Sterling, USMNT No. 1 Turner and other players who could move before Friday’s transfer deadline

The 2024 summer transfer window is in its final week and much of the big business has already been done, with several high-profile and out-of-favour players rushing to move ahead of Friday’s 11pm UK time (6pm ET) deadline.

Some players went into pre-season believing they were part of their manager’s plans only to find they had been left out, while others have been planning to leave for months and are now waiting for the right deal.

The athlete has selected 10 Premier League players who appear to be pushing for a move before the January transfer window closes.

When news broke that Sterling was not included in Chelsea’s 20-man squad for last Sunday’s Premier League opening game at home to Manchester City, the England striker’s camp released a statement expressing surprise at head coach Enzo Maresca’s decision. It is now clear that 29-year-old Sterling’s future does not lie at Stamford Bridge.

When Sterling joined from City in the summer of 2022 for a transfer fee of £47.5 million ($62.6 million at current exchange rates), hopes were high that he would be the star player to usher in a new era of success under new owners led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.

59 Premier League appearances and just 14 league goals later, Sterling’s return to his native London has not been a particularly successful one. In his two seasons there, Chelsea finished a disappointing 12th and 6th and failed to win a single trophy. Sterling, who turns 30 in December, has struggled to match his form under City manager Pep Guardiola.

Sterling, who has not played since the 2022 World Cup, is now focused on returning to the England national team and re-establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s most productive and consistent wingers, so a move is needed for him, who earns around £300,000 a week.

Since simmering tensions with coach Guardiola reached a peak in training after the Portuguese full-back failed to play in City’s 1-0 FA Cup fourth round win over Arsenal in January 2023, Cancelo’s permanent departure was inevitable.

At his best, the 30-year-old has game-deciding attacking qualities.

In the 2021–22 season, his most productive of the four he played at City, he recorded 10 assists in 52 games and played a crucial role as City won the Premier League and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League.

Within a year of the defeat to Real Madrid, Cancelo was sidelined in Guardiola’s plans as the Spanish coach preferred the defensive stability of a Manuel Akanji or Nathan Ake at left-back.

After loan spells at Bayern Munich and Barcelona, ​​Cancelo has not been included in City’s squad this season. A permanent move would be the best solution for the club and the player.

When Diego Carlos left Sevilla in 2022, it was considered a major coup for the club Aston Villa and its then coach Steven Gerrard.

In his three years at Sevilla, Diego Carlos established himself as one of the best centre-backs in La Liga and was instrumental in their 2020 Europa League triumph. He was close to being called up to the Brazil national team after shining for the team as they won a gold medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

Diego Carlos, 31, had a nightmarish start to life at Villa Park when he ruptured his Achilles tendon on his home debut, ruling him out for most of the season. He returned to the lineup under Unai Emery in 2023/24, starting 20 league games as Villa finished fourth, but has fallen out of favour and is surplus to requirements.

Carlos’ arrival from Seville was considered a coup (Bradley Collyer/PA Images via Getty Images)

Villa rejected an initial offer of £26m from Fulham in early August but talks have continued and he has admirers from the Saudi Pro League. Whether Fulham’s completion of a deal to sign Joachim Andersen from Crystal Palace will impact their pursuit of Carlos remains to be seen but the door is open to suitors if they meet Villa’s asking price.

James Ward-Prowse will be unlucky to be on the transfer list this summer after only moving to West Ham last year.

Ward-Prowse has had a mixed season after starting exceptionally well, playing in a more advanced midfield position than he was used to at Southampton. The 29-year-old scored two goals and provided three assists in West Ham’s first four league games of the 2023/24 season.

While seven goals and as many assists is not a bad record for a midfielder at a new club, Ward-Prowse’s form dipped in the second half of last season. Since then, David Moyes, an admirer of his qualities, has been replaced by Julen Lopetegui, who would apparently let the 11-time England international go if a reasonable offer comes in.

Ward-Prowse’s stay at West Ham could be short (Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Ward-Prowse, who was not in the starting line-up for the opening defeat to Aston Villa, is still in top form but has a lot to offer a Premier League club and remains optimistic about future appearances for England.

There was a surprise at the Emirates Stadium when Kiwior, a versatile defender who has generally performed well under Mikel Arteta, did not play in Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend.

Kiwior played a key role in Arsenal’s squad last season, making important contributions in the league and in Europe. He was a constant for Poland at the Euros, but could not help his country avoid a disappointing group stage exit. Now, with the £42 million signing of Riccardo Calafiori and the return of Jurrien Timber from injury, Arteta does not seem to have much use for Kiwior’s services.

