Florian Neuhaus has caused a scandal with a video of himself circulating online, which has landed the midfielder in serious trouble at Monchengladbach.
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Neuhaus' video in drunken state goes viralMidfielder labelled club chief 'the worst in the world'Has been banished to the U23s Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Germany international Neuhaus will have to pay a "hefty fine" after his controversial video in a drunken state while enjoying vacation in Mallorca went viral. In addition, the 28-year-old will not be training with the first team for the next four weeks, having been banished to the Borussia Monchengladbach U23 team. The Bundesliga club announced this three days after the video became public.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
On Sunday evening, a ten-second video was shared on social media showing Neuhaus talking to Gladbach fans in Mallorca. In the video, he says things like "he's the worst manager in the world" and later "Don Rollo gives Florian Neuhaus one, two, three, four million." He is referring to sporting director Roland Virkus. Initially, it was unclear whether the phrase about the "worst manager" was uttered by Neuhaus, as he is not visible in the video at the relevant moment.
There was also speculation afterwards about a mutual separation. Neuhaus had recently fallen short of expectations at Gladbach. The midfielder, who played for Germany in 2022, only made two starts in the Bundesliga last season.
WHAT HAS BEEN SAID
"Florian Neuhaus' behaviour and statements are damaging to the club and unacceptable. His words have harmed the club and deeply disappointed those involved. This is not compatible with the values of the club," said Monchengladbach managing director Stefan Stegemann.
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GettyImagesWHAT NEXT?
Neuhaus currently holds the role of vice-captain at Borussia Monchengladbach, but following the recent debacle, questions are being raised about his suitability for a continued leadership role. Compounding the issue, the 28-year-old has fallen out of favour with head coach Gerardo Seoane and has spent the majority of the season watching from the bench, making just 18 appearances in all competitions. Once linked with the likes of Bayern Munich and Liverpool, recent speculation from Germany suggests the 28-year-old midfielder could join Augsburg this summer.
Quinton de Kock is set to make his debut in the BBL this season after being selected by Melbourne Renegades in the overseas draft while Melbourne Stars took England star Harry Brook but not before trying to poach Rashid Khan from Adelaide Strikers for the second year running.The second edition of the BBL’s overseas draft was a lot more tactical as clubs tried to fill their needs while also prising out some regulars from other clubs.Ashes stars Brook and Zak Crawley will both return to the BBL but neither with their previous club Hobart Hurricanes, with Crawley heading to Perth Scorchers. But both are likely to be unavailable for the latter stages of the tournament due to England’s Test tour of India, while there is also a white-ball tour of West Indies in December.Renegades were able to snare de Kock at pick four having gone in without a wicketkeeper on their list. He is listed to be available from December 10 to January 5 which would make it seven of Renegades’ first eight games. But that is only the case if de Kock does not play in either of South Africa’s scheduled T20I and ODI series against India which run from December 10 to December 21. Renegades also picked Mujeeb Ur Rahman to get him back for a second year running.Stars selected Rashid with their first pick, this time the first of the draft, for the second year running but Strikers were having none of it, immediately activating their retention to keep the star legspinner in Adelaide. Strikers also took men’s Hundred player of the tournament Jamie Overton in one of the biggest coups of the night and he is likely to be fully available for the 10 home and away matches to add a quality allrounder that they were missing.Zak Crawley was picked up by defending champions Perth Scorchers•ECB via Getty Images
