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Danny Ings will not start at Manchester United, warns former Southampton midfielder Carlton Palmer.

Ings is currently being linked with a move to Old Trafford, with The Telegraph reporting earlier this month that the Red Devils are looking to bolster their forward options and have identified the 28-year-old as a target.

Southampton risk losing Ings on a free transfer next summer, with his contract set to expire then, which could force them into a sale now.

With the same outlet having also previously reported on the striker’s desire to play in the Champions League, the above is something Ings could end up pushing for. Palmer, however, is not convinced that a move to Manchester United would be good for him.

“I don’t think he starts at Man United,” the ex-Southampton player exclusively told FFC. “He doesn’t start at Man United. He may start at Spurs if [Harry] Kane goes.

“But I worry about Danny. For me, he misses a lot of football games through injuries. He scores goals and, you know, that’s a fact.

“But the type of money that he’s going to want, you need to be more convinced that he’s going to be on the football pitch a lot longer than what he is.”

Indeed, in terms of getting regular minutes, Tottenham, should they lose Kane, would probably be a much better avenue for Ings.

Having finished the season as their top scorer once again, though, Southampton will still be hoping that they can keep hold of the England international.

The Liverpool Echo journalist Tony Scott has now dropped a big Everton team news claim before they play Liverpool away from home in the Premier League.

The Lowdown: Team news

Speaking to the media in his pre-game press conference ahead of the Merseyside derby, Frank Lampard confirmed that both Donny van de Beek and Andre Gomes have ‘small injuries’, and so will not play.

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He was also asked if Yerry Mina will be risked having just come back from injury in the 1-1 draw at home to Leicester City last time out, to which he said that they will make a decision ‘closer to the game’:

“It’s a decision I have to make closer to the game. We have to understand we’ve got six more games after this.”

The Latest: Scott reacts

Taking to Twitter, Scott has now given his reaction to Lampard’s comments, claiming that he does not think that Mina will be risked for the derby:

“From Lampard’s quotes today it looks increasingly likely that Yerry Mina won’t be risked for the derby. The defender has completed 2 matches for Everton since October so it’s crucial he’s match fit for the more ‘winnable’ games.”

The Verdict: Big Blow

It would certainly be a big blow if Mina is not able to play a part against their bitter rivals.

At a colossal six-foot-five, his presence is so key for the backline, as the Colombia international has ranked highly among his teammates in terms of average aerial duels won, clearances and blocks made per game in the Premier League so far this season (WhoScored).

It is likely that the Toffees will have to do a lot of defending at Anfield, and their defence is certainly stronger with Mina in it.

In other news, find out which Blues ace has been ‘clubbing too much’ here!

According to The Athletic, Southampton are set to sell Shane Long this summer.

Long set to leave

The Republic of Ireland striker has been at St Mary’s since 2014, but he joined fellow south coast club Bournemouth on loan during the January transfer window.

According to this latest report, the veteran marksman is set to leave Southampton on a permanent basis in the summer.

Unsurprising

This news should not come as too much of a surprise. Although Ralph Hasenhuttl called the Republic of Ireland international “really important” last term (Daily Mail), he failed to score in 14 matches in all competitions during the first half of this campaign (Transfermarkt).

Long offers plenty of endeavour even if he is not able to find the back of the net on a regular basis, but 35 goals in 226 games for a Premier League side is clearly not good enough.

At 34 years of age, he is fast approaching the end of his career – for all involved, it would make plenty of sense for him to leave on a permanent transfer. Hasenhuttl and co, at least, will no doubt wish him all the best wherever he ends up if he is sold in a couple of months’ time.

In other news, many Southampton fans react to this transfer rumour.

Tottenham Hotspur remain interested in Weston McKennie and manager Antonio Conte is said to be a huge fan…

What’s the word?

According to Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), the 52-year-old is pushing sporting director Fabio Paratici to sign the American midfielder this month.

