Atlético Madrid
Mainoo preferred Napoli for a summer loan as Real Madrid loom as alternative
Mainoo targeted Napoli for a summer loan; Real Madrid interest could reshuffle his plans. In January
Kobbie Mainoo favoured a loan move to Napoli this summer after signalling a desire to leave Manchester United, sources reported, though his preference could shift if Real Madrid enter the market. Having logged just 190 minutes for United this season, Mainoo is expected to renew his push for a temporary exit in January.
Napoli remained interested in the England international and were reported to have been his first-choice destination during the summer window. A move to the Serie A champions would offer Mainoo the opportunity to rejoin former United teammates Scott McTominay and Rasmus Højlund, both of whom have found more playing time away from Old Trafford.
Mainoo’s prospective availability has attracted wider attention, with Real Madrid among clubs tipped to consider a bid should he be made available. Madrid manager Xabi Alonso is understood to be seeking a deep-lying midfielder after the departures of Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić over the past year. While high-profile names such as Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernández and Rodri are seen as ideal targets, there is recognition that a more pragmatic signing may be necessary.
Atlético Madrid have also been mentioned as potential suitors, a scenario that connects to Conor Gallagher. United made a Deadline Day approach for Gallagher but were unsuccessful; the midfielder remains linked with a move away from the Metropolitano after falling down the pecking order. There have been no signs that a swap involving Mainoo has been contemplated.
Reports indicate that interest in Gallagher during the summer was not directly tied to Mainoo’s situation. United had prioritized a move for Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba but withdrew once informed of a reported £100 million price tag. The club is likely to renew their pursuit of Baleba in 2026, a development that could influence how United handle Mainoo going forward.
Arsenal
Money Talks: CIES Ranks the World’s Most Valuable Squads
CIES values nine squads over $1bn; Real Madrid leads at $1.78bn while Tottenham exceed $1bn. Values.
The surge in transfer prices and squad valuations has reshaped how clubs are measured. The CIES Football Observatory produces those estimates by weighing a player’s quality, age, position and length of contract, and those individual valuations are then summed to give each squad a market value.
The scale is striking. There are nine clubs with squads valued above $1 billion. At the top is Real Madrid with a squad valuation of $1.78 billion and Kylian Mbappé listed as the most valuable player at $221 million. Barcelona follow with $1.60 billion, Lamine Yamal accounting for $403.9 million of that total. Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain each sit at $1.55 billion, with Bukayo Saka ($131.5 million) and Désiré Doué ($150.3 million) named as their most valuable players respectively.
Liverpool’s roster is valued at $1.20 billion, most valuable player Florian Wirtz ($149.8 million). Bayern Munich come in at $1.15 billion with Michael Olise ($162.6 million) as their top-rated asset. Tottenham’s squad is valued at $1.03 billion; Xavi Simons is listed as their most valuable player ($98.1 million), despite the club’s current relegation fight and Igor Tudor’s assessment that players “are lacking when we attack, we lack the quality to score the goal. We are lacking in the middle to run and we are lacking behind to stay there to suffer and not concede the goal.”
The list also includes Manchester United ($953 million, Benjamin Šeško $100.3 million) and Inter ($942 million, Lautaro Martínez $117 million). Earlier-positioned squads under $1 billion include Atlético Madrid ($903 million, Julián Álvarez $136.5 million), Juventus ($896 million, Kenan Yıldız $152.5 million) and Brighton ($894 million, Diego Gómez $86.4 million).
Several voices in the game have reflected on the market changes. Karl-Heinz Rumminegge said, “There are some players who do not come with a price tag.” Robert Lewandowski complained, “You are young, you score 10 goals in six months and some club will pay 60 or 70 million,” adding, “Before, you had to achieve something.” Vincent Kompany warned players about hype: “I always tell my players, ‘When there’s hype please don’t believe it, you’re not that good.’”
Whether the valuations mirror on-field quality or the inflation of a transfer market remains the central question CIES data brings into focus.
Al Hilal
January window spenders: who spent big and how the market moved
January window: English clubs led the spending as Saudi and Brazil injected late-market drama. more.
