All posts by n8rngtd.top

Sheffield United must simply get back to winning ways in the Championship on Good Friday or their promotion push will be significantly derailed once more.

Indeed, heading into this must-win fixture versus relegation-threatened Cardiff City at Bramall Lane, Chris Wilder’s Blades are now without a victory from their last three outings in the second tier, whilst Leeds United and Burnley continue to pull off results to push away inside the coveted top two.

Regardless of what fate awaits the South Yorkshire giants, this coming summer transfer window looks likely to be a busy one, with one defender already being linked to join Wilder’s ranks.

United's interest in new £15m man

The United boss will be well aware that a minor rebuild will need to take place when the window swings back open, owing to the multitude of loanees that currently call the Blades home, among other factors at play.

One problem area for the promotion chasers that will presumably be addressed is the centre-back department, with Rob Holding needing to be drafted in as a late arrival in January here to boost numbers, away from Wilder’s regulars.

United’s new chosen man could well be £15m-rated Sunderland centre-back Daniel Ballard, with reports recently revealing that there’s interest on the end of the South Yorkshire side involving the ex-Arsenal youth product.

With 112 Championship career games under his belt, the experienced 25-year-old would be a worthwhile addition to the Bramall Lane camp, but his sketchy injury record – which has seen him be sidelined for a weighty 26 games this season – could put off Wilder and Co forking out an excessive £15m.

Instead, alternative targets could be looked at, or Wilder might pull all his trust in this defensive star already at his disposal who is amazingly worth more than Ballard’s steep valuation.

The "dominant" United star worth more than Ballard

After all, the defender in question here can already boast Premier League experience with the Blades over Ballard’s EFL-centric career path, having tallied up 31 top-flight appearances to date.

Of course, Anel Ahmedhodzic won’t look back on his Premier League voyage with United fondly – considering his lowly side finished rock bottom of the pile at the end of the 2023/24 season – but he’s more than bounced back this campaign as Wilder’s men attempt to instantly return.

The “dominant” defender – as he was once lauded by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – has been a stalwart of his manager’s reinvigorated XI all season long, with this goal one of three goal contributions he’s managed to chip in with from 34 league clashes.

More importantly, over firing home crucial winners such as the one versus Middlesbrough, the Bosnian has also been a reliable brick wall when many a Championship side has bombed forward attempting to breach the Blades, with the 26-year-old colossus picking up a hefty 14 clean sheets along the way.

These regular standout showings – as can be seen glancing at his impressive numbers above – make United’s move to land the ex-Nottingham Forest man for just £5.1m back in 2022 look like a great steal, considering past transfer rumours surrounding Ahmedhodzic hint that he now has a £20m price tag above his head.

With Wilder also having the likes of experienced head Jack Robinson to call upon here, a splurge of £15m to land Ballard might not be deemed necessary after all, especially if other cheaper targets are out there.

Before any possible new faces enter through the door, however, United will be desperate to make their promotion dreams a reality, with Ahmedhodzic needing to remain rock solid during some crunch clashes to come.

Their next Burrows: Sheffield United lining up move for £15m "warrior"

Sheffield United could land their next Harrison Burrows in this top EFL performer.

By
Kelan Sarson

Apr 15, 2025

Everton now face a transfer battle with Bayer Leverkusen to sign an “impressive” £30 million+ defender, according to a recent report.

Everton are stepping up transfer plans for David Moyes

Given the Blues cannot be relegated from the Premier League, David Moyes and co are now slowly turning their attentions to the summer transfer window and next season, as Everton move into their new stadium.

Scout who told Everton to sign Isak says £30k-a-week target "happy" to join

This would cause a stir this summer.

By
Henry Jackson

Apr 23, 2025

Moyes is keen for his side to strengthen their forward line during the summer and has identified Evan Ferguson as a top target. The Republic of Ireland international is currently on loan at West Ham from Brighton after falling down the pecking order with the Seagulls. Ferguson’s long-term future with Brighton is up in the air, and Moyes is looking to take advantage of this by luring him to Everton, where he thinks he can improve his game.

