Rio Ferdinand believes the failed transfer moves of many players in the Premier League could turn much worse for them if they do not give their all in training and on the pitch.

Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez was hoping to secure a deadline day move to Manchester City, but it did not pan out in the end as the Gunners failed to sign a replacement in Thomas Lemar.

Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho meanwhile, was looking to seal a move to Barcelona, having officially submitted a transfer request. In the end though, manager Jurgen Klopp was able to hang on to the Brazilian international.

Everton's Ross Barkley was also close to a move away with Tottenham and Chelsea both linked while Southampton's Virgil van Dijk had submitted a transfer request in what looked like a come-and-get-me plea to Liverpool.

With all these players not moving in the summer transfer window, they now face the indignity of returning to the club and facing their teammates with the knowledge that they all tried to jump ship.

Ferdinand, who played for Manchester United from 2002 to 2014, says all these players can still be welcomed back by their teammates, but it depends on their professionalism.

"For me it's all down one thing," Ferdinand said on BT Sport, as quoted on the London Evening Standard. "Does he come in and act professionally at the training ground?"

"If he comes in and says 'listen I'll hold my hands up I do want to leave, I've not been allowed to but you will still get 100% commitment from me and you'll still see that day in day out' then you respect that and say 'yeah, you're still with us' and you continue until the day you leave this club.

"If there is any negativity or you think that he's giving anything less than 100%, the players will sniff it and they will wean that guy out."

Of the players who failed to secure a move, Sanchez is the only one to have featured since, coming on as a substitute for Danny Welbeck where he received a mixed reaction as Arsenal comprehensively defeated Bournemouth 3-0 on Saturday (9 September).

Rio Ferdinand
Ferdinand says the players who failed with their transfer moves have to be professional Getty