Aston Villa are now looking to sign a £26m midfielder, with Unai Emery personally an admirer, believing he would be a perfect fit in his system.
Villa looking to sign new midfielder amid Rogers rumours
Morgan Rogers didn’t exactly make a flying start to the season for Villa, but the attacking midfielder has turned things around in recent weeks, scoring against Tottenham Hotspur last time out, while also catching the eye at international level.
Indeed, the 23-year-old scored in England’s 3-0 victory over Wales last week, which led to high praise from Roy Keane, who compared him to one of the Three Lions’ greatest-ever players.
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The former Manchester United man said: “He has strength and that physique. He has awareness. He is a nightmare for a midfielder or defender. We can talk all day about getting close [to him], but when you give him an opportunity he will take it.
“He’s enjoying it and I said this before. Sometimes he reminds me of Gazza in his prime. He is strong and powerful. He holds people off.”
As such, it is concerning that there continues to be speculation surrounding the England international’s future, with it recently being revealed that Chelsea are leading the race for his signature, with the Blues now ahead of Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain.
Perhaps with that in mind, Aston Villa have now joined the race for a new midfielder, namely Getafe star Luis Milla, as Emery believes the 31-year-old would be a perfect fit in his midfield.
Milla has established himself as a key player for Getafe, and the Spanish club are hesitant to sanction a departure, although they have set a relatively affordable asking price of €30m (£26m).
The Madrid-born maestro may have a decision to make, however, with Atletico Madrid also in the race for his signature, but a move to Villa Park is considered an equally attractive proposition.
Assist king Milla could excel at Villa Park
Much like Rogers, the Spaniard is a very creative player, having chipped in with five assists in La Liga already this season, while also placing in the 95th percentile for assists per 90 over the past year, when compared to other midfielders.
As such, the Getafe midfielder could flourish at Villa Park, and the fact Emery is personally keen is a good sign, given the way in which the manager has transformed the club over the past few years.
That said, there are some doubts over the potential signing, with the former Granada man now 31-years-old, meaning there is unlikely to be much re-sell value.
If Aston Villa can get a deal done on the cheap, Milla could still be a savvy signing, but the main priority should be to keep hold of Rogers.
West Ham manager Nuno Espírito Santo is arguably in dire need of a proven goalscorer to lead his forward line, amid doubts surrounding Niclas Füllkrug and Callum Wilson.
West Ham identify attacking targets for January
Only Nottingham Forest and bottom side Wolves have scored fewer Premier League goals than West Ham so far, with the Hammers alongside Aston Villa and Newcastle as the division’s second-lowest scorers so far.
Following an injury-ridden and all-round lacklustre career at the London Stadium since his move from Borussia Dortmund, despite flashes of occasional brilliance, West Ham brought another injury-prone striker in Callum Wilson to Rush Green on a free transfer to back up the German.
Sunderland 3-0 West Ham
West Ham 1-5 Chelsea
Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham
West Ham 0-3 Tottenham
West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace
Everton 1-1 West Ham
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
The former Newcastle favourite, who had a habit of scoring against West Ham, is off the mark for his new club after bagging an injury-time goal in their 3-0 win away to Nottingham Forest just prior to the September international break.
Since Nuno’s arrival, the Portuguese has elected to go with Fullkrug as the club’s starting number nine — perhaps hoping he can eventually inspire a Chris Wood-level resurgence from the 32-year-old, who racked up 16 goals in all competitions in his last season at Dortmund.
However, given both Wilson and Fullkrug’s torrid injury records, it is hardly prudent to rely on either of them ahead of what will be a long 2025/2026 campaign where the Hammers could be fighting relegation.
January represents an opportunity for West Ham to back Nuno with another centre-forward who can ease the burden on Fullkrug and Wilson, with the Irons believed to be interested in Man United’s Joshua Zirkzee as an option heading into the winter window.
Another very intriguing potential target is also beginning to resurface — Real Madrid starlet Endrick.
The 19-year-old is yet to play a single minute for Xabi Alonso this season, having missed the early part of 2025/2026 with thigh problems, and he’s been an unused substitute in all of their last five games.
