Italian football finds itself embroiled in scandal once more as record title holders Juventus have been handed a 15 point deduction after an investigation into their past transfer activity.

It has been alleged that the Turin side doctored their balance sheets in regards to transfers made by the club.

Juventus will appeal the decision and can take the case as far as the Court of Arbitration for Sport should it be required.

All of this has led to a raft of resignations from the club board with former player Pavel Nedved departing and controversial figure Andrea Agnelli also leaving his post. Agnelli was a major driving force behind the failed European Super League plans and has been critical of spending by Premier League clubs.

With the deduction in place. Massimiliano Allegri’s outfit have dropped from third in Serie A to tenth.

It has been argued that the timing of this may be better than had it been applied at the start of next season. Juventus have a chance to regroup now and although it would appear unlikely, have half a season to bridge a twelve point gap to the Champions League places.

It has been far from a vintage year for the former European champions having already departed this season’s competition and they looked well short of competing for the title having suffered a 5-1 defeat at leaders Napoli just last week.

Sunday’s clash with Atalanta will offer an immediate opportunity to cut the gap to a major rival to nine points which also marks the halfway point in the Italian season.

Tottenham could also find themselves affected by the news as sporting director Fabio Paratici has been banned for two and a half years due to his previous involvement at the ‘Old Lady’.

It remains to be seen if this ban will be applied worldwide but it throws further trouble Spurs’ way with rumours also swirling about the future of manager Antonio Conte whose contract expires in the summer.

It is not the first time Juventus have found themselves in bother with the authorities having been demoted to Serie B in 2006 due to their involvement in a match-fixing scandal.

As much as rival fans will probably revel in the travails of ‘I Bianconeri’, it is a blow to the reputation of Italian football once more and one that may affect things such as TV deal negotiations going forward.

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Photo: Stephen Gormley (Red Eye Photo Agency)

England’s attempts to win a first World Cup since 1966 got off to the perfect start with a resounding 6-2 victory over Iran in Doha.

Gareth Southgate’s men were a level above what was expected to be stubborn opposition as Bukayo Saka helped himself to a brace in his first World Cup performance.

The nation from across the Gulf have traditionally been dogged at previous tournaments but were not helped by losing goalkeeper Alireza Beyranvand in the first half, which caused a lengthy stoppage.

The time spent treating the stricken stopper could have disrupted the flow of the game but England got their nose in front in the 35th minute when Jude Bellingham glanced home a header from a Luke Shaw cross.

Iran offered little in attack and were beaten before the half-time whistle. Saka’s first goal came courtesy of a slight deflection while Raheem Sterling brilliantly volleyed home to leave England cruising.

Saka added another in the second half, showing good feet to work some space in the box before slotting past the substitute goalkeeper Hossein Hosseini.

Iran restored a modicum of pride when Porto striker Mehdi Taremi fired home brilliantly off the underside of the crossbar but the four goal lead was soon restored when Marcus Rashford got in on the act shortly after joining the fray.

Fellow replacement Jack Grealish got his name on the scoresheet after good work from Callum Wilson set up a tap-in for the Manchester City winger.

There was still time for a second Iranian consolation which Taremi putting away a penalty. Team Melli will now need to get something from Friday’s clash with Wales or they will be eliminated.

England will take confidence from the manner of the performance but tougher tests lay ahead, with tasty encounters with the USA and Wales to come.

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Photo: Stephen Gormley (Red Eye Photo Agency)

The opening game of the 2022 World Cup has come and gone with Ecuador emerging victorious over hosts Qatar at the Al-Bayt stadium.

Two goals from Fenerbahce striker Enner Valencia made the difference but in truth there was a large gulf between both sides.

Morgan Freeman was among the guest stars in the opening ceremony but almost everyone just wanted the football to start and when it did, the action didn’t take long to pick up.

Valencia thought he had opened the scoring in the third minute, nodding into an empty net from close range but there was deemed to be an offside in the build-up. It was a somewhat controversial decision which fed into plenty of conspiracy theories.

