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Crystal Palace have had a £12m bid for Eberechi Eze rejected by QPR, with West Brom and West Ham also in contention to land the England Under-21 international.

The attacking midfielder enjoyed a major breakthrough season during the 2019/20 campaign, hitting 14 goals and emerging as one of the most exciting young players in the Championship.

His performances have understandably attracted interest from a number of Premier League outfits, with Crystal Palace, West Brom and West Ham all circling.

According to the Guardian, Palace placed a £12m plus add-ons bid on Monday for Eze. QPR had initially been looking for £20m for the 22-year-old, but given the current financial circumstances, this has been reduced to around the £16m mark.

West Brom secured promotion to the top flight after a two-year absence on the final day of the Championship season following a 2-2 draw with QPR – with Eze himself scoring a stunning solo goal – and the club held informal talks with the Hoops last week.

West Ham are also interested in the youngster – although any transfer would first be dependent on the Hammers raising funds by shifting Felipe Anderson and Manuel Lanzini.

Eze established himself in the QPR first team during the 2018/19 season, having spent time out on loan at Wycombe the previous year.

Despite having their initial bid rejected, Palace are expected to return with an improved offer. The Eagles have had their eye on Eze for some time, but will likely have their transfer activity determined by the movement of Wilfried Zaha this summer.

Zaha has not been shy about his intention to leave Selhurst Park, having put in a transfer request last summer amid interest from Arsenal and Everton.

The Toffees are reportedly ready to renew their interest again during the transfer window, but could face competition from Newcastle.

Palace are poised to be prepared to let Zaha go if the price is right – which is reportedly around the £40m mark.

Scottish fitba is back.

Defending champions Celtic head into the season looking to make history by winning their tenth consecutive league title, while Steven Gerrard’s Rangers are out to prove that they can stoke the flames of the eternal Old Firm divide and finally dethrone their fierce rivals.

It’s not all about the ensuing battle for dominance in Glasgow, however, as there was plenty of excitement across the board last term. As we head into the new season, there are a number of talented players in the process of making a name for themselves.

With this campaign set to be one of the most hotly contested in years, here’s a look at five players who could make the difference for their respective sides.

Porteous broke into the Hibs side a few seasons ago and immediately rose to attention as a powerful unit in the heart of defence.

His tough tackling, no-nonsense style has earned the respect of the Hibees faithful, becoming a fan-favourite at Easter Road. A strong run of form saw him called up to the national team before an unfortunate spell of injuries halted his progression.

The 21-year-old central defender is now fully fit and featured prominently in Hibernian’s opening day win over Kilmarnock. If Porteous can stay healthy, he will be a future star for both club and country.

The nephew of Rangers all-time great Barry Ferguson, there are similarities in style to his esteemed uncle. Lewis is a box-to-box midfielder with great footballing IQ and an engine to match. It must be in the genes.

Having made the switch to Pittodrie at the start of the 2018/19 season, Ferguson has developed into a key player for Derek McInnes’ side, making 62 senior appearances for the Dons despite being just 20 years old.

His efforts in central midfield last season won him the SFWA Young Player of the Year award, and we can’t wait to see what he can do this time around.

Turnbull burst on to the scene in the 2018/19 season, scoring 15 goals in 31 appearances from midfield.

His efforts prompted a bid from champions Celtic, only for it all to come crashing down when the 21-year-old picked up a career threatening knee injury.

Turnbull featured just twice last season as he effectively had to learn to walk again. Now back fully fit and raring to go, the attacking midfielder is determined to emulate the majestic form that saw him shoot to fame in Scotland.

Since his induction into the Rangers first team in January, Hagi’s presence has revitalised the Gers’ squad.

A strong runner and deft shooter, Hagi is just as capable of scoring as he is setting up his teammates. There’s an element of expectation at Ibrox when he’s on the ball, such is his direct playing style.

After a strong showing in the second half of last season, we’re looking forward to seeing what he can offer as Rangers continue their long hunt for domestic silverware.

Since featuring for Celtic’s Under-20s at just 13 years old some four years ago, Dembele’s name has mustered a fair amount of attention among the Celtic faithful.

We caught a glimpse of what he is capable of through a few teasing substitute appearances last season. Now though, the 17-year-old is on the cusp of the first team having featured regularly in Celtic’s pre-season tour.

The skilful winger’s meteoric rise to fame through his performances in Celtic’s academy has undoubtedly added a weight of expectation. With more senior appearances expected this term, the stage is set for Dembele to show his true potential.

