That is according to former Toffees chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes his former club are still some distance away from meeting the frontman's valuation.

Ueda has been linked with moves to both Everton and Leeds in recent weeks, and also has Bundesliga interest after a season that saw him hit 25 goals in the Eredivisie.

Wyness believes that the lure of the Premier League will see the Japan international head there over the Bundesliga, and feels that Everton are in the driving seat.

David Moyes is working hard to bolster his attacking options ahead of 2026-27, with a new striker a top priority at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Ueda is currently away at the World Cup with Japan, and notched two goals and one assist across their three group stage fixtures.

Feyenoord want £35m for Ayase Ueda

Everton’s former chief Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that his former club are still some way short of Feyenoord's valuation for Ueda at the moment.

The Dutch giants are understood to want £35million in order to sanction a sale this summer, a figure which would make Ueda an expensive signing for many sides.

Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider's Inside Track podcast, Wyness made it clear that Everton have a much stronger chance of sealing a deal than Leeds.

"Well, normally the Premier League does win over these sorts of things with wages and glamour appeal, and building the player's profile in his own country," he said.

"As I understand it, Feyenoord are looking at a £35m valuation, Everton are short of that at the moment. He certainly seems to be a talent. Unproven once again, though, in the Premier League. 

"We've seen a number of strikers who have come over from the Eredivisie, being the next great thing and haven't quite done it in the Premier League.

"Everton are favourites right now ahead of Leeds from what I understand, but Leeds may go further to bridge that gap with Feyenoord's valuation, and if they do, then I think that's going to be the key as to where it goes. 

"But I think the player, from what I'm hearing, would prefer Everton if possible. I'm not yet convinced that he is Premier League material, but listen, we'll wait and see, but that's where I think the deal stands as we speak today."

Everton make contract offer for Liam Delap

Football Insider revealed on Saturday that Everton have offered a contract to Chelsea striker Liam Delap in a bid to land him this summer.

The Merseysiders are working with intermediaries to try to agree personal terms with the 23-year-old, who is likely to be let go by Chelsea this summer.

Delap has endured a difficult time at Stamford Bridge since his move from Ipswich, and appears set to not figure in Xabi Alonso's plans for next term.

Moyes and Co. have already identified the former England U21 international as a clear target, and have now made contact with the Londoners over a deal.

The Tractor Boys are keen to sign a new number one this summer after their promotion to the Premier League, with the 34-year-old seen as a strong option.

Sources close to the deal expect Newcastle's asking price to be a "stumbling block" in any potential negotiations, however.

Pope has just one year remaining on his contract at St James' Park, and Eddie Howe's team are willing to sell him this summer.

The Magpies have already signed Ewen Jaouen from Stade de Reims this summer, and are also considering a move for James Trafford.

Pope was born in Soham, not far from Ipswich, and spent time in the Tractor Boys' academy before leaving in 2008.

Ipswich Town consider Nick Pope deal

Alex Palmer joined Ipswich midway through the 2024-25 season and was their first-choice goalkeeper for their final 13 Premier League games.

The 29-year-old started this season between the sticks, too, but lost his position in October after suffering a calf injury.

Christian Walton stepped in and kept his place for the remainder of the campaign, keeping 16 clean sheets in 37 Championship games.

The former Brighton goalkeeper has only ever made seven appearances in the top flight, however, and could be replaced before the opening day.

Pope has emerged as a target for several sides this summer amid his likely exit from Newcastle.

The veteran shot-stopper joined the Magpies from Burnley in 2022 and has made 131 appearances since, establishing himself among the Premier League's finest goalkeepers.

Repetitive injuries and mistakes have creeped into Pope's game in the last couple of years, but Ipswich will be gaining incredible experience if they can complete a move for him.

Pope did not rule out Ipswich move in 2021

Pope began his career at Ipswich, and the goalkeeper has since revealed that he still supports his boyhood club.

The 34-year-old told students in 2021 that he still follows the results, and could not rule out a return.

"It’s impossible to say but I’d never rule it out - I still follow the club and the results. I always have an eye on them," he said.

