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Aston Villa boss Dean Smith must avoid selling Morgan Sanson this summer as fresh transfer reports emerge over his potential exit.

What’s the story?

It’s been a rather frustrating first few months in English football for the January signing, making just nine appearances in the Premier League and that too only totalling 291 minutes worth of football.

Reports in recent days have suggested that Smith isn’t convinced by his midfield options, and that amid a potential move for Southampton and England star James Ward-Prowse, Villa are unimpressed by what Sanson has shown thus far.

And now, former Premier League goalkeeper Paddy Kenny has said: “I don’t see why they wouldn’t sell him if he’s not producing. It’s only six months and sometimes you’ve got to give players a little bit more time. Not everyone settles well in this country.

“But if they are interested in a couple more midfielders then that could be a sign. There’s no shame in cutting your losses and moving on. People make mistakes. You’re never going to get every signing spot-on.”

Fans would be fuming

Speaking after his signing back in the January transfer window, Smith waxed lyrical about the kind of qualities the Frenchman could bring, saying: “He has got a big game mentality, he has played at the top of the French league for the last five years, played in the Champions League.

“He is a great technician and has great tactical awareness. He can play in a number of positions, can set up goals and can score goals. He has a bit of everything in his game so we’re really pleased with the acquisition.”Dubbed as a “warrior” by himself, the £17m-rated Sanson showed his qualities as a really effective box-to-box presence in his time at Marseille.Before his move to the Midlands, he averaged an impressive 1.8 tackles and 1.1 key passes per game in Ligue 1, both of which ranked him favourably compared to the rest of Villa’s squad. In fact, only two other players have averaged more tackles per match than him, while again, only three other have averaged more key passes too.Given that he only arrived in January, and had his fair share of injury issues too, there’s no questioning that Villa fans and Smith have yet to see the best of Sanson.It would be a ridiculous decision for the Midlands club to sell him so soon after his arrival, and without having first properly given him a chance to shine.It would be an admittance that they got it completely wrong in the transfer market back in January, and would be a very hasty mistake. Villa fans would surely be fuming at the club cashing in this summer without giving the player a real chance to prove himself.[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/aston-villa-dean-smith-transfer-window-premier-league-villa-park-emi-buendia-gregg-evans-gossip-rumours-update-news” title=”Read the latest Aston Villa transfer rumours and news!”]It would be an unforgivable disaster from the club to make such a decision so soon into Sanson’s Villa career.Meanwhile, David Ornstein has dropped an exciting Aston Villa transfer update…

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Pep Guardiola is set to stay with Manchester City regardless of the result in the Champions League final against Chelsea on Saturday, which will surely delight City fans.

There were perhaps some concerns among supporters that, should the Spaniard win the Champions League final in Portugal this weekend, he would have then achieved all he could with the Citizens and be keen to move on.

During his time at the Etihad Stadium, the legendary manager has won three Premier League titles, one FA Cup and four Carabao Cups, so he could complete his collection with the Champions League trophy should his team get the better of the west Londoners on Saturday night.

However, Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has now made it clear that Guardiola won’t be going anywhere this summer, tweeting: “Pep Guardiola has no intention to leave Manchester City. Even if he’ll win the Champions League on Saturday, Pep is staying at Man City – he’s already planning for new signings together with Citizens board.”

Considering how impressive City have been this season, with the treble still a possibility, their fans must surely be delighted that Guardiola is set to stay, as he will undoubtedly go down as one of the most successful managers in their history.

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The 50-year-old is currently contracted at the Etihad for two more years, so it will be interesting to see whether he leaves the club at the end of the 2022/23 campaign, as he has admitted in the past that he would love to manage the Spanish national side.

Since being appointed as City boss in the summer of 2016, Guardiola has taken charge of 293 matches, winning a remarkable 220, drawing 31 and losing 42, which results in an impressive points per game average of 2.36 (per Transfermarkt).

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The “special” former Barcelona boss, as hailed by Lionel Messi, has delivered three league titles in four seasons with the club and City fans will be desperate for him to add to his collection on Saturday night as they appear in their first Champions League final. They will surely be delighted to hear that he intends to stay at the Etihad next season regardless of the result against Thomas Tuchel’s side.

In other news… Fabrizio Romano drops huge Man City claim on “world-class” Premier League beast

Crystal Palace forward Christian Benteke has put pen to paper with a new two-year contract, as reported by The Independent.

In a move that will delight the Selhurst Park faithful, the Belgian international is set to be a key player for the Eagles heading into 2021/22.

Few could argue against the award of a new contract, after an impressive 2020/21 season saw the 30-year-old net ten goals in 30 Premier League fixtures [Transfermarkt], with most of those coming towards the end of the campaign.

