Transfers
Four Wolves players likely to attract Premier League suitors after relegation
Wolves relegated; four players João Gomes, André, Mateus Mané and Hugo Bueno drawing interest summer
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ relegation has been confirmed, a fall that comes earlier in the season than for almost every other side. Only five teams have ever been relegated earlier than Wolverhampton Wanderers, and that timeline will shape the club’s summer.
A drop to the Championship often triggers significant turnover. Ambitious players look elsewhere and high earners can be moved on, leaving potential value for clubs in need of reinforcements. Below are four Wolves players who, on the basis of their season and profiles, are likely to draw interest from Premier League clubs.
João Gomes looks unlikely to be playing second-tier football next season. The 25-year-old, on the fringes of the Brazil squad, has been an all-action, high energy presence in midfield, disrupting opponents and adding attacking output. Gomes is expected to be on the shortlists of a number of top sides, with Manchester United most recently named as admirers. In a market that also includes Elliot Anderson, Adam Wharton and Sandro Tonali, Gomes could be an excellent alternative for clubs expanding their search.
André arrived at Wolves in the summer of 2024, a move that surprised some after strong reports suggested Liverpool were pursuing him 12 months earlier when he chose to remain with Fluminense to continue his development. Renewed interest from Liverpool should be treated cautiously, but there will be admirers across England. Wolves are likely to consider sales to raise funds for a squad rebuild. A modern-day playmaking midfielder, André is less mobile than Gomes and that may limit his ceiling, but he would suit teams aiming to reach the European races.
Mateus Mané is an 18-year-old midfielder Wolves would prefer to keep, yet he is likely to attract interest from the top of the Premier League. He rose rapidly through the youth ranks and was promoted to the first team for the second half of the season as Wolves prepared for life in the Championship. A rare feel-good story at Molineux, Mané is homegrown, having moved to England at eight, and will face tempting offers.
Likewise, Hugo Bueno is another homegrown talent who looks capable of taking his career to the next level this summer.
Manchester United
Five left-back options Manchester United could weigh up as Shaw’s future comes into focus
Manchester United face a left-back decision, with Luke Shaw’s future uncertain and several options under review.
Manchester United’s rebuild is still being shaped by the fallout from a dismal 2024-25 season, one that ended with defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final. After that setback, the club moved to refresh midfield, with Michael Carrick steering them to third place and back into the Champions League after replacing Ruben Amorim at the start of the year.
Even so, questions remain over whether the squad has been fully strengthened for the demands ahead. United made no late-summer addition at left back, leaving an obvious area of concern unresolved. Luke Shaw is now 31 and into the final year of his contract, and while he enjoyed a surprising injury-free campaign in 2025-26, the club cannot assume that run will continue through the added workload of European football.
The current alternatives do not offer the level of assurance United need, especially with possession-based structure so dependent on the left side functioning properly. A winter move would therefore make sense, whether for immediate cover or a longer-term successor.
Alejandro Balde is the most eye-catching name on the list. He was once viewed as Jordi Alba’s natural heir at Barcelona and excelled during the club’s La Liga-winning 2022-23 season, producing six assists in 33 matches. Injury and a strained relationship with Hansi Flick have complicated matters since then, and with Xavi Espart emerging, a move next year appears plausible. He would be a statement signing, although his reduction in status under Flick and his seven Spain caps suggest caution is warranted.
Rayan Aït-Nouri was also assessed in the summer and, according to BBC Sport, United could have signed him if they had chosen to do so. The Algerian offers strong technique in possession, though the club was not persuaded at the time.
A short-term fix is also possible, and United have tried that route before with Sergio Reguilón. If the focus is on the future, Joaquin Seys of Club Brugge stands out. The 21-year-old has eight Belgium caps, was included in Rudi Garcia’s World Cup squad, and impressed against France’s Ousmane Dembélé.
Destiny Udogie remains a major talent, but injuries are a clear concern. Lewis Hall would be ideal, yet his Newcastle United contract extension makes a move unlikely unless an extreme fee is paid. David Raum is another name in circulation and, at 28, he could offer more than a stopgap solution.