As well as looking at the top end of the pitch, Everton are also looking to improve their defensive options this summer. Jarrad Branthwaite’s future remains a hot topic of debate, and while the Toffees would like him to stay, they already have their eyes on potential replacements. Liverpool’s Jarell Quansah has been linked with a shock move to Everton, and former scout Bryan King now believes the defender would be “happy” to join the blue side of Liverpool.

Everton looking to beat Leverkusen and sign £30m+ star

Quansah is not the only defender on the Premier League side’s radar, as according to Tuttomercatoweb, relayed by Sport Witness, Everton are looking to sign David Hancko from Dutch side Feyenoord.

The report states that the Toffees are interested in signing the 27-year-old, as they would like to build their defence around him. However, Everton are not alone in their pursuit, as Juventus reportedly already have an agreement over personal terms with the player. While Atletico Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen are also keen on striking a deal for the experienced centre-back.

Everton hope they have an advantage in the race, as they and Leverkusen are willing to offer a straight cash deal for Hancko, who Feyenoord are looking to get around €40 million for, which is roughly £34 million. Hancko is predominantly a centre-back but can also play at left-back if needed, which is ideal for Moyes, as he looks for versatility in his defence.

The Toffees do already have plenty of options in their backline, but Michael Keane is on course to depart when his contract expires this summer.

James Tarkowski is not getting any younger, and as mentioned, Branthwaite continues to be linked with a move away, so a new centre-back could be very much needed this summer for Moyes, and if he wants Everton to get back into contention for Europe, then a rebuild of his backline may be what is needed, with Hancko, who has been dubbed “impressive” by Ben Mattinson, at the heart of it.

Liverpool are preparing a massive bid for a “brilliant” holding midfielder who is loved by Pep Guardiola and has been compared to Manchester United star and Real Madrid legend Casemiro, according to a new report.

Liverpool expecting big summer

Despite enjoying a superb first season under Dutch head coach Arne Slot, Liverpool and FSG are not planning to rest on their laurels and are expected to be very busy in the upcoming summer transfer window – especially with a number of players set to leave Anfield.

The most high-profile of the imminent departures is, of course, Trent Alexander-Arnold, who looks likely to join Real Madrid as a free agent at the conclusion of the campaign.

His reported move to the Santiago Bernabeu has split opinion among fans – some feeling the Englishman is deserting his boyhood club, others wishing him luck as he embarks on a new chapter after playing a crucial role in Liverpool’s return to Europe’s elite.

Elsewhere, midfielder Wataru Endo could move on, while Portuguese forward Diogo Jota could also leave, having struggled with persistent injuries and been unable to put together a consistent run of games.

On the incoming front, several names are already being floated.

Liverpool want world's "best player" in £77m deal who'd be Slot’s own Mane

Liverpool are planning to strengthen Arne Slot’s frontline in the transfer market this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 25, 2025

They include Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen, West Ham United’s Mohamed Kudus, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, and Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak – who is believed to be Liverpool’s top target after a stellar season in which he scored over 25 goals, helped the Magpies lift the EFL Cup, and pushed them to the brink of Champions League qualification.

Liverpool preparing £50m+ Adam Wharton bid

Another player reportedly on Liverpool’s radar is Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton.

The Englishman, who has already drawn comparisons to Manchester United star and Real Madrid legend Casemiro, has been superb since joining Palace from Blackburn Rovers in February 2024. His all-action performances in the middle of the park have caught the attention of clubs across Europe, including Real Madrid, and recently earned him a place in the England squad.

According to a new report from The Sun, Liverpool are preparing a £50 million-plus bid for Wharton this summer in an effort to beat out the competition and lure him to Merseyside from Selhurst Park.

