Tag Futebol

Manchester United picked up a dominant 3-0 win over West Ham United at the weekend.

This was their second Premier League win in a row and a much-needed three points for Erik ten Hag.

Over these games, it has been the youngsters who have stepped up, but there is still one player who is yet to be given a real chance under the Dutch boss.

Antony's time at Man United

It has now come to a point where even United fans are finding it extremely difficult to provide support for Antony, who has not been able to perform anywhere near his £86m price tag. Even Ten Hag has started to realise that the Brazilian's lack of effectiveness is holding the side back, which is why Alejandro Garnacho has started as the right-winger as of late.

The problem now for Antony is that Garnacho is thriving in his new role, as he scored twice against the Hammers, whereas the 23-year-old hasn't even contributed to a goal in 19 Premier League appearances.

Furthermore, the lack of directness and the ability to beat a man, as shown by his rank in the bottom 88% in the league for successful take-on percentage, as per FBref, often forces the former Ajax ace to pass it backwards, which has prevented him from forming a relationship with Rasmus Hojlund.

Amad Diallo deserves a chance to shine

It is often forgotten by many that Amad Diallo was once signed from Atalanta for a huge £37m fee including add-ons, but he is still yet to be handed a chance to showcase his ability in a Man United shirt.

The 21-year-old picked up an injury in the Red Devils's pre-season tour, which kept him out until December, and since coming off the bench in place of Antony against Nottingham Forest, he hasn't played a minute. However, during that short cameo, he was arguably United's best player on the pitch, creating a chance, winning 100% of his duels, and registering a shot on target.

Last season, the winger starred in the Championship for Sunderland, where he netted 13 goals and provided three assists in 27 starts, and the table below shows statistics from his time in the second division compared to his positional peers, and how he could boost Hojlund

Amad's Sunderland Stats

Stats (per 90)

Amad

League percentile

Goals

0.45

Top 6%

Passes completed

40.51

Top 4%

Shot-creating actions

4.14

Top 8%

Progressive passes

5.12

Top 6%

Passes into final third

3.90

Top 4%

Touches (Att pen)

4.45

Top 14%

Stats via FBref

The Dane struggled to adapt to the Premier League, but he has now scored four goals and made two assists in his last four league games. In recent weeks, he has shown his ability to play with his back to goal, which is where Amad could help Hojlund thrive.

The winger has a "magical left foot," as per Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, with his ball-striking ability allowing him to score goals from anywhere. However, it is his ability to combine with those around him that makes him so deadly, as he is unstoppable when playing quick one-twos and moving into central areas where he can get in the box to work his magic.

Amad's high passes into the final third and progressive passes also prove that he likes to make things happen and find the striker's feet, which in this case would be Hojlund. Therefore, making the 21-year-old striker far less isolated.

Overall, Amad deserves minutes on the field, even if it is just coming off the bench for the last half an hour of a game, but nonetheless, he would certainly bring more to the United team than Antony currently does.

It's been four and a half years now since Illan Meslier joined Leeds United, on loan from French club Lorient at first and then on a permanent deal. Meslier has now surpassed 150 appearances for the club, having helped them win promotion back to the Premier League in his first season and then played 108 games in the top-flight.

The Frenchman is under contract at Elland Road until 2026, but has been attracting interest, with Spanish side Celta Vigo thought to be admirers. He's actually enduring a somewhat difficult season – prior to Saturday's game against Cardiff, his save percentage of 65 was the seventh-worst in the Championship, and he'd conceded 1.5 more goals than he 'should' have relative to post-shot xG.

27 keepers in the division had performed better than that, so it's not hard to understand why Leeds are at least thinking about cashing in and recruiting a replacement.

Dragowski on Leeds radar

According to journalist Dominik Schneider, Leeds are "interested" in Spezia goalkeeper Bart Dragowski and "could make [an] offer" if they decide to sell Meslier.

Hull City, who heading into Saturday sat just a point off joining Leeds in the play-off places, had been pursuing Dragowski, but a move to the Tigers has now been ruled out on the basis that they can't afford his salary of more than €1m per year, which translates to about £16,500 per week. This could potentially open the door for Leeds if they need to enter the goalkeeper market.

