The 10 best Serie A players Premier League clubs will target this summer: Osimhen to Man Utd, Barella to Liverpool…
Some of the best Serie A players are being linked with transfers to the Premier League ahead of the summer 2023 transfer window – and here are the ones you need to know about.
Last summer, some of the most high-profile signings Premier League clubs made from Serie A counterparts included Gianluca Scamacca to West Ham, Kalidou Koulibaly to Chelsea and Ivan Perisic to Tottenham.
Not all of those pieces of business have gone to plan, but Serie A could still be an attractive market to shop in for English clubs this year.
Here, we have picked out 10 of the best-performing players from the 2022-23 Serie A season who could be targeted for a Premier League transfer in the summer.
Victor Osimhen (Napoli)
Napoli are undoubtedly the club who will have the highest number of appealing players in their squad after how dominant they have been this season.
A third ever Serie A title – and first outside the Diego Maradona era – is on the horizon for Napoli. They have raced away from the competition this season, thanks in no small part to the impact of star striker, Victor Osimhen.
The Nigeria international is on course to finish the season as Serie A’s top scorer. At the time of writing, he has 21 goals from 26 league games to his name this term.
His form has alerted several elite clubs across Europe, but the Premier League looks like somewhere he is destined to end up.
In that regard, Osimhen has been tipped to provide the solution Man Utd have been searching for at centre-forward. After all, Erik ten Hag needs a new target man next season to replace Wout Weghorst – and what an upgrade Osimhen would be.
There have also been links with Chelsea and Arsenal. Thanks to his power and goalscoring ability, Osimhen could be an ideal target for any of those Premier League sides.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli)
While Osimhen has attracted much attention thanks to his goalscoring exploits, those casting glances at him wouldn’t have to turn their attention too far to find another attacker taking Serie A by storm.
Georgian winger Khvicha Kvarateskhelia has been a sensation since joining Napoli in the summer. He won the accolade of Serie A Player of the Month in August, February and March.
Hitting double figures for goals and assists in the league, Kvaratskhelia has become one of the most in-form players in the world. Consequently, Napoli might be bracing themselves for interest in his services.
TEAMtalk revealed in March that there is genuine interest in the 22-year-old from Manchester City and Newcastle. Other outlets have suggested he could earn a move to Liverpool or Man Utd.
Napoli might be rushed into improving Kvaratskhelia’s contract already, otherwise some powerful clubs could pounce.
Kim Min-jae (Napoli)
Similarly, Napoli have been reaping the rewards of signing Kim Min-jae to strengthen at centre-back for the current season.
Replacing the Chelsea-bound Koulibaly, Kim had big shoes to fill, but has made himself at home. The defender famously known as ‘the Monster’ has become a force to be reckoned with during his first season in one of Europe’s top five leagues.
However, there is a release clause in his contract that will allow clubs outside Italy to sign him during the first two weeks of July. Given his form, there could be a flurry of activity then unless Napoli have been able to modify his contract beforehand.
Like Osimhen at the other end of the pitch, Kim has caught the attention of Man Utd. Links with Man City and Tottenham have also been doing the rounds recently.
At the age of 26, Kim will want to be in the right place for the prime of his career, so some of the big hitters in English football will feel like making pitches.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Lazio)
Turning the attention away from Napoli, one of the most likely big moves in Serie A this summer might be for Sergej Milinkovic-Savic to finally leave Lazio.
The Serbian midfielder has been there since 2015, carving out a reputation as one of the league’s best players in his position thanks to his dynamic approach to all phases of the game.
It feels like Milinkovic-Savic has been tipped for a Premier League transfer for an eternity, but this year – given that his contract is due to expire in 2024 – he might actually make it a reality.
Whereas Man Utd were his main admirers historically, there have been more recent and frequent links with Arsenal ahead of the summer transfer window.
Due to the ages of their current options, the Gunners need some new energy in their midfield, despite it being one of their strongest areas this season. Milinkovic-Savic could tick plenty of boxes for them.
Lazio will drive a hard bargain for their prize asset still, but time may be running out for them. An ideal fit for English football, it wouldn’t be too surprising to see Milinkovic-Savic arrive in the Premier League.
Paulo Dybala (Roma)
Elsewhere in the Italian capital, it has been an impactful first season in Roma colours for ex-Juventus attacker, Paulo Dybala.
Comfortably his club’s leading goalscorer this season, the creative forward could leave them this summer due to a release clause in his contract allowing non-Italian clubs to prise him away for just €12m (around £10.5m).
Last summer, some clubs might have had doubts about signing Dybala because of his injuries, which have been a minor issue again this season. But Roma would certainly have no regrets about their decision to acquire him, since his impact has outweighed his absences.
