Hugo Ekitike, Viktor Gyokeres and Morgan Gibbs-White have all been removed from the transfer release clause equation as we head into August.
This is an inexhaustive list of players with release clauses which could actually viably be triggered from summer 2025 onwards. We are talking sub-£100m, not your daft £1bn La Liga jobs.
Goalkeepers with tempting release clauses
Diogo Costa
Manchester United have been linked with Portugal international keeper Costa before but Newcastle and Manchester City have both been mentioned as their staring contest with Burnley over James Trafford continues.
It doesn’t feel like Porto will hold out for the full £51.9m.
Aaron Ramsdale
After suffering his third Premier League relegation in six seasons, all at different clubs and with a spell at Arsenal in between, England international Ramsdale can thank the £25m clause he inserted into his contract for the fact he’ll probably be back in the top flight soon enough.
But Leeds, West Ham and a handful of others are yet to act on their interest, perhaps because of his wage demands and obvious curse.
Defenders with tempting release clauses
Edmond Tapsoba
Newcastle are said to have offered £50m for Bayer Leverkusen defender Tapsoba; it is unknown whether or not they realise it might take as much as £80m.
Castello Lukeba
An eclectic cast of Liverpool, Spurs and Bayern Munich have been mentioned in discussions over Lukeba’s future, with a suggestion that Leipzig might not necessarily hold out for the French centre-half’s entire £77.8m release clause.
Ousmane Diomande
Crystal Palace have already identified their replacement for Marc Guehi, whether the captain leaves this summer or not. But they will not be paying £69.1m for the Sporting centre-half if they do sign him.
Miguel Gutierrez
A whole host of clubs like the look of Girona left-back Gutierrez at £30.2m – he was once described as a ‘priority signing’ for Liverpool and Manchester United are known to be lurking – but any hopeful negotiators will have to deal with about 427 clauses Real Madrid still hold over him.
Jhon Lucumi
Aston Villa and Bournemouth are sniffing around Bologna defender Lucumi, with Roma also contemplating a move for the 26-year-old who will only come as cheap as £23.9m until July 10.
Denzel Dumfries
Anyone wanting to sign a ludicrously effective Champions League semi-final wing-back can do so for as little as £21.6m until July 31.
Enzo Boyomo
Aston Villa and Crystal Palace are known admirers of Osasuna centre-half Boyomo, who has been crucial for a side he only joined a year ago.
Boyomo stayed at Real Valladolid for just one campaign too before moving to Pamplona; whoever triggers his £21m release clause might expect to keep him for a little longer.
Kevin Lomonaco
“I really like the Premier League. It’s what I watch the most. I like West Ham,” should raise an absurd number of red flags within the departments of any and all clubs charged with scrutinising the character and even sanity of 23-year-old Lomonaco.
The centre-half has attracted interest from the Hammers, Crystal Palace, Sevilla and Wolfsburg in his £16.7m release clause.
Jan Bednarek
Any club desperate to sign a centre-half with two recent relegations on his CV can do so for the cheap old price of £6m.
Midfielders with tempting release clauses
Xavi Simons
It is believed that Simons has a release clause in his Leipzig contract worth around £70m but Chelsea are negotiating at a lower price point and Arsenal are contemplating turning the hijacking tables.
Eberechi Eze
Crystal Palace averted the potential crisis of having both Eze and Michael Olise’s release clauses triggered in the same summer but the fine print in the former’s deal has been reactivated in the summer. There is no shortage of potential suitors but still doubt that a £68m deal is worth it.
Wilfred Ndidi
There is unlikely to be a massive rush to bring in Ndidi after his second relegation in three year with Leicester, but the 28-year-old is on the radar of Crystal Palace, Everton and Fulham for £9m and it does feel as though a more stable environment would benefit him.
Forwards with tempting release clauses
Samu Aghehowa
Another sign that Chelsea might have cracked something in the transfer code, Aghehowa was targeted for around £35m in what was basically a Conor Gallagher swap before the striker changed his surname, joined Porto and teased the sort of form which might attract £86.6m interest.
Nico Williams
The bad news for Arsenal is that the Athletic Bilbao winger has extended his contract to 2035. The good news is that he still has a release clause, and it’s worth £82-86m. You’re still thinking about the bad news, aren’t you?
Victor Osimhen
A record of 28 goals and five assists in 32 games for Galatasaray can be disregarded through the Turkish Super Lig rule of transfers but his age, affordability (£62.5m) relative to other strikers on the market and undoubted pedigree in Serie A cannot. Osimhen should be top of the Manchester United shopping list.
Benjamin Sesko
There is some debate as to the exact numbers which would compel Leipzig to countenance the sale of Sesko – £62m is the strongest recent claim – but less doubt about whether his record of 35 goals in 79 appearances in Germany is worth the risk on a 21-year-old.
Moise Kean
Everton might not get involved but after scoring 23 goals in 42 games this season, Kean could repay the faith shown in him by Fiorentina with another big move. For two weeks from the start of July the Manchester United target is available for as little as £45m.
Bilal El Khannouss
One of few players to emerge from Leicester’s latest relegation mess can be rescued from the King Power Stadium for as little as £22.5m.
Managers with tempting release clauses
Andoni Iraola
Bournemouth quietly fell off towards the end of the season to bring their dream of European qualification combined with FA Cup glory crashing back down to reality. But they will not waver in their determination to extend Iraola’s contract – and perhaps even remove that £10m release clause. Spurs have at least removed themselves from the equation.
