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Crystal Palace have reportedly submitted an offer to sign a "special" attacker and have already received a reply, Sky Sports report.

Crystal Palace eyeing new forward signing

The Eagles have been making preparations behind the scenes ahead of Oliver Glasner‘s first season in charge, with two new signings already made. Centre-back Chadi Riad from Real Betis was the first to arrive at Palace and, more recently, they also secured the services of attacking midfielder Daichi Kamada on a free transfer.

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Now, attention appears to be on securing a new attacker after Michael Olise officially completed his move to German giants Bayern Munich. Former Watford winger Ismaila Sarr, now at Marseille, has been linked with a return to England, whereas a bid worth more than £12m has been submitted for Sporting CP winger Marcus Edwards. Juventus’ Matias Soule is also another who could become Olise’s long-term replacement, with Fabrizio Romano saying:

“Another player they've been tracking is Matias Soule but Juventus want €40 million for him. Also, West Ham United and Leicester City are interested, but €40 million is a lot of money, so not that easy. And I expect Crystal Palace to do something absolutely because Oliver Glasner, apart from obviously Daichi Kamada joining, wants one more player.”

However, an attacker closer to home appears to be of interest, with an offer now submitted to secure his services.

Crystal Palace make Emile Smith Rowe bid

According to senior Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth in the last 48 hours, Crystal Palace and Premier League rivals Fulham have both made offers to sign Arsenal forward Emile Smith Rowe.

However, the Gunners have turned down the proposals from Selhurst Park and Craven Cottage, with talks ongoing at Palace on whether or not to make an improved bid.

The 23-year-old has progressed through the academy with Arsenal and has gone on to make 115 senior appearances for the Gunners, scoring 18 goals and registering 13 assists in all competitions. Smith Rowe has also come in for high praise earlier in his career, with Jamie Carragher waxing lyrical over his displays back in 2021.

“Emile Smith Rowe will get England caps, absolutely no doubt. There are so many good young players. He'll have to bide his time, there are other young players ahead of him right now but I absolutely love that lad.

“I always want him to do well, you're urging him on. To watch him in full flow, I've said he's the best player in the Premier League running the ball.

“He's so exciting, the pace, moving with the ball. He's a special talent. He can pop up in different positions, he has that ability to play all four positions up top and that's a real bonus.”

He struggled for game time under Mikel Arteta last season though, playing under 500 minutes of football in total, so a move away could be just what is required.

Aston Villa and transfer chief Monchi are ready to formalise a bid for one £25.5 million defender, who has been called the "big star" of his country.

Villa struggle with PSR and may have to sell this summer

At the start of March, Villa announced pre-tax losses of just under £120 million for the 2022/23 season, which have been a cause for concern in the eyes of supporters.

Aston Villa eyeing £40m Barkley partner who can be "one of the best"

Unai Emery could move for a former Villa Park start, and it’s not Jack Grealish…

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 7, 2024

NSWE lodged a proposal to the Premier League at a recent summit, suggesting that the losses which clubs can make over a rolling three-year period be increased. The current limit is £105 million in that time frame, and Villa wanted more leeway with a new £135 million cap.

However, this initiative was rejected outright at a vote, with 15 rival clubs going against it. Villa are one of a number of clubs who will have to make at least one sale by 30th June to avoid sanctions, according to Sky Sports, despite Unai Emery sealing Champions League qualification and millions in broadcasting revenue as a result.

"I think it’s a blow," said journalist Dan Bardell to Villa News, after their proposal to increase the loss threshold was snubbed.

"Obviously, the club are trying to push that through and you’d imagine that the difference in the two sums would alleviate Villa’s PSR problems. They’re now potentially going to have to sell someone by 30 June and from what I’m hearing they’re looking to shift someone to comply.

"I don’t think they are alone in that but in a summer where there’s an international tournament, the market is typically slow. It’s a difficult situation for Villa from everything that I’m hearing about it."

Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz continues to attract interest from Arsenal as a potential sale, but Emery will be reluctant to lose such a star player who bagged 10 goals and 10 assists in all competitions last season.

Monchi will also have to work harder to navigate the market in terms of incomings. Cost-effective but quality options are a necessity in this situation, but one astute option could be Inter wing-back Denzel Dumfries.

Aston Villa ready to formalise bid for Dumfries

The Netherlands international, who Rafael van der Vaart called his country's "big star", could leave Inter for just £25.5m this summer, with his contract expiring next year.

