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Hibernian parted company with manager Lee Johnson over the weekend following a dreadful start to the 2023/24 campaign at Easter Road.

Although the club secured progress in the League Cup via a win over Raith Rovers while qualifying for the Europa Conference League playoff round, it hasn’t been enough to save Johnson.

Woeful European defeats to Inter Club d’Escaldes and Aston Villa sandwich an impressive two-legged performance against Swiss side Luzern, but their Premiership form has been nothing shy of disastrous.

They have yet to win a point across their first three matches as they are rooted to the bottom of the table, and although they have scored five times during these ties, conceding eight goals isn’t the form of top-four contenders.

The search for a new boss begins, and the club will need to get it right in order to return to form.

Who could be the new Hibs manager?

The moment a manager is relieved of their duties, the thoughts turn to who could be next in line to manage the team.

Former defender David Gray will lead the side on a caretaker position until a new boss is found, and they may wait until the international break to appoint someone.

The Scotsman have compiled a list of some ideal candidates for the Hibs board to consider and the vast majority of names could certainly be an improvement on Johnson.

Names include Derek McInnes, Neil Lennon, and former Celtic captain Scott Brown, but there is another name on the list who could be an excellent replacement for the recently departed 42-year-old at Easter Road; Marti Cifuentes.

Who is Marti Cifuentes?

The current Hammarby manager was actually linked with a move to Hearts before Steven Naismith was given the opportunity to lead the side, and it’s evident that clubs in Scotland have noticed his potential.

The Spaniard prefers to play with a 4-3-3 formation which could benefit from the quality that Hibs have in their midfield and attack.

He has managed 231 matches during his relatively short managerial career thus far and across those games, he has won 356 points at a rate of 1.54 points per game, whereas Johnson has won just 1.47 points per match.

Cifuentes enjoyed a solid first season in charge of the Swedish side, leading the team to third place in the league while just missing out on national cup success.

Such an achievement certainly makes him comparable to the former Chelsea boss Graham Potter, who built up a wonderful reputation of his own in Sweden.

He led Ostersunds to the Swedish Cup while also claiming a stunning victory against Arsenal in the Europa League, something that secured him a move to England.

Cifuentes has also forged his career in Scandinavia, managing Sandefjord and Aalborg BK before getting the top job at Hammarby, averaging 1.81 points per match at his latest club.

Potter actually averaged fewer points per match (1.71) during his stint in Sweden, meaning the Spaniard looks like he could certainly follow in his footsteps.

Hibs should be making a concrete effort to lure the 41-year-old to Easter Road before another club lands him and the next few weeks could be interesting indeed.

Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson was left exhausted by the Saudi heat on his Al-Ettifaq debut, according to multiple reports.

How much will Jordan Henderson earn in Saudi?

During the summer, the English midfielder made the controversial decision to leave Anfield and the Premier League and head to the Middle East.

The transfer – worth £12m plus add-ons – drew criticism from the LGBTQ+ community, however, as same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Saudi Arabia and yet the player has publicly claimed to be an ally in the past.

Despite that though, Henderson is now officially an Al-Ettifaq – earning a reported £700k-p/w – and even made his debut for the club this week as his new side beat Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.

Former Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane actually netted for the opposition after just four minutes, but Henderson and co fought back to win 2-1 thanks to goals from Robin Quaison and former Celtic man Moussa Dembele.

According to a report in The Guardian, though, the English debutant was absolutely exhausted after just 30 minutes of action in the 34.6C Saudi heat.

Paul MacInnes wrote: "Henderson was on his haunches. He had given everything. The former Liverpool captain, and new talisman for Al-Ettifaq, had pushed himself to the physical limits in the service of his team. It was the sort of moment that has previously served to build the Henderson legend, except with a small difference: his team were 1-0 down here and there was still an hour to play."

