Liverpool have reportedly been tracking an "immense" footballer for some time, and a new update suggests that they could finally get their man soon.
Liverpool want January signings
The Reds could easily look to make new signings when the January transfer window arrives, even though Jurgen Klopp has built a fantastic squad capable of challenging across four different competitions. Perfection is often needed up against Manchester City in Premier League title races, and at the moment, Liverpool's squad has a few chinks in the armour that is just holding them back slightly.
The lack of a proper defensive midfielder like Fabinho is arguably a problem, even though Alexis Mac Allister is largely doing well enough there, and defensive depth also looks a little short, with a versatile player who can shine at both centre-back and left-back needed, especially with Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson not getting any younger.
Fluminense midfielder Andre has possibly emerged as Liverpool's most commonly linked January transfer target, but he may not be the only player that the Merseysiders look to snap up in the next window.
Goncalo Inacio transfer update
According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool have been watching Sporting CP star Goncalo Inacio for over two years now and are plotting a move for the centre-back in January. The Reds are thought to be "at the front of the queue" for his services in a deal worth his £52m release clause.
Sporting CP defenderGoncalo Inacio.
"Goncalo Inacio is re-emerging as a January defender target for Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp seeks a new defensive partner for Virgil van Dijk, but the Reds will be forced to pay up, TEAMtalk has learned.
"Liverpool are keen to add another option to their defence after a summer of rebuilding their squad. Key players left and a new midfield took priority leaving manager Jurgen Klopp in need of defensive reinforcements. The club hoped to add a centre-back in summer but were unable to bring in a quality option. The signings of Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch took priority."
This is hugely exciting news, with Inacio someone with so much potential as a player, but already a key man for Sporting at just 22 years of age. The Liverpool transfer target has already made 139 appearances for his current club, which is impressive for such a young footballer, and he has been hailed as "immense" for his "recovery speed" by Premier League Panel on X.
The fact that Inacio can excel in both a central and left-sided defensive role could make him the perfect option for the Reds, and while he clearly wouldn't come on the cheap, he is a player who could mature into a world-class figure in the coming years.
Appearances
139
Goals
11
Assists
8
According to a recent update, Liverpool are leading the race to sign Inacio in a £50m+ move, suggesting that he really is seen as a primary transfer target in January, and is someone they appear to be willing to break the bank for. Klopp's midfield has had major improvements made to it, but now it appears to be time to nail other areas of the pitch.
After defeat against Chelsea last Monday, Tottenham Hotspur's striking start to the season took another hit as the Ange Postecoglou's threadbare side succumbed to Wolverhampton Wanderers pressure at Molineux in a dramatic turnaround.
Tottenham had blitzed into form in the Premier League this season and won eight of their first ten matches, also drawing twice, before this succession of losses demoted them to fourth place, though they sit just two points behind table-topping Manchester City.
The third international break of the term perhaps comes at the perfect time for Spurs, whose manager Postecoglou can now recalibrate and refocus after a testing period.
Destiny Udogie will return to action following suspension, but the likes of impressive summer signings Micky van de Ven and James Maddison are expected to be sidelined until the new year. There's no shirking away from it – it's a detrimental blow.
That being said, it does open up a window of opportunity for other midfielders to stake their claim for a starting spot in Postecoglou's first team.
The players who could replace James Maddison
Against Wolves, Postecoglou opted to tweak the system and remove the creative role somewhat, opting for a midfield trio of Yves Bissouma, Pape Matar Sarr and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
The latter, Hojbjerg, has not been favoured for a starting spot this term and clearly doesn't offer the same level of creativity as Maddison; he produced an industrious display against Wolves, but he's not the solution over the winter period.
Coming off the bench and testing Jose Sa's goal with a fizzing strike was Giovani Lo Celso, however, with the Argentinian now presented with a lifeline after previously falling by the wayside on English shores.
Tottenham Hotspur midfielderGiovani Lo Celso.
Branded a "flop" by The Athletic's Jack Pitt-Brooke, Lo Celso had spent the past 18 months out on loan with Villarreal in LaLiga, but he does fit the bill to replace Maddison in the middle.
