Everton can solve big concern with Gyokeres

Everton have been linked with a move for Viktor Gyokeres recently, and a new update has emerged regarding the player’s future ahead of the summer transfer window.

What’s the latest on Viktor Gyokeres to Everton?

According to TEAMtalk, Coventry City will find it difficult to hold onto their star striker this summer as he enters the final 12 months of his contract.

As per the report, Everton were credited with an interest in Gyokeres over the January transfer window but were priced out of a move due to his £25m price tag, and they will now need to compete with relegation rivals Leeds United to secure his signature at the end of the season.

Could Gyokeres solve Everton’s biggest concern?

There is no doubt that reinvestment into the forward line is long overdue after the Everton hierarchy failed to acquire any new additions last month, despite the squad’s attacking threat being considerably weakened over the last 12 months.

Richarlison – who was the Toffees’ top scorer last season – moved to Tottenham Hotspur in the summer, while breakthrough star Anthony Gordon made a shock move to Newcastle United in January, with those two and Dominic Calvert-Lewin easily some of the best talent that Everton had to offer in the final third.

Indeed, Dwight McNeil and Neal Maupay were brought in to bolster the attacking ranks, but both have failed to make the desired impact, with just three goals between the pair during the campaign so far.

Everton are teetering on the edge of the relegation zone in 16th place – just one point clear of the bottom three – and they currently have the joint-worst goal tally in the entire Premier League, which is a testament to the dire situation in which they find themselves once again.

As a result, signing Gyokeres could solve Sean Dyche’s biggest concern if the powerbrokers at Goodison Park could strike a deal in the summer, as his goalscoring form and attacking prowess is hard to ignore for an Everton team struggling for goal contributions.

Across 32 Championship appearances in the current campaign, the Swedish sensation – who was dubbed an “immense threat” by Millwall boss Gary Rowett – has scored 14 goals, registered four assists and created five big chances. He has averaged 1.9 successful dribbles, 1.3 key passes, 1.3 shots on target and a whopping 6.3 successful duels per game, illustrating his huge presence in front of goal.

Gyokeres is currently the second-highest scorer in the Championship with a shot accuracy of 69%, he and could now follow in the footsteps of Calvert-Lewin by making the step up from the second tier into the Premier League by joining Everton, just as the Englishman did in 2016.

The 24-year-old could be the new addition this summer that Dyche desperately needs in order to stabilise Everton in the Premier League and could make a huge difference to them next season.

West Ham: Milinkovic-Savic is an upgrade

West Ham are reportedly interested in Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and the Serbia international could be a big upgrade on Tomas Soucek in David Moyes’ squad.

According to The Sun earlier this month, the 27-year-old maestro is on the Hammers’ radar as they target replacements for Declan Rice this summer, with the club captain looking almost certain to leave in his pursuit of Champions League football.

The midfielder will enter the final year of his contract at the Stadio Olimpico this summer, which could open the door to a move to West Ham, who have sent scouts to watch the midfielder play recently.

Transfermarkt values the midfielder at €60m (£53m) but if West Ham were to receive an eye-watering fee for Rice this summer, then Milinkovic-Savic certainly wouldn’t be out of their price range as they search for a quality replacement.

Would Milinkovic-Savic be better than Soucek?

While the Serbia international might arrive as a partner for Soucek rather than his replacement, the stats suggest that he would be a significantly better option for Moyes in the middle of the park.

This season has seen the Lazio star contribute an impressive four goals and eight assists in 21 Serie A appearances, with WhoScored awarding him a superb 7.33 average rating.

Soucek, meanwhile, has managed a measly one goal and one assist in 24 Premier League appearances, earning a far less impressive 6.81 rating from WhoScored.

The Hammers will no doubt need a more defensive-minded midfielder to come in as Rice’s direct replacement, as Milinkovic-Savic is far more attack-focused.

His 1.4 key passes, 1.6 shots and 0.9 dribbles per game in Serie A this season is significantly more than Soucek’s 0.5 key passes, 0.9 shots and 0.1 dribbles per game in the Premier League, which emphasises that he would be a far better all-rounder.

The Lazio star would certainly arrive at the London Stadium with a big reputation, as teammate Ciro Immobile sang his praises late last year, saying:

“Trust me, Sergej Milinković-Savić is magic. He’s on the same level as Kevin De Bruyne.”

Given the Belgian’s importance to Manchester City’s various title-winning sides over the past few seasons, with over 200 goal contributions to his name, this is no small comparison to make, and the Hammers would surely appreciate a player of that quality in their midfield.

