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After a season that started with plenty of play-off promise ended with a disappointing 16th-place finish, Sunderland are reportedly set to suffer transfer consequences in the coming months.

Sunderland transfer news

If those at the Stadium of Light could go back in time, then it would be interesting to see whether they would have parted ways with Tony Mowbray in favour of appointing Michael Beale. When the former left, the Black Cats were battling well for a top six place, but by the time his successor departed, their play-off chances were left looking more like a pipe dream than anything else.

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Mike Dodds' interim spell in charge didn't help improve things either, resulting in a season to forget on Wearside. Now, Sunderland have been left searching for their next manager in a decision they must get right. The likes of Paul Heckingbottom and Steve Cooper have been linked, but it remains to be seen just who will be stepping into the hot seat.

Whoever it is though, they will reportedly face an instant transfer problem as a result of a frustrating campaign at the Stadium of Light. According to Graeme Bailey, Sunderland will lose Trai Hume this summer as a consequence of their struggles.

Bailey told Sunderland AFC News: ”I think you’re going to lose Hume at right-back too. Well, they were looking to sell the lad you got from PSG [Pembele], but I think one of the right-backs will go. They had originally signed the PSG boy to succeed Hume, but he hasn’t got much of a look in, has he?”

It's quite the blow for Sunderland, who could lose not one, but two right-backs to leave them with no choice other than to turn towards the transfer market for reinforcements. Hume would be a particularly frustrating exit, given his starting role and high praise from Mowbray, who said: "I told him to be patient, that there would be injuries and therefore opportunities, and to make sure that he was ready to grab it.

"Make me think, 'wow'. That's what happened, Lynden has moved on, Luke is at centre back, and Trai has made that position his own."

Hume departure would sum Sunderland's season up

As much as Sunderland will want to look towards positives and starting a new era at the Stadium of Light, Hume's exit would deal them a huge blow, even if the right offer comes in to clear his reported £3k-a-week salary from their wage bill.

His exit would act as a warning sign of just how important at least competing for a place in the Championship's top six is and then, of course, promotion to the Premier League. With or without Sunderland, however, Dodds believes that Hume has top-flight quality, having praised the right-back via Chronicle Live back in March.

Dodds said: “If he carries on the path he is going to, Trai is going to the Premier League. That’s how good I think he is. When you think of full-backs in this league, Trai would definitely be one of the best if not the best full-backs in the league and I don't think there will be many arguments over that."

If he is to exit as predicted by Bailey, then perhaps the Premier League is where Hume is heading this summer. At 22 years old, he's certainly got the time and potential to thrive at the top level.

Arne Slot provided an update on Federico Chiesa's potential Liverpool debut against Nottingham Forest.

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• Chiesa signed from Juventus on deadline day
• Had been working on his match fitness since the transfer
• Joined team training on Thursday

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Italian winger joined Liverpool from Juventus during the summer transfer window in a deal that could rise to £12.5 million. However, the Italian star did not have a full pre-season with Juventus, having only played sparingly since Italy’s elimination from the European Championship at the end of June.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  During the international break, Chiesa had been training with Liverpool's U21 squad at the AXA Training Centre. This period has been crucial for him to build up his fitness and sharpness, allowing him to integrate with his new teammates and since Thursday he has been training in full swing with the senior team.

• WHAT SLOT SAID

  Slot provided an encouraging yet cautious update regarding Chiesa’s potential inclusion in the squad for the Nottingham Forest game. He said: "Chiesa has trained three or four times with the team, so let's see how he does today because we have more than 20 players to choose from."

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• SLOT REACTS TO ELLIOTT'S INJURY

  Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott has a fractured foot and could be on the sidelines until late October. He impressed Slot with robust performances during pre-season and the latest setback is a "big disappointment" for the Dutch manager.

  "Harvey it's a big disappointment for him and us," he said. "Not played a lot but did in pre-season and did really well. If he stayed fit he would've played a lot but now he isn't and it's a chance for someone else. It's a blow for him and us because availability is important at this stage of the season. He will work hard to come back in the best way."