The officials were soon the centre of attention again but they got the decision in the 16th minute spot on when Valencia was clumsily taken down by the Qatari ‘keeper Saad Al Sheeb.

The former West Ham forward dusted himself down and calmly slotted the spot-kick home to become his nation’s all-time leading goalscorer at the tournament.

Al Sheeb looked panicked throughout a feisty opening period that saw four players booked and he was lucky to avoid further punishment when colliding with Michael Estrada.

Renato Ibarra shot over as Qatar struggled to gain any foothold in the game and found themselves two down just after the half-hour mark.

Angel Preciado’s cross from the right was brilliantly headed home by Valencia to leave the South American’s in complete control of this Group A clash.

Photo: Stephen Gormley (Red Eye Photo Agency)

The hosts showed none of their Asian Cup winning capabilities until Almoez Ali headed wide when well placed just before half-time.

Tepid would be the best word to describe what was served up in the second half.

Ecuador seemed content to conserve energy for the tougher tests which lay ahead while Felix Sanchez’s Qatari side were sloppy in possession as were unable to mount any genuinely promising attacks.

Ibarra had a shot saved by the now less nervous looking Al Sheeb while at the other end Pedro Miguel saw a powerful header fly wide.

Much was made of Akram Afif in the lead up to the tournament but the Al Sadd man was on the periphery of things, with only a 75th minute shot that sailed over the bar to show for his actions.

The crowd were excited any time he did get the ball and the hosts will need to get the talented midfielder involved more if they are to stand any chance of reaching the knockout stages.

Substitute Mohammed Muntari came to closest to giving the home fans something to smile about when his first-time effort landed on the roof of the net but no shots on target and no corners until stoppage time tells it’s own story.

Ecuador will be delighted to get a victory in the opening game which leaves them in a strong position early on.

Qatar were predicted to surprise people with their performances but if the next two encounters with Senegal and the Netherlands continue in a similar pattern, they will be remembered for the worst performance ever from a host nation.

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The stage is set and we are almost there. The first ever Winter World Cup is just around the corner so in true fashion, it is time for some of our writers to give their thoughts ahead of the showpiece event in Qatar.

As an added bonus we have teamed up with our compatriots at Prost Amerika for an insight from the other side of the World.

World Cup Winner

Jared Miller: I’m torn between Brazil and Argentina. I believe Brazil have the strongest squad depth (other than full-backs), but it’s difficult to look past the Lionel Messi factor, especially as the final could be his 1000th game.

James Sadler: I think the winner will be Argentina, they were undefeated in South American qualifying alongside Brazil, the first time a team has ever gone undefeated, haven’t lost in all competitions in three years and possess the greatest player of all time in Lionel Messi.

Will Knight: Brazil is a team that nobody can write off this year. Their line-up is filled with star
players, many of whom are some real heavy hitters in big football leagues.

English and Welsh hopes

JM: England: I really like Southgate as a person, and he’s done very well so far, but I think this could be one tournament too far for him. I think we might be relying on quality moments from individuals, though that’s not to say I don’t think we’ll go far. Wales: They’ve turned up at the last two Euros, and they seem to play better than their squad looks on paper. I think they get through the group, but will struggle past that.

JS:  I think England will win the group thanks to multiple low scoring wins, beat in my opinion Senegal in the Ro16 but crash out to France in the quarters. I think Wales will struggle to make it out of the group, they don’t have the same quality as USA or England, and Iran aren’t to be underestimated either.

WK: Although I would love to see England win, personally I don’t see them making it out of the semi-finals. The choice of squad can be seen to be a bit conservative, while the defence may prove to be England’s achilles heel.
I see Wales having a tough fight with the USA to make it out the group stages but I do see the States beating the squad. But, if they’re at their very best, they could follow England into the round of 16.

