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Tottenham Hotspur's hopes of offloading midfielder Tanguy Ndombele haven't ended with the closure of this British summer transfer window.

Who has left Tottenham this summer?

Spurs and new manager Ange Postecoglou have sealed all of their major summer signings, but couldn't quite get another over the line after their deadline day capture of Brennan Johnson from Nottingham Forest.

Indeed, there were reports of the north Londoners chasing both Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly and Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher on Friday, but those moves ultimately failed to materialise.

That, and we're just speculating here, may have been down to Tottenham's inability to sell certain players – like Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg for instance – who apparently refuted a last gasp move to Fulham.

The likes of Davinson Sanchez and Ndombele also couldn't seal moves elsewhere, despite late interest, with Spurs instead offloading Harry Kane, Sergio Reguilon, Joe Rodon, Djed Spence, Harry Winks, Alfie Devine, Troy Parrott and Dane Scarlett on either permanent deals or loans.

Lucas Moura also left on a free transfer upon the expiry of his contract on June 30, but while Spurs will be pleased to balance the books in certain areas, perhaps the most frustrating surplus player to remain is Ndombele.

On a reported £200,000-per-week, the Frenchman has spent the last two campaigns on various loan spells at Lyon and Napoli respectively.

He doesn't appear to be in Postecoglou's plans, either, with a last minute transfer to Genoa also failing to come to fruition for Ndombele.

Now that the British transfer window is shut, some supporters may believe they're stuck with the 26-year-old until January, but there may be some hope in the form of Galatasaray

Indeed, the Turkish Super Lig giants are apparently an option for Ndombele, and their transfer window actually doesn't close until September 15.

That is according to Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas, who shared an update on the midfielder's situation on X.

"Galatasaray remain an option for Tanguy Ndombele but it’s not time sensitive today," said Thomas on Friday night.

"Turkish window remains open to Sep 15. Wants to play for a Champions League team."

What's been said about Tanguy Ndombele?

You could argue that Ndombele's time at Spurs has been one to forget, having ultimately failed to live up to his once club-record price tag after signing from Lyon in 2019.

The former Ligue 1 sensation is now stuck in limbo at Tottenham and a move away could perhaps be best for all parties.

While Spurs haven't proved the ideal fit for Ndombele, there is certainly a good player there at his very best.

Arsenal star Declan Rice, commenting on the player last year, even said that he's one of his toughest ever opponents

“The perception of him, it shouldn’t be what it is because I tell you now, he is one of the toughest I have played against," said Rice.

“He is top. Just a street footballer on the pitch. He takes the ball anywhere, little flicks and tricks. Like he doesn’t care. He does everything so confidently.

"With players like that, you just have to let them play. Give them the freedom to go out and do whatever they want. When we played against Lyon in the Europa League, he was incredible. He’s a top player.”

Having finished the previous campaign with Wout Weghorst as the starting option in attack, Manchester United will hope to have ended their longstanding centre-forward woes with the signing of Danish superstar, Rasmus Hojlund, with the 20-year-old joining from Atalanta on a deal that could rise to £72m.

After years of short-term signings in the striking department – including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani and Cristiano Ronaldo – the promising marksman could be the man to lead the line for the foreseeable future, with the Old Trafford outfit seemingly crying out for a prolific presence through the middle.

The Red Devils could, however, have found a dream, long-term centre-forward option far sooner – and for far cheaper – in the form of Slovenian sensation, Benjamin Sesko, with the towering hotshot looking like another case of one that got away for United.

Why didn't Man United sign Benjamin Sesko?

The Premier League giants are no strangers to having snubbed the chance to sign exciting young strikers on the cheap, with the most famous example seeing the club fail to pounce to land Erling Haaland – who scored 52 goals for rivals Manchester City last season – on a measly £4m deal from Norwegian side, Molde.

Described as the 'next Haaland', young Sesko is another forward who had caught the eye of the United hierarchy in the recent past, with The Athletic revealing that the powers that be had the chance to sign the then-teenager from Domzale in 2019.

As per the report, the Slovenian side had been demanding just £2.5m if they were to sanction the sale of the 6 foot 4 starlet, albeit with those back in Manchester believed to have viewed that valuation as 'excessive' at the time.

