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Everton are in an extremely vulnerable position right now in the Premier League as they battle relegation this season, but if Frank Lampard can keep them up there is the potential to add quality to improve the squad this summer by replacing some faces who haven’t been performing.

One of the biggest problems the Toffees have faced is a lack of goals, with the side conceding 20 more than they’ve scored, with only 32 goals so far, and if they were to stay up in the Premier League this is an area that will need desperately addressing.

Furthermore, both Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison have been touted with moves away from the club, with Calvert-Lewin strongly linked to joining Arsenal this summer and his Brazilian strike partner linked to a move to Manchester United.

Although losing both players would be disappointing for fans, it may actually be a blessing in disguise now that an approach has reportedly been made by Everton for Barcelona forward Memphis Depay.

Depay has scored ten times in 30 appearances at the club, but since his Achilles tendon injury has struggled to get game time for the La Liga giants featuring for less than 20 minutes per game over his last five appearances.

The 28-year-old who was hailed “one of the best” by Riqui Puig, had a much more prolific output at his former club Lyon, where he netted 76 times and contributed 55 assists in 178 appearances, with a goal involvement every 1.3 games, which is an attacking threat Everton desperately need to add to their team.

The report from the Spanish news outlet claims that the centre-forward’s future at Barcelona is looking doubtful and the club could put him onto the transfer market this summer, giving Everton the opportunity to swoop in and potentially cash in on their current attackers that are not delivering the output needed to maintain safety in the top-flight.

With that being said, Lampard has a huge task ahead of him to secure Premier League football next term and to even approach a player of Depay’s calibre at this point would seem a pointless venture with their chances of relegation growing. However, if he can keep the side up it is a potential transfer that the club should seriously consider.

In other news: Alan Myers drops four word Everton update that’ll leave supporters relieved

Newcastle United defender Emil Krafth was an unsung hero for manager Eddie Howe in their win over Leicester City in the Premier League.

The Magpies’ fine run of form under the Englishman continued as they took another big leap towards safety with a 2-1 victory over the Foxes, courtesy of a last-gasp winner from winter signing Bruno Guimaraes, who bagged a brace on the day.

He cancelled out Ademola Lookman’s 19th-minute opener on the half-hour mark before heading home a bounced ball from Joe Willock in stoppage time late in the second half at St James’ Park.

The Brazilian powerhouse will take much of the plaudits but it really was a team effort from Howe’s men, with the Swedish defender arguably standing out amongst his peers.

He was an absolute colossus defensively and tried to contribute going forward from the right-back role, too.

Shields Gazette reporter Dominic Scurr waxed lyrical about Krafth’s input in his post-match ratings column, where he graded the 27-year-old an eight out of ten – the same as Guimaraes, and wrote:

‘Had a couple of shaky moments but more than made up for them with some crucial blocks and challenges to keep Leicester at bay. His best performance of the season. Booked.’

Indeed, no Magpies player had more touches than the former Amiens man as he registered 61 touches, some eight more than the next best, Joelinton (53).

Meanwhile, further back, Krafth registered a whopping seven tackles, which was more than anyone else on the pitch in the northeast, and he also recorded three interceptions, one clearance and he won 80% of his battles, as per SofaScore.

The £57k-per-week ace also drew further praise from other journalists following the match – Newcastle World reporter Liam Kennedy dubbed him “immense”, whilst ChronicleLive’s Mark Carruthers claimed he had a “really solid game” up against “two tricky opponents.”

On the above evidence, the Sweden international was certainly one of the unsung heroes for Howe against the Foxes. He, and the Magpies faithful, can be proud of that display, that’s for sure.

AND in other news, Bid made: PIF in negotiations for £83m “diamond”, he’d be a huge coup for Newcastle…

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Liverpool moved back into top spot in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon following their 0-0 draw against Manchester United, but there weren’t too many positives to draw from the game for Jurgen Klopp.

What’s the word?

The Reds once again struggled to discover their electric touch at the weekend. A meek attacking performance from a typically devastating front three ensured a quiet afternoon for David De Gea, but Alisson had to stay fully alert to keep his side level.

United also struggled to create clear cut opportunities throughout the game, but a clever through ball from Romelu Lukaku appeared to have opened the door for Jesse Lingard to break the deadlock in the first-half.

However, just as the England international looked set to round Liverpool’s stopper and tap into an empty net, Alisson stretched out his arm to intercept the ball and save what looked a certain goal.

