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Sheffield United have endured a miserable start to the Championship season, though they now want a Sheffield Wednesday ace before Monday’s deadline.

Sheffield United lose again at Middlesbrough

Five matches into the season, and five straight defeats across all competitions for Ruben Selles have put the Blades’ promotion hopes at risk even at an early stage in the campaign, with the club rooted to the bottom of the table without a single point.

Despite a narrow defeat to Middlesbrough at the Riverside on Saturday, Sheffield United were second-best by a long shot and away supporters made their feelings known that Selles should be relieved of his duties.

Responding to speculation surrounding his future, the former Hull City boss made it clear that he isn’t in control of what happens next despite a torrid start in the dugout.

He told the Wiltshire Times: “Listen, I cannot control the situation. I will expect to go to my house tonight and then tomorrow go to work and then continue as normal. It’s not in my hands to make a decision.

“And until the very last moment, I will just do my best and try to do my things. When the situation is not in my control, I don’t think too much about what is going to happen in the future. Because realistically, I do as much as I can.”

With a scramble set to take place ahead of the transfer deadline, Sheffield United are advancing in talks to sign Chelsea midfielder Alex Matos, though it isn’t clear whether he would arrive on a permanent deal or loan agreement.

Either way, the Blades need improvements after a shoddy time of things under Selles and have now made a controversial offer to sign a rival player.

Sheffield United receive response to Bailey Cadamarteri bid

According to The Star, Sheffield United have seen a shock £1 million bid for Bailey Cadamarteri rejected by rivals Sheffield Wednesday, while Blackburn Rovers have also been knocked back after making a similar approach.

Although the Owls are desperate to keep their man, it is believed that further bids will arrive before the window closes on Monday evening, and it remains to be seen whether they will bite in light of well-documented off-field problems.

Sheffield United could sign "incredible" £10m star in McAtee repeat

Sheffield United can seal a stunning James McAtee repeat by signing this £10m star.

By
Kelan Sarson

Aug 17, 2025

Labelled “dangerous” by former boss Danny Rohl, the 20-year-old scored against Wrexham earlier this month and would be the first player to join Sheffield United after playing for Sheffield Wednesday since Max Lowe.

Undoubtedly, any such move would cause controversy, though it is understood that he has no desire to cross the divide or to leave his current surroundings by his own violation.

Nevertheless, financial problems at Sheffield Wednesday will make it harder to turn down offers than usual, so it remains to be seen how this one plays out.

Glenn Phillips, who picked up a groin injury while fielding in Gujarat Titans’ (GT) game against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Hyderabad on April 6, has been ruled out of the remainder of IPL 2025. An IPL statement said that Phillips has “returned to New Zealand”. GT, the table-toppers at this stage with four wins from five games, haven’t named a replacement for Phillips yet.Phillips, who didn’t get into GT’s starting line-up even once during his stay with the team, came on as a substitute fielder after the fifth over of the SRH innings but had to limp off within minutes. He fielded the fourth ball of that over, bowled by Prasidh Krishna, and hurled a throw to the wicketkeeper’s end as Ishan Kishan and Nitish Kumar Reddy stole a quick single. He went down clutching his groin straightaway. “Looks like he might have pulled his groin while getting that throw away,” we noted on our live ball-by-ball commentary.He hobbled off before the next delivery, helped along by some of the others from the GT camp.Related

• GT pick Shanaka as replacement for injured Phillips

GT had earlier lost the services of Kagiso Rabada, on April 3, when he left home “to deal with an important personal matter”. There is no clarity on when, and if, he would be returning. GT hadn’t named a replacement for Rabada either.Only seven overseas players had been acquired by GT for the season, and now they are down to five. Jos Buttler, Rashid Khan and Sherfane Rutherford have played all their games so far. They also have Karim Janat, the Afghanistan allrounder, and Gerald Coetzee, the South Africa quick bowler, in their ranks. Coetzee, though, is on his way back from an injury, which put him out of both the SA20 and Champions Trophy earlier this year.