Endrick, signed from Palmeiras for around £53 million, has reportedly been subject to an approach from West Ham who could look to sign the Brazil international on loan in January.
West Ham chances of signing Endrick alive for January
According to journalist Graeme Bailey, in an interview with Hammers News, Endrick was open to joining the East Londoners on a temporary deal last January, and the possibility of this happening at the turn of the year still cannot be ruled out.
Endrick, who was once widely regarded as one of the brightest attacking talents in world football, made headlines with his electrifying performances at Palmeiras before his high-profile transfer to Real Madrid.
However, despite his evident skill and potential, breaking into Real’s star-studded first team is a daunting challenge for any teenager, especially in a squad packed with established global superstars.
A loan spell at West Ham would offer the striker a perfect platform to gain valuable experience in a competitive environment on the world’s biggest stage playing Premier League football.
For Nuno’s side, securing a prospect of Endrick’s caliber would bolster their attacking options and inject much-needed creativity into their squad at zero cost — making the move an attractive one for both parties.
Leeds United will hope they can consolidate themselves as a Premier League club this season, with another promotion hunt on the cards to get up to the top-flight, not the most attractive proposition.
Instead, Daniel Farke’s Whites will pray they can comfortably stay up, despite all the weighty pressure against them, and become a top-flight regular again, much like their heyday in the 90s when Champions League football was even on the menu.
The German is working against his own label as an unproven manager at the very top, too, with a relegation blotting his otherwise sparkling CV in England when at the helm of Norwich City.
Still, the early signs suggest Leeds could be here to stay, with the Whites in a promising 11th spot at the time of writing, after a Sean Longstaff-led effort clinched a 2-2 draw against AFC Bournemouth last time out.
Longstaff's promising start at Leeds
Longstaff nearly held the individual honour of being Leeds’ match-winner against the Cherries, with his fierce effort that cannoned in off the post, gifting his new employers a slim 2-1 lead.
Unfortunately, Bournemouth had other ideas late on when Eli Kroupi scored a last-gasp equaliser, but Andoni Iraola’s men snatching a share of the points shouldn’t detract too much from Longstaff’s sublime showings all season long.
Up against their South Coast visitors, the former Newcastle United man would amazingly notch up seven key passes.
One of those passes saw Joe Rodon head home from an inch-perfect corner kick delivery – while also showing off a fiery side to his game when winning a high ten duels to keep plugging away up against the likes of former Leeds man Tyler Adams, lining up for the away team.
It will just be up to the brand new Leeds number 8 to keep up this sterling, having often fallen victim to recurring injury issues at St James’ Park that saw him fade into the background under Eddie Howe.
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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
For just £12m, however, Leeds look to have struck gold on an instant bargain. Yet, it could be argued that the Whites gave up an even bigger talent than Longstaff last summer, when parting ways with a midfielder for a mere £3.7m.
Former Leeds star is now better than Longstaff
Leeds have fallen foul of many blunders in recent transfer windows, with their summer activity before their relegation out of the top-flight come the end of the 2022/23 season seeing them purchase many a half-hearted presence.
Faces such as Rasmus Kristensen, Luis Sinisterra, and the aforementioned Adams would all down their tools after their demise to the Championship was confirmed, with Marc Roca also falling into this bracket of failed signings who then shied away from the intense battles to follow in the EFL.
The seven-time Spain international would only go on to make 36 first-team appearances in West Yorkshire before then packing his bags to head to his native country initially on loan, after the Whites crashed out of the promised land.
He did show signs of his top-flight quality for Leeds, even if he did sour his relationship with the club when exiting at the first possible chance after relegation, with one goal and two assists being notched up by the 28-year-old in Premier League action sticking out, alongside winning a high 4.1 duels per game
Roca’s league numbers at Betis
Stat (* = per game)
23/24
24/25
Games played
26
14
Goals scored
2
2
Assists
2
2
Touches*
56.7
47.2
Accurate passes*
38.1 (85%)
32.9 (88%)
Ball recoveries*
5.7
3.6
Total duels won*
3.7
2.4
Stats by Sofascore
Former Leeds favourite Tony Dorigo would even hail Roca as a “wonderful” talent when displaying these bursts of quality, with the Real Betis number 21 further validating that his stint in England was an off-spell by starring in La Liga consistently.
