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Sunderland's hopes of bringing back Ellis Simms from Everton are fast fading as Championship rivals Coventry City close in on a deal for the striker.

How many goals has Ellis Simms scored?

Simms starred on loan with Sunderland in the first half of the 2022-23 Championship campaign with seven goals and two assists in 17 appearances.

That form earned the 22-year-old a recall to parent club Everton at the start of January, but he was restricted to just two Premier League starts – albeit one of those coming in February's Merseyside derby at Anfield, which the Toffees lost 2-0.

The high point for Simms undoubtedly came in March when scoring a late equaliser for Everton in a 2-2 draw away at Chelsea, with that likely to be his one and only goal for the club.

Sunderland understandably held an interest in signing Simms on a permanent basis once it became clear Everton were willing to sell, while Ipswich Town also placed a £4m bid, but The Athletic reports that Coventry are close to completing a deal worth between £6-8m.

Who are Sunderland signing?

The Black Cats have already brought in a new striker ahead of the new season, with Luis 'Hemir' Semedo arriving from Benfica. However, the 19-year-old has no senior experience, let alone experience of English football, so Tony Mowbray could do with signing at least one more forward.

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds United's Sonny Perkins is being eyed up by Sunderland, as well as Blackburn Rovers, with the Whites greenlighting his loan exit for the 2023/24 campaign.

Perkins featured three times for Leeds in cup competitions last season, each coming under former boss Jesse Marsch, and scored his first senior goal in an FA Cup third-round tie against Cardiff City – rescuing his side from a shock exit with a late goal in a 2-2 draw in South Wales.

The 19-year-old earned his first-team chance after scoring 11 goals across 18 Premier League 2 appearances, while also making an impact in the EFL Trophy with one goal in three games.

Perkins previously featured in a Premier League game for West Ham United, too, meaning the future is clearly bright for the 19-year-old, who was described as "dangerous" by U21 manager Michael Skubala last season.

To put Perkins' PL2 figures into some perspective, he averaged 0.85 goals and assists combined per 90 minutes last season, which compares to 0.67 for Simms in his most recent full season at that level in 2020-21, as per FBref.

Simms was directly involved in 0.72 goals per 90 minutes last season, a figure bettered only by Ross Stewart (1.12) among Sunderland players. The Black Cats undoubtedly need to find someone who can make just as big an impact, then, and Perkins – on £1.6k per week at Leeds, according to Salary Sport – may just be that man.

Much in the same way that not a great deal was expected from Simms when he rocked up on Wearside 12 months ago, Sunderland will be hoping for a similar masterstroke if the Perkins rumours are indeed true.

Leeds United are believed to have made contact with impressive Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres over a summer move to the club.

Have Leeds been linked with Gyokeres move?

The £3,462-a-week attacker enjoyed a superb 2022/23 season for the Sky Blues, proving to be their star man as they went all the way to the Championship playoff final, which they eventually lost on penalties to Luton Town in May.

Gyokeres scored 21 league goals in total for Coventry, which was only beaten by Middlesbrough's Chuba Akpom (28), and he was one of the standout performers in the division, being nominated for the Championship Player of the Season award.

His displays have certainly caught the attention of a number of clubs and Leeds have been linked with a move for him this summer, as they look to bring in a top-quality striker to aid their promotion push in 2023/24.

Are Leeds still keen on signing Gyokeres?

According to O Jogo [via MOT Leeds News], Leeds have made contact with Gyokeres over a summer move to the club, although he would preferably move away from the Championship instead.

It is stated that the Swede is close to completing a £17m move to Sporting CP, acting as a blow to the Whites, so it could be difficult to get a deal over the line.

This is clearly a blow for Leeds, considering Gyokeres is someone who could be absolutely perfect ahead of the next season, especially as he has proven how much he can shine in the Championship. Tony Mowbray has even compared him to Erling Haaland, describing him as "powerful" and "really confident".

