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An update has emerged on Aston Villa and their transfer plans as they attempt to seal a last-gasp deal before the summer transfer window slams shut…

What's the latest Aston Villa transfer news?

According to Real Betis reporter Pepe Elias, Monchi has been in late talks with Barcelona over a deal to sign Morocco international Ez Abde before the deadline passes.

The journalist has claimed that Unai Emery is also trying to convince the player to accept a move to Villa Park, after his proposed move to Real Betis broke down.

This comes after Mundo Deportivo recently reported that the Villans and Bayer Leverkusen were both keen on the attacker and that the Spanish giants want a fee within the region of €30m (£26m) for the talented youngster.

How good is Ez Abde?

Aston Villa have already bolstered their squad with some superb additions that have helped them to enjoy a strong start to the season and they could now end the window with a bang by signing Abde as he is a player with huge potential.

Emery has brought in Moussa Diaby, Nicolo Zaniolo, Clement Lenglet, Youri Tielemans, and Pau Torres so far and some of them have helped the team to win four of their first five competitive games of the campaign.

Abde could now supplement that by arriving as a player who would not have the expectation to make an immediate impact, as a 21-year-old prospect, but one who could be a star for the club further down the line.

U23 scout Antonio Mango once hailed him as a "majestic" creator who is "unpredictable" at the top end of the pitch and he showcased his ability to open up the opposition's defence on a regular basis during his time in Barcelona's B team.

Abde racked up seven assists, alongside three goals, in 21 appearances for the club's reserve side, which shows that he has the potential to consistently set up his teammates for chances in front of goal.

Jacob Ramsey (seven) was the only Villa player, in any position, who managed more than six Premier League assists for the club last season, and Abde could, therefore, be an excellent creative threat for Emery if he is able to translate that form over to the English top-flight.

The Barcelona magician also showcased his quality at the U23 Africa Cup of Nations for Morocco over the summer with an outstanding three goals and three assists in just four appearances at the tournament.

Abde spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan with Osasuna in LaLiga and produced four goals and two assists in 19 starts for the Spanish side, which shows that there is still work to be done with him before the exciting gem is able to deliver the attacking consistency that he displayed for club and country at youth level.

However, at the age of 21, there is plenty of time left for him to develop and grow as a player and that is why he could be an excellent long-term addition to the Villa squad, with Football FanCast recently publishing an article explaining how he could develop into a Jack Grealish-esque figure.

Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke arrived at Elland Road this summer with a reputation for working with and developing young players.

The German head coach helped the likes of James Maddison, Ben Godfrey, Max Aarons, and Emiliano Buendia to thrive during his spell with Norwich, and could look to enjoy similar success with the Whites.

Who are Leeds' most valuable academy graduates?

A number of players have progressed through the ranks with the Yorkshire-based outfit and are currently valuable assets, either for Leeds or another club.

Farke will now be hoping to uncover the next Kalvin Phillips over the coming months and years with the club and has already shown a willingness to dip into the academy as 17-year-old Archie Gray has started all five of their Championship matches to date.

Valuations via Transfermarkt.

The teenager, who has assisted five goals in 44 appearances at youth and senior level, has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.60 in the league this term, which is the 19th-best score within the squad – out of 20 players.

Another academy prospect who could be a future star for the Whites and is well worth a look at for Farke is U21 central midfielder Charlie Allen, who has caught the eye of late.

Who is Charlie Allen?

Allen is a 19-year-old talent who turns 20 in November but is yet to make his first-team bow for Leeds, although he does have senior experience from his time with Linfield in Northern Ireland.

The Whites snapped him up from his former club in 2020 after he became their youngest-ever player at the age of 15 in 2019 and went on to play four matches before his move to England.

They faced stiff competition for his signature, though, as Liverpool, Manchester City, Rangers, and Chelsea all reportedly showed an interest in signing the talented teen after his breakthrough with the Northern Irish outfit.

Allen played three Premiership games for Linfield and Patrick Van Dort, who was the deputy sports editor for JPIMedia in Northern Ireland, claimed that people described him as a "joy to coach".

What is Charlie Allen's style of play?

Van Dort also revealed that the central midfielder was compared to Scotland international Billy Gilmour during his time with Linfield, due to his game intelligence and calmness on the ball that allows his teammates to have trust in his ability in possession.

This suggests that Farke could unearth his next version of the former Chelsea metronome as the German head coach worked with him during the 2021/22 campaign at Norwich.

Gilmour spent the season on loan with the Canaries and enjoyed time with the ex-Borussia Monchengladbach chief before his dismissal in November 2021.

The midfielder revealed that Farke's style of football suited the way that he wanted to play in terms of getting the ball down and trying to pass through teams.

How well did Gilmour perform for Norwich?

