The curtain has come down on another season so once more I’ve sat down and compiled my list of players at relegated clubs that I think would be good assets at Newcastle United.
It’s been a fertile hunting ground for our club over the last decade or so.
Although relegated teams often have many players that just aren’t up to it, there is usually a collection of quality in their ranks too.
Since the takeover, we have a signed at least one relegated player every single summer. We’ve seen Pope, Livramento, Barnes, Osula and Ramsdale sign either permanently or on loan.
I think this year has been one of the most exciting relegation battles for a few seasons. Instead of the promoted sides falling straight back into the Championship, we’ve had the prospect of either Forest, West Ham or Tottenham going down. I could have identified a host of players from any of those teams that would add something to our squad.
I struggled with Burnley, there isn’t anyone that I thought would offer an abundance of quality. Jaidon Anthony has eight goals and two assists in the Premier League this season and is a lively winger/forward that could give us cover right across the frontline. He would be a low cost replacement for our own Anthony. Zian Fleming has looked decent and has managed double figures in his first Premier League season. He’s a presence in the air too which we haven’t had much of from our strikers. At 27, I haven’t seen him do enough in his career to be convinced he’d improve on our current options.
Depending on transfer activity, I wouldn’t be averse to taking on Kyle Walker as a low cost back up right-back. He could replace Tripper with his experience and leadership ability and Krafth for his versatility at being able to play both right back and centre back. He’s obviously not the player he was at Man City but I don’t think his quality has diminished so much that he couldn’t be a good squad option. Maybe worth a single season punt assuming his wages weren’t ridiculous.
Across the other two relegated teams I think we do have an abundance of options.
Mateus Mane
My number one pick from Wolves would be the young Mateus Mane. Still just 18 years old, he’s been one of the stars of a pitiful campaign for the Midlands outfit. Fast and tricky and full of potential, He’d be a great prospect that could offer squad cover in the short term as well as possibly developing into a quality future first teamer.
When I did my research on him, I was surprised to find he’d only actually contributed three goals and two assists in the league all season. From what I’d seen, he appeared to be involved in most good things that his team had done from an attacking perspective.
It all depends on his price tag for me. If Wolves are expecting £50m+ I wouldn’t go near it but if we can negotiate something around circa £20m with add ons based on his development into a first team player, he could be someone that we could mould and will have huge sell on value in a few seasons time. I think it’s highly unlikely we’ll get him anywhere near that cheap though and Wolves may see him as someone to hang onto for the Championship.
Andre
I’d imagine one of our midfielders will leave this summer. Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali will be the high profile ones that will no doubt be linked all over the place. I’m hopeful neither of those will leave but I wouldn’t be surprised if Joe Willock said farewell. Willock is a decent player and does offer us something different however I think he’s a bit a confidence player and needs runs of games to be at his best. He’s unlikely to get extended first team action for us but has proven himself to be a capable Premier League player that would do well at a mid-table club. I could see a Palace or a Fulham prepared to take him on.
If we do need a new centre midfielder, we could do worse than one of Wolves’ Brazil internationals.
André is only 24 but already has 13 caps for Bruno and Joelinton’s national team. He operates as a number 6 so could serve to replace Tonali, in the nightmare scenario that he leaves, or could free the Italian to get into more advanced roles. At times we could see an entirely Brazilian midfield. Give us a yellow away kit and watch them flourish. If reports are to be believed, he could be available for around £30 million which I think would be an absolute steal for a player of his quality and experience at this level, especially as he should have all his best years ahead of him. He does that gritty and energetic defensive work that allows other midfielders to express themselves in an attacking sense.
Joao Gomes
Joao Gomes is a more attacking option than his compatriot. I’d see him as an upgraded version of Willock. He’s definitely an Eddie Howe style player, adept at breaking up play and bursting up and down the pitch. I say he’s a more attacking option than Andre but he’s actually third in the entire division for duels won this season, showing just how disruptive he can be. He’s been at Wolves a few years now and has suffered this season from an attacking perspective. He’s only managed one Premier League goal and is definitely a player that should be offering more. His best campaign in three and a half seasons only saw him achieve three goals. Is this something he could improve on when surrounded by better players and given more attacking licence? He’s got 10 Brazil caps but like his club teammate, didn’t make their World Cup squad. At 25, he’s again at a good age if the right price can be agreed.
Jarrod Bowen
Admittedly, based on their performance against us in the penultimate game of the season, it would be hard to make a case for any West Ham player. Obviously, I judge these players based on performances across a much longer period. There are several West Ham players that I think would be fantastic squad additions and at least one that’d walk into our first team.
If we can lure Jarrod Bowen to St James’ Park, he may solve an issue that has been prominent for large parts of the post takeover era. We’ve seen purple patches for both Almiron and Murphy that glossed over the issue at times, but realistically, we’ve not had a top quality player dominating the right wing for a long time.
Bowen turns 30 this year so isn’t the long term future but he’s likely to have a few decent seasons left in him. We’d need him to, as I’d imagine he’d come in on a hefty contract. He’s been West Ham’s best player pretty much every season since he signed. Even during this dismal campaign he’s managed nine league goals and 11 assists. He’s registered at least six goals in each of his full six seasons at the club and has got into double figures in half those campaigns (12 in 21/22, 16 23/24, 13 24/25).
