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A lack of potency and end product is a storyline that has become synonymous with Chelsea’s abysmal season.

The Blues netted just 38 times in as many games, a dismal reflection of the club’s underperforming frontline.

Kai Havertz was often tasked with leading and was the top scorer with a measly seven goals.

It has since been revealed by Fabrizio Romano that the German is open to leaving West London to try a new experience after Real Madrid registered an interest in him last week.

When Havertz finished a difficult debut season in England with the Champions League winning goal in the 2021 final, he was tipped to kick on at Stamford Bridge and display some ruthless consistency.

However, it has unravelled into a disappointing spiral, and he looks set to depart this summer.

One player who has been linked to being part of the Mauricio Pochettino revolution is Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez, who has been far more clinical and effective across the year.

What’s the latest on Lautaro Martinez to Chelsea?

The Argentine’s transfer to the English capital could be discussed when the clubs hold talks over the Romelu Lukaku situation later this month, Romano revealed to GIVEMESPORT.

He said: “At the moment I'm not aware of any contact for Martinez, but let's see what's going to happen in the conversations between Inter Milan and Chelsea for Lukaku this month when they speak about that. But at the moment, with Martinez and Chelsea, there is still nothing concrete.”

Previous reports have suggested he may cost around £70m.

Why would Lautaro Martinez be a good signing for Chelsea?

The £186k-per-week forward has been in magnificent form for the Nerazzurri this year, having notched 39 goal contributions in 56 appearances in all competitions this term.

Quite frankly, these are numbers that Havertz can only dream of in a Chelsea shirt.

Whilst the debate rages on the former Bayer Leverkusen prodigy’s best position, it is quite clear to see that the chances cannot keep falling to him and each week that passes he seems to cut an even more dejected and uninvolved figure.

Earlier in the season, Frank Leboeuf described the playmaker as “shameful” and after three full seasons at Chelsea, he is yet to convince anyone that he can consistently perform.

Meanwhile, in northern Italy, Martinez is arguably Inter’s most important player – a devastating outlet that can score and link the play.

In Europe’s top five leagues among his positional, he ranks in the highest 13% for shot-creating actions per 90, as well as the best 9% for non-penalty goals per 90, according to FBref.

The 48-cap international star won the World Cup in Qatar and Lionel Messi has even hailed his compatriot, saying: "He's spectacular. He has impressive qualities. You could tell he was going to be a great player and he is showing that.

"He's very strong, really good one on one, scores a lot of goals and in the area he fights with anyone, holds it up, he can turn, scrap to win it all on his own. He's very complete."

If Chelsea could land this outlandish coup, they will instantly be a more menacing outfit next year.

Manchester United are reportedly ready to revive their interest in Brighton and Hove Albion star, Moises Caicedo, with the Red Devils having previously snubbed the chance to sign the midfield maestro.

What's the latest on Caicedo to Man United?

According to journalist Sam Dean, the Old Trafford outfit are said to be among a host of Premier League clubs who are keen on signing the 21-year-old this summer, albeit with any deal set to cost beyond £70m.

Writing on Twitter, the respected source stated: "Brighton will demand significantly more than £70m for Moises Caicedo this summer. Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United have all shown interest — and Liverpool could yet become involved, depending on the eventual cost."

In his attached piece for The Telegraph, Dean reveals that the Seagulls are 'willing' to let the Ecuadorian starlet leave the Amex ahead of next season, despite the youngster only signing a new long-term deal earlier this year.

Should Man United sign Caicedo?

It would certainly be a long time coming if United were to sign the 5 foot 10 sensation this summer, with the club having pulled out of a move to sign the then-teenager from Independiente de Valle back in 2021 after the deal became too 'messy' – as per Manchester Evening News – prior to the exciting prospect joining Brighton for just £4.5m.

That decision not to pursue a deal for Caicedo now appears a notable error as far as the Red Devils are concerned, with the midfield "jewel" – as hailed by historian Enrico Castro-Montes – having blossomed into a leading presence on the south coast of late.

