West Ham United and manager David Moyes are said to be keeping tabs on "extraordinary" striker as Michail Antonio's future remains up in the air.

Who could West Ham sign next?

It was a productive summer transfer window for sporting director Mark Noble and technical transfer chief Tim Steidten, who managed to bring in James Ward-Prowse, Edson Alvarez, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Mohammed Kudus for a total of around £134 million. Ward-Prowse in particular has gone to impress under Moyes, but the state of West Ham's current squad means they may need to dip back into the market.

Tomas Soucek, Pablo Fornals, Ben Johnson, Vladimir Coufal, Antonio, Conor Coventry, Aaron Cresswell, Lukasz Fabianski and Angelo Ogbonna are all out of contract next year as things stand (Transfermarkt), while there is some uncertainty surrounding the futures of both Nayef Aguerd and Kurt Zouma. As a result, West Ham are believed to be eyeing up a new defender, with Bayer Levekusen's Edmond Tapsoba and Man United centre-back Harry Maguire linked most recently.

The need for a new striker is also pretty prevalent, as Antonio's age and contract situation don't exactly make him a prime candidate to lead the line for Moyes in future seasons. There is also little faith in alternative option Danny Ings, who has played just 37 minutes in the Premier League so far this term.

Will West Ham replace Michail Antonio?

Reports suggest that West Ham could opt to replace Antonio soon, with Stuttgart star Serhou Guirassy among the prime candidates. The Guinea striker, before his recent hamstring injury, started the Bundesliga season in scintillating form; scoring 14 goals in eight German top flight matches. However, he isn't the only option, as Dean Jones writes for TEAMtalk.

Sharing an Adam Hlozek transfer update, the reporter claims that Bayer Leverkusen's striker has found his way on to the West Ham target list as a possible Antonio replacement. It is believed Moyes and co are weighing up the possibility of signing a new forward, as Antonio's future is indeed in doubt. They did attempt to bring in the likes of Hugo Ekitike from PSG and Yuri Alberto from Corinthians in the summer, only for those prospective moves to fall through.

West Ham do have the option to extend Antonio's stay by another 12 months, but may need to consider the future, and we think Hlozek is an interesting option. The Czech Republic international, who would join a Czech contingent at West Ham made up of Coufal and Soucek (if they don't leave next year), has notched a goal and assist in the extremely limited game time he's had this season.

This isn't the first time Moyes has been considering a move for him, either, as 2021 reports claimed West Ham had held lengthy talks over signing him from Sparta Prague (90min).

"Adam is an extraordinary player," said agent Pavel Paska two years ago.

"Despite the injury he had an excellent season, he was able to make his mark even in matches at the European level. That's why I didn't really understand why he wasn't nominated for the match against Denmark, I can't think of any explanation for that decision."

West Ham United could "seal the signing" of a defender for what would be a "bargain fee" in January, according to a report this week.

West Ham transfer plans for January

The Hammers are currently unbeaten over an impressive 17-game streak in Europe, but domestically, their form has been a bit more of a mixed bag. West Ham sealed fantastic results against the likes of high-flying Brighton and big spenders Chelsea earlier this campaign, but a 4-1 drubbing at the hands of Aston Villa last weekend perhaps exposed some real issues to resolve.

Uncertainty also surrounds the futures of a fair few squad members as well, with Tomas Soucek, Pablo Fornals, Ben Johnson, Vladimir Coufal, Michail Antonio, Conor Coventry, Aaron Cresswell, Lukasz Fabianski and veteran defender Angelo Ogbonna standing out as the West Ham players out of contract next summer. The likes of Coufal, Antonio and Soucek's deals contain club options to extend, but the latter may still leave West Ham after new deal talks stalled recently (Football Insider).

Meanwhile, Nayef Aguerd and Kurt Zouma could also reportedly depart West Ham amid interest from the Middle East. Manager David Moyes will be eager to replace either one of the defensive duo, while it is believed the likes of Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy (among others) are being targeted to succeed Antonio.

Sebastien Caceres transfer update

Going back to who could potentially come in to reinforce Moyes' defence, there is a suggestion that West Ham could look to an astute option in the winter window. Uruguay defender Sebastien Caceres has been praised for dazzling at international level recently, standing out as a key player in their 2-0 win over Brazil last week.