Therefore, with the incoming Rice money needing to be invested wisely, Milinkovic-Savic could be a superb coup for the Hammers.

Paul Pogba rinsed Man United for 308 weeks

Manchester United’s outlay in the transfer market since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013 has been borderline obscene.

£80m on Harry Maguire, £59.7m for Angel Di Maria and £75m spent on Romelu Lukaku represented moves which didn’t quite work out, yet they cost the Old Trafford side millions in fees and wages.

There is no doubt that poor business in the transfer market set the club back years and it only feels like now under Erik ten Hag that the Red Devils could become a force once again.

Along with the three aforementioned transfers, Jose Mourinho arguably wasted the most money by splashing out a staggering £89m to sign Paul Pogba from Juventus in the summer of 2016, and to say the move didn’t go as planned is an understatement at best.

How much did Paul Pogba cost Manchester United?

When Mourinho took over at United in 2016, he was looked upon as the manager who could bring the side out of their post-Fergie malaise and back into the big time.

Winning three trophies in 2016/2017 was certainly a solid enough start, yet that was about as good as it got for the Portuguese manager, and Pogba’s performances didn’t exactly set the fire alight either.

His first three seasons produced 31 goals, while he also registered 29 assists, yet he couldn’t lead United to any more silverware other than the three captured during his first season.

Manchester United writer Samuel Luckhurst even described him as “woeful” in April 2019 and his performances were only going to get worse after that.

His final three seasons in a United jersey saw him net just nine times while missing 75 matches due to a variety of injury issues and having splashed out £89m for his services, it's fair to say Juventus got the much better end of the deal.

Combining his transfer fee plus the wages he received at the Red Devils (£85.8m between 2016 and 2022) meant the Frenchman managed to rinse the club for an astounding £175m over those 308 weeks.

The astronomical fee proves that throwing money at players simply won't work and at the end of last term, he re-joined Juventus on a free transfer.

Ten Hag has spent a significant sum of money at United so far, however, his signings look like they have already played a key part in bringing the side back to where they belong. Signing duds like Pogba will hopefully be a thing of the past as the club continue its new era under the Dutchman.

Wolves: Daniel Podence cost Lopetegui vs Newcastle

Wolves fell to a late 2-1 defeat against Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon to drag Julen Lopetegui’s side right back into the Premier League relegation battle.

Alexander Isak headed Eddie Howe’s side into a first-half lead after meeting Kieran Trippier’s free-kick, but Wolves looked as if they could nick a point at St James’ Park when Hwang Hee-chan equalised with a tap-in.

Although the South Korean ended the Old Gold’s woeful run of strikers failing to score in the Premier League, it wasn’t enough for Lopetegui’s side, as Miguel Almiron scored a late winner for the high-flying hosts.

The result leaves Wolves in 13th position in the Premier League table but only three points outside the relegation zone after a number of relegation-threatened sides picked up big results this weekend.

Although the Old Gold look much improved and were perhaps unfortunate not to take a point, Daniel Podence was once again disappointing after being restored to the starting lineup following the injury to Pablo Sarabia.

Was Daniel Podence Wolves’ worst player vs Newcastle?

As per Sofascore, the Portuguese winger would earn a woeful 6.3/10 rating for his performance, which was the worst of any player to start the game from both sides.

During his time on the pitch, the former Olympiacos man would manage just 35 touches of the ball, which was shockingly fewer than goalkeeper Jose Sa, who had 45.

The diminutive winger would contribute just 18 passes at St James’ Park which is lower than his season average of 20.2, while he would also succeed with just one of his four dribble attempts, losing possession on 11 occasions in total.

It was no surprise that Liam Keen, who covers Wolves for the Express and Star, was critical of the 27-year-old during his match coverage.

He said: “Wolves had a good chance on the break but Podence was very sloppy and lost the ball.”

While Podence did see a good effort come off the post, he contributed very little at St James’ Park and perhaps emphasised why he has been dropped for Sarabia in recent weeks.

His lack of physicality was clearly exposed against Howe’s side, as he was dribbled past four times during his 67 minutes on the pitch, which was the most of any player on the pitch and far more than his average of 0.8 dribbles per game.

Given Wolves had chances on the break against Newcastle and didn’t take them, which led to them losing the game, Podence definitely cost Lopetegui on Sunday.

West Ham eye move for Maurizio Sarri

West Ham United could find a potential replacement for David Moyes with former Premier League manager Maurizio Sarri.

What’s the latest on Maurizio Sarri to West Ham United?

