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Birmingham City are interested in a deal to bring Brandon Baiye to St. Andrew’s this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Mike McGrath, with The Telegraph journalist revealing in a post on Twitter that the Blues have submitted an enquiry regarding the availability of the Clermont Foot defensive midfielder ahead of a potential move in the summer transfer window.

McGrath goes on to claim that 2. Bundesliga side Hamburg have also registered their interest in the 20-year-old with the Ligue 1 side, however, it is not said whether Clermont would be willing to discuss a deal – be that temporary or permanent – for the Belgium U21 international this summer.

In his tweet, McGrath said: “Birmingham have enquired over Belgium Under-21 midfielder Brandon Baiye, 20, at Clermont. Bundesliga2 club Hamburg have also shown interest.”

Fans will be buzzing

Having already secured a number of impressive loan and permanent signings in the summer transfer window, with the likes of Jordan Graham, Chuks Aneke and Ryan Woods joining on free transfers and Dion Sanderson, Juan Familia-Castillo and Tahith Chong arriving on temporary deals, the news that Lee Bowyer does not appear to be finished with his summer transfer business just yet is sure to have Birmingham fans buzzing.

Indeed, despite his tender age, the £315k-rated man impressed over his 28 2. Liga appearances while on loan at SC Austria Lustenau last season, scoring four goals and registering three assists for the Austrian side.

As such, despite predominantly being a defensively-minded player, it is obvious from his returns that the midfielder also possesses a keen eye for goal, as well as being useful from a creative perspective.

Furthermore, with defensive midfield being an area of the pitch in which Lee Bowyer lacks a bit of depth, the addition of Baiye ahead of the upcoming Championship campaign would appear to solve this particular problem for the 44-year-old in the short term, as well as the Belgian seeming to boast a considerable amount of potential for the future.

So, while Baiye may be something of an unknown quantity to many Blues fans, considering how well things have gone for Bowyer at St. Andrew’s thus far, it would seem wise for the club’s fanbase to once again place their trust in the 44-year-old’s judgement regarding the Clermont starlet.

In other news: BCFC confirm transfer development on “superb” £135k-rated beast, Bowyer surely buzzing

David Moyes could form a West Ham duo to be reckoned with if he signs mooted transfer target Adam Hlozek this summer…

What’s the word?

According to The Athletic’s Roshane Thomas, the Hammers boss has been recommended the Sparta Prague forward by his fellow Czech Republic internationals Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal.

It’s thought that Moyes has reservations over whether the 18-year-old can make an instant impact in the Premier League but is aware of his potential as he looks to bolster his frontline before the next campaign.

Football Insider believe it will only cost £15m to lure the Czech starlet away from his home country, even though he’s been tied down to a long-term contract since the end of the 2020/21 season.

Imagine him and Soucek

Hlozek has struggled for minutes at Euro 2020, coming off the bench in all three of Czech’s group D matches, but there is plenty to be excited about amid the Irons’ reported interest.

His season was hampered by injury but he still managed to provide 15 goals and nine assists in 20 appearances across the Fortuna Liga and the Europa League. The teenage sensation averaged one goal contribution every 63 minutes on the pitch – just imagine what he could’ve done without the injury.

It’s no wonder he has received many glowing endorsements throughout his short career to date, ranging from his current Sparta manager Pavel Vrba lauding him as “hugely talented”, to being dubbed a “pure talent” by football scout Jacek Kulig.

He’s widely thought to be the Czech Republic’s biggest talent since former Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky, and according to former Italy international Antonio Cassano, he is “perfect for 4-3-3” as “he has pace, he is strong technically, and has good heading ability. A very impressive talent.”

The £15.3m-rated teen could lead to the Hammers forming a frightening duo when they’re in the attacking phase. Think of Hlozek’s pace and tenacity in pressing many a Premier League backline and then fellow countryman Soucek pushing forward with his towering physical presence.

Both of the Czech stars could strike fear into plenty of top-flight defences next season, whether that be from open play or set pieces.

Moyes may have his reservations but he should have some faith in his own coaching ability to get the best out of Hlozek and, as he’s already got two fellow countrymen at the London Stadium, the teenager would likely have no problem fitting in.

GSB must seal the 18-year-old for a bargain £15m.

