This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Sunderland are in desperate need of a win and the nervousness that surrounds the club currently could make the home clash with Coventry a tight affair on Saturday.
If their recent matches are anything to go by, there will be few goals and few chances between the two sides, and that means the midfield battle could be key.
The Black Cats have averaged a respectable 52% possession this season but have still failed to create enough chances for their forward players, which is partly why Will Girgg and Marc McNulty have just three league goals between them.
One man who is responsible for that is Max Power. The 26-year-old was part of the Wigan side which claimed the League One title in 2018, but he has so far failed to replicate his match-winning performances in the north-east.
If anything he has got worse this season regardless of who is midfield partner is, and in coming up against the Sky Blues’ Liam Walsh he faces a tough task.
His opposite number has been very effective this season and a big reason why Coventry lie third, with his outstanding solo goal against Rochdale last weekend highlighting his quality.
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As a result, the Sunderland man will have to be focused when out of possession, and though that has been the best aspect of his game so far this term, it will still need to be improved upon against Walsh.
According to WhoScored he has averaged one tackle per game, which wouldn’t be too bad if he had equalled or performed better than that in an attacking capacity, but instead his lack of creativity has been of a detriment to his team.
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While his pass accuracy has been satisfactory, a rate of 0.4 key passes is unacceptable for a team fighting for promotion, and in contrast to Walsh it shows why Parkinson’s side have been lacking going forward.
Power has been outperformed in a number of areas by the Coventry man, and that means he could struggle coming up against him this weekend.
If he fails to close down Walsh quickly the home side could be punished, and given their lack of attacking threat of late – with just four goals scored in the last eight games – it is unlikely they would be able to overcome such a blow.
Walsh has averaged 1.5 key passes and 1.4 dribbles per game, according to WhoScored, which shows he is capable of mixing things up and can therefore hurt Sunderland in a variety of ways.
Power needs to elevate his game and ensure he comes out on top in this battle.
It might not always feel like it for the fans, but Tottenham Hotspur are undeniably a club on the up.
The North Londoners have an exciting and progressive manager at the helm in Ange Postecoglou, an array of exciting young talents like Pape Matar Sarr, Archie Gray and Mikey Moore in the squad, and to top it all off, have one of the best stadiums in the Premier League.
Moreover, only last season were the Lilywhites named the wealthiest club in London, and that, combined with Postecoglou's ambitions, can only lead to great things.
This concoction of favourable tailwinds should hopefully mean that, unlike in the past, Spurs could keep the next superstar player they develop instead of selling them off to the highest bidder. That said, one such player, whose value soared under former manager Mauricio Pochettino and beyond, was finally sold for a massive sum that, at the very least, could be reinvested.
Spurs' most prominent sales
So, while most big transfers involve attacking players moving from club to club, one of Spurs' biggest sales saw a full-back leave the club in Kyle Walker.
Kyle Walker playing for Tottenham
The England international joined the Lilywhites from Sheffield United in 2009, and after a few loan spells away from North London, the talented right-back would go on to make 229 appearances for the club before sealing a £50m move to Pep Guardiola's Manchester City in the summer of 2017, where he has since won everything there is to win in the game.
Moving slightly further up the pitch now to a star who wasn't sold for quite as much but has arguably gone on to have an even better career than Walker: Luka Modrić.
The Croatian icon joined the North Londoners from Dinamo Zagreb in the summer of 2008 for a fee of just £15m, and over the next four years, would make 160 appearances for the club, in which he'd score 17 goals and provide 24 assists and catch the eye of Real Madrid.
The Spanish giants secured the midfielder's services in August 2012 with a £30m offer, and while he famously struggled in his first year with Los Blancos, he has since etched his name into the club's history books and will retire as one of their greatest players of all time thanks to the ludicrous number of trophies he won there.
However, the former Zagreb ace wasn't the only player Spurs sold to Madrid in the early 2010s.
Welsh legend Gareth Bale made his move to the Spanish capital just a year later for a mammoth £85m fee thanks to his incredible displays in N17, where he had just ended the season with 26 goals and ten assists in 44 games.
