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Everton are yet to sign any new additions over the summer transfer window which will be a major concern for the Goodison Park faithful considering the situation that the club found themselves in last season.

The Toffees finished just two points clear of being relegated to the Championship after Abdoulaye Doucoure's strike against Bournemouth on the final day saved them from their first-ever relegation since the Premier League began back in 1992.

Indeed, there is no doubt that Sean Dyche and his recruitment team will be working hard to identify players who can improve the performances of the squad and the former Burnley boss will surely be keen to make his own mark on the squad by adding new players who fit his tactical philosophy.

However, Everton have not only had their struggles on the pitch but behind the scenes too with financial troubles, looming FFP investigations and talk of a potential take-over affecting the club hierarchy's ability to focus solely on the football, which could ultimately result in their downfall if the club doesn't act fast.

One avenue that Dyche and Kevin Thelwell have reportedly been exploring is the acquirement of a number of recently relegated Leeds United players, with Jack Harrison, Rodrigo and Wilfried Gnonto all being linked with a move to Goodison Park.

It was reported this week by Italian news outlet Calciomercato that the Merseyside club currently have the upper hand in their negotiations to sign the Italian winger, Gnonto, and are considered front-runners for his signature despite interest from other clubs like Aston Villa and Fiorentina.

Will Everton sign Wilfried Gnonto this summer?

There is no doubt that attacking reinforcements should be the top priority for the Toffees this summer after failing to replace Anthony Gordon and Richarlison's presence in the final third.

Dyche is definitely short of options on the wider flanks of his attacking threat with just Dwight McNeil and Demarai Gray to lean on last season, so there is a real opportunity to strengthen those positions ahead of next season to significantly improve the creativity and goal contributions offered.

As a result, the signing of Gnonto would be a no-brainer for Everton this summer as the youthful talent is not only Premier League proven but bears a semblance to Gerard Deulofeu.

Deulofeu quickly became an incredibly well-liked member of the team when he joined from Barcelona back in 2013 and was one of the most exciting young prospects in European football at just 19 years old. Coincidentally, Gnonto happens to be the exact same age.

The talented Spaniard tallied up eight goals and registered 19 assists over his 75 appearances with the Blues, predominantly playing on the right wing and contributing heavily to creating opportunities for his strike partner to convert, before being snatched back by Barcelona when they activated their buy-back clause in 2017.

That eye for goal and creative spark is something Everton could now regain through the signing of Gnonto as the Italian youngster – dubbed a "pocket rocket" and "tremendous by Tam McManus – is a consistent contributor from the channels – with experience on both the right and the left flank.

Over his short career so far, the Leeds prodigy – who has a reported valuation of £18m – has scored 34 goals and registered 21 assists in 150 appearances so far, with a goal contribution every 133 minutes so far, which is an impressive output that would be highly valued for Everton next season.

With that being said, a potential move for Gnonto will definitely be one to watch and should Dyche be able to continue the young player's promising development it could set up Everton's threat in front of goal for years to come.

Newcastle United are actively looking for new additions who can improve their already impressive squad this summer and now a new update has emerged on the club's pursuit of a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Newcastle's interest in Federico Chiesa?

According to Italian newspaper Gazzetta Dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Newcastle are competing with Liverpool for the signature of Juventus winger, Federico Chiesa.

As per the report, both Premier League clubs are monitoring the player's situation with the Serie A giants, as it is claimed that Chiesa is one of the assets that could be moved on to bolster funds and invest in Max Allegri's tactical philosophy – a 3-5-2 set-up that is ill-suited for the forward.

How good is Federico Chiesa?

There is no doubt that Chiesa is a talented forward who could be a revelation at St James' Park if he could emulate his impressive output in the Premier League, however, his injury record casts a dark cloud over his undeniable ability.

During the 2022/23 campaign alone, the Italy international – hailed a "wizard" by Liverpool insider DaveOCKOP – has had seven separate injury and fitness issues amounting to 75 days in recovery which left him unavailable for selection in 14 fixtures for the Old Lady, which follows almost an entire year out of action due to an ACL injury sustained in January 2022.

