ES Ben Aknoun Overview

The transfer soap opera involving Julian Alvarez, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid has entered a decisive phase as the Catalan giants wait for the player to force his exit. Barcelona president Joan Laporta has made it clear that the club's massive offer will not stay on the table forever as they look to finalise their squad for the upcoming campaign.

With the World Cup over and pre-season friendlies beginning in earnest over the next week, it feels like the new club season is hurtling towards us at a rather alarming rate. With that in mind, managers are getting increasingly twitchy when it comes to transfers, with coaches around Europe keen to know which players they will and won't be able to call upon over the coming weeks and months.