Moyes can axe Calvert-Lewin by unleashing Everton's new version of Lukaku

Everton will play at Goodison Park for the final time next week, hosting relegated Southampton in the penultimate game of the season.

When summer comes along, David Moyes will be deep in preparations for the upcoming campaign, which will see Everton step into Bramley Moore and push for a place higher up the Premier League table. This will be the fourth successive campaign that the Toffees will finish in the bottom half, and the fifth in six terms.

Everton manager DavidMoyesreacts

Moyes is a shrewd and critical manager and he won’t shy away from making sweeping changes this summer. One of which may be allowing Dominic Calvert-Lewin to leave at the end of his contract.

Why Dominic Calvert-Lewin must leave Everton

Calvert-Lewin has been playing his football on Merseyside for nearly nine years, joining Everton from Sheffield United for a £1.5m fee in 2016.

Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin

At his best, the England international is a powerful and purposeful forward, adept in the air and a real focal point for his teammates to target.

However, injuries have become commonplace in Calvert-Lewin’s career over the past several years, and given his profligacy when available this season, it seems risky to renew his deal.

Especially given Beto has outperformed him since Moyes’ winter appointment.

Matches (starts)

23 (19)

27 (12)

Goals

3

7

Assists

1

0

Shots (on target)*

2.0 (0.8)

1.5 (0.7)

Big chances missed

13

9

Pass completion

64%

57%

Key passes*

0.3

0.3

Dribbles*

0.4

0.6

Duels won*

5.5

4.7

Beto’s recent form, which includes six goals from 11 Premier League starts, could see him start the new campaign as Moyes’ number one at number nine.

However, the £100k-per-week Calvert-Lewin must go, for the Merseysiders have a rising star who could take his place.

Everton must unleash their new Lukaku

Everton need a striker for the ages, one in a similar vein to Romelu Lukaku, who scored 87 goals and provided 27 assists across 166 appearances before signing for Manchester United in a deal initially worth £75m.

The Belgian’s power and confidence were at their highest peak during his time at Goodison Park, all concentrated into something pointed.

Youssef Chermiti could be the perfect heir. The Portuguese youth international is very much in the maiden stage of his career, and while he hasn’t made the mark on Merseyside that he would have hoped for, there’s plenty of time for that to change.

Described as a “superb prospect” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Chermiti has the power and pace to put the fitness troubles of recent years behind him and start showcasing the talent that is clearly within his grasp.

Everton's Youssef Chermiti

Everton did pay £15m to take him from Sporting Lisbon in Portugal, after all. Framed at 6 foot 4, Chermiti has had to bide his time this season but he’s starting to win Moyes over, it seems, having featured four times off the bench since March.

The 20-year-old’s strength and athleticism even suggest that he could be Everton’s next version of Lukaku, with some remarking that there is an element of an “early Lukaku” to him after returning from injury with far more bulk and brawn about him.

Though all 24 of Chermiti’s senior appearances for Everton have returned little in the way of substance, he’s yet to score or assist, there’s no question he’s making the physical improvements that could marry into his technical game and shape him into Everton’s next Lukaku.

With Calvert-Lewin heading out the door, this could be a shrewd way for Everton to keep things ticking at the striking position, especially if Beto’s form continues into the new campaign.

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Man Utd preparing £40m bid to sign full-back who is also wanted by Arsenal

Manchester United and INEOS are now preparing an offer worth £40 million to sign a “brilliant” defensive addition this summer, according to a recent report.

Amorim hails United display at Bournemouth ahead of massive semi-final

The Red Devils played another relatively meaningless Premier League game on Sunday afternoon, and it looked as though they were going to be on the end of another defeat. However, a 90+6 minute equaliser from Rasmus Hojlund secured a point for United against 10-man AFC Bournemouth.

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It was a game that came right before United’s very important trip to Spain on Thursday, where they will play Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League semi-final first leg. The game against the Cherries was not important in the sense of nothing being on it for United, but Ruben Amorim felt his side deserved the point and did have chances to win the game.