As a result, Howe could be heading for an absolute howler if Chiesa is brought in as a replacement for Allan Saint-Maximin, as the Frenchman has a similar problem with injuries and has been an unreliable option in the forward line when needed.

Saint-Maximin – who has been recently speculated for an exit from Newcastle this summer – had four spells on the sidelines over last season; tallying up 81 days out of action and missing 13 fixtures for the North East club, demonstrating a similar recent injury record to Chiesa.

The signing of Chiesa would indeed pose risk on his availability and Howe will need to look at their options when considering whether the Italian's impressive output, versatility and experience in the Champions League will be a valuable asset that outweighs his troubling fitness record.

Over 287 club appearances so far, the 25-year-old Euro 2020 winner has scored 67 goals and registered 49 assists, with a goal contribution every 174 minutes.

Not only that, Chiesa ranks in the top 25% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for shots on goal, assists, progressive carries, successful take-ons, tackles and blocks, proving that he is one of the top all-action wingers in Europe over the last 12 month, as per FBref.

The Magpies are also extremely conscious of their Financial Fair Play constraints and with Chiesa commanding a reported fee of €60m (£51m) this summer, it would be a substantial investment for the club to commit to, that would see them edge closer to reaching their financial limits at present.

With that being said, there is no doubt that Chiesa would bring huge quality to the Tynesiders, but when considering his price tag and availability there may be other options worth investing in this summer.

Manchester United are reportedly keen to make a move for Real Madrid defender, Antonio Rudiger, having previously been interested in the German centre-back prior to his move to the Bernabeu.

What are the latest Man United transfer rumours?

With rumours abound that Erik ten Hag is keen to move on club captain Harry Maguire this summer, reports in Spain are claiming that the Dutchman could have his eye on a possible replacement in the form of Rudiger.

The piece suggests that the Red Devils are plotting to make a bid of around €60m (£51m) to try and prise the 30-year-old from the La Liga side, albeit with Los Blancos said to be adamant that the 6 foot 3 ace won't be sold, after just a solitary season in the Spanish capital.

As per Manchester Evening News, the Old Trafford outfit were seemingly keen to sign the then-Chelsea man on a free transfer last year, albeit with the player ultimately opting to link up with Carlo Ancelotti's side instead, following the expiry of his contract at Stamford Bridge.

Should Man United sign Rudiger?

The Premier League giants have been no strangers to raiding Madrid for their experienced assets in recent years, having snapped up Casemiro on a £70m deal last summer, while also sealing a move for Raphael Varane for a reported fee of £41m in 2021.

Much like Rudiger, the latter man had seemingly been a long-term target for United prior to his eventual move to the Theatre of Dreams, with the World Cup winner making the switch after having won four Champions Leagues during his stint in Spain.

Lauded as a "world-class" asset by MEN journalist Samuel Luckhurst amid his arrival in England, Varane has endured his fair share of injury woes over the past two seasons, although the 30-year-old was a key figure under Ten Hag last term as the club ended their six-year trophy drought.

Described as "cool and calm and collected" by talkSPORT pundit Adrian Mariappa, the one-time Lens ace has made a real "influence" on the Red Devils due to his prior winning experience – according to his manager – with the hope being that Rudiger can follow suit if he is to make the same move this summer.

A former Champions League and Europa League winner with Chelsea during his time in west London, the "immense" defender – as hailed by ex-United man Rio Ferdinand – may be in the latter stages of his career, although like Varane, he certainly still has plenty to offer to Ten Hag.

The 60-cap gem's quality was notably evident in Madrid's first-leg, semi-final meeting with Manchester City back in May, having been praised by Ferdinand for managing to keep the menacing presence of Erling Haaland at bay.

Not that the former Roma man is merely a hot-headed, reckless asset, however, with the Berlin native able to mirror Varane's 'calm' approach as shown by the fact that he ranks in the top 5% among his European peers for pass completion, showcasing just how comfortable he is at playing out from the back.

