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Aston Villa are eyeing an audacious swoop for a Premier League ace, if latest reports are to be believed.

The Villans are expected to have a busy summer both on and off the pitch, with Sevilla sporting director Monchi set to join Unai Emery to bolster the business side of things at the club.

A host of talent has been linked with a move to Villa Park already, with the latest name being one of high potential.

What’s the latest on Jadon Sancho to Aston Villa?

As reported by FootballTransfers earlier this week, Aston Villa have emerged as a potential candidate to sign Manchester United forward Jadon Sancho.

The report claims that Villa are ‘keen’ on the Englishman, who is valued at £60m by his club.

It’s added that, at present, the Midlands club are ‘not willing’ to spend such a figure on the 23-year-old, who has struggled since arriving at Old Trafford.

What could Jadon Sancho offer to Aston Villa?

Despite not thriving as dangerously as he did at Borussia Dortmund, the former Manchester City academy starlet has built a huge reputation due to his thunderous form displayed in Germany.

The left-winger contributed to a monstrous 89 goals in 104 Bundesliga appearances for Dortmund, scoring 38 himself and assisting 51 in just under three and a half seasons, via Transfermarkt.

Once lauded as being an “insane talent” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Londoner could be an emphatic name for Emery to introduce to Villa Park and integrate into his free-flowing attack.

This campaign has been tough for the Englishman, who took some time away from activity earlier in the season due to being not “physically or mentally” fit to be among his teammates, as revealed by Erik Ten Hag.

Ending the term with 26 appearances, the 23-year-old contributed six goals and three assists for the Red Devils, showing the gap he finds himself at to being close to his best.

The youngster could reach such levels once more if given the chance to thrive, something he could do by joining Villa, who have been presented with an exciting project thanks to the work of Emery.

Deployed on the left flank, the right-footed ace could be provided with a strong outlet in new arrival Youri Tielemans, who has been praised as a “phenomenon” for his play-making ability by former Anderlecht midfielder Par Zetterberg.

The two could form a dangerous combination in Emery’s attack, as suggested by their statistics gathered, piecing them together as the perfect pair to partner at Villa Park this off-season.

As per Sofascore, the Belgian created 10 big chances, as well as averaging one key pass per game in what was a hugely underwhelming Leicester City side that was relegated from the Premier League.

Most notably, the 26-year-old dynamo averaged 6.95 progressive passes per 90 which when paired with Sancho’s average of 9.23 progressive passes received per 90, proves for exciting potential between the two.

The numbers show both the Englishman’s ability to be progressive in his play through movement and positioning to get into intricate areas in the final third, as well as Tielemans’ own ability to pick and execute a pass from a deeper role.

With a hefty price tag and a long way to go in the summer transfer window, only time will tell if Villa decide to flex their financial strengths to snatch the 23-year-old but given the evidence above, it could well be a risk worth taking for Monchi and co.

West Bromwich Albion manager Carlos Corberan looks unlikely to be backed significantly by owner Guochuan Lai this summer as he looks to build a squad capable of returning to the Premier League.

The Chinese businessman controversially saw his £5m loan from the club written off a few months ago, with the vast majority of the Baggies' signings coming as free transfers in the 2022/23 campaign.

West Brom could find success down that route once again this summer, with reported target Jay Mingi seemingly set to depart Portsmouth on a free transfer.

Would Jay Mingi be a good signing for West Brom?

It was reported back in December by journalist Alan Nixon that the Baggies were scouting Mingi on a regular basis, with the view of bringing him in on a free transfer in the summer transfer window.

While Pompey have offered the 22-year-old a new contract, that has been on the table since January, and he is yet to sign on the dotted line, which suggests that he could be on his way out of Fratton Park when his current deal expires at the end of next month.

Portsmouth manager John Mousinho said: "There was a conversation with Jay in January which went along the lines of 'I think you’re a terrific player with a load of potential.'

"I think there’s still a lot of work to do to get him there and fulfil that potential. There’s a huge amount to work on and I think he knows that as well, but this is a really good football club for him to do that."

Incidentally, the former West Ham midfielder didn't feature at all under Mousinho due to injury, with his last appearance for the club coming on New Year's Day, so it is perhaps a testament to the talent he possesses that he has been offered a new deal despite his lack of game time.

