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Chelsea’s winning streak came to an end on Sunday, drawing 1-1 with Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge.

Despite having 67% possession, and generating 2.27 xG compared to just 0.85 of Forest, the Blues were unable to convert more than one to win the game.

Chris Wood actually gave Forest the lead in the 49th minute, with Noni Madueke responding in the 57th minute, with a low curled strike on his left foot to the bottom left corner. James Ward-Prowse was sent off in the 78th, but the hosts were unable to capitalise on having the extra man.

Enzo Maresca’s side head into the international break fourth in the Premier League, and will face Liverpool at Anfield in their next game, on the 20th of October.

Palmer and Madueke's performance vs Forest

Chelsea’s star man, Cole Palmer, managed to get himself another goal contribution, setting up Madueke for his goal.

However, despite making six key passes and getting his assist, it felt like he didn’t have his best game, which really goes to show the quality expected of the young man already.

Madueke started the season in red-hot form and added to his goal tally with a lovely finish to equalise. The 22-year-old also made three key passes, and won seven of his 13 ground duels in the game, making three tackles, and putting in a shift on both ends of the ball.

Alongside two of Chelsea’s key men this season, there was another player who put in a top-class performance against Forest.

Jadon Sancho's performance vs Forest

Since joining from Manchester United, on an initial loan deal with an obligation to buy, Sancho has made four appearances for the Blues, providing three assists already. The 24-year-old was unable to provide any goal contributions today, but his performance was very good.

The English winger made three key passes, won 4/6 ground duels, completed three out of three successful dribbles (100%), and made one tackle in the game.

Minutes

89

90

89

Goals

0

0

1

Assists

0

1

0

Touches

47

81

58

Key Passes

3

6

3

Shots

0

6

7

Dribbles completed

3/3

1/1

3/5

Ground Duels Won

4/6

5/6

7/13

The £100k-per-week summer signing’s performance was impressive, one that may go under the radar due to Madueke and Palmer getting the plaudits.

Sancho was described as a “consistent outlet” for the Blues by GOAL during their match ratings after the game, giving Sancho a 6/10, purely stating he needs to improve his fitness as their reason for docking his mark.

Maresca likes his wingers to isolate their fullback 1v1, and Sancho’s three out of three successful dribbles showed he did exactly that, threatening down that left side, and creating chances for his team, which is also backed up by his three key passes.

The 24-year-old seems to have secured his spot in the starting XI for now, having started three Premier League games in a row now, and completing an attacking quartet of himself, Palmer, Madueke and Nicolas Jackson, which has seen good success in the past few weeks.

Chelsea must rue losing "unstoppable" ace who's now worth more than Sancho

He left the club for £0…

1 ByJoe Nuttall Oct 5, 2024

24-0. No, that wasn’t the full-time score at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. It was the number of shots Manchester City had to Arsenal’s tally in the second half of their thrilling 2-2 draw.

Things threatened to go oh-so wrong for Arsenal but they rallied – as did Manchester City to their credit – and with one of the last kicks of the game, substitute John Stones bundled the ball home. We have a title race, well perhaps it’s too early to tell, but the significance behind this game already felt colossal.

The Gunners came to the Etihad last season and stifled the Citizens, although they did so in pretty unentertaining circumstances, eventually drawing the game 0-0.

Had Mikel Arteta’s men won that day then they likely would have been crowned champions. Alas, they settled for a point and were forced to do so this weekend too. Will they live to regret the result? We won’t know until next May.

That said, Arsenal have to be given praise, not for Leandro Trossard’s red card, which was a moment of madness but for their defensive organisation, their mental fortitude and their remarkable levels of concentration.

Wave after wave of City attacks were thrown in the direction of William Saliba, Gabriel and Co but Pep Guardiola’s side failed to break them down until the dying embers. Cue bedlam, rare bedlam let’s be honest at Manchester City but it showed just what this game meant to both sets of supporters.

So, why did Arsenal have to sit back for an entire 45 minutes, camped within 25 yards of their own goal? Ahem, we’re looking at you Mr Trossard.

Why Trossard was sent off

Not again, surely? Jurrien Timber’s face said it all. Kai Havertz’s face said it all. The Arsenal pair were staggered, as was Arteta at Michael Oliver’s decision to send Trossard off.