Javagal Srinath and Nitin Menon “mutually agreed” with the ICC that they would not undertake any officiating assignments in Pakistan

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Feb-2025

Nitin Menon will not officiate Champions Trophy 2025•BCCI

Champions Trophy 2025 will have no Indian officials with two of the likeliest candidates having excused themselves from travelling to Pakistan.It is understood that Javagal Srinath, one of the most prolific ICC match referees, and Nitin Menon, part of the ICC’s elite panel umpires, had “mutually agreed” with the ICC that they would not undertake any officiating assignments in the Pakistan leg of the tournament.And since all matches in Dubai will feature India and require neutral officials, it automatically rules out Indian match officials. Srinath, the former India fast bowler, is currently officiating India’s bilateral white-ball matches against England, but neutral officials have been the norm at all ICC tournaments.Though Pakistan remains the official host of the Champions Trophy, a hybrid model was adopted after protracted negotiations which allowed India to play all their matches, including the semi-final and the final, should they qualify, in Dubai. The same principle will apply to Pakistan in upcoming ICC tournaments hosted by India in the current cycle, whereby all their games will be played at a neutral venue.The 12-member umpires panel includes the ICC’s Umpire of the Year Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Michael Gough, Paul Reiffel, Chris Gaffaney and Kumar Dharmasena among others. Ahsan Raza is the sole Pakistani umpire on the list.David Boon, Ranjan Madugalle and Andrew Pycroft will be the match referees.Sean Easey, the ICC senior manager – umpires and referees, said: “We always try to name the most suitable and deserving officials for any event, and we are confident this group will do a fine job across the matches in Pakistan and the UAE.”Match officials for Champions Trophy 2025Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena, Chris Gaffaney, Michael Gough, Adrian Holdstock, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Ahsan Raza, Paul Reiffel, Sharfuddoula, Rodney Tucker, Alex Wharf, Joel WilsonMatch Referees: David Boon, Ranjan Madugalle, Andrew Pycroft

Batty departs Stars after three WBBL seasons where they finished sixth, seventh and eighth

Alex Malcolm25-Nov-2024

Melbourne Stars have parted ways with WBBL coach Jonathan Batty•Getty Images

Melbourne Stars are searching for their fifth WBBL coach in seven years after parting ways with Jonathan Batty following yet another season where they failed to make the finals.Stars released a statement on Monday revealing that Batty and the club had parted ways by “mutual agreement” after a dismal season. They started the tournament with two wins in their first three games but then lost six in a row, with the final game of the season washed, to finish last on the table.Batty, who also coaches Delhi Capitals in the WPL, had coached Stars for three seasons but they finished sixth, seventh and eighth.”We’d like to thank Jonathan and his commitment to the Stars over the last 3 years,” Stars General Manager Blair Crouch said.”We wish Jonathan and his family all the best for the future. We feel like the list is in a position to achieve success and ultimately, we have again fallen short of making the WBBL finals.”Stars have only made the finals once in WBBL history, when Trent Woodhill coached them to the final in 2020-21 before losing to Sydney Thunder in the decider. Woodhill had taken over from inaugural coach David Hemp, who had coached them for the first five seasons without playing finals. Woodhill departed the role after one season to take up a position at Cricket Australia.Jarrad Loughnan took over for one season in 2021-22 before Batty was hired. Stars and Hobart Hurricanes remain the only two franchises to have not won a single WBBL or BBL title.

How many more signings will West Ham United get through the door before their Premier League opener against Sunderland?

So far, the Hammers have brought in Callum Wilson on a free transfer from Newcastle United, while full-backs El Hadji Malick Diouf and Kyle Walker-Peters have also arrived.

Meantime, they also appear set to bolster their goalkeeping options, having reportedly agreed a £9m deal to sign Botafogo shot-stopper John Victor.

Now though, the Irons have their sights set on a midfielder, one who would belatedly replace Declan Rice, two years on from his departure for Arsenal.

