IT just wouldn’t be the transfer window if there weren’t deals running until the final hours of August.
Recent years have seen plenty of sagas drag on all summer long only to reach their conclusion at the death, moments before the window slams shut. More often than not those deals involved Premier League clubs selling.
In recent years, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Cesc Fabregas have all moved to La Liga after lengthy negotiations that quickly become tedious.
This summer will be no different and there are a number of potential moves that look certain to drag on.
With the help of our friends at Football Whispers we’ve picked out five transfers that could run and run.
Naby Keita – RB Leipzig to Liverpool
The Guinean has been a Liverpool transfer target for several weeks and the Reds have seen a £66million offer for the 22-year-old turned down.
Leipzig are desperate to hold on to the all-action midfielder who scored eight and assisted seven last season. But with Manchester United also interested, last season’s Bundesliga runners-up hold all the cards and could spark a bidding war.
Keita is believed to prefer a switch to Anfield but Leipzig, backed by Red Bull, do not need to sell – meaning a deal is far from imminent.
Neymar – Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain
Earlier in the week reports of a sensational £196m bid from PSG for the Barca superstar emerged from Brazil.
Unsurprisingly, Barcelona have been quick to quash talk of losing one third of their lethal MSN frontline – especially as Neymar, at 25, is the youngest.
However, if there is a club who have the financial clout to sign one of the most marketable players on earth it’s PSG.
After missing out on the Ligue 1 title the Parisiens are desperate to get back on top in Ligue 1 and win the Champions League.
The Catalans won’t want to sell but an overhaul of the squad is needed and Barca cannot compete financially with Europe’s biggest clubs.
The sale of Neymar would change that and give new coach Ernesto Valverde a big transfer kitty.
Alexis Sanchez – Arsenal to Manchester City
The Chilean’s future has already been subject of much speculation this summer and, already, it looks as though that will continue for several further weeks – at least.
Sanchez has turned down the offer of a new contract to remain with the Gunners and had been linked with Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain this summer.
The Reds suffered an embarrassing climbdown earlier in the summer when Southampton threatened them with legal action over their unsanctioned approach for van Dijk.
Liverpool quickly apologised and their interested looked to have cooled.
However, the much sought-after Dutchman remains at St Mary’s with reported interest from Chelsea, Manchester City and others failing to materialise.
Liverpool could, therefore, return with a formal offer for the 26-year-old who is expected to fetch £60m at least.
But that deal might depend on whether Jurgen Klopp is able to sign Keita, who will cost a club-record fee.
Ross Barkley – Everton to Tottenham Hotspur
Speculation regarding Barkley’s future has been rife since the homegrown midfielder was left out of Everton’s starting XI for the end of season defeat at Arsenal.
Manager Ronald Koeman set a deadline for the England international to sign a contract extension but that date has long since passed.
The Toffees’ impressive summer recruitment – not least Wayne Rooney’s return from Manchester United – suggests Barkley’s place in Koeman’s first-choice XI is no longer guaranteed.
Swansea’s Gylfi Sigurdsson is an Everton transfer target and if the £50m Icelander joins Barkley will almost certainly be surplus to requirements.
The question is whether Spurs will meet his £150,000-a-week wage demands.
From The Sun
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