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Aston Villa are leading the way for one of Europe's elite talents in what could prove a massive summer for Unai Emery's side.

Champions League almost secured

It has been a fantastic Premier League campaign for the Villans, despite being held to a draw in their most recent outing against Chelsea. With three games left to play, they can still surpass their best-ever Premier League points tally (when they recorded 74 in the first season of the competition) and they sit seven points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham.

Argentinian outlet share major Emi Martinez injury update for Aston Villa

He was forced off at half time in their most recent Premier League clash.

ByBen Browning Apr 29, 2024

Though Ange Postecoglou's side have two games in hand and can theoretically narrow the gap to just a point, they face Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea in their final five games, meaning that even two wins from their last three games should be enough to secure fourth place for Villa.

With it will come Champions League football, and they will need a bigger squad to help deal with the additional games from the new format starting next season.

Ollie Watkins alternative lined up

One of the positions in need of strengthening is the no.9 spot, with Ollie Watkins the only recognised elite option for Emery to call upon. Though he has enjoyed a fantastic campaign, he will need support, and Villa appear to have found just the man for the job.

That comes in the form of Lille striker Jonathan David. According to reports in Italy, via Sport Witness, even though the 24-year-old is wanted by big Serie A clubs such as AC Milan, it is Aston Villa who are currently 'on pole' to sign the Canadian.

They lead another English club in Manchester United in the race for the attacker, who has long been linked with a move to the Premier League.

Ollie Watkins vs Jonathan David 23/24

Jonathan David

Ollie Watkins

Goals

17

19

Assists

3

12

xG

15.9

16

Shots on target per 90

1.53

1.42

Minutes per goal

139.5

156.7

Penalties

2

0

Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards dubbed him a "fantastic" player ahead of the 2022 World Cup, insisting that clubs should "keep an eye on" the Canadian.

“Jonathan David is one we should keep an eye on,” said Richards. “He’s a fantastic player. I watched him for Lille in the Champions League last season.”

Having scored 82 times in four seasons in France, he knows where the back of the net is, and takes pride in finding it with regularity. Quizzed on how much he was enjoying finding the back of the net during one particular purple patch, David admitted just how much he loves his role.

"I'm loving it", he explained after grabbing a brace. "But the most important thing is to win the match. If my goals and my work help the team, I'm happy. But the most important thing is to win. I'm in good form but it's still a collective effort because my teammates put me in the best situations to finish the actions."

Able to play either on the left of attack or centrally, David is valued at just £30m this summer, and Lille are unable to demand much more thanks to his contract expiring next year, leaving them with just two transfer windows to make any sort of return on the £23m they shelled out to bring him to Ligue 1.

He could, therefore, be a bargain buy for Emery and co.

Jurgen Klopp's final farewell is but a few days away and Liverpool are in an exciting position to continue his legacy and fight for the shiniest silverware over the coming years.

A new structure is in place and Feyenoord manager Arne Slot is soon to be announced as Anfield's new head coach, picked from a crowd of contenders by the unerring Michael Edwards.

Plenty of promise, plenty to do. Liverpool will hold eternal gratitude for Klopp's historic tenure on Merseyside. In essence, he refashioned a dilapidated Anfield into a palatial centrepiece of success once more, winning the Premier League, winning the Champions League.

But Liverpool are a team in transition and must now ensure that the summer transfer activity endeavours to close in on Arsenal and Manchester City, also putting the outfit in a good position to impress in the Champions League next season.

Much noise has been made recently around Liverpool's forwards, with Mohamed Salah out of contract in 13 months and Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez both linked with moves to Barcelona.

Diogo Jota's going nowhere: the Portuguese boasts the best goal-per-minute rate (114) of any Liverpool player to have featured more than five times this season.

And Cody Gakpo has had his detractors since signing from PSV Eindhoven in a £35m transfer in January 2023 but he's hit a rich vein of form at the perfect time, proving his worth ahead of Slot's arrival.

Cody Gakpo's season in numbers

Gakpo's stock increased significantly after a standout campaign at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, scoring three goals for the Netherlands in the group stage before losing to eventual winners Argentina on penalties in the last 16. Fabrizio Romano hailed him as "something special" following his globe-stomping escapades.

Manchester United were the favourites to sign the dynamic forward but Liverpool acted with subterranean stealth to secure Gakpo's signature, six months before the legendary Roberto Firmino left Anfield at the end of his contract.

He entered Merseyside at a testing time, with Liverpool engulfed in a dramatic decline, but Gakpo still managed to produce a return of seven goals and three assists from 17 starting appearances in the English top flight.

This season, in all competitions, Gakpo has played 52 times, scoring 16 goals and adding seven assists to play a central role in Liverpool's Carabao Cup triumph and overall resurgence. Only Salah and Nunez have outscored him this term.

He has been criticised for his performances throughout the campaign but there has been plenty to be impressed by, with the Dutchman discernibly more potent since December.

First 19 fixtures

17

9

2

1

Last 18 fixtures

17

7

6

4

Gakpo's improvements in front of goal have been a testament to his hard work and unflappable mentality, but Liverpool supporters can rest assured that the underlying numbers have always bespoke his high-level quality.

Indeed, as per FBref, Gakpo ranks among the top 18% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 8% for shot-creating actions, the top 16% for pass completion, the top 5% for progressive passes, the top 16% for progressive carries, the top 8% for successful take-ons and the top 6% for tackles per 90.

