Manchester United would reportedly be willing to trigger the release clause for Celta Viga midfielder Gabri Veiga this summer.

The Lowdown: Veiga profiled

Veiga is just 20 years of age and has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the last 12 months, with his Transfermarkt valuation rocketing from €1.5m to a career-high €30m.

Primarily an attacking midfielder who can also play in a central midfield role, Veiga has made 29 appearances during the current campaign, scoring nine times and registering three assists.

The Spain U21 international has previously been hailed ‘amazing’ by talent scout Jacek Kulig and was linked with a move to Old Trafford last month. The Red Devils were on the lookout for Veiga and were monitoring the player alongside Arsenal and Newcastle last month, and there has now been a further off-field update.

The Latest: United update

Spanish outlet AS shared an update regarding Veiga in the last 48 hours, citing interest from United. They said that Manchester City and Liverpool have joined the Red Devils, Arsenal and Newcastle in the race for the midfielder, with any of the named clubs willing to pay his €40m (£35.2m) termination clause.

Veiga also appears to have interest from sides in Italy and Spain and could be about to change his representatives ahead of the summer window.

The Verdict: Shrewd move?

Erik ten Hag appears to be on the hunt for a new midfielder and striker this summer, so Veiga could be a player of interest and a possible star in the making, potentially at Old Trafford.

He’s been described as one of the fashionable players in La Liga and is clearly a player in demand, and you could argue that there is room for Veiga in Manchester heading into Ten Hag’s second season.

The United boss has just one out-and-out attacking midfielder on the books in Bruno Fernandes, so Veiga could come in and learn from the Portugal international as he continues to develop. You’d expect he’d also be able to continue featuring regularly in the first-team setup following his successful season with his current employers, with United on course to be playing in four separate competitions once again next season.

He could look to help take the workload off Fernandes at points while also providing Ten Hag with another exciting midfield option, and at just over £35m, a transfer could prove to be a shrewd one both in the sort and long run.

Injury expert Ben Dinnery has warned of "red flags" over Leeds United winger Wilfried Gnonto amid concerns of a bad ankle injury.

What's the latest Wilfried Gnonto injury news at Leeds?

The young attacker had actually started the Euro 2024 qualifying match against Malta for Italy on the weekend but lasted just 22 minutes.

Indeed, he limped off early and after the game, his national team manager Roberto Mancini seemed cautious about the situation saying (via LeedsLive): “Gnonto is dealing with a sprain, I hope it is nothing to worry about.”

The Athletic has since reported that the teenager is now a doubt for the upcoming Premier League game against Arsenal on Saturday.

What's more, while speaking on FPL Injuries, Dinnery suggested that the uncertainty could suggest a "big red flag" about his current and long-term fitness.

He said: "Wilfried Gnonto, he was replaced early doors for Italy last time out.

"Now, Roberto Mancini post-match said it was a sprain in the ankle – again, the severity of which was yet to be determined. So there's certainly a big red flag over his availability for the next game for Leeds."

When will Gnonto be back from injury?

That report from The Athletic explains that Leeds are optimistic that Gnonto – as well as Max Wober, who also picked up an injury while on international duty – won't be sidelined for too long.

However, while we await a final prognosis, fans will have to wait on nervously. After all, the £20,000-a-week star has proven himself to be a pretty important member of the team despite his young age.

Indeed, still only 19, the Italian has scored two goals and provided three assists in 16 Premier League outings this term. What's more, as per WhoScored, he delivers 1.1 key passes per game (the third-highest in the team) and wins the most fouls per match (1.9), while he is joint-third when it comes to dribbles (one per game).

Evidently, he can be quite a handful for opposition players and he has picked up plenty of praise in the media during his debut campaign with the Whites.

Indeed, back in January, Gary Neville gushed over the player's quality, telling Sky Sports (via Daily Mail): "To see someone so mature, so young is very unusual in that position.

"Sometimes you see potential and talent, but watching him so closely, his understanding of where to be, his choice of pass, when to run with it, his awareness of teammates, really good, honestly."

Leeds United's 4-1 defeat to Arsenal on Saturday evening proved a miserable return to north London for former Gunners youth product, Luke Ayling, with the experienced defender having been something of a liability for Javi Gracia's side at right-back.

