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Everton could look to strengthen their attacking threat in January after struggling for goals over their Premier League campaign so far, and now they have been linked with the perfect player to solve that problem.

What’s the latest?

According to Fussball Transfers, Everton are interested in signing Eintracht Frankfurt star Daichi Kamada.

As per the report, the talented player has attracted the attention of clubs across Europe including Villarreal and Benfica alongside Everton with his performances in the Bundesliga and Champions League and will be out of contract in June 2023.

Imagine him & DCL

There is no doubt that Frank Lampard will be delighted with his team’s improvements over the season so far, however, finding the key to increasing goals output in the team is surely something the manager will be keen to achieve.

Everton have scored the joint-third fewest goals in the entire Premier League so far, however, now that Dominic Calvert-Lewin has returned to full fitness the manager will be searching for the perfect player to complement the striker following Richarlison’s exit from the club in the summer.

As a result, the signing of Kamada could be a great piece of business for the Toffees in their pursuit to push on and climb the league table over the second half of the season.

Over 20 appearances in all competitions so far, the versatile attacking midfielder has scored 12 goals and registered three assists with a goal contribution every 99 minutes, but how can Kamada be the perfect player tonic to Calvert-Lewin?

In the Bundesliga this season, the Japanese star has created one big chance and tallied up an 84% pass completion rate, as well as averaging one key pass, 1.9 tackles and has won 3.8 duels per game, proving the £17.5m-rated ace is a dominant presence on the pitch and puts himself into great positions to win the ball so he can build play.

The 26-year-old has been the recipient of high praise for his performances with journalist Josh Bunting hailing Kamada as “incredible” back in August:

“Daichi Kamada is a joy to watch, breaks the lines so well. Intelligent movement in and around the box and he gets goals. He’s been superb for Eintracht Frankfurt tonight, two goals and he’s been the real driving force with his movement. Incredible talent, very composed.”

With that being said, Everton could get a great deal with Kamada in the last few months of his contract and he may well be the answer to getting Calvert-Lewin to score more frequently in the second half of the season.

Journalist Paul Brown has claimed that Everton ‘would accept an offer’ for Yerry Mina in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Mina’s injury woes

Unfortunately for the Colombian, he has suffered from too many injury problems since coming to Goodison Park in 2018.

He has missed 55 games in total because of injury over the last four-and-a-bit seasons and has only featured twice so far this term.

The Latest: Mina could be sold

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Brown has claimed that Everton ‘would accept an offer’ for Mina should one come through in January.

The journalist stated: “I think Everton would rather sell one of the other centre-backs if they could.

“I think Yerry Mina’s age, injury situation and the contract situation mean he is someone they would accept an offer for.”

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The Verdict: Get rid

Given Mina’s injury history, and the fact that Frank Lampard’s side brought in sufficient cover at centre-back with Conor Coady and James Tarkowski joining Everton in the summer, the January transfer window presents an ideal opportunity to sell the 28-year-old.

He only has a few months left on his contract anyway, and with no signs of him agreeing a new deal at the moment, January presents the only opportunity to get a transfer fee for him.

On £120,000 per week at the Toffees, Mina is also the club’s joint-highest earner (FBRef), so getting him off the wage bill would also be handy in case Everton would like to reinvest that saving into new signings.

The Blues will be 17th in the Premier League table when club football resumes on Boxing Day, so they will likely need to bring in reinforcements to ensure that they are not battling relegation again come the end of this campaign.

Transfer insider Dean Jones has been reacting to Aston Villa’s plans to move for Villarreal forward Samuel Chukwueze.

The Lowdown: Villa links

Unai Emery looks set to be backed by NSWE in the January transfer window with a ‘huge’ budget, and it seems as if Chukwueze is a top target for the Spaniard.

Football Insider revealed earlier this month that Villa are plotting a move for the 23-year-old, who fits the bill due to his speed, direct approach and ability to create and score goals.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Jones was speaking to GiveMeSport regarding Villa and Chukwueze, saying that Emery may want his new club to be at the ‘front of the queue’ for the Nigeria international.

The journalist stated: “It’s being played up a lot and it seems like he is a player that Emery has clearly got on his radar for January.