CONCACAF chances

Dan Gaichas: USA: Good World Cup would be getting out of the group stage. Need to get results against Wales and Iran if not against England. Looking forward to all three USA matches to see what progress has been made by this squad and what progress will need to be made for 2026.

Canada: Scoring goals will be an achievement (which they didn’t do in 1986). Advancing out of group stage here will be a massive achievement given they have Belgium and Croatia in their group. Player to watch on Canada is Alphonso Davies, but watch out for Cyle Larin as well.

Mexico: It’s all about getting to the quarterfinals which they have never done outside their own country. They should get out the group if they get the results against Saudi Arabia and Poland. However, they were so unremarkable during qualifying and show no signs of suddenly being at this time.

I’ll add a snippet about Costa Rica: In a usual World Cup cycle, they are the third best team in CONCACAF, but Canada excelled and the Ticos had to go through a playoff against New Zealand. This team is nowhere near the team that were penalties away from the semi finals in Brazil. I do not expect much from them–especially against Spain, Germany, and Japan.

Top Scorer

JM: My money’s on Harry Kane (literally), but Messi and Neymar should be good shouts too.

JS:  My top scorer is Kylian Mbappe, I think France will go quite far and with a couple of easy group stage matches on paper against Tunisia and Australia, I can see Mbappe getting on the scoresheet.

Dark Horses

JS: My dark horses are Denmark, they were brilliant in qualifying and were only extra time away from making it to the Euros final and should be making it through their group comfortably, they’ve even beaten France the last two times they’ve met.

JM: Denmark. The Danish have some quality players on paper, getting to the Euros semi-final without Eriksen, their main man. I really like the look of their squad again. I might fancy Uruguay too.

WK: When looking at the teams, a dark horse that stands out for me is Croatia. Their performance in 2018, reaching the final against France, is one that stands out to me following a victory over England but I have not heard them mentioned when discussing possible winners this year.

Game to watch

JS: The group game I’m looking forward to most is Spain vs Germany, it’s a new era for both giants of international football and a game where young players on both sides could shine.

JM:  It’s got to be England vs. Wales. The atmosphere in the country will be incredible, and it’ll certainly be a close game given the rivalry.

WK: The game I am most looking forward to is the final. This may be cliché, but anyone who watches the World Cup is eager to learn who will play for glory.

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The Champions League gets back underway this week following the international break with several sides in desperate need of victories to spark their European campaign into life.

Group A

Napoli will travel to Amsterdam looking to maintain their perfect start against an Ajax side smarting from their late defeat against Liverpool. The Italians have arguably been the standout side in the competition so far and can take a giant leap towards qualification with a victory in the Dutch capital.

Elsewhere it will be a first ever meeting of Liverpool and Rangers at Anfield with both sides needing wins for different reasons. Liverpool will look to Europe to gain some form after stuttering in the league while Rangers are yet to get off the mark in their return to the top table.

Group B

Club Brugge have arguably been the biggest surprise package in the tournament so far and will look to claim another scalp when they host Atletico Madrid.

The Belgians have made a perfect start and another victory would open a big gap between themselves and third place in the group.

Porto will be aiming to get off the mark after two defeats in their first two games when they host Bayer Leverkusen. The Germans are struggling domestically but did defeat Atletico last time out so they’ll have some belief travelling to Portugal.

Group C

Bayern Munich have once more made an impressive start to a Champions League group stage and will get the action underway on Tuesday when they host Viktoria Plzen in the early kickoff.

The German champions defeated their two biggest group rivals in September and will be expecting to dispatch of their Czech visitors to maintain their lead in the group.

Inter Milan meanwhile will host Barcelona in what is the biggest game of the week.

Both sides came up short when facing Bayern and both defeated Plzen so they’ll view these two upcoming games as the key to deciding who will follow Julien Nagelsmann’s side into the last 16.

Group D

Sporting are another side who have impressed, taking six points in what looked the most open group on paper.

