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Everton have reportedly seen a deadline-day bid for one of their top transfer targets accepted…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to the Daily Mail, who claim that the Toffees are now closing in on Kamaldeen Sulemana.

However, they still face fierce competition with Southampton, who have also seen a £22m offer accepted.

With new manager Sean Dyche keen to reinvest the Anthony Gordon funds with intelligence, but with the ever-intensifying pressure that deadline day brings, this marks a smart piece of business amongst all the craziness of this day.

Toffees must now finalise

Battling with a direct relegation rival, this is a transfer duel that the Merseyside outfit cannot afford to lose.

Many Evertonians would have expected their side to have challenged to sign Mislav Orsic, but instead allowed Nathan Jones to strengthen his side for a cut-price.

Now, with Gordon gone and a threadbare attack lacking in confidence, he must make some key additions today to avoid a torrid second half of the season.

The tricky winger may not produce the most tangible assets, but his pure pace and skill make him a devastating presence to have on your side.

As such, the 20-year-old ranks in the top 2% for dribbles completed when compared to other wingers across Europe.

Last season, the Ghanaian has paired this with four goals and two assists, as he averaged 1.1 key passes per game, via Sofascore.

Such is his immense quality, he was lauded by Erik ten Hag back when the winger was plying his trade at FC Nordsjaelland.

The now Manchester United manager once claimed:

“He brings power and depth, on and off the ball. It’s an important quality.

“More and more players nowadays want the ball [played] at their feet instead of making runs. He can make those runs and he has incredible speed.”

As he seems to grow with each passing season, to sign Sulemana now would not only be a fine investment for the future but a huge step towards ensuring safety is attained in this campaign. They must finalise this deal as soon as possible.

Leicester City have picked out Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson as a major summer transfer target, according to a recent report.

The Lowdown: Leicester’s goalkeeper options

Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel completed a move to Ligue 1 side Nice in the last summer transfer window after 11 years with the club, leaving Brendan Rodgers with Danny Ward and Daniel Iversen to choose from between the sticks.

Ward has been the first choice for the Foxes, making 21 appearances in the Premier League, but Rodgers is now looking for a younger replacement for Schmeichel, with Patterson seemingly fitting the bill.

The Latest: Patterson targeted

According to a report from The Sun, Leicester have made the Sunderland shot-stopper a major target, although they will face competition for his signature, with Wolverhampton Wanderers said to be interested.

It is also claimed that the Black Cats could look to cash-in on their keeper for a fee of around £10m if they fail to get promoted from the Championship this season.

The Verdict: Get it done

In the top flight this term, Ward has shipped 37 goals, the second-highest total of any goalkeeper in the league, and while the Leicester backline is also culpable for the poor defensive record, there are indications that the Welshman is not up to the required standard.

Journalist Rob Tanner has suggested that the defence do not trust their goalkeeper, with this comment following the claim that he has had a ‘tough start’ replacing Schmeichel, and so the Foxes should look to bring in a younger option in the summer.

Hailed as ‘phenomenal’ by Nicky Crosby, Patterson has been in exceptional form for the Black Cats this season, recently making three saves from inside the box and receiving the highest match rating of any player in a 2-0 win against Middlesbrough.

The Sunderland youth product is averaging less goals against and a better save percentage per 90 than Ward over the past year, and given that he is just 22, he has plenty of time to develop into a top goalkeeper, capable of making the starting spot his for years to come.

Former BBC radio pundit Noel Whelan has described Christian Eriksen’s injury as a ‘huge blow’ for Manchester United.

The Lowdown: Three months out…

Erik ten Hag has been hit with an injury blow regarding the Denmark international, with the midfielder set to be ruled out for around three months with an ankle injury. The 30-year-old was making his 31st appearance of the season when he suffered the body blow against Reading in the FA Cup last weekend.

Marcel Sabitzer was duly brought in on transfer deadline day, with Eriksen’s importance reflected by him registering more assists than any other United player (seven) in the current Premier League campaign while also ranking highly for passes made per 90, as per WhoScored.

