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West Ham United are looking to rise back to the fore under the tutelage of Julen Lopetegui, having fallen flat under David Moyes at the end of his successful tenure last season.

The October international break is looming very large indeed, but supporters will be delighted with their side’s 4-1 victory over Ipswich Town last weekend, hopefully turning a corner after a slow start.

So many players haven’t looked up to scratch, with Edson Alvarez struggling to recover the top form that saw The Athletic’s Roshane Thomas laud him as West Ham’s “best summer signing”, effectively replacing the irreplaceable Declan Rice.

Edson Alvarez's performances this season

West Ham signed Alvarez from Dutch giants Ajax in August 2023, for a fee in the region of £35m. He was immense for large portions of the 2023/24 campaign, winning 2.6 tackles and 4.9 duels on average per Premier League game, as per Sofascore.

Thomas might have been effusive in his comments on the Mexico international last term, but he has recently singled out his “loss of form” and the detrimental effect that it has had on Lopetegui’s start to life in east London.

The 26-year-old was sent off against Liverpool as West Ham were drubbed 5-1 and continues to flatter to deceive. He needs to step it up under Lopetegui’s wing, for he looks a shell of himself and is hardly serving as the midfield general worthy of his predecessor, Rice.

What Lopetegui would give to have an academy superstar jump onto the scene and galvanise the club into action. Of course, there are a few that would hope to earn that role: George Earthy is at the forefront.

However, he’s not the only one, with Freddie Potts excelling out on loan with Portsmouth in the Championship, one of the South Coast side’s bright sparks in a frustrating campaign.

Freddie Potts could be the next Declan Rice

Potts might not be a first-team regular at West Ham yet, but he’s certainly making his name known for Pompey. Journalist Ian Darke has noted that the 21-year-old has “caught the eye” with his performances.

He’s completed 70 appearances for the Irons’ youth ranks, also earning three senior outings, and signed a new three-year contract with the club in August 2023. After putting pen to paper, 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.”

Rice is now a superstar for title-chasing Arsenal, but he too enjoyed the humble beginning of rising through the Hammers’ academy system, and, like Potts, split his craft between central defence and deep-lying midfield.

Potts is a crisp distributor and a slick operator in the middle of the park, with a tenacious personality too. He’s proving that he can thrive in tough conditions and might just be the perfect young star to lift the club to another level next season.

Matches (starts)

4 (4)

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches*

48.8

Pass completion

81%

Key passes*

0.0

Ball recoveries*

4.3

Tackles + interceptions*

3.0

Total duels (won)*

5.5 (58%)

Once hailed as West Ham’s “best prospect” and the long-term replacement” for the one and only Mark Noble by Thomas, Potts could take it one step further and assume the role of Rice’s heir. He’s got the talent.

Alvarez may need to watch out…

Moyes wanted £40m "monster" to replace Rice, but West Ham got Ward-Prowse

He would have been perfect for the east Londoners…

1 ByAngus Sinclair Oct 8, 2024

As they continue to ponder just how to replace Mohamed Salah, Liverpool are now reportedly racing alongside Premier League rivals Manchester United in the battle to sign a young winger who has been compared to Angel Di Maria.

Liverpool transfer news

It was easy to worry for the Reds when they ended the summer transfer window without truly making their mark, having only welcomed Federico Chiesa and Giorgi Mamardashvili, who has gone straight back to Valencia on loan for the rest of the season. Their failure to sign a defensive midfielder was a particular concern, but Arne Slot has so far more than coped after transforming Ryan Gravenberch into one of the most in-form midfielders in Europe at the heart of his side.

Whilst Liverpool sit top of the Premier League thanks to their excellent work on the pitch, however, they’re far from without cause for concern away from it, especially on the contract front. As things stand, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah are all set to leave Anfield as free agents in what would be a disastrous outcome for the Reds.