In spite of Norwich's relegation to the Championship, Gilmour did show signs of promise throughout the campaign with an average Sofascore rating of 6.82.

He featured in 24 Premier League matches for the Canaries and showcased his reliability on the ball with a pass accuracy of 91% within his own half that term, along with one key pass per game as he burst forward to create for his teammates.

The Scottish maestro earned himself a £9m transfer to Brighton & Hove Albion from Chelsea off the back of his season in Norfolk and the talented midfielder has continued to display his impressive ability in possession.

Over the last 365 days, Gilmourranks within the top 3% of his positional peers among the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions with a pass completion rate of 90.4% for the Seagulls. He also ranks in the top 15% for progressive passes per 90 (7.22) during that period.

These statistics show that Gilmour is one of the best midfielders in Europe at retaining possession due to his superb ability to find teammates with his passes, whilst his progressive numbers also prove that the Scot does not achieve such a high success rate by playing safe and risk free passes.

How many assists has Allen provided for Leeds?

Farke could now find his next version of the Scotland international in Allen as the Northern Irish youngster has showcased his ability to provide assists on a regular basis to go along with his aforementioned reliability and calmness on the ball.

The 19-year-old has racked up eight assists in 74 matches for Leeds at U18 and U21 level combined but six of those came during the 2022/23 campaign.

He only managed two assists in 24 academy matches for the club throughout his first season at Elland Road in 2020/21 and followed that up with zero assists in 25 games throughout the 2021/22 term, which included two goals in 11 Premier League 2 appearances.

Allen finally hit his creative stride for Leeds last season as he racked up six assists, to go along with two goals, in 21 league clashes for the U21 side.

The Thorp Arch talent, who completed 97% of his attempted passes within his own half over two EFL Trophy matches during the 2021/22 campaign, has displayed his ability to provide his teammates with opportunities to score on a regular basis from a midfield position over the last 12 months.

Last season, no first-team midfielder for Leeds managed more than two Premier League assists and no player in that position has registered a single assist over the first five Championship matches of the current term.

This suggests that Farke is not blessed with creative quality in the middle of the park so Allen could emerge as a much-needed spark in midfield with his ability to frequently provide assists as a number eight.

The German head coach should now look to offer the talented youngster an opportunity to impress at senior level to see if the Northern Irish gem could be his next version of Gilmour.

The post-Harry Kane world at Tottenham Hotspur looks rather bright at present, with new boss Ange Postecoglou having enjoyed a stellar start to life in the dugout at N17, following his arrival from Celtic earlier in the summer.

A feature of the 58-year-old's early tenure has been the faith he has shown in the club's promising young talents, with Pape Matar Sarr, for instance, having started four Premier League games already this season – notably scoring in the win over Manchester United last month.

Arguably the biggest surprise, however, has been the emergence of 20-year-old, Destiny Udogie, with the exciting Italian having slotted in beautifully after making a belated beginning in north London this summer.

The attacking left-back had spent last back on loan at Udinese after signing from the Serie A side last year, with supporters having been eagerly awaiting the defender's eventual arrival at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since that £15m deal was agreed.

While it is still early days, the Verona-born sensation already looks "sickeningly good" – as per footballJOE's Hunter Godson – with Postecoglou having stumbled upon a potential star in the making in that left-sided berth.

That recent ascension has ensured that long-serving asset, Ben Davies, faces a fight on his hands to force his way back into the side, with the Welshman also likely to be threatened by those who are currently flourishing in the club's academy ranks…

How good is Ben Davies?

Nine years on from joining the Lilywhites from Swansea City, the 30-year-old has undoubtedly been a solid, albeit unspectacular servant for the club in that time, racking up over 300 appearances in all competitions, while contributing 32 goals and assists.

A versatile figure who has featured at left-back, centre-back or as a wing-back, the 80-cap international has certainly had a role to play in some capacity over the years, although finding a place for himself in Postecoglou's side may be a tough ask, amid the move away from Antonio Conte's preferred 3-4-3 formation.

There had even been reports over the summer that Daniel Levy and co were willing to cash in on the defender if a £15m offer was to arrive, with the £80k-per-week player having just two years left to run on his existing deal.

Stats via Sofascore

Speaking at the time of that report, pundit Gabby Agbonlahor suggested that Spurs should part ways with Davies in a bid to reshuffle the backline, with the full-back having underwhelmed as part of a side that shipped 63 league goals last term:

“I watched him recently and he was so poor on the ball. He’s been at the club a long time and he’s still struggling to put in top performances. They need a real shuffle of that defence. For me, they need two centre-backs and a left-back – because Davies just isn’t good enough any more."

