Summer Transfer Window 2015: Biggest Gap World Football's Top Clubs Need to Fill
Taking an early look towards the 2015 summer transfer window, here are the biggest gaps Europe's top clubs need to fill.
The 20 clubs will be ranked subjectively via a combination of various standards:
- Performances this season vs. expected performances: Has the club lived up to the billing?
- Form over past six games: How is the club playing via the eye test?
Miscellaneous
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The 20 clubs listed for the main list are not the top 20 clubs this season.
This list caters to title contenders, mid-tier clubs and teams teetering above the relegation zone.
The concept behind this arbitrary rule is to include world-class players, wunderkinds, role players and rough diamonds.
To give you an idea of how this list will work, here is a brief outline.
- List position club should reinforce in the summer transfer window.
- Recommend a hypothetical summer transfer target.
For example:
- Valencia | Centre-Forward | Colombian centre-forward Jackson Martinez, 28, Porto.
- Southampton | Central Midfielder | Dutch central midfielder Yassin Ayoub, 20, Utrecht.
- Borussia Monchengladbach | Centre-Forward | German centre-forward Mark Uth, 23, Heerenveen.
- Benfica | Centre-Forward | Spanish centre-forward Gerard Moreno, 22, Villarreal.
- Napoli | Left attacking midfielder | Russian left attacking midfielder/centre-forward Denis Cheryshev, 24, Real Madrid [1].
- Marseille | Centre-back | Spanish centre/right-back Sergi Gomez, 22, Celta Vigo.
- PSV Eindhoven | Backup left-back | Australian left-back Alex Gersbach, 17, Sydney FC.
[1] On loan at Villarreal.
20. Everton
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Position Need: Centre-back.
Hypothetical Summer Transfer Target: United States centre-back John Anthony Brooks, 22, Hertha Berlin.
Without the influence of John Stones, who has made a plethora of last-ditched defensive plays and routinely carries the ball into midfield, Everton would be deep in the relegation zone.
While relegation is still a possibility, Everton need to bolster their centre-back stock in the summer transfer window.
Targeting Brooks, who has elite upside but is inconsistent [1], would be a calculated gamble.
If Everton can stay in the Premier League and Hertha Berlin suffer relegation, perhaps Brooks can be signed at a discount.
[1] Ranked as Kicker's 139th-best player in the Bundesliga this season.
19. Borussia Dortmund
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Position Need: Central Attacking Midfielder.
Hypothetical Summer Transfer Target: German central attacking midfielder Marc Stendera, 19, Eintracht Frankfurt.
Borussia Dortmund have no cutting play behind the centre-forward.
Shinji Kagawa has scored once and provided two assists from 16 Bundesliga games, seemingly a broken man after his failure at Manchester United.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan has been shifted out wide.
Ilkay Gundogan possesses the playing style to be a central attacking midfielder, but he is not a full-time No. 10.
This is why Borussia Dortmund should consider Stendera, one of Germany's rising stars.
With feet as quick as Isco's, Stendera has flashed vision and works hard off the ball.
18. Newcastle United
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Position Need: Centre-back.
Hypothetical Summer Transfer Target: Dutch centre-back Joost van Aken, 20, Heerenveen.
It is imperative that Newcastle United bolster their centre-back options, whether it is biting the bullet and spending money on a top defender (Mike Ashley is probably shaking his head) or betting on talent.
What Newcastle United need to avoid is accepting mediocrity in the form of Mike Williamson (should be in the Championship).
Van Aken has outstanding recovery speed, is strong in the air and has a low transfer stock (lacks experience, hence why he is flying under the radar).
Newcastle United need to be proactive because Ajax will poach Heerenveen's best talents:
17. AC Milan
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Position Need: Central Midfielder.
Hypothetical Summer Transfer Target: French central midfielder N'Golo Kante, 23, Caen.
An underrated midfielder who snaps at the heels of opposing players, Kante is a ball-hawk, completing 129 tackles and intercepting 65 passes.
In possession, Kante can charge into space and open up play with angled passes. He is beginning to garner attention after a strong display in a 2-2 draw against Paris Saint-Germain.
AC Milan need more energy in midfield and Kante can provide that.
16. Inter Milan
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Position Need: Centre-forward.
Hypothetical Summer Transfer Target: Czech centre-forward Tomas Necid, 25, PEC Zwolle.
