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Paul Robinson has dropped an interesting Everton claim on Nuno Espirito Santo as a big update emerged on his future.

The Lowdown: Crystal Palace end Nuno talks

As per Sky Sports, Crystal Palace have ended talks over making Nuno their next permanent manager to succeed Roy Hodgson.

Discussions reportedly collapsed because of finances surrounding the deal, meaning that the Goodison Park faithful are now free to talk to him about potentially becoming their new head coach instead, following the departure of Carlo Ancelotti to Real Madrid.

Sky Sports also reported last week that the Merseyside club were set to begin negotiations with Nuno, before the Eagles seemed to emerge as frontrunners, but now the Toffees may look to revisit their previous interest following the latest update.

The Latest: Robinson backs Nuno to Everton

Speaking to Football Insider, Robinson, who is now a pundit after playing as a goalkeeper both in the Premier League and with the England national team, has backed the potential appointment of Nuno to the Blues:

“I’m still really surprised that Ancelotti left.

“I understand that you cannot turn down a global superpower like Real Madrid but it came somewhat out of the blue.

“I think he was starting to build something there and in flashes they showed signs of real improvement. He leaves them in a good place though. It is not as if they need a full rebuild.

“Nuno has shown his credentials at Wolves and I think he would be a superb appointment for Everton.

“The way that Nuno plays would suit Everton and that squad of players, I think, would take to him. With a couple of signings I think he could do very well there next season.” 

The Verdict: Do not jump the gun

Even though the summer transfer window has officially opened, EFC should not jump the gun on appointing Nuno as their new manager just yet.

Yes, the Portuguese boss has a lot of credentials for the position, given that he guided Wolves to two consecutive seventh-placed finishes in the top flight following promotion from the EFL Championship, as Everton look to push on themselves to try and qualify for European qualification.

However, his preferred three-at-the-back formation may not suit the Toffees, especially if it ends up turning into a five while defending, as they will surely be looking to score more goals come the 2021/22 season, having managed a mere 47 in the division in the last campaign, the fewest out of any team in the top half of the table by far (Sky Sports).

Nonetheless, there are other candidates out there at the moment who may well be better suited than Nuno to the role, and so there is no need for the Blues to rush into an appointment just yet.

In other news, find out what transfer update has been lauded by EFC fans here!

Speaking to Football Insider, pundit and Sky Sports regular Danny Mills has warned Tottenham Hotspur fans that they ‘won’t be happy’ if Rafael Benitez is appointed manager after Jose Mourinho’s dismissal.

The Lowdown: Levy eyeing Benitez

As revealed by the same outlet, Premier League and general top level experience is growing as a desirable trait for chairman Daniel Levy and co as the board eye Tottenham’s next manager.

This has led the club to set their sights on former Liverpool, Chelsea and Newcastle boss Benitez (Football Insider), who is also said to be keen on joining Tottenham.

The Latest: Tottenham fans warned over Benitez

However, while he has a glowing CV and a proven track record at the top level, having won the Champions League with Liverpool and Europa League with Chelsea, Mills has warned Spurs fans that they would not be happy if he was appointed manager.

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“Spurs fans have been moaning about the style of play,” the pundit explained to Football Insider.

“Is Rafa’s style of play exciting? No, not really, it’s counter-attacking football. He will defend, as Mourinho did, and then play on the counter-attack using pace in the wide areas.

“People will say ‘Oh, he was great when he was at Liverpool!’ He was, but he was still defensive and played counter-attacking football. He had weapons called Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres. Torres would run over the top and Gerrard would ping an eye of the needle pass 40 or 50 yards right onto his foot and allow him to finish.

“Yes, it’s a big name and you’d expect him to do well but Tottenham fans, if that happens don’t expect to play the ‘Tottenham way’ that we hear about. They won’t be happy about that.”

The Verdict: Mills bang on the money…

What we have heard consistently in the media is Tottenham’s desire to appoint an out-and-out attack-minded manager (The Guardian), with reports also suggesting they want someone young and dynamic.

Alasdair Gold says that the likes of Brendan Rodgers and Graham Potter fit into this mould (football.london), but the same cannot be said of Benitez.

As explained by Mills, the 61-year-old’s counter-attacking style possibly wouldn’t draw favour with Spurs fans and is arguably more akin to Mourinho’s philosophy, with supporters possibly eager to avoid repeating the same mistake.

In other news: Tottenham favourites to appoint this ‘perfectionist’, find out more here.

An encouraging update has emerged in West Ham United’s mooted pursuit of Patson Daka this week…

What’s the word?

According to Turkish journalist Ekrem Konur, the Irons haven’t given up hope of securing the RB Salzburg sensation despite interest from sister club RB Leipzig.