Indeed, Lo Celso ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 3% for assists and the top 1% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.
There is past evidence that he can't quite live up to the rigours of the Premier League, though the same cannot be said for Rodrigo Bentancur, whose return to fitness comes at the perfect time for Postecoglou.
Rodrigo Bentancur's style of play
The international break is loathed by many supporters, and it does feel somewhat tedious amid the excitement of the domestic scene, but the sojourn helps Spurs pick themselves up and allows Bentancur to continue to rebuild his fitness.
The Uruguayan midfielder joined Tottenham from Juventus for £21.5m in January 2022 and posted five goals and two assists from just 17 Premier League starts last year before disaster struck and he ruptured his ACL back in February.
Described as "technically immense" by broadcaster Adam Smith, Bentancur has earned three substitute appearances for Postecoglou's side recently and could be in line for a first start of the season when domestic football swings back around.
The £75k-per-week star was incredibly clinical last term, taking only 0.8 shots per game in the Premier League – as per Sofascore – but still boasting an impressive return, also completing 85% of his passes and forging 2.5 tackles per outing.
Postecoglou could find a brilliant blend of offensive vigour and defensive authority in this dynamo, who could fill the void left by a playmaker of Maddison's ilk and ensure that Tottenham's centre retains its strength over the coming months of action.
Tottenham Hotspur extended their winning run in the Premier League to four matches with victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, maintaining their lead at the top of the table.
The meteoric rise under Ange Postecoglou's stewardship has been nothing short of exemplary, and against the Eagles, while not at their best, Spurs got the job done and brandished their title-winning credentials after securing a 2-1 victory.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou.
Whereby last season only brought misery and a fourth managerial dismissal in as many years following Antonio Conte's sacking in March, there is now a tangible possibility that silverware – a premium so agonisingly out of reach for so long at Tottenham – could be gleaned.
Spurs' win against Roy Hodgson's side means that eight victories have been collected from ten Premier League matches, having drawn the opener away to Brentford and again against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
Tottenham's performance vs Crystal Palace
Palace were resilient and looked to stifle the away side's attacking verve through a cohesive, collective understanding of the match plan, and while they held their shape well for the lion's share of the first 45 minutes, the tactical tweaks in the second half swayed the odds in Spurs' favour.
Indeed, after a drab opening half, the away side knuckled down and started to thread their plan together, with James Maddison warming after an ineffective first 45 and Postecoglou's substitutions working well.
Ben Davies earned his first Premier League start of the campaign in the absence of Destiny Udogie, but the 30-year-old stalwart was hooked during the break and replaced by the more energetic Emerson Royal, who was in the thick of the action and actively progressed the play.
Maddison's whipped delivery, forcing an own goal, put the Lilywhites in the driving seat shortly after the break while Heung-min Son's eighth goal in seven Premier League matches confirmed that three points would be returning to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
With another win in the bag, Tottenham's manager praised the "disciplined" performance, and it was indeed the kind of composed and controlled display that was often elusively out of reach last term, as the north London club slumped to an eighth-placed league finish and conceded a staggering 63 goals.
Postecoglou deserves all the plaudits for the transformative effect that he has instilled, but there is little doubt that the signings made across the summer have been nothing short of superlative, with the likes of Maddison, Micky van de Ven and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario steering the ship on course.
James Maddison was "superb" again
Maddison, of course, has been the standout so far since joining from Leicester City for £40m in the summer, having scored ten goals and supplied nine assists in the English top flight despite only starting 28 times as his outfit plummeted into the Championship.
This term, he has already posted three goals and five assists from the opening ten games of the Premier League term, winning August's Player of the Month award, and while he did not add to his tally at Selhurst Park, he was once more at the centre of the success.
Hailed for his "superb" link-up play by football.london's Alasdair Gold, the England international warmed into his role in the second half, and after forcing Joel Ward to turn into his own net, he served reliably as the conduit, ensuring his teammates had apt supplementation.
