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Everton return to Premier League action today to take on Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium, with Sean Dyche's side still searching for their first league victory of the season.

With just one point to show for their travails thus far, the Toffees have been blessed with a fortuitous run of fixtures before the next international break – after the clash against the Bees, Goodison Park awaits Luton Town and Bournemouth, before a daunting Merseyside derby clash against Liverpool at Anfield.

What's the latest Everton team news?

Everton will wield the same tools that were utilised against Arsenal last Sunday, with the Blues losing that one 1-0.

Jack Harrison might be included in the match-day squad as he nears full fitness after a lengthy injury – having yet to feature since signing on loan from Leeds United in the summer.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Dwight McNeil's respective injury issues have been overcome, and both will be pushing to start in London; McNeil did receive a starting berth last week but Dyche acknowledged that might've been premature.

Seamus Coleman, Dele Alli and Andre Gomes all remain long-term absentees.

How is Arnaut Danjuma performing?

One player who could play a big role in Everton's forthcoming clash is Arnaut Danjuma, who has been lively since joining on a season-long loan from Spanish side Villarreal in the summer.

The dynamic Dutchman had previously spent a short stint with Tottenham Hotspur last season after rejecting the Toffees in January, but only mustered a peripheral role and scored just twice from 12 outings across all competitions.

Now looking like an exciting attacking outlet for an Everton side struggling for offensive potency, Danjuma has already matched his goal tally with the Lilywhites in half as many matches.

As per Sofascore, the six-cap international has earned an average match score of 6.80 in the English top-flight thus far, playing five matches and starting three.

Averaging 3.2 shots per game, completing 80% of his passes, succeeding with 75% of his dribbles and winning 56% of his ground duels, the 26-year-old holds the bag of skills to prove to be a "nightmare for defenders" – as has been said by pundit Kevin Phillips.

Should Arnaut Danjuma start against Brentford?

A versatile forward, Danjuma can play across the frontline and offers a threat whether Dyche should choose to deploy him.

But against Brentford, the £52k-per-week phenom must find a home down the right channel, exploiting the absence of the stricken Rico Henry, who ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) against Newcastle United and is now expected to be sidelined for the rest of the season.

Condolences to the afflicted, but Henry's injury presents a fine opportunity for an electric ace of Danjuma's ilk to wreak havoc, with the one-time Bournemouth star ranking among the top 7% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.

Given that Henry has been in fine fettle for some time it is a blow to be without him, having been hailed by manager Thomas Frank for his defensive prowess, who said to the BBC: "On the defensive side, one-on-one actions, I actually haven’t seen a player or winger in the last two years in the Premier League that got the better of him."

Indeed, the 26-year-old had made 1.4 tackles and 4.8 ball recoveries in the league this season, completing 85% of his passes and winning 63% of his ground duels – crucial to Brentford's success over the past few years.

Danjuma can unleash his might against Brentford, and while Henry's lengthy absence is a poignant thing, it does open up a window of opportunity for Dyche to mastermind a victory to belatedly get Everton's season up and running.

The future of West Ham United defender Vladimir Coufal has taken a twist as an update emerges on a potential new deal in east London.

Latest West Ham news

David Moyes and his Irons side have enjoyed an absolutely terrific start to the new Premier League season, coming after they sold former superstar Declan Rice to Arsenal for £105 million in the summer transfer window.

The departure of Rice was seen as a major worry for West Ham, but so far, they have shown that the absence of their ex-powerhouse is proving little issue.

Summer signing Edson Alvarez has excelled in the 24-year-old's stead, impressing national media with some of his displays in claret and blue.

West Ham have also bolstered their coaching department with the appointments of John Heitinga, Mark Robson and Henry Newman, who will assist Moyes behind-the-scenes at Rush Green.

“I would like to welcome John to West Ham United and also welcome Mark and Henry into the first-team group," said Moyes to the club's official website.

“John is someone I have known for a long time. He has gained some very good experience since beginning his coaching career in the Ajax Academy and working his way up to their first-team. Mark and Henry are both already familiar to everyone here at the Club and have deserved the opportunity to step up within our structure.

“John, Mark and Henry will each bring experience in different areas and complement the strengths we already have in the coaching team alongside Billy, Kevin and Xavi. I look forward to working with them and building on the positive start we have made to the new season.”

