Much has been made of the thrilling title race at the top of the tree in the Premier League and rightly so.
So too of the fight for survival as Everton and Nottingham Forest attempt to stay afloat in the English top flight despite being hit with point deductions for breaching profit and sustainability (PSR) regulations.
But cast your eyes towards the Championship and you might stumble upon a run home that could provide even more drama than the Premier League.
The Championship, one rung below the Premier League on the English football pyramid, is home to a host of fallen giants and teams looking to shake up the status quo.
At the top of the table is a four-horse race for automatic promotion, which is awarded to the teams that finish first and second.
This year’s push for promotion has a distinct Australian flavour to it too as a current and former Socceroo are leading a major underdogs’ return to the Premier League.
Whichever team finishes third will then drop into the playoffs which include the teams that finish fourth, fifth and sixth.
For fans of teams competing in the playoffs, it delivers a rollercoaster of emotions that only a penalty shootout can rival, but is box office entertainment for neutral observers.
Descend all the way down the ladder and the fight to avoid the drop into League One is staggering, with four points separating 17th-placed Stoke City from Birmingham City who sit in 22nd and, at time of writing, will be relegated.
Foxsports.com.au breaks down the scenarios that matter in the Championship Run Home!
Ipswich Town: Hull City (a), Coventry (a), Huddersfield (h)
Southampton: Leicester (a), Stoke City (h), Leeds (a)
Those who had hoped for some fresh faces in the Premier League next season are likely to be sorely disappointed as Leicester City, Leeds and Southampton are firmly in contention for an immediate return.
Both clubs were relegated from the top flight at the end of the 2022/23 season but thanks to parachute payments and significantly stronger playing squads, they’ve successfully flexed their muscles in the Championship.
With Enzo Maresca at the helm, Leicester have adopted a possession-heavy approach and it’s certainly paid off, scoring the third-most goals (81) and conceding the second-fewest amount (39) in the league.
Central to this new style of play has been star midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who has racked up 13 assists and constantly delivers all-action displays in the Foxes’ engine room.
Leeds made the shrewd appointment of former Norwich City boss Daniel Farke in July and after a slow start in which the club won three of its first eight games have gone on to surge up the ladder.
Firing Leeds to a Premier League return is Crysencio Summerville, with the Dutch forward bagging 19 goals and nine assists to date.
Leeds will hope they get promoted this season too if they are to hold on to Summerville, with the 22-year-old reportedly attracting interest from the likes of Tottenham and Liverpool to name two.
Crysencio Summerville has been one of the Championship’s best players this season. (Photo by Ed Sykes/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Crucial to Leeds’ success has been how well Farke has set his team up defensively as his side has conceded a league-lowest 37 goals this season.
Another team vying for automatic promotion and it is one awfully familiar to those who were around when the Premier League was in its infancy: Ipswich Town.
The Tractor Boys were automatically promoted from League One to the Championship after coming second and scoring a staggering 101 goals, 19 more than Plymouth Argyle who scored the second-most.
Once again Ipswich have scored goals for fun and lead the Championship with a tally of 85.
However, they’ve leaked 53 goals, four more than 17th-placed Queens Park Rangers.
Pivotal to Ipswich’s surge is manager Kieran McKenna, who took over in December 2021 and has dazzled in his first managerial role.
There’s also a distinct Australian flavour behind Ipswich’s push for promotion as Socceroos defender Cameron Burgess is one of their starting centre backs while Massimo Luongo is a constant presence in central midfield.
Rounding out the four-horse race is Southampton, who are coming home like a thundering steam train.
It seemed as if many felt the Saints would be locked in for 4th place but thanks to a combination of games in hand plus Ipswich, Leeds and Leicester tripping over themselves, they’ve been able to sneak back into the promotion battle.
Three consecutive wins also helped with entering the conversation for the top two, but a surprise loss to Cardiff City has slightly dampened hopes of an automatic promotion spot.
Socceroos defender Cameron Burgess has been a rock at the back for promotion hopefuls Ipswich Town. (Photo by Ryan Hiscott/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Under Russell Martin, who joined from Swansea last summer, the club has, similarly to Leicester, adopted a possession-retention approach.
In fact, Southampton leads the Championship in how many passes they make per attacking sequence (5.18), proving they favour a slow and intricate approach as opposed to counter-attacks.
Burnley adopted a similar style under Vincent Kompany last season and it certainly helped as the players were fresher at the final stages of the season given they weren’t chasing the ball as much.
So, who’s going to avoid the lottery of the play-offs?
Leeds have only two games remaining while Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton all have three.
Funnily enough, it might be the Saints who have the biggest say given they play Leicester and Leeds in the final run-in, with both games away from the home comforts of St. Mary’s.
There’s also the potential for a banana skin fixture given all four promotion hopefuls take on a team fighting for survival.
Even though Southampton have a game in hand, they’re still six points off second placed Leeds and must face two of the top three, so the Saints are perhaps the least likely to make the top two.
Ipswich arguably have the next toughest fixtures with away games against Hull City and Coventry City, who are seventh and eighth in the league respectively.
By the time Huddersfield roll into Portman Road, the top two might have already got away from the Tractor Boys so we’re tipping them to end the season in third.
That means it’s likely an immediate return for Leicester and Leeds.
Not as exciting as one would’ve hoped, but a well deserved reward for being the best of the Championship after another gruelling 46-game season.
Leicester City look most likely for an immediate return to the Premier League. (Photo by Cameron Smith/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL
17th: Stoke City (50 pts, -16)
18th: QPR (50 pts, -16)
19th: Blackburn Rovers (49 pts, -16)
20th: Plymouth Argyle (48 pts, -11)
21st: Sheffield Wednesday (47 pts, -29)
22nd: Birmingham City (46 pts, -16)
23rd: Huddersfield Town (44 pts, -27)
24th: Rotherham United (24 pts, -53)
BOTTOM SEVEN’S FINAL FIXTURES
Stoke City: Southampton (a), Bristol City (h)
QPR: Leeds United (h), Coventry City (a)
Blackburn Rovers: Coventry City (h), Leicester City (a)
Plymouth Argyle: Millwall (a), Hull City (h)
Sheffield Wednesday: West Brom (h), Sunderland (a)
Birmingham City: Huddersfield Town (a), Norwich City (h)
Huddersfield Town: Birmingham City (h), Ipswich Town (a)
Rotherham United have already been relegated back to League One, so that’s one spot in the bottom three sealed.
