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Everton bringing in Joaquin Correa this summer could help to solve their profligacy in front of goal, according to journalist Pete O'Rourke.

What's the latest transfer news involving Joaquin Correa?

As per Interlive, Everton are said to be 'pushing hard' to sign Correa from Inter Milan in the summer transfer window amid competition from a host of sides who are keen on securing his signature.

The report states that the 28-year-old is attracting attention from Premier League sides West Ham United and Aston Villa while Sevilla are also mooted to be monitoring his situation.

Everton have also previously courted the Argentinian forward in 2021, as per Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla, who said that there was an 'agreement in principle' to bring him to Goodison Park; however, the move never transpired and the Toffees now look like they could reignite their pursuit of Correa.

In 2022/23, Correa has made 34 appearances for Inter Milan in all competitions, notching four goals and three assists, as per Transfermarkt.

Capology understands that Correa earns €124,615 per week (£109k) at his current employers and has a contract at the San Siro until 2025.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist O'Rourke believes that Correa would be a smart addition to the Everton ranks that would fit in well tactically at the Blues.

O'Rourke told FFC: "He's a good player, Correa; he's obviously physical forward as well and can lead the line on his own. He would tick a lot of boxes for Everton in that respect.

"As we all know, Everton's problems this season stem from their lack of goals and having a lack of an out-and-out number nine due to Dominic Calvert Lewin's injury problems. For that reason, I think Correa could be a good signing."

Would Everton be able to attract Joaquin Correa to Goodison Park?

Put simply, it will depend on whether the Toffees manage to maintain their Premier League status this term. If they do end up suffering relegation to the Sky Bet Championship, it is highly unlikely that Correa would be willing to join a club in the English second-tier given his status as an Argentina international.

FBRef shows that Correa has managed to successfully carry out 39 shot-creating actions this season, demonstrating his ability to frequently involve himself in chance creation.

Nevertheless, Everton will know they need to stay up to even have a chance of acquiring such a high-calibre forward to help bolster the ranks.

Football Insider report that Stoke City striker Tyrese Campbell is being lined up by Sean Dyche as a potential summer signing regardless of what division they end up in, which may offer some consolation to Blues supporters as it looks like the club are proactively searching for someone to aid their goalscoring frailties.

But looking towards strikers from the division below ahead of the summer may fail to inspire the fans who have now endured back-to-back campaigns of battling the drop.

Liverpool are expected to have a busy summer transfer window following a difficult campaign this season and now a new update has emerged on a potential transfer target.

What's the latest Liverpool transfer news?

According to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg, Liverpool have a number of midfield targets short-listed for the summer and West Ham United star Declan Rice is one of those named.

He is among several options for the Reds with the likes of Moises Caicedo, Matheus Nunes and Ryan Gravenberch also name-dropped.

Previous reports determine that the Irons stalwart could cost around £75m.

Will Liverpool sign Declan Rice?

There is no doubt that something needs to change at Anfield ahead of next season with an epic drop-off in quality and inconsistent performances causing the side to fall into one of their worst seasons under Jurgen Klopp.

The Reds have missed out on every opportunity to win a trophy this term and are struggling to make progress in their pursuit for a Champions League qualifying spot – currently 13 points adrift of Manchester United in fourth.

In terms of midfield personnel, Liverpool are expected to let go of three of their most experienced players in the squad, with Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all out of contract this summer, which will pave the way for a revolution and refresh in the centre of the pitch.

The signing of Rice, therefore, is one that could get Anfield rocking amid news that the club have disappointingly cooled their interest in another England star, Jude Bellingham, due to his reported €150m (£132m) price tag.

Indeed, Rice's arrival in Merseyside could set Liverpool up with a player who is already Premier League proven, an advantage over Bellingham, and would ensure that the club bring in a home-grown player to fill their quota in the squad.

Despite West Ham's struggles this season, the talented midfielder – who was dubbed "phenomenal" by ex-striker Marlon Harewood – has been a consistent and reliable performer in the heart of the team and his natural leadership skills earned him the club captaincy for the east Londoners at just 22 years old.

When comparing Rice to his Liverpool positional peers this season – Thiago Alcantara, Fabinho and Jordan Henderson – the 23-year-old has outperformed the trio in a number of attributes, suggesting he could transform Klopp's side.

Indeed, he's produced goal contributions (3), completed more progressive passes (187), won more tackles and interceptions (111), and made a higher number of ball recoveries (262), as per FBref.

Fabinho, by comparison, has no goal involvement while he has made 74 tackles and interceptions combined, a far cry from the man who could replace him at Anfield.

With that being said, it is clear that Rice would inject more quality and consistency into the midfield three. Such an event would undeniably get an Anfield crowd – who are simply crying out for central reinforcements – rocking next season.

