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If Everton don’t qualify for Europe next season, this summer could have a very different feel to it.

Their spending power will be influenced and it may also dictate Carlo Ancelotti’s future in Merseyside. The Italian has been keen to get the Toffees back to the continental stage but, with Real Madrid and Barcelona courting his services, there could be a changing of the guard.

On the chalkboard

One area where Ancelotti has strengthened significantly since he walked into Goodison Park is the midfield. They’ve gone from a lightweight pairing of Andre Gomes and Tom Davies to one full of physical qualities.

Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure have been two of Everton’s landmark additions with the 61-year-old at the helm but the Toffees have struggled when one of those has been injured.

Doucoure recently missed a period of seven matches with a fractured foot and Gomes hardly set the world alight in his absence. The Portuguese was feeble in defensive battles and won just two tackles before being dragged off against Arsenal.

In matches against Liverpool and Chelsea in February and March, Gomes won only three of the 26 duels that he contested. He then proceeded to lose seven of nine duels in the defeat to Aston Villa earlier this month.

With that in mind, Everton could do with another body in the middle of the park.

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With Fulham relegated from the Premier League, they shouldn’t look too much further than Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa. The Mirror reported a few weeks ago that the Toffees were considering a move for the Cameroon international with a fee of £25m potentially being on the line.

In bringing him to Merseyside, he’d not only offer more physicality than Gomes, but he’d also offer immense ball carrying skills.

Speaking this season, Zambo Anguissa’s teammate Joachim Andersen said: “He’s a top player. He’s a machine in the midfield. He’s winning so many balls and driving forward with it.”

Indeed, only Adama Traore (150) and Allan Saint-Maximin (96) have completed more dribbles in the entire top flight this season than the Fulham powerhouse (95).

He’d offer more dynamism on the ball than Gomes, and his defensive stats are also considerably better. Gomes has won just 1.3 tackles and 0.4 interceptions per match this season. That’s compared to Anguissa’s 2.2 successful challenges and 1.6 interceptions an outing.

He also knows how to perform in the big games, an area where Everton’s Portuguese midfielder has been found wanting. During Fulham’s clash with Manchester United last Tuesday evening, the 25-year-old made nine ball recoveries and seven interceptions, while completing five take-ons and winning four aerial duels.

It was a mountainous performance from a player who would offer plenty to Everton if he swaps west London for Merseyside.

AND in other news, Toffees could be set for huge blow after Everton news emerges, fans should be gutted…

West Ham United are likely to try and tempt Olivier Giroud into a move this summer…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Eurosport’s Dean Jones, who claims the Irons have a long-term interest in the Chelsea forward and are set to make a move for him when his contract expires next month.

The East Londoners were said to be keen on the 34-year-old during the January transfer window, via the Mirror, as David Moyes looked to bolster his options following the departure of club-record flop Sebastian Haller.

Giroud has been at Chelsea since joining from Arsenal in January 2018 but his £110k-per-week deal comes to an end this summer, with the Blues unlikely to renew it.

Shades of Cole

It’s no secret that Moyes needs fresh additions in the striker department ahead of next season, especially with a Europa League campaign on the horizon.

Giroud would be an interesting option to consider, even more so as he’d cost GSB absolutely nothing in terms of splashing out a transfer fee. Effectively, they could bring him in as well as another striker.

The World Cup winner has vast experience in the Premier League, where he has featured 255 times and scored 90 goals, as per Transfermarkt. He has also picked up 107 caps for France, and won a whopping four FA Cups.

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West Ham also lack players with a history in these European competitions, another positive factor behind signing Giroud, as he won the competition with Chelsea in 2019.

Valued at just £4.5m by Transfermarkt, the French veteran has previously been described as “an extremely underrated player” by former top-flight talisman Gary Lineker, who also added: “His intelligent movement and finishing are exceptional. He’ll always score plenty of goals.”

The Hammers have long lacked a proper target man as Haller clearly failed to live up to expectations, so perhaps Moyes can finally find the club their next Carlton Cole in Giroud.

After all, both would have arrived from their west London rivals and both are over 6 foot 3 in stature.

Furthermore, the former West Ham legend was always a mystery on the pitch. In other words, he was either absolute quality or just shocking.

Giroud, you could argue, has been very similar throughout his career in England. Back in 2015, the Daily Star lambasted his goalscoring record, claiming that even Steven Fletcher had been performing better but then we’ve seen him score some phenomenal strikes too.

That scorpion kick against Crystal Palace in 2017 springs to mind – that won him the Puskas award that year – as does his bicycle kick against Atletico Madrid earlier this campaign.

He’s certainly still got it and considering he won’t cost a thing, the Irons must make a swoop for the 6 foot 4 beast this summer.

