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Tony Scott has ripped into Everton manager Sean Dyche for his comments about the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Everton left themselves in trouble

Everton were already in a perilous position heading into the January transfer window as the club were engulfed in another relegation battle but they somehow managed to exit last month in a far worse position.

The Toffees released Salomon Rondon from his contract and sold Anthony Gordon for £40 million, however, they decided against bringing in anyone to improve or at the very least, replace those players.

Therefore Evertonians are far from pleased with the board and have staged numerous protests over the last few weeks, but Dyche failed to get involved in that and instead claimed it was a difficult window and that Everton have quality in their squad.

The Latest: Dyche drops interesting comments

Scott was left fuming with the new Everton boss on the All Together Now podcast after what he had to say in order to defend what was a shocking transfer window.

He said: (2:40) “Sean Dyche can come out with whatever he wants in the press conference Greg because to me it didn’t wash, it didn’t wash that it’s a tough market and there’s not too many strikers Premier League ready.

“This wasn’t about the last day of the window this was about the whole of January and being prepared throughout the World Cup and since August we needed a centre forward.”

The Verdict: Striker woes could cost Everton

Even from the outside looking in it was very clear that Everton needed to sign a proven striker both last summer and during the January transfer window but in both cases, the Toffees opted against doing that.

Last summer they recruited Neal Maupay – who is Premier League experienced – although he has netted double figures in one campaign so the idea of him coming in and shouldering the burden was always very unlikely.

Calvert-Lewin simply can’t be trusted to be Everton’s main source of goals going forward as he can’t keep himself fit having started just 24 league games since the beginning of last campaign, so for Dyche to defend the board by saying it was a difficult window to work in will have certainly lost him some respect and time from the Everton faithful.

Everton are reportedly ‘interested’ in signing Shakhtar Donetsk winger Tete, who is on loan at Lyon.

The Lowdown: Gordon replacement?

It was reported this morning that Anthony Gordon returned to Finch Farm after missing training for the last three days, which comes with the news that Sean Dyche is expected to become the next manager at Goodison Park.

Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has since given an update on the winger amid strong links to Newcastle United, with him saying that a deal has now been ‘agreed’ worth £45m, and he will have his medical on Tyneside ‘in the next 24 hours’.

Once Gordon leaves, then the Merseyside club will be expected to be looking for a replacement, which would likely become Dyche’s first signing in charge.

The Latest: Tete interest

Taking to Twitter, journalist Alex Crook says that the Toffees, as well as Leicester City, are ‘interested’ in signing Tete:

“Understand #LCFC and #EFC are both interested in signing Lyon winger Tete. Not sure that’s the case with #LUFC at this stage.”

The Verdict: Get it done

With Gordon heading to the North East, it is imperative that the Blues get a replacement in, and they should be looking to sign Tete ahead of their Premier League rivals.

However, they may have to be quick, with reports that Leicester are making good progress with a deal.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has hailed Tete as a player who has been ‘on fire’ so far this season, evidenced by the fact that he has six goals and five assists in 19 games in total over all competitions from the wing (Transfermarkt).

At just 22, the Brazilian is only one year older than Gordon, and so would be a viable replacement once the Englishman makes his move to the Magpies.

The major talking point surrounding Celtic at present is the future of striker Giorgos Giakoumakis, with the Greek international looking set to depart Parkhead amid mounting interest in his signature.

Reports had emerged at the tail-end of last year that the 28-year-old was ‘unhappy’ at the failure to agree a wage increase with the Old Firm outfit, with that impasse in negotiations sparking suggestions that he could be tempted to move elsewhere in January.

With speculation continuing to rumble on in recent weeks, journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed on Monday that the Hoops had “reached an agreement” with Japanese outfit Urawa Red Diamonds for the former VVV-Venlo man for a fee of around €4m (£3.5m), albeit with MLS side Atlanta United also still in the frame for his signature.

That would suggest that an exit is now imminent for the 6 foot 1 powerhouse, with the Glasgow side now tasked with seeking to replace a player who has scored 26 goals in 57 games for the club to date and finished as the Scottish Premiership’s top scorer last season with 13 goals.

Having to try and fill the void of arguably the club’s ‘best finisher’ – as lauded by former Celtic Park hero Chris Sutton – will undoubtedly prove difficult, with manager Ange Postecoglou unlikely to want to rely solely on Kyogo Furuhashi to lead the attack for the remainder of the campaign.

That being said, the title-winning coach could well ensure that Giakoumakis becomes something of a distant memory if he is able to land another prolific presence in the coming weeks, with reports in Japan – via the Daily Record – have suggested that Shimizu S Pulse striker Thiago Santana is a player of interest for the Scottish champions.

