Gyokeres, Isak, Sesko, Nunez: The 15 strikers who could define the summer transfer window
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6252369/2025/04/04/transfer-summer-window-strikers-analysis
The striker situation is already a key aspect of this coming summer’s transfer window, with a number of top Premier League sides desperate to bring in an elite No 9.
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United could all be looking to bring in a centre-forward this summer, so expect a busy summer of movement for forward players.
But who are those players? How do they operate best? And what does the market for them look like this summer?
Here, The Athletic’s experts analyse the 15 strikers we expect to be of interest this upcoming transfer window.
Viktor Gyokeres
Age: 26
Club: Sporting CP
Contract expires: Summer 2028
Who are they?
Gyokeres has been nothing short of a goal-scoring sensation with Sporting CP. The Sweden international has racked up 85 goals and 26 assists in 92 games for Sporting, helping them lift the Primeira Liga last year. In this 2024-25 league campaign, he has scored 30 goals in 26 appearances.
A record like that has forced a host of elite clubs to take a long, hard look at him — among them, Arsenal.
How do they play?
Gyokeres’s speed and power give him a considerable advantage in the Portuguese league, where few central defenders can handle him. He favours drifting out to the flanks before making diagonal runs in behind — and once he gets up a head of speed, he is very difficult to stop.
Interestingly, for a player who is so tall and powerful, he hardly scores any headed goals. That suggests his arrival would necessitate a change in Arsenal’s style, which focuses heavily on build-up on the wings and crosses from the flanks.
It also remains to be seen whether Gyokeres’ physical dominance and goalscoring prowess could be replicated in a more challenging environment, such as the Premier League.
Why are they in play this summer?
Gyokeres turns 27 in June, so it looks like a case of “now or never” if he is going to make a move to one of Europe’s biggest clubs. There have also been indications that Sporting may be prepared to do a deal for less than Gyokeres’ €100million release clause, with talk of a fee in the region of €70m.
That reduced price tag makes Gyokeres a much more attractive proposition.
What do we know of who’s interested?
Most of the Premier League’s biggest clubs have watched Gyokeres in action. Given that he played under Ruben Amorim in Portugal, Manchester United look like a logical fit. Thus far, however, their interest has been relatively tepid. They hold reservations over Gyokeres’ price tag, potential salary and age.
Arsenal are in a different position: they have a pressing need for a new No 9, and ideally, one who can make an immediate impact. New sporting director Andrea Berta is a longstanding admirer of Gyokeres and is expected to propose him as a strong candidate for the central striking position.
It remains to be seen if Berta’s advocacy is sufficient to convince Mikel Arteta, as Arsenal continue to consider other options such as Alexander Isak and Benjamin Sesko.
James McNicholas
Alexander Isak
Age: 25
Club: Newcastle United
Contract expires: Summer 2028
Who are they?
Isak needs fewer introductions than any player on this list, but here are the raw facts. The Swedish international has scored 59 goals in his first 101 appearances for Newcastle United, including the decisive goal in the 2025 Carabao Cup final, the club’s first domestic trophy in 70 years.
The third-highest scorer in the Premier League this season, Isak, who combines clinical finishing with a languid elegance, is already one of the world’s elite strikers.
How do they play?
One of Isak’s greatest skills is his movement, which allows him to fulfil pretty much any role in attack: rotating with a winger, dropping deep to link play, dribbling directly at defenders, or using his pace to play off the shoulder.
Isak’s ability to improvise finishes in congested spaces has also rapidly improved, allowing him to score more poachers’ goals. Newcastle grant their forward a large amount of freedom while in possession to allow Isak to choose how to weaponise his abilities best, meaning at times he can appear inactive before springing into action.
That has the benefit of managing his workload — and Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe has also focused extensively on his defensive responsibilities, meaning he is now a willing contributor to a team looking to press high.
Why are they in play this summer?
Well, this is the key: he may not be in play at all. Newcastle are desperate to keep him, while Isak’s contract runs until 2028, and he has not yet expressed any inclination to move.
With players of this quality, there will always be speculation, but it will be likely to remain as just that, speculation, unless Newcastle fail to qualify for the Champions League. This is relevant for two main reasons: for Isak’s desire to play at the highest level, which exists even if not expressed vocally so far, and for Newcastle’s ability, financially, to resist astronomical offers.
