With Matheus Cunha seemingly on his way to Manchester United this summer, Wolverhampton Wanderers are now reportedly set to submit a £29m bid to sign their potential replacement.

Man Utd close in on Cunha

Cunha’s Wolves departure has looked inevitable rather than possible ever since he put pen to paper on a deal which included a £63m release clause in January. The Brazilian stayed put in the winter window, but on that one condition. Now, according to Fabrizio Romano, it’s Manchester United who are set to take full advantage of that release clause this summer.

The inevitability of Cunha’s exit hasn’t always seen the forward keep his home fans onside, either, and he has done himself no favours throughout the campaign by keeping up a poor disciplinary record on the pitch.

What those suspensions have done, however, is hand Vitor Pereira a glimpse into life without Cunha. And whilst it would have been easy to assume that glimpse would spell undeniable disaster for Wolves, the reality couldn’t be more different.

Without their star man, Wolves put together an impressive three game winning run, which then turned into six once he returned. It was a run that led to their Premier League safety and one that Pereira celebrated by joining his supporters at the local pub.

Whether a toast was raised to Cunha is doubtful, but there’s no denying that Wolves will still need to replace the Man United-bound star regardless of that impressive run without him. And that has reportedly seen them turn their attention towards another Brazilian forward.

Wolves set to table Yuri Alberto offer

According to reports in Brazil, as relayed by Sport Witness, Wolves are now set to table an offer worth €35m (£30m) to sign Yuri Alberto this summer. Pereira has reportedly specifically requested the 23-year-old Corinthians forward who he worked with during his time at the Brazilian club and could now get his man when the summer arrives.

Yuri Alberto under Pereira	Record (via Transfermarkt)
Appearances	28
Goals	11
Assists	2

A young forward who was just finding his best form at the time, Alberto has since blossomed into an impressive striker who is ready for a move into European football.

Described as “clinical” by South American football expert Nathan Joyes, the Brazilian could instantly form a partnership full of promise with Jorgen Strand Larsen, who has enjoyed an impressive season in his own right under Pereira.

Wolves battle Borussia Dortmund for 18 y/o starlet with £10m release clause

Wolves are among the teams chasing a young star, who is out of contract in December.

By
Brett Worthington

May 19, 2025

Get things right and Cunah will be a name of the past, rather than a regretful star lost. Pereira has already proven that he is more than capable of getting the best out of his current squad without his standout star, but the arrival of Alberto could help the Portuguese manager take Wolves beyond simply surviving in the Premier League.

The life of a Premier League manager is a precious one; they seldom last as long as they should, with trigger-happy owners desperate to instigate the change their ailing clubs need to remain competitive, whether that’s through surviving the drop or simply staying relevant in the race for European football.

So with 20 bosses fighting for their jobs on a weekly basis, who could be next to leave? With the 2024/25 campaign in its final weeks, there could be clubs contemplating changes ahead of the summer.

Here, our ranking takes us through the managers we think are closest to being shown the exit door. As well as the threat of dismissal, we have also factored in managers wo may be tempted to jump ship, adding some uncertainty to their futures at their respective clubs.

This is how we think the Premier League’s managerial sack race stands at this late stage of the campaign, with our reasoning for each one below:

Rank

Manager

Club

Date appointed

Oliver Glasner

Crystal Palace

February 2024

Arne Slot

Liverpool

May 2025

David Moyes

Everton

January 2025

Mikel Arteta

Arsenal

December 2019

Vitor Pereira

Wolves

December 2024

Unai Emery

Aston Villa

November 2022

Andoni Iraola

Bournemouth

June 2023

Marco Silva

Fulham

July 2021

Thomas Frank

Brentford

October 2018

Ange Postecoglou

Tottenham

June 2023

Enzo Maresca

Chelsea

June 2024

Eddie Howe

Newcastle

November 2021

Pep Guardiola

Man City

July 2016

Nuno Espirito Santo

Nottingham Forest

December 2023

Fabian Hurzeler

Brighton

June 2024

Kieran McKenna

Ipswich

December 2021

Graham Potter

West Ham

January 2025

Ruben Amorim

Man Utd

November 2024

Ruud van Nistelrooy

Leicester

November 2024

Here’s a further look at our rankings in more detail…

1 Oliver Glasner Crystal Palace

Oliver Glasner’s tenure at Crystal Palace could hardly have gone better. After comfortably staying up in the 2023/24 season, he picked the Eagles up from a slow start to the most recent campaign and survived with ease once again.

