Spanish expert drops Saul Niguez to Manchester City verdict

Atletico Madrid star Saul Niguez is a wanted man this summer with a number of clubs including Manchester City interested in his signature, and Spanish football expert Euan McTear has dropped his verdict on the situation.

Niguez has reportedly been offered to the Premier League champions in exchange for Bernardo Silva, and has five years left on his contract at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium. Because of the length left on his contract, it could see Atletico demand a large fee for him.

The Spain international’s minutes in the red and white of Atletico diminished towards the end of last season, with Niguez not completing 90 minutes in La Liga since Atletico’s 5-0 thumping of SD Eibar in April.

With this in mind, McTear said: “It makes a lot more sense [a move to City]. He’s not the starter he was in previous years and I think Atletico know he’s one of those players who they can move on”.

Niguez has played in a number of different positions throughout his career, including both centrally and off the wing, and could be an ideal fit for Manchester City and manager Pep Guardiola, who once labelled Saul as a “fantastic player”.

The champions look set to bolster their squad this summer as they go in search of back-to-back Premier League titles, and with Bernardo Silva possibly wanting to leave the club according to The Athletic, Niguez could be the perfect replacement for him.

Competition is hotting up for the signing of Niguez, with Euan McTear saying: “He’s been linked with almost everywhere.

“He’s been linked with teams in Italy, Bayern Munich, Liverpool and now City”.

So, if the Cityzens want to capture his signature they may have to move quickly and beat off the competition.

Everton update on Thierry Small

Many Everton fans have been reacting to an update from Phil Kirkbride on Toffees starlet Thierry Small.

Writing in his latest piece for The Liverpool Echo, the journalist has claimed that an offer of a professional contract is still on the table for the 16-year-old, as he is only eligible to sign a pro deal when he turns 17 in August.

It is not yet clear whether he will sign that deal, as a number of clubs in the Premier League, including both Arsenal and Manchester United, are interested in signing him.

With clubs of that calibre are interested in him, Small is clearly a talent, making his debut for the first team in the FA Cup back in January and duly becoming the youngest player in their history to do so. Thus, the Goodison Park faithful will be hoping that he does end up signing the deal.

Everton fans on Small update

These Everton supporters expressed their desire for Small to stay put as Kirkbride’s update was shared across Twitter:

“Be a shame if he leaves.”

Credit: @Toffeelewl

“Such an exciting young prospect, we should do all that we can to ensure he stays. Having Baines and Digne around will also do the young gun a world of good @Everton @EvertonAcademy”

Credit: @IndianToffees

“Type of player we have to hold on to”

Credit: @charlierm1999

“Really don’t want him to leave tbh”

Credit: @efcowen1

“This guy is too good we can’t let him leave”

Credit: @iiCeDEFC

“Would be a disaster if we were to fail to convince one of England’s brightest young talents to stay at the club, and see him leave to a rival on a free transfer.”

Credit: @EFCNovaScotia

In other news, find out which ‘phenomenal’ Euro 2020 star Everton have joined the race to sign

Zaha v Saint-Maximin: Who must Everton sign?

Everton’s recruitment under Rafa Benitez will look no different to the managers who have sat in the Goodison Park dugout before him.

The Toffees have spent big in recent years and the board have already promised their new head coach funds to spend.

Mega-money moves have been lined up but whether any deals can be concluded in an inflated market remains to be seen.

Everton are hoping to pip Arsenal to the signing of Ben White while Wilfried Zaha is on their radar again.

They’ve been chasing the Crystal Palace forward for a number of years now and had a remarkable bid of £70m plus Cenk Tosun and James McCarthy rejected back in 2019.

Benitez could return for the Ivorian this summer and he may cost them just £40m.

Zaha has two years left remaining on his contract at Selhurst Park and at the age of 28, he’s now in his prime.

A dazzling dribbler with the ability to frighten opponents to death, he’d be an exceptional pick up for a team in need of more dynamism in the final third.

Moving to a bigger club has been on the cards for a while now and after rediscovering his best form last term, that switch would be deserved.

Zaha found the net on 11 occasions in 2020/21 but are there better options elsewhere; potentially ones with less ego and baggage?

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Everton were linked with a move for Newcastle speedster Allan Saint-Maximin this week in a deal that could cost them in the region of £60m.

That’s significantly more than Zaha’s current price tag but he has been electrifying for the Magpies since arriving from French football, being described as “scary” by Steve Bruce.

