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Lots of Everton fans have been left fuming as transfer news emerged on Aleksandr Golovin.

As per The Liverpool Echo, the Goodison Park club have been linked with a move in the January transfer window for the AS Monaco man, of whom Rafael Benitez is an admirer.

However, the Ligue 1 club’s asking price is said to be around £40m, which would prove problematic in the winter.

Given that the Toffees only spent £1.8m in the summer transfer window, a move for Golovin at that price does seem unrealistic anyway, but it looks especially expensive given that he has never been able to reach double figures in terms of goals or assists in his entire club career so far (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, Everton already have plenty of options in the middle of the park, so they should be focusing on strengthening other positions in their squad.

Everton fans on Golovin transfer news

These Toffees supporters fumed as the transfer news on Golovin was shared on Twitter:

“I don’t know what’s more laughable. The price or the source”

Credit: @Gino52483223

“Bin”

Credit: @Feedtheyak22

“He’s not done anything since being on pens during the World Cup in 2018”

Credit: @mxrganhulme7

“Just don’t need these highly-priced overrated players”

Credit: @richard_smw

“No thanks”

Credit: @WAJG_96

“No”

Credit: @mickyholt

In other news, find out what Carlo Ancelotti revelation has left many Evertonians talking

Newcastle United are sixth in the Premier League form table since Eddie Howe was appointed, as revealed by Newcastle World. 

The lowdown

Newcastle sacked Steve Bruce in October after a 3-2 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur left them 19th in the table on a mere three points from their first eight matches.

However, under his replacement Eddie Howe, the Magpies find themselves up in ninth place, with their 3-0 victory at Norwich City on Saturday extending their winning streak to four matches.

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Howe has taken 38 points from his 23 Premier League matches in charge, with 11 wins, five draws and seven defeats.

That’s more than Manchester United, who have only managed to collect 37 points in the same period, and only one point fewer than current Champions League holders Chelsea.

The latest

Jordan Cronin, the journalist who penned the Newcastle World article, also shared it on Twitter, where he gave his take on the findings of the Howe era form table.

He tweeted: “Crazy that Newcastle would be sitting above Manchester United, no matter how pathetic Ralf Rangnick’s side are currently.”

The verdict

Critics might argue that Newcastle’s success under Howe is largely down to their record-breaking £90m January spend, but that’s not entirely fair.

For instance, £12m addition Kieran Trippier has only been able to play four matches after sustaining a foot injury; while £25m striker Chris Wood, their second-most expensive winter signing behind Bruno Guimaraes, has only scored one non-penalty goal in his 14 appearances.

For the most part, Howe has simply extracted more from the players at his disposal than his predecessor Bruce was able to, and for that the incumbent Newcastle manager deserves great credit.

In other news, Ronan Murphy reacts to Newcastle’s transfer links with this Bundesliga star

Should a Manchester United fan rock up at the Borussia Dortmund training ground and sing Mariah Carey’s hit festive track, ‘All I want for Christmas is You’, there’s only man they’d be singing it in the direction of; Erling Haaland.

The Norwegian’s exit from Dortmund has been teased for several months now and with Ralf Rangnick at the helm, a figure he knows well from his days at Red Bull Salzburg, United’s dreams of signing him could become a reality.

Indeed, it’s thought that the club’s interim boss has even had conversations with Haaland’s father about a potential transfer to Old Trafford in 2022.

The Red Devils may have Cristiano Ronaldo in their ranks, but perhaps the finest present this winter could be Dortmund’s star striker.

He is a colossal figure in the game and is so perfect at every aspect of the game that he feels like he was made in a laboratory.

Haaland has remarkable pace and upper body strength, can head the ball and leap like a salmon, while his finishing ability is simply devastating.

It’s no surprise, therefore, that he was dubbed a “goal-scoring cyborg” by reporter Alex Truica.

Further acclaim has come from one of United’s nemesis down the years in Thierry Henry who described the 21-year-old as “lethal.”

That’s an easy word to label the £135m-rated forward who has found the net with ridiculous regularity in recent years.

Since signing for the Bundesliga club, he has scored 76 times in just 75 outings, with 19 of those strikes coming this term.

On that evidence, staking a case for him improving the United side is an easy one to make.

Nurtured at Salzburg, he already knows the pressing philosophy and thus, he could be absolutely perfect for Rangnick this January as he aims to put his stamp on the Manchester club’s playing style.

For instance, Haaland has recorded 35 successful pressures of the ball in 2021/22, a tally that betters every attacking player at Old Trafford. In terms of forwards in their squad, Mason Greenwood (31) and Jadon Sancho (30) are the best.

