Leicester set for a double swoop? Seven transfer deals you might see happen this week
Even though we’re in the thick of Euro 2020, there are still transfers to be done.
Nothing can stop the perpetual motion machine that is the European football transfer market so it’s moving ahead even as many of the players concerned are representing their nations the Euros right now.
Some deals are far off, with the clubs just making first contact now, but others are so close to completion that they could even be done this week. Those are the deals we’re going to look at right now, profiling seven transfer deals that could be done and dusted by the weekend.
Patson Daka
Signing With: Leicester City
From: RB Salzburg
For: £43m
With Jamie Vardy on the decline, unable to escape Father Time, Leicester need a new mobile goalscorer – Kelechi Iheanacho is an incredible player but he’s more of a target man. Patson Daka is a goalscoring phenom, one-time team-mate and replacement of Erling Haaland at Red Bull Salzburg; the Zambian forward scored 68 times in 125 games for the Austrian outfit and is bursting with the kind of potential that could make him a smash hit for the Foxes (much like Wesley Fofana or Caglar Soyuncu) and that deal is very close to completion.
Boubakary Soumaré
Signing With: Leicester
From: Lille
For: £19.8m
Speaking of Leicester, they’ve almost got another deal over the line with Boubakary Soumaré. The young Frenchman is an excellent dribbler and a player with tremendous potential to grow under the leadership of Brendan Rodgers. This deal was said to be agreed a while back so Leicester would be waiting to announce it alongside Daka.
Gianluigi Donnarumma
Signing With: PSG
From: AC Milan
For: Free
Gianluigi Donnarumma played a game of chicken with AC Milan this season, betting that his boyhood club wouldn’t let him leave on a free transfer as he was both a symbol of the side and also their best goalkeeper. Well, Milan called his bluff and picked up Mike Maignan from Lille on a free, meaning that Donnarumma was free to leave the San Siro. Unlike Hakan Calhanoglu, who signed for rivals Inter Milan, he chose to leave Italy and according to Fabrizio Romano is on the verge of signing for PSG.
Achraf Hakimi
Signing With: PSG
From: Inter Milan
For: €80m
Speaking of PSG, one area of their team where they are objectively weak is at full-back. To that end the Parisians are said to be after the magnificent Achraf Hakimi, an absolute freight train of a full-back who has excelled both for Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan, where he won Serie A. The Moroccan is truly a freak of nature and would add so much attacking power to the Parisians, and their hope will be to wrap the move up ASAP to avoid Chelsea circling in on their man.
Since the start of the 2019/20 season, Achraf Hakimi has had more touches in the opposition box (259) than any other full-back in Europe's top five leagues.
Forget wing-back, he's practically a winger. 💨 pic.twitter.com/bE3Pxk8lN6
— Squawka (@Squawka) June 9, 2021
Jean-Clair Todibo
Signing With: Nice
From: Barcelona
For: €8.5m
Barcelona had high hopes for Jean-Clair Todibo, but the financial desperation of the previous board saw him loaned out to Schalke right as they descended into their year-long odyssey of failure. That all but shattered Todibo’s confidence and Barcelona sent him to Nice to rebuild himself and to his credit, he did just that. Now that Todibo’s loan is over, Nice want to sign him permanently with Barcelona seeming happy to oblige and the move should get wrapped up ASAP.
Konrad de la Fuente
Signing With: Marseille
From: Barcelona
For: €8m
The firesale at Barcelona continues as young American winger Konrad de la Fuente has outgrown Barcelona B but there appears no path into the first-team, so he’s been put up for sale and Jorge Sampaoli’s Marseille are keen on his talents. That move should be completed quickly.
Jadon Sancho
Signing With: Manchester United
From: Borussia Dortmund
For: £78m
Jadon Sancho didn’t play a single second of football through England’s first two-and-a-half games of Euro 2020, but his quality cannot be questioned. He’s been linked with Manchester United for over a year now and the deal finally, finally looks like it’s nearing completion. United know the fee, and they know the player wants to join. All they have to do is swallow their pride and pay Dortmund what he’s worth. And according to Fabrizio Romano, United are closer to Dortmund’s valuation, preparing to pay £78m plus add-ons. Should only take a couple days, right? Let’s hope!
Jadon Sancho to sign for before 3rd September odds with Sky Bet:
- Manchester United: 1/8
- Liverpool: 8/1
- Chelsea: 12/1
- Manchester City: 25/1
- Tottenham: 25/1
- Arsenal: 33/1
18+ only. BeGambleAware.org. All odds in this article are correct at the time of writing (14:30, 23/06/21)
