Sunderland enjoyed a brilliant day out at Wembley last month when they beat Sheffield United in the play-off final to secure promotion back to the Premier League.

Despite their promotion to the top-flight, the Wearside outfit are still having to contend with interest from elsewhere in some of their best players in the summer transfer window.

Sky Sports claims that Borussia Dortmund are in advanced talks over a deal to sign central midfielder Jobe Bellingham from the newly promoted outfit.

Fabrizio Romano has also reported that the midfielder has given his priority to making the move to the German side, but the Black Cats will not allow him to leave for less than his £33m release clause.

It now remains to be seen whether or not Dortmund will be able to agree a deal around that £33m release clause in order to bring him to Germany, but Jobe may not be the only Sunderland star on his way out of the Stadium of Light.

Premier League clubs eye Sunderland star

The club’s successful 2024/25 campaign, earning promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs, has attracted plenty of interest in their players from elsewhere, with top-flight teams now eyeing up one of Regis Le Bris’ defenders.

Transfer Focus

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

According to Sky Sports, Sunderland full-back Trai Hume is a target for Premier League sides Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers, who are settled top-flight teams.

As explained in the clip above, a host of teams in Spain are also interested in taking the Northern Ireland international away from the Stadium of Light before the end of the summer transfer window.

The report does not, however, mention how much money it would take for Sunderland to sell him. If they were to lose Hume, though, it would be an even bigger blow than losing Jobe.

Why losing Trai Hume would be a big blow

Whilst Jobe is a top talent, as evidenced by Dortmund’s interest in him, his exit may not have a huge bearing on Sunderland’s chances of avoiding the drop next term.

The Black Cats will be in a relegation scrap where they will need outstanding defensive work and players who can make a difference with goals and assists in the final third.

Jobe did not end up in the top four players for Sunderland for goals (four), assists (three), tackles per game (1.8), or assists per game (0.8) in the Championship, which shows that he is more of an all-rounder, rather than a player who is likely to make a significant impact at either end in the Premier League.

Hume, on the other hand, was among the top players at the club in a host of offensive and defensive statistics from a right-back position and could be crucial to their efforts to avoid the drop.

24/25 Championship	Trai Hume	Sunderland rank
Sofascore rating	7.20	1st
xA	7.54	1st
Assists	6	2nd
Big chances created	12	1st
Tackles per game	2.7	1st
Interceptions per game	1.0	3rd
Clearances per game	3.0	3rd
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 23-year-old full-back was the most creative player in the squad, with the most xA and ‘big chances’ created, whilst also making the most tackles in the team.

These statistics show that Hume, who was hailed as “outstanding” by journalist Josh Bunting, will be an incredibly key player for Sunderland in the Premier League because he can combine defensive strength with attacking quality down the right flank as an outstanding performer for the Black Cats.

Losing him to Wolves or Everton would be an even bigger blow than losing Jobe because the statistics suggest that he has more potential to be influential at both ends of the pitch in the top-flight next term.

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It is now down to the club to hold firm and turn down any offers that may come in for his services, whilst convincing the defender to remain on Wearside.

Aston Villa have received a boost in their pursuit of a summer target, with it being revealed he is now planning to ignore Barcelona in favour of a move to the Premier League, according to a report.

Villa file complaint after referee blunder

With Newcastle United suffering a surprise 1-0 defeat at home to Everton, a point against Manchester United would’ve been enough for Villa to secure Champions League qualification for the second season on the spin, but they ultimately fell to a 2-0 loss.

Morgan Rogers thought he had opened the scoring for the Villans, but referee Thomas Bramall blew the whistle for an alleged foul on Altay Bayindir, with VAR unable to intervene as play was stopped before the ball hit the net.

As such, an official complaint has been made to the PGMOL, but Unai Emery’s side will ultimately have to settle for Europa League football next season, rather than the much more prestigious and lucrative Champions League.