The newspaper claims that while Palace have enjoyed an excellent season, reaching the FA Cup final, the lure of Champions League football could prove too strong for Wharton to resist, and that “he may take the chance” to move to Anfield.

Wharton’s performances have earned widespread praise, including from Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola. Speaking ahead of City’s 5-2 win over Palace last month, Pep described the 20-year-old as “an excellent holding midfielder.”

“The impact has been really good, coming from the Championship to the Premier League. Brilliant left foot, a really good player,” Guardiola said.

Chelsea are now showing clear interest in signing a 20-goal South American striker this summer, and negotiations could intensify in the coming weeks, according to a report.

Jackson dismissed as Blues falter in top five push

Nicolas Jackson impressed in the early stages of the Premier League campaign, which means the 23-year-old has reached the 10-goal mark, but his performance in the important clash against Newcastle United on Sunday underlined the need to bring in a new striker.

In a game that could have huge ramifications on whether the Blues qualify for the Champions League, Jackson was sent off for an elbow on Sven Botman, leaving Enzo Maresca unhappy.

Speaking after the 2-0 defeat at St. James’ Park, Maresca said: “His season for us is finished. He is our nine, our striker, so we have to find a solution for the next games. Marc Guiu is our other striker, but he has been injured for three months.

“What you have to avoid is these kind of things, but it happened. Nico is now out for the season and hopefully he can learn for the future.”

Talks planned: Chelsea set to make contact over "unbelievable" £90m PL star

The Blues are set to hold talks over a deal for a Premier League attacker.

By
Dominic Lund

May 11, 2025

Jackson’s recent performance is unlikely to do the Senegalese forward in any favours this summer, given that the west Londoners were already thinking about bringing in a new striker, and a report from Spain has named Alaves’ Joaquin Panichelli as a target.

Chelsea are showing clear interest in signing Panichelli, given his impressive performances on loan at La Liga 2 side Mirandes this season, and talks could accelerate in the coming weeks, as there is growing interest in his signature.

Fellow BlueCo-owned club Strasbourg are also following the forward, alongside Wolverhampton Wanderers, with his entourage of the belief that a move to one of Europe’s top clubs is imminent.

Panichelli catching the eye in Spain

The Argentine enjoyed a very impressive 2024-25 campaign on loan at Mirandes, picking up 20 league goals, the second-highest number in the division, while also providing two assists.

Of course, it must be noted that the South American is unproven in a major league, with his recent exploits coming in the second tier of Spanish football, but his performances last season indicate he could be able to make the step-up to the Premier League soon.

As such, Panichelli could be an interesting signing for the Blues, but they must make sure to bring in a more proven striker alongside the 22-year-old, and they should be in a strong position to attract a top-level forward if they finish in the top five.

There is no shortage of options for Chelsea, with Arsenal now concerned their London rivals will hijack their move for Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres, while Maresca’s side are also ready to bid for RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.

After a diabolically poor season, Tottenham Hotspur stand ready to play their biggest game in years.

Ange Postecoglou’s side might well be 17th in the Premier League, but in Europe, they’ve been sensational and, as a result, have a Europa League final to contest.

However, alongside having to get the better of Manchester United for the fourth time in a row this season, the North Londoners will also have to do without several key players, most notably Dejan Kulusevski, Lucas Bergvall and James Maddison.

Their absence has left a hole in the midfield, which the manager will have to get creative about filling.

Tottenham Team News

As we’ve already mentioned, the most significant absences for Spurs ahead of tomorrow’s all-important final are Kulusevski, Bergvall and Maddison.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The former started the league game against Crystal Palace last week but came off with what was initially described as a “knock” in the first half, only for said knock to require knee surgery, which will keep him out until next season.

While Maddison hasn’t had surgery for the knee injury he picked up in the first leg of the semi-final against Bodo/Glimt, he too, will be out of action until next season.

Likewise, the boss confirmed that the young Swede will not feature again this season, as he injured his ankle in the training session before that first leg earlier this month.