The Latest: Eriksen injury a ‘huge blow’

Whelan was talking to Football Insider regarding the injury update on Eriksen. The 48-year-old described it as a ‘huge blow’ and ‘massive’ setback for United, questioning whether or not Sabitzer can fit into Ten Hag’s side quickly.

The former Leeds striker said: “I think what they had with Eriksen, Fernandes, and Casemiro was really working. They were getting consistent performances out of all three.

“It’s a huge blow. Losing Eriksen is massive – his work rate, his range of passing, his delivery, his set pieces. You can’t replace a player like that because he has such quality. You just can’t do it.

“They’ve gone out on short notice to get Sabitzer in. Whether he can fit into that team, or whether they go with a Fred – it’s not going to be the same.

“Sabitzer, Fred, McTominay – they can all fill a void, but it’s not the same.”

The Verdict: Ten Hag facing midfield crisis…

If losing Eriksen wasn’t enough, United now look set to be without Casemiro for three Premier League fixtures after he was sent off against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

The Brazilian was dismissed for violent conduct and, assuming his suspension isn’t overturned, he will miss both games against Leeds United and one against Leicester City over the next fortnight.

That will leave Ten Hag with just three fit and available senior midfielders in Fred, Sabitzer and Bruno Fernandes, with Eriksen, Donny van de Beek and Scott McTominay all currently injured, so that first trio could be asked to feature heavily over the coming weeks.

Should anything happen to render them unavailable, it could leave United facing something of a midfield crisis.

Aston Villa endured a difficult afternoon on Saturday as they were beaten 4-2 by Leicester City at Villa Park in the Premier League and it was a rough match, in particular, for midfielder Boubacar Kamara.

The French enforcer was caught on the ball in his own penalty area just moments after Ollie Watkins had given the hosts the lead and his error allowed James Maddison to make it 1-1.

Emi Martinez played the ball to Kamara under pressure from three Leicester players but the midfielder opted to dribble his way out of it instead of hitting a first-time pass out to the right side to bypass the opposition’s press, which allowed the Foxes to dispossess him and score.

It was an out-of-character mistake from the 2022 signing as it was his first error directly leading to a shot or goal in the Premier League this season.

The 23-year-old had been in excellent form leading up to the match. Kamara has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.85, having made 3.6 tackles and interceptions per game, whilst completing 84% of his attempted passes.

He has consistently won the ball back for the side, without being a liability in possession on the whole, and has caught the eye with his impressive displays in the middle of the park.

Whilst the Frenchman is only 23, football moves quickly and you never know what could happen in the next few years if he continues to produce excellent performances, or if the gem regresses, and this means that Unai Emery should have one eye on what life could look like after the midfielder.

With this in mind, the Spanish head coach could already have the long-term heir to Kamara at the club in the form of young defensive midfielder Tim Iroegbunam.

The 19-year-old is currently on loan at Queens Park Rangers in the Championship and has put in some excellent displays for the second-tier outfit.

On his since-deleted Twitter account, ex-QPR boss Michael Beale hailed him as a “super impressive” young man with a “bright future” and the gem’s form for the London club this term backs up the latter claim.

Iroegbunam has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.80 having made 2.7 tackles and interceptions per game across 24 appearances in the Championship this season, whilst not making a single error directly leading to a shot or goal.

The England youth international also caught the eye in a start against Norwich in the Premier League in 2021/22 as the enforcer won five tackles and interceptions combined and completed 82% of his attempted passes – recording a Sofascore rating of 7.00.

Villa’s young gem is a combative midfielder who does not make errors on a regular basis and thus certainly has the potential to be the long-term heir to Kamara in the holding role.

However, it is down to the dynamo to continue to develop and improve to a point where he is able to consistently deliver the level of performance that was on show against the Canaries in the Premier League.

Journalist Charles Watts has been left confused as to why Reiss Nelson was not back in contention for the Arsenal matchday squad despite being back in full training.

 What’s the word?

The 23-year-old attacker has not played for the Gunners since the break for the winter World Cup after picking up a thigh injury.

