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Everton manager Sean Dyche has been tirelessly searching for a new strikeforce at Goodison Park this summer and could look to swoop on an outfit relegated from the Premier League…

Who do Everton want to sign?

As per multiple reports, Southampton winger Kamaldeen Sulemana is attracting the attention of the Toffees after impressing in spells for the Saints after completing a £22m transfer from French side Rennes in January.

BBC Sport confirmed last week that he has indeed been earmarked by the Merseyside outfit, eyeing up a loan deal after missing out on the Ghanaian six months ago.

And now, Daily Express reporter Ryan Taylor has offered his insight into the situation for GIVEMESPORT, stating that completing a swoop for the 21-year-old would be a "very good" move.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

Taylor said: "I think they would be two very good signings [Sulemana and Wilfried Gnonto]. Ultimately, I think that's the kind of market they should be shopping in because they don't have the kind of cash that can really sign game-changing players.

"So I think they would be smart moves. I would like to see Everton do something like that in the market. I think their signings are a little bit predictable. Danjuma was a step in the right direction. I think they would be smart acquisitions."

How good is Kamaldeen Sulemana?

Sulemana did not transform the Southampton attack but he did add a new dimension and impressed with his "incredible speed" – as has been lauded by Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag – and directness down the flanks.

Having played 18 times in the Premier League, starting ten matches, Sulemana scored two goals and registered one assist, but it was not until the term's culminating match week that he truly exhibited the class that the south coast club hoped would catalyse their weary campaign.

In an enthralling 4-4 draw against Liverpool to end the season, with Southampton's fate already sealed, Sulemana utilised the freedom to dance sinuous lines around the Reds.

He netted twice and earned a stunning match rating of 8.7, also succeeding with two of his three dribbles, winning six of his nine duels and really just producing the all-encompassing display that the Saints hierarchy knew he was capable of.

He would bring a new threat to the Toffees attack, and a very different approach to that of Jack Harrison, who is a brand new arrival at Goodison Park side having also been relegated from the English top-flight this year, with Leeds United.

Where Sulemana utilises his blistering pace and dribbling ability (indeed, the £8k-per-week ace ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref) Harrison flourishes through his ball-playing skill and technicality.

Once described as "explosive" by former manager Jesse Marsch, Harrison scored six goals and supplied ten assists across all competitions last season and could use his creativity to provide Sulemana with a constant flow to latch onto – the likes of Alex Iwobi could also aid in this regard.

Truthfully, Everton's issue has long been scoring and last weekend's 1-0 home defeat against Fulham highlighted this issue, the Blues taking 19 shots to the Cottager's nine but failing to bypass Bernd Leno's net, and Sulemana would not bring the incisiveness to rain goals in abundance, that is a fact.

But the 5 foot 9 ace would be another layer to the attack, another string to the bow, and with Harrison alongside him Everton would creep closer to where they need to be.

Said to be a "brilliant player" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Sulemana and Harrison could wreak havoc in a manner that has not been seen on the blue half of Merseyside for some time, and the divergence from the offensive inefficacy that has plagued the club for several years now could well be set to take its leave ahead of an exciting new chapter for Everton.

Jonathan Tah is one name on a list of players on Tottenham Hotspur's "radar", according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The German international is one of a few options that new manager Ange Postecoglou wants to add to the heart of his defence going into the new Premier League season.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news – What's the latest on Jonathan Tah

With Clement Lenglet returning to Barcelona in the summer and the side shipping a disastrous 63 goals in the league last season, the defence is an area of the north London side that desperately needs improving for next season, something Tah could assist with.

Luckily for Spurs, German publication Sport BILD have reported that the 27-year-old could be sold for little as just €18m (£16m) due to an exit clause placed in his contract, something Daniel Levy and Co could exploit.

Another benefit of signing Tah is that he would be unlikely to command excessively high wages as the German international is only on a reported £58,000-a-week in Westphalia.

Levy will want to get a move on, however, as alongside Spurs, BILD (via Sportwitness) have reported that West Ham United hold a 'very concrete' interest in the player, and with the money they look set to receive for Declan Rice could rival Tottenham for the player's signature.

What has transfer insider Dean Jones said about Jonathan Tah to Tottenham Hotspur?

Jones highlighted a list of centre-backs that Tottenham have an interest in, but clarified that some of their pre-Postecoglou targets may not fit his attacking philosophy.

