European transfer targets
With two weeks of the winter window remaining, we’ve picked out 23 players from across Europe who could be on their way to the Premier League before January’s out. We’ve also picked out possible suitors and listed each player’s potential price.
Andriy Lunin, Real Madrid
Real Madrid’s promising young goalkeeper, is in the midst of his second consecutive disastrous loan spell. Last season, Madrid sent Lunin to Leganes, where the Ukrainian found himself scrapping for minutes behind Ivan Cuellar. This time around he finds himself behind Jordi Masip at Real Valladolid.
Lunin has made zero league appearances this season. Madrid should send him to the Premier League instead, with Bournemouth, Aston Villa and West Ham potentially interested in more competition between the sticks.
Potential price: Loan deal
Possible suitors: West Ham, Bournemouth, Aston Villa
Emre Can, Juventus
Can's decision to move from Liverpool to Juventus on a free transfer looked logical in 2018, but it’s turned out to be something of a mistake for the midfielder. He had a difficult first season in Italy and is now out of favour with Maurizio Sarri, who didn't include the German in his Champions League squad.
Still only 25, Can is still very much part of Joachim Low’s plans for the national team, and is desperately looking for a way out of Turin in order to get his career back on track. He is still highly motivated, and possesses a fine mix of tactical awareness and power.
Potential price: €30 million
Possible suitors: Manchester United, Everton, Newcastle
Arturo Vidal, Barcelona
In December, news broke that Vidal was suing Barcelona for unpaid bonuses worth €2.4 million. The move from the midfielder – who had his lawyers file a complaint for unpaid dues in early December – surprised Barcelona’s board. They claimed publicly that the request had come out of nowhere, without any prior communication from the Chile international.
Barcelona believe it is a strategic ploy from Vidal to seal a move away from the Camp Nou. Inter have been sniffing around, but Manchester United would also benefit from his technical quality, drive and experience.
Potential price: €15 million
Possible suitors: Manchester United
Diego Costa, Atletico Madrid
Costa is one of the least in-form strikers in Spain. He has not scored since September and has a total of seven league goals over the past two-and-a-half seasons. He is currently sidelined with injury with no timetable for his return.
Now might be the time for Atletico to cash in before Costa walks for free when his contract expires next year. Tottenham, robbed of Harry Kane for the next few months, could try and tempt him back to London.
Potential price: €20 million
Possible suitors: Tottenham
Dries Mertens, Napoli
The situation at Napoli is not great, and a huge conflict between the owner Aurelio De Laurentiis and star players is likely to result in a mass exodus. This is especially relevant to those players whose contracts expire in the summer, with Napoli willing to sell in January to avoid losing them for free.
Mertens, the 32-year-old Belgian who can play as a centre-forward, false nine or on the wing, has proven his quality over a number of years. Everton supremo Carlo Ancelotti knows him well.
Potential price: €10 million
Possible suitors: Everton
Jadon Sancho, Borussia Dortmund
One of the very brightest talents of his generation, the Manchester City academy graduate is likely to leave Dortmund some time in 2020 The Englishman offers pace, exquisite dribbling skills, vision, and a brilliant passing range that makes him one of the leading assist providers in the world.
Dortmund will be desperate to keep hold of Sancho until the summer, but that doesn’t mean Chelsea, Liverpool or Manchester United shouldn’t try their luck this month. BVB's minimal asking price is reported to be €140 million, but the actual fee is bound to be bigger.
Potential Price: €170 million
Possible suitors: Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool
Jeremie Boga, Sassuolo
Only Wilfried Zaha, Adama Traore and Leo Messi have completed more dribbles this season than the Chelsea academy graduate. This is Boga’s second season in Italy, and he is proving his worth after being released by the Blues for just £3.5m.
Having scored against both Juventus and Inter already this season, the 22-year-old is not looking to move right now, and has stated that his Premier League dream is over – but a good offer could lure him back to London.