The 29-year-old marksman could well follow in the footsteps of the likes of Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Kyogo in making the move to Scotland from the J-League, having established himself as a player of undoubted pedigree after finishing as the division’s top scorer in the most recent campaign with a tally of 14 goals.

The “impressive” Brazilian – as previously described by journalist Vinicius Moura – had racked up a total tally of 16 goals and seven assists in 32 games across all fronts in 2022, having proven himself both a goalscorer and creator when leading the line.

That ability to both tee up others and get on the scoresheet himself – as evidenced by his tally of 30 goals and nine assists in 72 games for his current side – could well set the former Santa Clara man apart from Giakoumakis, with the latter man having only registered two assists during his time in Scottish football thus far.

That creativity was also on show last season as Santana created ten big chances and averaged 1.3 key passes per game from his 27 league outings, while so far this term the current Celtic man has only created one big chance and averaged just 0.5 key passes per game, albeit while starting only four games.

With Santana also able to somewhat match Giakoumakis’ physical attributes, as he stands at 6 foot 1/2, it should ensure that the Shimizu talisman offers an ideal replacement – or even potential upgrade – on the wantaway asset for Postecoglou and co.

Arsenal could land a “dream signing” in Alexis Mac Allister, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke…

What’s the word?

The Gunners have been linked with a move for the Brighton and Hove Albion maestro in recent weeks, alongside the potential addition of heavily-mooted target Mykhaylo Mudryk.

90min believe that the Seagulls would want around £50m for the World Cup winner, whilst the Shakhtar Donetsk gem views the north Londoners as a “priority”, as per Fabrizio Romano.

Speaking about Mac Allister to GIVEMESPORT, O’Rourke claimed:

“He’d be a dream signing for a number of clubs, Mac Allister, following his performances at the World Cup for Argentina. He was outstanding for them in Qatar.”

Dream signing alongside Mudryk

If sporting director Edu Gaspar can seal a move for the pair of exciting young talents, then the Gunners are going to have the makings of a very good team for the next generation.

Mudryk’s quality and Arsenal’s admiration of him is well documented but Mac Allister has only really risen to stardom in the last 12 to 18 months, encapsulated by an outstanding campaign at the World Cup, where he was one of La Seleccion’s most influential players behind Lionel Messi.

Only the aforementioned ‘greatest of all time’ and Angel Di Maria registered a better Sofascore rating than the Brighton dynamo in their final win over France, where he was described as “running the midfield” by analyst Statman Dave.

Back in England, Mac Allister has bagged seven goals despite being deployed in a deeper engine room role, including a brace against Middlesbrough in the FA Cup over the weekend where his performance from the bench was further dubbed “absolutely ridiculous” by journalist Josh Bunting.

In terms of profile, FBref liken him to current Gunners star Thomas Partey, as well as another target in Youri Tielemans, so you’d imagine that would make him a perfect fit for Mikel Arteta and as such, just as O’Rourke states, it would make him something of a dream for the club.

The north London giants remain atop the Premier League standings but are at risk of everything coming crashing down if they do not bolster the playing squad with strength in depth, which is another reason why the likes of Mac Allister and Mudryk are players that must be signed, sooner rather than later.

Gabriel Jesus’ injury has heightened the need for a striker but Arteta is only an injury to Granit Xhaka or Bukayo Saka away from a further nightmare.

AND in other news, Arsenal in talks to sign 6 ft 2 tank with “no nerves”, he’d be a big Holding upgrade…

Liverpool have joined the race to sign Birmingham City midfielder George Hall. 

The Lowdown: Hall’s career so far

The 18-year-old has made 22 appearances for the Blues across their under-18 and under-21 teams, scoring six goals and delivering three assists along the way.

Hall has now made 20 senior appearances for the Championship club, which shows just how highly he is regarded at the club – so much so that the teenager has three Premier League suitors chasing him ahead of the upcoming January transfer window.

The Latest: Liverpool join Hall transfer race

According to a recent report from Football Insider, Liverpool and their Merseyside rivals Everton have both joined the race to sign Hall alongside fellow top-flight outfit Leeds United, who have already had an offer rejected for the teenager.

The report adds that the Reds are ‘plotting a move for Hall as they look to bring in a rising star midfielder capable of graduating into their first team.’

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The Verdict: A ‘dynamic’ target

With Liverpool eyeing a move for another teenage midfield prodigy who has worked his way through Birmingham’s youth ranks in the shape of Jude Bellingham, this further enhances the belief that the Reds are keen to add some young players to their squad.

In terms of what Kopites could expect from Hall, the Blues’ under-18s lead coach Martyn Olorenshaw said about him last year: “He is explosive, dynamic and has the prowess to influence games. He is a really exciting player that has the ceiling to achieve whatever he wants to achieve. He has received international recognition recently which is a huge achievement, a testament to all his hard work and a reflection of his character.”