While the 6 foot 1 star has caught the eye with his crisp finishing ability of late, it is the diversified approach to his football that has been the real kernel of his improvement in recent months, maintaining his skill set and now enjoying the fruits of his labour.

Gakpo's compatriot Slot has enjoyed several trophy-laden years at Feyenoord but the real reason that Edwards and co sought to appoint him comes down to the organised style, purposeful press and inborn interpersonal qualities that make him the perfect man to succeed Klopp.

Liverpool now eyeing move to sign "energetic" 18 y/o sensation for Slot

He’s one for the future.

ByTom Cunningham May 16, 2024

Gakpo offers a dynamic and varied blend of qualities, and with Slot headed toward Anfield, there's every chance that he will continue to flourish after firing himself into form at the perfect time.

Cody Gakpo's market value in 2024

According to Football Transfers, Gakpo has now risen to a prominent position among his team's most valuable players, with only a select few stars boasting a higher valuation at the time of writing.

1.

Dominik Szoboszlai

£51m

2.

Alexis Mac Allister

£46m

3.

Mohamed Salah

£45m

3.

Darwin Nunez

£45m

5.

Cody Gakpo

£43m

6.

Trent Alexander-Arnold

£42m

6.

Luis Diaz

£42m

While, based on Football Transfers' system of appraisal, Gakpo hasn't enjoyed a meteoric rise in the fee that was paid to bring him to Liverpool, these are modest fees and this is reflected through Dominik Szoboszlai being the club's cream of the financial crop at £51m.

Still, Gakpo has almost doubled his £27m market value at the time of his transfer from PSV and this highlights the growth that Slot will no doubt be eager to shape and guide toward the next level.

Interestingly, Gakpo is worth more than both Diaz and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Marginally so, yes, but it still places credit in the Netherland star's rise, with Diaz winning Liverpool's Player of the Month award for April and the club's vice-captain one of the most influential players in world football – Jamie Carragher remarked that "it's like having Kevin De Bruyne playing at right-back," when discussing Alexander-Arnold's ability.

Liverpool have enjoyed a promising campaign with portions of success and plenty more hinted down the line. There is plenty to do but with Gakpo going through the gears, Slot could find a talisman yet to reach his Anfield potential.

The last five years have been a real rollercoaster for Tottenham Hotspur fans as they have watched Nuno Espírito Santo, José Mourinho and Antonio Conte all come in and fail to rediscover the magic that Mauricio Pochettino was able to create in the late 2010s.

However, the most recent man tasked with that job, Ange Postecoglou, might be on the right track, even if recent results have been less than ideal.

The Australian has instilled an attacking mentality into his squad that has finally seen them play some entertaining football, and with the proper backing, he could bring the club back to the promised land.

That said, several players still aren't at the level required, one of which has seen their value plummet since joining the club under Pochettino's reign.

Giovani Lo Celso's Spurs career

The player in question is Argentinian midfielder Giovani Lo Celso, who joined the Lilywhites in the summer of 2019 on an initial loan deal from La Liga side Real Betis, which was made permanent in January 2020.

It was a move met with genuine excitement from fans and pundits alike at the time, with South American football expert Tim Vickery telling Sky Sports that he had a "wonderful left foot", was someone who could "split tight defences", and was practically a "Christian Eriksen replacement."

Unfortunately for all involved, the player Vickery waxed lyrical about in 2019 never emerged in N17. Instead, the club were left with a mediocre midfielder who was described as a "bigger flop" than Tanguy Ndombele in 2022 by The Athletic's Jack Pitt-Brooke – which really is a scathing assessment.

In the five years since his initial move to North London, the former Paris Saint-Germain dud has made just 106 appearances for the Lilywhites, scored ten goals, provided eight assists and spent one and a half seasons on loan in Spain with Villarreal.

Appearances

106

Goals

10

Assists

8

Goal Involvements per Match

0.13

In all, it would be hard to describe the midfielder's time in England as anything other than a disaster, and his current transfer value is a great way of demonstrating that.

Lo Celso's valuation in 2024

Now, due to how the deal to sign Lo Celso was structured in 2019, with it being a loan first, there are some conflicting reports as to how much Spurs actually paid for the midfielder in full. According to The Athletic, the total cost of the transfer was around £42m, which, upon reflection, might be about £40m too much.

Unsurprisingly, due to the Argentine's consistently underwhelming performances in white and his loans away from the club, his valuation has seriously plummeted in the years following his arrival in England.

According to the CIES Football Observatory, the midfielder Spurs writer Alasdair Gold, described as "mischievous" only last year, is now worth just €15m, which is around £13m, or around £29m less than the club paid for him five years ago.

However, perhaps the most damning takeaway from his new valuation is the fact that it is €5m – £4m – lower than Emerson Royal's, who is a player that fans and pundits have been heavily criticising in recent weeks for his dreadful performances.

Starting as a left-back against Liverpool last weekend, the defender rather looked like a fish out of water, with Gary Neville stating that "Emerson’s day just got a lot worse" after Cody Gakpo's goal.

Ultimately, while there are worse players at the club – Royal chief among them – Lo Celso is clearly one who doesn't have a long-term future under Postecoglou.

Therefore, even though he's lost 69% of his value since 2019, Daniel Levy and Co should still look to sell him in the summer before his £70k-per-week contract expires in 2025.

