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Aston Villa are reportedly interested in a La Liga gem, as Unai Emery looks to bolster his squad ahead of his first full campaign in charge at Villa Park.

The Spaniard will be joined by Monchi, who could deliver the Villans a host of exciting signings this summer if he is to repeat history with his impeccable track record of orchestrating upgrades in the transfer window.

The Midlands side have been linked with a host of talent from La Liga, with several names cropping from Emery’s previous club Villarreal, with the latest link being one of the Yellow Submarines' staple individuals.

What’s the latest on Dani Parejo to Aston Villa?

According to reports in Spain, via Sport Witness, Aston Villa remain a club interested in Villarreal midfielder Dani Parejo.

Last month, Sport Witness relayed further news from Spain that Villa had ‘set their sights’ on the 34-year-old, with the Villans named once more this week as a club that could steer the Spaniard away from signing a new deal with the Yellows.

Barcelona are another club mentioned to be monitoring the midfielder, who will become a free agent next summer should an extension not be agreed.

What could Dani Parejo offer to Aston Villa?

With 457 La Liga appearances, the 34-year-old offers experience in abundance with attributes that cannot be bought in a player that has played at the top level in a formidable career.

Despite being older than most competing among Europe's elite, the Spaniard ended the league season ranked as Villarreal’s second-highest performing player with an average Sofascore match rating of 7.24.

In 37 appearances in La Liga, the former Real Madrid man contributed three goals and four assists, and most importantly demonstrated why he remains as a highly regarded player through his playmaking instincts.

Villa have already confirmed a fellow midfield playmaker this transfer window, with Leicester City ace Youri Tielemans set to join the Villans following the expiry of his contract with the Foxes.

Hailed as a player with the ability to “launch attacks” by former Anderlecht and Belgium gem Paul Van Himst, Tielemans could form a duo powered by their playmaking intel if paired with Parejo.

Averaging 1.4 key passes per game this season in La Liga, the Coslada-born star has recorded 104 career assists to highlight his talents when dispatching the ball and seeking the runs of those around him.

Lauded as a “midfield maestro” by scout Antonio Mango, the 34-year-old maintained a passing accuracy rate of 91% last term, averaging 70.38 attempted passes per 90 showcasing the talents Emery could recruit for his midfield alongside Tielemans.

When comparing the duo via FBref, it’s clear to see what they could bring to any side, with the Belgian averaging 6.95 progressive passes per 90 to Parejo’s 6.85, presenting as two players that excel in dispatching the ball.

Emery could reunite with his former player, with the Spaniard hailing his former coach as being “several steps above” to reinforce the relationship between the two professionals.

Monchi could deliver Villa an experienced master in the middle of the park in the £62k-per-week ace, as a player that could add more than just his impressive exploits on the field to the squad.

قلب نادي الهلال تأخره بهدف إلى الفوز بنتيجة (3-1) أمام الاتحاد مساء اليوم الجمعة في إطار الجولة 22 من الدوري السعودي موسم 2023-2024.

الهلال واجه الاتحاد في كلاسيكو الدوري السعودي وذلك على ملعب المملكة آرينا في العاصمة السعودية الرياض.

وفي غياب بنزيما عن الاتحاد وميتروفيتش عن الهلال سجل الضيوف الهدف الأول في الدقيقة 12 عن طريق لاعب الوسط الفرنسي المخضرم نجولو كانتي.

اقرأ أيضًا.. موقف بنزيما والمعيوف من مباراة الاتحاد والهلال في الدوري السعودي

وجاء هدف التعادل للهلال في الدقيقة 39 بواسطة الدولي المتألق صالح الشهري لينتهي الشوط الأول بالتعادل بهدف لكل فريق.

وفي الشوط الثاني سجل البرازيلي مالكوم في الدقيقة 59 هدف الهلال الثاني، بينما احرز الظهير الأيمن سعود عبد الحميد ثالث أهداف الهلال في الدقيقة 69.

ووصل الهلال للنقطة 62 في صدارة ترتيب الدوري السعودي بينما تجمد الاتحاد عن 37 نقطة في المركز الخامس. أهداف مباراة الهلال والاتحاد في الدوري السعودي

Michael Beale looks like he is already making sweeping changes at Glasgow Rangers ahead of next season.

Out go Allan McGregor, Alfredo Morelos, Scott Arfield, Ryan Kent and Filip Helander – who all leave for nothing – while in come Kieran Dowell and Dujon Sterling, signed on pre-contract agreements.