How to define Tottenham Hotspur's infuriating defeat against arch-rivals Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon? How to define Ange Postecoglou's first campaign at the helm after replacing Antonio Conte at the struggling London club last summer?

Tottenham's narrative is complex and multi-layered, with more depth required than a perfunctory glance at the slide from the fantastic early-season, table-topping form and subsequent inconsistency that has left Champions League qualification dangling by a thread in the final phase of the campaign.

Without question, there is much scope for growth at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but there is also a vast stretch of land between the current crop and the coveted location at the forefront of domestic and continental football.

Maybe Tottenham will fail in their bid for a place among Europe's elite next year, maybe that's okay. Of course, there's still every chance that Spurs will prevail against Chelsea, against Liverpool, against Manchester City, it's just a tough run to close the campaign.

One of the chief reasons behind the dip in form, or rather the failure to emulate that early-stage brilliance, has been the struggles of James Maddison, who was so influential in his creative performances early on, transferring from relegated Leicester City for a £40m fee last summer.

James Maddison's season in numbers

What better way to start off your journey at a new club than by earning the Premier League's Player of the Month award for August? Thus Maddison had set the tone under Postecoglou, emphatic in lifting the north London side after a terrible 2022/23 campaign that culminated in the sale of Harry Kane.

But an ankle injury suffered against Chelsea in November has kept the 27-year-old away from his finest football ever since, slashing a detrimental blow through the verve that had left Lilywhites supporters giddy.

As per FBref, the Three Lions star ranks among the top 9% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 6% for passes attempted and the top 1% for progressive passes and shot-creating actions per 90 – evidence, surely, of an elite-level playmaker.

But there's no denying that Maddison has failed to reclaim that blistering pre-injury form that had left the Premier League in a frenzy, with his 3/10 match rating – by football.london – in Spurs' recent loss against the Gunners emblematic of the bitter lapse that sent Spurs' season into a spin.

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While Dejan Kulusevski, Brennan Johnson and co have strengths in their wide play, Gareth Bale would have been the ultimate partner for Maddison to fire himself back into his finest form, even more so than had Kane remained at the outfit last summer.

Why Spurs signed Gareth Bale

After a promising start to life on the professional scene with Southampton, scoring five goals and supplying 12 assists across 45 matches as a teenage full-back in the Championship, Bale captured the attention of Premier League heavy-hitters Manchester United and Tottenham, with the latter winning the race and signing the 17-year-old for an initial £5m in May 2007.

Incredibly, Bale proved to have something of a penchant for disaster and failed to win any of his opening 24 matches for Spurs, though he put this ill-fortuned reputation behind him and forged a pathway to the top of the game, shifting to a forward-placed role after his supreme athletic ability and blooming deadliness in front of goal become clear.

Across 237 appearances over two spells with Tottenham, the Wales phenomenon posted 72 goals and 57 assists and established himself as one of the finest forwards in Europe, with his final campaign during his first spell – in 2012/13 – securing a return of 26 goals and 14 assists from 41 matches in all competitions.

The 34-year-old, now retired, improved with each passing campaign and won the PFA Player of the Year during that last, pre-Spain season in London.

Hailed as "unbelievable" and a "super talent" by Andre Villas-Boas back in 2013, the 111-cap international indeed went from strength to strength at Tottenham and dazzled, through his incredible Champions League performances against reigning champions Inter Milan in 2010/11, his ridiculous rate of prolific form, his frightening pace and power.

Bale has etched his name into Tottenham's halls eternally and while he left when a certain Spanish club came calling, he is remembered as a modern legend down at N17, where he cut his teeth and became one of the standout stars of his generation.

Why Spurs sold Gareth Bale

Tottenham sold Bale to Real Madrid in 2013 for a world-record £85m fee, eclipsing the previous record that saw Los Blancos bring Cristiano Ronaldo to the Spanish capital from Manchester United in 2009, making a jaw-dropping 750% profit on the one-time outlay that Daniel Levy granted to bring the teenage talent to the side.

