Category Uncategorized

Everton could offer influential centre-back Yerry Mina a new deal this summer, according to a positive new update regarding his future.

When is Mina out of contract at Everton?

The Blues have endured another tough season in the Premier League, meaning they have endured back-to-back relegation battles in the top flight. While they stayed up late in the day last time around, there is still work to do in their remaining three matches in 2022/2023.

One player who Everton have largely had to make do without is Mina, who has been troubled by injury problems throughout the campaign. He has been limited to just four appearances in the league, although he is at least fit currently, thriving in 90 minutes of the 5-1 win away to Brighton on Monday.

The Colombian is out of contract at Goodison Park this summer, however, so unless an extension is agreed, he will move on to pastures new on a free transfer. A positive rumoured has emerged, though – one that suggests his time with the Blues may not definitely be up.

Could Mina sign new Blues deal?

According to Football Insider, Mina "could land a surprise new contract" at Everton this summer, with Sean Dyche thought to be a "fan" of the defender. He was "immensely impressed" with his performance at Brighton and potentially sees him as part of his future plans.

It is noted that the centre-back would have to potentially take a pay cut from his current £120,000-a-week wages, but his exit certainly looks far from a given.

Mina signing a new deal at Everton would be a massive boost, even though his injury troubles have clearly been problematic in recent times. He is a top-level defender when he is fit and firing, having won 39 caps for a talented Colombia side, and also been hailed as "fantastic" and a "monster" by former Blues defender Michael Ball in the past.

His influence was outlined in the aforementioned win over Brighton, where he enjoyed a 94% pass completion rate, made two tackles and won five duels. His aerial dominance and leadership could be such an asset to Dyche moving forward, and at 28, he could remain in and around the peak years of his career for the next three or four years.

A new deal is a no-brainer, with the positives outweighing the positives, and some strong performances in the last three fixtures could further convince Dyche about an extension.

Fulham have been handed a boost in their pursuit of PSV Eindhoven midfielder Erick Gutierrez, as he has recently confirmed he will consider his future, should offers come in for him this summer.

Who could Fulham sign this summer?

The Cottagers are believed to be in the market for a number of new players this summer, and they have recently held 'informal contacts' with agents about the potential signing of FC Porto star Mateus Uribe, who's available for free this summer.

Uribe may be targeted as a replacement for Joao Palhinha, as journalist Dean Jones has confirmed that a number of Premier League clubs are interested in the Portugal international, including Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.

Central midfield is not the only area Marco Silva is keen to strengthen in the upcoming window, having made contact with Chelsea's Hakim Ziyech, while Borussia Monchengladbach defender Joe Scally could also be targeted.

A report from March detailed that Gutierrez is a summer target for the Cottagers, and they have now been handed a boost in their pursuit of the midfielder, as he has confirmed he will consider offers from elsewhere this summer.

As relayed by Soccer News (via Sport Witness), the PSV ace said: “My children are now three and four years old, born here and completely used to the environment,”

“I will soon be here for five years, and the club is in my heart, forever. If offers come in, I’ll look at them calmly with my agent and it’s also important what PSV want.”

Should Fulham sign Erick Gutierrez?

The Mexican has received regular game time for PSV so far this season, making 25 appearances in the Eredivisie, although a fair few of those have been as a substitute, owing to the solid performances of Ibrahim Sangare and Joey Veerman.

Having averaged 2.97 tackles per 90 in the past year, ranking in the 89th percentile compared to his positional peers, the 27-year-old is very solid defensively, which indicates he could be a good replacement for Palhinha.

The £14k-per-week maestro's defensive attributes are not his only strength, however, with journalist Cesar Hernandez claiming he's capable of doing "a little bit of everything", due to his ability to play in defence, and occasionally get on the scoresheet.

Gutierrez would be a versatile option for Silva, having played as far back as centre-back five times in his last 50 appearances, and Fulham should definitely look to make an offer in the summer.

Arsenal are becoming increasingly likely to win the race for West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice, according to a recent report from the Daily Mail.

What's the latest news on Declan Rice to Arsenal?

Rice is likely to have offers from a number of Premier League clubs in the summer transfer window, although reports have indicated he favours a move to the Emirates Stadium, due to the prospect of playing under Mikel Arteta.

