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Aston Villa have enjoyed a strong start to the summer transfer window and may still move for further targets.

You can see already, if you look at paddy power promo code how they have gone from a struggling team odds wise, to a club that appear to be going back to where they used to habitually dwell, the top six.

One of those potential targets is Ibrahim Sangare, who is said to have a €35m (£30m) release clause in his contract and has previously said: “Playing in the Premier League is not only a dream of mine but a dream of every footballer. That is the biggest and most important league in the world.”

Meanwhile, new PSV Eindhoven manager Ruud Van Nistelrooy said last month (via Voetbal International): “I would prefer to know as soon as possible whether (my key players) are staying. The sooner the better, but we are dealing with the transfer deadline. I know from Sangare that he really wants to stay. (Staying at) PSV is absolutely no punishment for him.

“Of course, we also know how the market works. If clubs come with the right financial resources, it could be difficult to keep these players.”

The latter admission will boost Villa’s hopes of securing the signing of Sangare, and it will surely have Gerrard drooling over the prospect of a Sangare and Boubacar Kamara partnership in midfield.

In the 24-year-old PSV tank, we are talking about a hardworking and positionally smart midfielder who could stabilise Villa alongside Kamara, both in the possession-oriented and transitional phases of the game, but more so in the defensive third.

The Ivorian thrives as a ball-winner, achieving 2.8 interceptions per 90 minutes whilst averaging 2.2 successful tackles per game last season.

Meanwhile, Kamara is the ultimate string puller in the engine room, completing 73.04 passes per game at a percentage of 91%, with 5.99 of these passes into the final third, which indicates that the two could make for a hugely progressive duo.

Sangare – who has been hailed by Dutch analyst Aad de Mos as the “king” of PSV’s midfield – can sit back and offer defensive stability, whilst Kamara can dictate possession and stabilise Aston Villa in possession.

It really would be a dream duo for Gerrard, who needs to get this transfer over the line pronto.

Photo by Unsplash

In other news – “I could see…”: Journalist drops teasing Villa transfer claim that’ll delight Gerrard 

Liverpool have once again been linked with a move to sign Leeds United winger Raphinha this summer, according to a report from Spanish outlet Sport. 

The lowdown: Wanted man

Raphinha is currently at the centre of a spectacular transfer battle with Chelsea, Arsenal and Barcelona all interested in acquiring the Brazilian’s services.

The 25-year-old Brazil international is believed to be open to a move away from Elland Road having helped the Yorkshire club narrowly avoid relegation from the Premier League on the final day of last season.

However, no transfer has yet come to fruition and an emerging claim from Spain has suggested that a link-up with Jurgen Klopp at Anfield remains a possibility…

The latest: Can’t pay…

As per Catalan outlet Sport, Liverpool are among the clubs ‘still trying’ to sign the nine-cap Brazil star.

It’s claimed that the Reds are ‘on the market looking for a replacement’ for Sadio Mane who left Anfield for Bayern Munich, but Raphinha ‘wants’ to join cash-strapped Barcelona as a number one preference.

The report states that Leeds will accept bids of €70million (£60million) for the man hailed as ‘world class’ by former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson after a standout performance against Norwich City last year.

The verdict: We’ll take it away…

Already a proven performer in the Premier League, signing Raphinha as an understudy and potential long-term replacement for the freshly signed Mohamed Salah would be a relatively low-risk venture from FSG and Julian Ward.

Predominantly operating as a right-winger, the mercurial Brazilian successfully completing 1.8 dribbles, winning 5.2 duels and taking 2.5 shots per game.

Not content with an outstanding goal involvement record, Raphinha – who shares similar stylistic traits to the likes of Riyad Mahrez, Domenico Berardi and Lorenzo Pellegrini (Fbref) – finished tied for fourth place among the most prolific nutmeg exponents in Europe’s top five leagues.

If indeed Chelsea or Arsenal aren’t the ideal destination and Barcelona continue to struggle to pay the required fee, Liverpool should be all over a last-ditch attempt to bring the skilful Brazilian to Merseyside.

Journalist Alfredo Martinez has now shared a major transfer update involving Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Barcelona as the trio battle for Leeds United star Raphinha.

