Author Archives: intheredzoneuk

At time of writing, Édouard Mendy has just won a penalty shootout for Senegal in the final of the African Cup Of Nations. This means that not only is Mendy the champion of Europe but also a member of the champions of Africa. At 29 years of age, Édouard is currently enjoying the best spell in his career. But it has not always been silverware and accolades for the keeper. At 22 years of age, he was considering retirement after being let go of third tier French side Cherbourg. More on all that later.

Now we are going to look back on the career that the star shot stopper has had so far, from the highs to the lows and everything in between that made Mendy the player and man that he is today. It really is quite the story so buckle up and enjoy the rise of one of the greatest goalkeepers in this world today!

Early life and career

On the 1st March 1992 Édouard Mendy was born in the small French town of Montivilliers to a Senegalese Mother and a father from Guinea-Bissau. At an early age Mendy showed a love for football and he grew very quickly, this made him a prime candidate to be a goalkeeper. From a very young age he showed potential to be a seriously good shot stopper when playing for his local youth teams. His performances saw him gain a place in the Le Harve youth academy aged 13. Le Harve is widely renowned for being one of the top academies in the whole of France, producing. Top talents such as Paul Pogba, Riyad Mayrez and Dimitri Payet.

After struggling to get a foothold in the youth system, Mendy was dropped down to CS Municipaux Le Havre, a step down in the Le Harve system. Here he was able to establish himself and gain a strong footballing education as their top goalkeeper.

In 2011 Mendy signed his first professional contract in football, signing for third tier French side Cherbourg. He spent 3 years with the Normandy based side where he only managed to make 26 appearances. After not being able to fully cement his place in the side, Mendy subsequently left Cheebourg after his contract expired with the club in 2014. His agent at the time was working to get him other jobs but all applications fell through and Mendy was on the unemployment line. He even found himself requesting unemployment benefit. Something that he and his partner desperately needed as they found themselves expecting a child. The job search continued and Mendy almost found himself working in a menswear shop. The dream seemed to be crashing on the rocks. Apparently after trying to contact his agent on numerous occasions, he finally got a response back saying ‘good luck’ and that was it. He never heard from his agent again. In a recent interview Mendy stated ‘I did genuinely have my doubts about whether I would carry on’ and in this time, he did take a year away from the sport in a professional sense.

Though he spent a year without getting paid, Mendy went back to where it all started, Le Harve. He trained with the squad in order to stay sharp and get experience playing with top talent. Though as I say, he did all this without the notion of being payed. A year later in 2015 Mendy was encouraged to join the reserve side of Marseille as there was a 4th choice goalkeeper opening and the young Senegalese stopper jumped at the opportunity. He spent most of his time as a backup to reserve goalie Florian Escales who had caps for France at every level of the youth game. Though again only managing very few appearances for his side (8 appearances for Marseille B) Mendy does credit this time to making him the player he is today. In an interview he said ‘ I trained with professionals durin my time with Marseille, it’s something that one can only dream of’. Every day in training he would come up against the likes of Lassana Diarra and now Chelsea team mate Michy Batshuayi. He also gives a lot of credit to then goalkeeper of the main side Steve Mandanda who has made 34 appearances for France in aiding his development as a shot stopper.

Getting into his stride

In 2016 Mendy was called up by international side Guinea-Bissau to represent them in a round of friendly games. Mendy honoured his father and made 2 appearances. However, as these were just friendlies, he was not tied in to play for them forever. Édouard had intentions of playing for his mother’s home country Senegal. In 2017 his appearances warranted a call from Guinea again, asking him to pledge his allegiance to them and play in the African Cup of Nations. Mendy refused and cut ties with the international side as he had set his sights on Senegal.

The fallbacks that Mendy suffered throughout a large part of his early life really strengthen him as an individual. Not only physically as a goalkeeper but as a person too. His resolute and never give up attitudes helped him find his was to Ligue 2 side Reims. At 24 Mendy was really lookin to push on with his career, and after a great experience at Marseille he left in the search for more game time at French institution Reims. A side known to have featured legendary players such as Raymond Kota and Just Fontaine in the 60s. In an interview with So Foot, Édouard said ‘Reims was a new club that gave him rhythm’. Mendy started the season as the expected backup goalkeeper to the already cemented Johann Carrasso. However, in the very first game of the season, Carrasso was sent off just minutes into the match and Mendy was given his first appearance in the biggest game of his career to date. The side drew 1-1. Mendy continued to play sporadically throughout the season but really came into his own the following year during the 17/18 season.

For the first time in his career he was the nominated starter for his team. He repaid manager David Guion’s trust by keeping 18 clean sheets in 34 matches. This ensured Reims promotion to Ligue Un, and saw Mendy pick up his first bit of silverware in professional football (the first of many). The following season Mendy impressed again, this time at the highest level of competitive football in France. He produced 14 clean sheets (3rd highest in the division) and completed all 38 league games. This was the first time in his career that he had accomplished such a feat and was receiving many plaudits for it. Mendy was nominated for the best goal keeper in the league award but just fell short due to the consistent high quality performances from Nice keeper Walter Benitez. Though he didn’t achieve any silverware this year, he did manage to help guide Reims to a respectable 8th in the league.

All of Mendy’s heroics in the league finally saw him get a call up to his favoured national side Senegal. He kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 win over Equatorial Guinea. Mendy later stated it was a dream come true. He would of course go on to achieve great things with Senegal. But even for a player who had achieved so much as Mendy, it would be hard to imagine what was coming up next.

Another step up

Senegal finally called Mendy up to the 2019 African Cup of Nations. He instantly repaid their faith in him by keeping a clean sheet in their nations opening group game against Tanzania. Shortly after they would go on to lose to Algeria in their next group game. Subsequently Mendy broke his finger and was out for the rest of the tournament. This was a major setback for Édouard, who really wanted to show what he was capable of on the Continents main stage. Senegal went on the reach the final, where they would inevitably go on to lose to Riyad Mahrez’s Algeria once more. Though Senegal bowed out defeated, Mendy had gained great tournament experience and he vowed to come back stronger.

Back in France, Mendy decided to make another leap in his career by moving to league rivals Rennes, who were set to play in the Europa league that season. He joined Julien Stephan’s side for a reported fee of around €4 million and saw a drastic rise in his wages. Mendy was like a duck to water with his new team. He made 24 league appearances and kept 9 clean sheets. The tally could have been much larger but the pesky COVID outbreak in France halted their league season completely. Officials finally cancelled the league entirely after just 28 match weeks. Mendy did help Rennes achieve their highest league finish in their history. He did this with some outstanding displays. His 6ft6 frame was impervious in goal and his cat like reflexes made him a formidable shot stopper. He averaged a save percentage of 75% which was the highest in the division. He also saved an average of 3 shots a game, this just showed how pivotal he was in the defensive phase of Rennes game.

Not only did Mendy display his keeping chops in Ligue Un but also got his first taste in European competition. Rennes struggled in the group stages of the Europa league, only amassing 4 points in a difficult group containing Lazio and Celtic, but Mendy gained valuable experience once more, and knowledge that he could compete with the best.

The big leagues

On the 20th September 2020 Mendy made his dream move to England in a £22 million transfer to Frank Lampard’s Chelsea. He also saw an astronomical raise in wages, earning a reported 52k a week. Coming off a lack lustre season where the Blues finished 4th, there was a growing need in the squad to replace world record signing Kepa Arrizabalaga, who had massively under performed since moving to West London two years prior in a £72 million move. Kepa was in such a poor vein of form that he had let in 11 goals with the previous 16 shots he had faced and Chelsea fans patience with the young Spaniard was growing thin. This is where Mendy came in. Chelsea legend, and newly appointed technical and performance director of the club Petr Čech, who had previous ties to Rennes recommended Édouard to Frank Lampard as a solution to their goalkeeping woes. At £22 million it was considered a low risk signing, one that would hopefully bridge the gap between current issues and when Kepa would regain form. However, as we are well aware, the emergence of then 28 year old Mendy was something of a sensation. Making his debut in October, Mendy kept a clean sheet in a 4-0 win over Crystal Palace. Though Mendy was not called into action too frequently, he showed a calmness that the Blues had lacked in the position for the past few seasons. He would go on to keep a further 4 more clean sheets in the next 4 games, breaking Čech’s record for most clean sheets to start a players premier league career (one of many records he would go on to break in England).

During the winter period, a flurry of bad team performances saw manager Lampard sacked and replaced with serial winner Thomas Tuchel. A defensive play style helped give Mendy protection, and the three at the back formation forced opposing teams to take hit and hope shots form outside the box. This played into the German managers hands as one of Mendy’s greatest strength is his ability to save ranged shots. His massive wingspan allows him to cover the circumference of the goal in a fraction of a second.

The German revolution was in full swing in West London and the Blues found themselves in both an FA cup and Champions League final in May. A rib injury a week prior saw Mendy dropped for the FA cup final in which Chelsea would succumb to Leicester. In a cruel twist of fate, the winner was a long ranged screamer from Belgian Youri Tielemans, something that Mendy was a specialist in saving. Luck was on Édouard side and he managed to recover for the clash between Chelsea and Manchester City in the biggest game of his career.

Mendy played a blinder in the final, making a last ditch save and coming out to gather the ball and hinder any threats that came from the highly creative Pep Guardiola side. A Kai Havertz goal and 90 minutes of pain staking defending later and Chelsea were crowned champions of Europe for the second time in their history. Mendy gained the distinction of becoming the first ever African goalkeeper to win Europe’s premier competition. He also equalled the record for the most clean sheets in the competitions esteemed history with 9, equalling Kaylor Navas is the 15/16 season.

The following year, Mendy refused to let up in his pursuit for footballing legacy. Starting out with a win in the Super Cup against previous seasons Europa league winners Villarreal, he displayed why he would be considered one of the worlds best. This opinion was cemented when he was awarded both the Champions League goal keeper of the season award and FIFA best goalkeeper award in the space of a few months. This firmly put Mendy into contention to be the best player at his position in world football. He joined an exclusive list of players such as Manuel Neuer, Alisson and Gianluigi Buffon who have won the accolade.

King of Africa

Winning the Champions league made Édouard Mendy the first African goalkeeper to win the big eared trophy as previously mentioned. But that wasn’t the last piece of major silverware that Mendy would go on to win in the following 12 months.

The 2022 African Cup of Nations was about to begin and Édouard had fully cemented his place as starter, and had quickly became a cornerstone of the The Lions side. After the defeat in the final a couple of years earlier, the desire to win the trophy was palpable amongst the players and the nations people. Senegal had never previously lifted the trophy and now with a stacked team, involving Mendy himself, Liverpool winger Sadio Mane and captain and man mountain Kalidou Koulibaly, they had never had a better chance to win it!

One win and a draw was enough to see them make it out of the group stage. The team was greatly underperforming but the squad really came into their own during the knockout stages, winning both the quarter final and the semi’s 3-1. The stage was set for a grand final between the two strongest nations in the continent. Senegal vs Egypt. The game was obviously billed as a grudge match between team mates Sadio Mane and Mohammad Salah, but Mendy proved why he should be named amongst the largest names in African football. The final went to penalties after a merciless 120 minutes of pain staking football. Mendy again produced the heroics that saw him get to this point in his career by saving Egypt’s Mohanad Lasheen’s penalty. It only took Sadio Mane to whip his spot kick into the bottom corner for the stadium to erupt and pure emotion was unleashed on the Senegalese players. Édouard dropped to his knees and slid towards his nations fans as a crowd of cheers surrounded him. He had finally won. A player who only 6 years prior was without a club, was the crowned hero of his nation. What a contrast that is. As a cherry on top Mendy was given the award for being the best keeper in the tournament (something he was used to winning at this point). What a 12 months he had had! Senegal captain Koulibaly stated after the match in an interview that Mendy was ‘the best goalkeeper in the world’. Many would agree.

What’s next?

At time of writing the club World Cup is due to start in the coming days, and Chelsea will be looking to gain the title as world champions for the first time in their history, a defeat to Corinthians in 2013 only burns the fire in the squad to win the elusive gold. If the Blues were to win, this would be Mendy’s 4th trophy win in 12 months. Making this one of the best goalkeeping years in the history of the sport.

So to look back retrospectively, Mendy’s story is a symbol of what you can achieve with a never give up attitude. Édouard is not only one of the best shot stoppers in world football but he is also a beacon of hope for people who believe that some goals are too late for them and that you can achieve something if you work hard enough (helps if you’re 6ft6 and built like a tree). And in these trying COVID times you may feel that there is no end in sight, but as Mendy has shown, you can do a lot in 12 months!