The 24-year-old, who also been called a "very valuable" player for Club America, may well come as a low-money but quality target. That is according to journalist Pete O'Rourke and Football Insider, who write that West Ham "could seal the signing" of Caceres for a "bargain" fee in January. It is believed that the centre-back could leave for as little as £6-£10 million, despite his growing pedigree.

Caceres' contract is due to expire in 2024 as things stand, a situation which means Club America are very unlikely to demand a marquee fee for one of their star players. However, while West Ham are in the mix, they're by no means the only Premier League club keeping a watchful eye. Indeed, Moyes is joined by Newcastle, Fulham and Tottenham in their admiration of Caceres, and it will be interesting to see which of the English quartet will make a serious move.

Date of birth: August 18, 1999

Hometown: Montevideo, Uruguay

Age: 24

Height: 1.80m

Position: Defender, centre-back

Foot: Right

(via Transfermarkt)

West Ham's chase for a centre-back appeared to have ended with the summer signing of Konstaninos Mavropanos from Stuttgart, but it appears Moyes is eager to add another to his ranks. Man United defender Harry Maguire is another rumoured option for West Ham, with the England international finding life very difficult at Old Trafford right now.

Manchester City could accept a club record offer after putting a huge price tag on one of their star player, a new report has claimed.

Man City transfer news

The treble winners have begun the campaign in solid fashion under Pep Guardiola, although back-to-back defeats in the Premier League to Wolves and Arsenal prior to the international break have seen them trail Tottenham at the top of the table. In the week, City recorded another Champions League victory away to Young Boys, defeating the Swiss side 3-1 in Group G, with goals from Julian Alvarez, Manuel Akanji and Erling Haaland.

Recent updates have claimed that Real Madrid and Barcelona are interested in signing Alvarez, although City are confident the forward will stay at the Etihad. Now, a further development has emerged.

According to Football Insider, who shared a new Julian Alvarez transfer update, City could now accept a huge £80m offer, which would make him the club’s most expensive sale of all time. However, City “do not need the money” and are “desperate” to keep the player, which explains the huge asking price.

Man City’s most expensive sales

Alvarez has made an impact at the Etihad, with Guardiola saying last year:

“I knew him in a bit from the TV, the clips at River Plate – I am surprised how good he is. All of us are impressed how he is as a centre forward, the work ethic and many things.

“He is always positive and always in training sessions he gives everything. I like these kind of players. He was involved in two goals in the last game so he has quality to play. We are delighted. Julian is an exceptional player.’”

More recently, Ally McCoist has also praised the forward, believeing he goes under the radar for the Sky Blues.

“I thought he was superb tonight. I said he went under the radar a little bit, what I meant was that when you think of Man City’s key figures you maybe think of the goalkeeper [Ederson], of [Ruben] Dias, Rodri, Haaland.

“Alvarez maybe wouldn’t immediately spring to mind, but on form like that it would be very difficult to keep him out of the side.”

However, as can be seen below, a possible Alvarez exit for £80m would see him smash the transfer record at City when it comes to player departures.

Man City record sales

To

Fee

Raheem Sterling

Chelsea

€56.2m

Ferran Torres

Barcelona

€55m

Gabriel Jesus

Arsenal

€45m

Leroy Sane

Bayern Munich

€49m

Cole Palmer

Chelsea

€47m

You can see why City would want such a big fee as well, with the player scoring 24 times and providing 10 assists so far for the club, so his future could be one to watch in 2024. (Julian Alvarez stats – Transfermarkt)

Manchester City are tussling with a number of Premier League clubs for the signing of a "superb" midfielder, a fresh transfer rumour has claimed.

Man City transfer news

Pep Guardiola's side were in imperious form on Sunday afternoon, heading to Manchester United and comprehensively outplaying their rivals in the derby. In the end, City cruised to a 3-0 victory at Old Trafford, with Erling Haaland scoring twice and Phil Foden also finding the net, further suggesting that they are again very much the team to beat in the Premier League title race.

Guardiola did plenty of transfer business during the summer window, bringing in the likes of Mateo Kovacic, Matheus Nunes and Jeremy Doku, among others, while players such as Ilkay Gundogan and Aymeric Laporte left the club for pastures new. City always look willing to do some interesting transfer business at any opportunity, and January isn't too far away, giving them another chance to bolster their squad.