The Englishman possesses very little senior experience, with just 40 appearances to his name across spells with Maidenhead United, Charlton Athletic and Portsmouth.

However, he is clearly highly rated and could be a great signing for the future by Lai, especially if he continues to back his manager with free-agent signings.

Okay Yokuslu, John Swift and Jed Wallace are ranked as the first, second and fifth-best performers in West Brom's squad this season according to WhoScored, having joined without a transfer fee, emphasising how much success can be had with free agents.

If Lai wants to get the summer off to a positive start as West Brom chairman, he must surely consider making an offer to Mingi ahead of his contract's expiry next month. Such an appealing deal doesn't come around very often.

Liverpool are monitoring Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney ahead of a potential move to the Premier League, according to reports.

Who is Hayden Hackney?

Hackney is an academy graduate at the Riverside Stadium having worked his way up through the various youth ranks, including going out on a season-long loan to Scunthorpe United, before returning to make his breakthrough into the first team last summer, as per Transfermarkt, registering 41 senior appearances during his debut campaign.

The Scotland U21 international still has another three years remaining on his contract in the north-east, but with Michael Carrick’s side having failed to achieve promotion to the top-flight, they could be forced to cash in on some of their prized assets should any sizeable offers arrive during the upcoming window.

The Reds have already confirmed the imminent departures of James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, alongside Arthur Melo more recently, so central reinforcements will be needed, and being his side’s second-best performer in midfielder, the 20-year-old has caught the eye of Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.

Are Liverpool signing Hackney?

According to 90min, Liverpool, alongside top-flight rivals Arsenal, have both “checked” on Hackney, whilst Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Leicester City have also “taken an interest” in securing his services. The Boro starlet could yet still be “rewarded” for his impressive performances with a new contract, but his boyhood club are aware that a “large offer” could be enough to sanction his sale as they are not in a financial position to turn down “reasonable” bids.

Liverpool will know that Hackney is set to be a much cheaper central midfield alternative as a result of him being a less high-profile name compared to the likes of Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister and Chelsea’s Mason Mount, and as a player that can positively impact the game at both ends of the pitch, FSG should definitely consider testing the waters this summer.

The Redcar-born talent, who earns £4k per week, has recorded a total of 67 tackles since the start of the term, which is higher than any other member of his squad, as per FBref, but going forward, he’s posted seven goal contributions (four assists and three goals) in 34 Championship appearances this season.

Middlesbrough’s “quality” academy product, as lauded by journalist Josh Bunting, would also provide Klopp with wonderful versatility having operated in six different positions since bursting onto the scene, including everywhere across the centre and even out wide on the left wing, so he would be a great acquisition for the long-term future on Merseyside.

أرسل نادي الزمالك، مبلغ 15 مليون جنيه، لاتحاد الكرة، قيمة المستحقات المالية المتأخرة، بعد تواجد أحمد سليمان ورامي نصوحي عضوي مجلس إدارة القلعة البيضاء، منذ قليل، في مقر الجبلاية.

وعلم “بطولات”، أنه تم إنهاء الأزمة ليُصبح من حق الزمالك قيد صفقاته الجديدة على (السيستم) الخاص باتحاد الكرة بشكل طبيعي.

وكان الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا”، أخطر نادي الزمالك بحل أزمة إيقاف القيد، بشكل رسمي، بعد تسوية كل المستحقات.

طالع أيضًا | خاص | الزمالك ينهي الاتفاق مع بيراميدز على ضم عبد الله السعيد والإعلان خلال ساعات

وفي سياق أخر، الزمالك قد توّج ببطولة كأس التحدي الودية، التي أقيمت في دبي، بمشاركة الأهلي السعودي والرجاء المغربي ووهان الصيني.

وانتصر الزمالك في مباراة نصف النهائي على الرجاء المغربي، وفي مواجهة النهائي أمام الأهلي السعودي فاز بنتيجة 3-0.

