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Everton’s financial situation has been stabilised by a cash injection of £100m from chairman Farhad Moshiri, meaning they will not be hit by FFP sanctions and that they are now “stable” again.

However, that doesn’t mean they are completely out of danger just yet, with the team dangling just above the relegating zone in the Premier League, while the new stadium costs could limit spending over the next few seasons – and sales will need to be made in order to facilitate a rebuild under new manager Frank Lampard.

This could see not just a number of the club’s fringe players depart, but also a number of their star men and fan-favourites, which could ensure that supporters will endure a nightmare summer.

What’s been said?

Speaking to Football FanCast, transfer insider Dean Jones has claimed that the club could sell star striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin in order to raise much-needed funds.

Jones said: “I don’t think Everton want to sell Calvert-Lewin but I think they’re looking at their situation and realising like, what are our [the club’s] assets? Who would people be interested in?

“[Everton might be thinking] how could we change the direction of this club, and they might have to become open to offers for Calvert-Lewin and then deal with the fallout of it from there.”

According to The Daily Mail, West Ham are among the clubs wanting to take him off the Toffees’ hands, and a fee of around £60m will be enough to acquire his signature.

Lampard surely gutted

If Everton can attract such a hefty fee for the £37.8m-rated striker, it might not be such a bad scenario, as they would definitely be able to replace him with an equally clinical forward for less – with Luka Jovic, who scored an impressive 27 times for Bundesliga side Frankfurt in the 18/19 season, valued at just £16.2m.

Having scored just three goals and setting up one more in ten appearances for the Toffees, in what has been an injury-stricken season, he has at times been poor since his return, and his consistency has been something that has been highlighted in campaigns before.

Former manager Carlo Ancelotti also suggested criticism of the the Englishman was fair, while in charge last season, saying: “We tried to improve the situation, we have worked on this, but to be criticised is absolutely normal and sometimes it is also fair.

“After the game I said Dominic Calvert‑Lewin and Richarlison could do better in these situations and they know this, absolutely.”

That said, if Everton does sell Calvert-Lewin, it will surely leave Lampard gutted. He is still a top striker in the Premier League, having bagged 21 times last term, and there is no guarantee that his replacement would do such a stellar job.

This is a tricky situation for the Merseyside club and on they’ll have to weigh up carefully.

In other news: Lampard can unearth Everton’s new DCL in “clinical” 16 y/o with 40 goals this season

Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt yet another injury setback concerning Oliver Skipp.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Dan Kilpatrick, with the journalist revealing in a recent report for the Evening Standard that, despite Antonio Conte claiming last week that the midfielder was “very close” to making a return from a pelvic injury that has kept him out of action since January, the 21-year-old is now set to return to the treatment room after suffering a setback in his recovery.

Kilpatrick went on to state that, despite training individually on the grass on Monday and Tuesday, the England U21 international’s return date now appears increasingly unclear after he reported fresh soreness in his pelvis – something which all but confirms Skipp’s unavailability for Saturday’s trip to Aston Villa.

In his piece, the journalist said: “Skipp is now certain to sit out Saturday’s visit to Aston Villa.”

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Conte will be fuming

Considering the number of setbacks Skipp had already suffered in his recovery from injury – with Conte initially suggesting that the academy product would be ruled out for two weeks at most, before claiming that he hoped Tottenham’s medical team would have the youngster back in seven to ten days – the fact that the midfielder is once again unavailable this weekend is sure to have left the 52-year-old fuming.

It is not difficult to understand why the Italian is so desperate to get the £18m-rated dynamo back up to full fitness, as it is clear that the 21-year-old is a major part of his first-team plans at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – with Skipp featuring in all but one of the 14 fixtures he has been available for selection following Conte’s arrival in north London last November.

However, with an extended period of rest being the only real solution to the pubis symphysis injury with which the midfielder is struggling, perhaps the manager’s pressure on both the player and the Spurs medical team is the cause of the youngster’s continuous relapses in his recovery.

Either way, Conte looks set to once again be without the services of the England youth international for the trip to Villa on Saturday, something that will undoubtedly come as a huge blow to the 52-year-old – particularly as all three points are a must if Tottenham wish to give themselves the best possible chance of finishing in the top four come the end of the season.

AND in other news: “They will get it done”: Romano drops huge transfer update Spurs supporters will love

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Birmingham City forward Che Adams continued his incredible season with a brace in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Blackburn Rovers.

Adams netted in the 16th and 85th minute respectively to ensure that his team would take a share of the spoils against Blackburn.

The 22-year-old has now registered 21 Championship goals this season, which has led to a host of attention.

Indeed, a number of Premier League clubs have been credited with an interest in the striker, who will not be short of offers at the end of the campaign.

