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Since the days of Diego Costa in the mid-2010s, Chelsea have struggled to find a long-term solution for the number nine position.

Romelu Lukaku, Kai Havertz, Timo Werner, and even Tammy Abraham have all tried, but none of them were able to prove a success. It says it all that only Lukaku, who looks set to depart Stamford Bridge this summer, remains on their books as of July 2024.

Nicolas Jackson is the latest striker to try and fill the void in west London, enjoying a successful debut campaign in England, netting 14 Premier League goals – the second most of any Blues player last season.

Cole Palmer finished the 2023/24 campaign as the club’s leading scorer, finding the back of the net on 22 occasions, thriving for the Blues after his £40m move from Manchester City during the same window as fellow attacker Jackson.

However, 12 months on from the duo’s respective move to Stamford Bridge, new boss Enzo Maresca is on the lookout for another option in attacking areas and could potentially repeat Palmer’s move in a deal for one star who is keen to start a new adventure this summer.

Chelsea could land £77m star this summer

In recent weeks, Chelsea have been linked with a plethora of attacking options, with the likes of Alexander Isak, Victor Osimhen and Viktor Gyokeres all touted with big-money moves to West London.

However, their interest in Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez could bring an end to their hunt for a new centre-forward, with the Argentinian also being able to feature in various other attacking roles.

It’s been reported in recent days that he wants more consistent first-team minutes to further his development, with the former River Plate talent unhappy with his tally of 31 starts for Pep Guardiola’s side.

The Athletic claimed that City would not stand in Alvarez’s way should he want to leave this summer, but are demanding a fee in the region of £77m including add-ons for services.

The deal may seem an expensive one, but the 24-year-old would be a hugely impressive signing, registering 20 goal contributions in the Premier League despite playing in a deeper role than he would like.

It would allow Palmer to be reunited with his former teammate, potentially rekindling their partnership, whilst the Blues would be signing a talent compared to one of the very best in world football.

Why Alvarez could be like Mbappe for Chelsea

For the past few years, French forward Kylian Mbappé has been one of the leading talents in Europe, scoring a combined 85 goals in the last two seasons, prompting a move to Spanish side Real Madrid this summer – undoubtedly the biggest move of the window despite signing on a free transfer.

During his time at PSG, he’s often found himself featuring on the left-hand side or down the middle, but still excelling and producing some phenomenal stats.

Argentinian forward Alvarez has found himself in a similar predicament at the Etihad, featuring in a number of roles but still impressing – as demonstrated by his goal contributions under Guardiola in 2023/24.

However, FBref claim that the City attacker is a similar player to the French ace and when comparing their respective figures, Alvarez has produced numerous stats that are on par if not better than what Mbappé could muster, demonstrating once again why he would be a huge coup for Maresca’s side.

Games

29

36

Goals + assists

34

20

Passes per 90

33

34

Shot-creating actions per 90

4

4

Take-on success

46%

48%

Recoveries per 90

2

3.3

The “legendary” City forward, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has managed fewer goal contributions, but has registered the same amount of shot-creating actions – proving that he can create endless opportunities in the final third.

He’s also completed more take-ons than the Real Madrid forward despite his direct nature, also completing more passes per 90 – allowing players such as Palmer to further boost their own goalscoring tallies as a result of Alvarez’s potential arrival.

The Argentinian talent has won 1.3 recoveries per 90 more than Mbappé, showcasing his ability to regain possession in forward areas, allowing for more frequent chances for himself and his teammates – a really important aspect of Maresca’s high-pressing system.

It remains to be seen if Alvarez would be interested in swapping Manchester for London, but he would be a huge addition for the Blues in their attempts to secure a Champions League spot this season.

Palmer’s phenomenal form at Stamford Bridge could tempt the 24-year-old to make a similar move this summer, taking his personal form and Chelsea’s attacking unit to the next level.

