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Ellis Short’s decision to sell Jordan Pickford from Sunderland to Everton in 2017 was a necessary one at a time when the club needed funds quickly.

However, the former chairman’s failure to include a sell-on fee for the England international may be about to cost the Black Cats a lot of money, as the shot-stopper is being linked with a move to Chelsea.

Considering he is England’s number one and is still only 28, the ‘keeper is likely to demand a significant fee should Graham Potter’s side come knocking in January.

Unfortunately for Tony Mowbray and those associated with Sunderland, none of that potential fee will be heading to the Stadium of Light, at a time when an increased transfer budget could be vital.

Sunderland currently sit just four points outside of the playoff positions in the Championship and will no doubt be looking to continue a promising start to life back in the second tier when they resume in December.

Had the Black Cats inserted a sell-on clause in the deal to sell Pickford to Everton, they could have easily been receiving north of £5m in January, given that the 28-year-old is currently valued at €28m (£24.3m) by Transfermarkt, which could have gone a long way towards signing a number of new players to aid them in the Championship for the rest of the season.

Since his move to Goodison Park, Pickford has gone on to make 213 appearances for the Toffees, conceding 303 goals and keeping 57 clean sheets.

Given that Frank Lampard’s side once again find themselves in a relegation battle in the Premier League this season, it would be easy to see why the goalkeeper would want to move to a side such as Chelsea, where he could test himself against Europe’s elite in the Champions League.

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Therefore, should he complete a big-money move away from Everton in the near future, Sunderland will surely be rueing their former chairman’s lack of financial nous when selling Pickford in 2017.

Aston Villa are eyeing a ‘surprise’ move for Sevilla goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, with Unai Emery a huge fan, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Bounou profiled

Bounou, nicknamed Bono, is currently at the World Cup with Morocco, where he kept a clean sheet against Croatia on Wednesday.

The 31-year-old has plied his club trade in Spain for the majority of his career and has been with Sevilla since 2020. Called ‘excellent’ by reporter Tanguy Le Seviller, Bono has made 120 appearances for his current employers, keeping 53 clean sheets, and it looks as if Villa are possibly keen on a move.

The Latest: Villa links

FI reporter Wayne Veysey shared a story on Thursday morning regarding Villa and Bono.

He revealed that Villa are plotting a surprise move for the shot-stopper, with Emery a huge admirer.

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The Verdict: Not needed

Emiliano Martinez is currently first choice at Villa Park, with the experienced Robin Olsen number two in the Midlands.

Bono has played regular first-team football over the past seven years, so you’d expect he wouldn’t want to come to England and play second-fiddle to Martinez.

Therefore, you could make an argument that the Sevilla man isn’t needed at Villa Park, provided Martinez remains at the club, but his displays in Qatar could be one to monitor following this update.

Newcastle United have submitted an enquiry to sign Ajax midfielder Mohammed Kudus in 2023, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Star in the making

The Ghanaian is currently in Qatar after being named in Otto Addo’s 26-man squad for the World Cup, and his performances in the Middle East appear to have caught the eye of several potential suitors, having stood out with two goals against South Korea on Monday.

Newcastle’s Premier League rivals Everton came close to signing the 22-year-old over the summer for £15m, whilst Liverpool had been monitoring him as well, but Eddie Howe is now keen to bring him to St James’ Park.

The Latest: Newcastle make Kudus enquiry

According to 90min, Newcastle, alongside Arsenal and Tottenham, have ‘asked’ about Kudus’ situation in Amsterdam following his outstanding displays at the World Cup.

Ajax are in ‘no hurry’ to lose one of their standout performers, although a ‘big offer’ would be ‘hard to turn down’ given that his valuation has now increased.

The Black Stars maestro’s price tag is believed to have ‘more than doubled’ to beyond the £30m mark as a combination of his long-term contract and his performances for Ghana.

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The Verdict: Get it done…

Saddick Adams has dubbed Kudus a World Cup ‘jewel’, and whilst it will prove difficult to fend off the strong competition for the 22-year-old, Newcastle should do what they can to get this deal over the line.

The Ghanaian has posted 12 goal contributions in 21 appearances across all competitions for Ajax this season and is a versatile player with the ability to operate in three different positions (Transfermarkt).

The Magpies are currently in the top four in the Premier League, and the potential arrival of Kudus in January could prove the difference as to whether or not they secure a Champions League place for the 2023/24 campaign.

