Bakayoko, Diego Costa and five transfers that could happen this week

5 Sep 2022 03:16 CDT
3 min read

Tiemoue Bakayoko, Milan, 2022/23 — © ProShots

The transfer window in Europe’s leading five leagues might be closed, but there remains possibilities for stranded stars to find new clubs in important leagues.

For those free agents, the equation is simple: they are allowed to sign for any team that makes them a suitable offer.

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Players tied to a contract, though, can still move to leagues where the transfer window is open. This most notably applies to Turkey, where the transfer window shuts on 8 September, and Belgium, where it ends on 6 September. There is also the possibility of going to Qatar or Saudi Arabia, where the transfer period does not close until later this month.

So which players could wind up here?

Tiemoue Bakayoko – Chelsea (on loan at Milan)

France international Bakayoko has lost the spark that made Chelsea pay big money for him from Monaco. He is presently in the midst of a two-year loan with Milan, but it’s not working out and a logical solution would be for everyone to cut their losses and allow him to leave.

Turkey is the type of destination where he may be able to reinvent himself away from the media glare, while clubs in the country would surely be willing to take a punt on a player who deserved earned France acclaim at one point in his career. He has just turned 28 and has plenty of mileage left in him.

Diego Costa – free agent

Former Chelsea and Atletico Madrid star Diego Costa could become the first major free agent to sign with a club in the Big 5 leagues following the close of the transfer window. Wolves are circling after suffering the nightmare scenario in which new signing Sasa Kalajdzic suffered a serious knee injury on debut.

Costa would offer a fine short-term solution for the Premier League side.

Diego Costa, Atletico Mineiro — © ProShots

Mauro Icardi – PSG

PSG have spent the summer trying to offload Icardi unsuccessfully. The Argentina striker has yet to earn any game time this season, and with Christophe Galtier preferring Pablo Sarabia as support to Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar, he is unlikely to see the field anytime soon unless he leaves.

Thankfully for him, the route to Turkey looks like one that is open to him, with Galatasaray reportedly open to a move.

Mauro Icardi and Wanda Icardi — © ProShots

Bouna Sarr – Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich have made it clear that they don’t count on Bouna Sarr, whose move to Bavaria came as a surprise when it was initially sanctioned in 2019. Bayern want to sell him, and according to Sky Deutschland, several clubs in Turkey want to sign him.

Caglar Soyuncu – Leicester

It would complete a miserable summer for Leicester if they were to lose Caglar Soyuncu before the transfer market in Turkey closes, but with the international centre-back on the radar of Galatasaray, there remains a very real chance a deal could be done.

Wesley Fofana recently left the Foxes for Chelsea, and they would start to look very thin at centre-back if the 26-year-old were to depart too.