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Nottingham Forest are on the lookout for new additions this summer and could now step up their efforts to land an England international, according to a report.

Nottingham Forest set to lose Anthony Elanga to Newcastle United

Unfortunately, departures are part of football and big-money sales from any club essentially prove that their recruitment structure is in working order when it comes to profiling talent.

However, Fabrizio Romano’s confirmation that Anthony Elanga is set to join Newcastle United will come as a bitter blow to Nottingham Forest supporters, even if links have went on to grow arms and legs in recent weeks.

Taking to social media platform X, Romano stated: “Anthony Elanga to Newcastle, here we go! Deal in place club to club with Nottingham Forest for £55m. Agreement also in place with player’s camp on long term deal. Excellent addition for NUFC.”

With his move to Tyneside all but confirmed, Nottingham Forest have lined up Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman as an Elanga replacement.

Nevertheless, Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid are also in the hunt to sign the Nigeria international, who could cost as much as £52 million to prize away from the Serie A outfit.

The next Murillo: Nottingham Forest lining up bid for £13m sensation

As Nuno Espírito Santo looks to bolster his Nottingham Forest backline, could they sign a “quality” centre-back who could be the next Murillo?

ByBen Gray Jul 2, 2025

Lyon’s Malick Fofana could also arrive at the City Ground due to the French giants suffering relegation to Ligue 2 amid financial troubles, albeit Chelsea, Bayer Leverkusen and Napoli could offer the Belgium international Champions League football.

In a strange sequence of events, Nottingham Forest are still yet to find out whether they will be in the Europa Conference League or Europa League next term as Crystal Palace wait patiently for their verdict.

Either way, Evangelos Marinakis is now eyeing a statement arrival in the East Midlands that would make headlines nationwide.

Nottingham Forest look to pull off move for Jack Grealish

According to CaughtOffside, Nottingham Forest want to pull off a statement deal to sign Manchester City’s Jack Grealish, but they face competition from several clubs to land the Three Lions international.

Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle and Napoli are all keen on offering him an escape route from the Etihad Stadium. Meanwhile, Al-Ahli, Al Hilal and Neom SC have made contact with his entourage to discuss the possibility of finding an agreement.

Jack Grealish at Manchester City – has his spell been a success?

Appearances

157

Goals

17

Assists

23

Trophies won

3x Premier League

1x FA Cup

1x UEFA Champions League

1x UEFA Super Cup

1x FIFA Club World Cup

1x FA Community Shield

Labelled “unbelievable” by Pep Guardiola, Grealish is said to be available for £40 million and his main priority is becoming a first-team regular after seeing his minutes dwindle at the Citizens.

Nottingham Forest have a vacancy needing filled on the left-hand side and will feel they have every chance of tempting Grealish to the City Ground this summer.

Leeds United will be in the market to improve Daniel Farke’s attacking options in the summer transfer window ahead of their return to the Premier League.

Football Insider reported in May that the Whites are not planning to build their attack around Joel Piroe, as they have doubts over his ability to make the step up.

Despite a haul of 19 goals in 46 Championship matches, there is no guarantee that the Dutch centre-forward will be good enough to be the starting number nine in the Premier League.

Leeds are now being linked with an interest in a Championship striker who could come in as an upgrade on the former Swansea City forward.

Leeds in the race to sign Championship star

According to Football League World, Leeds United are one of the teams in the race to sign Norwich City centre-forward before the end of the summer transfer window.

Transfer Focus

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

The report claims that the Whites and Burnley, who were both promoted to the Premier League in the automatic promotion spots, are eyeing up a move for the USA international.

It states that the former Werder Bremen marksman, who was signed by Farke for the Canaries back in 2021, is ‘increasingly likely’ to move on from Carrow Road this summer.

Foot Italia reporter Ben Horlock recently claimed that Fiorentina are also interested in the striker, who is valued at a minimum fee of £21m by Norwich.

