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While the shock, short-term signing of Jonny Evans has proven to be an astute piece of business for Manchester United amid their numerous injury woes this season, it does perhaps show where the club is at that they have had to rely on an ageing talent – who left relegated Leicester City on a free transfer over the summer – so regularly in 2023/24.

For all the positive work that the 36-year-old has done of late – notably teeing up Bruno Fernandes in style in the 1-0 win over Burnley earlier in the campaign – the recent clash with Tottenham Hotspur truly exposed his flaws.

The Northern Irishman appeared to show his age as Rodrigo Bentancur skipped past him inside the penalty area just 50 seconds after the restart, with the one-time Premier League winner subsequently being withdrawn midway through the second half in favour of the returning Lisandro Martinez.

With the latter man now available for selection once again after a lengthy injury layoff, the hope will be that Evans can revert to being merely a last-resort, backup option over the coming months, with a Martinez and Raphael Varane partnership likely to be favoured

That being said, in the long-term a more reliable partner to the Argentine will need to be found, with Varane out of contract this summer, while the deals of both Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof are up in 2025, ensuring at least one new addition will be needed in the near future.

Amid that search to freshen up an ageing defensive unit, the recent indication has been that Erik ten Hag could look to reunite with one of his former assets.

Man Utd's centre-back search

A report from the Standard earlier this week revealed that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co are looking at the likes of Jarrad Branthwaite and Jean-Clair Todibo as possible centre-back options this summer, albeit with multiple Premier League clubs also looking at the in-demand pair.

One notable name that has also been mentioned this week as a potential summer target for the Red Devils is Ten Hag's former Ajax skipper, Matthijs de Ligt, with Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg stating that the Dutchman is "on the list" for the club, ahead of next season.

The transfer insider revealed that while the Bayern Munich man is unlikely to depart this month, he is "not 100% satisfied" with his current role under Thomas Tuchel, having slipped behind the likes of Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae in the defensive pecking order.

That has ensured that the 24-year-old – who is valued at €50m (£43m) according to CIES Football Observatory – could become a "hot topic" for United over the coming months, with a move to the Theatre of Dreams potentially finally on the cards for a player who was notably linked with the switch back in 2019.

If a belated deal is to come to fruition, United could acquire another Dutch centre-back legend, in the mould of a certain Jaap Stam.

How Matthijs de Ligt compares to Jaap Stam

Despite spending just three years in Manchester, Stam swiftly cemented himself as a true cult hero at the club following his arrival from his native Holland back in 1998, having played his part in the remarkable treble success in his debut season.

Much like De Ligt, who burst onto the scene at Ajax under Ten Hag, it was in the Eredivisie where the now-retired titan first caught the attention amid his displays for PSV Eindhoven, in particular, with Sir Alex Ferguson forking out a reported fee of around £18m in order to get his man.

Although Stam's time in England was relatively brief, he formed part of a side that claimed three successive league titles, with ex-teammate Gary Neville only recently describing him as "one of the best centre-backs that's ever played in the Premier League".

What made the 6 foot 3 powerhouse so impressive was his devastating mixture of physical prowess and an innate ability to read the game, with Nicky Butt hailing him as "an awesome defender with great recovery pace, strength and physique.”

Also dubbed "as quick as a Ferrari" by Teddy Sheringham, the Kampen-born brute was a true machine during his pomp at United, making his subsequent exit all the more head-scratching in the summer of 2001.

Trying to live up to such heroics would be a tall order for De Ligt, although the former Juventus man – who is also a towering presence at 6 foot 2 – seemingly has the tools to do so, having even been described by Stam himself as someone who would "fit very well at United":

“He’s got composure on the ball, he’s aggressive tactically, he sees the game, he reads the game well and he’s got that driving force for himself as well in what you need to achieve and where you want to go to."

Those traits no doubt match up to the description of Stam's key strengths as a defender, with De Ligt possessing that combination of pace, power and quality in possession – thus ensuring he can be the next Dutch star at Old Trafford.