But the other two? Well, that is one heck of a web to untangle as all of the teams scrapping for survival have just two games remaining.
What’s interesting to note is that there’s only one fixture left that pits two of these teams against one another: Huddersfield against Birmingham City on April 28.
If Birmingham win, it’d consign Huddersfield to relegation as the deficit would be too much to overcome with only game remaining.
However, Birmingham have been horrible away from home this season with just three wins from 22 away games to date, giving Blues fans very little reason to feel optimistic.
Even if Huddersfield draw, it takes them to 45 points and keeps them in 23rd as a final day trip to the promotion-chasing Ipswich Town awaits.
A victory over Birmingham would also help the Terriers close the gap on their relegation rivals, although it may not be much of a factor if other teams pick up points on the weekend.
Huddersfield Town manager Andre Breitenreiter has a tough job to keep the Terries afloat. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
It’s also worth noting that six of the bottom seven must play a team in the top six, further emphasising how difficult it will be for teams to survive.
Even then, the only exception from that group, Plymouth Argyle, face seventh-placed Hull City who remain an outside chance for the final playoffs spot.
If there’s one team in the mix that could be well placed to survive, it might be Sheffield Wednesday.
Unbeaten in their last four, they host a West Brom side that has lost two games in a row but are all but assured of a spot in the playoffs.
Wednesday then take on Sunderland, who have nothing but pride to play for.
But what counts against the Owls is their goal difference of -29, which is the second-worst in the division.
Honestly, it’s next to impossible to try and predict who will end up finishing 22nd, the final of the three relegation places.
Heck, it was only ten days ago when Plymouth beat Leicester 1-0.
If you’re a fan of any team in the bottom seven, we wish you the best of luck over the final two games.
But for those on the outside looking in, enjoy the ride.
The Premier League transfer window closed on Saturday morning after 28 signings on deadline day, bringing to a close a record-breaking window with a total spending over £2 billion ($AUD3.8 billion) for the first time.
Chelsea went on a spending spree once again, and they weren’t the only team to make big moves in the market. But other clubs lost some of their biggest stars and struggled to replace them – and others made barely any transfers at all.
Foxsports.com.au rates every Premier League team’s summer dealings in our Transfer Report Card!
Biggest signing: Declan Rice ($195m from West Ham United)
Biggest exit: Folarin Balogun ($50m to Monaco)
Total spent: $395m
Having come agonisingly close to winning the Premier League last season, Arsenal have loosened the pursestrings and then some this summer.
The biggest of the four arrivals at the Emirates is undoubtedly former West Ham United captain Declan Rice, who joined for a staggering $195 million.
Rice has played in each of Arsenal’s three Premier League games as their holding midfielder in a unit of three alongside fellow summer signing Kai Havertz and captain Martin Odegaard.
The arrival of Rice addressed the glaring issue of depth in the defensive midfield given the over-reliance on Thomas Partey last season.
Havertz’s signing was a curious one given he has often flattered to deceive throughout his time at Chelsea, as was goalkeeper David Raya who moved on loan from Brentford.
Jurrien Timber’s move from Ajax was seen as a smart piece of business but he suffered a serious injury in the Gunners’ season opener against Nottingham Forest and faces a lengthy stint on the sidelines.
Arsenal have also done well to move on a number of players, recouping reasonable fees for Folarin Balogun and Granit Xhaka while American duo Matt Turner and Auston Trusty also departed.
Whether these additions will prove to be the tonic Arsenal needs to go one better in the title race remains to be seen, but they’ve certainly given themselves a significant chance.
Grade: A
Rice was the big signing Arsenal wanted. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Aston Villa
Biggest signing: Moussa Diaby ($92.5m from Bayer Leverkusen)
Biggest exit: Cameron Archer ($35m to Sheffield United)
Total spent: $156m
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery was clear in his instructions to his recruitment team: bring him players with European pedigree.
After all, the Midlands outfit have brought European nights back to Villa Park for the first time since the 2010/11 season after an impressive 7th-place finish last season.
Villa have certainly delivered on Emery’s request, bringing in Youri Tielemans and Pau Torres as well as Nicolo Zaniolo and Clement Lenglet on season-long loan deals.
But the most impressive piece of business has been the signing of winger Moussa Diaby, with his $92.5m fee breaking the club’s transfer record.
The tricky Frenchman has already dazzled in Villa’s opening games and has linked up well with Ollie Watkins up front.
Villa have also eased the burden of FFP by selling academy products Aaron Ramsey and Cameron Archer to Burnley and Sheffield United respectively.
The only fear among Villa fans is the worrying lack of depth in the squad, with Emery naming two goalkeepers on the bench for his side’s Premier League fixtures.
Grade: B+
Bournemouth
Biggest signing: Tyler Adams ($45m from Leeds United)
Biggest exit: Ben Pearson ($2.5m to Stoke City)
Total spent: $213m
Talk about flexing a newfound financial muscle.
Bournemouth were taken over by American businessman Bill Foley last December and held off significant spending until they had Premier League safety secured.
With that objective achieved and a new manager at the helm in Andoni Iraola, the Cherries have been incredibly active this summer and have brought in eight players all 26 or younger.
Alex Scott, nicknamed the ‘Guernsey Grealish’ and had plenty of admirers among the Premier League, is one of those eight but is yet to feature due to injury.
Bournemouth have also done well not to lose many players of value, although Jefferson Lerma’s switch to Crystal Palace on a free deal is a blow.
If there was to be any criticism of Bournemouth’s dealings it would be not adding competition for star striker Dominic Solanke, with Kieffer Moore not exactly the best backup option.
Whether their youth-heavy approach pays off or blows up in their face remains to be seen, but there can be no question Bournemouth have a better team than they did last season.