That said, it is unclear whether the Gunners will throw everything at the midfielder this summer, with it being reported they are unwilling to match the fee currently being quoted by West Ham, leaving Chelsea very much in the race.

One thing that is almost certain is that the Englishman will leave the Hammers this summer, with journalist Alex Crook recently confirming he is pushing for a summer move, potentially opening the door for a move to Arsenal.

According to a report from the Daily Mail, the 24-year-old making the switch to north London this summer is looking increasingly possible, as it would tick a lot of the boxes, in terms of what he wants from his next club.

The £60k-per-week central midfielder would be able to stay in London, while also competing in the Champions League, which could make a move to Arsenal a very attractive proposition compared to Chelsea, who are almost guaranteed not to be playing in Europe's elite competition.

The report also suggests the Gunners could sign the England international for a cut-price fee, with West Ham no longer in a position to demand £150m, which was being spoken about a year ago.

Should Arsenal sign Declan Rice?

The former Chelsea youth player has been a shining light for West Ham in a very poor season, averaging a 7.21 Sofascore rating in the Premier League, by far the best-performing player in the squad.

Lauded as an "absolute monster" by the media, the maestro is a very confident dribbler of the ball, ranking in the 88th percentile for progressive carries per 90 over the past year, while a total of 80 tackles last season ranked him eighth in the Premier League, highlighting his defensive acumen.

Arsenal are not in dire need of a new central midfielder, with Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka consistently performing well this season, but Rice would be an excellent addition to the squad, who would provide real depth ahead of a 2023/24 campaign, in which Arteta will want to be competing on all fronts.

Newcastle United are reportedly eyeing up summer moves for Bayer Leverkusen duo Moussa Diaby and Mitchel Bakker.

The Lowdown: Long-term interest

Both Diaby and Bakker are long-term interests at St. James’ Park, with the former reportedly being ‘hotly courted’ by Newcastle since last summer.

The North East club were also reportedly in ‘contact’ over a deal for the latter last summer, and even made a formal offer for him, but a deal never materialised in the end.

The Latest: Newcastle ‘still hot’

Co-writing in his latest piece for 90min, transfer expert Graeme Bailey says that the Tynesiders are ‘still hot’ on both Diaby and Bakker, although fellow Premier League rivals Arsenal are also thought to be interested in the former.

The report adds that they also want to sign a ‘younger and better’ option at left-back, with Dan Burn currently filling in that position as a central defender, and 22-year-old Bakker ‘fits the profile’ that they are looking for.

The Verdict: Get both in?

While Diaby would certainly help boost Eddie Howe’s attacking options, with 17 goal contributions so far this season, Bakker could come in as a new starter at left-back.

He has been described as a more ‘modern’ full-back by Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voller, and would offer Howe a more attacking option down the left flank with his ‘strong desire to get forward’:

“Mitchel Bakker combines athletic qualities such as pace and strength in challenges with footballing ability. He is a modern full-back with a strong desire to get forward and he’ll help our team.”

However, the Dutchman has recently been criticised for disciplinary issues, with Bundesliga commentator Derek Rae sharing German news outlet Kicker’s headline of him being unprofessional, after being late three times for training since November:

“Kicker not holding back on Leverkusen’s Mitchel Bakker. Headline is “Footballer by occupation but not a professional.” It scolds Bakker for sleeping late for a 3rd time since Nov & missing the final training session before the win over Hertha.”

Nonetheless, the Magpies will have to weigh up whether Bakker is the kind of character that they would want in their dressing room, but there is no doubt that he would offer them a more attacking option at left-back, and at just 22 years of age, could be a mainstay in the team for years to come, should they be able to get a deal over the line of course.

Greg O’Keeffe has claimed that Vitalii Mykolenko is not guaranteed to play for Everton this weekend.

The Lowdown: Dyche to make tough selection decisions

Everton failed to pick up a positive result in their battle against the drop last weekend, so their home game against an in-form Brentford side has taken on more importance.

The Toffees will know that this weekend’s clash will be one of the toughest of the season given the contrasting forms of the two teams, but Sean Dyche must make Goodison Park an intimidating place to play after their last home defeat.