De Ligt's record under Ten Hag

If Ten Hag is to stay put at United this summer, the 53-year-old would likely jump at the chance to reunite with his former captain, with a teenage De Ligt having led the Amsterdam outfit to the semi-finals of the Champions League during the 2018/19 campaign.

Such heroics under Ten Hag's watch – for whom the defender scored eight goals in 70 games – caught the attention of Juve that following summer, while the former wonderkid was then snapped up by Bayern back in 2022.

33 games (33 starts)

3 goals

1 assist

90% pass accuracy rate

15 clean sheets

2.1 tackles & interceptions per game

63% total duels won

65% aerial duels won

7.23 avg. match rating

Stats via Sofascore

Although the £265k-per-week man's career has not blossomed quite as expected amid his early showings as a leader at the Johan Cruyff Arena, there is still reason to be excited about his sky-high potential, having even been compared to another of his standout compatriots in the form of Virgil van Dijk, as per international colleague, Nathan Ake:

"He's quick, strong for his age, very good in the air and on the ball he is very good. He scores so many from set-pieces so he's got a lot of the same attributes as Van Dijk."

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

That likeness again bodes well for the impact that De Ligt can make in the Premier League, with all the signs pointing to a player that United should take a gamble on this summer.

As 2023 comes to a close, Chelsea will reflect on arguably their worst year in Premier League history, when taking into account the money that they spent and where it landed them. The Blues splashed the cash in the last 12 months, but it was to no avail. Even after a busy summer transfer window and the addition of former Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino, they remain stranded in 10th.

Their most recent victory – a 3-2 thriller against Luton Town – at least handed Chelsea some hope ahead of next year, and the potential addition of one particular forward target could lead to things finally turning around at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea transfer news

The London giants attempted to finally put an end to their striker problem in the summer, welcoming both Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku. Jackson, however, has scored just seven Premier League goals, with three of those coming in one game against Tottenham Hotspur. Meanwhile, Nkunku has only just made his return from injury and needs time before his impact can be judged. With the former heading off for international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal in January, however, Chelsea may need to turn to the transfer window no matter what, which could see them land a solution for Pochettino.

Chelsea rumoured striker targets for January

Latest update

Claudio Echeverri

19th December

Santiago Gimenez

18th December

Dusan Vlahovic

15th December

Victor Osimhen

15th December

Viktor Gyokeres

12th December

According to The Sun, Chelsea are lining up a move to sign Girona forward Artem Dovbyk, who could be sold for around £39m. If the Blues manage to make room for the forward through the departure of Armando Broja, then they could land the potential solution to their goalscoring problems, with Pochettino impressed with the striker's 6ft 2 physical profile.

Dovbyk, of course, is part of a Girona side gunning for a shock La Liga title win and has more than played an important role in that title pursuit. With Chelsea reportedly interested, however, it remains to be seen whether he'll stay put. The Blues could be boosted by the fact that Dovbyk's agent is the same as Mykhailo Mudryk's, making any deal potentially easier.

"Sensational" Dovbyk could be an upgrade on Jackson

When compared, Dovbyk's stats stand tall against Jackson's this season, who has struggled to make an impact at times. The Girona star has found the back of the net a total of 12 times and has set up a further six goals in all competitions. Jackson, meanwhile, has scored eight and set up two in all competitions. At 26 years old, the La Liga forward could be in his prime, perhaps making now the perfect time for Chelsea to make their move.

Earning plenty of deserved praise this season, Girona manager Michel had nothing but good things to say after the forward's performance against Barcelona. He said:

"I haven’t seen the statistics, but I saw a dominant Barca, and they had many shots on goal, but Girona was as always, and I like it. Last year we had no chance of winning and lost 0:1. On a tactical level, Xavi wanted to press us, but we managed to overcome the high press. We used the space, Dovbyk and Tsygankov played a sensational game in the first half."