However, the winger has been training with the team since the start of February. Since then, though, he hasn’t been passed as fit enough to be involved in games against either Everton or Brentford.

Before that game against the Bees, manager Mikel Arteta explained that while he has “started to do some work outside”, Nelson is “not ready” to play any part just yet.

While speaking about the situation on YouTube, Watts seems confused by it all, saying: “I’m surprised he’s ruled Reiss Nelson out because Reiss has been training, in full training, for the last two weeks now.”He trained ahead of the Everton game last week and he trained all week this week, so I’m surprised he’s ruled him out. He says he’s still not ready to contribute, which is a bit surprising.”New man needed?Seeing as Nelson has been back training for a couple of weeks now, you would think he’d be ready to make the matchday squad, but evidently, Arteta doesn’t want to rush him back too early.Of course, in the winter, Arsenal went out and pulled off the signing of Leandro Trossard, so they do have at least some extra depth on the flanks now.Perhaps that’s why Arteta feels as though he can take his time reintroducing Nelson back into the picture. The Englishman, however, may be desperate to get back and impress with his contract set to expire in the summer.The 23-year-old has shown glimpses of his quality this term. Indeed, he came off the bench for an injured Bukayo Saka in October to score a brace and provide an assist in a 5-0 win over Nottingham Forest.Since then, Nelson has played just one minute of football in the league and so it’ll be a nice boost for the player and club when he’s truly back – which surely can’t be far away.

Todd Boehly left no stone unturned in his attempts to improve Graham Potter’s squad by bringing a host of fresh faces to Chelsea during the January transfer window.

The Blues owner brought in the likes of Enzo Fernandez, Mykhaylo Mudryk, Benoit Badiashile, and Noni Madueke, among others, to improve the side.

However, Chelsea’s struggles have continued on the pitch as they find themselves out of both cup competitions, tenth in the Premier League table, and 1-0 down on aggregate in their Champions League tie with Borussia Dortmund.

Mudryk, in particular, has been unable to impress since making the switch to Stamford Bridge in January. The forward has failed to score or create a single chance in four top-flight appearances – averaging a Sofascore rating of 6.42.

However, the 22-year-old is still very early on in his career, both in England in general, and there is hope yet for the youngster as he could improve in the years to come.

One way in which the Blues could get the best out of the youngster could be by replacing Potter with a manager who can help the Ukraine international to develop his game.

Will Mauricio Pochettino replace Potter at Chelsea?

A manager who is reportedly one of the options the club are considering to take over in the dugout if they part ways with their current head coach is former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino.

The report claimed earlier this month that he is one of four men on the shortlist to arrive at Stamford Bridge and the Argentine tactician could be on his way back to London if Boehly opts to wield his axe in the coming weeks.

Mudryk is a player who could benefit greatly from the club appointing Pochettino as Potter’s successor as the ex-Spurs coach was renowned for his use and development of young offensive talents during his first spell in England.

One forward the 50-year-old played a blinder with was South Korean winger Heung-min Son, who only scored four goals in 28 Premier League appearances during his first season at Tottenham.

Since then, the winger has scored 11 or more goals in the top flight in six consecutive campaigns for Spurs. Pochettino played a huge role in his development as the attacker scored a whopping 75 times and provided 39 assists in 203 matches for the Argentine coach, which shows that the ex-PSG man was able to get the best out of Son despite some early struggles.

Mudryk, like the former Bayer Leverkusen dynamo, is a pacey, right-footed left winger and has the potential to deliver goals and assists on a regular basis, as Son has over the last six seasons for Spurs.

The 22-year-old scored three goals and two assists in six Champions League outings, in the first half of the campaign, which shows the ability is there for him to be a huge threat from out wide.

Pochettino, who was once dubbed “exceptional” by defender Marquinhos, could be the manager the wizard needs, based on his sublime work with Son earlier in his carer, to get the best out of him.