The 31-year-old – who failed to make an appearance for the Emirates outfit after rising up through the club's youth ranks – notably gave away what could be considered a soft penalty to allow Gabriel Jesus to fire the hosts ahead, before also being beaten by Gabriel Martinelli as Mikel Arteta's men powered home a second through Ben White just after the break.

As Leeds Live's Beren Cross noted, the Brazilian winger had Ayling 'on toast all afternoon', with the latter man having undoubtedly "struggled" to shackle the dynamic and relentless youngster, as per journalist Joe Donnohue.

Those woes were also reflected by the fact that the Whites' stand-in skipper won just four of his 11 duels and lost possession on 11 occasions, while also being dribbled past five times as a marker of his defensive shortcomings.

Such a grim performance saw the Lamberth-born dud record a match rating of just 5.6, as per Sofascore, with that the joint-lowest of any player for either side, alongside teammate Illan Meslier.

With the Yorkshire outfit back in Premier League action against fellow relegation strugglers Nottingham Forest this evening, Gracia must surely be considering whether to ditch Ayling for the visit of Steve Cooper's men, particularly with the Englishman having also previously underwhelmed against the Garibaldi earlier this season.

Will Ayling start against Forest?

Ahead of what will be a potentially crucial clash with Forest at Elland Road later today, the Leeds boss may need to reflect on Ayling's dour display when the two sides met in the reverse fixture back in February.

That meeting at the City Ground saw the £20k-per-week man prove somewhat culpable for the game's only goal, as the long-serving asset arguably "fell asleep" after losing his man in the build-up to Brennan Johnson's winner, as per pundit Shaun Wright-Phillips.

That lapse in concentration epitomised what was a rather dour outing for the former Bristol City man, as he again proved rather lightweight in a defensive sense after winning just four of his 12 total duels, while being dribbled past on two occasions.

The 6-foot menace was not just a liability out of possession, however, having also failed to make his mark on the ball, regularly playing his side into trouble after losing the ball on 27 occasions and completing just five of his 12 attempted long balls.

While that might have been part of Ayling's desire to 'get forward and create' – as noted at the time by Yorkshire Evening Post's Graham Smyth – it remains rather worrying for a defender to be so erratic when attempting to play out from the back.

Gracia – who wasn't in charge at the time of the trip to Nottingham – can likely ill-afford another error-strewn performance from the struggling asset this time around, with it perhaps for the best that Ayling sits this one out.

Newcastle United were dealt a major blow heading into the international break, with talismanic forward Miguel Almiron having sustained a thigh injury in training ahead of the recent win over Nottingham Forest.

As Magpies boss Eddie Howe subsequently revealed, the injury to the Paraguay international is believed to be a "bad one", with the 29-year-old – who recently signed a new long-term extension at the club – likely to be absent for up to six weeks.

That news will likely have the St James' Park faithful fearing for the worst with regard to their top-four hopes, with Almiron having thus far been an integral part of the northeast side's push for Champions League qualification, scoring 11 Premier League goals this season.

The former Atlanta United man has enjoyed an "amazing transformation" since the start of the campaign, in the words of club legend Alan Shearer, having previously scored just nine league goals across the last three-and-a-half seasons combined.

To then be without such a crucial asset for an extended period of time will certainly leave Howe with a selection headache, particularly with January arrival Anthony Gordon having also been sidelined of late, while fellow winger Ryan Fraser has been banished from the first-team squad.

Rather than contemplating re-instating the latter man, the former Bournemouth boss should seemingly look to the academy ranks in order to find a suitable, injury solution, with 17-year-old Johnny Emerson one promising forward who could be deserving of a chance to shine.

Who is Johnny Emerson?

Although the teen sensation is yet to enjoy a taste of life in the senior set-up, the Carlisle-born ace has been in scintillating form in the academy ranks of late, having shown his flexibility to feature on either flank this season.

The Scotland youth international – who joined the Magpies from Queen of the South back in 2019 – has been a real weapon in his wide berth of late, having scored eight goals in just 13 Premier League appearances for the club's U18 side.

Not just a clinical presence in front of goal, the exciting talent has also registered one assist in that time as a marker of his creative flair, with it unsurprising to see just why there is such "positivity around him" at present, as per the Chronicle's Mark Carruthers.

While it would be a big leap for Emerson to move from the academy to the first-team – having only featured a handful of times for the club's U21 side – it does appear that Newcastle have a real gem on their hands, with the £180-per-week youngster notably scoring a hat-trick against Leeds United back in January.