It is also believed that the Hammers are eyeing up former star Jesse Lingard to further reinforce their ranks ahead of a tough and congested campaign of fixtures.

Their promising start to the 2023/2024 season has also seen some members of the West Ham squad thrive compared to last term, like striker Michail Antonio and Coufal.

Concerning the latter player, there has been a very interesting update on his future.

Will Vladimir Coufal leave West Ham?

Indeed, the Czech Republic international has seemingly re-established himself as Moyes' preferred right-back, coming after he was usurped in favour of Thilo Kehrer over 22/23.

Journalist Pete O'Rourke, writing for Football Insider, has now claimed that initial talks have been opened over extending Coufal's stay at the club.

The 31-year-old's current terms are set to expire at the end of this season, and while they have the option to extend by a further 12 months, it is believed West Ham are plotting to reward his exceptional performances thus far.

Coufal "could even land a new deal" following his "impressive" start, with the full-back having "turned his career around" under Moyes.

He is currently preferred over fellow right-back Ben Johnson, who is yet to play a single second in the top flight.

While Johnson's contract is also set to expire at the end of the current campaign, it appears Coufal is the one currently in line for fresh terms as things stand.

It will be very interesting to find out the conditions of this potential contract for Coufal, who was also a "key member" of the Conference League-winning squad.

Tall medium-pacer Kaleemullah set up a six-wicket win for Oman over Nepal and Canada’s Nitish Kumar prevailed in a showdown of offspinning-allrounder captains against UAE

The Report by Peter Della Penna in Windhoek09-Feb-2018
Peter Della PennaTall medium-pacer Kaleemullah used his height and bounce to claim 4 for 28, setting up a six-wicket win for Oman over Nepal at Wanderers Affies Field.Oman chose to bowl first under heavy cloud cover. On a sluggish second-day wicket, Oman’s medium pacers exploited the conditions expertly. At the forefront was Kaleemullah, who probed a fifth-stump line and had his first two wickets – Gyanendra Malla and Aarif Sheikh – caught behind. A bigger blow came at the start of the 23rd over when he claimed Paras Khadka after an inside edge ricocheted off the pads into the base of the stumps.Six batsman reached double figures for Nepal but none went past Sharad Vesawkar’s 22, Nepal’s top-scorer for the second day in a row. Vesawkar added 36 with Dipendra Airee, before Airee edged Khawar Ali’s legspin to slip for 20. Vesawkar fell seven overs later, beaten for pace attempting to pull Bilal Khan. Kaleemullah returned later to help wipe out the tail, having Rohit Paudel caught on the boundary for 14 at the start of the 44th over. A yorker from Bilal to Sandeep Lamichhane finished the innings in 46 overs.For the second successive day, Aqib Ilyas top-scored with 46 but this time it was in a winning effort. Ilyas neutralized the threat of Lamichhane after he gave Oman a brief scare when he struck in the 11th over, getting Jatinder Singh with a googly for 26. After Ilyas was drawn out of his crease to be stumped by Basant Regmi, Vaibhav Wategaonkar steered the rest of the chase, finishing unbeaten on 37.
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsCecil Pervez punches the air after claiming the final wicket to seal victory•Peter Della PennaIn a showdown of offspinning-allrounder captains, Nitish Kumar’s 62 and back-to-back wickets late in the chase trumped Rohan Mustafa’s 5 for 34 and an unbeaten 37 as Canada staved off UAE by 23 runs in a tense chase at Wanderers Sports Club.Mustafa struck with his first ball, coming on in the fourth over to bowl Ruvindu Gunasekera for 21. Nitish led a fightback through a 64-run third-wicket partnership with Dhanuka Pathirana and brought up his half-century off 75 balls before eventually falling to medium-pacer Mohammad Naveed at the beginning of the 41st over. Mustafa then came back to complete his five-for, holding Canada to 209.Mustafa opened the chase but retired hurt in the fourth over on 6 before Ghulam Shabber joined Ashfaq Ahmed to carry on an 88-run opening stand. The drinks break at the 18-over mark brought Canada back to life as offspinner Nikhil Dutta struck in the 19th over to get Ashfaq for 42, sparking a collapse of three wickets in six balls as Gunasekera claimed two in the next over with his part-time legspin.Shabber went on to top-score with 55 before he was the fifth batsman out, to Dillon Heyliger. Mustafa returned with 80 runs left to win and with storm clouds lurking, UAE were still a handful of runs ahead on Duckworth-Lewis but Nitish’s consecutive strikes in the 43rd over put Canada in front on the calculation for good.Needing 27 off 36 balls and with only the No. 11 Zahoor Khan left to help, Mustafa began turning down singles before taking one on the third ball of the 45th over. Cecil Pervez beat Zahoor on the final ball of the over with a yorker and his lbw appeal was upheld, triggering emotional celebrations from Canada who are now the only remaining unbeaten team in the tournament field.

