Summer Transfer Window Predictions: 50 Hottest Storylines for the Summer

It's coming. Sooner than you think.

Today the summer transfer window seems far in the future—a distant, hazy carnival of excessive spending and endless speculation. And yet the opening of the summer transfer window is just four months (give or take) away.

That means it's time to start making plans. Teams across the world certainly are, and we will too.

What follows is a list of the 50 hottest storylines for the summer transfer window. We've tried to include every story from Carlos Tevez to Takashi Usami, but due to the volatile nature of the world football rumor mill, it's almost inevitable that we've left something out.

Have another hot rumor? Tell us about it in the comments.

Garden of Eden

Where will Eden Hazard go this summer?

Hazard, a 21-year-old Belgian winger who currently plays for Lille in France, is one of the hottest prospects in Europe. He has been linked with numerous clubs since last summer, including Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, PSG and Real Madrid.

Clearly, Hazard has plenty of options, and he's reportedly said he wants to make a move this summer. At this point it's impossible to predict where he'll go. But it's impossible to pretend the rumor mill will do anything less over the next four months.

Wohin, Mario?

Mario Götze is another young star who's being linked with big clubs across Europe. The 19-year-old attacking midfielder shot to fame in 2011 for his performances with Borussia Dortmund and Germany's senior squad.

The difference between Götze and Hazard, however, is that we don't know for sure whether or not Götze will leave Dortmund. Götze himself has been quoted as saying he doesn't want to move.

It's not a stretch to believe him. Borussia Dortmund won the Bundesliga title last season and, as of this writing, top the table by two points over Bayern Munich. In fact, the team's resurgence has led some to wonder whether Bayern's dominance in Germany is finally over (more on that later).

There's one complicating factor with Götze. Already a full international, he figures (barring injury) to play a prominent role for Germany this summer at Euro 2012. If so, his personal profile and transfer value will likely skyrocket.

That might make it harder for Dortmund to hold onto their rising star. But if they do, the race for long term German supremacy might well and truly be on.

Onward, Christian Solider

Dutch giants Ajax have their own up-and-coming star in Christian Eriksen, a 19-year-old Danish midfielder. Eriksen was named Holland's young player of the year in 2011, and he's already a full international with 20 caps.

Like Götze, Eriksen will have a chance to shine at Euro 2012 (Hazard won't; Belgium didn't qualify), and if he does, his already high market value could rise even more. Also like Götze, he's reportedly said he doesn't want a summer transfer.

We'll see, though, especially if Ajax continue to struggle in the Eredivisie.

Neymar, Neymar, Neymar

Neymar was all over the place in 2011. For a brief moment, he looked set to join Real Madrid. But then he signed a new contract with Santos, whom he led to the FIFA Club World Cup final.

Along the way, Neymar scored an outrageous goal, won the Puskas Award for it, and impressed just about everyone.

So, will Neymar leave Brazil and Santos this summer? Doubtful. His new contract reportedly puts him on comparable financial footing with Europe-based stars. And it runs through summer 2014, meaning he could leave Santos on a free transfer after the 2014 World Cup—which will be played in his native Brazil.

What would you do if you were Neymar? Still just 20, it's only two years until he'll have the chance to bring glory back to Brazil on home soil. And in the meantime, he can enjoy the sunny beaches of his homeland while making tons of money playing for his childhood club.

To us, it's a no-brainer.

The Interminable Carlos Tevez Affair

By now, even Carlos Tevez is sick of himself.

Tevez somehow managed to not secure a transfer out of Manchester City this winter (though the Russian window is still open). And now the interminable rumors and innuendo are back.

Something is going to happen. It will be big news. But we don't really care at this point.

Wesley Sneijder to Manchester United, Pt. II

Speaking of interminable transfer sagas, here's one that might be resurrected from cold storage.

Last summer, Wesley Sneijder nearly joined Manchester United from Inter Milan. The saga played out in the papers and online, and by the end of it, everyone was exhausted.

This summer, United still need midfielders, and they might still have some interest in signing the Dutch midfielder. Sneijder, meanwhile might also still be interested in heading to England (though others are reportedly interested as well).