Set to partake in Belgium’s EURO 2020 campaign, his experience, goal threat and strength will continue to give opposition backlines plenty of food for thought – on average, the target man successfully wins around 6.8 aerial duels per match [WhoScored].

Given his physical threat and recent rediscovery of his eye for goal, there is little wonder loads of Crystal Palace fans have flocked to social media to sing his praises, following the latest developments, which was confirmed by the club on Twitter.

Fans gush over Benteke contract news:

Upon hearing about his contract extension, here are what some of the Palace diehards had to say about the news:

“PLAYER OF THE SEASON”

Credit: @paIaceawayy”Just made my week lads, love you@chrisbenteke x”Credit: @CiaranCPFC”Inject it”Credit: @JSB93x”Great news. Now please sort out the new manager”Credit: @briansparrow191″6 months ago I never thought I’d be buzzing to see this news”Credit: @Dazzaedwardo”TEARS ARE STREAMINGGGGGG”Credit: @SamWaters1994In other news, a reported Crystal Palace target is now available on a free transfer.

Next season has the potential to be a very special one for Fabio Silva at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

It has taken the Portuguese forward a long time to get going at Molineux but he’s finally beginning to demonstrate why Wolves spent £35.6m on his services.

Silva only has four strikes all term but has led the line astutely in the last few weeks, playing a role in four goals in his last six outings.

That said, Nuno Santo and co would be foolish to ignore the need for more firepower in the summer.

Raul Jimenez has been recovering from a fractured skull since November and it’s unknown whether he’ll return in the same ruthless goalscoring form.

If he doesn’t, the Old Gold will have a severe problem on their hands. Without their Mexican sensation, they have been down on goals.

One player they could look to sign is Rafael Leao. The forward joined AC Milan for £32m during the summer window of 2019 but Wolves have a long-standing interest.

Back in November, it was reported that the Midlands outfit tried to sign him last summer. They also revealed that he’s a player Nuno likes.

If they can lure him to the Premier League it would be a marvellous capture, one that could form a truly devastating partnership with Pedro Neto.

The 21-year-old is currently out with a broken patella but has been the star of this Wolves team in 2020/21. He is their top scorer on five strikes and their chief creator with six assists.

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It has been a breakthrough campaign for the youngster and it would be unsurprising if he takes the Premier League by storm next term.

Add Leao to the attack and it could be terrifying for opposition defences. Neto is one of the trickiest attackers in the top-flight of English football but the Milan forward has similar qualities.

Cool in front of goal, the 21-year-old possesses jaw-dropping pace and an ability to beat most players in world football. Like Neto, he can produce magical moments out of nowhere.

Speaking about Leao’s youth career, former striker Rolando Bianchi once commented: “I had seen him at the U20 World Cup with Portugal and he made spectacular plays. He has great speed, he has a touch of the ball.”

The plaudits don’t stop there. In fact, he’s been compared to some of the greatest footballers to ever grace the wonderful sport.

Lille president Gerard Lopez dubbed him the Portuguese Mbappe but the finest of reviews come from his mentor at Sporting Lisbon; Tiago Fernandes.

The coach has been effusive in his praise in the past, saying: “Rafael is a special player for me, he always will be. I met him when he was just 12-13 years old and I’ve trained him in almost all the youth teams of Sporting Lisbon until his debut in the first team. Only Cristiano Ronaldo at Sporting had his talent at that age, I guarantee you.”

Fernandes continued: “He is a number 9, he has always played there. He reminds me of Ronaldo, the ‘Phenomenon’, for his speed, technique and quality in the decisive part of the action.”

If Wolves supporters weren’t sold on the young Portuguese striker then surely those words will provoke excitement.

Leao is yet to really live up to his immense potential at the San Siro with just seven goals to his name this season but he is a player with undoubted quality.

The idea of the Leao running onto a through ball from Neto is enough to make you giddy with excitement; they’d be a dream combination.

AND in other news, Wolves dealt huge blow after big Molineux news emerges, Nuno surely fuming…

Paul Stewart has exclusively told Football FanCast that a move to Newcastle United could revitalise Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s career.

A knee injury wrecked the first half of his season, but even since returning from that setback before Christmas, the England midfielder has just twice in the Premier League for Liverpool and was left out of the squad for the victories at Manchester United and West Brom.

Oxlade-Chamberlain has enjoyed both Champions League and Premier League success since his move from Arsenal almost three years ago but has never been a guaranteed starter under Jurgen Klopp despite making 30 appearances during the Reds’ title winning campaign 12 months ago.

The 27-year-old still has more than two years remaining on his Anfield contract but is reportedly going to be available to sign for just £17m this summer, with German giants Borussia Dortmund interested in the midfielder.