Teams will sense weakness if Howe’s side fail to finish in the top five — expect attempts to unsettle the player, with a sale only a possibility if he agitates to move.
What do we know of who’s interested?
Pretty much every team in the world is interested in an elite No 9; the issue is one of affordability. Arsenal and Chelsea hold a long-standing interest in the player, with the former club especially keen to recruit in the striker market this summer, choosing not to spend in January so as not to inhibit their upcoming recruitment.
Chelsea made a bid last summer. Barcelona are also admirers — and want to find the long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski — but it is unclear whether their financial situation will put them in any position to make a competitive bid.
Liverpool’s senior recruitment figures admire Isak, but it’s highly unlikely that Liverpool would agree to pay £150million for him.
Jacob Whitehead
Benjamin Sesko
Age: 21
Club: RB Leipzig
Contract expires: Summer 2029
Who are they?
Benjamin Sesko is a Slovenian striker who plays for the Bundesliga club RB Leipzig. His profile — 6ft 5in (195cm), swift, can jump high enough to kick a basketball hoop — means that he has been the subject of transfer interest from Europe’s biggest clubs since turning 18.
So far, he has chosen to stay at Leipzig, viewing it as a pressure-free location to try to put his rare traits together.
How do they play?
Sesko’s best singular attribute is his ball-striking — he simply shoots with incredible force, which can lead to scarcely believable goals. His height and subsequent ability in aerial duels mean that he operates well as the focal point of an attack.
That said, he is not as well-rounded as some other players on this list. He combines elite traits with others which need improvement, such as his link-up play and consistency of finishing. Sesko may have failed to take the huge step forward this season, which some anticipated, but there are still shoots of encouragement.
He has already matched last season’s goal total. But in a Leipzig side who are struggling far more than the previous campaign, with Sesko forced to assume much more of the mantle, this is already an impressive achievement.
(Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
Why are they in play this summer?
Sesko has been patient, but in short, all parties have accepted that this is the right moment to move on.
In choosing to agree new terms at Leipzig last summer, Sesko’s representation managed to secure a gentleman’s agreement that the club will cooperate if they receive a bid of €70million — with negotiations on the expected structure beginning at that number. For clubs unable to afford Isak, this fee is one step back.
For their part, Leipzig want to sell one of Sesko or strike partner Lois Openda in order to invest in a squad which needs a wider refresh, underscored by their likely failure to qualify for next season’s Champions League (they are sixth in the Bundesliga having recently sacked head coach Marco Rose). Sesko’s youth and scoring record mean he could be close to peak value.
What do we know of who’s interested?
Last summer, four Premier League clubs — Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Newcastle United — all expressed interest.
He was Arsenal’s top target before choosing to remain at Leipzig. Newcastle and Manchester United now appear to have dropped off that list as a realistic destination — with Chelsea emerging as another major player.
Isak and Gyokeres have now eclipsed him at the top of many of these clubs’ lists — with Sesko possibly a fallback option should they miss out on either of the Swedish pair. A team that prioritises him early in the window may face less competition than might be expected.
Jacob Whitehead
Liam Delap
Age: 22
Club: Ipswich Town
Contract expires: Summer 2029
Who are they?
Delap has been a shining light for Ipswich this season, scoring 11 of their 30 Premier League goals to keep them clinging to their top-flight status with their fingertips.
Having joined Manchester City’s academy from Derby County aged 16, Delap had spells on loan at Stoke City, Preston North End and Hull City, where he scored eight times in 31 Championship appearances to earn his move to Portman Road last summer in a deal worth up to £20million.
How do they play?
Delap is something of a throwback No 9, a physical presence up top who wears his shorts like a 1980s Rugby League player and clatters into opponents with a ferocity to match. But he is also skilful, capable of linking play and driving with the ball. He also runs the channels well. His shooting power stands out too, and he will attempt to score from various angles and distances.
His latest goal, at Bournemouth, rolled these characteristics into one move. As Delap helped build up from midfield, he passed out wide to Conor Townsend, moved into the middle of the box and unleashed a thunderous strike to finish when the ball came back his way.
Why are they in play this summer?
His impact on the Premier League in his first season has taken people by surprise, and the deal Ipswich agreed with City contains exit clauses that make him an appealing target, especially in the event that Ipswich go down. Clubs can trigger a release for around £40million, although City also have a buyback option about that fee.
