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Everton could secure a significant upgrade on Alex Iwobi after being linked with a move for Dinamo Moscow midfielder Arsen Zakharyan ahead of the upcoming January transfer window.

What’s the story?

According to TEAMtalk, the Toffees are one of a number of clubs across the continent tracking the highly-rated 18-year-old ahead of a potential move.

The report lists Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, Ajax, PSV Eindhoven, Atalanta, Roma and Inter Milan amongst Zakharyan’s potential suitors, while multiple Premier League clubs are also in pursuit.

English champions Manchester City and European champions Chelsea are believed to be at the front of the queue for the teenagers signature, with Brighton, Brentford and Leicester City joining Everton in compiling impressive reports on the starlet.

Bye-Bye Alex Iwobi

After making his first-team debut for Dinamo in 2020, Zakharyan has quickly established himself as one of the most exciting talents to come out of his homeland in many years.

In just 13 Premier Liga appearances last season, the creative talent scored three goals and provided a further five assists, earning a call up to Russia’s senior set up before going on to feature in four World Cup qualification fixtures.

And Zakharyan has taken his game to new heights in the opening weeks of the current campaign.

The youngster was described as having “exciting potential” by journalist Ben Bocsak, and it’s easy to understand why.

Zakharyan has already notched up two strikes and a whopping seven assists in 14 appearances for the capital club, playing a pivotal part in their rise to third place in the top-flight table.

It’s no surprise then, that the £8.1m-rated prodigy has caught the eye of so many European heavyweights, but it’s arguably Everton who need his inventiveness and eye for a pass most.

Former Arsenal academy graduate Iwobi has struggled to make his mark on the Merseyside outfit since his big-money move back in the summer of 2019, providing just 11 goal contributions in 76 outings for the Blues.

As a result, the Nigeria international has often fallen way below the standard expected at Everton, and the club’s hierarchy could secure a big upgrade on the 25-year-old by sanctioning a move for Zakharyan over the coming months.

And, in other news…Signed for £1.5m, now worth £40.5m: EFC struck gold over “dangerous” £72k-p/w beast

Despite gathering a rather mixed bag of results in the Championship so far this season with nine wins, five draws and three defeats, West Brom are still very much in the race for a promotion place back to the Premier League next season with Valerien Ismael’s side currently sitting in third place in the league table with 32 points on the board.

One player that has played a significant part in their campaign is full-back Conor Townsend, who has played more minutes than any other Baggies player so far this season, whilst playing as a left-back, left-midfielder and centre-back at times this season, highlighting just how critical he is for the team.

Since joining the Midlands club from Scunthorpe United back in the 2018 summer transfer window in a deal worth a reported fee of around £750k, the 28-year-old, who is currently valued at £1.8m according to Transfermarkt, has made 92 appearances for the Baggies across all competitions, scoring one goal and providing seven assists in the process.

Taking into account Townsend’s importance to the team right now and the fact that his current contract isn’t set to expire until 2024, it’s safe to say his place in the team may not be in danger at this moment in time, although, looking ahead to the future, the Midlands club could already have their ideal long-term replacement for the Englishman with 19-year-old left-back Zac Ashworth.

As a product of West Brom’s youth academy, Ashworth has made 29 appearances for their U18 side, bagging three goals and providing two assists in the process, as well as making 12 appearances for their U23 side.

So far this season, Ashworth has been used in numerous positions across the pitch for the U23 side such as left-back, centre-back, left-midfield and defensive-midfield, showing how versatile he is at such a young age and why U18 manager Peter Gilbert previously praised the teenager for having “excellent” knowledge and understanding of the game.

That suggests that he has the right mindset and ability to become a useful figure in the senior team in the future if afforded the chance and also demonstrates why he’d be Townsend’s natural heir, given he is also adept in more offensive roles too.

While the defender may not be close to replacing West Brom’s current left-back in the senior side at the moment, the fact that defenders Dara O’Shea and Kean Bryan are both out with serious injuries means there’s every possibility that Ismael could well give Ashworth his first shot to impress in the first team before too long.

In other news: 60% duels won: WBA’s “dangerous” £18k-p/w beast proved he can be Ismael’s main man – opinion

Eddie Howe is reportedly targeting a move for Kieran Trippier for Newcastle United in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Good relationship

Howe and Trippier both have a good relationship dating back to their time at Burnley. Howe once claimed that the now Atletico Madrid right-back is ‘one of the best crossers of the ball’ that he has ever worked with (The Bournemouth Echo), while Trippier thinks that Howe is a ‘great manager’ and has expressed his admiration for helping him personally (The Burnley Express).

Thus, it is no surprise that the Englishman has now been linked with working with Trippier again, and given the finances that the St. James’ Park faithful have to offer, it is a deal that one could certainly see happening in January.