Now seemingly searching for replacements, those in Merseyside have reportedly turned towards South America to find the heir to Salah’s throne, in particular. According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are now battling Manchester United to sign Thiago Fernandez from Argentine side Velez Sarsfield next summer.

No Jota or Szoboszlai in 4 changes: Liverpool predicted line-up v Bologna

Anfield plays host to the Champions League lights for the first time under Slot’s wing…

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 1, 2024

The 20-year-old has been compared to former Real Madrid star Angel Di Maria, who of course famously failed to make his mark at Manchester United, but Liverpool will be hoping that the winger thrives where his compatriot struggled if he completes a move to England in the future.

"Flamboyant" Fernandez is one to watch

Seemingly destined for the Premier League, given the clubs racing to secure his signature, there’s no doubt that Fernandez is one to watch. His ability to play across the frontline and in attacking midfield makes the Argentine a versatile option who could hand Slot a further solution in several areas.

Meanwhile, if this is to be Fernandez’s final season in Argentina, then he’s bowing out in style, with five goals and eight assists to his name so far in the current campaign. Dubbed a “flamboyant winger” by Football Talent Scout’s Jacek Kulig, the 20-year-old would hand Liverpool an interesting alternative to what Salah provides Slot’s side.

Beating Manchester United in the race for Fernandez’s signature should no doubt be an extra motivation for the Reds, who may well find their replacement for Salah in South America.

Celtic must turn their attention away from the league phase of the new-look Champions League as they prepare to take on Falkirk in the League Cup this afternoon.

The Hoops have a chance to secure their place in the last four of the competition, which they were knocked out of in August by Kilmarnock last term, by winning this quarter-final clash.

They come into this game against the Championship outfit off the back of a stunning 5-1 win over Slovakian side SK Slovan at Parkhead on Wednesday night.

It was a fantastic evening for the Scottish Premiership champions, who picked up their first win in Europe this year, after they finished bottom of their Champions League group last season.

Brendan Rodgers’ side swept them aside with relative ease as Liam Scales, Kyogo Furuhashi, Arne Engels, Daizen Maeda, and Adam Idah all got their names on the scoresheet.

This clash with a second tier team in the League Cup, despite it being a quarter-final, now provides the Northern Irish head coach with a chance to rotate his squad.

Two players who may have nailed down their places in the starting XI are James Forrest and Idah, who caught the eye off the bench on Wednesday.

Why Adam Idah and James Forrest should start

The attacking duo were used as substitutes against Slovan but still managed to combine for a goal, as the winger played a fantastic through ball for the Ireland international to slot past the goalkeeper for Celtic’s fifth.

That was Idah’s first goal for the Hoops since his permanent move from Norwich City during the summer transfer window, after spending the second half of the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Parkhead.

The 6 foot 3 marksman had plundered eight goals in 15 appearances in the Premiership, despite starting just five matches, during his loan spell, whilst also scoring the winner in the SFA Cup final against Rangers.

This shows that the former Canaries academy graduate has the quality to provide a huge goalscoring threat for the Scottish giants, which is why Rodgers should be comfortable handing the 23-year-old ace a start against Falkirk.

Forrest, meanwhile, has enjoyed an impressive start to the season, with four assists in seven appearances in all competitions and three assists in his last four games.

The Scottish forward could come in to replace Daizen Maeda on the flank, whilst Idah could come in for Kyogo Furuhashi in the centre-forward position.

These two changes appear to be obvious ones, after their combination for the fifth goal on Wednesday, but another player Rodgers must unleash from the start is central midfielder Paulo Bernardo.

Why Paulo Bernardo should start

The Portugal U21 international was unfortunate to be dropped from the starting XI this month after his promising displays for the Scottish side in August.

Bernardo re-joined the Hoops from Benfica on a permanent deal during the summer transfer window, after spending the 2023/24 campaign on loan, and hit the ground running last month.

