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Everton could be set to swiftly replace an outgoing star with a classic Sean Dyche transfer.

The former Burnley boss is set to be appointed at Goodison Park soon, with Farhad Moshiri hoping to supplement the new man with a little cash boost before the January window shuts.

That will likely be bolstered greatly by the imminent sale of Anthony Gordon, with Newcastle United preparing to pay an initial £40m fee for the 21-year-old.

It seems like Dyche already has his first man lined up, with an eye towards dipping into the Championship just like he did during his spell at Turf Moor.

Having already seen one €23m (£20m) bid rejected, it is expected that the Toffees will return in an effort to tempt Iliman Ndiaye from Sheffield United.

The 22-year-old has shone this season for the Blades, with his pace and trickery causing an immense threat in their division.

With just 28 league games played this campaign, he already has ten goals and seven assists to his name. This has already surpassed the 15 goal contributions tally that Gordon has amassed across his whole senior career at Everton.

As such, the Senegal international is also boasting a 7.12 Sofascore rating propped up by his aforementioned statistics.

This is only further supplemented by his 1.1 key passes per 90 and 58% dribble success rate.

Meanwhile, his potential predecessor has only managed a 6.74 average rating, only 0.5 key passes per game and a measly 26% dribble success rate (via Sofascore).

But what likens him to the outbound winger, and even suggests he might offer an instant upgrade are the words of one of his coaches, Jack Lester. He stated: 

“His shoulders rock, almost as if he’s dancing. He goes past defenders, puts them down with his upper-body movements. He’s a lovely lad, always smiling. Very popular. Fearless, a tough kid. Strong on the ball and not nice to play against.”

To secure this deal for just over half of the potential fee they might receive for Gordon is monumental business, and would kickstart Dyche’s reign to perfection.

Arsenal are ‘set to return’ with an improved offer to sign Brighton star Moises Caicedo before January 31, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Caicedo bid rejected…

Reports emerged of a £60 million bid for the Ecuador international on Friday morning, but as quickly as that news came out, updates then came to light of the offer being swiftly rejected.

Mikel Arteta’s side are keen to add a new midfielder to their ranks as the Premier League title-chasers lock horns with Man City.

Arsenal arguably lack alternatives to the likes of Thomas Partey in front of their back four, and if the Ghanaian were to succumb to injury, it would spell real trouble for Arteta.

The Latest: Arsenal ‘set to return’ with improved Caicedo bid…

The north Londoners, according to an update by The Daily Mail, are ‘set to return’ with an improved offer for Caicedo before January 31.

It’s added that a bid of around £80m may tempt Brighton into selling, but Arsenal could be helped by Caicedo’s personal stance.

The 21-year-old is allegedly ‘desperate to force through a move’ to either Arsenal or signing competitors Chelsea.

The possibility of Caicedo handing in a transfer request also isn’t ruled out.

The Verdict: Go back in?

£80m is a very steep fee for someone who has played just two seasons of top flight football but Caicedo has attracted interest from huge clubs in the past.

Man United were among those eyeing a move for the South American before he chose to join Brighton and he has since not looked back.

Caicedo has become a mainstay for the Seagulls, starting 18 league games this season whilst averaging more tackles and interceptions per 90 this season than any Brighton regular with over three starts (WhoScored).

He’s also featured for his country at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, further adding to his credentials as a player gaining more and more experience on football’s biggest stages.

Called a ‘big player’ for Brighton by manager Roberto De Zerbi, the tough-tackling midfielder could come as the perfect alternative to Partey with the only obstacle being his side.

It appears Brighton are set to dig their heels in over letting Caicedo go this month but his quality indicates that Arsenal’s persistence could pay off.

TalkSport’s Alex Crook has said that Crystal Palace have the advantage in their pursuit of Aaron Wan-Bissaka due to the club’s connection with the player. 

The Lowdown: Talks of Wan-Bissaka return to Palace

TalkSport reported last month that Palace joined the race alongside Wolverhampton Wanderers to sign the full-back.

Wan-Bissaka was with the Eagles before he was sold in 2019 to fellow Premier League side Manchester United, costing the Red Devils £50m.

And it appears the personal connection the player has with Crystal Palace could well mean he’s open to a return to Patrick Vieira’s side.

The Latest: Eagles in ‘box seat’ for Wan-Bissaka

Crook spoke on TalkSport and said that Palace are ‘confident’ that they would be in the ‘box seat’ to secure a reunion with Wan-Bissaka, due to the 25-year-old’s connection to the south London side.

