In a fresh transfer twist, The Friedkin Group are now reportedly working on a deal which would see Everton sign a £25m South American star with the help of AS Roma.
Calvert-Lewin confirms Everton exit
With contracts officially coming to an end around the Premier League, it’s no surprise that Everton’s transfer business has instantly shown signs of life. The Toffees are reportedly set to sign the impressive Thierno Barry and have also set their sights on a return for former loanee Jack Harrison in two deals that would reinforce their attack following Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s departure.
The forward confirmed his departure after failing to sign a new contract in Merseyside, taking to social media to say: “The choice to move on was not simply about me, it was a decision with my family and we spent a long time considering together. We believe it’s the right moment to seek a new challenge and continue growing, but that doesn’t lessen the bond I’ll always have with Everton.
“I’m deeply proud of what we’ve shared, fighting for this club when it mattered most, scoring big goals in crucial moments, wearing the shirt with commitment and pride. My hope is that I leave with your respect, knowing I always sought to uphold the values of this great club.”
Everton's DominicCalvert-Lewincelebrates scoring their first goal
Friedkin have, of course, already reacted to that news by agreeing a deal to sign Barry, but they may not be done there on the transfer front. Reports are now suggesting that the American owners want to put their Roma links to sign a £25m defender for Everton.
Friedkin now working on Wesley deal
As reported by Gianluca Di Marzio, Friedkin are now working on a move to sign Wesley in a deal that would see the Flamengo defender join Everton and then head straight out on loan to Roma. The Italian club are already reportedly working on a deal for the €30m (£26m) right-back, but it’s the Toffees who could benefit in the long run.
Bigger talent than Barry: Everton chasing £28m ace with a "hint of Haaland"
Following Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s exit, Everton are set to sign Thierno Barry, but could they also target another striker who has a “hint of Haaland”?
ByBen Gray Jul 3, 2025
Friedkin own majority stakes in both clubs and are seemingly looking to hand David Moyes and his side a major boost using that ownership. Whether the American owners can pull off a complicated deal remains to be seen, however. On Wesley’s end, there’s no doubt that Everton would be getting a talented player.
A player who has had his critics, as South American football expert Nathan Joyes explained in December, Wesley is still just 21 years old and his “pacey” speed could quickly help him transform into a Premier League star.
Despite finishing as low as 15th in the Premier League last season and missing out on every European competition, Manchester United’s exciting summer transfer window could be set to continue amid reports that one target has made a shock U-turn.
Mbeumo set to undergo Man Utd medical
After submitting an offer in excess of £60m, Manchester United have taken a vital step closer to signing Mbeumo, who is now reportedly scheduled to undergo a medical at the club as early as next week. The Brentford forward, like Cunha, is a transformative signing for Ruben Amorim’s frontline which was often found wanting last season.
Ahead of the biggest move of his career yet, Mbeumo has already received the backing of Manchester United legend Gary Neville, who spoke about the impact that both he and Cunha could make at Old Trafford.
He told Sky Sports: “[Man United] need players who are going to come in and hit the ground running. United has become a very difficult place for new signings to operate in the last ten years.
“Cunha and Mbeumo have obviously got Premier League experience. They’ve got plenty of games under their belt. [English football] is not new to them and actually they are the right type.
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He’d be a bigger signing than Mbeumo.
ByTom Cunningham Jun 27, 2025
“When I watch Manchester United wide players, they have to be able to get from box-to-box quickly. They have to be able to run, to travel with and without the ball. Mbeumo and, to be fair Cunha, can do that.”
Whilst the new attacking duo is no doubt impressive, INEOS may not be done there with incomings amid reports that one of their top targets has made a shock transfer U-turn.
Gyokeres now wants Man Utd move instead of Arsenal
In what could prove to be an almighty mistake, Arsenal’s increasing interest for Benjamin Sesko has re-opened the door for INEOS to make their best move yet at Old Trafford.
The Gunners have been chasing both strikers for weeks, laying groundwork and weighing their options, but according to The Mirror, INEOS and Manchester United are in contact to sign Viktor Gyokeres and the Swede now believes that a move to the Red Devils is his best option this summer.
