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Everton’s transfer plans could be left in turmoil this summer if Carlo Ancelotti sanctions the sale of his star striker.

The Toffees are on the verge of qualifying for Europe but losing their main man would put a severe damper on an impressive season.

On the chalkboard

This term has been all about the impact of Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The attacker has bagged 19 times this season and is now just one goal away from entering an illustrious club at Goodison Park.

Only Romelu Lukaku and Yakubu in the Premier League era have scored more than 20 goals for Everton in a single season across all competitions.

To lose the 24-year-old would duly be a bitter blow to Ancelotti. Manchester United have reportedly made an enquiry to sign the England international but they’ve been met by a hefty buffer, as the Toffees won’t accept anything less than £80m to part with him.

Who will be his replacement?

If a team does stump up that eyebrow-raising sum of cash, then Everton will find it particularly difficult to replace him. They could look towards Moise Kean, currently on loan at PSG, or they may turn to youth striker Anthony Gordon.

However, failure to invest that £80m back into the playing squad would be a big mistake from Marcel Brands – although one way of replacing him would be to target Southampton striker Danny Ings.

Manchester City, Leicester and Tottenham have all been linked with the Saints star but, speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Marcus Bent thinks he’d be a hit at Goodison Park. This comes after he was touted with the Toffees back in January.

He said: “He’s 29 in the summer, he’s had a few injuries, but has been scoring goals and you want someone to come in and hit the ground running.

“I think it would be a good move for him and a good move for the club, but it would be down to the price tag.”

Ings may have had a few spells on the sidelines but it’s hard to ignore his sensational goal record in the last few years.

Dubbed “unbelievable” by Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl, the forward has bagged 44 times in 96 games since penning terms from Liverpool. He has netted on 11 occasions this season but was in scintillating form last term, bagging 25 goals in 42 games.

Ings might not be the same potent threat in the air as Calvert-Lewin, but he has pace and works incredibly hard for the team, pressing from the front and refusing to give the centre-backs a moment’s peace.

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It’s his movement and energy which sets him apart from plenty of other forwards in the top flight, being compared to Robbie Keane for the way he goes about his business.

The striker might be approaching the age of 30 but he would be a first-class replacement for Calvert-Lewin if the Toffees ace does indeed walk through the Goodison Park exit door.

AND in other news, Everton may repeat their Iwobi howler if Brands signs 32-goal ace who “brings joy”…

Aston Villa are certainly one of the league’s in-form sides having picked up nine points from their last five games under new manager Steven Gerrard, only losing to Manchester City and Liverpool.

However, the Villans face a hectic schedule across the festive period, playing seven games within the space of a month and the 41-year-old will need numerous options to rely on should his squad rack up injuries and suspensions.

The West Midlands side possesses some decent attacking talents, with Villa scoring 21 league goals in 16 games thus far. Together, strikers Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings have scored a combined seven of those goals.

Ings though has been unreliable with his fitness since swapping Southampton for Birmingham in the summer, making 11 appearances in the league and Gerrard could certainly do with some more options in the striker department.

Villa have a handful of exciting, young attacking options with the likes of Jacob Ramsey, Cameron Archer and Carney Chukwuemeka all featuring for the first team this campaign.

Although, the B6 club do also have another attacking option currently on loan, who could prove useful for Gerrard’s squad, should he be recalled, and that’s Louie Barry.

Having joined League One outfit Ipswich Town on loan in the summer, the 18-year-old striker has seen limited game time, playing just 286 minutes for the Tractor Boys.

The Suffolk club have also recently sacked manager Paul Cook, which could prove to be the final nail in the coffin for Barry.

The former-Barcelona youth player has been likened to Michael Owen in the past by former Villa player Lee Hendrie and was labelled “outstanding” upon the signing of his first pro-contract.

Speaking exclusively to FFC, Hendrie labelled the young forward’s most exciting qualities:

“He reminds me of a young Michael Owen in the fact that he’s very slight, small, but he’s very quick, and I’m surprised that he hasn’t been given a bit more of a chance since that game.”

