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Everton have only made one signing so far with the free transfer of James Tarkowski completed, and now a new update has emerged on a potential new transfer target.

What’s the latest?

According to Italian news outlet Juve Dipendenza, Everton are now plotting a swap deal to sign Adrien Rabiot in exchange for Andre Gomes this summer.

As per the report, the Merseyside club are willing to offer Gomes to Juventus with the view to, in return, make the signing of Rabiot as the Toffees look to improve their squad ahead of next season.

Huge Gomes upgrade

The Toffees are in need of improvements in the team following a relegation scrap last season, and Frank Lampard will be wanting to take advantage of the transfer window to not only bring in players for the future but to also get rid of players on high wages that aren’t pulling their weight.

Gomes was signed up at Goodison Park in 2019 making the move from Barcelona, but since his arrival, the Portuguese midfielder has been more of a hindrance than a help when he has featured in the Everton team.

The 28-year-old was blasted last season by Greg O’Keeffe who branded Gomes “a walking red card” when speaking on the All Together Now podcast for his performance in the 2-0 defeat against Southampton.

Poor performances have been a common theme for Gomes and his game time began to dwindle upon the arrival of manager Lampard at the end of January, which led to the player only making five appearances under the Toffees boss, proving that he is clearly not a member of the team the manager feels he can rely upon.

Everton could now sign a vast improvement on Gomes if they can secure a deal for Rabiot who was hailed a “champion” by former Juve boss Andrea Pirlo, with the midfielder reportedly available for just £15m this summer.

The Frenchman made two assists, one more than the Everton midfielder, as well as creating more big chances (2), making two tackles on average per game compared to Gomes’ 1.1 tackles, winning far more ground and aerial duels combined (59%) and successful in completing more dribbles attempts (77%).

With that being said, if director of football Kevin Thelwell can get a swap deal done this summer to bring Rabiot to Merseyside, it would give Everton a great opportunity to sign a huge upgrade on Gomes ahead of next season.

AND in other news: Alan Myers drops big 7-word Everton transfer claim, supporters will be buzzing

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly in negotiations to sign Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos, according to journalist Bruno Andrade.

The lowdown: Rise to prominence

A prolific scorer through the youth ranks in Portugal, Ramos has become an established member of the Lisbon giants’ first team, having scored 27 times in 55 appearances for Benfica’s under-23 and B teams combined.

The 21-year-old has since netted 14 times at senior level in 59 outings, all while amassing an outstanding youth international record which has seen him score on 24 occasions and finishing as top scorer during the European Under-19 Championships in 2019.

Unsurprisingly, those eye-catching exploits have led to interest from elsewhere, and having previously been linked with a move to Molineux, it appears as though that admiration is set to be rekindled…

The latest: Wolves set for Ramos ‘talks’

Taking to Twitter on Thursday evening, Andrade – who works as a journalist for UOL Esporte – has claimed that Wolves are set to begin discussions with Benfica over signing the 18-cap Portugal under-21 starlet.

He stated: “Fábio Silva’s departure on loan to Anderlecht makes Wolverhampton reopen talks with Benfica by Gonçalo Ramos, who is seen internally at Luz as “negotiable” at the moment. Bruno Lage knows the player very well”

Signed for a club-record £35m from FC Porto, Fabio Silva is reportedly set to join Anderlecht on loan for the duration of the 2022/23 campaign.

The verdict: Firepower needed

With Wolves having been the lowest scorers outside of the relegation zone with just 38 Premier League goals last season, Bruno Lage and Jeff Shi must add fresh faces to the attacking ranks this summer, particularly now that Silva looks to be on the move.

Predominantly operating as a second striker, Ramos – who was dubbed ‘lethal’ by journalist Reginaldo Rosario during an under-19 clash with Real Madrid in which the Portuguese youngster scored twice – could be the ideal foil to play alongside Raul Jimenez, while also being capable of spearheading an attack on his own.

Last season was a coming-of-age campaign for the talented attacker, scoring eight times and providing four assists in 46 appearances across all competitions, including seven Champions League outings in what was his first prolonged exposure to the rigours of elite-level action.

With that experience now under his belt, adding the £12.6m-valued Ramos to the Old Gold squad would be a wholly worthwhile venture for the Molineux hierarchy.

