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Everton could promote Under 18s manager Leighton Baines to the job of senior boss after the sacking of Frank Lampard, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Lampard sacked by Everton

The Blues suffered yet another defeat in the Premier League over the weekend, losing 2-0 away to fellow strugglers West Ham and now sitting 19th in the table.

It has finally led to the dismissal of Lampard after a dreadful run of form, with the 44-year-old sacked on Monday according to Pete O’Rourke, amid much speculation surrounding his future.

The search is seemingly now on to find his successor at Goodison Park, in what is a hugely important decision ahead of the second half of the season.

The Latest: Baines to be promoted?

According to Dominic King of The Daily Mail, Baines is a possibility to replace Lampard, with Under 21s boss Paul Tait likely to join the former Blues left-back:

“One option would be to promote former player Leighton Baines, who is now in charge of the Under 18s, and Under 21s head coach Paul Tait to oversee matters.”

The Verdict: Too big a risk?

While the idea of promoting Baines is a bold, in-house choice, there is a clear risk element involved, given Everton’s current struggles in the Premier League.

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The 38-year-old has no experience in senior management at all and the owners must decide whether or not the job could overawe him, as he looks to steer the Blues clear of danger.

He hasn’t exactly set the world alight in his role with the youth side either, recording just 1.25 points-per-match in 12 games in the U18 Premier League.

If Everton weren’t in such a perilous position, the decision to appoint Baines would arguably make more sense, but as it is, a more experienced figure such as Sean Dyche or Mauricio Pochettino would be preferable.

The former has huge experience of keeping Burnley in the top flight, which would bode well – they finished between seventh and 17th five seasons in a row between 2016 and 2021 – while the latter managed Tottenham to the 2019 Champions League and has genuine pedigree.

Tottenham Hotspur being able to sign Eintracht Frankfurt forward Randal Kolo Muani will be ‘difficult’ in the January transfer window, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Tottenham’s Muani interest

While there were increased eyes on Kolo Muani after his World Cup performances with France, RMC report that Tottenham were interested in the Frenchman even prior to the tournament commencing.

However, Frankfurt are in a strong position, given that the forward is contracted until 2027, and club director Markus Krosche has made it clear they do not want to sell.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones said he’s ‘dug around’ and found out a deal this month is really difficult:

“They are seeking solutions at the moment to give them new impetus in attack.

“If you dig around a little bit on this, it’s going to be difficult for them to pull off Kolo Muani in this window.”

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The Verdict: Blow for Conte?

The 24-year-old has been lauded as ‘special’ by Eurosport’s Florian Bogner, and this is a description that is fully justified by his recent exploits, as he is enjoying a fantastic season with Frankfurt in the Bundesliga.

In 14 Bundesliga appearances, the former Nantes man has weighed in with a solid five goals, but his most impressive attribute has been his ability to get his teammates involved in the play, registering ten assists, three more than any other player in the league.

The fact that the playmaker is versatile enough to play across the front three would have also been very useful for Antonio Conte, given that any centre-forward brought in will have to play second fiddle to Harry Kane, and so it is a real blow that a move no longer seems possible.

Journalist Ben Jacobs has admitted Newcastle United and other clubs will have to pay £70-80m if they wish to sign Moises Caicedo.

The Lowdown: Caicedo won’t come cheap

It is looking abundantly clear that Newcastle and Eddie Howe are keen on bringing in some more depth in the centre of midfield after Jonjo Shelvey picked up another muscular injury, with the likes of Caicedo and Youri Tielemans being linked.

This is why they could soon be about to land Alan Varela from Boca Juniors, which would show they are also looking towards the future rather than purely stopgap signings.

Therefore, Caicedo could be that player, as he’s now very much Premier League-proven with 23 appearances under his belt and widely regarded as the ‘crown jewel’ of his national side, according to Ecuadorian football historian Enrico Castro-Montes.

The Latest: Caicedo going to be an expensive signing

Jacobs has been speaking on The Done Deal Show about the Newcastle transfer target and how he won’t come cheap if any team wishes to sign him this season.