It’s thought that Juventus would be open to selling him but will only listen to ‘suitable’ offers. He is currently valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt.

Although the 23-year-old has emerged as a regular since the Old Lady changed manager and reappointed Massimiliano Allegri, so that makes any move a little harder.

Give Conte what he wants

With the futures of Tanguy Ndombele and Dele Alli in doubt, it’s no wonder Conte wants a new central midfielder and he could stumble upon his dream profile in McKennie.

The 28-cap USMNT international is capable of playing in a variety of roles in the engine room, as revealed by former Huddersfield Town boss David Wagner, who managed him at Schalke 04.

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“He’s an outstanding talent. In the No.6 or No.8 position he has the mentality, a real working mentality that you need. And he’s brave on the ball as well. He can be one of the best midfielders in the Bundesliga,” he said via the league’s official website.

Indeed, the box-to-box beast is among Allegri’s top-four best-performing players in the Serie A this season – on top of providing three goals in 16 appearances, he has averaged a squad-high 1.4 interceptions, 1.3 shots and 1.1 dribbles per game, via WhoScored.

This suggests that Wagner’s words do ring true – not only can he thwart an attack but he is more than capable of driving the ball forward into the final third and his goal record further proves this, too.

It also shows his impressive work rate, another factor that will surely be behind Conte’s admiration for him. McKennie has also been likened to Arturo Vidal in terms of playing style and the Chilean beast played a big role in Inter Milan’s title triumph under the Spurs boss last season.

As such, it’s on Paratici and co to land the impressive 6-foot powerhouse as his first signing this month. He’d be a fantastic and necessary addition to the Italian’s central midfield armoury.

AND in other news, Paratici can seal biggest Spurs signing since Son in £45m-rated “extraordinary talent”…

Michael Ball says Thierry Small’s behaviour is “disappointing” and he believes clubs should think twice about making a move for the Everton youngster after he refused to return for pre-season training.

The 16-year-old is looking to force through a move, potentially to Premier League rivals Manchester United or Arsenal, after failing to return to the Toffees’ training complex at Finch Farm.

Small became the club’s youngest-ever player when he made his Everton debut in the FA Cup clash with Sheffield Wednesday earlier this year.

The left-back has been tipped for a bright future and the Merseyside club, who are currently in the United States on a pre-season tour under new boss Rafa Benitez, remain keen on tying him down to a first professional contract when he turns 17 next month.

But Small’s failure to return to training ahead of the new season getting underway suggests he wants to leave Goodison Park and Everton have reportedly rejected an approach from Real Madrid, who now have ex-Toffees boss Carlo Ancelotti at the helm.

Ball, who featured for Everton during his playing career, believes potential suitors should take Small’s attitude into account before making a move.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Ball said: “It probably creates question marks for the clubs interested in him.

“They’ll be thinking about the attitude he’s got as a 16-year-old. He’s not turned up for pre-season, so they’ll be wondering does he have the right mentality we want to bring to our football club?

“I don’t think he’s doing himself justice. It’s a bit disappointing and disrespectful.”

A number of Liverpool fans have been remembering the incredible 4-0 win over Barcelona two years ago, in what is surely Anfield’s greatest night.

The Reds’ world-famous stadium has hosted some special games throughout history, from the Saint-Etienne match in 1977 to the Champions League victory over Chelsea in 2005.

The 90 minutes that took place against Barca on May 7th, 2019 surely tops the pile, however, on an evening that will never be forgotten.

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Trailing 3-0 from the Champions League semi-final first leg, Jurgen Klopp’s men produced a stunning comeback, doing it without injured pair Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino.

The eventual 4-0 victory seemed scarcely believable before kickoff and it sent Liverpool through to the final, with the Reds beating Tottenham 2-0 in Madrid.

Due to it being the anniversary of the Barca game, footage has understandably been shared left, right and centre, with The Anfield Wrap posting a video on Twitter.