Potential price: €20 million
Possible suitors: Arsenal, Chelsea
Kaan Ayhan, Fortuna Dusseldorf
The Gelsenkirchen-born centre-back, who represented Germany at youth level but is now a Turkey international, impressed in his country’s meetings with France in the Euro 2020 qualifiers.
Ayhan, who can play as a right-back and a defensive midfielder, was once considered a top prospect at Schalke before knee injuries devastated his progress. He’s back on track now, though, and could be set for a Premier League switch sooner rather than later.
Potential Price: €20 million
Possible suitors: Arsenal, Manchester City, Norwich
Cristian Tello, Real Betis
Former Barcelona winger Cristiano Tello has found it hard to get consistent minutes at Real Betis this season behind Sergio Canales, Nabil Fekir, and Joaquin.
Wilfried Zaha could be on his way out of Selhurst Park this month, and Palace will need a replacement. Even if the Ivorian forward stays put until the summer, the Eagles could do with sme more quality out wide.
Potential price: €7 million
Possible suitors: Crystal Palace
Lautaro Martinez, Inter
Martinez made his debut for Racing Club in Argentina by coming on as a substitute for Diego Milito – his personal idol and an Inter legend. Now he is following the great striker's footsteps at the San Siro – and has fast become one of the best strikers in Italy.
Naturally, the 22-year-old is a hot name in the transfer market, but it would take an insanely high offer for Inter to even consider selling him. Still, that hasn’t stopped Premier League clubs in the past…
Potential price: €100 million
Possible suitors: Manchester City
Leon Bailey, Bayer Leverkusen
Bailey was one of the hottest properties in the Bundesliga during the 2017/18 campaign, but the Jamaican's progress has stalled since then. Injury and attitude problems have made him less effective in Peter Bosz's Leverkusen side, and he’s no longer a certain starter.
The winger's talent is not in doubt, however, and at the age of 22 he could still blossom into a world-class star under the right manager. Bailey is surely worth a chance at €50 million.
Potential Price: €50 million
Possible suitors: Chelsea, Liverpool
Lorenzo Insigne, Napoli
Insigne's case is more complicated than some of his Napoli team-mates’; his contract runs until 2022, and he is represented by Mino Raiola.
Nevertheless, there is a feeling that the 28-year-old winger's career at his beloved Napoli is nearing an end, as his relations with owner Aurelio De Laurentiis are seemingly broken beyond repair. Moving abroad could be the best move; Insigne is unlikely to feel at home at another Italian club, and he may relish the chance to test himself overseas.
Potential price: €50 million
Possible suitors: Everton
Mikel Oyarzabal, Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad will not want to sell Oyarzabal this winter, although they could agree to a deal which sees him stay put until the summer before moving on.
Oyarzabal has a long contract which runs until 2024, so he won’t come cheap. But la Real know that they can’t keep hold of him forever, particularly if Pep Guardiola follows up on his admiration for the forward.
Potential price: €70 million
Possible suitors: Manchester City
Brahim Diaz, Real Madrid
Diaz was not a Zinedine Zidane signing: the young Spanish winger was purchased in the last winter market from Manchester City when Santiago Solari was in charge of Real Madrid. Zidane was impressed with Diaz last term, but the former City starlet has struggled for game time this term.
Diaz wants to stay and fight for his place, but first-team minutes are more important right now. A loan move to the Premier League could suit all parties.
Potential price: Loan deal
Possible suitors: Wolves
Milot Rashica, Werder Bremen
There are rare cases when a player has a breakthrough season just when his team is sinking without a trace. That is what Rashica is experiencing at the moment.
The young Kosovar playmaker is having the time of his life, having scored seven goals and provided three assists in 13 matches, but Bremen have won just once since September and dropped into the relegation zone. This could be the best time to sign the industrious, attacking prodigy.
Potential: €40 million
Possible suitors: Aston Villa
Nikola Milenkovic, Fiorentina
A team in crisis is more likely to sell promising stars, and that’s precisely the case at Fiorentina. The towering Serbian is able to play as centre-back and right-back and is regarded as one of the best defensive talents in Italy.
