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Transfer expert Dean Jones says that there is a ‘strong possibility’ of Yerry Mina, Michael Keane and Abdoulaye Doucoure all having a role to play at Everton.

The Lowdown: Exit-linked

All three players were linked with a move away from Goodison Park in the January transfer window, with the Merseyside club reportedly wanting to trim Mina and Doucoure in particular off their wage bill.

The pair are the joint-highest earners in the squad on £120,000-per-week, while Keane is thought to earn £80,000-per-week at the Toffees.

The latter saw a loan approach ‘knocked back’ from Southampton, but has worked with new manager Sean Dyche before at Burnley.

The Latest: Long-term futures?

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones says that there is a ‘strong possibility’ that the trio have a long-term future under Dyche:

“Yeah, I think there’s a strong possibility, I think that the traits that those guys have got is that they’re very dedicated, very hard-working and they can do the basics very well and that’s really what you need.”

The Verdict: Depends on relegation…

Mina, Keane and Doucoure’s long-term futures at the Blues are likely going to depend on whether they get relegated from the Premier League or not.

They are in danger of going down given their league position, which would likely mean that a lot of their players will seek moves away with them not wanting to play in the Championship.

Keane at least possesses Championship experience, so could stick around, but persuading both Mina and Doucoure to stay may be more difficult.

Nonetheless, their wages would have to be reduced significantly, so a lot will depend on whether Everton are still in the Premier League come next season.

Sheffield Wednesday trio Reece James, Lee Gregory and Jack Hunt have all trained ahead of their side’s League One clash with MK Dons this weekend.

The Lowdown: Another big game for Owls

Darren Moore’s side secured a simple 3-0 victory over Morecambe on Tuesday night, as they superb form of league form continued, having not lost since October.

On Saturday afternoon, Wednesday are once again at Hillsborough, this time taking on an MK Dons team battling relegation and sitting 20th in the table.

Victory could be enough to see the Owls top League One, depending on how current leaders Plymouth Argyrle fare at home to Fleetwood Town.

The Latest: Trio back in training

Taking to Twitter, journalist Joe Crann confirmed that James, Gregory and Hunt are all in contention for the weekend action, having taken part in training:

“James, Gregory and Hunt all training. Love to see it.”

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The Verdict: Massive boost for Wednesday

This is a big boost for Wednesday, enhancing their squad depth greatly ahead of the business end of the season and giving Moore plenty of options in various areas.

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Granted, none of James, Gregory and Hunt are necessarily guaranteed starters – they have started 33 league games between them this season – but they can all contribute positively when they play.

Gregory’s influence could be particularly great at key moments in these final 16 matches this season, having scored 21 goals in 68 appearances for Wednesday, and he can ease the attacking burden on Josh Windass and Michael Smith.

Meanwhile, James and Hunt can also be important defensive players, with the former a great option at right wing-back and the latter playing at both centre-back and in a left-sided role this season.

Craig Hope has insisted that Eddie Howe is frustrated by how Newcastle United have ended up having to play Loris Karius.

The Lowdown: Karius has a chance to impress

It is simply the stuff of dreams for Karius and the worst nightmare for Nick Pope as Newcastle’s number one is set to miss the Carabao Cup final due to the red card he picked up in the Liverpool defeat.

Whereas Karius is set to make his Toon debut due to Martin Dubravka being cup-tied, although he may well have not had the chance to do so if Howe had not been persistent behind the scenes.

Karius was brought in at the back end of 2022 on a short-term basis due to Karl Darlow’s injury and it looked as though that would be it, although Howe pushed hard for the club to keep Karius amid Darlow’s desire to leave in January.

The Latest: Howe far from impressed by the goalkeeper situation

Hope has admitted on the True Faith podcast that Howe is indeed frustrated with how the situation has been allowed to unfold behind the scenes that will now see him being forced to play someone that’s not kicked a ball in two years.

He said: (52:00) “For all the credit we’ve given Newcastle United for how they’ve managed themselves on and off the pitch in the last 18 months and 10/10 top marks, they’ve got the goalkeeping situation wrong.