Finally, both Radu Dragusin and Timo Werner remain out for the long term, with the former injuring his ACL and the latter his hamstring.

The Spurs star who should start in place of Kulusevski

Okay, so with Kulusevski, Bergvall and Maddison now out, Wilson Odobert hardly doing himself any favours on Friday night, and Son Heung-min not being the dynamic player he once was, there are no ideal solutions to this massive issue.

However, one somewhat outside-the-box option Postecoglou could opt to go with is moving Pape Matar Sarr slightly further up the pitch and into that more attacking midfield role.

Now, before the pitchforks come out, we are well aware that this is an unfamiliar position for the Senegalese ace, but he’s an incredibly talented midfielder, and we reckon that there are some elements of his game that could make this work for a one-off match.

Firstly, while he tends to play in central or defensive midfield, the 22-year-old “monster,” as dubbed by journalist Mitch Fretton, has a decent shot on him – much like Bergvall.

For example, he scored a brilliant long-range effort against Manchester City earlier this season and then, while it was ruled out for a dubious foul, scored another from outside the box against Chelsea.

Moreover, in 80 Premier League appearances, he has managed to amass six goals and six assists, which isn’t a terrible return and that, combined with his ability to strike a ball from range, could give United’s defence something to think about in the absence of the Swedish duo.

Furthermore, his underlying numbers from the Europa League this season only further indicate that he’s got more attacking ability than perhaps people give him credit for.

For example, FBref places him in the top 2% of midfielders for penalties won in the competition, the top 5% for total carrying distance, the top 6% for percentage of shots on target and medium passes completed, the top 9% for non-penalty goals and goals per shot, the top 10% for goals and more, all per 90.

Finally, unlike his captain, the former Metz gem would add even more dynamism and athleticism to the North Londoners’ midfield, which could be key to getting the better of the likes of Casemiro and Harry Maguire on the night.

Ultimately, as we’ve already said, there is no ideal solution to this problem, but starting Sarr in the more attacking midfield role might be the closest thing Postecoglou has to one that will allow the team to keep its intensity.

Spurs could land a major Spence upgrade with move for £30m star

As Tottenham Hotspur prepare for a massive squad rebuild this summer, could they sign a “versatile” new 23-year-old defender for just £30m?

By
Ben Gray

May 18, 2025

Arne Slot’s tactical nuances have led Liverpool to their 20th league title, and in the first year since Jurgen Klopp decided to pack his bags and hand the keys to someone new.

The Premier League champions have played with an indomitable air about them all year, almost a shoo-in for the trophy after Manchester City peeled away when Rodri fell, with Arsenal struggling to mount the consistency needed amid injury issues.

Klopp was renowned for his full-throttle brand of football, a gegenpressing auteur whose name is now synonymous with the energetic counter-attacking brand.

Slot has made some changes, all right, but some things have stayed the same. Mohamed Salah is still Liverpool’s all-inspiring talisman, albeit having hit his stride with more confidence and culture than perhaps ever before.

But Virgil van Dijk, while hardly underrated, has been every bit as brilliant. Bringing the Netherlands star in for a world-record fee has proved to be something of a masterstroke.

Virgil van Dijk's importance for Liverpool

When Liverpool paid £75m to take Southampton’s star centre-back from them, rivals smirked as FSG forked out an excessive amount of money for a half-decent defender.

He’s been a monstrous, transformative addition, recognised for years now as one of the finest players of his generation, with Jamie Carragher even declaring on social media that he’s “the best centre-back we’ve ever seen in the Premier League”.

The 33-year-old signed a new two-year deal in April, keeping him as Anfield’s captain until 2027. After the consummate role he has played for Slot’s Reds this term, it’s without question that this was a major coup.

Tough-tackling, intelligent and commanding, he’s a paragon of style, quality and leadership, all wrapped into the perfect defensive player for a team challenging for the biggest prizes.

