The summer transfer window is always a thrilling time for any football fan but the 2024 edition is set to become one to particularly remember. There are plenty of huge stars heading into free agency, and plenty of links which just won’t go away.

When the season comes to an end and there are no football streams left to enjoy, transfer news is the only thing that keeps football fans going. Whether it’s romantic reunions or long-awaiting moves, this summer should bring about plenty of noteworthy change at the top table of European football. Here are just a few of the seemingly inevitable transfers on the horizon.

Kylian Mbappe to Real Madrid

This one has been the world’s worst-kept secret for a long time. Several high-profile media outlets are already reporting this as a done deal, despite it not being officially announced.

Despite PSG’s attempts to retain him with lucrative offers, it seems time for the French forward to try his luck outside Ligue 1 and aim for UEFA Champions League glory. With Real Madrid’s impressive record of winning the European Cup 14 times, this could be an ideal destination for Mbappé. What’s more, the player has stated his childhood love of Los Blancos several times.

While he has not put pen to paper on a move to the Bernabeu just yet, and technically he could still be snapped up by the likes of Liverpool, it is considered a near certainty among fans and the press that the French superstar will be playing in white next season.

Mohamed Salah to the Saudi Pro League

Egyptian icon Mohamed Salah is a living legend in the Muslim world, which is why this story will not go away. The Saudis have reportedly been desperate to bring the Liverpool winger into the Saudi Pro League for some time. There was heavy speculation that he would take a hefty payday out there last summer but he decided to stay for what has turned out to be Jurgen Klopp’s last season in charge at Anfield.

After finishing off this campaign, he is almost certain to receive a monumental offer to go into glorified semi-retirement in Saudi Arabia and sail off into the sunset. A move to Al Nassr to reunite with former teammate Sadio Mane would make a lot of sense, but all of the PIF-adjacent clubs are likely to be in for him.

Victor Osimhen to Chelsea

Despite signing a new contract at Napoli earlier this season, the relationship between the Nigerian superstar and the club is clearly strained. After a disastrous season for the Serie A champions, Osimhen will surely be keeping one eye on the exit. There will be no shortage of suitors but with Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis driving a notoriously hard bargain, there will be few willing and able to put up a suitable transfer fee to acquire his services.

One man who is both willing and able to spend an abundance of money is Chelsea owner Todd Boehly. It has long been rumoured that the American will go big in the summer to bring Osimhen to Stamford Bridge. They’ve spent huge assembling a promising young squad and getting hold of a respected manager in Mauricio Pochettino. What they lack most is an out-and-out goalscoring striker. Osimhen could be the answer. It seems to be a match made in heaven.

Thiago Alcantara to Barcelona 

A potential move for Thiago Alcantara from Liverpool back to Barcelona not be as high-profile as it would have been years ago, but it still holds emotional significance.

Thiago’s run at Liverpool hasn’t been without glory, but it has also been hindered by one significant injury after the next. As his contract runs down at the end of the season, he will be looking to move to a league perhaps a little easier on the body than the Premier League.

A return to the Camp Nou, where he came through the youth system and played for several years before moving on to Bayern Munich and then Liverpool, would seemingly tick all the boxes.

Barcelona don’t have a lot of money to spend so it makes sense in that regard, and Thiago would likely enjoy being back in familiar surroundings, contributing to the rebuild of the club he loves, playing a style of football that shouldn’t take such a toll on his body. With his contract expiring at the end of this season and Barcelona operating on a budget, this reunion seems likely.

Piotr Zielinski to Inter Milan

Last but not least, another Napoli player on this list is expected to depart the Estadio Diego Armando Maradona this summer and that is Polish midfielder Piotr Zielinski. Several major outlets in Italy have reported that a deal is already in place for Zielinski to leave Napoli this summer and join Serie A champions-elect Inter Milan.

Inter under Simone Inzaghi doesn’t need much strengthening. They already seem to be head and shoulders above the rest, but the Pole could prove to be another very valuable member of the team. His contract expires at the end of the season and it is all but guaranteed that he will leave Napoli and Inter seem to be the destination.