Excitement is building for the start of the new Premier League campaign, which is less than a week away, but for some players there will be a sense of unease as they face into an uncertain future.
Will these players stay at their respective clubs or leave for pastures new?
Five Premier League players who are in career limbo in 2026/27
Joshua Zirkzee – Man Utd
It never really got going for Joshua Zirkzee at Manchester United. The Dutch attacker joined the Red Devils from Bologna for £36.5 million, but never came close to justifying the price tag despite a strong Premier League debut.
The biggest problem for Zirkzee, who has three years left to run on his contract, is that he’s not an out-and-out number 9, and the secondary attacking role he plays can be filled by several players in the United squad who are all better than him at the job.
The 25-year-old is reportedly up for sale, but are there any clubs willing to stump up the cash in wages and transfer fee needed to make a deal happen? This has two season-long loan deals before leaving for a tiny fee written all over it.
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Jack Grealish – Man City
That we have seen so little of Jack Grealish in recent years is one of the great disappointments of English football in recent memory. The winger is one of the most delightful players to watch in the entire game, but he hasn’t started half of the league games in a single campaign for over three years.
Pep Guardiola grew weary of the Birmingham native before sending him off on loan to Everton, where he was brilliant until injury ended his season prematurely last year.
Now Grealish is back at City, but where does he fit into Enzo Maresca’s plans? The club already has a lot of talent who can play on the wings and are ahead of him in the pecking order. That said, the potential sale of Savinho may open up a place for him in the squad.
Read – Enzo Maresca delivers double Man City transfer update
Harvey Elliott – Liverpool
Once considered a future Premier League star, Harvey Elliott has endured a rollercoaster spell at Liverpool over the past seven years. From being a semi-regular starter and helping the club win silverware to becoming out of favour under Arne Slot and barely used while on loan with Aston Villa, these are uncertain times for the 23-year-old.
The arrival of Andoni Iraola as manager may offer a second chance at success for the attacking midfielder, who still has many years left in his career. He is, though, an odd fit, with neither Jurgen Klopp nor Slot finding a suitable place for him in their lineups over the long-term. With Mo Salah gone, he could claim the right side of the frontline for himself, but there are other, more established stars who will also be eyeing that spot for themselves.
Read – Arsenal explore move for former Liverpool player
Liam Delap – Chelsea
The arrival of Danny Welbeck and return of Nicolas Jackson is bad news for Liam Delap, who was diabolical in his first season at Chelsea following his £30 million transfer from Ipswich Town last summer.
There should be no way the 23-year-old gets minutes ahead of the aforementioned strikers under Xabi Alonso, which means a move away from Stamford Bridge would be best for all parties.
Como are reportedly interested in signing Delap on loan, while a clutch of Premier League clubs have also been linked with him.
Read – Como make move for out-of-favour Chelsea forward Delap
Ethan Nwaneri – Arsenal
Another player who seemingly had so much promise from a very young age, Ethan Nwaneri has somehow found himself facing the possibility of needing to find a new club.
Mikel Arteta placed a lot of faith in the winger in 2024/25, handing him 26 appearances (11 starts) in the Premier League, but he only played just over 170 minutes in the top flight for Arsenal last year. He was then loaned out to Marseille, which turned out worse than expected after Roberto De Zerbi left the club shortly after his arrival.
Nwaneri has impressed in pre-season, but it remains to be seen if that will be enough to win over Arteta and a regular place in the team.
Read – Arteta wants Nwaneri to stay if Arsenal can guarantee minutes
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