We are barely two weeks into the summer transfer window and we have already been bombarded by a litany of transfer rumours and gossip. From the frightfully optimistic to the down right bizarre, we’ve been led to believe we’ve seen it all. Yet, with over two months remaining of silly season, I feel we’ve barely scratched the tip of the iceberg in terms of the wheeling and dealing of both Premier League transfers, and other business around Europe.

Big money moves have already taken place, and some of the continents elite clubs have already capitalised in the market, and strengthened their already watertight squads. In recent weeks English champions Manchester City forked out over £60million to bring in one of the deadliest talents in world football, Erling Haaland. And barely a week later, title challengers Liverpool threw their proverbial cap in the ring and signed up Uruguayan wonder-kid Darwin Nunez from Benfica for a reported fee of up to £85million.

With their closest league rivals getting their business done early, it is of paramount importance that West London club Chelsea start to splash the cash. After a fairly mundane season in which the Blues finished 3rd and won the Club World Cup, German manager Thomas Tuchel will want to bring in reinforcements in order for his team to achieve their aspirations next term. And with new cash rich owners in Todd Boehly and his consortium, it looks as though the manager will be backed, and arrivals will be coming through the door shortly. The sale of the football club last month obviously threw a spanner in the works regarding transfer deals. And whilst the club were under financial sanctions, business had to be halted to a stop. This is one of the main reasons as to why the Blues are yet to register anyone new. And after hearing yesterday’s news that both Chairman Bruce Buck and Director Marina Granovskaia will be leaving the club with immediate affect, the future of transfer dealings will be left to (for the time being) Todd Boehly.

In his incredibly brief time in this role, the owner has already brokered a deal to send want away striker Romelu Lukaku back out on loan to Inter Milan. And now that that arduous task has been complete. Hopefully all the incoming deals will pick up a bit of traction. And these incoming deals are exactly what we are going to talk about today. As previously mentioned, the window has barely been open a fortnight, and yet we’ve seen an abundance of transfer rumours suggesting players X or Y are coming to Chelsea football club. And today, it is my job to rate them all. Obviously a bit of hyperbole here as I’m going to delve into some of the more interesting/ concrete rumours that may have some substance to them. Once discussed a will give a rating out of 10 to indicate how likely I feel the transfer will happen. Yet, it’s worth considering that I rate these rumours on an individual basis, therefore if one centre back is signed, then it would obviously be less likely that a second is signed. But that is not taken into account when making these rankings.

Jules Koundé – Sevilla (Centre back)

We start with a transfer rumour that has been buzzing around since last summer. It’s been well documented that Chelsea have scouted the 23 year old Frenchman incessantly, and that personal terms have already been agreed with the defender. Yet there has been no formal bid ever submitted. It has been reported that a fee of around £50million should be enough to get this deal across the line, but the London club may have to pick up the pace as other clubs appear to be circling. Spanish giants Barcelona have been linked to Koundé in recent days, and Spanish media suggest that the deal is likely to happen. With this being said, reliable English journalists have confirmed that Jules has a preference to move to the premier league.

In regards to why Chelsea would want to sign the youngster, it is pretty apparent. Stalwart CB Antonio Rüdiger has recently left the club to join Real Madrid, and long time serving defender Andreas Christensen has also departed after his contract expired. This in turn created a massive hole at the heart of Chelsea’s defence. Thiago Silva has been ever reliable in the two years he has been at Stamford Bridge, but at 37, the club need to look towards the future. And Jules Koundé’s future is certainly bright. He has forced his way into a very talented French national side and has earned 11 caps, whilst also playing at the highest level in Spain. He’s a tenacious tackler, with a great work ethic, and is overall a sublime athlete. A player of his qualities is worth picking up while you have the chance. And that is exactly what I feel Chelsea will look to do. The buzz around Barcelona seems to just be paper talk, and it won’t surprise me if Koundé is the first major signing of the Todd Boehly era.

Prediction – 8/10

Richarlison – Everton (striker)

This rumour appears to have completely come out of the blue. Despite battling to avoid relegation last year, Richarlison was the bright spark in an otherwise depressing season for Everton. In 30 league games, the Brazilian scored 10 goals and assisted a further 5, many of these goals were vitally important in terms of the Toffees survival. Richarlison is a tireless worker with good finishing ability and is very energetic off the ball. He offers an attitude that you hate playing against, yet would love if he was on your team. These are all traits that may appeal to manager Thomas Tuchel. However, I just don’t feel that the 25 year old striker is a top target for Chelsea. After signing for Everton in 2018 for £50million, I can’t see the northern side wanting anything less to sell their main man. And I don’t feel he has done enough to justify that price tag.

London rivals Tottenham have also been rumoured to have shown interest in the player, and I feel that the Blues won’t want to get into a bidding war for a player that hasn’t topped 14 league goals in the 5 seasons he’s spent in England. This is where I feel that Chelsea and Todd Boehly should be smart with their business. Although Richarlison does display similar attributes to Chelsea great Diego Costa, they have a ready made player already in Albanian frontman Armando Broja. Broja offers a very similar style of play to Richarlison, but will end up costing the team nothing. And even if he doesn’t work out as the teams primary #9 then it’s nothing lost, as opposed to the potential 60million(ish) with Richarlison. All in all, I don’t think this rumour has much legs, and I believe the Blues will be looking to acquire more established talent, should they get out the cheque book for a striker.

Prediction – 4/10

Jonathan Clauss – Lens (right back)

At 29 years of age, French wingback Jonathan Clauss has really started showing the form of a top defender. After impressing in the last two league campaigns, Clauss was included in the Ligue Un team of the year after both seasons. He has also been awarded with 4 international caps for his efforts. This is impressive considering the talent pool France manager Didier Deschamps has on offer. This past year has been the veterans most impressive year to date. It really was a historic term as the marauding wingback scored 5 league goals and assisted a further 11 for his teammates. These are record breaking numbers for a defender in the French first division.

With a reported price tag of €10million, it seems like a no brainier for the Blues owner. Injuries sustained to star man Reece James throughout this past season really hampered Thomas Tuchel’s style of play. And bringing in a guy that can fill in that role seamlessly for cheap almost seems to good to be true. Though Clauss isn’t as much of a physical specimen as the Englishman, he does have a great cross on him, and his defensive numbers are very respectable. The deal would also give Tuchel the versatility to move Reece to right centre back, where the youngster has deputised the position well in the past. In terms of a deal for the Frenchman, there doesn’t look to be many challengers for the players signature, so this may be able to be a cheap and quick deal to get done ASAP. Get him through the door Boehly.

Prediction – 7/10

Raheem Sterling – Manchester City (winger)

Manchester City letting go of one of their most bright and consistent talents over the past half a decade seems almost like a backwards move for a side with European title aspirations. However, with the inclusion of Erling Haaland into Pep Guardiola’s side, the English winger may be looking for a change of scenery. On his day the dominative winger is a real game changer and offers so much to his team. He’s electrically quick, with the agility of a cat. But on top of that he knows where the back of the goal is. The 27 year old has scored double digit league goals in his last 5 campaigns. And he’s already the 3rd highest scoring winger in league history, and yet he has so much more left to give. One issue that Chelsea have faced in recent seasons since star man Eden Hazard left Stamford Bridge, is that they don’t have wingers who can score goals. Neither Pulisic, Ziyech, Hudson-Odoi or Timo Werner have ever scored more than 10 league goals in a campaign. And Sterling could certainly be the one to change that statistic.

Reported fees for the Englishman have ranged widely from as little as £35 million all the way up to £60 million. Throwing my two cents into the matter, I’d say bite City’s hand off for anything below £45million if possible. He fills a position of need and it looks as though he may be willing to leave the Etihad. And considering Sterling is a London boy, it’s almost a perfect fit. Reports in recent weeks (from multiple sources) have strongly pushed this rumour, so it really wouldn’t surprise me if this deal has the legs to go all the way.

Prediction 7/10

Ousmane Dembélé – Barcelona (winger)

For over a year now I’ve been banging the drum for Chelsea to sign Dembélé. On his day, the Frenchman is genuinely world class, and has a lot to offer to a top team. His contract is set to run out this summer, and he’ll be free to speak to other clubs as a free agent. Reports in recent weeks have strongly linked Ousmane to his former manager Thomas Tuchel and Chelsea. Varying reports have suggested that this deal has been nearing completion for some time now, but in recent days the player has been linked with the possibility of remaining at Barcelona should Xavi agree to his contractual demands. It really does appear to be a two horse race.

Should new owner Todd Boehly be serious about bringing in more success to Chelsea, then this is certainly a deal he should be looking to pursue. The player will cost £0 in transfer fees and he offers creativity and goal scoring threat that most Chelsea players are currently lacking. Dembélé assisted 13 goals in just 21 La Liga games last term, which just highlights what the player can bring to Tuchel’s side. One caveat to the signing is the 25 year olds extensive injury history. This has seen him miss a mass of games during his 5 year stay in Catalonia. But should the relatively young player be able to shake off this bad injury habit, then he could be an invaluable asset for years to come.

Prediction – 6/10

Gabriel Jesus – Manchester City (striker)

We now move onto the second Manchester City player on this list, and look at the supremely talented Gabriel Jesus. Jesus redefined his role under Guardiola this year, as we say the player have a successful spell playing out on the wing. Pair this versatility with his natural ability to score goals from the striker position and you’ve got yourself a near complete forward. One thing currently holding back Jesus from being a world beater is that he has yet to become prolific in front of goal. In his 5 1/2 years in Manchester he has only topped double digits for league goals twice. Though this is understandable considering he was playing behind a Premier League great in Sergio Aguero. I truly believe that the 25 year old Brazilian would be fantastic under the tutelage of Thomas Tuchel. The German manager likes his team playing best when his attack is fluid and mobile. And this is exactly what Jesus could offer alongside the likes of Mason Mount and Kai Havertz. Also, the thought of him being a teams primary #9 could spur him on top top his goal scoring feats with ease.

In terms of a transfer fee, Manchester City have quoted around £50 million for the player with just over a year left on his current deal. And seeing as how he looks to be surplus to requirement at the Etihad, it looks as though clubs have started circling for the striker. Though Chelsea may be the most appealing club to the player, due to being able to offer Champions League football, it appears London rivals Arsenal are favourites for the players signature. Many British journalists have claimed that a deal is nearing completion, and could be finalised within the coming weeks. Therefore you have to question whether Chelsea were ever really in the running at all.

Prediction – 3/10

Matthijs De Ligt – Juventus (centre back)

Sky Italia have been reporting this week that Chelsea have enquired about the services of Dutch defender Matthijs De Ligt. Though it is abundantly apparent that the West London side are in the market for a centre back I just can’t see De Ligt being their main target. At just 22 the youngster does have a lot to offer the Premier League side. A big physical presence at the back, Matthijs is strong in the tackle and dominant in the air. But with that being said, he hasn’t lived up to his peak days back at Ajax during the 18/19 campaign where he shone as a 19 year old. At such a young age he captained his side to a champions league semi final, which just demonstrates how strong of a character the player is. Features like these would be well welcomed into Tuchel’s side, but a potential deal does come with risk.

As previously mentioned, he hasn’t excelled since making the step up into Italian football, and who’s to say he will play well in England (arguably the most competitive league in Europe). And it has been reported that Juve will be willing to sell only if offers in excess of €80million come in for the player. And Chelsea really can’t afford another high profile flop. However that being said, at only 22 the youngster has a lot more room for growth and easily could captain the Blues in a couple of years time. I see this as a potential good signing, but just not quite the right signing.

Prediction – 4/10

Declan Rice – West Ham (central midfield)

Now for the deal that everyone’s been waiting for. Young player leaves Chelsea, young player plays well, Chelsea look to buy that player back for mega bucks. It’s a tale as old as time. But it’s no more apparent than with Declan Rice. Manager Thomas Tuchel has public ally shown admiration for the 23 year old, 32 time capped England international. Rice is a superb young talent who has helped elevate his West Ham team to European competition regulars. As well as this, he was instrumental in England’s run to the final of the Euros. Considering all his great qualities, which include leadership and exemplary defensive ability, it’s no wonder the big teams are circling. His old club Chelsea look to be the most interested, and from what I can pick up in interviews, he would welcome a move back to the Bridge. He is very good friends with Mason Mount, and maybe Tuchel will look to replicate that chemistry on the field. Given all of Rice’s great qualities, it’s no wonder that there has been such a hefty price tag lumped on the youngster. Anywhere between 75-120 million has been quoted, and it’s clear that West Ham won’t want to get rid of their young captain if they don’t have to.