Kaushal Silva said a determined effort to put the pressure back on England’s bowlers was the key to Sri Lanka’s batting turnaround in the second Test

Andrew Fidel Fernando31-May-2016

Leaving, defending and patience are generally held up as necessary virtues for openers in early-season England.  A little counter intuitively though, Kaushal Silva has said it was the adopting of a more assertive mindset that saw Sri Lanka make improvements to their batting in the second innings at Chester-le-Street.Silva hit 60 in a team total of 475, and though he stressed that leaving and defending remained important on seaming surfaces, he also endorsed a more positive attitude towards run-making.”If you attack any bowler, they will be put on the back foot by that,” he said.  “If you keep leaving the ball, these bowlers are so skilful that there is still a chance of getting out. Rotating the strike is crucial. When we score runs there is a little pressure on them as well.”Here, the difference is that the good ball is what you should expect – that is what is normal, because the skills of their bowlers are great. So to counter that, we have to try and bat positively. Even if the correct decision is to leave, you have to commit wholeheartedly to that.”The second innings at Chester-le-Street saw Sri Lanka batting past the 45th over for the first time in the series, as Silva, Angelo Mathews and Rangana Herath hit half-centuries, while Dinesh Chandimal scored 126. They survived 128.2 overs in total, after Silva and Dimuth Karunaratne had put on their longest opening stand of the tour, seeing out 16.2 overs before the first wicket fell.”An opener’s role is especially important here, because our success has knock-on effects for the team,” Silva said. “If Dimuth and I bat a good number of overs, the ball gets old and the others find it easier. It’s England’s opening bowlers who are the real wicket-taking threats, and the pressure they apply is immense. In the last innings Dimuth and I batted 17 overs, and that made it much easier for the rest of the team.”The other thing is to get their quicks to bowl three or four spells. With any fast bowler, if you have them bowling 15-20 overs, anyone will tire and drop their performances a bit. Between the seven batsmen we have to be able to do that. Whoever is batting well that day should be able to bat through and ensure that happens.”Silva said the second innings had restored confidence to a top order that had been shaken by three collapses before that. With the Test at Lord’s more than a week away, Sri Lanka’s challenge will be to approach the third Test with the positivity they had ended the second with.”We all knew we had it in us to bat like that – it’s just that we weren’t able to in the first three innings. Now a few individuals have scored runs. They’ve got confidence. It’s only after you’ve done it a few times that it becomes easier for you. But we need to replicate that by training with that intensity, then taking it into the next match.Silva’s two previous half-centuries in England had come in the 2014 match at Lord’s. “Personally, I’m disappointed about the way I got out. But I’ve played four Tests in England now, scored three fifties but no hundred yet. I’m hoping to get set and go for the big one – to a hundred.”Sri Lanka had taken four excellent catches on the first day at Chester-le-Street, but marred that performance by dropping Moeen Ali twice on the second day as well as Chris Woakes. They had also reprieved Alex Hales and Jonny Bairstow at Headingley. Moeen and Bairstow went on to make big hundreds, while Hales laid a solid foundation.”I don’t think we are a terrible fielding team,” Silva said. “Some days we field well and others we don’t. That happens with the batting as well. Consistency is what is missing. Maybe lack of anticipation is an issue. But we can’t have those excuses. If a bowler is doing well on a flat wicket and a catch gets dropped, that’s really tough on them. As a policy we don’t blame cricketers for dropping catches, because we all train hard. Anyone can miss a catch, but there is lots of room for improvement.”

Tottenham Hotspur winger Dejan Kulusevski has shared his liking towards the young coach currently at the north London club, Ryan Mason.

What did Kulusevski say?

The issues at Spurs are there for all to see as their pursuit of a spot in next season's Champions League has begun to fall away over recent weeks.

After parting ways with Antonio Conte during the international break, the Lilywhites have only gone on to win one of their three Premier League games.

And even that victory came in controversial fashion with VAR issuing an apology to Brighton & Hove Albion for the decisions made in that game.

The search for their next permanent manager goes on with the likes of Julian Nagelsmann and Luis Enrique believed to be on the radar of Daniel Levy.

In the meantime, Conte's assistant, Cristian Stellini, has been handed the keys in north London with Mason acting as his assistant coach.

However, the 31-year-old was one of the names who was tipped to potentially take over from the Italian with his coaching staff expected to have left alongside him.

And speaking about Mason, Kulusevski has waxed lyrical about the young coach who has taken on a big role at his boyhood club:

"I like him a lot, because you know he was a player there just a couple of years ago. He knows how it is to be in our shoes. Like today, I spoke to him after the training, he was seeing something when I was shooting and trying to correct it, ask me about what I think when I shoot like that.

