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Many Everton fans have been left reacting to some transfer news on Aaron Ramsey.

As per Calciomercato, it now seems ‘increasingly likely’ that the central midfield player will sign for the Goodison Park faithful in the January window.

Of course, Ramsey is very experienced in the Premier League, having scored no fewer than 40 goals and made a further 51 assists in 262 games in total (Transfermarkt), but he is 30 years of age now, and so past his peak.

The Juventus ace has also had injury problems throughout his career, and so signing him would be a bit of a risk, but one that could well turn out to be worth it at least in the short term.

Everton fans on Ramsey transfer news

These supporters of the Merseyside club gave some fairly mixed reactions as the transfer news was shared on Twitter, with one Toffee going on to claim that Ramsey is a ‘quality’ player:

“What a signing this would be! Him, Doucoure and Allan would be a fantastic midfield”

Credit: @CursedToffees

“As a Welshman I may be biased but when fit Ramsey is quality. He would be an asset, works hard just has had bad luck with injuries. I can understand people’s dislike of the signing though because of age, wages and injury history – but If Rafa wants him then I would trust!”

Credit: @Zatherton3

“Pay as you play contract I’m hoping!!”

Credit: @ToffeeTipp74

“It would be really stupid if we went down this road again”

Credit: @efc_ke

“Don’t the club ever learn?”

Credit: @Twoblue68

“No thanks. Too old, too injury prone and would want a huge salary. Let him leach off NUFC”

Credit: @TomFox87

In other news, find out what ‘unbelievable deal’ EFC could pull off here!

Ross Barkley would revive his career if he reunites with David Moyes at West Ham United, according to Rob Lee.

The midfielder’s Chelsea career appears to be over after being left without a squad number for the new season.

Barkley was also omitted from the Blues’ matchday squad for their opening weekend win over Crystal Palace and had to make do with action in a friendly against non-league Weymouth at the weekend.

It comes after the England international spent last season on loan at Aston Villa, where he made 24 appearances but saw his opportunities hampered by a hamstring injury.

Reports suggest West Ham could end Barkley’s time at Chelsea by making a move for the 27-year-old, although the Hammers face competition from Premier League rivals Everton and Newcastle United.

West Ham boss David Moyes worked closely with Barkley during their time together at Everton and former Hammers midfielder Lee believes a reunion could be in the offing.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Lee said: “Ross Barkley has to get that hunger back.

“With certain players, if they feel loved, they’re the top man and the manager mollycoddles them a little bit, they’re a different animal and play totally differently.

“Players always want to be loved and they have this ego you have to stroke, unfortunately. That’s what managers have to do to get the best out of their players and great managers know how to do that. David Moyes knows how to handle him.”

Wolves have suffered a blow in their quest to sign Lille centre-back Sven Botman, with Newcastle United linked with a move for the Dutchman.

The Lowdown: Wolves keen on Botman signing

Bruno Lage’s side are still stinging after Saturday’s late 1-0 defeat at home to Liverpool but they must ensure it doesn’t derail their season.

The hope is that new signings are made in the January transfer window and Botman is someone who has been linked with a move to Molineux.

The 21-year-old has started 10 Ligue 1 games for Lille so far this season and is considered a hugely promising young defender, being described as ‘brilliant’ by journalist Robin Bairner earlier this year.

The Latest: Newcastle emerge as contenders

Wolves now face competition in the race to sign Botman, however, with The Athletic‘s David Ornstein confirming on Twitter that Newcastle are ‘exploring the possibility’ of signing the nine-time capped Netherlands international in January.

Lille want to keep hold of the youngster until next summer but their head may be turned if an ‘exceptional’ offer arrives before then – surely worrying news for the likes of Wolves given the riches at Newcastle’s disposal.

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The Verdict: Potential big blow

In past circumstances, this news may not have been too big a blow for Wolves, with Newcastle not necessarily a more exciting proposition than them.

The Magpies have of course been taken over and are now extremely wealthy, though, so they may be able to offer Botman far higher wages than Fosun and co would even want to.

It would be a big blow to lose out on someone who appears to be a primary transfer target – the player himself even confirmed the interested – with the Lille man averaging an impressive 2.5 aerial duel wins per game in both the Champions League and Ligue 1 this season.

