Chelsea Transfers

[Vesper 30,207]

Joao Felix: Should Chelsea sign him permanently?

https://theathletic.com/4315824/2023/03/17/joao-felix-Chelsea-atletico-madrid-sign-permanently/

It is just one of a number of tough decisions Chelsea have to make over the next few months: should they sign Joao Felix permanently?

The 23-year-old joined from Atletico Madrid in January on loan for the rest of the season. There was no option or obligation to buy included in the deal so Chelsea will have to negotiate a fee with the La Liga club. He will not come cheap, but few quality international players do.

So what should Chelsea do? The Athletic’s Chelsea correspondents Liam Twomey and Simon Johnson rarely agree on anything. And it will not come as a surprise that the same applies here as they debate whether the club should buy Joao Felix.

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No, he’s too expensive and other areas are a priority — Liam Twomey

Joao Felix is clearly an elite talent and has done enough in his few appearances for Chelsea to establish himself as the most entertainingly skilful attacker to call Stamford Bridge home since Eden Hazard departed in 2019. That said, the ability of the player is only one factor to consider when weighing up a decision as big as this one.

Make no mistake, buying Joao Felix permanently would be a big — and by big, I mean expensive — decision. That he signed a contract extension with Atletico Madrid before finalising his Chelsea loan move in January flew a little under the radar, but it means he will have four years remaining on his deal this summer.

There is no defined option in the loan agreement that would facilitate Chelsea signing him, nor is there a clear price at which Atletico have indicated they would consider selling. Joao Felix’s buyout clause, a mandatory requirement in every La Liga player’s contract, is reportedly set at €350million (£307.2m; $371.4m) — a deterrent rather than an invitation.

Chelsea clearly would not need to offer anything close to that figure but, given that Atletico paid €126million to acquire him from Benfica in 2019 and retain strong contractual leverage over a player who is still only 23, it is reasonable to assume they would expect to recoup a large chunk of that transfer fee in any sale — particularly in light of the spending that Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital have sanctioned over the past two transfer windows.

Any large transfer fee for Joao Felix (which, it is important to note, UEFA will insist is amortised over no more than five years from this summer) would further complicate Chelsea’s attempts to remain compliant with financial fair play if they fail to secure Champions League qualification this season. Significant sales are required to offset some of the recent spending and it is inevitable that any more marquee deals will increase the sense of urgency.

This is without factoring in Joao Felix’s salary — well in excess of £200,000 a week — which would put him in the upper reaches of a Chelsea wage structure that Boehly and Clearlake are trying to bring down to a more sustainable level. Perhaps he would accept a pay cut to make sure he gets out of Atletico, but that is not the way most top footballers or their agents operate.

Working in Chelsea’s favour is the fact Joao Felix’s relationship with Diego Simeone is widely considered to be at a Thomas Tuchel-Romelu Lukaku level of broken. If the Argentine remains Atletico coach beyond this season, it is difficult to see how reconciliation could be achieved and that internal tension may help to reduce the asking price.

But even if a deal can be done to sign Joao Felix, is he really what Chelsea need most? Boehly and Clearlake plan to scale back their transfer investment in future windows. If resources are now finite, surely other areas of the pitch assume greater priority: a genuine No 9 or a long-term midfield partner for Enzo Fernandez, or a new goalkeeper.

The vast expense likely required to sign Joao Felix permanently may still be dwarfed by the opportunity cost; money spent on him cannot be spent elsewhere.

Finally, is there even a functional, balanced formation that can maximise all of Mykhailo Mudryk, Joao Felix, Christopher Nkunku and Kai Havertz in one team? Or is this array of attackers-who-aren’t-quite-strikers a recipe for a lavishly expensive final third unit which proves less than a coherent sum of its parts?

The risk of the latter scenario is reason enough to be cautious.

Yes, he has provided a spark and has the talent of Zola and Hazard — Simon Johnson

Are you not entertained? Is this not why you are here? Yes, I have gone there, starting my counterargument by quoting a line from a movie.

It is a first for me and not something I intend to do regularly. Joao Felix bears little resemblance to Russell Crowe’s character in Gladiator, Maximus Decimus Meridius, but both men have the knack of winning over a demanding crowd and being used as memes on social media.

