
Son to MLS! LAFC Reportedly Reaches Verbal Agreement With Tottenham Legend
Updated
Aug. 3, 2025 6:41 p.m. ET
share
x
link
Major League Soccer will soon be home to another global icon, as Tottenham Hotspur legend and South Korean superstar Son Heung-min has reached a verbal agreement to join Los Angeles FC, according to multiple reports.
Son announced his decision to leave Tottenham after 10 years in an emotional press conference on Saturday. Son had his farewell with the club on Sunday with his teammates, Newcastle players and almost 65,000 fans at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
The pre-season friendly in South Korea between the Premier League teams ended 1-1, with the high point being Son's second-half exit in likely his last game for Tottenham. The 33-year-old captain was surrounded by both sets of players before eventually sitting on the bench in tears.
ADVERTISEMENT
Son scored 173 goals in 454 games for the London club but was unable to find the target in what Frank said is likely to be his last appearance.
His trademark "camera" goal celebration was, however, borrowed by Brennan Johnson who put Tottenham ahead after four minutes with a low shot from the edge of the area.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
share

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New York Times
5 minutes ago
- New York Times
Dominik Szoboszlai and the new battle for Liverpool's No 8 role
When Dominik Szoboszlai arrived at Liverpool in 2023, he was handed the iconic No 8 shirt — and it may be the No 8 role that becomes his home this season. The signing of attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz for a potential club record £116million ($155m) was an opportunistic move and one that was set to have knock-on effects for a number of his new teammates. Advertisement The German's arrival, along with the other additions made this window, including forward Hugo Ekitike and full-backs Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, have had supporters discussing their best line-up for the upcoming campaign. Given Wirtz's position, Szoboszlai was naturally often the odd man out. Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai were head coach Arne Slot's preferred midfield trio last season. They started 21 of Liverpool's 38 league games last season, winning 81 per cent of those matches (17). When one of those three didn't start, that win percentage dropped to 47 per cent. It was a midfield three that was influential in securing the Premier League title, yet the arrival of Wirtz means that it is unlikely to be seen frequently this season. The 22-year-old is a versatile attacker who could play as a false nine or from the left flank, but it has been pretty clear from pre-season that he will be operating from the No 10 position. Szoboszlai had made the No 10 position his own last season. He played a crucial part in possession but was arguably even more important out of possession, leading Liverpool's press and providing a relentless work rate, which included covering the space behind Mohamed Salah. The question marks surrounding Szoboszlai as a No 10 came from his output. He finished the campaign with eight goals and nine assists in 49 appearances in all competitions. It was a solid return and went some way towards answering the challenge laid down by Slot early last season about goal contributions being a must from the player operating in that position. Wirtz brings greater creativity and technical threat, so is an understandable upgrade, but when given the opportunity, Slot always heaped praise on Szoboszlai. After the 4-1 victory over Ipswich Town in January, where Szoboszlai scored the opening goal, Slot told reporters during his post-match press conference: '(It was) nice for him, because he's, in my opinion, a bit underestimated,' Advertisement 'Not by me, but he doesn't always get the credit for the fact he's very important for this team because his work rate is un-be-lievable. He just keeps on running with the highest intensity and that is so important for a team that wants to compete for something.' Those comments are not the type of thing a head coach would say about a player who was not going to remain a crucial part of his team moving forwards. Yet he is now faced with the positive conundrum of who plays in the two midfield spots behind Wirtz. Mac Allister was Liverpool's most important midfielder in the second half of the campaign, operating in the No 8 role. As focus increased on stopping the influential Gravenberch, who is unlikely to be shifted from the starting No 6 role, it allowed his partner in the double pivot to flourish. While he was not missing often, there was a noticeable decline in the midfield's effectiveness when the Argentine was absent — examples include the first half against Southampton and extra time against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last-16 second leg in March. He provides control in possession and often sets the tempo. His performance in the 5-1 victory over Tottenham on the day Liverpool clinched the league title was a masterclass. Not only does he knit everything together on the ball, his defensive output can often go underappreciated. Therefore, entering this season, to suggest he is not part of Liverpool's first-choice starting XI seems ridiculous. Yet the injury which saw him ruled out of Liverpool's final two Premier League games last season delayed his start to pre-season and has allowed Szoboszlai to stake his own claim for the No 8 role — and he has taken that opportunity. The Hungarian has enjoyed an excellent build-up to the new season. He has