That decision to pass up the chance to sign the Radece-born "Machine Man" – as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig – remains a true headscratcher, particularly with the in-form powerhouse seeing his price tag rise substantially in recent times.

How much is Sesko worth now?

Following a subsequent move to Austrian side, Red Bull Salzburg in 2019, the emerging talent particularly impressed during his extended loan spell at FC Liefering, bagging 22 goals and six assists in just 44 outings, prior to returning to his parent club.

The 22-cap international – who already has seven goals for his country – made a rather smooth transition to life back at Salzburg after recording 40 goal involvements in just 79 games across the last two seasons, sparking renewed interest from United last summer.

Despite claims that technical director John Murtough was holding talks with the player's agent, it was later confirmed that the prolific gem had sealed a move to sister club, RB Leipzig – with the Daily Mail reporting that the fee was as high as £55m.

That represents a 2100% increase in value in relation to what the Red Devils could have signed him for just four years ago, with Erik ten Hag likely ruing the fact that the previous regime did not do more to get their hands on a potentially "generational" talent – as hailed by journalist Ryan Taylor.

Life in Germany has already started brightly for the 20-year-old as he has two goals from just two Bundesliga outings so far this term, while also catching the eye with one goal and two assists in a recent standout showing against Northern Ireland in Euro 2024 qualifying.

As such, even if Hojlund does go on to prove a success in English football, United could potentially have snapped up a similarly exciting asset to the Copenhagen native in the form of Sesko, albeit without having had to break the bank.

Newcastle United could make further signings in the January transfer window and one player has emerged as a primary target, according to a fresh update.

Will Newcastle make signings in January?

The Magpies have steadied the ship after a difficult start to the season, enjoying a positive couple of results that will hopefully signal the start of a big turnaround in fortunes.

Eddie Howe's side battled their way to a 1-0 win at home to Brentford in the Premier League last Saturday, before drawing 0-0 away to AC Milan in their Champions League opener – a result that could look so important come the end of the group stages later this year. They may not have been vintage performances, but it has clearly still been an improvement.

Newcastle enjoyed a good summer in the transfer market, most notably bringing in Sandro Tonali and Harvey Barnes from Milan and Leicester City respectively, but more signings are required moving forward, in order for them to keep in touch with their rivals at the top of the Premier League and not go backwards.

Added depth in the midfield is something that Howe could look to do in January, allowing rotation to be aided across four different competitions in the second half of the season, and it looks as though they have lined up one key target already.

Will Newcastle sign Carlos Alcaraz?

According to an update from talkSPORT, Newcastle are eyeing a move for Southampton midfielder Carlos Alcaraz in January, with Howe personally seeing the 20-year-old as a strong option to bring in.

"Newcastle are among a number of clubs keeping tabs on Southampton midfielder Carlos ‘Charlie’ Alcaraz. The Magpies made an enquiry for Alcaraz during the summer transfer window and manager Eddie Howe is an admirer of the 20-year-old Argentine.

"It will not have gone unnoticed at St James’s Park that Alcaraz is struggling to command a place in Saints’ starting line-up despite the fact the recently relegated side have lost their last three games. Alcaraz scored four goals in 18 Premier League games last season following a £12m move from Racing Club."

Alcaraz may not necessarily be an established footballer who is playing at the top level every week, but he could be an exiting young signing who comes in as a squad player, developing over time and becoming a key man eventually.

The 20-year-old has scored five goals in 28 appearances for Southampton, as well as chipping in with two assists, and he did play 18 times in the Premier League last season, showing that he can perform in England's top flight.

Former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has praised Alcaraz in the past, saying he "has a bit of everything in his game", while football talent scout Jacek Kulig has lauded him as "one of the biggest talents in Argentina".

It is encouraging to see Newcastle continuing to look at bringing in top young talent, rather than simply news signings for the here and now, and it will enable the club to keep progressing for many years to come, rather than resting on their laurels and not reaching their potential.

Chelsea chiefs are on red alert and are believed to be seriously concerned after a recent injury update emerged regarding one of their star players, according to reports.

