Ireland Women left-arm spinner Aimee Maguire has been reported for a suspect bowling action following the first ODI against India in Rajkot, where she picked up 3 for 57 from eight overs.As per the ICC regulations, Maguire, 18, needs to get her action tested at an ICC-accredited testing centre within 14 days of being reported. She can continue bowling until the results of the test are known.Last month, Maguire was named in Ireland’s squad for the Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia. Since the assessment window falls in the middle of the tournament, she had to be withdrawn from it. Genevieve Morrissey has replaced her in the squad.*Graeme West, the director of high performance at Cricket Ireland, said, “The staff and players are rallying around Aimee, reassuring her that she will return with a stronger action and will continue to shine on the international stage for many years to come.”The experience and expertise that we possess within our High Performance Coaching and Support Services at Cricket Ireland will provide Aimee with the care, support and guidance to deliver the remedial programme which will begin following the team’s return from India.”Maguire made her international debut in 2023. So far, she has played 11 ODIs and nine T20Is, taking 25 wickets in all with a best of 5 for 19 against England in a one-dayer last year.Having lost the first ODI by six wickets, Ireland trail the three-match series 1-0. The remaining two ODIs are also to be played in Rajkot, on January 12 and 15.
This summer, Liverpool have shown signs that they are looking to progress from a Premier League-winning side to a Champions League-winning side.
They have added players all over the pitch, including Hugo Ekitike and Jeremie Frimpong, who both bagged their first competitive goals for Liverpool at Wednesday during the FA Community Shield last weekend.
Arne Slot isn’t done with signings yet, though, as he appears to still be pushing for Newcastle’s Alexander Isak and now England and Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi. The Crystal Palace captain looks likely to move this summer after the club’s co-owner and chairman, Steve Parish, admitted that they may have to sell him.
The current valuation for Guehi is £35 million. Slot’s summer spending won’t be ending there either, as he looks to make Guehi part of a double centre-back transfer plan.
Liverpool in "negotiations" for "really special" Italian talent
As well as Guehi, Slot is looking to bring in 18-year-old Parma centre-back Giovanni Leoni. This news was shared by Fabrizio Romano, who highly rates Leoni and previously described him as “really special”.
Romano has revealed that both deals are being worked on, with Guehi being seen as a great signing for now and Leoni as one for the future.
The young centre-back won’t come cheap, as he is currently valued at £34 million, which would make him Parma’s third most expensive sale ever, behind Gianlugi Buffon and Hernan Crespo. This price may seem expensive now, but it’s reasonable given the longevity of the investment.
Leoni made 17 appearances for Parma last season and even popped up with a goal. His experience in the Serie A could make him valuable in the short term as well as the long term for Liverpool, as Slot currently faces a challenging squad depth situation.
Slot an injury away from trouble
While it has been left as one of the last positions that they will fill this window, the centre-back situation is a much more pressing matter for Liverpool than many fans realise.
Currently, Slot isn’t spoiled for options in the centre-back department. His first choices are undoubtedly exceptional, with Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté. However, after that, their options are Joe Gomez, who missed 28 games last season through injury, and Rhys Williams, who, at 24, has never really been trusted in the first team.
£55m+ Liverpool player open to Anfield exit, offered 4-year deal to leave
Should the Reds try and keep hold of him?
ByHenry Jackson Aug 12, 2025
An injury to either of their first two choices would leave them in a precarious predicament. Slot could use a player from another position as a makeshift centre-back in this case, but the more sensible move would be bringing in Guehi or Leoni, preferably both.
Another issue is that Konate only has a year left on his contract and is already being looked at by Real Madrid. Van Dijk recently signed a contract extension, but only for two years, meaning both players days at the club are also numbered.
Liverpool need to bring in centre-backs this summer because their squad depth isn’t sufficient for this season, and it will only get worse in the coming transfer windows. As good as the other signings have been, if they fail to sign at least one centre-back, it will be seen as a massive blunder.
Birmingham City co-owners Tom Wagner and Tom Brady are now in very advanced talks to sign a £10m+ star for Chris Davies, according to a new transfer report.
