Villa fans will love what Jurgen Klopp has said

Steven Gerrard’s time at Aston Villa has been a puzzling period so far.

The England great arrived in the Midlands with a healthy reputation following his career in Scotland and after the first few weeks, you could see why there was such a buzz about his management skills.

However, sadly the Villans have slipped by the wayside and to coin an old phrase, they’ve been on the beach in the final few months of the season.

Villa may well find it difficult now to finish in the Premier League’s top 10 after a run of form that’s been rather topsy-turvy, but back to back wins prior to their defeat at Liverpool showed there is still quality in the squad.

Philippe Coutinho looks set to sign for the club permanently but it wasn’t the former Red that Klopp waxed lyrical over at full time.

As the Merseysiders came away with a 2-1 victory at Villa Park, Klopp sunk his teeth into the display of the host’s forward line.

He said in his post-match press conference: “There were one or two moments where we had to defend with the centre-halves in the six-yard box because of the quality of Villa. Ingsy unbelievable, Watkins and these kind of things that’s tricky, but we did it.”

It’s hardly a surprise that Klopp was so effusive in his praise of Ings considering the pair worked together when he played at Anfield but it’s a promising sign for the Villa Park faithful.

There may only be two games of the campaign left but if the former Southampton man really is looking “unbelievable” now, it should delight the supporters at Villa.

After all, this is a player who Dean Smith paid £25m for last summer following the sale of Jack Grealish.

To suggest he’s been good business so far would be lying. The 29-year-old has been rather inconsistent since signing, scoring just seven goals for Villa.

That means that at the moment he’s cost the club a whopping £3.5m per goal.

If Villa are to make this move a worthwhile investment then they’ll need Ings at the top of his game heading into next term – a position Klopp clearly believes he’s getting to again.

The German is no stranger to praising opposition players, with the Anfield chief hailing the likes of Jarrod Bowen, Adama Traore and Gabriel Martinelli relentlessly in the past.

Klopp knows an exciting talent when he sees one, so those at Villa should be extremely excited about what the future holds for the forward under Gerrard’s tutelage beyond the current campaign.

A summer of rest and recuperation should do the England international the world of good, and then hopefully we’ll see the very best from the “unbelievable” Ings next season.

AND in other news, AVFC can save millions by unleashing “outstanding” 18 y/o who’s a “young Michael Owen”…

New update emerges over Southampton interest in Manuel Benson

Southampton are believed to be "slightly ahead" of their Championship rivals in the race to sign a "fantastic" player, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

Southampton transfer news

Russell Martin will be delighted with how his side are looking currently, with their form making them strong contenders to achieve automatic promotion this season. However, the Saints manager will also be aware that new signings could provide even more quality and depth within his squad, increasing their chances of making a speedy return to the Premier League.

Lots of different players have been linked with moves to St Mary's in recent weeks, with Juventus playmaker Matias Soule an audacious option with a hefty price tag. Another player who has emerged as a target is Liverpool's Calvin Ramsay, with the young right-back recently returning from a loan spell at Preston North End.

Burnley attacking midfielder Manuel Benson has been backed to join Southampton, too, with the 26-year-old struggling for playing time in the Premier League for the Clarets this season, starting only once in the competition. West Ham defender Ben Johnson has been another player eyed up and seen as a possible replacement for Kyle Walker-Peters, should the influential Saints right-back move on this month.

Southampton favourites to sign Manuel Benson

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jacobs claimed that Southampton could be edging the race to sign Burnley's Benson, with Leeds United providing stern competition.

Manuel Benson for Burnley.

"By Championship standards, he's obviously a top-quality player, very confident in the league and it's no real surprise therefore that both Leeds and Southampton are in the race. Some sources say Southampton are slightly ahead of Leeds, but I think with nothing done, we're just going to have to wait and see because it's two attractive offers on the table for the player."

Benson could be just what Southampton are looking for during the January transfer window, providing that extra sprinkling of attacking magic that could make all the difference when crunch matches arrive at the business end of the season.

Granted, he hasn't hit the ground running in the Premier League, but he knows the Championship well and played a big role in their title win last season, scoring 11 goals and registering three assists as Vincent Kompany's side cruised back into the top flight. His current manager thinks highly of him, saying last year:

"I can’t be handing solutions of how to deal with him, but it’s just the things he’s been doing since he was a kid. I’m still pushing him for tap-ins – I want tap-ins. In the end, it’s something he’s comfortable doing and he will get goals that way. What he’s done for us is fantastic and from our side, that’s all we want."