Indeed, when looking at the table in greater detail, it’s clear that Roca is a similar level talent to Longstaff or even greater, with 5.7 ball recoveries on average sticking out during his debut season back on Spanish soil. Longstaff, despite his energetic Yorkshire beginnings, has only averaged 2.7 to date.
He even reminded English crowds of what he is capable of recently when assisting Antony’s leveller in the Europa League against Nottingham Forest.
With the Spaniard also capable of slotting in at left-back or as a centre-back if needed, it could well be now that Leeds look back on the sale of the “outstanding” – as he has been labelled by journalist Jose Rodriguez for his efforts in La Liga – Catalonian as one they regret, especially for such a low amount at £3.7m.
Still, the proof will be in the pudding as to whether Roca is a stronger talent than Longstaff or not come the end of the season, as the Newcastle-born number eight attempts to make his showing against Bournemouth a commonplace expectation.
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A diretoria do Santos, no início da temporada 2023, traçou como objetivo arrecadar aproximadamente R$ 134 milhões entre metas esportivas e venda de ativos do clube (leia-se atletas).
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Porém, o desempenho planejado pela cúpula santista dentro das quatro linhas não atingiu o sucesso desejado, o que fez com que a equipe da Vila Belmiro tivesse que vender alguns de seus principais jogadores, como Ângelo e Deivid Washington.
+ Já atualizou sua camisa de 2023? Confira os novos uniformes do Peixe!
METAS ESPORTIVAS DA TEMPORADA
Vice-campeão do Paulistão – R$ 1,65 milhão 6º lugar no Brasileirão – cerca de R$ 33,7 milhões Quartas de final da Sul-Americana – cerca de R$ 10,44 milhões Quartas de final da Copa do Brasil – R$ 12,8 milhões Total: R$ 58,59 milhões
?NEYMAR PODERIA SER O SALVADOR?
Segundo informações do jornal francês L’ Équipe, Neymar fez um pedido formal à diretoria do PSG para deixar o clube nesta temporada. Caso a transação aconteça, o Alvinegro tem direito de receber uma porcentagem como clube formador do atacante (4%), de acordo com o Mecanismo de Solidariedade da Fifa.
Então, caso o camisa 10 seja vendido por 60 milhões de euros (seu valor de mercado no site “Transfermarkt”, especializado em cifras do futebol), o Peixe receberia uma compensação de 2,4 milhões de euros (R$ 12,96 milhões na cotação atual).
Neste cenário, o Santos bateria as metas de vendas de jogadores apenas com a negociação de Ângelo e a transação de Neymar, que totalizariam juntas mais de 80 milhões de reais, ultrapassando o objetivo estipulado pela diretoria.
– O orçamento de 2023 prevê uma arrecadação de R$ 76.000.000 com a venda de direitos federativos como receitas extraordinárias. A média das receitas auferidas com venda de direitos econômicos dos últimos doze exercícios (2011 até 2022) foi de US$ 20.185.000 (quadro abaixo) ou R$ 70.452.000 – diz o documento do orçamento anual.
VENDAS DO SANTOS NA JANELA DE INVENO 2023
Ângelo para o Chelsea – 15 milhões de euros. Santos possuía 85% dos direitos do jogador Deivid Washington para o Chelsea – 15 milhões de euros. Santos possuía 70% dos direitos do jogador
أشاد تشافي هيرنانديز، المدير الفني واللاعب السابق في صفوف برشلونة، بعثمان ديمبلي، نجم نادي باريس سان جيرمان، موضحًا أنه يعرف إمكانيات الدولي الفرنسي جيدًا وأنه يستحق الكرة الذهبية.
ديمبلي قدم مستويات ولا أروع رفقة نادي باريس سان جيرمان خلال الموسم الماضي، وساهم في فوز الفريق الفرنسي بثلاثية تاريخية غير مسبوقة مع نادي العاصمة الفرنسية.
