All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Wolverhampton Wanderers have now made contact over a deal for a “fabulous” midfielder, who is wanted by a whole host of Premier League clubs.

Wolves looking to strengthen amid disappointing start

Wolves’ start to the new Premier League campaign has been far from ideal, losing 4-0 at home against Manchester City in their opening match, before falling short once again in a 1-0 defeat at AFC Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon.

Vitor Pereira has since made it clear he still wants to make several new additions to the squad, with the manager confirming the club is currently working on a number of deals.

One position in which Pereira clearly remains keen on strengthening is central midfield, with a big offer recently being submitted for Barcelona’s Marc Casado, but the 21-year-old is not the only La Liga midfielder on the shortlist…

According to a report from AS (via Sport Witness), Wolves have now made contact over a deal for Getafe’s Christantus Uche, who is attracting widespread interest from the Premier League, with Sunderland, Burnley and Leeds United also keen.

The Spanish club are planning to cash-in on Uche this summer, and they are willing to sanction a departure for €20m (£17m), although the asking price could drop to €15m (£13m) prior to the September 1st transfer deadline.

Pereira's very own Neves: Wolves plotting £26m move for "total leader"

Wolverhampton Wanderers could win Vitor Pereira his own Ruben Neves by signing this £26m ace.

ByKelan Sarson Aug 21, 2025

The Old Gold are yet to table a bid for the midfielder, and it is unclear whether they have been in contact with his agents, Getafe, or both parties, but there is certainly interest on their behalf, and there are plenty of signs he could be a solid addition to Pereira’s squad…

"Fabulous" Uche could take Wolves' midfield to next level

It would be fair to say Jean-Ricner Bellegarde struggled against Bournemouth on Saturday, with the midfielder being substituted at half-time after making the error that led to Marcus Tavernier’s goal, while he’s also received criticism for some of his displays last season.

As such, it is little wonder that Pereira wants to bring in a new midfielder before the deadline, and the “fabulous” Getafe star could be a fantastic option, given that he is a well-rounded midfielder, capable of making an impact at both ends of the pitch.

That is evidenced by the Nigerian’s performance across several key metrics over the past year, particularly impressing with his tackling ability.

Statistic

Average per 90 (past year)

Assists

0.25 (89th percentile)

Successful take-ons

1.27 (85th percentile)

Tackles

1.23 (92nd percentile)

Interceptions

0.36 (88th percentile)

At 22-years-old, Uche is at a good age to be a long-term success at Molineux, and his performances over the past year suggest a £17m price tag would be very fair, so it would be a real bonus if the asking price drops even further before the deadline.

Leeds United are looking to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch before the transfer window officially slams shut for another year this evening.

The Whites were reportedly looking to sign Facundo Buonanotte on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this week to add to their attacking midfield ranks, after he spent last season on loan at Leicester City.

Unfortunately, Chelsea decided to pursue a loan move for the Argentine playmaker and are now closing in on a deal to add him to their squad at Stamford Bridge.

Leeds were, of course, unable to compete with the Champions League football that Enzo Maresca’s side have on offer, and look set to miss out on Buonanotte.

Leeds have playmaker on their radar

The Championship champions are still in need of another option in the frontline after missing out on the Brighton youngster, and are reportedly looking further afield for an alternative.

Transfer Focus

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

According to LeedsLive, Krasnodar attacking midfielder Eduard Spertsyan has emerged as a potential option for Leeds United on deadline day, as they could make a last-gasp move for the star.

The report claims that the Armenia international is one of a number of playmakers on the club’s radar as they look to bolster their options in that position before the window slams shut.

It adds that Bilal El Khannouss, Dilane Bakwa, and Manor Solomon are also being looked at by the Whites, as they look at traditional number tens and natural wingers on both sides.

Daniel Farke, though, worked with Spertsyan, who was linked with an £11m move to Southampton earlier this summer, and he may be a shrewd addition to the squad.

Why Leeds should sign Eduard Spertsyan

The West Yorkshire outfit should look to pursue a deadline day deal for the Armenian star because he could be an even better option than Buonanotte as an attacking midfielder.

Spertsyan has not experienced English football before, so it would be a risk in that respect, but his form for Krasnodar suggests that he has the potential to be an incredibly exciting addition to the squad.

