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Everton will need to look to the transfer window to improve their squad after a disappointing season in the Premier League, and with the prospect of key players leaving this summer, Farhad Moshiri will need to make smart moves to identify new signings who could make an instant impact.

Both Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have been linked with moves away from the club this summer, and they would be huge losses to the team’s goal contributions next season if Everton do not act fast in the transfer window to replace them.

Richarlison was the Toffees’ top scorer with 11 goals this season, and despite Calvert-Lewin’s numerous injury problems in recent months, he has also been a consistent and effective striker for the team.

The 25-year-old has scored 58 goals and delivered 18 assists for the Merseyside club in 191 appearances, with a goal contribution every 163 minutes. Frank Lampard will therefore be hoping that, if the England striker does move on, the 43-year-old can find someone to either emulate or improve upon the goal threat of Calvert-Lewin next season.

One player who has been closely linked with a move to Goodison Park is potential Calvert-Lewin heir Valentin Castellanos, who has been impressing in the MLS with Lampard’s former club New York City FC.

The €14m (£12m)-rated striker, who was dubbed “exceptional” by journalist Conor McGilligan, scored 22 goals and delivered eight assists in the MLS over the 2021 season, winning the league’s Golden Boot. He has continued to show his prolific nature in front of goal this year, scoring seven goals in 11 appearances so far.

Everton will likely have competition for the forward’s signature this summer, as Premier League trio West Ham United, Leeds United and Newcastle United are all named as interested parties in acquiring the services of the Argentine predator.

The Merseyside club’s interest must be ramped up by Moshiri if he wants to add depth to the forward line this summer, especially with the futures of Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison hanging in the balance. It could be a huge risk not to act upon their reported interest and get a proposal put together to sign the goal machine.

Ultimately, Everton will need to make sure that they prepare for the worst outcome of losing both their key attackers, and signing Castellanos could be a great start to ensuring that they don’t caught short with attacking options ahead of next season.

AND in other news – “Interested…”: Insider drops big Everton transfer update, supporters will be buzzing

Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Alasdair Gold has shed light on an ‘expected’ development involving wantaway winger Steven Bergwijn.

The Lowdown: Bergwijn on the move?

Much has been made of who could follow Spurs’ first summer signing Ivan Perisic through the door at Hotspur Way as links continue to surround Inter Milan star Alessandro Bastoni among others.

However, in an effort to balance their Premier League books, transfer chief Fabio Paratici must also find a way to offload those who are surplus-to-requirements under manager Antonio Conte.

One of those players in Bergwijn has been heavily linked with a move to Ajax in the last month and has even admitted that he wants to leave north London this summer.

The Latest: Gold sheds light…

Writing on Twitter, sharing a recent article, reliable journalist Gold claims it has been a ‘strange’ time for the Netherlands international with his exit now ‘expected’.

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In the article, football.london’s reporter commented on his odd relationship with Conte and how, despite being a ‘popular player’ within the club and receiving praise, the match minutes just haven’t been there.

There’s also apparently a ‘sense’ among some within the club that Bergwijn took his omission ‘to heart’ when compared to more experienced teammates like Matt Doherty who worked hard and fought their way back into the team.

The Verdict: Loss for Conte?

Bergwijn’s sensational match-winning brace away to Leicester City earlier this year looks like the 24-year-old’s last major contribution in a Lilywhites jersey.

Having displayed his potential in brief flashes, perhaps teasing supporters with the prospect of a future star, a looming departure for the ex-Eredivisie sensation certainly comes as an anti-climax.

Taking into account the lack of match action, it’s perhaps best for both parties to amicably agree a deal for him to leave.

In other news: Paratici opens Spurs talks to sign ‘scary’ £183,000-per-week star once worth £130m! Find out more here.

Rangers’ hopes of signing Mateo Cassierra this summer have been handed a boost after the striker reportedly revealed he was keen on a move to Ibrox.

What’s the word?

Rangers have been heavily linked with the Colombian striker in recent weeks and according to the 4th Official, a trusted insider, on Twitter, he wants to join Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side ahead of next season.

They tweeted: ”When pressed on how close the move is in reality, I was told that the player has several options but Rangers is where Cassierra wants to move. But, Rangers would not be paying anywhere close to £8.5m for the striker.”

A big boost for Rangers?

The 25-year-old has enjoyed a fruitful spell during his time at PF Sochi, contributing 14 goals and six assists in just 23 appearances for the Russian League side.

Recent reports have suggested that they value him at £8.5m but given that his Transfermarkt value stands at just £4.05m and his contract is set to expire next summer, Rangers will surely be looking to negotiate a lower price.

