All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Chelsea have made some big money moves since the arrival of their new owners, the two biggest being midfield duo, Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernández.

Third on the list is Romelu Lukaku, who was signed in 2021 by Thomas Tuchel, coming back to Chelsea for his second stint at the club. It didn’t end well, with lots of controversy from an interview he did just months after joining the club, and the Belgian has recently been sold back to Italy, joining Napoli for £30m.

Enzo Fernández

£101.1m

Moises Caicedo

£96.9m

Romelu Lukaku

£94.4m

Wesley Fofana

£67.1m

Kai Havertz

£66.8m

Kepa Arrizabalaga

£66.8m

Mykhailo Mudryk

£58.5m

Álvaro Morata

£55.1m

Marc Cucurella

£54.5m

Christian Pulisic

£53.4m

Seventh on the list is Ukrainian winger, Mykhailo Mudryk, who was signed from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023. Now, Chelsea are now being linked with a move for one of Mudryk’s international teammates.

Chelsea eyeing up another Ukraine international

According to reports from inews earlier this week, Chelsea are among the clubs interested in the Ukrainian superstar talent, Georgiy Sudakov. Other Premier League clubs interested include Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester City.

The 22-year-old has made 111 appearances for Shakhtar, scoring 27 goals, providing 20 assists, and totalling 7,883 minutes played. He also already has 23 international caps under his belt, scoring three goals for his country.

So far this season, Sudakov – who possesses a release clause of £128m – has made ten appearances in all competitions, scoring seven goals and providing two assists.

His ability to facilitate others in that attacking midfield position, crash the box, and provide output, could be the perfect recipe for success at Chelsea, and could even bring the best out of his international teammate.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

How Sudakov would benefit Mudryk at Chelsea

Since joining Chelsea, Mudryk has underwhelmed, making 66 appearances, scoring just seven times and providing an equal number of assists across 3,188 total minutes.

The frustration for many Chelsea fans has been the clear talent the Ukrainian possesses, often met with inconsistency and a lack of efficiency on the pitch.

One thing we know about Mudryk is he has blistering pace, and this was apparent from day one. In his debut year, the Ukrainian became the quickest player in the Premier League that season (2022/23), clocking a speed of 36.63km/h. However, the challenge now is for him to develop consistency in his actions, and improve his output on the pitch. That’s where the supremely talented Sudakov comes into the equation.

Goals

0.17

0.63

Assists

0.34

0.16

xG

0.00

0.42

xAG

0.58

0.00

Progressive Carries

6.32

2.63

Progressive Passes

3.16

5.79

Shots Total

1.86

1.80

Key Passes

2.11

0.53

Shot-Creating Actions

4.21

1.58

Successful Take-Ons

1.58

0.53

An addition like Sudakov, who has been highly praised as a “sensation” by scout Jacek Kulig, could help to unlock Mudryk, who is already posting some very nice creative numbers. His progressive carries in order to get into dangerous areas are high, whilst he is offering 2.11 key passes per 90, and 4.21 shot-creating actions per 90.

One of the biggest issues, is Chelsea are currently full of other playmakers, with Cole Palmer often taking the responsibility of making things happen in the final third, Nicolas Jackson often drops in to link play, and Fernandez, who is a pass-heavy midfielder also helping the supply line.

This often means Mudryk’s creative numbers are going to waste, with a lack of box crashers, and little to aim at.

Adding Sudakov, you already have an established relationship from international football, and you are adding an attacking midfielder who wants to attack the box, scoring 0.63 goals per 90, generating 0.42 xG per 90, and taking 1.80 shots per 90.

This dynamic would give Mudryk an extra “box crasher” to find, and with the form Sudakov is in, him finding the net on a few of these occasions could be the difference between Mudryk finding his confidence, and starting to gain momentum with his output for the Blues.

Chelsea targeting "special" England star who could be their new Kante

Chelsea interested in move for “special” ace who could be their long awaited Kante replacement

ByConnor Holden Oct 16, 2024

Everton are eyeing up a move for a Serie A attacker as they look to bolster their ranks in January in a bid to stay in the Premier League.

Everton finding form after 2-0 win at Ipswich

Goals from Iliman NDiaye and Michael Keane ensured that Everton picked up a vital 2-0 win on the road against newly promoted Ipswich Town, lifting the Toffees further away from the relegation zone and making it four games unbeaten.

It follows a wretched start for Sean Dyche’s side, which saw them lose each of their opening four games and looking almost certain to be relegated from the Premier League.