Manchester City are monitoring the possibility of a move for Bayern Munich star Serge Gnabry this summer, according to one German outlet.

The Lowdown: Three-horse race

The 26-year-old’s contract at the Allianz is set to expire in just under 12 months, making this a pivotal window to decide his future in the Bundesliga.

It was reported just last month that the winger had turned down a new deal from Bayern, suggesting that he is looking for a move away, and there have been a couple of potential suitors already name-checked.

The Sky Blues, alongside Premier League rivals Chelsea and Manchester United, have all been credited with an interest in the forward, but in a fresh update, it’s the top-flight champions who appear to be the most serious contender.

The Latest: Gnabry on City’s radar

In an article published by German outlet SportBILD (via Sport Witness), it’s claimed that Man City have Gnabry firmly ‘on their books’, and are ‘looking at’ him as competition for Riyad Mahrez in that right-wing position.

The source states that the attacker’s transfer situation ‘remains uncertain’, with talks of an extension ‘on ice’ having stalled due to the player’s earlier contract rejection.

It’s reported that there is ‘no truth’ in the rumours that Chelsea are interested in a deal, meaning that a switch to another big English club like City is ‘therefore possible’.

The Verdict: Premier League return

Pep Guardiola is clearly having an attacking overhaul of his squad, with Gabriel Jesus leaving for Arsenal and Raheem Sterling recently ann0uncing his departure to become a Chelsea player, so the boss will be left light in the final third, but that’s where the addition of Gnabry comes in.

The 34-cap international, once hailed a ‘world-class’ player by BT Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand, was a revelation up top for Bayern last season, recording 27 goal contributions in 45 appearances across various positions, via Transfermarkt, exactly the profile of player that the Spaniard loves in his starting XI.

Gnabry will already be used to life in the Premier League having previously spent three years at Arsenal, but any kind of return to England could now see him changing the colour of his shirt from red to blue.

Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed a busy summer transfer window as they have moved to strengthen Antonio Conte’s team ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Fabio Paratici has brought in Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Richarlison and Yves Bissouma on permanent deals so far, whilst he is also on the verge of completing a swoop for Middlesbrough’s Djed Spence.

One player who does not appear to be joining the club this summer, however, is Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni. The Italian international looks set to remain with the Serie A giants, despite interest from the Premier League side.

Dream alternative

It has previously been reported that Spurs have looked at Juventus’ Matthijs de Ligt as a potential target in their pursuit of a left-footed centre-back.

Bayern Munich have held talks over a deal for the £67.5m machine and Paratici must now hijack the move in order to land a dream alternative to Bastoni.

In the Serie A last term, de Ligt averaged an excellent SofaScore of 7.07 across 31 outings. He won 62% of his individual duels and made 3.1 clearances per match as he helped the Old Lady to keep 11 clean sheets in the Italian top-flight.

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Bastoni, meanwhile, averaged a score of 7.10 and won 60% of his battles. The 23-year-old’s team kept eight shutouts as he made 1.8 clearances per game, which suggests that the Juventus man performed to a similar level throughout the 2021/22 campaign.

The late Mino Raiola previously hailed the Dutch international, saying: “Matthijs is becoming like the Night’s Watch, you can see him developing before your eyes. Matthijs is like an oil tanker, you can’t expect him to suddenly turn 90 degrees. He goes steadily. But, once he’s on course, he can’t be stopped.”

At the age of 22, the enforcer still has plenty of time left on his hands to develop and improve. This means that he would be an excellent signing for the future and is a player Conte can work with to help him fulfill his potential in the years to come, whilst also having the quality to make an immediate impact in England.

In the Premier League last term, Ben Davies averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.88 as he won 54% of his duels and made 2.5 clearances per game. This suggests that De Ligt would be an upgrade on the Welsh international if he is able to adapt to the English game, which is why Paratici must now hijack Bayern’s attempts to sign him.

AND in other news: “Contact planned…”: Italian journo drops transfer update, it’s a big boost for Spurs…

Leeds United kick off their Premier League campaign against Wolves in just under two weeks and will surely be hoping for an improvement on the 2021/22 season.

