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Everton have been linked with a move for Manchester United forward Jesse Lingard as new manager Rafa Benitez looks to add further reinforcements to his first-team squad.

What’s the story?

According to Football Insider, the 28-year-old is a top target for the Toffees as they search for James Rodriguez’s successor, with Benitez a huge fan of his.

The report states that: “Everton have set their sights on a January deal for Man United star Jesse Lingard in January, Football Insider has learned. The Merseysiders will be in the market for an attacking midfielder capable of scoring goals and slotting straight into Rafael Benitez’s side.

“An Everton source has told Football Insider that Lingard is on the club’s target list and Benitez is a big admirer of him.”

The England international’s current contract is set to expire next summer, and he’s reportedly already turned down fresh terms due to concerns over his playing time, meaning an imminent exit could be on the cards.

Rafa Benitez needs him

Rodriguez’s exit from Goodison Park has left Benitez without a natural creative midfielder who can also score goals on a regular basis, both of which are attributes that Lingard excels in.

After struggling to get back to his best following the 2018 World Cup, a short-term loan move to West Ham United back in January reinvigorated the £19.8m-rated wizard’s career.

In just 16 Premier League appearances for the Hammers, Lingard scored nine goals and provided a further five assists for his teammates, playing a pivotal part as David Moyes’ charges finished in an incredible sixth position.

His eye-catching exploits in east London saw him labelled “outstanding” by Trevor Sinclair after firing the capital club into the Europa League, but that hasn’t translated into regular game time upon his return to Manchester.

Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has only awarded the academy graduate one start in all competitions in the opening weeks of the campaign, yet Lingard has still managed to impress with multiple standout cameo appearances off the bench.

He added gloss to the scoreline with a well-taken goal against Newcastle United, sealed all three points with a sumptuous last-minute strike in the victory over West Ham and provided the assist for Cristiano Ronaldo’s injury-time winner against Villarreal.

Therefore, Everton’s director of football, Marcel Brands, must swoop for Lingard in the January window, adding the extra firepower that Benitez needs at his disposal to take the Blues back to Europe.

And, in other news…”Still uncertainty” – Patrick Boyland drops Everton update that should concern fans 

Newcastle United have reportedly now sent a scout to watch centre-back Goncalo Inacio, and even made a bid for the player in January, according to reports in Portugal.

The Lowdown: Solid season

Inacio is having another solid season in Lisbon with Sporting CP, having won the title last campaign.

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His performances attracted praise from Portuguese media, and he was even nicknamed the ‘Portuguese boss’ despite only being 19 years of age at the time.

Now 20, Inacio has also been a second place in the Primeira Liga table, where they will be hoping to catch FC Porto in first.

The Latest: Official sent, bid revealed

As per A Bola (via Sport Witness), the St. James’ Park faithful sent an official to watch Inacio play in a 3-1 win at Tondela on Saturday, as he found the back of the net for his fifth goal of the season.

They apparently had a €30m (£24.9m) bid rejected by Sporting in the January transfer window, but the player does have a €45m (£37.4m) release clause.

The news outlet hints that the North East club must be ‘really interested’ in Inacio, as usually teams from the Premier League send their scouts over to Lisbon or Porto to watch players from the top flight, but the Tyneside outfit sent theirs to Tondela.

The Verdict: Get it done

The fact that Inacio has a release clause should encourage the Magpies to get a deal done.

Having had a £33m bid rejected by Lille for Sven Botman, added to talk of an increased £67m release clause for January target Diego Carlos, £37.4m may be the sweet spot for the Toon to sign a central defender in Inacio who may well have a higher ceiling at just 20 years of age.

Nonetheless, Sporting have a history of selling players to Premier League clubs for big money, and so this is a move that is very possible.

In other news, find out which ‘world-class’ ace NUFC have now held talks over signing for free here!

Arsenal are sweating on the availability of Bukayo Saka heading into tonight’s Premier League clash with Manchester United…

What’s the latest?

The 20-year-old limped off after scoring a goal during the Gunners’ 2-0 win over Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon with a suspect thigh problem.