Therefore, Chelsea could unearth their own pacey, goalscoring and creative winger – a Son 2.0 – by appointing the Argentine boss to work with and develop Mudryk.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Napoli are not currently even considering selling touted Manchester United target Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

What’s the latest on the Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Man Utd links?

With Napoli performing so well as they look set to run away with the Serie A title this season in Italy, it’s no surprise that a number of their players are being linked with big moves.

For instance, the Red Devils have recently been spoken about as a possible future destination for Victor Osimhen, with club scouts reportedly watching the talented striker.

On top of that, his Napoli teammate Kvaratskhelia has been linked with the same Premier League club – alongside many others – but it seems as though nothing serous has been discussed at this stage. 

Indeed, while talking on his YouTube channel, Romano explained that the winger’s current team are too focused on their exploits this season to even think about possible summer sales.

He said (0:46): “He’s doing fantastic with Napoli. So congrats again to Napoli because Kvaratskhelia, in Serie A and Champions League, is always performing at a super level. Fantastic, fantastic player. What’s the point?

“I always see many rumours and many of you asking me about Kvaratskhelia and Man United, Kvaratskhelia and Chelsea, Kvaratskhelia and Real Madrid and many others. But guys at the moment, and trust me it’s not usual to say something like that, Napoli don’t want to open negotiation or to speak to any club or any agent.“

Napoli are insulating the player. Napoli are protecting the player. It is the same with Osihmen, but with Kvaratskhelia too. Napoli don’t want to make a price tag. It’s not about 100 million euros, 200 million euros.

“Napoli want to focus on the second part of the season. They want to complete this fantastic Serie A season by winning the title. They miss more than 30 years. And also they want to do something special in the Champions League  So they don’t want to speak about their players nothing will happen nothing will be discussed before June for Napoli players.

“ This is why for Kvaratskhelia the interest is normal for many clubs following the player but no one is speaking to Napoli or is negotiating or they don’t even know the price tag. So don’t trust all the stories.”

What does the Kvaratskhelia transfer update mean for Man Utd?

Man United already have in-form winger Marcus Rashford in the team while they’ve also spent big money on other attacking wide men such as Jadon Sancho and Anthony in recent transfer windows, so it remains to be seen if they would chase Kvaratskhelia in the summer.

However, if he is available for the right price, Erik ten Hag may feel as though it’s worth splashing the cash to bring the player to Old Trafford. After all, the 22-year-old has a stunning 12 goals and 15 assists in 26 appearances across all competitions for his club so far this term – which is better than a direct goal contribution every 90 minutes.

The problem, however, as Romano explains, is that we have no idea just how much Kvaratskhelia could cost as Napoli are yet to even start discussing his possible sale with any interested clubs behind the scenes.

It feels like patience will have to be required with this particular deal.

Newcastle United’s Allan Saint-Maximin is not for sale, despite rumours surrounding his future on Tyneside, it has been claimed.

The Lowdown: Saint-Maximin in demand

Saint-Maximin’s future is hardly set in stone, as he has been ousted from the starting XI at St James’ Park and struggled with injury problems this term.

Meanwhile, it has been suggested that Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur could be among his potential suitors come the summer, despite the Frenchman’s contract not expiring until 2026.

However, it appears that he is very much a respected figure at Newcastle and there are currently no plans to cash in on the 25-year-old.

The Latest: Saint-Maximin ‘not for sale’ at Newcastle

Football Insider’s Fraser Fletcher, speaking on The Insider Show, has claimed that despite the speculation over Saint-Maximin’s role at Newcastle, he remains in Eddie Howe’s plans on Tyneside.

He said: “Eddie Howe has spoken about how much he likes Allan Saint-Maximin and is excited by what he brings. I think he’s great to watch because I don’t even think he knows what he’s going to do when he’s got the ball at times. But he produces sublime moments of absolute magic, but then also sometimes some frustration as well.

“But it’s clear that those in the game believe he has got the potential to go to the very, very top in terms of ability, and some of the things he does in training are absolutely outrageous. It would take a big bid to move Allan Saint-Maximin from Newcastle – not impossible, obviously; many clubs could look at him as an option.