Why Leeds should sign Josh Sargent

The Whites should push to sign the American number nine for several reasons, including the fact that he was signed by and worked with Farke at Norwich, which means that the striker already knows how the manager works and that the German boss likes the player’s attributes.

Leeds should also swoop for the £21m-rated dynamo because he could come in as an upgrade on Piroe for the newly-promoted side ahead of next term.

Sargent, who was hailed as “deceptively quick” by teammate Jack Stacey, scored 0.5 goals per game, with 15, in the Championship this season, compared to Piroe’s 0.4 per game for the Whites.

The Norwich striker also created 3.17 xA in 32 matches, compared to the Dutchman’s 3.32 xA in 46 games, which suggests that he could provide a greater threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals in the number nine position.

Appearances

46

32

Fouls won per 90

0.44

1.01

Duels won per 90

2.24

3.20

Duel success rate

27%

43%

Aerial duels won per 90

0.9

0.93

Aerial duel success rate

21%

36%

As you can see in the table above, Sargent would also be a huge upgrade on Piroe when it comes to his play out of possession as a physical force for his side.

These statistics show that the Canaries forward is much better than the Leeds number nine at holding off defenders on the ground, helping him to win fouls and duels, whilst also being more effective at winning aerial battles with centre-backs.

Sargent could, therefore, be more suited to a Leeds team that will be battling against relegation from the Premier League next season, because he is more likely to be an effective outball for the side, winning duels, headers, and fouls to alleviate pressure at times.

Add in that he scored more goals and provided more xA per game than Piroe in the 2024/25 Championship season and you have a target who appears to be a big upgrade on what Farke currently has at his disposal.

Leeds open talks with agent of "talented" Champions League level star

The 49ers mean business this summer…

1 ByTom Cunningham Jun 27, 2025

A new report claims Liverpool have made contact with a “superb” Paris Saint-Germain star over a summer move to Anfield and the Champions League winners have already responded.

Liverpool eyeing two Premier League players after Kerkez

Reds supporters couldn’t have asked for a much more positive start to the summer transfer window, with the arrival of Florian Wirtz having the potential to be huge. Not only that, but Jeremie Frimpong has also joined and Milos Kerkez is on the verge of coming in from Bournemouth.

Liverpool’s business may not stop there, however, and another Cherries player, Antoine Semenyo, continues to be linked with a move to the club. He has been mentioned as an option for some time, following an excellent season in the Premier League in 2024/25, in which he scored 11 times.

A new centre-back has to be looked at by the Reds at some point, considering Jarell Quansah is off to Bayer Leverkusen, and a bid for Crystal Palace ace Marc Guehi could be made at some point this week.

Further up the pitch, Lyon winger Malick Fofana has been talked about as an exciting young target, with Liverpool ahead of Chelsea in the race to snap him up.

Liverpool make contact with PSG star Barcola

According to The Boot Room, Liverpool have now made contact and enquired with Paris Saint-Germain about signing winger Bradley Barcola this summer.

Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea are all in the same boat, but it is stated that PSG don’t want the France international to leave and have told those clubs their stance.

It looks unlikely that Liverpool will be able to entice Barcola to Anfield, but if the situation changes, they should be looking to bring him in as a hugely gifted option.

The Frenchman is now a Champions League winner after PSG’s brilliance last season, and he played his part in the success, scoring three goals and registering four assists in the competition.

At just 22, there is still so much more to come from Barcola as the years pass, and while he is at his best on the left wing, his versatility allows him to be a huge threat on the right flank and even in a central attacking role.

He was lauded as a “superb” player by football talent scout Jacek Kulig back in 2023, and has only grown as a footballer since then, and Liverpool’s best chance of signing him may be if PSG sign another attacker this summer, potentially stunting his growth there.

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ByAngus Sinclair Jun 24, 2025

Granted, new wide options aren’t essential for the Reds, especially if both Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo stay put, but players with the long-term ability of Barcola may not come around too often.

Will Celtic sign another Premier League superstar?