Grade: A-
West Ham continue impressive start | 01:20
Brentford
Biggest signing: Nathan Collins ($45m from Wolves)
Biggest exit: David Raya (loan to Arsenal)
Total spent: $107m
Brentford’s summer window has been dominated by the will-he-won’t-he saga of goalkeeper David Raya.
He was heavily linked with a move to Tottenham but it failed to materialise as Brentford refused to budge on their £40m valuation.
In the end, the Spaniard moved to Arsenal where he will battle it out with Aaron Ramsdale for the starting role.
Brentford prepared for Raya’s departure with the signing of Dutch goalkeeper Mark Flekken from Freiburg and he has looked the goods so far.
Thomas Frank’s side also addressed the club’s glaring need for a new centre-back, signing Nathan Collins from Wolves, and added a talented winger in Kevin Schade before a deadline-day loan move for Everton forward Neal Maupay.
A solid yet unspectacular transfer window from Brentford.
Grade: B
Brighton
Biggest signing: Joao Pedro ($57m from Watford)
Biggest exit: Moises Caicedo ($195m to Chelsea)
Total spent: $169m
Once billed as Barcelona’s replacement for Lionel Messi, Brighton made one of the more intriguing deals before the deadline by signing 20-year-old Spain international Ansu Fati on a loan move.
A string of injuries have played a role in Fati not being able to live up to his sky-high potential, but at just 20 years old the best is still ahead of him and now the versatile youngster will have a chance to revitalise his career at Brighton.
Tottenham was said to also have shown interest in Fati but the fact he opted to sign with Brighton says a lot about the club’s rising standing in the football world, having secured their first campaign in European football next season.
“This is a great deal for all of us,” Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi said.
“I am sure Ansu will help us to reach a new target and we can help him get back to the level he deserves to be.”
The signing of Ansu was not the only coup this transfer window for Brighton though, who have undergone quite the roster upheaval with Caicedo, Alexis Mac Allister and Robert Sanchez all departing.
What Brighton got in return for the trio though is quite staggering, receiving £175 million ($A341m) for the trio after paying just £11 million ($A21m) to sign them in the first place.
Just another shrewd piece of business from a team that clearly has a plan as it builds towards the future.
Fati headlines a long list of signings for Brighton, with Joao Pedro, Mahmoud Dahoud, Bart Verbruggen, Igor Julio, Carlos Baleba, Jacob Slater and James Milner all joining the Seagulls.
And they did all that while making a $144m profit.
Grade: A
Joao Pedro was snapped up by Brighton early in the window. (Photo by Harriet Lander/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Burnley
Biggest signing: Zeki Amdouni ($30m from Basel)
Biggest exit: Wout Weghorst (loan to Hoffenheim)
Total spent: $186m
The Premier League newcomers didn’t waste any time splashing the cash in their bid to survive. They brought in Sheffield’s impressive midfielder Sander Berge and poached former Southampton player Nathan Redmond on a free transfer from Besiktas. Of the ten players they spent fees signing, the oldest was 25-year-old Berge, showing their focus on the long-term development of the squad. 22-year-old striker Zeki Amdouni was their biggest outlay, while 21-year-old playmaker Aaron Ramsey is a hugely talented midfielder from Aston Villa. Crucially, they held onto all of their key players from the promotion campaign, making just a couple of sales. They might not have gone for big names or superstars, but they recruited exceptionally and didn’t hold back in the transfer market, spending plenty of money on a balanced variety of players.
Grade: A-
Chelsea
Biggest signing: Moises Caicedo ($195m from Brighton)
Biggest exit: Kai Havertz ($126m to Arsenal)
Total spent: $775m
In three transfer windows, Chelsea have splurged one billion pounds. It’s a staggering amount of money, but this window was a little different to the last. Sure, they bought eight players who each cost over £20m, with their total outlay around £419m – more than coach Mauricio Pochettino spent in five whole years at Spurs. That included breaking the British transfer record for the second time in seven months to sign Moises Caicedo for a fee up to £115 million.
But equally crucial was offloading a number of stars – racking up £295m or $575m AUD in sales and loan fees. Besides Havertz, the long list of outgoing names included Mason Mount, Kepa, Mendy, Lukaku, Kante, Azpilicueta, Kovacic and Pulisic, helping them to balance their books and make room for a sweeping overhaul.
In Pochettino they have a coach with a very strong record of developing young players, and their focus on signing next-generation stars has seen the squad’s average age drop drastically in the last year (the oldest of their 11 signings is just 25). They beat Liverpool to the signings of Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, two extremely talented young guns, and there’s no doubt that their raft of signings have immense potential.
But for a club desperate to right the wrongs of last season, their focus on youth comes with significant risk. Inexperience at the top level and a fresh-faced side will mean it takes time to gel. Injuries to their attacking signings forced them back into the market late on, but in Manchester City’s Cole Palmer they landed another dangerous forward. They also kept a hold of Conor Gallagher, Trevoh Chalobah and Ian Maatsen despite plenty of interest.
It capped off a very good window for Chelsea in both directions – but one that might take a season or two to truly pay off.
Grade: A
Moises Caicedo arrived in a big money deal from Brighton. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Crystal Palace
Biggest signing: Matheus Franca ($33m from Flamengo)
Biggest exit: Wilfried Zaha (free to Galatasaray)
Total spent: $65m
The exit of talismanic Wilfried Zaha was a major blow, especially since he departed for free. You get the feeling Palace didn’t quite manage to replace him in what was a quiet window for the club. Teen playmaker Matheus Franca is a promising signing, while Jefferson Lerma adds value on a free deal from Bournemouth. Dean Henderson (from Man Utd) is a major upgrade between the sticks and was in hot demand, while Rob Holding from Arsenal was a deadline-day deal to bolster their defensive stocks. After Zaha’s exit, keeping a hold of Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise was vital, and they managed to see off the interest from around the league for both players. But coach Roy Hodgson said the squad was about three players lighter than he wanted – and he didn’t get the clinical striker or the fullback he wanted.
Grade: C
Everton
Biggest signing: Beto ($42m from Udinese)
Biggest exit: Moise Kean ($50m to Juventus)
Total spent: $68m
It’s hard to think of this window as anything other than a disaster. After scraping survival last season – again – it was clear that Everton needed reinforcements. That’s especially true after losing Anthony Gordon and Richarlison in back-to-back windows.
