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With West Ham United winning just one of their previous six Premier League games and losing centre-backs Angelo Ogbonna and Kurt Zouma to serious injuries, this could lead the east London club to splash the cash in the upcoming January transfer window to try and get their season back on track.

Given the injuries to those two, it could be worth the Hammers’ while bringing in a new centre-back to ease the strain on the likes of Craig Dawson and Issa Diop, who are currently the only two natural options for that position in David Moyes’ senior squad.

Get Phillips deal done

Having been linked with a January move for Liverpool centre-back Nathaniel Phillips, who would apparently be available to sign for a fee of £10m, this could be exactly what West Ham need to get their season back on track and push for a top-four place.

Despite not making even one appearance in the league so far this season for the Reds, Phillips ended up as Liverpool’s second-highest rated player last term with an overall performance rating of 7.29/10 according to WhoScored from his 17 league appearances.

The 24-year-old also averaged 4.8 clearances, 1.3 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game, highlighting his defensive talents and capabilities of playing in the Premier League.

To put those numbers into perspective, Ogbonna averaged 4.1 clearances, 0.9 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per league game in 2020/21, showing that the Liverpool colossus has what it takes to rival West Ham’s stalwart defender.

Labelled a “monster” by Jurgen Klopp for his performances last season, Phillips could be just what GSB need to help Moyes solve his central defensive problem at the club as he hopefully is brought in to fill the void left by Ogbonna and Zouma’s long-term absences.

As well as receiving heavy praise for his performances last season from his manager, the 24-year-old – who is currently taking home £19k-per-week according to Salary Sport – also caught the attention of Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp, who called him “unbelievable.”

Looking ahead to January, signing Phillips should be at the top of West Ham’s and GSB’s priority list for the transfer window to see if he can replicate for the Irons the same standard of defensively strong performances that he delivered for Liverpool last season.

In other news: Moyes should also aim to seal a deal for this Premier League target

Everton could be set to bring as many as four players to Goodison Park on transfer deadline day.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by David Maddock, with The Mirror journalist revealing on Twitter that, following Frank Lampard’s appointment as the new Everton manager, Farhad Moshiri could be set to sanction last-minute moves for as many as four of the 43-year-old’s transfer targets on Monday.

In his post, Maddock said: “Some complicated negotiations [are] at [an] advanced stage, [Lampard] will have [the] final decision on at least two, possibly three-four new signings on Monday.”

Fans will be buzzing

Considering just how poor Everton have been this season, with the Toffees sitting a mere four points above the relegation zone at present, it is clear that the current playing squad at Goodison Park is in need of much improvement.

One position that undoubtedly looks as if it could do with improving on is that of centre-back, as although Lampard can call upon the likes of Michael Keane, Ben Godfrey, Yerry Mina, Mason Holgate and Jarrad Branthwaite in the heart of his defence, there is no real standout star amongst this quintet – something that will be required if the former Chelsea boss is to improve a Toffees backline that has already shipped 35 goals this season.

Another position in which Lampard is lacking any real strength in depth is attacking midfield, something which has led to the club being linked with late moves for Manchester United’s Donny van de Beek, Tottenham Hotspur’s Dele Alli and Chelsea’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Should the three or four players who Maddock suggests could be on their way to Goodison be in either of these two positions, they will undoubtedly be signings that will have Everton fans buzzing – as, not only would strengthening in the aforementioned areas help to steer the Toffees clear of the drop, they could well be enough to fire the club back to the top half of the Premier League table come May.

In other news – Forget Iwobi: Lamps may save Everton’s season by signing “intelligent” £18m-rated ace

Many Everton fans have been criticising the performance of Gylfi Sigurdsson in their 2-1 home loss to Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday night.

A bullet header from Dominic Calvert-Lewin was not enough at Goodison Park as Ollie Watkins pounced on a big mistake from Mason Holgate and Anwar El Ghazi curled in a fine effort to give Dean Smith’s team all three points in what was yet another defeat at home for Carlo Ancelotti’s side.

Sigurdsson did not have the best of games for the Merseysiders, failing to record a single shot on target, dribble, key pass or accurate cross. He was unable to make any real impact on the match, recording fewer touches (41) than his own goalkeeper Jordan Pickford with 49 (Sofascore).