Kieran Tierney has already returned to Parkhead this summer, following in the footsteps of manager Brendan Rodgers and Jota, who’ve also both re-joined the club in recent times.

Now, could another boyhood Celtic fan fulfil his dreams of wearing the famous green and white hoops?

Celtic targeting another statement signing

According to a report by TEAMtalk, Celtic are ‘interested’ in signing Liverpool full-back Andy Robertson, while admitting that ‘financial constraints’ would prove to be a stumbling block.

The Scotland captain is widely expected to depart Merseyside this summer, with David Ornstein and Mario Cortegana of the Athletic documenting Atlético Madrid’s interest, given that the Reds are targeting Bournemouth’s Miloš Kerkez, who they view as an upgrade.

Robertson, who was in Celtic’s academy between the ages of nine and 15, has always been open about his desire to represent the Hoops one day, admitting that “Celtic was my life” growing up, adding that he’d “love to pull on the Celtic top and walk out at Parkhead” one day.

So, could this move really come to fruition this summer?

How Andy Robertson compares to Kieran Tierney

It is all change in terms of Celtic left-backs this summer.

Greg Taylor is highly likely to depart following the expiration of his contract. PAOK are the latest European club interested in securing his services, while it’s not yet clear if Jeffrey Schlupp will be staying, following a brief loan spell.

Meantime, Tierney has of course returned but, as has been an interminable debate surrounding the national team for nigh on a decade, is he better than Robertson?

Let’s attempt to find out.

Appearances

20

45

Minutes

447

3,320

Pass completion %

79.8%

83.0%

Interceptions

0.2

0.6

Tackles

0.5

1.2

Clearances

0.7

1.3

Ball recoveries

2.2

3.8

Ground duel success %

71%

50%

Touches

72.5

76.9

First things first, due to injuries and the fact he was not first-choice at Arsenal, Tierney played fewer than 500 minutes of club football this season, which does offer a very small sample size.

That caveat aside, Robertson’s per-90 statistics are still pretty much more impressive across the board.

When he was still Liverpool manager, Jürgen Klopp described Robertson as a “world-class left-back”, while José Enrique, a former incumbent of the Reds’ full-back spot, asserts that he has been “the best left-back in the world” for many years.

Now though, James Pearce and Mark Carey of the Athletic outline that the Scotland captain’s form ‘has come under intense scrutiny’ this season, while also asserting that he is far from ‘finished at the highest level’.

Robertson still ranked 17th in the Premier League this season for crosses into the penalty area, as well as 11th for crosses overall, according to FBref.com, an attribute that has been viewed as his superpower for many years.

Gillian Kasirye of Total Football Analysis claims that Robertson is ‘passed their peak’, but still has a lot to offer at the elite level, so could he really be tempted to make a move to Glasgow this summer?

Celtic may make shock bid to re-sign £10m star who Rodgers called "sublime"

Hoops supporters could absolutely love this.

1 ByHenry Jackson Jun 17, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur have now held direct talks to appoint an “outstanding” manager, with Ange Postecoglou heading for the exit door, according to a report.

Ange could be set to leave despite Europa League triumph

One year ago, INEOS arguably made the mistake of keeping Erik ten Hag in the Manchester United job after the Dutchman led them to victory in the FA Cup, and it appears as though Daniel Levy doesn’t want to make the same error this summer.

Indeed, widespread reports are now suggesting that Levy is set to sack Postecoglou, despite the historic Europa League triumph against Manchester United last month, which puts captain Son Heung-min among some esteemed company.

It may be a divisive decision to sack the manager responsible for leading Spurs to their first trophy in 17 years, but appointing a top-quality replacement could go some way to getting the fans back on side, and contact has now been made with a coach who could be in that category.

According to Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna on X, Tottenham have now made “direct contact” with Brentford manager Thomas Frank, who spoke about his project and potential targets for the summer transfer window.

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Spurs are planning to enter negotiations with the agents of a forward, who is one of their key summer targets.

