Category Uncategorized

Everton are in a great position in the Premier League, currently sitting 11th in the table after going unbeaten in their last six outings in the top flight. However, there is still work to be done to get the Toffees back to their best.

Frank Lampard and the powers at Goodison Park worked well together to bring in eight signings over the summer to drastically improve the squad ahead of the new season following a difficult relegation battle at the bottom of the table and it has really paid off.

New signings James Tarkowski and Conor Coady have formed a formidable centre-back partnership in their short time with each other which has led to Everton becoming the team with the best defensive record so far in the Premier League with just seven goals conceded.

That said, the team have only scored as many goals as they have let in with a drop-off in goal contributions expected due to Richarlison’s exit in the summer and Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s continued injury struggles, with no like-for-like replacements brought in to carry a goal threat.

Indeed, Everton did sign Neal Maupay and Dwight McNeil to strengthen the final third, however, McNeil did not score a single goal for former club Burnley last season and although he did find the net at the weekend for the Toffees against Southampton, finishing isn’t one of his strongest attributes.

As a result, Richarlison’s finishing expertise and hunger for goals are sorely missed and the right replacement could’ve put Everton in an even stronger position over the season ahead, with Steven Bergwijn one of the players heavily linked with a £35m move to Merseyside last summer.

The former Tottenham Hotspur winger ultimately joined Ajax and is already impressing for the Dutch side, which will surely frustrate Lampard when you take a closer his output compared to McNeil so far.

Bergwijn has already scored eight goals in just 12 appearances, and is outperforming McNeil in many attributes including shot accuracy (58.8% v 25%), crosses completed (13 v 6), pass completion (87% v 79%) and successful dribbles completed (60% v 48%).

Not only that, but the £26.4m forward, who was dubbed “special” by journalist Nathan Clark, is currently the top goal-scorer in the Eredivisie for non-penalty goals and fourth for goals per 90 minutes.

With that being said, it was certainly a transfer howler from the recruitment team at Goodison Park not to push harder for Bergwijn’s signature this summer as he would’ve been the perfect Richarlison replacement.

Arsenal are a side who have reaped the benefits of possessing an impressive academy set up in recent years, with the likes of Eddie Nketiah, Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka having all graduated from the Gunners’ youth ranks before establishing themselves as regulars in Mikel Arteta’s first-team squad.

However, arguably one of the club’s most talented academy prospects in recent memory, Reiss Nelson, is yet to fulfil his undoubted potential at The Emirates. And, with a matter of months remaining on his current contract in north London, time is running out for the 22-year-old to prove he has what it takes to make it at the club.

Indeed, former Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, previously stated his belief that Nelson “has shown that he can dribble, go past people and he isn’t fazed by the occasion,” while legendary Gunners centre-back Martin Keown claimed that the winger “showed the sort of touches you often see or associate with a Neymar or a real top player.”

There has been evidence of these claims on the pitch, with the £5.85m-rated talent having impressed during a loan spell at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim back in 2018/19, scoring seven goals and registering one assist over his 23 Bundesliga appearances, with Julian Nagelsmann going as far as to compare the attacker to another of Arsenal’s former academy graduates, Serge Gnabry.

Regarding Nelson, the former Hoffenheim manager said: “Reiss is a player whose qualities can be compared to those of Serge Gnabry, but just not so well developed.”

And, considering the fact that Gnabry now boasts a market valuation of £72m – having scored 67 goals and registered 43 assists over 182 appearances for Bayern Munich – just eight years after he left Arsenal for a measly £4.5m, it would appear extremely wise for the Gunners to learn their lesson from the 27-year-old’s rise and hand Nelson one more chance to impress before the end of his current deal.

Indeed, it is undeniable that the academy prospect possesses the potential to be a massive success in the professional game, perhaps even going on to match the level of the Germany international, but whether or not this development occurs at The Emirates looks to solely depend on whether or not Arteta affords the £15k-per-week starlet a final opportunity in an Arsenal shirt.

Southampton could be forced into spending big money to recruit a replacement for set-piece coach Alex Clapham, according to training ground expert Ben Dinnery.

The Lowdown: Clapham’s departure from Southampton

On 1 July, Training Ground Guru reported that Ralph Hasenhuttl had appointed Clapham as the Saints’ new specialist set-piece coach. The 33-year-old had joined the Premier League side from Notts County, where he was first-team coach last season.

However, less than three months later, the same outlet revealed that Clapham had left his role at Southampton due to personal reasons.