After missing out on Rashid, Stars took Brook despite a clear need to find a high-class spinner having gone into the draft without even a domestic spinner on their list after Adam Zampa was traded to Renegades. But they made up for it later in the draft. They picked Stars favourite Haris Rauf with pick nine but added fellow Pakistan legspinner Usama Mir their last selection having thought the tall legspinner might be taken earlier in the draft.Brook wasn’t the only England Ashes star to get picked. Crawley could have been retained by Hurricanes at any stage in the first two rounds but he slipped all the way to pick 16 which forced Scorchers to make a late decision to take him having not expected him to slip that far. Head coach Adam Voges noted Crawley had the attributes to succeed on bouncy surfaces at Perth Stadium.Hurricanes looked elsewhere with their tactics as they needed a bowling allrounder. Sydney Sixers had the retention rights to both Tom Curran and Chris Jordan but could only take one of them. Hurricanes took Curran with pick three and Sixers retained him immediately. Hurricanes then took Jordan. They also picked middle-order batter Sam Hain who was not retained by Heat. Hurricanes later added another allrounder in Corey Anderson.Heat instead chose Sam Billings to ensure they got both of last year’s high-profile overseas batters back into their line-up, having earlier got Colin Munro, to cover the absences of Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne due to international duty. Munro and Billings are both ILT20 players and should be available until deep into the tournament. Heat also added English allrounder Paul Walter who they believe will be an asset at the Gabba.Sixers had a nervous wait until pick 14 to see if James Vince would be taken by another club having used their retention pick on Curran but Vince got through. They later added young England legspinner Rehan Ahmed in the last round.Sydney Thunder made a predictable selection in the first round calling out Alex Hales. They produced a surprise later, selecting Pakistan quick Zaman Khan. They also only took two overseas like Renegades and Scorchers, with the option to sign another post the draft. Scorchers took Laurie Evans with pick 17.How the draft played outMelbourne Stars Harry Brook, Haris Rauf, Usama Mir Adelaide Strikers Rashid Khan (retained), Jamie Overton, Adam Hose Hobart Hurricanes Chris Jordan, Sam Hain, Corey Anderson Melbourne Renegades Quinton de Kock, Mujeeb Ur Rahman Sydney Thunder Alex Hales, Zaman Khan Sydney Sixers Tom Curran (retained), James Vince, Rehan Ahmed Brisbane Heat Colin Munro, Sam Billings, Paul Walter Perth Scorchers Zak Crawley, Laurie Evans
Who's hot, who's not? GOAL ranks all 30 teams across Major League Soccer
The Philadelphia Union are officially putting pressure on the Vancouver Whitecaps. Bradley Carnell's men secured a stoppage-time victory against Charlotte FC over the weekend, while the Canadian outfit fell to the Columbus Crew in an Eastern Conference clash.
Philly is back at the top of the Supporters' Shield, with a two-point lead over the Whitecaps – though Vancouver has a game in hand.
Matchday 19 of the MLS campaign featured some big performances, highlighted by the Eastern Conference lighting up. All top-five teams in the conference all secured big wins, highlighting just how competitive this is becoming just over midway through the season.
In the West, San Diego FC defeated MNUFC in a battle between No. 2 and 3, while Austin FC came from behind to knock off RBNY as they crept into the final playoff spot.
With the Gold Cup break now on the way, teams will have a brief period to rest up and get healthy before games restart in 10 days.
Who's leading the pack, and who's falling short of expectations? GOAL presents the latest 2025 MLS Power Rankings.
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Imagn30CF Montreal
Prior Ranking: 30
Results: Defeated Houston Dynamo 3-1
Ramifications: Huge performance and a much-needed win for the Canadian side. In their first victory across all competitions in their last six games, they were completely dominant, with Prince Owusu and Jalen Neal getting the goals.
They're still last in the East, but this was a big performance.
Advertisement29Los Angeles Galaxy
Prior Ranking: 28
Results: Drew CITY 3-3
Ramifications: This was Gabriel Pec's best performance of the season, as the 2024 MLS Newcomer of the Year bagged a brace, including what he thought was a late winner. But the theme of poor defending once again took over. LA had three points on the cards, but conceded a 95th-minute equalizer.
Has to be frustrating for Pec, though, who carried them throughout the match.
28St. Louis CITY SC
Prior Ranking: 29
Result: Drew LA 3-3
Ramifications: Joao Klauss's hat-trick secured a point in a match in which they arguably deserved nothing – so, in that context, this is a good result for CITY. The Brazilian forward found the back of the net in the 35th, 47th, and 95th minutes, bringing his 2025 goal total to five.
