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Amid such a disappointing start to their Premier League campaign, Everton reportedly failed to sign a midfield reinforcement for Sean Dyche late on in the summer transfer window after exploring a move.

Everton transfer news

Eased past by Brighton & Hove Albion, smashed by Tottenham Hotspur, and shocked by last-gasp Bournemouth, Everton couldn't have asked for a worse start to the season.

The Toffees looked on course to secure their first three points of the season at the third time of asking after gaining a commanding 2-0 lead over Bournemouth, only for the Cherries to begin their comeback in the 87th minute and end it with victory in the 94th in astonishing fashion.

Those at Goodison Park are heading towards another relegation battle and one they might not survive this time around, forcing them to look back on their summer window as a case of what might have been, especially in pursuit of one player.

According to talkSPORT, Everton failed in a late move to sign Sofyan Amrabat from Fiorentina, who sanctioned a loan move to Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce in the end instead.

Everton have hit the jackpot on "monster" who's worth more than Broja

The Chelsea forward has joined on loan with an option to buy for £30m…

By
Angus Sinclair

Sep 4, 2024

The midfielder spent last season on loan at Manchester United and Erik ten Hag was reportedly blocked by the club's new hierarchy under Sir Jim Ratcliffe from attempting a reunion of his own this summer. Opening the door for Everton, the Toffees could have found a last-gasp replacement for Amadou Onana, only to fail in their attempts.

An experienced international who initially stole the headlines at the Qatar World Cup, Amrabat would have been a shrewd signing to end Everton's summer business.

"Important" Amrabat could have replaced Onana

Replacing Onana was never an easy task for Everton in the summer transfer window, but they would have been wise to go for experience over the risk of youth in Tim Iroegbunam. And that should have led them to Amrabat's signature. The midfielder ticks that box and should still be at the peak of his powers at 28 years old.

Whilst still a level below Onana, Amrabat's ability to progress play as well as his work off the ball would have left Everton in far better stead than the replacements that Dyche has instead been handed for the Belgian.

Amrabat earned the praise of Manchester United boss Ten Hag last season, with the Dutchman saying via The Metro: "I think he played a very good game. Very important for us in the pressing and the counter-press. He’s doing a really good job keeping the team together, keeping the team compact and we had good moments to press, to control the game."

Despite that praise and those aforementioned numbers, however, Everton's move came too little too late to benefit and land a replacement for Onana.

With various transfer windows still open around Europe, one top European club have reportedly registered their interest in signing a Leicester City midfielder on loan.

Leicester transfer news

The Foxes endured a mixed summer window and have subsequently endured a mixed start to their Premier League campaign as a result. Fresh faces such as Oliver Skipp and Jordan Ayew have helped new manager Steve Cooper guide Leicester to one point in three games which came against Tottenham Hotspur on the opening day.

Since that 1-1 draw, the newly promoted side have been on the wrong end of two narrow 2-1 defeats against both Aston Villa and Fulham, leaving them no choice but to wait until after the international break to secure their first three points of the season when they travel to face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Before then, however, Leicester could be set to be dealt a transfer blow outside of England's transfer window, with a forgotten man re-emerging to potentially seal an exit away from the King Power for the current season.

According to Football Insider, Galatasaray have made contact to sign Boubakary Soumare on loan from Leicester for the rest of the current campaign, registering their interest in the midfielder.

Leicester made late contact to sign "outstanding" ace before missing out

The Foxes attempted one last move.

By
Tom Cunningham

Aug 31, 2024

The Frenchman spent last season on loan at La Liga side Sevilla and now looks to head out on loan once again in pursuit of eventually ending a nightmare spell at Leicester either next summer or when his current contract expires in June 2026.

Soumare initially arrived for as much as a reported £17m, but has never quite made his mark at the King Power. Truth be told, it would suit all parties if Leicester managed to negotiate a permanent sale, rather than failing to cash in with yet another loan exit for the midfielder this summer.

Leicester need permanent sale for Soumare

Starting 28 games for Sevilla last season, despite their struggles in a campaign that ultimately ended with mid-table disappointment in La Liga, Soumare clearly has the quality for a top flight in Europe. But any chance of the Frenchman getting the chance to show that quality in the Premier League with Leicester seems well and truly gone, with a move to Galatasaray now potentially on the cards.

