Five players who featured on the opening weekend but could still be on the move
The Premier League is finally underway again but the transfer window is still open and that means not everyone who lined up on the opening weekend will still be wearing the same colours in a couple of weeks’ time.
Not everyone takes the Aston Villa approach over players linked with exits, with Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Martinez left out of their season opener. It didn’t go so well in their absence.
Indeed, it was business as usual for some unsettled players over the opening weekend, or those who might not be as big a part of their clubs’ plans as their selection would suggest.
There might even be some last-minute moves in the pipeline that little is known about yet.
These players all featured in the opening round of Premier League fixtures but are by no means guaranteed to stay with the same club by the end of the transfer window.
They’ll just hope not to become this season’s Harvey Elliott and get stuck if their next move is unsuccessful.
Joe Willock (Newcastle United)
He may have put Newcastle 2-1 up against Liverpool on Sunday moments after coming off the bench, but Willock’s first goal in the Premier League since February 2024 could turn out to be his last for the Magpies.
Willock was linked with a move away from St. James’ Park in the build up to Matthias Jaissle’s first game in charge. Besiktas have been the suitors speculation has centred around over the past few days.
Jaissle said after the game, which finished as a 2-2 draw, that Willock could “definitely” stay at Newcastle on current form, but a question mark hovers over the midfielder due to his contract situation.
Willock is in the final year of his deal on Tyneside and it might suit Newcastle to cash in while they can.
Besiktas, or any other bidders, might have to raise the stakes to sway Newcastle into a sale. But Willock’s future remains up for question.
Jack Grealish (Manchester City)
It was mildly surprising to see Grealish sent on for Manchester City in the Community Shield – and yet it happened again in their Premier League opener against Bournemouth.
Grealish spent last season in exile at Everton on loan from City after falling down the pecking order and has been widely predicted to leave the Etihad for good this summer.
But he’s now played some part in both of their competitive matches under Enzo Maresca so far. Is it a lifeline for his City career, or merely a shop-window presentation?
Grealish has just one year left on his contract in Manchester, so you’d imagine City would entertain bids if they were to arrive.
Maresca has left Grealish’s future open. Everton would have loved to have taken him back by now and can’t necessarily be ruled out just yet. We wouldn’t be surprised if the Saudi Pro League made a call too.
Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace)
Well this has become a bit messy.
Mateta’s attempt to orchestrate an immediate exit from Palace, claiming the last year of his contract is invalid, has been one of the bigger off-field topics over the past week.
The striker’s appeals have failed and he remains bound to Palace, but it’s opened up a can of worms. The ball is firmly in Palace’s court over whether it’s worth keeping the unsettled striker around.
Mateta almost left Palace in February, but a problem with his medical halted a move to AC Milan. He was fit enough to start for Palace in their season opener, a loss to Everton on Saturday.
If Mateta leaves Palace in the next week, it will be for a fee, not for free. But he’s clearly got his eyes on the exit door.
Mikey Moore (Tottenham Hotspur)
Quite a few players who lined up for Spurs in their loss to Brentford still have futures in doubt.
That’s largely the long-term fall-out of the shambles of last season, but Moore’s case is more complex.
He wasn’t part of Spurs’ serially underperforming squad last season, spending it on loan at Rangers. Another year developing elsewhere might do the highly-rated winger some good.
The fact Spurs have Savinho, Omar Marmoush and potentially Cody Gakpo lined up as new attacking signings between now and the end of the window means Moore could become crowded out.
He got the nod on the right wing in the dreadful defeat to Brentford, but Spurs will have more bodies in as the season progresses – either players returning from injury or new signings.
Moore has been heavily linked with Bundesliga side Koln and could complete a loan move there in the coming week.
Alex Scott (Bournemouth)
With every game that passes, it becomes more a matter of when and not if Scott will make the step up from Bournemouth to one of the bigger boys.
Could it yet be in this transfer window? Time is running out, but whispers persist over a potential move to Chelsea or Manchester City.
Scott is one of the most promising English midfielders in the Premier League right now. He’s the kind of talent that the Big Six love investing in and they might be in a hurry to do so.
Chelsea made a move for him earlier this summer and he’s also believed to have turned down a new contract with the Cherries. There are two years left on his current one.
Bournemouth will surely drive a hard bargain at this stage of the window, but they might have to brace themselves for approaches for Scott in the coming days.
READ MORE: Do not fall into the opening day kneejerk trap when the transfer window is still open