Sunderland have now made a “direct approach” to sign a “fantastic” midfielder, according to Fabrizio Romano, having also opened talks to sign Granit Xhaka in recent days.
Black Cats looking to sign new midfielders
The Black Cats have already secured the signatures of Noah Sadiki and Habib Diarra this summer, while Enzo Le Fee made his stay at the Stadium of Light permanent, meaning Regis Le Bris appears to be relatively well-stocked in the central midfield area.
However, the manager will be under no illusions about how difficult it will be to remain in the Premier League next season, and he clearly believes that signing another central midfielder could boost his side’s survival chances.
It may also be a wise idea to bring in players with Premier League experience, and Xhaka ticks that box, having spent a number of years with Arsenal, and talks over a deal for the 32-year-old have now been opened.
However, the former Arsenal man is not Le Bris’ only target in that area of the pitch, with Romano recently taking to X to reveal that Sunderland have now made a “direct approach” to the agent of Napoli midfielder Frank Zambo-Anguissa.
The Black Cats are still “working on” a deal for Xhaka, but Zambo-Anguissa has also now entered the frame as a potential target, although it could be difficult to lure him away from Napoli, as the Italian side have already offered him a new deal.
As things stand, the 29-year-old has a £38m release clause in his contract, meaning the newly-promoted side may need to spend big if they are to get a deal over the line.
"Fantastic" Anguissa would be coup for Sunderland
It appears unlikely that Sunderland will be able to secure the Cameroon international’s signature, given that Napoli are “confident” he will commit to a new contract, but it would be a real coup if they were able to get a deal done.
More exciting than Xhaka: Sunderland make contact to sign £34m star on loan
Sunderland could seal a deal even more exciting than Granit Xhaka returning to the Premier League with this world-class capture.
ByKelan Sarson Jul 17, 2025
The 29-year-old played a major role for the Serie A champions in their title-winning 2024-25 campaign, making 35 league appearances, during which time he picked up six goals and four assists.
Former Napoli loanee Philip Billing was also left impressed by his ex-teammate during his spell in Italy, describing him as “fantastic”. Speaking about the Cameroon international and Scott McTominay, the Bournemouth man also added: “I stick to my own playing style but also try to learn from them.
Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa for Napoli.
“They are both incredible, great profiles both physically and technically. They run a lot and also score goals.”
That said, Xhaka may be a more attainable target, and it is an added bonus that the Swiss midfielder already has Premier League experience.
Crystal Palace have said goodbye to club legend Wilfried Zaha and may be about to lose Marc Guehi to circling Premier League rivals, but Roy Hodgson's side could have a defensive alternative lined up.
What players have left Crystal Palace?
The Eagles have so far brought in only Jefferson Lerma on a free transfer following the midfielder's departure from fellow top-flight side Bournemouth.
Zaha is the most notable of those who have departed Selhurst Park, the forward officially joining Galatasaray on Monday, while the likes of Luka Milivojevic, James McArthur and Jack Butland have also reached the end of their contracts.
Guehi may be the next player to leave Palace, though the ball is very much in the South London side's court as the centre-back has three years to run on his deal.
According to The Evening Standard, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Chelsea are all interested in the 23-year-old, who is valued at £50m by the Eagles.
Palace could in turn make a surprise move for Aymeric Laporte, with the Daily Star reporting that the Eagles may move for the Manchester City defender in a cut-price £35m deal – a £22m loss for the European champions on what they paid Athletic Bilbao five years ago.
What is Aymeric Laporte's contract situation?
The French-born Spain international has two years to run on his City contract, meaning Pep Guardiola's men are certainly in no desperate need to offload this summer.
Laporte recently admitted he did not enjoy last season as much as his previous campaigns at the Etihad Stadium, having started just 11 Premier League games in City's treble-winning campaign.
Despite his relatively limited action in the top flight last season, Laporte still showed he is among the best centre-backs anywhere on the continent when used.
The 29-year-old ranks among the top 1% of all defenders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted (86.43 per 90), as per FBref, the top 3% for pass completion (92.7%) and the top 1% again for both progressive passes and progressive carries.