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Liverpool fans laud footage of Barca win

These Liverpool supporters took to Twitter to provide their thoughts on an incredible night on Merseyside.

“Spine-tingling. What a night. Insane”

Credit: @andcouldheplay

“Doesn’t get much better than this, what a night”

Credit: @AdamGola8

“Goosebumps every time I see this, truly magnificent”

Credit: @paulmcmasterLFC

“The greatest”

Credit: @SiPugs

“Goosebumps”

Credit: @RedRic20

“Reasons why we love football! Y. N. W. A”

Credit: @vickyfirmino

In other news, some Liverpool fans have been reacting to a key update regarding Ibrahima Konate. Read more here. 

Leeds United will look to tie down Patrick Bamford to a new long-term deal this summer, according to Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth.

The Lowdown: Bamford excels for Leeds

The Whites had a number of star performers last season as Marcelo Bielsa’s side sealed a hugely impressive ninth-placed finish back in the Premier League.

It was Bamford who arguably shone more than anyone, however, scoring 17 goals and registering seven assists in the league as he led the line superbly.

The 27-year-old’s current deal expires next summer, so the need to extend his stay at Elland Road is pressing.

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The Latest: Long-term deal in the offing

According to Smyth’s latest report, Leeds offering Bamford a new deal is ‘an item on the agenda’ this summer as they look to keep him at the club for the foreseeable future.

It is also mentioned that ‘one or two others’ could also agree new contracts which would then ‘reflect their Premier League status’.

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The Verdict: No-brainer for Bielsa

Giving Bamford a new deal would make perfect sense for Leeds, with the striker such an influential member of this Whites team.

At 27, he is a player at the peak of his powers, and that should remain that way for a few more years, especially considering that pace isn’t a key aspect of his game.

The hope is that he will find a similar level to his excellent 2020/21 form for the foreseeable future, proving that he is far more than a one-season wonder at Premier League level.

In other news, Leeds look set to miss out on the signing of one player this summer. Read more here.

So far this season, Southampton have only managed to pick up a total of four points from their opening seven Premier League games of the campaign from four draws, having failed to secure their first win of the season.

In addition to this, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side have also only managed to score five goals in those seven games, which suggests to us that they have not been particularly strong in an attacking sense yet, which has been a problem for the given how they are currently sat in 17th place in the league table just one place above the relegation zone.

However, it seems as though the club have their eye on signing a new attacking talent to add to their squad.

What’s the latest?

It has recently been reported by TEAMtalk that Southampton are eyeing up a move for Fulham attacking midfielder Fabio Carvalho in the upcoming January transfer window.

He’s at a contract impasse with his current club which has allowed a variety of Premier League sides to monitor his services.

The talented teenager has lit up the Championship so far this term and it would not be a surprise if he made a move away from Craven Cottage.

Potential solution

Carvalho, who is a product of Fulham’s youth academy, made his senior debut for the west London club back in September 2020 in a Carabao Cup victory over Sheffield Wednesday under former Fulham manager Scott Parker.

The boss once described the 19-year-old as a “massive positive” for the club, hailing him as “really bright,” in a glowing review.

Overall, the teenager has made just 11 senior appearances for Fulham, scoring four goals and providing one assist in the process.

His assist and three of his four senior goals for Fulham have come during the five Championship appearances he’s made for the club this season. That’s impressively earned himself an overall performance rating of 7.59/10, making him Fulham’s second-highest rated player according to WhoScored, which shows why he has apparently caught Southampton’s eye.

In addition to this, the fact that only Adam Armstrong (3) out of everyone in the Southampton squad has made more shots at goal per game so far this season than Carvalho (2.4) at Fulham shows that he could well be a good attacking option for Hasenhuttl should they sign him in January.

The Saints have struggled for goals this season, netting only five times in seven outings. Consequently, a player of the youngster’s stature and qualities could help Hasenhuttl correct that issue.