Birmingham City seal Demarai Gray return
It has been a busy summer transfer window so far for the Blues ahead of their Championship return, with a number of new players arriving at St Andrew’s ahead of the 2025/26 season.
One of the latest additions is former academy star Demarai Gray, who has returned to Birmingham nine years on after leaving for Leicester City. The winger joins from Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq and has penned a three-year deal with the Blues.
Talking after returning to the club, Gray said: “To be back here now means a lot and having tasted success a bit throughout my career, I’m hungry and I really want to do it here with Birmingham and try and help the team get back to where we belong.
“It’s something I’ve wanted for a long time. Seeing some old faces is always nice, to be back around the stadium brought back a lot of feelings and I can’t wait to get going now, get back in front of the fans and see where this season can take us.”
Birmingham City enter race to sign £6m "monster" ahead of Sheffield United
The Blues have joined the race to sign a defender from a Premier League club.
2
By
Brett Worthington
Jul 2, 2025
Wagner and Brady aren’t showing any signs of stopping, though, and there has been a promising development in the club’s pursuit of Rennes forward Kyogo Furuhashi.
Birmingham City in “very advanced” talks for £10m+ Kyogo Furuhashi
According to reliable French outlet L’Équipe, Birmingham City are now in “very advanced” talks to sign Furuhashi from Rennes.
A deal is ‘close to being concluded’ and it may be worth a total of €12m (£10.3m), the same figure Rennes paid Celtic for the Japan international earlier this year.
Furuhashi has struggled in France after leaving Glasgow, however, he certainly enjoyed his time in the UK, scoring on a regular basis and winning numerous honours with the Scottish giants.
Kyogo Furuhashi’s Celtic stats
Games
165
Goals
85
Assists
19
Minutes played
10,741
Trophies won
9
Called an “elite striker” by Brendan Rodgers during his time at Celtic, whereas Ange Postecoglou also waxed lyrical of the forward when he was Hoops manager.
Now, it looks as if Davies could have the hard-working striker at St Andrew’s potentially lining up alongside Gray and Jay Stansfield in the Championship.
With a deal agreed to sign Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United have reportedly joined the race to sign another attacking star who is just as quick as the rapid Swede.
What Newcastle could do next after Elanga
The Magpies’ summer is finally turning around. Both James Trafford and Elanga are reportedly set to join Eddie Howe’s side to hand the manager two instant upgrades, whilst PIF’s spending could yet continue. With Champions League football to play next season, those at St James’ Park are seemingly set to hand Newcastle the squad depth that they’ve needed for some time.
For £55m, Newcastle will be welcoming a player who is likely to form one of the deadliest attacking trios that the Premier League has to offer alongside Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon. Meanwhile, if the Magpies are looking to compete on all fronts, then the depth that Harvey Barnes and Jacob Murphy will offer that trio will certainly come in handy.
PIF are reportedly not done there, however. Instead, they’re reportedly keen to make a statement with further attacking incomings amid recent links to the likes of Yoane Wissa and Hugo Ekitike.
He's just like Isak: Newcastle explore move for "unbelievable" £50m star
Newcastle are planning to improve once again after agreeing a fee for Anthony Elanga.
By
Angus Sinclair
Jul 11, 2025
Either forward would complete the set for Newcastle, who would have a group of six quality attacking options to choose from next season and two for every position.
Alas, those two aren’t the only names still on the Magpies’ reported radar. According to recent reports, those at St James’ Park have also set their sights on signing a Bundesliga star ahead of Chelsea who is just as quick as speed demon Elanga.
Newcastle now interested in £56m Karim Adeyemi
According to Bild, as relayed by Sport Witness, Newcastle are now racing Chelsea to sign Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund this summer. The German international is reportedly valued at a hefty €65m (£56m) by the Bundesliga giants, which means that the Magpies will have to spend big once again if they are to secure his signature.
