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Everton’s signing of Jean-Philippe Gbamin has proven to be a disaster and following the summer additions of Amadou Onana, James Garner and Idrissa Gana Gueye, Frank Lampard must ensure that the Ivorian leaves Goodison Park for good now.

The Toffees paid £25m to sign Gbamin from FSV Mainz back in 2019, however his time at the club has been absolutely ravaged by injuries.

In the three years he has been in Merseyside, he has managed just eight appearances in all competitions for Everton.

This works out at around £3.1m per appearance, which represents abhorrent business by chairman Farhad Moshiri, especially given that last season he managed to play 13 times for CSKA Moscow during his loan spell.

Not only this but across his spell on Merseyside he has picked up a wage of £75k-per-week. During his three-year spell, where he has earned £3.9m per year, he has cost the club in total £36.1m, taking that spend-per-appearance to an eye-watering £4.5m – and counting.

Fortunately for Lampard, with the 26-year-old now out on loan once more in Turkey, he will see out the final year of his contract away from the club.

It was a calculated risk to spend that much money on Gbamin, however for Marco Silva, he was seen as a direct replacement for the outgoing Idrissa Gana Gueye.

He joined Paris Saint-Germain for £29m, which does lighten the blow of the deal for his replacement.

However, three years on Gueye has returned in a move that has all but cemented his replacement’s exit from the club.

By comparison, the Senegalese powerhouse has featured 111 times for PSG across the same period. He makes his Goodison Park comeback with a wealth of added experience, and after three years of searching, it appears the only player they could find to fill his boots was the man himself.

These new summer additions, plus his dwindling contract all suggest that Gbamin’s time at Everton is over. This signing must ultimately go down as a monumental failure, and Lampard and Moshiri will both be happy to see the back of him.

It’s fair to say that not many would have expected the start to the season that Liverpool have endured so far. Jurgen Klopp’s men have only won three times in eight matches so far in 2022/23, with two wins coming in the Premier League and the other being the Community Shield victory over Manchester City.

It’s not a crisis yet, but the German needs to inject some much-needed spark into his team, or otherwise it could be a season to forget for the Reds.

Much of the club’s summer transfer business was done early, adding Darwin Nunez, Fabio Carvalho and Calvin Ramsey into the squad, before a rushed deadline day move for a midfielder concluded in Liverpool signing Arthur Melo on loan from Juventus for the rest of the season.

It later transpired that FSG had failed in a deadline day move for Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz, and he could well have been the answer to Klopp’s stagnating midfield.

The 24-year-old was also wanted by Arsenal in the summer transfer window, with the Midlands club rejecting three bids from the Gunners for the player, while an unnamed Premier League side made a £30m offer in January which was also rejected.

Missing out on Luiz could be hurting Klopp as the season progresses, with the midfield seemingly running out of ideas (and usable options) and James Milner coming in for particularly strong criticism for his performances of late.

With a SofaScore rating of just 6.62 in the league, his contributions have been minimal in the six matches that he has played. The 36-year-old has taken just 35.2 touches per match, been dribbled past 1.7 times and won only 31% of his total duels.

Luiz has a slightly better rating of 6.76 from SofaScore but has contributed more to a struggling Villa team than Milner has to Liverpool. The Brazilian has scored once (an audacious goal straight from a corner kick against Arsenal) and has an average of 33.4 touches per match, having played one game fewer than the Reds veteran.

Luiz’s strength in the middle of the park has seen the 24-year-old dribbled past just 0.4 times per match while also winning a higher percentage of total duels (33%), and he surely would have been a better option for Klopp than the ageing Milner.

Indeed, former Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor described the Brazilian as “outstanding” following his strong finish to the 2021/22 campaign.

Possessing the ability to dictate play and keep things safe in the middle of the park is something that Luiz would bring in abundance, and that is exactly what Klopp needs at this moment in time in a position where his team are struggling.

Rangers succumbed to a third successive defeat in all competitions at home to Napoli on Wednesday evening, with Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side having endured a dismal start to their Champions League campaign.