AND in other news, Benrahma 2.0: West Ham must land “magic” 17-goal monster who’s “got a lot of ability”…

West Ham United could land themselves an ideal heir to Mark Noble for nothing this summer…

What’s the word?

According to Sport1, the Irons are interested in signing Maccabi Tel Aviv midfielder Dor Peretz, who is out of contract at the end of the current season.

However, it is claimed that the Premier League side face stiff competition from Russian giants CSKA Moscow and that they are leading the race to secure his signature, having offered him a €1m-per-year (£865k) deal.

The Israeli outfit still have a few matches to play in their season, so no decision on his future is expected anytime soon.

Noble heir?

The Hammers’ club captain is due to play one final season next term after he confirmed back in March that he would be bringing the curtain down on an 18-year career in East London.

Whilst the 33-year-old has been restricted to a lack of game time on the pitch, featuring in only 704 minutes this league campaign, his presence off it is still of huge importance.

‘He is still one of the leaders in the dressing room and is a helpful conduit between the owners and the squad,’ wrote The Athletic’s Roshane Thomas earlier in the year.

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This sort of void is really irreplaceable but David Moyes could help himself and the club by finding a viable replacement, and perhaps he has done exactly that with the Maccabi vice-captain.

The 26-year-old is primarily a defensive midfielder but has chipped in with plenty of goals, finding the net ten times in all competitions this term. On top of providing nine assists, as per Transfermarkt.

Peretz has also played a whopping 50 matches, both domestically and in Europe, proving to be the sort of player that you can trust to not get injured and always be fit and firing – something that Noble has been for a long part of his career.

Furthermore, the 6 foot 1 powerhouse has picked up 20 caps for Israel, which makes him an even more attractive prospect as he’s available for nothing.

His former national team boss Andi Herzog has tipped him for big things in the past, too – speaking to Walla! he claimed the Maccabi star “belongs at the top” as he can play either the no.6 or no.8 role.

He also suggested that had Peretz been playing in the Bundesliga, then he’d be “worth €20m (£18m).”

The Hammers have had success with Israeli players before; Yossi Benayoun and Eyal Berkovic, to name just two.

Whilst it’ll take an impressive character to take the place of Noble, it would be a low-risk move to take a punt on the 26-year-old this summer.

AND in other news, Soucek 2.0: Moyes can deliver West Ham another bargain in £14m gem who “can do it all”…

Former Tottenham Hotspur captain Graham Roberts believes that Harry Kane should be the club’s skipper and claims that having the armband would have stopped the prospect of him asking to leave.

Sky Sports have reported that Kane has asked to leave the club this summer amid interest from a number of Premier League clubs.

Manchester United and Manchester City have both been touted with an interest, as have Chelsea.

It remains to be seen, though, if he will leave the club this summer, as any deal to sign him would be hugely expensive because he has three years remaining on his current contract.

Roberts, who lifted the UEFA Cup as captain of Spurs back in the 1980s, believes that Kane should have the armband permanently instead of Hugo Lloris.

And he believes that if he were, he would not have any inclination to push for a move away from the north London club.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Roberts said: “Make him captain next year. He’s captain of England, alright we’ve got Hugo, who’s captain of France, but Harry Kane is captain of England.

“You play in England, so why is he not captain of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club? He’s a homegrown lad, he deserves to be the captain.

“If he’d have been captain now, I don’t think anything would have been said because it’s very hard for a captain to ask for a transfer.”

Plenty of Crystal Palace fans have been reacting to an update regarding the Eagles’ pursuit of Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher.

According to the Daily Mail, ‘Crystal Palace would like to sign him now’ – an intriguing eight-word transfer update.

The report claims that Blues boss Thomas Tuchel would like to take a closer look at Gallagher before making any decision, but it appears as if Palace want to land the 21-year-old as soon as possible.

Gallagher spent last season on loan at West Brom, making 32 appearances in all competitions. He netted twice during his temporary stay in the Midlands, with one of his goals actually coming against Palace in a 5-1 win for the Eagles.

Palace are still without a manager after Roy Hodgson left at the end of the previous campaign, but their hot-seat vacancy hasn’t appeared to have hindered their transfer plans.

Palace fans react

Both @cpfc_xtra and @CPFCtransfersHQ shared the update on Gallagher on Twitter on Tuesday evening. This is what these fans had to say in reply, with many keen to see a deal go through.

“oh go on then”

Credit: @CpfcDan_

“Yes please!”

Credit: @OliverRender

“Do it then”

Credit: @bradhcpfc

“please”

Credit: @notconnorlmaov2

“Yessssss”

Credit: @cpfcjude

“PLEASE”

Credit: @StatmanOli

In other news: Eagles eye Belgian defender, find out more here. 

Some Everton fans have been left to rage as some comments emerged from James Rodriguez on his future.