Both Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe only just hit double figures in the league for Rangers last season and after injury problems, van Bronckhorst was forced to start Joe Aribo up front for the Europa League final loss against Eintracht Frankfurt.

Therefore, a clinical striker could make all the difference for the Teddy Bears next season as they aim to go one step further in Europe, as well as reclaiming their place at the top of domestic football after relinquishing their Premiership title last season.

As well as impressing at Sochi, the 25-year-old forward has also enjoyed impressive spells with Deportivo Cali and Ajax’s youth sides, where he was prolific with 42 goals, so he clearly knows where the back of the net is and could be a superb addition to van Bronckhorst’s attacking options next season.

If Cassierra is indeed keen on a switch to Ibrox, then director of football Ross Wilson should act quickly to bring him in, before other European sides begin to take notice of the Colombian’s impressive form in Russia.

And, in other news… After Goldson: Mark Guidi promises more good news for Rangers supporters

Hearts are keen on making midfielder Ben Woodburn’s loan move from Liverpool a permanent one this summer.

The Lowdown: Productive loan spell

The Welshman joined the Scottish Premiership side on a temporary basis last summer and enjoyed a fruitful campaign away from Anfield.

Woodburn scored three goals and registered one assist in 24 league appearances, also winning one Match of the Match award from WhoScored.

It appears as though Woodburn is surplus to requirements at Liverpool, and with his contract expiring this month, he could well leave the club for good.

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The Latest: Hearts want permanent deal

According to The Scotsman, Hearts manager Robbie Neilsen wants to sign the 22-year-old permanently this summer.

It is also claimed that Woodburn is ‘open’ to the idea of joining the Scottish outfit for good, having enjoyed his time there to date.

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The Verdict: Right time to leave

Woodburn is a talented young player who once threatened to be a future superstar, having become Liverpool’s youngest goalscorer of all time back in 2016.

He has been hailed as a ‘perfect’ talent by Jurgen Klopp, but despite this, now feels like the logical time for him to move on and join a new permanent club.

Woodburn is clearly no part of Liverpool’s future plans, given the number of loan spells he has had, but there is no shame in not making the grade for such a great team.

In other news, Fabrizio Romano has made a key Liverpool claim. Read more here.

Reputable journalist Ryan Taylor has made a claim regarding Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United midfielder Tomas Soucek. 

The lowdown: Contract talks stalled

More or less an instant success since landing in the Premier League from Slavia Prague, Soucek has directly contributed to 21 goals in 105 appearances so far for the east Londoners.

Despite the seamless transition into life in England, the 27-year-old saw fresh contract talks put on hold earlier this year as the club attempted to tie down their talismanic ace amidst interest from Bayern Munich.

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Following a report claiming that Spurs and Juventus are also keen on signing the £40.5million valued Czech Republic international ace, one journalist has fuelled the fire of a potential cross-city swoop…

The latest: Conte an ‘admirer’

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Taylor has claimed that Antonio Conte is a fan of Soucek and Tottenham may well be primed to swoop.

He said: “I know Conte, from what I understand, seems to be an admirer of him. Obviously, he’s in talks with West Ham over a new contract, so I think that’s kind of linked to that situation, and they’re seeing what happens.

“It’s not a case of Soucek being one of the top targets, it’s just a player Tottenham seem to like, which is something that could potentially develop.”

The verdict: No brainer

Having qualified for the UEFA Champions League, Spurs are in a position to offer elite level football once again and must strengthen the ranks suitably in order to compete domestically and in Europe next term under Conte.

With the likes of Harry Winks, Giovani Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele expected to leave the Lilywhites on a permanent basis this summer, adding the 6 foot 3 towering midfielder – who was described as ‘incredible’ by Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel – would be a worthwhile signing.

Last term, Soucek scored six times and provided one assist in a remarkable 51 outings across all competitions, proof if nothing else of a durability that would be welcomed with open arms by Conte should Fabio Paratici be able to pull the deal off.

If Taylor is proven to be correct, the prospect of potentially lining Soucek up in midfield alongside Rodrigo Bentancur with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg there to rotate in as well is very enticing.

In other news: Tottenham are now eyeing ‘unstoppable’ Ligue 1 star, read more here

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Filip Kostic to the Premier League in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport, who claim that Fabio Paratici is now planning to launch an offensive for the Eintracht Frankfurt left wing-back in the off-season, with Antonio Conte believed to be extremely keen on the signing of the 29-year-old.

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The report goes on to state that Juventus are also tracking the Serbia international ahead of a potential move of their own, while further reports have revealed that the Bundesliga side could be tempted into parting with Kostic this summer, as long as they were to receive an offer in the region of £25m.