وقاد ديمبلي باريس سان جيرمان لتحقيق بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا لأول مرة في تاريخه، ثم حصاد كأس السوبر الأوروبي كذلك.
وتوج ديمبلي مجهوداته في نهاية المطاف بالحصول على الكرة الذهبية لأول مرة في مسيرته، حيث تفوق الدولي الفرنسي على جناح برشلونة، لامين يامال، ليحصل على الجائزة الفردية الأهم.
اقرأ أيضًا.. إنتر ميلان يتخطى روما ويتصدر الدوري الإيطالي مستغلًا تعثر نابولي أمام تورينو
وقال تشافي في تصريحات لموقع “فوت ميركاتو” عن ديمبلي: “عثمان لاعب استثنائي وهذا كان واضحًا لنا منذ لحظة وصوله إلى برشلونة، أدركنا إمكاناته الكاملة، وبذلنا قصارى جهدنا لنجعله يشعر بالراحة والسعادة”.
وأضاف: “رأينا لاعبًا يتمتع بإمكانيات كبيرة للتطور وكان متحمسًا جدًا للتعلم، وقد تطور بشكل كبير معنا”.
وأوضح: “ثم جاءه عرض من باريس سان جيرمان فانتقل إليهم وهناك تطور بشكل كامل، إنه سعيد هناك ويشعر وكأنه نجم الفريق والمشروع”.
واختتم: “وعلاوة على ذلك فازوا بدوري أبطال أوروبا، حيث تألق بتسجيل العديد من الأهداف وتقديم التمريرات الحاسمة، لقد صنع الفارق”.
ديمبلي قدم مستويات لا بأس بها في صفوف برشلونة مع تشافي، قبل أن يرحل إلى باريس سان جيرمان خلال صيف عام 2023، وذلك مقابل 40 مليون يورو.
While they might not always be the biggest spenders, Arsenal have made some huge signings over the years.
For example, Viktor Gyokeres’ arrival earlier this summer felt like it could be a needle mover; Declan Rice, a couple of years ago, was, and then, while he didn’t cost as much, Alexis Sanchez was a real coup when he joined.
However, when it comes to headline-grabbing transfers, none can claim the top spot off of Mesut Özil, as his arrival in 2013 is still one of the most memorable moments in the club’s modern history.
So, fans should be delighted that it now looks like Mikel Arteta is about to sign his own Ozil.
Arsenal target their new Özil
So far, it would be fair to say that Arsenal are having a great summer regarding transfers, as so far, new Sporting Director Andrea Berta has made six first-team additions.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Moreover, while the Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi are the most exciting signings thus far, the Italian has made sure to fill in the gaps in the rest of the squad, with the likes of Noni Madueke, Christian Norgaard and Cristhian Mosquera.
However, instead of calling it quits there, the club now look set to make potentially the most exciting signing yet, one that could be seen as Arteta’s Ozil moment.
At least that is according to a recent report from The Standard’s Dom Smith, who has reaffirmed the news that Arsenal are now in pole position to secure Eberechi Eze.
In fact, Smith has revealed that the club-to-club details are “all agreed” and that the Crystal Palace star, who is an Arsenal fan, is now set to have his medical and sign his contract at some point on Friday, despite looking set to join North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday afternoon.
Having previously been in the Gunners academy until he was 13, at which point he was released, this is quite the sequence of events for a player who loves Arsenal.
It looks like the Englishman will cost Arsenal around £60m, and while that is a lot, it’s probably fair value for someone as talented as Eze, especially as he could be Arteta’s Ozil.
Why Eze could be the next Ozil
While fans will be hoping Eze’s Arsenal career ends in a better way than Ozil’s did, there are some significant similarities between them.
The first one relates to their transfers, as, despite being a world-class player at the time, fans had little to no idea that the German was moving to the Emirates until it was announced outside the stadium on Sky Sports News, much to the delight of the delirious fans that had gathered around the reporter to hear the news.
Now, the Crystal Palace star hasn’t officially been announced yet, but there was a similar euphoric reaction from the fans to David Ornstein’s surprise report that the club were after him last night.