It was a staggering transfer but not without full merit, with the Welshman proving his worth as one of Europe's best with his performances at Tottenham and fully deserving a shot at Real, one of the most prestigious and illustrious outfits in the world.

Reports suggested that Manchester United were hellbent on signing Bale after that initial failure to land their man, way back when, though Spurs supporters' pains were spared when he headed overseas, a move that proved auspicious for him.

Having retired at a relatively early age, Bale can rest with a stunning trophy cabinet at Real Madrid that saw him plunder five Champions League titles, three La Liga trophies and one Copa del Rey, among a host of other honours.

European football expert Zach Lowy outlined the facets that have left this wonderful star a true sensation of his time, saying: "Gareth Bale took Wales to the Euros semifinals, took Real Madrid from zero Champions Leagues in 11 years to five Champions Leagues in 8 years, and has just taken Wales to their first World Cup in 64 years. Legend of the game."

While Tottenham's erstwhile maverick didn't enjoy his trophy-laden days at the club, he is truly one of the greatest to play the game, and would be the standout among the current crop, enhancing the games of his peers considerably.

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Liverpool boss Arne Slot has dismissed any concerns regarding Federico Chiesa’s fitness, after seeing him endure injury struggles at Juventus.

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• Italian taking on English adventure
• Questions asked of injury record
• Reds will not rush winger into action

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Italy international winger has completed an £11 million ($15m) transfer to Anfield, with the 26-year-old snapped up in a cut-price deal after entering the final year of his contract in Turin. Chiesa sat out games in all four of his seasons at Juve, with a cruciate ligament tear keeping him sidelined for nine months in 2022.

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• WHAT SLOT SAID

  Liverpool believe that the Euro 2020 winner has merely been unfortunate when it comes to picking up knocks, with Slot expecting the Italian to be available on a regular basis as he takes on a Premier League adventure. The Reds’ Dutch coach has said of Chiesa: “It's true he had an ACL issue but the rest he didn't have big injuries, just minor like other players maybe. I trust my performance staff, he is not the only winger we have, we have others, so if he is not available at certain moments we have others and there are enough players to choose.”

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  While Chiesa’s injury record is mixed at best, there is no questioning his quality. Liverpool are delighted to have him on board and expect a debut to be made after the September international break. Slot added on his newest recruit: “I'm excited, if we sign someone who can help us and improve the squad, of course you're excited to get him in. One of the best things of working here is the culture of this team; they work so hard to achieve their goals and I think it is important the first player you bring in has the same culture. He works really hard on and off the pitch, he can score goals and is aggressive off the ball and he can play so many positions, an interesting signing. We will take care of him because he hasn't trained much but we have good performance staff to build him in the right way and we can see his quality in the near future.”

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Liverpool have confirmed that Chiesa will train alongside his new team-mates on Friday, but he is unlikely to be included in the Reds’ matchday squad for a meeting with arch-rivals Manchester United on Sunday. His Premier League bow could be made against Nottingham Forest at Anfield on September 14.

It was one of those days that had supporters waking with a gnawing sense of unease. Even the most sanguine of Liverpool fans would have feared a fifth slip in as many matches to close Jurgen Klopp's tenure with a whimper.

But, alas, the ship has been steadied and Liverpool dispatched Fulham 3-1 at Craven Cottage in the Premier League to leapfrog Manchester City (who have a game in hand) into second place, behind table-toppers Arsenal only on goal difference.

Whether Liverpool complete a staggering title triumph in the weeks to come is unknown, such hopes hang in the balance after some damaging recent results, but the fact remains that Liverpool rebuilt last summer to create a team of great promise and quality once again, and Klopp leaves his legacy in good hands.

