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A recent report has emerged linking energy drink tycoon William Storey with a potential takeover of Sunderland.

With the 2019/20 season done and dusted, pressure is firmly mounting on current owner Stewart Donald to sell the club.

Donald, who took over the Wearsiders in 2018, sensationally revealed that he wanted to sell after just 19 months in charge, and a whole host of potential buyers have emerged over the last few weeks.

Chinese businessman Sammy Yu, Mark Campbell and former Black Cats defender Michael Gray have all been credited with interest, although little movement has been made on a potential deal from any of the three individuals.

With takeover talk continuing, it has now emerged that Storey, the CEO of Rich Energy, is keen on a potential deal, with the entrepreneur touching on an offer for the club via his official Twitter account.

“I am limited in what I can say due to NDA but I can confirm that I have made a formal legal offer for @SunderlandAFC.

“I have significant funding from blue chip backers. Sunderland are a giant of English football & their fans deserve a team to reflect that stature #SunderlandAFC.”

The current asking price set by Donald for a potential new owner is at £37.6m, something Storey can seemingly afford given that his company already actively sponsors a number of sports players, clubs and organisations.

Storey’s is another name to add to the list of potential buyers and this one should excite Sunderland fans.

Rich Energy may not be a ubiquitous brand but, if their CEO is pursuing a takeover bid at the Stadium of Light, he certainly must have the capital to potentially take the reins from Donald.

Do you think Donald will sell Sunderland this summer? Let us know in the comments section below…

Bournemouth are determined to keep Tottenham target David Brooks at the Vitality Stadium following their relegation from the Premier League, reports say. 

Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho is reportedly plotting a double swoop for Bournemouth duo David Brooks and Callum Wilson, amid interest from Everton and West Ham in the Welsh playmaker.

According to The Daily Star, the Cherries have hatched a ‘desperate’ plan to persuade Brooks to say. The board privately believe the former Sheffield United star is key to unlocking an immediate return to the Premier League and hope they can build a team around him capable of challenging for promotion once again.

After dropping back down to the Championship, Bournemouth will have to balance the books by selling some of their biggest earners, but will not go down without a fight.

Eddie Howe signed the Wales midfielder from the Blades for an undisclosed fee in 2018, believed to be in the region of £10m. Brooks impressed at first, scoring five goals in the Premier League that year, including a brace against Brighton at home. His season has been derailed by an ankle injury during a pre-season friendly with Brentford but the Dorset club want to keep him by any means necessary.

The 23-year-old, who plays as an attacking midfielder, only made nine appearances in the English top flight this season, scoring a last-minute consolation against Manchester City as the Cherries came up short.

He is currently valued at £18m via Transfermarkt, although it is understood that Bournemouth will not entertain any offers less than £30m for the Welshman, who has won 12 caps for his country so far.

Spurs have been pursuing Brooks for several years and it seems Mourinho is prepared to finish the job his predecessor Mauricio Pochettino started. However, it remains to be seen if Daniel Levy will be willing to meet the steep asking price for an injury-prone player in the summer, and he may have to look elsewhere instead.

Tottenham fans, should Levy sign Brooks this summer? Let us know down below!

Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit for a new striker has taken an interesting twist this week with a fresh name emerging from the shadows…

What’s the word?

According to Clive THBN, Spurs have been monitoring Mainz 05 forward Robin Quaison ‘extremely closely’ ahead of a possible summer switch.

It’s claimed that he is in Daniel Levy’s price range with the Swedish international entering the final year of his current contract at the Bundesliga outfit.

The north Londoners have been on the hunt for a viable backup to Harry Kane for over a year now and they may have finally found that alternative.

Lofty comparisons

The 26-year-old has been in impressive form this campaign, providing 13 goals and two assists, via WhoScored, and has been extremely versatile playing on the left flank as well as in the number ten role.

Throughout his career, he has earned comparisons to Barcelona legend Xavi due to his performances for Palmero, but he’s since moved further up the pitch with Bundesliga.com likening him to Bayern Munich star Serge Gnabry.

“In fact, his style is much more akin to that of Bayern Munich and Germany midfielder Serge Gnabry. Both have stocky frames, are quick on their feet, excellent at dribbling, can play in central attacking midfield or off the flanks, and are equally adept at scoring from outside the box as they are at teeing up teammates to score.”