The Whites escaped the drop by three points as they secured their survival on the final day, with Jesse Marsch keeping the team up after taking over from Marcelo Bielsa.

Victor Orta will hope that his work in the transfer market will be enough to push the club up the table and one area that needs to be addressed is the attack. Leeds only scored 42 goals in their 38 league matches and need their signings to add to their threat at the top end of the pitch.

Their rivals, West Ham, look set to solve their own problems in that area as they close in on a deal for Sassuolo striker Gianluca Scamacca, who scored 16 goals in the Serie A last term.

Orta must now potentially land Marsch his own version of the Italian centre-forward by signing Wilfried Gnonto from FC Zurich this summer.

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The Whites are reportedly interested in signing the teenage talent, who is Italy’s youngest-ever goalscorer at 18 years, seven months, and nine days old.

He has scored 12 goals for Italy at various youth levels and for the senior squad, whilst he has also racked up 28 goals and 16 assists at club level.

Scamacca, meanwhile, scored at seven different age groups for the Azzuri and is yet to score in seven caps for the first-team. In his club career, he has found the back of the net 55 times in 173 outings – including 16 in 41 games for Sassuolo.

He is five years ahead of Gnonto in his development and his fellow countryman, who has been dubbed a “wonderkid” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is showing that he has the potential to be a consistent scorer at the top level in the future.

The 18-year-old enjoyed an impressive campaign with Zurich in 2021/22 as he registered ten goals and five assists in all competitions for the first-team, showing that he can make a big impact in spite of his lack of experience.

This suggests that he has the scope to become a regular scorer and creator in the future if he is able to continue his development and grow as a player as he plays more senior football in the years to come.

Imagine how good he could be by the time he reaches Scamacca’s age. The world is at his feet at the moment and Leeds can be the club he fulfills his potential – whether that is in the immediate future or longer term.

Orta must now sign the talented teen to bolster Marsch’s squad and, potentially, be the club’s own Italian predator in the Premier League.

AND in other news, “Leeds are interested..”: Journo drops big transfer update, supporters will be buzzing…

West Bromwich Albion will use the remaining weeks of the summer transfer window to try and bring in a new striker.

What’s the news?

In a recent report for The Athletic, Baggies journalist Elias Burke shed some light on the matter.

He said: “Though Karlan Grant’s goalscoring record suggests he would be an able deputy to first-choice striker Daryl Dike, Albion will continue pursuing options in that department until the transfer window shuts on August 31.”

In terms of their business so far this summer, the Baggies have brought in the likes of Okay Yokuslu, Jed Wallace and John Swift on free transfers, in addition to signing Jayson Molumby on a permanent basis following his loan spell at The Hawthorns last season.

The Baggies have also seen some big names leaving the Midlands club over the summer, such as Romaine Sawyers, Sam Johnstone and Andy Carroll.

As the Baggies journalist mentioned in his report, Grant ended the previous campaign as West Brom’s top scorer in the league with 18 goals and six assists to his name.

As for Dike, his season was cut short following his arrival in January after he picked up an unfortunate hamstring injury which ruled him out of the rest of the campaign.

West Brom fans will be buzzing

Now that Burke has revealed that Albion will keep looking for a new striker to bring in before the transfer window closes, this will surely have lots of Baggies fans buzzing to hear that the club want to ensure that they have enough strength and depth in that area of the squad to give them the best chance of winning promotion from the Championship.

Bearing in mind how West Brom ended their previous campaign with fewer goals scored (52) than the likes of Reading (54), Blackpool (54) and Swansea City (56), in addition to recording the lowest rate of shots on target in the division (29.1%), it’s easy to see why Steve Bruce would be looking to add a new centre-forward to his ranks.

If the Baggies can bring in a new striker who can compete against the likes of Grant and Dike for a place in the team, this could potentially end up being the difference between reaching the Premier League or facing another season in the Championship.

AND in other news: Bruce can land Robinson 2.0 with West Brom bid for “clinical” £2.4k-p/w “goal machine”

Manchester United’s summer has been an incredibly busy one with Erik ten Hag joining the club and consequently raiding his native Netherlands for Tyrell Malancia and Lisandro Martinez.

That said, the Red Devils are by no means done in the transfer market yet.

What’s the word?

