20 Players Top Clubs Should Target from Europe's Relegated Teams
Here are 20 footballers from Europe's relegated teams who should be viable summer transfer window targets for top clubs.
The 20 players, including Ahmed Elmohamady, Charlie Austin and Roman Burki, will be ranked via a combination of current playing ability, upside and potential resell value.
Long-List Cuts
French-Congolese attacking midfielder/centre-forward Clarck N'Sikulu, 22, Evian Thonon Gaillard.
Brazilian forward Diego Farias, 25, Cagliari.
Bosnian-German central midfielder Mario Vrancic, 26, Paderborn.
Israeli centre-forward Tomer Hemed, 28, Almeria.
English goalkeeper Robert Green, 35, Queens Park Rangers.
When not specified, statistics via WhoScored.com.
20. Ahmed Elmohamady (Hull City)
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Hull City right wing-back Ahmed Elmohamady, 27, is an ideal squad player top clubs should consider targeting.
Able to function as a right-back, right wing-back and right winger, Elmohamady is an adaptable player.
The Egyptian is lethal in crossing situations, he is an adequate tackler and competes strenuously for the ball in the air.
It was a bittersweet campaign for Elmohamady, as he endured relegation but enjoyed his most productive season in the Premier League to date.
| Elmohamady | Assists/Games |
| 2014/15 | 5/38 |
| 2010/11 - 2013/14 | 5/94 |
19. Taylor Moore (Lens)
2 of 20Lens defender Taylor Moore, 18, made a superlative first impression to onlookers when he was given an extended starting run.
Outpacing Jerome Le Moigne, Marcos Lopes momentarily had found an opening, only to have the ball kicked away from him by Moore during Lille's 3-1 win over Lens in early May.
It was a glimpse of Moore's outstanding recovery speed. The English youngster averaged 4.5 tackles and intercepted 2.5 passes per Ligue 1 game last season.
World-class statistics, but they come with an asterisk, considering the small sample size.
Moore is the least heralded youngster among fellow Lens prospects Baptiste Guillaume, Benjamin Bourigeaud, Dimitri Kevin Cavare, Jean-Philippe Gbamin and Wylan Cyprien.
Guillaume: Works hard off the ball but not enough production. Two goals in 1,498 minutes over 27 Ligue 1 games is substandard for the 19-year-old Belgian forward.
Bourigeaud: The 21-year-old French central midfielder is smooth on the ball and produces incisive passes. However, he needs to demand the ball more.
Cavare: The 20-year-old French right-back is a big talent, though he faces an uphill task to rebound from a cruciate ligament tear. He will start next season on the books of Rennes.
Gbamin: Regressed considerably with his David Luiz-like inattentiveness. The 19-year-old French defender has no set position. He has not shown enough defensive prowess as a centre-back or a full-back. He is confident on the ball and would be better utilised in central midfield.
Cyprien: The 20-year-old French central midfielder has so much potential that he was still ranked at No. 80 in France Football's Ligue 1 player rankings. Like Bourigeaud, Cyprien didn't take over games and was at times a passenger when Lens needed him the most.
What made Moore stand out was how he ramped up the intensity while simultaneously having a Raphael Varane-esque poise to his game.
Moore's backstory provides context to how committed he is to making the grade at top-flight level.
He was born in England, moved to France at the age of seven and then made a second adjustment when he was scouted by Lens.
"It was an hour and a half away from where my parents live, and [Lens] had said I would have to move away to live there if I did, so it was a big decision, but it was no problem [for me]," Moore said, per Gary Stonehouse at the FA's website. "Being able to speak two languages [English and French] is very important in life."
Another Moore tidbit is he has played multiple positions, indicating his versatility and football IQ.
Wyscout has categorised Moore as a right-back. Yet in an interview with Tom Kell of UEFA's website, Moore analysed the comparisons he received when playing at centre-back and in central midfield.
Transfermarkt list Moore's value at €150,000/£109,118, so he would be a low-risk, high-reward signing for top Premier League clubs.
18. Florin Andone (Cordoba)
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Cordoba centre-forward Florin Andone, 22, has shown courage and resolve in a tumultuous campaign.
Andone scored five goals in 20 Primera Division games while handicapped by being on a squad stacked with loanees and Segunda Division-standard players.
"I'm annoyed because I'm awful. I can't even play a [expletive] pass, and the team's the same," Andone said, per Sid Lowe at the Guardian. "I'm sick of everything, mate."
Cordoba had three scoring threats last season: Andone, Fede Cartabia and Nabil Ghilas.