Saurashtra chipped away steadily at Vidarbha on a day of attritional cricket, ending the first day of the Ranji Trophy 2018-19 final in a position of advantage

The Report by Saurabh Somani in Nagpur03-Feb-2019

Ganesh Satish sends one rocketing through the off side•PTI

Saurashtra chipped away steadily at Vidarbha on a day of attritional cricket, ending the first day of the Ranji Trophy final in a position of advantage. The defending champions clawed their way to 200 for 7 at stumps, with Saurashtra’s bowlers striking every time a partnership threatened to develop into a substantial one.Vidarbha’s position was an improvement from the 139 for 6 spot they found themselves in just after tea, thanks to Akshay Wadkar (45) and Akshay Karnewar (31*) putting together the only 50-plus stand of the innings so far.When you have runs scored at 2.22 per over in day, and wickets taken once only every 13 overs, it can create the illusion that a day’s play has gone without much happening. But the illusion of status quo furthered Saurashtra after they lost the toss. They might have been happier with a couple of more wickets, but they didn’t let Vidarbha escape a tight leash. The pitch at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur is expected to aid spinners more as the match goes on, and Vidarbha will rue some of the dismissals.Jaydev Unadkat set the day up. He took only two wickets, but the second of those accounted for Wasim Jaffer and reduced Vidarbha to 60 for 3. Faiz Fazal had run himself out earlier, and with the top two run-getters gone, the Vidarbha line-up that looked deep at the start of the match, appeared shakier.Unadkat also removed R Sanjay, caught smartly by Arpit Vasavada who went low and forward at first slip. Fazal was ambling for a second run after getting an inside edge to square leg, expecting the throw to go to the non-striker’s end, but he was short of his crease when Chetan Sakariya fired it in flat and hard to the keeper.The kicker came with Jaffer’s wicket. In the first six first-class matches that Unadkat bowled to Jaffer, he had never got him out. That changed in the seventh game, which was the league match between Saurashtra and Vidarbha this season. And when it mattered most, Unadkat delivered. The Saurashtra captain has mastered being comfortable coming over and around the wicket. Going around gives him the advantage of an angle into the right-hander, and when he takes the ball away, the movement is pronounced. It’s hard, even if you are Jaffer and are batting on a 1000-plus runs season, to always avoid following the ball.Unadkat kept it back of a length and jagged it away, Jaffer drove at it with feet static and the keeper accepted a catch to his right gleefully. Unadkat was pumped, running across and thumping the Saurashtra crest on his vest while celebrating.He had seen Sakariya, his fellow left-arm seamer, come close to taking Jaffer’s wicket with a very close shout for lbw when the batsman was on 3, the umpire ruling that there was an inside edge when the ball had swung in late to hit the pads. There was no sound on replays, though.Jaffer seemed to have settled thereafter, even lifting Dharmendrasinh Jadeja’s left-arm spin clean over long-off, until Unadkat returned for his second spell.The middle order had Mohit Kale, who had made his debut this season and was not brimful of runs. Wadkar had the runs, but not much experience, being in his second season. It was the reverse for Ganesh Satish, who had the experience but not too many runs this year. If one of Jaffer or Fazal had been around, the batting might have not been so diffident, but with both gone, it fell to these three to ensure Fazal’s decision to bat first would bear fruit.The method they adopted was to be cautious above all else. It worked to the extent that they had nuggety partnerships, but it would have borne fruit only if the settling in period had been followed by a phase where runs flowed. Saurashtra never allowed that to happen.Kale was surprised by a Kamlesh Makvana delivery that bounced more than he expected, gloving a catch to slip. Ganesh was too late in attempting to leave a Prerak Mankad ball just after tea, feathering one behind. And Wadkar will rue the ill-advised cut shot that gave Sakariya his first wicket in the day’s final moments.Wadkar’s wicket late in the day meant that the advantage was with Saurashtra. Whether the defending champions can turn that around, or the challengers enforce their position further will make for an interesting second day’s play.

Denly waits in the wings but will England abandon investment in opener who has struggled against seam?

