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Everton are one of the clubs who are interested in Sassuolo’s Filip Djuricic, according to Italian outlet Calciomercato. 

The lowdown

Significantly, his contract is up at the end of this season, and unless Sassuolo can reach an agreement with the 29-year-old soon, they may come under pressure to sell in January. That may be their only way to avoid losing him on a free transfer next summer.

The Serbian has featured in all nine of their Serie A matches so far this season, starting eight (via WhoScored), and he has averaged 1.9 dribbles, 1.8 shots and 1.1 key passes per 90 minutes for Sassuolo this term. For context, no Everton player boasts more than 1.2 dribbles per match up to this point in the season, with only Demarai Gray averaging more than one per game at Goodison Park.

The latest

Calciomercato claimed that there are three Premier League clubs on the trail of Djuricic.

Those are Everton, West Ham United – managed by former Blues boss David Moyes, of course – and struggling Southampton.

The verdict

Djuricic is valued at £8.1m by Transfermarkt, but the interested parties could look to avoid a transfer fee altogether by pursuing a pre-contract agreement.

He would appear better suited to the 4-2-3-1 that West Ham play rather than Rafael Benitez’s 4-4-1-1 given his capacity to play in the three positions behind the striker, but that’s not to say that a move to Merseyside is unrealistic.

His performance metrics certainly suggest that he could add plenty of verve to Everton’s attack, not least in terms of beating opponents one-on-one.

In other news, some Everton fans fumed over these Benitez comments

Everton managed to snatch what could be a vital point for their hopes of avoiding getting relegated from the Premier League.

In last night’s clash against Leicester City at Goodison Park, the Toffees found themselves 1-0 down with just five minutes on the clock after Harvey Barnes grabbed a goal for the away side.

Then, in the dying minutes of the match, Everton attacker Richarlison managed to score the equaliser for his side and avoid a defeat for Frank Lampard’s side.

Despite managing to end the game with a point when they were close to leaving empty-handed, one player in an Everton shirt that arguably let his team down on the night was Allan.

Starting in a midfield next to Fabian Delph and Alex Iwobi, the Brazilian only played 58 minutes of action before being replaced by Dele Alli.

This ended up being a stroke of genius by Lampard as Alli played a big part in Everton’s late goal.

As for Allan, the midfielder only had 29 touches of the ball in total, which worryingly is fewer than goalkeeper Jordan Pickford had throughout the game.

In those 29 touches, the 31-year-old made just 17 accurate passes, misplacing one cross and one long ball.

With no key passes, dribbles attempted or shots at goal, the midfielder offered next to nothing going forward.

From a defensive point of view, the Brazil international lost six of the nine duels he was involved in as well as getting dribbled past on three occasions and giving one foul away.

This shows that he was somewhat of a liability for the Toffees and was probably right to be taken off in the second half.

Having been slammed for being “clumsy” with his tackles in the past by Garry Birtles, Allan wasn’t at his best in a defensive regard this time out either.

This display ultimately earned Allan a very disappointing overall match rating of 6.1/10 from SofaScore, making him the lowest-rated Everton player that stepped foot on the pitch.

The Liverpool Echo also picked up on the Brazilian’s poor performance by saying that he “was not strong enough in possession to justify his place on the pitch beyond the opening minutes of the second half.”

Moving forward, Lampard will definitely need the midfielder to be a much more impactful player either in a defensive or attacking sense between now and the end of the season if they want to have a good chance of avoiding the drop.

In other news: EFC plotting £25m bid for “dangerous” £152k-p/w ace, it could be bye-bye Richarlison

Leeds United are looking to sign two different types of midfielder in the January transfer window, according to a new report which emerged on Saturday morning.

The Lowdown: Leeds’ injury crisis

The Whites have made a disappointing start to the season but they haven’t been helped by injuries, which have got increasingly worse in recent weeks.

Kalvin Phillips is the most high-profile current absentee but the likes of Patrick Bamford, Robin Koch, Pascal Struijk and Rodrigo are also sidelined.

The long-term injury to Phillips has only heightened the need for midfield reinforcements in January and that appears to be the plan at Elland Road.

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The Latest: Two midfielders coming in?

According to Football Insider, a Thorp Arch source has informed them that the club will be looking to sign both a defensive midfielder and a No.8 next month.

