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Losing has become an unwanted habit for Manchester United under Ruben Amorim. So much so that the 3-0 loss to Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday may not have surprised anyone.

The Red Devils have accrued a measly 31 points in 31 matches under the Portuguese head coach, the lowest of any non-relegated side in that time.

It should go without saying, but, it is not good enough for a club of Manchester United’s size with the ambitions that they should have in the Premier League.

Players are to blame as well as the manager, though, and one player who may not have much of a future at Old Trafford, as a frontline player anyway, is Altay Bayindir.

The Turkish shot-stopper was given the nod between the sticks for the Manchester derby, but it seemed to be more of a case of keeping Senne Lammens out of the firing line for a debut in such a big clash.

United swooped to sign the Belgian goalkeeper from Royal Antwerp on deadline day and his arrival at Old Trafford could spell the end of Altay’s short time as the number one.

Why Altay Bayindir may already be finished at Man Utd

The Turkey international has started all four of the club’s Premier League matches this season, per Sofascore, but has not done enough to suggest that he has what it takes to be the next Edwin Van Der Sar, David De Gea, or Peter Schmeichel.

Altay played four times in the top-flight in the 2024/25 campaign and only saved 44% of the shots on his goal, per Sofascore, and made one error that led to a goal.

The Turkish flop has not improved much at the start of the current season, unfortunately, as he has saved 53% of the shots against him in the Premier League and made one error that led to a goal.

As you can see in the clip above, the United goalkeeper was far too weak from a corner on the opening day against Arsenal, which allowed Riccardo Calafiori to score the winning goal for the away side.

This means that Altay, who was easily beaten by Phil Foden and Erling Haaland for the first two Man City goals on Sunday, has made two errors that have led to goals in just eight league starts for the club.

Top performing shot-stoppers in Premier League vs Senne Lammens
24/25 season	Goals (xG) prevented
Senne Lammens (Pro League)	+15.57
Jordan Pickford (Premier League)	+6.15
Matz Sels (Premier League)	+4.55
Mark Travers (Premier League)	+4.48
Ederson (Premier League)	+4.46
Dean Henderson (Premier League)	+3.14
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Lammens has the shot-stopping potential to be a standout in the Premier League for the Red Devils if he can adjust to the division.

This means that the Belgian goalkeeper’s arrival at the club could spell the end of Altay’s career as a first-choice option for Amorim, as he settles in as the number one in the weeks to come.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The Turkey international may not be the only poor performer from the derby whose career at United under Amorim should be in danger, though, as Manuel Ugarte falls into the same bracket.

He was selected to start in the middle of the park over Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo, yet once again failed to deliver an impressive performance for the team.

Why Manuel Ugarte should be finished at Man Utd

The Uruguay international has been at Old Trafford for more than a year and looks no closer to establishing himself as a key player for the manager than when he first walked through the door under Erik ten Hag.

Ugarte’s performances in the Premier League for the Red Devils during the 2024/25 campaign left far too much to be desired, as the central midfielder struggled badly in possession.

24/25 PL	Manuel Ugarte	Rank vs midfielders
Non-penalty goals	0.05	Bottom 41%
xAG	0.06	Bottom 30%
Shot-creating actions	1.56	Bottom 16%
Progressive passes	3.08	Bottom 18%
Progressive carries	0.81	Bottom 23%
Passes into the final third	2.96	Bottom 36%
Passes into the penalty area	0.45	Bottom 20%
Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, the former Paris Saint-Germain flop was among the worst central midfielders in the division in a host of possession-based metrics, which shows that he disrupted the team’s build-up with his lack of quality on the ball.

Despite being in the side to provide defensive stability, in theory, only Bruno Fernandes (1.4) was dribbled past more per game than Ugarte (1.3) for Manchester United in the Premier League last season, per WhoScored.

Opposition players found it far too easy to get the better of the central midfielder in the middle of the park, which means that he was a liability to the side in and out of possession last term.