As manager Roberto De Zerbi noted, the one-time Beerschot loanee could "become one of the best midfielders in the Premier League and in Europe" such is his outstanding talent, with the dynamic gem looking like a player who has "no limit".

Not only would Caicedo be a player that Erik ten Hag could build his side around over the next decade or so, due to his relative youth, yet the 30-cap gem could also prove to be the Dutchman's answer to Declan Rice, with the pair said to share a number of statistical and stylistic similarities, as per FBref.

The West Ham United skipper has been mooted as a possible target for Ten Hag this summer, although a reported valuation of around £100m is likely to prove something of a stumbling block, while rivals Arsenal are also believed to be "leading the race" for his signature at present, as per Fabrizio Romano.

As such, finding an alternative to the 24-year-old in the form of Caicedo could represent a real coup, with the pair both alike due to their creative, front-foot quality from the centre of the park, showcased by the fact that the Englishman racked up 240 progressive passes in 2022/23 in the league, while the Seagulls ace recorded 219 for that same metric.

Equally, the dominant duo have also proven themselves to be particularly effective at winning back possession for their respective clubs, with Caicedo ranking in the top 11% among his European peers for interceptions, while Rice ranks in the top 5% in that regard.

That similarity is also illustrated by the fact that while the latter man averaged 3.8 tackles and interceptions per game combined in the top flight this season, his younger counterpart was only just ahead after averaging 4.2 per game for those same metrics under De Zerbi.

That would suggest that even if Rice – who has been lauded as the "best central midfielder in the country" by ex-United man Paul Parker – does prove unattainable this summer, turning to Caicedo could allow Ten Hag to find his own version of the West Ham machine.

West Ham are one of several clubs believed to be keen on signing Liverpool youngster Fabio Carvalho this summer.

Could Carvalho leave Liverpool this summer?

The Reds experienced a poor 2022/23 season by their recent high standards, finishing fifth in the Premier League, with too many players struggling to find their best form. One player who joined last summer was Carvalho, who made the move from Fulham after playing a key role in helping them achieve promotion to the top flight, registering 18 goal contributions (10 goals and eight assists) in the Championship.

The £40,000-a-week attacking midfielder has really struggled to make his mark at Anfield to date, however, starting just four league games and scoring twice in 13 appearances in the competition overall. It has become increasingly clear that he has a lot of work to do if he is to make it at Liverpool, and it could even be that he is moved on this summer.

Whether that is on loan or permanently remains to be seen, but as things stand, it would be a surprise if he was part of the Reds' first-team plans next season. With West Ham eyeing reinforcements in the summer, it could be that the 20-year-old is a target for the Hammers in the coming months.

Are West Ham keen on move for Carvalho?

According to Football Insider, the "revelation" that Liverpool could allow Carvalho to leave on loan this summer has alerted a number of Premier League clubs, with West Ham mentioned as one of the clubs who are keen.

Brentford and Burnley are also believed to be "interested" in signing him, although the player himself "harbours concerns over whether he would earn regular minutes during a temporary stay at any of those clubs". Therefore, a move abroad could be a "more appealing next step" for Carvalho, with an unnamed foreign club showing an interest in him.

The Liverpool man could be a shrewd signing by West Ham if they get a deal over the line this summer, with a loan move arguably the best option, should he struggle to make the grade in east London.

Carvalho has been described as "unbelievable" by Reds manager Jurgen Klopp, which says a lot about his ability, and he is capable of excelling in a central attacking midifeld role or out wide, with such versatility making him a real asset, in terms of squad depth.

There hasn't been enough end product from those attacking areas at West Ham this season, with Jarrod Bowen topping the league scoring charts with six goals and five assists, so Carvalho could bolster that area, as the Hammers try to improve on a fairly disappointing total of 42 goals in 38 matches.

Jurgen Klopp faces the almighty task of breaking up a frontline that has led Liverpool to glory over the previous four seasons and contributed a mind-blowing number of goals between them.

