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Rumoured Liverpool transfer target Dusan Vlahovic will be available for ‘€70/75m’ in January, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Liverpool keen on signing Vlahovic

The Serbian is maturing into one of the most sought-after young attackers in Europe, scoring eight goals in 12 Serie A appearances this season.

Liverpool are one of the clubs who are reportedly keen on signing the 21-year-old as Jurgen Klopp looks to bolster his attacking options.

Fiorentina are understandably reluctant to let their prized asset go cheaply but his contract expires in the summer of 2023, so they are running out of time to get big money for him.

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The Latest: Romano provides fresh update

Taking to Twitter on Thursday, Romano claimed that the Serie A club are willing to let Vlahovic leave for €70m-€75m (£59.9m-£64.1m) in the January transfer window, should a bid for that amount come their way.

His tweet is aimed towards Arsenal, who are thought to be interested, but it is also stated that ‘many clubs’ are in the running.

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The Verdict: January move seems unlikely

Vlahovic looks like a special young talent with a huge future – Serie A expert Conor Clancy has hailed him as ‘incredible’ – so the idea of seeing him in a Liverpool shirt is exciting.

It is hard to envisage the Reds spending that much on a player midway through the season, though, at a time when Klopp has four top-class attacking players already, and considering the club’s relative frugality in recent transfer windows.

Next summer would feel more likely for a move to happen, but by that point, someone else may have swooped in for him.

In other news, some Liverpool fans have flocked to another Romano update on one player. Find out who it is here.

Everton have become renowned for their transfer blunders over the last six years since Farhad Moshiri has taken over the club. However, he wasn’t the first to make mistakes when it comes to letting players walk out of Finch Farm to become superstars elsewhere.

Wayne Rooney is one of the most notable players that got away from Everton in recent history, and his career at Manchester United completely justified his move as a player of his calibre was always going to be hard to tie down for the Toffees.

Though, there is another player who went on to be a success at a ‘big six’ club since leaving Merseyside, and is often a forgotten gem of the past.

Eric Dier, who now plays an important role in the defensive line for Tottenham Hotspur, had an 18-month loan spell with Everton U18s back in 2011 and was handed back to Sporting Lisbon after 18 months to be sold onto Spurs for just £4m two years later in 2014.

Since that moment, he is now worth a whopping 395% more at £19.8m according to Transfermarkt.

A decade after leaving Merseyside, the Spurs centre-back has enjoyed his football at the highest level playing for the England national team as part of the midfield who got to the first international semi-final since 1990 back in 2018, and has since moved into a centre-back role at his current club, Tottenham, where has seen a return of consistent form under Antonio Conte this season.

When you compare the 28-year-old who was hailed “confident” by Gary Neville and “top-class” by coach Harry Brooks, to current Everton central defender Mason Holgate it’s clear Everton have missed out on a gem in Dier.

According to Soccerment, the Spurs defender is more successful in aerial duels (58%), passes (85%), tackles (65%) and dribbles (72%) compared to the Toffees centre-back Holgate, and with that being said, he would clearly be more effective in the Everton backline this season.

Dier has talked of his struggles at Everton during his short time in Liverpool, telling The Players Tribune in 2017: “At 16, there was a period when I went on loan to Everton, and that was extremely tough for me.

“I moved on my own from Lisbon to Liverpool, and for the first six months I didn’t know what I was doing there — I felt completely lost.”

It was clearly the wrong timing for the Spurs star who returned to Lisbon for another two years before committing his future with a five year deal in the Premier League at Tottenham, and the rest is history.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing and it’s interesting to consider the impact Dier could have had at Everton, and if their circumstances over the last few years would be different with a player of his calibre in the team.

In other news: “I know” – Insider drops worrying behind-scenes Everton update, Lampard surely furious

Everton are reportedly interested in making a move for Ajax winger David Neres with the Toffees looking to turn what has so far been an underwhelming campaign around.

What’s the story?

According to Jeunes Footeux, Everton manager Rafa Benitez is interested in bringing the Ajax star to Merseyside this month in a bid to turn a disappointing season around.

The Toffees are sat in 15th having played 18 Premier League games this campaign and need extra firepower on the flanks with talisman Richarlison still sidelined.

Moreover, the Brazilian’s future at Goodison Park is unclear, with the 24-year-old reported to be a potential Kylian Mbappe replacement at PSG during the summer.

However, the winger is still an Everton player and could soon be joined by his national teammate Neres in the Premier League.

Bye-bye Richarlison

Neres, also 24, has been with the Dutch champions for five years after joining from Brazilian giants Sao Paulo in January 2017.