Delap’s age, his homegrown status, his mentality, and his clear football improvement make him a centre-forward that ticks a lot of boxes.
What do we know of who’s interested?
Several Premier League clubs are watching Delap. Chelsea have so far shown the most interest, with Manchester United also looking at him as a potential summer signing. United need to find a way to score more goals, and Delap has scored more in the Premier League than Rasmus Hojlund, Joshua Zirkzee and Alejandro Garnacho combined.
Jason Wilcox, United’s technical director, knows Delap well, having been City’s academy director when he joined the club. Newcastle have been linked with Delap, while City continue to monitor their former player too.
Laurie Whitwell
Victor Osimhen
Age: 26
Club: Galatasaray (on loan from Napoli)
Contract expires: Summer 2026
Who are they?
You may remember Victor Osimhen from such hits as “firing Napoli to a first Serie A title since the days of Diego Maradona” and “becoming the first African player to finish as Italy’s leading scorer” in 2023.
He is, though, currently starring in a slightly more arthouse production in Turkey.
How do they play?
Outside Erling Haaland, it is hard to imagine a more complete centre-forward, in the traditional style, than the Nigerian.
Osimhen is tall, strong and explosive; at his best, he is both almost unplayable in the air and technically adroit. Like most elite strikers, he has a range of finishes available to him. He can be a target man, a poacher, and he can stretch defences with his movement.
Osimhen is, in other words, the whole package. It is ultimately quite strange that he has spent one of the peak years of his career in Turkey.
(Ahmad Mora/Getty Images)
Why are they in play this summer?
This is a long story, but in short: Osimhen signed a new contract at Napoli a few months after that title success. He understood it to mean that the club would not stand in his way if an offer for his asking price – somewhere in the region of £120million – arrived. Last summer, though, the only suitor willing to pay that price was in Saudi Arabia.
Osimhen did not want to leave, and threatened not to play unless Napoli negotiated. That is not how Aurelio De Laurentiis, Napoli’s president, works. He made it plain that he would happily leave Osimhen out of the squad entirely. Eventually, he joined Galatasaray on loan for the season, but that is not likely to be a long-term solution.
What do we know of who’s interested?
Chelsea contemplated signing him last summer and most likely would have done so had De Laurentiis been prepared to budge.
But that is likely just the start: Osimhen is the sort of player who could play for any team in Europe. The problem will be finding out which is able to do a deal with De Laurentiis.
Rory Smith
Darwin Nunez
Age: 25
Club: Liverpool
Contract expires: Summer 2028
Who are they?
Nunez is a Uruguay international who is coming towards the end of his third season at Liverpool.
The 25-year-old striker has scored 40 goals in 136 games for the club since arriving from Benfica in the summer of 2022 for a fee potentially rising to £85million.
Nunez started his career at Penarol in his homeland before moving to Spain to join Almeria in 2019. His career took off at Benfica where he netted 48 times in 85 appearances. He caught the eye of Jurgen Klopp, who was convinced about his ability to succeed in the Premier League. However, Nunez has struggled to replicate that form at Anfield.
How do they play?
Nunez is a No 9 who loves the ball being played in behind for him to run onto. He’s got pace and strength in abundance.
When it comes to finishing, he’s at his best when it’s instinctive. It tends to go wrong when he has plenty of time to think about picking his spot. There’s a good reason why Nunez is known as the ‘agent of chaos’. He’s erratic, and you never really know what you are going to get.
He’s capable of producing the spectacular, but he’s also been guilty of some glaring missed chances.
Why are they in play this summer?
Having scored 18 goals in all competitions last season, Nunez only has seven to his name this time around.
His role has dwindled since Arne Slot took over from Klopp. Nunez has only made 17 starts in all competitions this season, with a further 23 appearances off the bench. Slot has preferred playing either Diogo Jota or Luis Diaz through the middle, and in February, he criticised Nunez’s work ethic in the games against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa, when he missed an open goal.
Given his price tag, it’s hard to see Nunez staying around as a squad player. A parting of the ways is likely to suit all this summer.
What do we know of who’s interested?
There was interest in Nunez from the Saudi Pro League in January. However, Liverpool were adamant that he was not for sale as they wanted to keep the squad together as they challenged for the Premier League title.
