Aston Villa recently made the decision to part ways with manager Steven Gerrard and swooped to bring in Spaniard Unai Emery to replace him in the dugout.

The former Villarreal and Arsenal head coach enjoyed a phenomenal first game in charge of the Premier League side as his team smashed Manchester United 3-1 on Sunday.

He masterminded a superb victory over the Red Devils and ended their opponents’ nine-game unbeaten run in all competitions, with Leon Bailey, Jacob Ramsey, and Lucas Digne getting on the scoresheet.

Ramsey, in particular, was impressive as he registered one goal and one assist, whilst also winning eight of his ten individual duels and making an eye-catching six tackles in the middle of the park.

The 21-year-old, who scored six goals in the Premier League last season, could be a key player for Emery in the coming months but there is another member of his family who could be on the manager’s radar heading into the 2023 – Aaron Ramsey.

Jacob’s 19-year-old sibling is currently out on loan at Norwich in the Championship and his promising displays at Carrow Road suggest that he has the potential to follow in the footsteps of his brother.

The new Villa boss could even unearth his next David Silva by bringing Aaron Ramsey back to the club, either in January or at the end of his loan deal next summer, and helping him to fulfil his potential.

Emery joined Valencia in 2008 and had the pleasure of managing the majestic attacking midfielder, Silva, for 67 competitive matches, in which the maestro scored 16 goals and provided 20 assists as a young attacking midfielder before moving to Manchester City in 2010.

The magician, who could play as an eight, a number 10, or out wide on the left, enjoyed a fantastic spell in England, eventually becoming one of the greatest technicians seen in the English top-flight. Indeed, he racked up 60 goals and 106 assists in 309 Premier League matches for the Cityzens.

Ramsey, whose vision was dubbed “outstanding” by ex-Villa boss Dean Smith earlier this season, has caught the eye in the Championship and could be the next star to make the breakthrough in the first-team at Villa Park.

The teenager has averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.92 and chipped in with three goals and three assists in 17 league outings for the Canaries, whilst playing in central midfield, as a number 10 and out on the left wing.

His form at senior level comes after he produced a sublime 24 goals and 13 assists in 53 matches for Villa at U18 and U21 level combined, which shows that he has a knack for making a big impact in the final third by bursting through from a midfield position.

Therefore, he could be Emery’s next Silva by pushing into the Villa side and making his mark by scoring and assisting goals from the middle of the park – becoming a mercurial, versatile, talent just like the former Manchester City man.

However, it is down to Ramsey to push on and develop his game as he gains more experience at first-team level so that he can adapt to playing in the Premier League, in order to fulfil the potential that his impressive statistics suggest he has.

Leeds United will have to pay £43.5m in order to sign Martin Terrier in the January transfer window.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Fabrizio Romano, who revealed in a recent article for CaughtOffside that, following a recent report linking Victor Orta with a move for the Stade Rennais centre-forward this winter, the Whites will have to pay a figure of around €50m (£43.5m) in order to prise the 25-year-old away from the Ligue 1 side.

Regarding the future of the Frenchman, the Italian transfer insider said: “He’s doing fantastic, and so there are always scouts following him from English clubs and also Serie A clubs.

“Sources close to Rennes guarantee they’d ask for €45-50m for Terrier, but nothing is happening yet. I think he’ll have a fair few options, but it’s too early to say anything concrete on his future right now.”

Forget Gakpo

While Leeds have also been linked with a move for PSV Eindhoven forward Cody Gakpo this January, considering Terrier’s remarkable returns over the last year, the French hitman would appear to be just as impressive a coup for Orta this winter.

Indeed, according to FBref, the £41m-rated talent ranks in the top 4% of forwards in Europe’s big five leagues and European competitions for non-penalty goals per 90, as well as the top 27% for non-penalty xG, the top 27% for shots, the top 29% for assists and the top 13% for shot-creating actions over the last 365 days.

The £22k-per-week attacker also impresses with the ball at his feet, with FBref also ranking the Frenchman in the top 8% for passes attempted per 90, in addition to the top 14% for passes completed, the top 7% for progressive passes and the top 21% for progressive passes received over the past 12 months.

Furthermore, the 25-year-old also clearly works hard in a defensive capacity – something that would appear to suit Marsch’s high-pressing system down to the ground – with FBref ranking Terrier in the top 1% for tackles per 90, as well as the top 1% for interceptions, the top 13% for blocks and the top 30% for aerials won over the last year.

And, while Gakpo’s ridiculous return of 13 goals and 16 assists in 22 appearances this season would very much look to make him an exceptional addition to the Leeds side, with reports revealing that the Netherlands international is no longer interested in a move to Elland Road this winter, Orta must focus his attention in January elsewhere.