What's the latest news involving Chelsea?

According to The Guardian, Chelsea are remaining calm despite their early season struggles and will keep faith in Mauricio Pochettino as the underlying data behind their performances suggests that results will eventually improve.

The report claims that 'key performance indicators' show that the Blues have been effective both in and out of possession and that their collective work rate isn't in question, with more than one statistical analysis platform coming to the conclusion that they should be much higher in the Premier League standings.

In conversation with The Times, Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola has questioned the lack of experience available in the current squad Pochettino has at his disposal following a summer of upheaval at Stamford Bridge that saw several established players depart.

Zola stated: "I am surprised so many experienced players left. My understanding is they are planning to build a team within the next three or four years but players left that were there a long time and that won a lot – [Cesar] Azpilicueta, Jorginho, [Kai] Havertz, [Mateo] Kovacic— players that probably everyone looked up to. You need those players. In difficult moments you rely on those players. So many left and that doesn’t help the situation."

Chelsea travel to Craven Cottage on Monday night to face Fulham and will be without suspended duo Nicolas Jackson and Malo Gusto, as per The Evening Standard. Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Romeo Lavia, Christopher Nkunku, Carney Chukwuemeka, Trevoh Chalobah, Marcus Bettinelli and Ben Chilwell will also miss out due to various injury concerns.

What's the latest on Bel Chilwell's injury?

According to Football Insider, Chelsea defender Chilwell's latest injury has made Pochettino and chiefs around Stamford Bridge 'seriously concerned' after he limped off in the 1-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion in the Carabao Cup due to a hamstring problem, which may be a reoccurrence of a previous issue for the England international.

The outlet claim that Pochettino has indicated that his injury "doesn't look good" and has warned Chelsea fans to expect some less than ideal news surrounding his current situation soon.

Chilwell has made seven appearances in all competitions for Chelsea this campaign, registering a solitary assist in the process against Liverpool on the opening day of the Premier League, as per Transfermarkt.

Featuring slightly further up the left-hand side at times under Chelsea boss Pochettino, Chilwell, who was labelled as "fantastic" by Frank Lampard in 2020, has been able to offer a substantial offensive threat, averaging around 1.2 shots and 1.5 key passes per match in the English top flight, according to WhoScored.

In their clash against Fulham on Monday, Blues winger Mykhailo Mudryk could be given an opportunity to start in his absence after he received a standing ovation in Chelsea's triumph over Brighton at Stamford Bridge. Nevertheless, Pochettino and the Chelsea faithful will hope that Chilwell doesn't miss too much action despite concern over his injury, which is understandable when factoring in that the 26-year-old missed three months of 2022/23 with a similar issue.

Amad Diallo has explained wiping all mention of Manchester United from his social media accounts, with the Ivorian saying he has done “nothing wrong”.

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• Winger struggling for minutes this season
• Is back to fitness after unfortunate injury
• Has seen questions asked of his future

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 21-year-old winger has been struggling for game time under Erik ten Hag of late. He had been hoping to enjoy a breakthrough campaign at Old Trafford on the back of a productive loan spell at Sunderland in 2022-23.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  An unfortunate pre-season injury did that cause few favours, and Amad has been unable to earn a regular role since returning to fitness. He has taken in just three substitute appearances for the Red Devils this season.

• WHAT AMAD SAID

  Amad was linked with a move elsewhere in the winter transfer window and continues to see questions asked of his future after removing United credits from social media. He has explained that decision by saying: “I deactivated my social media for a month just to focus on Ramadan, it’s a holy month for me and social media is a place where there are bad things to see during fasting. Stop the hatred, there’s nothing wrong with what I did.”

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• WHAT NEXT FOR AMAD?

  Amad last appeared for United in their narrow 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup fifth round and could figure in that competition again when the Red Devils play host to arch-rivals Liverpool in the quarter-finals on Sunday.

Manchester United legend Dwight Yorke believes Andre Onana is a downgrade on David de Gea and tries too much to be an "outfield player".