Unfortunately, Ugarte’s performance in his first start of the league season against Manchester City on Sunday did not suggest that he is ready to turn things around.

Earlier this month, former Chelsea ace Craig Burley said: “Manuel Ugarte is just absolutely nothing. He’s just like a wet blanket. Put him in with the kids and even the kids would be going, ‘Who the hell is this guy?’ Seriously.”

Harsh comments from Burley but it is hard to disagree with him. Ugarte was caught out for the opening goal from Foden as he was too slow to get out to Doku and his weak block fell back for the winger to cross for the England international.

His lack of quality in possession also played a part in the third goal. The midfielder played a poor pass into Luke Shaw’s feet, which forced him to put Harry Maguire under pressure, resulting in the centre-back giving the ball away and Haaland being played through for his second.

He does not look up to the task of starting matches for Manchester United in the Premier League, as evidenced by his dismal showings last season and his poor performance on Sunday.

Worse than Sesko: Amorim must drop Man Utd flop who was "nowhere near it"

Manchester United should drop this flop who was even worse than Benjamin Sesko in the derby.

1

By
Dan Emery

Sep 14, 2025

The Uruguay international looks totally finished under Amorim on the evidence available so far, which is why Casemiro, Mason Mount, Mainoo, and Bruno Fernandes should play the bulk of the minutes available when fit and available ahead of him.

An “unbelievable” Newcastle United player may have played his final game for the club, with a move abroad possible before the league’s summer transfer window closes.

Potential debuts for Newcastle against Wolves

The Magpies return to Premier League action on Saturday afternoon, welcoming Wolves to St James’ Park and looking to kick their season into gear after a relatively slow start.

A frustrating summer window at Newcastle ended positively, despite losing Alexander Isak to Liverpool, with Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa arriving from VfB Stuttgart and Brentford respectively.

The Magpies’ two newest signings will both be vying for a start this weekend, and Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has talked up the idea of Woltemade leading the line.

“Eddie Howe has to start with Nick Woltemade, if not both him and Yoane Wissa together. Wissa hasn’t played a lot of football recently, so I’m not sure if he goes straight into the starting XI. But if you’re those two forwards, there is no better opportunity to get off the mark than facing Wolves at home!

“I always go with the logic that if the best team in the league wants to sign you, then you’re a good player. Bayern Munich wanted Woltemade, so he must know how to play! If him and Wissa can together get the goals scored by Isak last season, it’s a good transfer window for Newcastle in my opinion.”

Newcastle hero could leave before the weekend

Away from incoming signings, it looks as though Jamaal Lascelles could leave Newcastle on Friday, with reliable journalists Craig Hope and Simon Jones of The Daily Mail reporting that Trabzonspor are “exploring a deal” for the centre-back.

The Turkish transfer deadline day is Friday evening, so it would be a last-gasp piece of business if it does go through, with the 31-year-old only having a year remaining on his current deal.

A move away for Lascelles could make the most sense for all parties, considering it would allow him more regular playing time after dropping down the pecking order, as well as meaning Newcastle cash in on him instead of losing him on a free transfer.

If Lascelles does leave, he will be remembered as an excellent servant for the Magpies down the years, captaining them impressively earlier in his career and being showered with praise by Eddie Howe.

“He’s been an unbelievable captain for us. Captaincy doesn’t just exist on the pitch, it has to exist off the pitch. The two things are so intrinsically linked. A lot of our success last year wasn’t just down to the team, it came down to a group of players giving everything on and off the pitch.”

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At 31, the £40,000-a-week Lascelles is still young enough to be a key starter away from Newcastle, meaning a move to Turkey could be wise, rather than warming the substitutes’ bench for months on end at St James’.