The 22-year-old maestro started the wins over St Mirren and Rangers and caught the eye with his all-action performances in the middle of the park.

Key passes

2

3

Big chances created

1

1

Ground duels won

4/9

10/15

Aerial duels won

2/3

2/3

Tackles won

3

5

As you can see in the table above, Bernardo offered quality in and out of possession for the Scottish giants in both of the games that he started in the Premiership.

The £5.8k-per-week star, who was once described as “tenacious” by Rodgers, won 18 duels and eight tackles in just two matches, which shows that the midfielder was able to consistently win possession back for his side.

Bernardo also showcased his ability on the ball, with five key passes and two ‘big chances’ created, as he used his creativity to put chances on a plate for his teammates.

Despite those sublime performances, the Portuguese starlet has found himself on the bench in the last two matches, against Hearts and Slovan, behind fellow summer signing Arne Engels.

This League Cup clash with Falkirk, however, provides Rodgers with an opportunity to bring the former Benfica prospect back into the starting XI, to allow him to continue the fine form he showed in the wins over St Mirren and Rangers.

He has proven that the quality is there for him to be an impressive performer for Celtic in midfield, which is why the manager should not have any concerns about playing him from the start in this game.

Arne Engels' superb start to his Celtic career

The 21-year-old wizard joined the Scottish giants from Bundesliga side Augsburg for a club-record fee of £11m during the summer transfer window.

That significant transfer fee brought pressure and expectation with it and, so far, Engels has taken all of it in his stride and enjoyed a perfect start to his career in Glasgow.

The central midfielder came off the bench against Rangers at the start of the month, having signed less than 48 hours before kick-off, before being placed in the starting line-up for the last two games by Rodgers.

Goals

1

1

Assists

0

1

Big chances created

0

1

Duels won

6/10

9/13

Tackles won

1

6

As you can see in the table above, the Belgium international produced two goals and one assist in those matches, with both of his goals coming from the penalty spot.

The former Bundesliga starlet also showcased his defensive attributes with 15 duels won, out of 23 contested, and seven tackles made against Hearts and Slovan.

These statistics show that, like Bernardo, Engels has the ability to be an all-action presence in the middle of the park for Celtic, by making an impact in and out of possession.

Alongside Engels & Scales: 8/10 Celtic star was Rodgers' unsung hero

The Hoops defender enjoyed a terrific night at Parkhead in the Champions League.

ByDan Emery Sep 19, 2024

However, Rodgers must now drop the Belgian gem back down to the bench to provide Bernardo with a chance to play from the start in this cup clash, whilst resting the £11m star for the upcoming Premiership and Champions League games.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly eyeing a move for want-away Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek.

Old Gold boss Julen Lopetegui will look to bring in players to bolster his side this summer, after successfully conducting the sale of a number of names amounting to almost £80m.

After letting a host of talent depart to both sales and contract expirations, the Spaniard could pull off a masterclass by signing the once-adored Ajax man.

How much is Donny van de Beek worth?

With an expected transfer value high of €55m (£47m) at the point of signing for United, the Dutchman’s value has dropped significantly to just €13.3m (£11.3m), via FootballTransfers.

The 26-year-old maestro’s drop in value could come as a plus for Lopetegui, with 90min reporting earlier this week that Wolves are one of the potential escape routes out of Old Trafford for Van de Beek.

It’s claimed that the midfielder is ‘exploring options’ in the bid to leave Erik ten Hag’s side this summer.

Could Wolves sign Donny van de Beek?

Named as one of the potential suitors for the former Ajax star to fix his career with, the Midlands club could strike gold in securing the Dutchman’s talents this transfer window.

Despite missing a chunk of football in his prime years, the United stranger could reignite his past form at Molineux being only 26, there are plenty of years to explore yet in his career.

