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Everton are still interested in making a move for Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher at the end of the season, according to a new transfer update on the England international.

The Lowdown: Gallagher off in the summer?

The four-time capped Englishman was tipped to seal a move away from Stamford Bridge in the January transfer window, but he ended up remaining in west London despite late interest from the Toffees, Crystal Palace and Newcastle.

Gallagher has failed to nail down a regular spot in Chelsea’s starting lineup this season, starting just nine league games, and it seems likely that he looks for a new challenge this summer after the Blues added even more new signings to potentially push him further down the pecking order.

The Latest: Everton in the mix

According to The Evening Standard, Everton are among the clubs who are ‘interested’ in signing Gallagher once the transfer window eventually reopens.

Newcastle are seen as the ‘front-runners’ to sign the Englishman, however, while Palace are still keen on bringing him back to Selhurst Park.

The Verdict: Exactly what Blues need

With Newcastle circling, and potentially finishing in the top four this season, it may not be easy for Everton to sign the £50,000-a-week Gallagher, but they should do all they can to snap him up.

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He is an extremely talented young footballer – one who has been hailed as ‘extraordinary’ by Thomas Tuchel in the past – and he would add the midfield guile and end product that the Blues lack. He ranks highly amongst midfielders in Europe’s top leagues for a number of key attacking metrics, sitting in the 90th percentile for expected goals (not including penalties).

Granted, a tally of one goal and assist apiece in 18 Premier League appearances this season is disappointing but starting regularly for a team would change that, as eight goals and five assists at Palace showed during his loan spell there.

Aston Villa reporter John Townley has claimed that Wesley Moraes is available to leave the club in the summer.

The Lowdown: Levante loan

Wesley came to Villa Park from Club Brugge  back in 2019 in a deal worth £22m. However, things haven’t gone well for the Brazilian in the Midlands, where he has made just 26 appearances, which works out at £846,000 per game.

The 26-year-old is currently on loan with Spanish second-tier side Levante but has failed to score a La Liga 2 goal in 22 appearances, and it looks as if his days on the books at Villa could be numbered.

The Latest: Wesley available to leave Villa

Townley shared a story for Birmingham Live on Monday, looking at six players who could move on from Villa Park in the summer transfer window.

One of those is Wesley, who is said to be ‘available to leave Villa permanently in the summer’, with Levante having a £9m option to buy should they win promotion to the Spanish top flight.

The Verdict: Alongside Coutinho?

Philippe Coutinho has been linked with a Villa Park exit in recent weeks, rumours which have continued following the end of the January transfer window. Galatasaray could be an option for the Brazilian, so Wesley may follow in his compatriot’s footsteps over the coming months.

Both players arrived at Villa for big fees but ultimately haven’t done enough to justify their price tags, despite Coutinho’s impressive start to life in the Midlands, which earned him a permanent £17m transfer following his initial loan from Barcelona. The attacking midfielder has failed to score or even register an assist in 20 appearances during the current campaign.

Offloading the South Americans duo could help to fund and free up space for summer additions ahead of Unai Emery’s first full season in charge of Villa, so permanent exits appear to be best for all involved.

Edu Gaspar managed to secure three signings for Arsenal during the January transfer window and they could all play their part over the next few months as the North London side eye up their first Premier League title since 2003/2004.

Jorginho, Jakub Kiwior, and Leandro Trossard add some much-needed depth to Mikel Arteta’s squad, and with domestic and Europa League fixtures soon piling up, it was a wise move to bring in some cover.

Could it have been better, however?

With the club missing out on Joao Felix and Mykhailo Mudryk, Arteta’s business may have looked a lot more encouraging had he landed one of those attacking options, yet it might well be a failed move for Moises Caicedo that could have the biggest impact.

Was Moises Caicedo close to joining Arsenal?

In the final days of the transfer window, Arsenal had two bids rejected by Brighton and Hove Albion for the Ecuadorian midfielder, but the club were looking at a fee of around £80m before they would even consider letting him leave.

It represented a fantastic opportunity to invest in a player who is not only good enough to play a part in the starting XI just now but could also become a mainstay for the next few years. Arteta went and signed Jorginho instead, who is clearly just a stop-gap signing.

Will Arteta regret not signing Caicedo?

This season, Caicedo has been in superb form, averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.11, which ranks him as not only Brighton’s fourth-best performer, but the 43rd in the whole of the Premier League, clearly demonstrating his talents and it’s no wonder there are a host of potential suitors eyeing a move for him.

