WITH the conclusion of the transfer window fast approaching there are a number of Premier League players desperate for a move in order to reignite their career.
From World Cup winners falling down the pecking order, to players looking to secure a starting berth for their countries at Euro 2024 – several Premier League stars are in need of a fresh start this summer.
Chief among these are the likes of Harry Maguire – who saw a move to West Ham fall through last week over a contract dispute with Manchester United.
There’s also young stars like Arsenal’s Folarin Balogun, who proved his worth with a stellar season on loan at Reims last season but is well down the Gunners’ pecking order.
GK: Hugo Lloris
Tottenham’s former captain, 36, has seen himself frozen out of Ange Postecoglou’s new look squad.
The French World Cup winner was left out of Spurs’ pre-season tour of Asia with Postecoglou saying he could use that time to find a move.
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But despite that not coming to fruition, the legendary goalkeeper has not yet been reintegrated into the squad – with Guglielmo Vicario Spurs’ new first choice.
Lloris has attracted interest from Lazio and Saudi Arabia as he looks for a club that will give him minutes.
DEF: Cedric Soares
Cedric, 32, signed as a back-up right-back for Arsenal in January 2020 from Southampton.
Despite making 59 appearances for the Gunners, he is now deemed surplus to requirements and went on loan to Fulham half way through last season.
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The full-back is unable to play Arteta’s inverted full-back role and saw central midfielder Thomas Partey chosen to play at right-back ahead of him against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Cedric has attracted interest from clubs in his native Portugal.
DEF: Harry Maguire
Maguire’s United career gradually fell to tatters last season.
The defender lost his place in the XI and then saw his captaincy stripped away and handed to Bruno Fernandes.
Any hopes of retaining a place in England’s starting XI depend on him playing regular first team football and he is currently United’s fourth choice centre-half.
A move to West Ham fell through last week and he is currently set to spend a season warming the United subs bench.
DEF: Davinson Sanchez
Sanchez experienced a similarly torrid time last season which saw him booed by his own fans in a 3-2 loss to Bournemouth.
Spurs accepted a bid from Spartak Moscow earlier this window for the defender but Sanchez turned down the move.
There are some green shoots for Sancez however, with the defender impressing in a pre-season friendly against Barcelona and when coming on as a sub in Spurs’ opener against Brentford.
But Spurs would still accept an offer for the right amount.
DEF: Joao Cancelo
Cancelo was once an untouchable part of City’s XI but a fall out with Pep after last year’s World Cup has seen him lose his place in the side.
He spent the last six months of last season on loan at Bayern Munich but the Bavarian side opted not to make the move permanent – despite him helping them to win the title.
He has attracted interest from Barcelona and Arsenal as he looks to earn first team minutes.
MID: Kalvin Phillips
Phillips is another player, like Maguire, that will need to earn regular minutes if he wants to start for England at Euro 2024.
He has attracted interest from West Ham as they look for a Declan Rice replacement.
MID: Conor Gallagher
Gallagher started in Chelsea’s first game against Liverpool and put in an excellent display.
But there’s no way Chelsea will have signed Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia without an expectation that they won’t start – which has pushed him down the pecking order.
The England midfielder may look to move to West Ham or Tottenham as he searches for regular minutes ahead of the Euros.
MID: Donny van de Beek
Van de Beek arrived at United with high expectations in August 2020 as one of the stars of a talented Ajax team.
But he has never held down a regular starting place for United and spent much of last season injured.
Aged 26, he desperately needs a move to play first team football at this stage of his career.
FW: Nicolas Pepe
Arsenal paid £72million for Pepe in 2019 and gave him a five year contract on £140,000-a-week – making his signing one of the club’s biggest mistakes in recent years.
The club are desperate to get his wages off the books with his contract set to expire next summer.
FW: Romelu Lukaku
To say Lukaku’s £80million transfer back to Chelsea hasn’t worked out would be an understatement.
Six months into his second-spell at the club he did an interview with Sky Italia about how he wanted to return to Inter Milan.
Having spent last season on loan at Inter to mixed success – he has been told by new manager Mauricio Pochettino that he has no future at the club.
He’s another player that will want minutes ahead of the upcoming Euros.
FW: Folarin Balogun
Balogun had an electrifying season on loan at Reims last year, scoring 21 goals and assisting three times in 37 league apperances.
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But his return to Arsenal has seen him sit down the pecking order behind Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah.
He has attracted interest from West Ham and Inter Milan but both baulked at his £50m asking price set by Arsenal.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
