According to reports in the Daily Mail, Everton are considering making a move for West Ham United left-back Aaron Cresswell, who is rated at €12m (£10.6m) according to Transfermarkt, after being told they can’t sign Bayern Munich defender Juan Bernat this month.

What’s the word, then?

Well, Toffees boss Sam Allardyce is keen to sign a new left-back with Cuco Martina filling in there in the absence of the injured Leighton Baines in recent months, and the Daily Mail says he made an enquiry to bring Bernat to Goodison Park.

However, the Daily Mail reports that the Bundesliga leaders don’t want to lose the 24-year-old as they need him to provide cover for David Alaba, which has forced the Merseyside outfit to look elsewhere.

The report adds that as well as Cresswell, Everton are also considering moves for Manchester United’s Luke Shaw, Porto’s Alex Telles and Patrick van Aanholt of Crystal Palace.

How has Cresswell done this season?

The 28-year-old was one of the West Ham players that was coming under fire from the fans when the team were struggling under Slaven Bilic at the start of the campaign, but he has been much improved following the appointment of David Moyes at the London Stadium.

The former Ipswich Town player has played at both left-back and as a left centre-back when the Irons have played a three-man defence, and he has featured in the latter in seven of his last eight Premier League appearances.

In total, Cresswell has made 23 appearances in all competitions this season, picking up four assists.

According to WhoScored.com his main strength is his ability to play key passes, and he has made 25 of those in 21 top flight matches this term, while he has won an impressive 29 of the 52 aerial duels he has faced given he is only 5ft 7in tall.

Would he be a good signing for Everton?

With 122 Premier League matches under his belt he certainly has the experience that Toffees boss Sam Allardyce might be looking for, and the fact that he is relatively quick and can play as a centre-back as well as a left-back will also be attractive to the former West Ham boss.

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Cresswell is usually a reliable and consistent performer, and the emergence of Arthur Masuaku at the London Stadium this season may mean that the Hammers aren’t totally against cashing in on their 28-year-old star.

Liverpool’s defensive woes continued on Saturday after they were defeated 3-2 by West Bromwich Albion in the FA Cup at Anfield, and it’s a situation that Southampton supporters are enjoying a lot.

Saints sold former fan favourite Virgil van Dijk to the Reds earlier this month after a lengthy transfer saga and now that they’ve bagged the cash, they’re delighted to see the defender fail to shore up the defence of his new side.

Jurgen Klopp’s side haven’t kept a clean sheet for over a month and have conceded seven goals in their last three matches, leading to major frustration for supporters who were hoping that the arrival of the Dutch international would settle things down.

There’s every chance that van Dijk will go on to have a successful career at Anfield, but Southampton fans feel that his initial start at the club is karma for the last half season of under-par performances from the 26-year-old, made all the sweeter by the fact that Saints progressed to the next round of the cup.

They took to Twitter to share their thoughts on his display against West Brom…

Southampton’s fears of English Premier League relegation ramped up on Sunday after they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool at St Mary’s.

With Huddersfield Town picking up a big win at home to Bournemouth earlier in the afternoon, Southampton knew that picking up some sort of result against the Reds was a must.

However, they were powerless to resist Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah, both scoring in the first half to send Mauricio Pellegrino’s side into the relegation zone with just 11 games remaining before the end of the season.

Fans were left frustrated with the result and the collective performance, also bemoaning individual errors from players like Wesley Hoedt.

Hoedt has been coming under increasing criticism this season after a series of under par performances and he failed to deal adequately with the Liverpool attack on Sunday.

Is it time to drop the Dutch international?

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Supporters took to Twitter to share their thoughts on his performance…

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Manchester United keeper David De Gea will sign a new deal with the club and end months of speculation about his future, according to The Times.

What’s the story?

De Gea’s stock couldn’t be much higher than it is now, with the highly-rated Spanish keeper making a series of stunning saves in United’s 0-0 draw at Sevilla earlier this week.

Negotiations between the Spaniard and the club are ongoing, but it is believed that an offer of £220,000-a-week is on the table.

The move means that months of transfer rumours regarding a possible move for the United shot-stopper to Real Madrid will end, which will be good news for Los Blancos’ star Cristiano Ronaldo, who was reportedly furious with his club’s valuation of De Gea.

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Good news, no?

Probably the closest thing United have had to legends Peter Schmeichel and Edwin Van Der Sar, De Gea’s resigning is a massive boost for the Lancashire club.