Due to these astronomical evaluations, it does bring into question whether Chelsea should pursue such a deal. Certainly prowling through Twitter I can see that the idea of Rice signing for such a fee has caused a rift in the fan base. Regardless of price he does fill a position of need. The Blues were carved up through the centre of midfield all too often last year, and though players such as Kante and Jorginho has terrific defensive numbers, they don’t have the ability to hold down the low lying position anymore like the players of the past such as Claude Makalele could. Rice would fit like a glove in this team, but I’m not sure Boehly will be willing to splash that sort of cash this summer. I can definitely see this deal happening, maybe just not quite yet.

Prediction – 5/10

Neymar – PSG (winger)

Now you’ll have to take this rumour with a pinch of salt. No notable journalists have reported on this deal, but it has more so been the Chelsea fans connecting the dots. Since PSG star Kylian Mbappé put pen to paper on a mega money contract to stay in France, it has been reported that the PSG brass are willing to let their Brazilian wonder boy leave in order to subsidise some of their wages. It’s been said that they have also been underwhelmed by his lack of minutes since joining from Barcelona in 2017 for a world record £220million. And as previously mentioned Chelsea are severely lacking a goal scoring winger, and Neymar fits that profile. There have also been reports that new American owner Todd Boehly has been in the market for a ‘marquee’ signing, and if Neymar doesn’t fit that bill, nobody does.

Playing just 22 Ligue Un games this year, Neymar managed to contribute to 19 goals with 13 goals and 6 assists. He has also scored 3 goals in two national team appearances. At 30 years of age, it’s clear that the flair fuelled Brazilian still has a lot left in the tank. Should Boehly be willing to dip into his pocket and pay the player the astronomical wages that he’s requested, then we could be looking at the Premier Leagues next big star. But like most good things, it is simply a fantasy signing. I’d almost be willing to bet my mortgage that nothing materialises. But should a deal go through, I may be homeless but at least I’d be watching some samba football at the Bridge next season.

Prediction – 2/10

This past year has offered up some monumental moments, on and off the field. From Liverpool trouncing Manchester United 5-0 at Old Trafford to Chelsea being sanctioned, and owner Roman Abramovic being forced to sell off the club that he’s built up to be European giants over the past two decades. And though the pantomime of events during the 38 game season will always be the most exciting time of the year, the summer transfer window never fails to bring excitement and trepidation to fans.

All 20 Premier League sides will look to build on what they already have, in order to compete with the best of the best next term. And with the lucrative tv deals providing clubs with a wealth of riches, it would be wise for owners and managers to make on that investment and strengthen their squads, to ensure that they can still receive those payments, and hopefully in turn, make their team the best it can be. With all this money circulating around the league, we have already seen the competitive nature that it has brought about. Teams struggling towards the foot of the table would often be shot straight down to the Championship because they can’t compete financially with some of England’s elite clubs. But in recent years we have seen teams capitalise on their new found wealth and spend big on players in order for them to be able to compete. It has also allowed them to rival the big sides for players once deemed unattainable for sides in the bottom half of the table. It’s been noted that in he past few years that we’ve seen some of the most balanced football across the league and regularly we have seen displays where relegation threatened sides have been able to beat the likes of title challengers and perennial winners.

With that being said, today we are going to look at one player each Premier League side could sign this summer. Though we have come accustom to teams splashing big money on multiple targets during windows, I’m going to solely focus on one player that I feel could improve their side as a whole. I’ll take into consideration both team positional needs and how the player themselves could improve the side, and hopefully elevate them to the next level.

Another key point to make is that I won’t be picking a player from the current roster of 20 league teams. At time of writing (11th May) both Watford and Norwich have had their fates decided, and will drop back down a division next term. Whereas Fulham and Bournemouth have both confirmed their spots with seats and the table in the countries top division. So i will be including these teams instead. And as for the order in which I pick players, I will simply go off league position at time of writing. So don’t look too much into it. So let’s gets started with the best of the best!

Manchester City- Theo Hernández (AC Milan) (24 y/o)

We start with the reigning champions and current league leaders Manchester City. The obvious choice here would be Norwegian sensation Erling Haaland, but his deal to The Sky Blues seems almost a certainty, so I thought it would make for a boring pick. That’s why I’ve gone for AC Milan star Theo Hernández. The young French fullback has been outstanding this past term for the Rossoneri. The youngster who has 5 international caps to his name has been one of the star players in Italy this past term. Playing out on the left hand side of defence, Theo marauds up and down the wing and contributes to all phases of the game. Though his traditional defending numbers are solid, where he really stands out from his peers is in the attacking side of his game. He’s great on the ball and can carry the ball with his feet, but can also play nice passes and can deliver a deadly cross into the box. His attacking displays have earned him a strong statistical output as he’s scored 4 goals and assisted a further 6 in 30 Serie A games this term. These performances have earned him a 7.10 Whoscored rating, which is higher than City fullbacks Kyle Walker and Zinchenko.

But where would he fit into Pep Guardiola’s side? Well, he’d fit in pretty seamlessly. Kyle Walker has shown City 5 years of exemplary service, but its been pretty clear this year that his body is slowly giving way and his play is regressing. Although he still often displays the lighting fast quickness that has seen him be a squad favourite for Guardiola, at nearly 32, you wouldn’t imagine that it’ll last forever. Plus the Englishman has never been the most technical player, so maybe a swap up would bring a breath of fresh air to the serial winners. Another player thriving in Pep’s system is Portuguese fullback Joao Cancelo, who has really broken out this year as one of the best fullbacks in the world. He offers everything. From defensive awareness to attacking output he has it all on the left flank. But he plays more naturally on the right, so should he make the switch back to right back then Hernández can slot nicely on the left.

The fullback position is vital to how Man City play. They need to be good on the ball and play as an extra man in the midfield when building up attacks, but they also need to be functionally sound defensively and not shy away from their primary responsibilities. That’s why I think Cancelo and Hernández is a league winning duo. And the thought of Theo delivering in crosses to Haaland is mouthwatering. It’s a good thing that City have the funds to get a deal like this done. Because he won’t come cheap !

Liverpool- Aurélien Tchouaméni (Monaco) (22 y/o)

Jordan Henderson has been the heart and soul of Liverpool football club for the past decade. He has embodied everything the club stands for, from his passion on and off the pitch to stellar performances night after night. In the past three years alone he has captained his side to a Champions League and Premier League title. But coming up to his 32nd year, I don’t know how much longer he can play at the level manager Jürgen Klopp requires in his fast paced, high intensity system. Though he can probably still perform at a high level as a starter for the next two or three years, it would be wise to start looking for the captains successor in midfield. And the young Frenchman Aurélien Tchouaméni would be perfect man to replicate Henderson’s success.

The 22 year old Monaco standout has gone above and beyond expectations in a surprisingly strong side this term. The 8 time capped France international broke out last season, but has really pushed on and strived for excellence this year. Last year he performed at an average rating of 7.16, which in its own right is exemplary. But this season he has skyrocketed and averaged a rating of 7.33, which is amongst Europe’s best for the position. He’s a difference maker in the midfield and can do it all. But where he really shines is when he’s called on to defend. He makes 5.4 tackles and interceptions per game as well as winning 2.3 aerial duels. He is a physical presence in the middle of the park and has the athleticism to cover ground very quickly. Pair his natural ability with his game IQ and it makes for a great all round midfielder. You notice he has great anticipation when he plays, and he’s often in the right positions to make the tackle or clear the ball.

He is remarkable as a defensive acquisition, but Liverpool already have Fabinho to occupy that midfield screening role. Yet, Tchouaméni is talented enough to play slightly further forward. In his earlier years he had the pleasure in working under the tutelage of one of the finest passers the game has ever seen, Cesc Fàbregas. This education has gained him the ability to be able to make passes all over the pitch. And for a deeper lying player, he has good creative numbers. He is also very assured on the ball and can progress the ball safely with his feet, another skill Klopp looks for in his players. The Liverpool board have done a great job the past few years signing savvy acquisitions, so now they’d be well to splash the cash on Tchouaméni. It’s reported that £60million should be enough to get the deal done.

Chelsea- Rafael Leão (AC Milan) (22 y/o)

After spending over an eye watering £300 million over the course of the past two summer transfer windows, it’s still apparent that there are a lot of holes to fill in this Chelsea squad. Players that have been instrumental to the Blues Champions League success last season such as Antonio Rüdiger and Cesar Azpilicueta are set to leave, and other positions such as holding midfielder and wingback lack any real depth. But one area that has really shown to be a weakness in the past few months is in their attacking positions. Goals have been hard to come by consistently for some of their star players, who were brought in for the purpose of creating a fluid attack. But to this date, manager Thomas Tuchel has struggled to find the correct formula. If we look at the Chelsea squads attacking options, you can see straight away that some of the players aren’t pulling their weight in the stats department. Only Englishmen Mason Mount and Reece James have contributed to more than 10 goals and assist this term in the league. A stat even more shocking when you consider neither are true out and out attackers. So something needs to change, and possibly fresh legs brought in.

That’s where Rafael Leão comes in. The 22 year old Portuguese attacker has been a major part in Milan’s Renaissance this season, which at time of writing has seen them climb to the top of the Serie A table. In 32 games, Leão has scored 10 goals and provided a further 6 assists. Most of these coming primarily out from the left wing position. The youngster is a tall (6ft2), yet stocky player who uses his size well, but can move impressively fast despite his frame. To go alongside his athletic prowess, he’s immensely talented with the ball at his feet and likes to run at defenders. He completes 8.59 progressive carries per game and 3.15 dribbles, which demonstrates just how comfortable he is on the ball. And at 22 the goals are starting to emerge into his game. Because of this he has earned some comparisons from the media between himself and his countryman, a young Cristiano Ronaldo. Now that’s quite some compliment! And his average rating has backed these claims up, as he’s averaged 7.32 whoscored rating across this term. Which is elite numbers to hit consistently.

If the new board were to bring him in, it would definitely be viewed as a statement signing, a reported fee of £60-70 million should be enough to see a deal across the line. But he would make for a great acquisition for Tuchel. He offers great flexibility as he played as a striker in the earlier days of his career before finding a home on the wing. And it’s not hard to draw up further comparisons between him and Chelsea legend Didier Drogba. Both were very strong and quick, both good on the ball, and both were great finishers. If Rafael was brought to Stamford Bridge, he’d send fans racing back through the years to a time when Chelsea were on top of the world. And Leão has the potential to put them back there!

Arsenal- Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City) (25 y/o)

It’s been a great year for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. Though there have been some ups and downs, it’s quite clear that he’s finally got his team playing the brand of football that he wants. With a core of young talents at his disposal, he just needs a few more pieces to fill the puzzle and finally push for a title charge. I’ve recently seen a stat that over 70% of Arsenals league goals this term have been either scored or assisted by players aged 23 or under. This just highlights how good of a nucleus of young players the Spaniard has at his disposal. They may not challenge for honours next year, but should he keep hold of his young stars, then maybe the Gunners may find their way back to their former glory.

One way to start this is by bringing in a new healthy striker who can bag them goals. French veteran Alexander Lacazette has underwhelmed this year with just 4 league goals, so it’s come apparent that the forward position is in urgent need of attention. And as he nears 31, it does look like his time at the Emirates is coming to an end. One player who also looks like they are set to leave their club in the summer is Brazilian and Manchester City frontman Gabriel Jesus. Jesus has done well this year, scoring 8 and assisting 8 more in a City side that doesn’t rely on a forward. But with the Citizens looking to bring in both Erling Haaland and Julian Álvarez in the summer, the 25 year old will likely leave to find game time elsewhere. So it really does look like a match made in heaven. And Jesus’ agent Marcelo Pettinati has confirmed he has already held talks with the reds.

But how would he fit into Arteta’s system? Well he would be the perfect linkup man for the front line. He’s incredibly technically gifted and has spent time out on the wing, therefore the movement between the attackers should be fluid and quick. Pairing him up with Saka and Martinelli, with Ødegaard in behind, it could make for one of the most potent attacks in the Premier League for the next decade. But Jesus doesn’t just excel in build up play, he also knows how to find the back of the net, and create chances for others to score. This season he’s averaged 0.48 goals per 90 and 0.40 assists per 90, which are elite numbers, even for this high flying City side. It’s rumoured that a deal could be struck for as little as £35million, so it’s a no brainier really. As previously mentioned, it’s a match made in heaven. And I think as a teams primary number 9, Jesus’ goal output will likely dramatically increase.