The Swede’s departure from Sporting has become somewhat inevitable after his public spat with the Portuguese club and United should take full advantage of the forward’s desire to reunite with former boss Amorim.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokereskisses the trophy as he celebrate after winning the Taca de Portugal
The disagreement came to the fore when Sporting president Frederico Varandas accused Gyokeres’ agent of falsely claiming that there had been a gentleman’s agreement to sell the star striker for around £59m this summer. Instead, the Portuguese club have reportedly priced the Swede at as much as £86m – a price that his camp believe is too high to ensure a move in the coming months.
In today’s market though, Sporting may argue that a player who scored 54 goals in 52 games last season is worth every penny of that £86m fee. Whether Manchester United share that sentiment and sign a player who Sporting boss Rui Borges dubbed “phenomenal” remains to be seen, however.
Klaasen, Miller, Maharaj and Rabada all had a hand in helping them win by four runs
Firdose Moonda10-Jun-20242:25
Should cricket revisit the leg-bye rule on a referral?
South Africa survived an almighty scare to to maintain a 100% win-record at the T20 World Cup 2024, and in New York, where they chose to bat first in their final fixture at Eisenhower Park. On a used wicket, Aiden Markram decided to put a total on the board, and it almost looked like a mistake. South Africa were 23 for 4, but a record 79-run fifth-wicket stand between Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller took them to 113, which they scrapped hard to defend.Bangladesh’s start was not ideal. They were 50 for 4 after ten overs, but Towhid Hridoy and Mahmudullah put on 44 for the fifth wicket and got them back on track. They almost also got them over the line and will look back on one incident which could have forced a Super Over. In the 17th over, Mahmudullah missed a flick off Ottneil Baartman, which hit his front pad and deflected to the boundary for what looked like four leg byes. But he was given out off that ball, which made it dead at the point of impact, and reviewed the decision. Ball-tracking showed Mahmudullah was not out, but because he had been given out, the four runs did not count, as outlined by the ICC’s protocols on DRS (3.7.1) in the playing conditions for T20Is.In the end. Bangladesh fell short by four runs. That, and their inability to capitalise on Keshav Maharaj bowling the final over for the first time in T20Is and sending down three full tosses, cost them the game.Maharaj was tasked with the final over after Markram bowled the seamers out earlier. It seemed a miscalculation, but he got two wickets as Bangladesh sought to clear the boundary though neither Jaker Ali nor Mahmudullah could. Mahmudullah was out on the penultimate ball – off a full toss – to a well-timed running catch by Markram from long-on, which all but ended Bangladesh’s hopes.0:59
Morkel: South Africa held their nerve defending a low total
South Africa leave the USA with three wins from three matches, and will move to St. Vincent to play Nepal in their last group match. They are in pole position to qualify for the Super 8s. Bangladesh also head to the West Indies, and will play Netherlands and Nepal, with the Super 8s still in sight.Top-three troublesFor all the talk about the power of their batting line-up, South Africa’s top three have underperformed thus far, albeit on tough batting surfaces. Collectively, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks and Markram have scored 61 runs in nine trips to the crease at an average of 6.77. Of teams that have played at least two matches at the tournament, only Uganda and PNG average lower.The biggest concern will be Hendricks, whose scores of 4, 3 and 0 are the lowest of the trio, and whose methods of dismissal appear to show a technical deficiency. Twice in two games, Hendricks has been stuck in his crease and then played down the wrong line. He’ll be looking over his shoulder knowing fellow opener Ryan Rickelton is waiting on the bench, and could get an opportunity in the next match.Things got even worse when Tristan Stubbs was dismissed for a duck in the fifth over. South Africa have only lost their first four wickets by end of the fifth over on five occasions in men’s T20Is, and two of them came in this competition. Happily for them, they had Klaasen and Miller on hand to shore up the mid-section of the innings. Three overs: 13 runsAfter Tanzim Hasan (3 for 18) set the tone with wickets upfront, Taskin Ahmed took charge of the latter stages, helped by Rishad Hossain and Mustafizur