Even after welcoming Elanga, Adeyemi’s ability to lead the line and play on both wings has seemingly seen him keep hold of his place on Newcastle’s radar. Whether Newcastle decide to push on and reach Dortmund’s hefty asking price remains to be seen, but there’s no denying that the combined speed between Adeyemi and Elanga is a frightening prospect for any opposition defence.
Last season, the new arrival clocked an impressive speed of 36.7km/h last season to match Adeyemi’s record in 2023 and both could now find themselves leading a rapid Newcastle frontline next season.
It also goes without saying that the Dortmund star is more than just his speed, having scored 12 goals and set up another 11 in all competitions last season to justify the praise of Matthias Jaissle.
The former Red Bull Salzburg coach previously told reporters: “Karim has almost everything a striker needs. His quality and speed are incredible.”
Sunderland are set for a busy summer of transfer business before the window closes at the start of September, as they look to build a team that can compete in the Premier League.
The Black Cats have already confirmed their first signing of the summer as Enzo Le Fee has joined the club on a permanent deal, after spending the second half of the 2024/25 campaign on loan at the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland’s French whiz scored one goal and provided one assist, whilst averaging 3.5 tackles and interceptions per game, in his 15 appearances in the Championship as a loanee.
The 25-year-old added a touch of class to the team, as shown in the clip below, and Regis Le Bris will be hoping that he can deliver in the Premier League as well.
Le Fee was not the only loan star on Wearside during the 2024/25 campaign, though, as central defender Chris Mepham was on loan from Bournemouth.
However, they have yet to agree a deal to bring the Wales international back to the Stadium of Light for the next Premier League season, despite a recent report claiming that they were considering a permanent move for him.
Why Sunderland may not sign Chris Mepham
Football Insider recently noted that Mepham has signed a one-year extension with the Cherries, which means that he will not be available on a free transfer this summer.
This means that Sunderland would have to pay a transfer fee for the central defender to sign him from their Premier League rivals, rather than being able to snap him up for nothing.
Chris Mepham in action for Sunderland.
Whilst it remains to be seen how much Bournemouth would want for the centre-back, this could put the Black Cats off a potential deal as it may be more costly than previously expected.
Fellow newly-promoted side Burnley have also been linked with a possible swoop for the Welsh colossus, who was a solid, but not outstanding, performer for Sunderland in the second tier.
Tackles
1.3
7th
Interceptions
0.9
6th
Clearances
6.2
1st
Blocks
0.9
1st
Pass accuracy
87%
6th
Long passes made
2.1
5th
As you can see in the table above, Mepham excelled in some areas of the game, notably making blocks and clearances, but was not one of the top-performing defenders at the club when it came to making tackles or interceptions.
Sunderland may feel that they could find better value elsewhere in the market, as they look to bolster their defensive options, which may be one reason why they may not sign him on a permanent deal.
In fact, the Black Cats are reportedly looking at a Championship central defender who could be an even better signing than Mepham this summer.
Sunderland eyeing deal for Championship enforcer
According to the Daily Express, Sunderland are one of a number of clubs eyeing up a deal to sign Millwall centre-back Japhet Tanganga in the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Black Cats, Leeds United, and Burnley all have a ‘concrete interest’ in the former Tottenham Hotspur defender, as they look to bolster their defensive options.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It states Crystal Palace are also keen on a deal for the 26-year-old enforcer, and that they could have an advantage in the race to sign him as a London club and a team with European football in the 2025/26 campaign.
The Daily Express reveals that he has a £1.2m release clause, that can only be activated by Premier League clubs this summer, which means that he could be a bargain signing for any of the interested teams.
Millwall's JaphetTangangain action with Portsmouth's Thomas Waddingham
It also reveals that Tanganga would like his future to be sorted by the end of the month, possibly to be ready for a pre-season with a new club, but it does not state what his preference is at this moment in time.
Why Sunderland should sign Japhet Tanganga
The Black Cats must now push to win the race for Tanganga ahead of Burnley, Leeds, and Palace because he could be an even better signing for the club than Mepham would be this summer.
Whilst the former Sunderland loanee is far from immobile, there may be concerns about how he would handle the step up in intensity and pace in the Premier League.