The pair are incredibly similar footballers and although the Palace dynamo was involved in a higher volume of goals last term, it was Saint-Maximin who scared defenders more.

Both are renowned for their ability to beat a marker but it was the Newcastle forward who came out on top in dribbles per game last season. Saint-Maximin recorded a whopping 3.8 – the second-best tally in the division – compared to Zaha who managed 1.8.

Meanwhile, per stats provided by FB Ref, the £60m speed demon is a more creative outlet.

His expected assists over the last year rank him in the 91st percentile for players in the same position throughout the Premier League. Zaha, however, is ranked in the 49th percentile for that statistic.

To supplement that, his number of progressive passes is also more impressive with the Frenchman sitting in the 89th percentile compared to the Palace attacker’s 82nd percentile.

Combine that with the fact that Saint-Maximin still has plenty of room to grow and he suddenly becomes the more sensible signing right now. It would be a masterclass to bring someone with such eye-catching abilities to Goodison Park.

AND in other news, Everton may repeat their Walcott howler by signing £30m gem who Rafa compared to Messi…

Vaughan gives England backbone at Adelaide

A magnificent innings of 177 from Michael Vaughan has enabled England to carry the fight to Australia on the first day of the second Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval

Claire Killeen21-Nov-2002A magnificent innings of 177 from Michael Vaughan has enabled England to carry the fight to Australia on the first day of the second Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval. After Nasser Hussain won the toss, England ended the day on 295 for four when Vaughan was caught at slip off Andy Bichel in the final over. Vaughan shared in an opening partnership of 88 with Marcus Trescothick (35) and added 140 with Hussain (47).Vaughan continued to show the form which has put the 28-year-old second behind Sachin Tendulkar on the run scorers’ list for the calendar year 2002. He outshone his England team-mates and outwitted the Australian bowlers, showing the way for other players and teams to play and beat Australia.The Yorkshire opener had some help from Australia. Their usually reliable fielders dropped six catches on what proved to be a beautiful batting track with true bounce. But Vaughan’s amazing innings included an array of shots to all parts of the ground.Trescothick and Vaughan got England off to a great start with a run rate of over three an over. They share a similar approach to the game to that of Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden, and Vaughan played much like Hayden did in the opening Test at Brisbane.Each was given a life in the first session. Three balls after smashing Bichel (1/67) for six, Vaughan sliced to Langer at gully where he appeared to take a great catch. Vaughan stood his ground and the matter was referred to third umpire Steve Davis. As the evidence was inconclusive, he gave Vaughan the benefit of the doubt. The decision could have changed the course of the game, with Vaughan going on to make his best score outside England.Trescothick then hit the ball hard to gully, where Hayden couldn’t hold on, allowing the ball to go through to the boundary. Bichel later claimed a return catch as Trescothick drove, and once again the third umpire was consulted. Replays clearly showed the ball bouncing before it reached Bichel and Trescothick was ruled not out.Shane Warne was brought into the attack earlier than expected, and the leg-spinner went for nine in his first over. It was Glenn McGrath made the much-needed breakthrough, bowling Trescothick off the bottom edge as the opener’s luck ran out.Robert Key, playing in place of the injured John Crawley, was promoted to number three because Mark Butcher was suffering from a migraine. Key and Vaughan took England to lunch at 1/94, but Key had made just one when he drove Warne into the shin of Ricky Ponting who caught the ball at the third attempt. Key stood his ground but the umpires confirmed the bad news.This brought skipper Hussain to the crease and he took a back seat, enjoying the Vaughan show. The Yorkshire opener brought up his fifth century in nine Tests with a push to mid off. It was his sixth Test hundred in all, and included two sixes and 12 fours. In 12 matches he has made just under 1200 runs.Vaughan and Hussain took England to tea on 2/201. The Australians made it harder for themselves again in the second session, dropping two catches and missing the chance of a run out.Needing a breakthrough, Steve Waugh decided to bowl himself, but after five overs the skipper had some discomfort in his shoulder and returned the ball to Jason Gillespie, who still appeared troubled by his calf injury. When Vaughan ducked into a short ball he was hit on the shoulder, dropping his bat and crouching on the ground in pain.Hussain, tied down as he approached 50, gave Warne his second wicket when he was caught behind off the bottom edge on 47, trying to cut. Butcher, showing no effects from his migraine, took boundaries with his first two scoring shots and with Vaughan continued to punish the toiling bowlers.It was a clever bowling change that finally undid Vaughan, after Gillespie and McGrath had failed to break through with the new ball. Waugh turned to Bichel for the last over of the day, and Vaughan pushed defensively at the Queenslander’s third ball, which carried to Warne at first slip.England played some great cricket today, but they also had a lot of luck. Day two should be a cracker with a new batsman at the crease and Australia hungry for more wickets. England will need to bat positively, with Australia’s batsmen eager for their turn on a beautiful wicket.

