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Everton’s transfer business in recent years has been patchy, to say the least, but last summer’s dealings have been surprisingly fruitful.

During the reign of current director of football Marcel Brands, the Toffees have spent huge sums of money with varying degrees of success.

For every Abdoulaye Doucoure there’s been an Alex Iwobi, and supporters of the Merseyside outfit must have been growing tired of the club’s frivolous spending.

However, financial restraints due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic significantly limited Everton’s spending power in the most recent transfer window.

The likes of Asmir Begovic, Andros Townsend and Salomon Rondon joined the Blues on free transfers, while Demarai Gray arrived for a meagre £1.7m from Bayer Leverkusen.

“I’m delighted to be back in the Premier League at such a big club, and I’m excited to play with the team and get to work,” Gray told evertontv (as relayed by The Athletic).

“Speaking to the manager and Marcel Brands, I had a really good feel for the club, and I feel this is a place where I can continue to develop.

“The manager, with his ambition and what he has won in the past, is important, and we’ll look to push forward and compete with the top clubs. I think a club of this magnitude has all the potential to be right up there.”

Gray’s transfer fee was the only money that Brands forked out during the summer, meaning the Goodison Park outfit’s spending was at its lowest point since the 2010/11 campaign.

But the 25-year-old’s scintillating form has shown that what you invest your money in, rather than how much you cough up, is what really matters – especially in the world of football.

In just seven Premier League outings, Gray has already bagged three goals and provided one assist for Rafa Benitez’s charges, playing a pivotal part in Everton’s rise to fifth position.

Producing his early-season form on a consistent basis is now the task facing the former Leicester City winger, but the signs are promising, and Benitez could have a real gem on his hands.

The £57,000-per-week forward has exceeded expectations in the opening weeks of the campaign, with his market value rising to £13.5m last week as a result.

Only time will tell if Gray turns out to be one of Brands’ best buys, but the Everton chief certainly appears to have struck gold by bringing the versatile attacker back to English shores.

And, in other news…Brands must sanction Everton swoop for “gifted” 21 y/o gem, he’s an upgrade on Iwobi 

After suffering a disappointing defeat at the hands of Manchester United last week, Newcastle United will be hoping to finally get their Premier League campaign on track when they take on Leeds United on Friday night.

Steve Bruce’s side currently lie 19th in the top-flight after a winless start, tonight facing a Leeds side who are also struggling at the start of this new season and still in search of their first win.

The Magpies boss will surely have some big calls to make after the torrid nature in which they threw away a 1-1 draw into a 4-1 defeat at Old Trafford, and one man who will be sweating on his place is Ciaran Clark.

The Republic of Ireland international was hardly alone in enduring a nightmare afternoon against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side, but his mistakes last week were costly’ and when you think of the kind high-pressing, high-intensity side that Leeds are, those errors could rear their ugly head once again.

As per Sofascore, he lost both of the duels in which he was involved, made no tackles whatsoever and was dribbled past once as Cristiano Ronaldo and co ran riot in the second half.

What will also be worrying is that he looked shaky on the ball too, conceding possession on seven occasions, the most of any Magpies defender aside from Matt Ritchie, who should be noted played as more of a wing-back. He also found his mark with just one of his four attempted long balls.

Writing for The Shields Gazette and The Chronicle respectively, both Miles Starforth and Lee Ryder were critical of Clark’s second-half performance in particular, giving him a measly five and four in their post-match player ratings.

Given the nature of how Marcelo Bielsa’s side look to press from the front and put players under pressure when on the ball, Clark might just well be a liability once again – as per WhoScored, his 77.8% pass accuracy this season is worse than the likes of Federico Fernandez, Jamaal Lascelles and Isaac Hayden among others.

If Clark plays, then there’s every chance Leeds will look to test both his ability on the ball and his questionable positioning, both of which let him down against Manchester United last week and could cost the Magpies once again.

The £35k-a-week earning ace simply has to be dropped tonight when the Whites come to town.

Meanwhile, Newcastle United are interested in this Championship star, he’s better than Almiron…

Leicester City’s recruitment over the last few years has been outstanding, allowing them to continually punch above their weight, but they haven’t always got things right.

In the past, the likes of Harry Maguire, N’Golo Kante and Riyad Mahrez have joined the Midlands outfit for minimal fees before going on to enjoy great success at the King Power Stadium and moving elsewhere for astronomical sums.