George Dobell in Barbados29-Jan-2019Like the hunt for the Holy Grail and the lost city of Atlantis, England’s search for opening batsmen has gone on so long, you wonder if they exist.For while Rory Burns impressed in Barbados, the worries over Keaton Jennings are mounting. He is still yet to reach 50 in the 11 Tests he’s played outside Asia, with his apparent struggles against seam bowling causing concern ahead of the Ashes, which is now just three Tests away.All of which leaves England with a dilemma ahead of the final two Tests of their Caribbean tour. In short, do they twist or stick with him?The short-term answer may well be to be stick. It is only four Tests since he made a fine century in Galle and he has proved extremely useful at short-leg. He is a popular and positive member of the squad and there will be much goodwill and patience extended to him.Just as pertinently, there are not a host of candidates knocking down the door to take his place. The only realistic alternative on this tour is Joe Denly, who has some experience as opener but has more recently batted at No. 3 and No. 4 in Division Two of Championship cricket, while Jason Roy, who does not open in Championship cricketfor Surrey and did not open on the Lions tour for England, might also force his way in over the coming months. There is a serious possibility Denly could open in Antigua and provide a secondary spin-bowling option.But the fact that England are now considering non-specialists to attempt one of the most specialised jobs in the game, underlines the extent of the problem. They have tried more than a dozen county openers and, to greater or lesser extent, found them all wanting. It is hard to avoid the conclusion that the County Championship, squeezed into early and late summer where conditions disproportionately assist medium-pace swing and seam bowling, is not producing opening batsmen who are able to withstand Test quality pace bowling.It is hard to be wildly optimistic of Jennings’ ability to deal with Australia’s seamers. But with modern selectors quite rightly keen to provide their players with a decent run of games in which to attempt to find their feet – most openers have had seven or eight Tests to do so – they might be slightly reluctant to bring in Denly into the side now as it could leave them obliged to persist with him in the Ashes. Really, in retrospect, this wasn’t as well-balanced a squad as it may have appeared when it was selected.Jennings is only one of England’s issues ahead of the Antigua Test, which starts on Thursday. The pitch looks, at this stage, surprisingly green though it is expected to be dry and good for batting. As a consequence, England may well want to play an extra seamer but be reluctant to lose the second spinner. Pressure on Adil Rashid, who neither threatened or offered control in Barbados, and Ben Foakes, who is unfortunate enough to be playing alongside other capable keeper-batsmen, is particularly intense. Chris Woakes, who did not train on Tuesday, would appear to be out of the mix, but Stuart Broad and Jack Leach are right in it.As things stand, it seems likely England will revert to a five-man attack containing four seamers and one spinner.Meanwhile Burns, one of the few positives from England’s batting in Barbados, suggested they may try and target Roston Chase more in future.”It’s a lesson,” he said of the Barbados defeat. “With a four-man pace attack and one spinner can we put the spinner under more pressure. We can make the seamers come back and work harder.”They bowled very well in the first innings. I was out there for 25 balls and I can’t remember getting a ball to hit, really. We weren’t able to transfer the pressure back onto them and absorb the pressure.”For us it’s about how do we transfer that pressure. It’s only going to help having had a view of their bowlers. But they’re a very good attack.”

The January transfer window is around six weeks away from opening up for business and Liverpool are reportedly looking at a possible addition to their defensive options.

Liverpool's transfer news – Valentin Barco

According to a report from Calcio Mercato, via TEAMtalk, the Reds are ready to provide 'fierce' competition to land the signing of Valentin Barco from Argentine outfit Boca Juniors next year.

The outlet has claimed that Juventus and Manchester City are also interested in the talented 19-year-old left-back, who is said to have a release clause of €10m (£8.8m) within his current contract.

However, it is not stated who is currently leading the race to secure his signature and it remains to be seen whether or not Liverpool have a realistic chance of being able to sign him.

If Jurgen Klopp is able to bring Barco to Anfield, though, then the German head coach could have his long-term heir to Andy Robertson at left-back.

Robertson's Liverpool statistics

The Scotland international has managed one goal and zero assists along with 2.9 tackles and interceptions per match in eight Premier League matches so far this season for the Reds.