They travel to Marseille on Tuesday who desperately need a win if they are to stand any hope of reaching the next round. The French side have started well in the league but have struggled badly in Europe in recent years and will be desperate to give the home support something to cheer.

Tottenham will visit Eintracht Frankfurt in the other Group D clash looking to bounce back from their weekend defeat to bitter rivals Arsenal and take steps towards qualification. It will be far from easy against the Europa League winners who will also have their sights on the latter stages.

Group E 

AC Milan head what has been a very tight and unpredictable Group E and will host Chelsea on Wednesday night with injuries to key players disrupting their preparation.

French pair Mike Maignan and Theo Hernandez will miss the clash against Graham Potter’s men who needs points themselves having stuttered in their opening two games.

Salzburg are unbeaten thus far but have also yet to win but a victory over Dinamo Zagreb at home would put them in good stead heading into the turn in the group. The Croatians will be aiming for another surprise victory having stunned Chelsea last month.

Group F

Holders Real Madrid have made a serene start to their title defence and host Shakhtar on Wednesday looking to maintain their 100% record.

The visitors have also made a good start to the group and look favourites to join their hosts in the next round.

Celtic will travel to Leipzig looking to build on their credible draw against Shakhtar last time out and will need to get something to keep their qualification hopes alive as will the bottom side from East Germany.

Group G

Erling Haaland has been in utterly sensational form this season with 17 goals so far and the visit of FC Copenhagen will offer the Norwegian another chance to add to his tally.

The Danes picked up a draw against Sevilla three weeks ago but will be up against a Manchester City side brimming with confidence after sticking six goals past their local rivals Manchester United.

Sevilla have made a terrible start in La Liga and need to get something at home to Borussia Dortmund to avoid being cut adrift in terms of qualification. Victory for the Germans will see them move five points clear of their hosts with just three games to play.

Group H

Benfica have been another surprise outfit this season, winning nine of ten games in all competitions and two 100% records will go head to head in this group when they host PSG.

The Lisbon side claimed a stunning victory away at Juventus last time out and even a point here at home to the French champions will boost their chances of repeating what they did last year when they knocked Barcelona out in the group stages.

Juventus will be looking to avoid the same fate as the Spaniards and nothing less than three points against Maccabi Haifa in Turin will do, with manager Max Allegri under all sorts of pressure.

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Brazil stepped up their World Cup preparations with a pair of friendlies in France as the African duo of Ghana and Tunisia were disposed of with ease.

Le Havre was the perhaps strange choice of venue for the match against the ‘Black Stars’ on Friday with Tottenham striker Richarlison notching twice in a comfortable 3-0 win.

Marquinhos opened the scoring, which was all done in the first half as coach Tite made six substitutions to experiment in the second half.

Richarlison was also on the scoresheet as Tunisia were beaten 5-1 in Paris but it Raphinha who took the headlines on this occasion, bagging a brace with Neymar and Pedro helping themselves to a goal each.

It has helped showcase the embarrassment of riches Brazil have in attack which has many people tipping the five-time winners to make it number six in Qatar.

A potential front three of Raphinha, Neymar and Vinicius Junior is more reminiscent of some of the famous Brazilian attacks in the past rather than recent versions featuring the likes of Fred and Hulk.

Richarlison looks like the first port of call should changes need to be made but the squad depth is frightening. Rodrygo, Pedro, Antony, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Matheus Cunha and Roberto Firmino are just some of the names in the frame to make the 26 man squad. The Arsenal duo were not even called up this time around.

The attack may be where the star power lies but that is not to say other departments are not also well stocked.

‘A Selecao’ boast two of the worlds finest goalkeepers battling it out for the starting jersey in Ederson and Alisson.

Marquinhos and Thiago Silva started the friendlies in the centre of defence with Serie A duo Bremer and Roger Ibanez in reserve. Gabriel Magalhaes of Arsenal was sitting watching from home.

