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Liverpool have turned into a European powerhouse again thanks to the magic of Jurgen Klopp, who has continually been able to get the best out of the players at his disposal. Inspiring and passionate, it’s hard to not watch the German on the sidelines and feel inspired.

Klopp has made a career at Anfield out of transforming the team and improving the state of the club, and he’s had yet another major success story this season – Daniel Sturridge.

Sturridge’s Liverpool career looked as good as over last season after a loan to West Brom, and he may have even left over the summer. He wouldn’t have been a huge loss based on his then-recent form, that’s for sure.

However, that’s all changed this season. The Englishman has been lethal this term, and he’s quickly emerging as an important rotational option on Merseyside. He’s a game changer for the club, and he proved that against Chelsea last week.

Sturridge’s contract, though, expires next summer – meaning that Liverpool could lose him on a free at the end of the season. On current form, it’s fair to say that would be a very bad thing for the Reds.

Instead, then, it may be time for Liverpool to renew his contract – and here are TWO reasons why…

Explosive Start

Make no mistake, Daniel Sturridge is one of the most in-form forwards in the Premier League at present. Including their pre-season games, Sturridge has got a whopping 9 goals in just 12 games, and he’s done particularly well over the last week or so – with two goals in two games against Chelsea.

He’s always been a lethal finisher, and he proved that during his early days, but as of late he’s struggled in that regard. Indeed, he was pretty ineffective at West Brom last season.

However, he’s found his scoring boots this year, and Liverpool will now be hoping that keeps them on. On current form, hanging on to him is a no-brainer.

Liverpool would be hard pressed to find someone better.

Alternative To Firmino

Liverpool are blessed to not just have one great forward in Daniel Sturridge. They’ve also got Roberto Firmino, who has turned into one of their most important players over the last year or two.

He’s a regular starter under Jurgen Klopp, and there’s no doubting that he’ll continue to be so over the next few years. However, that doesn’t mean that he can do it all alone.

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The Brazilian’s injury record is pretty good, but problems can occur at any time, and that was proven when he suffered an eye injury earlier this season.

With Liverpool playing so many games, it’s vital that Klopp has a worthy alternative to Firmino, and he’s clearly found that in Sturridge. In truth, he’s even showing signs that he could go one better and replace Firmino altogether.

Whilst that’s unlikely, a role alongside the Brazilian may make sense at some point, and so hanging on to him would be a wise move.

Manchester United have improved drastically in the forward areas this season, though they could now be prepared to offer a platform for Real Madrid star Endrick to shine ahead of the World Cup if circumstances align.

Benjamin Sesko has endured a mixed time since joining the Red Devils. Two goals in 11 matches haven’t exactly set the house on fire, though he has been an impressive presence within build-up play under Ruben Amorim.

Nevertheless, his recent performances have not escaped Gary Neville’s attention, who told NBC Sports that the ‘jury is out’ on whether he will be the right fit through the middle long-term.

He said: “I’m no further forward with him. The jury is out. He’s well off it compared to the other summer signings that Man United made up front in Cunha and Mbeumo.

“He looks awkward, he had a couple of really good opportunities in the first half – when balls got played over the top. And his touch wasn’t quite right.”

Quite clearly, Sesko has the potential to come good. Other than him, Joshua Zirkzee has had limited minutes at Manchester United this season, and he is now reportedly in the sights of Everton with the World Cup taking place next summer.

At this point, it is unclear whether he will be allowed to leave in January. If he is permitted to go, the Red Devils will likely target another forward to pick up the shortfall for the second half of the campaign, even temporarily.

As the transfer window draws closer, Manchester United may now have a plan in place to land a world-renowned talent to bolster their attacking options.

Man Utd target Endrick tells agent he wants loan from Real Madrid

According to The Daily Star, Manchester United target Endrick has told his agents that he will seek a loan move in January, with the only way of that being likely to change if his minutes improve at Real Madrid.

The Brazil international has been frozen out by Xabi Alonso and has played in a single match this season. Aston Villa have also come to the table if uncertainty over his future is set to linger.

Endrick since joining Real Madrid

Appearances

38

Goals

7

Assists

1

West Ham United and Juventus have been mentioned in dispatches as alternative suitors, with the 19-year-old fearful that a lack of games may prohibit his chances of going to next year’s World Cup.

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In the scenario where any deal is concluded to send Endrick on loan, Real Madrid want his next club to pay his wages in full for the duration of a spell away from the Spanish capital.