Metric
#
Minutes played
89
Touches
57
Pass completion
31/16 (86%)
Key passes
2
Ground duels won
4
Dribble attempts
1/3 (33%)
Tackles
1
Clearances
1
It was by no means his most impressive display for the club, but it is an illustration of how consistent his performances have been since the summer, and as Spurs march on, he will continue to serve as the centrepiece.
Maddison is the obvious player to shower effusive words upon, but it was the performance of Pape Sarr that perhaps went under the radar despite exhibiting the sheer collective value of this newly-vitalised team.
Pape Sarr is Postecoglou's true hero
Sarr, aged 21, moved to Tottenham from Metz in a £15m deal in 2021 but returned to the French side on a season-long loan, and while he sat on the periphery last season, he is now very much at the core of the midfield.
Praised for his “unbelievable” performance by scout Lee Mayes, who remarked at how well he "ran the whole midfield", the Senegalese starlet took 92 touches and completed 89% of his passes – very much omnipresent in his duties.
Making two interceptions and clearances apiece and succeeding with his one dribble, he was everywhere on that pitch and played a big part in both of Tottenham's goals, with Gold among those waxing lyrical after the match.
Gold said: "Forgot to mention Pape Matar Sarr, who was terrific again. Never stopped running, providing an outlet and using the ball well on the whole. Played a big part in the second goal and still mad to think he's only 21. He's only going to get better and better under Postecoglou."
Against Crystal Palace, he demonstrated a maturity and energy that evades all but the select few midfielders who sit atop the pile, and it really is frightening to consider how good he might become over the coming years.
Tottenham midfielder Pape Sarr.
As per FBref, the all-action midfielder ranks among the top 10% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 19% for assists, the top 18% for progressive passes and the top 20% for passes attempted per 90.
Frankly, there is so much more to come, and Tottenham really have unearthed a jewel in this rising star, who has been sensational in the early phase of the campaign and a large reason behind such a relentless start.
And while Tottenham are currently five points clear in their table-topping position, both Arsenal and Manchester City have the opportunity to close the gap this weekend.
Nonetheless, the job that Postecoglou has done so far has been remarkable, and there would have been scant optimism that such a position of strength could have been established mere months ago.
With gifted stars like Sarr in the centre, there is every possibility that this season's success will endure, and Tottenham will prevail.
Newcastle have been dealt a huge injury blow in the run-up to the end of the season after it was confirmed that Sven Botman suffered an ACL injury.
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Botman injured during Man City clashDefender diagnosed with ACL injuryWill undergo operation next weekWHAT HAPPENED?
The centre-back was forced off in the late stages of the Magpies' 2-0 defeat to against Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Saturday. He has since been diagnosed with an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament and faces up to nine months out after he undergoes surgery next week.
AdvertisementGettyWHAT NEWCASTLE SAID
An update from the club read: "Newcastle United defender Sven Botman will undergo surgery next week after suffering a knee injury against Manchester City.
"Following further assessment, a scan has confirmed that he sustained an injury to his ACL during Saturday's match and he is expected to return to action within six-to-nine months.
"The Dutch centre-back initially sustained a knee injury in September 2023 and elected for a non-surgical rehabilitation plan – a decision which saw him return to action in December.
"Everyone at Newcastle United wishes Sven a full and speedy recovery."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
The 24-year-old Netherlands international has been a mainstay in Eddie Howe's team this season, making 22 appearances in all competitions. He was previously ruled out with a knee injury that sidelined him from late-September until December.
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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR NEWCASTLE?
The absence of a key figure comes as a big blow to Newcastle as they look to get back into the fight for a place in European football next term. Howe's side sit 10th in the table and take on West Ham in their next match on March 30.
There was some initial worry about Newcastle United this season, especially after they suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion. Since then, however, Eddie Howe's side have put an end to any doubts by defeating Brentford, putting eight past Sheffield United and knocking Manchester City out of the Carabao Cup.
That's not to say the Magpies couldn't do with further reinforcements, though, which could result in a busy January transfer window for those at St James' Park despite some FFP constraints, with reports they could sell several players to fund signings.
And that could see them complete a move for one particular player that they already had a go for, having failed in their pursuit during the summer.
What's the latest Newcastle United transfer news?
