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A Dutch journalist has dropped an interesting update on Everton’s pursuit to try and sign Denzel Dumfries in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Coleman not getting younger

Given that Seamus Coleman is now 32, and will turn 33 years of age in October, the Merseyside club seriously need to start thinking about replacing him at right-back for the long-term.

Being the character that the Goodison skipper is, he will want someone to push him for his starting spot, and Dumfries could well be the answer.

The Latest: Dumfries update

Speaking on Dutch outlet Algemeen Dagblad’s podcast (via Sport Witness), journalist Mikos Gouna has claimed that Goodison Park faithful now face serious competition from Inter Milan to sign Dumfries, and also made a bold prediction with regards to the ace set to star for the Netherlands at Euro 2020:

“This boy will, of course, make a top transfer.

“I understand that Inter, for example, is also interested.

“He cost 5.5 million for PSV. Well, they will double that. They have already promised him that they will cooperate.”

The Verdict: Sign him

Dumfries scored a highly impressive four goals and supplied a further nine assists in 41 matches in total across all competitions in the 2020/21 season (Transfremarkt), showing just how much of an attacking threat he is, and at 25 years of age, is a lot younger then Coleman, and thus has a lot more time to continue to develop.

He is also the captain of his current club in PSV, similar to the Republic of Ireland international, meaning that leadership both on and off the pitch would not be lost if he took his starting place.

Marcel Brands is thought to be a big fan of his, which should give them even more of an incentive to sign him up.

In other news, find out what manager update has left Toffees buzzing here!

Liverpool defender Joel Matip was the standout player in a heated Merseyside derby that saw his side claim a 2-0 victory over rivals Everton.

Whilst he might not grab the headlines due to a great impact from Divock Origi and a goal from Andy Robertson, he really was their stand out player defensively today.

The victory keeps Liverpool within a point of title rivals Manchester City, and on a winning run that stretches to four wins from their last five in the league.

On the other hand, it leaves Everton in the relegation zone as they face a battle to stay in the Premier League. It could be the last derby on Merseyside for a while, and it wasn’t as easy as Liverpool might have thought with Everton holding them to 0-0 in the first half.

Despite the Toffees’ best efforts, Matip remained resilient at the heart of the Reds’ backline, winning 80% of his duels including every single one of his six on the ground.

The £140k-per-week star was SofaScore’s highest-rated player out of anyone on the pitch scoring 8.2 with Robertson second with 7.8.

The 30-yeard-old has been a key part of Liverpool’s on the field success this campaign and has been Jurgen Klopp’s chosen partner to Virgil van Dijk, beating off competition from new signing Ibrahima Konate as well as Joe Gomez.

He played the full 90 minutes and also had a pass accuracy percentage of 89% which was third only to fellow defender van Dijk and midfielder Thiago. His quality is massively appreciated by Liverpool fans but less so by those outside the club.

Former Premier League player Jermaine Jenas has described Matip as “under-rated”, and we agree that he probably doesn’t get the credit he deserves.

Unsurprisingly when it comes to the amount of goals conceded this season, Liverpool are second only to City, having let in just 21 all campaign and a huge part of that is because of the ability of Matip.

The Reds have already won the Carabao Cup and are still in with a chance of winning every other competition. Matip has consistently proved to be a reliable player and showed again in a tough derby game just why it’s so hard to score against Liverpool’s defence.

IN other news: Sources: Liverpool agree terms to sign “special” £36m-rated ace, Klopp surely buzzing…

Danny Mills has dropped a big claim on the potential takeover of Newcastle United as an update emerged involving Mike Ashley.

The Lowdown: Ashley releases statement

The Guardian have recently reported that Ashley released a powerful statement this week after HMRC quietly discontinued a long-running investigation into the tax affairs of the St James’ Park club.

As per the Shields Gazette, Newcastle and its chief executive have also accused the Premier League of what they believe to be anti-competitive behaviour in their decision-making process on the proposed deal with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) group.

They are looking to take the Premier League to court over the matter and have also taken on an anti-competition case given to them by the Newcastle Consortium Supporters Limited (NCSL), with the EPL given fresh legal papers as Ashley looks to force them to wave through the bid.

The Latest: Mills reacts to Ashley activity

Mills, who is now a pundit after playing for the likes of Leeds United and Manchester City in his career, has since given his thoughts to Football Insider on Ashley’s latest activity, and his view on the potential takeover on Tyneside:

“It’s a case of Mike Ashley being desperate to sell and doing everything he can to get his money.

“But I think he’s right, it does need to be investigated as to why.

“There is the golf super league with Saudi Arabia, we’ve seen all the boxing going on over there as well and other sports.

“I don’t think we’ve ever had a reason why they weren’t allowed to take over.