As such, considering just how well-rounded the Frenchman who Gaëtan Laborde dubbed “gifted” appears to be, in addition to Terrier having bagged a similarly spectacular 11 goals and four assists across 18 appearances this season, the 25-year-old would very much look to be something of a dream alternative to Gakpo for the Whites.

Arsenal are set to seal a £65.5m deal to bring Mykhaylo Mudryk to The Emirates in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to reports from Spain (via Hrach Khachatryan), Arsenal will pay FC Shakhtar Donetsk a figure totalling €75m (£65.5m) – €65m (£56.8m) up front and €10m (£8.7m) – in order to sign the 21-year-old winger this winter, making the Ukraine international the second most expensive signing in the Gunners’ history.

In his tweet, the Armenian journalist said: “Arsenal will pay €65m plus add-ons (€10m) for Mykhaylo Mudryk. The Ukrainian will become the second most expensive player Arsenal have ever bought.”

The initial report states a deal could be officially announced in 2023.

Frightening signing

Considering just how deadly Arsenal have been going forwards already this season – with the Gunners currently boasting the second-best attacking record in the Premier League – the signing of a forward as talented as Mudryk in January will undoubtedly be an extremely frightening prospect for the rest of the English top tier.

Indeed, over his ten Premier Liga appearances so far in 2022/23, the £13m-rated talent has been in sensational attacking form, having already bagged five goals and provided his teammates with a further six assists – averaging a direct goal involvement every 67 minutes of football played.

The 21-year-old was also devastating over his six Champions League appearances this season, scoring three goals, registering two assists and creating one big chance for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 1.5 shots, making 0.8 key passes and completing 1.7 dribbles per game.

In total, over his 16 appearances in all competitions, the player who Jack Collins labelled “undefendable” and Josh Bunting dubbed “frightening” has scored eight goals and provided eight assists – meaning that the 21-year-old has been directly involved in a goal every 78 minutes of football played in the current campaign.

As such, it is clear to see that the addition of the Ukrainian sensation to the likes of Martin Ødegaard – six goals and two assists – Gabriel Martinelli – five goals and two assists – Gabriel Jesus – five goals and seven assists – and Bukayo Saka – five goals and two assists – in the Arsenal attack will undoubtedly provide Mikel Arteta’s title hopes with a significant boost.

Indeed, should Mudryk be able to replicate his form for Shakhtar so far this season after an apparent £65.5m switch to The Emirates in January, the forward would not only appear to be a frightening addition to the north London side’s attacking arsenal, but he could also be a signing that fires the Gunners to their first Premier League title since 2004.

Everton signed eight new players in the summer and although the team are in a much better position in the Premier League than last season, there is still room for improvement in the team which means they could explore the transfer market in January.

What’s the latest?

According to FC Inter News, Everton are interested in signing Inter Milan’s Robin Gosens in January.

As per the report, the Toffees are in the market for a left-back and have contacted the player’s representatives to discuss the potential of a deal as Gosens is interested in a move away from the club due to a lack of game time.

He’s a Mykolenko upgrade

Everton have hugely improved in their defensive play over the current campaign thanks to the arrival of Conor Coady and James Tarkowski, conceding just 12 times. However, they have been struggling at the other end of the pitch for creativity and goal-scoring opportunities.

Although Vitaliy Mykolenko is doing a fine job of protecting the Toffees from opponents who are trying to build play against them, the Ukrainian isn’t as consistent with his attacking play down the left channel, which means Frank Lampard could be looking for a more threatening left-back to add depth in the position and a different option to start in the team.

When you compare the left-backs over last season, Gosens outperformed Mykolenko in a number of metrics, showing more security with the ball at his feet as he registered a higher pass completion (80.2% v 68.6%). He also registered more shot-creating actions per 90 (2.72 v 1.36) and won more aerial duels (76.2% v 45.5%), proving that he could be an upgrade on the Toffees player.

The £77k-per-week Inter sensation – who was dubbed “amazing” by Joachim Low and a “weapon” by Matteo Bonetti – has been impressing on the European stage this season in the Champions League, scoring one goal and creating one big chance, as well as averaging 2.2 tackles, one clearance and 3.2 duels won per game, advancing to the round of 16 after finishing second in Group C.

Gosens was linked with a move to the Premier League at the beginning of the year as Newcastle United made a lucrative offer to acquire the services of the talented full-back but the player rejected their advances and now the Magpies’ loss could be the Toffees’ gain.

