All posts by z3u9t.icu

Aston Villa are now leading the race to sign a young £25 million striker ahead of other Premier League teams, according to a new report.

Aston Villa transfer news

The Villans still have plenty to play for in what remains of this 2024/25 season, as they look to secure another top-four spot in the Premier League, as well as compete in both the Champions League and FA Cup. But even though there is still a lot to be decided on the pitch, off it, the club’s hierarchy are putting plans in place ahead of the summer transfer window.

He's an "outstanding" talent: Aston Villa are brewing a homegrown Asensio

Aston Villa have their own answer to Marco Asensio.

ByRoss Kilvington Mar 18, 2025

According to a recent report, Villa have joined the race to sign Genoa’s Morten Frendrup but face stiff competition in the form of Liverpool and Juventus. The Midlands side are keen on securing a deal for the versatile player, with Genoa looking to accept the fact that he will leave come the end of the season, as they are looking to get around £25 million for his services.

As well as looking to sign a new midfielder, Villa are also in the market to strengthen their defence, and according to a new report from Spain relayed by Sport Witness, Unai Emery was back at Villarreal over the weekend to watch defender Juan Foyth in action. He is a player Villa tried to sign in January, but it didn’t work out, and Emery is keen to try again, as he believes he fits into his system at Villa Park.

Aston Villa leading the race to sign young £25m striker

As well as looking at a new midfielder and defender, the Villans are also in the market for a new centre-forward, as according to Caught Offside, Aston Villa are in pole position to sign Charalampos Kostoulas from Greek side Olympiacos.

Kostoulas is only 17 years old and is believed to be one of the most sought-after strikers of his age group, and according to this report, Villa are ahead of the other teams when it comes to securing his signature. The Midlands side are very keen to win the race for the young man, as Emery will want to add more firepower to his attack after the loss of Jhon Duran, and they have already put plans in place to build around Kostoulas, who Olympiacos want to get €30 million for (£25 million).

However, Villa are not the only Premier League team interested, as Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, and Nottingham Forest are also keeping a close eye on Kostoulas ahead of the summer transfer window. Meanwhile, teams such as Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus and AC Milan are also keen on securing the signature of the striker.

Apps

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19

Goals

6

Assists

2

Kostoulas, who has two caps and two goals for Greece’s under-21s, came through the academy at Olympiacos, but it wasn’t until this season that he earned a call-up to the first team. The striker, who is currently on the sidelines with a muscle injury, has made an impact in terms of scoring goals in Greek football.

Erik ten Hag will be looking to make a return to the Champions League qualification spots this coming season, with transfer recruitment already well underway ahead of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign.

Highly rated 18-year-old Leny Yoro has been signed from Lille, along with 23-year-old talented forward Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna. But it is still expected Manchester United will have more incomings this summer, with plenty of links flying around.

One area of need is a defensive midfielder, as Casemiro missed 17 games due to an injury, and United will want to find a consistent partner for the talented Kobbie Mainoo ahead of next season.

Manchester United transfer news

According to reports from talkSPORT, Manchester United are interested in Real Sociedad midfielder, Martin Zubimendi, who is also on Arsenal's transfer list this summer, to bolster their midfield options.

The midfielder has a release clause of £50m this summer, according to the reports, and both clubs are interested in the prospect of bringing the Spaniard to the club.

Zubimendi made 45 appearances in all competitions for Real Sociedad last season, scoring four goals, providing one assist, and contributing to 19 clean sheets.

Zubimendi vs Rodri comparison

The two players have been compared with Spanish football expert Sid Lowe notably speaking highly of Zubimendi, saying: "He is just about as good a deep-lying midfielder there is in Europe, apart from maybe Rodri". Their similarities are described as being familiar in similar areas of the pitch, and being "fundamental cogs in a machine".

Spain manager De la Fuente spoke very highly of the Real Sociedad midfielder too, saying he is "one of the best midfielders in the world". So, could Zubimendi be United's answer to Rodri?