The £140k-per-week dynamo was a shining star in the Eredivisie, being a controlled and intelligent midfielder in the set up at Ajax, seeing him hailed as “magnificent” by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Making the move to England has been cruel so far for the Nijkerkerveen-born gem, where he has been starved of game time in Manchester, which has subsequently tarnished the form he arrived with under his belt.

In three seasons at United, the 26-year-old has made just 34 Premier League appearances, scoring two goals and registering one assist in that time, via Transfermarkt.

A failed loan at Everton amounted to just seven additional appearances in the league, making for a painful stay so far for the player.

Things are not all bad however, with a move away this summer potentially signifying the chance to shine in England, with the individual certainly having the capacity to be a top midfielder in the league.

After bidding farewell to captain Ruben Neves already this window, Lopetegui must find cover to replace the departed star, and Van de Beek could arise to be the perfect candidate to lead by example in the midfield at Molineux.

Based on his numbers obtained in the Netherlands, the former Eredivisie sensation could be the heir to Neves, who was an authoritative figure in the middle of the park.

Going back to the 2019/20 campaign that marked his final term in Amsterdam, the Dutchman scored eight goals and registered five assists, acting as a threat in the final third from central midfield.

The 26-year-old gem’s contribution in front of goal was not the only strength that saw him targeted by United, as he posed to be a strong distributor of the ball, as highlighted by his 1.93 key passes and 0.32 expected assists per 90, via FBref.

Lesser numbers were recorded last term in the Premier League by the former Wolves captain who, as per FBref, averaged 0.95 key passes and 0.04 expected assists, to signify just how much of a talent Lopetegui could recruit this summer.

The Old Gold could land themselves a bargain at the perfect time this window, however, they must act fast to capture a player wanting away from his current settings.

West Ham United appear to have paid the price for seemingly focusing entirely on negotiating the terms of a fee with Arsenal for captain Declan Rice over the past few weeks.

Having been named the frontrunners to sign Harvey Barnes from Leicester City last month, The Guardian reports that Newcastle United are now close to wrapping up a deal for the in-demand winger.

Who are West Ham's transfer targets?

Bringing in around £105m through the sale of Rice, on top of the fact West Ham can offer European football next season, was supposed to leave the Irons in a strong position this transfer window.

However, with the new season beginning in five weeks' time, the Hammers have yet to bring in any new players.

As well as needing a replacement for Rice, with Juventus star Denis Zakaria and Southampton skipper James Ward-Prowse two possible options, United could also do with bringing in another attacker and a defender.

With Barnes now apparently out of their reach, it may well be that West Ham are forced to turn to another of their targets.

Chile international Dario Osorio is said to be on David Moyes' hitlist, and Universidad de Chile head coach Mauricio Pellegrino accepts his side may have to cash in this summer on a player rumoured to be valued at £7.5m.

Who is Dario Osorio?

Still aged just 19, Osorio has already earned two senior caps for his country after impressing for his club. The teenage talent has made 37 appearances in Chile's Primera Division and has scored eight times.

While that may not sound like a prolific return as such, Osorio has scored seven of those goals in 27 games this season at a rate of 0.41 every 90 minutes, as per FBref.

To put that figure in some perspective, the now-departed Manuel Lanzini topped that particular metric for West Ham last season with 0.36 goals per 90 minutes in the Premier League. Barnes, for what it is worth, scored at a rate of 0.43 goals per 90.

The quality of the two leagues must be factored in, of course, but that gives a rough indication of what Osorio is all about.

The Hijuelas native finds the net from 0.19 of his shots, which again only Lanzini (0.33) could better among West Ham players last season, while Barnes recorded a figure of 0.18 – pretty much the same as Osorio.

Osorio is not quite an exact like-for-like match for Barnes, given that he averages 4.03 crosses per 90 compared to the Leicester player's 1.46, but he certainly ticks a lot of boxes in terms of what Moyes is after.

As pointed out by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Osorio is a "flamboyant winger" who also has good pace and dribbling ability, and he is also versatile in that he can play on the right, left or just off the striker.