It hasn't been the best of campaigns for him, but this was a brilliant performance from the veteran forward. For CITY, though, they're still 14th in the West and without a permanent head coach.
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27Toronto FC
Prior Ranking: 27
Result: Did not play
Ramifications: Remain 14th in the East on 13 points through 17 matches
وجه محمود عبد الرازق شيكابالا، لاعب الزمالك، رسالة إلى ثنائي القلعة البيضاء بعد رحيلهما عن الفريق بشكل رسمي.
وعبر حسابه على موقع إنستجرام، نشر شيكابالا مقطع فيديو، تحدث فيه عن محمد عبد الشافي وحمزة المثلوثي.
طالع| برسالة مؤثرة.. الزمالك يعلن رحيل لاعبه
وقال شيكابالا: “أشكر جمهور الزمالك، الذي تواجد في استاد القاهرة خلال نهائي كأس مصر، وعلى ما فعلوه مع محمد عبد الشافي، هو لم يكن يعرف أن جماهير الزمالك تحبه بهذا القدر، وأرسل لي يشكرني بعد ذلك”.
وأضاف: “عبد الشافي أعظم من دخل غرف الملابس في نادي الزمالك من وجهة نظري، كان يستحق أكثر من ذلك، لن أستطيع أن أوفيه حقه بالكلام، لذلك أشكر الجماهير الذين أشعروه بقيمته عند اعتزاله”.
وتابع: “عبد الشافي ضحى كثيرًا من أجل الزمالك، ولم يتسبب في أي أزمة من قبل، ونحن كلاعبين كنا نعلم أهميته كقائد، وغرفة الملابس بالنادي ستفقد الكثير بسبب عدم وجوده”.
وعن المثلوثي، أكمل: “منذ أول يوم له في الزمالك وحتى آخر يوم وهو يعمل فقط، ولم يفتعل أي أزمة، كان أحد قادة الفريق، شعرنا بأنه واحد منا منذ بدايته، وجمهور الزمالك دائمًا يقدر اللاعبين الذين يخلصون للفريق”.
واختتم: “من الممكن أن تكون بداية المثلوثي مع الفريق غير جيدة، لأنه كان قادمًا من فترة راحة كبيرة، لكنه في فترة قليلة أصبح لديه قيمة كبيرة لدى جماهير الزمالك، هو الآن في الإمارات، ورابطة الزمالك هناك ستقيم له حفلًا”.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe said it best on Monday afternoon, when speaking about Manchester United’s talismanic skipper: “The captain is a fabulous footballer. We definitely need Bruno [Fernandes]. Without him it would be really tough.”
Those comments from the INEOS chief came just a day on from the 30-year-old’s stunning opener in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal, the playmaker curling home a delightful free-kick to mark his 25th goal involvement of the season.
The Portuguese genius certainly has his critics – Roy Keane among them – but it really does beg the question as to where this team, this club, would be without his match-saving moments.
Now up to 170 goals and assists in just 275 games for the club in all competitions, the former Sporting CP star stands head and shoulders above the rest as the finest signing of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.
Yes, there may be question marks over his credentials as a captain – a point Amorim noted when reflecting on Fernandes’ “frustration” toward his teammates – yet do the positives not majorly outweigh any negatives? Did Keane, for instance – a man who racked up 11 red cards during his legendary stint at Old Trafford – not make plenty of mistakes of his own?
The debate over United’s number eight will continue to rage on, but what his signing unequivocally represents is a real success story in the transfer market. It may be early days, but perhaps Ratcliffe and co have already landed another ‘bargain’….
Man Utd's mixed signings since Fernandes
Signed from Sporting on an initial £46m deal back in January 2020, Fernandes has been a stark anomaly in an otherwise wretched period of recruitment for the Old Trafford side.
£73m was forked out on Jadon Sancho. £70m was splashed out on Casemiro. A further £86m was spent on Antony. All players name-checked by Ratcliffe as ‘inherited’ costs from the previous regime.
