Everton will still be buzzing in the aftermath of their monumental victory over Premier League leaders Arsenal last weekend, however, Sean Dyche is already facing the first blow of his tenure as a new update emerges.

What’s the latest?

Journalist Greg O’Keeffe took to the All Together Podcast on Monday to confirm that the club are “sweating” over a hamstring injury sustained by Dominic Calvert-Lewin on Saturday.

O’Keeffe claimed: “The only thing, as usual – and it’s not a day to say negatives about anything, but what’re we doing again? We said it last week, we’re sweating on Dominic Calvert-Lewin being fit for the weekend.”

Premier League injury analyst Ben Dinnery also confirmed yesterday that the Everton striker will be checked to see how severe the concern is:

“Calvert-Lewin will be sent for a scan after Sean Dyche revealed the striker was replaced due to a hamstring issue.”

First big blow

The newly-appointed manager is just settling into his new surroundings on the blue side of Merseyside, so the latest update on Calvert-Lewin will surely be an incredibly worrying prospect in his pursuit to save Everton from relegation over the remainder of the season.

The Toffees are currently 18th in the top-flight table, matching points with Leeds United in 17th at the moment and after a promising start, Dyche will be hoping that he can build some momentum and good form to get his team out of danger sooner rather than later.

Calvert-Lewin’s latest setback will come as no surprise to Evertonians as the England international has experienced a series of continuous injury woes over the last 18 months with the player struggling to maintain his fitness in order to get a good run of form going in the team.

The 25-year-old is without a doubt the most experienced forward in the Merseysiders’ front-line, scoring 59 goals and registering 18 assists over his 203 appearances for the club, so with Richarlison and Anthony Gordon moving on he has become even more integral to the first team as he aims to offer that much-needed leadership and consistency in front of goal.

Indeed, Dyche has options to take advantage of with Neal Maupay and Ellis Simms available to replace the talented striker, though neither have proved themselves as reliable and consistent goal-scorers for the Toffees as of yet.

Maupay has found the net just once after his summer move from Brighton while the latter is yet to find the net since being recalled from his loan spell at Sunderland.

With that being said, the manager, supporters and squad will surely be hoping that Calvert-Lewin will be available to take part in their trip to Anfield for the Merseyside derby next Monday as his experience in the bitter clash will be invaluable in their efforts to pick up points against their rivals for the second time this season.

If he is out, it will serve as a colossal blow to the new man in the dugout.

Newcastle United sporting director Dan Ashworth is believed to be interested in a potential summer deal for Napoli sensation Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, with the Georgian dynamo having enjoyed a remarkable last six months in Italy.

What’s the latest on Kvaratskhelia to Newcastle?

According to Football Insider, the Magpies are said to have identified the 22-year-old as a top target ahead of the summer transfer window, with the Tynesiders currently ‘shortlisting’ possible attacking options who could strengthen Eddie Howe’s squad.

However, the report does suggest that securing Champions League qualification could be a ‘critical factor’ in their hopes of landing the 19-cap wizard, with the forward having only arrived in Naples from Dinamo Batumi in a €10m (£9m) deal last July.

This comes amid previous claims made in December which stated that Ashworth and co are interested in the 6 foot speedster, albeit with the Serie A leaders likely to demand close to £100m for their sparkling asset.

Could Kvaratskhelia wreak ‘havoc’ at Newcastle?

That mammoth price tag has arguably been warranted as a result of Kvaratskhelia’s displays of late, with the fleet-footed winger having been a central part of Napoli’s title charge, scoring nine goals and providing 11 assists in the league already this season.

Affectionately named ‘Kvaradona’ – in homage to the late, great Diego Maradona – the former Rubin Kazan star also announced himself to the wider world with his displays during the Champions League group stage, with five goal involvements in as many outings.

The eye-catching talent was particularly impressive in the 4-1 thrashing of Liverpool last September, with Reds manager Jurgen Klopp having described Kvaratskhelia as “cheeky” as a result of his dynamism and directness in the final third.

In truth, it is the seemingly carefree manner in which the highly-coveted wide man has performed that has particularly caught the eye, with the 22-year-old earning notable praise earlier this season from New York Times correspondent Rory Smith.