They also knew that trying to recruit a suitable replacement in the winter window would be problematic.
Suitors are unlikely to be met with the same kind of resistance come the summer. Nunez has also been linked with Milan, but it’s the prospect of selling him to Saudi Arabia which gives Liverpool the best chance of recouping most of the money they paid Benfica for him three years ago.
James Pearce
Hugo Ekitike
Age: 22
Club: Eintracht Frankfurt
Contract expires: Summer 2029
Who are they?
Eintracht Frankfurt’s French forward moved to Deutsche Bank Park in January 2024 after getting lost at Paris Saint-Germain.
Slowly at first, but now in great strides, he has recovered his momentum and — again — has become one of Europe’s Bright Young Things.
How do they play?
You could be mistaken for thinking that he’s just a technical player. Not unreasonably, because he possesses a delicate touch and an array of tricks capable of befuddling most defenders one-on-one.
Before Omar Marmoush was sold to Manchester City in January, the two had struck up a dangerous partnership at Frankfurt. Often, Ekitike was the more creative half of that pairing and showed delicate, imaginative touches around and inside the box to create chances.
Frankfurt make great use of Ekitike’s speed on the break and ability to go past opponents. He thrives against disorganised defences, too.
He is a bigger target than he looks, though, and a threat in the air. It does not mean that he is a complete centre-forward, not yet, but neither is he just a tricky player, either, or a lightweight who will not compete in the box.
(Swen Pförtner/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Why are they in play this summer?
Because of the strength of his talent. Premier League clubs will concede that Ekitike is still growing into his potential and developing, but for all but the absolute wealthiest, this will likely be the last summer during which he’s in financial reach.
Not that he will be cheap now. Frankfurt will not take less than €80million for him at the end of the season because — unlike Marmoush — they believe that he still has developing to do in the Bundesliga and become even more valuable.
What do we know of who’s interested?
Premier League or nothing, most likely, given that he will not be in a rush to go back to Paris. The finances also preclude any other German club from competing, while Bayern Munich have other priorities.
Newcastle have an interest and tried to sign him pre-PSG, while Aston Villa are also suspected to have had their curiosity. Ekitike grew up supporting Manchester United.
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor
Lois Openda
Age: 25
Club: RB Leipzig
Contract expires: Summer 2028
Who are they?
RB Leipzig’s dynamic goalscorer. Openda, like most everyone else at Leipzig, has suffered a down year, but he remains a dangerous, sniper-like forward who can score with his right foot, his left and his head — and is a problem for most opponents on the counter.
How do they play?
Like a modern Jermain Defoe, really. His game is not really about holding the ball up, but he can do it and he is also capable of bringing team-mates into an attack. His meat and drink, though, is accelerating into space, and fashioning shooting chances that he can take with power and short backlift.
At his best, he really is gifted — in the all-round, technical sense. Can he score with the kind of consistency required to make it at the very top of the game? That is a question that still needs answering. Eight goals and five assists in 23 Bundesliga appearances this season is good, especially in the context of the team’s disappointing form and the long injury absence of Xavi Simons, but it has not been enough to advance his reputation.
The Belgian is largely still theory, even in his mid-twenties, and his next move could either be a great success or a really expensive failure.
Why are they in play this summer?
Perhaps because Leipzig will need to sell. Most likely, the Saxony club will only part with one of Openda or Sesko this summer, but failure to reach the Champions League would mean that someone would certainly have to leave to balance the club’s budget.
Additionally, it’s easy to imagine Openda succeeding, either as a No 9 or, in certain teams and systems, as an inside forward. He does have exceptional games, too — Bayer Leverkusen’s long unbeaten record fell at his feet back in the autumn — and, at his fittest, he is physically robust on the ball, in a way that would suit most leagues.
What do we know of who’s interested?
At the moment, there is nothing compelling. Openda has a release clause that will come into play in 2026, but Leipzig’s asking price between now and then — €80million — feels very steep, particularly given that this has not been his best year.
Will he be available for less than that? Most likely. But it’s still difficult to know who might get close to such a figure.
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor
Nick Woltemade
Age: 23
Club: Stuttgart
Contract expires: Summer 2028
Who are they?
