or alternatively after reducing their spending over the past season, the big elite clubs may well go all-out to compete at the top. Furthermore, we have the added influence of the ESL proposal, and the fan backlash directed at owners, who could use the summer as a way to get themselves back into the supporters ‘good books’ after their terrible start to the year. All of these factors, plus a whole host of top level stars hinting at moves away from their current club mean we are set for the back pages to be packed full of rumour and fantastical hearsay.

So, with that in mind, let us not talk about what will definitely happen, but instead we shall pick out a few of the biggest names that are set to be spoken about, and discuss where they could realistically end up for the new season. These players moving will surely be the biggest transfers moving across Europe and so this is undoubtedly where attention will be focussed.

If you have any thoughts or opinions on this summers’ biggest transfer speculations, or anything to add with the names we are discussing, head over to Twitter (@NextGoalWinBlog) and let us know your thoughts.

Harry Kane

The biggest name surely to be on the move this summer is Harry Kane. With leaks from within his own ‘camp’ and Tottenham almost acknowledging that the time may have finally come to see Kane leave, it’s almost an inevitability and it is surely going to be filling newspaper back pages all summer long. This move will be breaking transfer records within the UK and in the Premier League wherever the striker ends up, and with money-led Levy heading negotiations, it’s going to take some wad of cash to break the 6-year contract Kane signed. Furthermore, with the Euro’s on the horizon, this summer I am sure Kane will want to remain focussed on his England duties until the end of the tournament, therefore I imagine any discussions won’t even begin until mid-July at the earliest thus dragging the story on for some time.

With regards to where Kane could go, it’s essentially any of Europe’s elite that could realistically have a case put forth for them to be the ones who bag the signature. In England, we have champions Manchester City, who not only will be losing their talismanic striker, but also has been touted by Pep in previous seasons. Furthermore, if the move from Kane is based on a desire to win trophies, City can be an almost guarantee to pick up every domestic trophy available as a minimum in the next 3-5 years. Additionally, they can afford it, and while that sounds a bit flippant to say, it is arguably the most crucial factor, that they could be one of only 2/3 clubs interested that can actually offer up the funds that Spurs will be demanding. Therefore, they must be the front runners in the race for Kane, and everything about the move makes sense, if City want it to happen and don’t get tempted by alternative options. Aside from City, the red side of Manchester would also be an option, and although United haven’t specifically been shopping for a striker this summer, if an opportunity to steal the league’s top striker pops up, they would be mad not to take it. As the Glazers’ have a desire to get United’s share price back up and fans back buying the merchandise, what better opportunity than to sign England’s golden boy. Finally, the 3rd and in my opinion final Premier League choice for Kane would be Chelsea, a side willing to splash on a striker and desperate to break the curse of forwards that has plagued them over the years. It would be a shock if this move happened, with Kane putting his Spurs legacy at the biggest risk with the transfer across London, however for personal reasons of staying in the capital he may well be tempted.

Aside from the Premier League, there are European names being touted, specifically the link-up with Poch over in Paris. PSG along with City are the 2 sides who could easily stump up the massive numbers being spoken of, and perhaps with desperation for European trophies, Poch may see Kane as the missing piece, having been involved so much in Tottenham’s famous final run. Other than PSG, the Spanish sides of Barcelona and Real Madrid could also be interested, with Barcelona unlikely but not an impossible move, and Real being something that Kane I believe has spoken about before. A move to Spain is massively unlikely in my opinion as they are sides in financial uncertainty, while Spurs teammate Bale maybe being a warning for someone like Kane, however if the price is right, let us not rule anything out.

Personally, as mentioned, I think Manchester City will be the move that happens for Harry Kane post-Euro’s. I think it will drag out close to the end of the window, however it will be done this summer and Kane will be a title winner this year. I think City are so desperate to get the Champions League trophy that they will do just about anything to get quick, easy and simple fixes to get that trophy and cement Pep’s legacy and the owners’ project in the club. I think the discussions between Spurs and City will involve a fee of well over £100million, and potentially closer to £200million if Spurs stay tough in negotiations. Already we are seeing City and Pep talk about Ings and Lukaku as ‘cheaper alternatives’, however this must be tactical to reduce financial expectations from Tottenham for this deal.

Whatever happens, this will be the biggest transfer saga of the summer, so brace yourselves.

Erling Haaland

Erling Haaland is just 20 years old, and just a year and a half into his Dortmund career, however the goal scoring machine has bagged 57 goals in 59 appearances for the German side, including netting 41 in 41 in his first full season at the club. He is genuinely one of the most impressive strikers I have seen for some time, and his ability to score goals and even provide assists for fun, is something that almost every European elite side is looking for this summer. There is a genuine shortage of traditional finishers at the top level, and as we’ve seen from Pep’s City playing without a striker, Firmino playing a deeper role at Liverpool and even the likes of Mbappe, Rashford and Werner being played more on the wing. Therefore, Haaland has got owners of most clubs getting their chequebooks ready, and with his father and agent taking a European tour to tout his services, there might be some competition for the players’ signature.