Villa’s omission from Europe’s elite competition could also impact the business they are able to do this summer, but a new update has suggested they could still be well-positioned to sign a goalkeeper.

According to a report from Spain, Espanyol’s Joan Garcia is on Aston Villa’s radar for a summer transfer swoop, and the 24-year-old is now planning to turn down a move to Barcelona, amid concerns he would not be the first-choice option.

As such, a move to the Premier League is believed to appeal to Garcia, with Villa, Newcastle United and Arsenal all waiting in the wings, and Espanyol are aware it will be difficult to keep hold of the goalkeeper if they receive a big offer from England.

A deal could be relatively cheap, however, with the rumoured asking price of £25m believed to be appealing to all the interested parties.

Garcia could be "elite" Martinez heir

Unfortunately, it appears as though Emiliano Martinez’s time at Villa Park could be over, with the Argentine appearing to say a tearful farewell after his side’s final home game of the campaign.

As such, Emery will be tasked with bringing in a replacement this summer, and the Espanyol shot-stopper could be a fantastic option, having been lauded as “elite” by scout Ben Mattinson during the 2024-25 campaign.

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Not only that, but the 24-year-old ranks in the 86th percentile for his save percentage, and the 91st percentile for his crosses stopped percentage per 90 over the past year, so it is promising news that he could reject Barcelona in favour of a Premier League move.

With money to spend following the departure of Jobe Bellingham to Borussia Dortmund, Sunderland have reportedly joined a hectic race to sign a Premier League rival this summer.

Sunderland commence search to replace Bellingham

Even after earning promotion to the Premier League, Bellingham’s decision was made up when Borussia Dortmund came calling in a deal that is now official. An exit that could reportedly see Sunderland bank as much as €40m (£34m) if add-on bonuses are reached in the coming years, the Black Cats have instantly turned towards the market in pursuit of a replacement.

It’s a search that won’t be easy given just how talented Bellingham is at just 19 years old, but Sunderland must make sure that their young midfielder is replaced by the time that the Premier League campaign gets underway.

On that front, names such as Tommy Doyle have recently threatened to steal the headlines. The 23-year-old is a Manchester City graduate, but completed a move to Wolverhampton Wanderers last summer.

Swapping Manchester for the Midlands hasn’t accelerated his development that many would have hoped, however, and after just three Premier League starts, Doyle could be on the move again.

Sunderland now plotting 8-figure move for hugely in-demand Asian talent

He could become a star at the Stadium of Light.

ByHenry Jackson Jun 9, 2025

Sunderland could be the ideal place to get his career back on track too. The Stadium of Light has become the breeding ground for young talent to thrive in recent years, from Manchester United’s Amad Diallo to, most recently, Bellingham. Now, Doyle desperately needs to follow a similar path if he is to finally realise his potential in the Premier League.

Of course, though, it’s not just young talent that Sunderland have set their sights on this summer. The Black Cats have also gone in search of experience and could yet welcome a Premier League rival for Regis Le Bris.

Sunderland join race to sign £5m Alex Moreno

According to reports in Spain, Sunderland have now joined the race to sign Alex Moreno from Aston Villa this summer. Those in Wearside are reportedly joined by Real Sociedad, Real Betis and fellow promoted side Burnley in a hectic battle to sign the Spanish left-back.

Available for just £5m this summer, Moreno represents an option that could quickly turn into the ultimate bargain, given how he played a part in Nottingham Forest’s unexpected Europa Conference League finish last season. Starting 11 games for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, the 32-year-old proved that he is still more than capable of playing at this level.

Although no longer part of Unai Emery’s plans, the £35,000-a-week defender still made his mark at Aston Villa during the 2022/23 campaign, when he earned the praise of both Ian Wright and Alan Shearer following a frantic draw at West Ham United.

The pair were both left in awe of Moreno’s assist for Ollie Watkins’ goal, with Shearer saying on Match of the Day: “But what a ball in, it’s dreamland for a forward. You are saying ‘go on and get on the end of that’ and Watkins did. It was a great cross and a fantastic header.”

