Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana is set to miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on a fresh hamstring injury.
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Everton have made contact with one of Euro 2024’s star players ahead of a potential January move, according to a new report from France.
Everton’s results have picked up in recent weeks, with Sean Dyche’s men now undefeated in four in the Premier League. Since thrashing Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-0 earlier this month, the Toffees have recorded three consecutive draws with Arsenal, Chelsea and, most recently, Manchester City, whom they held at the Etihad Stadium on Boxing Day.
But while it’s an impressive run of form, Everton are far from out of trouble. They still sit 15th in the table, just three points clear of the drop zone. To ensure safety come the end of the campaign, Dyche and the Friedkin Group may be looking to add reinforcements to his squad in January.
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By
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Dec 25, 2024
Among the potential targets are Botafogo forward Igor Jesus, who is viewed as a possible replacement for the outbound Beto, as well as Fenerbahce winger Oguz Aydin, who the club recently sent scouts to watch.
According to Jeunes Footeux, per Sports Witness, the Toffees have also been in talks to complete the signing of Galatasaray winger Hakim Ziyech. The 31-year-old, who formerly played for Chelsea, is said to be unhappy at the Turkish club and has made it clear that he wants to move on next month, with Goodison Park being earmarked as a potential destination.
Another player reported to be interesting Everton is Lyon forward Georges Mikautadze. The Georgia international finished as the joint top scorer at the 2024 European Championships, scoring three goals as Georgia enjoyed a run to the last-16 in what was their first-ever appearance at the tournament as an independent nation.
Meanwhile, for Lyon, he’s scored seven goals in 21 appearances across all competitions this season. According to Foot Mercato, Mikautadze’s form has attracted attention from a number of clubs across Europe, including Galatasaray, Bayer Leverkusen, and Everton – the latter two of whom have seemingly made contact and an opening move by taking “the player’s temperature”.
The publication claims, however, that the striker has “no desire” to leave Lyon in the near future, while the Ligue 1 club also don’t want to sell him.
Mikautadze has previously been described as “a phenomenon” by his former manager Emilio Ferrera. Speaking to Sporza, per Goal, Ferrera said of the Georgian: “He can score in all possible ways: in a moment, after a dribble, with a long shot, with the left, with the right… just not with his head.”
On his own abilities, Mikautadze once said: “My strong point is my finishing. Dribbling, accelerating and shooting: that’s what I’m good at, that’s my main quality. I’ve been doing that since I was a child. I’m used to playing as a No.9, appearing in front of goal, creating chances and shooting on goal.”
If Everton could land Mikautadze, and he were able to live up to Ferrera’s, and his own, hype, he would no doubt be a strong addition to a Toffees side that is currently the second-lowest scoring team in the Premier League.
West Bromwich Albion supporters will be hoping that Carlos Corberan’s successor is found soon, after the successful Spaniard surprisingly joined Valencia on Christmas Eve.
A move back to his native country proved to be too alluring, but you wouldn’t have noticed his absence whatsoever in West Brom’s last win in the Championship, as three strikes in the first half for the Baggies proved to be enough to beat Preston North End 3-1.
Whoever is next handed the reins to start the post-Corberan era will know they have inherited a team that is good enough to seal promotion up to the Premier League, with a number of standout individuals shining.
There are many players in the current Baggies camp who wouldn’t look out of place lining up for a top-flight outfit, with Tom Fellows coming to mind in that regard.
After all, Everton have been noted as an interested party keeping tabs on the daring winger this January, as the homegrown product has already amassed 11 goal contributions this season in league action.
Moreover, Karlan Grant has also chipped in with six goals as another menace in attack, whilst the defence has remained resolute and stern off the back of Torbjørn Heggem being an absolute revelation, having now kept ten clean sheets in the Championship since joining last year.
There are also the likes of Alex Mowatt and Mikey Johnston in the camp who have a knack of coming up trumps in important moments for their side, with Johnston assisting the Baggies’ crucial second strike on New Year’s Day, whilst the ex-Leeds United midfielder – when he isn’t out with an injury – has four goals and two assists to shout about in the league.