Unlike the gruelling loss to Eredivisie giants Ajax last week – and the Old Firm dubbing before that – however, the Gers can count themselves unfortunate to have got nothing out of the game at Ibrox, having impressed against the Serie A outfit on the night.

The evening had ultimately turned following the dismissal of young James Sands just after the break, with the Italian visitors going on to net three times late on against their ten-man hosts to secure a 3-0 victory.

That scoreline could well have been even worse had it not been for the goalkeeping heroics of Allan McGregor, with the 40-year-old making a fine return to action having been recalled as a result of the injury to compatriot, Jon McLaughlin.

With the latter man having been the first choice in between the sticks so far this term, McGregor has largely been reduced to a viewing brief in the early weeks of the season, with his only other outing having come in the League Cup triumph over Queen of the South.

Despite that lack of game time, the veteran ace – who signed a new one-year deal at the club at the end of last season – showed little sign of rust to produce a typically brilliant display against Luciano Spalletti’s side.

Ever the man for the big occasion, the one-time Besiktas man notably saved Piotr Zielinski’s second-half penalty following Sands’ infringement, before again denying the Poland international just moments later as the spot-kick was forced to be re-taken.

The Gers’ keeper then almost came close to saving a third penalty of the night as Matteo Politano’s effort only just evaded his grasp, with it having been a truly “ridiculous” display from the former Scotland international, in the words of journalist Josh Bunting.

Such a performance has potentially reminded Van Bronckhorst of just what a “world-class” talent he has on his hands – as previously described by former boss Steven Gerrard – with the 42-cap gem perhaps deserving of a recall to the starting lineup on a permanent basis.

Despite his advancing years, the £360k-rated colossus doesn’t appear to be a fading force, having now racked up 452 appearances in all competitions across his two spells at Ibrox.

While teammate McLaughlin kept his place in Amsterdam last week despite a below-par performance in the loss to Celtic, it would certainly be wise to keep the 34-year-old on the bench when he does return from his recent absence, with McGregor deserving of an extended run back in the side.

It would seemingly be something of a waste to have arguably the club’s “best ever goalkeeper” watching on week after week – as described by pundit Tam McManus – with the Scottish Premiership side needing to maximise his talents in what is left of his lengthy playing career.

Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira should make a move to bring Aaron Wan-Bissaka back to the club, according to pundit Carlton Palmer.

What’s the word?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the former England international suggested that the Manchester United man would be welcomed back at Selhurst Park, should he opt to secure a return to south London this summer.

Asked about the player potentially linking back up with the Eagles, Palmer said that: “I think they would (welcome Wan-Bissaka back). I mean, he was a fan’s favourite when he was there. We’ll have to wait and see what Ten Hag thinks about him as a football player.

“He’s a good defender, Wan-Bissaka, but he’s pretty short on dealing with the football coming out, and I’m assuming that at Manchester United, with the way that they will want to play under Ten Hag, the full-back positions will be crucial. So, it may be that Wan-Bissaka goes back to Crystal Palace, he’s still a young player, and learns more about his craft under Patrick Vieira.”

This follows recent reports that suggested that Palace are considering a move to re-sign the full-back, although there has been an inclination that he may wish to stay and fight for his place at Old Trafford next term.

Welcome return

Vieira and co may have to wait and see what incoming United boss Erik ten Hag makes of the player, although should they be able to do a deal it would no doubt represent a sensible piece of business.

Having sold him on for a club-record fee of £50m in 2019, the right-back is likely to return for a much-reduced fee – amid suggestions he could be worth less than half of that original price – while a loan deal has also been mooted.

The Red Devils’ hastiness to let him go may be a marker of his struggles over the past few seasons, although that’s perhaps as much of a reflection of the overall turmoil surrounding the Theatre of Dreams than the man himself, with the Englishman not the only player to have suffered a real dip in performances.

It would seem that there is still a quality defender in there somewhere, with the £27m-rated man – who has been dubbed “top class” by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – once described as the “best one-on-one defender for a full-back in the world” by pundit Jamie Carragher.