Eddie Howe is set to leave Bournemouth by mutual consent, after suffering relegation from the Premier League at the end of the 2019/20 season.

The 42-year-old is a legend at the Vitality stadium, making over 200 appearances as a player, before taking charge as coach and propelling the south-coast side from League One to the English top flight in 2015.

Bournemouth have enjoyed the past five seasons in the Premier League, and Howe has earned plenty of praise for his part in building an exciting and attacking team.

Howe was, however, unable to prevent the Cherries from falling to a final day relegation and his role as the club’s coach had been in doubt for some time.

And Peter Rutzler of The Athletic was among the first to reveal on Saturday night that Howe is set to leave the club by ‘mutual consent’, bringing an end to his eight-year reign at Bournemouth.

While this might come as sad news to some Cherries’ supporters, there may be more to the decision than meets the eye. A source has told 90min that Howe has already met with Crystal Palace officials, regarding the possibility of taking over at Selhurst Park in the future.

Current coach Roy Hodgson came under a lot of scrutiny for his approach over the course of this season, and the Eagles were one of the most out of form teams in the Premier League following the summer re-start.

Palace picked up only one point from their final eight matches, leaving the 72-year-old’s job hanging in the balance. Hodgson did sign a new contract with the club in March though, meaning the Premier League side may wait until his deal expires at the end of the 2020/21 season before making the change.

So, Bournemouth’s loss may prove to be the Eagles’ gain, and Howe could well be back in the Premier League, without his beloved Cherries.

There’s a lot to dislike about strikers if you think about it. They always get the glory, most of them don’t seem to do much running and they can often be prima donnas on the pitch.

However, it’s probably fair that they get cut a fair amount of slack as it’s the most challenging position on the pitch. Centre-forwards spend most of their time isolated from their teammates, knowing that any missed chances will be greeted with a maelstrom of abuse from the crowd.

At the turn of the last decade it had seemed like strikers might be destined for the scrapheap with two-man strike partnerships seen as retrograde and false nines ruling the roost at the top level. More recently though, the role has enjoyed a resurgence with a host of top centre-forwards banging in goals all across Europe.

Here are five of the very best doing exactly that right now…

Kicking off our top five, it’s the man that everyone loves to hate – or just hate in some cases.

Signing for Liverpool on the same day as Andy Carroll, the two players’ careers have since taken very different routes.

While Carroll has becoming a punchline to a joke about injuries, Suarez has carved out a reputation as a lethal finisher who will do anything to win. We mean anything by the way, as Giorgio Chiellini and Branislav Ivanovic know only too well.

While his recent Barcelona career has been hampered by injury, it hasn’t stopped him hitting the back of the net enough times to see him rise to second place on the club’s all-time goalscorers list.

Despite being divisive figure, you cannot deny that Suarez is one of the best players of his generation.

From one diminutive South American forward to another, Manchester City hero Sergio Aguero is number four on our list.

No other human being has scored more goals for the Citizens than the Argentine. There’s magic in those bulging calves and he loves a memorable strike.

Often overlooked when discussing all-time Premier League greats in the past, public opinion is finally starting to sway on Aguero.

He recently overtook Thierry Henry as the Barclays™ highest ever overseas goalscorer, a stat which beautifully illustrates his brilliance and longevity.

In the past Karim Benzema has frequently been the bridesmaid and never the bride.

During Cristiano Ronaldo’s time at Real Madrid, the Frenchman mainly played the role of facilitator, making decoy runs to pull defenders away from CR7.

During the 2019/2020 season, Benzema stepped out on his own and become Los Blancos’ most valuable forward. 29 goal involvements in 37 La Liga appearances tells its own story as the 32-year-old continues to get better with age.

He is a self-sacrificing superstar who has nothing to prove to his doubters.

A Ligue 1, Coupe de France and World Cup winner all before his 21st birthday, Kylian Mbappe is set to dominate European football for the next decade.

Like a string of French strikers before him, Mbappe’s principal weapon is his frightening pace but there is so much more to the Paris Saint-Germain star’s game.

Blessed with freakish footballing intelligence, he is constantly popping up in the right place at the right time. He also possesses a fearsome box of tricks and feints that rival any other player in the world.

A forward of Mbappe’s quality coming along is truly a once in a lifetime event, so make sure you make the most of him while he’s still around.