Cole Palmer repeat: Chelsea targeting "electrifying" talent

The Blues are on the hunt for a versatile new winger…

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 22, 2024

After years of poor dealings in the transfer market under former owner Mike Ashley, Newcastle United hit the jackpot with the Saudi PIF takeover, which has seen increased transfer funds and improved recruitment.

The ownership, coupled with the job conducted by boss Eddie Howe, has taken the Magpies to a place they could’ve only dreamed of before the takeover – reaching the Champions League group stages for the first time in 20 years during the 2023/24 season.

Key first-team signings such as Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimaraes have played crucial roles in the club’s success, proving to be worth every penny of their respective transfer fees.

However, they’ve also invested in youth, with Yankuba Minteh joining last summer for £6.5m before being sold to Brighton for £33m this window without playing a single minute for the first team.

Despite recent success, the board and Howe are on the hunt for more new additions to help provide more competition and depth within the squad, allowing the Magpies to become a consistent top-four challenger in the years ahead.

Newcastle United transfer news

Since the opening of the transfer window, the Magpies have been linked with a whole host of players in numerous different positions as Howe aims to increase his squad depth to prevent a repeat of last season’s injury crisis.

A centre-back and a right-sided forward have been two of the key positions that the Newcastle boss is aiming to strengthen, with endless targets rumoured in recent weeks.

Noni Madueke is a player who has constantly been touted with a move to Tyneside over the last seven days, with fresh reports over the weekend claiming the Chelsea forward has agreed personal terms over a move to St James’ Park.

The 22-year-old registered seven goal contributions in his 23 Premier League appearances last season, proving to be a potential upgrade on any options currently available at Howe’s disposal.

Malick Thiaw is another talent who has been frequently mentioned over a move to Tyneside, with the Magpies rumoured to have submitted a bid for his services in recent weeks.

Newcastle boss Howe confirmed just a couple of days ago that they were still in the market for reinforcements, with AC Milan centre-back Thiaw potentially one player who could be a Magpies player come the start of the season.

However, whilst it’s unclear how much they will have to pay for his signature, he’s currently valued lower than one star who joined the club after the Saudi PIF takeover.

Sven Botman’s market value in 2024

Centre-back Sven Botman joined the club with high expectations after his £32m move to Tyneside during the summer of 2022.

He’s since made a huge impact at the back, registering 66 appearances in all competitions, before an ACL injury towards the back end of last season which could rule him out until 2025.

Games played

66

Minutes played

5,489'

Clean sheets

22

Goals

2

Assists

2

Yellow cards

6

However, his injury hasn’t had an effect on his market value, with the “sensational” Dutchman, as dubbed by scout Antonio Mango, still valued at £38m, as per Transfermarkt – a £6m increase on the fee they forked out for his services two years ago.

For perspective, that valuation is still ahead of the €40m (£35m) price tag that has been touted for Thiaw – the man who could partner the Dutchman upon his return from injury, should a deal be completed for his services.

The Botman deal is evidence of the excellent business conducted by the current owners, with their big-money signings undoubtedly worth a huge amount more than what they paid for them.

Thiaw could be the latest player to follow the trend, with the defender potentially making a huge impact on Howe’s backline in the 2024/25 campaign.

Forget Thiaw: Newcastle could sign their own Guehi in move for £30m ace

The club have been targeting a new centre-back during the transfer window.

ByEthan Lamb Jul 31, 2024

Crystal Palace have reportedly reignited their interest in a centre-back target as they look to provide cover in the event that Marc Guehi leaves the club this summer.

Guehi on the move?

Much of the speculation surrounding Oliver Glasner's side ahead of the new Premier League season has been in the wrong direction from their perspective, with a host of their stars linked with a move away from Selhurst Park.

Michael Olise has already left, while there remains interest in his magical partner in crime Eberechi Eze, who is thought to be attracting attention from Manchester City and Tottenham among others.