Whites chiefs are thought to be ‘fearful of a relegation battle’ and they see new signings as a way of avoiding that happening.

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The Verdict: Simply has to happen

Making midfield signings is an absolute no-brainer for Leeds, with Phillips such an influential player that they could struggle to get by with their current options.

Both Koch and Struijk can play in the middle of the park, too, so their respective injuries mean Marcelo Bielsa is even lighter in that area. Frankly, it would be a grave error not to sign a No.6 and a No.8, injecting some life into Leeds’ stuttering campaign.

Someone like Nahitan Nandez would be an ideal defensive midfielder to come in, with the Cagliari man averaging two tackles per game in the Serie A this season, not to mention winning 49 caps for Uruguay.

In terms of No.8, Aaron Ramsey could be a clever choice, with the Welshman linked with a move to Leeds and scoring 40 goals and assisting 51 times during his previous spell in the Premier League.

In other news, an injury expert has made a worrying claim about one Leeds player. Find out who it is here.

Newcastle United are ‘likely’ to sign two players this week, according to The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards. 

The lowdown

Last weekend, Newcastle played host to relegation rivals Watford, who sit just above the bottom three. The Magpies took the lead through Allan Saint-Maximin, only for Joao Pedro to snatch a point for the Hornets three minutes from time.

The draw leaves Eddie Howe’s men 19th in the table with just one win and 12 points from their first 20 matches.

Their next match sees them travel to 15th-placed Leeds United on Saturday, with the Whites putting daylight between themselves and the danger zone with back-to-back wins in the league, so it’s fair to say that the pressure is on for the Magpies.

The latest

Edwards took to Twitter on Tuesday morning to write that Sevilla centre-back Diego Carlos is ‘edging closer’ to joining, and while his arrival is yet to be confirmed, senior club officials have been hard at  work trying to bolster the squad before the weekend trip to Elland Road.

The journalist is currently unsure about the identity of the second player who’s likely to join, as he tweeted: “Diego Carlos is edging closer to a #nufc move but still not confirmed yet. Told senior club officials have been working round the clock to secure targets and boost squad before Leeds. They have encountered resistance at every turn but 2 players (I can’t get other name) are likely”.

The verdict

Carlos’ impending arrival should be a significant boost given the Magpies’ defensive struggles. They have the worst record for expected goals against in the Premier League, but the hope will be that the 2019/20 Europa League winner with Sevilla shores them up at the back.

Who could the mystery second man be? Perhaps it’s Atalanta striker Duvan Zapata, for whom Newcastle have reportedly made an offer, and the Colombian marksman is believed to be open to joining.

If the Magpies agree to meet Atalanta’s €45m (£37.6m) asking price, that may be a deal they can get done in the next five days.

In other news, Newcastle have made an approach for this serial winner

Wolves could still make a last-gasp move for Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey this month, according to a late transfer rumour which has emerged.

The Lowdown: Ramsey leaving Juve?

The Welshman has struggled to make his mark during his time in Italy, only registering six goals and six assists since arriving from Arsenal in 2019.

Juve are thought to be keen on offloading Ramsey before the January transfer window ends, and Wolves have been linked with a move in the recent past.

Leeds have also been backed to sign him, though, as a return to England for the rest of the season potentially comes to fruition.

The Latest: Wolves tipped to make late move for Ramsey

According to Calciomercato [via Sport Witness], Wolves’ move for Ramsey could ‘resolve’ itself at the 11th hour.

It is stated that ‘Jorge Mendes takes care of it’, suggesting that the agent could get a deal over the line for the 31-year-old, who has scored 20 goals in 71 caps for Wales.

The Verdict: Strong last-gasp addition

If Wolves sign Ramsey before deadline day ends, it could prove to be a bonus during an already positive month on the pitch at Molineux, following four wins in a row in all competitions.

While the Welsh midfielder arguably isn’t at his peak anymore, he has proven Premier League pedigree – 40 goals and 51 assists – and could complement the deeper-lying pair of Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves.

With Wolves looking to finish in the European places this season, Ramsey could add a sprinkling of stardust to provide more depth and quality in key matches between now and May.

In other news, some Wolves fans are happy with an update on one player. Find out who it is here.

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According to the Daily Mail, Liverpool will battle Chelsea for the signature of Monaco teenager Khephren Thuram in this summer’s transfer window.