With Howe and co unable to dip into the market to find a replacement for Almiron, there should be an opportunity for the likes of Emerson to chance their arm over the coming weeks, with there a possibility for a future star to emerge.

Not that the young winger would necessarily have to be thrust straight into a starting berth, although he could well provide strong competition for the likes of Jacob Murphy and Allan Saint-Maximin on the flanks.

With Elliot Anderson beginning to make his mark in Howe's side – having come off the bench at half-time against Forest – it should not be too long before another academy gem forces their way into the picture.

Liverpool will head to west London for their Premier League clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge tomorrow evening and Jurgen Klopp will be hoping his team can quickly improve upon their tired performance against Manchester City.

The Reds are currently eighth in the top flight following their 4-1 defeat at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday and the side are running out of chances to close the gap to Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur in the race for a Champions League qualifying spot.

Indeed, Chelsea are in a much worse position than Liverpool at this stage of the season and there is an opportunity there for them to capitalise on Graham Potter's poor form if the team can bring the energy needed to take all three points.

Many issues can be pinpointed to blame in Liverpool's humiliating loss against Man City, but none more so than the lack of urgency and effort put into the second half of the performance – with the Reds only claiming 25% possession, zero shots on target and only 124 accurate passes completed in the final 45 minutes.

As a result, Klopp desperately needs to inject some fresh perspectives and energy into the team with Darwin Nunez the perfect player to bring unpredictability and a huge threat to his opponents under the lights on Tuesday night.

Will Darwin Nunez start vs Chelsea?

The £140k-per-week goal machine started on the bench last weekend after withdrawing from the Uruguay squad over the international break due to an injury, but did make a 20-minute cameo when he replaced Mohammed Salah.

However, Nunez should instead replace Cody Gakpo to form a front three of Diogo Jota and the Egyptian against Chelsea following the Dutchman's lacklustre display at the weekend.

Over his 82-minute performance, Gakpo – dubbed "comical" for his dive against Pep Guardiola's side by journalist Simon Evans – had no shots on or off target, completed just 12 accurate passes, found himself being played offside twice and failed to complete any aerial duels, proving that he was relatively ineffective in front of goal.

Nunez – who was hailed an "agent of chaos" by Liverpool Echo's Theo Squires – has tallied up 14 goals and four assists over his 34 appearances in all competitions and has no trouble getting stuck into challenges.

Indeed, he thrives when competing for the ball with defenders – an asset that will make him extremely valuable in a clash against another troubled side.

With that being said, it will be interesting to see if Klopp makes some big changes to his starting XI after the embarrassing display put on by his team last Saturday, as snatching a victory away from home tomorrow will be crucial to ease their chase for Champions League football next season.

Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing Italy sensation Mateo Retegui this summer and his potential arrival at Elland Road could see Patrick Bamford finally leave.

Could Leeds sign Mateo Retegui?

According to Italian news outlet Area Napoli, Leeds are one of the sides showing an interest in the 23-year-old ahead of the summer transfer window but could face competition from both Milan clubs and Eintracht Frankfurt for his signature.

The Argentine-born striker, who qualifies for Italy through his maternal grandfather, has enjoyed an impressive campaign at club level, contributing seven goals in just nine league appearances for Tigre, having joined them on loan from Boca Juniors for the season.

This has led to him earning a strong 7.11 rating from WhoScored for his performances in Argentina's top flight, while he has a 7.07 rating in the European Championship after scoring in both of Italy's games in the recent international break, including once in the 2-1 defeat against England.

The forward also spent the 2022 season on loan with Tigre, crashing in 23 goals in 42 appearances in all competitions, so it is easy to see why he earned the call-up to Roberto Mancini's side recently, which has clearly attracted the interest of clubs across Europe.

2006 World Cup-winning manager Marcelo Lippi was full of praise for the Boca Juniors star on Super Deportivo Radio after his performances during the international break, outlining attributes that should come as music to the ears of everyone associated with Leeds.

He said (via FC Inter News): "He’s the classic centre-forward who scores. He has a strong header. I like how he plays in the box, that’s why I think he’s a good striker.”

It does seem that Retegui's future lies away from Argentina and if Leeds do sign him this summer, it would surely see one of the strikers at Elland Road leave, with Bamford a prime candidate given he has just two goals in the Premier League so far this term.

How has Bamford played this season?