With Kevin De Bruyne still absent through injury, and Kalvin Phillips potentially leaving the club at that point, it looks as though they are eyeing up one impressive midfielder to come in.

Man City want Exequiel Palacios

According to an update from TNT Sports [via Sport Witness], Manchester City are keen on signing Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Exequiel Palacio in January, but they face competition for his signature. Newcastle United and Aston Villa are also in the conversation to snap up the Argentine, in what is described as a "tantalising opportunity" for the player to head to the Premier League. It is also stated that all three English sides are "seriously considering the possibility" of signing Palacios.

While some may feel that City already have an embarrassment of riches at their disposal in midfield, Palacios could be an outstanding signing if their interest proves to be genuine. The 25-year-old is now a World Cup winner, having tasted glory with Argentina last year, and Palacios' stats show that he featured three times in the tournament, doing his bit for his country. He appears to be a key man for a Leverkusen side currently who are top of the Bundesliga ahead of German giants Bayern Munich, featuring in all nine league games this season and starting eight of them.

Journalist Zach Lowy once heaped praise on Palacios back in 2019, at a point when he was a big young talent, saying of him:

"Hard to believe Exequiel Palacios is only 20. Kid's got it all – a superb weight on his final ball, pausa, nonstop running from box to box, great decision-making – and he's learning from one of the best managers in the world in Marcelo Gallardo. Florentino missed out on a gem."

At 25, Palacios is seemingly at a great point in his career, having enough experience under his belt was also still being a relatively young player, and he is someone who could be a great understudy for Rodri, also earning plenty of playing time because Guardiola likes to shuffle his lack so often. As mentioned, Phillips could head out somewhere else on loan, having struggled to make the grade at the Etihad, and the Leverkusen ace could even prove to be an upgrade on the England international.

Liverpool have enjoyed a stellar resurgence this season compared to their stagnation during the 2022/23 campaign and this is down to Jurgen Klopp’s diligence in the transfer market.

With the German identifying that his midfield area needed baldy rejigged, out went the likes of Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita during the summer, and he utilised his skills to improve his squad.

Young talent such as Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister have all arrived at Anfield, and they have each made an impressive impact so far, with the trio registering nine goal contributions – four goals and five assists – between them so far this season.

This new midfield trio has helped the Reds win seven of their first ten Premier League matches as they currently occupy fourth place in the table, while the club have also won all three of their Europa League matches so far this season.

Could this be another season where Klopp wins more silverware for the club? It is looking promising so far and with the January transfer window fast approaching, there could be another one or two additions to the squad.

Liverpool transfer news

While Klopp strengthened his midfield during the summer, the signing of Japanese international Wataro Endo was the most surprising out of them all, arriving from Stuttgart for a fee of around £16.2m.

The manager was keen on either signing Moises Caicedo or Romeo Lavia in order to replace the defensive duties of Fabinho, who departed during the summer, yet in the end, Endo was the player who ended up at Anfield.

It is clear that the 30-year-old is not a long-term solution to the defensive midfield role and this could lead Liverpool back into the transfer market in the coming months to finally land a more permanent option in that position.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the Merseyside club are now showing interest in Royal Antwerp teenage sensation Arthur Vermeeren and the good news for Klopp is he could be signed for just €25m (£21.7m) and this could represent an excellent piece of transfer business.

Of course, it isn’t just the Reds who are chasing the youngster, as Barcelona have also been touted with making a potential move for the Belgian, while Manchester United are keeping tabs on him too and if he continues his excellent form, it won't be long before he moves on from Antwerp.

With Mac Allister operating in a more defensive role this season, the signing of Vermeeren could allow him to push into a more advanced role and the supporters could see his true talents.

Signing Arthur Vermeeren could unshackle Alexis Mac Allister

The Argentinian World Cup winner cost Liverpool just an initial £35m a few months ago and considering his form for Brighton and Hove Albion across the previous few years, it could turn out to be a wise investment.

For the Seagulls last term, he split his duties between defensive, central and attacking midfield and demonstrated his penchant for bursting forward often by scoring 12 times, while grabbing three assists and this is the type of form Klopp would love to see.