Spurs were rinsed by Poch's "deadwood" who earned more than Van de Ven

The Pochettino-backed flop cost the Lilywhites an awful lot of money.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 7, 2024

In a new era under Arne Slot, Liverpool have instantly turned their attention towards the summer transfer market and handing the Dutchman a few welcome gifts, which could include one exciting Bundesliga gem.

Liverpool transfer news

The Reds have already been linked with the marquee names of Rodrygo and Aurelien Tchouameni, but it's the youngsters like Johan Bakayoko and Antonio Silva who seem more likely in the coming months. Michael Edwards will want to make a statement, either way, as he endures his first summer transfer window back at Anfield, in which he could complete the structure of Liverpool 2.0 even without Jurgen Klopp.

After finishing third in the Premier League this season, there's certainly plenty of potential in this new Liverpool side, though that doesn't take away from the job on Slot's hands when it comes to replacing a club legend in Klopp. What will help is that Mohamed Salah now looks on course to stay put for at least another season and reports are already linking the Reds with a potential long-term successor.

According to Bild, Liverpool are eyeing a move for Brajan Gruda, who could cost as much as €20m (£17m) to lure away from Mainz 05 this summer. Those at Anfield aren't alone in their interest, however, with record-breakers Bayer Leverkusen willing to meet his price tag, whilst Borussia Dortmund, Newcastle United and Aston Villa are also eyeing moves this summer.

Slot could restore Nunez by unleashing forgotten £41k-p/w Liverpool star

Bobby Firmino absolutely adored this talented player…

ByAngus Sinclair May 24, 2024

The 19-year-old winger certainly isn't without potential suitors and at such a young age, he must get the next decision right. Liverpool will hope that their recent work with embedding young players into their side will go a long way in attracting such a gem in the coming months.

"Monstrous" Gruda could eventually replace Salah

Whilst there may need to be a stop-gap in between Salah and Gruda whilst the latter still reaches his best, that right wing role should eventually be his if he completes a move to Anfield this summer. The young German is clearly still a developing player – an output of just three goals and four assists in all competitions this season represents that – but after Ben Mattinson dubbed his left foot as "monstrous", he's certainly one to watch.

What's more, the underlying numbers show that the output should begin to rise with a move to a big club this summer, whether that be to Liverpool, Leverkusen or elsewhere.

Goals

4

18

Expected Goals

3.5

22.2

Key Passes

43

66

Take-ons Completed

69

27

The numbers show that when the chances presented themselves, Gruda took them in clinical fashion. Meanwhile, he should have recorded more assists due to his impressive chance creation numbers, something which is sure to translate into more end product when surrounded by superior players.

Tottenham have contacted one club as they target two of their players, and one has even drawn comparisons to Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane.

Spurs expected to have busy summer transfer window

The north Londoners, after a pretty positive debut season for manager Ange Postecoglou in the dugout, are now looking to build upon last campaign with key additions throughout the Australian's squad.

Tottenham now favourites to sign £20 million star after talks with his reps

The Lilywhites have made him a “key target”.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 4, 2024

Spurs are looking to make more attacking signings after sealing a loan extension for Timo Werner, while it is believed that a new midfielder could arrive at Tottenham this summer amid the uncertainty surrounding Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's future.

A new full-back, who would come in as back up for either Pedro Porro or Destiny Udogie, has also been mooted by certain sections of the media. Spurs are rumoured to hold an interest in the likes Kyle Walker-Peters in this regard, with the north Londoners apparently set for what could be a busy next few months.

Son Heung-min

7.30

James Maddison

7.17

Manor Solomon

7.05

Pedro Porro

7.04

Cristian Romero

7.03

A plethora of outgoings are expected, as chairman Daniel Levy and co are open to offers for over a dozen members of Postecoglou's squad (Paul O'Keefe). It is also believed that it will be a hectic one in terms of incomings to replace whoever departs.

"I think it will be an important summer for Tottenham in terms of midfield," said reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano.

"And then [there will be] an offensive player, at least one offensive player. We will see if it's going to be more a kind of winger or more a kind of number nine. But they are exploring the offensive players market and I think they will do something also in that position. So I think it will be a busy summer at Tottenham."

In terms of bringing in a new defender and wide player, Spurs could actually kill two birds with one stone as they contact Rennes over both Desire Doue and his brother, Guela Doue.

Tottenham make approach over Doue brothers at Renne

Tottenham have apparently approached Rennes over signing the Doue brothers, and Desire has even drawn comparisons with Zidane. The 19-year-old bagged four goals and four assists last season, attracting attention from a host of Europe's top clubs who are keen on his services.

Guela, 21, featured just as regularly for the Ligue 1 side – making 24 appearances at right-back and chipping in with two assists. It is unclear just how much Rennes would demand for the siblings, but Desire is rumoured to command a price tag of around £35 million alone.

"Doue has been compared to Wayne Rooney owing to his great strength on the ball but stylistically he collates more to Zinedine Zidane," wrote statistical football website WhoScored.

"Like the France legend, Doue is capable with both feet and has a wicked long-range drive when given the opportunity. He exudes confidence and possess carrying ability of an elite player. Doue is happy to be in enclosed spaces, where he uses his nimble feet to draw himself out of trouble.

"Featuring predominantly on the left-wing last season, Doue is an expert at getting the ball into central areas of the box."