Manchester United are now confident of signing Netherlands star Cody Gakpo in January, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: ‘Agreement in principle’

Gakpo is currently starring for his country at the World Cup, scoring in every group game to help the Netherlands book their place in the last 16.

The 23-year-old’s future has been a hot topic of conversation during his performances in Qatar, with recent reports suggesting that the Red Devils have reached an ‘agreement in principle’ with the forward.

A further update has now emerged on Gakpo’s immediate future, which could be further good news for Old Trafford officials.

The Latest: Gakpo transfer update

Football Insider’s Wayne Veysey provided an update regarding United and Gakpo on Thursday morning.

He revealed that the Red Devils are increasingly confident of signing the player in January instead of next summer and are in regular contact with the 23-year-old’s camp.

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The Verdict: Exciting

Hailed as a ‘sensational player’ by Football Oranje editor and Dutch football expert Michael Bell, Gakpo has been in exceptional form for PSV this season, contributing to 30 goals in just 24 games.

He has continued to excel on the world stage for his country, so knowing that he could be on the move to Manchester in the coming weeks is hugely exciting for the Old Trafford faithful.

Erik ten Hag would be handed another versatile attacking option if a winter move for Gakpo is finalised, something which could be crucial in the second half of the season following Cristiano Ronaldo’s recent exit.

Leeds United have been dealt a fresh setback on their injury-prone star striker…

What’s the latest?

As per The Athletic, Patrick Bamford was expected to undergo “minor surgery” on a groin issue.

Whilst he is likely to return to contention in just two weeks, the procedure underpins yet another setback for someone who has long suffered from various problems.

LeedsLive then offered some fresh information on the situation, as they claimed the surgery had gone well and the 29-year-old will rehabilitate back at Thorp Arch until his reported return at the end of the month.

Marsch will be worried

Although this seems to only be a small issue that needed to be sorted, it marks yet another niggle for Bamford to worry about.

Since his sensational couple of seasons that earned promotion from the Championship and a ninth-place finish in the Premier League, the English marksman has struggled for fitness.

He has featured just 19 times across the last season and a half, and this season has not completed 90 minutes of a competitive game since September 2021.

What makes his troubles so frustrating is just how electric and important he became for the Whites in those two aforementioned seasons.

During the former, he bagged 16 times and assisted four as his side cruised to the title.

Many questions would then arise over his ability to perform in England’s top flight, which he would quickly brush aside as he went one further on his previous tally by scoring 17 and assisting eight.

Since then, however, Marcelo Bielsa was dismissed as Jesse Marsch led a desperate scramble for safety in his absence.

They would survive the drop by just three points but became reliant on the goals of Raphinha, who left in the summer.

Even when he threatened to return to fitness in January – to end the “nightmare” as Alex McLeish dubbed it – he would just be struck straight back to the treatment table.

Despite Rodrigo somewhat stepping up with nine goals this season, Marsch and co would surely still would love to have their £35k-per-week star man up front and back in action.

As mentioned above, although this is a small procedure, it could be a sign that this season threatens to be another nightmarish and injury-ravaged one.

That will surely worry Marsch once more.

Manchester United have reportedly made an audacious approach to sign Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, as manager Erik ten Hag steps up his search for a new centre-forward.

What’s the word?

According to reports in Spain, via Football 365, the Red Devils – as well as Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain – have made an offer to sign the France international in the New Year, with the 34-year-old currently having just six months remaining on his existing deal at the Bernabeu.

The report suggests that the La Liga outfit have only offered the veteran marksman a one-year extension to remain in the Spanish capital, while United are said to have offered a ‘crazy salary’ in order to tempt the prolific marksman into making the switch.

This comes following Ten Hag’s recent confirmation that the club are looking to sign a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo, with the Portuguese icon having left the club by mutual consent last month.

Cantona-esque

While it may appear that the Old Trafford outfit are targetting yet another short-term, centre-forward fix – after bringing in the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani and Ronaldo in recent years – the addition of Benzema would certainly prove a real coup for the club, with the former Lyon man still arguably very much in his prime.

Despite his advancing years, the £395k-per-week sensation is currently the reigning Ballon d’Or winner having helped to steer Carlo Ancelotti’s men to Champions League glory last term, scoring 15 goals in just 12 games in the competition in total.

The ruthless “genius” – as described by broadcaster Nathan Murphy – produced a number of clutch moments during the knockout stages of that European run, memorably netting back-to-back hat tricks against PSG and Chelsea en route to glory.