Due to Fabinho leaving and Thiago out injured, the World Cup winner has had to revert to dropping slightly deeper during his first few months at Liverpool and while the Argentine can still function fairly well, he clearly prefers a more advanced role.

10

0

2

1

44.9

55

4

1

1.3

0.7

When compared to positional peers over the previous 12 months, the 24-year-old currently ranks in the top 3% for total shots per 90 (2.29) while also ranking in the top 13% for successful take-ons per 90 (1.41) and the top 14% for shot-creating actions per 90 (3.5), clearly highlighting how effective his attacking metrics are.

Across 12 matches in all competitions this term, he has managed to register just one assist and by signing Vermeeren to slot into a more defensive-minded position, Mac Allister could thrive by being deployed in a more advanced role under Klopp.

Arthur Vermeeren’s statistics at Royal Antwerp

The 18-year-old made his senior debut for the Belgian side last season and subsequently went on to make 34 appearances in all competitions as he helped the club win the league title and the Belgian Cup during his maiden season.

His talent was obvious from the very first match, and he demonstrated his defensive attributes as the youngster ranked second across the squad for tackles per game (2.5), along with ranking fourth for interceptions per game (1.3) and winning 4.2 ground duels per game as he made his mark in the first team.

Vermeeren has used this solid breakthrough term as a base for further improvement and having already played 19 matches for the club this season, scoring once and registering five assists, proving that not only is he capable of performing well defensively, but he can bring some attacking qualities to the table.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig branded him “one of the most complete young midfielders in Europe” just last month after he shone against Shakhtar Donetsk and Eupen and a move to Liverpool would allow him to take the next step in his development while exposing him to a better league.

The in-demand ace doesn’t turn 19 until February and still has a lot to learn, yet his performances have displayed a maturity which is rare among players of his age, as he is able to combine both his attacking and defensive skillset in order to excel in the engine room.

Klopp may certainly see him as a long-term heir to Fabinho, slotting into the heart of the Liverpool midfield where he can play alongside the likes of Mac Allister and Szoboszlai and allow the duo to push forward as often as possible in order to stimulate their creative juices.

For a fee of just £21.7m, the Merseysiders would be mad to not make a concrete offer when the January transfer window rolls around in just a couple of months, and it would give Klopp the final piece of his midfield jigsaw.

If they do manage to sign him, Vermeeren could turn into a truly world-class player within just a few years, there is no doubt about that.

Chelsea booked their place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals after beating Blackburn Rovers 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.

Mauricio Pochettino made four changes to the side that lost against Brentford and in a season that has been plagued with injuries and the Argentine would have been delighted to see one of his stars return to the starting lineup and open the scoring as Benoit Badiashile sent the Blues on their way to the last eight.

He wasn't the only player to return to the first eleven as Reece James gave a good account of himself on his return from injury, with the pair coming off unscathed in the 61st minute, just after Raheem Sterling put the icing on the cake with a curled effort into the top right corner.

Raheem Sterling's stats vs Blackburn

Described as "clinical" by journalist Ben Jacobs for his well-taken finish against the Championship side, Sterling showed shades of being back to his best.

The Englishman terrorised the visitors with his electric pace and explosive ball-carrying, fashioning space for his team while wreaking havoc in the Rover's defence.

Touches

60

Accurate Passes

26/32 (81%)

Key Passes

2

Dribble Success

5/9

Possession Lost

16x

Duels Won

8/17

Stats via Sofascore.

Sterling's strongest asset is his fleet-footed dribbling and he showcased that to devastating effect on Wednesday night, recording the most completed dribbles out of anyone on the pitch (5), as per Sofascore.

The 28-year-old's approach play was exceptional, expertly fashioning space to create a chance and complimenting that positive play by supplying the end product to match.

He was a constant thorn in the Rovers back line, making two key passes, creating one big chance and successfully completing 81% of his passes.

Perhaps more impressively, Sterling's hard work to press and win possession back for his team didn't go unnoticed, throwing himself into challenges and making two tackles while winning eight of his 17 attempted ground duels.

The former Manchester City man set the benchmark for a positive Chelsea performance on the night but midfield maestro, Enzo Fernandez, somehow managed to eclipse his impact with an outstanding display.

