Which players missed out on summer transfers?

With the transfer window closing, some moves that looked likely to happen all summer eventually failed to materialise. While Frenkie de Jong’s long and public courtship by Manchester United was the most high-profile, there were other well-known names who also somewhat surprisingly stayed put.

There are a variety of reasons why players might not move on: The protagonists themselves might choose to stay and try to kick-start a faltering career; there are also those who may have outgrown their current clubs, but whose profile and contribution are too integral to be allowed to leave; and on occasion a collapsed deal might compromise the career of a player in the short term. Here we look at a selection of players who, for one reason or another, may have prospered from switching clubs during the summer.

From potentially signing off his second spell at Old Trafford on a relative high note, as few can argue with his individual contribution last season, the ambiguous events surrounding the Portuguese this summer — was he orchestrating a move elsewhere? — may have left some supporters unsure of his commitment. As Erik ten Hag starts to make his mark on Manchester United without Ronaldo playing any significant role in the club’s remarkable turnaround in fortunes since the start of the season, winning the last four games, it’s legitimate to wonder whether the 37-year-old might just remain a peripheral figure under the Dutchman’s leadership. While there are no obvious reasons why the fitness-obsessive Ronaldo shouldn’t continue to make a decisive impact at the very highest level, it’s hard to think of another project that would appeal to him as much as it would appeal to the club — or vice versa.

From being a regular — and making a fairly positive contribution — during his first half…