Everton: Big Lucas Moura news emerges

Everton could be offered Lucas Moura as part of Richarlison’s prospective move to Tottenham Hotspur, The Telegraph’s Matt Law reports.

The lowdown

It emerged at the weekend that Antonio Conte and Spurs want to add Richarlison to their ranks this summer.

Spurs have not yet made a formal offer and they do have other targets in mind if they deem Everton’s demands excessive.

29-year-old Moura played most of his football last season on the right flank but also operated as an attacking midfielder/second striker at times.

He isn’t a first choice option at the North London club, with 15 of his 34 Premier League appearances in 2021/22 coming as a substitute.

Law had already reported that Spurs are willing to include midfielder Harry Winks in a package for Richarlison.

The latest

Now Law writes that Spurs are open to offering the Toffees both Moura and Winks.

Everton value Richarlison at ‘well over £50million’, and so they’d only accept a package that was equivalent to their price tag.

They will, of course, have to be interested in both players too.

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The verdict

Should Everton be interested in Moura? Well, he has played 137 games in the English top-flight, but his headline numbers aren’t spectacular – 19 goals and 16 assists.

However, former Spurs ‘keeper Paul Robinson believes he makes up for that with his work rate.

“Regardless of when and where he plays, you get 150 per cent from him,” he told Football Insider. “His energy with and without the ball is second to none.”

The Brazilian, who featured in the 2018/19 Champions League Squad of the Season after a hat-trick in the semifinal comeback against Ajax, brings pedigree and relentlessness, but is the lack of end product a concern?

In other news, this journalist is fretting after what he read about Richarlison.

West Ham: Dharmesh Sheth ‘told’ some great Areola news

Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth has shared what he’s been ‘told’ on live TV as West Ham United continue their mission to sign Paris-Saint Germain goalkeeper Alphonse Areola permanently.

The Lowdown: After Aguerd…

After the Irons sealed their first major signing of the summer, completing a deal for Morocco international Nayef Aguerd, manager David Moyes is believed to be plotting a few more additions.

Indeed, reliable reports claim that the Scotsman and West Ham are aiming to seal ‘at least’ six new additions before the start of the 2022/23 Premier League season.

This summer may well be the most eventful in east London for quite some time, with Sheth now sharing an update live on TV involving Areola.

The Latest: Sheth shares major Areola update…

As per the Sky Sports journalist, West Ham are ‘increasingly confident’ that they can seal a permanent move for the 29-year-old and ‘will’ trigger the £11m purchase option once personal terms are agreed.

In another development, it appears that the Irons have also fended off ‘late interest’ from Newcastle United in the Frenchman.

Sheth explained: “This will be seen as quite a good deal for West Ham as well because we’re told there was late interest in Areola from Newcastle United, they’ve turned their attention since to Nick Pope from Burnley.

“But it now seems Areola will be, provided they sort out all these personal terms, will be at the London Stadium for next season and beyond.”

The Verdict: Big boost…

The Magpies’ move for Pope is undoubtedly a boost for Moyes and the Hammers, with nothing standing in the way of them sealing their second piece of summer business after Aguerd.

Areola joining indefinitely would be a very shrewd move for West Ham considering his phenomenal cup outings last season and experience on the Champions League stage, and we believe he is a ready-made alternative to Lukasz Fabianski at the London Stadium.

Leeds: Outlet drops Otavio claim

Leeds United have had a bid rejected for FC Porto midfielder Otavio, according to Portuguese newspaper Record (via Sport Witness).

The lowdown: Orta not messing around

Having already added Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen and Marc Roca to Jesse Marsch’s squad this summer, Director of Football Victor Orta is seemingly showing no signs of letting up with the search for reinforcements.

Whilst some of the additions over the coming weeks could prove to be replacements for highly sought-after duo Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha, the Whites are certainly getting their ranks in order in a timely fashion.

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Now, it appears as though the Elland Road hierarchy have pinpointed their next target in the shape of 27-year-old Porto star Otavio…

The latest: Bid made

As per Record, transcribed by SW, Leeds have seen a €30milion (£25million) offer to sign the seven-cap Portugal international turned down.

It’s claimed that there is an ‘indication’ that Porto would only sell Otavio should a €60million (£51million) release clause be met, having recently also cashed in on the move that saw Luis Diaz arrive at Liverpool.

The report states that Leeds are looking to add ‘reinforcements of weight’ after a disappointing 2021/22 campaign. They apparently view the man recently lauded for an ‘exciting’ standout display for Portugal against Turkey as a candidate to strengthen Marsch’s options.