West Ham United are under serious threat of relegation from the Premier League this season, with David Moyes' side slipping into the bottom three after Leeds United's win against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

The problem for the Hammers throughout the season has been putting the ball in the back of the net, as no side has underperformed on their xG more, with their return of 24 goals extremely disappointing considering their 34.42 expected goals in the Premier League.

Gianluca Scamacca and Michail Antonio have just six top-flight strikes between them, while new signing Danny Ings has so far struggled to make much of an impression, finding the net just twice in the 4-0 win against Nottingham Forest.

However, the onus should not just be on the strikers to score goals, as the likes of Jarrod Bowen and Said Benrahma have also disappointed in front of goal, with the wingers currently ranked as the joint-top scorers in Moyes' squad with just four apiece.

Therefore, the Scottish manager will perhaps be wishing he had former West Ham winger Dimitri Payet, with the Frenchman producing multiple moments of magic during his time with the east London outfit.

How good was Payet at West Ham?

West Ham would sign Payet from Marseille in a deal worth £10m in 2015, with David Gold suggesting that the 28-year-old was a "world-class" player in his prime when he arrived at Upton Park, which certainly seemed a fair remark given that he had contributed a phenomenal 21 assists in Ligue 1 the season prior.

He would certainly live up to that praise in his first season with the club, registering a phenomenal 12 goals and 15 assists in all competitions, as the Hammers recorded an impressive seventh-placed finish under Slaven Bilic.

These included some incredible free-kicks, notably against Crystal Palace and Manchester United, as well as a superb solo goal against Middlesbrough.

He then notched an impressive two goals and seven assists in the first half of the 2016/17 Premier League campaign, but he was not content with London life and forced a move back to Marseille in January, which understandably left Hammers fans heartbroken.

Had West Ham managed to keep Payet happy then he could've gone on to become a legend at the club, as he is still producing the goods with Marseille at the age of 35, registering an impressive 12 goals and ten assists in just 31 appearances in France's top flight last season.

Considering Benrahma has been one of few strong performers in this West Ham side this season, but boasts just four goals and three assists in the top flight, Moyes would surely have loved to have someone of Payet's quality at his disposal. What might have been.

Everton are reportedly likely to terminate Dele Alli’s contract at the end of the season, as his loan move at Besiktas will not be made permanent.

The Lowdown: Struggling at Besiktas

Alli has been struggling so much at Besiktas to the extent that he has recently been banished from their first-team squad.

He has not played any part in their last two league games, and in 15 matches in total over all competitions so far this season, he has only managed to score three goals and make no assists (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, Everton now have a big decision to make over whether to welcome him back into the squad for next term, or look to get rid of him again.

The Latest: Contract likely to be terminated

As per Football Insider, Alli’s loan move at Besiktas will not be made into a permanent one this summer, and could be set for what the report describes as a ‘double blow’, with the Goodison Park outfit also ‘likely’ to terminate his contract and pay him out, rather than keep him in the squad for another season.

Besiktas have the option to exercise the £6.9m buy-out clause in Alli’s loan agreement at the end of the campaign, but they do not plan to do so.

Besiktas coach Senol Gunes has already hinted that Alli will not be staying, and criticised a recent performance of his in their 0-0 draw with Antalyaspor:

“Alli did not add the efficiency we thought of as a game. We work physically and tactically.

“Alli played in two friendly matches. He did positive things. He runs a lot, but he has problems in assisting and scoring goals.

“He also ran today, but he did not contribute. He is a player with a high probability of leaving at the end of the year, whether he plays well or badly.”

The Verdict: Just get rid

Unfortunately for Alli, it is just not worked out on Merseyside, having made a mere Premier League, scoring no goals and making no assists.

The Toffees may find it difficult to shift him though, as he earns no less than £100,000-per-week, while talkSPORT pundit Darren Bent has recently claimed that no Premier League club would buy him.

It would certainly be a shame for the Englishman, but at 26 years of age now, he needs to try and find a new home away from the Blues.

Leeds United interim manager Michael Skubala could remain in charge of the Whites for the remainder of this season, according to a fresh claim.

The Lowdown: Skubala steps in for Marsch

The 40-year-old has stepped in and replaced Jesse Marsch in the Elland Road hot seat, following the American’s dismissal earlier this month.

Skubala has taken charge of two Premier League games to date, both of which came against Manchester United, with a draw and a defeat coming his way.

While Leeds continue to be linked with potential new managers, a key update has now emerged regarding the situation.

The Latest: Could be in charge all season

According to 90min, Andrea Radrizzani is planning on sticking with Skubala for the time being, possibly seeing him in the role until the end of the season.

It is stated that the situation will be assessed after Leeds’ crucial league clash with Southampton later this month, at which point he will have had more time to prove his worth.

The Verdict: Potential risk by Leeds?

