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Burnley are hoping to sign teenage goalkeeper Felix Goddard, who became a free agent this summer after ending his time with Manchester City.

Football Insider reported that the Clarets are keen on the 16-year-old to bolster the goalkeeping options in their academy ranks, with the youngster free to sign for the club of his choosing after his schoolboy terms with the Manchester club ended recently.

However, as per Football Insider, Burnley face strong competition for the ‘keeper, with Fulham, Bayern Munich and Hamburg also targeting him.

As reported by Football Insider, Goddard is open to offers and his status as a free agent should make him relatively easy to sign for prospective suitors. The Germany-born teenager joined Manchester City’s academy as a 13-year-old and had been progressing through their academy ranks until his schoolboy terms ended over the summer.

Burnley’s interest in the young prospect comes in the wake of the Clarets bolstering their underage squads with the signing of 16-year-old left-back Dane McCullough from Portadown in Northern Ireland, whose first team he has already represented (as per Lancashire Live).

Goddard would obviously be blooded gradually through various underage groups before entering first team consideration if he were to move to Turf Moor, where Will Norris joined the goalkeeping ranks last week while Bailey Peacock-Farrell and Lukas Jensen are also in reserve to first-choice stopper Nick Pope.

With Bayern Munich winning the last eight Bundesliga titles and still in contention to lift the Champions League trophy next Sunday, the Bavarian club carry a clear allure which could make it difficult for Burnley to tempt Goddard to Lancashire.

However, that the Clarets are in the frame to sign a young talent who is wanted by a club as successful as Bayern, and who has developed through the academy ranks at Manchester City, speaks volumes about the teenager’s potential as well as Burnley’s ambition to make astute long-term purchases.

Burnley fans, how impressive would it be to sign Goddard ahead of Bayern Munich? Comment below with your views!

Aston Villa could land themselves some vital strength in depth with a summer swoop for a former Premier League regular…

What’s the word?

According to the Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, the Midlands outfit are keen to land Atletico Madrid defender Kieran Trippier in order to bolster Dean Smith’s leaky defence.

It’s claimed that the Villa boss has made a new right-back one of his top priorities before the start of the new season and is targeting an ambitious move for the Englishman either on loan or on a permanent basis.

The 29-year-old has featured quite a bit under Diego Simeone and is valued at £25.2m by Transfermarkt. The Sun suggested back in May that £20m could be enough to tempt Atletico into a sale.

Defensive depth

Smith has regularly played summer arrival Frederic Guilbert in the right-back role but post-lockdown, the Frenchman was only able to make two appearances.

Meanwhile, at 32 years old, Ahmed Elmohamady is hardly going to be an option for much longer.

Trippier played 32 times in all competitions for the Spanish giants, averaging 2 tackles, 1.7 key passes, 1.6 clearances and 1.3 crosses per game, via WhoScored.

This suggests he’s a slightly more attacking option along the right flank than Smith’s current duo – Guilbert managed just 0.6 crosses and 0.5 key passes each match this term.

Following his debut at the Wanda Metropolitano, Trippier was likened to David Beckham because of his crossing ability by Marca which is hardly a surprise given the former Manchester United man also swapped the Premier League for the Spanish capital.

Gareth Southgate is also a big fan with him still getting selected for this Three Lions squad and prior to the 2018 World Cup, the England boss labelled Trippier as a player with “outstanding quality”.

That’s exactly what Aston Villa would be getting, so Johan Lange should definitely push for this move even if it is a bid bold.

AND in other news, Villa facing an uphill battle to secure £18m transfer…

Tottenham Hotspur are back. The Premier League returns.

Whilst many are still catching up with Amazon’s ‘All or Nothing’ series on the north London outfit, the proper action gets back underway this afternoon.

Jose Mourinho’s side kickstart the 2020/21 campaign with a home game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against a rejuvenated Everton side bolstered by signings aplenty.

But what sort of lineup will the Portuguese boss select today? Here’s what we are predicting…

As expected, skipper Hugo Lloris starts between the sticks as the first-choice goalkeeper but there’s a new face amongst the back four that heralds his net.

Matt Doherty will be handed a debut after securing a £15m move from Wolves earlier in the transfer window. He replaces Serge Aurier in the lineup. Whilst on the other side, Ben Davies is preferred.

After the loss of Jan Vertonghen, Eric Dier is expected to step up his claims as Spurs’ new centre-back and he’s likely to partner Toby Alderweireld, meaning there’s no place for £43.2m-rated Davinson Sanchez.

Another debut is handed to Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg at the base of a three-man midfield. He was also signed for £15m but from fellow rivals Southampton.