So, from defence to attack, Tottenham have sold some incredible players over the years, but there is one more megastar the club have cashed in on in recent years.
The sale of Harry Kane
Yes, the final star in question is, of course, Harry Kane, who, after spending his entire career and part of his childhood with Tottenham, was finally sold to German behemoths Bayern Munich last summer for a fee reported to be around £86.4m at the time.
Harry Kane scores for Tottenham.
Now, while there have been more significant sales from other Premier League sides in the past, the fact that the England captain is an academy graduate of Spurs meant that his sale was entirely profit, which must have made accepting the Germans' offer that bit easier.
The Walthamstow-born marksman came to define an era for Tottenham fans, and while he was still banging in the goals after he left, the start of his career coincided with the arrival of Pochettino.
For example, according to Transfermarkt, the 31-year-old was valued at just €3m – £2.5m – two months after the Argentine was appointed as manager.
That means that the world-class number nine was sold for a fee 3356% higher than that valuation from August 2014, which, when looked at like that, is quite remarkable, although based on his output and ability, entirely justified.
Appearances
435
Goals
280
Assists
61
Goal Involvements per Match
0.78
In his 435 games for the club, he found the back of the net an extraordinary 280 times – which made him the club's outright top goalscorer – and provided 61 assists to boot, meaning he maintained an average of a goal involvement once every 1.27 games – talk about a one-season wonder.
Ultimately, while losing Kane last summer was far from ideal and a sad moment for Spurs fans everywhere, the club could at least get a hefty fee for him, and who knows, he could still come back for one last season in a few years.
Sold for just £750k, Spurs flop has seen his value rise 1900% after leaving
Newcastle United’s recruitment since the takeover by the Saudi PIF has improved dramatically, with their increased investment seeing the club push further up the Premier League table.
They’ve recruited key first-team members such as Sven Botman and Bruno Guimaraes, whilst also placing an impetus on investing in youth prospects to set the club up for the years ahead.
Anthony Gordon and Lewis Hall are just examples of this form of recruitment, with both now crucial members of Eddie Howe’s first team squad.
The duo have formed an excellent partnership down the Magpies’ left-hand side, handed the task of helping the club secure another season of Champions League football after narrowly missing out on any European competition at the end of last term.
Despite their recent success under Howe at St James’ Park, another youngster has also impressed with regular game time, with his market value skyrocketing since the 46-year-old’s appointment.
Tino Livramento’s market value when Howe was appointed
Magpies boss Howe was appointed as the club’s new manager back in November 2021, with the expectation of pulling the club clear of the relegation zone before overseeing a transformation.
It’s safe to say the Englishman has done just that, working wonders in allowing the club to reach the Champions League group stages for the first time in a generation.
However, one current first-team star wasn’t at the club when Howe moved to Tyneside, with Tino Livramento still featuring for fellow Premier League side Southampton.
The right-back joined the Saints during the summer of 2021 from Chelsea in a £5m deal, in a move that would allow the then 18-year-old to flourish with regular game time.
He featured 32 times during his first season on the South Coast, before suffering an ACL injury that would rule him out for the majority of the following season.
However, it wouldn’t stop his market value from skyrocketing, with Livramento valued at around £10m at the time of Howe’s appointment, before being valued at £21m by the end of his first full professional campaign.
Tino Livramento’s market value in 2024
After Southampton’s relegation to the Championship at the end of 2022/23, Newcastle decided to fork out £32m for the defender’s services – once again placing an emphasis on building for the future.
Whilst last season he was mainly a squad player, making just 11 league starts, the 2024/25 campaign has allowed the 21-year-old to secure a greater role in Howe’s side – becoming the club’s starting right-back over the experienced Kieran Trippier.
So far this campaign, he’s started all four Premier League outings, with his excellent form not going unnoticed, receiving his maiden call-up to the England squad under Lee Carsley during the recent international break.
Games played
4
Minutes played
302
Pass accuracy
75%
Tackles won
5
Duels won
23
Recoveries
18
Dribbles completed
67%
Aerials won
4
His recent achievements have seen his market value increase as a result, with Livramento now valued at £30m as per Transfermarkt, a 200% increase since Howe was appointed as Magpies boss nearly three years ago.