"Superman" would need to adapt to Farke

Dragowski got his first taste of senior football with Jagellonia in his native Poland before a big move to Italian club Fiorentina in 2016. He spent six years in Florence and then made a 2022 switch to Spezia, who finished 18th and were relegated on goal difference in his first season.

The stats suggest they suffered their fate in spite of Dragowski, rather than because of him. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has called him "Superman", and as you can see in the table below, he justified that moniker last season by reaching three figures for saves, one of the highest totals in the division.

Shots faced

164

3rd

Saves

112

4th

Launched passes attempted

482

5th

Average pass length

34.6 yards

8th

Launched pass %

37.6

8th

Defensive actions outside area

32

7th

It's worth noting that there may have to be an adaptation period to fit into Daniel Farke's style of play. Under the manager's instruction no doubt, Meslier has played the fourth-lowest share of launched passes (40+ yards) of any Championship stopper this season (18.1%), indicating a preference for playing out from the back. Clearly, Dragowski has operated within a different philosophy at Spezia.

One area where he is comfortable though, is sweeping, and that will give Farke and Leeds the freedom to be aggressive with their defensive line knowing that their 'keeper can cover some of the space they leave in behind. The 26-year-old certainly offers an intriguing package, and now it remains to be seen whether Leeds pull the trigger.

If West Ham United's 0-0 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion proved anything, it is that they could do with some added firepower in the January transfer window. With Michail Antonio enduring injury problems and Danny Ings never really finding his form in a West Ham shirt, the responsibility has often been left down to Jarrod Bowen. And whilst the former Hull City man often delivers for the Hammers, David Moyes could do with a natural focal point to lead the line.

That said, reports suggest that those at the London Stadium have joined the race to sign a player who is actively competing for the Premier League's Golden Boot alongside Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland this season.

West Ham transfer news

West Ham did well in the summer to spend the money gained from the sale of Declan Rice wisely. They swiftly replaced the England international with James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez, before turning their attention to Mohammed Kudus and Konstantinos Mavropanos.

One position they did not strengthen, however, was the striker role, which should make it their priority this month. As Moyes' side compete for a place in the top six, an out-and-out goalscorer could make all the difference.

According to Seb Ecrivain Foot, West Ham have joined the race to sign Dominic Solanke and are discussing the feasibility of a potential deal. Solanke will reportedly be allowed to leave Bournemouth this month if a "financially serious offer" arrives, with Tottenham Hotspur and the Hammers chasing his signature.

Given that the Lilywhites are already reportedly in discussions over a fee, West Ham may need to act quickly if they are to beat their London rivals in the transfer market. If those at the London Stadium beat Spurs to a deal to sign Solanke, it would certainly be some statement of intent.

"Complete" Solanke has been alongside the very best this season

Barring Salah and Haaland, no player has scored more goals than Solanke's 12 in the Premier League this season. Sitting just two goals away from the Liverpool and Manchester City stars too, the Bournemouth star finds himself well and truly in a Golden Boot race.

Winning the award would undoubtedly be the highlight of Solanke's senior career so far, having bounced back from Chelsea and Liverpool failure to star at the Vitality Stadium. West Ham, of course, are well aware of Solanke's goals this season, given that he scored in a 1-1 draw against the Hammers this season.

Premier League Top Scorers 2023/24 (via BBC Sport)

Goals

Erling Haaland

14

Mohamed Salah

14

Dominic Solanke

12

Heung-min Son

12

Jarrd Bowen

11

Earning plenty of praise for his performances, Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola had nothing but good things to say about Solanke earlier this season: “I think he’s really complete. He helps us without the ball, on the ball he can go, he’s good technically too. He can play well with his feet, he uses his body well, and if they leave him space at the back he can also exploit it. He had his chances, he scored, he hit the post, I think he was really dangerous and he helped his teammates a lot, so I’m really happy for him.”

Some figures at Chelsea are reportedly "arguing" that they should sell a star player next month in order to raise funds for January transfers.

Pochettino's transfer plans for Chelsea

Backed by owner Todd Boehly and the club's directors over last summer, manager Mauricio Pochettino saw close to £400 million invested in new Chelsea signings to bolster his squad.