Attempting to find a success story since Fernandes walked in the door truly is a difficult task. No senior player signed in the summer 2020 window – excluding Amad – remains at the club. The same is also true of the summer of 2021, with only third-choice goalkeeper, Tom Heaton, still on the books.
As for the summer of 2022, the aforementioned Antony is now on loan at Real Betis, Lisandro Martinez has been struck down by another significant injury, while Casemiro looks set to be sold, should a suitable buyer be found. Christian Eriksen, meanwhile, is set to leave at the expiry of his contract this summer, while Tyrell Malacia is now out on loan at Feyenoord.
Heading into 2023, the three marquee additions were Andre Onana, Rasmus Hojlund – both of whom were also mentioned by Ratcliffe – and Mason Mount, the latter of whom has scored just once and registered only one assist for the Red Devils to date.
It has perhaps taken until the arrival of the INEOS regime for a sensible and successful signing to have been acquired, with £13m man Noussair Mazraoui continuing to shine…
Man Utd's 'bargain of the year'
In retrospect, last summer’s transfer dealings were far from perfect, yet there have been signs of life of late from those who walked in the door during the final days of Erik ten Hag.
Indeed, Matthijs de Ligt has begun to find his feet after looking particularly “faultless” against Real Sociedad, as per The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell, while Manuel Ugarte appears a perfect fit for Amorim with the pair having worked together at Sporting.
Leny Yoro, meanwhile, remains a bright hope for the future, while Joshua Zirkzee has also shown flashes of his quality, after scoring the opener in San Sebastian last week.
Player
Games
Goals
Assists
Bruno Fernandes
42
12
13
Amad
36
9
7
Alejandro Garnacho
43
8
7
Rasmus Hojlund
37
7
1
Marcus Rashford
24
7
3
Joshua Zirkzee
42
6
2
Christian Eriksen
25
4
4
Casemiro
30
3
0
Harry Maguire
28
3
0
The greatest success story lies in Mazraoui, however, with the Moroccan sensation – who arrived from Bayern Munich, alongside De Ligt – looking like the “bargain of the year”, according to journalist Liam Canning.
As Canning also noted, the 27-year-old is particularly useful as he is “so intelligent and versatile”, with Amorim describing him as the “future of our team”.
That quality was on show against the Gunners last time out, with the flexible full-back coming close to getting on the scoresheet, only to see his effort expertly saved by the feet of David Raya.
Operating in a right wing-back berth – having played as part of the back three in Thursday’s Europa League clash – Mazraoui was heavily involved in United’s late charge against Mikel Arteta’s side, having produced a brilliant turn and pull-back for Fernandes at the death.
As Amorim alluded to, Mazraoui is such an asset both in and out of possession, showcased by the fact that he ranks among the top 5% of full-backs in the division for tackles made per 90, as well as in the top 21% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.
With the Netherlands-born star’s value having soared to £36m, as per Football Transfers – almost three times more than what INEOS forked out for him – it does look as if he bucks the trend in relation to post-Ferguson and post-Fernandes signings.
Hopefully, such an astute signing is a sign of things to come with Ratcliffe and co at the helm.
124 goals since leaving: Man Utd have already sold their answer to Mateta
Manchester United once had their own version of Crystal Palace star Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Dany Rohl is now hopeful a “brilliant” Sheffield Wednesday player will soon return following his recent injury, according to a recent report.
Sheffield Wednesday injury news
The Owls suffered a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Burnley last weekend, meaning it is now back-to-back defeats for the Championship side. But they don’t have long to wait to end that run, as they welcome Sunderland to Hillsborough on Friday night, a team who have had their own struggles in recent weeks.
Ahead of that game against the Black Cats, Wednesday have suffered a fresh injury blow as winger Anthony Musaba has suffered an injury setback, meaning he will miss the game against Sunderland and likely a few more.
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“At first it looked good; he trained on Sunday (after the Coventry game), but he got a small reaction. Now he has had two rejections.” Rohl said.
“I hope it is this week, then next week, and then before Plymouth he is back. Sometimes at first an issue starts in one part of the body, and then maybe with some different movements it goes into another part.