Were you successful in the Junior Sabres website auction? – list of closing bids

The first ever Somerset Junior Sabres Auction has now closed and listed below are the successful bids

SOMERSET02-Dec-2002The first ever Somerset Junior Sabres Auction has now closed and listed below are the successful bids.All of those who have made successful bids will be contacted by the Junior Sabres membership secretary Jo Arnold in the near future to arrange for payment and collection or postage of the items.At the end of the afternoon today Jo Arnold told me: "The auction has raised a grand total of £656 which is absolutely fantastic, and far exceeded what I expected."The amount realised by each lot was:Lot 1 – A pair of Marcus Trescothick’s Sunday League pads – £65Lot 2- Somerset C.C.C. team cricket bag, black with Somerset team logo – £50Lot 3- A pair of Robert Turner’s Sunday League wicket keeping pads – £30Lot 4 -A pair of Graham Rose’s Sunday League pads – large – £40Lot 5 – A pair of Steffan Jones’s training shoes – grey / yellow (Size 11) – £25Lot 6 – 2002 players woollen team jumper with current sponsors name – £35Lot 7 – A pair of Pete Trego’s Sunday League pads – £35Lot 8 – The pair of pads, from which a pad was made to support Marcus Trescothick’s thumb injury during the vital Cheltenham & Gloucester Quarter Final at Taunton. – £15Lot 9 – Mike Burns Gunn and Moore bat that he used during the 2002 season and in the C and G Final at Lord’s. – £150Lot 10 – Peter Bowlers bat, as used in the 2002 season – £105Lot 11 – Peter Bowlers signed batting gloves – £30Lot 12 – Keith Dutch’s batting gloves – £31Lot 13 – Keith Parsons signed 2002 Championship shirt – £45Jo concluded: " On behalf of the Junior Sabres I would like to thank everybody who has taken an interest in this first ever website auction of player’s kit, and hope that we can repeat the exercise again at the end of next season. A big thank you also goes to the players for donating each of the items."

Graham Smyth provides Jack Harrison update

Leeds United winger Jack Harrison is expected to join the Whites on a permanent deal next week, according to journalist Graham Smyth.

The Lowdown: Harrison shines on loan

The 24-year-old has been an excellent player for Leeds, shining under Marcelo Bielsa and scoring 18 goals in 128 appearances.

Harrison has just completed his third season on loan at Elland Road from Manchester City, but it now looks as though the move will be made permanent, as expected.

[freshpress-quiz id=“359346″]

The Latest: Smyth provides key update

Taking to Twitter on Wednesday evening, the Yorkshire Evening Post‘s Smyth confirmed that the deal to bring in Harrison permanently is ‘expected to be completed next week’.

The winger won’t return for pre-season testing on Thursday, however, because he is still quarantining.

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The Verdict: Significant boost for Leeds

This is a massive boost for Leeds, with Harrison such a prominent figure during a wonderful period in the club’s history.

The Englishman is such a force on and off the ball, ending up the Whites’ joint second-top scorer in the Premier League last season, scoring their first goal back in the top-flight, away to Liverpool.

He also averaged 1.8 tackles per game, however, highlighting his tenacity to win the ball back and thrive in Bielsa’s relentless style of play.

In other news, Leeds are set to miss out on one rumoured transfer target. Find out who it is here.

Benitez urged to join NUFC after takeover

Paddy Kenny has made an enticing Newcastle United claim involving former manager Rafa Benitez.

The Lowdown: Benitez to Everton?

As per The Times, Benitez has held further talks with Everton over the vacant manager’s job left by Carlo Ancelotti, and remains in pole position to become their next coach.

However, Liam Kennedy, who has been following the Magpies takeover saga closely, has also claimed that Benitez is wanted by the potential owners-in-waiting to return to St. James’ Park, as he helped bring them to the table in the first place.

