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Everton are one of several clubs in for Tanguy Ndombele, according to reports… 

What’s the word?

French publication Foot Mercato claim that the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder is desperate to find playtime, having struggled to assert himself in north London since his 2019 move.

Napoli and Villarreal are noted as the two most interested parties, with the toffees joining a long list of other suitors which includes Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest.

It remains to be seen how much Spurs would demand for their one-time club-record signing, but with three years left of his £120k-per-week deal, it may be tough to tempt him away from this comfortable situation.

He could complete Lampard’s team

Whilst seemingly keen to add some defensive security to his side, the addition of this creative midfielder could add a different dynamic that would make Frank Lampard’s side much more complex and difficult to beat.

The signing of Amadou Onana, plus the touted addition of Idrissa Gana Gueye adds strength, steel and a tough-tackling core, whilst Ndombele would offer something much different.

Full of skills, the Frenchman ranked in the top 1% for dribbles completed last season, as well as in the top 4% for progressive carries per 90. He is unlike anything at the club, and his mindset to always go forward would make him a distinctive feature in their midfield.

In the heart of an Everton side lacking creativity from the engine room, this desire to drive with the ball forward would be a huge upgrade on Allan’s 4.37 progressive carries, and even the recently-joined Onana’s 2.89.

Labelled a “serious baller”, there are no doubts that he would get fans at Goodison Park off their seats with his sensational flair. Backed up by a hard-working team, he could be allowed to shine, putting less pressure on his defensive deficiencies.

In what must have been a tumultuous season for the 25-year-old, where he spent half of last season with Spurs and the other on loan with Lyon, he made 30 appearances and gave a respectable six goal contributions.

If Lampard could fit him into his midfield, perhaps he could recapture his form from the 2018/19 season, where his 11 goal contributions and 7.04 average SofaScore rating outlined him as one of the hot prospects in Europe.

Perhaps with a little consistency and the right structure in place to surround him, he could take this Everton side to the next level with the skill and style that saw him earn his big-money move in the first place.

Therefore, director of football Kevin Thelwell must make a move for Ndombele before deadline day on September 1st.

Nottingham Forest are among the clubs to have shown an interest in signing Lyon striker Moussa Dembele, according to French outlet Foot Mercato. 

The lowdown: Career so far

A product of the Paris Saint-Germain youth system, Dembele moved to Fulham in 2012, where he made 64 outings before being snapped up by Scottish champions Celtic.

The 26-year-old former France youth international flourished north of the border, directly contributing to 69 goals in 94 outings for the Glasgow giants, lifting the Scottish Premiership three times, Scottish Cup three times and the Scottish League Cup on two occasions in the process.

Signed by Lyon for £19.8million in 2018, Dembele was even dubbed ‘The New Didier Drogba’ and has since spent time on loan at Atletico Madrid.

The latest: Enquiry made

As per Foot Mercato, Nottingham Forest, Wolves, Everton, Fulham and West Ham have all made an attempt to bring the 25 times-capped France Under 21 hitman to England.

It’s claimed that Forest are among the clubs from around Europe to enquire about Dembele, though the Frenchman didn’t give a ‘favourable response’ to the admiration.

The report states that the ‘idea was never to leave to leave’ for the man hailed as ‘world class’ by Scottish media members and he is now ‘seriously considering’ a fresh contract offer from Lyon.

The verdict: Worth a go

Into the final 12 months of his deal (Transfermarkt), Dembele would provide a wholly affordable candidate to strengthen the attacking options at Steve Cooper’s disposal, something the Reds have also done with the captures of Taiwo Awoniyi and Emmanuel Dennis more recently.

Seemingly still in the market for further additions, Neal Maupay appears to be the next on the list for Dane Murphy at the City Ground, although should that move fail to materialise a return for Dembele would be a welcome one.

Last season, the powerful frontman scored 22 times and provided five assists in 35 outings for Lyon, earning an impressive 7.11 Sofascore rating whilst winning 4.1 duels, taking 2.9 shots and finding the target with 1.5 efforts on average per Ligue 1 outing.

Should for whatever reason Maupay does not join Forest, renewing interest in Dembele could be a smart option before the September 1 deadline, though Murphy must strike before talks for a new contract ramp up if he is to stand any chance of getting a deal over the line.

Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on the future of Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier.

What’s the latest?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Italian journalist revealed that, following reports of Manchester United’s interest in the 22-year-old shot-stopper, Leeds have no intention of negotiating with Erik ten Hag’s side regarding a deal for the France U21 international – as the Whites consider the ‘keeper as “untouchable” and a crucial part of Jesse Marsch’s first team squad at Elland Road.