Back in January, the East London outfit were originally linked to the 22-year-old following the departure of Sebastien Haller, who departed for Ajax in a £20m deal, as per the Mirror.

Now it appears that David Moyes seems keen to revisit the target when the transfer window reopens this summer, though any move could cost the Hammers in the region of £25m.

Perfect striker?

It’s well-known that West Ham will look to sign another forward to bolster Moyes’ frontline this summer and Daka would certainly be some statement.

The Irons have every chance of securing him now, too, having qualified for the Europa League, which will make them an instantly move attractive destination for many of their targets.

Since the turn of the year, the Scotsman has only been able to call upon the injury-prone Michail Antonio to lead his line but his profile could provide clues into the sort of striker that he wants to sign.

Daka has to be amongst the most perfect of options.

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“He is a modern centre-forward, quick, capable of working hard and making the difference because he is skilful and has good movement,” suggested ex-Zambia head coach Herve Renard.

Whilst he has earned lofty comparisons to Premier League great, Thierry Henry.

“When I saw Patson Daka, what came into my mind is this guy is the next Thierry Henry – and in no time he has proved it,” once claimed his former Power Dynamos manager Dan Kabwe before further adding: “He is an intelligent boy and full of talent.”

The £18m-rated marksman has been in electrifying form this campaign, providing a whopping 34 goals and 12 assists in 42 appearances in all competitions, via Transfermarkt.

That’s one direct goal contribution every game, or once every 63 minutes.

Daka also works incredibly hard off the ball, drawing further inspiration to why he might be a perfect fit under Moyes. He averaged 1.2 tackles per game across both European competitions this term, via WhoScored. And despite it being a small sample size, it is a significant feat for a centre-forward.

By comparison, Antonio averaged 0.3 tackles per league game this term, and he’s considered to be a big workhorse in this current side, so Daka’s returns speak volumes.

This has even been reinforced by his current boss Jesse Marsch, who claimed: “He is a great lad on and off the pitch, he is hardworking and he is a little fast. It’s a just lot of fun working with him and I hope he continues with this development he has a lot of potential, he is just a fantastic player.”

A player of this calibre would surely have no problem in adapting to the fast pace of the Premier League and in beating Leipzig, Sullivan and co could land themselves a masterclass.

They must sanction a £25m move for the prolific marksman this summer.

AND in other news, David Moyes set to receive major West Ham transfer boost, claims insider…

Rangers have been linked with a summer move for Middlesbrough Djed Spence recently and if he were to join Steven Gerrard’s side ahead of next season it could be a repeat of the deal that saw James Tavernier make the move to Ibrox in 2015.

According to ESPN, Rangers are taking an interest in the young right-back ahead of the summer transfer window, with Everton and Wolves also reportedly keen.

Although he is relatively inexperienced, having made just 65 appearances in his Middlesbrough career thus far, the former Fulham youngster is clearly well thought of at the Teesside club and wouldn’t be a regular at a Championship club if he didn’t have a lot of talent.

The 20-year-old defender received a lot of praise from Boro boss Neil Warnock recently, and given his vast experience in the game, Ross Wilson would do well to take what he says seriously and try and bring Spence to Ibrox this summer.

The manager said last year that:

“If you look at one or two of the full-backs that are around now – the lad at Liverpool, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and the lad at Manchester United from Palace (Aaron Wan-Bissaka) – they are all the same type as Djed.

“He does have enormous ability, and when you’ve got ability like that it’s criminal if you don’t get to the very top. But as I said to him in that first couple of weeks, he’ll only have himself to blame if he doesn’t get to the very top.

“He has quite a few things to brush up on at the minute, and I’m sure he will try. He’s a very good trainer and works hard.”

Spence has continued to be a regular with Middlesbrough this season, making 37 appearances in total in England’s second tier.

If he were to join Rangers this summer, there would be a lot of similarities to the deal that saw Tavernier join from Wigan Athletic six years ago.

After all, Tavernier failed to make the grade at a Premier League club, Newcastle United, and made his name in the lower leagues, enjoying spells with Wigan, Bristol City and Rotherham United.

Although he showed brief glimpses of his attacking potential, notably in the 2013/14 season where he managed five goals and five assists for Rotherham, it was only when he arrived at Rangers when his attacking play reached a new level.

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Certainly, Spence looks to have a bright future in the game, and there’s no reason why he couldn’t go on to become a player of Tavernier’s quality should he join Gerrard’s side this summer.