“I think we deserved it. In the first half, we suffered with their high-intensity press, but we created chances. We had quite similar chances near the box with a lot of shots,” Amorim told BBC Match of the Day.

“I think we deserved at least one point if you look at the game. If you look at our last games, it is always like this – we do something to help the opponent get an advantage. Then it is really hard to score goals, but the players did really well to get at least one point.

“We have the ability to push our opponents. There are small things I think we can do better. We need to understand these moments better, but if you look at the 20 minutes [after Evanilson’s red card], we had situations to score, which is really important.”

Man Utd preparing £40m bid for Inter star Denzel Dumfries

The Red Devils winning the Europa League would not only see them play in Europe’s biggest competition, but it could help them when it comes to their transfers this summer and getting players Amorim wants. According to Inter Live, Man United are now keen on signing Denzel Dumfries from Inter Milan this summer.

Feyenoord's Ibrahim Osman in action with Inter Milan's DenzelDumfries

The report states that United are not just showing an interest but are willing to make a £40 million offer to sign Dumfries, along with a £60 million bid to sign Yann Bisseck in what would be a mega deal. It goes on to add that Giuseppe Marotta, who is chairman of Inter, is not against offers coming in for Dumfries, and he is preparing to evaluate everything. However, United are not alone in their pursuit of the defender, as Arsenal have stepped up their efforts to bring him to London.

The 29-year-old, who renewed his contract at Inter until the summer of 2028 earlier this season, has been a key player this season. Dumfries has played a total of 39 matches in all competitions, scoring eight goals and registering three assists.

The Dutch international had missed the last few weeks of football with a hamstring injury but returned to play 27 minutes against AS Roma on Sunday afternoon. United’s interest in Dumfries is particularly intriguing given he rates very similarly to Patrick Dorgu according to FBRef’s statistical profiling, perhaps making him the ideal fit on the other flank.

Dumfries

Dorgu

Apps

26

29

Starts

19

28

Goals

6

3

Assists

2

1

Progressive carries

46

93

Progressive passes

47

74

Progressive runs

159

169

Tackles (Won)

25 (18)

68 (44)

Interceptions

6

21

Blocks

25

32

Unlike Dorgu however, Dumfries is a player who has been performing at the top level for a long time now, and back in 2022 BBC pundit Micah Richards labelled the defender “brilliant” for his World Cup performance against the United States.

“Denzel Dumfries. What a player he is. I just thought his whole game was brilliant. It was his timing of his runs… He didn’t sort of mix it up too much, but when he did, it was the right moments. Down this right-hand side, he was just breathless.”

Crystal Palace now looking to hijack Aston Villa deal for £40m Man Utd ace

Crystal Palace and Steve Parish are now trying to persuade an “unplayable” attacker to join them ahead of rival interest from Aston Villa, who are currently ahead in the race.

Crystal Palace putting plans in place for the summer window

The Eagles saw their seven-game unbeaten run come to an end on Saturday as they were beaten 5-2 by Manchester City. Oliver Glasner will perhaps not be totally disappointed by the result despite the manner of their collapse, as his priority will be the FA Cup semi-final in just under two weeks time.

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Despite there still being a lot to play for, Palace and their hierarchy are already putting plans in place for what looks like a busy summer transfer window. Signing a new centre-back appears high on their list, as Marc Guehi could be on his way out of the club. The Eagles have been linked with a move for Victor Lindelof, who looks set to leave Manchester United at the end of the campaign when his contract expires.

However, he is not their only option, as Palace are believed to have made contact over a deal to sign Kevin Lomonaco from Independiente De Avellaneda – he could cost the South Londoners as little as £5 million this summer.

As well as having eyes on strengthening their defence, Glasner wants to add more quality in other areas of the pitch too, as the Eagles are interested in signing Jobe Bellingham from Sunderland. They are not alone in this race, as several top teams from England and abroad are also chasing the young Englishman.

Crystal Palace want to hijack Aston Villa deal for Rashford

The Premier League side also want to improve their attack, and according to The Sun, Crystal Palace are lining up a move to sign Marcus Rashford from Man United if Aston Villa do not sign him, with Steve Parish and co. regularly monitoring Rashford’s performances while out on loan.