He stated: “I genuinely haven’t enjoyed watching someone play football as much as I enjoy watching Khvicha Kvaratskhelia play football for years. He’s instinctive, untamed, anarchic and, most of all, he’s really, really good fun.”

The hope would be that the Tbilisi native could replicate such an impact at St James’ Park, having been lauded by Tottenham Hotspur insider John Wenham as a “complete menace” and a player who “causes havoc”.

Those traits are laid bare by the fact that the exciting talent ranks in the top 7% among those in his position in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries, as well as in the top 12% for successful take-ons, proving to be something of a nightmare for any opposition defender.

Being able to recruit such a ferocious and reliable attacking presence could prove a real game-changer for Howe’s side, with it set to be a real masterstroke if Kvaratskhelia can replicate his work in Italy by transforming Newcastle into title contenders, should the Magpies bring him to the Premier League.

Leeds United continue to be linked to a multitude of managers, with Andrea Radrizzani struggling to narrow down his search for a successor to Jesse Marsch…

When has Nuno been linked to Leeds?

One of the latest to be mentioned in the conversation for the Elland Road vacancy is Nuno Espirito Santo, who departed from English football just 16 months ago but could now be set for a sensational return.

The former goalkeeper had impressed at the helm of Wolverhampton Wanderers before enduring a tough spell at Tottenham Hotspur which rerouted his coaching career to Saudi Arabia.

According to a report by The Athletic from late last week, he has been mentioned in discussions among the Whites’ hierarchy, and the Portuguese coach would reportedly be keen on a return to the Premier League.

Would Nuno be as bad as Marsch?

Hiring the pragmatic 49-year-old might offer a wholly different style to Marsch, who was dismissed a week ago today, but could bear the same results.

There was one glaring issue with both of the teams that Nuno managed whilst in England, and that was a lack of goalscoring impetus. During his time at Molineux, his statistics were somewhat bolstered by Wolves’ stint as comfortably the best team in the Championship in 2017/18, but upon earning promotion his side had a -4 goal difference across his 114 matches in the Premier League.

Then, during his short stint at Tottenham in 2021, his team scored just nine goals in ten top-flight matches and conceded 16, leaving little wonder as to why he was subsequently sacked.

With that being his most recent foray into management in the UK, it marks a searing indictment of his potential appointment at Elland Road if Spurs could hardly score despite boasting prolific talents like Harry Kane (283 senior club goals) and Heung-min Son (188), whilst lacking any solidity at the back.

Therefore, to take over a struggling Leeds team which has already shipped 38 goals in 22 Premier League games would be a recipe for disaster.

Even Marsch had managed to see his team score 52 times during 37 matches in charge in Yorkshire, despite his questionable defensive ideals as 60 goals went in at the other end.

Nuno’s tenure in north London was tough, with Alan Hutton outlining the frailties that he thought had lost the 49-year-old his job, saying: “Yes, he’s only been given 10 games in the league and 17 in total but we’ve not seen any progression. To this day, we don’t know how they were trying to play. Were they a counter-attacking team? Were they a possession-based team?

“I mean, they hadn’t had a shot on target in over two hours. From a team with players like that, top internationals, that’s embarrassing. Tottenham were shocking, let’s not dress it up. They were terrible.”

To appoint someone who had suffered so dearly in his most recent job in English football, with a far more potent squad than the one he might inherit at Leeds, could prove to be Radrizzani’s greatest blunder, even more so than hiring the much-maligned American.

In recent years, only Declan Rice and Ben Johnson have managed to establish themselves as consistent members of West Ham United’s first-team squad having come through the academy.

A number of promising youngsters have been on the fringes of the squad but far too many have been shipped out without any real opportunities; and given their development elsewhere, the Hammers may soon come to regret their decisions on a number of players.

One such example is Josh Cullen, who has seen his stock rise significantly since departing the London Stadium in 2020, with a return to Premier League football with Burnley looking almost certain this year.

Should West Ham regret selling Josh Cullen?

Cullen was a product of West Ham’s academy but spent much of his youth playing away from the club, enjoying loan spells with Bradford City, Bolton Wanderers and Charlton Athletic.

