With the transfer window closed, how come these guys haven’t moved at all?

THE summer transfer window has been closed for a while now and while everyone talks about new additions like Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City on deadline day, or Youri Tielemans to Man United, or Rodri to Barcelona, it’s also surprising that some names haven’t been sung by Fabrizio across all that time despite their situations hanging in the air or clearly just not there. We expected them to have “exodused” from their respective working stations, but they either persisted or their clubs shut the door when it came to receiving any offers for them. With me is a shortlist of some major names we expected to go to greener grass but haven’t moved an inch;

Joshua Zirkzee (Manchester United)

The former Bayern Munich rising star and current Dutch international seems to see an opportunity for him to convince Michael Carrick at Carrington (no pun intended). He joined from Bologna in 2024 for 42.5 million Euros, featuring in only 75 games across all competitions, scoring 9 goals and providing 4 assists in that stretch.

For starters, most believed he needed to stay a bit longer at Bologna, considering that was his first taste of proper minutes in one of Europe’s top five leagues. He was actually doing well for them despite the numbers not directly reflecting how good he was, but those who watched him saw a guy who was reviving himself after seeing the bench more at Bayern.

His name was on multiple clubs’ radars, including Juventus and, particularly, Everton on deadline day, who were seeking depth after only having Thierno Barry as their lone striker for the season after Beto moved to Fiorentina, as they replaced Moise Kean, who went to Como. However, Man United declared him not for sale and currently, it looks like Michael Carrick prefers Slovenian Benjamin Sesko over him.

In his defence, maybe he sees an opportunity to play, considering they sent out youngster Chido Obi Martin on loan to the Eredivisie, which is the top flight in the Netherlands, which, you guessed it, is where Zirkzee started his playing career in the lower ranks. This now leaves him and Sesko as the main number 9 options in the team, perhaps the FA and Carabao cup competitions should bolster his minutes this season and more effort on the training ground will decide if he even gets those minutes.

Federico Chiesa (Liverpool)

A few weeks back I composed an article talking about how Italian football came crashing down after their 2006 triumph. In it, I also talked about their Euro 2020 campaign, which was just a purple patch in their diminished prestige and the man behind most of the success was this gentleman right here, Federico Chiesa.

Football TikTok addicts will remember him. After his time at Juventus came to a sad close in 2024, he joined Liverpool with hopes to sharpen a team with already enough talent from the likes of Mo Salah at the time. And we expected him to do so at a time when the Egyptian king’s future was in the air due to contract talks.

He did pull his weight; however, the injuries that haunted his time in Turin, followed him to Merseyside as well. As I write this, he is recovering from a muscle injury or will have already recovered when published. His endless physio trips have even led to him being excluded from Liverpool’s Champions League team sheet completely.

At his peak, the talent is undeniably there, even Liverpool fans can testify. But his overall fitness has been a major concern for him. This summer, he has stressed that he will continue fighting for his place in the team and we hope he does really because the Reds haven’t replaced Salah at all despite hijacking Victor Munoz who was destined for St James’ Park from Mallorca.

Honestly, if the fitness is there for him, I see a guaranteed starting spot for him in Andoni Iraola’s team as far as the wing department is concerned.

Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray)

This has surprised even me. Now before you start getting hectic and trust me, it’s baffling to me as well. The “Super Eagles” talisman has sincerely flourished in the Turkish league, winning the league twice and the Turkish Cup once in the two seasons, he’s been around with Galatasaray.

Previously, he was tearing teams up in the Serie A with Napoli alongside Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. He ended up in Istanbul mainly due to contract talks failing and at the time, he had a lot of offers, notably from Chelsea and Man United.

Despite him tearing up the Turkish league, no offers have come in for him as far as this window is concerned. Looks like he enjoys the wages there, and for a striker like him, why not give the man what he wants if his output is well-deserved of the salary he demands? I hope to see him back in the big leagues again, maybe not the Serie A, because he left Napoli with tension, not only due to contract talks, but also some racist activity executed by the club, when their TikTok operator made some edits and included the striker in a song with the lyrics saying, “I’m not a boy, I’m not a girl, I’m a coconut.”

I am 100 per cent sure that’s not how you treat a player who helped bring the Scudetto home since Diego Maradona in 1990 and I place my case with the club for even thinking of this. It was clearly not a good gesture to a player who made Napoli fans believe again.