But the crowning glory came in the FA Cup final at Wembley, as Crystal Palace became cup winners for the first time with a historic 1-0 win over Manchester City to write their names into the record books. There is simply no one they’d swap the Austrian for right now.

2 Arne Slot Liverpool

There are few safer hot seats in Europe than the one occupied by Arne Slot at Liverpool. The Dutchman steered the Reds to a pretty comfortable Premier League triumph in his first season in charge as he replaced the great Jurgen Klopp.

Cynics will argue that the competition was nowhere near as fierce, but Liverpool’s status as a top side in English football and Europe looks assured under the former Feyenoord boss, who will look to emulate Jose Mourinho by securing two titles in his first two seasons.

Having not bought anyone of note in the summer (sorry, Federico Chiesa), his success is all the more impressive.

3 David Moyes Everton

It may be a slight stretch to call David Moyes a miracle worker, but even the Friedkin Group must be delighted with how things have gone in the past few months for Everton.

With the Scot drafted in to rescue his old club from relegation ahead of their move to Bramley-Moore Dock, Moyes not only made the Toffees more solid in the wake of Sean Dyche’s exit, but turned them into winners.

Seven wins and counting since January saw Everton coast to top-flight safety, and with only four league defeats since Moyes’ return, the Merseysiders were able to give Goodison Park the send-off it deserved without the threat of demotion hanging over them. There is no one more fitting to kickstart the new era.

4 Mikel Arteta Arsenal

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has transformed the Gunners into a European powerhouse. Despite not adding to his FA Cup triumph in 2020, the north Londoners are undoubtedly one of the strongest sides in the league, if not on the continent.

That is a testament to the Spaniard’s work at the Emirates Stadium, with Arteta juggling injuries and suspensions galore in 2024/25 to steer Arsenal to just their third Champions League semi-final and what looks to be a third successive runners-up place in the Premier League.

With a big summer surely in the offing, you can bet Arteta will be backed to keep up the good work.

5 Vitor Pereira Wolves

Vitor Pereira was tasked with saving Wolves following his arrival in December 2024, with the Old Gold still in single figures in terms of points, and five from safety.

A superb run of form – including six straight wins between March and April – effectively secured their survival, even ahead of the likes of West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur.

Heading into his first full season, Fosun must be licking their lips over what the Portuguese coach can do with his squad over the long term.

6 Unai Emery Aston Villa

Aston Villa have had a superb time of it under Unai Emery, with Champions League qualification leading to some of Villa Park’s greatest nights.

They have all been made possible by Emery’s work since his appointment in November 2022, which has seen the Villans transformed from Premier League strugglers to Champions League quarter-finalists in less than three years.

With European qualification assured (and perhaps another CL berth), Emery will surely not be going anywhere anytime soon.

7 Andoni Iraola Bournemouth

Andoni Iraola is one of the Premier League’s brightest minds in the dugout. He has taken Bournemouth to the brink of Europe following a superb top-flight campaign that has delivered their highest points total at this level.

That consistency will leave him with plenty of credit in the bank, though a big test will be how he addresses the departure of Dean Huijsen in the summer.

The next step for the Spaniard will be European qualification, and having performed well against the bigger sides in the league, Iraola may yet set his sights on new heights down on the south coast.

8 Marco Silva Fulham

Marco Silva looks at home as Fulham boss, with the Portuguese coach delivering another impressive campaign. Indeed, the Cottagers have only just exited European contention at the back end of the season.

His record at Craven Cottage thus far suggests they will remain an awkward side to face, with cup success or European qualification surely only around the corner if they can keep progressing under his tutelage.

9 Thomas Frank Brentford

How Thomas Frank continues to get results out of Brentford is remarkably impressive. Not panicked by the exit of Ivan Toney in the summer, the Bees have shown they are arguably a better side without him, while the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa have steadily improved, demonstrating Frank’s capabilities as a coach.

European qualification remains a slight possibility heading into the final game of the season, and it would be just rewards for a club that is one of the most stable in the Premier League, largely thanks to Frank’s prowess from the dugout.

You get the feeling that as long as Frank remains, Brentford are in good hands.