He added: "An important qualification should probably be made here: it was 34.6C in the stadium at this point and with a level of humidity high enough to hydrate a pack of instant noodles. It was surely, by far, the hottest football match Henderson had ever played in, but one recovery sprint, and a not entirely full-throttle one at that, had entirely done him in. And the England man was hardly alone."

This wasn't the only report to note the extreme weather, with Tom Kershaw of The Times also making sure to note the "gruelling humidity" that left Henderson's spirit "sapped to a despondent trudge" during a water break, with "his head bowed in resignation as he gulped for respite in the suffocating heat".

You can watch highlights of his debut via YouTube below.

What age is Jordan Henderson?

Now 33 years of age, perhaps it's not surprising that the former Liverpool star is struggling in such conditions – although it sounds like he would have found it tough going even at the peak of his powers.

After all, in the aforementioned report in The Guardian, Henderson's new manager and former teammate Steven Gerrard explained how "tough" it has been adapting to the heat.

“When I’m sitting in my house, and I have Sky News on, you see the weather in different countries around the world come up, but you don’t really appreciate that type of heat until you actually come and work in these conditions,” Gerrard said after the match.

“The climate has definitely been tough and challenging. So I’m going to have to adapt, and so are some of the signings we’ve made from Europe. We don’t want to leave our energy on the training pitch. There are things we have to change and … I’m facing the challenges, accepting them. I know what I’ve signed up for.”

It will certainly be interesting to see how all these new stars in the Saudi Pro League will get on. By the sounds of it, the biggest obstacle may well simply be the high temperatures.

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is desperate to sign Real Madrid star Federico Valverde this summer, according to an exciting new transfer rumour.

How good is Fede Valverde?

The £181,000-a-week midfielder has grown into arguably one of the best midfielders in the world in recent years, becoming an integral part of a successful Madrid side, winning two La Liga titles and one Champions League crown along the way.

Valverde has stood out as a complete modern player, combining relentless athleticism, technical quality and versatility, allowing him to thrive both in central midfield and a wide role. Last season, he scored seven goals in the league, also chipping in with four assists and averaging 0.9 tackles per game.

While the 24-year-old is surely seen as a vital part of Madrid's future moving forward, there is still huge competition for places in the middle of the park, especially with highly-rated England international Jude Bellingham sealing a big-money move to the Santiago Bernabeu from Borussia Dortmund earlier this summer.

There are also the likes of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni at the club battling for minutes, so it will be hard for Carlo Ancelotti to keep everyone happy.

With Chelsea searching hard for new midfield signings this summer, in order to make up for the loss of K'Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic, it looks as though Blues could be eyeing up an audacious move for Valverde.

Could Chelsea seal sensational move for Valverde?

According to Defensa Central [via The Chelsea Chronicle], the west Londoners' new boss Pochettino would love to bring the Uruguay international to the club this summer. The Argentine is believed to be "obsessed" with the idea of signing the Madrid superstar, pleading with owner Todd Boehly to complete the transfer.

In truth, it is extremely difficult to see Madrid being willing to part ways with Valverde any time soon, considering he is only 24 years of age and an undoubted key man, having racked up 204 appearances for them to date.

Kroos even described his teammate as one of the "top three in the world right now'' during one spell last season, highlighting just what a special addition he would be to Chelsea's squad, should he suddenly be made available in the summer transfer window.

The thought of the Blues having a new-look midfield of Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Valverde is a truly mouthwatering prospect for any Chelsea supporter, and if it happened, the entire team could be transformed after a hugely underwhelming 2022/23 campaign that saw them finish 12th in the Premier League.

Valverde could be about the hit the sweet spot of his career, with so many players peaking around the ages of 25-29, which is why Madrid will almost certainly want to retain his services for the foreseeable future.

It is encouraging to hear Pochettino being so bold about Chelsea's transfer business, though, and if they can't sign the Madrid hero, it is essential that someone of a similar ilk heads to Stamford Bridge during the summer instead.

With the new season fast approaching, Leeds United will seemingly need to dip into the transfer market sooner rather than later if they are to have any chance of promotion, with new boss Daniel Farke no doubt requiring sufficient backing if he is to lead a successful charge back into the top flight next term.