This campaign has been an extremely underwhelming one for Bamford, with the former Chelsea man once again failing to live up to the performances he showed under Marcelo Bielsa in the top-flight, when he managed 17 goals.

Not only has the 29-year-old only bagged twice in 2022/23, but he has massively underperformed his xG by nearly five, and that could be the difference between safety and relegation in what is an extremely tight battle to avoid the drop.

Considering Bamford is ranked as the 22nd-best performer in Javi Gracia's squad with a 6.34 average rating according to WhoScored, it seems clear that he cannot be considered a reliable long-term option at Elland Road.

Retegui has also averaged more shots (3.9 vs 1.7), key passes (0.6 vs 0.5) and dribbles (0.4 vs 0.2) per game than Bamford, outlining him as a better all-rounder in attack.

As such, it is evident that the Italy star could be a big upgrade on the struggling Leeds star this summer.

كشف البرتغالي روي فيتوريا المدير الفني لمنتخب مصر، سبب استدعاء أحمد فتوح ومحمد صبحي، للانضمام إلى القائمة الأولية للفراعنة في بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا، رغم إيقافهما من جانب الزمالك وعدم مشاركتهما في المباريات طوال الشهر الماضي.

وكان قد أثير جدل واسع خلال الفترة الماضية، بسبب انضمام فتوح وصبحي لمنتخب مصر، رغم صدور عقوبة ضدهما بالإيقاف وتحويلهما للتحقيق من جانب الزمالك، بسبب عدم التزامهما وخروجهما من معسكر مباراة زد في الدوري، دون الحصول على إذن من الجهاز الفني.

وقال فيتوريا في تصريحات عبر قناة “أون تايم سبورت”: “في هذا التوقيت اللاعبان كانا موقوفين من أجل التحقيقات، كانت القرارت يوم الأحد وصدرت القائمة يوم الخميس، وكنت لا أعلم ما جرى في التحقيقات، وانضمامهما لأسباب فنية”.

وأضاف: “الثنائي غاب عن مباراتين فقط مع فريقهما، هما لاعبان جيدان وعمرهما 24 سنة، هذا شيء ليس له أي علاقة بالاتصال المباشر بيننا وبين اللاعبين، هذه علاقتهما بالنادي، أنا أعرف فتوح بشكل جيد وشارك معنا في معسكرات سابقة، ليس هو اللاعب الذي سيعاني معنا في رتم المباريات، هو يشارك معنا وكأنه لعب 10 مباريات، يعرف جيدًا رتم المباريات”.

وأوضح مدرب منتخب مصر: “نحن نرى كل الجوانب، أن يكون اللاعب لديه الكفاءة الفنية، سنلعب لمدة شهر في أمم إفريقيا في مستوى تنافسي عال، بالتأكيد ليس كل اللاعبين سيشاركون، يجب أن يكون هدف اللاعب أن يحب المنتخب ويحب أن يقدم شيئاً لمنتخب مصر أكثر من نفسه وأشياء خاصة به”.

وأردف: “نضع كل المعايير معًا، يجب أن يتفهم اللاعب جيدًا أن المدرب عندما يستثنيه من مباراة يتقبل هذا، نحتاج إلى لاعبين يمتلكون هذه الكفاءة الفنية والشخصية، أن يتأقلموا ويتداخلوا معًا، لأنني أحب أن يعرف اللاعب وظيفته في الفريق، ليس للاعب أن يؤدي مباراة جيدة فيتم استدعائه، أو لاعب لا يُشارك ويتم استدعائه، لكن يجب أن يؤدي التدريبات ويشارك، لكي ينضم لاعب يشارك في أمم إفريقيا يجب أن يكون قادرًا على العمل في جو أسري ويتكيف مع روح الفريق”.

وأكمل حديثه قائلاً: “يوجد لاعبون أقوياء في الدوري المصري، أنا شاركت في الدوري البرتغالي والسعودي، أرى أن الفرق المصرية بها قوة، لكن في حالة عدم تحسين بعض الجوانب، اللاعب في بعض الأوقات لن يصل لهذا المستوى، يجب أن نخلق الظروف المناسبة في التدريبات والمباريات وستظهر هذه الموهبة، ليس من السهل أن نجد هنا ميسي الجديد أو رونالدو الجديد، ولكن يجب أن يكون التفكير في اللاعبين حديثي السن”.

