The 12 Premier League players who need a transfer this summer

New York Times

17 hours ago

There is a long list of Premier League players who will make moves this summer. Plenty already have — from Trent Alexander-Arnold's move to Real Madrid to Liam Delap's switch to Chelsea.
But who are the players crying out for a new club? Who is out of favour? Who needs a fresh start?
Here, The Athletic has chosen 12 players who could benefit from moving clubs when the window opens up again on Monday.
Let's start with 'Agent Chaos' himself. Last season, the Uruguayan striker became a Premier League champion with Liverpool, but his contributions on the field were limited.
Nunez (top left) played 30 times in the league but only eight of those were as starts. He scored five times and assisted three goals. His late double at Brentford to secure three points was the highlight of his campaign, but it never felt like he had the backing of head coach Arne Slot.
Advertisement
He might have a bad miss in his locker, but Nunez should still appeal to clubs. He is a boisterous competitor and causes trouble up top. The 25-year-old might suit a club where he will be under less scrutiny, allowing him to relax into his football. Liverpool fans, it should be said, have loved his all-action play, despite his shortcomings. He will need to find a similarly accepting fanbase.
Looking back, perhaps Grealish might wonder if he should have walked away after City's treble-winning 2022-23 campaign. He racked up nearly 3,500 minutes on the pitch that season but his impact has waned considerably, with 2,114 minutes in 2023-24 and 1,521 minutes last time out.
The 29-year-old has even been left out of City's Club World Cup squad.
Off the pitch and on it, the England international has swagger, and it would be good to see him tap into it again. His career has stalled, and he needs to shift himself back into gear.
Another player who needs to leave Manchester. A loan to Aston Villa for the second half of last season was a different experience for Rashford (top right), the first time he had played for a team other than England and United since he was seven. Apart from some injury disruptions, the loan spell felt like a positive one.
In 10 league games, Rashford scored twice and assisted three times, working out at a goal involvement every other game. For a long time, it seemed Rashford was destined to spend his entire career at United, but this feels like the perfect time for a new adventure.
He made his United debut in February 2016 but at 27, there will be a team out there hoping his best attacking years are still ahead of him.
There were moments last season during his loan spell at Arsenal from Chelsea when it seemed all of the football had been sucked out of Sterling. As Arsenal battled it out for a title that escaped them and reached the Champions League semi-finals, one big Sterling moment could have put his name in headlines. It did not work out that way.
Advertisement
Sterling did not provide a single goal across 17 matches in the Premier League.
Now he is back at Chelsea, surely thinking through his next move. At 30, there is still plenty to give. Any club looking to sign Sterling will know he comes with trophy-winning experience.
This year, Semenyo told The Athletic that he wants to play for the top clubs — 'any team that plays Champions League, Europa League'. This might be his summer to move. He is 25, extremely fast, a good dribbler and can finish off. There aren't many players in the league who make it difficult to guess which foot is their weakest.
Who wouldn't want to add Semenyo to their attacking options? Last season, he scored 11 league goals and assisted five. He has the attributes to be even greater.
It might be time for Nkunku to blow up his balloons elsewhere. Stamford Bridge has not been the kindest place for him to carry out his trademark celebration since he joined Chelsea from RB Leipzig in 2023. If he wants to progress his career and start scoring more goals regularly, then his six-year contract at Chelsea might have to be cut short.
Last season, he played 42 games for Chelsea, but it was a bit-part role. His goal tally (14) was respectable but only three came in the Premier League. Chelsea have recently signed another striker, Liam Delap, and it feels like the right time for Nkunku to take his skills and vision to a team who can make him their focal point.
He has been around the game for so long that it might feel strange to read Broja is only 23. It has not worked for him at Chelsea, and his loan at Everton last season was also disappointing. This summer is the perfect time for Broja to move on and revive his career.
Injury problems limited him to just 11 games for Everton's first team. He needs an injury-free run and a new club to show off the pace and power we have not really seen since his loan at Southampton four years ago.
He has his own song to the tune of Sway by Dean Martin and a Premier League winners' medal, but Chiesa might need a new city to call home. The Italy international has said he is happy in Liverpool, but his career at the club has never got going. Injury troubles got in the way. The players ahead of him have also been in top form.
He featured six times in the Premier League, one above the Premier League's threshold for a medal. Should he stick around, he will feel he has a lot to prove.
A huge Liverpool fan, Elliott gives his all every time he is on the pitch — but fighting for minutes has been an ongoing battle. In Liverpool's title-winning campaign, Elliott contributed one goal and two assists in 18 games. During a rare start against Brighton & Hove Albion in May, he scored and assisted. This proved what he is capable of when given the opportunity.
Advertisement
Elliott was mostly used as an attacking midfielder or right winger, but Slot overlooked him for the biggest games. Liverpool had a settled midfield trio — Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch — and Mohamed Salah was in arguably the best form of his career. It was always going to be difficult for Elliott.
Liverpool fans will not want him to leave permanently, so maybe a loan move would suit Elliott. At 22, he has an exciting career ahead.
Ings started just one game in the Premier League for West Ham last season. He scored one goal as a substitute, one of 14 league games from the bench. Wherever he might move, a change of club would surely suit him.
He has spent the past 12 years in the Premier League. At 32, this could be a good time for Ings to join a club abroad, experience something new.
If he does not leave the United Kingdom, then dropping down a level and bringing his years of experience to a new group of players could be the perfect opportunity.
With Newcastle looking to bring in James Trafford and keep Nick Pope, Martin Dubravka is likely to seek a move.
He signed a contract extension in January but the arrival of Trafford would drop him down Eddie Howe's list even further. Instead, Dubravka can use the summer to find a new team and be the undisputed No 1 goalkeeper.
A key player for Manchester City and Arsenal in the past, Zinchenko's career is stalling. The Ukraine international has fallen down the pecking order at Arsenal following the emergence of Myles Lewis-Skelly and the arrival of Riccardo Calafiori. Even the right-sided Jurrien Timber played ahead of Zinchenko at left-back last season. This summer feels like a good jumping-off point for the 28-year-old to rediscover regular playing time.
Advertisement
Mikel Arteta occasionally used Zinchenko in midfield last season, showing his versatility. He has the technical skill, game intelligence and willingness to perform wherever he is played. Is your team looking for a versatile player with bucket loads of passion? He can be that player.
(Top photos: Getty Images)