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It’s the start of a new era for Everton, in more ways than one.

Having waved goodbye to Goodison Park, their home since 1892, the Toffees will call Hill Dickinson Stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock home from now on.

Their first match there will be a pre-season friendly against Roma on 9 August, before beginning their home Premier League campaign against Brighton & Hove Albion a fortnight later.

Meantime, in terms of the playing squad, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has departed as a free agent after making 273 appearances for the Blues, while it was confirmed on Wednesday that star centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite has signed a new five-year contract, which is a massive boost for David Moyes and his team.

So now, could their first new arrival of the summer be imminent?

Everton seeking more attacking firepower

With Calvert-Lewin having now departed, Mark Douglas of the i Paper is reporting that Everton are ‘close’ to signing Villarreal striker Thierno Barry for £27.5m.

The 22 year old Frenchman only joined el Submarino Amarillo from Basel just 12 months ago, but scored 11 goals in La Liga last season, with Beth Limb of Total Football Analysis praising his physical presence, noting that Barry ‘often towers’ above defenders, adding that he also ‘possesses some excellent off-the-ball movement’.

However, he is not the only striker on the Toffees’ radar because, as reported by Football Insider, the Blues are interested in signing Evan Ferguson.

They add that Brighton are looking to move on the Republic of Ireland international permanently this summer, placing a £28m price tag on his head, with Fulham and Nottingham Forest, as well as a few ‘leading European sides’, also monitoring the situation.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Ferguson has just endured a nightmarish loan spell at West Ham, seeing only eight appearances for the Irons after making the switch in January, starting only once, totalling a miserly 151 minutes.

This has seen his valuation plummet, so could a move to Merseyside revitalise his career?

Why Evan Ferguson would be a better signing than Thierno Barry

At the peak of his powers about two years ago, Evan Ferguson was one of the hottest prospects in world football.

His hat-trick against Newcastle in September 2023 made him the fourth-youngest player to bag a Premier League treble, behind only Chris Bart-Williams, Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler.

Then-Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker even asserted that “I do see a hint of [Erling] Haaland about him”.

However, since then, Ferguson has scored just three club goals, enduring a 336-day goal drought before netting his most recent goal against Wolves in October, with Andy Naylor of the Athletic believing that injuries have massively hampered his development.

Nevertheless, Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout still believes, at just 20 years old, he is a “big talent”, so let’s assess how he compares to Barry.

Season

Club(s)

Minutes

Goals

Assists

2024/25

Brighton &

West Ham

541

1

Zero

2023/24

Brighton

1,721

6

2

2022/23

Brighton

1,345

10

3

2024/25

Villarreal

2,441

11

4

2023/24

Basel

2,520

12

5

2022/23

Beveren

2.522

20

4

As the table outlines, while Barry’s raw statistics are more impressive, Ferguson possesses vastly more elite-level experience.

As recently as 2022/23, Barry was representing Beveren in the Belgian second-tier before his big breakthrough came with FC Basel, scoring 14 Swiss Super League goals for the RotBlau, but doing so in the 21st strongest division in the world, according to Global Football Rankings.

Barry was away with France at the U21 Euros last month, bagging the winner against Georgia in the 12th minute of injury time at Štadión pod Dubňom​​​​​​​ in Žilina, but was not a regular starter for Gérald Baticle’s side, as les Bleuets reached the semi-finals.

Ferguson, on the other hand, is a fully-fledged Ireland international, scoring five times for the Boys in Green to date, albeit, admittedly, Heimir Hallgrímsson does have slightly less talent at his disposal than Didier Deschamps.

Nevertheless, it is clear that Ferguson has a higher ceiling than Barry, it is simply about rediscovering his potential from the Irishman’s point of view, so could he achieve this in an Everton shirt?

He’s certainly worth the gamble.

Calvert-Lewin upgrade: Everton advancing in talks to sign £34m striker

Everton are edging closer to signing a La Liga forward

ByRoss Kilvington Jul 1, 2025

Arsenal have attacking reinforcements in their sights and are willing to put one of their key targets in the top bracket of earners at the Emirates Stadium, per a report.

Arsenal's search for attacking reinforcements rumbles on

Truthfully, it is impossible to avoid the discussion of Arsenal adding attacking reinforcements this summer when it comes to assessing their scope to do transfer business.

RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting’s Viktor Gyokeres are the Gunners’ two main targets through the middle. However, with neither prospective deal near completion, other names will begin to be thrown into the hat as a consequence.

Speaking about what he would do in his old side’s situation, William Gallas has backed Arsenal to enter the race for Alexander Isak despite the Sweden international being a difficult star to sign this summer.