In that time, Neres has managed to score 47 goals and register 41 assists in 180 appearances. The Brazilian was also a major contributor in Ajax’s famous run to the Champions League semi-finals in 2018/19, scoring against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.

The winger, who plays predominantly on the right, has scored four goals so far this season in 20 appearances in the Eredivisie and Champions League combined, as well as contributing two assists.

However, his most fruitful campaign to date was the 2017/18 season in which Neres scored 15 goals and registered 14 assists in 38 appearances across all competitions.

As a result, signing him could finally give Rafa Benitez the excuse to let Richarlison slide or better still, arm him with the firepower necessary to improve their wilted attack.

Not only have Richarlison’s performances dwindled but his attitude has also been questionable, reacting angrily to being substituted earlier this term and showing a petulant attitude right throughout his time in Merseyside.

It was the same result last February when Noel Whelan savaged him for something similar:

“You can’t take away he’s an exceptional player and he’s a gifted player. What you have got there is a bit of an attitude problem and it’s kind of a spoilt child attitude about him,” he began.

“You saw him coming off the field, he’s got that face on and he’s a bit petulant and childish in his behaviour, shrugging off somebody on the sideline, mumbling to himself. When you’ve got great players like that, there’s a certain professionalism that you’ve got to bring to the side as well and you just see those sort of little weaknesses in players.”

Furthermore, Benitez’s side have had rotten luck this campaign regarding injuries with star players Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison both facing respective spells on the sidelines.

Moreover, right-winger Andros Townsend recently missed games through injury and the Merseyside club could do with more options out wide, particularly on the right.

Although Neres’ goals tally isn’t the highest, the £18m-rated winger is an exciting prospect and would offer Everton a much-needed alternative in the attack. He could also be Richarlison’s saving grace.

In other news, Everton have been linked with this well-known forward…

With Ange Postecoglou being left with a rather decimated Celtic squad ahead of the trip to St. Johnstone on Sunday afternoon due to a number of injuries, the 56-year-old Bhoys boss may well have been worried of a repeat of the Hoops’ lacklustre 0-0 draw with St. Mirren on Wednesday evening.

However, despite losing talismanic centre-forward Kyogo Furuhashi to yet another injury just 15 minutes into the fixture, two first-half strikes from Liel Abada gave Celtic the lead at the break, before the 20-year-old’s compatriot, Nir Bitton, all but secured three points for the Bhoys in the 81st minute of the match, shortly after Chris Kane had pulled one back for the hosts – with the game ending 3-1.

And, while Abada’s brace may well steal the headlines on Sunday afternoon, it was undoubtedly central midfielder and captain for the day, Bitton, who ran the show for Celtic on Sunday afternoon.

“Rampaging”

Indeed, over his 90 minutes on the pitch against St. Johnstone, the £720k-rated 30-year-old enjoyed 91 touches of the ball, completed 61 passes – three of which were key – his one attempted cross and three of his six attempted through balls, and took a whopping six shots at the Saints goal.

The £14k-per-week Israel international also impressed in a defensive capacity, making two tackles, one clearance, winning nine of his 13 attempted duels – a success rate of 69% – and drawing one foul for his side.

These returns saw the midfielder receive a rather extraordinary SofaScore match rating of 8.4 against the Saints, with only Abada earning a higher score than his international teammate.

Indeed, A Celtic State of Mind pundit Kevin Graham also appeared to be incredibly impressed with the 30-year-old’s performance on Sunday, stating of the 30-year-old: “Bitton is rampaging about the place as if he’s the Israeli Lionel Messi.”

And, considering his returns from the match, we would find it very difficult to disagree with Graham, as Bitton very much ran for Ange Postecoglou this afternoon.

In other news: Forget Jullien: Ange must seal Celtic swoop for £20k-p/w gem dubbed “one of the best”

After just over six months in charge, Rafael Benitez’s reign in charge of Everton came to an end shortly after their disappointing 2-1 defeat against Norwich City last weekend.

In the meantime, while the club looks for a new permanent manager, Duncan Ferguson has been given the role of caretaker boss to try and get Everton’s season back on track in the same way that he did when the club got rid of Marco Silva in December 2019 before Carlo Ancelotti came in.

One name who has been mentioned with the Everton job and who could be a good fit for the Toffees is former Derby County and Chelsea manager Frank Lampard.

In his first senior managerial job, he took charge of 57 games with the Rams, with 26 wins, 15 draws and 16 defeats along the way, taking them to the Championship play-off final in May 2019 at Wembley against Aston Villa.

In his second managerial role, the 43-year-old won 44 of his 84 games in charge at the club where he spent the majority of his playing career.