Tottenham- Adama Traoré (Wolves) (26 y/o)

Now I was tempted to just put Dejan Kulusevski as an option for Spurs. Since his loan move from Juventus in January, the Swedish winger has been nothing short of a revelation. At time of writing, he’s scored 3 goals and provided 8 assists in just 15 league games. It’s quite apparent that he works very well in Conte’s system, and they should do everything they can to retain him. But I’ve chosen to go a different route with this one. Spurs manager Antonio Conte has shown interest in Adama Traore since his days at Chelsea. And now there’s a real chance Daniel Levy could bring him in on a cheap deal from Wolves. Traoré moved to Barcelona in January on a loan deal, and quickly impressed. However, in recent weeks he has fallen out of favour with Xavi and has struggled to get minutes at the Nou Camp.

But I feel he’d make for a great acquisition for Spurs. Tottenham have adjusted to a back 5 system, and therefore need athletic wingbacks who can get up and down the field. Adama fits the profile well. He’s incredibly fast, arguably the fastest player in England, and he’s also very strong on the ball. The Spanish international completes an average of 5.3 dribbles per game, which is amongst the top 2% of players across Europe. Another strength of Adama is his literal strength. He’s built like a rugby player, and it’s near impossible to get the ball of him when he’s running at pace.

It wouldn’t be fair to highlight Traoré’s strengths without mentioning his weaknesses. At 26 years old, he hasn’t found his scoring form yet, and has a terrible output in front of goal. He has contributed to 22 goals and assists in 160 Premier League games, which is far from elite. However, he’d be primarily played out as a wingback in the Italian managers system, therefore his setbacks would be better covered and his strengths can be greater utilised. So for a fee between £20-30 million, it may be worth the risk as his upside is still huge (not as big as his arms). And surely Spurs fans don’t want to see Emerson Royal starting in the lineup much longer!

Manchester United- Pau Torres (Villarreal) (25 y/o)

Erik Ten Hag is coming into Old Trafford with a lot of work to do. From a poor run of form which needs to be turned around quick, to out of control egos, this United side is a mess. And considering the team splashed the cash on Sancho, Varane and Ronaldo last summer, you’d have expected them to have done better this year. Yet with the new additions last summer, this United side still needs a cosmetic surgery done. The midfield and attack both need bolstering, but I feel that the centre back position needs an upgrade.

The Red Devil’s captain Harry Maguire has wholly underperformed since joining the side for a record £80million fee from Leicester back in 2019. The England international has been massively mistake prone and has been a liability at the back, which has led many fans to lose patience with their star centre back. Not only has Maguire been a disappointment but United have struggled to recruit a good defender for a while (outside of Varane who has also underwhelmed). Players such as Eric Bailly, Phil Jones and to an extent Victor Lindelöf haven’t been “United standard”. That’s why they need to bring in a sure fire player who can perform in Europe’s toughest league.

Pau Torres is a 17 time capped Spain international who has performed at the highest level. From great games against Liverpool in the Champions League final to a Europa League win against Manchester United last season. Torres is a lanky centre back who has great defensive instincts and natural tackling ability. He’s not the most physical player but uses his IQ to make great plays on the ball. Not only is he tactically aware but he’s also strong on the ball and can spray passes all across the field. Which is a skill this United team has lacked for years. Torres won’t be able to turn this team around on his own, but he’ll add some solidity to the team and a fighting spirit, something this United team drastically lacks. At £50 million, it’s a smart deal to make.

West Ham- Ivan Toney (Brentford) (26 y/o)

The number one priority for David Moyes and the West Ham board this summer will be to keep hold of Declan Rice. This past week reports have circulated that the London club are looking to offer the England international an 8 year, 200k a week contract. Looking at the face of it, this shows serious intent on the Hammers part, in that they want to stay competing for European places. But should they keep hold of their future captain, who should they look to bring in to help bolster their already battle hardened squad?

Well I’ve suggested Brentford’s clinical striker Ivan Toney. Current Hammers mainstay striker, and West Ham record Premier League goal scorer Michail Antonio is 32 years of age, and though he has had a solid campaign this year, he’s not likely to perform like this forever. That’s why I’ve suggested the new guy on the block Ivan Toney. Toney has had a fantastic year with Brentford in their maiden season in the league. He has scored 12 goals and assisted a further 5 more in a side that sit slap bang in the middle of the table for goals. Toney started his Premier League career up at Newcastle where he struggled to get any real form of foothold in the side before moving to Brentford. It is in West London where Toney really found his feet. In the Championship last year he broke the record for league goals in a season with 33 (which has now been broken by Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrović, who has scored 43 in 44 games). And this term he has capitalised on his success by being instrumental in Brentford’s season where they’ve reached the highs of 12th place.

Toney plays as an excellent modern day Premier League striker. He is fantastic on the ball with great technical ability but he knows how to find the back of the net. And his chance conversion numbers are very high. Though many of his 12 goals this term have come via penalty, he’s still impactful on the game, and his work in attacking buildup is elite. His play this season has earned him a wide array of plaudits, and he’s received 5 man of the match awards. Pair this with his average whoscored rating of 7.33 and you can see he’s ready to make the step up to European competition. The only question is would he want to leave a side in which he’s doing so well at? But if the Hammers can offer the Bees over £30million, then surely the club and the player will have to consider.

Wolverhampton- Breel Embolo (Mönchengladbach) (25 y/o)

Wolves manager Bruno Lage has done well in his first season in charge at the Molineux. Taking the team to 8th place has been a small achievement considering the bad start to the campaign they suffered. However, it’s been clear that their defensive shape and strict tactical setup has gotten them this high up in the table. The midlands side have only scored a goal per game this year, and their top goal scorer Raul Jimenez has scored 6 goals, which isn’t good enough for a team with European aspirations. Since his devastating head injury last term, the Mexican striker has struggled to recreate the form he had back in the 19/20 season. And at 31 years old, it’s not clear whether he will ever be able to reach those heights again. It may be worth the Wolves board investing in a new number 9 who can bang the goals in.

Switzerland’s Breed Embolo may just be that man. The 25 year old burst onto the scene with Basel way back in 2015. Since then he has bounced around the German top flight, displaying snippets of excellence, but mostly going under the radar. This year has been one of the best in his career so far. He has grabbed 10 goal contributions in 27 Bundesliga games and has excelled with Switzerland during their World Cup qualifying campaign, where he scored 3 and assisted a further 3 more in 4 games. Embolo is a stocky forward who uses his size to his advantage as he can shrug defenders away from him. He is also very good with the ball at his feet and likes to run at defenders, and often draws in fouls. With this ability, he can also be utilised out on the wing. But I feel his style of play is suited to the Premier League. He may not be a 20 goal a season striker just yet, but he is still young and is only just now playing the best football of his career.

As for the financial side of this deal, it should be very achievable for the Black Country side. Embolo’s contract is due to expire with Gladbach in 2023 and as of today, there have been no concrete talks of him extending his stay. Therefore Wolves could grab him on a cheap. And if you can pick up a potential starting number 9 for under £20 million, then you have to take the risk.

Brighton- Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal) (22 y/o)

Graham Potter has been nothing short of a sensation at Brighton since he’s come into the club in 2019. With a limited transfer budget and a small squad of players, he’s really got the best out of his players. He’s turned guys such as Bissouma and Trossard into vital players for the South East side. Plus the teams recruitment has been exemplary, low fee signings such as Tariq Lamptey and Marc Cucurella have been standouts.

This past season has shown however, that they could be even better should they have a consistent striker. Current #9s Neal Maupay and Danny Welbeck have had some impressive moments, but as a whole they don’t quite cut the mustard. So bringing in Nketiah really supports the ethos and direction the club is going in. Not only is Eddie a promising youngster, but he would also be available on a free. The England youth international currently doesn’t have intentions to stay with the Gunners despite Mikel Arteta’s desire for him to stay. So should Brighton offer him a decent deal and the opportunity for game time then he’ll likely entertain it.

Despite his limited game time at the Emirates this year, he has had his strongest season to date. He’s scored 9 goals and provided a further assist in just 903 minutes of action. Which is a goal contribution every game. Along with his goal scoring prowess, his style of play suits the Seagulls system. He is very comfortable on the ball and has enough pace to play effectively on the counter. I can envision his linkup play with Trossard and Alexis Mac Allister would provide an Arsenal like vibe. Considering he wouldn’t cost a penny, its a smart move considering it would improve the side.

Crystal Palace- Conor Gallagher (Chelsea) (22 y/o)

Considering Gallagher has lit up the Premier League this season playing for Palace, it would be wise for owner Steve Parish to resign the Chelsea youngster on a permanent deal. Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieirinha has done an outstanding job pulling he team from perennial relegation candidates to a mid table consistent side. Players such as the aforementioned Gallagher, Zaha, Olise and Eze have all been outstanding. And the London side would likely drop off drastically without the England youth player in the heart of the midfield.

Gallagher has been so important to the Eagles that by he time the PFA team of the season comes around, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was selected. Conor has gathered 4 man of the match awards and also a whoscored rating of 7.10. He’s scored 8 goals and assisted a further 3 and has played a big part in Palace picking up points this year. Not only has he been a standout individually, but he’s also been a fantastic team player in Vieira’s system. Although primarily an attacking midfielder, he works tirelessly in the centre of the park and provides the most pressures on the pitch. He’s also not afraid to put a foot in and averages over 3 tackles and interceptions per 90 in the league. Despite his ability to be pragmatic and robust, he also provides a bit of flair to his game that you become accustomed to seeing with these modern day English midfield talents. He has the knack of making a sublime pass but can also spin defenders inside out before slotting the ball into the back of the net. And at only 22 years old, he’s already becoming a complete midfielder. Surely it’s only a matter of time before he gets consistent England call ups.

But with these eye catching displays, he’s also caught the attention of parent club Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel, who is said to be a massive admirer of the youngster. And with the Blues looking a little short in the centre of the park, it may have to take a massive offer to prize him away from Stamford Bridge. If the Palace hierarchy really are serious about pushing on and making he club stronger, then they’ll at least have to consider putting down an offer of £50 million + on the table.

Aston Villa- Jonathan David (Lille) (22 y/o)

Aston Villa and ex manager Dean Smith had a rocky start to the season. But as the years progressed, new manager Steven Gerrard has appeared to have steadied the ship and got the Villains playing some pretty flashy and expansive football. New permanent acquisition Phillipe Coutinho has definitely helped the transition across to the more attacking football. And star players such as Matty Cash and Jacob Ramsey have really improved under new management. But as we’ve seen from Villa’s spending the past few seasons, they clearly have ambitions to push for European competition places. That’s why I think they’ll look to improve positions that they are already relatively settled in. Good clubs aren’t ever afraid to get better! This is why I’ve suggested Canadian international Jonathan David from Lille, despite Villa spending big on strikers Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins over the past two years.

The aforementioned David has shown real footballing abilities at only 22 years of age. Playing in the French top flight for the past two years, the youngster has contributed to 28 goals for Les Dogues. He has great natural ability on the ball and is very comfortable with the ball at his feet. pair his technical skill with his dominant speed, he would give Steven Gerrard the ability to utilise him in a number of fronts. He can be put out on the wing and still perform, or he can be used as a primary striker who is best suited to run in behind the defence. And his finishing ability makes you confident that he’ll finish off his one on one opportunities. David has displayed this time and time again this term as he’s had the best statistical season of his career. He’s scored 13 goals in Ligue Un as well as scoring 3 goals in the Champions League, which demonstrates he can do it against the continents best.

If Villa really are serious about regaining their European pedigree, they need to be willing to splash on proven players with high upside. And David fills that profile, and work wonders in Stevie Gs attacking system.

Brentford- DJed Spence (Middlesbrough) (21 y/o)

Playing on loan at Nottingham Forest this year from Middlesbrough, DJed Spence has proven to be one of the best young talents in the whole of the division. The right back has been instrumental in Forests push for Premier League promotion, and he really stole the show in his teams knockout cup run in the FA Cup. Spence really stepped up against elite competition in this run, where he was a standout player against both Spurs and Man Utd. These performances prompted experts and pundits to suggest that the young wingback prospect should really be plying his trade in England’s top flight next year.

Spence offers everything you look for in a wingback. He possesses a large frame but controls his body very well. For his size, he has great agility and can turn on a dime, but he can also muscle you off the ball if needed. Pair that with his great burst of pace and you’ve got a top prospect at only 21 years of age. For a youngster in the Championship it can be a baptism of fire. The league is very physical and is full of experienced veterans who are astute at letting you know what they’re about. But DJed has taken to the league very well, and has arguably been the best full back out of the lot. For a youngster, he doesn’t shy away from his defensive duties and is great at making last ditch tackles and interceptions. Though he primarily does his best work with his back to goal , he is also very composed on the ball and is great at progressing play with his feet, a skill in which he outshines even most natural wingers.