The 23-year-old arrived at a difficult time for the team and the club. Confidence was at a low ebb and head coach Graham Potter’s position was under threat. Fans were making their feelings known in the stands and via email. It is hard for a flair player to, well, play with any flair in such circumstances, yet Felix has done that. Imagine what he will do in a team full of confidence.

Unlike the vast majority of Chelsea’s new signings, Felix has not needed time to adapt to life at Stamford Bridge and the Premier League. The Portugal international has impressed since his debut despite being sent off at Fulham. The away fans at Craven Cottage that night saw enough to give him the honour of a specific chant.

Chelsea have a rich history of players who can do something special, a trick, a shuffle of the hips to bewitch an opposing defender, an individual who justifies the cost of a ticket. People like Charlie Cooke, Pat Nevin, Gianfranco Zola and Eden Hazard. Joao Felix has a lot to do to be compared with those legends, but the talent is there.

He provided supporters with a reason to keep going to games while their losing habit continued and has been a factor in Chelsea’s three-game winning streak, although he does need to sharpen up when it comes to defending the final third.

His return of one goal and no assists does not do his performances justice. Luck has not been on his side, having hit the woodwork three times as well as having a strike ruled out by VAR for offside.

Most importantly, Joao Felix is building up a promising understanding with like-minded technical players Havertz and Fernandez. Why break up such a trio? With at least two more months of the season to benefit from, things will surely only get better between them and crucially they will be ready to gel from day one of the next campaign. The grass is not always greener and it is quite a risk to think there is someone else better out there.

Joao Felix has made it clear how happy he is at Chelsea and in London, hinting that he wants to turn it into a permanent move. Fernandez significantly recently said: “When you get on with someone, it helps on the field. He’s a great player. Let’s hope Chelsea can do all they can to keep hold of him.”

Yes, it is going to be expensive, although the indications are that Atletico will be prepared to accept a figure in the region of £80million rather than anything close to the ridiculous release clause.

Chelsea have other positions they want to strengthen, too, yet are planning a mass clear-out which should raise a significant amount of revenue and make the dressing room less congested.

The club’s co-owners, who are willing to spend more in the transfer market, always had it in their minds to buy Joao Felix if he impresses and they are exploring the possibility.

Who can blame them? I wouldn’t say no to a sequel.

[Mário César 1,280]

Felix is too expensive and if we fail ucl its complicated to accept his buy 

[Reddish-Blue 2,509]

3 hours ago, Mário César said:

Felix is too expensive and if we fail ucl its complicated to accept his buy 

The other question is, can you play Nkunku and Felix (if we did go ahead with his transfer) in the same starting XI?   Feel like our tactical setup would be too narrow with two players who like playing in that #10 type role. 

[TheHulk 2,474]

Good.

[TheHulk 2,474]

 

[Reddish-Blue 2,509]

37 minutes ago, TheHulk said:

 

This may actually be a good thing.

He'll fit like a glove at Liverpool as Klopp loves his pressing machines. 

[Pizy 18,940]

English journalists and pundits who haven’t watched Mount over the past 12 months will kill us for letting him go and call Boehly an idiot etc not realizing what those of us who watch every minute of every game he has played this season: that he’s been unbelievably shit for a loooong time now.

He is no longer that first on the team sheet guy he was over the past few years. And you don’t pay monster wages for a player who will spend more time on the bench than in the XI. Sucks that a player who has been Chelsea through and through from a small child will leave but this is a ruthless business.

If we buy a shiny new striker and with Nkunku coming in there is simply no place for Mase. Seeing him play for and rediscover his form with a top 4 rival will sting initially but I can’t see him becoming a world class player who haunts us for 5 years like Salah or De Bruyne. 

Anything £50m or more and we’ll have done extremely well with only 1 year left on his contract.
 

 

[DDA 9,941]

Matt Law calling it a 'fucking disaster' for Chelsea if Mount leaves!..

Have you been watching him play Matt??  You mean he has been a fucking disaster on the pitch you clown.