AND in other news, Moyes may already have West Ham’s perfect Mark Noble heir in 21 y/o “exciting talent”…

Aston Villa manager Dean Smith could sign the club’s new Christian Benteke in Burnley striker Chris Wood.

What’s the story?

Football Insider recently claimed that the £7.2m-rated marksman is being lined up by Smith as someone to add more firepower to go along with Ollie Watkins, adding that Villa “are one of three top-12 Premier League clubs keeping close tabs on Wood.”

Given his style of play, he could well be the man to finally replace Benteke after the big Belgian’s departure from Villa Park a few years ago.

A new Benteke

Wood has been hailed as a “natural goalscorer” in the past by former Leeds manager Garry Monk, whilst former Millwall team-mate Scott Malone added to the rave reviews by claiming that “he’s frightening” to play against.

Since he made the step up to the Premier League, the striker has taken to the top flight like a duck to water, bagging 47 goals in 136 games at that level, leading to Newcastle icon Alan Shearer to hail the impact he has had for Burnley.

The former Magpies striker said: “I like him, I like what he does for the team and he is the focal point for them. He is very good at occupying two centre halves. He is a get out for Burnley if they want because they are not afraid to knock it long.

“He can keep hold of it and bring other players into the game. He is horrible to play against and he won’t give defenders a moment’s peace.”

Just like Benteke, Wood is an absolute handful for defenders to deal with, and he is a real threat in the air – last season in the Premier League saw him win a massive 4.7 aerial duels per game, which was the joint fourth-best in the entire division (Benteke was top with 6.8).

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Wood’s potential arrival would give Villa a different dimension to their attack, something they haven’t really had since Benteke was in his absolute pomp in the Midlands.

Meanwhile, Villa could sign a new Paul Merson in this starlet…

Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic has revealed Glasgow Rangers left-back Borna Barisic has had an MRI scan and could miss a large chunk of the rest of Euro 2020.

The Lowdown: Barisic struggling

Barisic was selected by his national team manager to represent his country at this summer’s European Championships.

However, he was not in the squad for the clash against England, which Croatia lost 1-0, and the boss revealed he was struggling with an injury.

The Latest: Still out

Speaking after that defeat to The Three Lions, Dalic provided an update on the £5.4m-valued 28-year-old (Transfermarkt). He said (via The Daily Record):

“Borna arrived to the camp and missed two training sessions because of a back injury he had previously with his club.

“He started working out again but unfortunately he’s not in the same shape as he was during the whole season.

“He did an MRI scan today so we will see exactly what the situation with him is over the next few days.

“It is a problem for us, especially against Scotland when he would be at home.

“We will have to see his results then we will know more about his status going forward.”

The Verdict: Knock-on effect for Gers?

In the short-term, this is a blow for Barisic. He will have been eager to represent his nation at a major tournament, and it now appears he may not even have the chance to take the pitch.

It remains to be seen how big the issue is when the the results from the MRI scan come in.

For Rangers, though, it could be a big issue in the longer-term. Dalic has suggested he has been struggling with this back problem for quite a while, and he has a history of injuries at Ibrox (Transfermarkt).

The last thing Steven Gerrard will be wanting is to be without his first-choice left-back when the club’s Champions League qualifying campaign begins.

In other news, Rangers fans laud this man’s Euro 2020 performance.

Writing on Twitter, pundit and former Premier League striker Stan Collymore has been left thrilled by major news out of Tottenham Hotspur with Nuno Espirito Santo appointed as their new head coach.

The Lowdown: Spurs manager search finally over…

After two months of searching in what has been a long and drawn out process, Tottenham finally have their man in former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Nuno.

Before opting to appoint the Portuguese, Spurs had held talks with Mauricio Pochettino, Antonio Conte, Paulo Fonseca and Gennaro Gattuso – with all four sets of discussions amounting to nothing (BBC).

Now, though, Nuno’s appointment marks the end of a very long wait for Tottenham’s new boss and the club can start preparing for next season.

The Latest: Collymore thrilled by Nuno news…

Writing on Twitter, Collymore has dropped his take on the big news out of Tottenham and believes this is an appointment Lilywhites fans can get excited about.

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“Looking forward to seeing Nuno at Spurs!” explained the former Liverpool man.

“Flexible at Val and Por, then Wolves around 3-5-2. Loves attacking width which Spurs have, a grafter and 2 creative in MF which Spurs have and 2 up top or 1 and 1, which Spurs have!