Moussa Sissoko could well get the nod over Harry Winks as he offers more of a mobile threat in either box with Dele Alli taking up a spot in the number ten role.

It’s thought that Giovani Lo Celso will miss the game through injury whilst Tanguy Ndombele isn’t trusted to start by Mourinho.

Out wide, Steven Bergwijn could be selected over Ajax hero, the £28.8m-rated Lucas Moura with Heung-min Son being named on the other flank.

Harry Kane, who is still yet to have a viable backup, will lead the line in attack.

It means there’s no place for Erik Lamela, Ryan Sessegnon, Japhet Tanganga or Gedson Fernandes either.

Having splashed the cash on three new players this window, there could be a mass exodus at Everton before next month’s transfer deadline, say emerging reports…

What’s the word?

According to the Mirror, the Toffees may have to shift several fringe players on in order to restore balance amongst the squad and one of last summer’s signings is thought to be among the names.

Alex Iwobi has struggled to establish himself as a regular starter under Carlo Ancelotti and it’s believed he could command a decent fee after he cost a total of £34m over a year ago.

The likes of Moise Kean, Yannick Bolasie, Sandro Ramirez and Mo Besic are also thought to be free to leave should a decent offer come in this window.

Costly catastrophe

Iwobi has flattered to deceive at Goodison Park all season, scoring just once in 25 appearances whilst averaging 1.3 dribbles, one key pass and 0.9 shots per game, via WhoScored.

The Nigerian international hasn’t even been named in either of Everton’s opening two fixtures – a Premier League away victory at Spurs and an EFL Cup second-round triumph over Harrogate Town earlier this week.

It appears that young prospect Anthony Gordon is even ahead of him in the pecking order now, which is hardly a good look for someone that cost a whopping £34m.

Even Darren Bent has slammed his form this term, claiming: “For all his endeavour – he does work really hard and he tries really hard – there’s no end product, there’s no quality there. Since he’s signed, he’s done next to nothing.”

Iwobi is also under contract until 2024 on wages thought to be £50k-per-week, per Spotrac.

Therefore, Marcel Brands’ gamble last summer has already cost the club in excess of £37m – and counting – so it may well even prove hard to shift him on this window.

Or at least, they’ll struggle to get anywhere near that total.

Whilst the Dutch director of football should be lauded for his midfield triple swoop of James Rodriguez, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Allan, we mustn’t forget deals like Iwobi’s happened under his control.

It has been one costly catastrophe.

AND in other news, Toffees must win the race to secure £15m-rated “complete package”…

Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa has confirmed that Pablo Hernandez will not be available to play in the Yorkshire club’s upcoming Premier League clash with Manchester City at the weekend.

This comes after Bielsa recently spoke to the media in his latest press conference ahead of the match against Pep Guardiola’s side.

During the press conference, Bielsa had this to say on Hernandez and how his absence will affect the team in their match against City.

He said: “Pablo is a very important player for our offensive game. More than his experience, he brings a lot of creativity to the side and not having him means that we will be slightly less creative.”

Hernandez was withdrawn from Leeds’ squad after picking up a groin injury in their pre-match warm-up against Fulham last month and was it claimed that he would be out of action for two weeks.

Leeds signed the Spaniard on a free transfer from Al-Arabi SC back in January 2017 after he originally joined the club on loan in August 2016.

Overall, the 35-year-old has made 159 appearances for Leeds in which he has scored 36 goals and provided 39 assists along the way (per Transfermarkt).

Last season in the Championship, Hernandez was one of Leeds’ best players after earning himself a season rating of 7.22/10 for his performances in the 36 league appearances he made for the club.

Looking ahead to Leeds’ match against the Manchester club, it’s a shame that Hernandez won’t be fit enough to play a part in the game. It’ll be interesting to see if Leeds struggle to create goalscoring chances against City as a result of Hernandez’s absence or not, as Bielsa said in his press conference.

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti will have been left encouraged with what he saw from Dominic Calvert-Lewin as Gareth Southgate awarded the Premier League’s hottest striker his senior England debut against Wales.

Calvert-Lewin started the international friendly held at Wembley Stadium on Thursday night in an attacking trio alongside Southampton’s Danny Ings and Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish, and impressed early doors with the opening goal of the night after 26-minutes.

Solid footwork on the wing from Grealish opened a pocket of space for the Aston Villa playmaker to perfectly lift the ball into the penalty area, where Calvert-Lewin had broken free between the defenders to nod home wisely under Wayne Hennessey.

