5 players under the transfer microscope in England

Manchester – AB

The English transfer window opens on Wednesday ahead of what is expected to be another tough summer of spending for Premier League clubs.

Some clubs have already started their moves in this direction, such as Liverpool, who compensated for their failure to lure Jude Bellingham to Real Madrid by signing Argentine Alexis McAllister from Brighton.

Harry Kane’s future at Tottenham looks set to be the biggest topic of the transfer window, with the “Three Lions” leader entering the final year of his contract with Spurs.

A number of his international counterparts could enter the transfer market amid interest in Declan Rice, Mason Mount and James Maddison, while Brighton are expected to make fresh financial gains by selling Ecuadorian Moises Caicedo.

AFP looks at five transfers to watch in the coming months.

1 – Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)

Kane scored 30 Premier League goals despite spearheading a struggling attacking line for eighth-placed Tottenham.

Kane is now 47 goals short of Alan Shearer’s all-time Premier League goalscorer record, but he will have to decide whether to pursue further personal bests or secure the first title of his career.

Real Madrid are said to be interested in replacing Kane for Karim Benzema, and Tottenham boss Daniel Levy would be more willing to listen to offers from the Spanish giants than a Premier League rival.

However, Kane can use the last 12 months of his contract to choose his next destination on a free transfer.

2 – Declan Rice (West Ham)

Hammers chairman David Sullivan admitted there was a chance to lift the Conference League trophy in Rice’s last game with the club after beating Italian club Fiorentina last week.

The 24-year-old is wanted by a number of clubs after developing into one of the best midfielders in the English Premier League.

Arsenal are the frontrunners to sign the England international as the “Gunners” look to go beyond the league runners-up who lost to Manchester City in the final meters this season.

3 – Mason Mount (Chelsea)

Mount has been a darling at Chelsea, but his role has been limited this season due to injury and problems with his contract.

The midfielder has just 12 months to go through the details of his transfer and is expected to return to Chelsea for a huge fee as the club look to sell him as soon as possible to balance their books in line with the rules. Finance is fair game.

Manchester United and Liverpool are said to be interested in him, but they rejected Chelsea’s £70m ($88m) bid for the player.

4 – Moises Caissedo (Brighton)

Brighton stood firm when Arsenal tried to sign Caicedo in January, despite the Ecuadorian making a public transfer request.

Caicedo has signed a new deal with Brighton until 2027, but with a clause that would allow him to leave this summer.

“They deserve to change the position of the team and the competition,” Brighton coach Roberto De Serpi said of Caicedo and McAllister. “We should be happy for them.”

And with Arsenal in the race to sign Rhys and Liverpool looking for other midfield targets, Chelsea are more likely to sign the 21-year-old.

5 – James Maddison (Leicester City)

Leicester’s sudden relegation to the “Championship” (Second Division) is expected to lead to a mass exodus from the “King Power” Stadium.

Maddison is huge value for Leicester after scoring 10 goals and providing nine assists in just 30 Premier League games this season.

The playmaker could replace the “Championship” competition with the European Champions League next season as he tops Newcastle’s priority list.

Newcastle are expected to be among the biggest spenders in Europe this summer as the club prepares to return to the major continental competition after 20 years away.