His attacking statistics are solid enough for a more defensively-sound option, having registered two goal contributions, creating two big chances, and making 1.2 key passes per match, yet it is his defensive abilities that would’ve been of the biggest importance to Arteta had he signed the youngster.

Across 19 league appearances, Caicedo averages 1.4 interceptions, 2.9 tackles, 0.7 clearances while winning 5.8 duels per match – at a success rate of 57% – and this is quite incredible for a midfielder who is playing his first full Premier League campaign.

Ecuadorian football historian Enrico Castro-Montes once hailed the 21-year-old while speaking to Het Niuewsblad (via Sport Witness), saying:

“In his own country, he is really seen as the crown jewel of a new generation.

“Caicedo really has everything to become the best Ecuadorian footballer of all time. I think that off the ball, he is indeed somewhat reminiscent of Kante, but on the ball, he resembles Paul Pogba with his flair and his technique.”

High praise indeed and only another dagger to Arteta, who’ll surely be gutted to have missed out on such a quality individual and seemingly, Edu has let this one slip in a rare transfer blunder.

The next few months will be key in his development and if he carries on at his current rate of form, don’t be surprised to see the Spaniard back for a second bite of the cherry in the summer.

Sunderland have placed an emphasis on bringing in younger players with the potential to develop and improve as part of their recruitment strategy in recent years.

Sporting director Kristjaan Speakman, during Lee Johnson, Alex Neil, and Tony Mowbray’s reigns, has built a squad packed full of talented young gems whose value could rise in the coming years.

In the recent January transfer window, the Black Cats chief added Joe Anderson, 21, and Pierre Ekwah, 21, to the club and brought in 20-year-old Joe Gelhardt on loan from Leeds.

That came after he signed Jewison Bennette, 18, Abdoullah Ba, 19, Aji Alese, 21, and Jack Clarke, 21, among others in the summer window ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Clarke, in particular, has been an outstanding addition to Sunderland’s squad, after spending the second half of last season on loan at the Stadium of Light, and Speakman appears to have struck gold with the former Tottenham Hotspur man.

How much is Jack Clarke worth now?

The Black Cats signed the forward for an undisclosed fee last summer but FootballTransfers put his expected transfer value at €1.8m (£1.6m) between July and August 2022.

At the time of writing (16/02/2023), FootballTransfers estimate his transfer value to be around €5.1m (£4.5m) and this means that the York-born gem’s price has soared by roughly 183% in less than a year since the dynamo made his permanent move to Wearside.

This is a deserved rise for the Englishman as he has been in fantastic form in the Championship this season and is proving his worth as a winger at this level.

In 29 starts for Mowbray’s side in the division, the wizard – who has played as a wing-back at times – has scored six goals and provided six assists whilst creating 1.5 chances per match for his teammates.

Only Ross Stewart (13) has been directly involved in more goals for Sunderland than Clarke (12) in the league this season and no player has managed more assists than the ex-Spurs talent.

Former Leeds forward Noel Whelan once hailed the magician’s “effortless” dribbling ability and the attacker has showcased his exciting wing play with 1.7 successful dribbles per game in the second tier, which shows that he consistently beats his man to burst into space down the flanks.

These statistics illustrate how impressive the 21-year-old has been for the Black Cats this season as the playmaker has been one of Mowbray’s top performers in the final third – regularly delivering goals and assists to change and win matches for the team.

Therefore, Speakman has struck gold for Sunderland by snapping up the youngster as Clarke has been a roaring success both in terms of what he has offered on the pitch and his rising market value.

Since 2008, in particular, Manchester City have been one of the best clubs in the world to coincide with their big-money takeover. Credit where credit is due, however, they’ve spent the money well, finding and creating worldwide stars and serial silverware winners. Under Pep Guardiola, The Citizens have become a global force, attracting the biggest players.

Prior to 2008, even some City fans may admit, moving to Manchester as a player hopefully meant moving to Manchester United, who had unprecedented fame in England at the time. Wearing the famous sky blue of Man City, to put it bluntly, wasn’t actually all that famous. Not least compared to nowadays.

Nowadays, the impact that playing for Man City has on a player is significant when it comes to a rise in fame and popularity. Players are at the top of world football when playing for City – a club capable of competing on all fronts.

So, we at Football FanCast have decided to compile a list of the 10 most famous Manchester City players in history.

10 Joe Hart

If you know what Head & Shoulders is, then you’ll know who Joe Hart is. But, of course, his fame stretches past that of television adverts. The former Man City shot-stopper was one of the best in the Premier League at his best, as he helped the Manchester club to two league titles, and also became a regular for England, playing at multiple World Cups.