However, they have shown signs of improvement in the weeks since and have now pulled clear of the drop zone, a trend that they hope continues in the weeks to come.

Everton have unearthed their biggest talent since Richarlison in 8/10 star

Everton have found their biggest talent since Richarlison in 8/10 star who won 100% of his dribbles.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 19, 2024

Speaking after the win, Dyche explained that he was “really pleased”. “I thought it was a good performance in many different ways and we were effective in attack. Three points takes us to eight from four games.

“I thought we controlled the game well, especially as these came up with a fantastic season last season but we have a more experienced group and that showed with how we managed the game.

“We’re showing signs again that we’re a good outfit. I never lack belief in the players and the staff. I didn’t think we were miles off at the start of the season, we had a couple of turn-arounds but we are learning from that”, the Toffees boss added.

The numbers behind Everton’s win over Ipswich

Everton

Ipswich Town

Possession

44.7%

55.3%

Shots

11

13

Shots on target

8

2

Expected goals

1.74

1.25

Yellow Cards

1

1

But in a bid to ensure they continue to find the net regularly, Everton are reportedly looking towards Serie A.

Everton plotting move for Chukwueze

That comes as Football Insider report that the Toffees are plotting a move for AC Milan’s Samuel Chukwueze as they look for more inventiveness in wide areas.

Chukwueze, valued at £12m, has been linked to Everton for some time and seemed to be struggling to feature for Paulo Fonseca’s side, with Serie A analyst Matteo Bonetti explaining that “Chukwueze’s work rate is outstanding but he’s still too wasteful in possession”.

However, he opened his account for the campaign in their most recent win over Udinese, and as a result, the report suggests that “a deal for the winger will be difficult to accomplish” in January, although Everton are “plotting a move” to lure him away from San Siro.

Bologna forward Santiago Castro is another option that they are monitoring, with Everton “expected to have cash to spend” should their takeover indeed go through as planned under the Friedkin Group.

Still just 20 years old, the Argentine has scored three times in eight appearances for Bologna, though he is also able to play Champions League football, something that Everton cannot offer. Though Everton are interested, that may prove a dealbreaker should Bologna still be in the competition come January, and Chukwueze appears to be the priority target at Milan.

West Brom are reportedly among a number of sides looking to sign a player in January who Carlos Corberan has previously called “special”.

West Brom winless in six Championship games

The Baggies made a solid start to the Championship campaign and were table toppers after a handful of games, however, things have slowly gone south at The Hawthorns in October.

Corberan’s side suffered their first league defeat at the end of September to Sheffield Wednesday and failed to pick up a victory in five October fixtures. That has resulted in them slipping down the standings, however, they are still in the Championship playoff places and are just three points off the automatic promotion spots.

West Brom had Golden Boy nominee alongside Mbappe, now he’s in League Two

West Bromwich Albion once had this promising youngster in their ranks who never lived up to his full potential.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 29, 2024

Over the coming weeks, West Brom will be without experienced defender Kyle Bartley, whereas Paddy McNair and Semi Ajayi are also struggling with injuries.

The games will soon come thick and fast for the Baggies after the next international break, and before we know it, the January transfer window will also be open. By the looks of things, West Brom could be active in the winter market, with one former target back on the radar in the Midlands.

West Brom eyeing Lewis O’Brien move

According to TEAMtalk, West Brom are one of six clubs interested in signing Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis O’Brien in the New Year.

The 26-year-old is currently on loan in the MLS with LAFC, with their season finishing in December. A move in January could therefore be on the cards for O’Brien, with Hull City, Leeds, Sheffield United, Southampton and Stoke City also keen on the midfielder.

Interestingly, O’Brien once agreed a loan move to West Brom, however, a deal fell through in the final stages of the January 2023 window and he moved to DC United months later.

Should Corberan get his man in 2025, he would be reuniting with a player who he worked with at Huddersfield Town, and it’s safe to say the current Baggies boss is a big fan of O’Brien.

“He is a brilliant player, there are two things. Firstly this year he has played as number three as a left-back and a wing-back, in his best position in midfield as a number eight, as number eleven, as a ten, and even as a number seven the other day in the change to a 3-4-3 he spent some minutes playing on the right.

“But it’s not only the fact that Lewis O’Brien can compete at a top-level every single time he plays whatever position he is on the football pitch, it’s how he reacts to how you make him play in different positions. There is what makes him a special player and that is the fact that means I don’t see limits in his career and I don’t see limits in his potential.”