Denzel Dumfries' stats at Inter last season	Total (via Transfermarkt)
Appearances	36
Goals	4
Assists	6
Minutes per goal	492
Minutes played	1,965

That is according to Inter Live, which also claims that Aston Villa are ready to formalise a bid for Dumfries amid the ongoing uncertainty over his future at San Siro. The 28-year-old bagged four goals and four assists in 31 Serie A appearances last season as an attack-minded full-back, and there is little doubting he could do very well in the Premier League.

"He is really our very best player at the moment, he’s involved in everything," said Van der Vaart to Dutch broadcaster NOS.

"He has provided seven assists in the last seven games, but it could have been even more. He is always on the move. A really great player. His touches are also good, which was different in the past. He is the ideal full-back."

It is fair to say that Chelsea have not been afraid to splash the cash on signings since Todd Boehly arrived at Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2022.

They have spent over £100m on two separate players since the American's takeover, with Enzo Fernandez bought for a reported fee of £106.8m and Moises Caicedo snapped up from Brighton & Hove Albion for a fee of £115m.

The Blues have also invested a lot of money into signing talented young players who could either go on to make the club money in the future or develop into first-team options for Enzo Maresca to call upon.

Leslie Ogochukwu, Romeo Lavia, Angelo, Deivid Washington, Andrey Santos, and Cesare Casadei are just a few of the starlets signed by the club over the last few transfer windows.

Omari Kellyman looks set to join that list as Fabrizio Romano claims that Chelsea are trying to wrap up a £19m deal to sign the Aston Villa academy star.

The Blues also confirmed on Saturday that Brazilian youngster Estevao Willian will officially join from Palmeiras next summer, after a deal for the talented forward was agreed.

Chelsea submit bid for teenage colossus

Boehly could now land a player who has the potential to be as big as Estevao as the Premier League side have submitted a bid to sign a teenage central defender.

According to The Mirror, the Blues have made an official offer to sign Boca Juniors centre-back Aaron Anselmino during this summer's transfer window.

The report claims that they have offered more than £14m for the 19-year-old talent but the Argentine outfit are prepared to hold out for his £20m release clause.

It states that the two clubs have been in talks over a deal for the young titan and it remains to be seen whether or not Chelsea are willing to go above the £14m + bid that they have already made for him.

At the age of 19, Anselmino would be able to join up with his new team straight away but the club would like to send him out on loan to sister club Strasbourg in France to continue his development season.

The report adds, though, that Boca Juniors would like to keep hold of their centre-back until the end of the calendar year, rather than allowing him to leave immediately.

It also revealed that Manchester United and AC Milan are keen on the defender, which suggests that Chelsea will face plenty of competition to land his signature.

If the London giants can get a deal over the line for Anselmino, though, then they could land a player with the potential to be as big as Estevao, who is also a fantastic young prospect.

Why Estevao could be a future star

The 17-year-old winger, who is unable to officially link up with his new club until he turns 18 in April of next year, has showcased his terrific potential at youth and first-team level.

Despite only turning 17 a couple of months ago, he has already racked up four goals and three assists in 23 senior appearances for Palmeiras in all competitions.

He emerged as a first-team option for the Brazilian side after his return of six goals and three assists in 19 games for Palmeiras U20s at academy level.

The teenage starlet has produced two goals and two assists in seven Serie A starts in the 2024 campaign and his form at senior level comes off the back of his fantastic performances for Brazil's U17s last year.

He competed at the U17 World Cup in 2023 and caught the eye with his terrific performances at the top end of the pitch before his team were knocked out by Argentina in the quarter-finals.

Appearances

5

Sofascore rating

8.26

Goals

3

Assists

3

Big chances created

6

Key passes per game

5

Completed dribbles per game

2.6

As you can see in the table above, the potential is there for Estevao to provide consistent quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals from a right wing position.

The 17-year-old wizard can also excite supporters with his direct play on the ball as his 2.6 completed dribbles per game shows that he likes to consistently take on opposition defenders to make things happen in the final third.

Why Aaron Anselmino could be as big as Estevao

The 19-year-old defender has recently emerged as a first-team option for Boca Juniors and his early performances in his home country suggest that the potential is there for him to develop into a fantastic player.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig once hailed him as a "complete" and "dominant" central defender who is comparable to Tottenham Hotspur star and World Cup winner Cristian Romero.

