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Sunderland can pick up two victories on the trot in the Championship for the first time since December last year when Millwall travel to the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

It won't be a walk in the park to make it two wins on the bounce for Mike Dodds' side however, with the Lions revitalised under new boss Neil Harris who steered the South London side to an impressive three points against Leicester City recently.

Sunderland will want the likes of Jack Clarke to be firing on all cylinders when Harris' men rock up to Wearside, undoubtedly still the Black Cats' main star whenever he's fit.

In an alternate reality, Sunderland could well have had this star on their books who is as flashy as Clarke but has made a name for himself as a slick and skilful player who is too tricky for a number of Premier League defences.

Premier League star's failed trial at Sunderland

Many clubs in the Championship have no doubt been left plagued with regret about not tying down a trialist to a fully-fledged deal, with the unassuming youngster then going on to become a major star.

Southampton even had Bayern Munich sensation Jamal Musiala in their youth set-up at one point, not knowing he'd go on to be a main man in attack for the Bavarian giants down the line when exiting St. Mary's.

When Southampton let an £83m star in the making leave as a boy

Southampton have been made to regret getting rid of this exceptional talent ever since he left as a boy.

By
Kelan Sarson

Mar 24, 2024

Sunderland have fallen victim to this too, having taken dazzling Crystal Palace talent Eberechi Eze on trial for a brief period before moving him on to eventually join Queens Park Rangers.

Revealed by the entertaining Palace number seven in a recent tell-all interview, the likes of fellow second-tier sides Millwall and Bristol City also had a good look at the once unproven gem when he was trying to make a name for himself.

The rest is history from Eze's perspective, who is now being touted for a mega-money move away from Selhurst Park after once being rejected by the underperforming Black Cats.

Eberechi Eze's transfer value in 2024

According to Football Transfers, Eze's worth now stands at a hefty €40.2M (£34.3m) but Palace will know they can get an even more lucrative deal out of their golden £19.5m buy when push comes to shove.

Manchester City reportedly bid £60m to try and land the spell-binding 25-year-old's services before a ball was even kicked this season, with Tottenham Hotspur also now interested – who must know paying an outrageous amount will be the only way they can be successful in landing Eze's in-demand signature.

Firing in a wonderfully worked winner against Liverpool last match, to take his season goals total to seven in the top flight, Eze would be a fantastic asset for whatever top club in the Premier League he lines up for next campaign.

Described as being "magical" on the ball ever since his eventful youth days by Paul Hall, who helped Eze become the star he is today at QPR, Sunderland must play the decision to reject the fantastic Eagles midfielder over and over in their heads as a major blunder.

Dodds will just hope that Sunderland can stumble across their very own Eze in the plethora of emerging young talents coming through at the Stadium of Light in time, all whilst the much-talked-about Palace man goes from strength to strength himself in the division above.

The Blues do not inspire much confidence after another bewildering summer under the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital ownership

It's deja vu at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea are back to square one after parting company with Mauricio Pochettino at the end of last season, despite the significant progress his side made in the second half of 2023-24.

Enzo Maresca is the latest head coach to be plonked in the hotseat, with the Pep Guardiola disciple hired after – somewhat unconvincingly – guiding Leicester City back to the Premier League at the first time of asking by winning the Championship.

It's been another summer of significant upheaval as the club continues to splurge tens of millions of pounds on a raft of new young, unproven players, while plenty of homegrown talent has been ruthlessly sold off or put in the shop window.

The combination of a new coach and yet more turnover of playing staff makes Chelsea an unknown quantity once again, but pre-season performances and results do not bode well for the new campaign.

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  Mood around Stamford Bridge

  The Chelsea fanbase will be trying to stay positive on the eve of the new season, but there is the unshakeable feeling that the Blues will begin 2024-25 under something of a cloud.

  On the pitch, pre-season did not go to plan as Maresca's side collected just one win from six games, with their performances characterised by some alarming defensive errors. Off it, the club's transfer business has been bewildering as more and more young players sign on, while academy graduates are emotionlessly put up for sale amid the threat of breaching the Premier League's Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR). That has resulted in a sense that the club is losing its identity.