Sheffield Wednesday managerDannyRohllooks dejected after the match
“It is a shame, but he is positive, and I think he will be available for the end of the season, maybe the last eight or nine games. We are working on it; he is still positive. It is harder, of course, to have him out of the squad.”
Rohl hopeful "brilliant" Sheffield Wednesday player will return from injury
But while Musaba may have suffered a setback in his recovery from injury, Rohl has revealed that defender Dominic Iorfa is close to a return and is hopeful he will be available after the March international break.
The 29-year-old, who has been dubbed “brilliant” by teammate Barry Bannan, has been out injured since the middle of January, but he is now closing in on a return, as his recovery is being stepped up. The defender has done light training this week and is expected to train on a more serious basis next week, before he is considered to be in contention to be part of the matchday squad again.
Rohl told The Star: “We are on a schedule. The only thing with Dom is that we first said we would give him two extra weeks because it was a second injury in a short time. Normally, with this injury, you can carry on earlier, but it was a decision from our side to give him a little bit more time.
Apps
182
Goals
6
Assists
5
“The good thing is that he trained now this week, and it is now about next week, making sure he can go again. We will train with him on a bigger pitch, where he comes through the acceleration and the longer sprints. It is good to see him, and in the short term, hopefully by the international break, we will have one more option.”
Iorfa has featured in 17 games in all competitions this season, 16 of which have come in the Championship. The centre-back, who can also play as a full-back, has been a key player for Rohl, starting 13 league games.
Leeds United and Millwall face off in the FA Cup this Saturday, with both Championship sides looking to make it into the last 16 of the famous cup competition.
In what is sure to be a heated encounter between the two rivals, the Whites will play host to the Lions at Elland Road as Daniel Farke and Alex Neil’s sides clash in Yorkshire.
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1
By
Ross Kilvington
May 12, 2025
Both clubs’ main focus will be on winning promotion to the Premier League, with Leeds currently top of the second tier and Millwall having one eye on the playoffs after an impressive run, but an FA Cup run won’t hurt either side.
Leeds v Millwall team news
Leeds
Farke looks likely to have a relatively fully fit Leeds squad to pick from on Saturday. The only absentee in recent weeks has been Patrick Bamford, with the striker missing with a hamstring issue.
A number of changes could be on the cards, including goalkeeper Karl Darlow, who came in for Illan Meslier in the last round.
Millwall
Neil recently relayed some positive Millwall injury updates ahead of the trip to Leeds, saying Femi Ameez is back in full training, whereas Josh Coburn is also back on the grass.
However, Ryan Leonard remains sidelined until the end of March and Shaun Hutchinson and Aidomo Emakhu are both making progress but won’t be returning this weekend.
Where to watch Leeds v Millwall on TV
Unfortunately, the match between Leeds and Millwall, scheduled to kick-off at 12:15pm (GMT) on Saturday 8, February, wasn’t selected for live broadcast by the BBC or ITV.
Supporters who aren’t at the game can still follow the action via radio, with BBC Radio Leeds covering the action.
Leeds v Millwall referee
The referee selected to be in the middle to attempt to keep control of the match between Leeds and Millwall is Gavin Ward. Daniel Leach and Alistair Nelson will assist the 54-year-old with Tony Harrington the fourth official.
Interestingly, Ward’s first game officiating Leeds came back in 2009 against Oldham Athletic in the FA Cup and the Whites have won their last five with him in charge, conceding just once during that time.
Despite taking charge of 25 Millwall games, this will be the first FA Cup fixture involving the Lions for Ward.
Gavin Ward record
Leeds
Millwall
Games
12
25
Record
8W, 1D, 3L
13W, 5D, 7L
Cards received
24 Yellow, 0 Red
53 Yellow, 1 Red
Cards to opponents
23 Yellow, 2 Red
37 Yellow, 1 Red
Penalties for/against
3/0
2/2
Leeds v Millwall form
Leeds
Leeds come into the FA Cup clash in brilliant form, unbeaten in 14 games in all competitions and keeping six clean sheets in succession.
