Ten-striker transfer domino starts with Sesko to Newcastle and ends with Wissa via Isak to Liverpool
Every summer, the likes of Fabrizio Romano, Florian Plettenberg and Gianluca Di Marzio declare that one transfer could trigger a ‘domino effect’. It never does. And yet, we delude ourselves into thinking it might.
But…this summer, it just might.
The potential domino effect doesn’t simply surround signing replacements, but also raising the funds to go out and sign a top target. That’s a strong factor this summer, anyway.
With everything taken into account, we’ve predicted what will happen in the striker market before the 2025 summer transfer window closes. Here are ten different dominos set to fall this month.
10) Benjamin Sesko to Newcastle United
There’s only one deal that can truly get the ball rolling, and that’s Sesko to Newcastle United.
The RB Leipzig and Slovenia striker was under consideration at Arsenal before they swerved toward the Viktor Gyokeres lane, going all in on signing him after deeming Leipzig’s demands for Sesko too steep.
It’s reported that the Bundesliga club want a guaranteed £65million, some add-ons, and a percentage of a future sale.
Newcastle thought they’d have an opening bid worth £65m + £4m in add-ons accepted, but David Ornstein says it has been deemed ‘insufficient’ over in Germany. The add-ons weren’t enough, or maybe it was the lack of a future fee guarantee – we’re not entirely sure.
Either way, the Magpies need to return with another offer, or Manchester United could swoop in. They have no intention of selling Alexander Isak before having a replacement sorted, so unless Liverpool cough up £150m over the next few days, we can’t see that transfer being the one that triggers the domino.
The Red Devils are still in the picture but haven’t made a bid for Sesko…yet. If they get an indication that the 22-year-old prefers them to Newcastle, they’ll probably sign him. They need to sell but could get Sesko and work that out later, with Alejandro Garnacho, Antony and Jadon Sancho all available for transfer.
In an ideal world for Sir Jim Ratcliffe, they’ll bring in around £100m and significantly reduce the wage bill in the process.
9) Alexander Isak to Liverpool
Assuming Sesko to Newcastle is the first domino to fall, the door will be firmly open for Isak to complete a dream move to Anfield.
The Premier League champions remain in a strong financial position despite already spending £263m. They’ve been sensible enough in the transfer market over the years to enable such an expensive outlay, and recently sold Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich for £65m and Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen for £35m.
Newcastle signing Sesko doesn’t completely force their hand when it comes to selling Isak either; they’ve always wanted to sign another striker this summer and are still working on a deal to sign Brentford’s Yoane Wissa.
Isak didn’t travel to Asia for the Magpies’ pre-season tour and has burned some bridges with the club’s fanbase through his attempts to force a move to Liverpool. Many don’t want to see him don the black and white stripes again, while others accept the situation and would do anything for their elite centre-forward to stay ahead of a Champions League campaign.
That’s extremely unlikely, and Isak’s move to Liverpool feels like a case of when, not if.
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8) Darwin Nunez to Al-Hilal
Liverpool want to sell Nunez no matter what. Clubs in Italy have been strongly linked throughout the summer, but it looks like Captain Chaos is off to the Middle East.
You can put this transfer second or third on this ranking. If he’s sold before Isak is signed, then the Reds are even more equipped to pay a British record fee. If Isak is signed first, the Reds’ stance on Nunez doesn’t change: he’s still set for the exit door.
We’ll miss Nunez and his unpredictable nature, but a summer transfer is the right thing for everyone. It remains to be seen if he’s fully on board with a switch to Saudi, but he knows there’s no place for him in Arne Slot’s squad anymore – especially if Isak joins.
7) Ollie Watkins to Manchester United
United have narrowed down their striker shortlist to two completely different players: Watkins and Sesko. The former loves getting in behind and does most of his business in and around the 18-yard box, while Sesko drops deep and takes long-range shots.
Is that what United need? Not really. Is that what United have prioritised over the experienced Watkins? Of course it is.
If Sesko joins Newcastle, United – assuming Ruben Amorim has any say in striker recruitment – will surely turn their attention to Watkins. And at 29, there are reservations over Watkins’ resale value. United really shouldn’t care about that. When was the last time they sold someone for a profit? Not counting academy players, it was Alvaro Carreras, and they still managed to mess that up spectacularly.
Just forget about that and get an outstanding centre-forward through the bloody door.