Taking all of that into account, if Liverpool’s scouting network believe that Hall would be a suitable addition to Jurgen Klopp’s squad and is capable of becoming a regular first-team figure, the Reds should do all that they can to get him to move to Anfield.

Glasgow Rangers appear on the verge of appointing a new manager that will lead the club into a bright era at Ibrox.

Ross Wilson has made Mick Beale his main target and the 42-year-old has been granted permission to talk to the Glasgow side.

He faces a mammoth challenge, with the Light Blues stagnating in the Premiership title race and failing to secure European football after Christmas for the first time in three seasons. Thus, the second half of the campaign will be crucial.

Several first-team players have been underwhelming, to say the least, with Alfredo Morelos netting just three times while Allan McGregor has recorded just three clean sheets in 15 matches.

The incoming manager must make Ryan Kent his main priority, however, giving the winger back his spark and rejuvenating him towards a much better second half of the season.

The £18k-per-week star is out of contract next year and hasn’t quite lived up to expectations in the opening months of the campaign.

In the whole of 2021/2022, Kent scored three times and grabbed 19 assists in all competitions, yet after 22 matches this term, he has scored just the solitary goal and registered only six assists, looking like a shadow of his former self.

What has been the change? Giovanni van Bronckhorst couldn’t quite get the best out of the Englishman, and with his contract scenario rumbling on, the football has almost taken a back seat, especially with interest from the Premier League dominating the headlines.

The 26-year-old was dubbed “misfiring” by Rangers Review journalist Derek Clark and the club needs him at his best in order to have any chance of catching Celtic.

In three full seasons under the tutelage of Beale, Kent registered 55 goal contributions, with 28 of those coming when the Ibrox side won their 55th league title in 2020/2021. Steven Gerrard’s men played an attacking brand of football that blew teams away, with Beale the brains behind the system.

If he were to be appointed, then there is no doubt the former first-team coach can get the winger flying again and lead the club to some greater success in the second half of the campaign.

Newcastle United are believed to be eyeing a new attacking addition in January, according to the latest reports.

What’s the word?

As per journalist Fabrizio Romano – in his Caught Offside column – the Magpies are said to be keen on strengthening Eddie Howe’s forward line with the capture of a new winger in the winter window.

The transfer guru stated in an exciting post: “They just invested record money on Alexander Isak in the summer, so I think the focus in January will be on different kind of players.

“Probably, Newcastle will keep an eye on wingers as they wanted a new signing in that position already in August but they didn’t find the right player.”

This follows recent speculation that the northeast side are tracking Shakhtar Donetsk sensation Mykhaylo Mudryk, as well as Bayer Leverkusen starlet, Moussa Diaby.

Complete Howe’s attack

The St James’ Park outfit are currently enjoying a stunning campaign thus far having moved into contention for a Champions League berth, although the Tynesiders may well still be plotting further additions to bolster those top-four hopes.

The acquisition of another high-quality winger could well prove to be the difference in that battle to secure a place in Europe’s premier competition, with Howe’s men currently somewhat reliant on the dynamic duo of Callum Wilson and Miguel Almiron to deliver the goods.

In the case of Wilson, the Englishman has led the line superbly in the absence of club-record signing, Alexander Isak, having scored six goals and provided two assists in just 11 top-flight outings thus far.

That form – which earned the 30-year-old a place in Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions squad for the upcoming World Cup – has been eclipsed by that man Almiron who has scored eight times already this term, with that tally the sixth-best in the division at present.

Adding an extra body to shoulder the burden on that pair could well be vital in the second half of the campaign, with cult hero Allan Saint-Maximin having only scored once this season after being hampered by injury.

The Frenchman’s replacement in the side – Jacob Murphy – has been lauded for his “consistency” of late, as per The Chronicle’s Lee Clark, although the 27-year-old perhaps lacks the desired quality, having only scored once in 15 league outings so far this season.

As such, Howe could well complete his attack by bringing in a new exciting, option on the flanks – ideally to operate on the left-hand side – with supporters likely hoping to see a high-profile figure arrive through the door when the market re-opens.

David Moyes has been handed a potentially big boost ahead of West Ham’s game against Manchester United on Sunday afternoon, with Jarrod Bowen reportedly set to undergo a late fitness test.

What’s the word?

The England international was forced off in Monday night’s win against Bournemouth through injury and missed out entirely when the Hammers bested Silkeborg in the Europa Conference League on Thursday.

However, the Irons will seemingly make a late decision on the former Hull City man on Sunday as they prepare for the trip to Old Trafford, where Moyes’ side will be looking to continue their recent upturn in form.

