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It was a job well done for Louis van Gaal as his first season at Manchester United ended with a fourth place finish and with it qualification for next seasons Champions League.

But while it marked a significant improvement in terms of results from the previous year, the Dutchman knows there is still plenty of work to be done as he continues to build a squad capable of challenging for the Premier League in the not too distant future.

The Red Devils have already announced the signing of PSV star Memphis Depay who is sure to be a strong acquisition, and with links to a host of other players it promises to be a busy summer at Old Trafford.

But with new arrivals; there are sure to be a few departures also and for some it appears their time with the Premier League’s most successful club could be coming to an end.

With uncertainty surrounding their futures; here are five Manchester United stars that could be facing a summer exit…

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Adnan Januzaj

Much was expected of Adnan Januzaj when he burst onto the scene during David Moyes’ reign at Old Trafford, but his career at United has failed to get going.

The Belgian winger scored twice on his full debut at Sunderland back in 2013, but since then has failed to hold down a regular position in the starting line-up; finding himself limited mainly to substitute appearances.

The arrival of Memphis Depay won’t have done much to help his cause, and a possible loan deal could be the best option for the 20-year-old in order to continue his development with both Everton and Real Sociedad possible destinations next season.

Spurs have also been linked with a move for the midfielder, but given his potential the Red Devils would be keen to hang onto him for a little while longer.

Nani

Another winger that looks to be heading for the Old Trafford exit is Portuguese star Nani.

The 28-year-old has shown plenty of flashes of brilliance during his time at United, but his inconsistency has proved the downfall; and it appears the club are ready to move him on.

Nani spent last season on loan at Sporting Lisbon where he put in some impressive displays, although this hasn’t done enough to convince Louis van Gaal that he still has a future with the Red Devils.

Roma and Inter Milan are believed to be interested in a deal of around £10m, but his £100,000 a week wages could still prove a stumbling block.

Javier Hernandez

Mexican striker Javier Hernandez was another of United’s players to spend last season on loan; this time with Real Madrid.

Despite scoring seven goals for the Spanish giants, Hernandez was unsurprisingly used sparingly with the majority of his appearances coming from the bench.

Madrid decided against making his move a permanent one, and it’s thought United are willing to let him leave this summer as he doesn’t feature in the manager’s long term plans.

Reports suggest Inter Milan have lodged a bid of £8m for striker, but the Reds are keen to hold out for £10m and with a number of Premier League clubs after his signature; he could be set to stay in England.

David de Gea

One man who looks certain to be leaving Manchester United is their star man David de Gea with his move to Real Madrid surely due to be completed sooner rather than later.

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De Gea enjoyed another terrific season in goal for the Red Devils, with his performances ensuring he has become Madrid’s number one transfer target this summer as a replacement for long serving shot stopper Iker Casillas.

The 24-year-old is thought to have already agreed personal terms with the Spanish giants, with just the transfer fee left to sort out before he completes a move back to his homeland.

De Gea has just one left on his contract meaning United may struggle to bring in the £35m valuation they have slapped on the Spaniard, with Madrid looking to pay closer to £25m for his services.

Robin van Persie

It seemed inconceivable not so long ago that United would consider selling Robin van Persie, but following a disappointing campaign with the Red Devils; his time at the club could be nearing an end.

The Dutchman struggled for both fitness and form last term netting just 10 goals, and with the team seemingly performing better in his absence; his future has been placed in major doubt.

Van Gaal is keen to bolster his attacking options during the transfer window, and with Lazio and Juventus keen on a £10m deal for the the 31-year-old; Van Persie has been left to consider his future with no promises about regular first-team football should he stay at Old Trafford.

There was a curious sidebar to the meeting of Borussia Dortmund and Malaga in the Champions` League quarter final which clearly illustrated major differences between the two clubs. The German club, fiscally secure and organised, against a La Liga outfit facing a Uefa ban if they did not pay off their outstanding debts.