"It's good when you can speak with someone who knows what they're talking about because he was in your shoes a couple of years ago. He's a fantastic guy honestly."

Should Mason have been handed the job?

Stellini's promotion to manager has seen very little change in north London with the 48-year-old simply carrying over Conte's style of play and formation.

Spurs have now named an unchanged team for the last three games (all of Stellini's games in charge) and the performances have left a lot to be desired.

Saturday's game against Bournemouth was perhaps the biggest example of this as he ended up playing Harry Kane in midfield as Spurs chased the game following another poor display which saw them fall behind to the Cherries in the second half.

Perhaps replacing Conte and his team altogether would have been the best option for Daniel Levy with Mason potentially bringing some fresh ideas to the table.

The Spurs defence has been nothing short of abysmal this season with only six other sides having conceded more goals than their 45 this season.

Yet nothing has changed systematically since Conte's exit and Spurs have conceded five goals in their three games under Stellini.

Even further up the field, Kulusevski has not been the same player this season as he was last term, yet Arnaut Danjuma still awaits his first start in the league.

Unless changes are made, the next seven games for Spurs could prove tough watches for their fans.

Newcastle United are reportedly readying an "official proposal" to sign highly-rated young Sporting CP midfielder Manuel Ugarte this summer.

How is Ugarte performing this season?

The Uruguayan is making a name for himself in Portugal currently, producing a string of influential performances for Sporting. This season, he has made 24 appearances in the Primeira Liga, not only enjoying a 91.1% pass completion rate but also averaging an eye-catching 3.9 tackles per game in the competition. Ugarte's tackling numbers are more impressive in the Europa League and Champions League, with 5.3 and 4.8 coming his way per match.

His displays are unlikely to be going unnoticed across Europe, with a number of clubs already linked with a move for him at the end of the season. Newcastle are one of those, as they look to delve into the transfer market and make some noticeable additions this summer.

Now, a fresh update has emerged regarding the Magpies' interest in Ugarte, as they potentially look to snap him up in the summer window.

Could Ugarte move to Newcastle this summer?

According to Record [via Sport Witness], Sporting will need to cash in on some of their biggest assets this summer and Ugarte "appears at the top of the list", in that respect. It is claimed that there is "growing interest" from Newcastle, who see him as a strong summer target.

The Magpies will apparently "move forward with an official proposal" for the Uruguay international, with a €60million (£53m) release clause existing in his current contract. His deal doesn't expire until the summer of 2026, so a big bid would be required to prise him away.

Ugarte could be a magnificent signing by Newcastle at the end of the season, with his aforementioned off-the-ball ability highlighting his impact, not to mention being hailed for being a "tenacious tackler" and someone with "great timing, anticipation & positioning" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

At 21, he would be coming in as a long-term acquisition with a high ceiling, but his performances for Sporting this season show that he could also be an immediate key man for the Magpies, adding both technical quality and bite in the middle of the park. More depth is required in that area, especially if Eddie Howe's side are playing Champions League football next season, and Ugarte could be the ideal addition in the deep-lying role, allowing the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Joleinton freedom to attack.

Aston Villa are currently riding a crest of a wave right now under Unai Emery, with their latest Premier League victory in midweek vaulting them up to seventh spot in the table.

The win at the King Power Stadium was their fifth victory in their previous six matches and now leaves the Villans firmly in the hunt for a European spot for next season.

Nottingham Forest are the visitors today at Villa Park, and it gives the club another chance to continue their ascent up the table, and with the way they are playing right now, anything is possible.

Emery will likely make some changes to the side from midweek given the quick turnaround in games, and this could give a few players an opportunity to impress.

Bertrand Traore had a match-winning cameo against the Foxes, which could give Emery a licence to start the player and allow him to showcase his ability from the first whistle.

Will Bertrand Traore start for Aston Villa against Nottingham Forest?

The winger spent the first half of the season on loan at Turkish side Basaksehir, scoring three goals in 18 matches. However, he was recalled by Emery in January as Villa failed to sign a winger during the transfer window.

Since recovering from injury, he has played three times for the club and his contribution in midweek could be the confidence boost that he requires heading into the final weeks of the campaign.