Dyche will need to ensure he gets his team selection is spot on, as Thomas Frank has not done much wrong of late, as his Bees side are unbeaten in 12 Premier League games, so some changes could well be in the offing for the Toffees this weekend.

The Latest: Mykolenko could miss Everton’s crucial home clash

Alongside Dominic Calvert-Lewin, O’Keeffe has insisted on the All Together Now podcast that Mykolenko is touch-and-go as to whether or not he will start for the Toffees against Brentford.

He said: “Really, really tough games against sides that we’ve got no dice on recently at all. Brentford not exactly much easier, but it’s at Goodison, like you said at the top of this podcast, it’s in front of the Goodison faithful. We all know what’s at stake, and by hook or by crook, by 1-0, by a set piece, we need the points here.

“Speaking about set pieces, there might be a few tweaks as well. I think it’s touch-and-go with Vitalii Mykolenko, isn’t it?”

The Verdict: Everton must win this weekend

No matter if the likes of Mykolenko and Calvert-Lewin miss out, Dyche can’t be feeling sorry for himself as they simply must win this weekend, or they could easily slip into the bottom three.

If Everton were to beat Brentford this weekend, taking four points from their previous two games will be seen as a minor success for Dyche, and looking at their upcoming fixtures, it could be well-needed.

After playing Brentford, Everton face successive matches against Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, so those three games will be tough and could easily yield zero points, so taking the maximum from this weekend is a must, no matter how difficult it may be.

Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos is expected to leave in the summer with the Colombian interested in a potential move to the Premier League.

How long does Morelos have left on his contract?

The 26-year-old is set to find himself as a free agent in the summer with his current deal at Ibrox set to expire at the end of the current campaign.

Morelos has now been playing his football in Scotland since 2017 after making the move to Rangers from the Finnish side HJK Helsinki.

The Colombian has endured some struggles in recent years at Ibrox, however, not finds himself back in the mix with Micahel Beale regularly using the 26-year-old.

And speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Pete O’Rourke has suggested the striker would be keen to make a move to England over the summer:

“Yeah, I think it’s getting closer and closer now to the end of his contract. We’re in this situation where maybe with just a few months left he was out of contract and he’s free to talk to foreign clubs right now on a pre-contract due to his contract situation.

“The player is keen to play at the highest level possible as well. He’d be really interested in the move to the Premier League if that was to be an option for him as well.”

How will Rangers replace Morelos?

Morelos had some issues over the course of his time at Rangers with the Colombian showing signs that he would be keen to move on from Ibrox.

However, the influence he has provided over the years cannot be ignored with the striker having played a huge role in their recent history.

The Colombian has now played 257 times for the Gers across all competitions and has provided a stunning return of 121 goals and 57 assists (via Transfermarkt).

And despite having only started 10 games in the Scottish Premiership this season, the striker has still been able to offer Rangers nine goals and five assists.

Although his game time has been inconsistent, Morelos is still Rangers’ third-highest goalscorer this term which will leave a big hole to be filled if he does leave in the summer.

Perhaps what will be equally as crushing is the fact if he does leave they will not see any money come in given he will be leaving as a free agent following the conclusion of his contract.

However, there may be a lot of things which Morelos’ departure could offer Rangers some relief from with the player consistently showing a lack of discipline throughout his time at Ibrox.

Beale does have the likes of Antonio Colak to potentially choose ahead of next season but the Englishman has shown he is more than willing to look south of the border to bolster his squad.

West Ham United’s academy seems to have produced a new top talent every other year, with Declan Rice the current crowning jewel of those to be promoted.

The central midfielder has announced himself as not only a mainstay in David Moyes’ team but in the England side too, with his combative displays belying his incredible technical proficiency.

There are few who can hold down the engine room with as much poise as the 24-year-old, as he breaks up play and then utilises his quality to set his teammates on the counter.

However, rumours have persisted for some time now linking him with a move from east London, and especially following this relegation-threatened campaign a summer exit seems all the more likely.

Therefore, even if they do receive the British transfer record that his Scottish manager demands, they could once again look to the academy for his readymade replacement.

Who can replace Declan Rice at the London Stadium?

That man is Freddie Potts, who has been shining for the U23s for some time now. His composed and classy midfield performances even earned him his senior debut last season, which he built upon in a slightly more elongated cameo in this campaign’s Europa Conference League.

