The start of a new season is a chance for a club to reset and rebuild. Several clubs have hired fresh talent whilst others have swapped head coaches in an attempt to better their last campaign. The summer transfer window is a mixed time for players as they ponder their future and wonder if they will have a spot in the side when the first game rolls around in August.
With less than a month ago before the season kicks off, five players will be hoping to turn their luck around in what is the perfect chance to establish their place in the first team.
Harvey Elliott
It wasn't long ago that Elliott was touted as one of Liverpool's best young talents with a very high ceiling. However, under former manager Arne Slot he was given his marching orders and sent on loan to Aston Villa in search of regular game time. However, the move was an absolute failure as if Elliott made 10 Premier League appearances for Villa it would trigger a £35M fee for the club to sign him permanently.
Elliot made 9 appearances in all competitions and watched the majority of the season from the bench whilst his parent club Liverpool lacked creativity in midfield. The good news for the England international is that new manager Iraola stated that Elliot has shown an "eagerness to show himself" and "will have a chance during the pre-season" to prove his worth. Could fans see Elliott back in the starting line up? It is down to him in preseason as he hopes to impress.
Josko Gvardiol
This week, Gvardiol signed a new contract at Manchester City that will keep him at the club until 2031. Despite his name being in headlines over the past 24 hours, the Croatian is a figure many fans may have forgotten about heading into the new season.
Gvardiol, who emerged as a critical player for the Citizens since joining in 2023, suffered a broken tibia in January and was ruled out or more than four months. He missed 27 matches across all competitions before returning in May for just 2 appearances.
He is one of the longest-serving members of the squad, and will take on a greater role in the squad under new manager Enzo Maresca. The Italian coach will be delighted with his return in what is a significant boost at the back and for the moral of the side as the serial winner becomes available.
Evan Ferguson
Brighton’s Ferguson was regarded as one of Europe's brightest young strikers after scoring 10 goals in his breakthrough 2022-23 season but since then his career has gone massively downhill.
Multiple injuries including an ACL injury in 2024 broke his momentum as he struggled to regain both fitness and confidence in front of goal.
The Irish international spent last season on loan at Roma, making 22 appearances under manager Gian Piero Gasperini in which he scored 5 goals and grabbed 2 assists.
Ferguson is preparing to return to pre-season over the coming weeks and with Danny Welbeck’s links to Chelsea, a door may open for him to the first team. Manager Fabian Hurzeler may consider the young striker, a chance he will jump at if it comes to fruition.
Dejan Kulusevski
A stunning statistic was released this month that Diogo Jota, who tragically died over a year ago in a car crash, has played more recently than Kulusevski whose last competitive appearance came on the 11th May 2025 against Crystal Palace.
The 26-year-old suffered a patella injury in his right knee following a challenge from then-Eagles captain Marc Guehi in the 19th minute, and he has not played a single competitive minute since.
After 400 days out and missing the Europa League final and the World Cup, the Swedish star is set to return as fans welcome back what will be a slow push back into the squad over the coming months.
Federico Chiesa
Chiesa claims he is happy at Liverpool and is ready to fight for his place under Andoni Iraola in pre-season much like his teammate Elliott.
“I am happy here at Liverpool”, he said. “I love the club, I love the fans, I love everything. I am doing the best I can to have a chance here and then we will see.
“It is always a fresh start at the beginning of the year. Maybe there have been too many fresh starts, but I don’t care. I am trying to do my best for this new manager.”
Chiesa was Slot's first signing after he replaced Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool boss, but the Italian has been handed just 9 starts in the last two seasons. Slot received major backlash from fans over not handing the Italian a genuine chance to make an impact but with Iraola stepping in, he could be blessed with that opportunity.
Despite his obvious qualities, he started one Premier League game last season despite the problems Liverpool had in attack because of injuries to Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitiké. The new season is a perfect chance at redemption, and he will be confident he can make a real impact under Iraola as he remains in his prime at 28 years old.