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The 2023-24 Premier League season is upon us, and the clubs are looking to give one last push to their preparations before the actual battle begins on the pitch. Manchester City will kickstart their title defense against the newly promoted Burnley at Turf Moor on August 11 in what could turn out to be a riveting season.
Since no Premier League club have had a tremendous transfer window thus far (except Arsenal and Liverpool, to some extent), clubs have used various squad players to plug the holes in the squad. However, these gaps in squads could turn out to be a blessing in disguise for many clubs. The presence of many versatile players can significantly reduce the reliance on one particular player to fill the position.
So, without any further ado, let's look at three such versatile players who could excel in a new role next season.
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#3 Julian Alvarez
Julian Alvarez got on the radar of the footballing world following his move to Manchester City last summer. However, it was the triumph in the 2022 World Cup that raised his profile as a player. Alvarez played a starring role in Argentina's third World Cup win, in which Lionel Scaloni deployed him as a secondary striker, a central striker, and even as a wide forward.
Alvarez was, by far, Argentina's best attacker behind Lionel Messi during Argentina's World Cup campaign. The fact that he kept veterans such as Paulo Dybala and Lautaro Martinez out of the starting XI speaks volumes about his talent. The 23-year-old's ability to create and manipulate space, link up play, and tidy finishing is a treat to watch. Besides, he is a beast when it comes to pressing from the front and providing sublime off-the-ball movement in attacking areas.
Vacant positions have opened up in City's lineup following the departure of Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Gundogan. Guardiola can use Alvarez as a wide forward or also as a strike partner to Erling Haaland. In the FA Community Shield, Guardiola lined up Alvarez in the no.10 role behind Erling Haaland. Given the impact he has had on both Argentina and City, fans can expect him to get regular game time in the 2023-24 Premier League season.
#2 Marcus Rashford
While many Manchester United players had an immense 2022-23 Premier League season, no one from the team had a bigger season than Marcus Rashford. The Englishman became the first player since Robin van Persie to score 30 goals across competitions for Manchester United in a season. His rich vein of form was the driving force behind United's third place Premier League finish, the EFL Cup win, and the FA Cup final appearance.
While Rashford operated mostly on the left-wing of United's attack, the struggles of Wout Weghorst and Antony Martial prompted Erik ten Hag to use him as a striker. However, the biggest drawback of utilizing Rashford in central areas came in the reverse Premier League fixture against Liverpool in the 2022-23 season. The beleaguered Reds took advantage of Rashford's presence upfront and unleashed Trent Alexander-Arnold on the hapless United defenders in a 7-0 victory.
Still, Rashford showed enough promise in home wins over Leicester City, Brentford, and Everton to suggest that he could be used as a striker in the upcoming season. While United have signed Rasmus Højlund to perform the exact same role, the 20-year-old can't be expected to produce goods from matchday one. This will give Rashford the chance to start as the focal point of United's attack.
#1 Trent Alexander-Arnold
After 28 gameweeks, Liverpool found themselves in seventh position in the Premier League, seven points adrift of Manchester United in the fourth place. That's when Jurgen Klopp decided to use Trent Alexander-Arnold as a hybrid midfielder in a 3-2-2-3 formation.
Alexander-Arnold roamed in midfield as an inverted full-back during the next 10 games of the season. Liverpool won the first eight of those 10 games on the spin before a late-season collapse saw them finish fifth in the Premier League. Meanwhile, Alexander-Arnold provided seven assists and scored a goal in those games. This was better than Rashford, Bruno Fernandes, and Gabriel Jesus during the same time frame.
While Liverpool have addressed their midfield concerns this season by signing Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, the departure of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho has also reduced the bench strength. This will prompt Klopp to use the Englishman in a similar role that brought so much success to the team last season. The fitness of Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk, and Joe Gomez will be crucial to deploy the 3-2-2-3 setup as an additional centre-back will be required to provide cover for the Englishman.
Jurgen Klopp will have got enough time to implement his new system during the offseason. Consequently, TAA's influence from midfield is likely to grow as the season progresses. And if last season is any indication, he looks more than ready to excel in his new role in the upcoming Premier League season.