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He is the first name on the team sheet for Mourinho, and his outstanding reflexes and agility around his own box is well worth a salary north of £200,000.

Newcastle manager Rafael BenitezÂhas congratulated the U-23s side for a dramatic penalty shootout win over rivals Sunderland.There hasn’t been a whole lot to cheer about for either of the two North East clubs this season, but fans from both sides turned up to the Stadium of Light on Wednesday to see the U-23s square off in the Premier League International Cup quarterfinals.Sunderland were the better side during the 90 minutes, but fell behind from a Curtis Good header. Lynden Gooch levelled for the hosts from the spot, and his second of the night looked to have won it. That was until Callum Roberts’ incredible 92nd minute free kick sent the match to extra time and penalties.The penalty shootout was quite remarkable, as it made its way all the way through the goalkeepers and back around to the start of the rotation. Newcastle won 11-10, after Jake Hackett blazed his penalty over the crossbar for Sunderland.[ad_pod ]Rafa Benitez was clearly keeping a close eye on the match, and congratulated the lads on Twitter.

Lynden Gooch and Callum Roberts were the standout performers, but there will be plenty of names for Benitez and Chris Coleman to consider in the coming seasons.

Newcastle fans, let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

According to reports in The Mirror, West Ham United are set to reignite their interest in Anderlecht midfielder Leander Dendoncker, rated at £16.2m by Transfermarkt, during the summer.

What’s the word, then?

Well, The Mirror says that Irons boss David Moyes failed in an attempt to land the highly-rated 22-year-old during the January transfer window, but he remains a big fan of the Belgium international and will try again in the summer.

The Mirror says that the midfield area is one that the Scottish boss is desperate to strengthen at the end of the season, and even if he managed to prise Dendoncker away from Anderlecht he would still be looking to add another one to his squad as well.

How has Dendoncker done this season?

He has once again been a key player for the Belgian club.

The defensive midfielder, who has also played as a centre-back for Anderlecht on a number of occasions during the current campaign, has made 33 appearances in all competitions for them this term, including the full 90 minutes in all six of their Champions League group matches.

He has also captained his team on seven occasions to show the leadership qualities that he has, including as a central defender in the 5-3 win against Mouscron on Sunday.

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Would he be a good signing for West Ham?

He certainly would be.

Despite the fact that he doesn’t celebrate his 23rd birthday until April, he has already made 160 appearances for Anderlecht and would arrive at the London Stadium with experience of playing regularly in the Belgian top flight and in the Champions League.

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While he has featured as a centre-back for his current club, Moyes would be more likely to use the 6ft 2in player as a defensive midfielder, given as he is good at winning the ball back and decent when in possession.

Will they get him?

They could well do.

It seems as though they got close to doing a deal in January and while that failed, the player appears to be keen on a move to the Premier League and with none of the top six sides likely to make a move for him as things stand, that could leave West Ham and Moyes in pole position to get their man.

‘Cajones’ was the prevailing soundbite from Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Watford on Sunday, having been accused of possessing an abundant lack of by Hornets skipper Troy Deeney after losing the reverse fixture earlier this season – a surprise 2-1 defeat at Vicarage Road. His argument is hardly unheard of in regards to the north London club, suggesting the Gunners are often held back by their own soft core.

Seemingly buoyed by their 2-0 win over AC Milan in midweek though, which has given Arsene Wenger a vital chance to end the season on a positive note with Champions League qualification, Arsenal were certainly up for the physical challenge Watford presented them with at the Emirates Stadium, particularly at the heart of defence which has often been the Gunners’ ropiest department.

Indeed, Shkodran Mustafi rose highest at an early corner to head home Arsenal’s first goal after just eight minutes, while the defender alongside him – youngster Rob Holding – provided a combative, aggressive and physical presence that the Gunners have disappointingly lacked during key moments of their season.

The 22-year-old – who Transfermarkt value at £6.3million – weighed in with the joint-most clearances, the most interceptions and the second-most aerial duels of any Arsenal player, while making one tackle and blocking one shot in an impressive defensive display for a prospect with just 17 Premier League appearances under his belt.

Arsenal welcome AC Milan to the Emirates Stadium later this week for the reverse leg of their Europa League tie. So after such an impressive performance, should Holding keep his place in the starting XI? Let us know by voting below…

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Manchester United would have started the season hoping to challenge for the Premier League title and Champions League crown, but it has not worked out that way.