A transfer could be one to watch over the coming months, however, West Brom will seemingly have to beat a number of sides to O’Brien’s services.

Everton have produced some fantastic footballers over the years and the Toffees have an incredibly underrated academy. Of course, Wayne Rooney is the standout player; he played 117 games for the club across two spells, sandwiched between a legendary career at Manchester United.

There are other notable academy graduates to come out of Goodison Park, too. Leon Osman spent his entire career at the club, aside from a brief loan spell at Derby County, and racked up 433 games. The likes of Richard Dunne and David Unsworth also played for the Toffees after graduating from the academy.

However, there is one other player who did not quite live up to the hype, and Toffees fans might well be disappointed with how his career ended up. That man is Ross Barkley.

Barkley’s Everton career

Born and bred on Merseyside, England international Barkley might well forever be a ‘what could’ve been’ player at Goodison Park. When he was at the club, he impressed but was inconsistent, and left in January 2018 for Stamford Bridge, joining Chelsea for £15m.

In total, the midfielder played 179 games for his boyhood club. Barkley managed 27 goals and 25 assists in that time, playing mainly as an attacking midfielder, with the ability to play deeper or even out wide.

His finest campaign in that famous Blue shirt was in 2015/16. The England international played all 38 games in the Premier League, scoring eight goals and assisting eight goals. One of his finest moments in that season was scoring two goals and assisting one in a 4-0 thrashing over Aston Villa at Goodison Park.

Sadly, the midfielder never actually played for the Toffees in the 2017/18 season. An injury kept him out until January before he made the move to West London. His final game for his boyhood club was a 3-1 defeat against Arsenal.

An article from The Athletic explained that Everton fans “wanted Barkley to succeed and become a legend” at the club. Sadly, it did not work out like that, and his departure in 2018 was a disappointing end to something that could have been so great.

In recent years there may be another player who fits into the same category as Barkley, who has now departed Goodison Park despite such a promising early career.

Everton's next Barkley never lived up to expectations

The player in question here is academy graduate Tom Davies. The midfielder now plies his trade at Sheffield United, but once had such a promising career ahead of him for his boyhood club.

The 26-year-old was once held in high regard by a legend of English football, fellow Scouse midfielder Steven Gerrard. The Liverpool legend might be from the Red side of the city, but he once described him as a “terrific footballer”, and the player to “be excited about at Everton”.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.

Sadly, things did not quite go according to plan for the midfielder. He made plenty of appearances for Toffees, 179 to be specific, scoring seven goals and grabbing eight assists in that time. However, a lack of opportunity in the starting lineup, and he struggled to nail down a regular starting spot.

2015/16

2

97

2016/17

24

1543

2017/18

33

1091

2018/19

16

976

2019/20

30

2026

2020/21

25

1426

2021/22

6

233

2022/23

19

527

Davies was called “England’s next star” by Ryan Kelly of Goal back in 2017, but he never got selected for the national team whilst at Goodison Park. However, he did play for the Three Lions at age group level, up until the U21s, for whom he played 23 times.

He left his boyhood club to move to Sheffield United in 2023. Incredibly, the Blades paid nothing for him, meaning this once high-rated English talent ended up a free transfer. Sadly, it has not worked out at Bramall Lane, either. The midfielder has managed just nine appearances in 18 months at the club and is yet to feature this season.

Looking back on this, Toffees fans may well be disappointed things did not work out how it was suggested it might between Davies and his boyhood club. Like Barkley, he is another player who football fans might wonder what could have been.

Everton could repeat Stones blinder with swoop for "special" EFL ace

Everton are up against Europe’s elite to sign the talented midfielder.

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 1, 2024

The sky is blue, the grass is green, and Tottenham Hotspur have been an incredibly entertaining yet inconsistent team again this year.

Ange Postecoglou’s side have put in some of the most impressive performances of the season so far, like their 3-0 win away to Manchester United and their 4-1 dismantling of Aston Villa just over a week ago.

Yet, as they did last season, the North Londoners have also found ways to lose to substantially weaker teams like Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town while also completely capitulating against Brighton & Hove Albion.

That said, for all the issues in and around Postecoglou’s team at the moment, there are plenty of positives, including the form of summer signing Dominic Solanke, although he is being outscored by a former loan flop.

Dominic Solanke's form this season

Yes, following his £65m move from Bournemouth in the summer, there was a lot of expectation and pressure placed upon Solanke’s shoulders heading into this season.