One area that the Yorkshire giants particularly need to address is the forward ranks, with the likes of Jack Harrison and Wilfried Gnonto set to be on their way – amid interest from Everton – while both Rodrigo and Patrick Bamford are also likely to seek out pastures new.

That possible exodus will likely leave the ex-Norwich City coach rather thin on the ground in that department, hence just why suitable replacements must be found as a matter of urgency, with pre-season already now underway.

According to reports in his native Nigeria, Nottingham Forest marksman, Emmanuel Dennis is potentially set to be the subject of an offer from those at Elland Road, with the 25-year-old all but certain to leave the Premier League side this summer after just a solitary season at the City Ground.

The former Watford man had initially signed for the Midlands outfit a year ago, although went on to play a bit-part role under Steve Cooper in the 2022/23 season, having been restricted to just six league starts.

Despite those recent woes, the striker's prior form at Vicarage Road – and during his time in Belgium at Club Brugge – should be cause for excitement among Leeds supporters, as should his likeness to a current Elland Road star in the form of Crysencio Summerville…

How much is Emmanuel Dennis worth?

Despite being valued at just €5m (£4m) by CIES Football Observatory, it was only 12 months ago that the eight-cap hitman had sealed a move to Forest for a fee of around £20m, having netted ten goals and laid on six assists during the previous season for the Hornets.

The 5 foot 9 machine had initially caught the eye after registering 42 goal involvements in 116 games in all competitions in Bruges, memorably scoring twice in a 2-2 draw with La Liga giants Real Madrid in a Champions League tussle at the Bernabeu in 2019.

A player of great pedigree, the "stunning" striker – as lauded by journalist Josh Bunting – would also represent an astute move for Leeds due to his similarity to the aforementioned Summerville, according to FBref, with the pair both undoubtedly exciting attacking assets.

That likeness is particularly showcased by the duo's willing work ethic on the flanks across the last 365 days, with Dennis ranking in the top 10% for tackles made and the top 5% for aerial duels won among his European peers, while Summerville ranks in the top 15% for tackles made, as well as in the top 15% for interceptions.

The current Whites star – who has been tipped to go "right to the very top" of the game by club insider, John Wenham – enjoyed a promising, albeit unspectacular 2022/23 season after scoring four goals and laying on two assists in 28 league outings, albeit with only 12 of those coming from the start.

The hope will be that a more consistent run of games at a lower level could allow the Netherlands U21 international to truly blossom, with the winger likely to benefit from the loss of the likes of Gnonto, Harrison et al.

For Summerville to then be joined by the £40k-per-week Forest man could prove a menacing combination in the Championship next season, with that the type of partnership that could steer Farke and co to promotion.

Celtic kicked off their Champions League campaign with a disappointing defeat away to Feyenoord as they lost 2-0 on Tuesday night.

The hosts took the lead through Calvin Stengs as his free-kick from distance curled and bounced up in front of Joe Hart, which prevented the former England international from being able to keep it out.

Hart then made up for his error as he saved a penalty from Igor Paixao but he could do nothing to stop Alireza Jahanbakhsh from smashing the ball into the top corner after a clearance fell kindly for him in the box not long after Odin Thiago Holm was sent off for a late challenge. However, he wasn't the only one to head for an early bath.

Why was Gustaf Lagerbielke sent off against Feyenoord?

The Swedish summer signing was given his marching orders by the referee after he was adjudged to have fouled the Feyenoord player racing through on goal, which led to the saved penalty.

It was his second booking of the match and resulted in a red card. However, it was a contentious decision as the opposition forward appeared to go down rather easily under minimal contact from the central defender, although Lagerbielke put himself in a dangerous position by holding onto him at all.

1 tackle

0 interceptions

1 duel won

2 duels lost

The 23-year-old stopper only won one duel in his 63 minutes on the pitch and recorded a game-low Sofascore rating of 5.7 out of all starters, which illustrates just how poorly the ex-Elfsborg titan performed on the night.

