All posts by z3u9t.icu

Enzo Maresca has started work at Chelsea ahead of the 2024/25 Premier League season, as he is challenged with the task of guiding the Blues back into the top four, and therefore the Champions League.

One of his Leicester City players, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, has also made the switch to South West London, giving Maresca another midfield option in the already strong pool of talent Chelsea possess in this area.

Another signing Chelsea have already made this summer, is Brazil superstar Willian Estevao, signing from Palmeiras for a fee of around £34m + add-ons.

How much Chelsea paid for Carney Chukwuemeka

Chelsea secured the services of 18-year-old midfielder at the time, Carney Chukwuemeka, for around £20m from Aston Villa, signing in the summer of 2022. This was the first summer of the new Chelsea ownership, where Todd Boehly took control of incomings.

And whilst some signings from this period are heavily scrutinised, including a move for Raheem Sterling costing around £47.5m, and making him their highest-paid earner, Chukwuemeka could actually be the gem from that transfer window.

Chukwuemeka actually came through the Northampton Town academy but joined the Aston Villa system aged 12. The youngster went on to impress through the Villa academy ranks, making 55 appearances in total for the U18 and U23 sides, scoring 13 goals, and providing 13 assists.

Since signing for Chelsea, Chukwuemeka has had some injury problems, only being able to make 27 appearances in total for the club, scoring two goals, and providing one assist.

But the versatile midfielder, despite having hampered minutes, has shown his exciting skillset and class, even boasting excellent stats such as 5.38 progression carries per 90 last season.

Chukwuemeka excels in his carrying due to his 6 foot 2 frame, combined with his long and powerful stride, often using his body extremely well to protect the ball and power away from opposition players when challenging him.

Chukwuemeka's market value in 2024

Transfermarkt currently values Chukwuemeka at only £12.5m. However this could be due to the numerous injury problems he has faced, and therefore the lack of minutes he has seen at times as a result.

Chelsea however, could strike gold by selling him for a sizeable profit as they value him much higher than this, Fabrizio Romano reporting this week that Chukwuemeka has a £40m release clause in his contract. "Chelsea want to continue with him" Romano stated, unless a big money offer arrives, or his release clause is triggered.

Therefore, you can infer Chelsea value Chukwuemeka close to that £40m release clause, despite the injuries he has suffered in recent seasons. And it is clear other clubs see the potential talent in him too, as AC Milan are reportedly interested in the 20-year-old midfielder.

Interstingly, therefore, this £40m valuation would rank higher than the £30m value the club has just paid for Dewsbury-Hall, and the £29m fee involved in bringing teenage sensation Willian Estevao to the club (albeit a different position).

That begs the question, how will Chukwuemeka rank in the Chelsea pecking order this season under new boss Maresca when competing with one of his favoured Leicester players from last season, and can he fulfil the potential expected of him by so many?

Either way, it'll be exciting to see how the two midfielders compete for a similar spot in the same midfield.

Palmer repeat: Chelsea keen on signing young PL gem who's "like Odegaard"

Chelsea looking to replicate Palmer success story

1 ByConnor Holden Jul 3, 2024

Manchester United are interested in signing a £45,000-a-week reigning league champion this summer, according to a fresh update from Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg.

Man Utd transfer news

The Red Devils have made Joshua Zirkzee their first summer signing of the Sir Jim Ratcliffe era, which is hopefully the first of many eye-catching additions before the Premier League gets back underway next month.

While the Bologna man will provide stern competition for Rasmus Hojlund at United, a move for Brentford striker Ivan Toney has also been mooted, should Erik ten Hag want even more depth in central attacking areas. The England man is thought to be keen on a move to Old Trafford, but it remains to be seen if other positions will be looked at as bigger priorities.

At the other end of the pitch, Matthijs de Ligt has been constantly linked with a move to the Red Devils, with United ready to pay Bayern Munich's asking price. Talks are thought to be at an advanced stage, although the Dutchman is far from the only central defensive option being looked at.