Having potentially found the "upgrade" that they had been craving – as per Agbonlahor – in the form of Udogie, it remains to be seen what lies in store for the Neath native over the next year or so, with Postecoglou evidently keen to oust the experienced, senior players form the club, including the likes of Eric Dier and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

To help usher in the Greek-Aussie's new revolution, the attack-minded coach could then replace Davies with an up-and-coming gem who he can help to nurture and develop as a dream understudy to Udogie, with 18-year-old Jahziah Linton one such talent to keep an eye on.

Who is Jahziah Linton?

As an academy starlet who can operate at both centre-back and in his primary position of left-back, the teenager could well represent a dream successor or replacement to Davies in the backline over the coming years.

Although the London-born sensation is yet to feature at first-team level, it may not be too long before he is making his mark in the senior set-up, having sparkled at U18 level in recent times for the north Londoners.

The emerging ace was only recently handed his first professional contract as a sign of how highly-regarded he is by the club, with the hope being that he can make the leap to becoming a prominent part of Postecoglou's plans in the near future.

On the evidence of his form of late, Spurs appear to have a truly exciting talent on their hands, with podcaster Chris Miller having even suggested back in March that Linton could be a possible "wildcard" option to slot in as a "traditional" left-back, amid the first-team's defensive injury crisis at the time.

With 39 appearances across the age groups thus far – registering one assist – the teen talent may need to prove himself at U21 level before he can be truly considered for a promotion, although club insider superhotspur has previously written glowingly regarding his all-round qualities:

'He works well off the ball, is good in the tackle and is also as previously mentioned, a player who gets in to really good forward positions on the left side of the pitch.'

The respected source also went on to add that 'Jahziah likes to get forward up the pitch on the left flank, and his link-up play with the Spurs winger on that side of the pitch is impressive', while his 'fine balance to his game means that he is very capable of contributing well at both ends of the pitch'.

That promising report appears to indicate that if his recent progress can continue, then a first-team chance may soon emerge for young Linton, even if he has to contend with a player who "gets into nearly every team in the world already", in the form of Udogie – according to Godson.

As for Davies, the Welshman may then have a fight on his hands to continue his stay at N17, with it set to be no surprise if he does follow the likes of Dier and Hojbjerg by being brutally cast aside.

Wolverhampton Wanderers would have feared a relegation battle in the Premier League this campaign and those fears are coming to fruition having recorded four losses from their first six matches.

The latest of those poor results came at Kenilworth Road on Saturday afternoon as the Old Gold stumbled to a 1-1 draw against Luton Town, although after spending the whole second half with ten men, Gary O'Neil would have seen that result as one point gained rather than two dropped.

On Tuesday evening, the Old Gold can put their disastrous league form to the side and focus on their trip to take on Championship high-flyers Ipswich Town in the third round of the Carabao Cup.

The Tractor Boys have announced their return to the second tier in exceptional style, winning seven of their opening eight matches with their only defeat coming against Leeds United.

A distraction this competition may be – but it isn't any easy one at that for Wolves – and they'll have to be on the ball against a side brimming with confidence who will sense an upset could be in the offing.

What is the latest Wolves team news?

With the chance to utilise the full depth of his squad, O'Neil is expected to make several changes against Ipswich but at least one of those will be enforced.

Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, Wolves' outstanding performer from their 3-1 defeat against Liverpool, followed that terrific display up with a shocking one against Luton as the midfielder was sent off for making an inexcusable challenge on defender Tom Lockyer.

On a much brighter note, midfielder Joe Hodge, who caught the eye in their 5-0 thrashing of Blackpool in the previous round, is working his way back from a muscular problem – which he sustained in the last round – and has a slim chance of returning for this tie.

Elsewhere, Matt Doherty, Boubacar Traore, Toti Gomes, Fabio Silva and Sasa Kalajdzic should all get their chances to impress O'Neil from the off, as could on-loan Manchester City midfielder Tommy Doyle, who has featured twice off the bench in the Premier League so far.

Should Tommy Doyle start vs Ipswich?

After joining on loan with an option to buy for £4.3m, Doyle's opportunities in the Wolves team have been limited thus far, however, with a suspension to Bellegarde and Mario Lemina likely to be rested, the Englishman could get his chance to shine.

The 21-year-old starred in the Sheffield United side that was promoted to the Premier League last season, scoring four goals and registering seven assists, as he impressed at Bramall Lane in a Paul Heckingbottom system that allowed his technical attributes to flourish, operating in a dynamic midfield three with James McAtee and Sander Berge.

Possessing the technique and superb passing range to dictate the tempo of matches – as taught at Man City – the midfield metronome looked a cut above at Championship level when compared to his positional peers, ranking in the top 5% for expected assists, top 12% for shot creating actions, top 13% for passes into the final third and top 15% for progressive passes, as per FBref.

At times this campaign, Wolves have struggled in the absence of the technically astute Ruben Neves and although Doyle is unable to replicate the impact of the Portuguese, he can offer O'Neil a calmness on the ball in midfield and that could be key tonight with Ipswich likely to start fast out of the blocks.