The Latest: Trippier targeted

As per The Daily Mirror, Howe is now targeting a January move for Trippier, as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) Public Investment Fund (PIF) believe that they can tempt him back to the Premier League as they line up a potential deal.

Howe wants the England international to help him in the North East club’s relegation battle, and is reportedly trying to bolster his squad with ‘leaders’ and ‘big personalities’.

Manchester United could still revive their past interest in Trippier, of whom is currently rated at £30m, and he has made no secret of his desire to return to the top flight one day.

The Verdict: No-brainer

Bringing Trippier back to the division to reunite with Howe would certainly be a no-brainer as far as the Tyneside outfit is concerned.

At 31 years of age, he now has plenty of experience of playing at the highest level, and would add an extra winning mentality to the side after winning La Liga with Atletico last season ahead of the likes of Real Madrid and FC Barcelona.

Described as a ‘top talent’ by former Premier League player Paddy Kenny, he would also offer more to the team on the pitch, especially from an offensive point of view.

Trippier has averaged more crosses, long balls and a higher pass success than Emil Krafth, Jacob Murphy and Javier Manquillo in their respective domestic leagues so far this campaign (WhoScored), and so there should be no time wasted in bringing him in.

In other news, find out which ‘really crazy’ beast NUFC have joined the race to sign here!

Everton will be hoping to end a five-game winless run when they take on Brentford in their Premier League clash this afternoon.

The Toffees were hapless in their 3-0 defeat at the hands of reigning champions Manchester City last time out, failing to land a glove on Pep Guardiola’s charges throughout the 90 minutes. In fact, Everton managed just 23% possession, one shot on target and one corner in that game as City strolled to a comfortable three points.

Rafarl Benitez will point to his extensive injury list as a major factor in his team’s drop-off in form and performance levels in recent weeks, and things only got worse at the Etihad Stadium.

Winger Demarai Gray was forced off in the 17th minute after picking up a problem with his abductor muscle, paving the way for Alex Iwobi to make his 10th top-flight appearance of the season.

However, the Nigeria international was unable to influence proceedings once more against the Cityzens, putting in another disappointing display. Following his arrival off the bench, the 25-year-old had just 37 touches of the ball – seven fewer than Jordan Pickford – and failed to produce a single shot or key pass, as per SofaScore.

Since arriving on Merseyside for a whopping £34m back in 2019, Iwobi has found the back of the net on just six occasions in his 76 appearances, a record which has often frustrated numerous Everton supporters.

Therefore, Benitez must make the brave decision to keep faith with 20-year-old Anthony Gordon over the more experienced Iwobi.

Although the Everton academy graduate is yet to provide a single goal or assist this term, his performances have been improving of late, and Benitez has been full of praise for the hard-working winger.

The Spaniard described Gordon as an “important player for Everton in the future” just last week, but in the current circumstances, the £4.5m-rated gem could be crucial for the Toffees in the present day.

In other news… Imagine him and DCL: Everton could seal dream transfer in “complete” £70m “machine” 

Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst is set for his fourth game in charge of the club this weekend following his arrival at Ibrox last month.

The Dutchman has won all three of his matches since making the move, with wins over Livingston and Hibernian in the Premiership and three points against Sparta Prague in the Europa League.

They beat Hibs 1-0 last time out, with the 46-year-old bringing Kemar Roofe off the bench to score the winner from the spot.

How many changes will he make for the game against Dundee today? Here is our predicted XI…

We are predicting that he will make three alterations from midweek, with Kemar Roofe, John Lundstram and Fashion Sakala all coming in.

After a clean sheet against Hibs on Wednesday, the back four and goalkeeper could stay the same in order to build some momentum at the back. They functioned well as a unit as they limited the opposition to four shots (just one on target) in the entire match, suggesting that they all deserve to start again this weekend.

In midfield, we are predicting a change to the holding two in front of the defence. We published an article explaining why £13k-per-week dud Steven Davis should be axed from the XI due to the nature of his display against Hibs, but who could replace him? Van Bronckhorst may decide to start Lundstram in the middle of the park, as he could offer strength and accurate passing.

This season, the ex-Sheffield United midfielder has won 56% of his duels and completed 90% of his attempted passes in the Premiership. He could be a reliable option to call upon alongside Kamara, giving Davis the chance to rest and ensure that he is back to his best when he is next needed to start.

Out wide, Sakala could be offered a start. He did not feature against Hibs but has scored eight goals in his last seven appearances for club and country, with his most recent strike coming in the 3-1 win over Livingston in the league. After sitting on the bench on Wednesday, he could be fresh and ready to inject some energy into the side.

Finally, Roofe could lead the line for the Gers. We published an article explaining why he deserves an opportunity to start over Morelos, with the ex-Leeds marksman in fine goalscoring form this season. He has six goals in six Premiership starts and could win the game for Van Bronckhorst with his effectiveness in the penalty area.