He is widely regarded as the next big thing at the club, with journalist Roshane Thomas even lauding him in a Tweet where he earmarks him as the club’s Mark Noble successor.

“The long-term replacement for Noble is a young player in the academy called Freddie Potts. [He’s the] best prospect at the club,” he said.

The 19-year-old, who is the son of former Hammers great Steve Potts, boasts a bright future in which he even suggested himself that he hopes to emulate Rice. Upon signing his new contract, he claimed:

“Declan Rice has been my role model since he’s pushed through into the first team. 

“The way he’s gone through the Academy to become the player he has now – as West Ham captain and to play in the Euros at the moment with England – that really inspires me to try to follow his journey.”

How is Potts performing for the U23s?

Potts has starred this season yet again for the youngsters, where he has featured 14 times in the Premier League 2 whilst notching two assists.

However, in the Football League Trophy is where he has truly shone, as he boasts a 7.50 average rating whilst clashing with senior sides.

His work rate and creativity are outlined perfectly in these games however, where he averages 4.5 tackles and three interceptions per game, and pairs this with one key pass per 90 too, via Sofascore.

For comparison, this season Rice records 2.3 tackles, 1.7 interceptions and 1.2 key passes per game, also via Sofascore.

The two do show striking similarities, and should their club captain leave they can be safe in the knowledge that someone of Potts’ quality is waiting patiently in the wings.

Crystal Palace are looking to wrap up a swift move for Arsenal’s Albert Sambi Lokonga on transfer deadline day, who could arrive at Selhurst Park on a loan deal…

What’s the word?

According to Goal correspondent Charles Watts on Twitter, “talks” are “underway” between the respective London clubs for the temporary transfer of the Belgian, who has failed to cement a starting berth at the Emirates Stadium since his £17.2m arrival in 2021.

Palace are scouring the market for central acquisitions who can bolster their midfield, and Lokonga would seem to be the perfect fit to spark new life into that area for the remainder of the campaign.

The 23-year-old has not featured for the Gunners in the Premier League since the 3-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at the start of October.

“Next Yaya Toure”

When Lokonga arrived in north London, departing from Anderlecht in his homeland, there was an optimistic feeling at the club that Mikel Arteta might have unearthed a diamond. Upon the transfer in July 2021, the Arsenal manager hailed the youngster as “a very intelligent player who has shown great maturity”.

Then, just over a year ago, the Gunners boss said of the Belgian: “I think he is growing, he is playing better and better. I think he had a really good game the other day against Liverpool, his understanding of the game, he is managing the physicality much better, he is maturing.”

While he remains a utility option at the Emirates, the £50k-per-week gem has racked up some impressive performance figures. As per FBref, he ranks among the top 2% of midfielders for pass completion and the top 7% for progressive passes in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, which hints that his ball-playing, transitional prowess could be the perfect remedy to Palace’s current woes.

Indeed, Matt Woosnam stated in a recent piece for The Athletic that Patrick Vieira ‘has been hamstrung by the lack of a well-functioning midfield’, which suggests that this has been an evident area of weakness at Selhurst Park.

With former Manchester City titan and current Burnley manager Vincent Kompany stating that Lokonga is the “new Yaya Toure”, the Eagles manager – who knows a thing or two about starring from a central midfield role – could harness such abilities to resounding effect.

Toure was a robust and imperious midfielder with imposing physicality and devastating power. He was hailed as a ‘human train’ and a ‘ colossus’ in his playing days, completing a remarkable 88.9% of his passes across all competitions in his final ten seasons in Europe from 2009 to 2019, also taking 1.8 shots and making 1.1 key passes per game in that period.

If Lokonga, who already exudes quality with the ball at his feet (as hinted by the aforementioned passing metrics), can inject a bit more vigour and physicality into his game, he could emerge as a brilliant component to add to Palace’s midfield.

Tackling is one of his biggest weaknesses, ranking in the bottom 3% of positional peers among Europe’s top five leagues for that metric over the past year.