Passes Attempted

53.10

113.85

Pass Completion %

86.0%

91.9%

Progressive Passes

5.21

12.28

Progressive Carries

1.07

2.85

Goals/Shot

0.14

0.12

Tackles

1.79

2.08

Aerials Won

1.55

1.46

Rodri made 50 appearances for Manchester City last season in all competitions, scoring nine goals, providing 14 assists, and totaling a whopping 4,327 minutes, showing his ever-present importance to his side.

Being at the base of the team, having that high pass success rate (91.9% which is in the top 1% among midfielders in the top five leagues) is very important, to keep things ticking and control the tempo of the game.

However, you are also a key part of the rest of the defence. When that ball turns over, you must be ready to perform defensive actions, protect the backline, and win aerial duels in that area of the pitch. Zubimendi, whilst ranking below Rodri in passing metrics, does rank very closely in tackling numbers, and actually above Rodri in aerial duels won.

Playing for Real Sociedad, who averaged 55.5% possession, were a slightly less dominant ball team than Rodri's Manchester City, who averaged 65.4% possession, which is one reason for the big disparity in passing metrics and touches.

By inputting the passing ability of Zubimendi into a slightly more ball-dominant team, with more intent on circulating possession, those passing metrics could take a massive jump, and perhaps even make him Omar Berrada's – the man who signed Rodri for Manchester City – second answer to the Ballon d'Or contender.

Man Utd struck gold on "fabulous" star who's worth even more than Ugarte

Manchester United really have reaped the rewards of giving this star a chance to shine.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 22, 2024

Crystal Palace have reportedly submitted an offer to sign a "special" attacker and have already received a reply, Sky Sports report.

Crystal Palace eyeing new forward signing

The Eagles have been making preparations behind the scenes ahead of Oliver Glasner‘s first season in charge, with two new signings already made. Centre-back Chadi Riad from Real Betis was the first to arrive at Palace and, more recently, they also secured the services of attacking midfielder Daichi Kamada on a free transfer.

Tottenham consider Palace hijack with approach made for £11 million forward

The Lilywhites could spoil Oliver Glasner’s bid.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 16, 2024

Now, attention appears to be on securing a new attacker after Michael Olise officially completed his move to German giants Bayern Munich. Former Watford winger Ismaila Sarr, now at Marseille, has been linked with a return to England, whereas a bid worth more than £12m has been submitted for Sporting CP winger Marcus Edwards. Juventus’ Matias Soule is also another who could become Olise’s long-term replacement, with Fabrizio Romano saying:

“Another player they've been tracking is Matias Soule but Juventus want €40 million for him. Also, West Ham United and Leicester City are interested, but €40 million is a lot of money, so not that easy. And I expect Crystal Palace to do something absolutely because Oliver Glasner, apart from obviously Daichi Kamada joining, wants one more player.”

However, an attacker closer to home appears to be of interest, with an offer now submitted to secure his services.

Crystal Palace make Emile Smith Rowe bid

According to senior Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth in the last 48 hours, Crystal Palace and Premier League rivals Fulham have both made offers to sign Arsenal forward Emile Smith Rowe.

However, the Gunners have turned down the proposals from Selhurst Park and Craven Cottage, with talks ongoing at Palace on whether or not to make an improved bid.

The 23-year-old has progressed through the academy with Arsenal and has gone on to make 115 senior appearances for the Gunners, scoring 18 goals and registering 13 assists in all competitions. Smith Rowe has also come in for high praise earlier in his career, with Jamie Carragher waxing lyrical over his displays back in 2021.

“Emile Smith Rowe will get England caps, absolutely no doubt. There are so many good young players. He'll have to bide his time, there are other young players ahead of him right now but I absolutely love that lad.

“I always want him to do well, you're urging him on. To watch him in full flow, I've said he's the best player in the Premier League running the ball.

“He's so exciting, the pace, moving with the ball. He's a special talent. He can pop up in different positions, he has that ability to play all four positions up top and that's a real bonus.”

He struggled for game time under Mikel Arteta last season though, playing under 500 minutes of football in total, so a move away could be just what is required.