The Spurs faithful were hoping that he’d be able to replicate the sensational form he showed for the Cherries last year, which saw him score 21 goals and provide four assists.

Unfortunately, an ankle injury just one game into the league campaign meant that supporters had to wait a little while longer to see their record-signing in full flow, but as the old saying goes, good things come to those who wait, and after a couple of underwhelming performances against Arsenal and Coventry City he was ready to show the fans what he could do.

The Basingstoke-born poacher got off the mark in the league against Brentford in mid-September, and in the next six league games, he scored another three goals and provided an assist while also scoring another goal in the Europa League last week to go with the one he scored against Qarabağ FK in September.

Overall, the former Liverpool ace has racked up a reasonably impressive haul of six goals and two assists in 15 appearances for Postecoglou’s side, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 1.87 games.

However, while that’s a great start, the 27-year-old is being outscored by a former Spurs flop signed on loan by José Mourinho.

Spurs' loan flop outscoring Solanke

Let’s get straight to the point: the player in question is midfielder Gedson Fernandes, who joined Mourinho’s Spurs outfit on an initial 18-month loan deal from Benfica in January 2020.

There was an element of excitement around the move, as, despite being just 21 years old at the time, he had already made 59 senior appearances for the Portuguese giants and was part of the team that won the league the season prior.

Unfortunately, Spurs fans never even got much of a chance to form their own opinion of the player, as over the following year, he played just 447 minutes of action across 14 appearances, ten of which were off the bench, before he was sent back to Lisbon with it clear that he was not going to get any real game time under the special one.

The following few years saw him spend time on loan with Galatasaray and Caykur Rizespor in Turkey before securing a permanent move to Turkish giants Besiktas in the summer of 2022, where he remains.

Last season saw him play a key role in the side, making 45 appearances across all competitions, scoring three goals and providing six assists, but he’s done even better this year.

Appearances

15

18

Goals

6

7

Assists

2

2

Goals + Assists per Match

0.53

0.50

In just 18 appearances for the Kara Kartallar, the São Tomé-born dynamo has scored seven goals and provided two assists. Therefore, he is currently outscoring Solanke despite playing in central midfield.

Ultimately, Spurs were right to send him back when they did, as he clearly wasn’t of the level required to play in the Premier League, but it’s undoubtedly a happy ending to see the 25-year-old find his feet at such a big club.

Spurs struck gold with "monster" ace who's a £100m star in the making

The sensational talent could net Spurs a massive payday in the future.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 13, 2024

Celtic return to domestic action at Parkhead this afternoon as they prepare to welcome Ross County to Glasgow in the Scottish Premiership today.

The Hoops had their attention on the Champions League during the week as they played out a 1-1 draw with Belgian side Club Brugge at Paradise on Wednesday night.

A horror own goal from Cameron Carter-Vickers, who passed the ball into the bottom corner of his own net, had put the Pro League giants 1-0 up in the opening 45 minutes.

However, a brilliant second-half strike from Daizen Maeda pulled the Scottish giants level, before neither side were able to secure a winning goal in the game.

Brendan Rodgers will now have to select a side to continue Celtic’s dominance of the Premiership, a league in which his team are three points clear of second place Aberdeen.

One player who should be dropped from the starting XI for this clash with Ross County, after their performance against Club Brugge on Wednesday night, is Kyogo Furuhashi.

Why Kyogo Furuhashi should be dropped

The Japan international was selected ahead of Adam Idah to lead the line from the start in the Champions League match, and failed to justify his place in the side.

Kyogo found it incredibly difficult to get involved in the match, with his lack of physicality, and did not trouble the Club Brugge defenders much in his 76 minutes on the pitch.

He missed the only ‘big chance’ that came his way and, remarkably, did not compete in a single physical duel, on the ground or in the air, with an opposition defender, with his only duel won being a successful dribble.

Minutes

76

14

Touches

10

8

Passes completed

3/5

5/5

Defensive duels won

0/0

1/2

Fouls won

0

1

As you can see in the table above, Idah completed more passes and won more physical duels than Kyogo did, in just 14 minutes on the pitch off the bench.

The Ireland international, who scored two goals off the bench in the last Premiership clash with Hearts, should now be brought into the starting XI for this match against Ross County this afternoon, as the Japanese forward should be dropped down to the bench after his dismal showing on Wednesday.

Kyogo is not the only Celtic star who should be ruthlessly ditched from the line-up today, however, as Rodgers should also drop Greg Taylor from the team after his performance in the Champions League.