MatériaMais Notícias

A janela de transferências fecha no dia 2 de agosto e por conta disso, o São Paulo corre atrás de reforços. No entanto, as últimas semanas vêm sendo de pouca movimentação no mercado da bola pelo Tricolor. Com Copa do Brasil, Sul-Americana e Brasileirão para disputar, o São Paulo pode ver o prazo de inscrições dos torneios se encerrar sem caras novas.

+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

Para a Sul-americana, o São Paulo tem até o dia 29 de julho para fazer mudanças para as oitavas de final, quando terá pela frente o San Lorenzo (ARG), que eliminou o Independiente Medellín (COL) nos playoffs. Vale destacar que as oitavas de final do torneio começam a ser disputadas pouco depois do encerramento da janela brasileira, no dia 2 de agosto. Assim, a Conmebol exige que os clubes entreguem suas listas finais com certa antecedência. 

Já na Copa do Brasil, se quiser ter jogadores novos no jogo de ida da semifinal, contra o Corinthians, o São Paulo tem até a próxima terça-feira (25) para publicar nomes no Boletim Informativo Diário (BID) da CBF. Somente com os nomes no sistema, eles estarão liberados para jogar.

Renove seu estoque de camisas do Tricolor com o cupom LANCEFUT 10% OFF

No Brasileirão a situação é mais tranquila, mas tem duas datas diferentes para encerrar o período de inscrições. Vale lembrar que, antes da primeira rodada do campeonato, os clubes precisaram enviar uma lista de, no mínimo, 35 jogadores inscritos para a CBF. O São Paulo inscreveu na primeira lista 36 nomes.

Até o dia 25 de agosto, o Tricolor pode inscrever mais 14 jogadores no Campeonato Brasileiro, totalizando 50 nomes na lista, que é o limite imposto pelo regulamento. Caso queira substituir algum integrante, o São Paulo terá até o dia 15 de setembro para trocar no máximo oito atletas. Vale destacar que caso algum jogador atue por mais de seis jogos pela Série A, ele não pode mais jogar a competição por outro clube.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was in high spirits at full-time after his Arsenal side came from behind late on to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Goals from Mikel Merino and Gabriel proved the difference, with the Gunners boss crediting Newcastle United for how tough they made it for his side throughout the game. The Magpies led for over 50 minutes before ultimately finding themselves on the end of a late Gunners comeback, inspired by changes made by Arteta in the second period.

• Arsenal left it late – but good value for comeback win

  Arteta spoke in his post-match interview on BBC Match of the Day about the emotion he felt in the late victory as Gabriel rose highest to head home in the 96th minute and earn his side the three points.

  It may have taken until the very last to secure the win, but Arsenal were good value for the points. Arteta named an attacking line-up including a return to the side for Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze, who were both involved in a lot of good play in a strong opening half hour by the visitors. Nick Pope would prove to be in inspired form, though, up until Arsenal turned the game around with a pair of late goals to win 2-1.

  Arteta was left ecstatic at the victory, which brought Arsenal to within two points of leaders Liverpool, while star man and captain for the day Bukayo Saka criticised VAR’s decision to overturn a first-half penalty call on Viktor Gyokeres.

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• Getty
  

  Arsenal overcome tough Newcastle test to pile pressure on rivals

  This was a tough test for Arsenal, no doubt. They had lost at St James’ Park on each of their last three visits and it was close to becoming a fourth in a row, without a single goal scored – until Merino and Gabriel had other ideas. It was two corners which would prove the difference, their 11th and 12th corners of the day, as the Gunners fought until the end.

  They have a set of more favourable fixtures coming up and their perceived mixed start to the season is now looking a whole lot more impressive. With four points won late on in their last two fixtures and a host of new signings performing admirably in recent weeks, there is certainly cause for optimism as Arsenal seek a first Premier League title since 2004.

  Newcastle made things tough for their visitors and Arteta paid respect to this at full-time. The Magpies have the tough task of balancing Champions League football with their league campaign this term and will be encouraged by the fact that record £69million ($92m) signing Nick Woltemade has already scored twice for his new club, putting his massive 6ft 6in frame to good use with clinical headed goals against the Gunners and Wolves – though his exploits would not be enough to secure a result on this occasion.

