Category Uncategorized

It has been an incredibly tough season so far for Wolverhampton Wanderers. They recently sacked Gary O’Neil as manager, with the club reeling in 19th place in the Premier League and with just nine points to their name. The Old Gold have managed to win just two games this term.

As The Athletic reported on Thursday afternoon, Vitor Pereira will be the new Wolves boss, and will leave his post at Saudi side Al-Shabab to take the job at Molineux. He will have a big task on his hands, looking to turn the fortunes of Wolves around this season.

Naturally, the new boss will want to get a look at his whole squad, but will no doubt also want to track the progress of those out on loan, in case they are options for his side in the long run.

Wolves’ players out on loan

Firstly, it is important to note that the Old Gold have some youngsters out on loan at various clubs across the Football League. Two of those, Joe Hodge who is at Huddersfield Town, and Tawanda Chirewa who plays for Derby County, are injured and have had little involvement this season. Chem Campbell has five goals and four assists in 18 games for Reading.

In terms of their more prominent first-team players who are out on loan, one in particular is thriving, although has struggled with injury.

Hugo Bueno is playing at Feyenoord in the Netherlands this term, and he has three assists in eight Eredivisie games, including one against FC Twente.

Another full-back, Ki-Jana Hoever, is plying his trade in France with AJ Auxerre, where he has had an eventful time. The 22-year-old has an assist and a red card in 13 games so far. Winger Chiquinho is having a less smooth ride, on loan in Spain at Mallorca. He has played just 140 minutes in La Liga this term.

There is another Wolves loanee out in Spain this season, who is thriving and could certainly be a player Pereira could utilise at Molineux.

The loan star who Pereira could love

The player in question here is striker Fabio Silva. It has been a mixed time of things at the Old Gold for the youngster, who cost £35.6m from Portuguese side FC Porto. He has not really lived up to the price tag at Molineux so far, with five goals and six assists in 72 games.

However, after a few loan spells across various clubs in Europe, it seems like the striker has finally settled down somewhere. Currently plying his trade in La Liga for Las Palmas, the 22-year-old seems to be hitting his best form.

He has five goals and two assists in 12 La Liga games so far, including a goal against Catalan giants Barcelona. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig described him as a “joy to watch” for a reason.

According to recent reports from Spain, via SportWitness, the striker will not be staying at El Pio-Pio beyond this season, due to financial constraints. The La Liga club cannot afford to pay his £78k-per-week wages, as per Capology.

This is certainly something that might be of interest to Pereira, who surely would not be opposed to bringing back such a talented player to the club.

Statistically on FBref, he has performed well in La Liga for Las Palmas, with an impressive 0.51 goals per game on average, ranking him in the top 18%.

Silva shooting stats in 2024/25 La Liga
Stat (per 90)	Number	Percentile
Goals	0.51	82nd
Shots on target	1.32	85th
Shots on target %	54.2%	96th
Goals per shot	0.17	65th
Goals – expected goals	+0.17	79th
Stats from FBref

Pereira has a real chance to revive Wolves’ season, and the same can be said for Silva’s career at Molineux. The Old Gold striker has not really left his mark on the club yet, but perhaps under the tutelage of the new manager, he can.

It will be fascinating to see if he can turn things around in the Midlands. An unlikely opportunity for a return to the club has presented itself, and it could be one both Silva and Pereira jump at and try to transform his career at Wolves.

As well as Andre: Pereira must instantly axe "promising" Wolves star

Vitor Pereira will want to leave his mark on the Wolverhampton Wanderers side.

By
Kelan Sarson

Dec 19, 2024

The New York City FC's starlet has continued to impress since his transition to the first team

• Shore scores a stunning goal for NYCFC's NEXT Pro side
• Shows the reason for his rapid progression through NYCFC's youth ranks
• Midfielder signed Homegrown deal in 2023

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games now

• WHAT HAPPENED

  In a throwback post on social media, New York City FC posted a brilliant goal from Homegrown midfielder Jonathan Shore – from his time in MLS NEXT Pro.

