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Journalist Dean Jones has revealed Everton failed with a deadline-day move for Ismaila Sarr as they were not able to offer enough of a loan fee.

What’s the word?

With the transfer window now officially closed, a large section of the club’s loyal fanbase will be widely disappointed to know that their team failed to complete any last-minute moves.

That’s not for the want of trying though. Indeed, following the sale of Anthony Gordon to Newcastle United, the Toffees seemed desperate to bring anyone in.

For instance, they made a late bid for Watford winger Sarr hoping to pay £2m in an initial loan fee with an obligation to buy for £30m if they avoid relegation (as well as a £4m appearance bonus).

This was rejected, however, and while talking on Ranks FC prior to the deadline, Jones explained why Everton couldn’t get this deal or any others across the line.

He said: “This is the problem, right? So I was speaking to someone actually while I was away about Everton and they’ve been trying to do loan deals, but even with loan deals, they can’t put up enough loan fee at the moment to get these players.

“So with Sarr they’ve put up an initial loan and then £30m in the summer. Not good enough, not good enough.”

Troubling times

New manager Sean Dyche will no doubt be disheartened by the fact that his side have only grown weaker in the short time since he has been involved with the club – as Gordon leaves without being replaced. Consequently, his task to keep Everton in the Premier League will now be even more difficult.

Sarr may have been a fine replacement for the departing 21-year-old too. After all, the Senegal international has good experience in England having played 116 times for Watford scoring 31 goals and providing 22 assists in this period.

The Toffees were also said to be potentially considering other loan approaches – such as a potential push for Anthony Elanga – but this deal also failed to go anywhere.

All in all, January was a fairly disastrous month for the club. It’s little wonder angry fans gathered outside the club’s training ground in protest at the board’s ongoing mismanagement.

Arsenal are reportedly still favourites to sign Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic in the summer.

The Lowdown: Arsenal in pole position

It was reported in late December that Mikel Arteta’s side were in pole position to sign the Serbian either in the January transfer window or in the summer.

A January move never materialised but a summer deal is still a possibility, although the Gunners have also been strongly linked with moves for both West Ham United’s Declan Rice and Brighton and Hove Albion’s Moises Caicedo.

The Latest: Arsenal still favourites

As per Italian news outlet Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), the Emirates Stadium remains the ‘favourite destination’ for Milinkovic-Savic this summer, as Arsenal have taken the ‘most convinced steps’ to sign him.

The Serbia international has made the ‘irreversible decision’ to leave Lazio this summer, and he could be allowed to depart for offers of less than €50m (£44.5m).

The Verdict: Cheaper alternative

Milinkovic-Savic would be a cheaper alternative to the likes of Rice and Caicedo this summer, with Arteta’s side making a second bid of £70m for the latter in January.

Lauded by his Lazio team-mate Ciro Immobile as a ‘magic’ midfielder and on the ‘same level of Kevin De Bruyne’, Milinkovic-Savic has 20, with one fewer match played.

Among the rest of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, the 27-year-old Serbian ranks in the top 7% for as many as nine key metrics and has truly established himself as one of the world’s best in his position.

With that in mind, Arsenal could do a lot worse than bring him in for next season.

Tottenham and sporting director Fabio Paratici are ‘looking to sign’ two new centre-backs with Inter Milan star Alessandro Bastoni on their ‘radar’.

The Lowdown: Spurs defensive reshuffle?

Spurs could be about to instigate a real defensive overhaul this summer with Clement Lenglet’s loan deal expiring at the end of this Premier League season.

As well as the Frenchman, it is believed that Davinson Sanchez, who has seen game time limited under manager Antonio Conte, could be on the way out.

The Colombian’s future is in doubt, according to reports, with Spurs thought to be prioritising the addition of a new centre-back.

The Latest: Tottenham ‘looking to sign’ two new centre-backs…

As per The Daily Mail, Spurs and sporting director Paratici by extension are ‘looking to sign’ as many as ‘two’ central defenders this summer.

