29 December 2023 , 06:00
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As the money train that is the January transfer window approaches at full speed, 72 EFL clubs spread across the Championship, League One and League Two have been busy preparing for signings, sales, loans and more as we enter the second half of the season.
Here are some of today's top transfer stories involving EFL teams - plus analysis from our EFL 72 team, who focus on content from the Football League clubs. Sign up to the EFL 72 newsletter below...
Gyokeres clause to boost Coventry?
Coventry City fans can be forgiven for thinking that they lost Viktor Gyokeres on the cheap this summer. The Swedish striker has scored 17 goals and notched eight assists in just 20 games for Sporting CP since his £17million move to Lisbon, and the Mirror reports that Manchester United are now targeting the forward.
Gyokeres has an £87m release clause in his contract that doesn't look ridiculous all of a sudden - and that is good news for the Sky Blues. The Championship club inserted a sell-on clause in the deal between 10-15 per cent, meaning a big sale would net Coventry millions. Arsenal and Chelsea have also been linked with the forward, so watch this space.
Read more here.
Marcel Sabitzer completes Man Utd transfer after last-minute deadline day dash
EFL 72 says:A move to Old Trafford is extremely unlikely in January due to United's FFP issues, but a big summer move certainly seems on the cards given Sporting's business model - and that would provide Coventry with some serious funds for the 2024/25 season.
Spurs recall out-of-favour striker
It is no secret that when a Premier League side loans out a player sitting in the potential 'wonderkid' category, they expect them to get game time. And it's no surprise to learn that with Dane Scarlett notching less than 150 minutes on loan at Ipswich Town, the 19-year-old's parent club Tottenham have decided to cut the deal short.
Scarlett has not managed a goal, an assist or even a start at Portman Road, with his slow start possibly hampered by moving with a month of the EFL season already gone. As it stands, Scarlett could go from the Ipswich bench to actual Tottenham minutes given captain Son Heung-min may miss as many as six games while he's at the Asian Cup with South Korea.
Read more here.
EFL 72 says:If Scarlett wasn't getting minutes at Ipswich, it makes little sense for him to be there - and with Ange Postecoglou at the helm in north London, this could well be the making of his Spurs career - or career progression, at the very least.
Leicester preparing for exits
Leicester City are odds-on to win promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, but a successful team means there are always unhappy players on the fringes of the squad. While manager Enzo Maresca has plans regarding signings, with all of City's 25 squad spots filled, if he wants incomings then there must be outgoings.
Maresca told reporters: "In this moment, I don’t want them to think about January, even if they are probably thinking already about January, some of them, because it’s normal. We’ll see in January if some of them are coming to ask to leave, we’ll see how we can find solutions for them and also for us. The only thing I can say is that, for us, the situation is quite clear in terms of the January market. We know as a club what we need. We’ll see."
EFL 72 says:While Maresca doesn't exactly sound like he's asking for volunteers to leave, Leicester appear to be open to exits if it means they can get in some key targets to add another layer of insurance to their promotion push. And if nobody sticks their hand up? It could be a case of drawing straws.
Have Your Say! Tell us which player should be your club's top January target in the comments section below.
Brighton monitoring Leeds star
(Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images)
Man Utd deadline day live updates as Sabitzer completes loan move
Another team hoping to join Leicester in the top flight next season are Leeds United, though the Lilywhites are eight points off second-placed Ipswich after a sticky run of December form. Crysencio Summerville is an undoubted star at Elland Road, though according to reporter Alan Nixon, Brighton and Hove Albion have been eyeing the Dutch forward in case they lose Kaoru Mitoma.
Japan international Mitoma joined the Seagulls for £2.5million two years ago, and his impressive form means Brighton would be looking at a minimum £70m price tag if either Mitoma or the club decide to end a fruitful partnership in January. If Mitoma did leave the south coast, then Summerville is reportedly being monitored to fill that spot on Brighton's left flank.
Read more here.
EFL 72 says:Leeds are in a tricky spot - they need to push on and get promoted, or else they are in real danger of losing more top players in the summer. That is a concern for the future, but they will also have to worry about the January window in case some stars right now don't feel confident about the club's chances of an automatic promotion spot. Brighton are a well-run club and unlikely to sell one of their top forwards in January, especially given how much money they have made off transfers in recent years - but being dependent on another club not deciding to swoop for your best players is not a great place to be in.
Pop star wades in to Coventry contract situation
Back to Coventry now. Mark Robins was recently pressed about new signings, and has all but confirmed that he'll be looking to improve the squad he already has rather than bringing extra bodies in: "I wouldn’t hold out too much for that; I wouldn’t be looking too much for new ones coming in but more to get the others bedded in and better. They are starting to get there now, but let’s wait and see."
However, pop star Tom Grennan has a bit of transfer advice for the club - getting the Callum O’Hare contract situation sorted. Grennan is friends with O'Hare, and wants the Sky Blues to tie his mate down before they lose him as a free agent in the summer. With three goals and two assists in recent weeks, Grennan replied to the club's official X account on a tweeted video of a goal from O'Hare pleading: "My brother ain't messin, sort the contract!"
Read more here.
EFL 72 says:With O'Hare in fine form but still without a new deal, you've got to wonder where the power balance in the negotiations - or lack of them - lies. A canny agent would be delaying talks and seeing what sort of interest there is in January, while hoping more top performances from his client would boost any potential contract offer - but it's a risky game.
Bristol City resurrecting summer deal
We have a Bristol City exclusive for you now courtesy of the Bristol Post: the Robins are working on a deal to sign Ireland Under-21 star Adam Murphy. A move from St Patrick’s Athletic collapsed in the summer, but the deal for the 18-year-old midfielder is back on. Despite Murphy now being available on a free transfer, City will have to pay compensation due to his age - but it would be a win after missing out in the summer.
Read more here.
EFL 72 says:The groundwork City laid this summer should stand them in good stead, with a nominal compensation fee well worth paying if Murphy can realise his potential on a bigger stand.
Saints seek Dons star
On to Southampton now; another team who are in with a big shout of automatic Premier League promotion. According to the Daily Record, the Saints' head of recruitment Darren Mowbray is keen on signing Aberdeen star Bojan Miovski to bolster the attack this winter. Miovski, 24, has scored eight league goals for the Dons this season, and Southampton could be tempted to move early in January before a bidding war begins for the striker's signature.
Read more here.
EFL 72 says:Southampton aren't exactly short of goals given they have 43 this term - second only to Ipswich and Leicester in the Championship - but there is never a bad time to sign a goalscorer, is there? Odds are that Miovski would be an inexpensive signing, and if he can hit the ground running on the South Coast, then they will easily multiply any fee many times over - especially if he can help fire them to the Premier League.