That delirium was only intensified by Fabrizio Romano’s ‘here we go’ and the simple fact that Berta and Co look to have successfully hijacked the international star from Spurs.
On top of the nature of the transfer being similar to the former Real Madrid star’s, there is also a similar sense that the 27-year-old has the talent to be just as much of a game-changer for the Gunners.
Eze in 24/25
Appearances
43
Minutes
3303′
Goals
14
Assists
11
Goal Involvements per Match
0.58
Minutes per Goal Involvement
132.12′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
For example, despite playing for a mid-table side last season, the Greenwich-born “magician,” as dubbed by Micah Richards, scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists in 43 appearances, totalling just 3303 minutes.
In other words, the £100k-per-week superstar managed to maintain an average of a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes.
That’s not all though, as the former QPR gem has also proven he can handle the biggest games and the biggest stages, as he scored in the quarter-final, semi-final and final of Palace’s triumphant FA Cup run last season.
Ultimately, while he isn’t the exact same type of player, the incredible way in which Arsenal secured his signature and the impact he could have on this team mean Eze could be seen as Arteta’s Ozil.
The new Havertz: Arsenal weighing up late move to sign £80m star after Eze
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Karnataka, searching for a fifth title, now await the winner of the semi-final between Vidarbha and Maharashtra
S Sudarshanan15-Jan-2025
File photo: Devdutt Padikkal smacks one through covers•Maharaja T20
Devdutt Padikkal put on a batting exhibition on an up-and-down surface at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara as he helped Karnataka to their fifth Vijay Hazare Trophy final. He continued his stellar run in the competition, hitting his seventh successive fifty-plus score in India’s premier 50-over domestic competition and in the process, knocked defending champions Haryana out.Padikkal made 86 off 113 balls – following his 102 off 99 against Baroda in the last outing, his first this season – and added 128 for the third wicket with Ravichandran Smaran as Karnataka chased down the 238-run target with relative ease. The win was set up by their bowlers led by left-arm quick Abhilash Shetty, who returned 4 for 34. His wickets included both Nishant Sindhu and Parth Vats, the two half-centurions from Haryana’s preliminary quarter-final win that knocked out Bengal.Legspinner Shreyas Gopal was instrumental in turning the tide Karnataka’s way with the ball when he broke a fluent second-wicket partnership worth 70 between Himanshu Rana and Ankit Kumar by trapping the latter lbw on 48. Thereon, Haryana lost 8 for 96 to collapse to 198 for 9. But a stroke-filled last-wicket stand between Anuj Thakral and Amit Rana, which included scoring 17 off the last over of the first innings, helped Haryana get to a total much more than Karnataka would have liked.Four-time champions Karnataka were jolted early in the chase when their top-scorer of the competition, the captain Mayank Agarawal, fell in the opening over. Anshul Kamboj got a fullish ball to jag in and hit Agarawal on the knee-roll, the Hawk-Eye showing it to clip the stumps. Padikkal, his opening partner since returning from the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, managed to ride the uneven bounce and collect a few fours, even as KV Aneesh struggled at the other end. The No. 3 bat played 14 straight dots before heaving Sumit Kumar over deep midwicket for a meaty six to get going.Related
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If Padikkal brought Karnataka’s chase on track with his 62-run partnership with Aneesh, he dashed Haryana’s hopes with his alliance with Smaran. The pair took their time to settle, especially when Haryana pressed their spinners, Amit and Sindhu, into service. They were getting some balls to turn, some jumped from the rough but Padikkal broke the deadlock by stepping out to Sindhu and smoking him over long-on. He looked untroubled for most of his stay until he played a cross-batted heave, intending to finish the chase in a hurry, and top-edged Sindhu to mid-off with Karnataka 44 away.Smaran too scored a classy fifty, hitting three fours and three sixes and fell on 76 off 94 with Karnataka 13 away.Earlier in the day, Haryana were inserted and got a steady start through openers Arsh Ranga and Himanshu. Their partnership should have been nipped in the fifth over when Ranga edged Koushik behind, but Krishnan Shrijith failed to hang on. That did not cost Karnataka as Shetty struck with his second ball to have Ranga edge one to Padikkal at slip.That was Karnataka’s only success for some time as Himanshu and Amit scored fluently. They were helped by some wayward bowling, too, with Prasidh bowling a few wides down leg. Shrijith’s shoddy glovework also resulted in a few byes. The second-wicket pair for Haryana was doing well to set a base. Which is when Agarawal brought spin on to apply the brakes.Shreyas and left-arm spinner Hardik Raj tested both the edges of the batters, with the former using the googly to excellent effect. After he denied Haryana’s captain, Ankit, a fifty, Himanshu had an ill-timed dash down the surface against Raj and was stumped by Shrijith. Those twin wickets gave Karnataka enough of an opening. Dinesh Bana, Rahul Tewatia and Sumit Kumar all got starts but none lasted more than 36 balls.But that did not bother Karnataka, who made regular inroads to trigger a collapse. One that was enough to propel Karnataka to their first Vijay Hazare Trophy final since 2019-20 after three semi-finals and a quarter-final appearance in the last four editions. They will meet the winner of Vidarbha vs Maharashtra in Saturday’s final.
