Football FanCast

Tonight is set to be the the biggest nigh in Tottenham Hotspur's season, if not the biggest this decade.

Ange Postecoglou and his side have the chance to make amends for their horrendous Premier League campaign and write their names into the history books by winning the Europa League tonight.

However, to do that, the North Londoners have to get past Reuben Amorim's equally desperate Manchester United.

So, to ensure this team have the best chance of winning the club's first piece of major silverware since 2008, Postecoglou must make some changes to the team who lost on Friday night, starting with Djed Spence.

Why Spence should be dropped

So the first thing to say is that throughout the season, Spence has probably been one of the few players who has increased his reputation.

His impressive blend of attacking and defensive abilities made him one of the team's most effective players in the months after Christmas.

However, while the former Middlesbrough gem has started the last ten league games for the club, the team have been seriously poor in those matches.

For example, they've won only one, drawn two and lost the other seven, with the games away to Wolverhampton Wanderers, Liverpool and Aston Villa being particularly underwhelming.

Moreover, while he wasn't the worst offender at Villa Park, the 24-year-old was underwhelming at best, with the Standard's Dan Kilpatrick writing that it was another display demonstrating he's 'lost his mojo in the past month.'

So, with Postecoglou needing everyone to be at their very best tonight, he should take the Englishman out of the team and bring in Pedro Porro, who has shown his value in the last few European games.

For example, the "titanic" right-back, as dubbed by The Athletic's former Spurs correspondent Charlie Eccleshare, scored a goal in the first leg of the quarter-final, picked up an assist in the first leg of the semi-final and then scored another goal in the second leg as well.

In all, while Spence is a talented player, he should be dropped for tonight's game, as should several other players.

The other Spurs star who should be axed

Now, while there are several players you could make a case for dropping from Friday's lineup for tonight, the most obvious one is Sergio Reguilon.

The 28-year-old left-back made just his second start and sixth appearance of the season against Aston Villa, and while he wasn't utterly terrible, he didn't do anything to suggest he should remain in the team.

For example, in 74 minutes of actions, the "ridiculous" full-back, as dubbed by Gary Neville, amassed a combined expected goal and assists figure of just 0.05, was dribbled past twice, lost 75% of his ground duels, lost the ball 13 times, completed just 17 passes, misplaced all seven of his long balls, and failed in 100% of his dribbles.

In short, it wasn't a great showing from the former Real Madrid ace, and with tonight's game being so important, he simply has to be dropped from the team.

Moreover, much like Porro on the right, the manager has made Destiny Udogie his go-to left-back in the Europa League in recent games, and it's been a decision that's paid off.

The team conceded just one goal in their last four games, and Alasdair Gold awarded the Italian with a 9/10 match rating following their incredible 1-0 win away to Eintracht Frankfurt.

Ultimately, while Spence and Reguilon were not the worst players in the team on Friday night, neither one did anywhere near enough to break into Postecoglou's European starting XI, and therefore, both must be dropped.

After a diabolically poor season, Tottenham Hotspur stand ready to play their biggest game in years.

Ange Postecoglou's side might well be 17th in the Premier League, but in Europe, they've been sensational and, as a result, have a Europa League final to contest.

However, alongside having to get the better of Manchester United for the fourth time in a row this season, the North Londoners will also have to do without several key players, most notably Dejan Kulusevski, Lucas Bergvall and James Maddison.

Their absence has left a hole in the midfield, which the manager will have to get creative about filling.

Tottenham Team News

As we've already mentioned, the most significant absences for Spurs ahead of tomorrow's all-important final are Kulusevski, Bergvall and Maddison.

The former started the league game against Crystal Palace last week but came off with what was initially described as a "knock" in the first half, only for said knock to require knee surgery, which will keep him out until next season.

While Maddison hasn't had surgery for the knee injury he picked up in the first leg of the semi-final against Bodo/Glimt, he too, will be out of action until next season.

Likewise, the boss confirmed that the young Swede will not feature again this season, as he injured his ankle in the training session before that first leg earlier this month.

Finally, both Radu Dragusin and Timo Werner remain out for the long term, with the former injuring his ACL and the latter his hamstring.

The Spurs star who should start in place of Kulusevski

Okay, so with Kulusevski, Bergvall and Maddison now out, Wilson Odobert hardly doing himself any favours on Friday night, and Son Heung-min not being the dynamic player he once was, there are no ideal solutions to this massive issue.