With that being said, it could be a great piece of business if Everton can secure the signing of Gosens in the January transfer window as he could be a valuable addition in improving the team’s attacking threat in the second half of the season.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is interested in signing talented Villarreal winger Samuel Chukwueze in the near future, according to a new transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Chukwueze impressing in Spain

The 23-year-old has become a key player for the La Liga club in recent years, excelling with his style of play which has seen him compared to Arjen Robben.

Chukwueze has scored 27 goals and registered 24 assists in 177 appearances for Villarreal, although he is yet to find the net in the league this season.

Nonetheless, it looks as though the Nigerian could potentially be off to north London at some point soon.

The Latest: Arsenal keen on Chukwueze

According to reports from Spain [via Sport Witness], Chukwueze’s style has ‘always attracted’ Arsenal, with a transfer again being mooted.

The Gunners are thought to be ‘interested’ in snapping up the attacker, who could provide competition out wide for Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.

The Verdict: Great squad option

Chukwueze could be a brilliant signing in terms of both quality and depth, as Arteta continues to build a young, formidable squad at the Emirates Stadium.

The Nigerian’s current contract expires at the end of next season, so Villarreal may be forced to sell him next summer to avoid the risk of losing him on a free transfer in 2024.

The Villarreal man possesses a Robben-esque ability to cut onto his left foot from the right-hand side, and he could be a perfect player for Arteta to bring on when legs are tiring.

At 23, Chukwueze’s best years should still be ahead of him, and there is no reason why he couldn’t blossom into a regular starter, having already won 24 caps for Nigeria.

Wolves owners Fosun are willing to ‘throw everything’ at Julen Lopetegui in order to give him the necessary quality to succeed at Molineux, according to transfer expert Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Lopetegui takes charge at Wolves

Last weekend, the Premier League club confirmed the Spaniard as their new manager, coming in as the permanent successor to Bruno Lage.

Lopetegui initially turned down the job for family reasons but had a change of heart, making the move from Spain after his time at Sevilla came to an end.

The 56-year-old will officially take charge on Monday, meaning that his first game in the dugout won’t be until after the World Cup.

The Latest: Funds coming his way

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones claimed that Fosun would back Lopetegui when it comes to finances, as they look to take Wolves up a level.

The journalist said:

“You look at the squad, look at the potential for new signings, you look at the fan base and the support that they’ve got, the infrastructure, everything is set up to succeed. The ownership are ready to throw everything at him (Lopetegui) to make sure that this club continues to be successful.”

[freshpress-quiz id=“398117″]

The Verdict: Exciting news

This is surely exactly what Wolves supporters will want to hear, as the Old Gold aim to climb the Premier League table and slowly push towards the European places again.

In Lopetegui, they arguably have an elite manager in their ranks – he won the Europa League with Sevilla in 2020 – and if he is backed with money for new signings, there is no reason why the Midlands club can’t become a force.

[freshpress-poll id=“399044″]

That financial support will hopefully start in January, allowing the Spaniard to immediately bring in the right players and get his tenure off to a flying start.

Crystal Palace travel to Newcastle United on Wednesday evening for the Carabao Cup third round and Patrick Vieira should unleash Malcolm Ebiowei from the start.

While every fan dreams of a cup run, the Carabao Cup is surely bottom of Vieira’s priorities this season and the match against the Toon, which will no doubt prove to be a very tough game, should be the ideal opportunity for the Frenchman to rest some first team players and give some youngsters some minutes.

Recent reports have suggested that Ebiowei could head out on loan in January to get more regular first-team football, as he has managed just three substitute appearances since his summer switch from Derby County.

Therefore, Wednesday’s game against Newcastle could be the last chance Crystal Palace fans have to see the young winger play, as it seems unlikely that he will feature in any of the Premier League fixtures before and after the World Cup break.

Given the rave reviews that the 19-year-old received at Derby County last season when he contributed one goal and two assists in the Championship, Palace fans will surely be hoping to see what he can do with the Eagles before his seemingly imminent loan move away.

Derby coach Justin Walker was full of praise for Ebiowei’s talent and attitude last season, as he became a regular in Wayne Rooney’s side and impressed despite their relegation to League One.

Walker said: “I think he has been a breath of fresh air. You can see how much the fans have warmed to him, he gets people out of their seats. He has got that little bit of X-factor, if you like, that creativity we have lacked at times in the final third.

“The only thing probably missing from his game is a goal, but I am sure that will come. He has got so much talent, and more importantly his attitude and his character.”

The teenager’s three appearances in the Premier League 2 this season have already returned two goals, so he surely deserves to earn some more first-team minutes, especially in a low-pressure game on Wednesday, so Vieira should let him loose from the start at St James’ Park.