They got the striker they desperately needed, landing Beto from Udinese. But elsewhere? Crickets. Their only other permanent signing was a 19-year-old striker Chermiti for $21m, while they added Ashley Young on a free transfer and Arnaut Danjuma and Jack Harrison on loans.
The list of players they were linked to but couldn’t buy was damning. Wilfried Gnonto from Leeds, Harrison Reed, Kamaldeen Sulemana and Maxwell Cornet – all players that had reported Everton bids rejected on deadline day.
Meanwhile, they sold Alex Iwobi (Fulham) and Tom Cannon (Leicester) for a combined total nearing £30m on the final day, but didn’t spend a cent as the hours ticked by and the window slammed shut. Neal Maupay also went back to Brentford on a loan with an option to buy, while Everton couldn’t find a buyer for midfielder Jean-Philippe Gbamin for even £5m, so ended up terminating his contract on deadline day. Meanwhile, Demarai Gray could still leave to Saudi Arabia this week.
They needed depth in defence and midfield. They got none of it. With a squad that’s weaker than last season, avoiding relegation will be extremely difficult. At least they’re spending money on their new stadium, since it’s clearly not going towards transfers.
Grade: E
Everton boss Sean Dyche didn’t’ get the signings he would have wanted. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Fulham
Biggest signing: Alex Iwobi ($43m from Everton)
Biggest exit: Aleksandar Mitrovic ($87m to Al Hilal)
Total spent: $115m
It was a big overhaul for Fulham this window, though they made just one confirmed sale – star striker Mitrovic opting for a payday in Saudi Arabia. But they also made six free transfers, clearing plenty of space for arrivals. They opted to sign players with plenty of top-flight experience: Alex Iwobi from Everton on deadline day, Raul Jimenez and Adama Traore from Wolves, Timothy Castagne from Leicester. A gifted left-back in Fodé Ballo-Touré arrived extremely late on deadline day on loan from AC Milan with no option to buy. Effectively, Fulham upgraded the quality of their starting line-up, though they didn’t manage to add much depth. But their inability to sign a striker outside of Jimenez, who hasn’t got back to his best after a serious head injury, is a major concern. They’ll hope he can find his shooting boots again, and that their other forwards can pitch in with goals to help them stay up. Defender Tosin Adarabioyo had a move to Monaco fall through, while Joao Palhina had a deal with Bayern Munich collapse after he had travelled to Germany for a medical and even took photos with his new jersey!
Grade: C
Liverpool
Biggest signing: Dominik Szoboszlai ($117m from RB Leipzig)
Biggest exit: Fabinho ($79m to Al Ittihad)
Total spent: $287m
Liverpool was always expected to target midfield reinforcements this summer, although ahead of the transfer deadline it quickly became clear just how big a priority it would be.
That is what losing Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Naby Keita, Fabinho and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain does to you.
There were a few missed targets along the way, headlined by the failed pursuit for Caicedo as Chelsea broke the British transfer record to sign the 21-year-old from Brighton.
In the end though, Liverpool did end up addressing its glaring need in the midfield after signing Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, who Andy Robertson described as seamless fits at the club.
While Liverpool may have lost Fabinho after struggling to match the spending powers of Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad, the Reds may have picked up a bargain in Wataru Endo.
“He is a late bloomer,” Klopp said of the 30-year-old, who Liverpool signed from Stuttgart for around 19 million euros.
He is a late bloomer in his career and he was definitely underestimated for a long time,” Klopp said.
“It is clear he has improved every year since he was on the proper football screen. On the pitch, he turns into a real monster.”
Klopp tipped Endo to have a “similar impact” to Milner, who joined Brighton as a free agent.
Liverpool was not finished there either, later signing Netherlands midfielder Ryan Gravenberch from Bayern Munich before the deadline.
Speaking ahead of the deadline, Klopp said the team’s midfield is “completely new” after the summer signings which totalled £150 million.
“I think we have much more goal threat in midfield now but the workrate these guys put in, the stability they gave us was second-to-none and that is what we have to create as well,” Klopp added.
The Reds rejected a monster £150 million offer for Mohamed Salah to move to Saudi Arabia, but that country’s transfer window is still open for another few days. Al-Ittihad will reportedly return with a £200m bid – a staggering amount of money for anyone, let alone a 31-year-old – which will test Liverpool’s mettle. If they want to achieve a top four finish, they’ll need to keep the Egyptian superstar, especially with no chance to replace him with new signings now the Premier League window has slammed shut. Losing him could prove disastrous.
But with four new midfielders, Liverpool got the overhaul they badly needed – though it was 12 months too late.
Grade: A-
Szoboszlai is the big midfield signing Liverpool needed to make. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Luton Town
Biggest signing: Ryan Giles ($10m from Wolves)
Biggest exit: Luke Freeman (released)
Total spent: $38m
Luton’s remarkable rise throughout he divisions in recent years has been founded on a sustainable transfer policy founded on young and affordable players who can develop at the club (and potentially earn large fees if sold on). They didn’t throw that strategy out despite having more cash to play with after their promotion to the top flight. The six signings with disclosed transfer fees each cost less than six million euros. Ryan Giles from Wolves is one of the steals of the season at just €5.85m, while they brought back Marvelous Nakamba after a season on loan from Aston Villa – his permanent deal a very smart piece of business at just €2.9m. They added experience in the form of veteran keeper Tim Krul, and former Everton and Chelsea player Ross Barkley on a free transfer. There’s plenty of potential in their young signings, particularly former Manchester United academy product Tahith Chong. But their midfield stocks at times haven’t looked up to Premier League standard, and Luton were keen to add another, only for a loan move for Newcastle midfielder Isaac Hayden to collapse. The newcomers spent pennies compared to plenty of their rivals, and quite simply might not have the quality to stay up. You have to respect their dedication to the squad-building approach that has served them well for so long – but they might come to regret not splashing just a little more cash.
