The 2024 summer transfer window is in full swing but fans may wait a while before seeing the wealthiest clubs in the world move for the best players around.
This is partly because many of the finest attackers in the business will not be making any moves in the coming weeks.
Well, except for Kylian Mbappe, who has already swapped Paris for Madrid, and Michael Olise, who has chosen Bayern Munich as his new home.
Erling Haaland and Phil Foden remain central to Pep Guardiola’s plans at Manchester City while Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo will most certainly remain at Real Madrid.
Nothing can separate the union of Arsenal and Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli just yet while Lautaro Martínez is as glued to Inter Milan as Harry Kane is to Bayern Munich.
Barcelona are not ready to listen to any offers for wonderkid Lamine Yamal (who will blame them). Liverpool and Mohamed Salah look set to continue their relationship. Not forgetting that Benjamin Šeško is stuck to RB Leipzig for at least another year after extending his contract last week.
Enough of the players who are not likely to move. Who are the best attackers who are likely to switch clubs this summer?
Soccernet.ng‘s Imhons Erons presents ten of the finest forwards clubs can target before the transfer window slams shut.
10. Joshua Zirkzee
AC Milan and Manchester United will battle for the signature of Joshua Zirkzee after the Dutch-Nigerian forward finally made his breakthrough in Serie A last season.
Playing in a system that allowed him the freedom to put his natural talents to good use, Zirkzee smashed 11 goals and added five assists to help Bologna qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
His exploits also saw him called up for the Netherlands’ Euro 2024 squad, where the Oranje have reached the semifinals.
9. Nico Williams
It is incredible how far Nico Williams has come at only 21 years.
Eleven goals and 19 assists in 103 La Liga appearances as well as eight goals and seven assists in 17 Copa del Rey games speak of the youngster’s efficiency from the wings.
This season, he won the La Liga Player of the Month twice and played a crucial role as Athletic Bilbao lifted the Copa del Rey – the club’s first in 40 years.
Williams has also been a menace at Euro 2024, scoring once and assisting another to drive Spain to the semifinals.
It is little wonder that Barcelona, Chelsea, and Arsenal are reportedly looking to acquire his services.
8. Ollie Watkins
Watkins was the tormentor-in-chief in an Aston Villa team that troubled many defences to finish fourth in the Premier League and qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
The 28-year-old, who joined Villa from Brentford in 2020 for €34 million, had a hand in an astonishing 32 goals (19 goals, 13 assists) in only 37 league appearances.
Having won the Premier League Playmaker of the Season and Aston Villa Players’ Player of the Season, Watkins was on the plane with England to Euro 2024, where the have Three Lions made it to the semifinals.
7. Viktor Gyökeres
Sporting CP will have trouble keeping hold of Viktor Gyökeres beyond this summer following his incredible debut campaign in Portugal.
The Swedish forward, who struggled to make much of an impact in the lower leagues in Germany and England, took to the Primeira Lig with ease.
The 26-year-old scored seemingly at will and ended with 29 goals and nine assists in 33 league games for Sporting to pay back some of the €21 million Coventry received for him last year.
Arsenal are one of the clubs reportedly interested in a player who could become unstoppable in the Premier League.
6. Ademola Lookman
Ademola Lookman’s stock rose to unprecedented heights this year after a sensational season with Atalanta BC.
The Nigerian forward scored a beautiful hat-trick in the final of the Europa League to hand the Bergamo-based club their first-ever continental trophy. He was named the club’s Player of the Season.
Lookman also excelled for Nigeria at the AFCON, finishing ahead of Victor Osimhen as the Super Eagles top scorer in the tournament.
The former Leicester City man made the Team of the Tournament.
Bayern Munich and Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad Club have been credited with an interest in Lookman, who Atalanta coughed out less than €10 million to sign in 2022.
5. Alexander Isak
More than a few critics thought Newcastle paid too much for Isak when he arrived in Tyneside with 33 goals in 105 La Liga games in his pockets in August 2022 for €70 million from Real Sociedad.
However, 31 goals and four assists in 52 Premier League appearances later, the Swedish striker has more than done enough to shut up any criticisms that emanated from that transfer.
Rather, the 24-year-old is ready for the next major move of his career.
Chelsea could offer him a bigger platform to showcase his talents with the Blues reportedly considering making a move for the former Borussia Dortmund star this summer.
4. Rafael Leão
Rafael Leão remarkably powered AC Milan to the Scudetto title in 2022, establishing himself as one of the most exciting performers in the Italian top flight.
Leão’s influence remained on the top burner during the 2023/14 campaign as he finished as Serie A’s top assist provider and made the Team of the Season for the third consecutive year.
He would be a great addition to any of the biggest teams in Europe’s top five leagues but it appears Saudi’s Al-Hilal SFC are doing the most to sign the Portugal star.
3. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Napoli’s golden boy Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was a relatively unknown quality before he arrived in Naples two years ago.
Last season, he formed an excellent partnership with Osimhen that drove Napoli to win a historic Scudetto and the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
Kvaratskhelia’s influence waned a bit during the just-concluded campaign as Napoli struggled on all fronts.
Still, no one can deny the talents of the 22-year-old especially after he helped debutants Georgia reach the knockout rounds of Euro 2024.
Kvaratskhelia scored as Georgia defeated Portugal 2-0 and he would have certainly reignited the attention of his admirers at PSG.
2. Darwin Núñez
Liverpool paid Benfica €85 million for Darwin Núñez in 2020 and over the last two years have been able to extract 20 goals and 11 assists across 65 Premier League games.
That is a respectable output but the Uruguayan forward has not been able to shake off critics who believe he has missed many easy goals that could have done his stats and reputation a world of good.
Still, he is enjoying life in the Copa America, where he has two goals in four games for Uruguay who face Colombia in the semifinals.
A mobile and decent forward on his day, Núñez can become a handful under a more demanding manager and that is what Jose Mourinho could offer with Fenerbahce credited with interest in the 25-year-old.
1. Victor Osimhen
Osimhen’s ratings shot through the roof last year after he guided Napoli to its first Scudetto title in 33 years last summer.
The Super Eagles striker went on to become the first African to win the Serie A top scorer award and the first Nigerian in 24 years to be named the CAF Player of the Year.
The 25-year-old has not been as dominant this year but he still managed to rack up 17 goals and four assists for Napoli despite missing a chunk of the campaign due to injury and participation at the AFCON.
Chelsea, PSG, Arsenal, and Manchester United all rate Osimhen highly but a move to Saudi Arabia could also be on the cards.
NB: Which footballer would you include or remove from this list? Leave your answer in the comment section below