[OhForAGreavsie 6,077]

On 17/03/2023 at 11:27, TheHulk said:

 

My cards have been on the table about Joao from the start but if the club want to buy him anyway, surely they won't pay £80m. I said when the loan was being rumoured that, in my opinion, he had never shown returns to justify the money Atleti paid. Well, I don't think he has justified £80m either. The quality is there, but quality matters only in as much as it helps a player to be effective. In what we've seen across his career so far, Joao has not been effective enough, often enough.

Edited March 18, 2023 by OhForAGreavsie

[Pizy 18,940]

2 hours ago, DDA said:

Matt Law calling it a 'fucking disaster' for Chelsea if Mount leaves!..

Have you been watching him play Matt??  You mean he has been a fucking disaster on the pitch you clown.

Matt Law and several other English journalists still talk about Mount as if he has still been the player from the CL winning season or under Lamps where he was the key to our whole team. He hasn’t been that guy in a long time. 

It might be a PR disaster in the English press but it’s certainly not a disaster on the pitch. Love Mase but he doesn’t have some sort of world class attribute or skill set that is difficult to replace. 

[OhForAGreavsie 6,077]

21 hours ago, LAM09 said:

He's arguably the best CF around. Such a price is to be expected, but I'm sure we could get him for less, whether it involves a player (Kepa, Broja, etc.) or pressure from both parties.

What will be the market for Osihmen?

Can any Italian club fork out that kind of money, and will Osihmen want to continue in Serie A anyway?

Bayern could afford that type of fee, but will they bin their anti-big fee philosophy?

Real have every reason to renew Benzema but, in any case, is Osihmen their man? Will they spend big for him and for Bellingham in 2023?

Can Barca afford an Osihmen sized outlay, even with a return to the Champions League?

City are sorted, and Liverpool are committed to Nunez. Paris could only come to the party if they move Neymar, and who is going to pick up €38m a season for his contract?

Arsenal could be interested but Jesus's returns before his injury might tempt them to stick rather than twist.

Newcastle have the money but do they have the pull yet?

I think Utd will be interested but who else will be, other than us?

Edited March 18, 2023 by OhForAGreavsie

[TheHulk 2,474]

 

[MoroccanBlue 5,383]

Is Oshimhen even tailored for a possession based side?

[LAM09 7,061]

49 minutes ago, OhForAGreavsie said:

What will be the market for Osihmen?

Can any Italian club fork out that kind of money, and will Osihmen want to continue in Serie A anyway?

Bayern could afford that type of fee, but will they bin their anti-big fee philosophy?

Real have every reason to renew Benzema but, in any case, is Osihmen their man? Will they spend big for him and for Bellingham in 2023?

Can Barca afford an Osihmen sized outlay, even with a return to the Champions League?

City are sorted, and Liverpool are committed to Nunez. Paris could only come to the party if they move Neymar, and who is going to pick up €38m a season for his contract?

Arsenal could be interested but Jesus's returns before his injury might tempt them to stick rather than twist.

Newcastle have the money but do they have the pull yet?

I think Utd will be interested but who else will be, other than us?

I'd say Bayern, PSG, United, and us are potential suitors. Barca & RM could be in the mix, but I think they both have their own stumbling blocks (Endrick joining the latter has muted such talk).

Bayern broke their traditional habits by buying de Ligt, & I'm sure they'd see Osimhen in a similar light. Also, they made it known that a CF is high on the agenda, with talk of even Kane circling around.

The key factor that could decide things is Osimhen's vocal admiration/desire to play in the EPL; he's built for it.

[Tomo 21,751]

4 hours ago, Pizy said:

If we buy a shiny new striker and with Nkunku coming in there is simply no place for Mase. Seeing him play for and rediscover his form with a top 4 rival will sting initially but I can’t see him becoming a world class player who haunts us for 5 years like Salah or De Bruyne. 

It really annoys me when any under 25 linked with a departure instantly attracts those comparisons, even fucking Dom Solanke did.

Edited March 18, 2023 by Tomo

[Vesper 30,207]

9 minutes ago, Tomo said:

It really annoys me when any under 25 linked with a departure instantly attracts those comparisons, even fucking Dom Solanke did.

