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Journalist Gregg Evans has tipped Aston Villa to make further additions this summer, despite having already been active in the current window.

What’s the word?

Writing on Twitter, the club insider has suggested that “more incomings will follow” before the start of next season, with the club having made four major signings already this summer.

The Midlands outfit secured high-profile deals for Marseille’s Boubacar Kamara and Sevilla’s Diego Carlos, while Philippe Coutinho and Robin Olsen have joined permanently from Barcelona and Roma, respectively, following their recent loan stints at Villa Park.

In a previous article for The Athletic, Evans revealed that as many as three new signings are being targeted, with a midfielder, a striker and a new left-sided defender all on the shopping list.

Supporters buzzing

Excitement is already brewing among supporters following the swift, early business done by Steven Gerrard and co, although the news that further reinforcements could be made will set pulses racing even higher, with it looking set to be a hugely impressive window for the club.

Despite having spent over £100m last term, the Villans were left languishing in 14th come the end of the season, having struggled to properly kick on as expected following the appointment of the Englishman in November.

With substantial financial support this summer, however, the belief will be that the former Liverpool skipper can push the ambitious club into contention for European qualification, having previously showcased his managerial talent at former club Rangers, after ending Celtic’s nine-year title dominance in 2021.

The 42-year-old has recently admitted his slight frustration that the Ibrox side weren’t able to provide him with the backing to go again last summer, although it is looking as if he won’t be suffering a repeat scenario at his current side, with NSWE seemingly set to hand him all the tools to be a success.

Such significant investment will understandably heighten the pressure on his position, although should he be able to recruit the players of his choosing the club could well see drastic improvements next term.

At present, the likes of Luis Suarez and Calvin Bassey are just a couple of the names who have been tipped to join the Premier League side, with supporters seemingly set to see even more new arrivals come through the door in the coming weeks.

IN other news, AVFC face battle to land “aggressive” £60m machine, he’s one of the “best” in his role 

Celtic were particularly busy behind the scenes during the previous summer transfer window as they saw a lot of players move in and out of the club.

One figure the Hoops brought in during that period that has gone on to have a rather successful debut season at Parkhead is defender Carl Starfelt.

Signed on a four-year deal from Rubin Kazan for a fee of £4.5m back in July, the Sweden international went on to make 49 appearances for the Hoops across all competitions.

This shows just how quickly he became a crucial figure for Postecoglou in the team at the back.

To highlight his defensive output for the Bhoys, he ended the SPFL season with the second-highest number of interceptions (42) and tackles won (30) in the squad.

Now that the next summer transfer window has opened, this could give Postecoglou and the Celtic hierarchy to replicate a similar sort of masterclass they pulled off when signing Starfelt.

Earlier this month, it was reported that Celtic are one of the clubs eyeing a move for RKC Waalwijk defender Ahmed Touba.

After spending the majority of his career in Belgium, the 24-year-old joined the Dutch side back in August 2020 after leaving Club Brugge.

During his time with Waalwijk, the £900k-rated Algerian has made 62 appearances across all competitions, chipping in with three goals and two assists.

In terms of his defensive talent, he ended his latest domestic season in the Netherlands with the joint-highest number of interceptions (57) and highest number of tackles won at his club (32).

He also racked up the second-highest average of clearances per game (3.9) in the Eredivisie at Waalwijk. 

This highlights the similarities between him and Starfelt in terms of being a solid defensive unit for their teams.

Labelled as a “versatile” figure that “has all the assets to succeed” by journalist Chebli Ishaq on Twitter, Touba certainly has what it takes to be a solid addition to Celtic’s ranks and continue their track record of signing players from abroad and turning them into important club figures such as Starfelt.

If the Hoops see an opportunity to secure a deal for the centre-back this summer, then they should do all they can to get him to Parkhead and strengthen Postecoglou’s squad ahead of their new season.

In other news: “I was told..”: Anthony Joseph drops Celtic transfer claim that’ll worry Postecoglou

Aston Villa had been linked with a move for Roma star Henrikh Mkhitaryan in recent weeks but the Armenia international now looks set to join Serie A rivals Inter as he targets Champions League football.

What’s the word?

Villa had been named as one potential destination for the former Manchester United and Arsenal man this summer, with the 33-year-old available on a free transfer with his Roma contract set to expire later this month.

However, journalist Fabrizio Romano has now confirmed that he will be swapping Rome for Milan, as he tweeted:

“More on Henrikh Mkhitaryan deal. He’s set to sign a two-year contract with Inter, he wanted Champions League football so he decided to refuse AS Roma proposal. Inter Deal completed, medical tests and official statement pending. Here we go.”

Villa supporters will be gutted

Although Mkhitaryan’s spell in the Premier League didn’t live up to expectations, following his impressive form for Borussia Dortmund prior to his move to Old Trafford, he could have been a solid addition to Steven Gerrard’s squad.

Since joining Roma from Arsenal in 2020, the experienced midfielder has gone on to make 117 appearances for I Giallorossi, in which he has contributed an impressive 29 goals and 28 assists.