That said, alongside Lagerbielke, another player who let Brendan Rodgers down badly on the night was Honduras international Luis Palma as he struggled on the wing.

How well did Luis Palma play against Feyenoord?

The summer signing from Aris FC was handed a big opportunity to put a marker down after his move to Scotland and failed to do so.

He left much to be desired in and out of possession against Feyenoord in his 58 minutes on the pitch before Rodgers decided to haul the 5 foot 10 forward off.

As per Sofascore, Palma lost eight of his 11 duels (73%) and failed to make a single tackle, block, or clearance, whilst he was also dribbled past twice. This suggests that he did not provide Greg Taylor with much protection from the opposition forwards down that side of the pitch.

The 23-year-old did not make up for his lack of defensive work with quality wing play either. As per Sofascore, the former Aris star only completed two of his six attempted dribbles and did not create a single chance for his teammates. To make matters worse, his 38 touches were also fewer than Hart's 52.

Throughout the match, Feyenoord dominated Palma as they prevented him from being able to dribble past them or play dangerous passes to his teammates, meaning that he was ineffectual on and off the ball throughout the 58 minutes he was on the pitch.

The score was only 1-0 to Feyenoord until the 76th minute and there was plenty of time for Celtic to find an equaliser to change the game but Palma, along with the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi and Daizen Maeda, failed to provide the requisite quality to make something happen in the final third.

Tottenham Hotspur remain interested in a longstanding target of theirs, despite advancing deals elsewhere…

Are Tottenham Hotspur signing Edmond Tapsoba?

Whilst the north London transfer sphere has been dominated by reports of Micky van de Ven's imminent signing, it could be forgotten how desperate Ange Postecoglou was to sign Edmond Tapsoba for a period.

However, journalist Paul Brown continues to suggest that such interest has not ceased, but merely taken a back seat given the frustrating nature of the deal.

He told GIVEMESPORT:

"I still think Tottenham will buy a defender. Tapsoba is probably in the top three they're looking at. I'm not sure if they've decided which of these guys they like the most yet, but I think Tapsoba is very high on their list.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

"It's not going to take a lot to get this deal done. So, once a decision is made about which ones to bring in first, I think you'll see it happen. It wouldn't surprise me if Tapsoba is the one."

Given the €45m (£39m) they were reportedly set to offer earlier this week, they still seemingly remain firmly in the race for his services.

How good is Edmond Tapsoba?

Their longstanding interest in the 24-year-old stalwart is well-founded, given how imperious he has been since moving to Germany.

Just last term saw him excel in the Bundesliga yet again, as he continues to announce himself as one of the division's finest central defenders.

In acquiring him, it could avenge chairman Daniel Levy's past transfer failure from earlier in the window, as they reportedly battled with Aston Villa to sign Pau Torres from Villarreal.

The Spaniard had announced himself as one of Europe's top ball-playing centre-backs in his homeland, with his performances for the Yellow Submarine exemplary.

In fact, when compared to others in his role across the continent, he ranked in the top 4% for progressive passes per 90, and the top 1% for progressive carries per 90, via FBref.

However, in the end, the pull of Unai Emery proved too much, and he chose Villa Park over north London. A hammer blow for Spurs, and a damning indictment of their recent failures.

Postecoglou likely received a hefty wake-up call from such a disaster, which he could avenge by signing Tapsoba.

After all, the Burkina Faso star does rank similarly against the same group as Torres, sitting in the top 5% for progressive passes per 90, the top 8% for progressive carries per 90, and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90, via FBref.

Not only this but last season in the Bundesliga, he maintained a 6.86 average rating, buoyed by 1.1 interceptions, 1.5 tackles and three clearances per game, via Sofascore.

Only two Spurs players recorded more clearances last term in the Premier League.

