The consequences of the global pandemic had little to no effect on the Premier League club’s spending ahead of the 2020-21 season. While Chelsea ended up splashing over £200m on new signings, the likes of Manchester City and Leeds United weren’t behind. 

However, money never guarantees success and these spendings have also had mixed results so far. While there have been players like Tomas Soucek, Ollie Watkins and James Rodriguez, who have impressed one and all, there have been others who have failed to live up the hype. 

Today, we take a look at five such players who have struggled to live up to the expectations.

Willian - Arsenal

Willian arrived at Arsenal amidst much fan-fare and the Brazilian put on a man-of-the-match performance on his PL debut for the Gunners as well, assisting two goals in a 3-0 win over Fulham. However, that has been his only notable contribution in an Arsenal shirt till date. Since then, he has only provided a solitary assist and has failed to score a single goal across four different competitions. What’s more worrisome is the fact that his conversion rate has deteriorated considerably as he averages1.3 shots per 90 minutes. Note that this is the same player who bagged 11 goals last season with Chelsea.

Kai Havertz - Chelsea

Kai Havertz became the most expensive player of the 2020 summer transfer window when Chelsea decided to pay £71million to Bayer Leverkusen for the 21-year-old. Coming at the back of a fantastic season in Bundesliga, where he had scored 18 goals and nine assists, fans and experts had expected a commanding display from the German but the youngster has not only failed to justify his price tag, but his ineffective displays have drawn extreme criticism as well. So far, the 21-year-old has scored four goals across four competitions and has provided as many assists.

Donny van de Beek - Manchester United

The signing of Donny van de Beek from Ajax was a smooth transition, to say the least, but many supporters and even the former players questioned why he was signed by Manchester United in the first place. Fast forward to the date and the 23-year-old still remains a deviant figure at the club. Regardless of the talent he brings, the title of being one of the worst transfers comes on the back of an extreme muddle as no one is still aware of his best position. Manager Ole Gunnar-Solksjaer has answered the questions regarding his absence in sheer professionalism, but the fact remains that he has started just two league games this season

Timo Werner - Chelsea 

"At the beginning, I had this self-image that I can go on doing my thing here, but in the last few months, I have been brought down to earth. It's the way in England that you never have a quiet game,�?striker Timo Werner recently made an honest admission about his time in the Premier League.

The German international, who bagged 34 goals and 13 assists for RB Leipzig last season, has been relatively quiet in the Premier League this term. Joining the Blues for £47.5 million, the 24-year-old fell short of expectations and has failed to adapt to the rugged style of the league, meaning that he has been limited to just five goals in the league; a far cry from the standard he showcased last season. Now, there are several reasons as to why Werner has been failing to find the goal, with one being Frank Lampard’s use of the striker. During the tenure of the former manager, Werner was used in four different positions and that pretty much explains why he is struggling with consistency.

Rhian Brewster - Sheffield United

Splashing a club-record £23.5 million for a player who was yet to make a single Premier League appearance was always going to be a gamble, and that hasn’t really paid off well for Sheffield United this season. The signing of Rhian Brewster from Liverpool received rave reviews considering the fact that he had scored 11 goals in 22 games during his brief loan spell at Swansea City in the 2019-20 Championship season. That £23.5 million, however, has given Sheffield United 734 league minutes, zero goals and as many assists. The 20-year-old has made 18 Premier League appearances so far and averages a mere 0.7 shots per game; certainly not a figure that he wants to be associated with.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Ian Kington, Stu Forster

With only a few days left in the January transfer window, we look at what's happening in the market in the Premier League.

No loan move for van de Beek

Manchester United have reportedly turned down a potential loan move for midfielder Donny van de Beek as manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is looking to keep hold of the entire squad in order to challenge for as many as three titles; the Premier League, Europa League and the FA Cup.

Van de Beek joined Manchester United in a £40 million deal from Ajax, but has been limited to just two Premier League starts, leading to the suggestion that he might move on loan in order to get regular game time. Solskjaer, however, rebuffed the rumours earlier this month, saying that he's easing the process of slotting the midfielder into the first team.

"I've answered this question so many times and there are so many examples of players needing a little bit of time, quality players," Solskjaer said in a news conference.

As United are pushing for their first Premier League title since 2013, it is expected that he will count on van de Beek at some point of time. Meanwhile, there are also reported that Jesse Lingard might be convinced to stay at least until the end of the season.

