NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Transfer window madness as big clubs leave business until the final day - and are then left with disillusioned stars who set their hearts on making dream moves

SOME Premier League players have some serious making up to do.

They waited all summer, desperately hoping to secure big moves. Now the wait is on to see how they rebuild the bridges they have burnt.

A number of the summer’s biggest transfer sagas have ended with the stars staying put and clubs refusing to capitulate to player power.

Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez, Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho, Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk, Leicester’s Riyad Mahrez and West Brom’s Jonny Evans all hoped to be looking forward to new chapters in their careers this morning.

Instead, they will be wondering how they are going to worm their way out of the predicaments they have got themselves into.

Sanchez was certain he had got his long-awaited move to Manchester City yesterday.

He even told his Chile teammates on international duty it was a done deal and they responded with a round of applause. Judging by Sanchez’s disinterested demeanour during Arsenal’s 4-0 thrashing at Anfield, even some of the Liverpool players were surprised he was playing.

Now, somehow, Arsene Wenger has to get him to give his all for the Gunners again.

Liverpool’s Coutinho made his unhappiness and desire to join Barcelona even clearer by handing in a transfer request.

He also claimed he was not fit enough to play for the Reds only to be declared ready for action when he arrived for international duty with Brazil. The fact the Spanish window is open until today keeps alive his paper thin hopes of a move.

Few players have as much grovelling to do as Van Dijk who was made to train alone after telling Southampton he wanted out.

He then put his desire to leave in writing, and while the Dutchman’s advisors are also

Sanchez was certain he had got his move – he even told his Chile team-mates

understood to have remained confident their man would end the window at Anfield.

His wish never came true and now, as St Mary’s defiant chiefs maintained all along, the expectation is he will be reintegrated into the Saints’ first-team plans.

How quickly that happens will depend on how he reacts mentally to having his hopes dashed after previously claiming he wasn’t in the right frame of mind to play.

Mahrez underlined his desire to leave Leicester City, first expressed last summer, by handing in a transfer request 12 months on. But the King Power Stadium will remain his home.

Evans appeared a cert to be leaving the Hawthorns after Pep Guardiola’s City tabled two bids for the Northern Ireland international. Leicester even declared their interest in the 29-year-old defender.

But yesterday, amid the transfer frenzy, the Mancunians let it be known Evans was off their wanted list.

The wantaway players’ clubs will be delighted. They dug their heels in and didn’t cave in.

Now they will hope to get seasons out of their stars like Liverpool did from Luis Suarez in 2013-14.

The Uruguay striker responded to being denied a move to Arsenal with a player of the year award-winning season.

Next summer’s World Cup in Russia should also be an incentive for the Premier League’s disgruntled stars to get their heads down.

But, beforehand, they all have plenty of work to do much closer to home.