“There’s no better time with all the issues surrounding the so-called ‘big six’ and those smaller clubs can say ‘Hang on a minute, how can you allow this to happen to these other clubs and let them spend what they want but you’re not letting us compete?’

“It isn’t really fair. It’s almost like it’s a monopoly on who can do what they want and spend what they want.”

The Verdict: Ashley seems desperate

Given that there is already an arbitration hearing to take place between Newcastle and the Premier League, it seems as if Ashley is already starting to feel desperate by taking them to another legal battle to try and claim damages.

What the result of the arbitration case would be remains unclear, but the report that the businessman is trying to at least get some compensation from the failed takeover bid suggests that he may not be confident about getting a positive outcome from the saga.

In other news, find out what big claim another pundit has made on the potential takeover!

According to a report from Italian outlet Siamo La Roma, Tottenham Hotspur are already preparing to make Dejan Kulusevski a permanent member of the squad. 

The lowdown: Bright beginnings

Signed on an 18-month loan deal from Juventus (Sky Sports), the 21-year-old has enjoyed a superb start to life in the Premier League.

The right-winger has scored twice and provided five assists in ten outings for Spurs so far, quickly becoming a fan favourite at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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Now an update has suggested that the club have made up their mind about the Sweden international, perhaps no surprise given he is already ranking as the squad’s third-best player (Whoscored) behind Harry Kane and Son Heung-min.

The latest: Deal pending

As per the report from Siamo La Roma, Tottenham are believed to be ‘ready to activate’ an obligation to buy the 22-cap ace ‘immediately’.

It’s claimed that Spurs have seen enough to sanction a €35million (£29million) permanent move at the earliest possible juncture.

Having cost an initial £8.3million in loan fees, the move could ultimately rise to roughly £37million to make Kulusevski a Lilywhite.

The verdict: Get it done

There can be little underestimating the impact that the Swede has already had since arriving in north London, particularly during a standout display in the victory over Manchester City.

Described as a ‘non-stop machine’ by Italian Football expert Nima Tavallaey Roodsari, Kulusevski is a constant thorn in the opposition defence, completing on average 1.2 dribbles and producing 1.9 key passes per game (Sofascore).

Still just 21 and already with 209 competitive outings under his belt, adding the versatile attacking midfielder to the Tottenham squad on a permanent basis would is a no-brainer.

In other news: Tottenham installed as favourites to sign England international, find out more here.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has provided an update on Kevin De Bruyne’s injury situation as his side prepare for their Premier League opener against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

What’s the word?

The midfielder picked up an ankle injury playing for Belgium during the European Championship this summer and has missed all of City’s pre-season as a result, so he is unlikely to feature in the first few weeks of the season as he continues his recovery.

Guardiola provided an update on De Bruyne’s situation recently, saying: “He’s getting better, every day. We’re still waiting. He cannot do the full training session, some with us and some alone. We’ll see what happens in the next days.”

Whilst it is good news that the 30-year-old has returned to the training pitch, if he cannot complete a full session yet, then it is hard to imagine him being named in the squad to face Spurs this weekend, which is a huge blow to City’s chances of picking up three points against Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.

A huge blow for Guardiola?

Given that De Bruyne was one of the standout performers in the Premier League last season as City won the title, it is far from ideal that he is unavailable as they begin their title defence this weekend, especially at a ground where the Citizens have struggled in recent seasons.

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The former Wolfsburg man made 25 appearances in the top-flight, contributing six goals and 12 assists, averaging a superb 7.65 rating from WhoScored, which ranked him as the top performer in Guardiola’s squad.

Although the manager might well have a ready-made replacement for the Belgian in Jack Grealish, it is difficult to know how the 25-year-old will adapt following his £100m move from Aston Villa, and it would be unfair to expect him to replicate De Bruyne’s goal and assist numbers straight away.

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Given that De Bruyne’s condition was no doubt worsened by the fact that he played with the injury against Italy in the quarter-finals of Euro 2020, City fans will no doubt be frustrated that he is missing the start of the campaign, especially when you consider the tough start to the season they have been handed.

In other news… Man City dealt decisive transfer setback with “world-class” beast, Pep will be fuming

Portsmouth could be heading for a disaster as former midfielder David Norris says he expects Ronan Curtis to depart the club this summer.

What’s the talk? 

Ex-Portsmouth player Norris has admitted that Curtis will likely want to play at the highest possible level and that could lead to him leaving the club to join a Championship side. He told Football League World:

“The player’s probably eventually going to want to move on and probably earn more money and play as high as he can.

“And then, at the same time, he’s not walking away on a free so the club can bring in some decent money.”