Dominant is an apt word to describe the teenage titan as he won 75% of his duels in two CONMEBOL Sudamericana appearances in 2024 and 71% of his battles in two outings in the Liga Profesional de Fútbol in 2023.

These statistics suggest that he has the quality to dominate opposition attackers in duels on the deck and in the air, albeit Anselmino is yet to prove it over a significant period of time.

For a 19-year-old to be so dominant in physical contests against seasoned first-team operators, however, does speak to his impressive physicality and defensive positioning for a player of his age and inexperience.

Appearances

3

Pass accuracy

85%

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.7

Ground duel success rate

75%

Aerial duel success rate

56%

As you can see in the table above, he also caught the eye in the 2023 Copa de la Liga Professional across three appearances for Boca Juniors.

Anselmino appears to be a reliable passer, with an 85% completion rate, who can also win possession back multiple times per match to go along with his dominance in duels against his opponents.

Therefore, the 19-year-old colossus could end up being as big of a talent as Estevao as they have both showcased their talent in their respective positions at first-team level at a young age in South America.

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The next step, for both of them, is to perform consistently over the course of an entire senior season and prove that they have what it takes to succeed in the Premier League.

MatériaMais Notícias

Um contratempo fará Kenedy adiar o seu retorno ao Brasil para assinar contrato com o Flamengo. O meia-atacante testou positivo para Covid-19, em recente exame realizado em Londres, e precisará ficar em período de quarentena antes de deixar a capital inglesa.

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A informação inicial é do canal “Flazoeiro”. Kenedy está sem sintomas que preocupam, mas só deve chegar ao Brasil para se juntar ao elenco de Renato Gaúcho na última semana de agosto. No entanto, os trâmites burocráticos para inscrevê-lo nas competições, como a Copa do Brasil, não serão afetados.

+ Versátil e habilidoso: entenda como Kenedy pode ser importante para o Fla

No fim de semana passado,o Flamengo acertou a contratação de Kenedy por empréstimo de 12 meses, firmado com o Chelsea, a receber R$ 3 milhões (500 mil euros) pelo acordo inicial. O Rubro-Negro tem uma opção de compra estipulada em 10 milhões de euros, aproximadamente R$ 62 milhões, cujo valor pago pelo período emprestado será abatido caso o clube o adquira em definitivo daqui a um ano.

Revelado pelo Fluminense, Kenedy foi contratado pelo Chelsea em 2016 por 10 milhões de dólares. O atleta, no entanto, nunca conseguiu se firmar no clube de Londres e acumula empréstimos no futebol inglês e espanhol. Foi na Espanha, aliás, que o meia desempenhou o melhor futebol desde a chegada à Europa e apresentou credenciais que podem ser importantes para o Flamengo.

No total, somando as passagens por Getafe e Granada, foram 68 partidas, com 10 gols e 10 assistências. Além da habilidade e da velocidade que já chamavam a atenção na época de Fluminense, Kenedy aprimorou a parte física e a finalização de longa distância. Também se tornou mais aplicado na parte tática e desempenhou papéis defensivos nas últimas temporadas. Apesar da preferência por atuar no lado direito, Kenedy é considerado um atleta versátil e também pode ser utilizado aberto pela esquerda.

+ Veja a tabela do Brasileiro e os próximos jogos do Flamengo

Vale lembrar que Kenedy sempre demonstrou vontade em defender o Flamengo e, inclusive, chegou a treinar no Ninho do Urubu em maio deste ano, conhecendo a estrutura.

West Ham United have reportedly made a big bid to sign a club’s “special” captain as they look to make a number of quick captures this summer.

Lopetegui to put his mark on West Ham

The Hammers, now under the leadership of new manager Julen Lopetegui, could well be busy in this summer’s transfer market, especially after Lopetegui said that he will try to put his own stamp on things at the London Stadium.

“I feel very happy, first of all, to be able to be part of the future of this big Club. We will try to put our stamp on the Club. I feel that we have a fantastic platform. I think the last few years have been very good years to have this base, of course, but my ambition as a coach is always to be better and better, to achieve more and bigger aims and to encourage and improve the players, the team, and to compete because football is about this – to compete. We are very ambitious about this.

“I am where I want to be. I am here because I want to be here and for us it was a fantastic day when we closed our agreement here because our commitment is 100 per cent to be here. We had other opportunities but I am very happy that West Ham chose me because I chose West Ham too, so we are really happy about this."