The Lowdown: Spurs ambition on display…

Sporting director Fabio Paratici, once criticised for his scattergun approach to the transfer market, has already sealed a plethora of deals at Spurs as manager Antonio Conte prepares for his first full Premier League season in charge.

Indeed, it is also believed there could be more, with reliable journalist Alasdair Gold even hinting they plan on making more signings for Conte.

So far this summer, it appears the Lilywhites are putting ENIC’s £150 million equity increase to good use, with news also emerging on a marquee offer to sign Leeds star Raphinha.

The Latest: Martinez shares major Raphinha update…

Tottenham, as per this latest update, haven’t exactly given up on signing another Brazilian after Richarlison.

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Spanish reporter Martinez, taking to Twitter, claims both Spurs and London rivals Chelsea have offered €75 million (£65m) to sign Raphinha.

However, La Liga giants Barcelona apparently have an edge despite offering far less.

“Raphinha-Barça theme. There is optimism in the club because the player wants to come. Barça’s offer is 50 M €. Chelsea and Tottenham reach 75 M. The advantage is the will of the player. In the club they believe that he is compatible with Dembelé.”

The Verdict: Move on?

Given the 25-year-old’s eagerness to join Barca, it is perhaps clear that Spurs are underdogs in this chase and Paratici should perhaps turn his attention to other targets.

Raphinha’s quality is non-debatable, so you can see why the north Londoners have so eagerly pursued a deal with Leeds.

Called ‘phenomenal’ by Tim Sherwood, the attacker’s WhoScored stats back up this theory, especially since he averaged more shots, key passes and completed dribbles per 90 than any Whites player over 21/22.

Taking this into account, you can also understand why Leeds journalists like Leon Wobschall have called him ‘colossal’.

Celtic have cashed in on a significant number of players over recent years, some of whom have made moves to English clubs.

The likes of Kieran Tierney, Odsonne Edouard and Kristoffer Ajer, among others, have all joined Premier League clubs in recent years and seen the Hoops pick up hefty sums in terms of transfer fees.

One other player who waved goodbye to Parkhead to join a team south of the border is Virgil van Dijk.

After making 115 appearances for the Bhoys across all competitions, in which he found the net 15 times and delivered seven assists in addition to winning two Premiership titles and one Scottish League Cup, the defender was sold to Southampton in 2015 for a fee of £13m.

Now that several years have passed since the Dutchman left Glasgow, the current transfer window could give Hoops boss Ange Postecoglou the chance to unearth what could be his own version of Van Dijk.

Last month, it was reported that Celtic were in talks with German club Schalke 04 over a potential swoop for their young centre-back Malick Thiaw.

The 20-year-old joined Schalke’s youth squad in 2015 and has since made 142 appearances for the club across their senior and youth teams, chipping in with 14 goals and providing five assists along the way.

In his 31 league appearances last season, the youngster made more interceptions (55) and won more tackles (45) than any other player at the Gelsenkirchen club. He also ended the campaign with a higher average of clearances per game (3.4) than any of his teammates.

This shows that, in addition to being a very capable defender, the Schalke centre-back can also be a threat in front of goal, just as Van Dijk was during his days at Parkhead.

It also backs up why the £5.9k-per-week titan was touted to have a “big future ahead” of him by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Bearing in mind how successful Van Dijk has gone on to be with Liverpool, the prospect of Postecoglou having his own version of the 30-year-old in his ranks with Thiaw is something that the Parkhead club should definitely try to make a reality this summer.

AND in other news: “Told..”: Journalist drops transfer update that Celtic supporters will love

Newcastle United have submitted an enquiry for Youri Tielemans…

What’s the word?

That’s according to CBS Sports journalist Ben Jacobs, who dropped a rather exciting claim to GIVEMESPORT this week, where he revealed that the Magpies were keen on signing the Leicester City midfielder.

“Tielemans has crept on to their radar, too,” the reporter said.

“Dan Ashworth has made enquiries.

“It’s nothing more than that at this stage but it’s one to watch.”

The Belgian international is thought to be available for just £25m this summer as he enters the final year of his current £120k-per-week contract at the King Power Stadium, as per the Telegraph.