The match the pundit refers to is one that fans will remember for the youngster’s well-taken goal against Liverpool in the FA Cup last season, equalising in a 4-1 defeat when numerous youngsters were required to play after the first team had taken a major pandemic-related hit.

There has been a suggestion that Barry could be recalled and then sent out on loan to a League Two club, however, the 18-year-old could certainly prove to be an option for Gerrard, one that potentially saves him millions in potential transfer fees.

Leeds United youngster Jack Jenkins has extended his stay with the Whites, signing a new deal that will keep him at Elland Road until 2024.

The Lowdown: Jenkins excites at Leeds

Kalvin Phillips may be Leeds’ undisputed main man in midfield for the first team, but Jenkins has similarly caught the eye for Under-23s.

The 19-year-old has made 24 appearances for the Whites’ youth team in total, including 22 in Premier League 2, registering five assists along the way.

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The Latest: Youngster rewarded with new deal

On Monday, Leeds’ official Twitter account confirmed that Jenkins had penned a new deal that will see him remain at the club until at least 2024.

The midfielder joins Whites duo Charlie Cresswell and Liam McCarron in agreeing new contracts.

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The Verdict: One for the future

It is important that Leeds build towards the future and Jenkins is someone who could become a key figure if his form at youth level translates to the senior game, highlighting the importance of tying him down.

Granted, he won’t necessarily be a first-team regular for a while – it may even be after Marcelo Bielsa eventually moves on – but long-term planning is essential.

Jenkins has one first-team appearance to his name, coming against Crawley Town in the FA Cup last season, and the hope is that it is the first of many.

In other news, Graham Smyth was disappointed with one Leeds player against West Ham. Find out who it is here.

West Bromwich Albion have been in a ‘will they, won’t they?’ saga with the transfer rumours surrounding Dwight Gayle and there have now been further reports connecting the Championship goal machine back to the club yet again.

West Brom have been heavily linked to offer a return opportunity for Dwight Gayle to assist the side in gaining promotion back into the Premier League this season and now that the 32-year-old has reportedly been made available for loan, it’s time for Ismael to swoop in for the striker.

The last time the £40k-per-week player went on loan from Newcastle to West Bromwich Albion was the 2018/19 season in the Championship where he scored 24 goals and bagged eight assists for the Baggies, albeit not enough to get them promoted that term when they finished fourth, losing to Aston Villa in the playoffs.

Now the Magpies centre forward could be set for a return if Valerien Ismael can seal the deal to bring him back to the club in the winter transfer window, as it appears Newcastle have given the green light for him to depart for the rest of the season.

Gayle’s former teammate and West Brom defender, Kyle Bartley, was full of praise for the striker calling him a “proven goalscorer” when he was asked about him in an interview, hailing qualities that would make him a phenomenal addition at the Hawthorns.

“Dwight is a proven goalscorer and he is always going to get you goals and his work rate off the ball is also immense.”

Fans have been buzzing at the speculation of a return for the former Baggies player, with many taking to social media to express their desire to get him back in January.

One Albion fan tweeted; “Gayle HAS to be better than Hugill and Zahpoor so yes. Wages though…. Hmmmm.”

West Brom are desperate to add a prolific goal scorer to their side in January, as they attempt to climb the table into one of the two automatic promotion spots.

Gayle does have the experience and tenacity to handle the Championship, with a proven record of scoring important goals in the second tier for both the Baggies and Newcastle.

Ismael will be working closely with the board to ensure that the right players are brought into the club in January and West Brom can get a healthy run of form going with more goals being scored and better finishing in the side going forward into the second half of the season.

It’s evident that their former loan star would fit the bill. They’ve scored 21 goals fewer than league leaders Fulham this term so need all the additional help they can get if they want to seal promotion back to the promised land of the Premier League.