Wright then went on to dub Moreno’s involvement as “brilliant” in the type of quality that Sunderland fans could be enjoying next season if the Black Cats decide to make their move.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to tackle the summer transfer market following the confirmed arrival of Thomas Frank as Ange Postecoglou’s replacement in the dugout.

Tottenham announce as Thomas Frank as their new manager

Spurs were repeatedly linked with Frank after chairman Daniel Levy made the tough decision to sack Postecoglou, with the Australian helping to end their 17-year wait for a major trophy but also guiding them to 22 Premier League defeats last season.

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On Thursday evening, Frank was officially unveiled as the Lilywhites’ fifth manager since 2019, after Spurs triggered his £10 million release clause and reached an agreement on his backroom staff.

“Thomas has extensive experience in English football having joined Brentford in 2016 – since becoming one of the longest-serving current managers in the Premier League,” a club statement said.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

“During his time at Brentford he transformed the Club, moving them up from the Championship to an established Premier League side, consistently and significantly outperforming expectations for an extended period of time.

“In Thomas we are appointing one of the most progressive and innovative head coaches within the game. He has a proven track record in player and squad development, and we look forward to him leading the team as we prepare for the season ahead.”

On paper, Frank is arguably a perfect for the north Londoners, having worked wonders with limited resources at Brentford whilst also operating under a data-driven recruitment model.

However, the Dane also has zero experience managing a team of this magnitude, nor does he boast any silverware or Champions League know-how, yet he is the man who is about to lead Tottenham into Europe’s most prestigious competition next term.

If Frank is to become a success at Spurs, Levy will need to back him in the transfer market, and this summer is set to be another crucial one.

Frank’s side are reportedly trying to hijack Man United’s move for Bryan Mbeumo, but that is not all.

The 51-year-old has already recommended Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze to Tottenham, according to GiveMeSport, and it is now reported that he’s also a fan of Nottingham Forest playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White.

Thomas Frank "pushing" Tottenham to move for Morgan Gibbs-White

That is according to journalist Sebastien Vidal, who claims that Frank is “pushing” for Tottenham to sign Gibbs-White in a “statement” move.

The England international, despite this report that a £51 million deal is possible, is likely to cost far more. Nuno Espírito Santo’s side have him under contract for another two years, with other reports claiming Forest could demand as much as £100 million for him this summer.

Gibbs-White was a superstar player for Forest during their unlikely push for Champions League football last season, bagging seven goals and 10 assists in all competitions, so Spurs will have to seriously dig deep into their pockets to get them talking.

Manchester United may have won on Sunday, defeating Aston Villa to deny them Champions League football, but understandably, no one was in the mood to party at Old Trafford.

Having lost the Europa League final last week, Ruben Amorim stood on a wet Old Trafford turf to apologise to the supporters.

Behind him stood a crop of sorry-looking players. Rather than hiding in the comfort of the dressing room, they were made to stand in front of the fans, longingly wishing for better times.

Amorim suggested that success would return, but the task at hand is colossal, perhaps one of the biggest in elite football right now.

Coincidentally, this all came in a week where one of their former players, a certain Scott McTominay, held aloft the Serie A title.

How Scott McTominay helped Napoli to a historic league title

Almost a year ago now, Man United decided to cash in on homegrown product, McTominay.

The Scot had attracted his fair share of criticism in English football for a heap of inconsistent displays, but he did depart for Naples as their joint-third highest scorer in 2023/24, having bagged ten times, the same number as Alejandro Garnacho.

Well, it’s safe to say they have missed the 28-year-old this term, with his £25m fee last summer now looking like a bargain.

In Italy, he’s been nothing short of a revelation, now being uttered in the same breath as Napoli club legend, Diego Maradona.

Only four Napoli sides have ever been crowned champions of Italy and McTominay had a huge say in their success this term.