With Patrick Bamford not looking like the force he once was, following constant injury problems, and Rodrigo surely moving on in the summer transfer window, the Coventry star could have been the ideal man to lead the line for years to come.

The lure of joining Sporting may well be too great to turn down, however, affording him the opportunity to play in Europe, and it would now be a big surprise if he opted to stay put in the second tier of English football and join Leeds instead.

The key now is for the Whites to identify a strong alternative to Gyokeres – an individual to come in and thrive from the off, providing a constant stream of end product in the final third and ensuring Leeds make their return to the Premier League in no time at all.

Liverpool are in a position to acquire some much-needed reinforcements this summer after a difficult campaign last season and now a new update has emerged on a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Liverpool's interest in Jeremy Doku?

According to French news outlet L'Equipe (via Sport Witness), Liverpool have set their sights on Stade Rennais winger Jeremy Doku.

As per the report, the Reds maintain their interest in the player that they almost signed in 2017 and although the player hasn't been a consistent goal-scorer he has become an attractive prospect based on his dribbling expertise.

The news broke a day before interest in Dominik Szoboszlai of RB Leipzig was broken, with FSG clearly looking to splash the cash in the early exchanges of the transfer window.

Who would Jeremy Doku replace in the Liverpool team?

It is no secret that the top priority this summer for Liverpool is to rebuild their midfield presence and inject some much-needed energy into the team to improve performances that were seen over last season.

The Merseyside giants have had no struggles in scoring goals and deploying an attacking threat that is deadly against any opponent of any quality, with only Manchester City and Arsenal scoring more than Liverpool (75) over their most recent campaign in the Premier League, despite their failure to secure a top-four finish.

Having said that, acquiring more attacking options who can provide diversity in the final third wouldn't be the worst idea and with Mohamed Salah set to be out of contract in 2025, there is an opportunity to bring in an understudy this summer to develop and nurture on the right flank who can learn the ropes from the Egyptian superstar.

Doku – hailed a "diamond in the rough" by Kevin De Bruyne – is an impressive attacking presence ranking in the top 5% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for a whole host of metrics, including non-penalty goals, shot-creating actions, progressive carries, progressive passes received and successful take-ons, as per FBref.

The £14m-rated winger offers strengths that are a little different to those of Liverpool's talisman, outperforming his positional peer in a number of attributes last season including shot-creating actions per 90 (5.65 v 3.83), goal-creating actions per 90 (0.70 v 0.66) and take-on success rate (60.4% v 37.3%), suggesting that he offers a more selfless approach in attacking opportunities and is more confident in challenging opponents.

It is unfathomable that Klopp would ever bench his star man who has provided the Anfield faithful with so many moments of magic, however, the acquirement of Doku could give the Liverpool boss some depth and a different perspective in the position that can be deployed in latter stages of games and provides a rotation option when competing in multiple competitions.

With that being said, Doku is definitely one to watch for Liverpool this summer and if the club's hierarchy can strike up a good deal for the 21-year-old this summer it could be a great opportunity to add some more depth in the forward line ahead of next season.

Celtic have made a significant transfer offer to sign Gangwon FC attacker Yang Hyun-jun, according to reports.

What’s the latest Celtic transfer news involving Yang?

The Hoops now appear to have their eyes on multiple signings after securing a deal to bring Brendan Rodgers back as manager. The Northern Irishman is set to be backed in the transfer market by the Parkhead board, with Champions League football on offer in Glasgow next season.

The club have acted swiftly and announced the signing of Norwegian playmaker Odin Thiago Holm on Thursday, with the 20-year-old arriving from Valerenga and penning a five-year deal in Glasgow.

Midfield appears to be an area the club are looking to bolster, with Leicester City’s defensive midfielder Wilfred Ndidi a target. Alongside the Nigerian, it looks as if the club have identified a new target in Yang.

Journalist Jason Lee took to Twitter in the last 48 hours to relay reports coming out of South Korea regarding Celtic and Yang. He said that the Hoops have made a "significant and final" offer for Yang, with the player keen to move to Glasgow.