Although Gayle hasn’t exactly been on fire for the Toon, failing to score this campaign, his tally of 59 Championship goals is something for fans to get excited about.

They simply have to sign him, or a player of his proven calibre, in order to better their current league position.

In other news: Lai still wants to sell the Baggies

Former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey believes that Roberto Firmino should step aside for a more clinical striker in the summer.

Firmino out?

The 29-year-old has been criticised by pundits and segments of the Kop faithful this season after what has been a forgetful 2020/21 campaign for the reigning Premier League champions.

Firmino has scored just six goals in 26 games, 11 less than his teammate Mohamed Salah and one less than Sadio Mane (Whoscored).

With this in mind, summer signing Diogo Jota shook up the formidable front three by starting off his Anfield career with a bang, scoring five times in his first nine games – putting serious pressure on Firmino’s place in Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Speaking to Rousing The Kop, Heskey believes that the time has come for Firmino to be taken out of the team – but not sold altogether.

“There was a time when we were speaking and I said that they should bring [Firmino] out of the firing line,” he said. Let him relax a little bit, let him watch from the sideline, let him get his confidence back up and they did that. He slowly started to improve.

“Now I’m thinking they need to look for someone else and he should be second choice. I think he would be great to be dipping in every other game.

“For Liverpool, they need someone who’s going to get them 15-20 goals a season, every season. I think it’s time for him to take a backseat now.”

Transfer Tavern Verdict

Liverpool’s front three have been playing together since 2017 and have performed relentlessly right up until this season. It was only a matter of time until the magic wore off to some degree.

The year of their first Premier League title defence proved to be exactly that. It has been no secret that Firmino was outperformed by Jota when fit.

We agree with Heskey here – maybe Firmino would benefit from being taken out of the spotlight. The Brazil international should not be sold as he is a unique player in his own right though – he is crucial to Klopp’s squad and style.

In other news, Liverpool fans split down the middle as news involving 22-goal Klopp star emerged.

Liverpool are continuing to be linked with a move for Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Florian Neuhaus, and he could be the man to help unleash Thiago in the Reds midfield if he were to join.

According to Sport BILD journalist Christian Falk (via Express), the 23-year-old is willing to join the Reds in the summer, and they are now the number one contenders to sign the German, due to Dortmund-bound manager Marco Rose not wanting to sign any of his current players from Monchengladbach when he makes the switch, whilst Bayern Munich are low on funds after their signing of Dayot Upamecano.

Neuhaus has established himself as a top prospect in Europe with his performances in recent seasons, contributing four goals and two assists in 30 Bundesliga appearances last season, resulting in an excellent 6.96 average rating.

The midfielder looks well on track to surpass these statistics this season, having already managed four goals and four assists in 22 appearances in the German top-flight.

Neuhaus would likely arrive as a replacement for Georginio Wijnaldum, who looks set to depart Anfield in the summer when his contract expires, and he arguably could be better-suited to this Liverpool midfield than the Dutch international, as his style of play would suit Thiago.

The German is taller than Wijnaldum and would provide more of a physical presence in midfield, which may take some of the pressure off Thiago to defend and try and win the ball back, which doesn’t really suit his skill set.

The Reds need an all-round midfielder with an excellent work rate such as Neuhaus, who averages 13.44 pressures per 90 minutes, as this would allow Thiago to conserve his energy and make himself available for when Liverpool win the ball back with their press, rather than doing all of the chasing himself.

Neuhaus has earned a lot of plaudits with his performances for Monchengladbach, with teammate Marcus Thuram labelling him an “outstanding” player last year, and with Die Fohlen languishing in mid-table in the Bundesliga, he deserves a move to a side that can challenge for trophies next season.

Certainly, his all-round style of play in midfield would definitely compliment Thiago and allow him to get back to his best, as so far, he has failed to reproduce the level of performances he showed in his time with Bayern Munich.

Michael Edwards will be aware of Neuhaus’ quality and availability, sanctioning a move for the Monchengladbach ace could prove to be a masterstroke.