Ex-Mainz boss Sandro Schwarz believes he’s a “very intelligent” player who can consistently beat the opposition’s defensive line, which bears similar traits to that of Kane in north London for sure.

Quaison averages more shots per game (2.2) than the likes of Lucas Moura, Erik Lamela and Steven Bergwijn.

It remains to be seen just how much the Swede would cost this summer, but it could be quite the coup considering his versatility to play in most attacking positions.

In a season that will undoubtedly be hectic, from the Europa League qualifying stages to cramming in the Premier League before next summer’s European Championships, someone like Quaison could give invaluable squad depth.

Transfermarkt currently value him at just £9.45m – an absolute steal. If Levy pulls this off, it’ll be a masterstroke.

AND in other news, Spurs can land a new Kyle Walker with move for Ligue 1 regular…

Manchester City’s chase of Kalidou Koulibaly has been going strong for the entirety of the summer transfer window. But despite reports suggesting the Citizens might finally be close to sealing the deal, the saga has now suddenly taken a new turn.

According to the latest update from Il Mattino (via Mirror), the player’s agent has now alerted Napoli of Manchester United’s interest in the coveted centre-back.

Of course, this wouldn’t exactly be the first time that the red part of Manchester intervened in the blue side’s business and ultimately spoiled their plans. But now, it could very well happen again.

With the Italians still having financial difficulties, it is highly likely that Koulibaly will indeed leave in the ongoing window but his destination remains unknown.

Despite the recent outbreak largely limiting what clubs can offer for their targets, Napoli are still said to be holding out for a fee in the region of £70m. Both Manchester clubs have already done some deals this summer so we don’t know for sure how much money is left in their respective warchests.

Of course, both are also after high-profile targets as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer still wants Jadon Sancho while Pep Guardiola is flirting with none other than Lionel Messi.

This, at the end of the day, could impact their stance on Koulibaly but if both Premier League rivals are set to go head to head for his signature, the only real winner in that scenario will be Napoli.

Verdict

It seems that Ole sees Koulibaly as an ideal partner to Harry Maguire in the backline. And even though he hasn’t been at his brilliant best lately, the centre-back is still one of the best players in his position.

Snatching him up would indeed be an excellent scoop, not least because they would get him ahead of Man City.

Ever since he arrived at Manchester City, John Stones’ career has been an unrelenting rollercoaster ride. Of course, the major reason for his downs have always been and will likely still be injuries.

Just the simple fact that the defender has only played 16 Premier League game throughout the previous season is proof enough that something is wrong. And to make things even worse, despite his obvious quality and talent, he is now out of the England squad as well, courtesy of the same issue.

At Man City, things are also not exactly rosy. Pep Guardiola has mostly preferred the 19-year-old Eric Garcia to Stones even when the latter was fit enough to play, simply because he is no longer a reliable option.

For that reason, maybe it’s time for him to reassess the situation and potentially look for an exit to salvage his career. According to Micah Richards, the former Man City player himself, maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to return to Everton or maybe even choose Arsenal.

Here’s what the Sky Sports pundit said, as quoted by The Mirror: “There’s no point in staying at City at the bench – that’s not going to do anything for him.

“I don’t think Everton is a bad move. People will say that’s going backwards but he’s loved by the fans, he’s got a great manager in Carlo Ancelotti to work under. Arsenal, he’s worked with Mikel Arteta at City and he likes ball players.”

Verdict

Maybe this could be something Stones should consider in the immediate future. After all, he’s still young and has a lot to give on the top level. But at Man City, he’s bound to warm the bench more often than not.

And with Carlo Ancelotti’s revolution back at Goodison Park, the Toffees just might be a good place to be at right now.

Coventry are not expected to make a move for Manchester United midfielder James Garner, as per a report by the Manchester Evening News. 

After a successful title-winning League One campaign, Sky Blues boss Mark Robins has been working hard over the summer to add strength and depth to his squad.

The likes of Gustavo Hamer, Julien Dacosta and Callum O’Hare have all come in to hand Robins a strong squad as the Championship season begins.

An opening day defeat to Bristol City sees Coventry approach Friday evening’s game with Queens Park Rangers looking for their first league victory.

With the transfer window open until October 16, another talented young player in the name of Garner has been linked with Coventry.