Bye-bye Reguilon

Considering just how impressive Kostic has been in Germany this season, coupled with Sergio Reguilon having been heavily linked with a move away from north London this summer, it is easy to see why Conte would be interested in a deal to bring the Serbian to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Indeed, over his 31 Bundesliga appearances this term, the £18m-rated talent was Oliver Glasner’s standout performer, scoring four goals, registering nine assists and creating 16 big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.6 shots, making 2.8 key passes and completing 0.8 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the £43k-per-week wing-back who Fredi Bobic dubbed “extraordinary” average a quite breathtaking SofaScore match rating of 7.25, not only ranking him as Eintracht’s best performer in the German top flight but also as the 15th-best player in the league as a whole.

In comparison, over Reguilon’s 25 Premier League outings this season, the £32m Spain international scored two goals, provided three assists and created five big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 0.8 shots, making 1.2 key passes and completing 0.8 dribbles per fixture.

These returns saw the £68k-per-week defender who George Sessions labelled “shocking” average a SofaScore match rating of 6.92, ranking him as Tottenham’s 12th-worst performer in the top flight of English football.

As such, should Paratici indeed be able to shift Reguilon this summer, it would appear an extremely wise move to replace the 25-year-old with Kostic, as not only would the latter be a much more budget-friendly option for Tottenham, but he is also quite evidently a much better option at left wing-back.

AND in other news: Contact made: Conte now plotting £55m bid for “stunning” Spurs target, he’s Diaz 2.0

Former Premier League goalkeeper Paddy Kenny has been left excited by a potentially ‘perfect’ signing for David Moyes at West Ham United.

The Lowdown: West Ham set for busy summer…

The signing of a striker is just one wish for Moyes as he reportedly eyes three major additions.

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West Ham also have their sights on a central defender and midfielder but priority should arguably be given to a new centre-forward, especially since they’re too overly-reliant on Michail Antonio in that position.

Some promising reports have emerged in recent days, particularly surrounding Arsenal striker and soon-to-be free agent Eddie Nketiah.

The Daily Mail claim West Ham are in pole position and seen as favourites to sign the 22-year-old on a Bosman deal, prompting Kenny to give his excited verdict.

The Latest: Kenny reacts…

The 43-year-old, excited by this development, has told Football Insider this would be a ‘perfect’ signing for Moyes and ‘brilliant piece of business’.

He explained:

“West Ham have needed a backup striker since January.

“I think it has cost them in the end because Antonio has dried up and his fitness is always in question anyway.

“If they have the opportunity to sign Nketiah on a free, well, he’s already in London. I imagine they are favourites.

“West Ham is a massive club as well, with a massive fan base. Any player would be lucky to go there.

“For me, it’s a great signing and it would be a brilliant piece of business if he comes on a free.

“I think he’s perfect for what they are looking for.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

The Englishman arguably fits Moyes’ idea of a top striker – young, hungry, homegrown and can find the net.

He’s been in fine recent form, scoring four goals in his last five top flight games under Mikel Arteta, and pundit Noel Whelan has also claimed in the past that he would be a ‘fantastic signing’ for West Ham – even likening Nketiah to Jermain Defoe (Football Insider).

As this many ex-professionals urge the Irons to do a deal, we believe this summer is better time as any given the forward’s pending exit.

In other news: West Ham ‘monster’ set to leave as golden opportunity emerges for summer transfer, find out more here.

At 8pm tonight the Premier League taps into football romanticism, with Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard reunited once more with Liverpool, the club where he achieved legendary status.

However, he will not see it that way, having already lost 1-0 in the reverse fixture in December courtesy of a Mohamed Salah penalty.

This time, if Gerrard is to prevent Jurgen Klopp’s side from acquiring all three points, he will effectively be handing Manchester City the title. Albeit unlikely, a win for Villa tonight would see them overtake Crystal Palace in 10th place.

Injury news

In terms of injury news, Gerrard has confirmed that Jacob Ramsey will not feature against Liverpool, but the 20-year-old has an “outside chance” in securing a return to action against Palace at the weekend.

Meanwhile, Leon Bailey remains sidelined with an ankle injury that he sustained against Norwich City at the end of April.

Speaking on Monday ahead of the match tonight, Gerrard told the media (via Birmingham Mail): “Jacob’s got a chance for the weekend, unfortunately he won’t be involved tomorrow. The squad will be very similar to what it was against Burnley. We haven’t got any fresh injury worries or anyone out of the squad.”

Predicted XI

Will Gerrard make any changes to the team which started in the 3-1 win against Burnley last Saturday? Here is how we at Football Fancast believe Aston Villa will line up in the game against Liverpool.

Our predicted XI sees just one personnel change, with a slight switch in positioning. Calum Chambers, who played as a holding midfielder in the game against Burnley, drops back to form a central defensive partnership with Tyrone Mings, just like he did against Norwich as Gerrard’s side kept a clean sheet.

