How star players' contract extensions altered transfer plans for others

Nico Williams has signed a new eight-year contract with Athletic Club, despite previous links to Barcelona. This renewal is part of a broader trend where contract extensions significantly influence the transfer market by forcing interested clubs to pursue alternative options, creating a domino effect across football.

In early February 2025, Alphonso Davies surprised many by renewing with Bayern Munich for five years, halting Real Madrid's plans to sign him as a free agent to address their left-back needs. This led Madrid to shift focus to Benfica's Álvaro Carreras, whom they signed for €60 million in mid-July. Benfica proactively replaced Carreras by securing Samuel Dahl permanently from Roma and acquiring young left-back Rafael Obrador from Madrid.

Shortly after Davies' renewal, Joshua Kimmich extended his stay at Bayern Munich with a four-year deal, disappointing clubs like Manchester City, Barcelona, and Liverpool, who had shown interest in signing him on a free transfer. Liverpool and Barcelona did not pursue alternative deep-lying midfielders, while Liverpool signed Jeremie Frimpong for €35 million instead. Manchester City, however, moved to acquire Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan for €55 million, prompting Milan to sign Ardon Jashari from Club Brugge for €37 million as a replacement.

Liverpool also managed key renewals, extending the contracts of Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, which was seen as a significant success for the club. This prevented potential departures, such as Trent Alexander-Arnold's speculated move to Real Madrid, and helped maintain squad stability ahead of the new season.