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In the midst of a hefty summer rebuild, Rangers could now be set to lose a first team midfielder to former chief James Bisgrove, who is reportedly eyeing a big-money move for his new club.

Rangers transfer news

To say it's been a busy summer transfer window so far at Ibrox would be quite the understatement. Rangers have already signed six fresh faces for Philippe Clement, who ruthlessly showed the door to the likes of Ryan Jack, John Lundstram, Borna Barisic and Kemar Roofe at the end of last season. The latest to arrive out of the six was recently Clinton Nsiala on a free deal following his departure from AC Milan.

The young centre-back expressed his delight over the move, telling Rangers' official website: “First of all, there’s a huge sense of pride. This club is legendary, with lots of titles and lots of prestige, including in Europe. I’m honestly very honoured to sign for this club.

“I know it’s a club that the fans are very committed to. They put so much heart in getting behind the team in every competition. I feel a big sense of responsibility, and lots of anticipation and excitement about experiencing the atmosphere too."

Rangers hit gold with Beale signing who's now worth more than Diomande

Former Light Blues boss Michael Beale played a blinder by bringing him to the club.

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By
Dan Emery

Jul 4, 2024

As another fresh face emerges, however, Clement could be about to make some more room in his squad. According to the Scottish Sun, Saudi Arabia side Al-Qadsiah are now eyeing a move to sign Todd Cantwell in a mega money move this summer, as former Gers chief executive James Bisgrove weighs up a reunion with the 26-year-old.

Bisgrove and Al-Qadsiah have already signed Real Madrid legend Nacho Fernandez, who bowed out in Spain as a Champions League winner once again, and now want to add Cantwell to their summer business. Given the riches of Saudi Arabian clubs, affording the midfielder's reported £25,000-a-week salary would be a simple task too.

Cantwell's opportunity has passed at Rangers

Whether it's been a lack of form or ill-timed injuries, Cantwell has never really been at his best during his time in Scotland. And as Clement looks to stamp his mark on the current Rangers' side, it may be time for the former Norwich City star to move on and ponder what might have been in Glasgow, especially with a familiar face in Bisgrove after his signature this summer.

Now 26 years old, Cantwell should be in his prime but his record whilst at Rangers suggests that he's been far from firing on all cylinders. If the Gers can cash in, as reports over Al-Qadsiah's big money move suggests they could, then they should jump at the chance in the coming months.

With Clement looking to dethrone Celtic for the first time in three seasons in the Scottish Premiership, he is acting with all the ruthlessness needed to become champions up against their dominant Old Firm rivals, which may cost Cantwell his Rangers place.

A 2026 FIFA World Cup venue, NRG Stadium will also play host to the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup Final, the confederation announced Wednesday.

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• NRG Stadium to host Gold Cup Final on July 6
• Sixteen-team tournament kicks off June 14
• Eighth-time hosting Gold Cup match at venue

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  For the first time ever, the CONCACAF Gold Cup Final will be played in the state of Texas, with the 18th-edition of the tournament set to host its finale at NRG Stadium – home of NFL side Houston Texans. The venue is a familiar one for CONCACAF, though, with this being the eighth time NRG Stadium will play host to a match in the confederation's flagship tournament.

  The venue has previously hosted two Super Bowls, the College Football National Championship, WrestleMania, Copa America 2024 matches and boasts a capacity of 72,220.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  A 16-team tournament, the Gold Cup will be played in the summer of 2025 across 14 stadiums and 11-different Metropolitan areas across both the United States and Canada. Five of the 14 venues are 2026 FIFA World Cup stadiums, with all of AT&T Stadium, BC Place, Levi's Stadium, NRG Stadium, and SoFi Stadium hosting.

  The competition will begin June 16, with an initial Group Stage followed by three rounds of knockout fixtures. The Final will be played on July 6, in Houston to crown the regional champion.

  CONCACAF will conduct the tournament draw on April 10, with further details to be announced come the flip of the calendar year.

• WHAT WAS SAID

  “Houston’s NRG Stadium is a world-class venue, and we know it will deliver a tremendous Gold Cup Final next summer," CONCACAF President and FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani said. "This stadium has been the scene of many great Concacaf matches in the past, including Gold Cup semifinals, and it is an official FIFA World Cup 2026 venue, highlighting just how central this city and stadium will be to the ongoing growth of the sport. On behalf of Concacaf, I want to thank our partners in Houston, including the Texans leadership and everyone at NRG Stadium, for their commitment to our Gold Cup and to the beautiful game.”