Woltemade is Stuttgart’s giant (6ft 6in) centre-forward. He moved south from Werder Bremen on a free transfer in the summer of 2024 and has blossomed into one of the Bundesliga’s most exciting, all-round young forwards.
How do they play?
Positionally, somewhere between a No 9 and No 10. Woltemade can look like a target man, but that’s just an assumption based on his size. Actually, he is a delicate footballer with a creative mind, who can be physical and aerially dangerous in the way you would expect, but also skilful and subtle on the ball in a way that you might not.
He’s like a young, raw Harry Kane. Woltemade probably is not headed for the same level, but he has a similarly broad skill set and combined with size and speed, that makes him a really interesting prospect.
(Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
Why are they in play this summer?
Because he is fascinating and German football has not created a forward like him for a long time.
Stuttgart will also miss out on the Champions League but could qualify for the Europa League through the DFB-Pokal: they face third-tier Arminia Bielefeld in the final in May. Lose that, and they will be without any sort of European football — or any income from it, more importantly.
Woltemade is still a work in progress, but the way he takes defenders on and the amount of attacking production he is able to generate — for himself, or through shots for others — will surely make him desirable.
He would be a gamble, no question, but a very interesting one.
What do we know of who’s interested?
At the moment, it’s only Bayern. They have not formalised their interest but see Woltemade as a potential backup to Kane and, in the long term, an eventual successor. It makes sense.
Whether it’s achievable, given Bayern’s other priorities this summer (they need a full-back, a centre-back, and probably a wide forward, if one of Leroy Sane or Kingsley Coman leaves) is another matter.
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor
Matheus Cunha
Age: 25
Club: Wolverhampton Wanderers
Contract expires: Summer 2029
Who are they?
Cunha, aged 25, is Wolverhampton Wanderers’ talisman and the man who will have played a bigger role than anyone in keeping them in the Premier League if, as now seems likely, they stay out of the bottom three this season.
He signed in January 2023 and was slow to get going. But he scored 12 goals in 32 Premier League games last season before adding 13 in 26 so far this season, with seven and four assists, respectively.
How do they play?
Wolves signed Cunha to play as a central striker, but it soon became clear that was not the role for him in the Premier League.
Instead, he has flourished as a left-sided No.10 in Wolves’ front three, which usually features one centre forward with two players behind him. Cunha’s direct style and dribbling ability have made him a major threat on the counter-attack.
Why are they in play this summer?
Cunha signed a few five-year contract at Wolves in January, so ordinarily he would not be on the move this summer. But his deal included a release clause, believed to be worth around €75million, which means he will be affordable for the bigger clubs in England and other major European leagues.
Wolves will need to generate funds for their own incoming transfers, so selling Cunha would make some sense.
What do we know of who’s interested?
Arsenal and Nottingham Forest both showed interest in January and are known admirers of the Brazil international, but the London club opted against moving then, suggesting that other forwards are above him on their list.
A move by Forest would hinge on who leaves the City Ground for how much, and on their ability to convince Cunha that this season is not a flash in the pan for them.
Manchester United have also shown interest in the past but would only be able to offer Champions League football next season if they win the Europa League.
Steve Madeley
Thierno Barry
Age: 22
Club: Villarreal
Contract expires: Summer 2029
Who are they?
Thierno Barry is a young striker who has made an impressive step up to play an important role in Villarreal’s bid to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Barry was signed last summer by Villarreal for €13.5million from FC Basel, where he scored 17 goals and made five assists during the 2023-24 campaign.
The 22-year-old has nine goals in his first 27 La Liga games and made his France Under-21 debut against England last month.
How do they play?
Barry is capable of playing anywhere across the front line, either as a centre-forward, wide right or wide left.
At Villarreal, he has often played in a 4-4-2, generally with strike partner Ayoze Perez a little deeper. Barry can both hold the ball up and bring others into play, or look to stretch the opposition defence with runs in behind.
While not starting every week at Villarreal, Barry is generally picked ahead of ex-Arsenal striker Nicolas Pepe by coach Marcelino. “He’s a young kid, so it’s normal for him to lack a bit of consistency,” the manager said recently. “We’re happy with his attitude and his day-to-day work.”
His best moment was a hat-trick against Leganes in December, including two poacher finishes inside the penalty area and a coolly converted spot kick. At Getafe last weekend, Barry showed a spectacular mix of pace and technique with a run behind the defence and a first-time volley for the winning goal (he also found the net twice more — only for VAR calls to rule those out).