“I’d be excited, Spurs fans.”

The Verdict: Correct?

One caveat which has been mentioned through the media is Nuno’s footballing philosophy and whether he will truly bring back the Spurs way of playing open, attacking football (football.london).

Collymore certainly believes that he could, and that is reportedly backed by managing director Fabio Paratici as well.

Football.london reporter Alasdair Gold claims that Paratici has faith Nuno will encourage an exciting brand of football and even managed to persuade chairman Daniel Levy over his appointment.

Lilywhites supporters will be hoping both Collymore and the Italian are correct, but we’re not sure there would be too many complaints if a rigid 3-5-2 is what it takes to get the club back into the Champions League.

In other news: Spurs in seven-horse race to sign this ‘special’ player, Levy will have to pay over £25.8m…find out more here.

Dean Windass believes that Crystal Palace are going to continue their theme of appointing experienced managers.

Some of Palace’s recent appointments have included Tony Pulis, Neil Warnock, Sam Allardyce and, most recently, Roy Hodgson.

Those four names have played a major part in the Eagles becoming an established Premier League side once again, with Hodgson securing their top-flight status for a fourth time before stepping down.

But the frontrunners for the current vacancy include a host of names with little experience in management, with Frank Lampard, reportedly Palace’s number one target, whilst Swansea’s Steve Cooper is firmly in the frame.

Cooper earned his stripes at youth level, winning the World Cup with England Under-17s, which allowed him to become Swansea manager.

He might have failed to get the Welsh outfit back into the Premier League, but he’s guided them to two consecutive play-off games, reaching the final in the second of those before losing to Brentford.

Despite his good work in the Championship, Windass thinks the Palace job would be a step too far for the 41-year-old.

He exclusively told Football FanCast:

“No, no. I think it’s too much, too big of an ask. He’s being mentioned all the time, Steve Cooper, he couldn’t get Swansea over the line, Brentford were the better team.

“You could reel off loads of managers that have been really successful in the Championship, but I feel like Palace will go with experience.”

Former Scotland manager Alex McLeish has tipped Rodrigo to excel for Leeds United next year, assuming he gets a good pre-season under his belt.

The Lowdown: Tough first season for Rodrigo

The 30-year-old joined the Whites last season, becoming the most expensive signing in the club’s history, costing £27million from Valencia.

Unfortunately, Rodrigo has failed to back-up that price tag, scoring just four times in 25 appearances for Leeds and struggling with injuries.

The Latest: McLeish tips striker to come good

Despite this, someone who believes he will come good is McLeish, who told Football Insider that he could excel in 2021/22, highlighting the importance of pre-season:

“Massive. That’s massive, the pre-season element, for every player.

“I always felt when I had a disrupted pre-season, it took me about a month, six weeks to get to full speed again. I always did a little bit on my holidays. But I remember one season saying I’m going to have a break. It had been a tough season.

“I did nothing, then went back to pre-season and pulled a muscle early doors. I was playing catch up for a month or so. You need a full pre-season behind you the way that Bielsa trains these guys.

“In terms of hunting down of opposition as soon as they lose a ball, it doesn’t matter which side of the pitch. It can be high up, it can be in the midfield and it can be in the backline. These players have to be of a certain fitness.”

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The Verdict: The quality is there

In fairness to Rodrigo, there were such high expectations from the moment he arrived that it was always going to be difficult to live up to them.

There is no denying that he has been a disappointment to date, but he is a striker with undoubted pedigree who just needs a run in the team, having scored eight goals for Spain, which is no mean feat for any player.

While the idea of Patrick Bamford not being first-choice for Leeds seems ludicrous, Rodrigo has the ability to push him for regular starting berths next season, assuming he can just stay fit – he started nearly 100 games across his last three seasons at Valencia.

Perhaps he could still become a hero at Elland Road, backing up that whopping £27million fee.

In other news, a pundit is excited about Leeds’ rumoured interest in a relegated Premier League player. Find out who it is here.

Everton finished 10th in the Premier League after a 5-0 final day drubbing at the hands of champions Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

Goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus gave City command of the game early on. Phil Foden added a third shortly after half-time and then Sergio Aguero came off the bench to score a brace.

The Toffees went into the last round of fixtures with a chance of qualifying for Europe, but they miss out despite gaining 10 points on their 2019/20 tally. They won just four of their last 12 matches, leaving them 13th in the form table during that period.

