All posts by h716a5.icu

It does appear that Everton could be in line for something of a mass exodus this summer, with a host of first-team players currently coming towards the end of their existing deals at Goodison Park.

Among those who could potentially depart on a free transfer is long-serving midfielder, Tom Davies, with the 24-year-old having become something of a peripheral figure at the club of late after initially rising up through the youth ranks.

While there have been claims that the Englishman could be offered an extension, The Athletic's Greg O'Keeffe revealed that the Liverpool-born dud may opt to refuse any potential new deal, having started just four Premier League games this season.

The 5 foot 11 man – who was the subject of interest from Glasgow Rangers back in January – had endured an injury-hit 2021/22 campaign after making just six top-flight appearances, with it perhaps time the £25k-per-week warrior seeks to revive his career elsewhere.

Manager Sean Dyche will still likely need to acquire a replacement for the former England U21 international, however, due to the lack of real depth in the centre of the park, albeit with it yet to be seen what budget the former Burnley boss will have amid the club's financial woes.

With that in mind, the 51-year-old may be better served turning to the academy set-up in order to find a successor to the departing Davies, with 18-year-old Jenson Metcalfe seemingly one such gem who could be a potential midfield star of the future.

Who is Jenson Metcalfe?

The teenager – who signed a new four-year deal with the Merseyside outfit back in September – is undoubtedly one of the most highly-rated assets that the club have on their books, having been hailed as a "good prospect" by journalist Patrick Boyland.

While the "talented" midfielder – as described by Boyland – has been limited to just six appearances at youth level this season after previously sustaining an ACL injury last year, the indication is that the Englishman could truly begin to thrive when back to full fitness.

The Wigan native has been with the Premier League side since joining at the age of five, with the club's official website hailing him as an 'energetic and technically-proficient central midfield player'.

Although the youngster is still waiting for a chance to shine in the first-team, the playmaker has previously scored four times and registered three assists in 31 games at U18 level, as well as making seven appearances for the U21s to date.

The promising gem has been earmarked as a player to keep an eye on in recent years after notably earning a place in the Guardian's Next Generation list in 2021, showcasing the top 20 young talents in the Premier League.

As journalist Andy Hunter noted at the time of that inclusion, the emerging starlet is a 'real competitor with an outstanding passing range', while going on to add that: 'Metcalfe can play off both feet, has impressive technical ability and is a dead-ball specialist. He can also score a variety of goals and intercepts or regains possession with fierce intensity.'

Those traits would likely be appealing to Dyche, with Metcalfe also describing himself as a "tempo-setter" as well as revealing his admiration for Spain and Barcelona icon, Sergio Busquets, due to the latter man being "so relaxed on the ball".

Evidently a player who likes to dictate proceedings but is also not afraid to shirk a challenge and get involved in an attacking sense, the £510-per-week sensation could well make Everton supporters forget all about that man Davies.

Former Spurs employee Ramon Planes 'could be tempted by an offer from Tottenham Hotspur' amid all the noise surrounding Fabio Paratici.

Paratici ban extended worldwide

Earlier this week, Spurs and chairman Daniel Levy were hit with the major announcement by FIFA that Paratici's Italian footballing ban has been extended worldwide. The club chief's alleged involvement in former club Juventus' recent financial scandal resulted in him being slapped with a 30-month Serie A ban but FIFA's message has now confirmed that this applies to the Premier League as well.

This news deeply affects Paratici's role as Tottenham sporting director with the 50-year-old no longer able to negotiate transfer dealings or even get materially involved in Spurs' search for a new manager. The Lilywhites parted company with Antonio Conte earlier this week as the north Londoners begin their quest to hire a permanent replacement.

Cristian Stellini and assistant coach Ryan Mason have been placed in temporary charge until the end of this season but news of Paratici's extended worldwide ban has given chairman Daniel Levy yet another conundrum to solve.

As a result of the Paratici news, some reports have already suggested that Spurs could hire a replacement, with Spanish sources now sharing an update on this front.

