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Viktor Gyökeres, Sporting CP
Gyökeres has been heavily linked with a return to England in recent transfer windows. Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United have all been credited with an interest in the Swedish striker, who has scored 38 goals in the Portuguese top flight this season – 20 more than his nearest challenger. Sporting will be reluctant to lose their star but the former Brighton and Coventry player seems perfectly suited to the rigours of Premier League football. This summer might be the one when he leaves Lisbon.
Benjamin Sesko, RB Leipzig
Sesko was linked with a move to Arsenal last summer, but opted to sign a new deal with RB Leipzig. The 21-year-old has enjoyed a fine campaign in Germany, scoring 13 goals and laying on five assists for an underperforming RB Leipzig side. His xG overperformance of 2.78 is among the biggest in the Bundesliga. He has an eye for the incredible, so it’s no wonder he continues to crop up on Premier League radars.
Hugo Ekitike, Eintracht Frankfurt
Sesko isn’t the only Bundesliga striker who could be joining one of the Premier League’s big hitters. Eintracht Frankfurt will not want to lose their two prized forwards in a matter of months, Omar Marmoush having left the club for Manchester City in January, but they will struggle to keep the young French forward. There are rough edges to the 22-year-old’s game – an xG underperformance of 6.80 is the highest in Germany’s top tier – but Ekitike has huge potential. His style is very similar to that of Alexander Isak; Ekitike could be a cost-effective alternative to the in-demand Swede.
Diogo Costa, Porto
This season has been one to forget for Porto, who are 11 points off the pace going into the final week of the season. Even so, they boast one of the best defensive records in the division, having conceded just 30 goals in 33 games. Their goalkeeper deserves a lot of the credit. The Portuguese penalty-saving machine has kept more clean sheets (15) than any other goalkeeper in Portugal’s top tier this term. Costa has the best pass success rate for goalkeepers in the league (81.3%), so it’s easy to see why he has been linked with a move to Manchester City.
Joan García, Espanyol
García, another goalkeeper, was wanted by Arsenal last summer but the deal never materialised. He has shone again this season, making more saves (135) than any other goalkeeper in La Liga. Espanyol are 14th in the table and look likely to stay up; they would be as good as relegated were it not for his performances. Manchester United are reportedly keen on the 24-year-old, though so too are Aston Villa, Arsenal and Bournemouth.
Jamie Gittens, Borussia Dortmund
Gittens followed in Jadon Sancho’s footsteps, leaving Manchester City for Borussia Dortmund. He could be returning to England this summer. The 20-year-old has impressed this season, despite being in and out of the starting XI. Only Florian Wirtz (81) has completed more dribbles than the young winger (77) in the Bundesliga this season, with Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham reportedly monitoring his progress.
Rodrygo, Real Madrid
It looks increasingly likely that Real Madrid will sell Rodrygo this summer as they overhaul their squad and cash in on one of their most lucrative players following a disappointing season. The 24-year-old is no longer a guaranteed starter, with injuries and the signing of Kylian Mbappé restricting the Brazilian to just 22 league starts. Manchester City, who kickstarted their rebuild in January, have been linked with a move for Rodrygo, who still contributed six goals and five assists for Carlo Ancelotti’s side in La Liga this season.
Rayan Cherki, Lyon
With a rumoured release clause of just £25m, it’s no wonder there is a queue of suitors for Lyon winger Cherki. The Frenchman was a rumoured target for Borussia Dortmund in January, but he stayed in France. There is little chance the 21-year-old will be a Lyon player come the start of the new season, especially if they fail to qualify for Europe. Liverpool and Manchester United have been linked with the youngster. The versatile forward ranks top for accurate through balls (13), big chances created (21) and assists (10), and third for key passes (70), in Ligue 1 this season. Expect a scramble for his services.
Martín Zubimendi, Real Sociedad
Liverpool tried to sign Zubimendi last summer but he decided to stay at Real Sociedad. In the end, it worked out well for Liverpool, with Ryan Gravenberch stepping up and excelling under Arne Slot. Zubimendi is still a wanted man in England, with Arsenal seemingly ready to sign the 26-year-old midfielder for €60m. Jorginho is expected to join Flamengo and Thomas Partey’s contract expires at the end of the season, so Mikel Arteta needs midfield reinforcements.
Angelo Stiller, Stuttgart
Liverpool are expected to bring in another midfielder as they look to build on their title success. Stiller would be a cost-effective and tactically versatile alternative to Zubimendi. The 24-year-old has been a key player for Stuttgart in recent seasons, with his performances earning him a place in the national team. He signed a new contract with Stuttgart earlier this year, so Liverpool would have to spend big to secure the deal. But Stiller would ease the pressure on both Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister.
This is an article by WhoScored