In his tweet, the transfer insider said: “Leeds have no intention to negotiate with Man United for Illan Meslier. The French goalkeeper is now considered ‘untouchable’ and a key part of the project.”

Good news for Marsch

Considering just how impressive Meslier has been for Leeds over the past two seasons, Romano’s suggestion that the Whites have no intention of sanctioning the sale of the Frenchman is undoubtedly good news for Marsch.

Indeed, over his 35 Premier League appearances in 2020/21, the £18m-rated talent was in remarkable form, keeping 11 clean sheets and making an average of 4.0 saves per game – the joint fifth-most and the second-most in the top flight respectively.

These returns saw the former FC Lorient starlet average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.13, not only ranking him as Leeds’ third-best performer in the league but also as the joint 33rd-best player in the division as a whole.

And, despite the Whites’ shipping a whopping 79 goals last season, the £22k-per-week stopper still managed to catch the eye over his 38 Premier League fixtures, keeping five clean sheets and making an average of 3.8 saves per game – the most in the league last time out.

These metrics saw the 22-year-old average a SofaScore match rating of 6.87, ranking him as Marsch’s sixth-best performer in the top flight last season – a quite astonishing feat considering the volume of goals the club conceded in 2021/22.

As such, when taking into account Meslier’s age, coupled with just how impressive the Frenchman has already been for Leeds in what is arguably the most challenging division in world football, the news that Victor Orta will not be entertaining the sale of the ‘keeper this summer is quite clearly fantastic news for everyone involved at Elland Road – as it is clear that the shot-stopper very much possesses world-class potential.

Nottingham Forest have agreed a deal to sign Bordeaux striker Hwang Ui-Jo, according to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Forest present offer

The 29-year-old is looking for a fresh start after suffering relegation with the French giants last season, and as a result of entering the last year of his contract he is available on a cut-price deal.

The forward hasn’t been short of potential suitors, with fellow Premier League club Wolves, alongside Nantes and Brest, all interested in his services.

Recent reports suggested that the Reds made the South Korean an offer after identifying him as a transfer target, and it appears that this has been accepted, meaning that they have won the race for his signature.

The Latest: Forest set to sign Ui-Jo

Taking to Twitter, Romano confirmed that Forest are ‘close’ to making Hwang their 17th summer signing after reaching an agreement with Bordeaux.

Evangelos Marinakis will then send him out on a temporary deal to his other club, Olympiacos.

“Bordeaux striker Hwang Ui-jo is close to sign with Nottingham Forest on three years contract, then he will be loaned one year to Olympiacos.

“Deal agreed with Bordeaux for €5m.”

The Verdict: Clever from Olympiacos

With Emmanuel Dennis having put pen to paper on a deal at the City Ground, it makes sense that Forest are planning to loan Hwang out, but he will be a fantastic option to have in the building when he returns.

The 45-cap international, dubbed a ‘wonderful player to coach’ by former Bordeaux manager Jean-Louis Gasset, netted 11 goals and provided two assists in Ligue 1 last season, via Transfermarkt, impressive numbers in a struggling side and similar to Dennis’ campaign with Watford.

At around £4.25m, Hwang is an absolute bargain, and if he can be the standout performer in a struggling side, just imagine how much he would flourish under the guidance of someone like Steve Cooper in years to come.

Aston Villa could reportedly seal a deadline day deal for Southampton defender Jan Bednarek.

What’s the news?

In a recent Twitter post, journalist Toby Cudworth said on the matter: “Hearing Jan Bednarek could now be heading to Aston Villa on loan and not #WHUFC as previously thought – transfer deadline day twists and turns have started.”

As Cudworth mentioned in his tweet, the defender has also been linked with a move to West Ham United this summer.

Southampton signed the centre-back from Lech Poznan in the summer of 2017. Since then, the 26-year-old has gone on to make 153 appearances for the Saints across all competitions, chipping in with seven goals and four assists along the way.

Could be a “monster” for Gerrard

To highlight his defensive capabilities, the Poland international made more interceptions (95) than any other Southampton player in the league last season, along with the second-highest number of clearances (169) and third-highest number of blocks (64).

Described as a “monster” by journalist Sam Tighe, Bednarek could be a very useful signing for the Midlands club if they get him in, as only three other Premier League clubs have faced more shots on target than Villa (26) so far this season.

Also, with Diego Carlos out injured, adding an experienced and capable defender like the Saints colossus to their squad could be a very smart move from Villa.

Having been an unused substitute for Southampton’s three previous league matches, a move to Villa Park – where he may have a better chance of playing regularly – could be what the player is craving.

