And you thought there was time to rest. Four days after the longest of club seasons drew to a close with Manchester City ’s maiden Champions League, the summer transfer window is opening.
In the era where new players are celebrated like trophies it is time to get excited about a young winger you hadn’t heard of yesterday and question why your club is yet to have a deal lined up to fix the past campaign’s problem area.
Expect the next dozen weeks to be more frenzied than ever. Rumours will spread from nothing and, as West Ham manager David Moyes said recently, trees will be sacrificed because the list of inaccurate links is going to be so long.
Beating the £2bn spent last summer will take some doing – mostly because Chelsea will surely not take the same chaotic approach – but there are a number of storylines certain to capture the imagination as teams look to find a way to end Man City's dominance and several big names seek pastures new.
Man Utd’s doubts
It is the saga with no end in sight but the delays and indecision around the future of Manchester United ’s ownership has left the club’s transfer plans in limbo. A move for Chelsea and England midfielder Mason Mount in is in progress, but with no certainty over who will hold the keys to Old Trafford by the time the window shuts, there are questions around the funds available.
Erik ten Hag desperately needs a striker and a push for Harry Kane (more of whom later) would make complete sense. But can they afford him and even if they can will England’s record goalscorer look to become a galactico?
Mbappe bombshell
That is unless Real Madrid do what has felt inevitable and bring Kylian Mbappe to the Bernabeu a year earlier than anticipated. The French superstar delivered a letter to PSG’s hierarchy at the weekend saying he will not be picking up the option to extend his deal beyond 2024.
So now the French champions must decide whether to sell for a fee this summer or wave goodbye for free in 12 months. Mbappe has since said he will remain at the club next season but that will not stop a summer of speculation. Real have already agreed a bumper deal to sign Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund. If both happen then Kane will have one option fewer to consider.
Stamford Bridge firesale
Chelsea, with Mauricio Pochettino facing an almighty job to turn things around, need a proven goalscorer. But more important is making significant cuts to the squad.
It has already started with N’Golo Kante off to Saudi Arabia, Mason Mount allowed to leave for the right fee and Mateo Kovacic given permission to talk with Manchester City. Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Cesar Azpilicueta are expected to go too and, really, almost anyone who was at the club the season before last will be available for the right price.
Best become better
The Kovacic deal would be a remarkable piece of business in that for all of Chelsea’s need to trim it will make them weaker and ensure Manchester City, treble in the bank, get even stronger. How the best become better will be fascinating.
Ilkay Gundogan could be part of the elder statesman exodus to Saudi Arabia and Bernardo Silva is again being linked with a move away. So Pep Guardiola will be looking at adding options at midfield and full back in an attempt to increase their stranglehold.
City are usually efficient and ruthless, not prone to long sagas. - so expect business to be swift.
Closing the gap
Then it comes down to what the chasing pack can do to stop the gap from widening further. Liverpool have already agreed to bring in Alexis Mac Allister with Jurgen Klopp’s squad facing a major refurbishment in midfield.
Chelsea and Man Utd’s objectives are clear, while Tottenham will likely have a quiet window unless they end up shopping with money made from selling Kane.
The youthfulness of Arsenal ’s core bodes well for their long-term top four prospects but there needs to be more steel added for them to be considered a genuine contender to City again - not least added depth at centre back and an extra force in midfield.
Declan Rice decision
Which brings us to the future of England’s anchor, which should be sorted soon. The midfielder is expected to head to the Emirates having delivered West Ham’s first trophy in 43 years last week, cementing his status there as a club legend. A player of his talent deserves to be in the Champions League but living up to a price tag that could be north of £100m is a lot of pressure. Can he deliver?
Brighton bonanza
Last season’s surprise packages have already lost Mac Allister to Liverpool and could bid farewell to Moises Caicedo – but how they reinvest will be far more interesting.
Expect more smart buys of under the radar names from surprising locations who then turn out to be elite performers claiming scalps. Their track record is quite remarkable. For how long can it continue?
Do new boys make a splash?
Will Luton lean heavily on those who earned their shock ascension to the top flight or gamble on bringing in talent to keep them afloat? It appears a tall order for them already, even if last season saw all three newly-promoted sides survive.
Burnley and Sheffield United have squads that appear better equipped but both are in muddy waters in terms of ownership and are unlikely to spend huge amounts of money.