A plethora of players also departed Stamford Bridge in what was a major shake up before the start of this Premier League season. However, the club's constant transfer activity since Boehly's takeover is yet to bear fruit on the field.

Chelsea now "set to cash in" on "selfless" player who wants to stay

Boehly’s looks very likely to make a ruthless call next month.

By
Emilio Galantini

Dec 10, 2023

Chelsea languish in mid-table with just five wins from their opening 16 matches. Sunday's defeat at Everton was the Blues' 18th of 2023, and they just can't seem to ignite a consistent run of winning form right now.

There appear to be problems both at the back and going forward, with reports suggesting Chelsea could dip back into the transfer market to solve these problems.

Indeed, Chelsea are reportedly keen to sign a proven goalscorer, while it's believed Pochettino is also planning to bring in a new centre-back with Thiago Silva and Trevoh Chalobah potentially leaving soon.

The Chelsea boss has also publicly told club chiefs to consider new transfers in January, specifically to solve their lack of aggression.

"Maybe we need to do something," said Pochettino on Chelsea transfers after their defeat to Everton (via football.london).

"Some movement that is a thing to analyse with the sporting director, the owner and to change the dynamic and to improve in the second part of the season because we need to be more aggressive. It is not only to dominate and play well, it is to compete better but we cannot show this lack of concentration and concede the goal we conceded. We were punished too much today, too many positive things, I know it is difficult to talk about positive things in this position."

While it appears the west Londoners could be active next month, they must also consider FFP after such heavy spending in 2023 already.

Chelsea consider "shock" Gallagher sale

According to The Daily Mail and journalist Matt Hughes, Chelsea have FFP in mind and may need to operate on a sell-to-buy basis. To fund Pochettino's transfer kitty, the outlet also claims star man Conor Gallagher could be nominated for the chopping block.

Indeed, some Chelsea chiefs are arguing they should sell Gallagher in January while the time is right. The Englishman, who's started 15 league matches under Pochettino as a mainstay, also has just 18 months remaining on his contract. This has prompted Stamford Bridge figures to consider what The Mail describe as a "shock" January sale.

Conor Gallagher's Premier League stats – 2023/2024 (via WhoScored)
Passing accuracy – 90.7%
Shots per game – 1
Key passes per game – 1.5
Successful take-ons per game – 1
Passes per game – 52

The 23-year-old has been one of Pochettino's shining lights with four assists in the league, and is arguably one of the success stories of Chelsea's season given just how heavily-linked he was with an exit in the summer. He's even been called a "game-changer" by ex-Spurs midfielder Jermaine Jenas, and one can't help but feel it would be a mistake to cash in.

Chelsea started their Premier League campaign with an impressive 1-1 draw with Liverpool, and off the back of that, there was an element of hope that this year would see the side progress under Mauricio Pochettino and improve upon last season's 12th-place finish.

However, 15 games into the season, the fans are having to endure another tumultuous period under their new manager and, off the back of thumping defeats to Newcastle United and Manchester United, are threatening to finish even lower than 12th come May.

To pull themselves out of this nose dive, Todd Boehly and Co must once again stick their hands in their comically large pockets and buy the right attacking reinforcements in 2024.

Ranking Chelsea's worst Premier League managers by win percentage

Mauricio Pochettino’s late-season revival was too little, too late for Chelsea…

ByAlex Roberts May 21, 2024

What the club needs is another generational signing, like their purchase of Eden Hazard from Ligue 1 back in 2012. As it just so happens, the club have recently been linked to an incredibly exciting and dynamic winger from France, Rayan Cherki.

Chelsea transfer news – Rayan Cherki

According to French publication FootMercato (via SportWitness), 'the door is not closed' on Chelsea's summer transfer target Rayan Cherki for a move in the new year.

Lyon were not keen on selling the youngster in the summer, but with his contract set to run out in summer 2025 and his supposed unwillingness to sign an extension given the club's woeful form that sees them prop up the bottom of the table, selling him in the new year is the only way for the club not to lose too much value in the player.

The publication has reported that a fee in the region of €20m – about £17m – could be enough, which could be a real bargain for a player with his potential.

