Kwame Poku transfer saga set to end with three clubs left standing.

Kwame Poku transfer saga set to end with three clubs left standing.
Birmingham City chased a deal for in-demand Kwame Poku earlier this summer and the winger could yet end up in the Championship.

Kwame Poku has a choice between Queens Park Rangers, Swansea and another ‘unnamed club’ according to Sky Sports.

Birmingham City have enjoyed a watching brief in the Poku saga after becoming frustrated by his deliberation over their advances in May.

Kwame Poku has been targeted by Birmingham City
The winger could yet wind up in the Championship though with QPR and Swansea among those keen to snap him up at the end of his Peterborough United contract.

Poku will become a free agent on July 1 but Posh will be entitled to some compensation because the player won’t turn 24 until August.

It looked as though Rangers were winning the race for Poku last week but QPR and Swansea, plus another club which hasn’t been named, have now settled on a compensation package with Peterborough, as per Sky.

QPR finished 15th in the Championship last season and have just replaced manager Marti Cifuentes with Frenchman Julien Stephan. Swansea, meanwhile, finished 11th, seven points shy of the play-off places.

Kwame Poku has been targeted by Birmingham City
Poku shone in League One last season with 20 goal contributions in 27 matches for Peterborough and was instrumental in their Vertu Trophy final victory over Blues at Wembley.

Blues’ interest in Poku dates back two years and for much of May it looked as though they were in pole position to sign him.

They started to pursue alternative targets at the start of June and Poku now appears to be heading elsewhere.

The Sky Blues’ automatic promotion credentials in the new Championship season have been questioned

Coventry City’s automatic promotion credentials have been questioned – but Frank Lampard has been backed to have the Sky Blues battling towards the top end of the Championship in the new season.

Lampard guided Coventry into the play-offs last season, transforming their results when he took charge at the CBS Arena last November.

They bowed out of the play-offs in the semi-finals to eventual winners Sunderland, but Lampard’s side will be among the clubs tipped to challenge for promotion to the Premier League once again when the new campaign kicks off.

Assessing their promotion chances, Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman told Football League World: “I do think Coventry will be towards the top end of the table next season.

“Whether or not they could make a top two challenge is hard to say really.

“I think there’s obviously a lot of business that needs to be done. Players will leave, players will come in, so at this stage it’s difficult to say.”

Coventry have made their first signing of the summer, agreeing a deal for defender Miguel Ángel Brau, subject to international clearance and a work visa.

“What I will say is they will be up against the likes of Sheffield United, I expect to be up there again, West Brom I expect to do better, Middlesbrough, Norwich, teams like that, plus those that were relegated – Southampton, Leicester obviously came back down along with Ipswich, who will be very, very strong,” added Goodman.

“And the clubs that came up will be strong, so do think the Championship as a whole is going to be much stronger than last season, and that’s going to make it all the more difficult for Coventry to get a top two place – I’m not saying they can’t do it, I’m saying it’ll be difficult.”