Mount is the only one of late that (if he goes to a powerhouse EPL team and blows up again) has the true potential to do that.

I do NOT think he will ever be as good as Salah or De Bruyne have been, no way, but he could possibly be a true thorn in our side, especially if that team is Pool, or less likely (that he ends up there) Manure or even Citeh, with a wild card of NUFC)

Edited March 18, 2023 by Vesper

[Tomo 21,751]

2 minutes ago, Vesper said:

Mount is the only one of late that (if he goes to a powerhouse EPL team and blows up again) has the true potential to do that.

I do NOT think he will ever be as good as Salah or De Bruyne have been, no way, but he could possibly be a true thorn in our side, especially if that team is Pool, or less likely (that he ends up there) Manure or even Citeh, with a wild card of NUFC)

I could be wrong but i feel he's burnt-out Rooney/Oscar style, no proper break since 2019 seems to have finally got him. Dare i say he seems to be turning into the player some people pretended he was from day one.

Colwill is the one for me (out of who under 25 could potentially leave anytime soon) that will fall into that category in my opinion.

[Pizy 18,940]

Mount isn’t nearly as talented as Salah or De Bruyne. He doesn’t single handedly win you matches like those two do. He’d be a very solid cog in a team just like he has been here. I think we’ve seen what Mase can do at his absolute best. Don’t think there’s some level he will ascend to where we look back and say “man, how the fuck did we let that guy go?”

Also, Mount himself has to be very careful about which team he decides he wants to go to. Liverpool’s midfield is in such dire shape that he’d get plenty of minutes there but if they somehow get Bellingham then what? He wouldn’t immediately walk into the United side either and certainly not City’s.

His best option by far would be Newcastle. He’d be one of their star players and would play every match without question. 

[Vesper 30,207]

Fabrizio Romano's Daily Briefing

🚨 Christian Falk's Fact Files - Klopp's Bellingham intervention, Man Utd preparing €120m Bundesliga raid, Tottenham's next manager & more

Today's exclusive transfer round-up from Bundesliga insider Christian Falk, featuring Tottenham, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and more.

Today’s top stories:

• Jurgen Klopp has made fresh Jude Bellingham decision…

• Real Madrid interest in RB Leipzig sensation ‘very concrete’!

• Arsenal and Tottenham could fight for Borussia Dortmund star…

Harry Kane

Tottenham are, of course, not very keen on selling their star striker but, also for Bayern, it could end up working out pretty well for them if they wait a year, Kane doesn’t sign a contract in the meantime and then they can snap him up for free in 2024.

Bayern aren’t quite sure if they can pay for Kane this summer and they have the new contract for Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting for one year, they have Mathys Tel… so they are keeping a close eye on what’s happening with Tottenham. Bayern can wait and it could be the perfect time to strike in 2024.

Bayern Munich

Bayern are trying to extend Benjamin Pavard’s contract. I talked to Benjamin this week and asked him if he sees a future in Bavaria. He said many words in French but after the translation there was no clear answer in terms of wanting to stay; he said “let us fight for the championship and win some titles and after then we can see”, so you see he’s playing for time.

I know Barcelona are still at the forefront of his mind, the links there are very concrete. Inter are still following him, of course, but they’re not the No.1 choice. Chelsea could be an option. So these are the potential options for Pavard and, at the moment, I’m not so sure he’ll sign a new contract.

Should clubs be careful before looking to sign Pavard? Jonathan Johnson explores the player’s situation in his CaughtOffside column!

JONATHAN JOHNSON'S FULL COLUMN

I talked with Julian Nagelsmann about João Cancelo and he said that the defender is doing well but he isn’t a player for his system, which involves three defenders behind two wing-backs. So that’s the problem.

If Pavard is fit, it’s getting difficult for Cancelo and time is slowly running out. It’s not a perfect situation for both sides and it’s worth considering that the clause of €70m is too high for Bayern Munich. I heard they’ve already informed the player and his management that they can’t pay this amount.

If there’s no truth in the interest of Real Madrid and no one is prepared to pay this clause, Bayern would surely sit at the table with Manchester City and discuss his contract but €70m just isn’t an option for them. Plus, at the moment, he’s not a regular in the first-XI.