Aurelien Tchouameni on Chelsea's radar

AS Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni is reportedly a subject of interest from Chelsea despite the uncertainty surrounding manager Frank Lampard's future at the club. As per ESPN, Chelsea have been extensively scouting the 20-year-old as they are keen on strengthening the midfield. Tchouameni has been making a name for himself under manager Niko Kovac since moving from Bordeaux in an �?8 million deal a year ago.

The 20-year-old has started all but one league game for Monaco this season as they sit fourth in the Ligue 1 2020-21 table. It is said that Monaco will not listen to any offers in January, but are preparing themselves for a tug of war for the 20-year-old prodigy in the summer transfer market.

Chelsea' primary target still remains West Ham United's Declan Rice, but a £70m-£80m price tag might force the Blues to look for alternatives. A recent report from the Guardian, however, has mentioned that the Hammers may lower their asking price in summer to as low as £50m.

Arsenal monitoring Ryan Bertrand

Reports have it that Arsenal are monitoring the situation of Southampton left-back Ryan Bertrand as Mikel Arteta wants to bring someone who can provide competition to Kieran Tierney. After Sead Kolasinac was allowed to rejoin his former club Schalke on loan, Arteta emphasised that the Gunners are looking extensively for a left-back. It is said that the club has kept several options open, but Bertrand is someone they are closely looking at.

As far as the player is concerned, he only has six months left in his current contract with the Saints, and the parties haven't reached an agreement yet. Apart from Arsenal, Leicester City are one of the many clubs looking at the player, and the sale of Ben Chilwell last summer to Chelsea might force them to make an official bid. The Evening Standard say the player is happy at Southampton, but in case the agreements isn't reached, an offer from Arsenal might be too tempting to resist.

For Southampton, they certainly won't sanction the sale this month, and the player himself is happy to see out his contract.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Martin Rickett

Days after Patrice Evra voiced his discretion over Manchester United's decision of signing Donny van de Beek from Ajax, former Netherlands forward Marco van Basten has now come out to say that the midfielder should have rather joined a club where he can play regular first-team football. 

United signed van de Beek from Ajax for a reported £40 million fee during the summer, but he has been limited to just four substitute appearances in the Premier League. He was not even used during United's recent 0-0 draw against Chelsea, prompting a major debate as to why the Red Devils spent that much amount if he was not in Solskjaer's plans.

"Donny shouldn't have gone to United," Van Basten told Dutch TV channel Ziggo Sport. "When you're a good player you want to play every week.

"It's really bad for a player like Donny to play six or seven games this year. That's shocking for your rhythm.

"I know he's earning loads more than he used to. But as a top player, you have to be critical and look at the chances of playing when you sign for a new club. Donny should have waited for better prospects and signed for another club.

"Is it about a five-year contract that he can sign? No, that's bull----. Then you shouldn't go to Manchester United, but wait with it or for another club. You have to want to play football every week, and such a club is then bad for your career."

Van de Beek is yet to start a Premier League game for Manchester United, with the likes of Scott McTominay and Fred being preferred ahead of him. Although, when asked about the midfielder's lack of involvement, Solskjaer said that he is easing into the process and mentioned that 'he will get time'.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Martin Rickett

Manchester United fans have now got a reason to celebrate as the iconic club recently announced the signing of Dutch midfielder Donny van de Beek on a five-year deal.

The Red Devils acquired the services of the 23-year-old from Ajax for a reported £40 million fee and considering how he has performed over the last couple of years, van de Beek is worth every bit of that sum.

He is one of the best young midfielders in the world at present and was a regular name in Ajax's starting lineup before making his move to the Old Trafford. However, with two of the world's best midfielders -- Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba -- already there with United, will van de Beek get enough game time at his new club?

We can't wait to see what the next chapter holds! #MUFC @Donny_Beek6 pic.twitter.com/Gskd6Ry8ob

�?Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 2, 2020

The answer might be 'No' for the initial part of his journey with the Red Devils unless one of the two aforementioned players are forced to sit out due to injury. But that doesn't mean that the youngster isn't important to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's plans or Manchester United's future.

• What makes Donny van de Beek so special?

The last season showed that even though the club had great quality in their Starting XI, the attacking prospects in their bench looked absolutely thin. Look at clubs like Manchester City, Liverpool or Bayern Munich for example. Not only they have quality players as their first team material, but their bench boasts of some of the world's brightest talents as well. 

They always have good replacements available whenever any of their first-team players get injured. Not only that, but they can also rotate the players to manage their workload and prevent long term injuries as well.