Five years ago, Necid was one of the biggest No. 9 prospects in Europe, hence why CSKA Moscow invested in his talent, presumably projecting his transfer stock to rise to €25/£18.3 million plus.
It never came to fruition as injuries and lack of confidence derailed Necid.
Now at PEC Zwolle, Necid has scored eight times and created two goals in 14 Eredivisie games.
Necid would add a different dimension to Inter Milan's attack and could be a great foil to Mauro Icardi, not to mention diverting attention away from the Argentine.
Here is an interesting tidbit.
When interviewed about joining PEC Zwolle on loan, Eli Babalj revealed the reason which led to the move.
"I came to PEC Zwolle to replace Thomas Necid, who was meant to be going to Juventus but that deal fell through and he's still here," Babalj said, per David Lewis at SBS. "But [PEC Zwolle manager Ron Jans] has said his being here doesn't change anything and they still want me."
15. Tottenham Hotspur
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Position Need: Backup centre-forward.
Hypothetical Summer Transfer Target: Colombian centre-forward Duvan Zapata, 23, Napoli.
Right now Tottenham Hotspur are Harry Kane or bust.
Tottenham either need to modify the formation to include another centre-forward that can take the pressure off Kane, or sign a backup No. 9 that can make a meaningful impact.
There are question marks over Emmanuel Adebayor's professionalism.
Roberto Soldado is to Tottenham what Fernando Torres was to Chelsea.
Zapata is aggressive, mercurial and can score in limited minutes.
He has registered five goals in 13 Serie A games, despite only starting 30.8 percent of games he has been involved in this season).
14. Liverpool
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Position Need: Central Midfielder.
Hypothetical Summer Transfer Target: Serbian centre-back/right wing-back Nikola Maksimovic, 23, Torino.
Sure, converting a defender into a midfielder isn't ideal.
However, Maksimovic is a midfielder masquerading as a defender.
He completes 86.4 percent of his 75.2 passes per game, regularly takes the ball into midfield and has an all-round playing style.
He is the type of player that appeals to Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, who needs more Emre Can-like players.
13. Manchester United
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Position Need: Central midfielder.
Hypothetical Summer Transfer Target: Brazilian central midfielder Allan Marques, 24, Udinese.
Bossing midfield, Allan is one of the best footballers in the world playing for a mid-table team.
If Udinese, currently ranked 13th in Serie A, finish the season in 10th-15th place, Allan must leave if he wants to further his career.
He is a prolific ball-winner (105 tackles) and adds dynamism when he is in possession as he regularly runs past several opposing players with ease.
He is the box-to-box midfielder Manchester United need to sign to provide solidarity in the centre of the field.
12. Arsenal
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Position Need: Defensive Midfielder.
Hypothetical Summer Transfer Target: German defensive midfielder Johannes Geis, 21, Mainz.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger should utilise Francis Coquelin's grit and pair him up with Geis' artistry in midfield.
Geis has at times morphed into a German Andrea Pirlo, able to elegantly loft long passes and dictate the tempo of play.
Geis' set-piece taking is improving (mind you, he has taken some poor free-kicks), so that is a bonus, because he can be a threat from a dead-ball situation.
11. Roma
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Position Need: Right-back.
Hypothetical Summer Transfer Target: Algerian right-back Aissa Mandi, 23, Reims.
What on earth is Alessandro Florenzi doing at right-back for Roma?
"Honestly I don't know what my position is any more, I just think about playing," Florenzi said, per Sky (h/t Football Italia). "Am I confused? A little bit, to tell you the truth."
Florenzi, a technically gifted player who just needs confidence, should be playing further forward.
Mandi is an athletic and tall defender with a high resell value, hence why he should appeal to Roma.
10. Paris Saint-Germain
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Position Need: Left-forward.
Hypothetical Summer Transfer Target: French left-winger Paul-Georges Ntep, 22, Rennais.
Edinson Cavani is not a left-forward for Paris Saint-Germain and he routinely plays himself as a second centre-forward.
Ezequiel Lavezzi is 29 years of age and has declined compared to his performances at Napoli.
This is why Paris Saint-Germain should pursue Ntep, a dynamic and explosive goal threat from the wings.
Ntep has scored eight goals in 23 Ligue 1 games this season.
What he needs to work on his being more involved in play because sometimes he drifts out of games.
9. Lyon
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Position Need: Central Attacking Midfielder.