The Latest: Kenny on Benitez

Speaking to Football Insider, Kenny, who is now a pundit after a fine career in English football as a goalkeeper, has claimed that Benitez should be holding out for a job in the North East instead of the Toffees, assuming that the proposed takeover deal between Mike Ashley and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) group can be pushed through:

“It wouldn’t be the right choice at all, for me.

“It makes more sense to hold out and go to Newcastle over Everton.

“If they do get a takeover, that club will go places because it’s a massive club with passionate fans.

“I’m sure he’d do well at Newcastle again and there wouldn’t be all this hoo-ha about the fans protesting.

“Why have that cloud over you when you’ve got the chance to go to somewhere like Newcastle?”

The Verdict: Hire Benitez

If the takeover bid does eventually go through, then there would be no better man to hire on Tyneside than Benitez.

Many members of the Toon Army have previously called for the Spaniard to come back, and so he would certainly be a popular appointment, and a man that they can rally and get behind.

Benitez also has a vast amount of experience in managing in the Premier League, with both Liverpool and Chelsea in addition to NUFC, and so he should have no problems in handling a likely dramatically increased transfer budget if the takeover was successful.

Nonetheless, if a deal with Everton does fall through, then the 61-year-old will still be available for Newcastle to hire.

In other news, find out what transfer boost Newcastle have been given in pursuit of this Premier League target here!

'Make the difference' – England boss Thomas Tuchel reveals why Marcus Rashford was handed call-up for September camp but fires warning to Man Utd outcast ahead of 2026 World Cup

England boss Thomas Tuchel has revealed why he selected Marcus Rashford for the latest Three lions squad.

Rashford picked for England squadTuchel backs Barcelona loaneeFires warning ahead of World CupFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The German has picked the Barcelona loanee in his squad ahead of fixtures against Andorra and Serbia, with the ex-Chelsea manager saying the 27-year-old's speed and attacking nature can "intimidate opponents". He added that the Manchester United outcast was picked alongside Newcastle United's Anthony Gordon and Arsenal's Eberechi Eze, and if he wants to make their 2026 World Cup squad, he needs to perform well, as the Three Lions have strength in depth in his position.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT TUCHEL SAID

He told reporters: "I think he had a very good camp. He tried very, very hard to be the best version of himself in the first camp. He was in a good moment at Aston Villa. I wanted to encourage him and give him as a positive feedback, gave him this camp and the call-up. He did very well. He missed the second camp for us. Now he made a big change, into a new football culture, new country. But he started already matches for Barcelona and I wanted to keep him going. It's the one position where we have three players. After long discussions we decided to take three players on this position. It's Ebs [Eze], Anthony [Gordon], and Marcus. I think Marcus gives us one-on-ones; he gives us the finishing ability, with both feet. He gives us the body and the speed to intimidate opponents and make the difference. It's on him to keep that going."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Rashford was left out of Gareth Southgate's England squad for last year's Euros but Tuchel has made it clear he is very much part of his plans. The United academy product has chalked up two appearances for Barcelona so far but he will need to deliver for the Blaugrana this season if he wants to head with his England team-mates to next year's World Cup.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

England international Rashford will hope to feature for Tuchel's side for these World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia on September 6 and 9, respectively. Before then, he could play for Barca away at Rayo Vallecano on Sunday in La Liga.

Arteta is brewing a Wilshere & Xhaka hybrid in Arsenal's "fearless" star

Despite the fact that Arsenal sit second in the Premier League table and are in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, this has been one of the hardest seasons of Mikel Arteta’s managerial career to date.

It all started with the bizarre red card for Declan Rice against Brighton in the early stages of the campaign, sent off for kicking the ball away.

From that moment, not a lot has gone Arsenal’s way. The Gunners saw Leandro Trossard also sent off for kicking the ball away against Man City, William Saliba give away a penalty for grazing heads with Joao Pedro in the return fixture against Brighton and a whole host of injuries.

Bukayo Saka has been missing since December, Martin Odegaard endured a few months out with an ankle problem, while Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz – the club’s only centre forwards – are out for the season.

How’s ya luck, Mikel? Not very good apparently.

Still, there has been one positive, and that’s that Arsenal may have found their answer to the Granit Xhaka question.

How Arsenal can fill their Granit Xhaka void

After the Switzerland international left the Emirates Stadium behind in 2023 after a career-best season in the final third, there weren’t too many worries about the future of his position.

