EFL Analysis

Despite his Tottenham connections as a former head coach, new West Brom boss Ryan Mason looks poised to miss out on one in-demand player.

West Brom appointed Ryan Mason in June to spearhead the Baggies’ promotion push in the Championship next season.

So far in the summer transfer window, the Hawthorns outfit have added quality to the new boss’ squad, with former Liverpool defender Nat Phillips joining West Brom in favour of a return to Derby County, with George Campbell and Aune Heggebo also arriving.

After a 17-year association as a player and seven years as a coach, Mason has strong connections with his former employers. As EFL Analysis revealed after his appointment, Mason’s priorities at West Brom this summer included using his Spurs “advantage” in the market to target loan moves.

Unfortunately for Mason and the Baggies hierarchy, West Brom are set to miss out on a loan move for an in-demand Spurs starlet, with Scottish giants Rangers now the “favourites” for his signature.

Rangers are now ‘favourites’ to sign Mikey Moore on loan from Tottenham

We understand that Mason won’t get a huge transfer budget for his first summer as West Brom boss, and after the £9m outlay for the aforementioned trio, the Baggies’ next move could be within the Premier League loan market.

It’s expected that Tom Fellows will leave West Brom this summer, with top flight Everton fighting for his signature, which would leave Mason in need of recruits in wide areas.

West Brom’s dream summer transfer window would include a loan move for Spurs starlet Mikey Moore, but now that potential deal is in jeopardy, with West Brom not being the only Championship side to miss out.

Unfortunately for Mason, Scottish Premier League giants Rangers are now “favourites” to sign Spurs youngster Moore on loan ahead of next season.

Daily Telegraph reporter Matt Law revealed on X: “Rangers have emerged as favourites to sign Mikey Moore on loan from Tottenham.

“There’s been a lot of interest, particularly from the Championship, but Rangers seen as most likely destination.”

With Rangers poised to beat West Brom and several second tier suitors to Moore, Mason has missed a golden chance to recruit such an impressive young talent, who was last season likened to a certain Brazil and Barcelona icon.

Ryan Mason will regret not signing Mikey Moore after Neymar comparison

Moore registered one assist in ten top flight outings, but scored and assisted one apiece in Spurs’ successful European journey.

Moore’s only Europa League goal of the campaign came against Elfsborg, but his best performance of the tournament came against AZ Alkmaar.

The youngster was in electric form, and after the game, then-Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou told Tottenham Hotspur’s website that comparisons to Neymar had been mooted by teammate James Maddison in the wake of Moore’s breakout display on the European stage.

In October last year, Postecoglou said of Moore: “I was going to try to downplay it, but apparently Madders (James Maddison) has called him Neymar, so that’s blown that out of the water!

“The beauty of Mikey is that I know it won’t affect him at all. He’s such a mature young man. It was exciting.

“He’s got that ability to go past people, which is the hardest thing to do in our game, apart from scoring goals.

“He’s just turned 17, but even physically, he’s such a strong young man, and I know he’ll get better. He was brilliant, but he’s been brilliant every time he’s played for us.

“He’s going to be a pretty special player. If he keeps performing like that, everything else takes care of itself.”

They’ve been relatively quiet so far this summer, but Millwall’s transfer business is about to spark into life with three new signings on the way.

Millwall finished the season strong in 2024/25, with Alex Neil taking the Lions to the brink of a surprise play-off spot.

They narrowly missed out, but are tipped to be dark horses in the coming campaign. However, the lack of Millwall signings so far this summer has left plenty feeling a little underwhelmed.

That could all be about to change now, though, as reports suggest Millwall are closing in on not one, but three new arrivals soon.

Millwall sign Fulham ‘keeper, Ipswich Town ace is next

The latest comes from The Mirror, who offer a strong update on Millwall’s activity in the transfer market.

First of all, it’s said Millwall have secured a deal to bring Fulham goalkeeper Steven Benda in on loan. He will provide cover for current number one, Lukas Jensen, who is out injured and will miss the start of the season.

It’s also thought Massimo Luongo, one of the last remaining free agents in the Championship after his Ipswich Town exit, will link up with the Lions.

The Australian midfielder carried out a medical at Millwall on Thursday afternoon ahead of the move.