West Ham United targeting a new midfielder

Fair to say, neither Graham Potter, nor his predecessor Julen Lopetegui, settled on a reliable, first-choice midfield combination last season, as the table below illustrates.

Tomáš Souček

35

30

2,567

Lucas Paquetá

35

27

2,380

Edson Álvarez

28

20

1,772

Carlos Soler

31

14

1,409

Guido Rodríguez

23

16

1,149

James Ward-Prowse

15

12

1,039

Andy Irving

10

1

166

As the table documents, aside from Tomáš Souček and wantaway Lucas Paquetá, none of West Ham’s midfielders were ever able to establish themselves as nailed-on starters, with both managers in charge chopping and changing their options.

As they seek to bolster that area of the pitch, Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider is reporting that West Ham have made a formal move to sign Douglas Luiz from Juventus on loan, amid interest from Nottingham Forest and Manchester United.

The Brazilian only moved to Turin from Aston Villa, for a reported fee of £42.3m as recently as last summer, but O’Rourke notes that la Vecchia Signora are eager to move him on following, as former-Juve player Alessio Tacchinardi puts it, a “disaster” of a campaign.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Luiz featured in only 17% of I Bianconeri’s minutes across all competitions last season, not winning over either Thiago Motta or current manager Igor Tudor, hence why O’Rourke asserts that it is ‘inevitable’ he will return to the Premier League, so could this be in East London?

How Douglas Luiz would improve West Ham

While Luiz did endure a nightmare campaign in Italy, it’s worth remembering that the reason Juventus spent big to sign him in the first place is because he was amongst the Premier League’s best midfielders during his last couple of seasons at Aston Villa.

Statman Dave heralded his “exceptional performances”, while his then-manager Unai Emery stated that he was “progressing a lot as a midfielder… adding goals and… being demanding”.

Meantime, Ben Mattinson of Breaking the Lines praises his ‘duel-winning capacity’ and ‘press resistance’ in possession, describing these as his greatest strengths, concluding that he would be a ‘valuable addition’ to any Premier League squad.

Adam Bate of Sky Sports agrees, noting that Luiz added goals to his game, starting to ‘showcase his creative qualities​​​​​​​’ during his final campaign in the Midlands, ‘often operating in more advanced areas’ and flourishing when utilised with a more solid midfield base behind him, namely provided by Boubacar Kamara.

This is similar to the transformation undergone by Rice following his move to Arsenal; Mikel Arteta thought he was buying the best number six in the Premier League but, as outlined by Jacob Steinberg of the Guardian, he thrives as a number eight, set to be given even more attacking license this forthcoming campaign, following Martín Zubimendi’s arrival in North London.

Over in the east side of the capital, Luiz could do something similar because, if there’s one thing West Ham do boast, it is an array of defensively astute midfielders, namely Souček, Guido Rodríguez, Edson Álvarez and others.

So, let’s put that hypothesis to the test by comparing where these midfielders take their touches.

Douglas Luiz

2,373

22%

53%

25%

Lucas Paquetá

1,810

20%

55%

25%

Tomáš Souček

1,284

28%

49%

23%

Edson Álvarez

1,248

29%

55%

16%

James Ward-Prowse

851

21%

60%

19%

Guido Rodríguez

710

31%

60%

9%

As the table notes, when compared to the vast majority West Ham’s midfielders last season, Luiz took an exponentially higher proportion of his touches during his most recent Premier League season, in the final third, with only Paquetá’s figures comparable, and he will purportedly be on the move this month.

Álvarez, Rodríguez and James Ward-Prowse in particular do the vast majority of their work in the defensive or middle third of the pitch, which could be exactly what Luiz needs to thrive in a more attacking role.

Thus, all the available evidence suggests a move to the London Stadium could be the perfect fit for Luiz, where he could become the talismanic midfielder Hammers everywhere have been craving, ever since Rice waved goodbye.