Last term, the 29-year-old ace racked up eight assists in 34 top-flight appearances for the club and his creativity has been a constant bright spark throughout his career at Anfield.

Robertson's Premier League career at Liverpool (via Transfermarkt)
Season	Appearances	Assists
17/18	22	Five
18/19	36	11
19/20	36	12
20/21	38	Seven
21/22	29	Ten
22/23	34	Eight
23/24	Eight	Zero

As you can see in the table above, Robertson has always been able to provide his teammates with chances to score at the top end of the pitch, despite being a left-back.

The statistics that show why Barco could be Robertson's heir

At the age of 19, Barco is ten years younger than the current Liverpool star and could, therefore, be the long-term heir to his position in the team as he has plenty of room and time to grow and develop as a player.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him an "exciting" prospect and once described the gem as a "wonderkid". Kulig has also gone as far as to hail him as Argentina's version of former Brazil and Real Madrid left-back legend Marcelo.

The teenage talent has showcased his attacking potential throughout 2023 and could be a like-for-like replacement for Robertson due to his ability to make things happen in the final third.

Barco has registered one assist and created three 'big chances' for his teammates in eight Libertadores starts this year, along with two assists and three 'big chances' created in six Copa de la Liga starts.

The talented left-back also caught the eye with one assist and 2.5 key passes per match across three starts at the U20 World Cup for Argentina earlier this year.

These statistics show that the young whiz has the ability to create chances and assist goals at an impressive rate from a defensive position, much like Robertson does for Liverpool.

Therefore, Klopp could land his next assist-king at left-back by securing a deal to sign Barco ahead of the likes of Manchester City and Juventus in January.

MatériaMais Notícias

O técnico Mano Menezes acolheu a sugestão do Superior Tribunal de Justiça Desportiva (STJD) na última semana e viu a sua punição de quatro jogos ser reduzida para dois compromissos, porém com o acréscimo de uma multa de R$ 50 mil além da gravação de um pedidos de desculpas em vídeo para o árbitro José Mendonça da Silva Junior.

Com essa redução, além do benefício a duas instituições, Mano terá de cumprir sua punição apenas nos compromissos diante do Flamengo, no próximo domingo (20) e frente ao Internacional no dia 27 de dezembro, justamente os embates derradeiros do Esquadrão em 2020.

A pena foi aplicada pelo órgão máximo da justiça esportiva no Brasil em razão do “flagra” no jogo entre Fluminense e Bahia realizado no dia 11 de outubro no Maracanã vencido pelo time carioca por 1 a 0.

Em áudio captado pela transmissão da partida, o treinador que vive um período de questionamento no comando do Bahia demonstrava absoluta irritação com o árbitro, chegando a fazer ameaças diretas:

-Aproveita bem o jogo aí porque você não apita mais. Deixa esse vagabundo aí, não reclama com esse vagabundo não, deixa ele roubar, esse não apita mais.

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Chelsea have a rather chequered history when it comes to developing young talent, from facilitating the growth of homegrown stars to signing youngsters on the cheap and never giving them a chance to shine in the first team.

Whilst current first-teamers Reece James, Levi Colwill and Conor Gallagher represent how affluent the Cobham Academy is at producing incredible talent, reckless decision-making and ill-fated errors by the board have unfortunately prevented supporters from witnessing more academy graduates thrive at this prestigious football club.

From letting Declan Rice go at the age of 14 to having a 16-year-old Jamal Musiala snatched from their grasp by Bayern Munich, the Blues have let go of two world-beating talents who could have helped the Blues embark on a trophy-laden journey, with the latter finishing 26th in the Ballon d'Or list and second in the Kopa Trophy award.

The departures of Rice and Musiala, knowing what they've gone on to achieve, are two bitter pills to swallow, but it isn't the only time that the board have slipped up, with their mismanagement of youngsters playing a major role in their downfall.

Chelsea's mismanagement of young players

Chelsea are accustomed to snapping up some of the planet's best young talent, but they are equally guilty of curtailing their development, never giving them a chance to shine in the first team, ultimately offloading them years later to watch them blossom into their potential elsewhere.

