Our Predictions for Where Europe's Biggest Stars Will Go This Summer

Jack Grealish has taken his game to a different level this season for Aston Villa. The 25-year-old has 19 contributions in 23 games for the Villains this season and has forced his way to the front of the pecking order in Gareth Southgate's England plans. What makes Grealish's importance even greater is how Villa have failed to win a game this season with him absent.

It looked all set to move to Manchester United last summer before Villa pulled off a miraculous survival in the last weeks of the 2019/20 season. Despite signing a new long-term contract with his boyhood team, the Villa captain looks likely to be subject to intensified interest this summer amidst his best campaign yet and all the new deal could mean is that he brings in more money for Villa in the long run with a substantial buyout clause.

As a result, United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could reignite his interest in the England star, amongst other teams, especially with Paul Pogba potentially leaving Old Trafford this summer or the next.

Kylian Mbappe is another world star that could be on the move this summer. The World Cup winner will be entering the final two years of his contract at the Parc des Princes at the end of the season, which could see a whole host of Europe's top clubs come calling.

At just 22, Mbappe is already considered one of the best players on the planet and has already hit the headlines in 2021 with an impressive hat-trick at the Nou Camp against Barcelona and he is even one of the favourites to win the Ballon d’Or in December.

Mbappe’s contract situation will likely be of interest for Real Madrid president Florentino Perez who could view Mbappe as a potential superstar, which they’ve been desiring in the midst of Eden Hazard’s continued struggles in Cristiano Ronaldo’s number seven shirt.

Madrid are in desperate need of fresh talent to recapture their place at the top of Europe's elite, and the acquisition of Mbappe could be a statement signing in doing so.

Paul Pogba has never really hit the heights many at United would have predicted when he joined from Juventus in 2016, and bar the odd stint of form here and there, the Frenchman hasn’t been that great of a signing.

Pogba's agent, Mino Raiola, suggested back in December that his client's time at Old Trafford is likely to come to an end soon, and this summer could be a period where he moves on from the club after five years of chaos.

Despite picking up an injury, Pogba's performances over recent months have been as good as any during his five-year stay in Manchester and proves that Frenchman still has so much to offer at an elite level. However, at United, it doesn’t seem to be a good fit.

The 27-year-old will have plenty of suitors in the summer if he does decide to move on, and a move back home to France could be a possible destination. PSG might be a good fit for Pogba and one that could see him challenge for a Champions League title.

Sergio Aguero looks to be coming to the end of a stellar career at City this summer with his contract ending and the Premier League legend playing very little this season for Guardiola's men.

The Argentine striker may leave as City's greatest ever player, with the prolific frontman netting an incredible 180 league goals in just 269 appearances at the Etihad. Aguero will be the last City player to leave of his generation, with the likes of Vincent Kompany, David Silva, and Yaya Toure already moved on. 

Aguero will have plenty of interest in the summer. At just 32, the striker still has a lot to offer and would still score goals at an elite level, but a move back to his native Argentina looks likely, as this has been his career plan throughout his time at City.

Mohamed Salah is another Premier League star that could be on the move this summer. The winger has won the two biggest competitions on offer to him at Liverpool and could see this as the perfect time to move on.

The 28-year-old has produced unbelievable figures since joining Liverpool from Roma in 2017. The Egyptian winger has contributed an incredible 90 goals and 31 assists in just 133 Premier League games for the Reds and would undoubtedly leave with legendary status if he was to move on.

Liverpool may not stand in Salah's way either if a good fee comes in with a possible rebuilding job on the cards for Jurgen Klopp. Madrid could be the perfect destination for the prolific attacker, with the club desperate for more firepower in their frontline and if they can’t get Mbappe, Salah will be significantly cheaper.

David Alaba looks all set to leave Bayern Munich this summer with a likely 10th Bundesliga title and at least two Champions Leagues to his name. The Austrian defender will leave the European champions as a modern-day legend after racking up 272 Bundesliga appearances.

At just 28, Alaba still has a lot to offer to an elite European club and his versatility could be a very good asset to anyone in Europe, with the Bundesliga veteran being able to operate at centre-back, left-back, and centre midfield at such a high level.

Real Madrid seem to have registered an interest in the Austrian and it seems that a deal has already been agreed between the two, and if nothing changes, it looks likely he will go to Spain. 

AC Milan's Gianluigi Donnarumma is another player that is out of contract in the summer and could be set for a big move, with loads of interest materialising for the Milan keeper. 

Donnarumma has incredibly racked up over 200 Serie A appearances for Milan at the age of 22 and has replaced the sizeable void of Gianluigi Buffon in the Italy national team. With plenty of experience gained at the San Siro already and youth still on his side, Donnarumma could improve most elite clubs in Europe.

One team reportedly interested in the Italian goalkeeper is Chelsea, who have had their fair share of keeper troubles over recent years, failing to replace Thibaut Courtois. Despite signing Edouard Mendy from Rennes last summer, new boss Thomas Tuchel may want to bring in his own number one, and the pedigree of Donnarumma may be too good to turn down.

Despite a shaky start to the season, Jadon Sancho has recaptured the blistering form that has made him one of the most coveted players in the Bundesliga. The Englishman has been one of the best players in Europe since the turn of the New Year, hitting 15 goal contributions in 13 games.

It was well publicised that the Manchester United hierarchy had a vested interest in the 20-year-old last summer, but Borussia Dortmund's massive asking price put the Red Devil bosses off a deal. But with just two years left on Sancho's deal come the summer, a transfer between the two clubs could be revisited with Dortmund looking to cash in on the talented youngster.

Reports are also suggesting that Sancho’s price tag has been slashed slightly from the £120m the German giants demanded last time out.

Another player that could be on the move to the Etihad this summer is the footballing legend, Lionel Messi. The Barcelona king has made his discontent at the Nou Camp known over the last year, and with his current deal running out in June, the 33-year-old could become the most high-profile free transfer ever.

Messi still has a lot to offer, of course. The Argentine is one again the top scorer in La Liga again this season with 23 goals, moving four clear of Luis Suarez in this regard. Teaming up with former boss Pep Guardiola could be appealing to Messi also, as he is the manager he played his best football for in his stellar career. 

Messi and Guardiola teaming up once more could be a mouth-watering proposition for any City fan as the little magician scored an incredible 91 goals 69 games back in 2012 under Guardiola. With only City and PSG being the two teams that could really afford Messi's wages, there is a distinct possibility that it could happen. Regardless, he is more than likely on the move in the summer with his contract ending.

Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland is probably the most sought after player in world football at the moment with the Norweigan accumulating an insane record at the Signal Iduna Park since joining in 2020.

With the striker potentially on the month, Manchester City could be the perfect destination for the prolific striker for a variety of reasons. Despite City's record-breaking form this season, Pep Guardiola's men have played without a natural striker in just over 50% of their game time, meaning a focal point should be high up on their wish list come the summer.

Haaland is likely to be subject to a transfer tug of war come the summer due to his red hot form, but Manchester City have the financial muscle to capture his signature. If the 20-year-old moves to the Etihad, he would follow in his father's footsteps, Alfe-Inge, who plied his trade at City back in the Maine Road days, before moving to Leeds United, where Alfe-Inge saw the birth of Erling in the Yorkshire city.

By Harry Charlwood