Despite a promising spell with the Addicks in the 2019/20 campaign, which saw him feature 34 times in the Championship, David Moyes clearly felt that Cullen wouldn’t cut it at the London Stadium, and he was duly sold to Anderlecht for a minimal fee.

After impressing under Vincent Kompany in Belgium, making 80 appearances in total, the Irish midfielder linked up with the Manchester City legend again in the summer, completing a move to Championship side Burnley.

He has since been a mainstay for the Clarets as they look set to run away with the title, contributing one goal and three assists in 35 appearances for the Lancashire outfit.

Kompany is certainly a fan of the 26-year-old and it would not be a surprise to see him keep his regular place in the team next season, when Burnley look certain to be playing in the top flight once again.

The Clarets manager said of Cullen: “I can’t be complimentary enough, but I think everyone can see what he does. The team appreciates it; his strength is that he’s the ultimate player that puts the team before himself.”

The Irishman’s impressive displays in Belgium and in the Championship have unsurprisingly seen his value rocket in recent years, with Transfermarkt now valuing him at €7m (£6.2m), which represents a mammoth 483% increase from his €1.2m (£1m) value upon leaving West Ham.

Given that West Ham occupy a relegation place in the Premier League, they could be leapfrogged by their former player this year. All the while, Moyes is stuck with expensive midfielders such as Tomas Soucek and Lucas Paqueta, who cost a combined £70.1m to sign and £215,000 in wages each week, with Declan Rice likely to depart regardless of the division in which the Hammers find themselves next season.

Therefore, this feels like another transfer decision that the under-pressure Moyes will end up regretting, (think of the £10m spent on the rarely-seen Jordan Hugill in 2018), and it perhaps highlights why more youngsters should be given opportunities in West Ham’s first-team, before they end up prospering elsewhere.

Southampton’s board have been told to appoint interim boss Ruben Selles permanently after a brilliant 1-0 win over Chelsea.

The Lowdown: Saints seal win…

The Saints sealed a vital 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, a result which gifts the club a boost in their fight for Premier League survival whilst enhancing the credentials of Selles in the dug-out.

Southampton’s temporary head coach enjoyed a stellar first audition in full charge, securing a clean sheet and displaying his managerial know-how as the south coast side triumphed over star-studded opposition.

The Latest: Southampton told to make ‘brave’ Selles appointment…

Speaking to Spanish outlet AS (via Sport Witness), a man who knows Selles very well from their time working together in Greece, Oscar Fernandez, has told the Southampton board to give him the job permanently.

He claims the Spaniard is ‘very qualified’ and a ‘brave guy’ with ‘many skills’ – endorsing his former colleague for a crunch job in England’s top flight.

After Southampton’s win at Chelsea, AS themselves go on to claim that Selles can be considered ‘very close to the elite’.

The Verdict: Go for it…

Given the lack of stand-out candidates out there, we believe Selles may well be the right man for the job for a number of reasons.

The Southampton squad and players reportedly want their tactician to take the role full time and reports claim he is ‘highly regarded’ by the St. Mary’s squad.

What’s more, the 39-year-old has already been called ‘ambitious’ and can speak multiple languages fluently – adding to his credentials that he can manage egos from a number of different parts of the world.

He could hardly have got off to a better start with that crucial win in west London and we believe his permanent appointment may only be a matter of time.

West Ham United are now interested in signing Arsenal winger Reiss Nelson, according to journalist Steve Kay.

The Lowdown: Nelson lacking game time

Nelson has made just seven appearances in all competitions for Arsenal this season, and the arrival of Leandro Trossard in January indicates that his game time is going to be even more limited in the second half of the campaign.

Fabrizio Romano has claimed that the winger would love to stay at the Emirates Stadium, but with no contract offer on the horizon to extend his stay beyond the summer, he may have to start thinking about moving elsewhere.

The Latest: West Ham interested

According to Kay, West Ham are interested in bringing the 23-year-old to the London Stadium in the summer transfer window, although they may face competition for his signature, with Sassuolo also named as potential suitors.