However, one somewhat outside-the-box option Postecoglou could opt to go with is moving Pape Matar Sarr slightly further up the pitch and into that more attacking midfield role.

Now, before the pitchforks come out, we are well aware that this is an unfamiliar position for the Senegalese ace, but he's an incredibly talented midfielder, and we reckon that there are some elements of his game that could make this work for a one-off match.

Firstly, while he tends to play in central or defensive midfield, the 22-year-old "monster," as dubbed by journalist Mitch Fretton, has a decent shot on him - much like Bergvall.

For example, he scored a brilliant long-range effort against Manchester City earlier this season and then, while it was ruled out for a dubious foul, scored another from outside the box against Chelsea.

Moreover, in 80 Premier League appearances, he has managed to amass six goals and six assists, which isn't a terrible return and that, combined with his ability to strike a ball from range, could give United's defence something to think about in the absence of the Swedish duo.

Furthermore, his underlying numbers from the Europa League this season only further indicate that he's got more attacking ability than perhaps people give him credit for.

For example, FBref places him in the top 2% of midfielders for penalties won in the competition, the top 5% for total carrying distance, the top 6% for percentage of shots on target and medium passes completed, the top 9% for non-penalty goals and goals per shot, the top 10% for goals and more, all per 90.

Finally, unlike his captain, the former Metz gem would add even more dynamism and athleticism to the North Londoners' midfield, which could be key to getting the better of the likes of Casemiro and Harry Maguire on the night.

Ultimately, as we've already said, there is no ideal solution to this problem, but starting Sarr in the more attacking midfield role might be the closest thing Postecoglou has to one that will allow the team to keep its intensity.

One player has already admitted that he's decided the best thing for him is to leave Tottenham Hotspur this summer, and it is now also believed that he could be subject to a marquee offer from the Saudi Pro League.

Daniel Levy set for Tottenham fire sale in 'sell to buy' summer

Chairman Daniel Levy and the club's recruitment team, which is expected to include the returning Fabio Paratici once his ban from footballing activity concludes, are set for an array of key transfer decisions.

As per a recent report from The Telegraph, Tottenham are likely set for a 'sell to buy' window, so players are expected to head out of the N17 exit door before Levy, Paratici and Johan Lange can ger to work on reinforcing the squad.

Richarlison is attracting serious interest from Everton, and Spurs are considering a sale of the Brazilian after his injury-ridden 2024/2025 campaign (Jorge Nicola) - three years after he made the move to north London from Goodison Park for around £60 million.

Meanwhile, Atlético Madrid are continuing to express their desire to sign star defender Cristian Romero, who is believed to equally fancy a switch to La Liga as he looks to embark on a fresh challenge.

There is also the matter of current loanees who Ange Postecoglou deemed surplus to requirements, with Manor Solomon enjoying a productive loan spell at Leeds United and Bryan Gil impressing on another temporary stint back home in Spain.

The latter has already confirmed his intention to leave the club this summer, stating in a recent interview with Estadio Deportivo:

"That's something my agent will tell me where things are going, but they [Spurs] told me, and I told them, that the best thing is for us not to continue being linked to Tottenham.

"They bet on me when I was young, and they've treated me fairly well, but if I have to go back there, I'll focus on giving my best as always. I'm calm because no one can have a bad word to say about me not being professional. Without playing, I've always trained well, I've done what I had to do, so whatever has to happen, will happen. We'll see where we are next year."

Bryan Gil set for "dizzying" Saudi offer to leave Tottenham

According to Spanish news outlet La Razon, the 24-year-old won't exactly be short of offers if he does manage to seal an exit.

It is even believed that Saudi sides could make Gil a "dizzying" salary offer to leave Tottenham, with the Pro League intent on adding to their already-impressive collection of European stars as they continue their mission to build a star-studded, competitive division.

It could be an excellent option for the Spaniard who hasn't quite ever managed to adapt to the physicality of English football, but if a move to Saudi doesn't work out, Villarreal and teams in the MLS are also displaying an interest in Gil.

Paratici signed Gil from Sevilla in 2021 after instigating a part-exchange deal involving Erik Lamela, but his signing hasn't worked out as many hoped at the time.

Former Tottenham Hotspur managing director, Fabio Paratici, has reportedly pushed one manager to chairman Daniel Levy, and the tactician in question has now officially left his club.

