15 Transfer Needs for Europe's Biggest Sides in Summer
The January transfer window has come to a close with many of Europe's top sides having opted to do business over the last four weeks, most notably the likes of Real Madrid signing Lucas Silva and Chelsea bringing in Juan Cuadrado.
Regardless of these mid-season boosts, big clubs will inevitably opt to restructure and improve their squads in the summer—so we've taken an early look ahead to where 15 of the biggest sides in Europe might look to splash the cash, having not done so in January.
For the "biggest" sides, read the traditionally impressive clubs currently challenging for European spots in their respective leagues—and able to make signings in the summer, so no Barcelona or Borussia Dortmund!
Arsenal: Defensive Midfield... Still
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Arsenal have looked to have had a better shape about their team of late, with the previously out-on-loan Francis Coquelin recalled to the team to protect the defence from a holding midfield role.
Despite his recent success, it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see the Gunners look to finally invest in that role during the summer, upgrading on Coquelin's tactical awareness, passing range and consistency. He has done well, but unless his improvement continues until summer, Arsenal still need someone else here.
Mathieu Flamini and Mikel Arteta are clearly not the answer.
Chelsea: More Depth in Key Areas
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Chelsea restructured some of their attacking line in January—Cuadrado in, Andre Schurrle and Mo Salah out—so we'll focus on other areas.
Jose Mourinho could well look to replace John Obi Mikel in the defensive midfield area, not necessarily with a starter (Cesc Fabregas and Nemanja Matic is an excellent combination) but certainly with a more mobile and aggressive squad option.
Similarly, at centre-back, the rest of the campaign may dictate whether Gary Cahill continues or Kurt Zouma replaces him as first choice, but a fourth senior option to challenge and, in time, replace John Terry would probably be welcome.
Liverpool: Both Ends of the Pitch
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Liverpool's transfer needs may change depending on what systems Brendan Rodgers opts to continue with going forward, but in their present 3-4-3 variation they need to strengthen at either end: goalkeeper and striker.
Simon Mignolet's return to form in the past couple of weeks cannot mask a season of underperformance and clear weaknesses which must be addressed, while genuine competition for Daniel Sturridge, of the same kind of striker, is a must for next term if the woes of earlier this year in attack are not to be repeated.
Centre-back or central midfield will doubtless be strengthened too—but as above, it's difficult to deal in numbers or styles when Liverpool switch their "main" formation so regularly.
Manchester City: A Top-Class Centre-Back
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Manchester City are one of those clubs blessed with big spending power and deep squad lists, but at times there remains a feeling that they perhaps pay top money for not quite top players.
At centre-back they can certainly improve: Captain Vincent Kompany has't been at his domineering best, Eliaquim Mangala is still hit-or-miss as he adjusts to the demands on him and Martin Demichelis, while solid, has limitations.
Team shape and a better protective midfield could probably mask some deficiencies, but by and large, centre-back is an area of possible improvement for City.
Manchester United: Central Defensive Overhaul
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Across the city to Manchester United, centre-back is not just an area of possible improvement, but of dramatic need. The rest of the side has quality, no shortage of depth and exciting players, but the middle of the defence continues to be a mis-match of hope-for-the-best.
Chris Smalling, Jonny Evans and Phil Jones are a pick-and-mix at times of who could be in form, who might have a great game, who hopefully won't make glaring errors. Add in the facts that Marcos Rojo hasn't been consistently available, Tyler Blackett and Paddy McNair have been forced into action ahead of their time and the likes of Michael Carrick have played out of position in the middle, and it's clearly the area of the team most imbalanced.
Big decisions need to be made over who can contribute going forward—as well as whether to regularly field three or four at the back.
Real Madrid: Striking Backup for Karim Benzema
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Real Madrid's signing of Lucas Silva probably means Sami Khedira and Casemiro will both be exiting in summer, but they still have good depth in the centre of midfield, and in most other positions.
One area to improve though is in the backup striker for Karim Benzema, the regular starter as the Real No. 9.
Jese has limitless potential but hasn't fully recovered confidence or sharpness, and thus game time, after injury, while on-loan Javier Hernandez simply doesn't do the job as an all-round forward that Benzema does, linking play, running off the ball to create space and finding the net.
Atletico Madrid: Keep the Team Together, Add a Top-Drawer Wide Talent
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For Atletico Madrid, the mantra will be simple: Keep building the team and try not to see valuable components breaking up as they did last summer. The team should, utterly and completely, be built around the many qualities of midfielder Koke.
He generally plays wide in their midfield four, but next year should be an opportunity to shift him central, where his ball-playing, tremendous work ethic and ability to both attack and defend should come to the fore.
That will necessitate adding a top-class wide player, a creative force who has pace, can add goals and supply the front two of Antoine Griezmann and Mario Mandzukic. It does not mean recalling Alessio Cerci, therefore.