Writing for GiveMeSport, he said: "Other names on Tottenham's radar up to now are Manchester United's Harry Maguire, Inter Milan's Alessandro Bastoni, 6ft 5 Jonathan Tah of Bayer Leverkusen – who has previously been compared to Bayern Munich's Dayot Upamecano – and Max Kilman of Wolves – but not all of their targets pre-Postecoglou stand up to the new requirements needed at the heart of the defence for next season."

Would Johnathan Tah be a good signing for Tottenham Hotspur?

For the rumoured price of just £16m, Tah could prove to be an excellent signing for the Lilywhites as they look to begin a new project under their Australian manager.

The 6 foot 5 "battleship", as once described by ex-teammate Christoph Kramer, has had a strong season for Leverkusen in the Bundesliga this year, with WhoScored giving him a respectable average match rating of 6.58.

He has done even better in the Europa League, averaging a great 6.95 across his eight games in the European competition.

The deal would also make perfect sense for manager Postecoglou, as the former Celtic man is well known for his desire to play exciting, attacking football that requires his centre-backs to be strong on the ball and possess a good range of passing.

That is an area Tah excels.

According to FBref, who compare players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, the Bayer man is in the top 10% of centrebacks for his pass completion per 90, an impressive 90.2%.

Former manager Peter Bosz was so impressed by the player, he compared him to one of the most celebrated defenders still playing, Virgil Van Dijk, saying:

"I certainly see parallels between Jonathan and Virgil van Dijk."

With the price, his statistics, and the reviews from former managers, Jonathan Tah would surely thrive under the tutelage of the progressive Postecoglou at Tottenham.

Aston Villa have reached an "agreement" to bring Villarreal defender Pau Torres to the Premier League, according to The Athletic's David Ornstein.

Is Pau Torres joining Aston Villa?

Quique Setien’s academy graduate will be out of contract at the end of next season meaning that the ongoing transfer window is his club’s final opportunity to cash in should they not want to lose him for free, and 90min have claimed that he’s told them that he’s ready to leave.

The Yellow Submarines centre-back has reportedly been made a top target by the Midlands outfit with Unai Emery a “big fan” of the 26-year-old having managed him for 105 appearances during his time in his homeland.

The La Liga star’s deal has a £55m release clause included but Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that NSWE and Monchi will pay "way less" than that, and if the following update is anything to go by, the conditions of the deal have already been addressed.

Taking to Twitter, Ornstein revealed that Aston Villa have finalised a deal for Torres with the defender having given the green-light to complete a summer move to the Midlands. He wrote:

"Aston Villa have now reached an agreement with Villarreal to sign centre-back Pau Torres. Personal terms are also in place for 26yo Spain international defender to join in what’s another big coup for #AVFC + manager Unai Emery."

Is Torres a good signing for Villa?

Aston Villa will already be aware of what Torres is capable of due to Emery’s existing connection to the centre-back, and having also been dubbed an “extraordinary talent” by his former coach Javier Calleja, he would be a fantastic acquisition for the boss.

The Spain international averaged 4.1 clearances, 1.7 aerial wins and 1.3 tackles per league game last season, via WhoScored, so is a real rock at the heart of the backline, but he also likes to push his team as high up the pitch as possible having ranked in the 99th percentile for most progressive carries by centre-backs.

Torres, who stands at a staggering 6 foot 2, also knows what it takes to compete and be successful at the level that the Villans are looking to achieve having previously won the Europa League back in 2020/21, so he could inspire the rest of the squad to give it their all on the bigger stage next season in their first campaign in the Conference League.

Fiorentina defender Igor Julio has "already spoken to Marco Silva" about joining Fulham, but his potential transfer has now "seems to have vanished".

Will Fulham sign anyone?

The Whites enjoyed a successful first full campaign back in the Premier League following 2022 promotion from the Championship, having finished mid-table and above the likes of west London rivals Chelsea.

Fulham also briefly pushed for a European qualification spot but fell just short of Brentford, Aston Villa and Liverpool in that regard.

The foundations are certainly there but Silva may face a fight to keep his best players, with both Joao Palhinha and Antonee Robinson attracting interest.

In terms of incomings, Fulham could strengthen in a variety of key areas, with Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse, Japan international Ao Tanaka, Coventry City's Viktor Gyokeres, Fenerbache defender Ferdi Kadioglu and Roma centre-back Roger Ibanez all being targeted.

It is claimed Fulham may also make a move for Chelsea forward Callum Hudson-Odoi, as Mauricio Pochettino's side are prepared to sell for just £15 million this summer (The Guardian).

