EFL Analysis

Former Middlesbrough player Djed Spence has been called up to Thomas Tuchel’s England squad – and Neil Warnock says he knows exactly why he got in the team.

The Tottenham Hotspur ace has rediscovered his form that earned him his Premier League move from the Championship in 2022. His switch to north London was initially followed by a series of loans, including to Leeds United who cut his deal short due to manager Daniel Farke’s concerns about his attitude.

Farke’s comments echoed what Spence’s former Boro manager Warnock – who recently detailed his conversation with Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola – has said about him since his Riverside Stadium exit. The iconic English Football League boss questioned the defender’s work ethic, telling Spence he’d either play in the Premier League or Non-league depending on his mindset.

That of course led to that cigar picture Spence posted after winning promotion to the top flight with Nottingham Forest while on loan from Middlesbrough. After his dip in form following that Wembley snap, his displays under Ange Postecoglou last season and now under Thomas Frank have earned him the chance to represent his country’s senior team for the first time – and Warnock has given his take.

Neil Warnock reveals former Tottenham coach Nick Montgomery’s insight into Djed Spence’s attitude change

Speaking on talkSPORT’s Breakfast Show on Thursday, Warnock said on Spence’s call-up: “He could run all day. I read about it and no one has ever doubted his ability. His ability is fantastic, he’s got legs, he’s quick, he can pass people, he’s not bad in 1-vs-1 defending. I never doubted him on the field, it was off the field.

“It’s not right to go into everything, his attitude wasn’t right for me. Certain things off the field happened that I didn’t enjoy and I spoke to him a couple of times. I don’t think he was for changing and he probably thought I was barking up the tree.

“You can’t say Daniel Farke and Antonio Conte and myself were all wrong. I said he needed to go home and look in the mirror, because he can’t carry on doing things he did off the field. He needs to concentrate on the field at what he’s good at. He went to Forest and did well, he didn’t do so well at Tottenham.”

However, Warnock then revealed it was a former Spurs coach who told him that Spence had transformed in the past year.

He continued: “I know Conte didn’t play him much, but I was talking to Nick Montgomery who was with Ange, and he said his attitude wasn’t very good. But he came back last summer and he was superb in training and he looked like a changed lad and he looked like he’d matured a little bit.

“He had a chance when there were a few injuries, I think it was Destiny Udogie who got injured and he played him at left back and he never looked back.”

Neil Warnock thinks Djed Spence needed to be ‘more humble’

The 76-year-old also pinpointed what he thought Spence had to change when he was at Boro – and he made sure to make a cheeky joke about the infamous cigar Instagram snap.

Warnock added: “I think, no disrespect, but he needed to be a bit more humble than what he was. It was Covid time when I had him so one or two things in the local area I wasn’t happy about.

“But you’ve all got to learn. What Montgomery told me last year, that’s why he got in the team. That’s why he’s got in the team, because he’s letting his ability do the talking and not his cigars!”

Spence has gone on to make 45 appearances for Spurs, scoring twice and winning the Europa League in that time.

Leicester City star Bilal El Khannouss has been told who he should leave the Foxes to join next.

Marti Cifuentes explained that El Khannouss was left out of the squad for the win against Charlton Athletic because of the recent transfer speculation.

Crystal Palace looked set to sign El Khannouss for £32m but after Tottenham Hotspur missed out on Eberechi Eze to rivals Arsenal, reports have suggested that they could come back in for the Morocco international.

There is only one week of the transfer window left and the 21-year-old has been told which side would be the better fit.

Dean Ashton tells Bilal El Khannouss who he should join this summer

El Khannouss is almost certainly going to end the transfer window in the Premier League with another club.

His future was discussed on TalkSPORT on Saturday where Dean Ashton said that Crystal Palace would be the better option.

He said: “I think he would be a better fit at Crystal Palace, and I think what they’ve tended to do is look for talent in the Championship and blood them at Premier League level, you know, Wharton, Eze, plenty of others to have done that with, that would definitely suit them.

