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The Athletic journalist Greg O’Keeffe doesn’t think that either Rafael Benitez or the Everton board will be keen on signing Donny van de Beek. 

The lowdown

The Manchester United midfielder’s agent said in September that he had tried to find a new club for his client and that his search had ‘ended up at Everton’. He claimed that talks were held over a possible transfer, only for United to intervene and block any deal.

Van de Beek has been on the periphery at Old Trafford this season, playing just five minutes across the Red Devils’ first seven Premier League fixtures, and the Dutchman’s estimated transfer value has fallen to £22.5m as a result, having been just shy of £50m less than two years ago.

The latest

In a mailbag for The Athletic, O’Keeffe said that his ‘understanding of the situation’ is that Everton sporting director Marcel Brands was ‘made aware’ of Van de Beek’s availability late in the transfer window and ‘may have inquired’ about a possible move.

However, he doesn’t think the 24-year-old ‘is a player who fits into Benitez’s plans’ and explained that Brands’ role is seemingly to ‘source and present options’ to the board and the manager.

O’Keeffe suspects that they would have declined if Van de Beek was on the table, saying that ‘there’s a feeling he wouldn’t fit into the system’ given that two of Everton’s existing attacking midfield options, Richarlison and Demarai Gray, are ‘quicker and more dynamic’.

The verdict

Van de Beek demonstrated his class at Ajax, starring in their run to the Champions League semi-finals in 2019, but concerns about whether Everton would be a good fit for him are not misplaced.

Realistically, Richarlison, Gray and Dominic Calvert-Lewin are all part of the Blues’ strongest XI, and in a 4-4-1-1 formation, that doesn’t really leave any room for Van de Beek.

Why would he move elsewhere in the Premier League when he could just be adopting a rotational role there which wouldn’t be much different from his current place on the Old Trafford periphery?

In other news, this announcement from the club had lots of Everton fans buzzing

With the January transfer window close to opening, Everton manager Rafa Benitez has dropped an exciting hint on one piece of business that the Merseyside club could do in it.

What’s the news?

When asked what the current situation is with Lewis Dobbin’s contract and whether or not he will sign a new one before his current deal runs out in the summer, Benitez had this to say on the matter.

He said: “I think the player is quite happy and our conversations with him have been quite positive. I have confidence that he will be delighted to stay with us in the future.”

As a product of Everton’s youth academy, the winger has made a total of 52 combined appearances for their U18 and U23 sides, scoring 16 goals and providing 12 assists along the way.

Labelled as a player that has a “fantastic attitude towards being desperate to be an Everton player” in the past by David Unsworth, the 18-year-old has been on the fringes of Benitez’s senior side this season with three Premier League appearances under his belt.

If Everton were able to secure Dobbin with a long-term deal next month, this would be a big boost and plus point not only for the player himself but for the Everton fans to potentially see another one of their youth players break into the first team and become a regular figure for them in the future, following in the footsteps of players such as Tom Davies, Jonjoe Kenny and Anthony Gordon.

If the youngster does sign a new deal in January and manages to take any opportunity he gets to play in the first team to impress Benitez, then this could be the start of a very exciting senior career for the teenager at Goodison Park, something that would understandably leave fans buzzing.

In addition to Dobbin’s potential new deal, it would be worth Everton bringing some new players into the club as well, particularly in the defensive areas given how the Toffees have conceded 29 goals in 17 league games so far this season, more than the likes of Burnley, Brentford and Southampton.

In other news: EFC must sign £22.5m-rated ace, Moshiri has already “tried to negotiate a transfer”…

Raphinha could yet stay at Leeds United this summer as a fresh twist has emerged…

What’s the word?

The 25-year-old’s future has been subject to a lot of speculation in recent weeks with his agent, Deco, thought to be in advanced talks with LaLiga giants FC Barcelona but according to Eurosport transfer insider Dean Jones, the Whites may be able to talk him into staying.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT this week, the journalist revealed a behind-the-scenes update, where he claimed that the Brazilian’s representatives have stated that they are open to him remaining at Elland Road, also adding:

“We’re not going to rule out the fact that he might leave Leeds but at the same time, if they could talk him into staying, then he might stay.”

Fresh twist in the tale

The Catalan outfit aren’t the only side keen on Leeds’ leading talisman.

As per the Mirror last month, the likes of Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Liverpool and even Newcastle United were named in the long list of potential suitors.

The same source suggests that Leeds have slapped a £60m price tag on the winger and have attempted to tie him down to a new deal.