He has since been assessed at their London Colney training base and manager Mikel Arteta provided a worrying update in his pre-game press conference this week.

“We have the doubt with Bukayo and another few knocks that we got against Newcastle,” the Spaniard revealed (via the Evening Standard). “I am hopeful, but we don’t know [if Saka can play]. It is a really short turnaround and the player has to be comfortable playing with a little injury.”

Would be a big miss

Saka is an integral member of Arteta’s starting XI in north London and he has played a crucial role in their recent upturn in fortunes on the pitch.

Only fellow Hale End academy graduate Emile Smith Rowe (six) and striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (five) have delivered more direct goal contributions than the England international (four) in the Premier League in 2021/22.

Despite only two assists from 12 starts, Saka leads the way for creativity, having averaged a squad-high 1.6 key passes per game (21 in total), per WhoScored.

Back in February, Arteta waxed lyrical about the young gem’s influence on the pitch and how it was hard to leave him out of the starting XI.

“It is (difficult) at the moment because he’s been a real threat. He’s involved in a lot of goals all the time and his consistent performances make him a starter obviously,” he told the club’s official website.

The 14-time England international, who is valued at £58.5m by Transfermarkt, would be a huge miss for the Gunners up at Old Trafford, particularly as there is a lot at stake and three points would seriously bolster their claims to qualify for a place in Europe next season.

Arsenal are sat in fifth place, just one point behind West Ham, so a victory would see them move into the top-four for the first time in what seems like a very long time. Meanwhile, the Red Devils are down in tenth position and could go to within just two points of the north London giants.

Arteta must be hugely concerned about the availability of his star man. Yes, his side went on a ten-game unbeaten run but they were exposed against a big side in Liverpool, before getting back on track against the rock-bottom Magpies.

United, despite their poor form, can pose a big threat and have plenty of big-name stars at their disposal, so without the talents of Saka, the Gunners boss may be a little scared heading into kick-off.

AND in other news, Arteta may have another Saka in “sensational” teen who can help save Arsenal millions…

An update has emerged on Lille gem Renato Sanches, regarding Wolves’ plans to sign him in 2022…

What’s the talk?

Midlands reporter Luke Hatfield has named the midfielder as a player the club are more likely to pursue ahead of Manchester United’s Donny van de Beek.

He told GIVEMESPORT when asked about a possible move for the Dutchman:

“I still think someone like Renato Sanches is going to be probably higher on the list for Wolves this winter or next summer.

“He offers a little bit more of an all-round game. But, I suppose, if they miss out on him or decide to look elsewhere then van de Beek could be a really good option for them.”

Neves 2.0

Bruno Lage must ensure that he can get a deal over the line for Sanches in January as he could land Ruben Neves 2.0 for the club.

Neves joined Wolves whilst they were in the Championship and immediately helped them to win promotion back to the top-flight, scoring six goals in 42 second-tier appearances. He has since gone on to play 126 times in the Premier League as the side have consolidated their place at the top table.

The Portugal international average a sublime WhoScored rating of 7.20 in the Championship, showing that he was consistently putting in quality performances at that level to push Wolves to the next stage. His ability, therefore, played a major role in the club taking the next step and achieving promotion.

In Sanches, Lage could be repeating that masterclass for Wolves in his own way by improving the midfield to help the team push on again, this time into Europe. The 24-year-old has averaged a WhoScored rating of 6.96 in Ligue 1 for Lille, whilst making 1.7 tackles and interceptions, along with 1.4 key passes and 2.6 dribbles, per game.

The £27m-rated destroyer was previously lauded for his physical strength by former Bayern Munich manager Niko Kovac, with the Croatian saying:

“Renato has an exceptionally good technique, very good speed and a great body. It’s true that people fly off him left and right – just like they used to do with Lothar Matthaus. I’m delighted for Renato – I said yesterday that he was excellent in pre-season and it wouldn’t be long before he plays.”