Man Utd are also pushing hard to sign an England international

Mid-season always promised to be an important time of year at Old Trafford, and it now remains to be seen whether they can secure the youngster in a deal that would make headlines across the world.

As Graham Potter looks to shape his West Ham United side ahead of his first full season in charge, the Hammers have reportedly made contact to sign an impressive Serie A midfielder who once pocketed Declan Rice.

West Ham keen on attacking additions

It’s a big few months ahead for Potter and his side following a tough start to life at the London Stadium for the former Chelsea manager. After arriving to replace the struggling Julen Lopetegui, many expected Potter to make his mark from the off and ensure that any Stamford Bridge failure became an afterthought. That new manager bounce never truly came, however, and the pressure is now on.

Graham Potter at West Ham

Record (via Transfermarkt)

Games

20

Wins

6

Draws

5

Defeats

9

Following just six wins in his first 20 games and a frustrating 14th-place finish in the Premier League, Potter and West Ham must ensure that they get off to a quick start next season.

What should help that is their potential work in the summer transfer window. Already, they’ve reportedly set their sights on attacking additions such as Adama Bojang and AS Roma’s Tammy Abraham.

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The latter would be a particularly wise addition given his past Premier League experience and the Hammers could yet land a relatively routine deal following his struggles on loan at AC Milan last season.

Abraham, like West Ham, endured a season to forget last time out and could certainly do with a return to the Premier League if he is to rediscover his best form in the next campaign.

It’s not just their frontline that West Ham must improve, however. Amid previous reports that David Moyes’ Everton side are interested in signing Tomas Soucek this summer, those at the London Stadium could be forced to find a replacement. And what better way to replace the towering midfielder than by signing a player who “shut down” former star Rice?

West Ham make contact to sign Musah

According to TeamTalk, West Ham have now made initial contact to sign Yunus Musah from AC Milan this summer. The American international initially looked on his way to Serie A champions Napoli in a deal worth €25m (£21m) before Milan changed their stance and demanded that price as well as add-ons. Now, the Hammers have a chance to sneak in ahead of Napoli.

Whether West Ham are willing to do what Napoli are not will be the big question, but their interest in Musah should come as no surprise. At 22 years old, the midfielder already has some impressive experience under his belt at the top level, including at the 2022 World Cup.

It was in Qatar that the Milan man caught the eye for the USA, especially against England as he helped his side earn a 0-0 draw against the Three Lions. Earning the praise of Jacek Kulig as a result, the scout claimed that both Musah and Tyler Adams “shut down” an England midfield which included Rice and Jude Bellingham.

Celtic are down but not yet out of this season’s Champions League.

On Wednesday night, in the first leg of their knockout phase tie against Bayern Munich, the Hoops were beaten 2-1, leaving them with a mountain to climb in Bavaria next Tuesday.

Daizen Maeda’s header 11 minutes from time did spark a late onslaught, but the Bundesliga leaders held on for victory.

That goal, while it may ultimately not be enough to see Brendan Rodgers’ reach the round of 16, did set some Celtic history, but it’s a star from the last time Celtic reached the Champions League knockout stages 12 years ago who’s been in the news since.

Daizen Maeda's record-breaking tally

Maeda’s late goal in mid-week was his fourth in this season’s Champions League, having previously netted against Slovan Bratislava, Borussia Dortmund and Club Brugge during the league phase.

This makes the Japanese forward the first Celtic player since Joe Craig in 1977/78 to score four or more goals in a single European Cup campaign; three of Craig’s four goals came against Luxembourgish outfit Jeunesse Esch, the other when then Austrian champions Wacker Innsbruck visited Glasgow.

Some seriously talented strikers have reached three goals in the intervening years, as the table below documents.

Celtic: 3+ goals in a Champions League season since ’78 (excludes qualifiers)

Players

Goals

Season

Daizen Maeda

4

2024/25

Adam Idah

3

2024/25

Moussa Dembélé

3

2016/17

Georgios Samaras

3

2012/13

Kenny Miller

3

2006/07

Chris Sutton

3

2003/04

Henrik Larsson

3

2001/02

Mo Johnston

3

1986/87

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

Of course, Adam Idah could join his teammate on four goals, albeit next Tuesday’s trip to the Allianz Arena appears likely to be his last chance to do so.

However, another former Celtic centre-forward, who played a starring role in the historic Champions League campaign of 2012/13, has been in the news this week, after making a rather unusual career choice.

Celtic's 'best striker' after Larsson

On Thursday evening, Isthmian League North Division club Maldon & Tiptree announced the signing of Gary Hooper.