Digne urges togetherness at Everton

Everton left-back Lucas Digne took to Instagram to send a message to fans, admitting that ‘we didn’t finish like we want’.

Although the Toffees missed out on their ‘goal’ of qualifying for Europe, the Frenchman emphasised the importance of ‘staying together’. He finished off by thanking the fans for their support.

Fan feed The Toffee Blues relayed Digne’s comments, which went down well with many supporters. Some felt that he was one of the team’s best performers in 2020/21 – a view which is justified going by WhoScored performance statistics – while others appreciated how he “says it how it is” after Everton’s tame finish to the season.

Everton fans praise Digne after tough end to the season

“Only one I can’t criticise this season tbh”

Credit: @ElliottB1878

“The only one who comes out and says it how it is”

Credit: @IanLR

“About one of the only players to put a shift in yesterday”

Credit: @PeterLaing74

“Give 100% all the time”

Credit: @Jesudian15

“Only guy who gives his 100% and create something”

Credit: @Charliebabbit1

“I adore you, my French king”

Credit: @Reservoirfrogs_

In other news, Paddy Kenny dropped a transfer warning about one of Digne’s fellow Everton defenders.

Leeds United were keen on bringing Emiliano Buendia to the club before he joined Aston Villa, according to former Whites striker Noel Whelan.

The Lowdown: Buendia joins Villa

The Argentine was arguably the outstanding player in the Championship last season as Norwich City won the title and sealed a return to the Premier League.

On Monday, it was confirmed that Buendia had agreed a £33m move to Villa, with the Canaries always likely to find it tough to keep hold of him.

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The Latest: Pundit makes key claim

Leeds are also on the lookout for attacking additions in the summer transfer window and it appears as though they missed out on snapping up the 24-year-old.

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan claimed that the Whites were keen on bringing Buendia to Elland Road, hailing his quality as a player. The 46-year-old said:

“I think we missed a trick there.

“Number 10 is such an important position and there is only really Rodrigo as a decent option in there. You can never have enough good creative players in your side and Buendia is certainly one of those.

“He is a player who plays in between the lines and can change a game in a moment. He is a special player who can see passes that other can’t. That little bit of magic, he has got it.

“He was the standout performer in the Championship last season and I was very impressed with him when he played in the Premier League for Norwich City. He has proved that he can do it against the best.

“Leeds were interested and there was a lot of talk about a potential move but they clearly never pursued that interest. Great players like that cost a lot of money but they are worth every penny.”

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The Verdict: Leeds missed a trick

Buendia is a superb attacking player who brings guaranteed numbers in the final third, scoring 15 goals and registering 16 assists in the Championship last season.

The idea of him linking up with Leeds’ other creative attacking players such as Raphinha and Rodrigo seemed a mouthwatering one, but it wasn’t meant to be.

The Whites would likely have had to break their transfer record to sign Buendia given the £33m fee agreed with Villa, and they seemingly couldn’t justify parting with such a big sum of money. Let’s just hope he doesn’t make Leeds regret missing out on him.

In other news, one Leeds player has been tipped to excel next season – find out who it is here.

Dean Windass has exclusively told Football FanCast that he wouldn’t be surprised to see West Brom sign Aston Villa’s Tom Heaton this summer.

Baggies number one goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, who was recently rewarded for his excellent form with his first England call-up, has already been linked with Tottenham, West Ham and Leeds this summer, with West Brom looking to need a miracle to avoid the drop.

Johnstone didn’t win a cap for Gareth Southgate’s team, but has been West Brom’s standout performer this term, keeping six clean sheets in the Premier League, one of which came against Southampton earlier this month when he saved England colleague James Ward-Prowse’s penalty.

But with the Baggies nine points from safety with just seven games remaining, relegation is more than likely.

With that in mind, Johnstone could leave the club this summer, with strong reports that West Brom are lining Heaton up as a potential replacement, with his Aston Villa contract running out in June.

And Windass told Football FanCast that deal would make perfect sense:

“In the Championship you want someone to steady the ship at the back and talks to your centre-halves, because games come thick and fast.

“You need that experience, and if they get relegated he’s [Sam Johnstone] going to leave – he won’t want to be playing in the Championship.

“So I can see that, Tom Heaton going to West Brom.”