Summer 2025 transfer preview: Wirtz to Liverpool, Cunha to United & more blockbuster moves incoming | OneFootball

We haven’t even completed the 2024/25 season yet, but we’ve already seen various big-name stars such as Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jonathan Tah complete transfers to new clubs.

With all signs pointing to this summer being full of seismic transactions in the football world, we look at five potential transfers that could be completed this summer.

Liam Delap to Chelsea

It has been a sensational week for Chelsea. They defeated Nottingham Forest 1-0 to secure a top-four finish and qualification for the Champions League last weekend.

They subsequently prevailed with a 4-1 victory over Real Betis in the Europa Conference League final in midweek.

Back in the winners’ circle and back in Europe’s premier competition for the first time in three years, Chelsea will have even more clout to retool their squad this summer.

They may already have tied up their first signing of the window in Liam Delap.

Delap cut his teeth on loan at Championship clubs Stoke City, Preston North End and Hull City before joining Ipswich Town, who were returning to the top-flight after 22 years.

While he wasn’t able to keep the Tractor Boys afloat in the Premier League, he emerged as one of the breakout stars of the season with 12 goals. He now looks set to battle Nicolas Jackson for the striker position at Chelsea.

Capable of holding up defenders with his back to goal, making cunning runs in behind the backline, and testing the goalkeeper with a powerful strike, Delap has attracted the interest of several Premier League clubs.

However, it seems that Chelsea’s recent success may have given them the upper hand in the race to sign him for his £30 million release clause.

Alvaro Carreras to Real Madrid

Real Madrid have wasted no time in shaking things up after a dismal season. Manager Carlo Ancelotti has departed and been replaced by Xabi Alonso.

Luka Modric, Jesus Vallejo and Lucas Vazquez will depart the club upon the expiry of their contracts, while defenders Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold have been signed.

Los Blancos look set to take their spending over the €100 million mark with the incoming arrival of Alvaro Carreras, who will sign a five-year deal.

Carreras played at Madrid’s academy between 2017 and 2020 before joining Manchester United. After failing to make the grade, he joined Benfica/

He has become a balanced left-back who is undaunted in 1v1 situations and provides a consistent source of chance creation through his crossing.

Carreras has everything it takes to follow in the footsteps of Marcelo and Roberto Carlos and become a star at Madrid.

Matheus Cunha to Manchester United

Man United fans will be hoping to turn the page on a catastrophic 2024/25 season that saw them go trophyless and finish 15th in the Premier League table.

With no European football for next season, United’s finances will take a hit, but that hasn’t stopped them from reportedly triggering the £62.5m release clause of Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha.

The Brazilain made the move to Europe in 2017 and bounced around from Sion to Leipzig to Hertha Berlin to Atletico Madrid before eventually joining Wolves in January 2023.

He has since emerged as the club’s attacking talisman with 33 goals and 15 assists in 92 appearances.

Cunha has the physique and velocity to drive his team forward, skipping past opponents and leading the charge on the counter-attack.

It remains to be seen where Ruben Amorim will utilise Cunha. He could be unleashed as the centre forward ahead of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee.

However, with Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes linked with summer exits, he could also make an impact as a left-sided winger or number ten.

One thing is for sure, though – he has everything to be an indispensable figure in attack for the Red Devils.

Florian Wirtz to Liverpool

Having developed in Cologne’s academy, Wirtz joined Bayer Leverkusen in 2020. He subsequently became the youngest goalscorer in Bundesliga history.

However, his path to the top was thrown into jeopardy after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in March 2022.

Wirtz spent 10 months away from football before returning with a vengeance, steering Leverkusen to an unbeaten domestic double and being voted the Bundesliga Player of the 2023/24 Season.

Having tallied 18 goals and 20 assists in 49 appearances in 2023/24, Wirtz followed that up with 16 goals and 15 assists in 45 appearances last season.

Bayern Munich and Manchester City expressed an interest in Wirtz, but Liverpool’s club-record bid of €130 million seems to have tipped the race in their favour.

After Tah and Alonso, it’s only a matter of time before Wirtz becomes the next big name to depart the BayArena, and he could be set to reunite with Leverkusen teammate Jeremie Frimpong.

Martin Zubimendi to Arsenal

One year after signing Mikel Merino, Arsenal are set to add yet another central midfielder from Real Sociedad, with Martin Zubimendi linked with the club.

Despite heavy interest from Madrid, the Gunners have moved quickly to secure one of Spanish football’s top talents.

The San Sebastian native has spent the past 14 years attached to his boyhood club and even snubbed Liverpool to remain with Sociedad in 2024.

A multifaceted deep-lying playmaker, Zubiemndi is adept at orchestrating possession from deep areas, breaking the lines with ease and delivering accurate through balls.

He also has the positional awareness to block off passing lanes, jostle his opponent for the ball, and make brilliantly timed interventions to win back possession.

Zubimendi is well-equipped to become a vital cog and replace Jorginho and Thomas Partey as their new defensive midfield anchor.

It is no wonder that Mikel Arteta and new sporting director Andrea Berta have identified the 26-year-old as the ideal building block to kick-start their summer transfer business.