Missing out on Sesko will surely reignite United’s interest in the Aston Villa star, and despite being reluctant to lose him, Unai Emery’s side should sanction a sale for £40-50m. And if he joins the Red Devils, they’ll be even more desperate to offload their unwanted players.
READ MORE: Five strikers older than Ollie Watkins who thrived at Man Utd…
6) Alejandro Garnacho to Chelsea
One of those unwanted players is Garnacho, who Chelsea want to sign because Chelsea want to sign all of the players.
Does paying £50m for the 21-year-old make sense when Tyrique George is Right There? And £50m has already been spent on Jamie Gittens this summer? Oh, and Mykhaylo Mudryk exists even without a shirt number. He’s suspended but is still there and could return tomorrow, in two months, or four years. Nobody knows.
Simply put, Chelsea don’t need Garnacho.
The overriding point is that Chelsea will always be Chelsea, and their unrelenting desire to sign players means they’re convinced Garnacho can become one of the best wingers in the world. Just as they were with Mudryk, Noni Madueke, Estevao and Angelo. They are deluded, but integral to the transfer domino, with interest in Garnacho completely separate from their Xavi Simons pursuit.
5) Christopher Nkunku to Manchester United
The Blues’ transfer addiction means players who don’t do very, very well are on the chopping block. It’s a revolving door at Stamford Bridge. Their next signing will be their 50th over the last four years. Manchester United, who are chronically addicted to trying to make things right in the transfer window, bought Ander Herrera 49 signings ago.
Nkunku has been expected to leave Chelsea for a while, but he’s still at the club and still played in this summer’s Club World Cup, scoring once. Efforts to offload the Frenchman will ramp up when Simons or Garnacho are signed, and we can see him following Watkins to Old Trafford.
Swap deals almost never happen, and PSR means they’re a bad idea, so the Garnacho and Nkunku deals will be separate. And the latter’s move to United will open the door for another Old Trafford exit…
4) Rasmus Hojlund to Juventus
“I think my plan is very clear and that is for me to stay at Manchester United. I want to fight for my spot whatever happens,” said Hojlund last week. But the transfer domino effect has spoken.
Leipzig are interested in making Hojlund part of the Sesko deal, and the Dane is also an option for AC Milan, while Juventus have been linked and want a striker as well.
Having done well for Atalanta in Serie A, Hojlund could open the door for a return, and it doesn’t come much bigger than Juve in Italy.
3) Dusan Vlahovic to AC Milan
And if Juventus sign Hojlund, there’s no doubt that Vlahovic will move on. The Old Lady are reportedly keen to offload the former Arsenal target and are also working on a deal for Randal Kolo Muani, who is tangentially involved in the domino.
But Hojlund’s move, coupled with Nunez going to Al-Hilal, means Milan’s striker shortlist will be down to Stade Rennais’ Arnaud Kalimuendo and Vlahovic. For pure convenience, we’re saying the Juve man makes the move to San Siro.
2) Arnaud Kalimuendo to Brentford
It’s awfully convenient, as it opens the door for Brentford to sign Kalimuendo from Rennes.
The Bees have been linked with the Frenchman and Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard, but the former is a natural centre-forward and exactly what they need as Wissa does everything in his power to leave.
Wissa is refusing to train and will leave Brentford under acrimonious circumstances, having been promised a £26m transfer this summer after pledging his future to the club last year. After losing Man United signing Bryan Mbeumo, Brentford’s stance changed, and Wissa is very, very upset.
Clearly having some level of understanding and sympathy for a player who scored 19 Premier League goals last season, Brentford aren’t sitting still and have identified Kalimuendo as a potential signing. He won’t come cheap, but Keith Andrews needs some real quality in his team after selling Mbeumo and Christian Nørgaard.
1) Yoane Wissa to Newcastle
The transfer domino starts and finishes at St James’ Park, as Wissa finally finds his way to the northeast after Brentford sign Milan target Kalimuendo from Rennes.
Poor Aston Villa are left in the dust without a Watkins replacement because ten is the magic number. An honourable mention for Kolo Muani here will suffice.
As mentioned before, the plan has always been for Eddie Howe to receive a new striker to play with Isak, and that could happen with Wissa or Sesko joining and their star player staying, or with Wissa playing alongside Sesko in 2025/26.
Despite all the aggro surrounding Wissa’s situation, we think he’ll get his Magpies move. Whether it comes after these nine deals remains to be seen, but the timeline is absolutely spot on. Bring it on, we say.
READ NEXT: Yoane Wissa deserves our sympathy…but not as much as poor Brentford fans