Few people would have been as peeved off as Robert Lewandowski when it was announced that the 2020 Ballon d’Or would not be awarded.

The Polish hitman has been in the form of his life recently, scoring with a frequency to rival some of the best strikers of all time.

The Bayern Munich star – who 90min interviewed back in May – in the archetypal complete centre-forward scoring goals with his head, either foot and various other body parts. As long as the ball nestles in the back of the net, he doesn’t care.

Lewandowski is a born goalscorer in his prime years and could hold onto his title as 90min’s best centre-forward in the world for some time yet. That’s better than winning a Ballon d’Or anyway…

Exclusive – Newcastle, Leeds and Everton have all expressed an interest in signing Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Solly March.

The versatile 26-year-old has seen his role in Brighton’s side slowly decrease since the Seagulls’ arrival in the Premier League in 2017, starting just 11 of his 19 appearances and contributing one assist last season.

March has two years left on his current deal and a source has confirmed to 90min that Brighton are keen on tying him down to fresh terms, but his situation has attracted interest from a number of top-flight sides.

Graham Potter is hopeful a deal can be reached, but if Brighton are unable to convince March to extend his stay, the Seagulls want close to £15m to part ways with the midfielder, who arrived from non-league side Lewes in 2011.

All three of March’s suitors are on the lookout for attacking reinforcements this summer. Beginning with Newcastle, their Saudi-backed takeover could lead to a hefty spending spree if approved, but a takeover bid from American Henry Mauriss would likely have a similar impact.

The Magpies scored just 38 goals in 38 games last season – only Norwich, Watford and Crystal Palace managed fewer – and midfielder Jonjo Shelvey’s six goals were enough to get him to the top of the club’s scoring charts.

It’s a similar story for Everton, whose struggles in front of goal contributed to their fall to 12th in the Premier League table.

There are doubts over the future of Richarlison, who recently told Globe Esporte that he would listen to a good offer this summer, despite manager Carlo Ancelotti pleading with him to stay. Should the Brazilian leave, finding some more flair in attack would be high on the boss’ agenda.

As for Leeds, they are looking to prepare themselves for a return to the top flight and are looking to offer Marcelo Bielsa some more attacking options.

90min understands Girona’s Cristhian Stuani is seen as a potential cut-price target, with Leeds hoping to spend all of their limited transfer budget to help support Bielsa’s ambitions.

Brighton have confirmed their second signing of the summer with the capture of Joel Veltman from Ajax on a three-year deal.

The versatile Dutchman has spent his whole career with the Amsterdam outfit, racking up close to 250 appearances – 30 of those coming the most recent campaign.

Veltman joins on an undisclosed fee and is the Seagulls’ second addition since the transfer window opened on 27 July, after the signing of Adam Lallana from Liverpool.

Speaking on the club’s official website, Graham Potter expressed his delight at the acquisition: “We’re delighted to welcome Joel to the club. He has terrific experience from his time with Ajax including the Champions League and, of course, with the Dutch national team.

“He’s an excellent defender who can play at right-back and at centre half, but he’s also comfortable in possession. He is really looking forward to the challenge of playing in the Premier League and we’re delighted he is now a Brighton player and we’re looking forward to working with him.”

Veltman – who has 22 caps for the Netherlands – joining the Premier League outfit could spell the end of Shane Duffy’s time with the club. The experienced defender has struggled for minutes this season and is likely to be moved on, with the return of Ben White from his season-long loan at Leeds also playing a factor – although, there are rumours of Marcelo Bielsa’s side lodging an official bid.

During the 2019/20 season, Potter successfully navigated his side away from the relegation zone during his first season at the helm, as the club finished in 15th place, six points clear of the drop. It is hoped that Veltman could help address their defensive record, having shipped 54 goals throughout the campaign.

Manchester United face arguably the most important summer at any point since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, with current boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer overseeing the gradual emergence of a squad that might soon have the potential to challenge for major honours again.

United need to add more players in several key positions throughout the squad, but there is also the matter of continuing to remove any lingering deadwood and streamline so that resources can be better used to build.

Here’s a closer look at every first-team player on the books at Old Trafford and whether they should stay or go this summer…

David de Gea (STAY) – Although De Gea’s slump has lasted two years and was quite problematic in the final weeks of the Premier League season, letting the Spaniard to go is a gamble. He also deserves a show of faith for staying loyal throughout Real Madrid’s interest. Also, is the market really there for him this summer? Probably not.