It hasn’t quite worked out at the Emirates so far for this talented ace, but by crossing to the other end of London, Lokonga could finally tap into his full potential and help the Eagles to get back on course after falling somewhat off Arteta’s radar at Arsenal.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano says that Everton are going to have ‘more conversations’ over the potential signing of Atalanta striker Duvan Zapata.

The Lowdown: Talks underway

It was reported earlier this week that ‘negotiations’ are believed to be ‘underway’ with regards to Zapata potentially moving to Goodison Park.

It was also claimed that Frank Lampard would personally ‘ask’ for his signing, and that Zapata may even have already played his last game for Atalanta.

The Latest: More talks to be held

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Romano says that the Merseyside club are set to hold ‘more conversations’ over Zapata’s potential signing, as they are ‘offering’ a loan deal with an option to buy, whereas Atalanta want to sell him permanently:

“Zapata is not easy too because they’re offering a loan with an option to buy, and Atalanta want a permanent move for Zapata.

“So, there will be more conversations between Everton and Atalanta about this Colombian striker.”

The Verdict: Get it done

The Toffees are currently the joint-second lowest scorers in the Premier League on just 15 goals, and are in desperate need of some more ammunition up top.

Zapata is a player who has been prolific in a major league in the Serie A, reaching double figures for goals in each of his last six seasons.

He has only managed to score once so far this term, but did miss six matches with a hamstring injury, and has not always been a regular starter (Transfermarkt).

Hailed as a ‘beast’ who is ‘so big his shorts look like underwear’ by his former Atalanta team-mate Papu Gomez, the six-foot-two colossus would also offer the Blues a physical presence similar to Dominic Calvert-Lewin, as he ranks in the 86th percentile for aerials won per game of all forwards in Europe’s top leagues over the past year (DCL ranks 96th).

Nonetheless, Everton are desperate for more firepower, and so need to take a chance on Zapata.

The January transfer window is almost open for business and next month will be Glasgow Rangers boss Michael Beale’s first chance to bring his own players to Ibrox.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst was given two windows to shape his squad and the English coach, who replaced the Dutchman at the helm last month, will now have his first.

The former assistant to Steven Gerrard in Glasgow may want to improve his team in order to bolster their chances of catching up with their rivals at the top of the Premiership table.

Celtic are currently nine points clear of the Light Blues in the Scottish top-flight and improving the quality of the starting XI in January could help them to close the gap in the second half of the campaign.

Rangers are one of the clubs reportedly interested in signing Standard Liege’s Nicolas Raskin, following on from their pursuit of his services in the summer transfer window.

He could end up being Beale’s first signing if Ross Wilson is able to win the race for the 21-year-old’s signature and he would arrive to, potentially, improve the coach’s options in the middle of the park.

Fabrizio Romano recently claimed that the midfielder has been sent to Liege’s second squad after failing to agree a fresh contract with the Belgian side, with a number of sides across Europe tracking him, and this indicates that the door could be open for the Gers to swoop for him next month.

The 21-year-old is a talented young gem and the Light Blues manager could attempt to work his coaching magic with the Belgian if Rangers are able to bring him to Ibrox.

Beale has a track record of helping prospects to take the next step in their career. He has been credited with playing a huge role in the development of the likes of Mason Mount, Declan Rice, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Reece James, among others.

Mount and Rice reportedly come to him for advice regularly, after working with him at Chelsea at youth level, and Raskin could be the head coach’s next version of the latter.

The West Ham defensive midfielder has established himself as an England regular and has been catching the eye in the Premier League. He has completed 90% of his passes and made 2.4 tackles per game in the English top-flight this term, whilst also assisting two goals and making 1.3 key passes per match across 15 outings.

Raskin, meanwhile, has completed 84% of his passes and made 3.3 tackles per game across 16 appearances for Liege in the Pro League this season.

The gem, who Belgian journalist Bob Faesen once described as “powerful” and a “pitbull”, has also registered four assists for his teammates and made 1.1 key passes per game.

These statistics suggest that they are similar players in style as they are both ball-winning midfielders who are capable of retaining possession and creating opportunities for others on a regular basis, whilst neither of them are particularly prolific in terms of scoring goals.

If Rangers sign Raskin, Beale could work with the Belgian talent to help him fulfil his potential in the coming years, making him his next Declan Rice after he played a role in the Englishman’s rise to the top.