“According to Korean media, Celtic have sent an official transfer offer to Gangwon FC for Yang Hyun-Jun. The offer is believed to be "significant and final" as Celtic await Gangwon's response. The player is eager to move to Celtic.”

Who is Yang Hyun-jun?

Hailed as “excellent” and a “level above” in the media following a pre-season display against Tottenham last year, Yang is primarily a right-winger who can also play on the left or through the middle.

The 21-year-old is valued at a career-high €700,000 by Transfermarkt and has made 67 senior appearances for his current employers, scoring nine times and registering five assists.

Described as Gangwon's up-and-coming star who is unpredictable and eye-catching by K League United columnist Nathan Sartain, he could be the next exciting Asian player to move to Parkhead, following in the footsteps of the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate.

Rodgers currently has two right-wingers on the books in James Forrest and Liel Abada and three left-wingers in Jota, Maeda and Sead Haksabanovic, so Yang could balance the club's wide ranks while also offering plenty of versatility, making this a transfer to keep an eye on.

Glasgow Rangers have already made four new signings, with Jack Butland, Sam Lammers, Dujon Sterling, and Kieran Dowell all arriving at the Ibrox side.

Michael Beale will know that getting a head start on their Old Firm rivals, who are still currently searching for someone to replace Ange Postecoglou, could be the difference between winning their first Premiership crown since 2020/21 or finishing in second for the third year on the spin.

But in order to make more signings in the transfer window, Beale will surely have to move a few players on to generate funds. Scott Wright and Jon McLaughlin already look as though their futures lie away from Ibrox, while striker Antonio Colak could also make way.

The Croatian only moved to the Light Blues last summer and enjoyed a decent enough debut season, scoring 18 goals, yet his appearances were limited under the 42-year-old, starting just five matches during the second half of the season, and according to The Scottish Sun, the club are open to bids for the striker.

If he did depart, Beale could replace him with Kenyan striker Michael Olunga, who has been scoring for fun recently.

Could Michael Olunga join Rangers?

With Dutch attacker Lammers only recently joining, the Gers should still sign another striker or two this summer as they target silverware – and Olunga could be an excellent signing having been linked with a move to Ibrox.

The 29-year-old is a machine in front of goal, scoring a total of 159 club goals while also adding in 21 across 48 appearances for Kenya, even scoring twice at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019, indicating that he can perform at the highest level.

Beale wouldn’t need to spend any money on the player as he is soon to be available for free, while he is reportedly only wanting a weekly salary of around £7.5k per week, and he could therefore become an ideal option for the club without having to splash the cash.

His stay in Qatar for Al-Duhail has been the most productive of his career, scoring a remarkable 83 goals in 83 appearances, while he particularly impressed in the AFC Champions League in 2022, netting six goals from eight matches and finishing as the third-best performer in the squad as per Sofascore. He also ranked second for goals and shots on target per game, further highlighting his clinical nature in front of goal.

Following his two-goal salvo against Tanzania in 2019, he was dubbed a “match-winner” by Squawka, while former boss Sabri Lamouchi said he was “special”, and if Beale wants some more goals in his side, signing Olunga would be a cheap yet reliable option.

Newcastle United will be going into the summer transfer window with just £75m to spend on new arrivals, according to some reports.

What is Newcastle's transfer budget?

The Toon will go into the new campaign with Champions League football on the menu having secured an impressive fourth-place finish.

Alongside the increased revenue from the elite European competition, Newcastle have also secured a new sponsorship deal with a Saudi-based company.

It is believed Newcastle will now earn around £25m from their shirt deal with the Saudi Arabian events management firm.

However, despite the expected spike in the club's revenue, there have been reports suggesting PIF will only provide the Toon with around £75m to spend over the course of the summer.

The prospect of playing European football may mean Eddie Howe will need to bolster his side with more quality and further strength in depth.

However, a £75m budget may not provide Newcastle with much room for improvement in the window considering they spent £63m on Alexander Isak last summer alone.