Only a few weeks ago we saw club-record signing Declan Rice sent off in controversial fashion, nudging the ball away (delaying the restart) and being shown a second yellow card.

Well, with that in mind, Trossard’s red was slightly more understandable. Even then it was remarkably harsh.

The Belgian had been shown a yellow earlier in the first half for tugging back on Bernardo Silva’s jersey and then committed another offence on the Portuguese as the opening 45 minutes reached its climax.

The foul was pretty innocuous. A free-kick had been given but the club’s number 19 decided to smack the ball away once the whistle had already gone. On a yellow card, the former Brighton man was given his marching orders. Off he went for an early bath.

What felt even more unjust was that Jeremy Doku was given no punishment for seemingly kicking the ball away earlier in the opening period.

As Bukayo Saka said after Rice’s red a few weeks back, some consistency would be nice from the officials.

Truth be told, though, it was an incredibly foolish decision from Trossard. Arteta will no doubt back his player but let’s be honest, he should be given a stern telling off and told to fight to earn his place back.

It wasn’t a great day at all for the Belgium international who also saw Gabriel Martinelli return to somewhere near his best, assisting Riccardo Calafiori’s incredible first-half equaliser.

So, while Trossard will have a battle on his hands to get back in the starting XI, as too should Ben White.

Why Ben White didn't start against Man City

When the lineups were announced it was perhaps a surprise to see two changes made to the Arsenal team, particularly with one of them seeing White removed from the lineup.

The right-back had played every minute of the campaign prior to the weekend’s trip to Manchester but was only deemed fit enough for a place among the subs on this occasion.

“It was a little bit forced [to drop White and start Calafiori], but we are okay,” Arteta said before kick-off. “We’ve done it with different players but we have full belief in the players we have. It gives us something different.”

Considering Calafiori scored, perhaps it was a blessing in disguise. Either way, White was forced to play the second half. Saka was the sacrificial lamb as Arteta’s men migrated to a back five.

Minutes played

74

Touches

32

Accurate passes

16/17 (94%)

Clearances

3

Tackles

3

Ground duels won

4/7

Aerials won

0/1

Dribble attempts

1/1

Shots

1

Key passes

0

Possession lost

3x

The £150k-per-week earner did well. Despite having fewer touches (8) than goalkeeper David Raya, he completed 100% of his passes and won his only aerial duel, but should now face an uphill battle to get back in the starting XI.

Why? Well, Calafiori has surely locked down the left-hand side with his impressive display and Jurrien Timber was also exceptional at right-back, deputising for their £50m signing.

Timber started the campaign at left-back, showcasing his impressive skillset by operating as an inverted full-back. He didn’t invert so much this time out but he was seriously impressive in keeping tricky wingers Doku and Savio quiet.

The Dutchman was only dribbled past once and even if he did remarkably fail to complete a single pass on Sunday afternoon, he stood up to his defensive task astutely, winning four of his seven ground duels and making three tackles.

White has done nothing wrong but given the defensive security that both Timber and their new Italian summer signing gave them, Arteta would be taking a risk to drop them both.

Alongside Gabriel: Arsenal star who made 0 passes all game bullied Man City

Arsenal nearly escaped the Etihad with all three points.

ByMatt Dawson Sep 22, 2024

What a start to the new campaign it has been for Scottish champions, Celtic, with the Old Firm outfit boasting a 100% record in all competitions thus far, having begun impressively on all three fronts.

In the Premiership, the Hoops have started the defence of their crown in imperious fashion with five wins and five clean sheets racked up so far, while on the continental front, Brendan Rodgers’ side saw off Slovan Bratislava on the start of their Champions League journey.

Having also shaken off a nervy start at home to Falkirk to book a place in the last four of the League Cup, the Glasgow giants are flying right now, even after losing key man Matt O’Riley.

The Denmark international sealed a £25m move to Brighton and Hove Albion at the tail-end of the summer window, bringing an end to a fruitful two-and-a-half-year stay at Parkhead, in which he provided 62 goals and assists in just 124 games across all fronts.

An integral figure under both Ange Postecoglou and Rodgers – although a particularly pivotal presence under the latter – the former MK Dons man left a gaping hole in the club’s midfield ranks, with concerns brewing over just how he would be replaced.