Brentford have been a real breath of fresh air this year under Thomas Frank. They’ve come in to the league and at first time of asking have played some really beautiful football and have earned some eye catching results (2-0 at home to Arsenal and 4-1 away to Chelsea standout). Though they have some players who possess real individual quality, what the Danish manager has been able to do is get them to play as a team. And a big part in how the team play is down to their wingbacks. Rico Henry has been a sensation this year, but they have lacked quality at times down the right flank. That’s why I feel Spence would be the perfect solution to Frank’s issues. And at £15 million, they’re at the very least getting someone who they’ll be able to flip in a few years time for a big profit!

Newcastle- Kalvin Phillips (Leeds) (26 y/o)

Now, I had hundreds of options to pick from for Newcastle here. Like a kid in a sweet shop, there was almost too much choice. And now with cash rich owners, the potential for world class acquisitions for the Toon have become a reality. We’ve already seen their spending power during the winter transfer window, as they managed to transform their relegation threatened side, to a team that is a struggle for any team to play against. Players such as Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn and Bruno Guimarães have been real difference makers for the Geordie side. But despite their fruitful spending, Eddie Howe’s side still needs some work. Newcastle’s new owners have Champions League aspirations, therefore they can’t afford to keep starting players like Jonjo Shelvey and Jacob Murphy.

Where Newcastle have massively improved over the course of the season, last years surprise team Leeds have massively faltered. Sitting towards the bottom of the table, there is a real chance they don’t survive the drop come the end of the month. Leeds may have struggled this term, and the sacking of Marcelo Bielsa hasn’t helped, but they still have some real quality in their squad. And one player who will grab many teams attentions should they be relegated is England international Kalvin Phillips. Phillips has been hit and Miss this season as his form has dropped due to consistent injuries. But on his day, he can be a real force in the middle of the park. He’s a tenacious defender with an engine that doesn’t stop running for the whole 90 minutes. He’s a player that can be placed into the heart of your team and will put out 7/10 performances on the regular. He has a real leader spirit with the qualities to match. And I feel it wouldn’t take long for him to endear himself with the Newcastle faithful.

If Leeds were to get relegated, it’s reported the 26 year old would be available for around £30 million, which is chump change to Newcastle’s new owners. And pairing him in a midfield win the enigmatic Guimarães would make for a rock solid tandem that would be very hard for opposing teams to play around. And if Newcastle truly do want to be successful, then they’d be smart to sort out he spine of their side ASAP.

Leicester- Emmanuel Dennis (Watford) (24 y/o)

Coming into the season it would have been hard to envision just how far Leicester would have fallen. Only last May Leicester were crowned FA Cup winners and narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification. Now sitting in 13th place, it’s no secret that Brendan Rodgers and his squad of stars have massively underperformed. From the back line to the attacking unit, they’ve all been complacent. New striker Patson Daka has struggled to cement his place in the Fox’s side and Jamie Vardy has seen lengthy spells on the sideline. And at 35 you’d imagine his career with Leicester is slowly drawing to an end. But this does mean that if manager Rogers wants to compete again next season, then they need to bring in a prolific frontman.

Watford felt they had grabbed a bargain when they signed Nigerian international Emmanuel Dennis from Club Brugge for less than £5million back last summer. The forward got off to a lightning fast start in the Premier League as he hit double digit figures for g/a in 10 games. However, the synergy between Watford’s drop in form and Dennis’ has been drastic for the Hornets. Now confirmed to be dropping out of the Premier League next year, the London side may be looking to sell on their assets while they still have the most value. And at 24 with great versatility, Watford may be able to recoup 20-30 million for the player. And for Leicester he’d be a great signing. Dennis can be a game changer in attack. He’s deceptively quick and very good on the ball. A player possessing these attributes is suited to play on the wing, but Dennis has the finishing ability to play as a teams primary #9. 10 goals and 6 assists for a relegation side is a great return, and playing in a more progressive side, he should be able to replicate or potentially even improve on those numbers.

Dennis does not solely rely on his end product and is a great team player. He is a relentless presser and would work great in Brendan Rodgers system. And pair him up with Harvey Barnes and Patson Daka with James Maddison in behind, it would make for a great counter attacking side with enough quality to play through deep lying defences. Give it 2-3 years and I truly believe Dennis could be a top attacker in the league. So Leicester should strike while they can still grab a bargain.

Southampton- Dean Henderson (Manchester Utd) (25 y/o)

Despite a number of good results, Saints manager Ralph Hasenhüttl won’t be happy that his side currently linger at 15th place in the table. For large parts of the season his side have seen disjointed and overall they just lack any real quality. Their defence has been leaky and the attack has struggled to put away their chances. Captain James Ward-Prowse has been a shining light for the Saints and loanee Armando Broja has sporadically performed, but overall it’s been disappointing. One area that Ralph and the board will need to address in the summer is the goalkeeper position. Fraser Forster has had some incredible displays his year but even he is out of contract in the summer, and it’s not likely he will re-sign. Plus keepers Willy Caballero and Alex McCarthy don’t quite cut the mustard.

That’s why they need to be willing to splash a bit of cash and bring in a proven Premier League shot stopper. And they don’t come much better than England international Dean Henderson. Henderson had his best season with Sheffield United back in 19/20. He persistently showed that he can be a teams number one. He showed great reflexes and real elite shot stopping ability. He lacks great ability on he ball like an Alisson or an Emerson , but his ability to keep the ball out of the back of the net makes up for that. He’s struggled to find game time at his parent club Manchester Utd these past two years behind David De Gea, so he may be looking to go elsewhere to find more game time. And considering he’s now 25, you’d imagine it’s the right choice for his career.

If Ralph Hasenhüttl wants to improve his team and work their way out of the hole they’ve dug themselves, then they should look to build back up that defence. And that includes the goalkeeper. I think this deal works out best for all parties involved.

Everton- James Tarkowski (Burnley) (29 y/o)

It’s pretty safe to say that it’s all gone wrong for Everton this season. The writing appeared to be on the wall when Toffee’s hierarchy decided to bring in controversial ex Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez. A poor slew of results followed after he struggled to get them playing any form of football conducive to Premier League quality, and he was hastily shown the door. The former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard took over the reins in late January and has struggled to steady the ship. At time of writing, the Blues are in a battle for relegation, and should they survive the drop, they should thank their lucky stars. The whole squad has massively underperformed this year and despite heavy investment from the owners, have struggled to gel into a ticking team. A real lack of ownership and leadership in the team has been apparent, responsibility and blame have been left at others feet and it’s an area that largely needs addressing.

Bringing in current Burnley captain James Tarkowski would go a long way into solving Everton’s problems. The two time capped England international is an ever present player in the Clarets back line and has been a consistent and reliable performer for the past 5 years. Tarkowski is a no nonsense centre back who has a great defensive awareness. Standing at 6ft2, he’s a monster at the back with great aerially ability, and he has the strength to outmuscle even the more physical of attackers. Playing for a relegation threatened side himself, it comes at quite a surprise just how good his individual numbers have been this year. He has performed at an average whoscored rating of 6.99 and his defensive contribution numbers have been off the charts (less surprising considering how much Burnley sit back). He makes 7.2 tackles and clearances a game, which is amongst the highest in the league. And it just highlights his willingness to get stuck in and take charge.

However, in recent years we’ve seen that experience English centre halves have come at a premium. Harry Maguire was sold for £80 million to Manchester United, and even Brighton’s Lewis Dunk had a £50 million asking price put on him. But where this deal would differ is that the Burnley captains contract is set to expire in the summer, meaning he’d be available on a free transfer. This would be quite the coup for the Toffee’s considering they’d be able to save money on an area of need and be able to spend big elsewhere considering they have many holes to fill, to bridge the gap between them and their rivals.

Burnley- Brennan Johnson (Nottingham Forest) (20 y/o)

As the season ticks towards its definitive end, it’s looking more and more likely that Burnley are going to be dropping down to the Championship next term. Although sacking Sean Dyche with a handful of games remaining did give the Clarets a little boost in for, it looks as though it’s not enough to survive the drop. If caretaker manager Mike Jackson can pull off a miracle and keep them up, then the board seriously need to work on turning Burnley into a more attractive side. For years we’ve seen the Lancashire side scrap survival, but a change in mindset could do the trick. And a good way to start off the post Dyche era would be by bringing in young talents with great potential.

One player who fits this profile is young Nottingham Forest winger Brennan Johnson. Johnson has been nothing short of a sensation in Forests run to the Championship playoffs this term. In 47 league games he has found the net a whopping 17 times as well as providing 10 assists for his teammates. And considering he’s only just about to turn 21, the Welshman has had elite output for a player of his age. Johnson is a versatile winger with great straight line speed and the ability to run rings around defenders. As well as being an electric winger who can impact the game on either flank, his scoring ability has shown that he can also impact the game playing down the middle, which will provide the future Burnley manager with a wealth of schemes to put him in. And considering the Clarets are the second joint lowest scorers in the league this season , adding in someone who can find the back of the net will be pivotal.

Adding in a young player like Johnson who is still yet to reach his peak will likely work wonders for their Burnley attack. With his great speed and movement, he should create a great partnership with new winter signing Wout Weghorst. Also adding him alongside fellow wingers such as Maxwell Cornet and Dwight McNeil will add great versatility across the frontline and will create nightmares for defenders with their trickery. Should Burnley avoid the drop, they should consider splashing 20-30 million on a player I’d imagine they could flip for double in 3 or 4 years.

Leeds- Nat Phillips (Liverpool) (25 y/o)

It remains to be seen whether Leeds survive the drop come the end of the season. Despite a squad full of talented players such as Raphinha, Kalvin Phillips and Rodrigo they’ve struggled to hit the highs they reached last term when they ended the 20/21 season in 9th place. The dismissal of Marcelo Bielsa half way through the season has caused serious disruption to the squad, but his replacement, American Jesse Marsch has done everything he can to keep The Whites afloat. But should they stay up, there’s one position that above all else needs addressing. That position is the centre back spot. The Yorkshire team have an abundance of players in the position, such as Liam Cooper, Diego Llorente and Robin Koch, but it’s abundantly clear that they’re lacking any real quality.

Nat Phillips had a great breakout season with Liverpool last year, as the Anfield side saw crucial injuries to key players Van Dijk and Joel Matip. Phillips stepped into the side and played 17 league games as he helped his side gain a top 4 place despite the injury crisis. Phillips really improved under Klopp, and he showed that he can play in a tactical and possession based system. His passing range is good for a player at his position and he is also comfortable on the ball, and is rarely flustered. Despite his past seasons heroics, he struggled to regain his starting spot this term and therefore found his way out of the club on loan, and ended up down south with Championship side Bournemouth. Again, this year Phillips impressed. He was one of the main characters in the Cherries push towards Premier League promotion as he helped keep 7 clean sheets in 17 games. At 6ft3 Phillips is an enforcer at the back and would likely add a calming and experienced presence at the back for this shaky Leeds defence .Given more game time, I can only see Phillips getting better.

At 25 years of age Phillips has a lot more to give, and considering Liverpool have put a £15 million price tag on his head, he becomes a very reasonable option to help fix their defence. Coming in to the squad, he’ll already demand a starting spot.

Fulham- Jesse Lingard (Manchester United) (29 y/o)

Manager Marco Silva and his Fulham team have been nothing short of sensational this year. Their attacking football has been free flowing and electric as the Cottagers scored over 100 league goals. This was mainly in part due to inform Serbian striker Alkesandar Mitrović who has combined for 50 goals and assists, which unsurprisingly is a league record. One other player who has shone for Fulham his term is Portuguese youngster Fábio Carvalho who has had 18 goal contributions. Despite his importance, the 19 year old is set to join Liverpool in the summer, which will create a huge cavern in the middle of the park for the whites.

One player who could fill that void would be Manchester United veteran Jesse Lingard. Lingard has struggled to make an impact this term as he’s only participated in 16 games for the Red Devil’s. Yet he is a year removed from having a standout loan spell with West Ham. He scored 9 goals and assisted 4 more in 16 games under David Moyes’ Hammers side. on his day Lingard can be a game changer. He is very comfortable on the ball, and has an eye for a goal as well as a pass. He has a whole wealth of experience with both United and England, and that could prove vital for a team that has had a history of being promoted and then yo-yoing back down into the Championship. And still only 29 years of age, he has 3-4 more years of top football in him.