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• De Gea left United last summer
• Onana replaced him in goal
• Yorke feels Spaniard is better keeper

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  After De Gea was deemed surplus to requirements at Old Trafford, United paid Inter Milan £48 million ($61m) to recruit stopper Onana, but the Cameroon international has been somewhat underwhelming in his first season with the Red Devils, allowing basic errors to creep into his game. Now, ex-United striker Yorke has expressed his belief that United made a mistake by bringing in the 27-year-old at De Gea's expense.

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  WHAT DWIGHT YORKE SAID

  He told OLBG: “Man United have brought in a keeper who wants to start the attacks and is more aggressive in trying to dominate teams with possession. People have asked me why have I been so critical of Onana, I'm an individual who sees it as it is, it doesn't matter to me who or what you are. The Premier League is different, you will get found out by playing in a high-profile team at a high-profile position. Onana is not as good as David de Gea. Onana tries to be an outfield player rather than a goalkeeper sometimes.”

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  In De Gea's last season at United (2022-23), the Spaniard kept 17 clean sheets, won the golden glove, and had a save percentage of 71.1 in the Premier League. So far, Onana has kept eight clean sheets and his save percentage is 74.5 in the English top-flight. The ex-Ajax man was brought in, among other reasons, as De Gea was not great with the ball at his feet, with Onana deemed to be better in that regard. However, arguably, he has not lived up to the hype so far.

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• WHAT NEXT?

  While De Gea is still looking for a club after being a free agent since last June, Onana and United will next be in action at home to Liverpool in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup on March 17. After the international break they take on Brentford in the Premier League on March 30.

West Ham United are facing a summer rebuild under new manager Graham Potter, and the squad could look very different by the start of the next Premier League season.

West Ham players who could leave at the end of the season

The Hammers have some key decisions to make in regard to notable squad members, with Aaron Cresswell, Vladimir Coufal, Danny Ings and Michail Antonio all set to leave West Ham on free deals this year as things stand.

West Ham open talks with striker's agent amid potential £62m discount

He could leave for millions less than his release clause.

By
Emilio Galantini

Feb 21, 2025

Those players’ deals expire in July, meaning they’re free to find new clubs with zero compensation to West Ham. Long-serving goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski is in the same boat, but it is worth noting that Potter’s side have a one-year extension option in the Pole’s contract.

Uncertainty also surrounds the future of Lucas Paqueta, who is currently at the centre of match-fixing allegations, while another star player in winger Mohammed Kudus may well leave West Ham this summer.

Reports in the build-up to January claimed that Kudus is frustrated at West Ham, and the Ghanaian has so far not matched his imperious 2023/24 form with a spell of inconsistency on the field.

His contract includes an £85m release clause which will become active this summer, but it is unclear which sides would be eager to fork out such a marquee fee.

Loanee midfielder Carlos Soler is likely to return to PSG after his loan spell, while some media sources suggest that West Ham could look to sell Jean-Clair Todibo immediately after triggering the obligation to buy in his temporary deal from Nice.

West Ham have no option to buy Evan Ferguson after his loan, meaning Potter will be a striker short once again before the summer window opens.

Luizao in talks to leave West Ham with transfer expected

According to club insider ExWHUemployee, we can add young Brazilian defender Luizao to the growing list of players who are expected to depart Rush Green sooner rather than later.

The 22-year-old has found it difficult to break into West Ham’s senior side since signing for the east Londoners from Sao Paulo in 2023, with the David Moyes signing now looking for an alternate route into first-team football.

Luizao is now in talks to join Pogoń Szczecin from West Ham, and a transfer is even expected to happen in the next few days.

“Brazilian academy defender Luizao is in talks to join Polish side Pogoń Szczecin,” reported Ex.

“The player had been in talks about both a loan and permanent move and was keen to start playing first-team football.

“Despite his young age, the Brazilian has a wife and kids and is looking to settle somewhere and kick on with a first-team career. The Polish transfer window closes this Monday and Luizao is expected to make his move official before then.”

Once called a “fantastic” young player by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, his stay at West Ham has been a disappointing one.

Christian Pulisic scored another goal for AC Milan, helping put the finishing touches on a Europa League Round of 16 win over Slavia Prague.