Speaking on the Chasing Green Arrows YouTube channel, insider Graeme Bailey has slammed the notion of the Toon having so little to spend this summer:

"Sorry, but I'm not I'm not buying it. Newcastle are sending out these stories. I think Newcastle will easily then spend over a quarter of a billion this summer. I really do. I don't see them not.

"They've already briefed that they want a left-sided forward, a number 10, another central midfielder, a left-back and a centre-half."

Who will Newcastle sign this summer?

The Toon have already got the ball rolling this summer with the addition of the young prospect Yankuba Minteh who has been brought in from Odense.

Reports claim the 18-year-old has cost the Toon in the region of €7m (£6m) but will be sent immediately out on loan to the Dutch champions Feyenoord.

If reports surrounding the £75m transfer budget are to be believed, then there will only be around £69m to spend over the coming months on improvements.

Of course, departures will add potential revenue to the budget, however, the quality of player who may be on the move this summer may not provide Howe with much money to play with.

But now the Toon are in the Champions League, it is apparent Bailey is not convinced the finances will be so restricted this summer.

Newcastle fared well this season and capitalised on the struggles of the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.

It has to be expected those three sides will come back next season stronger and the two London sides do not have to compete in any form of Europe at all.

So a stronger squad will surely be on the agenda for Howe this summer and quality signings will also be a huge boost as they prepare to take on some of Europe's very best.

Liverpool have "lots of work to do" with Darwin Nunez next season, according to Redmen TV presenter Ste Hoare.

The Uruguayan international joined Liverpool in the summer of 2022 for a club-record fee of £85m, but the Liverpool expert believes that the enigmatic forward isn't the best player available in any frontline position at the club.

Has Darwin Nunez had a good first season?

After arriving from Benfica, Nunez has had an interesting first season on Merseyside, with incredible highs balanced out with embarrassing lows.

The 23-year-old made 42 appearances for Liverpool across all competitions, and registered 15 goals and four assists, with his highlights being a brace in the Reds' historic 7-0 victory against arch-rivals Manchester United, as well as a fantastic opening goal in Liverpool's first-leg clash against LaLiga giants Real Madrid.

However, it hasn't been all positive for the former Almeria whiz, with moments such as his debut red card against Crystal Palace at Anfield, whilst a whopping 20 big chances missed in the Premier League gives further cause for concern.

The 6 foot 2 forward has found himself falling down the pecking order as well following the arrival of Cody Gakpo in January in tandem with the return from injury of both Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz, with the striker only starting three of the club's final 12 league games.

What has Ste Hoare said about Darwin Nunez and Liverpool?

Speaking on Nunez's situation at the club, the Redmen TV presenter told Football FanCast:

"There’s a question mark of how he fits into the team. Because he isn’t the best left option. And he isn’t the best forward option.

"Jota and Diaz are both better than him on the left, and at this moment in time, Gakpo and Jota are both better than him up front, so I think there is lots of work to be done on Darwin Nunez, to be honest with you."

What does the future hold for Darwin Nunez in Liverpool?

Liverpool won't give up on the £140k-per-week star just yet, with manager Jurgen Klopp stating before the Red's clash with Nottingham Forest in April that the situation is a "long-term project".

Whilst on the face of it, Nunez has had a mediocre campaign, his underlying numbers paint the picture of a player with all the potential to become one of the most feared attackers in European football.

His non-penalty expected goals + assists per 90 is 0.97, which according to FBref, is among the top 1% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues, showcasing that should Nunez become more clinical and decisive, he could be contributing almost a goal a game.

Liverpool supporters will be hoping that the Uruguayan has a similar trajectory as his time at Benfica, where after a disappointing first campaign, the Uruguayan attacker burst to life, having scored 34 goals in 41 games across all competitions.

Leeds United have suffered the ignominy of relegation from the Premier League but must not rest on their laurels as they map a plan for an immediate return to prominence this summer.

