2018-19 Premier League: Likeliest Last-Minute Transfers
The 2018-19 Premier League will kick start in a few days, and along with it, are the hopes of every club and player of dominating the English top-flight. What better way to do that than by mixing things up and getting the perfect-fit players in their respective clubs.
That’s why there’s this transfer window where players can change clubs with the hope that they’d play better, and of course, get a higher bargain.
For all European leagues, this year’s transfer window will end on Aug. 31, except for England, however. It was confirmed that the English transfer window would close on Aug. 9, a few weeks before the rest of Europe.
With this, top clubs such as Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur still have a lot of budget left to spend on stars. Jose Mourinho and Mauricio Pochettino are still on the verge of landing big-time deals to a number of players.
Though the odds are pretty low knowing that the transfer window will end in a few days time, it doesn’t mean that it’s not going to happen.
In fact, most sports analysts believe that last-minute transfers will be commonplace in the next coming days due to the added pressure of making the most out of the transfer window.
In an interview, Mourinho said that he and Man United CEO Ed Woodward is working closely with one another in trying to land the perfect signings.
It is even reported that the Premier League spending on transfers goes beyond the £1 billion mark, which shows that transfer fees are increasing.
With this, it would be safe to assume that a few more transfers are going to happen before the deadline this Thursday. Read on to know more about the possible transfers.
Jack Grealish: Aston Villa to Tottenham
Championship club Aston Villa is having a hard time coping with the rest of the league. Finishing the season out of the top ten spot shows that there is something very wrong with their squad, not to mention that they are in dire need of funds.
Because of this, there’s a huge possibility that one of their prized assets is going to leave, with the most likely one being Jack Grealish. The 22-year-old midfielder might leave Aston Villa to help the team raise funds as well as have better chances of getting a title.
Clubs initially offered low transfer bargains for Grealish knowing that Villa might accept them knowing the urgency of funds. In fact, Tottenham is one of the first clubs to offer the 22-year-old a place in the Spurs squad.
Unfortunately, they failed because they failed to meet the £40 million price tag of Grealish, which Aston Villa demanded.
But here is the interesting thing. Mauricio Pochettino is becoming frustrated because of the lack of transfers in the club, it seemed like the Spurs are losing momentum and wasting their opportunity of bolstering their lineup.
What's, even more, is that Tottenham Hotspur owner Daniel Levy is known to bid late in the transfer window because of the likelihood of landing lower offers.
Having Grealish play for the Spurs will also help their club a lot. He can even increase the winning chances of the club in getting the title because he can dribble and hold onto the ball pretty well.
The Gunners might have Harry Kane and Mousa Dembele, but they need to have legit supporting midfielders for them to be effective in staging attacks.
Grealish can do just that as he’s also known to do layoffs and create set piece threats. Tackling and creating spaces for fouls are also some of his strengths, skills which will greatly benefit the Hotspur squad.
Wilfried Zaha: Crystal Palace to Chelsea or Tottenham
Crystal Palace is one of the biggest underdogs for the upcoming Premier League season. This makes sense knowing that they finished last season in the 14th spot. No one wants to be in this situation, especially if you've got the skills.
This is the case for Eagles winger, Wilfried Zaha, who wants to go to the next level of his career. However, it seems like Crystal Palace is not so sure if they’re going to let him leave. Zaha is one of the few players that won all of his starting games with the club.
This, according to football experts, might be the main reason why Zaha is still left hanging in Crystal Palace.
It’s also said that the Eagles value him more than how Tottenham and Chelsea, two clubs that are interested in signing the midfielder this summer.
And though Zaha seems to be happy with how he is treated at Selhurst Park, the need for higher-caliber achievements in his career still gives him the feeling of leaving.
It's also worth noting that a single fee transfer is likely to be denied because Crystal Palace still needs to pay Man United a percentage of the fee as what his entry deal to the Eagles stated. This means that if ever a bargain is made, then it will most likely be a double or two-way deal.
And if this scenario does happen, then it can be expected that Ruben Loftus-Creek will be the one going to Crystal Palace. Some might say that it’s too late for the transfer to be made, but then again, anything is possible, especially if it’s the player who’s going to demand it.
In this case, Wilfried Zaha doesn’t only need value, but a higher pay day as well. Chelsea and Tottenham can do pretty well with those sorts of things.
Ante Rebic: Eintracht Frankfurt to Manchester United
Ante Rebic had the break of his career when he burst into worldwide fame when he helped Croatia make it to the World Cup final in Russia. His spectacular performance throughout the campaign benefited him a lot as top European clubs are vying to get the youngster aboard.
In an interview, the 24-year-old midfielder said that he had a great World Cup run as well as a good season with Eintracht Frankfurt. However, he also added that he’s keeping a keen eye on concrete offers and is working closely with his agent if such offers do come.
Manchester United is one of the top clubs that shown interest with the Croatian. There are even reports that a £44 million is already on the slate but is yet to be finalized by the two clubs.
Getting to play for a top club like Man United is everyone’s dream, and with this, it’s likely that Rebic is going to accept it. Well, that’s not just about him though as his club also plays a huge role with the decision.