Casemiro offers the protection in midfield with Fabinho as good a deputy as you are likely to find. Fred of Manchester United is also a firm favourite of Tite.

West Ham’s new arrival Lucas Paqueta offers something different from the middle as opposed to the abundance of options on the wings, with Philippe Coutinho hoping to hit some form in the next two months to force his way back in. Bruno Guimaraes is another midfield option.

It’s perhaps the full back areas that are the main area of weakness but attacking flair from those areas may not be needed as much, such is the strength further up the field.

Alex Telles got the nod for the two friendlies at left-back with Eder Militao and Danilo getting a game each on the opposite flank. Militao of course will be hoping to shift inside and claim a starting slot in the heart of the defence.

Brazil coasted through qualifying but haven’t reached the final now since their last victory in 2002. It is hard to argue against the fact that this is the strongest squad in years and offers the best chance of another triumph 20 years on.

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Photo: Stephen Gormley (Red Eye Photo Agency)

Ireland suffered a disappointing 2-1 defeat to Scotland in Glasgow on Saturday in a feisty Nations League game but hope remains around a youthful Irish squad.

There was a feeling among supporters that Stephen Kenny’s side left the points on the pitch at Hampden Park after taking the game to the hosts and going in at half-time deservedly in front.

Sheffield United’s John Egan swivelled and produced a brilliant finish past Craig Gordon after a dangerous James McClean set-piece to send the 3,000 strong travelling support wild.

Scotland responded well but Ireland held out and went in at the break in front whilst in a confident mood.

However, the lead was soon cancelled out when Jack Hendry pounced on some poor marking and Matt Doherty failing to prevent a cross from the left to glance a header in off the far post.

This may have sent other Irish sides into their shells in previous years but Kenny’s men responded again and spurned a glorious chance to re-take the lead.

With Scotland being pushed forward by their own supporters, an attacking set-play broke down and Michael Obafemi picked up the ball in his own half. The Swansea striker showed electric pace to ride the challenge of Ryan Christie before composing himself to pick out Troy Parrott.

Photo: Stephen Gormley (Red Eye Photo Agency)

The on-loan Preston man has struggled for goals this season and you could see why as the striker scuffed his attempt at giving Gordon the eyes, with the 39-year-old saving with his legs.

This miss would prove extremely costly when Alan Browne was penalised for handball in the Irish area. The referee showed no hesitation in pointing to the spot with Christie calmly rolling the ball home to allow the Scots to claim the victory and move within a point of promotion to League A.

It was a defeat that was very hard to take for Irish supporters but sight must not be lost of what was another encouraging display. The points tally does not show it, but Ireland have improved as this group has gone on after a dreadful opening defeat in Armenia.

Priority now of course is survival in League B with a place in pot three of the Euro 2024 qualifiers already confirmed. A point at home to Armenia will stave off relegation but a win should be the aim to give the side some much needed confidence.

It is a results business at the end of the day but in the grand scheme of things, only a handful of nations can truly hang their hat on winning the majority of their games and regularly qualifying for the big tournaments.

For smaller nations, a positive style of play will go a long way to appeasing supporters who spend hard-earned money to support the team. There are plenty of nay-sayers at the minute who only look at results but the majority of the match going fans are firmly behind Kenny and what he is trying to achieve.

The age of the squad has dropped dramatically and while there are not enough players playing at the highest level, Kenny has definitely got a tune out of what many would describe as a weak squad.

The spine of the team will only become more experienced as they play together. Gavin Bazunu is a real highlight in goal while Nathan Collins has emerged in the last year and brings a real touch of class to the defence. The return from injury of Andrew Omobamidele will only improve things at the back.

Further up the field there are issues but in Obafemi and Chiedozie Ogbenie, Ireland have something that they have not possessed for a while. Pace.

Ogbene has added more goals this Championship while Obafemi has done well since joining Swansea, attracting interest in the summer from Burnley.

More goals in the team is a must but with the under 21 side going well in Euro qualification, hopes are high for the likes of Evan Ferguson to make the step up to senior level.