Kiwior played a prominent role last season (Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)

Aside from his Premier League experience and versatility, Kiwior is an attractive age for potential suitors at 24 and has developed under Arteta in a win-focused environment.

Turner’s stock has taken a significant hit over the past 12 months.

The USMNT goalkeeper joined Nottingham Forest from Arsenal last summer and harboured ambitions of establishing himself as the club’s No. 1 after deputising for Aaron Ramsdale at the Emirates. A year later, he is Nuno Espirito Santo’s third choice and was left out of Forest’s squad for the 1-1 draw with Bournemouth on the opening day.

With the arrival of Pochettino as the USMNT’s new head coach, Turner’s place may be less secure than it was under Gregg Berhalter, who continued to trust the 30-year-old during the Copa America.

Several top goalkeepers are still looking to leave their Premier League clubs, including his former teammate Ramsdale. Is the championship in his sights or perhaps a return to the MLS, where Turner was Goalkeeper of the Year in 2021?

Sancho returned to Manchester United this summer as a Champions League finalist with Borussia Dortmund, having played a key role in restoring a reputation damaged by a difficult few years at Old Trafford.

Then, after mending his strained relationship with Erik ten Hag, 24-year-old Sancho seemed to be back in the plans and would spend the 2024-25 season as a United player. However, after not being included in the squad for the 1-0 win over Fulham, a departure still seems likely.

Sancho returned for pre-season but did not feature in United’s opening game (Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

United are demanding £40m for the final sale of Sancho, which would represent a significant loss on the £72.6m they paid Dortmund in 2021. However, given Sancho’s inability to perform anywhere near the level he has consistently shown at the Westfalenstadion, this is more than the club would have expected in January when he was banned from training.

Finding a club willing to take on Sancho’s starting salary of £250,000 a week will be a significant hurdle.

Trippier was Newcastle United’s first signing under the Saudi Arabian owner, but now his time seems to have come to leave the club.

The 33-year-old full-back was instrumental in Newcastle finishing fourth in the 2022-23 season and qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in two decades, but he was criticised by sections of the fan base for a perceived dip in performance last season.

After filling in for England at left-back in Luke Shaw’s absence at the European Championships, Trippier returned to Newcastle and found himself in Eddie Howe’s plans behind Tino Livramento at right-back.

Trippier has lost the Newcastle captaincy to Bruno (MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

He was an unused substitute in Newcastle’s 1-0 win over Southampton on the opening day, handing the captain’s armband to his team-mate Bruno Guimaraes. He now wants to leave the club.

Everton have held talks about loaning the 54-times capped England international to reunite him with Sean Dyche, under whom he played at Burnley between 2012 and 2015.

Gomez was a favourite of Jürgen Klopp last season and played as a centre-back, right-back, left-back and defensive midfielder.

His versatility earned him a place in Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad, but he did not play a single minute as England reached the final and is likely to play a smaller role under Arne Slot.

Would a move be good for Liverpool and the versatile Gomez? (Barrington Coombs/Getty Images)

Gomez joined Liverpool in 2015 as an 18-year-old as one of the country’s brightest talents. Now 27, he was linked with a move to Newcastle during the European Championships to bring Anthony Gordon to Anfield. Gomez was then left out of Slot’s first Premier League squad on opening day as Liverpool beat newly promoted Ipswich Town 2-0.

His departure would give Liverpool little cover in defence.

Like Sterling, Chilwell has clearly fallen out of favour with Maresca.

Twelve months ago, Chilwell looked set to play a major role in Chelsea’s future under Mauricio Pochettino after being named vice-captain. He lost his place in the starting eleven in favour of nominal centre-back Levi Colwill on the fifth game of the season. Ten days later, the 27-year-old was sidelined for 13 league games after suffering a thigh injury in the 1-0 Carabao Cup win over Brighton & Hove Albion.

Maresca has told Chilwell he can go (Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Further injuries, illness and the re-emergence of Marc Cucurella meant Chilwell was unable to regain his starting place last season. After missing Chelsea’s opening day defeat to City, Maresca has now asked Chilwell to train away from the main group.

Chilwell is one of the club’s top earners, which could make a potential move impossible. However, given his current situation, it is likely that Chilwell will only be able to re-establish himself as a regular starter and England international if he can find a move away from Stamford Bridge.

(Top photo: Sterling (left) and Turner have to move. Getty Images)