Ange Postecoglou still expected to leave Tottenham this summer

Spurs are gearing up for their most important clash of the 2024/2025 season on Wednesday, with Ange Postecoglou's side taking on fellow Premier League underachievers Man United in a blockbuster Europa League with everything on the line.

The victor will seal a place in next season's Champions League draw, and for the north Londoners, it also represents an unmissable chance to clinch their first piece of major silverware in nearly two decades.

After a torrid domestic campaign of record-breaking lows, where Tottenham have even lost their highest number of Premier League games in a single season, and currently sit a lowly 17th in the table, Europa League glory could hand supporters something to smile about at long last.

Postecoglou could even save some face and make good on his early-season statement that he 'always' wins trophies during his second season in charge.

However, regardless of what happens in the Bilbao final, the consensus is that Postecoglou is likely to leave Spurs at the end of the season.

Tottenham have been linked with a host of managers to replace the 59-year-old ahead of 2025/2026, with Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth), Marco Silva (Fulham), Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace), Thomas Frank (Brentford), Scott Parker (Burnley), Jürgen Klopp (Head of Global, Red Bull), Niko Kovač (Borussia Dortmund) and Edin Terzić (free agent) all mentioned by reports as potential successors to Postecoglou within the last month.

Ex-Sky presenter Richard Keys also recently claimed that Tottenham held talks with former Barcelona boss Xavi, so there appears to be a number of options under consideration by Levy.

There is another readily-available option following a significant development this week - ex-Ajax boss Francesco Farioli.

The highly-rated young tactician, who guided Ajax back to the Champions League, also suffered heartbreak at the end of the Eredivisie season - having blown a seismic nine-point lead to surrender the Dutch title to PSV Eindhoven.

Francesco Farioli exit confirmed after Fabio Paratici tells Tottenham to hire him

Reports in the English media recently claimed that Paratici recommended Farioli to Levy and Tottenham, with the club now handed a chance to appoint the 36-year-old.

In an official statement published on Monday, it has been confirmed that Farioli has decided to leave Ajax. The Italian informed officials of his desire to leave, just one year after taking charge, and Spurs have the chance to move for him without having to negotiate with Ajax.

Farioli is very popular within Premier League circles, and some media sources even suggest that he's shot to the top of their managerial shortlist. Dutch media have also branded Farioli as an "amazing" tactician, and the general Ajax reaction to his exit has been one of disappointment.

"I find this incredibly disappointing. Francesco and his staff have been a great help to us," said Ajax director Alex Kroes.

"It’s been an intense season filled with many memorable moments, and we achieved our goal: qualifying for next season’s Champions League. Francesco also played a key role in enhancing the high-performance culture at Ajax, for which we are extremely grateful. This summer was already set to be a challenging transfer window, and it has now become even more so. It is up to us to ensure that a strong new coaching team is in place when pre-season preparations begin on 26 June."

Tottenham Hotspur have had some of the greatest players in Premier League history down the years, from Ballon d'Or winners like Luka Modric to international superstars such as Gareth Bale and Harry Kane, but former striker Dimitar Berbatov believes one Spurs star is even better than people realised.

Tottenham's worst ever Premier League points total confirmed

Spurs have a lot left to play for this season with a Europa League final showdown against Manchester United to come on Wednesday, but the 2024/25 campaign will go down as their worst ever Premier League season.

Ange Postecoglou's side have lost 21 top flight matches and conceded 61 goals in the competition this term, and with one game remaining sit on just 38 points, meaning they cannot surpass their previous worst total from the 1997/98 campaign, when they finished in 14th place on 44 points.

Tottenham's best Premier League players in pictures

While there is clearly a lack of quality in the current squad, Tottenham's problems this season have been exacerbated by injuries, particularly in their defence.

It is a tale fans in North London are all too familiar with, as perhaps one of the most talented players in their history was unable to stay fit for the majority of his career - England defender Ledley King.

The Tottenham academy graduate managed 268 league appearances for the club as well as 21 caps for the Three Lions, even though former manager Harry Redknapp once revealed he rarely trained due to his injuries.

"There's no cure. There's no cartilage, nothing to operate on. It's just bone on bone. So it's just a question of managing it. It swells up after games and it normally takes seven days to recover but having played on Monday night he's had less time than usual.