10 Ange Postecoglou Tottenham

Who knows what the future holds for Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham Hotspur? Anyone with Spurs’ results record would surely have expected a dismissal at some point. But to give credit where it’s due, Daniel Levy’s decision to stick by his man delivered Tottenham that long-awaited trophy following Europa League glory in May.

However, one gets the impression that all is not rosy for the Australian in N17, with Postecoglou appearing to have a fractured relationship with the supporters during the past 10 months.

Whether a European trophy can build bridges and lead to a season more akin to his first in north London remains to be seen, so you do feel that Postecoglou’s future is still in the balance.

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta was full of praise for teenage sensation Max Dowman after the 15-year-old delivered a standout display in a pre-season win over Newcastle. Dowman won a penalty and impressed with his pace and confidence, leaving fans and coaches stunned. Arteta labelled the youngster’s impact as 'special' after a strong outing at the Singapore National Stadium.

Dowman won penalty, dazzled in pre-season against NewcastleArteta praises “special” performance by 15-year-old talentYoungster quickly becoming one to watch at ArsenalFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Dowman was introduced in the second half and quickly made his presence felt against Newcastle in Singapore as the 15-year-old drew a foul from Joelinton to win a penalty, showing maturity and fearlessness well beyond his years. He also came close to scoring after a dazzling solo run that nearly ended in a spectacular goal, and Gunners boss Arteta has heavily praised the teenager.

AdvertisementAFPWHAT ARTETA SAID

Speaking to the media, Arteta said: "Yeah, it is special. Obviously, what he's done today against this team in the time that he had on the pitch is something certainly not common to witness for a 15-year-old. We are extremely happy to have him.

"I think again the environment that he's around in, his family, the people at the club and around the academy as well, super helpful because they put him into this position so early in his journey, having a real chance and a real presence when he plays for the first time."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Dowman is quickly emerging as one of Arsenal’s most exciting Hale End prospects. His inclusion was a rare exception in Arteta’s typically senior-focused pre-season squad, but one that has paid off. Arsenal fans are already buzzing about what the future could hold for the fearless 15-year-old.

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR DOWMAN?

Arsenal are up against their North London rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, next at Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong, and it is possible that Dowman could be afforded his first senior start for the Gunners. In the main part of the season, however, it is unlikely that we will see a lot of the 15-year-old in the first team.

Ruben Amorim has been told how many signings Manchester United still need to avoid Old Trafford becoming the "Theatre of Nightmares" again in 2025-26.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• United having quiet summer
• Cunha the only major new signing
• Concerns raised over Old Trafford atmosphere

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Amorim was tipped to completely overhaul the United squad after their dismal 15th finish in the Premier League last season, but it has been an eerily quiet summer at Old Trafford so far. Former Atletico Madrid and Wolves forward Matheus Cunha has been the only major new signing through the door, while United have also confirmed the arrival of 18-year-old full-back Diego Leon from Paraguayan outfit Cerro Porteno.

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• (C)Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  United are also chasing Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo, but the two clubs have yet to reach an agreement on a final fee, and with the Red Devils' pre-season campaign set to start on July 19, supporters are growing impatient with the lack of concrete movement in the transfer market, especially after seeing rivals Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal all make significant early changes to their squads. Two-time Premier League winner Paul Parker is also concerned, and has warned United's part-owners, INEOS, that the negative atmosphere around Old Trafford will only worsen if there continues to be no urgency in the recruitment department.

• Getty
  

  WHAT PARKER SAID

  When asked how many more signings United need to challenge for a place in Europe next season, former United defender Parker told GOAL – in association with : "For Man Utd to just compete against anyone and not let themselves down, they need at least four more signings. They can't carry on where they are at this moment in time because they'll start next season and it will still be negative in the dressing room and with the fans. It became the Theatre of Nightmares towards the end of last season."

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

  According to , United are also having trouble raising extra funds for new signings through player sales. Amorim wanted the "unhappy" quartet of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho and Antony sold before the start of pre-season, but United have yet to find any potential suitors willing to match the players' wage demands. As it stands, Amorim is still working with a squad largely assembled by his predecessor, Erik ten Hag, and it remains to be seen if he is given the resources to rebuild the team in his image.

