Football: Europe’s top 40 summer transfer targets

With the summer transfer merry-go-round under way, we take a look at the most likely movers and their potential suitors
  
  


Top transfer targets: Manchester United v Aston Villa - Old Trafford
Cristiano Ronaldo His flirting with Madrid ended after Real's new president, Florentino Pérez, offered Manchester United a world record fee for the winger
Destination Real Madrid
Fee £80m
Photograph: Neal Simpson/EMPICS Sport
Top transfer targets: AC Milan's Brazilian midfielder Kaka
Kaka The 2007 world and European footballer of the year has left Milan for Real
Destination Real Madrid
Fee £56m
Photograph: Giuseppe Cacace/AFP/Getty Images
Top transfer targets: 1899 Hoffenheim v Bayern Muenchen - Bundesliga
Franck Ribéry Bayern Munich's new manager, Louis van Gaal, has declared his intention to keep hold of his playmaker, but the French winger is expected to leave Germany in a big-money move
Possible destinations Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester United
Value £40m
Photograph: Vladimir Rys/Bongarts/Getty Images
Top transfer targets: Valencia's Spanish forward David Villa
David Villa Valencia's financial difficulties mean the Spanish club are certain to cash in on their biggest assets, of which Villa is top of the list. Considered as good as Fernando Torres in his homeland, the top clubs in Spain and England are thought to be lining up bids
Possible destinations Chelsea, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool
Value £40m
Photograph: AFP/Getty Images
Top transfer targets: Manchester United's Argentinian forward Tevez
Carlos Tevez The Argentina international opted to join Manchester United's rivals City after deciding not to extend his stay at Old Trafford
Destination Manchester City
Fee £25.5m
Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images
Top transfer targets: Karim Benzema
Karim Benzema Having consistently performed for Lyon since debuting in 2005, Real Madrid finally took a punt on the Frenchman
Destination Real Madrid
Fee £30m
Photograph: Valery Hache/AFP/Getty Images
Top transfer targets: Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Described by one Italian journalist as 'half ballerina, half gangster' the volatile Swedish international helped fire Inter to last season's Serie A title with 25 goals, a record which persuaded Barcelona to shell out £40m and Samuel Eto'o for his services
Destination Barcelona
Fee £40m + Samuel Eto'o
Photograph: Giuseppe Cacace/AFP/Getty Images
Top transfer targets: Samuel Eto'o
Samuel Eto'o The striker who scored the first goal for Barcelona in the Champions League final was about to enter the last year of his contract. He rejected a huge offer from Manchester City and has moved to Inter in a deal which saw Zlatan Ibrahimovic go the other way
Destination Inter
Fee £17.3m
Photograph: Filippo Montef0rte/AFP/Getty Images
Top transfer targets: Valencia's Silva
David Silva Another likely to leave Valencia, the attacking midfielder is seen by the Liverpool manager, Rafael Benítez, as a perfect fit for his side. But Benítez is not the only one
Possible destinations Liverpool, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester City
Value £25m
Photograph: Susana Vera/Reuters
Top transfer targets: Emmanuel Adebayor celebrates
Emmanuel Adebayor Chelsea and Milan were interested in the Togo striker after Arsène Wenger said he would listen to offers. But the only club to make an offer were Manchester City and the Arsenal striker became the latest player to join Mark Hughes' side
Destination Manchester City
Fee £25m
Photograph: Diego Tuson/AFP/Getty Images
Top transfer targets: Liverpool's Xabi Alonso
Xabi Alonso The midfielder's protracted return to Spain was sealed when Real Madrid finally agreed to meet Liverpool's asking price
Destination Real Madrid
Fee £30m
Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images
Top transfer targets: Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Hull City v Wigan Athletic - KC Stadium
Antonio Valencia The talented and versatile winger has impressed since arriving in England in 2006, becoming a key figure for both Wigan and Ecuador. He has big boots to fill at Manchester United after his £16m move
Destination Manchester United
Fee £16m
Photograph: Mike Egerton/EMPICS Sport
Top transfer targets: Atletico de Madrid's Uruguayan Diego
Diego Forlan The Uruguayan has come a long way since his days as an object of ridicule at Manchester United. Despite finishing top scorer in La Liga this season with 32 goals for Atletico Madrid, he has not yet been the subject of any bids and his agent insists he would be happy to stay put
Possible destinations Real Madrid, Man City, Barcelona
Value £20m
Photograph: Pedro Armestre/AFP/Getty Images
Top transfer targets: Bayern Muenchen v Karlsruher SC - Bundesliga
Philipp Lahm Juventus are in the market for a left-sided defender and have pencilled the 25-year-old Bayern Munich full-back's name high on their shopping list. Contracted at the Allianz Arena until 2012, Lahm has shown no inclination to leave
Possible destinations Juventus, Barcelona, Liverpool
Value £20m
Photograph: Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images
Top transfer targets: Blackburn Rovers' Paraguayan forward Roque Santa Cruz
Roque Santa Cruz Manchester City's arduous pursuit of the Paraguay striker ended when Mark Hughes splashed out £17m to sign him from Blackburn