It’s led to Leicester winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Community Shield since 2016, magnificent achievements that would not have been possible without exceptional work in the transfer market.

However, not all purchases have been quite so successful. One such example is Ayoze Perez after the versatile forward arrived from Newcastle United via a £30 million deal back in 2019.

The Spaniard had impressed in a sub-standard Magpies side under the tutelage of Rafael Benitez, leading to Leicester’s director of football Jon Rudkin sanctioning a big-money move.

Since joining the Foxes, though, Perez has struggled to produce his best form on a consistent basis, bagging just 12 goals and providing only six assists in 80 appearances for Brendan Rodgers’ charges.

To make matters worse, the 28-year-old picked up his first career red card for a horrific challenge during the club’s 4-1 defeat at the hands of West Ham United in the opening weeks of the new campaign, leading to a three-game suspension.

Perez’s underwhelming displays in a Leicester shirt have seen his market value drop to just £16.2m, almost half the fee that the club’s hierarchy paid for him just two years ago.

Therefore, the purchase of Perez is perhaps one of Rudkin’s few transfer nightmares since taking the reigns as one of Leicester’s chiefs, although the positives certainly outweigh the negatives during his time at the helm.

And, in other news…Forget Iheanacho: “Incredible” Leicester beast who won 8 duels ran the show v Millwall 

Metz midfielder Pape Matar Sarr is ‘much more likely’ to end up at Manchester City than Manchester United this window, as reported by journalist Jonathan Shrager on Twitter.

Enjoying an encouraging campaign in 2020/21, the 18-year-old managed to amass four goals from 26 appearances in all competitions in France [Transfermarkt].

Now, he could pitch up in the blue half of Manchester this window following recent reports.

Speaking to his audience on Twitter, Shrager signified that it is far more foreseeable that the anchor man would move to the Etihad over Old Trafford in the near future.

Reports also suggest that they could acquire the Senegal international then immediately loan him back to Metz for the rest of 2021/22 [City Xtra].

In light of these developments, no wonder loads of Manchester City fans took to Twitter to react to the prospect of signing the youngster.

 Manchester City fans react:

Replying to popular Manchester City fan outlet on Twitter, here is what some fans had to say about the Matar Sarr latest:

“We are going to waste €30m and he’s no striker. Our board is a circus.”

Credit: @FinallyManfred”This isn’t Vlaovic or Ronaldo”Credit: @MCFC_SZn26″How many midfielders do we need”Credit: @ModzimoJigger”i can’t understand @City_Xtra why sign him we need no 9…or Jesus is enough to take us through the journey”Credit: @Moisez254_”No need tbh, rather see lavia”Credit: @WhiteOw70014826″Sorry but who??”Credit: @thecityzen06In other news, Manchester City fans want one of the world’s best players. Find out who here.

Manchester United continued their unbeaten start to the Premier League campaign with a scrappy 1-0 win over Wolves at Molineux on Sunday.

Mason Greenwood’s late goal was the only strike of the match as the Red Devils snatched a winner after a number of openings created by Wolves were not taken. David de Gea’s agility allowed him to make a stunning double save, before Greenwood’s low effort squirmed past Jose Sa at the other end.

This comes after they beat Leeds 5-1 on the opening day of the season and were held to a 1-1 draw by Southampton at St. Mary’s. They face Newcastle at Old Trafford after the international break, which could – potentially – see Cristiano Ronaldo make his return if he is deemed fit enough to play.

Despite picking up the three points against Wolves, one player, in particular, let Ole Gunnar Solskjaer down with his performance on the pitch –  Jadon Sancho.

The England international, who signed from Borussia Dortmund this summer, made his full debut for the club alongside Raphael Varane, but failed to show the best of his abilities. Whilst Varane helped United keep a clean sheet with a solid display at centre-back, Sancho had next to no influence in the final third and was substituted after 72 minutes.

In his time on the field, the ex-Dortmund star lost 100% of his duels – losing all four of his ground duels and his solitary aerial battle. This suggests that he was slightly off the pace on his first start, as he was beaten to the pulp by the Wolves players every time he went in for a 50/50 challenge.

He also struggled when he had the ball at his feet. Sancho failed to create a single chance for his teammates and did not attempt a single shot, whilst taking 40 touches. The forward often dropped into a pocket on the left channel before passing backwards to Luke Shaw or inside to Bruno Fernandes, whilst failing with the one attempt he made to dribble past an opponent.