The 25-year-old star, who was described as an “elegant” player by U23 scout Antonio Mango, is heading into the prime years of his career and could offer a huge threat at the top end of the pitch if he can adapt to the Premier League.

Appearances

28

7

Goals

11

4

Big chances missed

5

1

Key passes per game

2.1

3.9

Big chances created

6

5

Assists

6

8

As you can see in the table above, Spertsyan has delivered 15 goals and 14 assists in his last 35 appearances in the Russian Premier League, including eight assists in seven games this season.

These statistics show that the £11m-rated star is an incredibly creative player who looks to play key passes constantly each match, whilst he can also provide a significant threat as a goalscorer.

Meanwhile, Buonanotte has produced eight goals and three assists in 58 outings in the English Premier League in the last two seasons for Leicester and Brighton combined, per Sofascore.

This suggests that Spertsyan would be an even better signing for Leeds if they can get him to translate his performances for Krasnodar over to English football this season.

It would be a risky addition, given his lack of experience in England, but his immense form in Russia suggests that it could be worth the risk as an alternative to Buonanotte, who has not delivered consistently in the final third in his career to date.

James upgrade: Leeds are in late talks to seal "remarkable" £20m signing

Leeds United are reportedly in talks to sign a star who could be an upgrade on Dan James.

1 ByDan Emery Aug 31, 2025

Leeds United have made a strong start to their Premier League campaign with four points from the first nine available to them.

The 49ers Enterprises oversaw a busy transfer window at Elland Road, and their new defensive midfielder and most expensive summer arrival, Anton Stach, is already proving himself to be a smart signing. Across Leeds’ opening games, Stach has been in the top 6% of players for successful defensive actions.

One signing that hasn’t hit the ground running is Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who joined on a free following the expiry of his Everton contract. The former England striker has made two appearances off the bench, with one of them coming in Leeds’ shocking exit from the League Cup on penalties to Sheffield Wednesday. During that game, Calvert-Lewin missed four big chances and, crucially, his penalty in the shootout.

Leeds have already started looking at bringing in a new striker in January, and after going with the budget-friendly route of Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha, they’re now considering spending big on a Premier League-proven striker.

Leeds plotting January move for Mateta

As per reports, Leeds are looking at signing Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta in the January transfer window and have made him a priority target. Upgrading from Calvert-Lewin to a striker who journalist Rory Smith said was “like original Ronaldo” could be a shrewd move by Leeds.

Caught Offside have claimed that Crystal Palace would want £40 million for Mateta, the same price they wanted for Marc Guehi, and that Leeds sees him as a long-term player who can help cement their place back in the Premier League, with the 49ers looking to test Palace’s resolve with a formal offer.

The report adds that Leeds will face competition from other Premier League clubs, including Aston Villa and Newcastle United. Newcastle may decide to back off the move if their two new strikers hit the ground running, but Aston Villa have yet to score a Premier League goal this season, so they will likely be on the hunt for more firepower in January.

What adds to the speculation about a potential Mateta departure is that the club are currently unable to get him to sign on to a new long-term contract. Mateta is signed on until 2027, but the report goes on to state that “negotiations over a potential extension have stalled, with talks described as ‘unproductive’ amid internal uncertainty at the club.”

One contributing factor may be the recent high-profile exits from Crystal Palace, including Michael Olise to Bayern Munich, Eberechi Eze to Arsenal and the likely exit of club captain Guehi, either to Liverpool in January when his contract expires.

Mateta could be key to Leeds's Premier League future

Since joining Crystal Palace, Mateta has scored 46 goals in 142 appearances, but most of those have come since the start of the 2023/24 season, when Mateta erupted.

Mateta since joining Crystal Palace

Season

Appearances

G+A

25/26

6

3

24/25

46

21

23/24

39

24

22/23

32

2

21/22

28

8

20/21

7

1

Mateta seems to have found consistency at a high level, which is why he’s become such an in-demand player and was linked in the summer with big moves to Arsenal and Manchester United. 65 goal involvements across the last two seasons make him look like a safe bet despite Leeds needing to splash out £40 million for him.

The Frenchman seems to be a favourite among strikers, with former Premier League and England striker Darren Bent having previously praised Mateta:

“He looks trimmed down… You look good, you feel good, you play good… Sometimes, it can be something as simple as that which triggers everything off.”