“But at this point in time, he is not for sale, he’s not been transfer listed. He’s a player that’s loved and adored by the staff there and the players there. He’s seen as an exceptional talent and it would take a lot to shift him.

“Of course, there’s a long way to go until the transfer window starts and of course, things change. But at this point in time, he’s still very much in the plans for Newcastle United, still very much in the plans for Eddie Howe, and you would expect him to be there.”

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The Verdict: Win-win situation for Newcastle and PIF

We think that it would be tricky for Newcastle to lose out whichever way they decide to resolve Saint-Maximin’s future.

One scenario would be that he stays and continues to develop in the north-east, and judging by Fletcher’s comments, the club would have no qualms with him staying amid rumblings of discontent from the winger over the Magpies’ summer business.

Alternatively, Saint-Maximin could either fail to live up to expectations or demand to be let go. In these cases, Howe would arguably hold all the cards in terms of getting what he wants.

Come the summer, the ex-France U21 international would still have three years left on his deal and has shown flashes of brilliance this season – not least in last week’s defeat to Liverpool. Therefore, there is surely no reason Newcastle would not be able to sell at a premium.

And given PIF’s riches, you would imagine that there will be no desperation for funds, even when taking Financial Fair Play considerations into account.

As a result, we struggle to see how, as it stands, Newcastle come out of this situation worse off.

Leeds United manager Javi Gracia will be in ‘prime position’ to get the job long-term if he keeps his team up this season, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: Gracia doing well early on

The Spaniard was appointed the Whites’ new boss last month, coming in to replace the departed Jesse Marsch, who struggled in the role as the months passed.

Gracia won his first Premier League match in charge of Leeds last weekend – a massive three points in a relegation clash with Southampton – suggesting that he is the right man for the job.

The 52-year-old is only on a rolling contract, however, and there is no guarantee that he will be at Elland Road beyond the end of this season.

The Latest: Journo backs Spaniard for job

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jacobs said Gracia will be the front-runner to be Leeds boss after the summer, as long as he steers them away from relegation:

“With Gracia, it’s a flexible contract and you can understand why because Leeds will want to assess at the end of the season. Obviously, if they stay up, then he’s in prime position to get the job.

“But, by the same token, there may be managers out there that Leeds know didn’t want to come mid-season that are prepared to join at the end of the season.

“Because Gracia was not the No.1 choice for Leeds United, there will be a sense that assessing at the end of the season and seeing who is out there in the market might kind of be wise.”

The Verdict: Feels the most likely outcome

Leeds desperately need some stability at this point, especially with ownership rumours ongoing off the pitch, so the hope is that Gracia is the man to take the club forward.

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The early signs are promising, even though not every result has been positive – the Whites were knocked out of the FA Cup by Fulham in midweek – and he has Premier League experience, managing over 57 times in the competition overall.

Relegation would certainly change the situation, with Gracia unlikely to want to be in the Championship, but the hope is that relegation is avoided and he is deemed the best option, having been hailed as ‘incredible’ by Pep Guardiola in the past.

Liverpool are one of the clubs that are showing an interest in the possibility of making a summer move for RB Leipzig and Croatia defender Josko Gvardiol.

This is according to Fabrizio Romano who has been speaking on his YouTube channel about the future of the young centre-back ahead of this summer’s transfer window:

He said: “From what I understand, Liverpool approached Leipzig in January to understand the conditions of the deal. And it was almost impossible to sign Gvardiol in January. But Liverpool have an interest in Josko Gvardiol he’s a player they appreciate.”

It is believed the Reds are not the only Premier League side who could make a move for the 21-year-old with Chelsea and Manchester City also credited with interest by the Italian journalist.

Gvardiol has already racked up 11 appearances in the Champions League in which he has found the back of the net against both Real Madrid and Manchester City.

And having played a big role in Croatia’s World Cup journey, the defender has clearly caught the attention of many around Europe.

The report was relayed on Twitter by fan account Anfield Edition and the best of the reactions can be found below…