He stated: “Isak is perfect for Arsenal and they should be going all out to sign him. He would adapt instantly and give them the best chance of winning the title out of any player in the world, they don’t have time to let a striker adapt.

“Arsenal should go and break the bank for Isak. He is a 20-goal-a-season striker, and he would be surrounding himself with quality players.”

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 23, 2025

Boyhood Arsenal fan Ollie Watkins is wanted at the Emirates and would offer proven top-flight pedigree, even if he is firmly in the prime of his career. The race remains open to find out who will be Mikel Arteta’s new centre-forward come the end of the window.

Supporters will already be buckled up and ready to experience a chaotic few months in the market, though they could be in for a treat if recent reports are to be believed.

Arsenal willing to make Rodrygo one of their highest earners

According to TBR in conversation with Graeme Bailey, Andrea Berta is willing to make Real Madrid attacker Rodrygo one of their highest earners should he pitch up at the Emirates this summer.

Berta has engaged in ‘preliminary talks’ with his camp over recent weeks, and it is said that the La Liga giants could be open to offloading him for £70 million despite believing he is someone worth around the £100 million mark.

Rodrygo in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

52

Goals

14

Assists

11

Dubbed “top drawer” by former Chelsea star Joe Cole, there is a realisation among his entourage that he won’t be guaranteed a starting spot this campaign due to competition within the forward areas, which could lead to a departure as he would be allowed to operate in his favoured left wing berth.

Arsenal are looking to tie Bukayo Saka and William Saliba to new deals, though Rodrygo would be expected to hold parity with most of their top bracket, with a suggestion that he could even become the Gunners’ top earner.

Of course, that is all theoretical at this point, but it does show how serious Berta and company are about trying to pull of what would be one of the deals of the summer.

It’s interesting that Trent Alexander-Arnold, one of the best players in the world, should be leaving Liverpool this summer and yet the other defensive flank feels the main priority for FSG and Arne Slot.

You can assess this situation through different modes of analysis: it could be argued that Conor Bradley is an exciting talent and has the potential to step right into his teammate’s boots, with Jarell Quansah and Joe Gomez marking enough depth for the upcoming campaign.

But then you could also peer down from the vantage of Andy Robertson being past his best, with Kostas Tsimikas not at the desired level either, thus heightening the need for a left-back this season given the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City are only going to improve over the off-season months.

Robertson, 31, is entering the final year of his contract but wants to stay put. He’s been a loyal and influential servant over the years; alongside Trent, the Scot is one of the most creative defenders in Premier League history.

1

Trent Alexander-Arnold

64

2

Andy Robertson

59

3

Leighton Baines

53

4

Graeme Le Saux

44

5

Kieran Trippier

38

The problem is, though, that Robertson has failed to register a single goal contribution in the top flight this term, and with Trent on the way out, that needs replacing.

Liverpool desperate for new left-back

Conor Bradley is by no means the finished article but he’s a talented young player with a goal and ten assists across 54 senior showings for the Reds. Not bad.

However, Robertson’s attacking impact is waning, and sporting director Richard Hughes has lined up Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez as the dream target, though FSG will no doubt be reluctant to meet the Cherries’ hefty £45m price tag.

The air around Kerkez’s situation is charged with the sense that he wants Liverpool. The Hungarian, teammate and good friend of Dominik Szoboszlai, has even been reported to have confided in his inner circle that he wants to move to Anfield.

However, £45m is a steep sum. The 21-year-old is technically in his breakout campaign in England and, with Manchester City and Real Madrid also keen on a deal.

Liverpool would be foolish not to earmark alternatives, with one fallback maybe even proving the better signing for Slot’s squad.

Liverpool identify Kerkez alternative

According to a recent exclusive from talkSPORT, Liverpool are interested in signing Antonee Robinson as an alternative to Kerkez this summer, with the Fulham star enjoying a fantastic season.

With Liverpool likely to splash the cash, left-back is bound to be an area Slot wants reinforcing, and Robinson could be the perfect man to rival Robertson.

It was revealed two months ago that FSG had already started plans for a £30m swoop; it’s unlikely Fulham will seal a route into European competition over the next few weeks, so the 28-year-old would jump at the chance to move to Merseyside.

Why Antonee Robinson would be perfect for Liverpool

Robinson actually played his football in Liverpool before, once of an Everton persuasion, starring for the academy but never tasting the senior stage as he was sold to Wigan Athletic after a promising loan spell.

Now, he’s a fully-fledged top-flight superstar with Fulham, 134 appearances deep into his career at England’s highest station.