It was no surprise to see him lauded by journalist Antonio Mango, who outlined his key attributes before branding him a "monster," adding:

"Comfortable on the ball. Big, strong. Quick. Position good with a very good footballing IQ."

To instead sign the hulking titan over their previous transfer target would mark little drop in quality, and given these two sides will likely battle once again for similar spots, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top.

However, at the very least Postecoglou will be safe in the knowledge that despite failing to secure his initial target, his alternative would be arguably just as good.

To say that Liverpool have had a turbulent summer would be an understatement. The Reds started off well in the summer transfer window, welcoming both Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai to begin their much-needed midfield rebuild.

Since then, however, things have only gone downhill, as they missed out on key targets. Now, as the window edges closer and closer to closing, Jurgen Klopp and co have reportedly turned their attention to Feyenoord for options.

What's the latest Liverpool transfer news?

Of course, if you cast your mind back, after their strong start to the window, Liverpool said their goodbyes to both Fabinho and Jordan Henderson, as they duo swapped Merseyside for Saudi Arabia. Now, this wouldn't have been an issue if they had replacements instantly lined up.

That was far from the case, though, and with the Premier League season underway, the only incoming since Mac Allister and Szoboszlai has been Wataru Endo, following the rejection of both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, who chose Chelsea over Liverpool this summer.

On top of their midfield crisis, it could be argued that the Reds need another central defender this summer, given Joel Matip's injury combined with the fact that he has one year remaining on his current contract.

With that said, according to Football Transfers, Liverpool have turned to Feyenoord to solve both of their issues, with the Premier League giants reportedly in contact with both David Hancko and Mats Wieffer over potential summer switches.

Appearing on ESPN's Football Talk, Hans Kraay junior recently spoke about the potential deal for Hancko, in particular, saying, via Football Transfers: "Do all those Premier League clubs send half-blind scouts to the Netherlands? Hancko is worth £35/40 million for almost every team, isn't he?"

As things stand, Feyenoord are yet to set their price, but it certainly seems as though it would cost Liverpool a hefty fee as the transfer window comes to a close.

Should Liverpool sign Hancko and Wieffer?

Given their problems in both central defence and midfield, welcoming both Hancko and Wiffer could be an act of genius from Liverpool.

Hancko, a centre-back, is still only 25-years-old and should, therefore, be in the middle of his prime in the Netherlands. The Slovakian played a key part in Feyenoord's title-winning campaign last time out, even enjoying nine goal involvements from the back.

Meanwhile, Wieffer – a defensive midfielder by trade – is only 23-years-old, and played an equally impressive part in Feyenoord's title win last season, scoring three goals, whilst also assisting a further seven in all competitions.

Compared to recent Liverpool signing Endo last season, as per FBref, Wieffer made more progressive passes, more progressive carries, better pass completion, and made more blocks, interceptions, and tackles per 90. Any way that you look at it, Wieffer would be the option to strengthen Klopp's midfield.

Hancko is just as impressive, too, making more progressive passes, winning more tackles, and making fewer errors per 90 than Joel Matip last season.

If Liverpool do push ahead with deals for the Feyenoord duo, it would represent solid business.

Liverpool’s remarkable 7-0 decimation of heated rivals Manchester United was a breath of crisply fresh air for all affiliated with the Merseyside outfit, who have drastically fallen below expectations this season.

Manager Jurgen Klopp will be positively delighted with the outcome, eclipsing his wildest dreams of how the affair might have swung.

The Reds still sit outside the top four – three points behind Tottenham Hotspur – and have already fallen to Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup, but a resounding run of form has followed in the Premier League, with four wins and one draw from the past five matches, keeping clean sheets in every fixture.

With alarming concerns over the efficacy of the midfield and the evaporation of the former intensity and guile, leaving the defence stranded and failing to provide the energy needed for Klopp’s high-octane system to fire on all cylinders, the result will have provided the most emphatic of respite, with every department bearing a semblance to the formerly imperious Liverpool team.