  After a disastrous 2022-23 campaign where they finished 12th, the Blues hauled themselves up to sixth under Pochettino last time around. However, there doesn't seem to be any real belief that they will be able to build on that in the new season, and indeed many will fear a slide back towards mid-table mediocrity.

  The task facing Maresca is a huge one, and there is an air of incompleteness about the squad as their daunting season opener against champions Manchester City looms. Indeed, the Italian has admitted he doesn't know his best team. "I don’t know my team yet," he said after the final pre-season friendly against Inter. "Pre-season has been very tough, intense, many games going from one city to another city. Now finally we start a normal week."

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  Transfer business

  Where to start? Chelsea have been steadfast in their pursuit of what they believe to be low-cost, high-potential young players, adding striker prospect Marc Guiu (18) from Barcelona, Aston Villa midfielder Omari Kellyman (18), versatile Renato Veiga (20) from Basel and Villarreal goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen (22). They have also signed defenders Caleb Wiley (19) from Atlanta and Boca Juniors' Aaron Anselmino (19), with both immediately loaned back out. Supporters will be relishing Estevao Willian's arrival in 2025, after Chelsea saw off competition from Europe's elite to land the prodigious Palmeiras winger for £56m ($72m).

  The club has deviated from that youth strategy, bringing in Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (25) from Maresca's former club Leicester for £30 million ($39m) as a ready-made option for his system, and centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo (26) on a free transfer from Fulham. Their biggest spend to date though, which came out of left field, was the £54m ($70m) splurge on Wolves' Pedro Neto (24), as they added yet another winger to their ranks.

  All of those incomings have led to questions over whether the squad has actually been improved, with Maresca the latest Chelsea manager to be left with a bloated group and not much time to cut it down. Their decision-makers still seem determined to add another attacker, with questionable talks ongoing over Atletico Madrid's Joao Felix and Napoli hitman Victor Osimhen still a target.

  In terms of outgoings, the Blues have lost the vast experience of Thiago Silva after he returned to Brazil, while academy products Ian Maatsen and Lewis Hall were sold off for pure profit before the PSR deadline in June, alongside Omari Hutchinson. Elsewhere, deadwood in the form of Hakim Ziyech and Malang Sarr has finally been cut away.

  However, there is still of work to do; the hierarchy seems determined to force Cobham graduates Conor Gallagher, Trevoh Chalobah and Armando Broja out of the club in a move that will not go down well with the fanbase. Meanwhile, Romelu Lukaku and Kepa Arrizabalaga – both on huge wages – are still on the books and need to be shifted in what remains of the window.

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  Pre-season performances

  While Chelsea's movements in the transfer market have done little to inspire confidence, their performances on the pitch certainly haven't lifted the mood either.

  Despite facing the likes of Wrexham and Celtic, Maresca was only able to collect one win from six pre-season games. If the draw with the Welsh League One club in the first game of their US tour raised some eyebrows, the 4-1 thumping at the hands of the Scottish champions was deeply concerning.

  The comfortable win over Club America – albeit with the help of two penalties – provided something of a reprieve, but it preceded inevitable back-to-back defeats to European behemoths Man City and Real Madrid to wrap up a forgettable tour, as Chelsea were reminded of the current chasm between themselves and the best around. The Blues were able to secure an unconvincing draw against Italian champions Inter at Stamford Bridge to wrap up pre-season.

  Results aside, the most concerning thing was the litany of basic defensive errors from the rotation of centre-backs that Maresca called upon across the six games, with each mistake brutally punished. Sloppiness in pre-season can be excused, but that haphazardness is something he absolutely must iron out now Silva has left.

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  Talking tactics

  As one of Guardiola's proteges, much has been said and written about Maresca's tactics, but one of the biggest challenges facing him and his players is how quickly his acclaimed approach can be understood and implemented.