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His current £63k-per-week contract expires in the summer of 2024, having joined in a £17m deal from Stade Rennes in October 2020, which puts him as the third-highest earner at Thorp Arch behind Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo.

The west Yorkshire side have heavily relied on the £40.5m-rated dynamo, who has now been capped seven times by Tite’s Selecao, this season. He’s bagged a squad-leading ten goals and created more chances (58) than any other player too, via WhoScored.

Dubbed a “magician” by teammate Dan James earlier in the season, it would be absolutely huge if Leeds could keep hold of their star man, even if it’s just for one more season as he could continue to be a crucial influence under manager Jesse Marsch on that right flank.

It’s not as if the American head coach is littered with options in the role, despite links to both Ryan Kent and Brenden Aaronson.

This latest twist from reliable transfer insider Jones will provide many supporters with hope that this season isn’t the final time they see the hugely impressive Raphinha in a Leeds shirt.

AND in other news, Time’s up: “Non-existent” Leeds star loved by Bielsa must never play for Marsch again…

Now that the 2022 January transfer window has opened, this will spark a flurry of potential transfer deals across a range of clubs as they aim to strengthen their squads.

At Aston Villa, it has previously been reported that manager Steven Gerrard will be given the backing from the owners to make whatever changes to the club that he thinks will benefit them in terms of bringing new players in.

With this in mind, it could prove to be a very busy month for the Midlands club, on and off the pitch.

After making just nine Premier League appearances for Villa since joining on loan from Manchester United back in August, and with just eight minutes of league action since Gerrard’s took over from Dean Smith as Villa’s manager in November, it seems as though Axel Tuanzebe could be on his way out of the club.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano recently shared a post on his official Twitter account claiming that a deal has been worked out between United and Napoli that will see Tuanzebe spend the rest of the season on loan with the Italian club.

Taking this into account, it could be worth Villa bringing a new defender in to take Tuanzebe’s place in the squad so they aren’t depleted in that area.

Having been linked with a transfer move for Liverpool centre-back Joe Gomez in recent weeks, this update about Tuanzebe could now pave the way for Villa and Gerrard to finally secure a deal for the defender, who is currently picking up a weekly wage of £85k-per-week according to Salary Sport, and bring him to Villa Park.

With a total of 82 appearances in the Premier League, Gomez would certainly bring a decent amount of experience with him to Villa as well as an elite winning mentality having won the Premier League and Champions League during his time at Anfield.

Labelled as a “sensational” player in the past by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, Gomez has found regular game time in the Premier League hard to come by this season with just three fairly short substitute appearances under his belt so far, which could result in a move to Villa being quite tempting for him if he’d get regular playing time under Gerrard’s guidance.

Moving forward, if Tuanzebe is set to leave Villa in the coming days, the club should be turning their attention to securing a deal for Gomez as soon as they can so the team doesn’t suffer should any of their other defenders end up with injuries or a positive virus test.

In other news: Forget Trezeguet: NSWE dropped AVFC transfer clanger with “horrible” £5.4m-rated dud – opinion

Aston Villa target Joe Gomez is ‘staying at Liverpool’, Pete O’Rourke has told Give Me Sport.

The lowdown

The Athletic’s Gregg Evans wrote earlier this month that Gomez is a player Villa ‘like’.

The Englishman has found game time hard to come by at Anfield this season, with just 11 appearances (four starts) under his belt.

Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate all appear to be ahead of him in the pecking order.

Gomez is valued at £22.5million by Transfermarkt and his £75,000-per-week contract still has two and a half years to run.

The latest

O’Rourke has learned that Liverpool have absolutely no plans to offload Gomez at this stage.

“From what I’ve been told, Joe Gomez is staying at Liverpool, he won’t be going anywhere,” he told GMS when asked about the possibility of a deal by Johan Lange.

The verdict

Gomez would have been an excellent signing for Villa. In the words of Jurgen Klopp, he’s a ‘sensational’ player with ‘outstanding speed’.

He’s still only 24, so while he’s struggled for minutes this season, the Reds may well view him as part of their long-term plans. And, unless Liverpool’s stance changes, Villa need to move onto other targets.

After Axel Tuanzebe’s loan was cut short, they’ve been left with Tyrone Mings, Ezri Konsa and Kortney Hause as their only senior centre-backs.

And Konsa’s recent injury shows how perilous that situation is. All of a sudden, Steven Gerrard may find himself with no experienced back-up.