But former Liverpool man Stewart believes that staying in the Premier League could get Oxlade Chamberlain’s career back on track following his recent injury struggles.

He told Football FanCast:

“Brighton, maybe Newcastle? I don’t want to be disrespectful to them clubs, but at that price they’re the type of players they can go in for.

“I think he’s got ability Oxlade, and he has been unlucky with injuries, but that Liverpool team, to try and get in there, I don’t think they will be looking at him as one of the players that can do that.

“So, one of those clubs could revitalise one of those careers – he’s playing week in, week out if he stays fit, people will be saying £17m is a steal.”

Will Celtic ever find themselves a new manager? That’s the question on the lips of many a Hoops supporter around the globe right now.

The Parkhead faithful are imminently awaiting any announcement and one could be upon us sooner rather than later.

What’s the word?

The main man when it comes to Celtic managerial talk in recent weeks has been Eddie Howe. Roy Keane was the favourite before he was quickly usurped by the Englishman.

Howe is a free agent after leaving Bournemouth last year and is thought to have held discussions with Celtic and Dermot Desmond over moving to Paradise, but a number of obstacles have fallen in their path. One of the biggest roadblocks is the rumours of a move to Crystal Palace, where he is on a three-man shortlist to replace Roy Hodgson.

That being said, new information suggests that those links could be a red herring, with Howe still expected to arrive in Glasgow.

Speaking on Clyde 1, Scottish Daily Mail reporter Stephen McGowan said this week: “The two sides seem more relaxed about it than the fans are. He met Dermot Desmond two weeks ago in London, there was an expectation things might move quickly because he’s out of work but that hasn’t happened, but there might be reasons for that.”

McGowan continued: “Fans are threatened that he’s using Celtic as a bargaining tool with Crystal Palace. I think that’s a bit of a red herring, personally. I think the info coming from the Howe circle is he’s really tired of firefighting and relegation struggles and he fancies something different, the chance to manage in Europe and win trophies.

He concluded: “I think Celtic fears he has been playing them off against other clubs is a bit overplayed. If I was down to my last tenner now, I’d still stick it on Howe for Celtic.”

Relief for Desmond

This is exactly the news that majority shareholder Desmond will have wanted. This season has been a constant cycle of negative hearsay for the Hoops hierarchy but at last Desmond could have something to shout about.

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He has witnessed his team being usurped by their fierce rivals, Rangers, and he has also seen the Green Brigade protest and question his leadership.

Desmond has never been keen to sell his share,s and if he gets the Howe appointment spot on, that stance will be completely vindicated.

He has sat back in recent weeks and watched Howe play him around a bit. Firstly, the 43-year-old’s representatives told news outlets that he didn’t want to return to management until the summer, and then he had complex demands relating to his backroom staff.

However, there was no bigger threat to a deal than interest from elsewhere. After all, Howe has been a little reluctant to move his family so far away from home.

If the Crystal Palace news is merely a smokescreen, then it bodes well for the rest of Celtic’s pursuit. Hopefully things will get a little easier for the Hoops hierarchy now.

AND in other news, Celtic could replace Klimala by signing “dangerous” 19 y/o with “the heart of a lion”…

Celtic’s stance about the European Super League has now been revealed in a report from Sky Sports.

Andy Walker has recently stated that even though Celtic fans wouldn’t want their club to join the Super League – like Manchester United and Liverpool fans don’t – the club’s board members may well be attracted to the idea.

News has since emerged about Celtic’s potential interest in the competition, and it contradicts Walker’s suspicions.

Lawwell against ESL

Sky Sports have released a report detailing the Old Firm clubs’ interest in the Super League, claiming that while the two Old Firm rivals have previously considered moving to England and joining the Premier League, it has never become a concrete idea.

The piece also reveals some information about Celtic’s stance on the Super League, stating that even though Peter Lawwell is a member of the European Club Association board and was part of the ECA emergency call recently, Celtic are one of the clubs who are against the Super League breakaway.

Despite all the money they could earn, it appears as though Desmond, Lawwell and the club are completely against any opportunity to join up with England’s ‘big six’ in this venture.

Good news for Celtic

In the recent Premier League game against involving Leeds and Liverpool, fans protested against the creation of the Super League and accused the Reds’ owners of being greedy. Fans of the two Manchester clubs have also protested against the move in the last 24 hours, and it seems that any club participating in the ESL is now tarnished even in the eyes of their own supporters.

Of course, the conversation surrounding moving Celtic and Rangers into a competition where they can compete more regularly with England’s elite has popped up regularly, but this isn’t the way to do it.