Labelled a “winner” by Noel Whelan, Lampard finished in the top four with Chelsea in his one full season in charge at Stamford Bridge despite having to deal with a transfer embargo, which could make him a suitable and potentially successful option for Everton given their Financial Fair Play issues of late.

In terms of a potential move to Everton, while he hasn’t lifted any trophies as a manager, Lampard still has sufficient experience to put him in the running to get back into the Premier League and continue his managerial career with the Toffees.

Given his massive knowledge of the league and his legendary status as a player, he could be a big hit at Goodison Park and bring some positive vibes back around the place after the constant fan protests against Benitez during the 61-year-old’s tenure, especially with 65% of voters from a recent Football FanCast poll suggesting that Lampard would be a good appointment for Everton.

Also, with the 43-year-old not currently in work, it could be a swift appointment for Farhad Moshiri to make so that the club can put this transitional period behind them and focus on ending the season on a high with renewed optimism for the future.

In other news: Everton must avoid another managerial disaster with “arrogant” 58 y/o, he’d be Rafa 2.0

Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard will keep faith with Ashley Young against Liverpool rather than restoring Matt Targett to the line-up, Ashley Preece has predicted. 

The lowdown

Young has started five Premier League games after returning to Villa Park from Inter Milan, including the last three.

He’s been used as a left midfielder and central midfielder but slotted in at left-back against Leicester City to cover for a sidelined Matt Targett.

Targett was missing after sustaining a head injury in the clash with Manchester City.

But Gerrard says the £15.3million-rated Englishman is ‘ready to go’ ahead of Saturday’s trip to Anfield, having taken a full part in training this week.

The new boss’ predecessor Dean Smith hailed Targett as a ‘standout’ player in the Villa ranks.

The latest

Revealing his predicted XI for Birmingham Live, Preece wrote that the Young was part of a back four that ‘performed superbly’ against Leicester and is ‘expected’ to start once again.

Targett, he says, is set to be named amongst the substitutes.

Elsewhere, Preece reckons John McGinn, Marvelous Nakamba and Douglas Luiz will start in midfield, with Jacob Ramsey, Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Buendia forming the frontline.

The verdict

How good was Young against Leicester? Well he couldn’t match the SofaScore rating of opposite full-back Matty Cash or two-goal centre-half Ezri Konsa (both 8.2), but he did still pick up a solid 7.0.

The 36-year-old impressively won seven of the 10 ground duels he contested and also recorded two clearances and one block, showing good defensive instincts and bite in the tackle.

Gerrard may hope that he can offer more offensively when called upon – he didn’t create a chance against the Foxes and only managed one cross – but that’s a tough ask against title-chasing Liverpool, where that solidity at the back will be crucial.

In other news, Villa have been offered this UCL star.

Wolves right-back Nelson Semedo could return for his side’s Premier League clash with Newcastle United, according to injury expert Ben Dinnery.

The Lowdown: Semedo missing recently

The Portuguese ace has been out of action since the 2-1 defeat away to Arsenal in late February, having picked up a hamstring injury.

Prior to that setback, Semedo had started 23 Premier League matches for the Wanderers, proving to be an important part of Bruno Lage’s plans.

With Wolves visiting Newcastle on Friday evening, an injury boost may have emerged in the hours leading up to kick-off.

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The Latest: Dinnery makes key claim

Taking to Twitter, Dinnery, an injury analyst who runs the Premier Injuries site, claimed Semedo is in line to make a return to the side at St James’ Park:

“Nelson Semedo is training at a ‘good level’ and the right-back is in contention for the trip to St James’ Park.”

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The Verdict: Last-minute boost

This is a welcome boost for Wolves, and while Semedo may not be deemed match fit enough to start, the update suggests he will be able to play a key role between now and the end of the season.

Having the 28-year-old back in the fold means Jonny could revert to his preferred left-back role, giving the side an ideal balance in the two full-back positions.

Lage needs as many key men available in the final weeks of the season and Semedo certainly falls into that bracket, having averaged 2.3 tackles per game in the league this season. Only Toti (4.0) and Rayan Ait-Nouri (2.9) have a higher average.

In other news, Wolves are in a four-way battle to sign one player this summer. Find out who it is here.

Everton extended their winless run to eight matches after falling to a 4-1 defeat at Goodison Park at the hands of local rivals Liverpool in the Merseyside Derby.

The visitors were in scintillating form in this midweek clash, with captain Jordan Henderson opening the scoring after just nine minutes before Mohamed Salah bagged his 18th goal of the campaign with a wonderfully curled finish.