In other news, fans react to links with this forward.

Tottenham fans are eagerly anticipating the return of talismanic forward Harry Kane from injury.

The England international limped off during the defeat to Manchester United in January with fears he could spend a long time on the sidelines. Scans revealed that Kane had suffered ligament damage which would rule him out until March at the earliest. With few quality options to replace him, Mauricio Pochettino was forced to turn to Fernando Llorente.

Signed in the summer of 2017 from Swansea, the former Athletic Bilbao man had never been given the chance to impress for the Lilywhites – limited to mostly cameos from the substitutes bench thanks to Kane’s goal scoring exploits. The striker was widely linked with an exit from the club in both the summer and January transfer windows but ultimately stayed put. Pochettino’s faith in the forward was rewarded with some excellent performances and crucial goals from the Spaniard.

After scoring a hat-trick in the FA Cup against Tranmere, Llorente netted against Chelsea before scoring and assisting during the 2-1 win against Watford to keep Spurs in the title race. The 34-year-old also picked up assists during the victories over Leicester and Newcastle before scoring off the bench against Borussia Dortmund. With his contract set to expire in the summer, his recent purple patch should convince the Tottenham hierarchy to offer him one more short-term deal.

Indeed, the former Spain international is approaching the end of his career but has proved to be suitable back up should Kane pick up another injury. Finding a forward that will settle for a backup role will prove to be difficult in the transfer window and Llorente has already stated his happiness at the club. Spurs would be better off offering the ex-Juventus man a new deal and using their funds to strengthen other areas of their squad.

Tottenham fans, thoughts?

Leeds United have been boosted by the news that rumoured transfer target Marcelo will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season.

The Lowdown: Leeds linked with audacious Marcelo move

The Whites were linked with a stunning move for the Brazilian earlier in the year, but he ended up staying put at Madrid for another year.

Marcelo has enjoyed a stunning career at the Santiago Bernabeu, winning four Champions League titles and five La Liga crowns, among other trophies.

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The Latest: Brazilian set to leave Madrid

There has now been an update on the 33-year-old’s future in Spain, with El Nacionel Web reporting that this will be his last season at Madrid.

When the campaign reaches its conclusion, Marcelo will then be able to leave on a free transfer, which could potentially alert Marcelo Bielsa.

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The Verdict: Box office signing

In truth, it is hard to see Marcelo ending up at Leeds, given his likely wage demands, but it would be hugely exciting he did make the move to Elland Road, with the Spanish media hailing him as a ‘genius’ in the past.

He would bring with him a winning mentality that few possess, following so much success in his career, and he still has a few years left in him at a high level.

The thought of him marauding down the left flank is a mouthwatering one, providing competition for Junior Firpo, but it would be a major surprise if it happened.

In other news, Phil Hay has revealed another Leeds player is struggling with an injury. Find out who it is here.

As per Football Insider, a Tottenham source has revealed that Antonio Conte is pushing the club to bring in a multitude of signings in January after identifying areas of weakness – with ten or more deals in the pipeline.

The Lowdown: Time to spend, Levy

Tottenham have seen improved Premier League form recently under new manager Conte – producing three consecutive wins in their last three games. The Lilywhites currently sit in fifth place with a game in-hand, and a further three points would take them past London rivals West Ham into the top four.

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However, Conte is not fully satisfied with his squad and believes that Spurs need to strengthen in multiple areas if they are to achieve Champions League qualification. The Italian was highly critical of the money spent in the summer of 2019 and also of the January window of 2020.

£150m was spent on the likes of Tanguy Ndombele, Steven Bergwijn, Ryan Sessegnon, Giovani Lo Celso and Jack Clarke – none of which have fully established themselves as permanent members of the starting 11.

The Latest: Biggest Spurs window ever?

Football Insider have now reported that a Tottenham source believes Conte and recruitment chief Fabio Paratici are planning an overhaul which will see the “biggest January window in the club’s history”.

The 52-year-old will prioritise the recruitment of at least one proven centre-back who can be utilised in the manager’s favourite back-three defensive system. Paratici is also in the process of identifying players across a wide range of positions.

Multiple departures are to be expected too – this includes the likes of Joe Rodon, who is seeking a permanent or temporary exit. When all is said and done there could be ten-plus comings and goings.

The Verdict: Need to strengthen

It is clear that Conte will need to bring in some additions to the squad if they are to challenge the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, West Ham and Manchester United for a top four place.