County successfully appeals “disproportionate” punishment for outsized bat during Blast match

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Sep-2024

An aerial view of New Road•Getty Images

Worcestershire have received a suspended two-points deduction for the next season’s Vitality Blast, after their allrounder, Josh Cobb, was deemed to have used an illegally-sized bat in their North Group match with Durham in July.Cobb admitted a breach of ECB Directives 3.2 and 3.3 after his bat failed a bat-gauge test during the Durham match, at which stage he had not yet faced a delivery. The Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) adjudicator originally imposed a straight points deduction, but this was amended on appeal to a suspended penalty, which will be imposed if Worcestershire commit a further breach of this nature.It is the second such penalty to be levelled in county cricket this summer, following the 12-point deduction that Essex were last month handed in the County Championship, following Feroz Khushi’s breach of the regulations during their opening fixture of the season, against Nottinghamshire in April.Essex issued a scathing riposte to that verdict, with Keith Fletcher, the club president, decrying it as “stupid”, not least because it wrecked the club’s hopes of challenging for the County Championship, with their final match of the season, at home to Surrey – who have already been crowned champions – taking place this week.Worcestershire were similarly aghast at the original verdict, and explained in their appeal that the loss of two points could mean the difference between reaching the knock-outs of the Vitality Blast and an early elimination.”Being docked points next year potentially/effectively puts a club of our size, with our resources, out of contention for qualification to the later rounds in 2025,” the club wrote to the adjudicator, Chris Tickle. “This has an impact on next year’s squad, coaching team, sponsors and, therefore, the club’s finances. This impact is potentially devastating to us and is disproportionate.”In his amended verdict, Tickle wrote: “Given those circumstances, I am persuaded that it is in the interests of justice to review my decision.”Dave Lewis, the interim director of the Cricket Regulator, said: “I am pleased that we were able to work with Worcestershire CCC and the Cricket Discipline Commission and that the adjudicator was able to reconsider their original decision in this case.”We also note that this is the second oversized bat case this year, and the Cricket Regulator will be working with counties, players, and officials to inform them about the issue with a view to preventing a recurrence next season.”The Cricket Regulator is the independent body which enforces the rules for domestic professional cricket as well as working to educate participants and prevent potential breaches. The Cricket Regulator investigates and prosecutes cases but does not decide on any penalties.The Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) is the independent adjudication body which hears cases, rules on responsibility for breaches of rules and issues penalties to teams and participants.

أصبح عثمان ديمبلي نجم باريس سان جيرمان هو ملك كرة القدم كأفضل لاعب في العالم خلال الوقت الحالي، بعد فوزه بجائزة الكرة الذهبية.

وأصبحت هذه الجائزة تنعكس بمطالبه على باريس سان جيرمان بعد المجد الذي وصل له مع الفريق الفرنسي، وتتويجه بلقب دوري أبطال أوروبا الموسم الماضي.

ووفقاً لصحيفة “ليكيب” الفرنسية فإن لويس كامبوس المستشار الرياضي لباريس سان جيرمان وموسى سيسوكو وكيل أعمال عثمان ديمبلي قد بدآ مراجعة عقد اللاعب عقب فوزه بجائزة “فرانس فوتبول”.

وأضافت التقارير أن المفاوضات بدأت ليلة الحفلة في مسرح شاتليه، ويرغب عثمان ديمبلي في الحصول على زيادة في راتبه.

اقرأ أيضاً.. منهم لاعب ليفربول.. القائمة النهائية للمرشحين لجائزة الفتى الذهبي 2025

وكان عثمان ديمبلي قد برز كلاعب أساسي مع باريس سان جيرمان وسجل 35 هدفًا وصنع 16 خلال 53 مباراة، بالإضافة إلى دوره المهم في بناء تماسك فريقه داخل غرفة الملابس.

ويخطط المديرون الرياضيون لباريس سان جيرمان لحسم عقود لاعبين شباب آخرين مثل برادلي باركولا وويليان باتشو ومحمدو مايولو، وسيركز النادي مع ديمبلي بشكل أكبر ويؤكد الفريق الفرنسي أن فوز اللاعب بالكرة الذهبية هو ثمرة جهد جماعي لذا ليس هناك توقعات بمنحه معاملة خاصة مقارنة ببقية لاعبي الفريق.

ويتقاضى عثمان ديمبلي حالياً ما يزيد قليلاً عن نصف الراتب السنوي الصافي الذي يبلغ 30 مليون يورو والذي تقاضاه كل من ميسي ونيمار مع باريس، وعلى الرغم من تحسن وضع النادي بعد عام قياسي، إلا أن انخفاض عائدات البث يحد من قدرة باريس على الإنفاق ويسعى أيضاً النادي للامتثال الصارم لقواعد اللعب المالي النظيف للاتحاد الأوروبي وتجنب العقوبات.