Why are they in play this summer?
Villarreal’s business model requires the club to wheel and deal in the market, investing in younger talents and selling them players for profits when the opportunities arise. Recent examples include Filip Jorgensen to Chelsea for €24.5million, Nicolas Jackson to Chelsea for €37m, and Samuel Chukwueze to Milan for €21m.
At Barry’s presentation in Villarreal last August, sporting director Tena openly called his purchase an “investment”, which fit well within this practice.
What do we know of who’s interested?
Villarreal’s solid financial position means they have no need to cash in quickly. Champions League qualification for next year (which looks quite likely at the moment) would also make it more likely they keep hold of Barry and other younger talents, like defender Logan Costa.
Dermot Corrigan
Dusan Vlahovic
Age: 25
Club: Juventus
Contract expires: Summer 2026
Who are they?
The Serbian striker was, back in 2022, supposed to be the future of Juventus. He had, over the previous 18 months, established himself as possibly the most coveted talent in Italy, thanks to a series of devastating performances for Fiorentina.
Six months after the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, Juventus identified him as their next great superstar. He cost £60million or so, but seemed to be worth it when he scored within 33 seconds of his Champions League debut.
How do they play?
Vlahovic is an attractive blend of power and elegance. He is a relatively traditional type of striker — his closest comparison might be a sort of late-era Kane — but in truth, it is a little difficult to know exactly where his level is.
Vlahovic has been trapped in a stuttering Juventus team for so long now that he has shown only flashes of the brilliance that brought him to the club.
(Isabella Bonotto/AFP via Getty Images)
Why are they in play this summer?
Well, partly because of Juventus’ problems: the club fired Thiago Motta last month, after a first season that was supposed to herald a new dawn turned sour, and the squad is likely going to need considerable surgery this summer.
Vlahovic may have to be sacrificed to pay for that. But his own form has been an issue, too: the 25-year-old has only scored more than 10 goals once in three and a half seasons for the club. It feels like perhaps he has not quite blossomed into what Juventus hoped.
What do we know of who’s interested?
Arsenal considered signing Vlahovic before he joined Juventus. There are also plenty of other Premier League sides on the hunt for a striker this summer. The question mark that all of them will have, though, surrounds Vlahovic’s pace and whether he has the dynamism to play in a team that wants to press high.
Rory Smith
Moise Kean
Age: 25
Club: Fiorentina
Contract expires: Summer 2029
Who are they?
There is something about Fiorentina that brings out the best in strikers.
After all his initial promise, Kean’s career seemed to have ground almost to a halt before he arrived in Florence last summer: he had scored four goals in four years for Everton, and failed to break double figures in three seasons at Juventus. (There had, in between, been a pretty good loan spell at PSG.)
Under Fiorentina manager Raffaele Palladino, though, he looks reborn: he has 16 goals in Serie A already and started both of Italy’s Nations League games against Germany last month.
How do they play?
What made Kean such an enticing prospect when he first emerged at Juventus was the breadth of his talents: though he can play as what is now called a pure No 9, he is also happy to play wide, particularly from the left.
At Fiorentina, though, he has excelled as the team’s focal point, suggesting that might be the best way to ensure he fulfils his potential.
Why are they in play this summer?
Kean is thought to have a £43million buyout clause in the contract he signed in Florence last summer, an appealing price in a market where strikers are in relatively short supply and a bargain if he can maintain the form he has shown this season.
What do we know of who’s interested?
Fiorentina insist Kean is happy in the city and will hope that a successful push for Champions League football might persuade him to stay, but they will be under no illusions that they cannot resist the financial muscle of the Premier League’s clubs.
Rory Smith
Jonathan David
Age: 25
Club: Lille
Contract expires: Summer 2025
Who are they?
Jonathan David is a cunning, goal-scoring Canadian who has been one of the most discussed forwards of the past few transfer windows.
At 25, the Lille forward is in the prime of his career, and his numbers speak volumes. He’s bagged 107 goals in 225 appearances for Lille, the third-most in the club’s history. In just 18 Champions League appearances, he scored 10 times. Add in another 32 goals in 61 appearances for Canada, tops in men’s team history.