Destination Manchester City
Fee £17m
Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images
Top transfer targets: Atletico de Madrid's Sergio Leonel Aguero
Sergio Aguero The Argentine striker has been linked with a move to about 10 Premier League clubs, but Atletico Madrid, who have qualified for the Champions League again next season, have stressed they are unwilling to sell
Possible destinations Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea
Value £40m
Photograph: Pedro Armestre/AFP/Getty Images
Top transfer targets: Getafe v Real Madrid - La Liga
Rafael van der Vaart Van der Vaart arrived at Real to shore up a midfield depleted after injury to Wesley Sneijder. The two also played together at Ajax and they can now anticipate joint exits from the Bernabeu. The Dutch star has a proven record in Germany and scored 29 goals at Hamburg, explaining why Van Gaal wishes to preserve the double act
Possible destinations Bayern Munich, Stuttgart, Ajax, Milan
Value £10m
Photograph: Jasper Juinen/Getty Images
Top transfer targets: AC Milan's Brazilian forward Pato
Alexandre Pato It would be a surprise if Milan were to let this talented 19-year-old Brazilian leave, but rumours are rife that Carlo Ancelotti would like to bring him to London. If it emerges Milan might sell, other clubs are sure to make bids
Possible destinations Chelsea, Manchester City
Value £25m
Photograph: Andreas Solaro/AFP/Getty Images
Top transfer targets: Real Madrid v Malaga - La Liga
Wesley Sneijder The second of the Dutch trio now out of favour at the Bernabeu, Sneijder was frustrated through injury and poor form last season. New Bayern coach Louis van Gaal is reported to be pursuing his 24-year-old compatriot, who Real may attempt to offer as part of a deal for Franck Ribery
Possible destinations Bayern Munich, Juventus
Value £15m
Photograph: Denis Doyle/Getty Images
Top transfer targets: AS Roma's Philippe Mexes
Philippe Mexes The France international has become integral to the Giallorossi since joining from Auxerre in 2004, and has been linked with Milan consistently for the past year or so. The solid defender has proved the redeeming feature of a Roma defence that conceded 61 goals in 38 league games this campaign and could be tempted away as a result of the club's poor sixth-place finish
Possible destinations Milan, Arsenal
Value £12m
Photograph: Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters
Top transfer targets: Real Madrid's Dutch striker Arjen Robben
Arjen Robben The winger has sporadically impressed in Spain despite inevitable injury problems, yet the club's new president, Florentino Perez, seems resolved to sell. Linked with Inter, his fractious relationship with Jose Mourinho at Chelsea perhaps renders Eastlands or White Hart Lane more likely destinations
Possible destinations Inter, Manchester City, Tottenham
Value £15m
Photograph: Dani Pozo/AFP/Getty Images
Top transfer targets: Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League
Ricardo Carvalho The classy Portuguese defender seems ready to end his time at Chelsea having recently described the 08-09 season as the worst of his life. Another reunion with Jose Mourinho seems likely as Inter seek to construct a more stable central defence
Possible destination Inter
Value £10m
Photograph: David Cannon/Getty Images
Top transfer targets: Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur - St James' Park
Michael Owen England's ex-golden boy looked consigned to a move to Hull or Stoke until Sir Alex Ferguson sprung what could be the shock of the summer by signing him on a free
Destination Manchester United
Fee Free
Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA Archive/Press Association Ima
Tranfer targets: Eljero Elia
Eljero Elia The 22-year-old's on-off move from FC Twente to Hamburg was finally sealed when the German side spent £7.65m on the Dutch winger
Destination Hamburg
Value £7.65m
Photograph: AP
Top transfer targets: Bolton Wanderers v Fulham - Reebok Stadium
Brede Hangeland A central defender boasting both power and grace, Hangeland has certainly justified the £3.7m that Fulham paid in order to reunite him with Roy Hodgson, and could now conceivably command almost four times that fee. Hangeland claims that he is happy to sign a new contract, but it seems probable that he will be tempted away given the calibre of clubs interested
Possible destinations Arsenal, Aston Villa
Value £14m
Photograph: Barry Coombs/EMPICS Sport
Top transfer targets: Dario Srna
Dario Srna Renowned for his dead-ball skills and the pin-point accuracy of his crosses, the Croatian plays on the right side of midfield for his country and right-back for his club, Shakhtar Donetsk. A Spurs target when Juande Ramos was in charge, Srna is now rumoured to be one of the many players to have an admirer in Harry Redknapp
Possible destinations Tottenham Hotspur, Bayern Munich
Value £12m
Photograph: Andrei Lukatsky/AP
Top transfer targets: AC Milan v Werder Bremen - UEFA Cup
Andrea Pirlo One of the most gifted passers of the ball in the world game, the Italian midfielder is believed to be a prime target for Carlo Ancelotti. Whether Milan would be willing to sell is another matter
Possible destination Chelsea
Value £20m
Photograph: Lars Baron/Bongarts/Getty Images
Top transfer targets: Germany v Russia - FIFA 2010 World Cup Qualifier
Yuri Zhirkov The dynamic Russia left-back cost Chelsea around £18m from CSKA Moscow, in a move facilitated by his international manager and former caretaker Blues boss, Guus Hiddink