But, there is one face that hasn’t been mentioned yet that the next Baggies boss will surely love working with the most, with his transfer value now soaring off the back of his frequent goalscoring heroics.
Way out ahead as the West Midlands club’s top scorer this season in the Championship with an unbelievable 12 strikes, the free transfer decision to bring in Josh Maja to the building back in August 2023 continues to look like a masterstroke.
Indeed, the ex-Sunderland man is the only face in the second tier side’s camp that can boast double digits in terms of goals, leading to reports suggesting that the likes of AFC Bournemouth, Ipswich Town and Southampton are all eyeing up the potent Nigerian this January.
|
Maja’s numbers for West Brom (23/24) vs this season |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat – per 90 minutes |
23/24 |
24/25 |
|
Games played |
12 |
25 |
|
Games started |
1 |
25 |
|
Goals scored |
1 |
12 |
|
Assists |
0 |
2 |
|
Value |
£2.8m |
£10m |
|
Sourced by Sofascore/Transfermarkt |
||
Already doubling his amount of games from last season – when injuries, unfortunately, got the better of the deadly attacker – it’s clear that the Baggies’ patience has paid off in this example, with his transfer value only coming in at £2.8m last December according to Transfermarkt.
Now, he’s worth around £7m more – amid a reported €12m (£10m) price tag – which means the dependable West Brom number nine is actually worth more than both Mowatt and Johnston combined, despite their reliable reputations in the Baggies camp too.
Johnston was picked up last year permanently for just £3m, which again shows off West Brom’s knack of being able to land a bargain, whilst Mowatt’s value – when looking at Transfermarkt once more – stands at just £2.8m.
Whoever is gifted the Baggies vacancy will know it’s crucial to keep Maja situated at the Hawthorns past this January, but if a £10m bid was to actually come the way of the promotion candidates, it might well prove to be too tantalising to turn down.
Whilst losing Corberan would have been a sucker punch, the present can still be bright, especially if Maja remains to try and fire his team to promotion.
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West Ham United co-chair David Sullivan appears determined to back manager Graham Potter, and is even considering a double forward swoop this January.
Summer signing Niclas Füllkrug had only just returned from an achilles tendon problem and was actually starting to find his feet, but it didn’t take long for the German to be sidelined once again, this time suffering a hamstring injury.
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The 31-year-old has been ruled out for three months in what is a seismic blow for Potter (Gary Jacob), who has just one natural striker in the previously out-of-favour Danny Ings, with West Ham now looking to January for solutions.
While reports that RB Leipzig striker Andre Silva is closing in on a move to West Ham appear wide of the mark, Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg has reported that the Hammers are serious about a potential deal for Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi, and talks are apparently ongoing.
The Nigerian is behind in-form Forest star Chris Wood in Nuno Espirito Santo’s pecking order, so much so that the Nigerian has been linked with a move away from the City Ground before February 3.
Awoniyi got off to a flyer at the start of 2023/2024, but underwent groin surgery midway through the campaign and hasn’t really managed to battle his way back to form ever since – with Wood scoring for fun in the African’s stead.
West Ham could also try and sign Evan Ferguson on loan from Brighton towards the end of the window if a move for Awoniyi fails, so there are plenty of options for Sullivan, who is taking a more hands-on approach to transfers this window.
|
West Ham’s next five Premier League fixtures |
Date |
|---|---|
|
Crystal Palace (home) |
January 18 |
|
Aston Villa (away) |
January 26 |
|
Chelsea (away) |
February 3 |
|
Brentford (home) |
February 15 |
|
Arsenal (away) |
February 22 |
“Even more power is going to be lying in the hands of David Sullivan as the chairman and co-owner of West Ham, and that includes January recruitment,” said David Ornstein recently.
“They need to bolster their attack in the absence of Michail Antonio and Jarrod Bowen.”
One of them is Man United striker Marcus Rashford, who is widely tipped to leave Old Trafford this month after falling out of favour under Ruben Amorim.
The England international is attracting interest from Europe, mainly from AC Milan, and if a move there were to fail, then GiveMeSport claim that Rashford would be prepared to make a move to West Ham and hasn’t ruled out joining Potter’s side on loan behind-the-scenes.