 

 

[💬Where does João Cancelo’s future lie? Should another club try and sign him this summer? Let us know who in the comments! - (Photo by CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP via Getty Images)]

 

Borussia Dortmund

No talks yet between Dortmund and Jude Bellingham, so I’m not sure if it’s the right time now ahead of the international break.

I heard that because of Liverpool’s experience in the Champions League this term, Jurgen Klopp made his thoughts very clear: Bellingham is now the top, top target. He said that every other transfer should be pushed down the pecking order; names like Randal Kolo Muani aren’t as important at the moment - there’s just one name and this is Bellingham.

Klopp needs him in the midfield, though they can see the difficulty in completing such a deal because Real Madrid are moving as well. But there is some good news for Liverpool, as Madrid are also interested in Joško Gvardiol and it’s not realistic for them to pay for both as Gvardiol would be an over €100m deal, as would Bellingham.

It’s a pity that Julian Brandt is injured at the moment because he’s been playing very well for Borussia Dortmund and now the national games have arrived. Of course, Dortmund heard about interest from the Premier League - especially Arsenal and Tottenham, we heard - and that’s why they’ve been putting pressure on the player; they want to have talks with him and his father to work out a new contract.

So you see, Dortmund are getting nervous because they know, in his head, the possibility of a Premier League move is being considered. Now, they’re pushing to get him signed up on a new contract. But Arsenal and Tottenham would be interesting for Julian.

Gregor Kobel is very important for Dortmund - they will do everything to stop an exit from the club. It’s true that his agents attended the Champions League game in London. We know that they had talks with several clubs in the Premier League, not only Chelsea.

So you see, there is special interest coming from the Premier League. But at the end, there must be some crazy figures being proposed to encourage Dortmund to sell him. He’s being regularly linked in rumours to Bayern Munich but it’s too early for him - no club will be able to easily sign him.

Gladbach

Manu Koné’s club, Gladbach, know that they will lose him this summer, unless something crazy happens. There are talks now between the sporting director, Roland Virkus, and Koné’s management, discussing how much would be on the table for selling him (crazy amounts like €40-50m).

 

[Kouadio ‘Manu’ Koné (right) in action for Gladbach - (Photo by Martin Rose/Getty Images)]

PSG are interested. The player is French. We heard that Chelsea knocked on the door and have an interest in him. I don’t think he’s focused purely on one league, the most important thing for the player is focusing on the next step.

Inter Milan

There are always rumours around Marcus Thuram but he’s not doing so well in Germany, that’s why Bayern Munich said no. Chelsea aren’t so interested either.

The next step is Italy and you see it’s not the absolute top club in the country with the rumours around Inter Milan. I think the agents are ringing the doorbells of other clubs as he’s struggling at Gladbach. I think we’ll see him at a very good club next season because he’s a free agent.

Kylian Mbappe

Jonathan Johnson’s COS Column: If PSG were to change manager, Zidane is the obvious candidate and that would please Mbappe, I’m sure, he’s a French footballing legend. Still, I wouldn’t expect Mbappe to be close to a move this summer, because that’s just not something PSG will countenance.

JONATHAN JOHNSON'S FULL COLUMN

Manchester United

We heard that Manchester United is going to prepare a big offer for Randal Kolo Muani - specifically, €120m. That’s a price Frankfurt wouldn’t say no to.

Last week, there was a meeting with the new agents, Moussa Sissoko and the sporting director, Markus Krösche. They are getting offers and if there is a big offer they have to consider it. At the moment, nothing has happened as the offer isn’t on the table yet. The agents are pushing because new agents can only make money if they make a new deal.

Good news for Bayern Munich if Muani does end up going to United, as it then means United are out of the Harry Kane transfer poker.

📰 Manchester United have shown an interest in signing Kim Min-Jae this summer [Fichajes via CaughtOffside]

Micky van de Ven

The player is talented and very fast for a centre-back - 35.9km per hour; that’s really quick for such a player.

He has a contract until 2027 and no release clause but Wolfsburg would be prepared to talk if they received an offer of €30m. The player himself has said he has no problem with staying another year but has also mentioned he’s open for a switch to Spain and the Premier League. So he’s already thinking about his future.