Of all the groups drawn in this year’s European Championship, Group F is arguably one of the most enticing. It pits three countries who faced each other at Euro 2008 in a memorable group stage, which saw eventual semi-finalists Turkey coming from two goals down to advance at the Czech Republic’s expense.

2016 champions Portugal make this a heavyweight and potentially unpredictable group, with the trio being joined by Euros first-timers Georgia, who knocked out 2004 winners Greece on penalties in the play-offs.

With all the teams now confirmed, here is how the sides gearing up for battle this summer are shaping up.

Euro 2024 Group F fixtures

Tue 18th June, 5pm

Turkey

vs

Georgia

Westfalenstadion, Dortmund

Tue 18th June, 8pm

Portugal

vs

Czech Republic

Red Bull Arena, Leipzig

Sat 22nd June, 2pm

Georgia

vs

Czech Republic

Volksparkstadion, Hamburg

Sat 22nd June, 5pm

Turkey

vs

Portugal

Westfalenstadion, Dortmund

Wed 26th June, 8pm

Georgia

vs

Portugal

Arena AufSchalke, Gelsenkirchen

Wed 26th June, 8pm

Czech Republic

vs

Turkey

Volksparkstadion, Hamburg

Turkey

Vincenzo Montella

Hakan Calhanoglu

40th

22nd

Kerem Akturkoglu, Cenk Tosun (2)

Group D winners, 17 points

Semi-finals (2008)

Recently under new management, Turkey are a side that may carry some unpredictability about them this summer. Tipped as dark horses by many for the previous tournament, they vastly underperformed, losing all three of their group games.

Tue 4th June

Italy 0-0 Turkey

Mon 10th June

Poland 2-1 Turkey

But qualification as group winners above Croatia and Euro 2020 group stage nemesis Wales hints at a potential renaissance in Germany this summer. Semi-finalists 16 years ago, they have produced the goods in the past, though whether the lack of a star striker makes their attack futile remains to be seen.

With former Italy striker Vincenzo Montella at the helm, perhaps they can surprise the continent once more.

Position

Player

Club

Goalkeeper

Altay Bayindir

Man Utd

Goalkeeper

Ugurcan Cakir

Trabzonspor

Goalkeeper

Mert Gunok

Besiktas

Defender

Samet Akaydin

Panathinaikos

Defender

Abdulkerim Bardakci

Galatasaray

Defender

Zeki Celik

Roma

Defender

Merih Demiral

Al-Ahli

Defender

Ferdi Kadioglu

Fenerbahce

Defender

Ahmetcan Kaplan

Ajax

Defender

Mert Muldur

Fenerbahce

Midfielder

Kaan Ayhan

Galatasaray

Midfielder

Hakan Calhanoglu

Inter

Midfielder

Arda Guler

Real Madrid

Midfielder

Orkun Kokcu

Benfica

Midfielder

Salih Ozcan

Borussia Dortmund

Midfielder

Okay Yokuslu

West Brom

Midfielder

Ismail Yuksek

Fenerbahce

Forward

Yunus Akgun

Leicester

Forward

Kerem Akturkoglu

Galatasaray

Forward

Irfan Kahveci

Fenerbahce

Forward

Semih Kilicsoy

Besiktas

Forward

Cenk Tosun

Besiktas

Forward

Yusuf Yazici

Lille

Forward

Bertug Yildirim

Stade Rennais

Forward

Kenan Yildiz

Juventus

Forward

Baris Alper Yilmaz

Galatasaray

Georgia

Willy Sagnol

Guram Kashia

75th

36th

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (4)

Play-off winner Path C

Never qualified

Georgia will take part in their first-ever major tournament after seeing off Luxembourg and Greece in the Euro 2024 play-offs following a dramatic shootout victory over the Greeks in Tbilisi.

They may have finished second-bottom of Group A in qualifying, but winning their Nations League group above Bulgaria and Euro 2020 qualifiers North Macedonia shows how far the side has come.

Sun 9th June

Montenegro 1-3 Georgia

Former Bayern Munich and France defender Willy Sagnol is in charge, and has won just under half of his games at the helm to steer Georgia into Group F, handing the likes of Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia an unlikely shot at international glory.

Position

Player

Club

Goalkeeper

Luka Gugeshashvili

Qarabag

Goalkeeper

Giorgi Loria

Dinamo Tiflis

Goalkeeper

Giorgi Mamardashvili

Valencia

Defender

Lasha Dvali

APOEL

Defender

Giorgi Gocholeishvili

Shakhtar Donetsk

Defender

Giorgi Gvelesiani

Persepolis

Defender

Otar Kakabadze

Cracovia

Defender

Guram Kashia

Slovan Bratislava

Defender

Solomon Kvirkvelia

Al-Okhdood

Defender

Luka Lochoshvili

Cremonese

Defender

Jemal Tabidze

Panetolikos

Midfielder

Sandro Altunashvili

Wolfsberger

Midfielder

Giorgi Chakvetadze

Watford

Midfielder

Zuriko Davitashvili

Bordeaux

Midfielder

Otar Kiteishvili

Sturm Graz

Midfielder

Giorgi Kochorashvili

Levante

Midfielder

Nika Kvekveskiri

Lech Poznan

Midfielder

Saba Lobzhanidze

Atlanta United

Midfielder

Anzor Mekvabishvili

Universitatea Craiova

Midfielder

Levan Shengelia

Panetolikos

Midfielder

Gabriel Sigua

Basel

Midfielder

Giorgi Tsitaishvili

Dinamo Batumi

Forward

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Napoli

Forward

Giorgi Kvilitaia

APOEL

Forward

Giorgi Mikautadze

Metz

Forward

Budu Zivzivadze

Karlsruher

Portugal

Roberto Martinez

Cristiano Ronaldo

6th

4th

Cristiano Ronaldo (10)

Group J winners, 30 points

Winners (2016)

It has been a near-faultless start for Roberto Martinez as Portugal boss, winning all his qualifying matches and losing just twice since – having won 14 of 16 matches in charge ahead of their final warm-up game.

