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Everton journalist Adam Jones reckons Rafael Benitez could switch to a 4-3-3 formation with Richarlison up front for the visit of Arsenal on Monday night. 

The lowdown

Everton are looking to halt a dreadful run of form that has seen them win just one of their last 10 matches.

They’ve taken seven losses in that period, slipping to 16th in the Premier League table.

Benitez has almost always set out his team in a 4-4-1-1 formation since taking over at Goodison Park in the summer.

The Spaniard was criticised for maintaining a midfield two against Liverpool last time out, with one journalist arguing it was a move that ‘gave the game’ to the visitors and an analytics expert confessing himself ‘baffled’.

The latest

The Liverpool Echo’s Jones writes that Benitez ‘could opt’ for a change of system that would see Fabian Delph drafted into the midfield alongside Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure, while Richarlison would serve as a lone number nine.

He points out that there have already been glimpses of this shape in the games against Wolves and Tottenham Hotspur, and says it seems to be ‘the most effective right now’.

The verdict

Delph may not be the most popular player amongst the Goodison supporters, but he put in a strong performance in that game against Conte’s Spurs, earning a SofaScore rating of 7.3/10.

He won four of his six ground duels and completed eight of the 10 long balls he attempted.

The Press Association’s Carl Markham called his display ‘excellent’, while The Daily Mail’s Dominic King dubbed him the team’s man of the match ‘by some considerable distance’.

Perhaps recalling the £80,000-per-week midfielder, and reinstating the 4-3-3 shape, could be a smart move.

In other news, fans flocked to this news on a possible Benitez replacement.

West Bromwich Albion have been dealt a devastating blow in the search for their next manager…

What’s the word?

According to Express & Star journalist Joesph Masi, front-runner David Wagner will not take the vacancy at The Hawthorns, with the German set to take charge of Swiss outfit BSC Young Boys instead.

It has been a dramatic 48 hours or so in the Midlands after the Baggies hierarchy interviewed several candidates, including the former Huddersfield boss, who steered the Terriers to the Premier League in 2017.

He emerged as their first-choice candidate but his switch to England has collapsed as the 49-year-old wants to remain close to his family in Germany.

Back to square one, again

Only a few days ago, reports emerged suggesting that Albion owner Guochuan Lai vetoed a move for former Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder despite the Yorkshireman being keen on the role. It’s thought that the rarely-seen chief was put off by his relationship with the board at Bramall Lane, where he publicly clashed with owner Prince Abdullah bin Musa’ad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

Now that Wagner is now also out of the running, it leaves West Brom back where they first started when Sam Allardyce announced that he would not continue in the dugout for next season. The German was by no means a popular candidate but this situation has left many supporters absolutely reeling.

In response to Masi’s initial tweet, there were plenty of the Baggies faithful expressing their discontent at how the club was being run. Even though this was a small sample size, it really does highlight the mood in the Midlands right now.

For example, one fan claimed it was a “new low” as “we can’t even get a manager that nobody wants”. Another added that it was “absolutely farcical”. with a further supporter describing the situation as a “mess”.

It’s the last thing Luke Dowling and co need heading into a new campaign, where they must see a reaction on the pitch to win back many of these supporters following relegation.

His plans in the transfer market will only be hampered further until the club sorts out who will take charge and, as those supporters claim, it’s an absolute mess right now.

Understandably, plenty of the Baggies faithful will be fuming.

AND in other news, Shock West Brom managerial rejection emerges, but it could be a blessing in disguise…

Tottenham Hotspur could make a move for Danny Ings this summer, according to emerging reports…

What’s the word?

Eurosport’s Dean Jones claims the north London outfit are closely monitoring the 28-year-old ahead of the transfer window reopening and that they still hope to sign him from Southampton.

It’s not the first time that Ings has been linked with a move to Spurs, and back in January, Charlie Austin – his former teammate at both the Saints and Burnley – claimed the £18m-rated forward would be a good fit at the club.

Speaking on talkSPORT (via the Daily Echo), he said: “I think it would be a good fit,” before adding: “He just brings much more to the team as well, his all-round game is second to none and the goals just put him in the right direction. There is no surprise he is linked with a club like Tottenham.”

Spurs’ next Keane?

