Football Index Ones To Watch Week 2: Rodriguez, Grealish, Aubameyang

The Premier League returns for its second gameweek and the for the first time in the 2020/21 season, we will see all 20 Premier League outfits don their new colours to set a marker down on the new campaign.

Much of the attention will steer towards the Manchester clubs as they step out for the first time, but in the second edition of Ones To Watch, Alan McInally and Emma Jones take a look at three new players to keep an eye on over the coming weeks.

Jack Grealish ended one of the stories of the year when he put pen to paper and commit five further years to his boyhood club, Aston Villa. The England international was seemingly heading for the exit door this summer to further cement himself as a Three Lions regular and a Champions League player, especially after he claimed he was “not too sure” on his future, following the 1-0 win over Arsenal.

However, the Villa captains will lead the side out in 2020/21 and he will look to build on his eight goals and six assists from last season and rocket Dean Smith’s even further from relegation.

"I think he's a little underrated as a footballer, Jack Grealish.

"He’s been the main over the last few years," McInally stated

Time will tell if the new contract is more of an expensive buyout clause in the next year or two, rather than a deal that seems him stay at the club until he is 30. But, nevertheless, Grealish will be at Villa in the 2020/21 season and with 10 goals last season and one already this campaign, the England man is certainly one to watch once more, as he finally puts on the famous Three Lions crest.

Grealish’s price with Football Index is at £2.86, as of 23/9/20.

James Rodriguez is no doubt one of the most intriguing signings in recent Premier League times, as the Colombian brings to Merseyside 18 major trophies across Europe, including two Champions Leagues.

The ex-Real Madrid star burst onto the scene with a sensational 2014 FIFA World Cup, which earned him the Golden Boot, a place in the tournament’s best XI, a Puskas Award for his stunning volley against Uruguay, and, of course, the move to the Santiago Bernabeu.

Now, Rodriguez has arguably his toughest contract yet in taking Everton from a mid-table regular to a genuine threat for the top six spots, but it’s one in which McInally believes he can fulfil.

“This is another step in the ladder for him to show everybody that what they saw, he’s still got it.

“Ancelotti’s under a little bit of pressure too, so he’s not bringing him in because has that kind of relationship, he's bringing him in because A, he's a good player, B, he can get more out of him and hopefully in the Premier League with Everton,” McInally added.

Rodriguez has spent the last two seasons on loan at Bayern Munich, one year of which was under Ancelotti. In this time, the creative midfielder registered 14 Bundesliga goals and 15 Bundesliga assists, which subsequently earned him a spot in the 2017/18 Bundesliga Team of the Year.

In total, the 29-year-old has registered 52 goals and 60 assists in club football since that unforgettable summer of 2014. Rogriguez would match this with an excellent debut for the Toffees in the win over Tottenham Hotspur, where he registered an incredible five key passes and three shots in another memorable performance.

Now, after bagging his first goal for Everton, Rodriguez is priced at £2.35 (as of 23/09/20) on Football Index for what could be another sensational campaign for the former La Liga Best Midfielder of 2014/15.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is quickly becoming one of the Premier League’s modern greats and an Arsenal legend at the same time. Just weeks after the Gabon international scored four goals in three games to all but single handily seal the FA Cup and Community Shield, Aubameyang kicked off the 2020/21 league season with another fabulous goal against Fulham.

Just three days after the Gunners superstar helped seal all three points against the Cottagers, Aubameyang has signed a new deal with the club, putting him as one of the main men to keep an eye on once again this campaign.

"Certainly one of the most positive signings Arsenal have ever had and certainly great news he's staying at Arsenal,” said McInally.

Aubameyang did indeed score 29 goals in 44 appearances for the north London club last season, a year after the striker claimed a joint Golden Boot award with Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah from 20 league goals each.

Now, for two years on the run, the Arsenal captain has netted 22 league goals, losing out to consecutive Golden Boots by a sole goal from Jamie Vardy, making him an obvious choice for our Football Index Ones To Watch.

As Aubameyang aims for another Golden Boot, he is priced at £2.36 with Football Index, as of 23/09/20.