And anyone who gets him for €12m should equally see it as a risk worth taking. That price is a bargain for a player evidently still in his prime – which is why Roma will be trying to remove the clause.
Until then, former suitors Man Utd seem to be back in the picture for his signing, while Champions League qualification hopefuls Newcastle have been linked as well.
Adrien Rabiot (Juventus)
Another one that got away for Man Utd, which has perhaps prompted a re-assessment, is Adrien Rabiot.
This time last year, including Rabiot in the conversation for the best players in Serie A would have been unthinkable. Therefore, when Man Utd tried to sign him, there was widespread confusion over what they had seen.
After Man Utd ended their pursuit, Rabiot has responded with his best season in Juventus colours. Some cynics may suggest he has just been upping his game to try and earn a good next contract, since he is due to become a free agent in the summer, but there is clearly something there to work with after all.
Still in the process of evolving their midfield, Man Utd are thinking about another attempt to snap up Rabiot, as TEAMtalk has already revealed. However, this time they won’t be alone in their interest.
Liverpool are preparing for an overhaul of players in Rabiot’s position and the Frenchman has been tipped to be part of their changing of the guard.
After moving on from Jude Bellingham because of the costs of the deal, signing Rabiot for free might be the kind of alternative Liverpool need.
Mike Maignan (AC Milan)
Rabiot’s resurgence at club level means he has retained prominence for the France national team, where fellow Serie A star Mike Maignan is also seeing his responsibility increase.
The AC Milan goalkeeper has taken over from Tottenham’s Hugo Lloris as his country’s number one. Coincidentally, there have been suggestions that the same could happen in the club game.
Indeed, Lloris is reaching the end of the road as Tottenham’s starting goalkeeper, despite having a year remaining on his contract, so Maignan has become a candidate to succeed him.
The 27-year-old, who was named Serie A’s Goalkeeper of the Year last season after winning the league with Milan, has also been the subject of fainter links with Man Utd amid some concerns about David de Gea.
But with De Gea due for a contract renewal, Tottenham could be a more serious option for Maignan – who kept two clean sheets against them in the Champions League this season.
The hardest part for Spurs might be to convince him they would represent a step up in his career. They will have a few other options to fall back on in case they cannot do that.
Rafael Leao (AC Milan)
Among the other key contributors to Milan’s success in Serie A last season – which as a unit they have struggled to carry over into this term, despite the efforts of some players – was Rafael Leao.
Indeed, the left winger was presented with the award for the league’s best player of the 2021-22 season. He has achieved a lot by the age of 23 and is an exciting talent who has plenty more positive chapters to write.
Leao has scored double figures of goals again in 2022-23, as he approaches the final year of his contract. Milan have been trying to renew his terms, but Premier League clubs have been watching on.
Most of the Premier League’s biggest teams like the look of Leao. Big spenders Chelsea and last season’s champions Man City have regularly been touted as potential landing spots for the 23-year-old.
For now, Leao seems happy at Milan, but a crucial juncture to determine his future at the club is looming. If he has to opt for a change of scenery, clubs will be queuing up from the Premier League, eager to take advantage of his exciting traits.
Nicolo Barella (Inter)
While Liverpool look at upgrading their midfield, one of their most desirable options could be Inter’s Nicolo Barella.
His box-to-box approach should suit the Premier League, while the fact that Inter will likely have to sacrifice some key players this summer in order to raise funds might lead to an ideal opportunity.
Under contract until 2026, Barella might not come cheap, but he could well be worth it. Now 26 years old, he is gearing up for the peak of his career.
He has the energy Liverpool need to revolutionise their engine room. Once again, though, there could be competition from elsewhere, such as Man Utd.
A move to Merseyside might make a bit more sense, that said. As far as Bellingham alternatives go, Barella could be just what Liverpool are looking for.
Rasmus Hojlund (Atalanta)
Finally, one of the breakout stars in Serie A this season has been Rasmus Hojlund.
The Atalanta striker is just 20 years old, but has been making a name for himself since joining his current club from Sturm Graz in July. He hit form by scoring in four consecutive appearances in January.
During the March international break, in another purple patch, Hojlund scored his first five international goals for Denmark, across just his third and fourth senior caps.
At club level, he is reportedly one of the main names on Man Utd’s aforementioned striker shortlist. Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle have all also been suggested as suitors.
Hojlund’s stock is clearly rising, so he will have to judge the next step of his career carefully. Perhaps in his case it will be best not to take a leap too soon, but anyone with his kind of potential will surely be looked at as a talent who could have a future in the Premier League.
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