Leeds United right-back Luke Ayling is expected to remain at Elland Road until the end of this season, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Ayling struggling for minutes

The 31-year-old has been a wonderful servant for the Whites, making 228 appearances in total and helping them return to the Premier League back in 2020.

Playing time has become increasingly limited for Ayling, however, and he has only managed one start in the Premier League so far this season, falling down the right-back pecking order.

The Englishman’s current Leeds deal expires next summer, meaning they could cash in on him during the January transfer window with clubs thought to be interested.

The Latest: Expected to stay until the summer

Speaking to Give Me Sport, however, Jones hinted that Ayling would see out his current deal before moving on:

“I get the feeling that Ayling will end up staying around, and will stay until the end of the season and figure things out then.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-updates-copy/” title=”Latest Leeds United updates” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Time to move on

While it makes sense to keep Ayling until the summer, in terms of squad depth for Jesse Marsch, next summer is the right time for him to move on.

At 31, he has many miles in his legs and isn’t the force he was a few years ago, and in Rasmus Kristensen, Leeds have someone who will continue to keep him out of the team.

Ayling will go down as a true modern Whites hero when he leaves, though – he has been called ‘superb’ by journalist Amitai Winehouse – and he could still prove to be a handy figure in key matches between now and the end of the season.

Aston Villa recently appointed Unai Emery to replace Steven Gerrard in the dugout and the Spanish head coach is already looking at potential signings for the upcoming January transfer window.

The former Villarreal manager will have his first opportunity to bring his own players into Villa Park in just under two months as the market reopens for business at the start of 2023.

One player he reportedly has his eye on is Inter central midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu. It has been claimed that the Villa boss wants to snap the Turkey international up and would be willing to send Philippe Coutinho to the Italian side in exchange.

However, the Serie A giants are not interested in a swap deal, including the Brazilian playmaker, and this means that the English side may well need to splash the cash in order to get a move over the line.

Irrespective of whether or not Coutinho is directly involved in the negotiations, Emery could land a big upgrade on the ex-Liverpool gem by securing a swoop for Calhanoglu in January.

The £156k-per-week maestro, who was once hailed as a “world-class” set-piece taker by Carlo Garganese, is one of the best playmakers in European football – ranking in the 99th percentile among players in his position in Europe’s top five leagues in the last 365 days for assists, shot-creating actions, and expected assisted goals per 90.

These statistics show that he is dining at the top table when it comes to creating high-quality chances consistently over the past year for Inter.

Coutinho, meanwhile, ranks in the 43rd percentile or lower in all three measurements and this suggests that the Turkish creator would offer far more than the current Villa man when it comes to creating opportunities in the final third.

The Brazil international has scored five goals in 31 Premier League appearances for the club in 2022, whilst Calhanoglu has scored nine times in 48 Serie A matches since the start of last season.

There is not a major difference in the goalscoring output that they provide but couple it with the gigantic gap between their respective chance creation numbers over the past year and it seems as though the Inter man would be a sizeable upgrade on Coutinho for Villa.

Therefore, Emery must push for the club to secure a deal for the 28-year-old playmaker in January as he has the quality to improve the team with his fantastic ability to score and provide goals at the top level.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in World Cup-bound attacker Mohammed Kudus and will be watching on in Qatar, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Paratici transfer planning…

Spurs’ sporting director Fabio Paratici could turn to the transfer market in January despite making eight major signings in total over the summer.

The Lilywhites secured moves for Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Clement Lenglet, Djed Spence, Destiny Udogie and a permanent deal for Cristian Romero, although new names have entered Paratici’s thinking for the winter.

Ruslan Malinovksyi of Atalanta is one attacker who has been linked with a move to the Premier League club, and it appears that Kudus is another who’s on the agenda in N17.

The Latest: Spurs eyeing Kudus…

It is believed that the 22-year-old, who has been selected for Ghana’s squad for the World Cup in Qatar, will be watched by officials at Spurs during the tournament, which is set to begin on Sunday.

Corriere dello Sport have claimed (via Sport Witness) that Kudus has ‘ended up in the sights’ of various clubs across Europe, including the north Londoners, who appear set to run the rule over the Ajax star.

The Ghanaian has been in somewhat prolific form this season, bagging five goals in 14 league appearances for the Amsterdam giants.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-news-3/” title=”Tottenham latest news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Worth it?

The starlet can only get better judging by his age, with Kudus already drawing comparisons to Netherlands icon and AC Milan legend Clarence Seedorf.

Hailed as a ‘really exciting’ player by journalist Rahman Osman, a move for the 22-year-old should well be considered by Paratici and Spurs depending on his price and how he performs with Ghana at the World Cup.