The Austrian already has a variety of talented young players coming through his ranks and Carvalho would be somebody to get excited about, particularly if he scores on a regular basis.

In terms of a potential move to Southampton in January, we feel that the Saints should definitely explore deal. He could definitely help freshen up Southampton’s rather stale attacking force, which hasn’t really helped the team so far this season.

In other news: Southampton struck with potential injury blow ahead of LUFC, Ralph won’t be happy – opinion

An update has emerged on PSV target Denzel Dumfries, regarding Everton’s pursuit of the full back… 

What’s the talk?

According to Dutch journalist Rik Elfrink, Everton and Inter are both interested in signing PSV defender Dumfries following his impressive performances at the European Championships for the Netherlands.

Elfrink has claimed that PSV are yet to receive an offer for his services, but are expecting bids to come in from the likes of Everton and Inter.

Benitez will be delighted

Everton boss Rafa Benitez will be delighted with this news as it appears as though the club are seriously pursuing a deal for the right-back. The Spaniard is in dire need of an addition in that area of the pitch and will, therefore, be happy that Marcel Brands is making strides in his efforts to land Dumfries, with a bid seemingly not too far away from being made according to Elfrink.

Seamus Coleman was the only natural right-back in the mix at Goodison last season, with 25 Premier League appearances to his name. Mason Holgate and Ben Godfrey were deployed in that role at times, whilst Alex Iwobi was also used as a right wing-back. That highlights the need to sign a player to come in and compete with Coleman for the slot on the right-hand side of the defence.

The 25-year-old, therefore, could be a much-needed, quality, signing for the club. He is a promising young right-back who could be the long-term successor to the Irishman. Former Everton attacker Marcus Bent has lauded the Dutchman as a “terrific” talent and hailed his pace, whilst claiming that fans would be delighted if he came through the door this summer.

He told Football FanCast:

“Speaking to Everton, they said he’s a terrific player, but clubs don’t sell their players when the Euros are on because they can put x number of pounds onto their player. Terrific, quick, pacey, he’s a rocket.

“If the club could get him on the back of what he’s done or whether they could attract him to Goodison is a different point entirely, but if you could get him, the fans would be elated.”

The £9.4k-per-week gem averaged an exceptional WhoScored rating of 7.12 in the Eredivisie in 30 games for PSV, whilst also impressing at the European Championships for his country. He recorded a WhoScored rating of 7.11 as his nation bowed out in the round of 16 this summer, having scored twice in four games.

This shows that he could be a brilliant acquisition for Benitez and the ex-Newcastle man should be delighted to have him in his squad come the start of next season.

AND in other news, Time’s up: Brands must ruthlessly axe £60k-p/w Everton dud, he’s rinsed Moshiri dry…

Many Everton fans have been left gushing as a transfer update emerged on Luis Diaz.

As per Paul Joyce, the Goodison Park faithful are now targeting a move for the FC Porto ace before the summer window ends, in a deal that would see James Rodriguez go the other way on loan.

Diaz already has two goals in three games so far this season, and in the last campaign he managed 11 strikes and six assists in 47 matches in total over all competitions (Transfermarkt), which are impressive numbers for a wide player.

Rodriguez has been linked with a move away and some comments he has made in recent weeks have suggested that he is not overly enthusiastic about staying at the Merseyside club, and so it may be best to move him on, even on loan.

He could be used as a nice makeweight to bring the potential price of Diaz down, and so it looks like an exciting deal to be done.

Everton fans on Diaz transfer update

These Toffees gushed as the transfer update was shared on Twitter, with one EFC supporter even going as far as to claim that it is ‘brilliant’:

“Get this done!”

Credit: @labone_of

“Please”

Credit: @Tom_A72

“Me likey”

Credit: @aqqqqqqil

“Ooh go on then”

Credit: @efc18789

“Get him in Brands”

Credit: @_benm1878

“Brilliant this”

Credit: @Vicaz22

In other news, find out what transfer update Evertonians are lauding here!