ByDominic Lund Jun 2, 2025

Several candidates are said to be under consideration as potential replacements for Ange, but Frank is believed to be “high” on the list, and Spurs have now made their first move to appoint the Danish manager.

In another report from France, it is detailed that Ange’s future remains very much up in the air, with talks to discuss his position as manager due to take place at some point in the next week.

Frank could be "outstanding" Ange replacement

Deciding whether to sack the 59-year-old will no doubt be a difficult decision for Levy, given that Tottenham’s torrid Premier League form cannot be ignored, finishing 17th as a result of collecting just 38 points across the entire 2024-25 campaign.

However, the former Celtic boss has suggested his side’s first experience of success will make them more eager to make sure they’re in the same position again, saying: “I also wanted us to think about what’s next, you know — don’t settle for this. We’ve got a taste of it now. My players have got a taste for it. The club’s got a taste for it. Well, let’s make sure we’re back here again.”

Should Levy decide to sack Ange, there are signs Frank could be a fantastic replacement, having been lauded as an “outstanding” manager by Troy Deeney, while leading Brentford to a very respectable 10th-placed finish last season.

Having transformed the Bees from a Championship club into a solid Premier League side, the 51-year-old, who utilises a 4-3-3 formation, has earned the opportunity to prove himself at the top level, showing a knack for turning attacking talents into some of the biggest stars in their division.

Said Benrahma, Ivan Toney, Ollie Watkins and Neal Maupay all thrived under his guidance, with only Watkins able to replicate that form elsewhere, while current forwards Yoane Wissa (19) and Bryan Mbeumo (20) combined for nearly 40 top flight goals this season.

After a defeat in the Europa League final and a Premier League campaign filled with disaster, the last thing Manchester United needed was more football.

Ruben Amorim is crying out for a holiday, yearning for some time off, as too are his players.

Sadly, that isn’t the case. They’ve embarked on a post-season tour to Asia, which rather typically, has started in embarrassing fashion.

Facing off against ASEAN All Stars in front of over 70,000 people, a Red Devils team mixed with academy players and experienced senior pros were beaten 1-0.

While the game ultimately doesn’t matter, it did rubber stamp why United are in dire need of improving the squad this summer.

Man United’s summer transfer plans

The season has only just finished but INEOS are already closing in on their first big addition of the summer.

On Tuesday, it was revealed by multiple sources that Matheus Cunha was set to undergo a medical after United agreed to pay his £62.5m release clause at Wolves.

He’s not the only forward player who could arrive from another Premier League club, with reports suggesting that they’ve held talks to sign Brentford talisman Bryan Mbeumo.

The winger was one of the standout players in England’s top-flight this campaign, scoring 20 times, enough to rank him as the fourth top scorer in the league behind Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland.

It’s evident United are doing their utmost to improve the attack and could bolster further through Liam Delap.

One report a few days ago revealed that personal terms had been agreed with the player, although talkSPORT shared the breaking news on Wednesday that he’s now likely to join Chelsea.

Games

33

38

Goals

15

20

Assists

6

8

With all that said, who would be the number one option for former Manchester United icon Gordon Strachan?

Gordon Strachan's number one option for Man United

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast this week on behalf of Esports Insider, Strachan gave his view on the club’s transfer business this summer.

Asked who would be a better signing, Delap or another target in Victor Osimhen, the former Scotland international said:

“Delap. Absolutely. He’s young, he’s enthusiastic and I don’t think he’ll bring any baggage.” Why is added baggage a problem? Well, Strachan felt like the last thing United needed was another disruptive figure.

“Some recent signings from Man United have had a bit of baggage, in fact the whole club has a bit of baggage at the moment, but Delap would be a safe signing.”

Outlining the Ipswich forward’s best qualities, the player turned pundit commented: “I don’t think defenders like playing against him. If you went round all the defenders in the Premier League and asked who you don’t like playing against, he’d be one of them. This guy seems to really just annoy people, annoy people into making mistakes. He’s a great finisher and there’s a humility about him.”

