While the 2021 summer transfer window was full of excitement and intrigue as top clubs spent big, it left some star players waiting for their move.
Sources told ESPN that Real Madrid offered Paris Saint-Germain €200 million to sign Kylian Mbappe, despite the contract expiring in 2022, but received no response and therefore wanted France to go ahead for now. halted his efforts. But with Man United, Man City and Liverpool also following the 22-year-old, can anyone persuade him to join Madrid?
Tottenham's Harry Kane made it clear he wanted to leave the club, but his €175m move to Man City never materialized as Spurs refused to negotiate a reduced fee. The England striker said in his statement that he will "stay at Tottenham this summer", which suggests he may be ready to pull out in the future.
Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland is what every club wants and the 21-year-old will be available for around €75m due to a release clause that will come into force in 2022, while some big names are set to leave their clubs for free. When their contracts also expire - including Manchester United's Paul Pogba, Juventus's Paulo Dybala and Real Madrid's Gareth Bale.
Where do our writers think these stars will play on September 1, 2022?
Tor-Christian Carlsson: Real Madrid. I would certainly support Mbappe to join Madrid, but I still think there is little chance of him staying at Paris Saint-Germain for a year or two or even after the 2022 World Cup. Sure, the forward wants to play for Real Madrid and is free to negotiate with any club outside France he wants in four months; That said, PSG are the most formidable financial force in world football right now and with that comes tremendous determination.
Mark Ogden: Real Madrid. Mbappe will have a farewell tour of Ligue 1 this season before realizing his dream of playing for Real Madrid. Barring one serious injury, Mbappe is on his way to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Rob Dawson: Real Madrid. The Frenchman has a lot of fans, especially at Manchester United, but even at Old Trafford it feels like he only wants to leave PSG for Real Madrid. The Spanish giants failed to get their man this summer, but it looks like it will be a matter of time before they come to Madrid. It could also be the beginning of January.
James Ollie: Real Madrid. The failed bids this summer felt like a sign to the Mbappe family that Real still want to pursue their dream of playing at the Bernabeu despite their financial difficulties, and the hope of being able to turn down the absurdity of Paris Saint-Germain. points to. €200m for one player. He almost certainly won't be signing a new deal, so he should be in Spain next year.
Tom Hamilton: Real Madrid. Looks like he will be in Madrid. With his contract due in June, Real Madrid have already begun their attraction on the French star, and are the favorites to sign him.
Julian Lawrence: Real Madrid. As much as I would like him to extend his contract at PSG and stay for one more season, it will not happen. So he will be a free agent next summer and will join Madrid. It has always been his dream to play for him and it will happen eventually.
Hamilton: PSG. I expect Bayern Munich to move to Haaland, with the club's sporting director Hassan Salihamidzik recently saying the club would be "amateur" if they were not looking for a possible move for the Borussia Dortmund striker. That said, they are operating on a tight budget and have to push many of their top earners in order to get ahead. If Mbappe moves to Madrid, PSG will certainly look to Hollande to fill that void. I think Kane will move to City so PSG will pay Haaland's €75m release clause and do another bit of incredible transfer business.
Dawson: Manchester City. Kane was City's first choice this summer, but Tottenham's stance made it impossible to sign a deal. Citi may find that Haaland's age and release clause make Norway better value for money. There is an emotional stretch for Haaland at City as his father Alfie played there, while Pep Guardiola's team offers an opportunity to challenge for the Premier League and Champions League immediately.
Lawrence: Manchester City. I don't think he will rule out the opportunity to play for Pep Guardiola even for just one season before the manager leaves in 2023. There is a great bond between the club and the Haaland family, while City are also capable of trouncing any other. Financial offers from rivals to make sure they get the best deal in front of agent Mino Raiola.
Carlson: Manchester City. Although he can't match Guardiola's perfect choice of centre-forward just yet, Haaland is developing his link-up game and is less unpredictable than he was a year ago. City would like to secure a budding star like Haaland, given that Guardiola's contract expires in 2023 and Mbappe is out of reach. If it were not for the €40m agent commission reported for Raiola, I would have expected Bayern to be in the running too, but I simply cannot see them paying that much amount to agents.
