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Sometimes players can find themselves stuck in a rut, through no real fault of their own. Being a great footballer is one thing, but it won't win you trophies. You need the other ten players on the pitch with you to perform to the same standard if you're to get anywhere. Unfortunately, that's not possible for some of the players on this list, and if anything, they deserve to seek a move elsewhere.
The Championship is a gruelling league to be in, as it features 24 teams from around the country, meaning that there are 46 games to be played over the course of a single campaign. Add to that the cup ties (FA Cup and League Cup) throughout the season, and you can see why so many players desperately flee from clubs that get relegated from the Premier League.
On the other hand, for younger players looking to prove a point, the Championship serves as a big stage to showcase your ability. The likes of Jack Grealish and James Chester are both great examples: Grealish struggled in the Premier League, with the pressure weighing down heavily on his young shoulders, and it wasn't until Villa got relegated that he had a real opportunity to prove his worth - and he did just that.
As for James Chester, he had a torrid time at West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League, and it took his move to Villa a couple of years ago for him to really find his groove. He's now a key defender for the Villains, and also wears the captain's armband.
In this list, I'm going to share with you the ten players that I think deserve a move back to the Premier League, simply because they're far too good for the Championship now. After a certain point, there's not much more you can do, development-wise, in this league, and so the players in question need to find their move sooner rather than later.
#10 Matej Vydra (Derby County)
Matej Vydra has always been considered a Championship striker, mainly because of his excellent goalscoring record in the division. Most recently, Vydra scored 21 goals in 42 matches for Derby in their promotion push last season. Sadly, his performances weren't enough to secure them any such achievement, but if he had been with a better side, there's no doubt he could have scored even more.
Vydra could be a great signing for a mid-table-and-below Premier League side, who are in search of a cheap option to supplement their attack. At just £7m, Vydra would be an absolute bargain for any team looking to hoist him out of the swamp.
Where might Matej Vydra end up?
Vydra has been linked with a plethora of clubs this summer, including a couple of Premier League teams, but it's Leeds United who appear to be the frontrunner in the race for his signature, according to TalkSport.
#9 Ahmed Hegazi (West Bromwich Albion)
Having arrived at West Brom on loan from Al Ahly at the start of last season, West Brom swiftly snapped up the Egyptian defender in December on a permanent deal that same year. He cost the Baggies £4.5m at the time, but is now valued at around £7.2m, according to Transfermarkt.
Hegazi was so important to West Brom last season that he featured in all 38 Premier League games, cementing himself as a solid defender for the division.
Where might Ahmed Hegazi end up?
West Ham United are one of many teams that are most likely to bid for the 28-year-old this summer, having had their interest piqued by the £10m relegation clause in his contract. Tottenham Hotspur have also been linked.
#8 Adama Traore (Middlesbrough)
Adama Traore is built in much the same way as Xherdan Shaqiri: both short, stocky, but very quick. Both can also weave in and out of defenders with ease, which is a quality that belongs in the Premier League, as it suits the division's fast tempo.
Traore was actually developed in Barcelona's youth academy, and played for Barcelona B for a couple of years before being signed by Aston Villa in 2015. He made the switch to his current club, Middlesbrough, the following summer for around £7m.
Both of these teams were in the Premier League when Adama signed for them, so there is likely a pattern emerging here.
Where might Adama Traore end up?
Wolves are the most likely club to snatch up the tricky winger, with The Sun reporting that they're prepared to pay £18m up front for his services this summer. It would see the 22-year-old make a return to the Premier League, which is where he belongs.
#7 Jay Rodriguez (West Bromwich Albion)
Jay Rodriguez scored seven goals for the Baggies in their ill-fated Premier League campaign last season. That's a good number when playing for a team that provides little to no service to the strikers. For most of the season, Rodriguez was used as a left-winger, especially under Pulis' leadership. The arrival of Alan Pardew saw Rodriguez shift to a shadow striker role, where he scored a handful of goals whilst mainly complementing Rondon's attacking prowess.
But it wasn't until Darren Moore stepped in towards the end of the season that Rodriguez was pushed to an all-out striker position. He thrived in the role and was a constant threat to the opposition. Had he been in a team with better chemistry and service, there's no doubt that his goal tally would have entered double figures.
Where might Jay Rodriguez end up?
At the start of the summer, speculation was rife regarding Jay Rodriguez's future, with many publications linking him to Premier League sides. And while it was Burnley who had expressed the most interest back in June, nothing came of it. Burnley had reportedly offered £40m in a combo deal for Rodriguez and Craig Dawson, but it was turned down.
There's a possibility that Rodriguez might stay with the Baggies next season, but everybody can accept that he's far better than the standard on display in the league.
