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According to Journalist Adam White (via Give Me Sport), Monaco midfielder Aleksandr Golovin ‘has the quality’ to replace James Rodríguez at Goodison Park.

The Lowdown: Golovin impressing in France

The Russian midfielder arrived at Monaco from boyhood-club CSKA Moscow, in a deal worth £27 million back in 2018. Golovin had established himself as one of the most exciting players in his native league, where he made 113 appearances for the Moscow-based side.

Since his arrival at the Ligue 1 club, the 25-year-old has left a similar impact on the Ligue 1, having scored 13 goals and produced 18 assists in 89 appearances in the competition.

More recently, Golovin has seriously illustrated his playmaking abilities. He currently averages 1.5 key passes per game this season – more than any other Monaco player, including the likes of Spanish playmaking legend Cesc Fabregas.

The Latest: White backs Golovin to replace James

The Athletic have previously reported that Everton boss Rafa Benitez is said to be an admirer of the 25 year-old, but the price tag could prove to be prohibitive for the Merseyside club.

However, with Rodriguez’s summer departure, Benitez could look to bring Golovin in as a direct replacement for the Colombian, in a bid for greater attacking threats at the club.

Speaking to Give Me Sport, White backed The Athletic’s links: “I think he certainly could (replace Rodriguez). I think he’s got the quality.”

The Verdict: Everton need attacking options

Following the acrimonious split between the Toffees and their south American creator, Benitez has been left without any natural attacking midfielders. This is a serious problem, with the Toffees currently struggling in the attacking-third, having won just one of their last six league games and scoring only 23 times in 18 league games this campaign.

Having made 45 appearances for his national team, Golovin could provide the attacking quality that Everton is looking for. He was hailed as ‘Russia’s Iniesta’ at the 2018 World Cup, and that creative flair could fill the void left by the former Real Madrid man.

White certainly thinks this could be an astute acquisition for Everton, but it remains to be seen whether the club will sanction a move for the player currently valued at £22.5m.

West Bromwich Albion are interested in a deal to bring Liam Kitching to The Hawthorns in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Sunday Mirror (via Football League World), who claimed that Valerien Ismael is keeping a very close eye on his former Barnsley centre-back ahead of a potential move in the current transfer market.

However, the report added that West Brom are facing competition from Birmingham in their pursuit for the 22-year-old, with Lee Bowyer also thought to be keen on a swoop for the defender this month.

Imagine him & O’Shea

While it is true that Barnsley have not enjoyed the best of seasons following Ismael’s move to West Brom last summer – with last season’s play-off semi-finalists currently sitting bottom of the Championship – Kitching has nevertheless proven that he is a player who possesses a great deal of potential for the future.

Indeed, over his 16 league outings in the current campaign, the £270k-rated defender has been one of Barnsley’s few bright sparks, helping his side to keep three clean sheets and registering one assist, as well as making 1.3 interceptions, 1.9 tackles and 3.8 clearances per game and winning 59% of his duels.

These returns have seen the £3k-per-week defender average a SofaScore match rating of 6.71, ranking him as Barnsley’s joint 10th-best performer in the division, and that score would likely be much higher if it weren’t for his team’s awful form.

While he is still just 22 years of age, Kitching certainly seems like a player who has the potential to go on and become a top-level centre-back, something which would only be aided by the youngster playing alongside West Brom’s own 22-year-old defensive colossus in Dara O’Shea. The Irishman’s 7.26 Sofascore rating put him top of the Baggies’ squad.

Indeed, should Ismael go on to land a deal for the Tykes starlet this month, O’Shea and Kitching could well form two-thirds of the Frenchman’s three-man defence for many years to come. That will undoubtedly be an exciting prospect for the Albion faithful, and the centre-back would be a signing that Ismael would clearly love to get over the line, adding to his one January acquisition so far in Daryl Dike.

In other news: Ismael could repeat Oli Burke disaster as West Brom plot January bid for “horrible flop”

The departure of Rafa Benitez as Everton manager this week came after the club won just five Premier League games out of a possible 19, drawing four and losing ten.

Since his exit, the Toffees have announced that Duncan Ferguson will act as their caretaker manager for their upcoming games alongside John Ebbrell, Leighton Baines and goalkeeping Coach Alan Kelly.

That will be until the Merseyside club can secure a new permanent boss to take the reins and one name has been suggested that could be a suitable option for the job going forward.

What’s the latest?

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live Sport (via Liverpool Echo), Robbie Savage had this to say on the possibility of Everton considering appointing Burnley boss Sean Dyche as their next permanent manager.