Ogden: Manchester United. United also have the finances and the will to make a deal, and have seen Chelsea pull out of the race following the €115m signing of Romelu Lukaku. City still want Kane and Real Madrid, while always being able to find money from somewhere, will need reinforcements elsewhere if they sign Mbappe. PSG and Bayern Munich will also be looking for Haaland, but United are in pole position.
Ollie: Manchester United. There might be a release clause, but it would land in a bidding war over individual terms and agent fees, which could mean Bayern Munich's price drop. The unknown factor is what happens in this season. United need to get City closer to the Premier League to show Haaland that the gap can be bridged. Then other factors - such as his admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo, strong ties with former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and former teammate Jadon Sancho - will come into play. City clearly wish that another year without Kane and the trophy in north London could force the England captain to push a step more aggressively, a move away.
Carlson: Tottenham. While I was pretty sure he would get his move this summer, I think the window of opportunity may have closed. I am struggling to see Man City come back to Spurs for the near €175m that Tottenham wanted this summer - especially as he turns 29 next summer. As a longtime fan of United, it is difficult to invest more than €150m on a striker with the options he already has.
Lawrence: Tottenham. He was desperate to leave this summer and will be desperate to go again next summer, but I don't think anyone will come for him this time, not even the city. This is because among Mbappe, Haaland and a few others, it will be a congested market for strikers. I'm sorry, but I think Kane will still be at Tottenham, come September 2022.
Dawson: Manchester United. He registered interest with Chelsea and City when it became clear Kane wanted to leave Tottenham this summer, but his priorities were always a winger (Jadon Sancho) and a centre-back (Rafael Varane). A striker will be among the top targets next year and Kane remains on the list even though he has brought back Cristiano Ronaldo. United have other options - eg, Haaland and Mbappe - but Manchester City and Real Madrid will also be looking for proven scorers.
Ogden: Manchester City. Maybe even early January. Ken's "I'm staying out this summer" statement last month was nothing more than a short-term solution to a long-standing problem and, if he stays fit, I see no reason why he should, sooner or later. I will not end up in the city. . To me, he is a better option for the Guardiola team than Haaland because of the way he plays, but both City and Kane need to work on their strategy to deal with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy.
Hamilton: Manchester City. Despite the prospect of a new contract at Tottenham, I expect him to be at one of the two Manchester clubs. A lot will depend on where Haaland and Mbappe's fun phase ends, but Kane is the perfect fit for Guardiola in a striker. United will also try to strengthen their attacking options, but I think Kane will play for Guardiola.
Ollie: Manchester City. Kane is driven by the desire to win trophies. To all the speculation this summer, he hasn't taken the nuclear option in a formal transfer request or ruled out playing for Spurs, although another season without silverware could change that. Chairman Daniel Levy may be more liable to let Kane go, as he will only have two years left on his contract, but City will still owe more than €120m. As for Guardiola's potential last season at the club, they may consider it worthwhile.
Lawrence: Real Madrid. Like Mbappe, Pogba will be a free agent in the summer of 2022 if he does not extend his contract at United, which looks unlikely. So either they let him go in January, when they can still order a fee, or he will join Real Madrid (which is also his dream) for free.
Oli: Real Madrid. It has often been felt that Pogba has an eye on the future away from Old Trafford and a move to Spain has always appealed. The situation is tied to Hollande as they share an agent in Raiola. Can United pet two big payouts for Raiola in one summer? Possibly, but if it comes to a choice between renewing Pogba and signing Haaland, the latter probably has more appeal given their respective ages (28 vs 21). United's principle weakness has long been in the middle midfield and losing Pogba would be a major blow in that regard, although perhaps Donny van de Beek is the replacement-in-waiting.