The 5 foot 8 "set-piece specialist" – as lauded by England under-21 teammate Charlie Cresswell – can provide Wolves with quality from dead-ball situations too, which is also something they've missed in the absence of Neves.

Doyle was one of the stand-out players in the Championship last term and earned his move to a Premier League side on the back of his consistent displays. Now, the stage is set for him to show O'Neil what he can offer the Old Gold in future matches.

For the first time in more than 18 months, the unpredictable Uruguayan looks like he could become as important to his side as the Norwegian is to his

Less than three months into the 2022-23 season, Andy Robertson was already calling for an end to the constant comparisons between Darwin Nunez and Erling Haaland. "The only reason they are getting compared is because they play in the same position and moved in the same window," the Liverpool left-back argued. "It is not fair on anyone." Maybe not, but it was inevitable.

Nunez and Haaland weren't just any two strikers. They were multi-million pound summer signings who had joined the top two clubs in England. They even made their competitive debuts for their respective sides in the same game.

Funnily enough, Nunez got the better of that first head-to-head, coming off the bench to win a penalty and score a goal as Liverpool beat Manchester City 3-1 to win the Community Shield at the King Power Stadium. However, by the time of Robertson's futile plea in October 2022, Haaland was already being hailed as as the greatest goalscorer the Premier League had even seen, while Nunez was known as "just a sh*t Andy Carroll".

The Uruguayan still is in the eyes of some rival supporters, which is mystifying for a couple of reasons.

• 'I would not sing a song like that'

  For starters, Nunez has developed a useful habit of responding to the jibe with goals. Brentford fans have already been burned twice this season, while last Saturday, it was the turn of their Nottingham Forest counterparts.

  "I would not sing a song like that," Jurgen Klopp said after watching Nunez nod in a 99th-minute winner at the City Ground – just half an hour after being welcomed into the game by the home crowd in the usual insulting fashion. "I would not try to wind Darwin up. I understood [the song]. I think he understood it. So, that's the best answer."

  Indeed, while Nunez quite clearly remains a work in progress, the Carroll comparison just no longer holds up. Liverpool's No.9 may not be the finished article – maybe he never will be either – but he is far from a flop.

  In fact, for arguably the first time since the 2022 Community Shield, Nunez actually looks capable of becoming as valuable to Liverpool as Haaland is to City.

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• 'To even consider that finish is madness!'

  Goals are obviously the most precious commodity in football, and Nunez is still nowhere near as clinical or as prolific as Haaland. He has scored 31 times in total since joining Liverpool from Benfica – his Norwegian rival has hit 29 goals this season alone.

  There's also no denying that Nunez's strike-rate should be far higher, as he still misses far too many chances. During his first season at Anfield, the feeling was that he was rushing things, and Klopp had to tell him several times to be "calmer" in front of goal.

  There has been a noticeable improvement in that regard in recent months. He certainly didn't lack composure when he lifted the ball over Mark Flekken to break the deadlock at Brentford last month.

  But even that sublime lob exposed a flaw in Nunez's finishing, as far as former Liverpool striker Michael Owen was concerned.

  "I can't begin to explain how difficult a skill that is: moving at pace, the ball running away from you, being inside the box with no room for error. Incredible!" the ex-England international wrote on X. "But, it is also further proof that if he is to get closer to becoming the great player many people think he can be, he has to adapt his way of thinking. I mean, to even consider that finish is madness. It's a one in 10, two in 10 finish at best.

  "Learning to slot, dink or go round the [goalkeeper] is a far more productive way to score and will increase his chances to four or five in 10, thus massively increasing his return."

• Getty
  

  Better team with Nunez up front

  Owen certainly has a point. Nunez may be scoring more goals this season (he's just surpassed his 2022-23 tally of 15 thanks to Thursday night's double in Prague) – but his finishing hasn't actually got any better. As per , both his shot conversion rate and 'big chance' conversion rate have fallen slightly this term. However, nearly every other aspect of his game has improved.

  Klopp has freely admitted that last season Liverpool "needed a No.9 who defended the centre perfectly". Nunez couldn't do it then – but "now he can". More importantly, he's also become far more effective from an offensive perspective.

  He's repeatedly made a massive impact off the bench, earning the Reds five precious Premier League points so far this season with his late goals against Forest and Newcastle, while Klopp's kids would not have got their big day out at Wembley had it not been for their South American super-sub turning the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Fulham in Liverpool's favour with two assists.

  However, it's also no coincidence that Liverpool have not lost a single game Nunez has started this season. They are, quite simply, a better – and more dangerous – team with Nunez in attack.

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• 'Could be the best player in the world!'