#6 James Chester (Aston Villa)
James Chester led Aston Villa to the Championship Play-Off Finals last season, where they lost out on promotion to the Premier League to Fulham. The 29-year-old joined Villa from West Bromwich Albion in the summer of 2016 for £8.3m, after he had failed to break into the starting eleven.
It's been at Villa where he's made the most improvement, though. Donning the captain's armband and sitting firmly in the centre of the Villa defence, manager Steve Bruce will undoubtedly be trying his best to keep onto the Welsh international this summer.
Where might James Chester end up?
Chester has been linked with a variety of clubs, including some Premier League sides, but no bid has materialised from them. However, Stoke City, who were recently relegated to the Championship had a £10m bid rejected by Aston Villa this past week. Whilst there hasn't been any concrete interest from Premier League teams yet, Chester is certainly deserving of a spot in one, as he's proved to everybody just what he's capable of when given the right opportunities.
#5 Pontus Jansson (Leeds United)
Pontus Jansson was bought by Leeds United for a cool £3m back in July 2017. His former club Torino must have overlooked the centre-back's ability, because he's now worth almost double that price, and it's only been a year.
Jansson featured in 42 of the 46 matches for Leeds in the Championship last year, where he solidified his place in the starting eleven thanks to a long string of superb performances. He was also selected to play for his country, Sweden, in the World Cup this summer. He made two appearances for the Swedes before they were knocked out in the quarterfinals by England.
Where might Pontus Jansson end up?
The Sun reported that Southampton were prepared to line up a bid for Jansson this summer, but nothing has materialised as of yet. There has been speculation surrounding a move to the Premier League for some time now, but until an official move is made, he will stay put.
#4 Salomon Rondon (West Bromwich Albion)
Like his Baggies strike partner, Jay Rodriguez, Salomon Rondon also scored seven goals last season. The Venezuelan international is strong and bulky, yet very quick once off the mark. His acceleration surprised many defenders in the Premier League last season, some of whom were caught out in their own area and forced to pay the price, watching Rondon wheel away in celebration.
Many were even more surprised when Rondon actually signed for West Brom from Zenit for £15m in 2015. It didn't look a likely destination at the time, especially with Chelsea and West Ham also linked with the forward. Now that he's dropped to the Championship, his relegation release clause is open to being activated. It would cost a side £16.5m to purchase him if the clause is activated, which is a great price for a player of his calibre in today's market.
Where might Salomon Rondon end up?
Newcastle United have been heavily linked with Rondon all summer as Rafa Benitez looks to strengthen his attack. But with the recent arrival of Yoshinori Muto, the rumours and speculation surrounding the potential Rondon switch have suddenly died down. West Ham United have also decided to look elsewhere in recent weeks, which now makes the chance of Rondon sticking with the Baggies for another season a very likely one.
#3 Nacer Chadli (West Bromwich Albion)
There's no doubt that West Brom have one of the best sides in the Championship now, with many of their players still being up to Premier League standard, so it's no surprise that there's yet another Baggies player on this list.
Nacer Chadli was ruled out of the majority of last season and only played twice in the Premier League. He also made a couple of appearances for the U23s, but that was all. Strangely, he was fit and raring to go when the World Cup came round, and the Belgian had a great tournament - even netting the winner against Japan - which will boost his transfer value.
Where might Nacer Chadli end up?
Whilst initially there was talk about a possible reunion at Spurs, the speculation has now thinned out. Chadli has been most recently linked with Turkish side Besiktas, and the Baggies are reportedly prepared to part ways with him for just €10m. It would make sense for Chadli to seek football elsewhere, as he doesn't quite fit the type of football that West Brom play, nor would he suit the Championship's gruelling schedule.
#2 Jack Grealish (Aston Villa)
Jack Grealish has been at the epicentre of Aston Villa for several years now. He is the club's standout player and deserves to be playing for a team of a much higher calibre, preferably in the Premier League. With this in mind, Tottenham Hotspur's heavy interest in the 22-year-old makes a lot of sense.
Where might Jack Grealish end up?
Daniel Levy has tried to exploit Aston Villa's financial issues this summer in an attempt to get the promising midfielder for just £15m, rather than for his initial asking price of £40m. But following the new takeover, Levy might have to now pay full price for Grealish if he stands any hope of acquiring the England U21 international.
#1 Jack Butland (Stoke City)
Jack Butland was quite literally Stoke City's only redeeming feature last season. He, like Jack Grealish for Aston Villa, is Stoke's standout player. He's a name that doesn't fit the club, so when Chelsea were named as the frontrunners to sign Butland this summer, it didn't come as much of a surprise.
Where might Jack Butland end up?
As stated above, Chelsea look to be the team to get Butland's signature before the window closes in August, despite Stoke boss, Gary Rowett, claiming that the rumours aren't to be believed. Thibaut Courtois has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid, which makes the Butland deal even more of a possibility.