  “We are thrilled to host the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final at NRG Stadium,” Houston Texans President Greg Grissom added. “Our rich history of hosting major soccer events through Lone Star Sports & Entertainment makes Houston and NRG Stadium the preeminent destination for this highly anticipated match. Our collaboration with NRG Park, Houston First and Harris County Houston Sports Authority to put on this event will bring incredible energy and excitement to H-Town this summer.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CONCACAF

  The Nations League quarterfinals take place this November, with the USMNT in action against Jamaica in a two-legged affair with matches in St. Louis, MO and Kingston, Jamaica. The series kicks off on Nov. 14.

Leeds United know, as well as having to deal with outgoings involving their stars this summer, that the off-season also presents a great opportunity to get rid of some deadwood still lurking in the camp.

Jack Harrison looks to be nearing to a loan move back to Everton for a second successive year to the relief of everyone at Elland Road, whilst Daniel Farke and Co now turn their attention to the future of Maximilian Wober in Leeds white.

Only featuring for Leeds briefly during their relegation campaign down from the Premier League, having only been bruised by the experience slightly by joining mid-way through the season, Wober will still be one the Championship side will look to offload soon.

That could prove to be a tricky sale, however, when taking into account his recent horror-show performance against France in the ongoing Euros tournament.

What the future hold for Wober future at Leeds

Roy Keane, speaking on ITV at half-time of Austria's eventual 1-0 defeat to Didier Deschamps' outfit, was less than impressed with Wober's own-goal rippling the back of his nation's net, labelling it as 'really poor' defending, with his stock falling as a direct consequence of this bad slice of luck.

Wober was equally shaky at points during his brief spell at Leeds, only tallying up two clean sheets from the 16 appearances he managed for the West Yorkshire side, before moving on to Borussia Mönchengladbach on loan in the wake of relegation.

Wober had shone playing out in the Bundesliga last season, away from battling it out for Farke's men back in England, with two goals and three assists mustered up, but Leeds' reported asking price of £12.5m to try and make this deal a permanent one has become a stumbling block for the German side.

Leeds could do with some additional defensive reinforcements next season with Joe Rodon no longer present, meaning Wober coming back and fighting for his spot again could be handy, but his previous hefty wage for Leeds will also be a concern, with the Austrian dud earning two times more than Crysencio Summerville when playing in the Premier League.

Wober's wage at Leeds

As per Capology, Wober was earning a handsome £35k-per-week in the top-flight for Leeds during 2022/23, whilst Summerville, before his immense Championship campaign, was pocketing far less at £15k-per-week.

Wober's weekly salary during the relegation season would still see him earn more than the electric Dutchman in the here and now, who remains on a meagre £15k-per-week salary, despite the Championship Player of the Year winner amassing a ridiculous 31 goal contributions, only for his side to fall at the final hurdle in the play-off final.

As Summerville now eyes a move back up to the Premier League without Leeds, Wober could be staring the end of his own career at Elland Road in the face, on the contrary, with the Austrian defender only £15k-per-week off entering into the top five earners in Farke's camp, despite being pushed to one side on loan.

Harrison, who is nearing a return to Goodison Park, ended up earning an eye-watering £90k-per-week when he was still an important cog in West Yorkshire, with Leeds wanting to get him off their books permanently down the line.

Whilst Harrison moves away, Leeds could be stuck with Wober if they can't find a suitor willing to take him on, with the Austria international going down as a major flop in the transfer market for the Whites, when purchased for a bumper £11m just last year.

He's like Grealish: Leeds could sign "dangerous" EFL star to replace Piroe

The Whites manager could stop playing the Dutchman as a number ten by signing this target.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 19, 2024

Though still only 17, the defender has already pulled up trees at three clubs across Europe and has Spurs in his sights next

The pendulum of tactical trends has swung violently back in favour of the imposing, superhuman centre-back, and it's a direction that serves well for 17-year-old Luka Vuskovic.

Already capped by Croatia at Under-21 level, the defender is rapidly rising up the European football ladder. Next up on his journey is north London with Tottenham Hotspur, who reached an agreement last year to sign Vuskovic after he turns 18 in 2025.