Another player to have been linked with a move to Craven Cottage is Igor, but according to a new report out of Italy, it appears he won't be joining the club despite behind-scenes discussions.

Vocegiallorossa.it, in collaboration with Firenzeviola.it, claims Fulham have been chasing a deal for Igor and he has even "already spoken" to Silva about joining.

However, as the Whites move on to alternative defensive targets who could sign on more "favourable terms", a transfer for Igor now "seems to have vanished".

He was initially the Cottagers' main target, according to this report, but it appears Fulham could swoop for a rival Serie A defender instead.

Who is Igor Julio?

The Brazilian ranked in Firoentina's top three for tackles made, interceptions and clearances completed per 90 in the Italian top flight – standing out as one of La Viola's key defensive assets (WhoScored).

Igor also has just 12 months remaining on his Fiorentina deal, and as he enters the final year of his contract, it is reasonable to believe the defender could be available for a fairly cheap fee.

The 25-year-old was one of Fiorentina's most selected players last season – even sitting sixth in their squad listing for most Serie A minutes played over 2022/23.

Igor, who has been described as a "crazy" asset for Fiorentina, may well have been an astute signing for Fulham based on these stats, but this latest report from Italy indicates he won't be signing any time soon.

Glasgow Rangers central midfielder Joe Rothwell appears to be heading for a quick exit from Ibrox, just months after joining on a permanent deal from Bournemouth in the summer.

The Daily Record reports that Sheffield United are confident that they can get a deal over the line to sign the 30-year-old midfielder when the January transfer window opens.

Chris Wilder’s side are pushing to land the former Leeds and Southampton loanee, who has not featured for Rangers in the Scottish Premiership since October.

The experienced flop has only started five league games, per Sofascore, and has failed to establish himself as a regular in the middle of the park since the new manager came through the door.

Rangers want to sign new central midfielder

Rothwell’s move to Sheffield United, should that go through next month, would create the space in the squad for Danny Rohl to bring in a signing of his own to replace him.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to TEAMtalk, Glasgow Rangers are ready to sanction an exit for Rothwell because they have identified a player who could come in as his replacement.

The report claims that the Gers want to sign Tromso central midfielder Jens Hjerto-Dahl to replace the experienced Englishman in the January transfer window.

It adds that the Light Blues have been impressed by his performances this season, having sent scouts to watch him in action, and now they want to add him to their squad.

TEAMtalk reveals that a fee of around £5m will be required to convince Tromso to part ways with the talented youngster, who would come in as a perfect upgrade on Rothwell.

Why Rangers should sign Jens Hjerto-Dahl

Rangers Journal creator and analyst Kai Watson described Hjerto-Dahl as “one of the biggest talents in Norway” and stated that it would be a “huge coup” for the club to bring him to Ibrox in January.

The 20-year-old star’s form in the Eliteserien in the 2025 campaign suggests that he would come in as a big upgrade on what Rothwell has offered in midfield for the Gers so far, and backs up Watson’s claim that he is a big talent.

Hjerto-Dahl was a regular starter for Tromso in the 2024 and 2025 Eliteserien campaigns, despite the fact that he only turned 20 in October, which speaks to how big a talent he is, as his club have viewed him as a key first-team player since he was 17.

As Rohl looks to the future at Ibrox, signing a 20-year-old starlet who has plenty of upside as a replacement for a 30-year-old dud who has failed to make an impact at Rangers makes perfect sense.

Rothwell has not delivered enough quality on the pitch for the Scottish giants this season in the Premiership, which is in stark contrast to Hjerto-Dahl’s form for Tromso this year.

Appearances

30

8

Goals

4

0

Big chances created

5

2

Assists

4

1

Dribbles completed per game

1.3

0.5

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.5

1.9

Duels won per game

5.0

2.0

As you can see in the table above, the Norwegian talent’s form in 2025 suggests that he would come in as a massive upgrade on what Rothwell has provided on the pitch for the Gers so far.

Hjerto-Dahl appears to be capable of offering more in front of goal, as both a scorer and a creator of goals, whilst also being more combative in his duels, tackles, and interceptions to win the ball back for his side.

These statistics suggest that the £5.3m-rated star would significantly improve the squad as a replacement for Rothwell in the short-term, if he can adapt to Scottish football and translate his form from the Eliteserien over to the Premiership.

Hjerto-Dahl, who once scored the beautiful goal in the clip above, is also ten years younger than Rothwell, who is 30, which means that he has far more time left to develop and improve as a player.