  The teenager dribbled past two defenders, held one off and then unleashed a lethal strike into the far corner of the net, beyond the goalkeeper. The goal, reminiscent of those scored by senior professionals, showcased Shore's exceptional technique and confidence at a very young age and the reason he has progressed so far this rapidly.

Advertisement

• WATCH THE CLIP

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The now 17-year-old has enjoyed a rapid rise to the top, earning a place in the 2023 MLS Next All-Star roster at just 16 years old before making his debut for NYCFC earlier this season. Since then, Shore has played in five of the club’s six league games, starting three of those for a total of 345 minutes for the Eastern Conference side.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT’S NEXT?

  With Shore already making his mark in the first-team, the focus will now be to keep his place in the team and find a consistent rhythm for himself going forward. The sit 10th in the Eastern Conference after a tough start to the campaign and face Minnesota United next on April 6. Following that, NYCFC host Philadelphia Union on April 12 and then go on the road to play New England Revolution on April 19 as the regular season starts to really get underway.

Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers has revealed how fellow Birmingham native Jude Bellingham helped him settle into the England squad.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Rogers earned first Three Lions call-up in November 2024
• Played a part in both Tuchel's first games in charge
• Has a close friendship with Madrid star Bellingham

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Speaking to GOAL, in association with PUMA, Morgan Rogers revealed that having Jude Bellingham already in the England senior squad made his transition into international football much smoother. Rogers highlighted how Bellingham's presence, as someone he knew from their shared Birmingham roots, provided a sense of comfort and familiarity, with former Three Lions interim boss Lee Carsley rewarding the 22-year-old with his first call-up back in November 2024 after his impressive form with Villa.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Both Rogers and Bellingham have emerged as two of England's brightest young talents, with both featuring in Thomas Tuchel's first games in charge of the Three Lions. Indeed, the presence of a familiar face like Bellingham's around the camp is likely to have been invaluable to Rogers as he looked to adapt to the demands and pressures of international football.

• WHAT ROGERS SAID

  "It might not be as daunting as you think, even though you might think it is when you go in there," said Rogers, reflecting on joining up with the England squad, where he now has four senior caps to his name. "It's usually never that bad. So yeah, it was really nice [to be involved with England]. Obviously the one that was really nice [in helping Rogers settle in] was probably Jude being there. Obviously playing against him and what not, and playing with him at earlier age groups."

  "It's nice to have someone that I already knew, someone that you can kind of bounce off, that you know already and that you can just be comfortable with," he added. "So yeah, that's nice to have. But to be fair, because the group's so young, you know a lot of them. Or even if you don't know them personally, you played against them. So it's easy sentence starters and an easy way to talk to people and to get to know them."

  Rogers also touched upon the importance of representing Birmingham and not forgetting his roots: "It's where I'm from, it's where I grew up. It's nice to have other people doing that. Hopefully more can come up behind me and behind Jude and Jack [Grealish]. You try to be role models and try and be leaders to follow, so yeah, it's just about not forgetting where you're from. Wherever you go to, wherever you might end up, you still know your roots."

• WATCH THE CLIP

When Enzo Maresca took charge of Chelsea during the summer, he faced the daunting task of managing an overinflated squad that included as many as 42 first-team players.

Speculation swirled about how the Italian coach would handle the situation, but he approached it decisively, offloading several players, sending others out on loan, and benching some entirely.

For those still at Stamford Bridge and struggling for game time, the upcoming January transfer window offers a valuable chance to seek new opportunities and revitalise their careers.

Todd Boehly's worst transfers at Chelsea… so far

There are plenty to choose from, but who has been Boehly’s biggest mistake at Stamford Bridge?

2 ByStephan Georgiou Aug 23, 2024

Here are seven Chelsea players who could realistically depart in 2025. Mykhailo Mudryk may have been number one on this list, but given that he’s been provisionally banned from football after failing a drugs test, he certainly won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

1 Christoper Nkunku Linked to: Man Utd, PSG, Arsenal

Christopher Nkunku has found himself sidelined in the Premier League this season, despite being Chelsea’s joint-leading scorer with 12 goals across all competitions.