Powerful and precise, macho and massive, Vuskovic is making waves on the continent that are becoming impossible to ignore. By the time he sets foot through the doors at Spurs, fans should be well aware of his game and what he can help them achieve.

So who is this menace in both boxes that Tottenham have bought from the Balkans? GOAL takes a deep dive into the world of Vuskovic…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Where it all began

  Born in the coastal city of Split in February 2007, Vuskovic was an impossible talent to ignore even at a young age having come from a rich footballing background. His father, grandfather and great grandfather all represented local giants Hajduk, while older brother Mario broke through in 2019 before leaving for Hamburg.

  A wonderkid in his own right, Mario has spoken extremely highly of his younger sibling. "Luka will be the best Vuskovic, I am convinced," he said in 2022, asserting his brother will be the crown jewel of four generations of family history.

  The Vuskovic dynasty weighs heavily on the shoulders of Luka, who has already had to juggle and balance the weight of expectation for half a decade now. In 2019, he was tasked with giving a speech when the club announced the renaming of their academy facilities after coach Luka Kaliterna, and Hajduk wanted to hand him his senior debut before they were even legally allowed.

  Croatian regulations prohibited Vuskovic from appearing in a competitive Hajduk game until he turned 16, but the club sought to give him senior minutes in several friendlies in the meantime. He also kept busy by tumbling records in the UEFA Youth League, becoming the youngest-ever Croatian to play and score in the competition.

  Hajduk and Vuskovic were kept on their toes until February 2023, when he was at last granted permission to make his professional debut.

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• The big break

  Such was Hajduk's belief in Vuskovic that they didn't even hesitate throwing him into action only two days after he turned 16, and against bitter rivals Dinamo Zagreb no less. It's probably better to forget that Hajduk were thrashed 4-0, but Vuskovic made history nonetheless, shattering the record for the youngest player to feature in the Eternal Derby.

  One week later, he made his mark with a goal in their Croatian Cup triumph against Osijek, in turn becoming the youngest scorer for Hajduk on record. Almost immediately, Vuskovic became a starter and on the verge of undroppable, until for a muscle injury to disrupt his end to the 2022-23 campaign, though he did receive a cup-winners' medal for his troubles.

  Transfer speculation began to whirl around Vuskovic heading into the following season, though it wasn't until September 2023 that he agreed a future move to pastures new, signing a contract with Tottenham running until 2030 after a £12m deal was agreed. Hajduk wrapped their shining star in cotton wool before the decision was made to loan him to Polish top-flight side Radomiak Radom in January. In 14 Ekstraklasa appearances, he managed an impressive three goals from centre-back, and he had risen through the Croatian youth ranks to U19 level all the while.

  Vuskovic returned to Hajduk with more European clubs hoping to take him on loan ahead of his move to Spurs one year out, and he reached an agreement with Belgian outfit Westerlo.

• How it's going

  Through 10 rounds of Belgian Pro League fixtures, Vuskovic has been the star attraction for a Westerlo side well in with a chance of reaching the champions' play-off stage at the end of the season.

  He has started every game for De Kemphanen thus far and has already contributed four goals and one assist, blowing away pundits and critics with his aerial dominance. Back home, Croatian media have paid attention to this insane run of form and already crowned Vuskovic as "a talent who is born once in 100 years" and "the monster that terrorises all of Belgium".

  A senior Croatia call-up can't be far away for Vuskovic, who has broken into the U21 fold in the last month. Of course, he scored on his second start at this level, finding the net in a 3-2 win against Greece only days after keeping a clean sheet when Croatia beat Andorra 2-0.

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• Biggest strengths

  Vuskovic has been blessed with relative height for much of his life, and even now at 6'4" he is still growing and further asserting his vertical advantage. It does, however, take more than simply being tall in order to succeed at the aerial aspect of football.

  The remarkable return of eight goals in 35 senior appearances across all three of the clubs he has played for, plus a further two for Croatia's youth teams, is all the evidence you really need to know Vuskovic poses a problem at either end of the pitch, but his expert and quick-footed movement in tandem with his heading is what makes him a truly unique profile of player. He is a real-life Football Manager glitch.