According to the report from the continent, it is believed that Tottenham are 'closely following' former Barcelona sporting director Planes, with La Liga side Real Betis also targeting the 55-year-old. It is also claimed that Planes 'could be tempted by an offer from Tottenham Hotspur' with the English side listed as an 'option' for the chief. A man in demand, it is also not completely ruled out that Barca come back in for their ex-employee.

Should Tottenham hire Planes?

The experienced sporting director has worked for clubs across Spain and was even attracting interest from Newcastle back in 2021. Perhaps most interestingly, Planes also held a brief role as Tottenham's technical secretary from between 2014 and 2015 when Mauricio Pochettino was in charge.

Indeed, Planes could be a solid candidate to potentially succeed Paratici if Spurs go down that route, not least because the official is familiar with both Spurs and manager target Pochettino.

As shared by Guillem Balague, both men have also worked together before at Espanyol, so the pair could already have a considerable rapport from their jobs side-by-side in past seasons. He is one who may well be worth considering for Spurs and Levy.

Everton are reportedly in the race to sign Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund this summer.

The Lowdown: Hat-trick hero

On his first senior international start for Denmark on Thursday, Hojlund scored a remarkable hat-trick as he helped his team beat Finland 3-1 in their opening qualifier for EURO 2024.

He plays his club football with Atalanta in Italy, and has 10 goal contributions in 25 games in total over all competitions for them so far this season, after joining from Austrian side Sturm Graz, where he had scored nine times and produced three assists (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: Everton in race

As per Italian news outlet Tutto Atalanta, the Goodison Park outfit are in the race for Hojlund this summer, along with fellow Premier League rivals Newcastle United and Arsenal.

Unsurprisingly, he is also attracting interest from ‘half of Europe’, and any bidding war for him would have to start at between €40-45m (£35-40m).

The Verdict: Very unlikely

Unfortunately for the Merseyside club, it is very unlikely that they would be able to attract Hojlund this summer, especially if they are relegated from the Premier League.

Hailed as ‘scary quick’ by journalist Sacha Pisani, and a ‘beast’ by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, the six-foot-three Scandinavian is already drawing comparisons to Manchester City and Norway superstar Erling Haaland, while former Leeds United player Mike Grella has even gone as far as to claim that he can ‘do more’ than the Premier League’s current leading scorer.

Hojlund’s performance against Finland emphasised his all-round game, as as well as scoring a hat-trick, the Dane made two key passes and dribbles, and won three aerial duels (WhoScored).Nonetheless, the Toffees would do very well to beat what looks like a long list of teams waiting to pounce on his signature this summer.

Liverpool have been unable to maintain their high standards this season and Jurgen Klopp will surely be looking ahead to the summer to find solutions.

The Reds are currently seven points adrift of a Champions League qualifying spot in sixth with just 12 games remaining to catch Tottenham Hotspur in fourth.

Indeed, if the club does not qualify for the prestigious European competition for the first time since the 2015/16 season which was the first under Klopp’s management it will put further pressure on FSG to rebuild.

Liverpool’s American owners are renowned for their tight spending and strict recruitment process, however, the spotlight will be shining brightly on them to get the squad set up for success once again.

It is one of the worst-kept secrets in football that Liverpool have made Jude Bellingham their top target with Matheus Nunes and Mason Mount also linked with a move to Anfield.

However, the supporters will be under no illusion that FSG will be spending like Chelsea or Manchester United this summer and are unlikely to sanction a complete overhaul when the transfer window reopens.

As a result, Klopp could repeat his success with Stefan Bajcetic by having a look at the fantastic youth academy set-up full of players dreaming of an opportunity to breakthrough into the senior team.

One player who has been capturing attention in recent months is Luke Chambers, a talented left-back who was sent out on loan to Kilmarnock to earn some much-needed first-team football.

Who is Luke Chambers?

The versatile academy star – who can play both left-back and centre-back – has been rising through the ranks of the youth system since he was six years old, signing a new contract to extend his stay in 2022.

Chambers also joined the first team pre-season tour in Thailand and Singapore alongside winning the U19 European Championship with England last summer.

The 18-year-old has tallied up 66 appearances, 13 goals and seven assists across the U18s, U19s and U21s before heading out on loan in Scotland this January.