Get ready for several more months of flirtation.

Arsenal and Arsene

All is not well in the red half of North London.

Arsenal are languishing in sixth place, three points behind Chelsea for fourth place and England's final Champions League slot. Meanwhile, the Gunners didn't sign a first-team player (besides a loan deal for Thierry Henry) during the transfer window and the fans seem to have fallen out of love with manager Arsene Wenger.

So what will happen this summer? Last August, Wenger uncharacteristically spent a lot of money (relatively speaking), bringing in Mikel Arteta, Andre Santos, Per Mertesacker on deadline day. But this time around he seems more like himself—apparently more interested in balancing the books than investing in the squad.

Arsenal and Wenger could help their bottom line by trimming some fat, but they'll have to do whatever it takes to hold onto Robin van Persie.

But that's assuming Wenger sticks around. He won't calm the chorus of boos from the faithful with his penny-pinching ways, but it might not matter. Recent reports are linking him to the France job, which might open up this summer.

Whatever happens, this summer should prove pivotal for Arsenal.

From Russia, with Love

If all that wasn't enough to send Arsenal fans into a stress-induced rage, Andrei Arshavin may do it.

The Russian captain made a splash upon his arrival in North London three years ago. These days, though, he has morphed into the capital's persona non grata.

Arsenal reportedly tried to offload him during the transfer window, but so far a deal hasn't happened. Russia's transfer window remains open until Feb. 24, so anything is still possible. But based on what's being said in the press, it seems likely Arshavin is going nowhere.

For now, that is. He'll surely be gone in the summer, especially considering the emergence of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in Arsenal's midfield.

Overpaying After Euro 2012

We've written on this before, and it still applies.

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As everyone knows, the months immediately following a major international tournament are the worst time to dish out big money for new players. But as everyone knows, it will happen again this summer.

Some young star will impress everyone. And by doing so, he'll earn a huge contract that, despite his undoubted skill, will be viewed as too big in hindsight.

Here's a good candidate.

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PSV's Georginio Wijnaldum (pictured) is another.

The Incredible (Transfer Fee Of) Hulk

Hulk (real name: Givanildo Vieira de Souza) is a 25-year-old Brazilian forward/midfielder who currently plays for Porto in Portugal. His contract reportedly includes an £83.5 million buyout clause.

Will anyone pay that much this summer? Ever?

It would represent a larger sum than the reported £80 million Real Madrid paid Manchester United for Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009.

Andre Villas-Boas Revolution to Continue

The Andre Villas-Boas revolution began last summer when the young Portuguese manager took over at Chelsea. It picked up steam this winter with the signing of defender Gary Cahill from Bolton and the sales of Alex and Nicolas Anelka (though the deal for Kevin De Bruyne was apparently not AVB's idea, at all).

The revolution will probably kick into high gear this summer, though probably not quite like the chaos of 2004. All the same, Chelsea have already been linked with some big names.

What's Next for Manchester City?

Manchester City replaced Chelsea as England's big spenders last year. The infusion of money has helped catapult City to the top of the Premier League table.

So what's next? City already have a huge, talented squad. But to enjoy extended success, City's squad will need continual investment. That's why their Middle Eastern ownership probably won't stay quiet in the summer transfer market.

City have been linked with several new players, including Eden Hazard, Mamadou Sakho and, shockingly, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Could Cristano Really Leave Real?

According to the Mail Online, Cristiano Ronaldo has become "disillusioned" at Real Madrid.

We're as skeptical as you, not least because of the glaring error in the first sentence of that report. Tell us, Mail Online, how does one accomplish "growling disillusioned" anyway?

Regardless of its inattention to the basics of spelling, this report is sure to spark countless, breathless rumors between now and the end of August.

Big Summer for PSG

Paris St. Germain are the latest European club to take on a new free-spending identity thanks to an infusion of Middle Eastern oil money.

The money has already helped facilitate the arrival of big names both on the squad and on the touchline. The spending spree could truly begin in earnest this summer.

And, as is the case with all big-money teams, some of the rumored targets would be great additions, while others would surely disappoint.

