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Football finance expert Kieran Maguire has given a positive verdict about Carlo Ancelotti’s recent comments regarding his Goodison Park future.

Ancelotti had spoken about his future recently, saying that he wants to stay at Everton for as long as possible, even though his contract expires at the end of the 2023/24 campaign.

Maguire believes Ancelotti and the new stadium could be great

Maguire was talking to Football Insider about Ancelotti’s comments and he reacted positively, saying that if the Toffees get European football at their proposed new stadium when it opens, paying for Ancelotti’s contract extension in the future could be ‘small fry’ for the Toffees.

The finance expert said: “Given the ambition of the owner, it would be a perfect storm for when Bramley Moore Dock opens, and they are hoping that could be 2024.

“That’s the year when the reformed, revamped Champions League takes place, and that’s going to be amazingly lucrative.

“If Everton, with a manager of the calibre of Ancelotti, could get their stars in alignment, new stadium, all of these additional matches taking place, hosting clubs like Barcelona and Bayern Munich in that season, it would make everything worthwhile. Carlo Ancelotti’s salary will be relatively small-fry compared.”

The Toffees are currently fifth in the Premier League and only eight points behind second-placed Manchester United. Ahead of their game against Chelsea on Monday evening, Ancelotti’s men are only a single point away from the last Champions League spot with a game in hand.

Everton last played European football in 2017, when they were in the Europa League.

Bright future could be waiting for Everton

Everton’s plans for a new stadium have already been given approval and it has been commented that Bramley-Moore Dock will be a ‘world-class addition’ to the city of Liverpool. It is reported to be a £500m scheme and it could also create a lot of jobs (BBC).

If Everton end up playing European football in the new stadium immediately, that might help them earn more finances and revenue, which could be used to bolster the squad and hand Ancelotti a new or improved contract.

The Italian has a lot of European experience and having him manage Everton at that level could be a blessing, should he and the Toffees remain on track for it.

In other news, Everton have been dealt a blow in their chase of a midfielder- read more here.

West Ham have just been given a clear run at signing mooted no.1 target, Josh King, if emerging reports are to be believed…

What’s the word?

According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, the Bournemouth forward is unlikely to join Southampton before tonight’s 11pm transfer deadline as his salary expectations are beyond what they’d like to pay.

Just a few days ago, talkSPORT reporter Ian Abrahams, known as BroadcastMoose on Twitter, revealed that the 29-year-old was the Hammers’ “top target” and that claims over his huge wage demands were “misguided.”

If true, it’s time for GSB to pull the trigger before it’s too late…

GSB now must strike

After sanctioning the departure of club-record flop Sebastien Haller at the start of the month for a £25m loss, the Irons have yet replaced his void in the attack, meaning the prospects of having Michail Antonio as their only striking option is fast becoming a reality.

And now with their top-flight rivals seemingly out of the picture, it’s time for GSB to get their wallet out and pay whatever King wants as he’d clearly be a very decent addition.

In five successive seasons in the Premier League with the Cherries, the Norway international bagged at least six times with a career-best 16 goals coming during the 16/17 campaign, via Transfermarkt.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/west-ham-deadline-day-latest-news-transfer-rumours-and-more” title=”Deadline day is here: Read the latest West Ham news, transfer rumours and more!”]

Valued at £9.9m by Transfermarkt, King was said to be heading to St Mary’s for a “small fee” whilst he’s thought to be earning around £45k-per-week at the Vitality Stadium, which puts him behind a plethora of current West Ham stars, including rarely-seen duo Issa Diop (£67k-per-week) and Winston Reid (£70k-per-week).

Reports from The Sun earlier this month suggested King would be available for just £15m, £5m less than what GSB received for the sale of Haller.

But talkSPORT’s Alex Crook believes he could now be available for far cheaper.

Which only strengthens the argument that GSB need to act fast.

Antonio has already missed a fair share of matches this term – during an absence of eight matches, the Hammers won only three times whilst his five-goal total for the Premier League season so far is only bettered by Thomas Soucek.