With lightning pace and a roundedness that offers shades of Robertson back in his pomp, Robinson has played 34 league matches this season, wearing the skipper’s armband on 18 occasions.

Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley is even convinced that Robinson is “one of the best left-backs in the world,” making the bold claim earlier in the 2024/25 campaign.

It’s a bold take, but it’s not brazen. Indeed, the USMNT international’s performances this year and last have underscored his quality and the capacity to play for a team challenging at the apex of European competition.

If it’s creativity that Slot wants from left-back, he need look no further than this robust talent, who has racked up ten assists across 34 Premier League matches this year.

As per FBref, this places him among the top 3% of full-backs across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists per 90, also among the top 8% for progressive carries and the top 7% for tackles + interceptions per 90 too.

To put it simply, Robinson’s completeness is something which would elevate an already high-flying Slot squad. There’s a purpose to his movements that allows him to run the lanes of duty, make a positive impact when both fixed to the backline and unleashed, allowed to roam forward and influence.

Peering at Robinson’s metrics this year against Kerkez’s, you begin to see why it might be worth picking the more experienced head.

Matches (starts)

34 (33)

35 (35)

Goals

0

2

Assists

10

5

Touches*

74

59.2

Pass completion

81%

80%

Key passes*

1.3

1.0

Dribbles*

1.0

0.6

Ball recoveries*

4.4

4.0

Tackles + interceptions*

4.3

2.6

Clearances*

3.4

2.7

Duels (won)*

5.5 (55%)

4.0 (53%)

Kerkez holds the advantage of youth, but he’s not performing at the Cottage star’s level just yet. Robinson’s aggressive and front-footed defending even led Mohamed Salah to tell him he was “the best player on the pitch” in a Premier League clash several years ago.

This is quite the praise: say one thing for Salah, he knows how to score and create goals, thus with an intrinsic understanding of when he’s pitted against a defender of real quality.

So then, with Robinson outperforming Kerkez across almost every metric this season, signing him for the Anfield cause feels like something of a no-brainer.

Bournemouth’s rising talent might be younger, but Robinson’s got plenty of gas left in the tank after completing just his fourth campaign in the top flight. Cheaper too, he’s the one to go for.

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ByAngus Sinclair May 5, 2025

Incoming sporting director Kevin Thelwell is now pushing Rangers to replace Barry Ferguson with a “genius” manager, according to a report.

49ers eyeing manager as takeover edges closer

Last week, it was confirmed that Thelwell is set to take over as sporting director upon the expiration of his contract with Everton, and it could be a summer of major change at Ibrox, with the 49ers now edging closer towards acquiring ownership of the club.

As such, the prospective new owners have started to work on appointing a new manager to replace interim boss Fergurson, and a move for former boss Steven Gerrard is now being considered, alongside recently sacked RB Leipzig manager Marco Rose.

There have also been suggestions the 49ers could move for Leeds United manager Daniel Farke, as there is doubt over the German’s future at Elland Road, despite leading his side to promotion from the Championship this season.

Celtic and Rangers race to sign "brilliant" 11-goal Scotland international

The Bhoys are looking to beat their rivals to a deal…

BySean Markus Clifford Apr 30, 2025

According to a report from Football Insider, Thelwell has been put in charge of overseeing the search for a new manager, and he is now pushing for Rangers to appoint Sean Dyche, who is available after being sacked by Everton earlier this season.

Ferguson is not expected to be handed the job on a permanent basis, with Thelwell currently exploring his options, and he has informed the club’s hierarchy that he believes Dyche would do a brilliant job as manager.

The sporting director has experience working with the 53-year-old, having spent time together at Goodison Park, but there have been suggestions they didn’t have a good relationship, so it is unclear whether he would be interested in taking over at Ibrox.

"Absolute genius" Dyche could excel at Rangers

In the Englishman’s most recent roles, he has been tasked with keeping teams in the Premier League, rather than pushing for a spot higher up the table, but he did a stellar job to ensure the Toffees retained their top-flight status after replacing Frank Lampard.

The job at Ibrox is very different, given that Rangers fans expect to compete for the Scottish Premiership title every season, but there are signs the former Burnley boss could be up to the task, having led the Clarets to two automatic promotions from the Championship.

The Kettering-born manager may be famed for his defensive approach, but it is an understandable mindset when taking Burnley to places like Anfield and Old Trafford, and his promotion-winning side were the Championship’s joint-top scorers in 2015-16.

Having also been lauded as an “absolute genius” by former Burnley academy coach Lee Waddington, there are plenty of signs that Dyche could be a success north of the border.