Dear @ManUtd,

Enjoy the Future. ♥️#DreamLikeDonny pic.twitter.com/QVKS3Q0Snk

�?Edwin van der Sar (@vdsar1970) September 3, 2020

So van de Beek's role becomes very important from this aspect. Pogba is quite prone to injuries and that has always been a concern for Manchester United in the last couple of seasons. The former Ajax midfielder becomes the perfect asset to take the Frenchman's position in case of any fitness concerns.

Given his abilities of contributing both in attack and defence, it is safe to say he will seemingly fit alongside Pogba and Fernandes, completing a perfect setup for United in the middle of the park.

Moreover, if Pogba is to leave, the doors to United's starting XI will open up forever for van de Beek. And even if that doesn't pan out, he can always bide his time with the club as he is just 23 years old.

It's not that he won't be getting games at all towards the starting phase. Solskjaer will definitely look to rotate him in alternate matches to keep him in the action and lessen the workload on Fernandes and Pogba as well.

Van de Beek is capable of playing both as a No. 8 and No. 10 and that gives Solskjaer a lot of flexibility and cushion in his squad. That's exactly the reason van de Beek was brought to the Old Trafford and he will be eager to live up to the expectations.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / John Thys

Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek has agreed personal terms with Manchester United ahead of his reported £40m move. The deal is set to be completed in coming days, with the player having his medical while being with the Netherlands squad before travelling to the UK after the Nations League games against Poland (September 4) and Italy (September 7).

United have fended off interest from the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona, and this has arguably been one of the swiftest moves ever done in United's history, with Ajax agreeing the terms in a first bid. Van de Beek has been in demand for a long time, but what makes him this special? We take a look.

Background

Born in 1997, Van de Beek started out at his local academy at Veensche Boys, before Ajax came calling in 2008. The midfielder’s rise through the youth ranks at Ajax was rapid, to say the least. By 2014, he was part of the club’s U19 setup, just aged 16, and was soon moved to the U21 team. 

It was in November 2015 that the midfielder made his first-team debut in a 2-1 win against Scottish giants Celtic in a UEFA Europa League contest, at the age of 18 years and seven months. While he was in and around the first-team for the next season, it was in the 2017/18 campaign when he finally became a first-team regular as another academy man, Davy Klaassen, left the club. 

Read | Manchester United and the curse of the legendary No.7 jersey

The youngster slotted in so seamlessly into the first-team that the departure of Klaassen was hardly felt. Van de Beek went on to make 39 appearances across all competitions in the 2017/18 season, finishing with 13 goals and six assists. It was during the same season that he also broke into the Netherlands national team as well. 

But the 2018/19 season was the one where he firmly put himself on the map in European football, as he, along with fellow academy midfielder Frenkie de Jong, led Ajax to their first Eredivisie title in five years and a memorable semi-final run in the Champions League.

Van de Beek finished the 2018/19 season with 17 goals and 13 assists from 57 matches in all competitions, that included three goals in the Champions League. Two of the three came in the knockout stages, one against Juventus and Tottenham each.

While De Jong left for Barcelona last summer, Van de Beek stayed put at Ajax despite interest from Real Madrid and Manchester United and has been in fine form once again. The 23-year-old has plundered 10 goals and 11 assists in 37 matches this season and will be unable to add to that tally further with the Dutch season being called off and Ajax already out of the Europa League.

Season	Appearances	Goals	Assists
2015/16	10	1	0
2016/17	32	0	4
2017/18	39	13	6
2018/19	57	17	13
2019/20	37	14	11
Total	175	45	34

As can be seen from the numbers, Van de Beek has been constantly improving with each passing season, with his goal and assist returns on an upward curve consistently. Should the 2019/20 season had continued in the Netherlands, there was a great chance that he would have bettered his numbers from last season.

Read | What next for Philippe Coutinho? Assessing his potential destinations

Why is Van de Beek in such demand?

The fact that Van de Beek can slot into any role in the middle of the park makes him such a valuable asset to the team. Be it as a No.10 or as a box-to-box midfielder or even as a deep-lying midfielder, the 23-year-old is more than capable of holding his own in any of the roles asked of him.

Such versatility is what makes the nine-time capped one of the most in-demand footballers ahead of the upcoming transfer window. 

Often, the 23-year-old acts as the link between the defence and attack for Ajax, starting moves, and has also mastered the art of making late runs into the box, a-la Frank Lampard, and finding the back of the net consistently. 