Chennai Super Kings – poor with the bat in the Powerplay, at their best with the ball in the middle overs

Dustin Silgardo26-Apr-20193:28

Agarkar: Real worries for CSK if Raina, Rayudu don’t fire

Super Kings may be top of the points table, but they have been the poorest performers with the bat in the Powerplay through the ongoing IPL season.Counting the four lost against Mumbai, they have lost 24 wickets in 12 games within the first six overs, giving them an average of 19.20, more than seven runs worse than the next poorest team, Kolkata Knight Riders.Every other team apart from those two average 40 or more in the Powerplay – Sunrisers Hyderabad, the best in that phase of the game, average 108.8, and even Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rajasthan Royals, languishing at the bottom of the table, have averaged 41 and 46.75 respectively.That’s a function of the wickets lost, but Super Kings have also scored slowly early on, going at just 6.40 in the first six. The next slowest Powerplay run rate is Knight Riders’ 7.71, while Sunrisers, again, are on top with 9.06.ESPNcricinfo LtdFive times now, Super Kings have lost three or more wickets in the Powerplay. On two occasions earlier in the tournament, they were able to recover thanks to half-centuries by MS Dhoni in the middle order. Against Royal Challengers, Dhoni almost pulled off a heist – Super Kings were 32 for 4 after the Powerplay – but fell one run short.They have 16 points and are on top of the table, which means they have gotten out of jail despite poor starts more often than not. On Friday, they didn’t. Did it have to do with a certain MS Dhoni being absent?Mitchell Santner turns up trumpsMitchell Santner had played only three out of 11 games for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2019 before taking the field against Mumbai Indians at home on Friday, but that was entirely due to team dynamics, and not a reflection on Santner’s abilities.With Ravindra Jadeja in the XI and a restriction on overseas players, Santner was forced to sit on the bench. When he did play, he ended up making a big impact. With Jadeja indisposed, he was drafted into the XI, and showed just how good he could be on a helpful Chepauk pitch, where the ball gripped and turned beautifully.ESPNcricinfo LtdStephen Fleming sure rates the left-arm spinner highly, and it’s chiefly because of his restricting lines and lengths that Santner has been so successful – he had the best economy rate (6.88) among bowlers who had bowled at least 15 overs in the 2018-19 Super Smash, New Zealand’s domestic 20-over competition. Much of that was played on pitches not ideal for spinners. Chepauk, well, is usually ideal for spinners, and on Friday night it certainly was. Santner joked after the Mumbai innings: “Wickets in NZ are more like the outfield here…”Lines, and more importantly, lengths. Of his 24 deliveries – he finished with 4-0-13-2 – he pitched 14 on a length, six closer to the batsmen, three short of good-length and bowled just one full toss. Most of them were on or around off-stump and turned away beating the right-handers’ edge beautifully. It made for stunning viewing and might have helped Santner, who won Super Kings a game with a last-ball six earlier in the tournament, bargain for a more regular spot going forward.Mitchell Santner pumps his fist after getting a wicket•BCCISuper Kings underscore their middle-overs supremacy with the ballPart of it has to do with playing a large chunk of their games this IPL on low-scoring pitches in Chennai, but Super Kings – back on their patch against Mumbai – showed, again, how well they apply the choke in the middle overs.They have been the most miserly in the middle overs this season, giving up runs at only 6.73 per over. Sunrisers Hyderabad, with 7.37, have the second-best numbers, showing just how good Super Kings have been.Santner was the best on view, of course, and Tahir and Harbhajan went for a few soon after the Powerplay ended, but Dwayne Bravo was excellent in overs 10 and 12, conceding just 12 runs, meaning Mumbai went from 45 for 1 at the end of the Powerplay to 121 for 3 when the 17th over started.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are in a good place under the shrewd leadership of Vitor Pereira.

With another Premier League campaign to look forward to, the onus is on the manager to take the Old Gold back into the top half of the table.

This task will be made much more difficult by the fact he will be without the services of both Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri next term.

Ait-Nouri looks set to join Manchester City, with Wolves pocketing a fee of around £33.7m in the process.

Cunha, on the other hand, will be much more difficult to replace…

Why Wolves will struggle to replace Matheus Cunha

The Brazilian has joined Manchester United, who paid his £62.5m release clause, thus ending his two-and-a-half-year stint in the Midlands.

