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Everton endured a frustratingly quiet month in the January transfer window, as they failed to complete a single first-team signing to bolster the squad.

The Toffees, who are currently 18th in the Premier League and facing the real possibility of relegation to the Championship, did not secure any reinforcements outside of recalling 22-year-old striker Ellis Simms from his loan spell with Sunderland in the second tier.

This means that Sean Dyche will need to do his best to get more out of the current crop of players in the squad, whose performances under Frank Lampard have left the club in such a perilous position in the table.

Everton have not always been disappointing in the transfer market over the years, and their former manager David Moyes – now of West Ham United – was able to pick up some gems over the years during his time at Goodison Park.

One player with whom the Scot played a blinder was attacking midfielder Steven Naismith, who ended up being a terrific signing for the club.

How did Steven Naismith get on at Everton?

The now-59-year-old swooped to snap up the Scotland international on a free transfer from Glasgow Rangers in 2012 and hailed him at the time of the move, saying of Naismith: “He will be an excellent addition to the players we already have and we look forward to him being fit and ready to play at the start of the season.

“He is an established international who can play in a number of positions. He has a flexibility we always like in our players and which will hopefully prove to be very useful for us.”

The forward had scored 33 goals in 132 matches for the Scottish giants prior to his move to Goodison Park and was able to continue his trend of chipping in with goals from a number ten, or second striker, position on Merseyside.

Naismith, who was once dubbed a “nuisance” to defenders by former Rangers boss Ally McCoist, scored four goals in 31 Premier League appearances during his debut campaign with Everton before bursting into life in the 2013/14 season.

The Scottish marksman plundered 39 matches in 2014/15.

In total, the Scotsman produced 38 goals and assists in 123 matches for Everton, and these statistics show that he was an excellent option for the club over the course of several seasons, chipping in with goal contributions on a semi-regular basis.

His form for the Toffees also convinced fellow Premier League side Norwich City to splash out a whopping £8.5m to sign him in January 2016, which meant that the Merseyside club made a gigantic profit on the attacker after getting three-and-a-half years of great service.

Therefore, despite leaving Goodison Park in 2013, Moyes played a blinder from both a financial and footballing perspective by moving to sign the goalscoring talent from Rangers a year previously.

Fabrizio Romano has insisted that Chelsea tried to sign Sofyan Amrabat on loan in January.

The Lowdown: Todd Boehly not holding back

Chelsea were indeed the most active and lavish spenders during the January transfer window bringing in six players including Enzo Fernandez who cost them a British transfer record fee.

Graham Potter has only been in the job a few months but has seemingly got the trust of Chelsea’s new owners as they wouldn’t have handed him so much money to spend on players if they didn’t see him as the long-term answer to their woes.

The Blues moved in the market for high-profile players such as Fernandez, Mykhailo Mudryk and Joao Felix but that seemingly wasn’t enough as they also wanted Morocco’s World Cup star Amrabat.

The Latest: Amrabat was of interest

As the deadline loomed large on Tuesday evening, Chelsea enquired about a loan bid and even held discussions with Fiorentina over Amrabat as Romano revealed on his YouTube channel.

He said: (3:15) “We know Enzo was the big deal of deadline day but Chelsea also had a discussion with Fiorentina for Sofyan Amrabat. Yes, there was an exchange of information because Chelsea never made an official bid for Amrabat but they were asking Fiorentina for a potential loan deal for Sofyan Amrabat.”

The Verdict: Chelsea not here to mess about

When Todd Boehly took over from Roman Abramovich, many may well have questioned if Chelsea would be the same heavy spending side as they had been under the Russian owner, well those questions have been answered and then some.

Boehly has already splashed out over £500 million on transfers alone since he bought the club last year and with that amount of spending comes pressure on the manager, so Potter will know he can’t have Chelsea languishing in mid-table for much longer.

Despite having a squad littered with international calibre players, Chelsea have left themselves an uphill battle to finish in the top four as they’re chasing both Manchester United and Newcastle United who are 10 points ahead of them with just 18 games left to play in the league and if they don’t finish in the top four, some may ask if Amrabat was the missing piece Potter needed.

Tottenham Hotspur could make a move for Wolverhampton Wanderers star Max Kilman…

That’s according to CBS Sports reporter Ben Jacobs, who speaking on Last Word on Spurs show, claimed that “Kilman has been firmly on Tottenham’s radar.”