  As is the case with most modern centre-backs, Vuskovic is comfortable in possession and isn't afraid of taking risks in the defensive third or hitting it longer when necessary, bringing the best of both traditional and contemporary defensive traits.

A £50 million Chelsea star has been floated as a potential makeweight in "conversations" between the Blues and Crystal Palace over Michael Olise.

Chelsea make approach to sign Michael Olise this week

As reported by multiple reliable media outlets, Chelsea have made contact with Palace over signing Olise this week as they look to navigate around his complicated £60 million release clause.

Fabrizio Romano: Chelsea agree another signing amid Duran talks, deal done

The west Londoners are moving quickly.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 13, 2024

His £60 million clause is said to only be valid for clubs playing in the Champions League next season, and with Chelsea instead qualifying for the Conference League, there are murmurs they could have to pay a larger fee.

Nevertheless, Chelsea have been in dialogue with Palace chiefs over the matter, and it is believed they would have an excellent chance of signing the 22-year-old if they can settle on a fee with personal terms being no issue.

Olise has been on Chelsea's radar for weeks now, and reports have suggested that the winger is keen to make the move across London to Stamford Bridge. Chelsea have apparently held talks with Olise's agents as well, who is actually eligible to represent France, England, Algeria or Nigeria at international level.

The Guardian claim that Chelsea have moved ahead of Man United in the race for Olise, with teammate Joel Ward perhaps explaining exactly why the west Londoners are keen to do a deal.

"He will ignite the place. He sets it alight,” said Ward on Olise. “If we can get those two [Olise and Eberechi Eze] on the pitch, as well as the other lads that we have throughout the squad, we’ve got more than enough to frighten teams going forward.

“Michael adds a different element to it too. He has that killer instinct, he has that arrogance – in the right way – to go about the game. For such a young talent, he’s got a very wise head on him.

“He’s very tactically astute, he wants to learn, he wants to develop and you can see that he’s got that desire to go and make things happen. When you need him to grab a game by the scruff of the neck, he does that, and he takes it upon himself to go and be the difference.”

Sterling floated as makeweight in Chelsea talks for Olise

The Boot Room have an interesting update on the winger's potential move to Chelsea, and it involves high-earning star Raheem Sterling.

Signed from Man City for around £50 million, Chelsea chiefs are believed to have told the Englishman that he isn't in their long-term plans. As well as this, it is believed Sterling's name has been mentioned in Chelsea's conversations with Palace over signing Olise.

As chairman Todd Boehly looks to get Sterling's £325,000-per-week salary off the books, he could kill two birds with one stone by including him in a swap for Olise, but much will depend on the 29-year-old's willingness to make the move.

Harry Kane boasts “absurd quality”, says Ederson, with the Manchester City goalkeeper pleased to see the prolific striker at Bayern Munich.

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• England star is Spurs' all-time leading scorer
• Troubled City on a regular basis down the years
• Left for a new challenge at Bayern in 2023

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Prior to completing a big-money transfer to Germany in 2023, Kane spent several years in the Premier League becoming Tottenham’s all-time leading goalscorer. He lined up against City and Ederson on a regular basis, with the England captain always posing plenty of problems to Pep Guardiola’s side.

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• WHAT EDERSON SAID

  Brazil international Ederson told  when asked to pick out the toughest frontman he had faced: “Man, I've faced a few strikers, especially in the Premier League. But I think the most difficult one, the one I've seen with the most quality, is Harry Kane. He has an absurd quality, both inside the box and outside, when he comes out to receive play, he has a lot of quality. So, from my point of view, he was one of the best strikers I've ever faced.”

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Guardiola always has a plan for players such as Kane, with Ederson adding on his demanding coach at the Etihad Stadium: “He's a nice guy, he's sometimes annoying, in the sense of [being] demanding, because he has to [be] demanding to a professional [player], and he's also angry when he has to be angry. But he's a nice guy off the pitch, and he's a very, very demanding guy on it. And he's also a guy who gets angry like any other person, like any other coach, when things don't go well, when the team doesn't play well. Of course, we know that we're not going to be able to play 70 games at a brilliant level, of course, in one game or another, there's going to be a dip.”c

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• WHAT NEXT FOR MAN CITY?

  Defending Premier League champions City, who are hoping to see Guardiola agree an extension to a contract that is due to expire next summer, will be back in action on Sunday when taking in a trip to Molineux to face Wolves.