The Arsenal academy graduate’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season, meaning that he will be able to join on a free transfer.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-news-6/” title=”West Ham latest news” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/cropped-david-moyes-premier-league-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Get it done?

Despite only receiving limited minutes in the Premier League this season, the Englishman has impressed whenever he has been given the opportunity, scoring a brace in a 63-minute cameo against Nottingham Forest in October.

The speedster has displayed his creative side in the EFL Cup, picking up an assist in the 3-1 defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion, while his dribbling ability has also been on show.

Hailed as ‘explosive’ by football scout Jacek Kulig, the Arsenal ace ranks in the 95th percentile for successful take-ons per 90 over the past year, averaging 2.93, while he also places in the 97th for touches in the attacking penalty area, highlighting his ability to get on the ball in dangerous areas.

Nelson needs a fresh start if he is going to fulfill his lofty potential, and West Ham should definitely look to sign him in the summer window.

Tottenham Hotspur have always had mixed success in the transfer window under the stewardship of chairman Daniel Levy.

The Spurs supremo has given up some control of footballing matters in recent years, having appointed former Juventus chief Fabio Paratici as his sporting director back in the summer of 2021, but a lot of his past decisions are still being felt today.

Levy hasn’t been afraid to splash the cash in the market, though it’s rarely paid off with former club-record signings Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso already out the door at Hotspur Way, despite costing a combined £110m in 2020.

Colombian centre-back Davinson Sanchez is one record acquisition that remains in north London, however. But how has he gotten on since his £42m move (as per The Guardian) from Ajax in August 2017?

How much is Davinson Sanchez worth?

Having cost a record fee at the time, the then-21-year-old was a key target for ex-manager Mauricio Pochettino, who waxed lyrical about his quality and potential upon his arrival.

“It’s a massive opportunity because we believe he will be one of the best centre-backs in the world in the future. That is why we made the effort to try to sign him,” he claimed.

Sanchez initially settled in pretty quickly, leading to further praise from the Argentine, having lauded his young colossus as “a beast” following a win over London rivals West Ham United.

But in more recent times, the now 26-year-old has struggled to cement his place in the starting lineup, with the Lilywhites going through the motions in the dugout, ever since the sacking of Pochettino.

Sanchez struggled to maintain a spot under the likes of Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and now Antonio Conte, even despite the latter deploying a favourable back-three system, meaning more places are up for grabs.

Even full-back Ben Davies has often gotten the nod over him.

Spurs’ no.6 has started only 40 top-flight matches since the start of the 2020/21 campaign, which is just two more appearances than a full Premier League calendar, which only goes to show how little he has been trusted.

The 6 foot 2 titan, who earns a reported £65k-per-week in north London, certainly has question marks over his ability at this level now, having been lambasted as a “liability” and as “reckless” by numerous pundits in the last 18 months alone.

His lack of game time and dubious form – when played – has led to an adverse effect on his overall transfer value, which is a worrying sign because he is supposed to be entering his prime as a central defender

According to FootballTransfers, the Colombian is now worth just €25.9m (£23m) – a 45% decrease on what Pochettino and Levy paid five-and-a-half years ago.

If anything, that price should have soared exponentially, considering the Argentine’s glowing endorsement, his touted potential and the trust from the chairman that such an amount would pay off.

It means that the £42m fee has been nothing short of a transfer disasterclass for the club, with Ndombele and Lo Celso further examples since then of past mistakes.

AND in other news, Not just Emerson: Spurs’ 72-touch “machine” was Stellini’s shining star vs West Ham…

Glasgow Rangers are reportedly ‘increasingly hopeful’ of agreeing a new contract for Ryan Kent.

The Lowdown: Kent attracting transfer interest

The 26-year-old’s contract at Ibrox expires in the summer, meaning that he can leave as a free agent at the end of the season.

He has recently been linked with a move to English Championship leaders Burnley, who look set for automatic promotion back to the Premier League, as they sit 12 points clear at the top of the table.

The Latest: Contract agreement close?

As per Football Insider, Rangers are ‘increasingly hopeful’ that Kent will sign a new deal with the Premiership giants.

