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Sean Dyche has reinvigorated Everton since his arrival following the sacking of Frank Lampard, winning three Premier League matches so far and although there is work to do, there is a new-found energy about Goodison Park.

If he does manage to survive, Dyche has a tough job on his hands this summer in terms of improving the team, especially in the forward areas. The club haven’t scored nearly enough goals that they should, ranking as the top-flight's joint-lowest scorers with just 22 goals scored.

Striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin should have been at the forefront of their attack this season and living up to his early promise at the club, yet having suffered injury issues which have restricted him to just 12 appearances and one goal, proving that the Toffees need someone better ahead of next season.

Dyche would surely love to bring back a few players from Everton’s illustrious history in order to bolster their stagnating frontline, with talisman Duncan Ferguson the ideal candidate to transform their fortunes.

Is Duncan Ferguson one of Everton’s finest forwards?

The case for Ferguson being one of the club’s finest strikers, especially across the last 30 years, is a strong one, such is his association with the Toffees.

The enigmatic Scot first joined the Merseyside outfit back in 1994 from Glasgow Rangers on an initial loan move, before being made permanent by Joe Royle. He entered Everton folklore by becoming part of the team which secured the FA Cup following a historic victory over Manchester United in 1995.

He scored 35 goals during his first spell at Everton before being sold to Newcastle, yet his spell in the Northeast wasn’t a success, netting just 12 goals, and he secured a return to his beloved Toffees in 2000.

His later years saw Ferguson use his stature and frame to great effect, becoming a battering ram as he terrorised opposition defences and this further endeared him to the Everton faithful. He failed to score over ten goals during his final six seasons of his career but his impact more than made up for it.

Ferguson would be a standout in Dyche’s Everton side, bringing some character and heart to a team that badly need an influx in both.

The former striker has received praise from fans and pundits alike throughout his career and boxer David Price even claimed that Ferguson was “always a threat” whenever Liverpool faced their fierce rivals, and judging by his career at the club, it was high praise indeed.

If only Dyche could bring a prime Ferguson into his starting XI for the final few weeks of the season, he could make all the difference and would've surely got Goodison rocking again.

Tottenham Hotspur director of football Fabio Paratici is believed to be a big admirer of managerial duo Luis Enrique and Sergio Conceicao.

Will Spurs sack Antonio Conte?

Over half a week has now passed since Antonio Conte's fiery press conference following their draw against Southampton and he still remains in his job.

However, there are reports suggesting the north London club are now discussing a potential compensation package with the 53-year-old which would see him leave the club in the coming days.

And it had been suggested over the last few weeks that Paratici had been drawing up a shortlist of potential successors should the Italian's time in north London come to a premature end.

Speaking on the Last Word On Spurs YouTube channel, journalist Alasdair Gold has suggested the Spurs director of football has two specific managers which he is a big fan of:

"I know Paratici adores Luis Enrique. I know that he is someone that he has wanted in the past, but obviously, he was at Spain; and he really likes Conceicao as well at Porto.

"I think those are two that would be – if Paratici is the one making the decision – I think they would be very, very high on his list."

Who should Spurs appoint?

Amid the speculation surrounding the future of Conte, it has been suggested the current coach, Ryan Mason, could well step up – again – and take charge until the end of the season.

The 31-year-old has previously taken charge in the caretaker role on the back of Jose Mourinho's sacking back in 2021.

However, his first job in management provided mixed results having won four of their six league games but losing in the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City (via Transfermarkt).

But there have to be questions about whether any of the potential managerial candidates would be willing to step in now with only 10 games remaining in the season.

Spurs have a huge run of games to come in April with consecutive games against Newcastle United, Liverpool and then Manchester United at the back end of the month.

Given there is not much of a wait until the summer, it could well be the case that any potential candidates would look to hold out and join the club then as they will be provided time to implement their philosophy on the squad.

And in the case of Conceicao, the 48-year-old is currently still in a job at Porto and it would seem highly unlikely he would walk away before the end of the campaign with Champions League football still to play for.

It feels like a big few days are ahead of Spurs and it will be interesting to see who they have in their dugout for their next game when they travel to Everton.