The result meant a brisk half-century from Anton Devcich and a late blitz from Brendon McCullum came to nought, and Lahore remained winless this season

The Report by Arun Venugopal08-Mar-2018Luke Ronchi’s stunning assault at the top of the order backed up Islamabad United’s disciplined bowling performance and condemned Lahore Qalandars to a six-wicket defeat, their sixth loss in as many games. Ronchi’s 41-ball 77 meant Islamabad chased down a target of 164 with 2.2 overs to spare. This was Islamabad’s second victory over a hapless Lahore side this season, the first one having come in a Super-Over finish.Ronchi and JP Duminy set the tone for the chase with a 47-run opening stand in 4.3 overs. Sunil Narine received a rude welcome as Ronchi smashed his first delivery for a six, but he hit back two balls later by having Duminy caught at slip. Narine would go on to take two more wickets, including Ronchi’s, but it was the latter who had the last laugh. During the course of his innings, which included five fours and six sixes, Ronchi brought out his complete repertoire – the swivel-pull, cut, drive and even the flat-batted smash. When he tonked Aamer Yamin over long-off in the ninth over, he brought up his half-century off 22 balls, the joint-fastest in the PSL. When Ronchi perished in the 16th over, Islamabad needed only 13 to win.In contrast to their performance for the most part of the match, Lahore had started in rousing fashion with the bat, with Fakhar Zaman and Anton Devcich (62 off 42 balls) raising an opening stand of 56 in 6.4 overs. Zaman led the way in the early exchanges as he biffed, pulled and cut his way to 34 off 24 balls. He was smartly caught behind by Ronchi off Duminy’s bowling, but Devcich sustained the momentum. Playing his first game of the tournament, Devcich, much like Fakhar, revelled in leg-side strokes. Often, he cleared his leg and swatted the ball between long-on and deep midwicket.While overs six to nine brought 37 runs to Lahore, there was a lull in the scoring after Agha Salman was dismissed in the 12th over. With Denesh Ramdin, promoted to No.4, struggling to middle the ball, Devcich found himself under more pressure but couldn’t accelerate the tempo. Eventually both the batsmen perished in the 17th over bowled by Faheem Ashraf. Captain Brendon McCullum made a furious late dash with an unbeaten 12-ball 33, but that would eventually prove inadequate. Ashraf picked up three wickets for Islamabad, while legspinner Shadab Khan finished with figures of 4-0-15-1.Where the match was won
Before this match, Ramdin hadn’t scored a single boundary in the PSL this season. It wouldn’t change by the time his painful crawl to 9 off 20 balls came to an end. What then remained baffling was McCullum’s ploy to promote Ramdin ahead of himself at No. 4. Ramdin came in with the score on 101 in 11.2 overs, and departed with the addition of 20 runs in five overs. His inability to time the ball had an adverse effect on Devcich as well during a period where Lahore went eight overs without a boundary. They managed only 69 runs in the last 10 overs, and in retrospect Lahore’s cause would have been better served had McCullum faced more than the dozen balls he did.The men that won it
As much as Ramdin’s knock contributed to Lahore’s slowdown, Shadab’s role in sapping the life out of the innings can’t be overstated. Introduced into the attack at the halfway mark, the 19-year-old legspinner gave away seven runs in his first over. He then went on to concede only eight more runs in his next three. Ramdin had a particularly hard time as he swished and groped at the ball without being able to connect his bat. Shadab’s parsimony effectively halted Islamabad’s march to a total in the range of 180.Where they stand
Islamabad jumped from fifth to second with their fourth win. Lahore, meanwhile, continued to languish at the bottom of the table, and while they aren’t mathematically out of reckoning for a spot in the playoffs, they have their task cut out.