Spending a reported €153m (£133m) during the summer transfer window, Newcastle welcomed the likes of Harvey Barnes, Tino Livramento, and Sandro Tonali to hand Howe a squad capable of potentially making it back-to-back top four finishes in the Premier League. And after a slow start, the Magpies now look back on track to compete alongside the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Liverpool, who are all gunning for Champions League qualification.
The January transfer window could yet make all the difference, too, especially if Newcastle secure the arrival of Carlos Alcaraz. According to Football Transfers, those at St James' Park are eyeing a move for the Southampton star, who they reportedly approached in the summer, only to be put off by the Saints' £30m price-tag.
Whilst Howe remains an admirer, AC Milan and Benfica also reportedly made an approach for the midfielder in the summer, handing Newcastle plenty of competition if they are to pursue his signature come the winter transfer window.
Considering their spending power, if Newcastle are keen on Alcaraz, then it will be interesting to see how Southampton fare when it comes to the battle to keep hold of their star.
Should Newcastle United sign Carlos Alcaraz?
Southampton midfielder Carlos Alcaraz.
At 20-years-old, Alcaraz opted to stay put at Southampton despite their relegation to the Championship, and a solid start by Russell Martin's new side has quickly turned disastrous, with a run of four straight defeats in the Championship.
If that form continues, Alcaraz, who, it must be said, has played his part in what has been a dismal run, may start to consider his immediate future, especially if the right offer comes in during the January window from Newcastle.
Statistically speaking, the midfielder was certainly a standout in a poor Saints side last season. According to FBref, in 13 starts, Alcaraz made 20 progressive carries and 28 progressive passes, whilst also making 14 blocks and 11 clearances in a showing of great potential in a short period in the Premier League.
He has earned deserved praise during his time at St Mary's, too, including from former manager Ruben Selles, who said, via the official Southampton website: "That was the idea – to put him in that position as a 10 or as a striker, to be more aggressive in the pressure, to understand the triggers and to have some situations in front of the centre-backs but also in behind, as [with] the goal.
“That was the game plan, Carlos played good. He understands everything – I am helping him also, giving him some instructions so it’s easier for him to understand. He did really well, unfortunately for only 45, 46 minutes."
The former New Zealand has asthma and needed more than the usual dose of his medicine while playing in Delhi during IPL 2016, which had triggered scrutiny
ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jun-2018
Brendon McCullum raises his bat after notching up his half-century•BCCI
Brendon McCullum has cleared the air about a positive drug test during his time with Gujarat Lions in IPL 2016.The former New Zealand captain has asthma and, in light of heavy pollution in Delhi at the time, he needed more than the usual dose of his medicine. As a result, McCullum’s urine sample was found to have exceeded the allowable limit for salbutamol, a drug that is part of inhalers used to treat asthma. The BCCI approached McCullum with these findings following which he secured a retroactive therapeutic use exemption from a panel of independent medical experts in Sweden to close the matter and clear his name.”There was a bit of a process to go through to make sure they had all the information and ticked off the areas they wanted to see, but we went through it all and [the BCCI] were actually pretty good to work with in the end,” McCullum told .”I certainly don’t see it as a failed drug test. It was just a case of we just need to seek clarification and apply for this. I have no ill-feeling about [the process] and I also have no guilt or remorse about it because I needed a puff of my inhaler at that time.”McCullum hit 60 off 36 at the top of the order in a one-run win for the Lions against Delhi Daredevils in the game that day. But a test after the game resulted in an “adverse analytical finding” because the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules state any dosage that is not consistent with therapeutic use will be considered a violation.McCullum’s doctors and legal team then prepared his defence, which had proven successful last January itself, but he chose to go public with the information now because he wanted to quash the rumours.”I’ve heard this sort of rumbling around in the background for a while and I actually said to my wife, ‘I don’t know why we don’t just deal with this now, I’ve got nothing to hide and it is better off just talking about stuff rather than having other people talking about it’. Otherwise it just grows and festers.”As far as I am concerned it was just a matter of making sure we got everything signed off properly, rather than it being a failed drug test.”McCullum, who has had asthma since childhood, found the going particularly tough in Delhi whose pollution levels have touched dangerous levels in recent years. In November 2016, a first-class match between Gujarat and Bengal had to be abandoned due to smog, and in December 2017, a Test between India and Sri Lanka was severely affected by pollution, with several Sri Lankan players taking ill.
