All posts by h716a5.icu

Wolverhampton Wanderers haven’t exactly had the best preparation before starting their 2023/24 Premier League campaign.

The Old Gold have made just two signings this summer, with Matt Doherty and Tom King arriving at Molineux while Julen Lopetegui has left the club after just nine months in charge amid a summer of unrest.

Gary O’Neil is the new man in charge, and he is already looking at making his first signing as Wolves have shown interest in Murillo.

Could Wolves sign Murillo?

According to Goal Brasil (via Sport Witness), Wolves have ‘opened talks’ to sign the Brazilian defender from Corinthians this summer.

The Old Gold are willing to spend around €12m (£10m) in order to make a move happen, yet this won’t be enough, especially considering Fiorentina had a bid of a similar amount rejected recently.

Nottingham Forest are also showing interest in Murillio and O’Neil could face some Premier League competition for the youngster.

Corinthians are demanding a bid of at least €20m (£17m) for any team to lure the player out of Brazil and this shouldn’t present much of a problem for Wolves, who have yet to spend any of the £47m they received from the sale of Ruben Neves.

Who is Murillo?

O’Neil’s first port of call will be to improve his defensive options. Not only did Conor Coady leave the club, joining Leicester City in the Championship, but Nathan Collins also departed, securing a move to Brentford and the former Bournemouth manager is lacking any real depth at the back.

Murillo could add some much-needed depth to the first team squad, while also being a big upgrade on Toti Gomes.

The Portuguese centre-back couldn’t quite grab a regular slot at the heart of the defence last term, yet when he did, the 24-year-old failed to live up to his potential.

The defender ranked 14th across the squad for tackles per game (0.9) while also ranking ninth for interceptions (0.6) and fourth for clearances (2.6) per game and keeping just four clean sheets in his 17 Premier League appearances.

For Corinthians this season, Murillo has already averaged 1.3 interceptions, 1.1 tackles and 4.8 clearances per game across just 12 matches and these figures rank him 12th, fourth and second in the squad receptively, clearly suggesting he could be an improvement on Toti.

The 21-year-old brute even ranks in the top 1% when compared to positional peers for blocks per 90 (2.13) and the top 8% for clearances per 90 (5.52) and the youngster has even displayed his attacking qualities, ranking in the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90 (0.75).

In contrast, Toti only ranked in the top 20% for blocks per 90 (1.46) when compared to positional peers across Europe’s big five leagues while ranking out with the top 35% for successful take-ons per 90 (0.82) and although he did finish in the top 1% for clearances per 90 (4.66), it’s evident that the Brazilian could be a better option at the back for O’Neil.

There is no doubt Wolves need to bolster their squad before the end of the transfer window and luring Murillo to the Midlands could give O’Neil his dream first signing, and he may just be the catalyst for a few more to arrive in the coming weeks.

Chelsea are still in the race to sign Montpellier striker Elye Wahi this summer, and a reliable journalist has revealed where the Blues stand after their bid was rejected.

Is Elye Wahi leaving Montpellier?

The France youth international still has another two years to run on his contract at the Stade De La Mosson, but having firmly established himself as Michel Der Zakarian’s top goalscorer last season, he’s caught the eye of Mauricio Pochettino in SW6.

The Ligue 1 centre-forward was previously reported to have agreed personal terms over a move to Stamford Bridge which later encouraged chiefs to take their initial interest one step further, though their first proposal didn’t go down as well as they no doubt would have hoped.

Read The Latest Chelsea Transfer News HERE…

The Daily Express’ Ryan Taylor confirmed that the Blues saw an opening verbal offer for the 20-year-old turned down last month, and whilst talks were set to continue, it was stated that the youngster was “sceptical” about the idea of being sent out on a development loan Strasbourg rather than staying in the Premier League.

With Christopher Nkunku having been ruled out of action for 16 weeks after undergoing surgery on a knee injury, the boss will need to enter the market for attacking reinforcements, and despite their earlier setback, it sounds as if there’s still a chance that they could secure the services of their target overseas.

Are Chelsea signing Elye Wahi?