The Midlands side do have the option to sign the Englishman for £40 million at the end of his stay there, but the Eagles leadership are keeping an eye on the situation and are interested in talking to the player and trying to persuade him to move to Selhurst Park.

A source goes on to state that Palace are aware that they would have to keep hold of their better players, such as Jean Philippe-Mateta, Adam Wharton, Eberechi Eze and Ismaila Sarr, to convince the forward to sign from Old Trafford.

Apps

14

Starts

8

Goals

3

Assists

5

A return to United has not been ruled out for Rashford, who has been dubbed “unplayable” by BBC writer Raj Chohan in the past, while a move abroad could also be on the cards, as Paris Saint-Germain are keeping an eye on his situation as well. The 27-year-old has enjoyed a rather successful spell at Villa Park so far, but it remains very much up in the air what he plans to do with his career next.

Arsenal ready to sell £26m "monster" who wants to leave with AC Milan keen

Arsenal are now willing to sell a player for around £26m this summer, and AC Milan are interested in his signature, according to a report.

Arteta's summer transfer plans taking shape

There have been widespread suggestions that Arsenal are in a healthy position PSR-wise, which could mean they have the funds for a big signing this summer, and Mikel Arteta is particularly keen on getting a new striker through the door.

The Gunners were recently handed a boost in their pursuit of Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres, with it being revealed the Swedish forward is keen on a move to north London, while they also hold an interest in the likes of Alexander Isak and Benjamin Sesko.

Striker is not the only position in which Arteta is eager to strengthen, however, with the manager identifying the need for greater depth in wide areas, and Deportivo de La Coruna’s Yeremay Hernandez is a potential target, alongside Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams.

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With a new central midfielder clearly also of interest, given the widespread links to Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, it could make sense for Arteta to offload some rotation players this summer, regardless of the healthy financial position the club find themselves in.

According to a report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are now willing to cash-in on Jakub Kiwior this summer, in order to fund their own transfer business, and they would be looking to receive a fee of around €25m – €30m (£21m – £26m).

There is no shortage of interest in Kiwior, with a whole host of European clubs being named as potential suitors, including both AC Milan and Inter Milan.

The 25-year-old wants to join a new club this summer, given that his development has been stifled by a lack of playing time for the Gunners, and it now looks like he may be given the opportunity to do so.

Arsenal’s upcoming fixtures

Date

Real Madrid (h)

April 8th

Brentford (h)

April 12th

Real Madrid (a)

April 16th

Ipswich Town (a)

April 20th

Crystal Palace (h)

April 23rd

Kiwior exit could be suitable for all parties

With Arteta planning to bolster his options in multiple positions this summer, it would make sense to generate as much money as possible by cashing-in on out-of-favour players, and the Poland international has made just 10 Premier League appearances this season.

At 25, the defender is at an age where he needs to be playing regularly, so it is understandable that he wants to move on this summer, despite putting in some impressive performances during his time in north London.

The former Spezia man has previously been lauded as a “monster” by reporter Sam Dean, and he put in a solid display against Everton last time out, making five defensive actions and creating one big chance.

Kiwior originally arrived at Arsenal for £20m, and given that he has remained a sporadic option for Arteta throughout his time at the club, it could be a shrewd piece of business if the Gunners are able to sell the centre-back for a profit.

Rangers have hit gold on "thunderous" star who is worth more than Taylor

Glasgow Rangers will be aiming for a solid summer transfer window under the 49ers as they seek to end their Premiership title drought.

Year after year, the club fail to improve their squad by signing players who either aren’t good enough for Rangers, or those who appear to be injury-prone and miss far too many games.

With a new era about to begin this summer, might this cycle stop? One can hope.

The Light Blues’ transfer activity has ranged from making bizarre signings – Rafael Fernandes and Kieran Dowell – along with bringing those in who failed to adapt to Scottish football – Robin Propper and Sam Lammers – over the previous couple of years.