Rahman. Between them, the trio gave away just 13 runs in the last three overs of South Africa’s innings, and removed both danger batters Klaasen and Miller in a clutch display of death bowling. Klaasen was dismissed halfway through the 18th over, when he slogged across the line but was early on his shot, and the low bounce took the ball onto leg stump. Taskin only conceded three singles off the rest of that over to finish with 2 for 19 from his four overs.It may have been a gamble to use legspinner Rishad for the penultimate over, especially when his previous three cost 28 runs, but he knocked Miller out with a topspinner second ball, and Maharaj could not get him away. Rishad’s final over cost just four. Then came the Fizz, who took the ball away from Maharaj for four consecutive dots before a fifth went wide and was called as such. The batters scored three runs off the last two balls and were frustrated by their inability to score any boundaries in the last three overs.1:24
Morkel: Miller and Klaasen showed maturity against spinners
Happy Birthday David MillerOn his 35th birthday, Miller was given a gift when he edged the first ball Mahmudullah bowled. But Litton Das, who was standing up to the stumps, was unable to react quickly enough to take the catch. Miller was on 13 at the time and went on to more than double his score and finish on 29. But that wasn’t the end of the presents for him. He was stationed at extra cover when Maharaj was brought on to bowl the first over after the powerplay, and Litton, not content with what he had already given Miller, slapped the ball straight to him. Miller made no mistake, and Bangladesh were 29 for 2 in the seventh over.Three overs: 15 runsBangladesh had to get 20 runs off the last 18 balls, and after putting on the squeeze in that period would have expected it to be difficult but perhaps not difficult. Kagiso Rabada bowled the 18th over, despite not being his best at the tournament so far. He only half-appealed when Hridoy missed an attempted clip to the leg side but was rewarded with a wicket first up. Rabada went on to concede only one more run in an over of hard lengths.Then Baartman stepped up for the 19th, and stuck to a slightly fuller length which neither Mahmudullah nor Jaker could get away. He conceded seven runs. The test was when Maharaj, who has never done this job before, was left with the final six balls. He started with a wide. His second legal ball was a low full toss that Mahmudullah hit hard down the ground, but the slow outfield stopped it from getting to the rope. Jaker tried to send the next one over the rope but couldn’t clear long-on, and then Rishad managed a leg bye.But the last two balls were both full tosses that should have been dispatched over the rope. However, Mahmdullah’s effort found Markram, while Taskin could only hit the final ball to cover to give South Africa a nervy anti-choke win.
Bedingham provides the ballast to make it two wins in as many days for Durham
ECB Reporters Network08-Jun-2024
Ben Raine claimed a brilliant five-wicket haul to derail Birmingham Bears•Getty Images
Durham 194 for 9 (Bedingham 63, Garton 3-41) beat Birmingham Bears 168 (Bethell 50, Davies 47, Raine 5-21) by 26 runsDurham completed a highly productive Vitality Blast raid on the Midlands with a 26-run victory over Birmingham Bears to follow their vanquishing of Leicestershire Foxes the previous evening.The visitors amassed an imposing 194 for nine at Edgbaston as David Bedingham continued his fine form with a scintillating 63 from 27 balls. Dan Mousley underlined his England white-ball credentials with a steel-nerved 4-0-23-2 while George Garton took three for 41.The Bears reply then fell short at 168 all out from 18.4 overs after Ben Raine (3.4-0-21-5) bowled beautifully to take important wickets at important times. Jake Bethell struck 50 (32), his maiden T20 half-century, but the chase petered out as wickets fell too regularly.The result keeps the North Division table very tight with both sides having won two and lost two. Momentum is very much with Durham after successive wins, however, while the Bears nurse back-to-back defeats.After choosing to bat, Durham lost a wicket second ball when Graham Clark chipped Garton to mid-wicket but the early strike worked against the Bears as it brought Bedingham to the crease. The South African smashed Garton for 18 in four balls and thundered to 50 in 21, reaching his half-century with six over mid-wicket in an Aamer Jamal over that went for 25.Alex Lees, the previous evening’s matchwinner at Leicester, contributed just eight to a stand of 60 before missing a slog-sweep at Mousley and falling lbw. Bedingham welcomed