Described as a "generational talent" by French journalist Andres Onrubia Ramos, if Chelsea want to get back to dominating England and Europe, they could do a lot worse than investing in someone who could well be the next Hazard.

Rayan Cherki could be the next Eden Hazard for Chelsea

The primary similarities between the two players are fairly straightforward.

Both Hazard and Cherki cut their teeth at storied clubs in Ligue 1, LOSC Lille in the former's case and Lyon in the latter's. Both players would be highly rated youngsters making their way from France to west London – should the move happen – and finally, both players have spent time as attacking midfielders but thrive out on the left.

When you take a look at Cherki's underlying numbers, his incredible talent becomes even more apparent.

According to FBref, which compares players across Europe's top five leagues and European competitions, the "magnificent talent", as described by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, ranks in the top 6% of players in his position for progressive passes, the top 7% for successful take-ons, the top 8% for touches in the oppositions penalty area, the top 9% for shot-creating actions, and the top 10% for progressive carries, all per 90 over the last 365 days.

Moreover, when you compare his performances last season to Raheem Sterling's, the argument for signing the young Frenchman practically makes itself.

Cherki

Sterling

0.58

0.51

6.39

3.86

6.92

2.81

1.01

0.76

3.80

1.86

6.15

3.23

77.1%

75.0%

These statistics show that the young whiz is similar to Hazard, who averaged 2.2 key passes and 3.2 dribbles per game across his career, in that they both love to beat players with the ball at their feet whilst also being able to create and score goals from out wide at an impressive rate.

In practically every meaningful attacking statistic last season, the Lyon youngster thoroughly outclassed his potential new teammate, and if he could do that at his young age, what could he do in a better team with a coach like Pochettino, who is renowned for his work with younger players.

If the reports are correct and Chelsea can sign Cherki for just £17m, then it seems like a deal far too good to pass up, as if they don't sign him, a rival surely will.

West Ham United are reported to be "above all" interested English sides in the race to sign a £22 million player compared to Phil Foden.

Steidten's success at West Ham

New technical director Tim Steidten is apparently growing in influence at the London Stadium. Indeed, the German transfer chief played a heavy hand in moves for summer signings James Ward-Prowse, Edson Alvarez and Mohammed Kudus – who have all proved pretty successful so far. Ward-Prowse's ruthless right-footed delivery is looking like a very useful asset for manager David Moyes, with the Englishman providing five assists in the Premier League alone this season.

Alvarez has been showered with praise for some of his performances in Claret and Blue as well, with Kudus also starting to showcase his undoubted quality at West Ham.

Steidten's identifies new West Ham targets

Now, the focus for Steidten is believed to be on signing a new striker. Moyes is desperately short of quality with just Michail Antonio coming as his favoured senior option. Danny Ings has played just 68 minutes of league action this season, and the signs suggest West Ham's manager isn't exactly his biggest fan.

This has led to reports that the east Londoners are targeting a new forward, with Bayer Leverkusen's Adam Hlozek, a player Steidten knows well from his time at the club, among West Ham's new striker options.

A new right-back is also on West Ham's agenda heading into January, amid the uncertainty surrounding Coufal's future in east London. Meanwhile, a report out of Italy has now suggested that Irons supporters may have to keep a watchful eye on the possible new addition of a midfielder.

West Ham "above all" English sides for Zielinski

According to Spazio Napoli, West Ham are "above all" interested English sides in the race for Napoli star Piotr Zielinski. The 29-year-old is a mainstay under Rudi Garcia but remains out of contract at the end of the season, leading to recent reports that he could cost as little as £22 million.

Zielinski is content to remain in Italy, but Serie A's champions must keep him away from the clutches of Saudi sides, Inter Milan, Juventus and West Ham by convincing the player to pen fresh terms. This hasn't happened yet, despite their willingness to do so, with the Poland international's future remaining open as things stand.

He apparently has a mega offer on the table from Saudi Arabia, but Zielinski is yet to commit anywhere. To make matters more interesting, reliable club insider ExWHUemployee once claimed that West Ham's head of recruitment Rob Newman was actually very keen on bringing him to the club in 2022.

The midfielder, who has been a regular for Napoli over many seasons, was even been compared to Man City star Phil Foden.