He said: “Everton have had Ronald Koeman, they have had Ancelotti and Rafa Benitez. They have had huge names trying to manage that football club. But it’s not working. Rooney, I agree, with his passion. I think he is doing a fantastic job at Derby under unbelievable circumstances.

“But what about, and people might laugh at this, what about Sean Dyche? Keeps Premier League teams up on small budgets. The job he has done, over the whole, why is Sean Dyche, who has done unbelievable, season after season after season, in keeping Burnley in the Premier League.”

Fans would fume

With a total of 412 games under his belt as Burnley manager with 149 wins, 110 draws and 153 defeats, the 50-year-old has managed to keep the Lancashire club in the Premier League consistently since the 2016/17 season, taking them to an impressive seventh-place finish at the end of the 2017/18 campaign.

Dyche’s longevity at Burnley suggests that he could offer a lot of experience and stability to Everton, which is what they could seriously do with given how many managers they’ve had come and go in recent years.

However, with Burnley narrowly avoiding relegation last season and being in danger of dropping down to the Championship again this time around, this will surely put a whole host of Everton fans off the idea of having Dyche take over from Ferguson on a permanent basis.

After all, the last thing the Toffees want is to fall into a relegation battle, something they are close to engulfing themselves in right now.

Of course, Ferguson doesn’t have much experience of full-time management but unlike Dyche, he is somebody the Goodison faithful adore.

Moving forward, if Everton give Ferguson and his coaching team until the end of the season before they hire a new permanent boss, they should certainly keep an eye on Dyche and his situation at Burnley even though he signed a new deal with the Clarets back in September, but if he fails to keep his side up this season, Everton should look elsewhere.

In other news: Sky Sports journo drops EFC manager claim on live TV, he’d raise the roof at Goodison – opinion

Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa will again make a decision over his future at the end of the season, according to journalist David Anderson.

The Lowdown: Bielsa out of contract

The Argentine has been a game-changing figure at Elland Road since arriving in 2018, transforming the club’s fortunes and guiding them back into the Premier League after a 16-year absence, not to mention being hailed as a ‘genius’ by Mauricio Pochettino.

However, Bielsa has only been signing one-year deals in order to avoiding committing his long-term future to the club, so his current contract expires at the end of the season.

It remains to be seen if the 66-year-old will continue at the Yorkshire club, but Anderson has been discussing the matter.

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The Latest: Journalist expects Bielsa wait

Speaking to GiveMeSport, the journalist claimed that Bielsa will again wait until the summer to make a decision, having been in contact with people at Leeds. He outlined:

“I was chatting to people at the club saying, ‘What’s your feeling?’ (about Bielsa’s future). The thing about Bielsa is they do this cycle every year where, as you know, he operates on a 12-month rolling contract.

“He gets to the end of the season, and he says, ‘I don’t want to talk about the future until we get to the end of the season,’ then he’ll decide if he wants to stay, and usually by then you know if he wants to stay on.”

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The Verdict: Will he stay on?

The current campaign has been a struggle for Bielsa, with injuries affecting Leeds’ form and poor results coming their way, such as the 1-0 defeat at home to Newcastle United on Saturday, so it remains to be seen what his decision will be come the season’s end.

He may feel that he has taken the Whites as far as he can, running out of steam slightly after a consistently upward trajectory until now and potentially losing either Kalvin Phillips or Raphinha, or both for that matter.

On the flip side, another 12-month deal could be signed, which is sure to be the preferred choice of most Leeds fans, even if 2021/22 has been far from ideal.

In other news, a journalist is unsure over Leeds’ potential move for one player. Find out who it is here.

Lots of Sunderland fans have been left blasting the performance of Lynden Gooch in their 6-0 defeat away at Bolton Wanderers on Saturday afternoon.

It was a dismal day for the Stadium of Light faithful in their race to get promoted from League One, and while the defenders were truly awful in trying to keep the ball out of the net, the attackers were equally as poor going forward.

None more so than Gooch, who failed to record a single shot on goal or key pass, and was inaccurate in three of his attempted crosses and long balls (SofaScore).

The winger also gave the ball away on no fewer than on 21 separate occasions in total, the most out of any player on the pitch, in what was a disappointing game for him and the whole team.

Sunderland fans blast Gooch

These SAFC supporters were left blasting his display on Twitter, with one Black Cat even going as far as to claim that he is an ‘imposter’:

“100% convinced Gooch is a imposter”

Credit: @freddiesafc27

“Lynden Gooch plays every week, surely the “management team” can see he’s simply not good enough, it doesn’t matter who we face or any other excuses he’s simply not a good footballer.”

Credit: @jfoster3_

“Gooch has to be dropped now”

Credit: @woodylad83

“They were all atrocious. Gooch just stood out. LJ’s tactics aren’t working either.”