Out of his 2.1 shots per 90 minutes in the Eredivisie (23 games), 1.8 come from within the penalty box, but none in the six-yard box. This gives an indication of the positions he gets into when his team is attacking and how adept he is at making those late forward pushes to catch the defenders off guard.

Read | How Raheem Sterling became one of the best attackers under Guardiola?

Van de Beek completed 1.9 key passes per 90 minutes in the Dutch top-flight this season, highlighting his ability to create chances for his teammates. 

But the midfielder also excels in the defensive side of things, which is what makes him such an all-round performer. In the 2018/19 Eredivisie campaign, Van de Beek averaged 2.2 tackles for every 90 minutes on the field, showing that he isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty in the middle of the park.

Someone with such all-round abilities, Van de Beek can operate as the ball-carrier in a 4-3-3 setup or can easily be used in the No. 10 role or in the midfield double-pivot in a 4-2-3-1 formation. 

The 23-year-old has the sense and the awareness to know when to press forward and attack and when to stay back, while this same game-reading ability comes to his aid in the defensive phase of the game. Blessed with physicality, speed and good close control, in many ways Van de Beek is the complete package of a modern-day central midfielder.

What do the experts say?

Former Ajax manager Frank de Boer, who handed Van de Beek his first-team debut, revealed how he first learned about the midfielder’s talents. "Dennis [Bergkamp] started talking enthusiastically about a talent in his youth team. It was a boy who reminded Dennis of himself at that age. That was the signal for me to keep an eye on that guy. That was Donny."

Bryan Roy, who coached Van de Beek during his youth team days at Ajax, goes on to describe the Dutchman as a total footballer.

Read | Why it is time for Barcelona to cut their losses on Ousmane Dembele

“Physically he has always been devastating since he knows how to attack and defend with the same skill. He was very shy but already smart on the playing field. He is a total footballer; offensive runs are one of his great specialities.�?/span> 

Only sky is the limit for the midfield powerhouse that is Donny van de Beek.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Glyn Kirk

Barcelona captain Lionel Messi remains the hot topic of the ongoing transfer window, as reports emerged that the Catalan club has refused to negotiate any possibility of an exit, insisting that the clause has already expired. As things stand, those representing the Argentine are claiming that the clause is still active as football was delayed in the wake of the global pandemic.

BREAKING - #Messi update

•He was due at 10:15am this morning along w/ teammates for PCR test. He’s either running late or will not show

•According to @marcelobechler, he will not show & has again told the club he is no longer a Barça player

Another statement of intent..

�?Semra Hunter (@SemraHunter) August 30, 2020

Meanwhile, there are other developments in the market as well, and we take a look at what's happening around Europe. 

Manchester United interested in Donny van de Beek

Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek was left out of his squad's pre-season friendlies agianst Eintracht Frankfurt, leading to the suggestion that the 23-year-old might move away from the Netherlands. Updating the situation, journalist Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Manchester United are in talks with the midfielder's representatives after scouting him for several months.

Manchester United are in contact with Donny Van de Beek agents by weeks - he’s been scouted for many months.
He’s considered an ‘opportunity�?but Ajax are still waiting to receive an official bid. Barcelona are denying any contact to sign Van de Beek. #MUFC #ManUtd #vandebeek

�?Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 29, 2020

United, who are yet to make a signing in the ongoing transfer market, have indeed shown interest but are yet to submit an official bid. As far as the player is concerned, it is said that he would love to play in the Premier League, while Ajax won't stand in the way either, with the only condition being his �?0m price tag. The Eredivisie side apparently have a great working relationship with Machester United, and they are well and truly aware of United's interest.

• What makes Donny van de Beek so special?

Meanwhile, Barcelona have expressed their interest as well, but the Catalan club have shown no progress in their approach whatsoever. 

Everton sign Allan from Napoli

Carlo Ancelotti's Everton have agreed a deal to sign Napoli midfielder Allan for a fee reported to be around �?5m (£21.7m), plus an additional �?m (£2.6m) in incentives. Sky Sports report that the midfielder, who has previously worked with Ancelotti while the Italian's time with Napoli, will soon complete his medical ahead of his move. 

Allan to Everton, here we go! Total agreement reached with Napoli for �?5M + add ons. Medicals scheduled and personal terms agreed. Talks on for James Rodriguez. @SkySport #EFC #Everton

�?Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 29, 2020

It was, in fact, Ancelotti's presence that gave Everton an edge ahead of the likes of Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund in acquiring the midfielder. The Italian wants to strengthen his midfield, and for that, he has also marked Watford's Abdoulaye Doucoure in his list. In a recent development, Everton submitted a £36.7m bid for the midfielder, but the approach was outrightly rejected by the Hornets. 