We mustn’t forget the importance of reliability. Across the span of his Premier League career with Liverpool, the injury inflicted by Jordan Pickford has resulted in the only time Van Dijk has missed extensive action.

Liverpool saw a golden opportunity way back when and acted with intent, now they reap the benefits every year. Sporting director Richard Hughes has a lot on his plate, but the way he’s moving, it looks like Liverpool could repeat this historic signing, somewhat, in the coming weeks.

Liverpool agree terms with PL star

According to Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool have agreed personal terms with Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez, who has “said yes” to moving to Merseyside this summer. As Romano noted, talks are still underway with the Cherries.

While a deal for Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz remains in the pipeline, Liverpool are desperate to sign Kerkez, with securing a new left-back one of the club’s biggest priorities heading into the off-season.

Previous reports suggest Cherries owner Bill Foley wants a £45m fee to allow Kerkez’s departure, and this is pretty steep. However, Liverpool know when a deal is worth pursuing, and this one sure is.

Why Liverpool are desperate for Milos Kerkez

Van Dijk showed Liverpool a new brand of defensive ability, and it was his arrival that proved the most transformative for Klopp’s project, which broke away from the feel-good feeling of being an exciting outfit and stepped into the realm of greatness.

It might seem overblown to be hinting that Kerkez can achieve a similar feat, but he really is one of the most exciting full-backs in the business, and only 21 years old, the “frightening thing is he’s not even at his peak yet”, in the words of pundit Izzy Christensen.

We don’t know how good Kerkez will become, but what we can do is analyse the data so far.

Andy Robertson is an “absolute legend”, as per Sky Sports’ Carragher, but he’s now 31 and lacks his one-time vim and vigour, moving far less and providing diminished creative support.

This is, in part, due to those tactical nuances Slot has woven through the fabric of Klopp’s team, keeping the Scotsman in a more grounded and secure role, but there’s no question he’s past his best.

Kerkez was more creative, more active across almost every metric in the Premier League this season, so it’s clear this upgrade was needed if Liverpool are to build on their title-winning campaign.

Liverpool battled their way through the 2024/25 campaign and won confidently despite objective flaws, but Kerkez would dynamise the backline, restore its equilibrium to its maximum level.

Van Dijk certainly paved the way in that regard, made it possible for Klopp’s grand plans to take root in FSG’s mind, who saw that they could indeed drive Anfield toward the very forefront of domestic and European football and keep it there.

In 2016/17, Liverpool’s last full campaign without the Dutchman, they finished fourth and conceded 42 goals. Two years on, the year the Reds lifted the Champions League, they finished second in the league with 97 points, boasting the meanest defence in the division, having shipped just 22 goals.

While the Hungarian prospect is young, he already has a comparative wealth of experience in the Premier League, featuring 66 times and notching ten goal involvements, a key part of Andoni Iraola’s rising side.

Hailed for his “winning mentality” by journalist Richard Henczi, Kerkez is the real deal, having been courted by Manchester City and Real Madrid before Liverpool consumed the narrative and made it clear he would be playing at Anfield next year, barring some unforeseen stumbling block at this stage.

There’s no question Kerkez has been a “revelation at Bournemouth”, Carragher again, and there’s little doubt in Slot and co’s minds that he could be the same for Liverpool.

He has started his Premier League career the right way, joining an up-and-coming team among the division’s middle pack and standing out, earning the attention of the biggest hitters.

Van Dijk did the same, arriving at Liverpool as a Saint, but leaving, when that day comes, as a god.

He's the new Coutinho: Liverpool set to sign "generational" star very soon

Liverpool are moving quickly to make new signings for Arne Slot’s side.

By
Angus Sinclair

May 27, 2025

Daniel Farke will be hoping he can finally earn his stripes as a Premier League-worthy manager situated in the Leeds United dug-out next season.