This shows that, along with his failure to compete in physical duels, he was unable to make the desired impact in the final third. Per SofaScore, he received the lowest match rating (6.1) in the United XI, with Dan James (6.6) and Fred (6.6) next in line just ahead of him.

Therefore, the £350k-per-week earner let Ole down with his full debut performance and will surely be more motivated than before to put things right when United host Newcastle after the international break. Hopefully, he can have a successful time away with England and build some confidence ahead of his return to Old Trafford.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano drops Man United exit claim that will frustrate supporters…

Celtic’s talks with Shamrock Rovers for defender Liam Scales are thought to be at an advanced stage, according to Glasgow Live.

The Lowdown: Scales links

Initial links to Scales came out last week, with The Irish Mirror’s Paul O’Hehir one of the first to share discussions between the two clubs for the 23-year-old.

Scales, who was described as ‘really, really good’ by Rovers manager Stephen Bradley, admitted recently that he could be on the move before the transfer window slams shut, with Norwich City and Southampton also thought to be keen on his services.

The Irish Examiner’s John Fallon believes that Celtic could have to pay a ‘significant’ six-figure sum for Scales, and it seems as if transfer talks are progressing well.

The Latest: Advanced stages

Glasgow Live shared a transfer story on reported Celtic target Fabricio Bustos on Monday evening.

Within their report, they dropped a line on Scales, stating that talks between the Glasgow giants and Shamrock Rovers are at an advanced stage.

The Verdict: Desmond’s deal?

Dermot Desmond has a 25% stake in the Irish champions, so perhaps the Celtic chief has helped talks to progress in the past week.

Should Scales arrive at Parkhead, he would offer Ange Postecoglou plenty of versatility. Last season, the Republic of Ireland under-21 international made 10 appearances in his primary centre-back position, 12 as a left-midfielder, one as a left-back and one as a defensive midfielder.

He also showed his goalscoring knack with a crucial last-gasp winner over Longford Town at the weekend, a result which maintained Rovers’ three-point lead in the League of Ireland Premier Division and ensured a happy 23rd birthday for the defender.

He may not be an instant starter, should he sign for Celtic, but over time he could prove a key member of the squad in a number of positions.

In other news: Roma interested in Celtic ace, find out more here. 

Celtic face competition in their loan pursuit of Manchester City youngster Yan Couto, with Braga said to have joined the race for his signature, as reported by A Bola [via Glasgow Live].

The Lowdown: Celtic look to strengthen in defence

As the transfer window deadline draws closer, Bhoys manager Ange Postecoglou could still be in the market to bolster his squad in key areas which lack adequate depth.

Right-back will no doubt be an area of priority, with Celtic only having one man in this position with first team experience in the form of Anthony Ralston – who had made just 20 senior Hoops appearances prior to this season.

However, they could have a fight on their hands to land Couto following recent developments.

The Latest: Braga also keen on a season-long loan for Couto

Last week, the 19-year-old was present at Parkhead for the Hoops’ Europa League victory over Jablonec, possibly with a view to enticing the full-back to make the switch to Glasgow on loan [City Xtra].

However, there could now be a spanner in the works, with Braga also keen on taking the Brazilian under their wing for the new campaign on a temporary deal [A Bola via Glasgow Live].

Advantageously for Celtic, the Primeira Liga outfit are not believed to be close to an agreement and are unwilling to pay his full wage structure, something the Premier League champions would favour.

The Verdict: Celtic should strive to beat off other suitors for Couto

With the transfer window set to close at the end of the month, this news will come as little surprise to Celtic as other clubs seek to put the finishing touches to their respective squads. Someone as talented as Couto will always be likely to attract attention from other clubs owing to his defensive qualities, alongside his capability to perform as an inverted right-back.

In 2020/21, he excelled in a loan stint at Manchester City affiliates Girona, registering seven goal contributions in 30 appearances with two goals and five assists [Transfermarkt]. Couto also showed his quality in terms of chance creation, delivering 63 crosses across his time in the Segunda Division [FB Ref].

Once labelled as the ‘new Dani Alves’ by the Spanish press [The Sun], Celtic should look to seal a deal for the 19-year-old’s services due to his suitability with Postecoglou’s high-octane style of football.

In other news, Celtic fans react to a transfer update regarding their talisman. Read all about it here.