He said: “With Moises Caicedo, Brighton’s valuation – and this was even said when Graham Potter was still at Brighton – is somewhere in the region of £70-75m, and when a figure of £42m was quoted to Graham Potter when he was still the Brighton manager, he laughed and said not even close, you’ll only be able to buy his boots for £42m.

“So I think it’s clear, even if Brighton come down on valuation slightly, that you’re going to need, minimum, £60m for Caicedo, and Brighton would really like £70-75m.”

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The Verdict: Newcastle should dodge big-money move

Given that Newcastle already have two £40m players in their midfield in the form of Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton, the need for yet another expensive midfielder may not necessarily be at the top of Howe’s wishlist.

Instead, they should perhaps focus on moving for a younger talent that may not arrive demanding to start every game in the league – so if they can get Varela over the line, that could be a smart piece of business.

Also, the fact that Newcastle are fighting against Financial Fair Play regulations, as highlighted recently by Howe, it would make sense for them to avoid a big-money signing in January and instead wait until the summer when they may have a lucrative sponsorship deal behind them.

Arsenal star Gabriel Jesus is set to miss up to several months due to needing surgery for his knee injury sustained at the World Cup. 

The Lowdown: Gunners talisman 

Many may have questioned Jesus’ decision to depart a serial-winning Manchester City side led by Pep Guardiola, but his switch to Arsenal couldn’t have gone any better.

The Brazilian got off to a flying start in pre-season and has sustained his stellar impact among the frontline across the first half of this season.

Ten goal contributions in the form of five goals and five assists are just a small inclination of his huge impact, with his presence alone so significant in Mikel Arteta’s side.

The Latest: Major blow

According to football guru Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal are set to endure somewhat of a winter nightmare and will be without their star for an initial three months, with that spell potentially going on for ‘several’ months.

Taking to his personal Twitter page to issue the update, Romano said: “Bad news for Arsenal. Gabriel Jesus will need to undergo surgery on the knee he injured at the World Cup, so it’s more serious than expected — confirmed as reported by @mcgrathmike.

“Gabriel could miss several months, could be three months.”

The Verdict: Nightmare

With the World Cup being timed the way it has, injuries were always going to be a concern. 

But, it goes without saying that this is one of the worst things that could have happened for Arteta and co, as they will now have to defend their lead at the pinnacle of the Premier League table without their Brazilian talisman. 

It makes things unnecessarily tough for the Gunners, who may now be forced to dip into the winter market upon its recommencement in January.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) Public Investment Fund (PIF) have been told that it will cost up to £70m to sign Moises Caicedo for Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: Impressive few months

Caicedo’s profile is certainly rising, from the start that he has made to the season with Brighton and Hove Albion to impressing with Ecuador at the World Cup.

At Brighton, he has been their joint-third best-performing player in the Premier League so far, with only Alexis Mac Allister in the squad matching his 3.1 tackles per game in the division (WhoScored), helping them up to seventh in the table before the mid-season break.

Caicedo was also a standout performer for his nation in Qatar, playing in every game in the group stage and even managing to get himself on the scoresheet (WhoScored), and now he is attracting interest from some top Premier League clubs.

The Latest: Could cost £70m

As per The Sun, Newcastle have been told that it will cost them between £60m and £70m if they want to sign Caicedo, having failed to sign him in 2021 when the Seagulls snapped him up for a much cheaper £3.6m.

However, they will face competition from top-flight heavyweights Manchester United and Chelsea for his signature.

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The Verdict: Another club-record…

Having signed Alexander Isak for a club-record £63m in the summer, the Tynesiders could potentially break their transfer record again within the space of a year if they pay £70m for Caicedo.

Hailed as an ‘exceptional player and character’ by his team-mates, the 21-year-old is already one of the best players in his position, ranking in the 85th percentile for defensive midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for average tackles and blocks per game per FBRef.