Southampton now want to sign "clever" club captain for Russell Martin

This could be a major coup.

ByTom Cunningham Jan 24, 2024

At 26, there is still so much more to come from Benson in his career, and he will surely jump at the chance to play more regularly this season. Should Southampton beat Leeds to his signature, it would be an added bonus, snapping him up from under the noses of their promotion rivals.

The Euro XI: Aresenal and Mikel Arteta get what they deserve vs Liverpool, VAR literally breaks, and the curse of Man United follows Erik Ten Hag in Bayer Leverkusen dismissal

GOAL US unpacks the main weekend storylines from the Premier League, La Liga and other top competitions in The Euro XI

The European season is unfolding in style. Finally, pictures are starting to form. One game is a fluke, two games is perspective, three, though, is when shapes become clearer, lines are drawn. We now know, for example, that Arsenal aren't that much different from last year. We know, too, that Liverpool have a bit more bite to them than we thought.

It is clear, too, that Xabi Alonso might be a good manager, Barcelona lack depth, and Man City will be up-and-down and then end up finishing third. There's a lot to break down: storylines to follow, sketches to make sense of, goals to enjoy.

GOAL US presents The Euro XI, with 11 key observations from the weekend.

Getty Images Sport1Serves you right, Mikel

So Mikel Arteta decided to show up and play for a draw. Snooze. We've heard this story before. But this was a seriously painful way of playing football, when Arsenal showed up to Anfield with four centerbacks and three defensive midfielders, as well as a Victor Gyokeres up front.

What, exactly, are you supposed to do with that in an attacking sense? Well, Arsenal were very, very good defensively. But everything else was fiercely unwatchable. Seriously, did anything happen for most of that game? Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai delivered the right foot of karmic justice, absolutely one into the top corner from 35 yards to secure a 1-0 win. Good. 

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport2Man City are so done

Right? The Cityzens looked like world beaters when they put four past Wolves to open the season. In Tijjani Reijnders they had Kevin De Bruyne 2.0. Erling Haaland was back scoring goals. Title on. Except it's very much not.

Since then, they have lost two in a row, including a 2-1 defeat to a wonderfully well-drilled Brighton team. James Milner, 39, scored the equalizer, which is admittedly funny. City will still probably finish third.

Getty Images Sport3The world is better when Jack Grealish is smiling

Is it possible to dislike Jack Grealish? If it is, no one seems to know how. He is football's perfect court jester – except he's like, really good at this sport. Grealish is an immense talent, a true maverick in an era of robots.

His role in the extended Premier League cinematic universe has always been that of the best player on a mid-table team, the undisputed main man that can convince a manager to make an exception to his system. And he was at it again for Everton, assisting two in a convincing win for the Toffees. Grealish is smiling. So are Everton fans. Somehow, everything just feels fine as a result.

Getty Images4Newcastle need a striker

Stop me if you've heard this one before: Newcastle could use a No. 9. Of course, the Alexander Isak saga has clouded their whole season so far. He was their undisputed superstar. He didn't want to play for them, and now he plays for Liverpool. It's all wonderful content. Now, though, they're left with a big German fella who has to score all of the goals. He didn't play at the weekend, but he will need to start banging 'em in to dispel the ghost of Swedish striker past. 

Gary Lineker blasts 'celebration police' UEFA for ''ridiculous' investigation into England star Jude Bellingham's celebration

Gary Lineker shares his strong reaction to news that Jude Bellingham is being investigated by UEFA over lewd gesture during Slovakia clash.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Lineker calls out UEFA after Bellingham decisionEngland star under investigationFaces suspension if charges are broughtWHAT HAPPENED?

Lineker slated UEFA's disciplinary arm for getting involved and looking into Bellingham's conduct on the pitch during England's eventual victory. Bellingham scored England's dramatic stoppage time equaliser to keep Gareth Southgate's team in the tournament.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

He was later seen performing a lewd gesture that was initially mistaken for being disrespectfully aimed at the Slovakia bench. But the Real Madrid player later clarified it was an "in-joke" with some friends who were in the stadium watching. That didn't stop UEFA from assigning an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to look into it.

WHAT LINEKER SAID

Posting on , Lineker said: "For crying out loud, the Euro 2024 celebration police are looking into Jude Bellingham. Ridiculous!"

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

(C)GettyImagesWHAT NEXT FOR BELLINGHAM & ENGLAND?