The Blue Jays were so close to winning their first World Series title since 1993 on Saturday night but then the Dodgers tied Game 7 in the bottom of the ninth with a solo home run by Miguel Rojas and won it in the 11th inning after a home run by Will Smith and some more clutch pitching by Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

It was a devastating loss for the everyone involved with the franchise and all of the fans at Rogers Centre who were so close to having one heck of a celebration, only to see it all fall away in stunning fashion.

It must have been especially rough for Don Mattingly, who finally made it to the World Series for the first time in his legendary career. The former Yankees great has served as the Blue Jays bench coach since 2022 and he was just three outs away from earning a championship ring, only to have it ripped away from a franchise he once managed.

Moments after the final out Mattingly was seen having a heartbreaking moment as he sat in the Toronto dugout and watched the Dodgers celebrate their second straight title. Blue Jays star Bo Bichette, who had a huge three-run homer in Game 7, was seen giving Mattingly a hug before the two headed to the clubhouse.

Here's that sad exchange:

Brutal.

Mattingly never made it to the World Series as a player and fell just short a few times during his stint as the manager of the Dodgers. It would have been pretty cool to see him celebrate finally earning a ring but that sadly didn't happen as the Blue Jays lost both Game 6 and 7 at home to the Dodgers.

Fans had some emotional reactions to that moment between Mattingly and Bichette.

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Águia de Marabá e São Paulo se enfrentam nesta quinta-feira (2), pelo jogo de ida da terceira fase da Copa do Brasil. A bola vai rolar a partir das 19h30 (de Brasília), no Mangueirão, em Belém (PA), com transmissão do Amazon Prime Video (streaming).

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COPA DO BRASIL – TERCEIRA FASE – IDA

🗓️ Data e horário: quinta-feira, 2 de maio de 2024, às 19h30 (de Brasília);
📍 Local: Mangueirão, em Belém (PA)
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🟨 Árbitro: Arthur Gomes Rabelo (ES)
🚩 Assistentes: Guthieri Javarini Rodrigues (ES) e Adilson Gomes de Oliveira (ES)
🖥️ VAR: Pablo Ramon Goncalves Pinheiro (RN)

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Axel Lopes; Bruno Limão, David Cruz, Betão e Alan Maia; Wender, Junior Dindê e Mariano; Hitalo, Braga e Wander.

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SÃO PAULO (Técnico: Zubeldía)
Jandrei, Moreira, Diego Costa (Sabino), Ferraresi e Patryck; Luiz Gustavo e Bobadilla; Ferreira (Erick), Galoppo e Nestor; William Gomes.

The Milwaukee Brewers are placing closer Trevor Megill on the 15-day injured list with a flexor strain in his right throwing arm, according to a report from ESPN's Jeff Passan.

The September injury to Megill is a critical blow to Milwaukee's bullpen, just weeks away from the start of the postseason.

The good news for the Brewers is that it is a low-grade strain for Megill, but it will take him some time to get back to full health, putting his availability—especially early in the postseason—in question.

Megill is 5-3 with a 2.54 ERA and 30 saves in 49 relief appearances this season for Milwaukee. He was named to his first All-Star team last month.

The Brewers hold the best record in baseball at 83-50 entering Wednesday's action and hold a 6.5-game lead in the NL Central over the Chicago Cubs.

No player in the Premier League this season has directly contributed toward a greater proportion of their team’s goal involvements than Everton’s Jack Grealish.

The 30-year-old has resurrected his career. Plainly, had the silky playmaker left Manchester City for a bumper payday in the Saudi Pro League this summer, few would have been surprised, but his passion for success still burns strong, and he has charged David Moyes’ side so far this term.

He claimed the Premier League Player of the Month award for August after racking up some early assists, and has reminded English football of his elite quality.

But still the winger has been overlooked by England boss Thomas Tuchel. In fact, there are a range of Toffees players who would fancy a shot at the Three Lions squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup in the United States.

The Everton stars being overlooked by Tuchel

Toward the end of the 2024/25 campaign, Jarrad Branthwaite was playing out of his skin, instrumental in the early revival after Moyes replaced Sean Dyche.

Injury has now further reduced the defender’s prospects, but there are others of an Everton persuasion who will be angling toward a place on the plane.

At the forefront, Grealish aside, would be Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who completed a £27m transfer to the Hill Dickinson from Chelsea this summer and has swiftly nailed down a starting berth.

He has been the complete player in the middle, threading things together, and has this week expressed his desire to continue working toward a senior cap with his home country, rather than taking advantage of international ties with the Republic of Ireland.

