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Michael Keane is reportedly set to leave Everton on loan in the January transfer window and has even secured an Irish passport to increase his chances of exiting Goodison Park.

The Lowdown: Out of favour

The 29-year-old has fallen out of favour under Frank Lampard this season, having made just two first-team appearances and none since August (Transfermarkt).

The Goodison Park outfit signed Conor Coady and James Tarkowski from Wolves and Burnley respectively in the summer, which has left Keane very limited in terms of his minutes on the pitch.

The Latest: January exit?

As per The Daily Mail, Keane is ‘set to leave’ Everton on loan in January and could make a move to Europe after securing himself an Irish passport, for which he qualifies through the birthplace of his father.

The EU passport means that Brexit regulations can be swerved, although a move to another club in the Premier League is not ruled out.

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The Verdict: Get rid

Having brought in Coady and Tarkowski, Everton have six senior centre-back options in the squad at the moment including Keane, so they can afford to let him go in January given his lack of game-time.

The England international is currently earning £80,000 per week at the Toffees and is one of the higher earners in the squad.

Getting Keane off of the wage bill would help Everton in terms of increasing their budget to bring in other players in January too, and if he impresses at his loan club, a potential permanent deal could then be negotiated in the summer.

Burnley have become the latest club to show an interest in Leeds United midfielder Stuart McKinstry.

The Lowdown: Contract situation

Reports in recent days have claimed that the Whites are planning to hold contract talks with the 20-year-old. McKinstry is currently on a season-long loan back in Scotland with Motherwell, with his Elland Road deal set to expire at the end of the current campaign.

Leeds want to extend that contract, though, with Sheffield United and Stoke City thought to be keeping tabs on the player’s situation, and it looks as if another Championship club is also keen.

The Latest: Burnley keen on McKinstry

Football Insider reporter Pete O’Rourke shared an update regarding McKinstry on Tuesday.

He revealed that Burnley are readying a move for the midfielder, should a new contract at Leeds fail to materialise.

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The Verdict: In demand

McKinstry is starting to establish himself as a regular for Motherwell, starting the last four league games and contributing to three goals.

Capable of playing in the middle and on the flanks, the youngster appears to be catching the eye among Championship clubs, so Whites chiefs may be hoping to discuss and finalise a new deal relatively soon.

His situation will certainly be one to watch heading into 2023, and it seems as if Burnley are ready to pounce if Leeds fail to extend his stay in Yorkshire.

Across a weekend of triple-headers, there has been an exhibition of opening batting on display