"He rarely trains, he mostly just goes to the gym to keep himself ticking over. But not running or anything like that. But even if he only plays 20 games a season, he's worth having because he's so good we have a much better chance of winning."

Berbatov: Ledley King was as good as Ferdinand and Vidic

One man who was lucky enough to play with several of the best centre-backs in Premier League history was Berbatov, who joined Manchester United in 2008 after two successful seasons with Spurs.

And the Bulgaria legend revealed in an interview with TalkSPORT that for all his success at United - winning two Premier League titles - it was King who was right up there as one of his best ever teammates.

"For me he was up there with [Nemanja] Vidic and Rio [Ferdinand]. He was so intelligent and read the game so well. He was always intercepting balls purely because he knew where the striker would be."

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry is another of King's admirers, revealing he was the "only defender" in England who could take the ball off him "without you even noticing".

King spent the 2020/21 season on Jose Mourinho's first team staff and has since continued his work with the club in an ambassadorial role, while his name can still be heard ringing out around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the 26th minute on match days.

Tottenham Hotspur now hold a strong advantage over their Premier League rivals in the race for a £68m "superstar", according to a report.

Spurs set out transfer plans despite managerial uncertainty

There have been widespread suggestions that Ange Postecoglou is set to leave regardless of the outcome in the Europa League final against Manchester United this week, with a European triumph unable to paper over the fact Tottenham are 17th in the Premier League.

Having famously stated he always wins a trophy in his second season, Ange will have a shot at European glory in Bilbao on Wednesday night, but the Australian could be replaced in the summer, with several potential options now on the shortlist.

Departing Ajax manager Francesco Farioli is now a top target for Daniel Levy, despite the Italian's side losing the Eredivisie title in dramatic fashion, with PSV Eindhoven overturning a nine-point gap to clinch their 26th championship.

Fulham manager Marco Silva also remains an option, with the Cottagers' 3-2 victory against Brentford on Sunday afternoon moving them up to 10th in the table, 16 points clear of Postecoglou's side.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding Ange's future, Tottenham are still making plans for the summer transfer window, and there has now been an update on their pursuit of Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze in a report from The Sun.

The report states that Spurs have expressed an interest in Eze, alongside Premier League rivals Manchester City and Arsenal, with the Englishman determined to play in the Champions League, which could play a big part in his decision-making.

Although there is widespread interest in the 26-year-old, the Lilywhites are believed to hold a strong advantage over their rivals, but a deal is unlikely to be cheap, given that there is a £68m release clause in his contract.

"Superstar" Eze writes his name into Palace folklore

It has been the year of the underdog in England's domestic cup competitions, with Newcastle United ending their 70-year drought and lifting the FA Cup, while Crystal Palace's FA Cup triumph over Manchester City secured their first-ever trophy.

Eze played a crucial role in the Eagles' shock victory, scoring the only goal of the game in the first half, which will no doubt only increase the interest in his services this summer, while it could also tempt the Englishman to remain at Selhurst Park a little longer.

Palace secured qualification for the Europa League with their FA Cup triumph, which means a move to Spurs may only be an attractive proposition if Ange's side are triumphant against Man United and seal a return to the Champions League next season.

With the Europa League final on the horizon, Manchester United are now reportedly "in the mix" to sign a Tottenham Hotspur gem and get one over on Wednesday's opponents.

Amorim "confident" about Europa League final vs Tottenham

Despite heading into Wednesday's all-important clash off the back of yet another defeat, leaving Manchester United 16th and without back-to-back wins in the Premier League for the first time in their history, Ruben Amorim is surprisingly confident in his side.

The Portuguese manager told reporters earlier this week: “Of course, we have to believe. I am really confident. I feel that my players are ready for this game.

”They know what it means, not just for us but for our fans and for the club. After this season, we are ready to fight for the one thing that can help us remember this season in a different way. So I am really confident.

”We are living a season that is really strange because we are doing so well in Europe but, in the Premier League, we struggle. But we will be prepared for the final. It's a different context and a different game. The most important thing is the change in mentality in my team. They compete and that is the most important thing for me.”

Of course, it's not just silverware on the line for both Manchester United and Tottenham, either. A place in next season's Champions League awaits for the victors in what would be some achievement, given their respective positions in the bottom half of the Premier League.

It must also be questioned whether Amorim should feel such confidence up against Ange Postecoglou's side after the Lilywhites defeated the Manchester club 1-0 back in February to extend their unbeaten run against the Red Devils to six games.