GMS also report that the east Londoners could even look to sign two forwards rather than one this month, which would be quite a show of ambition on behalf of Potter.
Going back to Rashford, if West Ham were to want a permanent deal in the future, he’d apparently cost around £40 million.
Everything you need to know about Michael Olise's salary details playing for Bayern Munich
In a thrilling move, former Crystal Palace star Michael Olise joined Bayern Munich in the summer of 2024, quickly becoming their standout signing after three impressive seasons in the Premier League. Under Vincent Kompany's leadership, Olise has emerged as a pivotal player, not only for his exceptional playmaking but also for his ability to score game-changing goals, making him an essential asset to the team.
Olise's contract secures his place at the Allianz Arena until 2029, with a lucrative salary package.
Though not among the top-five earners, Olise is generously rewarded for his significant contributions, especially given his young age. With his current performance, a salary increase seems inevitable at some stage, but how much does he earn right now?
GOAL has partnered with Capology to reveal the figures!
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Injuries are rife in the Tottenham Hotspur squad. According to a report from ESPN, Ange Postecoglou’s side currently has ten first team players out with injury, and it does not seem like things will ease up any time soon.
Thus, it would be a surprise if the Lilywhites did not dip into the January transfer market to strengthen their squad and, at the very least, help to patch up the injuries within the squad. It is proving to be a real issue for Spurs.
Postecoglou claimed the club are “playing with fire” if they don’t make another signing, but he may not have to worry about that. They have been linked recently with a new attacking addition, needed after Dominic Solanke’s six-week injury.
The player in question here is Feyenoord and Mexican international striker Santiago Gimenez. It has been another impressive season for the 23-year-old, which has attracted the attention of several top clubs around Europe.
Transfer Focus
According to an exclusive report from GiveMeSport, the Lilywhites are believed to be ‘toying with the idea of attempting to acquire’ the in-demand hotshot. The report suggests Gimenez is a ‘long-term target’ for the club, suggesting he has already been well-scouted at this stage.
However, they would not be alone in the hunt for the Mexico international. Italian giants AC Milan are also interested in bringing the striker to the Serie A.
In terms of a price, Gimenez could cost the Lilywhtes around £40m, perhaps increased by the fact Feyenoord are not interested in selling him this January if they can help it.
Aside from the fact that Gimenez will add some much-needed squad depth at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, he will also bring the most important thing a striker can add to a football club, goals.
The 23-year-old has an impressive record across all competitions this season. He has 15 goals and three assists in 18 games, including four goals in four games in the Champions League.
Most recently, he scored two goals in a fantastic 3-0 win at home against German side Bayern Munich. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig described him as a “machine” for a reason.
Concerningly for Spurs, the reason for Gimenez’s lack of game time this season is due to an injury, which is perhaps a factor the Lilywhites might be put off from doing a deal. Between September and November 2024, he missed 65 days and 12 games with a thigh problem.
Aside from the fact that his injuries have been an issue this term, he has actually outscored Solanke across all competitions. The former Bournemouth star has 11 goals so far in his Spurs career, having played 29 games for the club to date. Having two strikers as prolific as Gimenez and Solanke would be great competition for Postecoglou.
Perhaps, in the long-term, Gimenez could be the perfect replacement Harry Kane replacement for Spurs. The North Londoners have never really been able to replace their record striker, who scored 280 goals and grabbed 61 assists in 435 games for the club.
If he was viewed as the long-term replacement for the England captain, Gimenez would certainly have a lot to live up to. Kane scored some fantastic goals for Spurs and consistently managed to score 20 or more goals in a single Premier League season, doing so six times.
However, when comparing the pair’s stats from the 2024/25 Champions League using Squawka, there are times when the Feyenoord star outperforms Kane.