Aadam Patel28-Nov-2021Across a weekend of triple-headers at the Abu Dhabi T10, there has been an exhibition of opening batting on display. No doubt, the shorter boundaries have helped, especially in a format whereby the risk of losing a wicket is also considerably less.Nevertheless, it has still required an absolute clinic of hitting. On Saturday, Moeen Ali struck 77* off 23 and Kennar Lewis 65* off 32 for the highest partnership in T10 history, racing to a target of 146 without losing a wicket. Then the Bangla Tigers and the Deccan Gladiators chased down scores of 90 and 95 respectively, with almost half their overs remaining. Hazratullah Zazai, with 46* off 16 and Tom Banton, with 46 off 18, the pick of the bunch.Phil Salt missed out on Saturday due to a slight knock, but on Sunday he cashed in once again. The Team Abu Dhabi opener carried on his rich run of form with a devastating knock of 63 from 20 deliveries to confirm their spot in the play-offs. Salt’s half-century in 15 balls trumped Moeen’s 16-ball effort as the fastest of the tournament.If there was any doubt as to whether the injury could have affected him, Salt erased it instantly. In the first over of the chase, he blasted 21 runs off the five deliveries he faced, clipping away his first and last ball from Nuwan Pradeep to the boundary, and smashing two sixes in between.In a tournament with some of the biggest names in world cricket, Salt has been one of the standout players. The game he was injured in and the game he missed subsequently have been the only two games that Team Abu Dhabi have lost this season.Across the seven games he’s played, Salt has scored 237 runs at a strike rate of 237. Only Rovman Powell of the Northern Warriors stands above Salt with 267 runs, albeit he has played a game more.Amongst anyone who has scored at least 100 runs in the Abu Dhabi T10, no batter possesses a better strike rate than Salt. In fact, no one has scored more boundaries than his 17 fours and 21 sixes.Salt may be the star so far, but he insists that continuously working on the mental side of the game is crucial to his development and he has relished the chance to pick the brains of players like Chris Gayle.”Something you do when you’re playing well is that you pick your areas based on instinct” Salt said. “Chris Gayle, I’ve chewed his ear off. He’s got so many tools that I want to add to my game… The most impressive thing and a few guys have it, is that ruthless mentality that someone like Chris has, in the way he takes the game on.”If I can just keep tapping into things like that, the biggest improvements to be made and the lessons to be learnt are from those guys, in terms of how they deal with the game upstairs.”Asked where he sees himself across formats domestically and internationally, Salt said: “It’s something I used to struggle with, really wanting to get on to the next stage. I still do want it just as bad, but I’m very aware now that the only way to get there is to take it day by day by day. I know that’s a really boring answer, but I’ve found that’s the most effective way to improve and not get ahead of myself.”Salt’s tale bears a hint of similarity with that of Banton, whose unbeaten 46 against Delhi Bulls included seven fours and two sixes. Two players brimming with talent, with aspirations to regularly represent their country, yet coming to an understanding with their opportunities and their experiences thus far, that ultimately it is something that will find its way, rather than something that can be chased.Whilst Salt made his international bow in perhaps fortuitous circumstances with three ODIs against Pakistan, Banton was unfortunately part of the England playing group that was forced to isolate before that series.Banton was the breakout star of 2019 and an England call-up followed – he was part of Eoin Morgan’s white-ball set-up for the best part of a year between November 2019 and September 2020 – yet bubble life and quarantine took its toll on him.A blistering 47-ball century in the T20 Blast against Kent served as a reminder of his ability, but a second-ball duck in the final against the same opposition summed up a somewhat disappointing and challenging year in which he was also released by Kolkata Knight Riders.”I had quite a big break. For the whole of October, I didn’t play any cricket – nothing whatsoever. I just lived a social life and saw a lot of friends and family, which I felt was quite important, and now I feel like I’m enjoying it again,” said Banton.”I’d love to get back in the squad but I’m not going to put too much pressure on myself to be there next year. I just want to enjoy my cricket and I think if you’re in that headspace, the rest will take care of itself.”For the pair of them, knowing that Morgan is around, will no doubt add some extra motivation as the Abu Dhabi T10 enters its final week.

Celtic’s Champions League dream went up in smoke on Tuesday evening, with Ange Postecoglou’s side slipping to yet another disappointing defeat at Parkhead to end any hopes of progression to the knockout stage.

In truth, it was a familiar story for the Old Firm outfit having once again been punished for their profligacy in front of goal, notably missing a spate of chances during an intense period of pressure just before the half-hour mark.

Even without the stricken Jota, the Hoops had posed a real threat for their opponents, RB Leipzig, in what was an encouraging opening period, although the home side were simply unable to maintain that momentum as they faded after the break.

Having been so wasteful in the opening exchanges, the Glasgow side were made to pay as former Chelsea man Timo Werner and substitute Emil Forsberg netted late on to secure the points for Marco Rose’s men, ensuring that the home side now face a scrap to even secure a place in the Europa League in the New Year.

On a frustrating night for the Scottish champions, one shining light was no doubt that of midfield starlet Matt O’Riley, with the 21-year-old producing a performance that belied his years in the centre of the park.

The absence of skipper Callum McGregor through injury had seen the Denmark U21 international line up in a slightly deeper role compared to his usual, more advanced creative berth, although he more than rose to the challenge of trying to fill the shoes of his seemingly irreplaceable teammate.

The silky playmaker was typically composed in possession as he recorded an impressive 85% pass accuracy rate from his 66 touches, frequently spreading the play from deep effectively as he completed four of his five long balls, proving just what an “absolute diamond” he truly is – in the words of broadcaster Jack Collins.

