English Championship
Arsenal, Chelsea and co beware, new EPL broadcast deal needs a rethink
“The current media rights deal will preserve the status quo of an unbalanced, unsustainable and unfair financial distribution model across English football which continues to cause serious financial issues throughout the football pyramid, while continuing to distort competition between clubs and threaten the long-term viability of EFL competitions and clubs in the Championship, League One and League Two.” The EFL’s recent statement about the Premier League’s new domestic television deal certainly didn’t pull any punches. The English top-flight has been given the green light to roll over its £4.8 billion arrangement with broadcasters for another three years from 2022, on the condition it gives an extra £100 million to support football in England. The money will be distributed across differe...
QPR set to sign West Brom duo
Queens Park Rangers are closing in on completing deals for Charlie Austin and Sam Field, reports West London Sport. Both players spent the second half of the season on loan at QPR, helping turn the club’s fortunes around. The Rs went from a relegation battle to comfortably in mid-table and ended up in ninth place – their best finish since their promotion-winning season in 2013/14. Austin celebrates the latest of his 56 QPR goals Austin scored eight goals last season, including one on his debut in a win over Luton Town. Field also scored on his debut, netting an equaliser in his side’s 2-1 win over local rivals Brentford. In fact, the January arrivals of Austin and Field, as well as fellow loanees Jordy de Wijs and Stefan Johansen, turned QPR into arguably one of the best sides in the divis...
Derby could still be relegated from Championship after Financial Fair Play breach
Derby County could reportedly still be relegated from the Championship after the EFL won an appeal to find the Rams in breach of Financial Fair Play regulations. Wayne Rooney’s Derby were part of a thrilling end to the Championship relegation race at the weekend, with their 3-3 draw with Sheffield Wednesday keeping them in the division. Cardiff City’s late equaliser against Rotherham United saw the latter relegated, with Derby staying up by just one point. However, a report from the Daily Mail on Monday has suggested that Derby could still be relegated this season. Derby were cleared of financial fair play breaches by an independent disciplinary commission last year, despite the EFL charging them with two offences. The Daily Mail now claim that the EFL have won an appeal against that rulin...
West Ham and Newcastle hopes boosted as Toffees expert says club won’t sign 29-goal star
West Ham United and Newcastle United have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Blackburn Rovers striker Adam Armstrong. The 24-year-old bagged a second successive hat-trick for Rovers as they ran out 5-2 winners against Birmingham City on Saturday. The ex-Newcastle United forward took his tally to 29 goals in all competitions in what has been an underwhelming campaign for Tony Mowbray’s team. Speaking on BBC Radio Lancashire after the game, the Rovers manager indicated that the club would be open to selling Armstrong this summer. “For Adam’s sake let’s hope the phone rings and someone offers us a ridiculous amount of money,” he said. “We shake him by the hand and we say ‘go and bang in loads of goals in the Premier League.” “For Adam’s sake let’s hope the phone rings and someone offers ...
Everything you need to know about 2020/21 Championship Play-Offs
The 2020/21 EFL Championship campaign approaches the ultimate stage, with four sides preparing to discover their fate in the upcoming play-offs. Premier League football is at stake as only one team goes up, leaving the remaining three stuck in the second division for another year. Designed as a mini-tournament that kicks off after the completion of the regular season, the Championship play-offs are arguably the most lucrative matches in English football. Considered the most valuable single football fixture on the planet, the Championship play-off final earns the victor at least £135 million in the name of Premier League promotion. Furthermore, if immediate relegation was avoided the following season, the play-off final winner receives an additional £130m. So there are approximately 26...
Derby send Sheffield Wednesday down, Hammers target bags second successive treble
Derby County narrowly avoided relegation on a dramatic final day in the Championship. The Rams twice came from behind to secure a 3-3 draw against Sheffield Wednesday at Pride Park to escape the drop at the expense of their opponents. Martyn Waghorn (2) and Patrick Roberts were on target for Derby, while Sam Hutchinson, Callum Paterson and Julian Borner replied for the visitors. Rotherham United were on course to survive after Lewis Wing put them ahead at Cardiff City, but Marlon Pack’s late strike sent them tumbling back into League One after just one season. Wycombe Wanderers also made an immediate return to the third tier despite recording a 3-0 victory at Middlesbrough – Fred Onyedinma, Garath McCleary and Jason McCarthy got the goals. At the other end of the table, the line-up for the...