After clinching a return to the Premier League at the first time of asking, Leicester City are set to use the transfer market to bolster Steve Cooper's squad in preparation for next season.

Leicester look set to keep key players at the club

The big news out of the King Power Stadium in recent weeks has surrounded the futures of some of Leicester's most important players. Wilfred Ndidi long looked destined to be playing his football elsewhere next year after his contract expired at the end of last month. Despite this, a breakthrough in negotiations has seen the midfielder snub a move to the likes of Everton and commit his future to the Foxes.

Leicester favourites to sign £25m+ Dewsbury-Hall replacement

Leicester City could be signing their next Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall shortly.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 15, 2024

Another Leicester star returning to the club for the 2024/25 season is Abdul Fatawu who spent last term on loan with the Foxes but now joins in a permanent move from Sporting. The 22-year-old contributed 7 goals and 13 assists for Leicester last season and will no doubt play a vital role in their bid to stave off relegation in the next campaign.

With a number of key players committing their future to the Foxes, the club can now look towards bringing in new signings. The name most commonly associated with a move to the Midlands outfit has been Juventus winger Matias Soule. Leicester have already seen a bid in the region of €25million (£21million) rejected by the Italian giants meaning that they will have to up their offer to get a deal over the line.

As Leicester look eager to bring fresh faces to the King Power, the Foxes are said to be plotting a move for an established Premier League midfielder this summer.

Foxes in the hunt to sign Spurs' Skipp

As first reported by Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke, Leicester are plotting a move for Tottenham midfielder Oliver Skipp. The outlet claims that the North London side could be open to letting the 23-year-old leave this summer despite being a product of the club's youth academy and playing a key role in their first team.

The Foxes are said to be in the market for a proven Premier League midfielder who can step straight into the starting eleven and in that regard Skipp more than fits the bill. Across his career, Skipp has made 77 appearances in the English top flight, scoring once in the process.

Skipp's time at Spurs has seen him earn praise as a diligent presence in the middle of the park. Speaking after a game versus Norwich City back in May 2020, then Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho spoke highly of the 23-year-old: "Phenomenal. Very, very good. Very, very good, solid performance,

"He was always in control of the game. We could see the difference also on the physical condition of him and the people who us playing all the time."

Currently commanding a weekly wage of £40,000, the Foxes should not need to break the bank to bring Skipp to the King Power, especially if Spurs are willing to let him leave this summer.

The club’s most exhaustive and extensive rebuild is on the horizon this summer, as Chelsea begins their quest to regain their status as one of Europe’s most elite sides.

The incoming Mauricio Pochettino has got a mammoth task to trim, refine and assess a horrendously bloated squad.

However, despite owning an absurd number of players, the Blues are still painfully lacking quality in some areas of the pitch and are targeting a new midfielder.

One player, who has been linked and would be a phenomenal addition to Stamford Bridge is Moises Caicedo.

What’s the latest on Moises Caicedo to Chelsea?

According to The Guardian, the 2021 Champions League winners are seeking to secure the Brighton titan to save their hugely underperforming midfield.

It is understood that the Seagulls could demand at least £80m to consider the departure of one of their prize assets.

Meanwhile, the west Londoners have already sold Jorginho, whilst Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are looking set to depart.

This has created space and solid funding to sign one of Europe’s most accomplished and promising youngsters.

Who can Moises Caicedo emulate at Chelsea?

Since the turn of the century, the centre of the park at Chelsea has been blessed with endless quality and dominance.

Michael Essien was a man who embodied this and during a nine-year spell in the capital, he forged an unbelievable reputation as a formidable midfield enforcer, renowned for his strength, athleticism, and indefatigable energy.

The Ghanian arrived in West London in 2004 for £24.4m to make the pivot Chelsea’s most expensive signing at the time. He would go on to make 256 appearances and was named the club’s Player of the Year in 2007.

A box-to-box adonis, aptly nicknamed “The Bison”, he ruthlessly combined a no-nonsense physicality with effortless technique, vision, and leadership.