Of course, such hands are undetermined right now, with The Athletic's David Ornstein revealing that Ruben Amorim is West Ham United's top target and that a move to Liverpool is unlikely, with the all-knowing journalist quashing widespread belief that he was the frontrunner.

Who the Reds will seek to anoint as helmsman is anyone's guess now, but FSG's new CEO of Football, Michael Edwards, appears to be identifying possible signings to strengthen the squad at the dawn of a new era.

Liverpool eyeing La Liga star

According to prominent French publication L'Equipe, Liverpool are in the hunt for new defenders and have earmarked Real Madrid left-back Ferland Mendy for transfer.

L'Equipe reveal that France international Mendy has already been in contact with the Merseysiders concerning a possible transfer this summer, with Arsenal also keen and the player is understood to have rejected interest from Newcastle United.

Los Blancos welcomed Mendy, who is 28 years old, to the ranks in 2019 after completing a £47m deal with Lyon, and it appears that the different parties feel his journey in Madrid has reached a natural conclusion.

Ferland Mendy's style of play

With rumours mounting surrounding Real Madrid's interest in Bayern Munich speedster Alphonso Davies, it makes sense that Mendy might be on the way out, with his game time sure to diminish upon the Canadian's prospective arrival.

Throughout the duration of his Real Madrid career, Mendy has completed 165 matches, scoring six goals and supplying ten assists, having been described in the past as a "very balanced FB" and an "offensive machine" by Real Madrid content creator Ardit Loconte.

As per Sofascore, Mendy has chalked up 21 appearances in the Spanish top flight this season, completing 94% of his passes, taking 62 touches per fixture, averaging 0.5 key passes and 4.2 ball recoveries per game and succeeding with 56% of his dribbles.

He's not very creative but that's not really his role, instead focusing on his dribbling ability – analyst Raj Chohan has even heralded him as a "1v1 beast" after one performance when pitted against France superstar Kylian Mbappe.

His complete style of play aligns with the attributes of some of the Premier League's finest wide defenders, and while he is considered a similar player to Trent Alexander-Arnold, his playing style is far more similar to that of Andy Robertson, who he may well succeed on Merseyside.

Why Liverpool are interested in Ferland Mendy

Mendy is not one of the galactico-level names at Santiago Bernabeu but he is a shrewd and steady operator at left-back and has been a key component for a side that has picked up the Champions League, two La Liga titles and one Copa del Rey trophy since his arrival.

While there may be similarities to be drawn between Mendy's style of play and Robertson's, he's unquestionably more conservative and crisp in his distribution, ranking among the top 1% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past. year for pass completion and the top 18% for passes attempted per 90, as per FBref.

Still, the £172k-per-week defender has excelled in the Spanish capital and would bring a welcome layer of protection to the Anfield backline, perhaps even taking Robertson's place as the starting star in his position.

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Robertson is an elite defender and has been heralded as the "best left-back in the Premier League" by former Everton ace Kevin Kilbane, scoring nine goals and supplying 65 assists across 293 appearances, singing under Klopp in a shrewd £10m deal from Hull City in 2017, right at the start of the club's illustrious chapter.

While he has been afflicted by injuries this season, the 29-year-old has still produced some comparatively successful displays in the Premier League, scoring one goal and adding two assists across 14 starting roles, completing 88% of his passes, averaging 2.6 key passes and 4.3 ball recoveries per game.

Mendy's steely defensive security and secure ball control make him the perfect player to succeed the Scotland international at Liverpool – or perhaps even just serve as a foil to open up a valuable extra dimension for the new manager, whoever that may be.

The 5 foot 10 ace has a wealth of trophy-winning experience from numerous years at Real Madrid and given that he is 28 years old, the time might feel apt to make a change and try his hand in the Premier League.

With electricity in his gait and high-class quality in his work – at both ends of the pitch – Liverpool might be wise to maintain contact with Mendy ahead of a possible summer swoop.

He might just be the perfect new player to ensure that Liverpool keep their place at the forefront of the Premier League next season.

