We've already seen one high-profile swap deal completed in the Premier League this summer
Brennan Johnson has joined Everton from Crystal Palace on a four-year deal
Brennan Johnson moved as part of an unusual Premier League swap deal(Image: Everton FC)
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Premier League clubs are no strangers to the odd swap deal. And with less than three weeks remaining before the summer window slams shut, some sides could seek out trades.
Whilst the concept of swapping one player for another in a mutually beneficial manner can often seem fanciful, these types of transfers do happen. Just this week, Everton sent Dwight McNeil to Crystal Palace for Brennan Johnson in a like-for-like swap.
Ashley Cole for William Gallas, Alexis Sanchez for Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Zlatan Ibrahimovic for Samuel Eto'o. All of these player exchanges stick in the memory because of how they capture one's imagination. So why not take a look at some trades that could still be agreed upon before the window closes?
Myles Lewis-Skelly and Marcus Rashford
The concept of a swap deal is akin to a video game and all of these suggestions should be taken with a pinch of salt. Many involve players who are either unlikely to leave or trades that teams probably wouldn't agree to.
Rashford and Lewis-Skelly
Rashford could head to Arsenal if United want Lewis-Skelly
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But, in the case of Myles Lewis-Skelly and Marcus Rashford, the positives for both Arsenal and United are plain as day. With competition at left-back in the Gunners' locker room as strong as ever - Riccardo Calafiori, Piero Hincapie and Jurrien Timber are all capable - Lewis-Skelly was pushed into midfield last season.
He did play admirably, but Bruno Guimaraes' arrival at the Emirates will see his minutes further reduced and reports out of football.london claim he has been offered to both United and Chelsea.
Whilst other reports contradict this and state he is happy to stay, swapping him for Rashford would kill two birds with one stone. Arsenal need a skilful left-winger and Rashford, who wishes to leave Old Trafford this summer, fits the bill. Michael Carrick wants a left-back and Lewis-Skelly is young, homegrown and can help free up Rashford's wages. An admittedly unlikely win-win, no?
Viktor Gyokeres and Julian Alvarez
If we continue to dip into the realms of the hypothetical, the Gunners' pursuit of Julian Alvarez could be eased by allowing Viktor Gyokeres to go in the opposite direction.
Since arriving from Sporting CP last summer for an initial £55m, Gyokeres has garnered mixed reviews but has become somewhat of a fan favourite. He scored 21 goals across all competitions last term, which is a pretty healthy return for a debut campaign.
Gyokeres and Alvarez
Gyokeres can help Arsenal make an unlikely tilt for Alvarez
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But having won the Premier League title, the Gunners are looking to take the next step this summer. Their pursuit of Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior epitomises this.
Julian Alvarez is a name linked with an Arsenal move and Gyokeres could be used as a makeweight. The Atletico Madrid forward would cost upwards of £112m, so a fair chunk of money will have to be attached to the deal. But this way, the Spanish giants get their replacement and Arsenal get one of Europe's finest strikers.
Lucas Bergvall and Ferran Torres
As this summer began, Tottenham prodigy Lucas Bergvall made it clear he wanted to leave the club. Both Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes have been signed for a combined £185m in midfield and the young Swede evidently saw that increased competition would mean less playing time.
Torres and Bergvall
Torres looks like he'll join PSG but Bergvall should aid a Spurs hijack
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Since then, things have been ironed out with manager Roberto De Zerbi and the 20-year-old appears as though he'll stay. A £46m offer from Newcastle was supposedly turned down early in the window.
However, Spurs are on the hunt for a new winger and could perhaps use Bergvall to secure World Cup winner Ferran Torres. The Spaniard is reportedly PSG-bound, but with Barcelona holding a long-term interest in Bergvall, a swap deal proposal could put a halt to proceedings.
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Torres is valued at a similar £50m-plus mark to Bergvall and considering Barcelona's financial situation, they'd probably be keen on incomings that cost very little, if anything. Whilst it seems a near certainty he'll be joining PSG, Barcelona do like Bergvall and if things with him change, a last-minute hijack could be launched before Torres can put pen to paper with the Parisians to seal one of the biggest shock transfers of the window.