Ganso Journalism

Neymar isn't the only young Brazilian star who's being linked with a move from South America to Europe. In fact, he's not even the only one on his team.

Tottenham reportedly targeted Santos midfielder Ganso in a potential £15 million move last month. Like Neymar, though, Ganso has pledged his future to Santos.

Leandro Damião to Europe?

Here's another entry from the long list of young Brazilian stars being linked with Europe.

This time the young Brazilian star is Leandro Damião, a 22-year-old forward who currently plays for Internacional. Since the last summer transfer window closed, Leandro Damião has been linked to Arsenal, Tottenham, PSG, Juventus, Barcelona and Liverpool.

That doesn't mean he's going anywhere. But if you've seen what he can do, you'll know the widespread interest is almost certainly genuine.

German Power Struggle

German forward Marco Reus made headlines recently by choosing Borussia Dortmund over Bayern Munich. Reus, who's staying with Borussia Monchengladbach until the end of the season, will join Dortmund in the summer.

The move has prompted onlookers to wonder whether the balance of power has shifted northward from Bavaria to Dortmund. After all, Dortmund are the defending Bundesliga champs and currently lead the league heading into the home stretch.

The Reus signing was a key victory for Dortmund; so were the recent reports that Dortmund's Robert Lewandowksi had laughed off Bayern's rumored interest in him. But if Dortmund want to maintain their superiority over Bayern, they'll have to fend off potential bids for Neven Subotic and Shinji Kagawa this summer.

Between the Bundesliga power struggle and the national team's Euro 2012 performance, it figures to be an interesting summer in Deutschland.

Thiago Silva to Barca?

Barcelona and Brazilian defender Thiago Silva batted eyelashes at each other last summer. This time, a move could happen.

Barcelona have reportedly set their sights on a €30 million bid for Thiago Silva, who currently plays for AC Milan. If it happens, this would be one of the summer's biggest moves.

Coming to America

Each year, more and more Europe-based stars move to America to close out their careers in MLS. This summer should be no exception.

Two of the biggest names linked with MLS moves are Chelsea's Didier Drogba and Juventus' Alessandro Del Piero.

Either would be a catch for MLS.

Mounir El Hamdaoui: Rebel Without a Cause

Going on six months now, Carlos Tevez has been world football's most famous bad boy. He's not the only one.

Consider the curious case of Ajax's Moroccan international striker Mounir El Hamdaoui:

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When the winter transfer window opened on January 1, there seemed to be little doubt that Mounir El Hamdaoui would no longer be under contract with Ajax by the end of the month. The former Tottenham Hotspur attacker has not made a single appearance for the Eredivisie champions in the 2011-12 campaign, and both club and player were desperate to bid farewell to one other.

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But El Hamdaoui, who has been training with Ajax's reserves, failed to secure a transfer this winter. Like Tevez, Mounir's saga was both ridiculous and overblown. Look for it to continue through the season and into the summer.

Demba Ba on the Move?

Demba Ba has exploded onto the English scene this season, scoring 16 goals (second only to Arsenal's Robin van Persie) for Newcastle United as of this writing.

Ba joined Newcastle from West Ham on the cheap just last summer. Now he's being linked with moves to several clubs.

But Ba has reportedly laughed off the rumors.

Are Bayern Really After Junior Hoilett?

According to Sunday People, Blackburn's Junior Hoilett is definitely going to Bayern Munich for free this summer. For sure.

Really?

Shaqiri to Bayern

Remember how we talked about the balance of power in Germany?

This signing would definitely help Bayern. According to multiple reports, the Bavarian giants have agreed with Basel on a deal to sign Swiss international Xherdan Shaqiri.

Shaqiri, who had previously been linked with Manchester United and others, would join Bayern in the summer.

What About Granit Xhaka?

Basel turned heads by eliminating Manchester United from the Champions League earlier this season. Now, their biggest stars are being linked with clubs across Europe.

Shaqiri is perhaps the biggest name, and Granit Xhaka is another. The Swiss midfielder has been linked with Juventus and Manchester United already, and more rumors are bound to pop up as the season winds down.