Extending that record in the summer’s finals would be even more impressive, especially given that this is a nation without the best of group stage records – despite their 2016 triumph, during which they drew all of their group clashes.

Tue 4th June

Portugal 4-2 Finland

Sat 8th June

Portugal 1-2 Croatia

Tue 11th June

Portugal 3-0 Republic of Ireland

As top seeds and boasting a perfect record in qualifying, Portugal will head into the tournament as favourites to advance, with Cristiano Ronaldo looking to stretch his record tally of goals at European Championships at what is surely his final Euros campaign – his sixth in total.

Position

Player

Club

Goalkeeper

Diogo Costa

Porto

Goalkeeper

Jose Sa

Wolves

Goalkeeper

Rui Patricio

Roma

Defender

Antonio Silva

Benfica

Defender

Danilo Pereira

Paris Saint-Germain

Defender

Diogo Dalot

Man Utd

Defender

Goncalo Inacio

Sporting

Defender

Joao Cancelo

Barcelona

Defender

Nelson Semedo

Wolves

Defender

Nuno Mendes

Paris Saint-Germain

Defender

Pepe

Porto

Defender

Ruben Dias

Man City

Midfielder

Bruno Fernandes

Man Utd

Midfielder

Joao Neves

Benfica

Midfielder

Joao Palhinha

Fulham

Midfielder

Matheus Nunes

Man City

Midfielder

Ruben Neves

Al-Hilal

Midfielder

Vitinha

Paris Saint-Germain

Forward

Bernardo Silva

Man City

Forward

Cristiano Ronaldo

Al-Nassr

Forward

Diogo Jota

Liverpool

Forward

Francisco Conceicao

Porto

Forward

Goncalo Ramos

Paris Saint-Germain

Forward

Joao Felix

Barcelona

Forward

Pedro Neto

Wolves

Forward

Rafael Leao

Milan

The top 12 European Championship goalscorers of all time

With the Euros now upon us, here’s who leads the way as the tournament’s all-time top scorer.

ByBrogan Clasper Jun 11, 2024 Czech Republic

Ivan Hasek

Tomas Soucek

36th

20th

Vaclav Cerny, Tomas Soucek (3)

Group E runners-up, 15 points

Winners (1976; as Czechoslovakia)

While Czech Republic boss Ivan Hasek has only been in the post since the beginning of the year, he got his reign off to a fine start in March with a friendly win over Norway, who failed to qualify for the finals. In fact, Hasek will begin the tournament with a 100% record.

Fri 7th June

Czech Republic 7-1 Malta

Mon 10th June

Czech Republic 2-1 North Macedonia

Seeing off the threat of Poland to qualify as runners-up in Group E, the Czechs have the chance to go deep into this tournament once again, having shocked the Netherlands to make the last eight at Euro 2020, along with making the semi-finals in 2004 and being losing finalists in 1996.

Of course, the champions of 1976 will take some beating, but this is a nation that usually turns up at the Euros.

Position

Player

Club

Goalkeeper

Vitezslav Jaros

Sturm Graz

Goalkeeper

Matej Kovar

Bayer Leverkusen

Goalkeeper

Jindrich Stanek

Slavia Prague

Defender

Vladimir Coufal

West Ham

Defender

David Doudera

Slavia Prague

Defender

Tomas Holes

Slavia Prague

Defender

Robin Hranac

Viktoria Plzen

Defender

David Jurasek

Hoffenheim

Defender

Ladislav Krejci

Sparta Prague

Defender

Tomas Vicek

Slavia Prague

Defender

Martin Vitik

Sparta Prague

Defender

David Zima

Slavia Prague

Midfielder

Antonin Barak

Fiorentina

Midfielder

Vaclav Cerny

Wolfsburg

Midfielder

Lukas Cerv

Viktoria Plzen

Midfielder

Matej Jurasek

Slavia Prague

Midfielder

Ondrej Lingr

Feyenoord

Midfielder

Lukas Provod

Slavia Prague

Midfielder

Michal Sadilek

FC Twente

Midfielder

Tomas Soucek

West Ham

Midfielder

Pavel Sulc

Viktoria Plzen

Forward

Tomas Chory

Viktoria Plzen

Forward

Mojmir Chytil

Slavia Prague

Forward

Adam Hlozek

Bayer Leverkusen

Forward

Jan Kuchta

Sparta Prague

Forward

Patrik Schick

Bayer Leverkusen

Birmingham City will look to instantly bounce back from their shock relegation to League One next season, as Chris Davies' Blues embark on what they hope will be a successful campaign.

It does look like there'll be a number of new additions to the camp, in an attempt to breathe life into a previously downtrodden group, with Ryan Allsop already entering the building, as Davies begins to assemble a promotion-worthy squad.