Jake Lintott into the attack with six into the pavilion but the wrist spinner’s revenge arrived three balls later when Rob Yates took a stinging catch at extra cover.Lintott also ended Ollie Robinson’s punchy cameo at 25, caught by Bethell at deep mid-wicket. Mousley cramped Raine’s desire to seek out the short leg-side boundary and bowled him. Ashton Turner improvised effectively for 33 (24) before top-edging a swipe at Garton and the Bears reined in the scoring during the closing overs. Just one four arrived in six overs before Matty Potts socked Garton for a six and a four in the last.Callum Parkinson trapped Yates lbw with the first legitimate ball of the Bears’ reply but Alex Davies (47,30) and Mousley (35, 20) gave their side a sound foundation with a stand of 80 in 46 balls. They fell in the space of three balls, however, when Raine won an lbw verdict to even up his personal duel with Mousley and Davies was emphatically stumped off Turner’s first ball.Sam Hain lifted Nathan Sowter to long off before Raine cranked up the pressure with a clever over which cost just five and then bowled Chris Benjamin and Jamal with the first two balls of his next.Bethell reached 50 in 31 balls but sliced to deep backward point off Potts and Hasan Ali hoisted the next to deep mid-wicket. Raine returned to bowl Lintott and then complete the win in glorious style by knocking out Garton’s middle stump.
Tottenham Hotspur appear to have lost out in the race for a highly-rated forward, as La Liga champions Barcelona agree terms to seal his signature before Thomas Frank’s side had the chance.
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Spurs are expected to back their new manager to the hilt this summer, especially after they qualified for the Champions League with their historic Europa League final win in Bilbao.
Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025
Average match rating
Son Heung-min
7.00
James Maddison
6.98
Pedro Porro
6.95
Dominic Solanke
6.84
Dejan Kulusevski
6.83
via WhoScored
The Lilywhites are set for a significant financial windfall, which Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge described as “huge” in terms of their recruitment drive. Chairman Daniel Levy and technical director Johan Lange no longer have to operate under a sell-to-buy policy, with Spurs already agreeing a permanent deal for Mathys Tel as they continue to scour the market for new wingers.
With Son Heung-min’s future uncertain, amid links to Saudi Arabia, the likes of West Ham United star Mohammed Kudus, Man City outcast Jack Grealish, Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, Southampton sensation Tyler Dibling and Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo have all been linked within the past fortnight.
Brentford's BryanMbeumoreacts
Tottenham face competition from Man United for Mbeumo, who’ve now submitted a fresh £60 million bid for the Cameroonian, while Bournemouth are expected to demand around £70 million for Semenyo (The Athletic).
Levy and Lange will need to either dig deep into the Tottenham coffers or get very creative in their pursuit of a high-profile winger, as all of their reported targets are likely to cost a premium.
The north Londoners did have their eyes on a bargain option, though, in the form of FC Copenhagen starlet Roony Bardghji.
FC Copenhagen midfielderRoony Bardghji.
Bardghji, dubbed the ‘Swedish Messi’ by some, burst on to the scene with a heroic performance against Man United in the Champions League nearly two years ago.
He bagged a stunning late winner against them at the end of an unlikely 4-3 group stage victory over the Red Devils in November 2023, with Bardghji set to leave Copenhagen on the cheap this summer as his contract expires in late December.
The 19-year-old, after coming back from a serious injury, is now on the verge of joining Barcelona – but Spurs did try their hand.
Barcelona hijack Tottenham talks for Roony Bardghji
Tottenham held talks with Bardghji and his representatives in a bid to tempt the winger to London, according to journalist Graeme Bailey and TBR Football, but Barça are now seemingly set to “win the race” for his signature.
Manchester City's Mateo Kovacic in action with FC Copenhagen's RoonyBardghji
That is according to TBR again in another update this week, with Bailey reporting that while Tottenham hoped to inspire a ‘Lucas Bergvall-type’ transfer by opening talks with Bardghji, Hansi Flick’s side have hijacked their move by closing in on a deal for the top talent.
This is echoed by reliable media sources like Fabrizio Romano, who believe that Bardghji’s move to the Camp Nou is merely a matter of time with terms agreed.