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We appear to be seeing signs of this already, with Brazilian teenager Luis Guilherme, recently dubbed “the next Kylian Mbappe”, in talks over a move to the London Stadium. In fact, it is believed that a £25m+ deal to sign the attacking midfielder from Palmeiras is close, and Guilherme may be the first of many arrivals ahead of the 2024/25 season, with a bid made for a new target.

West Ham make Aleix Garcia transfer offer

According to reports from Spain, relayed by Sport Witness, West Ham have made a big bid to sign Girona captain Aleix Garcia. The Hammers are believed to have placed an offer worth more than Bayer Leverkusen’s bid in the region of €16m, although it doesn’t say the exact figure.

Garcia is keen on a move to the Bundesliga champions, so personal terms with West Ham are said to be ‘very important’.

The 26-year-old, who can play as a holding, central or attacking midfielder, began his career on the books of Villarreal before joining Manchester City as a teenager in 2016. During his time at the Etihad, he made just nine senior appearances but did come in for praise from Pep Guardiola, who said:

"Aleix played really well tonight. He was a little bit shy at the beginning, but he's a player with something special. I'm really pleased with his performance.”

Garcia has since found a home at Girona where he is now captain and has made 172 appearances for the La Liga side, scoring eight times and providing 21 assists.

He’s caught the eye of former Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez, who said late last year after hearing Garcia would be keen on a move to the Catalan giants:

“Aleix? He’s a footballer that I like, he’s having a huge season. He has a lot of technical ability and the level to play here, to play for Barcelona. If he wants to play here? Who wouldn’t want to play for a big team like Barca?”

A move to West Ham could be one to watch, though, with the Hammers seemingly battling Bayer Leverkusen currently.

Aston Villa could finish fourth in the Premier League this season along with winning the Europa Conference League title, but Unai Emery would still be looking to strengthen during the summer.

Indeed, the Spaniard is eyeing up a player who is currently shining in La Liga at the moment…

Aston Villa transfer news

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Villa “remain interested” in a move for Villarreal star Alex Baena after his form for the Spanish side this season.

In December 2023, Spanish outlet AS (via Sports Witness) claimed that the Midlands side could make a move for Baena during the upcoming winter transfer window.

The report stated that the player was under contract until 2028, with a release clause of €60m (£52m) inserted into it.

Fast-forward a few months later, and it appears as though Villa’s interest hasn’t waned, with Emery looking like he could strike once the summer transfer window opens.

The attacking midfielder has shown a penchant for creating plenty of chances for his teammates this season, while he is also similar to a current Premier League sensation – Martin Odegaard.

How Alex Baena compares to Martin Odegaard

Throughout the 2023/24 campaign, the 22-year-old has played 40 times for Villarreal, scoring five times while registering 13 assists in all competitions.

Ollie Watkins has been Villa’s biggest threat in front of goal, but Baena currently has one more assist than the Englishman (12), proving that the Spaniard could be an ideal option to have playing directly behind the striker.

Arsenal have fully reaped the rewards of turning Odegaard into a player yet to fulfil his potential to be one of the best-attacking midfielders in Europe. Perhaps Emery could do the same with Baene should he join this summer?

The Norwegian gem was in devastating form against Chelsea on Tuesday evening. He made eight key passes, grabbed two assists and succeeded with three of his four dribble attempts as the midfielder was at the centre of everything.

According to FBref, Odegaard is the most comparable player to Baena in Europe’s top five leagues and, judging by his impact in the Premier League recently, the Villarreal dynamo could be a wise investment.

The duo have registered similar domestic statistics this season with regard to assists (nine vs eight), shots per 90 (2.38 vs 2.17), shot-creating actions per 90 (5.34 vs 5.73) and, successful take-on percentage (42.2% vs 46.8%) which showcase how good the pair have been going forward this term.

In August, Baena was praised by journalist Josh Bunting, who lauded him as a "real architect", as he is "so creative in his approach, intelligent in his movement and he just has that really nice technique" while he also boasts "an excellent attitude and work-rate.”

Over the subsequent eight months, Baena has shone in Spain and has certainly shown enough to potential suitors that he could make a move to a bigger club.

Villa may be in the running. If they secure Champions League football next season, there is no doubt the youngster will be itching to move to the Midlands and link up with Emery.

Aston Villa submit formal offer to make Emery's first signing of the summer

But the move has now hit a stumbling block.