AND in other news, “We understand”: Journalist drops major Rangers transfer update which will leave fans fuming…

Celtic have made contact with Jeando Fuchs regarding a deal to bring the 24-year-old to Parkhead.

What’s the talk?

In a recent interview with French media outlet Foot Mercato, the Dundee United midfielder revealed that he is considering his options before making a concrete decision on his future at Tannadice, with the Cameroon international’s contract at the Premiership side set to expire at the end of the season.

Fuchs went on to claim that a number of clubs have already made contact with him regarding a potential switch next summer, including the likes of Celtic, Rangers, VfB Stuttgart, a plethora of EFL clubs and an unnamed Premier League side.

Regarding the interest in his services, the midfielder said: “I am at the end of my contract in May. I’m waiting to see something concrete and see if I have a choice to make at that time. I am not in a hurry.

“There has been contact with Blackpool, Peterborough and Wigan. Stuttgart have taken information since the summer. There has been contact from Celtic and Rangers as well, but nothing more. A Premier League club as well. England would be good.”

Disaster

While there are undeniable traits in Fuchs’ game that would suggest the defensively-minded midfielder is a very decent player in the middle of the park, whether or not the 24-year-old is up to the standard required to be a starter for Celtic is another matter altogether.

Indeed, over his 15 Premiership appearances so far this season, the £720k-rated man has made an average of two interceptions – the joint-highest in the league – 2.3 tackles – the joint eighth-most in the division – and won an impressive 5.8 duels per game.

However, the £3.1k-per-week midfielder’s passing – something that is an incredibly important factor in the way Ange Postecoglou likes his side to play – leaves a lot to be desired, with Fuchs completing a mere 20.9 passes – with a success rate of just 71% – per fixture.

It is more than likely this shortcoming that has contributed to the former Deportivo Alaves player averaging a disappointing SofaScore match rating of 6.74, ranking him as Thomas Courts’ 13th-best performer in the top flight of Scottish football.

As such, considering the options that Celtic currently have in his position, such as Ismaila Soro, Nir Bitton, Liam Shaw and James McCarthy, it would very much appear as if signing the man who the Dundee United boss dubbed a “top player” would be something of a disaster for Postecoglou, as the Cameroonian would not seem to be much of an upgrade – if any – on the current crop at Parkhead.

In other news: Ange can save millions with “Roy of the Rovers” who’s got a “big future at Celtic”

Newcastle United target Boubacar Kamara intends to leave Marseille on a free transfer, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein. 

The lowdown

The Tyneside club tried to sign the 22-year-old on transfer deadline day in August but he rejected both them and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Circumstances are now significantly different at St James’ Park, though, with the takeover complete and Eddie Howe installed as Steve Bruce’s replacement.

Kamara’s £46,000-per-week contract at the Stade Velodrome is due to expire at the end of the season, which means he would be able to agree a summer move to a foreign club from January 1.

The latest

As per The Athletic, Marseille have recently tried to persuade Kamara to commit to a new deal, but it has been deemed ‘too late’. The Ligue 1 outfit could make one final push to keep him at the club, but it seems that the player himself has already decided not to agree a new contract and is set to leave as a free agent next June.

‘Lines of communication’ remain open with Newcastle, but he is also attracting interest from elsewhere in the Premier League, with Manchester United reportedly keeping tabs. Bayern Munich and Barcelona are in the frame as well, so the competition is pretty daunting for the Magpies.

The verdict

It will be interesting to see whether Newcastle pursue a cut-price January deal or seek to line up a summer move for Kamara.

The Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson reported that players in the final six months of their contracts would be prime targets for PIF in the winter.

Hailed as a ‘phenomenon’ by former team-mate Rolando, the 22-year-old would be a real statement signing for the new ownership at St James’ Park given the calibre of the competition and his immense potential. Indeed, Ornstein wrote that the defensive midfielder is regarded as one of the best emerging talents in his position in world football.

That position isn’t fixed, either – he can also play as a centre-back and on the right, further enhancing his appeal to Newcastle after Bruce’s unsuccessful attempts to bring him to the club earlier this year.

In other news, Newcastle are also eyeing this Premier League ace

Cameron Carter-Vickers has said that ‘discussions are to be had’ with Celtic at the end of the season as he considers his future. 

The lowdown

Celtic signed the American on a season-long loan from Tottenham Hotspur during the summer transfer window. The deal included an option to buy for just shy of £6m but, according to the Daily Record, the fee would exceed £10m once add-ons are applied.

The Hoops have never paid an eight-figure transfer fee, with £9.27m recruit Odsonne Edouard still their record signing.

Carter-Vickers has been heavily involved since he made the move to Glasgow, starting 13 out of a possible 14 Premiership games as well as five Europa League group stage matches.

