Category: Wolverhampton

Blackburn Rovers: Rovers eye Alex Palmer with West Brom

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The West Midlands has been issued a rare red heat health alert this week.Author: Molly HookingsPublished 25 minutes agoThe West Midlands has been issued a rare red heat health alert.It comes into force at 1am on Wednesday (24 June) and ends at 11pm on Thursday (25 June).The UK Health Security Agency says the risk level is 16, which is the highest score.In a statement on the website, it said: “Severe impacts are expected across health and social care services due to the high temperatures, including:increased risk to life across the whole population, with significant impacts on older people significantly increased demand on all health and social care servicesthe heat affecting the ability of the workforce to deliver serviceshot indoor environments making provision of care challenging and national critical infrastructure failures, such as generators and power outageswater‑related incidents may increase, including risks from cold‑water shock and drowning It’s a temperatures soar this week, hitting 39 Celsius in Birmingham, Coventry, and Wolverhampton on Thursday.First for all the latest news from across the UK every hour on Hits Radio on DAB, at hitsradio.co.uk and on the Rayo app.

Police treating incident as hate crime due to homophobic slurAuthor: Stan TomkinsonPublished 37 minutes agoA second teenager has been charged with attempted murder following a brutal attack on a man in Smethwick. The 17-year-old was arrested in the Dudley area on 19th June and has been remanded in custody, set to appear at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court today.The incident involved two 17-year-olds and occurred on St Pauls Road, Smethwick, at around 8.30pm on 14th June. The attack is being treated as a hate crime due to homophobic comments made during the assault. Investigation detailsThe victim, a man in his 50s, is currently in hospital in a critical but stable condition. Despite the nature of the slurs, there is no evidence indicating the attack was motivated by race or religion. Ch Supt Kim Madill from Sandwell Police acknowledged the concern and anger arising from the attack and has been in communication with community representatives to reassure them of ongoing efforts to establish the facts and identify those responsible. Appeal for informationSandwell Police’s Major Crime Unit continues to investigate and seeks assistance from anyone present in the Tollhouse Way or St Pauls area during the time of the attack. Individuals with relevant information are urged to contact police by calling 101 and quoting incident number 3929 of 14th June. A dedicated web page has been set up for submitting photos, videos, or other useful information directly to officers. Additionally, Crimestoppers is available for anonymous reporting at 0800 555 111. Efforts to establish a comprehensive picture of the attack are ongoing, with authorities focusing on securing justice for the victim and preventing recurrence in the community. First for all the latest news from across the UK every hour on Hits Radio on DAB, at hitsradio.co.uk and on the Rayo app.

The 26-year-old full-back made 37 appearances in all competitions last season, contributing eight assists as the Tigers secured Premier League promotion via the play-offs with a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough at Wembley last month.

Giles remains under contract at the MKM Stadium until 2027, with an additional year’s option, though he is reportedly attracting interest from several Championship clubs.

Norwich are understood to be assessing a number of left-back targets in this transfer window as they look to strengthen that area of the pitch and avoid a repeat of last season’s injury problems.

The Canaries concluded the recent campaign with four recognised left-sided full-back options, but that group has since been trimmed.

Jeffrey Schlupp has moved on after being released, while Harry Amass has returned to Manchester United following the conclusion of his loan spell. Ben Chrisene and Lucien Mahovo remain at the club and are both contracted until 2028.

Versatile down the left flank, Giles has represented ten different clubs during his career, having come through the youth ranks at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

While at Molineux, he had loan spells with AFC Telford, Shrewsbury Town, Coventry City, Rotherham United, Cardiff City, Blackburn Rovers and Middlesbrough.

He left Wolves permanently in July 2023 to join Luton Town following their promotion to the top-flight but featured just 14 times for the Hatters before a loan switch to Hull in January 2024.

After an impressive six-month spell in East Yorkshire, the Tigers exercised their option to sign him permanently for a reported £4.25m.

Ryan Giles featured 37 times in all competitions last season for Hull (Image: PA)

However, the former England U20 international struggled for regular game time, leading to a loan return to Middlesbrough in January 2025.