Also like Varane – who has been hailed as a "leader" by Luckhurst – Rudiger is an "aggressive leader", according to former boss Thomas Tuchel, ensuring he can provide Ten Hag with another strong character in the dressing room.

With Maguire potentially on his way out, the signing of the £241k-per-week German would be a particularly astute piece of business this summer.

West Ham United's search for Declan Rice's replacement continues after selling their captain to Arsenal in a British-record transfer last week.

Who will West Ham sign to replace Rice?

Rice's move to north London, reported to be worth £105m when add-ons are included, officially went through last Saturday. It is a deal that was in the offing for the best part of a month, meaning the Hammers have had plenty of time to search for a replacement – like-for-like or otherwise.

Fulham's Joao Palhinha, Denis Zakaria of Juventus and Everton's Amadou Onana have each been linked, among others, but The Guardian suggests West Ham could now move for another player.

It is claimed that Monaco ace Youssouf Fofana is on David Moyes' radar as an alternative, though the Scotsman is concerned about the 24-year-old's lack of Premier League experience.

However, the numbers suggest that the Europa Conference League winners would be signing a very talented player in ten-cap France international Fofana, whom L'Equipe reports is available for €35m (£30m) this summer – roughly three-and-a-half times cheaper than departed skipper Rice.

Who is Youssouf Fofana?

Fofana may not have Premier League experience, but he has been a regular in Ligue 1 for five seasons, the past three and a half of those with Monaco, having joined from Strasbourg in January 2020.

The Paris native played 36 times for Monaco in the French top flight last season, starting all but one of those and with each coming in central midfield, as per WhoScored.

Fofana's strengths lie in breaking up play and carrying the ball forward, ranked as he is – as per FBref – in the top 15% of all midfielders across Europe's top five leagues last season for interceptions (1.49 per 90 minutes) and top 16% for successful take-ons (1.35 per 90).

For some perspective, Rice was in the top 5% for interceptions (1.73 per 90) – going a long way to explaining his hefty price tag – but only the top 34% for successful take-ons (0.96 per 90).

Rice and Fofana are not strictly the same type of player, then, but there are plenty of similarities between the pair, who are just four days apart in terms of age. For example, Rice was involved in 0.14 goals or assists per 90 last season, compared to 0.12 for Fofana.

A similar number of their shots found the target when they did get forward (22.9% for Rice v 23.8% for Fofana); they were in the same range for pass-completion percentage (86.5 v 81.6 respectively); and were near identical in terms of tackles and interceptions per 90 combined (3.90 v 3.99).

While there are areas Fofana cannot compete with Rice, such as aerial duels won per 90 (1.02 v 0.67), the Frenchman – described as a "magnificent" player by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – is clearly a well-identified target to fill in alongside Tomas Soucek or indeed another new midfielder.

Ultimately, no player Moyes brings in this summer can adequately replace Rice. But in Fofana, West Ham would be signing a now-established France international who has plenty of top-flight experience, and all for a fraction of the cost.

Manchester United have been named as one of three teams who are still keen to get a deal done for Benjamin Pavard, as reported by Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg.

How many goals has Benjamin Pavard scored?

The 27-year-old has been a frequent member of Bayern Munich's first-team squad over the past few years, helping the side to four Bundesliga titles during his time with the club. In 2022/23, he helped them to glory again as a regular in the starting eleven and actually managed more starts for the German giants last time around than he did in the two previous campaigns.

He featured 30 times in total for Bayern – with 27 starts – and is partial to a goal or two as well, with four strikes to his name and one assist to boot. In total, the Frenchman now has well over 100 league games to his name for the Bavarians and has managed eight goals and six assists along the way.

Not only has he impressed domestically, but he also formed part of the Bayern side that won the Champions League trophy in 2019/20. He even found international glory with his country, having won the World Cup with France as well. Pavard then is proven on every possible European and World stage so far – and it means he has bags of experience, as well as the time on his side to continue performing at such a level for years to come.

Are Manchester United signing Benjamin Pavard?