His fall from grace has been stark, however, as he has since played for the likes of Torino, West Ham United, Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur, before ending up at Celtic.

He's still going, but when he was at his peak, he was a brilliant goalkeeper.

9 Ederson

Ederson is one of those players that will be a lot more famous for what he did during his playing days once he hangs his boots up.

Right now, yes, he is appreciated as one of the best in his position. But, the fact is, we are witnessing quite possibly the best ball-playing goalkeeper in Premier League history, with undoubtedly the best passing range, and he has already reached over 250 appearances for the club. His trophy cabinet is already absolutely heaving, too.

Ederson has won four Premier League titles, four EFL Cups, the FA Cup, and is also a runner-up in the Champions League.

8 Mike Summerbee

In terms of longevity and general ability, Mike Summerbee is one of the best to pull on the sky blue of Man City. The forward’s name may not be as echoed around the world as other players, but his fame as one of the best to do it in English football remains to this day, as he played for City between 1965 and 1975.

Still revered as a legend at the club, he helped them win the First Division, along with the FA Cup, the League Cup, and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. Those were the glory days before the new glory days.

7 Vincent Kompany

Manchester City’s very own captain fantastic, Vincent Kompany’s popularity has kept on rising since his retirement, in which he has followed the management path. Now in charge at Burnley, set for his first season, the Belgium could pick up where he left off as a player in England and continue his success.

Who could forget his strike against Leicester City during his playing days? In total, Kompany won the Premier League title no fewer than four times.

He will go down in history as one of the best signings in Premier League history; City paid £6m to bring Kompany into the club and he went on to play 360 times for the club.

6 Colin Bell

Colin Bell’s legacy is arguably larger than any other player in Manchester City’s history.

The legendary player’s name deserves to be known around the world, he was that good. Recency bias occasionally sees his name left behind, but with a statue cementing his legacy outside of The Etihad, people can really start to appreciate Bell’s time in English football.

Indeed, he was a part of the 1960 glory days, in which City won the Second Division in 1965/66, and won the First Division two seasons later. Bell also won the FA Cup and two League Cups, along with the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.

Like Summerbee, he was a driving force in winning plenty of trophies before City were awash with cash.

5 Carlos Tevez

One of few players to play for both Manchester United and Manchester City, and have great success with both, Carlos Tevez was a joy to watch at his best.

Ask most football fans if they know the name, too, and the majority of the time it will be a resounding yes. Tevez played for some of the biggest clubs in the world, from both Manchester clubs, to Boca Juniors, and Juventus. At City, he scored 73 goals and laid on 35 assists in 148 appearances.

He also won the Premier League at the Etihad, having already won it at Old Trafford; what a signing, what a player.

4 Yaya Toure

If Yaya Toure received the credit that he deserved for being one of the best, and most all-round midfielders that we’ve had the pleasure of seeing in the Premier League, then he’d be a lot higher on this list. He could do it all, whether that was powerfully driving with the ball, picking out a perfect pass, dancing around players, or firing a thunderbolt towards goal.

One of the greatest players we've seen, and he's now coaching at Tottenham Hotspur. It remains to be seen if he will move into management, but he's got so much to teach younger players.

3 David Silva

If a player could define the term ‘elegant’ then it would be David Silva. His fame as a Premier League great exceeds that of many in recent history. It may take some time for City to find a player of Silva’s calibre again, he was that special when playing for the club.

He regularly captained the club and won four Premier League titles, while also being a part of Spain's iconic run in which they won two European Championships in a row, and the World Cup.

He's undoubtedly got one of the biggest trophy cabinets in City history.

2 Kevin de Bruyne

By the time Kevin de Bruyne retires, he will likely go down as the best Premier League midfielder of all time. He seems like one of those players, too, that will always be involved in football, and, therefore, see his fame extend further and further as the years go by outside of football.

Still going, the Belgium international has 227 goal involvements in 334 appearances; these are staggering numbers. Considering people raised their eyebrows when City paid £55m to bring him in from Wolfsburg, it's fair to say that the club have had the last laugh.

1 Sergio Aguero

Sergio Aguero could have retired after sealing the title in the last minute of the 2012 season, and still, for one, have the most iconic moment that the Premier League is ever likely to see, and, two, remain the most famous player in Manchester City history. It’s the type of impact a moment like that has on a player.

And he did not waste that popularity, going on to further cement his Premier League legacy. He also scored plenty more goals, ending his City career with 260 goals in 390 appearances.

His forced retirement now remains a sad story, but he shined so brightly during his time at City.

