Why George Evans can help Derby County challenge for Premier League promotion

As per Sky Sports, Derby County completed the signing of George Evans from Championship rivals Reading. Evans, who started as a Manchester City trainee, signed a three-year deal at Pride Park.

Derby manager Frank Lampard has been busy strengthening the Rams squad this summer, bringing in a lot of fresh faces to make his squad capable of challenging for the Championship title. The likes of Jack Marriott and Florian Jozefzoon have joined Derby on permanent deals while Harry Wilson and Mason Mount have also arrived on season-long loans.

George Evans, a defensive midfielder by trade, is expected to bring more energy and bite to Derby’s midfield in the upcoming season.

Evans, 23, rose through the academy at Manchester City, signing for the Cityzens at the age of just six. He made just one appearance for Man City’s first-team before leaving for Reading on a permanent basis in 2016. However, at City, he enjoyed three loan spells to the third tier, representing Crewe Alexandra, Scunthorpe United and Walsall.

The former England Under-19 international was a key player for Jaap Stam in the 2016/17 campaign as Reading were beaten in the playoff finals. Evans made 33 appearances that season under Stam but had limited game time last campaign due to massive competition for places at the Madejski Stadium.

As Evans had entered the final year of his contract at Reading, the club decided to cash in on him this summer after he fell down the pecking order under Paul Clement.

As far as his style of play is concerned, Evans is a holding midfielder by trade and he will challenge the likes of Tom Huddlestone, Joe Ledley and George Thorne for a regular starting spot at Pride Park. He fits the bill of a young, dynamic, versatile and influential midfielder that Lampard would surely like. Due to Evans’ versatility, he can also play in central defence.

A player who can play in the midfield or in central defence, Evans could be a fantastic addition for the Rams. At the age of 23, Evans already has some decent experience under his belt at a higher level and had previously played with Lampard at Manchester City. A hungry, intelligent and energetic player with good passing ability, Evans would add some much-needed steel to Derby’s engine room.

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Evans is young and is an exciting midfield prospect who has bags of potential in him. Under the guidance of Lampard, the 23-year-old can certainly develop rapidly and help the Rams challenge for Premier League promotion this term.

Why Matt Lowton signing a new contract is a step in the right direction for Burnley

As per reports, Burnley full-back Matt Lowton has penned a new three-year contract, which keeps him at Turf Moor until 2021.

Lowton, 29, who was under contract until 2020, has been a mainstay in Burnley’s defence for the majority of the three years he has spent with the club since moving from Aston Villa.

The right-back made 26 Premier League appearances for the Turf Moor outfit last season and assisted 3 goals. But it wasn’t a plain sailing for Lowton this past season as he tackled injury problems that saw him spend nearly two months on the bench after recovering from a knee injury.

Matthew Lowton

Lowton, Sean Dyche’s undisputed first-choice right-back, lost his place following a knee injury in November and has had to bide his time, with Phil Bardsley taking his chance in the former Aston Villa man’s absence. But Bardsley picked up a hamstring problem in early February that gave Lowton a chance to return.

And once Lowton displaced Bardsley in the first-team, it was difficult to shake him off, as the right-back maintained his good form until the final week of the season. That patience and determination to fight until the final minute of every game has made Lowton an endearing figure amongst the Burnley fans.

In 2015, Lowton sprung a surprise when he decided to drop down to the Championship, swapping Aston Villa for Burnley. Since becoming a part of the Clarets’ army, the 29-year-old has established himself as one of the most important figures under the management of Dyche. Lowton may not be a star figure at Burnley or a regular headline maker but his essence at Turf Moor is clear to see.

Solid if not spectacular, Lowton has stuck to his guns at Turf Moor, regularly leading the team by an example. He was one of the crucial figures for Burnley back in the 2015-16 campaign, helping the club win the Football League Championship title and earn promotion to the Premier League.

Despite making 26 Premier League appearances, Lowton also played his part in guiding the Clarets to a record 7th-place finish in the top-flight which saw them earn a place in the Europa League.

It is tough to describe how important Lowton is to Dyche and Burnley, as the marauding right-back has been a positive influence over his teammates ever since he stepped into the club. The defender’s passion, commitment, energy and leadership qualities have made him a firm fan favourite at the Lancashire-based club.

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The new three-year deal apparently comes as the board’s reward for Lowton’s top-notch attitude and professionalism that has seen him cross every hurdle that has come in his way so far. All in all, Burnley securing Lowton’s future is a move in the right direction.

Why a swap deal involving Martial and Willian could work wonders for both Chelsea and Man United

There are murmurs of a possible swap deal involving Manchester United’s Anthony Martial and Chelsea star Willian in the summer. Martial, who has fallen out of favour at Manchester United under Mourinho, missed out on a place in France’s World Cup squad.

Willian, on the other hand, has worked with Mourinho before at Chelsea, and the Portuguese manager wants to reunite with the Brazilian. Mourinho is trying to raid his former employers again after signing Nemanja Matic from Chelsea last summer.

So, let’s assess the situations of the two players and see if a swap deal would work for all the parties involved.

The scenario

Martial

Manchester United had to shell out an initial £36m to sign Martial from Monaco in the summer of 2015. The Frenchman has managed to show his quality in patches at Old Trafford.

But he has struggled for game time under Mourinho, who restricted Martial to just 18 Premier League starts last season. However, the 22-year-old scored nine goals and set up five more in 30 league appearances in the 2017/18 campaign.

Martial often found himself down the pecking behind the likes of Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard and Alexis Sanchez last season, and a move away from United could help him to revive his career.

Willian

Willian also struggled for game time last season as he managed just 20 Premier League starts. The Brazilian winger has a fractious relationship with Chelsea boss Antonio Conte, who is close to heading out of Stamford Bridge.

Willian

Willian, who scored 6 goals and provided 8 assists in 36 league games in the 2017/18 campaign, would relish the prospect of reuniting with Mourinho at Old Trafford.

Moreover, joining Manchester United would give him the chance to feature in the Champions League next season as Chelsea missed out on a top-four finish last term. Mourinho is the one who brought Willian to England after signing him from Russian outfit Anzhi Makhachkala for £30m during his managerial stint at Chelsea.

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The Verdict

It appears that both Willian and Martial are misfits at their respective clubs and a swap deal could prove to be good for all parties involved.