The former MK Dons man – who arrived in Scotland for a bargain fee of just £1.5m in January – had twice come close to getting himself on the scoresheet after striking the woodwork in that frantic opening period, before firing straight at opposition ‘keeper Janis Baswich after brilliantly working space for himself inside the penalty area in the second half.

That was followed by a neat reverse pass for summer signing Aaron Mooy who inexplicably spurned the chance to shoot at goal, with it having simply been another case of what might have been with regards to the Bhoys’ shortcomings in the final third.

Defensively, however, Postecoglou’s men were seemingly up to the task prior to shipping twice in the closing stages, with O’Riley providing a solid presence in front of the back four having won 100% of his aerial duels and recorded a remarkable eight tackles on the night, including a stunning sliding lunge on Andre Silva after the interval.

That all-round display unsurprisingly saw the £2.07m-rated ace record a sensational 7.8 match rating, as per SofaScore, with that by far the highest of any Hoops player on the night, as well as the third highest overall.

While such a showing ultimately proved in vain, it served as a reminder as to why the 6 foot 2 menace is attracting so much attention at present, having already cemented his status as a leading figure at Celtic Park in less than a year.

Southampton have both flirted with relegation and vastly overperformed over the last ten years, with Manolo Gabbiadini having experienced both highs and lows whilst at St Mary’s.

Upon first signing for the Saints, Claude Puel’s 2017 acquisition quickly set the Premier League and the country’s various domestic competitions by storm.

A £15m January move was decidedly unexciting, but what was to come is the little bit of magic up top that Ralph Hasenhuttl could do with now.

The Italian scored four times in 11 league appearances, as well as a sensational brace in the EFL Cup final against Manchester United. He was also denied a hat-trick by a controversial offside call.

He was only upstaged on his Wembley birth by the great Zlatan Ibrahimovic, whose late winner truly stole the show.

In fact, the two were labelled as “perfect for English football” by one onlooker during the match.

Standing at 6 foot 1, he possessed wonderful feet and a sharp change of speed that helped him take English football by storm.

If he were to come in for the current Southampton side, the “clinical” talent – as dubbed by Puel – would act as a direct replacement for Armando Broja, who impressed last season on loan but ultimately was always going to return to Chelsea.

The Albanian was a force to be reckoned with on the south coast last term, scoring nine goals, and after finding the net just seven times so far this term, it’s clear the Saints are missing his influence. In a parallel universe where they still had Gabbiadini, however, they may be thriving.

The Saints side that include the Italy international managed an eighth-place when he led the line, however, just five goals across the 2017/18 campaign meant they would slump to a 17th-placed finish.

It may have been short, but those first six months were exceptional and unfortunately never to be replicated.

Just 12 goals whilst at the club seems underwhelming given his two-and-a-half-year stint at the club, but the importance of those scored in his first half a season helped nearly clinch his club’s first major honour since 1976.

Having lacked obvious firepower this season, injecting the goal-scoring know-how of Gabbiadini could be the perfect final piece of the puzzle to the fine young squad Hasenhuttl has built.

His size and proficiency during that period would serve the current toothless side well now, which would certainly prevent Southampton from being anywhere near relegation.

Tottenham Hotspur are ready to ‘strike a deal’ for Yannick Carrasco from Atletico Madrid before the end of the transfer window, as per journalist Jason Burt.

The lowdown

Antonio Conte has long been an admirer of Carrasco and pursued him in the January transfer window too.

Midway through the season, Atletico refused to sell the 28-year-old, who’s been ‘rejuvenated’ since switching to wing-back, but now their hand might be forced.

They’re ‘under pressure’ to sell some players to ensure compliance with La Liga’s salary cap.

Carrasco’s contract, which runs until June 2024, is thought to include a £51million release clause.

The latest

Burt reports that Conte wants to bring in Carrasco to compete with Emerson for the right-wing back role.

Spurs have opened talks with Atletico over the potential signing and are ‘prepared to strike a deal’ before the deadline.