Maresca has shown a clear preference for Nicolas Jackson as his leading striker, and with the Senegalese forward enjoying an impressive season of his own, it seems unlikely that Nkunku will break into Chelsea’s first team in the immediate future.

A proven top-tier attacking talent, the Frenchman is far too skilled to remain on the fringes, and while his departure would undoubtedly disappoint Chelsea fans, it might be his only viable path to regular football.

Both Manchester United and boyhood club Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly keen to secure his services, whereas the player himself is thought to be open to a move to Arsenal.

2 Carney Chukwuemeka Linked to: Milan, Aston Villa, Celtic

According to TEAMtalk, Milan are considering a January move for Carney Chukwuemeka, who has struggled for opportunities under Maresca.

The 21-year-old, signed from Aston Villa for £20 million in the summer of 2022, has made just one start this season in the Conference League, and hasn’t featured any of the Blues’ Premier League matchday squads.

Earlier this year, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported that Chukwuemeka has a £40 million release clause in his contract. However, given his recent lack of playing time, Chelsea would either have to accept much less for him or consider letting him leave on loan.

Alongside Milan, Aston Villa are keen on re-signing the player, whereas Celtic are also keen on Chukwuemeka’s services.

3 Ben Chilwell Linked to: Man Utd

Ben Chilwell has been a valuable asset to Chelsea since his move from Leicester City in 2020, making over 100 appearances and playing a pivotal role in the club’s 2021 Champions League triumph.

However, a series of injuries and Marc Cucurella’s strong performances have left the 27-year-old out of favour in west London.

According to the Daily Mail, Manchester United are reportedly eyeing a January move for the English defender to solve their own problems at left-back, with Luke Shaw and Noussair Mazraoui fighting fitness issues.

4 Cesare Casadei Linked to: Milan, Monza, Leicester

Cesare Casadei has made just four starts in all competitions for Chelsea this season and is yet to feature in a single Premier League match. Italy Under-21s manager Carmine Nunziata thinks he should leave the club.

“Last year, Cesare had a good first half of the season with Leicester, then he went to Chelsea and played little,” Nunziata told Rai Radio 1 Sport back in October. “This year, they kept him there. I advised him to see how it goes until January; otherwise, it’s right to explore other options.”

Casadei is reportedly on the radar of several clubs, including AC Milan and Monza, according to CaughtOffside, whereas rumours elsewhere have suggested Leicester City could look to bring him back to the club following his loan spell last season.

5 Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall Linked to: Arsenal, Man Utd, Tottenham & others

Another former Leicester City standout, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, joined Chelsea from the Foxes during the summer in a deal worth £30 million.

But while the English midfielder thrived as Enzo Maresca’s key player at the King Power Stadium last season, things haven’t been quite so smooth at Stamford Bridge, with the Englishman making just five brief substitute appearances in the Premier League.

Despite earning nine starts in other competitions, the 26-year-old will undoubtedly be seeking more consistent top-flight action, which may only be possible by moving elsewhere.

According to CaughtOffside, Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are among several clubs reportedly monitoring his situation.

The 10 worst Premier League signings of 2024 – ranked

There have been some shockers over the past 12 months.

ByHenry Jackson Dec 20, 2024 6 Malo Gusto Linked to: Liverpool

Whether Reece James has been injured or not, Malo Gusto has been Chelsea’s clear first-choice right-back this season, so it’s very unlikely that he’ll be leaving Stamford Bridge any time soon.

That being said, Football Insider has claimed Liverpool are considering a shock swoop for the Frenchman in the event of the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid.

“Gusto is very highly rated, and he’s one their scouts have been keeping an eye on this season,” former Manchester United and Blackburn chief scout Mick Brown told the publication, adding that the Reds believe they could “tempt him into moving”.

It would be a huge surprise if Gusto did leave for Anfield, but given his stellar performances for Chelsea this season, it’s easy to see why Liverpool might be interested.