The supporters might be facing up the fact that it could be the end of the line, at least for Sadio Mane anyway, with Bayern Munich increasingly linked with the player and having a first offer rejected by Liverpool.

Klopp’s recruitment strategy is excellent, however, and the signings of Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota have been superb. The two have settled in with ease at Anfield.

There could be another Klopp masterclass this summer too, with the club linked with Leeds United player Raphinha recently, who could well become another key part of the squad.

Lining up a move for the Brazilian right-winger makes a lot of sense, he has scored 11 times this season, whilst providing three assists as Leeds narrowly escaped relegation.

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The move could cost Liverpool around £60m, but judging by his performances this season, it could be a wise move. Klopp reportedly wants him and they simply have to acquire his services.

He has been dubbed a “magician” by Daniel James and if Klopp wants to build a team that can compete once the likes of Salah and Mane are gone, he doesn’t have far to look.

The 25-year-old has made 3.67 shot-creating actions per match in the league this season whilst also adding in 90 crosses. These stats prove his attacking abilities are excellent, he does contribute well defensively too.

By completing 574 pressures and winning 25 tackles, the winger knows that tracking back and helping with the dirty work is the key to success and this is an attribute that Klopp will love.

A duo of Diaz on the left wing and Raphinha on the right is enough to make defenders have nightmares and would get Anfield rocking.

After all, the Colombian is a dazzling trickster of his own, registering 11 goal involvements in the 26 matches he’s played for the Reds.

Klopp can make it happen as it looks like an interesting summer awaits the German.

AND in other news, Forget Tchouameni: LFC eye a move for “outstanding” £60m ace, he’s “one of the best”

Leeds United midfielder Jamie Shackleton could leave the club on loan this summer, according to The Yorkshire Evening Post.

The Lowdown: Shackleton at Elland Road

Shackleton has been around the first-team squad ever since Marcelo Bielsa handed the academy graduate his debut during the 2018/19 season.

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The central midfielder, who can also play as a right-back, has made 79 appearances for the Whites in all competitions – 14 of which came during the 2021/22 campaign.

However, the 22-year-old only played 22 minutes of action under Jesse Marsch and is entering the final two years of his Elland Road contract.

The Latest: Loan exit?

Leeds journalist Joe Donnohue shared a story on The Yorkshire Evening Post on Saturday morning, looking at the club’s summer plans.

Donnohue stated that Marsch is open to the idea of several youngsters leaving to gain regular game time and said that Shackleton could be a prime candidate to depart on a temporary basis.

The Verdict: Keep?

Leeds are fairly short of midfield and right-back options already, so sending Shackleton out on loan may not be the best idea. Kalvin Phillips has been heavily linked with a summer exit, and should he depart, Marsch would be extremely short in central midfield despite making Brenden Aaronson his first signing as head coach.

Luke Ayling and Stuart Dallas are also out injured heading into the 2022/23 season, so it wouldn’t make sense to send Shackleton, who Bielsa called ‘important’, out on loan, especially with Phillips reportedly top of Manchester City’s priorities to replace Fernandinho.

It looks as if that could be the case, though, following his lack of game time in Marsch’s first 12 games in charge, so it could be one to keep an eye on as the American aims to put his stamp on the side with a summer rebuild.

In other news: Orta now working on bizarre transfer for ‘magnificent’ ace; he has history with Leeds supporters.  

Tottenham Hotspur ‘hierarchy’ are willing to back manager Antonio Conte with risky signing this summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs set for exciting summer?

The Lilywhites, after announcing a £150 million equity increase earlier this week, were further boosted by the news that Conte is now set to stay for the 2022/2023 Premier League season.

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Transfer chief Fabio Paratici and the head coach even held a meeting in Italy on Friday to discuss the club’s summer recruitment plans with a major overhaul on the cards, according to The Telegraph.

It is believed that the Italian is set for Tottenham’s full backing, and as per The Athletic, they’re even willing to go against their transfer policy for one of Conte’s targets.

