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.