Of course, splashing out to sign eventual flops like Soumare is something that Leicester must avoid, especially after they only just escaped punishment up against the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules, winning their appeal this week.

The Premier League reacted to the appeal's success, saying via Sky Sports: "The Premier League is surprised and disappointed by the independent Appeal Board's decision to uphold an appeal lodged by Leicester City FC regarding the League's jurisdiction over the club's alleged breach of its Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSRs) when the club was a member of the Premier League."

Some will undoubtedly count Leicester lucky to escape punishment, whilst the Foxes themselves will know that they will not get quite so fortunate a second time, meaning that sales such as Soumare's would be so much more important than the loan deal currently mooted.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has bristled at the suggestion that he could pick a rotated team to play Manchester United this weekend.

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• Slot hits out at 'strange question'
• Liverpool face wounded United
• Slot's side top of the league

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Liverpool face United this weekend in a clash that could not appear more one-sided from the outside. The Reds are top of the Premier League, while United are 14th and Ruben Amorim, their new manager, has admitted there is a very real prospect of relegation this season.

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  Nevertheless, when asked about the prospect of resting some of his key players this weekend, Slot bristled at the prospect. Liverpool play Tottenham in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final in midweek, but the Dutchman has rejected any prospect of placing a player like Mohamed Salah or Virgil van Dijk on the bench.

• WHAT SLOT SAID

  Slot told reporters: "A strange question… no I don’t plan to. It’s a big game. For me, I said it before the first fixture and one more time, they have much better players than the league table shows. It will take a while, maybe, for Ruben Amorim, but they will definitely go up, and they are much, much better than the league table shows."

  Slot does have sympathy for his opposite number, however, adding: "Every manager has sympathy with others because we all know how hard this job is. A lot of pressure in this job, we like it otherwise we wouldn’t do it. He did so well at Sporting. He has a good squad of players and he eventually bring the best out of them."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Liverpool will aim to climb nine points clear of Arsenal with a win over United. The Red Devils will hope to put some more space between themselves and the relegation zone.

Adams played 89 minutes for The Cherries, while Akinmboni was in the 18 for the Premier League side in the FA Cup tie

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• Adams a two-way force for Bournemouth in win
• Bournemouth on to next round of FA Cup
• Akinmboni was made available for selection

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  U.S. international Tyler Adams made his presence felt in Bournemouth's 5-1 rout over Championship side West Brom in the third round of the FA Cup.

  The defensive midfielder had five tackles, three clearances, and made 90.2 percent of his passes – including 62 completed and one key pass. Bournemouth appeared to be on the end of a cupset from West Brom, as the second division side scored the first goal, courtesy of Caleb Taylor in the 14th minute. Then got going. Justin Kluivert tied the game in the 27th minute and Andoni Iraola's side never looked back.

  Dango Ouattara had a brace while Antoine Semenyo and Daniel Jebbison rounded out the scoring. Highly-regarded U.S. youth prospect Matai Akinmboni, formerly of MLS side D.C. United, made the bench for Bournemouth.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Adams' uptick in form selects he will likely earn a spot when the USMNT's A-team convenes for the upcoming Nations League finals in March. That would be a significant boost for Mauricio Pochettino, as Adams is one of the best defensive midfielders in soccer when he is healthy.

  For Akinmboni, he might not have made his debut, but his inclusion on the matchday squad suggests he might be utilized way earlier than what was expected for the 18-year-old following his arrival from MLS.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  The last time Adams made a USMNT appearance was at the Copa America, where the Americans bowed out in the Group Stage. He has since missed time due to injury.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR BOURNEMOUTH?

  Adams and Bournemouth are quickly back in action in the Premier League as they take on Chelsea, a side he was linked with prior to joining It will be interesting to see if Akinmboni makes the bench again or potentially plays in that match.

As if Everton’s start couldn’t get any more frustrating this season, the Toffees are now set to be without one of their star men against Leicester following a “strange” injury setback to an existing problem.