When asked if he was going back to Real Madrid, the Colombia international said on his Instagram live story (via The Toffee Blues): “I don’t know. I don’t think so. If I stay another year there (Everton), that’s fine.”

Some members of the Goodison Park faithful were not happy with the tone of his comments, as they believed that he does not seem too enthusiastic about staying at the Merseyside club, and did not completely rule out a move back to the Bernabeu to reunite with Carlo Ancelotti.

Rodriguez has become an increasingly frustrating figure among some Toffees supporters, given that he missed numerous matches for them because of injury in the 2020/21 term, which ended up proving costly as they missed out on European qualification for next season.

Thus, it is not too much of a surprise to see a few Blues’ blood boil when they heard the comments.

Everton fans on Rodriguez comments

These EFC fans raged as the comments were shared on Twitter:

“Just go now, don’t waste our time when you don’t quite care”

Credit: @Leaffan27

“Off you go”

Credit: @johnocallagha11

““That’s fine”? Get him out.”

Credit: @tayotv_

“Love the enthusiasm about being “there” is “fine”. Get in the bin.”

Credit: @giornojoevanna

“Don’t keep us hanging big lad. Off yer pop”

Credit: @SteToffee

“Lol, he sounds pumped!”

Credit: @MPLS_Toffee

In other news, find out what manager update has left Toffees fuming here!

Rafa Benitez’s potential appointment as the new manager of Everton is unlikely to go down too well with supporters.

Flashback 14 years ago to 2007 and you may remember a jibe the Spaniard made towards the Toffees.

Speaking about the blue side of Merseyside, Benitez called them a “small club”. The 61-year-old has since apologised for that comment but his allegiances to Liverpool hold up an extra barrier.

He famously won the Champions League with the Reds after that historic comeback in Istanbul and Everton supporters haven’t forgotten just how much torment he caused them.

Fans have voiced their concerns about hiring Benitez but ultimately, the decision will lie with Farhad Moshiri and Bill Kenwright.

One positive of his arrival at Goodison Park could be his contacts book. The former Chelsea boss has worked at some of the most illustrious clubs in world football and has worked alongside some of the best players we’ve seen in the last two decades.

With that in mind, the lure of Benitez could be similar to the one Ancelotti had during his time in Merseyside.

Football FanCast exclusively revealed last month that Everton were in the hunt for a right winger amid claims from other outlets that Gareth Bale was a target.

Bale spent last term on loan at Tottenham where he scored 16 goals but is set to return to Real Madrid.

His future in the Spanish capital is still uncertain but Ancelotti was an admirer and was keen on bringing him to Goodison. As it happens, Benitez also adores the Welshman.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-everton-manager-transfer-nuno-conte-wood-marcelo” title= “Read the latest Everton manager and transfer news!”]

They worked together during Benitez’s short stint at the Bernabeu in 2015 and the Spaniard was a huge helping hand for Bale.

The 94-cap international commented: “I felt isolated out on the wing and I wasn’t able to do what I wanted to do and give my best for the club.”

The forward added: “He [Benitez] listened to me, and gave me more responsibility which was what I wanted. I had a good relationship with him. He speaks very good English which helps me. I was able to speak to him a lot. We had things in common from working in England. I just enjoyed working with him.”

The idea of the duo working together, therefore, is a mouth-watering one for Everton supporters. Signing him could also help to rectify that jibe he made all those years ago.

Bale is one of the best talents in Europe, netting 105 strikes for Madrid and winning four Champions League trophies along the way.

He is also the holder of one of the best goals we’ve seen in a European final, leaping high to score a jaw-dropping overhead kick against Benitez’s beloved Liverpool in 2018.

Funnily enough, he’s a player the Everton managerial target has plenty of affection for. Speaking in 2016, Benitez said: “I never had a moment’s problem with Gareth. He was a very solid professional who listened.”

The veteran continued: “But what I see in him most is improvement. There are areas of his game that he continues to work on. He can get better. Obviously, he’s a very good player now. But in a couple of years if he carries on, I don’t see any reason why he could not be regarded as the best.”

Bale has endured a turbulent and toxic time in Madrid but scored nine goals and registered ten assists in just 15 outings under the coach in question.

The Wales international proved last term that he can still perform to a high level and despite a missed penalty at Euro 2020, has been in inspired form again.

He registered two assists in the nation’s 2-0 win over Turkey on Wednesday. A player of the highest order, Benitez would surely win over the Everton fans by signing him.

AND in other news, Huge twist emerges in Everton manager hunt, it’s not good news for Benitez…

A wizard on the ball, Bernardo Silva’s ability is very much unquestionable but he has never been able to establish himself as a regular under Pep Guardiola, and former Man City midfielder, Paul Stewart, expects that to continue into next season.

Silva failed to impress during Portugal’s 3-0 win against Hungary on Tuesday, but that has not stopped talk of him potentially leaving the Etihad with financially crippled Barcelona ready to test Man City’s resolve on the winger.