We’ve got used to floods of runs, but low-scoring T20 games can often be engrossing, as the World Cup has showed
Sambit Bal20-Jun-20242:48
Stephen Fleming: ‘I’ve morbidly enjoyed watching batters struggle’
Gifts are sweeter when they arrive in unexpected ways. There were so many imponderables about this T20 World Cup that it was hard to anticipate which way it would go. A new host country, new venues, unused drop-in pitches, a new format, and so many new teams: it was always going to be the biggest World Cup, but what if it turned out to be the dullest?Some of the worst fears did come true. There were a few one-sided games. The England-Oman match lasted 99 balls, with England knocking the target over in 3.1 overs. Lockie Ferguson thundered to a world record by grabbing three wickets in four overs without conceding a run against Papua New Guinea. New Zealand also smashed Uganda with 88 balls remaining, and West Indies beat Uganda by 134 runs.The pitches in New York – assembled in Adelaide, incubated in Florida, and finally bedded into the ground at the freshly minted venue in Nassau county – were not quite Adelaide, where batters usually go to dine. The playing surfaces went from being an ally and abettor for batters, as in so much of T20, to a challenging adversary.Related
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Strokeplay, long thought of as an entitlement in the format, became an occupational hazard on wickets that were two-paced and afforded uneven bounce and some seam movement and swing when the ball was new and there was moisture in the air or in the surface. Hitting though the line became fatal, and setting up one’s stall and muscling the ball away became impossible. Runs had to be earned, boundaries became rarer, and sixes became events.Consequently, phase one of this World Cup turned out to be the slowest-scoring in history, going at barely over a run a ball, and yielding the fewest boundaries per match (26.39) in the history of the tournament. It was a staggering fall from the batting mayhem that had preceded it in India and built exaggerated expectations.The average boundary count at this year’s IPL was 48.36 per game, with one being hit every 4.76 balls. The six count: 1260, at over 17 a match. What drudgery, then, for that to be nearly halved (8.7 per match) and for six machines to be reduced to plodders. Heinrich Klassen, who blitzed 38 sixes at the IPL, including eight in one game, has managed only seven so far from five matches at this World Cup.Think again.
The truth is that the pitches, however far from ideal, became, in the circumstances, a providential blessing – who would lay out this kind by design? – for this World Cup. Because by swinging the game towards the bowlers these surfaces shrank the gaps between the mighty and the challengers.By virtue of being a compressed format, T20 does even things out slightly between unequal sides, but batting parity on flatter surfaces is tough to achieve for teams lacking in experience and depth. History will bear out that bowling and fielding have been the instruments of major upsets in global T20 tournaments. Rarely do unfancied teams overhaul scores beyond 200; it’s the low-scoring thrillers they manage to edge by scrapping their guts out.USA, who have filled this tournament with joy and tales of unlikely heroes, started the tournament winning a high-scoring chase against fellow debutants Canada, but it was their slow-burning Super-Over thriller against Pakistan that brought this tournament alive and made their story so stirring. It was a similar surface that kept them in the game against India, and who knows where that match might have gone had Suryakumar Yadav’s mishit not been spilled in the outfield at a time when things were in the balance.Eventually USA became the only non-elite team to make it to the Super Eight, but the whole of the first phase hummed and throbbed with possibility. PNG wobbled West Indies in their first game, South Africa scraped past Netherlands chasing 104, Scotland were in with an even chance in their rained-out encounter against England, and they were decidedly ahead in the game against Australia for the best part of their defence.More incredibly, Nepal were a blow away from beating South Africa and about an over’s worth of runs away from beating Bangladesh. Had the margins gone their way, they could have qualified ahead of Bangladesh. Oman lost out to Namibia in another low-scoring thriller that ended in a Super Over, and they had Australia on a leash until they dropped Marcus Stoinis, who celebrated the reprieve by clobbering four sixes in the following over.It’s fun when the bowlers aren’t just cannon fodder•Getty