What’s the word, then?

Khephren is the son of France legend Lilian Thuram, who played for Monaco, Parma, Juventus and Barcelona during a wonderful career.

The 47-year-old is actually the most capped player in the history of the France national team, having made 142 appearances for his country.

The former defender has two sons, the second of which – Khephren – currently turns out for principality side Monaco.

According to the Daily Mail, Liverpool are chasing the 17-year-old, but the Reds will face competition from Premier League rivals Chelsea.

It is certainly an interesting situation to monitor, particularly when considering that Juventus have also ‘watched’ the teenager during the 2018-19 campaign.

What do we know about him?

Khephren has not yet signed professional terms with Monaco, despite the fact that he has already made three first-team appearances for the club.

The midfielder actually appeared twice for Monaco in the Champions League earlier this season, whilst he has made the bench for five Ligue 1 fixtures this term.

Pl>ymaker FC’s Matchday with Max caught up with Jamaica’s women’s team. See what happened when he met the history makers in the video below…

Born in Italy, the teenager has turned out for France at Under-18 level and according to transfermarkt, mainly operates as a defensive midfielder.

It would be fair to say that the youngster is quite an unknown quantity when it comes to assessing whether he could thrive at a club of Liverpool’s size.

Living up to his father’s reputation is going to be incredibly difficult, but the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Juventus do not monitor a player unless he has a lot of talent.

As per TuttoJuve24, some more news from Italy has come to light on yet another Serie A star Antonio Conte could now bring to Tottenham Hotspur in Alessio Romagnoli.

The Lowdown: Italian job…

Tottenham managing director Fabio Paratici has finally landed his number one managerial target for Spurs nearly five months after talks for Conte broke down in the summer.

As confirmed by the club, ex-Chelsea boss, former Premier League winning-manager and four-time Scudetto champion Conte has taken over at Spurs – following on from the dismal eras of Portuguese duo Nuno Espirito Santo and Jose Mourinho.

The 52-year-old comes to north London with much promise and is tipped to instil a winning mentality and transform Tottenham into a high-intensity pressing team (football.london).

He also comes with links to some of Serie A’s biggest stars as Spurs continue to be mentioned alongside the likes of Franck Kessie and Dusan Vlahovic with new names like Federico Chiesa also popping up in the Italian press.

Centre-backs like Stefan de Vrij and Matthijs de Ligt are also being watched by Conte but TuttoJuve24 has now shared that AC Milan captain Romagnoli could feasibly join Spurs.

The Latest: Romagnoli could be tempted by Tottenham…

As per their information, Tottenham’s new boss is ‘ready to take’ two Juventus transfer targets ‘immediately’ in Vlahovic and Romagnoli.

The latter man, who was considering Turin as a possible destination, could now have his plans ‘changed’ by Spurs with this report hinting he could be tempted to join the club.

It is stated that Spurs will be spare ‘no expense’ in backing Conte and represent a ‘danger’ to Juve’s transfer plans.

The Verdict: Get it done?

The 26-year-old, valued at a meagre £18 million by Transfermarkt, could leave for free in the summer of 2022 due to his contract expiring and this report states that is when Spurs are most likely to swoop.

Given both Romagnoli and his agent, Mino Raiola, have currently stalled discussions over a new deal due to Milan wanting to cut his salary in half, this could put Paratici and Tottenham in a strong negotiating position to even make an attempt in Janaury.

It may be a wise move going by Romagnoli’s quality and our belief he would certainly add some steel and composure next to Cristian Romero.

Averaging a cool 88.9% pass accuracy out from the back over his league appearances this season, a higher number than any Spurs defender according to WhoScored, he has also been labelled a ‘great champion’ by England defender Fikayo Tomori (Corriere dello Sport via milannews.it).

The £106,000-per-week ace doesn’t exactly command a hefty pay packet either, perhaps indicating he is more than affordable from Tottenham’s perspective given his contract situation.

Portuguese transfer journalist Bruno Andrade, who contributes for CNN and UOL Esporte, has now shared a big pre-summer update involving Tottenham Hotspur and Everton striker Richarlison.

The Lowdown: Conte eyes new forward?

The Lilywhites, who arguably lack sufficient back-up for star man Harry Kane, have been tipped to add an alternative striker to their ranks in recent months amid their lack of depth in that position.