The verdict: Not at that price

Predominantly operating as a right-winger, Otavio scored five times and provided 14 assists in 49 appearances across all competitions last season, earning an outstanding 7.48 Sofascore rating – the fourth highest in the Portuguese top-flight – whilst winning 7.4 duels, making 2.3 key passes and successfully completing 1.1 dribbles on average per league outing to showcase a well-rounded game.

However, despite this eye-catching form and excellent versatility which has seen the Portuguese ace operate in numerous positions across the midfield and frontline, spending the mooted £51million release clause on this deal would be a huge gamble from Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani.

Albeit the Whites will recoup a major profit on Raphinha should the Brazilian eventually leave, we feel that money can be reinvested in smarter ways than spending big on Otavio, despite the midfielder’s obvious talents.

Everton in talks to sign Harry Winks

Everton have been heavily linked with a move for Harry Winks this summer, and a reliable journalist has now given an update on the club’s progress in signing the player.

What’s the latest?

In a Q&A with football.london, Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Alasdair Gold gave an update on the Toffees’ pursuit of the 26-year-old.

In response to a question about the player’s future at the north London club, the reporter claimed: “There doesn’t seem to be anything close with outgoings at the moment, although of course, that can change the moment someone meets Spurs’ valuation. Everton are still in talks over Harry Winks.”

Lampard’s very own Jorginho

Frank Lampard will now be getting desperate to start signing some players to strengthen his squad ahead of the new Premier League season next month, and signing Winks has been reportedly of much interest to the Everton manager.

The 26-year-old has found himself out of favour under Antonio Conte and has not played a full 90 minutes since February. The player will surely be keen to pick up more consistent game-time elsewhere, even though he is a boyhood Spurs fan who came through the academy and broke into the first team.

Despite Winks’ lack of minutes on the pitch, former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino always had high praise for the £20m-valued midfielder and even claimed that he was like “Xavi and Iniesta” in the past.

Pochettino stated in 2018 (via Daily Mail): “Harry has the profile of the perfect midfield player. His characteristics are perfect… When we talk about midfielders like Xavi and Iniesta, he’s like this type of player.”

In fact, Lampard could land his very own Jorginho by signing Winks this summer, as the Chelsea midfielder was the most comparable player to Winks last season, according to FBRef.

Despite the Italian recording more goals and assists and playing more minutes than the Spurs midfielder, Winks outperformed him in terms of shot on target percentage (33.3% to 22.2%) and posted more goal-creating actions per 90 minutes (0.39 to 0.32).

Farhad Moshiri will need to get to work to replace not only Richarlison this summer, as he has effectively sealed his move to Spurs, but also to fill in the gaps in midfield, with loanee Donny Van de Beek returning to Manchester United and Fabian Delph now out of contract.

As a result, the signing of Winks would be a major coup for Everton as they attempt to strengthen and add depth to their squad to ensure that they can compete in the Premier League next season.

AND in other news: Fabrizio Romano reveals major Everton transfer development, Moshiri will be scrambling

Lawerence could be Aribo 2.0 at Rangers

Rangers have been linked with signing free agent Tom Lawrence in recent weeks and the forward could be the ideal man to replace Joe Aribo at Ibrox.

The attacking midfielder is currently without a club after leaving Derby County upon the expiry of his contract at the Rams, with his excellent performances last season not quite enough to prevent the Midlands club from dropping into League One.

Rangers are one side said to be interested in signing the 28-year-old after his impressive 2021/22 campaign, and if he does join Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side, it would be in a deal reminiscent to the one that saw Aribo arrive in 2019.

The Nigeria international also joined after seeing his contract with a lower league side expire, although Rangers were forced to pay £300,000 on that occasion due to his age.

The midfielders had also been the starring light in his side’s season, with his performances helping Charlton to promotion via the playoffs, with his ten goals and five assists attracting the interest of the Gers.

He has been a mainstay at Ibrox in the three years since and is now on the brink of a move back to England, with Southampton set to sign him in a deal worth around £10m, so van Bronckhorst will need a replacement.

Last season saw Lawrence manage 11 goals and five assists in the Championship for Derby, primarily featuring in an attacking midfield role, so he clearly performed very similarly to Aribo before his move to Ibrox.

Although he is three years older than the Nigerian, his experience in the Championship suggests that he could be an excellent addition by Ross Wilson this summer, especially if he can maintain his form from last season when playing for the Gers.

The Welshman has previously been described as a “fabulous talent” and shares a lot of similarities with Aribo, with WhoScored suggesting that both Aribo and Lawrence’s strengths include passing and dribbling, while both like to perform layoffs.