7 Axel Disasi Linked to: Ligue 1, Serie A

Another player who could be on the way out of Stamford Bridge in 2025 is defender Axel Disasi. The Frenchman joined the Blues from AS Monaco in 2023 and is still under contract until 2029, however, according to TEAMtalk, Chelsea are open to selling Disasi for the right price.

Bournemouth defender Illia Zabarnyi is seen as a potential replacement for Disasi, with clubs in Ligue 1 and Serie A keen on signing the centre-back.

da betsson： Aston Villa and NSWE are thought to be interested in signing a Real Madrid player who is seen as ideal for Unai Emery.

Aston Villa eyeing new signings ahead of January

da esoccer bet： The Villans failed to make it four wins in a row in all competitions after a late defeat to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday evening.

Despite a stunning save from Emiliano Martinez in the second half and Jhon Duran’s opener, two late goals were enough for Forest to take the three points.

Emery said after the defeat: “Disappointed, but we are in a process. We played the match that I had in my mind. We tried to play dominating and keeping possession. They are usually not going high press, man-to-man or even with more players. We were building up with the goalkeeper, centre-backs and midfielders. Until the minute 70 we did it (the game plan). We didn’t concede corners or chances.

“After our goal they changed. They pushed more and added more players (attacking). In that moment you have to be consistent in the game plan. We were not that strong in the tactical idea and we started conceding attacks, corners and then a goal which VAR disallowed. We conceded two goals.

Aston Villa’s next five Premier League fixtures

Date

Man City (home)

21/12/2024

Newcastle United (away)

26/12/2024

Brighton (home)

30/12/2024

Leicester City (home)

04/01/2024

Everton (away)

15/01/2024

“For 70 minutes we played like we planned and the final 20 minutes we have to correct in our process. Every experience we are having now it is about learning and trying to use those corrections for the next games.”

Attention behind the scenes is likely on the January transfer window at Villa Park, with some of the names being linked with moves to the Midlands including Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz.

Related Ex-Aston Villa employee baffled after hearing NSWE are eyeing £66m forward

He could be a very expensive option for the Villans.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Dec 14, 2024

Benfica defender Antonio Silva is also of interest to Villa, as is Felix Nmecha of Borussia Dortmund, and another name has now emerged from La Liga giants Real Madrid.

Aston Villa interested in Real Madrid defender Asencio

According to a report from Spain, Aston Villa are interested in signing Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio, with top-flight rivals Forest and Newcastle also keen.

The 21-year-old has impressed in his limited La Liga appearances at the Bernabeu and is seen as an ideal option for Villa and Emery after coming through Madrid’s academy and playing for their youth sides.

Asencio, who is primarily a centre-back, is valued at around €10m, so should he move to link up with Emery, could rival the likes of Ezri Konsa, Diego Carlos, Pau Torres and Tyrone Mings for a spot in the matchday squad. NSWE may have to pip Forest and Newcastle to a deal, so it could be one to keep an eye on heading into 2025.

JJ Watt has explained why he swapped “one seat at a game” in NFL for a place on Burnley’s board, with the American football icon now fully invested.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Could have stayed in American footballWanted to step out of comfort zoneExperienced highs & lows with ClaretsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

After taking the decision to hang up his cleats, Watt was eager to remain involved with sport in some capacity. It would have been easy for him to stick with what he knows, having established a reputation as an all-time great in the world of gridiron.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Even his wealth would not make much of an impact in NFL circles, though, with the decision taken to step well outside of a professional comfort zone and join the ranks at Burnley – with quite the adventure being taken in there.

WHAT JJ WATT SAID

Watt has told : "You look at an American football club, right now they're all valued at billions and billions of dollars. You take my amount of money and put it into that and congratulations, you have one seat at a game, not at the board table, not at anything. You come over here and the valuations are different and there's more opportunity.

“I saw an opportunity to get involved at a level I wanted to be involved at, be in the board meetings, learn and grow, while also injecting something, bringing something to the club in terms of global notoriety, eyeballs to the game etc.”

Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW?