This transfer would make for some very savvy business for Marco Silva’s side. With his contract due to expire in July, he’ll be available on a free transfer. I envision his wages may prove to be a stumbling block for the two sides, but a player of his qualities would be quite the coup for a newly promoted side. Pair him up with Mitrovic and Harry Wilson and I think they’ll have an attack that is potent enough to keep them in the division.

Bournemouth- Jason Denayer (Lyon) (26 y/o)

Bournemouth have done well to fight their way back up into the Premier League. Manager Scott Parker has done a great job at getting the Cherries playing good, winning football. Players such as Dominic Solanke and Ryan Christie have been the standouts, but when looking at their defence, it does bring cause for concern. Lloyd Kelly has been decent but I can’t see him being strong enough to be a teams #1 centre back in the Premier League. Whereas their other defenders Gary Cahill (who is too old/slow) and Nat Phillips (a loanee) won’t be playing at Dean Court next year.

So it really is imperative for Scott Parker and the board to fill in the position. Jason Denayer can come in and provide a decent level of composed play across from Kelly. Denayer is a 35 time capped Belgium international who has plied his trade all over Europe, playing alongside some of the best players on the continent. At only 26, he’ll provide a wealth of experience and can provide very athletic cover across the back. Despite this, admittedly he has had a poor season in France. Starting only 11 games isn’t good enough considering where he is in his career. But he has shown historically that he can outperform these numbers.

Similarly to many other players chosen on this list, Denayer’s contract is set to expire this summer, meaning that he’ll be available on a free transfer. This will be key for the Dorset side, as historically they haven’t been big spenders, and should they stay up, they’ll need to be savvy with their money and improve their squad for as little as possible. Denayer offers a lot of upside for a player who will cost nothing.

The future is uncertain for everyone, but this adage couldn’t be truer for Chelsea football club. With owner Roman Abramovic in the process of selling the club, the West London side are currently sitting in the dark over what is going to happen next. Transfers coming in to the club are surely not the boards number one priority right now, but moves will need to be made in the summer in order for the Blues to be able to challenge for titles amongst the worlds elite clubs.

At time of writing we are already hearing that oil rich club Manchester City are in the final stages of a deal that will look to bring Norwegian wonder kid Erling Haaland to the Etihad. Considering the Mancs dominance over the past decade, none of the chasing pack can afford to lose ground on their rivals.

Teams such as Liverpool and the aforementioned City will surely continue their reign of dominance in England but sleeping giants Manchester United and Arsenal can’t stay down for long and will most likely strengthen their already promising squads into title challengers. Therefore the West London side need to add to their roster and bolster their chances of competing in a long and arduous season. This year injuries have cost Thomas Tuche’s side. Sidelined players such as Ben Chilwell and Reece James have been huge misses throughout the year, and a prominent December dip saw Chelsea drop from the top of the table down into a dog fight for Europe. And the board and likely new owners, can’t afford for something like that to happen again. The current European champions have been in a battle for top 4 for the past 3 seasons, and some good signings will surely help elevate their play to title challenging levels.

But we must not be remiss from the fact that the Blues have spent more than most in the previous two summers since their infamous transfer ban. In 2020, then manager Frank Lampard spent over £200 million on signings and during the most recent summer window, the cheque book was opened once more for record signing Romelu Lukaku.

So today we are going to look at 5 players that the new owners could sign in order to improve Chelsea football club. I’m picking players based off of positional need and also their fit in to the club. Also, to avoid writing a boring and stale article, I’m not going to include players such as Declan Rice, who have had their names linked to Chelsea for what seems a decade. This will also add some variety and hopefully some insight into some less familiar players. I will also be noting the importance of the players position that needs filling. For example, the team sorely needs a holding midfielder, therefore it’s a priority. But I don’t see Thomas Tuchel being in the market for a striker. So let’s begin!

Joško Gvardiol- Centre back (high priority), RB Leipzig

Joško Gvardiol has emerged as one of the Bundesliga’s brightest young defending talents this season. He has played 28 times in the league, helping Leipzig to a current 3rd place position and the second best defensive record in the division. At just 20 years of age, he’s already shown that he is instrumental to his club side, and has also earned himself 10 caps for his international side Croatia.

Gvardiol is a perfect modern day defender who is comfortable on the ball and is athletic enough to play in a high line. He is comfortable with the ball at his feet and can play accurate balls out from the back. He is also assured enough to dribble past players should he find himself in a tight spot. The Croat also works tirelessly and doesn’t shirk from his more traditional responsibilities. He makes over 2 tackles per game, and his in match IQ is often on display as he makes over 5.4 interceptions and clearances per 90.

He would fit perfectly in Thomas Tuchel’s side, playing either on the right or left of the back three. Yet he is assured on the ball enough that he could fill in for veteran Thiago Silva when needed. It’s widely reported that defenders Cesar Azpilicueta and Andreas Christensen will likely be departing Stamford Bridge in the summer, and fellow team mate Antonio Rüdiger’s contract situation is still up in the air, so there will be holes in the squad that need filling. And Gvardiol is astute enough of a signing to make a big impact. Even though he’s only 20 years of age, he has the quality to start in the side off the bat and he will likely only get better. He has the pace and physicality to handle Premier League attackers, but has enough know how to play in a possession based side like Tuchel’s. It’s a match made in heaven for me, and the Blue may be able to pick him up for as little as £40million. Train him up alongside youngsters such as Trevoh Chalobah and Levi Colwill and they could potnetially have their back line sorted for the next decade.

Aurélien Tchouaméni- Holding Midfielder (high priority) Monaco

For two seasons now, Tchouameni has been a main stay in the Monaco midfield. At just 22 years of age, the French international has shown he has all he tools and attributes to be a dominant force for any team across Europe. Developing his trade alongside established players such as Cesc Fàbregas and Aleksandr Golovin, he’s developed into a real top talent. Monaco have had their struggles in previous seasons but it could have been much worse, were it not for Tchouameni.

The youngster is an anchor in midfield who has great technique and athleticism that allows him to shield his defence. His defensive numbers are outstanding, and during his 28 Ligue Un appearances this seasons, he’s averaged 5.3 tackles and interceptions a game. His game awareness is elite for his age and is rarely caught out, out of position. Watching him regularly , he’s often in the right areas to make a play on the ball. along with his defensive qualities, he is also cool, calm and collected on the ball. Teammate Cesc Fàbregas, who in his own right is one of the best passers of the ball in this generation saïd Aurélien is one of the best passers in the Monaco squad. This statement is backed up by his 87% pass accuracy. However, he doesn’t just play the safe passes, and is adept at getting the ball down the field with defence splitting passes. During this league campaign he averages 3.2 long balls a game, which demonstrates his abilities on both sides of the ball. Though most holding midfielders don’t receive the plaudits they deserve due to their steady, but not flashy play, Tchouameni has been highly touted due to his impact week in week out. The midfielder has been rewarded with 4 man of the match awards this term, which is in the top percentile for his position.

As for where he fits in for Chelsea, it’s quite apparent. Though the Blues are blessed with a wealth of midfield talent, they are lacking a true holding midfielder who can do all the defensive work while the others focus more on creating. Kovacic is a good all round player, but can’t be relied upon to do a majority of the defensive work. Whereas Jorginho doesn’t have the physical attributes to be a lone holding midfielder. As for Ngolo Kante, he plays best a bit further forward, carrying the ball through the spaces in midfield. Adding Tchouameni into Tuchel’s modified would allow him to play more expansive football and possibly revert to a back four formation, due to Aurelien’s screening ability. One thing to note though is he youngster isn’t the second coming of Claude Makalele, he is great defensively but will likely play a larger role in build up play. He may cost a lot to bring in, but what he offers makes it totally worth it.

Ousmane Dembélé- Winger (medium priority) Barcelona

The first thin to point out is Dembélé’s injury record. Since joining Barcelona for over £100million back in 2017, he’s spent a large majority of his time on the medical table. And moving to Chelsea won’t necessarily alter the trend. However, should he make the move and stay (at least somewhat) healthy, then the Blues will be laughing all their way to silverware. At his best Ousmane is one of the most electric wingers on the planet and can do everything with the ball at his feet. In a little over 1000 La Liga minutes this season, the French international has contributed with 1 goal and 11 assists. That’s roughly a goal contribution a game, which is elite. Its not only his goal contributions that have helped him stand out in Xavi’s team. In the 15 games he’s appeared in, he’s received 4 man of the match awards and played at an average ‘whoscored’ rating of 7.73 which is amongst the best in the world.

Where Dembélé sets himself out from the others is his ability to play with both feet. Even during an interview, he himself got confused over which is his stronger foot. This ability allows him to be dynamic with the ball at his feet. He can turn defenders inside out and they’ll have no indication of whether he’ll cut inside or go out. His dribbling numbers are top tier, with the 24 year old completing 14.66 progressive carries a game, which is the 99.99%Ikem of players amongst his position. Or to put it another way, he’s at the top. His creative numbers speak for themselves, considering he has 11 assists this season, but he can also score the goals himself. Just put on one of his highlight tapes from YouTube and you’ll see he can score from anywhere. Whether that be a long ranged screamer, a curler from outside the box, or a clinical tap in inside the penalty area. He’s even scored in the Champions League against Chelsea.

But should he stay fit, and that’s a big IF, then he’ll excel. At just 24 he still has a long career ahead of him, which is somewhat surprising considering he’s played top level football for the past 6 years. He’s played in some of the biggest games, for the biggest clubs and under the biggest managers. So it shows that he has the experience and know how to get it done. He’s even played under Tuchel at Borussia Dortmund, where he had arguably the best season of his career. This may spur him on to once again play for the German manager. And he would fit very well in the system. What Chelsea lack is a winger that can run at defenders and cause problems. They also need one that can contribute to goals. None of the current attacking players can do that consistently. Hakim Ziyech is a wonderful creative player, but he’s too hot and cold. Whereas American Christian Pulisic has seen his form dip drastically, and he doesn’t contribute enough in front of goal. That’s where someone like Dembélé differs. And arguably the biggest reason to bring in the youngster is that he’ll be free. His contract expires at the Nou Camp in the summer and so far there is no sign of a contract renewal. So the new owners may be able to bring in an impact player for only the cost of an agent fee (and probably astronomical wages…). But the value is there, and Ousmane genuinely has he ability to be a top 10 player in the world. Not bad for a free transfer eh?!

Kyle Walker-Peters- wingback (medium priority) Southampton

The form Chelsea displayed throughout December after injuries to both fullbacks Reece James and Ben Chilwell occurred was catastrophic. The scoring output of the team was affected and their defence looked far more shaky. So it’s abundantly clear that they need to bring someone in who can deputise either flank when there is an injury, or even just for rotation. Current wingback Marcos Alonso has shown he can play down the left but lacks real defensive awareness to be the answers to Chelsea’s problems in the future. As for club captain Cesar Azpilicueta, he appears to clueless going forward and is likely to depart in the summer regardless.

That’s where Walker-Peters steps in. At 25 years of age, he’s finally had a real breakout season for Southampton, where he’s shown off his capabilities on both sides of the ball. Saints manager Ralph Hasenhüttl plays a very pragmatic brand of football which doesn’t particuarly allow for his players to go off script and shine, but the former Spurs fullback has demonstrated a very high level of play alongside English teammate Tino Livramento. Kyle has averaged a ‘whoscored’ rating of 6.93 this term, along with 3 man of the match performances, which has shown that he is capable of performing even when his teammates form has dipped. The youngster excels in his defensive responsibilities and is consistent in his one on one defending. He has great concentration considering his age and rarely gives away fouls in dangerous areas, and is astute enough to win the ball back against some of the top ball carriers in the division. He has also shown great recovery pace, which is important because it would mean he can cover for his centre backs when balls are played over the Blues high defensive line. One he gets the ball in the home third of the pitch he is very comfortable on the ball. He can carry the ball out with his feet but is also accurate with long ranged passes and crosses. He plays somewhat like a smaller Marcos Alonso, who is more athletically gifted but doesn’t quite have the same delivery or goal scoring threat.

Another attribute that will see him sought after by Thomas Tuchel is his ability to play on numerous positions. He can patrol both the left and right hand side of the field at a solid level. He’s been traditionally deployed as a right back by trade but this current season, he’s seen a majority of his minutes played out on the left flank. He’s seen his performances rise in recent months and has played at a much higher level, averaging a 7.16, which is the highest average rating amongst the entire Saints squad during that time. Should the West London club look to make a move for the young Englishman, it would be an savvy piece of business for the new owners. He can deputise either side when needed, and the style of play the team hope to deploy won’t be heavily impacted. I imagine Walker-Peters won’t be too worried about playing in a rotational role (especially if Chelsea are playing Champions League football), and if he can be snagged for as little as £20million, it needs to be done!