Carlsen: Real Madrid. Madrid are doing a good job rebuilding their midfield, but it will be hard to resist signing a world-class player on a free transfer. Manchester United certainly have the resources to renew the Frenchman's salary on competitive terms, but unless Pogba leads the club to a successful season - something he has been able to do - he must continue to play his best. May need to move away from Old Trafford for football.
Dawson: Manchester United. Time is running out for United to renew Pogba's contract, but they can still offer him a pay packet that will be hard to turn down. He has made no secret of his desire to win top trophies and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has now built a team that should be good enough to challenge.
Ogden: Manchester United. The financial realities of a sport struggling for money and top clubs with other priorities mean that Pogba has no clear destination, so if he ends his contract at Old Trafford and then a new one as a free agent. Don't be surprised if he contracts. Few clubs can compete with United in terms of salary and Pogba knows this.
Hamilton: Flip a coin between Real Madrid and Manchester United. With his contract in June, Pogba will have no shortage of fans, but United have the financial strength to retain him. If Real Madrid do make a move for Mbappe - as was expected - it would take a long wedge out of their kitty, so Pogba could be a step too far for him. And although PSG are clearly fond of free transfers, United will be hoping to keep their man.
Lawrence: Juventus. I still expect him to extend his contract now that Massimiliano Allegri is back. Now that Ronaldo is gone, Dybala is clearly a key player again for the team, which was not there under Andrea Pirlo last season. The Argentine international forward still has a lot to offer to the club.
Hamilton: Juventus. They should prioritize Dybala's contract. With Ronaldo's salary off his books, bringing Dybala on a new deal is essential to his short- and long-term prospects. But if the contract talks break down, expect some LaLiga legends to come for him.
Carlson: Juventus. His importance to Juventus will only increase as Ronaldo's departure has freed up some space and Allegri is back in the dugout. If he can make a similar impact in his early days in Turin, he could also have the likes of Barcelona, PSG or Bayern but I expect Juventus to sign a long-term deal as soon as he hits him. a kind of form.
Dawson: Juventus. They are looking to rebuild after Ronaldo is allowed to leave and players like Dybala, who is still only 27, should form a significant part of their core group. Extension of Dybala's contract should be a priority over the next few months.
Ollie: Juventus. The noise in Italy is that Dybala wants to fill the talismanic role left by Ronaldo. Salary is reportedly the biggest hurdle in his contract negotiations, but it seems important given his desire to stay in Italy. So although time is running out, Allegri can convince Dybala to stay.
Ogden: Barcelona. Money is tight at the Camp Nou, but having lost a creative Argentine forward to Lionel Messi this summer for nothing, they could replace him with another in 12 months' time. Free transfers are likely to be Barca's priority for the time being, so Dybala would be a good option.
Ole: Next year's World Cup is their target. Wales have a big challenge to qualify for, but if they are successful, Bale will have to find a new club next summer, when his Real Madrid contract expires as the final in Qatar doesn't start until November. A short term loan in Cardiff makes sense for him to stick with if they can do the financial work. Major League Soccer is an obvious choice, but he may completely hang up his shoes after the World Cup. He would be only 33 at the time, but Bale's appetite to continue playing through his mid-30s is questionable.
Ogden: Bale will be 33 years old and a free agent next summer, so anything is possible. If hometown team Cardiff City is promoted back to the Premier League, it would be no surprise if he opted for a hefty pay cut to play for them. Moving to MLS is another option.
Dawson: Where Bell ends up will depend largely on his ambition and salary demands. Even at his age, there is likely interest from the Premier League and possible Serie A, but spending a few seasons in Cardiff would be a fitting end to his career.
Lawrence: I'd love to see him finish his career in Cardiff, even though he's still in the championship. Although its most likely that he will go to MLS, probably one of the Inter Miami or LA teams.
HAMILTON: It would be great to see him in Cardiff. He looked happier in the summer of the Wales national team jersey than in the club's colors recently, so Cardiff will have the best of both worlds. But I hope he goes to MLS.
Carlsen: Either he starts a long and successful career in MLS or he joins a nouveau rich club in the Premier League... Maybe by then Newcastle will have been acquired?