  His finishing continues to frustrate, of course. Former Liverpool midfielder Didi Hamann has even argued that if Nunez were more clinical, "he could be the best player in the world!" But while highlighting his biggest weakness, such a claim also attests his many strengths, as well as underlining why Klopp is so forgiving of the major flaw in Nunez's game.

  Even after watching Nunez make history by hitting the woodwork four times in the same game against Chelsea in January, Klopp couldn't help but marvel at the way in which the versatile forward responded to such bitter disappointment by teeing up Luis Diaz for a tap-in.

  "Think you are in his boots, how that feels," Klopp said. "Missing a penalty, you could see it at half-time, he was really upset with himself. Then, setting up in a really important moment the fourth goal, because 3-2 or 4-1 is a big difference, that makes him really the player he is for us. The rest will come, definitely."

  Tellingly, it's a view shared by former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, who admitted on after the same game at Anfield that Nunez was "a nightmare for [defenders] to play against, whether he scores or not. He runs you into bad places, he's aggressive, he's a handful who will end up getting goals at this club." And they are starting to arrive, in fairness.

With the sun beaming down in west London on a glorious summer's day in August 2022, it seemed as if Manchester United had reached a new nadir following an already turbulent year or so.

United's plethora of expensive talent looked among themselves in anguish as the goals poured in at the Gtech Community Stadium, with a rampant Brentford heaping the pressure and scrutiny on new boss Erik ten Hag – following a prior defeat at home to Brighton and Hove Albion.

Dressed in their god-awful, neon green kit, the Red Devils looked almost akin to a radioactive element – something no one in their right mind would wish to get themselves involved with.

Watching somewhere else in the world, however, was a prospective summer target of glittering stature, a five-time Champions League winner who had likely never witnessed such disarray during his many years at Europe's top table.

That seasoned talent, though, saw not the chaos in front of him but the potential success that could be gleamed from reinvigorating that sorry band of stars, reportedly stating at the time: "Tell them I'll fix it".

A player of such standing in the game would have been forgiven for turning his nose up at making that questionable leap of faith, although as those at Old Trafford have come to realise, that is simply not in Casemiro's makeup.

How much did Manchester United pay for Casemiro?

It is fair to say that the Brazilian maestro was not Ten Hag's leading target heading into that summer window following the lengthy transfer saga involving his compatriot, Frenkie de Jong, with the former Ajax boss seeking to add some silk to his midfield ranks at the Theatre of Dreams.

As became abundantly clear following those grim defeats to both the Seagulls and the Bees, it was steel that United were in desperate need of, having for too long relied upon the much-maligned duo of Fred and Scott McTominay to hold the fort – a pair dubbed "not good enough" by club legend Roy Keane.

The dire nature of the defeat to Thomas Frank's men laid bare the need for a dominant, defensive-minded asset to be brought into the base of the midfield, although few saw the wisdom in forking out to sign a player who was perhaps moving past his peak.

That act of "desperation" – in the words of treble winner Gary Neville – saw the Old Trafford hierarchy fork out a mammoth £70m fee in order to bring the 30-year-old to England, with pundit Chris Sutton dubbing it "a panic signing" at the time.

Perhaps, in some ways, there was a sense of 'panic' about that costly move late in the window following the dismal start to the season, yet having been categorised as something of a "steady Eddie" upon his move to Manchester – as per talkSPORT's Graeme Souness – it is fair to say that Casemiro has proved the doubters wrong in emphatic style since then.

How good has Casemiro been for Man United?

It would not be wrong to suggest that the 31-year-old has arguably been the best signing that the club have made since bringing Bruno Fernandes to the Premier League back in January 2020, with few players having stamped their influence on the team quite so impressively.

Of course, fellow 2022 arrival Lisandro Martinez – who has been hailed as an "absolute monster" by Luke Shaw – has also made a strong impression over the past 12 months or so, although it is seemingly his fellow South American star who is the glue holding things together in the centre of the park.

That was evidenced by the fact that there was a stark drop in quality when Casemiro was not in the side last season, as per Neville, with the Sky Sports pundit going on to explain why he categorised the former Real Madrid man as the best signing of the season in the league:

"I couldn’t think of a player having as big an impact on his team singularly and I look at Manchester United’s season, obviously they think they’re going to finish in the top four if they finish the job this week, they’ve won the Carabao Cup and they’re in the FA Cup final.

"I genuinely don’t think they’d be anywhere near top four or doing what they’re doing in those competitions if it wasn’t for Casemiro. The impact he’s had on that team, he makes them 20-30 per cent better."

The difference when Casemiro was not in the team was seemingly "enormous" – as per Neville – while with Martinez, United coped adequately in his absence in the latter stages of the last season, with Shaw comfortably filling in at centre-back.

Although it has been a rocky start to the new campaign, Casemiro is, once again, beginning to prove just what a "monster" he is under Ten Hag – as hailed by writer Muhammad Butt.