Fraser Forster- Goalkeeper (low priority) Southampton

The Blues look to go back to the Saints well for this transfer. Fraser Forster has had somewhat of a career resurgence these past few weeks and has shown that he can still be a number one for some Premier Legaue teams. His fine performance against Arsenal the other week just showed how much the 34 year old still has in the tank. A mountain of a man, Forster covers the goal with his enormous size and has reflexes, quick enough to make some truly spectacular saves. Unfortunately for the Saint, his contract is due to expire in the summer and his eyes could be set on a move away should the offer be lucrative enough. The Saints will likely be looking to bring the shot stopper back on a reasonable contract, but money talks in the football business, and a backup role at Stamford Bridge may be more appealing to the 6 time capped England international.

But why would the Blues want to add a player like Fraser Forster when they have £70million man Kepa Arrizabalaga on the bench? Well the answer is quite obvious, and that’s money. The owners won’t want to keep a player on the bench who is earning £150k a week and they need to offload him. Whether that be a transfer away, in which the Blues make a massive loss. Or they try and subside his wages by sending him out on loan. Regardless, at 26 Kepa will be wanting to play consistently to help his career, but he won’t find minutes playing behind Mendy at Chelsea. Forster might be different though. He may be willing to sit on the bench and earn more than he did with the Saints, whilst also getting the occasional cup game or even play as a stand in, should Édouard Mendy suffer an injury. His style of play doesn’t exactly replicate how Thomas Tuchel wants to play however. He’s very much a safety first keeper who won’t look to pick out his players in tight situations, but you won’t find many better shot stoppers on such a reasonable price. So the deal is at least something worth thinking about for the board this summer.

As we head into mid March, the Premier League is in full swing. With two thirds of the games played we are beginning to get a good understanding of which teams are doing well, and which are underperforming. The title appears to be a shootout between the two English Goliath’s Liverpool and Manchester City. Whereas the battle for relegation survival heats up between the likes of Burnley, Watford and the surprising addition of Everton.

Like teams rise and fall, the synergy between players and their highs and lows is mirrored. This year we have seen some individuals emerge from the shadows and produce consistent 9/10 performances. Parallel to that, some of the well known Premier League stars have failed to live up to their heavy expectations. Big money transfers such as Romelu Lukaku and Jack Grealish have struggled to date. Though only time will tell if they are truly flops.

But today we are going to focus on those players that have ascended their league mates and produced performances that have equal parts amazed and delivered. To create this list I took in a number of factors. These included goals and assists (primarily with attackers), clean sheets (primarily for defenders), game ratings, man of the match awards and their overall impact on their respective teams. A lot of players who I would consider to have had stellar seasons may not have made a team with only limited spaces. Some positions have 3 or 4 players who are vying for that spot, and to show some love to the guys that didn’t make this list, I’ll quickly give them a mention. And of course most teams still have 12+ league games at time of writing, so by the time May roles around this starting XI could have changed considerably. And of course I’m only taking in to account Premier League performances and not players stats and measurables from other competitions.

Honourable Mentions:

Édouard Mendy (Chelsea Gk) – 10 clean sheets, 81% save percentage Andy Robertson (Liverpool Lb)- 9 assists, 7.49 whoscored rating Reece James (Chelsea Rb)- 5 goals, 6 assists, 2 MOTM Antonio Rüdiger (Chelsea Cb)- 2 goals, 12 clean sheets, 87%ile passer Declan Rice (West Ham Cm)- 4.1 tackles+ints per game, 4 assists Kevin De Bruyne (Man City Cm)- 9 goals, 3 assists, 7.45 whoscored rating Riyad Mahrez (Man City Rw)- 10 goals, 4 assists, 95%ile progressive carries Son Heung-Min (Spurs Lw)- 10 goals, 6 assists, 7.31 whoscored rating Emmanuel Dennis (Watford St)- 9 goals, 5 assists, 2 MOTM

Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal) Goalkeeper

Back in August when Arsenal splashed the cash and bought Sheffield United goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale for £30million, there was a mixed reaction amongs Premier League fans. On one hand, the 23 year old had suffered back to back relegations from England’s top flight with both Bournemouth and Sheffield, and even though Ramsdale was young, he made a lot of mistakes and was a very raw product. On the other hand, Arsenal already had their number one keeper in Germany’s Bernd Leno, who in the season prior kept 11 clean sheets. A couple months down the line and it looks to have been some inspired business for Arteta’s Gunners. 3rd in the league for clean sheets with 11, Ramsdale has consistently kept Arsenal in games with his heroic and acrobatic saves. The young stopper has saved 79% of the shots he’s faced so far, one of the highest percentages in the league. He has also contributed to the North London side with his fantastic distribution, often starting off attacks with his accurate long range passing. The main reason he makes it into this team however, is the fact that he has transformed a middling Arsenal team into a side that is currently competing for 3rd place.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) Right back

Last season, TAA was put heavily under fire by the media for his defensive ability with the exclusion of Virgil Van Dijk and Joel Matip in the starting XI. This season has been somewhat of a reemergence for the young Englishman with standout offensive and defensive displays. Trent contributed to 9 goals last term in 36 games and has already eclipsed that total in just 24 games with 2 goals and 11 assists. TAA’s ability to play in a cross or accurate through ball is second to none in the league and is instrumental in how Liverpool play their effective attacking football. He’s also a monster on set pieces and can play a pin point pass from the corner or the half way line. His individual performances this season have earned him an abundance of plaudits. So far this season, the scouse star has earned himself a 7.59 average whoscored rating, an elite rating, and 5 man of the match awards (one of the highest levels in the division). Though fellow Englishman Reece James has contributed 0.8 goals every 90 this year, I couldn’t look past Trent for a spot in this team.

Thiago Silva (Chelsea) Centre back

At 37 years of age, perennial winner Thiago Silva is rolling back the years. The term is often overused in modern day football but the Brazilian really is a Rolls Royce of a defender. Always cool and composed under pressure, he’s a commanding presence at the back who any manager will want out there controlling the back. Coming off the back of winning his first champions league aged 36, it was believed Silva would take a step back this year with the likes of established stars Rüdiger, Christensen and newly promoted star Trevoh Chalobah taking over the mantle. But Silva has performed at such a high level he’s competed in 22 of the Blues 26 games so far this term. Performing at an average level of 7.21 he has had some outstanding individual performances, including scoring against Spurs both home and away and a monumental game against Liverpool where Chelsea went down to 10 men early on. Though the former PSG man may not have long left in his career, he’s still showing the young guns how it’s done.

Rúben Dias (Manchester City) Centre back

Joining Thiago Silva at the back in this squad is last years Premier Legaue player of the season Rúben Dias. The Portuguese centre back has been a sensation since joining the Sky Blues from Benfica in the summer of 2020 for a reported £60million. He came in and instantly turned round Guardiolas defensive problems and made them a juggernaut that became nearly impossible to get past. Dias has 11 clean sheets in 25 games this season and he is in charge of commanding the back line which consist of multiple world class talents. Along with his defensive acumen, Dias has been in the goals this season, scoring 2 and assisting a further 3, putting him in the top 10% of players at his position for these statistics. He’s also in the top 2% for passes and progressive carries, showing he contributes a lot more to the Champions than just tackling. A real monster at the back, at only 24 it’s scary to think how good he could be in 5 years time.

João Cancelo (Manchester City) Left back

Back in 2019 when Cancelo made the move from Juventus to Manchester City in a deal totalling around £60million, expectations were very high. He didn’t get off to the best start in life in the blue part of Manchester as he couldn’t take Kyle Walker’s right back spot in the team. The COVID-19 break happened and Cancelo came back in a new position, left back. And he made the position his own. This season he’s pushed on even further and is showing why Pep Guardiola made the right decision in signing him back in 2019. Now a mainstay in the side, the Portuguese product is equally effective at defending as he is in attack. He produces 4.1 tackles and interceptions a game, allowing his side to quickly get the ball back into attacking transitions and offensively he completes 1.8 key passes a game. A lot of his attacking output has translated into goals, combining for 1 goal and 5 assists in 26 league games. These displays have warranted him earring an average 7.45 whoscored rating and 4 man of the match awards. Showing that he can impact a star studded team from the left back position.

Fabinho (Liverpool)- Holding midfielder

At 28 years old, Brazilian Fabinho is arguably the best holding midfielder in the whole of England. Some may even argue he’s the best in the holding role in the world. Fabinho is a fantastic contributor defensively and acts as a shield for an already solid Liverpool defence. Coming from Monaco in 2018 Fabinho plied his trade primarily as a right back, as the midfield positions were dominated by Timoue Bakayoko and João Mourinho, players who both moved on to the Premier League. The Brazilians numbers speak for themselves with 3.5 tackles and interceptions per game and 2.2 average long balls shows how influential he is by breaking up play and starting new attacks. The Afield star has also shown improvements in front of goal this term, scoring 4 and providing an additional goal for his teammates. The proof is on the pudding when deciding how influential he is for this Liverpool side, as the Reds have not been able to produce as dazzling performances without the Brazilian in the side.

Conor Gallagher (Crystal Palace)- Central midfielder

Should Conor Gallagher continue his great stretch of form and make the team of the season, he would become the first Crystal Palace player since Andy Johnson back in 04/05 to do so. Gallagher has been massively influential since joining Patrick Vieira’s side on loan in the summer. Scoring 8 and assisting a further 3 has displayed just how good of a talent the 22 year old is. Great on the ball and wonderful technique when hitting the ball, he young Englishman is often the conductor of the Eagles attacks. Only one player aged 22 or under (Bukayo Saka) has contributed to more goals so far this season. But players like Saka have the privileged working alongside more talented players whereas (no disrespect) Conor is working for a team traditionally fighting to avoid relegation. This year however Gallagher has been one of the main contributing factors in the teams success as they currently sit 10th in the table. And his average whoscored rating of 7.28 this season tops other such young talents as Mason Mount, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice. All players who are considered to be having great seasons. Gallagher performances haven’t gone unnoticed as he’s received 4 man of the match awards for his heroics.

Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)- Attacking midfielder

There were rumours during the summer that Bernardo Silva was considering his future in Manchester as he was out of favour with manager Pep Guardiola. Fast forward to the current day and the Portuguese standout is one of the leagues top performers this year. Pep is well known for rotating his team heavily throughout the season, and yet now Bernardo has started 27 of the 28 games played so far, which is most in the squad. His levels have raised drastically from prior seasons. Calm and composed on the ball, I believe there are no better players with the ball at their feet in the whole of England. The ball is practically glued to his foot and opposing defenders struggle to hack away at the micro magician as he runs circles around them. He’s improved in front of goal as well, scoring 7 goals and providing 2 assists. When you play for a team at the top of the league and you’ve been their best player, it just shows how influential you are. And with Bernardo’s average rating of 7.4 this season, not many can top his level of play.

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)- Winger

If the Premier Legaue player of the season was announced today, Mo Salah would run away with it. The Egyptian has contributed to the most goals so far this year with 19 goals and 10 assists, which is miles ahead of second closest contributors Son Heung-Min and Jarrod Bowen with 16 apiece. If Liverpool are to catch the marauding Manchester City in the title chase this season then Salah will have played a major part. The word I’d use to best describe the 2018 player of the year is clutch. The speedy and tricky winger is always the man for the big occasion, with important goals coming in abundance. Salah’s average whoscored rating this term of 7.78 is #1 in the Legaue, and his 6 man of the match awards only emphasise his impact for Liverpool this year. If the Egyptian continues in this vein of form for the remained of the games, then this could go down as one of the best individual seasons in Premier League history. Will he be able to replicate the 17/18 season where he scored 32 and assisted 10? He’s already got the assists!

Jarrod Bowen (West Ham)- Winger

The closest person to replicate how Mohamed Salah plays is possibly West Ham’s very own Jarrod Bowen. Tricky with the ball at his feet, the 25 year old Englishman has the canny knack of cutting in off the right onto his left foot and rocketing the ball into the back of the net. With 8 goals and assists this term, he tops all other English players in the division. These goals have helped West Ham into the top 6 for the second time in consecutive seasons. Over the last two years, manager David Moyse has got his team firing and has really developed some of his teams young stars. None have improved more than the former Hull Tiger Bowen though. Producing an average rating this year of 7.23 just shows how elite of a level he is playing at. It certainly wouldn’t surprise me if one of the top teams came calling for his services in the summer. But I imagine a player of Bowen’s quality won’t come cheap.