Better deal than Wilson: West Ham reach verbal agreement for £9m "warrior"

After securing the signing of Callum Wilson on a free, West Ham might have a better deal on the cards…

ByBen Gray Aug 5, 2025

Crystal Palace could now “make a move” for an attacking midfielder who is Arsenal’s own alternative to Eagles star Eberechi Eze, journalist Sacha Tavolieri has revealed on X.

Palace vying to sign new attackers amid Eze uncertainty

Losing Eze would undoubtedly be a major blow for Palace, given that the attacking midfielder is clearly held in very high regard by Oliver Glasner, who praised the England international throughout their triumphant FA Cup campaign.

Speaking after the quarter-final victory over Fulham, Glasner said: “The goal against Latvia and his first for England means a lot for him. He always has the confidence, we know he’s an amazing finisher to cut inside on his right foot with an amazing finish.

“We need this quality, he helped us today massively.”

However, the 27-year-old’s future remains very much up in the air, with a number of big Premier League clubs recently being named as potential suitors, such as Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City.

The Gunners are thought to be in the driving seat, however, and a bid is currently in the works, but he is not their only target in that area of the pitch, with Leicester City’s Bilal El Khannouss being identified as an alternative option.

El Khannouss has a release clause of just £22.5m in his Leicester contract, and he is attracting widespread interest from the Premier League, with Tavolieri recently taking to X to reveal that Crystal Palace could also “make a move”.

"Excellent" £20m forward now open to joining Crystal Palace with talks held

There has been a development in Palace’s pursuit of an attacker…

ByDominic Lund Aug 7, 2025

An approach from the Eagles is dependent upon departures in the next week, amid uncertainty surrounding Eze’s future, but there could be competition for the Moroccan’s signature, with Leeds United scheduling a meeting to discuss a potential deal.

Europa Conference League being on offer at Selhurst Park should be an attractive proposition, but the prospect of playing in Europe is not thought to be a “decisive factor” in the Leicester ace’s decision-making.

"Magician" El Khannouss could be fantastic Eze replacement

Leicester, of course, endured a very disappointing 2024-25 campaign, but the 21-year-old managed to catch the eye at times, with Pep Guardiola even being left by his performance against Manchester City back in December.

Scout Jacek Kulig has also lavished the starlet with praise in the past, despite suggesting he still needs to be more clinical.

The Belgium-born maestro scored just two Premier League goals last season, but it was always going to be difficult for a young player to stand out in such a poor side, in what was his debut campaign in England.

As such, a move to Palace, who have developed a reputation for developing young players, could be ideal for El Khannouss, and if he fulfills his potential, the attacking midfielder could be a fantastic heir to Eze.

Leeds United know that there is plenty of work for them to do in the summer transfer window to build a squad that is capable of avoiding an instant relegation from the Premier League.

One player the Whites should be looking to replace as a starter, heading into the 2025/26 campaign, is attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson.

The USA international did not do enough in the Championship to suggest that he has the quality to make the step up to the top-flight as a regular starter next term, as evidenced by his form against the other five teams that finished in the top six.

Bristol City (A)

0

0

Burnley (H)

0

0

Sunderland (A)

0

0

Sheffield United (H)

0

0

Coventry (H)

0

0

Coventry (A)

0

0

Burnley (A)

0

0

Sunderland (H)

0

0

Sheffield United (A)

0

0

Bristol City (H)

0

0

As you can see in the table above, Aaronson did not deliver a single goal or assist against the top teams in ten appearances for the Whites.

The American flop also scored one goal in 36 games in the Premier League during the 2022/23 campaign for Leeds, and his form last term does not suggest that he is likely to fare much better.

Leeds are still looking for their next Pablo Hernandez

The last time the West Yorkshire outfit were promoted to the top-flight, Pablo Hernandez was the chief creator for Marcelo Bielsa, either playing as a number ten or as a winger on the right flank.

During the 2019/20 promotion-winning season, the Spanish playmaker produced nine goals and nine assists in 36 appearances in the second tier, helping the Whites on their way to the title with his ability to both score and assist goals at the top end of the pitch.

