With transfer business ramping up, here is a look at ten fringe players in the Premier League who are in need of transfer moves this summer.
From fall-outs with managers to dropping down the pecking order and genuine crossroad in their playing career, there are a host of reasons why various players are currently on the fringes of their teams and in need of a fresh start elsewhere.
This summer though has seen plenty of rumours swirling around in regard to the future of various players, as some clubs look to strengthen and move on unwanted players whilst other clubs seek to sell for financial reasons and some youngsters face questions about their long-term future at current clubs in terms of game time.
Now, here is a guide to ten players who are in need of transfer moves this summer in order to reignite their playing careers.
Robert Sanchez (Brighton)
Following his fall from favour under Roberto De Zerbi with just three appearances in the final two months of last season and missed their last nine matches, Robert Sanchez sits low in Brighton’s goalkeeper pecking order behind new signing – Bart Verbruggen, Jason Steele and Tom McGill.
Sanchez therefore surely needs to secure an away move if he wants to regain his place in Spain’s squad and start afresh, because he is unlikely to get much game time at the AMEX unless he puts his differences aside and can force his way back up the pecking order and challenge Verbruggen plus Steele for a starting spot.
Either way, the 25 year-old’s future will surely need deciding in the coming weeks and now might well be the time to move on after a decade at the club, where he graduated through their youth academy into the senior squad.
Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool)
Having played second-fiddle to Alisson throughout his time at Liverpool since graduating into the senior team in September 2019 – after he had been utilised an unused substitute on two previous occasions, Caoimhin Kelleher now is at a crossroads in his career.
The 24 year-old Ireland international can either continue to sit on the bench with a lack of game time as he approaches his peak years, or he can decide that now is the right moment to move on in search of regular game time away from Anfield and find his feet out from under the shadows of Alisson.
This summer is therefore one of huge decisions for one of Liverpool’s biggest fringe players because Kelleher clearly is talented and capable of playing for a top team, yet is at an age where he needs regular football in order to develop heading into his peak years as a goalkeeper.
Jamaal Lascelles (Newcastle)
With just 498 minutes in 13 appearances last season and just five starts in which he played the entire match on just four occasions, Jamaal Lascelles could well find himself on his way out of Newcastle as Eddie Howe continues to evolve his squad.
Lascelles also is low down Howe’s central-defence pecking order due to the form of Sven Botman, Dan Burn and Fabian Schar, meaning that a move elsewhere could well be in his interest at 29 years-old if he wants regular game time.
One positive however is that Newcastle are in the Champions League this season, which could well be Lascelles’ salvation on Tyneside with the door slightly wider in terms of getting game time – if Howe opts to rotate his defence to keep Botman, Burn and Schar fresh across the season.
Lascelles though does face a tough few weeks in determining where his future lies over the next 12 months.
Harry Maguire (Manchester United)
With Manchester United’s captaincy having been stripped from him amidst inconsistent form under Erik ten Hag, Harry Maguire’s future has to be in question despite having played every minute in each of the 16 matches that he started last season.
The loss of captaincy though will raise serious questions for the defender about his long-term future at Utd if Ten Hag doesn’t view him as the right man to captain the club, especially after how the Red Devils fought back from a disastrous start to last season to clinch Carabao Cup, finish as FA Cup runners-up and third in the Premier League.
Maguire though is approaching the end of his peak years and after struggling for consistent playing time with questions over his form, perhaps this summer is the right moment to leave Utd for a fresh start elsewhere whilst he is still at the top of his game.
Kevin Mbabu (Fulham)
Having made just seven appearances for Fulham last season before spending the second half of the campaign on loan to Switzerland’s Servette, Mbabu now needs to impress in pre-season or he could well find that his future lies elsewhere.
This stint however is the second time that the defender has struggled to establish himself in English football, after having made only five appearances in a three-season spell at Newcastle a decade ago so perhaps it is time for Mbabu to cut his losses with the English game and move on to pastures new.
Albert Sambi Lokonga (Arsenal)
After two underwhelming seasons at Arsenal with no goals in 39 appearances, it is little surprise that Albert Sambi Lokonga looks set for pastures new especially after a poor loan stint at Crystal Palace with just nine appearances in the second half of last season.
