‘Next Kylian Mbappe’ could join Southampton or Sheffield United as £8.5m star’s father speaks out

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Southampton, Norwich City, Sheffield United and West Brom will all be hoping to do battle at the summit of the Championship table next season.

But with a 17-goal centre-forward up for grabs, four of the second-tier’s pre-season promotion favourites could find themselves going eyeball-to-eyeball long before the 2025/26 campaign even kicks off.

Southampton are expected to lose Paul Onuachu, opening up a spot in Will Still’s squad to take the place of the seemingly Trabzonspor-bound Nigeria targetman. Norwich may be powerless to prevent Josh Sargent joining Daniel Farke at Leeds United, the USA hitman feeling very much like a striker who has outgrown the EFL.

Sheffield United, beaten play-off finalists, scored a staggering 32 goals less than promotion rivals Leeds last term. And after only Josh Maja managed to break into double figures for West Brom, it comes as little surprise to see the Baggies enter the market for a new number nine as well.

Foot Mercato report that West Brom, Sheffield United, Norwich and Southampton are just four of the clubs looking to sign Willem Geubbels this summer from Swiss Super League outfit St Gallen.

And with the Frenchman’s future very much in the air, the contrasting stance of his agent/father and St Gallen’s sporting director threatens to make this a pretty entertaining tale.

Willem Geubbels’ father plans exit amid Southampton and Sheffield United exit

Six years after Monaco invested a staggering £17 million to make a then-16-year-old Geubbels one of the most expensive teenagers in football history, the former Lyon starlet is bouncing back from the ‘failed wonderkid’ tag placed unfairly upon him by his critics.

Geubbels scored only once for Monaco.

Now 23 and out of the spotlight, a 17-goal season at St Gallen should catapult him back towards prominence.

Ludovic Geubbels, both the striker’s father and his agent, clearly believes that his son has achieved all he set out to at the Kybunpark.

“We had a project with St. Gallen. And, after two and a half years, I believe that the contract is fulfilled,” the father/representative tells L’Equipe. 

“Should he leave this summer or next year? We will discuss it with respect and in the interest of the parties concerned if a change should occur.”

Roger Stilz, St Gallen’s sporting director, is not quite so keen to frame Geubbels’ departure as an inevitability.

“Willem still has two years of contract [remaining] with the club,” Stilz hits back. “He is and will remain an important element [of our squad].”

St Gallen want £8.5m Norwich City and West Brom sniff around

Foot Mercato report that St Gallen are likely to demand a considerable fee, albeit much less than the eye-watering sum Monaco forked out back in 2018.

The man once handpicked to step into Kylian Mbappe’s sizeable shoes in the Principality is understood to be valued at around £8.5 million.

Tyler Dibling’s likely exit means Southampton will have money to spend. Ditto Norwich, if Sargent leaves Carrow Road after another fine campaign in front of goal.

Over the Hawthorns, however, new head coach Ryan Mason is unlikely to be backed considerably by a West Brom side whose financial limitations remain a cause for concern.