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Most recently, the likes of Darwin Nunez (Benfica) and Paulo Dybala (Juventus) have been linked with a move to Tottenham as transfer chief Fabio Paratici aims to back Antonio Conte in the summer market.

Talks have also been held over the likes of Alvaro Morata, according to Football Insider in late January, with news now coming to light on a surprise new target in Toffees star Richarlison.

The Latest: Tottenham ‘already’ make first move…

According to Andrade, Spurs and Paratici ‘above all’ have ‘already taken polls’ to sign the 24-year-old – allegedly making contact with Everton as they make their first move pre-summer.

The reporter adds that Richarlison himself ‘prepares transfer within the Premier League’ as Frank Lampard’s prize asset eyes a Merseyside exit.

The Verdict: Ambitious move

The Goodison Park club, amid a scrap against relegation, are also hampered by financial trouble off the field as they face the biggest losses out of any English team in the past three years (The Times).

This could mean Everton simply have to sell this summer in a bid to balance the books, especially if they drop down to the Championship, and it’s little surprise Tottenham are allegedly thinking to take advantage.

The £110,000-per-week forward has been a key player for Everton over these last few seasons, topping their Premier League charts over 2021/2022 too with the most goals and assists combined (WhoScored).

He also ranks in as the Blues’ best performer this season going by average match rating per 90 (6.87) with the proven top flight attacker coming as a logical Tottenham target.

In other news: In recent weeks: Tottenham step up chase to sign ‘incredible’ player as club brace for their bid! Find out more here.

Wolves winger Adama Traore is reportedly happy to stay put at Molineux until the summer before potentially returning to his former club Barcelona.

The Lowdown: Constant exit rumours

The 25-year-old has been continually linked with a move away from Wolves in the January transfer window, with Bruno Lage seemingly happy to see him leave.

The likes of Liverpool and Tottenham have both been tipped to sign Traore in the near future but nothing concrete has materialised yet.

Another update has now emerged regarding the winger’s future as the saga takes another twist.

The Latest: Summer move instead?

According to Sport, Traore sees returning to Barca as a ‘priority’ and is willing to wait until the end of the season for the move to come to fruition, with the report describing it as a ‘feasible’ transfer.

It is claimed that the Spanish giants see the Wolves winger as a possible replacement for Ousmane Dembele, should the Frenchman move on in the summer.

The Verdict: Matter of time

Traore has had huge praise down the years, with Jurgen Klopp once hailing him as ‘exceptional’, but it seems evident that Lage doesn’t see a long-term future for the Spain international at Wolves.

The speedy winger finally scored his first goal of the season in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Southampton but it is a damning indictment of his end product that it has taken 22 appearances for that to happen.

A summer exit feels best for all parties, ensuring that Wolves don’t lose a good squad player in the middle of the campaign while allowing them to receive a healthy fee which can go towards new signings for next season.

In other news, Tim Spiers claims Wolves are ‘set to sign’ one player. Find out who it is here.

A number of Wolves supporters have reacted negatively to a rumour linking the club with a move for Fenerbahce winger Enner Valencia.

Bruno Lage’s side may have found some form in the Premier League but that doesn’t mean their squad doesn’t need strengthening.

It could be that new signings are made in the January transfer window to ease the burden off Raul Jimenez given his constant international exploits, and one player who has been linked with a move to Molineux is Valencia.

According to Fotomac [via Talking Wolves on Twitter], Wolves are the front-runners to sign the former West Ham and Everton man.

The 32-year-old has scored an impressive 34 goals in 67 caps for Ecuador, so he could arguably be an experienced head who provides Lage with quality.

Wolves fans react to Valencia rumour

Despite Valencia’s pedigree, these Wolves fans took to Twitter to react negatively to the rumour, saying they don’t want him to sign for Wanderers.

“Please don’t Wolves”

Credit: @parker_bradley

“Sanches this, Botman that, Donny van de Beek the other. No Enner Valencia”

Credit: @charliewwfc_

“We can’t be paying more than £3m for him”

Credit: @_samwhitehouse_

“How about we don’t do that and sign a good player instead”

Credit: @SamJGollings

“This has to be a joke right?”

Credit: @JamesSa36443478

“Please no”

Credit: @thedonck

In other news, a journalist has provided a key update on one Wolves player’s future. Read more here.