And, in other news… Rangers suffer huge blow to £2.2m beast with “terrific quality”, Gerrard will be worried

According to a report by 90min, Tottenham Hotspur still have Fulham manager Scott Parker very much under consideration for the managerial role despite Brendan Rodgers being their top target.

The Lowdown: Parker on managerial shortlist

Parker has been sporadically linked with the Lilywhites job since Jose Mourinho was dismissed last month, with Football Insider recently reporting that the 40-year-old is emerging as a real contender.

Having been praised for his attacking style at Fulham, the former Spurs midfielder also falls into the category of  a ‘young’ and ‘dynamic’ manager allegedly wanted by technical performance director Steve Hitchen (Daily Mail).

The Latest: Very much a contender…

Backing reports of Parker being on the manager’s list, 90min claimed that he is still very much under consideration despite Rodgers being a prime candidate for the role.

The Fulham boss, alongside Gian Piero Gasperini, Maurizio Sarri and Graham Potter, remain shortlisted as the search for a new manager continues.

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The report added that Tottenham and Levy have been approached by intermediaries of up to 20 top managers regarding the vacancy in north London.

Whether or not Parker is one of those gaffers remains to be seen, but Spurs are still allegedly interested in him.

The Verdict: Outside contender, nothing more…

Parker has garnered no shortage of praise for his style of management and even has an admirer in Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, who praised his courageous brand of football (mancity.com).

Former Fulham player Jim Hicks, who taught Parker through his coaching licence, emphatically claimed that he is one of the most ‘exceptional’ coaches to ever work under his tutelage (The Athletic).

The £75,000-per-week manager blew Gareth Bale away as a player too, with the Welshman hailing him as ‘unbelievable’ during their time together at Tottenham, but that may not transcend into him being an equally unbelievable manager.

Parker is relatively inexperienced, having notched just one full season in the Premier League so far, and Tottenham could need a coach with a more extensive background in managing at the top level.

In other news: many Tottenham fans slammed this ace during the defeat to Leeds, find out more here.

Former Manchester United man Keith Gillespie has told Football FanCast that the club are far too reliant on Bruno Fernandes.

The Portugal international has become a key component of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad since his arrival from Sporting Lisbon.

Throughout the campaign, Fernandes has scored 23 goals and registered 13 assists in 45 games.

Sixteen of those goals, and 10 of the assists, have come in the Premier League, with United attempting to qualify for the Champions League between now and the end of the season.

Only Marcus Rashford has hit double figures in terms of goals along with Fernandes, hitting 18 in all competitions.

Anthony Martial, Scott McTominay, and Edinson Cavani all have seven goals and Gillespie has urged United to splash the cash in a bid to relieve the burden on the Portuguese.

He has told the club to spend on a striker who can hit the back of the net regularly, or risk consistently relying on Fernandes again next season.

Speaking to FFC, he said: “They do need to go out and spend, and spend big on somebody who is going to get them a lot of goals each season.

“For me, they just rely on Fernandes too much, and there is a bit of a lull with his performances but he is the one that, effectively, you look to every game. When they need something to happen, he is the one who is going to provide it.”

United are currently second in the Premier League table but they are eight points clear of fourth-placed West Ham United; they are also 14 points behind leaders Manchester City.

A number of Liverpool fans want Takumi Minamino to leave the club this summer, having struggled to make his mark at Anfield.

The Japanese starlet signed for the Reds from RB Salzburg back in 2019/20 winter transfer window, after shining for the Austrian side alongside Erling Haaland.

The 26-year-old was particularly good in a Champions League clash at Anfield a few months before he arrived, scoring in an eventual 4-3 win for the Merseysiders.

That seemingly led to Jurgen Klopp acquiring his signature, but he has been a disappointment for Liverpool so far, scoring just four times in 31 appearances.

Minamino’s lack of impact saw him loaned out to Southampton in early February, but he has been limited to just six games, due to injury.

The forward has been talking about his future in an interview with Kyodo News, discussing his struggles at Liverpool and how difficult the first lockdown was, among other topics.

Liverpool fans fans Minamino to leave

Some Reds supporters provided their thoughts on Minamino’s future on Twitter, calling for him to move on at the end of the season as they simply don’t believe he is up to standard.

“He’s finished James, can’t believe Mr Laptop decided to sign him instead of Haaland”

Credit: @MQUTins

“Not good enough. Too weak and shy”

Credit: @cjeffs79

“It’s true that it was pointless to loan him out if he wasn’t going to be starting games more regularly, he might as well have stayed. Although, if he’s not impressing enough in training to get into Southampton’s team, was there any chance he’d get in ours?”