Valencia: Add Goals to the Team
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Valencia are pushing hard for a return to the Champions League for next season, backed by more money and a new manager.
Nuno Espirito Santo tends to alter the shape of his team a lot—a diamond, a 4-3-3, a 3-5-2—but above all, the common theme is that they tend to lack the ability to consistently create and score chances. A fast, direct midfield lacks the cutting edge to break through, or a more technical, movement-based attacking line lacks an extra body or so in the box to put chances away.
Alvaro Negredo is only on loan, Paco Alcacer has again struggled to keep up his early-season form and other scorers don't contribute regularly enough.
Juventus: High-Quality Creative Midfielder
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Juventus continue to dominate domestically and Mass Allegri will try to translate that to the European stage over this season and next. The shape change to a diamond at times has identified a lack of top-level ability at times just behind the forwards, with Roberto Pereyra not always at the same class as his team-mates. He is also only on loan this term.
If Juve can add a truly top-class talent, perhaps who can play wide or in the No. 10 role, Allegri has the flexibility to change between a diamond and a 4-3-3 without losing creative and scoring threats, while the back three also remains an option.
Elsewhere, if two up front continues as a regular theme, a new first-choice strike partner for Carlos Tevez wouldn't be the worst idea.
Roma: Full-Backs
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Roma's challenge to Juventus' dominance has been sustained and impressive, but continually falls just short.
In the new season they could try to add a little more mobility and pace about their game in the middle and final thirds, but it is perhaps at full-back where they can improve the most.
On the left, Ashley Cole hasn't settled in and Jose Holebas is direct and rapid, but lacking in technique and composure at key times. On the right, Maicon continues to dominate, but has spells where his age tells. Improving either side could make the balance and penetration of the team significantly better.
PSG: Top-Level Quality in Midfield
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To France now, where Paris Saint-Germain are the first of our two teams and the reigning champions have not dominated Ligue 1 this season as they were expected to.
In midfield they have good players: Thiago Motta, Marco Verratti, Blaise Matuidi and Yohan Cabaye traditionally make up the trio of central players between them. It's a good balance of skills and traits, but is there genuinely a midfielder of the very highest level there? Verratti could be...but at times PSG need something extra, a little more penetration from deep or aggression going forward, another scorer from midfield perhaps.
Further forward, perhaps an over-reliance on Zlatan Ibrahimovic harms them at times when Edinson Cavani has no shooting boots on and no other guaranteed source of goals is immediately apparent.
Marseille: Scoring Options
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Marseille have been rejuvenated under Marcelo Bielsa this season, leading Ligue 1 early on until Lyon have recently overtaken them.
Bielsa's teams are all about industry, overloading in key areas to attack and a fantastic ability to keep going beyond the 90 minutes until the result is sealed. Next season, assuming Champions League is assured, they'll need more depth and quality in the final third to sustain this rise, with Andre-Pierre Gignac's goals having dried up to an extent.
Michy Batshuayi is impressive but not consistent, while there is plenty of creativity, but not always a finishing touch, in the line behind the striker.
Bayern Munich: Centre-Back Additions
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German Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich arguably have one of the deepest and most complete squads on the planet, so it's not easy to pick out an area where they need to improve.
That said, they could certainly be looking at a central defender, to play with Medhi Benatia whether in a back three or a back four, where Pep Guardiola has been known to field wide or midfield players in a bid to offer more technique and possession higher up the field.
Dante's fall from his best and Holger Badstuber's long, long recovery mean it's an area which could be improved.
Bayer Leverkusen: Replace Kiessling, More Quality Throughout
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Bayer Leverkusen are, as things stand, sixth in the Bundesliga—but the smart money is still on them sealing a top-four finish in a very tight league. They also have Champions League exposure in their favour from the past few seasons.
Bayer can point to a good all-round squad, but they would benefit at this stage from finding someone new to take the place of Stefan Kiessling in attack; he still offers much in build-up play, linking up with the attacking midfielders and working off the ball, but this season has seen an end to his ability to hit 15 or 20 goals—he has just three in 18 games.
Elsewhere, a star signing wouldn't go amiss in the spine of the team, but more important might be keeping hold of the trio of Karim Bellarabi, Hakan Calhanoglu and Son Heung-Min.
Wolfsburg: New Striker, Keeping Hold of Key Stars
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Wolfsburg's 4-1 win over Bayern Munich as the Bundesliga kicked off again highlights their ascension back to the second-best team in Germany this year, and they'll want to add more quality to continue this rise next season.
The addition in January of Andre Schurrle should see more goals and final-third threat from the flanks, but 35-year-old Ivica Olic might finally be called time on despite his enduring ability to run and run and run.
A quality striker could make all the difference for a team who are not exactly short on goals anyway, but keeping the likes of Ricardo Rodriguez, Kevin de Bruyne and Josuha Guilavogui—only on loan from Atletico Madrid—at the club would be of equal importance.
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