Greg Taylor's performance against Club Brugge

The Scotland international was selected ahead of Alex Valle to start at left-back against Club Brugge and let his manager down with a disappointing outing.

Taylor was substituted just before the hour mark after he had struggled in and out of possession at Parkhead in the Champions League clash up to that point.

His use of the ball was underwhelming, at best, with a pass completion rate of 80%, a long pass completion rate of 25%, and zero chances created for his teammates.

Taylor also let himself down with his work off the ball. The former Kilmarnock star lost one of his two duels on the ground and both of his aerial contests, which means that the opposition won 75% of their duels with the Scottish lightweight.

He was dribbled past once and only won one tackle in the match and these statistics do not suggest that the left-footed dud provided Rodgers with a reliable defensive presence down the left side of the pitch.

Minutes

90

Touches

118

Key passes

0

Ground duels won

4/9

Aerial duels won

1/3

Possession lost

26x

As you can see in the table above, Taylor also struggled in and out of possession from the start in the 4-1 win over Hearts last time out in the Premiership.

The 27-year-old defender lost the ball a staggering 26 times without creating a single chance from his 118 touches of the ball, which suggests that he was wasteful in possession.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

His five duels won out of 12 contested also shows that the opposition found it a little too easy to get the better of him, which was also the case for the game against Club Brugge.

The player who should start ahead of Greg Taylor

With Taylor’s poor performances against Hearts and Brugge in mind, Rodgers must ruthlessly ditch the Scotland international, as well as Kyogo, from the starting XI.

That would then open up a place in the line-up for Barcelona loanee Alex Valle to come in and play as part of the back four with Alistair Johnston, Carter-Vickers, and Auston Trusty.

The young Spaniard, who was an unused substitute against Hearts, produced a strong cameo in his 31 minutes off the bench against Club Brugge on Wednesday night.

As you can see in the clip above, it was the 20-year-old dynamo’s ball into the channel that allowed Maeda to brilliantly twist and fire into the far corner.

Alongside his assist, Valle completed 86% of his attempted passes and won three of his five duels, which shows that he offered more creativity in possession and more strength defensively than Taylor did.

Appearances

4

Starts

3

Big chances created

2

Assists

2

Ground duel success rate

60%

As you can see in the table above, the Barcelona youngster has not had many opportunities to shine in the Premiership this season since his temporary switch to Glasgow in the summer transfer window.

When he has had a chance to showcase his qualities, however, Valle has caught the eye with his strength in ground duels and his creativity from a left-back position.

The Spaniard has provided three assists in eight appearances and four starts in the Premiership and the Champions League combined, which suggests that he can come in to offer a creative threat down the left flank for Celtic this afternoon.

Celtic sold "powerful" flop for just £1.4m, now he's on par with Adam Idah

The former Celtic centre-forward has thrived since his move away from Parkhead.

1 ByDan Emery Nov 26, 2024

Rodgers must, now, unleash Valle from the start, to improve his side’s defensive and offensive work, by dropping Taylor to the bench against Ross County.

Aston Villa are in desperate to turn around their horrendous run of form. The Villans are without a win in seven games, and it is having a detrimental effect on their season.

They are eighth in the Premier League, although are just three points off the top four, and have slipped to ninth in the Champions League, having been in the top eight at one stage.

Unai Emery’s side last won over a month ago, on the 22nd of October away to Italian side Bologna. This poor run of form by the Villans is incredibly frustrating, but their underlying Premier League numbers do not suggest they should be in such a rut.

The underlying stats for Villa this season

Firstly, it is important to look at the Villan’s overall record in the Premier League. They have played 12 games, winning five times, including a fantastic late comeback against Everton, drawing four games and losing three.

With 19 points to their name, the campaign is far from a disaster, although given their form, it could easily end up that way if they don’t win some games.

They are slightly underachieving their points tally this term. According to Understat, Emery’s side have an expected points total of 20.43xPTS, a gap of 1.43 compared to their actual points. That is the fifth-highest expected points total in the Premier League.

Another stat to look at is their expected goals tally compared to their actual goals scored. Villa this season have 23.97xG, a sizeable underachievement from their 19 goals scored in reality, although it has been a common occurrence this year for top-half sides to have a lower expected goals.

The same thing can be applied to goals against versus the actual number of goals against. The metric has Villa 18.01xGA, the sixth best in the top flight. It is almost spot on, given they have conceded 19 times in reality.