Over five appearances for Kilmarnock, the £264k-rated youngster has registered one assist and won 58% of his ground duels, as well as averaging 1.2 successful dribbles, and 1.2 key passes per game, proving he is truly in the Robertson-ilk.

His 1.8 tackles, one interception and 1.6 clearances outline him as a capable defender too, someone with immense consistency despite his age.

Indeed, Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes has already lavished praise on the youngster for his impact during his debut:

“He was outstanding. He looks about 13 but he plays like a 30-year-old!

"He’s so mature, he’s so calm with his defending, his decision-making on the ball was very good, his choice of passes, his choice of crosses, none more so than for Danny’s goal and he’s fitted in brilliantly."

With that being said, the future is looking bright for Chambers if he continues to thrive and develop, particularly from an offensive point of view, he could ultimately become the heir to Andy Robertson on the left-hand side of the defence.

Everton podcaster and season ticket holder Jez Clein has called for Sean Dyche to start Demarai Gray in Everton's upcoming Premier League match.

What's going on with Everton's strikers?

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is still an injury doubt as the Englishman continues to struggle for fitness, whilst Neal Maupay has been disappointing in front of goal, scoring just once all season.

Ellis Simms was recalled from his loan at Sunderland in January, but is yet to make an impact as he has started just one Premier League game.

Meanwhile, Gray has scored four league goals this campaign, including a stunner away at Manchester City, but didn't start in any of his first four matches under Dyche.

Speaking on The All Together Now Everton podcast alongside journalists Greg O'Keeffe and Tony Scott, Clein claimed he would be surprised if Dyche was to make any changes to the win over Brentford, and that Gray has the skills to be able to cause Chelsea problems if he was to lead the line again.

He said: "I think what we've seen from Sean Dyche so far is that if he's happy with a squad, happy with the performance, he usually doesn't make too many changes, does he?

"I'll be really surprised if it wasn't the same again on Saturday. I know some people have talked about [whether] we go five at the back – no. Not the way it's working at the moment.

"Gray's got to start. He's earned that. He's not someone who's going to be away with the International break as well, so there's no reason why he can't run and run for 90 minutes and stretch the back four.

"We know what pace does in any level of the game. You need pace. You need that out-ball, and he's someone who's got the talent to hold it up as well; he's got decent feet.

"I wouldn't be disappointed if it's the same starting lineup again."

Can Gray keep Everton up?

Everton's lack of firepower, particularly compared to their relegation rivals, may be of some concern.

They have scored just 20 goals this season, the joint-lowest in the league alongside Southampton and Wolves, and the lack of a reliable striker could hold them back in what is a tight battle for survival.

Calvert-Lewin's fitness struggles have come at the worst possible time for The Toffees, but Gray has impressed in recent weeks, and if he is given a run of games through the middle, he could be the difference between staying up and going down.

He had the desired effect when Dyche entrusted him against Nottingham Forest recently, and a prolonged run up top while Calvert-Lewin reaches full fitness may give the ex-Leicester City ace the confidence to spur the Toffees towards safety.

Gray was once described as "unbelievable" by Rio Ferdinand, and has been a bright spark in an otherwise dismal season for the club.

Everton's lack of investment in a forward in the January window has meant that options are limited, but if Gray can start consistently performing, they may yet be able to cling onto their Premier League status for another season.

Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has praised Chelsea’s switch to a three-at-the-back formation as they recorded their third victory in a row.

What has changed at Chelsea?

Graham Potter found himself under immense pressure following a dreadful run of results, but Chelsea have started to find their form, which has seemingly bought him more time in charge.

Ahead of their victory over Leeds United a week ago, Potter switched to a three-at-the-back formation, and the results have instantly improved, having played a 4-2-3-1 in their nightmare run.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Merson praised the decision, and claimed that Chelsea now look dangerous going forward.

He said (via Football Daily): “Chelsea look dangerous, look full of confidence, a completely different team to three or four weeks ago.

“Three at the back has made a difference. Chilwell gets forward, I thought Loftus-Cheek did very well. Kovacic is fit, he’s playing with Enzo Fernandez in midfield.