Everton injury news

After squandering a 2-0 lead either side of the international break to lose 3-2 against both Bournemouth and Aston Villa, Everton hosted Southampton in the Carabao Cup in search of a reprieve that never came. Instead, those at Goodison Park witnessed yet another defeat, with Sean Dyche’s side knocked out of the cup on penalties following a 1-1 draw with their fellow relegation contenders.

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By
Ethan Lamb

Sep 18, 2024

Without a win in the Premier League after four games and now out of the cup, Everton’s next game up against Leicester suddenly feels increasingly important. Lose the relegation six-pointer and questions will likely begin to come over Dyche’s ability to turn things around, whilst victory would finally stop the rot for the Toffees.

In such a crucial game, Dyche could do with his strongest squad available, but will be forced to play without arguably his best player following another setback in his return. As quoted by Patrick Boyland of The Athletic, Dyche revealed that Jarrad Branthwaite is set to miss the Leicester game through a “strange” setback that is keeping his recovery back longer than expected.

Of course, if Branthwaite’s importance wasn’t highlighted enough as Everton survived another relegation scrap last season, then it’s been there for all to see with Everton without a single point in his absence so far in the current campaign.

Everton's glimpse at life without "imposing" Branthwaite

For the rest of the campaign after the Leicester game, Everton will hope to at least have Branthwaite back and ready to make the difference, but his absence has given them a stark reminder of what their reality could look like if he departs next summer. Having been linked with a move away in the summer, the rumours have already started over his future in 2025 and Everton may not be so fortunate to keep hold of his services next time big clubs come calling.

It’s an important year for Branthwaite in his second real season at the top level of English football and one that should result in a first England cap. Interim boss Lee Carsley is certainly a fan of the centre-back, having handed him the captain for the U21s and praised him highly in the past.

He said via the Liverpool Ehco last November: “There were a few players that could’ve worn the armband. It was a way of showing Jarrad how well we think he’s doing at present as well. I think it’s part of the game he can add to in terms of leadership.

“He leads by example, he’s not too loud, he’s quite a quiet guy but the way he plays, he’s very imposing. I thought he was excellent tonight and it’s something that he should be proud of to lead the team out.”

Arsenal were denied a famous victory at The Etihad on Sunday as John Stones struck in the 98th minute to secure a 2-2 draw for Manchester City. There was a full Gunners debut for Riccardo Calafiori at left-back and it was a mixed evening for the Italy international, who arrived from Bologna in the summer.

Savinho beat him with ease on the half-turn to set up Erling Haaland for the opener but he reacted to that by scoring a stunning goal from distance to level the game at 1-1.

Calafiori started due to a slight injury concern with Ben White, who then came on at half-time, and the England international is not the only player Mikel Arteta may be worried about.

Latest Arsenal injury news

After the 2-2 draw with City, the Spanish head coach revealed that his coaching staff did not want the versatile English defender to feature at The Etihad, but they turned to him at the break after Leandro Trossard’s sending-off. White made it through to the end of the match without any major issues, fitness-wise, and Arsenal will now be hoping to have him fully fit for their next Premier League clash with Leicester City.

However, the Gunners may have a new injury concern to be worried about after goalkeeper David Raya was spotted limping with a bandage around his knee after the match.

The Spaniard has a wrapping around his right knee and was not walking comfortably, whilst declining to speak to reporters in the mixed zone. The former Brentford man did drop to the floor before a goal kick in the second half and needed treatment on the pitch, which gave Arteta a chance to speak with his players. Hopefully, the bandage was a precaution.

Losing David Raya would be a big blow

If Arsenal do end up being without Raya for any period of time, it would be a blow for the Premier League giants as he has been in fantastic form this season.

The 29-year-old stopper made a whopping nine saves in the 2-2 draw with City and came into that game off the back of an extraordinary double save against Atalanta in the Champions League.

He has kept three clean sheets and prevented 1.36 xG in five appearances in the Premier League so far this season, whilst his ability to claim crosses has also been extremely valuable for Arsenal.

As you can see in the table above, Raya ranks incredibly highly against his positional peers in the top leagues across Europe in a number of key statistics, including claiming crosses. The Spaniard is quick off his line to sweep up danger, whether that is from through balls to crosses, to take some of the pressure off William Saliba and Gabriel.

