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Everton boss Frank Lampard is keen to raid former club Chelsea in order to land Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi, according to reports.

What’s the word?

As per 90min, the Toffees are said to be ‘in talks’ regarding a summer deal for the 26-year-old, with the Stamford Bridge outfit believed to be open to a departure in order to help lower their current wage bill.

The report suggests that any move to sign the 6 foot 1 menace – who spent last season on loan at Besiktas – would be a permanent one, bringing an end to his six-year stay in west London.

Lampard is seemingly hoping to utilise his Blues connections in order to secure a triple swoop before the September deadline, with the report also outlining that the Merseysiders are eyeing moves for both Billy Gilmour and Ross Barkley.

Imagine him and McNeil

While it has never worked out for Batshuayi during his time at his parent club – having been shipped out on loan on five occasions over the past few years – that’s not to suggest that he couldn’t thrive at Goodison Park, having showcased his talent during those temporary stints.

His latest loan move to Turkey proved particularly fruitful for the £69k-per-week marksman as he netted 14 goals and provided five assists in 33 Super Lig games last term, enjoying something of a career rejuvenation in Istanbul.

Once dubbed “prolific” by journalist Alex Wood, the £9m-rated ace also continues to impress on the international stage for the Red Devils, having scored 25 goals in just 45 caps thus far since making his debut back in 2015.

Equally, prior to his £33m move to Chelsea, the Brussels-born hotshot had also enjoyed stunning spells in both Belgium and France, scoring 44 goals in 120 games at Standard Liege, before bagging a further 33 times in just 78 appearances at Marseille.

Should he be able to recapture the form that he showed early on in his career – as well as last season – then Lampard and co could well have a real talent on their hands, with the former England international potentially able to pair the forward with new arrival, Dwight McNeil.

The 22-year-old has already sparked excitement over his potential impact at the club having netted twice on ‘debut’ in the recent pre-season victory over Dynamo Kyiv, after joining on a £20m deal from relegated Burnley earlier this week.

Comfortable all across the front line, the Englishman could be the man to supply the goods for Batshuayi to feed off in attack, with such a dynamic partnership likely to help ease the blow of the departure of former talisman, Richarlison.

Goals were undoubtedly an issue last term as the Toffees netted just 43 times in the Premier League, with McNeil’s wicked delivery and the Belgian’s finishing prowess likely to prove the perfect solution to those attacking woes.

AND in other news: “Still keen..”: Journo drops big Everton transfer update that’ll worry supporters

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) Public Investment Fund (PIF) are reportedly planning talks over the possible signing of Luis Muriel for Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: Striker wanted

Given recent links to the likes of Benjamin Sesko and Armando Broja, it is clear that the St James’ Park outfit want to bring in a new striker before the transfer window closes.

Callum Wilson opened his account for the season with a delightful finish in the 2-0 win at home to Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon, but the Tyneside club will want a decent back-up for their 2021/22 top scorer in case he gets injured (as has happened frequently) or suspended.

The Latest: Muriel talks planned

As per TuttoMercatoWeb, talks have already been planned with Atalanta over a potential move for Muriel.

However, it looks as if Newcastle will face competition from Juventus to sign the Colombia international.

The Verdict: Shrewd move

Signing Muriel could turn out to be a shrewd move by the Tynesiders, should they be able to get a deal over the line.

It is believed that it would cost around €15m (£12.6m) to sign the 31-year-old as he is in the last year of his contract.

Hailed as an ‘incredible’ footballer by Atalanta team-mate Ruslan Malinovskyi, this could turn out to be a bargain for a player with no fewer than 148 goals over the course of his career for both club and country.

Muriel is certainly one to watch for Newcastle supporters as the transfer window progresses.

Tottenham Hotspur sporting director Fabio Paratici has now made a unique player swap only offer to sign Roma star Nicolo Zaniolo, and the Serie A giants have already replied.

The Lowdown: Spurs heavily linked…

The Italy international has been very heavily linked with a move to Spurs over the last few weeks and there are also reports of talks being held between the Premier League side and Jose Mourinho’s men.

Zaniolo finished 21/22 as one of Roma’s brightest players, completing more successful take-ons per 90 than any of his teammates, potentially motivating Paratici and manager Antonio Conte to sit up and pay attention.

The Lilywhites allegedly remain in the market for a creative midfield player and Zaniolo may well fit the bill.

The Latest: Paratici makes Zaniolo offer…

Now, according to a report from Italy, Spurs and Paratici have made a genuine offer to try and sign the 23-year-old.

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Newspaper La Repubblica, via GialloRossi.net, claim the north Londoners have tabled both Japhet Tanganga and Tanguy Ndombele in a straight swap deal with ‘no cash on the scales’.