Laporte completely outperforms Guehi in each of those categories, the latter completing 'only' 85.3% of his passes, though there is nothing between the pair when it comes to tackles won per 90 (0.73), as is also the case in terms of aerial duels won (55.8% and 55.7% respectively).
Guehi does edge things in terms of blocks per 90 (1.22 v 0.91), which goes to show that, even at six years younger than Laporte, Guehi is an incredibly talented player in the purely defensive metrics – going a long way to explaining his hefty valuation.
For the here and now, though, there is no denying that Laporte is the better all-rounder for Hodgson. Indeed, the fact Guardiola would be reluctant to sell a player he previously described as "incredible" says an awful lot about the former Athletic Bilbao ace's stature.
Laporte's performances have been consistently strong across his six campaigns at City, five of which have resulted in him lifting the Premier League title at the end of the season.
Should Palace match the Citizens' valuation, and indeed persuade Laporte to join them over a bigger-name club, it could prove to be the biggest coup of the transfer window.
Liverpool's pursuit of Khephren Thuram has been no secret over the past several weeks, and now manager Jurgen Klopp is preparing to lodge a formal offer for the Frenchman.
What's the latest on Khephren Thuram to Liverpool?
Following a recent report from Nice-Matin (via GET Football News France), it has come to surface that the Reds are preparing a bid for the OGC Nice midfielder, who has been of increasing interest to the club over the past several weeks.
This follows a recent claim from Fabrizio Romano – via Caught Offside – that Liverpool are prioritising the 22-year-old over Bayern Munich's Ryan Gravenberch, who only signed for the Bavaria outfit last year.
Les Aiglons won't sanction a move for anything less than €40m (£34m), but given that James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all departed Liverpool this term and Alexis Mac Allister has already been signed for a similar amount, £35m, it is certainly a feasible deal.
How would Khephren Thuram perform at Liverpool?
The energy and intensity that Thuram would bring to the Liverpool centre would undoubtedly enhance the performances of all around him, especially considering the club's seasonal malaise has largely been attributed to the flimsiness of the midfield and an inability to protect the defence.
This stagnancy would be swept aside in a gale of blustering wind with Thuram's prospective arrival, and alongside Mac Allister and perhaps one further addition, the once formidable strength of Klopp's midfield would return, charged by an undying intensity and high-pressure approach.
One who may prosper more than most is pivoting midfielder Fabinho, who has been an instrumental part of Klopp's Anfield dynasty since signing from Monaco for around £44m in 2018, winning the Premier League and Champions League among a wealth of major honours, but has been culpable of a stark decline to coincide with his club's this term, having been said to have "fallen off a cliff" by The Redmen TV's Ste Hoare.
Also branded "awful" by club icon Jamie Carragher for one disastrous display, the £180k-per-week anchor has been poor but looked to have rekindled some of his fire in the closing weeks, and could be fit and firing once again come August.
fabinho-liverpool-premier-league
Especially with an "elite" partner in Thuram, as he has been called by journalist Zach Lowy, to join Liverpool and "transform their midfield"; having completed an impressive season in Ligue 1, the £14k-per-week ace ranks among the top 6% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries and the top 9% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.
Such a progressive nature would no doubt complement Fabinho well who in contrast lacks the athleticism to do such a job.
A veritable "monster" in the centre of the park, as praised by Sam McGuire, the one-cap international's energy and enthusiasm will only play to Liverpool's favour, and with a robust crop around him, Fabinho could find himself at the beating heart of an imperious system once again.
Newcastle United are reportedly edging closer in their pursuit of Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix, as Eddie Howe seeks star talent this summer.
The Magpies have already made a statement this transfer window in capturing Sandro Tonali in a deal worth £55m from AC Milan, however the big names aren’t due to stop there.
How much is Joao Felix worth?
Financial backing isn’t due to be an issue for Newcastle this summer, with the support of the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) behind them.
A lucrative offer is exactly what Howe’s side will need to produce in order to pry Felix away from Madrid, who expect a figure of €140m (£120m) for the Portuguese whizz.