Levy has now missed out on a potential bargain forward who could’ve joined for the meagre price of just £1.7 million, not to mention a player who’s been likened to Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah.
“He has very similar characteristics to Mohamed Salah,” said Scandinavian journalist Nicklas Degn.
“When Copenhagen have to come up with something brilliant or unlock a team, it is Roony they look to. He has this unique talent.”
Manchester United have now made an enquiry over signing a £34 million defender who is also wanted by Tottenham Hotspur and once rejected a move to Arsenal.
Man Utd eyeing defensive reinforcements this summer
It could be said that there are multiple positions United need to address this summer, with strengthening their forward line clearly a key agenda, given the arrival of Matheus Cunha and the expected arrival of Bryan Mbeumo. But as well as looking at the front of the team, Ruben Amorim is also mindful about his defence, and they are now looking at potential arrivals there.
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At the end of last week, it was reported in Spain that INEOS were readying a £25 million bid to sign Vanderson from AS Monaco. The Brazilian is a right-back by trade, so he would likely be a player to compete for a starting spot in Amorim’s wing-back role. The 23-year-old finished last season with one goal and three assists in 29 Ligue 1 games, and that earned him a call-up to the Brazil squad in Carlo Ancelotti’s first games in charge.
As well as preparing a bid to sign Vanderson, reports have emerged that United have opened talks to sign Aymeric Laporte from Al-Nassr. The Frenchman is expected to leave Saudi Arabia this summer, and that has alerted United, who would be making a bold move given his time at Manchester City. Al-Nassr are looking to get around £23 million for Laporte.
Man Utd make enquiry to sign Evan Ndicka from Roma
Laporte is not the only centre-back on the radar of the Red Devils, as according to RMC Sport, Man United have now made an approach to sign Evan Ndicka from AS Roma, who once rejected a move to Arsenal, saying: “I’m not pretending that I don’t see the rumours. But I have respect in Rome and I respect them. I have three years remaining on my contract, we will see what happens later.”
Atalanta's Raoul Bellanova in action with AS Roma's EvanNdicka
Amorim is looking to strengthen his options in defence, and Ndicka is now a name that is under consideration by the Red Devils. However, they are not alone, as Tottenham have also made an approach to Roma over a possible deal, and they could hold an advantage over United, as they can offer the defender Champions League football.
Despite being under contract until 2028, Ndicka, who has been dubbed “superb” by scout Jacek Kulig, is allowed to leave Roma this summer, with them reportedly looking to get €40 million, which is roughly £34 million, for his services.
Evan Ndicka’s 24/25 Serie A stats
Apps
38
Starts
38
Assists
1
Touches per game
75.3
Balls recovered per game
3.5
Dribbled past per game
0.2
Clearances per game
3.8
Errors leading to goal
0
The 25-year-old, who has been capped six times for the Ivory Coast, joined the Italian team in July 2023 on a free transfer. During his time in Italy, Ndicka has been a consistent performer for Roma, playing in every league game during the 2024/25 campaign.
He started all 38 matches and helped Roma keep 16 clean sheets. United have seen Victor Lindelof depart Old Trafford, and with Lisandro Martínez still recovering from his long-term injury, Amorim may see Ndicka as a player who can provide not only competition but also improve their defensive organisation.
It’s all change at Manchester United so far this summer, with Matheus Cunha signed, Bryan Mbeumo seemingly on his way and now one struggling striker increasingly likely to depart the club.
Man Utd commence attacking overhaul
Starting by triggering Cunha’s £63m release clause, Manchester United’s attacking overhaul is officially underway. The Brazilian is set to hand Ruben Amorim an instant upgrade in his frontline and could slot straight into one of the two attacking midfield roles in his 3-4-2-1 system. He’s unlikely to be the only fresh face in United’s frontline too.
The Red Devils are also pushing to sign Mbeumo from Brentford with reports going as far as to suggest that they’re willing to offer the talented forward a £13m-a-year salary to join. All of a sudden, from a blunt frontline, Amorim could have two options at his disposal who scored over 15 Premier League goals each last season and two options who should finally push United away from the bottom half next season.