Also on the wishlist of top clubs is defender Guehi, who is down to the final two years of his contract in south London and is unlikely to pen a new deal with the Eagles. Newcastle United have begun negotiations to sign the EURO 2024 star, though it is reported that Palace "are adamant they will not be selling Guehi for less than £60m", with Chelsea having a 20% sell on clause (£12m should he leave for £60m).

Guehi is "open" to the idea of moving to Tyneside, but there is also thought to be interest from Liverpool in his services and that could complicate matters for the Magpies, playing into Palace's hands in the process as they push for the maximum value from their captain.

In the event that Guehi departs, Glasner's side will be in the market for a new centre-back to partner Joachim Andersen, and are ready to turn another former Glasner pupil to plug the gap.

Centre-back back on the radar for Crystal Palace

That comes as Football Transfers report that Palace have reignited their interest in signing Wolfsburg defender Maxence Lacroix, who has long been linked with a move away from the German club.

The Frenchman is down to the final 12 months of his £59,000-a-week deal in Germany and is unlikely to pen a new contract, meaning that he could be available this summer for just €20m (£17m).

He's Haaland-esque: Crystal Palace can land dream £59m Mateta replacement

Crystal Palace eye interesting Mateta replacement

ByConnor Holden Aug 4, 2024

He has racked up over 100 Bundesliga appearances to date and was compared to Manchester United icon Rio Ferdinand by the Bundesliga's official website when first breaking through in 2021.

"Lacroix has a certain grace on the ball that is reminiscent of former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand in his prime. Similarly able to glide out of defence and pick a forward pass to a teammate, his elegance masks a steely will to win and a healthy aggression," they wrote.

His career has not caught fire in the way many anticipated since though, and he endured a tough 2023-24 campaign in which he saw red on three occasions in just 28 appearances.

Lacroix's mixed 2023-24 season

Appearances

28

Goals

4

Yellow Cards

3

Red Cards

3

But that has not put Palace off, with Glasner having worked with the defender during the 2020-21 season, when he was considered a major talent. The now-Palace boss handed Lacroix 29 Bundesliga starts and knows him well from their time together, with the report adding that he would be "eager" to work with Lacroix once more in south London.

Any deal for the Wolfsburg man may hinge on Guehi, but should he depart the Eagles are "firmly looking" at Lacroix with "an ambition to secure his signature" before the transfer window closes.

Although still reeling from a mass exodus of top players this summer, West Bromwich Albion comfortable opening day win in the Championship, overcoming Marti Cifuentes' Queens Park Rangers on their own patch 3-1, was perhaps a tad surprising.

Josh Maja was the star of the show at Loftus Road, scoring a hat-trick after being gifted the starting spot up top by Carlos Corberan, and showed to the overjoyed West Brom masses in West London that losing Brandon Thomas-Asante doesn't have to be the end of the world.

Away from Maja, Tom Fellows also shone brightly against the Hoops, as the West Brom youth product aims to reach even higher heights than he managed last campaign when he broke into the first team and never looked back.

Fellows' time at West Brom

Fellows constantly terrorised the QPR defence last weekend to ensure West Brom comfortably picked up all three points ahead of their clash with Leeds yesterday.

It was Maja's second of the day that was all the 21-year-old's making, however, supplying the chance for his teammate to put away.

Moreover, the tenacious winger was brave and alert with five duels won in total, to give his side the energy they needed to push on to pick up the win.

His aim will just be to keep performing at this high level and strive to become an even more concrete part of Corberan's first-team plans going forward, having had his breakout moment in the spotlight last campaign.

Fellows would finish his promising 2023/24 season with five goals and four assists next to his name from 38 games in all competitions, having previously just starred at youth level for his boyhood employers, before finally going on to make the grade in the senior mix.

As a result, his transfer value for the West Midlands club has also risen, with his current price tag higher than that of Thomas-Asante's – according to Football Transfers – even with the former Baggies man recently winning himself a move to divisional rivals Coventry City.

