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As reported this week by CalcioMercato.com, Everton are interested in signing Nice striker Alassane Plea during this summer’s transfer window.

What’s the story?

After another disappointing season at Goodison Park, the club will be on the hunt for more Premier League ready talent this summer as they look to compete with the top six sides in the country.

One of their big issues this season has been a lack of goals. Of the top twelve teams in the Premier League table, only Burnley have scored less goals than the Toffees this term.

A player that could give them an attacking boost is Nice striker Alassane Plea, according to CalcioMercato.com.

The outlet reckon Everton are one of the teams interested in his services, facing competition from the likes of Newcastle and the similarly limp Clarets.

Rated at £13.5m by Transfermarkt, can the Toffees convince him his future lies on Merseyside?

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Who is he?

A former French U21 international, Plea has been something of a late bloomer in Ligue 1, netting double figures in the French top-flight for the first time last season.

This term he’s been more impressive still, scoring 17 goals in all competitions including four in the UEFA Europa League. Also creating six assists, it’s clear the 25-year-old is a man in form.

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That form suggests he could be a hit at Everton next term, especially considering his all-round game is strong and isn’t just an out and out poacher.

He would add great depth to the Toffees attack alongside Cenk Tosun and if this is a deal that could happen, they should eagerly pursue it this summer.

Aston Villa have a wide range of forward players but Steven Gerrard has struggled to establish which combination of a front three is the best for the team, and despite having a number of options there is no doubt that the Villa manager will bring in even more players if he can identify the right player to get the job done.

Moussa Diaby has been linked to Aston Villa yet again, after he was a hot prospect for the club last summer ahead of the signing of Leon Bailey, and now the winger is reportedly drumming up interest from other Premier League clubs including Newcastle United.

The Frenchman has been making a huge impact on his Bayer Leverkusen team in the Bundesliga this season, with 15 goals and nine assists across all competitions in 31 appearances, so it is no wonder that the 22-year-old is gaining lots of attention from other clubs.

According to One Versus One, only Thomas Muller and Christopher Nkunku have created more chances in the Bundesliga this season so far, with the £47k-per-week gem who was hailed “clever” by team mate Kerem Demirbay, currently the fourth highest assister and has the second most key passes in the German league.

This attacking output and creativity is something Gerrard will find hard to ignore, and will definitely not want to lose out on the opportunity to have a young player of Diaby’s calibre going to Newcastle United who will be easily competing for a higher position in the Premier League alongside Villa next season.

Ollie Watkins was predicted to have a goal rich relationship with his strike partner, Danny Ings, when Villa signed the Southampton striker to work with the 26-year-old last summer. However the pair have failed to find that connection on the pitch, and Watkins definitely benefits playing in a centre forward role, as opposed to out wide.

As a result, bringing in a winger with the creativity levels Diaby is displaying and combining it with Watkins’ finishing means the pair could form a fantastic partnership.

However, the former Rangers boss does have a large amount of attacking players on his books and would surely need to offload some of his current attacking options to accommodate any new arrivals in the forward line to actually enable him to offer them first-team football. That’s especially when many of the current forward players are struggling with getting consistent game time.

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Gerrard will have a lot of decisions to make about his attacking players at Villa this summer, and will need to put a plan in place to either make his forward players happy with consistent rotation, or offload the ones that he won’t get the best out or be able to offer game time to, which could then in turn open up a spot for Diaby to come into the team.

In other news: Jacob Ramsey let down Gerrard vs Southampton

Arsenal should make a summer move for Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse, Sky Sports pundit Kevin Phillips has claimed.

The Lowdown: Ward-Prowse’s importance at Saints

Having linked up with the first team in 2012, the midfielder has been a lifelong Saints player, having joined the academy in 2003.

Since then, the 27-year-old has made 350 appearances for the south coast club, 293 of which have come in the Premier League.

Ward-Prowse has played a central part in Southampton’s success at maintaining a top-flight position over the previous decade. SofaScore have highlighted his contributions this season, having ranked him Ralph Hasenhuttl’s best player for the current campaign, awarding him an impressive 7.33 rating.

