The Premier League's summer transfer window is over, but the futures of a number of big name players are still undecided.
The rest of the transfer window is still open. Turkish clubs can do business until September 13th, so a transfer could still happen. But with four months to go until the January transfer windows of Europe's major leagues open, Athletic Manchester City selected some players who are currently unpopular in the first team in their starting lineup.
Although not all of them have been completely banned from the first team, their futures remain uncertain.
Going deeper
'Fair market value' vs 'pure profit' – the Premier League transfer market is more chaotic than ever
Goalkeeper: Odysseas Vlachodimos
Vlachodimos, who made just seven appearances in his only season with Nottingham Forest before joining Newcastle United on July 1, was signed as a replacement to help both clubs comply with Profit and Sustainability Regulations (PSR) with midfielder Elliot Anderson heading in the opposite direction.
Anderson, 21, a highly-rated Newcastle academy product, has featured in each of Forest's opening three games this season, but Vlachodimos is not expected to play a role on the pitch under manager Eddie Howe.
Going deeper
Why clubs sign so many back-up keepers: training support, PSR value and home-grown slots
The 30-year-old Greek international Vlachodimos was available on loan but Newcastle were unable to find a suitable replacement by Friday's deadline. As it stands, he is behind Nick Pope and Martin Dubravka and is yet to feature in Newcastle's matchday squad. However, if Dubravka, who wants a first-team role, moves on in January, Vlachodimos could become Howe's No. 2.
With Raheem Sterling joining Arsenal on loan for the season on deadline day, Chilwell has been given the unwanted label of being the face of Enzo Maresca's Chelsea “bomb squad”.
It's only been a year since Chilwell was expected to play a key role under Mauricio Pochettino – the new Argentine handed him the vice-captain role during pre-season – but now he is completely out of place at Stamford Bridge and looks set to struggle as a reserve player.
Going deeper
Maresca: 'Good' if Chilwell leaves Chelsea this summer
Maresca favours an inverted full-back, who does not suit Chilwell's overlapping tactics. The Italian manager's first choice at left-back is Marc Cucurella, and he also tried Malogst, who is primarily a right-back, in that position during pre-season. Levi Colwill, who started Chelsea's opening three league games at centre-back, is the other option at left-back, but his future seems pegged at the heart of the defence.
The 27-year-old Chilwell is one of Chelsea's highest-paid players so a move may be difficult to make in January unless a Premier League or continental European powerhouse takes on his wages. With Arsenal paying less than 50% of Sterling's wages, Chelsea may be willing to cut their losses to make a move for Chilwell happen.
Tierney spent last season on loan at La Liga side Real Sociedad and was expected to leave Arsenal this summer but a hamstring injury he sustained whilst playing for Scotland at the Euros made that impossible.
Going deeper
“I have no ill will. Mikel Arteta was 100% right” – Kieran Tierney interview
The 27-year-old played a key role at the Emirates Stadium after leaving Celtic in the summer of 2019 but fell victim to Mikel Arteta's desire to propel his side into title contenders after his appointment at the end of the year.
Tierney may not fit in well under the Spaniard and there is fierce competition for his place so he may never play for Arsenal again, but he has the quality and experience to play for another Premier League club in January, assuming there are no setbacks on his return from injury.
Tierney made 20 league appearances last season, providing two assists as Real Sociedad finished sixth in La Liga.
Tierney spent last season on loan at Real Sociedad (Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)
Unlike team-mate Chilwell, Disasi is still part of the first-team squad under Maresca but his playing role is set to be significantly reduced this season.
Disasi moved from French Ligue 1 club Monaco for £38.5 million (€45 million) last summer and made an immediate impression, scoring on his debut in a 1-1 draw with Liverpool. His best performance this season came in a 1-1 draw with Manchester City in February, when he made 16 clearances, the most by a Chelsea player in eight league seasons.
However, after missing the 6-0 defeat to Everton in April with an injury, Disasi struggled to work his way back into the team as Chelsea's performances improved, starting just one of their final eight league games – a humiliating 6-0 defeat to London rivals Arsenal.
Maresca is not a fan of the 26-year-old Disassi despite him featuring regularly under Pochettino. He featured in both Conference League qualifying matches against Swiss side Servette as Chelsea booked their place in the league with a 3-2 aggregate win and was also in the squad for Sunday's 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace but is yet to play a single minute in the league this season.
Kiwiall has proven a valuable and versatile player for Arsenal in 2023-24, making 13 appearances at left-back in the league, including in seven consecutive wins. During this time, Kiwiall has scored one goal and provided three assists.