The Scotland international was named the division’s official MVP for his performances, scoring 12 goals and registering six assists during the league campaign.

Now, United must learn from that mistake. While it’s unlikely that too many of this floundering squad will take the eye of other teams, there is a scenario where United head into next season without Bruno Fernandes.

The latest on Bruno Fernandes' future

The United skipper has been somewhat of a one-man band this season considering his form but due to United’s horrific plight, he could depart.

Transfer Focus

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

It’s been no secret in recent weeks that he is attracting interest from the Saudi Pro League, but whether or not he’s tempted by the riches in the Middle East remains to be seen.

Remarkably, he could now exit in what would be United’s second most expensive departure ever, surpassing Romelu Lukaku but slightly lagging behind the great Cristiano Ronaldo deal to Real Madrid.

That’s according to reports in Spain, who claimed over the weekend that Al-Hilal are set to step up their pursuit of the Old Trafford captain.

They have already presented what is described as a ‘significant’ sum to INEOS, lodging a ridiculous €100m (£84m) offer for the attacking midfielder.

They are also prepared to pay an enormous salary to Fernandes that exceeds €77m (£64m) per year. For context, the playmaker currently earns £15.6m-per-year.

Bruno Fernandes @ Manchester United
Season	Games	Goals	Assists
2019/20	22	12	8
2020/21	58	28	17
2021/22	46	10	14
2022/23	59	14	15
2023/24	48	15	13
2024/25	57	19	20
Stats via Transfermarkt.

Despite the fact that United would rake in a fair sum of cash, something that’s particularly important given they haven’t qualified for Europe in 2025/26, losing the Portuguese sensation this summer would be nothing short of disastrous.

In a bleak old season for Amorim’s men, Fernandes has been the rare bright spark, the constant beam of light.

Across 57 games, he scored 19 goals and supplied 20 assists, with 12 of those involvements coming in the club’s run to the Europa League final.

Losing those numbers would be horrendous for United. Their highest scorers after that are Garnacho and Amad on 11 each, while their second-highest assister is Garnacho, but he is ten behind his skipper.

With the Argentine winger also looking likely to depart, not even part of the squad on Sunday, the numbers Amorim would be losing from his squad would be hard to stomach.

McTominay’s situation a year ago was very different, of course it was, but they’ve been left to rue selling him and despite the riches on offer here, selling Fernandes would be a very similar story in terms of regret.

Of everyone in the squad, he is the only true irreplaceable figure. INEOS must keep him at United at all costs.

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2

By
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With Champions League qualification secured, Newcastle United are now reportedly readying a double swoop worth over £100m to sign two impressive additions this summer.

Newcastle seal Champions League qualification

It wasn’t done the easy way, but Newcastle secured their place in next season’s Champions League on the final day of the season despite losing against Everton. In the end, it was Manchester United’s 2-0 victory over Aston Villa which helped the Magpies avoid the worst-case scenario. Eddie Howe won’t care how his side did it, however. All he will be thinking about is the chance to step into the dugout among Europe’s elite for the second time in three seasons.

Having more than played his part as club captain this season, Bruno Guimaraes expressed his delight after earning a place back in the Champions League on the final day. The Brazilian told reporters: “Feel very well, feel unbelievable. I think for me, it has been an unbelievable year. First year as a captain, played 38 of 38 games in the Premier League. I’m very, very happy.

“Winning a trophy for this club. What a season. I will always remember this one. I’m very, very happy and proud of our team, of myself, of these fans. Next season, we go back again. We never stop. We’ve won a cup, but we want more.”

After struggling to maintain their form last season, the current campaign couldn’t have gone much better for those at St James’ Park. As Guimaraes reiterated, however, they’ll be keen to ensure that this is just the start.

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What that success has done too, is hand PIF the chance to spend big again at long last. With their PSR problems eased, Newcastle could finally hand Howe the reinforcements that he’s been needing, including the addition of two excellent Premier League stars.