Kenny has signed on for at least the next qualification cycle and that will probably decide his tenure.

For some, failure to qualify would mean the end of his spell in charge and it would be hard to argue against it. But Ireland could potentially find themselves in a group with Spain, England and Turkey. Nobody would have them qualifying from a group like that so expectations should be weighed up after the draw.

More positive displays like Saturday should yield more wins than defeats. A victory against Armenia in front of the home supporters would finish the year off well before sights can be set on Germany in 2024.

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The game kicked off at the slightly later than usual time of half past three to allow supporters to watch another big game taking place on Merseyside on the same afternoon.

It was a smart move from the club as the 1894 bar was packed to the rafters as fans got a double helping of football on a warm September afternoon.

Supporters soon began milling into the Marine Travel Arena and there was a large crowd in attendance as both sides looked to embark on a potentially lucrative cup run.

A close encounter between the sides was anticipated as just one point separated the pair in the league table and so it proved to be.

Djavan Pedro set his stall out early, looking to get in behind the Radcliffe defence and clattering Richard Smith to leave his mark.

It was Pedro who would have the first effort of the game as Marine started stronger. Luke Clark sent in a wonderful cross from the right only for the winger’s header to be easily saved by Thomas Stewart in the Radcliffe goal.

Stewart had started confidently, easily saving a shot from Joshua Wardle and claiming a cross from Jordan Lussey. The visitors defence will have had great confidence in their ‘keeper.

Former Liverpool youngster Jack Dunn is playing regularly at this level these days, and came the closest to opening the scoring when his brilliant free-kick sailed just over the crossbar.

Radcliffe were not quite in the realms of ‘hanging on’, but Marine were gently knocking on the door and they found the breakthrough in the 31st minute.

A free-kick was sent into the box and the ball was not dealt with by the Radcliffe defence, allowing Adams to pounce on the loose ball and knock in his first goal for Marine. It was a deserved lead for the home side.

Radcliffe improved at the beginning of the second half and finally tested Bayleigh Passant with Ben Rydel bringing out a flying save from the goalkeeper.

The game began to open up with both sides trading blows, Oliver Thornley heading over at one end while Dunn almost doubled the lead at the other.

Dunn was looking very lively and came close again in the 63rd minute, wriggling free in the box before shooting narrowly wide.

Marine began going to the corner with about ten minutes to go in order to run the clock down which was frustrating Radcliffe but substitute Hayden Campbell had other ideas.

Campbell showed wonderful vision to spread the play and find Clark in space on the right. Rather than standing and admiring his pass, the replacement charged into the box for a return ball and shifted onto his left foot to finish beyond Stewart.

There was a celebratory mood among the home fans now as they were eying up the next round.

Luca Navarro ensured a nervy ending however when he finished at the back post but Radcliffe failed to create anything else clear cut as the home defence stood strong.

Two seasons ago Marine made it to the third round proper of the cup where they hosted Premier League giants, Tottenham Hotspur. Those were, undoubtedly, unprecedented times and whilst they have a long way to go to match that, this was an important test passed after a difficult draw.

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To many, the FA Cup fully gets going in early January when Premier League and Championship sides enter the competition but for lots of fans across the country, the road to Wembley begins many months earlier.

416 clubs got the competition underway at the beginning of August in the extra preliminary round before another 136 games took place in the preliminary round proper.

This weekend will see over 100 matches played as some of the more established sides in the lower reaches make their debut in this season’s competition.

Marine and Radcliffe will face off in the seaside town of Crosby on Saturday afternoon looking to gain bragging rights over their Northern Premier League rivals and progress to the second qualifying round.

Just a point separates the sides in the league with Radcliffe having made a marginally better start to the campaign whilst Marine are unbeaten at home so far which could bode well as their away form has not been as consistent.

Radcliffe conversely come into this game unbeaten on their travels and have taken 11 points so far since the beginning of the season.