Livramento, who’s previously been dubbed a “monster” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is the perfect modern-day full-back with his pace and ability to provide opportunities for the forward line always a threat, but he’s also able to hold his own defensively – with the youngster having huge potential to improve further on Tyneside.
Howe’s trust in him is evident given his recent purple patch in the first team, which could allow his market value to increase further should he continue on his current trajectory.
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Celtic enjoyed a busy end to the summer transfer window last week with three new additions to their first-team squad on deadline day on Friday.
The Hoops dipped into the market to snap up Arne Engels, Luke McCowan, and Auston Trusty from Augsburg, Dundee, and Sheffield United respectively on permanent deals, in an attempt to bolster Brendan Rodgers' options across the park.
Adam Idah, Paulo Bernardo, Alex Valle, Kasper Schmeichel, and Viljami Sinisalo had already been added to the group prior to deadline day, with all bar Valle coming in as permanent signings.
The Scottish giants showed their ambition in the summer transfer window by smashing their club-record on Engels, who they have reportedly paid £11m for, eclipsing the £9m spent on Odsonne Edouard from PSG in 2018.
Celtic and Rodgers will now hope that their investment pays off in the coming months and years, with the Belgian whiz performing on the pitch and raising his own value to potentially be sold on for a big profit in the future.
The Scottish Premiership champions invested that money after they lost central midfielder Matt O'Riley to Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion, in a deal that cemented a masterclass by the club.
Celtic's Matt O'Riley masterclass
At the start of 2022, former Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou swooped to sign the Danish talent from English League One side MK Dons for a reported fee of £1.5m.
The young midfielder, who had started his career with Fulham, had racked up ten goals and eight assists in 54 appearances for the third tier outfit.
O'Riley hit the ground running in Scotland, with a return of four goals and two assists in his first 16 Scottish Premiership outings, and managed three goals and 12 assists in his first full league season in the 2022/23 campaign.
The superb maestro then enjoyed his best year in a Celtic jersey in what turned out to be his final season with the club under Brendan Rodgers last term.
Sofascore rating
7.91
1st
Goals
18
1st
Assists
13
1st
Big chances created
14
1st
Key passes per game
2.5
1st
As you can see in the table above, O'Riley was the biggest attacking threat in the entire squad in the 2023/24 campaign, when it came to both scoring and creating goals.
The central midfielder ranked first in virtually every key direct attacking statistics in the Premiership, with 31 goal contributions in the top-flight to help the team to another league title.
His sublime form in Scotland attracted interest from down south and Brighton eventually secured a £25m deal to sign the Denmark international last month.
That transfer cemented a masterclass by Celtic as they turned a £1.5m signing from the third tier of English football into a £25m player for a Premier League club, which is the perfect example of their player development model working to full effect.
It was a Scottish, and Celtic, transfer record fee of £25m but that does not mean that it was the most valuable sale in the history of the club, as transfer fees have inflated over the years.
One player who was sold for more than O'Riley, if you account for that inflation, was prolific centre-forward Pierre van Hooijdonk, who the Bhoys also played a blinder with.
How much Celtic paid for Pierre van Hooijdonk
The Scottish giants swooped to sign the number nine from Dutch side NAC Breda for a reported fee of £1.2m in January 1995 by manager Tommy Burns.
Van Hooijdonk was snapped up by Celtic after his impressive run of form in his home country, with a return of 44 goals in 71 appearances in all competitions for NAC.
The Netherlands international had plundered an eye-catching ten goals in 16 outings in the Dutch top-flight during the first half of the 1994/95 campaign, which convinced the Hoops to sign him for £1.2m.
Pierre van Hooijdonk
That came after van Hooijdonk had fired in 29 goals in 35 appearances in all competitions for NAC during the 1993/94 season, including 25 goals in 31 league matches.
The sensational forward then enjoyed a terrific spell with Celtic in Scotland, scoring 52 goals in 84 matches in all competitions, and earned a mega money move away from Parkhead.
How much Celtic sold van Hooijdonk for in today's money
Per Totally Money, Premier League side Nottingham Forest swooped in to sign the Netherlands international from Celtic for a fee of £5.4m in 1997.