The Latest: Dinnery’s claim

Dinnery – who sporadically features on Sky Sports – believes that it will be difficult for Southampton to find a suitable replacement for the vacant role at this stage in the season.

Speaking with Football Insider, he revealed: “It’s frustrating because big decisions on recruitment and due diligence aren’t made on the spur of the moment.

“A lot of work goes into identifying the perfect person. They need to have the right skill set but they also need to align with the manager’s thoughts.

“When someone leaves in such a short period of time, that leaves a hole. We are at the stage of the season now where you cannot just go out there and pick up a replacement to slot right in there.

“That is a problem because it’s a big expense and also because these guys are in high demand. There are cost and logistical implications.

“It’s a big job in terms of recruitment, just as it is when identifying player targets. It can go on for several months before they find the right person. So, it’s going to be a blow.”

The Verdict: Big blow

Southampton are renowned for their set-piece effectiveness – club captain James Ward-Prowse has been hailed as the best free-kick taker Pep Guardiola has ever seen, while they had the joint-fifth best record for set-piece goals in last season’s Premier League.

Therefore, Clapham’s departure could be viewed as a big blow for the Saints.

With the expenditure that’s needed to lure another top-class specialist away from another club, it could be more likely that Hasenhuttl goes without a specific coach for that role for the remainder of the season.

Therefore, Saints fans will be hoping that the 33-year-old’s exit will not come to affect Ward-Prowse’s free-kick routine, which saw him finish as Southampton’s top scorer in the Premier League last season with ten goals in 36 appearances (eight of which came from set plays).

Football Scotland journalist Mark Hendry has revealed that Ross Barkley ‘remains an option’ for Glasgow Rangers.

The Lowdown: Agent contact

It was reported earlier today that Barkley’s agent offered his client to the Ibrox outfit, after his contract at Chelsea was terminated.

It is unclear whether the Gers will take them up on their offer so late in the window, but Hendry has now given an update on their current transfer situation.

The Latest: Still an option

Taking to Twitter, Hendry has revealed that Barkley ‘remains an option’ for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team, although they do not expect to do any late business.

That stance ‘could change’ if Glen Kamara ends up leaving, as he has been linked with a move to Nice in Ligue 1:

“Hearing that Rangers also feel they’ve done their summer work and don’t expect anything late, in or out. That could change with Kamara rumours swirling. Ross Barkley remains an option if he doesn’t sign anywhere tonight.”

The Verdict: Get it done

Given that the Light Blues would not have to pay a penny if they signed Barkley, this is a deal that they simply have to get done, as other clubs are sure to swarm for his signature.

Hailed as a player who ‘can be unplayable at times’ by former Scottish Premiership striker Noel Whelan, the Englishman still has a lot to give at 28 years of age, and of course would bring plenty of experience of playing at the highest level.

If Kamara were to go, then the Teddy Bears would need a ready replacement, and given that he is a free agent and therefore not attached to another club, Barkley would certainly be ideal.

Aston Villa haven’t had the best start to their Premier League campaign and now with Diego Carlos picking up a serious injury, the club are on the search for a new defender in the remaining days of the transfer window, with a potential opportunity emerging.

What’s the latest?

According to French news outlet Le Parisien, Aston Villa have been offered the chance to sign Paris Saint-Germain centre-back Abdou Diallo.

As per the report, the player is available for £8.4m this summer and despite talks not starting yet between the two clubs, Diallo would be keen for a move to Villa Park.

The defender also has interest from other Premier League clubs with Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United both named as linked clubs.

Gerrard needs him badly

There is no doubt that Steven Gerrard’s priority focus will be to replace his newly-signed injured centre-back, especially with the manager already extremely limited in the number of options he has in the back-line.

Villa have lost two and won one of their first three Premier League games, as well as taking a comfortable victory from their Carabao Cup second round clash with Bolton Wanderers, and Gerrard will be keen to keep up that winning momentum going but will struggle to do so if a new defender isn’t signed soon.

After stripping Tyrone Mings of the club captaincy a few weeks ago, the Villa boss has put himself in a sticky situation in terms of holding together a harmonious defensive set up, so the opportunity to sign Diallo could not come at a better time for the manager.

The Senegalese defender who was hailed “powerful” by FSV Mainz sports director Rouven Schröder has found himself out of favour in Christophe Galtier’s side with Diallo left on the bench over the first four games of the season, so a move to Villa could be the perfect chance for the 26-year-old to get a fresh start over in the Premier League.

