THE RACE HOTS UP FOR FAB FOUR – BREWSTER, KIRBY, CLARKE & GUEHI
THIS time last year, half of the Championship set off in pursuit of Everton playmaker Kieran Dowell – a race eventually won by Sheffield United.
Now toiling on his latest loan at Derby, the 22-year-old has not – until now at least – quite lived up to his reputation. Not that his failure is likely to deter many EFL clubs from seeking out promising young loanees from the Premier League this January.
A properly plucked youngster can be the difference between promotion or relegation. Just ask Aston Villa, whose acquisition of Tyrone Mings from Bournemouth 12 months ago transformed a previously shaky defence into one of the sturdiest in the division.
Business, though, goes both ways – and Premier League vultures are sure to be circling over some of the Championship’s top performers.
Here then, are four young starlets likely to be making their way down in January – and another four who could make the step up.
INCOMING POSSIBLES RHIAN BREWSTER STRIKER - LIVERPOOL
If Dowell was the hottest property on last year’s loan market, Brewster is the main man this time round.
The Liverpool striker - already promised a loan by Reds boss Jurgen Klopp - is at the centre of a five-way tug of war between Bristol City, Leeds, Swansea, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace.
On paper, the two top-flight clubs would appear to have an advantage. Klopp, though, sees little sense in sending Brewster to a club where he won’t be first choice.
Neither Palace nor Villa could realistically give such assurances, whilst Marcelo Bielsa’s unwillingness to play Arsenal loanee Eddie Nketiah will surely count against Leeds. Throw in Swansea boss Steve Cooper’s previous with Brewster as manager of Liverpool’s academy and South Wales would appear the most likely destination for a player who has scored 20 goals in 23 games for England’s Under-17s.
JACK CLARKE WINGER - TOTTENHAM
Not a player anybody expected to be on the market for a January move, Clarke is available after being recalled from a disastrous loan spell at Leeds.
Signed from Leeds in the summer, Spurs immediately loaned the 19-year-old back on the assumption he would continue to develop under Marcelo Bielsa, for whom he played 25 times last term.
In the event, Clarke has played just 19 minutes of Championship football for reasons Bielsa has never fully explained.
Restrictions on the number of loan players allowed in matchday squads hasn’t helped, but Clarke has been in the 18 plenty of times and still failed to get off the bench.
Jose Mourinho now wants to take a closer look at the skilful winger, and will then seek to conclude a Championship loan deal at the end of January. Fulham and Brentford lead the chase.
NYA KIRBY MIDFIELDER - CRYSTAL PALACE
Excellent on loan at Blackpool for the second half of last season, Kirby capped his stay at Bloomfield Road with a player of the month award and a goal of the season contender.
“It’s something he does every day in training,” enthused then boss Terry McPhillips. “He’s a quality player and a cracking lad.”
Since then, however, it’s all gone quiet. Palace, presumably, felt Kirby could push for a first-team berth and rejected several approaches to take the 19-year-on loan.
But despite several assured displays for the Under-23s, he hasn’t made the bench for Roy Hodgson’s side since February 2018. As such, a loan move beckons for a player already rated at £1.5m.
Small in stature but composed in possession and tactically astute, Kirby currently plays as a deep-lying playmaker in the mould of West Brom’s Romaine Sawyers, but has the engine to play anywhere in central midfield.
MARC GUEHI DEFENDER - CHELSEA
Described as a “fine player with a great future” by his mentor John Terry, Guehi is a 19-year-old man-mountain who has already featured for the Chelsea first team.
Quick and strong with a fine range of long passing, the Ivorian-born teenager has every quality a central defender needs to thrive at the highest level - except experience.
That is why Frank Lampard has earmarked Guehi for a loan spell in January. Norwich and Southampton are both eager but Bristol City, Swansea and Nottingham Forest have all registered an interest.
And that could tempt Lampard, who had Chelsea starlets Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori on loan at Derby last year and is keenly aware of how beneficial a Championship grounding can be to a player’s development.
OUTGOING POSSIBLES NATHAN FERGUSON DEFENDER - WEST BROM
It’s decision time for the Baggies. Hang onto a player who could join a foreign club for nothing in the summer? Or cash in with promotion on the line?
In truth, it’s a conundrum nobody at the Hawthorns had expected to face. Little more than a promising centre-half in August, 19-year-old Ferguson was thrown into the firstteam thanks to an injury crisis.
Yet so spectacular were his performances at both left and right-back that he suddenly became the hottest prospect in the Championship. Unfortunately for the Baggies, his contract expires in June and fresh offers have so far been spurned.
Ideally, Slaven Bilic would keep Ferguson until West Brom complete what looks a near-certain return to the Premier League.
But if a top flight club were to offer cash (rumours suggest Spurs are willing) and Ferguson wanted to leave, there would seem little sense in standing firm.
OLLIE WATKINS
STRIKER - BRENTFORD
Why would a club chasing a first-ever promotion to the Premier League flog their 15-goal top scorer?
Because that is Brentford’s business model. From Scott Hogan and Chris Mepham to Romaine Sawyers and Neal Maupay, the Bees have never baulked at banking a big return on a small investment. It is simply how owner Matthew Benham operates.
Indeed, many supporters feel the sale of Mepham to Bournemouth in last year’s January window cost the club a shot at promotion.
Losing Watkins could very well have similar results but if Benham’s £25m asking price is met then the 23-yearold - “already a
Premier League striker” according to FLP columnist Guy
Branston will likely be on his bike.
JARROD BOWEN WINGER - HULL CITY
“I think the club have made it clear that he’s not for sale,” said Hull boss Grant McCann of his 15-goal top scorer. “Not in this window, anyway. We’re really pleased for Jarrod to be here and Jarrod is loving being here.” Perhaps, but don’t all managers say that? You can certainly understand why McCann doesn’t want to lose Bowen, a player of remarkable consistency who has scored 53 times in 123 games since the start of the 2017-18 season - all from the right wing.
But chairman Assem Allam - a reluctant owner who is desperate to sell the club - is all about the bottom line these days. What’s more, Bowen’s stock has risen so quickly that by the end of the season both his asking price and the stature of his suitors could have increased considerably.
That makes it imperative for Newcastle, Brighton, Southampton and Aston Villa - all of whom have made Bowen their top target - to strike now.
EBERE EZE MIDFIELDER - QPR
When Mauricio Pochettino was sacked by Tottenham, it appeared the North London side’s pursuit of Eze had hit a brick wall. But reports this week suggest that Spurs are back in talks with the Rangers hierarchy and are even lining up a £20m bid for the England under-21 star.
Whether that will come in January remains to be seen, but their hand may be forced by rival interest from Chelsea, West Ham and several other Premier League clubs.
All of which is pretty remarkable for a player released by Millwall for looking too laidback on the pitch.
His stats this term - nine goals, four assists and EIGHT man of the match awards - indicate the No.10 is anything but lazy.