Beale doesn’t look like he is messing about and the summer will be filled with transfer activity, with some others departing Ibrox, while there could also be an influx of fresh faces.

The Light Blues have been linked with a potential move for Liverpool youngster Leighton Clarkson, who spent the 2022/23 season on loan at Aberdeen, as the 42-year-old wants to improve his midfield options.

They could face a transfer battle with Old Firm rivals Celtic however, but Beale must do everything in his power to secure his signature, especially as he can be a big upgrade on John Lundstram ahead of 2023/24.

Could Leighton Clarkson improve Rangers?

There is no doubting the Englishman’s talents, having shone for the Dons as they secured third place in the league, guaranteeing European group-stage football next term.

The 21-year-old ranked second out of the whole Aberdeen squad for overall rating, first for both big chances created and key passes per game, underlining his importance to the team.

Lundstram on the other hand, ranked only 11th for overall rating in the Rangers side, he didn’t even create a big chance and ranked 18th for key passes per game.

With Beale rejigging his first-team squad, could Lundstram potentially make way for Clarkson next season? It’d certainly be a big decision to make, but the manager knows risks have to be taken.

Indeed, the 5 foot 8 starlet registered more goal contributions than Lundstram during the recent campaign (13 to eight), delivered more crosses (147 to 14), won more tackles (41 to 27) and committed fewer fouls (24 to 36), indicating that he has certainly been more effective, both defensively and in an attacking sense than the former Sheffield United midfielder.

Football writer Ben Webb lauded him for being “a proper tidy passer of the ball” in 2021, and he could certainly shine under Beale going forward, becoming a solid investment in the process.

Lundstram will turn 30 in February, and it makes sense for the Ibrox side to sign a player who could replace him now, rather than wait until it is far too late. Clarkson could be an ideal option, and they would be able to slot him into the starting XI sooner rather than later.

Unai Emery has revitalised Aston Villa over the previous six months, and they now have an excellent chance of securing qualification to the Europa Conference League next season.

A win in their final Premier League match will secure seventh place in the table, and it represents a remarkable turnaround from where they were under Steven Gerrard – having won just two of their opening 12 league games of the season under the Englishman.

Emery isn’t stopping there however, as he looks to bolster his squad during the summer transfer window as he will be targeting further improvement in 2023/24.

One name that has been linked ahead of the window is AS Roma striker Tammy Abraham, with 90min reporting back in February that Villa are keen on signing him to bolster their attacking options.

The same outlet also more recently claimed that the Midlands side were ‘confident’ of signing the striker this summer, although the Serie A outfit could demand a fee in excess of £40m, which would break Villa’s transfer record.

What could Tammy Abraham offer Aston Villa?

The Englishman is well known by the Villa fans due to spending a year at the club in 2018/2019, helping them achieve promotion to the Premier League whilst on a season-long loan deal.

He netted 26 goals during that season and Frank Lampard subsequently gave him his opportunity at Chelsea off the back of these performances, and he went on to score 30 goals for the Blues before departing for Italy in 2021.

The 25-year-old is also statistically similar to Harry Kane according to FBref and considering just how clinical Kane has been in front of goal for club and country over the previous ten years, scoring a total of 333 goals for Tottenham Hotspur and England, it isn’t a bad comparison to have.

The duo have registered similar stats with regard to shots on target per 90 (1.38 to 1.14), goal-creating actions per 90 (0.46 to 0.38) and touches in the attacking penalty area (163 to 122) suggesting the duo offer an effective attacking threat while getting in the opposition box as often as possible.

Although their styles of play differ slightly, with Kane offering a counter-attacking threat and plays the ball off the ground often according to WhoScored, both the Spurs striker and Abraham have finishing and through balls as key strengths, which could allow Emery to bolster his attacking options next season.

The 11-cap striker has even described himself as turning into a “monster” under the tutelage of Jose Mourinho and Emery could very well give him the opportunity to thrive back in the Premier League.

Newcastle United completing the summer signing of Inter Milan defender Denzel Dumfries would "take the team to the next level", according to BBC pundit Alan Hutton.

Will Denzel Dumfries leave Inter Milan?

The Dutchman has made 91 appearances to date since arriving at the San Siro back in 2021, and despite his contract not expiring for another two years, there’s a chance that he and some of his fellow teammates could be sold during the upcoming window as the Italian outfit look to resolve their financial crisis.