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• Pulisic scores in first half
• Earns assist on Leao goal
• Milan through to quarterfinals

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Heading into the match, Milan had already amassed a 4-2 lead in the first leg. All they would need to do was protect that advantage and they'd be through to the next round of the Europa League. No need for chaos and no need for risks.

  Chaos, though, came for them.

  Mike Maignan was forced out early with an injury, while Davide Calabria also was removed due to an injury after a nasty tackle. That tackle earned Slavia Prague's Tomas Holes a red card in the 20th minute, opening the door for Milan to put the game away.

  Pulisic did just that with his 33rd-minute goal, his second of the two-legged tie. After receiving a pass from Rafael Leao, Pulisic wiggled the ball onto his left and picked out the far corner, putting the game out of reach.

  Ruben Loftus-Cheek's strike just a few minutes later only further solidified Milan's spot. Rafael Leao's stunner just before halftime, meanwhile, was mostly one for the highlight reels as the Rossoneri ran away as 3-1 winners on the day and 7-3 winners on aggregate.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The win sees Milan through to the Europa League quarterfinals, which will be played on April 11 and 18. The Italian side will find out their next opponent on Friday when UEFA completes the draw for the next round.

  The Europa League is Milan's best chance at winning a trophy, having fallen 16 points behind Serie A leaders Inter in their domestic league.

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  USMNT IMPACT

  Pulisic is in fantastic form for Milan, with Thursday's goal adding just another to his ever-growing tally so far this season.

  With the goal, Pulisic now has 11 in all competitions, with three coming in the Europa League. He also has seven assists in all competitions this season as he approaches the 20-goal contribution mark in his first season in Milan. The goal was also something of a milestone for the American as it was the 100th goal contribution of his career.

  Pulisic will understandably be confident heading toward the international break. The U.S. men's national team will face Jamaica in the CONCACAF Nations League semifinal, and they'll be led by an in-form Pulisic, who has shaken off any doubts over his ability following his Chelsea struggles.

  His USMNT teammate, Yunus Musah, meanwhile, also had a good runout. The American had a solid shift in midfield, and he too is expected to play a big part against Jamaica in the CONCACAF Nations League.

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  GOAL'S RATINGS

  Christian Pulisic (8/10):

  A fantastic finish from a player who is clearly in-form. Was credited with an assist, too, on Leao's goal, although the Portuguese star did most of the heavy lifting there!

  Yunus Musah (7/10):

  Was fantastic in the midfield, completing 95 percent of his passes while also winning seven of eight duels in the center of the park. Overall, a strong shift on both sides of the ball from a player that is growing week by week.

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire has criticised Everton after a significant off-field update that has emerged at Goodison Park.

Everton in talks with new kit manufacturer Castore

It's fair to say that it has been an unhappy period for the Blues in recent years, with both the team struggling on the field and serious issues happening off it. Everton are looking to avoid a third successive relegation battle in the Premier League, and while Saturday's 3-0 win at home to Bournemouth was a great result – a second victory in three games in the competition, and a third in four in all competitions – further improvements are needed.

Meanwhile, the situation surrounding the ownership is still unclear, with many supporters desperate to see the end of Farhad Moshiri and Bill Kenwright's leadership, welcoming 777 partners into the club instead,

Not only that, but sponsorship deals are also in the headlines at Goodison, with Everton reportedly in advanced talks with Castore about being their new kit manufacturer, despite controversies with Aston Villa, with the Midlands club claiming the strips weigh the players down and aren't of the desired quality.

Everton's Castore deal criticised

Speaking to Football Insider, Maguire was critical of Everton's decision to try and strike a deal with Castore: "I’m not that surprised. Everton did a complete U-turn with regards to their front-of-shirt deal. After stating they don’t want to go down the gambling route they ended up with worse than that by having an online crypto casino, which is a multiplier of risk, in the shape of Stake.

"Nobody seems to have much good to say about Castore in terms of quality control. They’re just sourcing it as cheaply as possible, not checking to sufficient detail, and then putting stuff out at a premium price."

This is just another example of how badly Everton are being under the current owners, with the wrong intentions at the heart of so many decisions. On the pitch, not enough good signings have been made and too many managers have fallen short, from Rafael Benitez to Frank Lampard, but some of the decisions away from the action are even worse.