While a sum of that amount seems ludicrous, the North East side could negotiate a compromised offer for the forward, who is valued by FootballTransfers around €45m (£39m).
Could Newcastle United sign Joao Felix?
According to Spanish outlet ABC, relayed by Sport Witness, Newcastle are one of the clubs to have ‘rang’ Atleti over the availability of Felix.
The context implies that the Magpies have made contact with the Spanish side over the player, with Manchester United and Aston Villa also named as potential suitors.
Howe’s side have the upper hand over the Villans, with the player wanting Champions League football next term, however with a reported salary of £195k-per-week, it would be a statement to bring the 23-year-old to St James’.
Hailed as being a “dream” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, the former Chelsea loan player could be an electrifying addition to Howe’s squad, in a move that could prove the clubs’ ambition going forward.
A difficult loan spell in west London hasn’t caused Premier League sides to divert away from the attacker, who has established himself as one of the best in Europe for his rise in the game.
Rising through the ranks at Benfica, the Portuguese gem sparkled in his homeland, seeing him snatched by Atletico after a magnificent first senior season for the Eagles, in which he made 24 goal contributions in 26 Liga Portugal appearances.
A complete player in terms of his passing, finishing and quality in possession, the 23-year-old made 39 goal contributions in 96 La Liga appearances before endeavouring on his Premier League journey.
Ranking in the top 5% of forwards in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year in terms of his progressive passing (4.12 per 90), Felix has seen himself compared to the likes of Lionel Messi based on his statistics over a per 90 average, via FBref.
Deployable anywhere along the front line, the potential introduction of Felix could cause some worry for Miguel Almiron, who could see his place in the squad jeopardised by the 23-year-old marvel.
Putting his past glory aside, the former Chelsea man performed at a higher level than the Paraguayan in a number of attributes last season.
As per FBref comparisons, the 29-year-old averaged 2.49 shots per 90, as well as 2.78 progressive carries and 1.23 successful take ons per 90, lesser averages than Felix who averaged 4.40 shots, 3.25 progressive carries and 2.10 successful take-ons per 90.
The Viseu-born ace also averaged better in his distribution to cause threat in the final third, recording an average of 4.50 progressive passes and 2.77 passes into the final third per 90, to Almiron’s 4.48 progressive passes and 1.63 final third passes per 90.
In signing Felix, Howe could boldly ditch the 29-year-old in place of the forward, who has the capabilities to take the Magpies to the next level.
Mark Goldbridge has been reacting to the latest news surrounding a Manchester United player that could be on his way out of Old Trafford this summer.
Is Scott McTominay leaving Manchester United?
As per The Manchester Evening News, Manchester United turned down a bid in the region of £30 million for midfielder Scott McTominay from West Ham United.
The outlet has reported that another approach from the Hammers for McTominay is doubtful and indicate that selling McTominay was not 'provisionally' planned by Erik Ten Hag this summer; however, Fiorentina anchor Sofyan Amrabat is believed to have been identified as a potential replacement for the Scotland international.
Cited by The Mirror, TNT Sports pundit Ally McCoist has spoken about McTominay's future and believes that he may have to seek a fresh challenge to safeguard his opportunities for first team involvement moving forward, as he said: "He might have to move. I really hope he doesn't, because I genuinely think he could play that position for United, I genuinely think he's talented enough. I just think sometimes, I'm not saying in this particular case, but I just think sometimes the less glamorous players can fall foul of things that are out of their control, shall we say."
Last term, McTominay made 39 appearances in all competitions for Manchester United, chipping in with three goals and a solitary assist, as per Transfermarkt.
Reliable West Ham source Sean Whetstone has revealed another twist in the tale regarding the McTominay saga and has claimed that the Hammers are 'still in talks' with Manchester United over prizing the 26-year-old away from Old Trafford this window.
Producing his best form for his country, McTominay has been in blistering goalscoring form for Scotland in their EURO 2024 qualification campaign and has hit five goals in four matches as the Tartan Army bid to seal a place at the finals in Germany next year.