Last season, he finished with 23 goal contributions – 17 goals and six assists – across 36 matches for the Molineux outfit.

In the Premier League, he also ranked first among the squad for goals and assists (21), shots on target per match (1.3), big chances created (13) and key passes per game (1.8).

Replacing someone recording those sorts of numbers isn’t exactly going to be easy for Pereira, that’s for sure.

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2024/25

36

17

6

2023/24

36

14

8

2022/23

20

2

1

He does, however, have funds to spend ahead of next season. If he wishes to sign a player who can replicate these types of attacking figures, then the club may have to spend big.

Recently, they have earmarked a player currently starring in Ligue 1 as a potential replacement for the Brazilian.

Wolves' perfect Cunha replacement

Pereira will be able to count on Jorgen Strand Larsen for the upcoming season, but more firepower is required, that’s for sure.

Sky Sports recently claimed that Wolves have made Nice striker Evann Guessand a priority target this summer, with the Midlands club looking at making a bid of around £25m to tempt Nice to part with one of their prized assets in the coming weeks.

The Ivorian enjoyed his breakthrough season with the club last term. Across 33 Ligue 1 appearances, the striker scored 12 goals and grabbed nine assists. This works out as a goal involvement every 1.5 matches.

Popular football magazine SCOUTED dubbed Guessand as “dangerous” and “versatile” a few weeks ago in the aftermath of his excellent season for Nice, while The Athletic’s Alex Barker has noted his “Bruno Fernandes-esque drive to unpredictably create high-quality chances”

As he showcased last season, the in-demand talent does boast a real creative spark, having created 12 ‘big chances’ in total, as per Sofascore. For context, that is not far off what Manchester United skipper, Fernandes, recorded in the Premier League (16).

Indeed, he also ranks in the top 4% among his peers in Europe’s top five leagues for both successful take-ons (1.83) and progressive carries (2.98) per 90 over the previous 365 days, further showcasing his wide array of talents.

This versatility of playing as a striker or on the left flank will certainly help Pereira get over losing Cunha.

If he does sign for just £25m, then there is no doubt that the 23-year-old could potentially generate a massive profit for Wolves in the near future.

They must act swiftly to get this deal done as soon as possible.

Wolves' most expensive signings of all time

Football FanCast takes a detailed look at Wolves’ 10 most expensive signings of all time.

ByCharlie Smith Sep 5, 2025

Will West Bromwich Albion be promotion challengers again when the 2025/26 season gets underway in the Championship?

That’s the question likely wracking the brains of Baggies fans far and wide, with nobody quite sure how Ryan Mason will deal with the pressures of the Hawthorns hot-seat, considering experienced manager Tony Mowbray struggled back at the helm last campaign.

Mowbray, unfortunately, sank the West Brom ship instead of steadying it as a playoff spot slipped disastrously out of their grasp.

On the contrary, Mason will hope he can guide his new side to a top-six finish or even higher, with the sparkling potential addition of a seasoned Championship pro helping his chances as a rookie boss.

West Brom have former Championship star on their radar

As per a new report from TEAMTalk, West Brom have ex-Derby County star Tom Lawrence very much on their radar.

His free agent status after walking away from Rangers has alerted numerous clubs to his services, however, with both Wrexham and Coventry City named as other suitors eyeing up the 31-year-old.

The ambitious Red Dragons could well be in the driver’s seat over landing his signature, considering Lawrence does hail from Wrexham, but West Brom are said to still be keen even as Phil Parkinson’s men sniff around.

How Lawrence could be their next Wallace

If West Brom were to knock Wrexham off their pedestal and win his services, Mason could be about to land the Baggies’ next Jed Wallace, with the accomplished attacker arriving at the Hawthorns back in 2022 with plenty of EFL know-how to show off, much like Lawrence will be desperate to provide.

Wallace would also enter into his new environment all those years ago on a shrewd free transfer, with Millwall left to curse the 31-year-old running his contract down at the Den.

The Lions’ short-term agony ended up being West Brom’s gain, however, with an impressive tally of six goals and eight assists mustered up by Wallace during his debut league campaign in the West Midlands.

His output has since dwindled, with only two goal contributions coming his way across the entire course of last season, but there will be hope that Lawrence’s experience of the Championship, which is of the same stature as Wallace’s, means he can instantly hit the ground running with Albion if he signs.