The final has been allocated to Lahore, but will be played in Dubai if India make the title round
ESPNcricinfo staff24-Dec-2024Dubai has been confirmed as the venue for all matches of the Champions Trophy 2025 involving India, including one of the semi-finals and possibly the final, too, if India get there.The schedule, officially released by the ICC on Tuesday, specifies that “semi-final 1 will involve India if they qualify” and will be played in Dubai, and, similarly, “semi-final 2 will involve Pakistan if they qualify”. Also, Lahore has been finalised as the host city for the final, but “if India qualifies for the final it will be played in Dubai”. Both the semi-finals and the final will have reserve days, an ICC statement confirmed.As reported by ESPNcricinfo on Sunday, the decision to host India’s matches at the eight-team Champions Trophy away from Pakistan, the official host country, and in the UAE was finalised after Mohsin Naqvi, the PCB chairman, met with Sheikh Nahyan Al Mubarak in Pakistan. Sheikh Nahyan is a senior UAE minister and also the head of the Emirates Cricket Board.Related
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Champions Trophy: India vs Pakistan on February 23 in UAE
Naqvi, the PCB chairman, said, “We are pleased that an agreement has been reached based on the principles of equality and respect, showcasing the spirit of cooperation and collaboration that defines our sport.”Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to the ICC members who played a constructive role in helping us achieve a mutually beneficial solution. Their efforts have been invaluable in promoting the interests of international cricket.”The marquee Pakistan vs India match in the group stage will be played on February 23, a Sunday. The other two teams in that group are Bangladesh and New Zealand. India will face Bangladesh on February 20, and New Zealand on March 2.ESPNcricinfo LtdPakistan, the defending champions of the tournament, will start things off on February 19, against New Zealand in Karachi. Pakistan’s last league match, against Bangladesh, will be played in Rawalpindi on February 27.The second group has Afghanistan, Australia, England and South Africa. The matches for both groups – apart from the India games – will be played across Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi.The two semi-finals are scheduled for March 4 and March 5, and with both games being allocated reserve days, it’s not impossible that they end up taking place on the same day, though Dubai is usually dry at that time of the year.The hybrid model was finalised after the parties involved agreed that, in return, Pakistan’s matches at ICC events hosted by India till 2027 will also be at neutral venues. In all cases, knockout games such as the semi-final and the final will also be held at neutral venues.The agreement begins with the Champions Trophy, and will apply to the 2025 women’s ODI World Cup in India, and the 2026 men’s T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. It will also apply to the 2028 women’s T20 World Cup, the first tournament of the next events cycle that has now been awarded to Pakistan.
While the last few seasons haven’t exactly gone to plan for West Ham United, there is still plenty of talent in their squad.
However, it would be fair to say that we all know just who the Hammers’ most important player is: Jarrod Bowen.
The England international is undoubtedly one of the most underrated players in the entire Premier League, and has a sensational tally of 125 goal involvements in 238 games to prove it.