 

[💬Should a Premier League club swoop in early for the centre-half? Let us know your thoughts below! - (Photo by Oliver Hardt/Getty Images)]

Many clubs are scouting him at the moment, it’s a really long list; Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus, Roma, AC Milan… so you see, he’s a very attractive option.

It’s not the case that he feels he has to leave this summer but I think if he keeps up the quality of his performances this season, next summer one of these clubs will be prepared to pay what Wolfsburg are looking for.

Real Madrid

We heard that Real Madrid are keen on Joško Gvardiol - it’s very concrete. There were already talks before the World Cup and now they are applying pressure with the potential deal. I heard Gvardiol regrets not putting more pressure on his club when Chelsea knocked on the door last summer for €90m.

Now, he sees that clubs are interested again; Real Madrid look like they could be the No.1 choice but Manchester City are also an interesting option for him. Chelsea lost important time in this deal and find themselves on the second row behind these two clubs.

His release clause is €112m in 2024. Chelsea made a bid of €90m last summer, so you see the minimum would be €100m and this is the line the clubs have to jump over.

Tottenham

Before, we’ve heard about concrete interest from Tottenham in Borna Sosa. This winter, Leverkusen tried to get him. Sosa also wanted to leave in the past.

He’s got new management and they’re in talks with Tottenham; Spurs are keen. He wouldn’t be too expensive for an English club, so I think this deal could happen this summer.

Chelsea have knocked on Oliver Glasner’s door in the past but he was committed to the project at Frankfurt. Now, I heard Frankfurt have tried to arrange a new contract and discuss his future. Glasner told them that he needs time to make that decision, so you see, perhaps, he’s thinking of moving to another club - this could be Tottenham.

I don’t think he’s made a decision yet, so let’s see. Hansi Flick was also close to joining Tottenham before he took the Germany job. Tottenham clearly have their eye on Bundesliga coaches, so perhaps Glasner could be their man.

📰 Tottenham now linked with a move for Barcelona’s Ferran Torres [Calciomercatoweb via CaughtOffside]

 

[Vesper 30,207]

Fabrizio Romano's Daily Briefing

Jonathan Johnson's Mercato Magazine - What next for Kylian Mbappe after PSG's latest UCL failure? Plus Man Utd links with Randal Kolo Muani, thoughts on Rayan Cherki's future, and more

Our French football expert with the low down on this week's big stories.

How will PSG respond to latest Champions League failure?

Paris Saint-Germain are out of the Champions League, under-achieving again in this competition, but what that means for the club’s long-term future and strategy is not that clear. It’s important to remember the reality that Christophe Galtier and Luis Campos come as a package deal, so I don’t see a future with PSG with one but without the other. If we see one of them go, in all likelihood the other one will go too.

Another reality is that they do have to free up some space on their wage bill this summer - they’ve already committed to Milan Skriniar coming in on a free transfer from Inter Milan, they’ve got the contract extension of Marquinhos, which is nearly done, and the Marco Verratti one, which is already signed. Then you’ve also got serious injuries for Neymar and Presnel Kimpembe, who are not necessarily guaranteed to be fit again in time for next season, which affects their status in this summer’s transfer window. There’s also Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos, who are coming towards the ends of their contracts, and there’s the situation with Hugo Ekitike, whose loan becomes permanent if PSG qualify for the Champions League, which is highly likely, so there’s not much wiggle room financially, and not many players in this squad they can cash in on. The obvious exception there is Mbappe, but while he’s under contract there’ll be no desire from PSG to move him on, because without him the whole project falls on its face - he’s the most consistent performer in the squad and he’s the player they want to build around.