Tottenham will apparently attempt to secure tow fresh faces in the position, and while we’ve already covered their interest in Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi, one familiar name is also on their ‘radar’.

It is believed the Lilywhites are still eyeing Bastoni from Inter Milan, though that deal is thought to be a difficult one to pull off.

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The Verdict: Get it done…

Two central defensive stars, including Bastoni, would certainly be the dream window for Conte and co.

The Nerazzurri star has been heavily courted by Spurs for the last 12 months, but with his contract set to expire in 2024 as things stand, Paratici may actually stand a better chance of getting him.

If the 23-year-old can’t reach an agreement on fresh terms with the Serie A giants, Tottenham should attempt a move alongside Guehi.

As per WhoScored, the star, valued at £49 million by Transfermarkt, ranks among Inter’s top three for successful tackles and interceptions per made 90 in the Italian top flight.

He’s also been called a ‘defensive genius’ by Serie A football experts at such a young age – highlighting the fact he would bring Spurs both quality and the potential to be a long-term fix.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri is the subject of interest from Barcelona, with the La Liga club prepared to pay £80m for him this summer, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Midfield rebuild needed?

Man City manager Pep Guardiola is faced with the prospect of having to rebuild his midfield in the summer, given that Ilkay Gundogan is yet to sign a new deal to extend his stay beyond the end of the season.

In addition, West Ham United are said to be eyeing Kalvin Phillips, while Bernardo Silva is in the sights of both Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, according to reports from France.

The Latest: Rodri targeted by Barcelona

It does not end there for Guardiola, as Rodri is now also being targeted by Barcelona, as per Football Insider, and they are said to have already started laying the groundwork ahead of a potential deal.

The La Liga club would be willing to spend £80m to secure the midfielder’s services in the summer, and City are fearful that he will be tempted by a move back to his homeland.

The Verdict: Rodri must stay

Even though Barcelona are prepared to shell out a huge amount of money for Rodri, it is imperative that City keep hold of him, as he would be almost impossible to replace.

Some members of the media have lauded the 26-year-old as ‘phenomenal’, while also proclaiming that he is ‘the best in his position in the world’, and there is a very strong case for that being true, given his exceptional passing ability.

The Spaniard ranks in the 98th percentile compared to other midfielders for his pass completion rate over the past year, while he is also dominant in the air, placing in the 96th percentile for aerial duels won per 90 among positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues.

Rodri’s ability, combined with the possibility that City could also lose the likes of Gundogan and Phillips this summer, makes it absolutely essential that Guardiola rejects any advances from Barcelona for his compatriot.

Manchester United are set to win the race for teenage forward Gabriele Biancheri, with the player already undergoing a medical, Fabrizio Romano reports.

The Lowdown: Garnacho’s breakthrough

Alejandro Garnacho has become the latest teenager to break through into the first team from the Red Devils’ historic academy.

The Argentine has made 24 senior appearances under Erik ten Hag this season, contributing to an impressive eight goals. Prior to this season, Garnacho was turning out for the club’s U18s and U21s, and it looks as if the academy will have a new attacking player to develop in Biancheri.

The Latest: Transfer update

Romano took to Twitter on Saturday morning to share an update on Biancheri. The transfer expert said that the player has confirmed he is leaving Cardiff for Manchester and has already completed medical tests ahead of a proposed move to Carrington, with United set to beat a number of English clubs to Biancheri’s services.

“Talented 2006-born striker Gabriele Biancheri has confirmed he’s leaving Cardiff City – deal completed to join Manchester United academy. Medical tests already done, four year contract in place as Man Utd win competition over 2-3 English clubs.”

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The Verdict: One to watch

The 16-year-old is primarily a centre-forward but can play anywhere across the front three and is known for his pace. The Sun have also labelled him as a ‘wonderkid’, so he could well be a potential star in the making.

It looks as if United chiefs have high hopes for the player after handing him a four-year contract, so Biancheri could well be a name to keep an eye on over the coming years, and who knows, he could be one of the next to breakthrough into the first-team setup.