Arsenal are eyeing up two potential alternatives to Benjamin Sesko as they search for a striker to sign ahead of the 2024/25 Premier League season, according to one journalist.

Arsenal eye attacking reinforcement

Arsenal enjoyed a solid 2023/24 campaign under the guidance of Mikel Arteta. They were able to push Manchester City to the final day in the title race – a vast improvement on their 2022/23 challenge, which began to fall apart in April of that season. However, if the Gunners are to take the next step in their evolution and finally end their 20-year-plus wait for the Premier League, further improvements will likely be needed.

A key area the north Londoners should look to improve is up front. The Gunners shared their goals around across the previous season, but lacked a standout goalscorer who could come up clutch in big games, similar to Erling Haaland for Manchester City.

Rather concerningly for Arsenal, their top goalscorers in 2023/24 were primarily used on the wings, with Kai Havertz the first player on the list to actually play through the middle on a regular basis. As a result, it makes sense for the Gunners to be looking to add a high-scoring forward to their ranks this summer.

In their striker search, Arsenal have their sights on RB Leipzig hitman Benjamin Sesko as one serious option, while Napoli's Victor Osimhen has been linked in the past. A report earlier this week also claimed Arsenal are ready to "bid hard" for Viktor Tsygankov and have held talks with his entourage.

Arsenal eye Sesko alternatives

However, a fresh update from journalist Ben Jacobs has now shed some light on Arsenal's hunt for a striker, and while Benjamin Sesko has been heavily linked of late, it appears the north London outfit have a couple of alternative options in mind.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jacobs claimed Brighton's Evan Ferguson and Viktor Gyokeres are listed alongside the aforementioned Sesko as options that have been looked at. Ivan Toney has also apparently been ruled out as an option by the capital outfit, while a deal for Osimhen is not thought to be advanced.

“I think Arsenal are still stuck deciding on the striker front. But it’s clear that that’s the kind of profile that they’re looking for, and they feel is missing," he said. “And along with Benjamin Sesko, they’ve considered Evan Ferguson and Viktor Gyokeres, but they’ve ruled out Ivan Toney.

“And even though we hear reports about Arsenal moving for Victor Osimhen, the outlay is so severe that nothing is advancing at this stage on that front. It’s a long window, of course, but there’s better value and slightly younger profiles of strikers that Arsenal are prioritising at this time.”

Evan Ferguson, previously valued at a mammoth £120m by his current club, is one of the brightest young strikers in world football, having scored 16 goals in 65 appearances for Brighton since his senior debut. The 19-year-old has a bright career ahead of him, with former Seagulls teammate Alexis Mac Alister labelling him "amazing".

"Evan is an amazing player," said Mac Allister last year. "He was not having his best evening, but he showed his quality. We are really happy for him, we know how important he is."

As for Gyokeres, he has taken the European footballing world by storm after leaving Coventry for Sporting CP. The 26-year-old netted a staggering 43 goals and provided 15 assists in 50 games across all competitions for the Portuguese outfit.

Arsenal could sign their next Overmars in £43m partner for Saka

Mikel Arteta is looking to strengthen his frontline this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 9, 2024

Pulisic’s scoring run at AC Milan shows no sign of easing off, with the in-form American posting a 34-year first for USMNT stars

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• Enjoyed productive debut campaign at San Siro
• Impressive form has carried over into 2024-25
• Matched an achievement by ex-USMNT striker

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The United States international posted a personal best on the goal front last season, as he found the target on 15 occasions across a productive debut campaign at San Siro. He has quickly become a talismanic presence for the Rossoneri.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  That remains the case in 2024-25, with Milan often looking to Pulisic for inspiration. He has been doing his best to deliver, with a flurry of goals and assists being recorded. The 26-year-old has found the net in six of his last seven appearances for club and country.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  That sequence includes a run of goals in four successive Serie A appearances. He converted from the penalty spot against Venezia on September 14 and has also troubled the scores in meetings with Inter – as golf pro girlfriend Alexa Melton watched on – Lecce and Fiorentina.

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  TELL ME MORE

  Pulisic has become the first USMNT player to score in four consecutive appearances in one of European football’s top five divisions since Roy Wegerle achieved that feat for Queens Park Rangers in the old English First Division back in August-September 1990.