However, his time at Bayern may be coming to a close this summer. According to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg, Pavard remains keen to leave the German giants this transfer window after four seasons – and that has put three teams on alert.

It appears to be a three-way race between Premier League sides Man United and Man City, as well as Juventus, who want to bring him to Turin. The report states that nobody has made a "concrete" offer for his services yet but it does appear as though he will be finding somewhere new to play his football this summer. It's unclear also how much he could potentially cost or how much any bid would have to be worth to tempt the Bundesliga outfit into letting the defender move clubs.

Plettenberg said: "Benjamin Pavard, he still wants to leave FC Bayern this summer as he has no intention to extend his contract beyond 2024. It’s still a race between Man City, Man Utd and Juventus at this stage. Swap deal with Kyle Walker has been no hot topic in the last days. Bayern bosses are waiting for a concrete offer."

Pavard is still viewed as a really impressive talent in the game by some of the top coaches and teams around. Even new Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel has liked what he has seen of the defender so far during his time in charge, labelling the Frenchman as "underrated" and a "top team player".

It shows that whilst the 27-year-old may sometimes go under the radar, he is not undervalued for his club despite them being arguably one of the best sides in Europe. He is capable of performing to an extremely high level then, having done so at the very top in Germany. Should United manage to land his signature this summer, their backline would have an instant boost of experience and skill.

Manchester United could be set to secure one of the signings of the summer, swooping in for a deal that already seemed completed not too long ago.

Is Josko Gvardiol going to Manchester CIiy?

Given that transfer insider Fabrizio Romano uttered his famous "here we go" nearly two weeks ago now, it is a surprise to see that Manchester City's swoop for RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol is yet to be tied up.

Just a day later though, Sky Sports journalist Kaveh Solhekol even went as far as to suggest that the deal is "not close", throwing the move into disrepute.

It seems like Erik ten Hag is seeking to capitalise on this hindrance, as reports in Spain are now suggesting they are one of three new Premier League clubs now battling for the Croatian's signature. All of these sides are said to have submitted bids to tempt the German club to instead sell to them.

Back in April, it was reported that they would command a fee of around £75m to sanction his exit. However, with the increased competition, it is a fee could rise now even higher.

Why is Josko Gvardiol so good?

There are numerous reasons why the 21-year-old colossus is so sought-after, not least his experience that far belies his youth.

Standing at 6 foot 1, the 21-cap Croatia international boasts blistering speed that makes him a physical marvel, but the technical assets to help him thrive in any system.

The left-footed titan has shone for both his current team and his country, having earned the right to take the next step up in his career.

Should that be to join Old Trafford, the youngster could immediately strike up a fine partnership with Lisandro Martinez, as a couple of no-nonsense ball-playing defenders who would be near-impossible to bypass.

After all, the Argentinian ace has enjoyed a fine debut year in English football, brushing aside the fears regarding his height to maintain a 7.12 average rating in the Premier League. This was a figure buoyed by his 87% pass accuracy, 1.2 interceptions, two tackles and 3.6 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

He was a mainstay for a backline that helped David De Gea earn the Golden Glove award.

He is a tough, cut-throat powerhouse of a centre-back, with Ten Hag even outlining this following his £47m move:

"He’s a warrior and I think the fans will admire him. He has an attitude, fighting spirit. He brings aggressiveness in the game, in a good way. I think we need that. But also, he’s also skilful and he can deal with the ball".

His steely presence beside the cultured, powerful and almost regal stature of Gvardiol could provide the perfect blend of attributes to thwart any striker in the division.

Especially when viewing the latter's most recent campaign in the Bundesliga, where he too boasted a 6.94 average rating. With 89% pass accuracy, 89% dribble success and 2.3 clearances per game too, suddenly the reasons behind such a lofty price tag are revealed, as per Sofascore.

The latter figure would have seen him ranked fifth among the Red Devils' squad last season in the league, with a rating that would have made him the second-best performing centre-back only behind Martinez.