• Arteta's words after Arsenal victory

  Arteta told BBC Match of the Day: "To win in the manner that we have done it, wow what a feeling! Football is about emotion and going through things and today we had a beautiful one at the end of the match."

  On scoring from the 11th and 12th corners: "We generated so much from open play in various many ways. [Nick] Pope was incredible today, he denies us goals. Praise Newcastle for the team that they are, the way that they compete, how difficult they make it for you."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Gunners can use platform ahead of important winter period

  Arsenal’s blend of set-piece mastery and blossoming open-play creativity stands them in good stead as we enter the busy winter period of the season. A series of London derbies lie in wait, and it will be intriguing to see who leads the way at the top of the Premier League table come November.

  For Arsenal and Arteta, it may be now or never. Previous excuses about striking options and injuries impacting squad depth are no longer there to fall back on. The Gunners’ mission this term is clear: win, or face increasing scrutiny from all angles. From the evidence thus far, they are on the right track.

MatériaMais Notícias

Marçal fez uma análise da atuação de Edna depois da vitória do Botafogo diante do Flamengo por 3 a 2 no Maracanã. O lateral-esquerdo também revelou uma tentativa de provocação de Gabigol depois do segundo gol alvinegro.

– Ontem ela fez um bom trabalho, apesar de algumas coisas. O lance mais flagrante foi do Thiago Maia. Espero que ele não tenha se machucado, porque foi tão forte que ele mesmo poderia ter se machucado. Se não tem caneleira, poderia ter sido uma situação pior para Di Plácido. Depois ela dá um tiro de meta quando é escanteio e dá uma falta do Tiquinho quando ele está protegendo. Ela sempre teve muita educação comigo. Ela gosta de falar mais com os capitães do que com os demais jogadores. De modo geral, tirando esse lance do Thiago Maia, foi uma arbitragem boa – declarou Marçal aoprograma “De Placa”, do TNT Sports.

+Botafogo volta ao topo após dez anos: lembre a última vez do seu time como líder do Brasileirão

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+John Textor provoca o Flamengo após vitória do Botafogo: ‘O bicho é certo’

– O Gabigol é um excelente jogador, mas é um cara muito chato de jogar contra. Ele quer ficar entrando na mente. Quando a gente fez o segundo gol, ele falou: “tão comemorando para caramba. Ganharam Copa do Mundo?”. Aí na hora do intervalo, eu abracei ele e falei: “para de querer arrumar confusão, cara”. A gente não é amigo. Eu tentei só fazer com que ele não insuflasse e se sentisse motivado – completou.

+Luís Castro exalta força do Botafogo para vencer o Flamengo, minimiza liderança e explica bronca com árbitra

O Glorioso entra em campo na próxima quinta-feira (04/05), às 21h, no Nilton Santos, pela terceira rodada da fase de grupos da Sul-Americana.

Whilst they have since secured several reinforcements, Leeds United reportedly made an approach to sign an attacking addition who has scored in the Europa League earlier this summer.

Farke: Leeds not "ready for Premier League level"

Like Sunderland, Leeds have returned to the Premier League with plenty of intent. The Whites instantly turned towards the transfer window this summer, welcoming the likes of Sean Longstaff, Jaka Bijol, Lucas Perri and four others in an attempt to build a side ready to avoid instant relegation.

That task will be easier said than done, however, and Daniel Farke has already admitted that his frontline is still short on Premier League quality following a friendly draw against Villarreal.

When it comes to attacking additions, it’s been a frustrating summer for those at Elland Road thus far. The likes of Beto and Rodrigo Muniz have threatened to steal the headlines, but deals for the two impressive forwards are unlikely at this stage. Meanwhile, Leeds and the 49ers also made an early approach to sign a former Premier League winger.