Watt has experienced the highs and lows of promotion and relegation into and out of the Premier League during his association with the Clarets. It is that rollercoaster of emotions – which does not exist in American sport – that helped to lure him towards Turf Moor.

Afghanistan out of the T20 World Cup after going down by six wickets in Brisbane

Andrew Fidel Fernando01-Nov-20221:11

Maharoof: ‘Masterclass under pressure from Dhananjaya’

Sri Lanka kept a leash on Afghanistan’s innings, making frequent breakthroughs before partnerships could truly blossom, holding the run-rate in check. Led by Wanindu Hasaranga, whose outstanding 3 for 13 was most responsible for hindering the opposition, Sri Lanka conceded only 144 or 8 on a decent batting track.There was an early wobble in Sri Lanka’s chase, when Pathum Nissanka was out for 12. And as the new ball swung, and Mujeeb Ur Rahman delivered excellent early overs, they could muster only 28 runs from the powerplay.Dhananjaya de Silva waited patiently for opportunities, however. He built a slow partnership with Kusal Mendis first, ensuring that Sri Lanka did not hemorrhage top-order wickets as they had done in the two previous games. Then in the company of Charith Asalanka, and Bhanuka Rajapaksa, he began to produce sweetly-struck boundaries, before finishing with 66 not out off 44 – his best T20I score. Sri Lanka strolled home with nine balls to spare.Only Rashid Khan and Mujeeb took wickets for Afghanistan, claiming two each. For them, the loss means they are out of reckoning for a semi-final spot. Sri Lanka’s hopes remain alive, though they are slim. They must not only beat England in their next game to have a chance, other results must also go their way.Afghanistan’s solid start
Having flayed Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup, Rahmanullah Gurbaz seemed to be getting into his work again, particularly when he lofted Lahiru Kumara down the ground in the third over to hit the game’s first six. He was on 28 off 23 at the end of the powerplay, and Afghanistan had a platform, having made 42 for no loss. But first ball of the seventh over, Kumara nipped one back into Gurbaz, to knock back middle stump. And Afghanistan did not have a partnership that touched 30 for the rest of the innings.Hasaranga’s masterclass
You wouldn’t think this was the guy who went at over 17 runs an over, just two matches ago. In this game, Hasaranga bowled the seventh, 11th, 14th, and final over of the innings, took three wickets, and did not concede a single boundary. He took special pleasure in bowling his opposite number – Rashid – with a googly in the 20th over, which brought Sri Lanka two wickets and cost only three runs. He was electric on the field, as usual.Wanindu Hasaranga got rid of Usman Ghani, caught at deep midwicket•ICC via Getty

De Silva takes control
De Silva was two off seven at the end of the powerplay, then 12 off 15 later. But with only a modest total to chase, he did not panic, even when the required rate had crept to above eight at the halfway stage. In the 11th over, de Silva nailed a slog sweep off Rashid Khan for six, and this is when his own innings, and that of the team, switched into a higher gear. He hit 54 runs off the last 29 balls he faced, launching Mohammad Nabi for a six into the sight screen, cracking seamers over the covers, and sending the spinners legside. It was his partnership with Asalanka that really broke the game open for Sri Lanka. The pair made 54 off 34 together; de Silva hit 29 off 16.Rashid’s bad day
In truth, Rashid bowled well, getting Kusal Mendis in his first over before having Asalanka caught at long-on in his third. One of the boundaries he conceded to de Silva was also the result of an inside edge. But by the end of his spell, Rashid was visibly frustrated at not having made a greater impact (his figures were 2 for 31), and then things got worse. As he slid to stop a ball on the boundary with Sri Lanka on the cusp of victory, his left knee got stuck in the Gabba’s soft turf. He had to be helped off the field, but later in the day the Afghanistan Cricket Board said in a tweet that he had “considerably improved” after having twisted his knee and “is expected to be fully fit soon”.

A “world-class” Arsenal player is set to miss their trip to St. James’ Park to face Newcastle United in the Premier League on Saturday, alongside both Riccardo Calafiori and Martin Odegaard, with manager Mikel Arteta sharing news this morning.