The Latest: Tottenham hierarchy willing to make risky Eriksen move…

According to their information, despite the ‘element of risk involved’ in re-signing former star Christian Eriksen on a Bosman deal, it is believed that Spurs ‘hierarchy’ are willing to make ‘exceptions’ in ‘exceptional circumstances’.

Signing the Dane is viewed as a gamble given his ‘harrowing health scare’ at Euro 2020, not to mention the fact he has recently turned 30 with little sell-on value.

However, there is an ‘acceptance’ among the north London chiefs, including Paratici, that a sensational reunion for Eriksen could be viewed as one of those exceptional circumstances over bringing in younger players.

The Verdict: Promising update…

The Athletic also state that Eriksen is a personal target for Conte, backing recent reports that the former Chelsea boss is personally ‘pressing’ for his signature.

We believe the Tottenham boardroom have adopted the right stance when it comes to making a move for the international, especially considering his phenomenal campaign at Brentford under Thomas Frank.

He finished 2021/2022 as their best-rated player by average match performance with a solid 7.37/10 (WhoScored), not to mention his creativity is seemingly intact.

Making more key passes per 90 in the final third than any Brentford player, the midfield ace could well gift Conte and Spurs an injection of quality further forward.

In other news: ‘Not only Perisic’…Tottenham push for ‘genius’ signing after Conte call ‘in recent days’…find out more here.

Everton were unable to see out their disastrous season with a win on the final day at the Emirates and will be thankful that their tight relegation battle didn’t go down to the last day after today’s performance.

Frank Lampard secured safety in the Premier League with the Toffees earlier in the week at Goodison Park against Crystal Palace, so going into today’s game there was no pressure on the side to take all three points from the game in North London against Arsenal.

Everton were completely dominated by the Gunners throughout with only 29% possession, 20 fewer shots on goal and over 400 fewer accurate passes than Mikel Arteta’s side who went out to win to compete with Tottenham Hotspur for the fourth spot but failed at the final hurdle despite their overwhelming 5-1 win.

It was a free for all in terms of scoring goals, Alex Iwobi gifted Arsenal their first opportunity with a handball inside the box leading to Gabriel Martinelli opening up the score-line 27th minute of the game.

After the hosts got their first goal they found their way to kill the game with Eddie Nketiah, Cedric Soares, Gabriel Magalhaes and Martin Odegaard all finding the back of the net to take their victory.

However, one returning player did make his mark on the game with Manchester United loanee Donny van de Beek finding the back of the net in the final moments of the first half, but it wasn’t enough for Everton to bow out with a positive result.

One player who failed to take his opportunity to prove his worth today was Dele Alli, who has already been linked with a move away from the club following a disappointing five months since signing on Deadline Day in a deal believed to be worth £40m.

According to SofaScore, Alli who was dubbed a “waste of space” by Simon Jordan made just six passes, losing 100% of his aerials duels and losing 80% of his ground duels. He also lost the ball every 2.7 touches before being brought back to the bench by the Toffees boss in the 67th minute.

With that being said, Farhad Moshiri must let Alli go this summer and invest in players that can be effective when they are called upon as major improvement is needed next season to ensure Everton doesn’t find themselves in a similar situation they have been in during the current campaign.

AND in other news: Lampard plotting Everton bid for £158k-p/w dynamo, he’d be a “joy to watch”

The representatives of Dominic Calvert-Lewin have reportedly now held talks over a potential move away from Everton in the summer.

The Lowdown: Exit bound?

Transfer insider Dean Jones has claimed that there is a ‘decent chance‘ that the 25-year-old will end up leaving Merseyside in the summer, with Arsenal thought to be among the clubs who are interested in his signature.

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The Goodison Park outfit find themselves in a relegation battle, and if they were to go down to the Championship, then it seems inevitable that the striker would be allowed to exit.

The Latest: Talks held

As per Football Insider, a source from St James’ Park has revealed that early talks have now taken place with Calvert-Lewin’s representatives and Newcastle over a potential move to Tyneside.

The striker’s future at Everton is thought to be ‘up in the air’, even if the Toffees stay up.