“I don’t think he would suit Tottenham because that’s what they’ve got on the bench today, which is Tel and Odobert there, their 20-year-olds who need to develop, I don’t think they need another one.”

Marti Cifuentes addresses Bilal El Khannouss future

Losing another key player would be a big blow for the Foxes but Leicester need a side full of players who want to be here.

Cifuentes will hope that the attacking midfielder can stay and be reintegrated into the side but for now, admitted that he took the player out of the spotlight.

In his pre-match interview with Sky Sports, he said: “Bilal is a fantastic young player, very talented.

“We felt it was not the easiest week and in the end we decided to take him out of the spotlight, just because I think it’s the best for him and for the team.”

Southampton have picked up four points in their first two games of the season, and Will Still is starting to settle in at St. Mary’s.

The Saints held Ipswich Town to a 1-1 draw at Portman Road in their most recent game, with Jay Robinson scoring his first goal for the club on Sunday.

Tyler Dibling did come off the bench at the weekend, despite significant interest from Everton over the course of the last few weeks. Now, with less than two weeks to go in the transfer window, there is perhaps hope that the situation may calm.

However, there is a fresh twist in the saga, with a new club now targeting the Southampton teenager.

Crystal Palace place Tyler Dibling on their shortlist

Dibling’s future looks as though it is going to lie in the Premier League, whether that is with the Saints next season or if he does depart the club this summer.

That process may now speed up, with talkSPORT reporting that Crystal Palace have taken note of the 19-year-old as Eberechi Eze closes in on a move to Tottenham Hotspur, as per Fabrizio Romano.

The winger, who can also feature in midfield, made 33 appearances in the Premier League last season as Southampton picked up just 12 points across the entire campaign – coming close to breaking Derby County’s record low.

Nevertheless, he was one of the standout players for the Hampshire outfit, and it would not be a surprise to see him make the step up back to the top flight before the window shuts.

A Tyler Dibling bidding war could be the best thing for the Saints

So far, Everton have not matched Southampton’s valuation of Dibling, and therefore he remains in the Championship.

However, with competition potentially coming in from Crystal Palace in the coming days, a bidding war could ensue for the winger and this would be the perfect situation for the Saints.

They have made it clear how much they value Dibling, and Southampton have every right to hold out for that fee.

The introduction of another party into the race for his signature will only help them in their quest to get the money they desire and this may be the beginning of the end of the teenager at St. Mary’s.

Blackpool’s start to the season was best summed up by one Tangerines player on Saturday afternoon as he equalled a feat not seen in 18 years.

The Seasiders won their first game of the campaign this weekend, beating promotion favourites Huddersfield Town – who they recently beat to signing George Honeyman – 3-2 at Bloomfield Road. Niall Ennis’ double and Lee Evans’ goal in the first half cancelled out Ben Wiles’ early opener and Lynden Gooch opening his account for the Terriers.

It ended a run of three losses in a row, with Steve Bruce’s side previously falling to defeat against Stevenage, Exeter in League One and then Port Vale in the Carabao Cup first round.

But despite getting a victory under their belts, one Blackpool player epitomised the mixed bag of performances the Seasiders have endured so far this season.

Niall Ennis is the first player to score twice and be sent off in one game since Robbie Keane in 2007

Niall Ennis, who had been on loan from Stoke City last season before signing permanently this summer for an undisclosed fee on a two-year deal, started up top with Ashley Fletcher for Bruce’s side on Saturday.

He scored his second and third goals of the season, but his afternoon was cut short after he saw a straight red card for a late tackle on Jack Whatmough, just 36 minutes into the game.

Despite being down to 10 men, Blackpool saw out the win – but Ennis has gone in the history books as a result.

It’s been 18 years since a player scored twice and also got sent off in one game. The last star to do that was Robbie Keane in Tottenham’s clash against Bolton in February 2007 for serious foul play involving a studs-first lunge on Fabrice Muamba.