As far as the football goes Dortmund were at their elegant best in the first leg, until they got to the business end of the pitch. Gotze and Lewandowski squandered chance after chance and despite the quality of Dortmund`s football it was evident from early on that the night would finish scoreless.

Three minutes into the second half came the moment that summed up the night for Dortmund, and their normally deadly striker Lewandwoski. He was in pole position when Reus`s deflected cross reached him on the penalty spot. The international striker `fluffed his lines` is the most polite anyone can be about a dreadful miss.

Come the second leg there surely could not be the same level of profligacy as was displayed in Spain and thankfully there was not. Instead two teams went at it hammer and tongs and produced one of the most memorable of European nights.

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Malaga got the best of starts with an early goal from Joaquin who smashed the ball past Weidenfeller for a valuable away goal. The finish was superb but the shimmy that took him inside onto his more favourable left foot which sent half the Dortmund defence the wrong way, was worthy of Phil Bennett at his very best. But Lewnadowski made amends for his first leg profligacy with an equaliser that sent the sides in level at half time, the Pole stabbed home superbly despite the close attention of three defenders to register his 6th goal of the competition.

The score line remained the same until eight minutes from the end of normal time when substitute Eliseu scored the goal that looked like taking Malaga, in their debut season participating in the Champions` League, through to the semi final. Just 12 minutes after coming on the substitute diverted Baptista`s goal bound shot home to put Malaga within touching distance of a place in the last four.

Manuel Pellegrinin who had only just returned from Chile after the death of his father, was to suffer even more heartache as the game went into stoppage time.

Dortmund were not the only unbeaten side left in the competition for nothing and drew on their huge resource of heart when Reus pounced to draw the score level at 2-2. Not enough because of away goals and throwing caution to the winds Dortmund threw everything at Malaga and that approach paid off with 93 minutes showing on the clock.

A goalmouth scramble produced a cross shot from Reus and Santana popped up, three inches from the goal line, to stab the ball home thus making amends for playing Eliseu onside for the second Malaga goal. The result thereby maintained the possibility of an all-German final.

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James Collins is ready to make a big impact at West Ham, after joining from Aston Villa for his second spell at the club.

Collins made his debut against his former employers in the 1-0 victory at Upton Park and was delighted with his own performance, nullifying the threat of Darren Bent.

Kevin Nolan scored the decisive goal five minutes before half-time to give the Hammers a perfect start to life back in the top-flight, but confusion unfolded as the linesman raised his flag, only for referee Mike Dean to overrule the decision as the resulting flick- on came from Villa’s Ciaran Clark.

Collins told the London Evening Standard: “It did help knowing Darren so well and the way he plays. I knew that he wouldn’t take the ball much in front but that he is such a threat over the top so we tried to stop that happening and seeing he had only one shot on goal, I suppose it worked.”

The Welsh international faces stiff competition in the centre-back position, with James Tomkins eager to re-claim his place in the side after being ousted by Collins.

Collins added: “I watched Winston (Reid) and James Tomkins last season and saw how well they played in the Championship. Obviously James was disappointed not to be in the starting line-up against Villa but the three points are all-important.”

Collins re-joined the Hammers for a fee of £2.5 million last month- a shrewd piece of business by Sam Allardyce at a club whose spending is restricted by the £10 million still owed to Sheffield United over the Carlos Tevez saga.

Bu the East Londoners’ business in the transfer market appears to be far from over, as Razak Boukari is on the verge of a move to Upton Park from French side, Rennes.

The Hammers’ interest in the Togolese international means a move for Wolves’ midfielder, Matthew Jarvis appears to be unlikely.

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The Championship side are reportedly holding out for £10 million, while West Ham are only prepared to bid as high as £9 million.

According to Ovacion, Newcastle United boss Rafael Benitez is interested in signing Hull City forward Abel Hernandez at the end of the 2017-18 campaign.

What’s the story?