West Ham may be left to wonder what might have been with Barnes, but they still have a chance to rectify the situation by winning the race for Osorio, and all for a fraction of the cost.

Former Scottish midfielder Stephen McGinn has been reacting to Celtic’s reported interest in Fabian Rieder.

What’s the latest Celtic transfer news?

The Hoops have made a start on bolstering their squad ahead of the new season under Brendan Rodgers, who has reportedly been handed a £30m transfer budget this summer.

Cash has already been spent on Odin Thiago Holm and winger Marco Tilio, who have both signed from Valerenga and Melbourne City on five-year deals. More arrivals could soon be on the way, with Scotland internationals Kieran Tierney and Scott McTominay linked with potential moves to Parkhead.

Gangwon FC forward Yang Hyun-jun is another who may soon be on the way to Glasgow, with a £2.1m fee already agreed between the two clubs. A transfer ‘breakthrough’ has emerged in recent days, with rumours suggesting that the K League 1 side are now ready to allow the forward to leave immediately instead of in January.

Alongside Yang, Rieder is another player who the Hoops are reportedly interested in. The Young Boys midfielder could cost upwards of £15m, though, but it looks as if the funds are there, especially following Jota's £25m move to Saudi Arabia.

Talking on Go Radio's Football Show, relayed by Glasgow Times, McGinn said that Reider could be a “next level” signing in a possible deal worth £15m – which would be a club record fee for Celtic.

"With all the talk of Brendan Rodgers and taking them to the next level in Europe it's probably the first signing that suggests that. Some of the players that have been suggested and have been signed so far are the type of signings Celtic have been making in the last five or six years.

"I think Reider is one of those next level signings. I think as far back as 25 years the signing limit for Celtic has been around that £5-£6million mark.

"It would take upwards of £14-£15million to sign Reider and it's the 'wow' signing that shows that it's not a fantasy about taking Celtic to the next level and the board saying 'we have the money here so to make that progression we are not just going to sign the projects, we are going to sign the next level projects'.

"It's the first player of this kind of new vision of taking Celtic to the next level."

Who is Fabian Rieder?

Rieder is 21 years of age and is primarily an attacking midfielder who can also play in a deeper midfield role or out on the right-hand side.

The Swiss U21 international is valued at a career-high €15m Transfermarkt valuation and has come through the Young Boys academy.

Rieder already has plenty of experience under his belt, making 116 senior appearances for his current employers, scoring 14 goals and providing 23 assists. Therefore, he could provide Rodgers with a solid versatile midfield option and could represent a statement signing both in the short and long run.

It looks as if a deal could be one to keep an eye on, but the Hoops may need to write a big cheque for his services.

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their plans to offload players from the squad ahead of the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership campaign…

What's the latest on Rabbi Matondo's future at Rangers?

Sunday Mirror journalist Darren Witcoop has revealed that former Schalke forward Rabbi Matondo will be allowed to move on from the Light Blues in the coming weeks.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Ross Wilson snapped him up from the German side on a four-year contract last year, with Michael Beale now deciding to part ways with the attacker.

The reporter Tweeted: "Wales international Rabbi Matondo is free to leave Glasgow Rangers this summer. Matondo spent a loan spell with Stoke in 2021 and could return to English football after being made available by the Scottish club."

Who could replace Rabbi Matondo at Rangers?

Beale could ruthlessly ditch the £28k-per-week flop by signing his replacement in the form of LAFC winger Kwadwo Opokou, who is a reported €4.8m (£4.1m) transfer target for the Gers.

Matondo, who is capable of being deployed on the right or the left wing, endured a difficult debut campaign in Scotland as he failed to nail down a regular place in the side.

He averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.74 across 19 league appearances, which placed him 26th in the squad, and contributed with four assists without scoring a single goal.

The 22-year-old created four 'big chances' for his teammates in total, showing that the ex-Manchester City prodigy rarely made an impact in the final third.