Whereas, Tanganga is an incredibly mobile and rapid central defender who can cover ground quickly and has the physicality to deal with top-flight attackers.
Carlton Palmer told Football League World: “He is capable of playing in the Premier League, he’s got the physical tools to cope with the demands of the top-flight with his positional play and reading of the game, while he has tremendous recovery pace.”
Appearances
38
40
Tackles per game
1.4
1.4
Interceptions per game
0.9
0.9
Dribbled past
0.5x
0.3x
Duels won per game
4.9
5.9
Ground duel success rate
55%
61%
Aerial duel success rate
63%
63%
As you can see in the table above, Tanganga’s superior physical attributes in comparison to Mepham were on display in the Championship last season.
The Millwall colossus was dribbled past less frequently, which is because he has the pace to keep up with attackers when they try to knock it past him, and won a higher percentage of his duels on the ground overall.
This suggests that Tanganga would be more suited to dealing with Premier League attackers in one-on-one situations defensively than Mepham would be next season, due to his more impressive physicality.
Therefore, he could be a better signing for the Black Cats this summer because he is more likely to deal with the step up to the top-flight to help Le Bris’ side in their battle against relegation.
Sunderland now make approach for £13k-p/w defender with 25 UCL appearances
The Black Cats have launched a move for a “talented” player, who has tested himself in the Champions League.
ByDominic Lund Jun 12, 2025
It is now down to Sunderland to activate his £1.2m release clause and to convince him to make the move to the Stadium of Light, instead of joining one of the other three interested parties from the Premier League.
Everton have emerged as contenders to complete the signing of a Premier League champion, according to a fresh transfer update.
Forwards Everton could sign this summer
The Blues were relatively goal-shy last season, only scoring 42 goals in 38 league matches, highlighting the need for David Moyes to add attacking quality to his squad in the summer transfer window.
Liverpool winger Ben Doak continues to be mentioned as an eye-catching option for Everton, in a move that would cause plenty of controversy on Merseyside, with Moyes considering him a leading option to bring in ahead of next season. It remains to be seen if the Reds are willing to sell to their local rivals, though.
The Blues are also said to be willing to trigger the release clause of Villarreal forward Thierno Barry, paving the way for Dominic Calvert-Lewis to bring an end to his time at the club, as has been expected for some time now.
Meanwhile, Oguz Aydin is another reported target for Everton, with the Fenerbahce winger a player capable of bringing strong end product in the final third, following 10 goal contributions (seven goals and three assists) in the Turkisk Super Lig in 2024/25.
Everton eyeing shock move for Man City star
According to The Daily Mail, Everton are “monitoring” Manchester City winger Jack Grealish, as they eye a “shock” move for him this summer.
The £300,000-a-week ace is expected to leave the Etihad in the coming weeks and months, and the Blues have emerged as contenders to snap him up. While no talks have taken place yet, they are “aware” of his availability, although a loan move may be most likely, due to profit and sustainability rules surrounding his wages.
Manchester City's JackGrealishduring the warm up before the match
Grealish’s stock has dropped significantly over the past year or two, hence City being willing to sell him, but that’s not to say that he couldn’t shine for Everton, having been praised by Pep Guardiola last year.
“He was aggressive. I know in controlling the ball he is good, but he made four or five shots. This is what it is – he has to prove himself, but I am really pleased with the game he played.”
There has been a feeling that Grealish’s maverick style has been stunted at City, with the Englishman having to play a more refined role where risk-taking isn’t allowed, but he could flourish if let off his leash at Everton.
The fact that Moyes is a big admirer of the 29-year-old can also only bode well, with the Blues boss calling him the “best player in the Premier League” back in 2021, which speaks volumes.
Everton ready to trigger £30m release clause for "exciting" DCL replacement
The Toffees could land their Liam Delap alternative.
2 ByTom Cunningham Jun 8, 2025
If he believes he can get the best out of Grealish, it is a move that Everton must try and make happen, with the Englishman capable of lighting up matches with his dribbling ability and entertainment value.