That assessment may have been made in his early stint at Carrington, although it shows the high regard he was held in following his original exit from Palace, notably averaging 3.7 tackles, 2.4 interceptions and 3.7 clearances per 90 during his final Premier League season at his former club during the 2018/19 campaign.

Equally, at still just 24, there is plenty of time left for the £83k-per-week warrior to recapture his form and finally realise his early potential, with Vieira potentially the right man to aid that progression having improved a number of youthful stars so far this term.

Most importantly, a new addition on the right side of defence is also needed, with both Joel Ward and Nathaniel Clyne both into their thirties, and with young Nathan Ferguson struggling for fitness since his move from West Bromwich Albion two years ago.

It may prove to be something of a shock move, although Palace must secure a deal for the United man’s return.

IN other news, “Agreement close…”: Ornstein drops huge CPFC update that supporters will love

The Athletic’s David Ornstein has named Southampton as one of the clubs monitoring Stuttgart striker Sasa Kalajdzic.

The Lowdown: Sasa Kalajdzic profiled

Since joining Die Roten in 2017, Kalajdzic has scored 24 goals in 57 games for the Bundesliga club.

Despite having made just 15 appearances in the German top-flight this season due to a shoulder injury, the Austria international has still managed to net six goals.

The 24-year-old’s most prominent feature is his height, with his 6 foot 7 stature in part enabling him to rank in the 92nd percentile for aerial duels won among strikers in Europe’s top five leagues (via FBRef).

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The Latest: Saints monitoring Kalajdzic

According to Ornstein in a report for The Athletic, Southampton are one of the clubs keeping a close eye on Kalajdzic.

The powerhouse is approaching the final 12 months of his current contract, and according to reports in Germany, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have enquired about his availability.

Stuttgart hope that the Austrian will sign a new deal with the club, but the level of interest from elsewhere indicates that a switch is highly probable. If Pellegrino Matarazzo’s side are forced into a sale, they would seek around €25m (£21.2m).

Given Darwin Nunez’s likely departure in the summer, Benfica are strongly considering the 24-year-old as the Uruguayan’s replacement. However, Kalajdzic is also said to be on the radar of both Brighton and Southampton, with the English south coast duo look to bring in a striker this summer.

The Verdict: Great signing

The Austrian’s aerial threat and technical skills have seen him earn comparisons to former England international Peter Crouch.

Perhaps more impressively, he has been described as an ‘Ibrahimovic-machine’, having shown similarities with that of the AC Milan attacking veteran.

Therefore, with such a high pedigree of clubs linked with Kalajdzic, and given the comparisons to some fantastic strikers of past and present, it appears that this would be a great signing for Southampton if they can fend off the extensive competition for his signature.

In other news: Dan Sheldon shares Southampton contract twist

Burnley and Leeds have written to the Premier League to question whether Everton’s financial losses have broken financial fair play rules, claim Sky Sports News.

The Lowdown: Everton’s financial losses

According to reports, Everton have lost £372m over the past three years. Usually, financial fair play rules allow for losses of £105m over a three-year period.

However, due to the Covid pandemic, clubs have been permitted to write off such losses. Everton have claimed that their Covid losses over the last two years have amounted to £170m.

In comparison, clubs of a similar size have reported losses much smaller. For example, Newcastle posted Covid losses of over £40m and Aston Villa have announced theirs as being £56m.

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The Latest: Leeds and Burnley inquire

According to news broken by Sky Sports in the last 24 hours, Burnley and Leeds have written to the Premier League to question whether Everton’s losses over the past three years have broken FFP.

Sky shared the live-on-air news clip to Twitter with their journalist saying ‘listen to this’ before unleashing the ‘significant breaking news’ of the call for investigation from the Blues’ relegation rivals.

The Verdict: Sour grapes

Everton have recently been involved in a scrap with Burnley and Leeds as the three sides have been fighting to avoid Premier League relegation.

However, with the Toffees’ stunning 3-2 comeback over Crystal Palace on Thursday, Frank Lampard’s side secured their top-flight status for next season.