The latest

Carter-Vickers has said that he is ‘enjoying’ life at Celtic but insisted that he’s yet to make up his mind on where he wants to be long-term. The American also pointed out that parent club Spurs would have a significant say on where will be playing next season.

“I am enjoying playing out there,” he said on talkSPORT, as quoted by Glasgow Evening Times. “It is all going well.

“I think it is a little bit too early to say. It is not purely down to me as well. Obviously, discussions are to be had at the end of the season.”

The verdict

It would feel like a significant boost if Celtic were able to land Carter-Vickers on a permanent deal. With an average WhoScored rating of 7.43/10, he has been one of their top five performers this season.

He has also been showered with his praise by none other than Kenny Dalglish, who called him an ‘excellent professional’ who boasts an ‘exemplary’ attitude.

The £10m fee would be a huge commitment, but his £22,000-per-week wages should be affordable at least. Hopefully club and player can persuade Tottenham that a permanent move to Glasgow would be the best thing for him.

In other news, read the latest on Reo Hatate

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly now ‘in the lead’ to sign Franck Kessie from AC Milan.

The Lowdown: Stock rising

Kessie’s stock is certainly rising and his market value has never been higher than the £49.5m that it is now (Transfermarkt).

He has become such a key player for an AC Milan team that has shot to second place in the Serie A table just behind rivals Inter, chipping in with five goals from midfield.

His performances have earned lavish praise from manager Stefano Pioli, who even went as far as to claim that he is a ‘sumptuous’ footballer earlier this term.

The Latest: Tottenham lead

As per Calciomercato, Spurs are now ‘in the lead’ in the race for his signature, although face competition from PSG.

Crucially, he is out of contract at the end of the season, and with no renewal at the San Siro yet, Milan risk losing him on a free transfer in the summer if they do not cash in next month.

The Verdict: No-brainer

At 25 years of age, Kessie is only going to get better, and so it is a no-brainer for Antonio Conte’s team to snap him up now, especially with the fact that they could get a bargain due to his contract situation.

Likened by Milan legend Antonio Cassano to former Manchester City powerhouse Yaya Toure, whose six-foot-two frame helped him dominate Premier League midfield battles, as he was able to three top-flight titles, Kessie also has the potential to be a rock in the North London club’s midfield for years to come.

He offers far more of a threat than the likes of Harry Winks, Oliver Skipp and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from the middle of the park at the moment, averaging more shots (1.1) and key passes (1.1) per game in their respective domestic leagues so far this campaign (WhoScored), and should fit into the side straight away.

In other news, find out which ‘undefendable’ beast Conte is now keen on here!

With David Moyes’ West Ham United side heading into Saturday’s Premier League clash with Crystal Palace off the back of a highly impressive 4-1 win at Watford last time out, the Hammers boss will have undoubtedly been hoping for more of the same at Selhurst Park this evening.

Despite two late goals from Odsonne Edouard and Michael Olise, West Ham just about managed to cling on to all three points against their London rivals, as first-half strikes from Michail Antonio and a brace from Manuel Lanzini were enough to secure a 3-2 win in south London.

However, despite the victory, Moyes’ men simply should not have allowed Palace back into the game, with both Craig Dawson and Issa Diop once again turning in lacklustre displays in the heart of the West Ham backline.

With the January transfer window now open, and with the latter of this defensive duo being linked with a move away from the London Stadium this winter, considering his poor performance at Palace, the former France under-21 international could well have just played his last match for West Ham.

Lost 66% duels

Indeed, over his 90 minutes on the pitch on Saturday, the 24-year-old was not only at fault for both of Palace’s goals, but his metrics were also poor. The £10.8m-rated man enjoying a mere 24 touches of the ball – 13 fewer than Lukasz Fabianski between the West Ham sticks – completing just 13 of his 18 attempted passes and losing possession of the ball on five separate occasions.

The £61k-per-week defender also won just two of his six duels – a failure rate of 66% – conceded two fouls and found his man with just one of his four attempted long balls, with these returns seeing the Frenchman earn a disappointing SofaScore match rating of just 6.4 – the worst of any West Ham starter on the day.

Football.London journalist Tom Clarke also gave Diop a five in his own player ratings, as well as commenting of the centre-back’s performance: “Made some important blocks but was at fault for both Crystal Palace goals and his place could come under pressure if the Hammers bring in another defender during the transfer window.”

As such, with Diop having not previously grabbed the opportunity handed to him in the Hammers’ starting XI during the absence of the stricken Angelo Ogbonna and Kurt Zouma, the 24-year-old’s display against Palace will have done little to convince Moyes that Diop is indeed good enough for the Hammers – something which could see the defender on his way out of the club this month.

In other news: ExWHUemployee drops fresh West Ham transfer update that will have fans buzzing