Tottenham Hotspur will be disappointed not to be keeping pace with the league leaders in the same way they did for much of last season.
Way adrift of table-toppers Chelsea, even a couple of draws will knock them out of the picture completely.
Recruiting well is a key priority in January and beyond. With the title looking increasingly out of reach this season, next summer is as important as ever.
Spurs always have plenty of money to spend but perhaps not to the level that can be splashed by Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea, and that makes it all the more important to get value out of their transfers.
There’s many out-of-contract stars around European football and Spurs are well placed to offer them good wages, a passionate fanbase and a competitive first-team.
Here are THREE such stars that could make an impact on Pochettino’s side…
Andrew Robertson
At just 22, Andrew Robertson is one of the Premier League’s top talents. A marauding full-back that is strong in the tackle but equally adept at running with the ball, Spurs would be an excellent place for him to develop his potential.
Unbelievably Hull have still not renewed his contract, so he’s available for free in 2017.
It’s a risk-free signing for Spurs and one that could pay dividends for years to come, and the Tigers may be tempted to cash in while they still can in the coming weeks.
John Obi Mikel
Seemingly having no future under Antonio Conte at Chelsea given he’s not played a single game for Chelsea this season, John Obi Mikel is one of the best players out of contract next summer.
That should pique the interest of clubs like Spurs who are always looking to add quality to midfield areas.
Mikel has vast experience in the Premier League and has won lots of honours at Stamford Bridge. It’s the kind of pedigree that would serve Pochettino well, as he needs winners and leaders in his team and he likely won’t find much better value than in Chelsea’s midfielder, who will surely be available on the cheap in the coming weeks.
Mario Balotelli
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After a year on loan at AC Milan last season Mario Balotelli left Liverpool on not very good terms at all. He ended up signing a year long contract at French side Nice and it’s a move that’s proving beneficial for all parties.
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Nice are currently sitting top of Ligue 1 and Balotelli has shown some of the best form of his career, banging in seven goals in ten appearances.
This will no doubt be alerting many clubs around Europe. Could he finally be the player he’s always promised to be in the Premier League?
Available on a free, or for potentially a knockdown sum in January, perhaps Spurs should find out…
It’s all change at West Ham at the moment. A new manager, a bunch of new signings and, pretty soon, a brand spanking new stadium to call home.
Sam Allardyce’s departure – just minutes after the final ball of last season had been kicked – was met with nationwide criticism. How dare West Ham dream of being better than a mid-table club that occasionally flirts with relegation. How dare they show ambition. In fact, how dare they do anything other than put up with Sam Allardyce’s long ball tactics. The cheek of it!
Such criticism means Slaven Bilic’s job at West Ham will be under an even bigger spot light than normal. Get off to a dodgy start and it’ll be “see, you should’ve stuck with Fat Sam” and the Hammers faithful will be bombarded with atrocious memes of Allardyce laughing on Twitter. Get off to a flyer and you’ll every Hammer on earth saying “I told you so.”
Thankfully for West Ham fans, Bilic appears to have gotten off to a good start. Ok, so their Europa League qualifiers have been a bit dodgy so far, and they’ve not exactly been overly convincing in their friendlies, but some of the signings the Hammers have made have been pretty inspiring and are a reflection of the club’s ambition post Allardyce.
Dimitri Payet, Angelo Ogbonna, Pedro Obiang and Manuel Lanzini are all solid additions, and they’ve also brought Carl Jenkinson back for a second spell on loan from Arsenal.
Just a quick peek on Twitter will tell you all you need to know about the current feeling in the West Ham camp. The fans are excited, confident and genuinely looking forward to a new era in east London. But West Ham supporters will be the first to tell you that supporting the east London club is never an easy ride, and never really know what’s around the corner.
So what are their predictions? We collared three of the club’s most influential Twitter accounts and independent websites and asked them for their expert opinion on the coming season.
Here’s what they think will happen…
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James Jones, WestHamWorld.co.uk
James Jones is the founder and editor of www.westhamworld.co.uk, which is the fastest growing independently run West Ham site on the web. James has been a season ticket holder for 18 years, so he knows a thing or to about what to expect from the Hammers…
What the fans expect: This season happens to be the most important in the club’s recent history, so the fans are perhaps expecting a bit more than normal.