It is expected to be a busy summer transfer window for Newcastle, with Benitez confident that he will be handed funds to improve his squad after steering the club away from trouble.

A new centre-forward is an absolute must for the Magpies when considering the problems that Dwight Gayle and Joselu have had in the final third of the field this season.

According to Ovacion, Newcastle boss Benitez is closely monitoring the situation surrounding Hernandez, who will see his Hull contract expire this summer.

The 27-year-old has missed the majority of the campaign through injury, but has managed eight goals in just 10 Championship appearances this season, and there will not be a shortage of interest in the centre-forward this summer.

What are Hernandez’s credentials?

Hernandez, who has scored 11 times in 27 appearances for the Uruguay national team, moved to English football in 2014 when he joined Hull from Palmero.

The striker cost the Tigers £10m, but only managed four goals in 27 appearances for the club during the 2015-16 Premier League campaign.

Hernandez, who has previously been linked with Leeds United, stayed with Hull following their relegation, however, and netted 22 times in 45 matches during the 2016-17 season.

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As mentioned, an Achilles injury has seen the Uruguayan miss a lot of football this season, but a record of eight goals and two assists in 10 league appearances is extremely impressive.

Newcastle will need to spend big on a forward that is capable of contributing upwards of 10 Premier League goals next season, but Hernandez is a fine talent when fit, and there is no question that he is good enough to score goals in the top flight.

On a free transfer, the deal is an absolute no-brainer for the Magpies.

This summer is set to be a big one for West Ham. Although the season started well in east London – there were even dreams of Champions League qualification over the winter period – a post-Christmas slide leaves the Irons very much in the midtable zone of the Premier League, which, although far from disappointing, is a state of affairs plagued by ‘what ifs?’

Sam Allardyce looks almost certain to go and a new manager with more razzmatazz is on the menu going into the club’s last season at Upton Park ahead of the Olympic Stadium move.

New signings will, however, be needed, and although some foreign imports are in favour among the fans, a look at a few bargains from the relegation zone could be wise.

With that in mind, here are FIVE stars set for the drop that West Ham could gamble on….

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Charlie Austin

By far the standout player in the relegation zone, Austin has been mightily impressive this season. In a poor ‘Super’ Hoops team, the 25-year-old has smashed 17 Premier League goals, which is a tally only bettered by Diego Costa, Harry Kane and Sergio Aguero. While the aforementioned trio ply their trade in the upper half, Austin has been making do alongside the likes of Bobby Zamora!

Reports have already suggested that the former Swindon Town man will be on the move in order to stay in the top tier, with a figure of around £10m needed. With only 43 goals, the Hammers have the second worst return in the top half of the table, so Austin could remedy a big issue.

Leroy Fer

Although he’s quickly becoming the ‘new Nigel Quashie’ following back-to-back relegations with two different sides, Fer is certainly not a poor player. In between dropping with Norwich and joining QPR’s cause, the midfielder played for the Netherlands at the World Cup, and even got on the scoresheet in Brazil.

If he can be kept interested and motivated, which have appeared to be issues, the 25-year-old is a very promising player, with his mix of athleticism and technical ability making him a fearsome prospect in the middle of the park. He could potentially replace loanee Alex Song.

Kieran Trippier

Although his 14 assists as Burnley romped to Championship promotion have not been replicated in the top tier, Trippier has still impressed, albeit in a more quiet way. The 24-year-old right-back has been restricted by the Clarets’ slightly more pragmatic approach this season, but he’s still averaged 1.9 tackles and 2.1 interceptions per game, which are very much on a par with his Championship exploits.

With Carl Jenkinson likely to return to Arsenal after a fairly impressive loan spell in east London, Trippier could be an ideal replacement, and is unlikely to command a major fee.

Robert Snodgrass

Hull are by far the most likely candidates to join QPR and Burnley in moving down to the Championship. Two points from safety with Spurs and Manchester United to play, it’s hard to see where any points, let alone the win they need. Are coming from.