Pope may well be set to see that prospect become a reality this summer, in what could be his last dance in the Premier League.

That is according to former Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes Martin O'Neill wants one more summer match to "fine-tune" his team.

The Bhoys have already got four pre-season friendlies on their summer agenda, with a home clash against AC Milan the standout at the moment.

Wyness believes that the final fixture will not be a "money spinner" like that game, with O'Neill keen to ensure that his group get the right preparation.

Celtic also have a home clash with Middlesbrough on their calendar, plus away matches against Irish side Shelbourne and Portuguese giants Sporting CP.

Their Scottish Premiership campaign is set to get underway on 3 August, but there is likely to be one more warm-up game before then.

Martin O'Neill arguing with Dermot Desmond over pre-season

Aberdeen's former chief Wyness - who served as CEO at Pittodrie between 2000 and 2004 and now runs a consultancy business advising elite clubs - believes that O'Neill is currently fighting his corner with Celtic's owner Dermot Desmond.

Wyness believes that the 74-year-old boss will be urging the club chief to let him have the pre-season that he feels his team needs, rather than one that boosts the club's coffers as much as possible.

Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider's Inside Track podcast, the Scottish businessman made it clear that Celtic still have another friendly to be announced.

"I think there might be one last one to be added, like a fine-tuning one, but I don't think it'll be anything in terms of like a glamour game," Wyness said.

"The AC Milan one is obviously the big one this year, but I think there will be one more. Martin's going to have to decide what sort of opposition he wants to play against, while the board will be telling him they want to get a money-spinning game. 

"The usual tension will exist as always between the Scottish boardroom and the manager. Taking Celtic somewhere is worth money because they always attract big crowds and big travelling fans. 

"That's something that they'll have to be thinking about, and Martin will be arguing with Desmond about what needs to be done to make sure that they have a good season going forward. 

"So I don't think anything will change in that respect, but I do expect one more game to be fitted into the pre-season schedule."

How much will Celtic make from AC Milan friendly?

Wyness previously told Football Insider that Celtic will make "multi-millions" from their friendly against AC Milan, which he expects will be played in front of a sell-out crowd at Parkhead.

He made it clear that the friendly against the Italian giants will help to maintain the Bhoys' standing as one of Europe's elite clubs.

He also acknowledged that it will be a hugely popular fixture for the fans, which means that the club are likely to reap the financial rewards in return.

That clash is due to take place on 25 July, and tickets are already limited after a strong period of early sales.

That is according to former Aston Villa chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes that the status boost and excitement surrounding the game are the biggest wins for the Blues.

The second city outfit recently confirmed the date for their clash with the Spanish giants, which will take place at St Andrew's on 31 July.

Wyness has suggested that the fixture won't be "game-changing" for Birmingham in a financial sense and called upon his previous experience of dealing with Barcelona.

The Catalan club recently became back-to-back La Liga champions and are one of the world's most prestigious clubs, with five Champions League titles to their name.

Wyness is clear that while the fixture is hugely exciting for Birmingham and their fans, attracting Barcelona for a game comes at a hefty price.

Barcelona lay out 'rules' for pre-season friendly

Villa's former chief Wyness - who served as CEO at Villa Park between 2016 and 2018 and now runs a consultancy business advising elite clubs - has warned that Barcelona will have charged Birmingham significant fees for their involvement.

The former boardroom man made it clear that the Blaugrana put specific "rules" in place for friendly matches behind the scenes, including a sizeable fee for their travel.

Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider's Inside Track podcast, he outlined the hidden fees that come with a clash against the elite club.

"Quite a glamour fixture for Birmingham, certainly a statement of intent, but I don't really think they're going to be getting that much money out of this, to be honest," Wyness said.

"I've dealt with Barcelona on friendlies before in the past, I know the rules and sort of the things that they want, and there'll be a charge for them playing at Birmingham, so there'll be a cost for getting the team there.

"It'll be up to Birmingham to maximise the revenue on their streaming services worldwide and obviously on the matchday, there'll be big hospitality packages and all sorts of events around it as well.

"I think if Birmingham are lucky, they may make about £1m profit out of the whole thing, so it's not game-changing in terms of the money.