  Chelsea will set up in an adaptable 4-3-3 formation without the ball that, in true Guardiola-inspired style, becomes more of a 3-2-4-1 in possession as a full-back inverts to anchor alongside the deepest midfield player, while a central midfielder pushes forward to join the No.10 in a more advanced role. The goalkeeper is also expected to play a significant role in the build-up.

  Fresh from emerging as a surprise star of Spain's Euro 2024 triumph, Marc Cucurella is slated for the inverted full-back role, while Dewsbury-Hall was signed specifically to be that busy roaming midfielder. Robert Sanchez seems to have done enough to claim the No.1 spot, while Christopher Nkunku has shone in pre-season in the pocket behind the striker. Cole Palmer, therefore, should start off the right wing, and new signing Neto may be first choice on the left. If and when everyone is fit, that makes for a fearsome attacking unit, with the likes of Noni Madueke, Raheem Sterling and Mykhailo Mudryk waiting in the wings.

  In midfield, there will be question marks over how Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia, Enzo Fernandez AND Nkunku all fit; it could be that the Frenchman starts as a striker ahead of Nicolas Jackson. There are no guaranteed starters at centre-back, however, as a youthful defence did not look convincing in pre-season. Maresca seemed to blame those lapses on his predecessor Pochettino's high line, but he won't be able to hide behind that excuse if the issues drag on into the season proper.

Newcastle United showed during the previous January transfer window that they aren’t against approaching other Premier League clubs to try and sign their players.

During the winter window, the Toon brought in the likes of Dan Burn, Chris Wood and Matt Targett, all from fellow top-flight sides to help them avoid relegation.

Now that the summer transfer window has opened for business, this could give the Tyneside club and PIF to flex their financial muscles once again and bring in some more players to strengthen Eddie Howe’s squad.

One other Premier League player that the Magpies have been linked with recently that could follow in the footsteps of Burn, Wood and Targett by making a move to St. James’ Park this summer is Leeds United winger Jack Harrison.

In 165 senior appearances for the Yorkshire club, the Englishman has scored 28 goals and delivered 22 assists.

To further highlight his attacking talent, in the 35 league appearances he made for the Whites last season, no other Leeds player delivered more crosses (92) than any other player in the squad.

In addition to the 44 shots at goal he had, only Raphinha made more dribbles and shot-creating actions than the 25-year-old.

Labelled as a player who “works his socks off” by David Prutton, Harrison also made 41 interceptions and won 32 tackles for his side.

According to Football Transfers, another recognisable name that is included in a list of similar players to the Leeds star is Crystal Palace attacker Wilfried Zaha.

Taking into account how the Ivory Coast international has scored 61 goals and delivered 41 assists in 277 Premier League games, the prospect of Howe having his own version of the Palace star in the form of Harrison could be a very exciting one for the Toon supporters.

To compare the duo from their latest Premier League campaigns, both wingers attempted over 100 dribbles, which shows just how much their teams value their individual talent on the ball and running with it towards goal.

With a reported price tag of £30m, this could be an investment worth taking for Newcastle and their owners this summer, as Harrison’s clear talent with and without the ball would undeniably make him a useful asset for the Magpies.

AND in other news: Bid incoming: PIF could land Saint-Maximin 2.0 as NUFC now plot move for £43m talent

Glasgow Rangers are reportedly now fighting a club in the Premier League to bring Ivan Lepinjica to Ibrox this summer.

The Lowdown: Defensive midfielder needed

Giovanni van Bronckhorst is lacking a natural defensive midfielder in his squad at the moment, and so this is an area of the pitch that the Gers will be expected to strengthen in this summer’s transfer window.

Although Lepinjica can play in more advanced roles too, he is naturally a holding midfield player, and so would fit the profile needed.

The Latest: Wolves interest

As per Football Insider, Wolves are now working on a deal to sign Lepinjica, who is a ‘hugely regarded talent’ in Croatia.

The Light Blues have also been tracking the six-foot-three colossus however, after first considering a move back in 2021.

