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Former Aston Villa forward Gabby Agbonlahor has been reacting to the club’s talks with Ashley Young, as per Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Romano’s reveal

The 36-year-old made 25 appearances for Villa last season, lining out in seven different positions. Despite proving to be a valuable squad member, the veteran was named as one of eight players set to be released by the club over the coming weeks.

However, Fabrizio Romano has now revealed that the club are in ‘talks’ with Young over remaining in the Midlands, adding that there is a ‘very good chance’ that the 39-cap England international will still be at Villa Park next season.

The Latest: Agbonlahor’s comments

Agbonlahor, who contributes as a pundit for Sky Sports, was talking to Football Insider regarding Young following Romano’s update. He labelled a fresh deal for the soon-to-be free agent as a ‘no brainer’, saying it is ‘perfect’ due to the 36-year-old’s versatility.

The former Villa striker commented:

“All that will be happening is they will be negotiating the contract.

“I’m sure they will keep him. He’s so versatile, a professional and can still do a great job. I can 100 per cent see him re-signing.

“He can be cover for left-back, left-wing, right-back and as a number 10. He can play so many positions it’s perfect.

“When Digne is injured, he’s got a perfect replacement. Rather than having to go out and spend big on another left-back, he’s got one there in Ashley Young who can play everywhere.

“I think it’s a no-brainer and I’m sure they are just negotiating terms and it will be signed.”

The Verdict: Makes sense

Steven Gerrard brought in Lucas Digne from Everton in January, but with Matt Targett sealing a permanent move to Newcastle, the Villa manager could be back to square one when it comes to strength in depth at left-back.

Digne will be the only left-back option with Young set to be released, so it does make sense to get the experienced Englishman back for a further 12 months.

Gerrard hailed Young as ‘outstanding’ after his first game in charge at Villa Park, and with Young able to play out wide and in central midfield, we’re with Agbonlahor in believing that a new contract for the veteran is a ‘no brainer’.

In other news: ‘Very good…’ – Sky Sports man buzzing after NSWE agree ‘crucial’ Aston Villa deal for Gerrard

Wolves defender Rayan Ait-Nouri is being linked with a move away from Molineux, with Chelsea reportedly interested in signing the Frenchman this summer.

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Mail, Thomas Tuchel’s side have added Ait-Nouri to their transfer shortlist as they look to replace Marcos Alonso, with the Spaniard likely to join Barcelona when his contract with the Blues expires.

Reliable journalist Alan Nixon has also suggested that the Stamford Bridge outfit are keen on signing the 21-year-old ahead of next season, which would undoubtedly be a blow for Bruno Lage, as the youngster may struggle to turn down the offer of Champions League football next season.

Wolves supporters will be gutted

Ait-Nouri enjoyed a promising debut season with the Old Gold, making 23 appearances in the top flight, in which he contributed one goal and two assists, averaging an impressive 6.96 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

With Marcal expected to leave Wolves upon the expiry of his contract later this month, it was perhaps expected that Ait-Nouri would become the undisputed first-choice left-back in Lage’s side next season, but it now seems as if they have a fight on their hands to keep him at Molineux.

After his goal against Norwich last season, Lage remarked that Ait-Nouri was having a “fantastic” season, and the Portuguese boss will surely be keen for the youngster to continue his development at Wolves.

If he were to depart along with Marcal, it would leave Wolves very short of options at left wing-back, which will surely leave Wolves supporters concerned ahead of next season, especially after their drop in form towards the end of the last campaign.

Other than Fabio Silva and Pedro Neto, Wolves possess very few youngsters that have established themselves as regulars in the Premier League, so Wolves fans would surely be gutted to see another promising young talent depart before really achieving anything at the club.

If Chelsea do make an official approach, Wolves should stand firm and demand a big fee for him, as he looks to have a huge amount of potential.

And, in other news… “Getting closer..”: Journo drops huge Wolves update that’ll leave supporters buzzing

Newcastle United are reportedly ready to make a move to sign Atletico Madrid winger Yannick Carrasco, according to a report from Spanish outlet AS. 

The lowdown: Intentions signalled

Following the appointment of Eddie Howe and an influx of players in January, Newcastle enjoyed a superb second half of the 2021/22 season, and it will be intriguing to see who comes through the doors at St James’ Park this summer.

Whilst a revolutionary overhaul isn’t expected to take place in on Tyneside, the levels of recruitment and expectancy will likely go up a notch after the arrival of transfer chief Dan Ashworth from Brighton.

One man who could be on the radar for the Toon is Belgium international Carrasco, and it appears that PIF are ready to spend big to get him…

The latest: Newcastle ‘willing’ to splash out for Carrasco

As per AS, Newcastle are ‘willing’ to meet the €60m (£51m) release clause in the 28-year-old’s contract.

