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Manchester City have been linked with both Pedro Neto and Jack Grealish in recent months but who would be the better addition to Pep Guardiola’s side?

Jack Grealish

According to the Daily Mail, City are favourites to sign the £100 million-rated Aston Villa captain this summer after his hugely impressive performances in Dean Smith’s side so far this season.

The 25-year-old has contributed six goals and 10 assists in 22 top-flight appearances so far this season, averaging a superb 7.73 rating – which sees him ranked as the second-best performer in the whole of the Premier League.

His performances over the past two seasons in the top-flight have seen him called up to the England squad, and after making his debut in September 2020, he has now earned five caps under Gareth Southgate.

Although there is no doubting his quality, Villa would undoubtedly demand a huge fee for Grealish, especially after he signed a new five-year contract with the Birmingham-based club ahead of the season.

Pedro Neto

According to journalist Duncan Castles on the Transfer Window podcast, both Manchester City and Manchester United are considering a move for the 21-year-old this summer after his excellent performances for Wolves.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have struggled in the absence of Raul Jimenez this season but have been aided by the excellent performances of Neto, who has contributed five goals and five assists in 29 appearances, resulting in an impressive 7.13 average rating.

The Portuguese international is now rated at £31.5 million by Transfermarkt, although with his Wolves contract running until 2025, you would perhaps expect the Old Gold to also demand a hefty fee for the former Lazio man.

Pundit Adrian Clarke certainly rates the winger highly, as he sang his praises earlier in the season, saying:

“I love Neto. I think Neto is destined to be a Champions League player in the not too distant future. I think they’ll do really well to hang on to him. You forget how young he is. He’s brilliant.”

Who would be the best option?

Although Grealish has arguably been the better performer this season and has the advantage of being homegrown, we feel that Neto would be the better long-term signing in Guardiola’s side as he is younger, would presumably cost less and possesses more pace than the Villa captain, so would be more useful as a counter-attacking winger at City in the mould of Leroy Sane or Raheem Sterling.

Therefore, Txiki Begiristain should consider bringing the Wolves man to the Etihad this summer, as it seems that he is destined for the top and he could become world-class under Guardiola.

And, in other news… Pep set for huge boost with “incredible” £90m-rated gem amid Romano claim

Eddie Howe is set to replace John Kennedy at Celtic, with reports claiming Hoops fans may have a new man in the Parkhead hot-seat very soon.

That’s according to The Scottish Sun, who claim that the 43-year-old has now ‘agreed in principle to take the role’ after developments on Friday.

The Bhoys have of course been under the care of Kennedy after Neil Lennon left the club, but it seems he will not be offered the chance to make the step into the full time position.

Howe’s salary and expected announcement revealed

The report suggests that the specific details between the two parties were sorted out on Friday evening, with an official announcement expected early next week.

Howe will reportedly be on up to £2million a year at Parkhead, with Celtic now set to approach Bournemouth over the availability of technical director Richard Hughes.

Transfer Tavern take

Barring any last-minute glitches, it seems as if Celtic have got their man. Dermot Desmond made it clear to Howe he was the man they wanted, and it seems as if Howe has given the green light to a Glasgow move.

Howe will reportedly have full authority on backroom appointments, as well as a sizeable transfer kitty ahead of the new campaign.

It appears as if Celtic’s off-field shake-up is really starting to take shape, and Howe may well do the exact same thing in terms of player incomings and outgoings over the coming months.

In other news: Former Hoops striker could join Howe at Parkhead, find out more here. 

Amidst rumours that Leicester City could be on the hunt for a new striker in the summer, one of their previous transfer targets could be on the move.

According to Turkish outlet Takvim, FC Porto striker Moussa Marega has caught the eye of Fenerbahce, with the club apparently considering a swoop.

Having been linked with a switch in the past, the Foxes really should reignite their previous interest in the Malian and finally bring him to the King Power Stadium.

Now aged 29, Marega has been nothing but clinical with current employers Porto.