After all, the free agent is only 82 appearances shy of Wallace’s hefty 346 appearances in the intimidating division, with his goal and assist numbers across those 264 clashes even closer to the esteemed Baggies’ captain’s bumper haul.

21/22

Derby County

38

11

5

20/21

Derby County

23

3

2

19/20

Derby County

37

10

4

18/19

Derby County

33

6

4

17/18

Derby County

39

6

8

16/17

Ipswich Town

34

9

11

15/16

Cardiff City

14

0

1

15/16

Blackburn Rovers

21

2

2

14/15

Rotherham United

6

1

1

13/14

Yeovil Town

19

2

2

Much like Wallace, who had to wait to find his groove with Millwall, Lawrence really kicked into gear as a devastating Championship-level attacker with Derby County, as seen in him amassing 59 of his overall 90 goal contributions donning Rams white.

To add context, his equally experienced counterpart boasts 14 more goal contributions in total in the second-tier, with 76 of those coming about in South East London.

Hailed as an “excellent” professional by Rangers coach David McCallum, with a promising 12 strikes next to his name at Ibrox even as he enters the twilight years of his playing days, this could be a move that reawakens a beast out of Lawrence to cause Championship defences headaches all over again.

Better signing than Moore: West Brom must land £45k p/w “monster”

West Bromwich Albion might prioritise landing this monster over snapping up Mikey Moore.

ByKelan Sarson Jun 14, 2025

Birmingham Phoenix put themselves back into the knockout positions in the Hundred with an important win at Edgbaston, knocking Trent Rockets out of this year’s competition in the process.Tim Southee claimed a five-wicket haul, to restrict the Rockets to 118, before Liam Livingstone and Jacob Bethell helped the Phoenix to overtake Northern Superchargers in third with a measured chase.”It was a pretty good performance,” Southee said. “I think the bowlers assessed the conditions well and then the way the batters went about it towards the end, Bethell and Livingstone knocked it around and chose great options. So, I think it was a pretty good all-round performance.”I think we have had really good consistency over the last few games and have got to know each other a bit better. Obviously, Adam Milne and I have played a lot of cricket together, but for everyone else it’s great to have that experience of playing a few games together.”We adapted to conditions as quickly as possible, which helped us tonight and the surface offered us a little bit which we tried to get as much out of as we could.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The Phoenix won the toss and chose to bowl, which proved a great decision from Moeen Ali, as his pace attack put on an exhibition of swing and seam bowling at the start of the first innings. The dangerous quartet of Tom Banton, Alex Hales, Joe Root and Rovman Powell were dismissed in the first 30 deliveries, as the Rockets fell to 22 for 4.Tom Alsop – making his debut in The Hundred – and Pakistan international Imad Wasim rebuilt for the visitors with a fifty partnership, before Imad was retired out on a run-a-ball 29, to be replaced by Chris Green. The Australian allrounder returned for the Rockets, replacing the injured Rashid Khan, but he was to last just five balls before being removed by Adam Milne, who took a well-deserved wicket.Alsop reached his half-century, and was then dismissed by the excellent Southee, who finished with 5 for 12 and momentarily thought he’d taken a hat-trick before being denied by an overturned LBW decision.Trent Rockets set Phoenix 119 to win, and Ben Duckett got the chase off to a flying start with 30 from 16 before Rockets came firing back at them. Luke Wood dismissed Duckett and Jamie Smith in consecutive balls to put the breaks on Birmingham’s fast start.Moeen Ali and Livingstone steadied the ship for a while before the impressive John Turner (2 for 17) removed captain Moeen and Dan Mousley.Livingstone and Bethell celebrate after taking the Phoenix home•Gareth Copley/Getty Images

The away team sensed it was their chance to build the pressure with the ball in the chase and they began to restrict Phoenix’s scoring opportunities, before Luke Wood released the pressure with a no-ball free-hit that Bethell deposited into the stands to give the home side some breathing room.Bethell (38* off 29) and Livingstone (30* off 32) then took Phoenix home with a half-century partnership, as they chased it with seven balls to spare.With one game left each, the result leaves three teams with a chance of joining Oval Invincibles in the knockout rounds – Phoenix, Southern Brave and Northern Superchargers. Defeat for Trent Rockets means that, like London Spirit, Manchester Originals and Welsh Fire, their tournament is over.