Newcastle readying double Mbeumo and Guehi swoop

According to The Telegraph, Newcastle are now readying a double move to sign Bryan Mbuemo and Marc Guehi from Brentford and Crystal Palace. Both deals would make significant statements of the Magpies’ intent and both would cost hefty fees.

Mbeumo will reportedly cost in the region of £50m-60m, whilst Guehi has been valued at as much as £65m by Crystal Palace ahead of the summer transfer window, although the Magpies hope a compromise can be reached with the Eagles for their long-term target.

With PSR problems eased, however, spending may not be an issue for PIF, who could show off their financial power for the first time since initially arriving at St James’ Park.

Signing Guehi would particularly be a long time coming, given that Newcastle were heavily linked with the defender’s signature last summer. His arrival would also allow Howe to move Dan Burn back to left-back and form an impressive partnership between Sven Botman and his potential new arrival.

Meanwhile, Mbeumo needs little introduction these days after scoring 20 goals in all competitions for Brentford and keeping up with the talented Alexander Isak throughout the campaign.

Starts

38

34

Goals

20

23

Assists

7

6

Expected Goals

12.3

20.3

It’s clear that the Brentford star would instantly take Newcastle’s frontline to another level just as Guehi would hand the Magpies the defensive boost that they’ve been searching for since last summer.

Chelsea once agreed a £200m+ deal to sign Lionel Messi from Barcelona, however, a former Blues star stopped the Argentine icon moving to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea’s best signings under Abramovich

After Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea for £140m in 2003, he turned the Blues into a force to be reckoned with, especially in the transfer market, smashing the club’s record signing on numerous occasions. In total, the Russian spent more than £2bn on player signings while also splashing £90m when it came to hiring and firing managers.

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Todd Boehly has spent big in recent years.

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Major trophies would be a regular occurrence for Abramovich during his time at Stamford Bridge, but he would eventually sell up in 2022.

Abramovich’s top Chelsea signings in pictures

Abramovich employed numerous managers for Chelsea, and one of the most successful bosses he hired was Jose Mourinho.

Across two spells as Chelsea manager, Mourinho won eight major honours, including lifting the Premier League on three occasions.

Jose Mourinho honours at Chelsea

Years won

Premier League

2005, 2006, 2015

FA Cup

2007

League Cup

2005, 2007, 2015

Community Shield

2005

He managed some top-quality attackers in London, including Didier Drogba and Eden Hazard, however, Mourinho so nearly worked with Messi at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea agreed £200m+ deal to sign Messi under Abramovich

Back in 2014, Chelsea attempted to sign Messi from Barcelona, with Mourinho holding a face-to-face video call with the legendary attacker.

The manager looked to have persuaded Messi to depart the Nou Camp for Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea agreeing to trigger Messi’s €250m (£210.9m) release clause and hand him a huge wage packet in England worth around £50m per season plus 70 per cent of image rights. Mourinho reportedly told Messi he couldn’t wait to work with him, as per Gianluca Di Marzio.

Messi was also quoted admitting he actually wanted to move to Chelsea.

However, former Chelsea midfielder Deco was alerted of a deal by Cesc Fabregas and made Messi’s father and agent Jorge, aware of the talks, which led to a deal ultimately falling through.

As we know, Messi has continued to show why he is one of the greatest players of all time and would eventually leave Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.

The attacker then headed to the MLS with Inter Miami and has never played in the Premier League, so Chelsea fans may think differently of Deco knowing he helped stopped a transfer.

Newcastle United squeezed into the Champions League by the skin of their teeth at the end of last season.

Eddie Howe won’t be complaining, but the Englishman will be desperate to bolster several areas of his first-team squad ahead of next season.

The club will have money to spend thanks to securing a spot in Europe’s top club competition, but Howe must spend it wisely to ensure Newcastle give a better account of themselves next term.

One area of concern is the defence. Across 48 matches in all competitions, the Magpies conceded 58 goals.

