Sheffield Wednesday is reportedly interested in recruiting former Leeds United sporting director, Luke Dowling, as their new technical director. According to Football Insider, Dowling is closing in on a return to Yorkshire, as the Owls seek a replacement for their former transfer chief, David Downes, who joined Blackpool earlier this summer. Dowling boasts a wealth of experience in recruitment roles, having worked with clubs such as Nottingham Forest, West Brom, Watford, Portsmouth, and Leeds United.
Meanwhile, there are rumors circulating that former Leeds United winger, Raphinha, could be making a sensational return to the Premier League. The speculation comes as part of a domino effect resulting from the investment from the Saudi Pro League. The Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund has attracted some of the world’s top footballers to the Middle East, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and N’Golo Kante. Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez is reportedly set to join this star-studded league, with Al-Ahli tabling a £30 million offer, and Mahrez potentially earning around £43 million per year.
In light of Mahrez’s potential departure, Pep Guardiola’s treble-winning side is said to view Raphinha as the ideal replacement. According to French outlet Foot Mercato, City sees the 26-year-old Brazilian as the perfect player to fill the void left by Mahrez. Raphinha joined Barcelona just last summer in a reported £57 million move, following in the footsteps of his Brazilian idol, Ronaldinho, with the help of his agent, Deco, who is a former Barca player himself. Although Raphinha has been linked with a move to Newcastle United, as they aim to strengthen their squad for their return to the Champions League, a move to Manchester City could be on the cards.
While these transfer rumors continue to swirl, it remains to be seen whether Dowling will officially join Sheffield Wednesday as their technical director and if Raphinha will indeed make a return to the Premier League with Manchester City. Football fans will be eagerly awaiting further developments in the coming weeks as the summer transfer window heats up.