It speaks volumes about Milenkovic and Fiorentina that the defender, just 22, is their joint-top scorer this term with three goals. He is tactically astute, disciplined and willing to learn – but ready to make an immediate contribution to a team that needs to tighten up at the back.
Potential price: €35 million
Possible suitors: Arsenal
Philipp Max, Augsburg
An attack-minded left-back who can also play in a more advanced role on the flank, Max made headlines when he provided 12 assists for modest Augsburg in 2017/18.
The German is capable of contributing scoring chances from both open play and set-pieces; in that regard, he’s reminiscent of Leighton Baines, just without the Mod haircut. Max might not be perfect defensively, but he’s a dedicated player who has contributed six goals and four assists already this season.
Potential Price: €15 million
Possible suitors: Wolves, Bournemouth, Norwich
Robin Gosens, Atalanta
Several lesser-known players have contributed to the rise of Atalanta, a club that are consistently playing some of the best and most attractive football in Italy. Gosens, typically a left-sided wing-back, is definitely worth mentioning.
Eligible to represent both Germany and Holland, it’s a little surprising that he’s still uncapped. Very attack-minded, Gosens would be a welcome addition to a squad in need of a player to cover any position on the left.
Potential price: £20 million
Possible suitors: Tottenham, Crystal Palace
Robin Koch, Freiburg
Once upon a time, Bundesliga fans fell in love with wild-haired defender Harry Koch, who famously won the championship title with Otto Rehhagel's Kaiserslautern in 1998. His son Robin is also a centre-back, but his skills are much more subtle than those of his father.
Koch is a ball-playing defender with excellent positioning, and he’s been flourishing under the guidance of Freiburg coach Christian Streich this term. He would be a valuable addition to any number of Premier League squads.
Potential Price: €30 million
Possible suitors: Leicester, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City
Robin Quaison, Mainz
Quaison is a dream player for any coach. He’s tenacious, dedicated, tactically disciplined, extremely versatile – and currently making fast professional progress.
Quaison wasn't even part of Sweden’s plans before and during the 2018 World Cup, but he’s now an undisputed starter for his country. Quick and unpredictable, he can play anywhere across the frontline and attacking midfield, popping up to score when needed.
Potential Price: €15 million
Possible suitors: Everton, Bournemouth, Southampton, Newcastle, Watford
Seko Fofana, Udinese
Manchester City sold Fofana to Udinese back in 2016, and while the midfielder is not yet consistent enough, he’s shown his talent in Italy. A box-to-box dynamo with a keen eye for through-balls and goals, the 24-year-old would be a solid acquisition for a mid-table club.
Success is not assured by any means, but Fofana’s potential is immense. Newcastle and Bournemouth would be wise to consider a move.
Potential price: €20 million
Possible suitors: Newcastle, Bournemouth
Sergio Leon, Levante
Three seasons ago, Leon scored 10 goals in 33 appearances for Osasuna, and was a rare bright spot in a campaign which ended with the Basque team’s relegation. The striker was too good to go back to Segunda, where he initially made his name with Elche, so he moved to Real Betis instead.
However, Leon found game time hard to come by in Seville, and was sold to Levante after two underwhelming seasons. The forward is currently behind three players - Roger Marti, Jose Luis Morales and, Borja Mayoral - in the pecking order, so a change of scenery could be exactly what his career needs.
Potential price: €3 million
Possible suitors: Brighton, Newcastle
Wout Weghorst, Wolfsburg
The towering Dutchman is one of the most underrated centre-forwards in Europe. The penalty-area predator is unusually mobile for such a lanky player, and possesses a surprisingly deft touch. He’s also capable of providing magical through-balls and he opens a lot of space for his team-mates.
Weghorst took to the Bundesliga like a duck to water after moving from AZ Alkmaar in 2018, and there’s nothing to suggest he wouldn’t transition equally well to the Premier League. Tottenham should consider a bid this month.
Potential Price: €40 million
Possible suitors: Tottenham, Leicester