Taking to Twitter X, Nizaar Kinsella revealed that Chelsea are still very much in the running for Wahi, but admitted that a deal won’t be easy to get over the line as a result of other unnamed clubs also considering a swoop. He wrote:

“Chelsea haven't fully pulled out of the race for Elye Wahi despite having a £24m bid rejected by Montpellier. There's a lot of rival interest there, of course.”

How many goals has Elye Wahi scored?

In Ligue 1 last season, Wahi racked up a remarkable 25 goal contributions (19 goals and six assists) in 33 appearances, showing how prolific he is, so if he was to put pen to paper at Chelsea, Pochettino would receive a huge boost by having the striker at his disposal.

The DW Sports Management client, who’s sponsored by Adidas, also recorded a total of 62 shots over the course of the campaign which was more than any other of his teammates, via FBRef, highlighting his constant desire to find the back of the net.

Montpellier’s gem additionally has the versatility to operate in five different positions over the pitch, including everywhere across the frontline and even two roles in the midfield, so he would be able to easily adapt should the manager want to switch up his team selection.

Wahi has been dubbed a “powerful” centre-forward by his club’s former academy director Francis De Taddeo meaning that he would be a real handful for an opposition’s defence to deal with due to his physical strength, so should the opportunity present itself once again, this is a no-brainer of a deal to complete.

Mohammed Shami and Ashok Dinda helped Bengal earn a bonus-point win over Chhattisgarh

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Oct-2017Mohammed Shami’s 6 for 61 earned Bengal a bonus-point win over Chhattisgarh in Raipur. Following on after their first innings score of 110, the hosts were reduced from 211 for 4 to 259 all out, losing by an innings and 160 runs.Abhimanyu Chauhan’s 115 on the third day had powered Chhattisgarh past 200, along with a 71-run contribution from Ashutosh Singh. Shami provided the breakthrough as he dismissed Ashutosh, breaking their 172-run second-wicket stand. He also dismissed centurion Chauhan before stumps.Resuming from their overnight score of 229 for 5, Chattisgarh were dismantled within the first twelve overs on the fourth day as Shami and Ashok Dinda ran through the rest of the order. Dinda starred with a 10-for in the match, having picked seven wickets in Chhattisgarh’s first innings.In Dharamsala, Goa openers Sumiran Amonkar (137) and Swapnil Asnodkar (167) smashed hundreds to overhaul their 370-run first innings deficit against Himachal Pradesh, to ensure a fighting draw for the visitors.Goa finished the final day on 426 for 2, courtesy the 299-run opening stand between Amonkar and Asnodkar. The captain Sagun Kamat also added 67 as the HP bowlers were made to toil all day. The hosts used nine bowlers, but none could take a single wicket, as both openers were run out. HP collected the extra points, courtesy their mammoth lead in the first innings, having scored 625 for 7 in their first innings.

Everton boss Sean Dyche is 'pushing' to get a deal over the line for a highly-rated young attacker who shone in the Premier League last term, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

What's the latest news involving Everton?

The Toffees lost out on the opening day of the campaign to Fulham at Goodison Park by a scoreline of 1-0 and lacked a cutting edge in attack, which has been a familiar theme of their performances over the last year or so, as per Sky Sports.

Arnaut Danjuma, Youssef Chermiti, Jack Harrison and Ashley Young have been brought into the club this summer and the first three will hope they can help to raise the levels of offensive impetus on Merseyside, as per Transfermarkt.

Everton look keen to bring another striker into the building and Southampton striker Che Adams has an 'agreement in principle' over personal terms at the club, according to Football Insider.

Southampton have received a bid of £12 million for the Scotland international from Everton; however, it is believed that they want to recoup £15 million before sanctioning his exit from St Mary's Stadium.

In other news, Sky Sports Transfer Centre have reported that the Blues have submitted a proposal worth £25 million for Leeds United star Wilfried Gnonto.

Nevertheless, Corriere dello Sport via The Liverpool Echo claim that that offer has been rejected and Everton may need to up the stakes if they want to land the Italy international.