Both have earned plenty of praise in recent weeks as they potentially prepare to combine at Old Trafford and that includes from Manchester United legend Gary Neville, who told Sky Sports: “Cunha and Mbeumo have obviously got Premier League experience. They’ve got plenty of games under their belt. [English football] is not new to them and actually they are the right type.
“When I watch Manchester United wide players, they have to be able to get from box-to-box quickly. They have to be able to run, to travel with and without the ball. Mbeumo and, to be fair Cunha, can do that.”
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He won six Premier League titles at Manchester City.
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What those arrivals will mean for one player, however, is a likely departure away from Old Trafford to bring an end to what has been a nightmare spell at the Theatre of Dreams.
Hojlund gives green light to Inter Milan move
According to Saturday’s print edition of Corriere Dello Sport, as relayed by TeamTalk, Rasmus Hojlund has now given the green light to Inter Milan, who are closing in on sealing the Dane’s signature in a €40-45m (£33-£38m) deal.
Rasmus Hojlund
The struggling forward has looked desperate for a fresh start for at least a year, as have several others in a Manchester United shirt. Unlike some around him, however, Hojlund is seemingly set to get his wish courtesy of Inter Milan.
Rasmus Hojlund at Man Utd
Record (via Transfermarkt)
Appearances
95
Goals
26
Assists
6
After scoring 26 goals and creating another six in 95 appearances across the last two years, to say that Hojlund has far from lived up to his £72m price tag would be a major understatement. Many expected the Dane to lead United’s frontline for years to come. As it happens, though, he may have lasted just two years before moving back to Italy.
Given that the struggling forward earns a reported £85,000-a-week at the club, INEOS should be keen to clear his salary from their wage bill to make room for the likes of Cunha and Mbeumo this summer.
Tottenham Hotspur have now joined the race for an “amazing” Premier League midfielder, but there could be fierce competition for his signature from some of Europe’s top clubs, according to a report.
Spurs' summer transfer plans
The 1-0 victory at Eintracht Frankfurt last week has provided Totttenham with a real chance to make a success out of this season, with Ange Postecoglou’s side now just a two-legged tie against Bodo/Glimt away from reaching the Europa League final.
However, having fallen way below expectations in the Premier League, Spurs have set out to make serious improvements to their squad this summer, with targets being identified in multiple positions, including attacking midfield.
Como maestro Nico Paz has recently been named as a potential target for the Lilywhites, having enjoyed an impressive debut campaign in the Serie A, while they have also set their sights on Athletic Bilbao’s Oihan Sancet.
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According to a report from The Boot Room, Tottenham are also considering options from within the Premier League, and they have now joined the race for Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly, who is attracting the attention of some of Europe’s top clubs.
Having enjoyed a breakthrough season with Man City, the likes of Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain have now expressed an interest in O’Reilly, while Chelsea and Newcastle United headline the interest from the Premier League.
Manchester City's NicoO'Reillycelebrates after the match
The 20-year-old is an attacking midfielder by trade, but he has showcased his versatility by starring at left-back since breaking into the City starting XI, and Pep Guardiola is eager to keep hold of him.
In fact, such is City’s determination to retain the services of the youngster, who has previously been valued at £40m, they are in talks over a new contract, which could make it very difficult for Spurs to lure him to north London.
"Amazing" O'Reilly starring for Man City
It is little wonder some of Europe’s top clubs are now queuing up for the starlet, given the level of his performances since breaking into the Man City side, scoring twice in his last two Premier League outings, including what could be a very important effort against Everton last time out.
Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has clearly been impressed by the City academy graduate’s recent displays, lauding him as “amazing” earlier this month, while also describing him as a “versatile and quality player”, given the job he has done at left-back.
That said, it seems unlikely that Tottenham will be able to sign the England U20 international this summer, considering he is now closing in on a contract extension at the Etihad Stadium, which means they may have to move on to other attacking midfield targets, of which there is no shortage.
Everton scored a late, late winner against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon to secure a deserved 1-0 win over Nuno Santo’s top four contenders.
Despite Forest sitting third and the Toffees in 14th prior to the match, David Moyes’ men performed incredibly well throughout the match, with the late winner by Abdoulaye Doucoure ensuring they headed back to Merseyside in a great mood.