The Latest: Phillips tips Arsenal to move for JWP

On 22 February, football.london’s Chris Wheatley reported that Granit Xhaka could leave Arsenal in the summer window, with a move to Serie A outfit AS Roma “certainly possible”.

When questioned over who could replace the 29-year-old in north London, Phillips named the Saints skipper as the obvious choice. Speaking with Football Insider, he claimed:

“Ward-Prowse is the sort of player Arsenal need.

“Technically he is a very, very good player and he’s a dead-ball specialist. He’s the sort of player Arteta would love in his squad I imagine.

“Could they get him out of Southampton? That’s the question. He just signed a new deal and I think he’s happy there. It would be a big test if Arsenal could knocking though. He could be persuaded to join.

“Ward-Prowse is the sort of player Arsenal need to be looking at in the summer. He’d compliment Partey well and let’s be honest, there’s not many better set-piece takers than him in the world.”

The Verdict: Huge loss for Saints

As Phillips mentioned, Ward-Prowse is renowned for his free-kick ability. Pep Guardiola even hailed the Southampton captain as “the best free-kick taker I have seen in my life”. When combined with the midfielder ranking in the 85th percentile for assists and the 92nd percentile for expected assists (via FB Ref), it is easy to see why the ex-Sunderland striker has touted the 27-year-old as a possible successor to Xhaka at Arsenal.

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The Saints skipper has even been praised by Real Madrid legend Roberto Carlos, who said he likes him “very much” as a player.  With similar comments made by his team-mates – Oriol Romeu has called him “unbelievable” – and the aforementioned SofaScore ranking, this shows just how big a blow it would be for Hasenhuttl and his side if Ward-Prowse is tempted into leaving his boyhood club.

In other news: These were the Saints’ three best players in the win over Norwich

The news that dominated football today was rather staggering as Chelsea supporters received the blow they’d all been dreading; Roman Abramovich’s assets have been frozen.

What’s the word?

The Russian oligarch was looking to sell Chelsea following tensions in Russia and Ukraine but his chances of doing so have now been put in major doubt.

That’s because his assets have been frozen by the British government, leaving the London club in turmoil.

They are unable to put tickets on sale, cannot renew player contracts and won’t be able to sign any new players until a new owner arrives.

However, in order for that to happen, a special license will need to be given to Chelsea.

There has been a number of parties interested in acquiring the club and one broker sent a text message to journalist Matt Slater this morning, issuing their response.

They simply said: “So. It’s toast.”

Chelsea in ruins

This statement aptly sums up the current situation that the Blues have found themselves in.

The worst-case scenario right now is Chelsea finding themselves in administration, an eventuality that could also see them docked nine points in the Premier League.

That would have a huge bearing on their ability to finish in the top four but it would also put the future of the club in increased doubt.

At the moment, it is difficult to see a way out of this scenario for Chelsea but things can change very quickly in the world of football.

Abramovich arrived at Chelsea and saved them from a financial viewpoint so the very fact he leaves them behind in uncertain terms is rather ironic.

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He has done so much for the west Londoners, taking them to multiple domestic and European titles, as well as luring some of the game’s best players and managers to Stamford Bridge.

Yet, as the broker alludes to, it could be ‘toast’ for any party now wanting to buy the club. If it does happen, Abramovich won’t get a single penny and Chelsea can get back to being the superclub we know they are.

For now, however, they are on the verge of crumbling apart. Supporters will be sweating over every decision the British government decides to take on this saga.

With Rangers doing their utmost to make Ibrox a fortress again in recent years, the Gers haven’t placed too much importance on blooding the young stars of tomorrow.

Indeed, with Rangers fighting tooth and nail to reclaim the Scottish Premiership title, something they did last season, they couldn’t afford to hand out chances to their up and coming stars.

Nathan Patterson was afforded minutes before moving to Everton but aside from that, young faces have found life difficult to make the grade in Glasgow.

After all, the only teenager in Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s squad at the moment is Amad Diallo and even he is on loan from Manchester United.