Across his time at Elland Road, Gnonto has made 29 appearances for Leeds United in all competitions, registering four goals and four assists, as per Transfermarkt.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer guru Romano has indicated that Gnonto is 'desperate' to leave Leeds United to move to Goodison Park.

Romano stated: "Gnonto remains a target, for sure. The player is desperate for the move and, in one sense, fighting to join the club because he really appreciates the possibility.

"He knows that Everton are pushing to sign him, and he's pushing on his side with Leeds. But Leeds are not moving from their position and they don't want to sell the player.

"It's a tense, complicated situation now. But I think there is still a chance to see Gnonto joining Everton this summer because the player really wants to make this move happen."

What else could occur at Everton this window?

Transfer guru Romano has issued an update involving Everton's interest in Porto winger Goncalo Borges on Twitter X, stating: "West Ham and Everton are interested in Porto winger Gonçalo Borges as deal for final days of the transfer window. 2001 born winger, attracting interest as could be on the move."

Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill has also emerged as a target for the Toffees and is in the final year of his deal at Turf Moor; however, Dyche will need to fend off competition from Wolverhampton Wanderers, Crystal Palace, Leeds United, Leicester City and Middlesbrough to sign the Warrington-born ace, TEAMtalk understands.

Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy is not a target for Everton this window despite reports suggesting he could be brought in to provide competition for Jordan Pickford, as per The Liverpool Echo.

Everton are 'hopeful' they can finalise an agreement to land Southampton winger Kamaldeen Sulemana before the close of play in the market, as per The Guardian.

Wet conditions and alleged negligence of the ground staff were blamed for the first day of the fixture between Lahore Whites and Karachi Whites being called off at the LCCA ground

Umar Farooq02-Nov-2017With the Quaid-e-Azam trophy’s hectic schedule beginning to take a toll on the pitches, the Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) ground was unable to get the track ready in time for the seventh round of the premier national first-class championship. The venue, which is situated next to the Gaddafi Stadium, was set to host the match between Lahore Whites and Karachi Whites, but due to wet conditions and alleged negligence of the ground staff, the day’s play was called off without a ball being bowled.The LCCA formed a committee headed by former Test umpire Mian Aslam to inquire into the pitch controversy. The pitch, along with the field within the circle, was unplayable due to excessive dampness as it wasn’t handed over to the match officials before the toss. The groundsmen were seen rolling the pitch at the time of toss, and after various inspections, the ground remained unplayable before the day was called off.It doesn’t help that the city has been gripped by smog for the last four days, with the sun nowhere to be seen. Even so, another first-class game between Lahore Blues and Islamabad began on time at the Gaddafi Stadium, even though the contest was disrupted after the second session due to bad light. The game saw 59 overs bowled on the opening day, with Islamabad on 25 for 1, having dismissed Lahore Blues for 220.The LCCA administration, in its preliminary inquiry about the pitch, found the curator guilty of negligence, while PCB awaits the match referee Aziz ur Rehman’s report before taking any action. This is the second complaint about the venue this season after former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul- Haq had criticised the “underprepared pitch” and questioned the quality of pitches after the fourth round at LCCA.”I think it is seriously negligent to allow this state of affairs with the premier first-class tournament of the country,” Aslam told ESPNcricinfo. “I visited the ground in the later hours of the day and was surprised to see the match being called off due to wet conditions. The venue has been idle since October 24, and yet they are not able to prepare it on time. I am getting a lot of information at this stage which I cannot reveal, but what I can say at this stage is that it’s a serious blunder and someone has to take responsibility for it.”

To say that Liverpool have had a turbulent summer would be an understatement. The Reds started off well in the summer transfer window, welcoming both Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai to begin their much-needed midfield rebuild.

Since then, however, things have only gone downhill, as they missed out on key targets. Now, as the window edges closer and closer to closing, Jurgen Klopp and co have reportedly turned their attention to Feyenoord for options.

What's the latest Liverpool transfer news?

Of course, if you cast your mind back, after their strong start to the window, Liverpool said their goodbyes to both Fabinho and Jordan Henderson, as they duo swapped Merseyside for Saudi Arabia. Now, this wouldn't have been an issue if they had replacements instantly lined up.