Andone is the only player Cordoba own.
He is a plucky right-footed poacher who could shine with better service.
That is a similar assessment to one Diego Costa might have received when he scored eight goals in 34 Liga games for Real Valladolid, a club relegated during the 2009/10 season.
17. Felix Klaus (Freiburg)
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Freiburg winger Felix Klaus, 22, routinely zips past opposing defenders and plays with gusto.
However, he lacks an end product. He scored two goals and provided just two assists in 31 Bundesliga games last season.
The primary reason suitors are possibly looking to sign Klaus is the likelihood he experiences an upswing in his career.
Karim Bellarabi took his time to develop, and it could be the same case with Klaus.
16. Godfred Donsah (Cagliari)
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Cagliari central midfielder Godfred Donsah, 19, has quickly adapted from Primavera football to Serie A.
Donsah has not dominated, but he belongs in Italy's top flight.
He effortlessly changes direction when running with the ball, and his ability to open up space is an indicator of his immense upside.
At times, he has drifted out of games.
It was tough for Donsah to demand the ball when team-mates Albin Ekdal and Lorenzo Crisetig had a monopoly on Cagliari's possession.
If Donsah receives more touches, he could go from being a role player to a star.
15. Andrew Robertson (Hull City)
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Hull City left winger-cum-left-back Andrew Robertson, 21, faded toward the end of the season.
Benched by Hull City manager Steve Bruce, Robertson's problems were compounded by a reoccurring ankle injury.
"[Robertson was injured] in training on Thursday. It's the same ankle he did against Everton when he turned it over badly," Bruce said, per the Hull Daily Mail. "It was so innocuous it was scary."
Even though Robertson's statistics are mediocre—0.7 key passes per game, 76.3 pass success per cent, 0.9 dribbles per game—he conjures up snippets of elite play.
Bruce has projected Robertson to be a €41.4 million/£30 million-valued footballer, per Aidan Smith at the Scotsman.
14. Elias Kachunga (Paderborn)
7 of 20Paderborn centre-forward Elias Kachunga, 23, started the season as a top-tier No. 9 but ended the campaign as a 2. Bundesliga-standard footballer.
He lost confidence, he couldn't strike the ball cleanly and dwindled to nothing.
However, he still scored six goals in the Bundesliga, though three came in his opening four games
On a top team, he could be a serviceable super sub.
13. Julian Cuesta (Almeria)
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Almeria goalkeeper Julian Cuesta, 24, pulled off a series of remarkable saves, having spent portions of the last campaign watching Ruben play.
Cuesta is a physically imposing shot-stopper at 6'5" and 201 pounds.
He averaged the highest amount of saves per game (4.8) in La Liga last season and would be a suitable backup or third-choice goalkeeper for a top team.
12. Christian Gunter (Freiburg)
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Freiburg left-back Christian Gunter, 22, is one of the most gifted footballers of his age group.
However, his defensive positioning needs to be more consistent if he wants to develop into an above-average left-back.
Like Gareth Bale, a former left-back, Gunter's calling is in a more attacking position.
Gunter is more at ease charging forward than shutting down opposition wingers.
11. Leroy Fer (Queens Park Rangers)
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Queens Park Rangers attacking midfielder Leroy Fer, 25, was his club's second option.
Relying heavily on Charlie Austin, who scored 18 Premier League goals, Fer provided respite, chipping in with six goals, even though he was shifted to the left.
Fer could be a handy squad player for a top team because he is an all-round footballer.
10. Tom Heaton (Burnley)
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Burnley goalkeeper Tom Heaton, 29, has avoided a free fall down the footballing pyramid post-Manchester United.
Accumulating 127 saves in 38 Premier League games, Heaton kept Burnley in games that otherwise would have been blowouts.
He would be a smarter alternative to Robert Green as a backup target for top Premier League clubs.
Why? Heaton is six years younger.
9. Daniel Wass (Evian Thonon Gaillard)
12 of 20Evian Thonon Gaillard attacking midfielder Daniel Wass, 26, disappeared when his club needed him the most.
That should be a red flag for potential suitors.
But he was one of Ligue 1's best players for the first half of the season, scoring eight goals and providing three assists in his first 15 games.
He is versatile, technically excellent and a make-something-happen type of player.
8. Albin Ekdal (Cagliari)
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Cagliari central midfielder Albin Ekdal, 25, has pedigree as a former wonderkid who was on the books of Juventus.
His 15-minute hat-trick in a 4-1 win over Inter Milan in September was the type of dominance Juventus hoped he would display on a regular basis.