Given the dubious future of Harry Kane at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a move for a proven Premier League goalscorer like Ings could be a wise decision from Daniel Levy and co.

According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, there is a possibility the England skipper departs this summer. He revealed: “Some of those people have described Kane’s desire to me as ‘desperate to leave’. Now, I don’t want people to take that out of context, it’s not that he’s deeply distraught to be at Spurs.”

Now, Ings will be 29 by the time the transfer market opens again ahead of next season, but history tells us that Spurs have a decent record when it comes to buying proven talent, such as Robbie Keane, who joined the club for a second time aged 28.

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Both had been tried and tested in the English top-flight and both are known for their ability to press from the front, so there are plenty of similarities to be had.

In fact, this is exactly the comparison Clinton Morrison made to talkSPORT last summer. “I used to play with a striker who played exactly like Ings [and that’s] Robbie Keane,” he said. “I look at the way Ings plays and his movement is first class.”

Ings has scored 52 times in 135 Premier League appearances, which is a rate of one goal every two and a half matches, and that is a very respectable return.

Whilst Kane is a more all-rounded centre-forward, the fellow Englishman does have attributes that’ll please Mourinho – “He presses really well, he’s hard-working,” explained Martin Keown. “Danny Ings has been outstanding.” That merely ehoed the thoughts of his manager, Ralph Hassenhuttl, who dubbed him “unbelievable” to the BBC after lockdown last year.

After all, the last signing from the Saints went down pretty well, so why not look to trust their development once again? Ings may not be Kane, but he could well become Spurs’ next Keane.

If push comes to shove, Levy must strike and splash out on Ings.

AND in other news, Spurs’ £18m-rated summer target wants the move, Levy must strike…

Everton are reportedly now targeting a move for Adama Traore in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Future uncertain

Traore was sent out on loan to FC Barcelona from Wolves back in January, and so his future at Molineux is uncertain with neither Barca or Wolves seeming particularly keen to keep him long term.

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His contract at the Midlands club expires in 2023, and so it will be up to them whether they look to cash in on him in the summer or risk losing him for free the following year.

The Latest: Targeted

As per Football Insider, a source from Goodison Park has revealed that the Merseyside club are now monitoring Traore as an ‘attacking target’, and Kevin Thelwell is thought to be a ‘big admirer’ of his, having originally signed him for the Wanderers for a club-record fee back in 2018.

The Toffees are ‘keeping tabs’ on his situation, as Barcelona have an option to buy him in the summer, and ‘could make a move’ if they decide not to sign him permanently.

The Verdict: Sign

Currently rated at £25.2m, Traore could be the marquee signing that Frank Lampard’s team need to kick on, should they end up avoiding relegation from the Premier League.

Likened to Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton by Martin Keown, the Spain international possesses blistering speed, a unique trait that the Blues could exploit to their advantage.

Of course, he has the added experience of playing in the top flight in both England and Spain too, and at 26 years of age is just about to enter his prime.

Nonetheless, he is a player that should get the supporters off of their seats and lift the mood around Goodison.

In other news, find out which 5/10 EFC dud Adam Jones slammed against Leicester City here!

Ahmed Elmohamady is unlikely to be offered a new Aston Villa contract, with a Villa Park summer exit now looking likely.

The 33-year-old has started the last four Premier League fixtures due to Matty Cash’s hamstring injury, however, it seems as if his four-year stay in the Midlands will reach a conclusion at the end of the season.

According to the Birmingham Mail, Villa are unlikely to offer him a fresh deal, with his current contract set to expire in June.

Guilbert to return and replace Elmohamady

The report also adds that Frederic Guilbert, who was sent out on loan to Strasbourg in January, is set to return to challenge Cash during the 2021/22 campaign.

Guilbert, 26, has already scored and provided two assists in just 360 minutes of Ligue 1 action, with Strasbourg undefeated in league games the French right-back has started.

Transfer Tavern take

Although Elmohamady has been a terrific servant to the club, it feels as if the summer will be the correct time to part ways with the Egyptian.

Cash has made the right-back spot his own since joining from Nottingham Forest, and with Guilbert making an impact in his native country, the two could push each other on going forward with Guilbert serving as a natural replacement to the Egyptian.

Elmohamady reportedly picks up £25,000-a-week at Villa Park, so that wage could go towards a summer addition.