Southampton are approaching the point in their bitter campaign where defeat is simply not an option; with the established Premier League club four points adrift from safety after 24 matches, continuing the wretched form that has heaped ten league defeats onto the outfit from the past 12 matches could spell the end of their stay in the top-flight.

Ruben Selles, the third manager of the campaign, is evidence of the magnitude of the tumult; a beloved and respected figure by the players, Selles secured a monumental victory over Chelsea, away at Stamford Bridge, before falling to relegation rivals Leeds United last weekend.

And now, the paramount importance of landing a first league win of the calendar year at St. Mary’s has never been greater, with forthcoming opponents, Leicester City, themselves only three points clear of the drop zone.

With everything on the line, Saints’ boss simply must unleash 19-year-old prodigy Romeo Lavia, who has been one of his side’s shining lights this season amid the gloom of the collective efforts.

Will Lavia star against Leicester?

A precocious youth, Lavia was signed from Manchester City for £14m in the summer, even subject to an overzealous £50m bid from Chelsea a matter of weeks after arriving on the south coast, on deadline day.

While the bid was swiftly rejected, it was a testament to just how highly regarded Lavia is, and he has certainly made his presence known during his breakout season in professional football.

Having made 20 senior appearances across all competitions this term, producing a goal and an assist apiece, the Belgian starlet has swiftly asserted himself at the heart of the Southampton fold, playing an instrumental role despite missing eight matches due to a hamstring injury earlier in the campaign.

As per Sofascore, the teenage sensation has recorded an average league rating of 6.8, completing 87% of his passes and making 1.9 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game, also impressing with the accuracy of his robustness, winning 60% of his duels and succeeding in 59% of his dribble attempts.

Lauded as “ridiculous” for his industrious abilities by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, Lavia ranks among the top 5% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days for blocks per 90 and the top 19% for pass completion, illustrating his gritty demeanour on the pitch and an assurance that blues his tender age.

With Leicester having made the eighth most passes in the league this season, Lavia’s ubiquity and movement in the midfield will be imperative, and could indeed secure three points that would put his outfit within touching distance of coveted safety.

And given that the Foxes have scored four goals in two of their past four Premier League encounters, the former Cityzen might shine in breaking down offensive advances as his aforementioned defensive statistics show that the gem has the quality to cut out attacks on a regular basis.

Southampton will need to rally fighting spirit and grit for the forthcoming clash, and with Lavia at the heart of the St. Mary’s, victory might just be clinched as the Belgian talent could silence the Foxes midfield.

Despite Steven Gerrard’s lack of managerial experience at the time, his spell at Glasgow Rangers will go down quite fondly with the majority of the Ibrox faithful, despite his rather acrimonious departure in November 2021.

He led the Light Blues to their first Premiership title in a decade during the 2020/21 campaign, ending their Glasgow arch-rivals’ dominance of Scottish football in the process and also re-establishing the Light Blues in Europe, twice reaching the Europa League round of 16 on his watch.

The former Liverpool captain wasn’t without fault, though, especially in the transfer market. One of his biggest howlers came during his first few months in charge as he signed winger Eros Grezda for a fee of £2m, and it soon turned out that the brains trust at Ibrox clearly had the wool pulled over their eyes.

How much did Eros Grezda cost Rangers?

Gerrard wasted no time in trying to improve the Rangers squad just weeks after his announcement as the club’s new manager in 2018, eventually signing 15 players, although Grezda was perhaps the worst when it came to performance on the pitch compared to financial outlay.

Such was the hype surrounding his arrival from Croatian club Osijek that Albanian journalist Ermal Kuka even predicted that the Gers would go on to make a substantial profit on their initial £2m signing.

He proclaimed: “I was surprised they were able to get him for such a low price. I think that is a real steal.

“In two years, I can easily see them selling him for £20 million, because it is different when you buy from Croatia or you buy from a club like Rangers.”

Safe to say, this prophecy that Grezda would eventually go on to become the club’s record sale was horribly wide of the mark. He played just 17 matches for the club, scoring twice (a brace against Motherwell in a 7-1 mismatch) and he cost the club £1m per goal, proving to be a substantial waste of precious funds.

