Blackburn and Middlesbrough Join Simms Chase

Blackburn Rovers and Middlesbrough are reported to be among the numerous Championship clubs vying for Everton striker Ellis Simms’s signature this summer.

As previously reported, the 22-year-old is a player the Blues are keen to bring to Portman Road as Kieran McKenna looks to strengthen his strike force ahead of Town’s return to the Championship.

But a number of other Championship clubs are also understood to be interested with Simms’s former loan club Sunderland, Bristol City and Stoke City previously having been linked.

CONFIRMED: Ellis Simms goes out on loan to Sunderland - Royal Blue Mersey

According to the Liverpool Echo, the Black Cats, managed by former Town skipper Tony Mowbray, have held talks regarding the 6ft 3in tall frontman but fear being out-gunned by other clubs in the running, while Blackburn are among the other contenders.

Elsewhere, TeamTalk reports that Middlesbrough, whose boss is McKenna’s friend and former Manchester United colleague Michael Carrick, are another of the interested parties.

Simms, who has a year left on his deal at Goodison Park, joined Everton at 16 having spent time with Blackburn and Manchester City as a schoolboy.

The striker was loaned to Blackpool in January 2021, then a year later moved to Hearts in Scotland for the second half of the following season.

The Oldham-born striker signed for Sunderland on loan last season and made 14 starts and three sub appearances, scoring seven times, before being recalled at the turn of the year.

For his parent club, Simms has made three starts and nine sub appearances – all in the Premier League – scoring once, in March’s 2-2 draw at Chelsea.

Sources: Middlesbrough join chase for Everton striker with Ellis Simms destined for Championship move

A new number nine – or perhaps two – is likely to be well up McKenna’s summer wishlist with loanee George Hirst having returned to his parent club Leicester at the end of the season.

Elsewhere, former Town academy striker Charlie Brown, 23, has joined Morecambe on a one-year deal having left Cheltenham at the end of last season.

Brown left the Blues’ youth set-up aged 16 as he was about to start his scholarship at Playford Road to join Chelsea.

Sigurdsson: I’ve grown from the good and the bad experiences

It’s fair to say that Arnor Sigurdsson has had something of a nomadic career despite only being 24.

The next time the Iceland international steps out onto the pitch, which is likely to be against Accrington Stanley in early July, it will be the fifth time that he’s played his club football in a different country.

The newest Rovers recruit, who made the switch from CSKA Moscow just last week, has had stints playing in his homeland, Sweden, Russia and a loan in Italy with Venezia prior to linking up with Rovers.

Whilst the last couple of seasons have been difficult for the Icelandic forward, he’s undoubtedly enjoyed some memorable moments in his career as well, with the attacker scoring in the Champions League against Real Madrid and Roma whilst still a teenager.

Those good and bad experiences have moulded Sigurdsson into the player he is today, and he’s hopeful that his time at Ewood Park will be both enjoyable and successful.

“I began as a professional aged 17 and went to play in Sweden,” the wideman said to RoversTV when going into detail about his journey from his hometown of Akranes to East Lancashire.

“Things happened quite quickly and I signed for CSKA Moscow from there, playing with them in the Champions League.

“I’ve since gone to Italy and played in Serie A with Venezia and then have had a loan in Sweden for more playing time and to find that happiness again.

“It was a tough time in Italy, so going back to Sweden to play and finding myself again was really important. Now’s the time to take that next step.

“I was just 19 when I went to CSKA. I was scoring against Roma and Real Madrid and thought I was the best player in the world!

“I will never forget playing at the Santiago Bernabeu, playing against Real Madrid, scoring a goal and making an assist. It was a dream,” he recollected.