According to a Claret and Hugh source, Bowen has “a minor ankle injury which is, hopefully, ok but will take a last-minute fitness test.”

Worrying news for Man United

Although the winger is yet to achieve the levels he showed for West Ham last season in the Premier League when he hit 12 goals and ten assists, with only two goals and no assists to his name so far this campaign, he is still undoubtedly an important player in Moyes’ squad.

WhoScored suggests that Bowen has been the eighth-best performer at the club so far this season which shows that even when he is not at his best, he still offers a lot to the Irons, and surely it is only a matter of time before he starts finding the net with the regularity he showed last season.

Indeed, before his injury, the England international was beginning to find his footing with three goals in his last six.

Given that West Ham won at Old Trafford in the FA Cup last season, Erik ten Hag will already be expecting a tough game on Sunday when Moyes returns to his old club with the Hammers, and the potential return of Bowen will no doubt worry the Red Devils even more.

No player in the Hammers’ squad has scored more goals in the top flight this season, while only Lucas Paqueta has averaged more shots and only Aaron Cresswell has averaged more key passes per game in the Premier League, which emphasises how much of a threat he can be in the attacking third.

The Red Devils have only conceded one goal in their last five, and they will have to be at their best again if they are to prevent a West Ham side with Bowen starting.

Moyes will be hoping that the wide man passes his fitness test and is fit to feature in Manchester, as he could be the difference maker at Old Trafford.

Sunderland podcaster Philip West has given his verdict on some early team news for this weekend involving Aji Alese.

The Lowdown: At least three weeks out

Speaking to the media ahead of their game against Burnley in the Championship at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon, Tony Mowbray has confirmed that Alese is out for the next three or four weeks with injury in a ‘best case scenario’.

This comes after he left Ewood Park with a protective boot on his foot after being on the end of a heavy challenge in their 2-0 loss away at Blackburn Rovers last time out.

After having his scan, Mowbray suggested that Alese will now use the weeks leading up to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar to get himself fit, so is likely to be out of action until the tournament finishes.

The Latest: West stunned

Taking to Twitter, Roker Report’s West gave his instant reaction to the news on Alese, claiming that it is a ‘huge blow’, adding that it is now a ‘big test’ for the Wearsiders’ defence to play without him:

“Huge blow to lose Aji Alese. He’s been nothing short of immense in recent weeks, and he was getting better game by game. Big test for our defence without him.”

The Verdict: Massive miss

Alese will no doubt be a massive miss for the team, given that he had started the last seven matches in the Championship, including against Blackburn.

He has played in three different positions already for the Black Cats, and his versatility has been so key for Mowbray when other players have been unavailable.

Nonetheless, Alese’s recent performances have been very impressive, deservedly winning praise by the media, and so it will be more difficult for Mowbray’s side to get a positive result against Burnley without him.

Everton made plenty of smart signings under David Moyes’ 11-year tenure at the club, and even Roberto Martinez was liable to pull out the occasional pearler of a transfer deal.

Naturally, everyone is aware of Farhad Moshiri’s recent financial misdeeds that have left the club somewhat struggling to adhere to FFP, but just before his arrival the deal to spend £28m on Romelu Lukaku marked terrific value.

The Belgian had enjoyed a fine loan spell at Goodison Park and joined permanently in 2014 from Chelsea, for a club-record fee at the time of £28m.

He became something of a cult hero on Merseyside, with his goals instrumental to some of the more enjoyable times that the Toffees have had in recent years.

The 29-year-old scored 87 times in just 166 games for the club, as well as assisting 29 times too.

It was during the 2016/17 season that he truly hit the peak of his powers for Everton, scoring 25 league goals for a side that would finish seventh.

He had given almost everything to the various managers he had played under, and when Manchester United came calling it became impossible to deny.

However, with the infamously deep pockets of the Red Devils, the Blues managed to demand £75m to lose him.

This marked an incredible 167% profit made on the Belgium international, who had scored incredible amounts of goals before earning the club a huge paycheck.

Journalist Rahman Osman noted how “insane” Lukaku’s goal-scoring feats for his country had been, labelling him a “special striker”.

What would make the deal even sweeter is that despite 27 goals in his debut year for his new club, he was eventually hounded out of Old Trafford for a lack of fluency in his link-up play.

He has only truly excelled again whilst playing for Inter Milan, for whom he has scored 65 in 98 outings. Even when he returned to Chelsea he struggled, finding the net just eight times in the league, and thus was sent back out on loan to Italy.

Everton hit the jackpot with Lukaku, as they managed to squeeze plenty of goals out of him before cashing in, and then watching his career stutter across his moves following.