England have the best part of a week until their quarter-final against Switzerland on July 6. But there will be a nervous wait for some of it to see what UEFA's investigation into Bellingham's conduct yields and whether a charge will be brought against him. If UEFA decides to impose sanctions, the Real Madrid star could be hit with a one-game suspension and miss the tie altogether.

BCCI set to launch five-team women's IPL in March 2023

The proposed plan involves a total of 22 matches, with a maximum of five overseas players in each XI

Nagraj Gollapudi13-Oct-2022The long-awaited women’s IPL is set to become a reality next year with the BCCI planning a five-team tournament for March 2023, immediately after the Women’s T20 World Cup ends in South Africa on February 26.The BCCI’s proposed plan involves a total of 22 matches, with each squad comprising 18 players with a maximum of six from overseas. No more than five overseas players can feature in a playing XI, with four from Full Member countries and one from an Associate nation.As per the plan, which the BCCI sent on Thursday to state associations and which has been seen by ESPNcricinfo, each team will play the others twice during the league phase (20 matches), with the league topper heading straight to the final. The second finalist will be decided via an Eliminator between the second and third-ranked teams from the league phase. The BCCI is yet to finalise the schedule of the WIPL, but it will be wrapped up before the men’s IPL begins, which is likely to be at the end of March.Whether the March window has been pencilled in for the long term remains to be seen, but the BCCI said in a paper on the WIPL that it has identified a “clear 25 days Women’s IPL window in the FTP cycle”. The inaugural WIPL is likely to clash with the inaugural season of the Women’s Pakistan Super League.”It will be a challenge to play the WIPL in the home and away format, because with five to six teams it is not possible to have a match every day,” the BCCI said in its paper on the WIPL, which was sent to the states as part of the wider agenda for the board’s annual general meeting scheduled in Mumbai on October 18. “It is suggested that the tournament can be played in caravan style, where after finishing ten matches at one venue, the next ten matches to be played at the next venue. Therefore, ten matches each to be played across two venues in the 2023 WIPL season, ten each in the next two venues in the 2024 season, and for the 2025 season ten matches in the remaining one venue and the remaining ten in one of the venues from 2023 season.”Where will the teams be from?
Unlike the Women’s T20 challenge, the precursor to the WIPL, where the teams were assembled randomly, the BCCI will sell the five franchises. However, unlike the men’s IPL, where franchises bid for teams in a particular city, the BCCI has chalked out two plans for the WIPL. The first one comprises selling teams across six zones spanning the country. A set of cities in each zone has been shortlisted and comprises: Dharamsala/Jammu (North zone), Pune/Rajkot (West), Indore/Nagpur/Raipur (Central), Ranchi/Cuttack (East), Kochi/Visakhapatnam (South) and Guwahati (North-East).The second plan involves teams being sold but without a solid home base, with matches to be played at six shortlisted IPL venues: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai.The BCCI will present the WIPL plan at the AGM next week but a final decision will be taken by the IPL Governing Council chairman – who that is will be decided at the upcoming AGM – along with the BCCI office bearers.Exponential growth in participation – the reason behind WIPL
Women’s cricket in India became a big talking point ever since they reached the final of the ODI World Cup in 2017 at Lord’s, where they lost to England in front of a full house. In 2018, the BCCI launched the Women’s T20 Challenge, but it was restricted to just one match. Over the next three years, it expanded to a three-team competition. Voices across women’s cricket, both in India and globally, were critical of BCCI’s reluctance to launch a women’s IPL at the time.The board and several state associations were originally concerned by the shallow player pool in women’s cricket, but those reservations have gradually receded now.”With the rise in popularity of women’s cricket in the country mainly due to prominent performances by the Indian Senior Cricket team on world stage by qualifying for semi-finals in 2018 T20 World Cup, finals in 2020 T20 World Cup, securing silver medal in recently held 2022 Commonwealth games in Birmingham, we intend to conduct the Women’s IPL on similar lines with the Indian Premier League,” the BCCI said in its paper on WIPL.The growth on the domestic front was massive with the paper listing “an overall increase of 111% in participation of players along various categories” in the eight-year period between 2014-22. A further breakdown listed the number increasing by 129% in the senior women’s category and a 92% increase in the Under-19 category.The WIPL – and the proposed WPSL – will join the FairBreak Invitational, the Women’s Hundred, WCPL and WBBL as T20 leagues that bolster the popularity and growth of women’s cricket globally. The WIPL paper also noted that the BCCI had studied both the WBBL and the Women’s Hundred models before finalising its plan.