However, Roma have refused the proposal, with Mourinho instead asking for Oliver Skipp in exchange – an idea which has been rebuffed by Spurs.

The Verdict: Keep pushing?

With a few weeks remaining of the window, there is still plenty of time for Spurs and Roma to find middle ground in negotiations and come to an agreement which satisfies all parties.

Conte’s side should keep pushing for Zaniolo given his fine finish to last season with the tricky ace also drawing more fouls per 90 last season than any Roma player (WhoScored).

The attacker has enjoyed a new lease of life under Mourinho in recent months, highlighting Zaniolo’s real quality and backing the opinion of former Juventus full-back Federico Balzaretti – who called him ‘special’.

West Ham United have now ‘made an offer’ to sign Paris Saint-Germain defender Thilo Kehrer, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

The Lowdown: Reinforcements needed

With summer signing Nayef Aguerd sustaining an ankle injury during the Irons’ pre-season defeat against Rangers, not to mention Issa Diop being on the verge of joining Premier League rivals Fulham, it’s no secret that David Moyes needs to bolster his defensive ranks.

Sheth recently claimed that the Hammers held initial talks over a potential move with the 25-year-old Kehrer, who has entered the final year of his contract with the Ligue 1 giants, and it looks like a switch to the London Stadium could well be on the cards.

The Latest: West Ham make Kehrer offer

Taking to Twitter, the Sky Sports journalist has now confirmed that West Ham have submitted an official proposal in an attempt to secure Kehrer’s services. He wrote:

“West Ham United have made an offer to sign PSG defender Thilo Kehrer.  West Ham are awaiting a response. They have other options they will pursue if they can’t reach an agreement with PSG.”

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The Verdict: Diop replacement

If the Irons do manage to get this deal over the line, it would be a massive coup for Moyes, who you would imagine views Kehrer as a suitable successor to Diop.

The 20-cap international, hailed a ‘complete player’ by Germany manager Hansi Flick, stands at 6 foot 1 so could bring some height to the Hammers’ backline, but last season also recorded a 94.7% pass success rate in Ligue 1, highlighting his most impressive trait – the composure to play out from the back.

Kehrer’s versatility to play at both centre-back and right-back will also be attractive to Moyes, and he would be a welcome addition to the West Ham squad in the middle of a defensive crisis.

Can’t get enough of West Ham? Get a live stream reminder for their next match: Nottingham Forest vs West Ham United

Tottenham Hotspur starlet Bryan Gil has his eye on a move to Spain as reports share the latest exit news out of north London.

The Lowdown: Spurs summer sales…

The Premier League top-four chasers, having sealed a plethora of major signings over this transfer window, also need to get players out of the door as sporting director Fabio Paratici attempts to balance the books.

Spurs midfielder Giovani Lo Celso has joined Villarreal on loan whilst the likes of Joe Rodon (loan to Rennes) and Steven Bergwijn (Ajax, permanent deal) also left the club earlier this summer.

Club record signing Tanguy Ndombele, joining Napoli on loan with the option to make it permanent, is the latest move away with news emerging on the status of Gil.

The Latest: Gil eyes Valencia move…

While little headway has been made in terms of an agreement, Spanish media have claimed that the Spurs starlet has his eye on a move to the Mestalla Stadium.

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According to El Desmarque, the 21-year-old is believed to be prioritising Valencia before September 1 but both the Lilywhites and the La Liga side are currently far apart in terms of an agreement.

Spurs wish to monetise his potential loan to the club whilst Valencia don’t expect to pay a fee for the temporary deal.

The Verdict: Reach compromise?

Depending on manager Antonio Conte’s plans for Gil, if there is no guarantee of regular game time, we believe facilitating this return to Valencia is in Spurs’ best interest.

The Spaniard thrived on a second-half-of-season loan at the club last season, earning plenty of praise for his performances, and a reunion could be perfect to further his development.

Letting such talent go to waste on the bench would be a real shame given Gil’s vast potential with knowledgeable journalist David Cartlidge, speaking last year, backing that he is a ‘very, very exciting’ player.

Journalist Daniele Longo of Calciomercato has now shared a Tottenham Hotspur exit twist after Nottingham Forest’s bid for defender Japhet Tanganga.

The Lowdown: Tanganga tipped for Milan…

Spurs sporting director Fabio Paratici has been attempting to balance the books and rid manager Antonio Conte of any players who are currently not in his plans.

Giovani Lo Celso, Tanguy Ndombele, Joe Rodon and Steven Bergwijn come as Tottenham’s most high profile departures with the quartet sealing moves away either on loan or permanently.

