Liverpool transfer targets, Chelsea's transfer flop & 21 players to watch at the Under-21 European Championship

Baena's season was dominated by a physical altercation off the pitch with Real Madrid star Fede Valverde following a game in April. But on the pitch, the Villarreal star was one of the unlikely breakout stars in Spain's top-flight.

A versatile attacking player, Baena has been singled out as a potential option for Barcelona after their failed pursuit of Lionel Messi. He won't reach that level, but here's a player with plenty of potential.

It was a miserable season for Ajax, as they surrendered the Eredivisie crown to Feyernood, and finished 13 points behind the winners. But there were some bright spots, and Brobbey was among them.

The right-footed forward scored 13 and assisted three, finishing with both feet and also proving that he can be deadly in the air. Now it's time to prove he can do it against the best in his age group.

Six months ago, Cherki seemed almost certain to be a Paris Saint-Germain player. However, an expected move never materialised from Lyon, and the attacking midfielder remained at the club.

But that has done little to deter the big names this summer. Cherki is an exciting attacking midfielder who can play in multiple positions. For France, he'll be expected to pull the strings.

There's been a lot of reports regarding a potential move away from Chelsea following his eye-catching loan spell at Brighton, but nothing has materialised yet for Colwill. Until then, the centre-back will look to prove that he can be among the best in Europe at his age. He certainly has the talent to be.

One of the hottest properties in last summer's transfer market, De Ketelaere's first season at AC Milan did not go to plan, with the forward starting just nine Serie A matches while failing to score in any of his 40 appearances across all competitions.

The Rossoneri will not want to write De Ketelaere off quite yet, and will be hoping he can turn it on this summer to show he can improve upon his return to San Siro.

Elliott fell out of the Liverpool starting XI at the end of the season, but still enjoyed his best season yet on Merseyside. He could do with a strong tournament here, though, to prove that he still belongs in Jurgen Klopp's side amidst the Reds' expected flurry of summer signings.

One of the few good signings from Nottingham Forest's summer splurge, Gibbs-White was one of the best attacking midfielders in the Premier League for long stretches. A few have argued that he deserves a call-up to the senior England team — and they're probably right. For now, he will have to show that he can dominate at this age group.

Red Bull Salzburg spent relatively big on teenager Gloukh in January, paying €7 million (£6m/$7.6m) for a player with limited first-team experience. And it paid dividends, albeit with a small sample size.

He tallied four goal contributions in less than 800 minutes for the Austrian champions, showing why the Champions League side were willing to pay up. He also starred for Israel as they reached the final of the U19 Euros in 2022, and will be expected to lead from the front again having already made his senior international debut.

Gnonto enjoyed a good start to his Leeds career in 2022-23, but like most for the relegated side, petered off towards the end of the season. And after starting just one of Leeds' last four, the Italy man should be relatively fresh for the Azzurri. Some strong performances could even earn him a transfer back to the top-flight, either in England or Italy.

Gravenberch's decision to sign for Bayern Munich in 2022 seemed a bit hasty for a player still growing into the Ajax side, and so it proved to be, with the midfielder never really finding his feet in Bavaria.

After starting just three games, the Dutch midfielder has been linked with a move away this summer in search of more regular football. He should certainly have the opportunity to show what he can do over the next few weeks.

Decimated by injuries, and lacking a permanent position, it looked like Jones' Liverpool career was over. However, the academy product was thrust into the line-up towards the end of the season, and showed flashes of the hard-working, technical midfielder the Reds have coveted since Gini Wijnaldum left.

A good tournament would go a long way in proving that it wasn't just a fluke.

One third of what should be a frightening France midfield, Kone is a player who is set to be on the move this summer. Defensively-minded,Kone should anchor things for Les Bleues, and ensure that their top attacking talent can create with some solidity to rely on.

Accordingly, Liverpool are reportedly interested in acquiring the Borussia Monchengladbach starlet's services.

The youngest player to appear at the 2022 World Cup, Moukoko was linked with a big move back in January before signing a new contract with Borussia Dortmund. He has since struggled with some injuries towards the end of the campaign, and his absence certainly contributed to Dortmund's late-season collapse.

Now back fit, he should be in the running for the Golden Boot this summer.

What a disappointing start to his Chelsea career Mudryk endured. The winger may have walked into a mess at Stamford Bridge, but he never really got going in his first half-season in England.

However, the pace and dribbling ability are definitely there, and at his best, Mudryk can be devastating. Now would be a good time to show just that.

Neto really should be too good for this level. The winger has the potential to be a regular for a Champions League-level side, and can be a world-class finisher and dribbler.

Injuries have limited his impact over the past 18 months, however, and this tournament should offer him the chance to remind those watching of just what he can do.

The Champions League's second-youngest goalscorer of all-time, Nusa has been perhaps hastily compared to Neymar. Still, the Club Brugge winger is an excellent talent in his own right.

Capable of playing on either wing, Nusa likes to dribble at opponents, and can also finish from both sides. He's yet to make his first Under-21s appearance, but could still be an impact player for the Scandinavians.

Openda had been quietly excellent for the first half of the Ligue 1 season, but truly grabbed the headlines with his goal and assist as Lens battered Paris Saint-Germain on New Year's Day. And it only got better from there, with the Belgian finishing the season with 21 goals.

As rumours of a move to RB Leipzig swirl, can his form continue it through the summer?

Where will he end up next season? Thuram was one of the breakout stars in Ligue 1 for a Nice side that looked devastating at times. Liverpool and PSG have both been linked, while there's a chance he could also stay put for another year. Either way, Thuram is now one of the most exciting midfield prospects in Europe.

Tonali developed into a proper creative threat in his second full season as a starter at AC Milan, tallying seven Serie A assists for the Champions League semi-finalists. And while the rest of the Rossoneri struggled with injury, Tonali was a constant. He'll look to show just how good he can be in the coming weeks.

A pacey, left-footed centre-back with solid passing range, Van de Ven is one of the more intriguing young defenders out there. And after impressing for a struggling Wolfsburg side, the Dutchman appears to be one of the central figures for the Netherlands in the coming weeks.

He might be playing for a move away, too, with Liverpool among the teams interested in securing his services.

This is perhaps the player who needs this tournament the most. Veiga was excellent for a Celta Vigo side that narrowly avoided relegation, but did so as the focal point of an admittedly poor team. It will be interesting to see, then, how he fares in a side that will be expected to dominate possession. An impressive showing should determine if teams are willing to pay his reported €40m (£35m/$44m) release clause.