Scott McTominay
Manchester United are seeking to recoup a fee in the region of £40 million for their Carrington graduate despite McTominay falling way down the pecking order in the North West, according to talkSPORT.
Fringe players Fred and Donny van de Beek could be set to join the mini-midfield exodus at Old Trafford and Harry Maguire, who was stripped of the captaincy at Manchester United earlier this window, is also expected to join West Ham where he could potentially team up with McTominay.
Speaking on The United Stand YouTube channel, Manchester United pundit Goldbridge has backed the Red Devils to aim to move McTominay on this summer.
Goldbridge stated: "I don't know how he's worth £30 million, I've still not heard from anybody that can justify £30 million for Scott McTominay. Based on what? What has he done in a United shirt to be worth that, I don't even know. If we reject that, which we have and we don't sell him, in a years time, his value is only going to go down because it's going to be another year of hardly playing and when he does play, he's not very good."
Despite making his senior debut for Manchester United back in 2017, McTominay is clearly still a player that divides opinion among the Red Devils fan base and it remains to be seen whether he will stay at the club to provide support in midfield or whether he will look to become an influential starter at another destination.
Everton are interested in completing a transfer for Danish side FC Midtjylland midfielder Emiliano Martinez this summer and are believed to have been following the Uruguayan for several months.
Toffees boss Sean Dyche has started to assemble his team for the forthcoming season after a slow start to the transfer window, with the experienced Ashley Young arriving on a free transfer and Arnaut Danjuma signing on a one-year loan deal.
Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…
The central midfield is as yet untouched, and the Mersey outfit – while offence may be the priority – will be eager to fortify the nucleus of the team.
Are Everton signing Emiliano Martinez?
That's according to Danish outlet Tipsbladet, who claim that Everton – alongside Premier League rivals West Ham United – are interested in a deal for the rising star, who has flourished in the Danish Superliga.
It's claimed that Midtjylland will demand roughly £9m for his sale to be granted, and with journalist Rodri Vazquez claiming two months ago that Everton have made a "firm" for the 23-year-old, it could be following up with talks to finalise a transfer.
Should Everton sign Emiliano Martinez?
The £6k-per-week Martinez – who is not to be muddled up with his namesake; the World Cup-winning shot-stopper playing for Aston Villa – who plied his trade in Uruguay and Brazil before going on his European adventure, and is already making waves big enough to attract the attention of Premier League outfits.
As per Sofascore, the defensive midfielder recorded an average rating of 6.87 in the league last term, impressing across his 25 appearances and impressing by completing 85% of his passes, making 2.5 tackles per game and succeeding in 70% of his attempted dribbles.
Having been handed two caps by his national side already, Martinez is clearly held in high regard and looks destined for a date with the highest level, and given that he ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for tackles and blocks per 90, as per FBref, could be the perfect, tenacious option to complete the Toffees' midfield.
According to one South American football expert, Martinez would be a "fantastic [Declan] Rice replacement for West Ham", with the esteemed midfield anchor completing a club-record £105m transfer to Arsenal this summer.
declan-rice
Rice was been hailed as "the best holding midfielder in the country" way back in 2020 by Hammers boss David Moyes, and was paramount to the east London club's ascent to European competition after forging 245 displays – West Ham will play continental football for the third successive term after winning the Conference League this year.
The 43-cap England international ranks among the top 19% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for pass completion, the top 20% for progressive passes, the top 15% of progressive carries, the top 17% for clearances and the top 5% for interceptions per 90.
Martinez, who has demonstrated his intensity and defensive application and composure through his tackling consistency and crisp passing, could be Dyche's very own Rice and could have a transformative effect on the Merseyside outfit with his deployment into the midfield.
Praised for a very "solid" build – by Juan Genova – that has allowed him to thrive through his brutish physicality, Everton must do all they can to secure Martinez's services this month ahead of a campaign that simply has to be a success, and for the paltry fee of just £9m, the importance of swift action is only intensified.