Gerrard might boast a number of attacking-midfield options including Philippe Coutinho, Emi Buendia and Jacob Ramsey, but Mhkitaryan would have added some real versatility and quality to the Villans’ attack and considering he was available on a free transfer, it would have been a no-brainer for the Midlands club.

After Arsenal signed him in 2018, Arsene Wenger was extremely complimentary of the Armenian, saying:

“Henrikh is a very complete player. He creates chances, he defends well, he can absorb distances and he’s very committed as well.

“I must say he’s a player who has all the attributes.”

While he might have lost a yard of pace in the four years since, he was still a key player for Jose Mourinho’s Roma last season, averaging an impressive 6.99 rating from WhoScored for his performances in Serie A after notching five goals and six assists.

Therefore, Villa fans should be gutted that their side wasn’t able to entice Mkhitaryan to Villa Park.

And, in other news… Aston Villa can form dream duo with free transfer swoop

Leeds United winger Raphinha is now personally attempting to find a new club ahead of the summer transfer window, according to a report from Spain (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown: Rife speculation

Despite retaining Premier League status on the final day of the 2021/22 season, Raphinha continues to be linked with a big money move away from Elland Road this summer.

Having been heavily indexed to La Liga giants Barcelona, recently Liverpool have seemingly returned with their own admiration for the Brazilian attacker.

However, as all goes quiet from the Spanish front, the 25-year-old may now have taken matters into his own hands…

The latest: Move sought

As per Spanish reports, translated by SW, the Leeds star is now ‘looking for alternatives’ to Barcelona and Liverpool is a possible destination.

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It’s claimed that Raphinha – who was lauded as ‘sensational’ by South American football expert Tim Vickery – is ‘offering himself to other clubs’ as he attempts to secure a place in the Brazil national team squad for the Qatar World Cup later this year.

The report states that the prospect of a switch to the Catalan club is ‘losing strength’ due to the priority of taking Bayern Munich superstar Robert Lewandowski to the Camp Nou instead.

The verdict: An inevitable exit

Unfortunately, it appears highly improbable that Raphinha will still be with the Whites at the start of the 2022/23 campaign and at this stage, it’s questionable as to whether Jesse Marsch would want the Brazilian to stay.

Actively seeking a departure from Elland Road puts the skilful magician in an invidious position that would likely allow enough water pass under the bridge to see Andrea Radrizzani sell should an acceptable offer be forthcoming.

On that note, valued at £40.5million and with two years remaining on a deal in Yorkshire (Transfermarkt), Leeds should expect to boost their own transfer coffers to the tune of at least £50million as Marsch and Victor Orta eye a possible replacement in the shape of Takumi Minamino.

In other news: Leeds now eyeing move for lethal and sublime’ gem, read more here

Celtic saw a raft of new players make moves to the Parkhead club during what ended up being a rather busy previous summer transfer window for the Hoops.

One figure that came in during this period that turned out to be a fantastic bit of business from the Bhoys is Cameron Carter-Vickers.

Signed from Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur on a season-long loan deal, the centre-back played a big part in Celtic’s title winning SPFL campaign.

With 28 league appearances and an overall performance rating of 7.36/10 under his belt, the American is listed as Celtic’s fourth-highest rated player in their current squad according to WhoScored.

While his loan deal is set to expire tomorrow and with the upcoming summer transfer window on the horizon, Celtic now have the chance to replicate the same sort of masterclass they delivered when they signed the Spurs defender.

Last week, the Hoops were linked with a move for Manchester City defender Ko Itakura.

Since joining the Premier League champions back in 2019, the 25-year-old has had loan spells with clubs such as FC Groningen on two occasions and one most recently with Schalke.

This puts him in a similar light to Carter-Vickers who has also had numerous loan moves throughout his career.

During his time with the German club this season, the Japan international racked up an average of 1.4 tackles and interceptions as well as three clearances per game as he helped Schalke win their place back in the Bundesliga.

This highlights how much of a capable defensive unit he is in the same way that the current Celtic loan star has been for Ange Postecoglou’s side this season.

With an average of 4.2 clearances per game in the SPFL, no other Celtic player could get close to Carter-Vickers in this statistic.

Labelled as “one of the very best central defenders in the Eredivisie” by former Dutch footballer and now TV presenter Haans Kray when the defender was in the Netherlands, Itakura could be the ideal next version of Carter-Vickers for Celtic and show that players that may not be getting a look in at their Premier League clubs can shine in Scotland.

In other news: Ange can finally axe £20k-p/w Celtic dud with “immense” talent who has “all the tools”

Sky Sports journalist Tom White has now revealed some ‘talks’ going on behind-the-scenes at Sunderland.

The Lowdown: Shares sold?

There have been rumours circulating on social media that both Stewart Donald and Charlie Methven have now sold up their shares at the Stadium of Light.

Football Insider have reported that they would part with their shares for £10.7m, while The Sunderland Echo claim that Kyril Louis-Dreyfus is looking to take full-control of the Wearside club.