With numerous big exits making things look uncertain at Palace, Leeds may be able to tempt Mateta away from them, and if they do that, they could break the cycle of newly promoted teams getting relegated and cement themselves back in the Premier League.

If Arsenal’s biggest flaw this season has been that they came undone at Anfield due to a late set-piece that unravelled plenty of good work beforehand, Mikel Arteta must be pretty chipper about his team’s chances.

And not just in the Premier League. Arsenal beat Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon to return to winning ways, piling the pressure back on Liverpool, taking first place, albeit on goal difference, albeit having played a game more.

Forest, newly led by Ange Postecoglou, were no match for the Gunners, who won with ease at the Emirates thanks to a brace from Martin Zubimendi and a tap-in from Viktor Gyokeres after fine work from Eberechi Eze.

New recruits all, and players who look set to play pivotal roles for many years in north London, and that’s without even mentioning 21-year-old centre-back Cristhian Mosquera, who was immense against the Tricky Trees.

Mosquera's performance vs Forest

Arsenal’s transfer chief Andrea Berta signed Mosquera from Valencia in July for an initial €15m (about £13m) fee, packing in some more depth to complement the world-class surface of the club’s defensive ranks.

But the Spaniard proved against Postecoglou’s side that he’s not just here to make up numbers, hailed in fact as “one of the best signings in the PL” by pundit Leo DaSilva, who was speaking on the Gunners’ shrewd summer business.

According to Sofascore, Mosquera won both of his ground duels and matched Gabriel Magalhaes’ defensive numbers, looking commanding in the air and stepping in with some key defensive contributions.

It’s rather clear that the £13m price tag will soon look a bargain, if it is not already. Soon, Mosquera might just find himself pressing against Arsenal’s elite and demanding a regular starting berth of his own.

He’s not the only one. Bukayo Saka has been out injured for the past few weeks, and he will be unavailable for several more matches. Even so, the attacking talisman’s absence hasn’t been too keenly felt, with Noni Madueke thriving in his place.

Arsenal have hit the jackpot on Madueke

Madueke has been around in the Premier League for a while, but the 23-year-old ebbed and flowed at Chelsea and perhaps has shown signs throughout his first month at Arsenal of progression.

Certainly, he’s needed to step up, with Saka’s injury fast-tracking him into a role of significance. And he’s up to the task. Yet to get off the mark, Madueke has looked dangerous and purposeful in Saka’s stead, creating five key passes and winning nine duels against Nottingham Forest alone.

Football.london handed Madueke a staggering 9/10 match rating after the win, drawing attention to his technical skills and his tenacity across the 90 minutes.

Saka is peerless, but Madueke’s recent showings suggest he can deputise perfectly. Let’s look at how the two compare.

Matches (starts)

4 (3)

2 (2)

Goals

0

1

Assists

0

0

Touches*

34.5

33.5

Pass completion

73%

90%

Big chances created

1

0

Key passes*

2.0

1.5

Dribbles*

1.5

1.5

Ball recoveries*

2.0

3.0

Tackles*

0.8

1.5

Duels won*

4.0

3.5

The data pool is limited, to be sure, but it still emphasises the exciting start to Madueke’s Arsenal career, so confident when carrying the ball forward and taking on opponents and looking to create openings for his teammates.

Berta might have shelled out £48.5m for Chelsea’s rising winger, but that hasn’t stopped content creator Rory Cook from remarking that Arsenal “might’ve underpaid” for the versatile forward, who has since excelled on Three Lions duty and indeed looks a star in the making at the Emirates.

In any case, Arsenal have certainly struck gold on their new winger, who has yet to tap into his full potential and who has undoubtedly proven himself worthy of a starting role in this Arsenal team.

Not Gyokeres: £60m Arsenal man could be a better signing than Wirtz & Isak

After Liverpool spent big on Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, an “Intelligent” Arsenal signing could prove to be the Premier League’s best recruit.

ByBen Gray Sep 12, 2025

One Manchester City player is now reportedly on the verge of signing a new deal at the club, following a fresh claim from journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Guardiola delighted with Foden's resurgence

Pep Guardiola’s side host Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, acting as a good chance to pick up three more points.

One player who is back in form for City is Phil Foden, having scored in the recent wins over Manchester United and Huddersfield Town, and Guardiola is clearly happy with what he is seeing from the Englishman.