Liverpool will host Aston Villa at the start of September in the two teams' last Premier League fixture before the international break. It's always an interesting fixture and there's perhaps more at stake than ever this season.
After all, Liverpool will hope to rebound after last season and build some early momentum. A repeat of last season can't happen if they're to recapture a top-four place.
But Villa will have eyes on those spots themselves. They're back in European football after a stunning second half of the season under Unai Emery. A win over Liverpool would be a huge statement to start the season and get the team looking up the table going into the international break.
To beat Liverpool, they'll need goals, though. Ollie Watkins could be their best chance of finding them – so we at Football FanCast thought we'd look into his record against the Reds. Here's everything you need to know.
What is Ollie Watkins' goals record against Liverpool?
Watkins has come up against Liverpool six times in his career and his record against them looks pretty great. He's scored five times in that span – the most he's managed against anyone in his career.
Though, it's worth mentioning that three of those goals came in his first appearance against Liverpool. That was a crazy game, finishing 7-2 to Villa as they took advantage of some bizarre defending from the Reds. Watkins took advantage as much as anyone.
His record since is two goals in five games, which isn't quite as impressive. Still, he did manage one against them at home last season – Watkins hasn't forgotten how to find the Liverpool net.
What is Ollie Watkins' assists record against Liverpool?
Watkins only has the one assist against Liverpool, again coming in that 7-2 win. And virtually everyone got an assist in that one.
But then, it's not his game. There aren't too many teams against which he's managed more than a solitary assist, and only two – Luton and Colchester – where Watkins has three.
Don't expect him to supply the goals at Anfield, then – Villa will hope he's on the end of chances, rather than creating them.
What is Ollie Watkins' head-to-head record against Liverpool?
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins.
It's not a pretty one. In six games, Watkins has only won once against Liverpool – the 7-2 in his first appearance vs them. There's only one draw in his history, too, and that was in the most recent outing in May of this year.
But we're not sure how much you can really read into this. For one, Villa look like a much better side right now than they have in any of Watkins' previous seasons with the club. We fully expect them to give the Reds a proper match this time around, as they did back in May.
All of Watkins' games against the Reds have come in the Premier League, too. He didn't feature in the 4-1 FA Cup defeat against the Reds back in 2021.
What is Ollie Watkins' record at Anfield?
Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins.
Watkins does only have three games in his career at Anfield, so there's not too much to go on here. All have come in the Premier League and usually end in defeat – two losses, one draw is his record.
As for goals, Watkins does have one. He scored at Anfield in a 2-1 defeat back in 2021 but has been unable to find the net there since that first appearance.
Two teams have conceded five to Watkins – the most he's managed against a single club. Liverpool are one, of course, with the other being Swansea City. His record against the Reds is slightly better, though, as he managed that total in one fewer game.
There are then three different clubs against whom Watkins has four total goals. Arsenal, Bristol City and Derby County are the unlucky trio – you can usually count on the striker to find the net against them.
How many goals does Ollie Watkins have in September?
Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins
Watkins has found the net 11 times in the month of September since the start of his career. However, it doesn't make good reading for those expecting him to net at Anfield.
None of those goals have come in the Premier League, while nine of them weren't even with Aston Villa. Watkins has nine Championship strikes in September and then two for his current club both in the EFL Cup.
He'll be hoping to break his duck against Liverpool.
What is Ollie Watkins' Aston Villa goal record?
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins.
Watkins has played 118 times across all competitions for Villa since arriving in 2020. His record in that span is pretty good, too, with 43 goals and 14 assists so far.
It means Watkins is closing in on his record haul for a club. That stands at 49 for Brentford, where he also managed his most assists – 17. There's every chance that he will overtake both figures by the end of this season.
What is Ollie Watkins' Premier League goal record?
Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins
Watkins is now 111 games into his Premier League career, with all of them coming at Aston Villa. In that time, the striker has managed 40 goals – a solid haul for three seasons of work.
Last season was his best yet, too. Watkins scored 15 times in 37 games, beating his first Premier League campaign by one goal in the same number of appearances. His middle season saw him get 11 goals,
There have been 14 assists so far, we should add. In total, Watkins has provided 53 goal contributions in 109 games – so just under one every other game.