The German is certainly a well-regarded manager at Championship level, considering he can boast three promotions up to the big time with Norwich City and now the Whites, but he has also only ever won a mere six top-flight ties from 49 contests when jumping up a level.

He won’t feel too weighed down by the pressure of keeping the West Yorkshire side afloat if improvements are made all across the pitch, however, with a new goalkeeper surely a must after a rocky season or two with Illan Meslier as his number one stopper.

Moreover, as much as Joel Piroe did finish as the Championship golden boot winner this season just gone, upgrades could be fancied in the striker department still, with this new sharpshooter reportedly on the agenda.

Leeds' search for a striker

After all, Farke already knows too well how challenging the new division can be, even for those once seen as the cream of the crop in the EFL’s elite league.

Off the back of this, the promotion winners are now reportedly in the race to sign up AC Milan attacker Tammy Abraham to seriously enhance their firepower, as per journalist Graeme Bailey.

Bailey elaborates that Abraham is keen on a move back to England after calling Italy his home at both parent side AS Roma and loan outfit AC Milan since 2021, with the likes of Manchester United, Everton, Newcastle United, Aston Villa, and more all interested in adding him to their respective rosters.

The Whites are keeping an eye out to see how the situation develops, but if they were to amazingly beat all this competition and land the £34m star, they would secure themselves a big upgrade on their current Dutch marksman when venturing into the Premier League.

Why Abraham could be an upgrade on Piroe

This isn’t to say Piroe won’t be given chances to impress when moving up to the tough division, with his 19 league strikes undoubtedly helping Farke’s men to lift the title.

But, Abraham would surely get the first team nod over the ex-Swansea City man on his arrival, with the 27-year-old now a seasoned machine in front of goal, having left Chelsea so early into his career to perfect his clinical edge.

The £93k-per-week marksman does have 26 Premier League strikes next to his name, ahead of former Leeds hero Raphinha (17), for instance, as well Patrick Bamford (24), with that mainly down to his short-lived Stamford Bridge stint.

That said, Abraham would truly blossom into a lethal finisher away from the familiarity of England, as seen in his bumper 67 combined goals and assists lining up for Milan and Roma.

Piroe does have his plaudits too, considering he has bagged 79 strikes in total for both Leeds and one of Abraham’s many loan sides in Swansea, but the Dutchman has been prone to long stretches of barren form too.

In the Championship this season just gone, for example, the division’s top scorer still managed to squander a hefty 13 big chances.

On the contrary, despite playing for an underperforming Rossoneri on loan after finding his time in the Italian capital to be injury-ravaged, Abraham would only waste ten big chances in Serie A action.

He is in many ways a goalscoring “monster” – as he once referred to himself after improving under Jose Mourinho.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Therefore, the former Blues youth product has the potential to be the centre-forward Farke and Co are longing for as they embark on their daunting Premier League adventure, with the likes of Daniel James and Wilfried Gnonto no doubt excited by the prospect of linking up with their brand new teammate.

He'd be incredible with Buendia: Leeds chase star with a "hint of Haaland"

Leeds United are interested in signing a star who would be incredible with Emiliano Buendia.

By
Dan Emery

May 31, 2025

Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has now dropped a hugely promising Sunderland transfer update, following the permanent signing of Enzo Le Fee.

Le Fee joins Black Cats in permanent deal

It has been a positive start to the Black Cats’ summer, as they immediately plan for life back in the Premier League after their memorable promotion from the Championship last month. Sunderland have made a big statement by signing Le Fee on a permanent basis, following his loan spell at the Stadium of Light in 2024/25, snapping him up for a club-record fee of around £20m.

The Frenchman played his part in Regis Le Bris’ side’s promotion, registering three assists in 14 Championship starts, and he has spoken of his happiness at extending his stay on Wearside.

Sunderland could surpass Le Fee signing in summer spree

Writing on X on Thursday, Downie claimed that Sunderland could again break their transfer record this summer, overtaking the amount paid for Le Fee as they splash out on as many as five new arrivals.