“Managers always want to bring in somebody that they recognise and a game-changer is, obviously, something they all look for too. It comes hand-in-hand with an appointment like this, that they’ll be looking for someone like Chukwueze.

“He won’t want him to go anywhere else either. If he’s actually going to make a transfer, they want to be at the front of the queue.”

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The Verdict: Record move?

Reports have suggested that any club would need to pay around €50m (£43.5m) for the forward, which would make him Villa’s most expensive signing of all time if they land him for that amount.

Chukwueze has been hailed by ESPN journalist David Cartlidge as a ‘ridiculous’ talent who ‘tortures’ defenders and has played under Emery more than any other manager in his career.

He has contributed to 29 goals in 94 games for the current Villa boss and you’d like to think that he still has time to improve before reaching his prime, so this could be an ideal deal to try and pull off and one to keep a close eye on heading into 2023.

Wolverhampton Wanderers will need to find their goalscoring form in the second half of the season in order to preserve their Premier League status.

The Old Gold have scored just eight league goals this season, the lowest in the top flight and Julen Lopetegui faces a challenge in order to find a tune from his side’s goal-shy attacking department.

With the January transfer market looming on the horizon, Wolves might be able to ditch one of these players, as according to BILD, Borussia Monchengladbach are interested in signing Hee-chan Hwang to replace the inevitable departure of Marcus Thuram.

The South Korea international joined the Molineux side initially on loan from RB Leipzig back in the summer of 2021, before signing permanently for a £14m fee in January this year.

Since then, he has scored just one goal, against Arsenal in February this year, before going 13 matches in the current campaign without scoring.

It’s an extremely disappointing return, especially considering the outlay Bruno Lage spent to keep him at the club, and Lopetegui will surely be looking at considering whatever offer comes in for the 26-year-old.

A WhoScored rating of just 6.15/10 ranks the forward a lowly 21st in the Wolves squad, while he has only started three times in the Premier League.

Even when he did make an appearance, the player failed to jump on his opportunity and convince either Lage or Steve Davis that he deserved more game time. Hwang managed just three shots on target in the league while chipping in with a solitary assist.

He doesn’t appear to be the saviour that the club urgently requires in order to solve their current problems in front of goal and a move back to the Bundesliga in January might be the best move for both parties going forward.

The decision to sign him permanently will surely go down as a major Lage mistake and the club has been paying for it ever since.

A claim has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their potential interest in Lyndon Dykes ahead of the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has suggested that the striker could be on Ross Wilson’s transfer wishlist if the Gers are in the market for a number nine.

When asked about the club potentially swooping for the forward, O’Rourke told This Is Futbol: “It’s one that does have obvious links. You’ve got Lyndon Dykes who has played under Michael Beale and scored goals in the Championship for Queens Park Rangers.

“Rangers possibly could be in the market for a new striker and especially if Alfredo Morelos was to leave the club as well so I’m sure Lyndon Dykes is somebody that would definitely be on the radar for Rangers if they do need to bring in a striker.”

Back in January of this year, it was reported that the Light Blues were one of a number of clubs, alongside the likes of Newcastle and Norwich, eyeing up a swoop for the Scotland international.

He’d be perfect for Michael Beale

Wilson could land the new Gers head coach a perfect first signing in charge of the club by bringing Dykes over from south of the border.

The striker, of course, worked with Beale at Loftus Road earlier this season and was the English boss’ first-choice number nine in the Championship. He scored six goals in 21 appearances for the 42-year-old, starting 17 of those matches, and averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.91.

This shows that Beale is a fan of the Australian-born attacker as he was willing to consistently have the 27-year-old leading his line this term, with Dykes rewarding him by putting in consistently solid performances and chipping in with goals.

The dynamo has scored 26 times in 96 Championship outings for his current club but he has already proven himself in the Premiership as he scored on 11 occasions and provided eight assists in 28 top-flight matches for Livingston prior to making the move down south.

Dykes, who has scored eight goals in 26 caps for the Scottish national team, has plundered 64 career club goals to date and his previous form in Scotland indicates that he has the quality to be a lethal attacker, with goals and assists, in the final third for Rangers.