The top clubs being spoken about for Haaland are Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and the Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona. All 5 of those sides are quite obviously looking and needing a talismanic striker, however I think a few of those clubs can be discounted from the race quite quickly. Manchester United seem to be focussed on other positions at the moment, with a RW, CDM and CB being more priority positions. Meanwhile, Real Madrid may be in a position to stick with Benzema for the coming season, and the talk for them is primarily around the eventual move for Mbappe who they hope will eventually become available. Finally, Barcelona are in an apparent mess financially, and their focus is more likely on the free-agent move for Agüero as they are unlikely to afford the £100+million fee Dortmund will demand.

The top suitors therefore to make a move in the summer for Haaland are Manchester City and Chelsea. City are obviously looking for a striker and Haaland will surely be near the top of the list. Despite this, there is more interest towards Kane from Pep as they will prefer a proven Premier League scorer and his desire to sign the Spurs man is well documented. Therefore, if City are to splash over £100million, they will surely be aiming for the Tottenham man before looking over to Dortmund. Chelsea are again on the hunt to sign a top striker according to recent reports, and with the potential to move Werner to the wing and play a more central finisher in the shape of Haaland would be a scary proposition. Alongside this they have the likes of Havertz, Ziyech and Pulisic who can make a terrifying front 3 partnership with Haaland at the centre of it all. I’m not sure Chelsea will be quite as willing to splash massive money just now, however to give full backing to Tuchel they may be tempted with another marquee signing this summer.

My personal prediction for Haaland this summer is that actually he will be staying put for the coming season at Dortmund. With the price being set at well over £100million now, clubs are all too aware of the contract clause for the following summer in which this fee will half, while the player will be 1 year more experienced at the top of German football and also only 21/22 years of age. For clubs such as Chelsea and United, another year without Haaland will be surely worth it for what they will get the following summer.

Jadon Sancho

Enough is enough now with Manchester United and Jadon Sancho, just get the deal done and bring him to Manchester to light up the league and give United an option on the right side of the pitch, it’s as simple as that quite honestly. We are now reaching the 3rd window where everyone expects the transfer to happen, and thus dragging this out further is just making the Manchester club look incredibly inept, particularly while those around them improve effectively. If this transfer drags on once again, United fans will lose a lot of the excitement and expectation from the signing, as fans are already set to see him play, and withholding it further will just numb the enthusiasm from supporters.

There’s not much else to add for this deal, and while the transfer is not yet signed, sealed and delivered, it is so unlikely to be hijacked at this point that it’s just all or nothing. The deal either happens quickly this summer, or doesn’t happen at all, no in-between.

Euro’s Factor

So, after we have discussed the three biggest names that may move this summer, we must also talk about the traditional international football hype and inflation that occurs following most major tournaments. Major tournaments such as the Euro’s and Copa America are the perfect opportunity to get your name in the shop window as an upcoming talented player, and this could well occur once again. Watching a player at international level is massively different than club football, as players are often asked to do a different job in a high profile game, thus showing that they don’t just do a specific job for their club but also have other talents that buyers could utilise.

Prior to the major tournaments, it is impossible to pinpoint just who will be making headlines, however names such as Declan Rice, Jack Grealish, Alexander Isak, Chiesa and many many others could be adding a few zeros to their value and a few bigger clubs enquiring about their availability so keep your eyes peeled for some breakthrough talents stepping up at this summers international tournaments.

Other ones to watch:

A couple of other names to watch this summer include some potential massive transfers. The aforementioned names of Declan Rice and Jack Grealish have been on the verge of a big move for a few seasons now, and may finally pull the trigger and leave the clubs where they could become legends who win no trophies, or make the move and get some silverware while they can. Meanwhile, across Europe some of the top sides are being forced to sell post-ESL failure and the obvious lack of funds this gives the owners of the sides. Inter Milan are already disassembling their title wining side, and their main man Lukaku might well be another casualty of the stripping of the clubs top assets. In Spain, both of the major sides are also in financial insecurity, and thus Real may well be tempted to offer cut price bargains of both Bale and Hazard, both of whom have failed to settle in Spain and become the heroic figures they were expected to become, while Barcelona could be destroyed and decimated this summer if the Messi talk and contract disputes don’t disappear soon. It’s almost unthinkable, but we could see a massive domino effect in transfers that see Messi leaving and many top clubs springing into action to get big deals completed for this season.