Who will join the €100m club next? Alexander Isak, Rodrygo & the nine stars set to demand crazy transfer fees in 2025 - ranked

In the winter transfer window, Tottenham reportedly contacted Southampton over a potential deal for Tyler Dibling, and were told the midfielder would not be sold for anything less than £100m ($137m). How much truth there was in that claim only the two clubs will know, but the mere notion of Dibling being worth a nine-figure fee at this stage of his career is, quite frankly, ridiculous.

That's not to say that the 19-year-old isn't a brilliant prospect. Dibling was perhaps the only bright spark in Southampton's miserable 2024-25 campaign, which ended in relegation, standing out most in a draw with Brighton and home and away defeats to Manchester United - who have also been strongly linked with the England U21 international.

"I heard rumours of Manchester United being ready to submit a £21m ($29m) bid for Tyler Dibling," former Saints boss Russell Martin said in December. "I’m not sure they’d get his left foot for that." Martin uttered those words with a completely straight face, but Southampton have since lost that kind of bargaining power. Dibling offers could flood in when the summer window reopens, and the club would be wise to significantly drop their valuation if they want a much-needed financial boost in the Championship.

Chelsea and Newcastle have both reportedly shown an interest in signing Benfica striker Vangelis Pavlidis, who enjoyed a dream debut campaign at the Estadio da Luz. Signed for just €18m (£15m/$21m) from AZ Alkmaar, the Greece international scored 29 goals in 53 appearances across all competitions in 2024-25, with seven of those coming in the Champions League as Benfica enjoyed a run through to the round of 16.

Pavlidis is also impressing at the Club World Cup, and the 26-year-old's stock will go through the roof if he inspires Benfica to victory over Chelsea in the first knockout stage. The problem is, any suitors will have to trigger Pavlidis' €100m release clause to prise him away from the Portuguese club, who have made it clear they are not open to negotiating a cut-price deal.

There is no question that Pavlidis is a natural goalscorer and an impressive link-man, but he's yet to play in one of Europe's major leagues, and it remains to be seen if any of the elite clubs are willing to take such a big gamble on the Greek ace.

Last season was a breakout one for Porto's Rodrigo Mora: the 18-year-old attacking midfielder who has been mooted as a potential target for PSG, Man Utd and Arsenal. Mora signed a new contract at the Estadio Do Dragao in May, which reportedly includes a €100m release clause, but unlike in the case of Pavlidis, that is unlikely to put off interested parties.

The Portuguese playmaker has already nailed down a starting role at Porto, and still has so much potential to unlock. "He sees the game like no one I’ve ever coached," former Porto U15s coach, Nuno Pimentel, told The Guardian when assessing Mora's rapid development. "He’s always one step ahead. Then, he combines it all with a very high level of technical skill."

That much was evident in Porto's final nine league games, as Mora plundered seven goals, including a brace in a 2-1 victory over Familicao. The teenager is equally as capable of deciding games himself as he is of dictating them, and now may be the best time for Europe's big boys to swoop, because his value is only going to increase if he stays on his current trajectory.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal are also interested in PSG winger Bradley Barcola, but face stiff competition from Chelsea and Bayern Munich. PSG are eager to tie Barcola down to fresh terms, but his head could be turned amid fierce competition for places in attack alongside Desire Doue and January signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Barcola played a key role in PSG's treble success last term with 40 goal involvements across all competitions, but found himself in and out of Luis Enrique's starting XI towards the end of the campaign. As such, it has been suggested that a bid in the region of €100m could persuade PSG to facilitate the 22-year-old's departure.

It won't be a surprise if such an offer does come in, because Barcola's versatility makes him a very unique asset. The France international can play anywhere across the frontline without any dip in end product, and it would be a huge waste of his abilities if he is reduced to just a backup player at the Parc des Princes next term.

According to The Athletic's David Ornstein, it would take a £150m ($206m) offer "just to start a conversation" with Newcastle over the potential sale of Alexander Isak this summer. The Swedish frontman, who still has three years left on his contract, has become the leading figure in the club's ambitious Saudi-backed project, and they have no desire to let him depart.

Liverpool are said to be ready to test Newcastle's resolve, though, and they're one of the few clubs that could pull off a mega deal. Despite the signings of Leverkusen duo Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong, and the imminent arrival of Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth, Liverpool are still within the FFP limit, and a new striker is their next priority, with Darwin Nunez expected to depart for Napoli.

