Alexander Isak and big-spending Liverpool crown an epic summer for the Premier League: Winners and losers from the 2025 transfer window
The path to superstardom rarely runs smoothly. Injuries can suddenly check a player’s progress – but so too can a change of coach, as both Kobbie Mainoo and Rodrygo have discovered to their cost.
Mainoo started for England in the final of Euro 2024 after breaking into Ten Hag’s starting line-up at Manchester United. However, it quickly became clear that the Dutchman’s successor, Ruben Amorim, didn’t feel the midfielder was suited to his preferred 3-4-3 formation, which prompted Mainoo to request a loan move this summer. United refused to let the 20-year-old leave, though, meaning Mainoo is likely to remain a rotation player for the foreseeable future.
Rodrygo’s situation at Santiago Bernabeu is just as frustrating. The winger was a key player for Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid, but he’s slid down the pecking order since the arrival of Alonso. The feeling was that Rodrygo would be allowed to leave for the right price, but the rumoured interest from Premier League clubs such as Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool failed to materialise into a move.
Consequently, the Brazilian is, just like Mainoo, facing a serious fight for regular game time in a World Cup year.