Leeds approached Moussa Djenepo

As reported by Africa Foot, Leeds approached Moussa Djenepo earlier this summer as they looked to swoop in and sign the Standard Liege winger, who earns around £18,000-a-week.

Ultimately, however, that approach proved unsuccessful and the former Southampton man remained a Standard Liege player. Whether that changes as the Whites become more desperate to bolster their attack will be interesting to see, but it’s then that they’ll potentially have to compete against clubs in Saudi Arabia and Iran for Djenepo’s signature.

Djenepo would certainly tick the box for Premier League experience, having previously enjoyed a four-year spell at Southampton and has even impressed on the Europa League stage with Standard Liege in the past – scoring three goals in five games.

Leeds now offered chance to sign "sensation" who has scored 38 PL goals

The Whites could finally add to their striking department.

BySean Markus Clifford Aug 5, 2025

As things stand, however, the 27-year-old is seemingly set to go down as a missed target at Elland Road, as Farke and the 49ers aim to transform Leeds’ attack into one of Premier League quality.

Arsenal are reportedly prepared to pay over £50 million for another transfer target after finalising their deal for Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres.

Related Player has agreed £135k-per-week contract to join Arsenal, he's on his way

Andrea Berta has made a statement.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Jul 25, 2025

Gyokeres has become Arsenal’s sixth signing of the window after their confirmed deals for Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke and Cristhian Mosquera, following a breakthrough in talks with Sporting earlier this week.

Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)

Money on new signings

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

25/26 – summer

£153m

Negotiations were dragging on over the structure of bonus payments, despite reaching an agreement in principle nearly a fortnight ago (The Athletic), but all issues have now been quashed and Gyokeres will sign in as a new Arsenal player.

According to David Ornstein, the 27-year-old’s medical will take place today, and he’s set to don the iconic number 14 shirt once worn by Thierry Henry.

Mikel Arteta is poised for a major boost with the arrival of Gyokeres, who scored 54 goals in all competitions last season, with Arsenal ending their drawn-out search for a prolific number nine at long last.

Gyokeres’ initial £55 million capture, which could rise to £64 million with add-ons (The Athletic), takes Arsenal’s summer spending to over £200 million.

Berta hasn’t been afraid to splash the cash over his debut summer window as Arsenal sporting director, and it is widely reported that he could spend even more on the potential signing of Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze.

Arsenal are expected to advance their pursuit of Eze after signing Gyokeres, with Berta and Arteta keen to add more creativity to their central attacking midfield (Ben Jacobs).

Arsenal prepared to bid £55 million for Eberechi Eze

TEAMtalk have another update on the situation this week. According to their information, Arsenal are prepared to offer Palace £55 million for Eze as they seek to strike a deal below his release clause, with the Gunners also ready to propose a four-year contract to the player himself.

They’re apparently “pushing” for the 27-year-old, who scored 14 goals and registered 11 assists for Palace last season, and helped the club win their first ever piece of major silverware.

The Eagles, in the meantime, are holding firm on his full price tag, but Arteta’s side view Eze as a key target due to his attacking versatility.

Reports from as far back as last month claimed that Arsenal have held talks with Eze’s representatives, and Football Transfers believe that the England international loosely agreed personal terms some time ago.

Eze’s demands are unlikely to be Berta’s major obstacle. His club will make things difficult, and Palace have already showcased they won’t be bullied around in negotiations, as evident by their stubbornness to sell Marc Guehi in the past 12 months.

Chairman Steve Parish rejected multiple bids from Newcastle last summer for Guehi, not to mention an audacious £70m offer from Tottenham in January, so Palace are stern negotiators.