He has rescued his career at Cagliari.
He hustles to win back the ball, he is a passing outlet—completing 82.5 per cent of his 47.7 passes per game—and can glide past opposing players.
Ekdal is also underpaid with an annual salary of €500,000/£362,591, per Carlo Laudisa at La Gazzetta dello Sport.
7. Adnane Tighadouini (NAC Breda)
14 of 20NAC Breda attacking midfielder Adnane Tighadouini, 22, dazzled throughout this past season.
Tighadouini became NAC Breda's answer to Cristiano Ronaldo—give him the ball, get out the way and watch him shoot endlessly.
No NAC Breda player averaged 2.0 shots per game or more.
Tighadouini averaged 3.2 shots per game, leading the club in Eredivisie goals (14).
Talent-wise, Tighadouini is as good as the majority of players at top clubs.
The multimillion-dollar question relates to whether he could function effectively when the club's strategy is not centred on Tighadouini.
6. Matthew Phillips (Queens Park Rangers)
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Queens Park Rangers right winger Matthew Phillips, 24, received criticism when he showed off his Porsche amid the club being in turmoil.
It was a PR own goal, but two things:
- Phillips is free to do whatever he wants with his money, providing his actions are legal.
- He was one of the most exciting players in the Premier League last season, so it's not like he is undeserving of the riches of top-flight English football.
Phillips could convert a freakishly long-range shot or produce a stunning through ball.
He is a confidence player, and when he is in form, he borders on being an elite footballer.
He scored three goals and provided eight assists in 25 Premier League games. He probably would have reached double figures in assists if he played the entire season.
5. Gregoire Defrel (Cesena)
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Cesena centre-forward Gregoire Defrel, 23, will go under the radar because his statistics are average: nine goals and five assists in 34 Serie A games.
However, he was hindered by playing for Cesena, a Serie B club masquerading as a Serie A team.
He played games in which he was forced out wide, and he even played as a right wing-back.
The Premier League equivalent would be sticking Harry Kane on the flanks.
Like former Cesena players Emanuele Giaccherini and Yuto Nagatomo, Defrel possesses the ability to be on the squad list of a top club.
4. Marc-Oliver Kempf (Freiburg)
17 of 20Freiburg centre-back Marc-Oliver Kempf, 20, could be a diamond in the rough for a top club.
His performances last season were obscured because he was injured and spent a segment of the campaign with Freiburg II.
When Kempf played, he showed he was a proactive defender, rushing forward to cut off passes.
On the ball, he needs to be more accurate, having only completed 76.1 per cent of his passes.
That said, he is capable of spreading play with long-range, left-footed passes, and he looks like a centre-back with world-class potential.
He just needs one season as a starter, which could kickstart a wonderful career.
3. Charlie Austin (Queens Park Rangers)
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Queens Park Rangers centre-forward Charlie Austin, 25, would probably reach the 30-goal barrier if he opted to stay with the club and play in the Championship.
It is a league he is familiar with, and he is coming off a career-defining campaign in which he scored 18 goals in the Premier League.
He can do more with less.
Austin is a natural scorer and would be an invaluable addition to a top club.
2. Jose Mauri (Free Agent)
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Free-agent central midfielder Jose Mauri, 19, is going to be a steal for the top club that signs him.
If Parma were financially stable, they would have had a cash cow in Mauri, one of the best young midfielders in the world.
Instead, the Mauri sweepstakes have begun.
Mauri goes in hard as a tackler, and he has a knack of getting into good scoring positions.
His problem is he doesn't convert, scoring just twice in 33 Serie A games with a shooting accuracy of 27.5 per cent.
However, he is only 19 years old, and his potential for greatness is why top clubs should wine and dine him.
1. Roman Burki (Freiburg)
20 of 20If Freiburg goalkeeper Roman Burki, 24, doesn't go on to become a household name, his past season would rank as one of the biggest one-hit wonders ever.
He led the Bundesliga in saves (152 in 34 games). Burki pulled off awe-inspiring saves week in, week out.
Considering Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal's expertise in the Bundesliga, he must be aware of Burki.
It would be ambitious for Burki to succeed David De Gea, but the form is there.
Freiburg are a small club, but so too are Hvidovre, the stepping stone Peter Schmeichel used to get to Brondby before becoming a Manchester United legend.
"Hvidovre is part of my history," Schmeichel said, per Robert Pryce at the Guardian.
Freiburg could be to Burki what Hvidovre was to Schmeichel.