Jose to Quit Real?

This isn't a transfer rumor per se, but if true, it would spark a domino effect of transfers around Europe.

According to reports, Jose Mourinho is contemplating a return to England. That would mean leaving Real Madrid, which could in turn mean a bunch of transfers out of the Bernabeu.

It's enough to make even the most cynical football fan shudder with anticipation.

Gonzalo Higuaín to Chelsea?

Here's one of those potential Real Madrid transfers.

Argentine forward Gonzalo Higuaín is being linked with a move to Chelsea. But according to reports, Higuaín wants to stay at Real until they win the Champions League.

Cole's French Connection

English midfielder Joe Cole has spent the current season in France with Lille on loan from Liverpool.

He's reportedly enjoying himself across the Channel, so what's to say he won't make it permanent?

Frank Lampard out of Chelsea?

Part of Andre Villas-Boas' roster overhaul at Chelsea might include the sale of veteran English midfielder Frank Lampard.

Lampard, 33, has reportedly been told he's free to leave—just not to a Premier League team.

The Electric Vorm

Dutch goalkeeper Michel Vorm joined Swansea City from FC Utrecht in a bargain £1.5 million transfer last summer. Since joining the Welsh club, Vorm has done nothing but impress.

Now he's being linked with some bigger clubs. If the right offer comes along, it's hard to see Swansea refusing.

Balotelli Back to Italy?

It's been a weird season for Manchester City's Italian striker Mario Balotelli. Despite having some success on the field, Balotelli has also seen his share of controversy.

Recent reports have linked Balotelli with a return to Italy. Considering the roller-coaster nature of Balotelli's time at City, a move back to his homeland seems sensible.

Dimitar Berbatov: Staying or Going?

Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov was linked with a move away from Old Trafford in January.

More recently, the Bulgarian has reportedly closed in on a new deal with United.

Berbatov hasn't always been a first-choice striker this season, so he may yet decide to leave.

Stevan or Stefan?

According to the Daily Star, Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United are interested in signing Fiorentina's Montenegrin striker Stevan Jovetic.

In true tabloid style, they misspelled his first name, but the typo didn't stop them from speculating that "Stefan" would cost around £30 million.

Spurred to New Heights

Tottenham Hotspur have inserted themselves into the English title race this season with an exciting squad, a quote-friendly manager, and some interesting deadline dealing.

So what's next? Will Harry Redknapp stick around North London, or will he be lured away by the England job?

And if he stays, what kind of wheeling and dealing (but don't call him that!) will he conjure to take Spurs to the next level?

Luka Modric Sweepstakes

One name that could be heading out of White Hart Lane is Luka Modric. At least, that's what one of his former teammates thinks.

This is nothing new. Modric, a Croatian international midfielder, has been the subject of rumors in each of the last two transfer seasons.

Could this summer be it for Modric at Tottenham? Maybe so—especially if he shines at Euro 2012.

Theo Walcott's Contract

Robin van Persie isn't Arsenal's only contract worry. English winger Theo Walcott is also involved in ongoing contract negotiations.

According to reports, a deal is close. But if the talks break down, the transfer speculation will heat up.

Anyone for Anzhi?

Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala are another of Europe's financial elite, and their millions lured Cameroon international striker Samuel Eto'o to join player-manager Roberto Carlos' squad last summer.

Anzhi could be at it again this summer. They've already been linked with Carlos Tevez, Andrei Arshavin and Kolo Toure. The Russians could get one of them or none of them, but expect Anzhi to make at least one huge deal.

Sergio Agüero to Real?

Remember the Gonzalo Higuaín rumors a few slides back? Well, some reports suggest Real Madrid would sell Higuaín in order to sign Manchester City's Sergio Agüero.

This one seems a little far-fetched, as Agüero has played so well for City—and because City have the money to fend off any interest.

But you never know.

Klose and Lazio in Bust-Up?

Reports out of Italy are suggesting German striker Miroslav Klose was involved in a bust-up with his club, Lazio. If true, we might be headed for months of transfer speculation.

Klose, 33, isn't the player he once was. But he may still command a healthy fee on the transfer market.