Left-back is also a key position to focus on, with Luke Shaw hard to rely on fitness-wise throughout a whole season, and Girona hero Miguel Gutierrez is seen as a leading contender to come in, along with Bournemouth's Milos Kerkez.

Man Utd make enquiry to sign reigning league champion

Taking to X, Plettenberg claimed that Manchester United are looking at Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Jonathan Tah as a defensive option this summer, with a deal for De Ligt not yet agreed. An enquiry has even been made for Tah.

Tah is a player who feels right at the peak of his powers currently, with the 28-year-old proving to be a key man for a wonderful Leverkusen side – one that was on course to win every competition they were in last season, prior to losing to Atalanta in the Europa League final.

The £45,000-a-week German still won the Bundesliga title and the German Cup, however, completing 94.7% of his passes across 31 league appearances, 30 of which were starts. He also averaged 3.1 clearances and two aerial duels wins per game in the competition, and even scored four times for good measure, showing that he can be a threat in an attacking sense.

Man Utd identify "outstanding" Joao Neves alternative due to £100m+ price

He got more assists than Mainoo last season.

ByHenry Jackson Jul 15, 2024

It could be that the likes of De Ligt and Jarrad Branthwaite represent better long-term options, due to their age, but Tah also feels like a well rounded defender, so seeing United snap him up and Tah partnering Lisandro Martinez could be a mouthwatering prospect for Red Devils supporters.

Two Rangers players are seemingly set to depart ahead of the new Scottish Premiership season, it has emerged, with boss Philippe Clement keen to see the back of the pair.

Cantwell hands in Rangers transfer request

It has been a slow summer for the Ibrox side so far, with just three non-free transfers having been made, one of which was to turn Mohamed Diomande's temporary stay into a permanent one.

Their lack of progress was underlined as they fell to a 2-1 defeat to Birmingham City in a pre-season friendly, with Rangers booed off at the interval after an awful first half.

There is still plenty to do both in and out at Rangers, with James Tavernier still the subject of intense speculation after Clement's side turned down an offer for his services earlier in the transfer window.

Their best ST since Morelos: Rangers lining up dream 31-goal star

Philippe Clement desperately needs a goal scorer ahead of next season

ByRoss Kilvington Jul 25, 2024

Connor Goldson was left out of the squad at St Andrew's as he looks to finalise his own move away from the club. Another man who is set for the exit is Todd Cantwell after Clement revealed that the ex-Norwich man had submitted a transfer request to leave the club.

"Todd Cantwell came to my office a while ago. We have a really good relationship and we talked a long time about that. He came a while ago to say he feels ready for another adventure, that he wants another challenge. I spoke long with him because I think Rangers is a really good club for him", Clement explained after the defeat.

"I wanted to give him time also, so that's why the last couple of weeks I didn't speak about it. But he came back with the same request. So I'm going to be focused on the next couple of weeks on guys who are with their heads with Rangers."

Now, it has emerged that Rangers are closing in on another departure.

Lammers on course to leave Rangers

That comes in the shape of striker Sam Lammers, who spent the second half of last season on loan with FC Utrecht. The Dutch striker rediscovered his scoring touch in his homeland, scoring 11 times in 20 outings for the Eredivisie side compared to just the two he managed for Clement's side in the first half of the campaign.

Sam Lammers' impressive loan spell

Appearances

20

Goals

11

Assists

3

Minutes per goal/assist

130

But they opted not to make the loan move permanent, leaving Lammers back at Ibrox with three years still left to run on his £18,000-a-week deal.

Now, one of Utrecht's rivals has stepped in, with fellow Eredivisie side FC Twente in talks over a move to sign the 27-year-old striker in a deal worth "over £2m", according to Sky Sports Journalist Anthony Joseph. Football Insider have added that Rangers will accept a £2m bid with the forward not in Clement's plans.

It would represent a loss on the £3.5m Rangers shelled out for Lammers just 12 months ago, but would nonetheless free up some much-needed funds for Clement and co to improve a squad that looks lightweight just weeks away from the start of the new Scottish Premiership season.