Postecoglou

Rodgers

Total

Games

72

52

124

Goals

8

19

27

Assists

16

19

35

Minutes played

4535

4561

9096

Stats via Transfermarkt

£11m man Arne Engels has, however, shown signs that he could be the player to do just that with four goals and assists so far, while fellow youngster Paulo Bernardo also has a strong case to make, having overcome an initial slow start to life in Scotland.

Paulo Bernardo's start at Celtic

Signed on loan from Benfica in the summer of 2023, Bernardo no doubt felt the pressure to try and emulate the success of his compatriot, Jota, with the wing wizard – who chalked up 54 goals and assists in 83 games for the club – having thrived after also joining from the Lisbon outfit on an initial temporary deal two years earlier.

In truth, it proved to be a sticky start to life in his new surroundings for young Bernardo, having been restricted to just three league starts before Christmas Day, while failing to register a single goal or assist.

That lack of impact – which also included no goal involvements from his six Champions League outings (four starts) – drew notable criticism at the time, with club legend Chris Sutton writing in December that he couldn’t ‘think of one memorable thing the lad has done since he signed’.

Just a few days later, however, Bernardo responded impressively after netting his first goal in the 3-0 win away Dundee, before producing his first truly ‘memorable’ moment after thumping home against Rangers in the Old Firm the following game.

With two assists also to come at St Mirren in early January, the playmaker certainly left Sutton – among others – eating humble pie, with pundit Mark Wilson among those.

Speaking on the Open Goal podcast, via Football Scotland, the former Rangers man stated: “I wasn’t having him. He played in big games but I just didn’t see him do anything.

“He would run about, hardly get involved or hardly get a touch of the ball. He wouldn’t tackle and you’d see him almost get close to somebody, it almost looked like he was running on treacle. But the game at Dens Park, he looked like a player. He gets his goal, maybe a wee bit fortuitous. But after that he’s been great, he’s been brilliant.”

Having ultimately ended the 2023/24 campaign with four goals and three assists, the 22-year-old looks set to kick on again this season following his £3.5m permanent capture.

Paulo Bernardo's 2024/25 campaign in numbers

The Almada-born starlet may only have one goal to his name so far this season, but what a goal it was, with the midfielder drawing his side level against Falkirk with a stunning volleyed effort.

That moment of quality served as a reminder of why the club were so keen to keep him at Celtic Park on a permanent basis, with the task now for Bernardo to force his way into the starting lineup consistently, alongside Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate.

The threat of Engels – and fellow new arrival Luke McCowan – is there, although, on recent evidence, it could be Bernardo who takes on O’Riley’s mantle, having particularly shone in the Old Firm win earlier this month.

62 minutes

57 touches

76% pass accuracy

3 key passes

1 ‘big chance’ created

1 ‘big chance’ missed

4/4 dribbles completed

10/15 ground duels won

2/3 aerial duels won

14x possession lost

That 3-0 triumph saw the Portuguese at his best, as he notably registered three key passes, won 12 duels and completed 100% of his attempted dribbles during his 62-minute showing.

Such a statement display had his former critic, Sutton, positively purring, with the striker-turned-pundit backing Bernardo’s credentials as the man to fill O’Riley’s void:

‘Bernardo said upon signing that he was after O’Riley’s shirt even if the Dane stayed and this was a polished performance which again suggests he’s got the tools.’

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.

As Sutton stated, the player himself said earlier this summer that he was keen to take his teammate’s place in the side – even if O’Riley were to stay – with the hope now that he can back up that confidence with a consistent run of positive performances.

All in all, it’s fair to say that Bernardo has overcome that sticky start in green and white, emerging as a real key member of Rodgers’ fiercely competitive midfield unit.

Ange struck gold on Celtic star who's now worth more than Idah & Engels

The Hoops have made some astute moves in the market in recent times…

1 ByRobbie Walls Sep 23, 2024

Newcastle United made it three wins from four in the Premier League with a narrow victory away at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.

It wasn’t a walk in the park by any stretch of the imagination for Eddie Howe’s side, with the game looking to be slipping away from the Magpies after Mario Lemina opened the scoring.

But, a big effort from the Tyneside outfit in the second 45 minutes saw Fabian Schar and Harvey Barnes score in quick succession to turn the game on its head in Newcastle’s favour to win 2-1.

The Magpies boss arguably got his team selection wrong for this trip to Molineux, as both the aforementioned Barnes and Joe Willock – who assisted the former Leicester City man’s winner – came to the rescue off the substitutes’ bench.