With that in mind, not only would the Norway international bring a bigger goal threat to the northwest but he’d also help Rangnick implement his gegenpress.

Therefore, signing him this winter would be the perfect late Christmas present for United supporters around the globe.

AND in other news, Rangnick must seal Man Utd swoop for £81m-rated “weapon” with the “essence of Cruyff”…

Everton are once again on the hunt for a new permanent manager with Duncan Ferguson having to hold the fort on a temporary basis in his latest caretaker role after the sacking of Rafa Benitez.

Before even officially being appointed at Goodison Park, protests began from Toffees fans against the former Liverpool manager.

With just seven wins, four draws and 11 defeats in the 22 games he had in charge of Everton across all competitions with the latest being a disheartening 2-1 defeat against Dean Smith’s relegation battling Norwich City at Carrow Road, it’s safe to say that Benitez’s second spell of managing in Merseyside did not go too well, thus leaving Ferguson to pick up the pieces and steady the ship.

While Farhad Moshiri is on the lookout for a new permanent manager for his side, there has, unsurprisingly, been a significant number of names linked with the position.

One name that has been mentioned with the role that a lot of Premier League followers will be familiar with is AS Roma manager Jose Mourinho.

Despite having success managing in England in the past, mostly with Chelsea where he won three Premier League titles and one FA Cup across two spells in charge of the west London club as well as winning the Europa League with Manchester United, things haven’t always been smooth-sailing for the 58-year-old.

Having admitted to being “arrogant” during his early days of managing in England, there have been occasions where claims have emerged suggesting that he had lost the dressing room during his time at Tottenham and United.

Given the drama that Mourinho has been involved in during his previous spells at clubs in the Premier League, like having rocky relationships at United with the likes of Paul Pogba and Luke Shaw, he could end up being another version of Benitez; somebody who arrives with previous experience of managing in the Premier League and at top clubs, but ultimately dragging Everton towards the relegation zone and falling out with players, as the Spaniard did with Lucas Digne.

Also, in a recent poll run by Football FanCast, it seems as though 77% of voters think that Mourinho would not be a good appointment for Everton, further suggesting that the Toffees should be looking elsewhere for their new permanent manager instead of risking a potential disaster at the helm.

In other news: Moshiri must appoint “perfect” 46 y/o as next EFC manager, he’s miles better than Rafa – opinion

In what turned out to be a nightmare Old Firm clash with potential season-defining ramifications, Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst will no doubt be scratching his head as to where it all went wrong for the Ibrox side.

The Gers looked completely outfoxed in the opening period against Celtic on Wednesday night, with the hosts’ pace and intensity seeming to catch the Gers by surprise: none more so perhaps than Borna Barisic.

The Croatian left-back has been well below his standards this season, with no goals and just three assists to his name in 26 appearances across all competitions – to put that into context, last year he had five goals and a whopping 14 assists.

Against the Hoops yesterday, Barisic just looked all at sea at having to deal with the constant movement of Liel Abada, and if one moment were to sum up his entire display then his reaction to the third goal told the whole story.

After Reo Hatate managed to swing in a cross from the by-line, Abada came storming in past Barisic to steer the ball home, with the Croatian left to slump to his haunches with his head in his hands – it was no surprise that Van Bronckhorst hauled him off at half-time.

And, writing in his post-match player ratings for The Daily Record, Andrew Newport gave him a measly three, saying: “Endured a 45-minute nightmare before van Bronckhorst showed mercy and took him off at the break. Will be seeing Abada running past him in his sleep for weeks.”

Those sentiments were echoed by Kenny Miller for BBC Sport’s live coverage of the game, who slammed: “Let me tell you: Borna Barisic has had such a bad half. On the ball, he’s sloppy. He’s got absolutely no idea where Liel Abada is. He’s got to be aware. That is absolutely schoolboy defending.”

Dubbed as being “punch-drunk” by BBC Scotland’s chief sports writer, Tom English, Barisic endured an absolute disaster at Celtic Park, and it’s left Van Bronckhorst in a very tough situation with the Gers’ momentum very much down the drain.

Given the full-back’s disastrous run of form over the course of this campaign, it’s high time the Gers manager finally makes the decision to drop him from his starting line-up and perhaps move Calvin Bassey into that role for the time being.

Taking him out of the firing line may just be the kind of breather and kick up the back-side that Barisic needs right now.

Meanwhile, this Rangers star let Gio down vs Celtic…

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Hugo Lloris was yet again guilty of a dereliction of duty for Tottenham Hotspur against Chelsea on Wednesday.

