The European transfer window opened on 1st July, which, as is usually the case, led to a flurry of transfer activity. It seems that some FM favourites could well be on the move this summer. Here are some of those players that could be moving this summer:
Arthur Theate
The defender played in three of Belgium’s four Euro2024 games before the Red Devils lost 1-0 to France in the competition’s last 16.
The 24-year-old is highly rated, but transfer expert Fabrizio Romano suggests he could be on the verge of a surprise €18m move from Nice to Saudi Arabian club Al Ittihad.
🚨🟡⚫️ Arthur Theate to Al Ittihad, here we go! Deal in place for €18m fee to Rennes, all done also on player side.
First move for new coach Pioli, smart signing for Ittihad as many clubs were keen including West Ham.
24 year old Belgium international also completed medical. pic.twitter.com/KQA2qwGGzK
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 3, 2024
Theate has been a favourite player of mine in recent FMs due to his quality and versatility. He can play centre-back or left-back and never lets the team down. The fact that he never quite reaches world-class status on FM24 maybe lets him down.
Ironically, Theate’s switch to Al Ittihad may make him available for a cheaper fee in FM25. However, his wages are likely to be an issue unless you manage one of European football’s elite clubs, and he may not be good enough for those particular clubs.
Tiago Almada
The mercurial Argentinian star has been a favourite of many FM players in recent editions of the game.
Almada, who is now 23, is set to move from MLS outfit Atlanta to Brazilian club Botafogo in a deal that could be worth around $30m with add-ons.
He is a player who used to be a bargain buy on FM. He was usually bought in for a small fee and performed brilliantly before being sold on at a significant profit.
Almada brought creativity, guile, and a genuine attacking threat to any team he played for. His goal and assist output were usually high.
The playmaker has a decent goalscoring record for Atlanta, scoring 24 goals in 81 games in all competitions. His goals and general performances led the Argentinian to win the MLS Young Player of the Year in 2023.
Almada’s transfer fee may or may not be changed for FM25. However, signing him in the new edition of the game may well be slightly easier, but not in the first season, as he won’t want to move due to the recency of his last transfer.
Khephren Thuram
The promising French midfielder is set to join Italian giants Juventus from Nice for a reported fee of around €20m plus add-ons. The Bianconeri have reportedly beaten the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United to Thuram’s signature.
The deal looks to be a bargain for the Turin team. The main reason for the relatively small fee is that Thuram’s contract expires in the summer of 2025.
Thuram is one of my favourite FM players of recent years. He is one of the first players I would look to sign when the team qualifies for Europe, and he is the French star.
Thuram’s move to Italy will make signing the midfielder on FM25 harder. The fee that Juventus will demand is likely to be more than Nice’s.
Jose Fontan
The Spanish defender has been a highly useful signing for me in FM24. He is a decent-quality, versatile player who would be great to bring into a mid-lower Premier League club.
The 24-year-old has completed a move to Portuguese club Arouca as a free agent. He could well prove to be a bargain for his new club and may well still prove to be a bargain in FM25.
Max Aarons
In previous editions of FM, the full-back, like Thuram, has been one of the first players I would look to sign at the beginning of every save, as he usually became a very good player.
However, when I used to sign him, it was before he joined Bournemouth from Norwich in the summer of 2023 for a fee of around £7m.
A BBC report claims Premier League new boys Southampton had a £6m bid turned down for the 24-year-old. However, the Saints could well return with an improved bid.
Joshua Zirkzee
The Dutch forward has been an FM wonderkid in the past. However, his career didn’t quite go as he expected after he came through the youth ranks at German giants Bayern Munich.
Zirkzee was prolific with Anderlecht in the Belgian top flight for two seasons. However, it was not until season 2023/24 that he really started to shine at Italian club Bologna, who he helped to qualify for the Champions League.
His 11 goals and four goals for the Rossoblu caught the attention of several European clubs. Premier League Manchester United have been linked with a £50m move for the former Bayern forward.
When managing Everton on FM24, Dominic Calvert-Lewin would usually leave in the summer of 2024. The England forward’s replacement was usually Zirkzee, who then shone and helped maintain the team’s momentum.
Are any of your favourite FM players on the move in the summer of 2025?