GSB cannot afford to risk ruining their season by not having a viable alternative. One bad injury to their only striker could spell curtains. The Irons must make the most of West Ham finding themselves in fifth place.

King, who has a proven track record in the top-flight and has vast versatility to play anywhere in attack, should be signed before tonight’s deadline. Just this month, he was dubbed a “real handful” by current Bournemouth boss Jason Tindall.

He’s evidently free to move today and going by Crook and Ornstein’s comments, he could be available for a bargain price.

AND in other news, Sullivan could deliver summer masterstroke with £30m-valued beast…

Many Sunderland fans were left to slam the display of Lynden Gooch despite their 2-0 win over Fleetwood Town in the EFL League One on Tuesday evening.

Aiden O’Brien and Max Power scored the goals in the second half that gave all three points to Lee Johnson’s men at the Stadium of Light after what was a very frustrating first half.

Although their were some great performances in a red-and-white-striped shirt, Gooch’s display flattered to deceive a lot of SAFC supporters.

The 25-year-old lost out on five of his duels in the game, and also failed to record a single accurate cross or long ball (Sofascore).

He also lost possession no fewer than 18 times in the match, the third-most out of any of his teammates, earning him a quite measly 6.6 overall rating on Sofascore.

Sunderland fan reaction to Gooch display

These Black Cats slammed his performance on Twitter, with one fan even going as far as to say that the winger was ‘terrible’:

“Really poor over run in the middle. Gooch and O’Brien giving the ball away again. No crossers and through ball isn’t there”

Credit: @Downsy102

“Gooch been very wasteful, movement been non-existent . Don’t remember Wyke touching the ball”

Credit: @deano733

“Gooch has been terrible along with O’Brien. McGeady not his usual self. Fleetwood defending well”

Credit: @S_Garraghan

“Can someone let Gooch know that it’s ok to pass the ball? Cheers.”

Credit: @Jaydenhanlon7

“Gooch is incredibly frustrating to watch at times.”

Credit: @WestSussexSAFC

“O’Brien, Gooch and McFadzean v poor”Credit: @harryeddowesIn other news, find out whose display was slammed against Burton Albion here!

Many Crystal Palace fans are reacting to the news that reports that the club will reignite their interest in striker Christian Kouamé.

According to La Repubblica and tweeted out by @cpfc_xtra, the South London side are expected to make an opening bid to sign striker Christian Kouamé. Reaction to this news has been very mixed, with one fan saying: ‘Typical Palace, has some quality but seems a risky signing.”

The 24 year-old, who is valued at £15.75 million on Transfermarkt currently plays in the Serie A. He has a decent record across his career so far as he has 33 goals and 29 assists in 192 appearances – albeit hardly prolific.

This season hasn’t been great for him however as he has only managed one goal in 12 league appearances. The player has clearly been inconsistent this campaign as he has only started in five of these games, which is also perhaps why he could be on the move.

With Michy Batshuayi only on loan and players like Conor Wickham injury prone, bringing in another striker to strengthen the attack is a clever idea for the Eagles.

Here is what Palace fans have said following the news around Kouame:

In other Palace news, many fans are reacting over some images of a barely-seen star. Have a read who it is here!

Premier League side Leeds United have reportedly made their move for Fiorentina midfielder Erick Pulgar.

Some days ago, Leeds were linked with a move for Fiorentina star Pulgar and it was stated that the Whites had made contact with La Viola over a move for the Chilean midfielder. Further updates have now emerged about Pulgar’s links with a potential move to Elland Road.

Leeds lead the way for Pulgar

Florence-based outlet La Nazione have reported (via Sport Witness) recently that the Whites have now made the most ‘concrete’ contact for the Chilean, who could now be closer to a possible La Viola exit. The fact that the midfielder hasn’t come off from the bench in the last two games is seen as a sign of the fact that he could be leaving soon.

It also stated that La Viola could be willing to listen to offers for the former Bologna man in an attempt to make sure that they get some funds through his sale to make some new signings this month.

Pulgar had arrived at Fiorentina from Bologna in the summer of 2019 for a fee of £9million. For La Viola, the midfielder has played 53 games in all competitions and has scored seven goals, while picking up eight assists.