It was a game-defining moment which enabled the visitors to clinch a point, and BBC Sport pundit Garth Crooks was eager to pay tribute to the Brazilian for his save in his team of the week column.

‘The save by Alisson as Jesse Lingard tried to take the ball around the Brazil international was a game-changer at Old Trafford.’

Crooks went on to add: ‘Liverpool went top of the table on Sunday all because of Alisson’s moment of sheer brilliance.’

Alisson could match Premier League’s best

Liverpool’s number one has been in inspired form since he arrived at Anfield from Roma in the summer and his latest showing will only serve to enhance his growing reputation amongst the supporters.

In tightly-contested fixtures it’s imperative that goalkeepers remain alert during spells when their services are effectively redundant, and Alisson proved that he possesses an elite level of concentration by anticipating Lingard’s attempt to dribble past him.

It was a moment of pure genius which is typically reserved for the top players in world football and, if he continues to showcase that level of quality between the sticks, there is no doubt he can establish himself on a level with David De Gea and Ederson in the coming years.

Everton forward Richarlison could move to Arsenal when the transfer window opens, transfer insider Dean Jones has told GiveMeSport. 

The lowdown

Everton agreed a deal worth up to £50m to sign the Brazil international from Watford in 2018. He has gone to make 143 appearances for the club, scoring 47 goals and providing 13 assists.

The Brazilian has just over two years to run on the £90,000-per-week contract that he signed upon his arrival at Goodison Park.

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He is something of a fan favourite among Evertonians, having been voted Player of the Season by the club’s supporters in 2020. He also appears to be well regarded within the dressing room – Demarai Gray dubbed him ‘a character’ and ‘a good guy’, adding that he is even a ‘crazy guy’.

Everton are at risk of being relegated from the Premier League, with just three points separating them from 18th-placed Watford. Theoretically, at least some of the players could seek to leave the club if they go down.

The latest

From the information that he’s received, Jones believes that Richarlison moving to Arsenal is a possibility ahead of the summer window.

Speaking to GiveMeSport as he explained that the Gunners are interested in the 24-year-old, the journalist said: “It’s been mooted before and, as I understand it, it’s something that could actually happen in the summer as well.”

The verdict

Richarlison isn’t the only Everton attacker with whom Arsenal have been linked. According to The Athletic, former Blues midfielder and now Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is also interested in Dominic Calvert-Lewin, so what would be an acceptable fee for the duo?

The Brazilian is valued at £45m by Transfermarkt, which may seem steep in light of his relatively meagre four-goal haul this season, but reflects the fact that he is still only 24 years old and has racked up 34 caps for Brazil, for whom he has a decent scoring record.

Calvert-Lewin is a year older than Richarlison and is rated slightly lower in the marketplace at £37.8m. That would be the third-highest sum Everton would receive for one of their players (behind Romelu Lukaku and John Stones), and it seems fair given that he bagged 29 Premier League goals in two seasons before he hit injury trouble in the early weeks of the current campaign.

The summer transfer window is another bit away yet, but we will have to wait and see if Arsenal try to test Everton’s resolve for Richarlison.

In other news, Everton could also sell another South American

Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford is expected to be fit for the final two Premier League fixtures, according to The Yorkshire Evening Post.

The Lowdown: Injury woes

Bamford has missed large parts of the 2021/22 season with a number of different injuries.

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The latest issue came against Wolves last month in what was his second start following a three-month layoff. Bamford ruptured his plantar fascia after stretching for a through ball at Molineux and has been ruled out for six weeks.

Luckily, the 28-year-old didn’t need surgery on the problem, and it looks as if he will be available next month.

The Latest: May 15 return

The Yorkshire Evening Post shared a story on Monday afternoon, looking at the Whites’ injury list in full.

When it came to Bamford, they claimed he is expected to be back in time for the final home game of the season against Brighton on May 15 and the trip to Brentford a week later.

The Verdict: Boost

Jesse Marsch will be hoping that Leeds are safe by the time they take on Brighton and Brentford, however, knowing that he’ll be able to call upon Bamford is a huge boost.

Leeds have had a 16-day mini-break between the win over Watford and trip to Crystal Palace, time which will hopefully prove handy as they look to pull clear of the bottom three.

Relegation rivals Everton and Burnley both play twice before Leeds travel to Selhurst Park, so they’ll have a better understanding of if Bamford may be needed later in the season over the next six days.

In other news: Leeds and Orta want ‘extraordinary’ ace in Bosman move; same agent as Bamford. 