"It will be an interesting friendly to play in. I don't know if Lamine Yamal will be back or not. I don't know what the conditions of the friendly are. I would doubt those players would be stipulated. 

"Once you take away Barcelona's fee for turning up, I would expect maybe £1m, possibly just a little bit more than that for Birmingham. But it's more about the status and the excitement this will bring to the club."

Birmingham agree deal for Marcus Bignot

Football Insider revealed on Sunday that Birmingham have agreed a deal for Marcus Bignot to become their new U18s coach.

The 51-year-old has previously managed the Blues' women's team, and is now set to return after leaving his role as Swindon Town's assistant manager back in May.

The former right-back has now accepted an offer to become the lead coach of Birmingham's U18s phase, and is vastly experienced coaching at academy level.

Bignot has previously held roles within the England setup at both U18 and U19 levels, and now appears set to take his coaching talents to Birmingham.

That is according to former Manchester City financial adviser Stefan Borson, who exclusively told Football Insider that the All or Nothing series could backfire at Old Trafford.

It is understood that the new deal is likely to earn the Red Devils an eight-figure pay-out, following in the footsteps of Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.

However, it will mean that supporters will have unfiltered access to never-before-seen controversy and incidents, which could spook some of the players, manager, or even those higher up.

The Red Devils will have Premier League, domestic cups and Champions League to contend with, getting back into Europe's top competition for the second time in four seasons.

This is all thanks to the team's success under Michael Carrick in the second-half of the 2025-26 season, so it will be interesting to get a look behind the curtains.

Man United's deal with Amazon could go completely wrong

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Borson believes the money earned will be a positive, but the general feeling will depend on the outcome of the season.

"It's probably worth £10million-£15m, and obviously, it's a pretty high-margin asset sale. There's not a lot of cost there," he said.

"You're giving up, in terms of the cost, is the access, and it's allowing cameras in places where you haven't let them be before, recording stuff and losing editorial control.

"So look, if it's a good season, then it's great. If it's a very bad season, with managerial issues and individual player issues, you enjoy the money, but you know that you're going to take some impact from it on the other side.

"It's worked fine for [Manchester] City, and it worked fine for Arsenal. I'm sure it'll be fine, but there is some risk."

Which players are Man United fans unlikely to see in the documentary?

The Red Devils are yet to begin their summer transfer business, with no incomings or outgoings sanctioned from the senior squad.

Casemiro, Tyrell Malacia and Jadon Sancho, have all become free agents, however, so there are spots being made available ahead of next season.

The likes of Marcus Rashford, Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee are all expected to leave too, especially the former, despite Barcelona not triggering the buy option in his contract.

Carrick has plenty of work to do before his squad is good enough to challenge in the Premier League and Champions League, but there are some very positive signs.

It will be interesting to see if that confidence translates through the screen when the Amazon documentary airs.

That is according to former Manchester City financial adviser Stefan Borson, who exclusively told Football Insider that the Hammers won't want to part with the club captain following their relegation.

Since Nuno Espirito Santo's side failed to avoid the drop to the Championship last season, rumours have been swirling around several players' futures in East London.

Mateus Fernandes and Crysencio Summerville are expected to leave for big fees, while Bowen's fate is a lot more complicated due to his personal connections to the Irons.

Married to Dani Dyer, daughter of lifelong West Ham fan Danny Dyer, the 29-year-old is stuck in a difficult position after the club couldn't stay in the Premier League.

Chelsea are said to be another team keeping tabs on the situation, and while Bowen may not suffer from a pay cut this summer, there are suggestions that he could leave anyway.

Everton must splash serious cash on Jarrod Bowen

Several reports have linked the former Hull City man with a move to Everton, mainly due to his success under Moyes, but speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Borson isn't convinced.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, he said: "I struggle with it because I just can't see how Everton can make it worthwhile for West Ham.

"I think West Ham need to get some real money out of that deal, otherwise they might as well just keep him and make him the centrepiece of getting promotion next season and coming back.

"So, unless they're going to get £30m-£40m for him, which I think is unlikely, it's definitely unlikely from Everton."