Their contract offer is currently the ‘best on the table’, and the latest round of talks has been positive, which represents a huge step forward after reports that discussions between the various parties has previously threatened to run aground at several stages.

The Verdict: Big boost for Rangers

Kent signing a new long-term contract would be a major boost for Rangers.

Hailed as an ‘incredible’ athlete by The Athletic journalist Jordan Campbell, the winger can dribble with the ball at an immense speed, as he ranks in the 92nd percentile of all his positional peers outside of Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons per game over the past year.

Furthermore, Kent has shown that he has a consistent end product as well, with no fewer than 88 goal contributions in total since he first came to Ibrox the 2018/19 season.

He is often trusted in big games, having been named in the starting line-up to play Celtic in today’s Viaplay Cup final, and at 26 years of age, he still has plenty to offer the Light Blues.

Tottenham have identified Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi as a possible replacement for manager Antonio Conte, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Conte contract winding down…

The Italian took over from Nuno Espirito Santo in November 2021, thereafter guiding Spurs to a top four Premier League finish at the end of 2021/2022.

However, with Conte yet to sign fresh terms, rumours have come to light on the 53-year-old potentially leaving north London despite Tottenham having the option to extend by a further year.

Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly an option for chairman Daniel Levy if Spurs need to replace their current boss with news now coming to light on a new manager target.

The Latest: Spurs eye De Zerbi…

According to Football Insider, De Zerbi is now ‘firmly’ on the radar of Spurs to succeed Conte with odds being the latter man leaves as things stand.

The Seagulls manager has ‘immensely impressed’ Lilywhites chiefs with Tottenham now ‘now more likely than not’ to find themselves hunting for a new head coach.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-news-4/” title=”Tottenham latest news” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/cropped-tottenham-fans.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Ideal man…

The Italian has been an arguable for contender manager of the season with Brighton sitting just outside a Europa Qualifying place as things stand.

The south coast side are just four points behind Conte’s Tottenham with De Zerbi earning plaudits from the likes of Man City boss Pep Guardiola among others.

Guardiola branded De Zerbi ‘incredible’ for his style of play and it’s arguable he would be a popular appointment among Spurs fans for his attacking style of play.

If Conte does leave then Tottenham could have a very ideal Pochettino alternative in De Zerbi.

Footage has emerged which shows VAR ignored a potential push in the back on Tottenham Hotspur’s Richarlison during their midweek Champions League tie.

The Lowdown: Spurs lucky to still be in the game

While losing the first leg would have never been the plan for Spurs or Antonio Conte, the fact that AC Milan squandered two huge chances to potentially put the game to bed will make them feel this narrow defeat isn’t too bad.

Tottenham did indeed have chances of their own as Eric Dier mistimed his jump when unmarked less than 10 yards from the goal as his header bounced wide of the goal without troubling Milan goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu.

Spurs certainly weren’t threatening last night, mustering up an expected goals ratio of just 0.5 (as per FBref), but skipper Harry Kane could well have been handed a glorious chance to level things up had Richarlison been awarded a penalty.

The Latest: VAR ignores push in the back

As Richarlison was guiding the ball out of the Milan box, defender Rade Krunic appeared to barge the Brazilian in the back, which forced him to take a tumble, although VAR seemingly didn’t wish to get involved in the decision.

Given Kane’s high-profile penalty miss at the World Cup over the winter, there is no guarantee he would have netted in the San Siro, but it certainly would have been their best chance to level things up on the night considering their aforementioned lack of threat.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-news-4/” title=”Tottenham latest news” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/cropped-tottenham-fans.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Richarlison unlucky to not get a penalty

Tottenham clearly didn’t do enough to win or even get a draw out of the game, but if VAR had chosen to review this incident and awarded a penalty, Spurs could have been buoyed heading into the second leg.

The fact that VAR decided to not intervene with this decision when the level of Krunic’s contact is far from shoulder to shoulder as he clearly leans into Richarlison’s back will surely have fans and Conte fuming.

However, Tottenham can’t be relying on contentious penalty decisions going their way in the Champions League, as given how poor AC Milan have been this season – the reigning champions sit fifth in Serie A – Spurs should perhaps have been picking up some sort of positive result last night.