Pep Guardiola is constantly spoiled for choice when picking his starting lineup with the likes of Silva, Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez, Raheem Sterling and Ferran Torres all fighting for a spot in the side.

Silva did not enjoy his best season in the Premier League, managing just two goals in 26 league appearances, and this could see his game time even more limited next term, according to Stewart, who exclusively told Transfer Tavern:

“I think he’s a great player and I can see why he would want to move on because I don’t think he’s going to feature week in week out with the type of players that Man City have got, especially with Foden who’s making great strides. So, he’s going to get limited chances.”

Silva was one of many players to leave Monaco following their stunning title-winning season back in 2017 and he has adapted to life in England relatively successfully, with 35 goals and 44 assists in 201 games.

If Barcelona are struggling financially, as many think they are, then a big cash signing of Silva would be quite surprising, especially considering he is coming off the back of his worst season in England to date.

Crystal Palace confirmed on Friday evening that they will take on Ipswich Town in a pre-season friendly next month.

And a number of Palace supporters have been giving their thoughts regarding the fixture announcement on social media.

The Eagles will travel to Portman Road on Saturday, July 24 for a 3pm kick-off to continue their preparations for the 2021/22 campaign.

Palace learned on Wednesday that they will travel to Stamford Bridge to face Champions League winners Chelsea for their Premier League opener.

Steve Parish is yet to land Roy Hodgson’s long-term successor, but pre-season plans are rightly being finalised despite the absence of a new boss.

James McArthur scored twice the last time Palace and Ipswich faced off in 2017 in a League Cup clash.

Palace fans react

Palace shared the news regarding the friendly with the League One side on their official Twitter page.

This is what these Eagles fans had to say in reply, with one describing the news as ‘decent’.

“You don’t know how excited I am hopefully I’ll be able to get tickets and we won’t be in a full lockdown again!”

Credit: @parnellphoto_

“This ones decent. The Darren Ambrose derby”

Credit: @ReeceJMT

“BRO JUST ANNOUNCE FAVRE”

Credit: @CPFC_Trigs

“And who’s picking the team?”

Credit: @cpfc_Rob

“Are we expecting Paddy or Sean Derry to be caretaker manager for all of these pre-season matches ?”

Credit: @cmburns76

“Do we even have enough players to field a team?”

Credit: @cockneydub

In other news: Many CPFC fans react to Lucien Favre latest, find out more here. 

An update has emerged regarding Manchester City’s interest in Chelsea defender Reece James.

What’s the talk?

According to The Athletic, the Premier League champions are interested in signing the right-back this summer as they look to strengthen their squad. James caught City’s eye in the Champions League final and now they want to add him to Pep Guardiola’s ranks in the coming months.

The report claims that City believe they could have a chance to land the 21-year-old because of Chelsea’s interest in Inter defender Achraf Hakimi.

After the Champions League final in May in which Chelsea defeated Pep Guardiola’s side, Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand lauded the full-back for his “immense” performance that night. He told BT Sport, via Metro: “He’s a product of the youth academy and we’ve seen some people questioning him, for Chelsea and England.

“Well tonight he performed on the biggest stage and was the standout, he was immense.

“If you’re going to play at the top level you have to do that. Today he became a man. Today he answered all those questions.”

Pep would love him

Guardiola would surely love to have James at the Etihad Stadium and Txiki Begiristain must sanction a deal for the defender this summer if there is any chance of a move going through.  Txiki needs to act swiftly to open negotiations with Chelsea and gauge how likely a transfer is for James before any other clubs catch wind of his potential availability.

The England international could be a terrific addition to City’s squad and provide a long-term replacement for Kyle Walker at right-back, whilst giving Guardiola a young player to coach and develop. Walker is by no means at the end of his career, but the right-back turned 31 in May and is 10 years older than James.

The Manchester City man has been an excellent servant for the club over the years, with 184 competitive appearances since his switch from Tottenham in 2017. In that time, he has helped City win three Premier League titles, four League Cups and an FA Cup, highlighting how successful the team has been with him at right-back and why replacing him could prove a difficult task, with Joao Cancelo now excelling at left-back.

James, who is rated at £36m by Transfermarkt, enjoyed an impressive campaign with Chelsea in the Premier League. He averaged a WhoScored rating of 6.94 across 32 appearances whilst also receiving a score of 6.87 for his performances in the Champions League for the Blues.

This shows that the 21-year-old is already able to perform consistently at the top level despite his young age, so Guardiola would surely love him at City as, having seen firsthand the threat he can pose following the Champions League final, the youngster could be the club’s starting right-back for the next decade if all goes well.

AND in other news, Txiki could strike gold with Man City swoop for 27 G/A beast, Pep would love him…