Fellows' transfer value at West Brom

The standout Baggies prodigy is now worth in the region of £2.4m, with Thomas-Asante having been sold to the Sky Blues this summer for around £2m.

It's been quite the sharp rise for Fellows, who was once just a wide-eyed youngster shipped out on loan to League Two with Crawley Town, but there were signs he would eventually spark into life and become a top Championship performer in the fourth tier, with former Crawley coach Darren Byfield labelling him as "unbelievable" when the pair had previously worked together.

2024

£2.4m

2023

£429k

2022

£429k

Only two years ago, before his rise to stardom in the first-team mix, Fellows was worth just £429k, and his value could soar way above £2.4m if he continues to be a star for West Brom this season, on the way to another promotion charge taking shape.

Whilst the youngster's value continues to go up and up, West Brom might have cashed in on Thomas-Asante at the perfect possible time, with his price-tag standing at a far higher £2.9m in March of this year, before tumbling down to a lesser £2.1m.

The Baggies will continue to look for their next main man up top to complement Fellows' creativity, with Maja undoubtedly benefiting at this point in time, in the wake of Thomas-Asante leaving.

Whoever is chosen to be Corberan's next leading man going forward will love playing alongside Fellows you imagine, who will want to be a key player for his boyhood club moving forward after dazzling against QPR, as promotion is eyed up as the main objective once more.

West Brom can finally replace Thomas-Asante in swoop for PL "handful"

West Bromwich Albion would welcome this new striker in through the door with open arms.

ByKelan Sarson Aug 14, 2024

West Ham managed to secure their first points of the Premier League campaign under new manager Julen Lopetegui, beating Crystal Palace 2-0 at Selhurst Park.

Despite having less of the ball, with 42% possession, and creating one fewer "big chances" than the Eagles, the Hammers showed a clinical edge in their performance, opened up by Tomas Soucek in the 67th minute.

But it was not the goalscorer Soucek who stole the headlines after his performance, as one of West Ham's new signings stepped up, putting in an outstanding all-round performance.

Max Kilman's performance

West Ham's new 6ft 4 machine, Max Kilman put in a man of the match performance against Palace, winning 4/4 of his aerial duels, 3/4 of his ground duels, to win 88% of his duels in total, and making six clearances.

But it wasn't just the 27-year-old's defensive work, as he marauded through midfield for the Hammers' second goal, to provide Jarrod Bowen with an assist, giving West Ham a 2-0 lead, and in the end, all three points.

Having already worked with Lopetegui at Wolves, West Ham paid a £40m fee to bring Kilman to the club to work alongside his ex-manager, joining on a seven-year deal.

The defender's quality on the ball is extremely important to the way Lopetegui wants to play, building out from the back, and playing through the lines, as Kilman showed yesterday, making 5/9 long balls, and playing two key passes, one of course leading to the goal.

Kilman's centre back partner, Konstantinos Mavrapanos completed 42/54 of his passes, with a completion rate of 78%, whilst Kilman made 57/64 of his passes, with a completion rate of 89%, further stating his importance on the ball in build up for the Hammers.

Tomas Soucek's performance

Despite Kilman taking the headlines, Soucek, as previously mentioned, did score the opening goal, and put in an impressive performance himself.

Stat

Kilman

Soucek

Goals

0

1

Assists

1

0

Touches

78

33

Accurate Passes

57

13

Key Passes

2

1

Ground Duels (won)

3/4

3/9

Aerial Duels (won)

4/4

4/7

Clearances

6

1

Tackles

1

3

Soucek not only scored the important goal to open proceedings, but his strength in duels in midfield allowed West Ham to challenge for every second ball, and create chances through this. His seven duels won out of 16, whilst not being the highest win rate, shows he is challenging for everything in the middle, and producing extra possessions with his recoveries.