To partner up with Castore when there has been such a big issue with another Premier League team makes little to no sense, with the problems surrounding their kit plain to see. Football is so often about small gains, but too often, Everton look as though they are trying their utmost to avoid them, instead making bad calls that affect the all-round future success of the club.

Striking a deal with Stake is just another in a long list of arguable mistakes, and the hope is that a new ownership comes in as soon as possible, taking the club forward in the right direction at the same time.

We all love a good transfer saga. We might pretend that we don't, but there is something about the drama of it all that is too entertaining to ignore. And when it comes to transfer sagas, few players have been involved in more than Kylian Mbappé.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward was at the centre of a transfer storm in 2022 when he opted to sign a new mega deal at the club instead of joining Real Madrid, and then he found himself in another this summer when he told the club he would be leaving next year for free.

The ensuing weeks of back and forth between the two sides led to a mountain of clubs being linked to the star.

Still, he ultimately remained at the club, with reports suggesting that he has signed, or will sign, a one-year extension, meaning that if he is to leave next summer, clubs will likely have to pay close to the £259m offered by Al-Hilal in the summer.

With that in mind, Football FanCast has created a list of nine teams linked to the Frenchman in the last year or so and ranked them out of ten for plausibility and fit.

9

Tottenham Hotspur

Right, so kicking off our list is Tottenham Hotspur, and we'll admit that this does feel like a bit of a pipe dream – and that's being generous – but the idea of Mbappé donning the white of Spurs already seems less farcical now than it did just a few months ago.

That said, we haven't just plucked this one out of thin air, as during the summer, in the midst of the Harry Kane debacle, there were, in fact, reports suggesting that Daniel Levy and co had an interest in signing the French supremo.

We have to admit that the idea of Mbappé playing under the ever-entertaining Ange Postecoglou and thriving in his uber-attacking style of football is pleasing.

Ultimately, are the Lilywhites going to offer PSG the money required to sign their superstar? No. And is Mbappé likely to accept a team that can't guarantee Champions League football? Also, no, but it's an entertaining thought nonetheless.

Chances: 1/10

8

Manchester United

Moving onto our second Premier League team on this list, and unlike Spurs, a transfer to Manchester United now seems infinitely less likely than it did in the summer.

The Red Devils were coming off of a relatively successful campaign that saw them lift the League Cup and finish in third place, all in Erik ten Hag's first season in charge, so why wouldn't Mbappé want to join?

They are Manchester United, after all.

The same Spanish reports that revealed Spurs' interest in the Frenchman also mentioned United as an interested party in the summer, and with the way the three-time European champions spend money, why couldn't they sign him?

Well, a disastrous start to their campaign this season and an increasingly hostile atmosphere around the club has made a deal such as this seem practically impossible. That said, a front three of Marcus Rashford, Rasmus Hojlund, and Kylian Mbappé would be a goals-fest.

Chances: 3/10

7

Al-Hilal

So this is the first of the really dull options on the list, and the team we – along with most fans – really hope he doesn't end up joining, Al Hilal.

In the midst of his stand-off with PSG in the summer, when it looked as if he would be spending this season sat in the stands, Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal decided that they would blow the lid off of the transfer market and offer an eye-watering transfer fee of £259m to sign the Frenchman.

If the fee wasn't obscene enough, the club also offered the forward about €700m (£604m) to play in Saudi Arabia for just one year, a deal that would have truly signalled the departure of sense and reason from the sport.

Luckily, Mbappé refused the offer and opted to stay in Europe, but who's to say the Saudis won't come back with an even more earth-shattering offer next summer, one that Mbappé finds too good to turn down.

Chances: 4/10

6

Barcelona

Yes, for all of the links to fellow La Liga side Real Madrid over the last however many years, staunch rivals Barcelona made a play to sign the World Cup winner this summer when it looked like his future would be anywhere other than Paris.

According to FootMercato, the Blaugrana made an offer to the Parisian side that included three players alongside a cash offer. TalkSport has claimed that the players included were Gavi, Ousmane Dembele and Raphinha.