His career at Ibrox was all but over following an alleged spitting incident while playing for the Colts team against Ballymena United at the start of the 2019/20 campaign, and the failed move represents one of Rangers’ biggest transfer failings in the previous five years.

He is currently without a club following failed stints back in Croatia, Hungary and Turkey, making the £2m outlay on the winger even harder to comprehend given how poorly he has done since leaving Rangers.

Gerrard did learn from that misstep and became much smarter when it came to delving into the transfer market over the next couple of seasons at Ibrox, but there’s no getting away from just how much of a shocker he had with this Albanian dud.

Chelsea could ‘look to sign’ Everton midfielder Amadou Onana in the next few days as an alternative to Brighton star Moises Caicedo.

The Lowdown: Caicedo interest…

The Seagulls star is a key midfield target for Graham Potter, and it’s believed that the Ecuadorian is ready to force a move to either Stamford Bridge or London rivals Arsenal.

However, it is also believed that Brighton have adopted a firm not-for-sale stance this month, potentially forcing Chelsea to weigh up alternatives.

The south coast club apparently value Caicedo at around £100m but they do not want him to leave the Amex Stadium, and if this transfer fails, Sky Sports journalist Kaveh Solhekol claims there are alternative targets for the west London club.

The Latest: Chelsea could ‘look to sign’ Onana…

Speaking on The Transfer Show via Sky Sports’ transfer blog [Friday, 17:16], Solhekol says that Chelsea could ‘look to sign’ Onana as an alternative. Enzo Fernandez is another name to whom they could turn, but the Toffees midfielder could provide immediate Premier League experience.

Solhekol stated: “Chelsea have a made a verbal offer before for the player and if Brighton are saying he’s not for sale, he’s not going anywhere, Chelsea may want to respect that and not make another offer.

“Brighton are making it clear and they value him at around £100m. There is still a possibility they look to sign Amadou Onana or Enzo Fernandez over the next few days.”

The Verdict: Good option?

The former Lille midfielder only joined Everton in the summer, but amid the Toffees’ struggle to escape relegation, Onana may want an escape route to Stamford Bridge.

Valued at around £31.5m by Transfermarkt, the 21-year-old certainly comes with credentials and may potentially cost far less than the eye-watering figures quoted by Brighton for Caicedo’s signature.

The Belgium international has even averaged a higher rate of successful tackles per 90 (2.6) than any regular in Chelsea’s squad with more than two starts, backing how he could become a colossal defensive midfield presence under Potter (WhoScored).

Still just 21 years old, Onana would come to west London with the potential to be a signing of real longevity similar to Caicedo.

The towering 6 foot 4 ace has already been called a ‘leader’ by former Belgium boss Roberto Martinez, and he could very well be a shrewd alternative to the Brighton midfielder, for whom a January transfer is proving increasingly difficult.

Manchester United are ‘watching’ Eintracht Frankfurt attacker Randal Kolo Muani ahead of a potential move, according to journalist Christian Falk.

The Lowdown: Kolo Muani impressing of late

The 24-year-old is enjoying an impressive season for Frankfurt, scoring five goals and registering 10 assists in the Bundesliga in just 15 appearances.

Kolo Muani came to prominence during the 2022 World Cup, playing three times and scoring once for France, as well as being denied by Emiliano Martinez in the dying seconds of the final against Argentina.

Now, it looks as though the Frenchman could possibly be heading to England, following a new claim.

The Latest: Man United ‘watching’ Kolo Muani

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Falk said that United are eyeing up a move for Kolo Muani, as Erik ten Hag looks to add further attacking options at Old Trafford.

The journalist claimed:

“They’re watching him, of course, but it’s not concrete now. They have a solution now with Weghorst, and then they have to see, but Frankfurt said they won’t sell him in this winter, €100 million won’t be enough. So, you can now see how much they could like in the summer for him.”

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The Verdict: Good for squad depth

There is no doubt that United need to sign a centre-forward for the long-term, even though Wout Weghorst has come in on loan to add depth for the time being.