Hypothetical Summer Transfer Target: French central attacking/central midfielder Jordan Veretout, 21, Nantes.
| Ligue 1 2014-15 | Jordan Veretout | Yoann Gourcuff |
| Goals/Games | 6/25 | 3/14 |
| Shots Per Goal | 6.5 | 5 |
| Assists | 5 | 2 |
| Key Passes Per 90 Mins. | 2.1 | 2.2 |
| Dribbles Per 90 Mins. | 1.3 | 1.3 |
Lyon should upgrade Yoann Gourcuff to Veretout, who has less mileage and a higher upside.
Veretout, Alexandre Lacazette and Nabil Fekir could potentially be a lethal three-pronged attack.
8. Wolfsburg
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Position Need: Backup centre-forward.
Hypothetical Summer Transfer Target: Guadeloupean centre-forward/right/left-winger Claudio Beauvue, 26, Guingamp.
Prior to Bas Dost's purple patch for Wolfsburg—10 goals in his last six Bundesliga games—there were suggestions that Nicklas Bendtner was going to receive an extended starting run.
People seem to forget Dost was on course to be a bust, but he has remarkably turned it around.
Instead of signing a primary centre-forward, Wolfsburg need a backup No. 9 and Beauvue could be their man.
Able to play across midfield, Beauvue has displayed a scoring touch, at one point netting in five successive Ligue 1 games this season.
7. Juventus
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Position Need: Left-back.
Hypothetical Summer Transfer Target: French left-back Jordan Amavi, 20, Nice.
Completing 110 tackles and accumulating 103 interceptions, Amavi can be a lock-down defender.
He can surge past opposing players, is handy in the attacking half and has played as a wing-back, so he fits Juventus from a tactical perspective.
6. Manchester City
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Position Need: Left-back.
Hypothetical Summer Transfer Target: Swiss left-back Ricardo Rodriguez, 22, Wolfsburg.
Manchester City aren't receiving enough production from left-backs Gael Clichy (one goal, three assists) and Aleksandar Kolarov (no goal, two assists).
Whereas, Ricardo Rodriguez has scored three times and registered three assists in the Bundesliga.
He has also scored three times in four UEFA Europa League games.
Yes, the large majority of Rodriguez's goals come via the dead-ball (penalties and free-kicks), but he is explosive with the ball.
In addition, he averages 2.9 interceptions per game.
He is the type of world-class footballer who can give Manchester City an advantage in matchups against Europe's best clubs.
5. Atletico Madrid
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Position Need: Backup right-winger.
Hypothetical Summer Transfer Target: French right/left-winger Jonathan Schmid, 24, Freiburg.
Schmid is gritty, throws himself into aerial duels, can pick out a pass (registered six assists) and has played multiple positions throughout his Freiburg career.
He once had a stint at right-back.
He has the traits to be an alternative to Arda Turan.
4. Chelsea
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Position Need: Backup goalkeeper.
Hypothetical Summer Transfer Target: Dutch goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen, 25, Ajax.
If Petr Cech leaves Chelsea, then the Blues need a backup goalkeeper who can push Thibaut Courtois.
Cillessen has international experience, averages 3.8 saves per game and completes 80 percent of saves.
3. Barcelona
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Position Need: Backup left-back.
Hypothetical Summer Transfer Target: Spanish left-back Jose Gaya, 19, Valencia.
Barcelona should move on from Adriano and go for Gaya, one of the best left-back prospects in the world.
He is a solid tackler and outstanding in creating shots for his teammates.
He would provide strong competition and challenge Jordi Alba.
2. Real Madrid
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Position Need: Backup left-back.
Hypothetical Summer Transfer Target: Ghanaian left-back Abdul Rahman Baba, 20, Augsburg.
Averaging 4.3 tackles and 2.8 interceptions per game, Baba continues to put forward his case as one of the best left-backs in the Bundesliga.
He would be a cheap acquisition and is more durable than Fabio Coentrao.
1. Bayern Munich
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Position Need: Backup centre-forward.
Hypothetical Summer Transfer Target: Argentine centre-forward Luciano Vietto, 21, Villarreal.
Bayern Munich need a plan B to Robert Lewandowski, so Vietto can provide that.
He is more dynamic, has a lower centre of gravity and has flashed Sergio Aguero-esque moments. More than 36 percent of Vietto's goals in La Liga this season have come as a super-sub.
When not specified, statistics via WhoScored.com.
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