Abdoulaye Doucoure
Everton dominated possession throughout (58% to 42%) while registering 13 shots, claiming seven corners and taking 29 touches in the opposition penalty area, compared to just nine for the home side.
Doucoure has had his critics recently, but his goal to seal the victory will go a long way to redemption, that’s for sure.
Abdoulaye Doucoure's game in numbers vs Forest
The 32-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season, with his future at their new Bramley more Stadium rather uncertain at this moment in time.
Before the Forest clash, the Malian star had scored only two goals in the Premier League this season and not many expected him to pop up and net the winner on Saturday afternoon.
Abdoulaye Doucoure
However, he popped up like a seasoned striker, bursting onto the end of Dwight McNeil’s counter-attacking pass to find the back of the net. His celebration? Rather cryptic, let’s put it that way, pointing to his head and then appearing to sign an imaginary piece of paper. Perhaps a new contract is incoming?
While the goal was vital, the midfielder completed 33 of his 37 passes – a success rate of 89% – took 50 touches, succeeded with 100% of his long balls and crosses into the box plus made a solitary tackle.
Will this display be enough to convince Moyes to extend his Everton contract for at least another season? Who knows, but he certainly bailed out a few players during the game.
Nottingham Forest vs Everton – Key Statistics
Metric
Highest-ranked
Accurate passes
Mykolenko (51)
Key passes
Moreno (4)
Tackles
Garner, Anderson & Milenkovic (3)
Ground duels won
Anderson (7)
Shots on target
Ndiaye (3)
Via Sofascore
Everton star saved by Doucoure must be dropped
While many of Everton’s forward line have flattered to deceive this term, a certain Jack Harrison has been notably poor throughout the campaign and failed to influence the side again against a team chasing a Champions League place next season. As a result, he must be axed from the starting XI.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
The winger had missed only four Premier League matches before the match on Saturday yet had registered only one goal and one assist during that time.
Those are hardly the best returns for the current Leeds United loan player, and he won’t be returning to the club next season. That’s a certainty.
Jack Harrison
Harrison did look lively in spells against Forest, delivering 14 crosses into the opposition’s penalty area, although only four were accurate. He even set up Iliman Ndiaye and James Garner for chances, yet both players missed their opportunities.
His antics going forward meant the winger lost the ball a staggering 25 times throughout the game. Given he took 60 touches, this works out as losing the ball once every 2.4 touches.
Journalist Chris Beesley gave the Englishman a match rating of 7/10 for his display, writing in the Liverpool Echo, notably criticising an effort he had that was blazed over the bar. It rather summed up his stint at Goodison.
Thus, with the man who replaced him, McNeil, actually registering the game-winning assist, perhaps it is the former Burnley man who should start instead of Harrison next time around.
Friedkin table offer in race to sign "perfect" £25m+ defender for Everton
Celtic’s amazing head coach of recent times, Ange Postecoglou, achieved great success during his two years at Parkhead before a move to England.
The Australian boss, who won the domestic treble in his final campaign at Celtic, won the Scottish Premiership title in both of his seasons with the club.
Ange Postecoglou.
Underpinning his success at Paradise was the excellent work done in the recruitment department, signing the likes of Jota, Kyogo Furuhashi, Joe Hart, and Cameron Carter-Vickers among others.
Jota was, arguably, the greatest signing of Postecoglou’s tenure as he joined the Hoops for a reported fee of £6.5m, after thriving on loan in his first season at the club, as shown in the graphic below.
After his exceptional form in the 2022/23 campaign, Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad swooped in to sign the winger for a reported fee of £25m, representing a huge profit for the club, and the winger has since returned on a permanent deal from Rennes in January for £8m.
Not all of Postecoglou’s signings at Celtic paid off, though, and one of the most infamous, for lack of a better word, moves was the addition of James McCarthy in the summer of 2021.
The curious case of James McCarthy
Ahead of the 2021/22 campaign, the Scottish giants confirmed the double signing of Joe Hart on a permanent deal from Tottenham Hotspur and McCarthy on a free transfer from Crystal Palace.