So, the numbers suggest they should not be playing as badly as they are. This weekend, Emery’s men travel to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea, which would be a good time to get three points, as they can leapfrog them with a win.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

They will need someone to stop Cole Palmer, Chelsea’s star man, and the perfect player to do so could be Cobham academy graduate Ian Maatsen.

Ian Maatsen’s importance vs. Chelsea

Maatsen was a major summer signing for the Villans. He cost £37.5m from Chelsea, although has struggled to properly break into the side under Emery this term. The Dutchman has 16 games in all competitions to his name so far.

However, Villa’s Spanish boss might well decide to unleash him on Sunday afternoon at his former home ground, to help stop the incredibly dangerous Palmer.

He has made a flying start to the 2024/25 campaign already, scoring seven goals and registering five assists in 12 games in the top flight.

Although the Dutchman is more prominently known for his attacking prowess, he is certainly a good player without the ball, and is very much a “complete” player, as football talent scout Jacek Kulig once described him.

One of his best assets is his speed, which helps to make him a fantastic recovery defender, ensuring he could be the man to help shackled Palmer in that right channel.

This is certainly backed up by the stats on FBref. Over the course of the last 365 days across Europe’s big five leagues, the 22-year-old has made 5.73 ball recoveries, which ranks him in the 88th percentile (top 12%) and has won 1.55 tackles, ranking him in the 78th percentile (top 22%).

Stat (per 90)

Number

Percentile

Tackles won

1.55

78th

Ball recoveries

5.73

88th

Blocks

1.44

78th

Clearances

2.85

76th

The former Borussia Dortmund loanee will surely have a point to prove at the Bridge on Sunday. He had limited opportunities at the club, but locking up their star man would certainly prove exactly why the Blues should have kept him.

It would be a bold move for Emery to start Maatsen over Digne, his first-choice left-back for much of the season. However, given the player has extra motivation for Sunday, it could be an inspired change as they look to break this poor run of form and get a much-needed win.

Emery already sold Aston Villa's answer to Conceicao in "electric" talent

Aston Villa may regret selling him after watching Conceicao

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 28, 2024

It’s all been a bit crumby at Everton over the past several seasons, with issues and inconsistencies leaving the club in a lowly position, creating a perpetual struggle.

But things aren’t all doom and gloom. Sean Dyche’s side have clearly made improvements after a terrible start to the season. One loss in five Premier League matches has kept the Toffees above the relegation zone.

No doubt Everton must make further headway if they are to end this endless period of strife and return to their former strength at the top end of the table. With The Friedkin Group bounding toward Merseyside, this could become more realistic in the coming months.

Striking true in the transfer market is a must. Everton have endured their fair share of transfer howlers across the span of Farhad Moshiri’s dysfunctional reign, but what about the ones that did hit the mark?

Everton's best recent market moves

Everton have of course endured some difficulties in the transfer market over the past several years but if you separate the wheat from the chaff you will find some bargains that have kept Goodison Park afloat.

Take James Tarkowski. Signed on a free transfer in June 2022 after his contract with Burnley expired, the experienced centre-half has been a moveless pillar, yet to miss a top-flight fixture after two-and-a-half years. He hasn’t been perfect this term but what a servant.

Dig a bit deeper, and Romelu Lukaku would be another. The Belgian scored 87 goals across four seasons for Everton before Manchester United came a-calling and deposited an initial £75m on his boots in 2017. Some figure.

Talking of sales, Richarlison also deserves some chatter for his impressive years spent as a Blue before being sold for a pretty penny indeed.

And he’s hardly been brilliant since.

Everton hit the jackpot with Richarlison

Let’s get one thing straight: Everton didn’t exactly pluck Richarlison out of the unknown for a nominal fee. The Brazil international had broken onto the Premier League scene with Watford and showcased some exciting qualities, qualities that impelled Everton to spend around £40m.

Marco Silva, while he led the Hornets, had hailed Richarlison as a “great talent” with incredible scope for improvement, and it wouldn’t be unfounded to claim that he reached that apotheosis with Everton, albeit having plateaued in the seasons since with Tottenham Hotspur.

Indeed, in July 2022, Spurs presented a £60m offer to Everton for their Brazilian sensation, who had received further praise from Silva during the Portuguese’s stint at the Goodison Park helm, calling him a “fantastic football player.”