West Ham United manager David Moyes made a host of changes last weekend, presumably in preparation for this evening's clash against Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League.

Trailing 2-0 after the first leg, the indomitable Bundesliga champions fashioning two late goals, the Hammers are up against it. A two-goal lead is needed at full-time just to stay in the tie. Xabi Alonso's team have not lost all season. West Ham have two wins in nine.

But defeat at home against Fulham in the Premier League was simultaneously a blow to the most probable route into continental competition next season and United's confidence, which will be key against Die Werkself.

Still, London Stadium will bring the noise and West Ham produced a promising performance last Thursday – Moyes said his squad has "half a chance", which might just be enough.

West Ham team news

Lucas Paqueta got himself suspended for this one in the first leg in a crushing blow to West Ham's chances of qualification. The absence of the club's creative linchpin will be keenly felt.

Tough-tackling defender Emerson Palmieri will also be absent due to suspension in a hammer blow to Moyes' Irons, while Konstantinos Mavropanos will miss out with injury.

However, in a huge boost, Moyes has confirmed that talisman Jarrod Bowen is fit to face Bayer Leverkusen after returning to training on Wednesday after injury.

He will be a massive threat, but not the only one who could cause problems tonight.

Why West Ham must unleash Tomas Soucek

The man in question is Tomas Soucek, who has been praised for his "sensational" motivating, leadership qualities by his manager, something that will be paramount ahead of the European clash.

Bowen has scored 19 goals and added eight assists from 40 matches for West Ham this season and the visitors will likely view him as the biggest threat. After all, he was the scorer of the Hammers' winning goal in the Conference League final. Soucek is just as important, however, potentially striking from sitting deep and at the centre of the action if his side is to prevail.

This season, in all competitions, Soucek, aged 29, has posted nine goals, with his innate ability to find opportunities and take them providing Moyes' side with an invaluable added dimension.

On top of this, the Czech midfielder ranks among the top 11% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for interceptions and the top 1% for clearances and aerial duels won per 90, as per FBref.

The Athletic's Roshane Thomas remarked that Soucek had "rediscovered his verve to become West Ham's talisman" this season, having flattered to deceive across large portions of the 2022/23 campaign.

His blend of attacking and defensive attributes bespeak his importance and influence, capable of contributing in many different ways and posing a problem against Alonso's side.

Furthermore, he was crucial in rebuffing the German team last week, dropping deep to add a layer of protection in the defensive third, blocking three shots, making two interceptions and making three crucial clearances, as per Sofascore.

It won't be easy; Leverkusen have probably been the best team in Europe this season and are charging toward an undefeated treble, but with Soucek's industriousness used to quell the beast in the first half, his rangy goalscoring prowess could be activated after the break to find space and fire his side toward victory.

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There has been an intriguing update regarding the future of Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins…

What’s the word?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook has revealed that the Midlands outfit are not planning to part ways with the Englishman this summer, amid reported interest from West Ham United.

The transfer insider has claimed that Villa don’t intend to sell the 26-year-old in the current window and may even opt against bringing in a new centre-forward in order to prioritise other areas: “They’re reasonably well-stocked, aren’t they? They’ve got Ollie Watkins and they’ve got Danny Ings, and they didn’t really seem to find the right solution to get them both into the team.

“I know West Ham have got an interest in Ollie Watkins, but Villa have no plans to sell him. I don’t know if they’ll go for that superstar striker. I think that central midfield area is more of a priority.”

Manager Steven Gerrard has previously been linked with a move to bring former Liverpool teammate Luis Suarez to the club, while there has been some suggestion that Watkins’ strike partner Danny Ings could be up for sale.

Supporters will love it

That news will come as a huge sigh of relief for the Villa Park faithful, with some sections of support having potentially been concerned that they may lose the former Brentford man this summer, particularly with the Hammers able to offer European football next term.

While not prolific, the £31.5m-rated gem has been a reliable goalscoring presence for the club since joining from the Bees two years ago, having since netted 25 Premier League goals and provided a further seven assists in that time.

