Port Vale player exit is good news for Derby County, Burnley and Hull: View | OneFootball

With the season now over, clubs are already starting to make their moves in the early stages of the summer transfer window.

Indeed, some moves have now been announced, with certain clubs in the Championship already completing a handful of deals.

Meanwhile, other teams are being linked with several potential targets, as they look to strengthen their squads ahead of the new campaign.

As a result, players can find themselves at the centre of interest from multiple clubs, leaving their future very much up for debate.

One such player who already looks to be in that position in the lead-up to the transfer window is St Johnstone striker Adama Sidibeh.

Championship clubs in the race for St Johnstone striker

Sidibeh only joined St Johnstone on the final day of this year's January transfer window, signing from English non-league side Warrington Rylands.

However, the striker wasted no time in making an impact in Scotland. He scored five goals in 15 games, with those strikes proving vital in helping the Scottish side preserve their top-flight status.

That has seemingly attracted plenty of interest in the 25-year-old. Recent reports from Football Insider claimed that three sides set to be in the Championship next season, Derby County, Middlesbrough and Burnley, are all interested in signing Sidibeh this summer.

Meanwhile, journalist Alan Nixon has credited another English second-tier side, Hull City, with an interest in signing him.

It could be argued that one piece of business done involving one club further down the Football League than those being linked with the St Johnstone striker could help out those Championship sides in the race to sign Sidibeh.

Port Vale transfer opens door for Adama Sidibeh move

For those connected with Port Vale, the 2023/24 season is one that most would surely rather forget.

The Valiants could only secure a 23rd place finish in the final League One standings, confirming their relegation back to League Two after two seasons in the third tier of English football.

Following that relegation, the exits from Vale Park ahead of that return to the fourth tier for the club have already started to begin.

One of those who is moving on is Uche Ikpeazu, with it having already been confirmed last week that the striker will leave the club for the second time this summer, following the expiration of his contract.

The 29-year-old has wasted no time in finding his new club either, with it being announced at the same time that he is set to join St Johnstone on a two-year contract.

In doing so, Ikpeazu is set to reunite with his former manager from his time at Hearts, Craig Levein, and give those aforementioned clubs hopes of getting a deal done for Sidibeh.

By moving so quickly in the window to bring in a centre forward such as Ikpeazu, it may well be that they are bracing themselves to lose options in that position, and have now got themselves a replacement.

With the addition of the now-former Port Vale man, they have secured themselves some extra depth in the centre-forward position.

They may therefore be more open to letting another striker in the form of Sidibeh go should the right offer be made, given they do not have quite as much of a concern about a void being left in that area of the pitch.

As a result, the prospects of the likes of Derby, Burnley, and Hull completing the signing of the St Johnstone forward this summer may have been given a boost by Ikpeazu's own departure from Vale.

Considering how those Championship clubs look as though they will need to reinforce their own centre-forward options this summer, that is something they must be looking to take advantage of.