Hailed as “one of England’s most exciting young players” by journalist Harry Watkinson, Tyler Dibling might also hope for more opportunities on Merseyside to prove he has what it takes to thrive on the international stage.

This one might come too soon for the 19-year-old, but there’s a more mature teammate at Everton who has been overlooked, and who might actually prove a shrewd wildcard pick for Tuchel.

Everton man could be England's wildcard pick

Jordan Pickford is a stalwart for his nation, unflappable between the sticks. The aforementioned players all have the quality to star over the pond next year, too, but competition will be thick.

Someone we haven’t mentioned, though, is James Garner, who might seem like a left-field pick but is a hard-working and dynamic player who has been given Moyes’ endorsement.

The 24-year-old has become an ever more important player for the Blues this year, playing every minute of the Premier League campaign so far.

Last month, Moyes hinted that he believes the intelligent, tempo-controlling midfielder has what it takes to weasel his way in, saying, “If I was on the England staff, Jimmy Garner would definitely be in my thoughts.”

Defensive midfield

32

0 (2)

Centre-midfield

27

1 (1)

Right midfield

9

0 (1)

Right-back

4

0 (0)

Left-back

3

1 (0)

Attacking midfield

3

0 (0)

Left midfield

1

0 (0)

Not only can he cover multiple positions, but Garner is also a selfless player, hailed for his “relentless” approach to the midfield game by one prominent Everton fan in the past.

In the Premier League this season, he has averaged 2.9 tackles per game while completing 88% of his passes and winning 57% of his ground duels.

The £30k-per-week talent would be an underrated cog in the machine, the kind needed to make it all tick.

Garner earned 18 caps for England U21s and has worked hard as one of Everton’s most industrious players under Dyche and now Moyes’ management.

Be it in the middle of the park or in a makeshift role out wide, he will serve dutifully, and this is the kind of player the Three Lions need to weave amongst the superstars, balancing out a side fit to challenge for that elusive golden trophy.

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ByAngus Sinclair Oct 29, 2025

تعادل منتخب مصر أمام نظيره الإمارات، بهدف لكل فريق، في لقاء أقيم اليوم، في إطار منافسات مواجهات دور المجموعات لبطولة كأس العرب 2025.

ولعب منتخب مصر مع الإمارات، في الجولة الثانية من مباريات دور المجموعات لبطولة كأس العرب المقامة في قطر.

منتخب مصر كان قد تعادل مع الكويت في الجولة الأولى بنتيجة 1-1، بينما تلقى منتخب الإمارات الهزيمة من الأردن، 2-1.

طالع | فيديو.. العراق يفوز على السودان ويتأهل رسميًا إلى دور الـ8 من كأس العرب

وانتصر منتخب الأردن على الكويت، بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدف، في المباراة التي جمعتهما اليوم السبت، ليضمن منتخب النشامي التأهل إلي دور ربع النهائي بشكل رسمي قبل لقاء الجولة الأخيرة.

واستطاع منتخب الأردن تصدر المجموعة الثالثة من بطولة كأس العرب، برصيد 6 نقاط، ثم مصر ثانيًا بنقطتين، والإمارات ثالثًا بنقطة والكويت رابعًا بنقطة. موعد مباراة مصر والأردن في كأس العرب

سيلعب منتخب مصر أمام الأردن في الجولة الثالثة من مجموعات كأس العرب يوم الثلاثاء 9 ديسمبر في تمام الساعة الرابعة والنصف عصرًا بتوقيت القاهرة، الخامسة والنصف بتوقيت مكة.

Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal was cruising to what looked like another quality start and victory against the Athletics on Monday night before encountering some turbulence in the seventh inning. Holding onto a 3-2 lead, the fireballing lefty allowed the home team to load the bases without an out. While this would have been reason enough for a manager to relieve any other pitcher, Skubal has earned the right to work out of such jams. And it looked like he would after striking out two batters to set up a battle with Shea Langeliers.

Langeliers, one of the hottest hitters in all of baseball since the All-Star break, worked the count to 2-1 and got a fastball to his liking. No one in the ballpark knew that his swing would result in a grand slam sooner than Skubal.

His immediate reaction said it all.

If you have some time to sit through some raw footage from a fan in attendance, the alternate angle of all the joy leaving the reigning American League Cy Young winner is even more compelling. It's like Skubal was living four seconds in the future where the Athletics had a 6-3 lead and he absolutely did not care for it.

Detroit would lose, 8-3, reducing their lead over the Toronto Blue Jays for the AL's best record to half a game.