Kolo Muani could fit the bill excellently, with his all-round game highlighted by his assist tally, showing that he is someone who can link up well with those around him. He has 33 senior club assists in total, along with one in five caps for France.

He has been hailed as a ‘superb’ player by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, who also described his move to Frankfurt as a ‘masterpiece transfer’, such is his ability.

At 24, Kolo Muani should just be coming into his prime years, so the £25k-per-week attacker could be the next piece of the jigsaw for Ten Hag, bringing pace, power and end product to the United forward line.

West Ham United have identified an AFC Ajax sensation to bolster the midfield ranks and pump some new life into the fold after a damaging 2022/23 campaign thus far. 

Finishing within the European platform in both the past two seasons, Hammers boss David Moyes is now under weighted scrutiny surrounding the confidence in his management of such a talented bunch of players.

Despite his prosperous fortunes since assuming the role of head coach for a second time in December 2019, the club have run wayward this term, languishing in 17th place, level on points with Nottingham Forest, who are only in the drop-zone due to an inferior goal difference. 

With Ajax’s Edson Alvarez distinguished as a player to navigate a course that will get the Iron faithful cheering once again, a glimmer of hope might indeed arise from a troubling situation.

This is according to journalist Graeme Bailey, who detailed his thoughts on the situation to Loaded Mag’s Fully Loaded Transfer Show on Youtube.

He said: “I think Alvarez is one to keep an eye on. West Ham are looking at him because Declan Rice is going to leave for Chelsea in the summer.”

Imagine him & Paqueta

Alvarez has been highlighted as a potential replacement to the likely departing Rice, who has become the Hammers’ most coveted asset across the last few years.

One of the most integral and industrious cogs in the Ajax system, the £30.8m-rated midfielder has made 19 appearances this term, scoring a goal and providing two assists.

As per Sofascore, the 25-year-old has recorded a commendable average rating of 7.21 this term in the Dutch Eredivisie, making 2.2 tackles and 2.5 clearances per outing, sweeping aside the opposition’s advances and recycling possession for his formidable outfit, impressing with his creative flair by completing 88% of his passes and making 1.2 key passes per fixture.

His anchoring approach to his midfield play could meld with that of the Hammers’ marquee summer signing Lucas Paqueta, who arrived from Olympique Lyonnais in a lucrative £51m deal after dazzling in the French Ligue 1, grabbing nine goals and six assists from 35 appearances in a stunning season.

This teerm, he has not quite hit the ground running as Moyes’ east London outfit fail to clinch a rich vein of form, having failed to find the back of the net and assisting three times from 16 showings.

However, with the signing of Alvarez for years to come, Paqueta could have a partner that he could form a deadly partnership with.

The Mexican Alvarez, lauded for his “tenacious” attitude by talent scout Jacek Kulig, would be a stellar addition to a West Ham side in desperate need of reinvigorating, and with Rice potentially leaving, he would indeed be the perfect partner for Paqueta.

Newcastle United are set to return to competitive action at home to Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday evening, with the Magpies looking to pick up where they left off prior to the World Cup break.

Despite the notable excitement of the resumption of club football after an extended hiatus, manager Eddie Howe will no doubt be sweating on the fitness of his key individuals, particularly in the centre-forward ranks.

England international Callum Wilson was a notable absentee from the recent friendly triumph over Rayo Vallecano at St James’ Park following his return from Qatar, with doubts creeping in as to whether the 30-year-old is carrying an injury at present.

While Howe has since moved to suggest the six-cap menace has not sustained an issue, the former Cherries boss was vague as to whether the striker would be in line to feature against his former club tomorrow evening.

More worryingly, the 44-year-old also stated that there is no fixed return date for summer signing Alexander Isak, with the club-record capture having been out of action since early September after making just three appearances for the club thus far.

Although the Tynesiders do have £25m man Chris Wood waiting in the wings for a chance – with the 31-year-old netting against the La Liga side last time out – the New Zealand international has hardly pulled up any trees in 2022 thus far, scoring only four times for the club to date.

That could well lead to an opportunity for academy starlet, Dylan Stephenson, to make his senior debut against Gary O’Neil’s men, with the 20-year-old having notably scored in the recent, 5-0 thrashing of Saudi Arabian side, Al-Hilal.