What is Aston Villa's record against Liverpool?
Villa vs Liverpool is a fixture that dates all the way back to 1895, so there's a lot of history here. In total, the two teams have met on 201 occasions.
As you might expect, given their dominance over the last few decades, Liverpool's record is far superior in this one. They've won 101 of the 201 meetings, with Villa managing just 59. That leaves 41 draws for those keeping track.
But what about just in the Premier League era? There have been 56 meetings since the rebrand with Liverpool again winning over half. In fact, their record is even better when just counting the last 32 years – 32 wins to Villa's 13.
What is Aston Villa's record at Anfield?
As you may have guessed from the last section, it's not particularly good. This will actually be the 100th time Villa play at Anfield but they'll be hoping for what would be just their 18th win.
So in 99 Anfield fixtures, it's 17 wins, 20 draws and 62 defeats to the Reds. Not exactly a game that's brought a lot of luck their way, then, and a win this time around would be something of a surprise.
What are Aston Villa's recent results against Liverpool?
Unai Emery
Not good. In fact, Villa have lost five of their last six against Liverpool, dating back to their last win in the fixture – the 7-2. The only time they avoided defeat came in the most recent game, too, back in May.
That was a 1-1 draw at Anfield and to be fair to Villa, it's by far the most relevant result here. Not only was it away, but it was also their only meeting with Unai Emery as boss. They shot up the league once the Spaniard took over, becoming so much better that comparing results before him seems unfair to this side.
And the previous results were particularly bad, too.
Since Jurgen Klopp took over at Liverpool, Villa have played 12 games against his team. They've won two of them – the 7-2 and the 5-0 win in the EFL Cup against the Reds' Under 21 side. In other words, this is a fixture they almost always struggle in.
But hey, at least the wins tend to be emphatic.
When is Liverpool vs Aston Villa?
Unai Emery instructs his Aston Villa side as they face Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.
Liverpool host Aston Villa on Sunday, September 3rd at 14:00 UK time. It'll be a huge match for both teams as we get an early idea of what they're about this season.
Liverpool want to bounce back after an incredibly disappointing campaign last time out. Their struggles saw them out of the title race incredibly early on, while they barely managed a top-four challenge in the end. A new midfield could be exactly what they needed, though – it's certainly their gameplan this season.
Villa were only one place behind Liverpool in the Premier League table, of course. A sensational run under Unai Emery saw them climb all the way up from the bottom into the Europa League spot – and they'll have plans to do even better this time around. The right transfers – and some momentum carried on from last season – could see Villa threaten to go one better.
A win in this fixture, then, would be a sign for either that they mean business from the off this time around.
Liverpool defender Kostas Tsimikas has been praised for his ‘fantastic play’ during the Premier League game vs Wolverhampton Wanderers by journalist Ian Doyle.
The Lowdown: Victory at Anfield
The Reds were the hosts at Anfield on Wednesday night as they secured a 2-0 victory over the Old Gold thanks to two second-half goals from Virgil Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah.
The Greece international was named in the starting line-up by Jurgen Klopp and had a wonderful impact on the game, providing the assist for the Egyptian striker to seal all three points.
The Latest: Doyle’s reaction
Taking to Twitter, Doyle was quick to applaud Tsimikas for his work rate to burst into the box and lay it on a plate for Salah. He wrote:
“Fantastic play down the left by Tsimikas, who ran on to a Gakpo pass, delayed and delayed and delayed and then picked the right pass to cut back for Salah to score.”
[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/liverpool-transfer-news-and-rumours/” title=”Liverpool Transfer News and Rumours” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/cropped-2021-03-07T155652Z_1459311687_UP1EH3718ASBK_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LIV-FUL-REPORT.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]
The Verdict: Standout performer
Liverpool picked up a much-needed win over Wolves, and Tsimikas’s contribution certainly helped them get the result over the line.