The most pressing example of this and the one that leaves supporters pulling their hair out was the decision to sell Kevin De Bruyne to Wolfsburg in 2014 after snapping him up from Genk for £6.7m two years earlier.

Everyone knows what the Belgian superstar has gone on to achieve since leaving the club, however, it isn't the only time the Blues have been left cursing their judgement.

In 2014, Jose Mourinho captured attacking midfielder Mario Pasalic from Croatian side Hajduk Split but during his six-year spell in west London, he fell victim to the club's ruthless policy of loaning out youngsters and never made an appearance for the club.

Much like De Bruyne, Pasalic has made Chelsea regret not utilising his talents at Stamford Bridge.

How much did Chelsea sign Mario Pasalic for

In the summer of 2014, Mario Pasalic was acquired from Hadjuk Split for a fee in the region of £3m.

Arriving on the back of a stellar campaign in Croatia, scoring 11 and supplying five assists in 36 appearances, the 19-year-old wanted to carry that impact across to his new club.

Upon his arrival, he spoke of his delight about moving to one of England's most successful clubs.

He said: "I am very happy because I am now a Chelsea player.

"I am very impressed by the training ground and I must thank everybody at Hajduk. This is now a new start in my career."

Unfortunately, like many youngsters, Pasalic would have his world turned upside down when he knew first-team opportunities were going to be at a premium due to the abundance of established players in the Blues squad.

In search of chances to impress elsewhere, he was loaned out to various clubs, including Elche, Monaco, AC Milan and Spartak Moscow, but it wasn't till he arrived at Atalanta in 2018, initially on loan, that the Croatian international was truly able to thrive.

Mario Pasalic's career at Atalanta

During his time on loan at the Italian giants, the attacking midfielder grew into Gian Pierro Gasperini's system, perfecting his ability to time his runs into the penalty area and place himself in goalscoring positions.

While several loan spells saw him get passed around from pillar to post, he truly found a home in Bergamo, finding a coach and team that could bring the best out of his abilities.

In his debut campaign at the club, Pasalic became a vital cog in Gasperini's machine as he made 33 appearances in Serie A and although he'd only record eight goal contributions, his strike against Sassuolo on the final day of the season was the most crucial as he helped Atalanta secure a third place finish and Champions League football.

If his first season in Italy supplied the foundations, he would build the walls of his dynasty in the following. Atalanta secured another third-place finish and embarked on a sensational journey to the Champions League quarter-finals, losing to Paris Saint Germain, while Pasalic would post 12 goals and seven assists in all competitions.

Following two successful loan spells at the Italian giants, plundering 20 goals and supplying 14 assists, Atalanta decided to make his move a permanent one in the summer of 2020, shelling out £13m on the attacking midfielder.

After almost sending Atalanta to the Champions League semi-finals with a brilliant goal against PSG, Rio Ferdinand was one of many who labelled the Blues as "crazy" for facilitating the move.

The former Manchester United star would turn out to be correct as since making the move permanent, the 6 foot 2 phenom has remarkably outscored every current Chelsea player with 26 goals since 2020, showcasing the goal threat from midfield that Mauricio Pochettino currently desires.

How Mario Pasalic compares to Conor Gallagher

In the absence of big-money signing Christopher Nkunku, the Blues have suffered from a lack of creativity and goal-scoring prowess from their midfield.

Chelsea are ninth in the Premier League for expected goals (xG) and if Pasalic was still at the club, perhaps they would benefit from the sharp and incisive runs he makes from midfield as well as his presence of mind to finish his chances.

According to FBref, the 28-year-old ranks in the top 9% for non-penalty xG against players positionally similar across Europe's top five leagues in the past year, top 8% goals per shot, underlying his efficiency and the top 2% for aerials won, showcasing his dominance in both boxes.

When comparing those attacking metrics to Chelsea's current midfielder, Conor Gallagher, for instance, it is clear that the 23-year-old can't produce the same level of quality in attacking areas to Pasalic, garnering less non-penalty xG than the Croatian per 90 (0.35/0.15), fewer non-penalty goals (0.32/0.09) and less shots on goal (1.78/1.41).