The cup is a different beast however and Marine have some famous recent pedigree. The club reached the third round of the competition for only the second time in their history just two seasons ago where they hosted Tottenham Hotspur in front of the BBC cameras.

It was a welcome feel-good moment amidst the Covid 19 lockdowns but with the game having taken place behind closed doors, supporters will be dreaming of some more big days that they can attend in person.

Radcliffe only reached the first round proper once before and that was over 20 years ago so The Boro will be hoping to take a step closer to repeating that feat when they travel to Merseyside.

Marine will have to do without Jake Burton who has been recalled by parent club Tranmere Rovers but will look to the likes of Jack Dunn for inspiration.

Radcliffe player/manager Bobby Grant will be familiar to Football League followers for scoring 22 goals across a four year spell at Fleetwood.

It’s an unbeaten home record against a team undefeated on the road and while a replay is possible, something may have to give in what has the appearance of a close encounter on Saturday.

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Everton avoided relegation by the skin of their teeth last season and Frank Lampard will have plenty of work to do if they are to avoid a repeat in the upcoming campaign.

There were scenes of jubilation in May when Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored a late header to seal victory over Crystal Palace that ensured the Toffees survival but at the moment that looks like an anomaly rather than a catalyst for future success.

Brazilian attacker Richarlison was a talismanic figure towards the end of the previous campaign, filling the void left by Calvert-Lewin’s injury problems and providing iconic scenes such as the winner against Chelsea and the image with the blue flare in the celebrations.

Everton are not a club awash with cash at present however and the decision was taken at the end of June to cash in, with the former Watford man sealing a transfer to Tottenham for a fee in the region of £50 million.

The club are clearly having some difficulties dealing with the financial fair play regulations as very little of that money has been reinvested in the playing squad.

Transfers

So far there have only been three incomings this summer, far fewer than what supporters would have been hoping for, if not expecting.

James Tarkowski has arrived on a free transfer from Burnley and does look an astute signing. The 29-year-old brings a wealth of Premier League experience to the defence and will provide leadership qualities that were at times lacking during crucial periods last season.

Ruben Vinagre has come in on loan from Sporting CP in Portugal and will provide competition in the left wingback role. Vinagre looked like he had a lot of potential at Wolves and now is the time for the defender to show consistent performances at a higher level.

Dwight McNeil is probably the most interesting of the signings so far. The former Burnley man struggled last season but is only 22-years-old and has shown enough promise in his career so far that he could provide an impact into the Blues’ side.

The club have also trimmed some big wages off the club accounts this summer. Gylfi Sigurdsson, Fabian Delph, Jonjoe Kenny and Cenk Tosun have all departed and while the club made no money in transfer fees, the savings in wages will not be insignificant.

The departure of Ellis Simms on loan to Championship side Sunderland on loan looks even more curious by the day. Calvert-Lewin has picked up an injury just days before the season opener against Chelsea and with Salomon Rondon suspended, the club will have no recognised striker going into the opening game.

Fans will be praying it is nothing serious but given Calvert-Lewin’s struggles with fitness last season, this news will have supporters extremely worried.

Expectations

It is fair to say that even the most ardent Toffees are not expecting anything close to a European challenge this season. A more comfortable season without the pressure of a relegation dogfight would be enough for most but without some more recruits in the next few weeks, that is exactly the position Everton could find themselves in once more.

Should Calvert-Lewin’s injury be more serious than first feared then a number nine is an absolute must for Lampard as it is hard to see enough goals in the rest of the side.

With rumours all summer of a takeover from Peter Kenyon and work ongoing on the new stadium at Bramley Moore dock, it could be another rocky campaign for one of England’s most famous clubs.

A slightly less eventful, maybe even boring, campaign could do the club some good before the big move in the coming years. Everton are a club that cannot afford to be in the Championship, and Lampard has work on his hands to put that possibility far in the rear-view mirror.

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