Much like Blackpool, Spurs went on to win the game, beating Wanderers 4-1. Steve Bruce’s assessment of the incident suggests Ennis will miss the next three games like Keane did.

Steve Bruce’s reaction to Niall Ennis’ red card

The Blackpool forward will now serve a ban and could prove to be a huge miss after starting the last three of the Seasiders’ games.

However, Bruce appears to have accepted the decision, and the chances of the club opting to appeal it look unlikely.

Although, he did joke that back in his days of playing football in the 1980s and 1990s, Ennis could have ‘got away with it’.

Discussing Ennis’ sending off, the Blackpool boss said. “I don’t think we’ve got any complaints. Back in my day we might’ve got away with it. I haven’t seen it back but my initial thought was I could see why he was sent off.”

Bruce’s other forward Kylian Kouassi joined Cambridge United on loan on Monday, while the Seasiders also boast Tom Bloxam and Dale Taylor to help replace the former Stoke goalscorer for the upcoming fixtures.

After scraping survival last season, Portsmouth are destined to be among the relegation battle again in 2025/26, but one signing could help them stay up.

Portsmouth won the League One title in 2023/24 but faced an uphill battle to maintain their Championship status last season.

However, thanks to brilliant output from signing of the season Josh Murphy and prolific forward Colby Bishop and a fantastic home record to boot, the South Coast club ended the season in a very respectable 16th place, six points above the drop zone.

John Mousinho will have to do it all again this year in an even more competitive Championship than before, but his latest transfer target could steer Portsmouth to safety.

Portsmouth looking to sign Yang Min-hyeok on loan

Tottenham Hotspur are looking to move on their top young talent this summer, with the likes of Mikey Moore joining Rangers on loan, Jamie Donley going to Stoke, and Will Lankshear heading to Oxford United.

Next up, it appears Yang Min-hyeok will depart for the season, with Portsmouth keen on the South Korean starlet.

It’s thought a deal is close to being completed, and the 19-year-old winger could well be the final piece of the puzzle for Pompey as they look to establish themselves in the second tier once again.

We haven’t seen many Portsmouth signings this summer, but with Murphy and Bishop being fed by the highly-creative young Spurs loanee, Mousinho should have enough in his squad to survive.

Given Sheffield Wednesday are doomed and Oxford United will surely struggle, it’s hard to imagine Pompey being the third-worst team in the division in 2025/26.

Yang Min-hyeok proved last season he can be Heung-min Son 2.0

After making his exciting move to Tottenham Hotspur in January, Yang Min-hyeok was quickly sent out on loan to QPR and made quite the name for himself in the Championship.

With two goals and one assist in 14 appearances, Yang showed plenty of promise and he’ll be eager to replicate that across a full campaign in 2025/26.

Speaking to the press in Korea recently, Yang discussed the legacy of Spurs icon and compatriot Heung-min Son, detailing how he would love to follow in his footsteps one day.

He said: “When I’ve built a great career like brother Heung-min and earned that level of respect, I’ll dream of taking on the honor of wearing the No. 7… Even as he left, I felt like I gained so much from him. I started imagining that maybe one day, I’ll have a farewell like that too.”

The first step to reaching those levels now is to put in a consistent run of performances this season for Portsmouth and make sure that Thomas Frank finds a place for him in the Spurs squad for 2026/27.

There are only a couple of days to go until the 2025/26 Championship season gets underway.

It’s predicted to be a thrilling first game week in the second tier, with plenty of tasty fixtures to get stuck into.

The transfer window is still open in this period too, meaning all 24 managers can still bolster their squads.

While the likes of Birmingham City have been busy, other clubs like Leicester City are yet to make an outfield signing.

With that, here is all of the latest transfer news from EFL Analysis this Thursday morning.

Ipswich Town set to beat Birmingham to Chuba Akpom signing

This transfer saga is only a couple of days old but we’ve already seen a transfer tug-of-war between Ipswich Town and the Blues for Chuba Akpom.