Diogo Jota (Liverpool)- Striker

Though not a conventional striker, Jota has been banging in the goals for Liverpool this season. Coming from Wolves last season, the Portuguese international was mainly a big part player in Jurgen Klopp’s system. But this season he has come out and made the central attacking position his own, dislodging mainstay Roberto Firmino. In 24 games Jota has scored 12 goals, already his most in a season in England. And some of those goals have been vitally important, including scoring a double in a 2-0 win over Leicester and a goal against Manchester United in a 5-0 drubbing. He’s in the top 4% of players in the league for non penalty goals as well. Jota’s decisiveness in front of goal has landed him with 3 man of the match awards. Though his goals for the Reds have been decisive, he’s also been an asset in how they play without the ball. Making tackles in the middle of the pitch and pressuring defenders to make those all important mistakes. In fact Diogo falls in the top 3% of players for pressures in the entire division showing that he’s an incredibly talented multi faceted player.

The January transfer window has come and gone and all the excitement that came with it appeared to dissipate as no major signings were complete (maybe outside of Vlahovic to Juventus). Hopefully the spending in the summer transfer window should be more chaotic, and we may seem some of the biggest names in the sport switch allegiances to rival teams. Names such as Messi and Lukaku moved in the recent summer window so we should be in for a treat.

Today we are going to be looking at some of the top players on the continent who’s contracts are running out with their current clubs. Once their contracts have expired, the said players are allowed to negotiate deals with other teams. This means that their former clubs will receive no transfer fees as they no longer own the rights to that player.

Between now and July we are likely to see a lot of the players on this list sign new contracts with their current clubs. Teams will not want to lose out on money from some of their top assets. Players will also be looking to stall on said contracts in order to gain better deals for themselves.

One point to make is that when teams sign a player on a free transfer, you would assume that the club have made a sizeable saving on the deal. This isn’t always the case however. Though they don’t have to pay a transfer fee, they often have to pay monstrous agent fees and also heavily inflated wages for the player. Ex Bayern Munich defender David Alaba signed for Spanish giants Real Madrid last summer and put pen to paper on a £400k a week deal, effectively doubling his previous wages. On top of this he earned a £15 million signing on fee and his agent Pini Zahavi received around a further £4 million. So far this season, Alaba does appear to be repaying the the Los Blancos side by replacing (other free agent signing) Sergio Ramos in the heart of their defence.

There is a grand history of free agent signings joining up with their new clubs and hitting the ground running. The success rate of free transfers working out in previous years has been relatively high. Now let’s quickly look at some of the players who have made the leap in the open market and excelled.

• Robert Lewandowski, Borussia Dortmund to Bayern Munich
• Andrea Pirlo, AC Milan to Juventus
• Joel Matip, Schalke to Liverpool
• Thiago Silva, PSG to Chelsea
• Leon Goretzka, Schalke to Bayern Munich
• Paul Pogba, Manchester United to Juventus
• James Milner, Manchester City to Liverpool
• Marc Albrighton, Aston Villa to Leicester

So now let’s look at the top 15 players who as of time of writing are currently waiting for their contracts to expire in June and find a new team to look to find success with.

#15. Gareth Bale

When the former Spurs winger signed for Los Blancos back in 2013 for a world record fee, expectations were exceptionally high. Though Bale has picked up an abundance of silverware across his 8 years in Spain, he never truly integrated himself into the culture and consistent injuries scuppered his chances to finish his career as one of the greats. However, last seasons loan spell to Spurs showcased what the Welshman still has left in the tank. 11 goals and 2 assists in 20 games displayed what Bale can offer to a team. Though Bale will be 33 by the time next season comes around, he should still be able to offer teams a good level of performance for 2 years or so. Injuries and wages may be the only issue.

#14. Luis Suarez

14 may seem like a pretty low spot on this list for a player that has scored 27 league goals in the last season and half. But, you have to question how much the 35 year old has left to offer. His engine may not be quite what it used to but for a team just looking for an out and out goal scorer, you couldn’t find many better than he Uruguayan. At his peak Suarez was one of the best players in the world. After joining Barcelona in 2014 he went on a run of contributing 192 goals and assists in just 163 league games. Even now Suarez is putting up strong numbers, having scored 9 goals so far this season. So teams may be looking to add an experienced presence up front next year.

#13. Luiz Felipe

The current Lazio centerback has gone from strength to strength season after season. The 24 year old Brazilian is honing his talents and is quickly becoming one of the best defenders in Serie A. Italy is a country known for developing defensive talent and Felipe is no exception. The youngster is built like the perfect modern day centre back. He is very comfortable with the ball at his feet and passing out from the back. He is also blessed with good recovery speed and is assured in the tackle. You don’t often see younger players testing the waters in free agency but clubs should be looking to quickly snap up his talents before his price tag doubles in the coming years.

#12. Andrej Kramarić

At 30 years old, Croatian front man Andrej Kramarić has come to life in his later years. Joining Leicester in 2015, he struggled to get a foothold in the team and moved to Germany. Since his move to Hoffenheim, Kramarić has contributed to 119 goals in 180 Bundesliga games. Though the Croatian is primarily a goal scorer, he offers a lot of creativity to any team and is also deadly on set pieces. I’d imagine Kramarić wouldn’t demand outlandish wages, and at 30 years old, he could probably offer a middling team 3/4 years of top performances. Maybe even in a stronger team, his level could match his teammates.

#11. James Tarkowski

For any Premier League club looking for an experienced defender should look no further than Burnley’s James Tarkowski. Although Burnley are currently in a relegation battle, this should not reflect on Tarkowski’s playing ability. With 183 league appearances to his name, the 2 time capped England international offers leadership and defending ability that nearly any club would be interested in. The proprietor of a £25 million bid from Newcastle in January, Tarkowski was seen as a essential part of Sean Dyche’s system and the club chose to keep hold of him and lose him on a free rather than let him go mid season. That just speaks volumes of how highly Tarkowski is looked at in England.

#10. Isco

The former 2012 golden boy recipient has had an up and down career with Real Madrid. At points considered on of the best creative midfielders in the world, has fallen off somewhat in recent years. Injuries haven’t helped his development but the Spaniard has only logged 59 league games over that last 3 seasons, most of these have been substitute appearances. On his day Isco is a dynamic player who has some of the best dribbling ability in all of Spain. Not only can he progress the ball at his feet but he has great vision and can see a pass. Isco may be looking to cash in on some high wage demands but any club wanting to gamble on the 29 year old could receive a player who makes a similar impact to what Philippe Coutinho has had with Aston Villa.

#9. Matthias Ginter

Germany international Matthias Ginter has been performing at a very high level for club and country since he joined Gladbach back in 2017. A regular captain for his side, Borussia will likely want to keep ahold of the 6ft3 stalwart. Considering he’s been plying his trade at the international level now for a couple of years means that perennial German talent thief’s Bayern Munich will come circling. However, any team with aspirations for success should be looking to send Ginter’s agent a message. A commanding presence in the back and a high level footballing IQ make for a player who could make their way into nearly any team in Europe.

#8. Marcelo Brozović

Cool, calm and collected, Brozović is the pendulum passer that most modern attacking teams like to employ at the heart of their midfield. Marcelo was pivotal to Inter Milan’s Serie A win last season and he also played a crucial role in Croatia’s run to the World Cup final in 2018. In recent years Brozović has been linked to teams such as Chelsea, Manchester United and Bayern Munich, so any team that can pick him up on a free this summer will be laughing. That is if Inter aren’t smart enough to throw some money in the Croatians direction.

#7. Boubacar Kamara

It’s not very often that such great young talents become available on a free in the summer. At just 22 years of age, Kamara is a commanding presence for current club Marseille in Ligue Un. The young Frenchman has the versatility to play in either the centre back position or as a holding midfielder. Kamara averaged a 7 overall rating on whoscored last year , showing he can play at such a high level at a young age. Proving that he can improve even further on his talents. Teams such as Manchester United and Chelsea have already come calling but picking him up in July on a free could prove savvy business. Grabbing a player who can play at the heart of your team for the next 5-10 years is smart business in general, even smarter if you can scoop him up for free.

#6. Franck Kessié

Currently staring for a high flying AC Milan side, Kessie looks to be one of the hottest commodities in Europe. The Ivorian holding midfielder is a destroyer in the middle of the park who can also play good football with the ball at his feet. Still a developing star at 25, Kessie has all the physical tools to play as one of the best central midfielders in any league. Very tall and strong with a great engine to boot, it’s been seen time and time again that Kessie can control a game alongside a more creative player like Milan teammate Sandro Tonali. Rumours emerged last summer of bids coming in for the midfielder in the region of £50 million, which would equate to a massive loss if Milan let him go in the summer. But one thing is for certain, Franck won’t be short of any suitors for his services.

#5. Ousmane Dembélé

On his day, Dembélé is one of the most exciting attacking talents in world football. Unfortunately for the Frenchman, he’s not on his day all too often. Injuries have really hampered the 24 year olds playing time since making the switch from Germany to Barcelona for over £100million in 2017. His time at the Camp Nou appear to be over as his relationship with the Barcelona hierarchy appears to be severed. So any team looking to pick up a highly creative forward may be in luck. That is as long as they’re willing to bank on his injury history not repeating itself. At his best, Dembélé contributed to nearly a goal every 90 minutes, so if a manager can get the best out of him, they’ll be picking up a potential top 10 talent in world football. expect sides such as Chelsea and Arsenal to be interested.

#4. Antonio Rüdiger

To put it plainly, Chelsea football club would be idiotic to not throw money at 28 year old Rüdiger. Since fellow German compatriot Thomas Tuchel joined the Blues 13 months ago, Rüdiger has gone through somewhat of a career renaissance. Winning the Champions League last season, Toni has been playing as on of the best central defenders in the whole of Europe. If Chelsea are not willing to spend upward of £250k a week wages on the German, I expect many of other teams will. Rüdiger shows great intensity in his game and has all the physical ability to bully opposition attackers. Real Madrid have been heavily linked with the player, and I imagine he could be the signing to put Los Blancos back into Champions League contention.

#3. Paulo Dybala

Since joining Juventus in 2015, there was a real weight of expectation on the young Argentinians shoulders. Never quite living up to that potential and being cast under Ronaldo’s shadow in Turin haven’t made for the greatest time for Dybala. But he’s still been a great player, despite never being a world beater. Contributing 118 goals 201 league games has been a great record for a player who doesn’t strictly play as the focal point in his side. Very silky on the ball and great finishing ability make him a very sought after talent. If he runs his contract down I’m sure an abundance of teams will come calling. However, I expect Dybala to return to Juventus next year. Since Ronaldo’s departure last summer, Dybala has stepped up and now the Argentinian appears to be forming a formidable partnership with new frontman Dusan Vlahovic.

#2. Paul Pogba

It’s not often you see players of Pogba’s quality hit free agency. However, it does appear that the World Cup winning Frenchman is keen to let his contract run out with Manchester United. since joining the Red Devil’s in 2016 for a hen world record fee, Pogba has had very sporadical form. Sometimes displaying jaw dropping performances, running past players and making pin points passes, but on other occasions he is seen ghosting in games an jogging around as a passenger. United will do everything they can to keep hold of their star playmaker, but it appears that Paul may be interested in plying his trade elsewhere. The only stumbling block in any future deal may be the 28 year olds extortionate wages. Teams such as Real Madrid, PSG and Chelsea are likely to be willing to pay those wages, and in return they would receive a player who is world class on his day. And as we’ve been saying for years, Pogba just needs to be in the right role to get the best out of him. Something we’ve not seen in Manchester consistently enough.

#1. Kylian Mbappé

Was there anyone else to fill the number one spot? The 23 year old is one of the best players in world football and PSG will be stressing to keep hold of the French gunman. At such a young age Mbappé has already achieved so much. From playing a pivotal part in Frances World Cup win to making 2 team of the year appearances, it looks as though Kylian has the world at his feet. Lightning quick and finishing ability only bettered by 2 or 3 players in the world, it’s quite likely that Mbappé will be hearing his name called at the Ballon D’or ceremony in the not so distant future. With this being said, for his future it only really seems like there are two teams in the running to acquire his services for next season. These being current club PSG and perennial title challengers in Spain, Real Madrid. Regardless of what happens over the summer, Mbappé is likely to make a lot of headlines.