Essien’s international teammate Derek Boateng has sung his praises, describing the former African footballer of the year as someone who “never lost form in his career.”

From a modern perspective, Caicedo mirrors many of the traits associated with the former professional, particularly his tough tackling and ability to protect the defence.

The 21-year-old ranks in the top 12% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for tackles and interceptions per 90, to emphasize his pivotal contribution to the backline.

For his age, the 30-cap international is a standout performer and has won possession in the midfield third the most times (142) of any U21 player this season.

South American football expert Tim Vickey has labelled the Ecuadorian sensation as a "terrific athlete who makes football look easy” and also hailed him as the “genuine article.”

If Caicedo continues on this frightening trajectory and his pathway to greatness, Essien’s achievements are not out of his grasp and his tenacity could make him a fan-favourite at Stamford Bridge.

With the Premier League season now at a close, Manchester United will now be turning their attention toward Saturday's FA Cup final showdown with Manchester City, with Erik ten Hag and his men having the chance to cap what has already been a fine debut season in charge for the Dutchman.

With Champions League qualification having been clinched – as well as Carabao Cup glory – the aim for the Red Devils will be to end their season on an even greater high by stopping their treble-chasing rivals in their tracks.

Ahead of this weekend's mouthwatering showpiece meeting, one United man who looks unlikely to play a central role in proceedings is club captain, Harry Maguire, with the Englishman having largely been on the periphery this term after making just eight top-flight starts – the last of which came against Fulham on Sunday.

That outing against the Cottagers could well prove to be the 30-year-old's 'final start' for the club – as per GOAL's Richard Martin – with speculation mounting that the £80m addition could be among those to be shown the door by Ten Hag this summer.

While the season-ending injury to Lisandro Martinez had looked to have offered the former Leicester City man the chance of a more prominent role in recent weeks, the £190k-per-week dud has been usurped in the defensive pecking order by Victor Lindelof, with the impressive Swede likely to line up alongside Raphael Varane once again this weekend.

With even Luke Shaw – who started in a centre-back berth in the Manchester derby back in January – having been given the nod over Maguire at times this season, it is difficult to see where the 6 foot 4 brute goes from here…

Will Maguire play for Man United again?

The fact that the one-time Hull City man is set to be restricted to a potential late cameo appearance – if that – against Pep Guardiola's men is a stark indication of his decline, with the 55-cap asset having fallen by the wayside since making an early strong impression upon his arrival back in 2019.

The towering defender initially shone on debut in the 4-0 thrashing against Chelsea at the start of the 2019/20 campaign, with The Guardian's Andy Hunter writing at the time:

'A serene start to life as the world’s most expensive defender. Won every header, distributed cleanly and instigated the crucial second goal.'

Fast forward just under four years and Maguire now looks like a shadow of that once-dominant gem, having been described as a "walking disaster" by Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst amid a turbulent campaign for United last season.

As for the 2022/23 campaign, the ailing talent has been resigned to a role as third or fourth-choice centre-back at times, while failing to make his mark when he has featured, notably looking "lost" after starting in the FA Cup clash with Cottagers back in March, according to former MEN writer Hesham Bilal-Hefiz.

The experienced dud was also notably culpable in the dismal Europa League defeat away to Sevilla last month after gifting possession to the La Liga outfit in the build-up to the game's opening goal, having earlier scored an unfortunate own goal in the first-leg stalemate in Manchester.

Those woes have ensured that a departure now looks a mere certainty for Maguire, with Ten Hag himself having only recently stated that the skipper has a "decision" to make over his future, amid the "high competition" for places.

As such, it could well be that the weekend win over Marco Silva's side proves to be the last time the England regular is seen in a United jersey – aside from potentially holding the FA Cup trophy aloft on Saturday…

Manchester United have reportedly made new direct contact over a summer move for Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot.

What’s the latest Man United transfer news?

The Red Devils appear to be making transfer plans despite the ongoing takeover saga at Old Trafford. Erik ten Hag seemingly wants to bolster his squad with midfield and attacking additions, with Rabiot a long-term target.