This will be music to the ears of Black Cats fans, with the club showing real signs of ambition before the 2025/26 season gets underway.

In the past two years, all three promoted Championship sides have gone straight back down from the Premier League, so Le Bris’ job is to put a stop to that, aided by signing some top-quality players.

If Sunderland are able to break their transfer record twice in the same summer, it could only bode well in that respect, and sporting director Kristjaan Speakman has further hinted at a busy summer taking place.

England legend said Sunderland star was the best he'd seen and as good as Owen and Figo

The Black Cats would love to have him back in their current squad…

By
Ben Goodwin

Jun 4, 2025

Sunderland also must try and convince Jobe Bellingham to stay put, making it the perfect summer, but that may be wishful thinking at this point, with a move to Borussia Dortmund seemingly on the cards.

It’s been a very busy summer so far from Birmingham City’s perspective as they aim to take the Championship by storm.

Every passing day seems to throw up a new, tantalising transfer rumour for the Blues masses to feast on, with the likes of Kwame Poku, Demarai Gray, and many others potentially tipped to make the move to St. Andrew’s a constant topic of conversation.

Of course, whoever does enter the building this hectic summer will have to complement what Chris Davies already has at his disposal, with the title-winning boss no doubt confident that a large portion of his troops can take to their new division swimmingly.

In particular, Jay Stansfield will be raring to go after promotion, with the 22-year-old sharpshooter already proving himself to be a reliable finisher in the Championship previously, away from just causing plenty of havoc in League One.

Stansfield's importance next season

After all, the ex-Fulham marksman didn’t just fluke his bumper 19-goal haul in league action last season.

Rather, the explosive 22-year-old routinely found himself in the right place at the right time to power home an opportunity, with only a mere 29 touches averaged per league clash, despite ending his successful campaign with his goal tally deep into the double digits.

The Blues hotshot is unlikely to be a one-season wonder, too, with Stansfield actually bagging 12 strikes the campaign prior for Birmingham when he was just a wide-eyed loanee, even as his team succumbed to relegation in the unforgiving Championship.

Now, with his team’s collective confidence at sky-high, Stansfield will pray he can show off this same goalscoring prowess towards the top-end of the division.

He could be boosted in the goalscoring department by this brand-new acquisition entering the assured ranks, with the new striker target in question potentially the second coming of the Blues number 28 if all goes to plan.

Birmingham eyeing deal for their next Stansfield

Even when plying their trade in League One momentarily, Birmingham still managed to pull off some statement deals, as seen in Stansfield leaving Craven Cottage behind for a permanent third-tier stay.

In the here and now, another statement deal similar to this capture could soon be on the cards, with Graeme Bailey exclusively revealing that Birmingham have an interest in signing Leeds United gem Joe Gelhardt, off the back of the Whites wanting to get rid after sealing promotion themselves up to the Premier League.

Wrexham is also noted as a fellow Championship club keen on Gelhardt – away from unnamed interest also being speculated from other second-tier outfits – with a loan deal the likely move on the table to satisfy all parties, considering he still has two years left on his Elland Road deal.

Despite experiencing a topsy-turvy few years on the books of the West Yorkshire outfit, Gelhardt would link up with Davies and Co with the same glowing reputation Stansfield possessed, having once been viewed as the next best thing coming out of Elland Road when they were regularly competing in the big time.

Indeed, the now 23-year-old centre-forward would collect an impressive two strikes and six assists for the Whites in the Premier League, with Jamie Carragher even once labelling the Liverpool-born ace as “special” off the back of his raw ability.

Stansfield was equally highly thought of when impressing in youth circles at Fulham – as seen in his blistering 38 strikes at youth level – but, much like Gelhardt will now be faced with, he had to spread his wings away from his boyhood side eventually, resulting in him now becoming Birmingham’s main man up top.

