The summer transfer window this year is going to be an interesting one…
The 2019/20 season will be pushed back all over Europe (in countries where it hasn’t already been cancelled) so the usual July to September runtime will not work…
As a result, the dates in which it takes places will be different – which will perhaps set a precedent going forward.
But more importantly, we don’t know what the financial implications of the COVID-19 pandemic will be – and whether clubs will be willing to take the plunge on big transfer fees – certainly in 2020, anyway.
With no games to focus on, some fans are checking out Sunnyplayer as a way to keep entertained during the unwanted, forced off-season.
One player continually linked is Sevilla defender Diego Carlos, but we’d be surprised if the central defender we bring in to replace the likely departing Dejan Lovren is an established, expensive one.
Carlos himself has remained coy on the matter.
“I am clear that coming to Seville is already taking a very big leap. If I ever leave Sevilla, it would be to go to a much bigger club, because Sevilla is already great,” he told estadio deportivo.
When asked about potential interest from Liverpool Carlos didn’t deny it, but said he ideally wants to avoid distractions.
“So far, my agent does not talk to me about those situations. I am not interested to know about other teams. I always tell him that, if he is going to tell me something, that it be something firm, that he does not come to me with stories, because I must have my head in Sevilla. I don’t want those things to cause me a distraction.
The 27-year-old has enjoyed a phenomenal season with Sevilla after leaving from Nantes in 2019 – and the only surprise is that it took him so long to become recognised as an elite defender.
Virgil van Dijk was still playing at Southampton aged 26, however, so we’ve seen it done before!
The primary reason we don’t think a big name centre-back will arrive is that van Dijk and Joe Gomez already have an exceptional partnership, with Joel Matip an exceptional backup option on the bench.
Lovren may depart, but we’d gamble on a younger, talented player signing who can maybe cover the left-back position as well, rather than a bigger name from Europe like Carlos.