With Carrasco cited as one of the ‘mainstays’ in Diego Simeone’s plans, the report added that the Tyneside club have ‘put his name on the table’ ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

However, amidst the interest, it’s claimed that the man who was lauded by journalist Josh Bunting for an ‘absolutely outstanding’ start to the 2020/21 season is ‘happy’ at the Wanda Metropolitano.

The verdict: Worth every penny

Carrasco scored six times and provided seven assists in 44 outings in 2021/22, earning an impressive 7.09 Sofascore rating whilst winning five duels, completing 2.6 successful dribbles and making 1.6 key passes per La Liga game in the process.

Capable of operating on either wing and at centre-forward, the 55-cap Belgian would provide additional versatility, whilst he would be an upgrade on Newcastle’s current options given that only two Magpies players exceeded his Sofascore rating this season. Therefore, the former AS Monaco man appears to be the ideal candidate to strengthen the attacking options at Eddie Howe’s disposal.

Under a £141,000-per-week contract in the Spanish capital until 2024 (Transfermarkt), his wages will likely be attainable for Newcastle, and the easiest way to negotiate with Carrasco whilst taking Atletico out of the equation would be to simply meet the release clause.

In other news: Magpies make offer for this Serie A gem

Celtic saw a significant number of players make moves in and out of the club during the previous summer transfer window.

The Hoops saw some big names like Odsonne Edouard, Kristoffer Ajer and Ryan Christie make permanent moves elsewhere but one figure the Bhoys didn’t get rid of last summer is Albian Ajeti.

Signed from West Ham United back in the 2020 summer transfer window in a deal worth a reported fee of £4.5m, the striker has scored just nine goals in 48 appearances for the Hoops across all competitions.

This latest season saw the 25-year-old make just 17 appearances for Ange Postecoglou’s side across all competitions, starting only six of them.

This shows just how far down the pecking order he currently is and is likely to be heading into next term.

However, with the next summer transfer window now here, Celtic have been given the best opportunity to finally get rid of the misfiring centre-forward by bringing in a suitable replacement.

Back in March, former Celtic player Frank McAvennie said that it was “unbelievable” that the club are still paying Ajeti’s wages, which doesn’t say much for his current situation at the club.

One player the Hoops have been linked with recently that could immediately replace the Swiss striker if Ryan Mmaee.

Since joining Hungarian club Ferencvaros back in the summer of 2021, the 24-year-old has scored 19 goals and delivered 11 assists in 37 appearances for his current side.

This highlights just how capable the striker is at not only scoring and providing goals for his teammates but also that he can do it on a regular basis, something that Ajeti has not been able to do since his move to Parkhead.

Labelled as a “feisty” player by journalist Tomasz Mortimer on Twitter, Mmaee could be the ideal candidate to push Ajeti out the door and add some more attacking depth to Postecoglou’s squad.

If the Hoops are able to move the former West Ham attacker out this summer, securing a deal for the Ferencvaros star should be at the top of their to-do list.In other news: Celtic eyeing move for “exciting” teenage prodigy, he can be their next Edouard

Celtic will complete the permanent signing of on-loan defender Cameron Carter-Vickers this summer, according to journalist Michael Bridge.

The Lowdown: Superb loan spell

The American traded Tottenham for the Hoops on a temporary basis last summer, having been told he wasn’t part of Nuno Espirito Santo’s plans.

It has proved to be a masterstroke of a loan move for Carter-Vickers, who won the Scottish Premiership and Scottish League Cup in 2021/22, standing out as a key man at centre-back.

Celtic are now working hard on signing the 24-year-old permanently, although there is interest from other clubs.

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The Latest: Journalist backs move

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Sky Sports’ Bridge backed Ange Postecoglou to get his man:

“I think that will happen, because he’s a player who’s been on loan to every other club, he’s never found his home. He’s had about 20 EFL loans, but he’s ended up winning the title with Celtic, so I think he’s found his home there.”

The Verdict: Surely it happens?

This is a deal that seemingly suits all parties, with Spurs happy to sell, Celtic desperate to buy and Carter-Vickers settling in brilliantly at Parkhead.

It would now be a huge surprise if the USA international decided to move elsewhere instead of the Hoops, also acting as an enormous blow in the process.

Carter-Vickers averaged an impressive 4.2 aerial duel wins per game in the league this season, as well as 4.2 clearances per match, highlighting his defensive prowess and further showing why he would be such a good signing for Celtic for years to come.

In other news, Celtic are eyeing up a move for a midfielder. Find out who it is here.

Tottenham Hotspur, and by extension transfer chief Fabio Paratici, allegedly have a Weston McKennie plan as news emerges out of Italy.