FBref further cements his status as one of the game's finest talents, as when compared against other centre-backs across Europe, the former Dinamo Zagreb star ranks in the top 1% for attempted passes per 90, the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90, and the top 18% for progressive passes per 90. He is the quintessential modern-day defender and would thrive beside United's 25-year-old enforcer.

Such form has heralded deserved praise, as one unnamed Head of Sport at a Bundesliga outfit waxed lyrical to former footballer-turned-journalist Jan Aage Fjortoft:

“Gvardiol is an absolute world-class defender. There will be few players in the years to come who can dominate this position like he can.”

His national team boss Zlatko Dalic would go one further, branding the young titan as the "best central defender in the world".

Ten Hag has already bolstered his side sufficiently this summer, yet hijacking the deal in question from their rivals would not only give the fans some much-needed ammunition over the treble-winners but also secure a long-term heir to Raphael Varane who could partner Martinez for the foreseeable future.

They are the perfect blend of poise, power and potential, capable of once again returning the club to the apex of world football.

In news that comes as a major surprise to Premier League fans, Liverpool are reportedly in talks to sign Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe on loan this summer.

Have Liverpool put a bid in for Kylian Mbappe?

Well, it certainly seems unlikely that Jurgen Klopp's side could secure the services of one of the world's most sensational footballers in Mbappe this summer, but that has not stopped the Mirror from revealing that the club are in talks with PSG.

The France captain is entering the final year of his contract with the Ligue 1 champions and offers no hope of renewing his current deal, prompting the affluent outfit to seek options after banishing the star from their first-team plans.

PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is said to be particularly incensed after the 24-year-old's obstinate rejection of Saudi Arabian interest, after Al-Hilal lodged a jaw-dropping world-record £259m offer, which would allow Mbappe to move to Real Madrid in one year's time.

Could Liverpool really sign Kylian Mbappe?

Justifiably, the news filtering in of Liverpool's desire to add Mbappe to the ranks has been met with an incredulous response from the club's fanbase.

Liverpool's emphasis this summer is on bolstering the midfield and adding to the defence; Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have both arrived to contribute to the former – with negotiations to sign holding midfielder Romeo Lavia ongoing – while there is an indication that the Anfield side will accelerate plans to sign a new centre-back.

But the tantalising thought of securing the 2018 World Cup winner's signature, albeit for one season, is seemingly too hard to resist for Klopp and co and if the Mirror's report is to be believed Liverpool are identifying the feasibility of a short-term transfer at the very least.

The wage demands would be astronomical; the 70-cap France star – with 40 goals – earns a salary of £1.95m-per-week in Paris, and is valued at £109m by Football Transfers.

But the "incredible" striker – as he has been praised by France boss Didier Deschamps – would bring a level of striking superiority matched by scant few on English shores, having scored 212 goals and supplied 98 assists from 260 matches for PSG.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 2% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 4% for shot-creating actions, the top 5% for progressive passes, the top 1% for progressive carries and the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90 – The list goes on, and Liverpool's attack would rival any in world football with Mbappe's addition.

Just imagine the chaos that Mohamed Salah could inflict upon opposition defences with a world-class "alien" – as Piotr Zielinski once pronounced, in awe, of Mbappe's performance, alongside him.

Liverpool fell by the wayside last term and failed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in seven years – a factor that could prove another stumbling block in the Reds' pursuit of the one-time Monaco prodigy – but Salah still managed to produce a scintillating individual campaign that yielded 30 goals and 16 assists across 51 outings from his right-forward deployment.

The dynamic partnership that could arise from Mbappe and Salah's feats on alternating wings, with a creative and selfless focal point such as Cody Gakpo orchestrating the play from the middle, could result in a destructive formula to catapult Liverpool back into title contention.

In a season that is so paramount to the next phase in the club's future as one of Europe's elite, it's no wonder that sporting director Jorg Schmadtke might be assessing the chance of landing Mbappe, even if it is only for one year.

Alas, the likelihood of a move to Merseyside taking place is small, infinitesimal even, but if Klopp did manage to get his hands on one of the greatest offensive prospects football has ever seen, it could spearhead a resurgence that would not only put Liverpool back to the forefront, but eclipse the previous illustrious success under their German manager's wing.