The former Tottenham Hotspur assistant manager turned main man in the West Midlands won't stop there with new recruits, you imagine, as a versatile midfielder has now been added to his ever-growing shopping list.

Birmingham eyeing up League One title winner

According to The Sun's Phil Cadden last week, despite just lifting the League One title aloft with current employers Portsmouth, Joe Morrell will be allowed to leave on a free transfer this summer, with Birmingham now interested in snapping him up.

The flexible midfielder, who can play in a central spot as well as a left midfield spot if needed, is also of interest to fellow League One outfit Wrexham, however, according to Cadden, alongside Queens Park Rangers being admirers from the league above.

The Wales international will have a decision to make, therefore, about where he next plies his trade ahead of the forthcoming 2024/25 campaign, with Birmingham perhaps looking at Morrell keenly as an alternative to Marc Leonard.

Transfer talk surrounding the newly relegated side signing the Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder has gone quiet, as the Blues now eye up another experienced midfielder who has excelled in the third tier, to put themselves in good stead for a promotion push.

What Morrell can offer Birmingham

Formerly on the books at Lincoln City at League One level, alongside his ongoing three-season stint on the South Coast, Morrell has amassed 121 appearances in the division Birmingham will be desperate to get out of.

This signing, especially on a free transfer deal, could prove to be a masterstroke when you consider he's just fresh off winning promotion with Pompey, accumulating 27 appearances as an important background figure under John Mousinho.

23/24

27

0

1

22/23

29

1

5

21/22

36

0

2

19/20

29

0

4

In contrast, although Leonard has starred two seasons on the trot with Northampton Town, the Seagulls man has only amassed 46 appearances at the level, with Davies wanting experienced professionals littering throughout his XI, to make promotion feel like a breeze hopefully.

Morrell can also offer the creativity Leonard provides, if playing at his A-Game consistently, with the Brighton midfielder picking up six assists last season for the Cobblers.

But, based on the table above, Morrell did manage to tally up five assists during the 2022/23 campaign for Pompey, alongside netting a solitary strike, to show off his varied game away from just being a defensively sound option.

The 27-year-old hasn't also just fluked 37 caps for the Wales national team by chance, with Davies hopeful that this addition could even make Jordan James want to stay put, having played alongside Morrell for the Dragons.

Birmingham will hope tweaks here and there, with the addition of Morrell alongside other steady players for the division, means they won't fall victim to a bumpy drop down a league.

Instead, everyone at St. Andrew's will hope they come away from League One with a title win in-tact, on the way to returning back to the Championship with a new-found confidence.

Birmingham can sign perfect Sanderson partner in former League One winner

Birmingham City are beginning to put together the pieces of a potentially promotion worthy squad.

ByKelan Sarson Jun 21, 2024

It’s clear that the aim at Tottenham Hotspur is to reinforce the attack this summer, with Ange Postecoglou looking to make his side a Champions League-level outfit.

It’s evident that, as well as Heung-min Son, Spurs need a match-winner, someone who can drag the team to success like Florian Wirtz did for Bayer Leverkusen last season.

The Bundesliga Player of the Season was outstanding under Xabi Alonso, and he’s now starting for the German national team at Euro 2024 too.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at a Spurs target who could become their very own Wirtz.

Spurs want a new attacking player

According to journalist Alasdair Gold in a Q&A with Football.London, Spurs are interested in signing Marcus Edwards this summer.

The Sporting winger was formerly of the Lilywhites, and therefore, they can sign him for a cheaper price due to their ‘35% sell-on clause.’

In full, Gold commented: "Spurs have certainly considered a return for Marcus Edwards, with their former winger counting as club-trained and available at a cut price from Sporting due to their 35% sell-on clause.

"They're monitoring that situation and whether it's more beneficial to make the move or simply take a cut of any potential fee. From what I understand the player would be happy to return and has made no secret of his desire to come back to England to play in the Premier League."

How Marcus Edwards compares to Wirtz

Since moving to Sporting in January 2022, Edwards has been a reliable performer, despite often having to impact the game off the bench.

This was particularly the case last season, with the number ten starting just 14 games in Liga Portugal, which is mainly due to Sporting’s system not utilising a system with true wingers.

Nonetheless, the former Spurs ace still scored four goals and provided four assists, with his quality often unquestioned when he’s on the field.

It seems that the forward has the talent and quality to succeed, but just like Wirtz, he needs the right environment and coach to truly flourish.

As shown in the table below, Wirtz is simply a far superior player than Edwards, but there are plenty of similarities to their game, with FBref also noting them as 'similar players.'

Goals

0.15

0.51

Assists

0.15

0.51

Progressive passes received

7.42

8.33

Progressive carries

5.30

6.15

Successful take-ons

1.82

1.92

Shot-creating actions

5.30

7.56

Both players are excellent technicians who thrive when the ball is at their feet, regardless of whether they’re playing out wide or more centrally.

The two attackers are brilliant at connecting the midfield to the attack, often finding space to get on the half turn and cause havoc when running at the backline, as shown by the high volume of progressive passes received.

Furthermore, they often act as the instigator for attacking situations, whether that’s by dropping deeper to progress the ball themselves via passes or carrying the ball up the field with speed.