The 29-year-old is also alleviated of his deeper build-up duties, which are heavily taken up by midfielder partner's Guido Rodriguez and Lucas Paqueta, This allows Soucek to have fewer touches deep (33 touches overall), and less passing responsibility, with more of an emphasis on arriving in the box to provide the important touch.

Lopetegui could allow Soucek to return to his best goalscoring form, by leaving build-up to his more pass-oriented midfielders, and defenders (Kilman), and allowing Soucek to do what he does best, contest duels and attack the box.

Leeds United have recovered from their stumbling start to the season to remain unbeaten in the Championship after four matches with two wins and two clean sheets in their last two, but now Daniel Farke must watch from behind the sofa as his players jet off around the globe on international duty.

Leeds players away on international duty

The Whites have a whole host of stars included in their national squads during this two-week break from domestic action – probably far more than most second tier teams in fact, leaving fans waiting with bated breath for injury-free returns to Yorkshire.

Junior Firpo starred in a 3-2 CONCACAF Nations League win for the Dominican Republic against Bermuda on Saturday, playing the full 90 minutes in a more advanced position than his usual role at Leeds, putting in plenty of hard yards after his teammate Edarlyn Reyes was shown a straight red card just ten minutes into the fixture.

Cost £24.5m: Orta endured Leeds nightmare with flop who's now a free agent

The Whites had a difficult time with this piece of business, for a multitude of reasons.

1 ByDan Emery Sep 7, 2024

Back in Europe the likes of Ilia Gruev and new signing Manor Solomon have been in action, with the former playing the full length of Bulgaria's 0-0 draw in Belarus last week while the winger got 80 minutes in Israel's 3-1 defeat in Belgium.

Former manager – now Canada boss – Jesse Marsch squared off against current star Brenden Aaronson in Kansas City, and it was Marsch who came out on top as his side beat the United States 2-1 and Aaronson was withdrawn with a quarter of an hour left after a quiet performance on the right wing.

USA media slam Aaronson's anonymous display vs Canada

Aaronson looks to have returned from his loan spell a new man this season, featuring in every league game so far and finding the back of the net twice – albeit possibly with one more had he buried the late chance against Portsmouth.

He was poor in action for USA this weekend however, with Sofascore statistics revealing he had virtually no impact on the game, mustering zero shots, key passes, successful dribbles or crosses, while he won just two of his seven duels (29 per cent) and lost the ball nearly as many times (9) as he completed passes (12). NBC Sport gave him a 4.5/10, praising his work rate but claiming he was "slapdash especially with the ball".

Other USMNT outlets were quick to highlight his poor display too, as per MOT Leeds News, with Soccer America giving him a 3/10 rating and GOAL.com saying: "Just didn’t really do much of anything. He wasn’t bad, particularly compared to some of his teammates, but he didn’t make many positive things happen, either."

The Whites return to action next weekend with huge home clash against fellow promotion candidates Burnley, but before that Aaronson has the chance to redeem himself as the USA take on New Zealand in a friendly late on Tuesday night – whether the timing of that fixture harms the 23 year-old's chances of featuring in a 12:30 kick-off come Saturday is up for debate.

Brighton are looking to continue their unprecedented spending in the transfer market with a move for a teenage midfielder in January, it has been reported.

Mega summer for Brighton

Fabian Hurzeler's side spent just shy of £200m in the summer transfer window, the third highest of any Premier League side and behind only traditional big six pair Manchester United and Chelsea (£205.9m and £219.6m respectively).

Their £192m outlay included breaking their transfer record twice, and recording six of their seven most expensive ever additions, with last summer's capture of Joao Pedro the only similar outlay in their history.