Ajax have allowed Akpom to leave after ostracising him from their first-team squad, putting a number of English clubs on red alert.

It looked like Birmingham would sign Akpom on loan but at the last moment, Ipswich hijacked their bid by making a better offer to the former Arsenal man.

In a fresh update on Wednesday, it was reported that Akpom would be heading to Ipswich.

That first game of the season between the two teams is going to be spicy.

Leicester lose another FA Cup hero

Leicester have been one of the quieter sides in the transfer window with free agent Asmir Begovic the only new addition of the summer window.

Marti Cifuentes needs to trim his squad and has already sold Conor Coady.

Wilfred Ndidi looks set to depart for Besiktas after they activated his £9m release clause.

EFL Analysis understands that the midfielder initially had a desire to remain in England and sign for a Premier League club but, since there were no offers, he chose Turkey instead.

A medical is scheduled for today according to Florian Plettenberg before his nine-year stay at Leicester comes to an end.

Stoke City confirm Jamie Donley loan signing

Jamie Donley was one of the stars in League One during his loan spell with Leyton Orient last season.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t guide the O’s to promotion to the second tier but he will get a crack at it himself after Stoke City announced Donley had joined.

He’s only on loan at the Bet365 Stadium until the end of the season as Tottenham Hotspur rate him highly, but expect the midfielder to be one of the most exciting talents in the league.

Donley also scored a stunning goal against Manchester City in the FA Cup, so goalkeepers who stand off their line should be warned.

Hull City want record fee for Charlie Hughes

Despite an EFL-imposed transfer restriction ban, the window has been relatively positive for Hull City.

Several free agents and loan signings have been made and the feeling around the Tigers’ playing squad is much more hopeful than a few weeks ago.

Their weekend opponents Coventry City are willing to test their resolve though and make a bid for defender Charlie Hughes.

Frank Lampard appears to be a huge fan but Coventry’s initial offer totalling £7m was rejected by Hull.

Stoke City have confirmed the loan signing of Jamie Donley from Tottenham Hotspur, with Thomas Frank hopeful this move to the Championship can further his development.

Donley impressed while on loan last season in League One with Leyton Orient, scoring a memorable goal against Manchester City in the FA Cup.

However, the Northern Irish attacker is looking to step up, and so he has opted to take a loan spell at Stoke City to help his Spurs future in the long term.

Stoke City are hopeful that this signing can help bolster their attacking options and that Donley will have a similar impact as Tom Cannon did last season.

Donley has already represented Northern Ireland at international level, so there is hope he can bring that international experience to Stoke City this season and use the ambition of playing in the World Cup to help his club performance.

Donley explains why he joined Stoke City

The 22-year-old has already spoken to the media team at Stoke City after signing for the Championship side from Spurs.

Donley has made it clear as to why he joined Stoke in his welcoming interview after agreeing to the loan deal, with Thomas Frank believing this move can help the development of his player.

He said: “I had a few teams after me, but I decided on Stoke when the gaffer [Mark Robins] called while I was away on tour.

“The way he wants to play, both in terms of attacking and defending, definitely suits me.

“I had a chat with Ash [Phillips] too, and he said it’s a great club with good people in the building, and he can definitely see me contributing to the team in a positive way.

“I’ve heard a lot about the coaching staff and how the manager improves young players. You can see that in the history he’s had in working with different teams.

“I enjoyed a really positive loan last year; I know about the pressure of men’s football now and how people look to you to contribute in games. I took to that pressure well, and I want to carry that on here at Stoke City.”

Jonathan Walters view on his latest signing

Jonathan Walters knows that there is still a need to strengthen the Stoke City squad despite the loan signing of Donley.

However, he seems pleased following his interview with the club media about the signing and what the Northern Irish international will bring to Stoke.

Speaking to the club website, he said: “Jamie was one of the standout players in League One last season, and, naturally, the number of goals and assists he produced made him a loan target for several Championship clubs this summer.