Following that late strike, the emerging talent was lauded for his performance by his manager, with Howe stating post-match: “You always remember the first goal you score. He’s a great lad, very hard working, great attitude, this is a great experience for him and hopefully the first of many.”

A player who clearly “knows where the net is” – according to journalist Craig Hope – the young Englishman has sparkled in the academy ranks in recent times, with five goals and two assists in just ten games at Premier League 2 level this season.

The youngster’s total record for Newcastle’s U21 side stands at 19 goals in 56 games, having previously scored 20 goals in just 39 outings, proving himself a truly clinical presence in front of goal.

The next test will now be to replicate such displays in the first team, with these latest injury woes ensuring it may well be an ideal time for Stephenson to earn his competitive senior bow this week.

Wolverhampton Wanderers would majorly benefit from the acquisition of Chivas de Guadalajara and Mexico star Alexis Vega, according to transfer reporter Dean Jones. 

The Lowdown: Goalscoring woes

As if being rock bottom of the Premier League table wasn’t bad enough, Wolves cannot find the back of the net, having managed just eight goals across the first half of the season. 

They have struggled to even generate any meaningful chances, with no signs of improvement to their faltering total of 15 big chances created anywhere to be seen.

This is where Mexico World Cup star Vega could come in to proceedings. The 25-year-old created more chances last term (with 44) than two of Wolves’ greatest chance creators combined this season in Daniel Podence (23) and Joao Moutinho (20). 

The Latest: Wolves’ spark 

According to transfer expert Jones, who previously told GMS Vega is on Fosun’s radar, the attacker would bring a much needed spark to Molineux, with new boss Julen Lopetegui bound to be grateful for a creative addition. 

Asked whether £23k-per-week Vega would represent a good signing for Wolves, Jones told GIVEMESPORT: “I do think he would bring a spark.

“I think that is something they’re crying out for once the second half of the season gets underway.”

The Verdict: Sign him up!

With Mexico star Vega about to enter the final 18 months of his contract with Chivas, Wolves may be able to snap him up for a cut-price fee. 

In doing so, they would be signing a star who would comfortably sit as the most creative asset in the side. 

Ultimately, it is their lack of ability to create opportunities that is costing the side goals and, ergo, valuable points, so it is vital that the issue is fixed across the January window.

Wolves should take a gamble on Vega with a view to bringing in a couple of other forward thinking assets across this winter window, possibly including an out and out number nine as well.

West Ham United could land their own Robert Lewandowski if David Moyes manages to lure Borussia Monchengladbach striker Marcus Thuram to the London Stadium.

However, the Scot could face competition from Premier League rivals Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur, who are all vying to sign the in-demand Bundesliga star ahead of the January transfer window.

The Hammers are interested in Thuram as Moyes looks to bolster his attacking options, and a recent update shed further light on the price tag placed on the Frenchman.

According to German outlet Sport Bild, the 25-year-old is set to be available for as little as £6m in the January transfer window due to the player not signing an extension to his contract, which expires at the end of the season.

This should surely tempt Moyes into making a move, and with the striker comparable to the legendary Polish hitman according to FBref’s similar player model, it would be something of a coup.

This season has seen the two strikers register extremely similar statistics when it comes to shots on target (30 to 28), goal-creating actions (eight to seven), shot-creating actions (40 to 39) and dribble success rate (both 50%).

Despite playing in a poorer team than Lewandowski, having similar metrics proves that Thuram could certainly thrive if he made the move to the Premier League.

He was dubbed a “physical monster” by Herve Renard and having scored 10 Bundesliga goals in just 15 matches this season, he could be the answer to West Ham’s Premier League goalscoring woes.

Moyes’ side have scored just 12 league goals so far, the third lowest in the division. Michail Antonio isn’t getting any younger and summer arrival Gianluca Scamacca is still settling into Premier League life, therefore the 59-year-old will surely be targeting another forward in January.

Thuram could be a steal at just £6m and the Scot will need to act sooner rather than later in order to secure his signature considering just how many teams are interested in the Gladbach sensation.