A move last summer was on the cards with a deal even agreed between the two clubs. However, as we know, a transfer failed to materialise, but it looks as if United, and specifically Ten Hag, are still keen on sealing a deal, with Rabiot set to become a free agent over the coming months when his contract expires.

Italian outlet CalcioMercato provided an update regarding Rabiot in the last 48 hours, saying that sides from the Premier League are making concrete moves for the Frenchman. One of those is from Old Trafford, with officials making new direct contact. Newcastle are also name-checked with an interest alongside German giants Bayern Munich.

Who is Adrien Rabiot?

Rabiot is 28 years of age and is primarily a central midfielder who can also play in a holding role or out on the left. The France international, sponsored by Adidas, has won 24 major honours during his career and has made exactly 450 senior appearances for club and country, contributing to more than 70 goals.

He has been on the books with Juventus since 2019 and has been a regular this season, turning out on 45 occasions in all competitions.

David Trezeguet appears to be a fan of the midfielder, labelling Rabiot as “world-class” back in December during the World Cup and describing his contract situation as a problem for Juventus.

"[With Rabiot] we are talking about a problem for Juventus because in Italy, he may have been targeted for criticism, but in France, it's completely different.

"He is world-class, an extraordinary player. Now, he will evaluate his options and will go back to being the important player he always was.”

Therefore, Juventus’ possible pending loss could be United’s gain, and with Rabiot’s experience and versatility, a free transfer for the €30m-rated midfielder could be an extremely shrewd move, similar to the one the club made for Christian Eriksen last season.

It looks as if the club are pushing to make a move possible, and who knows, should United finish in the top four, it could increase their chances of securing the player's services.

Sunderland's impressive season came to a disappointing end on Tuesday night as they fell 2-0 against Luton Town in the playoff semi-final second leg.

Having won 2-1 at the Stadium of Light last week, Tony Mowbray's side looked to be in a strong position against the Hatters and would have been hoping to make it to Wembley, where they would have been one match away from securing back-to-back promotions.

What happened in Luton vs Sunderland?

Unfortunately for the Black Cats, that dream wouldn't become a reality as the aggregate score was levelled at 2-2 within ten minutes as Gabriel Osho smashed home from a corner.

Mowbray's side were trailing on aggregate before half-time as centre-back Tom Lockyer headed in Alfie Doughty's wicked delivery, with injuries in defence leaving Sunderland exposed in the air against a physically dominant Luton side.

It was always going to be tough for Sunderland given that the likes of Dennis Cirkin, Danny Batth and Ross Stewart were all absent from the matchday squad.

This forced Mowbray to play both Lynden Gooch and Patrick Roberts as full-backs at Kenilworth Road, despite them being short tricky wingers, and this certainly backfired against Rob Edwards' giant Luton side.

How did Roberts play against Luton?

As per Sofascore, the former Manchester City man would earn a shocking 6.2/10 rating for his performance, which was comfortably the worst of any player to start the game from both sides.

It is perhaps harsh to judge the 26-year-old given he was playing in an unfamiliar position, but it wasn't just his defending which let the Black Cats down on Tuesday night.

Mowbray will have selected Roberts on the right in the hope that he could attack and link up with Amad Diallo, so it was perhaps no surprise that the slight winger struggled against Doughty down the left, as he was dribbled past three times and won just eight of 26 duels during the 90 minutes.

However, his performance going forward was a real letdown and arguably a major factor in Sunderland's failure to find the goal which could have taken the game to extra time or taken the north-east club to Wembley.

The English winger lost the ball on a remarkable 23 occasions against Luton, as just one of his five crosses and none of his three long balls found a teammate.

Roberts is certainly known for his dribbling ability but tried to do it far too often at Kenilworth Road, succeeding with just four of his 12 attempts on the night, although he did nearly score a wonder goal after beating a number of Luton defenders on a mazy run.