Everton could be set to react immediately to fix a potential worry for Sean Dyche…

Is Trevoh Chalobah leaving Chelsea?

That’s according to TEAMtalk, who suggest that Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah has been told he is free to leave Stamford Bridge this summer.

With the Blues having invested heavily again throughout a window of vast change for Mauricio Pochettino, the Toffees have instead been forced to graft their way through another gruelling transfer period where they have been financially hamstrung.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

Despite that, they are noted as one of the interested parties in the 24-year-old centre-back.

FootballTransfers value the Englishman at €41.3m (£36m), which might seem too lofty for a side that are yet to unload a transfer fee thus far. However, the fire sale going on in west London could still justify their interest.

How good is Trevoh Chalobah?

Their desire to sign the defender comes at an opportune moment for the Merseyside outfit, who enjoyed a fine victory over Sporting CP in their final friendly before the Premier League season resumes.

However, that win over the Portuguese outfit was marred by the 87th-minute injury sustained by James Tarkowski, their ever-present stopper from last campaign.

The 31-year-old was the only outfield player to play every minute of every game in the league most recently and maintained Everton’s joint-highest rating (of those who played five games) too at 7.20.

These were figures buoyed by his 81% pass accuracy, 1.3 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 5.2 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

Unsurprisingly, he was lauded by his current boss after his first game back in charge of the defender:

“I'm delighted for him, he's someone I've taken great joy in watching his career develop and when he got his move here I wished him well.”

So, despite the hopes of the former Burnley boss that it was in fact “just a knock”, Chalobah’s presence would alleviate a potential world where their new vice-captain is not always available.

Especially given how impressive he was during the 2021/22 season, his first in the English top-flight briefly spent under former Toffees boss Frank Lampard.

The Cobham graduate would maintain a 7.23 average rating that year, upheld through his 91% pass accuracy, two tackles and 2.1 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

He would somewhat translate such a fine skillset into his most recent term, which still turned into one of Chelsea’s worst-ever in history. Throughout the turmoil, he still mustered an admirable 6.75 average rating in the league.

Despite that, Graham Potter still sought to praise his exploits:

“He wasn’t in for the first couple of games, but acted perfectly: trained really well, very professional, very determined. He’s an impressive character, very focused on his football. He’s a bit of a soldier.”

This has handed the defender vast experience beyond his years, having racked up 63 appearances for his boyhood club alongside various successful loan spells too.

Now, moving to Goodison Park could allow him to grow into the leader that his play merits, assuming a central role under Dyche and in the potential absence of Tarkowski.

He has all the attributes to thrive on Merseyside for the next decade, underpinning a hopeful period of stability for the club as they seek to make their transition into the new stadium as seamless as possible.

West Ham United has made the headlines this week as the club nears the completion of signing James Ward-Prowse and Harry Maguire, as per the Guardian.

The latter is set to be signed from Manchester United for around £30m, with David Moyes leading the charge to sign the Englishman.

Another defensive target that has been linked to the London Stadium in recent weeks is Perr Schuurs.

What’s the latest on Perr Schuurs to West Ham?

According to Calciomercato.com, an offer of €40m (£34m) would be for Torino to sanction his exit.

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

Alongside the Hammers, Crystal Palace and Liverpool are also keenly tracking the centre-back, who could be set to leave Italy this summer.

Would Perr Schuurs be a good signing for West Ham?

Last season, across 30 appearances for Torino, Schuurs managed 88% pass accuracy, averaged 3.2 clearances and 1.7 tackles per game, won over half of his duels, and didn’t make any errors leading to a shot or a goal.

Moreover, the Dutch, labelled as “dominant” by journalist Josh Bunting, also ranks impressively across the continent, sitting within the best 20% for tackles per 90, as well as the highest 19% for successful take-ons per 90.

The 6 foot 3 titan has previously been described as a “great Dutch talent” by Marc Overmars and after spending five years playing for Ajax and Torino, he looks ready to make the next step in his career.