For example, Gimenez averages a 66.67% conversion rate per game, compared to just 22.73 for Kane. He is also marginally better off the ball, winning 1.7 aerial duels to the Bayern star’s 1.5.
|
Gimenez vs Kane shooting stats 2024/25 UCL |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat (per 90) |
Gimenez |
Kane |
|
Shots on target |
2.1 |
2.4 |
|
Goals |
1.4 |
0.9 |
|
Non-penalty goals |
1.1 |
0.4 |
|
Conversion rate |
66.67% |
22.73% |
|
Aerial duels won |
1.7 |
1.5 |
|
Stats from Squawka |
||
Even though £40m is on the higher side of Gimenez’s value, it seems like it could be a great deal for the Lilywhites. Not only would they be signing someone who has outscored their first-choice number nine this season, but they might finally replace Kane, a task which has proved unforgiving so far.
The investment is a lot of money, but perhaps necessary for the Lilywhites going forward.
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Sunderland will hope their February can start on a better note than how their January concluded with the Black Cats made to settle for an unsatisfactory 2-2 draw with bottom-of-the-table Plymouth Argyle.
Nathanael Ogbeta would break Sunderland hearts right at the death with a dramatic equaliser after efforts from Wilson Isidor and Trai Hume would see Regis Le Bris’ men race into a slim 2-1 lead.
The Frenchman will want his side to be just that little more clinical ahead of some crunch clashes to come at the top of the Championship, with one new striker helping in that regard if he joins the Wearside ranks shortly.
As per a report from journalist Graeme Bailey, Sunderland are ‘ready to make a bid’ to land the services of Southampton striker Cameron Archer, albeit with there set to be intense competition for his signature.
Indeed, Bailey states that both the Black Cats and Daniel Farke’s Leeds United are preparing loan-to-buy bids for the 23-year-old, with the table-toppers in ‘pole position’ to land the former Aston Villa youth product over Le Bris’ men.
But, with it being well documented how hungry Sunderland are to land a new centre-forward this window – with the likes of Emil Riis Jakobsen and Chuba Akpom linked heavily with a switch to the promotion hopefuls – the Wearside outfit presumably won’t just give in so Leeds can tie up a stress-free deal.
Losing out on Tom Cannon to Sheffield United will have left visible bruises on the end of the Black Cats too, with Archer an arguable upgrade on the ex-Stoke City loanee if he immediately hits the ground running at the Stadium of Light.
After all, the 23-year-old has threatened to spark into life for Southampton this season even as Ivan Juric’s side sit at the bottom of the Premier League on a depressing six points.
He has a reasonable tally next to his name of five goals in all competitions, which included this stunner finding the back of the net against Liverpool in the EFL Cup to the amazement of the St Mary’s masses watching on.
In total, Archer has managed to pick up six goals in the Premier League despite being thrust into the deep end in both instances with the relegation-doomed Saints and basement club Sheffield United last campaign, whilst Cannon has never found the back of the net in the elite division from his own limited opportunities.
Moreover, the “special” – as he was once labelled by football pundit Danny Murphy – ace has been there and done that in the second tier in the past, with his spell under Michael Carrick’s tutelage at Middlesbrough sticking out.
|
Archer’s league numbers (22/23) vs Cannon’s (24/25) |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat |
Archer |
Cannon |
|
Games played |
20 |
23 |
|
Goals scored |
11 |
9 |
|
Assists |
6 |
1 |
|
Goal conversion % |
30% |
16% |
|
Scoring frequency |
125 mins |
217 mins |
|
Big chances missed |
2 |
9 |
|
Big chances created |
5 |
0 |
|
Stats by Sofascore |
||
Whilst Cannon has taken the Championship by storm with his blistering performances this season, the table above reinforces the idea that Archer would be an upgrade on the new Blades striker, with the 23-year-old helping himself to an outrageous 17 goal contributions when donning a Boro strip.
Cannon has two fewer strikes from three more games on the contrary, with Archer also willing to be more unselfish and play others into the contest away from the fox-in-the-box abilities of the 5 foot 11 forward, when glancing at his six assists next to the Irishman’s zero.
He could well end up terrorising more Championship defences if he does relocate to Sunderland before Monday’s deadline, with Le Bris potentially spoilt for choice up top between Wilson Isidor and the ex-Boro number ten, as the Black Cats go about adding in more statement buys to keep up the chase with the rest of the promotion pack.
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