Yet, Jacob Murphy somehow survived the entire 90 minutes despite an underwhelming performance against Gary O’Neil’s Old Gold.

Murphy's performance vs Wolves

Murphy could well be worried about how solid his starting spot is moving forward now after his forgettable display in the West Midlands, as the likes of Barnes shone over the right-winger.

The Newcastle number 23 would only register one meagre effort on Sam Johnstone’s goal in the even clash, whilst substitute Barnes would fire three efforts – operating as a constant nuisance.

Moreover, Murphy lacked a bite in his game to try and get his side on the front foot when they were a goal down, with no duels won from nine attempted in the contest, whilst his passing at times was also haphazard with possession lost a poor 16 times against the hosts.

He was ultimately fortunate that Howe didn’t haul him off the pitch, as other players had arguably worse horror shows, with a light 6/10 rating handed out to the former Norwich City man at full-time by Shields Gazette journalist Dominic Scurr.

Howe’s substitutions at half-time made all the difference away from Murphy putting in a forgettable display, with Sean Longstaff not as lucky as his teammate to ride out the full 90 minutes, having been rightly hooked off at the interval.

Longstaff's performance vs Wolves

Longstaff will be seriously worried about his starting place in Howe’s XI after his dire first-half showing, with one wayward pass allowing the hosts to open the scoring.

Wolves still had a lot to do on the following counterattack, with Lemina eventually powering home, but the move started off as a result of the below-par Magpies number 36 giving up the ball.

Away from this dismal individual error, Longstaff was also weak in the centre of the park up against the likes of Joao Gomes, with zero duels successfully won from four attempts, alongside only managing to muster up 22 touches as a quiet and passive presence.

Both Sandro Tonali and Willock when introduced into the game offered far more centrally, with Willock assisting Barnes’ dramatic winner, whilst Tonali also looked tidy directly replacing the out-of-sorts 26-year-old.

Stat

Tonali

Willock

Longstaff

Minutes played

45

45

45

Goals scored

0

0

0

Assists

0

1

0

Shots on goal

2

1

0

Touches

24

23

22

Accurate passes

14/15 (93%)

12/13 (92%)

19/21 (90%)

Key passes

0

5

0

Total duels won

3/4

6/7

0/4

Stats by Sofascore

Looking at the table above, both the Italian midfielder and the ex-Arsenal man were key in the comeback win being secured, with Willock impressively amassing five key passes from just one half of football.

The 26-year-old’s poor display was reflected in his post-match rating by Scurr, who gave the homegrown Magpies product a 5/10 rating and acknowledged that his ‘loose’ pass in the first 45 minutes played a part in Lemina making it 1-0.

The clash at Molineux will have given Howe much to ponder regarding his future team selections, and the manager must now ruthlessly ditch Longstaff from the XI for their next clash in the Premier League versus Fulham.

Newcastle hit gold on star worth more than Isak & Gordon in 2024 money

Eddie Howe has two players who could make the club a serious profit in the future

ByRoss Kilvington Sep 14, 2024

Aston Villa are reportedly interested in Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie as Unai Emery gets to work on bolstering his squad.

The Spaniard, along with Monchi, is expected to have a busy summer as he prepares to get his side to European standards after securing a place in the UEFA Europa Conference League.

With Youri Tielemans already secured, McKennie could be another addition made to equip the Villans’ midfield with depth.

According to Italian outlet CalcioMercato, Villa are one of the clubs to have emerged as potential suitors for the American midfielder this summer, who is expected to leave Juventus permanently.

After an unconvincing loan spell at Leeds United, the report claims that the 24-year-old would prefer to stay in the Premier League, over moves to Turkey and Germany, with Galatasaray and Borussia Dortmund listed as interested.

Valued by FootballTransfers around the £20m mark, Monchi could secure a bargain in signing the promising midfielder.

How good is Weston McKennie?

After making 19 Premier League appearances for Leeds, McKennie’s influence was not potent enough to see them survive relegation, leaving him headed back to Turin ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Making the switch to Elland Road came at a tough time, and his spell in England didn’t quite go as hoped, however, redemption could be on the cards for the 24-year-old.

Described as a “monster” by journalist Wes Rucker, the Texas-born gem could be a valuable figure for Emery to integrate into his midfield.

