Raiding the relegated – Again | OneFootball

Thanks to all three relegated teams being confirmed a record four games from the end of the season, I get to put this Newcastle United article together earlier than ever.

I will include my usual disclosure, that although I appreciate we should be targeting top players in the summer, there are always gems to be found in the relegated sides.

It’s a market we’ve been active in, especially since the Newcastle United takeover.

We have signed a relegated player every summer since the takeover and have recruited four of our current first team squad from that market in Osula, Livramento, Barnes and Pope.

I will confess that this season’s Premier League relegated teams have been a particularly pathetic trio. There are fewer players I fancy than in previous years.

There isn’t a single Leicester player that I’d consider worthy of even bolstering our squad.

Surprisingly, considering they’re on track to match Derby’s worst ever Premier League points tally, there are three Southampton players I’ve highlighted. They’ve been an awful team this year but they have a few individuals that I think could improve our squad overall.

Tyler Dibling

This is a young man (pictured above) who will be in high demand when the transfer window opens. He only turned 19 a couple of months ago and had only made one Championship appearance prior to this season but many consider him Southampton’s best player.

The presence of this lad has been astonishing at times in a wretched Southampton team. I’m not one for players prancing about in socks so low they may as well not bother with the extra material, but if he can do it on the pitch, all is forgiven.

I thought he looked better in the first half of the season than in recent months but the talent is definitely there. He can play anywhere across the front three or in midfield, so would be a versatile addition whilst mainly operating as competition for Murphy on the right.

Russell Martin said in an interview recently, that he was the most talented player he’d ever worked with. He included young versions of Maddison and Kane who were at Norwich when he was there. That’s quite the claim but, from what I’ve seen of him, he’s got that backsides-off-seat-ability that we love so much in a winger. He works hard too and appears passionate.

He’s only managed two goals and an assist in the Premier League, as well as a pair of assists in the Carabao Cup.

However, he has played for a side that has only managed 25 league goals all season and has had his pitch time managed. I think he’d be a tremendous addition and believe Howe would be the perfect manager for his development.

Liam Delap

Another that will be in hot, hot demand this summer.

Rumour is he has a £30 million release clause and there will be many willing to meet it.

I think he’ll end up elsewhere as there are other teams that can offer him the spot as undisputed first choice.

If he’s willing to play back up to the best striker in the Premier League, then he would be a fabulous addition and would offer us a completely different option up front.

He could come on in matches alongside Isak too if we needed it, 12 goals and two assists represent a good return for his debut season in the top division. Those goals are more than a third of Ipswich’s overall tally so far. He only turned 22 a couple of months ago, so would fit our mould nicely.

Kyle Walker-Peters

He was on my list last time Southampton got relegated. That time we opted instead for Livramento and it was a fantastic decision to do so.

I’d still extol the virtues of signing this fella. He can play in either full back berth and is good both defensively and offensively. He’d be an upgrade on Targett and maybe we could even send the former Saint the other way. I feel for Targett. He did so well for us initially but is nowhere near the first team picture anymore. I think his severe lack of game time would make shifting him to a Premier League team a struggle, so maybe a trade plus cash to his old side could work for everyone.

Walker-Peters picked up a pair of England caps, such was his form during their last relegation run. At 28, we’d be getting a player in his prime, possibly for a bargain price and with him, Trippier (yes, I think he’s got another season in him), Livramento and Hall as out and out full back options, we’d have ample depth for all the extra games next season will hold.

Aaron Ramsdale

I think many will scoff at this but he’s a player I’ve admired for a long time. As this is possibly the most contentious of my choices, I will spend the longest explaining my decision.

I have held the conviction for many yearshe  is the best English goalkeeper out there. Southampton’s demise means he’s now been relegated three times. All with different clubs. However, in all the teams he’s gone down with, he’s been one of the few players to come out with any credit. During the relegation seasons with both Bournemouth and Sheffield United he was voted their player of the season. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets the same award from Southampton this time around.

Despite that long track record of relegations he has, of course, had experience at a top side. Arsenal paid out £30 million on the then 23 year old. Bizarrely, after two years in which he didn’t do a lot wrong, Raya was brought in and Ramsdale only managed six league appearances in his final year at the club. The fact that Arteta doesn’t rate him doesn’t put me off in the slightest. It would make it all the sweeter should he be a success at our club.

His shot stopping is up there with any of our current keepers, but his distribution is far superior.

We’ve been long time admirers of Trafford. I’ll admit I haven’t seen much of him in the Championship, and he is also young, especially for a goalie. In the year Burnley went down he didn’t impress me greatly. He ended up replaced for the tail end of the season by Muric (a keeper who has gone on to Ipswich, let in some howlers this season and been replaced himself).

Full credit to Trafford this season though. He has only conceded 15 goals and Burnley have a record 29 clean sheets so he must be half decent. He’s also just been announced in the Championship team of the season. He could well grow into the next England number 1 and one of the Premier League’s best so I wouldn’t be averse to us signing him.

But my article is about relegated players that I think could improve our team/squad. I love Pope for all he’s done for us, and he has a medal for his efforts, but at times he hasn’t looked the same since his shoulder injury and I do think overall Ramsdale is a better keeper than him.

Ramsdale is currently second for shots saved in the Premier League with only Flekken above him. Sure, he has to face a lot more shots than other keepers, but he was also injured for a spell and has only played in 26 of 34 possible games this season. Southampton only earned one point in his absence and haven’t managed a clean sheet in any competition when Ramsdale didn’t start. Not that the three he’s picked up are much to write home about.

I’ve got a feeling we sign Trafford or Ramsdale this summer and Howe has recruited the latter before. I wouldn’t be upset if he repeated the trick.

Leif Davis is the only other possible that could make this list for me. As a lifelong Newcastle fan, he would join the team that already tops the chart for most players that support the club. I haven’t seen enough of him to comment in all honesty.

Please add your own suggestions in the comments section.