The teenage Man United talent is said to be available on a season-long loan deal with the likes of Huddersfield Town also showing interest.

However, it is now being reported that United are unsure whether a loan move to the Sky Blues or Huddersfield will work, looking at other Championship clubs as potential suitors for the midfielder.

Highly regarded as one of the brightest talents at Old Trafford, the 19-year-old has so far made seven first team appearances for the Premier League side.

Coventry boss Mark Robins may feel slightly frustrated over this but he has already made good enough signings this summer that should be adequate enough to have a productive Championship season.

The squad in general does look in a good place, although Robins may opt to add a couple of extra names before the window shuts.

Do you think Coventry City are missing out on a good player for James Garner? Let us know in the comments section below…

West Ham United continue their Carabao Cup quest later this evening with a trip to Merseyside to face an unbeaten Toffees side.

David Moyes’ men finally won in the Premier League on Sunday night and they did so emphatically, thrashing Wolves 4-0, so they’ll be looking to ride the hot streak into tonight’s game.

The Hammers boss has tweaked his side for these mid-week matches and will surely be expected to do the same despite being ever so close to the quarter-finals.

Here’s the lineup we’re predicting at Goodison Park…

Moyes could make as many as nine changes whilst he watches the match from home once again with Alan Irvine taking the reigns in his absence.

Starting between the sticks could be Darren Randolph, who is seemingly the Irons’ cup ‘keeper whilst a back four returns in front of him.

This may see Arthur Masuaku and Fabian Balbuena remain in the starting XI after impressive performances against Wolves at the weekend. They could be joined by 19-year-old centre-back Aji Alese and fellow academy grad Ben Johnson.

In midfield, Declan Rice is rested so skipper Mark Noble comes back into the fray playing alongside Robert Snodgrass. It means there is no place for Jack Wilshere despite playing against Hull in the last round.

Manuel Lanzini is likely to take up a slightly more advanced role in the number ten position with Felipe Anderson and Andriy Yarmelenko getting another chance to show what they can do on the wings.

Whilst upfront, club-record signing Sebastien Haller replaces Michail Antonio, which means there are no places for Jarrod Bowen or Pablo Fornals despite both scoring on Sunday night.

Hammers prospects Xande Silva and Conor Coventry could feature from the bench.

AND in other news, West Ham on verge of costly blunder with Serie A colossus…

Speaking to Football.London, via Twitter, journalist Alasdair Gold has revealed that Spurs ‘rebuffed’ loan moves for winger Jack Clarke over the EFL transfer window, going on to claim that he has been ‘really impressing’ Jose Mourinho. 

Clarke, who was previously tipped to leave north London on a temporary spell and suffered through two sub-par loan moves already last season at Leeds United and QPR, has reportedly worked his way into Mourinho’s favour at Hotspur Way.

Clarke staying put

The youngster was signed for around £10m back in the summer of 2019 after impressing in flashes and was then immediately loaned back to his former club Leeds.

However, after failing to replicate his influence off the bench, he was sent out to QPR in an attempt to rediscover form, but that spell in west London didn’t work out either.

Now, after ‘impressing Mourinho’ in training, Spurs have done a U-turn on approaches for Clarke, rebuffing any interest in clubs wanting to take him on loan.

Indeed, according to what the journalist was ‘told’, Tottenham’s wish for the teenager is to learn from the likes of Gareth Bale and other superstars at the club in an effort to nurture his development.

Transfer Tavern take

Given that Daniel Levy and co invested a significant amount to bring him to Tottenham, sending him out on numerous spells away may not have been the wisest plan.

Letting the 19-year-old settle at Spurs while getting him to learn from the likes of Bale in training could be the best method in truly justifying the £10m fee through his sky-high potential in future seasons.

Tottenham fans, will Clarke become a future star at the club? Have your say in the comments section below…

Glasgow Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has some big decisions to make with no fewer than seven players out of contract at the end of the campaign.

One of which is former Birmingham City striker Greg Stewart, who was arguably never going to be the first name on the team sheet, but the 30-year-old has been somewhat of a surprise package at the club he has supported since he was a boy.

After arriving at Ibrox from Birmingham in 2019 as a free agent, Stewart signed a two-year-deal with Rangers, with wages which are reportedly worth £6,200-per-week.