Big midfield addition

Since being taken over by Saudi backers, the northeast sleeping giants are yet to make a big-money splash in the ilk of a Paris Saint-Germain or Manchester City but that’s fine because the way they are conducting business is actually very smart.

Tielemans would certainly be another shrewd acquisition from the Newcastle board. He would arrive at St James’ Park with bags of Premier League and European experience, adding to an engine room that is perhaps lacking exactly that.

The 25-year-old dynamo is a box-to-box animal and is more than capable of providing goals and assists from a deep midfield position, very much similar to that of Bruno Guimaraes.

Over the course of 158 appearances for the Midlands outfit, Tielemans has delivered 24 goals and 24 assists, including a match-winning striker to clinch the FA Cup trophy over Chelsea in 2021.

The Athletic’s Rob Tanner credits the Belgian as being the “creator” of Brenden Rodgers’ side, despite his SofaScore heat map being heavily focused around the halfway line, which only goes to show his ability when he does get forward.

Also lauded as an “outrageous talent” and a “legend” by scout Jacek Kulig, Tielemans has been likened to Bayern Munich powerhouse Joshua Kimmich as well as ex-Barcelona man Ivan Rakitic in terms of statistical profile, as per FBref.

They also rank the Foxes star inside the top 12% of his positional peers across Europe for progressive passes (5.80 per 90) and expected assists (0.16 per 90). He also sits amongst the top 6% for shots attempted per 90, too.

On the above evidence, Tielemans would be a fantastic addition to Eddie Howe’s squad heading into the 2022/23 campaign and as such, Ashworth must follow up his enquiries with a bid.

AND in other news, Newcastle plotting club-record swoop for “simply amazing” £40m gem, he’s the “new Zlatan”…

Newcastle United want to sign Red Bull Salzburg’s Benjamin Sesko but face a battle to convince him to join, according to The Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson. 

The lowdown

The Magpies have thus far faced frustration in their efforts to land a new striker this summer, with long-time target Hugo Ekitike joining Paris Saint-Germain and Armando Broja edging towards West Ham (via Wilson).

Sesko, who scored and provided an assist on Friday as Salzburg kicked off their Bundesliga title defence with a 3-0 victory over Austria Vienna, may be their next port of call.

Recent attacking exports from the club include Erling Haaland, Patson Daka and Karim Adeyemi.

The latest

Wilson took to Twitter to share the ‘transfer latest’ on Sesko, confirming that ‘NUFC are interested in’ the Slovenian.

In the corresponding article for The Northern Echo, it’s stated that the club’s recruitment team have ‘honed in on’ a player regarded as ‘one of the most exciting teenage attacking talents in Europe’. They’ve made ‘a number of enquiries’ about Sesko but, as of now, he ‘doesn’t want to move because he thinks another full season’ in Austria ‘would benefit his career’.

On top of that, Salzburg are reluctant to do a deal, having already lost Adeyemi to Borussia Dortmund.

The verdict

Newcastle are clearly aware of Sesko’s immense potential. He scored 10 goals and provided seven assists in just 1,554 minutes of football last season, which works out as a direct involvement every 1.02 games.

Only three teenagers in Europe – Adam Hlozek of Sparta Prague, Florian Wirtz of Bayer Leverkusen and Jude Bellingham of Borussia Dortmund – recorded more goal contributions in 2021/22, while Goal have already ranked him ninth on their list of the 50 best wonderkids in football.

The Slovenian may get even better this season, with talent scout Jacek Kulig telling him that it’s ‘time to show’ the world how good he really is after a hot start to the campaign. Indeed, sports journalist Josh Bunting has called the 19-year-old a ‘pleasure to watch’ and a ‘superb talent’.

Newcastle can be keep plugging away trying to do a deal this summer, but they may have to bide their time.

They need to be wary of some heavyweight competition, with Bayern apparently identifying Sesko as a potential long-term successor to the now-departed Robert Lewandowski.

AC Milan are reportedly prioritising a move for Aston Villa midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka this summer, according to a report from Italian outlet Calciomercato.