That tally includes his haul of 11 top-flight goals in the most recent campaign, ultimately finishing as the club’s top scorer in all competitions, ahead of teammate Ings.

His talent does not just lie in putting the ball in the back of the net, however, with the £44k-per-week speedster proving a real pest for any defence, so often applying pressure on an opposition backline with his willingness to press and get in behind.

That analysis is corroborated by his impressive statistics, as he ranks in the top 25% for pressures made and in the top 7% for blocks made among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, with the dynamic striker undoubtedly a vital asset to Gerrard’s side.

Perhaps a more ruthless finisher – such as Suarez – may be needed to help bolster the goal tally next term, although supporters will no doubt be aware of the impact that Watkins does make to the team, with his ability to stretch the opposition allowing the more creative talents behind him room to shine.

Making high-profile signings – as the club have already done – will be needed to help push the Villans further up the table next term, although keeping hold of their current stars, such as Watkins, could also prove invaluable.

IN other news, Gerrard can land AVFC’s next Southgate with move for “outstanding” £120k-p/w warrior

A big update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their agreement to bring James Sands to Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s Ibrox ranks in 2023… 

What’s the talk?

Journalist Tom Bogert has revealed that Rangers will be able to sign the versatile gem for a fee in the region of £4.8m next year, at the end of his current loan spell.

He Tweeted: “Was told Rangers’ purchase clause for on-loan NYCFC and USMNT defender James Sands is $6 million. Dunno if there was a loan fee too or not. I would assume Rangers will trigger that. Think he’ll be really good this year.”

Supporters will be excited

The Gers supporters will be excited by this news for multiple reasons.

Firstly, it shows that there is money in the bank to spend a decent amount of money on permanent signings. The club have agreed a near-£5m fee for Sands, albeit with the intention of paying it in 2023, and fans will be pleased with the ambition shown by being willing to spend that kind of money.

Rangers have not spent more than £4.5m on a permanent signing since they brought Ryan Kent in from Liverpool in 2019 and this news indicates that they may be able to open up the purse strings again.

The supporter will also be excited by the prospect of seeing Sands develop at Ibrox in the years to come by signing him on a full-time basis.

He has now had five months to settle into life in Scotland and will be able to hit the ground running in 2022/23 with some valuable experience under his belt. The 21-year-old played 12 times in the Premiership and Europa League combined as he played at centre-back and in central midfield, showing off his impressive versatility as a youngster.

Sands showcased his potential in the 2021 MLS campaign for New York City FC as he won 58% of his duels and made 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game – averaging an excellent SofaScore rating of 6.91 whilst playing in multiple positions.

These statistics illustrate the kind of player he can grow into as he has strong defensive instincts and is not bullied by the opposition in individual battles, whilst he is also capable of delivering good performances on a regular basis.

At the age of 21, he has plenty of growth left to go through and can, hopefully, fulfil his potential in Glasgow as he gains more experience, which is why the supporters will now be excited by Bogert’s expectation that the club will sign him permanently.

AND in other news, Big setback: Rangers dealt hammer blow that’ll leave van Bronckhorst fuming…

Aston Villa are reportedly still in the mix to sign Uruguayan icon Luis Suarez this summer, according to journalist Gregg Evans.

What’s the word?

Writing on Twitter, the respected Villa correspondent wrote just three simple words that are likely to get pulses racing – “Suarez waiting game” – with the Midlands outfit seemingly still bidding to sign the 35-year-old.

In his attached piece for The Athletic, Evans revealed that the Atletico Madrid man – who is set to depart the Spanish capital upon the expiry of his contract this summer – is ‘still under consideration’ by the Villa Park outfit, ahead of a potential free transfer deal.

The report goes on to suggest that manager Steven Gerrard has been ‘in regular contact’ with his former Liverpool teammate regarding a possible return to the Premier League, although the veteran marksman is also likely to have options to move elsewhere.

