Everton: Toffees could sign electric £22m Calvert-Lewin partner
Everton could finally restore their attacking verve…
- Everton could sign a player who boasts electric pace as the Toffees target a new striker.
- They once scored 27 goals in one season.
- The player was recently relegated from the Premier League and may well be on the move.
- Everton Director of Football Kevin Thelwell is believed to be strongly considering a late swoop to complete the club’s attack this summer.
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Youssef Chermiti has been signed for £15m from Sporting Lisbon, but is inexperienced and only 19-years-old, while dynamic forward Arnaut Danjuma has also been secured on a season-long loan.
The Premier League club finished 17th last term as the second-lowest scorers, but such subpar cutting edge could be transformed with the signing of Patson Daka.
What’s the latest Everton transfer news?
According to Football Transfers, the Toffees are ‘strongly considering’ a move for a Leicester City player, who suffered relegation from the English top-flight with the Foxes this year after Everton’s final-day victory over Bournemouth.
That happens to be the exciting Patson Daka. He only signed for his current outfit from RB Salzburg for £22m in 2021, and it is no surprise that the attacker is leaning toward an exit this summer given his array of qualities.
The player is now valued at £17m, as per Football Transfers.
atches for Leicester, Daka did not live up to the same prolific heights in Austria that saw him plunder 27 goals from 28 league matches for the imperious Bundesliga champions.
While he has not quite emulated his former feats on English soil, the Zambian forward remains a slippery figure with “electric pace” and a “ruthless” approach to his attacking output, as described by journalist Ryan Taylor.
How good is Patson Daka?
Having only scored 15 goals and supplied eight assists from 74 m
Despite his down-swing in direct contributions – and peripheral role, starting just 13 Premier League matches last term – the 35-cap international still ranks among the top 2% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 16% for tackles, the top 5% for interceptions and the top 10% for blocks per 90, as per FBref.
The defensive metrics are likely a big reason behind Everton’s supposed interest, with manager Sean Dyche preferring to implement a direct, defensive style, and his creativity and ‘electricity’ could prove to get the best out of the struggling Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
The 26-year-old Englishman has been hampered by consistent injury problems over the past few years, missing 46 matches of competitive action since the start of the 2021/22 campaign, and while he has scored 60 goals from 209 outings for the Goodison Park side, he clinched only two from 18 matches last year.
The 6 foot 2 marksman, who utilises his aerial dominance to great effect, ranking among the top 8% of forwards for aerial wins per 90, has undergone a ‘factory reset’ this summer as he strives to rekindle the form that saw him earn 11 England caps – scoring four goals – and be hailed as a “monster” by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Daka’s creativity and pace could open up the field of play and provide Calvert-Lewin with the perfect strike partner, with the differing skill sets perhaps blending together to finally restore some of the panache to the Toffees frontline, in what could be a pivotal moment for the club as Dyche looks to navigate away from the danger area this year.
Newcastle United: Eddie Howe not done yet as transfer insider shares what he’s been “told”
Eddie Howe may continue to splash the cash and make another defensive addition this summer.
Newcastle United have already made a few big money signings this summer and if reports are to be believed, they may not be done yet. Transfer insider Dean Jones has spoken to GIVEMESPORT about the centre-back situation at St James’ Park and what could transpire between now and the beginning of September.
What is the latest in Newcastle United’s centre-back hunt?
This time last year, Newcastle brought in Sven Botman from Lille, a man who helped the French side to a shocking Ligue 1 title.
The Dutchman was then a mainstay at the heart of the Magpies’ defence, amassing over 3,100 minutes in the Premier League. He appeared in 36 of the 38 fixtures and only once was he used as a substitute in that period.
Botman is just 23 and was primarily partnered with the more experienced Fabian Schar. As strong as that duo was under Eddie Howe last term, Newcastle may not be resting on their laurels with reports suggesting a new defender could soon arrive on Tyneside.