Hammers reportedly join Spurs & Tuchel in race for £35m 30-goal hitman with 10 assists
West Ham United have joined Chelsea in the race for Brentford striker Ivan Toney ahead of the summer transfer window, According to The Sun. The 25-year-old has bagged 30 goals and 10 assists in the Championship this term, and he is also attracting interest from Tottenham Hotspur. The Bees are looking to secure Premier League promotion via the play-offs and will cash in on Toney if they fail to. West Ham, Chelsea and Spurs will have to part with £35 million to have a chance of landing the former Peterborough hitman. Sportslens View Hammers boss David Moyes wants to sign another striker after failing to get a direct replacement for Sebastien Haller in January. It appears that the Brentford star has impressed him. Leicester City and Everton have also registered an interest in Toney, but ...
West Ham reportedly eyeing summer move for 14-goal attacker Messi wants to play with
West Ham United are keen on Norwich City attacking midfielder Emiliano Buendia as a potential alternative to Jesse Lingard, according to the Sunday Mirror. Landing the Manchester United loanee could prove difficult for the Hammers, and they are lining up other options ahead of the summer transfer window. Buendia has helped Norwich secure instant promotion back to the top-flight, scoring 14 goals and weighing in with 16 assists in 38 Championship games this season. The Argentine scored once and assisted seven goals in 36 Premier League games last term, and he has what it takes to help improve West Ham’s creativity in the final third. The 24-year-old caught Lionel Messi’s attention when he was just 18, with his fellow compatriot urging him to switch allegiances from Spain to Argentina s...
Spurs reportedly want 29-goal Englishman NUFC sold for £300k to replace striker
Tottenham Hotspur are keen on Brentford striker Ivan Toney and have joined the race for his signature ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Football Insider. Spurs want another striker as they are not looking to sign loanee Carlos Vinicius permanently. The Benfica man has scored 10 goals and assisted three more in 22 games across all competitions, but he has not impressed Tottenham having scored just once in nine Premier League appearances. They want Toney next summer, and the pursuit of the Brentford star does not depend on Harry Kane’s future at the club. The 25-year-old has bagged 29 goals and weighed in with 10 assists in 43 Championship appearances this term. The former Newcastle United striker scored 40 goals in 76 League One games for Peterborough United in two seasons b...
Championship Player of the Year nominees announced
The shortlist for the Championship Player of the Year award has been revealed. The list is comprised of two players from league leaders Norwich City, as well as one from play-off hopefuls Brentford. Norwich are set for an instant return to the Premier League under Daniel Farke, following their relegation last season. They sit comfortably at the top with 93 points, five points clear of also-promoted Watford with two games remaining. Meanwhile, Brentford still hope to reach the top flight for the first time since 1947, despite the collapse of their automatic promotion campaign. The Bees are in third place and will compete with Bournemouth, Swansea City and Barnsley for the final promotion spot. Here are the three nominees for the Championship Player of the Year award. Ivan Toney – Brentford ...
‘We can’t let this happen!’ – Some Spurs fans fuming as Fabrizio Romano shares exciting Everton news
According to transfer expert and Sky Sports journalist Fabrizio Romano, Everton are leading the race to sign Norwich City right-back Max Aarons ahead of the summer transfer window. Toffees manager Carlo Ancelotti wants a long-term replacement for Seamus Coleman, and he is keen on the England youth international. Tottenham Hotspur have also been linked with Aarons, but Everton are now poised to land him as they are in advanced talks and negotiations are progressing. Spurs fans are not pleased with the update from the journalist as they feel the 21-year-old would be perfect for their club. Both Matt Doherty and Serge Aurier have failed to impress at right-back for Tottenham, and the incoming manager could look to bring in another option for the new season. However, that is unlikely to be Aar...
West Ham and Newcastle must move now as manager hints target could be sold
West Ham United and Newcastle United have been given further encouragement in their pursuit of Blackburn Rovers striker Adam Armstrong. The 24-year-old has been in fine form for Rovers this season, bagging 22 goals in 40 appearances during the current campaign. He has just over a year left on his current contract, and Rovers manager Tony Mowbray hinted earlier this month that he could be sold this summer. Mowbray has now confirmed that the club could be forced into selling their top assets to fund incoming transfers this summer. With playmaker Bradley Dack currently on the sidelines, Mowbray’s only other hope of raising sizeable funds is by selling Armstrong. In an interview with Lancashire Telegraph, Mowbray outlined his plans for the upcoming transfer window. “We will have to see what th...