“To be so well-stocked in the goalkeeping department and end up with your fourth choice, I know Eddie’s frustrated over it, it’s not ideal and I do think they’ve made a mistake.

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“Four players have been allowed to leave the club this season and on four occasions Eddie has sat down in front of us and he’s used the phrase, we’ve got to respect the wishes of the player, or it was a good deal for the club.”

The Verdict: Newcastle could be their own worst enemy

If Newcastle are to lose on Sunday they will hope it’s from Manchester United being the better team and absolutely nothing to do with how their fourth-choice keeper has performed as that will only cast a grey could over what’s been a stunning season.

PIF have been hailed for the signings and smart business they’ve done since taking over Newcastle with signings such as Kieran Trippier and Bruno Guimaraes proving to be great purchases, although letting Dubravka leave for a top-four rival at the start of the season is looking more and more peculiar as the days roll on.

Had Dubravka not gone out to Man United then he would indeed very likely be getting ready to start a cup final for Newcastle and it would’ve filled Magpies fans with hope given he’s played 132 times for the Toon and been a good servant, but now it all falls on Karius who is yet to even make his debut.

Mikel Arteta will be aiming to ensure Arsenal’s fourth-consecutive victory today as they face AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League.

With Manchester City breathing down their necks, Arsenal know three points are absolutely crucial in every league fixture and today is no different.

The 4-0 win over Everton in midweek will give them some confidence back following a poor start to February which saw them fail to win three successive league matches for the first time this term.

With this in mind, Arteta will be looking to start with his strongest available line-up and we at Football FanCast predict who will take to the Emirates pitch this afternoon for the Gunners.

What could Arsenal’s XI look like vs Bournemouth?

4-3-3 – (GK) Ramsdale; (RB) White, (CB) Saliba, (CB) Gabriel, (LB) Zinchenko; (CM) Odegaard, (CM) Partey, (CM) Xhaka; (RW) Saka, (ST) Nketiah, (LW) Martinelli

While there could be two alterations from the side that overpowered Sean Dyche’s men, the goalkeeper and back four will remain unchanged from the midweek victory. Aaron Ramsdale has kept 11 clean sheets in the league this season and will want to make it 12 later today.

Ben White and Oleksandr Zinchenko will occupy their usual spots on the right and left-hand side of the defence, while William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes will form Arsenal’s central defensive unit. The Ukrainian was wonderful against the Toffees, showcasing both his defensive and attacking qualities by winning three of his five ground duels along with making three key passes and he will be vital against the Cherries.

The Spaniard will make a change in the midfield, with Thomas Partey coming in for Jorginho. The Ghanaian enjoyed an excellent second-half cameo in midweek, recording a Sofascore rating of 7.5/10 for his 45-minute outing and this will allow the triumvirate of Martin Odegaard, Granit Xhaka, and Partey to start in the league for the first time since the 1-1 draw against Brentford at the beginning of February.

Bukayo Saka will start on the right flank, with Gabriel Martinelli hoping to continue on from midweek where he netted twice and he will once again feature on the left wing.

Eddie Nketiah limped off against Leicester City at the weekend, but Arteta said the striker is “very positive about it” and if he is ok to start, he will lead the line today. This means the 24-cap Belgian, Leandro Trossard, will drop to the bench but his ability to make an impact will be crucial for the club if they find themselves in a tricky situation and need a late goal.

He pulled off an “incredible” pass to set up Martinelli’s goal against the Foxes, according to Bob Sturm and Arteta will have plenty of faith in him to deliver from the bench again if required.

Newcastle United are reportedly hoping to raid relegation strugglers Southampton for their influential skipper, James Ward-Prowse, with manager Eddie Howe seemingly looking to bolster his midfield ranks this summer.

What’s the latest on Ward-Prowse to Newcastle?

According to Football Insider, the Magpies are believed to be ready to pounce if the 28-year-old is made available come the end of the season, with the south coast outfit likely to find it ‘difficult’ to keep hold of their talisman if they fail to stave off the drop.