Experienced batter strikes 46* as Invincibles rue missed chances in rain-hit match

ECB Media08-Aug-2024England star Danni Wyatt led Southern Brave to a breakthrough win and moved top of the women’s runscorers list in a seven-wicket rain-affected win against Oval Invincibles.Wyatt hit an unbeaten 46 from 37 balls, after twice being dropped, to guide the defending champions to a belated first win of this year’s competition with one ball to spare.Lauren Cheatle and Tilly Corteen-Coleman, two weeks shy of her 17th birthday, claimed two wickets apiece as the hosts were restricted to 79 for 4.Marizanne Kapp struck an unbeaten 26 from 17 balls for the hosts, whose innings was delayed for over an hour by rain.A revised target of 83 was therefore set and Invincibles had their chances to claim the key wicket of Wyatt, who was dropped on 4 and 14.Smriti Mandhana was run out cheaply and Maia Bouchier bowled by the impressive Ryana MacDonald-Gay, who claimed 1 for 7 from a maximum 15 balls.Wyatt went past Nat Sciver-Brunt’s 209 runs to become the leading run-scorer in this year’s women’s competition before Sophia Smale claimed Freya Kemp for 3.The 19-year-old left-arm spinner was then tasked with bowling the final five and initially held her never to restrict Wyatt to a dot and a single, before a smart stop kept Chloe Tryon to a single. But Wyatt’s experience told as she made room to shovel her over leg for the winning boundary.Cheatle earlier removed Chamari Athapaththu for a duck from the third ball, edging behind, and then had Alice Capsey caught in the deep after the England young gun had slapped her for six.Rain stopped the game with the home side 38 for 2 after 35 balls as the game was reduced to 65 balls per side.Corteen-Coleman had Invincibles skipper Lauren Winfield-Hill caught and the in-form Paige Scholfield caught in the deep from successive balls before Kapp added late firepower.

Everton have now joined Wolverhampton Wanderers in the race to sign a “dangerous” £17 million striker, according to a new report.

David Moyes’ return to Everton lifted the club both on and off the pitch, eventually moving far away from any threat of relegation during the 2024/25 season. Heading into the new campaign and a new stadium, the plan will be to establish themselves as a top-half team once again, as they were during his first tenure.

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To do just that, Moyes now has his eyes on improving his defensive options, especially at right-back, given the age of Seamus Coleman and the fact that Ashley Young will depart at the end of the month. Fabrizio Romano reported earlier this week that Everton had made contact with defender Kyle Walker over a move to Merseyside. Moyes approves of the addition of the England international, but they are not alone, as teams across Europe are also looking at signing the Manchester City man.

Therefore, the Toffees are keeping their options open, and according to The Guardian’s Jamie Jackson and Will Unwin, Everton are also interested in signing Fulham defender Kenny Tete. The 29-year-old is set to become a free agent at the end of this month, and he is a player who is under consideration along with West Ham’s Vladimir Coufal and Southampton’s Kyle Walker-Peters, as well as Walker.

Everton keen on signing £17m Wolves target

It isn’t just his defence that Moyes is looking to strengthen; he is also in the market for a new centre-forward, and a fresh name has emerged. According to Spanish outlet AS, Everton are interested in signing Corinthians striker Yuri Alberto.

The 24-year-old is expected to leave the Brazil side this summer after being a prolific goalscorer in the Brazilian league. The Toffees are one side keeping an eye on his situation, but they face competition from AS Roma and Atlético Madrid, with the Spanish giants considered to be at a slight advantage ahead of the other teams.

Alberto, who has been dubbed “dangerous” by scout Jacek Kulig, had a tremendous 2024, as he scored 31 goals in all competitions for Corinthians. Staggeringly, despite that impressive scoring streak, this report states that he could be available for around 20 million euros, which is roughly £17 million.

Competition

Apps

Goals

Assists

Serie A

29

15

5

Campeonato Paulista

11

5

0

Copa Sudamericana

10

9

2

Copa do Brasil

7

2

0

The Toffees are not the only team from the Premier League who are chasing Alberto, as earlier this year there have been reports stating Nottingham Forest have made contact with the player over a move to the City Ground. Most recently, it’s been reported that both Wolves and West Ham have made offers to sign the young striker.