Grade: C
Manchester City
Biggest signing: Josko Gvardiol ($151m from RB Leipzig)
Biggest exit: Riyad Mahrez ($59m to Al Ahli)
Total spent: $403m
The champions have done it again. Pep Guardiola was sad to lose Mahrez to Saudi Arabia, the winger having been a key member of his multiple title-winning team. But they replaced him well with 21-year-old Jeremy Doku from Stade Rennais in France – a sensational dribbler with a particular ability to get to the byline and cut the ball back, which seems a perfect fit for Erling Haaland. They added Josko Gvardiol in a bid-money deal to boost their centre defence, allowing them to offload Aymeric Laporte to Saudi Arabia. Mateo Kovacic came from Chelsea to boost their midfield after Ilkay Gundogan’s exit, but when superstar Kevin de Bruyne went down with a serious injury they responded swiftly to poach 25-year-old Matheus Nunes from Wolves. Their elite squad didn’t need too much, but City opted for quality over quantity and were happy to let players go as well – with Cole Palmer off to Chelsea for a more than handy €47m, and Joao Cancelo (Barcelona, loan) and Benjamin Mendy (Lorient) also out the door.
Grade: A+
Manchester United
Biggest signing: Rasmus Hojlund ($126m from Atalanta)
Biggest exit: Anthony Elanga ($29m to Nottingham Forest)
Total spent: $345m
It was a solid window for United after a rocky start. There was chaos as veteran keeper David de Gea was not handed a new contract – despite all indications pointing to a new deal for the Spaniard. He departed and Andre Onana was brought in, before United made a big statement by bringing in Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount and striker Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund for big money. Then they finally got the ball-playing midfielder they desperately needed by landing Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat on deadline day – one of FOUR signings before the window closed. Amrabat starred for Morocco at the 2022 World Cup and should stop the Red Devils from being cut apart by opposition teams through the midfield channels. They added goalkeeper Altay Bayindir from Fenerbache, Tottenham left-back Sergio Reguilon on loan and free agent Jonny Evans on the final day, making it seven transfers in total and adding depth across the park.
Grade: B
Will Rasmus Hojlund be the Red Devils’ saviour up front? (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP)Source: AFP
Newcastle United
Biggest signing: Sandro Tonali ($107m from AC Milan)
Biggest exit: Allan Saint-Maximin ($45m to Al Ahli)
Total spent: $257m
Midfielder Sandro Tonali arrived early in the window from AC Milan for a club-record £55m, and Newcastle didn’t slow down there. They picked up winger Harvey Barnes (£39m from Leicester), and a pair of fullbacks in Tino Livramento (£36m from Southampton) and Lewis Hall (loan from Chelsea). There’s plenty of depth in the squad now, which will be needed as they return to the Champions League for the first time in two decades. A brutal group draw in that competition will sorely test them. There are big questions, however, over their lack of a clinical striker – it burned them badly against Liverpool and could prove costly this campaign. Callum Wilson has plenty of experience in the top flight and Alexander Isak lots of promise, but Eddie Howe will need one or both to show more cutting edge in the box if Newcastle is to push on this season. Teen winger Yakuba Minteh is one for the future, but Newcastle could have done with some more depth in their back line. And they also saw a deal collapse for exiled player Isaac Hayden to leave on loan to Luton Town.
Grade: B
Nottingham Forest
Biggest signing: Ibrahim Sangare ($59m from PSV)
Biggest exit: Brennan Johnson ($93m to Tottenham)
Total spent: $203m
Forest went wild on deadline day, signing a whopping seven players – including plenty that were announced after the 11pm closing of the transfer window. The highlight was Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi for an absolute bargain fee under £5m – especially when you consider the Blues once rejected a £70m offer for the 22-year-old.
Selling Brennan Johnson was never what Forest wanted, but they held out for a sizeable fee nearing £50m and used that cash very wisely to overhaul the squad and provide plenty of depth and balance around the park.
Former Liverpool striker Divock Origi returns to the Premier League on loan with an option to buy from AC Milan, while their deadline day moves included a fullback, a midfielder, and a strong keeper, in addition to their earlier signings. Anthony Elanga at 21 years old is another gifted attacker that could easily rise in re-sell value, like Hudson-Odoi, while they picked up a veteran attacker in Chris Wood who has already delivered in the scoring department. With a balance of youth and experience in their signings, they made the most of the money they received and traded one extremely good player for a host of valuable signings.
One to watch will definitely be Ibrahim Sangare, a defensive midfielder who always looks for a long ball – which could be perfect to feed their quick new wingers on the counter-attack. He was linked to Bayern Munich earlier in the window and is a massive deadline-day coup for Forest.
Grade: A+
Steve Cooper has overseen yet another big transfer window at Nottingham Forest. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP)Source: AFP
Sheffield United
Biggest signing: Cameron Archer ($35m from Aston Villa)
Biggest exit: Iliman Ndiaye ($28m to Marseille)
Total spent: $107m
The Blades always deliver solid signings for reasonable prices – and this time they went fishing across Europe for bargains. They picked up players from Sweden, Denmark, and Belgium, before bagging a big name in Villa’s gifted striker Cameron Archer. Losing Iliman Ndiaye and Sander Berge was a blow, especially the latter’s grit in the midfield, but Sheffield United did well to add Gustavo Hamer from Coventry City in the Championship. The 26-year-old is a defensive-minded midfield warrior but has already delivered a Premier League goal and has started the new season well. They’ll need 21-year-old Archer to find his feet, as well as their other young signings (average age 22.6). But there’s plenty of room for optimism, and the Blades did it all on a shoestring budget.
Grade: B
Tottenham Hotspur
Biggest signing: Brennan Johnson ($92m from Nottingham Forest)
Biggest exit: Harry Kane ($168m to Bayern Munich)
Total spent: $415m.