In terms of this summer, it looks like PSG will have to find value without spending massive amounts of money. There’ll probably be a certain amount of squad trimming with players coming back from loan and so on, but not with sweeping changes made. I can’t see anyone stumping up a big transfer fee for Neymar, especially while he’s injured, and Kimpembe was interesting to Chelsea last summer but he might not play again this calendar year, so cashing in on him will be more or less impossible. It’ll be a tricky window for them, but I don’t think it’s impossible that PSG look more competitive next season without the break for the World Cup in the middle of the season. There is also the possibility that the club would consider Zinedine Zidane, who remains available now that the French national team job is surely not going to be available for at least the next two years. Of course if he took over at PSG he’d have a squad at his disposal that doesn’t necessarily have what it takes to be as successful as his Real Madrid sides of the past, and PSG won’t have the financial abilities to make the kind of changes you’d imagine Zidane would need and want.

I think the most logical move for PSG is to persevere with Galtier and Campos for one more season. They’ll have to make some tough decisions, and get smart with some of their transfer dealings. There’s potentially some great value with free agents this summer and we’ve already seen PSG snap up Milan Skriniar on a free, so I wouldn’t rule out that being the approach that they ultimately take.

Don’t expect Kylian Mbappe movement this summer

My opinion on Mbappe and PSG hasn’t changed for the last couple of years. I think the most logical out point for him from PSG and France in general is the Olympics in 2024, if he wins a gold medal with his country in Paris that would be a way to go out on a real high. That would also take him to the final year of his contract with PSG, though there is an option to extend it by one more year if he wants to. You’d expect by then that he’ll intimate his plans for the future, but I think we’ll see him there for at least one more season, which gives PSG another crack at the Champions League.

I don’t think Mbappe will have enjoyed going out as early as PSG did this season. It’s been a weird time for him at the club, because there have been some low points in the Champions League, but also some high points, reaching their first final in 2020, and the semi-finals the year after that, so there has been some progression.

Equally, I think there has to be some level of self-awareness from Mbappe as well - why have PSG become so limited financially in the transfer market? It’s probably down to his contract extension last year in large part, because it was a massive financial effort from PSG to renew him. It’s true that Mbappe stayed for the project, not for the finances, but it’s still the reality that it’s a big financial commitment from PSG, and with Financial Fair Play being revamped, that kind of statement has consequences and one of those consequences is a transfer window last summer that, by all accounts, has not gone down particularly well or been a great success. Neymar criticised it and called it a Second Division Portuguese transfer campaign from Campos, and while he maybe crossed a line a bit, there’s maybe some truth to it, a lot of the signings have not performed at anywhere near the levels expected. So maybe Mbappe has a case for being disappointed at the business PSG have done, so there will probably be pressure on Campos from Mbappe and the PSG hierarchy that this summer is much, much better and more in line with what he’s done at his previous clubs like Monaco and Lille.

If PSG were to change manager, Zidane is the obvious candidate and that would please Mbappe, I’m sure, he’s a French footballing legend. Still, I wouldn’t expect Mbappe to be close to a move this summer, because that’s just not something PSG will countenance.

No surprise that Arsenal and Newcastle like Moussa Diaby

I think Moussa Diaby’s name is coming up a lot ahead of the summer because he’s grown a lot since he left PSG to move to Germany with Bayer Leverkusen. We’re seeing links with the likes of Arsenal and Newcastle, and PSG themselves have also been linked with an interest in re-signing him. I’m personally not the biggest fan of the idea of PSG bringing back players that they let go for a low amount, as that can’t be considered smart business. Still, there’s no doubt about it - he’s a much better player than he was when he left PSG, much more developed, and it doesn’t surprise me to see clubs like Arsenal and Newcastle linked with him. He’s more than just a very speedy player, he’s got a lot of versatility on that left-hand side, and I personally think he’s most well suited to playing in a more attacking role, but he’s also done well as a wing-back.

He’s arriving at a point in his career now where he needs to make the next step, and perhaps a Newcastle-like project would be a good fit for him in terms of where he’s at right now. But I do think there’ll be a number of clubs across Europe looking at him in the next few months, and a return to Ligue 1 has certainly been raised in the last few months.

Still, with PSG’s financial constraints I’m not sure they’ll be able to stump up the kind of money Leverkusen would want for him. It wouldn’t surprise me if he had an asking price of €50m or just over that, something in the €40-50m range. There might be a scope to structure the deal so that the initial fee is a bit lower, but the overall structure of the deal is still likely to come up to around the €50m mark. I can’t see Leverkusen letting him go for anything less than a starting fee of around €30m.