Who are the best away fans in the Championship? Pl>ymaker FC’s Thogden gives his top 10 in the video below…

As expected, the Birmingham fans were absolutely delighted with what they saw from the 5ft 9in ace on Saturday afternoon.

And many took to social media during and indeed after the clash with Blackburn to lavish praise on the club’s leading scorer.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the Birmingham supporters is available to view below, with one fan insisting that Adams is better than on-loan Chelsea forward Tammy Abraham:

Rangers boss Gio van Bronckhorst has a chance to cement his name in the club’s history as a successful manager before the end of the campaign.

He enjoyed a tremendous spell with the club as a player and is in with a shot at winning three trophies in his debut season in the dugout. The Gers could win the Premiership, Europa League and the Scottish Cup before the end of May, but the 47-year-old will need to get the most out of his squad in order to do so.

Charlie McCann, Alex Lowry and Leon King have all come up through the academy to feature in the cup, but there are some other players in the B team who also have the potential to make an impact at senior level.

Hagi 2.0

One gem in the current academy setup with a bright future is Ross McCausland. Van Bronckhorst may unearth the new Ianis Hagi with the 18-year-old winger if he is able to play his cards right in the coming months and years.

Earlier this season, The Athletic journalist Jordan Campbell compared him to the Romanian, writing: “Tony Weston and Ross McCausland were the two No 10s finding space and receiving on the half turn like Ryan Kent and Ianis Hagi.”

The current first-team magician is out injured for the rest of the campaign but was in fine form in the Premiership prior to his injury blow. He averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.10 across 15 league appearances, creating 1.5 chances per game. This came after he managed seven goals and 11 assists in the top flight in the 2020/21 season.

McCausland also plays on the right-hand side of the attack, just like Hagi, and he has been in fine form in the UEFA Youth League this season, with three goals in five appearances in the competition. He has also scored seven goals in the Lowlands League, although it is unclear how many games he has played to reach that total.

Head of Academy Craig Mulholland previously claimed that the 18-year-old is “dominant” in one-on-one duels and also said: “We believe that Ross still has lots of potential to realise and there is so much more to come from him as he continues his development and learning journey with our excellent staff. He is a massive Rangers fan who is well supported by a strong family unit and we are all excited to see how he matures and develops as a player and as a person in the coming years.”

These comments suggest that the club have faith in his future and believe that he has the quality to make the step up to the first team. This is backed up by his form at youth level this season, which is illustrated by his statistics and Campbell’s comparison between him and Hagi.

Therefore, Van Bronckhorst can unearth his new attacking midfield gem by unleashing McCausland and having a look at what the 18-year-old can do at senior level.

AND in other news, Forget Morelos: “Beautiful” gem who’s “unplayable” could fire Rangers to the title…

Rangers are plotting a key deal to ensure Alex Lowry’s future under Giovanni van Bronckhorst at Ibrox beyond 2023.

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, a Gers source has revealed that the club have made the talented youngster a new contract offer worth £5k-per-week.

The report claims that he is set to meet with van Bronckhorst and club officials to discuss a deal this week, with Rangers hoping to pin him down to fresh terms until 2025.

His current contract expires in the summer of 2023 and the Light Blues are keen to avoid losing him for nothing at the end of next season. He is said to be attracting interest from unnamed clubs from England, and the Gers are hoping to ward off those advances with a new deal for the midfielder.

Van Bronckhorst will be elated

This update will surely leave Van Bronckhorst elated, as Rangers are pressing ahead with their attempts to keep Lowry at Ibrox. They are not waiting until bids have already come in for him to start trying to retain his services, which means that they are being proactive in their approach.

The Dutch head coach will be desperate to keep hold of the teenager heading into the 2022/23 campaign and beyond, as he is a talented young player with high potential.

At the age of 18, Lowry has already been exposed to first-team football at Ibrox. He made his Premiership debut earlier this season and scored his first senior goal for the club against Stirling Albion in the Scottish Cup, which shows that he has the talent to make an impact outside of the youth team.

Last month, journalist Josh Bunting lavished him with praise, tweeting: “Alex Lowry is just a fabulous footballer, on this pitch the way he’s dribbling on it indicates he has so much quality, so good on the ball and has a wonderful sense of balance, really good at driving at the opposition defence he creates plenty of problems with his movement.”

This shows that the 18-year-old has been catching the eye throughout the campaign. He still has the majority of his career ahead of him to continue developing and Rangers cannot afford to lose him at the end of his current contract as they would not be able to benefit from his full potential.

Therefore, Van Bronckhorst will be elated with the efforts to keep Lowry at Ibrox and will be hoping that the Scotland youth international is willing to commit his future to the club.

