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With last night’s loss to Burnley, Fulham have joined Sheffield United and West Bromwich Albion in being relegated from the Premier League.
Despite Fulham, West Brom and Sheffield United being doomed to relegation to the EFL Championship, all three have players who have performed well in the Premier League.
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Premier League sides might see stars from relegated sides as cost-effective options in the summer
And so it should come as no surprise to see the Premier League’s bigger clubs begin to sniff around them in order to potentially sign a bargain this summer.
So with that in mind, here are five relegated players who could make a swift return to the Premier League this summer.
#1 Matheus Pereira (West Bromwich Albion)
When West Brom were promoted from the EFL Championship last summer, the general consensus was that their Premier League hopes would be carried by two players – attackers Matheus Pereira and Grady Diangana.
And while Diangana largely flattered to deceive in the Premier League, the same cannot be said for Brazil’s Pereira, who has been fantastic.
Despite not playing as an out-and-out striker, Pereira has scored 10 Premier League goals in the current campaign, making him West Brom’s top scorer. In fact, he’s got double the amount of his nearest competitor Callum Robinson.
But Pereira also tops West Brom’s list when it comes to assists (five) and has often looked like the only truly dangerous attacker in a rather toothless side.
The Brazilian has also shown that he can deliver the goods against the Premier League’s giants, too, as he delivered two goals and two assists when the Baggies tore Chelsea apart 2-5 at Stamford Bridge in April.
This exciting forward would probably walk into most Premier League sides. And with the likes of Aston Villa, Leeds and Liverpool all likely looking to bolster their attack this summer, it’s highly likely Pereira won’t be gone from the top flight for too long.
#2 Ademola Lookman (Fulham)
Once considered one of the hottest prospects in English football after his performances for the England U-20 side in 2017, before 2020-21, it felt like Ademola Lookman would probably go down as a busted flush.
The forward had moved to RB Leipzig from Everton in 2019 but never truly made an impact in the Bundesliga, making just 11 appearances in the Bundesliga last season.
So when he was brought to Fulham on loan in September, it felt like a risk. But while Fulham have been unable to survive in the Premier League, it’s fair to say that Lookman was definitely a hit.
The forward has made 31 appearances in the Premier League this season, scoring four goals and registering four assists. In terms of involvement in goals, he’s been the Cottagers’ most dangerous performer by far.
He’s clearly capable of naivety, as was witnessed in his botched Panenka penalty against West Ham in November. However, Lookman's exciting dribbling style would make him a fan favorite at any club in the world.
Lookman is perhaps still too raw for one of the Premier League’s bigger sides. But for a team looking for a wide threat like Aston Villa or Leeds, the 23-year-old might be perfect.
And if one of those clubs could prise him away from Leipzig in the summer, a quick return to the Premier League is likely to be on the cards.
#3 Sander Berge (Sheffield United)
If we’re honest, none of Sheffield United’s squad have really covered themselves in glory during the current Premier League season, with the Blades looking downright diabolical for stretches of the campaign.
However, one player who has largely avoided most of the malaise that has hit the likes of Rhian Brewster and John Lundstram is midfielder Sander Berge.
Berge has made just 15 appearances, largely because injuries have restricted his playing time. As a result, the Norwegian’s reputation remains intact following a strong debut season in 2019-20.
A deep-lying midfielder with an excellent range of passing, Berge’s all-action style has seen him compared to fellow Scandinavian Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. But in truth, he’s probably a slightly more progressive player than the Dane.
Berge could offer plenty to even the biggest Premier League sides. And with Giorginio Wijnaldum due to depart Anfield, it’s no surprise that he’s been linked with a move to Liverpool.
Even if that doesn’t pan out, expect another Premier League side – perhaps Everton or Southampton – to take a chance on the Norwegian in the summer.
#4 Joachim Andersen (Fulham)
While Fulham were eventually relegated from the Premier League following last night’s loss to Burnley, it’s safe to say that the Cottagers were much improved from the weak side that started the campaign.
That’s largely because boss Scott Parker was able to transform a creaky defense consisting of the likes of Tim Ream and Michael Hector in the final transfer window of 2020, bringing in numerous players to replace them.
One of those players was central defender Joachim Andersen, and it’s safe to say that the Dane made quite the impact in London during 2020-21.
Still only 24 years old, Andersen has made 29 appearances in the Premier League this season, scoring one goal and registering one assist.
But naturally, it’s his defensive work that’s made him stand out. He’s averaged remarkably highly in tackles per game, interceptions per game and clearances per game too.
The stumbling block for a Premier League side looking to sign Andersen this summer may be the fact that while he’s starred for Fulham this season, he remains a Lyon player officially, and the French side may not want to sell.
The Dane may well be worth paying big money for a club like Tottenham, who are looking to bolster their defense this summer.
#5 Sam Johnstone (West Bromwich Albion)
Given the nature of a relegated side, it’s always hard for a goalkeeper to truly shine for a team in the Premier League’s bottom three.
However, West Brom’s Sam Johnstone has done just that this season. It’ll be no surprise if he ends up making a big move away from the Hawthorns to a Premier League club this summer.
A product of Manchester United’s academy, Johnstone was largely an unknown entity coming into this season, despite being 28 years old already.
But after acting as West Brom’s #1 for two seasons in the EFL Championship, he’s made a real impact in the Premier League this season.
Sure, his saves haven’t been able to keep West Brom in the top flight, but without him between the sticks, who knows how bad things might’ve gotten?
Johnstone has made a total of 150 saves this season, including one penalty, and he’s never made an error leading directly to a goal.
In fact, after being called into the England squad for the recent internationals in March, the Baggies keeper may even have an outside chance of going to the European Championship.
Johnstone has already been linked with moves to Tottenham and West Ham, and so it seems highly likely he’ll be back in the Premier League before 2021-22.