That was far from the case, though, and with the Premier League season underway, the only incoming since Mac Allister and Szoboszlai has been Wataru Endo, following the rejection of both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, who chose Chelsea over Liverpool this summer.

On top of their midfield crisis, it could be argued that the Reds need another central defender this summer, given Joel Matip's injury combined with the fact that he has one year remaining on his current contract.

With that said, according to Football Transfers, Liverpool have turned to Feyenoord to solve both of their issues, with the Premier League giants reportedly in contact with both David Hancko and Mats Wieffer over potential summer switches.

Appearing on ESPN's Football Talk, Hans Kraay junior recently spoke about the potential deal for Hancko, in particular, saying, via Football Transfers: "Do all those Premier League clubs send half-blind scouts to the Netherlands? Hancko is worth £35/40 million for almost every team, isn't he?"

As things stand, Feyenoord are yet to set their price, but it certainly seems as though it would cost Liverpool a hefty fee as the transfer window comes to a close.

Should Liverpool sign Hancko and Wieffer?

Given their problems in both central defence and midfield, welcoming both Hancko and Wiffer could be an act of genius from Liverpool.

Hancko, a centre-back, is still only 25-years-old and should, therefore, be in the middle of his prime in the Netherlands. The Slovakian played a key part in Feyenoord's title-winning campaign last time out, even enjoying nine goal involvements from the back.

Meanwhile, Wieffer – a defensive midfielder by trade – is only 23-years-old, and played an equally impressive part in Feyenoord's title win last season, scoring three goals, whilst also assisting a further seven in all competitions.

Compared to recent Liverpool signing Endo last season, as per FBref, Wieffer made more progressive passes, more progressive carries, better pass completion, and made more blocks, interceptions, and tackles per 90. Any way that you look at it, Wieffer would be the option to strengthen Klopp's midfield.

Hancko is just as impressive, too, making more progressive passes, winning more tackles, and making fewer errors per 90 than Joel Matip last season.

If Liverpool do push ahead with deals for the Feyenoord duo, it would represent solid business.

David Warner survived being caught off no-ball on 99 before Steven Smith cemented Australia’s position in the evening session

The Report by Brydon Coverdale25-Dec-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsThere was a distinct hint of Christmas about Australia’s batting on the first day at the MCG this year: one large gift, a hectic morning, a post-lunch doze, and a second wind as the evening approached. On a day when David Warner scored his second consecutive century in Melbourne Tests, Australia went to stumps in a satisfactory position at 3 for 244, with Steven Smith on 65 and Shaun Marsh on 31. And yet, despite the scoreline, it was a day on which England’s toil deserved respect.Whatever presents Smith opened on Christmas Day were nothing compared to the gift of winning the toss – something he had not done in a Test since March – on a hot day at the MCG, where the pitch was so flat it looked like one curated for the BBL, not the Ashes. And during the first session, there was nothing in the pitch for England’s bowlers but despair as Warner raced towards 83 at lunch, with Australia at 0 for 102.But, as if made drowsy by tryptophan, the Australians slowed dramatically after the break. Only 43 runs were added between lunch and tea for the losses of Warner and Cameron Bancroft. If this pitch was a road, England’s bowlers had suddenly turned into sleeping policemen. And yet England still faced the challenge of dismissing Smith, which nobody has done in a Boxing Day Test since Umesh Yadav in 2014, and thus Australia accumulated a further 99 in the final session.From ecstasy to agony: Tom Curran’s first Test wicket will have to wait a while longer•ESPNcricinfo LtdThe most memorable moment of the day for the 88,000 spectators came when Warner was on 99 and tried his risky short-arm pull against the debutant seamer Tom Curran. As the ball ballooned off the top edge and straight to Stuart Broad at mid-on, Warner’s expression was one of disbelief at throwing away his 21st Test century. The disbelief quickly spread throughout the stadium as replays showed Curran had overstepped, and Warner was reprieved by a retrospective no-ball call.Curran was denied his maiden Test wicket – and by stumps still had not claimed it – and next ball Warner brought up his century from his 130th delivery with a single clipped off his hips. Curran joined Ben Stokes and Mark Wood as England players in recent years to have missed out on their first Test wicket due to a no-ball, but he bowled well throughout the day in unhelpful conditions.So, for the most part, did all of England’s bowlers, with the exception of Moeen Ali, who leaked nearly a run a ball from his six overs. That Joe Root used the part-time legspin of Dawid Malan more on the opening day of this Test than he did Moeen’s offbreaks was revealing, and not encouraging for Moeen’s hopes of retaining his place in the side.James Anderson took his 519th Test wicket, drawing level with Courtney Walsh, when Warner edged behind for 103 to a delivery that moved away just enough, and Stuart Broad ended a 69-over wicketless streak when he lured Usman Khawaja into an edge behind on 17 from 65 balls. Chris Woakes had struck the first blow when he trapped Bancroft lbw on 26, ending a difficult stay for the opener.The opening partnership was worth 122 but Warner accounted for nearly 100 of this himself, and Bancroft never really looked comfortable. In the opening session, he was often seen fending short deliveries awkwardly, as if having trouble picking up the length or pace. It was a stark contrast to the free scoring from Warner, who struck 13 fours and one six – lofted over long-on off Moeen.Likewise, Khawaja had difficulty in getting going, but by stumps the Australians had a strong 84-run partnership from Smith and Marsh that looked like setting up a good total. Along the way, Smith moved past Cheteshwar Pujara to become the leading run scorer in Test cricket in 2017, although South Africa’s Dean Elgar has a Test in hand against Zimbabwe in which he could yet make a push for the top of the table.Of course, England would also have to find a way to get Smith out, and there was no evidence that in that regard Melbourne would be any different from Brisbane or Perth. If winning the toss on this pitch was the perfect post-Christmas present for Australia’s captain, another hundred would be even better.