Manchester City fans were far from happy as Cole Palmer missed a penalty during their pre-season friendly with Barnsley on Saturday.

The Citizens’ pre-season campaign is well underway as they prepare for the 2021/22 season. The Citizens have played two warm-up matches so far – they beat Preston North End 2-0 before hammering Barnsley 4-0 as a number of the club’s younger players impressed to give Pep Guardiola something to think about.

However, it was not all plain sailing for the Citizens in the second match. Against the Tykes, Palmer missed a penalty, which continued City’s poor record from the spot – last term, the Premier League champions scored just seven from their 11 spot-kicks (Transfermarkt), far from an impressive record. Guardiola which surely be looking for improvement in that department.

Twitter account @City_Xtra tweeted about the missed penalty, and it attracted plenty of attention from the supporters. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Palmer miss below

“Our disease still”

Credit: @atweleboy

“The curse continues …”

Credit: @drizzydruw

“Different year. Same stuff.”

Credit: @FinallyManfred

“This is so annoying”

Credit: @Drmwas_Ke

“We’re actually so bad at pens”

Credit: @7Mcfcmax

“Even in pre-season we’re cursed”

Credit: @Alleyezon_AB

In other news, Man City fans were gutted at this transfer news.

A Raphael Varane and Harry Maguire partnership at Manchester United could be similar to Gary Pallister and Steve Bruce’s, claims former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer.

United are being heavily linked with £63m-rated Varane, with recent reports suggesting that the club and player are in talks over personal terms.

Varane has just one year remaining on his Real Madrid contract, so a move to an outfit like United this summer certainly does look possible.

And if they do manage to pull it off, Palmer believes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could end up recreating one of United’s legendary centre-back pairings.

When asked if Varane could be the perfect partner for the current Red Devils captain Maguire, the former Leeds United player told TT.

“Absolutely. I remember when he first burst on the scene for Real Madrid. I think he’s an outstanding football player. 

“It’d be a bit like Pallister and Bruce. Bruce wasn’t the quickest, but Pallister was unbelievably quick for a big man. They had the right balance within the side.”

Given his attributes like his pace and experience playing at the top, Varane could indeed be the ideal central defender to line up alongside Maguire.

With PSG also said to be in the race to sign the 28-year-old France international, though, there still looks like there is some work for United to do.

Crystal Palace are said to be in the hunt for Midtjylland midfielder Jens Cajuste, as their summer recruitment drive intensifies [SportExpressen via Sport Witness].

Primarily a holding midfielder, the 21-year-old enjoyed a commendable season for the Danish runners-up, making 39 appearances and registering one goal and two assists in that time [Transfermarkt].

Now attracting attention from Premier League clubs, he could have choice to make on his future sooner rather than later.

The Eagles are said to have ‘concrete interest’ in the Swedish youngster, alongside Wolverhampton Wanderers, Leeds United and Newcastle United [Sport Witness].

Furthermore, Cajuste was pulled from his current employers’ UEFA Champions League qualifying match against Celtic yesterday, with murmurings suggesting Midtjylland may not want to ‘risk anything because a big sale may be imminent’ [Sport Witness].

In light of this, no wonder loads of Crystal Palace diehards took to Twitter to express their thoughts on the latest news.

Crystal Palace fans react:

Replying to popular Crystal Palace fan outlet PALACE XTRA, here is what some fans had to say about recent reports:

“Very talented box to box midfielder, great vision, good on the ball. PL ready just yet? Maybe not but great potential. He was the second youngest player in our Euro squad, only featured once as a sub though. But he is likely to play a bigger part in the Qatar WC in 2022.”

Credit: @FIFA_hakke”Would take him over any of the other rumoured transfer targets”Credit: @getcomeuppance”Yes please”Credit: @longlivewilliam”Jens Cajuste’s stats last season: Minutes Played: 649 Assists: 1 Key passes: 4 Chances Created: 5 Accurate passes: 166 (78%) Dribbles succeeded: 7 (78%) Blocked shots: 3 Interceptions: 9 Clearances: 8″Credit: @cpfcgoaat”We have more pulling power then them, if we go strong we get him, Vieira will want who he wants and he will get them.”Credit: @Kevbartleyy”No young midfielder will turn down working for one of the best midfielders of all time”Credit: @cpfcharlie0In other news, Crystal Palace fans react to an Andros Townsend update.