One thing the club haven’t done for a while is sign someone who has Celtic on their C.V. However, might this change in the near future? Especially as Greg Taylor has been linked with a shock move to Ibrox this summer.

Greg Taylor has been linked with a move to Rangers

Since the end of the Second World War, only Alfie Conn, Maurice Johnston, Stephen Pressley and Kenny Miller have played for both Rangers and Celtic.

None of these players moved directly between each other, spending time somewhere else before making the move to either one of the Old Firm.

Taylor is out of contract this summer and could leave the Parkhead side for nothing. Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd has had his say on the matter and believes that the Ibrox side would be wise to make a move for the left-back ahead of next season.

“I know the rivalry between the two clubs but he’s Scottish and he ticks the boxes. You could ask the question,” said Boyd while speaking on the Scottish Sun’s YouTube channel regarding the defender.

“Is he a better player than Jefte and Ridvan Yilmaz? Well, I think he’s shown for a period of time what he can do.

“This could actually generate funds if they sold one of the left-backs. They are potentially saleable assets.”

Greg Taylor’s statistics this season

Taylor has played 36 times for Celtic this term, scoring once while providing seven assists in all competitions.

The Scot has also created eight big chances in the Premiership, while averaging 1.4 key passes per game and succeeding with 56% of his dribbles, highlighting his impressive attacking skills.

Combine this with the fact he wins 54% of his total contested duels, makes 1.5 tackles and dribbles past only 0.3 times per game, it is evident that Taylor could be a reliable signing for the Gers.

Metric

Champions League

Premiership

Assists

1

6

Big chances created

2

8

Tackles per game

1.8

1.5

Successful dribbles per game

0.1

0.4

Balls recovered per game

2.6

3.7

A clean injury record would also be a bonus, that’s for sure. At the time of writing, the left-back is currently valued at €4.9m (£4.2m) according to Football Transfers, meaning Celtic could be losing out on a decent transfer fee.

Signing Taylor might allow the new manager at Ibrox to offload either one of Jefte or Ridvan Yilmaz this summer in order to generate funds.

The Brazilian has endured a mixed campaign since making the move to Glasgow last summer, yet he is still valued higher than Taylor…

Why Jefte is a promising player for Rangers

The defender arrived from Brazilian side Fluminense on a four-year deal last summer as Clement sought to add some more youth prospects to his first-team squad.

Jefte

He spent the 2023/24 season on loan at Cypriot side APOEL, scoring three goals and grabbing four assists across just 31 league matches for the club.

On this basis, his attacking talents were there for all to see, with Scottish content creator Kai Watson praising the defender, saying: “He always looks to drive at the opposition defence and is comfortable going outside or cutting inside.

“He’s also not afraid of having a pop at goal and has a thunderous strike in his arsenal.

“He looks like he could be a creative threat while also offering some goalscoring prowess himself.”

It certainly appears as though he has found Scottish football harder, having registered only two assists in 28 Premiership matches thus far.

He has averaged 1.1 key passes per game in the top flight, however, along with creating two big chances and succeeding with 1.1 dribbles per match. Defensively though, the youngster has been a liability on occasions.

On average, he loses possession 14.9 times per game for the Light Blues in the Scottish top flight, while the Brazilian commits 0.9 fouls per game and regularly finds himself out of position trying to create chances in the final third.

Jefte

Over time, the former Fluminense starlet will mature, and his defence abilities will improve, but this has been a key weakness throughout the 2024/25 campaign. If the defender wishes to maintain his place in the squad, this is something he will need to work on, no doubt about that.

Jefte’s market valuation at Rangers

Whatever happens, should Rangers sell Jefte in the immediate future, they could rake in a decent profit on the left-back.

Indeed, according to Football Transfers, he is currently valued at €5.5m (£4.7m) and this figure will only continue to rise as time goes on.

When he made the move to Scotland, his valuation sat at less than £1m, proving that exposure to first-team football, especially in the Europa League, has allowed the player to increase his value.

Perhaps he would be best served playing in a more advanced position, which could allow the defender to play to his attacking strengths.