Millwall want to take Alfie Devine from Tottenham Hotspur

Alongside this double signing, Millwall are also thought to be interested in taking Alfie Devine across London from Tottenham Hotspur.

It is unclear whether this would be a loan move or a permanent transfer, though there are suggestions they may be able to secure him long-term.

The teenager is Tottenham’s youngest ever goalscorer after scoring for the Lilywhites in the FA Cup back in 2021. However, he’s failed to nail down a place in the Spurs first-team under various managers since.

Last summer, Ange Postecoglou discussed his plans for Devine (via The Spurs Web), claiming the youngster is able to “make an impact” while suggesting he would need to be out on loan gaining experience.

Devine has enjoyed promising spells in the EFL with Port Vale and Plymouth Argyle, but struggled in Belgium in the backend of last term.

Still, bringing in one of Tottenham’s most promising young talents would be a real coup for Millwall, and he’s the kind of creative playmaker they really need to take them to the next level.

Clubs across the Championship are splashing the cash this summer, but Alfie Whiteman will cost absolutely nothing and he’d be a great signing for Portsmouth.

The likes of Birmingham City, Norwich, and West Brom have already made major moves in the market ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Meanwhile, Portsmouth have been a bit quieter, but the South Coast club will need to bolster their ranks if they’re to avoid getting sucked into a relegation battle in the coming season.

John Mousinho’s side finished 16th last season after gaining promotion from League One, but were just five points away from the drop zone.

Here, we outline one Portsmouth signing they should be chasing next.

Alfie Whiteman never made a senior start for Tottenham Hotspur, but he’s got the talent

Among all the Premier League free agents looking for new clubs this summer, one of the biggest gambles out there is Alfie Whiteman.

The 26-year-old goalkeeper came through the Tottenham Hotspur academy and had been with the club for a decade before he was released this summer.

In all that time in North London, however, Whiteman made just one very brief substitute appearance, playing eight minutes of a Europa League tie. That was in November 2020.

Since then, Whiteman has featured on the Spurs bench from time to time, but has always been low down the pecking order behind the likes of Hugo Lloris, and more recently, Guglielmo Vicario, Antonin Kinsky, and even fellow academy man Brandon Austin.

Funnily enough, Whiteman has found himself with a bit of a cult following thanks to his exploits outside of football. When he’s not working on his game between the sticks, Whiteman has been known to get behind the DJ decks and perform at club nights, and is also a keen cinephile who shares his thoughts on films very publicly via Letterboxd.

Still, the very fact that Spurs kept Whiteman around for so long, and indeed offered him a new contract in 2019, speaks volumes about his quality.

The career of a goalkeeper, especially a young one, is very tough. When you’re part of a top Premier League side, it becomes even more difficult, and Whiteman is simply the victim of being behind some really strong goalkeepers over the years.

He’s more than capable of performing at Championship level, and Portsmouth should give him that chance now.

Portsmouth need Alfie Whiteman more than Blackburn Rovers

It’s said Whiteman has already been on trial with Portsmouth this summer, but Pompey face competition from the likes of Blackburn Rovers, Oxford United, and Stoke City.

The thing is, Blackburn have Aynsley Pears in goal and unless they sell him, Whiteman would probably be looking at a back-up role again.

The same goes for Stoke, who have one of the best players in the Championship in his position, with Viktor Johansson the undisputed number one there.

Oxford United could probably offer Whiteman the first-team football he craves, but Portsmouth are the most likely to genuinely make the 26-year-old their number one.

Mousinho currently has Nicholas Schmid, Jordan Archer, Toby Steward, and Ben Killip as his goalkeeping options. Truth is, none of them come close to Whiteman, and that will make all the difference as he decides on his next club.

Sheffield Wednesday find themselves in a precarious position following the recent departure of Djeidi Gassama to Rangers on a four-year deal.

Gassama, a key figure in the Owls’ attacking line, leaves a significant gap that manager Danny Rohl must fill swiftly.

Fans have also slammed owner Chansiri after Djeidi Gassama completed his move to Rangers.

Some fans were also left unsure of Danny Rohl’s future after returning to his duties at Hillsborough.

The Owls are not short of problems, with Wednesday being hit with a transfer ban, and replacing Gassama is one thing that could reinstate some faith in the Wednesday faithful.