He also created 13 ‘big chances’ and delivered 2.3 key passes per game on average in the Championship, which shows that he was constantly looking to unlock opposition defences with his creative quality by creating chances at an exceptional rate.

That form came after the mercurial playmaker produced 12 goals and 12 assists, with 16 ‘big chances’ created, in 39 appearances in the Championship during Bielsa’s first season in charge at Elland Road. This shows that he consistently provided a big threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals from an attacking midfield position.

Leeds are still looking for their next version of Hernandez. Some may point to Georginio Rutter, who delivered 15 league assists in the 2023/24 campaign, but the French attacker only scored seven goals, as he failed to consistently perform as a scoring threat.

Daniel Farke, however, could find the club’s new playmaking superstar by swooping to sign one of the stars of his Norwich City team in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Leeds eyeing move for Premier League star

According to journalist Ben Jacobs, Leeds United remain interested in a deal to sign Aston Villa attacking midfielder Emiliano Buendia ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

The reporter claims that the Championship champions are “still keen” on the Argentina international, following on from their interest in him at the start of the year.

Jacobs also notes that Sheffield United playmaker Gustavo Hamer is also a target for the Whites after the Blades lost to Sunderland in the play-off final at Wembley last weekend.

Leeds were reportedly interested in a deal to sign Buendia on loan from Aston Villa during the January transfer window, with an option or obligation to buy, but he ended up joining Bayer Leverkusen on loan for the second half of the season.

The Argentine ace, who worked with Farke at Norwich, has now returned to England after the conclusion of the Bundesliga season, and could be available to snap up this summer with an alleged valuation right now of £15m.

Why Leeds should sign Emi Buendia

The Whites should push to bring the Villans outcast to Elland Road this summer because he could be an upgrade on Aaronson as well as being the club’s new Hernandez.

Buendia missed the 2023/24 campaign with an ACL injury and struggled for game time, playing 89 minutes, in the Premier League in the first half of this season before his loan move to Leverkusen.

The 28-year-old magician showed signs of promise in his loan spell with Leverkusen, though, as he delivered two goals and two ‘big chances’ created in 11 appearances and three starts in the Bundesliga, scoring more than Aaronson did in an entire top-flight season for Leeds.

Buendia, who produced nine goals and eight assists in his first two Premier League seasons with Villa, appears to be on his way back to his best, and Farke could be the perfect coach for him to revive his career, given what they achieved together at Carrow Road.

Appearances

38

39

Goals

8

15

Big chances created

7

18

Key passes per game

2.4

3.1

Assists

12

16

As you can see in the table above, the Argentine ace was particularly effective in the 2020/21 campaign, so much so that journalist Connor Southwell described his form as “remarkable”.

The same reporter hailed Buendia as a “joy to watch” for the Canaries. That claim is backed up by both his statistics, with 31 goals and assists combined in that second Championship season, and his highlights from his time working with Farke.

As you can see in the clips above, the Leeds target was capable of the spectacular, as a scorer and a creator of goals, whilst playing for Farke as a right-sided attacker who drifted infield to impact games from a central position.

Like Hernandez, Buendia is equally capable of playing as a number ten or as an attacking midfielder on the right flank, drifting inside, and he could replace Aaronson as the central member of the front four.

Imagine him & Solomon: Leeds want to sign a star with over 300 PL appearances

Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing a star who could be amazing for Manor Solomon.

ByDan Emery May 26, 2025

The Villa attacker is a proven Premier League performer, as shown by his aforementioned statistics in his first two years in the division with the Villans, who has also proven himself to be a superstar in a Farke team, which is why Leeds should sign him this summer.

West Ham United’s issues within the final third have been evident throughout the Premier League this season, simply unable to find the goods within attacking areas.

The Hammers have scored just 40 goals in their 35 outings to date, with only four teams scoring fewer, three of which have already been relegated from the top-flight.

Only one player in the first team squad has managed to register double figures in terms of goals, highlighting the need for added investment over the summer.

