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Which Premier League players need replacing this summer? From a Liverpool legend to two Manchester United flops, we’ve got you covered. As we break down clubs’ biggest needs heading into the summer transfer window , it’s important to note a few caveats. For example, while Manchester City clearly needs to improve at right-back, Matheus Nunes is doing a decent job in a makeshift role.
That’s a position that demands attention, but Nunes himself isn’t someone who urgently needs replacing. Similarly, while Kevin De Bruyne’s eventual departure from City means they’ll need to fill his boots, we’ll be excluding players we know – or presume – are on their way out of a Premier League club. Over at Liverpool, the need for a No.
9 is undeniable, but with Luis Díaz currently in that role, signing a new striker would essentially mean bringing in someone to take Darwin Nunez’s seat on the bench. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the positions that truly require upgrades for each club this summer. 10) Andy Robertson (Liverpool) The Andy Robertson narrative probably stems from Liverpool’s success; he’s arguably the only weak link in the Slot machine.
Perhaps that’s why he stands out more...
has he even been that bad? There’s no doubt Robertson has been below his usual standard and seems to be on a decline. At 31, that’s perfectly understandable, especially considering his playing style is built on relentless running for 90 minutes. The Scotland captain was perfect for Jurgen Klopp’s heavy metal football, but those days are behind him.
It’s time for Arne Slot to look elsewhere, specifically at Bournemouth. Milos Kerkez is the ideal replacement for one of the Reds’ greatest full-backs and it almost makes so much sense that we are second-guessing whether or not it will happen. Not only have we told Slot what position needs addressed, we’ve found the perfect replacement.
He’s yours for £45million . READ MORE: ‘Lethargic’ Liverpool need Osimhen and a left-back but no-one ‘noticed the return’ of another Arsenal striker 9) Niclas Fullkrug (West Ham) We are already getting dangerously close to this being a carbon copy of our positions to improve feature – and that is to be expected. Here we are anyway.
Here’s the gist: Niclas Fullkrug thinks West Ham are “s**t” and frankly, he’d be right. The unfortunate thing is that signing a new striker should be top of Graham Potter’s ‘how to become less s**t’ checklist. The Hammers rarely get striker signings right, which is why they’ll likely pursue another in the summer.
Fullkrug is the latest example in a long line of players ranging from Simone Zaza to Gianluca Scamacca. Nine times out of ten, it is a big man who is brought in. Maybe it’s time to switch it up, lads.
Jonathan David is Right There. 8) Beto (Everton) There is a strong striker theme here and Beto brings the same brand of chaos as Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez and Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson. He is unpredictable, capable of looking unplayable one minute and then like a bumbling fool the next.
Unfortunately for Everton, we see his foolishness a little too often. With Armando Broja and Dominic Calvert-Lewin sidelined for much of this season, David Moyes has leaned heavily on the 27-year-old, who has six goals in 25 Premier League appearances in 2024/25. But this is a position the Toffees can easily improve, and bringing in a more consistent scorer could make a huge difference.
It’s a shame Liam Delap is so in demand; he could have been the perfect fit. READ MORE: Every Premier League club’s worst player in 2024/25: Hojlund, Darwin, Nkunku..
. 7) Adam Smith (Bournemouth) Andoni Iraola tried and failed to successfully replace Adam Smith last summer with the addition of Julian Araujo. The Mexican international has failed to impress in the Premier League but can redeem himself if given the chance after returning from a long-term injury.
Smith has been an excellent servant to Bournemouth but he should be replaced this summer and the 2024 signing of Araujo suggests Iraola is well aware. 6) Matty Cash (Aston Villa) Aston Villa have a very strong squad but there is one weak link: Matty Cash at right-back. Replace him with a top player and the sky is the limit for Unai Emery’s side.
Cash has always looked more convincing going forward than defensively, although his FBRef statistics suggest it might be the other way around. His defensive numbers aren’t spectacular but he wins a decent number of tackles, especially in the middle third of the pitch, and generally holds his own in one-on-one duels with opposing wingers. Still, we’re not entirely convinced and feel like Emery will address the right-back situation this summer – hopefully with a place booked in next season’s Champions League.
And no, Axel Disasi is not the answer. READ MORE: Ornstein ‘could see’ Jack Grealish leaving Man City but Aston Villa return a ‘no-go’ 5) Casemiro (Man Utd) Finding a central-midfield partner for Manuel Ugarte is imperative. With two new forwards also on the agenda, Ruben Amorim will hope there’s enough in the budget to bring in the right player.
Man Utd failed to offload Casemiro and his enormous salary last summer and getting him off the books will remain a priority for Sir Jim Ratcliffe once a miserable campaign comes to an end. Casemiro has actually been solid in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system but this is an area of the pitch the Portuguese coach must address. Hopefully some fresh legs in the middle of the pitch can help Ugarte up his game, with Amorim appearing to prefer Kobbie Mainoo a bit further up the pitch, even deploying him as a false-nine earlier this year.