Brighton's summer signings

Player

Fee

Georginio Rutter

€46.70m

Yankuba Minteh

€35m

Mats Wieffer

€32m

Brajan Gruda

€31.5m

Ferdi Kadioglu

€30m

Matt O'Riley

€29.5m

Ibrahim Osman

€19.5m

Malick Yalcouye

€7m

Amario Cozier-Duberry

Free

"At the start of the window, we knew there were going to be opportunities, we knew there were going to be quite a few incomings, quite a few changes. We probably did not envisage quite as much," Brighton chief Tony Bloom explained.

"Other bigger clubs on the continent have not quite got the budgets to compete with some of the Premier League teams, so some of the players that perhaps would not have been available to us in the past have become available", he added.

"You are always looking to improve and I think we have done that with the business we’ve completed. We think we have a great chance of competing at the top end of the table."

Not all of their new signings are ready to make an instant impact, with Matt O'Riley's debut lasting just minutes before he suffered a serious ankle injury that threatens to sideline him for several months. But Brighton remain on the hunt for yet more midfield reinforcements, and have now identified their top target for January.

Seagulls eye up Championship starlet

That comes as Alan Nixon claims that the South Coast side are eyeing up a move to sign Sheffield United's talented teenager Ollie Arblaster this January, and have made him their top target for the winter window.

The midfielder was a rare shining light as Sheffield United were relegated from the Premier League, and drew plenty of praise from watchers, with the midfielder dubbed "brilliant" by former Sheffield United forward Carl Asaba in March.

"His performances are brilliant. The way he played against Bournemouth was great. To deal with all the hype of the England Elite squad and then to go and score, it's just brilliant."

Rio Ngumoha joins the 10 youngest goalscorers in Premier League history

The Liverpool teenager is the latest to join the list.

ByLewis Thompson Aug 26, 2025

He has enjoyed his first games in the Championship too, scoring twice in just four appearances. Now, it is claimed that Brighton are ready to test Sheffield United's resolve this January, and would 'be willing to pay in excess of £20m" for the midfielder, though it remains to be seen whether that would be enough to tempt the Blades into parting ways with their academy talent.

With him now the Seagulls' "top target", should Chris Wilder's team not be on course for promotion, the move may look increasingly attractive for the teenager as the season goes on.

Everton are said to be one of the clubs interested in completing the signing of a former Ligue 1 player turned free agent, according to a fresh claim from the French media.

Latest Everton news

The Blues have endured a disastrous start to the new Premier League season, losing all three matches, including their shocking late 3-2 defeat at home to Bournemouth last time around.

Next up for Sean Dyche's Everton side is a tough-looking trip to Aston Villa on Saturday, and it looks as though they may have to make do without Seamus Coleman for the game. The right-back went off injured in the Republic of Ireland's 2-0 defeat to England in the UEFA Nations League over the weekend, and is now facing a race against time to be available for the trip to Villa Park.

Such has been the nature of the Blues' form this season, it is only natural that pressure is growing on Dyche, and potential successors are already emerging. Graham Potter is one such name that has been mentioned, with the Englishman still out of work after an unsuccessful time in charge of Chelsea.

On the transfer front, Everton are now unable to bring in players who are tied down to a club, but it looks as though they could look to make a move for a free agent.

Everton make enquiry for 27 y/o free agent

According to a new report from French outlet Jeunes Footeux, Everton have made an approach for Yusuf Yazici, who is currently a free agent after departing Lille at the end of last season. The 27-year-old spent five years at the Ligue 1 club, but was also loaned out a number of times, spending spells at the likes of CSKA Moscow and Trabzonspor.

Leicester City are also noted as possible suitors for Yazici, as they look to bolster their own options, with the Turk primarily an attacking midfielder, and it is the Foxes who are in pole position despite both the Toffees and Bournemouth making enquiries.

It has also been claimed that Manchester United have been offered the chance to sign the former Lille man, with a host of clubs in the mix to secure his services.

Everton are in need of depth as this season goes on, as highlighted by the lack of quality on show in their opening three matches, and Yazici could be an ideal versatile addition to Dyche's squad. He has been capped 45 times by Turkey, which says a lot about his ability as an international footballer, and he has also scored three goals for his country.