The lack of a left footed wing option limits our overall game, in my opinion, and he’s up there as one of the best in the league. He can play through the middle too. With Gordon seemingly on his way out, having a versatile winger that can cover as a number 9 would be beneficial. I still think Elanga will come good in time, but he certainly doesn’t appear to be ready to be a dependable first choice on the right. A loan move for a year to a team where he is guaranteed to start and that has less focus and pressure could do him a lot of good. Or if we sell Murphy, Elanga would stay as the backup and can hopefully improve and grow into Bowen’s long term successor. Another massive plus with Bowen is his injury record. He has missed just 10 league games over the last six seasons which is quite extraordinary. Watch him sign for us and immediately break his leg…
Mateus Fernandes
The young Portuguese would be an excellent addition but if recent reports are to be believed he could cost us a record fee, so I just don’t see it happening. He’s comfortably been one of West Ham’s best players despite being one of the youngest regulars. He reminds me of Bruno in the way he plays and, with him only turning 22 this summer, he could be the long term successor to our Captain Fantastic. He disrupts play all over the pitch, constantly shows for the ball and can be progressive going forwards. I can see him adding loads more to his game and being a real Premier League force of the future.
Kyle Walker-Peters
I selected Walker-Peters last season when he was relegated with Southampton. What I would add is that with Kieran Trippier and Emil Krafth leaving and no cover at left back, other than an ageing Burn, a low-cost option that can operate in both full back positions would be invaluable. Could save us making two signings.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka
A player that I think could come in as another reasonably priced addition would be Wan-Bissaka. I hope Livramento will stay another season given we’re losing the other two players in his position. However, if he did go, I wouldn’t mind this guy coming in as the new first choice right back for a couple of seasons. It would free up money to be spent in other areas and I think he’d be a reliable addition.
He was signed for only £15m by West Ham and I can’t see them asking more than that for him as a relegated side. At anywhere around that price, he’d be good value as he comes into what should be his prime. A dependable defender, with that unique stretching tackle that dispossesses so many wingers that think they’ve beaten him. He’s no slouch going forward but doesn’t offer a great deal in terms of goals and assists. He has over 200 Premier League appearances and may take his game to another level if his next move is right.
Konstantinos Mavropanos
We might be in the market for another centre back too. No news yet on Fabian Schar’s decision but, if he was to go, we’d need to replace him considering both Lascelles and Krafth will have now moved on since we last signed a centre back.
The big Greek has been an interesting watch this season. A failure at Arsenal, he had an iffy start at West Ham but has grown into a dominant defender. Powerful and pacy, I think he’d work excellently alongside our other centre back options. Fearsome in both boxes, he has scored three goals this season for a struggling side and constantly looks menacing in dead ball situations. Another who, at 28, in the right environment, could see the next two or three seasons being the best of his career. Would be nice to have another Greek centre back too. I really liked Nikos Dabizas as a kid.
El Hadji Diouf
The non-spitting Diouf would be one I’d look at should Hall leave. I’d like to think Hall is right near the top of the list of players our board would refuse to sell. I’m also hopeful he wouldn’t want to leave. It’s going to be a traumatic summer with all our top talents linked away and so-called reports aplenty of their desire to move on. These reports with Hall are already out there and I pray they have zero substance. If he did depart, then West Ham’s left back would be a quality replacement.
Diouf has been sound defensively but is a best going forward too. He has the energy to bound up and down the flank in the way that is required in our system. At six foot, he’s accomplished aerially and is strong and fast. He only signed for West Ham last summer and has adapted well. He’s actually a few months younger than Hall so if we got him for half the price we sold our left back for, it could be considered good business. Just to reiterate though, I would hate to see Hall go. Other than Bruno there are no other players I’d least like to lose more.
Crysencio Summerville
The final of my seven choices from West Ham is Crysencio Summerville.
For the record, I know it would be madness to sign seven players from one relegated team in a season. Obviously, I wouldn’t want all of them collectively but each has their merits and one or two could really add to our squad/first team.
With Gordon likely to have played his last game for us, we’ll need another left winger. Summerville looked good in his first Premier League season with Leeds, got relegated and had a tremendous season in the Championship, notching 19 goals before getting signed by West Ham. He signed for around £25m and, again, I can’t see him going for much more than that. West Ham are in little position to play hardball for their entire team and I think they’ll save that stance for the transfers of Bowen and Fernandes. Anything around £40m or less for a 24 year old with loads of potential would be good business. He has lots of similar traits to Gordon with that burst of acceleration, jinking dribbling style, ability to draw fouls and, most importantly, an eye for goal.
The Dutchman managed five goals and four assists this season in 31 appearances. He’s drawn the third most fouls in the league too with 67, behind only our Bruno and our former player, Anderson. Having a winger that can get up the pitch and relieve pressure is vital and I think Summerville competing with Barnes on the left would leave us well stocked. He just edges Jaidon Anthony for me despite having fewer goals this season.
And that wraps up the summer 2026 edition of Raid The Relegated. I can see us signing at least one relegated player this summer to keep our streak going. With West Ham having lots of players on wages that won’t be sustainable in a Championship campaign, I think there will be bargains to attain. It’s just whether we can get the right players ahead of the competition. Drop your comments below and let me know which players you’d like to see signed from the relegated teams.
You can follow the author on Twitter @billymerlin