واستطرد: “سوف يكون صعب جدًا أن تتعاقد أندية أوروبية مع لاعبين في عمر 24 سنة من هنا، لأن معظم اللاعبين المصريين لا يتأقلمون سريعًا، يجب أن نعمل مع لاعبين بأعمار أقل ليكونوا جاهزين للذهاب إلى أوروبا، صعب أن يوجد لاعبون جيدون في ظل الظروف هنا، أنا هنا من أجل أن أعطي أفكارًا”.

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وبسؤاله، ما الذي رأيته في محمود حمادة من أجل الاعتماد عليه في العديد من المباريات؟ أجاب: “الفرق يوجد لها أسلوب للعب، ونحن لدينا أسلوب نريد تطبيقه في المنتخب، لا بد من وجود بعض الحلول الداخلية، على سبيل المثال أن يكون هناك لاعب في الطرف الأيسر يؤدي بعض الخصائص ويكون لديه فكر معين لتنفيذ جمل فنية، مثال محمد حمدي لاعب بيراميدز له دور هجومي واضح، نحن نحتاج إلى هذا التقدم من الظهير، وأحتاج لاعبًا يكون قريبًا من الهجوم”.

أما بخصوص مروان عطية فقال فيتوريا مختتمًا حديثه: “نحن ذهبنا من أجل البحث عن لاعبين في مركز 6، يكون لهم قراءة جيدة للمباراة، ومتى يستطيع أن يرتكب خطأ من أجل تعطيل اللعب، كان من بينهم محمود حمادة، ولكن عمره متقدم إلى حد ما، لكن مروان كان يتفهم ما هي اللحظة المناسبة لكي يقفز، بعض المباريات التي نؤديها تحتاج إلى لاعب له دور قوي وفي منافسة عالية، ولديه مقدرة أقدرها جدًا، ولكن لديه جوانب يجب تطويرها”.

League leaders Arsenal are back in Premier League action as they travel to top-flight rivals Liverpool later today, with Mikel Arteta's men hoping to shake off their recent Anfield woes having lost their last six league meetings on Merseyside.

In fact, the Gunners are winless in their last nine away encounters with Jurgen Klopp's men, with the north London outfit having notably suffered a 4-0 defeat in the same fixture back in November 2021, despite Arteta's unique pre-match preparations.

While the 41-year-old is unlikely to repeat his 'You'll Never Walk Alone' experiment this time around, the Spaniard revealed in his pre-match press conference that his side are preparing for what will be a "jungle" atmosphere among the home crowd, with a positive result set to be another big stride forward in the club's title charge.

A major positive for the Emirates outfit heading into today's game is that Bukayo Saka is likely to be in contention to start after only featuring off the bench due to illness last time out, albeit with doubts remaining over the fitness of both Eddie Nketiah and William Saliba.

With that in mind, Football FanCast has predicted just how the Gunners could line up this afternoon, having previously run out 4-1 winners over Leeds United last weekend.

What will Arsenal's starting XI be against Liverpool?

There could be just one alteration from the side that powered past Javi Gracia's men just over a week ago, with the potential absence of the aforementioned Saliba set to see long-serving asset Rob Holding keep his place at the heart of the backline.

As for the midfield ranks, it would seem that Arteta is unlikely to move away from his tried and trusted trio of Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka and Martin Odegaard, with the experienced figure of January arrival, Jorginho, likely to provide a different option off the bench.

The most interesting and potentially contentious tactical decision could lie in the forward line, with the former Manchester City assistant coach set to decide just who will make way for the returning Saka, with the £70k-per-week "wizard" – as hailed by journalist Muhammad Butt – a near on certainty to start having scored 12 goals and provided ten assists in the top-flight this season.

The England international's inclusion could come at the expense of man of the moment, Leandro Trossard, despite the fact that the former Brighton and Hove Albion man has racked up seven assists in his last six league games.

That ruthless decision should allow Gabriel Martinelli to keep his place on the left flank, with the Brazilian having scored three goals in just six meetings with the Reds, while compatriot Gabriel Jesus should also be retained after scoring twice last time out.

Predicted Arsenal XI: (4-3-3): Ramsdale; White, Holding, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Partey, Xhaka, Odegaard; Saka, Martinelli, Jesus

Everton's financial difficulties have seemingly boiled over of late, with the club having now been referred to an independent commission to investigate their alleged breaches.

Whilst the result of that and the subsequent penalty is yet to be decided, it is clear that the Toffees have made huge efforts to try and cut down on their spending in recent years whilst offloading some of their top talents.