The goal put Calvert-Lewin’s name down in the history books as the first Everton player since Gary Lineker against Turkey in October 1985 to score for England at Wembley, and came as the stuff of dreams for the 23-year-old.

“It’s a shame there are no fans here to celebrate and my family aren’t here,” Calvert-Lewin told ITV Sport after the game, via quotes by Goal. “It’s bittersweet in that sense but to score on my debut it’s the stuff of dreams.

“I’ve worked very hard to get here, it’s felt like a long road but I’m very happy to be here and to get the opportunity and the goal.”

Calvert-Lewin has already taken the Premier League by storm this season with his best start to a campaign since moving to Goodison Park, having struck home six goals in four games with an average 3.8 shots per match – only Tottenham Hotspur’s Heung-Min Son has found the net as much.

Now breaking onto the international scene with a debut goal would have encouraged Ancelotti even more, as the Italian will have been heartened to see the forward take what he has learned beyond Goodison Park and display his talents on a wider stage.

The Sheffield-born star’s goal was typical of who Calvert-Lewin has become in the past year as he drifted off the defenders to find the space, but it was not only the header that made his performance stand out despite being taken off on the hour mark.

Southgate also utilised the £21.6m-rated ace’s hold-up abilities to bring other players into the game, while Calvert-Lewin’s clever runs in behind the Wales backline offered his Three Lions teammates an option to pick out whenever they looked forward.

Calvert-Lewin may now find he makes it two outings from two when England host Belgium on Sunday evening in the UEFA Nations League, with Southgate noting after the Wales affair that certain players were brought off early as he looked ahead to more important fixtures.

“We definitely felt there were players we needed to protect given the balance of the squad and how we see the next week or so playing out,” said Southgate, via Sky Sports.

AND in other news, Everton are in need of drastic action with a forgotten player after failing to deal with his situation over the summer.

It has emerged that three Standard Liege players have tested positive for coronavirus in the aftermath of their match against Glasgow Rangers in the Europa League on Thursday.

The ‘Gers were in impressive form against the Belgian side in midweek, winning 2-0 thanks to a penalty from James Tavernier and arguably one of the greatest goals you will ever see from Kemar Roofe. That was their 15th game in a row unbeaten in all competitions this season.

However, the positive tests from Liege could be a concern at Ibrox, as it could potentially affect some ‘Gers players. After the full-time whistle, Alfredo Morelos and a number of his team-mates were involved in a fracas with their opponents – one of which was Maxime Lestienne, who is among the trio from Liege to have contracted the virus.

These ‘Gers supporters have been reacting to the news and it is fair to say they are far from happy – they believe UEFA should throw the book at their opponents for getting so close to their players in that end-of-match tussle.

Let’s see what they had to say about Liege below

In other news, Alan Hutton believes this ‘Gers scapegoat has blown his big opportunity at Ibrox. Let us know what you think in the comments section below!

Glasgow Rangers still have a lot of work to do when the winter transfer window opens. Steven Gerrard’s side sit at the top of the Scottish Premiership, although they may have to make a few adjustments if they are to regain the title, amid transfer interest in Rangers duo Alfredo Morelos and Glen Kamara.

However, it’s not just bringing in players the Gers need to think about, it’s getting rid of some fringe players as well.

What’s the story?

According to Football Insider, Rangers will try to sell Jordan Jones when the transfer market re-opens in January.

Jones, 26, has been suspended by the Light Blues after being fined for attending a house party last weekend along with his teammate George Edmundson.

It’s claimed that the club intend to offload the 9-cap Northern Ireland international in the transfer window in a few months’ time.

Rangers must be ruthless!

The Gers have done a pretty good job when it comes to shifting the deadwood in recent years with the likes of Wes Foderingham, Jon Flanagan and Jason Holt all leaving the club in the summer.

But they must be ruthless in this instance as they must set an example not only for the rest of the squad but to the general public as well.

This simply isn’t the case of a single incident which spells the end of his career at the club. If anything, it’s the latest in a list of errors he has made on-and-off the pitch during his time at Ibrox.

The £4m-rated winger has previously been warned by Gerrard that he must show more on the training pitch, whilst his attitude was recently criticised by the Liverpool legend, and he was told he could leave the club in the summer.

The Glasgow Times sports columnist Si Ferry slammed the ‘daft’ duo for their actions, whilst the Rangers boss has made his feelings on the matter abundantly clear.

He told Rangers TV, as quoted by The Daily Record: “They’ve made a bad error of judgement and I think they’ll regret it for quite some time. It’s a building process for both players now moving forward.”

Given Gerrard’s words, it appears Jones will have a lot of work to do to work his back into the first-team setup after he has served his suspension, but they should just get rid of him to save themselves the trouble before he further damages the club’s reputation.