United’s business this summer has been conducted slowly and after the shambles that was 2021/22, it is perhaps a surprise that their new coach hasn’t brought in more players and gutted the squad in a more ruthless fashion.

The defence has been strengthened, however, and it could still be added to with links to Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard surfacing.

Julian Nagelsmann recently admitted that he would like to keep the player in Munich, suggesting he was an “important player” to their cause.

However, separate reports from German outlet, Sport 1, suggest United have been given a green light to make their move.

They revealed last weekend that the £31.4m player has been offered to both Chelsea and Ten Hag’s side.

Supporters would be buzzing

If United can conclude a deal for Pavard before the September 1st deadline, supporters would surely be delighted with their new look defence.

The Frenchman is capable of playing at right-back or in the centre, thus gifting ten Hag tremendous versatility to a backline that looked all at sea last term.

The 2o-time English champions conceded 57 times in the Premier League last season, the second-highest amount when compared to the remaining clubs who finished inside the top half of the table.

As a result, if ten Hag is to have any chance of reviving this great club, he will need a sturdier defence.

In Malacia, he has found a flying and effective full-back, while in Martinez, he has found a player with bite and determination, who like Pavard, offers strong versatility.

Many will know the Bayern defender for his gorgeous sweeping goal against Argentina at the last World Cup but it’s not just offensive qualities that he offers.

Over the last 365 days, he ranks in the top 7% of full-backs for aerial duels won with 2.28 per 90 minutes. He is also in the highest elite bracket for ball recoveries, sitting in the top 1% of players in Europe’s big five leagues with a whopping 11.04 per 90.

Also sitting in the best 1% of players for carries, it paints a picture of how efficient the 26-year-old is in a host of areas across the pitch.

This would be a highly exciting signing and one that would surely leave supporters elated.

AND in other news, Glazers plotting MUFC bid for “unbelievable” £38m talent, he “dominates in the middle”…

Tottenham Hotspur have agreed on personal terms with Destiny Udogie…

What’s the word?

Italian transfer guru and journalist Fabrizio Romano has provided an update on the situation to supporters on Twitter.

“Full agreement on personal terms between Destiny Udogie, his agents and Tottenham, five year contract. Deal expected to be completed next week with Udinese,” he said.

“[Fabio] Paratici and [Antonio] Conte want Udogie as part of future project, so he could be loaned back to Udinese.”

Imagine him and Heung-min Son

Spurs have enjoyed a rather busy summer off the pitch, signing no fewer than six fresh faces and a seventh appears to be on the horizon in Udogie.

Whilst the Lilywhites won’t get to witness his potential anytime soon, he is a signing for the future and that goes in line with some of their other bits of business in recent windows, having signed Pape Matar Sarr and Bryan Gil with the long-term in mind.

It also ties in with Antonio Conte’s recent comments that he could be here for the foreseeable future, too.

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“For sure we want to continue to improve, to build something important for this club,” he said (via talkSPORT). “If the idea continues to be in this way, there will be zero problems to continue my life in Tottenham because I stay well and I like this group of players and I have a good relationship with Paratici and with Daniel Levy.”

In the short-term, the left wing-back role is likely to be filled by Ivan Perisic, 33, but the longevity of him playing that position still very much remains to be seen.

Udogie is a hugely exciting young talent, having broken through at Udinese last season. He provided five goals and three assists across 35 appearances, via Transfermarkt.

Such form and quality has seen him lauded as “extraordinary” by former manager Gabriele Cioffi, whilst talent scout Jacek Kulig has described him as a “tenacious tackler,” as well as “hard-working and charismatic.”

Just imagine this type of player bombing down the wing with Heung-min Son in support on the left flank. The South Korean has only just entered his thirties and appears to be in the form of his life still, so by the time Udogie makes his emergence in north London, he should still be Spurs’ main man.

He provided an assist in the opening game of the season – a 4-1 win over Southampton – and this merely continued on from last season’s exploits of 24 goals and ten assists in all competitions.

A £21m investment in Udogie certainly suggests that the club view him as someone who can break into Conte’s starting XI eventually and as Romano claims, Conte wants him to sign, too.

The Italian head coach could form a mouthwatering partnership in the future.