Curtis is under contract at Portsmouth until 2023, with Reading, Derby County, Cardiff and Blackburn all tracking the Republic of Ireland international, according to GetReading.

Heading for disaster

After missing out on promotion from League One this season, it is crucial for Portsmouth to retain as many of their best players as possible for another push next term, with Curtis being one of them.

Curtis was a revelation for Portsmouth in League One, producing 10 goals and seven assists in 36 starts. He added a further four goals and three assists to his overall tally in the various cup competition throughout the campaign, taking him to 14 goals and 10 assists in the 2020/21 season.

His creativity could prove incredibly difficult to replace in the transfer window if he were to depart. Curtis created 1.5 chances per game in League One, the most by any player in the Portsmouth squad, and that is alongside his 10 strikes – second to John Marquis.

Earlier this season, Cowley claimed that the “brilliant” Curtis is going to become a top player if he can control his emotions on the pitch. He told The News:

“There’s a lot of work to do on that because he’s going to be a top player – and to become a top player you must always be in emotional control otherwise the opponent is going to see that as a weakness and try to exploit that.”The higher level you go, the more emotional it is and the more you’ve got to show control.”We are working really hard with Ronan. He is so willing and keen to want to improve in that area and he was brilliant on Saturday.”The £3.7k-per-week attacker averaged an exceptional WhoScored rating of 7.10 for Portsmouth. This was the highest average score by any player in the Pompey squad, with centre-back Sean Raggett the only other player over the 7.0 mark on 7.02. Curtis’ goal contributions and overall performances, therefore, were key for Portsmouth as they just missed out on a place in the play-offs – finishing eighth in League One.This suggests that keeping hold of Curtis could prove key as his displays in the third tier, coupled with Cowley improving the squad in other areas, could allow Portsmouth to challenge for promotion.He has already shown that he can be a quality option at League One level and selling him could weaken Pompey’s chances of going up and failire to get promoted next season could be a huge disaster for a club the size of Portsmouth.

Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a move for Benfica striker Haris Seferovic as Nuno Espirito Santo aims to bolster his forward line.

What’s the story?

According to The Mirror, Spurs are keen on the 29-year-old forward after deciding not to turn Carlos Vinicius’ loan spell into a permanent transfer earlier in the summer.

Seferovic has a £50 million buyout clause inserted into his contract, although it’s believed Benfica would be willing to let him depart for somewhere between £20-£25m.

Nuno’s next Jimenez

Vinicius failed to impress during his 12-month stay in north London and returned to the Eagles last month, but another star of the Portuguese giants could take his place at Spurs.

Seferovic has enjoyed a four-year spell at the Estadio da Luz, bagging 69 goals and providing 29 assists in 173 appearances, winning one league title along the way.

He caught the eye over the last few weeks with his outstanding performances for Switzerland at Euro 2020, scoring three times in five games as Vladimir Petkovic’s men reached the quarter-finals of the competition.

The powerful forward’s impressive displays clearly attracted the attention of Espirito Santo, and the former Wolves tactician could secure his next Raul Jimenez by bringing Seferovic to the capital club.

Jimenez, who also plied his trade at Benfica, was the perfect striker for Nuno’s system. The likes of Diogo Jota and Adama Traore supplied the Mexican with a constant stream of quality crosses, which he supplied the finishing touch to on many occasions.

Seferovic also relies upon quality service from his teammates to score his goals, and the similarities between the two stars mean a move to Tottenham could see another deadly duo be formed.

With Harry Kane’s future far from secure, signing a new striker is a top priority for Spurs this summer, and they could have found their ideal man.

He may not be the most glamorous or exciting name and is certainly not the long-term solution should Kane depart his boyhood club, but Seferovic is a deadly operator and is more than capable of stepping up when called upon.

And, in other news…Spurs must sanction deal for £61k-p/w magician, Paratici says he’s a “great talent” 

Sunderland confirmed on Thursday evening that teenager Dan Neil has put pen to paper on a long-term contract.

And, as to be expected, a number of Black Cats supporters were quick to share their thoughts to the update on social media.

Neil, who made his senior debut back in 2018, has been a regular in Lee Johnson’s side this season, making 17 appearances in all competitions.

The 19-year-old, whose previous deal was set to expire in 2023, has netted twice and registered five assists this season and has now penned fresh terms until 2025 at the Stadium of Light.

He’s followed in the footsteps of Elliot Embleton in extending his stay in the north east, admitting it’s a ‘dream come true’ to be playing for the club.

Sunderland fans react

Sunderland posted the news on their official Twitter page on Thursday. This is what these fans had to say in reply, with many delighted and one labelling it as ‘excellent news’.