Based on the current Leeds man’s promising Championship numbers above with Hull City, he could soon be held in the same glowing light as Stansfield at St. Andrew’s, with his then Tigers boss Ruben Selles even heralding him as “exceptional” after helping his loan employers beat the drop.

With both Stansfield and Gelhardt at his disposal, Davies will be delighted with the options he could soon possess in attack, with the attacking duo perhaps what Birmingham need to push on even more after obliterating their League One competition with ease.

Birmingham can land bigger signing than Gray with "future superstar"

Birmingham could land a bigger signing than Gray by bringing this star to the club.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 14, 2025

It’s been an unsettling summer for Aston Villa supporters far and wide as they feared their successful Premier League side was in danger of being completely dismantled.

To comply with PSR rules, a whole load of sales might have had to be signed off on, as Emiliano Martinez continues to be linked with a switch to Premier League rivals Manchester United or Chelsea to give Villa a healthy £45m injection of cash.

However, a new breaking development seems to indicate that Villa will be able to get around these stringent PSR rules after all by selling their women’s team, with such a loophole allowing for any PSR anxiety to be forgotten about.

With this dire situation now presumably fixed at the final hour, Unai Emery’s men could push on in the transfer market to land a couple of statement deals, as a few faces here and there begin to be steadily linked with a switch to Villa Park.

Aston Villa's transfer situation

Understandably, most of the conversation involving Villa this off-season has involved the likes of Ollie Watkins being lined up for major moves away, with all the worry surrounding PSR getting to the Villans.

Now, however, the mood will be more relaxed, with Villa ready to explore several new targets. Already, they have been unsuccessful in landing Jesus Rodriguez from Real Betis though, as a deal heartbreakingly collapsed.

Still, that won’t have completely knocked them, with Lucas Chevalier one name reportedly on their shopping list if Martinez does still exit the West Midlands outfit.

On top of that, a fresh name in the form of Gabriel Sara has now begun to be linked with a move to England, with a report from Turkish outlet Hurriyet, via Sport Witness, indicating that a £17m bid has been put forward to Galatasaray by Villa for their creative Brazilian.

This has since been knocked back with Galatasaray wanting at least £34m for their midfield star, who is also a wanted man by Manchester City, Manchester United, and Leeds United.

Villa will hope they come out on top to land his coveted signature, with the ex-Norwich City ace already a hit in England when on the books of the Canaries, meaning he might well be Villa’s next Youri Tielemans if he were to join the building soon.

How Sara could be Villa's next Tielemans

After all, Tielemans used to be on the books of Leicester City before advancing his game even more when donning Villa claret and blue.

By the end of the entertaining 2024/25 campaign for Villa, Tielemans was arguably the club’s player of the season having tallied up 15 goals and assists in all competitions, with five of those goal contributions coming about on the grandest stage of them all in the Champions League.

The 77-time Belgium international would also amass a hefty 54 goal contributions during his entire Foxes stay, with Villa now feeling smug with themselves that they won Tieleman’s services on a free transfer basis in the summer of 2023.

Whilst Sara would cost a lavish £34m to obtain, he might well come in and become as instrumental to Villa’s midfield as Tielemans now is, having picked up ten assists and two goals last season for his current Turkish employers, away from already being well-versed in the high demands of the English game when situated in Norfolk.

Whilst the Brazilian would never guide Norwich up to the Premier League during his celebrated stay, he certainly still left an impression on the Carrow Road masses with classy display after classy display, as seen in his bumper total of 54 combined goals and assists from 96 contests, which is eerily the exact same amount Tielemans tallied up at the King Power Stadium.

He has since tasted success in a top division in Turkey too, with U23 scout Antonio Mango even going out of his way to herald the midfield ace as “incredible.”

With nine Europa League games under his belt last season too, he could be a worthwhile buy for Villa for this alone as they enter into the competition next campaign, with a hope in the air also that he’s their next favourite from the middle of the park like Tielemans.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 28, 2025