Everton fans fume at Sigurdsson display

These Toffees supporters on Twitter slammed Sigurdsson’s performance, with one Everton fan even calling the Iceland international a ‘coward’:

“Anyone who thinks Calvert-Lewin or Sigurdsson or Iwobi or most of this team is good enough to play for us or anyone above us they’re sadly mistaken. Dreadful players. #EVEAVL #EFC #Everton”

Credit: @DannySports12

“There’s a couple of empty shirts out there with Iwobi and Sigurdsson written on them. #EVEAVL”

Credit: @LazyHeartParade

“Richarlison had a stinker like he has a lot this season but that doesn’t excuse Sigurdsson who also had a stinker”

Credit: @IsaacMcGeough

“Richarlison, Delph, Gomes, Sigurdsson, Holgate and Coleman all need binning”

Credit: @TerryReece20

“Hope Holgate, Gomes, Coleman, Iwobi, Sigurdsson, Delph, Bernard, and King never play for us again”

Credit: @charliie1878

“Get that coward Sigurdsson off”

Credit: @terrifyinglogic

In other news, this update has angered some Everton fans.

Leeds United right-back Cody Drameh is attracting increasing interest ahead of the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Wales Online, who claim that AFC Bournemouth have made an enquiry regarding the signing of the Whites right-back ahead of the upcoming transfer market.

The report goes on to state that the Premier League side will likely assess the position of the 20-year-old in pre-season before determining whether or not they believe his future lies at Elland Road.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-marsch-raphinha-dest-philhay” title=”Read the latest Leeds news!”]

Finally, it is also claimed that, should regular first-team football not be realistic at Leeds next season, the England U21 international would be more than happy to spend next season on loan with Cardiff City once again.

Drameh can save Leeds millions

Considering just how impressive Drameh has been during his loan spell in South Wales, it is undeniable that permanently losing the services of the young defender this summer would be something of a disaster for Jesse Marsch and his side.

Indeed, over his 18 Championship appearances since linking up with the Bluebirds in January, the £900k-rated full-back has been a revelation on the right of Steve Morison’s backline, registering three assists and creating four big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 0.7 key passes and 1.3 dribbles per game.

The £4.4k-per-week defender has also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, helping his side keep five clean sheets, in addition to making an average of one interception, four tackles – the most of any player in the league – 1.9 clearances and winning 7.6 duels – at a success rate of 56% – per fixture.

These returns have seen the player who Morison claimed is “like a Duracell Bunny” average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.97, ranking him as Cardiff’s fourth-best player in the English second tier.

As such, considering his tender age, it is clear to see the sheer amount of potential Drameh possesses, something which leads us to believe that Marsch must not only retain the 20-year-old this summer but also give him a shot in the first team.

Indeed, with Luke Ayling turning 31 later this year, as well as the £3.6m-rated defender having something of a season to forget in 2021/22, Leeds have been linked with moves for a number of right-backs in the summer transfer window in a bid to strengthen the position ahead of 2022/23.

However, following Drameh’s sensational campaign with Cardiff, the player who Glen Williams dubbed “such an exciting prospect” would appear more than worth a chance in the first-team – while also being a talent who could well save Andrea Radrizzani and Leeds millions of pounds in transfer fees.

AND in other news: Leeds handed big injury boost as Thorp Arch image emerges, Marsch will be buzzing

Celtic midfielder Olivier Ntcham looks set to return to the club this summer following his loan spell with Marseille.

That’s according to La Provence, cited by the Daily Record, who claimed that the Ligue 1 side will not take up their option of making Ntcham’s deal permanent at the end of the season.

Marseille could have forked out around £4.5m to sign the Frenchman on a full-time basis, but it seems as if that won’t be the case.

Ntcham’s woeful form

Ntcham hasn’t exactly had the most memorable of loan spells in his native country.

He sealed a move back to France on deadline day, but he has made just three starts for the club, being replaced at half-time in every one of those matches.

Transfer Tavern take

The news may come as a blow to the Hoops, who could also receive cash due to former striker Moussa Dembele this summer. They may have been hoping to receive £4.5m for Ntcham as well ahead of a Parkhead rebuild.

Ntcham is valued at £3.15m by Transfermarkt and will have just 12 months remaining on his Parkhead deal in the summer.

Celtic may then have a big decision on their hands ahead of the 2021/22 campaign – do they look to offload Ntcham in a cut-price deal, or include him in their plans for the new season?

In other news: Celtic defender unlikely to be at Parkhead next season, find out more here. 

Celtic had an incredibly difficult campaign in 2020/21 but with Ange Postecoglou at the helm, there is renewed hope.

He touched down in Glasgow for the first time following quarantine on Wednesday afternoon and the new Hoops boss has now completed his first interview with club media at Lennoxtown.

What’s the word?

Postecoglou has spoken impressively so far during his short spell in charge of the club, talking of his desire to strengthen his squad in the window when he was first hired.