Compared to Rasmus Hojlund who cost £72m, Delap would be a relative bargain, possessing a reported release clause of £30m.

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Man Utd’s pursuit of Matheus Cunha may well just be the start of a hectic summer

ByRobbie Walls May 28, 2025

With a deal to sign Matheus Cunha reportedly at an advanced stage, INEOS have now reportedly opened talks with another Manchester United target who could join the Brazilian at Old Trafford.

Man Utd advancing in deal to sign Cunha

As revealed by Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United’s deal to sign Cunha is still at an advanced stage, with the Red Devils now working on details of the agreement to sign the forward. The deal, itself, is unlikely to be a cheap one for the Red Devils, given the forward’s reported £63m release clause, but it is one that should hand Ruben Amorim an attacking solution once and for all.

United’s interest in Cunha certainly makes sense with Amorim at the helm too. The Manchester United manager has often struggled to get success out of his 3-4-2-1 system during the first six months of his spell in charge, but the arrival of Cunha would go a long way towards helping that system function.

Likely to play in one of the two advanced midfield roles behind the one forward, Cunha could form quite the partnership with Bruno Fernandes to finally sharpen what has been a blunt Manchester United frontline for far too long. What’s more, with 15 Premier League goals to his name in all competitions this season, it’s fair to say that the Wolves star knows exactly where the back of the net is.

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Man Utd could have another academy sensation up their sleeve…

1 ByRobbie Walls May 14, 2025

That said, he may not be the only one to join Amorim’s attack this summer. Reports have also indicated that INEOS have set their sights on another impressive Premier League attacker.

Man Utd open talks for Semenyo

According to talkSPORT, INEOS have now opened talks with Antoine Semenyo, who could find himself on his way to Manchester United alongside Cunha in the coming months. The Bournemouth winger has enjoyed an excellent season under Andoni Iraola to earn the attraction of clubs of the Red Devils’ stature. Now, he looks set to have a decision to make.

Starts

28

34

21

Goals

15

9

4

Assists

6

5

0

Expected Goals

8

9.5

5.2

When compared to Rasmus Hojlund, it’s clear that both Cunha and Semenyo would offer Amorim two much-needed upgrades this summer. When it comes to goal involvements, both targets have outperformed the Dane, whose output has been disappointing and record of underperforming his expected goals even more frustrating for those at Old Trafford.

Dubbed “strong” by analyst Ben Mattinson, whether Semenyo is willing to leave Bournemouth – a side fighting for European qualification – for a struggling Manchester United side is the big question.

It’s one that the winger must ask himself and one that United must be honest about with themselves. After such a disastrous campaign, that’s the position that they’re in.

Football pundit Micah Richards believes a Leeds United target who the 49ers have made an approach for will “light it up” should he leave Man City this summer, according to a new report.

James McAtee’s Man City career could be coming to an end amid Leeds links

James McAtee has been at the Etihad for his entire football career, but he has yet to nail down a regular starting spot. The 22-year-old has played just 34 times for City in total, 15 of which have come this season in the Premier League.

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1 ByEthan Lamb May 15, 2025

McAtee’s most successful time in recent seasons came on loan at Sheffield United, where he was a regular starter and thrived in the second tier.

After his latest spell with the Blades, City decided to keep hold of McAtee, but it is a move that has seen his career stall, as he’s struggled to win over Pep Guardiola, and it’s now been reported that he is ready to leave the Etihad.

The attacking midfielder is out of contract in 2026, and given his situation at the Etihad, Premier League-bound Leeds United have made an enquiry over the possibility of securing a transfer for McAtee this summer.

Premier League apps (starts)

15 (3)

FA Cup apps (starts)

4 (3)

Champions League apps (starts)

5 (0)

Carabao Cup apps (starts)

2 (2)

The Whites are not the only team chasing McAtee, as Nottingham Forest are also keen on landing the England under-21 international. It could be a costly deal for the Yorkshire side, as City are said to value the midfielder at around £35 million.