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Therefore, considering the fact that he is available on a free transfer, would be signing from an English club and is an attacking midfielder with an eye for goal, the similarities with the Aribo deal are clear to see, and Wilson should definitely look at bringing him in on a bargain deal.

And, in other news… David Ornstein drops big transfer update that’ll have Rangers supporters gutted

Rangers update on Kent & Morelos emerges

A major Rangers update from media partners Heart and Hand has revealed some good news coming out of Ibrox.

What’s the news?

The update concerns new contracts for key Rangers players Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos, with Official Media Partners of Rangers FC ‘Heart and Hand’ tweeting “Gio confirms talks with Kent and Alfie.” Which is an update that will prove popular amongst the supporters.

Both Kent and Morelos only have a year left on their current contracts and Giovanni van Bronckhorst will be keen to get both secured on long-term deals.

Supporters will be buzzing

The previous few days have been busy for the Dutchman, with Antonio Colak joining the club and bolstering the attacking options whilst Joe Aribo seemingly looks like he is about to leave the club to join Southampton.

The Nigeria international also had a year left on his contract and a fee of around £10m plus significant add-ons is a decent return for someone who doesn’t want to commit their future to the team.

Of course, signing players for £300k and selling them for £10m represents excellent business, but this shouldn’t become the norm at a club like Rangers.  The nature is, however, Scottish football has become a breeding ground for talent which will eventually work its way south of the border.

There has been plenty of interest in Kent and with Sevilla reportedly making a bid for Morelos a few weeks ago, it won’t be long before both depart Glasgow for new challenges.

Keeping them – at least for another season or two- will remain a priority for Van Bronckhorst this summer.

The duo combined for 22 goals and 28 assists last season in all competitions and losing that calibre of player would require the new signings to step up and hit the ground running.

The Ibrox faithful know that excellent players are never at the club for long, they will just have to hope Ross Wilson and Van Bronckhorst work their magic.

AND in other news: Bid prepared: Rangers eye 6-figure swoop for 17 y/o sensation, he can be Jack 2.0

Everton eye Chelsea midfielder Tino Anjorin

Everton journalist Chris Smith has revealed some transfer news that he has now been ‘told’ on Tino Anjorin.

The Lowdown: Midfielder wanted

The likes of Morgan Gibbs-White and Amadou Onana have been linked with moves to Goodison Park in recent days, suggesting that Frank Lampard would like to strengthen in the middle of the pitch.

The Toffees have only brought in James Tarkowski of note so far this summer, and have of course sold Richarlison to Tottenham Hotspur, so some supporters may be worried that their lack of transfer business will result in them fighting a relegation battle again.

The Latest: Anjorin interest

Taking to Twitter in sharing a corresponding article for 90min, Smith has revealed that Everton are now ‘considering an offer’ to sign Anjorin, and a move would be ‘far more likely’ if they fail in their bid to land Gibbs-White.

He tweeted: “I’m told #Everton are considering an offer for #Chelsea youngster Tino Anjorin.

“EFC are pushing for a permanent transfer but CFC would prefer a loan. Anjorin is happy to make the move.

“Understand this is far more likely if EFC fail with Gibbs-White.”

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The Verdict: Cheaper alternative

With Wolves wanting more than £20m for Gibbs-White, and Lille’s president Olivier Letang valuing Onana at £33.8m, Anjorin could be seen as a cheaper alternative, given that he is valued at only £2.7m by Transfermarkt.

Dubbed a ‘confident’, ‘strong’ and ‘creative’ player by Thomas Tuchel, the 20-year-old has already broken into Chelsea’s first-team squad, with five appearances made for the Blues in total.

He was sent out on loan to both Lokomotiv Moscow and Huddersfield Town last term, where he gained vital experience of playing senior men’s football on a more regular basis, playing in the Europa League for the Russian club before helping the latter reach the Championship play-off final (Transfermarkt).

Even getting Anjorin in on loan would represent smart business from the Toffees.

Leeds dealt Valentin Castellanos blow

Leeds United transfer target Valentin Castellanos is set to move from New York City FC to Girona imminently, journalist Fabrizio Romano has confirmed.

The Lowdown: Leeds eye Castellanos

The Argentine has made a name for himself in the MLS since joining his current club back in 2019, scoring 50 goals in just 109 appearances in the competition.

Castellanos’ overall tally of 59 in 133 matches for NYC has alerted Leeds, who have been strongly linked with a summer move for the 23-year-old, with Victor Orta even spotted in New York last month.

Jesse Marsch has now been dealt a blow, however, following a key update on the striker’s future.