Nicknamed the Jammers, they ply their trade in England’s eighth tier, but have just been the subject of a ‘multi-million pound’ takeover by Barrie and Scott Drewitt-Barlow.

Former Manchester City and West Ham midfielder Kevin Horlock, who’s just been appointed manager, says the club’s aim is to get into the Football League, a feat they would require four promotions to achieve.

Where Are They Now

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Well, the new owners are certainly spending big to achieve this objective, first signing goalkeeper Elliot Justham from National League side Dagenham & Redbridge on Wednesday, but Hooper is certainly the biggest name addition they’ve made so far.

Maldon & Tiptree, who are currently 15th in the table, visit Cambridge City at their brand-new stadium in Sawston on Saturday, so it’ll be interesting to see if Hooper debuts.

During his time at Celtic, Hooper was, as Phil Gordon of the Times puts it, absolutely ‘clinical’, described by then manager Neil Lennon as the club’s “best striker [here] since Henrik Larsson”, and his numbers are certainly comparable to the very best.

Selected Celtic strikers (2010-present

Player

Years at Celtic

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Minutes per goal

Gary Hooper

2010-13

138

82

30

136

Kyōgo Furuhashi

2021-25

165

85

19

126

Daizen Maeda

2022-present

145

52

24

194

Odsonne Édouard

2017-2021

179

87

38

140

Moussa Dembélé

2016-2018

94

51

18

121

Leigh Griffiths

2014-2022

261

123

51

118

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

As the table shows, Hooper’s numbers at Celtic are on par with all the best strikers who’ve come since, boasting a better minutes-per-goal ratio than both Odsonne Édouard and Maeda, scoring only three fewer goals than Kyōgo Furuhashi in 27 fewer games.

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The Englishman’s contribution to the 2012 Champions League campaign, scoring home and away during victories over Spartak Moskva, as the Hoops reached the round of 16, will never be forgotten.

This form earned Hooper a move to Norwich for £5m, but he didn’t live up to expectations in Norfolk, and his career has never really recovered.

He was then moved to Sheffield Wednesday, and since departing the Owls in 2019, he has represented Wellington Phoenix in New Zealand, Kerala Blasters in India, Omonia in Cyprus and Gulf United of the UAE, before returning to England, first with Barnet, then at Kettering Town and now Maldon & Tiptree, who he previously played for as a teenager.

Just a few weeks on from his 37th birthday, will Hooper still have his goal-scoring instincts at Isthmian League North Division level?

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Leeds United were dealt a number of blows in the summer transfer window as they lost a host of key players after they failed to earn promotion from the Championship.

The Whites lost Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter, Archie Gray, and Glen Kamara to West Ham United, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Rennes respectively, after they lost 1-0 to Southampton in the play-off final.

After the 2023/24 campaign, the Hammers swooped in to sign the Championship Player of the Year, Summerville, for a reported fee of £25m plus add-ons.

The Dutch forward earned himself a big-money move away from Elland Road after an impressive campaign in front of goal under Daniel Farke last term.

Crysencio Summervile's form last season

The 22-year-old wizard showcased his quality at the top end of the pitch on a consistent basis in the second tier in the 2023/24 campaign, to propel Leeds to a third-placed finish in the regular season.

Summerville, who had scored four goals in 28 Premier League games in the previous term, featured in 41 of the club’s 46 league games before the play-offs.

Statistics

Summerville (23/24 Championship)

Starts

41

Goals

19

Conversion rate

15%

Assists

9

Dribbles completed per game

2.3

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Dutchman was directly involved in 28 goals in those 41 games and almost hit 20 league goals for the season.

These statistics illustrate why it was such a big blow for Farke to lose the forward in the summer transfer window, as he provided a gigantic threat in the final third as both a scorer and a creator of goals from the wing.

The German head coach could, however, eventually unearth his next version of Summerville in Thorp Arch talent Luca Thomas, who has caught the eye at youth level.

Why Lucas Thomas could be the next Crysencio Summerville

The 20-year-old forward has been in prolific form for the U18 and U21 sides in recent seasons and could have the potential to develop into a Summerville-esque figure for Leeds in the future.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast's In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

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It was recently reported by Football Insider that Thomas is in talks to sign for National League side York City on loan for the second half of the 2024/25 campaign, which would be his first step into senior football.

Playing regular men’s football week-in-week-out for a few months at the start of 2025 could be a great learning experience for the youngster, who could then look to kick on.