As a result, this feels like a case of sour grapes from Burnley and Leeds – if they were so desperate for an independent commission to assess Everton’s finances, why wait until now to ask?

In other news: Everton: Report provides Dominic Calvert-Lewin update

Alasdair Gold has dropped a claim on the potential summer transfer business of Tottenham Hostpur.

What’s the latest?

In a recent post on Twitter, the football.london journalist revealed that Daniel Levy is set to back Antonio Conte fully in the summer market, with both the chairman and sporting director Fabio Paratici expected to let the 52-year-old lead the way when it comes to Tottenham’s transfer targets over the coming months.

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In his tweet, Gold said: “I understand the club are set to back him fully in the transfer market this summer and let him lead the way.”

Supporters will be buzzing

With it being widely reported that Conte’s future at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium largely depends on whether or not Levy and Paratici will back him in the summer transfer window, Gold’s claim that the Spurs hierarchy are planning to do exactly this is sure to have left supporters buzzing.

Indeed, with The Telegraph reporting that the Italian wants at least six new signings in order to challenge for trophies in both Europe and domestically next season – with a centre-back, a right wing-back, two midfielders, a forward and a reserve goalkeeper believed to be the 52-year-old’s priorities – Levy will be forced to part with a considerable amount of money in order to realise his manager’s ambitions.

And, with the former Inter Milan, Juventus and Italy head coach reinforcing the idea after the 5-0 final day victory over Norwich City that he will only remain at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium beyond the summer if the club matches his ambition heading into 2022/23, Levy simply has to act this summer if he is to retain the services of the 52-year-old next season.

In comments made after Sunday’s win, Conte said: “I am a person who has ambition and I like to fight for something important, to lift a trophy. For me, [qualifying for the Champions League] is a trophy & I’m very happy. Then we’ll see. I always said at the end of the season I’d speak to the club and we’ll find the best solution.”

As such, Gold’s claim that the 60-year-old chairman looks as if he will back his coach this summer is undoubtedly fantastic news for everyone involved with the Tottenham, as Conte has proven this season that he is capable of taking Spurs to the next level in the upcoming campaign.

AND in other news: “Has been approached”: Romano drops big Spurs transfer update, supporters will love it

Aston Villa are in pole position to sign soon-to-be free agent James Tarkowski, according to The Athletic. 

The lowdown

The 29-year-old is departing relegated Burnley this summer as he reaches the end of his contract at Turf Moor.

The Telegraph’s Jason Burt had previously written that it was Everton and not Villa who were leading the race for his signature, while Football Insider claimed that Frank Lampard’s side had already presented the defender with a £120,000-per-week contract offer.

However, it seems that Villa are intent on further strengthening their defence after the arrival of Diego Carlos from Sevilla last week, having already secured deals for midfielders Phillipe Coutinho and Boubacar Kamara earlier in the month.

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The latest

In a jointly-written piece for The Athletic, Patrick Boyland and Greg O’Keeffe claimed that Everton are one of ‘several’ clubs who are interested in Tarkowski.

Lampard’s admiration for the centre-back dates back to his time as Chelsea manager, but the 43-year-old may miss out on his transfer target.

That’s because the Toffees face ‘substantial competition’ from Villa, who are described in the article as the ‘early favourites’ for Tarkowski.

The verdict

Gerrard seemingly wants to overhaul the heart of his defence.

Football Insider reported at the end of February that he had sanctioned the sale of Ezri Konsa after growing concerned about the 24-year-old’s reliability and consistency. Meanwhile, transfer insider Dean Jones said that ‘it will be interesting to see how things pan out’ with Tyrone Mings, which may suggest that the captain’s future is far from secure.

Having already signed Carlos, Villa have been linked with both Tarkowski and Rangers’ Calvin Bassey, who is valued at £25m by Gerrard’s former club.

However, the Burnley man may be the better option of the two, not just because Villa could avoid a hefty transfer fee. His vast Premier League experience (194 games) is surely a significant factor as well.

Indeed, The Telegraph’s Matt Law believes that the 29-year-old would be a ‘fantastic signing’ for the Midlands club, who may land themselves a real coup on a free transfer for a proven operator at this level.