The big transfer fee is always a risk, but Caicedo looks like a player who could really grow at the Magpies over the next few years if he comes to St James’ Park.

Chelsea are looking to ‘bring in’ two new midfielders in 2023, with Brighton’s Moises Caicedo ‘definitely’ on the list of targets, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

The Lowdown: Triple exit on the cards?

The Premier League giants could be very light in the centre of the pitch next summer with Jorginho and N’Golo Kante’s contracts expiring at the end of the season, and both are yet to put pen to paper on fresh terms.

Denis Zakaria will also be returning to his parent club Juventus following the conclusion of his loan spell, meaning that Graham Potter will likely need to dip into the market to find suitable reinforcements.

The Latest: Phillips’ comments

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Phillips revealed that whilst Chelsea do still have the likes of Mateo Kovacic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek available, Todd Boehly is looking to make some new recruits in midfield over the next 12 months, with one player in particular name-checked.

The journalist said: “I think the way things are looking at the moment, Chelsea are potentially going to look to bring in two new midfielders within the next two windows. And Caicedo is definitely one of them on that list.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

The Mirror have claimed that Brighton are willing to entertain offers in the region of £85m for Caicedo, and whilst this is a large figure, he would be more than worth the purchase.

Dubbed a ‘machine man’ by Jacek Kulig, the Ecuadorian currently averages 2.8 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game this season and has a pass success rate of 87.3% (WhoScored).

That’s more tackles per game than anyone in the current Chelsea squad, while he’d also be in the top five at Stamford Bridge for the other metrics (WhoScored).

With Potter and Caicedo having worked together at the Amex Stadium, this pre-existing relationship could help to give the Blues an advantage in the race for the 21-year-old’s services next year.

Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves has been offered to Champions League giants Barcelona by his agent Jorge Mendes, according to Mundo Deportivo (via Talking Wolves).

The Lowdown: Neves’ Wolves career

Having arrived at the club in 2017, the Portugal international has played a crucial role in the Old Gold’s success since their promotion to the Premier League four years ago.

The 25-year-old has made 222 appearances for Wolves, having played the full 90 minutes in every league game so far this season.

The midfielder was named club captain this summer after Conor Coady left to join Everton on a season-long loan, a deal which includes a purchase option for the Toffees.

The Latest: Barcelona transfer links

According to a report by Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo on Saturday, as relayed by Talking Wolves on Twitter, Mendes has once again offered Barcelona the chance to sign Neves from the Midlands outfit.

However, it is reported that the La Liga club’s manager Xavi currently prefers other options heading into the January transfer window.

As per Mundo Deportivo’s report, Neves’ intermediary met with Camp Nou chiefs on Thursday, and the player was one topic discussed amongst many others between the two parties.

The Verdict: He’d be a massive loss

When looking at the 25-year-old’s underlying statistics, it is clear to see just how big of a blow his departure from Molineux would be for Wolves.

As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, the midfielder ranks in the 92nd percentile for clearances, the 86th percentile for passes attempted and the 85th percentile for non-penalty goals.

This indicates a player who is willing to work hard out of possession, keep the play progressing and make an impact in the final third; and having earned stylistic comparisons to the likes of West Ham’s Declan Rice, it is no wonder the Portugal international has been dubbed ‘outstanding’ by journalist Tim Spiers.

Consequently, Wolves should do everything that they can to keep hold of their captain, as he has proven to be so crucial at Molineux in recent years.

West Ham United are holding talks ‘behind the scenes’ regarding a new contract for Craig Dawson, according to reliable journalist Paul Brown.

The Lowdown: Wolves move collapses

The Athletic reported that the Irons accepted a £4m bid from Premier League rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers for the centre-back on deadline day, though a move fell through due to GSBK missing out on their replacement in Southampton’s Jan Bednarek.

The 32-year-old’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season which makes an exit increasingly likely, but it appears that David Moyes is keen to extend his stay at the London Stadium.