It's been a busy summer so far for Manchester United, with two preseason games under their belt and, more importantly, two seriously significant signings.

Joshua Zirkzee joined the club for just over £36m a couple of weeks ago, and four days later, the incredibly exciting young centre-back Leny Yoro joined for around £52m.

The last few weeks have been a real statement of intent from Sir Jim Ratcliffe, although based on recent reports, the Red Devils aren't quite done yet.

The latest star touted for a move to Old Trafford has just won the league with his current team and would likely help get even more out of Amad Diallo at United.

Manchester United transfer news

According to a recent report from The Athletic, intermediaries have discussed a possible swap deal involving Aaron Wan Bissak and Denzel Dumfries this summer.

The Englishman cost United £50m when signed from Crystal Palace in the summer of 2019, but with just a year left on his contract, there is a risk of him leaving for free.

Likewise, Dumfries' £51k-per-week deal is set to expire next summer, meaning that this potential swap deal could be a win-win solution for both clubs.

Moreover, the Dutchman's impressive abilities could help Diallo rapidly develop next season.

Why Dumfries would be great for Diallo

Now, while Dumfries' vast experience at both club and international level would undoubtedly be something Diallo could learn from, the main reason the Dutchman would be such a great teammate for the youngster is simply that he's an incredibly attack-minded full-back.

For example, in just 31 Serie A appearances last season, the 6 foot 2 "monster," as football journalist Alan Rzepa dubbed him, scored four goals and provided five assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 3.44 games.

In contrast, Aaron Wan-Bissaka provided just two assists in his 22 Premier League appearances last season, while Diogo Dalot scored two goals and provided three assists in his 36 matches. Thus, the United pair averaged a goal involvement every 11 and 7.2 games, respectively.

Appearances

31

22

36

Goals

4

0

2

Assists

5

2

3

Goal Involvements per Match

0.29

0.09

0.13

The Serie A winner shines not just in his raw output, though. His underlying numbers prove that he is elite when it comes to attacking full-backs.

For example, according to FBref, which ranks players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, the Rotterdam-born dynamo sits in the top 2% of full-backs for touches in the opposition's penalty area, the top 3% for non-penalty goals and non-penalty expected goals plus assists, the top 5% for aerial duels won, and the top 6% for total shots and progressive passes received, all per 90.

It's this incredible ability and desire to impact his team's attack that would help Diallo next season. While defenders are busy trying to deal with Dumfries, he should have more space to operate and show the league just how good he can be.

Ultimately, with Wan-Bissaka's contract coming to an end next season and the likelihood of receiving a good fee for him low, agreeing to a swap deal that sees Inter's impressive full-back come the other way is a no-brainer.

Their own Rodri: Man Utd want one of 'the best CMs in the world'

Manchester United looking for their very own Rodri

ByConnor Holden Jul 25, 2024

West Ham have been busy this summer, arming new manager Julen Lopetegui with new signings such as Max Kilman and Luis Guilherme, while it looks like Leeds United winger Crysencio Summerville is on his way too, amid reports that a deal is now close for the Dutchman.

But something Hammers fans may still have in mind is replacing Declan Rice, who left last summer for Arsenal, leaving a big hole in midfield. Despite the signing of Edson Alvarez, another midfield signing could provide the replacement for Rice.

Alvarez made 42 appearances in all competitions for West Ham last season, scoring two goals, providing two assists, and contributing to nine clean sheets in his 3,155 minutes. Whilst Alvarez offers excellent defensive qualities, which replace those of Rice, he maybe doesn't have the same quality on the ball to replace Rice's output in that sense.

West Ham transfer news

According to ExWHUemployee, West Ham are keen on Colombian midfielder, Richard Rios, who is also attracting interest from other Premier League clubs such as Everton, Leicester City and Manchester United.