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Although he’s missed the entirety of the season with a dislocated kneecap, Scotland international Snodgrass is a player who may be worth a gamble, with the wide midfielder having been impressive in the Premier League. Prior to joining the Tigers, the 27-year-old was Norwich’s standout performer as they slipped to relegation, with his dead-ball prowess and crossing ability major traits.

Andrew Robertson

Another Hull player worth consideration is Robertson. With Aaron Cresswell attracting attention, a new left-back may be needed at Upton Park, and the young Scot is certainly a worth successor. Not dissimilar to the Hammers’ current option, the ex-Dundee United defender is likely to move on should the KC Stadium be hosting Championship football.

Pacey and able to swing in a cross, the 21-year-old is, albeit a little underwhelming, a potential good buy from the relegation zone.

Manchester United have invited 15-year-old Lars Troense Langgaards over for a trial with one eye on signing the Danish defender.

The youngster was spotted by United scouts playing for Denmark’s Under-16 side at the Aegean Cup in Turkey this January and has also been watched by academy director Brian McClair.

He is currently on the books of Danish Superliga side AGF Aarhus where he plays for their Under-17s and will be accompanied to his trial by the club’s sporting director Brian Steen Nielsen.

“It’s clearly going to be a great learning experience that Lars can use in his further development,” said Nielsen.

“He has been developing rapidly since joining AGF, and is now being rewarded with this chance.”

Nielsen has been impressed by United’s handling of the situation from the time that he was made aware of their interest in the schoolboy, who signed a three-year youth contract with the club last year.

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“Right from the first contact Manchester United have acted very professionally. They have had several scouts and their academy director over to follow Lars and I had a meeting with them about the test training [period]. They have done a thorough job, and we have therefore said thanks for the invitation.”

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Pep Guardiola says they’ll need to be ‘perfect’ if they’re to pull it off. Fernandinho agrees. So do most football fans – those who don’t just don’t believe it’s possible at all.

If Manchester City are to overcome Liverpool on Tuesday evening, it will be a famous comeback worthy of being given pride of place in the history of the club. Pull it off, and it’ll be up there with 93:20 – it could be a defining moment not just in the club’s history, but for the very fabric of its identity. “We’ll fight til the end,” goes the chant – turning around a Champions League quarter-final from a deficit which has only been overcome twice in the competition’s history would lend another dimension to the song.

There are many and varied reasons to believe that this cannot be done. City’s sudden loss of form, the fact they’ve been conceding goals, and the fact that this is the first real mental test Guardiola’s Blues have suffered this season: all of that will give massive belief to Liverpool.

But when you lose the first leg of a Champions League knockout round 3-0, any reasons to believe you can’t go through are obvious. There are also plenty of reasons to believe that City can.

Here’s what the Blues have to do if they are to beat Liverpool and take their place in an unlikely Champions League semi-final.

Don’t panic

It sounds obvious, but the headless chicken look just won’t do it for City this week. There are times when throwing caution to the wind and playing as if there’s no tomorrow can be well-advised. This isn’t one of those times.

Fire in the belly is needed to come back from such a deficit, sure, but City will also need ice in the mind if they are to nick the three goals needed to take the tie to extra time and keep Liverpool out at the other end.

City have have already proven they can score five against Liverpool this season, though, and showed in the Premier League game at Anfield that scoring multiple goals in a short space of time is not beyond them either.

Play their normal game

To come back from such a deficit against a team who are on top form with such good players is a special situation for City, who will need to overcome the odds.

But of the 15 home games that City have played in the Premier League this season – that is, in their most normal games against fellow English sides – Guardiola’s side have won eight of them by a margin of three goals or greater. That includes a 5-0 victory over Liverpool in what was, admittedly, a game with a bit of an asterisk beside it.

City have been so dominant at times this season that we almost forget that the margins of victory have routinely passed the three-goal mark. This would be an historic comeback, make no mistake about that, but given how this season’s gone at the Etihad would it really be as big of a shock as it feels right now?