He has averaged 1.3 shots per game and succeeded with 50% of his attempted dribbles during his three appearances so far, with his average game time of just 21 minutes not giving him the ideal chance to showcase his abilities.

The £17m winger enjoyed a successful first season at the club during 2020/21, registering 14 goal contributions (seven goals and seven assists), and if Emery can bring him back to that level ahead of next term, he could be like a brand-new signing.

His former manager, Dean Smith, lauded Traore at the end of his first campaign, saying: "He's a marvellous technician, I've been really pleased, and I expect better from him next season as well."

There is surely no doubt he has the ability to shine against a Forest side who have conceded 52 goals already this season, and we feel Traore can take advantage of their questionable defending this afternoon and build upon his midweek performance.

Manchester United captain Harry Maguire has taken to social media to praise Harry Kane for breaking the goalscoring record for England amid the latest summer transfer rumours.

What's the latest on Harry Kane to Man Utd?

On Thursday evening, the Tottenham Hotspur ace scored the second goal of the game as the Three Lions got off to the perfect start in their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign.

Indeed, Declan Rice opened the scoring and Kane made it two before half-time when he confidently slotted home from the penalty spot after an Italian handball.

Italy debutant Mateo Retegui pulled one back before Luke Shaw picked up two yellow cards within the space of two minutes, but England still held on with 10 men.

After the game, Maguire took to Instagram to praise Kane for breaking the record, saying: "Congratulations mate – what a player."

Meanwhile, fellow Man Utd star Marcus Rashford also commented – which might have supporters excited amid the current transfer links between the player and a mooted Old Trafford switch, as this could be seen as an attempt to sweet-talk Kane as the rumours persist.

How many goals has Kane scored for England?

And so, with his penalty against Italy, Kane has now scored 54 goals for his country. This puts him out ahead at the very top of the list, overtaking previous record holder Wayne Rooney.

After the game, the 29-year-old took to Twitter to outline just how happy he was, writing: "Just so proud to be this country's all-time top goalscorer, it's something you can't even dream about as a kid. A magical moment."

There's no doubting his quality, and with Man Utd heavily linked with signing a new striker in the summer, the Spurs man could be the perfect target.

As per The Sun, the player's £200,000-a-week deal is up at the end of next season, and if Tottenham don't manage to finish in the top four, the Red Devils may well hope to land him for less than the expected £100m asking price.

Clearly, Kane already has a good relationship with fellow England stars Maguire and Rashford, so that may also help twist the player's arm if he has any thoughts about leaving Spurs.

All in all, it sounds as though the rumours of Kane leaving will grow over the coming weeks, and this could develop into a pretty big transfer saga.

But for now, at least, the prolific striker can just enjoy doing what he does best: scoring goals.

Journalist Dean Jones says Arsenal star Oleksandr Zinchenko’s leadership is ‘absolutely unbelievable’, and he has ‘incredible’ desire and technical ability.

The Lowdown: Instant impact

Zinchenko has made an instant impact since arriving from Manchester City in the summer, helping turn Arsenal from top-four hopefuls into Premier League title contenders.

The Ukraine international has made 27 appearances in total over all competitions so far this season, and has only missed one game where he has been available (Mikel Arteta.

The Latest: Zinchenko hailed

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones has hailed Zinchenko’s leadership as ‘absolutely unbelievable’, and claims that he has an ‘incredible’ desire and technical ability:

“I think that Zinchenko’s leadership from that position is absolutely unbelievable.

“The desire he’s got matched with the technical ability has been incredible. What a signing he’s been for Arsenal.”

The Verdict: Great business

The deal to sign Zinchenko for a fee potentially totalling £32m looks like an absolute bargain by the day.

In their title-chasing season, the 26-year-old has ranked highly among the squad for average aerial duels won, tackles, clearances, interceptions, shots, passes and long balls per game in the Premier League (WhoScored).

The mentality that he has added to this side is emphasised by the facts that upon signing on the dotted line, Zinchenko said that he wanted to win titles, with Arsenal’s last top-flight trophy coming in 2004, and having finished fifth last season.

Indeed, Zinchenko won four Premier League titles with City before making the move to the Emirates Stadium, and the £150,000-per-week star could well add a fifth to his trophy cabinet by the end of the campaign.