Micah Richards: McAtee will "light it up" should he leave Man City

The latest development in McAtee’s situation at Man City saw the midfielder left out of their FA Cup final squad on Saturday, and according to pundit Micah Richards, McAtee would “light it up” should he leave the Blues.

Former Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer believes McAtee needs to leave City if he wants to play regularly. Speaking on the latest episode of ‘The Rest Is Football’, via Leeds Live: “He [McAtee] is not getting in their team. He’s another one that is going to have to leave.”

Richards went on to agree with Shearer’s comments and added that “he’s got something special” and will “light it up” in a new team.

McAtee has played 48 times in the Premier League, scoring six goals in the process, and if Leeds do sign him, they will hope his experience of the division, even though it is limited, will help them next season, and he can be a creative force in their forward line.

And just like that, Arsenal’s season has come to a bitterly disappointing end.

Mikel Arteta’s side started like a house on fire against Paris Saint-Germain last night, but two goals from Fabian Ruiz and Achraf Hakimi were enough to dash their hopes of only a second Champions League final in the club’s history.

Bukayo Saka managed to pull one back late on, but it all proved too much for the visitors, and once again, they came up short when it really mattered and looked utterly bereft of ideas for much of the game.

While it wasn’t a terrible performance from the North Londoners, a few players let themselves down, like Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard and another who has to be axed this summer.

Arsenal's poorest performers vs PSG

Like the team overall, Odegaard and Martinelli started the game relatively well last night, with the former forcing Gianluigi Donnarumma into an incredible save down low to his left and the latter getting past his markers several times.

However, as the game progressed, both starters began to fade into the background, with The Athletic’s Aaron Catterson-Reid claiming the captain put in a “completely anonymous display in the second half,” and the same could be said about the latter.

It might sound overly harsh, but we aren’t alone in this opinion, as Alex Turk of the Express was particularly scathing of the pair.

He awarded the Norwegian a 4/10 and the Brazilian a 3/10, writing that the former ‘goes missing in these crunch games far too often’ and the latter was both ‘invisible’ and ‘not near the level required.’

It’s a damming assessment of their performances, more than justified by some of their statistics, as, across his 95 minutes of action, the captain amassed a combined expected goal and assists figure of just 0.22, while the former Ituano gem failed in 100% of his crosses and lost 50% of his ground duels.

However, while neither player looked anywhere near their best last night, there is still some clear upside in keeping them for next season, which cannot be said about another of the Gunners’ biggest disappointments from Pairs.

The Arsenal star who has to be axed

While William Saliba and even Mikel Merino looked off the pace last night, neither of them should be moved on in the summer, which cannot be said for Thomas Partey.

The former Atlético Madrid star was absent for the first leg of the tie due to a stupid incident off the ball against Real Madrid, but it would be hard to say he added much of anything to the team in the second leg, bar some rather underwhelming long throws.

For example, while he kept the ball moving fairly well in the first half, he slowly became more and more of a problem in possession, losing the ball at an increasing rate, including for Hakimi’s tie-ending goal late in the second half.

Chalkboard

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Again, while it sounds harsh, we aren’t alone in being disappointed with Turk awarding him a paltry 3/10 match rating at full-time, while Catterson-Reid simply described his showing as “so so bad.”

Minutes

95′

Touches

61

Completed Passes

31

Crosses (Accurate)

3 (1)

Long Balls (Accurate)

4 (2)

Shots

0

Ground Duels (Won)

7 (4)

Aerial Duels (Won)

2 (0)

Lost Possession

19

Dribbled Past

1

Unsurprisingly, the 31-year-old’s statistics more than back up the scathing reviews of his display, as, in 95 minutes of action, he made just 31 passes, misplaced two of three crosses and 50% of his long balls, failed to have a single shot, lost 100% of his aerial duels, lost the ball a staggering 19 times and was dribbled past once.

