Moving on or staying put? Will it be a busy transfer week for Wales aces?
RYAN Giggs’s Wales stars are heading to Bulgaria for their next UEFA Nations League adventure, but for many players there are perhaps more pressing matters on their minds.
With just days to go before the closure of the domestic transfer window, where are they likely to be playing their football next season?
How do they balance preparing for a Wales game with the prospect of key transfer negotiations, the domestic window shutting less than 48 hours after the clash in Sofia?
There are big clubs involved here, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham among them.
We take a look at what might be in store for Giggs’s players.
JOE RODON
Will he, or won’t he join Tottenham?
Swansea City and Spurs fans, and Rodon himself, will be asking that question.
Giggs says Rodon is focused on Wales, but the defender wouldn’t be human were he not wondering which club he will be with on Friday.
Gareth Bale and Ben Davies are said to be key in Jose Mourinho’s pursuit of Rodon. As Wales team-mates they know how good the 22-year-old can become.
West Ham, Leicester and Sheffield United are also linked with Rodon, which benefits Swansea as a bidding war could begin.
Spurs’ initial bid was £7m, the Swans want closer to £20m.
But the Swans also need revenue. A compromise figure is likely to be reached this week.
HARRY WILSON
The Liverpool Echo reports Wilson ‘could be forgiven for feeling a little alone right at this moment’.
The reason for that, it says, is because other Liverpool fringe players have moved on this summer, including Rhian Brewster and Marko Grujic.
But Wilson, who will probably start for Wales in Sofia, goes into the match wondering what his future holds.
There are too many players ahead of him in the Liverpool pecking order, where there is no place past Mo Salah or Sadio Mane, while Diogo Jota and Takumi Minamino are also in the mix.
Wilson has also been left out of Jurgen Klopp’s Champions League squad, but with the Euros coming up next summer he doesn’t want to be stuck in Liverpool’s reserves. ‘A forgotten man waiting for his career to reignite, doing little but train at Melwood and play for the U23s,’ says the Echo.
Liverpool have turned down a £12m Burnley bid for Wilson, valuing their Wales star at £20m.
It is suggested Wilson, who shone with spells at Derby and Bournemouth, could be heading out on loan again for the season.
Every Championship club would want a player of his quality and goalgetting ability, but he needs to join a club chasing promotion.
A return to Bournemouth could be on the cards, while Brentford might be interested if and when Said Benrahma leaves.
Watford is another option. What about Cardiff City?
Wilson’s creativity would be a massive plus for a Bluebirds side struggling in front of goal, but it seems Cardiff boss Neil Harris is setting his sights on Barnsley ace Cauley Woodrow.
A return to the Championship might not be the most appealing prospect for 23-year-old Wilson, but at least he would be playing football.
If he impresses once more during a loan spell, Liverpool could yet get their £20m next summer – and Wilson could shine for another club in the Premier League.
Where a player of his talent really should be playing.
DAVID BROOKS
He has been heavily linked with a £50m-plus move to Manchester United, an alternative to Jadon Sancho.
That could still happen, with United in need of newcomers.
But as with Wilson, time is getting on and with Brooks away with Wales a move to Old Trafford happening by Friday seems unlikely.
The Wales Player of the Year is also being linked with a return to his old club Sheffield United, with Blades boss Chris Wilder admitting: “I would love to bring David Brooks back to this football club if he was available.”
However, do they have the money to meet Bournemouth’s likely asking fee? And having seen his name so heavily linked with Manchester United and previously Tottenham,
Brooks might be setting his sights higher than Sheffield United anyway.
With the days running down, he may even remain at Bournemouth until the January window opens at least and try to help them back into the top flight.
If so, there probably won’t be a better footballer in the Championship.
DANIEL JAMES
Leeds United wanted him, but failed to get a deal over the line.
Manchester United, it has been suggested, would be prepared to loan out James (circled) for the season. Cue alerts for every single club in the Championship, including James’s old Swansea side.
But the more realistic assessment is that he is going nowhere.
He may be behind Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford in the
Old Trafford wing pecking order, but Jadon Sancho doesn’t look like he will be coming.
So James will get more 2020-21 first-team action at Old Trafford than
some might have thought.
NECO WILLIAMS
The hugely gifted teenage Liverpool rightback could be loaned to an ambitious Championship club where he would get week in, week out football and his wages wouldn’t be too much of an issue. But Klopp is more likely to want to keep a close eye on him at Anfield and put him in for the odd cup and even Premier League game. Expect him to stay.
BEN WOODBURN
What’s happened to him, I hear you ask?
Liverpool’s youngest goalscorer, a huge World Cup impact with Wales. He appeared to have the football world at his feet.
A string of injuries have hampered Woodburn’s progress, but he is still only 20 and will surely come good again.
When Klopp describes someone as ‘a outstanding talent’, it says everything you need to know about Woodburn’s qualities.
But he does need regular game time and goals behind him to convince other Premier League clubs to take a chance on him.
Woodburn was due to head out to Holland with Sparta Rotterdam, but the move fell through.
Hull have become favourites to sign him, but they are in League One.
Woodburn is better than that, but having been with Oxford last season it might be another case of two steps backwards to take one forward for next season when he might be sold to a top flight or even a Championship side.