Nottingham Forest are set for a busy end of the transfer window, as Steve Cooper weighs up his options ahead of the eagerly anticipated drama of deadline day.

The Reds have already welcomed six new faces to the City Ground this summer, however, another target has emerged as the Tricky Trees eye further defensive reinforcements.

Who could Nottingham Forest sign this summer?

With two right-backs already recruited, revelations are pointing to the left side as a potential area for strengthening in the market.

Earlier in the month, the Reds were linked to Arsenal full-back Nuno Tavares by journalist Fabrizio Romano, relaying the club’s ‘formal proposal’ to sign the Portuguese talent.

The renowned journalist followed up by stating that the deal was ‘getting complicated’, adding that Forest could consider reopening talks to sign the 23-year-old.

With little clarity over the situation, an alternative seems to have arisen, with the Daily Mail naming Tottenham Hotspur defender Sergio Reguilon as being a player that the Reds have an interest in.

Signed by the Lilywhites in 2020 for a fee in the region of £28m, the 26-year-old is said to be one of the players the north Londoners may offload this summer.

What could Sergio Reguilon offer to Nottingham Forest?

Once described as being “one of the best” U23 left-backs in the world by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Reguilon’s expertise goes far beyond his adequate stint in north London.

A youth product of Real Madrid, the Spaniard could be a revelation signing for Forest, in a move that could give the 26-year-old a shot at redemption in England.

For Forest, links to the Spurs outsider could be encouraging with reference to their interest in Tavares, a player whom Reguilon was likened to statistically by FBref during the 2021/22 Premier League campaign.

The averages recorded by FBref show the similarities between the two Forest targets, with the Spurs whiz showing his defensive strengths in comparison to Tavares through an average of 1.88 tackles and 1.46 interceptions per 90.

The Arsenal full-back fell short to Reguilon in defensive areas, averaging 1.61 tackles and 0.69 interceptions per 90, however excelled in decimals such as progressive carries in which he averaged 3.60 to the Spaniard’s 2.96 per 90.

Cooper could sign a strong addition to the left side of his defence in either of the targets, with both players having the knowledge and expertise of the task it takes to succeed in the Premier League.

One area of both of the targets' respective games that is fundamental to being successful in the league is their ability to get forward and approach to progressive play.

