Mason Mount’s big night in Europe could spark a renaissance, with the Man Utd star and seven more Big Six strugglers set for an upturn next season…
**Phil Foden (Manchester City)**The 2024/25 Player of the Year’s imperious form pushed Man City to their fourth-straight title, but he finds himself in the Premier League hall of shame for his awful defence of this crown.
Last season, everything Foden touched turned to gold, but he has been rotten this term and his alarming decline has sparked internal ‘concerns’.
Fatigue is likely a contributing factor as he risks being left behind during Thomas Tuchel’s England era and returning to the periphery at Man City, starting only 20 Premier League games this season.
Still, Foden is *somehow* only 24 and has already racked up over 300 appearances for his boyhood club, so hitting a brick wall is understandable.
He can be forgiven for having a season off, as long as he returns to form next season. For a player of his immense ability, it is surely only a matter of time before this happens andKevin De Bruyne’s exit gives him the opportunity to finally become Man City’s main man.
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**Rico Lewis (Manchester City)**Foden’s Man City teammates have somewhat spared the attacking midfielder’s blushes: Years of relentless title pursuits have caught up with most of Pep Guardiola’s players and a much-needed squad overhaul is already underway.
The jury is out on whether Guardiola has the necessary appetite for the huge rebuild at the Etihad, but he is boosted by Man City’s academy churning out a seemingly endless stream of gifted footballers.
Lewis is one such example as he’s previously displayed the appropriate level of footballing intelligence to fill various roles in Guardiola’s fluid system. But this season has been chastising for the 20-year-old, with his head coach resorting to playing Matheus Nunes right-back over him following Kyle Walker’s exit.
Lewis is far from the finished article and still needs to develop physically, but unless City buy a new right-back, he remains the obvious long-term option – and more experience should help him win back Guardiola’s trust.
**Mason Mount (Manchester United)**A semblance of respite has been long overdue for injury-ravaged Mount, who has barely had an opportunity to get his Man Utd career started since his £60m move from Chelsea in 2023.
The Man Utd transfer curse is severe and it’s even struck Mount, who was seen as a safe signing thanks to his domestic and European pedigree.
Up to now, Mount’s spell at Man Utd has been disastrous and it could end his time as a midfielder at the top level, but Thursday night felt significant as two stunning goals finally gave the damaged star something to smile about.
If he capitalises on his Europa League heroics by staying fit and kicking on, Man Utd will have a great asset on their hands with the England international perfectly-suited to Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-3 formation.
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**Martin Odegaard (Arsenal)**Two terrible transfer windows have seen Arsenal go backwards for the first time in a couple of seasons, with Mikel Arteta and his increasingly underwhelming squad facing some justified scrutiny.
Injuries have played their part, but this excuse has been overused by Arteta and his players; their performances have simply not been good enough, and this includes club captain Odegaard.
The Norway international has gone from being one of the Premier League’s most creative players to an ineffective midfielder offering very little, but he’s perhaps been a victim of Arsenal lacking a clinical edge ahead of him, while his and Bukayo Saka’s injuries also seem to have dampened his spirits.
The upcoming transfer window is promising to be the ‘biggest of a generation’, with the focus on bolstering the striking and wide areas. Odegaard should only benefit from having more high-quality teammates to link up with.
**Cole Palmer (Chelsea)**Cold Cole has become lukewarm after being one of the only credible challengers to Mohamed Salah in the race for the POTS award in the early months of this season, with his 12-game Premier League goal drought leading to justified calls for the England international to be dropped.
In a remarkable debut season, Palmer emphatically bucked the trend of Todd Boehly-era Chelsea signings to swiftly become the big fish in a “toxic” pond, but he’s been dragged down by his inferior teammates this term as a dip in confidence has made him seem ordinary.
His goalless spell ended against Liverpool to cap off a great performance as he returned to being at the forefront of everything positive from Chelsea in the attacking half, albeit against the off-the-ball champions.
It was always going to be difficult for Palmer to maintain his freakishly high standards and he has regressed this season, but his showing against Liverpool was an encouraging sign of things to come next season.
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**Andy Robertson (Liverpool)**Arne Slot has done very little wrong in his debut season at Anfield, getting more out of Jurgen Klopp’s squad than Liverpool’s beloved former boss, but there have been a few exceptions and Robertson has struggled.
It’s been disheartening to see the once-great Robertson look past it this season as the years of breathless running under Klopp catch up with him.
From indispensable to a weak link, Robertson has been a shadow of his former self this season and it’s no surprise that the signing of a new left-back is a priority for Liverpool, with Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez mooted as a top target.
With Kostas Tsimikas failing to convince as deputy, Kerkez’s arrival should seal his exit.
Robertson will then compete for starts with the Hungarian, and as the presence of a quality rival reduces the 31-year-old’s number of starts, the elder left-back could have a second wind with his energy exerted on selected matches in a reduced role.
**Luke Shaw (Manchester United)**Shaw’s last two seasons have mirrored Mount’s, with the full-back only making 14 Premier League starts since the start of the 2023/24 campaign.
When Shaw was last fully fit for a sustained spell, he was arguably the best left-back in the Premier League, but injuries have seriously damaged his career and kept him from consistently hitting the heights he once promised as a teenager.
Shaw has been eased back into the fold in recent weeks and, like Mount, he could be a hugely important player for Amorim. Shaw can be a natural wing-back who can contribute in each half, or a solid left centre-back option, if he can stay fit for a sustained period.
**Micky van de Ven (Tottenham Hotspur)**Van de Ven is another Premier League defender damaged by injuries. His season has been derailed by muscle issues after his stunning debut season in 2023/24.
The Dutchman is already the real deal, but he has all the necessary qualities to lead Tottenham to another level, or, more likely, leave for a European giant.
This season has been a write-off for Van de Ven with mismanagement delaying his return to full fitness, but a free summer will do him the world of good with brighter horizons ahead under Ange Postecoglou’s successor, with Champions League football possible.