The Latest: Sky Sports update

Taking to Twitter, White, a presenter on SSN, has revealed that Donald and Methven have not shared their shares at the Black Cats, in spite of the rumours, but ‘talks are at an advanced stage’ with one group:

“Regarding the rumours that Stewart Donald and Charlie Methven have sold their shares in Sunderland, it’s my information that talks are at an advanced stage with one group, but there is still a long way to go.”

The Verdict: Get it done

Donald and Methven are clearly not connected to the club anymore, as finance expert Kieran Maguire has claimed that they have left a ‘toxic legacy’, and so their shares need to be sold as soon as possible.

Whether Louis-Dreyfus takes full control, or their shares are sold to another bidder, they need to get their board structure finalised before the start of next season.

Rich Energy drink founder William Storey has reportedly submitted his own takeover offer to the club, and so this is another path to consider as they look to cement their place in the Championship, and potentially push for promotion to the Premier League in the future.

In other news, find out which three Championship clubs are now eyeing this ‘incredible’ SAFC star here!

West Bromwich Albion saw their under-23 side make history last week by winning their first Premier League Cup after beating Wolves on penalties.

One youngster who ended up playing a crucial part in the game was 19-year-old right-back Ethan Ingram, who scored the winning penalty to secure the trophy for his team.

A product of the club’s youth academy, the teenager has racked up 62 appearances across their under-18 and under-23 sides, chipping in with seven assists and one goal along the way.

The full-back has made just one senior appearance for the Baggies, which came during their disheartening 6-0 defeat against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup last August.

Deployed at right-wing back, the youngster managed to show glimpses of what he’s capable of against top opposition by making two tackles, winning 10 duels and completing one successful dribble that night.

Described by journalist Josh Bunting as an “aggressive” player who is “good at going up and down from full-back”, Ingram recently revealed that his aim for next season is to push into the first team.

This shows just how determined the full-back is to take the next step in his career and development and really make a name for himself at senior level for his club.

Taking into account how the likes of Taylor Gardner-Hickman managed to do just that in the recently-concluded season after making 19 Championship appearances following his senior debut against Hull City back in November, the same pathway could well be there for Ingram in 2022/23.

While Darnell Furlong may have the right side of defence all to himself as things stand after making 41 appearances in the league this term, embedding the 19-year-old into the squad as a potential backup option, or as competition for the incumbent right-back, could be the way forward for West Brom.

Looking ahead to the future, with Bruce previously mentioning the possibility of a big transfer overhaul taking place in the summer to try and get the club back to the Premier League, unleashing the Baggies starlet could potentially save the club millions and prove that they may not need to spend too heavily to freshen up their squad.

In other news: Bruce must axe WBA’s “lazy” & “disappointing” nightmare duo, they’re stealing a living

Manchester United have been handed a significant boost in their pursuit of Barcelona midfielder, Frenkie de Jong in the summer transfer window

What’s the word?

That is according to reports in Spain that claim there is a very high chance that De Jong will be transferred to Manchester United before the end of the season.

Taking to Twitter, a reporter said: “Before the end of the league and with a 95% probability, Frenkie de Jong will be transferred to Manchester United. It is a pure economic issue. Barça needs to sell a player who has not been top at the club.”

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The Dutchman’s release clause rates him at a whopping £340m but the club will hope to be able to secure a deal for just £58m, a mere snip in comparison.

A 95% chance

With such a high probability stated by a well known and respected source, it looks as though Manchester United have as good as got their midfield transfer target, something that will no doubt serve as great news for everyone associated with the club.

It would be a sensational move for United, with incoming manager ten Hag surely one of the biggest reasons that the Red Devils have been able to pull off such a coup.

It has to be said though, the fact that Barcelona are willing to sell their 25-year-old star comes as a shock, considering the praise that Xavi heaped on the young Dutchman as recent as April 23rd.

The Barca manager shut down rumours which were then clarified by super-journalist Fabrizio Romano:

“Barca manager Xavi shuts down rumours on Frenkie de Jong leaving & Man Utd links,” Romano stated. Xavi then said: “Frenkie’s a very important player for me and for the club. He has to mark an era.

“I’m happy with him. If it were up to me he’ll continue for many years at Barca.”

For comparison, Paul Pogba averages 47.42 passes per game at a completion rate of 83.5%, though 6.61 of these are passes into the final third.

Although a shock, the United faithful will certainly take the latest news as a major positive, having almost bagged one of the best passers of the ball in the world right now, with his average of 90.3% pass completion percentage elite in the 30 La Liga appearances that the 25-year-old has made for Barca this season. He averages 56.70 passes per game with 5.59 of these passes into the final third.

Still, the £164k-per-week player, who has been dubbed a “genius” by Xavi, possesses an ability to pick out a pass that is entirely beneficial for United, who will most certainly look to implement a mass-possession style of football under incoming manager Ten Hag.

What a reunion this could be for de Jong and the Dutch boss who will surely be elated at the potential acquisition. What a boost it represents for Man United too, in what looks to be the first official deal of the new era.

In other news: Better than Pogba: MUFC can land dream Rice alternative in “exceptional” £50m monster