The latter have had a poor start to the season themselves, but they spent £126m on three elite players this summer, the sort of business Paratici and Daniel Levy will need to replicate to give Conte a fighting chance.

This business will also include a clear-out of fringe players who are not favoured by the former Chelsea boss. Someone like Rodon, who Dimitar Berbatov once claimed is “a great player for the future”, is young enough to bank a decent fee if sold and therefore could see the door.

Conte and Paratici have plenty of work to do in order to overhaul this Lilywhites squad, so the fact that they are not hanging around until the summer to start the process should be music to fans’ ears.

Newcastle United suffered a third successive Premier League defeat on Sunday, going down 5-1 away to Tottenham Hotspur.

Fabian Schar had put the visitors in front on 39 minutes, but goals from Ben Davies, Matt Doherty, Son Heung-min, Emerson Royal and Steven Bergwijn ultimately made it an emphatic victory for Antonio Conte’s side.

The result leaves Newcastle 15th in the table, still nine points clear of the relegation zone.

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Here at The Transfer Tavern, we delve into the three worst-rated starting outfielders for the Magpies as per statistical specialists SofaScore, with players required to feature for at least 45 minutes to feature. Collectively, this trio lost 71% of their ground duels and mustered a crossing accuracy of just 17%.

Joelinton – 5.8/10

Joelinton made his second consecutive start after missing a couple of games with a knock last month, but he only lasted 59 minutes before Eddie Howe took him off.

The manager may not have been impressed with a performance which saw the Brazilian lose six out of his seven ground duels, commit two fouls and pick up a yellow card.

Joelinton lost possession nine times overall, failing to complete the single cross and dribble that he attempted.

Dan Burn – 5.9/10

On a run of eight successive starts, the towering defender was also cautioned yesterday and didn’t fare much better than his Brazilian team-mate.

The 29-year-old lost all three of his ground duels and was also penalised for fouls on two occasions. In addition, he turned the ball over eight times and couldn’t find a team-mate with either of his long passes.

Matt Targett – 6/10

Targett has been selected every time that he has been available since making a loan switch from Aston Villa in January, but he completes the below-par trio of Newcastle players from Sunday’s defeat in north London.

He performed better than the aforementioned duo when it came to ground duels, winning three out of four, but he failed to enhance his team’s attacking threat, with four of his five crosses going astray on a less than stellar afternoon for him or his team. He was also guilty of losing the ball on seven occasions.

In other news, Keith Downie drops an update on Jonjo Shelvey

Leeds United had looked at signing Takumi Minamino and Kenedy as possible replacements for Crysencio Summerville in January, according to journalist Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Summerville stays put

Summerville was linked with a move away from Elland Road late in the month, with a loan switch to Hamburg mooted.

Instead, the 20-year-old ended up staying put at Leeds, where he will hope to play an important role in the Whites’ bid to remain in the Premier League this season. He has made eight appearances in all competitions so far in 2021/22, including five in the league.

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The Latest: Leeds had two possible replacements lined up

According to Hay in an article for The Athletic, both Liverpool’s Minamino and Chelsea’s Kenedy were seen as options if Summerville had moved on from Leeds in January. The journalist wrote:

“Various clubs in Europe were asking about Summerville but Marcelo Bielsa’s instinct was to hang onto him. The danger, as Leeds saw it, was that if Summerville insisted on moving on loan, as Cody Drameh did, then Bielsa might quickly usher him out the door.

“In which case, the club would be another man down and under pressure to rustle up a replacement. They took a tentative look at Takumi Minamino of Liverpool and Chelsea’s newly back from loan Kenedy but stepped back again once the decision to retain Summerville was made.”

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The Verdict: Chance for Summerville to shine

Summerville is unlikely to be a key figure at Leeds in the coming months, considering that the likes of Raphinha, Jack Harrison and Dan James are all ahead of him in the pecking order.

That being said, he could see it as a great opportunity to prove his long-term worth to the club, potentially affecting games upon coming off the bench and looking to create opportunities from out wide.

He caught the eye of Beren Cross last summer, with the Leeds Live journalist describing the youngster as “a runaway train” after some very impressive performances.

A loan move would have had its benefits in terms of the likelihood of more playing time, but Summerville could arguably learn more from training alongside some of his illustrious Leeds teammates. Also, as Hay pointed out, it would have left Bielsa sweating on bringing in someone like Minamino or Kenedy in order to fill the void.

In other news, a positive update regarding one key Leeds player has emerged. Read more here.