"Recently, I was listening to Pep Guardiola talking about Phil Foden. He said he was a genius, an outstanding talent," said former Poland boss Paulo Sousa.

"But to get to the highest world level, he needs to know when to change the pace of the game. Foden still lacks that. Piotr has it. He sees everything. He perfectly feels the space between his teammates and the opponent. He has an amazing sense of timing and pitch geometry. He can slow down or speed up the game with one pass. He is a beautiful footballer."

Winning three of their last four games in the Championship – tripping up last time out away at St Mary's in a slim 2-1 loss – West Bromwich Albion find themselves on the cusp of a playoff spot with only goal difference keeping them out of those top six positions currently.

Carlos Corberan's men will hope they can respond to that Southampton setback when second-tier football returns next weekend, the Baggies facing off against Ipswich Town up next at the Hawthorns.

This game will see West Brom's promotion credentials put under the microscope, a tough test coming up against Kieran McKenna's free-flowing Tractor Boys full of confidence.

The Baggies will need their star players to be on top form when Ipswich travel to the West Midlands, John Swift and Brandon Thomas-Asante sticking out as key performers so far this campaign – scoring 11 goals between them in all competitions, integral to how their side operate.

However, Corberan could have an even bigger talent than Thomas-Asante on his hands in the form of young attacker Modou Faal who is currently playing for Doncaster Rovers on loan.

Faal has been electric for Donny in League Two since making the short-term switch, outscoring West Brom's number 21 in all competitions.

The young Baggies prodigy could well take some inspiration from Thomas-Asante's journey, the 24-year-old earning his stripes at the level Faal is now excelling in.

Faal's career so far

The 20-year-old Gambian striker's potent goalscoring form at youth level for the Baggies was finally rewarded with an EFL loan this summer, Faal netting 21 goals for West Brom at both U18 and U21 level over 59 appearances.

It was his goalscoring exploits for the West Midlanders during the 2022-23 Premier League 2 campaign that must have attracted admirers to pursue him on loan, scoring six times from just nine games which included a brace up against Derby County's U21s.

Playing for the likes of AFC Fylde and Hereford in non-league – the Fylde loan seeing Faal score ten times from just 16 games – it was obvious that his ceiling was way above the non-league pitches he was making look like his playground.

It's at Doncaster now where the imposing forward is leaving his mark on the EFL – looking more and more ready for a first-team berth at West Brom when the opportunity presents itself further down the line.

Faal's season in numbers

Faal has been a constant bright spark for his new South Yorkshire-based employers ever since joining, an overwhelming positive in attack with Doncaster faltering elsewhere as a collective – disappointed to be sitting in 18th position after 17 games played.

The Gambian forward however always provides Rovers with an energetic force up top even on off-days, ready to run at defenders and close them down before pouncing on indecision from an opposing defender to instinctively fire home.

Doncaster's number 36 has six goals in all competitions (five of those in League Two) which puts him behind Joe Ironside in the top scorer charts, whilst Thomas-Asante plying his trade still at Faal's parent club West Brom has one less strike with five to his name overall.

Joe Ironside – 9 goals

Modou Faal – 6 goals

Harrison Biggins – 4 goals

Ben Close – 4 goals

Stats sourced by Transfermarkt

This rich vein of goalscoring form has even seen Rovers manager Grant McCann hail Faal as a talent who could go on to be "unplayable" in the next few years, the youngster unafraid to play with flair and exuberance even as a lanky figure with the necessary skill-set to be a prolific goalscorer also in his arsenal.

In the not-so-distant future, Thomas-Asante's set-in-stone first-team spot at the Hawthorns could be threatened by the emergence of Faal into the senior ranks.

Corberan must manage the 20-year-old's development correctly, however, leaving him at Doncaster for now to continue flourishing before giving him later first-team opportunities.

Aston Villa have made a flying start to the 2023/24 Premier League campaign as Unai Emery continues to mastermind a charge towards the Champions League spots.

Having been entrusted into the managerial hot seat just over a year ago, no one could have envisaged the Spaniard taking Villa from the threat of relegation to battling it out in the Europa Conference League.

This remarkable turnaround is a testament to the tactical ingenuity and the superb squad that Emery has crafted, bringing in the likes of Pau Torres and Moussa Diaby in the summer, while reports suggest the former Arsenal boss has unfinished business in the transfer market.