As per FBref, Reguilon averaged an impressive 1.36 key passes per 90 for Spurs in the 2021/22 campaign, with his efforts in the final third also communicated by his two goals and three assists.

Tavares averaged 0.77 key passes per 90 for the Gunners and registered a single goal and assist for the north Londoners, suggesting that Reguilon may in fact be a strong fit for Cooper’s side considering his experience and suitability.

For either deal Forest wish to pursue, the Reds must act fast if they are to complete the signings ahead of the chaos on deadline day, in what is set to be a busy rest of the week at the City Ground.

The batsman is set to be rewarded for his consistent performances in domestic cricket while Soumya Sarkar and Liton Das, who underperformed in South Africa, might be dropped

Mohammad Isam06-Jan-2018Batsman Anamul Haque, who last played an ODI in the 2015 World Cup, is likely to be picked in Bangladesh’s squad for tri-series at home against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.BCB expands coaching staff in Mirpur camp

In the absence of a head coach, the BCB has recruited several coaches for the ongoing training camp, ahead of the tri-series, in Mirpur.
Richard Halsall, the assistant coach, is in charge of coaching the side while BCB director Khaled Mahmud has been given the role of technical director. In addition to bowling coaches Courtney Walsh and Sunil Joshi, Simon Helmot, the High Performance head coach, will assist the players as a batting consultant.
HP’s bowling coach Champaka Ramanayake is helping out the bowlers too. The coaching staff also includes Mario Villavarayan (strength and conditioning coach), Thihan Chandramohan (physio), Bayezidul Islam (physio) and Iftekharul Islam (trainer).
Three other BCB coaches are also part of the training camp, including Sohel Islam who is looking after the spinners.

The selection committee is likely to announce the squad on Sunday, but they are mulling whether to pick 14 or 15 members, with the selection of wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Mithun still in question.Anamul’s recent form bodes well for Bangladesh: he piled up 1077 first-class runs at 63.35 in 2017 with the highlight being a double-century against Dhaka division. He also hit 596 runs in 16 innings in the 50-over Dhaka Premier League before capping the year with 206 runs in eight BPL innings at a strike-rate of 128.75.However, top-order batsmen Liton Das and Soumya Sarkar and quick Taskin Ahmed, who underperformed in South Africa, could be left out.Mithun was not part of the ODI squad that toured South Africa, but he impressed for Rangpur Riders in the BPL. He ended the tournament as the second-highest scorer among locals with 329 runs at a strike-rate of 117.50. He had also performed well in the first-class and List-A competitions.Mustafizur Rahman, who had missed the ODIs in South Africa because of an ankle injury, is set to return to the side. Uncapped left-arm spinner Nazmul Islam might have to tussle with Sunzamul Islam for a place in the squad.Both had displayed similar form in List-A cricket in 2017, but Nazmul had a more productive BPL stint than Sunzamul, which might tilt the balance in his favour.Bangladesh’s likely ODI squad: Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan, Sabbir Rahman, Anamul Haque, Nasir Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rubel Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Nazmul Islam.

Everton boast a rich history littered with outstanding players, although in recent memory that kind of talent has been in short supply.

The last two full Premier League seasons have seen the Toffees embroiled in a couple of arduous relegation battles, somehow surviving despite the numerous obstacles that stood in their way.

Injuries, unrest, protests and pitch invasions, Goodison Park has played host to it all, and although Sean Dyche and Kevin Thelwell operated shrewdly on a shoestring budget, the summer of this year represented an important one both with regard to balancing the books and improving the squad despite losing some star men.

However, after just four league games they are still without a win, and face last year’s title challengers Arsenal upon the conclusion of the international break. Things do not get any easier.

Such continued misery around Merseyside will likely have fans harking back to better times, of Howard Kendall’s magical managerial era, and even as recently as Roberto Martinez’s first term following David Moyes’ departure.

The Spaniard’s enthralling style of football has underpinned one of the younger generation’s only real memories of success, as they soared to a fifth-place finish, arguably deserving more, and would impress in the Europa League the following campaign.