Meanwhile, after building up a commendable reputation at Leicester City that eventually prompted Man United to spend £80m has unravelled into disaster.

Since Erik ten Hag’s arrival, the Englishman has fallen behind in the pecking order to Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez, and Victor Lindelof, with the manager even opting to play Luke Shaw as a centre-back on eleven occasions.

It is a damning indictment of how Maguire’s reputation has brutally crumbled and the decision to strip the underperforming defender of captaincy, in favour of the indomitable Bruno Fernandes, is indicative of his sudden decline.

Former Premier League player Paul Parker underlined the 30-year-old’s poor form earlier in the year, saying:

"Harry Maguire is not able to hold a line. He can’t do that. He wants to defend deep, which is why he ideally should move to a club that is playing with a deep line. Of course, he can't play for a club in the top 10. He might be able to play for one of the teams below that if they are defending deep. He can’t play for a progressive team.”

Parker’s point is particularly relevant to this debate as Moyes and ten Hag have vastly different philosophies, and with less pressure to play out from the back and occupying a deeper line, Maguire could be far more suited to East London.

However, in English football, he has been so regularly scrutinised that every mistake he makes is heightened to the maximum.

After winning the Europa Conference League in June, West Ham will compete in European football for a third consecutive season, and tasking Maguire with performing consistently on multiple fronts for a team looking to get back into the top half is a questionable strategy.

In Schuurs, the Irons could rely upon a more dynamic, composed, and confident asset, who comes to the Premier League with a fresh and exciting slate.

Southampton boss Russell Martin now looks set to add to his midfield following the departures of James Ward-Prowse and Romeo Lavia to West Ham United and Chelsea, according to reports.

Shea Charles, Joe Lumley and Ryan Manning have all joined the South Coast club this window as they aim to win promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt following their relegation last term to the Sky Bet Championship.

What's happening with Flynn Downes?

Last week, TEAMtalk reported that West Ham United had given Southampton the green light to bring in midfielder Flynn Downes on loan, with David Moyes keen to offload the £25k-a-week ace after successfully acquiring Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez.

Several clubs expressed interest in offering Downes an escape route from the London Stadium; however, he has elected to link up with his former Swansea City boss Martin, who sees him as a 'key addition' in the engine room for Southampton and is a huge fan of the 24-year-old.

In a recent update from Football Insider, Downes is scheduled to undergo a medical at Southampton on Monday following news that Saints secured a 'breakthrough' in negotiations last weekend. It is now expected that his loan move will be formalised in the next 24 to 48 hours.

Crystal Palace, Leeds United and Middlesbrough are named as the other clubs to have 'registered their interest' in the Brentwood-born star, though he now looks set to be unveiled at St Mary's Stadium imminently.

Speaking to BBC Radio Solent Sport cited via Hampshire Live in the aftermath of Southampton's 4-4 draw with Norwich City in the English second-tier earlier this month, Martin spoke positively of the impact he feels Downes can have under his stewardship, stating: "An outstanding player [Downes], a favourite with the supporters and players at Swansea and I expect him to be exactly the same here.”

What is Downes good at?

Downes has all the hallmarks of a player that can play a big part for Southampton in their promotion push this season and will be aided by the fact he gained plenty of experience in the top flight in 2022/23.

Last term, Downes featured 35 times in all competitions for West Ham United, nine of which came in their ultimately successful Europa Conference League triumph, as per Transfermarkt.

Previously labelled as "brilliant" by former England international Carlton Palmer in an interview with Football League World last year, the former England Under-20 cap was tidy in possession over the course of last campaign, maintaining a pass success rate of 88.2% in the Premier League, according to WhoScored.

In comparison to his positional peers across Europe's top five divisions, Downes has excelled in the art of making blocks, successfully carrying out around 1.77 per 90 minutes across the last 365 days at the time of writing, putting him in the 92nd percentile for this metric, as per FBRef.

Given their dearth of numbers in the engine room owing to some high-profile departures at St Mary's, Southampton boss Martin will be relieved that Downes' deal to join the club on loan is now nearing completion.