Jose Mourinho’s side – like many clubs – fell away in the league race relatively early due to Manchester City blowing the competition away.

In Europe, the Red Devils were stunned by Sevilla in the last-16 stage, but they still have an opportunity to end the season with silverware.

The club are in the semi-finals of the FA Cup and today it was confirmed that they will take on Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley on April 21.

The North London outfit will have a slight advantage given that they have been playing at the national stadium all season due to it being their temporary home.

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Following some disappointing performances and outbursts from the manager in the media, supporters are not hugely confident of progressing into the final.

On Twitter, the overwhelming reaction to the selection date was of desperation to win rather than expectation.

One of the big differences between Chelsea this season and last term when they claimed the Premier League title with aplomb is how Antonio Conte’s side suddenly looks far less solid defensively, conceding just three less Premier League goals than they did throughout 2017/18 with seven games remaining.

Perhaps that’s inevitable when the level of experience in Chelsea’s back three has drastically changed; with David Luiz and Gary Cahill replaced by Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger respectively, Cesar Azpilicueta has gone from being the youngest member of the Blues’ defence to the oldest – which perhaps explains why there have been far more individual errors from Chelsea’s back line in recent weeks.

But equally pivotal is the absence of Nemanja Matic, and how Chelsea have failed to adequately replace one of the best defensive midfielders in Europe. Tiemoue Bakayoko has struggled to meet expectations while Danny Drinkwater has been called upon sparingly since his move from Leicester City, leaving Cesc Fabregas as the most viable and used option alongside N’Golo Kante.

That changes the whole dynamic of what was a watertight engine room last season and while that’s not necessarily a bad thing, Fabregas providing more creative flair, the 110-cap Spaniard simply isn’t the kind of midfielder who thrives in a two-man setup – especially in big games.

Chelsea’s 3-1 defeat to Tottenham on Sunday, which drew plenty of criticism of the World Cup winner from Blues supporters, provided a key example. During the first half when the midfield battle was tight and congested, he struggled to have any offensive impact, while the 30-year-old became increasingly exposed as Tottenham stretched the game in the second half – leaving Chelsea’s back three without adequate protection.

Indeed, Fabregas registered more tackles and interceptions than created chances or successful dribbles against Tottenham, highlighting how the two-man midfield just doesn’t accommodate his greatest strengths. Compare that to his impact last season, when Conte utilised the former Arsenal man predominantly as an attacking midfielder – bringing him on to change games in that role by giving Chelsea real control of possession.

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Of course, it remains to be seen if Conte will still be at Chelsea next season and accordingly whether they’ll stick with the 3-4-3 formation they’ve become synonymous with under the Italian. But if that’s the case, signing another central midfielder will surely be one of the club’s priorities during the summer transfer window. Do you agree Chelsea fans? Let us know by voting below…

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According to The Telegraph, West Ham United are considering a move for Chelsea midfielder Danny Drinkwater in this summer’s transfer window.

What’s the story?

Drinkwater joined Chelsea from Leicester City last summer, but has only made five Premier League starts for the Blues during the 2017-18 campaign.

A calf problem meant that Drinkwater could not make his debut for the English champions until the end of October, but he has struggled for regular action, and has not actually turned out for his current club since their defeat to Manchester City at the start of March.

According to The Telegraph, West Ham, who were linked with a number of central midfielders in January, are closely monitoring developments as the Hammers consider an approach when this summer’s transfer window opens for business.

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The London club would surely face competition from a number of clubs if Chelsea demonstrated a willingness to sell, but Drinkwater could be costly after commanding a £35m transfer fee on September 1.

Would Drinkwater be a good signing?

There is no question that West Ham are in need of some new blood in the middle of the park, and signing an established Premier League performer should be the way to go.

Drinkwater has found it very difficult to make his mark at Stamford Bridge, but the former Manchester United youngster was outstanding in Leicester’s Premier League title triumph – appearing in 35 of their 38 league matches on the way to the surprise success.

Drinkwater, who is valued at £18m by transfermarkt.co.uk, is also a three-time England international, and has more than proved himself at this level of football.

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West Ham are bound to have a number of players on their list of transfer targets for this summer, but the Hammers should push for Chelsea’s 28-year-old central midfielder.

A lot would have to fall into place – including wages and the correct transfer fee – but it would be a very smart signing if David Moyes managed to lure him to London.