Set for summer moves
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The summer transfer window is fast approaching and while a number of Europe’s most sought-after players will demand eye-watering sums of money from the continent’s elite clubs, there will also be a number of stars making moves because this season hasn’t exactly gone to plan. Not every transfer works out, which often means some of the sport’s most valuable players find themselves sitting on benches for much of their respective club’s league campaigns.
While that in itself is often a source of great frustration for the player and club involved, it also presents new opportunities when the transfer window once again opens. So which of Europe’s top players will be pushing to make a big-money move this summer in the hope of getting more game time next season?
Which MVPs have spent this season on the bench?
At Transfermarkt, we can quickly rank the biggest stars that haven’t featured by their respective clubs by taking a look at the most valuable players in the world that have played less than half the total league minutes of their team in their respective divisions. When we filter out games that the player in question missed through injury, we get a table like the one below. And while there are a number of players that are unlikely to make a move this summer because they’re highly-regarded youth prospects, there are also a number of interesting candidates for big moves this summer.
For example, the most notable big star that hasn’t featured nearly enough for his club this season is none other than Darwin Núñez. The Uruguay international has featured in just 36% of his club’s league minutes this season, playing second fiddle to Mohamed Salah & Co. in Liverpool’s attacking line. The forward is widely expected to depart Anfield this summer and could fetch a fee in line with his market value, which currently stands at €50 million – considerably less than the €85m that the club spent to sign him in 2022.
Of course, Núñez isn’t the only Premier League star whose market value betrays his standing in his current team. Just below the towering forward in fifth place on our list is Christopher Nkunku, who remains on the periphery of Chelsea’s squad and will likely depart the club at the end of the season. The French striker may join other top talents from England, such as Liverpool forward Diogo Jota (market value: €45m), who has featured in 46% of his team’s league games when fully fit, as well as Harvey Elliot (€35m, 11%) and Manchester City winger Jack Grealish (€35m, 26%). Although it’s unlikely that he’ll depart the club just 12 months after joining, Manchester United forward Joshua Zirkzee (€35m) will certainly be hoping to pick up far more than just 48% of the total game time at Old Trafford next season.
Elsewhere around Europe’s top five leagues, clubs may consider taking another look at stars such as Frenkie de Jong, who has only played in 42% of Barcelona’s league games this season when the Dutch midfielder has been fit. Similarly, Bayern Munich midfielder João Palhinha (34%) and Douglas Luiz (25%) of Juventus, could prove to be enticing transfer targets for a number of top-flight clubs this summer, even though neither midfielder has seemingly worked out at their current club this season. And perhaps Victor Boniface, who has only played 47% of his team’s league minutes this season, could be tempted away from Bayer Leverkusen if the right offer were to arise and offer him far more game time in the coming years.