Liverpool have made a shock offer for a £400k-a-week star who is now keen to play in Europe next season, according to Sky Sports journalist Gianluca Di Marzio.
Reds' summer transfer plans taking shape
After two quiet transfer windows since replacing Jürgen Klopp in the dugout, Arne Slot will be tasked with strengthening his squad in a number of key areas this summer, and FSG are prepared to back their manager with significant financial backing.
A new striker could be required, with Darwin Nunez’s future in doubt, and the aforementioned report names Napoli’s Victor Osimhen as a potential option, alongside RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and prolific Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres.
With Trent Alexander-Arnold recently confirming his decision to leave his boyhood club this summer, the Reds have also ramped up their pursuit of a new right-back, and David Ornstein believes Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong is keen on a move to Anfield.
The dream Isak alternative: Liverpool working on deal for £60m goal machine
Liverpool could be about to land a star who could allow fans to forget about Alexander Isak.
By
Ethan Lamb
May 7, 2025
Having perhaps overrelied on Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister, there have also been suggestions that Slot could look to bring in a new midfielder this summer, and there is serious interest in Stuttgart maestro Angelo Stiller.
However, a surprise move for a Premier League attacking midfielder could also be on the cards, according to Di Marzio, with the Sky Sports journalist recently stating Liverpool have now made a shock offer for Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne.
Manchester City's KevinDeBruynereacts
De Bruyne is set to leave Man City on a free transfer this summer, with Pep Guardiola’s side taking the decision not to extend his contract, but the Belgian wants to remain in Europe, despite widespread links to the MLS.
Napoli are making a concrete attempt to sign the 33-year-old, so there could also be competition for his signature from some of Europe’s top clubs.
"World-class" De Bruyne likened to Gerrard
In truth, the Man City legend moving to Anfield doesn’t seem particularly realistic, given that he was in direct competition with the Reds for a number of years, during which time he impressed Klopp, who described the maestro as “world-class”.
Wayne Rooney has also likened the Belgium international to Steven Gerrard in the past, saying: “De Bruyne reminds me a bit of Steven Gerrard. He drifts out to that right-hand side and plays some brilliant balls whipped in, like Stevie used to. What I like most is he takes chances, he takes risks, he doesn’t go for the easy ball – he plays the hard pass.”
The £400k-a-week star is evidently in the twilight years of his career, given City’s willingness to sanction a departure, but he has still impressed in the Premier League at times this season, while also catching the eye in the FA Cup.
Competition
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Premier League
25
4
7
FA Cup
3
2
1
As such, De Bruyne could still be a difference-maker for a top club, but a move to Anfield would be extremely controversial.
It doesn’t take a footballing genius to work out what Arsenal need this summer.
Mikel Arteta’s side failed to get over the line in the Premier League for the third time on the bounce this season, and while they sit just one place off Liverpool, they’ve scored 14 goals fewer.
Now, part of that is undoubtedly down to injuries, but it’s incredibly evident that the Gunners need a new striker once the transfer window opens, and the board seem to agree.
However, while Alexander Isak remains the dream signing for so many fans, his potentially £150m price tag makes the idea of him moving to the Emirates seem practically impossible.
Fortunately, recent reports have linked the North Londoners with someone who could be an ideal alternative.
Arsenal's striker search
Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth reviewing a couple of the other striker targets linked with Arsenal in recent weeks, such as Viktor Gyokeres and Daizen Maeda.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The former could move to N5 for around £70m, and while that would make him one of the Gunners’ most expensive signings ever, he’d probably be worth it as, in just 48 games this season, he’s racked up 52 goals and 12 assists.
The latter could be available for just £25m, which might also prove to be an absolute steal, as in just 47 first-team appearances for Celtic this season, the Japanese international has scored 33 goals and provided 11 assists.
Daizen Maeda
However, Arteta and Co might want someone with more experience of football in a top-five league, which could explain the links to Ollie Watkins.
Yes, according to a recent report from Football Insider, Arsenal are ‘planning to reignite their bid to sign’ the Aston Villa star.