Transfer fees in football have significantly inflated over the subsequent years and, as per Totally Money's algorithm, that £5.4m would be worth a staggering £39.4m in today's money.
Pierre van Hooijdonk
That is more than £14m more than Brighton have spent on Matt O'Riley this summer and suggests that van Hooijdonk's move to Forest was more valuable, relative to the time the transfer was completed, than the Danish star's switch to England was for Celtic this year.
This shows that Celtic and Burns hit gold when they dipped into the Dutch market to sign the prolific striker from NAC Breda, as they made a significant profit on the attacker, who would have been a Scottish record sale in 2024, and enjoyed his talents on the pitch.
94/95
13
4
95/96
34
26
96/97
21
14
As you can see in the table above, van Hooijdonk had a relatively slow start to his career at Celtic before firing in 40 goals in a season-and-a-half in the Premiership in the 1995/96 and 1996/97 campaigns.
The Dutchman then only scored seven goals in 29 Premier League matches for Forest, with a 29-goal season in the second tier sandwiched between two top-flight terms, before moving back to Holland with Vitesse.
Van Hooijdonk bounced around a few clubs, signing for Benfica, Feyenoord (twice), NAC Breda, and Fenerbahce after his spell with Vitesse, and ended his career with an impressive haul of 241 goals.
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Overall, Celtic hit the jackpot with the fantastic striker as they benefitted from his services both on and off the pitch, for footballing and financial reasons.
Celtic target Yang Hyun-jun 'very much' wants to complete a move to Parkhead this summer according to Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph via GIVEMESPORT
What is the latest news about Yang Hyun-jun?
With his current side Gangwon FC struggling to survive in their league despite his impressive performances, it seems as if a move away is something that appeals to the 21-year-old as he believes that he is ready to take the next step of his career and foray into European football, and Celtic seems like the perfect club for that next step.
He stated: "I will not change my mind about moving to Europe. But if I am blocked from making the move in this transfer market, I have to do my best for Gangwon FC and I will. I accept this and understand I will act professionally.”
What we do know is that the Scottish club have reportedly made a large bid for the attacker, but it remains to be seen as to whether anything will materialise at this moment in time.
What has Anthony Joseph said about Yang Hyun-jun to Celtic?
When asked about the potential transfer, Joseph told GIVEMESPORT: "Celtic did make an approach last week for Yang Hyun-jun and he very much wants to move to Celtic. And he has been trying to push it with his agent as well, the club aren’t too happy that his agent is really pushing it and some of the comments he’s made publicly as well.”
Former Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers.
Will Yang Hyun-jun be a good signing for Celtic?
Indeed, with Brendan Rodgers at the helm, it remains to be seen as to how he might change things potentially at Parkhead and how he will line the side up, upon his return, with all players potentially getting a chance to impress in pre-season.
But, one thing that we do know is that the winger possesses a great dribbling ability, having completed 1.2 dribbles per match with a success rate of 61%, as well as averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.02 across 36 K-League outings in 2022 and chipping in with a very impressive eight goals, and created six 'big chances'.
Of course, one thing that Ange Postecoglou managed to do well during his time at Celtic was the recruitment, as the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda, and Reo Hatate have all been nothing short of superb since making the move to Scotland. So, it seems a no-brainer for Celtic to bring in another exciting player from the same region.
Manchester City have been heavily linked with RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol, but Pep Guardiola could potentially find better value going after Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres.
Manchester City transfer news – Pau Torres
According to The Athletic, Man City are very keen to sign Gvardiol from Germany, but RB Leipzig will not make it easy for them.
The German side demand a fee of €100m (£85m) for their star Croatian centre-back and have made it clear they don’t want to sell such an asset.
The report also states that Gvardiol, for now, is City’s sole focus, but Villarreal gem Pau Torres has long been a name Guardiola has kept an eye on.
The 26-year-old left-footed centre-back could later be targeted by Man City if a move for Gvardiol does not materialise, although Aston Villa and West Ham United have already registered their interest in the Spanish defender.