The report suggests that the England international could be part of a ‘fire sale’ if the Saints are to suffer relegation, with a number of Premier League clubs said to be sniffing around in the hope of landing the 11-cap maestro.

As the same publication previously reported, Tottenham Hotspur are also said to be keeping a close eye on the Portsmouth-born sensation, while Unai Emery’s Aston Villa could also be in the mix for his signature.

Who could Ward-Prowse replace at Newcastle?

The perhaps most obvious benefit of bringing Ward-Prowse to St James’ Park would be the £22m-rated man’s threat from dead-ball situations, with the experienced ace having emerged as something of a “set piece master” in recent years – as per broadcaster Maximiliano Bretos.

That quality has been showcased by the fact that the highly-coveted gem boasts 17 goals from free-kicks in his Premier League career – including three already this season – with that ensuring he is only one behind Manchester United legend David Beckham (18) as the all-time leading free-kick taker in the competition’s history.

Such prowess, however, has perhaps clouded the other impressive elements to Ward-Prowse’s game, with the 5 foot 8 dynamo arguably able to provide much more to Howe’s side than just his goal record alone.

If the £100k-per-week man is to make the move to Tyneside ahead of next season, he could well prove to be a notable upgrade on regular starter Sean Longstaff in the centre of the park, with the Magpies academy graduate arguably not of the quality of the Saints star.

Although the latter man has been an influential figure in Newcastle’s remarkable season so far – starting 20 top-flight games – the 25-year-old has scored just once in the league to date this term and only four times in his top-flight career in total, while Ward-Prowse already boasts six league goals from his 25 starts.

Equally, the senior man’s creative threat is also laid bare by the fact that he averages 2.1 key passes per game in the league this season and has created seven big chances in total, while the North Shields native only averages 0.8 key passes per game and has created just five big chances.

That differing impact is also illustrated by Ward-Prowse’s superior defensive record as he averaged 1.7 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game in the current campaign, while Longstaff has averaged 1.3 and 0.5 for the same two metrics, respectively.

It may appear rather brutal for Howe to ditch a player who has been a key man this season, yet the club’s recent wobble – having failed to win any of their last five league games – has illustrated that the high-flying outfit are far from the finished article, hence the need to bring in figures of ready-made quality such as Ward-Prowse in order to kick on once again next term.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is eyeing another raid on former club Ajax for Mohammed Kudus, according to talkSPORT.

The Lowdown: Kudus keen on Old Trafford

Kudus made 42 appearances under Ten Hag, contributing to nine goals, and he seems to be keen on a reunion over the summer.

Reports earlier this month stated that there has already been contact over a potential Old Trafford transfer for the Ghana international, who is interested in a move and has told friends of his desire to play for Ten Hag again.

The Latest: Transfer update

TalkSPORT provided an update on Kudus and United in the last 48 hours, claiming that Ten Hag is personally behind a move for the versatile attacker and has placed the player on his list of summer targets.

Ten Hag has continued to track Kudus after signing him for Ajax and appears to be on a transfer shortlist that includes Harry Kane.

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The Verdict: Get it done

You could say that a move for Kudus alongside a new centre-forward like Kane in the summer would be beneficial. The 22-year-old has contributed to a career-best 21 goals during the current campaign and has mainly turned out as a central midfielder, attacking midfielder or centre-forward in recent years.

Called a ‘world class’ talent by former Dutch Footballer Jan van Halst, he would provide a versatile option for Ten Hag in both midfield and attack which could come in handy next season, especially with United on course to be playing in four separate competitions again in 2022/23.

He could even turn out as a right-winger if required, so Kudus could be the next to link up with Ten Hag from Ajax, following in the footsteps of Lisandro Martinez and Antony.

Arsenal are ready to take action to bring Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic to the Premier League this summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: January talks held

The Serbian has now entered the final 18 months of his contract at the Stadio Olimpico and being Maurizio Sarri’s overall best-performing player, has caught the eye of Mikel Arteta.