What is certain is that Jefte is currently worth more than Taylor according to Football Transfers and while a move for the Celtic man wouldn’t be a bad idea, might the Gers be better off developing Jefte in a position where he can contribute more effectively?

Rangers have hit the jackpot with the Brazilian defender, whose value has soared in his short time in Glasgow already, and they should avoid any controversial move for a Celtic dud to continue his development.

The summer transfer window could be an interesting time to be a supporter, especially if the 49ers takeover goes through in the next few weeks.

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“I’d be really worried” – Carragher says Arsenal now have a “huge problem”

Jamie Carragher has delivered his verdict on Arsenal and their Premier League title challenge after their dramatic 2-1 loss at Aston Villa.

Arsenal suffer first defeat in 18 games as five-point lead slips

Arsenal’s agonising defeat at Villa has ended the Gunners’ 18-game unbeaten streak whilst threatening their title aspirations, with Man City’s subsequent 3-0 dismantling of Sunderland now reducing the gap to just two points.

Emiliano Buendia’s 95th minute winner highlighted familiar weaknesses that have plagued previous title challenges.

Mikel Arteta’s makeshift defence, deprived of William Saliba and Gabriel through injury, conceded soft goals that championship-winning teams simply cannot afford.

Matty Cash’s thunderous opener exploited Eberechi Eze’s defensive negligence, whilst Buendia’s late intervention punished Arsenal’s inability to clear.

Leandro Trossard’s second-half equaliser briefly sparked hope of a hard-fought victory in the Midlands, yet Arsenal ultimately succumbed to Villa’s relentless pressure.

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While Arsenal have only lost twice this campaign, Arteta will be hoping Saturday’s defeat doesn’t sap his squad’s confidence given the manner of their slip up.

Cristhian Mosquera’s ankle injury compounds their current defensive crisis, forcing 16-year-old Marli Salmon onto the bench against Villa.

Man City ruthlessly capitalised on Arsenal’s hiccup, delivering their arguable most complete performance this season against an in-form Sunderland side.

Rúben Dias opened the scoring with a spectacular 25-yard thunderbolt before Josko Gvardiol doubled the advantage through a towering header from Phil Foden’s corner.

Foden completed the scoring after 65 minutes, converting Rayan Cherki’s outrageous rabona cross for a serious highlight reel moment.

Pep Guardiola praised it as potentially City’s finest 95-minute display this season, emphasising how it is consistency rather than individual results that determines success.

The title race has dramatically intensified, with Aston Villa themselves now genuine contenders sitting third, merely three points behind Arsenal following seven consecutive wins in all competitions.

Make no mistake, it is all to play for, and Carragher is convinced that Arsenal have a ‘huge problem’ in the form of Foden.

Jamie Carragher says Phil Foden is a 'huge problem' for Arsenal

Speaking on Monday Night Football, Carragher insists that the England international, alongside Erling Haaland, poses a massive threat to Arsenal’s quest to win a first Premier League title in 22 years.

After a difficult 2024/2025, Arsenal have every right to be concerned, as Foden is now back to his imperious best.

Foden has emerged as City’s most potent attacking threat bar Haaland during their resurgent title challenge, scoring nine goals across all competitions so far this term.

The 25-year-old has also notched six Premier League goals in thirteen appearances, averaging 0.51 goals per ninety minutes whilst contributing two assists.

His recent purple patch has been particularly devastating, with five goals scored in his last three league games. His goal involvement rate of 0.69 per ninety minutes highlights his constant influence in the final third, with Guardiola praising his exceptional qualities following Saturday’s performance.

Foden already surpassed his career milestone of 100 City goals during the summer’s Club World Cup, cementing his status amongst the club’s elite scorers.

His personal renaissance couldn’t have come at a worse time for Arsenal, but luckily for Arteta, the title is still theirs to lose.

Huge Gakpo upgrade: £70m “superstar” now keen to join Liverpool in January

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has conceded in his pre-Leeds press conference that the Reds need to get Alexander Isak more involved in games.

Isak, 26, joined the Anfield side this summer for a British record £125m fee. Last season, Jamie Carragher declared him “the best striker in the Premier League”. He scored 27 goals in all competitions for Newcastle United, including the winner in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley, against Liverpool.