It’s our last ever season at the Boleyn Ground before moving to the Olympic Stadium so even the slightest hint of flirting with relegation and/or negativity will not go down well with the fans. At the very least we expect a top ten finish and a decent cup run – all we’re asking for is a good platform to push on from as we move home and in to an exciting new era at the club.
Anything less than that will undoubtedly be classed as a disappointment.
What they’ll actually get: Any West Ham fan that claims they’re optimistic in public will deep down be extremely worried about another disappointing season. Us Hammers have been brought up to expect the worst each week.
We’ll probably start off well again but end up mid-table once Europa League football takes its toll and several of our best players are ruled out through injury. We’ll finish 12th and crash out of all the cups at the early stages – because that’s West Ham all over.
The fact we’ve got a new manager and a load of exciting new players means the expectation level has increased tenfold, which ewually means the disappointment will be even higher when it inevitably goes wrong after Christmas.
One to watch: Dimitri Payet – it’s still a mystery as to how we managed to sign him. The Frenchman was Ligue 1’s highest assist provider last season and we only paid £12m+ for him, which already seems like a steal.
On his debut in a friendly against Southend he scored two and assisted the other in a 3-2 win, and Southend boss Phil Brown actually asked Bilic to take him off to make it a more even contest.
The rest of the squad have been raving about him in interviews, which already suggests he’s going to be a huge player for us.
Predictions: We’ll start well but the Europa League will take its toll and we’ll end up dropping off in the bottom of the table again.
We’ll crash out of the Capital One Cup to a League One side in the third round and then draw Chelsea in the third round of the FA Cup to all but end our hopes of waving goodbye to the Boleyn Ground with silverware in our hands. If it doesn’t end up like that then I’ll be extremely surprised. I want to be more confident, but it’s hard to be when you’re a West Ham fan.
That said, the highlight of the season is always going to be that final ever game at the Boleyn Ground. So as long as we’re still a Premier League club by that point then I think no one will really care about what happened throughout the season.
One thing is for sure – we won’t be getting relegated.
Follow @WestHamWorld on Twitter and be sure to visit their website, here.
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Matt Bourne, ForeverWestHam.com
Matt Bourne is the editor of www.foreverwestham.com and is well versed on everything West Ham United. Here’s what he reckons will happen at the Boleyn Ground this season…
What the fans expect: The fans will want Slaven Bilic to bring back the West Ham Way and his signings so far suggest that good football is something that may be easily achievable this season.
If the Hammers continue to progress in the Europa League, fans won’t be too disappointed if Bilic secures a mid-table finish in the Premier League.
What they’ll actually get: It’ll probably take a while for Bilic to get West Ham ticking the way he wants them to and that may leave some eager fans frustrated.
The Europa League can really dislodge your season and if West Ham do progress in it their league form will suffer dramatically as the squad won’t be able to handle so many games in a short space of time. A realistic season will see West Ham finishing around 10th with the Hammers exiting the Europa League in the group stages.
One to watch: Dimitri Payet. The French playmaker has looked good in pre-season and was one of the most influential attacking midfielders in Europe last season. If West Ham can utilise him properly, he can become a huge player for the Hammers.
Predictions: Payet will prosper as the focal point of West Ham’s new attacking style and Bilic will become one of the most popular managers in the Premier League due to his outlandish style.
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West Ham’s season may improve in the latter half due to the squad gelling under Bilic and the fact that they may be out of the Europa League by then could be a blessing in disguise.
Make sure you follow @Forever_WestHam on Twitter and check out their website, here.
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Calvin, westham-news.com
Calvin runs the oldest independently run Hammers Twitter account @WHUFC_News and recently launched www.westham-news.com. Given his experience in chatting with hundreds of Hammers fans on Twitter on a daily basis, he’s got a pretty good idea of what they’re expecting this season…
What the fans expect: A top-half Premier League finish and a decent Europa League campaign. In terms of transfers – a striker and a winger.
What they’ll actually get: Alex Song looks very close to joining on a free which is excellent business. The club have been looking to sign another central midfielder and I believe a striker and winger will also be joining before the close of the transfer window.
One to watch: Dimitri Payet – 21 assists last season and the most chances created in Europe. He will be a key player.
Predictions: We’re in a transition phase, it all depends on how quickly the players adapt to Bilic’s style of play. With the right signings, I predict a comfortable mid-table finish and for us to get past the group stages of the Europa League.