Credit: @Lauren_McLeish

“Leave Lynden Gooch in Bolton”

Credit: @mackemroy66

“Never want to see Gooch in a Sunderland kit again”

Credit: @omiddsafc

In other news, find out what transfer update has Black Cats buzzing here!

West Ham have asked to be kept informed about Divock Origi’s situation at Liverpool as the club plot a late bid, according to a Football Insider source.

The Lowdown: Striker struggles

Michail Antonio is the only recognised senior centre-forward at West Ham. Unsurprisingly, he is the club’s top scorer in the Premier League this season, having netted eight times.

However, due to his vast injury history and the failure to replace Sebastien Haller, fans will no doubt be desperate to see a new name arrive before Monday’s deadline.

As it stands, were the Jamaica international to suffer a serious injury or enter a significant slump in form, it may be the nail in the coffin of any hopes of securing Champions League football.

The Hammers were reportedly pursuing Benfica starlet Darwin Nunez, but this has seemingly been put to bed by Sky Sports’s Transfer Centre, who report that the Portuguese side have rejected the Irons’ bid for the player.

As a result, West Ham have been exploring alternative attacking options.

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The Latest: Irons make contact with Liverpool

According to a West Ham source at Football Insider, the Hammers have their eyes on a late bid and have asked Liverpool to keep them informed about Origi’s situation.

The outlet’s source claims David Moyes ‘is personally overseeing the club’s late search for a forward and Origi is firmly on his radar’.

Liverpool are open to a loan, loan-to-buy and permanent bids for the striker, following the arrival of Luis Diaz from Porto.

Origi has entered the final six months of his contract at Anfield, but there is a 12-month extension clause in his deal.

The Verdict: Origi a solid option

With 103 Premier League appearances under his belt, Origi could prove to be a fantastic choice for Moyes and the club. Despite his limited game-time, the Belgian striker has scored 40 goals for the Reds, many of which have come during the most important of occasions.

This includes two goals in their infamous 4-0 win over Barcelona in the 2019 Champions League semi-final, which was further topped by scoring the winning goal in the final against Spurs, leading Jurgen Klopp’s side to the club’s sixth UCL trophy.

Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders has said that ‘Divock is one of the world’s best finishers’, so it’s not hard to see why Moyes is interested in him. If the club can get this deal over the line before the deadline hits, this could prove to be a fantastic signing for the Hammers.

In other news: Jesse Lingard keen on Hammers move

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Alexander Nubel to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by German publication Kicker (via Sport Witness), who claim that Antonio Conte’s Spurs side are closely monitoring the situation of the Bayern Munich goalkeeper ahead of a potential move at the end of the current campaign.

The report goes on to state that, despite the Bundesliga champions being keen to extend the 25-year-old’s contract, the shot-stopper himself is unhappy at being Manuel Neuer’s number two, and would be more than happy to once again seal a move away from the Allianz Arena this summer in order to prove his ability to Bayern.

Paratici must move

Despite the fact that Hugo Lloris has just penned a two-year contract extension with Spurs, with the France international turning 36 years of age later this year, Fabio Paratici will have to start planning for life after the £100k-per-week ‘keeper sooner rather than later.

And, despite having limited opportunities to impress since joining Bayern from FC Schalke 04 back in the summer of 2020, the former Germany U21 international has nevertheless proven that he is an extremely safe pair of hands between the sticks while on loan at AS Monaco so far this season.

Indeed, over his 24 Ligue 1 appearances in the current campaign, the £5.4m-rated goalkeeper has kept seven clean sheets, as well as making an average of 2.4 saves, 0.3 runs out and 17.8 passes per game.

These returns have seen the 25-year-old average an impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.80, ranking him as his club’s joint 12th-best performer in the top flight of French football.

Furthermore, the general consensus regarding Nubel’s potential is extremely promising, with Germany’s U21 goalkeeper coach, Klaus Thomforde, previously stating of the shot-stopper: “You can only speak highly of Alex – he’s an incredibly talented goalkeeper, with the world at his feet. He’s got an extraordinary footballing ability, but he’s also very down to earth and is a great lad.”

As such, while the £93k-per-week ‘keeper may take a bit of convincing to prize away from Bayern, it would seem an extremely wise move for Paratici to do everything in his power to do so, as the 6’4 German very much looks to possess the ability to become Lloris’ long-term successor in North London.

In other news: Paratici could land Conte’s dream Rudiger alternative as THFC move for £25m “monster”

Former Premier League striker Frank McAvennie has bemoaned the latest injury setback for Leeds United marksman Patrick Bamford, describing it as a ‘travesty’.