Opoku averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.87 across 20 league starts last year. He scored eight goals and provided three assists to go alongside his impressive 11 'big chances' created. Opoku's form for LAFC in 2022 suggests that Beale would be landing an upgrade on Matondo by signing the MLS ace, which would open the door for the current Gers man to move on.

Only Malik Tillman (10) scored more than six league goals for Rangers outside of penalty taker James Tavernier and strikers Fashion Sakala, Antonio Colak, and Alfredo Morelos.

This suggests that the LAFC magician, whose performances in 2022 were described as "magnificent" by journalist Owuraku Ampofo, has the potential to be Beale's outstanding scoring option from out wide after Tillman's return to Bayern Munich,

The 21-year-old wizard could come in as an immediate upgrade on Matondo, therefore, which would allow the manager to ditch his underperforming Welshman instantly.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane signing a new contract at his boyhood club at some point is a 'possible', according to journalist Dharmesh Sheth.

What's the latest transfer news involving Harry Kane?

According to The Independent, Manchester United have decided to drop out of the race to sign Kane this summer due to his current employers, Tottenham, adopting a tough negotiation stance involving the England international.

The report adds that Manchester United are 'conscious' of Manchester City's failed pursuit of the 29-year-old back in 2021 and don't want to waste their off-season trying to land Kane only to be rebuffed by Spurs continually.

Le Parisien via GOAL detail that Kane has admirers from the continent in the form of Paris Saint-Germain and the Ligue 1 giants are said to want to make Kane a 'marquee' addition despite not currently having a manager in place at the Parc des Princes.

It is expected that Kane would cost the French giants in excess of £100 million to acquire, which is a big part of the reason Manchester United pulled out in their attempts to tempt him to Old Trafford.

Capology understand that Kane has one year left on his deal at Tottenham and is believed to pocket £200,000 per week in north London.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Sheth has revealed that there is a possibility Kane could now commit to a new contract at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Sheth stated: "Tottenham do not want to sell Kane, least of all to a Premier League rival.

"I see a few scenarios that could happen with Kane, and they’re obvious really. Tottenham's number one choice would be Kane signs a new contract at Spurs and spends the rest of his career at the club. It's possible, but how likely, I don't know.”

Should Tottenham Hotspur look to tie Harry Kane to a new deal?

Spurs should look to tie Kane to a new deal with every fibre of their being, as he is an elite striker with the propensity to produce moments of magic consistently in the Premier League.

In 2022/23, despite Tottenham's underwhelming season, Kane recorded 32 goals and five assists in 49 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Unsurprisingly, Kane was Spurs' most consistent performer during the season and obtained an average match rating of 7.52/10 for his exploits on the pitch, according to WhoScored.

Leading the line with efficiency, Kane also managed to successfully lay on 159 shot-creating actions combining his time on the field in the Premier League and Champions League, as per FBRef.

Nailing down Kane for the rest of his career at Tottenham will undoubtedly be a major priority for Lilywhites' chiefs; however, it will be easier said than done and they will need to match his ambition at the club to win trophies in order to stand a chance of being successful in their endeavours.

West Bromwich Albion midfielder Jason Molumby is a wanted man, according to reports.

Leeds United are reportedly interested in the 23-year-old star, as per The Sun journalist Alan Nixon.

Now, pundit Carlton Palmer – who played for both the Baggies and the Whites – has commented on the situation and believes that their star player would only be sold due to the club's perilous financial situation off the pitch.

What is the news regarding Jason Molumby?

Nixon claimed that the recently relegated Premier League side were interested in moving for the former Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder as they prepare to retool their squad ahead of their first season back in the Championship.

Another report from the local media states that whilst West Brom would prefer to keep Molumby at the club, the club is in such a poor financial position to where they have to consider any reasonable offers they receive as they look to balance the books.