Last term, the Scottish centre-forward played 16 games in the Scottish Premiership, with the majority of his appearances coming from the bench, whilst he scored three goals and supplied three assists, via Transfermarkt.

Stewart has dropped down to the bottom of the pecking order after the arrivals of Ianis Hagi, Cedric Itten and Kemar Roofe in the summer transfer window, as he has been restricted to only three appearances this season so far.

It’s worth remembering that he provided an assist in the 5-0 win over Lincoln Red Imps in the Europa League qualifying round last month.

Since then, Stewart has hardly featured at all, whilst he was axed from the Scottish Premiership squad altogether for three out of the Gers’ past four games.

Quite why former director of football Mark Allen decided to give him a deal we will probably never understand, as Jermain Defoe hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down anytime soon.

In fact, it’s fair to say that Stewart hasn’t really impressed at this level since he left the Blues, whilst some eyebrows were raised when he joined the Ibrox outfit in the first place. And Kris Commons has recently described him as an “outcast” which is a pretty accurate assessment.

The veteran actually ranks as the second-worst amongst the rest of the Rangers squad, as he has received a rating of 6.13 – to put that into context, only George Edmundson has averaged a lower rating, via WhoScored.

Let’s face it, Steven Gerrard is hardly short of options, especially when you consider the fact that Roofe has recently recovered from injury as well. If the Light Blues want to keep him for the rest of the season, fair enough. But it would be an inexcusable error from Ross Wilson if he gives him a new deal. Get him gone, Gers.

AND in other news, Glasgow Rangers ace Joe Aribo could soon overshadow Ryan Kent at Ibrox…

Steven Gerrard finally got what he wanted all along when Bongani Zungu joined Glasgow Rangers on loan from Amiens last month, but the South Africa international is yet to make his debut for the Ibrox outfit thus far.

What’s the word?

Rangers signed Zungu from the French Ligue 2 side on an initial loan deal on transfer deadline day. He has been named in the South Africa squad for their upcoming AFCON qualifiers as his quarantine restrictions in Scotland have come to an end following his loan move from Amiens.

Speaking to the This Is Ibrox podcast, South African journalist Lorenz Köhler believes Gerrard must unleash his countryman sooner rather than later.

“In my opinion, he’s best as a box-to-box midfielder because he’s an all-action player who just wants to be involved,” he said.

“He likes to take the game by the scruff of its neck.

“It’s going to sound ludicrous…when Yaya Toure left Barcelona, he was playing as a centre-back. He came to the Premier League and the manager saw that ‘this guy isn’t a centre-back’.

“I think the same can be said to Gerrard. He’ll take one look and say ‘this guy is not a defensive midfielder’. Unleash him. Let him be free, let him go forward. He’s got a bit of height to him, he can score from headers, he can find the top corner. He can do everything.”

The summer signing has been pictured training ahead of the club’s Europa League clash with Benfica.

Impact sub!

Zungu was an unused substitute against Lech Poznan last week, but was not included in the squad for the away trip to Kilmarnock on Sunday.

Whilst we have to admit that it’s highly unlikely the South African will start, as Glen Kamara, Steven Davis and Scott Arfield have all impressed in recent weeks, the midfielder may make an appearance as an impact substitute from the bench.

The 28-year-old has a decent personal record against the Portuguese giants, as he has previously scored one goal in four games, although it’s worth pointing out the fact that he has lost every fixture so far.

Last season, he played 21 games in Ligue 1, averaging more than one tackle and one clearance per game, via WhoScored. By comparison, even Arfield is managing fewer than one tackle and one clearance per game in the Scottish Premiership this season so far, as per WhoScored.

Flavio Meireles, the sporting director from Vitoria de Guimaraes, once hailed the South African powerhouse as a “special talent”, whilst Amiens sporting director John Williams insisted “he can do everything.”

If that isn’t enough to convince Gerrard to consider his options, we don’t know what will be. The Gers have the option to buy Zungu outright if he can impress the club during his loan spell at Ibrox. He just needs to get some minutes under his belt in order to demonstrate his value – the sooner he gets the time to shine, the better. Otherwise, what was even the point of signing him in the first place?

AND in other news, Shades of Prso: Steven Gerrard must unleash Glasgow Rangers ace Cedric Itten vs Benfica…