In other news: Collymore believes Grealish is ‘on a list’ of potential summer signings for one Premier League giant, find out more here. 

Liverpool must swoop for Barcelona midfielder Pedri this summer after being linked with a move for the teenager.

What’s the story?

According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo (as reported by The Mirror), Jurgen Klopp has made the 18-year-old his priority target ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

Pedri enjoyed a stellar breakout season with the Catalan giants in 2020/21, but their poor financial situation has seen a host of first-team stars linked with an imminent exit.

Edwards must swoop

The teenage prodigy joined Barca in an £18m move back in 2019 but stayed on at his boyhood club Las Palmas for another season.

After joining up with Ronaldo Koeman’s men 12 months ago, Pedri has instantly established himself as one of the club’s star performers.

Despite his tender years, the Spain international made an astonishing 52 appearances in all competitions for the Camp Nou outfit last season, bagging four goals and providing six assists along the way.

His impressive displays earnt him a spot in Luis Enriques’s 24-man squad for Euro 2020 and saw compatriot Thiago laud the youngster with praise after impressing on international duty.

“It’s amazing how confident he is for his age. He’s a footballer who looks spectacular,” claimed the Liverpool midfielder.

“With the club he’s at; and what he’s doing there, it’s incredible. I urge him to keep progressing.”

For someone so young, Pedri has an amazing ability to keep possession and unlock defences, something so many previous Spanish technicians have also excelled in.

However, it’s a quality that has been missing at Anfield for quite some time.

While Liverpool have founded their success in recent years off the back of their highly impressive gegenpressing style, Klopp’s charges have lacked a natural advanced playmaker since Philippe Coutinho’s departure.

Gini Wijnaldum’s departure to Paris Saint-Germain has left a gap in the Reds’ engine room, and Pedri could be the perfect man to fill it.

His contract currently contains a £70m buyout clause, but with Barca reportedly keen to tie him down to fresh terms, Klopp may have to move quickly to secure his key target.

And, in other news…Edwards masterstroke: Liverpool must land £63m-rated gem, he’s a “complete midfielder” 

A centre-back partnership of Harry Maguire and Cristian Romero at Manchester United could be brilliant, says Forza Italian Football’s editor-in-chief Conor Clancy.

Romero, 23, is currently being linked with a move to Manchester United, with Calciomercato (via The Sun) reporting that the Red Devils are ready to do battle with Liverpool for the Atalanta defender.

Maguire has been a mainstay in United’s defence since joining the club back in 2019; however, some feel that the Englishman and Victor Lindelof do not work as a centre-half pairing.

Considering that, Clancy thinks a move for Romero this summer would make sense, suggesting he could work well alongside Maguire.

“I think they could [be a partnership],” the Italian football expert said. “I think for 35 games a season, they’d be brilliant.”

Clancy, however, did have a word of caution. He added: “But they might make a few odd decisions because they probably have the same flaws in that sometimes they do things and you just think, ‘What? Why did that happen?’ ”

Whatever the case, United fans will surely be pleased to see Ole Gunnar Solskjaer trying to improve both the team’s defence and attack after finishing behind rivals Manchester City in the title race.

The Red Devils are, of course, also in for Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho, so this is possibly shaping up to be a good transfer window for the club.

Rangers may already have their long-term replacement for Allan McGregor sorted in 17-year-old Jay Hogarth, who was rewarded with a new contract at Ibrox recently and has been training with Steven Gerrard’s first-team.

It was revealed last week that the teenager had signed a new deal with the Ibrox outfit to keep him contracted until 2023, with him clearly having impressed those at the club with his performances with the youth side and in training.

In fact, despite being so young, he was spotted in first-team training ahead of the home game against Slavia Prague in the Europa League working alongisde the vastly experienced McGregor and Jon McLaughlin.

Therefore, he has already had the chance to impress Gerrard and his coaching staff in training, and they wouldn’t have given him that opportunity if they didn’t believe in his ability, so there seems no reason why he can’t have a bright future at Ibrox.

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Although he is probably a few years away from breaking into the first-team for matches, perhaps he could be the man to replace McGregor in this Rangers side when he eventually retires, with the 39-year-old having been a key fixture in Gerrard’s side so far this season.