Should that prove to be the case, then those from Old Trafford will more than likely look back at this period and see it as a shrewd move, especially as Biancheri appeared to be a teenager in demand.

Tottenham have set their sights on Borussia Monchengladbach star Marcus Thuram who is set to leave on a free deal at the end of the season.

The Lowdown: Spurs linked…

The France international has been on Spurs’ radar as per reports in the press with Newcastle also among those thought to be interested.

While the north Londoners are thought to be prioritising the addition of a world class central defender, Antonio Conte’s side are also on the look out for a possible Son Heung-min alternative.

Links to Marco Asensio have also been prevalent in the media with The Times now sharing an update on their pursuit of Thuram.

The Latest: Spurs eye free Thuram move…

According to the reliable newspaper, Spurs are among the clubs eyeing a move for the 6 foot 3 forward, coming after Gladbach confirmed he will depart in the summer.

Thuram is set to leave as a free agent with Gladbach sporting director Roland Virkus, as relayed by this report, declaring he ‘will leave’ and the fact they’re set to lose him for nothing is not a ‘positive’ situation.

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The Verdict: Go for it…

The 25-year-old’s departure is certainly bad news for the Bundesliga side, but their loss could almost certainly be Tottenham’s gain.

As per WhoScored, the attacker ranks as one of Gladbach’s best-performing players this campaign, chipping in with 11 goals and three assists in the German top flight alone.

In that time, Thuram has averaged more shots at goal per 90 than any of his teammates and sits in their top four in terms of key passes and completed dribbles (WhoScored).

Fellow club chiefs have called the player ‘world class’ and his instrumental performances for Gladbach even earned him a call up to France’s squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

On a Bosman, a move for Thuram could end up being one of the bargains of the summer.

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.

Newcastle United are reportedly hoping to raid relegation strugglers Southampton for their influential skipper, James Ward-Prowse, with manager Eddie Howe seemingly looking to bolster his midfield ranks this summer.

What’s the latest on Ward-Prowse to Newcastle?

According to Football Insider, the Magpies are believed to be ready to pounce if the 28-year-old is made available come the end of the season, with the south coast outfit likely to find it ‘difficult’ to keep hold of their talisman if they fail to stave off the drop.

The report suggests that the England international could be part of a ‘fire sale’ if the Saints are to suffer relegation, with a number of Premier League clubs said to be sniffing around in the hope of landing the 11-cap maestro.

As the same publication previously reported, Tottenham Hotspur are also said to be keeping a close eye on the Portsmouth-born sensation, while Unai Emery’s Aston Villa could also be in the mix for his signature.

Who could Ward-Prowse replace at Newcastle?

The perhaps most obvious benefit of bringing Ward-Prowse to St James’ Park would be the £22m-rated man’s threat from dead-ball situations, with the experienced ace having emerged as something of a “set piece master” in recent years – as per broadcaster Maximiliano Bretos.

That quality has been showcased by the fact that the highly-coveted gem boasts 17 goals from free-kicks in his Premier League career – including three already this season – with that ensuring he is only one behind Manchester United legend David Beckham (18) as the all-time leading free-kick taker in the competition’s history.

Such prowess, however, has perhaps clouded the other impressive elements to Ward-Prowse’s game, with the 5 foot 8 dynamo arguably able to provide much more to Howe’s side than just his goal record alone.

If the £100k-per-week man is to make the move to Tyneside ahead of next season, he could well prove to be a notable upgrade on regular starter Sean Longstaff in the centre of the park, with the Magpies academy graduate arguably not of the quality of the Saints star.

Although the latter man has been an influential figure in Newcastle’s remarkable season so far – starting 20 top-flight games – the 25-year-old has scored just once in the league to date this term and only four times in his top-flight career in total, while Ward-Prowse already boasts six league goals from his 25 starts.

Equally, the senior man’s creative threat is also laid bare by the fact that he averages 2.1 key passes per game in the league this season and has created seven big chances in total, while the North Shields native only averages 0.8 key passes per game and has created just five big chances.

