Six loan players PL clubs are desperate to keep: Tielemans, Zouma, Rondon

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Planet Football
4th May 2019

As we head towards the end of the Premier League season, clubs will be preparing their plans and identifying their targets ahead of the opening of the summer transfer window.

One of the challenges some sides face is re-signing the players already on their books in the shape of loanees who are set to return to their parent clubs.

We’ve taken a look at six loan players Premier League clubs will be desperate to keep hold of beyond the current season.

Youri Tielemans

An obvious place to start. Tielemans was one of the hottest properties in Europe when Monaco spent €25million to sign the then-20-year-old in 2017.

The Belgium international somewhat lost his way in France but has rediscovered his mojo since joining Leicester City on loan in January.

Such has been the impression which Tielemans has made on the Premier League, Gary Neville believes the Foxes are going to have to battle with much bigger clubs if they are to secure the permanent signature of the attacking midfielder.

“With Tielemans, I think the issue that Leicester will have is that there are midfields in the top six that need strengthening,” Neville told Sky Sports.

“He is 21 years old, available they say for £40million. He’s proved himself in the Premier League, almost like a dress rehearsal at Leicester. [They] could struggle to keep him because of the fact that other clubs may want him.”

Kurt Zouma

One of the main factors in Everton’s revival under Marco Silva in the second half of the season, the Toffees hopes of signing Zouma permanently could depend on the potential transfer ban Chelsea face this summer.

And Silva confirmed his desire to keep the centre-back, and Andre Gomes, beyond the current season after Everton’s 2-0 victory over Burnley.

“If we can keep our starting 11, that will be really important,” Silva told Sky Sports. “Kurt and Andre are two high-quality players, our fans love them.

“It’s not in our hands, they have their own clubs, and after that we have to look for other positions. But the ambition of our owner is there, he wants to grow the club, but we are doing things in the right way, step by step.”

READ: Five key players behind Everton’s revival over the second half of 2018-19

Andre Gomes

See above. Gomes may not have attracted quite as many plaudits over the second half of the season as he did upon his arrival, but if the Portugal international were to leave, Everton would have to try replace a player Barcelona once deemed good enough to sign in a deal worth up to €55million.

That ain’t easy.

Victor Camarasa

The success of Warnockball tends to revolve around one flair player adding some craft and guile to the grunt around him – see Taarabt, Adel – and while there hasn’t been a great deal for Cardiff City fans to cheer about this season, Camarasa has done his best to live up to his part of the bargain.

With five goals and four assists, Camarasa is Cardiff’s leading player in both categories, but that form has reportedly caught the attention of the likes of Tottenham, Leicester and West Ham, with Real Betis holding out for £17million for the attacking midfielder.

Leander Dendoncker

After joining Wolves from Anderlecht in the summer, Dendoncker had to bide his time before establishing himself in the Premier League as Nuno Espirito Santo remained loyal to the charges who earned promotion from the Championship.

Indeed, the Belgium international made just two Premier League appearances before the turn of the year, compared to 15 in 2019.

A switch in system from Nuno from 3-4-3 to 3-5-2 has seen Dendoncker thrive in midfield, offering some ballast to the class of Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves.

“Mentally, it wasn’t easy,” Dendoncker told DH while on international duty in March. “I had to be ready in case I was given a chance, but without rhythm, it’s difficult. When the manager gave me my chance, I took it.”

Leander Dendoncker has the highest @PremierLeague win percentage in our squad, winning 53% of the matches which he featured in.

How would you describe his performances in the second half of the season?

🇧🇪👏 pic.twitter.com/GH1khf8N7i

— Wolves (@Wolves) April 29, 2019

Salomon Rondon

Is there a better striker to lead the line on his own for a bottom half club?

Admittedly, Newcastle’s chances of signing Rondon permanently from West Brom seem to rest on Mike Ashley not being a d*ckhead, but the striker has made his feelings clear.

“They know what I want and what my family want,” he told The Chronicle. “I have spoken with them and made it clear. If there is an opportunity for me to be here – I’ll stay 100%. If not I’ll say thank you to everybody and see what happens next.”