The Verdict: Get it done

The lure of the English top flight will certainly attract Lepinjica, and so the Teddy Bears need to get this deal done as soon as possible.

He is a real leader on the pitch despite being just 22 years of age, evidenced by him captaining Croatia at youth level, and is part of a ‘very talented’ generation of Croatians, according to renowned Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig.

Kulig highlights Lepinjica’s strengths as passing, vision, positioning, tackling, heading and anticipation, and so he seemingly has everything needed both on and off the ball to succeed as a holding midfielder.

This is certainly one to look out for as the window progresses.

Everton have been linked to Levi Colwill for a while now as they attempt to improve their squad ahead of next season, and a new update has emerged from a reliable source.

What’s the latest?

The Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor took to Twitter to confirm that Frank Lampard “wants to land” the signing of Chelsea youngster and Huddersfield Town loanee Levi Colwill.

Taylor tweeted:

“Everton boss Frank Lampard wants to land Levi Colwill from Chelsea this summer – whether loan or permanently. Thomas Tuchel expected to keep him for pre-season before deciding future.”

Everton need him

After a difficult season at Goodison Park, Lampard will surely be looking to take full of advantage of his first full transfer window as Everton manager and there’s no doubt that Everton need to improve their defence, so Colwill could be the perfect signing.

Everton struggled in a relegation battle throughout last season in the Premier League, which led to Jamie Carragher branding the Toffees’ defence a “Championship back four” after a humiliating 5-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

Lampard’s side conceded 23 more goals than they scored and conceded the fifth-most goals in the entire league (66), so identifying defenders who can come in and make an instant impact on the side to improve their collective defence record next season should be a huge priority.

Colwill who was dubbed “outrageous” and a “huge talent” by scout Jacek Kulig joined Huddersfield Town on a season-long loan deal and made a massive impact on their efforts in the Championship for promotion, with the side only missing out on a rise to the Premier League in the play-off final against Nottingham Forest.

The £4.5m-rated gem scored two goals and delivered one assist, making 1.8 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 4.1 clearances on average per game, winning the majority of his duels and completing the majority of his dribbles in 29 league appearances.

The 19-year-old centre-back has proved in his Championship performances that he is a real solid presence as well as being progressive on the ball in attacking play but now Lampard could offer him the next step in his career to earn Premier League experience.

With that being said, the Toffees boss is clearly keen to sign Colwill at any cost whether that be on loan or in a permanent move so will need to use his Chelsea connections to his advantage this summer to get the deal done.

AND in other news: Moshiri eyes Everton bid for “fantastic” £10.8m-rated “talent”, he’s better than Allan…

Aston Villa have been heavily linked with a move for Aaron Hickey, and after a new update emerged on the player’s future, the Midlands club may need to ramp up their interest if they intend to sign the defender this summer.

What’s the latest?

According to the Daily Mail, Brentford have now approached Bologna with a view to signing the Scottish left-back.

The report claimed that Newcastle United, Arsenal and Aston Villa are also interested in the player but will now need to act upon their interest to beat the west Londoners to the signing of Hickey during the transfer window.

Gerrard’s Andy Robertson

With Matt Targett moving to Newcastle on a permanent deal this week, there is an opportunity for Steven Gerrard to sign Hickey and unearth his very own Andy Robertson at Villa Park next season.

The youngster, who has been compared to the £58.5m-rated Liverpool and Scotland left-back by sections of the media, has been attracting attention from Premier League clubs for his impressive performances in Serie A with Bologna.

As per SofaScore, the 20-year-old scored five goals, contributed one assist and created two big chances this season, making 1.3 tackles and one clearance per game. He also won the majority of his ground and aerial duels combined (57%) and successfully completed the majority of his dribbles (61%).

The youngster was called a “special talent” by his former Hearts coach Daniel Stendel, who said (via Daily Record): “Aaron was by far the most interesting player in my squad and the one who had the greatest potential.

“He reads the game very well and was lightning fast at reacting to things on the pitch. All of that makes him a special talent.”

