On Sunday, Bournemouth, Watford and Norwich City played their final Premier League matches before being consigned to relegation to the Championship.
Bournemouth went out with a win over Everton while Watford and Norwich suffered defeats away to Arsenal and Manchester City respectively.
A disconsolate Eddie Howe acknowledged that this summer will be an uncertain one for Bournemouth stating that “now is a time for reflection” and the same is true for Watford and Norwich.
Inevitably, a summer rebuild will be required at all three clubs over the summer and they will be bracing themselves for offers from top-flight clubs for their prized assets.
Here are the relegated players likely to be on the radar of Premier League clubs during the transfer window.
Nathan Ake (Bournemouth)
Nathan Ake missed Bournemouth’s final three games of the campaign through injury but the damage was effectively done for the Cherries already.
The Dutchman has been a pillar of Bournemouth’s defence since signing from Chelsea initially on loan in January 2017 and has been tipped to join Manchester City in a £35m deal. He was even seemingly courted by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after a game between the Cherries and Manchester United.
Potential destination: Manchester City
Abdoulaye Doucoure (Watford)
Abdoulaye Doucoure has established himself as one of the best central midfielders outside of the “top six” clubs and his slight dip in form certainly hurt Watford this season. At his peak, he was supposed to be a target for PSG.
The Frenchman’s lung-busting runs and ability to time his runs into the box to score means he is unlikely to be lacking in Premier League suitors, including long-term admirers Everton.
Potential destination: Everton
Max Aarons (Norwich City)
Max Aarons has long been earmarked as a potential star of the future after playing an integral role in Norwich’s promotion and scooping the 2018-19 EFL Young Player of the Year award.
The 20-year-old possesses speed in abundance, an assured touch and a good temperament and while he has areas to work on the raw materials are there for a Premier League club to work with.
Potential destination: Tottenham Hotspur
David Brooks (Bournemouth)
How Bournemouth must wish they had a fully fit David Brooks available for more than the nine games after the Premier League’s resumption in June.
The Welshman is a superbly gifted footballer, able to weave in and out of tackles and supply cute passes around the 18-yard-box and would be a good fit for any side which plays intricate passing football.
Potential destination: Leicester City
Ismaila Sarr (Watford)
Watford shelled out a club-record £30m to sign Ismaila Sarr from Rennes last summer and the 22-year-old showed glimpses of his potential despite his club’s struggles.
Sarr famously tore Liverpool apart in February with two goals and an assist in a 3-0 win at Vicarage Road and Jurgen Klopp may fancy bringing him to Anfield to shadow his Senegal international teammate Sadio Mane.
Potential destination: Liverpool
Emi Buendia (Norwich City)
At a glance, Emi Buendia’s return of one solitary goal and seven assists in the Premier League doesn’t immediately scream out top-six transfer target.
Scratch beneath the surface, though, and the Argentine’s underlying numbers are hugely impressive: only Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish and Trent Alexander-Arnold created more chances than Buendia.
Potential destination: Arsenal
Callum Wilson and Josh King (Bournemouth)
A big factor behind Bournemouth’s relegation is that the goals have dried up severely for Callum Wilson and Josh King.
Both Wilson and King’s goal totals for 2019-20 were exactly halved from 2018-19 – 14 to seven for Wilson and 12 to six for King – emphasising their declining fortunes in front of goal.
Ryan Fraser’s inconsistent form and decision to leave on June 30 allied to Brooks’ injury problems will have played a part behind those dwindling tallies but that is unlikely to deter clubs on the hunt for forwards.
Potential destination(s): Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham, Everton
Todd Cantwell (Norwich City)
Todd Cantwell started in fewer than half of Norwich’s games during their title-winning season in the Championship but he has been integral to Daniel Farke’s side in the Premier League.
Nicknamed by some Canaries as the ‘Dereham Deco’, Cantwell’s intelligence and ability to manoeuvre space in and around the box has caught the eye and he wouldn’t look out of place in a top-half team.
Potential destination: Leicester City
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from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/2BGXxri
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