Enzo Fernandez stats vs Blackburn

When the Blues captured Fernandez for a British record £106.8m from Benfica in the January transfer window, many anticipated him to transform the midfield and lead their charge up the Premier League table.

Unfortunately, the Argentine has been a central figure in a woefully underperforming side over the last ten months, typifying the club's struggles in piecing together a squad capable of challenging.

On Wednesday night, however, the 22-year-old rose to the occasion and showed his truly world-class talents.

Touches

131

Accurate Passes

102/110 (93%)

Key Passes

7

Duels Won

11/13

Times Fouled

5

Tackles Won

6

Stats via Sofascore.

A midfield metronome, who likes to control the tempo of a football match with his exceptional passing range, Fernandez was central to everything positive that Chelsea did, with journalist Nizaar Kinsella describing his performance as "ridiculously dominant".

That evaluation couldn't be closer to the truth as the World Cup winner recorded a Sofacore match rating of 9.0 – the best of any player for either side – made an astonishing 131 touches and completed 93% of his incredible 110 passes, as well as seven key passes.

If Fernandez was exquisite in possession, his desire to ferociously press and win the ball back was absolutely phenomenal, rarely giving the visitors a moment's peace in the engine room.

He came out on top in a whopping 11 of his 13 ground duels and made the most tackles in the match (6), putting in the sort of defensive performance that brought his South American roots to light.

When in this sort of form, Fernandez is a joy to watch and if he can translate that level of performance to the Premier League, the critics will soon realise why Chelsea shelled out a triple figure sum to lure him to Stamford Bridge.

From EFL goalkeepers to Serie A players with famous brothers, there are a lot of very tall players available to be used in the new EA FC 24.

Football FanCast runs you through a list of the 15 tallest male players at your disposal in the game, as per Futbin.

The 10 Fastest Male Players on EA FC 24

15 Sebastian Selin (Hammarby IF)

Height: 6ft 8 inches

6ft 8 is quite some height and yet there are a number of players on this list that are that tall.

Sebastian Selin is the first to meet that criteria, a bronze goalkeeper from Sweden.

14 Anosike Ementa (Viborg FF)

Height: 6ft 8 inches

It shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that a lot of these players will be goalkeepers but Anosike Ementa is one of the few that doesn’t fit that mould.

The Dane is a striker and he plies his trade in the top division in his home nation.

13 Massamba Ndiaye (Clermont Foot 63)

Height: 6ft 8 inches

From Denmark to France with Clermont Foot’s goalkeeper Massamba Ndiaye.

He is 64 rated with one of his highest attributes involving the ball being at his feet.

12 Samuel Brolin (AIK)

Height: 6ft 8 inches

The goalkeeper union continues to dominate heading into the silver cards with Samuel Brolin being the first up.

Brolin is another of the 6 ft 8 players on EA FC and he plays for Swedish side AIK.

11 Kjell Scherpen (SK Strum Graz)

Height: 6ft 8 inches

Kjell Scherpen certainly catches the eye with his impressive 5-star weak foot.

A goalkeeper having 1-star skill moves is hardly groundbreaking, but his weak foot makes the Brighton and Hove Albion loanee a fascinating card.

10 Skelly Alvero (OL)

Height: 6ft 8 inches

Frenchman Skelly Alvero is a defensive midfielder, with his height making him a force to be reckoned with in the middle of the park.

He has 3-star skill moves and 3-star weak foot, as well as the best stat on his card being 80 physical.

9 Vanja Milinkovic-Savic (Torino)

Height: 6ft 8 inches

Milinkovic-Savic is of course a well-known name in European football, particularly in the Serie A, but it is Vanja who makes this list as opposed to Sergej.

The Torino goalkeeper is our first gold card with a rating of 76 and is yet another 6ft 8 man.

8 Cian Tyler (Coventry City)

Height: 6ft 8 inches

The first of a few EFL goalkeepers on this list comes from the Championship, with Coventry City.

Cian Tyler is just 21 and so is one for the future both with Coventry and Wales.

7 Matthew Nocita (Red Bulls)

Height: 6ft 8 inches

New York Red Bulls have several players of a smaller stature on their roster but at the other end of the spectrum is Matthew Nocita.