Anthony Gordon made his exit in January for £45m, nearly six months after Richarlison had left for £60m in the summer, yet despite the playing squad being overhauled somewhat, it was only really Amadou Onana who ended up costing a significant fee.

Arguably of all the managers who was most hamstrung by this lack of investment was Rafa Benitez, who was forced to operate on a stringent budget during his one summer in charge.

Although not being able to spend is inherently a disadvantage, it does almost force clubs to work a little harder on their recruitment. As such, it can bear fruit.

With the acquisition of Demarai Gray, that was certainly the case.

How much is Demarai Gray worth?

Unsurprisingly, the former Bayer Leverkusen wide man has seen his value skyrocket since his initial move back to England. That was hardly a difficult task, as somehow the German outfit were tempted to part ways with him for just £1.7m.

Just three goal contributions in ten Bundesliga games was hardly sparkling, but it remained a sensational coup for a player already boasting Premier League experience with Leicester City too.

He has since gone on to play 68 times for the Merseyside outfit, contributing with 12 goals and six assists, including his curling free-kick against Crystal Palace that was met by Dominic Calvert-Lewin, to secure their place in the division last season.

When on his day the forward is truly unstoppable, with his speed and quick feet leaving full-backs with no chance. Journalist Scott Saunders even noted that he was "absolutely electric" earlier this year.

Gray remains the club's top scorer in all competitions too, further outlining his ever-growing importance to the various managers who have held the manager's position at Goodison Park.

Therefore, from that initial fee, his value has shot up in just a short period. Transfermarkt already rates him at €20m (£17.6m), marking a 935% rise in just two years.

These financial implications are far from a positive thing for the club, but they have forced them to finally be a bit more intelligent with their spending. Should it continue for the next year or two, whilst hardly exciting, it could spell a few more bargains in the offing akin to this one.

Aston Villa have endured a tumultuous past decade or so, consisting of Championship football, Premier League football, and all the trials and tribulations that straddling that line can bring.

As such, the club have experienced both great loss and euphoric highs, arguably none more so than seeing their academy graduate Jack Grealish lead the club back to the big time.

Not only that, but the 27-year-old would only go from strength to strength, establishing himself as one of the top division's most creative threats from the left wing.

His final season at Villa Park saw him score six and assist 12, unsurprisingly drawing suitors. However, few would have expected a British transfer record to be smashed to pry him away. Manchester City, however, willingly paid the £100m asking price.

It shocked fans and likely staff alike, but it was an offer that could not be refused. It injected precious funds to reinvest in the squad as a whole and ultimately has kept the club afloat since.

Therefore, it could be argued that the meagre sale of Idrissa Gana Gueye was far more of a gut punch, considering the profit Everton would eventually earn because of the Villans' inability to stay in the league.

How much did Idrissa Gueye cost Everton?

Having featured heavily for the Midlands side, the Senegalese midfielder was incapable of stopping their miserable relegation which activated his release clause. The Toffees were willing suitors, and he would join for just £7.1m, leaving Roberto Di Matteo with no choice.

He has since gone on to star, leave for huge money, and even make a comeback for a cut price.

The 33-year-old has now made 132 appearances for the Merseyside club, with the apex of his career at Goodison Park arguably coming in his debut year.

He would maintain a 7.25 average rating whilst upholding a mammoth 4.1 tackles, 2.5 interceptions and 0.8 key passes per 90 (via Sofascore).

Gueye was everywhere, and he could do everything. This was form that would hardly relent too, eventually encouraging French champions Paris Saint-Germain to spend a mouth-watering £30m for his services. Thomas Tuchel then quickly became enamoured with the current £80k-per-week maestro too, branding him a "machine".

Not only had Villa lost his exploits on the pitch, but an enormous sum of money too. It is for this reason that his exit was far worse than Grealish's, as the English wide man did not leave unceremoniously.

The Cityzens star would exit in triumphant fashion, forcing a huge fee to be paid that allowed him to reach the pinnacle of world football. Meanwhile, Gueye was only joining a club of similar stature to theirs for next to nothing. It was embarrassing, frustrating, and a microcosm of their failures of the time.

Fortunately, there is now a new dawn under Unai Emery, who promises to once again bring them back to where they belong. They can continue to do so due to the money gained from that 2021 sale, not from the measly fee gained in 2016.