As the La Liga football cycle prepares to enter another cycle, teams are in heavy preparation behind the scenes to get a head start on the tasks for the 2024/25 season.
The LaLiga Transfer Window 2024 opens on July 1, with one of the most-anticipated moves of all time set to go through. Kylian Mbappe is gearing up to join Real Madrid upon the expiration of his Paris Saint-Germain deal – a move that has been in the works for almost two years.
However, Los Blancos aren’t the only club who have their sights set on the next season. Despite their financial struggles, Barcelona are expected to make some moves too, while Atletico Madrid will look to close the gap between their two big rivals next season.
Elsewhere, clubs like Girona, Real Sociedad and Athletic Club will look to hold onto their top performers after the trio finished in respectable positions in the table in the 2023/24 season.
Having said that, here is a comprehensive analysis of five players who could leave or join in the LaLiga Transfer Window 2024.
Rodrygo
Real Madrid winger Rodrygo is coming off a rather slow season at club level and will look to impress with Brazil at Copa America 2024. He joined the capital club in 2018 in a €45 million deal from Santos, stayed for a year on loan and then moved to Spain a year later in 2019 and signed until 2025.
Since joining, the 23-year-old has already made 216 appearances, scoring 54 goals and providing 41 assists across competitions. He made 51 appearances in the 2023/24 campaign and scored 17 goals along with nine assists. However, with Mbappe set to come in, Rodrygo’s playing time could take a nosedive and he will look to be a starter.
Potential Clubs
Manchester City, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain.
Impact if he leaves
Not only with Real Madrid lose a quality player, they will also lose one of their more experienced heads despite his young age. Rodrygo has scored clutch goals for his club and would be an incredible asset for any club he joins, with Premier League clubs keeping an eye on the situation.
Giorgi Mamardashvili
Mamardashvili is currently having a dream tournament at Euro 2024 as Georgia has made it to the round of 16 in their first-ever major tournament.
He joined Valencia in 2021 on an initial one-year loan deal from Locomotive Tbilisi and was assigned to the reserve team. However, he impressed then-manager Jose Bordalas during pre-season and earned himself a starting spot for the first La Liga game. His deal was made permanent in December 2021, with a contract until 2024 with an option to extend for a year.
Mamardashvili had a good individual season for Valencia in 2023/24 despite the club finishing 9th with 49 points. He played 37 games and conceded 41 goals, keeping clean sheets in 13 games as he grabbed fourth spot on the list of clean sheets for the season. He has now backed that up with incredible performances against Portugal and Czech Republic in the Euros.
Potential Clubs
FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Manchester City.
Impact if he leaves
Aged just 23 and widely considered as one of the most talented goalkeepers in LaLiga, several clubs from all over Europe will be keen on acquiring him. It would be a big loss for Valencia, but seems inevitable given their need to raise funds.
Nico Williams
The Athletic Club winger is enjoying a groundbreaking Euro 2024 with Spain, lighting up the left flank with his pace and directness. Having come through the youth ranks at his current club, before making his senior debut in 2021 aged just 18.
Williams has amassed 122 appearances for Athletic Club since 2021, scoring 20 goals and also providing 26 assists. He had his best season in red & white so far, putting up eight goals and a remarkable 19 assists in 37 appearances across competitions in 2023/24. Williams has also impressed for Spain against Croatia and Italy at the Euros.
Potential Clubs
Arsenal, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, AC Milan.
Impact if he leaves
Nico Williams has long been linked with a move to Arsenal as the Gunners amp up their search for a natural left winger. However, considering he is one of the highest paid players at Bilbao, the Gunners might have to cough up a hefty sum to sign him.
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Mikel Merino
Real Sociedad midfield general Merino is coming off a decent season for his club and has also played well for Spain against Croatia and Albania in the Euros. He joined Sociedad from Borussia Dortmund for a reported fee of €12 million in 2018 and signed a five-year deal, renewing it until 2025 in 2020.
A veteran in his own regard, Merino has made 242 appearances for Real Sociedad across competitions, scoring 27 goals and providing 30 assists. He had a rather productive 2023/24 campaign, making 45 appearances, scoring eight goals, and providing five assists. This has brought the 28-year-old onto several clubs’ radars.
Potential Clubs
Arsenal, Bayern Munich.
Impact if he leaves
His partnership with Martin Zubimendi in Sociedad’s midfield makes him one of the best midfield duos in La Liga. Mikel Merino is highly rated by his namesake and Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, who is reportedly very keen on bringing him to the Emirates Stadium.
Artem Dovbyk
The Girona striker had an impressive season as he won the Pichichi award, or the Golden Boot, having finished as the top scorer in La Liga for 2023/24. However, he faced a heart-breaking exit from Euro 2024 with Ukraine despite the team earning four points.
The 27-year-old joined Girona in August 2023 and has endeared himself to the club’s fans in under 12 months with his incredible campaign. Artem Dovbyk has made 41 appearances for Girona so far, scoring 25 goals and also providing an impressive 10 assists across competitions.
Potential Clubs
Juventus, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain.
Impact if he leaves
His departure would leave a gaping hole in Girona’s attack as they will have to search for a player who can contribute towards 35-odd goals. However, they will look for a handsome fee in exchange for the Ukrainian marksman.
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