This shows that he has the defensive and physical attributes to adapt well to playing in the Premier League, whilst his dribbling and creative statistics for Lille suggest that he also has an attacking edge that could drive Wolves forward in games.

His 1.4 key passes per game rank him level with Raul Jimenez for the number one spot at Wolves, whilst he is only behind Adama Traore (4.7) in dribbles per match. Therefore, he would be the best midfield at the club in both statistics if he is able to translate his form over to the Molineux, which is why he could elevate the team’s attacking potential without taking away any defensive aspects.

This is why Lage could repeat a Neves masterstroke with the former Bayern man as he could be the signing, just as his compatriot was in 2017, that pushes Wolves on to the next level and gets them challenging for European football.

AND in other news, Lage may already be heading for a major January disaster at Wolves, fans would fume…

Leeds United appear to be very active this week after a reliable journalist issued an exciting transfer claim…

What’s the word?

Reports emerged suggesting that the Yorkshire outfit had a £15m offer knocked back for RB Salzburg midfielder Brenden Aaronson, though the club are said to remain keen on signing him this month.

However, it’s not the only player that they have submitted a bid for.

“Victor Orta is being busy and Leeds have also tabled a bid for a second as of yet unidentified player,” revealed the Daily Mirror’s David Anderson to Twitter on Tuesday night.

It remains to be seen who the second player could be as United have been linked to many names in many different positions throughout the last two to three weeks.

Signings soon?

Whilst we may not know who Orta and co are targeting now, the point that they are now looking to conduct business is hugely exciting and encouraging news for the Elland Road faithful.

This window was quickly heading down the same path – a bleak one with no signings, nothing to help manager Marcelo Bielsa and the problems within his squad.

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Often, his side have been decimated by injuries and that was epitomised by the fact that he could only name one senior professional on the bench during Sunday’s 3-2 win over West Ham United. That being Rodrigo, who has only just returned from injury himself.

Leeds have long been on the lookout for a midfielder, with the last signing in the role being Adam Forshaw nearly four years ago. It has left the head coach awfully short on options.

With Kalvin Phillips on the treatment table, it is only Forshaw and Mateusz Klich available as clear-cut central midfielders. The likes of Stuart Dallas and Jamie Shackleton, who often play anywhere they are asked to, can fill in but they have largely been utilised at full-back.

It certainly seems as if Orta is trying his best to find solutions, having submitted two offers for two different players this week, and that should leave many supporters buzzing heading into the rest of the window.

With less than two weeks to go, the Yorkshire giants must accelerate plans to get at least one deal over the line.

AND in other news, Enquiry made: Leeds now eye £10m gem with “enormous ability”, Bielsa badly needs him…

Arsenal made just one signing on deadline day – bringing in Denis Suarez on loan from Barcelona.

The cash-strapped Gunners were forced to look for temporary deals given the lack of funds at Unai Emery’s disposal. Having managed to secure Suarez’s services, Arsenal also targeted Belgian winger Yannick Carrasco and Inter Milan’s Ivan Perisic; Arsenal also attempted to sign Christopher Nkunku from Paris St Germain. However, the London club were unable to get the deals across the line in time.

Instead, their attention will now turn to the summer window where a larger budget should be available for new recruits. Finishing the season in a Champions League place would make their summer recruitment drive a lot easier. Given their recent injury problems, adding defensive reinforcements should be a priority for Emery.

One man he could target is Borussia Monchengladbach starlet – Nico Elvedi. Valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, the Switzerland international has blossomed into a key player for the Bundesliga side since joining from FC Zurich back in 2015. Elvedi has made 17 appearances in all competitions this season and has been one of the club’s most impressive performers.

The 22-year-old primarily operates as a centre-back but his versatility means he is also comfortable at both right and left back making him the ideal summer recruit. Elvedi is excellent on the ball and displays a wonderful range of passing, completing 92% of his passes in the Bundesliga this season. The youngster is also a dominant force in the air, winning 2.4 aerial duels per game this season, meaning he will have no issues adapting to the physicality of the Premier League (WhoScored).

Still developing and improving, this would be an astute piece of business from the Gunners.

