Too good for the Championship?
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This season’s Premier League relegation battle was nothing short of a damp squib. All three teams that were promoted from the Championship last term had their relegation sealed with five games still left to play. There is currently a 16 point gap between 18th-placed Ipswich Town and 17th-placed Tottenham. It’s the second campaign in a row in which all three promoted sides went straight back down. Prior to that, it had only occurred on one other occasion, after Crystal Palace, Barnsley and Bolton all went straight back down in the 1997/98 campaign. Not a good look for the English top-flight.
This season’s relegated trio of Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich currently have just 57 points between them with just two games to go. Despite their relegations, and the lack of fight shown, there have been some players who have performed well in the world’s most valuable league and may be looking to return immediately. At Transfermarkt, we have picked out 10 players from the rosters of Southampton, Leicester or Ipswich that could be poised for some Premier League interest this summer.
10 relegated players that Premier League teams could sign this summer
Liam Delap – Ipswich – €35m
One of the most sought after players who has faced the drop this term is without doubt Ipswich striker Liam Delap. Signed from Manchester City for €17.85 million last summer, the 22 year old has gone on to score 12 Premier League goals in his first proper season in the division. And that’s for a relegated side. He has bullied defences at times, and has been most closely linked with a summer move to either Manchester United or Chelsea. Reports suggest he has a release clause in the region of just €35m that becomes active when the transfer window opens. That’s unlikely to deter potential suitors.
Bilal El Khannouss – Leicester – €30m
Leicester have looked dejected and lethargic on the whole this season, but one player who has provided sparks of magic has been young Moroccan Bilal El Khannouss. The 21-year-old himself has also shown evidence of a poor attitude at times, but he does seem to possess ability at a higher level than most of his teammates. He has just five Premier League goal contributions following his €22.5m move form Genk to the Foxes last summer, but does appear to have that creative spark, and some Premier League sides might be hoping that in a better team, the youngster can begin to shine.
Tyler Dibling – Southampton – €25m
Southampton’s season has been a disaster, and they are lucky to have avoided being the worst Premier League team on record. However, in Tyler Dibling, the Saints may just have a generational talent on their hands. His numbers aren’t great – just three goal contributions in the league this season – but it must be remembered how poor a side he’s been playing in. There have been occasions where he has looked unstoppable on the ball, dribbling past numerous defenders. The 19-year-old has been linked with a number of Premier League clubs, as well as German side RB Leipzig, and it seems unlikely he will be a Championship player next season.
Leif Davis – Ipswich – €25m
Many Premier League clubs appear to be on the hunt for a left-back this summer, and one of them might just take a chance on Ipswich’s Leif Davis. His defensive ability has been questioned at times when up against some of the best Premier League wingers, but his ability to get forward from left-back and create has been impressive for his first campaign in the English top-flight. He has just three assists but has repeatedly shown his crossing quality throughout the season.
Omari Hutchinson – Ipswich – €22m
He came through the ranks at Arsenal’s Hale End academy, before switching to London rivals Chelsea all before the age of 18 – it’s already been some journey in football for 21 year old Omari Hutchinson. After a successful loan spell to Ipswich from the Blues, he made the permanent move to Portman Road last summer for €23.5m. Hutchinson has struggled to consistently showcase his talent in the Premier League, with just five goal contributions, but his glimpses of quality may tempt top-flight clubs to take a chance on him as a potential cheaper option this summer.
Aaron Ramsdale – Southampton – €16m
Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale’s rotten luck when it comes to relegation battles continued this season on the south-coast. He has now been relegated with Bournemouth, Sheffield United and Southampton. He was signed from Arsenal for €21.4m, and whilst he has probably been one of the Saints’ best performers, he still hasn’t pulled up any trees. However, the shot-stopper already has a wealth of experience in the English top-flight, and is still just 26 years old. Expect some Premier League clubs to give him another chance this summer.
Matheus Fernandes – Southampton – €15m
Another player who may have potentially got caught the eye of some Premier League sides due to his tenacity and technique could be Southampton’s Matheus Fernandes. The Portuguese attacking midfielder was signed for €15m from Sporting and has played 13 times for Portugal U21s. Still considered one for the future, clubs might be eyeing a cheaper deal for the 20 year old this summer.
Mads Hermansen – Leicester – €15m
Leicester keeper Mads Hermansen has made over 100 Premier League saves this season, and if it wasn’t for the Danish shot-stopper, the Foxes’ season could have been even worse. With a market value of just €15m, Hermansen has already proved that personally he can cut it in the English top-flight, and may tempt some Premier League sides into making a move for his services.
Dara O’Shea – Ipswich – €14m
Centre-half Dara O’Shea was signed by Ipswich last summer to provide some much needed Premier League experience. It proved to not be enough to keep the Tractor Boys in the division, but his pace and defensive nouse got Ipswich out of a lot of tricky situations, and he could be a viable option for the newly promoted teams.
Jamie Vardy – Leicester – €1m
A few weeks back legendary striker Jamie Vardy announced he would be officially ending his 13-year love affair with Leicester City. In that time the Englishman has scored 199 goals for the club. However, Vardy also indicated that he would not be hanging up his boots, and is rumoured to be after getting a move to another Premier League club. Everton have been most heavily linked with the 38 year old.