How has Casemiro performed this season?

Somewhat foolishly, there appeared to be those who had written the 6 foot 1 titan off following the club's worrying start to 2023/24, with Neville stating that he got "torn to shreds" during the narrow win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on the opening weekend.

While the £350k-per-week asset has been far from perfect since then, he is currently the club's leading scorer this season with four goals in all competitions, taking his overall tally to 18 goal involvements in just 59 games for the club to date.

Certainly no 'steady Eddie' then, the 73-cap international put on a real masterclass during Tuesday's Carabao Cup victory over Crystal Palace, operating as the "conductor" in the centre of the park – as per The Athletic's Laurie Whitwell.

Not only did the resurgent ace get himself on the scoresheet with a perfectly placed header, but he also picked out teammate Anthony Martial with a devastating whipped cross after the break – one of 100 passes he would complete on the night.

As per journalist Carl Anka, the one-time Porto man "looks to have shaken off that early season ring rust", ensuring he can once again be the "cement" in the side holding things together – as previously described by Ten Hag.

Much like Fernandes has been a shining light in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era – with 122 goals and assists in just 194 appearances – Casemiro has made his mark as a real leader at the Theatre of Dreams, having brought both personality and fight to United of late.

Be it his bellowing celebration away at Stamford Bridge last year, or the manner in which he grabbed debutant Rasmus Hojlund in praise at the Emirates earlier this month, the Brazilian is routinely coming up with ways to make supporters fall in love with him.

Quite whether his level of performance can be maintained for the long-term remains to be seen due to his advancing years, yet the Old Trafford faithful must count themselves lucky to have a genuine winner in their ranks once again, following the days of Bryan Robson, Roy Keane and the like.

This season has been nothing short of a roller coaster for Arsenal fans.

Mikel Arteta’s side have been inconsistent on the pitch and incredibly unlucky with injuries off of it.

However, the last seven days might just have been the start of a good period for the side, with Mikel Merino stepping up in the absence of a recognised number nine on Saturday and then the former manager doing his successor a favour by taking two points off Liverpool on Wednesday.

With that said, the Gunners have a tough test against Graham Potter’s West Ham to get past this afternoon if they are to keep up the pressure on Arne Slot’s Reds, and to ensure they do, Arteta must unleash one of his new stars who’s been compared to the Hammers’ Mohammed Kudus.​​​​​​

Arsenal's record against West Ham

Since their first meeting back in January 1909, when they were under the name Woolwich Arsenal, the Gunners have played West Ham 152 times across all competitions, winning 74, drawing 41 and losing 37.

However, while their overall record against the Hammers is pretty excellent, the North Londoners’ form against the Hammers over their last four encounters has been decidedly more mixed, with two wins, two losses and a draw.

Moreover, while their last two games against the East Londoners, which have both been away, have resulted in hefty wins for Arteta’s men, their last game at the Emirates was something of a disaster.

It was in late December 2023, and despite taking 30 shots to their six, having 74% of the possession and amassing an expected goals figure of 2.77 to their 1.42, the title challengers came away 2-0 losers, and it could have been even worse had David Raya not saved Saïd Benrahma’s 96th minute penalty.

So, it should be an exciting game this afternoon, and one of the players Arsenal have to be most aware of is undoubtedly Mohammed Kudus.

Still, the good news is Arteta already has his answer to the attacker, although he has to make sure he starts him.

Arsenal's answer to Kudus

The unfortunate truth of the matter is that, thanks to the mountain of attacking injuries Arsenal have at the moment, there really aren’t many options for Arteta to choose from for the right wing, meaning it’s likely to be another start for the incredible Ethan Nwaneri, who also happens to be the team’s answer to Kudus.

Now, there are a number of reasons why this is the case, but perhaps the most significant is that he’s been likened to the Hammers star by FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and, in this instance, has concluded that the Ghanaian is the second most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Englishman.

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, non-penalty expected goals plus assists, shots on target, passes into the penalty area, blocks, ball recoveries and more, all per 90.

On top of their statistical similarities, both players have shown themselves to be positionally versatile, as while the young Hale Ender is currently thriving off the right, he’s also able to play in midfield, attacking midfield, and even up-top, akin to the Irons ace.

With all that said, another reason Arteta must start the “unplayable” teenager, as dubbed by Jack Wilshere, is exactly that: he’s becoming the sort of player defenders do not want to play against.

For example, despite playing just 790 minutes of first-team football across 24 appearances, the Enfield-born phenom has scored seven goals and provided one assist, which comes out to an unreal average of a goal involvement every three games, or every 98.75 minutes.

Ultimately, Arsenal must win this game to keep the pressure on Liverpool, and for them to stand the best chance of doing so, the manager needs to keep Nwaneri in the starting lineup.