It’s unclear as yet how much Los Rojiblancos will demand in order to sanction an exit for the Belgian, labelled .

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The verdict

One of Carrasco’s standout assets is his versatility. As Burt notes, he can play not only as an RWB, but also as right winger, LWB and left winger.

In the more defensive role, he bears similarities to Filip Kostic, a player Spurs targeted earlier in the window, as well as Inter Milan’s Denzel Dumfries.

As a winger, meanwhile, he’s stylistically matched with the likes of Jadon Sancho at Manchester United and Adama Traore at Wolves.

Carrasco’s 13 goal contributions last season, and his 76 for Atletico overall, demonstrate that he can be a real menace going forward.

Dubbed an ‘extremely underrated’ player by sports journalist Josh Bunting, he could tie Spurs’ summer window together nicely.

Tottenham Hotspur are ‘about to’ table a bid for AS Roma star Nicolo Zaniolo, with an offer seemingly imminent, according to CNN contributor Tancredi Palmeri.

The Lowdown: Spurs off to a flyer…

The Lilywhites, who are aiming to build upon their top-four finish in the Premier League last season, got their new campaign off to a flyer on Saturday afternoon after putting Southampton to the sword.

Goals from Ryan Sessegnon, Eric Dier, Mohammed Salisu (own goal) and Dejan Kulusevski cancelled out an opener from James Ward-Prowse to hand Spurs a comfortable 4-1 win in north London.

Antonio Conte will be delighted with his team’s display, and the Italian could see his squad strengthened further before the end of the summer transfer window.

The Latest: Zaniolo bid imminent?

As per journalist and CNN contributor Palmeri, it appears that a Tottenham bid to sign long-linked target Zaniolo is imminent.

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Taking to Twitter, the reporter claims that Spurs, and by extension their sporting director Fabio Paratici, are ‘about to’ make an offer for the 23-year-old.

He explained: “Tottenham is about to make the offer for Zaniolo.”

The Verdict: Promising update…

Rumours of talks could now advance into a more concrete bid, so this update comes as a potentially promising one.

There are suggestions that Roma won’t sell their star man for any less than £50m, but given that he finished last campaign as one of their best attacking players (he was their third-highest rated attacker from WhoScored), that price tag could be justified.

As per WhoScored, the ‘exciting’ player (as hailed by Paul Robinson) completed more successful take-ons per 90 and attracted more fouls than anyone in Jose Mourinho’s squad, explaining exactly why Spurs are about to move for him.

Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth has provided an update on the West Ham United pursuit of Lille midfielder Amadou Onana.

The lowdown: Wanted man

Previously linked to Leicester City, Everton and Liverpool in this transfer window, Onana has also been at the forefront of the Hammers’ targets throughout the duration of the summer.

In fact, the east Londoners are believed to have made numerous bids for the 20-year-old senior Belgium international who has already amassed 106 professional domestic outings across spells with Hamburg, Hoffenheim and current employers Lille.

After seeing their two opening offers for Onana rejected, Sheth has shed some light on the current state of play…

The latest: ‘Still in conversation’

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Sheth claimed that West Ham are awaiting a response to their third bid and remain keen on bringing the one-cap starlet to the London Stadium.

He said: “That one is still in conversation, as it were. They had two bids rejected.

“The latest one was around £25 million, but West Ham actually went in with the third bid, and that was around €38 million plus add-ons. Now, they still have not heard back from Lille to see whether that bid has been accepted or rejected.”

The verdict: Fingers crossed

With growing uncertainty surrounding the future of contract rebel Tomas Soucek and having already lost Mark Noble to retirement, adding another competent central midfielder to accompany the signing of Flynn Downes suddenly appears a priority for the Irons.

West Ham also rejected the opportunity to keep Alex Kral following his failed loan spell at the club, leaving Moyes somewhat bereft of options in the midfield department beyond talismanic superstar Declan Rice and Soucek.