The Mirror relayed reports that the Gunners were in talks with the 28-year-old’s agent, Mateja Kezman, regarding a potential deal in January, but a move failed to materialise before the deadline.

TalkSPORT have since claimed that the N7 outfit are in pole position to sign the maestro in the upcoming window, with the boss having identified him as an alternative to West Ham’s Declan Rice.

The Latest: Arsenal vs Juve for Milinkovic-Savic

According to Italian outlet Gazzetta Dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Arsenal and Juventus are both ‘at the window’ and ‘ready to take action’ to sign Milinkovic-Savic ahead of the 2023/24 term.

Lazio have tried to get him to commit to signing a new deal but he has ‘no such wish’, so as a result of not wanting to leave on a free transfer next year, ‘all roads therefore lead to a sale’.

The Serie A giants are believed to be demanding €50m (£44m) to sanction his sale, though his agents are ‘pushing’ to move him elsewhere for a smaller fee of between €35-40m (£30-35m).

The Verdict: Massive coup

Milinkovic-Savic has won four senior trophies throughout his career so knows what it takes to be successful, which is why it would be a big coup should Arsenal be able to secure his signature.

The Nike-sponsored star has posted 12 goal contributions (four goals and eight assists) in just 24 league outings this season, where he’s earned five man-of-the-match awards across all competitions.

Standing at 6 foot 3, he would add a different dimension to Arteta’s midfield with his height, which sees him currently ranking in the 97th percentile for most aerials won per 90 minutes by midfielders in Europe.

The Lleida native has also been played in four different positions since emerging onto the scene, including as a second striker, so would be a useful option for the boss to have in the building.

The midfielder has been the subject of high praise from his Lazio teammate and captain Ciro Immobile who said: ‘Trust me, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is magic. He’s on the same level of Kevin de Bruyne.”

We feel he is the perfect candidate to put pen to paper in the capital.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte has been spotted as being back to his best form on the sideline following their recent victory in the Premier League.

What has been wrong with Antonio Conte?

The Italian has had to endure a difficult few months off the pitch with the 53-year-old left grieving the deaths of three close friends.

On top of this, he has only just returned fully after undergoing gallbladder surgery earlier this year which kept him out of action for a number of weeks.

All of this has intertwined with a poor run of form for Spurs, which has seen them dumped out of the FA Cup and Champions League in the last few weeks.

However, speaking on the Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham podcast, Alasdair Gold has admitted the thought the Italian looked back to his normal self in the game against Forest:

"On Saturday, he was really fired up, and the goals… each goal, he kind of celebrated like a bit of a madman, and that's what we're used to seeing. And he was enjoying his job again, I feel like. And I think that's key for Spurs.

"With all the talk going on and everything that's been said, I think if Conte's got the fire back in him… if we see a similar performance from him and the team on Saturday, I personally would go as far to say I think that Spurs will finish in the top four."

Where does Conte's Spurs future lie?

The reports strongly suggest Conte will not be looking to extend his stay in north London with his contract with the Lilywhites coming to an end this season.

And there have even been suggestions that he could not even see out the end of the campaign with Tottenham on the back of their recent cup exits.

However, it seems as if his flame is still burning after the weekend's victory with the 53-year-old seemingly still fired up on the sideline.

And this is certainly encouraging for all at Spurs, with a spot in the top four being the only thing they are able to play for in the remaining months of the season.

Spurs have a tough run towards the end of next month when they will face their three nearest rivals for a spot in the Champions League.

Therefore, it does feel absolutely essential that everyone at the club is on the same page for the upcoming games against the likes of Southampton, Everton, Brighton & Hove Albion and Bournemouth.

And what will surely encourage Conte is Spurs will now return to playing once a week for the next month until their big week against Newcastle United, Liverpool and Manchester United.

Although it seems as if he may not be at Spurs next season, having a fired-up Conte is something which is in the best interests of the club.

Everton's recent transfer missteps have been well-documented, however, the last decade has unsurprisingly not been the only example of high-profile blunders made by the club.

