Which major future transfers have been arranged for summer 2025 and 2026? Chelsea are busy

Chelsea have two teenage South American forwards lined up, Tottenham will welcome a new giant centre-half soon and Dortmund have a summer 2026 deal sorted.

The 2024 summer transfer window is fun and all, but teams are even using the opportunity to pre-arrange transfers years in advance now to steal a march on their rivals.

Chelsea are chief among them but plenty of other sides are indulging in the practice. These are the upcoming transfers sorted for future windows involving clubs in the top six European leagues.

January 2025

Nicolas Valentini (Boca Juniors to Fiorentina, free)

A Boca youth product, 23-year-old centre-half Valentini has already secured his first career move outside of Argentina.

Welington (Sao Paulo to Southampton, free)

Southampton acted quickly to sign 23-year-old left-back Welington to a pre-contract which will come into effect when the Brazil U23 international’s deal with Sao Paulo expires.

Juan (Sao Paulo to Southampton, free)

Those South American scouting escapades also reflected well enough on young striker Juan, whose seven goals in 83 first-team games hint at a talent which needs regular minutes to develop.

Yang Min-hyuk (Gangwon FC to Tottenham, free)

A continued recruitment focus on youth has led Tottenham to prodigious teenage winger Yang – inevitably dubbed The Next Heung-Min Son by some – who has agreed to a contract which will run until 2030.

Hirving Lozano (PSV to San Diego, £9.3m)

The first Designated Player in the history of the 30th MLS franchise will join in time for their first season, the Mexican linking up with Paddy McNair and friends next winter.

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Summer 2025

Estevao Willian (Palmeiras to Chelsea, £29m rising to £51m)

There are more obviously silly numbers involved but a 17-year-old signing what is expected to be at the very least a seven-year contract to join a club littered with equally young and similarly gifted forwards should not be overlooked. Mauricio Pochettino played an important role in Estevao’s capture and it will be interesting to see how many managers on from him Chelsea are when the player finally arrives.

Kendry Paez (Independiente del Valle to Chelsea, £17.2m)

There is substantially less hype surrounding Paez but his future move further underlines Chelsea’s commitment to pursuing the best young players in world football, with South America the current hotbed.

Luka Vuskovic (Hajduk Split to Tottenham, £12m)

Seven months after making his senior debut as the youngest player to feature in the Croatian top flight, Vuskovic was snapped up by a Tottenham side declaring dibs almost two years in advance. The 6ft 4ins 17-year-old will spend his final season before moving to north London permanently on loan to Belgian side Westerlo.

Summer 2026

Justin Lerma (Independiente del Valle to Borussia Dortmund, £8.4m)

The Independiente factory continues to churn out potential gems for their European counterparts to poach and polish and few teams are bettered equipped in that regard than Dortmund, who bagsied midfielder Lerma ready for after his 18th birthday when his career consisted of just 65 first-team minutes.

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