Credit: @tthegeeeez

“He deserves more. I’d sell and give him the chance to play”

Credit: @Styletix

“Feel sorry for him but just don’t think he’s good enough”

Credit: @jacksonismydog

“He will be sold this summer”

Credit: @allan_ynwa

In other news, some Liverpool fans have also been urging another Reds player to leave this summer. Find out who it is here.

Celtic have been heavily linked with a move for former Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder since his Bramall Lane exit.

Reports claimed that the delay to the 53-year-old’s recent departure in Yorkshire was actually down to interest from the Hoops, but a potential move to Glasgow is yet to gather any real pace.

No Wilder approach from Celtic

According to The Scottish Sun, Celtic are yet to make contact with Wilder, but an approach would reportedly prove hard to turn down.

The report claims that Wilder would miss out on a huge chunk of his United payoff if he made a swift return to management, with the Englishman still being paid by the club for the next six months.

Transfer Tavern take

Wilder is already looking around for vacancies, so it seems as if he isn’t too worried about losing a chunk of change from his former employers.

Bringing him in to replace Neil Lennon could be a smart move, as he has previous experience of rebuilding a side successfully. He took Sheffield United from League One to the Premier League after moving to the club in 2016, finishing in ninth position in the club’s first campaign back in the top flight.

A Parkhead rebuild appears to be on the cards both on and off the pitch this summer, and Wilder may be tempted to replicate his achievements with the Blades at Celtic Park.

In other news: Major Celtic appointment reportedly ‘90% done’ – find out more here. 

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Frank McAvennie has been praising Eddie Howe, amid speculation linking him with the Celtic job.

Howe’s been out of work since leaving Bournemouth following their relegation from the Premier League on the final day of last season.

The 43-year-old took the Cherries from League Two to becoming an established top-flight club in the space of five seasons before they went down after a wretched post-lockdown run.

Howe’s only other previous managerial role was a brief stint at Burnley, but reports believe that he would be interested in the vacant job in Glasgow, with Celtic still searching hard for a replacement for Neil Lennon, who was sacked last month.

And McAvennie, who spent four seasons at Celtic Park across two separate spells, described Howe as a “great coach” but admitted that his former side need a complete clear out in their backroom staff department, including current caretaker manager John Kennedy.

He told Football FanCast: “I think Eddie’s got good pedigree. He’s a young coach. Unfortunately, I think today’s game, players are too soft. They don’t take to people shouting at them, and I think that’s what happened with Lenny.

“I think Eddie Howe is a great coach, he’s done wonderful at Bournemouth, but he would have to bring his own backroom staff. Celtic need a total clearance.

“John Kennedy is up there with one of the favourites, but I don’t think the fans will want John [Kennedy] to be the manager. He’s been there for four managers, but I think it’s time John went away and got a manager’s job. Celtic is too big a club for him to cut his teeth on.”

Many Southampton fans applauded the performance of defender Jan Bednarek after his side’s 2-0 victory against Sheffield United on Saturday.

The 24-year-old centre-back started for the 27th time during the 2020/21 Premier League as the Saints came out on top at Bramall Lane against the struggling Blades.

A first half penalty from James Ward-Prowse and a rocket from Che Adams sealed the deal for the visitors, which eased the woes of Danny Ings leaving the field injured before the 20-minute mark.

Bednarek, who has deputised at right-back on three occasions recently, was back in his natural position and shone for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side from a defensive point of view.

Per Sofascore, the Polish defender made seven clearances, four interceptions and three tackles as Southampton successfully kept a clean sheet in south Yorkshire.

Unsurprisingly, many supporters were pleased with Bednarek’s “immense” performance and were reassured to see him excel when back in his natural position. One fan said the 27-year-old was “solid as usual”, a fair comment as the Pole has made more interceptions per game and won the second-most aerial duels of any Saints player this season, per WhoScored:

Bednarek earns St Mary’s plaudits

“Bednarek was very good today. Salisu looks a Ferrari, but Bednarek is a Honda.”

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“Huge shoutout for Bednarek today… been getting a little flack after “doing a job” for the team…. back in his “natural” position today and was absolutely brilliant next to big Jan…”

Credit: @JusticeCraig

“So happy for Bednarek after what he’s been through the last few weeks at RB! Could have completely destroyed his confidence but today looked solid again back in his proper position”

Credit: @fishysaints

“Bednarek immense- he *loves* defending. KWP is so good technically and makes such a difference. Absolute rocket from Che. Don’t save those.”

Credit: @shirleymush

“The difference in Bednarek’s composure from RB to CB is insane”

Credit: @SaintsBlueropa

“Needed those points… Tella played really well and Bednarek solid as usual”

Credit: @philipg1965

In other news, Southampton make an enquiry about £120k-per-week Premier League hitman.