Big-money howlers and allowing players to leave for cut-price deals have arguably become synonymous with the Toffees, with Farhad Moshiri seemingly only seeking to exacerbate that horrendous reputation with his exploits.

Whilst many will point to signing the likes of Yerry Mina and Jean-Philippe Gbamin as the outstanding financial drains on the club in recent years, marking their worst deals, perhaps some other fans might cite the club sanctioning the sale of Martin Keown for a nominal fee compared to the player he would soon become as another high-profile mistake.

Why did Martin Keown leave Everton?

Whilst a wholly different kind of blunder in the transfer market, it seemed a foregone conclusion that they would lose their top up-and-coming defensive talent to the high-flying Arsenal, as the 56-year-old would recount the day he was told he'd be leaving: "I thought I was going into the manager’s office to negotiate a contract extension, instead he ended up offering me a new club!

"Then in true Howard Kendall style he opened a bottle of champagne and toasted the move with me!

“Arsenal was the only place I’d have left Everton to join. It was a move back down south, although my son was born in Merseyside and is a Scouser."

It is often tough when the big clubs come calling, but it was especially frustrating as the steely centre-back seemed to offer some stability for a side struggling to transition from their uber-successful period in the 1980s.

What mainly made the move so frustrating was that the Gunners had to pay just £2m for a man who would go on to feature 428 times for them, winning ten major honours including that invincible Premier League trophy.

The 6 foot 1 stalwart has since become a "legend" at the north London outfit, as branded by journalist John Cross, and is widely recognised as one of the best defenders of his era.

Whilst his recent exploits in punditry might come across as polarising, his talent as a footballer cannot be denied. Talent that was allowed to explode at Goodison Park.

This trend of losing their top assets to the bigger clubs has travelled through to the modern-day side too, with John Stones, Ross Barkley and Romelu Lukaku all leaving for what they deemed to be a step up.

It seems to actually retain their best players Everton need to match their ambition, but Moshiri needs to learn how to do so in a controlled manner to avoid even more transfer failures.

Arsenal are 'willing to pay' the 'jaw-dropping' price tag to sign Declan Rice from West Ham this summer, according to reports.

What's the latest on Rice leaving West Ham?

The England international has been heavily linked with a move away from east London, with Irons boss David Moyes facing a real battle to keep his club captain. Indeed, Rice is set to be a highly sought-after player when the transfer window opens, as Mikel Arteta, Chelsea, Man City and Liverpool are all apparently set to battle for his signature.

Currently in pole position to clinch their first Premier League title in nearly 20 years, Arsenal and sporting director Edu are already thought to be planning ahead on how best to strengthen Arteta's options ahead of the next campaign.

Rice is thought to be a top target for the Gunners, despite the January signing of midfielder Jorginho from Stamford Bridge – and reports have suggested it is inevitable the midfielder will depart West Ham in 2023.

Now, an update by journalist Pete O'Rourke, writing in a Football Insider column, says Arsenal are absolutely determined to sign the 24-year-old. It is believed that the north Londoners are 'willing to meet' Rice's 'jaw-dropping' price tag of £100 million+, with Arteta being a 'huge admirer' personally.

The Arsenal boss also believes his side have a potential ace up their sleeve – with the theory that clinching this 22/23 domestic crown will put them in the 'driving seat' to capture Rice.

What could Rice bring to Arsenal?

The former Chelsea academy starlet has been a revelation for Moyes and a key, key player in their last two European qualification campaigns. As per WhoScored, Rice is as pivotal as ever to West Ham – standing out as their best-performing player by average match rating whist playing more league minutes than any of his teammates.

Called 'sensational' by members of the media, the Hammers midfielder has also registered more interceptions per 90 in the English top flight than any West Ham player – all while averaging the highest pass accuracy (88.9%) out of any regular in Moyes' side (WhoScored).

Stats like this indicate he could add both composure and an element of defensive solidarity to Arteta's team next season, with defensive midfield players thought to be high on Arsenal's agenda.

Former England star Joe Cole was also ecstatic in his praise for Rice at international level during the most recent break, calling him the 'best player' by a mile against Italy.