According to Birmingham Mail, the Villains are now prioritising the signing of a left-back, so it would be a great piece of business for Gerrard if he can seal a deal for Hickey this summer, as the youngster could make a great impact and add depth to Villa’s defence ahead of next season.

However, now that Brentford have made an official approach for the 20-year-old, Villa will need to act fast if they want to complete the signing of the Scottish youngster. Otherwise, they risk missing out on the player and would need to look elsewhere to fill a position that they need to cover.

AND in other news – “Official proposal…”: Romano drops big Villa transfer update, supporters will love it

Aston Villa could use Douglas Luiz to sign Moise Kean from Juventus, Italian journalist Marcello Chirico has claimed. 

The lowdown

Last summer, Juventus signed Kean on loan from Everton with an obligation to buy him for £24million.

Kean did make 44 appearances in 2021/22 but starting opportunities proved to be limited. Max Allegri selected him from the off in just 12 Serie A matches, and one Champions League fixture.

The Athletic’s Gregg Evans reported in May that Steven Gerrard may look to add ‘another forward option’ to his squad during the summer transfer window.

And transfer insider Dean Jones recently suggested that Villa might look to move Luiz on.

The latest

Chirico tweeted on Monday afternoon that ‘Aston Villa is interested’ in signing Kean this summer.

They have apparently ‘offered’ midfielder Luiz to the Bianconeri as part of the deal.

The verdict

Transfermarkt value Luiz at £31.5million, £7.5million more than Juventus have agreed to pay for Kean. And given that the Italian is clearly a little way down the pecking order at the Allianz Stadium, it seems unlikely that they would demand cash in addition to Luiz.

That, then, raises the prospect of a straight swap, an ‘unusual’ occurrence in football.

Is Kean the kind of no. 9 Villa should look for?

Well, his return of six goals last season is underwhelming, but remember, he rarely started games.

And the previous season, at Paris Saint-Germain, Kean commendably bagged 17 goals, with manager Thomas Tuchel dubbing him ‘fearless’ and former PSG player Eric Rabesandratana also praising his Edinson Cavani-esque work-rate.

Signing the seven-time trophy-winner would still be a risk, though, given that he struggled in his previous stint with an English club, netting only four times in 39 outings for Everton.

In other news, one pundit thinks this £120k-p/w star may have fallen out with Villa after he was transfer listed.

West Ham United are reportedly set to offer a new deal to forward Jarrod Bowen, following his sparkling recent form for the club.

What’s the word?

As per 90min, the Hammers are ‘readying a bumper new contract’ for the 25-year-old as a statement of his growing importance to the club, as they also look to ward off any potential interest, notably from Liverpool.

The report suggests that discussions had been had in east London back in December regarding an extension to his existing deal – which currently runs until 2025 – although his impressive form and recent England call-up have heightened the desire to tie him down to improved terms.

This news comes following recent reports that suggested teammate Declan Rice won’t be signing a new deal this summer, with that fact potentially putting greater emphasis on the need to commit the former Hull City man long-term.

Signing of the summer

For all the business that David Moyes may undertake this summer, the key transfer dealing could well be hanging on to the £80k-per-week sensation, with securing that new deal likely to be a top priority for the former Manchester United boss.

Managing to do so would be like a signing in itself, particularly with Bowen now believed to be valued at roughly £75m, with it unlikely that GSB would be able to find a suitable replacement who would make an equally as instant impact.

Plucked from the Championship on a £20m deal in January 2020, the Leominster-born gem has gone on to score 27 goals and register 23 assists in all competitions for the Irons thus far, having previously netted 54 goals and provided 14 assists at his former club.

The most recent campaign proved particularly profitable as he provided 29 goal contributions in all competitions, coming out on top among the Hammers squad for both goals (18) and assists (11).

Those statistics have underlined his importance to Moyes’ machine, with supporters likely desperate to see him commit himself to the club for the long haul, particularly amid those doubts over Rice’s future.

