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#3 Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham)
Play-Off winners Fulham might need a major rebuild of their squad if they want to avoid instant relegation from the Premier League. But they do have one major weapon in their arsenal. Striker Aleksandar Mitrovic scored 26 goals in 2019-20 to finish as the competition’s top scorer, averaging a goal every 139 minutes.
More importantly, though, the Serbian international is already a proven goalscorer at the top level. Despite Fulham’s struggles in the Premier League in the 2018-19 campaign, Mitrovic was still able to score a decent 11 goals. And that isn’t taking into account his record at international level, where he’s scored goals against the likes of France, Croatia and Switzerland.
A physical presence up front, Mitrovic is practically a throwback striker. He’s usually used as a battering ram of sorts, with his ability in the air remaining fantastic. The 2019-20 season, for instance, has seen him win an average of 4.5 aerial duels per game, with a number of his goals coming from his head.
Questions still abound over his discipline, and he may find it harder to employ his physical style against Premier League defenders. However, he clearly knows where to find goals and he’s performed in the Premier League before. If he can find form, then Fulham have a much better shot of survival.
#4 Pablo Hernandez (Leeds United)
Given that he first appeared in the Premier League for Swansea City nearly a decade ago, it’ll be strange to see Spanish veteran Pablo Hernandez return. He’s 35 years old now and should be at the tail-end of his career. But he was fantastic for Leeds in the 2019-20 campaign, scoring nine goals and registering nine assists in 36 games.
Deployed as Marcelo Bielsa’s lead playmaker, Hernandez first joined Leeds back in 2016. Since the arrival of the legendary Argentine boss though, he’s been one of the Whites’ key players. In November he inked a contract to keep him at Elland Road until 2022.
Like his former Valencia teammate and Premier League star David Silva, Hernandez is excellent on the ball and his passing range is fantastic. This season saw him average over 53 passes per game, with an average of 2.3 key passes per game.
He’s also shown the ability to pop up with something special at the right moment – as he did when he scored the winner in a key game against Swansea in July.
Given his age, how well the Spaniard will adapt to the higher pace of the Premier League is a bit of a question mark. However, he’s clearly got the ability, experience and class to thrive at the top level. And he should be a key man for Leeds in their return to the top flight.
#5 Josh Onomah (Fulham)
When Tottenham Hotspur used midfielder Josh Onomah as a makeweight in their deal for Fulham’s Ryan Sessegnon last summer, his chances at the top level were all but written off. However, following the Cottagers’ promotion, the 23-year-old will have another chance at Premier League success in 2020-21.
A highly talented player with good dribbling skills, passing range and an eye for goal, Onomah made 35 appearances for Fulham this season, scoring four goals and registering three assists.
Most notably he came to prominence following the competition’s restart in June. three of his goals and two of his assists came during that time period, with his solo goal against Cardiff in the Play-Off semi-finals being one of the best of the 2019-20 campaign.
The big knock on Onomah is his consistency. Despite his ability, he does have a tendency to float in and out of games and go missing at times. And if he wants to succeed at the Premier League level then he’ll need to improve on that.
It’s clear though that he has a lot of raw ability. And if Scott Parker can get the most out of him, he may well play a key role in attempting to secure Fulham’s Premier League status next season.