He has also completed 91.3% of his passes in Europe’s top competition, showing that he is strong in the air and talented on the ball.

In other news, a pundit is unsure about one rumoured Wolves transfer happening. Read more here.

Newcastle United have made a ‘request for information’ about Lille’s Renato Sanches, according to Calciomercato. 

The lowdown

The 24-year-old helped Lille to see off Paris Saint-Germain to the Ligue 1 title last season, but they have struggled so far this term. With just four games to go until the halfway point of the season, they find themselves down in 13th place, placing their hopes of European qualification in serious doubt.

The Portuguese maestro missed seven of the first eight games through a meniscal injury and has been limited to four league starts so far in 2021/22 (via Transfermarkt).

Another Premier League club in Wolves actually tried to sign the midfielder on loan in the final hours of the summer transfer window (via The Athletic).

The latest

According to Calciomercato, Sanches’ agent Jorge Mendes apparently wants to arrange a move away from Lille as soon as January. The Ligue 1 champions have set his asking price at €35m, which equates to about £29.8m.

Serie A giants AC Milan have identified the 24-year-old as a potential replacement for Franck Kessie, but Newcastle, who have made enquiries over the past few weeks, can offer him a significantly larger pay packet thanks to PIF’s lucrative takeover.

The verdict

Sanches would be quite a coup for Newcastle. He may be remembered on these shores as a Swansea City flop, but he’s come a long way since that ignominious spell in south Wales back in 2017/18.

He was hailed as ‘terrific’ for his performance against reigning world champions France at Euro 2020 and has continued to shine on the biggest stages.

Tutto Mercato Web (via Sempre Milan) showed him with praise following his display in last week’s Champions League victory over RB Salzburg, dubbing him a “giant” who was “physically and technically perfect”.

However, the worry for Newcastle is his alarming injury record, and that ought to make them think twice about a near-£30m move for the Portugal midfielder.

In other news, this £9m-valued ace could leave St James’ Park in January

Leicester City suffered a devastating blow during Tuesday night’s game against Villarreal.

What’s the story?

Highly-rated centre-back Wesley Fofana suffered a broken leg following a horrific challenge from Fernando Nino, with the 20-year-old confirming his injury from a hospital bed on Twitter.

The youngster’s fractured fibula is likely to keep him sidelined for the majority of the upcoming campaign, meaning Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers must sign a replacement over the coming weeks.

With former club captain Wes Morgan retiring after 2020/21, the Foxes had already been heavily linked with Schalke defender Ozan Kabak in the current window and the Turkey international’s arrival at the King Power Stadium would certainly soften the blow of Fofana’s recent setback.

Ozan Kabak can soften the injury blow

Kabak already has experience of playing in the Premier League following a fairly successful loan spell at Liverpool in the second half of last season, where he made 13 appearances in all competitions.

The Reds turned to the youngster to solve their injury crisis in the January window, and his impressive performances saw Jurgen Klopp label the £22.5m-rated gem a “big prospect”.

However, his solid displays weren’t enough to persuade the Anfield outfit to make his move to Merseyside permanent, opting to sign Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig instead.

While Kabak was enjoying himself on English shores, though, his parent club Schalke suffered relegation from the Bundesliga in dramatic fashion.

The German outfit’s perils mean they’re desperate to offload one of their highest earners in order to balance the books before the transfer window shuts, with a recent report even claiming they could even release their prized asset if a suitable buyer doesn’t come forward.

Therefore, with Fofana’s injury setback leaving Leicester with just two recognised central defenders in their first-team squad in the shape of Jonny Evans and Caglar Soyuncu, Rodgers surely has to swoop for Kabak.

He’s young, full of potential, has Premier League experience, and will be available for a bargain price. It’s a transfer that makes sense for multiple reasons, but it remains to be seen whether the FA Cup holders make their move.

And, in other news…Leicester handed potential transfer boost over 11-goal “genius”, fans surely buzzing 

Dean Windass doesn’t think that Ross Barkley did enough to warrant a return to Aston Villa next season.

Barkley started like a house on fire following his loan switch from Chelsea last summer.