Having been recently handed a long-awaited international nod by Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate, the forward will likely be hoping to force his way into the manager’s reckoning for this year’s World Cup in Qatar, despite the intense competition for places.

The fact he is even in the conversation is a marker of just how far he has come since life in the second tier, with both the club – and supporters – praying that he recognises the role that West Ham has played in his development by signing a new deal.

Should he do so, it would likely eclipse any other dealings that the club does this summer.

IN other news, “Another target…”: Ex drops big WHU summer transfer claim that supporters will love

Manchester United’s move for Ajax defender Jurrien Timber is ‘practically closed’, according to Portuguese journalist Pedro Almeida.

The Lowdown: Timber talks

Erik ten Hag has seemingly made the 20-year-old his first major target as United manager. The Red Devils first made contact over a possible move at the end of April, and a transfer has slowly gathered pace with the defender’s representatives in England last weekend.

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Timber, described as a ‘top talent’, as per the official UEFA Champions League Twitter channel, can play anywhere across the back four and is valued at a career-high £27m by Transfermarkt.

The Latest: Almeida’s update

Almeida took to Twitter on late on Friday evening to provide a Manchester United transfer update.

He revealed that a move for Timber is ‘practically’ done, adding that the club are now turning their attention to Villarreal’s Pau Torres.

The Verdict: New partnership?

Although Timber can play as a full-back, Ten Hag mainly used the Netherlands international at centre-back last season. He made 38 appearances at the heart of the defence and just five at right-back, helping Ajax to the Eredivisie title, conceding just 19 times in 34 games.

It looks as if he will become the club’s first major signing of the Ten Hag era, and with United now looking at a move for another centre-back in Torres, that could spell trouble for the likes of Harry Maguire, who was heavily criticised last season.

In other news: Reliable journalist leaks Man Utd talks as Ten Hag now eyes ‘terrific’ Englishman. 

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ proposed signing of RB Leipzig loanee, Hwang Hee-chan will become permanent in the summer.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from Birmingham Mail, who have relayed Lage’s verdict on Hwang ahead of the South Korean’s permanent move to Molineux in July.

The 26-year-old joined Lage’s side last summer and it was announced in January that the club would indeed exercise their option to buy, consequently activating the £14m clause in his contract that would see him become an official Wolves player on July 1st.

Lage, by his own admission, has revealed that he will take inspiration from Manchester United icon Sir Alex Ferguson when he oversees Wolves’ rebuild this summer.

As per Birmingham Mail, he said: “I remember maybe 10 years ago, when I read Sir Alex Ferguson’s book, he said something like that. ‘I love my players as sons, but when they drop their performance I am the first guy to go there, shake their hands, it’s time to move, and we need to replace him to continue.’

“I want that pressure. When the players are there you give him respect and pay the salary, so when they don’t give the same things you need to find solutions. That’s why he was in that position for 20 years and he won titles every time. He did that with a lot of players.”

Wolves’ Ji-Sung Park

With the shared South Korean nationality, esteemed work rate and selflessness for the team in the form of versatility, the comparison between Ji-Sung Park and Hwang writes itself.

It’s of course emphasised further by Lage’s inspiration from Ferguson, who notoriously used Park as a key utility tool in United’s most successful spell.

The Wolves boss has already been waxing lyrical over Hwang as a player, saying this on the eve of the final Premier League game of the season:

“For Hwang, the way he came with the impact he gave us, it was very good. It was so easy for him to fit in the team. After that he had a big injury and stayed out for five or six games. Since then he has had good moments and bad moments.”

Hwang, who was said to have sent Virgil Van Dijk “out for a hotdog”, has made 31 appearances for Wolves this season and is the Old Gold’s second-highest goalscorer with five goals scored.

Though like Park, his game is much more than just end product, with the forward producing 86 pressures in the attacking third this term, the fourth-highest in the Wolves squad.

In other news: In talks: Lage can unearth Wolves’ new Neves & Moutinho in double swoop for £12.8m duo