Villa are believed to be eyeing a new left-sided defender, a midfielder and a striker prior to the start of next term, as per the report, despite having already made three statement signings thus far.

Supporters buzzing

Although the 132-cap international remains a controversial figure, particularly in England, it is his undeniable quality on the pitch that would make him such a coup for NSWE, with the club’s supporters already likely to have been impressed by the eye-catching early business.

The arrival of Suarez, however, would no doubt be the cherry on top of the icing, with the Villans arguably in need of a striker of such pedigree to help fire them into contention for a European berth.

Concerns about his age would be understandable, although this is a man who two years ago fired Diego Simeone’s side to the La Liga title with 21 league goals, having also added a further 11 league goals in the most recent campaign.

The £9m-rated man’s former club Barcelona have already made the mistake of thinking he was over the hill, with Gerrard likely to overlook his advancing years to bring in a player who he has seen cause carnage in English football first-hand.

Plucked from Ajax on deadline day in January 2011 – alongside the more high profile capture of Andy Carroll – the dynamic forward arrived at Anfield as something of an unknown quantity, although quickly cemented himself as the Reds’ talisman, scoring 69 goals and registering 23 assists in just 110 league games for the club.

With 31 goals in the 2013/14 campaign, the £263k-per-week machine almost singlehandedly dragged the Merseysiders to the league title, before a late collapse in the closing weeks of the season proved costly for Brendan Rodgers’ side.

Since then, the one-time Groningen man has won a plethora of major honours and netted with remarkable consistency, notably bagging a simply sensational 194 goals and registering 113 assists in just 284 games in all competitions during his time at the Nou Camp, before adding a further 40 goal contributions in 84 games in Madrid.

His powers may be somewhat on the wane – with last season’s league tally his lowest in a decade – although it is hard to deny just what a force of nature he is in and around the penalty area.

It may not be a long-term approach, but signing the “phenomenal” gem – as he has been dubbed by Gerrard – will no doubt ramp up both the excitement and expectancy among Villa supporters.

IN other news, Gerrard can land AVFC’s next Southgate with move for “outstanding” £120k-p/w warrior

Celtic saw a raft of new players make moves to the Parkhead club during what ended up being a rather busy previous summer transfer window for the Hoops.

One figure that came in during this period that turned out to be a fantastic bit of business from the Bhoys is Cameron Carter-Vickers.

Signed from Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur on a season-long loan deal, the centre-back played a big part in Celtic’s title winning SPFL campaign.

With 28 league appearances and an overall performance rating of 7.36/10 under his belt, the American is listed as Celtic’s fourth-highest rated player in their current squad according to WhoScored.

While his loan deal is set to expire tomorrow and with the upcoming summer transfer window on the horizon, Celtic now have the chance to replicate the same sort of masterclass they delivered when they signed the Spurs defender.

Last week, the Hoops were linked with a move for Manchester City defender Ko Itakura.

Since joining the Premier League champions back in 2019, the 25-year-old has had loan spells with clubs such as FC Groningen on two occasions and one most recently with Schalke.

This puts him in a similar light to Carter-Vickers who has also had numerous loan moves throughout his career.

During his time with the German club this season, the Japan international racked up an average of 1.4 tackles and interceptions as well as three clearances per game as he helped Schalke win their place back in the Bundesliga.

This highlights how much of a capable defensive unit he is in the same way that the current Celtic loan star has been for Ange Postecoglou’s side this season.

With an average of 4.2 clearances per game in the SPFL, no other Celtic player could get close to Carter-Vickers in this statistic.

Labelled as “one of the very best central defenders in the Eredivisie” by former Dutch footballer and now TV presenter Haans Kray when the defender was in the Netherlands, Itakura could be the ideal next version of Carter-Vickers for Celtic and show that players that may not be getting a look in at their Premier League clubs can shine in Scotland.

In other news: Ange can finally axe £20k-p/w Celtic dud with “immense” talent who has “all the tools”