Julien Laurens reacts to reports that Man United won't be able to sign Harry Kane due to lack of funds.
Who will make a move in the transfer window when football finally gets the go-ahead and clubs reopen for business? It's hard to be certain, of course, because the pandemic may change the landscape forever. The trauma and huge financial meltdown throughout the world will change budgets and attitudes to big spending.
But business is business, and there will be activity whenever the transfer window opens. So who should we keep an eye on?
For starters, there's the long-running saga surrounding Jadon Sancho. Manchester United remain favourites to land the brilliant 20-year-old who is set to leave Borussia Dortmund, probably for around £100 million.
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Neymar, who has been so high maintenance at Paris Saint-Germain since joining the club in 2017, has made no secret of wanting to go back to Barcelona -- nearly from the moment he landed in the French capital. But will the Catalan club be able to afford the Brazilian star when their finances are so stretched?
As reported by ESPN, Barca may have to ask players to take further wage cuts to knock €200m off their budget for next season because of the pandemic. In that light, Neymar might be a luxury they (or anyone else, for that matter) cannot afford.
In keeping with the months-long transfer dramas, Liverpool reportedly want the prolific and speedy Timo Werner of RB Leipzig. Clubs who prefer more of a target man as their No. 9 will have been alerted to Dinamo Zagreb's Bruno Petkovic, who has replaced Mario Mandzukic for Croatia.
Moving into midfield, there could be some big names moving into new homes this summer.
Two out-of-favour creators who look likely to move from Spain's big two are Barcelona's Philippe Coutinho, on loan at Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid's James Rodriguez, who was at the Allianz Arena for the two seasons before this and is clearly unfancied by Los Blancos boss Zinedine Zidane. Likewise, is Toni Kroos coming to the end of his time at the Bernabeu after finding himself dropped for some big games this season? These three might be seen as too big of a gamble by many clubs unless they were sold at a discount and took a pay cut, but their clubs will be open to offers.
David Silva, for whom there should be a statue built at Manchester City, seems likely to return to Valencia for the twilight of his career. On the other side of the Manchester divide, what of Paul Pogba? The Man United midfielder has done nothing to quash stories that he wants out of Old Trafford, while rumours swirl that he's on his way to Real Madrid. One thing we do know: Unlike Rodriguez, Zidane is a massive fan of Pogba.
David Silva and Paul Pogba could both be leaving the city of Manchester this summer.
Another midfield player on a lot of radars is Kai Havertz at Bayer Leverkusen. And he could be had at a more affordable price, too.
Arsenal, meanwhile, are in need of some further grit in the centre of the park. They're said to be on the trail of Thomas Partey, the tough man in Atletico Madrid's midfield.
In the wide areas, there are two wingers who might well be on the move. Leroy Sane, who was heavily linked with a move to Bayern Munich last season before suffering a cruciate rupture, may finally return to Germany. Meanwhile, Thomas Lemar, who has failed to find his superb form from Monaco at Atletico Madrid, will likely find patience running out at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Chelsea will be interesting to watch. They have already signed excellent winger Hakim Ziyech of Ajax. And don't be surprised to see manager Frank Lampard in the market for a new No. 1 to replace Kepa Arrizabalaga, the world's most expensive keeper. Kepa lost his starting role this season, only to regain it right before the coronavirus lockdown, but will Lampard's doubts about the player remain when football returns?
Top-class defenders are thinner on the ground, but one who could fit the bill for a Premier League outfit is Benfica's Ruben Dias, who impressed in Portugal's Nations League triumph last summer. RB Leipzig's Dayot Upamecano, 21, is another central defender in the spotlight, attracting attention from elite clubs across Europe.
For now, though, this can only be speculation as we await some kind of normality, or very possibly a new normality, to emerge.
Source: espn.co.uk