AND in other news, Spurs could seal “unstoppable” 7th signing in £10m “animal” with Paratici “a huge fan”…

Football Insider’s John Wenham is full of praise for the decision to reward Eddie Howe with a new contract at Newcastle United. 

The lowdown: New deal

Appointed in November 2021, Howe has overseen an immediate upturn in fortunes at St James’ Park and was able to guide the Magpies well clear of the threat of relegation.

The 44-year-old manager has since added a further three players to the ranks this summer having signed Kieran Tripper, Chris Wood, Bruno Guimaraes and Dan Burn during the January window.

Following the confirmed news that Howe has signed a new long-term deal in the North East, one pundit has suggested that the Englishman is right up there with the very best.

The latest: ‘Phenomenal job’

Speaking to Football Insider, Wenham – an insider who breaks mostly Tottenham news on his Lilywhite Rose social media channels – lauded the work done by the former Bournemouth man since arriving in Newcastle.

He said: “Eddie Howe has done a phenomenal job at Newcastle. When he took over he lost Wilson to injury straight away. Trippier then came in and he went out injured after three games.

“He has done a phenomenal job and I really like the recruitment this summer. Pope and Matt Targett are great deals.

“Howe has been very good in the window so far, I can’t think of any bad signings Newcastle have made under him. He is getting the best out of the players and he started off with a positive result and a clean sheet. It’s a well-deserved contract and I’m really pleased to see a young English manager doing well at a big club like Newcastle.”

The verdict: Spot on

Having kickstarted the 2022/23 campaign with a 2-0 victory against Nottingham Forest, the Toon are certainly enjoying a new lease of life under Howe and indeed the ownership group.

Still with time remaining in the transfer window, it remains to be seen whether the man in the hot seat will seek further reinforcements in order to mount a sustained challenge at the higher end of the Premier League.

Working in conjunction with sporting director Dan Ashworth, Newcastle have been heavily linked to numerous stars such as Anthony Gordon, James Maddison and Maxi Gomez in recent weeks and adding at least one more attacking option to the ranks would make Howe’s job potentially even more impressive moving forwards.

Whatever happens between now and September 1, this new deal and current feel-good factor on Tyneside are a far cry from the previous incumbents and have certainly given the Magpies’ faithful something to be optimistic about once again.

West Bromwich Albion have been dealt some disappointments in the transfer market this summer by seeing reported targets make moves elsewhere.

For example, after being linked with a move for Aston Villa striker Keinan Davis, the Baggies ultimately failed to secure a deal for him before he ended up joining fellow Championship side Watford on a season-long loan deal.

Another player that was mentioned with a move to the Hawthorns earlier in the window was Leicester City midfielder, Hamza Choudhury, who has also made a move to Vicarage Road on loan.

With that in mind, and the fact that the Baggies have seen Alex Mowatt join Middlesbrough on loan until the end of the campaign, this should make the club look to bring in a new midfielder before the transfer window closes.

One name that has been mentioned with a move to the Hawthorns that could be seen as an ideal alternative to Choudhury and help fill the void left by Mowatt is Fabian Delph.

Earlier this week, it was reported by the print version of the Daily Mail (via West Brom Xtra), that the Baggies are exploring a deal to sign the midfielder, who is currently a free agent after leaving Everton at the end of last season.

With 204 Premier League appearances to his name, as well as two league titles, this experience of not only playing at the highest domestic level, but winning trophies as well, could be crucial for the Baggies and their efforts in getting back to the top flight.

Despite only making 11 league appearances for the Toffees last season, the 32-year-old still showed how impressive he can be as journalist Dave Vitty lauded the “huge difference” the Englishman made to the team after coming on as a substitute in Everton’s 2-1 defeat against Wolves back in November.

Having played across a variety of positions in midfield and defence throughout his career, this versatility could make him a very useful addition to Steve Bruce’s squad.

Indeed, he’d certainly be a suitable, if not better alternative to Choudhury, as the former Everton midfielder managed to rack up a higher pass accuracy percentage as well as more successful tackles, interceptions and blocks, despite both players only starting 12 league games combined last season.

Given the need to add a new midfielder to the squad, securing a free transfer for Delph, who was picking up £80k-per-week at Goodison Park, should be a no-brainer for the Baggies.