The Toffees, of course, aren't the only Premier League club keeping tabs on the situation, but those on Merseyside are hoping that the player wants a reunion with his former manager.

Toffees already have difficult deal to do for Jack Grealish

The main attention is much more likely to be on the opposite flank, with every single supporter falling in love with Jack Grealish last season.

He two goals and six assists in 22 games before picking up his season-ending injury, but the Toffees saw enough to want to make the deal permanent.

Pep Guardiola's departure from Manchester City has thrown a spanner in the works, though, with reports suggesting that Enzo Maresca wants to consider his options.

All signs point towards Grealish going back to the Hill Dickinson, but the club must ensure a deal gets done, and that is much more difficult when focusing on other transfers too.

The newly-promoted Premier League side hope to utilise Gary O'Neil's connections with the London giants, after he spent the second half of the season in charge of their sister club Strasbourg.

The 43-year-old replaced Liam Rosenior in January and led his side to finish eighth in Ligue 1 before leaving to replace Kieran McKenna at Portman Road this week.

Former Bournemouth and Wolves boss O'Neil oversaw the development of several Chelsea youngsters during his six months with Strasbourg.

A number of those bright talents will go out on loan once more this summer, as well as other young players.

The arrival of new Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso may complicate matters, however, with his decision on senior exits to be final.

Ipswich Town to target Chelsea youngsters

Five Chelsea youngsters spent the season, or part of it, on loan at Strasbourg.

Twenty-year-old goalkeeper Mike Penders spent the entirety of the campaign in France, and enjoyed a superb campaign.

His value has risen exponentially over the year, and the Belgian may well spend next season on the bench for Chelsea.

Kendry Paez and Mamadou Sarr spent very little time under the management of O'Neil, with the former joining River Plate and the latter returning to Chelsea.

Sarr may well be a target this summer, however, amid the Blues' pursuit of Maxence Lacroix.

David Datro Fofana has had a string of loans since joining Chelsea in 2023, and could be a target for Ipswich.

Aaron Anselmino made just three appearances after joining Strasbourg in January, suffering a hamstring injury that kept him out for the remainder.

Further Chelsea youngsters to be on Ipswich's target list

Not only can O'Neil hope to attract the youngsters he has already worked with, the former Strasbourg manager may well have proven his ability to provide the right guidance to Chelsea's youngsters.

The likes of Marc Guiu and Dario Essugo could also be in need of loans, and would provide some level of Premier League experience.

Ipswich will have to strike the right balance this summer, however, with a mix of experience and youth needed.

The Tractor Boys will attempt to establish their Premier League status, a year after they were relegated.

The 39-year-old was awarded the permit at a hearing on Friday after agreeing terms with the Hammers.

Football Insider exclusively last Friday that Koppen is in advanced talks to join West Ham as they prepare for a huge overhaul this summer and a season in the Championship.

Koppen is now expected to leave his role at Copenhagen, where he has been their head of recruitment and scouting.

West Ham were always confident that Koppen would be granted a work permit given his experience and pedigree.

The 39-year-old was formerly the head of scouting at Rangers before he was appointed as their technical director.

His transfer business at Ibrox impressed many fans before he left the club in July 2025.

Who is Nils Koppen?

Koppen has picked up experience at a number of European clubs over the past 12 years.

In 2014, he joined Lommel United and became their head of academy, a role which he held until 2016.

From here, he spent two years at KRC Genk as their head of youth recruitment before he joined PSV in 2018.

Starting off as a youth scout, in just over five and a half years, he worked his way up to become a scout and a coordinator scout.

This eventually led him to Rangers in 2024, where he earned praise from former manager Philippe Clement for his work.

Now, after being at Copenhagen for nine months, he looks set to embark on his next adventure at the London Stadium.

What business are West Ham looking to do this summer?

While exits seem inevitable at the London Stadium this summer, West Ham are looking to make signings as well.

Football Insider has exclusively revealed that West Ham are among a number of clubs eyeing a move for San Diego FC defender Manu Duah.