The Latest: West Ham enter Dawson talks

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Brown revealed that West Ham are currently in negotiations with Dawson over putting pen to paper on fresh terms:

“That is going on behind the scenes. I think Dawson knows he’s well-respected and well-liked at West Ham. They don’t particularly want him to go.”

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The Verdict: Let him go?

Dawson has been a loyal servant to West Ham over the years having made 80 appearances, but it would be the right decision to allow him to leave during the upcoming January transfer window.

The ‘top class’ veteran, as dubbed by sports journalist Josh Bunting, has only made two starts in the top flight this season, and picked up an injury whilst in Europa League action on Thursday, which could now see him sidelined for some time.

Dawson wanted to move to the Midlands for family reasons which suggests that he doesn’t see his long-term future with the Irons, and that’s why an exit would be best for both parties.

Leeds United had an official at Hampden Park on Wednesday evening to watch Ukraine’s Mykhaylo Mudryk, according to 90min.

The Lowdown: Mudryk profiled

Mudryk is primarily a left winger but can also play on the right and as an attacking midfielder.

The 21-year-old, described as a ‘serious talent’ by Shakhtar Donetsk sporting director Darijo Srna, has progressed through the academy with the Ukrainian side and has made 31 senior appearances.

He’s contributed to 16 goals in those games and is at the peak of his powers, valued at a career-high £13.5m by Transfermarkt.

The Latest: Leeds links

90min shared a story on Thursday regarding Mudryk, claiming that 11 Premier League sides had scouts in attendance in Scotland.

Leeds were one of those, with the report suggesting ‘most clubs were keeping an eye on Mudryk’.

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The Verdict: Evening to forget

Plenty of Premier League scouts were seemingly there for Mudryk, but he actually had an evening to forget at Hampden Park. As per SofaScore, Mudryk was the worst player on the pitch with a poor match rating of 5.3/10.

Playing on the left, Mudryk missed a big chance, lost 13 of his 14 duels, failed to complete any of his six attempted dribbles and lost possession 16 times.

It’s safe to say the Leeds scout sent to watch the player wouldn’t be providing a glowing report, so it’ll be interesting to see if the Whites continue to track the young forward.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in signing Goncalo Ramos in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

Sky Sports journalist Keith Downie has revealed that the Magpies are keen on the Benfica centre-forward and that he is one of a number of options on their list.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “The word that we were getting last week was that Ramos was another one that they’d looked at on the list, kind of similar to the lad Benjamin Šeško, who’s going to RB Leipzig, who Manchester United looked at as well.

“I think there’s such a small pool of players available at the moment and multiple clubs are looking at them, that clubs are very sort of unsure.

“They don’t want any information getting out there because you don’t want to alert other clubs that are down the line with someone.”

Just imagine him & Allan Saint-Maximin

Newcastle could land the player Saint-Maximin has been asking for the club to sign by snapping up a deal to bring Ramos to St. James’ Park in the coming weeks.

The Magpies winger said in an interview last season that he could reach up to 15 assists in a season with a player capable of finishing the chances that he creates. He topped the charts for the Toon last term with 49 key passes in 35 games.

In Ramos, Dan Ashworth may be able to test the Frenchman’s theory by signing a player who has shown that he has the potential to be an elite goalscorer.

The dynamo, who could leave Benfica for a fee in the region of £35m, has been dubbed “prolific” by scout Jacek Kulig and that is backed up by his form so far this season.

He has racked up five goals and three assists in five Liga Portugal and Champions League matches this season, after scoring eight times in 36 outings in those competitions last term.

This comes after he caught the eye for Benfica at youth level. In 54 games for academy sides, Ramos scored 27 times and set up nine.

The 21-year-old has also been superb for Portugal’s U21s and U19s with 23 goals in 33 caps for his country at those age levels.

These statistics show that the potential is there for Ramos to be the finisher that Saint-Maximin believes he needs to play alongside.

Therefore, they could end up being a dream duo on Tyneside by combining for goals on a regular basis in the Premier League, if the Benfica man can adapt to English football and the Frenchman can live up to his word.