The Lowdown: Conte set for summer reshuffle…

The Times, sharing a big update on manager Antonio Conte’s plans past the 2021/2022 Premier League season, recently claimed that a plethora of activity could take place at Hotspur Way.

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Spurs’ head coach could offload as many as eight players, a list which includes the likes of Sergio Reguilón, Emerson Royal, Steven Bergwijn, Giovani Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele.

Coming in the other way, it is believed that Conte wants to make six major signings in three defenders, a forward and a midfielder.

According to Calciomercato, some news has come to light on the Lilywhites’ attempts to bolster the latter position.

The Latest: Paratici readying McKennie talks…

The Italian source says Tottenham, and by extension Paratici, are ‘ready to negotiate’ with Juventus over signing their midfield man McKennie this summer.

It is believed that Spurs are eyeing a loan-to-buy deal for the USA international in a similar move which would ‘repeat’ the trick to bring Dejan Kulusevski to N17.

The Verdict: Advance?

Football Insider, making a claim before the New Year, stated that McKennie is ‘very keen’ to play in London – something which could gift Spurs and Paratici a possible advantage over Serie A competitors Roma.

They also stated Juve’s valuation of the 23-year-old is set at around £35 million, and while it is unclear whether that would be the price to pay for Tottenham at the end of a possible loan-to-buy, we believe the ex-Schalke star could be a brilliant addition either way.

Unable to display his ability during the latter stages of this season due to a foot injury, McKennie has in fact been revered for his performances at international level.

USA football reporter Chris Smith of 90min lavished the ‘pressing machine’ and ‘supremely underrated’ ace, drawing attention to an impressive scout report last year.

At just 23, the sky is seemingly the limit for McKennie and it is little wonder Spurs are keen on opening talks.

In other news: Paratici also eyeing ‘world class’ player move tipped to ‘excite’ Spurs supporters! Find out more here.

Crystal Palace are said to be interested in a move for Chelsea starlet Levi Colwill.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report by The Sun, who claim the Eagles like Colwill and see him as a long-term project.

It is said that Everton are keen on the 19-year-old, with Frank Lampard hoping he can add to their backline with a loan move for the starlet.

The competition from Lampard could cause a hurdle for Vieira, with the report claiming that Crystal Palace may not be able to offer the young defender regular first-team football next season.

Gallagher 2.0

Chelsea’s loan policy of late has worked well for the club.

This season has seen the likes of Colwill and Gallagher announce themselves to the footballing world, with some tremendous displays from both youngsters across their different spells.

The former has spent the season on loan at Huddersfield Town, where he has enjoyed regular first-team football in a campaign that has taken the Terriers to the Championship play-off Final.

He’s featured 29 times for Huddersfield this season, starting 57% of games and amassing two goals and one assist along the way. In the process, he has been hailed on a regular basis, particularly by scout Jacek Kulig who called him both “outrageous” and a “huge talent.”

For his first season in professional football, it’s an impressive return for a 19-year-old, so you can understand the level of interest that surrounds him.

The aforementioned Gallagher’s progress in his loan spell at Selhurst Park is a worse kept secret and has seen the 22-year-old flourish in the Premier League, scoring eight goals and assisting three in 34 appearances for Vieira’s side.

Having signed Chelsea youngster Guehi, the Palace boss will greatly understand the potential of Cobham prospects and could move for Colwill in a deal reminiscent of Gallagher’s loan move.

For Palace, Colwill could become a Gallagher 2.0 with the style of this move and, being a natural left-footer, could fit more naturally at left centre-back than the likes of Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen who are both right-footed.

In other news: Forget Zaha: Crystal Palace talent who won 83% duels stole the show vs Man Utd 

Manchester City have numerous players in their current squad who have made more than 200 appearances for the club under Pep Guardiola.

Now that the summer transfer window is on the horizon, it seems as though a behind-the-scenes development has emerged which could lead to one of those players seeing their time at the club come to an end.

What’s the news?

According to a recent tweet from journalist Mike Keegan, City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is set to leave the club this summer.

The Daily Mail reporter also added that talks between the club and the midfielder will take place at the end of the season, but the Citizens have reportedly made their stance clear on the matter.

The Germany international joined City from Borussia Dortmund in 2016 as the first signing that Guardiola made for the club in a deal worth £20m.

Since then, the 31-year-old has gone on to make 252 appearances for the Manchester club across all competitions. In that time, the former Dortmund star has scored 47 goals, supplied 33 assists and won numerous trophies along the way.

The German was a crucial figure for his club last season, as his 13 top-flight goals helped City to secure the Premier League title, ending the campaign as their top scorer.