The only question left for David to answer is whether he can score in one of the world’s best leagues. His track record suggests the transition is one David can manage.
How do they play?
Perhaps David’s most valuable trait — besides his unrelenting ability to find the back of the net — is his adaptability. This season, he’s played almost exclusively as a centre forward. But David can, and has, logged time as a pure No 9, a second striker, a winger and a playmaking No 10.
He’s verging on a master of sniffing out soft pockets near the goal and making the smartest run possible. Canada head coach Jesse Marsch, who has coached in the Premier League and the Champions League, has called David “the most intelligent footballer” he’s ever coached.
“Having that freedom to move around, to be a bit everywhere would be preferred. In that sense, I can get the attention off me and find the space to make the difference,” David told The Athletic in November of his preferred position.
That ability to seamlessly blend into lineups in different positions could make him more valuable to teams this summer. David has the potential to fit into a variety of manager’s needs.
(Hector Vivas/Getty Images)
Why are they in play this summer?
David’s name has popped up as a transfer option during the last few windows, but his five-year deal expires in June. Lille president Olivier Letang wanted to keep David in France during the last window with his club in the hunt for a Champions League spot, and David stuck around. David has since confirmed he will leave Lille on a free transfer this summer.
For interested clubs, David’s situation represents a unique opportunity: the chance to add a goal-scorer without a transfer fee. That said, his new contract and signing bonus shouldn’t come cheap. Let the bidding begin.
What do we know of who’s interested?
David himself has told The Athletic his dream is to play for Barcelona, as they were “always the team I grew up supporting. When you grow up supporting a team, it’s your dream to play for them.”
But the La Liga side will have to get in line if they’re going to take a run at David this summer. Every week, another club from England, Spain or Italy appear to show interest in David’s services. That includes many of the top Premier League sides.
With interest in David likely to continue, a bidding war could emerge. To his credit, David has remained open to different possibilities while also coy about his future. He’s a unique talent and personality. Expect a club of some repute to figure that out after they land him this summer.
Joshua Kloke
Jean Philippe-Mateta
Age: 27
Club: Crystal Palace
Contract expires: Summer 2027
Who are they?
Crystal Palace striker Mateta has come alive in the past 18 months, with 12 Premier League goals this season on top of 16 last term, including 14 in his final 16 league fixtures, which led to his call-up to the France men’s team for the Paris 2024 Olympics in the summer.
“If I get given my chance, I can be one of the best goalscorers in the Premier League,” he told The Athletic last April, and those words proved to be prophetic with that run of goals.
The 27-year-old signed initially on loan from Mainz in January 2021 before the move was made permanent a year later. Palace last summer unilaterally triggered a club option to extend the deal he signed in 2021 by a further year.
He has ambitions to represent France at senior international level and had hoped for a call-up during the recent international break due to his club form, but any thoughts of that were ended when he was subject to a challenge by Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts in the FA Cup fourth round in March and required 25 stitches to his ear.
How do they play?
Mateta is best when playing on instinct. He thrives with the ball at his feet or when it is played ahead of him, despite his tall frame, although his hold-up play and aerial prowess have significantly developed since he first arrived at Palace.
His excellent close control means he can carry the ball out well on the counter-attack, and his powerful shot makes him dangerous when presented with opportunities.
Given too much time to consider his options, his decision-making can occasionally be found wanting, but his finishing is generally strong.
Why are they in play this summer?
While Mateta has two years remaining on his contract, he walked away from negotiations with the two parties significantly apart. He wants to play for France and believes he can play in the Champions League. Those two aspirations are difficult while at Palace and therefore a move away would suit him.
His outstanding performances over the past 18 months have caught the eye. That goalscoring record, which included five at the Olympics as one of France’s three players over the age limit of 23 as they finished runners-up, is impossible to ignore. With uncertainty over his contract, Palace may look to maximise the potential return by allowing him to leave with his value at or close to its maximum.
What do we know of who’s interested?
Various clubs made initial enquiries over his potential availability last summer and that attention has not disappeared, but no formal offers were or have been received by Palace as yet. He was linked with a move to Manchester United, but they are not thought to be one of the clubs who have presented serious interest to sign him.
He is in the peak of his career and any move is likely to be expensive given his record and importance to Palace, meaning the pool of clubs to whom he would be available may be somewhat limited.