The Championship season is notoriously enervating and will require focus and tenacity unseen at Elland Road this season, with the Whites going through three managers and languidly bowing out of their three-year tenure in the division with just one victory from the final 11 matches.

Undoubtedly, there will be a torrent of outgoings in west Yorkshire this summer as the club looks to wipe the board clean and recuperate some funds, a result of the financial damage a club is beset with upon falling from the Premier League.

And while shrewd acquisitions will be targetted, Leeds must now make full use of their impressive youth academy and unleash some stars currently beneath the surface, and Amari Miller is one who could play a big part in any success they have in the second tier.

Who is Amari Miller?

Leeds completed the signing of versatile winger Miller in June 2021, with the starlet penning a deal from Birmingham City, where he featured for the first team five times despite his youthful years.

Since plying his trade for the Whites' development squad, he has scored four goals and supplied a further two assists from 33 appearances for the club's U21 side.

Praised for his "fearless" attitude by former Blues boss Lee Bowyer, who also said that he has got "great potential", Leeds' relegation might be a personal blessing for the 20-year-old's prospects, with the inevitable summer sales providing him with more frequent chances to dazzle with the senior set-up.

Who could Amari Miller replace?

One of the most likely departees from west Yorkshire this summer is undoubtedly Brenden Aaronson, who signed from RB Salzburg for roughly £25m one year ago with a weight of expectation, but he has failed to impress and indeed been at the epicentre of his outfit's malaise.

As per Sofascore, the 22-year-old USMNT player only mustered a lowly average rating of 6.51 this term, scoring one goal and providing three assists from 36 Premier League matches, branded a "lightweight" by pundit Jon Newsome earlier this year.

While time is on Aaronson's side, he is still valued at £30m by Football Transfers and could catch a pretty penny to tee up coveted room for reinforcements ahead of an imperative campaign at Elland Road.

The need for change is evident at Leeds, and while Aaronson could do a job in the second tier, he could still garner one of the highest fees of any member of the squad, and while a replacement could well be signed, the powers that be at the club must consider opening up the stage for the exciting talent that is Miller.

After all, he already has Championship experience too, being handed his debut in that division by Birmingham at such a young age, eventually making five appearances.

Although they were rather brief cameos, it will be a positive for Leeds that this potential Aaronson replacement already has senior experience.

Leeds United have found themselves in a precarious position with no sporting director or manager to lead them following relegation back to the Championship, but now a shortlist of potential managers has been revealed by a reliable source.

What's the latest on Leeds' interest in Carlos Corberan?

According to The Telegraph, the Yorkshire giants are interested in appointing West Bromwich Albion coach Carlos Corberan ahead of next season.

As per the report, Corberan is one of three options being considered by the club's hierarchy with Scott Parker and Steven Gerrard also named as potential options for Leeds.

Would Carlos Corberan be a good fit for Leeds?

The former Huddersfield Town boss will seem like a natural selection to the Elland Road faithful as he could inject some of Marcelo Bielsa's incredible influence back into the team, having been part of the Argentinian's set up at the club before branching out on his own managerial journey in English football.

Corberan became a first-team coach after his success with Leeds U23s and worked alongside the popular manager to successfully secure promotion to the Premier League, before making the move to become manager of the Terriers where he continued to thrive.

The 40-year-old attacking-minded tactician famously guided Huddersfield Town to the playoff final against Nottingham Forest at Wembley last summer but fell short at the final hurdle, which led to a short spell with Olympiacos before returning to the EFL via West Bromwich Albion to replace Steve Bruce at The Hawthorns.

Over 30 Championship fixtures with the Midlands club, the Baggies boss has tallied up 16 victories and four draws with an average 1.73 points earned per game, which put them in contention for a place in the playoffs on the final day of the season and led to a ninth place finish despite being in a vulnerable position near the bottom of the table when he arrived.

Corberan boasts a number of attributes that make him potentially the perfect appointment for the West Yorkshire giants including sound experience of Championship football, a philosophy that emulates Bielsa's successful style of play and will have relationships already cemented at the club with the staff and many members of the squad.