Bad news for Guardiola

With 26 league appearances under his belt this season, the midfielder has found the net six times, delivered four assists and earned himself an overall WhoScored performance rating of 7.21/10. This makes him the seventh-highest rated player in Guardiola’s current squad according to the site, further highlighting his importance to the team.

Taking all this into account, it’ll surely be a blow for the City manager to not have Gundogan in his squad for next season given everything he’s done for the team and everything that he can offer.

In terms of what the German’s next step could be should he find himself leaving the Etihad Stadium this summer, he has mentioned in the past that he could see himself playing in USA or Turkey.

With fellow City midfielder Fernandinho set to say goodbye to Manchester this summer, having him and Gundogan potentially leaving at the same time will surely fforce the club into signing some replacements.

In other news: Man City plot exciting bid to sign a “huge talent” this summer, he’s Phil Foden 2.0

Can’t get enough Manchester City football content? Watch Manchester City Live Streams  and other videos at StreamFootball.tv.

Sheffield Wednesday have a big game ahead of them tonight as they prepare to take on Sunderland once again for the second leg of their semi-final play-off clash.

The Owls fell to a 1-0 defeat in the first leg on Friday at the Stadium of Light after Sunderland striker Ross Stewart nabbed the ball off Sam Hutchinson and put a shot past Bailey Peacock-Farrell just before halftime.

At the end of the game, the away side could only register seven shots at goal and only one on target.

On the flip side, Sunderland were able to rack up 15 attempts at goal in total with four being on target as well as hitting the woodwork on one occasion.

This shows just how lacklustre Darren Moore’s side were going forward and how proficient the Black Cats were at the same time.

Heading into tonight’s showdown at Hillsborough, it seems as though the home side have been dealt a potential injury blow that could impact their chance of turning the tie around and securing a much-needed victory

What’s the news?

According to Sunderland manager Alex Neil, the Wearside club’s on-loan striker Nathan Broadhead could be available to play in Monday’s game after missing the first leg through injury.

Since arriving at the club back in the previous summer transfer window on a loan deal from Premier League side Everton, the 24-year-old has found the net 13 times in 25 appearances across all competitions.

This shows just how much of an attacking threat he is and why it’d be a big blow for Moore and his side to be potentially facing off against him and Stewart this evening.

To further highlight how much of a deadly attacking figure Broadhead is, only MK Dons attacker Max Watters (75%) has a higher percentage for shots on target in the league this season than him (58.8%).

His overall performances in the league have earned him a season rating of 6.89/10, making him the fourth-highest rated player currently in Sunderland’s squad according to WhoScored.

Whether the striker ends up making an appearance tonight or not, Moore will be hoping to see his Wednesday side put in a much more dominant performance this time out if they want any chance of getting a positive result.

However, that will be a very difficult task if their defence comes up against the Everton loanee.

In other news: Premier League side are pushing hard for this Sheffield Wednesday starlet…

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their transfer interest in Brighton central midfielder Yves Bissouma…

What’s the talk?

According to The Mirror, the Seagulls gem is one of the players PIF are plotting a deal for this summer as they look to bolster Eddie Howe’s side.

The report claims that sponsorship deals could give the Saudi Arabian consortium the ability to strengthen the squad in the upcoming transfer window and Bissouma has been named as a player who may come through the door.

Supporters would love him

The Magpies supporters would love him at St. James’ Park as he would be a sensational addition to Howe’s Toon team ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Bissouma is a tenacious, hard-working, midfielder who also has the quality on the ball to progress his team up the pitch. He can operate in a box-to-box role or in a deep-lying position and has proven that he can perform to a high level on a consistent basis in the Premier League.

Journalist Richie Mills dubbed him a “Rolls Royce” and he has been labelled as an “exceptional” gem previously by Gary Lineker. These comments illustrate how highly rated he is by pundits and reporters as he has impressed since moving to England. 

In the top-flight this season, he has averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.10 across 23 appearances, proving that he is a reliable performer – competing at a high level throughout the campaign. He has made a whopping 5.2 tackles and interceptions per game as he has shown that he is able to consistently win the ball back off the opposition to regain possessison for his team.

Bissouma has also completed 89% of his attempted passes and 1.4 dribbles per game at a success rate of 68%. This shows that he has the ability on the ball to make things happen after he makes a tackle or interception, which makes him a well-rounded, quality, midfield player at Premier League level.

Therefore, the fans would love to see him playing in black and white next term as they would enjoy seeing him throw himself into challenges and take opposition players on with the ball at his feet, as his statistics suggest that he would be able to do. It is now down to PIF, however, to ensure that the supporters get that opportunity by snapping up the £50m gem in the coming months.

AND in other news, “NUFC want..”: Mark Douglas drops big Darsley Park transfer claim that’ll delight Howe…