He stated: “I’m told that if United agree to let Wan-Bissaka go this month, Crystal Palace, given their connection with the player, they’re very confident they would be in the box seat and I think he’d be a good signing for Palace.”

The Verdict: Wan-Bissaka would be great defensive option

We believe that a return to Selhurst Park would be great for both Crystal Palace and Wan-Bissaka.

The 25-year-old poses a strong defensive game, and in fact, possesses some of the best stats in Europe from the past year. He ranks in the top 3% for tackles made and the top 1% for interceptions across Europe’s top competitions (FBref).

Furthermore, the Palace faithful would certainly be open to seeing the player return to the club, with Vieira admitting that Wan-Bissaka is loved by the supporters.

And if Palace get their way, the fee may not set the Eagles back much at all, having previously thought to have valued the player at around £10m, so they’ll hope that will be enough to bring him back to south London, having reportedly struggled to settle in Manchester.

Scottish champions Celtic could well be looking to strengthen defensive ranks even further in the January window, having already secured the signings of Alistair Johnston and Yuki Kobayashi.

What’s the word?

According to Spanish outlet Radio Marca Valladolid, the Old Firm giants are believed to be one of several European clubs who are interested in signing Real Valladolid sensation, Ivan Fresneda, in 2023.

The report suggests that the Parkhead outfit – as well as the likes of Arsenal, AC Milan and Juventus, among others – are interested in making an offer for the 18-year-old, despite the defender’s inexperience at first-team level.

Any move could well prove costly for those interested parties, however, with the piece also adding that the right-back has a release clause of around €30m (£26m) in his existing deal, with that figure having the potential to rise even further.

Juranovic heir

While the Glasgow side are highly unlikely to meet that clause – with the club’s current record transfer that of Odsonne Edouard for a fee of around £9m – the aim would no doubt be to agree to a reduced fee or strike a loan deal for the promising talent.

Although the teenage Spaniard has made just nine appearances for the La Liga outfit to date at senior level, the Madrid-born starlet has clearly already made an impression in that time, having been praised for his “beastly ability” to provide quality service from the flanks, in the words of journalist Juan Arroita.

The 6-foot ace has showcased his undoubted talent in the early weeks of the current campaign having made seven appearances in all competitions thus far, notably ranking in the top 16% in Europe among those in his position for progressive passes received to illustrate his strength in possession.

Not only a threat in an attacking sense, the Spain U19 international has also illustrated his willingness to put in the hard yards defensively, showcased by the fact that he ranks in the top 5% for tackles made and the top 3% for interceptions.

The exciting asset could well prove to be a suitable heir to highly-coveted star, Josip Juranovic at Paradise, with the Croatia international potentially set for a departure next month following a stall in contract negotiations.

Having been “immense” for his country in Qatar – according to writer Zach Lowy – the 27-year-old is now believed to even be attracting the attention of the likes of Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, as well as Manchester United.

The former Legia Warsaw man has spent the past 18 months in Scotland since his £2.5m arrival last summer, notably illustrating his attacking threat after scoring six times and registering three assists in 50 games for the Bhoys to date.

With it looking likely that an exit will be on the cards in the New Year, Postecoglou could well turn to young Fresneda as a more long-term fit, with the one-time Real Madrid youth asset able to provide stern competition to both Alistair Johnston and Anthony Ralston.

Glasgow Rangers boss Michael Beale may only be a matter of weeks into the job at Ibrox although the Englishman already appears keen to put his stamp on things, with the 42-year-old seemingly making plans for the long-term at present.

That has been evidenced by the fact that the up-and-coming manager is believed to be overseeing a new contract for 18-year-old starlet, Leon King, with The Athletic reporting that the Rangers centre-back is close to sealing a four-year deal to keep him in Glasgow for the foreseeable future.

The academy graduate has begun to establish himself in the first team this season after making 11 Scottish Premiership appearances and also featuring in all six Champions League group stage games, with such an impact having even sparked reported interest from Europe’s top clubs.

This latest news that a contract extension is on the cards should well ease those fears over a departure, with it looking likely that King will now remain with the Light Blues over the next few years.

Having already had 18 months to run on his existing deal at the club, however, there is perhaps less urgency to get the defender tied down to a new deal compared to other members of the squad, with the future of Malik Tillman potentially a more pressing issue as far as Beale is concerned.

