Par Gregory Bayet
The end of the season is approaching. In France, Germany, and Spain, the champion could (and even should) be known this weekend. PSG, Bayern and Real Madrid will win a new national title. End of the season is obviously synonymous with transfer window. Even if the summer transfer window has not yet officially opened, moves have already been made and rumors continue to swell.
Many are the Red Devils who will animate this transfer window.
Red devils certain to move…
At the end of the contract at Borussia Dortmund,
Axel Witsel
(33) will not extend the adventure at BVB. After 4 seasons spent in the Rhur, the median from Liège is going to launch a new challenge. A return to Standard is not on the agenda, he told us recently. If he returns to Sclessin one day, it will be in a role other than that of a player. He feels ready to play under three at a high level. Where ? For the moment, the only names that have been mentioned are those of Los Angeles Galaxy and FC Los Angeles, MLS clubs. Will the adventurer Axel Witsel be tempted by the States or will he wait for an opportunity in a top or subtop European club?
Also at the end of the contract,
Jason Denayer
will leave Lyon where he has been playing since 2018. He would be courted by Atletico Madrid where he would find Yannick Carrasco as well as by Newcastle. At Olympique Lyonnais, his successor could be…
Wout Faes
(Rheims). The latter would thus go up a notch and could thus demonstrate to Roberto Martinez that he has the qualities to play at a high level (even if the Lyon club is currently in crisis). In the last two Red Devils rallies, Wout Faes was selected but did not receive playing time.
The loan of
Michy Batshuayi
in Besiktas stops in June. Despite his 14 goals and 5 assists in 37 matches played with the Turkish club in all competitions, the Belgian striker should not stay. Here he is back at Chelsea where he is under contract until June 2023. The London club will try to sell him permanently. After Dortmund, Valencia, Crystal Palace and Besiktas, will he finally find a club where he can settle for a longer period?
Loaned to Genoa by Inter Milan,
Zinho Vanheusden
will make his return to the Nerazzurri. The ex-Standard defender was not spared from injuries but Inter still believe in him and he should start training with the Milanese next season. Before a new loan? Nothing is decided yet.
The Devils ready to change air…
After three seasons at Leicester City,
Youri Tielemans
who will celebrate his 25th birthday on May 7, feels ready to take up a new challenge, at a higher level. There is no shortage of interested clubs. Recently, it was Tottenham who inquired but, according to the famous journalist Fabrizio Romano, “at least five or six other teams are also in the running”. Real Madrid and Bayern Munich would be among them.
Reveal of the season in Bologna,
Arthur Theate
caught the eye of several top level clubs in Serie A. AC Milan and Juventus would be ready to welcome him. The 21-year-old defender (he will be 22 on May 25) seems ready to take the plunge. Some already see in him the future boss of the rearguard of Belgium.
Turns 35 on May 6,
Dries Mertens
is at the end of his contract at Naples, the club of his heart where he spent 9 years and where he is the top scorer in history ahead of Hamsik and … Maradona. But everything has an end and it seems to be approaching for him in Naples. Is he ready to make a financial effort to re-enlist for a 10th season or will he try a new adventure? Inter would have shown interest as well as MLS clubs!
Rumors
Some media have announced a departure this summer of
Thorgan Hazard
. Under contract at Borussia Dortmund until 2024, the Belgian median said for his part that he felt good at BVB, a club he did not intend to leave even if he does not benefit from the status of indisputable holder.
The tricky cases…
There remain the cases of
Romelu Lukaku
et
Eden Hazard
two “executives” of the Belgian national team who do not have the same influence in the club.
At Real Madrid, Eden Hazard simply doesn’t have a future, especially if Carlo Ancelotti stays in the job. A plan would have been imagined by the Madrid leaders to sell their N°7. It would start with a loan in order to put him on display at a club where he would benefit from playing time before selling him. The clubs most often cited are those of Juventus, Arsenal, Newcastle and even Borussia Dortmund where he could evolve with his brother Thorgan. A delicate file but oh so important for Roberto Martinez who hopes to recover Eden Hazard at the top level for the World Cup in Qatar which will take place from November 21 to December 18.
The Lukaku case is just as thorny. With Thomas Tuchel, his chances of flourishing are slim. Chelsea’s playing system doesn’t really suit him either. Under these conditions, knowing that Big Rom needs to feel the confidence of his coach and his partners to shine, it seems that the best solution consists in going to see if the grass is greener elsewhere even if for his ego, it will be difficult to digest a new failure at the Blues. A return to Inter? It is a solution but it is not sewn with white thread. A transfer to PSG to replace Mbappé who is increasingly close to Real Madrid? Not sure it suits him. When we told you that this file is thorny…