It remains to be seen how much the 25-year-old would command at the end of the season, though The Athletic’s Tim Spiers has previously suggested:

“In terms of value, you’ve got to be looking at £20-30 million, based on the value of players who have left the club or nearly left the club in recent years. That’s how good he is.”

Kilman is “generational”

Kilman is hardly the flashy name that the Lilywhites faithful will want to be linked with, particularly with the likes of Alessandro Bastoni and Josko Gvardiol mentioned in recent times but he would still be a more than solid signing for sporting director Fabio Paratici to make.

Last season, the Englishman was one of the Old Gold’s standout players, ranking third for average WhoScored rating in the squad and such form led the aforementioned Spiers to dub him as “exceptional” before also suggesting that he was “heading towards the Neves/Jimenez/Neto bracket of players you’d fear Wolves could lose.”

The £29k-per-week gem has continued his fine form into the current campaign as no other outfield player has racked up more minutes on the pitch for Wolves in the Premier League this term, so he’s clearly trusted by new manager Julen Lopetegui.

It’s easy to see why he might be as Kilman seems to be a pretty all-rounded colossus, having averaged the most clearances (4.3) per game, the second-most aerials won (2.1) per game and a respectable 82.8% passing accuracy, via WhoScored.

Standing at a whopping 6 foot 4, the Wolves centre-back was once described as being “streets ahead” of current England international Harry Maguire by Molineux legend Dave Edwards, whilst journalist Nathan Judah has hailed him as “a generational talent” who is “Wolves’ present and future.”

As a natural left-footer, Kilman could well be the answer to Spurs’ soon-to-be big problem as Clement Lenglet should return to FC Barcelona following his loan spell and that’ll leave Conte with no natural left-footed centre-backs.

Paratici could, therefore, secure an outstanding signing in Kilman – given the evidence above – should he follow up on the club’s interest in him in 2023.

AND in other news, Paratici could repeat his Sarr masterstroke at Spurs by signing “magic” £13m prodigy…

West Ham United have now made an official bid for Sevilla forward Youssef En-Nesyri on a loan with obligation to buy deal.

The Lowdown: Moyes eyeing En-Nesyri

West Ham’s interest in En-Nesyri dates back to the January transfer window of 2021, making a formal bid of an initial £22.5m for the forward, but this proved to not be enough to tempt Sevilla into a sale.

David Moyes is a keen admirer of the Moroccan, describing him as an ‘incredible good runner’ in an article for the Times during the World Cup, and he has now come back to the table with another offer.

The Latest: Bid made…

According to a report from The Daily Mail, the Hammers want the 25-year-old on loan for the rest of the season, with an obligation to buy him for £25m in the summer.

However, Sevilla are believed to be holding out for a fee in the region of £35m, so there is still some way to go in the negotiations between the two clubs.

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The Verdict: Get it done?

Moyes will be hoping that Gianluca Scamacca has now found his feet in the Premier League, after scoring in the last match against Leeds United, however another attacking reinforcement would be helpful, given that the Italian and Michail Antonio have scored just five between them this season.

En-Nesyri has a fantastic scoring record for national side Morocco, netting 17 in 57 caps for his country, including two at the World Cup, one of which coming in the form of a remarkable headed goal against Portugal in the quarter-final.

However, the 6 foot 2 marksman is not only strong in the air, but he is also good with the ball at his feet, being lauded as ‘skilful’ by Kevin Campbell on the Highbury Squad Podcast. (via TransferMarketWeb)

Both dominant on the air and comfortable in possession, the forward would be a fantastic signing, capable of playing a big part in turning around the Hammers’ poor form.

Football Insider reporter Pete O’Rourke has shared an update regarding Aston Villa’s interest in Villarreal forward Nicolas Jackson.

The Lowdown: Jackson interest

NSWE have promised Unai Emery a ‘huge’ 2023 transfer budget, with a new forward seemingly on the Spaniard’s wishlist.

Reports claimed that Emery has ‘instructed his new club to move quickly and try to sign’ Jackson, with the Senegal international featuring on 27 occasions under the now Villa boss for Villarreal.

Premier League rivals Newcastle United also appear to be keen on the centre-forward who can also play out wide, and a further update has emerged.