Rios is currently playing for Palmeiras in Brazil, and it is unclear about the fee that would be required to get the midfielder. However, Palmeiras could be hoping for a bidding war with all of this Premier League interest in their player.

As reported previously, Rios could be available for around €20m (£17m) this summer, with Everton having already contacted the players' agents about a move, thus ensuring the Hammers will have a battle on their hands to seal a deal.

How Rios compares to Declan Rice

The 24-year-old has made 32 appearances this season for Palmeiras in all competitions, scoring two goals, providing one assist, and contributing to 13 clean sheets in his 2,003 minutes played.

Rios has been described as a "ball-carrying machine" by Ben Mattinson, alluding to his ability to drive forward with the ball from deep. This is something West Ham have missed since losing Rice, who produced 2.45 progressive carries per 90 for the Hammers in his last season at the club.

Stats (per 90 mins)

Rios

Rice (2022/23)

Alvarez

Progressive Passes

3.06

6.59

3.45

Progressive Carries

1.99

2.45

0.76

Key Passes

0.49

1.02

0.45

Passes into Penalty Area

0.44

0.36

0.23

Tackles

2.18

2.17

3.03

Blocks

1.89

1.24

2.23

Aerials Won

0.97

1.02

1.14

These metrics show Rice as the progressive midfielder, who can carry the ball, progress through his passing but also perform a high volume of defensive actions, whilst Alvarez is more of a defensive anchor, protecting the backline.

However, Rios offers a medium between the two, producing 1.99 progressive carries per 90, 0.44 passes into the penalty area per 90, showing his ability to get the team forward into dangerous areas, but also produce those defensive actions as Rice did, making 2.18 tackles per 90.

By having both Rios and Alvarez on the books as midfield options, West Ham could replace the progressive carrying of Rice, whilst not losing the defensive output he gave the side.

That potential deal comes amid what is an exciting time for the Irons amid the imminent capture of Summerville, with Lopetegui assembling a squad that looks capable of kicking on again this season.

Lopetegui's own Osimhen: West Ham ready bid for £48k-p/w "jewel"

West Ham looking to add clinical striker to their ranks

ByConnor Holden Aug 1, 2024

Liverpool defeated Ipswich Town to start the Arne Slot era with three points, and while a clean sheet in the Premier League was greatly appreciated, the Reds weren't without defensive deficiencies.

Carved open on the counter in a grim reminder of lingering issues under Jurgen Klopp's later-stage leadership, the newly-promoted hosts will rue a lack of incisiveness in the opening half that they paid dearly for after the break, with Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah doing the damage as Slot's slick system clicked and wreaked chaos.

Ah, but it's not at all doom and gloom: Liverpool are up and running and boy did they look intoxicating toward the end. However, Jarell Quansah's half-time substitution – due to Liverpool's lack of duel success – highlighted a cutting edge to Slot's tactical mind, a ruthless streak, that only deepens the argument that Liverpool need reinforcements at the rear.

Goals scored

0

2

Big chances

0

6

Shots (on target)

3 (0)

15 (5)

Possession

58%

66%

Dribbles completed

2/8 (25%)

9/14 (64%)

Tackles won

5/12 (40%)

4/8 (50%)

Duels won

22/53 (42%)

24/44 (55%)

Ball recoveries

26

19

Skipper Virgil van Dijk is indispensable, but Ibrahima Konate started only 17 Premier League matches last season and Quansah, aged 21, just 13. Both are robust and imposing ball-playing defenders, but with Joe Gomez free to pursue a transfer before the month's end, FSG might just be forced to make a move.

Liverpool transfer news

According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool might be in with a shout of signing Marc Guehi this month, with the touted centre-back at the centre of a protracted transfer campaign from Newcastle United.

Guehi, who starred for England at Euro 2024, has been a rock for Crystal Palace in recent years, with the Eagles playing hardball and rejecting a string of Newcastle approaches in recent days.

TEAMtalk's report claims that Guehi has admirers at Anfield, opening up the possibility of a potential hijack for the £75m-rated star – especially if Gomez is sold for a fee of around £45m.