Clubs need to be careful before signing Benjamin Pavard

Benjamin Pavard is facing an uncertain few months. I don’t think he’s extended his contract with Bayern and so he’s potentially a free agent in 2024. He’s had problems off the pitch as well with a recent drink driving, which won’t have pleased his superiors at Bayern.

I think Pavard is potentially of interest to some top clubs this summer, if he decides he doesn’t want to renew with Bayern. He’s a talented player on his day, and a versatile option as well as he can play right-back or centre-back, but I think there are some doubts about his level as an elite defender. We saw him sent off in the game against PSG recently, and he was cast out of France’s World Cup squad after a disappointing opening performance, and there have started to be more and more question marks about his mentality and character of late.

There’s a lot for big clubs to consider with Pavard, but Barcelona are looking at players who can potentially be acquired without splashing out massive transfer fees, so it’s not too surprising that they’ve been linked with him, as that remaining time on his contract will make him appealing. Some top clubs will surely look at him and think he’s a reasonable option.

There were some doubts raised about him during the World Cup, and there are perhaps questions to be asked about his mentality since he won the tournament in 2018. I think he’s maybe ridden the wave of success after that World Cup and has got a little too complacency, feeling that he’d be an established starter for France regardless of form, and that didn’t prove to be the case in Qatar. It might now be time for Didier Deschamps to offer an explanation about whether or not Pavard features in his plans moving forward, and why. But it’s not just limited to the national team, there have been a number of run-ins with the Bayern hierarchy in recent months as well. I think clearly he’s someone who has to be handled carefully, so any interested clubs will have to do a lot of intel work on him before trying to sign him.

Kolo Muani won’t come cheap for Manchester United or Bayern Munich

Randal Kolo Muani has been strongly linked with Manchester United and he’s a very interesting player. It might feel to some like he’s been a bit of an overnight success, but we saw his quality during his time in Ligue 1 with Nantes. That move to Eintracht Frankfurt and his exposure to European football has boosted his profile massively, and there have been whispers that Bayern Munich have been looking at him as well.

Frankfurt are one of those clubs, a bit like Borussia Monchengladbach, who are a very good springboard for French players looking to move abroad. It can put them in the shop window for bigger clubs while getting the necessary minutes to be able to develop and compete at that level.

So it’s possible that United and Bayern will be in for him this summer, but it’s going to require a massive fee. Obviously it will make Nantes sick hearing about fees in the region of €120m when he left them for nothing, but I think it’s now one of the more recognised pathways for French talents, going to the Bundesliga for that next step, similar to Moussa Diaby and Christopher Nkunku, who’s going to be joining Chelsea this summer. I think we’ll see other players follow in Kolo Muani’s footsteps in the future.

We’ll see what happens with United and Bayern, but after the way he’s performed this season it’s not surprising to see these kinds of clubs looking at him, but I think it is worth reiterating that it’s going to be a very big fee needed to get this deal done.

Rayan Cherki looks a perfect fit for PSG

Rayan Cherki is another young French talent to keep an eye on, he’s a very interesting player, very talented. He’s the latest prospect to be produced on the famed Lyon talent production line. I can’t see Lyon keeping him or other star players for much longer without European football, so at most you could probably argue for him staying for one more season at Lyon to ensure he’s a starter, but he could also potentially get that somewhere like PSG, who have been linked with him in the past.

I think he’ll realise soon enough that Lyon, particularly if they don’t win the Coupe de France, is just not a high up enough level for him. Players like Cherki need to be playing European football and if they keep missing out it’s hard to see the logic in him staying. He’s more than good enough to play in Europe and that’s what he needs for his development.

There doesn’t seem to be anything particularly strong in terms of links with Premier League clubs for the moment, but if he were to join, he’s a very attack-minded player who can fill in out wide or even play as an out-and-out striker, but I think he’s best as a bit of a creative hub. I can see him fitting in at a team who play with a sort of fluid front three. He’s actually just the kind of player PSG have been lacking, and while I wouldn’t go as far as to say he’s Neymar-esque, he does look like someone who could give them a lot in a sort of central attacking role.