The World Cup has reached the quarter-final stage which means plenty of the top stars have already boarded flights home after their countries were eliminated from the competition.
But while the players deserve a break and no doubt fancy some time relaxing with families and friends, or jetting off to sun kissed beaches with their wives and girlfriends, they’ll also be on the phone to their agents, who will have been busy plotting next moves for their clients this summer transfer window.
Of the players from teams eliminated so far, the headline name is Mohamed Salah, whose Egypt side suffered a heartbreaking loss to Argentina. The Liverpool legend, 34, has left Anfield on a free transfer and the question now is whether he will make a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia, Turkey or the United States, or decide he still wants to play at the top level and remain in the Premier League.
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Yan Diomande has been linked with Liverpool all summer. After the Ivory Coast were sent packing by an impressive Norway side, the 19-year-old RB Leipzig winger must choose whether to pursue a switch to the Premier League giants, or to ask his agent to follow up interest from European champions Paris Saint-Germain.
Rafael Leao has made clear he wants to begin a new adventure and say farewell to AC Milan. The Portuguese winger has been linked with a transfer to Manchester United post his country’s defeat to Spain. Saudi Pro League clubs and Barcelona are viewed as alternative destinations for the 27-year-old forward.
There is set to be plenty of competition to sign Gilberto Mora this summer, and for good reason, too, as the 17-year-old showed his potential on the World Cup stage for Mexico before losing to England. Club Tijuana hierarchy know it’s only a matter of time before the Arsenal and Liverpool linked ace leaves their club for Europe, and they’ve set a buyout clause at around £19m.
Fulham’s Antonee Robinson could come into Manchester United’s thinking if they decide their left-sided options would be best bolstered by a more defensive player. Robinson, 28, is a key figure in the USA team who were thrashed by Belgium and dumped out after President Donald Trump’s ill-advised intervention in football.
Leeds United are said to admire the Czech player Ladislav Krejci. The 28-year-old centre-back was at Wolves last season on loan from Girona and should be fairly fresh as his nation exited in the group stage after finishing bottom of Group A.
Manchester United have already agreed a deal to sign Ederson from Atalanta, but the £35m transfer was delayed as he was a late call-up to the Brazil World Cup squad. The 26-year-old can complete the transfer now though, after Erling Haaland and Norway knocked out Carlo Ancelotti’s flops.
The Red Devils have also weighed up a move for left winger Crysencio Summerville. The 24-year-old former Leeds man scored his country’s second goal in a 2-2 draw with Japan and their fifth in an impressive 5-1 trouncing of Sweden. Yet he was the fall guy who missed a crucial penalty in a shootout loss to Morocco that ended Dutch World Cup dreams.
Angelo Stiller of Germany may come with a £50m price tag but the VfB Stuttgart midfielder looks the real deal. He made his World Cup bow for Die Mannschaft against Ecuador and has piqued the interest of Newcastle United. The 25-year-old has been a massive influence in Stuttgart’s recent success.
Nico Schlotterbeck is another German star thought to have attracted the interest of Liverpool. The Borussia Dortmund defender may cost as much as £50m but the left-footed centre-back could be worth every penny as a long-term successor to Virgil van Dijk. He was injured in Germany’s win against Ivory Coast so will want to put the frustrations of the tournament behind him.