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.ย
20. Ahmed Elmohamady (Hull City)
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Hull City right wing-backย 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,ย 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 forย 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.ย
Outpacingย Jerome Le Moigne,ย Marcos Lopes momentarily had found an opening, only to have the ball kicked away from him byย Moore duringย Lille's 3-1 win overย Lens in early May.
It was a glimpse of Moore's outstanding recovery speed. The English youngsterย 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.
Mooreย is the least heralded youngster among fellowย Lens prospectsย 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 isย substandard for the 19-year-old Belgian forward.ย
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 aย cruciate ligament tear. He will start next season on the books ofย Rennes.
Gbamin: Regressed considerably with hisย 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'sย Ligue 1 player rankings. Likeย Bourigeaud,ย Cyprien didn't take over games and was at times a passenger when Lens needed him the most.
Whatย madeย Moore stand out was how he ramped up the intensity while simultaneously having aย Raphael Varane-esque poise to his game.
Moore'sย backstory provides context to howย committedย 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."
Anotherย Moore tidbit is he has played multiple positions, indicating his versatility and football IQ.
Wyscout has categorisedย Moore as a right-back.ย Yet in an interview withย Tom Kellย of UEFA's website,ย Moore analysed the comparisons he received when playing at centre-back and in central midfield.
Transfermarkt listย Moore's value atย โฌ150,000/ยฃ109,118, so he would be a low-risk, high-reward signing for top Premier League clubs.
18. Florin Andone (Cordoba)
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Cordobaย centre-forwardย Florin Andone, 22, has shownย courage and resolve in aย tumultuous campaign.ย
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:ย Andone,ย Fede Cartabia andย Nabil Ghilas.
Andone is the only playerย Cordoba own.
He is aย 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 wingerย Felix Klaus, 22, routinely zips past opposing defenders and plays with gusto.ย
However, he lacks an end product. He scored two goals and provided just two assists in 31 Bundesliga games last season.ย
The primary reason suitors are possibly looking to signย 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 withย Klaus.
16. Godfred Donsah (Cagliari)
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Cagliari central midfielderย Godfred Donsah, 19, has quickly adapted fromย Primavera football toย Serie A.ย
Donsah has not dominated, but he belongs in Italy's top flight.ย
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 forย Donsah to demand the ball when team-matesย Albin Ekdal andย Lorenzo Crisetig had a monopoly onย Cagliari's possession.
Ifย Donsah receives more touches, he could go from being a role player to a star.ย
15. Andrew Robertson (Hull City)
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Hull City left winger-cum-left-backย Andrew Robertson, 21, faded toward the end of the season.ย
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'sย statistics are mediocreโ0.7 key passes per game, 76.3 pass success per cent, 0.9 dribbles per gameโhe conjures up snippets of elite play.
Bruce has projectedย Robertson to be aย โฌ41.4 million/ยฃ30 million-valued footballer, perย Aidan Smith at the Scotsman.
14. Elias Kachunga (Paderborn)
7 of 20Paderborn centre-forwardย Elias Kachunga, 23, started the season as a top-tier No. 9 but ended the campaign as a 2.ย Bundesliga-standard footballer.ย
He lost confidence, he couldn't strike the ball cleanly and dwindled to nothing.ย
However, he still scored six goalsย in theย Bundesliga, thoughย three came in his opening four games
On a top team, he could be a serviceableย super sub.
13. Julian Cuesta (Almeria)
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Almeria goalkeeperย Julian Cuesta, 24, pulled off a series of remarkable saves, having spent portions of the last campaign watchingย 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-backย 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.ย
Likeย Gareth Bale, a former left-back,ย 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 midfielderย Leroy Fer, 25, was his club's second option.
Relying heavily onย Charlie Austin, who scored 18 Premier League goals,ย Fer providedย respite, chipping in with six goals,ย 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 goalkeeperย Tom Heaton, 29, has avoided a free fall down theย footballing pyramid post-Manchester United.
Accumulating 127 saves in 38 Premier League games,ย Heaton keptย Burnley in games that otherwise would have beenย blowouts.
He would be a smarter alternative toย Robert Green as a backup target for top Premier League clubs.
Why?ย Heaton is six years younger.
9. Daniel Wass (Evian Thonon Gaillard)
12 of 20Evian Thonon Gaillard attacking midfielderย 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.ย
8. Albin Ekdal (Cagliari)
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Cagliari central midfielderย Albin Ekdal, 25, has pedigree as a former wonderkidย who was on the books ofย Juventus.
His 15-minute hat-trick in a 4-1 win over Inter Milan in September was the type of dominanceย Juventus hoped he would display on a regular basis.ย
He has rescued his career atย Cagliari.
He hustles to win back the ball, he is a passing outletโcompleting 82.5 per cent of his 47.7 passes per gameโand can glide past opposing players.ย
Ekdal is also underpaid with an annual salary ofย โฌ500,000/ยฃ362,591, perย Carlo Laudisa at La Gazzetta dello Sport.
7. Adnane Tighadouini (NAC Breda)
14 of 20NAC Breda attacking midfielderย Adnane Tighadouini, 22, dazzled throughout this past season.ย
Tighadouini becameย NAC Breda's answer toย Cristiano Ronaldoโgive him the ball, get out the way and watch him shoot endlessly.
Noย NAC Breda player averaged 2.0 shots per game or more.ย
Tighadouini averaged 3.2 shots per game, leading the club inย Eredivisie goals (14).
Talent-wise,ย 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 onย Tighadouini.
6. Matthew Phillips (Queens Park Rangers)
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Queens Park Rangers right wingerย Matthew Phillips, 24, received criticism when he showed off hisย Porsche amid the club being in turmoil.ย
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 isย 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-forwardย 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 forย 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 formerย Cesena playersย Emanuele Giaccherini andย Yuto Nagatomo,ย Defrel possesses the ability to be on the squad list of a top club.
4. Marc-Oliver Kempf (Freiburg)
17 of 20Freiburgย centre-backย 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 withย Freiburg II.
Whenย 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.ย
3. Charlie Austin (Queens Park Rangers)
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Queens Park Rangers centre-forwardย 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.ย
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 midfielderย Jose Mauri, 19, is going to be a steal for the top club that signs him.ย
Ifย Parma were financially stable, they would have had a cash cow inย Mauri, one of the best young midfielders in the world.ย
Instead, theย 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 Freiburgย goalkeeperย 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 theย Bundesliga in saves (152 in 34 games).ย Burki pulled offย awe-inspiring saves week in, week out.
Consideringย Manchester United managerย Louis van Gaal's expertise in theย Bundesliga, he must be aware ofย Burki.
It would be ambitious forย Burki to succeedย David De Gea, but the form is there.
Freiburgย are a small club, but so too areย Hvidovre, the stepping stoneย Peter Schmeichel used to get to Brondby before becoming aย Manchester United legend.ย
"Hvidovre is part of my history,"ย Schmeichelย said, per Robert Pryce at theย Guardian.
Freiburg could be toย Burki whatย Hvidovre was toย Schmeichel.
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