Standing at 6 foot 3 and still some way from entering his peak, the underlying statistics behind Onana make for impressive reading as the towering Belgian possesses imperious aerial ability as well as strong tackling and passing qualities (WhoScored).

Last season, the youngster – who has been likened to Liverpool star Fabinho by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – won 3.4 duels on average per Ligue 1 outing whilst earning a 6.85 Sofascore rating.

Predominantly operating as a holding midfielder, Onana would be the perfect acquisition for the Hammers to supplement the potential attacking arrival of Gianluca Scamacca as someone capable of making an instant impact but also being allowed time to enjoy an adaptation period to the Premier League.

Everton are ‘pushing hard’ to sign Burnley winger Maxwel Cornet and the player will decide on his next club this week, according to journalist Fraser Fletcher.

The Lowdown: Cornet’s season

The Ivory Coast international was a bright spark in a struggling Clarets side last season, who were relegated from the Premier League with just seven wins all year.

The 25-year-old made 26 top-flight appearances, scoring nine goals during the league campaign. With his squad having totalled just 34 goals as a whole, Cornet’s contributions saw him amass over a quarter of the Clarets’ goals for the season – making him indispensable for Vincent Kompany’s side.

The Latest: Fletcher’s news

Having been relegated to the Championship, the winger has been linked with a number of moves away from Turf Moor this summer.

Taking to Twitter, Fletcher shared the latest update on Cornet’s future.

“Maxwel Cornet future will be decided this week I’m told, he will leave Burnley.

“Fulham, Nottingham Forest, Everton and 1 more unnamed club are in talks for the Burnley player, All pushing hard and keen on securing, best offer wins.”

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The Verdict: Great signing

After Cornet scored twice in Lyon’s 2-2 draw against Manchester City in 2018, Citizens boss Pep Guardiola was full of praise for the 25-year-old, saying: “I was very impressed by the talent of Maxwel Cornet.”

With such fine performances in France, it was a surprise to see Burnley emerge as the player’s destination last summer.

Signing a £44,000-a-week contract with the Clarets, Everton could secure a great addition for Frank Lampard’s squad for a reasonable price; as per The Athletic, the winger even has a £17.5m relegation release clause buried in his contract.

With the talent involved for the money required, this could be a shrewd signing for the Toffees.

West Bromwich Albion have been handed a significant boost in the hunt for their third signing of the summer.

What’s the word?

As per a report from Alan Nixon, the Baggies will wrap up the signing of Derby County’s soon-to-be free agent Tom Lawrence as early as this week.

Taking to his Patreon platform, Nixon issued this update to the eager Baggies faithful: “Steve Bruce is homing in on signing Tom Lawrence – the third major free transfer capture for West Brom. Bruce is winning the race for the Welsh attacking midfielder who is quitting Derby County and keen to join.

“Albion have already signed John Swift and Jed Wallace by offering the best terms on the market for them. Lawrence has rival interest but Baggies should be able to finalise the move in the next couple of days.”

Bruce surely buzzing

West Brom have endured a mesmeric start to the summer transfer window and appear to be just a couple of days away from sealing another top-notch addition on a free transfer.

As if their business has not been astute enough, Albion will move for yet another asset who bagged double figures for goals in the Championship in 2021/22.

Despite Derby County’s dismal relegation to League One, Lawrence enjoyed a great campaign on a personal level, registering the highest seasonal returns of his career thus far with 11 goals and five assists in 38 league games.

At 28 years of age, he is a forward approaching his prime years, and he looks set to join a team who struggled to find the net last season, finishing as the sixth-lowest scorers in the Championship with just 52 goals.

Adding to the signings of Jed Wallace and John Swift, Albion will have signed three players on free transfers who achieved 58 goal contributions between them last term (Lawrence 16, Swift 24, Wallace 18) – surpassing the number of goals scored by the entire West Brom squad in the league.

Bruce and co are forming a sensational squad and, even more impressively, they have yet to fork out a transfer fee this summer. It’s a development which will surely have the Baggies boss buzzing.

AND in other news: Bruce can land a huge Livermore upgrade with WBA bid for “excellent” £61k-p/w target