Grady Diangana
Grady Diangana is still a free agent, having left West Bromwich Albion at the end of his contract in June. Joining on loan from West Ham for the 2019/20 season, Diangana was very impressive, helping the Baggies achieve promotion to the Premier League. He would then join the Albion permanently for a fee of £18m, leaving Hammers captain Mark Noble gutted at his departure.
Five years later and Diangana has never really hit those same heights. He was somewhat impressive in the 2023/24 campaign, achieving 15 goal contributions in 38 Championship appearances, but aside from that, he has been relatively quiet during his time at the Hawthorns. There have been links to several Championship clubs, as well as clubs in Scotland, but his most concrete offer has come very recently from Damac FC in Saudi Arabia. He is only 27 so still has time on his side but it is somewhat surprising that we are halfway through August and the DR Congo international is still a free agent.
Jamal Lewis
Jamal Lewis has become something of a forgotten man over the last few years. Once a bright light in a Norwich side that were well off the pace in the Premier League, Lewis would join Newcastle United in 2020.
Twenty-four Premier League appearances would follow in the 2020/21 season as he competed with Matt Ritchie for a starting spot. Lewis would ultimately lose his spot to Ritchie and even saw Paul Dummett being picked over him at times. Over the next two seasons, Lewis would only make ten appearances in all competitions. Something that definitely didn’t help the Northern Irishman was Newcastle’s ownership change which would see new owners invest heavily in the club. Matt Targett, who has become a forgotten man in his own right, was brought in at left back, whilst 20-year-old Lewis Hall now holds down the position.
Lewis would go out on loan to Watford in the Championship for the 2023/24 season, making 38 appearances at Vicarage Road. Last season he would go out on loan to Sao Paulo, becoming the first British Player to sign for the Brazilian side. However, he would only make 6 appearances before suffering an ankle injury which would require surgery, resulting in his time in South America being cut short. Also still only 27, Lewis could be a solid option for a team in the Championship but he remains a free agent for now.
Daniel Amartey
A Premier League and FA Cup winner, Daniel Amartey is still a free agent two seasons after leaving Leicester City. Amartey made 145 appearances for the Foxes before heading to Besiktas in Turkey, but this is where things get strange. It was reported that a deal was in place to send Amartey to a team in Saudi Arabia, but he refused to get on the plane.
Even more strangely, it was said that a move to Turkish rivals Eyupspor had been agreed, but according to club spokesman Huseyin Yucel, the Ghanian “escaped through the back door of our facilities.” Amartey denies that any of this happened but that didn’t stop Yucel from labelling him “a strange person.” Amartey’s contract was terminated soon after and he hasn’t played for any other teams since. One of the reasons sighted for Amartey’s alleged refusal to leave Besiktas, was that he either wanted to return to England or move to Germany.
It is difficult to assess how good a player Amartey is at this current moment, after all his contract was terminated last September, but I think he could be a solid option for a number of Championship sides, especially given his versatility. He has been linked to West Bromwich Albion to replace the departing Torbjorn Heggem, but a move now seems unlikely, given the fact that they have just signed Krystian Bielik from Birmingham City.