Therefore, losing a player of his immense quality, as a shot-stopper and a dominant force in the box, would be a blow for Arteta and his defence.

Fewer touches than Raya: Arteta must drop 3/10 Arsenal star after Man City

Not everyone in red and white was up to the task against Manchester City.

By
Matt Dawson

Sep 23, 2024

Chelsea may sign a “different” kind of striker to Nicolas Jackson, says Roberto Di Matteo, but the Colombian is being backed to become a 20-goal star.

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• Colombian forward searching for consistency
• Other big-money recruits in a similar situation
• Value beginning to be found after lavish spending

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  South American frontman Jackson came in for criticism during his debut season at Stamford Bridge, with inconsistency considered to be lacking in his game following a £32 million ($40m) transfer from Villarreal, but he still found the target on 17 occasions across all competitions.

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  He is up to nine efforts this term, as Enzo Maresca trusts him to lead the line, and Champions League-winning former Blues player and coach Di Matteo is not convinced that Chelsea need to spend big again on another No.9.

• WHAT ROBERTO DI MATTEO SAID

  Di Matteo, speaking in association with , told GOAL when asked if Jackson – who has gone six games without a goal – can become the Didier Drogba-esque star that Chelsea are looking for: “I like Jackson. I can see why managers like him as well. This season he has scored quite a few goals. He has had some harsh criticism last season. He is a young player, most of them are young, and it takes a bit of time to get used to the Premier League and English football. He works very hard for the team. If you want to press as a team, he’s the first one to start it and does that so well. He’s a very unselfish player.

  “I think it’s just a matter of time before he starts banging 20-odd goals. Maybe this season he has a chance. I would keep giving him the confidence. Do they need another No.9? Maybe a different kind of player to Jackson as an option. He has different options out there, they can play with a false nine. There is a really good prospect in the wings, the Spanish player [Marc Guiu], he looks very good.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Jackson is not the only lavish recruit to face uncomfortable questions in west London. World Cup-winning Argentina international Enzo Fernandez and ex-Brighton star Moises Caicedo both arrived in nine-figure transfer deals.

  As a former midfielder, Di Matteo said when asked for his take on that duo and whether they are starting to provide value for money: “They all have big price tags! Not just at Chelsea. Even now you look at the January transfer window and the amounts they are talking about for players is astonishing. Don’t get fooled by the price tag, that is just part of the market.

  “Enzo is a World Cup winner, there is no doubt about his quality and leadership – I think that is probably why he is captain, because he has leadership qualities. Caicedo, he’s the N’Golo Kante player. Again, he’s coming good now. This season has probably shown why Chelsea wanted him. He was at Brighton and you could see the quality and this season he has confirmed what sort of player he is and what he will give to the team.”

Manchester City are weighing up whether to make a move in January to replace the injured Rodri, with a Brazil international one of two players they are looking at, according to a recent report.

Man City eyeing Vlahovic move as Juve prepare to take huge loss on £66m fee

City could soon land their long-term replacement for Julian Alvarez.

By
Brett Worthington

Oct 1, 2024

Man City transfer news

Pep Guardiola is going to be without Rodri for the rest of the season, which leaves a big hole in City’s midfield even despite the emergence of Rico Lewis in that role. This means the club has a decision to make when January arrives about possibly replacing the Euro 2024 winner with an outside signing.

It has been reported already that Man City are in talks with Torino over the signing of Samuel Ricci. The 23-year-old is seen as a future star in that position, and the Blues could look to pursue a move when the January transfer window opens.

As well as Ricci, it was reported earlier this week that Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella is of interest to City. This report stated that the Italian was considered a top target for City, as he impressed Guardiola last month when the two teams met in the Champions League. However, a deal in January may be difficult to make happen, as Barella has not long ago signed a new contract and Inter are said to value him at £75 million.

Man City eye £51m-rated star as possible Rodri replacement

According to Caught Offside, Manchester City are interested in signing Atalanta’s Ederson as they consider whether to sign a replacement for Rodri in the winter window. As well as looking at Ederson, the Blues are also interested in Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, but face competition from other Premier League teams for his signature as well as a massive price tag from the Eagles.