Bryan Gil is also the current subject of talks with Valencia while defender Tanganga has been widely tipped to potentially join AC Milan for the majority of this window.

However, in a twist to the tale, it appears a Premier League side have entered contention for the latter 23-year-old.

The Latest: Forest ‘close to agreement’…

Longo, taking to social media, has now claimed that Nottingham Forest are ‘close’ to an agreement for Tanganga after making a £20million bid.

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However, the journalist also says that Spurs’ starlet wants to join Milan over a move to the City Ground.

Longo explained:

“#Nottingham Forest made a £20 million bid for #Tanganga and is close to agreement with #Tottenham . But Japhet wants the #Milan who has to change the conditions (not right but obligation bound to attendance).”

The Verdict: Interesting…

In terms of the better move for Tanganga, it’s truly difficult to decide.

From a certain point of view, regular minutes in the English top flight at Forest would prepare the youngster for future seasons and provide Tanganga with much-needed experience of Europe’s, arguably, most challenging division.

On the other hand, Fikayo Tomori is a prime example of one player who now stars in Italy after failing to see much game time at former club Chelsea.

Tanganga could follow a similar trajectory, and as per this report, it appears he is holding out for that despite a close agreement with Forest.

Tottenham Hotspur are in talks over a deal to bring Daniel James to north London this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Fabrizio Romano, with the Italian journalist revealing in a recent post on Twitter that, following earlier reports of Spurs’ interest in a “shock” move the Leeds United winger, Fabio Paratici is indeed in discussions with the Whites regarding a deal for the 24-year-old over the remainder of the summer transfer window.

The transfer insider went on to state that Tottenham are hoping to secure the Wales international on a season-long loan with an option to purchase – believed to be in the region of £20m – the forward next summer, although it is also claimed that Jesse Marsch is not against keeping the attacker at Elland Road beyond Thursday’s transfer deadline.

In his post, Romano said: “Tottenham have discussed potential loan with buy option for Daniel James with Leeds last week – not an easy deal, also Everton asked for Dan. Situation remains open, it’s up to the player – Leeds would be happy to keep James.”

Paratici’s biggest mistake

While it is true that Antonio Conte has stated his desire to sign a replacement for Bryan Gil before sanctioning the Spain U21 international’s agreed loan to Valencia, considering just how poor James has been for Leeds since his £25m move from Manchester United last summer, the argument that the Welshman’s signing would be his biggest mistake yet is an easy one to make.

Indeed, according to FBref, the £16.2m-rated forward ranks in the bottom 28% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s big five leagues and European competitions for non-penalty goals per 90, as well as the bottom 37% for assists, the bottom 8% for xG assisted – xG which follows a pass that assists a shot – and the bottom 6% for shot-creating actions over the last 365 days.

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Furthermore, the 34-cap international also ranks in the bottom 1% for passes attempted per 90, in addition to the bottom 5% for passes completed, the bottom 9% for progressive passes, the bottom 21% for progressive carries and the bottom 4% for dribbles completed over the past 12 months.

The £50k-per-week forward once again fails to impress in his defensive metrics, ranking in the bottom 30% for interceptions per 90, as well as the bottom 32% for blocks, the bottom 42% for aerial duels won and the bottom 49% for tackles over the last year.

As such, with James evidently being ineffective in the final third, poor in both his passing and carrying of the ball and underwhelming when working back in a defensive capacity, exactly what Paratici has seen in the 24-year-old to identify him as a suitable match for Conte’s squad is very much up for debate.

However, one thing that would seem much more certain is that should the Italian sporting director go on to agree a loan with a £20m option to buy the Welshman in the coming days, it would undoubtedly be his biggest mistake at Tottenham to date after an impressive transfer haul throughout 2022 so far.

West Ham United summer signing Gianluca Scamacca is looking ‘anxious’, according to BT Sport pundit and former Irons favourite Joe Cole.

The Lowdown: West Ham make hard work of FCSB…

The Premier League side made hard work of their latest victory against Romanian club FCSB in the Europa Conference League on Thursday evening.

The visitors took a shock early lead when forward Andrei Cordea buried his effort past Alphonse Areola just past the half-hour mark, handing West Ham a mountain to climb in front of some very nervy home supporters.

Alas, a hat-trick of inspired changes from manager David Moyes turned the game on its head, with substitutes Michail Antonio and Jarrod Bowen in particular playing starring roles. Their goals helped to inspire a spirited West Ham comeback, with summer signing Emerson Palmieri also getting on the scoresheet.

The Latest: Cole makes Scamacca claim on BT Sport…

Scamacca, who was replaced by Antonio at half-time on Thursday, was the subject of debate on BT Sport during the interval, with former West Ham star Cole having his say on the summer signing.