“That he’s been involved throughout pre-season for Tottenham Hotspur speaks volumes for how highly regarded he is by their coaching staff.

“It is, meanwhile, a testament to the work we have done with Ashley Phillips that Spurs believe Stoke City is the best place for Jamie to make an impact in the Championship.

“Jamie is technically talented with a clinical shooting and passing range. We are looking forward to seeing the impact he can make as a Stoke City player this season.”

Stoke City are set to benefit from Thomas Frank’s appointment at Spurs by capturing an in-demand young talent on loan.

Stoke City have endured a turbulent summer transfer window as Mark Robins looks to better last season’s relegation-threatened finish.

Several shrewd signings have been made by Stoke this summer, namely with Maksym Talovierov joining from Plymouth Argyle and Divin Mubama joining on loan from Manchester City.

However, those have to be mitigated by high-profile departures, after Wouter Burger left Stoke for Hoffenheim and Sol Sidibe moved to PSV Eindhoven.

Now, after the arrival of Mubama, Stoke are set to sign another highly-rated Premier League starlet on loan for the 2025/26 Championship season.

Stoke City set to sign Jamie Donley on loan from Tottenham

Stoke are no strangers to loan deals for young top flight talent after Ben Koumas’ stint at the bet365 Stadium last season from Liverpool.

Koumas has Championship interest in himself this summer, as did former Leyton Orient loanee Jamie Donley, who is set to join Stoke on loan from Spurs for next season.

Football London reporter Alasdair Gold outlined on X that “Jamie Donley on his way to Stoke”.

Gold revealed that several young Spurs players, including Donley, were made available for loan this summer to “get them regular minutes to hasten their development”, and we’ve already seen movement on some deals.

Will Lankshear has joined Oxford United on loan, and Tyrese Hall has joined League Two Notts County.

Donley was in electric form during his loan stint at Leyton Orient last season, scoring eight goals and registering 11 assists from 52 games in all competitions.

Stoke City boss Mark Robins will love Richie Wellens’ praise for Jamie Donley

Orient boss Richie Wellens believed Donley deserved his maiden senior call-up for Northern Ireland, which came earlier last season amid his outstanding form.

As quoted by the Belfast Newsletter, Wellens said: “I’m really pleased for him. He deserves it, he has been outstanding.

“He’s a difficult player to take out of the team because he’s talented, gives you good weight of pass in the final third, gives you good options.

“The plan for Jamie was one of two things. He comes to us, develops, grows into a man and then goes back to Tottenham and maybe gets into their first team.

“If not, then he goes to the Championship, so there is a clear development plan for him going forward.

“Spurs have been great with us, loaned us one of their best young players, and we think we’ve developed him really well over the last six months.

“And if he carries on with the same attitude, the same intensity, the same work ethic and mentality, then he might be playing against City week in, week out.”

Tottenham Hotspur have sent their exciting young striker Will Lankshear on loan to Oxford United for the 2025/26 campaign, but the move should set alarm bells ringing for the player.

After surviving relegation last season against the odds, many expect Oxford United to struggle this term.

In our Championship preview for 2025/26, we predicted Oxford will be among the relegation candidates, and given their lack of transfer activity this summer, it’s easy to see why.

However, Gary Rowett has now added some much-needed firepower to his ranks ahead of the opening round of fixtures.

Will Lankshear joins Oxford United on loan

Oxford were tipped to sign Lankshear on Monday evening, and by Tuesday morning the move was confirmed by the club.

The 20-year-old will spend the 2025/26 campaign with the U’s in an attempt to gain first-team experience away from Tottenham.

Discussing the move, Lankshear said: “This is a really exciting opportunity for me to be joining a great club. I learned so much last season in the first team at Tottenham and West Brom and I’m ready to now kick on with Oxford United.

“I’ve had some really good conversations with the manager, and I feel like this is the right place for me to be. I love nothing more than scoring goals. I want to do my best to bring as many as I can this season.