Why Marc Guehi is so sought-after

Gomez is Liverpool's longest-serving senior player and was acknowledged for having a “renaissance” last term by writer Joel Rabinowitz after previously falling by the wayside.

After a long Anfield career that has seen every emotion and a heap of silverware and success, Gomez has probably earned the right to call time and seek out pastures new, and there's a growing sense that a deal could be struck for a defender inside the next two weeks.

Guehi would be the dream fit, regarded as one of the Premier League's finest rising centre-halves and rewarded for his progress with a crucial role in Gareth Southgate's Three Lions squad this summer, starting six matches en route to the final and being hailed for his "excellence" by renowned journalist Henry Winter.

In the Premier League last season, as per Sofascore, the 24-year-old played in 25 fixtures and impressed with his intelligent and industrious approach to his craft, completing 87% of his passes, winning 67% of his ground duels and averaging 3.5 clearances and 4.8 ball recoveries per game.

Effectively, such metrics suggest that he is a player of the Van Dijk mould, composed and almost languid in his movements but expertly reading the game and positioning himself just so.

His high level of performance last term is made all the more impressive by the fact that he only played three times under Oliver Glasner because of injury, who transformed Selhurst Park in February following a dreary end to Roy Hodgson's tenure.

He's even been described as a "beast" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and given that he just continues to go from strength to strength, Guehi might prove to be a sensational signing for the Redmen, securing a spot alongside Van Dijk this season.

Why Marc Guehi would start for Liverpool

Guehi has proved his worth over recent years, completing an £18m transfer to Palace from Chelsea in 2021 and since featuring 112 times, even donning the armband for the outfit's Premier League opener against Brentford last weekend.

He has an underrated passing game that would align with the football that Slot hopes to instil on Merseyside and a natural fortitude too – it's more than conceivable that he could leapfrog over Quansah and Konate and take his place as the No. 1 centre-back (Van Dijk notwithstanding, obviously).

Quansah, make no mistake, is a top talent and has been an integral part of Liverpool's first team since integrating last summer following a loan spell in League One.

As per FBref, the 6 foot 6 colossus ranks among the top 3% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted, the top 18% for progressive passes and the top 16% for tackles per 90, as per FBref.

A system is an important thing in football, and loose comparisons can be dangerous, should key underlying points not be observed. Guehi hasn't had the same level of ball-playing success over the past year since he's largely performed in a faltering and pragmatic Hodgson system.

Let's take a look at his Euro 2024 metrics instead… ahh, the picture becomes clearer. Guehi ranked among the top 6% of centre-backs in Germany for assists per 90 and recorded a 93.5% pass completion rate. In a different system, he would bloom into a player of greater ball-playing distinction than Quansah – at this stage, anyway.

Hailed as a "monster" of a defender by Palace reporter Bobby Manzi, Guehi is the real deal, and his complete-package style of play could be perfect alongside Van Dijk, consigning the top talent that is Quansah to a more bit-part role for another season.

Liverpool have just discovered they have their own version of Zubimendi

A new era opened with three points in the Premier League…

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 18, 2024

There are just a few days remaining before the summer transfer window slams shut, and as things stand, Tottenham Hotspur fans have a lot to be happy about.

Daniel Levy and Co have signed a plethora of talented players, from young prospects like Archie Gray, Wilson Odobert and Yang Min-Hyeok, who could go on to become superstars to first-team ready and Premier League-proven level raisers like Dominic Solanke.

However, the decision to extend Timo Werner's loan deal for another campaign still feels like a slight mistake, as while he wasn't dreadful last season, he was underwhelming and isn't going to help the club reach the next level this year.

Interestingly, the Lilywhites were linked with a player who'd be an ideal upgrade on the German earlier this month, who has been compared to Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka.

Werner's Spurs spell

In the January transfer window this year, Spurs needed to bring in some more attacking reinforcements, as following a rapid start to the season, they were starting to falter. So, Levy and Co turned to former Chelsea attacker Werner, who had fallen out of favour at RB Leipzig.