At the time of that double deal, Postecoglou said: “I’m delighted that we have signed two top-class players in Joe and James. Both of them have a wealth of experience at both club and international level, and that is something which can only benefit the squad, and I’m looking forward to working with both of them.”
Hart went on to live up to that “top-class” tag with 64 clean sheets and only 145 goals conceded in 153 matches – less than a goal conceded per game – in three years at the club.
McCarthy, however, has not had the best of times at Parkhead so far and only played 22 times, racking up 739 minutes of action, in the 2021/22 campaign.
He followed that up with just 62 minutes on the pitch in five appearances in all competitions in the 2022/23 term, missing significant time through an injury picked up midway through the season – per The Scottish Sun.
Since the 2022/23 campaign, McCarthy has not made a single appearance for the first-team – playing two times for the B team in the Lowland League last season – and his current status is incredibly unclear.
James McCarthy’s Celtic career
Season
First-team appearances
Yearly wage
24/25
0
£728k
23/24
0
£728k
22/23
5
£728k
21/22
22
£728k
Wage via Salary Sport
As per The Scottish Sun earlier this year, there is a mystery surrounding the Irish midfielder because he has been removed from the club website, was not in the team picture in pre-season, and has not made a senior appearance since the 2022/23 campaign, yet Celtic have never confirmed his departure.
Per Salary Sport in the table above, the Hoops are still paying McCarthy £728k-per-season and Transfermarkt reports that the Irishman’s current deal does not officially expire until this summer, which means that the club appear to be paying a significant sum of wages for, essentially, nothing in return.
Celtic midfielder James McCarthy.
It is a bizarre situation and one that may be officially resolved in the summer if and when they confirm that he has left the club at the end of his deal.
Celtic, however, have another player who is fast becoming the new McCarthy, as another flop on fairly big wages despite rarely being seen on the pitch, in the form of Anthony Ralston.
Why Ralston is becoming the new McCarthy
Per Salary Sport, the Scotland international is on a weekly wage of £14k at Parkhead this season, with McCarthy being the only other player in the squad on the same wage.
Wage Burners
Football FanCast’s Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.
This means that he is currently on more money per week than Kasper Schmeichel (£13k), Nicolas Kuhn (£12k), Paulo Bernardo (£11k), and Luke McCowan (£8k), among other first-team stars.
That is despite Schmeichel being the number one goalkeeper and Kuhn delivering excellent performances this season, racking up 18 goals and 14 assists from a right wing position for the Scottish giants.
The German winger has, therefore, made a huge impact at the top end of the pitch for the Hoops in all competitions, providing quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.
Ralston, on the other hand, has only started five matches in the Champions League and the Premiership combined in the 2024/25 campaign, after starting six times in those two competitions last season.
The Scottish defender, who came up through the academy system, did start 61 Premiership matches between the 2019/20 and 22/23 campaigns, but has fallen down the pecking order in recent years.
Anthony Ralston’s Celtic career
Season
League starts
Yearly wage
24/25
5
£728k
23/24
6
£728k
22/23
14
£728k
21/22
25
£442k
20/21
1
£286k
19/20
21
£286k
18/19
3
£234k
17/18
7
£234k
16/17
1
£130k
Wages via Salary Sport & stats via Transfermarkt
As you can see in the table above, he has only started 11 league matches – alongside zero in Europe – since the start of the 2023/24 season for the Hoops, earning the best part of £1.5m in wages in that time.
The rarely-seen defender is, therefore, fast becoming the new McCarthy at Celtic as his number of league starts each season has declined year-on-year for the last four campaigns, despite still being a relatively high earner.
Celtic defender Anthony Ralston.
Ralston is currently earning more in wages than players, like Kuhn and Schmeichel, who offer far more on the pitch for the Bhoys, which suggests that the Hoops are throwing money down the drain with the reserve defender.
With this in mind, Celtic should consider moving the full-back on in the upcoming summer transfer window before his lack of minutes on the pitch reaches McCarthy’s territory.
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Unless Ralston can find a way to put himself back in Brendan Rodgers’ plans as a regular in the first-team, the 26-year-old flop is well on his way to becoming a forgotten man at Parkhead.