With that in mind, you can hardly argue against a certain Billy Gilmour for taking his leave and joining Chelsea in a measly £500k deal a few years ago.

Scottish football was issued a timely reminder this week of how much more it needs to do to offer its young talents a route to the first team when it was reported that Celtic’s “generational talent” in Ben Doak was closing in on a move to Liverpool at the tender age of 16.

That’s precisely why the likes of Rangers have tried to pluck away young gems from some less prestigious leagues around the globe.

In April of 2020, they completed the signing of Charlie Lindsay from Glentoran who was enthused by the idea of working with Steven Gerrard.

A midfield player himself, the move to Scotland was an easy one for Lindsay and even if he’s never been seen in the Rangers first-team yet, the future is still incredibly bright for a teenager who is just 17 years of age.

The Northern Irishman has earned rave reviews for his performances at youth level with The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell saying that he was “running the show” earlier this term.

Campbell rates the youngster incredibly highly, hailing his passing ability as “absolutely sublime” while explaining that you simply can’t teach the level of imagination that Lindsay possesses.

Capable of playing in various roles in midfield, including in the no.10 role and out wide, there can certainly be comparisons drawn to a certain Paul Gascoigne.

That is a lofty similarity to pluck but when you consider that the attacking midfield has already been mentioned in the same breath as Wayne Rooney, it’s easy to see why we’ve made it.

Speaking during the 2020 Alkass Cup, former footballer Chris Makin said: “I don’t think anyone has had a tournament like him. Joint top scorer heading into the last day, and a natural finisher, he reminds me so much of Wayne Rooney.”

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The quality he showed at that competition was full evidence of that. Against the Mohammed VI Academy, he raced clear down the right channel and then stuck an effort past the goalkeeper with remarkable composure. He then also sent a crisply struck effort into the bottom corner against Aspire Academy after outpacing the defender, demonstrating thevast array of strings he has to his bow.

The confidence was unerring and arguably echoed not only that of Rooney, but a vibrant Gazza as well.

Described as “special” by David Lowry, a popular figure at Glentoran, Lindsay is certainly someone the Ibrox faithful should be getting excited about in the coming years.

AND in other news, GvB has “outstanding” Goldson replacement for Rangers in “wonderful” £3.1k-p/w tank…

Tottenham Hotspur defender Eric Dier has been the victim of a disgraceful decision by Gareth Southgate after the Spurs man missed out on a place in the England squad, claims Spurs source John Wenham.

The Lowdown: Dier’s form

Since returning from a thigh injury in February, the 28-year-old has jumped straight back into the action at his best, having played the full 90 minutes in every Premier League fixture since.

The £92k-per-week centre-back has made featured 26 times for the Lilywhites in the top-flight this season. This adds to his impressive tally with the north London club, where he has amassed 310 appearances during his eight-year tenure.

However, following a recent announcement, Dier has missed out on a place in the England squad for their upcoming friendlies against Switzerland and the Ivory Coast.

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The Latest: Wenham’s claim

Wenham, an N17 insider who drops news on his Lilywhite Rose social channels, thinks it is an outrage that Dier has been omitted from the England squad.

Speaking with Football Insider, he claimed:

“I think it’s an absolute disgrace for Southgate to exclude Dier from the latest England squad.

“This is a guy who has done things for that manager on the biggest stage.

“That includes a winning penalty in a World Cup quarter-final. His form this season has been brilliant.

“Tyrone Mings has not been good this season, Conor Coady is not as good as Dier.

“I just find it baffling. From a Tottenham point of view, it will benefit us because he has a week or so to rest before our nine cup finals.

“I don’t think it’s fair that players like Marc Guehi and Ben White have been called up when Dier has just been better than them.”

The Verdict: Good for Spurs

Whilst Wenham may be outraged with the Tottenham man’s omission, this news can be looked at in a positive light for the club.

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Having just recovered from an injury which kept him sidelined for four of Spurs’ Premier League games across January and February, Antonio Conte will be relieved that one of his key defenders will not be risking a potential injury over the international break.

