Mason Greenwood of Manchester United Photo: VCG

Football is on pause but the business of football will never rest. As it is, there will be another transfer window - whatever form that may eventually take - and there are young players whose value will have improved since the last two, in January and before this season started.

Whether that means we see big transfers is somewhat beside the point. 

Neymar and Kylian Mbappe may not swap Paris Saint-Germain for Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively, as had Borussia Dortmund's Jadon Sancho with another potential over 100 million pound deal to join Manchester United.

The coronavirus crisis has hit free spending football clubs and such deals may become a thing of the past - some would say a welcome move where both transfer fees and wages have seen football in Europe expand past the film industry in value over the last two decades.

Liverpool have been reported to have asked for more time in their pursuit of RB Leipzig's Timo Werner for that very reason, not knowing where the money is coming from when there is no sign of football returning any time soon.

Werner is one of Europe's most highly rated young stars. The German, 24, has long been linked with a move to Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, but the Anfield side have asked for more time over their prolonged 52.7 million pursuit of the forward. Werner has since been linked by transfer rumormongers to a move to Manchester United over their English Premier League-leading arch rivals. But there is also no guarantee that the highly rated German will move on from his Bundesliga side.

Nevertheless, there are those players whose value had grown exponentially in the current season, going from worth almost nothing to commanding the fees of genuine first team stars based on their performances before the leagues were shortened. Here are the English Premier League's cases in point.

Mason Greenwood - Man United - up 26m

The striker has been a revelation this season under former goalscorer Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who has entrusted the two-footed Greenwood with several appearances in his first team. The striker is rated by his peers, such as loan striker Odion Ighalo and fellow academy product Marcus Rashford. The 19-year-old has netted as many as Cristiano Ronaldo in his third season in the Manchester United first team and was on track to overtake Wayne Rooney's debut season tally.

Mason Mount - Chelsea - up 26m

The midfielder has played 29 times for Frank Lampard's side as a 21-year-old this season and he has impressed, scoring his first goal for the Stamford Bridge side in Lampard's home debut as manager. The former Chelsea attacking midfielder is the ideal coach for a player who he also coached at Derby County on loan last season. Like Greenwood, Mount has been spoken of as a player who might benefit from the delay in year-long delay in Euro 2020 moving to 2021.  

Gabriel Martinelli - Arsenal - up 23m

The Brazilian has scored goals this season despite a lack of game time and the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette ahead of him in the pecking order. Nevertheless, performances in tournaments that Arsenal are not prioritizing have shown the striker to be a hot prospect in the Premier League. Martinelli's trial at Manchester United, where he was not signed, has already begun to look like a source of regret.

Tammy Abraham - Chelsea - up 18m

The Englishman was given the nod for Chelsea - and Lampard's - first game of the season, against Manchester united at Old Trafford. He struggled in that game, with pundits criticizing his hold up play in particular but he has kicked on during the rest of the season to make Gareth Southgate's England squad. Abraham has since struggled with injury but the player who was on loan at Aston Villa last season looks like another who might end Chelsea's run of so few academy products making the first team.

Bukayo Saka - Arsenal - up 18m

The wingback was employed by former Arsenal manager Unai Emery against Eintracht Frankfurt in the UEFA Europa League and he shone. While Saka's best position is yet to be seen - some have seen him as a No.10 - the young Gunner is one of the best prospects at the club and will be eyed by bigger sides if those performances continue to rack up as they have.

Trent Alexander-Arnold - Liverpool - up 17m

Alexander-Arnold has been one of those players who have shown his training regimen in coronavirus lockdown - firing free kicks into garden furniture in his family home. The full back has redefined the role in his short time in the Liverpool first team, playing as a playmaker from defense. He only moved to full back from his midfield role in the academy as it offered a potential fast track to the starting lineup. Now he is touted as a potential Ballon d'Or winner and has had another season of growth - one that would have ended with him being English Premier League champion.

Todd Cantwell - Norwich City - up 17m

The English midfielder has come through the academy at his local club and helped to take Daniel Farke's side back to the top flight last season. 

This season, one in which the Canaries have struggled while sticking to their football philosophy, has seen him shine as a rare bright spot. The 22-year-old was called up to the England under-21 side last year and has scored six goals in 28 games.

Caglar Soyuncu - Leicester City - up 15m

The Turkish defender has not only filled the gap left by selling Harry Maguire to Manchester United, forming a fearsome partnership with Jonny Evans, but he has also done it in some style. He is comfortable on the ball and is often seen dribbling out of tight spaces - even in his own area.

Tyrone Mings - Aston Villa - up 16m

Aston Villa's England central defender has had a great season despite his club's struggles. Mings scored a vital goal to take a point off Manchester United at Old Trafford and won his first cap for the Three Lions. 

He is unlikely to stay at Villa Park if the side go down but at least he will bring in some much needed money.
Newspaper headline: We’re going up!