Fortunately, a clear candidate has emerged who could fill Gassama’s boots, who signed a six-year contract at Tottenham Hotspur last year.

How Yang Min-hyeok’s stats compare to Djeidi Gassama

Yang Min-hyeok is the perfect fit to replace Sheffield Wednesday’s Djeidi Gassama.

Sheffield Wednesday find themselves in a precarious position following the recent departure of Djeidi Gassama.

While Gassama boasts a more extensive senior career with 147 appearances, 42 goals, and 14 assists, Yang Min-hyeok’s numbers, though from fewer games, 56 appearances, 15 goals, and 7 assists, show a strong per-game contribution.

QPR manager at the time, Marti Cifuentes, always spoke well of Min-hyeok. Via journalist Toby Bryant, who posted the comments on X, Cifuentes said: “He’s progressing, doing well.

“The last two games at home, especially, he did well. The impact from the bench against Portsmouth was very positive.

“His attitude is top. He is dangerous and has the pace to go forward, get in behind and go one vs one.”

Despite his productive loan spell at QPR, his path to regular first-team football at Tottenham Hotspur for the 2025/26 season appears blocked by the depth of their squad.

This makes a move to Hillsborough an ideal opportunity for Min-hyeok to secure consistent playing time and continue his development, offering Sheffield Wednesday an exciting and worthwhile replacement for Gassama.

Sheffield Wednesday have proved to be a good home for loan players

Despite the ongoing financial complexities at Hillsborough under Dejphon Chansiri, Sheffield Wednesday have cultivated a reputation as an excellent proving ground for loan players.

The success stories of individuals like Shea Charles and James Beadle are a testament to this.

Charles enjoyed his ‘very good’ Sheffield Wednesday loan, earning the Owls’ Player of the Year, whilst Beadle gained key Championship experience.

This track record of nurturing young talent could be key to securing Yang Min-hyeok.

Premier League clubs like Tottenham Hotspur value environments where their prospects can receive consistent, high-level football, and Wednesday offer that.

Even with the club’s financial issues, the proven pathway to first-team action and player development at Hillsborough provides a strong argument that might just persuade Spurs to sanction a loan move for Min-hyeok, offering him the regular minutes he wouldn’t get in North London.

Ryan Mason could trust in his Tottenham Hotspur roots to sign a youngster with brilliant EFL experience for West Brom.

West Brom appointed Ryan Mason as head coach ahead of the 2025/26 Championship season.

After a deflating finish to the 2024/25 Championship campaign under Tony Mowbray, there will be expectations that the former Tottenham Hotspur coach can deliver a play-off finish.

Mason has already been significantly backed by the board after the Baggies signed Aune Heggebo from Norwegian outfit Brann.

Heggebo has arrived at West Brom for £4.7m; a sign that the hierarchy at the club are willing to give Mason the tools to deliver a brilliant campaign.

There are still gaps in Mason’s side that need to be filled in the summer transfer window, including the midfield, something that the West Brom coach will be keen to resolve by bringing in a player he knows very well.

West Brom should target Tottenham Hotspur youngster Jamie Donley

West Brom would significantly benefit by bringing in a forward-thinking and creative attacking midfielder, which opens up the possibility of the Baggies possibly exploring a deal for Tottenham Hotspur youngster Jamie Donley.

Donley, 20, has strong connections to Baggies boss Ryan Mason, with the pair’s spells at Spurs overlapping.

During Mason’s spell as assistant at Tottenham, Donley notched four appearances for Ange Postecoglou’s side, accumulating 11 minutes of action from off the bench.

Donley’s breakthrough came last season at Leyton Orient, with the Spurs man playing an integral role for the club, overachieving to reach the League One play-off final, only to lose to Charlton Athletic.

Ryan Mason can get the best out of Jamie Donley

With a total of eight goals and 10 assists in 39 League One fixtures, it would be likely that such a record would translate well into Championship football, and Mason would be perfect to help the youngster hit the heights.

Donley will be keen to follow up his top season with Leyton Orient by not only playing at a higher level but also doing so under a coach who will get the best out of him.

There will no doubt be many Championship clubs with a desire to take a chance on Donley this season, but West Brom fans can be confident that Mason’s influence could make them front runners, if such a deal were pursued.