Manchester City’s history of success may not be as extensive as Liverpool’s or Manchester United’s, as harsh as it sounds, but, the Citizens are responsible for producing some of the most famous players in English football history, and, in turn, the most memorable moment in Premier League history.

Something tells us that Erling Haaland will have something to say about this list, too, with the Norwegian already one of the most famous players in world football, before he’s even touched a Premier League ball. After his first season in England’s top flight, we might be looking at the most popular striker in world football.

Leeds United finally returned to winning ways today with a result which could prove crucial in their push towards Premier League safety. They narrowly ran out as 1-0 victors, sinking Southampton deeper into the relegation zone as the Whites climbed out of the bottom three.

It was a defensive display to be proud of, with Javi Gracia clearly instilling a dogged mentality which transferred into an electric Elland Road atmosphere. The fans carried the team through, and it culminated in Junior Firpo’s 77th-minute winner.

Whilst the full-back might earn the bulk of the acclaim, and rightly so, there were a number of other unsung heroes who played an equally important role in the win.

Max Wober is one name which stands out, as he started despite doubts before the game surrounding his fitness. The Austrian centre-back had suffered what seemed like a dislocated shoulder in last week’s defeat against Everton, but ever the warrior, he retained his starting berth today and performed with power and poise in helping Leeds to victory.

How did Max Wober play against Southampton?

Featuring for the full 90 minutes, only the match-winner and Jack Harrison earned higher Sofascore ratings than Wober’s 7.5. It was a hard-fought rating, built around his immense solidity which helped Leeds to maintian their clean sheet.

He boasted two tackles, two interceptions, one block and a mammoth six clearances (via Sofascore), with his defensive contribution likely affording Firpo the freedom to push forward and score the only goal of the game.

This was supported by the fact that the Austrian won five of his eight duels as he undertook his role of “whipping up the Kop” with aplomb, as journalist Graham Smyth described on Twitter.

Wober not only shone at the back, his build-up play also remained as reliable as ever. He boasted an 85% pass accuracy from his 75 touches and also offered one key pass (via Sofascore) in a quietly brilliant performance, and one which was sorely needed for Leeds. 

The Whites had previously kept just one clean sheet since December, but they have now handed Gracia the perfect foundation from which to build his dynasty at Elland Road.

Whilst the 25-year-old was a Jesse Marsch signing in January, he has already outlined his immediate importance to his new manager.

Private equity group MSP Sports Capital have reportedly kickstarted their Tottenham Hotspur takeover ‘campaign’ as a report shares their ‘genuine’ interest in acquiring the Premier League club.

The Lowdown: Najafi takeover links…

In recent weeks, there have been reports of interest from US-Iranian billionaire Jahm Najafi, who is apparently plotting a multi-billion pound bid to buy Spurs.

The Financial Times broke news of Najafi’s intentions with a formal approach (through MSP) expected soon, but according to sources closer to home, chairman Daniel Levy and owner Joe Lewis are undecided.

It is believed the Spurs chiefs do not know whether to sell a minority stake, negotiate a full sale or simply take no action, whilst there are some suggestions that ENIC value the club at close to £4.5bn.

The Latest: MSP kickstart Spurs takeover campaign…

According to Football Insider, there has been an update on the matter, with Najafi and MSP Sports Capital now conducting ‘due diligence’ ahead of a ‘takeover campaign’ for Spurs.

It is claimed their interest is ‘genuine’, with the consortium taking ‘concrete steps’ to buy Tottenham, mainly by conducting background checks into the club and matters of financial governance from UEFA and the Premier League.

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The Verdict: Promising…

Spurs supporters who have protested the ownership of Lewis and the ENIC group could see this news as promising, given that MSP and Najafi have seemingly begun their takeover process.

While there is an argument to be made that Tottenham have invested in the squad over the last few transfer windows, with roughly €533m (£469m) spent since their Champions League final appearance in 2019, former Lilywhites boss Mauricio Pochettino went for a prolonged period of time without any backing.

That period of inactivity on the transfer front perhaps highlights why sections of the fanbase have become frustrated with the current Spurs ownership, especially as some of their top-flight rivals continue to benefit from lofty backing.

The potential and promise of a full takeover is understandably alluring for some in N17, and it will be a very interesting topic over the next 12 months.

Journalists Sami Mokbel and Ian Ladyman of The Daily Mail have shared what could be a big update on Tottenham manager Antonio Conte’s future.

The Lowdown: Conte contract expiring…

The Italian is being linked with a Spurs exit at the end of this 2022/2023 Premier League season as there has been still no sign of a contract extension.

Conte’s current deal is set to expire this year, and while Tottenham have the option to extend it by a further 12 months, that hasn’t stopped murmurs of a managerial change.