In any case, there is fierce competition for places on the right wing, as the likes of Ianis Hagi, Brandon Barker, Joe Aribo and even Cedric Itten have all been utilised on the right-hand side.

AND in other news, Glasgow Rangers should give Connor Goldson a rest after Benfica showing…

Still on a high from beating former league leaders Everton, Southampton went on to produce an inspired performance against Aston Villa. With four goals to their name, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side were able to bank all three points, despite a nervy dip towards the end looking to spell trouble.

Villa came back fighting and scored three of their own, but it wasn’t enough to pull level and force a draw. The Saints are now fourth in the Premier League table, level on points with Everton and just three behind new leaders Liverpool.

Captain James Ward-Prowse put in a stellar performance for his side to ensure they continued their winning streak. Two goals and an assist handed him the Man of the Match award, but another player also worked his socks off and went slightly unnoticed.

Jannik Vestergaard vs Aston Villa

For a man whose future was somewhat of a grey area during the summer transfer window, Jannik Vestergaard couldn’t be making it clearer where his allegiance lies. The Denmark international is proving to be undroppable with his recent displays, particularly against Villa.

Along with his opening goal, the 28-year-old made an impressive nine clearances across the backline and won four of his six attempted duels. He made an additional tackle and interception, which doesn’t do his defensive performance justice as he stood strong at the back (via Sofascore).

Hasenhuttl has outlined the trust he has in Vestergaard following the decision from both parties to keep him at the club rather than see him move on. Similarly, he has received praise from the manager for his confidence in defence.

The Austrian described his £60,ooo-per-week defender as a “fantastic” player who he believes “has the right mindset” to move forward with the club (via Daily Echo).

Indeed, Vestergaard has proven himself to Hasenhuttl after being left on the bench against Spurs in the second game of the season. Since then, he hasn’t missed a game and has proven to be untouchable in the starting lineup.

In other news, Southampton drop potential hint over Theo Walcott future…

When it comes to Stewart Donald, he hasn’t done an awful lot right since walking into the football club.

Of course, the primary objective has been promotion from League One, but obviously, that hasn’t happened for Sunderland.

Yet, he has also struggled to narrow down the club’s cash flow, spending £4m on Will Grigg and continuing to pay Aiden McGeady a ridiculous sum of £31k-a-week to not even play.

Sunderland fans have been on his back for a considerable period of time and must have breathed a huge sigh of relief when they saw that he was on the verge of selling his majority stake.

Juan Sartori and Kyril Louis-Dreyfus have reportedly agreed terms with Donald that will see him relinquish control of the club.

So with that in mind, what better way to celebrate than by assessing what he’s actually done right at the Stadium of Light. Cue the tumbleweed.

As much as supporters will hate to admit it, he did get one thing correct in the summer – signing Bailey Wright on a permanent transfer.

After an injury that saw the Australian quickly ruled out for the season following his loan move from Bristol City in January, the Black Cats gambled.

Again, money was thrown at a signing. This time Donald decided he’d part ways with a salary of £13k-a-week for the centre-back and it has so far been worth every penny.

The colossal defender has been imperious in the backline and has been the ultimate parting gift from Sunderland’s current owner.

If the Mackems do achieve promotion then it’s incredibly likely that Wright will have played a huge part.

So far this term, the 28-year-old has won a mighty 3.9 aerial duels per game, completing over 80% of his passes in the process.

Those are eye-catching numbers, particularly to Sunderland hero Kevin Phillips: “The stats just show what an important player he is. He’s almost to Sunderland what van Dijk is to Liverpool at the moment with those incredible stats,” he told Football Insider.

Wright combines defensive focus and leadership with an element of modern defending in how comfortable he is with the ball at his feet.

It’s no great surprise that Phil Parkinson thinks so highly of the Aussie. Earlier this season, the manager remarked: “Those characters, who are classed as leaders and will influence other people around them on the pitch or in the dressing room and the training ground, are hard to find.”

Parkinson continued: “Bailey is very good at that. He’s everything we want – he typifies how we want to play, and how we want to conduct ourselves on a day-to-day basis. He’s a great signing for us, and we’re enjoying working with him.”

If you looked at the squad that Jack Ross had then you can accuse it of lacking real leaders. Now, however, they have a man with captaincy experience in the Championship.

If ever there was a player that Sunderland needed to recruit it was Wright.

Donald deserves praise for getting a deal over the line, even if his wages are pricey.

Meanwhile, check out who could be the BIGGEST winner from Sunderland’s takeover…