As such, bringing in another centre-back or two could be a shrewd move by the manager, no doubt about that.

Both Fabian Schar and Dan Burn are on the wrong side of 30, and while they did a solid job throughout the 2024/25 campaign, the latter notably earning an England call-up, it is evident that replacing them sooner rather than later is a priority for Howe.

Schar, in particular, was impressive at times in the heart of the Newcastle defence.

Fabian Schar's statistics in 2024/25

The Swiss defender has been with the Magpies since the summer of 2018, and he has been a regular under a succession of managers at St James’ Park.

Winning the League Cup last term was the culmination of seven years of consistency for Schar, and it was well deserved. Like a fine wine, he seems to just get better with age.

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2024/25

42

6

1

2023/24

47

5

3

2022/23

41

1

3

2021/22

26

2

2

2020/21

19

1

0

2019/20

27

2

0

2018/19

28

4

1

The 33-year-old has played 230 competitive matches for the club and last season saw him feature in 42 games, his second-highest tally for a single season since arriving in 2018.

Across his 34 Premier League games for the Toon in 2024/25, Schar helped them keep ten clean sheets. Furthermore, the defender won 46% of his total duels, averaged 1.1 tackles per game and recovered 3.9 balls per game.

It was his attacking statistics that stood out more than most, however. When compared to his positional peers in the top flight last term, Schar ranked in the top 7% for non-penalty goals (0.12), in the top 1% for total shots (1.23) per 90 and in the top 9% for progressive passes received (0.67) per 90.

These attacking abilities certainly helped play a big part in the club securing a top-five finish in the Premier League, and it is likely that Howe will keep Schar around for another season at least.

With just one year left on his deal, next summer could be the perfect time for him to bow out of St James’ Park.

This summer should be spent eyeing a long-term replacement for the Swiss titan. Might Howe have eyes on a major upgrade?

Newcastle among favourites to sign Schar replacement

Howe has spent the early days of the summer eyeing up attacking talent. Names such as Anthony Elanga, Jack Grealish and even Real Madrid superstar Rodrygo have all been linked with moves to the northeast this summer.

Any one of those players would instantly improve Howe’s side, that’s a certainty. But taking a step back and realising that building from the back should be his main priority.

The club have been keen on Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi for quite some time now. Might this summer be the perfect opportunity to strike?

According to journalist Pete O’Rourke, Newcastle and Arsenal are battling head-to-head in order to land the Englishman before the end of the summer window.

Being in the Champions League next season has made the Magpies one of the favourites in the pursuit of the defender, as this is the level he will be looking to play at next season.

His contract expires next summer, meaning Palace will be keen to cash in when the iron is hot. As such, he should reportedly be available for around £40m.

There is no doubt that Guehi would be a much better option for Howe than Schar next season, especially after coming off the back of another strong Premier League campaign.

Why Newcastle must sign Marc Guehi this summer

Schar enjoyed a solid season, but switching him for Guehi would make Newcastle favourites to secure another top-five spot in the top flight.

Despite the Swiss’ ability in the final third, Guehi actually outshone him here, registering more goals and assists (five vs four) compared to Schar in the Premier League last season, but he also recorded a higher shots-on-target percentage (46.7% vs 27.5%) and generated more shot-creating actions (44 vs 37) over the course of the season.

Furthermore, the Englishman also won more tackles (34 vs 21) than Schar in the top flight, while tackling a higher percentage of dribblers (66% vs 40%), making more blocks (55 vs 38) and winning more aerial duels (68 vs 56) compared to the Swiss defender.

This comparison indicates that Howe must be doing everything he can in order to bring Guehi to the north of England.

Previously hailed as “unbelievable” by podcast host Aaron Moniz, Guehi has plenty of Premier League experience, having clocked up 132 appearances in the competition.

Add in the fact that he has been capped by England 23 times, it becomes evident that the 24-year-old is one of the country’s standout defenders of his generation.