The Verdict: Depends on price

Hailed as an ‘amazing’ striker by team-mate Salomon Rondon, there is no doubting Calvert-Lewin’s importance to the Toffees, having scored more than 50 goals during his time with the club so far.

However, he has been hit with injury problems this season, and Frank Lampard’s side will not want that to continue going into the 2022/23 campaign.

Nonetheless, given that he is an England international and a good age at 25, they could demand a hefty transfer fee for him, especially from the mega-rich Newcastle owners, which could then be used to reinvest in the squad.

In other news, Everton now battling Liverpool to sign £9m-rated workhorse for free this summer

Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a further setback ahead of their Premier League meeting with Liverpool tonight.

What’s the latest?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference (via Evening Standard), Jurgen Klopp revealed that he has a fully fit squad at his disposal for the meeting with Spurs, with the 54-year-old hinting that Roberto Firmino will be available for selection should he feel that the centre-forward is required.

When asked whether the Brazil international will be fit to feature against Spurs, the German said: “I don’t know, but he is back in training, so now we have to make a decision about that. But let’s see. Yesterday he was in training, was great.”

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When asked whether the remainder of his squad will be available for selection, Klopp added: “Yes. I don’t have my smartphone here, because I get messages pretty late, but when I checked it last time, yes.”

Conte will be gutted

Considering just how important tonight’s fixture is for Tottenham’s hopes of securing a top-four finish this season, the news that Firmino looks as if he will be available and that the rest of the Liverpool squad are fit, coupled with Spurs’ earlier loss of Sergio Reguilon to injury, is sure to have left Antonio Conte gutted.

Indeed, the Reds have been in exceptional form across all competitions this season, having already lifted the Carabao Cup, secured a place in the final of both the Champions League and the FA Cup.

In addition, they are just one point behind Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table, with Klopp being in with a fantastic chance of securing an unprecedented quadruple.

As such, when taking into account just how talented the current crop of Liverpool players quite clearly is, the news that the Reds have no injury concerns ahead of the Tottenham game is sure to come as a huge blow to Spurs’ chances of picking up a positive result at Anfield, with Conte in desperate need of the three points if he is to give his side the best possible shot at securing Champions League football next season.

AND in other news: Conte starts “really special” talent & drops “awful” £82k-p/w flop: Spurs predicted XI

West Ham United have now emerged as favourites to sign a Premier League ‘beast’ for manager David Moyes this summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Irons eye striker move…

Over a year-and-a-half after club record signing Sebastien Haller left east London, the Hammers are still without an alternative striking option to mainstay Michail Antonio.

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As a result, a new forward is firmly on the agenda for West Ham and Moyes in the next transfer window with recent links emerging to the likes of Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah and Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins.

Journalist Dominic King of The Daily Mail, sharing news on Twitter, now has an exciting update for Irons supporters on their Gunners attacking target.

The Latest: West Ham favourites…

According to the reporter, West Ham ‘will move’ for Nketiah if there is no resolution to his contract stand-off at the Emirates Stadium have now emerged as favourites to sign the Englishman – entering pole position as he explains in his article.

Taking to social media, he says:

“West Ham want to sign Eddie Nketiah and will move for him if there is no resolution to his contract stand-off with Arsenal.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

Rush Green officials leading the race for Nketiah comes as a promising development on it’s own, but does that mean he is the right man to finally end West Ham’s striker hunt?

He has been in scintillating form lately, starting all of Arsenal’s last five top flight matches and scoring four in that time – backing why his potential 2022 free agent status is turning a few heads.

Mikel Arteta has raved over Nketiah’s attitude and application this season, likening him to a ‘beast’ in training, and the 22-year-old can still get better going by his fairly young age.

While it is arguably a gamble to solely rely upon the youngster as a back-up to Antonio, for zero cost, he could be a real investment for the future while Moyes also scours the market for a more senior option.

In other news: ‘Evolving situation’ – Journalist says West Ham are now eyeing a ‘massive signing’ for Moyes, find out more here.