Everton’s summer business was largely quite astute given their financial woes, but there remains one failed target that Sean Dyche could live to rue given recent developments regarding Demarai Gray.

Why is Demarai Gray leaving Everton?

Gray’s proposed move to Saudi Arabia has been well-documented, with journalist Alan Myers having noted of interest even back in mid-July.

So, when Deadline Day came and went without the Toffees bringing in any wide reinforcements, it seemed like the Jamaica international was poised to be reintegrated back into the squad after days of training alone.

The winger had other ideas. A questionable Instagram story gave his feelings on the stuttering Saudi switch, as he seemingly aimed a dig at Dyche.

The former Burnley boss then responded with his views on the matter, in an interview with the club: “Demarai made it clear that he felt he was getting a move and he told us a move was done, which was interesting to hear from a player.

“We reminded him of the truth of the fact that no moves are done without this club’s say so. That’s the truth of it.”

Ashley Young (Aston Villa)

Free

Arnaut Danjuma (Villarreal)

Loan

Youssef Chermiti (Sporting CP)

£15m

Jack Harrison (Leeds United)

Loan

Beto (Udinese)

£25.8m

All fees via Sky Sports

Despite that, it now seems like Gray will get his wish and finally depart Goodison Park, leaving them incredibly light on the wings and no transfer window to hand them some respite.

If only they had succeeded in their continued pursuit of Wilfried Gnonto.

Did Everton nearly sign Wilfried Gnonto?

In an effort to clearly replace the former Leicester City wantaway, Dyche put all his eggs in Gnonto’s basket.

The Merseyside outfit saw three bids rejected, the highest of which reached £25m (via Sky Sports live transfer blog), and despite the 19-year-old even handing in a transfer request, it was a failed venture in the end. He remained in Yorkshire, with Leeds United coming out on top.

His presence would have made for a sensational piece of business now, given Gray’s imminent exit, as not only would he offer the club some much-needed depth, but it could even be argued that the Italy international marked an upgrade on the 27-year-old.

After all, both battled well for relegation-threatened sides, and offered key goal contributions that helped in their pursuit of safety.

With two goals and four assists in the Premier League, Gnonto capped off a fine first year in England by capturing the attention of many. Journalist Phil Hay sought to outline him for praise: “Massive hit on Gnonto who is just electric every time he gets the ball.”

Meanwhile, not only was Gray’s tally of four goals and one assist lower, it must also be noted that two of his strikes came from the penalty spot; also, given his age, he is unlikely to improve at the rate that the Whites’ trickster likely will do.

After all, in his 75 appearances for Everton, he has managed just 18 goal contributions since joining for just £1.7m in 2021.

Despite all that, Dyche is set to be without either, still searching for that first Premier League win of the season. The hope will be that they can get to January still afloat in time to either return to this transfer saga or look elsewhere in the market to secure safety once again.

Leeds United seem to be unrelenting in their late transfer flurry, with Daniel Farke having clearly left all his business late as he seeks to add numerous new faces to his side…

Who could Leeds United sign this summer?

One such name that seems to be closing in on a switch is Djed Spence, who has seen his touted Elland Road switch accelerated throughout yesterday's whirlwind of reports.

Having been given the famous "here we go" by transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, fans can once again get excited at the prospect of seeing a dynamic defender explode down that right flank, contributing to attacks but retaining the youthful energy to defend too.

What could make their new signing even better is if they could emulate that success on the opposite side, with reports suggesting they may well do as they are seeking to loan Luke Thomas from Championship rivals Leicester City.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

With just one year left on his £10k-per-week deal at the King Power, a temporary switch to Yorkshire could act as an audition for the club, who could snag his services on a free transfer next summer should he impress.

How good is Luke Thomas?

Whilst not quite as well-versed at their current level as Spence, the 22-year-old would still represent an equally exciting option down the left to add a similar injection of youthful exuberance.

With 85 first-team appearances to his name, having broken into the Foxes senior squad under Brendan Rodgers, it was not easy for the young left-back to stake a starting claim given he battled with Timothy Castagne, James Justin and even Ricardo Pereira at times.

So, to boast that many showings is admirable alone, not to mention how admirable he performed at times; particularly during the 2021/22 season, where he maintained a solid 6.75 average rating in the league. This was a figure upheld by his consistently combative displays, with his defensive prowess sure to offer a fine counter-balance for Spence's all-action style.