Adapt to circumstances

And yet, as good as City have been at times this season, that dominance in itself poses a problem which was visible at the end of the first leg at Anfield.

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Guardiola’s sides are adaptable. They are fluid and they are tactically astute. But what they’re bad at is diverging from their principles, even a little bit. Of course, such a clear idea of what they want to do is one of the many reasons they’ve been so good this season, but in the final few minutes, it became clear that Plan A wasn’t working and City simply carried on with their natural game regardless.

That’s not to say that they should have started lumping it into the box, but perhaps a more urgent approach was necessary. If the time comes on Tuesday night to play more direct, City should take it: remember, even Sergi Roberto’s winning goal for Barcelona against Paris Saint-Germain last season came from a hopeful Neymar ball over the top of the defence.

Their apparent challengers might not be ready to admit it just yet, but as widely suspected from the opening weeks of the season, Chelsea are this year’s Premier League champions.

The Blues boast a seven-point lead over second-place Arsenal, with one game in hand, and are now just four wins away from securing the prestigious guard of honour.

So the real question in the final weeks of the season isn’t who’ll take this year’s crown, who’ll make the top four or in what order – it’s who’s ready to challenge Chelsea next year, following a campaign in which they’ve held top spot for its entirety.

With Manchester City set for a few years of soul searching, logic suggests Arsenal and Manchester United will be the predominant competitors – two sides who’ve shown drastic improvements as the season’s dragged on.

Arsenal’s turning point was that 2- 0 victory at the Etihad in January, not only providing their first win against reigning Premier League champions since Chelsea all the way back in 2010, but also representing a seismic shift in Gunners philosophy; the introduction of defensive midfielder Francis Coquelin and a more disciplined approach all round showing the pragmatic shrewdness they’ve shunned in favour of champagne football over the last few years.

Since that result, Arsene Wenger’s side have lost just once in the Premier League – in the north London derby – and improved their league standing from fifth to second. The Coquelin-induced formula has brought more stability to the Gunners, leading to five clean sheets in their last ten outings. Title-winning form, unquestionably.

The prevailing concern, however, is that we’re witnessing yet another false dawn. Arsenal have a habit of ending campaigns in hollywood fashion just in time for season ticket renewals, whipping their fans into a frenzy of title-winning fantasy before bringing them back down to earth with a lackadaisical start to the following season.

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Their biggest challenge will be to start at the same pace as the rest of the pack next year; this term, for example, the Gunners won just four of their first twelve, dropping down to eighth place. The season previous began with that infamous 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa – which almost caused a small riot at the Emirates – and during the 2012/13 campaign they spent just two weeks in the top four until mid-April.

Similarly, Arsene Wenger’s atrocious record against Jose Mourinho, still waiting on his first win from twelve Premier League encounters with the Portuguese, is another obstacle the north Londoners must overcome to get to the English crown. More than simply the six points on offer, the psychological subtext does the Arsenal boss no favours.

Meanwhile, Manchester United’s 2014/15 campaign draws parallels with Chelsea’s transition process last season. It’s not always been pretty, glamorous or exciting, but hard graft and efficiency has dragged them through. Likewise, their record against the top teams is fantastic, picking up 13 points from a possible 16 against last term’s top four, including four consecutive victories – Arsenal in November, a double over Liverpool and a 4-2 win against the noisy neighbours last weekend.

Admittedly, a Chelsea scalp heralding a title charge in 2015/16 is missing from that list. But in recent weeks, Louis van Gaal’s master plan has finally begun to materialise amid a run of six consecutive wins, three of which have come against some of their closest divisional rivals – Spurs, Liverpool and City. If this is the end result of an often painful transition process, United look ready to challenge next season.

