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Why Aston Villa landing £30m signing is a bittersweet moment [Opinion]
Aston Villa confirmed on Saturday that they’d reached an agreement with Bayer Leverkusen for Leon Bailey, pending a medical and finalising personal terms. The 23-year-old will set them back around £30 million and is an excellent acquisition, but the news is bittersweet as it likely means Jack Grealish will be sold. In addition to Bailey, Villa brought in Emiliano Buendia from Norwich City, so they’ve strengthened both flanks in the same transfer window when they already have Bertrand Traore, Anwar El Ghazi and Trezeguet at their disposal. The fact Villa are on the hunt for a creative midfielder amid links with Arsenal’s Emile Smith-Rowe and Southampton’s James Ward Prowse suggests they’re anticipating a playmaker leaving. Grealish is the subject of a £100m bid from Manchester City and Vill...
Wolves keen on signing playmaker with 40 Premier League goals but there’s an issue – report
Wolverhampton Wanderers are interested in signing Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey, but the Welshman is resisting the move, Calciomercato reports. The Midlands outfit are planning a potential reshuffle of their attack this summer with Pedro Neto and Adama Traore linked with possible departures. The club have already reinforced their frontline with the loan signing of Francisco Trincao from Barcelona, with an option to buy next summer. They are now interested in signing former Arsenal star Ramsey, but they could be left disappointed with the midfielder not keen on joining them. The Bianconeri are looking to get Ramsey off their wage bill as they are aiming to re-sign Miralem Pjanic from Barcelona on a two-year loan agreement. Sportslens view: Ramsey had a successful 11-year career with Arse...
Kalvin Phillips’ seven-word reaction as Ben White joins Arsenal
Ben White has joined Arsenal from Brighton & Hove Albion for £50 million, and Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips is proud of his international teammate. The 23-year-old spent the 2019-20 Championship campaign on loan at Elland Road, featuring in every minute of their promotion-winning season and playing a starring role. Leeds attempted to sign White permanently afterwards but were unable to meet Brighton’s asking price. They were briefly linked at the start of the summer transfer window, but it is Arsenal that have won the race for his signature. Phillips has been over the moon seeing his friend move to one of the biggest clubs in the Premier League and has reacted to it on Instagram. Sportslens View Arsenal have made White their third-most expensive transfer of all time, and ther...
Leeds submit £30m offer for 25-yr-old, Spurs boss is a fan of the player as well
Leeds United are keen on signing Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Adama Traore this summer. According to Duncan Castles, the Premier League club have now submitted an offer of around £30 million for the Spanish international. • Leeds offer £30m for Adama Traore• Grealish + Kane: Man City’s ‘It Could Be You’ transfer strategy?• Laporte asks to leave• Chelsea’s advantage on Kounde• La Liga turns the screw• Man Utd’s new midfield• White in at Arsenal; Locatelli next?https://t.co/JboiP285G9 pic.twitter.com/7ajzyK8fGc — Duncan Castles (@DuncanCastles) July 30, 2021 Marcelo Bielsa is keen on improving his attacking options this summer and is looking to sign the 25-year old before the transfer window closes. However, Traore is keen on joining a club capable of offering...
Arsenal handed boost in signing €80m-rated star with 30 goal contributions last season – report
Arsenal have been handed a boost in signing Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez this summer, according to The Athletic. The Gunners have been touted to sign a new striker this summer, and it was recently reported that they had made an enquiry for Martinez. It is now claimed that the Nerazzurri would be willing to sell the Argentine at the right price, and personal terms won’t be a stumbling block. Martinez would be interested in joining the Gunners this summer. He stands to earn a significant rise on his €2.5 million annual wages. The Gunners could sanction the sales of Eddie Nketiah and Alexandre Lacazette to recoup part of the funds required for Martinez’s transfer. Sportslens view: Martinez made a slow start to his Inter career, but he has made excellent progress over the past cou...
‘Glad i gave up my season ticket’ – Some NUFC fans react to reports regarding Steve Bruce’s future
Newcastle United manager Steve Bruce is set to be handed a new three-year contract at the club. According to Daily Star, Newcastle owner Mike Ashley wants to reward Bruce with a new contract for keeping the club in the Premier League last season. Bruce has been an unpopular figure at St James’s Park since his appointment, with the fans calling for his dismissal for a while now. The 60-year-old’s current deal expires in 2022, but he has the backing of the club hierarchy. Newcastle have not progressed under Bruce, with their 12th place finish last season masking a largely underwhelming campaign. They flirted with relegation for most of the season but eventually scrambled away from the danger zone. A club of their stature should be looking to finish in the top half every year, and their curre...