Yet, the best trait is, without doubt, their creativity, whether that’s through clever passes, movement, or their incredibly fast footwork that enables them to weave past opponents, as shown by their shot-creating actions and successful take-ons.

The ability to turn something into nothing is why Edwards in particular has been described as a “wonderful” footballer by football scout Jacek Kulig, and his dominance in 1v1 scenarios would benefit Spurs in every game state.

Given that Edwards is used to playing as an inside forward, he would thrive in that right-wing spot under Postecoglou, especially due to Pedro Porro being a huge threat out wide from full-back.

Overall, Edwards has plenty of quality at his disposal, and to even boast somewhat similar statistics to Wirtz proves that he has the potential to explode under the right circumstances.

What Spurs' starting lineup could look like after £201m spending spree

Spurs will want to give Postecoglou everything he needs to build a successful side this summer.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 9, 2024

Will he, won't he? At long last, he will. Erik ten Hag is staying at Manchester United and has now been joined by Dan Ashworth.

United have a solid structure in place for the new INEOS era but whether or not they see greener shoots than before remains to be seen.

Ten Hag looked as though he was set to be given the boot but the Red Devils have arguably seen the sense in building a long-term project at Old Trafford.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe

Owner

December 24th 2023

Dan Ashworth

Sporting Director

July 1st 2024

Jason Wilcox

Technical Director

April 19th 2024

Jean-Claude Blanc

CEO

April 30th 2024

Omar Berrada

CEO

TBC

They will back the Dutchman but they won't make the same mistakes of the past, spending luscious sums on the likes of Antony and Casemiro, only for the transfers to come back and bite them in the backside.

Incomings will, of course, be a huge priority for Ashworth and Co but there is plenty of deadwood that United still need to clear out. There could also be one or two star men departing in the forthcoming weeks.

The players who could leave Man Utd

Well, Anthony Martial and Raphael Varane are confirmed departees from Manchester this summer but who will join them?

Scott McTominay continues to be linked away, with Fulham now thought to be in the driving seat to secure his signature after selling Joao Palhinha to Bayern Munich.

Casemiro is attracting interest from the riches of Saudi Arabia, while Borussia Dortmund are keen on bringing back Jadon Sancho for a third spell in Germany.

No one would begrudge the new transfer team at United from ushering those three faces through the exit door but supporters, quite possibly, may begrudge the sale of Marcus Rashford.

The academy graduate's future in the northwest has been uncertain for a while now and recent reports from The Sun suggest he could be heading for the departure lounge.

They report that the player has now fallen out with Ten Hag and as such, they are now 'prepared to sell'.

United are set to 'listen to offers' for the Englishman, placing an £80m valuation on his head. However, they may well have to lower that asking price to around £60m after a dismal drop in form throughout 2023/24.

Why Man Utd should axe Rashford

The thought of an academy graduate departing, a well-liked one at that, is always rather unsettling news.

A different set of circumstances, yes, but you only need to look at the statement Leeds United put out after confirming Archie Gray's £30m move to Tottenham. They revealed they were "heartbroken" at seeing the teenager exit.

Now, Ten Hag probably won't feel those emotions but the fanbase at Old Trafford surely would do.

This is a player who has given his heart and soul to United as a young man. Now aged 26, Rashford has played a staggering 402 matches, scoring 131 goals and supplying 66 assists.

Erik ten Hag

99

38

Ralf Rangnick

22

2

Michael Carrick

3

0

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

135

55

Jose Mourinho

125

28

Louis van Gaal

18

8

However, all good things must come to an end surely? This probably represents a good a time as any to cash in on their poster boy for the academy.

United have backed Ten Hag and if he doesn't like Rashford, a parting of ways is surely natural.

There has been a grim toxicity about the Red Devils for a great period of time now and much like Mikel Arteta did at Arsenal, the Dutch boss must cull the club of all negative energy.

Rashford, unfortunately, very much fits into that boat. Let's use that Arteta example again. He stripped Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of the captaincy and in a few months had exiled him from the club. Why? A lack of punctuality. The Gabonese forward would regularly turn up late and his rebel attitude annoyed the Spaniard.

Well, that situation is happening here with Rashford. The reason for his fallout with Ten Hag? Similar to Aubameyang really.

Reports suggest that the two figures were barely on speaking terms by the end of the season after he was spotted partying until the early hours in Belfast despite being due to train at Carrington later that day. Already warned for his off-field conduct by the manager in October, this understandably did not sit right.

Branding the player's behaviour as "unacceptable", he was axed from the squad ahead of their FA Cup tie with Newport in January having been out until the early hours before training a few days prior, an event that forced him to ring in sick and miss the session.

So, you can see why there is some friction here. Despite a mega haul of 30 goals in the 2022/23 term, that has seemingly been all been forgotten about. His form fell catastrophically last season, only scoring eight goals in all competitions.

You sense, therefore, that a fresh start is needed elsewhere for Rashford. He has had a torrid time of it of late, even missing out on a place in England's squad for Euro 2024.

There is something that doesn't feel quite right about suggesting a player who scored 30 goals in one season should leave, yet that £80m could be put to better use elsewhere.

One reported target is Newcastle's Anthony Gordon, who would just provide that same explosive nature as Rashford on the left-hand side – scoring 11 goals in the league last term – but he's a damn hard worker too.