With the Villans reportedly set to welcome Leander Dendoncker to the club – having had a £13m offer accepted by Wolves – snatching Bednarek from the clutches of rival suitors West Ham on the same day would certainly show how ruthless NSWE can be in the transfer market and continue their track record of signing players from fellow English clubs.

If Villa are able to seal the Southampton defender’s signature, even on a loan deal as Cudworth said in his tweet, this will give Steven Gerrard’s side some extra strength and depth at the back, which could be most welcome having conceded nine goals in their opening five league matches of the campaign.

Arsenal are reportedly ‘looking’ at a ‘last minute’ move for Club Brugge winger Noa Lang.

The Lowdown: Luiz in the balance

As per The Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor, Mikel Arteta’s team are now deciding whether to submit a third offer for Aston Villa central midfielder Douglas Luiz after having two previous bids rejected, or to walk away from the deal altogether.

If they were to walk away, they could use the money to invest in a last-minute deal for another player, perhaps a winger instead, with the hours ticking by until the deadline hits.

The Latest: Lang as well?

Taking to Twitter, transfer ‘insider’ Rudy Galetti has revealed that the Emirates Stadium outfit are ‘looking’ at a potential ‘last minute’ deal for Lang, who is one name on their list of potential winger targets:

“#Arsenal are still looking for a winger: one of the “last minute” name in the list is – among others – Noa #Lang. #AFC will try to close a deal for a winger in these last hours, even if is quite complicated.”

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The Verdict: Get it done

With a deal for Luiz currently hanging in the balance, and the fact that the transfer window is close to being shut, the North London club need to get a deal for Lang over the line as soon as possible if they are serious about bringing him in.

A player who is equally as comfortable at playing on the right-wing as well as the left, the 23-year-old would provide adequate cover for Bukayo Saka, who played in every Premier League game last season, and has played in all five matches this term (Transfermarkt), so is at serious risk of being burned out.

Nonetheless, with nine goals and 15 assists for Brugge from the flanks in the last campaign (Transfermarkt), Lang has the end product that the Gunners would be looking for when exploring a deal for a new winger.

Wolves could still sign free agent Jason Denayer, with the latest reports suggesting that the Belgium international is considering an offer from Bruno Lage’s side.

What’s the word?

After a deal for Craig Dawson fell through on deadline day, Wolves have seemingly turned their attention to Denayer, who is available on a free transfer after leaving Lyon at the end of last season.

In a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT, journalist Dean Jones provided the latest on Wolves’ potential signing of the 27-year-old.

He said: “He’s still on the radar. The player himself is weighing up that move and whether it will be right for him.

“I think he needs convincing of his first-team opportunities and how this team is actually shaping up.”

Would Denayer be a good signing?

The Old Gold look short of centre-back options following the departures of Conor Coady, Willy Boly and Romain Saiss this summer, with only Nathan Collins arriving at Molineux as a replacement.

While the former Burnley man and Max Kilman have formed a strong partnership at the back for Lage’s side, earning three clean sheets in their first six Premier League games as a centre-back duo, Wolves could be in real trouble if either of them were to pick up an injury, with only the inexperienced Toti and Yerson Mosquera available as back-ups.

Considering the lack of depth at centre-back, an experienced international such as Denayer could be a great addition to Lage’s side, even if he does struggle to oust either Kilman or Collins from the first team.

The former Manchester City man made 139 appearances during his time with Lyon and has 35 caps for a strong Belgium side, so certainly represents an attractive option on a free transfer.

Lyon’s recruitment chief Florian Maurice was full of praise for Denayer in 2019, saying:

“He has all the characteristics we sought: he can play in every role across the defence, he’s got game intelligence, a good positional sense, he’s quick and he’s powerful in duels.”

Indeed, being quick and powerful are certainly the attributes you need to thrive in the English top-flight with the pace of the game often being rather frantic compared to other divisions in Europe.

Crucially, he also has previous Premier League experience with Sunderland and Champions League experience with Lyon and Galatasaray, so to bring him in for no transfer fee seems like a no-brainer for Lage given a lack of options.

While the focus is on bringing in Diego Costa as a free agent striker, a centre-back is also needed so Wolves should prioritise a move for Denayer as the Spaniard closes in on his own switch to Molineux.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke believes Leeds United will ‘definitely’ consider signing Cody Gakpo in January.

The Lowdown: Deadline day drama

The Whites were in a late rush to sign a new forward last month after Rodrigo dislocated his shoulder days before the transfer deadline.

Victor Orta flew out to the Netherlands looking to bring Gakpo to Elland Road, however, a move failed to materialise, with Netherlands manager Louis van Gaal thought to have played a part in Gakpo’s decision to stay with PSV.