The United States international joined the Old Firm outfit on a season-long loan deal from Bayern Munich over the summer, although it remains to be seen if the Gers will trigger the buy option included as part of that switch for a fee of around €7m (£6m).

Beale himself has only recently outlined his desire to get that permanent agreement wrapped up, with the former Queen’s Park Rangers boss having stated:

“We’re lucky to have him playing here in Scotland. He’s just 20 and I think he’s got a huge future in front of him – hopefully for this football club.

“It’s a pretty obvious one. I really like Malik. He is a fantastic talent. He wants to play slightly higher. We’re going to give him the freedom to run out of that midfield and get into the positions he was in today.

“You can see what he could grow into. He’s the exact type of player that we want at this football club. I don’t know the exact fee, I don’t know where we’re going to go and get it from, but if we can do it, I would definitely sign Malik Tillman, yes.”

While the 20-year-old has faced criticism for his form so far this term – having been dubbed a “frustrating figure” by pundit Neil McCann – the American gem has received notable backing from those at the club, with teammate John Lundstram dubbing him “one of the best young talents I have seen”.

That quality has been evident in flashes during his time in Glasgow thus far, with the four-cap dynamo having scored four goals and provided three assists in 23 games this term, including five goal contributions in only 13 league outings.

There may be a need to find greater consistency in his game, although that will likely come with the German-born star earning a more prominent role in the side over an extended period, something which would well be aided if his future is secured beyond the end of this season.

With Beale’s recent praise suggesting that the playmaker could have a big part to play in the remainder of the campaign, it could well be a real masterstroke to get a permanent move wrapped sooner rather than later, helping to end any speculation as the season progresses.

A claim has emerged regarding Tottenham Hotspur and their interest in signing Inter Milan star Alessandro Bastoni next year…

What’s the talk?

Journalist Carlo Garganese has claimed that the central defender is likely to be on the club’s radar heading into the summer transfer window in 2023.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “They were pushing for him last summer when Tottenham were looking for centre-backs, they wanted a left-sided centre-back and they ended up going for Lenglet, but we don’t know if that’s going to be a long-term solution there.

“I’m sure he’s on their list, he was definitely on their list this summer, obviously there’s still a way to go before next summer but I’m sure he’s still on there.”

It was reported, by Gazzetta, that Inter are looking for a fee in the region of €60m (£52m) to allow the Italian international to depart the San Siro, although it remains to be seen whether or not Spurs are willing to match that.

Lenglet upgrade

Antonio Conte bolstered his defence in the previous summer window by swooping to sign French defender Clement Lenglet on loan from Barcelona until the end of the season.

The former Sevilla enforcer has endured a difficult start to life in London as he has struggled for game time and hardly set the world alight when he has made it onto the pitch.

Lenglet has started seven Premier League games for Spurs this season and averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.67, whilst winning 64% of his individual duels.

This comes after he averaged a score of 6.67 and won 44% of his battles in 21 appearances for Barcelona in the Spanish top-flight last term.

The left-footed Frenchman suits the outside centre-back role in Conte’s three-man defence but his statistics indicate that he is not performing to a high level in that position, which was also the case for his parent club in 2021/22.

Whereas Bastoni, who Conor Clancy once dubbed a “phenomenon”, has been in strong form for Inter since the start of last season and has the potential to be a big upgrade on Lenglet for Tottenham.

The Italian international, who is also naturally left-footed, averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.10 and won 60% of his duels across 31 outings in the Serie A last term, whilst he is averaging a score of 6.87 in the current campaign.

Bastoni, 23, is also four years younger than the current Spurs defender and this means that he has more potential in the long-term, as he is a player Conte can work with over time to develop and hone his skills.

Therefore, the Inter star, who has been described as “dominant” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, would be a big upgrade on Lenglet. Their respective performances over the past 18 months and their age gap indicate that Conte would be far better off with the Italian enforcer in his squad for the 2023/24 season.

Southampton breathed a major sigh of relief getting back to winning ways against West Bromwich Albion, the Saints not allowing the blip of losing away at Bristol City to overwhelm them on their travels to the Hawthorns.

It ended up being a rather routine Championship win against Carlos Corberan's playoff hopefuls on their own patch last Friday night, with Southampton confidently winning 2-0 courtesy of a Ryan Fraser strike on top of a first goal for David Brooks in Saints red and white.

Still, with tonight's game against Hull City looming large and Russell Martin needing his troops to be fresh against the potentially tricky Tigers, the former Swansea City boss could look to drop Shea Charles in the centre of the park after an unmemorable showing versus the Baggies.

