Seven eliminated Euro 2024 stars poised for imminent summer transfers

The transfer rumour mill hasn’t slowed down while the European Championship has been ongoing in Germany, but several players have had to put their club futures on hold while taking part in the tournament.

With just England and Spain now remaining, though, many of the Euro 2024 stars who’ve been the subject of intense speculation in recent weeks can finally turn their attention to sealing deals after their international involvement has ended.

Here are seven players eliminated from the Euros who are set for imminent moves at club level…

Joshua Zirkzee

Less than 24 hours after the Netherlands were eliminated from the Euros at the semi-final stage following a 2-1 defeat to England, reports circulated claiming Manchester United have agreed a deal with Bologna to sign Dutch striker Joshua Zirkzee.

Rumours of the Red Devils’ interest in the former Bayer Munich man gathered pace as the tournament progressed, and it appears the 20-time champions of England have beaten AC Milan in the race for the highly-rated 23-year-old’s signature.

Zirkzee enjoyed a breakout campaign in Serie A last season, scoring 11 goals in 34 appearances and impressing with his touch, vision and dribbling ability. According to reports, United view Zirkzee as an ideal fit alongside Rasmus Hojlund in the Old Trafford attack and are close to making the two-cap Netherlands international the first signing of the INEOS era.

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Matthijs De Ligt

Another Dutchman could soon join Zirkzee at Old Trafford. In addition to retooling their frontline, United are also said to be eying reinforcements in the centre of defence and could sign multiple players for the position this summer.

They have already seen two bids rejected for Everton’s Jarrad Brathwaite while their offer of €50million for Lille’s defensive wonderkid Leny Yoro has reportedly been accepted.

In conjunction with those pursuits, the Red Devils are said to be closing in on a swoop for Bayern Munich’s Matthijs De Ligt.

De Ligt previously worked with United boss Erik ten Hag at Ajax and, having fallen down the pecking order at the Allianz Arena, the 24-year-old is keen on a reunion with his former coach.

Bayern are believed to be looking for a package worth in excess of €50million for the player they signed from Juventus for €77million in 2022. De Ligt started just 16 Bundesliga games last term and remained an unused substitute for the Netherlands at the European championship.

Adrien Rabiot

France midfielder Adrien Rabiot is certain to be on the move now that Les Bleus’ Euro 2024 campaign has ended owing to the fact the 29-year-old is without a club after his contract with Juventus expired last month.

The former Paris Saint-Germain player spent five seasons in Turin after joining Juventus on a free transfer in 2019. After more than 200 appearances for the Bianconeri and a Serie A title, the 48-cap French international is again available for no transfer fee, making him an especially attractive target for top clubs.

Reports in Italy claim Liverpool are at the front of a queue of Premier League clubs interested in Rabiot, while Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are also courting the experienced free agent.

Joshua Kimmich

Bayern’s interest in Rabiot makes perfect sense given the fact they are likely to lose a vastly experienced, serial-winning 29-year-old midfielder of their own this summer, with Joshua Kimmich in the final year of his contract and rumoured to be set for an exit from the Allianz Arena.

The Bavarian giants have also moved quickly to sign long-time target Joao Palhinha from Fulham in a €60million deal after his involvement in the European Championship came to an end with Portugal’s quarter-final elimination. The former Sporting CP player’s arrival is a strong indication that Kimmich is set to move on.

A 2014 World Cup winner who can comfortably play at right-back, as a defensive midfielder or as a No.8, Kimmich has won eight Bundesliga titles in nine years with Bayern. Given his versatility, pedigree and availability, it is no surprise a handful of Europe’s biggest clubs are vying for his signature.

Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Barcelona are all believed to be interested in the former RB Leipzig player, who is reportedly available for a fee in the region of £34-42million.

Federico Chiesa

Federico Chiesa was one of the stars of Italy’s triumph at Euro 2020 as they Azzurri beat England on penalties at Wembley to become European champions. But it is a sign of his indifferent form at club level over the past couple of seasons that the 26-year-old, who was once one of the most sought-after attackers on the continent, could be available for as little as £25million this summer.

Chiesa joined Juventus from Fiorentina four years ago in a package worth up to €60million. Injuries and inconsistency have blighted the 26-year-old’s time with the Old Lady. And now,

despite having scored 10 goals in 37 games last term, he is entering the final year of his contract with the Turin club and, as revealed by TEAMtalk, is yet to see his demands for new terms met.

As TEAMtalk exclusively reported recently, Chiesa’s agent has been speaking to Premier League clubs in an effort to drum up interest in the 51-cap Italy winger. At present, though, it is Roma who are reportedly leading the race to sign the Genoa-born attacker.

Riccardo Calafiori

One Italian star in whom there is no shortage of Premier League interest is Riccardo Calafiori. The Bologna centre-back was one of the breakout stars of the Euros for his defensive displays and his eye-catching ability to drive forward with the ball at his feet.

A reported target for Juventus, Chelsea and Liverpool, it is Arsenal who are closest to securing the 22-year-old, with a £42million deal reportedly agreed and a switch to the Emirates set to be rubber-stamped.

Calafiori only made his senior debut for Italy in a pre-tournament warm-up friendly in June, but he was a key figure for Luciano Spalletti’s side at the Euros. It was his spectacular assist for Mattia Zaccagni’s 97th-minute equaliser against Croatia that secured Italy’s progress to the last 16. And had the young centre-back not been suspended for the last-16 defeat to Switzerland, the Azzurri might have enjoyed a deeper run in Germany.

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Joao Felix

Joao Felix’s European Championship ended in heartbreak as his missed penalty in a quarter-final shootout against France sealed Portugal’s exit.

Once the 24-year-old has processed his disappointment, he will turn his attention to his next move at club level. After spending the second half of the 2022-23 season on loan with Chelsea, the Atletico Madrid forward spent the entirety of last term on loan with Barcelona.

He had reportedly been hoping for a permanent return to the Catalan giants, with whom he scored 10 goals in 44 all-competitions appearances, but according to Spanish outlet Sport the gifted attacker is now having second thoughts over going back to Barca.

Amid interest from Aston Villa and former club Benfica, he has reportedly given his agent, Jorge Mendes, a deadline of July 27 to resolve his future.