The Daily Mail have reported that Crystal Palace’s defensive rock Joachim Andersen is one of those admired by the Newcastle hierarchy and another is Benfica teenager Antonio Silva. The pair are thought to be worth too much in comparison to what Howe is wanting to spend on his defender.
This ties into what Dean Jones has said to GMS below, with the budgeting on this target being a sticking point at the time of writing.
What has Dean Jones got to say?
When speaking with GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Dean Jones indicated that the transfer exploits for Newcastle in the defensive third will depend largely on the prices of players.
“I’ve always been told that the centre of defence is something to look out for. Newcastle United aren’t finished in this transfer window is what I’m led to believe. It’s really always been a case, though, of what level of spending are they willing to go to here.
“Is it going to be that they want to find good value for money, and we find someone coming in between £10-£20m? Or are they going to go out and cement their case as proper Champions League contenders again by spending upwards of £30m? I wouldn’t rule it out at all. It’ll be very interesting to see what they do.”
Who are Newcastle trying to sign?
Having already acquired fullback Tino Livramento from Southampton for a sizable fee following their relegation to the Championship, Howe and co are reportedly interested in out of favour Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney.
It is currently said to be La Liga outfit Real Sociedad leading the charge to obtain the services of the Scotsman. The one issue that could make all the difference though is that Mikel Arteta wants to strike a permanent deal for Tierney whereas the Spaniards are keen to bring him in on loan.
This is clearly a position of interest for the Magpies’ as Chelsea and Spain’s Marc Cucurella has been linked with a season-long loan at St James’ Park as reported by Feli
Man United: Benjamin Pavard update from Old Trafford
The France international is into the final 12 months of his Bayern Munich contract.
Manchester United target Benjamin Pavard has agreed terms at Old Trafford, with an update sharing the fee needed to sign the defender from Bayern Munich.
Are Man United signing Benjamin Pavard?
The Red Devils have been busy so far this summer, with three marquee signings made in Mason Mount, Andre Onana and Rasmus Hojlund. However, there is still time to add to Erik ten Hag’s side even further, with additions at the back and in midfield seemingly on the agenda.
In midfield, Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester, whereas an approach for Everton’s Amadou Onana has reportedly been made recently. At the back a replacement for Harry Maguire was thought to be of interest, however, the Englishman’s proposed move to West Ham is now off.
Pavard has been linked with a move to Old Trafford and United have already had a bid rejected by Bayern, but it appears as if the club are still working on a potential transfer.
The Faithful MUFC relayed an update from German outlet Bild on Wednesday morning regarding the Red Devils and Pavard.
They claim that the player has reached an agreement over a move to Old Trafford, presumably on personal terms, and that Bayern Munich would be willing to sell if an offer of around €50m (£42.9m) was made.
Pavard is currently on £116,000-a-week in Munich and is into the final year of his contract, so Man United may see a €50m fee as excessive, although they did pay £60m for Mount who was also in a similar contract situation.
However, the France international would offer plenty of versatility to Ten Hag’s side as he is capable of playing both as a centre-back and right-back, so could be viewed as a shrewd addition for the current campaign and beyond.
Pavard has personally claimed that he is better and more complete at right-back than Liverpool’s Trent Alexander Arnold and Paris Saint-Germain’s Archaf Hakimi, but admitted his main position is central.
“My position is a central defender. It always has been, this is where I feel most comfortable, where I take the most pleasure. This is where I find myself the best. I think we see more of my qualities in this position.
“If the great coaches put me on the right side, it is because they have confidence in my abilities. With Deschamps I have always been a holder. If he trusts me it’s not for my beautiful eyes or my hair. He is aware of my qualities. After that I have to improve in certain areas: I have to take more risks, more initiatives, I am aware of it and I work on that on a daily basis.
- New Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino seeminx Johnston.gly favours Ben Chilwell and so Cucurella may go in search of game time, Champions League game-time at that, further north.