Mentor Zaheer Khan parts ways with Lucknow Super Giants

It’s understood his vision did not align with that of head coach Justin Langer and team owner Sanjeev Goenka

Nagraj Gollapudi18-Sep-20256:17

‘Zaheer’s vision wasn’t bought by LSG leadership group’

Lucknow Super Giants’ team mentor Zaheer Khan has parted ways with the franchise after just one season. ESPNcricinfo has learned Zaheer informed LSG of his decision on Thursday.It is understood that the primary reason for Zaheer quitting is that his vision for the franchise did not align with that of head coach Justin Langer and team owner Sanjeev Goenka. While Zaheer’s relationship with captain Rishabh Pant remained strong, he was affected by the thought process that played a role in LSG sliding down the points table in the second half of IPL 2025.Zaheer had joined LSG in August 2024, filling the vacancy left by Gautam Gambhir’s exit after IPL 2023. Zaheer had been with Mumbai Indians from 2018 to 2022 and agreed to a two-year contract with LSG, taking charge of scouting, planning and strategy.Related

Zaheer: Looked like it was Punjab curator at our home game

Bharat Arun named LSG bowling coach

After making the playoffs in their first two IPL seasons in 2022 and 2023, LSG did not reach the knockouts in the last two seasons. In 2025, they finished seventh with six wins from 14 games. It was a season of contrasting halves: LSG had five wins in their first eight matches but only one in the last six. Of the eight games they played at their home ground, the Ekana Stadium, they won only two.LSG had made headlines at last year’s mega auction when they bought Pant for INR 27 crore (USD 3.2 million approx.), making him the most expensive player ever in the IPL. The team was built around him, but Zaheer put in place building blocks he felt were needed to grow stronger every season. Despite there being a lot of chatter about Pant opening the batting, Zaheer spoke to the wicketkeeper-batter early on and told him that the better strategy would be for Mitchell Marsh to open with Aiden Markram. That strategy, Zaheer impressed on both Pant and the leadership group, would reduce the burden on their best batter, Nicholas Pooran, who was the No. 3.The role clarity allowed the batters to play with freedom and perform consistently. Markram had never opened in the IPL before, while Marsh, despite having been in the IPL for more than a decade, had never made a major impact. The move worked: Marsh was the fifth highest run-getter in IPL 2025 with 627 runs at a strike rate of 163.70, Pooran made 524 runs at 196.25, and Markram 445 at 148.82.

Tim Howard already "sick and tired" of what he's seen Ange do at Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest are at the beginning of life under Ange Postecoglou, but results haven’t gone to plan since the Australian boss arrived at the City Ground.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s departure paved the way for Postecoglou to enter the hotseat in the East Midlands, though it is fair to say his tenure has yielded mixed reviews as he awaits a first victory in charge.

Back-to-back defeats against Arsenal and Swansea City were followed by consecutive draws against Burnley and Real Betis, before Forest endured a frustrating loss against Sunderland last weekend despite creating a host of chances.

Urging patience, Postecoglou shared frustration at his side not being able to dispose of the Black Cats, albeit he did acknowledge his side were more than a match for their opponents in terms of their performance.

He stated: “Frustrating. Disappointing. It’s another game we have allowed to get away from us, where really we should be very comfortably overcoming (Sunderland). I didn’t think there was anything in it (free-kick decision). Irrespective, even if the referee has made an absolute high howler, we can still deal with the free-kick better. What we did after that is more of a concern to me than the decision.”

While Nottingham Forest’s frustration at the officials was reflected by Neco Williams, they do have plenty to build on; it isn’t as if they’ve been blown away by their opposition in any of their last four matches, excluding their defeat at Arsenal.

Ange Postecoglou’s frustrating start

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Swansea City 3-2 Nottingham Forest

Burnley 1-1 Nottingham Forest

Real Betis 2-2 Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest 0-1 Sunderland

Either way, people will already begin to form judgements, with many still fresh from memories of Postecoglou’s rollercoaster season with Tottenham Hotspur last term, ending the year with the Europa League trophy and a 17th-placed Premier League finish.

Tim Howard launches scathing Postecoglou verdict

Speaking to Premier League Productions, former United States and Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard has hit out at Postecoglou, claiming his methods lack pragmatism even if they are easy on the eye.

He stated: “I’m so sick and tired of these coaches saying, ‘This is the way I play, and I’ll lose my job, but I’ll play this way.’ No, you have to be pragmatic. You have to dig in. Yes, they use the football well and yes, they play well. But did you see that (Sunderland) performance? They were willing to dig in, every single one of them. That’s how you get results, and it shows.”