However, with Julian Timber back from missing most of last season with a ruptured cruciate ligament and the £42million arrival of Riccardo Calafiori, Kivior is unlikely to play a role under Arteta. After being left out of the squad for the 2-0 opening week win over Wolves, Kivior has been named in Arteta's last two squads but is yet to feature on the pitch.
The 24-year-old Poland international arguably has the talent to start in the Premier League, but if things don't change before the January transfer window he could be forced to move away in the second half of the season.
(Andrew Kearns – CameraSport via Getty Images)
Lamptey has been a fixture in the Premier League for so long that it's easy to forget he's only 23 years old.
2022-23 is set to be a breakout season but injuries and the poor form of Brighton team-mate Joel Veltman have meant Lamptey has struggled to establish himself as a starter again.
Lamptey made his first appearance of the season in last week's Carabao Cup win over League One neighbours Crawley but is yet to feature in the Premier League, and with Veltman forced to leave the game injured in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal at the weekend, Lamptey may get his chance to make an impression under new manager Fabian Haseler.
But as things stand, he remains on the fringes of Brighton's squad.
Once considered destined for a top footballing career, Guedes has had a tough few years over the past few years.
Guedes has struggled to establish himself in Wolves' starting eleven since his move from Spanish club Valencia for the 2022-23 season, having spent parts of the past two seasons on loan at Portuguese side Benfica before returning to La Liga side Villarreal. The 27-year-old has been linked with a transfer all summer but nothing has materialised and he remains on the fringes of manager Gary O'Neill's starting eleven.
While he is yet to start a league game this season, he impressed in last week's Carabao Cup, scoring twice in Wolves' 2-0 win over recently relegated Championship side Burnley. Following his impressive performances in midweek, O'Neill gave him a spot on the bench for the weekend's league match, coming on as a replacement for Jean-Rickner Bellegarde, who scored in the 75th minute of Wolves' 1-1 draw away to Nottingham Forest.
Given Wolves' long-term struggles in front of goal, O'Neill may want to give Guedes another chance, even if it means he is more likely to leave the club this transfer window.
After a loan spell at Watford for the Championship in 2022-23, Choudhury returned to Leicester City, who won the division title last season, but now finds himself back in the doldrums at the King Power Stadium.
Choudhury was unused in Leicester's opening two Premier League games but came off the bench in last Tuesday's Carabao Cup win over League Two side Tranmere Rovers and assisted a goal in the 4-0 win. However, Choudhury was not included in the squad for Saturday's home league game against Aston Villa, which Leicester lost 2-1, and appears to be completely out of manager Steve Cooper's plans.
Eriksen continues to play an important role for the Denmark national team but is currently only a reserve player at Manchester United.
The 32-year-old was a key part of United's debut season in 2022-23, making 28 league appearances, but his role has since been reduced as academy graduate teenager Koby Mainu has taken his place in the team.
Going deeper
Christian Eriksen has become a maverick in United's midfield
Despite the recent transfer of fellow central midfielder Scott McTominay to Italian side Napoli, Eriksen did not feature in United's first two league matches of the season, only being introduced with five minutes remaining in Sunday's 3-0 defeat to rivals Liverpool.
Eriksen may still be able to thrive as a reserve player for Mitő under manager Erik ten Hag, but his days as a starter at the club appear to be over.
Almiron, who has been a huge influence in Newcastle's bid to qualify for Champions League football in 2022-23, has been linked with a move away from St James' Park for much of the summer transfer window.
After an unsuccessful attempt to return to MLS with Charlotte FC earlier in the transfer window, Almiron is no stranger to the North American league, having spent three years with Atlanta United from 2016-19, helping the team win a title in his final season there.
Going deeper
Almiron's proposed transfer to Charlotte FC fell through
As Friday's deadline approached, Almiron, now 30, had been linked with trade talks for Anthony Elanga, but Nottingham Forest rejected Newcastle's proposal. On Sunday, Almiron made just his second league appearance of the season, coming on as a 90th-minute substitute in a 2-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur, but he does not appear to be in manager Eddie Howe's starting lineup despite the team being short of a natural right winger.
(Paul Ellis ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
West Ham United made Ings available for a move when the transfer window first opened, but no move was finalised.
The former England international played five minutes from the bench in the 2-1 opening day defeat to his former club Aston Villa but was unused to playing in the 2-0 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Ings was subsequently left out of the squad by new manager Julen Lopetegui for both last Wednesday's 1-0 Carabao Cup win over Bournemouth, his first professional club, and Saturday's 3-1 league win over Manchester City, leaving the 32-year-old's future at the east London club uncertain.
(Top photo: Getty Images)