25/26 – LFC

17.1

5.6 (65%)

24/25 – NUFC

33.3

14.9 (77%)

23/24 – NUFC

26.8

12.6 (80%)

22/23 – NUFC

29.5

12.5 (78%)

But he’s toiling away at his new club, and to little avail at that. This speaks of the wider tactical imbalances at the club right now, with the forwards all struggling and the midfielders and defenders too.

Change is needed, but with new and elite centre-forward options strapped in, FSG are turning their attention to Liverpool’s attacking flanks.

Liverpool lining up a wide forward

Last month, Slot was quizzed on Liverpool’s transfer plans ahead of the January transfer window, as the dismal form raged on. That stain has only spread since, but the coach hinted that the Premier League champions’ priority lies not with the rearguard but on the wing.

Liverpool didn’t replace Luis Diaz when selling the versatile Colombian to Bayern Munich in August, and that was clearly a mistake. Cody Gakpo knows where the back of the net is, but he’s somewhat one-dimensional, with fans annoyed by the regularity of his cutting inside when the ball finds him down the left lane.

Perhaps that is why rumours have resurfaced of Liverpool interest in Real Madrid star Rodrygo, with TEAMtalk suggesting this week that Anfield is one of the few places the Brazilian would consider joining; Arsenal have also been mooted.

Rodrygo may be undergoing a divorce with superstardom at Los Blancos, but that doesn’t mean Florentino Perez will let the 25-year-old leave on the cheap, tentatively transfer-listing him for around €90m (£79m).

Why Liverpool should sign Rodrygo

It’s no secret that Liverpool are interested in signing Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo in January, but Rodrygo is cut from finer cloth, the Brazil international having conquered Europe and Spain too during his time with Real Madrid.

Across 286 senior appearances, he has scored 68 goals and supplied 53 assists, and last year, Jude Bellingham said “he’s probably the most gifted player in the squad”, with frightening speed and deadly finishing and a versatile take on the attacking game.

Though he has served Real Madrid’s wishes out on the right flank for most of his career, Rodrygo actually prefers playing off the left. The right-footer believes he is at his most clinical in that role, and last season, though he struggled on the whole, he scored six goals and supplied six assists across just 12 outings.

Right winger

148

34

31

Left winger

89

23

18

Centre-forward

85

22

8

Attacking midfield

4

1

Rodrygo would surely displace Gakpo and cement a regular starting berth under Slot’s wing at Liverpool. Gakpo, scapegoated at times this season, is still not the multi-faceted wideman that Diaz was, and Rodrygo would restore that presence that FSG are so intent on replacing.

Hailed as a “world-class superstar” by former teammate Luka Modric, he is the real deal, alright, with pedigree on the biggest stage and so much more still to give. Rodrygo has lost his way in Spain, but at Liverpool, he could become a leading man, especially with Mohamed Salah ostensibly winding down.

He is a man of many dimensions, and indeed has more in his locker than Gakpo, even with the Dutchman averaging 2.2 created chances per game in the Premier League this season, the most frequent of any Liverpool player and the fifth-highest average in the division.

But Rodrygo, even at his lowest ebb, ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues for pass completion, the top 15% for shot-creating actions, the top 5% for progressive carries and the top 18% for tackles won per 90, as per FBref.

There is little question that Rodrygo would raise Liverpool’s level, adding width and pace and dynamism down the left flank and maybe serving out on the right when called upon.

Gakpo enjoyed plenty of success last season, scoring 18 goals and supplying seven assists across all competitions. He is a potent threat. But he also needs a counterpoint to jockey with out on the left, and Rodrygo would provide that presence and then some.

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Man Utd hold discussions to sign "unique" teen sensation ahead of Real Madrid

Manchester United have now reportedly made contact to sign 18-year-old Salvador Blopa from Sporting CP in an attempt to jump ahead of Real Madrid in the race for his signature.

Those at Old Trafford have kept an eye on the transfer market ever since the summer window slammed shut and with things looking up on the pitch, they could be well-placed to welcome a number of upgrades in 2026.

