Premier League

With money still tight in the EFL following the pandemic, the top-flight loan market is a key way for clubs to add quality to their squad.

Gibbs-White was recently [sold to Nottingham Forest in a deal that could rise to £42.5 million](https://theathletic.com/3521911/2022/08/20/morgan-gibbs-white-nottingham-forest/) largely on the back of his deeds in a United shirt last season. [Blackpool](https://theathletic.com/football/team/blackpool/) and [Lincoln City have benefited from good links with Arsenal](https://theathletic.com/3359031/2022/06/13/arsenal-young-players-loan-trusted-clubs-coaches-dragons-den-style-presentations/). [Emile Smith Rowe](https://theathletic.com/football/player/emile-smith-rowe-VjndzxpwIAibPevP/), [Arsenal](https://theathletic.com/football/team/arsenal/)’s England international, among several playing regularly today in the Premier League after benefiting from a stint on loan at the John Smith’s Stadium. [helped smooth Eddie Nketiah’s switch to Leeds United from Arsenal in 2019](https://theathletic.com/1132425/2019/08/15/clubs-had-to-make-dragons-den-style-presentations-to-arsenal-to-try-to-sign-nketiah-on-loan/), are becoming increasingly commonplace. “The first thing I say is, ‘Have you spoken to the manager yet?’. We also do a presentation about us, how we play, where this player fits in and why we want them. [Huddersfield Town](https://theathletic.com/football/team/huddersfield-town/), beaten in May’s play-off final by Forest, benefited hugely from having [Chelsea’s Levi Colwill on board all campaign](https://theathletic.com/3288998/2022/05/02/levi-colwill-its-not-a-bad-thing-to-be-called-the-new-john-terry/) along with [Danel Sinani](https://theathletic.com/football/player/danel-sinani-yftEQVzL4uHca8xM/), the [Norwich City](https://theathletic.com/football/team/norwich-city/) attacking midfielder who had a happy knack of popping up with important goals, such as the opener in their play-off semi-final second leg at Luton Town. A little more than 20 years ago, Lincoln almost pulled off what would surely have been the loan coup to end all loan coups. “Our loan options during that time are probably what kept us in League One,” adds the 58-year-old, who returned to the League Two club in May. And now you’ve done me a favour, you won’t have to pay a loan fee for the next two loans from Manchester United’. And is it a case of who you know, not what you know, when it comes to landing that in-demand target? “You only have to look at Morgan (Gibbs-White) last season to see that.”