According to Gazzetta Dello Sport, PIF and Eddie Howe have recently submitted an official enquiry to discover what it would take to complete a deal for the 27-year-old right-back, with the boss also targeting a fresh face on the opposite flank, where it appears that the Magpies are closing in on a move for Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney having been given the green light by Mikel Arteta to make the switch to St. James’ Park.

Are Newcastle signing Dumfries?

Speaking to Football Insider, Hutton was asked whether he thought Dumfries was capable of taking Kieran Trippier's place in Howe's first-team should he put pen to paper at Newcastle in the Premier League, to which he replied:

“I think he is a brilliant football player. Already for such a young age, what he is achieving is up there. I think the next step for him is to go to the Premier League. Newcastle are definitely doing it in the right way. I think they are spending money and recruiting well, not just splashing the cash on anybody. They are in a situation that we did not see this early on."

“They have to go again and improve and Dumfries definitely gives you that. He definitely gives you the competition, so that would be a good battle moving forward and I think that is what they need to take the team to the next level. If they could get that over the line with Tierney possibly on the other side, I think they would have a really strong defence.”

Whether Dumfries would get into Newcastle’s starting XI ahead of Trippier remains to be seen, but regardless of if he’d be a regular or a back-up option, he’d be a fantastic alternative for Howe to have at his disposal having been dubbed a “monster” by journalist Alan Rzepa.

The World Cup participant is naturally much strong in the offensive aspect of his game and when bursting down the flank having clocked up seven assists and one goal in 31 Serie A games so far this season, but he’s still constantly looking to create moments of magic even if he’s not always on the scoresheet. As per FBRef, the £53k-per-week ace ranks in the 99th percentile for number of attacking touches in the opposition’s penalty area and the 93rd percentile for total shots, so is a real force to be reckoned with driving forward.

Finally, Dumfries has the flexibility to operate anywhere across the defence, including left-back, right-back, centre-back and even higher up in defensive and on the right side of the midfield, so would provide excellent cover should any unexpected injuries occur, therefore making this a no-brainer of a deal to for even if he doesn't dislodge Trippier.

Chelsea star Dujon Sterling is set to join Rangers after agreeing a four-year deal with the Scottish outfit.

The 23-year-old is out of contract next month and is set to leave Stamford Bridge after first joining the club as a seven-year-old in 2007.

Much like many of Chelsea's most promising youngsters, he has been forced out on loan for four of the last five seasons with his most recent spell with Stoke City.

What's the transfer latest on Dujon Sterling?

According to Football Insider, Sterling has already agreed to join Rangers and once he completes a medical with the Scottish outfit, he will put pen to paper on his new deal.

The medical will be completed imminently and having already been given a tour of Rangers' training ground, only the most important details remain.

In his career to date, Sterling has been able to provide 13 goals and 16 assists in 193 appearances across a number of different positions.

The Blues are infamous for their loan policy but Sterling's exit marks a failure in this department. The 23-year-old leaves as a free agent so Chelsea will not recoup a transfer fee from his departure.

Given the financial scrutiny the London outfit is under, any income will help alleviate pressure to generate revenue that can be directed towards transfers and balancing the books.

Who are Chelsea's transfer targets?

The Blues could theoretically complete a double transfer from Napoli given the reported interest in defender Kim Min-Jae and attacker Victor Osimhen.

However, signing them will likely cost a fortune given their success this season in Italy. Osimhen, in particular, will cost a heinous amount of money to bring to the Premier League.

The Nigerian forward could cost as much as £131m although Chelsea are investigating whether they could include the likes of Christian Pulisic and Kepa Arrizabalaga to sweeten the deal for Napoli.

But with the Blues having already spent a huge sum of money under the stewardship of Todd Boehly, perhaps looking to utilise some of their young talents would have been a wise option.

It is believed Mauricio Pochettino has now agreed to become their next manager over the summer and he is a manager who is known for his positive influence on a club's exciting, young prospects.

And given the injury issues which Reece James has suffered from in recent months, perhaps allowing Sterling to leave could be a decision which they are left to rue over coming years.

Majority owner of Leeds United Andrea Radrizzani has accepted responsibility and admitted he is “broken” amid the club’s terrible Premier League form.

What’s the latest on Andrea Radrizzani and Leeds?

On the weekend, the Whites travelled away from home to face Bournemouth in a hugely important game at the bottom of the table.