The Spurs captain has so regularly cost his side that it should come as little surprise that he did so again in a massive game.

On the chalkboard

Lloris is an experienced goalkeeper. He has won the World Cup with France and has been in the Premier League for seven years.

And yet he still does not seem to understand the pace of games like Wednesday’s derby.

The BBC statistics relating to the game show that Chelsea had one shot on target. Pedro scored it, after zipping past Toby Alderweireld, and firing through Lloris’ legs.

This has been a common flaw for the Frenchman. He is too regularly beaten at his near post and it was true again at Stamford Bridge.

And then came the meme-worthy own goal from Kieran Trippier. It perhaps wasn’t entirely Lloris’ fault. He was called to come and collect the ball by the right-back, who then passed it, inexplicably, into the net.

But it is yet another example of the 32-year-old’s poor communication. He does not appear to command his box with the same rigour that he used to.

When you are faced with one shot on target in a game, you are expected to save it. He didn’t, he was then involved in a huge mix-up with his right-back, and now Spurs are firmly out of the title race.

Drop him

The story surrounding the build-up to the game was whether Kepa Arrizabalaga would start for Chelsea after he refused to be substituted in the Carabao Cup final.

Willy Caballero came in and did well, though he did not have a save to make, such was the bluntness of Spurs’ attack.

Perhaps Mauricio Pochettino could do with enacting a similar strategy.

Lloris was not openly insubordinate as Kepa was, but his performances have been dodgy for too long.

Paulo Gazzaniga is a fine option on the bench and he should be given a chance.

As it is, Lloris is holding Spurs back, and the fact he is captain should not exempt him from some time out of the starting XI.

Liverpool are ‘ready to fight’ to sign Torino centre-back Gleison Bremer in the summer, according to a fresh transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Liverpool linked with Bremer move

Jurgen Klopp has built a truly formidable squad at Anfield, but that’s not to say that new signings aren’t needed at the end of the season as the Reds look to keep improving.

One player with whom they have been linked is Bremer, who is enjoying a standout season for Torino, winning 4.1 aerial duels per game across 29 Serie A appearances. For context, that is better than anyone in Klopp’s current squad has managed in the Premier League, a sign that the Brazilian excels in this particular aspect of his game.

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It could be that the 25-year-old moves on in the summer, and a new update suggests that Liverpool remain interested in snapping him up.

The Latest: Reds ready to ‘fight’ for Bremer’s signature

According to O Tempo [via Sport Witness], Bremer ‘interests’ the Reds, while Tutto Juve stated that they are ‘ready to fight’ for his signature.

Liverpool would reportedly ‘like to present a proposal’ of approximately €30m (£25.1m) as they look to fend off competition from some Italian clubs.

The Verdict: Gomez replacement?

The constant rumours linking the Reds with a move for Bremer would suggest that their interest is genuine, which immediately throws Joe Gomez’s future into doubt.

The Englishman is now firmly behind Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate in the centre-back pecking order at Anfield, having only started two Premier League games this season, and has already been the subject of speculation regarding a move away from Merseyside.

While it would be sad to leave Gomez leave considering his ability, it may make the most sense for all parties, allowing him to enjoy regular football ahead of the World Cup and beyond, and giving Liverpool more financial breathing space to bring in Bremer.

In other news, Fabrizio Romano has made a key Liverpool transfer claim. Read more here.

Leeds United are set to solve a long-standing issue this summer, according to transfer insider Dean Jones…

What’s the word?

Speaking to This is Futbol this week, the Eurosport journalist revealed that the Yorkshire outfit will finally sign a new striker during the off-season, helping to bolster a key area of manager Jesse Marsch’s playing squad.

In recent times, the Whites have struggled to provide backup to Patrick Bamford with the likes of Eddie Nketiah and Jean-Kevin Augustin failing to make their mark.

The England international has missed the majority of the season through injury and his presence has been sorely missed, and without a senior backup, both former boss Marcelo Biela and now the American have struggled to fill that void – that is set to change, though.

“Leeds are definitely going to look to sign a new striker. I think [it’s] irrelevant of whether Bamford is fit or not. We’ve seen that you have to have [a] backup for him,” Jones revealed.

Much needed…

After a 17-goal campaign last season, a lot of Leeds’ hopes would have been pinned on the 28-year-old forward to provide more goals this campaign. However, that’s been far from the case.

Out wide, Raphinha has had to bear the brunt of the club’s attacking fortunes, leading the way for both goals (ten) and creativity (58 key passes), with Bamford only managing 559 minutes of action in the Premier League.

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He has played only four times since September, in which none of those appearances lasted longer than 45 minutes, due to a string of injuries. The latest is a tricky foot issue that is set to rule him out for most of the rest of the season.