With the Hoops entering an uncertain time with a new manager and new roles off the pitch, the last thing they will need is a massive fan backlash. By refusing to sell their soul, the new manager and Director of Football will be free to focus on what really matters.

In other news, Chris Sutton picks out three players for new Celtic boss to build around

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Wolves legend Steve Bull believes that his former side will start to win trophies in the next 12-18 months as they look to keep hold of their prized assets.

Despite qualifying for the Europa League two seasons ago, this year has been a struggle for Wolves as they find themselves just nine points above the relegation zone.

In recent weeks, Pedro Neto, who is Wolves’ top scorer this season, has been linked with a £50 million move to Manchester United, despite just signing a new five-year contract at the end of last year.

Speaking on his hopes for Wolves going forward and if they can start winning silverware, Bull told FFC:

“We will win trophies and I think in the next 12-18 months we will win some silverware of any kind.

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“However, it’s whether or not the players can be bothered to stick around or will they be wanting it sooner rather than later.”

After back-to-back seventh-placed finishes in the Premier League, Nuno Espirito Santo finds his side languishing in the bottom half of the table.

Wolves have been without their talisman, Raul Jimenez for most of the season after he fractured his skull last year.

Amid suggestions Liverpool star James Milner may be interested in a move to Leeds United, there could well be a real opportunity for Marcelo Bielsa to unearth another Stuart Dallas.

Speaking exclusively to FFC, Dean Windass made the claim that the ex-Whites midfielder may consider a return back home, saying: “Being a local lad, would he go back to Leeds? Yes. To end his career.

“But does he want to go back as a squad player, because that’s what he’d be. Bielsa would he go, ‘come in, but you’re not going to play week in week out, but I need you in the changing room’. He might want to go back home to Yorkshire and enjoy his life, but he might want to go and play for another two seasons.”

Milner’s versatility makes him a manager’s dream (he’s played in 11 different roles over the course of his career), and very much akin to what Leeds already have in Dallas at Elland Road.

The Northern Irishman has been a real Swiss army knife for the Whites, playing in a number of positions and filling in wherever and whenever needed – this season alone has already seen him play in six different positions for Bielsa’s side, including in both full-back positions and central midfield.

Milner is built from the same cloth as the 29-year-old, and would offer Leeds that extra security of being able to just slot in if any injuries start playing havoc with the squad.

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Described as someone who “won’t stop running at you” by former Leeds man Dominic Matteo, the 35-year-old veteran can clearly still do a job in the Premier League considering that Jurgen Klopp has played him 22 times in the Premier League alone.

The £140k-a-week earning dynamo would be the kind of shrewd move that could actually save Victor Orta and co millions in the transfer market given he can play in a number of different roles, and would allow Leeds to focus their spending on one or two key areas rather than having to splash out on multiple new signings.

Given his versatility, and the fact he just puts in the work week-in and week-out, everything about Milner just screams at him being the perfect player for Bielsa.

Meanwhile, Phil Hay has dropped a major Leeds update…

Former Scotland manager Alex McLeish claims he has heard rumours regarding Frank Lampard taking over at Celtic.

The 42-year-old has been out of work since his sacking at Chelsea back in January. He was immediately linked with becoming Neil Lennon’s long-term successor at Parkhead following the Northern Irishman’s resignation.

Lampard’s Celtic meeting?

Lampard was reportedly open to a move to Glasgow back in February, however, those rumours appeared to have died down in recent weeks.

That was until McLeish, talking to Football Insider, revealed he’s ‘heard whispers’ that Lampard has met with the Hoops hierarchy.

He also believes fans would be excited at the prospect of the former England international taking over at Celtic Park.

“I’m hearing whispers that Frank Lampard was seen with the Celtic directors. No matter what, the rumour mill will continue to thrive until an appointment is finally made.

“I think the fans would love a big name. There’s no doubt about it, they’ll be looking for that kind of personality.”

Transfer Tavern take

McLeish’s claim is certainly a bit of a bombshell – just imagine the balance of mutual respect and rivalry between Lampard and Steven Gerrard. However, as he mentioned, the rumour mill will more than likely remain in full flow until an appointment is made.

Bringing Lampard to Celtic, to us, would be an interesting move. He impressed with Derby in the Championship, taking them to the play-off final and led the Blues to a FA Cup Final in his only full season at Stamford Bridge.

A Parkhead rebuild is required this summer, so you could argue that a boss with more experience may be a better choice. However, should Lampard succeed Lennon, we would then see him face off against Gerrard in a different setting, a duel that would only serve to bring more eyes to Scottish football.

In other news: Broadcaster’s six-word admission on Jesse Marsch will come as a blow to some Celtic fans, find out more here.