Celtic midfielder Tom Rogic has been ruled out of tonight’s Glasgow Derby with Rangers, Jo Hendry reports.

The Lowdown: Rogic in race against time

Rogic, who Ange Postecoglou labelled as ‘special’, has made 31 appearances this season, contributing to 12 goals.

The Aussie has been away representing his country and featured against Vietnam last Thursday and Oman on Tuesday in World Cup qualifiers.

Postecoglou recently held out hope of having the playmaker available in green and white this evening, but his participation against Oman yesterday has seemingly ruled him out of featuring tonight.

The Latest: Hendry’s post

Hendry took to Twitter on Tuesday afternoon following Postecoglou’s pre-match press conference.

She relayed confirmation from Postecoglou that Rogic is ruled out of the Celtic Park clash and once again stated that Kyogo Furuhashi is weeks away from a return.

The Verdict: Postecoglou now has options

If this game took place when it was initially scheduled for, then Postecoglou could have been in a bit of bother without Rogic.

However, he brought in three midfield additions in the New Year, with Reo Hatate and Matt O’Riley catching the eye in their early displays.

Therefore, with Hatate and O’Riley and Callum McGregor also having a chance of featuring, Postecoglou has more than enough in midfield at his disposal to get a first win over Rangers and take the Hoops back to the top of the Scottish Premiership.

In other news: ‘I can tell you…’ – BBC Radio 5 Live man shares key on-air info on ‘unbelievable’ Celtic ace. 

An exciting Newcastle United claim has emerged regarding their plans for the upcoming transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has hinted that PIF will be looking to spend more than £50m in the market this summer, whilst not going overboard with their dealings.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “I think their plan is to run it like a business and I think their plan will be to keep costs as low as they can.

“I very much doubt they will manage to keep it to £50million, but I do think what they’ll try and do is bring money in, in terms of player sales as well.”

Supporters will be delighted

Newcastle supporters will surely be delighted with this claim.

Last summer, the only senior addition to the squad was the signing of Joe Willock from Arsenal for a reported £25m. He joined on a permanent basis after spending the second half of the 2020/21 campaign on loan and was the only player brought in by Mike Ashley to bolster Steve Bruce’s squad.

The lack of investment in the team came back to bite the Sports Direct supremo as the Toon became just the fourth team in Premier League history to not win any of their first 14 matches in a top-flight season.

In the last 14 games in the top flight, however, Newcastle have picked up 31 points and are third in the form table behind Manchester City and Liverpool.

The difference between these two stretches of games? The appointment of Eddie Howe and the January transfer window. PIF came in to take over the club from Ashley and invested in the squad by bringing in Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn, Matt Targett, Bruno Guimaraes and Chris Wood in the winter market.

Their work in January gave Howe the ammunition he needed to fire Newcastle to safety and that is exactly what he has done, with the Magpies currently sitting 14 points clear of the bottom three. This suggests that the signings earlier this year gave the club a massive lift, and that is set to save them from relegation.

Therefore, supporters will be excited by the prospect of PIF dropping more than £50m on further signings, as it means that Howe will be backed again and given what he needs to take the Toon to the next level. He will not be hung out to dry like Bruce was by Ashley, which is why fans will be delighted with the owners’ plans.

They will also be buzzing with the claim that PIF still want to run the club like a business and are not going to risk the financial future of Newcastle. The consortium are not looking for instant success which could lead to irreversible financial damage further down the line, and this measured, thought-out approach will surely go down well with the fanbase as it shows ambition and clarity over what the owners want to do.

AND in other news, Journalist reveals two names on Newcastle’s transfer “list”, Eddie Howe will be excited…

Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves is being targeted by a number of top European clubs ahead of a potential summer transfer, including La Liga giants Barcelona.

The club haven’t yet been linked with too many potential replacements for the Portuguese star, and that could be good news for some of the younger midfielders in the club’s academy, including 19-year-old Joe Hodge.

A youth international from the Republic of Ireland, the defensive midfielder arrived at the club at the start of the season from Manchester City, but wasn’t able to make his debut for the U23 team until recently, after suffering a serious back injury over a year ago.

Since returning to fitness, he has earned the praise of Wolves U23 Head Coach James Collins, who has been blown away by the impact Hodge has already had on the team.

Collins said: “He’s had such a tough run with injuries, so we all had our fingers crossed that he would get back and then we had our fingers crossed that we hope he’d get through the first few training sessions and first few minutes unscathed.