This news coincides with reports that the Baggies manager Carlos Corberan has made the shortlist for the job at Leeds, which could help push the move through with Corberan previously having been full of praise for the midfielder, stating after their win against Stoke City in April: “I think the personality and the goals that he has are very huge.”

Will Jayson Molumby stay at West Brom?

It is difficult to see how Molumby stays at West Brom, given the club's financial position.

The Baggies narrowly missed out on promotion last campaign, and as such their last parachute payment of around £30m was swallowed up.

The club have since received a four-year, £20m loan from American private investment company MSD should keep the club ticking over however if the club wants to attack the transfer market, they will have to sell players to fund moves.

Speaking to Football League World, Palmer expressed his bewilderment behind the news, stating:

“This is a strange one, for me, Why would West Brom want to sell one of their best players? Maybe the uncertainty of the ownership of the football club and the financial positions that they’re now finding themselves in, maybe that’s forced their hands.”

Molumby made 43 appearances for the club in the Championship last season, notching up eight goal contributions and recording an average rating of 6.56, according to WhoScored.

The Irishman has been capped 20 times by the Republic of Ireland and has received plenty of praise for his play style, with current Baggies boss Corberan describing the 23-year-old as an “animal” earlier on in the season.

The former Brighton player has a market value of around €3.2m (£2.8m) and should Leeds be willing to negotiate to a price that exceeds that value, the Midlands club may have no other choice but to part ways with the midfielder.

Everton secured survival from relegation in the dying minutes of the Premier League season after a dreadful campaign that once again saw the side perform at an abysmal level throughout.

Indeed, the initial arrival of Sean Dyche lifted Goodison Park off its knees after the sacking of Frank Lampard in January, but the promising early displays – such as the 1-0 win over Arsenal – quickly wore off leaving the Toffees to teeter on the edge of the relegation zone for many weeks and months.

Whilst the most obvious positions to strengthen will be across the forward line after losing Richarlison and Anthony Gordon over the last 12 months, there will certainly be a desire for Dyche to bolster almost every key position to ensure he has quality options on the bench and the ability to rotate throughout the season.

Everton have already made a decision on the future of those with contracts expiring next month; whilst Seamus Coleman, Andy Lonergan and Tom Davies have been offered new deals, Yerry Mina is one of the players who will not be retained beyond this season alongside Conor Coady who will not be offered a permanent contract to remain either after his loan spell.

As a result, there is a real opportunity for Dyche to identify new additions who can make an instant impact in Everton's defensive set up and one player who has been recently linked with a move back to the Premier League via the blue side of Merseyside is former Wolverhampton Wanderers star Romain Saiss.

Would Romain Saiss be a good fit for Everton?

With Coady and Mina are confirmed for an exit and with the club not ruling out the sale of both Mason Holgate and Ben Godfrey at this point, there is no reason why Saiss can't provide a solid short-term solution at a great price for Dyche.

The Morocco skipper has spent a year in the Turkish Süper Lig with Besiktas after parting ways with Wolves at the end of his six-year contract but could now be the perfect profile of player to partner James Tarkowski at Goodison Park next season.

Over 25 league appearances, the 33-year-old – dubbed a "tower of strength" by BBC pundit Danny Murphy – scored one goal, tallied up an 82% pass completion rate and kept six clean sheets, as well as averaging 64.1 touches, 1.2 tackles, 1.1 interceptions, 3.4 clearances and 4.6 duels won per game, proving he is still a massive presence on the pitch.

Not only that, Saiss was one of the standout performers at the World Cup in Qatar at the end of last year after captaining his team to a record-breaking achievement by becoming the first African team to reach the semi-finals of the prestigious international competition, another testament to his impeccable leadership skills and rightful nickname as the 'Moroccan Maldini'.

With that being said, the £48k-per-week ace could be a massive asset for the Toffees next season as his consistency and reliability in defence would be warmly welcomed to soften the blow of Mina and Coady's exit next season.