Although the Englishman makes up for his lack of threat in and around the penalty box with his combative and energetic displays, there is no question that Pasalic would have brought an added dimension to Blues midfield currently, especially given his goal-scoring exploits since leaving west London.

Aston Villa have reached incredible heights since hiring former Arsenal manager Unai Emery. The Frenchman has taken the Midlands club from a relegation battle all the way to European qualification, with a place in this season's Europa Conference League. What makes that all the more impressive is the fact that he hasn't even completed a full season at the club yet.

The Villans have lost just two of their first eight games this time around, and sit as high as fifth, just four points adrift of Premier League leaders Tottenham Hotspur. Now, Villa owners NSWE and sporting director Monchi have reportedly turned their attention to a January transfer target.

What's the latest Aston Villa transfer news?

Villa proved that they're not afraid to splash the cash during the summer transfer window, welcoming the likes of Moussa Diaby, and Nicolo Zaniolo, with the former getting off to a particularly explosive start to life in England's top flight. Given their European ambitions, too, the January transfer window represents a chance for Emery to build a squad ready to cause the ultimate shock in the Premier League by competing for a place in the Champions League.

The latest Kalvin Phillips transfer news suggests that he could be part of that, too. According to 90min, Villa are monitoring the situation of the out-of-favour Manchester City midfielder, alongside West Ham United, Spurs, and Newcastle United, whilst Bayern Munich have reportedly contacted the Premier League champions about the England international.

So, if Villa are to sign Phillips, they'll have to act fast, given the amount of reported interest in the former Leeds United man. If the midfielder wants to stay in England, then a move to Villa Park wouldn't exactly be a bad option, especially after their recent rise.

How many games has Kalvin Phillips played for Man City?

When it comes to Phillips' games at Manchester City, it's clear to see why he has been linked with a move away. The 27-year-old has featured just 26 times for Pep Guardiola, starting just five times in all competitions, and twice in the Premier League.

Kalvin Phillips' starts at Manchester City	Competition
Bristol City 0-3 Manchester City	FA Cup
Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea	Premier League
Brentford 1-0 Manchester City	Premier League
Southampton 2-0 Manchester City	Carabao Cup
Newcastle United 1-0 Manchester City	Carabao Cup

It has quickly become apparent that Phillips, whose salary is £150k-p/w at City, is a player in need of a fresh start, as he continues to struggle at City. With the Euros coming up next summer, too, game-time is crucial.

At his best, the Englishman has earned incredible praise, including from Gareth Southgate, who told BBC Sport, via The Yorkshire Evening Post: "I think Kalvin is a player who is so understated and has had a fantastic start to his international career. I thought he was immense throughout the game."

When the January transfer window opens, Phillips will certainly be one to keep an eye on, as he desperately searches for game-time that looks increasingly unlikely to come at The Etihad.

Burnley are keen on a deal to sign a new midfielder next year, but a reliable journalist has revealed that they aren’t the only club hoping to bring him to the Premier League.

Who has just signed for Burnley?

The Clarets recruited 15 fresh faces over the summer, 13 of those being for a fee or free on a permanent basis, while a further two put pen to paper on loans for the remainder of the season. Here is how the club’s latest transfer window panned out:

Zeki Amdouni (FC Basel)

Mike Tresor (KRC Genk)

James Trafford (Manchester City)

Jacob Bruun Larsen (Hoffenheim)

Aaron Ramsey (Aston Villa)

Jordan Beyer (Borussia Monchengladbach)

Sander Berge (Sheffield United)

Wilson Odobert (Troyes)

Dara O'Shea (West Bromwich Albion)

Michael Obafemi (Swansea City)

Hannes Delcroix (Anderlecht)

Nathan Redmond (Besiktas)

Han-Noah Massengo (Bristol City)

Lawrence Vigouroux (Leyton Orient)

Luca Koleosho (Espanyol)

Looking ahead to 2024, Vincent Kompany has recently been linked with a double swoop for Sunderland stars Jack Clarke and Daniel Ballard, and whilst the winger and defender are both on his radar, the boss also wants to bolster his ranks in the centre of the park.

