Championship rumours as Pompey wait for official confirmation of their stay in second tier
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Pompey’s victory against Leicester on Saturday took them seven points clear of the relegation zone with just three games of the season reamining.
Their Championship status is still not 100-percent guaranteed, but you’ll find few people who believe the Blues will be back in League One next season after a run of three straight wins took them clear of immediate danger.
That gurantee could come as early as Tuesday night if third-from-bottom Oxford are beaten at home by play-off chasing Wrexham at the Kassam Stadium.
It could also signal the initial start of Pompey’s summer recruitment drive, with the green light finally given for Rich Hughes & Co to pursue those players earmarked for a third season at Championship level.
The transfer rumours have already started, after Fabrizio Romano linked the Blues with a move for winger Jayden Braaf.
The News, however, have since learned that John Mousinho has no interest in the former Manchester City youngster.
Still, it won’t be the last time Pompey are credited with an interest in a player ahead of a busy four months of recruitment.
And the rumour mill will no doubt be in full flow for the rest of the Championship as they too plot ways to improve their lot ahead of a new season.
Of course, the summer transfer window doesn’t officially open until Monday, June 15.
In the meantime, though, here’s some of the latest Championship rumours already doing the rounds with two weeks of the current campaign still to be played.
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Birmingham weighing up managerial move for Frank
Birmingham City are reportedly eyeing a big-name replacement if they decide to part company with head coach Chris Davies at the end of the season.
The future of the former Spurs assistant manager has been the subject of constant speculation as the Blues’ bid for back-to-back promotions began to peter out.
The St Andrew’s outfit currently sit 14th in the Championship table, 12 points off the play-off places and with just two wins from their past 10 games.
That has ramped up talk that Birmingham could look to end their two-year association with their 2024-25 promotion-winning boss following their final game of the season at Pompey on May 2.
And according to Football League World, the powers that be at Brum will target an ambitious move for out-of-work Thomas Frank to help them achieve their ambitions of the return to the Premier League.
Frank has been out of work after being sacked by relegation-threatened Tottenham in February.
He won just 13 of his 39 matches in charge of Spurs and was duly relieved of his duties just eight months into his three-year deal.
His reputation remains high, though, after seven noteworthy seasons at Brentford.
And he’ll prove an almighty coup of Birmingham are able to lure him to St Andrew’s in the summer, if they decide to part company with Davies.
Sheffield United forced to cash in on prized assets
Sheffield United could be forced to sell two of their prized assets in the summer following their failure to compete for promotion back to the Premier League this term.
The Blades, who were in relegation trouble for a large part of the season, currently sit 12th in the table and with no chance of making the play-offs.
And they’ll likely pay the price for a forgettable season at Bramall Lane by being made to cash in on midfield duo Gustavo Hamer and Sydie Peck.
That’s according to Alan Nixon, who claims United will have to tighten their belts ahead of next season and try to bring extra funds in by moving some of their star players on.
Hamer is certainly someone who will attract a lot of attention, having previously been linked with a move to Leeds, Everton, Nottingham Forest and Fuham.
Meanwhile, 21-year-old Peck, who opened the scoring in Sheffield United’s 3-0 win over Pompey in November, is considered one of the hottest young talents outside of the Premier League.
The former Arsenal youth team player has been previously been linked with Nottingham Forest, West Ham and Brentford.