“My game is about more than just goals though. I’m a player that has taken all the information from the top professionals I’ve worked with and I’m now ready to bring it together, work hard for the team and deliver for the club.”

Meanwhile, Rowett expressed his hope that Lankshear can make an “immediate impact” at Oxford, while Head of Football Operations, Ed Waldron, added that Lankshear will be an “important player” in the team.

Dane Scarlett struggled at Oxford United last season

Lankshear will certainly be hoping those statements from his new manager and Head of Football are not simply bluster and that he and the club fulfil their promises.

The new Oxford United signing will surely be looking at the way his Spurs teammate, Dane Scarlett, struggled while on loan with the U’s last season as a warning as to what could play out for him if he’s not careful.

Scarlett made 20 appearances in total for Oxford between August and January, scoring four goals. On paper that doesn’t look too bad, but the young forward was only given 788 minutes, which is an average of just under 40 minutes per game.

In fact, Scarlett only started eight games for Oxford, with Rowett consistently overlooking the 21-year-old. If Lankshear does not get off to a good start with his new club, he could well find himself returning to Tottenham in the New Year just as Scarlett did.

Indeed, Lankshear featured 11 times for West Brom last season during his loan spell with the Baggies but failed to score. He will be desperate to prove that was an anomaly now.

Despite many predicting Charlton Athletic to go straight back down this season, Nathan Jones has recruited well, but there is one more player he should sign.

Charlton triumphed in the League One play-offs last season thanks to a resilient defence and some gritty displays from Nathan Jones’ side.

Given their lack of quality at the start of the summer, it’s not surprising they were most people’s pick to finish rock bottom in the Championship for 2025/26.

However, recent signings like Charlie Kelman have raised the bar, and now, Jones has a real fighting chance of keeping the Addicks in the division.

George Abbott is ready to step up to the Championship and Charlton Athletic need him

There’s still work to be done for Charlton, of course. One area in particular where they look low on quality is in the middle of the park, and Tottenham Hotspur could help them out there.

George Abbott recently signed a new contract with Spurs to commit his long-term future to the Lilywhites, but with plenty of upheaval at Tottenham this summer, he’s unlikely to bag a first-team spot just yet.

Instead, Thomas Frank is almost certainly going to look to loan Abbott out, and that’s where Charlton come in.

Abbott enjoyed a phenomenal loan spell with Notts County in League Two last season, registering six goals and seven assists in 44 games.

One of those goals was crowned the League Two goal of the season, with Abbott applying a wonderful, technical finish to get the ball rolling in a 3-0 win over Accrington Stanley back in January.

The truth is, from the moment he arrived at Notts County you could tell Abbott was too good for the division. And, while a switch to League One this year is the safe option, there’s no reason he can’t make the leap to the Championship and show what he’s capable of.

Charlton have the likes of Conor Coventry, Terry Taylor, Greg Docherty, Sonny Carey, Karoy Anderson, and Luke Berry in the middle of the park, but they lack someone like Abbott who offers dynamism, creativity, and flair in those pockets behind the front line.

Nathan Jones is actually putting together a good squad at Charlton Athletic

While most people joked about Nathan Jones turning Charlton into Luton Town 2.0 earlier this summer, with the likes of Thomas Kaminski and Reece Burke joining from his former club, there are some really shrewd signings to supplement that.

Amari’i Bell, another player taken from Luton, should be the perfect replacement for Small, while Joe Rankin-Costello on the other side of defence is a solid signing.

Rob Apter will be one to watch, too. Blackpool fans think he left too soon, but he will be hungry to show what he can do in the Championship.

The same goes for Kelman up top. After scoring 21 goals in League One last season, he’s more than ready to explode in the second tier, and QPR may well regret selling him in the long run.

It’ll still be a slog for Charlton this season, but they’re definitely giving themselves a fighting chance thanks to the recruitment drive this summer.