“Phil playing behind the striker is a real threat. We would have liked to score a second goal and make the substitutions before for Nico O’Reilly and Phil because they played a tough game against Arsenal three days ago. But they are young. They have good vitamins during the days, good food, good protein and yeah, now come back to Manchester to prepare [for Burnley].

“We have seen already Phil in a few games when the team play better. When every player makes his potential – but it’s not just today – the games against Arsenal, United and Napoli he was really good.”

Foden is a huge player for City moving forward, and now a new update suggests that another attacker could be committing his future to the club.

Big Man City contract claim emerges

Taking to X, Romano claimed that Manchester City winger Savinho is set to sign a contract extension at the Etihad, with an agreement reached.

While Savinho hasn’t necessarily hit the heights many expected of him when he joined City last year, this still has to be considered exciting news, given his long-term potential as a player.

It is easy to forget that the Brazilian is still only 21 years of age, and Guardiola has spoken of his admiration over the past 12 months, clearly rating him highly.

“We’re a way from what we have to be as a team, but Savinho made an incredible performance again like he did against Everton. He’s a guy who can play on both sides, today he finally scored a goal. He has an incredible ability and quality he’s proven in that period.”

The aim now for Savinho is to find more consistency and end product in his game, having only scored four goals in 52 appearances for City, but that should come with age.

Pep's own Isak: Man City must regret selling "best forward in the world"

Man City could have been even more deadly in front of goal with this star

1 ByJoe Nuttall Sep 26, 2025

He has the natural talent to be a big hit at the Etihad eventually, and hopefully, the club showing faith in him by offering him a new deal pays off in the long run.

Newcastle United are in a position to kick on in the Premier League this season and could now look to the January window for a new lease of life in the engine room.

Eddie Howe admits Elliot Anderson regret at Newcastle

PSR rules have taken quite the direction in recent years, and clubs have had to sell homegrown talent to ensure they are able to meet their objectives in line with financial regulations.

Last year, Elliot Anderson netted Newcastle £35 million after moving to Nottingham Forest and given the sides’ clash this weekend, Eddie Howe admitted he would love the England international to one day return to the North East.

He said in his pre-match press conference: “I don’t know, but certainly from my perspective I would love him to. I’m very respectful of the fact he is at another football club and I would never normally talk about a player in that way, so I won’t change that stance.

“But yes, it is very regretful a player from the academy who had given so much, and the club had given so much too, the coaching staff, all those years here and how people tried to develop those talents, for him not to be utilised here is a real shame.”

Whether Howe’s comments are meant in a complimentary manner or not, there is a certainty that he will be in the market for further talent to strengthen his side’s bid for European football.

"Outstanding" Newcastle star is now on borrowed time because of Elanga

Anthony Elanga impresses at Newcastle, leaving fan favourite battling for minutes

ByWill Miller Oct 4, 2025

The Geordies are eyeing Oihan Sancet in a potential £61 million move. Meanwhile, recent developments indicate they could be embroiled in a surprise scenario that could see a potential swap deal come to light.

Newcastle at centre of Manuel Locatelli and Sandro Tonali debacle

According to Calciomercato, Newcastle are targeting Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli and Sandro Tonali is wanted in exchange by the Italian giants, creating an intriguing state of affairs.

Former Liverpool chief Damien Comolli, who is now general manager of Juventus, reportedly dreams of bringing the Italy international to Turin. The Magpies are reluctant to part ways with their star midfielder unless a bid of just under £70 million were to arrive, but it is possible Comolli will halt any Locatelli deal unless Tonali is free to move the other direction.

Manuel Locatelli – 2025/26 Serie A

Sandro Tonali – 2025/26 Premier League

Chances created: 4

Chances created: 10

Pass accuracy: 86.2%

Pass accuracy: 83.8%

Duels won: 22

Duels won: 21

Goals: 0

Goals: 0

Assists: 0

Assists: 1

All statistics via Fotmob

Indeed, the ex-Reds man is unlikely to allow Locatelli to leave in a straight player for cash transfer. Dusan Vlahovic has been mentioned as another potential option that may become a makeweight in negotiations.

From a Newcastle perspective, it wouldn’t make a tonne of sense to let one of their best assets depart for Italy, given Locatelli is also two years older than his compatriot.

Either way, the transfer market could be lively come the New Year and stranger things have happened as clubs fight it out for new additions.

