02 August 2023 , 06:00
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Transfer windows are exciting, but they can also be extremely demoralising.
Every summer and winter, supporters of all clubs worry about losing their best players. Even Manchester City have reluctantly said goodbye to their skipper, Ilkay Gundogan, this summer following his move to Barcelona. That anxiety is part of being a football fan.
Losing a talisman is painful, but it's even worse when a club doesn't replace them... and it's hard to replace the irreplaceable. Right now, there are six Premier League clubs desperately scrambling around to find a replacement for their former hero.
Here, Mirror Football takes a look at how the unfortunate half-dozen are getting on...
Crystal Palace
Losing a player like Wilfried Zaha is tough for any club to take... and it's difficult to see how Crystal Palace will replace him. The 30-year-old, who's joined Galatasaray, was a consistent source of goals for the Eagles during the last nine years - hitting 72 in all competitions - and is arguably the main reason why they're still a Premier League club.
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Palace have made just one senior signing this summer in Jefferson Lerma, but he's a defensive midfielder who won't provide them with the firepower they need to stay up. They're also in danger of losing Michael Olise, with Chelsea and Arsenal after the winger.
Let's not forget Palace still have the effervescent Eberechi Eze in attack - and there will be a lot of pressure on the 25-year-old's shoulders now Zaha has left Selhurst Park. It would be wise for Roy Hodgson to find a replacement for Zaha before the end of this month.
Wilfried Zaha has left Crystal Palace for Galatasaray (Getty Images)Who do you think will be relegated from the Premier League this coming season? Let us know in the comments below!
West Ham
Imagine selling your best player for £105million and spending not a penny of that cash. That's what's happening at West Ham following Declan Rice's move to Arsenal.
The Hammers are thought to be after the likes of Manchester United pair Scott McTominay and Harry Maguire - and there is still enough time for David Moyes to bring in reinforcements - but they are getting dangerously close towards panic buy season.
Remember when Tottenham sold Gareth Bale to Real Madrid for £88m and spent the money on Roberto Soldado, Paulinho, Etienne Capoue, Nacer Chadli, Vlad Chiriches, Christian Eriksen and Erik Lamela? Yeah, just don't do that, Moyes.
Sheffield United
The Blades were brilliant last season, as they achieved promotion to the Premier League and reached the FA Cup semi-finals. Yet their best three players - Iliman Ndiaye, James McAtee and Tommy Doyle - are no longer part of Paul Heckingbottom's squad.
Ndiaye has joined Marseille, while McAtee and Doyle have returned to parent club Man City. Sheffield United have brought in midfielder Anis Slimane, forward Benie Traore and defender Yasser Larouci, but they are all unknown quantities in English football.
With the club up for sale, Heckingbottom doesn't have a lot of cash to spend. It's hoped the Ndiaye money will help fund a permanent move for Doyle - which would be a big boost for the troubled team - but they're still in danger of relegation. A lot will need to happen between now and September for the Blades to keep their Premier League dream alive.
Wolves
For six years, Ruben Neves was the man who made Wolves tick. Yet the Portuguese midfielder is no longer part of their squad following his move to Saudi club Al-Hilal. He's not the only stalwart to leave the West Midlands this summer, with Joao Moutinho, Adama Traore, Conor Coady, Nathan Collins and Raul Jimenez all departing.
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Wolves have signed Boubacar Traore from Metz to replace Neves - and their fans will be hoping the 21-year-old midfielder can have an instant impact. They've also signed Brazilian forward Mateus Cunha from Atletico Madrid. "Keep watching Mateus Cunha," Roberto Carlos told me last September... so it's not all doom and gloom at Molineux.
Ruben Neves is a big loss for Wolves (Getty Images)Fulham
Aleksandar Mitrovic is still a Fulham player... but only just. The 28-year-old is trying to push through a move to Al-Hilal, who are willing to treble his £120,000-a-week wages. Yet the Saudis are unwilling pay Fulham's asking price of £50m.
Mitrovic is still likely to leave Craven Cottage this summer - regardless of whether he moves to Saudi Arabia - because he's unhappy at how the situation is unfolding. Fulham boss Marco Silva has even admitted: "It is a process and it is not an easy situation."
The Serb will be a huge loss to Fulham, as he's scored 111 games in 205 games. His replacement is former Wolves star Jimenez, who failed to find the net in 15 Premier League games last term. In other words, Fulham may struggle to score goals this coming season.
Brentford
Speaking of goals, Brentford will dearly miss Ivan Toney for the first half of the new campaign. Toney is serving an eight-month ban for breaching the Football Association's gambling rules and can't return to Premier League action until January.
That's a huge blow for the Bees, as the England international hit 20 Premier League goals last season. It appears Brentford aren't going to sign a replacement for Toney... and that could prove to be a costly decision if they have a slow start to the season.