Will Man City sign Josko Gvardiol or Pau Torres?
City are stacked at the back, and signing Gvardiol can help make that defensive unit even stronger.
Guardiola switched up City’s defensive system this season, changing from their traditional 4-3-3 formation with overlapping full-backs to an unusual 3-2-4-1 formation with inverted full-backs.
It worked a treat, as the Citizens went on to win a historic treble and claimed their first-ever Champions League title.
What good teams like City do is they do not wait for their squad to become stale to begin their rebuild, they constantly tweak the squad to keep it fresh. Their ambition to sign one of the Bundesliga’s best defenders just weeks after completing the treble shows such intent.
Gvardiol will be expensive, with Leipzig quoting a fee of around £100m for his services, but it is not difficult to see why.
The Croatian "machine" – as hailed by The Athletic's Jordan Campbell back in December – has proved his worth in the RB Leipzig defence, winning 32 of the 59 games the centre-back has played.
If City decide their number one target is too expensive, Torres can become a bargain alternative to star at the Etihad Stadium.
He has proved to be one of the Yellow Submarines' most important players, notching 173 appearances, per Transfermarkt.
The Spanish international, who was once hailed as an "extraordinary talent" by former Villarreal player Javi Calleja, also has 23 caps to his name already and was a part of Villarreal's historic Europa League final win over the red side of Manchester in 2021.
RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol.
Torres averaged a 7.04 rating across his 34 LaLiga games this season and helped keep 10 league clean sheets.
Villareal’s star defender would cost almost half of what Gvardiol would cost from Leipzig, with Football Espana stating that the ball-playing centre-back has a release clause of €45m (£38m), but could reportedly sell the player for as little as €40m (£34m).
That makes the 6 foot 3 titan around 60% cheaper, which is an attractive prospect in the day and age of Financial Fair Play.
Of course, Torres isn't on the same level as Gvardiol in terms of potential longevity and overall quality but he'd be a mighty fine alternative at that price.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola.
Indeed, he is a comparable player. to the Croatian gem, per FBref's statistical model and it's easy to see why, with the Villarreal star ranking among the top 1% for progressive carries per 90 and the top 4% for progressive passes per 90, when compared to his positional peers across Europe's top five divisions over the last year.
These are two key facets that Guardiola clearly looks for in a centre-back, making his fellow countryman look more and more like a steal at just £34m.
If City’s pursuit of their number one target stalls, then Torres could prove the ultimate bargain buy for Guardiola and the European champions.
There is no chance that Nicolo Barella will leave Inter Milan for Newcastle United this summer for just £50 million, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The 26-year-old is one of Inter's best players and was named in the Serie A Team of the Year for the 2021/22 campaign.
What is the latest news regarding Nicolo Barella?
A report from the Telegraph on Wednesday claimed Newcastle were "closing in" on the potential signing of Barella with a deal believed to cost around £50 million.
The report states that the Italian is one of two players the club has "earmarked" for the summer as a top target, with the other being Leicester City midfielder James Maddison, as the Magpies aim to surround Brazilian star Bruno Guimaraes with top-level talent in an attempt to further unlock the midfielder.
nicolo-barella-liverpool-transfer-premier-league
However, since then, reports from Italy have conflicted with what was originally reported by the Telegraph. CalcioMercarto has suggested the 26-year-old's agent has not spoken to any clubs as of now. It also states that Inter want to keep their midfielder, whose contract runs until June 2026, and if they were to sell the midfielder, they would need an £80m-£100m offer to consider letting him leave.
Rumours in the past have also linked the Euros winner with moves to both Liverpool and Manchester United, and the news that Newcastle was closing in on a move caused confusion within the respective fanbases as they wondered why their clubs were not making an attempt to bring in the Inter midfielder.
What has Fabrizio Romano said on the news?
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Inter Milan will not sell Barella for £50m despite Newcastle's strong interest.
The journalist stated: "What I can tell you is that, for sure, there is interest from Newcastle and for sure Eddie Howe is a big fan of Nicolo Barella, they would love to sign Barella. But they also know that at the moment for Inter £50m is absolutely not enough to sell Barella. They extended his contract, it was a few months ago.