Latest Aston Villa transfer news

With the January window approaching, Villa have been linked with a whole host of stars who could bolster their options in the final third.

One of those names is Real Madrid talent Brahim Diaz. The 24-year-old ace, who is said to be valued at €20m (£17m), could depart the club in January according to Spanish outlet Sport, with Los Blancos apparently "happy" to sell him.

Another potential acquisition in the winter window is former Wolves forward Pedro Goncalves, who has enjoyed a prolific spell at Sporting Lisbon, with the 25-year-old notching up 97 goal contributions in 141 appearances for the club.

That impressive form has drawn a whole host of attention towards him and according to the Record, via Sport Witness, Villa are keen on signing the winger, who has a release clause of €80m (£69.8m) release clause in his contract.

In other news, Goncalves is not the only scintillating winger being linked with a move to Villa Park as Galatasaray left winger Kerem Akturkoglu is a name that continues to do the rounds.

It was reported by TEAMtalk that a whole host of clubs, including Villa, West Ham, and Brighton have checked on the winger in recent weeks as he played for Galatasaray and Turkey.

With a current value of €15m (£13m), as per Football Observatory, Emery may need to act fast in their pursuit of the highly-rated 25-year-old gem as an upgrade on one of their currently underperforming players.

Kerem Akturkoglu could be the perfect Nicolo Zaniolo replacement

Once lauded as a 'wizard' by the Turkish press, likening his magical displays to the fictional character Harry Potter, Akturkoglu has been in fine form for his club this season, unlike Villa's Nicolo Zaniolo.

While the Italian was expected to become the creative spark down the left flank in the long-term absence of Emiliano Buendia, he has had a slow start to life at Villa, and this is an area that the 24-cap Turkey international could thrive in.

The 5 foot 8 magician has been in sensational form for Galatasaray, especially in recent times, posting an incredible 48 goal contributions in the past three Turkish Super Lig campaigns, including three goals and four assists in his first 10 league matches this term.

That scintillating form blows Zaniolo's exploits out of the water as he is yet to register a goal or an assist for Villa in 11 appearances, and he has never eclipsed double figures for goals in a single campaign at senior level.

What's more alarming is the fact that the Italy international has not looked like providing that spark for his club in the final third, averaging 0.7 key passes per game and a frail pass completion of 73% in the Premier League this term, suggesting he is yet to find his feet in England.

Compare that to Akturkoglu, who has created a whopping eight 'big chances', averaged 3.2 key passes and 2.4 shots per game in ten Turkish Super Lig outings which demonstrates that the fleet-footed winger could provide Emery with expert creativity at the top end of the pitch.

Zaniolo has failed to successfully endear his talents to the Villa faithful and if he continues to put in subpar performances, there would be no harm in exploring the possibility of signing the Turkish magician in January.

He could provide an abundance of creativity in dangerous areas as an upgrade on the Italian, whose loan is due to expire at the end of the season, as shown by their respective statistics, if he can adapt to English football.

Aston Villa could already be looking for reinforcements to add to their squad in the market, as the January transfer window fast approaches.

Unai Emery’s side have enjoyed a magnificent start to the 2023/24 campaign, sitting just one point off the top four after taking their unbeaten run at home to 12 league games last weekend against Luton Town.

The Villans have made notable progression since the Spaniard took charge just over a year ago, however sources are suggesting that further improvements are yet to be made, with a host of players linked with a potential move to Villa Park.

Aston Villa transfer news

After a successful summer of business operated by both Emery and president of football operations, Monchi, it could be another busy window for the Villans this winter.

One name that has been linked to the club is former loanee Tammy Abraham, who Villa are said to be ‘in the picture’ for in January by reports in Italy, relayed by Sport Witness.

The striker scored 26 goals for Dean Smith’s side back in the 2018/19 campaign, with a return having the potential to be a welcomed narrative for fans of the Midlands club.

Another player rumoured to be of interest is Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Exequiel Palacios, who is said to be wanted by a number of Premier League clubs – as per TNT Sports.

The Argentine, who is deployed as a defensive midfielder, is said to be admired by Manchester City, Newcastle United and Villa for his form in the Bundesliga.