Arsenal face Newcastle after 3-0 win over Preston

In mid-week, the Gunners soared to a routine 3-0 win away to Preston North End in the Carabao Cup, which sealed their place in the quarter-final draw against Crystal Palace, but Arteta has no time to celebrate as a tough trip to the North East awaits for the title chasers.

Edu eyeing new Arsenal target in "top class" £20m star from league leaders

The Brazilian has a fresh name on his radar.

ByEmilio Galantini Oct 31, 2024

Newcastle are winless in the league since mid-September – last securing victory with a 2-1 win over Wolves at Molineux – and Eddie Howe will be very keen to end that barren run with a surprise triumph over Arsenal.

By contrast, the Gunners have lost just once all season – a 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth around a fortnight ago – but have since responded by getting the better of Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League, holding in-form Liverpool with a weakened team and demolishing PNE.

Newcastle United (away)

November 2

Chelsea (away

November 10

Nottingham Forest (home)

November 23

West Ham United (away)

November 30

Man United (home)

December 4

Arsenal will have to contend with a much-altered side from Arteta’s full-strength eleven, much like they did against Arne Slot’s side last weekend. Odegaard suffered ankle ligament damage in September, and remains out, while Calafiori is set to miss Newcastle United following his knock against Shakhtar.

Meanwhile, Arteta claims Ben White hasn’t trained and is now a real doubt ahead of the encounter.

“Riccy and Martin are out definitely,” said Arteta in his pre-match press conference.

“With Ben we don’t know yet. He could not train so let’s see what happens. Now is the stage when he’s going to start to do certain work with us. Let’s see if he deals with pain if physically he’s able to compete. With the work he’s put in I would be surprised if when he’s back training with us we don’t say he’s ready.”

Takehiro Tomiyasu made a brief return to the side recently, featuring for six minutes in Arsenal’s win over Southampton a few weeks ago, but the Japan international has since been sidelined again with a rumoured recurrence of his knee problem.

Arteta confirms long-term Tomiyasu absence at Arsenal

Speaking to the media, Arteta has shared another update on the £100,000-per-week ace’s condition.

The Spaniard explained that Tomiyasu is set to miss Arsenal’s game against Newcastle with Calafiori and Odegaard. Arteta also said that Arsenal don’t expect him to return before the next international break, which is a real stroke of bad luck for the former Serie A star.

Reports have even suggested that Arsenal could be prepared to sell Tomiyasu, amid his run of serious fitness issues lately, so this is a pretty unfortunate period for the player who’ll be looking to bounce back as soon as possible.

“Tomi is amazing. He’s the best right-back I’ve ever played with. He’s always focused. It’s an honour to play next to him,” said teammate White to DAZN Japan (via The Metro).

“Tomi does the simple things at a world-class level. He is very alert and he isn’t careless in games. From the beginning he’s completely understood English and speaks as well as I do.”

Everton have put their poor start to the season behind them, with a three-match unbeaten run following the dismal four defeats in a row to kick off the year.

As such, the Toffees have clambered out of the drop zone and will be confident that they can put it all behind them, especially with a favourable (on paper) run of fixtures coming up in the Premier League. Sean Dyche will be looking ahead with renewed optimism.

Everton’s Forthcoming PL Fixtures
Date	Opponent	League Position
19/10/24	Ipswich Town (A)	17th
26/10/24	Fulham (H)	8th
02/11/24	Southampton (H)	19th
09/11/24	West Ham (A)	12th
23/11/24	Brentford (H)	11th

Let’s not forget that Jarrad Branthwaite has been sidelined for six of the seven fixtures thus far, and with the young titan set to return after the current international break, there’s reason to be sanguine.

The defensive issues of recent months have been concerning, but Branthwaite’s return will go a long way toward fixing that for good. All this fragility at the rear has made us think about what it would have been like to have Yerry Mina at the top of his game in this Everton side – unfortunately, the Colombia international scarcely claimed top fitness across his years at the outfit.

