Five big players who have asked to leave this summer
Carlo Garganese
- Updated: 24 Jul 2022 13:07 BST
- 3 min read
There is just over five weeks to go in the summer transfer window, meaning clubs and players need to start getting a move on before the market closes for another four months.
Every summer there are always players who ask to leave their clubs, and this summer is no different.
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Here are five big-name players who have requested a transfer this year.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo’s situation at Man Utd is now bordering on the farcical as he has still not joined up with the squad during their pre-season tour.
Officially this is due to family reasons, although it is also public knowledge by now that Ronaldo has requested to leave the club.
Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes has been talking to numerous European clubs - namely Chelsea, Bayern Munich, PSG, Atletico Madrid and Roma - trying to find a suitor.
But currently no team is prepared to make a concrete move.
Gini Wijnaldum
Last summer, one of the biggest controversies of the window was PSG’s hijacking of Barcelona’s free transfer move for Gini Wijnaldum, who had run down his contract at Liverpool.
PSG must have wished they didn’t bother as Wijnaldum has been a disaster in Paris.
He soon lost his place in the team and fell well down the pecking order to the extent Wijnaldum has requested to leave this summer.
Roma are currently in talks with the midfielder.
Arthur Melo
Arthur Melo has endured two frustrating years in Turin since his controversial swap deal in 2020 which saw Miralem Pjanic move the other way to Barcelona.
He has struggled for form and fitness for much of his time in Turin but, most of all, he is not appreciated by coach Max Allegri.
This led to Arthur requesting his agent to find him a new club.
SportItalia journalist Rudy Galletti reported on Wednesday that Arsenal are set to make a bid for Arthur, having failed to sign him in January.
Bernardo Silva
Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola confirmed last year that Bernardo Silva had asked to leave the club and that they would satisfy his request if the right offer was forthcoming.
That offer was never forthcoming, and Silva remained to enjoy another brilliant season.
Silva would still like to leave City and join his dream club Barcelona.
However, it is doubtful whether Barca can find the money to sign him this summer. They would likely need to sell Frenkie de Jong first.
William Saliba
William Saliba has returned to Arsenal this summer after a string of loan spells.
But there is no guarantee that he will remain at the club.
It has been widely reported that Saliba has asked to leave, certainly if he cannot be guaranteed first-team football.
Saliba’s relationship with manager Mikel Arteta has also been difficult over the years, while the player himself has stated that he would like to play for Marseille permanently after being on loan there last season.
Read more about: Man Utd, Cristiano Ronaldo