According to Il Messaggero (via Sport Witness), West Ham are one of the clubs eyeing a 'surprise' move for the 64-year-old as a replacement for Moyes.

Sarri is currently in charge of Lazio and has a contract until 2025, looking to remain at the Serie A club for a ‘long time’ if possible. Yet the report claims a ‘sensational divorce’ is always lurking and this could give the Premier League side some hope they can lure him back to England.

Could West Ham appoint Sarri?

With Moyes under increasing pressure following yet another league match without a win at the weekend – drawing 1-1 with Aston Villa – it’s a result that leaves the Hammers in 17th place in the table, and the threat of relegation is a real possibility.

If the next few matches end in defeat, it could be the final straw for the club as Moyes will most likely be out the door and this could open up an opportunity for Sarri to make a stunning Premier League return.

Chelsea appointed him to take over from fellow Italian Antonio Conte in the summer of 2018 and although he was only at the Blues for a season, he managed to fit a lot into that short space of time.

He guided the club to League Cup and Europa League finals, losing the former but defeating Arsenal 4-1 in Baku to claim his first-ever managerial silverware at the age of 60.

He averaged 1.89 points per match in the league during his only season in England and after leaving Chelsea, he took over as the manager of Juventus, winning the Serie A title in 2019/2020.

Over the course of his career, Sarri has an impressive PPM average of 1.41 average and he could certainly prove to be an improvement on the 59-year-old.

He was praised by one of his former players – Gianbattista Scugugia – upon arriving in the Premier League in 2018, who claimed that Sarri was “a maniac of football” and that is perhaps what the Hammers need, a passionate and intriguing character full of fresh ideas.

The Italian might not be the most popular choice, yet his track record and pedigree speak for themselves and it might be the ideal time to change things up at the club.

Spurs: Levy ‘reluctant’ to hire Pochettino

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy seems ‘reluctant’ to re-appoint former boss Mauricio Pochettino, despite the Argentine ‘pushing’.

The Lowdown: Conte departure imminent…

Spurs head coach Antonio Conte, after some overnight developments, is now widely expected to leave north London before the end of this Premier League campaign.

Reports state Levy and co are set to make a decision within these next 24/48 hours, coming after Conte’s astonishing post-match rant after their 3-3 draw with Southampton.

The Italian, taking aim at both the club’s board and Spurs squad, stated:

“We are 11 players that go into the pitch. I see selfish players, I see players that don’t want to help each other and don’t put their heart (in).

“Why? Because they are used to it here, they are used to it. They don’t play for something important yeah. They don’t want to play under pressure, they don’t want to play under stress.

“It is easy in this way. Tottenham’s story is this. Twenty years there is the owner and they never won something but why? The fault is only for the club, or for every manager that stays here. I have seen the managers that Tottenham had on the bench.”

The Latest: Pochettino wants Spurs job, Levy ‘reluctant’…

As per journalist Shaun Custis, speaking live on talkSPORT (via Twitter), former Lilywhites head coach Pochettino is ‘pushing’ to be re-appointed – but Levy is ‘reluctant’ to admit he made a mistake by sacking him in the first place.

Custis explained:

“As much as Pochettino has been pushing like mad to try and get this job back, Daniel Levy seems very reluctant to admit, if you like, that he made a mistake in the first place.

“Or to bow to the pressure at Tottenham to have Pochettino back.”

The Verdict: Perfect candidate…

As much as Levy may appear hesitant over going backwards and re-appointing the 51-year-old, we believe he is by far the standout candidate to replace Conte.

Other claims have suggested that Pochettino is among the frontrunners to take the reins, alongside the likes of Luis Enrique and Thomas Tuchel, yet the South American arguably stands out.

He already has proven experience at N17, working with a lot of their current players in the past whilst operating on a relatively small budget to real successs.

The former PSG boss, described as an ‘elite manager’ by pundit Clinton Morrrison, galvanised the club to an extent they’ve rarely seen before with their 2019 Champions League final run standing out as a real highlight.

Pochettino’s brand of open, attacking football also excited supporters – perhaps highlighting why so many of them want him back in the hot seat.

Arsenal Could Have Next Aaron Ramsey in £88k-rated Teenager

Arsenal's Hale End academy could have its latest prodigy in the shape of talented young midfielder Mauro Bandeira, who has been resounding in his exploits across his formative years in north London.

Having stormed into title contention this season, Mikel Arteta's Gunners are one of the most esteemed outfits in Europe at present, a newfound stature that shows little sign of crumbling given the meticulous and measured approach taken over the past few years.