Everton hit by injury scare to "amazing" £55k-a-week ace before Aston Villa

It’s another setback for Sean Dyche.

1 ByHenry Jackson Sep 8, 2024

Given the free aspect of the transfer, there wouldn't be too much financial risk involved when it comes to the Blues signing Yazici, so if he did come in and struggled to hit the ground running, it would be no disaster. On the flip side, he could be an inspired addition, giving the Merseysiders the extra class needed to ensure they avoid yet another relegation battle.

Glasgow Rangers finally delivered a performance that the Ibrox faithful have been waiting for during their 2-0 Europa League win on Thursday.

Malmo were expected to pose a difficult start to the competition for the Light Blues, but the win was as comfortable as could be, with the only complaint being there should have been more goals scored.

Nevertheless, it was a positive display for Philippe Clement’s side, and he will be hoping this momentum will carry on to the clash against Hibernian on Sunday.

Due to the sharp turnaround between games, the Belgian will likely make a few changes to his starting XI this weekend, especially as a win is crucial in order to keep within touching distance of Celtic, who are leading the Premiership.

Several players will retain their places due to solid displays in Sweden, while some could drop to the bench. With this in mind, here’s a look at the starting XI that Clement could unleash against the Edinburgh side, with two potential alterations from the midweek triumph…

1 GK – Jack Butland

The Englishman recorded his third clean sheet in a row since the international break and this will surely give him plenty of confidence.

He didn’t have much to do against the Swedish side in midweek as the Light Blues were by far the superior side, yet Butland will be eyeing yet another clean sheet against Hibs.

2 RB – James Tavernier

The captain hasn’t quite been at his best this season, scoring just once in ten games, while registering three assists in the process.

Clement has started him in every single game so far this campaign, and sooner or later, he is going to run out of gas.

The defender turns 33 at the end of October and with his contract expiring in 2025, he might not have long left in Glasgow.

3 CB – John Souttar

Souttar was in wonderful form against Malmö. Not only did he win 100% of his aerial duels during the match, but the centre-back also made six clearances and wasn’t dribbled past once.

This means he will retain his place in the starting XI, especially as he and Robin Propper are beginning to form a solid partnership at the back.

With Connor Goldson departing during the summer, Souttar has taken on the mantle of becoming a key player under Clement, something that he appears to be relishing thus far.

4 CB – Robin Propper

Like Souttar, the Dutchman delivered a solid performance in the Europa League as he won 50% of his total duels, while he was also extremely comfortable in possession, taking 70 touches during the game.

He is slowly integrating well into the squad, and it looks as though the club finally have a central defensive pairing which Clement can trust.

5 LB – Neraysho Kasanwirjo

Given the fact the clash against Malmo was Kasanwirjo’s first start for the club, it was an inspired performance, one that could have ended up with a goal.

The Dutchman missed a glaring chance in the dying minutes, but overall, he was impressive. He only lost possession six times, while making a key pass.

This should see him retain his place in the starting XI against Hibs.

6 CM – Connor Barron

The former Aberdeen starlet is fast becoming the finest piece of transfer business by Clement during the summer, as he has already established himself as a key member of the starting XI.

Indeed, the midfielder has started all but one of the club’s games this term, forming a dynamic partnership with Mohamed Diomande, one that could see the Gers return to the summit of Scottish football.

7 CM – Mohamed Diomande

The Ivorian enjoyed one of his finest performances for a while against Malmö. The midfielder finished the game with a 94% pass success rate while winning seven of his 11 total duels and making two key passes.

He dominated the centre of the pitch and more of this will be expected against Hibs, no doubt about that.

8 RW – Ross McCausland

Vaclav Cerny started against the Swedish side in midweek, but he failed to really get into the match. The Czech winger should have scored his second goal for the club but curled what appeared to be a simple finish wide of the post.