With Sunderland struggling to create chances late on, the right-winger engineered the space for three shots but put every single one off target, when a pass would have perhaps been the better option.

His greediness was disappointing on a night when Sunderland needed to be at their best as a team to get through, and his underwhelming performance was no doubt one major factor in the 2-0 defeat.

Aston Villa are reportedly preparing a move to sign Real Madrid attacker Marco Asensio this summer.

What’s the latest transfer news coming out of Aston Villa involving Asensio?

It looks like it could be an extremely busy summer at Villa Park ahead of Unai Emery’s first full season in charge, with the manager currently leading a late push to qualify for European football in the Premier League.

Plans for the summer are already being put in place, though, with Barcelona director Mateu Alemany reportedly reaching a ‘full agreement’ to move to the Midlands this summer.

He looks set to work closely with Emery when it comes to transfer targets, and it appears as if they have identified Asensio as one of their first possible signings together, with the manager on board over a swoop for the Madrid man.

Reliable Spanish outlet Marca shared an update on Asensio, who is out of contract at the Bernabeu at the end of the season. They said that Alemany and Emery are going to launch an Aston Villa move for the player through his representative, Jorge Mendes.

Asensio would like to renew his Real Madrid contract, however, Villa may well submit an offer for the left-footed winger that could be worth around €8m-a-year (£6.9m), working out at £132,000-a-week and double his Madrid salary.

What would Asensio bring to Villa?

Asensio, described as "sensational" for the impact he's made from the bench back in October, was valued at a whopping €90m by Transfermarkt back in 2018 and is now valued at €25m, so you can see why Alemany and Emery could launch an eye-catching contract offer with no transfer fee required.

The 27-year-old can play on either wing or in an attacking midfield role, so would offer plenty of versatility in the final third. A three-time Champions League winner, the Spaniard has made 281 appearances for Madrid, contributing to 92 goals.

He has plenty of experience in the Champions League, a competition Villa would love to be playing in further down the line under Emery, while Asensio also has 35 caps to his name at international level for Spain.

Therefore, for free, he could prove to be a smart signing by Villa this summer as they look to go to the next level, and it looks as if Alemany and Emery are working on a move.

Leeds United are expected to make a "big appointment" to replace Victor Orta this summer, according to an update from journalist Ben Jacobs.

Has Orta left Leeds?

It has been another tumultuous season at Elland Road, with the Whites still heavily threatened by relegation from the Premier League. Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Manchester City was at least a spirited effort, but it was still a loss in Sam Allardyce's first game in charge.

The Englishman replaced Javi Gracia after his recent sacking – he had initially taken over from Jesse Marsch – and Victor Orta also departed his role as director of football at Leeds. The Italian was a big figure at the club during his time there, so it is vital that his replacement is nailed in the near future, regardless of where the Whites are playing their football next season.

Who will replace Orta this summer?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jacobs touched up on the importance of the appointment, in what could be such a key summer at Elland Road:

"49ers Enterprises are well aware of the importance of the next four games. They were also extremely involved in Orta’s departure and the hiring of Sam Allardyce, as they were in the appointment of Gracia.

"But the one thing that each departure and appointment has in common is that it clears the slate a little bit. Gracia was only temporary, and now he's gone. Allardyce has come in, but he's only temporary. Orta has gone, which means there's a big appointment and window of opportunity to bring in someone new with a different approach and a new strategy."

As mentioned, the importance of Leeds bringing in a top-quality director of football cannot be overstated enough, with Orta such an influential figure, even if he could prove to be a divisive figure at times. He was still the brains behind the signings of players such as Raphinha, Jack Harrison and Mateusz Klich, outlining the job he did, and he was hugely passionate at the same time.

Whether Allardyce stays put beyond the summer remains to be seen, but whatever happens with him, having someone as good as, or hopefully even better than, Orta is vital for the Whites, ensuring they continue to be a well-run club.

It will clearly be easier to appoint an elite director of football if Leeds' Premier League status is preserved, which should act as an extra incentive for Allardyce and his players to get the job done in the coming weeks.