Kevin Phillips’ Expert Predictions: Championship Transfer Rumours & Analysis

Xhaka and Sadiki Staying – More to Come from Sadiki

I think Sadiki was superb last season, as well as Xhaka, obviously. I think Sadiki now having played in the World Cup, his confidence is sky high. I expect to see even better stuff from him next year. He knows what the Premier League’s about, he stood out in it, and like I say, coming off the back of a World Cup performance, confidence guy.

I do expect to see more from him. Can he give any more? Well, if he does, he’s a player that you have to watch out for in the Premier League next year. He’s been linked with a few clubs already, but delighted that those two have stayed, and we need to keep them fit, because we’ve got a long season ahead of us in terms of the Europa, but yeah, certainly, I want to see more from Sadiki, because he’s a top, top-class player.

Where They Should Strengthen

I think, in terms of positions, I’d like to see another striker. I think most fans up here in the North East would like to see another striker challenging Brobbey and Isidor. So yeah, that’s certainly an area that I think needs to be looked at. I think another winger as well, potentially, just a bit more firepower up top.

So I think defensively, we look solid, and in the midfield, I think, in the top end of the pitch, a striker and a winger. Expectation next year, it’s of course going to be a hard one with the Europa League. We need a bigger squad. There haven’t been that many signings yet, only Meunier coming in at right back. So, expectation, for me, of course, I want to be challenging for a European spot again, but I think staying in the Premier League, as we always want to do, is important – have a solid season there and have a really good run in the Europa League.

James Tavernier Linked as Free Agent

I think Tavernier would be a great signing. I know he’s 34 years of age, but he looks after himself, he had a fantastic career up at Rangers, and the biggest thing that stands out, you mentioned the right-hand side, he scored over 150 goals in his career as a fullback, which is astonishing.

Potentially pairing him with Bereton Diaz, if he signs, down that right-hand side, there’s going to be a supply line, there’s going to be goals, and I think Derby, that could be one of those teams that could really surprise people this season if they were to secure the services of James with the backing, the investment.

I think they could really challenge next season. So yeah, I think it’d be a fantastic signing for Derby, for sure.

Mikey Johnston is a Game Changer if Fit

Mikey Johnston is a game-changer. He’s certainly a player who can do that. We’ve seen that, a big blow to have him get injured. Again, pre-season is massive for players who haven’t played a lot of football this season before, but are coming back from long-term injuries. And the biggest thing is about keeping them fit.

So, the medical department there will have to be very cautious of how much they push him, because they don’t want him to break down. So, it’s really, really important pre-season and trips away as well to be able to do that. But yeah, he’s a game changer, and if they can keep him fit, I think he’d be a big player for West Brom this season, and that’s what they need, obviously, got young players, so he’s a player that knows the club. So big, big season for him.

Josh Maja Not Agreeing on a New Contract

I think first and foremost, he’d be a great signing for anybody. James Morrison has certainly got the best out of him. He started scoring goals, and I’ve said all along, get him tied down, you don’t want him to leave the football club, and it’s disappointing to hear that he hasn’t. So, from West Brom’s point of view, you don’t want to be losing a goal scorer. It’s hard to replace. If he does move on, Watford, Southampton, they’re two big football clubs that need to be challenging at the right end of the Championship.

He would certainly help them do that. So he’d be a great signing for either of those two. So I’d like to see him stay at West Brom, if possible, but if he moves on, then they’re two great clubs for him.

Ross Stewart Not Linked Despite Mowbray Connection

I think, from what I’ve been told, I think it’s probably more down to the finances, maybe why he hasn’t been linked there, I’m not sure. Blackburn would be able to afford his wages, what he’d be asking for. Nevertheless, they are two people who know each other very, very well. I think he’d do really, really well at Blackburn.

But, I’m surprised he hasn’t pitched up anywhere yet, to be honest, so maybe the wages are a bit of a stumbling block. Ross isn’t getting any younger. Obviously, with his injury history, clubs ain’t gonna pay probably what he’s asking for, but if he were to go to Blackburn, yeah, I think Tony would get the best out of him, and we know what a quality player he is if you can keep him fit.

New Manager Nicky Hayen

I, you know, you accept that, you expect it, coming from abroad to a tough, tough league in the Championship. Listen, I’m surprised. I haven’t heard of the guy, just doing a bit of research on him. I think he’s had a 46% win ratio, which isn’t, he’s won nearly half of all his games, so it’s not too bad, but I understand from the fan’s point of view the frustration, because you’re linked with Craig Bellamy, Scott Parker’s gone in, he did a fantastic job for you, and then all of a sudden you get someone that most of the fans have not heard of, and you think, here we go again. So you have to give him the benefit of the doubt, and I certainly will do that.

Never know. We’ve seen it before; foreign managers have come in and done an excellent job. So you’ve got to give him a bit of leeway at the start of the season, and it’ll be really interesting to see how they start the season.

John Souttar Linked from Rangers

There’s always that slight concern, isn’t there, with players coming from Scotland? The Scottish League, people do kind of compare it to the Championship, the types of games that you play. Listen, I think he could do a job there for sure. He’s very experienced. He’s played a lot of football, he’s six foot one, so he’s not a small lad. I think he can handle himself.

I think if you’re getting linked, Sheffield United have clearly done a bit of homework. They believe that he could handle the Championship, so there’s always that slight concern, but I think having played where he has, I think the Championship, he would suit it, no problem whatsoever. So if they were to secure him, I think it could be one of those signings that could be a decent signing at the end of the day.

Advice for Achieving Promotion

Every promotion I have had has always been slightly different. Wrexham have been on an incredible run, as we all know, had to give it a good go last season. And what you have to do is just draw on previous experiences from what got you promoted through the leagues, and then almost got you into the playoffs last season.

You need to build on that, and I’m sure that’s what Phil Parkinson will be telling the players. They’ve added to the squad; their home record there is really, really good. They’re tough to beat. So, belief.

Coming back from pre-season, don’t harp on what happened last season. Think about the positives, what got you to where you were, and go again, because they’re on an incredible run at the moment. And if you start the season well, I think they’re away to Cardiff, first game of the season in the league, which isn’t always easy. So, but yeah, you’re gonna have to draw on previous experiences that got you success.

No New Arrivals Yet

It’s always that tough one, isn’t it? Whenever you get promoted out of any league, do you stick with the players that got you there? Because you’re clearly jumping up a different level from League One to the Championship, there’s a big gulf, as is Championship to the Premier League, and it’s always that argument: do you rip the squad up and bring in new players? Unfortunately, finances dictate what you can do, and I think from Cardiff’s point of view, that may be one of the reasons why they haven’t gone out and signed so many players. Of course, the World Cup, as well, in which we haven’t seen many players go, hasn’t been transferred as of yet.

So there’s always that slight concern. I don’t think they need many, many players. Obviously, they lost Ryan Wintle, a good midfielder. And I think they need to replace him. Looking at the team, they need a strong midfielder, they need a winger, potentially a left-back and a striker. Those players could have already gone somewhere.

But yeah, maybe a slight concern that they haven’t signed anyone of note yet, because the Championship’s a much better league than League One, but Brian Barry Murphy certainly knows what he’s doing, so we’re going to have to trust him, maybe see a few players come in from now to the start of the season.