Assistant coach Cristian Stellini has overseen first team action for the last few weeks after Conte’s gallbladder surgery, yet the former Chelsea boss may not return to the helm for long after his recovery.

The Latest: Conte edging towards Spurs exit…

According to Mokbel and Ladyman, co-writing for The Mail in the last 24 hours, Spurs ‘sources’ have indicated that there is currently zero appetite to trigger the extension in Conte’s deal.

There is apparently a sense ‘behind the scenes’ that it is best for both Conte and the club to part ways ahead of next campaign.

It is also believed that the 53-year-old is keen on a return to Italy, mainly to stay closer to loved ones, as most signs now point towards a parting of the ways.

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The Verdict: Time to go?

Spurs currently sit fourth in the table and stand a real chance to qualify for next season’s Champions League, yet there have been calls for him to leave.

Conte guided the north Londoners to a top four place last season too, resulting in subsequent investment over the summer transfer window.

However, some signings like Djed Spence failed to get a look-in, while January incoming Arnaut Danjuma has failed to get game time ahead of Lucas Moura in the last two matches.

This has resulted in members of the fanbase questioning both on-field and off-field decisions this season – making you wonder if the time is right for a change.

Former fan favourite boss Mauricio Pochettino is also available, and having proved his merit running Spurs before, some might wonder if it is a match made in heaven.

Newcastle United are reportedly ‘ramping up plans’ for a bumper summer window, which includes the potential signing of Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse.

The Lowdown: Standout performer

Ward-Prowse has been the standout performer in an otherwise struggling Southampton side in the Premier League, leading the way with six goals while also contributing two assists (WhoScored).

Amazingly, four of those goals have come from free-kicks, with 17 in English football in total, as the Englishman closes in on David Beckham’s record of 18.

The Latest: Newcastle interest

As per Football Insider, Newcastle are ‘ramping up plans’ for a bumper transfer window, and Ward-Prowse seems to be high on their list of targets.

They are ready to battle some of their fellow top-flight rivals for his signature, as the Saints will find it ‘difficult’ to keep hold of him if they get relegated.

Ward-Prowse became their all-time Premier League record appearance maker (330) after playing in the 1-0 win over Leicester City on Saturday evening, but could be part of a ‘fire sale’ at St. Mary’s Stadium.

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The Verdict: No-brainer

To sign a player of Ward-Prowse’s quality is surely a no-brainer for the Magpies this summer.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola thinks that he is the ‘best’ free-kick taker that he has ever seen, and has hailed his delivery from set pieces as ‘exceptional’.

The Tynesiders currently rank 11th in terms of goals from set-pieces in the Premier League, lower than European-chasing rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham and Brentford, and signing Ward-Prowse could give them an edge in this department.

Aside from his set pieces, the 28-year-old would also offer leadership skills both on and off the pitch, as he tries to captain Southampton to a relegation escape.

Celtic appear to have got away with a major decision last night as Alexandro Bernabei’s tackle went unpunished by VAR.

The Lowdown: Celtic showing no signs of slowing down

On a night when their Old Firm rivals kicked off at the same time, it was an evening where the pendulum could have swung in another direction, but Ange Postecoglou simply didn’t allow for that to even come into his thinking.

Despite going 1-0 down at home to a high-flying Hearts side, Celtic rallied back in the second half to record an emphatic and ultimately comfortable 3-1 victory.

However, it could well have been so different had referee Alan Muir or the VAR team spotted Bernabei’s lunge on Nathaniel Atkinson – which was high and above the ball – which could have changed the game had Celtic gone down to 10 men.

The Latest: Bernabei’s lucky to avoid a red card

Some Celtic fans may well have been confused that Bernabei was not even handed a yellow card looking back on the incident, and had VAR intervened, it may have been considered to be dangerous play.

While he doesn’t appear to make much contact with his lunge, VAR could well have seen it as endangering an opponent, as firm contact could have resulted in a clean leg break.

The Verdict: Postecoglou may finally be thanking VAR

There was indeed an apparent length check on this tackle from Bernanbei, but Hearts boss Robbie Neilson was left furious post-match that no red card was branded the way of the Celtic defender.

Postecoglou was very open just a few days ago about VAR, with the Australian boss claiming that it misses nothing, especially when it comes to his team. However, he may be counting his lucky stars that it did indeed miss something this time around.

While the contact doesn’t look to be too much from the Argentinian defender, the fact that Atkinson’s leg is planted and Bernabei has no chance of getting near the ball, he could’ve had no complaints if he was given his marching orders.