On the other hand, negotiations surrounding James Rodriguez's move to Everton are progressing swiftly as well. Both Everton and Real Madrid are expected to close the deal in coming days. The Colombian, who only has a year left in his current Real Madrid contract, will reportedly sign a three-year deal with the Toffees. 

Arsenal's Rob Holding heading for a loan exit

Arsenal defender Rob Holding has recently attracted heavy interest from the fellow Premier League clubs, but it is said that Newcastle United are leading the herd.

The 24-year-old defender started Arsenal's Community Shield game against Liverpool on Saturday, and it is being quoted that he is set to discuss terms with the Magpies soon. With Gabriel Magalhaes joining and William Saliba returning, Holding is reportedly surplus to requirement, and thus, a move to Newcastle suits alt he parties involved. Athletic's David Ornstein quotes that the Magpies will also have an option of making the deal permanent. 

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Gly Kirk

"All of a sudden it's making sense," wrote a user on Twitter as Manchester United fans are asking the club to move their attention to Ajax's Donny van de Beek and Bayern Munich's Thiago Alcantara instead of buying Jack Grealish from Aston Villa.

The Bayern Munich midfielder, who was key to the Bavarian's success in the Champions League this season, is strongly linked with a move to Liverpool, but the negotiations have hit a rock as the Reds keep on refusing to meet Bayern's asking price of �?0m. Earlier this month, journalist Fabrizio Romano had confirmed that Liverpool are in contact with Bayern over a potential bargain, but the European Champions want nothing less than the aforementioned asking fee.

In a recent update, Bayern have issued a warning, saying that if Liverpool can't pay �?0m for the midfielder, they will start listening to offers from other suitors as well.

A new message to Liverpool by Rummenigge = �?0M bid expected soon - if they don’t pay, Thiago is on the market also for other clubs... #LFC #Bayern #Thiago http://t.co/QNgYiDLobS

�?Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 30, 2020

Meanwhile, Manchester United are currently in talks with Ajax for Donny van de Beek. The Eredivisie side are open to letting their midfielder leave for �?0m, and as the club share a good relationship, the deal might actually go through. United, as of now, are yet to make a signing and there has been no notable development in their pursuit of Jadon Sancho as well. 

• Transfer Gossip: Utd in talks with van de Beek, Holding heading for an exit

They were reported to be in contact with Aston Villa for midfielder Jack Grealish as well, but the Villans are holding on their reported £75million asking fee. And following all these happenings in the transfer market, United fans now want their club to enter the negotiations for van de Beek and Thiago as the duo will cost significantly lesser than the Villa midfielder.

Why buy Grealish for £80M....

When you can get Donny Van De Beek for £40M + Thiago for another £26M.

£66M.

All of a sudden it's making sense.

�?The United Stand (@UnitedStandMUFC) August 30, 2020

It says a lot that Donny van de Beek and Thiago Alcântara can be bought for �?0m (£35.7m) and �?0m (£26.8m) respectively �?£62.5m �?whilst Jack Grealish is being valued around £70m by himself.

�?UtdArena (@utdarena) August 30, 2020

Donny van de Beek + Thiago Alcântara for £60m, or Jack Grealish for £70m? Surely Man Utd aren’t about to make a logically decision for once, are they?

�?Ryan. (@Vintage_Utd) August 30, 2020

Van De Beek + Thiago around £65 mil
Grealish alone £80 mil pic.twitter.com/gsutYLtOF2

�?~David~ (@_David_MUFC) August 30, 2020

We could get both Thiago and Van de Beek for £62m, instead of going for Jack Grealish who would cost around £80m. But knowing our luck with Ed Woodward, we won’t get any of them.

�?Asif. (@Asif9707) August 30, 2020

The moment wey you realize say Donny van de Beek and Thiago Alcântara be �?0m (£35.7m) and �?0m (£26.8m). The Total for dem na £62.5m �?but Jack Grealish na £70m.

English players = Expensive Tiger battery. #MUFC #GGMU ⚫️

�?Man United in Pidgin (@ManUtdInPidgin) August 30, 2020

Grealish has always been United's priority. But you can get Van De Beek and Thiago for less than Grealish. It's hard and Jack but it's a big up yours to the overinflated British hype train and I hope United do it. Better players for better prices on the continent

�?Mark Goldbridge (@markgoldbridge) August 30, 2020

In less than 24 hrs we've had interest in Van de beek, Grealish and Thiago

The silent times were fun while it lasted

�? Emoji dude (@Dhray__) August 30, 2020

After a prolonged domination of the Spanish clubs, Premier League sides are making a strong come back in the world of football. Liverpool's Champions League win, Manchester United's Europa League win and Tottenham Hotspur's first-ever Champions League final make a strong case. 

