The curtain is coming down on the World Cup this weekend but England’s players are already back home preparing for a return to club action.

For some there is more at stake than just helping their side get back to action with a bang: their future is at stake.

GiveMeSport Transfer Update With Dean Jones

Ten key players from the Three Lions set-up have varying degrees of doubt around their future and here we breakdown the big decisions facing them in 2023…

Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund)

At first Real Madrid were primed to sign him, then Liverpool started to emerge as favourites, yet now it is Manchester City taking up pole position to sign Bellingham.

City have been reasonably cautious about spending huge sums of money on one player but pushed the boat out to sign Jack Grealish and sources indicate they would have little concern in paying over £100m for England’s breakthrough midfielder.

There will be a few changes at City in the coming year and Ilkay Gundogan is likely to move on to leave a gap in the squad for a midfielder. One of City’s key selling points to Bellingham beyond their consistency at winning trophies is the guarantee of Pep Guardiola at the head of the project until 2025. They hope his new contract is another edge that brings continuity Liverpool and Klopp and Madrid and Carlo Ancelotti cannot quite promise in the same way.

Declan Rice (West Ham United)

His mind seems set to leave in the summer, even if West Ham do make one more mega salary offer. His intent from here is to focus on raising his level and challenging for big trophies in the game and with that in mind it is difficult for the Hammers to convince him to stay.

His most likely destination is Chelsea although, as GiveMeSport has reported previously, Manchester United do hold genuine interest here and can not be discounted, Liverpool too.

Jack Grealish (Manchester City)

There have been murmurs that Grealish’s time at City may not last beyond this season and while it is surprising this does seem a situation that may open up.

City certainly want Grealish to become a success after their huge outlay to sign him from Aston Villa and the player himself is desperate to become a central part of the team.

He has the raw talent but to fit long-term with Pep Guardiola you must completely buy into the strict instructions dished out and a certain football intelligence must be brought into at all times. Grealish’s nature is to play more off the cuff and while he undoubtedly has a very good understanding of the game it will probably be this area of his game that determines whether this works out. Clubs would be queuing up to take him if he became available. 

Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)

There seems to be almost an expectation that Rashford will be open to leaving United, particularly in line with the fact he is consistently linked with PSG.

But on the back of Cristiano Ronaldo’s exit, comparisons with Kylian Mbappe, and with United set to trigger a contract extension, the likelihood is he stays for now. Sources say both parties want this to work out and that Ten Hag has made it a priority to get the best out of him since taking over. 

Harry Maguire (Manchester United)

This is a key time for Maguire to turn around his club fortunes and the involvement of Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez in the World Cup final should mean he has an opportunity to start United’s first Premier League game back against Nottingham Forest.

Maguire’s mindset and performance levels at the World Cup were impressive and Erik Ten Hag is hopeful he brings fresh confidence with him to Old Trafford. United do not want to sell Maguire but if things do not improve for him by the end of the season they will consider offers.

Jordan Pickford (Everton)

Everton are hovering above the relegation zone and if they do not improve in the second half of the season there could be three teams looking to take advantage.

Richarlison left Everton last summer and the expectation is that Pickford could be the next big-name to go. Tottenham, Chelsea and - maybe - Manchester United are the three clubs to look out for if that happens. Pickford is England’s No.1 and will not want to put that at risk.  

Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)

There will be no movement on this one at the moment and Arsenal are doing everything in their power to show him there is no need to consider a transfer. They are happy to satisfy his financial expectations while also improving the squad to keep his drive and ambition alive.

But Manchester City do have an eye on Saka and Liverpool admire him too. If we are to speculate then City is probably the one to take most seriously, particularly as Riyad Mahrez may leave in 2023 and there are doubts about Jack Grealish’s future.

Harry Kane (Tottenham)

Tottenham are waiting for the green light from Kane to initiate talks over a new contract and it is a big decision for the England captain.

As it stands Bayern Munich seem to be offering the most concrete and interesting proposal over a transfer. Such a switch would be a step up and virtually guarantees trophies. Kane would have to consider his family situation if he was to genuinely move abroad but interest from most Premier League clubs is difficult at the moment. Newcastle and Manchester United seem the only two that could potentially open up.

Mason Mount (Chelsea)

He has not yet signed a new Chelsea contract and with that in mind there is some uncertainty about what happens next.

Of course, that is slightly strange given he has grown up at the club, yet sources do indicate that this is being worked on and that it will only be a matter of time in the new year before fresh terms are agreed, signed off and announced.

James Maddison (Leicester City)

Newcastle United are looking towards Maddison as their key target for the January window and they are undeterred by talk that his price-tag will hit the £60m mark.

Maddison knows he has options on the table - Liverpool and Manchester United have been linked - but joining Newcastle at a time they look to emerge as a top European side  has its own intrigue. The Eddie Howe-factor is also something that will appeal to Maddison as he has enjoyed an open and deep relationship with Brendan Rodgers and will be keen to link up with a manager that is completely bought in to his own aspirations. There is also the chance to be a star of the team, more so than at some other clubs.