It leaves Marsch with only two strikers in the form of academy duo Joe Gelhardt and Sam Greenwood, though the latter has emerged as a potential future no.10 instead.

If Leeds had a viable backup, then their league safety may have been confirmed by now, so it’s good to see that they know it’s a position they need to strengthen ahead of next season.

That should leave many, including the American head coach and the Elland Road faithful, absolutely delighted.

AND in other news, Alan Nixon drops 12-word Kalvin Phillips transfer update…

Tom Barclay has dropped an update on Celtic’s bid to secure a deal to bring Matt O’Riley to Parkhead in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

In a recent post on Twitter, The Sun journalist revealed that the Milton Keynes Dons central midfielder, who Celtic are reported to be closing in on a £1.5m deal for this month, has undergone a medical in England on Wednesday afternoon ahead of his proposed switch to Parkhead.

In his post, Barclay said: “Understand O’Riley doing his Celtic medical now down south.”

Postecoglou will be buzzing

Considering just how impressive O’Riley has been for MK Dons this season, in addition to the fact that Celtic recently missed out on the signing of fellow central midfielder Riley McGree, the news that a deal for the 21-year-old very much looks to be nearing completion is sure to have left Ange Postecoglou buzzing.

Indeed, over his 26 League One appearances in the current campaign, the £405k-rated man has been in exceptional form, scoring seven goals, registering five assists and creating seven big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.5 shots and making 2.1 key passes per game.

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The former England U18 international has also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 1.5 interceptions, two tackles, 48.2 passes, one clearance and winning 4.6 duels per fixture.

These returns have seen the player who Russell Martin dubbed a “fantastic” talent average a remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.37, not only ranking him as Liam Manning’s second-best performer in the league but also as the joint seventh-best player in the division as a whole.

Furthermore, considering O’Riley’s impressive positional versatility – being comfortable operating from defensive, central and attacking midfield – as well as his clear eye for goal and creativity in the final third, the 21-year-old would very much appear to be a player in the same mould as Celtic’s Reo Hatate – with the prospect of the MK Dons man lining up alongside the Japan international in the middle of the park undoubtedly being an extremely exciting one for the Parkhead faithful.

As such, the news that O’Riley looks to be extremely close to sealing a move to Glasgow is certainly extremely positive for everyone involved with the Bhoys.

In other news: Big blow: Celtic struck with crushing injury setback that’ll surely have fans worried

As confirmed by West Ham United and shared by the press, David Moyes has been dealt ‘another big injury blow’ as news comes out of the club.

The Lowdown: Injuries pile up…

Defensive mainstay Angelo Ogbonna, who was a fixture in Moyes’ starting XIbefore his ACL injury, has already been sidelined for the foreseeable future, with worries then mounting over Kurt Zouma and Ben Johnson.

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The latter pair limped off during West Ham’s epic 3-2 victory over Chelsea at the London Stadium last weekend as Moyes and the club’s fans were made to sweat over the players’ conditions.

This is amid their top-heavy run of fixtures as they attempt to maintain a fight on all fronts, currently still competing in the Carabao Cup and Europa League and continuing to battle for a Champions League finish in the Premier League top four.

News has now come out of West Ham on Zouma’s condition in what has been described as ‘another big injury blow’.

The Latest: Moyes dealt worrying news…

As relayed by The Guardian reporter Jacob Steinburg, West Ham have confirmed that Zouma suffered a hamstring tendon injury in ‘another big injury blow’.

The journalist tweeted:

“Kurt Zouma suffered a hamstring tendon injury against Chelsea. Another big injury blow in defence for West Ham who have already lost Angelo Ogbonna for the rest of the season.

“Increases need for a centre-back to arrive next month.”

The Verdict: Big blow…

Zouma was playing brilliantly under Moyes before his latest setback, dealing a big blow to the 58-year-old and West Ham, who now have just two senior centre-back options at their disposal.

Unsurprisingly, since this news emerged from east London, the club have been linked with signing a central defender urgently, with both Nathan Ake and James Tarkowski mentioned (Evening Standard).

Given the emergency state of affairs, 90min also claimed that Moyes could turn to the Championship in an effort to boost his options, with the likes of Dael Fry, Rob Dickie and Lloyd Kelly already being scouted.

Whether he opts to swoop for lower league or top-flight standard cover, there is little arguing that the need for a centre-half is now imperative for the Irons, especially considering the greater number of matches this season.

In other news: West Ham could already back Moyes with £17.1m bid to sign 6 foot 3 powerhouse in January, find out more here.