There is a clear risk element in sticking with Skubala for the rest of the season, considering his complete lack of experience in management at the top level. This is his first senior role as manager, with 16 games as Leeds Under-21s boss the most experience he has had to date.

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With the Whites hovering ominously around the relegation zone, it could certainly be argued that a bigger name needs to come in and make the difference, such as Carlos Corberan, who has guided West Brom from bottom of the Championship to within two points of the playoffs

It is a show of faith from Radrizzani, however, and Skubala knows the club well having already worked there for some time and could feel that he can get the best out of this squad.

Assessing matters at the end of February does make the most sense – if Leeds have got themselves into deeper trouble by that point, they will still have time to make a change.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that an unnamed club tried to sign Hakim Ziyech on deadline day, and evidence suggests this could have been Newcastle United.

What’s the word?

Earlier on in January, The Telegraph reported that the Chelsea man was of genuine interest to Eddie Howe and his side but no deal ever panned out.

Indeed, it looked as though the Moroccan midfielder was desired for a loan switch to PSG instead. However, that transfer failed at the last moment due to some technical errors which didn’t see the correct paperwork completed in time.

Speaking on his YouTube channel about the situation, Romano has now revealed that the player had “some other possibilities” but turned them down.

And while he was unable to name the specific teams interested, recent evidence suggests it would have been Newcastle.

The journalist explained: “One thing about Ziyech is that he also had some other possibilities. Now I can’t mention the clubs, because otherwise they kill me, but today another club called for Ziyech.

“And he said: ‘I want to go to PSG’. He only wanted PSG.”

He concluded: “Hakim Ziyech was approached by another club they are telling me right now and he only wanted to join Paris Saint-Germain.”

Big mistake?

Seeing as Ziyech was in Paris to complete a medical and a move but Chelsea’s supposed mishandling of the paperwork scuppered the deal, he may now be regretting his decision to be so steadfast about joining PSG over any other option.

Of course, we can’t know for sure if Newcastle were one of the teams in for the attacking midfielder but seeing as they had a past interest in the player it’s a strong possibility.

What’s more, the Magpies failed with their own attempts to bring in James Maddison after getting Anthony Gordon across the line, so it seems as though they were in the market for one more signing to add to the club’s attacking depth.

Of course, Newcastle can still go back in for Ziyech in the summer when his contract will enter its final two years and so it will be interesting to keep an eye on this to see if any stronger rumours develop.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is expected to try and bed Jhon Duran gradually into the Premier League following Danny Ings’ departure.

What’s the latest?

It was a fairly quiet January window for Villa in terms of arrivals with only Duran and Alex Moreno coming through the doors at Villa Park.

However, there were a handful of departures and perhaps the most significant being the deal which saw Ings make the move to West Ham United.

On the back the striker’s departure, Emery brought in Duran to bolster his options at the top end of the pitch alongside Ollie Watkins.

And speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Pete O’Rourke has suggested he expects to see Duran slowly integrated into the Villa side:

“He’s a very highly rated young player. They have spent big money on him to bring him from MLS but I’m sure Unai Emery will try and bed him into the Premier League here as best he can rather than throwing him straight in because it’s a lot to [comprehend] at such a young age as well.

“I’m sure we will see Duran have a role to play for Villa between now and the end of the season.”

Taking the pressure off

The 19-year-old has certainly landed at Villa Park with some big expectations with the likes of Chicago Fire’s sporting director,  Georg Heitz saying:

“When we originally scouted Jhon as a 16-year-old, we knew that he had the potential to become one of the top young strikers in the world.”

Duran impressed in the last MLS campaign for Chicago where he was able to provide a return of eight goals and five assists in his 27 appearances (via Transfermarkt).

However, playing in the Premier League can prove a completely new experience with the likes of Newcastle United’s Miguel Almiron taking years to find his best form in England following his move from the US.

And he is stepping into fairly big boots left behind by Ings who had an impressive short spell under Emery before Villa sold him to the Hammers.

Despite making only two starts under the Spanish boss, Ings was able to provide a return of three goals and an assist in his 319 minutes of action.

But it will likely be a big step up for Duran and bedding him into the Villa side will potentially prove the best option for a player who will also be adapting to a new culture and environment.

And by dropping him straight into the XI, it could prove a huge amount of pressure on the shoulders of a player still so young.

Matheus Nunes has been heavily linked with a move away from Wolves in recent weeks, and the Old Gold could potentially return to Sporting Lisbon by bringing in Manuel Ugarte as his replacement.

According to Media Foot, the Midlands outfit and Atletico Madrid have both been in talks with Sporting over a potential move for the 21-year-old, with Wolves’ relationship with his agent Jorge Mendes likely to be crucial in any deal.