The 21-year-old centre-back has impressed in the MLS, which has also attracted interest from the likes of Ipswich Town as well as many Ligue 1 clubs.

The defender earned a call-up to the Ghana national team last month, but San Diego refused him to leave outside an official FIFA window.

However, it remains to be seen if West Ham can get a deal over the line for Duah as Nuno Espirito Santo looks to reinforce his leaky backline.

Premier League champions Arsenal are considering an initial bid for the 23-year-old, who has emerged among the most exciting young players in Europe.

Decision-makers are determined to stick to their asking price of at least £100million, however.

Former Villa scout Bryan King exclusively told Football Insider that the process to find a potential replacement for Rogers will already be well underway.

Unai Emery's team won the Europa League last month and will have Champions League football next season, widening the base for prospective signings.

Their preference will be to keep the England international at Villa Park, however, with his contract set to run until 2031.

Bryan King offers Morgan Rogers replacement insight

When Villa signed Rogers, the youngster was enjoying a strong Championship campaign and had dominated in Middlesbrough's Carabao Cup run.

Not many would have expected the way he has developed since making the switch to the Premier League, however.

Should he leave and make Villa a profit that could reach towards £80m, they will hope to repeat the trick this summer.

"I worked 30 odd years as a scout for three Premier League clubs and there are three things we say in football, or certainly my era said, there are three things that are important at a football club," King told Football Insider.

"One is recruitment, two is recruitment, and three is recruitment. Now, you get that right, you're going to win things. If you get it wrong, it's going to cost you money and you're probably going to lose money.

"So clubs today are relying more on data, analysis, than they've ever done. In my day, the scout used to go out, you'd find a player, you'd report back and say the player, then your analysts or your people who work on the computers  would then find out as much information as you can on that player.

"I would imagine it's no different today, It's a bit more technical today, that's for sure. But at the end, you're looking for that special player. You're looking for a good young player.

"And teams like Bournemouth and Brighton have done very well in the past at picking up younger players from abroad. Now, that comes from hard work. And it'll be no different in Villa."

Aston Villa links tell story of early scouting

Villa have already been linked to two potential players who could potentially fill a hole left by Rogers this summer.

Abde Ezzalzouli, 24, is an exciting left-winger who looks set to leave Real Betis this summer after a season that saw him net 15 goals and provide 10 assists across all competitions.

23-year-old Croatia international Martin Baturina is another reportedly on the watchlist, after he enjoyed a positive first season for Como.

The talent scored against England at the World Cup last week, in a moment that may well have been watched by Villa scouts.

The Premier League brought 115 charges against Man City in February 2023 and the hearing into them ended in December 2024, but a ruling is still yet to be announced.

Guardiola left at the end of the 2025-26 season, ending his time at the Etihad Stadium by adding the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup to the 18 other major honours he won.

Enzo Maresca is expected to replace him in the coming days, and the new manager may be forced to contend with the outcome of the legal war that has been waged for over three years now.

Former Aston Villa, Tottenham and Everton scout Bryan King, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, has questioned whether the potential outcome could have something to do with Guardiola's decision to leave the club.

Should the Citizens be found guilty, they could be subject to a significant fine, a huge points deduction or even relegation from the Premier League.

Bryan King questions Pep Guardiola exit

Man City continue to insist upon their innocence of the charges, some of which relate to alleged breaches of the Premier League's profitability and sustainability rules between 2015-16 to 2017-18.

There had been talk of a verdict this summer, but the footballing world remains suspended in anticipation for what is expected to be a defining judgement.

Speaking to Football Insider, King asked: "Why did Pep Guardiola leave? Does he know something we don't know? Are they going to get hit with a big ban? 

"Are they going to get hit with relegation or whatever? But I think him saying he's tired, you know, he wants to get away from football and all this, I'm not sure about that. I'm not sure about that. He's a football man.

"There's no two ways about that. And he's a very successful football man as a player, as a coach, no matter where he's been. Whether it's been in Spain or Germany or England, he's a winner.

"He's not an old man.  I just wonder sometimes whether he knows something that we don't know about what's going to happen to Manchester City."