Nocita is a centre-back who has 4-star weak foot.

6 Corey Addai (Crawley Town)

Height: 6ft 8 inches

Returning to the other side of the Atlantic with Jamaican shot-stopper Corey Addai.

The Crawley Town man is once again, 6ft 8.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to make an approach for a defender who they have admired for a while in January, according to a fresh report.

Micky Van De Ven's injury a blow for Ange

During the Premier League 4-1 defeat to Chelsea last week, Micky Van De Ven was forced off the pitch just before half-time after sustaining a hamstring injury, with James Maddison also being removed with an ankle problem that has since seen him withdraw from international duty for England.

Ange Postecoglou soon confirmed that the centre-back’s problem was significant and that he would be out for a couple of months, so the manager will have to enter the market to find a suitable replacement at the start of next year until his existing player stages his return.

The Lilywhites boss appears to have set his sights on Torino’s Perr Schuurs, who has firmly established himself as Ivan Juric’s second best-performing defensive player so far this season (WhoScored – Torino statistics), but it’s not the first time he’s been highlighted as a potential target in N17.

The Dutchman was internally discussed by chiefs in the capital as a possible candidate over the summer, but with a deal having failed to come to fruition before the previous transfer deadline, the hierarchy are preparing to take a second bite of the cherry to secure the services of the 23-year-old in the near future.

Spurs plotting swoop for Perr Schuurs

According to Spanish reports (via CaughtOffside), Tottenham are likely to swoop for Schuurs in January. Spurs are “expected to make a move” for the 6 foot 3 colossus and have been “closely monitoring” him for a long period of time.

However, Atletico Madrid have also been credited with an interest due to Diego Simeone’s personal admiration for the player, so it’s likely that the club are set to face stiff competition for their target.

Schuurs could be a "mountain" for Postecoglou

Due to his height, Schuurs provides a real physical presence at the heart of a backline which he’s proven so far this season, currently averaging 2.3 clearances, 2.2 tackles and 1.7 aerial wins per game in the Serie A (WhoScored – Schuurs statistics).

Sponsored by Nike, the defender is also capable of making a positive impact at the opposite end of the pitch having posted 38 contributions, 22 goals and 16 assists, since the start of his career (Transfermarkt – Schuurs statistics), highlighting the aerial threat he can pose to an opposition's defence in the final third.

Furthermore, Juric’s £29k-per-week earner (Torino salaries), already knows what it takes to compete and be successful at a high level having secured six trophies during his previous spell at Ajax, so he will possess the same winning mentality as the current squad under Postecoglou.

Finally, Schuurs, who has been dubbed a “mountain” by journalist Josh Bunting, has the versatility to operate higher up as a defensive midfielder, so his ability to easily adapt to demands is another attribute that could make him a fantastic recruit for the long-term future of Tottenham, meaning he will have a role in the squad even once van de Ven is back.

Nottingham Forest are set to scout an exciting new player in January, but a reliable journalist has revealed that there are two other clubs who are also looking to bring him to the Premier League.

Nottingham Forest's season so far

Steve Cooper’s side have made an extremely mixed start to the new campaign having won three, drawn four and lost five of their opening 12 games, meaning that they currently find themselves 15th in the top-flight table. The Reds suffering relegation at the end of the season is highly unlikely given the poor start that the three newly-promoted teams, Burnley, Sheffield United and Luton Town have had, but nonetheless, it’s better to be safe than sorry by bringing in fresh faces.

Ahead of January, Evangelos Marinakis will be assessing his options in the market, and he’s set his sights on a potential move for Universitario’s attacking midfielder Piero Quispe, who has made a total of 88 senior appearances across all age levels in his homeland (Transfermarkt – Quispe statistics).

However, Peru’s international was already on the radar of Reds chiefs over the summer alongside Brentford and Brighton and Hove Albion, but with a deal failing to come to fruition before the deadline, the 22-year-old is set to be the subject of a second approach from the Midlands.

Nottingham Forest set sights on Piero Quispe

According to Christian Martin (via Todo Sport and Sport Witness), Nottingham Forest are expected to send representatives to watch Quispe in January as they consider making a fresh move based on his performances, whilst the Bees and the Seagulls are also set to deploy their chiefs once again.