What About Podolski?

Speaking of German international forwards—what ever happened to the Lukas Podolski rumors?

Podolski was heavily linked with a move from FC Köln to Arsenal over the winter, but a move never materialized. Podolski reportedly didn't want to risk his place in Germany's Euro 2012 squad.

Fair enough. But what about when Euro 2012 is over?

Willian to Chelsea

We mentioned the Andre Villas-Boas revolution at Chelsea a while back, but we didn't mention the possibility of Willian joining the Blues.

According to various reports, Chelsea tried to sign the midfielder from Shakhtar Donetsk during the winter window. That has led many to think Willian is destined for a move to London in the summer.

We agree, but it probably won't happen until the rumor mill gets a few hundred stories out of it first.

Honda out of his Element

Japanese international midfielder Keisuke Honda appeared set for a transfer from CSKA Moscow to Lazio during the winter transfer window.

The deal fell apart, and now Honda is stuck in Russia until the end of the season.

Regardless, it seems certain Honda will be on the move this summer.

Edinson Cavani to Chelsea?

Uruguayan international forward Edinson Cavani has been linked, repeatedly, with a move from Napoli to Chelsea.

And interestingly enough, Chelsea and Napoli will square off next week in the Champions League Round of 16.

You know the expression about how there's usually fire where there's smoke? Well, there's a lot of smoke here.

Bale to Barca?

Reports from the Spanish press have linked Barcelona with a move for Tottenham Hotspur's Welsh winger Gareth Bale.

Despite the fact that Barca already have a player who can dribble at, around and through defenses, this rumor will probably continue to pick up steam over the coming months.

It's hard to see a deal happening, though.

Hugo Rodallega's Insane Transfer Demands

Wigan's Colombian striker Hugo Rodallega is out of contract at the end of the season. The Latics managed to keep Rodallega around this winter, but he's said he'll leave in the summer.

After initially expressing hope of re-signing Rodallega, Wigan are now saying his wage demands are too high.

If the latter report is true, Rodallega is being ridiculous. He's not worth that much. But that fact reportedly hasn't stopped Tottenham from showing interest.

Radja Nainggolan to Juve?

Never heard of Radja Nainggolan?

You'll probably learn a lot more about him soon, especially if the Belgian midfielder signs with Juventus, as reports have suggested he'll do.

Alberto Aquilani Ready for Permanent Move?

It's easy to forget that Alberto Aquilani is technically a Liverpool player. The Italian midfielder joined Liverpool in 2009, spent the 2010-11 season on loan at Juventus and has been with AC Milan on loan this season.

Aquilani reportedly has been agitating for a permanent move since last summer. His agent is saying the completion of the deal is a "pure formality."

Same for Adebayor?

Along those same lines, it's hard to believe Emmanuel Adebayor is still a Manchester City player. But he is.

He, too, wants a permanent deal at Tottenham. And apparently Spurs want Adebayor as well.

Clint Dempsey Moving On?

American international Clint Dempsey has hit a rich vein of form lately, scoring hat tricks against Newcastle in league play and Charlton in the FA Cup. His 10 league goals this season are good for seventh-best in England's top flight.

Last summer, Arsenal and Sevilla reportedly showed interest in signing Dempsey from Fulham.

Hobbit/football commentator Ian Darke seems to think Manchester United should sign Dempsey, but while the Red Devils haven't shown any interest, Arsenal reportedly have done so again.

What's Next for Behrami?

Fiorentina midfielder Valon Behrami is saying he turned down a January move from Fiorentina to Juventus. If so, one has to wonder why.

Like Behrami said, playing for Juventus would have represented a big opportunity for him. So while the deal didn't happen this time, it's not out of the question to think another bid is coming—from Juventus or elsewhere.

Takashi Usami out of Bavaria?

It's hard to know what to make of the Takashi Usami situation.

First, the 19-year-old Japanese midfielder claimed he was "bewildered" by the speculation linking him with a move away from Bayern Munich.

More recently, Usami said he'd "rather not stay" with the Bavarian club. That made more sense, considering how little he's played.

We don't see this ending well.