Former Hearts star could exit Premier League club this summer as 'in-demand' ace set to spark bidding frenzy

A former Hearts star has turned a summer transfer target for English Championship side Wolves, it’s been claimed.

Ellis Simms helped Coventry City gain promotion to the Premier League last season, having previously featured at that level for Everton, on top stints at clubs such as the Jambos and Sunderland. Frank Lampard’s side are preparing for their top flight campaign but Simms has options to return straight to the Championship if game time is not on offer.

Wolves are seeking an immediate return after relegation to the second tier last season and journalist Darren Witcoop claims that Simms is one man on their radar up top. There are others in the division looking at the former Hearts and Everton man though with a bidding frenzy likely to kick off.

Who could Ellis Simms join this summer?

Witcoop stated via X: “Ellis Simms a striker who is in demand with Coventry expecting loan offers from a number of Championship clubs this month. Wolves among clubs monitoring Simms.”

The forward netted a hat-trick in a win over Watford towards the end of last season that took him to 14 goals for the campaign in a big boost for the forward who spent part of 2022 at Tynecastle on loan from Everton. A chance has beckoned at England’s top table again this season and Lampard insisted in May that the former Jambo, Everton and Sunderland hitman was ready. Lampard told Coventry Live: “Yeah, and he’s shown a lot of that all season for me.

“I think he’s improved a lot. He’s already a talented player but all the basics of forward play in terms of hold-up, run behind, securing the ball, competing and then finishing is the extra bit. Ellis showed that he’s got all those components in different ways and they’re improving all the time. He’s so game and he’s so humble off the pitch. He trains every day and when he doesn’t start he doesn’t say anything, he just carries on and when he comes into games he does great.

Ellis Simms in action for Coventry | Getty Images

Frank Lampard on Ellis Simms

“And today, amazing, and the whole squad and obviously the fanbase as well, everyone’s taken to him because of how he carries himself. But as a player, I think huge credit for the striker he is and he’s still a relatively young man as well. And this year he’s worked so diligently on the things he needed to, and then his all-round game is great.

“I think he will (rise to the challenge at the highest level) because of the way he is. As I say, he’s a quiet, family man. The lads love him and he’s actually got a really dry sense of humour. But as a player, yeah, there’s no reason why he won’t because he just deals with football like it’s his job and like he wants to improve every day. He wants to score goals so why can’t he improve more.”