Now the transfer market is really heating up. With the World Cup behind us, the market is revving its engines—it’s time to take center stage, and it’s no coincidence that domestic and international deals are already taking off. Negotiations are entering the thick of it, packed with new signings and contract renewals.
Modrić says yes to milan once again
We have to start with a global legend: Luka Modrić has given his final green light. He will renew with AC Milan for another year, with signatures coming soon after a long courtship that even involved Ruben Amorim.
The Portuguese manager called Luka directly, wanting him in his squad. But Modrić’s heart belongs to the Rossoneri, and that made all the difference. Even without Champions League football, he’s renewing under the exact same terms as a year ago and will sign through 2027.
It’s a total agreement. Meanwhile, Milan is working two parallel tracks in attack: finding the best landing spot for Rafa Leão’s exit, and pursuing Genk’s offensive wildcard Konstantinos Karetsas, who is high on their wishlist—though they face fierce competition from Borussia Dortmund.
Pep on Italy’s bench: a dream worth chasing
Italy’s international dream, however, leads straight to the National Team bench: Paolo Maldini and Leonardo flew to Barcelona to meet with Pep Guardiola. It’s an extremely difficult dream to pull off, but the Italian Federation’s leadership truly wants to push all-in on it.
Andrea Pirlo and Roberto Mancini remain in the running, but the Federation is holding out for Pep. It’s a deliberate choice: they’ve decided to court and wait on this dream, hoping it becomes reality. The ball is in Guardiola’s court, who is prioritizing his family but evaluating how and whether to proceed.
A busy Italy-England transfer axis
The transfer pipeline between Italy and England is buzzing once again. Antonio Silva won’t be joining Milan—he was never even close. Bournemouth has booked him and will finalize the deal with Benfica in the coming days.
Cristian “Cuti” Romero is destined to leave Tottenham, a story that is 100% over. Inter hasn’t given up hope on Cuti and contact remains ongoing; he’s a prime defensive target and negotiations aren’t finished. Barcelona is also in the mix, but his arrival at Camp Nou depends on at least one defensive exit first—creating a domino effect for the Blaugrana, while Inter tries to go all-in.
Speaking of defenders and Serie A-Premier League moves, keep an eye on John Stones. Offered multiple times to Inter and recently to Juventus as well, he’s now an idea for Chelsea, who are considering him to add veteran experience following an excellent World Cup performance. The former Man City man is currently available on a free transfer.
Dibu to Juve and Bastoni courted in Arabia
There is no deal in place yet for Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez to Juventus. Aston Villa won’t accept €6–7 million ($6.5–7.6M).
Juve will need to raise their offer substantially, or they’ll be forced to switch goalkeeper targets. Meanwhile, Al-Hilal isn’t actively pursuing Alessandro Bastoni—at least not yet—despite reports circulating in Italy.
And what about Alejandro Garnacho? He waited for Roma, but Aston Villa got serious: a loan with an obligation to buy in a blitz move that completely flipped the script for the Argentine winger.
It’s just one of many stories of waiting, hijackings, choices, and big dreams. Keep an eye out over the coming weeks—now that the World Cup is officially in the books, the transfer market is officially in full swing.
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Let us know in the comments below: Is Modrić making the right call staying with Milan through 2027, or should he have ended his career at the World Cup? And can you actually picture Pep Guardiola taking over the Azzurri bench?