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That being said, the summer window will have a considerably bigger impact on United than Arsenal or Chelsea. Whilst the former will strengthen sparingly and the latter already have a trusted starting Xi, the Red Devils are expected to spend another £150million and sign some major names – potentially Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale and Borussia Dortmund’s Mats Hummels. Although, in theory, the new signings should make United stronger, that all depends on how quickly they settle in.

But the coming weeks will give us some vital insight; Chelsea face Manchester United on Saturday and Arsenal the weekend after. Although the Blues can afford to lose both and still boast one game and at least one point over second place, the fixtures are an important barometer of where all three clubs are at right now, and whether Wenger or van Gaal are capable of outfoxing Mourinho – a manager neither have yet beaten in the Premier League.

We may not be left with a definitive answer to who’ll win next year’s crown, but results over the next fortnight will affirm whether either can compete with Chelsea next season.

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Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso’s reluctance to sign a new contract at the club has set reports in motion about a possible return to Liverpool in the summer, but what are the chances of such a transfer coup coming to fruition for a player who enjoyed five successful seasons on Merseyside?

The 31-year-old Spain international currently has a contract at Madrid which runs through until the end of next season, but with manager Jose Mourinho’s future up in the air, he remains reluctant to commit himself until things become clearer about what path the club intend to take in the future. With the side currently 13 points behind rivals Barcelona in the league, in what has represented a pitiful defence of the title they won in such style last season, not only is a potential change in manager on the cards, but a freshening up in the squad in what promises to be a period of great upheaval if they fail to triumph in the Champions League this term.

In what looks certain to be a quote that will be revisited more and more the closer we draw to the end of the season and the summer, Alonso told the BBC in February: “With Brendan, Liverpool are building a project. They need to be patient. We all want to see Liverpool fighting for the Champions League places. I still follow the Premier League and I still feel very attached to Liverpool and I follow them. I consider myself a Liverpool fan.”

The midfielder’s Anfield exit in the summer of 2009 wasn’t brought about by the need to test himself on a bigger stage, after all, Liverpool had just seriously challenged for the Premier League title losing out to Manchester United by just four points and a couple of Federico Macheda shinned last-minute winners. The club were competing in the Champions League each and every year and in Javier Mascherano and Steven Gerrard, the club had perhaps the best midfield trio in European football outside of Catalonia.

The departure was all but sealed, as everyone knows, by Rafa Benitez’s clumsy pursuit of Aston Villa man Gareth Barry – a move which doesn’t look any more sane with the passing of time. It should be noted, though, that of Alonso’s five years at Anfield, only his first and last touched the heady heights we have come to remember him for; one when trying to impress in a new league and the other when trying to force a move through elsewhere in what has been a convenient re-writing of history to suit the man-love agenda. He has been hugely missed and by just how much has only become easier to quanifty the more time passes, but he’s definitely stepped up a level in terms of consistency while in Spain, certainly more so than he ever managed while at Liverpool.

Alonso moved to Liverpool because of Benitez, but after offering him around anyone that would have him, only Arsenal’s reluctance to offer anything above £15m (has Arsene Wenger made a bigger mistake in the market in the past five years?) stopped him from moving elsewhere in the top flight. Equally so, Alonso wanted to move because of Benitez, rather than a need for a new challenge and a desire to move back home. His one-time mentor had fallen out with him over his desire to be by his wife’s side at the birth of their first child on the eve of a crucial Champions League game and it never recovered and Alonso’s form fluctuated during the 2007-8 campaign before he was made available for transfer, with injuries taking their toll on his form.

When that is put into context, it makes the idea that Alonso fancies a return to Anfield all the more understandable and a reported £80k-a-week contract has been put on the table, while the fee ranges from £12m to £8.5m depending on where you look. What is clear, though, is that Alonso’s departure signalled the end of Liverpool as a top four force, with his ability to control and dominate possession in the middle of the park being sorely missed ever since.