In the Premier League, the American averaged 1.2 interceptions and 1.5 tackles per game, as well as winning 3.7 total duels per game for Leeds, via Sofascore.

Acting as the protector in the engine room, McKennie could be a strong contender to partner Douglas Luiz, who was formidable in Emery’s side last season, ranking as Villa’s best performer as per Sofascore.

The Brazilian averaged a match rating of 7.10, and contributed to 12 goals in 37 appearances for the Villans in the league, scoring six and assisting six from deep midfield.

Like McKennie, the Rio de Janeiro-born ace excels in the defensive tasks presented in midfield, however, the two are both competent passers, with the American coming out on top over Luiz in terms of progressive play.

As per FBref, the former Leeds man averaged 5.14 progressive passes per 90 for the Whites, with Luiz following just behind with 4.55 per 90 for Villa last season.

The two averaged similarly in terms of their distribution into threatening areas, with the Brazilian averaging 3.78 passes into the final third to McKennie’s 3.13 per 90, showing that they’re both impressive in playing the ball forward.

An area that suggests they could be a strong pivot in Emery’s plans is their slight difference in movement in the engine room, with Luiz rising as a more effective carrier of the ball upfield.

As per FBref, the 25-year-old averaged 1.48 progressive carries per 90 to McKennie’s 0.88, identifying that the presence of the American could allow the Villa ace to venture up field with an anchor remaining as a firm protector behind.

With experience in the Premier League already equipped, the 24-year-old could show his worth under Emery in a positive environment and could be an asset if deployed alongside Luiz.

Tottenham Hotspur are eyeing a move for Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo and he has “decided” to leave Craven Cottage this summer, according to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Who will join Spurs this summer?

Buoyed by the incoming new manager Ange Postecoglou, Spurs are targeting a variety of stars for numerous positions of the squad in preparation for next season.

A major overhaul is on the cards this summer too, with many players potentially departing, including Hugo Lloris, Ivan Perisic, Davinson Sanchez, Ryan Sessegnon, Eric Dier, Ben Davies, Giovani Lo Celso, Sergio Reguilon, Tanguy Ndombele and Harry Winks (The Telegraph).

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has also been linked with a move away, despite being a Spurs mainstay since his arrival from Southampton in 2020.

In terms of incomings, Tottenham are believed to be nearing the signing of a new goalkeeper to succeed Lloris, with Empoli sot-stopper Guglielmo Vicario apparently on the verge of joining.

Staying in defence, Postecoglou has apparently green-lit the signing of a new central defensive star, leading to serious links with Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba among others.

Adarabioyo, who was a regular and consistent performer under Marco Silva last season, is also a wanted man at Tottenham with reliable reporter Romano sharing what he knows.

The former Man City starlet has apparently decided to leave Fulham this summer, and as a result, he is being monitored by Tottenham as they eye a move.

He is one of the options shortlisted by Spurs to reinforce their defence, coming after they leaked more top flight goals than any other side above 15th in the Premier League last season.

How good is Tosin Adarabioyo?

The 25-year-old, who stands at a towering 6 foot 5, finished 2022/2023 as one of Fulham’s top eight best-performers of the campaign (WhoScored).

Adarabioyo, over his 25 league appearances, made more clearances per 90 than any other Fulham player – adding fuel to the fire that he can be a truly brilliant defender on his day.

Football writer Muhammad Butt, taking to Twitter during the 2020/2021 season, praised the player for a brilliant performance against Liverpool – calling him a “magnificent defender”.

Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey could be set for a summer exit from the Emirates over the coming weeks.

Who will Arsenal sign this summer?

The Gunners enjoyed a seriously impressive 2022/23 campaign which saw them provide Manchester City with some stern competition at the top of the table.

However, Mikel Arteta's side were unable to prevent Pep Guardiola and his team from retaining their Premier League crown.

And as a result, it is believed the Gunners will be looking to make some major moves in this summer transfer window which could see some movement in the midfield.

Indeed, reports have suggested the north London club are seriously keen on making West Ham United's Declan Rice an Arsenal player this summer.

This comes amid claims the current Arsenal star Granit Xhaka could be set for a potential return to his homeland with Bayer Leverkusen reportedly interested in acquiring him.

And as the speculation surrounds a potential incoming and outgoing in north London, it appears Xhaka may not be the only Arsenal midfielder to leave in the coming months.