Although the former Hull City man’s contract is currently set to expire at the end of the season, his impressive record of 16 clean sheets in 24 Premiership appearances speaks for itself, whilst he has made some world-class saves throughout the season, perhaps most memorably in the final stages of the 1-1 draw against Slavia Prague.

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When McGregor does eventually retire, whoever replaces him will undoubtedly have some big gloves to fill, but if Hogarth can continue to impress in the youth sides and with the first-team in training, perhaps he will be the one to step up as the veteran shot-stopper’s replacement.

And, in other news… No goals or assists in March: £1.8m-rated Rangers ace endured a nightmare month

West Brom can kickstart their rebuild in the Championship with a swoop for Gustavo Hamer this summer…

What’s the word?

According to The Athletic, the Coventry City midfielder is thought to be on a list of potential targets as the Baggies look to bolster a crucial part of their squad.

Albion’s relegation was confirmed on Sunday evening following a disappointing 3-1 defeat at Arsenal and with several key players likely to leave, new additions will be required at the Hawthorns.

The 23-year-old powerhouse has been linked with a move to Scottish champions Rangers in recent weeks. Hamer cost the Sky Blues around £1.5m last summer.

Shades of Yacob

West Brom are set to lose at least a pair of loanees in Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Conor Gallagher, and Celta Vigo’s impressive defensive midfielder Okay Yokuslu should undoubtedly attract interest from those in the big time.

Whilst Romaine Sawyers’ future remains unclear having fallen heavily out of favour and the same has to be said for club captain Jake Livermore, who hasn’t started a game since early February.

The likes of Sam Field and Rekeem Harper could return but given they barely featured in their promotion-winning campaign, it would be hard to envisage them featuring this time around either.

This is where Hamer comes in. After an impressive debut season in the second flight, he’s exactly the sort of player that Luke Dowling should be targeting, regardless of who is in charge at the Hawthorns.

The 5 foot 6 dynamo, who has been capped at U20 level for the Netherlands, would be a like-for-like replacement for Yokuslu but he is also versatile enough to play in an advanced midfield role and at right-back – which surely draws some comparisons to ex-Baggies star Claudio Yacob.

Although Hamer has the ability to usurp his quality, thanks to his exploits at either end of the pitch.

Despite playing in a deeper position, Hamer is Coventry’s third top scorer with five goals and he’s also provided three assists. That’s on top of an average of 1.4 interceptions and 1.3 tackles defensively, and a squad-high 1.5 key passes and 1.8 shots per game, via WhoScored.

It’s no wonder his manager, Mark Robins, waxed lyrical about his ability to the Sky Blues Extra podcast, where he dubbed him “unbelievable” (via the Coventry Telegraph), whilst pundit Ali Maxwell told the EFL on Quest highlights show that the Dutchman was the “class act” of this Coventry side.

At just 23, Hamer would be a quality addition to West Brom in the Championship and whilst it remains to be seen how much he would command, Dowling should absolutely push to sign what could be their next Yacob.

AND in other news, Big Sam must axe West Brom lightweight this summer following relegation…

Express and Star journalist Luke Hatfield believes that Danny Ings could be one of the signings of the summer.

The 29-year-old made the switch to Aston Villa from Southampton in a deal worth £25m and put pen to paper on a three-year contract at Villa Park [BBC Sport].

Ings was in incredible form in front of goal at St Mary’s, scoring 46 goals for the Saints in 100 games. The striker opened his account on his debut for Aston Villa in the club’s 3-2 defeat at Watford before scoring a spectacular acrobatic goal against Newcastle United.

The transfer came out of the blue, as Ings had been linked with moves elsewhere but Hatfield believes he could be one of the signings of the summer, telling Football FanCast: “He’s probably one of the most clinical strikers in the league. When you consider other players in his position, you put Harry Kane ahead of him but other than that, who would you put really ahead of him in terms of a clinical striker in that 18-yard box?

“He’s been that good and if he can replicate that at Villa, then he could well be one of the signings of the summer.”

Villa have had a really good summer window, adding Leon Bailey, Axel Tuanzebe, Ashley Young, Emi Buendia and Danny Ings to their ranks and manager Dean Smith will be hoping that all his new signings gel as quickly as possible and Villa have another good season in the Premier League.