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#7 BARCELONA
Barcelona have been in the news for some time now, and it has been not been for good reasons.
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The whole Lionel Messi saga was the talk of the town the previous week, and came to a crescendo when the Argentine gave an explosive interview but confirmed he would stay for the next season. Amidst all this, the club is reportedly closing in on deals for Dutch stars Georginio Wijnaldum and Memphis Depay.
With the likes of Rakitic, Vidal and Luis Suarez all close to leaving or having left, Barcelona are entering a new era under manager Ronald Koeman, but there is a sense that this project is not an easy one; a lot of time and patience will be needed.
#6 MANCHESTER CITY
The aforementioned Lionel Messi saga ensured that Manchester City were also in the public eye for much of last week.
They were the favourites to sign the superstar if he could leave the club, but now that has been put to rest. The club has already invested in winger Ferran Torres and centre-back Nathan Ake, and discussions are ongoing for Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly.
Manchester City finished 18 points behind Liverpool last season, and Pep Guardiola will be extremely keen to ensure that that is not the case this time around.
#5 JUVENTUS
Juventus have been functioning in the shadows this transfer window, but there have been some notable developments.
The departure of Maurizio Sarri ushered in the surprising appointment of Andrea Pirlo as manager. The Italian great has already informed Sami Khedira and Gonzalo Higuain to look for new clubs; Barcelona's Luis Suarez is apparently on his way to Juventus as well.
With Dejan Kulusevki and Arthur having joined the club, the midfield is less of a concern for Pirlo. They are also said to be interested in Paris Saint-Germain left-back Layvin Kurzawa, as well as Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar.
#4 LIVERPOOL
Liverpool have been quiet this window, having won the Premier League last season.
Jurgen Klopp's men lost the Community Shield to Arsenal on penalties, and certain critics have commented that stagnation could prove to be the downfall of the team. Bayern Munich's Thiago has been mooted as a target for some time now, but Liverpool have not been able to agree a deal with the Bavarians.
Having missed out on Timo Werner, Klopp needs to ensure that he has enough squad depth to tackle the new season. Liverpool have been exceptionally lucky with injuries, especially to the front three; While they have the likes of Takumi Minamino and Divock Origi, they lack the same quality as Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.
Also Read: 10 greatest players to have played under Pep Guardiola