Man United finished the previous season smoothly as they ended on the second spot of the Premier League rankings. They might have everything they need. Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial, and Alexis Sanchez can come up with strong strategic plays.
However, getting a versatile youngster like Rebic will help them a lot. His greatest strength comes with his ability to play both as a midfielder and forward, just what Mourinho needs.
Thibaut Courtois: Chelsea to Real Madrid
Chelsea might be in a good situation in the Premier League, but that doesn’t mean they’ve got what it takes to dominate the English top flight and win the league.
Their goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, knows that well that's why there are reports that he's considering a move to Spain. In fact, the Belgian didn't attend their latest training in an effort to show how sure he is to leave Stamford Bridge.
And now that Chelsea has already acquired Robert Green and is still on the process of getting Jack Butland, it’s clear for Courtois to leave the Blues and head elsewhere, a place where he’ll be valued more.
A move to Spanish giant, Real Madrid, is the likeliest scenario though, as what a number of reports state. The move to Bernabeu might be a jackpot for him, but things are becoming a bit unstable there after the departure of Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.
Though that’d not greatly impact Courtois’ gameplay, it can be assumed that he needs to adapt and adjust fast knowing that the Real Madrid squad is experiencing massive changes. That is, if the deal pushes through, which it is most likely to.
Nabil Fekir: Lyon to Chelsea or Liverpool
Nabil Fekir is also at the forefront of the potential list of remaining transfers this summer window. Almost everyone thought that Fekir was going to join Liverpool a few weeks before. However, the unthinkable happened, and the Reds signed Xherdan Shaqiri instead.
This meant that there’s no more available role for Fekir to fill in. But then again, there’s Chelsea who’s reported to be willing to grab the chance.
What's, even more, is that the Frenchman said in an interview that although he's happy with his current club, he's also considering to go out in the future. He even said that anything can happen to know that the transfer window is not yet done.
Things also happen fast in football, Fekir added, hinting a possible move, with the English club being the likeliest destination.
Chelsea is jam-packed with serious talent. There's Eden Hazard and Willian in the forward roles, while Jorginho and N’Golo Kante can take up the midfield positions with ease.
Unfortunately, these players are a bit short when it comes to versatility, which in this case, is Fekir pretty good at. Playing as a midfielder in the first half and being switched to the forward role is easy for him.
What's, even more, is that his dribbling, passing, and free kicks are in line with his aggressive game style, which is just what Maurizio Sarri needs.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic: Lazio to Manchester United or Chelsea
Lazio’s star midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is expected to leave for the English Premier League after Manchester United and Chelsea shown their intent to acquire the top gun.
But between the two, Chelsea has the higher chance of landing the Serbian as their newly laid out management is actively seeking new additions to strengthen their lineup.
Additionally, Milinkovic-Savic said in an interview that he is focusing on how he's going to improve in his current team, but added that surprising things could happen because of the unpredictable nature of the football world.
Marcos Rojo: Manchester United to Wolves
Manchester United indeed has a lot of potential new acquisitions late in the transfer window. However, they’re also expected to lose their go-to defender, Marcos Rojo, to the Warrington Wolves.
It’s all about making way for the new additions, as what most football analysts would say. The Wolves have been reported to be keen to add the Argentine in their squad as they still have lots of remaining transfer funds to spend.
What’s more is that Ramos has an injury record and has a considerably decent wage demands. With this, it’d be safe to say that reaching a deal will be easier as initially expected.
If ever the deal pushes through, then Ramos will have to adapt to the new environment especially that the previous Championship winners have a lot of new additions to the team.
Jay Rodriguez: West Brom to Burnley
Jay Rodriguez is on the radar of Championship club Burnley as they seek to strengthen their attacking lines in the upcoming season further. However, they need to add an extra £20 million to bring the forward on their side.
West Brom has just made Rodriguez and Craig Dawson available for transfer. Unfortunately, no clubs have yet agreed to the hefty transfer fees the Baggies are bargaining.
However, the summer transfer window is fast approaching and West Brom could be forced to lower down their asking fees for their players.
Manchester United to get Toby Alderweireld, Harry Maguire, Toby Alderweireld or Jerome Boateng
Manchester United badly needs some serious addition to bolster its offense and fend off their arch-rival Manchester City out of the top spot.
Because of this, getting Toby Alderweireld, Harry Maguire, or Jerome Boateng to play in Old Trafford might be the next developments to look out for.
Tottenham bargains a hefty £55 million valuation for Tottenham, which Man United isn’t too keen to spend on, despite the clear interest they have on the top gun. Meanwhile, Leicester’s £75 million valuation on Harry Maguire is even far higher than what the Red Devils can afford.
Jerome Boateng has been in and out of Man United’s radar, but Bayern Munich is ready to pick up where the deal left off.
It’s even reported that Ed Woodward, a Man United boss, is currently under talks with Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge about a likely transfer involving the German defender.
Final Verdict
With all this being said, one can say that anything can happen in the world of football. This sport is full of surprises and unpredictable happenings.
The tide of power is always changing, which makes it all the more important for players and managers to sync well with each other, and do their best to dominate the game.
Indeed, the 2018-19 Premier League season will be an interesting one. Let’s just hope that all, if not most, players stay healthily strong.