It was the sort of showing that makes talk of him being offered a new contract seem utterly ridiculous, as with him turning 32 in the summer, there is no reason to believe he’ll improve, let alone maintain his form into next season.

Ultimately, while the team clearly put in the effort at points last night, there were a few too many players who weren’t at the level, including Partey, who should be thanked for his service in the summer and sent on his way.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes May 7, 2025

It’s fair to say West Bromwich Albion’s season hasn’t gone to plan in the Championship with Tony Mowbray axed after just 17 clashes back at the Hawthorns helm.

Losing the steady presence of Carlos Corberan abruptly has ultimately derailed the Baggies’ promotion push, leaving Mowbray with the tough task of picking up the pieces after the Spaniard walked away for a chance at Valencia.

Unfortunately, the 61-year-old would only pick up a meagre five victories from those 17 games, with the failed promotion chasers now after another new manager to freshen up the stale environment.

Marti Cifuentes has been the main name getting all the buzz, but the second-tier underperformers could now opt to appoint this left-field name instead of landing the Queens Park Rangers boss.

West Brom keen admirers of Cifuentes' alternative

Indeed, reports in recent days have suggested that talks have been held between the Baggies and the Hoops over a deal for Cifuentes, with West Brom clearly a fan of what the 42-year-old has managed to achieve to date at Loftus Road.

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But, he isn’t the only face being considered for the vacant job post, with journalist Darren Witcoop taking to X recently to confirm that the Championship side are also ‘admirers’ of current FC St. Pauli head coach Alexander Blessin.

Blessin took over the reins at the German giants from Fabian Hurzeler, with the 51-year-old perhaps following Hurzeler’s career path even more if he too takes the leap to relocate to England.

After all, when glancing at Blessin’s career achievements so far as a manager, he could actually be viewed as an upgrade on Cifuentes, meaning he might well become the main desired target if QPR aren’t willing to sanction a move.

Why Blessin could be an upgrade on Cifuentes

Before looking more in-depth at Blessin’s varied CV as a manager, there are a multitude of reasons as to why West Brom have cherry-picked Cifuentes as a candidate to replace Mowbray.

Last season saw the ex-Hammarby boss transform QPR’s fortunes on the pitch, with relegation looking nailed on at one point under the previous tenure of Gareth Ainsworth, only for Cifuentes to lift the once downtrodden Hoops all the way up to 18th and six points clear of the dreaded drop-zone.

But, the Spaniard has struggled at points this season to kick on, with a sobering 5-0 loss to an already promoted Burnley side more than kicking his side in the teeth last match.

Whilst Blessin has equally had to navigate choppy waters this campaign in the German top-flight (six points above the relegation zone), his overall resume as a manager to date does look slightly more impressive than his counterpart’s.

Most notably, the Stuttgart-born coach was an overwhelming success in Belgium with Royal Union Saint-Gilloise before the Bundesliga beckoned.

FC St. Pauli

33

9

7

17

Union Saint-Gilloise

58

36

12

10

Genoa

33

11

12

10

KV Oostende

65

26

11

28

RB Leipzig (U17s/U19s)

87

56

6

25

Away from some hiccups at his current employers, Blessin has largely been a success wherever he’s been managing all across Europe, with his celebrated 58-game stay at Union SG even seeing him lift the Belgian Cup.

Overall, the West Brom target has steered all of his teams to an impressive 138 victories from 276 career games. To add context, Cifuentes has a lesser 130 from a heftier 321 clashes.

With his expansive 3-5-2 set-up also potentially suiting the likes of wide man Tom Fellows, this might well be a match made in heaven if a move is signed off on, with the Baggies hopeful they can pick up their next Corberan-style figure shortly to put Mowbray’s dismal return firmly in the past.

Surprise Corberan repeat: West Brom can take big gamble by hiring 3-4-3 boss

West Brom are eyeing a deal for a Premier League coach who could be a Carlos Corberan repeat.

ByDan Emery Apr 24, 2025