That differing impact is also illustrated by Ward-Prowse’s superior defensive record as he averaged 1.7 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game in the current campaign, while Longstaff has averaged 1.3 and 0.5 for the same two metrics, respectively.

It may appear rather brutal for Howe to ditch a player who has been a key man this season, yet the club’s recent wobble – having failed to win any of their last five league games – has illustrated that the high-flying outfit are far from the finished article, hence the need to bring in figures of ready-made quality such as Ward-Prowse in order to kick on once again next term.

Leeds United had little to celebrate during their 16-year hiatus from the Premier League, with their misery only exacerbated as they even dropped into League One for a period.

It was the lowest the club had slumped to in their history and marked the most miserable period to support the Whites.

A return to the top flight seemed the most unlikely of targets but little did they know they were about to unleash a man who would take the team on his back to return them to within just one promotion of their dream.

The goalscoring exploits of Jermaine Beckford will go down in history at the Yorkshire outfit, as he appeared when they needed him most to inject some hope back into the club.

Whilst there were only a handful of heroes made before their eventual 2020 return, the 6 foot 2 striker certainly will remain one of those few to step up at their darkest hour.

How did Jermaine Beckford play for Leeds?

Having signed from Wealdstone after his incredible scoring record drew widespread attention, the young forward thrived on loan at Scunthorpe United where he foreshadowed his impressive League One form that would prove so important.

Upon his return to his parent club, who had themselves just been relegated from the Championship, he established himself as a mainstay in the side, scoring 20 times in 40 league matches.

The 39-year-old would not relent in his burning desire to propel the club to promotion, as the season following he would notch a further 27 goals as they again missed out on promotion.

It would be third time lucky though as once again Beckford showcased his imperious quality, scoring 25 times as they triumphantly returned to the second division. This was far from where they wanted to be but remained a huge step towards ensuring the further promotion that would come just a decade later.

Beckford’s exploits under Simon Grayson’s leadership even led journalist Oliver Todd to dub him a “Warneford Road legend” just months before his eventual departure.

Although it was a period the club would likely rather forget, to add a prime version of this hulking finisher up top for the current side would be a masterstroke, especially when Javi Gracia’s current outfit have scored just once in their last five games in all competitions, and Patrick Bamford has only mustered one league goal all season.

Not only this but similarities could even be drawn between the now-retired forward and Troy Deeney, who thrived in the Spaniard’s system as a target man who scored plenty.

Both boast incredible physiques and a ruggedness to challenge centre-backs, but arguably the former has far more speed which would make him even deadlier in the Spaniard’s preferred 4-4-2 alongside another frontman.

If anyone from the last decade or so could fix Leeds’ current goalscoring issues, then it’s certainly Beckford – just imagine if Gracia had him now.

Tottenham could potentially ‘make an offer’ for Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez in the coming weeks, according to a fresh transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Martinez on the move?

The 30-year-old’s stock has risen since the 2022 World Cup, following some iconic performances for Argentina that saw them clinch glory in Qatar.

Since then, a number of exit rumours have emerged, even though Martinez’s current Villa contract doesn’t expire until the end of the 2026/27 season.

Now, a new claim has emerged – one that further suggests the Argentine could be heading off to pastures new during the summer transfer window.

The Latest: Spurs bid rumoured

According to TyC Sports journalist Gaston Edul on Twitter [via Sport Witness], Spurs ‘may make an offer’ for Martinez ‘in the coming weeks’, as they look for a replacement for Hugo Lloris.

The north Londoners have been linked with him in the past and look his most likely destination this summer.

The Verdict: Exit feels inevitable

At this point, it would be a massive surprise if Martinez was still a Villa player next season, considering so many top clubs are likely to want him in the summer and he seems to have a difficult relationship with Unai Emery.

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The 26-cap Argentina international would clearly be a big loss, hailed by Jamie Carragher for his involvement in an ‘all-time classic’ World Cup final, and it would be hard to begrudge him a move to a Champions League club.

On the plus side, Villa are in a strong position because of Martinez’s contract situation, meaning they can receive huge money for his services and use those funds wisely to bolster their squad.