James Maddison might have seemed expensive at $77m, but his creativity in midfield has revolutionised Spurs and he might just end up being one of the signings of the season. Spurs have undergone a rebuild under Ange Postecoglou, but by far the biggest move was the departure of England captain Harry Kane – the will-he-won’t-he drama finally coming to an end this year. It pocketed Spurs a heap of cash, which they spread around on a number of players, with nine arrivals in all. Brennan Johnson came in late, the Nottingham Forest attacker perfectly fitting the mould of a versatile Postecoglou forward that can play anywhere across the front line. There are some areas where Spurs are lacking, though. Postecoglou wanted another centre-back or two after the arrival of Micky van de Ven but didn’t get them, especially with the club unable to offload a couple of defenders. And there’s a lack of creative depth if Maddison cops an injury – besides Giovani Lo Celso, there’s not much playmaking or creative incision. And there was also a failure to ship out Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who rejected a move to Fulham. It looked like a move could happen on deadline day, but Spanish side Atletico Madrid was only looking for a loan deal while Spurs wanted a permanent buyer. Their failure to sell may have stopped them from sealing a move for Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher. Spurs reportedly tabled an offer of £40m for the midfielder, but couldn’t convince the Blues to sell. Nevertheless, a new back-line, more depth in midfield, and an attacker is a solid return – though it doesn’t quite mask the hole in attack left by Kane’s exit.
Grade: B+
James Maddison has adapted quickly to life at Tottenham. (Photo by Luke Walker/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
West Ham United
Biggest signing: Mohammed Kudus ($72m from Ajax)
Biggest exit: Declan Rice ($195m to Arsenal)
Total spent: $230m
Manager David Moyes called it a ‘difficult’ transfer window, which sums things up nicely. They were always going to lose Declan Rice, but got plenty of money for their star man. The problem was signing the players that they wanted!
It started well as they brought in Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse as well as the exceptional Kudus, but were frustrated in their attempts to sign a striker after selling Gianluca Scamacca to Atalanta.
Negotiations failed over a deal for Corinthians striker Yuri Alberto, as well as Sevilla over Youssef En-Nesyri and Paris Saint-Germain over Hugo Ekitike. They also saw Juventus reject a move for wing-back Filip Kostic, who chose the Italian club over West Ham a year ago but fell down the pecking order.
With hopes high that they would land a striker and Kostic on deadline day, it ended in frustration. But they ended up with a profit, and they’re top of the table with a nice European trophy in their cabinet already this season. It could be worse!
Grade: C+
Wolves
Biggest signing: Matheus Cunha ($84m from Atletico Madrid, loan made permanent)
Biggest exit: Matheus Nunes ($101m to Manchester City)
Total spent: $157m
Wolves were a club in crisis when the window opened, stricken by huge losses (and transfer spending) over the last two seasons that left them desperately needing to sell players to balance their books.
So bad was the situation that manager Julen Lopetegui left the club just days before the start of the season, frustrated that he was blocked from signing any players to add to a squad that he believed was not capable of survival.
It was all about the departures this window – midfield star Ruben Neves to Saudi Arabia, defender Nathan Collins to Brentford, and then midfielder Matheus Nunes to the champions on deadline day for £52m. They also offloaded Conor Coady, Raúl Jiménez and Ryan Giles to name a few.
In one sense, Wolves will be very happy at the money they raked in. But the players they signed as replacements – all for cheap – are clearly a class below the stars they let go.
They made January’s loan arrival Matheus Cunha into a permanent move for €50m, but that deal had already been effectively locked in last window.
Luckily, they managed to pick up a midfielder in Jean-Ricner Bellegarde from Strasbourg on the final day, their second midfield arrival from the French league this window after bagging Boubacar Traoré earlier. Santiago Bueno, a centre-back, arrived from Girona on yet another cut-price deal.
Financially, this window was much-needed for Wolves. But they must feel like they’ve been absolutely gutted of their top talent.
On what was a wild transfer deadline day, Socceroos star Harry Souttar was caught up in the chaos as his potential move away from Leicester City hit a roadblock.
Souttar was rewarded for his impressive World Cup campaign last year when he joined Leicester City from Stoke City in a move that was supposed to keep him at the club until the end of the 2027-28 season.
What initially looked like a dream move has quickly become a nightmare for Souttar though, with the Foxes relegated to the Championship and Souttar falling out of favour.
The 24-year-old has yet to play any minutes for Leicester this season under new manager Enzo Maresca, prompting reports both parties could be looking for a mutually beneficial exit.
The Athletic had previously reported ahead of the deadline that the Rangers were interested in Souttar’s services, although it would have only been a loan move.
Still, it would have been an ideal scenario for Souttar, who would have been given the opportunity to play alongside his brother John.
Celtic, meanwhile, was also reported to have shown interest in the Australian, who was signed at Leicester by new manager Brendan Rodgers in the first place.
Rangers though always seemed like the more likely team to watch ahead of the deadline, that was until the potential move “hit a snag” according to Football Scotland.
Van Dijk CHARGED after foul-mouthed rant | 00:48
According to the report, the Rangers’ chances of being able to make a play for Souttar were dealt a blow when they were eliminated from the Champions League earlier in the week.
Rangers would have pocketed about 18 million euros in prize money had they advanced to the group-stage draw.
Without that money, Rangers were said to be unable to meet Souttar’s salary demands and the portion that Leicester specifically wanted them to pay, although a figure has not been reported.
Only compounding their woes was the fact they were unable to sell Ben Davies, with Record Sport reporting Stoke City were interested in taking him on in a loan move.
That would have also allowed Rangers to launch a late bid for Souttar, but in the end Rangers reportedly rejected an “unacceptable” offer that was put on the table.
AUSSIE STAR’S PL DREAM TURNS INTO NIGHTMARE AS DREADED FATE SEALED
Harry Souttar’s Premier League dream has sadly turned into a living nightmare as Leicester City was relegated despite a 2-1 win over West Ham United on the final day.
The Foxes had to win and hope Bournemouth would hold Everton to at least a draw.
Although Dean Smith’s side held up their end of the bargain, a thumping strike from Everton’s Abdoulaye Doucoure killed off any chance of Leicester staying up.
Souttar was an unused substitute for the do-or-die clash as he now contemplates life in the Championship once again barely five months after leaving Stoke City for Premier League life.
Former Socceroo Robbie Slater claimed it’s “turned out a nightmare move after what seemed like a dream move” but believes the towering centre-back is best served by sticking around at the club.
“I think he will stay,” Slater told Fox Sports News.