Ruben Amorim’s side entered the November international break without a defeat in five games, having drawn twice and won three to move up to seventh in the Premier League.

Whilst their wait for five wins in a row is ongoing, there’s no doubt that the Red Devils have taken a significant step. Whether that continues after the international break is the big question.

Man United will play host to Everton in what should be seen as a winnable game at Old Trafford against former manager David Moyes. They then face struggling sides West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers in two of their next five games in a run that should see them push on even further.

Amorim’s not getting ahead of himself, however. After rescuing a late draw against Tottenham last time out, he told reporters that his side still have plenty of problems to solve.

It’s a sign of the high standards that the Man United boss holds and INEOS could yet help him to meet those standards by turning to the transfer market once again in 2026.

Man Utd have 'held conversations' to sign Blopa

As relayed by TeamTalk, Man United have now ‘held conversations’ to sign Blopa from Sporting CP and jump ahead of Real Madrid in the transfer race in the process. The 18-year-old can play right midfield, right-back and left midfield as one of the most versatile players that Sporting have to offer.

Out of all those positions, he’d likely solve Amorim’s right wing-back problem. As things stand, it’s Amad Diallo or Noussair Mazraoui in the role, but Blopa’s emergence could quickly cause United a much-welcomed selection headache down that side.

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The interest from Real Madrid and those at Old Trafford in Blopa should also come as little surprise. The teenager scored twice on his Sporting debut and earned praise from current manager Rui Borges, who told reporters: “Tactically he gave us what we wanted.

“In the B team he sometimes plays on the right and other times on the left, sometimes higher and sometimes lower. He’s a kid with very unique characteristics, athletic, and physically he’s going to grow immensely more.”

The Red Devils have built a reputation of turning Sporting’s stars into world stars and the versatile defender could be next.

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Dominik Szoboszlai shows why he is now Liverpool's "most important player"

Liverpool’s players were much improved in their 2-0 win at home to Aston Villa, but Dominik Szoboszlai was yet again his team’s star man.

The Reds picked up a vital three points at Anfield on Saturday evening, with Mohamed Salah and Ryan Gravenberch getting the goals, and Arne Slot was in positive spirits after the game.

“Happy with the result, with the performance and what I saw today, not only from the players but also the support we got from the fans, was what we needed today. Maybe we were a bit more on the lucky side than we’ve been in the last few weeks, where in my opinion we were also unlucky.

“So, the mistake of their goalkeeper and the deflection led to two of our goals. These are the margins we are talking about. I think in other games we’ve created more from open play than we did today. But in football it’s about results, not about the chances you create from open play.”

It was a night where so many Liverpool players found a new gear after poor form, including Mohamed Salah, who scored his 250th Liverpool goal, but it was Szoboszlai who stood out yet again.

Minutes played

90

Tackles won

2/2

Ground duels won

3/6

Recoveries

5

Pass completion rate

93%

Successful dribbles

1/1

Shots on target

2

Szoboszlai now Liverpool's "most important player"

Writing on X after the win over Villa, ESPN journalist Beth Lindop heaped praise on Szoboszlai, even calling him Liverpool’s “most important player” at the moment.

It is hard to argue with this assessment, with the Hungarian proving to be one of the biggest positives in an otherwise frustrating season to date.

While so many players around him have floundered, he has consistently reached his best level, providing incredible amounts of energy and showcasing his versatility by excelling in attacking midfield, defensive midfield and at right-back.

On current form, Szoboszlai is undroppable for Liverpool, giving Slot a conundrum when it comes to using the Reds’ second-most expensive signing in history, Florian Wirtz.

The German is still adjusting to life in the Premier League, and with the trio of Szoboszlai, Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister all doing well against Villa, it is hard to find a place for him currently.

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There is the option of playing Wirtz in the left wing in place of Cody Gakpo, but either way, Szoboszlai is a shoo-in for any Liverpool game, and has to be considered one of the first names on Slot’s team sheet.

Best game all season: Liverpool star was even better than Salah & Gravenberch

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