The Latest: Romano delivers blow to Whites

Taking to Twitter on Tuesday, Romano confirmed that Castellanos is set to join La Liga side Girona:

“Taty Castellanos will play his farewell game with NYCFC this week, then his move to Girona will be completed in the following days. City Football Group are prepared to make it happen as they want Taty to try La Liga experience this season.”

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The Verdict: Another one that got away?

Castellanos had the potential to be a hugely exciting signing for Leeds, bringing an undisputed goal threat, even if he isn’t yet proven in one of Europe’s top five leagues.

The attack is an area that Marsch must add to between now and the end of the transfer window, with Raphinha’s recent exit leaving a gaping void in the final third.

Club Brugge star Charles De Ketelaere looks like a strong option but is on the brink of joining Milan, as does Arnaut Kalimuendo, and Leeds must acquire the services of at least one of them, ensuring they have the attacking threat to avoid relegation next season.

Journalist gives verdict on West Brom’s Daryl Dike

Express and Star journalist Jonny Drury has given his verdict on the potential West Bromwich Albion partnership between Daryl Dike and Jed Wallace this season.

The Lowdown: Pre-season

The Baggies duo combined superbly during the side’s 2-1 win over Hertha Berlin on Saturday, as the ex-Millwall winger provided an excellent cross for the United States international to bury with a fantastic header.

The goal occurred just minutes after the 22-year-old centre-forward graced the pitch.

Speaking after the game, Wallace sang Dike’s praises. As quoted by the Express & Star, the 28-year-old said: “He is someone that can attack the deliveries I’m going to put in the box.

“But not only is he a big lad, he is very, very, mobile and you saw that with the goal. It was a really great header.”

The Latest: Drury’s reaction

Having watched the West Brom pair link up for the goal, Drury was clearly left excited with the prospect of a dominant partnership in the Championship this season.

Taking to Twitter, the journalist claimed: “Got a feeling this is going to be a very good partnership this season.”

The Verdict: Dike’s potential

Having joined the Midlands outfit in January after the Baggies came to an agreement in excess of £7m for the Orlando striker, the American made just two appearances for Steve Bruce’s side before suffering from a hamstring injury, keeping him out of action for the majority of the season’s remaining games.

However, with a full pre-season under his belt, the 22-year-old is expected to go on to achieve big things in the English second division, having scored 18 goals in 35 appearances in the MLS.

Therefore, if Dike and Wallace are able to continue with their close-knit link-up play, the Baggies could be on for a winner with the attacking pair this season.

West Ham: Moyes given Kluivert green light

West Ham United have been given the green light in their bid to bring Justin Kluivert to the London Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport, who claim that, following reports of West Ham’s interest in a move for the 23-year-old winger this summer, the Netherlands international has now been instructed to train separately from AS Roma’s first team squad ahead of his likely departure in the coming weeks.

Previous reports had already revealed that Jose Mourinho would be willing to part with the former Ajax starlet this summer, with the Giallorossi said to be happy to accept an offer in the region of €15m (£13m) for the Dutchman – while Ligue 1 side AS Monaco also said to be interested in Kluivert’s signing ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Imagine him & Kostic

Kluivert’s €17.25m (£15m) move to Roma has not worked out as the left-winger would have hoped, but should David Moyes believe that he can be the manager to help the 23-year-old realise his undoubted potential, a £13m move for the two-cap international could quite easily prove to be one of the signings of the summer.

Indeed, over his 30 Eredivisie appearances in his first full season with Ajax back in 2017/18, the £13.5m-rated forward was in astonishing form, scoring 10 goals, registering five assists and creating nine big chances for his team-mates, as well as taking an average of 2.7 shots (1.1 of which hit the target), making 1.7 key passes and completing 2.7 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the £54k-per-week talent who Nick Mercadante dubbed “limitless” and Match of the Day labelled “unreal” average a spectacular SofaScore match rating of 7.33, not only ranking him as Ajax’s fifth-best performer in the league – behind the likes of Hakim Ziyech, David Neres and Frenkie de Jong – but also as the joint 18th-best player in the Dutch top flight as a whole that season.

As such, should Kluivert be able to rediscover this level of form following a potential move to east London this summer, coupled with the Hammers managing to get a €15m (£13m) deal over the line for Filip Kostic – the left wing-back who scored seven goals and registered 15 assists over 43 appearances for Eintracht Frankfurt last season – in the coming weeks, it is clear to see that Moyes will have formed an incredibly deadly and exciting duo on the Irons’ left flank next term.

AND in other news – “Already scheduled…”: Romano drops West Ham transfer update that supporters will love

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