That prolific form was also replicated domestically as the evergreen asset scored 27 goals and laid on 12 assists in just 32 top-flight games, taking his total club career tally to 395 goals in 765 games across spells in both Spain and France.

Should the experienced ace – who has six goals in 12 games to his name this season – make the move to England next month, the hope will be that he can emulate the impact of compatriot Eric Cantona at the Theatre of Dreams.

The legendary forward proved an instant hit in Manchester after arriving from rivals Leeds United in 1992, going on to win four league titles and score 70 league goals over the next five years to solidify his status as a true cult hero.

While something of a footballing God among those of a Red Devils persuasion, the enigmatic figure was not a mere single-minded presence despite his undoubted self-confidence, having illustrated his brilliance as a team player after also laying on 56 assists during his time at the club.

That unselfish nature is also a trait that can be attributed to Benzema, with the Madrid talisman having seemingly sacrificed himself at times for the aforementioned Ronaldo during their time together in the Spanish capital, while he also boasts 187 assists to his name in his career to date.

Equally, the two are also alike due to their dalliance with controversy, with Benzema having notably endured a five-year hiatus from the France squad due to a blackmail scandal, while Cantona memorably suffered a nine-month ban for his attack on a Crystal Palace supporter at Selhurst Park in 1995.

Despite that baggage, both men are and were true masters of their craft, with having such a presence leading the line only set to be a real bonus for any side.

While Ten Hag and co may have a fight on their hands to prise Benzema from Los Blancos, it could well prove worth it to have a Cantona-esque talent to spearhead the attack.

Celtic defender Stephen Welsh could well be in line for an exit from Parkhead in the New Year, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke…

What’s the word?

The Scottish Daily Express reported earlier this week that the 22-year-old is facing an uncertain future in Glasgow, with clubs across Europe believed to be monitoring his situation ahead of a possible swoop in the winter window.

The Scotland U21 international was notably the subject of interest from Ligue outfit Toulouse during the summer, while Serie A side Udinese also reportedly saw an offer rebuffed back in January.

O’Rourke has now offered his thoughts on that potential departure in an interview with Football FanCast, with the transfer insider stating that it could well be hard for the centre-back to get game time in the coming months, particularly following the addition of Japanese star, Yuki Kobayashi.

Asked about Welsh’s future, the respected source stated: “Yeah, it’s going to be hard for Stephen Welsh to break into that Celtic team right now. He’s well down the pecking order and I think the arrival of Kobayashi from Vissel Kobe in January will then increase competition for places even more.

“So he’s not going to get many first-team opportunities between now and the end of the season if he remains at Celtic – I think he’s only made six appearances this season.”

Finally ditch

It could well prove time for manager Ange Postecoglou to finally ditch the peripheral figure amid this interest in his services, with the Hoops academy graduate having hardly had a look in so far this term.

The one-time Greenock Morton loanee had enjoyed a real breakthrough campaign last season after making 24 appearances in all competitions for the Bhoys, although the youngster was unable to truly threaten the “immense” centre-back pairing of Carl Starfelt and Cameron Carter-Vickers, as described by Chris Sutton.

That has also been the case this time around with Welsh having been restricted to just six appearances across all fronts to date, with only four of those having come in the top flight for the Scottish champions.

Having already seemingly been fighting a losing battle to dislodge the aforementioned duo of Starfelt and Carter-Vickers, the arrival of Moritz Jenz over the summer further shunted the Scotsman down the pecking order, with the on-loan Lorient man having featured 19 times this season by contrast.

Although the Coatbridge-born dud has been impacted by injury of late, the £4.6k-per-week man has hardly helped his cause after struggling when he has had a chance to shine, having been branded “weak” by pundit Michael Stewart following the loss to St Mirren back in September – the club’s only league defeat of the season.

There may well be a sense that Postecoglou simply can’t trust the 6 foot 3 brute, with pundit Frank McAvennie having only recently suggested that the player could do with a loan exit in order to “toughen him up”.

With Welsh’s existing deal set to run until 2025, it is yet to be seen if a temporary or permanent exit will occur, although at present it is no good to anyone to have him merely languishing on the bench.

Everton are in desperate need of reinforcements in their attacking threat when the January transfer window opens later this week, and now a new update has emerged from a reliable source on the club’s plans.

What’s the latest?