So, even though this window hasn’t been the most exciting, fans should be excited about reports linking the Irons to an up-and-coming talent who could be Graham Potter’s new Bowen.
West Ham target their new Bowen
It’s been an interesting summer window for West Ham so far, as while the signing of Callum Wilson is more than a little underwhelming, and the links to Raheem Sterling concerning, the club have made a few smart additions.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
For example, Kyle Walker-Peters on a free will undoubtedly strengthen Potter’s defensive unit, while there is plenty of upside for the combative El Hadji Malick Diouf.
Moreover, the East Londoners don’t appear done just yet, as they’re now honing in on a young attacker who could be the next Bowen.
West Ham United manager GrahamPotter
At least that is according to a recent report from journalist David Lynch, who claims West Ham are one of several sides interested in Ben Doak.
Lynch has revealed that Wolverhampton Wanderers are also keen to sign the Liverpool youngster, and that offers of £20m were rejected from Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town in the winter window.
It appears as if the Reds will also reject such offers this summer, as according to Chris Bascombe of the Telegraph, they value the 19-year-old at around £30m.
It could be a complicated and somewhat costly transfer to get over the line, but Doak could well be worth it, especially as he could become Potter’s new Bowen.
Why Doak could be the new Bowen
So, the first thing to say is that we are not claiming that Doak is as good as Bowen at the moment, or that he is even likely to get close in the next season or two.
That would be absurd and far too much pressure to place on a teenager, as the Irons star is currently one of the best attackers in the league and will likely remain so for some time.
However, some undeniable aspects of this potential deal suggest the Liverpool gem could potentially develop into someone who could take over from the Englishman at some point in the future.
The first is the fact that the Irons would be signing the Dalry-born gem after an impressive spell in the Championship.
For example, the Reds sent the Scottish gem on loan to Middlesbrough last season, and when he wasn’t out with a hamstring injury, he looked every part the future star.
In 24 appearances, totalling 1789 minutes, the “explosive” ace, as dubbed by Danny Murphy, scored three goals and provided seven assists.
In other words, he was able to average a goal involvement every 2.4 games, or every 178.9 minutes, which is made more impressive considering it was his first full season of senior football.
Doak’s 24/25
Appearances
24
Minutes
1789′
Goals
3
Assists
7
Goal Involvements per Match
0.41
Minutes per Goal Involvement
178.9′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
On top of his ability in the second tier, the 5 foot 9 dynamo is also primarily a right-winger, but has shown an ability to occasionally play off the left or up top.
Finally, as well as his output, the promising youngster put up some seriously impressive underlying numbers in the Championship last season.
According to FBref, he was in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the next best 14 competitions for carries into the penalty area, the top 2% for progressive carries and the top 5% for non-penalty expected goals per shot.
Those numbers paint the picture of a player capable of getting the ball into dangerous areas and then making the most of the moment – sound like anyone familiar?
Ben Doak in action for Middlesbrough
Ultimately, fans shouldn’t expect Doak to be a regular starter next season, but just as Bowen developed into a superstar over time, we see no reason why the young Scotsman couldn’t do the same at West Ham.
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Everton manager David Moyes is aiming to build a side that will be able to secure a top-half finish in the Premier League in their first season at the club’s new stadium.
It is the start of a new era for the Merseyside outfit and what better way to commemorate it by emerging from their recent malaise and moving forward under Moyes.
Much will depend on the transfer business that the club manage to pull off this summer. So far, only Carlos Alcaraz has joined the Toffees. Even then, the South American starlet spent the last six months of the 2024/25 campaign on loan. Therefore, he is hardly a brand-new arrival.
A few days ago, it was reported that Everton were in talks to sign Fulham right-back Kenny Tete on a free transfer.
Season
Final placing
2024/25
13th
2012/13
6th
2011/12
7th
2010/11
7th
2009/10
8th
2008/09
5th
2007/08
5th
2006/07
6th
2005/06
11th
2004/05
4th
2003/04
17th
2002/03
7th
2001/02
15th
Moyes is keen on bringing in another full-back, especially on the right side of the defence, and with Tete available for nothing, it is a move that makes perfect sense.