Therefore, the former Queen of the South marksman would be a perfect signing for Beale as he is a Premiership-proven, Scotland international, who has a pre-existing relationship with the head coach and should be in the prime of his career at the age of 27.

Liverpool face a Premier League transfer battle for West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice…

What’s the news?

That’s according to CBS journalist Ben Jacobs who tweeted about the interest in the 23-year-old, saying:

“As previously reported, Chelsea really want Rice (always been a priority) and believe a summer move may be possible for under £75 million.

“Multiple EPL clubs looking. Don’t rule out #LFC. #MUFC keen. No clear frontrunner yet because Rice expecting plenty of concrete interest.”

Jacobs claims that the Hammers will be hoping for a bidding war over Rice, however, they won’t get anywhere near the price quoted earlier this year which was believed to have been around £150m.

Ideal Jordan Henderson heir

Jurgen Klopp is undergoing somewhat of a transitional season this year with the Anfield side, winning just six league matches as they went into the World Cup break sixth in the table.

There is no doubt the midfield needs some rejuvenation, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita, and James Milner all out of contract at the end of the season and the likes of Henderson and Thiago on the wrong side of 30, next summer represents a perfect chance to add some quality to the side.

Rice would be a great signing as he could also become the ideal heir to Henderson, especially with the 32-year-old’s playing time suffering this season.

He has started just seven Premier League matches, averaging a rating of 6.92 as per Sofascore. Rice offers much more of a threat going forward, registering more goal contributions than Henderson (two to zero), more shot-creating actions (47 to 23) and completes more dribbles (44.4% to 33.3%) and this clearly shows the Liverpool player doesn’t quite offer the same attacking impetus as Rice.

Defensively, the West Ham midfielder – once dubbed as a “machine” by BBC reporter Paul Carter – also has the upper hand when it comes to tackles won (16 to five), blocks (20 to nine), and aerial duels won (60% to 55.6%), via FBref, proving that Rice has all the required attributes to eventually succeed Henderson as the leader at the heart of the Liverpool midfield, perhaps sooner rather than later.

Bournemouth caretaker manager Gary O’Neil lavished praise upon Rice, saying he is “The best all-around English midfielder we have.”

And Klopp, especially for the fee quoted, should be acting sooner rather than later in order to bring the player to Liverpool.

Leeds United centre-back Diego Llorente is expected to be back in training ‘imminently’ after his recent hand injury, according to journalist Beren Cross.

The Lowdown: Llorente suffers hand injury

The Whites are currently out in Spain enjoying a training camp in Spain, with Jesse Marsch looking to keep his squad fresh and in rhythm during the World Cup.

Llorente suffered a fractured hand that required surgery recently, which immediately led to concern that he could be facing a spell on the sidelines.

It looks as though that won’t be the case, however, following a promising new update.

The Latest: Back in training ‘imminently’

Writing on Twitter, LeedsLive’s Cross shared ‘more’ news on the issue, confirming that Llorente should be back with his teammates very soon:

“More on Llorente’s surgery here. Minor fracture and expected back in training imminently.”

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The Verdict: Time for injuries to subside

It feels like Leeds have been continually cursed in the injury department over the past year or so, no doubt playing a part in last season’s Premier League relegation battle.

If Marsch can get the majority of his players back fit once the domestic action return later this month, there is no reason why they can’t steadily climb up the table.

Llorente is one of those who will be a key player, having started seven league games this season, and while he isn’t necessarily a guaranteed starter, he is a big squad figure who helps with both depth and quality.

Journalist Lewis Cox has hailed the impact of West Brom pair Tom Rogic and Daryl Dike in the 2-1 win away to Sunderland, calling them both ‘excellent’.

The Lowdown: Big win for Baggies

The Baggies played their first competitive game for a month on Monday night, making the trip to the Stadium of Light for a testing Championship encounter in freezing conditions.

Having trailed at half-time, West Brom produced an impressive and spirited comeback in the second half, with Rogic equalising brilliantly and fellow substitute Dike then scoring the winner.

It was a massive three points that saw Carlos Corberan’s side jump to 17th in the table, as they continue to improve after the sacking of Steve Bruce.