"And so the idea of Inter is to keep Barella, no chance to sell Barella for £50m. They want way more than this to be tempted. So let's see if Newcastle will try to improve their proposal or do something serious in the next days. For sure, they like the player, for sure they want the player but £50m, at the moment, is not enough."
Is Barella the right player for Newcastle?
The Italian could be an incredible statement signing by the Magpies as they get set to embark on their first Champions League campaign in over 20 years, with the midfielder being regarded as a "sensational talent".
Barella has a fantastic statistical profile, drawing comparisons with some of the best attacking midfielders across the globe such as Luka Modric, Martin Odegaard, and Bernardo Silva, with the Italian's quality in the final third being a real standout attribute.
Those qualities mentioned, therefore, make the news that Newcastle are intending to use the midfielder as a six rather than as an eight perplexing, as that would limit the player's chance to use his statistical strengths and instead amplify his statistical weaknesses according to FBref.
Newcastle should definitely do all they can to bring Barella to Tyneside, but they have to ensure that they utilise him in the best role for his skillset.
Everton could well have the heir to Anthony Gordon's position at Goodison Park as they look to further conversations for PSV's precocious talent Isaac Babadi.
What's the latest on Isaac Babadi to Everton?
According to Dutch journalist Rik Elfrink, Everton – alongside Brentford and Eintracht Frankfurt – are interested in the 18-year-old flanker, who has just one year left on his current deal with the Eredivisie outfit.
The Netherlands U18 international is awaiting a new proposal from PSV before assessing his options, and the Toffees who are "working" on a move, will hope to entice the player with the prospect of forging a prominent role in a Premier League squad.
While a valuation has not surfaced thus far, his contractual situation hints that an astute deal could be pulled off this summer, and Everton must now act upon their intrigue as manager Sean Dyche looks to craft a successful future after staving off relegation this term.
Who is Isaac Babadi?
Too long have Everton's movements on the transfer front fallen below the standards demanded by the proud Blues fanbase, having now spent the past two Premier League campaigns battling against the threat of the drop and only escaping the unthinkable in the dying embers.
The appointment of the stoic Dyche was the perfect way to fortify Goodison Park with a sturdy structure, but now the signings taken in must make an emphatic impact to commence a climb up the table.
And while Babadi would be unlikely to bring instantaneous success, his prodigious roots tantalise a career right at the very top, having already recorded 32 direct contributions from 65 outings for the Boeren's respective youth outfits.
This term, he has plundered six goals and five assists from 34 matches across all competitions for PSV's U21 set-up, and considering he is scarcely two months into adulthood, the left-winger is exceeding expectations and will undoubtedly make his first-team debut should he remain in his homeland.
Hailed as a "creative" forward and a "top talent" by Elfrink, he could indeed surpass Gordon's impact in Liverpool, with Everton's homegrown talent playing 78 matches for the side before completing a £45m transfer to Premier League high-fliers Newcastle United in January.
Former Everton winger Anthony Gordon.
Despite being described as "frightening" by pundit Paddy Kenny, Gordon only scored seven goals and provided eight assists during his time on Merseyside, and with Babadi exhibiting the signs of a prolific future star, he could well transcend Gordon's exploits at the club.
The 22-year-old Magpie has yet to demonstrate his prowess as a creative outlet with regularity – posting an average of only 0.4 key passes this year and one last term, as per WhoScored – and given that he is yet to score more than four times in a single campaign, the wideman's departure might dissipate like dust as the Toffees support are galvanised by a talented teenager in Babadi who could blossom into one of the Premier League's most exciting stars, eclipsing Gordon in the process
Former Leeds United player Lee Bowyer has confirmed that he would "love" to become the club's new manager, in a recent interview with talkSPORT.
What's the latest Leeds manager news?
Leeds are now in talks with former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard, however they are not the only club he is contact with, as Leicester City have also opened discussions with the 43-year-old following their relegation from the Premier League.
West Bromwich Albion manager Carlos Corberan also made the shortlist, with Marcelo Bielsa's former assistant viewed as "ideal" by the hierarchy at Elland Road, as he could be capable of building something over a long period of time.