Granit Xhaka

Kai Havertz – a £65m signing from Chelsea – was initially bought to fill the midfield vacancy but has become a striker – while Declan Rice, the mega £105m addition, has been moved further forward into the left 8 role in 2024/25. The trouble with Rice is that his right-footedness brings him inside more than you’d like from that role.

The other solution has been Mikel Merino who was also signed with the goal of improving their play on the left side of the pitch. Left-footed and a duel-winning machine, the signs looked bright before he’d taken to the field but the Spaniard hasn’t truly kicked on in his debut campaign. In fact, like Havertz, he’s looked more vibrant when playing as the central striker.

Then you have Oleksandr Zinchenko, who let’s be honest, hasn’t been given a fair chance in his natural midfield position.

The Ukrainian showed against PSV in the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie that he’s still a cracking central midfielder, scoring the opening goal in beautiful fashion.

While Rice is intelligent enough and has the mentality to keep improving in the left 8 role, perhaps it’s Myles Lewis-Skelly who could fill that role in due course.

Arsenal's new Granit Xhaka and Jack Wilshere hybrid

Arsenal spent the best part of £200m on the trio of Rice, Havertz and Merino. It’s rather typical, therefore, that the solution may come from the academy, thus not costing Arteta and Co a single penny.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

That’s because 18-year-old superstar, Lewis-Skelly, a young individual described as “fearless” by Rice, looks like he could be the future of Arsenal’s midfield.

The teenager has broken through as a left-back this term and has done seriously well, notably scoring against Manchester City and then finding the back of the net on his England debut against Albania last Friday too.

However, despite being so impressive in that role, his future should lie in midfield. He’s a midfielder by trade and it’s helped him play that inverted left-back position to perfection.

He comes into central pockets, can evade the press and he’s also got a pass in his locker too. In short, the youngster pretty much has everything you want from a player looking to fill the Xhaka void. Crucially, he’s left-footed and forward-thinking too.

Like Xhaka, he’s a particularly progressive passer, notably making 4.38 progressive passes per 90 in the top flight this term. For context, the Swiss midfielder made 5.89 during his final season in the Premier League. The caveat for Lewis-Skelly is that he’s playing further back, meaning his numbers should rise if given more license in the final third.

That said, there’s also a bit of Jack Wilshere to the Arsenal teen, and that’s not just because they’ve both come through the Hale End academy.

Matches played

14

Matches started

9

Minutes per game

55

Goals

1

Assists

0

Accurate passes

94%

Tackles per game

1.4

Ball recoveries per game

2.2

Errors leading to shot/goal

0

Duels won per game

3.9

Red cards

2

Wilshere – like Lewis-Skelly – is left-footed and they both move in a very similar way. The former had the ability to change speed in an instant to burst past a player and his close control was exquisite, making it incredibly hard for anyone to get the ball from him.

As a result, he was fouled more times per 90 minutes (3.6) than any other Premier League player in the 2017/18 campaign. The Englishman’s career average was at 1.7 times per game. Compare that to Lewis-Skelly; he has been fouled 1.6 times per game, the second-highest rate at Arsenal behind only Bukayo Saka (2 times per game) throughout 2024/25.

They possess that difficult-to-teach art of inviting a foul and manipulating their body to initiate contact and drag the ball away from their opponent before they can nip in and win it.

Already boasting 26 first-team appearances to his name this term, the future is certainly bright for Lewis-Skelly, a player who boasts the best traits of both Xhaka and Wilshere.

Of anyone in this squad, he looks like the most natural successor to the left 8 role. Make it happen, Arteta.

Arsenal starlet was ahead of Nwaneri & Lewis-Skelly, then he left for £1m

Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly are two of the finest talents to emerge from the Arsenal academy.

ByMatt Dawson Mar 23, 2025

Moyes has unearthed his next Arteta at Everton in "special" £20k-p/w talent

Everton are moving forward, but all the same, David Moyes’ return has created a nostalgic feel to this Goodison Park, who are poignantly and perhaps fittingly preparing to depart for Bramley Moore.

A new era begins with an old dog, but Moyes is proven on Merseyside and indeed elsewhere, leading West Ham United through three successive campaigns on the continent and indeed winning the Conference League in 2022/23.

Everton manager DavidMoyes on the touchline before the match

Can he lead the Toffees back to a rich and lasting period? Moyes has already got to work shaping Sean Dyche’s squad to his design, with one member in particular carrying the qualities to become the Scot’s next version of Mikel Arteta.