A midweek win at Coventry City saw the Whites stretch their lead at the top of the Championship to five points and in their last match at Elland Road, they hit Cardiff City for seven.
Leeds’ last five results (all competitions)
Date
Opponent
Competition
Result
Wed 5th Feb
Coventry (a)
Championship
W 0-2
Sat 1st Feb
Cardiff (h)
Championship
W 7-0
Mon 27th Jan
Burnley (a)
Championship
D 0-0
Wed 22nd Jan
Norwich (h)
Championship
W 2-0
Sun 19th Jan
Sheffield Wednesday (h)
Championship
W 3-0
Millwall
Neil was appointed as Millwall boss at the end of 2024 and his team are now starting to find form at the right time.
Three successive Championship wins in recent weeks have seen Millwall steer way clear of the drop zone, and they’ll have one eye on a playoff spot between now and May.
Millwall’s last five results (all competitions)
Date
Opponent
Competition
Result
Sat 1st Feb
QPR (h)
Championship
W 2-1
Tue 28th Jan
Portsmouth (a)
Championship
W 0-1
Sat 25th Jan
Luton (a)
Championship
W 0-1
Tue 21st Jan
Cardiff (h)
Championship
D 2-2
Sat 18th Jan
Hull (h)
Championship
L 0-1
Leeds v Millwall head-to-head
Leeds and Millwall have met on 43 occasions in the past, but never in the FA Cup.
Last time out, Millwall won 1-0 at The Den thanks to a goal from defender Japhet Tanganga, ending a run of three victories on the bounce for the Whites against the Lions.
Chelsea held “a lot” of January talks to sign a player who’s tipped to “become an idol” very soon, according to one side’s former president and close advisor.
Chelsea sign new midfielder for Enzo Maresca after request
The January window is now over, and Chelsea finished it by concluding a late deal for Saint-Etienne starlet Mathis Amougou at around £12 million.
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Reports in the build up to that transfer suggested that Enzo Maresca was personally very keen on bringing in midfield cover for the likes of Roméo Lavia, Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernández, prompting them to even initiate contact over signing Man United starlet Kobbie Mainoo (Simon Phillips).
Brighton (away)
February 14th
Aston Villa (away)
February 22nd
Southampton (home)
February 25th
Leicester City (home)
March 9th
Arsenal (away)
March 16th
However, swooping for a player of Mainoo’s ilk proved too difficult of a deal to do in January, with Amougou arriving instead of the England international and going straight into the Chelsea first-team – despite some rumours he’d be heading to sister club Strasbourg first.
Amougou
The 19-year-old has put pen to paper on an eight-year contract at Stamford Bridge, and Amougou is thrilled to be at a club showing so much faith in younger players.
“I’m very happy,” said Amougou on joining Chelsea.
“It’s an honour for me to sign for such a big club like Chelsea. They believe in young players and the process they have in place to develop us is fantastic.”
Alongside Mainoo and Amougou, it is also believed by some that Chelsea held a serious interest in signing Reda Belahyane, before his move to Lazio.
Juventus' Douglas Luiz in action with Hellas Verona's Reda Belahyane.
The Moroccan was a mainstay for Hellas, with Sky transfer reporter Gianluca Di Marzio claiming Chelsea pushed hard to sign Belahyane and held talks for him to replace Cesare Casadei in midfield.
However, other reliable journalists like Fabrizio Romano also denied any interest from Chelsea in the 20-year-old, so there are real discrepancies in this story.
Hellas Verona chief Maurizio Setti reveals Chelsea talks for Belahyane
Speaking to La Lazio, as transcribed by Sport Witness, former Hellas president Maurzio Setti has moved to state that Chelsea were in fact in talks for Belahyane at one stage.
Setti, who was forced to sell his shares in the club midway through January, now acting as an advisor for the Serie A side, also says that the west Londoners were extremely keen on the former Nice midfielder and held “a lot” of negotiations.
Nice's Reda Belahyane in action with Fiorentina's Gino Infantino.Reuters/Lee Smith
“Chelsea wanted to sign him, and we talked about it a lot, but they wanted a ready player, in the end they didn’t consider him as such, worse for them, at this point better for Lazio,” said Setti.