Another player who the club are targeting is Villarreal centre-forward Thierno Barry, who enjoyed a stellar campaign in 2024/25.
Villarreal's Thierno Barry
Considering Everton scored just 42 goals throughout the Premier League last term, the lowest of any club outside the relegation zone, improving in the attacking department is a major priority for Moyes.
As such, signing Barry could turn into a solid piece of business, especially as he looks ready to take the next step in his career.
Why Everton must sign Thierno Barry
Last season, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Beto and Armando Broja netted just 13 goals between them, highlighting that this area in the squad needs to be vastly improved.
Barry could be the perfect solution for Moyes. Indeed, the Frenchman made a total of 41 appearances for the La Liga club last term, scoring 19 goals and registering four assists in the process.
Villarreal's Thierno Barry
He also shone across various metrics when compared to his positional peers in the Spanish top flight last season. Not only did the striker rank in the top 25% for non-penalty goals (0.39) per 90, but he also ranked in the top 27% for total shots (2.75) and in the top 17% for aerials won (3.84) per 90.
Although they might not be a spell-binding array of statistics, considering it was his debut season in Spain, it suggests that Barry is only going to get better and better as time goes on.
The striker has spent the previous few weeks representing France at the U21 European Championships. Across his five games at the competition, Barry has scored once, averaged two shots per game and created two big chances, despite averaging just 37 minutes per game for France.
His future looks bright indeed. Should he make the move to the Toffees, could he be a success on Merseyside? Only time will tell on that front.
Moyes will be keen to supplement the signing of Barry by adding further attacking talent this summer, especially those who can help make the French starlet even better.
Might he possibly be eyeing up a move for an Englishman who impressed in the Premier League last season?
Latest Everton transfer news
While Barry is the main attacking target, Moyes has also shown interest in Timothy Weah and James McAtee this summer already.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Both players would improve the club’s attacking options, without a shadow of a doubt, although they may cost the club a pretty penny.
According to TEAMtalk, Everton are now exploring a potential move for Ipswich Town attacking midfielder Omari Hutchinson this summer.
Ipswich Town'sOmariHutchinsonreacts
Amid Ipswich’s relegation, several clubs, including the Toffees, Brentford and West Ham, are waiting to make a move for the player, who is valued at €28m (£24m) according to Football Transfers.
The Tractor Boys may have struggled last term, but Hutchinson was one of the few bright sparks, and it is likely he will depart.
Moyes must make sure he is at the front of the queue to sign the talented Englishman, especially as he could be a dream signing for Barry.
Why Omari Hutchinson could be a dream for Thierno Barry
Last season, Hutchinson played 31 Premier League games for Ipswich, scoring three goals and grabbing two assists.
While it wasn’t enough to prevent their relegation, he impressed in large spells, which is now leading to attention in the transfer market.
Aside from his goal contributions, Hutchinson also created six big chances, averaged one key pass per game and succeeded with 1.6 dribbles per game. This is made even more impressive by the fact Ipswich averaged just 40% possession across their 38 league games last term.
It proves that when the Englishman had the ball, he was willing to make things happen for his teammates, indicating that he would be a dream signing for Barry.
Not only would the youngster create chances for the Frenchman, but he would also be able to consistently get into dangerous positions in the final third.
Labelled “dazzling” by Statman Dave in the Championship, he spent the early part of the summer helping England U21s reach the final of the European Championship, playing a key role in their success.
Hutchinson has started four of England’s five matches and, as well as grabbing an assist, he has also created three big chances, averages 1.8 key passes and succeeds with an impressive 2.2 dribbles per game at the tournament.
If England go on to defeat Germany in the final, it will largely be due to Hutchinson’s impressive performances.
Moyes will surely have one eye on the final this weekend, especially as the club have joined the list of potential suitors for his signature.
Getting a move for Barry over the line will be his priority firstly. But once this deal is signed, sealed and delivered, lining up Hutchinson will be on the agenda.
It all depends on the fee Ipswich demands, but if it is reasonable, the Toffees should be all over the move. That’s for sure.
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