What made his tenure so special was that they did so with an exciting brand of football that, whilst it often left them lacking at the back, was always a fun watch.

Although Dyche is supposed to offer a more pragmatic, results-driven philosophy, there are flashes of the attacking brilliance, particularly in Dwight McNeil, who could have been a mainstay at Everton in 2013.

How many goals has McNeil scored for Everton?

Having been signed by Frank Lampard in a £20m deal, McNeil had flattered to deceive during his time in Lancashire, but remains vastly experienced in the top flight for someone so young.

After all, the 23-year-old boasts 171 Premier League appearances already, and yet his best goalscoring season before joining came in 2019, with just three strikes.

Few wondered what he was expected to offer when it was Neal Maupay he was tasked with supplying, but it seems that the trickster grew into a role that demanded more of an attacking impetus, breaking numerous personal records during his first year at Goodison Park.

His seven goals and three assists made him the Toffees’ top scorer in the league last term, and as such he also maintained an admirable 7.06 average rating. Such a fine figure was further upheld by his 1.4 key passes, 1.8 tackles and 1.5 successful dribbles per game, via Sofascore.

Drifting from the right onto his lethal left foot, it proved a clinical and consistent area of success for an otherwise unreliable side that needed someone to step up and take charge in their hour of need.

Dwight McNeil

7

Abdoulaye Doucoure

5

Demarai Gray

4

Anthony Gordon

3

Alex Iwobi

2

All stats via Transfermarkt.

After all, the 34 goals they scored in the league that term was the second-lowest in the division, having also started the current campaign without a goal in their opening three fixtures.

His exploits will seldom be forgotten in a hurry, and the hope will be that he can continue to grow as the squad evolves around him. Especially given how his stock has risen across the last year, with pundit Clinton Morrison seeking to praise him on Sky Sports’ Gillette Soccer Saturday: “He’s an elegant footballer," he began.

“He likes to get half a yard and whip balls into the box but when you get into those positions, he should definitely be scoring more goals. Hopefully, this goal will give him confidence moving forward because the strike was magnificent."

That plea to see him find the net with more regularity might seem harsh given McNeil has just enjoyed his best-ever term in front of goal, but with the stars of the past that the Merseyside club has enjoyed over the years, it is understandable to expect more.

One such example hailed from that aforementioned Martinez side that drew so many plaudits, and could thrive in their current system; Kevin Mirallas.

How good was Kevin Mirallas at Everton?

Mirallas was one of the outstanding assets from not just that period, but both before and after such was his consistency, varied skillset and longevity.

The 60-cap Belgian joined from Olympiacos in 2012 under Moyes, and would enjoy seven impressive years in England before to his homeland in 2019.

He would oversee five different permanent managers in the Goodison Park dugout, with the peak of his powers certainly coming under Martinez’s tutelage.

His performances throughout the 2013/14 season help to support this notion, as he scored eight and assisted nine in the league alone. Reporter Adam Lefkoe would even write on Twitter that he was an "animal."

Given the attacker would make 186 total appearances for the club, scoring 38 and assisting 35, it might be a stretch to suggest he is a legend, but completely fair to brand him a cult hero.

This suggestion comes despite the winger consistently being linked with an exit that never came, as he sought to reassure fans with an interview in 2015: “I have always been proud to wear this shirt at Everton.

“At the start of the season I was very happy with my form. I had come back from injury and started the season really, really well and people speaking about me wanting to leave has never come from me.

“When you have a good start to the season and you are playing well, people are maybe showing a bit of an interest in you.

“But the supporters can rest assured that it never came from me and I never said I wanted to leave."

His love for the Toffees was well-documented, with his dynamism and trademark directness proving a thorn in the side of most defences he faced. Given McNeil boasts a wildly differing profile, it could be argued that he is not nearly as impactful.

The hope will be that a full season under Dyche’s leadership once more could help propel the youngster’s figures to the aforementioned heights that Mirallas reached.

However, with the struggles that they have endured when it comes to finding the net, were they blessed with such an outstanding goalscoring winger now, the 52-year-old manager would see the bulk of his prayers answered.