He has clearly outgrown development football at Thorp Arch, with a return of six goals and one assist in five matches for the U21s so far this season. Last term, the versatile attacker – who can play centrally or out wide – produced six goals and four assists in 18 outings.

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Overall, Thomas scored 23 goals in 30 matches for the U18s and has currently racked up 12 goals and five assists in 30 outings for the U21s, combining for 35 goals and eight assists in 60 games.

U21 boss Scott Gardner recently claimed that “he’s scoring with pretty much every opportunity he gets”, and that is backed up by his return of six goals in five matches this season.

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If Thomas can carry that form over to first-team level and then eventually break into the Leeds starting XI further down the line, Farke could have his next winger who can provide goals and assists at a special rate.

Sheffield Wednesday look to be nearing towards a number of new signings, having now confirmed the shock swoop of former Blades defender Max Lowe recently, as they aim to soften the blow of Will Vaulks' exit.

The central midfield warrior has now officially left Hillsborough behind for pastures new at Oxford United, joining the newly promoted side U's over sticking it out in South Yorkshire, which will sting from Wednesday's perspective.

The former Rotherham United man made 37 appearances for Danny Rohl's men last campaign, as they pulled off an almighty relegation escape, with worries now getting the better of the Owls that other stalwarts will exit further down the line.

Any concern about Callum Paterson joining Vaulks out of the door has been quashed for now, with Wednesday's retained list confirming a new deal had been activated for the long-standing servant, who can star under Rohl next campaign.

Callum Paterson's numbers for Wednesday

The 29-year-old is now very much part of the furniture in South Yorkshire, having amassed 155 appearances for the Owls since joining in 2020, proving himself to be a dependable and versatile squad member in the process.

Yet, last campaign was, arguably, the rockiest patch of his lengthy Hillsborough stay to date, which saw him go missing for large portions of the season, with only 25 games tallied up in the end in the league.

Therefore, there must have been a real concern he would be just allowed to leave this summer like Vaulks, but he did prove his worth towards the business end of the gruelling campaign, as Wednesday bravely battled to stave off the Championship drop-zone.

Paterson would feature in some capacity, often being utilised as a late substitute, in all of Wednesday's unbeaten six-game run to close out the dramatic season, managing to win 100% of his duels in his team's final home win against West Bromwich Albion, despite only being on the pitch for 14 minutes.

Endearing himself to the hardened Wednesday masses by excelling in their promotion story of the 2022/23 season too, with ten goal contributions managed, it would have been a sad end to his time with the Owls if he did abruptly exit like Vaulks.

It would've been even more of a bitter pill to swallow, losing the 29-year-old for potentially nothing, when you consider his transfer value – according to Football Transfers – hasn't been dented that much despite his lack of game-time.

Paterson's transfer value in 2024

Paterson's valuation is still sitting at a pretty hefty £1.1m, even after finding himself on the periphery at points last campaign under Rohl, which actually sees him come in as being more of a valued asset than Barry Bannan currently, in the German manager's tight-knit camp.

The Scottish attacking midfielder is worth a lesser £1m in contrast, even whilst donning the captain's armband for the Owls last season, which further reinforces the fact that keeping the 29-year-old was the correct call, instead of letting him leave.

Paterson's transfer value at Sheffield Wednesday over the years

Year

Transfer value

2024

£1.1m

2023

£1.5m

2022

£675k

2021

£3m

2020

£506k

Sourced by Football Transfers

Never seeing his value fall below £500k since joining from Cardiff City in 2020, it would have been a disaster to lose Paterson for nothing, with his price tag now double that.

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Vaulks, in contrast, would walk away from South Yorkshire with an estimated lesser value of £591k next to his name compared to Paterson's £1.1m, with Rohl's men now waiting to see if they regret letting the Welshman go down the line, or whether it was the swift decision they had to make at the time.

Dread over Paterson's future will, no doubt, become a pain at the end of the next campaign, despite it being solved for the time being, as his contract nears close to its expiry date once more.

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Newcastle United have made an approach for a Premier League player with a "huge future" in the game, according to an update from reliable journalist David Ornstein.

Newcastle planning around FFP concerns

The Magpies are still looking to complete some important business in the coming days, ensuring their squad looks as strong as possible for the second half of the season despite a quiet window so far. Newcastle certainly haven't looked short of options to bring in during the January transfer mania, given the amount of rumours doing the rounds, and one report has claimed that they could hijack Crystal Palace's move for highly-rated Blackburn Rovers midfielder Adam Wharton.