By
Ben Browning

Apr 22, 2024

West Ham United's technical director Tim Steidten is increasingly likely to snip the managerial cord that keeps David Moyes in the dugout, with the Scotsman out of contract this summer.

Despite winning the Europa Conference League last season, reaching the Europa League quarter-finals and losing valiantly against indomitable Bayer Leverkusen, as well as improving from last season's 14th-place Premier League finish to push for a European-qualifying spot.

Indeed, eighth in the standings with just two matches left to play, hopes of a fifth successive season on the continent look slender, and the decision to part ways with Moyes stems from the persistent grumblings regarding the 61-year-old's perceived negative tactics.

Steidten certainly has his work cut out in employing a worthy successor, though plans are starting to take shape and supporters are beginning to note the most likely heir.

West Ham's search for Moyes successor

According to news relayed by Fabrizio Romano, West Ham are indeed set to part ways with Moyes upon the campaign's conclusion, with direct talks taking place with Spaniard Julen Lopetegui.

Lopetegui has been out of work since resigning from his role at Wolverhampton Wanderers at the start of the 2023/24 season due to frustrations and differences relating to finances.

Romano is quick to stress that Lopetegui is not the only name on the shortlist; Sporting Lisbon's Ruben Amorim is still being considered, though there are concerns over the 39-year-old's £12m release clause with the soon-to-be-crowned Liga Portugal champions.

Why West Ham want Lopetegui

While many supporters will feel that Moyes' results speak for themselves, football is cyclical and perhaps it is the right time to part ways, having achieved so much and with the right infrastructure and framework to continue the success over the coming seasons.

Lopetegui might, to some, seem like a questionable appointment following his short stint with Wolves and failure at Real Madrid, where he was dismissed after just a few months having won just four of his opening ten La Liga matches.

But he also won the Europa League with Sevilla, leading them to three successive top-four finishes, and was lauded by those such as for the "spectacular football" he implemented at the helm of the Spanish national team.

The 57-year-old's desire to impress in the Premier League is likely a big selling point for the Irons, having rejected numerous offers overseas as he holds out for a second shot at management on English shores.

Moreover, the Old Gold were rusting at the bottom of the division when he took over and led them to a 13th-place finish, with his player-coach relationship one of the shining lights of his sojourn at Molineux – this, too, will likely have enticed Steidten and the West Ham bosses.

Preferring a 4-2-3-1 formation to mirror that of Moyes, Lopetegui would find all the tools for a seamless tactical integration, with the London club's impressive array of attacking talent allowing his ball-playing, forward-thinking brand of football to take shape, all the while maintaining off-the-ball solidity and resilience.

Described as an "exceptional person" by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, Lopetegui might just offer the managerial wherewithal to succeed at West Ham, though he will have several areas of concern to address, with selling a few playerssurely a priority.

Who could leave under Lopetegui

Veteran forward Michail Antonio is out of contract this summer and while there is an option for a further year, reports have revealed that he is expected to leave.

Be that as it may, West Ham must not be deterred from pushing Danny Ings out the exit door either, who is reportedly available for just £6.5m as the side targets a summer revamp.

Ings signed for West Ham from Aston Villa in a £15m deal back in January 2023 but has failed to reach the heights that had previously established him as a "goal machine" in the Premier League – according to journalist Joe Prince-Wright – having only scored four times from 49 matches.

1.

Lucas Paqueta

£150k-per-week

1.

Kalvin Phillips

£150k-per-week

3.

Danny Ings

£125k-per-week

3.

Kurt Zouma

£125k-per-week

5.

Jarrod Bowen

£120k-per-week

5.

Alphonse Areola

£120k-per-week

He's flattering to deceive in front of goal but Ings is also one of the club's highest-paid performers, and shaking him from the wage bill after waving goodbye to Antonio would make moving for a centre-forward necessary.

Feyenoord sharpshooter Santiago Gimenez has been touted over recent months while West Ham continue to be linked with a move for Brentford's Ivan Toney – which would prove to be quite the colossal upgrade.

Given that Ings is actually earning even more than the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus, who are West Ham's two top goalscorers this season with 20 and 13 goals respectively in all competitions for West Ham this season, it makes no sense for the club to keep him around.

Bowen, in particular, has been exemplary this season and has filled in at centre-forward on countless occasions, with the 27-year-old scoring nine goals and adding four assists from 22 appearances when placed at the spearhead.