Make sure you follow @WHUFC_News on Twitter, and check out their new site, here.
We have to assume that Arsenal’s poor injury record over the years has more to it than simply the misfortunate of buying injury-prone players. It also comes down to the idea we’re often led to believe that Arsene Wenger will continue to do things his way in spite of clear evidence that attempts to point him in another direction.
One of the most obvious cases is Abou Diaby and his recurring injury problems. It’s quite plain that much of his troubles over the years have stemmed from that injury suffered against Sunderland in 2006. Based on stories that have circulated in recent years, it’s led to complications with his growth, taking into account he was still only 20 at the time.
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The club aren’t oblivious to this, stating in 2010 that they were investigating the matter and that they possibly rush players back too early from injury. As I’ve pointed out before, it’s very difficult to isolate one problem from the club without it having an effect on something else. The club’s inability to add strength in depth has obviously led to the need to rush back players like Jack Wilshere, Bacary Sagna and countless others. It’s not a stick to beat the club with over their lack of spending; it’s just the way it is.
Arsenal like to keep their privacy as much as possible, so for that we’ll never get a good understanding of what goes on in training, bar a few picture updates on the club’s official website scattered throughout the season. Yet we are led to believe that Wenger overexerts the players in training, often playing out mini-games and forcing strain on the players’ muscles.
That’s one of the key points here: many of the players’ injuries have been muscle related. We’re so used to hearing that a player will be out for three weeks, with the obvious indication that it’s a strain or pull. Such is the regularity that it simply can’t amount to bad luck
There may also be a correlation in the rise of injuries to the departure of Gary Lewin in 2008 and the club’s replacement Colin Lewin taking over. Again, we’re not fed too much information on the credentials and input of the staff behind the scenes, but once more it surely isn’t a coincidence.
Regardless, this matter falls well within the borders of what Wenger needs to address in what could be his final year with the club. Other teams go through potentially damaging injury spells, but not to the extent of Arsenal. There is a drawback to using younger players so regularly in the way Arsenal do. Furthermore, Cesc Fabregas’ injury problems suddenly came to halt as soon as he made the switch to Barcelona. Pep Guardiola is notably meticulous in his backroom staff, so there is surely a lot to take from the different environment the player was working in.
But it’s an issue that the club can’t allow to continue. Sure, leg breaks happen and they’re well out of the club’s control. But taking action to maximise a squad’s contribtuon over the course of a campaign isn’t beyond them. It does take a level of ruthlessness on the manager’s part to simply say the staff aren’t good enough, but a club like Arsenal, who need to make the most of their resources, can’t afford to be charitable on the basis of long-standing camaraderie.
It just takes a little bit of planning and care for what has become the norm. The injury factor has battled against the club in previous years where a Premier League title was a possibility, with the most obvious being 2007-08. A big worry from this is that Wenger, with all the thought that he puts into his managing of the club, has done so little on the injury front. It seems as though, once again, the club are just covering their eyes and hoping the matter resolves itself. But a club as big as Arsenal simply can’t afford to neglect the idea of risk management.
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Arsenal and Chelsea are set to fight it out for the signature of highly-rated Montpellier defender Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, The Sun claim.
The France international starred for his club in their unexpected Ligue 1 title triumph last season, and has been heralded as one of the most promising youngsters in the European game.
The 23-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to AC Milan, who have admitted their interest in signing the centre-half before the end of the transfer window.
However, Arsenal and Chelsea are also keeping tabs on the defender, who is available for around £7 million due to only having one year left on his contract.
The defender has stated that he is happy at Montpellier but would find it hard to turn down a big club, with the London duo hoping to capture the player before the end of the week.
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Liverpool are still on the “track” of West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice ahead of the summer, according to journalist Rudy Galetti.
Who is signing Declan Rice this summer?
The Premier League veteran will be out of contract at the London Stadium at the end of next season, meaning that the upcoming window will be David Moyes’ final opportunity to cash in, and he won’t come cheap after the boss admitted that his captain is set to bring in a “British transfer record” should he be sold.
The Irons’ academy graduate has been his boyhood club’s overall best-performing player this season with a WhoScored match rating of 7.02, and his impressive level of performances haven’t gone unnoticed by Jurgen Klopp so he won’t be short of potential suitors if he was to depart.