AND in other news, Insider drops worrying behind-the-scenes Ibrox claim, it’s very bad news for Rangers…

A major update has emerged on Newcastle United’s efforts to seal a deal to sign Bruno Guimaraes from Lyon in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

Daily Mail journalist Craig Hope has issued a fresh claim on their attempts to close the transfer, as Eddie Howe seeks to complete his third signing of the transfer window after Kieran Trippier and Chris Wood.

Hope tweeted late on Thursday night: “Newcastle hoping to complete Bruno Guimaraes medical tomorrow.”

Howe will be salivating

This news will surely leave Howe salivating as his mouth waters over the prospect of Guimaraes holding up a Newcastle shirt alongside him in an official announcement photoshoot sooner rather than later.

Completing a medical will represent a huge step in their journey to completing the signing, as it will alleviate any worries over his physical condition, with the Brazilian – hopefully – not carrying any issues which will affect him in the long-term.

Fabrizio Romano has reported that the Magpies have agreed a fee which could rise to €48m (£40m) with Lyon and that he will sign a contract until 2026. This suggests that the medical could be the last piece of the puzzle before the Magpies are able to announce his arrival on Tyneside.

This is why Howe’s mouth will be watering over this latest update, as the midfielder is poised to link-up with the rest of the Newcastle squad ahead of their next Premier League match. It could also mean that the move is in place prior to deadline day, which will relieve the head coach as he will have no need to worry about scrambling to get the deal over the line in the final few hours. However, it remains to be seen whether or not that will be the case with other potential signings.

The ex-Bournemouth boss will also be excited by this news because of the quality of player the club are on the verge of bringing in. Guimaraes has averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.3 in Ligue 1, making 3.6 tackles and interceptions along with 1.8 key passes per game.

This highlights how much of an impact he can have at both ends of the pitch at the top level. The Brazilian can break up the play and win the ball back for his team whilst also having the quality to step forward and play brilliant passes to create chances for his teammates, which is why Howe will be buzzing to have him as part of his squad moving forward.

AND in other news, Newcastle plotting late swoop for £54m-rated “winner”, he’s far better than Wilson…

New Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has spoken to Steve McClaren over a possible Old Trafford role, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Ten Hag announced

The Red Devils officially confirmed the Dutchman as their new manager on Thursday.

Ten Hag will depart Ajax in the summer and has signed a three-year contract with United which includes the option of a further 12 months.

He looks set to be joined at Old Trafford by current Ajax assistant Mitchell van der Gaag, and a reunion with McClaren, who Ten Hag worked with at FC Twente, looks like it could also be on the cards too.

The Latest: McClaren talks

Romano, who has been on top of all Ten Hag to United developments, shared an update on Thursday afternoon regarding his coaching staff.

The reliable reporter said that Van der Gaag has ‘accepted’ to join his coaching staff, adding that Ten Hag has also had a ‘direct conversation’ with McClaren over a role at Old Trafford.

The Verdict: Interesting…

You can see why Ten Hag has spoken to McClaren over a possible reunion ahead of his first season as United boss, with a lot of work needing to be done off the pitch before he takes to the Old Trafford dugout for the first time.

The pair know each other well after Ten Hag served as McClaren’s assistant at FC Twente for 50 games. Roles could now be reversed in Manchester, and with McClaren already working under Sir Alex Ferguson for 142 games between 1999 and 2001, a backroom role could be a shrewd move by the new manager as he looks to settle in during his first season in England.

In other news: ‘Revolution begins’: Fabrizio Romano now shares key Man Utd exit news emerging from Old Trafford. 

Leeds United youngster Leif Davis looks almost certain to join Bournemouth on a permanent deal this summer, according to journalist Beren Cross.

The Lowdown: Davis enjoying loan spell

The 22-year-old moved to the south coast last summer in order to enjoy regular playing time, with Marcelo Bielsa failing to promise him that at Elland Road.

Davis has admittedly been limited to just 12 Championship appearances for Bournemouth this season as they chase promotion back to the Premier League, but he has still played his part in their success, chipping in with one assist.

The left-back has been described as an ‘animal’ by Cherries manager Scott Parker, suggesting he likes the look of him.

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The Latest: Cross expects permanent move

Speaking in a Q&A for Leeds Live, Cross claims that Davis’ loan move is expected to become permanent in the summer:

“From what was said at the time, it sounds like Davis will almost certainly be staying at Bournemouth. It read as though the loan was effectively going to be the first year of a permanent deal at the back end of it.”

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The Verdict: Makes perfect sense

While Davis is a talented young player, it makes complete sense for all parties to join Bournemouth, settling there and enjoying the next chapter in his career.

He has a better chance of earning more minutes for the Cherries, even if Junior Firpo has disappointed for Leeds this season and Stuart Dallas has had to fill in there, with Jesse Marsch reportedly already eyeing a new left-back signing.