Dean Henderson (STAY) – The answer to the De Gea conundrum is not simply to ignore it and hope it goes away by itself, because that has been the attempted solution so far and it hasn’t worked. He needs genuine stiff competition and Henderson can give that.

Sergio Romero (GO) – If Henderson is brought back to compete with De Gea – it may be a big if given he is rumoured to be seeking assurances of a starting role – it would be time to let Romero go. The Argentine has been a reliable and loyal number two and would be missed.

Lee Grant (STAY) – 37-year-old Grant is pretty much a perfect example of a good third choice goalkeeper, who knows the likelihood of actually playing is slim. His importance to the squad is more on the training pitch than the actual pitch.

Joel Castro Pereira (GO) – Now 24, Pereira knows that any chance of ever becoming United number one has gone. The Portuguese only has one more year left on his contract so this summer would be an opportunity to at least charge a transfer fee. Small is all it would be.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka (STAY) – Already looks worth every penny of the £45m fee United paid Crystal Palace last summer. Fatigue looked to kick in towards the end of the Premier League campaign, although the chunk of the season post-restart also brought better attacking input.

Luke Shaw (STAY) – Shaw has perhaps enjoyed his best individual season at United, despite having been named Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year 12 months ago. When fully fit, the 25-year-old has an awful lot to give and injury was a cruel way to curtail his campaign.

Brandon Williams (STAY) – The teenager can be thrilled with a debut season in the first-team that has seen him make over 30 appearances. This time last year, Williams was preparing for his permanent promotion to the Under-23 squad.

Diogo Dalot (GO) – Dalot hasn’t lived up to early expectation when he joined United in 2018. Even after overcoming frustrating injury problems that plagued the first half of his season, he was so out of favour that he barely made it back into the squad when fit. Bizarrely linked with Barcelona.

Timothy Fosu-Mensah (GO) – The Dutch defender is still only 22 and made his first United appearances in three years towards the end of the Premier League campaign. That was more out of necessity, however, and his playing prospects are small if he stays.

Ethan Laird (STAY) – United need full-back depth and it is thought to be a position on Solskjaer’s transfer wish-list, but if budgetary or time constraints don’t allow it to happen that could open a door to home-grown talent Laird, who made two first-team appearances this season.

Harry Maguire (STAY) – Good but room for improvement is perhaps the best way to describe Maguire’s first season at Old Trafford. The former Leicester star clearly has capability when it comes to being a leader but he’s not a world class player himself yet.

Victor Lindelof (STAY) – Lindelof is still capable of making mistakes, but he has shown enough good things in his United career to date. The Swede is a good complement to Maguire in terms of playing style and is now 26 and about to hit what should be his peak.

Eric Bailly (STAY) – On his day, Bailly is potentially a top defender. The problem is that he has struggled for four years to stay fit for a proper run in the side. With his contract up in 2022, the coming season could be his last chance to prove he deserves to stay longer.

Chris Smalling (GO) – Of all the United players who have been on loan in 2019/20, Smalling has done the most to suggest he deserves another chance in Manchester. The problem is that he is the most saleable asset that can afford to be let go and the club need to boost the summer budget.

Phil Jones (GO) – It is sad that it has ended this way when he was once tipped for superstardom, but Jones has now overstayed his welcome at United. The 28-year-old was hopeless when he did play, which was rare, before eventually succumbing to injury…again.

Marcos Rojo (GO) – At times, Rojo looked like he could be a real United star. But woeful performances and a terrible injury record ensure he will be remembered as a flop. The latest gossip is that he would prefer to stay in Argentina following his recent loan at Estudiantes.

Axel Tuanzebe (STAY) – In what was supposed to be his breakout year as a United player, Tuanzebe was ravaged by hip and hamstring injuries and missed valuable chances to impress at first-team level. Solskjaer is a fan but he will be playing for his future next season.

Paul Pogba (STAY) – There was never likely to be a buyer with the necessary funds to make an acceptable offer for Pogba, but now that the Frenchman is thought to actively want to stay it is a huge boost. His relationship with United’s attacking players is special.

Nemanja Matic (STAY) – Matic earned a new three-year contract earlier this month, a surprisingly long-term deal for someone his age. The Serbian has been a revelation as United’s defensive midfield shield when it previously looked as though he was past it.

Fred (STAY) – The Brazilian probably no longer gets in United’s strongest XI, but an impressive first half of the season in a struggling team will ensure that he retains an important place as a squad player moving forward. Rotation will be key next season and beyond.