Harry Kane looks a major doubt for England’s friendly against Wales after missing training on the eve of the game.

Thomas Tuchel’s side welcome their neighbours to a sold-out Wembley on Thursday before attention turns to Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier in Latvia.

Two England stars doubts to face Wales and Latvia

Kane seems set to miss the first game of October’s double-header, having sat out training on Wednesday along with uncapped Bayer Leverkusen defender Jarell Quansah.

The Football Association said the pair were “following their own respective routines indoors” as the remaining 22 players trained at St George’s Park.

Kane arrived at camp with an ankle issue sustained late in Bayern Munich’s win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.

Speaking after the game, the striker said: “I am recovering at the moment – I took a knock. A few days and then I should be fine, so no problem for the national team. I will be there on Monday.”

Marc Guehi will join boss Tuchel at Wednesday’s pre-match press conference at Wembley having travelled down from St George’s Park, where under-20 internationals Shea Lacey, Lakyle Samuel and Harrison Murray-Campbell took part in training.

Everton are building something under David Moyes’ wing – again.

Having shaped the Merseysiders into a force of consistency and resilience over a decade of tireless service, the 63-year-old has been back at the helm throughout 2025, with the summer transfer window packaging exciting new talent into the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

However, with Idrissa Gueye set to leave at the end of his contract next year and Tim Iroegbunam yet to prove he has the minerals for a sustained starting role in Moyes’ system, Moyes may look to strengthen his central fold in 2026.

He does boast one of the most dynamic centre-midfielders in the Premier League, though, with this profile something that proved successful for the Scottish manager all those years ago at Goodison Park.

Moyes' best-ever Everton midfielders

Moyes enforces a principled and organised playing style, and energy and industriousness is at its heart. This was true 20 years ago, and it remains a core element of the make-up now.

But pragmatic though Moyes has been tagged at times, he has always pushed for creativity, an attacking dimension coming from the centre and with the capacity to defend strongly.

Tim Cahill embodied this. Not quite a forward, he scored lots of goals. Not quite a central midfielder, the Australian was combative and aggressive.

No player has ever featured more often in a Moyes side than Leon Osman. Not the flashiest, the versatile Englishman played his entire career on the blue half of Merseyside, save for two early-career loan spells as he was making his way.

1.

Leon Osman

345

2.

Tim Cahill

278

3.

Mikel Arteta

209

4.

Lee Carsley

194

5.

Marouane Fellaini

173

Another of Moyes’ mainstays was Mikel Arteta. Look closely and you may trace elements of Moyes’ influence in the Arsenal manager’s drilled and oiled style, merged with the technical genius of Pep Guardiola to shape the Gunners into bona fide contenders at the highest level.

As a player, the 43-year-old was dynamic and intelligent, adding a dimension otherwise unavailable to the Blues team. He is creative on the ball and tenacious against the run of play, once saying he would “go through a brick wall” for Moyes.

Arteta was arguably Moyes’ most trusted lieutenant, the man who helped make it all tick.

Now, the tactician has refashioned his former favourite in the shape of a new Everton star.

Moyes' new version of Arteta

Like Arteta during his Everton prime, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is a versatile midfielder.

The opening months of the 2025/26 campaign have shown the 27-year-old to be a talented and effective midfielder, situated in the centre of the park and tasked with connecting play.

Yet he arrived from Chelsea, for a £28m fee, having played second-fiddle in Enzo Maresca’s team. He was part of last term’s Club World Cup and Conference League-winning squads, but featured only 13 times in the Premier League, starting twice.

But moving to Everton was the perfect thing for a man in the prime of his career. His performances since arriving at the Hill Dickinson prove this, and he is showing too that he can be a “revelation” for multiple clubs, having been hailed as such for his efforts at Leicester by former boss Brendan Rodgers.

Averaging 1.9 key passes and winning 5.3 duels per game this term, as per Sofascore, it’s hard to argue against the success of the signing; Dewsbury-Hall may even be one of the Premier League’s most underrated signings.

Arteta’s clever and imaginative passing was a staple of his game. In this, Dewsbury-Hall could emulate him. Data from FBref shows us that the Englishman ranks among the top 8% of midfielders in the Premier League for passes into the penalty area and the top 8% for progressive passes per 90.