Last season, Pulgar had come up with 56 shot-creation actions from dead ball situations in Serie A. He also came up with the highest number of goal creation actions from dead ball scenarios in the previous campaign – he is a set-piece specialist, currently valued at £11.25m by Transfermarkt.

Pulgar could be a good signing for Leeds

Apart from the fact that Pulgar is a fantastic set-piece taker, the Chilean is also a versatile midfielder who can play in defensive midfield and in central midfield. In that sense, he would add depth to the Leeds side.

As things stand, Marcelo Bielsa’s men have just a single out-and-out senior-team option for the defensive midfield. They also have only two out-and-out options for the central midfield, considering that Adam Forshaw is injured (as per Transfermarkt).

So Pulgar would improve chance creation from set-pieces and would add depth to midfield. Because of that, he would a very good signing for the Whites.

In other news, a Champions League winner has been tipped to move to Leeds – read more about it here.

Player injuries are always a worry for any team in football, it’s a fact. However as of late, it has been a frequent occurrence that has only got managers and fans worrying. We are seeing players pretty much every week, limping off the pitch, including top players being injured in training too! It has been said that this matter will only get worse as the next few months will see teams cramming all their energy in 3/4 games a week! You can watch these Premier League matches here by streaming them.

Top players like Virgil van Djjk have been off the pitch, due to his pitch collision with Jordan Pickford which needed surgery and urgent attention and medical care. Severity such as this, will of course mean immediate removal from training is a necessity, as some issues will only be irritated further without the proper care and rest. This will also only cause further issues to the standard of play that Virgil can provide in the future. It is always better to be safe than sorry in the football business after all.

Why so many injuries then?

However, there is a bigger reason as to why players are becoming injured much more frequently recently and that is due to the pandemic. It has caused players’ schedules to work in overdrive; as we all know that, too much physical activity and training, makes injuries that much more susceptible.

The fixture schedules have been crammed together due to delays to the usual traditional calendars. This means that players will be making up for lost time and doing three months’ worth of physical activity and training in a short span of time. This overexertion has made cramps and strains a huge problem; usually this is an indicator to stop of course. Yet with so many players on a team, at once suffering the same problem you cannot put a majority of top performing players on the bench, can you?

The Champions League and Europa League ahead, alongside their own domestic cup games mean everything really is occurring at once, which not only is pushing the human body to a physical extreme, mental health will most likely be in effect too. Especially if we consider how fans are no longer in the stadiums, giving players the boost of morale they actually need. It is all quite a bit of a mess, really.

The worst thing about this all is, managers just receive these updates of change to schedules in little time, with not much notice. Meaning they are just as overworked as players and have no choice but to press forward as aggressive as needed, to attain the results needed. It has become like a horror movie to managers, to see their best performers be taken out by injuries that could have been prevented, with the right rests and gaps between seasons, as they would usually get in the football calendar.

Liverpool is a team that has been really affected by the changes, with Gomez being hit with an injury from his training bursts with England, meaning he will be out of play and training for a total of up to seven months. Also, Alexander-Arnold being put on the side-lines too, due to his calf injury attained in a match against Manchester City, will not fare well as a team dynamic. However, what is there to do, other than hope for the best and hope that next year, may bring a more relaxed and less stressed football schedule? Here is us praying and hoping.

With the January transfer window just around the corner, Wolves require added heads and they need to do their business quickly.

Fortunately, the club seem prepared heading into next month.

What’s the word?

Raul Jimenez suffered a fractured skull against Arsenal a few weeks ago and as a result, Wolves are looking for cover in attack.

The likes of Hulk and Kenan Karaman have both been linked but now the rumour mill is set to step up over the coming weeks.

That’s because according to The Athletic, Nuno Santo’s men have a list of more than two dozen strikers they need to whittle down before the window opens.

The same report reveals who one of those targets is – Divock Origi.

Wolves have a long-standing interest in the Liverpool striker and they could finally make their move in January.