However, this clash against a direct rival did not go well for Javi Gracia and co as they were thumped 4-1, which leaves them only one point above the relegation zone despite having played one more game than two of the teams inside the bottom three.

When Antoine Semenyo scored the fourth goal for the Cherries on Sunday afternoon, it meant Leeds had conceded 23 goals in April for Leeds, which is a Premier League record for a single month and the most by any top-flight side since Birmingham also let in just as many way back in April 1965 (via BBC Sport).

With that being the case, it’s easy to understand just how badly things are going for the club and Radrizzani certainly isn’t under any illusions about that.

Indeed, in a direct message shared to YouTuber Conor McGilligan via Twitter, he accepted responsibility for the “unacceptable” form of late.

The Italian said: “I am broken. I am responsible for this sh*t. Unacceptable. You don’t deserve this. Ridiculous.”

What have Leeds fans said about the board?

It sounds as though the fanbase are at least in agreement with Radrizzani on this. After all, following the loss at Bournemouth, Leeds United’s Supporters’ Advisory Board (SAB) released a statement of no confidence in the current board.

Indeed, they said (via LeedsLive): “After the result and performance of the team today, the Leeds United Supporters Advisory Board would like to place on record its lack of faith in the current management team at the club. The SAB have been supportive of many decisions this year and will always work with the club to improve the way the club connects with its supporters and communities, so it is only right that we also address the current performances and the situation we are now faced with.

“Leeds United fans have, and will always, support our club through its ‘ups and downs’, but with four games left this situation is no longer sustainable. The narrow escape from relegation last season should have been the catalyst for a season of growth but this season has now turned into a humiliating disaster.”

The statement went on to question the appointment of Jesse Marsch, the spending of transfer funds, and then explained how they are set to meet with the club in the coming week amid the expectation of major changes behind the scenes.

It certainly has been a disastrous season for the Whites and it’s hard to see how some of the key decision-makers will be able to keep their jobs for much longer with relegation now looming large.

Referee Robert Jones and his VAR team may have made a key error in the recent Chelsea game as they missed a possible handball from Christian Pulisic inside his own box.

What's the latest on VAR and Chelsea?

Frank Lampard has now been in charge of the Blues as interim manager for three games. Worryingly, he has lost all those matches.

Indeed, he tasted defeat against Wolves in the Premier League, followed this up with Champions League disappointment against Real Madrid and then suffered another blow against Brighton.

Indeed, despite taking the lead at Stamford Bridge thanks to Conor Gallagher's goal which took a fortunate deflection, Chelsea couldn't capitalise on that slice of good luck.

The Seagulls managed to equalise before halftime thanks to Danny Welbeck and then teenager Julio Enciso struck a stunning winner from long distance in the 69th minute.

When you consider Chelsea managed just two shows on goal throughout the whole game, and Brighton had ten, it's fair to say the better team won (via BBC Sport).

In fact, things could have been even more complicated for the Blues had referee Jones or VAR assistant Chris Kavanagh spotted a possible handball.

Do PGMOL owe Brighton another penalty?

As shown in the image above, Pulisic can clearly be seen handling the ball as he races into his own box to try and prevent Pervis Estupinan from making the most of Alexis Mac Allister's pass.

Journalist Andy Naylor noted the incident and called it "controversial" as both referee and VAR decided that it wasn't enough to result in a penalty.

Indeed, on Twitter, he wrote: "Pulisic just handballed in the box as Estupinan tried to latch onto Mac Allister's pass.

"Nothing given. Another controversial moment that. 1-0.

"Ref today Rob Jones, VAR Chris Kavangah."

Pulisic can certainly count himself a lucky boy as the ball clearly hit his outstretched arm as the still image half looks as though he's playing basketball.

No doubt, Brighton will be feeling delighted with the win but may also wonder if PGMOL have a personal issue with their club.

After all, on top of this big call that went against them, their last match against Tottenham Hotspur had its fair share of shocking decisions.

In fact, the PGMOL even later apologised and admitted their mistake as they failed to award a penalty when Kaoru Mitoma was to be fouled by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the box.

On that occasion they lost but against the hapless Chelsea team, they overcame this adversity to pick up the win.

As Tottenham Hotspur sporting director Fabio Paratici's plots potential replacements for compatriot Antonio Conte at N17, one name that has cropped up in recent times is Sporting CP boss, Ruben Amorim.

