Premier League: Players who have impressed out on loan

• Premier League teams loaned out undesirable or unused assets this season, with over 150 players spending time away from top-flight clubs in 2023/24.
• Some have impressed on loan and could be back in their managers’ thinking come pre-season.
• We’ve looked at Premier League players who are presently on loan and should be given a shot next season.

Premier League teams loaned out undesirable or unused assets this season, with over 150 players spending time away from top-flight clubs in 2023/24.

Some have impressed on loan and could be back in their managers’ thinking come pre-season.

We’ve looked at Premier League players who are presently on loan and should be given a shot next season.

Jay Stansfield (Fulham)

Jay Stansfield. Photo/ BBC

Working his way up the football ladder, Jay Stansfield spent the previous season with Exeter in League One before joining second-tier club Birmingham City on loan for the 2023–2024 season.

In a struggling team, the 21-year-old has scored 12 goals in the league while adjusting to the step up with great style. Stansfield is the club’s top scorer, and his exploits have kept Birmingham in the fight to avoid relegation.

Stansfield made his u-21 debut for England in November after putting on impressive performances, and he has now earned three caps for the Young Lions. Rodrigo Muniz has become Fulham’s main man this season, but with Raul Jimenez getting older and Armando Broja’s Chelsea loan stint not working out, there may be a spot in Marco Silva’s plans for Stansfield next year.

Deniz Undav (Brighton)

Deniz Undav left Brighton in the summer in pursuit of regular playing time after the club signed Joao Pedro from Watford to provide competition to their forward line.

Undav excelled in limited play last season, netting five goals in six league starts, and the German has improved his goal-scoring record at Stuttgart this season.

In 26 Bundesliga games, the 27-year-old has 17 goals and eight assists, with 19 of those coming from the start. Only Harry Kane, Serhou Guirassy, and Lois Openda have outperformed Undav, who has found the prolific form that convinced Brighton to recruit him from Union Saint-Gilloise.

Undav’s performance in Stuttgart’s improbable Champions League qualifying earned him an international call up, and he made his debut for Germany in March. Following a fantastic Bundesliga season, a spot in the team for Euro 2024 on home soil is likely.

Undav will be part of Robert De Zerbi’s plans at the Amex next season.

David Brooks (Bournemouth)

David Brooks. Photo/ The FA

The narrative of David Brooks’ remarkable recovery from illness and injury is inspiring; nevertheless, this season at Bournemouth, the midfield player was left out in the cold. In January, he signed a loan deal with Southampton, the team’s neighbors on the south coast, following a disappointing first half of the season spent on the sidelines with only two starts.

The Wales international is finding his groove after a lengthy absence from the game, and he has been effective in the Championship, tallying seven goals and providing assists in ten league starts for the Saints.

Brooks was formerly seen to be one of the Premier League’s top young players; he was considered for the PFA Young Player of the Year award in 2018–19 along with players like Marcus Rashford, Bernardo Silva, and Raheem Sterling. At his best, Brooks can help Bournemouth.

Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea)

Romelu Lukaku joined Roma on loan. Photo/ Football365

Romelu Lukaku’s record-breaking return to Chelsea was nothing short of disastrous, as the Belgian re-signed for the West Londoners in a club-record deal, only to alienate a whole fanbase before being loaned away.

Lukaku spent last season on loan at Inter Milan before joining Roma on a season-long contract for the current season. He has 18 goals in all competitions for the Italians, but chances of a permanent signing are slim, with Roma unlikely to be able to pay the £37 million asking price.

Chelsea clearly requires a centre-forward, with Nicolas Jackson having had an up-and-down maiden season with the club. Could the solution be in front of them?

Given the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules, Lukaku should be evaluated this summer. The 30-year-old is a goal-scoring machine who might provide valuable expertise to an inexperienced club. We must concede that we are unlikely to see Lukaku in a blue shirt again, but it is not out of the question.