Chelsea middle man Conor Gallagher has also been backed to a make a move to St James' Park, with the England international possibly able to leave the Blues in the near future due to their own issues with Financial Fair Play. Manchester United youngster Omari Forson is reportedly wanted by the Magpies, too, but rivals Sunderland are also believed to be interested.

The club of course have to be careful to navigate around Profit and Sustainability restrictions, but they have now turned their attention to an interesting target from a Premier League rival.

Jacob Ramsey transfer update

According to The Athletic's Ornstein on X, Newcastle have made an approach for Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey, but aren't the only big club showing an interest in signing him.

Tottenham and Bayern Munich are also name-checked as potential suitors for the Englishman, who has emerged as a top talent at Villa Park in recent years. Ramsey could be a great signing by Newcastle if they manage to get a deal over the line, but that is unlikely to be easy, with Villa no doubt seeing him as a prized asset who will only be allowed to leave for huge money.

Injuries have disrupted the 22-year-old's season overall, but he has still made his park for Unai Emery's high-flying side, making ten appearances in the league and scoring once along the way.

Jacob Ramsey key career stats

Appearances

Goals

Aston Villa

115

13

Aston Villa Under-23s

27

8

Aston Villa Under-18s

38

16

England Under-21s

16

4

At 22, he is at a really good age to come in and be a special signing for the Magpies, with years very much on his side but enough experience under his belt to be a key squad player from the moment he arrives. Liverpool legend and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher once lauded him earlier in his Villa career under Steven Gerrard, saying:

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"There is no better teacher than Steven Gerrard and he (Ramsey) looks like another off the conveyor belt. If he could get anywhere close to Gerrard’s level, then he’s got a huge future."

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Signing Ramsey will not be easy – he has the same agent as Anthony Gordon, which may help smooth connections between the parties, but his current Villa deal doesn't expire until the summer of 2027, so it would feel like a major coup if Newcastle struck a deal for him, whether that be in the January or summer transfer window.

West Ham United have arguably been the surprise of the season so far. The Hammers are still unbeaten after four Premier League games, having beaten both Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion.

When you consider the fact that they lost Declan Rice in a move worth a reported £105m to Arsenal, too, David Moyes' side have been all the more impressive.

Given how good they've been, West Ham may not have wanted the international break to come so soon, especially with the added risk of injury. Without it, the London club had the chance to continue their form, perhaps extending it to one of their best runs under Moyes. Now, however, they are set to come out of the break with key injuries and their momentum stalled.

What's the latest West Ham United injury news?

Moyes may already be without summer signing James Ward-Prowse against the Premier League champions, after the former Southampton man reportedly picked up an injury last week, and has been sitting out of training ever since. The England international hit the ground running at the London Stadium, scoring once and assisting three times in three games for the Hammers, but could now miss their next game, with fans anxiously awaiting the results of a scan this week.

On top of that, according to reports in the Czech Republic, Vladimir Coufal has now picked up a small injury whilst on international duty, and is potentially a doubt for West Ham's top of the table clash against Manchester City.

The full-back has featured in all four Premier League games so far this season, meaning that, without him, Moyes' side may struggle to maintain their impressive unbeaten run. With that said, it's certainly been an international break to forget for the Hammers, although the full extent of Coufal's issue is not yet clear.

How has Vladimir Coufal performed this season?

Now 31-years-old, you'd be forgiven for assuming that Coufal's place in the West Ham side would be at risk this season. That has been anything but the case, however, as the Czech Republic international has started every league game for his side.

The stats show that he is more than earning his place in Moyes' plans this season, too. According to FBref, in four games, Coufal has made 11 progressive passes, five progressive carries, won six tackles, and made five blocks and interceptions. It has been an all-round performance from the right-back so far this season, warranting his reported salary of £52k-per-week.

At his best, Coufal has earned plenty of deserved praise, too, including from Jamie Carragher, who once named him in his Premier League Team of the Season.

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Carragher said, via Football London: "At right-back I've gone for Vladimir Coufal, I love him. He plays week in, week out, has been brilliant and typifies West Ham's season."

Everything points towards a player that West Ham could do with having at their disposal against Manchester City, making his injury whilst on international duty all the more frustrating for Moyes and co, who may now need to find an adequate replacement.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have been offered the chance to sign Harry Maguire this summer, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Harry Maguire?