Everton are now the latest team in the mix, and given Dominic Calvert-Lewin looks set to depart, the need for a new striker has become even greater.

Birmingham City is no longer a sleeping giant aiming to take a lower league by storm.

Now, the Blues are back in the ultra-competitive Championship, desperate to prove that they belong at the level, with an ambition in their veins to push on even more after lifting the League One title with ease.

Mega-rich Birmingham chairman Tom Wagner has even been hyping up the prospect of Chris Davies’ men being back in the Premier League by 2026 coming around, meaning the Blues will have to instantly take the EFL’s elite league by storm on their reentry.

It will be intriguing to see if all this pressure on Birmingham’s back hurts their progress, but the step up a league will also be an opportunity for the likes of Paik Seung-Ho to show they can strut their stuff in a more difficult environment, away from breaking the bank to fund their top-flight dreams.

Paik's performances in League One

Whilst Davies and Co. did bring in some proven EFL faces such as Alfie May and Jay Stansfield last summer, the Blues had sanctioned some left-field moves before their relegation took place, particularly when Paik arrived at St. Andrew’s from South Korean side Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in January of 2024.

Thankfully for Birmingham, it didn’t take long for Paik to get up to speed with his new surroundings, with the midfield maestro even netting a solitary goal in the Championship before they fell to the third tier.

The energetic 28-year-old ended up being a key part of the Birmingham side down a division too, with the Blues number 13 collecting another strike in league action as his confident team were resoundingly crowned champions, on top of also registering three assists.

Yet, now as they venture back up to the Championship, the ambitious Blues could soon land an upgrade on the stylish South Korean by signing this former Manchester United youth product.

Birmingham's search for a midfielder

Birmingham have had lots of success in the past when purchasing former Red Devils prodigies, with the likes of Tahith Chong and Jesse Lingard shining at St. Andrew’s briefly, before spreading their wings elsewhere.

Indeed, Chong registered 13 goals and assists in 61 games for the Midlands side, with Lingard previously racking up nine goal involvements in just 13 outings on loan at the club.

Charlie Savage’s name could soon be thrown into this mix, with a previous report from Football Insider revealing that Birmingham are prepared to battle it out for the £2m-rated star’s services, amidst interest also coming from Wrexham, Blackburn Rovers, and Portsmouth.

Much like Paik, Savage is fresh off a standout season in League One, albeit in a Reading side with many off-field struggles that nearly derailed matters on the pitch.

When looking at the table below, too, it could be argued that the Royals’ number eight is even an upgrade on his South Korean counterpart, with Savage tallying up more goals and assists last season for Noel Hunt’s men when weighed up next to Paik’s lesser output.

Games played

45

41

Goals scored

5

1

Assists

9

3

Touches*

47.8

66.2

Accurate passes*

27.0 (80%)

45.2 (88%)

Key passes*

1.3

1.0

Big chances created

5

8

Big chances missed

3

3

Ball recoveries*

3.7

4.0

Total duels won*

2.3

4.4

Amazingly, despite averaging fewer touches per match last season in League One, Savage would better Paik’s goal-and-assist tally by a whopping ten, with the 22-year-old’s effectiveness in forward areas perhaps a useful weapon for the Blues to call upon as they strive to ruffle feathers back in the Championship.

He does fall flat when weighing up their respective ball recovery and duels won numbers, but that’s where Tomoki Iwata could come to the rescue in any potential duo, with Iwata just about trumping Paik with 4.5 ball recoveries averaged per third-tier clash.

Hailed as “first class” by former Wales manager Rob Page when first thrown into the Red Dragons senior side, Savage should, in theory, be able to immediately slot into Davies’ team and take to the pressures of the Championship well, resulting in Paik having to make do with a spot in the background.

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