Bruno Fernandes is also better utilised in a more attacking role and while a new goalkeeper and better defenders would help, Amorim and Ratcliffe need to be strategic with their transfer funds. Winning the Europa League could open up more doors but as things stand, signing a striker, midfielder and offloading the deadwood should be their top priorities. READ: Bruno Fernandes over Mo Salah for Player of the Year? Sorry, what? 4) Lewis Dunk (Brighton) A genuine club legend at Brighton, we fear Lewis Dunk’s race is run.
We are quite surprised Fabian Hurzeler spent so much money last summer but overlooked the centre-back position, putting faith in Dunk, Igor and Jan Paul van Hecke for the 2024/25 campaign. Dunk might yet prove us wrong, but his form since 2024 points to a player in decline. There’s little point trying to identify transfer targets for Brighton – some random South American kid will turn up next season and end up being the second coming of Thiago Silva.
MORE TRANSFER FEATURES ON F365 👉 Elanga to Man Utd, Solanke to Liverpool in Premier League re-sign list 👉 Man City threaten to destroy Chelsea record after Man Utd made history with two terrible transfers 👉 Liverpool man who *must* leave, multiple Man Utd targets in Premier League transfer target XI 3) Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea) Chelsea are missing a few pieces in their bid to become Premier League champions again but the most pressing issue remains signing a striker. That has been the case for a few years now and they have surely accepted that Nicolas Jackson is not that guy . Jackson is a fine footballer and capable of playing anywhere across the front three but the cold-blooded ruthlessness every world-class striker possesses continues to elude him.
We are surprised Chelsea did not sign Victor Osimhen last summer and they will probably ignore the Nigerian again this year, with Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap their top target. Delap fits the Chelsea transfer model: young, high ceiling, potentially elite. But he won’t come uncontested.
His £30million relegation release clause has attracted interest from nearly every Premier League side – Arsenal being the lone exception. Jackson is someone Chelsea should definitely keep around, but if the club is serious about returning to the top, he cannot be the main man. 2) Kai Havertz (Arsenal) We might actually be doing Kai Havertz a disservice.
Mikel Arteta signed him for big money with the intention of playing him in midfield and when that experiment flopped, the Arsenal manager moved him up front and in fairness, Havertz did pretty well. As a striker, the ex-Chelsea man has scored 15 goals in 32 Premier League matches. While that is a respectable return, there remains no doubt that Arsenal clearly need to sign a striker.
This team is missing a goal machine and Arteta appears to know that, targeting Sporting’s Viktor Gyokeres in the summer. Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak is the dream but very unlikely because of his £150million asking price. The Gunners’ chances might improve if the Magpies miss out on Champions League qualification, but that looks like a big ‘if’.
Having struggled in midfield before finding form as a nine, Havertz could be left in a tough spot if Arsenal bring in a big-money No. 9 this summer. His versatility means minutes should come but his output in other roles often leaves a lot to be desired.
Havertz is a good player, there is no doubt about that, but there have been too many examples of him being too involved so when Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka look up to cross, there’s nobody in the box. That will change with someone like Gyokeres, Isak or Benjamin Sesko. That’s exactly what this Arsenal team is missing.
1) Rasmus Hojlund (Man Utd) On one hand, Rasmus Hojlund is young and has been over-relied upon since joining Man Utd. On the other hand, and this is quite a compelling point, he might not be good enough. The 22-year-old arrived for around £70million in August 2023 and has managed 13 goals in 58 Premier League appearances – just three in 28 this season.
We gave him some leeway in 2023/24 considering Man Utd’s wider struggles and the fact he was a young player in a new country. There was also genuine promise during a purple patch of seven goals in six games, sparked by his first Premier League goal on Boxing Day. With seven goals in 22 Denmark caps and five in six Champions League group-stage matches last season, Hojlund is clearly not a bad player.
And let’s be honest: if United give up on him, he’ll probably go and start looking every bit a £70million striker elsewhere. Maybe back at Atalanta . Hojlund is a willing runner, but in the Premier League, he needs chances served on a silver platter – and even then, the finish isn’t guaranteed.
His FBref makes for grim reading as well. His top four ‘similar players’ are Che Adams, Akor Adams, Jamie Vardy and Cameron Archer. As for his actual stats, Hojlund ranks in the bottom 16% for Premier League forwards in 2024/25 for the following stats (per 90): Man Utd need a fresh face up front and are reportedly very interested in adding Liam Delap, while Wolves talisman Matheus Cunha is a top target , though he would likely play as one of Amorim’s ‘wide 10s’.
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