Michail Antonio has missed the majority of the campaign through injury, whilst big-money addition Niclas Füllkrug has been unable to provide the goods – scoring just three goals in 2024/25.

Such scenarios have seen one player take all the responsibility in forward areas, with manager Graham Potter needing added reinforcements to help share the workload next time around.

West Ham’s leading attacker throughout 2024/25

Jarrod Bowen has frequently been West Ham’s leading star in attacking areas this season, registering 11 goals and seven assists across all competitions despite their lowly league standing.

The 28-year-old has scored various key goals throughout this campaign, with it unthinkable as to where the side would be without his contributions in recent months.

Goals against Southampton, Bournemouth and Tottenham Hotspur all secured points for Potter’s side, with their lack of threat in the final third an issue that desperately needs addressing this summer.

If he were to sustain an injury, it would leave the side with a real lack of threat, with Tomas Soucek currently sitting as the Hammers’ second top scorer on eight goals.

With the summer window rapidly approaching, Potter needs to make such a transfer a priority, with numerous names already entering the fold as potential options during the off-season.

Why West Ham should sign a star who’s better than Liam Delap

Liam Delap is just one name who’s been thrown into the mix over a summer move to join West Ham, with countless other sides also in the mix for his signature.

The 22-year-old, who’s scored 12 league goals this campaign, has a £30m relegation release clause within his contract, which has become active after the Tractor Boys dropped back into the Championship.

If they were to land his signature in the summer, they would face the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Nottingham Forest for his services – potentially ruling them out of the race.

However, they should be looking elsewhere, potentially in the direction of Strasbourg striker Emanuel Emegha, who’s also previously been touted with a move to join the Hammers in the coming months.

When comparing the Dutchman’s stats with those of Delap, he has massively outperformed him, highlighting what a superb addition he would be to Potter’s squad.

Emegha, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored more goals to date, whilst also notching a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate – showcasing his clinical nature in the final third.

He’s also managed to complete more of the passes he’s attempted, whilst coming out on top in more of the aerial battles he’s entered – offering the Hammers an excellent all-round option in attacking areas.

Games played

27

35

Goals scored

14

12

Shot-on-target accuracy

57%

43%

Pass accuracy

80%

61%

Shots on target

1.4

1

Carries into penalty area

1.3

1

Aerials won

44%

43%

It’s unclear how much a deal would set the hierarchy back, but given his record in Ligue 1 this campaign – it’s a deal worth exploring with the rewards there for Potter next campaign.

If the manager is to be a success at the London Stadium, he needs to get the recruitment spot on and target young talents rather than additions like those of Fullkrug, which haven’t worked out.

Emegha has the attributes to be a success in the top flight should the club decide to make a move, taking the weight off Bowen’s shoulders and allowing for a solid partnership in the final third between the pair.

Perfect Kudus replacement: West Ham on high alert to sign PL "nuisance"

West Ham will need to replace Kudus if he leaves this summer

ByJoe Nuttall May 7, 2025

Aston Villa had an ideal chance to reach their first FA Cup final in a decade at the weekend. With Crystal Palace standing in the way, Unai Emery’s men let the occasion overawe them as the club slumped to a 3-0 defeat at Wembley.

Having been knocked out of the Champions League by PSG just 11 days prior, the FA Cup represented the last chance for the club to end a near 30-year wait for a major trophy.

Despite the result, Emery must gather his men for the crunch tie against Fulham this afternoon. A win is a must if the Midlands side wants to play in Europe’s premier club competition next term.

The Spaniard will certainly be making a change or two, especially in his attacking department…

Why Ollie Watkins should be dropped for Aston Villa

Ollie Watkins started the semi-final against Palace, yet delivered one of his poorest performances in a Villa shirt.

In a game of such high magnitude, the striker completed only eight passes throughout the match and lost possession seven times.

He failed to even register a single shot against the Eagles, while also failing with both his dribble attempts and winning just one of his seven duels.