“This has just made my day”

Credit: @COLINDLYNCH

“I’ve got my club back”

Credit: @Rye_Moran

“Excellent news”

Credit: @titch471

“What a statement that is actually keeping our best young players, would’ve been sold for pennies under previous regime”

Credit: @gabenoble12

“We won’t make a bigger signing in the next 4/5 years. Superb this”

Credit: @mickysafc20

“Class news this absolutely buzzing with it”

Credit: @leanne_w_

In other news: ‘No idea’ – Many Sunderland fans react as ‘odd’ news is now confirmed.

Fulham centre-back Maxime Le Marchand could be set to leave Craven Cottage this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by French publication Le Bien Public (via Get Football French News), who claim that FC Dijon have made an approach to Fulham regarding a deal for the 31-year-old defender.

The report goes on to mention the fact that the former OGC Nice player has one year remaining on his current deal with the west London side, while it has also been claimed that the Cottagers’ former manager, Scott Parker, deemed the Frenchman surplus to requirements at the club last season.

However, in an interview with GVA earlier this year, Le Marchand suggested he could remain with the Championship side in the new season, despite having been exiled last year.

Le Marchand must go

Considering how infrequently Le Marchand has featured for Fulham since Slavisa Jokanovic signed the 31-year-old in 2018, it would indeed appear a wise move for Marco Silva to cash in on the defender while the interest is there.

Indeed, over his three years in west London, the £1.35m-rated man has gone on to make a mere 48 appearances in all competitions for the club.

Last season, the centre-back made just two Premier League appearances for the Cottagers, over which he made an average of 0 interceptions, one tackle and 1.5 interceptions per game.

These returns saw the £24k-per-week defender earn an average SofaScore match rating of 6.75, ranking him as Parker’s 12th-worst player in the top flight of English football.

Indeed, it became clear that Parker was not a fan of the man Tony Khan dubbed a “valuable” asset, as the 40-year-old sent the player out on loan to Royal Antwerp for the second half of the club’s campaign.

And, with Le Marchand picking up a rather hefty weekly wage in comparison to his current standing in Fulham’s centre-back pecking order, it would appear wise for Silva to follow his predecessors lead over the Frenchman, and do everything in his power to move Jokanovic’s dud on ahead of next season.

In other news: Khan must axe Fulham’s “fabulous” £35k-p/w flop, he’s stealing a living

Liverpool have been linked with a swap deal for AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie, a transfer which would see Thiago move in the opposite direction.

What’s the story?

Kessie has entered the final year of his current contract in Milan, and according to Italian outlet Tuttosport, the 24-year-old has rejected the club’s latest offer worth €6.5m (£5.55m) per year.

As a result, the Rossoneri could be forced into a January sale or else risk losing the Ivory Coast international for nothing next summer, leading to several clubs being credited with an interest in the box-to-box dynamo’s services.

A report from Il Milanista claims that Liverpool are among those keeping a close eye on Kessie’s situation, suggesting that a possible part-exchange involving Thiago could be on the cards.

Liverpool fans may be concerned

Kessie has established himself as one of Serie A’s most dominant midfielders since arriving at San Siro back in 2017 and would be a welcome addition in Liverpool following the departure of Gini Wijnaldum over the summer.

A total of 30 goals and 15 assists in 184 appearances for Milan is testament to the quality of the Ivorian dynamo, and his outstanding passing range and work rate would make him an ideal fit for Klopp’s gegenpressing system.

However, Liverpool fans may be concerned at the prospect of losing Thiago. The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich maestro has enjoyed a fabulous career at the highest level, winning 23 major trophies to date.

Although a serious knee injury limited the Spaniard to just 20 Premier League starts in his maiden campaign on English shores, his quality in a struggling Liverpool side was there for all to see.

As per SofaScore, Thiago averaged 1.3 key passes per league game and achieved a passing accuracy of 90% while also making a significant defensive contribution, averaging 2.5 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per match.

His outstanding displays caught the eye of several impressed onlookers, including teammate Nat Philips, who heaped praise on Thiago for his technical and tactical ability.

“(Thiago is) unbelievable. His technical ability and knowledge of the game. His head is always on a pivot,” he told the Blood Red Podcast (as relayed by Rousing the Kop).

“You haven’t seen anything yet. There were some moments he’d produce in matches later on that he had produced in training.

“In those moments, you know this guy is a serious player, so yeah, just to have shared a pitch with him is something I can look back on and be proud of because he is an unbelievable footballer.”

Therefore, while signing Kessie would be a big positive for Liverpool, losing Thiago at the same time could be disastrous, and as such, Klopp should steer clear of any potential swap deal which would see the Spaniard sacrificed.

In other news… Huge blow: Liverpool suffer setback ahead of Leeds clash, Klopp will be fuming