Omar Marmoush and Eric Garcia
Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush seems set to leave City this summer, with Pep Guardiola gone, Enzo Maresca installed and him plummeting down the attacking pecking order.
Marmoush and Garcia
Marmoush could be swapped for Garcia
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John Stones has left the club and although they have plenty of options at centre-half, one more wouldn't hurt and again, Barcelona's financial struggles could be capitalised on. Eric Garcia actually progressed through City's youth system before leaving for free in 2021 and he has become a solid deputy for Barcelona.
A player like Marmoush, however, would help them fill a gap up front and the 25-year-old Garcia's homecoming would bolster City's backline. A small fee may have to be included on Barcelona's side as Marmoush is worth a fair deal more, but this swap would no doubt strengthen both sides.
Joshua Zirkzee and Alex Valle
It is no secret that Joshua Zirkzee wants to leave United this summer and Italy looks to be his likely destination, with Juventus, Roma and Como all reported suitors.
Should Cesc Fabregas' Como be a preferred landing spot, then United could opt to end their left-back search by requesting young defender Alex Valle be included in the Zirkzee deal. The Dutch striker is valued at a reported £20m and Valle would come in at slightly less, so cash would be necessary.
Zirkzee and Valle
United want to offload Zirkzee and sign a left-back
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But with this swap, Como get a forward who thrived the last time he played in Serie A and would be eager to rediscover form. And United get a possible future replacement for Luke Shaw without breaking the bank at all. Valle is a promising young Spanish left-back who made 28 league appearances for Como last season, helping them qualify for the Champions League.
Marc Guiu and Lewis Dunk
Chelsea have torn their transfer policy to pieces this summer and instead of targeting unproven, up-and-coming talent, have secured stars steeped in Premier League experience. Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson have both arrived.
Dunk and Guiu
Chelsea and Brighton have a good relationship when it comes to transfers
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Striker Marc Guiu, who spent last season on loan at Sunderland, is expected to leave the Blues this window and is valued at around £20m. So, with Trevoh Chalobah leaving and a defensive leader something Xabi Alonso's side could do with signing, why not make a move for Lewis Dunk?
He suits Alonso's system like a glove and if Chelsea want an experienced defender to bring off the bench, the 34-year-old is unrivalled. Dunk is keen to be a one-man club and stay at Brighton, but could be tempted by one last hurrah at the top table. Not to mention, these clubs have a breadth of transfer history, with Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella and others moving between them.
Brighton could do with attacking reinforcements, having given up Welbeck to Chelsea, and the arrival of Luka Vuskovic means losing Dunk would not be a disaster. Whilst this swap deal is the stuff of fantasy, it would provide the Seagulls with a raw, young striker of the future and Chelsea with a defensive general suited to their ball-playing, possession-based system.
Gabriel Jesus and Amir Rrahmani
William Saliba's injury means that Arsenal are set to start the season thin at centre-half, with Cristhian Mosquera the likely partner to Gabriel. But should either get sidelined, Arteta could be left in a bind and so Gabriel Jesus could be used in a swap deal for a new centre-back.
It seems as though the Brazilian striker will join Napoli, having fallen out of favour behind Gyokeres and Kai Havertz in north London. A £17m deal has been mooted, but why not instead tempt the Italian outfit to part with Amir Rrahmani?
Jesus and Rrahmani
Jesus is all set to join Napoli
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Fans of English football may not be familiar with the 32-year-old Kosovan captain, but Rrahmani has been crucial to Napoli's recent successes, helping them to the Serie A title in 2022/23. He boasts elite passing ability and exceptional aerial dominance that the Gunners would be lacking without Saliba.
Rrahmani isn't exactly best suited to a high line and could be found out in a front-footed defence, but swapping him for Jesus plugs the Saliba gap and brings in a proven winner. Convincing Napoli to part with him would be the toughest part of this speculatively suggested swap deal, however.