He's like Xhaka: Arteta must rue not signing Arsenal's loan "genius"

The former Arsenal man is having a stellar campaign this year.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Feb 20, 2025

Borussia Dortmund are set to continue talks with Manchester United over the permanent transfer of Jadon Sancho, as they set an initial transfer fee.

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• Sancho happy on loan at Dortmund
• Talks scheduled over permanent move
• Initial transfer fee set by BVB

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The English winger re-joined the Bundesliga side on a short-term loan in January having been frozen out by Erik ten Hag at United. Sancho has made a decent start to life back in Germany with a goal and two assists to his name, and 's Florian Plettenburg reports he wants to stay at Dortmund. As such, more talks are scheduled in the "next weeks" between the two clubs to see if a deal can be agreed.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  As Plettenburg notes, the main obstacle to any permanent move will be the salary, with Sancho reportedly earning nearly £300,000 ($381,000) a week at United. Dortmund do, however, already know how much they would be willing to fork out on Sancho should an agreement over salary be reached. According to the report, the German club would pay up to €35 million (£30m/$38m) to United for Sancho, a fair bit shy of the £73m ($93m) the Red Devils splashed out in 2021.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  In addition to financial, the report raises other issues that may hinder a permanent move for Sancho. Ten Hag, a vocal critic of the Englishman, may yet be replaced at the helm, while it is unclear what stance incoming part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe will take on the matter.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR SANCHO?

  In any case, Sancho will continue to put in the work at Dortmund, either to convince them to fork out more or to put himself on the market for other potential suitors. The 23-year-old is said to have many admirers in Saudi Arabia, who are readying another summer of lavish spending after a quiet January window.

Tottenham star Richarlison has opened up on his mental health struggles after Brazil's exit from World Cup 2022.

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• Richarlison speaks about depression
• Suffered with dark thoughts after World Cup
• Has been helped by a psychologist

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Richarlison has spoken out about suffering with depression following Brazil's exit from the quarter-final stage of the 2022 World Cup. The Tottenham star, who has already revealed how therapy has helped him enormously, says he reached a point where he wanted to give up football before reaching out for help with his mental health problems.

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• WHAT RICHARLISON SAID

  He told ESPN Brasil: "I'd just played in a World Cup, man, at my peak. I was reaching my limit, you know? I don't know, I'm not going to talk about killing myself, but I was in a depression there, and I wanted to give up. Even I, who seemed to be mentally strong. After the World Cup it seemed like it all fell apart. I think the therapist, like it or not, saved me, saved my life. I only thought rubbish … Even on Google, I only searched for rubbish, I only wanted to see rubbish about death.

  "Today I can say, look for a psychologist, if you need a psychologist, look for one because it's nice for you to open up like that, for you to be talking to the person. Today a [psychologist] came to thank me for taking this to the world of football, to the world, outside the pitch too, because it is very important and, whether we like it or not, it saves lives.

  "I had this prejudice before, I thought it was nonsense, I thought I was crazy. In my family, there are people who think that anyone who goes to a psychologist thinks they are crazy, they think they are insane. But I discovered this and thought it was wonderful. The best thing, really the best discovery I've ever had in my life."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  There was plenty of pressure on Richarlison's shoulders at the World Cup, with the forward handed the iconic No. 9 shirt at the tournament in Qatar. He ended up scoring three goals in four games as the Selecao went out of the tournament at the quarter-final stage following defeat to Croatia.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR RICHARLISON

  Brazil have recently confirmed the appointment of a squad psychologist, with Richarlison welcoming the move to bring in Marisa Lucia Santiago as part of Dorival Junior's team. Richarlison was part of the latest Brazil squad but was an unused substitute in the win over England and draw with Spain and will now return to club side Tottenham.

Aston Villa are relishing life under Unai Emery, as the Midlands side continue to climb the table and enjoy the new peaks to their success.

The Spaniard arrived when the Villans were sat in 16th place under Steven Gerrard, and inspired his inherited squad to finish in a European spot and claim 7th place after a heroic run of form in 2023.

Back in August, only Pep Guardiola had won more Premier League points than Emery in 2023, highlighting just how much of an influence his guidance has had on the same team that were struggling for points not even a year ago.

The four-time Europa League winner installed a new breath of fresh air to Villa Park, with times being tough in spells prior to his landing in Birmingham.

One area that the former Arsenal and PSG boss has bolstered is the pull that Villa have in the transfer window, highlighted as they welcomed five new faces of high calibre to the squad this summer.

The Villans haven’t always found such ease in landing their targets, with plenty of talent linked over the years going on the find sanctuary elsewhere and show those in the Midlands what they’re missing.

Rewind back to 2018, and Steve Bruce had taken charge of Villa’s push for promotion in the 2017/18 Championship season, missing out in the play off final to Fulham to see them remain in the second-tier for a third consecutive campaign.