If the Lilywhites are to make a final push for a top four finish, they will need every squad member to be at full fitness to play at Conte’s desired level, so Dier’s omission could be a blessing in disguise.

In other news: Tottenham Hotspur: Fabio Paratici linked with Paulo Dybala move

Andrew Dickson has been left reacting to what he has now heard from Glasgow on injured Rangers star Alfredo Morelos.

The Lowdown: On crutches

As per Sky Sports, Morelos is now a doubt for the Old Firm clash against Celtic in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday lunchtime, after he was spotted on crutches at Glasgow Airport.

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The plane he was boarding was set for London, where he will receive a scan on a thigh injury that he picked up while on international duty with Colombia.

The Latest: Dickson reacts

Taking to Twitter, Scottish football journalist Dickson has reacted after hearing the news, saying the club now face a ‘sweat’ ahead of the derby:

“Looks like Morelos is off for a scan in London. Sweaty three days ahead.”

The Verdict: Worrying

The fact that Morelos has gone off for a scan so soon before the derby is certainly worrying for the Ibrox faithful.

Of course, the striker remains their biggest threat in front of goal, finding the back of the net 19 times in total so far this season, more than any of his teammates.

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Nonetheless, this is a game that the Teddy Bears really need to win in order to close the gap to their rivals at the top, and anything other than three points would spark serious doubt into their title hopes.

In other news, find out what ‘phenomenal’ Gers reveal has left Alex McLeish wowed here!

Wolverhampton Wanderers sealed a Premier League double over West Midlands rivals Aston Villa with a 2-1 win this afternoon.

The win cements bragging rights for the Molineux faithful in his particular rivalry and moves the Old Gold up to seventh place overnight.

Bruno Lage will be impressed with his side after they bounced back from the disappointing 3-2 defeat against Leeds United just before the international break, with Jonny Otto opening the scoring and an Ashley Young own goal ultimately giving Wolves the three points.

Although the victory means that they have now won three of their last four games, questions over why 19-year-old Fabio Silva has not featured more this season may become pertinent.

At such a young age, the Portuguese starlet has “enormous potential” according to Daily Mail senior sports reporter Ollie Lewis, and although his underlying stats do not flatter him, he put in a spectacular performance for Wolves this afternoon.

Silva realising his potential for Wolves

Whilst his hold-up play demonstrated maturity and his physicality caused issues among the Villa defence, Silva’s ability to create space for team-mates was reminiscent of an old-fashioned centre-forward from yesteryear, as he grafted throughout a display which more than repaid Bruno Lage’s faith in him in what was just his third Premier League start this season.

The former Porto prospect has struggled to get to grips with the English game, and those who solely rely on statistics would have believed that the 19-year-old capitulated today. Although the young striker had fewer touches than both goalkeepers and completed just 12 passes, the fewest of any Wolves starter, it was a performance which could only be valued through the ‘eye test’.

Writing in his post-match player ratings for Birmingham Live, Alex Dicken awarded the teenager an eight, with the summary of: “Other than a first goal of the season, there wasn’t a great deal missing from Silva’s display. In just his third Premier League start of the season, Silva showed intelligence and awareness to get the better of Villa’s physically imposing defensive duo. The 19-year-old’s link up play with Trincao and Podence was very good.”

Nonetheless, Silva will have been questioning how his name evaded the scoresheet, with his two big chances providing an xG total of 0.50. Those kind of chances from that specific area of the pitch would certainly go in for him on another day.

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At a time when Raul Jimenez is serving his initial two-match ban, the Portuguese youngster has just put in a performance which will surely put him in contention to achieve his first back-to-back Premier League starts under Lage this season when Wolves make the trip to Newcastle next Friday.

In other news – Lage could finally unearth Wolves’ new Diogo Jota in “unpredictable” £33m creator

Chelsea have identified an in-form striker as a potential future player for Enzo Maresca as club scouts watch all of his matches.