Arsenal have also been tipped to move for Isak amid Mikel Arteta's search for a proper No.9, and it's possible that the top two Premier League clubs could be drawn into a bidding war. The money involved would be obscene, but Isak is as close to a sure thing as you can get. The 25-year-old guarantees goals and is capable of bringing a new dimension to both Liverpool and Arsenal's frontline with his quick feet and intelligent movement.

Whoever wins this race, wins the Premier League title next season, it's as simple as that.

Rodrygo is probably one of the most underrated players in Real Madrid's entire history. The Brazilian forward has racked up a combined total of 109 goals and assists since moving to Santiago Bernabeu from Santos in 2019, getting his hands on three La Liga titles and two Champions League crowns along the way.

But he has never received the same acclaim as his compatriot Vinicius Junior, or indeed more recent signings such as Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe. Rodygo has reportedly struggled to accept that, and whether consciously or not, his influence on the team has dwindled in recent months.

Carlo Ancelotti stopped starting Rodrygo towards the end of his reign, and his situation hasn't improved at the Club World Cup under Xabi Alonso, with Arda Guler and Brahim Diaz now preferred on the right wing. Reports in Spain suggest Real could let Rodrygo go this summer, and have placed a €100m price tag on the 24-year-old amid interest from Arsenal, Man City and Bayern Munich.

Fabrizio Romano has even claimed Rodrygo is Arsenal's "dream target", with it possible he could be deployed in his favoured role on the left flank ahead of Gabriel Martinelli. In terms of experience on the biggest stage, Rodrygo is certainly an upgrade on his Brazil team-mate, but the Gunners will have to move quickly to beat their rivals to his signature.

Viktor Gyokeres will leave Sporting CP this summer, that much seems certain. The Sweden international has reportedly accused the Portuguese champions of breaking their 'promise' to sell him for €70m (£60m/$82m) this summer and gone on strike, with the club now holding out for a fee much closer to his release clause of €100m.

In the end, that clause may even have to be triggered to get Gyokeres out amid "blackmail" allegations levelled at his agent. Arsenal and Man Utd are said to be the two clubs pushing hardest to sign the 27-year-old, who has previously starred in English football at Coventry, Swansea and Brighton, and it feels inevitable that one of them will bite the bullet to get the deal over the line.

Gyokeres scored 54 goals for Sporting last term, including six in eight Champions League appearances, and is ready for the step up to the big time. The latest reports suggest Gyokeres is leaning towards a reunion with ex-Sporting boss Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford, and if he can replicate his scintillating form for the Lions in the Premier League, €100m will be a small price to pay as United aim to climb back towards the top end of the table.

According to The Telegraph, RB Leizpig's Benjamin Sesko is Arsenal's 'preferred' option to bolster their ranks upfront. The 22-year-old is much younger than Gyokeres and Osimhen, and he is more of a target man who excels in the air, making him the ideal fit for the Gunners with Arteta's increased focus on set-pieces.

Sport BILD has even claimed Sesko has already agreed to personal terms with Arsenal as he seeks to take the next step in his fledgling career after two impressive years at Leipzig. The Slovenia international has racked up 39 goals for the German club in that time, but they could only finish seventh in the Bundesliga last term, and the loss of Champions League football has put them in a difficult position.

By selling Sesko, they can relieve some financial pressure. BILD claims Leipzig will let their prized jewel go for around €100m, with Arsenal having indicated that they would be willing to meet their demands. This deal is a risk given Sesko's lack of experience, but it represents a calculated one for Arsenal when you factor in that he could potentially be the key to closing the gap on Liverpool.

Based on demand, it would be a surprise if Hugo Ekitike is not the next man to join the €100m club. Barcelona, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Newcastle and Aston Villa have all been linked with the Eintracht Frankfurt sharpshooter in recent months, with the 23-year-old now considered to be worth six times more than the €17m (£14.5m/$20m) fee PSG sold him for last summer.

The Athletic reports that Frankfurt will not budge on their asking price for Eiktike after seeing him register 34 goal contributions across all competitions in 2024-25. The Frenchman really started to flourish after Omar Marmoush's January move to Man City, and finished the campaign with more touches in the opposition box (200) and more carries into it (50+) than any other player in Europe's top five leagues.

Ekitike has been compared to Thierry Henry, which is obviously premature, but he does possess a similar elegance on the ball and is extremely difficult to stop when he cuts inside. The 23-year-old is so much more than just a goalscorer; he can wreak havoc on his opponents in a variety of different ways, and that's why he has such a long line of suitors.

PSG couldn't bring the best out of Ekitike, but he's matured a lot in Germany, and he has all the necessary attributes to shine in La Liga or the Premier League.