Collymore believes Nottingham Forest star is "finally" living up to the hype

One Nottingham Forest star found himself at the centre of Stan Collymore’s praise.

ByTom Cunningham Sep 25, 2025

Truthfully, there are two contexts to view Nottingham Forest’s situation in. On one hand, they have been unlucky not to claim more from their first five matches under Postecoglou, but a soft underbelly has no place in a side trying to claim Premier League points.

The Australian is known for his firebrand style of football, so fans will have to be encouraged by the flashes of what they’ve seen – particularly in Seville – and simply buckle up and enjoy the ride.

Florian Wirtz parks Liverpool struggles to pull the strings in thumping Germany win that seals 2026 World Cup qualification

Germany needed only to avoid defeat to guarantee their 2026 World Cup spot when they faced Slovakia at the Red Bull Arena on Monday night. Following a sub-par campaign, which included a 2-0 loss in Slovakia back in September, Die Mannschaft booked their trip stateside in fine fashion as Julian Nagelsmann's side slaughtered the Falcons, easing to a 6-0 victory.

AFPTell me more

Germany looked to settle early nerves and it was the home side who forged the first half-chance with just three minutes on the clock, with Florian Wirtz's cross headed over Serge Gnabry. Wirtz himself then fired over from inside the Slovakia box, before the dominant hosts found the breakthrough in the 18th minute as in-form Newcastle striker Nick Woltemade headed Germany.

Midway through the first half, and Germany were two goals to the good through Gnabry, latching onto a perfectly weighted Leon Goretzka pass. And the match as a contest was settled 10 minutes before the break as Leroy Sane scored his first and Germany's third – Wirtz played a superb ball over the high Slovakia defensive line for Sane. Wirtz and Sane linked up again for Germany's fourth as the former picked out the latter at the back post in a rampant opening 45 minutes.

The hosts added a fifth midway through the second half. Ridle Baku replaced captain Kimmich in the 64th minute and made no mistake from close range having been teed up by Gnabry to score his second international goal of his career. Dubravka did all he could to keep the scoreline somewhat respectable as he palmed away a low Goretzka drive in the 73rd minute. But he failed to keep out Assan Ouedraogo's deflected effort as the teenager became the second youngest scorer for the Germany national team a little over a minute after his second half introduction.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportThe MVP

Having struggled at club level and come in for criticism for a series of sub-par displays following his Liverpool move, Florian Wirtz showcased just why the Reds spent big to secure his services over the summer. Wirtz was a creative force in Leipzig as he tore the Slovakia backline to shreds, linking up superbly with Leroy Sane on the opposite flank. Liverpool fans will be hoping he can transfer this flying Germany form to club level when domestic duties return this weekend.

The big loser

The experienced head in the Slovakia backline, Milan Skriniar looked anything but. The 30-year-old won't want to remember Monday's showing in Leipzig in a hurry. Indeed, Skriniar was at fault for Leroy Sane's second and Germany's fourth in a pitiful performance from the former Inter and PSG man.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportMatch rating (out of five): ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Hansi Flick 'happy' to put pressure on Real Madrid but regrets 'incredible' Frenkie de Jong suspension as Barcelona run rampant against Celta

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick is pleased to 'put pressure' on their arch-rivals Real Madrid after a dominant win against Celta Vigo, featuring a strong yet explosive performance of Robert Lewandowski's hat-trick. However, Flick bemoans the "incredible" suspension of key Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who will miss the next fixture against Athletic Club after the international break.

Barcelona's character shines in Balaidos victory

Celebrating his 50th La Liga game in charge, Flick's side demonstrated a potent attacking display as they ran out 4-2 winners to cut the gap on league leaders Madrid to three points. The match saw three goals from Lewandowski and one more from Pedri for Barcelona, while Celta threatened with strikes from Iago Aspas and Jorgen Strand Larsen.

The win, which came with eight shots on target from 20 attempts, showcased Barcelona's attacking prowess, contrasting with Celta's four shots on target from six attempts. Despite conceding two goals, Barcelona's control in the second period was evident, maintaining 63% possession and achieving 95% pass accuracy.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportFlick's focus on continued pressure on Real Madrid

Speaking after the match, Flick said: "Yes, of course, I'm happy. I think we made more mistakes in the first half than in the second. In the first half we were very good with the ball, and in the second half the team knew how to control the game.

"In football, the previous match doesn't matter, you always have to look ahead to the next one, but it's good to put pressure on the team above us. The second half gives us confidence. I'm happy for the team."