Speakng on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has claimed the Ghanaian midfielder, Partey, could also be heading for the exit doors at the Emirates:

"So guys, let me start with Arsenal because I have important updates to give you about the Gunners."

"Thomas Partey could be on the move this summer. It's a possibility for Thomas Partey to leave Arsenal.

"I'm told this is a very concrete chance for Thomas Partey to find the solution and to leave Arsenal Football Club.

"There are conversations ongoing. This is still not advanced, for example, Xhaka to Leverkusen is more than advanced. It's almost done just waiting for the green light from Arsenal.

"For Thomas Partey, still time to look at options and then discuss with Arsenal but Thomas is a concrete name in the potential exits of Arsenal."

How long is left on Thomas Partey's contract?

This summer will mark Partey's third year since joining the north London side from Atletico Madrid for a fee believed to be worth in the region of £45m.

And in that time he has played a significant role in the middle of Arsenal's side having made 99 appearances for the Gunners across all competitions (via Transfermarkt).

In the Premier League alone last season, Partey was able to rack up a third of those 99 appearances where he contributed with three goals.

But the – dubbed "monster" – Ghanaian has also battled with numerous injuries over his time in north London which could be a reason behind his potential departure from the Emirates.

On the back of an impressive campaign for the Gunners, the 30-year-old now has just two years remaining on his deal with the north London side.

And with reports suggesting Arteta's side are hoping to bring in Rice over the coming weeks, perhaps Partey is not viewed as a long-term option anymore.

If they are to wait another year to potentially sell the Ghanaian then they could receive a much lower return on their £45m investment.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is believed to be keen on Jordan Pickford as the Red Devils access their options between the sticks this summer.

Will Man United sell David de Gea?

The Red Devils had an encouraging first campaign with Ten Hag at the helm having secured a top three finish and the Carabao Cup.

Champions League football will return to Old Trafford for next season which could see the Dutch manager keen to bring in some new recruits to bolster his side.

United will make their return to the elite European competition with a spot in Pot 2 which will mean they will play one of Sevilla, Barcelona, Napoli, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Benfica or Feyenoord from Pot 1.

And one of the big questions going into the summer will be surrounding the future of De Gea with the Spaniard into the final weeks of his deal at Old Trafford.

There have been suggestions the two parties were close to agreeing on a potential new deal to extend his stay at the Theatre of Dreams.

However, speculation continues to surround the Red Devils and the possibility of signing a new goalkeeper with Pickford believed to be one of the options on their radar.

And speaking on TalkSPORT, the transfer insider Alex Crook has claimed Ten Hag is a big fan of the England number one with the summer window is set to open:

"Pickford, I think, is the type of goalkeeper that fits the profile for Erik ten Hag. He wants someone who can play the ball out from the back. Obviously, Pickford like De Gea is a very good shot-stopper."

"I think Pickford would be a good addition. I think Ten Hag likes Pickford. He likes the profile."

How much is Pickford worth?

United have been left with an intriguing dilemma this summer with the underwhelming performances from De Gea over the course of the campaign.

The criticism surrounding the Spaniard will obviously come with a dose of irony considering he was awarded the Golden Glove having kept 17 clean sheets.

However, some of the errors he made throughout the season cannot be ignored as they cost United on multiple occasions.

To put it into context, the Spaniard even received criticism from Gary Lineker who labelled the veteran goalkeeper 'David de Howler'.

The errors cannot go ignored, however, the suggestion United could target Pickford even if they keep De Gea poses a big question of whether either goalkeeper would be willing to play second fiddle behind the other.

TalkSPORT also claims Pickford – who has been hailed "absolutely sensational" – could be sold for a fee in the region of £30m this summer as the Toffees aim to bring in some much-needed revenue.

But with his spot in England's starting XI at risk, would he move to Old Trafford without any guarantee he would be Ten Hag's number one?

With Sean Dyche taking the helm at Everton in January and preserving the endangered Premier League outfit's top-flight status, there is renewed optimism that greener pastures could be found over the coming seasons.

Everton escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth, Abdoulaye Doucoure scoring a thumping strike to secure an invaluable, season-saving victory over Bournemouth on the final day of the campaign, and the requisite moves to veer away from danger must now be made.

Addressing the frontal problems is surely the first port of call for the former Burnley manager, with Neal Maupay scoring once all year since signing last summer and talisman Dominic Calvert-Lewin spending yet another campaign riddled with injury issues.