The Norwegian star, therefore, would be a perfect upgrade on Rothwell because he has the potential to be an immediate improvement on the Englishman with what he can offer in the second half of the season, whilst also having many more years left to get even better.

Rohl must drop Fernandez & "rotten" Rangers flop who belong in Caixinha era

Danny Rohl should drop this Glasgow Rangers duo who belong in the Pedro Caixinha era after their performances against Ferencvaros.

ByDan Emery 2 days ago

This is why the Gers should push hard to make Hjerto-Dahl one of Rohl’s first signings at Ibrox, after allowing Rothwell to join Sheffield United next month.

There has been an update in Arsenal's pursuit of Brentford goalkeeper, David Raya, with the Gunners seemingly closing in on the signing of the contract rebel…

How much is David Raya worth?

As per transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the north London outfit having seemingly moved a step closer to sealing a move after agreeing personal terms with the 27-year-old, with the Spaniard seemingly destined for an exit with just a year left on his existing deal in west London.

Writing on Twitter, the respected insider stated: "Understand David Raya has reached an agreement in principle with Arsenal on personal terms. Brentford have been informed by player side that he wants to join Arsenal — and talks between clubs over formula/price are now expected to accelerate."

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

This claim has also been supported by the Evening Standard's Nizaar Kinsella, who revealed that the ex-Blackburn Rovers stopper – who is valued at around €20m (£17m), according to CIES Football Observatory – is set to command a fee of £40m.

Is Raya better than Ramsdale?

While that figure may appear rather steep for a player who is approaching the end of his current contract, there is an argument to be made that the Barcelona-born ace could represent a big upgrade on Aaron Ramsdale at the Emirates, with Raya having been branded a "better keeper" by talkSPORT pundit, Gabby Agbonlahor.

Although Ramsdale was crucial in the Gunners' attempted push for the Premier League title last season – having been branded "phenomenal" by club legend David Seaman – the England international did endure something of a rough patch in the latter stages of the campaign.

Despite his heroics away at Anfield in April – in which he was "fantastic" according to Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville – the 24-year-old was culpable after conceding a goal inside 27 seconds in the 3-3 draw to bottom side Southampton, having been punished amid his attempt to play out from the back.

That had come after the former Sheffield United man had also failed to keep out Jarrod Bowen's equaliser in the 2-2 draw with West Ham United, with Jamie Carragher stating on commentary at the time that Ramsdale would be "disappointed" not to have kept the attempt out.

Those woes have continued on pre-season as the one-time Bournemouth 'keeper also failed to save Bruno Fernandes' long-range effort against rivals Manchester United, while he 'could arguably have done better' for Jadon Sancho's subsequent strike, according to football.london's Kaya Kaynak.

To then oust Ramsdale from his starting berth with a player who made the most saves in the division last season in the form of Raya could be a wise move, with the Bees ace having also been hailed as "top class" and "one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League" by pundit, Michael Owen (Premier League Productions, 06/03/2023, 19:35).

Raya's notable strength appears to be his ease at playing out from the back as he ranks in the top 6% among his European peers for touches made, while the current Arsenal man, by contrast, ranks in just the bottom 12% in that regard.

Crucially, however, the Gunners target is also adept at keeping the ball out of the net as he ranks in the top 8% with regard to save percentage and in the top 7% for crosses stopped as a sign of his ability to dominate his area, while Ramsdale ranks in just the top 23% and the top 50% for those same two metrics, respectively.

With Raya also a master at racing off his line to sniff out danger, as he ranks in the top 20% for defensive actions outside of the penalty area – in contrast to Ramsdale (top 40%) – it may be that the one-time Southport loanee is set to be more than just a quality backup option next season.

Gianluca Scamacca’s time at West Ham United was a disaster.

There are still many question marks shrouding the signing.

Firstly, the transfer strategy of the hierarchy to pinpoint the Italian as the preferred target, when his style dramatically contrasts what David Moyes was trying to achieve.

Secondly, the striker's own obvious lack of motivation or willingness to adapt, eventually lead to his career in east London petering out into irrelevancy.

This summer, the Irons have massively strengthened the midfield with Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse and added Konstantinos Mavropanos to the defence.

The final piece of their window is the striker and a new name has emerged as a possible target…

What’s the latest West Ham United transfer news?

According to the Guardian, West Ham are looking to add some attacking reinforcements, with Ajax’s Mohammed Kudus and free agent Jesse Lingard tipped to join the London Stadium.