24/25

Tottenham

5 (0)

0

1

23/24

Tottenham

28 (18)

11

4

22/23

Tottenham

27 (12)

1

4

21/22

Everton

30 (28)

10

5

20/21

Everton

34 (33)

7

3

19/20

Everton

36 (36)

13

3

18/19

Everton

35 (32)

13

1

17/18

Watford

38 (32)

5

4

One brief purple patch with the Lilywhites notwithstanding, Richarlison has been plagued by injuries and inconsistencies with Tottenham and has scarcely featured under Ange Postecoglou this season.

Indeed, after scoring just 12 Premier League goals since the start of the 2022/23 campaign, Richarlison has now also rather embarrassingly been outscored by Dominic Calvert-Lewin in 2024/25, whose issues in front of goal in recent years have been well-documented.

Everton’s form has picked up in recent weeks but Calvert-Lewin’s has not. The 27-year-old striker has gone 11 Premier League matches without a goal contribution, and has scored just 12 total goals since Richarlison left Everton’s pitch.

He has managed two top-flight goals this season, however, whereas the injury-stricken Richarlison is yet to break his duck. Whichever angle you view it from, it’s difficult to argue that the South American has reached even the wide margins of that £60m ballpark that prompted Spurs to sign him.

For £60m, this was a hefty figure collected at the perfect time for Everton, whose monetary troubles in the years since suggest that it might even have been an indispensable transfer deal that has kept the club away from the depths of the financial abyss.

Dyche has found Everton's very own Alexander-Arnold in surprise star

Everton could well have their own Trent Alexander-Arnold now in this creative star.

1 ByKelan Sarson Dec 15, 2024

Newcastle United carried their Premier League form into the Carabao Cup and defeated Brentford 3-1 at St. James’ Park to advance to the semi-finals.

It was an impressive performance from Eddie Howe’s men, one of guts and gusto and togetherness. The Bees are no joke; they pack a stinging punch. However, Thomas Frank could only watch as his side were outplayed on Tyneside.

And now. Newcastle are still enveloped by the darkness of the tunnel but at least the light now feels reachable. There’s an anxious wait to see who will be met at the penultimate hurdle, but the Magpies will fear no opponent.

Especially with certain things starting to come together. Newcastle’s frontline looks slicker, and the overall squad synergy more fluent still. Sandro Tonali was at the heart of the performance and finally re-announced himself after a year laden with struggle.

Sandro Tonali's dominant display

It’s been a rocky road for the expensive midfielder since he joined Newcastle in a deal worth £55m in July 2023, having looked patchy throughout the opening months of last season before being hit with a lengthy suspension for betting breaches that ended his maiden campaign in October. He did not return until the start of the current term.

Now, though, the £120k-per-week midfielder is beginning to showcase the quality that shrewd observers have known was latent within all this time.

Against Brentford in the Carabao Cup, Tonali opened his account on his 17th appearance of the campaign, but did so in style and performed exceptionally even without the goals, suggesting that he might be the extra part needed in the engine room.

Tonali, 24, placed a confident assist in the previous round as Newcastle knocked out Chelsea, but it was the all-consuming midfield effort against Brentford that stands as his defining opus in black and white so far.

Two wonderful goals at opposite ends of the first half put the hosts in a commanding position, with correspondent Luke Edwards describing the Italian as “the best player on the pitch by some distance.”

Tonali’s elegance and flowing ball-playing ability make him seem like a dainty maestro at times, but he’s actually an impressive all-action player, with crunching challenges and tireless ground covering two core facets of his skillset.

Minutes played

90′

Goals

2

Touches

74

Shots (on target)

5 (2)

Accurate passes

56/60 (93%)

Key passes

0

Dribbles (completed)

1 (1)

Tackles

4

Ground duels (won)

11 (6)

His goals were nice and all, but Tonali ensured that United got the better of their adversaries in exchanges across the pitch by winning four tackles and six ground duels. His passing was crisp, and he chose correctly when progressing the ball forward once into the danger area.

However, he wasn’t the only Toon star to excel. Indeed, you could say that Anthony Gordon deserves just as much credit, perhaps playing a role that facilitated the Italy international’s triumphant evening.

How Anthony Gordon made Tonali unplayable

This season, Gordon hasn’t returned to the platform that saw him claim Newcastle’s 2023/24 Player of the Year honour, but he has certainly demonstrated flashes of brilliance and indeed offered plenty against Brentford on Wednesday evening.

If you hark back to Tonali’s strike before the break, you’ll note that it was Gordon’s delightful delivery that put the plan in motion, taking Newcastle one step closer to that elusive glory named silverware.