And the answer could come in the form of Moussa Dembele, with Fabrizio Romano stating that the French talisman is attracting Dyche's attention this summer upon the expiry of his contract with Lyon.

The Merseyside outfit are certainly not alone in their pursuit, however, with Galatasaray and several affluent Saudi clubs all gunning for his signature – but the allure of the Premier League and the role of offensive focal point could well sway the odds in the Blues' favour.

Should Everton sign Moussa Dembele?

Despite not enjoying the most auspicious of terms with his French Ligue 1 outfit, Dembele boasts an impressive goal record throughout his career and there is no reason why he cannot rekindle his prolific edge on Merseyside.

Still only 26-years-old, the Frenchman has posted 70 goals and 19 assists from 172 appearances with Les Gones, previously hailed as "unplayable" by former Celtic teammate Leigh Griffiths.

The £53k-per-week ace only scored three goals this year, starting in the league only eight times, but plundered 21, 15, and 16-goal returns over three of his past four Ligue 1 seasons – certainly unplayable numbers – and remains a fierce forward yearning for a fresh start.

Once dubbed an "exceptional" talent by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, the former France U21 international could look to replicate the success of his compatriot Amadou Onana in joining the club from Ligue 1 and glittering with his performances.

Signing for £33m from Lille one year ago, the 21-year-old midfielder has been "superb" – as stated by Richard Buxton – on English shores despite his club's woes.

Indeed, he averaged 2.4 tackles and 1.1 interceptions in the Premier League, as per Sofascore, impressing so much that he is now earning £55m interest from the likes of Chelsea. Such a successful transfer from France could well provide Dembele with the iron-clad assurance he needs to be a free-firing success with the Toffees.

With a license to forge a prominent attacking role in Dyche's team, Dembele could become a "scoring machine" once again, as he was once called by L'Equipe's Bertrand Latour, and emulate the success of his countryman Onana in entering the fold at Goodison Park and flourishing.

Manchester United hold an interest in the Napoli defender Kim Min-jae and it is a potential deal to keep an eye on over the opening days of the market.

What is Kim Min-jae transfer clause?

The Red Devils' season came to an end on Saturday with defeat at Wembley Stadium in the FA Cup final against their city rivals.

However, it was a season to remember with Erik ten Hag's arrival at the club bringing about a third-placed finish in the Premier League and the Carabao Cup.

But it is apparent the Dutchman is not looking to settle for that with new signings expected to help bolster his squad going into the new campaign.

The likes of Mason Mount has been linked with a potential move to Old Trafford even though the summer transfer window has not opened yet.

And another name which has been strongly linked with the Red Devils is Kim who has just got his hands on the Serie A trophy with Napoli.

Italian report (via GOAL) suggest the South Korean centre-back has a clause in his contract which would make him available for a potential transfer for a fee in the region of £42m.

Speaking on The Football Terrace YouTube channel, journalist Ben Jacobs has claimed this could be a deal which could be concluded quickly given the clause is only active for 15 days:

"Kim's one Manchester United have looked at, for sure. And is one to watch in the first 15 days of the window because that release clause is only active in those 15 days.

"Kim himself has always denied any of the rumours and the links, but I think Luciano Spalletti leaving Napoli for a one-year sabbatical is going to be a big factor in all of this because suddenly players that might have wanted to stay will see one exiting and maybe decide that they want a fresh challenge as well. So that one is a very realistic possibility."

Does Kim Min-jae want to leave Napoli?

The 26-year-old – who has bee hailed a "monster" by some in the media – has only been at Napoli for one season having joined the Italian side last summer from Fenerbahce in a deal believed to be worth around £15m.

However, it could be a summer of multiple departures for the newly-crowned Italian champions with their manager Luciano Spalletti set to take a year away from the game.

On top of this, their star striker Victor Osimhen is also expected to be subject of a lot of transfer interest over the coming months with interest coming from the Premier League.

But the South Korean has held a strong viewpoint when it comes to commenting on the rumours surrounding where his future may lie:

“I can't be bothered by transfer rumours because they aren’t true. Now I’m focusing on the team and on the Champions League, rather than that kind of nonsense,” he said.

However, if a club like United are to come in and pay the clause believed to be in his contract, then he may not have much saw as to whether he is to remain at Napoli or not.

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