English Premier League: 11 Players Who Will Be Signed from the Relegated Clubs
With Birmingham City and Blackpool being confirmed today to join West Ham in the Championship next season, it's now time for the team's that beat the drop to scavenge the bones of the dismayed clubs.
Here are 10 players that are likely to bounce right back to the Premier League once the transfer window begins.
11. Demba Ba
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Demba Ba signed a three year contract with West Ham after signing for the club in January but he didn't force his way out of Hoffenheim to play in the second tier of English football.
The Senegalese International was a revelation for the Hammers despite their early relegation. Ba is a versatile player who scored seven goals in 12 games for West Ham being deployed as both a winger and a striker.
Ba has also scored three goals in his 10 international caps but what will attract Premier League teams to him is his all around ability. Ba is fast and powerful while remaining agile with good feet. He is only 25 years of age and could be a great addition to team like QPR, who will be a Premier League team next season, or Newcastle United who will be looking for more firepower upfront in the summer.
10. Robert Green
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Robert Green is now infamous for his mistake at the 2010 world cup, and while his play hasn't exactly been stellar since that day, he still remains a premiership standard goalkeeper.
This is Green's second time being relegated and it didn't take long for him to rebound from Norwich City in 2006. Robert Green is only 12 months removed from being a first choice international goalkeeper and remains an excellent shot stopper.
He needs to reduce his mental errors in order to become a top class goalkeeper but at 31 years of age he still has plenty to offer a team such as Wolves who used both Marcus Hahnemann and Wayne Hennessey last year. Neither goalkeeper is certain to be first choice in Mick McCarthy's team next season.
9. Scott Dann
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The loss of Scott Dann to the Birmingham City back four early in the season was a major factor in their relegation struggles. Dann and his center back partner, Roger Johnson, created a formidable partnership at the back during last season.
Dann has been linked with teams Liverpool-FC-to-make-10m-bid-for-Scott-Dann-this-summer-201105200025/" target="_blank">such as Liverpool F.C recently with a reported £10 million value. A damaged hamstring may have hurt his ability to play this season but it hasn't hurt the players stock in the transfer market.
Dann is only 24 years of age and plays with an intelligence and fluidity that doesn't take away from his physical presence. Dann is definitely a Premiership standard defender that would be an attractive option to most teams in the Premier League.
8. Roger Johnson
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Staying with the Birmingham back four, the other half of their center back pairing will also be highly sought after during the summer.
Roger Johnson's biggest problem is his age and his pace. Neither are severe enough to prevent him from being a quality defender over the next few years. He needs to play in the right team however, if he is to succeed as a Premier League defender.
His tenacity and aerial ability is reminiscent of a Brede Hangeland or Nemanja Vidic, to a lesser degree of course, which makes him a good fit with a team like Stoke City or Fulham.
7. Carlton Cole
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Carlton Cole was a sought after option during last season's transfer window before eventually staying with West Ham. Cole didn't help his cause with only 5 goals this past season which will have likely turned some teams off the idea of signing him.
At 27 years of age Cole is no longer a youngster and needs to be producing on a consistent basis. His physical skill coupled with his flashes of brilliance with the ball in past seasons will find him a Premier League club.
Cole could be signed by a team like Aston Villa who will be looking to add depth upfront because of Emile Heskey's age and John Carew's uncertain future.
6. Ben Foster
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The second goalkeeper appearing on this list is another English international. Ben Foster may have recently lost out to Joe Hart for the England number one jersey but he impressed in Birmingham this past season.
Foster signed with the now relegated club from Manchester United before this most recent season. He was seen as Edwin Van der Sar's long-term replacement but never made his mark under Alex Ferguson. This was more due to Van der Sar's consistency rather than Foster's on field play (because he rarely actually got on the field).
Foster's impressive display in the League cup final this year will have made some clubs take notice of the 28 year old.
Ben Foster has already been linked with Aston Villa to replace Brad Friedel but any team in need of a goalkeeper will probably look to Foster first.
5. Mark Noble
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It's bemusing to think Mark Noble is still only 24 years of old. The talented playmaker has been a star for England's youth team as well as West Ham since he broke into the side.
This year he struggled with injuries that caused him to miss 12 Premier League games. Noble is unquestionably a talented and dynamic player that will improve any team that he signs for in the summer.
Noble would be a good fit with Bolton Wanderers where Owen Coyle has previously gotten the best out of players who are technically gifted.
4. Curtis Davies
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Curtis Davies may have struggled to get on the field for Birmingham this season but his talent as a defender is unquestioned.
Davies brings a physicality to the game as well as the ability to work the ball out from the back. At 26 years of age he is approaching his prime. His inability to prove himself in the Premier League has been due to a combination of talented defenders in front of him as well as injuries.
Finding a player with the combination of size and speed that Davies possesses is difficult which will make him an attractive proposition for many teams such as Wigan Athletic.
3. Craig Gardner
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Craig Gardner was a great addition to Birmingham City. His footballing ability, work rate and versatility at such a young age was startling this past season.
His maturity remains in question however after he was sent off for diving towards the end of the season as well as his attitude on the pitch which can sometimes be questionable. This shouldn't put teams off however as at 24 he still has plenty of time to grow on a team with veteran leadership.
Gardner featured heavily for Birmingham ever since signing for the club and repaid his manager's faith in him scoring eight goals this season.
2. Charlie Adam
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The much anticipated departure of Charlie Adam from Blackpool is now a certainty after the team's relegation. Adam's ability has already attracted clubs of the stature of Liverpool and Tottenham.
Adam was set to leave in January but he is so highly valued by Blackpool manager Ian Holloway that the club refused a substantial offer for their captain.
Adam is 25 years old and possesses set piece ability that has attracted more media attention than anyone since David Beckham. Adam's set pieces are not his limitations however as he possesses great awareness and passing ability on the ball playing in midfield.
He was a key player in Blackpool's free flowing football philosophy who will fit seamlessly into a top team in the Premier League.
1. Scott Parker
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Scott Parker beat the odds to become this season's player of the year after playing on the side that propped up the division. Parker will be the most sought after player in the transfer window.
Even at 30 years of age, teams like Tottenham Hotspur have been sniffing around him this season. Parker's tenacity and box to box ability made him a star at Charlton as a younger player. His performances earned him a place under Jose Mourinho at Chelsea before he left for West Ham.
Parker's play hasn't deteriorated as he has aged. He was the heartbeat of the West Ham eleven and without him they looked like a shadow of themselves. Parker is definitely too good to be a Championship player so expect quite a few teams to try to sign him ahead of next season.
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