13 goals and 10 assists last season: Aston Villa identify 23-yr-old as a summer target
Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish has been linked with a move away from the club this summer, with Manchester City keen on securing his services. According to the Telegraph, the Midlands club are reluctant to sell Grealish, but they have already identified several replacements if the 25-year-old leaves. Watford attacker Ismaila Sarr is one of their preferred choices, along with Norwich City midfielder Todd Cantwell and Bayer Leverkusen winger Leon Bailey. Sarr has been linked with a move in recent months, and he could prove to be a quality long term acquisition for Dean Smith. The attacker can operate anywhere across the front three, and his versatility would be a bonus for Villa. Sarr helped Watford secure promotion to the Premier League last season, chipping in with 13 goals and 10 as...
Former Manchester United star on turbulent relationship with Mourinho
Henrikh Mkhitaryan has offered an insight into his relationship with Jose Mourinho, who took over the managerial reins at Roma this summer. The pair shared a turbulent history at Manchester United, which led to rumours about the forward’s potential summer exit. But the player was quick to play down speculation about his altercation with Mourinho, insisting they have buried the hatchet. “What happened in Manchester stays there,” Mkhitaryan told Corriere dello Sport. “We spoke as mature people, we both want to go down the same path, we both want to win something with Roma, and that is the only thing that matters this year.” Mkhitaryan moved to Old Trafford only two months after Mourinho’s appointment and helped United wrap up the Europa League crown in his first season. He subsequently fell ...
AC Milan hand Wolves a huge transfer blow
AC Milan have inflicted a transfer blow on Wolverhampton Wanderers after reportedly deciding to keep hold of Rafael Leao. Although it looked like the Rossoneri wanted to offload the prodigious forward, they have had a change of heart, MilanNews reports. Just a few hours ahead of Milan’s friendly encounter against Nice, the news of the club’s decision to retain Leao surfaced in the Italian media. Wolves were interested in the 22-year-old forward, who will spearhead the line for Stefano Pioli’s side at the Allianz Riviera on Saturday evening. Leao’s representative Jorge Mendes has strong connections with Wolves and was keen on brokering his client’s move to the Premier League. The Portuguese super-agent has played a pivotal role in assembling a top-class squad at Molineux over the past few y...
Lokonga and Pepe start, Predicted Arsenal line-up (4-2-3-1) vs Chelsea – The Mind Series
Arsenal host Chelsea in a pre-season friendly on Sunday. The game is being played as part of The Mind Series to support better mental health. Tottenham Hotspur are also involved in the mini-tournament. They will be involved against Chelsea and Arsenal on August 4 & 8 respectively. Formation: 4-2-3-1 Predicted Line-up: Bernd Leno played his first pre-season game against Watford in midweek. The German is likely to start between the sticks for the London derby. Calum Chambers jumped ahead of Hector Bellerin in the pecking order for the right-back role towards the end of the previous campaign. He is likely to get the nod with Kieran Tierney starting in the opposite end. Ben White has had just one training session since his arrival. The centre-back could be restricted to a cameo role. With ...
Brighton keen on signing £38.4m-rated star with 26 goal contributions last season – report
Brighton & Hove Albion have revived their interest in signing Benfica striker Darwin Nunez, The Athletic’s Andy Naylor claims. The Seagulls were keen on landing the Uruguayan last year, but Benfica won the race to sign him from Almeria for £20 million. The 22-year-old had a productive season for the Portuguese giants, registering 14 goals and 12 assists from 44 appearances. It is now reported that the Seagulls are back in the hunt for the marksman, who is still under rehabilitation after a knee surgery. Sportslens view: Brighton are searching for a new striker this summer, and they have been heavily linked with Celtic’s Odsonne Edouard in the past few weeks. However, it appears that they are prioritising a move for Nunez. Portuguese outlet O Jogo (page 12) claims that the club hav...
Report: Everton keen to sign midfielder who was released by Liverpool in 2018
Everton are one of a handful of Premier League clubs keen on signing Preston North End youngster Lewis Leigh, according to a report from football.london. Toffees boss Rafa Benitez has a lot of work to do at Goodison Park this summer. Aside from signing top-class players, Benitez will be keen to bring in some young talented starlets with potential. Everton have an ageing squad, and that is something that needs addressing. And the Preston teenager could very well be an exciting signing for the future for the Merseyside outfit. Everton chasing Lewis Leigh Benitez wants to bring the 17-year-old to Goodison Park from Preston this summer. West Ham United, Arsenal and Leicester City also reportedly want to sign the central midfielder. Leigh was released by Everton’s fierce rivals Liverpool a...