Ross McCausland replaced him with just 20 minutes left and enjoyed a wonderful cameo. He scored his second goal of the season with a neat finish on his weaker foot, while succeeding with 100% of his dribble attempts.

Dubbed a “superb talent” by journalist Josh Bunting, the Northern Irishman will come into the starting XI in place of Cerny for the clash against Hibs.

9 AM – Nedim Bajrami

The Albanian opened the scoring after just 55 seconds in midweek as he was deployed on the left wing.

Against Hibs, however, Bajrami will move across to his favoured slot as an attacking midfielder, which should allow him to showcase his creative talents even more.

10 LW – Jefte

The Brazilian was suspended for the Malmö game due to being sent off against Dynamo Kyiv in the Champions League qualifier last month.

The youngster has been a breath of fresh air for Rangers at left-back since filling in for Ridvan Yilmaz, succeeding with 71% of his dribble attempts while winning over 50% of his total duels in the Premiership.

With Oscar Cortes and Rabbi Matondo missing, Jefte will push into a more advanced role this weekend.

Sometimes, in football, it can take players a while to settle at a new club, often having to learn a new system, build relationships with their teammates, and settle into life in a new area. Everton are certainly no strangers to that; just look at Jordan Pickford.

There are many examples of players joining a new club and struggling in their first season, failing to have the expected impact on the team, and often being criticised for this.

However, many players have then gone on to prove their worth in the second season, a great example of this was Jack Grealish, who moved to Manchester City, struggled to impress in his debut season at the club – scoring just three league goals – before thriving in his second campaign and helping the club to a historic treble.

Everton may have their own success story emerging this season, with a player who was performing poorly and is now playing at an undroppable level for Sean Dyche’s men.

Dwight McNeil's poor form before Everton

Back in 2022, Dwight McNeil joined Everton from Burnley, for a fee of around £20m. Many were worried Everton had been ripped off by paying this fee after his poor 2021/22 campaign for Burnley.

McNeil made 40 appearances for the Clarets that season, not scoring a single goal, and only providing one assist in 3,277 minutes played.

McNeil had also taken 52 attempts without finding the net during that season, confirmed as the worst streak by any player in the top five leagues by WhoScored.

But since joining the Toffees, McNeil has improved his output and is quickly becoming one of Dyche’s go-to men, with a system change to bring him more central even being implemented, in order to get him closer to goal.

Dwight McNeil red-hot start

In his first eight appearances of the new campaign, McNeil has scored four goals and provided two assists, playing 713 minutes already for the Merseyside club. This is already more goals than he managed in the entirety of last season when he found the net on three occasions.

In his last four games for the Toffees, Dyche has opted to play McNeil as an attacking midfielder, behind the striker, looking to get him closer to the box, get more shots off, and in dangerous areas to help his team.

This has proven to be game-changing for a player who was usually always seen as a wide option.

Goals

0.08

0.49

Assists

0.19

0.24

Progressive Carries

2.49

1.69

Progressive Passes

3.55

4.75

Shots Total

1.73

2.20

Goals/Shot

0.05

0.22

Key Passes

2.15

3.39

Shot-Creating Actions

4.05

4.75

The improvement you can already see here is breathtaking, with McNeil now scoring at a 0.22 goals/shot ratio, managing a higher shot volume (2.20 per 90), and making more key passes (3.39 per 90).

This comes from his new central role, allowing him to be involved in all of Everton’s attacking play, link up with the striker, and get into more dangerous areas to test the keeper with a shot, or slot an incisive pass in behind for runners.

McNeil’s red-hot start to the season, playing in a new role, will be pivotal to Dyche keeping his job after such a tough start to the campaign, losing four of his first six games this season.

Whilst many haven’t been up to par, McNeil certainly has been a shining light, making him absolutely undroppable for Everton right now.

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