The Hoops have been linked with plenty of players in the last few days from Cameron Carter-Vickers to Aaron Hickey.

However, fresh reports suggest the Bhoys are aiming to improve their options in the final third too.

Transfermarkt reporter Manuel Veth claims that Celtic are watching Ryan Gauld ahead of a potential move.

The Premiership side will face competition from Vancouver Whitecaps who have already registered a bid for his services.

Christie upgrade

Ryan Christie endured a particularly difficult season in 2020/21. With James Forrest out injured, the Scot was forced to play in an unfavoured role on the flanks.

The Scotland international is an attacking midfielder by trade but only played in that position on ten occasions.

Christie featured on the right-hand side of midfield 21 times but only scored two goals and registered a solitary assist from that role on the field.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-celtic-transfer-news-posetcoglou-ryan-delap-wyke” title= “Read the latest Celtic transfer news!”]

Overall, the 26-year-old netted 13 fewer strikes than he managed during the prior campaign, seriously taking his foot off the gas in the final third.

The midfielder was still taken to the European Championships but managed just 45 minutes during the entire tournament; that happened to be the opening half of Scotland’s 2-0 defeat to Czech Republic.

Christie is due to leave the club shortly. This summer is the final chance they can secure a fee for his services with the player’s contract expiring in January.

Ryan Gauld, however, would be an expert replacement.

The 25-year-old has come a long way since breaking through at Dundee United as a teenager. Dubbed a Mini Messi, Gauld hasn’t quite lived up to his full potential.

He moved to Sporting Lisbon when he was younger and now plays for Farense in the top-flight of Portuguese football. A number of clubs have chased his services in the last few months but Celtic must ensure they are at the front of the queue.

Gauld scored nine times last season, taking his tally for Farense to 20. The attacking midfielder was also creative enough to supply seven strikes for his teammates.

Previously described as “unstoppable” by Kenny Miller, the Celtic target has always had a bit of Brazilian flair about him.

It’s rare for a Scottish player to possess technical excellence but Gauld certainly has that in his armoury.

He provided 2.3 key passes per game last term, a tally that was only bettered by David Turnbull in the Hoops squad.

Gauld is also far more efficient in front of goal than Christie. He scored nine league goals from 2.4 shots per game in 2020/21. Celtic’s enigmatic forward, however, found the net on only four occasions in the Premiership from 2.8 attempts per match.

One of the biggest criticisms of the Bhoys attacker last term was his reckless shooting. Therefore, any upgrade on that is likely to go down well at Paradise.

Postecoglou must do his best to bring the Scottish talent back to his home country.

AND in other news, McKay must complete Celtic swoop for “tireless” 16-goal ace who can “destroy” teams…

A source from Leeds United has claimed that Junior Firpo should sign in a ‘matter of days’.

The Lowdown: Alioski leaves

Ezgjan Alioski has left Elland Road as a free agent as his contract ran down, meaning that Marcelo Bielsa’s team will be looking for a new first-team left-back if the North Macedonia international does not re-sign soon.

The Argentine will be looking for a player to suit his style of play and is capable of coping with the demands of the Premier League.

The Latest: Firpo almost done

As per Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness), both the Yorkshire club and FC Barcelona are finalising the last details of a transfer for Firpo, with the fee believed to be in the region of €15-18m (£12.9-15.5m).

A source from the Whites has told the news outlet that discussions between the two teams remain at an ‘advanced’ stage, and that a deal should be completed in a ‘matter of days’.

The Verdict: Good signing

Given that Alioski has now technically left, the Whites certainly need to bring in a new starting left-back, and Firpo fits the bill.

Having developed his game playing with the likes of Lionel Messi, the 24-year-old is certainly an exciting talent, as Barca legend and former left-back Eric Abidal even went as far as to claim that he could turn out to be ‘one of the best’ in the world in his position a year ago (Tribuna).

Firpo certainly has the qualities to thrive under Bielsa in the top flight, as he was described by Barcelona upon signing him as having ‘tireless legs’ and ‘electricity’, implying that he is very fast (fcbarcelona.es).

Described as an ‘outstanding’ player by former Premier League full-back Alan Hutton recently (Football Insider), Firpo could well turn out to be a very smart signing by LUFC.

In other news, find out what transfer claim has been dropped on Leeds’ ‘exciting signing’ here!

Swansea City will be looking to keep their slim automatic promotion hopes alive when they travel to Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday evening, with three points a must for Steve Cooper’s side.