Guardiola publicly backed Man City

Throughout the last three years, Guardiola has continuously publicly backed Man City in light of the charges.

Even after announcing his departure, he said: "I trust them. I spoke with them and trust how they behave and how they did. What happened, happened."

"There will be a resolution, but nobody from the staff, of the backroom staff or mainly the players and the manager was here," he added.

Should the verdict be announced in the coming months, however, there will be further questions surrounding Guardiola's timing.

That is according to former Manchester City financial adviser Stefan Borson, who exclusively told Football Insider who has raised the alarm bells over PIF's ownership.

PIF became the controlling owner in October 2021 following a £305million takeover, with recent reports suggesting that they could sell a minority stake soon.

Supporters, however, are becoming increasingly frustrated by the running of the club, having already lost Anthony Gordon for £70m, and the opportunity to sign his replacement in Victor Munoz.

Further rubbing salt into the wounds, it would appear that Sandro Tonali and Lewis Hall are pushing for exits, while Bruno Guimaraes is also strongly linked with a move away.

Eddie Howe could be set for an extremely difficult 2026-27 campaign should the owners not support him over the summer, with the manager already under a mountain of pressure.

Newcastle United owners 'pulling back investment' is a red flag

After failing to qualify for the Champions League, slipping down to 12th in the Premier League last season, and a last-minute front-of-shirt sponsor being agreed, Borson has spotted some red flags.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the finance expert said: "There's clearly an issue generally in the club. The players clearly want to leave.

"There's definitely something going on with the Saudis in terms of them pulling back investment. And you can see that from the front-of-shirt deal that they've ended up having to do with KNOX.

"So things are not great there, clearly. All of the momentum that they built up with the Champions League and finishing really well in the league, all of that's dissipated.

"And it's a really challenging situation they've got now this summer."

Is Eddie Howe in danger of being sacked next season?

To put it bluntly, no Premier League manager is ever safe from being relieved of their duties.

Currently, Hull City's Sergej Jakirović is the favourite to be sacked first in 2026-27, shortly followed by Frank Lampard of Coventry City.

It is, of course, no surprise to see Ipswich Town's Gary O'Neil make up the bottom trifector after all three clubs were promoted from the Championship last season.

After those managers, though, Howe is shortly behind, and he will need a brilliant start to 2026-27 if he is to remain safe as the Magpies' figure in the dugout.

Former Spurs senior scout Mick Brown indicated to Football Insider that they should finally cash in on the Croatian teenager, 19, if they receive another offer.

Vuskovic caught the eye of several clubs while out on loan at Hamburg last season and could be set to leave Spurs this summer.

He bagged six goals in 30 appearances from centre-back for the German club last term and picked up the Bundesliga's Young Player of the Year award for his impressive exploits.

Spurs fans have been waiting a while to see him in action after he joined the club in 2023, but the youngster may not even debut for the club before leaving this summer.

Brighton have already had three bids rejected by Spurs, but recent reports state that they are planning a fourth bid to test their resolve once again.

Luka Vuskovic could leave Tottenham as Premier League quality doubted

Vuskovic is believed to want out of Spurs in search of guaranteed game time at the highest level.

Roberto De Zerbi has already signed Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke to bolster his centre-back depth, so Vuskovic could well be allowed to leave if Brighton meet Spurs' demands this summer.

“Well, because he went to Germany, it's not been easy for us to and look at him and assess him. But I don't remember anybody mentioning him, certainly, with Tottenham's problems, I didn't see anybody suggest, well, this fellow is playing in Germany, he's doing this, and that they should get him back in. I never heard that once," Brown exclusively told Football Insider.

“The end of the season comes, and all of a sudden he's a world-beater. You know? I'm reticent to go down that road. I need a bit more convincing. I don't know the guy. I haven’t seen him kick a ball.

“If he's that good, I'm delighted for him, but I need some convincing. I think a lot of Spurs fans sort of sat up and took notice when they saw how many goals he was scoring from defence. I guess I can see why fans were pretty excited by the end of the season.”

What is De Zerbi's view of Vuskovic's future?

Spurs' chiefs are believed to be holding out for around £60million for Vuskovic, which indicates that they would rather not sell him this summer.