Arsenal
Aaron Ramsdale’s decline from Arsenal starter to Southampton uncertainty
Ramsdale’s rise stalled at Arsenal, and a difficult spell at Southampton has left his future unclear.
Aaron Ramsdale’s career arc has moved sharply from the top end of the Premier League to a far less certain place. At the end of the 2022-23 campaign, he had every sign of a goalkeeper on the rise: a runner-up finish with Arsenal, a place in the PFA Team of the Year and two Premier League Save of the Month awards. At that stage, it seemed possible he could challenge Jordan Pickford for England’s No. 1 shirt by Euro 2024.
Instead, the story changed quickly. Arsenal had paid £30 million to sign him from Sheffield United in 2021, making him, at the time, the joint-most expensive English goalkeeper alongside Pickford. He kept the No. 1 spot for two seasons while Arsenal finished fifth and then second, and he played every minute of the 2022-23 Premier League season. But Mikel Arteta decided a different profile was needed, and David Raya became the preferred choice.
Arteta later explained the reasoning clearly: “very convinced that we had to make a change” and “Not because Aaron didn’t have the quality, but because, I believed, to go to the next level we needed a different profile of goalkeeper,”. Raya’s arrival initially brought uncertainty and mistakes, but he ended 2023-24 with the Premier League Golden Glove as Arsenal pushed Manchester City to the final day.
That left Ramsdale searching for a new path. A move to a leading Premier League side never appeared likely, so Southampton secured a deal worth up to £25 million at the end of the summer transfer window. Ramsdale said he was looking forward to “getting back to what I do best.” and added of Russell Martin, “The way the manager wants to play, the way he was when I spoke to him, he was just full of so much enthusiasm.”
It did not work out. Southampton’s season was historically poor, with 30 defeats, only two wins, 86 goals conceded and just 12 points before an early relegation. Ramsdale’s options then narrowed further, and a 2025 loan spell at Newcastle brought only backup duty behind Nick Pope when available. By the summer of 2026, he was back at Southampton, with a contract running until June 2028 and little obvious room to move.
Chelsea
Camara Keeps Transfer Door Open After Chelsea Collapse
Camara says he has turned the page after Chelsea, but future transfer opportunities remain possible.
Lamine Camara has moved on from the collapse of his Deadline Day transfer to Chelsea, though he has left open the possibility of another move in the future.
The Monaco midfielder was on the verge of joining Chelsea after the French club were forced to revisit their plans when complications emerged in the medical of Folarin Balogun, who had been in line for a move to Everton. That sequence of events triggered a rapid push for Camara’s sale, and the 22-year-old went as far as agreeing to a six-year contract. Monaco then abandoned the deal at the last minute once Balogun’s move to Everton appeared to be back on track.
As a result, neither player ended up leaving Stade Louis II. Chelsea came away empty-handed after missing out on both Fernández and Camara, while Monaco kept hold of a player who has started the season strongly.
Camara said he has accepted the setback and is now concentrating on the campaign ahead.
“There was a possibility I could leave. It didn’t go through at the last minute and that’s part of football,” Camara said ahead of Monaco’s clash with Strasbourg. “I’ve turned the page and am focusing on the season.
“It’s part of a professional player’s life. I managed to stay professional and not dwell on it too much,” he said. “Once it’s happened there’s no point in thinking about it again.”
He later added that a future transfer cannot be ruled out.
“I can help the team a lot,” he said. “Football moves fast. Maybe other opportunities will come along. But for now, I’m staying focused on the season with Monaco.”
Chelsea’s need for midfield reinforcements has remained obvious since Fernández’s exit, with Moisés Caicedo’s fitness problems adding to the issue. Reece James and Malo Gusto have both been used in Alonso’s midfield, without much success, and the club may revisit Camara or consider Roma midfielder Manu Koné in January.
Liverpool are also said to be monitoring the situation, with Camara linked as a possible replacement for Alexis Mac Allister. For now, though, the midfielder’s form remains strong. He has played every minute of Monaco’s first five matches in 2026/27 and scored in their Conference League playoff against Górnik Zabrze.
