Second tier talents destined for a shot at the big-time.
Unless you were on another planet at the weekend you will have noticed the return of the Premier League. Along with the countless arrivals from Europe and around the world, there were also several former Championship players making the step up to the top-flight of English football. Wilfried Zaha, Nathan Redmond, Dwight Gayle, John Brayford and Curtis Davis have all joined the English elite after impressing in the English second-tier. With just days left of the summer transfer window, the race to recruit the next hottest talents in the Championship is heating up. Here are five players that could be gracing the Premier League in the very near future:
Liam Bridcutt (Brighton & Hove Albion)
The 24-year-old former Chelsea academy product is apparently eager to step up and play in the Premier League with reports suggesting that West Ham and Norwich are interested in the combative midfielder. The Scottish international won a host of admirers with Brighton last season with some impressive performances for Gus Poyet’s play-off chasing side. His ability to drive the team forward with ensured displays earned him the club’s player of the season award and his ex-boss even previously stated that he believed Bridcutt was good enough to play with Real Madrid one day.
While we don’t expect him to be running out at the Bernabeu anytime soon, he may be featuring in the English top-flight imminently with the departure of Poyet casting doubts over his long term future. The defensive midfielder still has two years left to run on his current contract at the Falmer Stadium and the Seagulls will be looking for around £5million if they decided to cash-in this summer.
Jordan Rhodes (Blackburn Rovers)
The prolific Scottish international striker only made the switch to Ewood Park last summer in a massive £8million switch from Huddersfield Town – the record breaking transfer fee paid for a player outside of the top-flight – but he is a wanted man. Rhodes broke through with the West Yorkshire side hitting an incredible 40 goals in his 45 games for the League One outfit during the 2011/12 season. He has continued this rich vein of form with Rovers in the second tier finishing last season with a total of 28 league goals.
It is difficult to see Rovers manager Gary Bowyer selling the former Ipswich Town youth product, who still has three years left on his contract, during the current transfer window but a transfer payment of around £12million should be enough to land the 23-year-old. Premier League sides including Newcastle United, Swansea City and West Ham are all reportedly interested in the goal-scoring striker who has won eight caps for Scotland.
Tom Ince (Blackpool)
The goal-scoring winger has already rejected one move to the Premier League this summer after turning down the chance to join Malky Mackay’s Cardiff City due to personal reasons, opting instead to remain at Bloomfield Road to play under his father Paul. Ince has been linked with a whole host of Premier League clubs over the close season after netting 18 goals to help the Tangerines to a 15th place finish last term. The 21-year-old originally came through with the Liverpool academy before signing for Blackpool in August 2011 as he sought further first team football.
The latest clubs to show interest in the England U-21 international are Newcastle United and Everton with a £8m fee thought to be enough to land one of the hottest properties in the Championship before the transfer window slams shut on September 2. With speculation continuing over the future of his dad with the Seasiders, both Ince’s could be on their way out of Bloomfield Road in the next few weeks.
Will Hughes (Derby County)
Liverpool are the latest club to show interest in the remarkably gifted 18-year-old midfielder and a £6million move to Anfield could be in the offing for one of the most promising talents in European football before the transfer window ends. The Derby youngster starred for England U-21’s last week in their 6-0 victory over Scotland while his mature performances for Nigel Clough’s Derby side have also reportedly captivated watching scouts. Barcelona, Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal are all thought to be tracking Hughes who Clough has previously admitted has all the abilities to become a world-class player if his development continues. After breaking through with the Rams first team last season, the creative midfielder made a name for himself in his 35 Championship appearances with elegant, composed displays well beyond his years.
This could see the youngster leaving Pride Park before the end of August with Derby understood to be resigned to losing the future England star at the right price.
Troy Deeney (Watford)
This time last year Deeney was beginning the season serving a 10-month prison sentence after being convicted of affray following a fight outside a nightclub in Birmingham. The former Walsall striker returned after serving a third of his sentence in September to form a formidable strike partnership with on-loan forward Matej Vydra at Vicarage Road which took Gianfranco Zola’s side to the very brink of the Premier League. Deeney ended the campaign with 20 goals in his 43 appearances but it wasn’t enough as the Hornets lost out in the play-off final to Crystal Palace. However Deeney has recovered from this disappointment to start the new season in blistering form and has already hit five goals in his three appearances which including a brilliant hat-trick in a 6-1 win against Bournemouth.
The powerful striker only penned an improved three-and-a-half new deal at Vicarage Road in March but the interest from the Premier League is swelling with just weeks remaining of the present transfer window. The 6ft striker is now regarded as one of the best players outside of the Premier League and Watford could face a fight to keep hold of him with Tottenham one of the many sides showing interest in his services to demonstrate just how far his stock has risen within 12 months.