In Major League Soccer, New England Revolution central midfielder Noel Buck is a recently developed name to have entered the fold of targets that chiefs could be considering a move for, having caught the eye during his 36 senior appearances since getting promoted to the first team (Transfermarkt – Buck statistics).

Noel Buck transfer update

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, The Athletic’s Tom Bogert delivered a transfer update on Noel Buck and claimed that Burnley are one of the clubs looking to secure his services in the top flight.

He wrote: “Latest I'm hearing on New England Revolution, England youth int'l Noel Buck: Teams w/ interest include Arsenal, Burnley, Man City. Bundesliga teams too. Would expect $5-8m [£4-6m] range at least. Winter move? Summer? 1 more year?”

How much money does Noel Buck make?

With Clint Peay’s side, Buck currently pockets £900 per week (New England Revolution salaries), so he would be a more than affordable option for Burnley to buy – that would make him the lowest earner on their books (Burnley salaries).

Being a central midfielder, Arlington’s native makes a positive impact at both ends of the pitch, the defensive aspect being getting stuck into challenges where he’s won 32 of his tackles made so far this season, which is more than any other of his fellow teammates (FBRef – New England Revolution statistics).

Offensively, the 26-year-old has posted 12 goal contributions (ten goals and two assists) over the course of his career, which highlights his ability to get involved with the action in the final third, alongside protecting his defence in and around his own penalty area.

Furthermore, Buck, who has been hailed a “sensation” by members of the media, is a versatile operator having been deployed in eight various positions over the pitch since first bursting onto the scene, including everywhere across the midfield and even three roles throughout the frontline, so this should be a no-brainer of a deal to pursue in January.

One Manchester United player isn’t happy with his current role at Old Trafford and could look to leave in 2024 as a result, according to one new report.

Man Utd exit news…

The Red Devils were busy in the summer in regards to both incomings and outgoings ahead of Erik ten Hag’s second season in charge, with big money spent on the likes of Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana and Mason Mount. However, despite splashing the cash, there hasn’t been an instant impact on the pitch, with the club already losing a number of games in both the Premier League and Champions League.

A takeover involving the Glazers potentially selling up is still yet to materialise, but attention already seems to be possible player movement in 2024. That’s where one Ten Hag favourite comes in, with news emerging regarding his current statues.

Football Insider shared a Man Utd transfer update on Anthony Martial in the last 48 hours, claiming he isn’t happy with his current backup role at Old Trafford and could look to leave when his deal expires next year. The club do have the option to extend the Frenchman’s contract by a further 12 months, but with Martial ‘keen to become the main man again at this stage of his career’, his days with the Red Devils could now be numbered.

Anthony Martial injury history

Martial has had a number of injury issues in recent years which has affected his playing time at Old Trafford. The 27-year-old has been available during the current campaign, though, featuring in every squad so far. However, the striker has started just three games under Ten Hag but has taken his Red Devils appearance tally to more than 300. (Transfermarkt Anthony Martial stats)

Anthony Martial injury history

Date

Games missed

Hip injury

February 2023

9

Unknown injury

January 2023

5

Back injury

October 2022

6

Achilles injury

August 2022

5

Hamstring injury

July 2022

2

Ten Hag has hailed Martial on multiple occasions this year, saying earlier in 2023: “We have (a number nine), Anthony Martial, I’m really happy with his performances across many games. He has had a really good impact. If you see his minutes and the impact he has had it’s been huge.”

He then praised the forward again, adding: "We need a good squad and Anthony Martial is a brilliant football player, so he will help us score goals. And also in other areas like pressing and possession in combinations, he's a great player. So we hope he's fit and he stays fit."

Therefore, Ten Hag may want to keep Martial around to rival the likes of Hojlund and Marcus Rashford going forward, but with the player wanting to be the star man, he may need to seek an exit in 2024, bringing to an end his nine-year association with the club in the process.