The left-back, labelled ‘excellent’ on the night by Dave O’Connell, was his side’s second-best performing player, earning a match rating of 7.7, slightly behind Van Dijk, who came in at 8.2 for his goal and captaincy on the night (SofaScore).
The Reds star also had an 85% pass accuracy and registered two key passes, highlighting the positive impact he made under the lights.
Tsimikas has only been handed six league starts this season, but after a performance like this, Klopp may now have to consider increasing his involvement in the weeks ahead.
Everton will be one of the Premier League clubs in desperate need of reinforcements this summer after another disappointing and difficult campaign last season.
The Toffees finished just two points clear of relegation on the final day of the season when Abdoulaye Doucoure netted the winner against Bournemouth at Goodison Park, but now Sean Dyche is tasked with his first full transfer window at the club to turn around their fortunes and improve their chances of competing more comfortably next season.
The former Burnley boss will have assessed the weakest areas of the squad ahead of the transfer window, with the attacking threat the biggest concern due to the quality of players being significantly weakened following the departure of Richarlison and Anthony Gordon.
Indeed, Everton have had numerous opportunities to repair their uninspiring and inconsistent goal threat but now after scoring the second-fewest goals over the entire 38-game campaign, it could never be more glaringly obvious that the club's hierarchy must invest to keep the Merseysiders inside the top-flight beyond next season.
Whilst investment is much-needed, Everton are experiencing their fair share of financial problems and will likely have to offload players to be able to recruit well this summer.
As a result, Dyche could now cash in on Dele Alli – who is returning from his tumultuous loan spell with Besiktas and eligible to start next season – and instead make a concrete move for Leeds United forward Rodrigo.
Would Rodrigo be a good signing for Everton?
Rodrigo has been continuously linked with a move to Goodison Park over the last month since being relegated with the West Yorkshire outfit and this week journalist Paul Brown told GIVEMESPORT that a deal could be very much possible financially for the Toffees:
"Rodrigo, clearly, is the kind of signing that Everton could currently fund.
"Until new investment comes in and the board is properly reshuffled, it's difficult for Everton to commit huge funding to any kind of transfer at the moment."
"That is an interesting one. He does have a pretty good goalscoring record in the Premier League, particularly if you compare him to Everton's current strikers."
Despite Leeds' struggles in the Premier League last season, the Spaniard – dubbed a "livewire" by former striker Aaron McLean – has been a constant standout performer in the team especially in front of goal – scoring an impressive 13 league goals and registering one assist with a goal contribution every 138 minutes played which is an impressive output for a side in trouble.
In fact, his output completely wipes the floor with the entire Everton squad as he out-scored every single player and when comparing his goal contributions in all competitions, Rodrigo delivered seven more (17) than their top contributor Dwight McNeil (10).
Not only that, the 30-year-old – hailed "class" by BBC commentator Pat Nevin – is an extremely versatile player with a wealth of experience behind the striker.
Thus, replacing Alli, a player also adept at playing as a 'second striker' should be an easy task for the Spaniard. Equally comfortable in the centre-forward role, Dyche could kill two birds with one stone for Dyche. He needs more creativity and he needs more goals; for a reported fee of only €3.5m (£3m), this would be a no-brainer.
With that being said, it is crucial Everton sign Rodrigo this summer as he would not only be a steal for a Premier League-proven player but would also be a hugely valuable asset to the attacking threat next season.
Leeds United have the opportunity to cut the gap between themselves and Ipswich Town in second to within single digits at Elland Road this afternoon.
The Whites are currently ten points behind the Tractor Boys and would be seven points off the automatic promotion places with a victory today.
Ipswich then play host to league-leaders Leicester City on Boxing Day and this means that Leeds could be four points off second if results go their way within the next four days.
Daniel Farke's side are chasing automatic promotion back to the Premier League after the club was relegated from the top-flight at the end of last season.
A win against Kieran McKenna's men would be a huge boost to their hopes of sneaking into the top two before the end of the current campaign and the head coach could look to make some changes to his XI.
Latest Leeds team news
Ahead of this clash with Ipswich, Farke has provided an injury update on his squad as three players have been ruled out and two could return.