Scott McTominay (STAY) – The 23-year-old is another whose value now lies as a squad player rather than an automatic starter, although he could eventually replace Matic and will continue to develop in that role as opportunities present themselves.

James Garner (GO on loan) – Now 19, Garner needs first-team football to take his career progression to the next level and he probably won’t get that if he stays at Old Trafford in the short-term. Ultimately, Solskjaer has hopes the youngster will be the next Michael Carrick.

Bruno Fernandes (STAY) – The impact Fernandes had upon joining United in January was beyond what even the most optimistic fans could have hoped for. His goals and creativity lifted the whole team and he won two Premier League Player of the Month awards.

Jesse Lingard (GO) – Lingard scored in the final day win over Leicester, his first direct goal involvement in the Premier League since January 2019, but the time has come to move on. It is telling that he barely even made it onto the bench in the league after February.

Juan Mata (STAY) – As a bit-part squad player, Mata still has something to offer United, especially when it comes to rotation and ensuring there is suitable depth for Solskjaer to call on. Could potentially leave next summer at 33 when his contract is up.

Andreas Pereira (GO) – Rather like Lingard, it was telling how little he played once United found their rhythm and a settled XI from February onwards. Arguably only appeared as much as he did this season because there were no better options.

Marcus Rashford (STAY) – A difficult start to 2019/20 turned into Rashford’s best season to date. He reached 20 goals in all competitions for the first time in his career and is rapidly maturing into a senior leader in the squad at the age of just 22.

Anthony Martial (STAY) – Being restored to a centre forward position and having his old number nine shirt back worked wonders for the Frenchman. There has been a shift in his mentality and attitude and he too reached 20 goals for the first time in his career.

Mason Greenwood (STAY) – Greenwood only turned 18 in October and has scored 17 goals in his debut season as a first-team player. There is yet time for him to reach 20 when the Europa League resumes and the sky is the limit for such a naturally skilled finisher.

Odion Ighalo (STAY) – Ighalo had his loan from Shanghai Shenhua extended until the end of January 2021, by which time United will hope to have secured the extra striker they are seeking. The Nigerian will continue to be a relief and cup player.

Daniel James (STAY) – The Welsh speedster seemed to run out of steam after Christmas and never quite recaptured his early form even after the season restarted. Only played as much as he did because there were no other options and will likely be a squad player in future.

Alexis Sanchez (GO) – While there may be opportunity to raise transfer funds by selling Sanchez, United mostly just need to remove the burden of the Chilean’s squad-high salary from the wage bill. With resources stretched anyway, that money could be far better spent.

Tahith Chong (GO on loan) – With a new contract until 2022 under his belt, Chong now needs first-team football to demonstrate he has got a long-term future at the top level. The right opportunities won’t come at Old Trafford right now, especially if Jadon Sancho arrives.

Watford and Bournemouth joined Norwich in the relegation places on Sunday as the Premier League concluded, with the trio of clubs who all went up in 2015 returning to the Championship together. How cute.

Norwich have been likeable but otherwise pretty dire, Bournemouth concede loads and can’t score and Watford might have been okay if lockdown hadn’t been longer than the majority of their managers’ tenures. In the end, a mere 34 points could have secured Premier League survival.

But despite the three clubs largely underwhelming for most of the season, Norwich, Bournemouth and Watford all still have a selection of Premier League quality players who could make decent cut-price signings this transfer window.

Let’s take a look at the very best.

Just 18 months ago, Wilson was linked with a bumper £50m move to Chelsea. The Blues have instead decided to sign some fella called Timo Werner this summer, but Wilson could still prove to be a thrifty signing for a number of top-tier sides.

However, the striker’s stock has fallen considerably since last January, with his goal return of just eight a contributing factor in Bournemouth suffering the drop this season.

Wilson is still a proven Premier League striker, having hit an impressive 14 goals during the 2018/19 season. He has been linked with a move to Newcastle, and with his contract expiring in 2023, a fee in the region of £20m has been quoted.

The Norwich academy product is one of a selection of youngsters in demand at Norwich after an impressive debut season in the top flight.

Despite being just 20, Aarons featured 36 times in the Premier League for the Canaries during the 2019/20 campaign, and has admirers in England and beyond.