He scored stunning goals in his opening two appearances against both Liverpool and then Leicester as Villa made an impressive start to the Premier League season and sat second after four matches.

Barkley’s honeymoon period continued with an assist in Villa’s win at Arsenal, but he would contribute to just one more goal in his final 19 outings and found himself battling for a starting place by the end of his spell with Dean Smith’s team.

It’s unclear whether Barkley will be a part of Thomas Tuchel’s plans moving forward, but a more consistent loan period with Villa would have given the Chelsea man every chance of earning himself a permanent deal and possibly a place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad.

But the midfielder will now return to Chelsea, and Windass exclusively told Football FanCast that Barkley’s next step must guarantee regular football:

“I think that will fizzle out now. If he did well then might have kept him, but I think that ship has sailed. But he needs to be playing week in, week out.”

The transfer window has only been closed for a matter of 12 days but Everton are already planning their moves for January.

Rafa Benitez has enjoyed a vibrant life back in Merseyside and there are plenty of positives for the Toffees.

What’s the word?

One player who Everton targeted in the final days of the summer market was Arsenal’s Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

They lodged a bid to sign him on loan with an optional future fee but it was rejected by the Gunners who wanted an improved offer.

Yet, after the player took to Instagram in dismay, pleading that he was given a chance to play, it led to crunch talks between all parties.

Maitland-Niles eventually stayed in north London but according to fresh reports from ESPN, Everton are set to revive their chase in January.

The outlet states that a permanent move could be on the cards this time too.

Iwobi 2.0

The summer transfer window of 2021 was a downplayed affair for Everton, one that was out of character with their usual spending routine.

Since 2016/17, they have spent a combined £450m on new players who have failed to take them to the next level.

Yet, as the window slammed shut a fortnight ago, just £1.7m was spilt from Everton’s coffers in the latest market.

Demarai Gray was the only player who cost them any sort of outlay but he’s already hit the ground running with two goals in three matches.

That’s more than can be said for a certain Alex Iwobi. He was the last man that Everton prised away from Arsenal and after a £34m switch, it has not panned out well at all.

The Nigerian has found the net on only five occasions in 69 outings, a dismal tally for someone who showed so much promise and potential in the red and white of Arsenal.

Maitland-Niles is a different player but he’s hardly pulling up many trees in the capital.

Although he’s capable of playing at right-back, a position Everton desperately need bodies in, he has disappointed in a central midfield role, a position where he’d prefer to play.

Dubbed a “Rolls-Royce” by Martin Keown a few years ago, his performances have dwindled and nothing summed that up more than his display against newly-promoted Norwich on Saturday.

Afforded a rare chance in midfield, the 23-year-old lost possession 18 times and only won a meagre 33.3% of his defensive duels.

Furthermore, his pass success rate of 80% left a lot to be desired for someone who was supposed to be playing in a possession-based system.

Although the £14.4m-rated gem still has plenty of time to grow and improve, Everton’s purchase of Iwobi back in 2019 suggests that recent history isn’t kind to the Toffees when they buy from north London.

This might be a move they want to swerve.

AND in other news, Rafa must ruthlessly axe “sloppy” £69k-p/w Everton liability, he’s “regressed awfully”…

Pep Guardiola has been dealt a blow at Manchester City as Aymeric Laporte has picked up an injury on international duty with Spain.

What’s the word?

The 27-year-old centre-back, who has enjoyed a fine start to the season with the Citizens, was forced off at half-time with an adductor injury in Spain’s 4-0 win against Georgia at the weekend, which will put him in doubt for City’s trip to face Leicester City on Saturday afternoon.

The former Athletic Bilbao man has impressed in each of City’s last two games, which resulted in 5-0 victories against Norwich City and Arsenal, with his 7.61 average rating from WhoScored ranking him as the fifth-best performer in Guardiola’s side so far this season.

A big blow for Guardiola?

There were some suggestions that Laporte could leave during the summer transfer window after he spent much of last season playing second fiddle to Ruben Dias and John Stones, who formed a superb partnership in the heart of City’s defence.

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However, he remained at the Etihad and his impressive performances thus far have reinforced his immense quality, and he is sure to play a regular part in Guardiola’s side throughout the 2021/22 campaign.