The push to let him leave permanently looks set to be coming from their manager, with Football Insider recently revealing that De Zerbi does not see Vuskovic as part of his first team plans.

He has already sanctioned deals for two centre-backs that he wants at the club, while five other senior players that can play there also remain on their books.

The 51-year-old former right-back left his post of assistant manager at Swindon Town in May, and is now set to return to the club where he managed Birmingham City Women for several years.

The move comes after the Blues announced the appointment of Scott Sellars as their new 'senior pathway to professional and under-21s coach' on Friday.

Sources say that Bignot has accepted an offer to become the Under-18s lead academy coach.

Bignot was an assistant at both the U18 and U19 levels for England between 2019 and 2021, with senior roles at Cheltenham Town and Shrewsbury Town following.

Before that, the former defender enjoyed roles in non-league with Guiseley and Chester, spending almost four years in charge of the latter.

The ex-QPR player has previously expressed his desire to one day manager at the highest levels.

Marcus Bignot to take next management step

As a player, Bignot began his career with Kidderminster, before joining Crewe Alexandra in 1997.

The defender would go on to feature for the likes of Bristol Rovers, QPR and Millwall, ultimately ending his career with Brackley.

Bignot racked up hundreds of appearances in the Championship and League One, making almost 400 in total.

His journey into management started well before that, however. At the age of 24, the defender managed Birmingham Women and led them to the top flight of women's football.

Bignot returned to the team in 2021, but was sacked less than a year later after he was found guilty and suspended for the usage of homophobic abuse.

Roles at Cheltenham Town, Shrewsbury Town and Swindon Town followed, with his most recent tenure lasting almost two years.

Bignot aiming to 'manage higher up'

Bignot will likely hope the role at Birmingham can spring board him into a different job, and has been done before.

Wilshere managed Arsenal's U18s from 2022 to 2024, before he was appointed assistant manager at Norwich City, before taking over as Luton Town's manager.

Speaking almost 10 years ago, in 2016, Bignot, manager of Solihull Moors at the time, said: "I want to manage higher up one day, but I want to do it the right way."

The Blues may well offer him the chance to do exactly that, as they look to provide their talent pool with the right guidance.

Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane scored for the Three Lions, who were far from at their best on the night.

Thomas Tuchel's side will now progress to the World Cup round of 32, after topping group L.

Anderson is expected to sign a five-year deal with the option of an additional year, with a fee finally agreed for Man City's top target.

Nottingham Forest had been determined to hold out for more up front when they rejected an opening bid worth £120m earlier this month.

Decision-makers at the City Ground have proven successful in that aim, with the entirety of the £116m guaranteed.

Premier League fans left unimpressed by Elliot Anderson

Anderson's move to Man City has not quite broken the Premier League record, but he has become the most expensive English player ever.

He has also become Man City's most expensive-ever signing, and for many, it is clear why.

The 23-year-old is a staggeringly good ball-winner, and a constantly-active presence in the midfield.

Against Panama, Anderson completed two successful dribbles and 11 passes into the final third, winning three free-kicks and even attempting five crosses.

It was his defensive work that impressed, however. The midfielder made two tackles, two interceptions, seven recoveries and won nine duels.

But not all fans are convinced by Anderson's price tag, and many expressed their confusion on Saturday.

"Elliot Anderson is a nice tidy player but never in a million years is he worth £116m," said one fan. Another described him as "massively overrated".

Social media user Leah said the new Man City man's price is a "really scary thought for where football is headed".

Jude Bellingham provides counter argument

Sharing the pitch with Anderson was Bellingham, who cost Real Madrid up to £115m when he joined in 2023.

If the new Man City man was an example of how prices have got out of hand, Bellingham's display suggested that his was warranted.

The midfielder opened the scoring and provided the cross for England's second, proving a constant threat throughout the game.

Bellingham created four chances, completed three dribbles and won four free-kicks.

And that is not all - he won 11 duels on the night, completed four tackles and made a staggering seven recoveries.

Anderson will need to prove his fee next season, as Bellingham almost certainly has.