And, in other news… Edwards should swoop for £63m beast who silenced Messi at 19 

Sporting CP midfielder Matheus Nunes would be an excellent signing for Wolves, as well as a show of ambition, according to Midlands reporter Josh Holland.

The Lowdown: Nunes linked with Wolves move

Bruno Lage will be looking to bolster his options in the summer transfer window, ensuring his Wanderers side continue to head in the right direction next season.

One player Wolves have been linked with signing is Nunes, who is enjoying an impressive season for Sporting, starting 28 Primeira Liga games and chipping in with two goals and assists apiece.

The 23-year-old’s creative class has shone through in his central midfield role, with an 85.6% pass completion rate and an average of 2.4 dribbles per game.

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The Latest: Journalist talks up signing

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Holland talked up the idea of Nunes joining Wolves in the summer, saying it would be a statement of intent:

“I think it shows ambition and the fans will love that Bruno Lage wants players like that.

“Depending on where they finish, they need to be looking at players that will want to come to Wolves and help them get into the Champions League rather than a player who wants them to be in the Champions League now.”

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The Verdict: Neves replacement?

Nunes looks like a class act who could fit in seamlessly at Molineux, not least because of his Portuguese roots, and he is surely being viewed as a replacement for Ruben Neves.

The Wolves hero looks increasingly likely to move elsewhere at the end of the season and his compatriot could help the sizeable void left by him, considering he is not dissimilar in style, even hailed as ‘one of the best players in the world today’ by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola.

At 23, Nunes would be considered a long-term replacement who should improve further in the coming years, also making up for the loss of one of the club’s most influential players.

In other news, one player has emerged as a new Wolves transfer target. Find out who it is here.

Southampton have been linked again with a move for Manchester United left-back Brandon Williams recently, and the 20-year-old could be an excellent addition to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s squad.

The youngsters was linked with a move to the Saints during the summer but they were unable to finalise a deal, however, according to Sky Sports the South Coast club are set to reignite their interest in the Englishman in the upcoming January transfer window.

Following Manchester United’s summer signing of Alex Telles, the academy graduate has struggled for game time at Old Trafford so far this season, having made just one substitute appearance in the Premier League so far this season.

Southampton are low on left-back options in their squad, with Jack Stephens having filled in there when Ryan Bertrand was out injured earlier in the season.

Therefore, a move for Williams makes sense for Hasenhuttl, especially if the club don’t plan on renewing the contract of Bertrand, which is set to expire at the end of the current season.

Perhaps we could see a deal similar to the one which brought Kyle Walker-Peters to the South Coast club during the summer, as after an impressive loan spell last season he was keen to make his stay permanent.

During his time with the Red Devils, Williams has featured 41 times for the senior side, contributing one goal and three assists.

Therefore, despite being just 20, the £9.9 million rated defender would bring a fair amount of experience with him to Southampton, having also featured in the Champions League for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side in recent seasons.

After Williams made his full United debut in a game against Partizan Belgrade last year, Solskjaer was full of praise for the youngster, saying:

“Brandon was, for me, man of the match.

“He’s been fantastic in the few games he’s played, the boy has no fear, he’s as brave as a lion and he got us the win.”

In 17 Premier League appearances last season, the 20-year-old averaged a very solid 6.71 rating for United, so it could definitely be argued that he would be a solid addition to the Saints squad and could provide good competition for Bertrand at left-back.

And, in other news… Lost possession 20x: Hasenhuttl surely left fuming by anonymous £45k per week dynamo

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to bounce back after a dismal few weeks when they welcome already-relegated Sheffield United to North London this evening.

Last weekend, Spurs were defeated in yet another final as they were completely played off the park by Manchester City in the Carabao Cup, continuing a 13-year wait for silverware.

It came less than a week after Jose Mourinho’s surprise sacking, the Super League fiasco and supporter protests, so interim boss Ryan Mason could certainly do with another league victory today.