“I think for Leicester and, if it’s Dean Smith who does stay there, I think someone like Harry Souttar will be a real bonus for Leicester’s hopes for bouncing back up into the Premier League at their first shot in the Championship.
“We have seen throughout history that it doesn’t always end up being the case that way.
“It’s important for him or Leicester to keep him because of his experience in the Championship and what he did at Stoke City.”
Ecstasy for Toffees… agony for Foxes | 01:03
MIXED FORTUNES FOR SCOTTISH CONTINGENT
Souttar wasn’t the only Aussie to suffer the cruel fate of relegation, as Aziz Behich and Mark Birighitti were sent to the second tier of Scotland with Dundee United.
Behich played the full 90 minutes for the Tangerines in a 3-2 loss to Motherwell while Birighitti was an unused substitute.
However, it was a more enjoyable weekend for several of the other Aussies in Scotland.
Although he was out with an injury, Aaron Mooy was front and centre during Celtic’s league title celebrations after a resounding 5-0 win over Aberdeen at Celtic Park.
The Socceroos midfielder will now hope to be fit enough for Celtic’s Scottish FA Cup final against Inverness Caledonian Thistle as Ange Postecoglou’s side look to complete the domestic treble.
Down in the Scottish capital, Kye Rowles, Cameron Devlin and Nathaniel Atkinson all logged 90 minutes for Hearts against Hibernian in the Edinburgh derby.
Hearts drew 1-1 against their local rivals in a result which secured a spot in the Europa Conference League for the former.
Aaron Mooy was a part of Celtic’s title celebrations after the Hoops’ 5-0 win over Aberdeen. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
ELSEWHERE AROUND THE GROUNDS …
Awer Mabil had the pleasure of lifting a trophy as Sparta Prague secured the league title despite a 1-0 loss to Viktoria Plzen.
The winger entered the contest in the 66th minute but was unable to help his team get back in the contest, although it mattered little.
Mabil moved to the club on loan from Spanish side Cadiz in January.
In the Netherlands, Mat Ryan couldn’t prevent AZ Alkmaar from slipping to a 2-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven in the Eredevisie.
However, the result kept AZ in fourth place and meant the club secured a spot in next season’s Europa Conference League playoff.
Another Aussie in relegation trouble is midfielder Ajdin Hrustic.
Hrustic didn’t see any game time for Serie A side Hellas Verona in a 1-1 draw against Empoli which subsequently dropped the Aussie’s team into the relegation zone.
They now face the uphill task of getting a result against AC Milan on the final day of the season and hope Roma can beat Spezia.
Luton Town, Middlesbrough, Coventry City and Sunderland will battle it out to join Burnley and Sheffield United as the new faces in the Premier League next season.
Interestingly enough, the four teams have all previously competed at the top level of English football at one stage since 1992 with Middlesbrough the most recent in 2017.
There’s heartwarming stories behind each team vying for promotion, perhaps none more so than Luton.
The Hatters were playing non-league football as recently as 2014 and have gone into administration a staggering three times in nine years.
What’s more, there’s the incredible journey of Luton midfielder Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, who could become the first player to rise from non-league football to the Premier League with the same club.
But the play-offs don’t care for footballing romanticism.
Yet that’s why the play-offs are essential viewing.
Foxsports.com.au analyses the four teams gunning for promotion with some additional help from renowned statistical site FiveThirtyEight in what’s set to be another thrilling dash to the finish line at Wembley.
Ask the vast majority of football fans who they want to see in the Premier League next season from the four playoff contenders and they’ll say Luton Town.
Well, that’s not including supporters of their local rivals Watford or those backing Middlesbrough, Coventry City and Sunderland.
It has been a season of dreams for Hatters supporters and there may be more good times ahead.
Having made the playoff semi finals last year under Nathan Jones, there were high hopes about what this season would bring.
But the rug was pulled out from underneath Luton when the Premier League came calling for Jones.
The Welshman left his post at Kenilworth Road to link up with Southampton, leaving fans worried about the club’s future given what happened last time he left the club.
Spoiler alert: Luton was almost relegated before Jones came back to save the club in the nick of time in the 2019/2020 season.
Rob Edwards has Luton flying. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
However, those fears were allayed when Rob Edwards, who began the season as Watford manager but lasted just 10 league games at Vicarage Road, was appointed as Jones’ replacement during the World Cup break.
Watford’s loss was most certainly Luton’s gain, as the Hatters tasted defeat just three times in 25 games under Edwards en route to consolidating their playoff spot.
Key to Luton’s Premier League push is striker Carlton Morris.
A summer arrival from Barnsley, Morris impressed early on by scoring eight goals in 20 games under Jones in a reasonable return for a striker plucked from a League One team.
However, under Edwards, Morris became a lethal predator in the box.
The 27-year-old went on a tear and scored 12 goals, with nine of those coming in his final 15 appearances for the season and will enter the play-offs brimming with confidence.
With Luton unbeaten in their last 14 games, they no doubt are the raging hot favourites to be the last team standing in the play-offs.
FiveThirtyEight feel the same and have the Hatters at a 32 per cent chance of being promoted.
Perhaps Premier League away days at Kenilworth Road aren’t a far-fetched idea as previously thought?
Luton striker Carlton Morris scored 20 goals for the Hatters this season. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
MIDDLESBROUGH
Talk about the impact of a fresh voice in the dugout.
Former Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder began the season at the helm of Middlesbrough but was sacked just 11 games into the season with the club sitting in the relegation zone.
Although it took three weeks for Middlesbrough to appoint Wilder’s replacement, it was worth the wait.
Former Manchester United great Michael Carrick was handed the keys to the kingdom in what was his first full-time managerial gig.
He had the playing background to boot, but would his managerial skills hold up in a notoriously difficult league.
You bet.
Despite losing his first game in charge to Preston on October 29, Middlesbrough would go on to win a stunning 15 of their next 19 games.
Carrick implemented an eye-catching brand of football that took his troops to a new level, but none more so than striker Chuba Akpom.
A graduate of Arsenal’s academy, Akpom had never scored more than eight league goals in a single season throughout his career.
However, under Carrick’s tutelage, Akpom earned the Championship’s golden boot award after scoring 28 goals, seven more than Coventry’s Viktor Gyokeres who was second in the goalscoring charts.