“They look a balanced team now. They look very balanced. They look quite solid.”

Should Potter stick with this formation?

Chelsea’s record under Potter this season has been poor, but there does appear to be a difference in results when playing with a back three compared to a back four.

They have lost 3 in 13 when fielding a three, compared to 6 in 16 with a back four, since Potter’s appointment in October.

Previous manager Thomas Tuchel would typically use a three-at-the-back formation, and perhaps the increased familiarity has helped the Chelsea squad in a season where there have been dramatic changes on and off the field.

Given the recent run of wins, Potter should stick with the formation and try and build some more cohesion within the squad to help climb back up the table.

Troy Deeney has ripped into his former teammate Abdoulaye Doucoure for his role in the second goal Everton conceded yesterday.

The Lowdown: Everton will be frustrated

While taking a point away at Nottingham Forest who haven’t lost at the City Ground since September should be deemed a positive result by Sean Dyche and the Evertonians, the manner of their collapse will be disappointing.

Everton did indeed take the lead twice yesterday which will have filled them with hope of picking up a huge three points against a relegation rival, but old tendencies foiled that idea.

There were errors for both goals from an Everton perspective with Jordan Pickford pushing Morgan Gibbs-White’s effort straight to Brennan Johnson and then Doucoure gave the ball way in his own half just seconds before Forest levelled things up.

The Latest: Doucoure cancels out all his good work

The Mali international put Everton ahead for this second time yesterday when he headed past Keylor Navas, but that was swiftly forgotten as he lazily gave up possession moments before Johnson got his second of the game, which Deeney was quick to highlight on Match of the Day 2.

He said: (44:55) “77 minutes, you’re 2-1 up away from home and this is perfect you’re in control. I played with Doucoure, he’s a lot better than this [giving the ball away] but he’ll be getting absolutely hammered for this.

“At this moment when you’re a player you’re thinking please don’t score and Brenan goes and sticks it into the top bin, so Dyche will be fuming.”

The Verdict: Dyche will be ruing individual errors

It’s been a mixed bag for Everton since Dyche was handed the job as he’s picked up seven points from seven games including two home wins that also resulted in clean sheets, but they’ve also shipped eight in their last games.

The fact that Everton didn’t really make Forest work for their goals as the first one was a tap-in from Johnson and the second one saw Doucoure hand the hosts the ball just a few yards out from Everton’s box will have Dyche fuming.

If Everton are to avoid the drop this season then they will certainly have to cut out individual errors as it is just allowing teams back into games far too easily and giving themselves a mountain to climb in every game.

Presenter of the HLTCO podcast Dan Cook has accepted that Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha will leave this summer amid transfer links to Tottenham Hotspur.

What’s the latest on Wilfried Zaha and Spurs?

It’s no secret that there is plenty of doubt about the winger’s future with the Eagles as his contract is currently set to expire at the end of the season.

In recent times, rumours have suggested that the player is yet to make a decision on what step he’ll take next in his career. However, the latest reports from London World note that Spurs are “increasingly confident of securing” Zaha’s signature.

In reaction to all this, Cook told HLTCO that he is “resigned to the fact” that the 30-year-old will leave Selhurst Park at the end of the current campaign.

In full, he said (08:21): “With every week that passes and no fresh news on a potential new contract for Wilf, I am becoming more and more resigned to the fact that he will be waving goodbye at the end of this season.

“I don’t want to get too bent out of shape about it. But at the same time, you know, it is going to be a very sizeable hole that we are going to have to plug/

“I’m not 100 per cent sure how we’re going to manage that without the financial muscle necessary to replace him. But you know, it’s something that we’ve been kicking down the road in terms of this particular saga for a number of years now.”

Could Spurs sign Zaha at the end of his Palace contract?

Antonio Conte and his side did sign a new winger in the winter when Arnaut Danjuma arrived from Villarreal on loan. However, that deal doesn’t have an obligation to buy, so the club could be in the market for another forward this summer.

What’s more, Brazilian attacker Lucas Moura will definitely be leaving north London at the end of the season when his contract expires, so you can see how Zaha might fit in at Spurs.