Shea Charles' performance vs West Brom in numbers

The former Manchester City midfielder has found himself back in the central Saints midfield trio owing to Flynn Downes being sidelined through injury, but could now find himself out of the starting lineup again.

Whilst the likes of Stuart Armstrong stood out centrally as a creative force, the experienced Scotsman notching up an impressive five key passes, with one of those resulting in an assist, Charles was more quiet and reserved in his approach, making just 43 touches in total – fewer than teammate Gavin Bazunu (62) in the sticks.

The Northern Ireland international would win just above half of his duels against the Baggies, coming in at a 55.556% win percentage, whilst only notching up one key pass in the contest compared to Armstrong's glowing numbers.

Giving up possession seven times in the middle of the pitch also, with Smallbone squandering the ball just three times in contrast, the promising 20-year-old could be dropped to the bench against Hull after an unnoteworthy 58-minute spell at the Hawthorns.

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Joe Aribo could well benefit from Martin axing Charles, with the ex-Rangers man showing glimpses of his quality going forward when the Saints boss decided to bring the 27-year-old on for a run-out last time out.

Joe Aribo's performance vs West Brom in numbers

Martin remaining hush about Downes being potentially fit and ready for a return to action against Hull could see Aribo benefit from the West Ham United man's continued absence also, the Nigerian attacking midfielder raring to go if selected against Liam Rosenior's visitors tonight.

The Saints' number seven stood out when introduced late on against West Brom, Aribo attempting to drive his promotion-chasing team forward more in pursuit of a fantastic away day win.

Successfully completing all of his dribbles from an impactful 32-minute cameo to unnerve the Baggies, Aribo was also solid in nullifying Corberan's hosts when tracking back to help out defensively.

The former Rangers man would win 100% of his ground duels on the night, giving the Saints more bite as well as more of a direct presence foraying forward.

Minutes played

32

Touches

24

Key passes

1

Successful dribbles

2/2 (100%)

Ground duels won

3/3 (100%)

Possession lost

2x

Stats by Sofascore

After coming on and shining against West Brom, Martin might well be intrigued to see how Aribo would fare from the get-go against Hull tonight.

As games become more and more pressurised and intense with the season gradually nearing towards its conclusion, Martin will need to utilise all of the squad at his disposal effectively which could see Charles make way for Aribo to have a chance to impress again at St. Mary's.

Newcastle United appointed a new sporting director in the summer as Dan Ashworth arrived to assist Eddie Howe.

The former FA chief masterminded the signings of Nick Pope, Matt Targett, Sven Botman and Alexander Isak on permanent deals and the club are currently sitting sixth in the Premier League table with the help of those additions.

Whilst supporters may look at the players he did sign, it is also worth looking at the decisions the former Brighton man made in avoiding certain transfers throughout the summer.

It was reported that the club had been pursuing a deal to sign Manchester United shot-stopper Dean Henderson on loan for the 2022/23 campaign but Ashworth arriving at St. James’ Park put a stop to that.

90min reporter Graeme Bailey claimed that the former Brighton chief was the main reason why the Magpies turned their back on a swoop for the English stopper, seemingly deciding that the 25-year-old was not good enough for what they wanted between the sticks.

He then turned his attention to signing Pope from relegated Burnley for a fee in the region of £10m, with the colossus putting pen to paper on a four-year deal.

Henderson, meanwhile, joined newly-promoted Nottingham Forest on loan. Steve Cooper claimed that they beat off interest from several Premier League sides to get the deal done, although Ashworth made sure that Newcastle were not one of them.

The Magpies’ sporting director’s decision has turned out to be a masterclass as he dodged a certain mistake by avoiding the Red Devils goalkeeper.

In the top flight this season, the Forest ‘keeper has failed to impress for Cooper’s side beyond saving two of the three penalties that he has faced.

The £100k-per-week flop has conceded ten times from outside the box from 0.6 expected goals, which suggests that he has been extremely unlucky or he is making mistakes with his positioning from long-range strikes. The Athletic’s Richard Amorfa recently Tweeted that the Englishman has been “getting cooked” from distance.

His struggles are illustrated by his disappointing statistics in the Premier League, whilst Pope has caught the eye with a string of impressive displays.

As you can see in the graphic above, the ex-Burnley titan has outperformed Henderson by some distance in multiple key metrics for goalkeepers. The Forest goalkeeper has conceded more goals from outside the box than Pope has from any position on the pitch, whilst their respective SofaScore ratings highlight the gulf in quality between them.