Progress has not been as expeditious as certain segments of the fan base might have liked, with Arteta failing to qualify for the Champions League in any of his six seasons since signing for the club at the midpoint of the 2019/20 season, though he did glean the FA Cup that very season.

The emergence of Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson, three Hale End graduates to have played an important role over Arteta's tenure, has been a staple of the current success, with the £106m-rated Saka one of the world's most coveted forwards and Nelson remarkably salvaging a vital victory against Bournemouth in the division recently; Smith Rowe has spent large portions of the term injured, but netted 11 times last year.

With this in mind, Arteta must now delve back into his formative ranks and unearth the latest gem in Bandeira, who could even adopt the beloved Aaron Ramsey's mantle in north London.

Who is Mauro Bandeira?

The dynamic central midfielder can occupy a wealth of roles in the midfield department, having also been known to play out wide and in central and wide defensive roles.

A distinguished veteran at formative level, Bandeira has made 61 appearances for Arsenal's varying youth outfits, scoring four goals and registering ten assists.

Hailed as "powerful" for his stinging strikes by journalist Layth Yousif, the 19-year-old signed his first professional contract last summer and was hailed by the club's official website as a "key player".

Should Bandeira continue his development at a rate that pushes him into senior contention, he could indeed emulate the past success of Ramsey, who made 369 displays for the Premier League giants and scored 64 goals and 66 assists, integral in winning the FA Cup on three occasions.

Mikel-Arteta-Arsenal-Mohamed-Elneny

Once heralded as "the best attacking midfielder in the Premier League" by Steven Gerrard, who knows a thing or two about flourishing as a central engine on English soil, Ramsey has averaged 1.6 shots and 1.2 key passes over the duration of his career, as per WhoScored, illustrating an efficiency and output in front of goal, both direct and as an auxiliary presence.

Bandeira will certainly hope to reap similar rewards as his career takes flight, and the £88k-rated gem will benefit from his "lively" approach to his play, as remarked by the aforementioned Yousif.

Like Ramsey, he can gallop from box to box at high energy, with striking similarities seen in their ability to carve out chances and also find the net.

Versatility is also a key component of the Welshman's game, with his ability to play out on the flanks, as well as through the middle paying a further fact that marries the two players together.

Arsenal are now growing into a cohesive and fearsome outfit, capable of wreaking havoc on any opposition, and Bandeira will continue to ply his diligent work and await the opportune moment to unleash his skills onto the senior scene.

Rangers: Summer Transfer Priority Explained

Journalist Joshua Barrie has claimed Rangers need to make a new goalkeeper their transfer priority in the upcoming summer window.

Why do Rangers need a new goalkeeper in the summer?

Rangers currently rotate between club legend Allan McGregor and Jon McLaughlin in goal, but given that they are 41 and 35 years of age respectively, neither look set to be a viable option for the long term.

Although McGregor has been excellent at times since his return to the club in 2018, his performances are starting to decline as he ages, and with his contract running out at the end of the season, Rangers may have to look for a new No 1.

Speaking on The Rangers Review, Barrie claimed that McGregor has to be replaced as Rangers' first-choice goalkeeper as a matter of urgency.

He said: "A goalkeeper will be right up on the top of the summer priority list. It has to be. I think that's absolutely the right decision.

"McGregor, I think most people would say he's not hit the heights of previous seasons this season or last. I'd be very surprised if there isn't a change in that area in the summer."

Who could Rangers target as a new goalkeeper?

Angus Gunn of Norwich City and Manchester United loanee Jack Butland have both been linked, with it clear that Rangers have to make a quality investment into what will be a crucial signing.

Gunn recently declared his allegiance to the Scotland national team and made his Tartan Army bow in this past international break, and he would bring a lot of experience from the English Premier League and Championship.

He has made 25 appearances in all competitions for Norwich this season, and given he is now his club's first-choice shot-stopper and that his contract still has two years left to run, it remains to be seen whether a deal can be done.

Butland, meanwhile, is out of contract with Crystal Palace at the end of the season, but it remains unclear whether Man United will aim to keep him beyond his loan spell as a backup.

If he becomes available as a free agent, a move to Rangers could help revive his career. After years of promise with Stoke City, which saw him become an England international, injuries and poor form have meant that the 30-year-old has failed to realise his potential, and has not played regular football in a long time.

It would be a gamble to bring in a 'keeper who has not been at his best, but if a move to Scotland can help rejuvenate him in the same way as Joe Hart from across the city, he could prove to be an excellent option.