The same report also details the Whites are unlikely to bring in a "traditional figure" in the mould of Sam Allardyce, however another manager they had contact with before appointing Allardyce has now thrown his hat into the ring.
In an interview with talkSPORT, Bowyer confirmed that he "exchanged" messages with the Leeds board prior to Allardyce's arrival at Elland Road, while he also added that he would relish the opportunity to take over this summer.
The 46-year-old said: “Oh for sure, I have a connection with the club and I understand the club and I think that’s important for whoever goes in there next.
“I would definitely jump at the chance for sure. I know the Championship now, I’ve done a few years of management there, I understand it, I watched it all last season, and you analyse and see what it takes to get promotion.
“I believe if I went in there I would get them promoted again.”
Should Leeds appoint Lee Bowyer?
In fairness, Bowyer does have a fair amount of experience managing in the second tier, having led Charlton Athletic to promotion from League One in 2019, before taking charge of 102 games in the Championship, across spells with Chalrton and Birmingham.
That said, the Englishman has not experienced a great deal of success above League One, eventually being sacked by Birmingham, after leading them to a 20th-placed finish in the 2021-22 campaign.
If Leeds are to return to the Premier League at the first opportunity, they could do with appointing a manager who has experience fighting for promotion in the second tier, which would also exclude Gerrard.
Corberan should be the Whites' main target, having gone very close to leading Huddersfield Town to promotion in his previous job, but it may be difficult to prise him away from West Brom, given that he is contracted until 2027.
Brighton and Hove Albion are ‘weighing up’ an improved bid of £40m for Levi Colwill after Chelsea rejected their previous offer of around £30m.
What’s the latest on Levi Colwill?
Colwill, 20, has been one in a long list of standout players under Roberto De Zerbi at Brighton this year.
The young Englishman joined the Seagulls on a season-long loan from Chelsea’s U21 set-up in August of last year and quickly developed into one of the Premier League’s most exciting young defenders.
Unsurprisingly, the south coast outfit are desperate to keep him on their books as they look to make a real go of Europa League football next year.
According to reports from Adrian Kajumba of the Daily Mail, Brighton have already had a £30m offer rejected outright from the west London club, being told that Colwill is ‘not for sale.’
However, as Brighton know, perhaps better than any club in the league, player sales are a complicated process, so they won’t be put off by Chelsea’s stance.
According to Kajumba, the club’s board are now ‘weighing up’ a new and improved offer of £40m for the player, a club record for Brighton.
However, the deal could drag on further, as transfer expert Fabrizio Romano stated that the 6 foot 2 defender is part of Chelsea’s “long-term project.”
How does Moises Caicedo fit into all of this?
Tony Bloom does have an ace up his sleeve in this negotiation, Moises Caicedo.
The much sought-after Ecuadorian international has shot right to the top of Todd Boehly’s transfer list after missing out on the now Paris Saint-Germain-bound Manuel Ugarte.
The club has promised Caicedo that should the right bid come in for him, he can leave the Amex, and that bid is expected to be at least £80m.
Brighton might be able to use the interest in the 5 foot 9 midfielder as a makeweight in a deal to keep Colwill at the club permanently but at this stage, that remains to be seen whether that could be a genuine option or not.
Brighton defender Levi Colwill.
Would Levi Colwill be a good signing for Brighton?
After a slow start to life in east Sussex, which saw him start just two of the first 15 Premier League games for the club, the £12.5m-rated titan has quickly established himself as one of the first names on the team sheet.
Manager De Zerbi made it clear before their win against Arsenal that he wants to keep the defender, saying:
“I would like to work with him for another two, three, four years because it is difficult to find another left back with his qualities.
“This year his improvement has been fantastic, and I hope he can stay with us.”
The numbers from his season this year have also been very impressive.
According to FBref, Colwill has ranked in the top 1% in his position for both assists and attempted passes this season.
His ball-playing ability is highlighted by the fact that he is in the top 8% for both progressive passes per 90 and the top 12% for progressive carries per 90.
Clearly, Colwill has a bright future ahead of him, and if Bloom can work his magic, that future could be down on the south coast.