The £72k-per week Ezri Konsa, who was dubbed “crazy” by BBC pundit Stephen Kelly, misses out; with the £18m-rated Coutinho – hailed as a “magician” by former Reds team-mate Roberto Firmino – coming into a left central midfield role to offer a burst of creativity in a slightly deeper position just behind the front three which featured last time out against Burnley.

Emi Buendia, who scored against Burnley, will function as an attacking midfielder, whilst the partnership of Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings will most likely be deployed, with the pair having scored in back-to-back games.

The likes of Emi Martinez, Matty Cash, Mings, Lucas Digne and John McGinn are likely to keep their places and occupy the same positions as they did last time out.

With the inclusion of Coutinho almost inevitable considering his cameo from the bench last time out, and with no doubt that he will want to face his former club, it seems impossible to omit Buendia, Ings or Watkins after their performances of late. It would also be difficult to ditch the 4-3-1-2 formation which has worked for Gerrard over the last few games.

In other news: Double blow as Villa dealt big setback ahead of Liverpool clash, Gerrard will be gutted

Liverpool kept their title hopes alive with a victory over Aston Villa last night and are on for two more trophies with the FA Cup and Champions League finals secured, however, that hasn’t stopped the club from working to strengthen their team ahead of next season.

What’s the latest?

Journalist Graeme Bailey has reported (via 90min) that sources close to the club have revealed that the Merseyside club are close to securing a deal for Calvin Ramsay.

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According to the report, Leeds United, West Ham, Burnley and Crystal Palace are all interested in the young Aberdeen defender but 90min are told that Liverpool are leading the race in securing his signature.

This would be the club’s second signing of the summer after the Daily Mail reported that the signing of Fabio Carvalho has been ‘wrapped up’ and an announcement is imminent.

Klopp will be buzzing

There is no doubt that Liverpool have been lucky with Trent Alexander-Arnold’s fitness and injury record over his career so far with only a few slight knocks to the right-back, but with the opportunity to sign a worthy back-up in Ramsay, Jurgen Klopp will surely be buzzing.

Currently, Neco Williams is the only player for position replacement for the Liverpudlian defender but he is reportedly looking likely to complete a permanent move to recently promoted Premier League side Fulham this summer, so again the signing of the 19-year-old would make perfect sense for the club.

According to SofaScore, Ramsay has been solid in his position for Aberdeen over the last 24 appearances in the Scottish Premiership, winning the majority of his duels (51%), making 1.3 clearances as well as 0.8 interceptions and tackles on average per game, scoring one goal and contributing four assists so far.

The 19-year-old has also been the recipient of high praise with the Aberdeen chairman Dave McCormack labelling the youngster in “the elite upper bracket” of players of his kind in an interview.

Ultimately, as we have seen with Luis Diaz and Carvalho this season when it comes to signings Liverpool know how to get what they want and attract players to join the successful Merseyside outfit.

Therefore, we expect that Ramsay will be no different if the club are genuinely interested in making the signing this summer.

AND in other news: FA Cup final blow: Liverpool rocked by “massive problem” that’ll leave Klopp gutted

Scottish football journalist Andrew Dickson has been left hailing the display of James Tavernier for Glasgow Rangers in the Europa League on Thursday night.

The Lowdown: Memorable night

It certainly was a memorable night for the club and its supporters, as the Ibrox faithful triumphed 3-1 against RB Leipzig to put them through 3-2 on aggregate.

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Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team will now play Frankfurt in the final, for a chance to win a remarkable piece of silverware and trump their arch-rivals looming domestic triumph.

There were plenty of top performers on the night, but the skipper stood above them all…

The Latest: Tavernier hailed

Taking to Twitter, Dickson was left hailing Tavernier after he scored the opening goal of the game, even going as far as to brand him as an ‘extraordinary leader’ and an ‘absolute legend’:

“Top scorer in the whole competition. All of his goals in the knockouts. And, once again, an extraordinary leader of his team this week. James Tavernier, what an absolute legend.”

The Verdict: Led by example

With the captain’s armband on, Tavernier led by example as he slotted home to become the top scorer in the Europa League this season, from right-back no less.

Attacking wise, he completed both of his dribble attempts, made one key pass and had 69 touches of the ball in total, more than any of his teammates (SofaScore).

He did his fair share of defending too, winning seven of his individual duels, while he also made two clearances, one interception and one tackle in the match (SofaScore).

Nonetheless, Tavernier was just one of many standout performers for the home side on the night, and they will now be looking forward to a major European final later this month.

In other news, find out what ‘absolutely massive’ Gers update has Alan Hutton thrilled here!