The Latest: Transfer update

O’Rourke shared the news on Jackson in the last 24 hours, revealing that Villarreal are demanding that Villa activate Jackson’s £30m release clause if they are to sell over the coming weeks.

Emery is leading Villa’s pursuit of the attacker and the Midlands club still hope to seal a deal under that figure.

The Verdict: Get it done

Jackson has progressed through Villarreal’s youth system and Emery was the man to give him a chance at first team level. The Villa boss still seems to be a big admirer of the player, who would provide a versatile option in the final third at Villa Park.

The January window could also be the best time for NSWE to make their move due to his growing reputation and current release clause, so it may be wise to look to finalise a transfer relatively quickly.

Bayern Munich chiefs are ‘working’ on a potentially ‘massive deal’ for Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Kane back in form…

Following a briefly regrettable spell out of form under former Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santo this time last year, the 29-year-old has certainly returned to his best.

Antonio Conte’s reign has lead to Kane rediscovering the very best of his ability in a sole striking role, having racked up 12 goals in just 15 Premier League starts this season (WhoScored).

The England captain, who is currently at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, is unsurprisingly attracting interest, with his Spurs contract set to expire in 2024.

The Latest: Bayern ‘working’ on Kane move…

According to reports out of Germany, it appears that Bayern are still very much in the running for Kane.

Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg claims that the Bundesliga side are ‘still working’ on a move ‘in the background’ as they eye a potentially ‘massive deal’ to bring him to Bavaria.

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However, in a possible boost for Tottenham supporters, chiefs at Bayern are ‘skeptical’ as to whether they can pull off what would be a huge agreement worth between €80m and €100m (£69m-£86.1m).

It’s added that Kane has made no decision on his future yet but will do after the World Cup.

The Verdict: Crunch time…

Kane has made no secret of his desire to win trophies and Bayern could provide the perfect platform to clinch major silverware at the back end of a stunning career.

This will undoubtedly be a temptation for the Tottenham striker, especially if he allows his contract to run down, which could force chairman Daniel Levy into making a tough decision.

West Bromwich Albion have been a club that have shown a willingness to utilise the young talent available to them, of which they have produced plenty in recent years.

With Carlos Corberan likely to uphold this value, outlined in his continued use of Taylor Gardner-Hickman, it bodes well for the young Baggies in the academy.

The former Huddersfield Town head coach will have had a say in the recent decision to hand Harry Whitwell his first professional contract too, who will likely look to the aforementioned star as the one to follow.

He stands as proof that there is a clear pathway for academy players to make the breakthrough into the first team, and now this 17-year-old will look to do exactly that.

It could mark the perfect excuse to ditch the ageing Jake Livermore, in favour of a midfielder who is noted as “exciting” and “energetic” in Lewis Cox’s relaying of the new deal.

The 33-year-old is performing admirably for his age, with a 6.70 average SofaScore rating denoting hardly worrying form, but with an academy that has already produced a number of their current starting squad, they should soon look to dip into it once more as he comes to the twilight of his career.

Academy boss Richard Stevens was the first to praise him in the report, detailing that “For a young lad who has just turned 17, he has shown he has the capability of playing regularly in the PL2 team. This shows how highly we rate Harry…”.

The U23s coach Richard Beale would also note:

“He’s going from strength to strength, Harry. He’s had a fantastic year. He’s already trained in the first team under the new manager, he has had several sessions with the first team this season.”

This exposure to Corberan’s methods will already give him a huge advantage in breaking into the senior squad, whilst his inclusion is indicative of how highly thought of he is at the club despite having only featured 14 times for the under-18s and nine times for the under-21s.

Regardless, the future is clearly bright for this young starlet who appears as the new shining light of the West Brom academy.

West Ham United are reportedly one of the clubs interested in securing a deal for Atalanta midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi. 

The Lowdown: West Ham’s recent transfer business

The summer transfer window saw the Hammers sign a host of new players from clubs across Europe for significant sums of money.

The east London club splashed the cash to sign the likes of Lucas Paqueta, Gianluca Scamacca and Nayef Aguerd, among others, to strengthen David Moyes’ squad.

Despite being nearly two months away from the start of the January transfer window, it appears that West Ham already have one potential recruit on their radar.

The Latest: Big interest in Malinovskyi

According to a recent report from Calciomercato, the Irons are one of the clubs who are looking to sign Malinovskyi.