Tottenham have long-term, pre-Jose Mourinho era interest in the fullback, but they could face stiff competition from German champions and European powerhouse Bayern Munich. Aarons’ Carrow Road deal expires in 2024, and a price of £18.3m is currently being quoted for the youngster.

Despite shipping 75 goals this season, much has been made of Norwich’s young, English backline because they’re… well, young and English.

Godfrey appeared 30 times in the Premier League this season and has not looked out of place in the top flight. The 22-year-old centre back was reportedly the subject of interest from Tottenham in February, although following the financial instability triggered by the coronavirus outbreak it is unlikely Spurs will be prepared to spend too big in the summer.

The defender’s deal runs until 2023 and has reportedly been valued at £50m (F I F T Y) by Norwich. German heavyweights RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund are the two most recent sides linked with a move for him.

On his day, Deulofeu can be one of the most exciting, technically gifted and watchable players in the Premier League. He is one of those rare footballers who is capable of turning a game on its head with a flash of genius – as evidenced by his match-winning performance in last season’s FA Cup semi-final against Wolves. Deulofeu is the sort of player you’d want to see remain in the top flight.

But it would also be quite funny to see the former Barcelona man stay in the Championship and have the absolute s*** kicked out of him at Wycombe.

Deulofeu is currently nursing a serious knee injury, after rupturing his ACL in February. His Hornets’ contract runs until 2023, and Watford have previously rebuffed interest from Milan for the midfielder.

With his low centre of gravity, quick feet and deft flicks, Buendia is another player who is just terrific to watch and has been a large contributing factor to Norwich’s likability this season. Even his sending off against Burnley was pretty entertaining.

With Manchester United keen to land Jack Grealish this summer, a potential attacking midfielder merry-go-round could unfold in the transfer window.

Buendia is contracted to the Canaries until 2024, and has been linked with a move to Leeds, Liverpool and Atletico Madrid – but recently insisted that he was happy at the club despite relegation looming.

Watford’s record signing really grew into life in the Premier League, and on his day was a thorn in the side of the top flight’s very best. This was primarily demonstrated by his performances against Liverpool, as Watford inflicted a first top-flight defeat of the season on the Reds.

Sarr only joined Watford in the summer of 2019, and his deal doesn’t expire until 2024.

However, this hasn’t stopped the winger from being linked with a move Liverpool – despite the Reds’ reluctance to spend this summer – while Arsenal and Manchester United have also been mentioned as potential destinations.

Is David Brooks any better than Gerard Deloufeu and Ismaïla Sarr? There’s probably not a lot in it. But is he young and British? You bet he is.

Bournemouth’s lack of goals this season can in part be credited to the absence of Brooks, who missed the entirety of pre-coronavirus football through injury. The winger had pitched in with seven goals and five assists the previous campaign.

Brooks contract expires in 2022, leaving this summer as potentially the last opportunity for Bournemouth to command a big fee for the midfielder. Manchester United have been linked with a move for the Welshman.

Doucoure was near-ever present for Watford during the 2019/20 campaign, making 37 appearances and chipping in with four goals. The versatile midfielder was at the heart of the Nigel Pearson revolution, with his tireless displays typical of the spirit instilled in the Hornets by Pearson, as the the former Leicester boss gave them a fighting chance of survival.

The 27-year-old was the subject of intense interest from Everton last summer, and has long made it clear that he has ambitions to play in the Champions League.

Doucoure is contracted to the Hornets until 2023, and Everton have been been tipped to reignite their interest this summer, alongside PSG.

Cantwell was one of the Premier League’s breakout stars during the 2019/20 season. Having featured sporadically during Norwich’s promotion campaign, he became an integral part of the Canaries side, featuring 37 times in the Premier League.

Confident, technically gifted and exciting – and constantly praised for his attitude – he has since been linked with Tottenham, Liverpool, Newcastle and Leicester.

Norwich’s lack of heavy spending means they are in a stable financial position and will be under no pressure to sell Cantwell and their other prized assets – although the 22-year-old’s contract does expire in 2022.

Imagine how many goals Bournemouth would have conceded without Nathan Ake. The centre back has been a figure of consistency for Eddie Howe’s side, and is arguably one of the few players, if not the only player on this list who could immediately challenge for a starting berth in a top six side.

The calibre of club linked with Ake reflects his quality; Manchester City are reportedly closing in on securing his signature, while Chelsea have also been linked with a reunion with their former player.

Any deal for the 25-year-old is poised to set clubs back more than £35m, with his contract set to expire in 2022.