Those at Old Trafford are pulling no punches in the build-up, however, and are now even reportedly "in the mix" to sign a Tottenham youngster just a few days out from the final.

Man Utd "in the mix" to sign Tottenham teenager Dexter Oliver

According to transfer journalist Graeme Bailey, Manchester United are now "in the mix" to sign Dexter Oliver from Tottenham this summer. The 16-year-old attacking midfielder is reportedly set to leave the North London club amid interest from around the Premier League.

Bailey told United in Focus: “There is some interest in Dexter Oliver, but there are a lot of clubs showing an interest, United are just one of them. They are in the mix.”

After the teenager reportedly refused to sign a two-year scholarship deal at Tottenham, Manchester United could swoop in and take full advantage. Following last season's deal to sign Chido Obi-Martin from Arsenal and now potentially this summer's addition of Oliver from Spurs, it's clear that Manchester United are still capable of attracting top talents at academy level.

INEOS and Amorim will hope that academy work eventually pays off too, as United's senior side continue to struggle. Meanwhile, with it all to play for on Wednesday, the Red Devils will be desperate to take their first step back in the right direction.

Tottenham Hotspur are looking to finish the season on a high and could land a summer coup involving one of Europe's highly-rated young defenders, according to a report.

There are no two ways about it; Spurs face arguably the biggest week in their modern existence as Ange Postecoglou prepares his side to take on Manchester United in Wednesday's UEFA Europa League final.

Financially, the winners of the competition stand to earn £10.95 million for a victory in the final, which has created a unique sense of jeopardy between two of England's most reputable clubs.

Factor in money accumulated across the course of their run to Bilbao and subsequent qualification for the Champions League, there could be a bounty exceeding £80 million in store for either Tottenham or Manchester United.

However, Spurs may have to navigate the showdown without Pape Matar Sarr after he was taken off during their 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa last Friday.

Speaking about his latest injury scare, Postecoglou stated: "Pape felt something in his back, so we took him off as a bit of a precaution. I don’t think it’s anything too significant, speaking to him afterwards but he just felt something in his back."

Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison will miss the final for Tottenham, who know the implications of Wednesday's final and what it could mean when it comes to attracting potential recruits this summer.

Ultimately, having the Champions League carrot ready to dangle could be a key advantage in the race for talent, though they are now reportedly looking at signing a Paris Saint-Germain star who has earned intriguing recognition.

Tottenham Hotspur looking to sign PSG defender Axel Tape

According to Sports Zone, Tottenham are circling for Paris Saint-Germain defender Axel Tape this summer amid his reported decision to leave the French giants on a free transfer.

Bayer Leverkusen are said to be in 'pole position' to sign the 17-year-old, while Bournemouth and Chelsea are also in the hunt to offer a Premier League avenue to the youngster.

Likened to Dean Huijsen by Rising Gems, Tape has made three first-team appearances for Paris Saint-Germain this campaign and primarily features as a central defender.

Daniel Levy is well-known for his penchant to facilitate the arrival of young talent to develop into first-team stars, which is a brief Spurs could look to fill once again should the Bondy-born man arrive in London.

Prodigious figures such as Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Mikey Moore have all been given senior minutes this term, even if the root cause of their frequent involvement has been an injury crisis.

Looking to the future, Tape could be the latest to join a conveyor belt of youthful assets who are only going to multiply in value under Postecoglou's watch.

Fair to say, a busy summer awaits for Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs are currently down in 17th place in the Premier League table, thereby on course for their lowest finish since being relegated in 1977, suffering a 20th league defeat of the season at Villa Park on Friday night.

Of course, Ange Postecoglou team could capture the club's first silverware in 17 years and secure a spot in next season's Champions League with victory over Manchester United in Wednesday's Europa League Final at San Mamés; what a key game that'll be for both.

Regardless of the outcome in Bilbao, supporters will demand a busy summer window from Daniel Levy, so are Spurs favourites to sign a highly-rated Ligue 1 star?

Djed Spence's up and down Spurs career

Djed Spence joined Tottenham from Middlesbrough for a reported fee of £12.5m, that could rise to £20m, in 2022, but fair to say he did not make an immediate impact.

Then-manager Antonio Conte described him as a "club signing", which Spence himself admitted this "shattered my confidence", shipped out on loan to Stade Rennais, Leeds United, and then Genoa.