One of the biggest criticisms for United's number 10 is his unwillingness to track back and help out in defence. For context, he ranks in the worst 7% of positionally similar players in Europe for tackles per 90 with 0.77. Gordon, on the other hand, ranks in the best 20%, making 1.76 per 90. Perhaps Ten Hag and Co should place their eggs in his basket instead? Only time will tell.

Man Utd want to sign 'scary' England star to rival Marcus Rashford

He is wanted by three Premier League clubs this summer

ByJoe Nuttall Jul 3, 2024

Football FanCast brings you the latest Aston Villa transfer round-up.

The Villans' 2023/24 Premier League campaign saw the club reach heights not scaled since the early 1990s, with Unai Emery guiding his team to the Champions League for the first time thanks to a fourth-place finish.

Following their run to the Europa Conference League semis last season, the Spaniard will now have a better idea of what will be required to compete – making this summer's transfer market a critical period to get right as far as 2024/25's aspirations are concerned.

Here is a round-up of the latest transfer rumours regarding Aston Villa, including a list of their exciting business so far this summer.

Latest Aston Villa transfer rumours Transfers in

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa: Reports in recent days have claimed that Aston Villa have had a bid rejected for Napoli midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa. The former Fulham ace is believed to be someone Antonio Conte wants to keep at the club as he enters his first season in charge, with the Cameroonian not for sale. Having sold Douglas Luiz earlier this summer, it is no surprise Unai Emery is after a top-class replacement.

Ivan Toney: Aston Villa could be in the race to sign Ivan Toney from Brentford – but only if they make room among their striking options at Villa Park. The England striker is currently being quoted at £40m, while Jhon Duran has been mentioned as the player who could make way for another attacking option.

Baris Alper Yilmaz: Villa are among the Premier League sides interested in signing Turkey ace Baris Alper Yilmaz this summer. Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have previously been named as other potential suitors, though it is thought that Villa's Champions League status could yet become a deciding factor. However, Villa's progress with regard to a deal for Yilmaz has only gone as registering their interest in the Euro 2024 star.

Joao Felix: Spanish reports have claimed that Unai Emery and president of football operations Monchi have identified former Chelsea loanee Joao Felix as a perfect transfer target. While the move seems ambitious, the race for the attacker – now back at Atletico Madrid – has been joined by Aston Villa, though their financial power in this deal remains to be seen given the recent PSR concerns.

Crysencio Summerville: Aston Villa are also mulling over a move for Leeds United forward Crysencio Summerville. The Dutchman scored 20 goals in the Championship last season and has perhaps shown he deserves to perform at a higher level.

However, Emery's side are not alone in their interest, with at least four other teams mentioned in the past week as admirers of the Whites ace – including Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain.

Maximiliano Araujo: Villa are reportedly going head-to-head with Barcelona for the services of Uruguay international Maximiliano Araujo. The La Liga giants are unsurprisingly favourites to secure a deal, though contact has been made between club and player.

Dean Huijsen: The Villans' summer business with Juventus may not be over, as they have been linked with a swoop for defender Dean Huijsen. PSG have since emerged as strong favourites for his signature, though Villa will be hoping they can barge their way into discussions.

Brajan Gruda: Reports last week suggested that Villa lead the race for Mainz star Brajan Gruda. The German has been linked with a move away all summer, and several Premier League clubs have been mentioned as potential suitors. Bundesliga giants Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich are also thought to be in the mix, and although there has not been any concrete progress since, it seems Villa stand a decent chance of landing the £43m-rated man.

Transfers out

Jacob Ramsey: Spurs are reportedly eyeing a deal to bring in Jacob Ramsey – while nabbing another Villa starlet in the process. This mystery player was not named in reports, though Villa wouldn't end up empty-handed from this deal, as Giovani Lo Celso – who has previously excelled under Unai Emery at Villarreal – would be thrown in as a sweetener.

Moussa Diaby: Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ittihad reportedly have a "strong" interest in Moussa Diaby. The Frenchman joined Villa last summer for a club-record €60m (£51.9m) after Unai Emery saw off another Saudi side, Al-Nassr, to bring the ex-Leverkusen ace to Villa Park.

Jhon Duran: Several clubs have been linked with Colombian striker Jhon Duran recently, and West Ham are the latest team to throw their hat into the ring. As per Sky Sports, the Hammers are expected to begin negotiations with Villa soon. Meanwhile, it appears that Chelsea's interest in the forward has cooled for now.

Latest Aston Villa transfers 2024/25

Villa have been one of the busier Premier League sides in terms of transfers this side of the European Championship. Ian Maatsen is the marquee arrival thus far, with Juventus duo Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea set to give the Villans a fresh look in the new season.

That will also be affected by Douglas Luiz's departure to Turin, with Unai Emery's side making a chunky profit in the process. In fact, they have received nearly £75m in player sales – a welcome boost given the PSR concerns hanging over the club despite their qualification for the Champions League.

It doesn't appear as though their business is over by any stretch.

Fee

Fee

Ian Maatsen (Chelsea)

£35m

Douglas Luiz (Juventus)

£42.4m

Samuel Iling-Junior (Juventus)

£11.8m

Omari Kellyman (Chelsea)

£19m

Enzo Barrenechea (Juventus)

£6.7m

Tim Iroegbunam (Everton)

£9m

Ross Barkley (Luton)

Undisc.

Morgan Sanson (Nice)

£3.4m

Lewis Dobbin (Everton)

Undisc.

Dylan Mitchell (Swindon)

Free