The club agreed to a six-month loan with an option to buy at £15m, hopeful that Postecoglou's aggressive style would help the 28-year-old regain the incredible goalscoring form that led to his initial transfer to Stamford Bridge in 2020.

However, instead of a game-changing attacker who scored for fun, the North Londoners ended up with a fairly useful winger who was as profligate as everyone remembered and ended up getting injured before the end of the campaign.

Now, it's important to stress that the 57-capped German was not terrible for the Lilywhites. In fact, his tally of two goals and three assists in 14 appearances was perfectly serviceable. But therein lies the problem: he's simply okay.

The Stuttgart-born ace has scored 15 goals or more only once in the last four seasons, and based on his displays last year, it doesn't look like he is going to this season either.

So, if he's not good enough to take the club forward, bringing him in for another season seems counterproductive, especially when the club was linked with someone far better already this summer, someone compared to Martinelli and Saka: Kingsley Coman.

How Coman compares to Martinelli and Saka

The player in question is Bayern Munich star Coman, who was touted for a move to N17 last week for a fee around £34m, or potentially even on a season-long loan.

The "complete" winger, as dubbed by former France U17 coach Patrick Gonfalone, is an incredible talent, and while last season wasn't his best campaign to date, he still racked up five goals and three assists, while the season prior saw him chalk up nine goals and seven assists.

With that said, most football fans are more than aware of how talented the former Paris Saint-Germain dynamo is, but where do these comparisons to Saka and Martinelli come from?

Well, aside from the positional similarities, which are plain to see, these specific comparisons stem from FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, the Champions League and the Europa League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and in this case they concluded that the Brazilian is the number one most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Bayern ace, while the Englishman is the seventh.

The easiest way to see these similarities for yourself is to examine their underlying numbers to see where they rank closely. For the former Ituano gem, it's in metrics such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, actual non-penalty goals plus assists, short passing accuracy, crosses and ball recoveries, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.53

0.58

Non-Penalty Goals + Assists

0.49

0.45

Shot Passing Accuracy

86.4%

86.5%

Crosses

4.84

4.87

Ball Recoveries

4.03

4.24

When it comes to the Gunners' number seven, he ranks closely in a number of other underlying statistics.

These include metrics such as expected assists, goals per shot and shot on target, blocks, dribblers tackled and touches in the attacking third, also all per 90.

Expected Assists

0.31

0.32

Goals per Shot

0.09

0.10

Goals per Shot on Target

0.38

0.32

Blocks

1.21

1.33

Dribblers Tackled

0.73

0.80

Touches in the Attacking Third

41.4

40.4

Now, there are also similarities beyond the raw stats that the former Juventus gem shares with the two Arsenal stars, such as his goalscoring and creative abilities.

Ultimately, while Werner isn't a dreadful player, he's not good enough to help Tottenham progress this season, and while the fans don't like them, the fact Coman has been compared to Saka and Martinelli is just another reason why Levy and Co should look to bring him in before the window closes on Friday night.

Spurs could take Maddison to new heights with late move for £50m PL star

The incredible midfielder would perfectly balance Postecoglou’s team.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 27, 2024

It’s not been the best of starts to the season for Everton, but it’s definitely not time to panic. The Toffees go into the first international break of the campaign with three losses from three Premier League matches, the third of which was an inexcusable capitulation.

Everton were in cruise control against Bournemouth, 2-0 up at Goodison Park approaching full-time, but a stunning late turnaround left the Cherries with all three points.

Jarrad Branthwaite continues to recover from a groin injury that has meant he has not yet featured this term, a huge factor behind the dismal start, and when he returns, Everton will hope to raise their level.

There’s also the addition of Armando Broja to get excited about, with the forward joining on transfer deadline day.

Why Everton signed Armando Broja

Sean Dyche needs to use the international break wisely to reinvigorate his ranks and turn them away from the depths of the divisional table.