But, as per the Daily Mail, a lesser-known figure by the name of Georges Mikautadze, is also under consideration for the Irons.

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

The forward could possibly be available for around £8.5m this summer and a move to the Premier League could be his chance to formally announce himself to European football.

Currently, Moyes’ striking options consist of the veteran Michail Antonio, the influential Danny Ings, and the young Divin Mubama, so there is definitely an opportunity for Mikautadze to shine.

Who is Georges Mikautadze?

The 5 foot 9 phenom signed his first professional contract with Metz in 2019 and joined Belgian First Division side Seraing on loan – across two seasons and 57 appearances, he registered 40 goal contributions and in the summer of 2022, he returned to France looking to prove a point.

In the 2022/23 campaign, the former Lyon academy graduate recorded 31 goal involvements in Ligue 2, which meant he was named the League’s best player and top-scorer as his side secured promotion.

In the first two games of the current Ligue 1 season, Mikautadze has scored once and crafted an assist, with his manager Laszlo Bolini showering the youngster with praise, calling him a “deadly striker.”

After looking at the manner in which the 16-cap international has excelled at his previous clubs, it would be worth West Ham opting to take a punt on his potential.

It would be difficult for Mikautadze to perform worse than Scamacca in east London.

Over the past 365, ranked against his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, the Italian sits within the lowest 15% for non-penalty xG per 90, touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, and assists per 90, as well as the bottom 49% for shot-creating actions per 90 and progressive passes per 90.

This is a damning indictment of his inability to contribute towards offensive sequences or get on the end of chances.

Antonio alluded to the fact that Scamacca wasn’t a good fit for West Ham and said:

"The problem is, he can’t play the way the gaffer plays. He needs a different type of manager to play his type of football, [one who can] have other players play off him and stuff like that.”

Therefore, the £14k-per-week gem deserves a chance and he could continue his excellent form in the Claret and Blue of the London Stadium.

Chelsea are reportedly monitoring Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper ahead of a potential summer move for him, a new report has claimed.

The Lowdown: Cooper shining at Forest

The 43-year-old is doing a magnificent job in charge of Forest currently, guiding them back into the Premier League last season and holding their own in the top flight in 2022/23.

The Reds have stood by Cooper despite a rocky spell earlier in the campaign and their patience has paid off, considering they now sit 13th in the table.

At Chelsea, Graham Potter still finds himself under huge pressure and a new update has emerged regarding his possible successor.

The Latest: Chelsea eyeing up move

According to The Daily Mail [via MOT Leeds News], Chelsea are one of the clubs who are monitoring Cooper’s current situation, seeing him as a future manager if Potter departs.

Tottenham, West Ham, Southampton and Leeds United are all mentioned as potential destinations, however, so there is clear demand for the Welshman.

The Verdict: Another Potter?

Cooper is clearly doing brilliantly at Forest, but if Chelsea brought him in as Potter’s eventual replacement it would feel similarly risky in many ways, with the two coaches even often compared to one another.

Both are talented young English managers but neither have consistently worked with elite players, with the Stamford Bridge job arguably too much for Potter to handle currently.

The 24-game Premier League boss’ pedigree is undeniable – he inspired England’s Under-17s to World Cup glory in 2017, in a team consisting of Phil Foden and Jadon Sancho, among others – but Chelsea may be wise to either stick with the current manager or bring in a more experienced head.

Glasgow Rangers are reportedly interested in the services of striker Lyndon Dykes.

Rangers transfer news – What's the latest on Lyndon Dykes

According to the Daily Mail, the Glasgow giants are interested in reuniting the Scotland forward with former boss Michael Beale north of the border.

The Teddy Bears' interest has come in the aftermath of his 'heroics' with the national side against Norway on Saturday.

The 27-year-old scored late on to level the game before providing the assist for Kenny McLean in their 2-1 win.

The performance has also led to interest from other clubs, with Burnley and Millwall now interested, the latter having already submitted a £2m offer in January.

Could Lyndon Dykes replicate Jermain Defoe's success at Rangers?

In recent years, Rangers have made a habit of poaching strikers from the Championship or lower-level Premier League clubs, with the most prominent example being Jermain Defoe, who joined from AFC Bournemouth in 2019.

The former Tottenham Hotspur man's time in Glasgow was a fruitful one.

In the 74 appearances he made for the club, he produced 42 goal involvements, 32 goals and ten assists.

He was also a key member of Steven Gerrard's team that won the Teddy Bears' first league title since they rejoined Scotland's top flight.