We aren't surprised that this deal failed, and with Barca's well-documented financial fragilities, a deal for the number one player in Europe seems like an impossibility, especially as they were unable to re-sign their greatest ever player in Lionel Messi when he left PSG this summer.

That said, we would have loved to have seen the crowd reaction at the Santiago Bernabéu were he to turn up donning the blue and garnet of Barcelona.

Chances: 4/10

5

Arsenal

Back to these shores now, and alongside their north London rivals and Manchester United, Arsenal found themselves linked to Mbappé in the summer, somewhat surprisingly, it must be said.

The Gunners spent over £200m on their summer revamp, and so spending another £250m plus on the Frenchman was never really on the cards. Still, once it had been reported that the forward had said he would join the Premier League runners-up should he come and play in England, the rumour mill went into overdrive.

Now, that is it in terms of links to the club, but we can't help but imagine how utterly brilliant a front three of Gabriel Martinelli, Mbappé and Bukayo Saka would be.

That said, for as great a fit as this would be from an entertainment perspective, we really don't think this is a genuine possibility.

Chances: 4/10

4

Chelsea

We're staying in London for this one but moving from the north over to the west, as alongside the other English teams in this list, Chelsea were also rumoured to be interested in the 24-year-old this summer.

Now, we know we just said that the player himself has reportedly said he would join the Gunners were to come to England, but unfortunately, in this game, money talks, and while Arsenal aren't afraid to spend, the Blues take it to a whole other level.

Since Todd Boehly's takeover alone, Chelsea have spent close to £915m, so what's an extra £259m for the best player in the world?

Now, just as with every other Premier League team, this deal is unlikely – especially following Chelsea's start to the season – but if there is any club in European football that is happier to part with their cash, we don't know them.

Chances: 5/10

3

Liverpool

From west London to the northwest of England, and Liverpool are the next on our list of clubs linked with Mbappé.

Where the other English sides have only been rumoured to be after the player in the last year or so, the Red's potential interest goes back several years at this point.

In 2020, rumours suggesting that the Frenchman was on his way to Anfield were everywhere, but in the years since, those links have seemingly all but vanished.

However, amid the standoff between club and player this summer, the Mirror reported that the Reds could step in and offer the superstar the option of a one-year loan spell to help resolve things.

We know now that this report ultimately led to nothing, but that didn't stop the fans from dreaming and us from imagining just how good a three of Mohamed Salah, Mbappé, and Luis Diaz would've been.

While this deal seems a bit farfetched at the moment, the fact that Liverpool seem to have rediscovered their mojo this season can only help fuel the rumour mill.

They couldn't, could they?

Chances: 5/10

2

Paris Saint-Germain

Here we are at the second-worst option on the list, and one we really hope he doesn't choose next summer: staying at Paris Saint-Germain for another year.

Now, this might seem like an unlikely option for Mbappé given his actions over the summer, but if the reports suggesting that a new deal is in the works are accurate, then we can't rule out him opting to run down that contract as well.

If he decided to stay until summer 2025, he wouldn't leave Ligue 1 until he was 26 years old. While the French top-flight is entertaining, it isn't as competitive as the Premier League or La Liga.

Fans want to see the supposed best player in the world actually challenge himself every week.

Hopefully, this doesn't happen, and the new deal is just to help the club earn a significant fee, but based on his past behaviour, we have a sneaking suspicion he could stay in Paris for another two years.

Chances: 6/10

1

Real Madrid

Here we are, the club we think Kylian Mbappé is most likely to end up at next year and come on, who else was it going to be?

Real Madrid are the clear favourite when it comes to landing Mbappé's signature next year, and it is pretty clear that Los Blancos are the only team that the Frenchman has any desire to join once he leaves Paris; he even said as much.

There is no denying that his behaviour over the last few years has seriously annoyed the Real Madrid hierarchy, especially Florentino Perez, who did not hide how he felt following the player's decision to stay in Paris in summer 2022.

That said, football is a fickle business. Whatever Real officials and fans might say, they will still be working on a way to sign Mbappé next summer and with their need for a striker more acute now than it has been in years, we don't see a world in which the Frenchman isn't wearing the white of Real at some point in the next couple of years.

Chances: 8/10