Bowen's interchangeable nature will suit Lopetegui just fine, but he will be free to wreak his will in the final third with far more gusto if he is not burdened with the heavy weight of maintaining his side's principal goal threat for another term.

Steidten must cash in on West Ham flop who's now worth just £4m

This failed Moyes signing must be shipped on this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair May 4, 2024

There are going to be some big decisions to be made this summer, certainly beyond picking a new manager to replace Moyes, and since Lopetegui has a few detractors already in east London, shipping Ings on as his first port of call to necessitate the signing of a new centre-forward.

One who could even propel the project to even shinier heights.

Everton's financial situation over the last few seasons has been well documented, with the club struggling to meet the Premier League's rules following poor dealings in the market.

The club received a six-point deduction back in November, with the board and boss Sean Dyche still trying to cut losses as and where they can.

Despite off-the-field issues, the Toffees boss has given the club a great chance of staying in the Premier League – with the club still four points clear of the drop with eight games remaining this campaign.

The club have had their fair share of failed signings over the last few years, with Davy Klaassen and Morgan Schneiderlin arriving at Goodison for a hefty fee, with the pair failing to make an impact.

However, there's another player who arrived on Merseyside with high hopes but failed to make a lasting impression, with the player costing the club a lot of money in wages.

Jean-Philippe Gbamin's stats at Everton

It's safe to say that Jean-Philippe Gbamin failed to make an impression at Goodison Park, barely making an appearance in his four years as an Everton player.

After arriving for a fee in the region of £25m in 2019, the Ivorian would start the first two outings of the 2019/20 season – keeping clean sheets on both occasions – with the Gbamin looking to be a solid addition to the Toffees.

However, his second game for the club, against Watford, would prove to be his last appearance for the Toffees for over a year, with the midfielder undergoing surgery on a hamstring injury that would see him miss the remainder of the season.

The following campaign, Gbamin only managed 11 minutes of first-team action after more injury setbacks saw the former Mainz talent fail to generate any momentum at Goodison Park.

His frequent struggles with fitness saw the Ivorian only make another five appearances between 2021 and 2023, with the Toffees player subsequently being loaned out twice to Russia and Turkey, drawing the curtain on his failed move to the Premier League.

The club decided to terminate his contract a year early in the summer of 2023, with Gbamin departing Goodison after making just eight appearances in four years at the club.

Gbamin's injury history at Everton
Injury	Games missed	Days missed
Hamstring injury	38	229
Achilles injury	51	309
Ligament injury	11	81
Stats via Transfermarkt

Jean-Philippe Gbamin's wage at Everton

Upon his arrival, the club agreed to pay the midfielder £75k-per-week throughout his five-year deal at the club, with Gbamin set to take home a huge figure every year.

With the club terminating his deal a year early, they only paid the now 28-year-old for four years of his contract. Still, when excluding the 18 months he spent out on loan, Gbamin still drained the club of around £9.75m – plus the £25m transfer fee – to take his total cost to around £34.75m.

It is perhaps for that reason that journalist Paul Brown has described him as "the worst signing of the Moshiri era", with the Toffees seeing next to no return on their investment.

The "strong" character, as dubbed by former boss Carlo Ancelotti, was undoubtedly unlucky with his injuries during his time at Goodison, however, with the Ivorian now plying his trade for USL Dunkerque in Ligue 2 in France.

Despite his awful luck in England, the club made the right decision, parting ways with the former Mainz ace, with it great to see Gbamin playing regular football once again.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

A blistering start by Matthew Wade and a cool-headed finish by Nathan Ellis delivered Hobart Hurricanes the victory they needed over the Melbourne Renegades to keep in touch with a place in the Big Bash League finals, in a thrilling affair at Docklands Stadium.On an excellent pitch, Wade helped the Hurricanes hammer 78 from their opening powerplay, before Mac Wright ensured this platform was not wasted. The Renegades’ pursuit had three significant contributions from Shaun Marsh, Beau Webster and Mohammad Nabi, but from a position where they needed 12 from nine balls, the Hurricanes defended grandly, capped off by Ellis conceding just five runs off the final over after he had gone for 20 in the 18th.Mac Wright batted through the Hurricanes innings•Getty Images