looked like a leader and has been sharp from the moment the whistle blew in the first friendly against Preston North End, playing in the No 10 role that day and then right-back against Stoke City. In the last three games, he has predominantly played in the left-sided No 8 role. Advertisement In the deeper role, Szoboszlai's rounded skill set and engine has allowed him to flourish without the pressure of providing the final pass or finishing off a move. He defines 'box-to-box midfielder' and has been able to show his ball progression capabilities and passing range while still joining in with attacks. In this example, Szoboszlai received possession and clipped a ball in behind the Athletic Club defence for Frimpong. He then joined the attack and was in position for a tap-in, but Cody Gakpo elected to shoot rather than cross. Trent Alexander-Arnold played an important role in Liverpool's build-up, particularly with his long passes down the line or across the pitch. Following his departure, Szoboszlai can provide that instead, as he did with the cross-field pass which began the move for Liverpool's opening goal in the 3-2 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion at the end of last season. Against Athletic, he began the move which nearly saw Wirtz net his first goal at Anfield, again with a clipped pass into the right channel. He is also a powerful runner, and can move Liverpool up the pitch very quickly. That was on show for Liverpool's first goal against Athletic as Szoboszlai drove forward and released Hugo Ekitike. His low cross was finished by Salah. There are also the tactical implications of having a No 10 in the mould of Wirtz rather than Szoboszlai. Wirtz is not an old-fashioned No 10 who had a free role and limited defensive responsibility. The attacker is a willing contributor off the ball, but the running Szoboszlai did from that position last season sometimes hindered his ability to influence the game in the final third. It would make little sense to risk the same happening to the new marquee signing. If that is the case, more responsibility would be placed on the deeper midfield – and whoever is playing right-back – potentially requiring them to cover more ground. Szoboszlai is more athletic than Mac Allister and can move from one penalty box to the other in a matter of seconds, an important attribute to combat opposition counterattacks. The example below shows Szoboszlai pressing an Athletic midfielder in the opposition half, before recovering to dispossess another in his own half. He also has height on his side, which will be a factor against certain opponents given Liverpool's lack of size at full-back. The signing of Ekitike has helped the balance of the side, and a potential addition of Isak would too. Mac Allister has his own skill set and ability to read the game which makes him just as effective in all departments, even if he does not possess the raw speed. In the limited game time he has had in pre-season, his own qualities have stood out. In the final half an hour against Yokohama F Marinos, for example, the 26-year-old established control for his side. Advertisement It highlights the enhanced options Slot has going into this season thanks to the additions and the versatility of the midfielders he already has in the building. If anything, the pair may share the role, allowing each other to get sufficient rest throughout the campaign so they are fresher entering the final months of the campaign. Curtis Jones will have a say in all this too. He has also had a strong pre-season and played in the No 8 role when Mac Allister was absent in 2024-25. He is another who can play in all three of the midfield roles and he will be keen to build on a solid season last year. The fight for minutes is set to begin, and it will provide Slot the type of headache that all managers love. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle


New York Times
5 minutes ago
- New York Times
Joao Palhinha doesn't cure all of Tottenham's problems, but he solves a pretty big one
You may not want to do this. In fact, it would be a bizarre way to choose to spend your time in these final days of August before football returns. But think back for a minute to some of the goals Tottenham Hotspur conceded in the Premier League last season. There were quite a few of them. Spurs' opponents scored 65 times — their worst defensive record of the 38-game Premier League era. And among the 65, there were some recurring issues. Spurs fans often felt like they were watching their side concede the same goals over and over again. Advertisement Take the one where a player cuts in from out wide and finds himself on the edge of the penalty area with far more time and space than he would normally expect. He looks up, picks his spot, and finds it before anyone even bothers to challenge him. Examples include Chelsea's Jadon Sancho at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Hugo Ekitike of Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League, Diego Gomez for Brighton, or Boubacar Kamara at Villa Park, or Wolves' Rayan Ait-Nouri at Molineux, or Alexis Mac Allister for Liverpool at Anfield, or… well, you get the picture. Then there's the one where the opposition simply break away down the middle of the pitch, with very little resistance from anyone in a Spurs shirt. Mohamed Salah scored goals like that home and away for Liverpool last season. His team-mate Dominik Szoboszlai added another in north London. Matheus Cunha away to Wolves. Eberechi Eze for visitors Crystal Palace. Iliman Ndiaye at Everton. We could go on. It was glaringly clear last season that this was