We think Rangers need to look for a younger goalkeeper than their current options who could be their No 1 for the next few seasons rather than a simple stopgap – and either of these two targets could fit that mould.

Wolves Now Open To Offers For £100k-p/w Star At Molineux

Wolverhampton Wanderers would be open to accepting offers for Matheus Nunes amid interest from Premier League rivals Liverpool, according to reports.

What's the latest on Nunes to Liverpool?

The Portuguese international only made the move to Molineux last summer meaning that his contract isn’t set to expire until 2027, but having impressed during his previous 30 appearances in the Midlands (prior to today’s game vs Chelsea), he has caught the eye at Anfield.

Back in January, Fabrizio Romano confirmed that the Old Gold midfielder held discussions regarding a potential move to Merseyside before joining Julen Lopetegui’s side. The Athletic have since reported that the Reds still retain an interest in signing the 24-year-old later in the summer as they look to revamp their central options.

The Mirror have claimed that the £44m release clause that the talisman had included in his terms when he signed has now been removed by the hierarchy so that they can demand a higher fee during the upcoming window, but this doesn’t seem to have put his admirers off wanting to secure his services.

Now, according to Football Insider, Liverpool are “still pushing” to sign Nunes despite the fact that his price tag will be initially higher than anticipated. FSG are “big admirers” of their target and are looking to take a second bite of the cherry after missing out on his signature to their top-flight rivals last summer.

Whilst Wolves would like to keep their 2022 big-money recruit, they “remain realistic” about the chances of that happening given their dangerous league and possibly financial position so it’s stated that an offer of £50m “would be accepted”.

Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes.

Should Wolves keep or sell Nunes?

Wolves manager Lopetegui publicly praised Nunes earlier this year for his “good quality” and stated that he was “happy” with him, but as a result of him failing to make an impact in the final third, the club should cash in whilst they have the chance.

The Rio de Janeiro native has started 23 Premier League games this season prior to the Chelsea fixture so has been a regular feature in the matchday squad, but during that time, has scored zero goals and registered just one assist, lacking any kind of attacking prowess at the business end of the pitch, as per Transfermarkt.

Nunes also currently pockets £100k-p/w which makes him Wanderers’ joint-highest earner alongside Raul Jimenez and Joao Moutinho so sanctioning his sale would free up a huge amount on the wage bill and generate much-needed cash to fund potential new signings in the summer.

Tottenham: "World Class" Manager Pushing For Spurs Job

Tottenham Hotspur manager candidate Mauricio Pochettino is 'pushing hard' for the job – and reportedly has an ace up his sleeve.

What's the latest on Pochettino to Spurs?

The 51-year-old is a serious contender to replace Antonio Conte after Spurs parted company with their ex-boss by mutual consent last week. Pochettino is seen as a fan favourite option given his cult hero status at Tottenham, where he often overachieved with limited resources and even guided the Lilywhites to their first-ever Champions League final in 2019.

The South American joins Luis Enrique, Julian Nagelsmann, Zinedine Zidane and Brendan Rodgers as the most heavily-linked free agent managers of the past fortnight. There have also been murmurs of a potential move for ex-Chelsea boss Graham Potter, with chairman Daniel Levy thought to be a fan of his work.

Mauricio Pochettino.

Pochettino is perhaps the most curious case, though, with a large section of supporters very eager to see him return to north London. Tottenham fans have even been seen singing his name in response to rumours he could make a sensational comeback.

Now, as per Football Insider, there has been a rather interesting development in their links to the Argentinian. Indeed, it is now claimed that Pochettino is 'pushing hard' for the Spurs job behind closed doors and has even taken steps to put him out in front of other names.

The former Southampton boss apparently has an ace up his sleeve – namely his attempt to garner media support. Pochettino has even treated one high-profile broadcaster to dinner in an effort to push his case.

It's also understood that Spurs are leaning towards hiring an unemployed manager given their free-agent status and lack of any club standing in the way of a possible appointment. However, Pochettino may still have work to do, as Levy and co apparently still don't see him as the top choice as things stand.

Should Spurs go for Pochettino?

We're pretty surprised he is not the favourite going by this report, especially given his credentials which arguably make him a very enticing candidate.

Pochettino already has proven experience as a success in the Premier League with Spurs – attracting praise from Jamie O'Hara who called him a 'world-class' coach for what he did with little transfer backing.

The 4-3-3 boss could also bring back an exciting brand of football after the more pragmatic years of Conte, Nuno Espirito Santo and Jose Mourinho.

Given Pochettino is apparently desperate to re-join, surely Levy should take him up on his offer?

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