Five years after their heroic efforts in the Euro 2020 final, several key members of that England squad find their club careers at a significant crossroads. The players who came agonisingly close to ending the nation's trophy drought at Wembley are now grappling with uncertain futures, where a transfer away may be the most beneficial path forward.
Chelsea's Sterling Dilemma
Raheem Sterling has endured a miserable spell at Chelsea since his £47.5 million move from Manchester City in 2022. Despite a change in manager from Enzo Maresca to Liam Rosenior, the winger's situation remains bleak, having been frozen out of the first team this season. Rosenior has admitted he needs to have a crucial discussion with the 31-year-old about his role.
Sterling's form has not justified a recall, and the depth of quality available at Stamford Bridge means a starting place is far from guaranteed. According to Sky in Italy, Napoli are weighing up a move, but Sterling is understood to prefer remaining in England where his family is settled. Once a Premier League standout under Pep Guardiola and a match-winner for England, he is now distant from both the Chelsea and Three Lions pictures, making a fresh start increasingly logical.
From Mainstay to Forgotten Man
Another star of that tournament, Kalvin Phillips, has seen his career trajectory plummet. The midfielder, who turned 30 recently, was a mainstay alongside Declan Rice during Euro 2020 and was named England's Player of the Year in 2021. His subsequent £42 million move to Manchester City, however, proved ill-fated as he struggled to displace Rodri.
Unsuccessful loan spells at West Ham and Ipswich Town have done little to reignite his career. With more than two years still remaining on his City contract, the player who looked so assured on the biggest stage is now in serious danger of becoming a forgotten figure in the game.
Manchester United's Costly Conundrum
Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho both came off the bench in that fateful final, with their contributions in the penalty shootout well documented. Their careers have since diverged, yet both are likely to depart Old Trafford this summer.
Sancho, who signed for United for £73 million just days before the final, never replicated the stunning form he showed at Borussia Dortmund. After a public fallout, loan moves to Chelsea and a return to the Bundesliga, he now plays a squad role at Aston Villa. At 25, a decade at the top is still possible if he rediscovers his form, but it will certainly be away from Manchester.
Rashford's future also lies elsewhere, a decision initially taken by former manager Ruben Amorim and upheld by the club. The danger for United is that their academy graduate could thrive at a club like Barcelona, where his current form in Spain is putting him in contention for England's World Cup squad this summer.
The stories of these four internationals serve as a stark reminder of football's rapid and often unforgiving nature. From the pinnacle of a major tournament final to fighting for their club futures, the need for decisive transfer action this summer has never been clearer for this group of Euro 2020 heroes.