According to Sky Sports, the Reds, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United have all expressed an interest in signing the 24-year-old, whose price tag has been set at £120m, though the Hammers are reportedly open to £100m in cash plus a player going the opposite way as part of a swap deal.
Taking to Twitter, Galetti revealed that Rice has entered negotiations regarding a move to the Emirates Stadium, but didn’t rule out a surprise switch to Anfield, with FSG eyeing a move to swoop in and hijack the Gunners' deal. He wrote:
“After preliminary contacts in Jan with Rice – with Arteta also involved – now Arsenal started talks with West Ham. AFC still remain in pole position for the MF, but let's pay attention to Liverpool, on his track as well.”
Galetti has previously claimed that the Reds have also initiated tentative contacts with the Irons.
West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice.
Would Rice be a good signing for Liverpool?
Rice is West Ham’s skipper and has been dubbed a real “leader” on the pitch by talent scout Jacek Kulig, so with these qualities alongside how strong he is in all aspects of his game, Liverpool would be recruiting a fantastic defensive midfielder in the form of the talisman.
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The World Cup participant, who’s sponsored by Adidas, has made 79 tackles this season which is more than any other member of his squad, as per FBRef, as well as averaging 1.8 interceptions and 1.5 clearances per top-flight 90 minutes, via WhoScored.
The Kingston Upon Thames-born talent, who earns £60k-per-week, is also a threat at the opposite end of the pitch having scored four goals and provided the same number of assists across all competitions this season, not to mention that he’s recorded a total of 96 shot-creating actions which is the second-highest in E20, so this really would be a no-brainer of a deal to complete should the opportunity arise for FSG.
Ross Barkley was spoken of as the next big thing at Everton, with some even likening the midfielder to Paul Gascoigne.
However, even though the 24-year-old showed glimpses of quality, he never managed to live up to expectations.
Consistency was a big problem for the midfielder and eventually he decided to cut ties with his boyhood club.
In January, Barkley signed for Chelsea, but he made just four appearances overall, and only two of them were starts.
A serious hamstring injury played a major role in the midfielder’s lack of game time.
With Chelsea manager Antonio Conte now out of the club, it is unclear whether new boss Maurizio Sarri envisages Barkley in his plans.
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The England international will have plenty of work to do in order to grab a first-team spot.
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The managerial shift has caused some Everton fans to consider whether there is a way back for Barkley.
A handful would be open to bringing him back into the fold, while others are completely against the idea.
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The Sunday Mirror were cock-a-hoop with this week’s big exclusive. Cristiano Ronaldo was considering a move to Manchester City, if a number of demands were met.
These included being paid a mere £400,000 a week, the number 7 shirt, being guaranteed the captaincy and to always be the top paid player at City. Plus he wanted a private helipad at the City of Manchester stadium, Ryan Gigg’s SIM card, 200 swans in a moat at his house and a personal slave to follow him around the pitch fanning him on warm match days.
When I saw the article I was left shaking my head at the ludicrous nature of the claims. The idea that City had really sent him a picture of a Bentley covered in money was ridiculous, and as usual there were few quotes except from anonymous “sources”, and all offers to him were made from mysterious third parties. Whatever, it will surely never happen whatever the truth, especially with the new financial fair play rules coming in. City cannot pay a player £400,000 a week in the same way they cannot make a £150m purchase.
The response to the rumour from City fans was fairly predictable. The idea of the world’s 2nd best player (debatable, I know) coming to City seemed to appal many. There is the United connection of course, not that that has stopped City before (though the appointment of David Platt last season for example was met with a wave of opposition and anger), but it was his behaviour on the pitch and as a human being in general that seemed to put most off.
Personally I care little for whether he is the world’s nicest man or an odious arrogant, perma-tanned narcissist. He is without doubt one of a select band of players who would instantly take the team onto another level. Yes, City can be successful without him, but the fact is that with him success would be far more likely.