The former Leeds boss was full of praise for Corberan when they worked together and revealed how important the Spaniard's opinion was to him:

"Carlos is a good colleague, I have found that," Bielsa told.

"He is very talented. I listen more to his opinion than I give mine to him."

Whites chairman Andrea Radrizzani is heavily under-fire following a damning report that suggested he had explored the possibility of using Elland Road as collateral for a bank loan he was raising to buy Serie B-bound Sampdoria.

He could begin to win some supporters back, provided he sticks around, by swooping for Corberan, who himself will know too well what is required to bring the good times back to west Yorkshire, given the evidence above, his return would surely be a no-brainer.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have enjoyed a steady renaissance under Julen Lopetegui and have guaranteed their Premier League safety heading into next term.

A combination of defensive solidity, maximizing their potential at home and the poor form of sides around them have managed to see the Old Gold rise to 13th in the table and they could still finish as high as 12th come the close of play.

Heading into the summer, Lopetegui will have plenty of work to get his teeth into regarding incomings and outgoings. Several Wolves stars face uncertain futures at the club due to their contracts expiring, including Adama Traore and Joao Moutinho.

Another player that may depart Molineux in the off-season is experienced striker Diego Costa, who's £50k-a-week terms are also set to run out shortly.

What's the latest news involving Diego Costa and what has he brought to the table?

As per The Daily Mail, Wolves are contemplating offering Costa a one-year extension to his deal, with his boss Lopetegui said to have been 'impressed' by his presence on and off the pitch.

The report states that the former Spain international has become a 'hugely important figure' at Molineux and Lopetegui believes he has been a key reason behind their improved performances in the second half of this term.

Wolves have undergone something of a transition this campaign and have already lost plenty of behind the scenes leadership in the form of defender Conor Coady, who joined Everton on a loan-to-buy basis last summer and the Toffees have an option to make his deal permanent for £4.5 million, as per Football Insider.

Costa embodies similar leadership qualities and always brings the fight to the battle and has previously been labelled as a "warrior" by his former coach Antonio Conte.

In 2022/23, the Lagarto-born veteran has made 25 appearances for Wolves in all competitions this term, registering one goal in the process, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored notes that Costa has also won 1.3 aerial duels per match in the Premier League, helping his side to get up the pitch and providing a handy presence for defenders to deal with.

As per The Guardian, Lopetegui praised Costa's work rate since joining the club on a free transfer last year following their 2-0 victory over Brentford in April, stating: “He has a big heart. He is a very competitive player, in the bad moments he continued working because he has his spirit. You can’t buy this spirit. That’s why he’s made the career he’s had. We are happy for him, he has to continue working. He has made a very good match and when he came here, he came with the intention to help the team, the club and the coach."

Costa may be a throwback of a striker in comparison to modern-day forwards. However, his determination has never been called into question. As per FBRef, Costa ranks in the top 12% of forwards across Europe's top five divisions for clearances completed over the last 365 days, having managed 1.23 per 90 minutes.

His statistics may not be overwhelmingly good, though he must be leading by example on the field and in the dressing room if he is spoken about so highly by Lopetegui.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Dean Jones doesn't think that Costa will sign a contract extension if he isn't guaranteed to play regularly.

Jones told FFC: "I think Wolves have to prioritise exactly what they want over the summer, because Lopetegui is only going to have a certain amount of money to spend and it seems he's already slightly concerned about the limits that might be put on him for that. So I can't see Costa getting the contract that he would normally want if he's only going to have limited play time."

Given Wolves' financial problems that has put Lopetegui's position 'in doubt' according to Spanish football expert Guillem Balague, as per BBC Sport, the Old Gold may not be able to enjoy a flurry of transfer activity this summer as they rebuild for next term.

In that case, it may be wise to keep hold of Costa, who is also fluent in Portuguese and has found himself at home in the dressing room for another season to avoid losing his experience for free.