According to The Athletic’s Everton reporter Patrick Boyland, the Toffees will be in the market for a striker in the new year but it could be challenging for the club to secure one of their top targets.

As per the report, Boyland claims that Everton cannot compete financially to secure permanent deals for players due to financial constraints, and it seems more plausible to focus on the loan market.

Lampard will be worried

There is no doubt that Frank Lampard will be worried about the current situation at Goodison Park and will be hoping that the January transfer window will allow for vital improvements ahead of the second half of the season.

Everton are currently teetering on the edge of the relegation zone in 17th after suffering their third consecutive Premier League defeat on Boxing Day to Wolverhampton Wanderers at Goodison Park – remaining just one point clear of the bottom three.

The Toffees have scored just 12 league goals this season so far which is the third worst goal-scoring record for any club in the top flight, which has been contributed by Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s constant injury struggles and Richarlison’s exit in the summer.

As a result, the signing of a prolific and natural finisher could be the difference between a comfortable finish in the top flight and another difficult relegation scrap at the bottom of the table that could lead to much worse circumstances than their previous campaign.

Indeed, with the financial concerns plaguing the club, the powers at Goodison Park will need to be smart to ensure they can find the right profile of forward that can improve the front line for the right price.

With that being said, Lampard will need to do everything he can to pull Everton through their upcoming fixtures ahead of the transfer window and will need to hope that Kevin Thelwell can provide the team with a quality striker at the beginning of 2023.

Aston Villa are thought to be eyeing a move for Atletico Madrid midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia.

The Lowdown: Kondogbia links

Kondogbia has been linked with a switch to Villa Park this year, but as we know, a transfer has so far failed to get going. Former manager Steven Gerrard even personally scouted the 29-year-old during a Champions League encounter back in April against Manchester City.

Other midfield additions were made over the summer in Boubacar Kamara and Leander Dendoncker, but it looks as if Kondogbia is still on NSWE’s radar.

The Latest: 2023 move?

According to one Spanish outlet, Villa could make a move for Kondogbia next year after failing to be satisfied with their additions in 2022.

The report claims that a bid of around €25m may be launched, adding that the left-footed midfielder would then arrive in the summer as a marquee signing.

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The Verdict: One to watch

Kondogbia, once described as an “octopus” by journalist Domingo Ortiz for his ability to win back possession, is entering the final 18 months of his Atletico deal.

He can play as a holding or central midfielder or even as a centre-back, so could be a shrewd addition due to his versatility and experience at the highest level.

The player also has a history of working under Unai Emery in the past as well, so this could be one to monitor in what could be a busy transfer period for Villa Park chiefs.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has identified a current Liverpool loanee as a potential alternative to Youri Tielemans and could make a move in the coming months…

What’s the news?

According to CalcioMercato, Arteta ‘really likes’ Juventus midfielder Arthur Melo, who is currently on a season-long loan spell at Liverpool.

The Brazilian could be seen as a potential alternative to their interest in Tielemans with no move for the Leicester City player materialising as of yet ahead of his contract expiring in the summer.

As a result, Arteta might seek other options.

Arteta eyes Arthur

Many of the Arsenal faithful may be surprised to see the club linked with a player that has played just 13 minutes of senior football this season, but when Arthur is fit, he could be a worthy addition to the Arsenal squad.

At his peak, the Brazilian star, who Liverpool can purchase for £33m in the summer, can be extremely effective from the middle of the pitch, especially with his superb passing ability.

During the 2019/2020 season for Barcelona, he averaged a pass success rate of 92% across his 21 La Liga matches while making 0.6 key passes per match. Arthur also underlined his attacking qualities by registering seven goal contributions and succeeding with 91% of his dribble attempts.

These statistics clearly show that when playing on a regular basis, he can be crucial in dictating play and controlling possession for his team.

Indeed, over the previous year, the 26-year-old is among the finest passers of the ball compared to positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, ranking in the top 10% for pass completion percentage, passes completed, total passing distance, and ball recoveries.

Arteta could utilise someone of Arthur’s talents, keeping hold of the ball well and allowing other players slightly more freedom in the midfield area.

Former Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen described him as “incredible” during his time at Barcelona and if Arteta could lure him to London and manage to get him back playing to that sort of form, it could well be a shrewd investment.

The Tielemans saga continues to roll on and if Arsenal can’t get a deal over the line for the Belgian, Arthur would be a worthy alternative, despite his injury-plagued campaign this year.