Mikel Arteta under Moyes' wing

Younger Premier League fans will exclusively recognise Arteta for his time in the Arsenal dugout, taking a meandering outfit back to the forefront of domestic and European football.

However, he once roamed Premier League pitches at the heart of Arsene Wenger’s Gunners midfield, and before that, Moyes’ Everton.

Intelligent, silky and dynamic, Arteta bridged gaps between central- and attacking-midfield berths, with Moyes hailing him as a “complete” and “conscientious” player during the duo’s marriage.

Across 209 Everton appearances (all with Moyes at the helm), Arteta proved himself to be one of the most technically gifted footballers in the top flight from the offing, making the move to north London in August 2011 for a £10m fee after informing the Blues he wanted out and was willing to take a pay cut to make it happen.

It’s perhaps a testament to Moyes’ adoration of Arteta’s style during his playing days that he instantly moved to sign his next version of the Spanish maestro when arriving at Everton back in January.

Everton's new Arteta

Everton’s recruitment has been generally shoddy over the past decade, but Dyche and departing Director of Football Kevin Thelwell did make one or two good moves before leaving.

Chalkboard

It means Moyes has got players such as Iliman Ndiaye, Beto and Jake O’Brien to fashion into shape, all showing positive signs in recent months. However, the 61-year-old did need to dip into the winter market to sign Charly Alcaraz on loan from Brasileiro Serie A club Flamengo.

Everton midfielder Charly Alcaraz

Everton have the option to sign the attacking midfielder permanently for a shrewd £12m fee at the end of the season, and on the basis of the early evidence, the 22-year-old has talent in spades and could become a high-class player in Moyes’ system.

Positionally, Alcaraz has been around the block.

Although, saying that, the Argentina youth international has also partaken in a nomadic journey across the opening years of his career, Everton being his fifth club as a professional.

He even joined Juventus on loan last season, with the Serie A giants deciding against activating the £40m clause to land his signature for good. Even so, it denotes the high regard Alcaraz is held in.

Central midfield

74

10

5

Attacking midfield

19

4

2

Right winger

14

4

2

Centre-forward

10

2

2

Defensive midfield

9

1

0

Left winger

7

1

2

Right-back

1

0

0

Journalist Antonio Mango described him as a “special talent” in the past and it’s clear to see why. Alcaraz has the qualities to become a multi-functional general in the same vein as Arteta, especially when looking at his athletic ability through the lens of FBref’s data.

Though he hasn’t yet played enough in England for his metrics to be recorded, FBref record that Alcaraz ranks among the top 7% of midfielders in the Brazilian first tier in 2024 for shot-creating actions, the top 6% for progressive carries and the top 8% for successful take-ons per 90.

He’s got a range of attack-focused skills to damage Everton’s opponents, but also a combative and hard-working side that will see him find true success in Moyes’ system.

Charly Alcaraz celebrates for Everton

Arteta was renowned for his passing, but he also played out on the right wing and later shifted into a deeper-lying midfield berth. Alcaraz has natural-born creativity and an energetic approach besides, but he’s actually begun to showcase maturity in defensive phases, making an impression at Goodison Park.

Let’s examine that in closer detail.

Alcaraz has played five times in the Premier League so far for Everton, enjoying a goal-and-assist performance against Crystal Palace during a February win at Selhurst Park.

But he’s played his role and played it well over the past several weeks, with Sofascore noting the South American has won 52% of his ground duels at Everton having completed 82% of his passes and created four big chances along the way.

This bodes well indeed. The £20k-per-week star is proving he can grow as a player and contribute across different phases of any particular contest.

In 2022/23, when he plied his trade with imperilled Southampton, Alcaraz won only 36% of his duels and created just one big chance across 18 Premier League outings. There was a player in there to be sure, but he was unrefined and could hardly have been expected to offer more than he did – scoring four goals – for a wayward outfit spinning toward relegation.

Charly Alcaraz for Southampton

Moyes has only welcomed one player to the Everton first team so far, and in Alcaraz, he might just find a long-term star, especially with Abdoulaye Doucoure reaching the end of his contract this summer.

He’s already shifted between attacking and more central midfield roles for Everton this season, and indeed has all the trappings of a budding maestro in the middle of the field, one who could see Moyes restore the spirit of Arteta to his new-look Everton team.

He's like Moise Kean: Everton considering bid for "world-class" £25m CF

Everton are looking to change things with David Moyes at the helm.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Mar 13, 2025

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