not sustainable. Tottenham were never going to get anywhere conceding goals like these week after week. At the end of the campaign, they changed head coach, with Ange Postecoglou being replaced by Brentford counterpart Thomas Frank. And while part of the issue might have been down to tactics, with Postecoglou's attacking approach sometimes leaving Spurs open on the break, it also comes down to personnel. It has been years since Tottenham last had a serious defensive midfielder. Last season, they rotated between Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma in that role, but neither provided the back line and goalkeeper with the necessary protection. Bentancur is better driving forward, and does not have quite the same engine he had during his first few years at the club. Bissouma did not have a good season in the league, although he was integral to the climax of the European campaign. Both were brilliant in the Europa League final against Manchester United. Advertisement So when Frank arrived two months ago, he knew how important a new deep-lying 'No 6' was for this midfield. Spurs have not fielded anyone like that since they let Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg go to Marseille last summer, on an initial loan deal that has now become permanent, following a 2023-24 league season in which he made 36 appearances under Postecoglou but only eight starts. You could easily imagine Hojbjerg fitting in well under Frank, not least because he coached him as a teenager in their native Denmark, but even then, he was always more of a scurrier than a sitter in the middle of the pitch. 'When I came in and assessed the squad, it was an area where I thought we could need something there,' Frank told reporters when asked about holding midfielders during Spurs' pre-season tour to Hong Kong and South Korea. 'I know the squad and the team, and I watched extra (games) before I went in. But it's always different when you then walk in and you feel (the players), you touch them, you work with them.' Frank was keen to add a player with those specifically defensive skills this summer, which leads us to Joao Palhinha, who has just joined on a season's loan from Bayern Munich — the club he will likely make his Tottenham debut against in Thursday's away pre-season friendly at the Allianz Arena. 'If you look at the squad, I don't think we have his ability or package as a clear No 6 with his profile,' Frank said. 'Rodri Bentancur can play there as well, but they could complement each other well in there.' Palhinha offers skills nobody else in the Spurs squad has, a fact highlighted by the positions he took up during his two years in the Premier League with Fulham before joining Bayern last summer (below). He stood out as a midfielder who was uncompromisingly, unapologetically destructive. His ability to read the game and then wrap one of his long legs around the ball made him very difficult to play past. He was integral to Fulham finishing 10th in their first season back in the top flight, their first top-half finish since 2012. Palhinha ranked top across Europe's 'Big Five' leagues for tackles in both of his years at Craven Cottage (148 and 152). Advertisement Tottenham could do with a bit of that. Frank knows they need extra security against the counter-attack. The centre-backs, as good as they are, need some protection in front of them. Palhinha is the perfect player to provide it. 'His defensive qualities, his ability to be, in the centre of the pitch, very disciplined, his distribution, short, diagonal (passes) in behind and then his ability to break up play,' said Frank, listing his qualities. 'Especially if you are playing away from home or against good counter-attacking teams. It's very important to have one that is not running away or gets attracted to something.' Even though Frank likes Bentancur, and will want youngsters Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray to continue their first-team development — remember that he planned to use the latter in midfield when he nearly joined Brentford from Leeds last summer — there are still some hugely important issues for Tottenham to fix. Not least the question of how they generate chances, given the injuries to James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski. They will surely have to go back into the market to add more creative quality. But there were plenty of times last season when Spurs looked as if they were paying the price for failing to sign an experienced defensive midfielder, the type of player this group needed so much. Away from home, against counter-attacking teams, their midfielders would too often get dragged out of position, unable to stop the break. Maybe Palhinha can help end that. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle


New York Times
5 minutes ago
- New York Times
The key Premier League gaps that need to be filled before the window shuts