Thomas also recorded 1.8 interceptions, 2.3 tackles and 2.1 clearances per game during that term, as if to emphasise this, via Sofascore.

Such form understandably drew praise from many, with his former boss leading the plaudits:

"It's his first game playing against a really good team, he's got great awareness. I thought over the course of the game he did so well. He defends, so aggressive and tenacious and he can pass the ball which is important for someone who plays me for me."

This was further supplemented by teammate Johnny Evans: "I thought he was outstanding," Evans said. "Everything he did was immaculate. He was man of the match for me."

For Farke to place him in his side, it would allow perfect balance to be earned should his compatriot recapture his form from the 2021/22 season, whilst on loan at Nottingham Forest.

The 23-year-old was imperative in their eventual promotion success, recording six goal contributions alongside one key pass and 1.4 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

His attacking exploits were actually highlighted by former Forest ace Brian Laws, who was effusive in his praise:

"He has been the standout player in the Forest side and we are talking about a full-back. Full-backs do not tend to get many headlines. He grabs them by the handful. In every single game, he has a positive impact.

"He has power going forward, he has electric pace, he has an abundance of skill, he can drop his shoulder, step-over, go inside or outside — he is a major threat."

It seems that, whilst they are a couple of young English defenders, their outlook on the game could not be more different. However, for Farke, this could prove to be a match made in heaven to finally add some energy and competence to those full-back spots.

Bangladesh’s four seniormost cricketers came to the fore to deliver them a 163-run win – their biggest in ODIs – over Sri Lanka in Mirpur

The Report by Mohammad Isam19-Jan-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsAFPBangladesh’s four seniormost cricketers came to the fore to deliver them a 163-run win – their biggest in ODIs – over Sri Lanka in Mirpur.It was a wretched performance from Sri Lanka all around. In the face of a daunting Bangladesh total of 320 for 7, their batsmen lasted just 32.2 overs. And their bowlers hardly tested Bangladesh’s line-up.Each of Bangladesh’s batting core came good. Tamim Iqbal made 84 off 102 balls. Shakib struck an aggressive 67 at more than a run a ball. And Mushfiqur Rahim blasted 62. All of that meant Bangladesh managed good partnerships through their innings. Their first three pairs, involving Tamim, Anamul Haque, Shakib and Mushfiqur, each strung together 50-plus partnerships, only the second time that their first four batsmen have made such a productive start.Tamim and Anamul began by putting on 71 for the first wicket, before Shakib joined Tamim for a 99-run stand. It laid a solid foundation as a 300-plus total looked imminent very early.It wasn’t all smooth sailing, however. Anamul survived three chances – two catches and a stumping – on his way to 35. Tamim was slow off his blocks, but opened up after notching up a second successive fifty. Tamim took a particular liking to the short stuff dished out at him. Not even getting struck on the helmet twice could deter him. In all, he struck seven fours and two straight sixes, both off successive Gunaratne deliveries.Shakib was more forthcoming against the short ball, hammering boundaries through midwicket and square-leg. He was equally effective in pinching the singles with well-timed pull shots.Mushfiqur made sure to keep up the good work during his 57-run third-wicket stand with Shakib. After Shakib’s dismissal, he kept Bangladesh ticking with a 42-ball half-century that pushed the total towards the 300 mark.Cameos from Mahmudullah and Sabbir Rahman capped off a strong batting performance, although Sri Lanka reined in the home team with three quick wickets in the last five overs. The penultimate over from Thisara Perera was especially impressive, with Perera consistently finding the lengths he was looking for. But Sabbir and Mohammad Saifuddin made up for some of the lost ground in a 19-run last over that had Lakmal giving away three fours and a six.Sri Lanka had no such flourish when they replied. Mashrafe Mortaza shut out any chances of a brisk start in a fine opening spell. Kusal Perera fell in the third over, and by the end of the first Powerplay, they had lost both their openers and only three fours had come off the bat.Mashrafe, who bowled a first spell of eight overs, had Tharanga caught at mid-off before sending back Kusal Mendis in similar fashion in the 14th over.Dickwella, who came in for the injured Angelo Mathews, was bowled by Mustafizur Rahman in the 19th over, before Shakib’s brilliance on the field sent Sri Lanka plummeting further – a direct hit from mid-off catching Dinesh Chandimal short of his crease in the 25th over.Shakib removed Gunaratne and Wanindu Hasaranga off successive balls in the next over. Thisara Perera unleashed a burst that was all-too-short, lashing Shakib for two fours and as many sixes in the 30th over, but fell later in the same over, caught at long-off attempting another ambitious stroke.Rubel Hossain ended the procession with wickets in successive overs as Sri Lanka folded in the 33rd over. He finished with two wickets, as did Mashrafe, while Shakib took three wickets to go with his 67.

A downcast Joe Root suggested that England’s senior players still have a role to play in the future after England surrendered their hold on the Ashes in an innings-and-41-run defeat

George Dobell in Perth18-Dec-20172:27

Root puts poor form down to ‘trying too hard’

England’s Ashes defeat is not “a fair reflection” of how they have played or “what we’re capable” of achieving, according to Joe Root.Encouraged by England’s ability to compete for periods in each game but frustrated by their inability to sustain it, England’s captain urged his side to learn from Australia’s ability to seize the key moments and register better results in the final two matches of the series.”One of the most frustrating things is that we haven’t been blown away or completely outplayed,” Root said, despite victory margins of 10 wickets in Brisbane, 120 runs in Adelaide and an innings and 41 runs in Perth. “We have put up some really good performances in all three matches, but not for long enough.”There have been periods when we have matched and outplayed Australia. But credit to them, because they grasped the key moments in each game. We have got to learn from that. Our biggest challenge in the two remaining games is get in a position of strength, drive it home and make sure we walk away with some results from this tour.”I don’t think these three games is a fair reflection of how we’ve played and what we’re capable of. So, I think we need to do ourselves and the supporters back home justice in the final two games of the series.”While Root, the England captain, admitted his side had been “outplayed in all three games” he urged the team management not to panic and insisted that the senior players who had underperformed in Australia – Alastair Cook in particular – should still be in the side in a year’s time.”I’d like to think they are still in the side in a year,” Root said. “They have a huge amount of experience and they do offer a lot to this group. Their performances over a long period of time speak for themselves. I see no reason why throughout the rest of this series they can’t do well again.A lot to ponder for Joe Root•Getty ImagesThe senior guys have proved they can produce for England time and again. It is very important that me and Trevor Bayliss don’t panic or make hasty decisions despite three games which haven’t gone in our favour. We have to be very realistic about where we are as a side and what is going to be most important is making sure we field a team that is going to give us the best chance to win.”Cook has done it so many times before. He is a very stubborn guy who likes proving people wrong. As he said before this game, the amount of extra work he is putting in behind the scenes tell me he is desperate to keep going.”On the state of the WACA pitch, which required the use of leaf-blowers to remove some notable damp patches, Root was cautious in his criticism, particularly after Jonny Bairstow’s early dismissal to a delivery that kept noticeably low.”When we got here this morning it definitely wasn’t fit to play,” he said. “But it dried up this morning, the sun got to it, the wind got it, they obviously worked very hard to get it right, and by the end there it was probably fit to play.”

Manchester United have started their 2023/24 Premier League campaign off rather meekly. They were lucky to escape with all three points against Wolverhampton Wanderers last week before going down 2-0 to Tottenham Hotspur on the weekend.

Three points from six and just one goal scored wasn’t the start Erik ten Hag was anticipating, and he will be even more concerned by some of the performances, particularly from new signing Mason Mount.

The £60m summer arrival from Chelsea was expected to improve the United midfield.

Against Spurs, however, he was almost non-existent, having completed only 15 accurate passes and taken as few as 27 touches – even Andre Onana recorded more passes and touches, signifying how poorly he played as a creative-minded midfielder that makes things happen in the engine room.

Could this perhaps give the Dutchman a licence to dive back into the transfer market and lure another midfielder to Old Trafford?

The club have recently been on a scouting mission to France…

Will Manchester United make more signings?

United have shown interest in a few players during the final weeks of the transfer window, most notably defenders.

Frenchman Jean Clair-Todibo has been linked with a move and the Red Devils even sent scouts to monitor his performance for OGC Nice a couple of weeks ago.

Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…

This wasn’t the only player that United were keeping tabs on, however.

According to Get French Football News, OGC Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram was also being closely monitored in light of a potential move to England.

He wouldn’t break the bank either, with the Ligue 1 outfit valuing one of their prized assets at around €40m (£34m) and could Ten Hag act swiftly and bring him to Manchester in the coming days?

What could Khephren Thuram offer Manchester United?

With Rasmus Hojlund injured and Mount failing to showcase his true abilities so far, Ten Hag’s summer recruitment may soon come under criticism, with just Onana enjoying a solid start.

Thuram has enjoyed an impressive spell with Nice since joining in 2019, making 140 appearances and last season was his most productive yet, registering ten goal contributions – two goals and eight assists – across 50 appearances. This is made even better by the fact he typically operated as a defensive midfielder.

Mount was deployed in a deeper role against Spurs alongside Casemiro, yet it clearly didn’t work out and Thuram could certainly be an instant upgrade on the former Chelsea gem in this position.

Indeed, last season, the Frenchman registered more league goal contributions (six v five), a higher pass success rate (85.1% v 75.2%), tackles won (25 v 19) and interceptions (38 v eight), suggesting that he offers more across both attacking and defensive metrics.

Thuram even ranked in the top 4% when compared to positional peers for progressive carries per 90 (3.4) and the top 8% for successful take-ons per 90 (1.65).

Mount on the other hand failed to rank in the top 40% for successful take-ons per 90 (0.78) while ranking in the top 17% for progressive carries per 90 (2.24), indicating the difference between the two players.

Journalist Zach Lowy even dubbed him as an “elite ball carrier” amid Liverpool’s interest in the youngster earlier in the summer transfer window.

For a fee of just £34m, Ten Hag could sign a player who won't just be part of his future plans, but a talent that could force his way into the starting XI straight away and be an instant Mount upgrade in the process.

An update has emerged on Celtic and their plans to add another option in the attacking department before the end of the summer transfer window.

What's the latest Celtic transfer news?

MailSport journalist Tom Collomosse has claimed that the Hoops are one of the clubs keeping tabs on Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Daniel Podence as they eye up a new forward for Brendan Rodgers.

The attacker was left out of Gary O'Neil's squad to face Manchester United on Monday night in the Premier League and his club have placed a £12m valuation on his head with a few weeks to go before the deadline.

Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph has backed up that information and added that the Hoops believe that there could be room to negotiate on that fee as the Portuguese wizard has less than 12 months left to run on his current contract.

How good is Daniel Podence?

The 5 foot 5 maestro is an exciting winger who could be a terrific partner for Liel Abada on the flanks for Rodgers, as both players could get fans off their seats with superb attacking play this season.

Podence, who scored six goals in 20 Premier League starts last term, caught the eye with his performances during the 2021/22 campaign for Wolves.

He scored two goals and created seven 'big chances' in 15 league starts, whilst the 27-year-old whiz also created 1.4 chances and completed 1.3 dribbles per game, as per Sofascore.

Meanwhile, no current Hoops player managed more than 1.3 dribbles and no current winger produced more than 1.1 key passes per match for the club, which suggests that Podence could excel at driving the team up the pitch and creating opportunities for his teammates.

Whilst his goal contributions may not stand out in comparison to Jota's 11 goals and 11 assists last term for the Bhoys, the difference in quality between the two leagues must be factored in.

The Premier League is currently top of the UEFA club coefficient standings and eight places above Scotland. This essentially means that the English top-flight has the best-performing clubs in Europe as a collective, which indicates that Podence could be up against far less quality week-in-week-out at Celtic.

Therefore, the Portuguese talent's numbers at the top end of the pitch could inflate with more chances to attack, given that the Hoops scored 114 league goals in comparison to Wolves' tally of 31.

This suggests that Podence could be an exciting player for Rodgers when you consider that he could build upon his already impressive numbers at Premier League level for key passes and dribbles.

He could, therefore, be an exciting ace to play on the opposite flank to Liel Abada, who is an excellent goalscoring option out wide.

The Israel international racked up ten Premiership strikes last term, which only Jota (11) and Kyogo Furuhashi (27) outperformed.

Abada also created ten 'big chances' for his teammates and was only rewarded with five assists, which suggests that his fellow attackers let him down.

Podence could help with that as he produced six goals and only missed three 'big chances' in the Premier League last season.

Therefore, the Wolves forward, whose touches were once dubbed "delightful" by pundit Alan Smith, could be a superb signing to play with the 21-year-old sensation on the flanks as they are both players who have the potential to score and create goals.