Therefore, Ashworth swerved a big mistake as the Manchester United academy graduate has been underperforming in the Premier League this season and the signing he opted to make has been a roaring success so far.

Nottingham Forest have already made 16 signings this summer but they are showing no signs of slowing down in the remaining days of the transfer window, with the club set to reignite their interest in a player.

What’s the latest?

According to journalist Alan Nixon on Patreon (via Nottingham Forest News), the newly-promoted club are preparing a £2.5m bid for Blackpool winger Josh Bowler.

As per the report, Bowler is a player Nottingham Forest have held a long-term interest in and they could now be making a move for the player, who is currently in the last year of his contract, to complete their new-look Premier League side.

Cooper could land his next Johnson

Steve Cooper has added a large number of new players to the squad at The City Ground but one player who has remained and maintained his spot since the club levelled up to Premier League football this summer is Brennan Johnson.

Born and bred in Nottingham, Johnson became one of the rising stars of the Forest academy but went on loan to Lincoln City to hone his craft back in 2020/21 where he scored 14 goals and delivered 13 assists before returning to his boyhood club in the summer of 2021.

Former manager Chris Hughton instantly deployed the 21-year-old into his Championship team but struggled to get results and was sacked in late September, with Cooper taking the reigns at The City Ground to turn not only Forest into a Premier League team but Johnson into a top-flight goal-scorer.

As a result, Marinakis could now land Cooper his next Johnson with the signing of Blackpool’s wing wizard Bowler after the 23-year-old displayed his outstanding talent and potential in the Championship.

Over 42 appearances last season, Bowler scored seven goals, delivered three assists and created seven big chances, while taking 1.7 shots and successfully completing 2.5 dribbles per game.

This season so far, just like Johnson, Blackpool’s number 11 has already picked up his first goal of the campaign and has had 1.8 shots on target per game, proving that he is a reliable goal threat that could now continue his development in the Premier League under Cooper’s wing.

The English forward who was dubbed “magic” by journalist Sean McGinley has not had his ability and talent go unnoticed with Forest turning their attentions to Bowler, and Blackpool manager Neil Critchley has addressed the potential move:

“Wingers who score goals and get assists and the things Josh can do will attract attention.

“I don’t see any other wingers in the Championship doing what Josh can do, so he’s a prized asset for us. If there are people watching him, then great because he’s doing something right.”

With that being said, if the Tricky Trees can land a deal for Bowler it could well be a great piece of business, as it would give Cooper another EFL prodigy to develop into a Premier League starter, just like Johnson.

Manchester United are interested in signing Juventus and France midfielder Adrian Rabiot this summer, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein.

The Lowdown: Midfield woeful v Brighton

Erik ten Hag’s first Premier League match in charge of United proved to be a disaster on Sunday, as Brighton left Old Trafford with a deserved 2-1 victory.

There were poor performances all over the pitch but Scott McTominay and Fred were certainly among the worst, struggling badly in midfield and failing to complete a single key pass between them, with Roy Keane critical of both players in his analysis for Sky Sports.

There is no doubt that a new central midfielder is needed before the end of the current transfer window, and it looks as though United have a new target.

The Latest: United eye up Rabiot move

Taking to Twitter on Monday, The Athletic’s Ornstein confirmed that the Red Devils are interested in Rabiot, who has one year remaining on his current Juventus deal.

However, United could face a dilemma as to whether they move for the Frenchman in tandem with their ongoing pursuit of Frenkie de Jong, or wait until they know one way or another over the Barcelona man.

In sharing a link to his corresponding article for The Athletic, Ornstein tweeted:

“EXCL: Man Utd United working on deal to sign Adrien Rabiot from Juventus. #MUFC must decide if they proceed irrespective of ongoing De Jong pursuit or await outcome of that before deciding. 27yo France midfielder has 1yr on #Juve contract.”

The Verdict: Right area, wrong option

The midfield must be strengthened by Ten Hag in the next few weeks but Rabiot feels like a peculiar target, considering that he has produced scant attacking output in recent years, also suffering multiple injury problems.

At 27, he also doesn’t exactly represent the long-term future, while his attitude has also been questioned down the years, and United have had problems in recent months regarding dressing room disharmony.

A move for De Jong is now looking unlikely for United, but they need to be looking at a better option than Rabiot, who only averaged 0.7 key passes per game in Serie A last season – fewer than Fred (one) and McTominay (0.8).