Goals

15

Assists

7

Goal conversion percentage

19%

Shots per game

2.3

Big chances created

6

Big chances missed

24

It was a performance that the Englishman will be keen to forget, that’s for sure. Marcus Rashford looks certain to miss the rest of the season due to a hamstring injury, otherwise, he may well have started against Palace.

This leaves the door ajar for another January signing to be unleashed against the Cottagers today – Donyell Malen.

The Aston Villa star who could replace Watkins

It’s safe to say that Malen hasn’t quite enjoyed the start to life many expected of him after his £20m move from Borussia Dortmund in the winter transfer window.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Indeed, across 14 games for the club, he has started just three times, scoring three goals in the process.

He might not start often, but Malen has recorded a goal conversion percentage of 25%, showcasing his finishing abilities.

Furthermore, he averages 1.1 shots per game as well as scoring once every 96 minutes. Perhaps he offers more coming off the bench against tired legs, but with Watkins performing so poorly last week, it is now time for Malen to shine.

When compared to peers across Europe’s big five leagues, the Dutchman ranks in the top 11% for touches inside the opposition penalty area (6.44) and in the top 1% for non-penalty goals (0.71) per 90 over the previous 365 days.

This suggests Emery must not have any reservations about unleashing him in the starting XI, that’s for sure.

Dubbed “very dangerous” and “extremely fast” by his former teammate, Mario Götze, the former Dortmund man has plenty to offer Villa over the next few weeks.

Having scored three Premier League goals since the start of April, another one or two this afternoon would help Villa get over the FA Cup disappointment and spearhead their charge towards a top-five finish.

Emery now ready to cash in on £150k-p/w ace who wants to leave Aston Villa

Unai Emery is now ready to say goodbye to an important player at Aston Villa.

ByBrett Worthington May 1, 2025

Manchester United are now showing the “greatest interest” in signing a “true football artist”, but they will have to fork out his €45m (£38m) release clause to secure his signature, according to a journalist.

Man Utd set to bolster attacking options

Much of the goalscoring burden has fallen on Bruno Fernandes this season, while the Portugal international also leads the way for Man United on the assist charts, with Amad the only other forward to regularly chip in with attacking contributions.

As such, it is little wonder that Ruben Amorim wants to bolster his attacking options this summer, and a new striker is of particular interest, with progress now being made in the pursuit of Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, having reached an agreement on personal terms.

Not only is Amorim keen on a new striker, but a new playmaker could also be brought in to ease the burden on Fernandes, and the Red Devils have reportedly submitted a monster £115.7m bid for RB Leipzig attacking midfielder Xavi Simons.

Top target: Man Utd pushing to sign "incredible" £313k-p/w Barcelona star

The Red Devils are willing to make a huge bid for a Barcelona player this summer.

ByDominic Lund Apr 23, 2025

Simons has caught the eye with his impressive performances in the Bundesliga, picking up nine goals and five assists this season, but there have also been suggestions that United could take a chance on more of an unknown quantity.

In a recent update on X, journalist Cesar Luis Merlo has now revealed Man United are showing the “greatest interest” in signing River Plate attacking midfielder Franco Mastantuono, with a view to getting a deal done this summer.

Amorim’s side are “constantly following” Mastantuono, having already watched him in action, but they know the only way to prise him away from River Plate will be to stump up the €45m (£38m) release clause included in his contract.

"True football artist" Mastantuono likened to Palmer

The River Plate youngster is only 17, but he already has a great deal of first-team experience, making 54 appearances for the Argentine side, during which time he has picked up six goals and five assists.

In light of his attacking capabilities, the Argentine has even been likened to Chelsea star Cole Palmer by scout Ben Mattinson.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has also clearly been impressed by the starlet, describing him as a “true football artist” and “one of the most enjoyable youngsters to watch in world football” back in November.

It would, of course, be a risk to shell out £38m on Mastantuono, given that he is unproven outside Argentina, but there are clear signs he could adapt to life in the Premier League and make a name for himself at Manchester United.