Recently, CBS Sports reporter Ben Jacobs spoke on the United Stand YouTube channel and stated that Maguire could be a surprise target for the Old Gold this summer as Julen Lopetegui eyes defensive reinforcements.

Jacobs gave some further insight into Wolves' interest in Maguire this off-season, stating: “I would actually keep an eye on Wolves. One dark horse for Maguire. Even though he has not had as good a season this season as the season before, Max Kilman is being looked at by a variety of clubs, so Wolves could lose a centre-back, and that might open the possibility later in the window for them to look at a player like Maguire.He is on their radar as well. There are going to be offers for Maguire.”

According to Football Insider, Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur are also keen on the £190k-a-week ace, who is also attracting attention from clubs overseas.

The report states that despite several clubs being open to offering him a new challenge, Maguire is said to be content at Manchester United despite falling further down the pecking order at Old Trafford during 2022/23.

talkSPORT understand that Maguire is keen to fight for his spot at Manchester United and is 'reluctant' to leave the Red Devils, where he is currently club captain.

Speaking to Football FanCast, transfer insider Jones would have his doubts over Maguire's suitability to Wolves should he complete a move to Molineux.

Jones told FFC: "I mean, the Maguire one surprises me a bit. I'm not really sure how that fits with anyone's vision, whether it's Harry Maguire or Wolves, so I'm not so sure about that one, but this is the time when they're trying to put the feelers out and find clubs that will buy and actually show some interest in Harry Maguire. I can believe that it's been put to them. Would they be interested?"

Would Harry Maguire be an ideal addition for Wolverhampton Wanderers?

Maguire is an experienced head that could potentially be an intelligent signing by Wolves if he was to be enticed to swap Old Trafford for Molineux this summer.

The Sheffield-born star – who has been dubbed a "monster" by some in the media – was utilised mainly as a rotational squad option during 2022/23 and made 31 appearances in total for Manchester United, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored show that the 30-year-old had his wits about him regarding sniffing out danger across the term, as he completed an average of 2.6 clearances per match in the Premier League.

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As per FBRef, Maguire also excelled in comparison to his positional peers across Europe's top five divisions in the art of aerial duels won, successfully coming out on top in around 3.01 per 90 minutes across the last 365 days, putting him in the top 12% for this metric.

Nevertheless, Wolves would need to beat off stiff competition from a number of clubs in England and around Europe if they were to snap up Maguire in this window.

Everton’s transfer blunders have been well-documented ever since Farhad Moshiri’s takeover, with seven years of mediocrity having since devolved into relegation scraps.

Season after season of misspending has left the Toffees financially ravaged, with plenty of choice acquisitions to highlight their fool-hearted spending.

Whilst some might lean towards the record signings, perhaps the worst pound-for-pound player that has ever graced the Merseyside club has to be Jean-Philippe Gbamin, given just how little he offered during his tenure.

Brought in to replace the outbound Idrissa Gueye, he was billed as an all-action defensive midfielder who had a keen eye for a pass. Yet none of these traits were able to be showcased at Goodison Park, as the Ivorian would feature just eight times in total whilst spending plenty of time out on loan.

In his desperate bid to regain fitness, the 27-year-old somehow managed to accumulate more appearances for CSKA Moscow and Trabzonspor respectively despite never being at either permanently. His fee and wages were admittedly big, but the cost was exacerbated due to the calamitous failure he became.

How much has Jean-Philippe Gbamin cost Everton?

From hamstring injuries to a ruptured Achilles tendon, Gbamin suffered from all sorts of ailments during his time in Liverpool.

His £25m initial fee would have drawn more surprise had Marco Silva not just received a mouth-watering £30m from Paris Saint-Germain for their Senegalese engine.

However, he did little to offset the departure of a man who boasted a 7.09 average Sofascore rating the season before his departure. 

Gbamin’s astronomical £75k-per-week wages were made to look even more foolish too, which only served to add to the overall outlay on a player who did categorically nothing for the club. 

The two and a half seasons he actually spent with Everton saw him drain a further £9.7m, whilst his five months in Russia saw his wages supplemented by 70% meaning he only earned £19k-per-week. That brought the total expenditure for the midfielder up to a colossal £34.8m.

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That means that he cost the club roughly £4.3m for every appearance he made.

Bemoaned for his “bad luck” by Goodison Park favourite Kevin Campbell, his miserable contract is set to come to its natural conclusion in the summer of 2024 as Gbamin exits on a free.

Moshiri will be happy to see the back of someone who has rinsed his bank account for the best part of 160 weeks with nothing to show for it.