The Latest: ‘Excellent’ duo hailed

Taking to Twitter, Cox hailed the impact of Rogic and Dike from the bench, picking them out as vital figures moving forward:

“Rogic and Dike were excellent goals-aside, too. Corberan’s changes were inspired, as was half-time response. If those two maintain fitness and tonight’s form it clicks wba through gears. This side look a different proposition to Bruce days now.”

The Verdict: Two key players moving forward

Rogic and Dike were both superb on Monday evening, playing such a key role in West Brom’s victory, not just because they found the net.

The former was a classy presence during his cameo, enjoying a 92% pass completion rate and winning seven ground duels, while the latter registered an assist.

As Cox alludes to, the duo do feel like influential figures between now and the end of the season, and Corberan needs to find a regular place for them in his starting lineup.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly interested in signing Barcelona and France star Ousmane Dembele in January and his arrival at Molineux could allow Julen Lopetegui to finally ditch Adama Traore.

According to Spanish news outlet Mundo Deportivo, Wolves, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are all keen on taking advantage of Barcelona’s precarious financial situation by signing the 25-year-old in next month’s transfer window.

The Catalan club spent huge amounts of money during the summer of 2022 with the hope of re-establishing themselves as one of Europe’s elite but would crash out in the Champions League group stages, which could force their hand when it comes to January business.

After years of injury and consistency problems, Dembele looks to have finally found his feet at the Nou Camp, with the winger undoubtedly one of the star performers in Xavi’s side so far this campaign.

Only Robert Lewandowski is ranked higher than the France international when comparing WhoScored rankings in LaLiga, with Dembele’s four goals and five assists in Spain’s top flight helping him to a superb 7.33 average rating.

As well as goals and assists, the former Borussia Dortmund man could provide electric pace and dribbling ability should he link up with Lopetegui in January, which could arguably make Traore redundant at Molineux.

Earlier in the season, Dembele was recorded as running at a quicker speed than Paris Saint-Germain and fellow France superstar Kylian Mbappe, which emphasises just how fast he is and how much of a counter-attacking threat he could add should he join the Old Gold in January.

While there is no doubting Traore’s pace and power, the Spain international boasts just one goal and no assists in the Premier League so far this campaign, so he clearly lacks the technical ability of someone like Dembele.

During his time with Borussia Dortmund, the two-footed winger would earn the praise of Thomas Tuchel, who said:

“Ousmane is an incredible player, he’s really talented. I could watch his amazing skills in every training session.”

There are also doubts that Traore will sign a new contract at Molineux but if Dembele were to arrive next month, then it would allow Lopetegui to finally get rid of a player who promises so much but very rarely delivers.

West Ham United’s Said Benrahma has been hailed by journalist Roshane Thomas in the wake of his performance against Arsenal on Monday night…

The Lowdown: Disappointing defeat

While the Hammers may not have been expecting to get anything from their trip to the Premier League leaders, they will still be disappointed with the defeat, especially given that they took the lead in the first half through Benrahma’s penalty.

Bukayo Saka’s equaliser early in the second half was followed up by goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah to put the game beyond reach for the Irons, who couldn’t find a way to get back into the game.

The Latest: Benrahma praised

Taking to Twitter during the match, Thomas hailed Benrahma for the way in which the Algerian’s game has progressed so far this season in terms of a more consistent output.

The Athletic journalist gushed: “Said Benrahma is a leading contender for the Hammer of the Year award. Five goals in all competitions. Consistency has been the biggest difference this season.”

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The Verdict: Promising signs

The Algerian was the most substituted player in the Premier League last season (22 times), indicating a lack of faith in the playmaker from David Moyes, but his performances have been very promising this term, with five goals and two assists in all competitions.

On Monday night, the 27-year-old coolly converted his penalty while also registering one key pass and contributing to the Irons’ defensive efforts with one tackle and one interception (Sofascore).

It was a poor display from West Ham in the second half, but the ‘superb’ Benrahma – as lauded by journalist Josh Bunting earlier this year – was one of their better performers once again, and he will hope to continue his form into Friday’s clash against his former club Brentford.