And with the likes of Harvey Elliott playing an absolute blinder, there is newfound optimism over the future of the Merseyside outfit.

What does the future hold for Harvey Elliott?

Signing from Fulham for a record compensation fee of £4m in 2019 as a 16-year-old, Elliott has enjoyed his most impressive season for Liverpool, despite the collective woes, and now 19, is starting to offer the promise that was tantalised from an early age.

Valued at £53m by CIES Football Observatory, Elliott has played 38 matches across all competitions this term, scoring five goals and supplying two assists, and was dubbed “superb” by Liverpool writer Matt Addison for his performance against the Red Devils.

As per Sofascore, the teenage maestro recorded a match rating of 7.8, and it was the all-encompassing nature of his work that will have left Klopp gleaming.

The £40k-per-week Elliott provided a fine looping assist for the first of Darwin Nunez’s brace of headed strikes, made 72 total touches and completed 45 of his 55 attempted passes (82%); with three total shots, a 100% dribble success rate and winning five of his seven ground duels, also making four tackles, Elliott proved his worth in a manner that belies his teenage years.

It was an enticing glimpse of things to come, and given Liverpool’s heated interest in Borussia Dortmund phenom Jude Bellingham, Reds mouthes might be left watering in considering the dynamic duo that could be formed in the pair, if the outfit prove successful in their bid.

Bellingham has been superlative for the Yellow Wall since his £25m transfer from boyhood club Birmingham City in 2020, and this season has scored ten goals and served six assists from 31 matches, even captaining the side on multiple occasions.

As per FBref, the fellow 19-year-old ranks among the top 9% in Europe’s top five leagues for goals, the top 12% for assists, the top 1% for successful take-ons, the top 8% for progressive carries, the top 9% for progressive passes and the top 3% for bocks per 90. With such a wide scope of skills, it is clear to see his prowess extends to every facet of a midfielder’s game.

With Elliott listed as a comparable player to the England wonderkid, the pair could indeed craft a deadly link, and with a sturdy anchor situated at the foot of the midfield triad, Liverpool’s machine could whir at a capacity that can match any engine in world football.

Amid the strife, there have been several positives from Liverpool’s campaign; the prodigious Stefan Bajcetic’s emergence perhaps the most salient.

Indeed, like his teenage teammate, the Spaniard has shown qualities that are hard to fathom considering the embryonic stage of his career, with Mohamed Salah suggesting just a matter of weeks ago that “since he started playing for us, he has been our best player.”

That is fine praise but Elliott, given the amount of senior football he has played to date, is still very much the golden boy when it comes to the club’s younger players.

That said, with Bellingham potentially in tow too, Klopp could have one of the most precocious central departments in history on his hands.

Fulham are reportedly interested in exciting right-back Max Aarons, per reports.

Fulham transfer news – What's the latest on Max Aarons?

According to the Telegraph, the Cottagers are 'weighing up' a potential move for the Norwich City full-back to increase the competition at right-back in Marco Silva's team.

Dutchman Kenny Tete has primarily filled the position this season, with loanee Cedric Soares failing to impress and heading back to parent club Arsenal this summer.

According to the publication, the west London club are considering a tempting offer in the region of £10m for the fullback.

The youngster is into the final 12 months of his £22.5k-per-week deal, so a transfer is highly likely in the summer.

Would the arrival of Max Aarons spell the end for Kenny Tete?

Aarons has been a player subject to a lot of hype ever since his Premier League debut back in the 2019/20 season, so a move to Fulham might surprise many and probably spell the end of Kenny Tete's starting berth at Craven Cottage.

To compare the two players, it makes the most sense to look at the Fulham man's most recent season and Aarons' 2021/22 season, as that was his last year in the Premier League.

In doing that, the picture becomes much less bleak for the 27-year-old, as the comparison between the players is far closer than many might first assume.

In an attacking sense, the players are very close.

According to FBref, Tete averaged 0.07 expected assists per 90, whilst Aarons 0.05.