Everton’s ownership and financial situation is still alarming but the squad has been strengthened despite having to sell Amadou Onana to Aston Villa for £50m.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin has shown signs of restoring his former level but competition was pursued and landed in the form of Chelsea’s Broja, 22, who signed on a season-long loan move with an option to purchase for a £30m fee.

Goals scored

0.17

Bottom 6%

Assists

0.17

Top 36%

Pass completion

84.3%

Top 1%

Progressive carries

2.16

Top 24%

Successful take-ons

2.49

Top 1%

Blocks

1.00

Top 16%

Activating that clause would mean that the Goodison Park side would be paying their largest transfer fee since signing Onana in the first place.

Described as an “animal” by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, the 6 foot 3 Broja is technical and tenacious and will add a dimension. However, he’s not going to displace Calvert-Lewin off the bat, for the England international is indeed on track to reclaim his former position of power in the Premier League.

Why Dominic Calvert-Lewin is still Everton's main man

It’s been a rocky road for Calvert-Lewin. These past few years have pulled him away from the level that had led talent scout Jacek Kulig to herald him as a “monster” while plying his trade under Carlo Ancelotti.

Last season, though, the 27-year-old enjoyed his most productive campaign in a while, scoring eight goals and adding three assists across 38 matches in all competitions.

There was some understandable rustiness, but ‘DCL’ posted four goals and an assist across his final seven fixtures, leading The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland to note that he looked “like the DCL of old”.

Having scored and assisted during the recent Bournemouth defeat, it’s safe to say that he looks ready to take on the Premier League season and offer his services as a high-level focal point.

The Merseysiders will no doubt be glad that they rejected interest from Chelsea and Newcastle United in their talisman. The Magpies were desperate to land the striker but were dissuaded by Everton’s £40m price tag in June and closed the door on that one.

Calvert-Lewin is out of contract at the end of the campaign, so his value is set to dwindle, but he’s still valued higher than Broja and while Everton look set to eke out his quality instead of cashing in for a price deemed inadequate, it’s hard to say that they haven’t hit the jackpot with him. Who knows, he might just prove to be the difference-maker this year.

Dyche must drop 5/10 Everton star who's lost the ball 24x this season

Sean Dyche is coming under some pressure after a woeful start to the season for Everton

1 ByRoss Kilvington Sep 2, 2024

Everton have endured a horrific start to the 2024/25 Premier League campaign, suffering three defeats on the bounce.

The international break comes at precisely the right time for Sean Dyche, who is gradually coming under serious pressure.

He will likely spend the break working out what has gone wrong thus far in a bid to get his team to improve when club football returns in a couple of weeks.

They did lead Bournemouth 2-0 before a late rally saw the Cherries secure all three points, leading to questions about their mentality.

Several players have underperformed this term, which includes defender Michael Keane.

Michael Keane’s statistics vs Bournemouth

Keane did open the scoring against the Cherries on the weekend, giving the Toffees a 1-0 lead, before Dominic Calvert-Lewin doubled the advantage with just over 30 minutes left on the clock.

Despite Keane’s goal, his defensive performance wasn’t great and as a result, question should be asked about his place in the side moving forward.

He won just three of his eight total duels throughout the game while losing possession ten times and being dribbled past once.

When in possession, he was hardly much better, completing only 23 of his 32 attempted passes, along with attempting zero dribbles and making zero key passes.

He attracted criticism, notably from Liverpool World reporter Will Rooney who handed him a 5/10 rating while suggesting the centre-back was 'all over the place in the final moments of the game'.

Everton’s collapse wasn’t solely down to him, but Dyche must be rueing the fact Jarrad Branthwaite is out injured at the moment.

Michael Keane’s season in numbers for Everton

Once the young English centre-back is back fit and healthy, there is no doubt that Branthwaite will take Keane's place in the starting XI, subsequently partnering James Tarkowski at the back.