Starting all but one of Everton’s Premier League matches thus far, missing out against Crystal Palace due to suspension, the £90k-per-week talent has shown he has the personality and presence to become Moyes’ next Arteta, instrumental in progressing play and steering Everton away from their pragmatic reputation.

The likes of Jack Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye will more often than not take the headlines, but in Dewsbury-Hall, Moyes has recycled a tried and tested playing style, and it’s already beginning to bear dividends.

Everton's "revelation" could become the biggest loser from Grealish's rise

Jack Grealish’s form at Everton could nudge another star out of Moyes’ best team

ByWill Miller Oct 16, 2025

Manchester United face Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League this afternoon, with Ruben Amorim looking to extend his current winning run in England’s top-flight.

The 40-year-old will be leading the side into his 52nd outing, but could create history in his tenure if he can secure all three points against Fabian Hurzeler’s men.

He claimed his second successive league victory last time out against rivals Liverpool, with a win against the Seagulls potentially making it three in a row – something he’s yet to do at Old Trafford.

However, the manager will likely have numerous selection headaches ahead of him for the meeting this afternoon, with numerous players in contention for a return to the starting eleven.

One player could be brutally dropped to the substitutes bench once again, that’s despite starting each of the Red Devils’ last two outings in the Premier League.

Why Mason Mount should be dropped against Brighton

Mason Mount has massively struggled for consistent minutes at United after making a £60m switch to join the club from Chelsea back in the summer of 2023.

Injuries have often plagued the Englishman’s progress, subsequently restricting him to a total of 55 appearances across all competitions in the last 27 months.

However, Amorim has constantly stated his admiration for the 26-year-old, but he may decide to drop him from the starting eleven after his showing at Anfield.

He only featured for an hour before being withdrawn, understandably so given his measly tally of seven passes completed and zero chances created.

In Amorim’s pre-match press conference, he also stated that Mount has picked up a knock, but he should still be fit for the clash with the Seagulls this afternoon.

Regardless of his fitness, the manager needs to axe him from his starting eleven, offering one other player the chance to impress in his 3-4-2-1 system.

The United star who needs to start against Brighton

After finishing 15th in the Premier League last season, Amorim has been working tirelessly to prevent a repeat – even receiving a huge boost from the hierarchy in the process.

The 40-year-old was handed over £200m worth of new additions to make the changes he needed, with such funds being used to land the signature of Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Brazilian has mainly operated in a number ten role since his switch to Old Trafford, but the boss decided to utilise him in a number nine position against the Reds.

Such a decision took away from his best qualities, resulting in the 26-year-old being dispossessed six times and failing to register a shot on target for the first time in 2025/26.

As a result, Amorim must drop him back into a slightly deeper position, which should allow £74m addition Benjamin Sesko to return to his rightful position as a regular starter.

The Slovenian, who earns £160k-per-week, joined the Red Devils from RB Leipzig during the summer window and has already impressed the United faithful with his tally of two Premier League goals.

Before the clash against Arne Slot’s men, the 22-year-old, who’s been dubbed a “monster” by analyst Ben Mattinson, had scored in back-to-back matches in England’s top-flight.

Games played

8

Goals scored

2

Minutes played

414

Aerials won

4.1

Shots on target

1.3

Chances created

1.3

Touches in opposition box

4.1

Duels won

5.6

His underlying stats further indicate the immediate impact he’s had in Manchester, with his tally of 4.1 aerial duels won per 90 handing the side the needed outlet they’ve hugely lacked.

He’s also registered 1.3 chances created per 90, whilst notching the same amount of shots on target per 90 – demonstrating why he’s the perfect all-round option in the manager’s system.

Such numbers should make him a mainstay within the current first-team squad, which should see Amorim recall him ahead of the clash with Brighton today.

The boss will undoubtedly want to continue the excellent recent run in the top-flight, with the reintroduction of Sesko undoubtedly handing them a massive boost in their quest.

It's not Mainoo: Man Utd may have found the new Pogba in "phenomenal" star

Manchester United already have another talent who is on a similar trajectory to Paul Pogba.

1 ByEthan Lamb Oct 24, 2025

Sunderland have been riding the crest of a wave since returning to the Premier League from the Championship this summer, but the manner of Everton’s draw against the Black Cats on Monday evening has left supporters frustrated.

