Premier League Stars who stayed in the Relegation Sides and led to their Return
A few stars from the relegated Premier League sides decided to stay to help them bounce back to the top flight. Relegation is one of the nightmares all teams strive to avoid in their history. Unfortunately, most teams have not always been able to stay on top, except the elites. Once the team goes down to the second tier, they shall be prepared to lose their key men.
It is considered normal for stars in the relegated teams to expect a move just to stay competing in the top flight. Yet, these names chose the unpopular decision, sticking to their clubs during the hard times. They did not lack offers to switch sides but loyalty means more to them. These are the extraordinary stars in the Premier League who opted to stay when their team suffered relegation and helped them return to the top tier again.
Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham)
The Serbian international had stayed in the second tier not just once but three times, in 2016/17, 2019/20 and 2021/22. In 2017, he was still playing for Newcastle United. When they were relegated in 2015/16, the towering striker opted to stay in St.James’ Park and helped them return to the top flight in the following season. Meanwhile, in the other two seasons, he was already in Fulham. When they went down tothe Championship in 2019 and 2021, he did not leave but stayed till they came back to the top flight. He even won the top scorer award in the second tier by scoring 26 and 43 goals respectively in 2020 and 2022.
Mitrovic is currently playing in the Saudi Pro League after leaving Fulham in 2023. The former Partizan Belgrade and Anderlecht man has been capped 94 times and is the current all-time goalscorer in Serbia’s national team with 58 goals. He is also included in the EURO 2024 final squad. It is his second major tournament after the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Jannik Vestergaard (Leicester City)
The Danish defender has just helped his current club, Leicester City, to return to the Premier League this year. He opted to stay in King Power stadium when The Foxes were relegated in 2022/23 despite being demoted to the reserve team by his previous boss, Brendan Rodgers, and the offer to move elsewhere.
Vestergaard demonstrated his quality and loyalty for Leicester City, which he joined in 2022, last season by playing in almost every game in the Championship under Enzo Maresca. The 31-year-old centre-back hit the pitch 42 times and contributed two goals. He is even named in Denmark’s final squad for EURO 2024. The former Hoffenheim, Werder Bremen, Gladbach and Southampton man has earned 42 caps in the international fixtures and played in three major tournaments so far.
Dominic Solanke (Bournemouth)
He was one of the underrated English strikers last season. The former star in England U20 when they won the FIFA U20 World Cup in 2017 was able to score 19 goals and provide three assists in the Premier League and joined the top scorer list under Erling Haaland, Cole Palmer and Newcastle man, Alexander Isak. Solanke is the key man in Andoni Iraola’s team as he helped them finish 12th last season. They managed to secure stunning results including when they humiliated Manchester United in Old Trafford by three goals to nil.
The former Chelsea and Liverpool forward joined Bournemouth in 2018. In 2020, The Cherries had to suffer relegation. Solanke did not part ways with them to stay in the top flight but contributed well to their promotion two years later. The Reading-born forward is hopeful to get another call-up for The Three Lions after his sole cap in 2017. Otherwise, he could switch sides to Nigeria, in which he is eligible too, following the footsteps of his former teammate in England U20 side, Atalanta‘s current star, Ademola Lookman.
Che Adams (Southampton)
The Scotland international forward has just helped The Saints to return to the top flight via the playoffs stage last season. He made 41 appearances with 16 goals and four assists in his contribution. Che Adams signed for Southampton in 2019 and last season was the first time he had to play in the second tier again after leaving Birmingham City back in the 2018/19 season.
The Leicester-born frontman once played for Sheffield United as his first professional club. He already had two caps in the England U20 team before deciding to switch allegiance with Scotland in 2021. EURO 2024 is his second major tournament after the previous edition in 2020, which was staged in 2021 due to the world pandemic. Adams has made 31 appearances for The Tartan Army, including three games in Germany in 2024, and netted six times.
Tim Krul (Norwich City)
The 36-year-old Dutch goalie was the mainstay in Norwich City when they went on yo-yo period. He stayed in Carrow Road when they were relegated in 2020 and helped them bounce back to the top flight instantly in the following season. Krul even opted not to depart when The Canaries went down again in 2022. He eventually left after staying for two seasons in the second tier and joined Luton Town last season, when he was only the second fiddle in the team.
The former Newcastle and AZ Alkmaar man was famous for his contribution on penalties to bring the Netherlands to the semi-finals in the 2014 FIFA World Cup by beating Costa Rica. He replaced the first choice, Jasper Cillessen just before the shootout. Unfortunately, that was the only time he made appearances in a major international competition. Overall, the goalie who was once Barcelona’s target in 2018 was only capped 15 times with De Oranje for ten years. Should he have joined the Catalan side, he could have helped Barcelona tickets in high demand as well as played alongside Lionel Messi.
Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)
The 37-year-old striker just helped Leicester City to return to the top flight in 2024. They were relegated in 2023 and Vardy did not leave them behind, despite a number of offers for the pacey forward. His name has been an integral part of The Foxes’ history.
The forward with 26 international caps and seven goals for The Three Lions joined Leicester in 2012 and brought them to the top flight in 2014. He has been the key man in King Power ever since, including when they won the Premier League in 2016 and the FA Cup in 2021.
The published material expresses the position of the author, which may not coincide with the opinion of the editor.