Across his three Premier League appearances for the Goodison Park outfit this term, Keane has averaged just 31.7 passes per game (83% success rate) while winning only 0.7 ground duels each match (40% success rate) in the top flight.

Accurate passes

31.7

Tackles

0.7

Total duels won

4.3

Interceptions

2

Lost possession

8

Clearances

3.7

The 31-year-old has also lost possession eight times per game on average, which works out as 24 times in his three matches for Everton, clearly proving he is giving the ball away far too regularly.

It hasn’t just been the opening few matches of this season in which Keane has underperformed. When compared to his positional peers in Europe’s big five leagues over the previous 365 days, the defender ranks in the bottom 55% for blocks (1.19), clearances (3.75) and tackles (1.02) per 90. Considering Everton actually do quite a bit of defending, it doesn't cover the former Burnley man in glory.

Keane even ranks in the lowest 95% for pass completion percentage (76.7%) per 90 and lowest 10% for passes attempted per 90 (40.23), showcasing how poor he has been at distributing the ball of late.

The quicker Branthwaite bounces back to full fitness, the better, as Dyche clearly cannot go on using Keane as one of his main centre-backs.

Everton face Aston Villa in their first game back after the break. If they wish to secure all three points against Unai Emery’s men, Dyche is going to have to come up with a solid tactical plan to outwit the Spaniard.

Another loss will continue to pile the pressure on the manager, no doubt about it.

Everton could yet seal "amazing" player's return in post-deadline deal

The Toffees may not be done with their incomings…

1 ByTom Cunningham Sep 1, 2024

Nottingham Forest's Anfield challenge may have just become that much more difficult following Nuno Espirito Santo's verdict that one particular star man could be set to miss the trip.

Nottingham Forest injury news

The Midlands club will already be without Ibrahim Sangare for the trip and may also be without Willy Boly in two early blows on top of a third potential injury concern. The injuries come at a frustrating time given the test that awaits against an unbeaten and currently impenetrable Liverpool side.

Nottingham Forest ace sold for only £4m is now one of the best in the world

Forest may regret star sold on a cheap who is now thriving

1 ByConnor Holden Sep 13, 2024

At Anfield too, the Reds rarely suffer defeat. In fact, they rarely even drop points at home at all. So Forest, especially not at full strength, are likely to be in for a long afternoon on Saturday.

Of course though, stranger things have happened and those at the City Ground still have plenty of impressive attacking talent, with James Ward-Prowse in line to make his league debut for the club to provide that added set piece threat. The former Southampton man completed a late loan move from West Ham United, but fans may have to wait to see his partnership with one particular forward in action.

According to Nottingham Forest News, Chris Wood could now miss Nottingham Forest's trip to Liverpool this Saturday as Nuno wants to guard against fatigue following the forward's game in America with New Zealand over the international break.

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers manager also spoke on injuries to Boly and Sangare, telling the media: "We have a doubt with Sangare and Boly and we know Danilo is out. We are assessing all of them. We have to wait a little bit to be 100 per cent sure. Boly has a calf injury. We are assessing all of them. We still have one more day then we will see.”

Potentially missing up to four players, Forest face an uphill battle to take anything away from their trip to Anfield.

"Important" Wood is still Forest's best forward

After they missed out on Eddie Nketiah in the summer, there may have been concerns over whether Forest's frontline was strong enough to compete in the Premier League, but Wood has since once again put those doubts to bed. The New Zealand international has enjoyed an excellent start to the campaign, scoring twice in three games and will still be hoping to be fit enough to make the squad against Liverpool.

Forest and Nuno are well aware of the £80k-a-week forward's importance, with the manager full of praise for his number 11 last season, telling BBC Sport last season: "Chris has been very important for us, especially with the absence of Taiwo [Awoniyi]. He knows the needs that we have in that position and he has been performing very well. Hopefully he keeps like that – healthy and always available."

Now, however, he could be left to cope without his star striker this weekend in one of the toughest games that the Premier League has to offer his Nottingham Forest side.