With a deal to sign Lloyd Kelly reportedly nearing completion, Newcastle United have reportedly shifted their focus to another defensive reinforcement in the summer transfer window.

Newcastle transfer news

The Magpies have seemingly taken full advantage of the expiration of Kelly's Bournemouth contract to wisely seal a free deal for the versatile defender. He will arrive to provide instant cover for Eddie Howe's backline, which is already without Jamaal Lascelles and Sven Botman for extended periods ahead of the beginning of next season.

With cover arguably needed for both Lascelles and Botman, however, Kelly is unlikely to be the last defender through the door at St James' Park this summer, with the likes of Dean Huijsen also linked with a move.

Newcastle make first move to sign "outstanding" £50,000-a-week player

The Magpies aren’t messing around this summer…

By
Tom Cunningham

Jun 6, 2024

The original plan seemed to be landing a free deal for Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo at the end of his current contract in a replication of the Kelly deal, but Chelsea have since reportedly swooped in to turn the defender's head. Now, the Magpies have shifted their focus towards the Netherlands.

According to Dutch outlet AD, Newcastle are interested in a move to sign Lutsharel Geertruida from Feyenoord this summer. The right-back, who can also play as a centre-back and a defensive midfielder, has attracted the interest of Liverpool alongside the Magpies and could now have a decision to make in the coming months.

Newcastle will hope to counter Arne Slot's Feyenoord advantage at Liverpool with the fact that Geertruida is under the same agency as Harvey Barnes, who the Magpies signed just last summer. Still just 23 years old, the Feyenoord man could certainly solve Newcastle's defensive depth problem.

"Amazing" Geertruida can ease Botman blow

Whilst he could yet succeed Kieran Trippier at St James' Park, Geertruida's first task at Newcastle may well be to replace the injured Botman in Howe's side. Without the Dutchman, Newcastle run the risk of a slow start to the Premier League campaign, making their search for a short-term replacement, who can also serve a long-term purpose, crucial this summer.

It could even be argued that Geertruida would hand Howe quite the selection headache when Botman returns from injury. But that competition should only be seen as healthy as the Magpies look to make an instant return to European qualification next season.

Unsurprisingly, Geertruida has earned plenty of praise during his time at Feyenoord, with Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig describing the defender as "amazing" on X:

A title-winner at Feyenoord and a defender only likely to get even better, Newcastle could seal an underrated deal and solve any potential defensive crisis in one swift move this summer.

Dele Alli has gone 19 months since his last competitive appearance, with Everton confirming that he’s endured another “slip back” on the injury front.

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• Midfielder is now a free agent
• Hoping to earn fresh deal with Toffees
• Endured nightmare run on the fitness front

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 28-year-old midfielder saw his contract with the Toffees expire at the end of the 2023-24 campaign. He has been a free agent since then, but has continued to work with the Premier League outfit after seeing them aid his recovery from an operation at the start of the calendar year.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Everton are open to agreeing fresh terms with Dele if he proves himself deserving of them, with a compromise having been reached with Tottenham that means previously agreed transfer fees will not need to change hands – as everybody tries to get the ex-England international’s career back on track.

• WHAT DYCHE SAID

  Dele has, however, suffered more fitness woe while being put through his paces at the Toffees’ training ground. Club boss Sean Dyche has said: “He’s just making sure he’s right. He’s had a little bit of a slip back with his fitness so he is just in that total recovery period. He’s been out that long it’s just about making sure everything is right.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Quizzed on how Dele is dealing with the fresh setback, Dyche added: “It’s not easy but unfortunately it is part of being a professional footballer. Not for all, of course. I had a year out with my back, played one game and then did my back again the next week. You work for six or seven months and then you’re out for another seven months, it’s hard. Your body is the tool you need and if it breaks down it is really difficult but you find your way through it.

  “Players are fortunate now. With me, my career was on the line. Now most of these guys, not all, make enough money to look after themselves for the future. Not that it’s about that, it doesn’t make it feel any better when you’re injured, but it’s worse when you’re injured for that long and you don’t know what is coming next and you are on the breadline. That’s a whole different ball game. But he has had a tough run of it, there is no doubt about that, and on the back of him feeling better about himself. To have this period out has been very challenging for him but whenever I see him he seems to be in good spirits. He’s well aware of the situation.”