Summer transfer window sparks activity among Europe's elite clubs

As the summer transfer window opens, Europe’s top clubs are busy lining up their next big moves, from veteran players seeking fresh challenges to young talents ready to break through.

Real Madrid departures and negotiations

After spending 13 years at the club, Real Madrid legend Luka Modric will leave this summer at the end of the FIFA Club World Cup. According to sports journalist Fabrizio Romano, the 39-year-old Ballon d’Or winner is a key target for AC Milan due to his experience. The Italian club is seeking a veteran who can guide and assist its younger players.

Real Madrid and Benfica are at an impasse over left-back Álvaro Carreras. Madrid hoped to have him in place before the Club World Cup, but Benfica insists on the full $50 million release clause, which Los Blancos consider excessive. Rather than lowering the fee, Benfica is only open to discussions about how the payment could be structured, according to Marca.

Barcelona’s transfer targets

Sky Sports Deutschland’s Florian Plettenberg reports that Barcelona has already opened preliminary discussions to bring Liverpool’s winger Luis Díaz to Camp Nou. At 28 years old, the Colombian winger sits high on Barça’s wishlist despite the club’s tight budget. Still, they may need to fend off interest from many lucrative offers from the Saudi Pro League.

While Díaz remains their target signing, Barcelona is also monitoring other options in England. According to The Sun, the Blaugrana are interested in Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, who, at 27, is believed to be on his way out of Old Trafford. United will reportedly listen to bids in the region of $40 million.

Goalkeeper Joan García is on the verge of joining Barcelona from Espanyol. Fabrizio Romano states that Barça will activate his $25 million release clause. The 24-year-old Spanish goalkeeper played a key role in helping Espanyol avoid relegation, emerging as one of La Liga’s top performers despite his team’s struggles.

Other European star strikers

Viktor Gyökeres is widely considered one of Europe’s most lethal strikers after a sensational season with Sporting CP, where he scored 54 goals and provided 12 assists across all competitions. His performances have drawn interest from multiple clubs, with Arsenal reportedly leading the race. Atlético Madrid and Napoli are also keen to sign the prolific striker, but Sporting remains firm on their valuation, seeking around $75 million to let him go.

Al Hilal and AC Milan have reportedly reached an agreement in principle for left-back Theo Hernández. The 27-year-old is poised to join the Saudi Pro League side for $30 million, but he has requested his annual salary be raised from $15 million to $20 million, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Manchester City are in advanced talks with Olympique Lyon over a potential €40 million move for French midfielder Rayan Cherki. The 21-year-old has been given the green light for a transfer to the Etihad Stadium after an impressive campaign, recording 12 goals and 20 assists.

Kevin De Bruyne has completed a verbal agreement to join Napoli on a free transfer, ending his tenure at Manchester City. At 33, the Belgian midfielder opted for Napoli over offers from MLS and Saudi Arabia, prioritizing a competitive European environment.

Moroccan players on the move

Arsenal are keen to sign Bilal El Khannouss from Leicester City, with Mikel Arteta backing a $26 million move. The Moroccan midfielder, who arrived at Leicester from Genk last summer, impressed despite the team’s struggles, tallying 3 goals and 5 assists across all competitions.

Real Madrid is tracking 16-year-old Abdellah Ouazane, who will become a free agent on June 30 when his deal at Ajax expires. The Spanish club has kept a close eye on the Moroccan youngster for some time, and they’ve already opened communication with his representatives ahead of a potential move.

Wydad Casablanca has shown interest in bringing Hakim Ziyech back to Morocco now that he’s a free agent. The 32-year-old winger ended his brief five-month spell with Qatari side Al Duhail, where he managed just one goal and one assist in 13 outings, before Al Duhail confirmed his departure last weekend.

Moroccan left-back Youssef Lakhdim is pushing Real Madrid for a season-long loan to Deportivo Alavés after finding playing time limited at the Bernabéu. Alavés has agreed to cover his entire salary for the upcoming campaign, making the move straightforward for Madrid and giving the 18-year-old a chance to play regularly at a high level.

Aston Villa have been linked with a summer move for Youssef En-Nesyri, who joined Fenerbahçe from Sevilla last summer for a club-record fee of $19.5 million. In his first season in Turkiye, the 28-year-old striker scored 20 goals in the Super Lig (30 across all competitions). However, sections of the Fenerbahçe support grew restless, occasionally booing him. Reports from Turkiye indicate En-Nesyri is growing restless in Istanbul and is open to new opportunities.