The club’s transfer prospects were integral to them fighting for promotion once more after the summer of 2018, with one name listed as a potential capture that is currently outperforming Emery’s heroes today.

Did Aston Villa nearly sign Niclas Fullkrug?

In May 2018, news in Germany reported Villa’s interest in Hannover striker Niclas Fullkrug, who was in demand in England following his impressive performances in the Bundesliga.

In the 2017/18 campaign prior to the transfer window, Fullkrug netted 14 league goals in a tough term for Die Roten who finished 13th while their striker ranked at 3rd in the Bundesliga’s scoring charts.

That season at Villa, Albert Adomah ended the campaign as the side’s top scorer on 14 goals in the second tier, prompting a slight need for change to the front line with Bruce’s midfield men contributing more than their designated strikers.

As reported by BILD, the Villans were joined by Newcastle United, Leicester City, Watford, Cardiff City and Fulham in their admiration of Fullkrug, who could have been the man to ease the pressures on scoring.

BILD had an understanding that Hannover wouldn’t listen to offers below €10m (£8.6m) for their sharpshooter, which was evidently a price too high as he remained in his homeland by the time the transfer window had closed.

It wasn’t the last time that the now 30-year-old would be linked with a move to England, as this summer he told BILD, relayed by Fussball News, how he “could have gone to England” prior to his move to Borussia Dortmund in August.

How much is Niclas Fullkrug worth?

Dortmund paid a fee in the region of €13m (£11.2m) to capture the forward’s signature this summer, with him once again being the subject of transfer rumours due to his high-scoring tallies in the Bundesliga.

Though Fullkrug didn’t leave Hannover during the summer of Villa’s reported interest, he did depart to rejoin his former club Werder Bremen the year after in 2019, joining for a fee of €6.3m (£5m).

Now, as listed by CIES Football Observatory, the German international is valued at just €10m (£9m), telling the story of the difference in value in England and Germany, with fellow 30-year-old striker Harry Kane moving to Bayern Munich for £100m.

While Kane scored 30 Premier League goals last term to bolster his price tag, Fullkrug was just 14 league goals behind him in the 2022/23 campaign, suggesting that Villa and other clubs could have picked up a bargain by signing him when interest was swarming.

How many goals has Niclas Fullkrug scored?

Goals have been a consistent theme in Fullkrug’s career in his homeland, with his current domestic tally sitting at 146 goals in 381 games representing a host of German clubs.

His strong form over the past few years was rewarded internationally, as he was handed his national team debut by Hansi Flick in 2022, where he has since gained nine caps and scored seven goals.

After joining Bremen from Hannover in 2019, the goals kept coming for the striker, who was once dubbed “clinical” by scout Cal Murray, who also described the German as a “great finisher”.

During his four-year stay at Bremen, the 30-year-old scored 46 goals, with 19 of them coming in the decisive 2021/22 season that saw Bremen get promoted back to the top flight thanks to his contributions.

His consistent scoring streaks make it easy to see why Bruce was interested in the prospect of bringing the forward to the Midlands, with what has come since being interesting reading for those at Villa.

What is Niclas Fullkrug doing now?

Last season, the Hannover-born whiz found the net 16 times in 28 Bundesliga appearances, meaning that he outscored Villa talisman Ollie Watkins who claimed 15 goals in 37 Premier League appearances in 2022/23.

In 133 Bundesliga games in his career thus far, Fullkrug has bagged an impressive 46 goals and provided a further 11 assists, with that a remarkably similar record to what Watkins has achieved in England's top flight, having scored 44 goals and registered 17 assists in 117 games to date.

As highlighted in the table below, there are also direct similarities between the two forward’s games, with their averages per 90 last campaign suggesting just how much Fullkrug offers to his side in comparison to Watkins, who is adored in Birmingham.

While not many would trade the Englishman considering the form he has been hitting under Emery’s guidance, it epitomises the quality that Bruce could have captured for his Villa side for a mere price of just £8.6m.

Who did Villa sign instead of Fullkrug?

It wasn’t all doom and gloom at Villa for Bruce that summer, as they recruited Tammy Abraham on loan from Chelsea in a move that proved pivotal to the Villans’ promotion to the Premier League, as he netted 26 league goals.

The Englishman did of course return to his parent club at the end of that season, in a bittersweet goodbye from Villa Park, who were eternally grateful for his contributions to their push for the top-flight.

Looking back, the signing of Fullkrug could have been a strong move for Bruce, who would have found the missing piece to his puzzle in the German international, who continues to show his worth in the Bundesliga.

From £8.6m to outscoring Watkins, Villa could have struck gold by unearthing the status of Fullkrug in the Premier League, however, things just weren’t meant to be for both player and club.