The lowdown: Hot prospect

A product of the youth system at Bodymoor Heath, the 18-year-old has enjoyed a rapid rise through the ranks in the Midlands, making 54 outings for the under-18 and under-23 sides before becoming a regular feature in the first-team squad.

The England youth international has made 16 senior appearances to date and has attracted admiration from Barcelona and a plethora of Premier League clubs, including Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal and Newcastle.

However, following early interest from Milan, it has now emerged that the Serie A giants are extremely keen on signing Chukwuemeka during the ongoing transfer window…

The latest: Milan’s priority

As per Calciomercato, the England Under 19 starlet is the leading target for the San Siro outfit ahead of Lille midfielder Renato Sanches.

It’s claimed that Chukwuemeka is ‘in the list’ in Milan, and a ‘overtaking’ has taken place in terms of priorities, with the Villa youngster now the main focus of the Rossoneri’s transfer activity.

The report added that a deal for the youngster, who was dubbed ‘special’ by podcaster Sam Tighe, could be done for a fee in the region of €10m (£8.5m).

The verdict: Writing on the wall

Chukwuemeka provided one assist in 12 Premier League outings last season but could be set to have his head turned by the lure of regular action and Champions League football.

Into the final 12 months of his contract at Villa Park (Transfermarkt) and after recent reports claimed that the Austria-born sensation had ‘no interest’ in signing a new deal, a sale could be the best option for all parties this summer.

While losing any top talent, particularly one nurtured from within, is a worry for the Villans, it seems as though the pathway to potential stardom could lie elsewhere for Chukwuemeka, potentially due to the likes of fellow academy graduate Jacob Ramsey already flourishing in Steven Gerrard’s side.

Whilst the Midlands club will remain hopeful that the teenager undergoes a change of heart and signs a lengthy contract extension, at present that seems unlikely. As such, Johan Lange and the Villa hierarchy should ensure they can extract as much as possible out of selling the 18-year-old to reinvest into targets such as PSV Eindhoven star Ibrahim Sangare.

Everton have been linked with a move for Armando Broja for the entire transfer window and now a new update has emerged that could give the club the lifeline they needed to secure a deal for the player this summer.

What’s the latest?

According to Daily Express journalist Charlie Gordon, Everton remain interested in signing Broja this summer.

Gordon tweeted:

“Told that Armando Broja’s camp are now looking at other clubs after his move to West Ham stalled.

“Nothing advanced yet but Hammers blip doesn’t mean he definitely stays with Chelsea – whole situation up in the air. Newcastle and Everton interested.”

Lampard will be buzzing

It is no secret that Frank Lampard is a huge fan of the Chelsea striker after giving him his start at Chelsea with a Premier League debut ironically in a victory over Everton back in 2020, and has constantly lavished praise on the youngster.

The Toffees boss claimed Broja has an “eye for goal” in his pre-match press conference ahead of Everton’s clash with Southampton last season (via Metro):

“He’s a very nice, very good lad and a very talented young boy.”

“He’s fast, strong, has a real eye for goal and he’s a very, very good young player.”

As a result, there is no doubt that Lampard would be buzzing to have Broja in his squad next season at Goodison Park and with Richarlison making a move to Tottenham Hotspur, the manager will now be desperate to add reinforcements he can rely on in the forward line alongside Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Anthony Gordon.

The Chelsea youngster was out on a season-long loan with Southampton last season and finished the campaign just behind James Ward-Prowse as the second highest scoring player in the team with nine goals and one assist, proving that he is beginning to flourish and thrives when playing consistently.

First-team football is something that doesn’t look a likely scenario for the Albanian goal machine at Chelsea at the moment, and making the move to Merseyside could give Broja the golden opportunity to play regular football with a manager who understands his skillset perfectly.

With that being said, the signing of Broja is something that director of football Kevin Thelwell must now get done this summer as failing to sign another forward could be catastrophic for Everton as Richarlison’s exit has only left their attack weakened.

AND in other news, Everton given green light to sign 65-goal “all-round player”, he could be Cahill 2.0…

Tottenham Hotspur target Abdou Diallo has seen his valuation lowered by Paris Saint-Germain, according to Goal France. 

