Highlights:
- Juventus and Bayern Munich Settle on €80 Million Deal for Dutch star Matthijs de Ligt.
- According to sources, Sterling signed a five-year contract with Chelsea for up to 50 million pounds ($59.60 million)
- The likelihood that Cristiano Ronaldo will have to swallow his ego and don the Manchester United jersey, at least for this season, is rising.
It’s that time of year again when football teams worldwide aim to strengthen their squads, and fans drool over the idea of fantasy lineups and dream signings. The 2022–23 transfer season is already proving to be quite the rollercoaster. And there’s still over a month left!! Buckle up as we examine what appears to be a turbulent season of signings, releases, and everything that goes with them.
The last week saw several agreements come to fruition and a flurry of rumours fly like wildfire over the internet. This one has kept the supporters interested in the transfer season with more twists and turns than your typical pulpy thriller.
The Return of Paul Pogba
After playing for Manchester United, Paul Pogba returned to Juventus in a formal capacity on Monday. After six years at United, this will be his second return to the Turin-based club. The 29-year-old French midfielder has committed to Juventus for four years, keeping him with the team through June 2026.
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— JuventusFC (@juventusfc) July 11, 2022
Il suono più bello del mondo @paulpogba ❤️#POGBACK pic.twitter.com/a931QH0qTM
Romelu Lukaku’s problematic season at Chelsea last year was cut short when he chose to go on loan to Inter Milan this season, illustrating the unfavourable reception that returns to former teams have received recently. Cristiano Ronaldo, who created a splash when he joined Manchester United last season, has made it clear that if the right deal comes along, he wants to leave Old Trafford. Can Pogba reverse the trend at Juventus after his lacklustre return to United six years ago? Time will only tell.
Sterling’s Transfer To Chelsea Comes To The Forefront
When Chelsea finally acquired Raheem Sterling from Manchester City on Wednesday, they finally made a splash in the transfer market. According to sources, Sterling signed a five-year contract with Chelsea for up to 50 million pounds ($59.60 million). The 27-year-old played 47 games for City last season in all competitions, scoring 17 goals and dishing out nine assists. However, after the acquisition of Phil Foden, who has firmly cemented his role in the Starting XI, and Jack Grealish from Aston Villa last season, he dropped the pecking order. It was crucial for Sterling to have a remarkable season this year because the World Cup is just around the way, and he will be looking to do just that under Thomas Tuchel’s direction.
Blue is the colour! ?#SterlingIsChelsea pic.twitter.com/l7b8U7WmIh
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 13, 2022
Kalidou Koulibaly, a defender from Senegal who had been a longtime target for Chelsea, signed a four-year deal with Napoli on Saturday. After losing Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen at centre defence, the Blues will be counting on Koulibaly to get started right away. Matthijs de Ligt, Nathan Ake, and Oleksandr Zinchenko, Chelsea’s other targets, are all beyond their grasp, so they will be hoping that Koulibaly is the final piece of the puzzle they have been hunting for.
Another one. ? #KoulibalyIsChelsea pic.twitter.com/fcexST5KSy
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 16, 2022
Numerous sources claim that Frenkie de Jong has been told by Barcelona to join Manchester United owing to financial fair play constraints, but the player has refused to go and prefers to stay with the La Liga team. This puts Manchester United’s pursuit of de Jong in limbo.
An agreement has been reached for the transfer of Lisandro Martinez ???#MUFC || @LisandrMartinez
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 17, 2022
De Jong will be a part of the Barcelona team travelling to the US for preseason play, according to Fabrizio Romano. Although United and Barca have agreed to a €75 million cost plus €10 million in add-ons, the player’s position has not changed.
Christian Eriksen is a RED! ✍️?#MUFC || @ChrisEriksen8
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 15, 2022
But that didn’t stop Manchester United from signing Christian Eriksen of Denmark to a three-year deal on Friday. Eriksen has experience playing in the Premier League; throughout his nearly seven seasons with Tottenham Hotspur, he made more than 300 games across all competitions. Eriksen joined the Ten Hag era as a recruit on Friday, passing Tyrell Malacia.
On Sunday, United and Ajax also came to an agreement for the purchase of defender Lisandro Martnez for approximately $58 million. The Argentine defender will become a Red Devil once he passes the medical. Martinez made 36 games across all leagues and competitions, helping Ajax win the league and place second in the Dutch Cup.
Cristiano Might Have To Remain At Manchester United
Since Cristiano Ronaldo told Manchester United that he wanted to leave this season, the rumour mill has been operating nonstop. Despite the fact that several individuals are mentioned as potential suitors, the truth is quite different.
Cristiano Ronaldo officially describes rumours of his imminent comeback to Sporting as “fake news”. ⛔️?? #MUFC
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 17, 2022
Ronaldo denies this rumour as he’s not considering to re-join Sporting this summer. pic.twitter.com/zug9taK6vt
The two front-runners, Chelsea and Bayern Munich, appear to have abandoned this plan. I have a lot of respect for Cristiano Ronaldo, his accomplishments, and his career, Bayern director Hasan Salihamidzi stated in an interview with Sport1. However, Chelsea has stated that they are no longer interested in signing Ronaldo after speaking with the Portugal forward’s representatives, adding, “That was and is not a topic for us.” The club wants to move past a prospective transfer because the player was never in coach Thomas Tuchel’s plans, according to the Guardian.
Unnamed Saudi Arabian club is said to have offered United €30 million for Ronaldo’s services, along with a staggering €275 million in pay over the course of two years, but the Portuguese superstar, whose top priority is the Champions League, has rejected the offer.
The likelihood that Cristiano Ronaldo will have to swallow his ego and don the Manchester United jersey, at least for this season, is rising.