Over his 12 league appearances for the French champions last season, Diallo delivered one assist, tallied up a 90% pass completion rate, made 1.8 tackles, 1.1 clearances and took 69.2 touches per game, as well as winning 62% of his duels combined and successfully completing 73% of his dribbles.

As a result, it is clear from his output last season that the forgotten defender is hard working, likes to get stuck in and has the talent to be reliable and consistent when selected to start, so it could be a major coup for Gerrard in his attempt to strengthen his defence.

With that being said, the powers at Villa Park must act fast to beat off any competitors in the final days of the transfer window, as Diallo could be a fantastic addition to the team and comes with a very modest price tag too.

Journalist and broadcaster Andy Sixsmith has praised the potential signing of Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos for Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: In talks

As per Italian football journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the St. James’ Park outfit are preparing an offer for Ramos, and talks are ongoing with him and Benfica over a potential move.

PSG are also thought to be interested in signing him, but the North East club have made him their ‘top target’.

The Latest: Sixsmith reacts

Taking to Twitter, Sixsmith, a broadcaster for BBC Sport and Radio 5 Live, gave his instant reaction to the news, praising Ramos’ qualities and claiming that he would be the ‘perfect fit’ on Tyneside:

“Talk really building on Goncalo Ramos to NUFC – what a smart signing this would be. Brilliant in the air, a real clever finisher & a proper grafter up front – all for a manageable fee. He’d bring goals, quality & competition. Perfect fit.”

The Verdict: No time to waste

With the likes of PSG. who can offer him UEFA Champions League football, interested in Ramos, there is no time to waste for Eddie Howe’s side to get this deal over the line.

He has started the season very well, scoring a hat-trick in Benfica’s 4-1 home win over FC Midtjylland in their Champions League qualifier, while he’s also registered three assists this term already (Transfermarkt).

The 21-year-old had a breakthrough season last campaign, when he managed eight goals and four assists in 46 matches in total across all competitions (Transfermarkt), and is really starting to make a name for himself around Europe.

Nonetheless, Ramos would provide the perfect competition to both Callum Wilson and Chris Wood up top.

A View From The Bullens are delighted by the latest Everton transfer news involving Michy Batshuayi.

The Lowdown: Striker wanted

After the sale of Richarlison to Tottenham Hotspur, the Goodison Park outfit are in the market for a new striker.

The likes of Armando Broja and Alassane Plea have been linked with moves to Merseyside, as Frank Lampard looks to bolster his attack.

Idrissa Gueye has also been linked with a return in the midfield position, so the club’s business looks far from over.

The Latest: Batshuayi talks

As per 90min, the Toffees are now in talks to sign Batshuayi on a permanent deal from Chelsea.

Upon hearing the news, podcast host Lee McClean hailed the potential business, claiming that it would be a ‘sensible’ move:

“Batshuayi is quite obviously a much better option than Rondon. Improves the squad. Sensible again. Yes please.”

The Verdict: Interesting

Batshuayi is certainly an interesting one, as it has not worked out for him at all at Stamford Bridge.

He has been sent out on loan no fewer than five times, and it is unclear whether he will be in Thomas Tuchel’s long-term plans.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/everton-news-7/” title=”Everton news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

However, he does possess the Premier League experience, having played for Crystal Palace as well as Chelsea, and his goal record for other clubs is not bad at all.

The 28-year-old netted 14 times for Besiktas last season, and scored nine goals in a memorable loan spell for Borussia Dortmund in the 2017/18 campaign (Transfermarkt).

He also has 25 goals in 45 games for Belgium, and will be eager to impress ahead of the World Cup, so signing him could turn out to be a smart piece of business.

Leeds United can sign midfielder Sander Berge from Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United for a fee of £35m this summer. 

The lowdown

Transfer insider Dean Jones wrote in a column for GiveMeSport last week that Leeds had identified Berge as a potential successor to Kalvin Phillips.

There is an increasing expectation that Phillips will leave Elland Road to join Manchester City, as per The Athletic’s Phil Hay.

Jones reported that the Blades valued Berge at around £25m, adding that Leeds do not see new signing Marc Roca as a sufficient replacement for Phillips alone.

The latest

Sheffield Star journalist James Shield has now shared some insight, having spoken to sources at Bramall Lane.

The Championship club are aware that ‘agents acting on the Norway international’s behalf’ are trying to arrange a move but they have yet to receive any formal approaches from Leeds, or any indeed any other prospective suitors.

Shield said that interested parties ‘could be forced’ to pay Berge’s full £35m release clause, but he suspects that the Blades are ‘unlikely to demand’ the full amount.