It would be heartwarming to see Bournemouth promoted this season, which looks likely, subsequently allowing Davis the chance to prove himself in the Premier League.

In other news, Leeds are confident over a new deal for one player. Find out who it is here.

Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Bruno Lage will have a decision to make regarding who starts at centre-back alongside Conor Coady and Max Kilman over the coming weeks with Toti Gomes taking the place of Romain Saiss, who is set to return this week.

The 23-year-old defender made a shock debut against Southampton earlier in January after being recalled from his loan spell at Swiss outfit Grasshoppers after regular Romain Saiss departed to play for Morocco in the African Cup of Nations.

However, having been knocked out of the tournament at the quarter-final stage to Egypt last weekend, the 31-year-old centre-back is now set to return to action for Wolves this week having been allowed to miss the FA Cup defeat to Norwich.

Gomes hasn’t done badly, but his brief spell in the side must now come to an end.

On the chalkboard

Under Lage, Wolves have been very impressive, particularly at the back. The West Midlands outfit are the Premier League’s second-best defenders behind league leaders Manchester City, having conceded just 16 goals in the top-flight so far this season.

Sat in eighth, the final four months of the season are going to be vital for Wolves, with coming games particularly important as they may shape the way in which Lage’s side’s season will go.

The Golden Boys are only two points off of the top six but are eight clear of 11th, meaning that a top-half finish at the bare minimum looks to be well in order. Though, there is one key change the manager has to make if he’s serious about bridging that gap and reaching the promised lands of European football agian.

With Gomes in the side, Wolves have remained particularly solid, winning in the Premier League against both Southampton and Brentford 3-1 and 2-1 respectively.

However, the £900k-rated Portuguese defender suffered his first defeat in a Wolves shirt on Saturday, losing 1-0 to Norwich City in the FA Cup and was sacrificed after just over an hour for striker Raul Jimenez as Lage looked to salvage the tie.

Conceding three goals in three games isn’t a bad feat at all, particularly with a lack of experience at this level beforehand. Gomes has been thrown into the deep end and managed to keep his head above water.

Despite this though, with Saiss Wolves have that extra quality that ensures points are put on the board.

The Moroccan has contributed to eight clean sheets in 19 Premier League appearances having conceded 14 goals, an average of 0.74 goals per game.

However, Gomes has piped the 31-year-old in some aspects, despite a significant gap in matches played. Saiss is averaging 1.9 interceptions, 1.2 tackles and 5.1 clearances per game whilst the 23-year-old has averaged two interceptions, four tackles, and 4.5 clearances per game.

Saiss’ passing is at a much higher standard though with 81% accuracy compared to Gomes’ 65%.

Of course, comparing averages from half a season compared to just two doesn’t offer much indication of who’s the better option for Lage. However, it does signify to the Portuguese coach that, in Gomes, he has a very suitable back-up.

Having put his faith in Saiss for the majority of the campaign, bringing the Moroccan back into the fold should cause very little headache for the 45-year-old. In Gomes though, Lage has a younger, hungry defender ready to pounce again if an opportunity arises.

Sadly, for now, he must be taken out of the firing line.

In other news: £37k-p/w waster may have cost Wolves a shot at silverware

Kalvin Phillips will return to Leeds United’s starting XI for Monday night’s trip to Crystal Palace. 

The lowdown

Leeds travel to Selhurst Park for the 20.00 kick-off looking to make it four wins in five matches.

They weren’t in action last weekend, with their game against Chelsea postponed due to the Blues’ FA Cup semi-final commitments.

The Whites are still in need of points to ensure survival after 18th-place Burnley beat Southampton on Thursday night to close the gap to five.

£38,000-per-week midfielder Phillips hasn’t started a Premier League match since the 2-2 draw with Brentford way back at the start of December.

After a four-month spell on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, he returned for the final 24 minutes of the 1-1 draw with Southampton on 2 April and got another 31 minutes under his belt as Leeds beat Watford 3-0 last time out.

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The latest

Leeds Live writer Beren Cross reported on Saturday morning from Jesse Marsch’s press conference at Thorp Arch that Phillips is ‘confirmed to start’ already.

The verdict

Phillips has demonstrated in his two recent substitute cameos that he’s ready to return.

At Vicarage Road, he won two of the three ground duels he contested after coming on, regaining possession three times, and completed nine out of 12 passes (via SofaScore).

You wonder if Leeds would have been able to avoid relegation trouble entirely had Phillips, England’s 2021 Player of the Year, been fit for the whole campaign.

In even better news for Marsch, two of his forward options are now on the comeback trail. Patrick Bamford is due to be back on the grass next week, while Tyler Roberts is ‘getting close’ to a return.

In other news, Leeds are targeting this Spurs ace.