groovyalbert
it's a mute point
Liverpool have already signed Kounate and will have a fit VVD back and maybe Gomez.
Chelsea will get Rice IMO having tried to buy him last year as well.
City...well you have heard the rumors of them going after 2 of the best English players playing in the league.
Even with VVD fit, I doubt they'll revert to their 18/19/20 form. All their best players have peaked (bar the wingbacks), and without serious investment I think they'll struggle to maintain form.
Kounate is a very good signing, but he's hardly reliable injury wise. There are huge question-marks over the fitness/reliability of all their CBs, and it's impossible to know what sort of player VVD will be on his return. For example, he's entering the career phase where Vidic's injuries started to really catch up with him and he never had anything as serious as what VVD has just experienced.