Arsenal fans, thoughts?

Sam Johnstone should not play for West Brom again this season in order to prepare for his inevitable exit, according to reliable journalist Steve Madeley.

The Lowdown: Johnstone set to leave WBA?

The 29-year-old stayed put at the Baggies last summer despite their relegation to the Championship and he has continued to be a key figure in 2021/22, making 36 league appearances.

There does seem to be a potential inevitability about Johnstone moving on, though, with Albion’s promotion hopes effectively over for this season and his contract expiring in June.

The goalkeeper has been strongly linked with a move away in recent months, having been hailed as a ‘wonderful’ player by Micah Richards in the past and winning the WBA Supporters’ Player of the Year award in 2021.

The Latest: Madeley makes big Johnstone claim

Taking to Twitter on Monday as he shared a corresponding article from The Athletic, Madeley claimed that Johnstone should not play for the rest of the season, allowing West Brom to transition and prepare for life without him next term. He claimed:

“Sam Johnstone’s status as a successful Albion player is secure but he should not play again this season – there is no point.”

The Verdict: There’s sense to it

With the Baggies completely out of the promotion picture and with little to play for in the remaining weeks, Madeley’s suggestion does make sense in many ways.

It would give Bruce an opportunity to use others in the role, with those of a West Brom persuasion knowing what Johnstone can offer and also realising that he is coming to the end of his time at the Hawthorns.

In truth, the hope is that a high-quality replacement comes in, given the 29-year-old’s aforementioned influence, but giving David Button a chance to prove himself over the next few weeks shouldn’t do any harm for the time being.

In other news, West Brom reportedly face competition for one player. Find out who it is here.

Aston Villa assistant manager Craig Shakespeare has also left the club following Dean Smith’s sacking on Sunday; and as to be expected, a number of Villa fans have been reacting to the news on social media.

Villa officially parted ways with Smith on Sunday days after a fifth consecutive defeat in the Premier League. There was no mention of Shakespeare in the club’s statement on Smith, but The Telegraph claim that the 58-year-old, who moved to Villa Park in August 2020, has also departed.

Coach Aaron Danks and set-piece specialist Austin MacPhee are still at the club, with Villa’s search for a new manager underway.

The likes of Steven Gerrard and Ralph Hasenhuttl are thought to be under consideration by the Villa hierarchy, whereas initial contact was made with Paulo Fonseca last week, with an appointment aiming to be finalised before the international break is over.

Shakespeare is no stranger to abrupt departures from Premier League clubs, having also been dismissed by Everton and Watford under the reigns of Sam Allardyce and Nigel Pearson respectively. His time in charge of Leicester in 2017 was brief and unsuccessful, lasting for just eight months as he left them in the top-flight relegation zone.

Villa fans react

The Telegraph’s Matt Law shared the news regarding Shakespeare on Sunday, which led to these Villa supporters giving their thoughts to the news on social media. Many were quite pleased to see him go, believing that he didn’t cover himself in glory during his time working under Smith.

“Oh yes, thank god”

Credit: @doctor_mills

“Every cloud and so on….”

Credit: @SJFranksAllen

“Ruthless. I like it”

Credit: @konsa04

“There’s a bit more good news. Since JT left defence fell apart”

Credit: @AndyJ93519624

“Good news keeps coming”

Credit: @Cornishview

“This makes lots of sense. Let’s see.”

Credit: @buendiaball

In other news: ‘Has to be a wind up’ – Many Villa fans erupt over ‘world-class’ coach NSWE want

A number of Wolves supporters have hailed Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho following a club tweet after the 1-0 victory at Manchester United.

Wanderers enjoyed a famous Premier League win on Monday evening, clinching all three points at Old Trafford for the first time in more than 40 years.

It was an exceptional performance by Wolves all round as they used the ball intelligently, defended well and ultimately got over the finish line.

It was Moutinho who scored the only goal of the game, firing home from 20 yards late in the match, and both he and fellow Portuguese hero Neves were superb in the middle of the park. As per Sofascore, their combined statistics saw them complete 99 passes, win 10 duels, execute 14 accurate long balls and win six tackles.