Versatile full-backs Jamie Shackleton, Stuart Dallas, and Sam Byram are all unavailable for selection as they deal with their respective injury issues. Phil Hay reported that Byram and Shackleton are both expected to be out of action until the turn of the year.
Leeds defender Sam Byram.
It was not all bad news, though, as it was also revealed that Ian Poveda, who was on international duty with Colombia, and Junior Firpo, who has returned to training following his injury issue, are both set to be in contention to feature.
Farke has also revealed that supporters can expect to see rotation in the team over the next few games as Leeds look to navigate the tricky festive period.
The congestion of games means that players have a lot of work to get through and resting and rotating the squad can help to avoid muscle injuries and fatigue heading into 2024.
With this in mind, Farke must now finally unleash winger Jaidon Anthony from the start over Daniel James, who has struggled over the last two games.
Dan James' last two performances in numbers
The Wales international played the full 90 minutes against Coventry last time out and failed to make an impact at the top end of the pitch as Leeds failed to win.
He was provided with 0.40 xG worth of chances by his teammates but failed to hit the back of the net and missed one 'big chance' in the process.
The former Manchester United forward only created one chance for his teammates and failed with all eight of his attempted crosses on the right flank.
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke.
That disappointing display came off the back of his struggles against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light in the club's previous match – a 1-0 loss on Wearside.
James did not register a single key pass or shot on goal in 75 minutes of action and also failed with all three of his attempted crosses on the night.
This means that the Leeds forward has produced zero goals and one key pass in 165 minutes of football, to go along with one 'big chance' missed and zero created, over the last two Championship games.
James' season in numbers
His last two performances have been off-colour in comparison to his form throughout the campaign as the winger has been impressive this season.
James had managed seven goals, four assists, and eight 'big chances' created in 15 league starts prior to those clashes with Sunderland and Coventry.
The Welsh whiz has averaged 1.8 key passes per game throughout the season so far in 20 appearances as he has showcased his ability to score and create goals on a regular basis from the flank.
Leeds forward Dan James.
His impressive displays have seen him become a consistent starter on the right of the attack for Farke but the busy festive schedule appears to have taken a toll on his displays, as evidenced by his poor statistics over the last two games.
Therefore, it could make sense to ditch him from the starting XI for this clash with Ipswich as Leeds will need energy and players who are fresh and ready to make an impact in such an important match.
This could open the door for Anthony to finally be unleashed as the young winger has the potential to be a key player for the Whites and this could be the game that he makes a name for himself in.
The statistics that show why Anthony should start
Leeds signed the attacker on loan from Premier League side Bournemouth over the summer but he has only started two league matches for the club so far.
His last start came against Stoke back in October and the talented gem created two chances and completed three of his five attempted dribbles in 71 minutes.
Bournemouth winger Jaidon Anthony.
Despite that impressive outing, Anthony is still waiting for his third start of the 2023/24 Championship campaign and it could come this afternoon.
James has not done enough in the last two clashes to suggest that he deserves to keep his place and the Cherries loanee does have an excellent track record in the division.
He was promoted with Bournemouth at the end of the 2021/22 campaign and caught the eye with his terrific performances on the flank that term.
Progressive passes (5.59)
Top 5%
Expected Assisted Goals (0.25)
Top 10%
Shot-creating actions (4.26)
Top 8%
Progressive passes received (9.19)
Top 6%
Blocks (1.61)
Top 2%
As you can see in the table above, Anthony was a fantastic creative talent throughout the season with his ability to conjure up shooting opportunities for his teammates at an impressive rate.
He ended the campaign with a sublime return of eight goals, seven assists, and 17 'big chances' created in 38 league starts for the Cherries.
His former boss Scott Parker once described him as a player who goes "under the radar" and that has certainly been the case at Leeds as the 6 foot wizard is yet to really burst onto the scene in Yorkshire.
Farke must now finally unleash Anthony from the start against Ipswich to allow him to shine in a Whites shirt by using his creativity to contribute to what will, hopefully, be a crucial victory for the club.