The Ivorian would arrive with plenty of proven Premier League experience having scored 67 goals and provided 43 assists in 297 games in the English top flight.

With that in mind, the Tottenham decision-makers may view him as a clever summer signing, especially as he won’t set them back with regard to a transfer fee.

This certainly looks like one to keep an eye out for over the coming months.

Aston Villa could use Douglas Luiz to sign Moise Kean from Juventus, Italian journalist Marcello Chirico has claimed. 

The lowdown

Last summer, Juventus signed Kean on loan from Everton with an obligation to buy him for £24million.

Kean did make 44 appearances in 2021/22 but starting opportunities proved to be limited. Max Allegri selected him from the off in just 12 Serie A matches, and one Champions League fixture.

The Athletic’s Gregg Evans reported in May that Steven Gerrard may look to add ‘another forward option’ to his squad during the summer transfer window.

And transfer insider Dean Jones recently suggested that Villa might look to move Luiz on.

The latest

Chirico tweeted on Monday afternoon that ‘Aston Villa is interested’ in signing Kean this summer.

They have apparently ‘offered’ midfielder Luiz to the Bianconeri as part of the deal.

The verdict

Transfermarkt value Luiz at £31.5million, £7.5million more than Juventus have agreed to pay for Kean. And given that the Italian is clearly a little way down the pecking order at the Allianz Stadium, it seems unlikely that they would demand cash in addition to Luiz.

That, then, raises the prospect of a straight swap, an ‘unusual’ occurrence in football.

Is Kean the kind of no. 9 Villa should look for?

Well, his return of six goals last season is underwhelming, but remember, he rarely started games.

And the previous season, at Paris Saint-Germain, Kean commendably bagged 17 goals, with manager Thomas Tuchel dubbing him ‘fearless’ and former PSG player Eric Rabesandratana also praising his Edinson Cavani-esque work-rate.

Signing the seven-time trophy-winner would still be a risk, though, given that he struggled in his previous stint with an English club, netting only four times in 39 outings for Everton.

In other news, one pundit thinks this £120k-p/w star may have fallen out with Villa after he was transfer listed.

There haven’t been too many rumours in the way of possible incomings for Wolves yet this summer but an exciting hint has now been dropped.

What’s the word?

Romain Saiss officially left Wolves yesterday with his contract at Molineux expiring. It brought an end to a six-year association with the club that saw him become part of the promotion-winning squad.

What that means for the Midlands outfit could be reinforcements of a defensive persuasion and according to Tim Spiers, that may well be the expectation now.

Taking to Twitter yesterday, the Wolves correspondent for The Athletic said: “It also feels like a natural parting of ways, with Wolves looking to inject some youthful exuberance into next season’s squad and, after a few years of trying, perhaps that elusive top level CB too.”

Exciting news

Although Saiss’ exit from Bruno Lage’s squad leaves a hole to fill, and one that could become quite problematic with Max Kilman also linked with a departure, this is an exciting time to be a Wolves supporter.

Some added youthful bones to the squad will undoubtedly go down well and if they can finally sign a top-level centre-back, as Spiers hints at, it will leave Wolves in a significantly better place.

A real strong point of the Old Gold this season was their backline with Lage’s men conceding just 43 times, the fifth-fewest in the entire Premier League.

With that in mind, the addition of a central defender who is already reputable will go down nicely.

Of course, they need to add more goals to the team but further bodies at the back will certainly help their cause to finish in the European spots in 2022/23.

In the past, Wolves have been linked with the likes of Ruben Dias. That ship has sailed but a move was previously touted for Lille’s Sven Botman, although he is being courted elsewhere too.

A signing of that stature is something that the tenth-placed Premier League finishers have missed in years gone by so it would certainly be an electrifying start to the summer if they can unearth a top-class player in defence.

In club captain Conor Coady and the ever-improving Kilman, Wolves have the defensive foundations to prove a difficult match for anyone. Add a player of Botman’s ilk to the equation and you surely have a team that’s more ready to compete for a top seven spot next term. Watch this space.

AND in other news, Lage plotting exciting Wolves swoop for “special” £21.2m star, he’s Paul Ince 2.0…