After a run of four straight defeats, the Swans bounced back against Millwall last time out and earned an impressive 3-0 win at The Den, so they should be in a confident mood ahead of their trip to Hillsborough.

The hosts are staring relegation from the Championship in the face this season as they currently sit 23rd in the division with just six games remaining, so they will also be desperate for three points on Tuesday.

Darren Moore’s side pulled off a shock 5-0 win over Cardiff City in their last home game but were brought back down to earth with a 4-1 defeat against QPR at the weekend.

Here’s how we think Cooper will set his side up against Sheffield Wednesday, with three changes from the starting team which beat Millwall…

Freddie Woodman took his clean sheet tally to 19 for the season in the win at Millwall, so unsurprisingly he keeps his place in goal.

There are two changes in defence as Cooper alternates his full-backs again, with Jake Bidwell and Connor Roberts returning to the team in place of Ryan Manning and the £1.08m-rated Kyle Naughton respectively.

In midfield, Conor Hourihane and Matt Grimes keep their places but Korey Smith could be handed a start ahead of Jay Fulton, with the 30-year-old’s greater averages for shots and key passes per game potentially being utilised to good effect against the relegation-threatened Owls.

[freshpress-quiz id=“532484″]

Finally, Cooper is likely to stick with the front three which did the damage against Millwall, with both Jamal Lowe and Andre Ayew ending their goal droughts in emphatic fashion in the 3-0 win.

In other news… Swansea could sign their ideal Guehi heir in 24 y/o beast, he won’t cost a penny

Nottingham Forest have been dealt a huge blow to their hopes of keeping Joe Worrall at The City Ground this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Sun, who claim that Burnley are preparing a £10m offer for the 24-year-old centre-back in the upcoming transfer window, as Sean Dyche has been given cash from the sale of Ben Gibson to bring in reinforcements in during the summer window.

The report goes on to state that the defender is keen to move to the Premier League, with Norwich City and West Ham United also thought to be keeping a close eye on the situation of the £3.6m-rated man.

Hughton will be devastated

While Nottingham Forest had something of a season to forget in the Championship this term, finishing in a lowly 17th place, Worrall was one of the brightest aspects of the Garibaldi’s campaign.

Over his 31 league appearances, the centre-back helped his side keep 12 clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.1 interceptions, 0.8 tackles and 4.8 clearances per game, in addition to winning an average of 3.5 duels per game.

Worrall also impressed going forwards, scoring one goal and registering one assist, while his seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.94 ranked him as the club’s fifth-best performer in the second tier.

As such, considering just how impressive Worrall has been for the club this season, if Forest were to lose the services of the £10k-per-week defender this summer it would come as a devastating blow for Hughton, as the player dubbed a “leader” by Steven Gerrard is undoubtedly a crucial part of the 62-year-old’s plans ahead of next season, as he looks to put this disappointing campaign behind him and build a side that is capable of mounting a push for the play-offs.

In other news: NFFC handed transfer boost over 12 G/A “manager’s dream” that’ll have Hughton buzzing

Everton beat Burnley 3-1 on Monday night to move into the Premier League’s top four, but some supporters weren’t happy with the performance of Lucas Digne. 

Ben Mee put the visitors in front after 53 minutes before Everton turned the game around with three goals in an incredible six-minute spell.

Former Burnley centre-back Michael Keane struck first before superb goals from Andros Townsend and Demarai Gray.

Digne ever-present but not quite hitting heights

Digne has played every Premier League minute thus far under Rafael Benitez.

Here, the Frenchman lined up as a left-wing back as the manager switched to a 3-4-3 formation from the start (via WhoScored).

He lost possession 23 times over the course of the match though, more than any of his team-mates (via SofaScore).

According to WhoScored, Digne is currently falling marginally short of his performance levels from last season. His average rating across the first four league games is 6.99, down on last term’s average of 7.08 over 30 games.

Here’s what Toffees fans made of Digne’s display.

These Everton fans want more from Digne

“Great win last night. 2 things that weren’t great, the 4 mile queue for the Goodison Chippy and Lucas Digne”

Credit: @ridroberts

“Digne’s form is not good at the moment and no one to take his place”

Credit: @RoyEFCPeo

“Is it me or is Lucas Digne not having a great season so far?”

Credit: @EFC_RI

“One for the “Digne doesn’t even approach Baines in quality” believers this”

Credit: @Will__EFC

“Digne’s been very disappointing”

Credit: @EFC_Wolfstein

“Think even Digne has lost confidence in his corners”

Credit: @_beanatron_

In other news, Noel Whelan has backed this potential Everton move.