The young midfielder has established himself as a key player in Ruben Amorim’s side and has been one of their stars so far this season, although his current €60m (£53m) release clause means that it would be another expensive transfer for the Old Gold to complete.

Wolves already spent big when bringing in Nunes from the Estadio Jose Alvalade last summer, with the midfielder joining in a club-record deal worth £42.2m.

Despite some disappointing form so far in the current campaign, which has seen him register no goals and just one assist in the Premier League, the 24-year-old still has multiple suitors, with recent reports suggesting that Liverpool are especially keen on signing him in 2023.

If Julen Lopetegui does opt to cash in on the young midfielder, then Ugarte could be an ideal replacement, and he may even prove to be an upgrade when you compare their respective statistics from the season so far.

This graphic emphasises that the Uruguayan would be a significant upgrade from a defensive perspective in Lopetegui’s side compared to Nunes, and on current form, he could be a far better player to have in a relegation battle.

Ugarte’s ability to win back possession  has earned him praise from football talent scout Jacek Kulig, who called him a “midfield machine” after topping the charts for tackles and duels won among all players in the Champions League so far this season.

While Nunes has hitherto struggled to adapt to the Premier League, Ugarte’s strength in winning physical battles suggests that he could be an ideal fit at Molineux.

Therefore, if Wolves splash the cash on another player from Sporting Lisbon this month, then it would not be a surprise to see Nunes offloaded amid Liverpool’s interest in him.

Everton selling Jordan Pickford would be a worrying sign that they are struggling financially, according to an update from journalist Paul Brown.

The Lowdown: Pickford linked with exit

The 28-year-old has been one of the Blues’ standout players throughout 2022, playing a big part in them avoiding relegation from the Premier League last season.

Pickford has been linked with a move away from Goodison Park recently however, with a summer exit reportedly on the cards once the 2022/23 campaign ends.

It would be the second summer in a row they lose a high profile player after Richarlison’s move to Tottenham, so the hope is that the England international stays put.

The Latest: Journalist worried about finances

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Brown said that Pickford moving on next summer would suggest that Everton have no choice but to generate funds through sales:

“I think the uncertainty is unhelpful to everyone. If Everton want Pickford to stay, they should get that done as quickly as possible. There’s no reason why they shouldn’t.

“If they were to sell Pickford, I think it would be a giant warning sign that they really are struggling for cash and that the ambitions might not be the same as they were.”

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The Verdict: Concerning time at Everton

There is no doubt that this is a concerning time for Everton, with results on the pitch hugely disappointing and the pressure building on Frank Lampard all the time.

Losing Pickford would further weaken the Blues, with the Englishman described as ‘outstanding’ by Leon Osman and winning three Man of the Match awards from WhoScored this season.

The hope is that the goalkeeper remains at Everton beyond the summer, and if he is sold for financial reasons, it will be a big worry for supporters, especially at a time when their new stadium is being built.

West Ham United have been handed a major fitness boost ahead of their Premier League meeting with Arsenal on Monday.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a report by football.london, who revealed that both Declan Rice and Lucas Paqueta rejoined first-team training on Wednesday, despite both players having only recently returned from World Cup action with England and Brazil respectively.

The report goes on to state that this will come as a ‘major boost’ to David Moyes ahead of the trip to The Emirates next week, with it being said that the duo should be fit enough to take part in the Premier League fixture against Mikel Arteta’s table-toppers.

Major boost

Considering just how important both Rice and Paqueta are in the heart of the West Ham side, the fact that both players look as if they will be fit to feature against Arsenal is undoubtedly a major boost for Moyes, especially considering the Hammers’ run of awful form in recent fixtures.

Indeed, over Rice’s 15 Premier League appearances so far this season, the £70m-rated talent has undoubtedly been the Irons’ star player, having scored one goal, registered two assists and created two big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.3 key passes, 2.4 tackles, 1.6 interceptions and winning 4.2 duels – at a success rate of 61% – per game.

These returns have seen the £60k-per-week midfielder average a simply sensational Sofascore match rating of 7.27, not only ranking him as Moyes’ best performer in the league but also as the joint 16th-best player in the top flight of English football as a whole.

Meanwhile, over Paqueta’s eight Premier League fixtures in the current campaign, the £61.5m-rated summer signing has also highly impressed, registering two assists and creating one big chance, in addition to taking an average of 2.4 shots – 0.9 of which have been on target – making 0.6 key passes, 2.3 tackles and winning 5.4 duels – at a success rate of 51% – per match.

These metrics have seen the £150k-per-week Brazilian average an exceptional Sofascore match rating of 7.04, currently ranking the 25-year-old as West Ham’s fourth-best performer in the league.

As such, it is clear to see that the availability of both players for the Arsenal match would be fantastic news for Moyes and his side, with the duo undoubtedly providing the club’s chances of leaving north London with a positive result with a substantial boost.