“We had already reported the polls and from our source we found out that he was on the books of Brighton, Nottingham Forest and Brentford. These last two share scouting reports.

"Wonder Kid, that’s what they call him and mention him as one of the most promising wonder boys. The good foot reminds us of Nolberto Solano. We understand that ‘Nobi’ Solano is sometimes consulted by him, especially Nottingham Forest is looking for a player in that position and we know that in January there will be a new survey from these three clubs.”

Cooper could land a real star in Quispe

According to football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Quispe is naturally an “advanced playmaker”, and he loves to get involved with the action in the final third having posted 19 contributions (11 goals and eight assists) in 88 outings since the start of his career.

The Lima native is also a versatile operator having been deployed in four different positions over the pitch following his arrival on the professional scene, including two roles in the centre of the park and out wide on both the left and right flanks.

Furthermore, Quispie has already had a taste of what it's like to be successful having been crowned Peruvian Champion for 2022/23, so he will possess a much-needed winning mentality which is something that he could pass onto the rest of the squad should he sign a deal at The City Ground.

Since Farhad Moshiri bought into Everton in 2016, there have certainly been more misses than hits in the transfer market, with the club spending huge wads of cash on players who never really settled at the Premier League outfit.

The likes of Gylfi Sigurdsson, Yannick Bolasie, Morgan Schneiderlin and Jean-Phillippe Gbamin, just to name a few, have all been some of the Toffees' most expensive signings of all time, yet none of them still remain at the club.

However, there isn't a fine line between being a success and a failure. Some of Everton's acquisitions over the past seven years performed at a solid level during their stints in Merseyside and didn't set the world alight but weren't the root of the side's problems either.

One of the players who fits into this category left during the summer and has been having a torrid time at his new club.

Yerry Mina's stats at Everton

Yerry Mina became Everton's sixth most expensive player of all time and the fifth most expensive signing of the Moshiri era when he moved to Goodison Park for £28.5m back in 2018. The Toffees reportedly even fought off late interest from Manchester United to secure the centre-back from Barcelona on transfer deadline day.

The Colombia international went on to make 99 appearances in all competitions for Everton during his five years at the club and bagged nine goals in total which is quite an impressive number for a central defender despite the team's struggles on the pitch. Former Everton defender Michael Ball even claimed that Mina was a "monster" when on form for the Toffees.

Unfortunately, Mina came to the club during a difficult spell and throughout his time in Merseyside, the Colombian played under five different permanent managers. The coach he featured the most under was Carlo Ancelotti, playing 43 times during the Italian's stint in charge and his game-time massively diminished after the legendary coach left in 2021.

Marco Silva

31

Carlo Ancelotti

43

Rafa Benitez

8

Frank Lampard

9

Sean Dyche

4

Stats via Transfermarkt

Mina played less under Rafa Benitez, Frank Lampard and Sean Dyche combined than he did under Marco Silva or Ancelotti and eventually left in the recent summer transfer window on a free.

Yerry Mina's stats at Fiorentina

The former La Liga champion moved to Fiorentina once his contract with Everton expired. The Florence-based club had reached two finals last season and finished in eighth place, earning a spot in the Europa Conference League once more. However, Mina's time at the Artemio Franchi Stadium has been a disaster so far.

In all competitions, the 29-year-old has made just two appearances for La Viola, while having been on the pitch for merely two minutes in total. Mina came on for one minute in Fiorentina's recent games against Juventus and Bologna prior to the international break, having spent the rest of the season sidelined with a muscle injury.

Mina's campaign has been even worse since leaving Everton than his ex-teammate Mason Holgate. The latter joined relegated Championship outfit Southampton during the summer but has featured for only 290 minutes in a Saints shirt over the course of five different games. He hasn't been a regular but has been a key part of a squad currently fourth in the second tier as they bid to compete among England's elite once more.

During Mina's time at Goodison Park, Holgate played 107 games in all competitions for Everton, more than the Colombian, and was shoehorned all over the backline due to his versatility, even playing in the midfield at one point. However, like his former colleague, the 27-year-old made four appearances under Dyche and parted during the summer, albeit on loan.

While playing for Everton may have seemed like a nightmare at times, both men have suffered desperately for minutes since leaving the club and now could have to live with the regret of doing so.