The January window settled into a narrative of concentrated spending and late-market drama. English clubs combined to outspend the rest of the continent, their £390 million ($530 million) outlay dwarfing other top divisions. Meanwhile the Saudi market and Brazil’s strengthened finances injected headline moves.
Lazio were unusually active despite a prior transfer ban. The Romans replaced Taty Castellanos and Mattéo Guendouzi, who moved to West Ham United and Fenerbahçe respectively, by signing Ajax’s Kenneth Taylor for just shy of €17 million ($32 million) and adding young centre forward Petar Rakov. The fees recouped left Lazio with a net spend of -€23 million (-$27 million).
Fenerbahçe’s window pivoted around Guendouzi (€28 million) and the late acquisition of N’Golo Kanté on a free after his return from Saudi Arabia. The club banked on established midfield reinvention to challenge Galatasaray at the top.
Bournemouth again invested in youth, paying €28.5 million ($33.7 million) for Vasco de Gama prospect Rayan and also signing Golden Boy nominee Alex Tóth. Tottenham’s January activity saw Conor Gallagher arrive alongside Brazilian left back João Souza, though many supporters felt more reinforcements were needed. Sporting director Johan Lange asserted after the window that it was important the club remained disciplined amid potential temptations.
West Ham strengthened early, paying a combined €52 million ($61 million) for Castellanos and Gil Vicente’s Pablo to reshape their attack. They also added Adama Traoré for a small fee and brought in Axel Disasi on loan from Chelsea.
Atlético Madrid spent late, bringing in Ademola Lookman from Atalanta for €35 million ($41 million) and signing Elche prospect Rodrigo Mendoza as a potential long-term addition after Giacomo Raspadori’s exit.
Flamengo flexed improved finances following a strong Club World Cup showing, reporting club-record revenue of €249 million ($294 million) for the first three quarters of 2025 and setting a Brazilian transfer record by paying €41 million ($48 million) to re-sign Lucas Paquetá from West Ham.
In Saudi Arabia Karim Benzema’s move from Al Ittihad to Al Hilal coincided with Al Hilal leading Al Nassr in the title race. Cristiano Ronaldo’s fallout is believed linked to that switch; Ronaldo has gone on strike while Benzema scored a hat-trick on debut. Al Hilal also extended Rúben Neves and added Mohamed Kader Meïté, with the club labelled the “Real Madrid of Asia” by Benzema.
Atlético Madrid
Chelsea among clubs monitoring Julián Alvarez as summer transfer interest grows
Chelsea are tracking Julián Álvarez as Barcelona and PSG are named among likely suitors this summer.
Chelsea have been identified as one of several clubs keeping tabs on Atlético Madrid striker Julián Alvarez ahead of the summer window. According to the Daily Mail, Alvarez is listed among attacking targets as Chelsea pursue both a midfielder and an attacking player.
Atlético paid £81.8 million ($109.7 million) to sign Alvarez from Manchester City in the summer of 2024. Over the subsequent 18 months the Argentina international has recorded 40 goals in 84 appearances for Atlético, a return that has intensified interest in his future.
Paris Saint-Germain are named alongside Chelsea as suitors, but Barcelona are reported to pose the most significant threat to Atlético’s hold on the forward. SPORT report that Alvarez sits high on Barcelona’s wish list as the club assess options to succeed Robert Lewandowski.
Lewandowski will turn 38 in August and, while he remains productive with nine goals in 15 La Liga games this season, Barcelona have been conscious for some time that planning for a replacement will be required. An ambitious proposal involving Manchester City’s Erling Haaland has been floated in wider coverage, but Alvarez is consistently mentioned as a principal candidate to fill the longer-term striking need at Barcelona.
A transfer for Alvarez would be costly. Estimates place the fee in the region of €100 million ($116.4 million). SPORT add that Barcelona are not presently in a position to complete such an operation as they continue to work towards complying with La Liga’s 1:1 spending rules.
With Atlético’s sizeable outlay to recruit Alvarez barely two years old, any approach this summer would be closely scrutinised. Chelsea’s inclusion on lists of interested clubs underlines the degree to which Alvarez’s recent form has attracted attention across Europe. The coming weeks and months will determine whether dialogue between interested parties progresses into concrete offers for one of the more prominent forwards linked with a move this summer.