The report adds that fellow Premier League sides Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest are also interested in signing the Ukrainian, along with Ligue 1 giants Marseille.

The Verdict: Ideal target for West Ham

Across 351 club appearances, the 29-year-old has 74 goals and 67 assists to his name, highlighting his attacking prowess.

Despite being hailed as an “extraordinary” player by his manager Gian Piero Gasperini, though, Malinovskyi has only started four of his 12 Serie A appearances this season. This could make a move to play in the Premier League for a club like West Ham a rather tempting prospect for the Ukrainian if he believes he would get more regular playing time.

Across those 12 league appearances this term, the midfielder has racked up the second-highest number of passes into the final third of the pitch (30) at Atalanta, along with having the second-highest rate of shots at goal per 90 minutes (2.79).

Bearing in mind how no fewer than 10 clubs in the Premier League have made more passes into the final third of the pitch than West Ham (404) in the current campaign, this showcases how Malinovskyi could be just what Moyes needs in his Hammers squad.

West Ham United are holding talks ‘behind the scenes’ regarding a new contract for Craig Dawson, according to reliable journalist Paul Brown.

The Lowdown: Wolves move collapses

The Athletic reported that the Irons accepted a £4m bid from Premier League rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers for the centre-back on deadline day, though a move fell through due to GSBK missing out on their replacement in Southampton’s Jan Bednarek.

The 32-year-old’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season which makes an exit increasingly likely, but it appears that David Moyes is keen to extend his stay at the London Stadium.

The Latest: West Ham enter Dawson talks

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Brown revealed that West Ham are currently in negotiations with Dawson over putting pen to paper on fresh terms:

“That is going on behind the scenes. I think Dawson knows he’s well-respected and well-liked at West Ham. They don’t particularly want him to go.”

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The Verdict: Let him go?

Dawson has been a loyal servant to West Ham over the years having made 80 appearances, but it would be the right decision to allow him to leave during the upcoming January transfer window.

The ‘top class’ veteran, as dubbed by sports journalist Josh Bunting, has only made two starts in the top flight this season, and picked up an injury whilst in Europa League action on Thursday, which could now see him sidelined for some time.

Dawson wanted to move to the Midlands for family reasons which suggests that he doesn’t see his long-term future with the Irons, and that’s why an exit would be best for both parties.

Journalist Simon Phillips has hailed Everton centre-back duo Conor Coady and James Tarkowski for their ‘underrated’ partnership under Frank Lampard.

The Lowdown: Summer arrivals

Tarkowski was the first signing of the Toffees’ overhaul this summer as they sought to improve upon last season’s relegation-battling squad. The 29-year-old left Burnley and came to Goodison Park on a free transfer in July upon the expiry of his contract at Turf Moor.

Following injuries to defenders Yerry Mina and Ben Godfrey, the Blues dipped back in the transfer market and signed Coady on a season-long loan from Wolves with an option to buy. The two summer arrivals have since started every single Premier League game (bar one for Coady) under Lampard.

The Latest: Phillips’ claim

Phillips has been impressed with how the defensive duo have handled themselves since arriving on Merseyside this summer, claiming that their contributions to the team have been ‘underrated’.

Speaking with GiveMeSport about Coady and Tarkowski, the journalist proclaimed: “They’ve already proven to be really reliable for Lampard. You can see that they’re playing for Lampard, and they’ve bought into his vision and what he’s trying to create there at Everton.

“They’re literally the core of that team, the spine of that team if you want to call it that, and I think they’re both very underrated players.

“They’re going to continue to be massive, massive players for Lampard and the exact fit of player that he wanted to come in and just provide that leadership and that stability at the back and the core of this team.”

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The Verdict: Stronger defensively

Seven matches into the Premier League season, Everton have conceded just six goals (0.86 per game); this gives them the joint-second lowest tally in the league alongside Liverpool and Manchester City, with Brighton shipping just one goal fewer.

This is already a drastic improvement on last season, in which the Toffees conceded 66 times (1.74 per game), one of the worst defensive records in the league.

That is a testament to Tarkowski and Coady, who appear to have made Everton a far sturdier outfit at the back since forging their partnership at Goodison Park.

The Blues’ issue now is in attack, with just five league goals to their name (only two teams have fewer). Therefore, the Toffees manager will surely be hoping to bring in another forward in January in the hope that they can be just as impactful as the two centre-backs he signed in the summer.