The Spanish manager certainly rates Laporte highly, as he sang his praises following the game against Norwich, saying:

“Aymeric Laporte is the best left-footed centre-back for build-up in the world.”

Unfortunately for Laporte, with Stones surely now close to full fitness, it seems likely that he will resume his partnership with Dias at the back for City’s game at the King Power Stadium on Saturday, and it may be tough for the Spaniard to re-establish his place in the starting lineup following his recovery from injury.

Therefore, it is undoubtedly a blow that the £40.5m-rated man could be set for a spell on the sidelines and City fans will be gutted that he has picked up this injury after such a solid start to the season.

And, in other news… Guardiola set for huge Man City boost with “incredibly talented” star

Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita has been linked with a summer move to Atletico Madrid as his disappointing Reds career potentially nears an end.

The Lowdown: Disappointing Liverpool career

The Guinean arrived at Anfield in 2018 for a seismic £52.75m but, now rated at £34m by Transfermarkt, he has flattered to deceive during his time on Merseyside, only making 76 appearances in three seasons at the club.

A string of injuries have played a part in the 26-year-old’s struggles, but a paltry return of seven goals (and only one since the start of 2020) illustrates that he has been a disappointment, and a summer exit could now be on the cards.

The Latest: Atletico linked with Keita move

According to AS [via Sport Witness], Atletico are eyeing up a move for Keita this summer, with the report stating that he has been offered to the La Liga giants.

The midfielder’s current Liverpool deal expires in the summer of 2023, so the Reds are in no great rush to get rid of him.

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The Verdict: Time to go?

Keita is a hugely effective player when he it fit and firing – he was hailed as “world-class” by none other than Virgil van Dijk last year, while scoring bursts in April and December 2019 showed what he can bring to the table when on form – but unfortunately that has proved to be a rare occurrence in a Liverpool shirt.

Should a big offer come in for him this summer, the Reds could be wise to accept it, allowing them to sign a more reliable replacement.

That being said, the idea of Keita staying for another year would be no bad thing, with Jurgen Klopp then assessing the situation at the end of next season when the midfielder will then be entering the final 12 months of his current contract.

In other news, one Liverpool hero could potentially sign a contract extension at the club. Find out who it is here.

Eddie Howe has been handed a huge behind-the-scenes boost over Newcastle full-back Kieran Trippier’s recovery from injury…

What’s the latest?

The Toon defender has been out of action since February and is now taking steps forward towards making his return to the first-team squad before the end of the season.

Journalist Miles Starford Tweeted: “Kieran Trippier close to injury ‘handover’.”

This Tweet was in relation to Howe’s comments on the defender’s current situation. Speaking about Callum Wilson and Trippier, the head coach said: “They’ll definitely be stepping it up.

“I don’t think they’ll be with us at all, so they won’t train with the group. There will be a handover period for Kieran, I think, where he’ll go with our sports science guys.”That might happen at some stage soon. It’s not happened yet. Both players are still with physiotherapists.” Howe will be buzzing

Howe will surely be buzzing with Trippier’s recovery and the pace at which he is going through it. These comments suggest that he is making good progress and stepping up the work that he is doing at Darsley Park to get himself back in contention to play in the Premier League.

The Toon boss will be keen to see him back out on the pitch in the coming weeks to make sure that he heads into the summer with a good base of fitness under his belt.

If he fails to play any minutes before the end of the campaign then that will mean that he will have gone around six months without competitive minutes by the start of 2022/23 and that is not an ideal way to start a season. Therefore, getting him back in for the last few matches would be a big boost ahead of the summer.

Howe will also be delighted with his return to action because of the quality he has on the pitch. In the top-flight this term, he has scored two goals in four matches and made a whopping 6.0 tackles and interceptions per game from right-back since joining from Atletico Madrid.

The England international has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.67 for the Magpies so far and this is why the head coach will be keen to have him back in the squad. He is a joy to watch with his sublime performances in defence, as he was able to showcase his attacking and defensive quality prior to his injury against Villa.

AND in other news, NUFC could finally axe shocking £80k-p/w flop with “insane” £40m “star in the making”…