5 Top Midfielders Who Could Make Summer Transfers

They are the engines of their teams, the creative influences behind attackers who claim most of the credit.

They are central midfielders, and the summer transfer period could see a handful of very good ones swap their current clubs for covetous rivals.

In the following slides, we’ll look at five such players, and let’s be clear from the outset: We’re only concerned with midfielders who play from the centre of the park. Wingers (such as Nani) and advanced attackers (such as Gareth Bale, who can also play from the wing) are not what we’re after.

Let’s get to it.

All statistics courtesy WhoScored.com.

Remy Cabella, Montpellier

It doesn’t seem as though Montpellier are in a selling mood.

That said, the 2011-12 Ligue 1 champions would surely consider a meaningful offer for Remy Cabella if one arrived, although two months ago the club’s deputy chairman, Laurent Nicollin, claimed he valued the 23-year-old at €100 million, per Sky Sports (via Soccer News).

Cabella scored seven Ligue 1 goals last season, earned eight assists and completed an impressive 85.3 per cent of his passes.

Ilkay Gundogan, Borussia Dortmund

Entering the second-to-last year of his contract with Borussia Dortmund, Ilkay Gundogan could be made available this summer if he fails to agree to a new pact at Signal-Iduna-Park.

Metro have reported the 22-year-old is a transfer target of Manchester United—rumours that will only be heightened should the Red Devils come up short in their pursuit of Barcelona’s Cesc Fabregas.

Gundogan, a full Germany international, ran the show from the centre of the Dortmund midfield last season, completing 86.2 percent of the passes he attempted.

Luiz Gustavo, Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich’s already competitive squad of players was bolstered further with the acquisition of Thiago Alcantara earlier this month, and with Luiz Gustavo having started only 16 Bundesliga matches for the Bavarian giants last season, the midfielder could be offloaded if the treble winners receive an acceptable offer.

Wolfsburg, who finished 11th in the German top flight last term, are a possible destination, according to Goal, and would like to see the Brazilian partner with countryman Diego in the middle of the park.

The 26-year-old posted the best passing percentage (93 percent) at Bayern last season and impressed as Brazil won the Confederations Cup in June.

Luka Modric, Real Madrid

Another option for Manchester United should they fail to land Fabregas is Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric, who, according to The Times, would be allowed to leave the Spanish capital for £25 million.

It was just last summer that the Croatia international moved from Tottenham Hotspur to the Bernabeu, but with Madrid having secured the services of former Real Sociedad midfielder Asier Illarramendi earlier this summer, it would seem as though the 27-year-old has fallen down the pecking order.

Modric started 25 La Liga matches last season, scoring three goals and assisting on three others.

Cesc Fabregas, Barcelona

We had to end it here.

Although the Express reported Fabregas had “said yes” to Manchester United earlier in the week, the Spanish international’s Barcelona teammate, Javier Mascherano, poured cold water on the gossip when he told Sky Sports he fully expected the midfielder to remain in the Catalan capital.

United could yet make another bid for the 26-year-old, who scored 11 La Liga goals while completing 88.6 percent of his passes last season.