The defender had hoped to make his move to the Riverside permanent, but later rediscovered his form back at his parent club under Sergej Jakirovic, establishing himself as one of the Championship’s standout attacking full-backs last season.

With 196 Championship appearances to his name, he was widely expected to be part of Hull City’s Premier League plans next term.

However, BBC Sport suggest the club may face a potential six-point deduction at the start of their top-flight campaign due to alleged Profit and Sustainability Rule breaches, with an overspend of around £6m.

As a result, they may need to raise funds through player sales before the end of June, putting Giles among the likely departures.

Leeds United will no doubt be alert to transfer market opportunities emerging now that the window is open. That includes World Cup stars featuring across the pond.

United’s recruitment over the summer window is going to be strategic once again. The 49ers have sought value in their signings ever since taking over, and have a pretty strong success rate too.

This summer, Paraag Marathe expects a host of signings that can raise the bar of the starting lineup. With that, there’ll surely be one eye on those involved in the World Cup.

Of course, basing our recruitment solely on performances in this tournament is unwise. However, if there’s a player that already featured high on the shortlist, their exploits on the international stage will be taken into account too.

Here, I look at three World Cup players that could be available for a bargain price

Ladislav Krejci – Wolves, Czechia

Heavily linked with Elland Road already, Wolves centre-back Ladislav Krejci is someone that would certainly fit a particular recruitment focus of Leeds’.

Pascal Struijk’s future is uncertain at Elland Road. That means we need a left-footed centre-back to take his place, should he leave.

Krejci, 27, has just been relegated with Wolves and could be attainable for a somewhat reduced fee, relative to what he’d typically cost.

What he lacks compared to Struijk’s elegance on the ball, he more than makes up for in his athleticism and ability to provide huge threat from set pieces.

Wolves dropping into the Championship should see Krejci be attainable for a fee that Leeds deem worthy of exploring.

Mohamed Amoura – Wolfsburg, Algeria

Onto another relegated side nicknamed the Wolves, Germany’s Wolfsburg.

Their 29-year stay in the Bundesliga came to an end this season with relegation via the playoffs. And, it could spell trouble for their aims to retain star players, including forward Mohamed Amoura.

The Algerian attacker scored eight and assisted three in the 25/26 season, off the back of 10 and nine apiece in the 24/25 campaign. He was also Algeria’s top scorer during World Cup qualifying with 10 goals and four assists in 10 games.

As an alternative option to play off of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, akin to Lukas Nmecha and Noah Okafor, Leeds could certainly do worse than Amoura.

Last summer, Amoura was expected to command up to £34million. But, expect that to be significantly less now, which might catch United’s eye.

Leeds may want to add a bit of star power in attack and vary up the front line behind Calvert-Lewin as the target man. Amoura could add what Farke is looking for.

Jhon Lucumi – Bologna, Colombia

Back to left-footed centre-backs, it does look as though Leeds will have to get our ducks in a row in the event of Struijk leaving.

Another option at the World Cup could be Bologna’s Jhon Lucumi, representing Colombia in defence.

The 6ft1in defender was highly sought after last summer, particularly by Sunderland to the tune of £24million. But, the Serie A side managed to retain his services for another season, at the cost of seeing his contract edge towards 2027 expiry.

Lucumi, soon to be 28, could well follow a similar pipeline to Leeds’ hit signing Jaka Bijol, who also joined from a mid-table Italian club.