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The narrowly avoided financial disaster of the final days of the Hicks and Gillett ownership saw the side fail to capitalise on a second-placed league finish in 2009 and they refused to invest for another push that summer which saw them subsequently finish seventh the following campaign, sack Benitez, appoint the patently out-of-his depth Roy Hodgson and being forced into selling Mascherano to Barcelona. It’s a state of affairs the club have still struggled to fully recover from and they hovered between eighth and sixth in the league ever since.

Despite his deal at Madrid being worth £130k-per-week, Alonso has spoken of his surprise when he watches top flight matches and how quick the pace and flow of the game is; with time hardly on his side, he could be equally reluctant to dive straight back into a league that he has been absent from for four seasons, even taking into account the significant wage drop. However, with Joe Allen struggling so much this season, Brendan Rodgers will be in the market for an experienced midfielder in the summer, even if he hadn’t bet on setting the bar so high.

Considering the midfield is such a central area of Rodgers possession-based philosophy, it’s remarkable what a mess he’s made of it this season, from playing out of form players (Allen), to unfathomably dropping those in form at times (Jordan Henderson) to just simply playing them out of position altogether (Nuri Sahin). The way he’s chopped and changed points to a manager struggling to pick his best trio or even knowing what they are, while failing to consistently deliver on his message that the side are capable of controlling a game for prolonged spells and Alonso could certainly help in that regard, even if the tempo of the league could ensure a bumpy first few months back.

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As with many sub-plots that have developed over the past few months, plenty rests on the future of Mourinho and whether he chooses to extend his stay in the Spanish capital beyond the end of this season. If he leaves, Alonso may be seriously tempted to look elsewhere too and Liverpool would understandably provide a comfortable and familiar environment to see out the final days of a fantastic career and what better way to try and convince Luis Suarez to stay for another year at the same time, by signing a truly world-class midfield operator in what would represent a real signal of intent and ambition.

Harking back to the initial question and whether the deal is likely, it’s too early to tell at this stage, but he fits the style, the system and already loves the club which ensures they remain right at the front of the queue. If I were a betting man, I’d put it on Alonso staying at Real Madrid until his contract expires, turning down the two-year extension and then perhaps returning to a young and vibrant Real Sociedad side, the place where he started his playing career. His Basque roots will always ensure a stronger emotional pull than his Scouse credentials, but the ball remains firmly in his court and he’s never been a player who has terms dictated to him, rather a principled individual in control of his own career, something which could potentially be a determining factor that could count in Liverpool’s favour ahead of a proposed romantic and sensational comeback to the top flight. It’s a long shot, but I wouldn’t completely rule it out.

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As reported by Sky Sports, Everton are one of the teams interested in signing Watford attacker Richarlison this summer.

What’s the story?

If The Toffees are to improve next term then they badly need to add goals to their game. Seven of the eight teams currently ahead of them in the English Premier League have scored more this season.

One player that could add fresh ideas to their attack is Brazilian Richarlison, who has impressed in spells during his debut season at Watford this term.

That’s according to Sky Sports, who say that Everton are part of a three-team pack, that includes Manchester United and Chelsea, keeping tabs on the 20-year-old ahead of the summer transfer window.

He’d cost a fair whack though, with the outlet also reporting that Watford are looking for a fee of around £40m for his signature.

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Can he make a Goodison Park impact?

With five goals and four assists in his first 18 appearances for Watford, Richarlison looked set to be on his way to a magnificent first year in the English Premier League.

He hasn’t directly contributed to a goal since December though, leading many to question whether he has what it takes to perform consistently at this level.

Sky Sports report though that Watford deem that lack of form as a result of fatigue, with the 20-year-old having played in the summer months in the Brazilian top-flight last year, meaning he’s played 12 months of football without a break.

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If that’s true, a few months of rest could see him firing on all cylinders again either for Watford or a new club like Everton.

If the Toffees are to bite though, the reported £40m fee seems rather steep and they should only move for the player if they can negotiate that down, with resources also needed to be spent in other areas of the team.