In contrast, though, it's the Norwich dynamo with the slight edge for progressive passes, having averaged 3.66 per 90 to the Amsterdam-born players' 3.61.

One area the tricky Canaries full-back is clear of the competition is the progressive distance he carries the ball, having averaged a seriously impressive 105.5 yards per 90, compared to Tete's 84.2 yards per 90.

The pass completion is also better for the Hammersmith-born gem, at 75% compared to just 72% for the Dutchman.

However, whilst it is difficult to clearly separate the players from their last seasons in the Premier League, it's important to note that Fulham were a significantly better collective than Norwich City, thus providing a more stable platform.

There are also the players' ages and potential upside to consider.

Aarons is still just 23, whereas the former Lyon man is 27, just four months off being 28.

Many in the game hold the view that the future is incredibly bright for the burgeoning Aarons, with manager David Wagner saying earlier this year:

"He likes to add new ideas to his game and this means you have more or less everything to make a top career. I'm excited to help him make the next steps."

It isn't just his manager, though, as Rio Ferdinand, one of the league's greatest-ever defenders, was full of praise for the youngster, saying on his YouTube channel, "he has got huge potential."

So the statistics might paint a picture of similar abilities at this moment in time, but with the right coaching and experience, Aarons could explode in the coming seasons, and therefore, sadly, spelling the end for Tete's Fulham career.

Sunderland are reportedly in talks with Paris Saint-Germain over a permanent move for full-back Colin Dagba.

What’s the latest Sunderland transfer news?

The Black Cats and Tony Mowbray have been fairly busy in the transfer market this summer ahead of their Championship opener on Sunday at home to Ipswich Town, looking to go one better following a top-six finish last time out.

The club have brought in a number of players in recent weeks, with fees paid for Jenson Seelt, Nectarios Triantis, Jobe Bellingham and Eliezer Mayenda from PSV Eindhoven, Central Coast Mariners, Birmingham City and FC Sochaux respectively.

Meanwhile, teenager Luis Semedo and former Blackburn Rovers man Bradley Dack have both made the move to The Stadium of Light on free transfers. In total, Sunderland have spent just under €5m on transfers, but it looks as if that could soon go up with a possible move for Dagba.

According to French outlet Foot Mercato in the last 48 hours, Sunderland and Paris Saint-Germain are in discussions over the transfer of Dagba.

It is believed that the two sides are in talks over a permanent deal, with Dagba’s future at the Parc des Princes ‘blocked’.

Who is Colin Dagba?

Dagba made the move to PSG’s academy as a teenager back in 2016 from Boulogne and progressed into the first team setup two years later.

Now 24 years of age, the Frenchman is primarily a right-back who can also turn out at left-back or as a right-midfielder and was once valued at €18m by Transfermarkt. That figure has dropped to €4.5m, with Dagba’s £22,000-a-week contract having two years left to run.

Sponsored by Nike, Dagba has made 77 senior appearances across all competitions for PSG over the years, scoring one goal and providing six assists.

He has won three Ligue 1 titles, two French Cups, one French League Cup and three French Super Cups during his time with PSG but spent last season on loan with RC Strasbourg, turning out on 21 occasions in the French top flight.

Dagba was once hailed by centre-back Presnel Kimpembe for his display in the Champions League against Bayern Munich, saying:

"I want to say, I am proud. Even though we lost, it remains very positive. For me, it means a lot to be able to have PSG youth products on the pitch, it shows that there is soul in this club.

"Colin showed what he was capable of, I am very proud of him. Collectively we did the job, but I would like to congratulate him because he was hyper-focused."

At Sunderland, Mowbray currently has Trai Hume and Niall Huggins as right-back options, so Dagba could come in and rival the pair while also offering an alternative option at left-back to Dennis Cirkin.

He was even labelled as a wonderkid who managers should look to sign on Football Manager back in 2020, and by the looks of things, a move to The Stadium of Light may well be on the cards for Dagba, making this one to watch over the coming days.