Reports in Portugal earlier this month suggested that the Lilywhites are 'at the head' of the list of suitors in the race to secure the 38-year-old's signature, with Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain also believed to be in the running.

The up-and-coming coach – who has been in charge of the Primeira Liga side since 2020 – is said to now be "ready" to make the move to English football, according to Football Insider, despite having a contract in his current post that runs until 2026.

The former Braga boss has been hailed as a "special manager" by writer Zach Lowy as a result of the early success he has enjoyed in his managerial career to date, notably winning the league and cup double during the 2020/21 campaign with Sporting.

With the Lisbon native likely to have decades ahead of him in the dugout, it is no surprise that Paratici and co are seemingly looking closely at him as a potential successor to Conte, as the highly-coveted coach only recently laid bare his credentials after knocking out Arsenal in the Europa League.

That recent triumph has already put Amorim in the good books of Tottenham supporters, with that positive feeling only set to be enhanced if he can also aid the club in bringing current Sporting starlet Marcus Edwards back to north London.

Will Spurs sign Edwards?

The diminutive forward – who left the Premier League side back in 2019 after rising up through the youth ranks – has been touted for a Spurs homecoming in recent times, with the Daily Mail previously suggesting that Paratici was eyeing a double January swoop involving the Englishman and Pedro Porro.

Despite the latter man eventually making his way to London, in the case of Edwards – who is said to have a £52m release clause in his contract – the 24-year-old stayed put at the Jose Alvalade Stadium, having been in sparkling form of late in Portugal.

Once likened to Lionel Messi by former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino, the 5 foot 6 dynamo has left his previous employers ruing their decision to allow him to depart, having scored 13 goals and registered 14 assists in just 55 games for his current side.

The former Vitoria Guimaraes ace has proven himself a truly "dangerous" attacking presence, as per Statman Dave, with it no surprise that there is such a clamour to see him return to his former home, as even the player himself would "give serious consideration" to the move – according to journalist Pete O'Rourke.

The hope will be that Edwards' connection to Amorim can help to spark that long-awaited switch, provided the exciting coach does himself agree to a move, with the Portuguese visionary having hailed the former England youth gem as a "very talented player", while also tipping him for senior international recognition from the Three Lions in the future.

Although at the moment that double move does appear someway off, it would represent a notable coup as far as Spurs are concerned if the top-four hopefuls can pull it off.

Newcastle United have made Leicester City midfielder James Maddison a ‘priority transfer target’ this summer, according to a fresh report.

The Lowdown: Maddison linked with Newcastle

The Magpies picked up a 2-1 victory away to Nottingham Forest on Friday evening – one that could be so huge in the race for Champions League football.

Qualifying for Europe’s biggest club competition would be a massive achievement for Eddie Howe’s side, giving them even more chance of signing top players moving forward.

It looks set to be a busy summer transfer window at Newcastle regardless of their league position, but the lure of the Champions League can never be downplayed.

One player who has been linked with a move to St James’ Park recently is Maddison, who is enjoying another strong season for Leicester, scoring nine goals and registering five assists in the Premier League.

The 26-year-old is out of contract with the Foxes at the end of next season and he may feel that a new challenge is required once the current campaign comes to a close.

The Latest: Magpies still keen

According to the i, Newcastle remain interested in snapping up Maddison this summer, as they plan to ‘resurrect their interest’ in the Englishman – it’s also claimed in the headline that Howe’s side have made him a ‘priority transfer target’.

The player himself is currently ‘considering his options’ and he is ‘unlikely to sign a new deal’ with Leicester, ahead of a transfer window where he may have numerous suitors.

The Verdict: Perfect summer signing

Maddison could be an outstanding signing by Newcastle, coming in as the type of player who can take them to that next level, in terms of creativity and match-changing ability.

The one-cap England international has now scored 54 goals and registered 37 assists for Leicester – 42 and 30 in the Premier League, respectively – while Danny Murphy has described him as a ‘Champions League player’, such is his ability.

At times, Newcastle have been lacking genuine class in an attacking sense this season, only scoring 39 times in 26 league matches, and Maddison is someone who could make Howe’s team so much more potent in that area.

He possesses unpredictability in a No.10 and an ability to open up defences, meaning he could link brilliantly with Alexander Isak in front of him, as well as Bruno Guimaraes in the midfield.

At 26, Maddison is coming right into his prime years – he and Newcastle could be a match made in heaven, bringing the best out of each other and allowing the Magpies to start the 2023/24 campaign as an even greater force.