There’s also the strong form of Socceroos star Riley McGree who has come to the fore for Boro.
McGree has been in strong form for Middlesbrough this season. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
The 24-year-old midfielder has six goals and three assists to his name this season and could become the only Australian in the Premier League should Boro get promoted and Harry Souttar’s Leicester City go the other way.
But to earn such a high-profile job, Carrick must prove he can guide Middlesbrough back to the Premier League for the first time in six years.
FiveThirtyEight certainly feel he is a strong chance of doing so, rating Middlesbrough’s promotion chances at 32 per cent.
However, a glance at the team’s recent run of form paints a slightly worrying picture.
Middlesbrough won just two of their final eight games which is not exactly the momentum they’d want to take in to the play-offs.
They have also failed to beat their playoff semi final opponents Coventry City this season, losing 1-0 away to the Sky Blues before holding them to a 1-1 draw at home on the final day.
Yet with a manager of Carrick’s stature and his experience in big games, Middlesbrough couldn’t ask for a better man to guide them through the play-offs.
Former Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick has transformed Middlesbrough into Premier League hopefuls. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
COVENTRY CITY
It wasn’t very long ago Coventry City were essentially homeless and labelled by The Telegraph’s John Percy as “one of the most dysfunctional (clubs) in the country.”
From 2019 to 2021, the Sky Blues were forced to play their home games at St Andrew’s, the home turf of Birmingham City.
The groundshare came as a result of the detested former ownership Sisu’s inability to agree a deal with local rugby outfit Wasps who owned the Coventry Building Society Arena, formerly known as the Ricoh Arena.
Prior to that, Coventry City spent their 2013/14 League One campaign playing at Sixfields Stadium, the home ground of Northampton Town due to rent disputes with Arena Coventry Limited, who owned the Ricoh Arena at the time.
The homeless years, nor will this brief analysis, do any justice towards the hurt and frustration caused by Sisu in recent years.
It was a remarkable fall from grace for a club who had spent every season in the top flight of English football from 1967 until 2001 and won the FA Cup in 1987.
But now, under the expert tutelage of manager Mark Robins, the Sky Blues are bouncing once again.
Mark Robins has worked miracles at Coventry City. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Robins has led Coventry to finishes of 16th and 12th since they returned to the Championship in 2020 before guiding them to the play-offs this season in what is their highest finish in English football since 2001.
What makes Coventry’s playoff appearance even more special is the fact they were rock-bottom of the Championship for eight of their opening 11 fixtures and only climbed out of the relegation zone in late October.
Since then, Robins’ side lost just eight games from their next 30 and squeezed into the top six right at the very end.
In fact, Coventry has tasted defeat just once since January 28.
Talk about hitting your straps at the right time.
Pivotal to this surge up the table is that of striker Viktor Gyokeres.
The Swedish marksman bagged an impressive 17 goals from 45 games in the 21/22 Championship season but has bettered that figure in this campaign, scoring 21 in 46.
Gyokeres has since been heavily linked to a Premier League switch, with Wolverhampton Wanderers reportedly sniffing around.
As for the Sky Blues’ promotion chances, FiveThirtyEight has them at a 20 per cent chance of going up.
With Gyokeres likely on the move if Coventry can’t get promoted this season, it could be a case of now or never for Robins’ side.
But at the very least, a fanbase starved of joy in recent years can smile again.
Coventry are pining for a return to the Premier League for the first time in over 20 years. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
SUNDERLAND
Against all odds, Sunderland are tantalisingly close to back-to-back promotions.
The Black Cats had been in the top six for all of 18 days from October 1 to the final regular season fixture and were without star striker Ross Stewart for 33 of a possible 46 games.
Add in former manager Alex Neil being poached by Stoke City less than two months into the season and it seemed Sunderland could have been nervously glancing downwards instead of optimistically gazing upwards.
But former Blackburn Rovers boss Tony Mowbray has come in and galvanised not just the youngest squad in the Championship but the entire fanbase in what has been a tremendous season.
The Athletic’s Philip Buckingham described Sunderland’s push for promotion as “mission impossible,” especially since the primary aim for the club this season was consolidation.
This is the same club that endured back-to-back relegations from the Premier League down to League One from 2017 to 2018.
Sunderland fans’ heartbreak was there for all to see in the Netflix documentary Sunderland ‘Til I Die.
Perhaps the most pertinent quote from any Black Cats supporter regarding the club’s plight came via a fan after the club lost the League One playoff final to Charlton Athletic in 2019.
“Why is it never us celebrating,” the fan said.
“Why is it never us?”
Well, as Buckingham wrote, the club have “crawled through a river of s***” and “are coming out clean on the other side.”
Could the youngest squad in the Championship help Sunderland to consecutive promotions? (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Led by energetic youngsters Jack Clarke and Amad Diallo, the latter on loan from Manchester United, there’s a lot to celebrate about this crop of players.
A significant amount of praise must be directed to Mowbray who, according to Buckingham, has “nurtured, cajoled and found the very best from a patched-up squad.”
Although Sunderland take on Luton Town, the highest-placed team among the playoff contenders, they will not be short on confidence.
Unbeaten in their last nine, Mowbray’s side are the most in-form of the playoff teams having picked up a possible 14 points from 18 in their last six games.
In their favour is the fact they’ve won four of their last five away games, proving they are a force to be reckoned with on the road.
Despite plenty of factors in their favour, FiveThirtyEight has rated Sunderland’s chances of promotion at just 15 per cent.
The lengthy injury list and inexperience could ultimately come back to bite but regardless of the result, it’s been a tremendously successful campaign for the Black Cats.
CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYOFF SEMI-FINAL SCHEDULE (ALL TIMES AEST)
First Leg
Sunderland vs Luton Town (Sunday 14th May, 2:30am)
Coventry City vs Middlesbrough (Sunday 14th May, 9pm)
Second Leg
Luton Town vs Sunderland (Wednesday 17th May, 5am)
Middlesbrough vs Coventry City (Thursday 18th May, 5am)
HOW TO WATCH THE CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF SEMI FINALS