The Barcelona coach highlighted the strategic significance of the result, especially heading into the international break. "Pushing pressure on the opponent is good, we did it and I’m happy. Winning before the international break is also very good. I feel happy. We had to look out for ourselves and we applied the pressure well today." 

This result positions Barcelona on 28 points, three behind Real Madrid's 31, with both teams having played 12 matches.

Lewandowski's hat-trick sparks goalscoring resurgence

The undeniable star of the evening was veteran striker Lewandowski, who netted a hat-trick to take his La Liga tally to seven goals. The Polish international, in his fifth start, demonstrated his enduring quality despite being 37 years old. Flick expressed confidence in Lewandowski's form, avoiding speculation about his future beyond the current season.

"It’s too early to talk about Lewandowski’s next season. I can say that after his injury, I saw a different Robert, positive, confident. It’s very important for us that he scored three goals," Flick commented, acknowledging the striker's strong return to form. This performance is a significant boost for Barcelona's title aspirations, providing the cutting edge in attack they need to challenge Real Madrid.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

De Jong suspension a blow for Barcelona

While celebrating the victory, Flick voiced regret over the suspension of key midfielder Frenkie de Jong. The Dutchman received two yellow cards during the match, resulting in a red card in the fifth minute of stoppage time, and will now miss Barcelona's next league fixture against Athletic Club. De Jong's absence will be keenly felt, given his crucial role.

"I think De Jong controlled the game and is very important for us," Flick noted. "He’s playing at an incredible level. It’s not good that he’ll miss the next game because he’s important for us, but we’ll have to manage it. When we return from the break, I hope to have Pedri, Raphinha, and Joan [Garcia] available. We’ll see."

De Jong’s influence on possession and pass accuracy is considerable, and his ability to dictate the tempo of games is vital for Barcelona. His suspension comes at a challenging time, especially with the team striving to maintain pressure on the league leaders.

Free agent: Defender who scored vs Everton could now be "willing" to join

A free agent who has already proven himself in the Premier League earlier in his career could now be willing to make the move to Everton.

Garner reveals Everton's change in mentality

The Blues have won three of their opening three league games this season, with the early signs suggesting that positive times lie ahead under David Moyes.

Midfielder James Garner has impressed in the opening weeks of the campaign, scoring in the 2-0 win at home to Brighton, and he has spoken about a shift in mentality that has taken place at Everton under their manager.

“He said to us on day one that he’s not come here to take over a team that’s fighting against relegation – he said it again on day one of pre-season. He sets high standards and we know where we want to be.

“We’ve got a few more faces in over the summer and with the quality we have in the squad now, we all agree with the manager – if you want to achieve big things, then you’ve got to set your standards and your goals high. I think you can see it in us. There is a mentality shift. We’re playing with more confidence, going into games thinking how we are going to take all three points, it’s not just surviving.

“We’ve done that in these first few games. Obviously, the first game [against Leeds] felt like a blip, I don’t think we played well, but we’ve responded and now the aim is to keep building momentum. We want to keep winning and keep that winning mentality – that was the message in the changing room amongst all of us after the Wolves game.”

While Everton’s improvements this season are clear, it is also important that further quality is added to the squad, and they have now been linked with a move for a free agent.

"Brilliant" free agent could be keen on joining Everton

Speaking to Goodison News, former Toffees scout Bryan King talked up the idea of Everton signing left-back Sergio Reguilon on a free transfer, who could be “willing” to move to Merseyside.

“He’s a free transfer, so it would certainly be an option to look at. They’re a bit stretched across the whole defence at the moment, with Branthwaite’s injury concerns. I would imagine that Reguilon would be more than willing to go and join a club like Everton. It seems like Everton are moving in a forward direction, instead of being in a relegation fight.”

Reguilon could be a shrewd signing for Everton, especially with Vitalii Mykolenko picking up an injury prior to the international break, with the 28-year-old an experienced player.

Forget Barry: Everton are brewing Beto replacement in 19-year-old "nuisance"

Everton have got exciting competition for places in their centre-forward ranks

ByJoe Nuttall Sep 11, 2025

The Spaniard actually scored against the Blues for Tottenham in a 5-0 win back in 2021/22, and he has 81 Premier League appearances to his name.

Reguilon was once hailed as “brilliant” by Noel Whelan, and he could bring a good mix of defensive solidity and attacking thrust to Everton’s team, with a return to English football potentially appealing to him as he searches for a new club.

Game
Register
Service
Bonus