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Right now, Tottenham Hotspur are more concerned with buying than selling players, as they need to make up a lot of ground after finishing 17th in the Premier League for a second consecutive season, coming even closer to relegation. And the manager who spared their blushes and saved them from a grim fate, Roberto De Zerbi, has made special demands on blockbuster signings he wants to see brought in to N17.In order to accomodate big names like Sandro Tonali, Tottenham are going to have to make some notable sales, and the World Cup could help them make a tidy profit on a player who is not even a starter at the club right now.Left back Djed Spence was actually a right back by trade but shifted to the position out of necessity. A surprise call up to the England national team over the likes of Real Madrid star Trent Alexander-Arnold, Spence answered the critics and proved Thomas Tuchel right with a strong showing off the bench for the Three Lions in their massive 4-2 win over contenders Croatia (always the dark horse).Everton could cut a deal with TottenhamSpence did not just catch the eye of the Tottenham Hotspur faithful watching him play for their country. No, according to a report from Paul Joyce of The Times, Everton are apparently looking at Spence as a possible alternative at right back to solve their issue there.Tottenham fans will snicker a bit at the idea of Djed Spence being any decent Premier League club’s solution at right back, but he is not a bad player by any means despite his limitations going forward. He works extremely hard, he is great at winning the ball and defending with the ball in front of him, and he is not the worst at progressing the ball off the dribble.Spurs have much better players on either flank, and with both Souza and Andrew Robertson joining the club this year, perhaps Tottenham could be amenable to a sale, even to another quality Premier League club in Everton, if the experienced Spur has enough of an increase in his transfer value as a result of this 2026 World Cup campaign under Thomas Tuchel.So the Spence transfer situation is one to watch, because if he keeps playing a key role for England, you also figure other clubs will become interested. Proven English fullbacks are not exactly in high supply right now.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow

Birmingham City opinion: Blues should sign Hull City’s Ivor Pandur

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Leicester City: Russell Martin should target Will Smallbone deal

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Bradford City set to sign Barnsley midfielder Adam Phillips

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Wolverhampton Wanderers have appointed former Gil Vicente head coach Cesar Peixoto ahead of the 2026/2027 season, and that could be a game-changer for Tolu Arokodare, Afrik Foot reports.

The 46-year-old replaces Rob Edwards at the Molineux dugout after the Welsh coach was unable to save the Old Gold from relegation to the EFL Championship.

The announcement was made via the club’s official website as Peixoto joined on a two-year deal, subject to a work permit.

Cesar Peixoto seen during the Liga Portugal game between Sporting CP and Gil Vicente. Copyright: ImagoxMaciejxRogowskix

César Peixoto’s words after joining Wolves

Gil Vicente finished 6th in Liga Portugal last season under the Portuguese tactician, but he was delighted to make the big move to the United Kingdom when the three-time Premier League Champions came calling.

“I’m proud to be here at this big, historic club in England. It’s a big opportunity for me and I’m prepared to do everything to put Wolves where it belongs in the Premier League,” the one-time UEFA Champions League winner said after joining Wolves.

“We have great players, but I think the team can improve a lot with me and I can improve as a technical head coach. I want to put my identity onto the team, build a strong identity at the club and also help the team to grow by showing my identity and my way of playing.

“I want the supporters to be proud of our players, be proud of the way we play and the way we fight game after game to bring the victory, and to achieve the main aim, which is to put Wolves back in the Premier League,” Peixoto concluded.

Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Tolu Arokodare Copyright: ImagoxManjitxNarotra

Can Peixoto change Tolu Arokodare’s fate at Wolves?

Arokodare struggled to establish himself as a consistent starter despite his profile fitting the traditional Premier League mould: tall, physical, and capable of occupying defenders.

However, Wolves’ tactical inconsistency last season meant he was often isolated and forced into battles with little support.

Peixoto could change that. The Portuguese tactician has built a reputation for favouring systems that maximise his striker’s strengths. His teams typically rely on what Nigerians would typically refer to as cross-and-nod.

That suits Arokodare. At 6ft 6in, the Nigerian thrives when service is direct and consistent. In the Championship, where physical duels and aerial dominance remain crucial, that profile becomes even more valuable.

Will Hughes of Crystal Palace and Tolu Arokodare of Wolverhampton Wanderers. Copyright: ImagoxMIxNewsx

Still, there’s a pending note on the former KRC Genk striker. His clash with Matheus Mané didn’t help his reputation at the club.

While such incidents are not uncommon, the timing didn’t help as Wolves were struggling to hold on to any form of hope that would guarantee a stay in the English top-flight.

The financial situation of the club further complicates things. Championship football means reduced revenues, tighter wage structures, and inevitable squad reshuffles.

Players with solid market values suddenly become assets for the club to part ways with and make an income to stay afloat.

Wolves players at full-time of the Premier League football match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool at Molineux. Photo by IMAGO

With interest from Turkish clubs looming, a move away from Molineux might be best for all parties.