Such was the awful level of performance over the last two seasons, Lokonga failed to register a single goal or assist during his time in English football which is a huge disappointment for Arsenal, with manager – Mikel Arteta having described the Belgium midfielder as “very intelligent” when Lokonga first joined the Gunners.
A fresh start is therefore a certainty if the 23 year-old is to reset and fulfil his potential after two difficult years in London, although reports seem to link him to Burnley which is an interesting move when getting away from English football and starting afresh might be a better move.
Kalvin Phillips (Manchester City)
Although a shoulder injury had affected Phillips throughout his first season at Manchester City, he managed just 608 minutes across 21 appearances in all competitions – of which he started just four matches in all competitions despite City having spent big money to sign him from Leeds United.
Ilkay Gundogan’s departure for Barcelona though is the perfect opportunity for Phillips to reset and try to establish himself in the first team as a regular, even though West Ham and Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing the midfielder who could do with regular game time after a difficult campaign.
Speculation of a permanent transfer away from Man City does seem slightly extreme but a loan move could actually be what Phillips need, in order to rediscover his best performance and gain regular game time so expect his name to be floating around the transfer rumours within the coming weeks.
Andre Gomes (Everton)
Returning to Everton after enjoying a solid season on loan at Lille with three goals in 27 appearances, midfielder, Andre Gomes faces a big decision about his future with the Toffees who are now under Sean Dyche’s management and looking to create a new project after two seasons of flirting with relegation.
This situation however marks a contrast to Gomes’ time at the club under Frank Lampard in which he made just seven appearances in the second half of 2021-22 season, having failed to impress the boss before he was loaned out to Lille last season whilst Lampard was sacked less than a year after he took charge.
Dyche however has come in and evaluated his squad ahead of a summer revamp with several players set to be sold, so Gomes faces the choice of fighting for his place at Everton or accepting a move away in search of regular game time.
Financial challenges at Everton however could force Gomes’ hand due to his sizeable wages as the Toffees look to move some of their highest-earning out-of-favour players onto pastures new, in order to create additional transfer funds for Dyche to spend on bringing players who he believes can improve the squad.
Callum Hudson-Odoi (Chelsea)
After enduring a difficult 18 months under Thomas Tuchel who succeeded Frank Lampard in January 2021 despite having started 30 of 45 matches under the German, Callum Hudson-Odoi now faces serious questions around his future at Chelsea after falling out of favour.
Last season’s difficult loan stint at Bayer Leverkusen with one goal in 21 appearances won’t of helped matters for the 22 year-old as he looked to rediscover his form, who now has to impress Chelsea’s latest manager – Mauricio Pochettino who needs to trim his oversized squad.
A move therefore could suit Hudson-Odoi if he is to gain regular football rather than find himself part of a rotating circus at Chelsea, should Pochettino find himself having to rotate to give players game time despite the Argentinean being well-known for his handling of young talent.
In fact, nobody would be shocked if Hudson-Odoi decided to leave his boyhood club because he is at a point where a fresh start could reignite his talent, which has been pretty much wasted in the last few seasons with minimal development of a youngster who is capable of higher performances than he has delivered.
Bryan Gil (Tottenham)
As Ange Postecoglou prepares for his first season in charge of Tottenham, there are questions over the future of midfielder, Bryan Gil who failed to light up English Football, and has spent the second half of last two seasons on loan at Valencia and Sevilla respectively which yielded two goals and four assists in total across both clubs.
Gil now faces a decision over whether he is ready to break through at Tottenham or whether it is time for a reset back in Spain or at another European club, of which his decision could be influenced by need for game time given that Spurs currently have six players who can play as wingers higher up the pecking order.
Tottenham also are without European commitments this season which only further limits Gil’s prospects of game time, unless Harry Kane does indeed move on which would see Richarlison and Son Heung-min more likely deployed as central forwards, in-turn opening up opportunities for Gil on the wing.
Either way, Gil could find himself as the target for a loan or permanent move depending upon Postecoglou’s plans for the Spaniard in his long-term vision.
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