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5 players we want to see in the Premier League this season

Valerio Pennicino / Getty Images Sport / Getty

A whopping £5.136 billion has poured into the Premier League coffers thanks to a fresh television deal, and the 20 teams making up England's top tier are keen on spending it.

Big money has already been splurged on foreign imports like Eric Bailly and Henrikh Mkhitaryan at Manchester United, Michy Batshuayi at Chelsea, and Watford broke a club record for Isaac Success - but the spendthrift ways certainly aren't over.

Here are five more players we want to see in the Premier League for the 2016-17 season:

James Rodriguez

James Rodriguez has failed to make an impression on the Real Madrid lineup since Zinedine Zidane took the helm last January. The preferred 4-3-3 formation is spearheaded by an attacking triumvirate of Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, and Cristiano Ronaldo, often leaving James on bench-warming duties.

The Colombian showed he hasn't lost his confidence in a fine Copa America Centenario campaign earlier this summer, and is still aged just 25.

The links to West Ham United are a tad fanciful, as this is a player that merits Champions League football and title fights, but his meandering forays from the right flank and ability to ping efforts on goal from distance would be welcomed in the English top flight.

Paul Pogba

The protagonist - or antagonist, if you're tired of hearing his name - of this summer's enduring transfer tattle is Paul Pogba and his potential return to Manchester United.

The Juventus midfielder featured in last year's window yarns too, but the reports since he wrapped up his Euro 2016 commitments with France seem to have a lot more bearing.

Related - Report: United to make £100M Pogba bid within 24 hours

Pogba sometimes shows how raw he is at 23, often displaying an enthusiasm that borders on erratic and sees him trying to do too much. But in an box-to-box role, bustling his way through backlines and driving his laces through the ball, he could develop into the quintessential Premier League player and - ultimately - one of the world's best.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Seeing Borussia Dortmund's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang fly through Premier League defences would be an absolute delight, and if he's working in tandem with Manchester City's frontman Sergio Aguero, it could make for a ferocious pairing.

The 27-year-old collected his tally of 25 in just 28 Bundesliga starts, and if Pep Guardiola makes the rumours a reality and brings the Gabon forward to Eastlands, Kevin De Bruyne will spend every Saturday afternoon repeatedly pushing balls into his path.

That attack could write obituaries for many defenders' careers.

Leonardo Bonucci

A stout defender with the composure of Claude Makelele and the passing range of Xabi Alonso sounds like Frankenstein's footballing monster, but Leonardo Bonucci is a graceful, cultured performer.

The Juventus man would walk into any lineup in the world, and he's one of Pep Guardiola's "favourite ever players" - the kind of tidy, ball-playing centre-half that England wants to produce, but instead delivered John Stones.

He's been linked with Manchester City and Chelsea, and would turn either into a serious title contender.

Mario Balotelli

Just one more chance.

Mario Balotelli has returned to Liverpool after his AC Milan loan spell, but Jurgen Klopp suggested the Italian showman should seek a permanent move elsewhere.

"There will be a club around who would be happy to have a new Mario Balotelli, if you like," Klopp said earlier in June. "I have spoken clearly to the player about that."

The likeliest destination for Balotelli would appear to be somewhere in his homeland - Sampdoria and Crotone are interested - but seeing the 25-year-old back to his 2012 best in England would be gladly received.

Four years ago, the striker helped Manchester City to its first title in 44 years, then led Italy's charge to the Euro 2012 final.

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