“But there were also Marseille and Rennes, plus other important Italian teams that had appeared before. Lotito was the most convinced and fastest [in making a move happen].
“We both made a deal, Verona and Lazio, you’ll see that you’ll thank me, he’ll become an idol at Lazio and make the fans fall in love.”
Everton were defeated at Goodison Park on Wednesday evening, David Moyes’ return spoiled by poor finishing and a lack of control.
Aston Villa claimed a 1-0 victory through Ollie Watkins’ strike, condemning Everton to a third straight Premier League defeat. The Blues have also blanked across five of the past six top-flight matches.
Moyes will of course know that he has a massive task in front of him; he will be under no illusions about Everton’s issues and the importance of fixing the attacking problems that have blunted the Merseysiders’ blade.
But the lack of confidence and genuine creative quality are glaring concerns. It goes without saying that the new owners, The Friedkin Group, need to authorise a first-team signing before January is up.
More Everton misery up front
Away from the on-field issues, Everton’s depth has been cruelly damaged through Armando Broja’s prognosis after the on-loan Chelsea forward injured his ankle in the FA Cup against Peterborough, resulting in an expected three-month layoff.
Armando Broja for Everton
It heightens the need for a new striker, especially since Dominic Calvert-Lewin is still producing such abject results as Everton’s chief centre-forward.
If the match against Villa served as an audition, Calvert-Lewin failed miserably. That’s now 16 Premier League matches in succession without a goal or an assist for an outfit struggling against the tractor pull of the relegation zone.
Moyes’ saving grace will centre around his side’s aggression and desire, creating three big chances to Villa’s four, as per Sofascore.
Calvert-Lewin squandered two of those chances. Out of contract at the end of the season, he’s got to be replaced.
Everton looking at Calvert-Lewin replacement
As per The Daily Mail’s Sami Mokbel, Everton are in the race for Leicester City striker Tom Cannon, who earned his stripes with the Finch Farm academy before leaving in September 2023.
With a reported £10m price tag, Everton would need to swallow some pride in bringing Cannon back to the fold, but really this is an affordable figure for a rising star at the season’s midpoint.
The Foxes recently recalled Cannon from his successful loan spell with Stoke City in the Championship as they look to profit from his upsurged performances. Given that the bulk of the competition stems from the second tier, Everton might feel they can triumph in engineering a reunion.
Why Everton should sign Tom Cannon
Cannon only made three first-team appearances for Everton before being sold to Leicester in a deal worth roughly £7.5m. He’d previously impressed during a loan stint with Preston North End but Sean Dyche didn’t view the young star as the solution up front. If only he did.
The aptly-named number nine has hit a rich vein of goalscoring form with Stoke this season, bagging nine goals from 22 matches, including an incredible four-goal haul against Portsmouth at the start of October, leading Potters correspondent Pete Smith to hail the “insane” effort.
An active and intelligent player, Cannon’s ball-striking ability allows him to rifle shots past goalkeepers, using his movement and pace to shimmy into openings, into gaps between the lines.
A loping gait and charged confidence from his performances at the Bet 365 Stadium could be exactly what Moyes needs to front his system, for Cannon has only missed nine big chances – the same as his goal tally – across the 2024/25 Championship campaign, as per Sofascore, also averaging 0.5 key passes and 4.4 successful duels per game.
Calvert-Lewin, conversely, has missed 11 big chances in the Premier League this term, though the 27-year-old, of course, has only scored two goals.
What to do? One thing’s for certain: Everton cannot afford to emerge from the January transfer market without fresh quality at number nine.
15.
Man United
23
15=
Crystal Palace
23
15=
Leicester
23
18.
Ipswich
20
19.
Everton
15
20.
Southampton
12
Lest we forget that 17th-placed Ipswich Town host Brighton & Hove Albion tonight and a victory would knock Everton closer toward the precipice, dangerously so.