How much Yerry Mina cost Everton

Everton signed Mina from Barcelona in August 2018. The towering defender was only 23 at the time and cost £27m, which was a steep figure but seemed worth it for a player of high-standard quality.

He had just risen to fame after his performances on his nation at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, scoring an equaliser against England in the first knockout phase before the Three Lions surprised the globe with a competitive penalty shootout victory.

However, Mina would fall heavily by the wayside on Merseyside after a lasting series of injuries ravaged his chances of living up to and surpassing that initial price tag.

Yerry Mina: Premier League Stats by Season
Season	Apps (starts)	Goals	Assists	Clean sheets
2022/23	7 (7)	2	0	1
2021/22	13 (11)	0	0	2
2020/21	24 (23)	2	0	5
2019/20	29 (25)	2	1	4
2018/19	13 (10)	1	0	3
Stats via WhoScored

Former Everton manager Marco Silva commented on the South American’s “unlucky” track record on the fitness front back in 2019, having been restricted to a bit-part role in his maiden term, but as you can see, he only enjoyed two seasons of comparatively high availability.

And when considering that he earned £120k per week during his time at Goodison Park, more than starting number nine, Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£100k per week), took home both then and now, the misfire is really underscored.

Combining his transfer fee (£27m) with the centre-back’s total earnings across the five-year period he plied his trade in the Premier League, it can be unravelled that Mina cost the club from £58m in total, or, to put it another way, £760k per top-flight start.

It’s poignant, mostly because Mina – like Calvert-Lewin, who has endured his own injury woes in recent years – could have reached such loftier heights.

Yerry Mina's Everton career

Perhaps the most frustrating point of all this is that Mina is actually an excellent defender. When fit, the Colombian showcased his quality and indeed cannot be fully discredited after recovering his fitness levels at the perfect time toward the business end of the 2022/23 term.

Everton were in an imperilled position, and time was running out to craft a purple patch. He scored two goals from just seven Premier League appearances that year, but started all four of Everton’s final matches and indeed had a vital say in this proud club’s future after bundling home against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the penultimate week to salvage a last-gasp point.

It fuelled Goodison for the finale, which saw Bournemouth fended off and Abdoulaye Doucoure volley in a second-half winner to preserve top-flight status. Mina played the full 90 on his final display and kept a clean sheet, winning eight of his 11 contested duels, as per Sofascore.

He encapsulated the phrase short but sweet, putting in some colossal performances to save a club from falling. It’s fair to say that without his efforts, the Toffees wouldn’t have found the verve to avoid the maw of relegation.

Oh, what could have been. Fans will cherish the defender’s best moments, but sadly, they were few and far between for a player who arrived with a weight of expectation and took home a pretty penny besides.

Their own Luis Diaz: Everton plot January move for £8m "absolute beast"

The Toffees could bolster their attacking firepower in 2025…

By
Joe Nuttall

Oct 9, 2024

Jude Bellingham has claimed that Luka Modric is “from a different planet” after witnessing his screamer for Real Madrid against Girona.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

England international serving suspensionWatched Los Blancos alongside new girlfriendSaw Croatian team-mate score stunning goalFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

England international Bellingham was banned for that contest, as he serves a two-match suspension on the back of the controversial red card he picked up against Osasuna for supposedly telling the match referee to “f*ck off”.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

With the 21-year-old restricted to a spectator role, he took up a seat in the stands at Santiago Bernabeu alongside new girlfriend Ashlyn Castro. He was on his feet in the 41st minute of the contest in the Spanish capital, as Croatian veteran Modric opened the scoring in spectacular style.

DID YOU KNOW?

A corner was cleared in the direction of Modric as he loitered with intent 25 yards out. The 39-year-old Ballon d’Or winner cushioned the ball on his chest before sending a stunning volley fizzing into the top corner.

WHAT JUDE BELLINGHAM SAID

Bellingham, who could only stand and applaud the scorching strike from his Madrid team-mate, posted on social media afterwards when reacting to another performance from Modric that suggests he may not be of this world: “From a different planet.”

Instagram