The report has revealed that even though the Claret and Blue rejected a £50m offer from the Gunners in the January window, he’s back on the club’s shortlist ahead of the summer.
It’s unclear how much he’d cost, but with more time for Villa to find a replacement, it might not be far off Arsenal’s original offer, making him an incredibly appealing Isak alternative.
Why Watkins would be a great Isak alternative
Okay, so the first thing to say is that in an ideal world, Arsenal would just go out and sign Isak, but that feels incredibly unlikely to happen and points to the first significant advantage to signing Watkins over him: the price.
Ollie Watkins celebrates with Morgan Rogers for Aston Villa.
For example, if the reports are to be believed, then the Villa ace could cost as much as £100m less than the Swedish international, which in turn would allow the Gunners to splash the cash on several other first-team players, like Nico Williams, Martin Zubimendi and others.
Moreover, even though he’d cost a third as much as the Toon ace, it does not mean he’d be a third as good.
For example, in 50 appearances this season, totalling 3054 minutes, the Englishman, whom podcaster Rohan Jivan described as “one of the best centre-forwards in Europe,” has scored 16 goals and provided 13 assists, which comes out to a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 111.75 minutes.
In contrast, the former Real Sociedad star has scored 26 goals and provided six assists in 39 appearances, totalling 3054 minutes, which comes out to a slightly better average of a goal involvement every 1.21 games, or every 95.43 minutes.
Finally, Arteta needs players he can rely on next season, and when it comes to fitness, the former Exeter City star is far more reliable than his potential competitor.
For example, he’s missed just three games for club and country across his entire career, whereas the Swede has already missed 67, and he’s only 25 years old.
24/25
43 days
3
9
23/24
56 days
2
12
22/23
107 days
1
18
21/22
28 days
2
5
18/19
66 days
5
15
17/18
33 days
1
8
16/17
4 days
1
0
With Isak unattainable this season, Arsenal would do well to sign Watkins as an alternative, as on top of costing up to £100m less, he’d be far more reliable.
Mega Kiwior upgrade: Arsenal initiate talks for "superb" £34m monster
The experienced international could be just what Arsenal need.
One of Vitor Matos’ first transfer targets at Swansea City has now confirmed that he’s received contact from the Jacks ahead of a potential January move.
Vitor Matos instantly pinpoints "clear" Swansea problem
It wasn’t the start that Matos had been dreaming of on Tuesday evening, as Derby County battled to defeat a struggling Swansea, who now sit just two points clear of the Championship’s dropzone.
The former Liverpool coach would have been well aware that it’s not a quick fix in Wales, however, and has already pinpointed one “clear” issue that the Jacks had against Derby.
It’s clear that the young manager learned a thing or two from Jurgen Klopp during his time at Anfield, given his counter-pressing approach, but whether he can instill that approach into his side by this weekend remains to be seen.
Swansea square off against West Bromwich Albion knowing that defeat could leave them in the relegation zone by the end of the weekend.
It’s a squad in desperate need of reinforcements and Matos can’t afford any passengers in his pressing system – making the January window crucial.
It’s then that the new manager could welcome his first signing in Wales after Finland’s Leo Walta revealed contact from Swansea ahead of the winter window.
Leo Walta "ready" for big move after Swansea contact
Following initial reports that Kim Hellberg wanted to bring him to Wales before the manager chose Middlesbrough in controversial fashion, Swansea have kept their interest in Walta alive.
The Sirius midfielder could yet become Matos’ first signing after revealing that he’s already had contact from Swansea. Speaking to reporters, the 22-year-old said: “Yes. Yes, I have heard (from them). That they like me as a player and are interested.
“It’s quite early, we’re still in November. I’m going through different options, and we also have to talk to Sirius about the winter. I’m ready for a good league and to take a place straight away. I am a pretty good player, in my opinion, and I want to take a big step and see how far I can go.”
Instant blow for Matos as "one of Swansea City's key players" could now leave
An immediate concern for the managerial target.