Spurs remain eight points behind the top four, so Champions League qualification seems a less than likely outcome in these final few games but they can put the pressure on West Ham and Liverpool for that fifth-place spot with a win over the Blades.

Mason will have to make some alterations from the starting XI that tasted defeat last Sunday and with Football FanCast already suggesting the inclusion of Tanguy Ndombele this weekend, one player needs to make way to accompany him.

The 29-year-old former midfielder must now do the reverse and axe Harry Winks for the Frenchman.

Winks had become a forgotten man under Mourinho, featuring in just six league games under him since November but Mason trusted him to start – and play the full 90 – against the rampant league leaders.

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The intention to start him did have logic, as Spurs really needed to keep hold of possession against Pep Guardiola’s attacking riches but ultimately, it failed to pay dividends as it results in the north London outfit managing just one shot on target all game, whilst City enjoyed 62% possession.

It may have only been 1-0 but it was a rout for City.

Winks was sub-par in the middle, failing to register a key chance created, managing just one tackle and he lost 60% of his battles. It’s no wonder he couldn’t get in the side under the ‘Special One.’

Once dubbed a “perfect midfield player” and compared to the likes of Xavi and Andres Iniesta by Mauricio Pochettino, the Englishman is now at a career crossroad and has even been linked with a summer departure.

Currently, the £26m-rated midfielder – who earns a reported £75k-per-week – ranks as Spurs’ worst-performing player (of those that have started five or more games), with an average WhoScored rating of 6.35.

The alternatives, namely Giovani Lo Celso (6.55) and Ndombele (6.93) evidently offer up more consistency than Winks and furthermore, the former Lyon star has the ability to drive Mason’s squad forward from midfield.

He is averaging a squad-high 2.4 dribbles per game, in comparison to Winks’ squad-low 0.1 dribbles per match, via WhoScored.

Axing Winks for Ndombele seems like a no-brainer ahead of kick-off, especially after the 24-year-old’s masterclass against the Blades last time out.

If Mason wants to get Spurs back on track, then he must show no mercy and drop the Englishman from his starting XI tonight. He’s just no longer good enough for the Lilywhites.

AND in other news, the next Spurs boss may already have perfect Skipp partner in 19 y/o gem dubbed “a coach’s dream”…

Interest is growing in Derby County centre-forward Martyn Waghorn ahead of the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Football League World, who claimed that Ipswich Town are considering a move for the £1.8m-rated 31-year-old as the striker looks likely to become available on a free transfer upon the expiry contract at Pride Park this summer – unless the Rams offer him a new deal.

Waghorn must go

So far this season, Waghorn has been in rather disappointing form over his 31 Championship appearances for Wayne Rooney’s side, with the 31-year-old scoring just three goals and registering three assists, as well as losing an average of 64% of his duels and giving away possession of the ball 8.1 times per game.

The £7,900-per-week forward also averages of a mere 0.3 interceptions, 0.5 tackles and wins possession 0.2 times per game, demonstrating his overall lack of commitment to the cause – something which is also reflected in his average SofaScore match rating of 6.62, ranking him as the Rams’ 11th-worst performer in the second tier.

As such, regardless of what league Derby happen to be playing their football in next season, it would seem as if they would not be any worse off without Waghorn on their books, as the former Ipswich forward – whom Frank Lampard signed for £5.04m in 2018 – does not appear to be giving anywhere near 100% for the side, something which would more than likely continue to be the case if he were offered a new deal in the summer.

If we were Rooney, the 31-year-old – of whom Ryan Conway has previously, and somewhat surprisingly, claimed he would “never question his work-rate”, as well as dubbing the forward a “problem” for defenders – would be getting nowhere near the starting XI for the crucial fixture against Sheffield Wednesday coming up on Saturday, where defeat would ensure that Derby will be playing their football in League One next season

In other news: Rooney must avoid Derby swoop for 29 y/o flop who “plays like he’s on roller-skates” – opinion