Premier League is considered as one of the most difficult leagues in the world and as it is enjoying a greater success, more players are expressing their interest. That said, let's take a look at the possible newcomers in the summer of 2020.

Donny van de Beek

Since their amazing run in the Champions League in the 2018/19 season, the pool of incredible young players that Ajax team had has been the talk of the town. Of the lot, Matthijs de Ligt and Frenkie de Jong have already secured moves to Juventus and Barcelona respectively. With Hakim Ziyech also moving away to Chelsea, Donny van de Beek is the only young talent left with Ten Hag. 

The 22-year-old Dutch midfielder is a force to reckon with and he has been repeatedly linked with a move to Old Trafford for much of the winter transfer window given that Manchester United are looking to increase the depth both at the back and in the middle of the park. Van de Beek has already made 41 key passes in just 23 matches in Eredivisie, and there are high chances that United will make a move in the summer.

Moussa Dembele 

The 23-year-old French forward was under Frank Lampard's radar in January and after their failure to lure in German goal-machine Timo Werner, Chelsea are expected to focus their energy to get the Lyon frontman. 

Moussa Dembele has been on song this season and has scored 16 goals in the league till now, one goal more than Tammy Abraham and Olivier Giroud's combined tally. After the removal of the transfer ban, Chelsea are bent on strengthening the top half.   

Dembele is strong in the air and can shrug off defenders at will. Furthermore, his ability of finding the net from distance is one of the many reasons why Chelsea are after him. With Timo Werner being chased by a lot of big names, Chelsea would like to see Dembele at the Stamford Bridge in the summer transfer window.

Read | Why do defensive midfielders make great managers?

Kalidou Koulibaly

One of the most anticipated deals has been Kalidou Koulibaly's move to Manchester United. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer spent a record 80 million last summer on Hary Maguire, and apart from the England defender and Victor Lindelof, Manchester United do not have much of an option in defence given that both Eric Bailly and Phil Jones are prone to injury. If United want to compete for the league next season, they surely need more depth in the side and Kaolibaly is just the right man.

The 28-year-old will give a much-required solidity to the side. However, his services will not come cheap and Ed Woodward might feel his pocket getting lighter, having to spend somewhere around 70-75 million euros again. 

After a fallout between Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis and the players that saw the last of Carlo Ancelotti, a number of their star players have started exploring other options including the likes of Lorenzo Insigne and Dries Mertens. 

Koulibaly, however, had expressed his desire to stay in Naples. “My children were born here. Here, I grew up as a man and as a football player. Here, my children and I feel at home.�?/span>

But Italian journalist Fabio Santini has reported, “Napoli will sell Kalidou Koulibaly to Manchester United for a figure of around 70-75million euros [£59-£64m]. It seems all done. Naturally, such a deal will be closed only in June and certainly not in January in the winter transfer window.�?/span>

Jadon Sancho

The young England sensation is in blistering form this season for Borussia Dortmund and is single-handedly leaving defences bewildered. He has scored 14 goals in the league already and assisted 15 as well. One of the hottest properties in the world, Jadon Sancho has been linked to a number of Premier League clubs. 

While Manchester United started the race as favourites, Chelsea and Liverpool have come up as strong contenders to sign the ex-Manchester City winger. For United, they need to finish inside the top four to entice the youngster.

While signing for Liverpool will be a very exciting affair given their current form, Lampard has also shown his ability to deal with young talents. With the departure of Eden Hazard, Chelsea would want to fill up the gap as soon as possible and reports are that they have agreed to meet the 120 million euro price tag set by Borussia Dortmund.

Timo Werner

The RB Leipzig frontman is as deadly as it gets in front of the goal and has proved his worth this season with 21 goals in just 25 appearances along with seven assists. Werner is fast, direct and lethal, traits he shares with the style of Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. Manchester United were again in the hunt for the 24-year-old, but with time, Chelsea and Liverpool rose as favourites. 

With Chelsea shifting their focus to Moussa Dembele, it is a one-horse race for Klopp's side, much like the Premier League at the moment. But the stunning part of the story is that Leipzig have set a price tag of 80 million euros on Werner's name.