The Reds are open to receiving offers for the Belgian international who is currently valued at £14.4m via Transfermarkt.

That being said, Wolves journalist Tim Spiers claims the net is cast wide and mentions loan deals and loan to buy options before permanent acquisitions.

Ideal in the short-term

Origi is used to playing second fiddle at Liverpool and thus, he could relish the opportunity of standing in for Jimenez at Wolves.

After all, the 25-year-old has come up with absolutely massive goals for Jurgen Klopp’s side down the years.

He scored the winner in a Merseyside derby, popped up with a strike against Barcelona in the Champions League at Anfield and then even scored in the final when they beat Tottenham.

This is someone who enjoys the big occasions and would surely flourish when given more game time.

He only has one goal this season but that is hardly a fair reflection considering he’s started just four times.

Described as a “monster” by fellow Belgian Vincent Kompany, he’s also an “outstanding worker in training” according to the former defender.

Certainly, to fit in Wolves system he’d need to hit the ground running but given his work rate, that should be no problem. He is a rangy striker who can hold the ball up but also score goals – he’d be perfect for the Old Gold.

Nuno must be chomping at the bit to bring him to the Midlands.

In other news, Wolves can discover their Conor Coady heir in rarely-seen starlet with “lots of pace”…

Premier League icon Dimitar Berbatov has laid out an uninspiring set of blueprints for how Carlo Ancelotti’s Everton can end a decade of misery and beat Liverpool on Saturday.

The Toffees host their inner-city rivals at Goodison Park this weekend looking to claim a first win in precisely 10 years, and maintain their unbeaten start to the season that sees Everton top the league standings by three points.

Ancelotti’s men have mustered four wins from four in fine fashion having scored the joint-most goals (12), whilst also boasting the best disciplinary record with just two yellow cards to date, per WhoScored.

Saturday’s visitors have been marginally more shy in front of the net with 11 goals, but a humbling 7-2 loss to Aston Villa sees Jurgen Klopp’s side sit fifth in the table with the second-worst defensive record – only newly-promoted West Brom (13) have conceded more than Liverpool (11).

Berbatov expects the goals to continue hitting the Liverpool net this weekend having backed Everton to end their decade of misery with a 2-1 win, but how the former Manchester United striker – who scored a hat-trick against the Reds in 2010 – expects the Blues to achieve the result will leave Toffees supporters rather underwhelmed.

“It’s the biggest derby for years, I can’t wait for this game,” Berbatov told Metro.co.uk.

“Everton will be thinking of Leicester from a few years ago. The team, as I have said, are in love with Ancelotti, he has transformed them. Liverpool have their problems, and Everton will have seen the Villa game.

“Ancelotti will know how to exploit those weakness now, and I think Everton can surprise Liverpool on Saturday.”

Should Everton take inspiration from Leicester City’s 2015/16 Premier League-winning squad, Ancelotti will have one performance in mind over the other as Claudio Ranieri’s Foxes beat Liverpool 2-0 at home in their February encounter.

However, Leicester were far from the dominant force that day as it was the Reds who rather held the upper hand, even though Klopp’s side would depart the King Power Stadium pointless.

Altogether, Liverpool dominated proceedings with 63.9% of all possession, with which they fashioned 14 shots, completed 12 of 20 attempted dribbles and found teammates with 438 of their 566 attempted passes, per WhoScored.

Leicester, meanwhile, made good use of their 36.1% possession to conjure 13 efforts on goal, even though they found retaining the ball a challenging task with Liverpool recording 30 successful tackles, winning 37 defensive aerial duels and dispossessing Foxes players on 18 occasions.

What allowed Leicester to deny their guests that day was an inspired backs-to-the-wall approach, that saw Ranieri’s side block eight of Liverpool’s 14 shots and only allow one single effort force Kasper Schmeichel into action.

Four years on from that defeat, Liverpool continue to be a strong side in possession having averaged the second-best time on the ball (58.3%) thus far this season, with which they turn into the Premier League’s most shots (18.8) a game.