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Still just 22 years old, Walta is undoubtedly one to watch, especially amid Swansea’s interest. The midfielder scored 17 goals and provided three assists in Sweden last season and could quickly become an impressive signing in Wales.
Already a Finland international, Walta is certainly ready to take the next step in his club career. Whether that results in a first signing for Matos remains to be seen, however.
Early blow for Matos: "Top clubs" now moving to sign Swansea's best young star
Everton’s good form continued with an impressive 3-0 win at the Hill Dickinson Stadium over Nottingham Forest.
The Toffees move into fifth in the Premier League, taking their record since the start of November to four wins, one draw and one loss.
It was a fast start for David Moyes’ side. Just two minutes into the clash with the East Midlands outfit, Forest centre-back Nikola Milenkovic headed a cross into the back of his own net, to give Everton the lead almost immediately.
Then, in the third minute of stoppage time before half-time, the Evertonians doubled their lead. It was a significant moment for Thierno Barry, who got off the mark in that famous Blue shirt after some impressive performances of late.
Iliman Ndiaye carried the ball to the edge of the Forest box before laying it into the path of Barry, who slotted home.
The perfect day for Moyes’ side was capped off in the 80th minute when another summer signing, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, drilled home a volley after the ball bounced to him from a corner. Everton ran out deserved winners to continue their excellent form.
It was a day to remember for the Toffees, with some standout performances.
Everton’s standout players vs. Forest
This will certainly be a day that Thierno Barry remembers. The Frenchman bagged his very first goal in an Everton shirt, showing the sort of quality in front of goal that earned him the big move to the Premier League from Villarreal in the summer.
What a tidy finish it was from the Toffees’ number 11, too. Ndiaye drove towards the penalty box, with Barry making a good diagonal run to find space.
The finish was composed, slotting it past Matz Sels.
Speaking of Ndiaye, the Senegalese attacker was in imperious form once again. So often the source of everything the Merseysiders do well in attack, he was a handful for the Forest defence and, of course, set Barry up.
One person who was impressed by Ndiaye’s efforts was Chris Beesley, Everton reporter for the Liverpool Echo. He gave the attacker a 7/10 rating, praising him for ‘always providing an outlet for his side’ throughout the night.
However, neither Barry nor Ndiaye were the stars of the show for Moyes’ side in a fantastic win.
Everton’s best player in their 3-0 win
What a performance it was from another of the Everton summer signings, Dewsbury-Hall.
The Englishman was at the heart of the Toffees’ midfield today, scoring his excellent goal late on, putting in the cross for the own goal, and offering plenty more on the ball.
The stats reflect just how well Dewsbury-Hall performed against the East Midlands outfit. He had 56 touches and 86% of his passes.
Off the ball, it was a masterclass from the former Leicester City star. He won an exceptional 8/13 ground duels and made five ball recoveries.
Touches
56
Pass accuracy
86%
Opposition half passes
16/20
Ground duels won
8/13
Ball recoveries
5
Tackles won
3/4
Goals
1
Dewsbury-Hall left thousands of Toffees fans impressed with his performance against Forest. Well, the same can be said for journalists, with Beesley giving him a 9/10 for his efforts, explaining he was ‘bright from the start’.
There is a case to be made that Dewsbury-Hall, described as the club’s “most important and best” player by journalist John Merro, is their best signing since Ndiaye.
The Senegalese attacker has been sensational since moving to Merseyside last summer, racking up 17 goals and assists in 54 games.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
As for the English midfielder, he has brought creativity and final third threat to Moyes’ side in just 15 games, with four goals and two assists so far.
However, the tenacity off the ball, on full show against Sean Dyche’s side, has been crucial this season too. It is certainly easy to see why Merro is of that opinion.
After paying just £28m for him this summer from Chelsea, it is looking like one of the biggest bargains in 2025. The all-action midfielder has shone so far, just like Ndiaye has on Merseyside.
£47m spent; CF "monster" replaces Beto: Everton's dream XI after January
Everton manager David Moyes will be looking to strengthen his team in the January transfer window.