ImagesSixes are a spectacle, no doubt, and evenly contested high-scoring games are thrilling. But a surfeit of sixes can dull the senses, and nothing can fall as flat as a rapidly faltering chase of a high score. In contrast to the IPL this year, which produced 41 scores of 200-plus, the first phase of this World Cup had only three such, and thank heaven for that, for all three turned out be, as they often do, no-contests.What many of these simmering, slow-burning close games have underscored is that the true thrill of sport lies in the contest and its attendant tension. Yes, fast runs are the currency of T20, but the struggle to score runs can also be thoroughly absorbing when the outcome is on the line. And when bowlers are in the ascendant, chases of small totals are usually well poised: the score remains within reach, but wickets are imminent. For the viewer it’s only a matter of reorientation: from the pace of scoring to the graft for runs.Varying surfaces and the challenges they provide are among cricket’s unique selling points. For batters to have their skill and temperament examined occasionally is a refreshing departure from the routine, and a welcome reminder that the core appeal of the game lies in its most fundamental contest: bat vs ball, not bat vs bat – as flat beds, small boundaries and dewy conditions sometimes reduce white-ball cricket to.It is true that the advantage to bowlers in this tournament has been extreme on occasion, particularly in New York, but just as bowlers are regularly required to adapt to conditions stacked against them, batters have had to dig deep and fight their way through. It has been compelling to watch. When you hear Stephen Fleming say that he found some morbid joy in watching batters struggle, you can identify.Familiar service seems to have resumed at the business end of the tournament as the top teams battle it out on pitches more amenable to the free flow of the bat, but as we settle down to savour the sight of the ball soaring into the skies again, let’s give quiet thanks for having lived a different experience: T20s can be enjoyable without the ball-bashing too.
Everton haven't done too badly in regard to youth prospects in the last few years. Bringing in youngsters, as well as developing homegrown talents has always been a quiet aspect of the blue part of Merseyside.
Take the long-serving Seamus Coleman as an example, he was signed from Sligo Rovers back in 2009 for just £60,000 and steadily became a Premier League stalwart as well as arguably his country's best right back for a number of years.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin too, developed levels to his game after joining Everton in 2016. More recently, the likes of Jarrad Branthwaite and Ellis Simms have shown that the quality keeps coming in and around Everton's youth department.
With any good youth-orientated club, there's always a metaphorical conveyor belt in action behind the scenes. Thinking far ahead, scouts have to be ready to fill gaps and get players primed to potentially move in for a big player's departure or retirement.
Abdoulaye Doucoure is one such player whose void is going to be hard to miss when he eventually leaves Everton.
Who could replace Doucoure?
Doucoure, 30, joined Everton from Watford in September 2020 for £20m and since then has been a real fan favourite.
abdoulaye-doucoure-everton-dyche-premier-league-dominic-calvert-lewin-brentfordabdoulaye-doucoure-premier-league-everton-transfersCarlo Ancelotti, Everton, Toffees, Goodison Park, Premier League, Real Madrid, Barcelona,
Known for his dexterity across the park and brilliant box-to-box play – Doucoure's sheer determination has rubbed off on Toffees fans even in the toughest of times. Carlo Ancelotti even tipped the now-Mali international for a French cap back when he first arrived at Goodison Park.
Doucoure's performances, as well as a penchant for the odd spectacular goal, has drawn attention from different clubs – especially when he fell out of favour in Frank Lampard's tenure.
Although now, this summer's extension sees the Mali man contracted to Everton until 2024 – back in January there were interested parties in both Turkey and the Middle East.
After Doucoure's 2024 contract expiry, Everton may not look into the transfer market for a midfield replacement. Sean Dyche could have an exciting talent in Tyler Onyango already waiting on that 'conveyor belt' that was mentioned before.
Who is Tyler Onyango?
20-year-old Onyango has been at Everton since signing as a youth in 2011. Moving through the ranks, the midfielder has developed an imposing 6 foot 2 frame and seems similarly posed as the 6-foot Doucoure.
