Paddy Power Football Trader Jason Murphy gives us his insights on the likely transfer movers and shakers in the upcoming summer window.
Harry Kane
This would rank as one of the biggest Premier League transfers of all time. The England No.9 would be moving in his prime, with mega-money needing to be spent to make it happen.
I don’t think Kane likes playing under Jose Mourinho. He plays a little deeper under the Portuguese and I think he wants to be in the box scoring goals. He’s a team player but he wants to be in a side who are trying to play the right way.
United can afford him, but I don’t think they should buy him. Kane is not the player he was two years ago. The stats back it up: he hasn’t scored as many goals or created as much as he did two seasons ago.
Injuries have played their part in that. He also fed off an in-form Christian Eriksen in years gone by.
United would be better off investing the money in other areas of their team, but I wouldn’t begrudge him a move if the opportunity arose. However, it’s more of a gamble now.
Timo Werner
Werner has described his game as being built around three things: speed, instinct and hard-work – all of which look to be a perfect fit for Liverpool. He can play through the middle or out wide on the left, where he likes to come inside onto his right foot.
He’s only 24 and has around 75 goals in 200 odd Bundesliga games, but would he come in and straight away replace a Mane, Salah or Firmino? There is no pressure on any of the three to leave Anfield with all being under contract until 2023.
Would Werner come in and play on a rotational basis? He’s definitely a step-up on Divock Origi, but would the German be happy not starting week-in-week-out? That is the big question about this transfer.
But if Liverpool can get Werner at the right price, it seems to be an absolute no-brainer.
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Lionel Messi
Barcelona to Inter Milan @ 5/1
We saw a bit of money on this market recently, with Messi to Inter tumbling from 40/1 into 5/1.
I would have laid it happily. It looked like a non-runner to me!
He nearly went to Inter when he was 18 before deciding to stay with Barcelona, but for me it seems a bit far-fetched Messi going to Inter now.
Jadon Sancho
Borussia Dortmund to Man United @ 8/11
The latest on this transfer saga seems to depend on what papers you read and what day you read it! Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc has come out and said the player will stay with them next season, but that has not stopped the speculation.
The 20-year old has been phenomenal this season with nine goals and 15 assists.
If you look at the last four players United have signed and their profiles, then Sancho fits the bill. They’ve all been a decent price (apart from Maguire). He plays in the right position and is a good age.
They missed the boat on Haaland but they don’t want to miss out on a good thing twice!
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Paul Pogba
Man United to Real Madrid @ 7/4
This is an interesting one.
A fit and motivated Paul Pogba is a huge asset to Man United, but at the moment he doesn’t seem to be either. We saw when Mourinho left how good he was for the remainder of last season. He even made the Premier League team of the year on the back of those six months.
This summer United can’t sit on the fence though. His current deal expires next year, so they need to sell him or get him to pen a new deal.
Last summer Real Madrid and Zidane wanted Pogba. They didn’t have the cash to buy him and money could still be a factor with this potential transfer.
Another reason it could not happen is Zidane doesn’t need Pogba as much as he did last summer. Federico Valverde has developed into a great footballer, and the 21-year-old Uruguayan is an absolute workhorse in the midfield for Real.
He has a win at all costs mentality, proven by his last-ditch tackle against Alvaro Morata in the Spanish Super Cup final in January. He got sent off and took one for the team. This is a now a massive factor in the Pogba to Real transfer.
Zidane just doesn’t need him as much as he did last summer. Real may even use the cash to try and sign Mbappe from PSG instead.
I think what is best for both Pogba and United would be for him to sign a new contract and get fit again. The chance of winning some serious silverware with United might motivate him again.
Lautaro Martinez
Inter Milan to Barcelona @ 4/6
Inter Milan want to keep ‘the Bull’ and have offered him more money in order to tie him up – but he’ll double his wages if gets a move to Barcelona.
He’s only 22, but has 19 goals in 32 games. Despite that, this deal looks like a bit of a gamble. Martinez has only really played well for a six-month spell after being used mainly as a back-up last year before the departure of Mauro Icardi to PSG.
Mauricio Pochettino has gone on the record saying he is one of the best young players in the world, and everyone knows Barcelona are looking for a like-for-like replacement for Luis Suarez.
Martinez will get goals and he’s a hard worker, but I think Barca need to look at buying a wide man in order to complement Messi moving to a ‘false 9’ role.
Jadon Sancho or Raheem Sterling would suit them better.
Declan Rice
The hype seems to have died down a little. When a young player comes in and does well it’s easy enough to catch the eye.
And when they are English, the media can get carried away. He’s contracted until 2024, but there’s been lots of stuff about him being linked with a move away.
If West Ham stay in the Premier League, he’ll likely stay there.
Rice is an England International who played 34 games last season and has played 29 so far this year. He is consistent and has been playing but he hasn’t been amazing over the last two seasons for me.
He could do with another year of development in order to kick on.
Just look at another former Hammer in Michael Carrick. He didn’t go straight to Man United from West Ham. Spurs were ‘the bridge’. I just don’t see Rice being ready to make the jump to one of the top teams this summer.
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