The Lowdown: Bamford’s frustrating season

After starring for the Whites last season, Bamford has experienced a hugely frustrating 2021/22 campaign, with multiple injuries curtailing his progress.

The 28-year-old has been limited to just five Premier League starts this season, registering two goals and two assists, and his absence has likely played a key role in the team’s struggles throughout the campaign.

Sky Sports presenter Jeff Stelling claimed over the weekend that Bamford is set to be sidelined for even longer than first thought with a foot problem, with his return still no sign of coming.

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The Latest: McAvennie bemoans Bamford injury news

Speaking to Football Insider, former West Ham striker McAvennie provided his thoughts on Bamford’s latest setback and expressed sympathy for the 28-year-old’s ongoing injury woes.

The Scotsman said: “I’m gutted for them, I know there is bad news on Bamford, which is a travesty, but hopefully Phillips isn’t too far away.”

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The Verdict: Big reason for Leeds’ struggles

There are a number of reasons for Leeds’ disappointing season, from tactical issues to injuries, but Bamford’s constant absence has arguably been the main reason behind their disimprovement from 2020/21.

The England international scored 17 goals in the league last season and linked the attack superbly, and all of a sudden that has been gone for much of the current campaign.

If Leeds can get Bamford back for the final few weeks of the season, it could have a major bearing on Marcelo Bielsa’s side staving off the threat of relegation, bringing out the best in those around him and strengthening the attack hugely.

In other news, Leeds are reportedly keen on making a key summer addition. Read more here.

Speaking to Football Insider, pundit Paddy Kenny has been left wowed by some emerged news out of West Ham United involving midfielder Tomas Soucek.

The Lowdown: West Ham enter contract talks…

As per reports, West Ham are intent on offering the Czech Republic international a new deal in east London, as backed by football.london journalist Tom Clark.

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Football Insider, meanwhile, claimed last week that the Hammers were now opening talks over fresh terms for Soucek with an update yesterday also emerging out of Rush Green.

Indeed, as per their update from a ‘club source’ on Friday, West Ham and manager David Moyes are ‘confident’ they can reach an extension agreement.

The Latest: Kenny reacts…

Speaking to FI, former Premier League goalkeeper Kenny has shared his reaction, with the pundit believing this could be a ‘massive statement’.

“He is an incredible player who is a key part of the West Ham team. If he gets this new contract then it just keeps clubs off his radar,” explained the 43-year-old.

“The other side of that is if a club wants him, they will have to pay well over the odds for him.

“I haven’t seen too much transfer talk about him recently. I remember last season there were links with Man United.

“So it would be massive statement for West Ham to tie him down. It would be a statement of intent as well after they didn’t sign anyone in January.

“Let’s see if they get this one done because you never know with things like this.

“West Ham will want it done quickly I’m sure. It would be a boost for the whole club.”

The Verdict: Right move?

Despite question marks surrounding his poor form at points this campaign, Soucek should still be offered a new deal going by his showings last year.

The 26-year-old was even crowned 2021 Hammer of the Year and we believe he could well re-discover that form consistently given time.

Taking this into account, offering him a new deal certainly comes as the right move, essentially meaning any clubs trying to pry him away would have to shell out massive money.

In other news: Journalist: West Ham in very strong position to sign ‘amazing’ player who club believe is worth ‘£50m’, find out more here.

Patrick Boyland has now revealed some inside transfer news from Everton regarding Jean-Philippe Gbamin.

The Lowdown: Gbamin leaves for CSKA Moscow

As per the Goodison Park club’s official website, the 26-year-old has this week left to sign for CSKA Moscow on loan for the rest of the season, with the Russian top flight’s transfer window extended past the Premier League’s closing date.

With the arrivals of midfielders Dele Alli and Donny van de Beek at Merseyside in January, the Ivorian’s playing time would have likely been limited from now until the end of the campaign, so the Toffees have decided to let him go temporarily.

The Latest: Details on Gbamin loan deal

Taking to Twitter, The Athletic journalist Boyland has now revealed an inside update with regards to the structure of Gbamin’s loan deal.

He revealed: “Everton are hedging their bets with Gbamin’s CSKA loan. No purchase option & Russian club paying sizeable chunk of wages.”

The Verdict: Cut their losses

After Gbamin’s loan spell ends, Everton should really consider cutting their losses on the Ivory Coast international.

He has made a paltry plagued by injuries ever since he arrived from Bundesliga side Mainz in 2019.

At 26 years of age, and with his market value slowly decreasing, now is the best time for the club to cash in on Gbamin, with Frank Lampard already well-covered in the middle of the park.

In other news, Everton have received a ‘huge boost’ ahead of their clash against Manchester City