David Alaba (Free Agent)

If you only remember this man from his Bayern days, then let me wake you up to reality. After plenty of league titles and a Champions League, his contract run out with the German powerhouse. One phone call then added up to an illustrious club career he’s had and who else but Real Madrid.

They snapped him up on a free transfer and what followed was nothing short of remarkable. Two more Champions league titles, two La Liga titles, a Spanish Cup, UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup whilst racking up 132 appearances for the Los Blancos with 14 goal contributions as a centre-back. Injuries tainted his final few years with the Spanish giants and his contract came to a close.

Currently, he has no home and even if he happens to retire, we still have to appreciate his quality and sportsmanship on and off the pitch, plus his wellknown chair-lifting celebrations after winning various trophies. One last dance wouldn’t hurt but maybe he’ll call it quits after his injury record. All in all, he was a heck of a baller and hats off to him on a remarkable career.

Karim Benzema (Free Agent)

From being hidden in Cristiano Ronaldo’s shadow, to winning his own Ballon d’Or, this man right here is the definition of patience and perseverance. Benzema back in the good old days of Ronaldo could have decided to go elsewhere and establish himself as a proper and a quality striker. But he stayed, did a Champions league three-peat and just like that, CR7 was gone, and all eyes were on him.

He did have a tough time after Ronaldo left for the old lady (come to think of it, he did a reverse Zidane), plus Madrid were in a transition period after bringing a young Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo straight from the Brazilian favelas.

It lasted a short while until Ancelotti came back again and managed to get the best out of him and the whole team in general. They ended up winning the Champions League in 2022 in such dramatic fashion, beating Chelsea and Manchester City, before they edged Liverpool to win their 14th title as they edged the gap between them and AC Milan. That fantastic season earned him the Ballon d’Or that year and it was mostly unanimous with the close competition being Senegal’s Sadio Mané.

He then moved to the Saudi league, joining Al Ittihad on a free transfer, where he managed 83 appearances alongside 71 goal contributions, winning the Saudi Cup and the league there. He then transferred to Al Hilal in the winter transfer window, where he managed to win the league title as well.

After a successful season, the club terminated his contract and he’s currently debating between joining another Saudi club or retirement. The way I see it, he still has a few years in him before he can officially call time on his successful career full of resilience and patience.

Dani Carvajal (Free Agent)

Real Madrid’s veterans are being rejected left, right and centre and the former Los Blancos captain is another victim. After a very underrated and very successful career for the Spaniard, he also called it quits last season after his contract came to an end. His time at Real Madrid, like Benzema, was nothing short of blissful and full of titles. I believe it’s about time for him to carry on with what life has to offer for him and his family. It’s all up to him, but considering the kind of PR stunts he has been through at the Bernabeu, it’s about time he gets on with something else.

Riyad Mahrez (Free Agent)

Another legend of the game for both club and country. The Algerian international’s spotlight shined brightest after his success with Leicester City in 2016 alongside N’golo Kante and Jamie Vardy. He then moved to Manchester City where he was nothing short of exceptional yet again, with Premier League titles and a Champions League in 2023.

He then transferred to Al Ahli, where he managed to win the AFC Champions League alongside Edouard Mendy and Roberto Firmino. He, like Messi and Ronaldo, also wrapped his international career after their 2026 World Cup campaign came to a close with a round-of-32 exit to Switzerland.

He, like Sadio Mane, also brought prestige to his country after winning the 2019 AFCON tournament, beating Senegal 1-0, who, funny enough, they faced in the group stages alongside Kenya and Tanzania. Since then, he has been class and a very good player. I hope he manages to run his show again, possibly in the Serie A because most veterans end up giving us their best football from their prime days.

Honourable mentions go to France icon Paul Pogba who did his very best to hit the ground running at Monaco but the damage was already done, Phillipe Coutinho who since his Barcelona and Bayern days wasn’t the same again, Jadon Sancho who, for me, should have focused more on improving his game rather than demanding a hefty pay-check to finance his rather luxurious lifestyle.

Heck, Garnacho has a club and he doesn’t? It’s utterly disappointing for a guy with his talent and last but not least, 2016 Golden Boy Award winner Renato Sanches, who has gone under the radar faster than Vozinha became the most followed goalkeeper in the world. He had massive potential but Father Time caught up to him and suddenly, he’s pushing 30 now. What a small world we live in. We hope these players have someplace to show their talents before they eventually call it a wrap.