A player like Dykes could certainly replicate some of that success.

According to WhoScored, the Scot averaged an impressive rating of 6.8 across his 35 starts for Queens Park Rangers last season, scoring eight goals and laying another two on for his teammates.

He should have scored more as well, with FBref putting his expected goals for last season at 12.6, suggesting that he was getting into good goal-scoring positions more often but suffering from bad luck.

He has also proven his ability to find the back of the net in the Scottish Premiership from his season with Livingston in the 2019/20 season when he produced an excellent 19 goal involvements, 11 goals and eight assists.

It was during his stint with the Lions that he drew the attention and praise of Gerrard, who claimed:

"They've got a forward in-form in Lyndon Dykes who's having a real good season, who is capable of playing in the air or on the floor, he's quite dangerous."

The 6 foot 2 marksman has also received plaudits from another Gers legend, Alan Hutton, who, in the aftermath of the club missing out on the "focal point" in 2020, said:

"I think he'd have been a great addition for the Rangers squad, definitely. He's proven it on a high stage now."

That "high stage" Hutton is talking about is international football, a place Dykes has thrived.

The Australian-born forward has already scored nine times in 29 appearances for Scotland and started all three games during the delayed Euro 2020 tournament, including their draw with England.

If Beale and co can convince Dykes to make their journey back north, there is no doubt that he would be able to replicate some of the successes of the retired Defoe; arriving as a player that is already well-known amongst the coaching staff.

Manchester United have reportedly identified a left-field option to help strengthen their centre-back ranks this summer, amid reports that Erik ten Hag is showing an interest in Everton youngster, Jarrad Branthwaite.

How much would Jarrad Branthwaite cost?

According to journalist Simon Jones – writing in his Transfer Confidential for the Daily Mail – the 21-year-old is a 'surprise name' that has been mentioned by those at Old Trafford, with the England youth international having 'impressed scouts' during his spell on loan at PSV Eindhoven last season.

That stint in the Netherlands saw the Carlisle native – who has two years left to run on his existing deal with the Toffees – link up with United legend, Ruud van Nistelrooy, albeit with the 6 foot 5 starlet having since made his return to Goodison Park.

Read the latest Manchester United transfer news HERE…

If the Red Devils are to prise him from the Merseyside outfit then it has previously been suggested that a fee of around £20m could be required, albeit with alternative reports indicating that the one-time Blackburn Rovers loanee could fetch as little as £5m-£6m.

How good is Jarrad Branthwaite?

The Toffees sensation has clearly been on the radar of Ten Hag and co in recent times with reports last year indicating that the Premier League giants were targeting a move for the then-teenager, ahead of their first window with the Dutchman at the helm.

That interest is likely to have only been heightened by the towering rock's form while at PSV last season, with the Eredivisie clearly a league that Ten Hag continues to keep a close eye on, with the former Ajax boss having recruited the likes of Antony, Lisandro Martinez and Tyrell Malacia from his homeland during his United tenure to date.

The hope will be that Branthwaite can emerge as a dream heir to that man Martinez as a natural fit in a left-sided centre-back berth, with the Carabao Cup winners having been forced to deploy Luke Shaw in that role at times last season due to the lack of adequate cover.

While physically somewhat different to the 5 foot 9 Argentine, the Everton ace does appear to share the 25-year-old's quality on the ball, with former Carlisle boss Steven Pressley having previously stated:

"The truth is, I think he has got everything. He can pass the ball almost equally as good with both feet. He’s a terrific footballer."

Also dubbed "complete" by Van Nistelrooy, Branthwaite's ability to play out from the back is shown by the fact that he has averaged 3.61 progressive passes per 90 across the last 365 days, with that a similar record to what Martinez has achieved in that time (3.96 per 90).

That is significant as the latter man has been lauded for his ball-playing prowess during his time at the Theatre of Dreams, having been described as "so clean and composed" by ex-United man, Patrice Evra.

Defensively, Martinez has also been an "absolute monster" – according to teammate Luke Shaw – having averaged an impressive 3.2 tackles and interceptions per game in the Premier League in 2022/23, with young Branthwaite only just behind after averaging 2.3 in that regard in Holland.

With the World Cup winner having arguably been a "huge miss" after he was ruled out of the final stretch of the season through injury, as per Paul Scholes, it would make sense to bring in a suitable understudy, like Branthwaite, who can help to plug the gap, while also proving a dream successor in the long run at the heart of the defence.