Intriguingly, he also raises the possibility that Leeds could offer Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom the chance to sign defender Charlie Cresswell on loan, addressing one of his transfer priorities.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-45/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The verdict

Berge may be looking for a way out of Bramall Lane after the Blades lost to Nottingham Forest in the playoff semi-finals, consigning them to another season of Championship football after their Premier League relegation in 2021.

Would he be a smart Phillips replacement? It’s interesting to note that he played most of his football last season as a central rather than a defensive midfielder.

He offers his own unique qualities, recording 10 goal contributions (six goals, four assists) last term and averaging 1.3 successful dribbles per 90 minutes (via WhoScored), although it’s worth noting that he’d be arriving in tandem with Roca, so wouldn’t necessarily need to be a like-for-like heir to Phillips.

Indeed, surrounded by midfielders who complement his skill set, he could thrive. Indeed, The Athletic’s Richard Sutcliffe previously described the combination of Berge, Morgan Gibbs-White and Iliman Ndiaye as a ‘Holy Trinity’ at Bramall Lane.

In other news, this Leeds podcaster reacts to Fabrizio Romano’s Raphinha update.

Everton are reportedly now eyeing up a second centre-back on a free transfer after James Tarkowski.

The Lowdown: Tarkowski transfer ‘done’

As per the Liverpool Echo, the deal to take the 29-year-old to Goodison Park is now ‘done’, although it is not expected to be officially announced until the end of the month.

The defender will join the Toffees as a free agent, having let his contract at Burnley run down this summer.

The Latest: Mbemba eyed by Everton

As per A Bola (via Sport Witness), Everton are now eyeing up a move for Chancel Mbemba, who is also out of contract at the end of the month as his time with FC Porto comes to an end.

Fiorentina, Trabzonspor, Lyon, Marseille, AC Milan and Real Betis are also thought to be interested in his signature, although the Toffees are said to have an advantage in that the 27-year-old would prefer a return to England, where he used to play for Newcastle United.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/everton-news-7/” title=”Everton news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Risky

Even though they would be signing him on a free, bringing Mbemba to Goodison Park would be a risky move by Everton.

His last spell in English football did not really work out, as he was part of a Magpies team which were relegated from the Premier League in the 2015/16 season, and he only played 59 times over three years at St James’ Park (Transfermarkt).

However, he was a domestic double recently, and has been described as a ‘fast’ and ‘tough’ defender by former Anderlecht team-mate Steven Defour, qualities that Frank Lampard will surely be seeking in his backline.

Mbemba has had a troubled past in England, but given that he is currently rated at £15.3m by Transfermarkt, signing him for free could be worth the risk.

In other news, find out what big Farhad Moshiri update has now emerged

Aston Villa have been linked with a move for Atletico Madrid winger Yannick Carrasco recently and the Belgian could be a superb addition to Steven Gerrard’s side.

What’s the word?

According to Spanish news outlet Sport (17:57 in live blog), Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle are all interested in the 28-year-old this summer, with a departure from the Wanda Metropolitano seemingly on the cards.

They claim that Newcastle United see him as their main target this summer but Villa and Spurs are also potential bidders, with all three sides undoubtedly targeting European qualification next season.

Coutinho 2.0?

Carrasco would be another huge name for Villa to bring in this summer, having already secured the permanent signing of Philippe Coutinho following his impressive loan spell last season.

Like the mini-Brazilian, Carrasco has experience at the very top, having regularly appeared for Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, while he also has won the Europa League and La Liga during his time with Los Colchoneros.

Last season saw the Belgium international contribute six goals and six assists for Atletico, averaging an impressive 7.08 rating from WhoScored for his performances in the top-flight.

This was a better return than any winger in Villa’s squad last season in terms of both goals and assists, so he could definitely add some quality in Gerrard’s side next season.

Diego Simeone was full of praise for the winger after he arrived from AS Monaco, saying:

“Carrasco is growing based on the effort he made to suit the characteristics of the team,” he said. “We’re happy [about] his performance. Goals [are] his speciality.

“He’s a guy who is used to scoring important goals. He is a player that has certain attributes, that [is] why he is at Atletico.”

Previous reports have suggested that Villa will need to spend up to £50m to bring in Carrasco this summer but if he could have a similar impact to Coutinho, who was only behind Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins in terms of goal contributions last season despite joining in January, then he would surely be worth the risk.

And, in other news… Gerrard heading for summer transfer disaster