The Premier League season begins next weekend. The 20 clubs have had nearly two months of summer transfer window to get their squads in order, but there are still gaps in teams and squads that need filling. And while spending on new players by Premier League sides has already surpassed £1.8billion ($2.6bn), some are still without crucial targets. So with September 1 being the deadline to settle any of these issues, until January anyway, The Athletic looks at which areas the clubs need to address over the coming 26 days, and analyses how they might do so. United have already splashed out on their front line by bringing in Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers and Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford in deals worth up to a total of £132.5million. However, they still need a striker — something that has been the case all summer. The possible exit of Rasmus Hojlund, whose form up front was questionable last season, has only increased the need. Advertisement Hojlund endured a difficult campaign, scoring only 10 goals (just four of which were in the Premier League) in 52 appearances in all competitions. The Denmark international wants to stay at Old Trafford, but as reported in our most recent Transfer DealSheet, offers of £30million will be considered. The club are now closing in on the signing of Benjamin Sesko, who they have been battling with Newcastle over. Sesko wants to go to Old Trafford, and after their proposal worth €75million, plus €10m in add-ons, to RB Leipzig, they are edging towards his signing. United are all-in on head coach Ruben Amorim's 3-4-3, so what is needed from a striker in that system? In short: strength to receive and hold up the ball, ability to link up with the two No 10s, lots of shooting, and being a nuisance for defences with runs in behind. Viktor Gyokeres, now of Arsenal, became the blueprint for an 'Amorim striker' over recent seasons at Sporting CP. Sesko has attributes that show promise for that profile. The best fit is physicality: he is 6ft 5in (195cm), unsurprisingly talented in the air, and will certainly make defenders nervous. In comparison to Hojlund, Sesko shot more frequently, accurately, and from further out over the past season. He often shoots quickly, and he shoots hard. The concerns are over the 22-year-old's decision-making and consistency. The single-minded desire to score that is so attractive at first in a striker can also be a drawback, and Sesko has been guilty of shooting rather than picking a good pass at times for Leipzig. His hold-up and link-up play also need some work. United are assessing their options in midfield, as covered in The Transfer DealSheet. Mark Critchley reported that Amorim is keen to add more dynamism there, while yesterday David Ornstein revealed that they had made contact with Brighton & Hove Albion, via intermediaries, to explore the conditions of a deal for Carlos Baleba. Advertisement Bringing in Cunha and Mbeumo indicates Bruno Fernandes will be pushed further back in the midfield this season, though there is flexibility for him to still step into a No 10 role at times. To make the most of Fernandes' creativity, Amorim's system needs an athletic, busy, physical, holding midfielder who can stop United looking so open in defence and help create threats quickly when they do recover possession. Casemiro's one-on-one defending is still strong, but at 33 years old he no longer has the legs to provide the level of defensive cover Amorim demands for 90 minutes. Manuel Ugarte has the tenacity but progressing the ball is a weakness for him. Amorim will want a midfielder who can intervene early in opposition moves, has the passing vision to exploit transitional moments, is comfortable in build-up and has the stamina to help control the midfield for a whole game. After splashing out on the forward line, also bringing in a top-tier, Premier League-proven midfielder is going to be difficult. Our Carl Anka's 'Shopping for Amorim' series took a look at the midfield market (including Baleba) to see who could fulfil the United head coach's requirements — you can read that piece below. Eddie Howe's side have struggled to secure their centre-forward targets this summer. Hugo Ekitike joined Liverpool after Newcastle's £75million offer was turned down by Eintracht Frankfurt, and as mentioned above, Sesko — who they had bid twice for — wants to join Manchester United instead. All this comes with the added pressure of Alexander Isak looking to leave the club. Newcastle rejected an offer of £110million from Liverpool and value him at around £150m, so he could still stay. The club's preference was always for a new striker signing this summer to be in addition to and not instead of Isak, and Callum Wilson has left St James' Park at the end of his contract, so they would like to sign a centre-forward even if the Swede remains their player. Advertisement We can surmise that Newcastle want a powerful striker who is strong on the transition and a solid finisher. Their latest bid of at least €80million for Sesko suggests they are willing to spend. Brentford's Yoane Wissa is a known target, and Newcastle's £25million bid for him was rebuffed with the west London club valuing the 28-year-old at a minimum of £50m. Personal terms would not be a problem, and if Newcastle can reach a club-to-club agreement, Wissa could fit well: he gets himself into excellent shooting positions, and had the best expected goals per shot number in last season's Premier League. His off-ball runs are less direct than some other options, but important in creating space for others to exploit. Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes could benefit. Nicolas Jackson is another option with Premier League experience, and Chelsea are open to selling if they receive the right proposal, as reported in The Transfer DealSheet. His finishing is not as clinical as Isak's, but his abilities on the transition are particularly attractive for Newcastle, who often look to target runs in behind — per SkillCorner, no player made more sprints (at least 25km/h) that ended behind the defensive line last season than Jackson. Looking outside the Premier League, 25-year-old Moise Kean was one of Europe's most successful forwards on the transition last season. He scored 19 goals in 32 Serie A games for Fiorentina, and his key weapons are fast runs in behind and a poacher's eye for goal once he is in the penalty area. Alternatively, Porto's Samu Aghehowa is rapid, a good target on the transition, and gets himself into great positions. The now 21-year-old scored 19 goals in 30 league games after joining them from Atletico Madrid last summer. After losing their Premier League top scorer Mbeumo to Manchester United, captain Christian Norgaard to Arsenal, and head coach Thomas Frank to Tottenham Hotspur, Brentford will look very different this season. They have signed former Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson from Ajax to replace Norgaard, but have not brought in any attackers yet to fill the hole left by Mbeumo's departure. This is a particular concern given that, as mentioned above, Wissa could also leave in the coming weeks. Advertisement The Cameroon international's key attributes are as much about his creative presence as his goalscoring. He was a significant penalty-box threat last season, but as this pizza chart below shows, some of his most important work was in progressing the ball up the pitch. Brentford are unlikely to find a Premier League-proven winger within their financial reach who can carry this much of a creative burden. They could turn to developing talents in continental Europe (which, of course, is where they found Mbeumo and Wissa in the first place) and take a chance on someone such as Eintracht Frankfurt's Ansgar Knauff. The 23-year-old recorded 10 goal contributions in 30 Bundesliga appearances last term, and like Mbeumo, he makes up for a lower shot frequency with his progressive passing and movement. His goals in the Bundesliga last term also showed off his pace, powerful finishing and ability in duelling with defenders. Frankfurt have a recent history of selling attackers to the Premier League (Ekitike to Liverpool, Omar Marmoush to Manchester City). Brentford have proven to be a springboard for players to join top Premier League sides, and Knauff would have a strong chance of being their starting right-winger. So, while Frankfurt can offer him Champions League football this season, a move to the Londoners could be attractive in the long term, career-wise. The departures of Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid and Milos Kerkez to Liverpool for a combined £90million have left Bournemouth conspicuously lighter at the back. Adrien Truffert, 23, has arrived from Rennes to succeed Kerkez at left-back, but there is no replacement yet for Huijsen. His centre-back partner of last season, Illia Zabarnyi, is also being pursued by Paris Saint-Germain, leaving an obvious gap in the squad for another player in the heart of their defence. Advertisement Liverpool, meanwhile, sold Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen for £30million and need additional cover for Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate. Joe Gomez's injury on their pre-season tour is not expected to keep him out for long, but the club's longest-serving player has battled with fitness concerns across his career. There's a reason why we have grouped Liverpool and Bournemouth — clubs who, on paper, do not tend to operate in the same market — in one section. Though Liverpool will be in the Champions League this season and Bournemouth will be competing at the upper end of the Premier League's mid-table, both are likely to be after a young defender with room to develop, and one who can defend high and on the front foot. For Bournemouth, he would be a starter, while Liverpool would likely want someone who could develop while being used as cover. Marc Guehi was named in The Transfer DealSheet as one player the champions are interested in — but if the Crystal Palace captain proves difficult to acquire again this summer, what other, more achievable options are out there? Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet, 20, is of long-term interest to Arsenal, as reported in The Transfer DealSheet, and it is not difficult to see why. He is defensively proactive, aerially strong, a capable tackler, and handy going forward. After returning from a loan at Ligue 2 side Clermont in January, Jacquet started 11 Ligue 1 games, and signed a new deal in May. This complicates any move as the French side are clearly keen to retain him, but a starting Premier League spot at Bournemouth or a chance to learn from Van Dijk and Konate at Anfield could be tempting. Carlos Dominguez of Celta Vigo is another option. He is well-rounded defensively, comfortable on the ball, and happy to help progress up the pitch. The 24-year-old came up through Celta's youth system but was named on the bench for 18 La Liga games last season, so a move for him could be easier. Staying in Spain, Villarreal's Pau Navarro is a less experienced choice. In 2024-25, his first La Liga season, he started eight games and was used as a substitute in another nine. Stepping up to a Premier League starting spot immediately might be too much to ask, but the 20-year-old shows promise as a ball-playing centre-back and could be a promising project. Promoted Leeds United have brought in seven new recruits, and manager Daniel Farke has declared their central defence and central midfield 'more or less sorted'. They now join the queue of clubs looking for a striker to spark a successful season. Mateo Joseph has made it clear that he wishes to leave and refused to join Leeds' pre-season camp in Germany. Joel Piroe, their top scorer in the Championship last term, and new signing Lukas Nmecha both lack Premier League experience. Advertisement Their top target is 24-year-old Rodrigo Muniz, who scored eight goals for Fulham in the top flight last season while making only eight starts. As reported by The Athletic on July 24, Leeds still hope a deal can be done, but Fulham insist publicly that Muniz is not for sale. If we look at the attacking attributes of top-target Muniz, Leeds are after someone who is strong in the air, capable with his back to goal and gets shots off quickly. The Brazilian is also a strong creator, but what Farke needs most urgently is efficiency in front of goal. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is available as a free agent after his Everton contract expired at the start of July. He would bring Premier League experience, aerial ability, some ball-carrying ability and physicality, and is also a Yorkshireman, but his shooting is not as efficient as Muniz and at 28, he would be a short-term solution. There would also be doubts over Calvert-Lewin's ability to stay fit. Osasuna's Ante Budimir is an option as a penalty-box poacher. He was prolific in La Liga last term, scoring 21 times in 38 matches, and is another option who is strong in the air and shoots frequently. Aged 34, he would be even less of a long-term answer, and Leeds would need a backup — but unlike Calvert-Lewin, he has been consistently available, starting 34 of last season's 38 league matches. The Croatian's threat and consistency in the box could help them stay up. If Leeds want to take a risk on a less proven player but one with more left in the tank, Roberto Piccoli fits the profile. He is only 24 but has amassed 134 Serie A appearances and 23 goals across several clubs. Last season was his most prolific: he scored 10 times for Cagliari — a quarter of their league total — in 37 starts. It's not a blistering rate, but he offers more longevity than some of their other striker options. Since The Athletic reviewed the gaps in Everton's squad in early July, there has not been enough movement — by manager David Moyes' own admission. Thierno Barry (a striker) and Mark Travers (a goalkeeper) should provide good competition for Beto and Jordan Pickford respectively at opposite ends of the pitch, while promising young left-back Adam Aznou has arrived from Bayern Munich and Carlos Alcaraz's loan from Flamengo was made permanent. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has also joined from Chelsea for an initial £25million. The biggest concern is their right side. In an ideal world, they would sign two right-wingers in time for the new season; as it is, Moyes has no recognised right-winger to call on, with Dwight McNeil and Iliman Ndiaye filling in there. Behind that empty space on the depth chart is another thin patch in the squad. Ashley Young's departure at the end of his contract removes a valuable option at right-back, even though he turned 40 last month, the 36-year-old Seamus Coleman's longevity must surely soon run out and neither Nathan Patterson nor Jake O'Brien is fully convincing as a starting full-back. Advertisement In terms of the profiles of new signings, Moyes told The Athletic that bringing in younger prospects or players from lower leagues is 'not a problem' for Everton. At right-back, this could be enough; a new arrival would have Coleman to learn from, and Patterson and O'Brien to offer cover. However, any right-winger needs to be able to hit the ground running in the Premier League, and Moyes said it is 'harder to attract' players at the top end, or those with European experience. Everton have been looking at Southampton winger Tyler Dibling, but there is a gap in the clubs' valuations. Everton's latest bid for the 19-year-old was worth around £40million, which the Championship club countered with a proposal of £45m, plus £5m more in easily achievable bonuses and a 25 per cent sell-on clause. That is more than Everton want to pay, and Southampton have been informed of their intention to focus on other targets. They are also interested in 20-year-old Lyon winger Malick Fofana, who would be a promising prospect, but his record last season suggests he is not ready to start in the Premier League: he made 29 Ligue 1 appearances, 13 of them from the bench, and scored five goals. These are far from the only issues for Everton to solve: Moyes had hoped to bring in 10 new players by the end of this transfer window, and there is also a need to add depth at centre-back and in midfield. As well as signing Dewsbury-Hall, Everton have also opened talks with Manchester City over a potential season-long loan move for Jack Grealish. Brighton, Chelsea, and Manchester City are the standout clubs in terms of needing to trim their squads. For more information on how and where, The Athletic's writers have taken a look at their respective situations in the pieces below. City manager Pep Guardiola has been vocal about wanting a smaller pool of players to work with, and Grealish, Kalvin Phillips, James McAtee and Stefan Ortega could be among those to go. Jordan Campbell has audited their squad. Advertisement Brighton are overflowing at centre-back and in central midfield, with potential for some younger players to leave on loan. Andy Naylor has weighed up who should be packing their bags. Liam Twomey looked at where Chelsea stand. The new world champions have already sorted exits for players including Joao Felix, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Armando Broja and Lesley Ugochukwu, but still want to move on Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell and more. There is more on exactly which of their excess personnel could end up elsewhere in this week's Transfer DealSheet. (Top photos: Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle