With the current season coming to an end, we take a look at six of the biggest names in football who could soon be about to join new clubs for the 2023/24 campaign! Lionel Messi and Sadio Mane – where do their futures lie?
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Declan Rice (West Ham United)
He is just 24 years old and has already made 41 appearances for England, so naturally there will be no shortage of suitors for Rice when the season is concluded. The West Ham captain is reportedly wanted by a host of top clubs in England, including Arsenal and Manchester United, but David Moyes has warned that the midfielder's signature will carry a significant price tag. Considered by many to be a top professional, Rice is said to be unwilling to extend his deal at the Hammers beyond 2024, meaning it has become increasingly likely this will be his last season at the club he joined as a youth player from Chelsea's academy in 2013, having made close to 250 appearances for the senior team.
Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
The coming weeks will be interesting for Kane, and for those who so desperately want the club they support to rescue him from the mess Tottenham Hotspur have found themselves in. Like Rice, the 29-year-old's current contract will run out at the end of next season, meaning the London side may want to cash in on England's captain while they still can. Kane has been linked with United, Chelsea and Bayern Munich in recent months, with the Lilywhites having failed to finish in a UEFA Champions League place. The England captain, however, has continued to find the net regularly for Spurs despite their struggles, and is therefore expected to push for a transfer that will allow him to carry on playing at the highest level the sport has to offer.
Victor Osimhen (Napoli)
Although he has only been a Napoli player since 2020, the 24-year-old Nigerian forward has helped remind supporters what it felt like to be a supporter during the days of Diego Maradona. Osimhen has scored 23 goals to guide Luciano Spalletti's side to the Serie A title, a feat that has earned him rightful attention from top teams around Europe. As with Kane, the forward is believed to be on Erik ten Hag's radar, but the two years remaining on his deal in Italy will likely mean Napoli will be in no rush to sell him, with club president Aurelio De Laurentiis having insisted Osimhen is happy where he is. The player himself, however, has made it clear that he dreams of one day playing in the Premier League.
Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain)
After Barcelona's LaLiga title win was secured on Sunday, enthused president Joan Laporta spoke openly about the club's pursuit of Lionel Messi. The Argentine left the Blaugrana as a free agent in 2021, and looks set to head back to his boyhood side as a free agent when his deal at Paris Saint-Germain expires in June if the Catalan club can get their feasibility plan approved by the Spanish top flight. It is not just Barca, however, who are credited with interest in the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner, with Saudi Arabian giants Al Hilal believed to have already approached him with a formal offer that would make him the world's best-paid player. Whether it is to the Middle East or back to Spain, one thing appears certain, and that is Messi leaving France.
Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund)
Arguably the future of England's midfield, Bellingham is believed to be close to taking his career to Real Madrid. When Birmingham City retired his No. 22 jersey after he joined Borussia Dortmund in 2020 as a teenager, fans around the world scoffed. Today, it is beginning to look like a prophetic call from the English club. Bellingham has been consistent for BVB since his arrival three years ago, having contributed to 49 goals in 132 appearances across all competitions all while still a teen, making it more than likely that the rest of his career will be equally as fun to watch. Clubs in England, such as City, have expressed an interest in the midfielder, but it seems his future lies at the home of the 14-time Champions League winners.
Sadio Mane (Bayern Munich)
Since his dressing-room scrap with teammate Leroy Sane, it has been reported that Mane's time at Bayern Munich is set to come to an end at the conclusion of the current campaign. Already struggling before his punch on Sane, the ex-Liverpool winger's problems in Germany have intensified to the point where it appears there is no way back. Mane has been linked with several high-profile clubs across Europe, such as Real Madrid and Chelsea, with the latter believed to currently be the favourites to land his services should Thomas Tuchel sanction his sale. The underperforming 31-year-old is among Bayern's highest-paid stars, and could therefore make way in order for the club to raise funds to go towards signing an appropriate replacement for Robert Lewandowski.
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