City are not going to panic and rush into the market for a replacement, but this report states that they have “stepped up their efforts” in monitoring Ederson, sending scouts to Atalanta games to keep an eye on the physical and tough-tackling midfielder.

Ederson has been in impressive form since joining the Serie A side, and he played a key role in their Europa League triumph last season. He was then the subject of interest from Manchester United and Liverpool during the summer, with it being reported that he had a price tag of 60 million euros, which is roughly £51 million.

This report goes on to add that Ederson would be City’s preference at this moment in time, but it remains unclear if the Serie A side will let go of one of their key players midway through the campaign. The 25-year-old has started all of Atalanta’s games this season; he has yet to grab a goal but has provided an assist in Serie A. The midfielder has also been capped by Brazil twice, as he starts to get recognition on the international stage.

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson revealed the one thing Mo Salah "doesn't like to do" after seeing the Egyptian star bag a brace against Bournemouth.

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• Liverpool beat Bournemouth in Premier League
• Salah scores twice in win
• Alisson discusses team-mate after game

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Salah played a starring role for Liverpool again on Saturday as the Reds beat Bournemouth to move nine points clear at the top of the Premier League table. The forward now has 21 goals and 13 assists in just 23 games for Liverpool this season in the league in what is another stunning campaign from the Egypt international.

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  Alisson also played a key role in the victory and was happy to heap praise on his team-mate after the victory at Bournemouth. While Salah is clearly enjoying himself this season, Alisson did reveal there are some facets of the game that the 32-year-old really does not like.

• WHAT ALISSON SAID

  He told Sky Sports: "That second goal is Salah's quality. We know how important he is for the team when he scores these kind of goals. But we have to highlight his hard work for the team. Defending is something he doesn't like to do much, but he does it for the team.”

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Salah has now overtaken Chelsea legend Frank Lampard to sit sixth on the list of all-time Premier League scorers with 178 goals.

Looking to add to what is already a wealth of attacking options, Aston Villa sporting director Monchi is now reportedly plotting a move to beat Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign a player who’s been in electric form so far this season.

Aston Villa transfer news

Even outside of the transfer window, Aston Villa have continued their solid business, securing Jhon Duran’s long-term future with a fresh deal for a forward who has been one of the most in-form players in the Premier League so far this season. Pushing Ollie Watkins all the way for a starting place, Unai Emery has the biggest selection headache of his Aston Villa tenure every passing week with two strikers of such calibre at his disposal.

In pursuit of back-to-back Champions League qualification, those in the Midlands may yet return to the transfer market in 2025 to compete with some of Europe’s best away from the action as well as on the pitch.

Aston Villa have struck gold on "absolute star” who's worth more than Duran

He was signed by Emery in 2023

By
Joe Nuttall

Oct 10, 2024

According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Monchi is now plotting a move to sign Pavel Sulc for Aston Villa from Viktoria Plzen ahead of the likes of Spurs, Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen in 2025.

The Villans’ sporting director has reportedly already sent scouts to watch the talented attacking midfielder in action as he potentially continues to plan his first move. Just 23 years old, Sulc stole plenty of headlines last season with his form and has carried that into the current campaign to attract the attention of Aston Villa in what could yet result in the biggest move of his career to date.

That said, with plenty of clubs chasing the Czech’s signature, Villa will have to move as soon as possible if they want to sign Sulc in 2025.

"Incredible" Sulc is Premier League-ready

If there were any remaining doubts about Sulc’s quality after last season, then they’ve since been put to bed by an excellent start in the current campaign. The attacking midfielder ended the last campaign with a staggering 22 goals and eight assists in 49 games in all competitions and has since scored six goals and set up a further three in his first 16 appearances this season.

Unsurprisingly, Sulc has earned plenty of praise as a result of those numbers, with Football Talent Scout’s Jacek Kulig dubbing the Czech Republic star’s 2023/24 season “incredible” back in May.

If Villa make their move, then the Premier League may be left facing the frightening prospect of Sulc, Watkins and Duran all fitting into one side destined to fire the Midlands club into the Champions League once again.