If Newcastle miss the boat on the Palace star, it will likely haunt Howe. There are other areas in the squad that need to be strengthened also, but with attacking stars like Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes, Howe is stocked in this regard.

With three of his four senior centre-backs aged 31 or older, this department needs some freshness injected into it ahead of 2025/26.

Guehi would be a wonderful signing and his profile fits what Howe is searching for in a defender. With Arsenal also looking to secure his signature, the Toon need to act fast to sign their man.

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Derby County have now opened talks to sign an “unbelievable” defender, who is set to be available on a free transfer at the end of the month, according to a report.

Derby set to strengthen in defence

Derby survived the drop by the barest of margins last season, and they have their defence to thank, keeping clean sheets in four out of their last eight games to ensure Championship football will be played at Pride Park once again next season.

In the end, John Eustace wasn’t left to rue the decision to leave Blackburn Rovers for the Rams, but a club of their stature will have far loftier ambitions than merely surviving in the second tier, and the manager is looking to put his own stamp on his squad.

Despite the stellar defensive efforts at the back end of last season, one position in which Eustace appears to be particularly keen to strengthen is centre-back, with the likes of Blackburn Rovers’ Danny Batth and Birmingham City’s Dion Sanderson of interest.

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According to a report from Derbyshire Live, a League One centre-back has also been identified as a target, namely Lincoln City’s Paudie O’Connor, with Derby recently opening talks over a deal for the defender.

O’Connor’s contract is set to expire at the end of the month, meaning he is able to leave the Imps on a free transfer, and there are a number of clubs interested in his signature, with Huddersfield Town and Barnsley also being linked.

Wycombe Wanderers are currently believed to be in pole position for the Lincoln centre-back, but a move to Pride Park could be more appealing, given that Championship football will be on offer next season.

Derby need new centre-back after Phillips departure

The Rams’ defence was not the main problem last season, considering they shipped fewer goals than Coventry City, who reached the play-off semi-final, but it is clear they will need to bring in a new centre-back this summer, as Nat Phillips has returned to Liverpool.

Phillips was a regular starter whenever fit, making 32 appearances in the Championship last term, and he even scored a vital goal away at Hull City in the penultimate match of the season, which proved to be crucial in Eustace’s side avoiding the drop.

As such, it could be a difficult task to replace the 28-year-old, but there are some signs that O’Connor could be up to the task, having previously been lauded as “unbelievable” by teammate Jack Moylan.

The Lincoln captain was a key player for the Imps last season, making 45 appearances in all competitions, during which time he also proved himself to be a real attacking threat, picking up three goals and five assists in League One.

As such, the Irishman could now be ready to test himself at Championship level, and he would be a low-risk addition to the Derby squad on a free transfer.

They have also retained a host of their experienced domestic players like Russell, Pollard, Narine and Bravo

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Jun-2024Trinbago Knight Riders have signed Tim David and Jason Roy for the Caribbean Premier League 2024 season. They have also retained their core of experienced West Indies stars in Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Nicholas Pooran and Dwayne Bravo.Akeal Hosein, who recently became the first spinner to register a five-wicket haul for West Indies in T20Is during their T20 World Cup 2024 game against Uganda, has also been retained by Knight Riders, along with seamers Jayden Seales and Terrance Hinds and batters Mark Deyal and Keacy Carty. TKR’s squad currently comprises 15 members and they have space to add two more in the draft in July.Fast bowlers Josh Little and Ali Khan, and left-arm wristspinner Waqar Salamkheil are the overseas players retained by Knight Riders.Related

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While this will be the first stint in the CPL for Roy, David has past experience in the tournament, having made his debut for St Lucia Kings in 2021. He was also roped in as a replacement player during CPL 2023 by Knight Riders.Last year, Knight Riders made the final having finished second in the league stage, but lost to Guyana Amazon Warriors. Knight Riders are the most successful team in the CPL, with four titles. Their last trophy, however, came in 2020. They will begin their 2024 campaign against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots at Basseterre on September 1.