As the summer transfer window approaches, football clubs in Europe are already planning their markets, and many footballers are also considering their futures. Some players want to move to a bigger club or secure a better contract, while others are concerned about their contracts expiring soon or their lack of playing time. Here are five Premier League stars who are fighting for their futures in the last weeks of the 2022-23 season:
The summer transfer window is not far away now, which means that teams all over Europe are already planning their markets.
Harry Maguire (Man Utd)
Harry Maguire has struggled to live up to his world-record transfer fee of €87 million since joining Manchester United from Leicester in 2019. He has been error-prone, leading to him slipping down the pecking order at centre-back behind Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, Victor Lindelof, and even left-back Luke Shaw. Maguire has only made seven Premier League starts this season, with just five of those coming since August. Unless he can break back into the United starting XI in the final matches of the season, a transfer looks likely for the England international.
Jadon Sancho (Man Utd)
Jadon Sancho is another Man Utd player who has to prove himself between now and the end of the season.
Sancho has not paid back his transfer fee
He has failed miserably to recreate the blistering form that shot him to prominence in the Bundesliga since his €85m move from Dortmund in 2021.
After 18 months of struggles, Sancho had fallen well down the Man Utd pecking order behind the likes of Marcus Rashford, Antony and even Alejandro Garnacho.
But after being sent away for personal training by manager Erik ten Hag at the turn of the year, he returned and initially showed some promise. He failed to maintain that consistently, though, and now his future is up in the air again.
Mason Mount (Chelsea)
A summer exit is looking increasingly possible for Mason Mount as no progress is being made over a new contract.
Mount’s contract at Chelsea expires at the end of next season and talks over a renewal are making no headway.
Mason Mount’s contract talks are going badly
The feeling has long been that Mount wants to stay at Chelsea and that Chelsea want him to stay. But a discrepancy over salary is one of the issues holding up talks. Liverpool would like to sign him.
Mount has been in dreadful form this season and not always started recently. If he can’t find his form and prove he is worth a big wage hike, then we could see Mount moving on in the summer.
Allan Saint-Maximin (Newcastle)
Allan Saint-Maximin soon became Newcastle’s star player after joining in 2019 – so much so that many of the Premier League’s biggest clubs were circling for him.
This season, though, Saint-Maximin lost his place in the Newcastle team following an injury layoff and subsequent dip in form.
Saint-Maximin must display his importance in the Newcastle team between now and the end of the season. If he doesn’t, he could move on.
Kieran Tierney (Arsenal)
Kieran Tierney’s future at Arsenal looks bleak, with Oleksandr Zinchenko well and truly installed as first-choice left-back following his arrival from Manchester City last summer.
Tierney had been a key player for Arsenal in his first two seasons after arriving from Celtic in 2019.
Tierney has lost his place at Arsenal
But increasing numbers of injuries – coupled with the form of Zinchenko and Arsenal’s other defenders – has forced him to the outside looking in.
If Tierney is not convinced by his importance and playing time in these closing weeks, he will surely ask to leave.