It seemed as if Jurgen Klopp’s imperious charges would be out of sight by the half-time interval, but the hosts worked their way back into the tie thanks to a well-taken Demarai Gray strike.

However, there was no stopping Liverpool in the second period. Salah ruthlessly capitalised on a Seamus Coleman mistake as Everton were growing in confidence and Diogo Jota made sure of the three points, adding some gloss to the scoreline along the way.

Coleman’s error killed the game as a contest, although in truth, Rafa Benitez’s struggling side never realistically looked like taking anything from the tie.

The Toffees were hampered by several poor performances from key individuals in what was a crucial fixture for both club and manager, with star midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure arguably the most underwhelming.

As per SofaScore, the box-to-box midfielder received a match rating of just 5.9 out of 10, the second-lowest total received by any player on the pitch.

Throughout the 90 minutes, Doucoure was bullied by his counterparts in the engine room, losing ten of his 11 duels, achieving a passing accuracy of just 65% and being dribbled past on three occasions.

He also gave away possession 12 times, failed to make a single tackle and had only 32 touches, nine fewer than goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, highlighting his hugely ineffective display.

And the Liverpool ECHO reporter Adam Jones was equally as unimpressed with Doucoure’s showing against the Reds.

“Similarly to his midfield partner, the Frenchman couldn’t get close to his Liverpool counterparts for the majority of the game. His attacking influence was not as effective as Everton needed it to be,” Jones wrote after awarding him a 3 out of 10.

Doucoure has been a standout performer for Everton this season, and the under-fire Benitez would have been hoping for a big performance from the 6-foot maestro.

That was far from the case, though, and the former France U21 international’s dismal display may have been the final nail in the coffin for the Spanish tactician at Everton.

And, in other news…Everton line up “leader of the year” to succeed Benitez, Toffees fans will be ecstatic

Influential Wolves forward Pedro Neto is expected to return from a serious knee injury in February, according to journalist Tim Spiers.

The Lowdown: Neto missing for Wolves

The 21-year-old is one of Wanderers’ most important players but they have had to make do without him since last April, having picked up a knee issue.

Neto has been a big miss, with his quality in attack proving crucial for Wolves last season, when five goals and six Premier League assists came his way before his injury.

Patience has been required with regards to the youngster’s comeback, but it appears as though the end is in sight.

The Latest: Spiers provides positive Neto update

Taking to Twitter on Friday, Spiers reiterated Bruno Lage’s confirmation that Neto is expected to be back in February, providing a six-word verdict.

He tweeted: “Neto likely back playing in Feb.”

The Verdict: Major boost for Wolves

This is a huge boost for Wolves, with Neto providing such an attacking spark with his direct running, trickery and end product.

Without him around, Lage’s side have managed to score just 13 times in 18 league matches this season, highlighting how much he has been missed since his injury.

While Neto needs to be managed carefully in the coming months, he can play a key role in Wolves’ push for a European finish, producing match-winning moments while his team remain tough to break down.

In other news, some Wolves fans love a photo that has emerged. Read more here.

West Ham are reportedly interested in signing Manchester City centre-back Nathan Ake in order to make up for the loss of Angelo Ogbonna.

The Lowdown: Ake struggling for playing time

The £100,000-a-week Dutchman joined City in 2020 but he has found regular football hard to come by, with the likes of Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte and John Stones keeping him out of the team.

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Ake has only managed four starts in the Premier League so far this season, as well as just one in the Champions League, and he may want a fresh challenge soon. The 1.8m-tall (6 foot) defender was limited to just nine top-flight starts at the Etihad Stadium last term, too.

The 26-year-old has 23 caps to his name for the Netherlands and may want to be a key figure at club level ahead of the 2022 World Cup.

The Latest: West Ham keen on move

According to 90min, West Ham have identified Ake as a transfer target in January, seeing him as someone who can fill the void left by Ogbonna, who is out injured for the rest of the season.

It is stated that a loan move is on the offing, with a potential to sign him permanently at the end of the season.

The Verdict: Strong Ogbonna alternative

Ake may not have cut the mustard consistently for City, but he is still a hugely competent centre-back who Premier League-winning manager Pep Guardiola claimed is a ‘joy’ to have in his squad.

At 26, the former Chelsea defender is also approaching his prime years and he could not only make up for the loss of Ogbonna in the short run, he may even represent a long-term replacement for the 32-year-old Italian.

Ake has averaged three interceptions per game in the Champions League this season, showing he can excel at the highest level – Declan Rice (1.9) is West Ham’s top performer in the Premier League in that regard, so the Dutchman may add something new to the Irons’ line-up if he makes the move.

In other news, West Ham have been linked with an audacious swoop for one player. Find out who it is here.