5 relegated players who could return to the Premier League for the 2021-22 season
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.
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.