Although first-team options have been relatively drip-fed, Onyango has impressed higher-ups at the club and seen fringe action as well as multiple loan moves to gain experience.
As seen here, some even likened the youngster to Doucoure straight away, feeling he was the natural successor for the position. It's a somewhat sweeping statement, but just how good has Onyango been – and how could he be from what's been seen on loan at multiple League One clubs?
What's next for Tyler Onyango?
Well, it's quite hard to say – as the first loan spell to Burton Albion came to an end after just 16 games when the midfielder was recalled by his parent club and his second loan move at Forest Green Rovers was halted with a hamstring injury.
However, slithers of information from limited showings can reflect some intriguing insights when paired along with Everton's assessment of a youngster known for boasting "impressive stamina" among other key traits.
From FBref, it can be seen that in his 16 appearances for Burton, a side who ended the 2022/23 campaign 15th in League One, there were brief positives.
Soccer Football – Premier League – Chelsea v Everton – Stamford Bridge, London, Britain – December 16, 2021 Everton’s Tyler Onyango during the warm up before the match Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club /league/player publications. Please contact your account representativ
While only playing '10.5 90 minutes', Onyango won 14 tackles and made five interceptions. To reiterate, yes these are clearly really extensive stats. Sarcasm aside, it could reflect more on his inconsistency with injury at the time.
However, with consistent key involvement in multiple age groups, as well as five appearances for England U17 back in 2019 – a steady potential boils under the surface.
Everton still clearly values him, even though they await any resemblance to Doucoure-like contributions. Moreover, with his father's native land being Kenya, we could see Onyango come within an international contest when he ultimately makes good on some very formative development.
West Ham United intend to open talks to sign an exciting player soon after meeting with his agents, and it is believed they're already frontrunners.
West Ham form and results
The Irons are in very good shape, having enjoyed an excellent month prior to this ongoing international break. David Moyes' side have won four out of their opening eight Premier League games so far, all while maintaining their excellent run in Europe where they have gone 17 games unbeaten since the Conference League last term. West Ham have collected some pretty good results recently, despite losses to both Man City and Liverpool, but they can arguably be forgiven considering the two sides could be contending for title glory by the end of 2023/2024.
Their 2-2 draw against high-flying Newcastle, stopping Eddie Howe's side dead in their tracks following the Magpies' pretty incredible run of games, perhaps highlights just how difficult West Ham can be to beat when playing at full potential. Moyes, speaking after West Ham's last game before internationals, praises his side for going toe-to-toe against a "top side" like Newcastle.
"I’m quite pleased with a lot of bits of the performance, especially in the first half when we got in front and we defended well when we needed to. But I think we played a top side and the level of some of the teams in the Premier League at the moment is really, really high and Newcastle are one of those teams," said Moyes after their match against the Magpies to West Ham's official website.
Moyes then went on to hail West Ham's last month, saying he was quite pleased with the outcome of their matches overall.
"I always knew in between the international breaks that we had four games which were Manchester City, Liverpool, Sheffield United and Newcastle, so it was always going to be hard to take too many points. In my head, I thought ‘if we can get four points from those games, that won’t be too bad’, but obviously I was hoping to get more. In between, we had a couple of cup wins as well, which helped, so I’m quite pleased with the way the last month has gone."
Who are West Ham linked with?
Off the field, technical director Tim Steidten and sporting director Mark Noble will be plotting ways to bolster Moyes' overall ranks while adding more strength to the West Ham side. Media rumours suggest they're after a central defender, with the likes of Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba and AC Milan's Malick Thiaw linked.
Physically strong
At ease when dribbling
Technically gifted
However, a report from Premier League Brasil and journalist Guilherme Ramos has now claimed that they want to "open negotiations" for Palmerias starlet Luis Guilherme before the Under-17 World Cup in less than a month, It is believed the east Londoners and Chelsea in particular have an "upper hand" over competitors, making them frontrunners, with West Ham already meeting the player's agents. It's added that they're "new competitors" to sign the midfielder called by the report one of Brazil's most promising gems.