The Toffees took the lead in the first half and had applied the pressure on the Stadium of Light, yet to taste defeat this term and enjoying quite the resurgence.

In any case, this wasn’t good enough from David Moyes’ side, whose optimism and coherence were extinguished quickly after the interval, leaving the visitors rueing their slew of missed chances earlier.

Everton’s attacking concerns have gone beyond mere teething problems at the start of a new season. There might be a lack of inspiration in the team despite the quality of some of the players, but the struggles of the frontmen make up the crux of Moyes’ dilemma.

Everton's goalscoring problems

Everton have scored ten goals from as many Premier League matches this season. Last term, under Sean Dyche’s management, they had as many goals at the same stage.

Frustratingly, this tally should be higher, were Beto and Thierno Barry not suffering from some dismal form in front of goal, the centre-forwards having scored just one goal between them in the league this year.

Against Sunderland, Barry was given the nod instead of first-choice option Beto. However, the £27m summer recruit from Villarreal was unable to capitalise; the Frenchman showed off his movement and physicality, but a horror miss to put the Blues 2-0 up before the break came back to haunt them.

Clearly, it can’t go on like this. If Moyes hopes to avoid the perils of a relegation battle this season and instead lead Everton back into the ascendancy, it’s crucial that a solution is found.

To achieve this, the Scotsman might need to think outside the box.

The Everton star who could move to CF

It’s probably a good thing to remember how far Everton have come since the start of the year, when positivity had been pulled into a vacuum with Dyche at the helm and the Merseysiders altogether rudderless before the Friedkin Group replaced Farhad Moshiri at the head of the table.

Connecting these two eras is the positive thread that is Iliman Ndiaye, who joined the ranks at Goodison Park in 2024 after a tough spell in France with Marseille. The mercurial winger completed a £15m transfer.

The 25-year-old completed the 2024/25 campaign as Everton’s top scorer in all competitions with 11 goals, and he leads the way once again this term, his goal against Sunderland on Monday marking his fourth of the campaign – and across just ten Premier League outings at that.

Given that Ndiaye laid on an assist during the defeat at Liverpool too, we can observe that he has been directly involved in half of the club’s top-flight goals thus far, corroborating presenter Jamie O’Hara’s claim that he is “one of the best players in the Premier League”.

Ndiaye’s dynamism and ability to adapt set him apart. Sure, he’s got “magic in his boots”, according to Everton writer Lyndon Lloyd, but he’s also clinical and mechanical in his ball-striking when the need arises.

Indeed, Ndiaye is far and away Everton’s most potent goal threat. His strike against Sunderland proved – if anything needed proving – that he can dribble from any area of the pitch and shift onto either side and strike and score.

And in this, he could be the perfect option to slot in at number nine, thus keeping both Beto and Barry benched.

Attacking midfield

52

16 (5)

Centre-forward

49

10 (12)

Left winger

41

10 (1)

Right winger

17

4 (2)

As you will note from the table above, Ndiaye is no stranger to playing across the frontline. Invariably, he finds the back of the net, and it’s curious to note that his most statistically prolific performances have come from number nine.

And though he’s diminutive, thus suggesting that Moyes would need to devise a new attacking strategy, Ndiaye isn’t without his combative qualities. Indeed, Ndiaye has won 6.7 duels and made 2.5 tackles on average per Premier League game this season, as per Sofascore.

His progressiveness on the ball, in a central berth, could also play to the strengths of those such as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who nearly found Beto with a line-breaking pass against Sunderland and could benefit from a frontman who is more adept at running in behind.

After all, Ndiaye is one of the fastest and most dangerous carriers in the Premier League, actually ranking among the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers across all of Europe for successful take-ons per 90 (FBref).

There is a potential solution here for Moyes, who might not be able to afford to persist with his struggling strikers until the January transfer window, when proposals for a new number nine are sure to be canvassed.

With Tyler Dibling and Dwight McNeil among those waiting in the wings, Everton must act and push Ndiaye into a more prominent role, maybe ratcheting up the creativity and sharpness in the final third by doing so.

Taking both Beto and Barry out of the firing line might be a fitting option for a side seeking to redress the frustrations of the supporters. Already, fans will point toward a number of missed chances this season that might have put the club in a higher position in the Premier League.

The Senegal international is clinical and dynamic, and he’s proven himself to be the talisman in the final third for an Everton team in need of another dimension.

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