It took 881 days for Spence to make his Premier League debut for Tottenham, this coming against Southampton in December, before quickly establishing himself as a key figure, with Postecoglou praising his performances as "outstanding".

Nevertheless, he is no longer in Postecoglou's first-choice lineup, not starting any of the four Europa League quarter-final or semi-final ties, so could Spurs target a Spence upgrade?

Spurs could sign Spence upgrade

According to a recent report by Danny Rust and Dean Jones of Give Me Sport, Tottenham are 'at the front of the queue' to sign Monaco defender Vanderson, who is valued at £30m.

The 23-year-old joined les Monégasques from Grêmio for a reported fee of around £9m in January 2022, instantaneously establishing himself as a first-team regular, making 124 appearances for the club to date.

Writer Moby Haque labels him as "versatile", while Luke Entwistle from Get French Football News describes the Brazilian as 'well-balanced' and 'very competent', impressed by his 'positioning, intense pressing and strong tackling'.

Meantime, Chris Beaumont from Total Football Analysis believes he is a high-quality youngster, and Tom Beattie of Yahoo Sports says Vanderson is 'characterised by his strong defensive prowess', so let's see how he compares to Spence.

As the table outlines, Vanderson's statistics are almost unanimously more impressive than Spence's, both in terms of creating chances and defending; his ball recovery number specifically stands out, ranked 18th in Ligue 1 and 33rd in this season's Champions League for this metric.

Thus, Vanderson would surely be an excellent addition for Spurs, although they may require a victory over Man United on Wednesday to attract him to North London.

Everton have welcomed their new Director of Football, Angus Kinnear, to the club. He's got a lot to do, with David Moyes expecting to be backed by the Friedkin Group as he improves his squad this summer.

The experienced manager returned in January after 12 years away and guided Everton away from relegation bother and into the tranquillity of the Premier League's mid-table pack.

But Moyes no doubt has his eyes on loftier ambitions. He'll want to strengthen with statement signings this summer, one of which may be Tottenham Hotspur's Richarlison, who left the Toffees for London in a £60m package back in 2022.

The latest on Richarlison to Everton

It's all gone a bit quiet, truth be told. But then, the 2024/25 campaign has yet to finish up, and there's plenty of time for TFG to make their move for the former Toffees star.

Earlier this month, Sky Sports published a report claiming Everton are interested in bringing the Tottenham forward back to Merseyside.

Across four campaigns as a Blues player, the 28-year-old scored 53 goals from 152 matches and was hailed by Carlo Ancelotti as a "modern and complete forward."

Richarlison's most consistent seasons all came at Goodison Park, but despite issues down N17, he's still managed to display a degree of prolificness under Ange Postecoglou's wing, having fallen by the wayside in his maiden year at the club.

It's clear he needs a fresh start, and after such interesting performances with Everton, why not bring him back to spearhead this new era? Moyes, for sure, has the gritty leadership style to bring the Brazilian back to his best.

And Richarlison isn't the only former player on the Scottish coach's radar...

Everton could sign another former star

With many out-of-contract Everton players about to move away for new pastures, Moyes is bound to target signings across numerous areas.

Defence is one such priority position, especially with Michael Keane slated to depart and James Tarkowski sidelined after tearing his hamstring.

And, according to a report from GIVEMESPORT earlier this month, Manchester City's John Stones could be the player the Merseysiders go for to instill experience and improve passing and ball retention.

Stones, 30, is one of the most decorated Englishmen of his generation, notably lifting five league titles, two FA Cups and the Champions League, and has been hailed for his "world-class" talent by Three Lions teammate Ezri Konsa, but injuries have limited him to a bit-part role for Pep Guardiola's side in recent seasons.

Everton paid just £3m to Barnsley to sign a teenage Stones back in 2013, and he would go on to feature 95 times for the club before leaving for City for a mammoth £47.5m fee.

He might not be quite at his peak anymore, but the £250k-per-week talent is not ready to hang up his Premier League boots and could be a brilliant addition to Moyes' outfit, ranking among the top 1% of defenders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goal involvements, the top 2% for pass completion, the top 4% for shot-creating actions and the top 11% for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.

Given the player's pedigree and proven talent, there's no reason why he can't go on to be Everton's most exciting signing in a very long time, perhaps not even since Richarlison left Watford after a breakout term of much promise and devoted several of his best years to the Liverpool-based outfit.