In other news, read this transfer insider’s claim on a midfield target.

Newcastle United are reportedly ready to make a move to sign Atletico Madrid winger Yannick Carrasco, according to a report from Spanish outlet AS. 

The lowdown: Intentions signalled

Following the appointment of Eddie Howe and an influx of players in January, Newcastle enjoyed a superb second half of the 2021/22 season, and it will be intriguing to see who comes through the doors at St James’ Park this summer.

Whilst a revolutionary overhaul isn’t expected to take place in on Tyneside, the levels of recruitment and expectancy will likely go up a notch after the arrival of transfer chief Dan Ashworth from Brighton.

One man who could be on the radar for the Toon is Belgium international Carrasco, and it appears that PIF are ready to spend big to get him…

The latest: Newcastle ‘willing’ to splash out for Carrasco

As per AS, Newcastle are ‘willing’ to meet the €60m (£51m) release clause in the 28-year-old’s contract.

With Carrasco cited as one of the ‘mainstays’ in Diego Simeone’s plans, the report added that the Tyneside club have ‘put his name on the table’ ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

However, amidst the interest, it’s claimed that the man who was lauded by journalist Josh Bunting for an ‘absolutely outstanding’ start to the 2020/21 season is ‘happy’ at the Wanda Metropolitano.

The verdict: Worth every penny

Carrasco scored six times and provided seven assists in 44 outings in 2021/22, earning an impressive 7.09 Sofascore rating whilst winning five duels, completing 2.6 successful dribbles and making 1.6 key passes per La Liga game in the process.

Capable of operating on either wing and at centre-forward, the 55-cap Belgian would provide additional versatility, whilst he would be an upgrade on Newcastle’s current options given that only two Magpies players exceeded his Sofascore rating this season. Therefore, the former AS Monaco man appears to be the ideal candidate to strengthen the attacking options at Eddie Howe’s disposal.

Under a £141,000-per-week contract in the Spanish capital until 2024 (Transfermarkt), his wages will likely be attainable for Newcastle, and the easiest way to negotiate with Carrasco whilst taking Atletico out of the equation would be to simply meet the release clause.

In other news: Magpies make offer for this Serie A gem

Manchester United have initiated contact with the representatives of Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele, according to reports in Spain.

The lowdown: Exit pending

Out of contract at the end of June (Transfermarkt), the future of Dembele at the Camp Nou has never been more uncertain.

Linked with a host of the elite clubs around Europe including Premier League rivals Liverpool and Chelsea, it seems inevitable that the 25-year-old will leave the Catalan giants five years after signing for an eye-watering £135.5million from Borussia Dortmund (BBC).

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However, the Red Devils could also be in the mix as Erik ten Hag attempts to strengthen the Old Trafford ranks in his first window at the helm.

The latest: United interest

As per reports in the Spanish press, Manchester United are believed to have ‘contacted’ the agent of the flying Frenchman.

It’s claimed that only a ‘miracle’ would see Dembele stay at Barcelona and as such, the Red Devils’ boss has personally ‘requested the hiring’ of the World Cup winner.

The report also states that United will put a ‘blank cheque on the table’, although the man once hailed for his ‘frightening pace’ by Lionel Messi would likely reject a move to Manchester due to the absence of UEFA Champions League football.

The verdict: An unnecessary addition

Despite possessing undoubted mesmerising skill and direct running ability, labelled a ‘phenomenon’ by Messi, signing Dembele would see the wide department overflow at Old Trafford with Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Elanga and returning loanee Amad Diallo all vying for a spot on either wing.

Badly hit by injuries during a stop-start Barcelona career, the 27-cap France ace remained relatively fit throughout 2021/22 and managed 15 direct goal contributions in 32 appearances across all competitions.

Regardless of this form, even without the requirement of a transfer fee, United would be well served to avoid shelling out likely extortionate wages for the man currently earning £287,000 per week in Spain – he has missed over 100 games through injury during his time in Catalonia.

In other news, Erik ten Hag could be key in luring this star to Old Trafford.