We’re spoilt in England, aren’t we? We’re constantly told we have the best, most competitive league in the world, but we always want more.
Our league holds so much talent – but there’s also an abundance in other leagues. We want them all. We want it all.
Here are 12 players we would love to see turning out for someone in the Premier League next season.
1. Alexandre Lacazette – Lyon
Ligue 1′s Player of the Year is going to be much sought after this summer, after saying he doesn’t know whether he’ll be with Lyon next year. A pacey Frenchman who’s been scoring goals for fun sounds just like what Arsene Wenger needs, and Lacazette even seems like the type of player who could play alongside Olivier Giroud, who we can’t imagine Wenger shipping out or benching.
Brendan Rodgers might have something to say about all this though, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the rest of the “big clubs” were also in for him. He scores, he assists, he holds up the ball – there’s nothing football fans love more than goals, and this guy will get them.
But, who will get him?
2. Miralem Pjanic – Roma
The Bosnian midfielder was spoken about a lot during last summer’s World Cup, and then in pre-season he scored an outrageous goal from his own half. We haven’t heard much from him this season though, despite it being a successful one with Roma.
He seems like Roberto Martinez’s type of player, but with no European football at all next season at Goodison Park, it’s likely to be another club snapping him up if he becomes available.
3. Thomas Muller – Bayern Munich
If there’s a chance to sign a player with the ability of Muller – you take it. There are rumours that a number of players at Bayern are feeling disillusioned, after what many have described as the team moving backwards under Pep Guardiola.
It was Louis van Gaal who gave Muller his debut at Bayern, and that might be enough to convince the German to make the move to Old Trafford. Who wouldn’t love seeing Muller’s boundless energy week in, week out?
4. Marco Verratti – PSG
He’s a different physique to what we’d usually expect of a Premier League centre-midfielder, but that doesn’t make him any less effective at what he does. We’ve seen Veratti hold his own in midfield this season against the likes of Barcelona and Chelsea, and if he can be prised away from PSG he’d be a terrific signing for any top four club.
5. Geoffrey Kondogbia – Monaco
During Arsenal’s Champions League defeat to Monaco, one player stood out – Kondogbia. A young French holding midfielder, from Monaco, sounds ideal for Arsenal. The only question is whether Wenger feels he needs a midfielder with Francis Coquelin’s recent performances improving, and Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini again fit. Fans and pundits would argue an emphatic yes.
If Wenger does feel he has enough, Kondogbia is the type of player clubs are always looking out for – and now might be a good time to sign him, before his price goes through the roof.
6. Paul Pogba – Juventus
Because why not? Obviously Pogba was going to make the list. It’s a travesty that we don’t already see him every week, and we put the blame for that squarely on Sir Alex Ferguson’s shoulders – just as Pogba himself does.
Surely Pogba will be moving on from Juventus soon, and it’s most likely to be a club like Chelsea or Manchester City in England, or Real Madrid and Barcelona in Spain that get him. Can you imagine how formidable a Chelsea midfield featuring Nemanja Matic, Pogba and Cesc Fabregas would be?
Do it Jose, if only for the neutrals.
7. Raphael Varane – Real Madrid
Another player who it would be great to see turning out for any Premier League team, but City are perhaps in more need than any of the other current top four for a centre-back. Vincent Kompany’s decline seems more permanent than it first looked, and Martin Demichelis and Eliaquim Mangala aren’t long-term answers. The young Frenchman from Madrid has pace, timing and positioning – three attributes sorely needed in City’s defence.
8. Antoine Griezmann – Atletico Madrid
If we were making the decisions at Chelsea, it would have been Griezmann, not Juan Cuadrado, that was signed in January. He just seems like such a Mourinho player, and his efforts over the last few seasons show that he’s a perfect fit for the Premier League. We can’t think of a better false-nine for Mourinho to pick in the “big games” than this guy, and he’s more than capable of winning you games from out wide.
9. Jetro Willems – PSV
To get 16 assists from left-back is quite an achievement, whatever league you’re playing in. That’s what Willems managed while playing for PSV this season, and at just 21 he’d be a good acquisition for any club in need of a left-back – which by our estimations is all of the top four.
10. Granit Xhaka – Borussia Monchengladbach
A central midfielder who won’t catch your eye with tricks and flicks, but well-timed tackles and interceptions. Xhaka is a threat going forwards, on occasion, and very solid defensively.
The 22-year-old Gladbach midfielder battles for the team, winning headers in midfield and making blocks and interceptions – and his passing is also up to the standard expected from any top team’s engine room.
11. Jose Gimenez – Atletico Madrid
We’re not sure the 20-year-old Atletico Madrid centre-back would be up for swapping Champions League for the Europa League, but Giminez is a player that fits Rodgers’ buying profile – young, with room for improvement. He’s not quite a nailed down starter for Atleti yet but his performances this season have shown he’s got a lot of potential.
And hey, to make it as a centre-back in a Diego Simeone team you have to be good at something, right?
12. Nabil Fekir – Lyon
Fekir has provided nine assists and 13 goals in Ligue 1 for Lyon this season – and he only looks like he’ll improve.
This is a player that wouldn’t necessarily be out of the reach of teams not competing in Europe next season, but we can’t imagine him going to a club without ambition. That being said, he’s reportedly stated he won’t be leaving Lyon unless it’s for a Champions League club – and even specifically stated he’d never leave to sit on Man City’s bench. At least he’s clearly learned from past players’ mistakes.
There you go, managers of England – we’ve done your summer shopping for you.
Source: SNAPPA