Destination Chelsea
Fee £18m
Photograph: Christof Koepsel/Bongarts/Getty Images
Top transfer targets: Bruno Alves (R)
Bruno Alves (right) Strong and good in the air, the 27-year-old Porto centre-half was targeted by Chelsea earlier this season as a possible replacement for Ricardo Carvalho. In the form of his life and with three years left on his contract, whatever club gets him will get no change out of £15m
Possible destinations Real Madrid, Barcelona
Value £15m
Photograph: Francisco Leong/AFP/Getty Images
Top transfer targets: Albiol
Raul Albiol Able to play both at centre-half and in defensive midfield, Albiol has joined the Pérez revolution at Real Madrid after leaving cash-strapped Valencia
Destination Real Madrid
Fee £12.8m
Photograph: Heino Kalis/Reuters
Top transfer targets: Manchester City v Chelsea - Premier League
Daniel Sturridge The talented young striker opted to join Chelsea after his wage demands failed to impress the Manchester City management and subsequently left him out of contract
Destination Chelsea
Fee To be decided by tribunal
Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images
Top transfer targets: Middlesbrough's Turkish striker Tuncay Sanli
Tuncay Sanli Valued at around £8m, Tuncay represents an attractive option for clubs looking to exploit Middlesbrough's relegation. Rafa Benitez is thought to rate the energetic Turk highly, an opinion no doubt furthered by his performance against Liverpool early in the season, and his penchant for wide play would make him a natural addition within the Liverpool system
Possible destinations Liverpool, Bolton, Chelsea, Fulham
Value £8m
Photograph: Graham Stuart/AFP/Getty Images
Top transfer targets: Miguel Veloso of Sporting Lisbon shoots
Miguel Veloso Sporting's Portuguese international midfielder has been a long-term target for several Premier League clubs, with Bolton coming close to signing the 23-year-old in January
Possible destinations Bolton, Porto, Tottenham, Sunderland
Value £12m
Photograph: Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty Images
Top transfer targets: Sporting Lisbon - Training Session
Joao Moutinho Described by Guardian scout Steve Claridge as "small and busy", the Sporting Lisbon skipper and Portuguese international is a versatile midfielder in the Deco mode. Linked with Manchester United, Arsenal and Everton last summer, the 22-year-old is believed to be very keen on a move to the Premier League
Possible destinations Everton, Tottenham, Sunderland
Value £16m
Photograph: Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images
Top transfer targets: Rennes' midfielder Stephane Mbia (L)
Stephane Mbia (left) The imposing Cameroonian defensive midfielder pleaded with his club to let him join Arsenal during the January transfer window, but Rennes refused to budge for a penny less than £10m for him, and he ended up signing for Marseille this summer
Destination Marseille
Fee £10.4m
Photograph: Frank Perry/AFP/Getty Images
Top transfer targets: Luca Toni
Luca Toni Toni appears surplus to requirements at the Allianz Arena following Bayern's acquisitions of Mario Gomez and Ivica Olic and Louis van Gaal has admitted he will listen to offers. The towering forward has stated his desire for a return to Serie A, where he remains the only striker since 1959 to score over 30 goals in a single campaign
Possible destinations Fiorentina, Parma, Juventus
Value £8m
Photograph: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters
Top transfer targets: David Bentley
David Bentley Bentley has failed to realise his potential since joining Spurs last year and the midfielder has subsequently lost the favour of both Harry Redknapp and Fabio Capello. Likely to pursue a move in a quest for regular football and a return to international contention, Bentley would surely seek a club who could offer the prospect of European football
Possible destinations Aston Villa, Everton, Sunderland
Value £10m
Photograph: Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty Images
football tranfers gallery: AZ Alkmaar's team captain Schaars
Stijn Schaars Instrumental in AZ Alkmaar's march to the Eredivisie title this season, this left-sided midfielder has just one year left on his contract and will almost certainly be sold on. A one-time target of Rangers, Schaars is expected to follow his former manager Louis van Gaal to Bayern Munich
Possible destinations Bayern Munich
Value £12m
Photograph: Paul Vreeker/Reuters
football tranfers gallery: FC Twente-player Marko Arnautovic
Marko Arnautovic Not yet a household name, FC Twente's 20-year-old No21 is nevertheless attracting the gaze of many top European clubs. Having almost signed for Chelsea, he now appears close to joining Inter on an initial loan, to be made permanent for around £9m. Comparisons with Zlatan Ibrahimovic reach far beyond the name and Balkan heritage and the Nerrazurri may well be more willing to let their talisman leave if they already possess a natural successor
Possible destinations Inter, Chelsea
Value £9m
Photograph: Vincent Jannink/AFP/Getty Images
Diego Milito
Diego Milito Prolific at Zaragoza and managing 24 goals in 28 appearances during his debut season with Genoa, Diego Milito will join team-mate Thiago Motta at Inter next season
Destination Inter
Fee £10m
Photograph: Luca Zennaro/EPA
 

Leave a Comment

Required fields are marked *

*

*