World Soccer

PLAYERS TO WATCH

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DELE ALLI (Tottenham Hotspur)

One of Nuno Espirito Santo’s top priorities at Spurs will be attempting to get the best out of Dele, who completed 90 league minutes just once last season. With Harry Kane’s uncertain future, Tottenham need him to deliver again.

EMILIANO BUENDIA (Aston Villa)

By far the best player in the Championsh­ip for Norwich City last season, scoring 15 goals and assisting 16, the Argentina internatio­nal was heavily linked with Arsenal before joining Aston Villa. Potentiall­y a replacemen­t for in-demand Jack Grealish.

TOMAS SOUCEK

(West Ham United)

Set enormously high standards last season by playing every minute and scoring ten goals as West Ham finished in sixth. A repeat performanc­e would be handy, particular­ly with the Hammers embarking on a European campaign.

EMMANUEL DENNIS (Watford)

A precocious talent with a questionab­le attitude, Nigerian Dennis is sure to be explosive for the Hornets whether he is a success or not. A £3.5m buy from Club Brugge, for whom he once scored a Champions League brace at the Bernabeu.

CURTIS JONES (Liverpool)

Part of Liverpool’s reasoning for allowing Gini Wijnaldum to walk away from the club for free is the rise of Jones, who turns 21 in January. Has shown glimpses of his considerab­le talent – now is his time to become a first-team regular.

BILLY GILMOUR (Norwich City)

The 20-year-old has already impressed in both Scotland and Chelsea’s first teams, and represents a good piece of business for the Canaries, even on loan. Thomas Tuchel will be certainly keeping a close eye on his progress.

DEMARAI GRAY (Ever ton)

The ex-England Under-21 internatio­nal was a priority for new Toffees boss Rafael Benitez, with the Spaniard aiming to give Dominic Calvert-Lewin pacy support from the wings. Now aged 25, it is time for Gray to deliver on his potential.

JESSE LINGARD (Manchester United)

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists that Lingard is part of his plans following a successful loan at West Ham United. A reprisal of the false nine role that he was used in by David Moyes could be a handy addition to Ole’s attacking options.

MICHAEL OLISE (Crystal Palace)

Another shrewd secondtier purchase for Palace, after they struck gold with Eberechi Eze from Queens Park Rangers last summer. Olise is a gifted playmaker with a classy left foot and, at the age of 19, has enormous potential.

BEN WHITE

(Arsenal)

This time last year, we asked if the centre-back could handle the step up to the Premier League following a successful loan at Leeds. The answer was an emphatic yes, as demonstrat­ed by his £50m move to Arsenal and Euro 2020 call-up.

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