He drew a worrying comparison to ex-east London flop Sebastien Haller whilst stating the Italian looks ‘anxious’ in the final third right now.

Cole explained to BT Sport at 20:55 (via West Ham Zone): “He’s [Scamacca] just snatching at his chances at the moment, and that’s not helping him, and it might not help his confidence.”

“He looks anxious doesn’t he as a striker? We’ve seen it with a great player, top player, Haller, when he came in. He never settled and you don’t want that for Scamacca, so he needs to just slow himself down and calm himself down.”

The Verdict: Bit soon…

Having just come back to full fitness and playing in a new country, it will inevitably take some time for the 23-year-old to grow accustomed to life under Moyes at the London Stadium.

Scamacca has already shown signs of promise, causing some problems at home to Man City in West Ham’s opening game of the season.

Coming with a glowing reputation, we believe that it’s only a matter of time that the seven-cap international will find his feet.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola will have to cope without star defender Kyle Walker for tonight’s Champions League clash against Borussia Dortmund.

The Lowdown: Sky Blues flying…

The Premier League champions have come flying out the blocks in all competitions so far this season, remaining unbeaten both domestically and in Europe.

Guardiola’s side are yet to concede defeat in the league and have started this year’s European campaign with a convincing 4-0 win away to La Liga giants Sevilla.

Marquee summer signing Erling Haaland has been grabbing all the headlines with his imperious form and City supporters will be excited to see what this season holds with the Norwegian up front.

However, as City prepare to take on the striker’s former side in the Champions League group stage tonight, Guardiola has some bad news involving star defender Walker.

The Latest: Walker out…

The England international, who has been a crucial mainstay for the Sky Blues in recent seasons, will be absent as he remains sidelined.

Indeed, while compatriot John Stones has returned to full training, the same cannot be said of Walker who is yet to take to the grass.

Guardiola explained to City’s official website:

“John is training, but Kyle isn’t. John is fit and good.”

The Verdict: Blow for Pep…

While Joao Cancelo is a good name to call upon for the right-back role against Dortmund tonight, City will be missing Walker’s recovery pace and will want him back available as soon as possible.

Perhaps one of the more undervalued players of Guardiola’s star-studded squad, the 32-year-old provides real speed and power on the overlap going forward too.

Former Sheffield United midfielder and boxer Curtis Woodhouse is certainly a fan with the ex-British light welterweight champion calling Walker ‘world class’ and ‘elite’ – not to mention the ‘most underrated player in world football’ (via Twitter).

Indeed, the ex-Tottenham star will be a miss until his return.

Wolves may be having problems in the Premier League but their academy side are continuing to impress as they sealed their spot in the knockout stages of the Papa John’s Trophy on Tuesday night.

After defeating Shrewsbury Town 2-1 in their opening fixture thanks to a late brace from Joe Hodge, James Collins’ side repeated the trick against Stockport County last night to ensure their progression from Group C.

Goals from Lee Harkin and Tyler Roberts earned the Old Gold all three points, with only a late consolation from Conor Jennings putting a dampener on another impressive win and performance from the youngsters.

One man who staked a claim for a first-team spot with his performance was the much-discussed Chem Campbell, who is emerging as one of the top talents in Wolves’ academy.

As per SofaScore, the 19-year-old winger would earn a sold 6.6/10 rating for his display, with his creative ability clear to see throughout the 90 minutes, as he contributed three key passes, which was the most of any Wolves player to feature.

The teenage winger was heavily involved in Wolves’ attacking play, having two shots on target, one shot blocked and one shot hit the woodwork during the game, so he was clearly unlucky not to get on the scoresheet.

Considering Wolves’ lack of goals and shots this season, with just three strikes in seven Premier League fixtures and only 2.86 shots on target per game thus far – the third worst in the division – Lage might consider promoting Campbell to the first team in the hope that he could ease their attacking woes.

Express and Star journalist Liam Keen was particularly impressed with one of Campbell’s solo runs during the game against Stockport County.

He said: “Chem Campbell, wow. A sublime solo run almost results in a goal, but the goalkeeper tips it around the post. He’s been slightly quieter this half but is clearly a cut above this level.”

Campbell is clearly ready to be making his mark in senior football and with no loan move possible until January, a spell in the first team could well be on the cards for the teenager, especially when you consider the poor form of fellow wingers Pedro Neto, Goncalo Guedes and Hwang Hee-Chan, who have just one assist between them this season.

The Wales U19 international managed nine goals and nine assists in the Premier League 2 last season, so if Wolves continue to toil in front of goal, then Lage should consider unleashing Campbell in the first team, having afforded him just nine minutes of senior action so far this campaign.