Gakpo has gone on to continue his incredible form with a scarcely believable 19 goal contributions in 13 games this season, with speculation of a winter window move to Leeds already beginning.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s comments

O’Rourke, talking to The Transfer Tavern, said that Leeds thought they were going to sign Gakpo over the summer and believes the Whites are ‘definitely’ considering a winter window move alongside another rumoured target – Ben Brereton Diaz.

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“Cody Gakpo was very close to going to Leeds. They thought they were going to get him but the deal fell through. The player decided to stay in Holland.

“It’s never easy to do these deals in January. But I’m sure that they are definitely two players (Brereton Diaz) that Leeds will be considering again when the window opens.”

The Verdict: Ship sailed?

The summer window may prove to be the only real opportunity Leeds had to sign Gakpo. You’d expect that his outstanding form in recent months will have caught the eye of a number of other clubs, some of which could potentially offer Champions League football in the New Year.

Hailed as a ‘sensational player’ by Football Oranje editor and Dutch football expert Michael Bell, Gakpo is now valued at a career-high £31.5m by Transfermarkt, so the ship may have sailed when it comes to bringing him to Yorkshire.

Crystal Palace midfielder James McArthur could return from injury this weekend against Chelsea, according to journalist Rahman Osman.

The Lowdown: McArthur’s injury

McArthur made 23 appearances in all competitions during Patrick Vieira’s first year in charge but hasn’t featured so far this season due to injury.

The 34-year-old suffered a recurrence of a groin problem in pre-season after featuring in friendlies against Gillingham and Queens Park Rangers, with the setback in July ruling him out until now.

However, it looks as if the experienced midfielder could make his long-awaited return to action on Saturday afternoon, as Graham Potter makes his Premier League bow for the Blues at Selhurst Park.

The Latest: Osman’s update

Osman, who reports for London World, took to Twitter on Thursday morning to provide an update on McArthur.

He stated that the midfielder ‘could return after a lengthy lay-off this weekend’, adding that McArthur ‘has been working well this week’.

The Verdict: Good news

McArthur is one of two out-and-out central midfielders at the club alongside Will Hughes, so his return will be welcome news for Vieira in what is a busy six weeks prior to the World Cup.

The Eagles have nine fixtures before domestic football stops for the international tournament in Qatar starting tomorrow, so you’d expect that McArthur could be needed in a frantic schedule.

Vieira has a number of defensive midfielders available, but having McArthur back will give him a different option, potentially from the bench over the coming weeks following his lengthy layoff.

Leeds United battled hard to earn a valuable point against Aston Villa after going a man down early in the second half.

In a hostile encounter, Whites winger Luis Sinisterra was handed his marching orders in the 48th minute by referee Stuart Atwell. He was given a first yellow for a needless foul on John McGinn before earning a second for blocking the ball when Douglas Luiz tried to take a quick free-kick.

Watching from the stands due to his own ban, manager Jesse Marsch would’ve been less than impressed by the Colombian international but perhaps even less so with the player he trusted to lead the line – Rodrigo.

The Spanish veteran cut an anonymous figure for much of the 68 minutes he was on the pitch and at times, it looked as if Leeds were two men down rather than one.

As per SofaScore, the 31-year-old – who was starting over Patrick Bamford – registered only 25 touches of the ball, which was comfortably the fewest of all of Leeds’ starters. Even substitute Junior Firpo got close to beating that in just 32 minutes of action, whilst goalkeeper Illan Meslier managed nearly double (48).

With his little involvement, Rodrigo had three shots, of which none were on target, meaning 50% of Leeds’ total efforts in the final third were wasted, due to the misfiring forward.

Elsewhere, the one-time £27m club-record signing was weak in his battles as he struggled to cope against the aerial presence of Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings, both of whom had his number. Indeed, he won just two of his eight duels (25%).

LeedsLive reporter Beren Cross was less than impressed by Rodrigo too as he graded him as the Whites’ joint-worst performer at Elland Road in his post-match ratings column.

‘[He] looked smothered in attack and isolated. Rusty one-two attempts,’ the journalist wrote.

A lot of blame could be put on Sinisterra for his foolish actions but the display from Rodrigo up top left little to be desired and considering Marsch made the big call to start him over the returning Bamford, following his hat-trick for the U21s too, then he could feel massively let down.

It’s no wonder that the Spanish passenger has been described as “non-existent” in the past because he was exactly that on Sunday night.

AND in other news, Leeds scouting “absolutely unreal” £44m “Grealish regen”, imagine him & Sinisterra…