Staying in the midfield, reports via Le Parisien have noted that Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Carlos Soler could be open to a move away from the Parc des Princes in January, with Villa said to be one of the interested parties.

Valued at €30m (£26m) by CIES Football Observatory, the Spaniard could be a worthy acquisition for Emery to capture this winter, in a move that could bolster the midfield.

The stats that suggest Carlos Soler would be a good signing for Villa

Once lauded as “magnificent” by journalist Sid Lowe, the 26-year-old joined PSG from his boyhood club Valencia in the summer of 2022, however has had difficulty in securing a consistent starting spot for the Parisiens.

Likened to former Manchester City dynamo Ilkay Gundogan for his statistics over the past year by FBref, Soler is a figure that thrives in building passages of play from deeper areas due to his playmaking edge.

At Valencia, the Spaniard assumed a similar role to that of John McGinn at Villa, floating around the middle channel to provide support both creatively and defensively for his teammates.

John McGinn

Carlos Soler

0.03

0.23

78.3%

84.9%

4.68

4.02

2.21

5.08

0.60

0.99

In signing Soler, Emery could sign his natural heir to the Scotsman, in a more refined talent that has experience in playing among some of the best in Europe.

As highlighted in the graph above, the two midfielders bear a host of similarities in their areas of strength, with the 26-year-old providing an added threat in the final third, as suggested by his increased rate of progressive passes received to McGinn.

In having the ability to take up advanced positions, Soler could hand Emery an additional source of creativity in the middle of the park, as well as adding essential competition to the ranks to promote a higher standard of play.

With Brighton also said to be interested in the Spain international, Villa must act fast if they are to take their pursuit of the PSG wantaway to the next level in the January window.

Aston Villa have been linked with an exciting attacker from abroad in recent months, and Unai Emery is apparently desperate to sign him, according to a new update.

Aston Villa transfers

The Villans have gone from strength to strength in 2023, with Emery excelling as manager since taking charge in place of Steven Gerrard.

The Spaniard guided his side to a European finish last season by virtue of coming seventh in the Premier League, and while a few poor results led to a worrying start, they are right in the mix for the European places again after some incredible recent form.

Much of this has been down to the impact of some new signings, with the likes of Pau Torres and Moussa Diaby both making an impression since arriving at Villa Park during the summer transfer window. They were added to a squad already brimming with talent, and Emery's side look like one of the best outfits outside the traditional big six currently, thanks largely to excellent recruitment in recent years.

That's not to say that Villa won't be keeping an eye out for more signings in January and next summer, however, in order to retain a freshness within the squad, not to mention adding more top-quality players. It looks as though one target could be available despite signing a new contract too, according to a recent update.

Nico Williams to Aston Villa update

According to a fresh transfer update courtesy of Sport Witness, Nico Williams to Aston Villa could still happen, with the 21-year-old target demanding an exit clause in any new contract he signs with Athletic Bilbao so he can leave when he wants. Not only that, but he wants any extension to be a short-term one, suggesting that he sees his future lying elsewhere eventually.

The young Spaniard currently has a €50m (£43.6m) clause in his current contract, but he doesn't want that to rise to a much higher amount, and Bilbao could accept his demands because of the risk of losing him for free in January.

As for Villa, they have already spoken to Williams over a move to the club, with Emery personally extremely keen on signing him, even holding a face-to-face meeting with him in the past. They have attempted to snap him up twice and are now willing to try for a third time, such is Emery's fascination with his talents.

Extreme pace

Crossing can be inconsistent

Strong dribbling

Needs to do more defensively

Can play on either wing

Unpredictable end product

This could be such an eye-catching piece of business if the Villans could strike a deal for the Bilbao ace, with Williams' stats speaking for themselves already. He has 23 goal involvements (12 goals and 11 assists) in 91 appearances for the La Liga side, which is a good return for a player of his age, and he has been lauded as an "incredible" footballer by brother Inaki Williams in the past.

Williams would add more firepower to Villa's attack in wide areas, bringing pace and unpredictability in those areas, and perhaps most importantly, he would be coming in as a player with a high long-term ceiling who could develop into a real star under Emery as the years pass.