The Transfer Window 50: Sancho’s big decision, can PSG keep stars, will Messi leave?

The list will contain each transfer target’s current situation, potential suitors and expected cost.

Schedule:

Well, he is potentially the world's best striker... Kane has proven his abilities consistently in the Premier League and on England duty, despite suffering a spate of mid-term injuries. The 27-year-old's mission at Tottenham – Project Trophy – looks increasingly unlikely and he must surely aspire to play for a European club worthy of his talent. Kane is under contract until 2024 and is unlikely to be allowed to leave quietly, so we could be looking at one of the most expensive transfers of all time. Or a very unhappy player.

Manchester United, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus… Kane will have his pick of the European elite, all promising to offer him what he most desires: trophies. While United are the most insistent and are rarely afraid of offering ludicrous salaries, it will take other arguments to sway a player in pursuit of titles.

The most in-demand kid on the market? At just 17, the Rennes midfielder does not even have a full season in his legs – after Ligue 1 didn't resume when the pandemic hit – but his 30-plus outings this season are enough to make him one of the most admired prospects on the continent. He delivered an immense display during Rennes’ victory over PSG in August and has taken everything in his stride since. His technique and intelligence are enough to excite all European giants.

Real Madrid are reportedly the team leading the well with Zinedine Zidane seeing his compatriot as the future of his midfield. However the pandemic might mean that this transfer gets pushed into the following summer.

The man who is always linked, but never moves, could finally move. Koulibaly has been essential to Napoli's ability to compete at the top of Serie A. Beyond his exceptional qualities as a defender, the Senegalese is also a leader while his charisma makes him even more attractive on the transfer market. Napoli present Aurelio de Laurentiis is perfectly aware of this. Always hard in negotiations, he will not hesitate to raise the stakes as high as possible.

PSG immediately come to mind. Sports director Leonardo has a good network in the Italian market from his days at AC Milan and he is looking for a leader to succeed Thiago Silva, whose contract expires in June. And it gets juicier. Koulibaly has just bought an apartment in the heart of Paris, just in case… But PSG are far from the only ones chasing him. From Barcelona to Manchester United, Koulibaly is far from lacking in potential suitors. Powerful clubs with significant financial resources that offer Napoli the prospect of overseeing one of the most lucrative transfers of the summer.

Because he hasn't signed a new deal yet. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has said that the forward's future will be decided after the FA Cup final on Saturday. Recent noises coming out of the club suggest that maybe he will stay in North London but until that new contract is confirmed speculation will continue.

Barcelona have explored this for several months according to reports in Spain, Chelsea are likely to lose Michy Batshuayi and Olivier Giroud, and Manchester United jump on anything that moves. Even PSG have Aubameyang on their radar as they secretly prepare for life without Mbappe and/or Neymar.

Martinez is one of the great revelations of Serie A. He has carried Inter on his young shoulders with 16 goals and developed a great partnership with Romelu Lukaku. Inter must accept that his future likely lies away from Milan and put their efforts into negotiating the best price. And let’s be honest, Martinez is high in our rankings precisely because a very large club has him top of their shopping list…

Unlike the other players in our top five, Martinez’s next destination seems pretty clear. Barcelona have made him their top priority for the summer. Why? First, they are seeking a successor to Luis Suarez and he seems perfect for the role. And second, because Lionel Messi admires his Argentine compatriot and the pair have formed an impressive bond on international duty. And if Messi is convinced, it makes the deal a whole lot easier.

It’s not a transfer window unless Pogba’s face is plastered across the back pages. However for the first time in what feels like ages it actually seems more likely that Pogba would stay. Not only did he evidently flourish when paired with January signing Bruno Fernandes but United will have Champions League football next season.

Zinedine Zidane dreams of Pogba. Pogba dreams of Zidane. The only question is whether Madrid can make the finances work this summer. The same goes for Pogba's other possible destination, Juventus.

Not a week passes without the Spanish press attempting to stir up trouble in the French capital. Regardless of what happens in the Champions League ‘Neymar returns to Barcelona’ will inevitably build again. To be honest it’s never really gone away. Neymar, and his father, know how to feed the media machine – happily switching from inflammatory statements to silence that speaks volumes. At 28, the clock is ticking and if he still believes he is wasting his time in Paris, Neymar will have to be particularly persuasive to get out of a contract that has two years left to run.

Barcelona of course. The trial and error experiment with Antoine Griezmann on the left side is the latest argument for Neymar’s return. But how will they afford and accommodate him? It will be necessary to get rid of Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele. The stakes are high for the Catalans – recovering Neymar would allow them to reaffirm their power on the continent after having their reputation undermined by years of weak transfer windows. Put simply: Barca need Neymar to recover their magic.

He is the greatest talent of his generation and, in the minds of all the huge clubs, is the most obvious successor to Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Mbappe (let’s remember, still just 21) is full of ambitions that PSG are unlikely to be capable of satisfying. Even if the season finishes and PSG win the Champions League, they will still be under siege for Mbappe in the summer. The Frenchman has been vague about his future with the mystery fuelling speculation. He has two years left on his PSG contract and it’s hard to imagine Leonardo letting go of the man who best embodies the Parisian project.

Real Madrid. He is the latest project of Florentino Perez, who needs a new Galactico to satisfy his doubters and help Real reconquer Europe. Eden Hazard has not brought the magic that Madrid must generate and they can’t do much better than sign Mbappe. Real have a huge head start over their rivals, which include the Manchester clubs - Mbappe has never hidden his desire for Real Madrid or Zidane. And that’s why it’s hard to see any other destination than the Bernabeu should he leave PSG.

Could the greatest player ever actually leave Barcelona? For perhaps the first time it actually feels possible. Messi's unhappiness with the current situation is clear for all to see and you can understand why he feels frustrated. His contract situation is extremely delicate and even though they may not admit it Barcelona have to be worried.

The whole of Europe if he actually became available. Realistically there aren't many clubs who can afford him, Inter Milan are the ones who are appearing the most in the media. A lot of this might come down to the presidential elections as the relationship with this current board seems untenable.

This is the fate of the best Dortmund players – signed young, developed and sent away to the biggest clubs in Europe at a tidy profit. Sancho will be no exception to the rule and this summer should mark the end of his German chapter. He is one of the greatest talents of his generation, as comfortable finishing as helping his team-mates. His experience in the Champions League and England national team make him highly coveted – especially as he only turned 20 this week!

The whole of Europe. Both Manchester clubs, Chelsea and Liverpool dream of repatriating one of the nation’s crown jewels. And when those clubs scramble together, prices soar. Sancho has also caught PSG’s eye and will be a real option if Mbappe or Neymar leave. Real Madrid could also move if they fail to land Mbappe. Finally, Juventus, who will likely make major changes in attack, are very interested.