Championship trio Derby County, Hull City and Bristol City are set to make a bid for Colchester United midfielder Sammie Szmodics as reported by Sky Sports.
The talented attacking midfielder was a vital player in the U’s ultimately unsuccessful push for League Two promotion last season, scoring fifteen goals and contributing six assists in forty-eight appearances.
His eye-catching performances during the 2018/19 season have alerted several Championship clubs to the ability and potential of the twenty-three-year-old who is out of contract with the U’s at the end of the month.
Reports in May claimed Bristol City were leading the race to sign the Colchester youth product, but Peterborough United manager Darren Ferguson recently revealed Posh had made a bid for Szmodics which was agreed by Colchester. Crucially, Ferguson also admitted that he was yet to speak to the player about the move.
It now looks likely there will be quite a battle to secure the sought after player’s services for next season if the Sky Sports report is accurate and the Championship trio make a bid this week.
Colchester born Szmodics has been at the U’s for sixteen years, making one hundred and sixty-two senior appearances for the Essex outfit, scoring thirty-eight goals and according to Sky he’s valued at around £600,000.
Our View
Having been a big admirer of Szmodics over the last couple of seasons this news is not a surprise.
Szmodics is a real talent, and he’s now too good for League Two.
He has all the potential to make the jump to the Championship and will add a real goal threat from midfield for whichever side wins the race to land his signature.
£600,000 sounds a lot for a League Two player, but even at that price he would in our opinion be a bargain.