After the game, Wolves’ official Twitter channel posted a photo of the pair embracing warmly following an iconic evening for Lage’s side.

Wolves fans hail Neves and Moutinho

These Wolves fans took to Twitter to heap praise on the “unbelievable” duo, who one hailed as “the best ever” midfield partnership at Molineux.

“Better than Man Utd’s midfield”

Credit: @HombreSinatra

“The best ever midfield partnership to grace the Wolves, be amazed if we ever see anything like it again. Both absolutely world-class on their day”

Credit: @HarryGoring10

“‘bUt thEy CAnT pLaY toGethER’. Both are simply world-class. We are so, so, so, so lucky to have them. The ultimate away day today”

Credit: @mattgrubb47

“Unbelievable”

Credit: @samwolves89

“Can you believe these two play for our club”

Credit: @alexjjones_

“Both absolute class this evening”

Credit: @olly_stock

In other news, Luke Hatfield has talked up a potential Wolves move for one player. Find out who it is here.

With Steven Gerrard’s reign as Aston Villa manager getting off to a perfect start in the shape of a 2-0 win last weekend, there is an unavoidable feel-good factor surrounding Villa Park at present.

Indeed, Villa are now being linked with a host of exciting players in the January transfer window, something which is seemingly a direct result of Gerrard’s appointment at the club, while the 41-year-old’s history of success with Rangers – leading the Ibrox side to their first Scottish Premiership title in a decade – also appears to bode well for the future of the manager’s new club.

On top of all of this, Aston Villa are currently enjoying the emergence of a number of incredibly exciting youth prospects, with the likes of 20-year-old Jacob Ramsey, 19-year-old Cameron Archer and 18-year-old Carney Chukwuemeka having all broken into the first-team this season.

However, it is perhaps 19-year-old Jaden Philogene-Bidace who is the most promising of all Villa’s young talents, with the winger appearing to boast the potential to flourish into a top-draw talent under the leadership of Gerrard.

Philogene-Bidace could save Villa millions

Having made the move to Aston Villa back in the summer of 2018, Philogene-Bidace has enjoyed a rather remarkable rise to the first team, continuously impressing during his time with the various age groups at Bodymoor Heath.

Indeed, over his 15 appearances for the U18s, the left-winger scored a rather remarkable nine goals and registered one assist, before being promoted to the club’s U23 side, for whom he has bagged an even more impressive 13 goals and four assists over 26 fixtures.

While these rapid returns may well have surprised many at Villa, one person who was certainly not shocked by Philogene-Bidace’s rise is Pro:Direct academy manager Danny Payne, the man who brought the teenager to the Pro:Direct academy after unsuccessful spells with clubs such as Arsenal, West Ham, Brentford and Norwich City.

Speaking of the forward’s potential, Payne said: “Without doubt he was one of the most talented players we have ever had in our academy. He had a natural talent in possession and he had a great ability to get past players and beat them. He had an ability to create chances which sounds simple but it’s very, very difficult because the detail of his play was excellent.

“In terms of a player, he would play wide left and that was his best position for us, obviously where he plays for Villa now and he had that great ability to beat players on the inside or the outside. He showed excellent end product and statistics in terms of goals and assists in his time with us, he was an all-round really, really good kid.”

As such, it is perhaps not surprising that the likes of Manchester City, Ajax, Bayern Munich and Arsenal were all reported to be keeping a very close eye on the progression of the winger earlier this year, nor why former Aston Villa manager, Dean Smith, tipped Philogene-Bidace to make a career for himself at the very top level of the English game.

So, considering the sheer amount of potential the youngster quite clearly possesses, it would appear highly advisable for Gerrard to unleash the forward over the coming weeks and months, as, should the 19-year-old continue his current rate of development, he will undoubtedly come to save NSWE millions of pounds in transfer fees in his position further down the line.

In other news: “Some contact”: AVFC handed potential transfer boost that will leave Gerrard buzzing