The lowdown: Spurs interested in Diallo

Prior to landing Clement Lenglet from Barcelona for the duration of the 2022/23 campaign, Spurs had reportedly attempted to sign Diallo from PSG during the summer transfer window.

However, the Lilywhites were seemingly put off by a €30m (£25m) asking price placed on the head of the Senegal defender, who was part of his country’s Africa Cup of Nations winning triumph earlier this year.

It now appears as though the Ligue 1 champions are growing desperate in their attempts to offload Diallo and have reduced their demands, potentially bringing Tottenham back into the mix…

The latest: Diallo price tag lowered

As per Goal France, PSG are believed to have ‘lowered the amount’ required to sign the 17-cap defender, but only after signing reinforcements in the position.

It’s claimed that the Parisian giants would now accept bids in the region of €20m (£16.7m) for Diallo and mentions the previous admiration from Tottenham.

The report also states that Rennes and Napoli are keen on the man who was hailed as being ‘strong in the air and shrewd in the challenge’ by former Mainz sporting director Rouven Schroder.

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The verdict: No-brainer

At the freshly reported fee – which is barely north of the Senegal ace’s estimated £16.2m market value – signing a player of Diallo’s calibre makes huge sense for Fabio Paratici in order to further bolster the defensive department at Antonio Conte’s beck and call.

Despite struggling to hold down a regular place at PSG following a £28.8m switch from Borussia Dortmund in 2019, the defender has still accumulated 75 appearances for the French champions.

Last season, Diallo had 16 outings across all competitions under Mauricio Pochettino, earning an impressive 6.92 Sofascore rating whilst winning 4.8 duels, completing 1.6 dribbles and making 1.1 clearances per game in Ligue 1, highlighting an impressive defensive and attacking acumen.

Capable of operating as a left-back and a central defender, with Sergio Reguilon and Japhet Tanganga both potentially on the way out of N17, adding Diallo to the Tottenham ranks would be a smart move, especially after PSG lowering their valuation of the player.

West Ham United have suffered a body blow ahead of their opening Premier League fixture of the season against Manchester City today.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Manchester Evening News, who quoted David Moyes’ response to injury updates as the Irons manager coyly claimed: “We’ve got quite a lot of concerns but I’m not going to give you them.”

He continued by ruling out the Hammers’ new signing Gianluca Scamacca due to fitness issues, saying: “Gianluca has only just joined us and he’s a little behind so I’m not expecting him to be available this weekend. He’s not played any minutes in pre-season so it makes it very difficult to put him out so soon…”.

Moyes will be gutted

Although Scamacca is yet to play for the Hammers, both Moyes and the club’s supporters will be disappointed to see their marquee summer signing ruled out for what looks the most difficult opening game that any Premier League side could be handed.

Michail Antonio has struggled with injury problems over his West Ham career, although he managed an impressive 36 league appearances last season, scoring ten goals.

In all honesty, though, the club were very lucky that the 32-year-old did not break down and leave them without a senior striker for some time.

Although that issue is now resolved with the arrival of Scamacca, his absence will be frustrating given his proficiency in front of goal last season, when he netted 16 goals in Serie A. The Irons are unlikely to get a host of chances against title holders Manchester City, so to be without the forward for today’s clash is a huge blow for West Ham.

Also, with an expected goals (xG) of 11.13, he overperformed in front of goal by 4.87. This outlines his clinical nature and his tendency to score from positions of little opportunity.

For comparison, Antonio’s xG of 12.79 represents a 2.79 underperformance. While over a league season one might prefer the striker who gets in the right positions, for games such as this a wildcard would often be prepared in order to stand a chance.

Moyes has been vocal in his admiration for the player, claiming that the Irons had “been watching him [Scamacca] for some time and even considered going for him last January. He has a presence as a player with his size and his ability to take the ball in, retain possession.

“We see him helping in maybe a different way to what we’ve had and his youthfulness means we know there is more room for improvement. It’s very rare you can have a top striker at 23 years of age – but he is.”

The absence of this kind of presence could be felt heavily by West Ham today, and Moyes will surely be gutted to be without his Italian recruit for their all-important opening league game.