“He’s been a really good addition to the group, a good addition to the team and he’s the right type of character for us.

“He’s a top guy, he shows exceptional leadership skills on and off the pitch and works his socks off on the training pitch and he’s taken that into the games. I’m looking forward to seeing more of him.”

Having already scored one goal in just three Premier League 2 appearances, Hodge will be hoping that pre-season gives him a proper chance to impress Wolves manager Bruno Lage, particularly if he loses Neves.

Now with the Ireland U20 squad going into the international break, he has an opportunity to gain some valuable international experience at youth level to take back to the club, going into the final few months of the season.

In other news: Contact made: Wolves place enquiry to sign “extraordinary” £25m wizard, Lage needs him

Wolves could head into next season without veteran midfielder Joao Moutinho, with the 35-year-old’s contract set to expire at the end of the current campaign.However, they could keep his compatriot and midfield partner Ruben Neves, which would provide a huge boost to manager Bruno Lage’s plans for next term and indeed to the Molineux faithful.What’s the news?Wolves’ technical director Scott Sellars has revealed that the club are in talks with the 25-year-old over a new contract, after it was reported by the Daily Mail that Barcelona were interested in signing him this summer.Sellars said in an interview with the Express & Star: “Ruben is having a fantastic season and everybody should take a pat on the back in terms of how well he is playing.”We’re obviously talking to him and we all know how much he loves playing for the club. We know how much he has settled here, but he is also an ambitious young man.”As with all players, you try and have an open dialogue with them and their representatives to come to the best scenario for the club and the player.”Rightly so, elite clubs all over Europe will have Ruben on their radar, but we have an excellent relationship with him and will do things properly, and collaboratively, when the time is right.”Wolves’ most important playerThe 25-year-old has averaged a 7.20 Sofascore match rating in the Premier League this season, the best of any outfield player at the club, with only goalkeeper Jose Sa bettering him with an average match rating of 7.22.Having provided six goal contributions in 28 games, only centre-forward Raul Jimenez has had more than Neves, who has as many as fellow midfielders Moutinho and Leander Dendoncker combined (WhoScored).An accomplished passer of the ball, he ranks in the top 1% among midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues and continental competitions for long passes completed per 90 (14.92), top 6% for passes into the final third (7.16) and top 3% for switches per 90 (4.49).Keeping hold of Neves would nearly feel like a new signing to Lage given the recent transfer speculation, and having him around for next season could help Wolves to make another push for European qualification in 2023.In other news: Wolves must avoid disaster on “instrumental” £8.1m-rated gem, he’s “brilliant to have”

In January 2018, Wolverhampton Wanderers signed Spanish prospect at the time, Rafa Mir.

The Spaniard left La Liga Santander outfit Valencia to link up with former boss, Nuno Espirito Santo, who gave him his first-team debut against Swansea City in the FA Cup.

Mir’s time at Wolves was slow and uninspired.

After initially being shipped out on loan to Spanish second division side UD Las Palmas, he returned to England this time on loan to Championship rivals Nottingham Forest, where he struggled for minutes.

Forest and Mir agreed to end the loan spell early, which then saw the Spaniard immediately loaned out to SD Huesca for a season and a half.

His time in Huesca at this point was the most prominent of his career, as he found his goalscoring touch, netting 25 goals in 57 appearances for them across two campaigns.

It was his 13 goals in La Liga that proved most prominent.

Mir’s goalscoring efforts proved to be enough for Sevilla to come sniffing around, which saw the 6 foot 2 Spaniard depart the Old Gold, after making just four appearances in three years.

Sevilla forked out £13.7m to acquire his services, with Wolves most likely feeling as though they had the last laugh, after purchasing Mir from Valencia for just £1.5m.

Though this is a transfer that would soon come back to bite them, with Mir, who has been celebrated for his “very cheeky” play, proving himself as a steady top division striker, having bagged nine goals in 29 La Liga appearances for Sevilla this season.

Whilst his market value has only steadily increased, the 24-year-old has proven himself in a top division for what is now two seasons running.

Ironically, Wolves could do with a striker of Mir’s prominence, which will no doubt infuriate Old Gold fans for failing to give him a proper chance.

If he can better his goal tally next season, his current market value of £14.4m will surely soar which will make Wolves regret their decision even more.

In other news: Insider “absolutely amazed” by news coming from Wolves, it’ll have supporters worried