But for many, it would be a step too far. It would cross a line about who it is and isn’t acceptable to employ at the club. Don’t get me wrong, I am not totally apathetic to the character of new signings. There are certain players I would never want to see at this club, whatever their worth to the team. And there’s very little in the way that Ronaldo acts that endears me to him. Nor can I stand players who dive (he undoubtedly goes to ground very easily, as do a whole swathe of players nowadays), who whinge at referees, or who fancy themselves so much they burst into tears if a hair is misplaced after a crowded corner. But I could live with it. The fact is if Ronaldo had come through the ranks and was already a City player, every City fan would be defending his actions, just like United fans used to do. We are all hypocritical beasts, us football fans.
Either way, the discussion is redundant, apart from debating the hypotheticals of players you previously hated turning up at your club, as there is zero chance of Ronaldo moving to City, or anywhere else for that matter, this summer.
But what the whole story showed more than anything was how the media works – by Tuesday of this week The Sun’s EXCLUSIVE was how Ronaldo had snubbed City – yep, yet again a football club was snubbed by a player that they had probably never expressed any interest in. Only last week I personally snubbed Barcelona, and last year rejected a move to AC Milan. European football correspondent Antony Kastrinakis’s story about Cristiano Ronaldo turning down Manchester City’s offer was of course an EXCLUSIVE!
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Kastrinakis got this exclusive by basically listening to an interview on Spanish radio. Though to be honest, he probably didn’t even do that.
Ideally of course I do want my club’s players to behave with decorum, respect and dignity at all times. I would love a team full of Vincent Kompanys and David Silvas. Players are repsentatives of the club, they affect its image, and the mentality of players like the two mentioned above are great for team spirit and for morale, as well as making the manager’s job a hundred times easier. But we are foolish to expect every player to be model professionals, as footballers have never been, and never will be good role models. I might not like him one bit, but if Cristiano Ronaldo had come to City he would never have been a club legend, but he would be welcome by me for what he would bring to the team. But the line any fan draws on who is and isn’t acceptable to buy is different for all, and it is understandable why many fans want nothing to do with him.
Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner has admitted he could be forced to seek a move away from the club if he isn't granted guaranteed first-team football.
The Denmark international is desperate to become Arsene Wenger's number one choice in attack, but with Marouane Chamakh currently filling the role, he suggests he may start looking elsewhere.
But he suggests it would take a lot to leave the Gunners, who he rates as his 'dream club'.
"It is quite clear that my priority is to play football fast," he said.
"I know what I want and, if it doesn't happen at Arsenal, then I will move away from the club – so I'm guaranteed to have the whole remainder of my career playing, wherever I am. I want to play solid.
"I am not even across all the rumours because I am an Arsenal player and appreciate the club very much.
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"I hope I can be here for a long time yet. For me, Arsenal, right now, are a dream club."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email
Manchester United are rivalling Premier League rivals Liverpool and Arsenal for the signing of Bayern Munich and France winger Michael Olise.
The 23-year-old has arguably matured into one of the best wingers in world football, excelling in a Bayern shirt since joining from Crystal Palace in the summer of 2024.
Olise has six assists already in the Bundesliga this season, which is more than Bruno Fernandes (three) and Bryan Mbuemo (one) combined in the Premier League, with a half-dozen league goals also coming his way, outlining his end product.
The Frenchman is a hugely sought-after player, which is no great surprise, given his age and talent – Liverpool have been linked with a move – and Bayern will be desperate to fend off any interest in him.
United may have spent big on attackers in the summer transfer window, bringing in Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko, but they are likely to be on the lookout for further additions in 2026, in order to make competition for places as fierce as possible.
Man Utd in the mix to sign £123m-rated Michael Olise
According to Caught Offside‘s Mark Brus, Manchester United are showing “serious interest” in £123m-rated Bayern star Olise, but Liverpool and Arsenal are also in the race to snap him up.
Olise would be a spectacular addition for United, with Bayern centre-back and teammate Dayot Upamecano heaping praise on his brilliance in the past, saying: “He’s a magician. His technical level is very high. He can do everything. He can score, set up, and even defend.”
That said, the one confusing aspect of United potentially signing him is the fact that he plays a similar role to Mbeumo, in terms of being a left-footed right winger who cuts inside to wreak havoc.
It could be argued that the Red Devils don’t need both, especially with Amad Diallo continuing to grow as player in that role, with those funds being focused on other key positions, such as central midfield.
Man Utd have advantage over Chelsea in race for "midfield sensation" Assan Ouedraogo
He has a massive future in the game.