It would be a saving grace for a season that has stuttered, with the stratospheric gains made two seasons back now slowing to something stunted and frustrating. Players such as Gordon will have their sights set on Champions League nights, but this competition presents something to target concertedly.

Tonali was the star of the show, the spotlight stealer after his emphatic brace, but Gordon was brilliant too. As per the Chronicle Live’s Lee Ryder, the England ace was deserving of a 9/10 match rating, noting that he ‘threatened throughout the evening and weighed in with a fine assist for Tonali’s second with a fine corner delivery.’

They simply couldn’t contain the Newcastle players when they got going when they pushed as one hive-minded force. Gordon was withdrawn after 77 minutes having run himself into the ground.

He might have narrowly missed his two shots on the night, failed to complete either of his energetic dribbles, ceded possession 12 times, as per Sofascore, but such factors are immaterial when taking in the impact that the 23-year-old forced onto the affair.

Gordon also looked far happier in his natural left-wing role, having been shuffled about the pack to accommodate various needs this season. With Lewis Hall behind him, there’s a first-class partnership in the making that needs time to develop. It might be to Harvey Barnes’ detriment, but it’s a sure-fire way to bring Newcastle’s cohesion up a level or two.

Newcastle have an assortment of high-quality players, but Howe’s system was at its apex when the club performed as one, the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.

Now we see. We see a Newcastle team that has found the thread of togetherness and is wrapping itself together once again. With Tonali pulling strings alongside Bruno Guimaraes, Gordon bringing electric-paced relief down the flank and Alexander Isak feasting upon the mightiest of defenders at the front, anything can be achieved.

Now we wait. We wait for a draw that might turn out Liverpool, Arsenal or one of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. These are daunting teams, to be sure, but Howe knows and Newcastle certainly knows that on their a-game, the Magpies can best all three.

Saved by Tonali: Newcastle star played his worst game of the season

The Newcastle United attacker did not enjoy his best evening against Brentford.

ByDan Emery Dec 19, 2024

Newcastle United could now sell an “absolutely unbelievable” player for a 50% discount in the January transfer window, according to a new report.

Potential Newcastle exits in 2025

While Magpies supporters will understandably be fixated on incoming signings in January and next summer, there are also plenty of current players who could leave St James’ Park at some point in 2025.

Kieran Trippier has been constantly linked with a move away, for example, with the 34-year-old no longer the force he used to be, having often been ousted by Tino Livramento at right-back this season. A switch to European giants AC Milan has been mooted, allowing him a fresh challenge to finish his career.

There are lots of other individuals who are out of contract at Newcastle at the end of this season, however, including Fabian Schar, Jamaal Lascelles, Sean Longstaff and Callum Wilson, and it would be a huge surprise if they were all still in a Magpies shirt this time next year.

Similarly, Miguel Almiron is no longer considered a key player by Eddie Howe, with the likes of Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes representing stronger options in wide attacking areas.

Newcastle could sell "absolutely unbelievable" ace

According to Give Me Sport, Newcastle winger Almiron is still in talks with MLS side Charlotte FC over a January move to America.

Not only that, but the Magpies could lose the Paraguayan for half of the $20m (£16m) they demanded for him back in the summer, but they are still “open” to the idea of moving him on for $10m (£8m).

At this point, it would be a surprise if Almiron was still at Newcastle after the January window, considering that talks are underway and the Magpies are even happy to see him depart for a cut-price amount.

Now 30, and out of contract in the summer of 2026, this feels like a logical time for Newcastle to cash in on him, even though Tam McManus has heaped praise on him in the past during his peak years, saying:

“He has that pace to get in behind and he has been integral to Newcastle this season, there seems to be a real steel about Newcastle. It’s ever since those comments Jack Grealish made about Almiron, maybe that spurred him on. That can happen to a player. But Almiron, in any case, has been absolutely unbelievable for Newcastle so far this season and hopefully it continues.”

If Almiron does move on to pastures news, he will be remembered by Newcastle fans as a player who always gave his all for the cause, possessing a strong work ethic.

He's like Isak: Newcastle can axe Wilson by signing PL "nuisance" for £45m

Newcastle are finding their feet but need more firepower up front.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 20, 2024

That said, a lack of elite-level end product has continually held the Paraguay international back, with a tally of 30 goals and 12 assists in 218 appearances for the Magpies not good enough, given the level Howe wants his attacking players to be performing at on a consistent basis.