Chelsea given Liam Delap concern as Joao Pedro plan revealed

It hasn’t exactly been the best of starts to his west London career for summer signing Liam Delap, who has spent most of his debut campaign at Stamford Bridge on the treatment table.

Indeed, Delap’s highly anticipated Chelsea stint has descended into frustration, with the 22-year-old managing just six starts across all competitions.

Persistent fitness problems have prevented him from establishing any meaningful impact. Delap’s nightmare began in August when he sustained a hamstring injury that sidelined him for over two months, forcing him to miss ten matches during the crucial opening phase of the campaign.

After finally returning to fitness in November, the England youth international managed only his sixth Premier League start against Bournemouth before disaster struck again.

Landing awkwardly following an aerial duel with Marcos Senesi, Delap dislocated his shoulder and was forced off after just 32 minutes with his arm in a makeshift sling.

Related Big name player has privately said that he would join Chelsea in January

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Reports have since claimed that the former Man City starlet faces up to a month out, with his return not anticipated until midway through January.

The forward’s only goal this season came as a substitute in Chelsea’s Champions League victory over Barcelona, with Maresca acknowledging that Delap has been “a little bit unlucky” but insisted the goals will eventually come once he can maintain fitness and rhythm.

However, according to journalist Simon Phillips, there are ‘internal concerns’ over his start to life at Chelsea, and the club’s desire to play Joao Pedro in an attacking midfield role means they’re considering another striker.

Emmanuel Emegha is due to arrive from Strasbourg next year, but the plan for him is currently unclear, and he could even head back out on loan.

Chelsea earmark Strasbourg striker Joaquín Panichelli as 'future player'

Writing via his Substack, Phillips reports this morning that Chelsea have their eyes firmly on in-form striker Joaquín Panichelli as a ‘future player’ amid their worries about Delap.

Club scouts are said to be watching all of his games for Strasbourg too, and they’ll be mightily impressed by what they’ve seen from the Argentine.

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Panichelli has already scored 10 goals in 21 outings across all competitions for Chelsea’s sister club so far, and their relationship with Strasbourg via BlueCo means this could be a pretty straightforward deal to do.

The 23-year-old has also seriously impressed Ligue 1 experts, with pundit Joachim Durand telling Transfermarkt that Panichelli is a ‘pure number nine’ with many desirable qualities.

Related Agents make 'clear' transfer demand as Chelsea forward pushes for January exit

His representatives have made one thing known.

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Manchester United have been stepping up their search for the next manager to take charge at Old Trafford, and now information has emerged on the potential appointment of the leading favourite Erik Ten Hag.

What’s the word?

Sky Sports journalist Angelo Mangiante has given a fresh update on Manchester United’s progression with Ajax boss ten Hag, Tweeting to his followers:

“Erik ten Hag is now very close and he still leading the race to become the new Manchester United manager. For sure, he wants a final answer from Manchester United as soon as possible. In any case, compensation for Erik ten Hag is not an issue for Manchester United.”

Supporters will love it

Ten Hag has been a clear favourite amongst Manchester United fans ever since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was sacked back in November, so the news that the club may finally be close to sealing the deal with the 52-year-old manager will be a huge relief for the long-suffering Man United fans and they will surely love it.

There was concern that the Dutch coach could be snapped up by another club with speculation of interest from two other European sides who want to also hire him this summer, but if Mangiante’s statement is true then surely it will now be only a matter of time before he is announced by the club as the new manager to take the reins at Old Trafford.

Ten Hag has been successfully managing his current side, Ajax, after leading them to a Champions League semi-final in 2019 and then going on to win two Dutch league titles and three Dutch domestic cups with his squad, and fans will be hoping he can inject this winning mentality back into their team over in Manchester so that they can return to consistent trophy winning.

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As Ralf Rangnick discussed following the draw with Leicester City, there is still a huge amount of work to be done at Manchester United over the next few seasons and the interim boss revealed it could take “two to three transfer windows” to catch up with Liverpool, but with ten Hag, that timeframe could well be lessened.

In other news: Man Utd now dealt huge new manager setback, supporters will be furious