There are mitigating circumstances (there always are). Dwight McNeil has missed the past six matches with a knee injury and his playmaking quality has been sorely missed. He’s created nine big chances from 13 top-flight fixtures this year, averaging an impressive 2.5 key passes per game. Still, ‘DCL’ has toiled to no avail.
A younger and more dynamic striker in Cannon could be the solution – and one who knows the club at that. The 5 foot 11 ace ranks among the top 19% of centre-forwards competing in the Championship this season for clearances and the top 14% for aerial duels won per 90, as per FBref.
That latter metric likely makes for the most compelling reading. Calvert-Lewin, for all his faults, is a monstrous focal point in the air, with former teammate Richarlison once even claiming “he has an incredible leap on him, Like Cristiano Ronaldo.”
It’s more than a little food for thought, right? Everton have a strong defensive base and an industrious unit operating under an industrious manager who will hopefully expand the outfit’s horizons over the coming months.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
But Calvert-Lewin cannot be allowed to continue to fester in the final third, and with Broja ruled out and potentially called back to Stamford Bridge, Cannon could be the one to fire Everton back into the limelight.
Everton in contact to seal a "phenomenal" signing who's better than DCL
Everton are interested in a deal to snap up the forward from their Premier League rivals.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has used the January transfer window to sign a few players who will play key roles in the club’s direction going forward.
It’s fair to say that this season represents the end of an era at the Etihad. Trailing in the Premier League, out of the League Cup and struggling in the Champions League, it appears as though the FA Cup is the most realistic chance of silverware this season.
Having secured the signings of Vitor Ries (19), Abdukodir Khusanov (20) and Omar Marmoush (25), it is clear that signing talented youngsters is Guardiola’s new mantra.
Could he perhaps bring another youngster to the club this month before the window closes?
Man City looking at another January addition
Fabrizio Romano has provided an update on a player who Man City are reportedly after, saying on X:
“Arsenal, City Group (Girona with a future move to Manchester City) and Aston Villa have all presented their project to Sverre Nypan. Decision is up to the player who’s taking his time to visit club and pick the best option.”
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Nypan is certainly a player in high demand, that’s for sure. A reported fee of just £10m may be enough to secure the signature of the 18-year-old talent, who has an extraordinarily bright future in the game.
If he does join City, could the Norwegian youngster be the next David Silva? He has all the required attributes to become a success in England without a shadow of a doubt.
How Sverre Nypan compares to David Silva
Silva was arguably the finest signing City made in their quest to dominate English football. Arriving for a relatively modest fee of £24m, Roberto Mancini ultimately labelled him as “one of the best midfielders in Europe” and he proved that in England.
Ten years, four Premier League titles and 436 appearances later, it is clear that Silva was a huge success for City. It wasn’t just the numbers which made him one of the finest to ever do it in England, but his spellbinding performances that saw him terrorise opposition defences.
2019/20
40
6
11
2018/19
50
10
13
2017/18
40
10
14
2016/17
45
8
11
2015/16
36
4
12
2014/15
42
12
11
2013/14
40
8
13
2012/13
41
5
11
2011/12
49
8
19
2010/11
53
6
14
Nypan has similar sort of qualities. In 60 matches for Rosenborg, the teenager has scored 13 goals while grabbing 11 assists for the club. Like Silva, his job is primarily to create chances but he also finds the net on a regular basis himself.
Indeed, in the Norwegian top flight during 2024, Nypan created seven big chances, and averaged 1.4 key passes while succeeding with 1.4 dribbles per game. It’s clear to see why data analyst Ben Mattinson explained that he has a “devastating final ball”.
These attacking numbers show just how effective he is in the final third, creating countless opportunities for his teammates, along with not being shy in utilising his dribbling skills either.
Hailed as a “wonderkid” by one prominent content creator, Nypan could very well be the next best thing to emerge from Scandinavia and blessed with the ability to play as a no.10 or as a no.8, he certainly fits the Silva mould.
If they manage to secure his signing, Nypan may be the heir to the Spanish sensation that Guardiola has been looking for. That’s a certainty.
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