Since returning from lockdown, we’ve become accustomed to getting our Premier League fix in drips and drabs, eked out at the rate of a game per day to the point that Fantasy Football has become utterly redundant.

The final day of the season, then, was a real shock to the system in all the right ways.

Well, unless you support Bournemouth, Watford or Leicester…in which case it was just a shock to the system.

Why’s that? We’ll tell you why,

Things have been steadily spiralling at Leicester pretty much since Christmas, but being booted out of the top four thanks to Jesse Lingard’s first league goal since about 2004 really was a new low for the Brendan Rodgers era.

As a result, Manchester United finished the season in third place, and will be joined in next season’s Champions League by fourth-placed Chelsea, who brushed aside Wolves to capitalise on Leicester falling flat on their face yet again.

Liverpool won the league so obviously they’ll be there, as will runners-up Manchester City after their ban was melodramatically overturned.

There were incredible scenes at Selhurst Park, as the Tottenham technical area rapturously celebrated a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace that secured…sixth place.

Leicester will join them in the Europa League, while Wolves miss out through domestic means, though could still secure their qualification through winning this year’s competition.

We’ll wait and see on that one.

It was a bit of a heart-breaker to see Eddie Howe in tears after Bournemouth conjured up a big performance to beat Everton, but you just can’t wait until the final four games of the season to show up and expect to be fine.

The Cherries head back to the Championship along with Watford, who lost at Arsenal. Both finished one point behind Aston Villa, whose point at West Ham was enough to stave off the dreaded drop.

Oh yeah, and Norwich are gone too…but if at this stage that’s news to you, then you’re probably looking at the wrong website.

Despite Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s best efforts against Watford, Jamie Vardy‘s 23 league goals mean that he became the oldest player to win the Premier League golden boot.

That’s despite him not even really turning up against Man Utd.

Commiserations go out to Danny Ings, whose late penalty against Sheffield United ensured he joined Aubameyang on 22 goals for the season. Raheem Sterling (20) and Mohamed Salah (19) just had too much to do.

Ederson‘s 16th clean sheet of the season, on a day where Nick Pope experienced the unfamiliar feeling of conceding a goal, meant that he wrestled the golden glove from the vice-like grip of Brazilian compatriot Alisson.

The Liverpool keeper kept one fewer, despite playing seven fewer games; but that probably just highlights why stats are a nonsense, especially as they pertain to keepers.

What a silly question. Obviously it was Kevin De Bruyne.

20 assists in a single season is quite a stupid number that has only once been matched by Thierry Henry – and he was quite good as you might remember.

De Bruyne was followed (though not that closely) by Liverpool full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold (13) and Andy Robertson (12) – though the latter’s ‘assist’ for Divock Origi, a square pass before the big striker raced inside and thumped one into the far corner, can barely be described as that.

Inter coach Antonio Conte has categorically put an end to any ties linking Barcelona star Lionel Messi with a move to San Siro this summer, describing the rumours as ‘absolutely fake’.

The Barça legend has grown frustrated at the current situation at Camp Nou this season, after failing to defend the league title, and slipping close to a Champions League exit at the hands of Napoli.

These murmurs of discontent blossomed into talk of a dramatic exit for the Argentinian superstar, which in turn went into overdrive when his father, Jorge, was spotted in Milan supposedly buying a house in Italy’s economic capital.

But dreams of seeing Messi pull on Inter’s black and blue jersey have been crushed by the man in charge, Conte. Speaking after Inter’s 3-0 victory over Genoa on Saturday evening, the Italian coach dismissed any rumours surrounding a summer move for the Argentine as ‘absolutely fake’, as cited by Fabrizio Romano.

“The rumours about Leo Messi to Inter are absolutely fake. Don’t trust these fake news. He is not joining Inter, not even in fantasy football,” Conte said.

Hardly surprising, but still disappointing. Messi seems destined to end his career at Camp Nou, and even if he is unhappy with the current state of affairs at the club, it’d take something catastrophic for the pair to part ways.

The 33-year-old has given his entire career to the Catalan giants, but he did speak out at the end of this season, claiming ‘a lot must change’ if they are to even contemplate competing for the Champions League trophy again.

As for Inter, it always seemed very unlikely that I Nerazzurri would target a move for Messi, given the astronomical wages that the forward would demand, and their need to strengthen in other areas.

So, the world’s greatest player won’t be leaving Barcelona – for now, at least.