The current transfer window has seen plenty of big moves across the top five European leagues, but there is still over a month of the window left. This article looks at three major transfers involving Premier League clubs, which have a strong chance of happening in the upcoming weeks.
3 Major Premier League Transfers That Could Happen
Alexis Sánchez
The Chilean has been linked with multiple clubs this summer due to being unsettled at the end of last season. Bayern Munich and Manchester City were the clubs most heavily linked with him, but it appears as if another club has joined the race: PSG.
According to reports, the Parisian team have made a £40 million bid. Arsenal are unwilling to let him leave, but they have a history of letting key players go. It also isn’t wise to keep a player who is unwilling to play, and is going to negatively affect the morale of the team.
This would be an excellent addition for PSG. Sanchez is a world-class player. They already have a wealth of talent, but he would take them to the next level, even if they fail to get Neymar. Last season showed his quality, he was directly involved in 34 goals from 38 games in the league (24 goals, 10 assists). The French league would be a step down, but he would have the Champions League to play, something which Arsenal can’t provide this season.
Arsenal currently have Alexander Lacazette and Mesut Özil as their chief attacking players. Arsene Wenger has the option of playing Aaron Ramsey further up the pitch or playing either Danny Welbeck or Olivier Giroud alongside Lacazette. None of these three come close to properly replacing Sánchez, so the Gunners might have to bring in another creative player such as Thomas Lemar.
He will be a huge loss for the team, due to the goal threat he brings, but not irreplaceable. The only current issue is that the fee reported seems much too low for a player of Sánchez’ quality. It has also been announced that the Chilean will return to training, but this is unlikely to stop a move.
Gylfi Sigurðsson
The Icelandic international has been linked with Everton throughout the majority of the summer. Swansea are holding out for £50 million, but the Toffees have been gradually increasing their offers. Initially, they started with a £40 million bid, but their most recent offer was £45 million.
Swansea are desperate to keep him, which is why they put such as hefty price tag on him. He directly contributed to 22 of their 45 goals last season (9 goals, 13 assists). This shows how much influence he has over their creative efforts. He is their chief playmaker from open play as well as set-pieces.
Buying Sigurðsson would be a heavy investment for Everton, but he would bring creativity from the central areas. Ronald Koeman has made it clear that Ross Barkley is going to move on; pre-season matches indicate that Wayne Rooney is going to be used as a striker rather than an attacking midfielder. This leaves Davy Klaassen as the main option for the No.10 role. Although, he suits a deeper role.
Bringing the Icelandic playmaker in would give Koeman more versatility in how to set up his team. Sigurðsson is capable of playing as the attacking midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 as well as the most advanced midfielder in a 4-3-3.
At 27-years-old he is just starting to reach his peak years, so Everton can get the best out of him. They lack someone of his calibre in the role he plays if Barkley leaves. He also has the added attacking dimension of being a set-piece specialist. Therefore, this makes the amount of money being quoted for him a deal considering the transfer market inflation.
Virgil van Dijk
Compared to the other two players, Van Dijk’s final destination is a lot less clear. Multiple Premier League clubs have been linked with him, and Liverpool received a warning for their conduct. He is valued at around £60 million, and is similar to Sánchez in that he wants to leave his current club. Chelsea and Liverpool seem to be the teams with the most interest in him, but Manchester City are outsiders for his signature.
He would benefit any team through his aerial domination and composure in possession. Southampton struggled last season, but they still managed to reach the EFL cup final and finish eighth in the league. Van Dijk gave them the necessary stability by being the heart of defence. This allowed the team to do well even though they struggled to score goals. Although, chance creation wasn’t an issue for the Saints.
Losing him would be a huge loss for the team because they lack experienced quality at the back. Southampton are great at providing a route to the first-team for academy products. Jan Bednarek, bought from Lech Poznań, and Jack Stephens both have potential. However, they need someone experienced to partner them in order for them to continue their development; Maya Yoshida isn’t reliable enough to do this.
Chelsea have been heavily linked with the Dutch international, but they don’t necessarily need him. Liverpool and Manchester City have a much bigger need.
The Reds need a talented player to form a strong centre-back partnership with Joël Matip. City have three good centre-backs: John Stones, Nicolás Otamendi and Vincent Kompany. However, Kompany is injury-prone and Otamendi’s decision-making can be poor at times. Van Dijk would bring reliability while also satisfying Pep Guardiola’s requirements for passing ability and positional intelligence.
LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 21: Alexis Sanchez of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Everton at Emirates Stadium on May 21, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
