Football transfers that could still happen this summer

With so many moves already completed all across the top five leagues in Europe already this summer, more are still reportedly to come. With 50 days to go until the transfer window shuts, big names like Cristiano Ronaldo, Robert Lewandowski and Nathan Ake could still make moves.

After just one tumultuous season back with Manchester United in the Premier League, Cristiano Ronaldo looks more than likely to leave Old Trafford this summer.

Ronaldo was United’s top scorer in the 2021/22 season with 18 goals in 30 games, eight more than second highest scorer Bruno Fernandes, therefore proving his integral role in the Manchester United team.

However, reports suggest that Ronaldo wants out just as the Erik Ten Hag era starts at United. Portugal’s all-time top scorer has been linked to a stay in the Premier League with Chelsea and a move to PSG, with his agent reportedly offering Ronaldo to the French club, where he would link up with long-time rival Lionel Messi.

PSG have supposedly declined this offer to sign the Portuguese and Chelsea have yet to make a concrete statement of intent to sign the forward, leaving Ronaldo in a transfer purgatory for now, but his exit from Manchester United seems assured.

With the introduction of Erik Ten Hag at Manchester United has signalled a new era for the club, where United seem dead set on making Barcelona and Netherlands midfielder Frenkie De Jong.

De Jong has a link directly to new manager Ten Hag, as the midfielder played under the Dutch coach while they were both at Ajax. This connection could make De Jong more likely to make the move to Manchester this summer, as their partnership has already proven successful in the Netherlands - where he won the Eredivisie and the KNVB Cup and reached the Champions League Semi-finals in their time together.

De Jong currently plays for Barcelona, who are reportedly having their own squad overhaul this summer. This could allow De Jong to leave, but with alleged wage issues at Barcelona, getting the move over the line could prove difficult for United.

Manchester City centre back Nathan Ake could be leaving the Etihad after only two seasons with City and could make a shocking return to the club where he started his senior football career.

Ake’s Manchester City career has been less than ideal for the Dutchman, only making 27 appearances in two seasons, finding himself below the likes of Aymeric Laporte, Ruben Dias and John Stones in the pecking order.

However, he is a proven Premier League player, with over 100 appearances for Bournemouth in their Premier League stint. Therefore, a move back to his boyhood club could be a good move for both Chelsea and Ake. In his five years at Chelsea, he only made seven appearances, instead going on three separate loans, but with the departure of Antonio Rudiger, Ake could return to the Chelsea backline.

Robert Lewandowski’s Bayern Munich contract has only a year left on it, and the Pole looks more and more likely to leave the German champions this summer.

Lewandowski has been linked with many clubs since the close of the 2021/22 season, the most prominent seemingly being Chelsea and Barcelona - two clubs with a lot to do in the transfer window. The Blues’ previous summer signing of Romelu Lukaku has looked to have failed with the Belgian going back on loan to Inter Milan, and Barcelona are still looking to fill the goal-scoring void of Lionel Messi.

The Pole would be a great acquisition for both clubs, as Lewandowski scored 35 goals in 34 games last season and has won the Bundesliga Golden Boot for the last five successive seasons, and seven times overall.

However, since the transfer window actually opened, the buzz around a potential move has lost a lot of momentum, with only some recent reports of Chelsea interest.

Leeds winger looks set to leave Elland Road after just two seasons with the club, his next destination was up in the air with both Arsenal and Chelsea expressing interest, but Barcelona seems to have beaten both London clubs as the Brazilian is pending a medical at the Spanish club.

The right winger has made 65 appearances in the Premier League for Leeds, scoring 17 goals and registering 12 assists. In the 2021/22 season, Raphinha scored 11 goals, making him Leed’s top scorer with 0.33 goals per 90 minutes.

This tally would also make him second highest scorer for Barcelona behind forwards Memphis Depay and Pierre Emerick Aubameyang who both scored 13, therefore suggesting a move for the Leeds winger would be smart for Xavi as he looks to revitalise his Barcelona side.