Relegation out of the Premier League is bad enough, but one of the bi-products of falling through the trapdoor relegation is the inevitable circling of vultures from rivals ready to pick off the best players from your struggling club.
There’s very little clubs can do about it, particularly if their best stars want to leave, as wage bills need to be cut in normal circumstances. But it can be a time for optimism; just look how Burnley have been transformed, 12 months after relegation roaring back as record breaking second tier champions.
But after a nail-biting 90 minutes on the final day of the 2022/23 Premier League season, Leeds United and Leicester City took the drop alongside Southampton and all three now need to rebuild, without some familiar faces.
Leicester resigned to losing Maddison
At the turn of the year, the Premier League 2023 betting odds still reckoned Leicester City would survive, but the Foxes eventually proved that no side is too good to go down and now they are set to see an exodus of stars. Harvey Barnes will surely leave and Youri Tielemens has already been lined up by Aston Villa; but the highest profile loss will be of creative midfielder James Maddison.
He’s an enigmatic figure and can be infuriating to watch at time, but he seems to have settled down and, on his day, Maddison is poetry in motion. Last summer Newcastle United pursued the player enthusiastically and it looks like the north east could be his destination. The 26 year old is the Foxes’ biggest asset and he is currently away with England, where he has posted an Instagram picture of him playing pool with Magpies star Callum Wilson.
A coincidence maybe, but the speculation has reached new levels.
Jack the Lad set to say goodbye to Leeds
There are plenty of Leeds fans in the SBOTOP team and there were some glum faces when Brazilian ace Raphinha headed off to Barcelona last season. This summer they are bracing themselves for more departures and winger Jack Harrison has been watched by a number of top clubs. He made his fair share of Premier League 2023 highlights last season and the 26 year old looks set to continue his career in the top flight, with West Ham United and Aston Villa both keen.
Harrison has been a standout performer for Leeds, with his pace and trickery and ability to score vital and often spectacular goals. He signed a new deal with the Elland Road club mid season and, while fans would love him to stay, all that really means is that Leeds will get a bigger price for Harrison as and when they sell.
Another player set to leave Leeds is centre back Diego Llorente who spent the second half of the campaign on loan at Europa League finalists Roma. I Giallorossi are keen to buy the Spain international but are trying to knock down the asking price of £15m, but Llorente also signed a new deal with Leeds mid term and the Yorkshire club will hold out for a fair price so we’ll keep our eyes on that one.
Mr Southampton is too good for the Championship
James Ward-Prowse is a special player, with a world class dead ball delivery, and he’s been the main reason Southampton have stayed in the Premier League over the past four years but, this time, he couldn’t work the miracle. A host of clubs have been linked with Ward-Prowse, including top four candidates Newcastle United and Liverpool. West Ham United also have a keen interest in the England international, particularly as the Hammers are preparing to lose their captain Declan Rice in the summer. Ward-Prowse would cost a likely £40m which would turn West Ham a nice profit on the sale of Rice.
The newly promoted trio of Burnley, Sheffield United and Luton Town will all need to strengthen and Burnley, in particular, are working hard to get their signings in early. And one player the Clarets fans would love to see at Turf Moor next season is Saints forward Nathan Tella, who scored 19 goals on loan at Burnley last term.
He is on contract at St Mary’s until 2025 but the 23 year old is keen to reunite with Vincent Kompany and the Burnley team and, while the two clubs’ valuations are apart, negotiations have begun and there looks like a deal can be done. As Southampton need to bounce back quickly and Tella has proved himself in the Championship there is a case for the Saints trying to keep him; but that looks increasingly unlikely.
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