Thus, if Everton are to take any inspiration from Leicester’s title-winning side as Berbatov has proposed, Ancelotti must ensure it is in forcing Liverpool into chances that have a low goal-scoring probability – especially given how Jordan Pickford performed last time out against Brighton in yet another blunder-ridden display.

AND in other news, a Premier League rival has shown Everton a great deal of respect by blocking the Blues’ bid to land Carlo Ancelotti’s £10m target.

Ian Rush remains one of Britain’s greatest strikers of all time. The former Wales international, who was described by the Yorkshire Evening Post as a “prolific striker” for Leeds United, is most famous for his two spells with Liverpool, where he scored 346 goals in 640 appearances, a club record which still stands to this day.

According to The Daily Mail, as relayed by The Scottish Sun, Rush came so close to signing Glasgow Rangers before he moved to Anfield instead. Picture this for a second – Rangers legend Ally McCoist and Rush up front. Just imagine what the pair might have been able to achieve at home and abroad. It almost doesn’t bear thinking about.

One of the greatest ever strikers to play for Liverpool, he began his career as a professional footballer at Chester City, even scoring for the Seals in a shock 2-0 win over Newcastle United in the FA Cup. He eventually left Chester for Liverpool for a then-record fee for a teenager at the time and went on to form a deadly partnership with Kenny Dalglish.

Rush spent seven years in his first stint at Merseyside, before he eventually moved to Juventus in 1986, breaking the British transfer record in the process. He was still with the Italian giants in 1988 when then-Gers manager Graeme Souness came calling, with The Scottish Sun’s Scott MacArthur revealing that his former teammate Dalglish brought him back to Anfield just days after the phone call with Souness.

He told The Daily Mail, via The Scottish Sun: “If Kenny hadn’t called a few days later, I would have been at Rangers with Souey. In the end, I went to Liverpool because I knew I was going back home.

“I’d gone to Italy and realised the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. I knew the club at Liverpool and knew exactly what to expect there.”

All signs seemed to be pointing in the right direction before Dalglish swooped in for the kill. Had it not been for the former Celtic striker , Rush may very well have become a club legend at the Ibrox outfit. Without wanting to rub salt in the wound, he would end up winning another league title, FA Cup and League cup during his second spell with Liverpool. Who knows what he might have achieved with Rangers, but he almost certainly would have scored goals galore.

It just wasn’t meant to be, was it? The Welshman had the chance to don the light blue. Instead, he will forever be known for his time with the Reds. One thing’s for sure, it’s one of those transfers that you can only wish had happened.

AND in other news, Glasgow Rangers striker Kemar Roofe steals the show against Standard Liege…

With Harry Kane still Tottenham’s sole out-and-out striker, it’s been no surprise to see a whole host of centre-forwards being linked with a move to the north London side in this summer transfer window.

Jose Mourinho’s team suffered without their talisman during the course of last season when he picked up an injury, picking up just three Premier League wins in eight games.

Now, Italian journalist Gianluca di Marzio has claimed that Spurs have made an approach to sign Torino marksman Andrea Belotti.

Can you name every one of Spurs’ top goalscorers from the past 15 seasons? It’s a tricky one…

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

It’s claimed that the Lilywhites proposed a loan deal with an option to buy at the end of it for the £31.5m-rated star; an offer that was refused by the Serie A outfit.

It’s further added that Torino have made it clear that they will now only sell their main man in cash-only deals.

With 22 goals in 44 games across all competitions, Belotti enjoyed yet another fine campaign in Italian football, and is actually someone who Spurs’ new signing, Joe Hart, is all too familiar with.

The goalkeeper spent some time with Torino a few years ago, and had this to say about the Italy international in 2017: “Andrea is similar to all the great strikers, English and not. It’s hard to compare him to someone else because he’s special. He’s Belotti and that’s it. He has instinct for goals, personality and he’s a team player: he’s always focused on his team and plays hard to help it.”

That leadership quality was echoed by Torino’s president, who hailed Belotti as a “real captain” for dragging his side through games.

If Mourinho is looking for someone to add yet more experience, grit and determination, then belotti is undoubtedly the man.