ByHenry Jackson
That’s not to say that United should pass up the chance to bring in Olise, though, and beating Liverpool and Arsenal to him would be a massive statement, and he has the talent to light up Old Trafford for years to come.
Man Utd have advantage over Chelsea in race for "midfield sensation"
Everton are entering a new era. Under the guidance of the Friedkin Group, the club is working quickly to rebuild a squad that has been weakened by years of underinvestment and short-term thinking.
David Moyes has already lost several senior players on free transfers, including Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Abdoulaye Doucouré and Ashley Young, leaving noticeable gaps in experience, quality and leadership.
Everton manager DavidMoyes
A new midfielder is top of the agenda.
Idrissa Gueye has extended his contract, but the Toffees are determined to inject fresh quality into the engine room, with the aim of combining technical excellence with defensive steel.
Among the club’s key targets is a player who has already proven himself at Premier League level, someone who can help Everton move the ball with greater speed and purpose.
After a disappointing season in Serie A, Douglas Luiz is open to a return to England, and Juventus are now willing to sell for a fee in the region of €40m £34m).
Despite not registering a goal or assist for the Bianconeri last season, the Brazilian’s final campaign at Aston Villa showed why he remains such a valuable asset.
Douglas Luiz in action for Juventus.
According to FBref, he averaged 71.27 passes per 90 minutes, maintained a pass completion rate of 85.6%, and produced 3.92 shot-creating actions each game, all elite-level numbers for a central midfielder.
But for Luiz to flourish, Everton must find the right partner – someone who can offer him the defensive backing he enjoyed at Villa.
Everton's search for a new midfielder
Wilfred Ndidi has long been one of the Premier League’s most effective ball-winners.
Transfer Focus
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Now 27, he is entering the prime of his career and is available at a cut-price fee of just £9m due to a relegation clause in his Leicester City contract.
With two years left on his deal and a base salary of around £75k a week, the Nigerian international represents one of the smartest deals on the market this summer.
According to Ben Jacobs – as he reported late last week – Everton have already made an approach.
Bayer Leverkusen, Juventus and Real Betis are also circling, while Manchester United have held talks with his representatives. However, their focus has now shifted to securing a new striker following the arrival of Bryan Mbeumo.
The chance is there for the Toffees to pounce…
Why Ndidi would be a perfect partner for Douglas Luiz
Ndidi’s statistical profile is exactly what Everton need.
FBref also reveals he is in the 95th percentile for tackles per 90 (3.29), and 93rd for blocks – clear evidence of his instinctive reading of the game. He ranks in the 97th percentile for clearances and 96th for aerial duels won, offering an extra layer of protection in defensive transitions.
Wilfried Ndidi in action for Leicester City.
His 4.61 touches per 90 in the defensive penalty area show a calmness and trustworthiness in dangerous zones, while his physicality and stamina make him difficult to bypass.
Players like Tyler Adams (Bournemouth) and Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest) are similar, but Ndidi’s experience and proven consistency give him the edge. In contrast to Luiz’s creative flair, Ndidi is a player who thrives on breaking up play and maintaining defensive shape.
Together, they offer balance: Luiz as the deep-lying creator, and Ndidi as the screen who shields the backline.
In Everton’s current setup, which often relies on defensive compactness and quick transitions, their complementary traits would give Moyes tactical flexibility.
Importantly, Ndidi brings Premier League pedigree. With over 150 top-flight appearances and Champions League experience with Genk and Leicester, he wouldn’t need a settling-in period.
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Everton’s young squad would benefit from his presence both on and off the pitch, with the Nigerian international already described by ESPN’s Colin Udoh as an “absolute monster” in the middle of the park.
The appeal of the deal extends beyond tactics.
Financially, this is exactly the type of move Everton must now make: low-risk, high-upside, and cost-effective.
At £9m, Ndidi would be one of the bargains of the summer. For context, Leicester paid over £15m for him back in 2017.
Leicester City's WilfredNdidiin action with AFC Bournemouth's Marcus Tavernier
At a combined fee of under £50m, Everton could land a midfield pairing that brings stability and quality.
Luiz and Ndidi are both under 28, experienced at the highest level, and tactically adaptable.
For a club rebuilding both its squad and identity, securing the duo would represent not just a midfield upgrade, but a clear blueprint for how the Friedkin Group intend to restore Everton’s competitiveness.
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