Wading into itIn a match the Hurricanes had to win to keep in touch with the competition’s top five, they had the advantage of first use of a pitch that did not play quite as slowly as the Renegades’ captain Dan Christian might have expected when he won the toss and bowled. Wade was certainly quick to find the ball skidding obligingly onto the bat, going after Nabi’s opening over and quickly getting into a rhythm that saw plenty of decent balls go to the boundary and anything loose disappearing well over the Docklands Stadium rope.An Andrew Fekete long-hop was dispatched with a pull shot whose sound reverberated around the arena, while not even Christian’s usually parsimonious offerings were immune to being taken for the maximum. The upshot of all this was a powerplay worth 78, the Hurricanes’ best ever in BBL history. For Wade, this might have been the platform for a spectacular century, but he was not to last much longer, dragged wide of the off stump as he miscued Cameron Boyce to gully for 66 from a mere 29 balls.The Wright stuffAmid Wade’s early attack on the Renegades, with their captain Aaron Finch watching from the boundary on the day he returned home from an ODI tour of India, Wright’s innings was a more measured affair, playing in his captain’s slipstream and then steadily accelerating across the innings. One cover driven boundary off Boyce, where he danced down to get to the pitch of a leg break, was delectable, and he otherwise gave the impression of a player who should remain a fixture in the Hurricanes’ side from here.Nevertheless, the Hobart innings did not quite maintain the rage of its early passages, meaning that although the Renegades only claimed three wickets, they were happy to restrict the Hurricanes to only 112 from the final 14 overs of the innings – despite leaking 20 from Samit Patel’s left-arm spinners in the 19th over.Matthew Wade turned it on at the top of the Hurricanes innings•Getty Images

Harper’s heavy hitDocklands Stadium was built primarily as an Australian football venue, and the manner in which Sam Harper was ruled out of the rest of the match – after getting to six from five balls – was more familiar to many of those who had seen countless marking contests on the west Melbourne turf. Running towards the non-striker’s end, Harper collided with Nathan Ellis and was sent tumbling heavily onto his back and neck as the bowler braced.Harper had previously been the victim of a heavy and traumatic concussion in February 2017 when Jake Lehmann had accidentally hit the Victorian wicketkeeper with his bat, being confined to hospital in Adelaide for some weeks afterwards, and his early movements after this collision were decidedly wobbly. He was submitted to a concussion test on the field of play, and the results did not satisfy medical staff enough to allow Harper to continue. He walked off with a consoling word from Wade and was ultimately sent to hospital, to be subbed out for Tom Cooper – the first such instance in BBL history.Ellis holds the lineHaving lost Harper, the Renegades did not fall too far behind due to some of Marsh’s cleaner hitting for the tournament, accompanied by a supporting innings from Webster that kept the innings at a steady pace. Marsh’s exit for 56 arrived at a time when the game was starting to tilt towards the hosts, but the required rate was allowed to balloon out beyond 15 per over as Webster and Nabi struggled momentarily to find the boundary.However, the third over delivered by Ellis, who had previously conceded just 12 runs from two, offered up enough deliveries in the hitting slot for Nabi to get into the sort of hitting mode that has made him one of the world’s best T20 players. No fewer than 20 runs accrued from the over, and when Nabi nailed two more sixes off Clive Rose, the Renegades suddenly needed a mere 12 from nine balls. Rose, though, slowed up his pace and defeated Nabi, while not conceding another boundary. Ellis, defending 10 runs from the final over, conceded only five.

New Manchester United signing Leny Yoro revealed the match that convinced him to opt for a move to Old Trafford over Real Madrid.

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• Yoro joined Man Utd this summer
• Revealed match that convinced him to move to England
• Has already made non-competitive debut

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Red Devils managed to secure the signature of the young French defender from Lille last week for £52 million ($68m). The 18-year-old had offers from several top clubs across Europe including reigning Champions League winners Real Madrid, however, he decided to join United in the end.

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• WHAT LENY YORO SAID

  Speaking to MUTV, the teenager revealed the match he saw that convinced him to pick a move to the English giants. "When I saw the FA Cup win at the end of the season, for me, I really wanted to be with them because to win titles and celebrate with the fans – it's incredible," he explained.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Yoro had earlier stated that he considers former United star Raphael Varane to be an inspiration while ex-England international and club legend Rio Ferdinand spoke highly of the Premier League side and convinced him to sign on the dotted line.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LENY YORO?

  The French centre-back made his Man Utd debut in the club's second pre-season friendly against Rangers in Scotland last week. He has now travelled to the United States with Erik ten Hag's side and will be next seen in action on Saturday against Arsenal in Los Angeles.