Six players destined to stay in the Premier League after inevitable relegation

There are six players facing relegation from the Premier League that we think are destined to stay in the top flight. Including two from each of Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town, here they are…

Liam Delap (Ipswich Town)
It is hardly bold to say the Premier League’s current bottom three will not survive. Wolves are the only other team in contention for the drop but there is little chance they will be quite bad enough and one of Ipswich, Leicester or Southampton will be quite good enough to make things even remotely interesting.

Of every player expected to be relegated, Liam Delap has impressed the most, though we think the next man on this list might have a higher ceiling. The former Manchester City youngster has a very decent 10 goals in 26 Premier League matches this season but his goals alone have not been enough to carry an average Ipswich side to safety.

Relegation for the Tractor Boys will come after back-to-back promotions under Kieran McKenna and it will be interesting to see what happens to the squad and their manager, who was coveted last summer before signing a contract extension.

Delap is one Ipswich player definitely not staying down and there is a chance he becomes a transfer target for Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United in the summer, while Manchester City reportedly have a £40million buy-back clause.

Man United could do a lot worse and are desperate for a natural goalscorer up front. Delap has every attribute you want in a striker; he is quick, strong, good in the air, a clinical finisher and makes some great movement off the ball. The 22-year-old could also become a Newcastle United target if they sell Alexander Isak and if one of Bournemouth, Brighton or Fulham make Europe, they might decide to join the race.

Tyler Dibling (Southampton)
Ahh, what a player young Tyler Dibling is. In a miserable season for Southampton, the 19-year-old has been a rare positive.

Unsurprisingly, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle have all been linked with Dibling in recent months but there will be reservations after the teenager only lasted a couple of months at Chelsea, swiftly returning to Southampton due to difficulties settling in west London.

Homesickness could be a thing of the past after Dibling’s exciting first taste of Premier League football and he will not make the move if he is not 100% sure it is the best thing for him. He has also aged two-and-a-half years since first leaving the Saints, which is a significant amount of time for someone of his age.

If Dibling does leave Southampton in the summer, his new club will be landing a genuine future star.

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Bilal El Khannouss (Leicester City)
If Leicester decide to win another Premier League game this season, they will probably have Bilal El Khannouss to thank for it. The Foxes signed the 20-year-old Moroccan from Genk for around £18million last summer and he has adapted well to the Premier League, even if his football club has not.

This signing is one of the few positive things Leicester have done this season and the club’s poor decision-making will surely see them succumb to another Premier League relegation. El Khannouss’ top-flight safety feels a lot more secure, though we would have said the same about Sheffield United’s Gustavo Hamer this time last year.

El Khannouss came from a club proficient at developing young players and ex-boss Steve Cooper was reluctant to throw him in the deep end before being sacked. His replacement, Ruud van Nistelrooy, has made the young playmaker a mainstay in his starting XI. That decision has not propelled the Foxes up the Premier League table but it has allowed us to enjoy El Khannouss.

Aaron Ramsdale (Southampton)
Our man made a bold decision to join Southampton last summer; this guy clearly loves getting relegated. We know Aaron Ramsdale had to leave Arsenal but we refuse to believe this was his best option. Regardless, he is there now and is on the brink of a third Premier League relegation after miserable campaigns at Bournemouth and Sheffield United, where he did at least win player of the season both times, and probably will again this year.

Ramsdale is the most Premier League-proven player out of the six here and on his day he is one of the best goalkeepers in the division. Losing his place at Arsenal surprised a lot of people but it is a decision that has since been justified by the performances of David Raya and the shakiness of Ramsdale in the Spaniard’s absence, though we felt for him when his confidence was understandably shot.

Chelsea need a new goalkeeper but Ramsdale is not enough of an upgrade on Filip Jorgensen and Robert Sanchez and the Blues also reportedly have no intention of signing a new No. 1. Other options are the same as last year, yet he ended up at St Mary’s. It is anyone’s guess where Ramsdale lands but we are confident it won’t be in the Championship.

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Leif Davis (Ipswich Town)
There are Alfie Doughty vibes with Leif Davis. The 25-year-old Ipswich left-back is ninth for key passes (48) and eighth for crosses (125) in the Premier League this season and did not miss a single minute until matchday 23 on January 25 when he came off at half-time after defending Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.

Doughty did not stay in Our League when Luton Town went down and given the similarities in playing style and influence on their respective teams, Davis might be set for the same fate. He will hope Ipswich fare better back in the Championship than Luton, who are facing consecutive relegations.

Who’s in need of a new left-back then? Liverpool certainly are, and they have experience signing relegated left-backs, but Davis probably isn’t quite good enough. So maybe Bournemouth if Milos Kerkez leaves, Fulham if Antonee Robinson leaves, Wolves if Rayan Ait-Nouri leaves, and West Ham should definitely take a look.

Mads Hermansen (Leicester City)
Two goalkeepers? That’s insane.

Being a goalkeeper for any of the three promoted – and soon to be relegated – clubs has been a chastening experience. Mads Hermansen can take some pride from his performances in the Leicester goal, even if he has conceded 12 in the Foxes’ last four games and only has one clean sheet in the league.

There have been some standout performances, including against Arsenal at the Emirates. Hermansen made 13 saves, nine of which came from shots inside the penalty area. Leicester lost 4-2 thanks to two late, late goals, but Hermansen was bloody brilliant.

Even if Ramsdale and Hermansen go down having conceded 500 goals, they are two goalkeepers capable of thriving at a better Premier League club.