Whilst he has not been as lethal this season having struck on just 11 occasions in all competitions, his record at the Estadio do Dragao is still supremely impressive. He has plundered 71 goals and also provided 33 assists in 184 appearances for the club since his arrival from Maritimo in January 2016 – in his professional career as a whole, he’s bagged an impressive 114 goals.

That is form that saw him labelled as “incredible” by current Porto Head Coach Sergio Conceicao.

Marega then would certainly provide the likes of Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho with high quality competition for an attacking starting berth under Brendan Rodgers.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-leicester-city-news%2c-transfer-rumours-and-more-mcgregor-iheanacho-soyuncu-dewsbury-hall-rodgers” title=” Latest Leicester City news, transfer rumours and more… “]

Whilst it is clear that the £12.6m-rated forward is a high-quality player, the Foxes would also be able to get him at a bargain price.

His current contract with Porto is set to run down at the end of the season so would be available on a free transfer.

So, with one of Rodgers’ reported transfer priorities ticked off for nothing, this would therefore leave more funds available to spend on other departments in the team.

After all, it is a move that could potentially work for both parties, with the striker himself previously suggesting that he would like to “live a new experience” potentially in the Premier League.

Whilst Leicester have not been linked with Marega this time around, Rodgers really should reignite the club’s interest in the two-time Portuguese champion and finally bring him to the East-Midlands to fulfill his striker wish.

AND in more news, find out which young defender could be Leicester’s next Caglar Soyuncu…

Former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie has told Transfer Tavern in an exclusive interview that his old side must sign Emiliano Buendia this summer no matter the cost.

The Norwich City playmaker, alongside hat-trick hero Teemu Pukki, stole the show in the Canaries’ 7-0 thrashing of Huddersfield Town, coming up with one goal and three assists in just one half.

With Championship leaders Norwich set to make a return to the Premier League, getting Buendia out of Carrow Road may prove difficult in the next transfer window.

If there is any chance that Norwich could let the 24-year-old attacker go, though, Hendrie believes Villa have to try and sign him.

“I would buy him without a shadow of a doubt,” the ex-Villa player told TT. “I mean, I know they talked about buying [Ross] Barkley, but Buendia, I would definitely, I mean I don’t know what sort of fee Norwich would be looking for for him, but I would certainly pay that fee. I think he’s an outstanding player.”

If Villa did register an interest in signing Buendia this summer, then they could have some serious competition.

Arsenal are also known admirers of the former Argentina youth international, with Sky Sports reporting back in January that they were watching the player closely before being scared off by Norwich’s £40-50m valuation.

In a recent interview, Kevin Phillips discussed the return of Sunderland centre-back, Bailey Wright, to Lee Johnson’s first-team.

Having only joined Sunderland on a permanent basis in the summer of last year, Wright was immediately installed in the heart of the Black Cats’ defence, with the 28-year-old even taking the captain’s armband on a number of occasions.

However, after suffering a calf injury back in February, the defender went on to miss 12 league fixtures for Johnson’s side, eventually making his return to action in the recent loss to Wigan Athletic.

And, speaking recently to Football Insider, Phillips claimed that Wright’s availability could prove to be a huge boost in Sunderland’s push for automatic promotion, despite the disappointing defeat at the DW Stadium.

He said: “It is definitely a big boost to have Wright fit, especially for the run-in. You do not want to have to make lots of changes so, hopefully, he can stay fit for the remainder of the season.

“There is still an opportunity to go up, whether that be automatically or in the playoffs. Wright’s return will certainly help their push for promotion. You need your best players fit at this stage of the season.”

Transfer Tavern Take

So far this season, Wright has highly impressed over his 27 League One appearances for Sunderland, with the centre-back making an average of one tackle, 0.7 interceptions and 5.1 clearances per game, culminating in an average WhoScored match rating of 7.04 – ranking him as the club’s joint third-best performer in the third tier.

As such, it would indeed appear as if the defender’s return to first-team football could not have come at a better time for Johnson and his side, with the Black Cats needing to make up five points in six games to secure automatic promotion to the Championship.

In other news: ‘I am sure’ – Super Kev backs Johnson to land two crucial Sunderland summer signings – find out more here!

Charlton Athletic can move into the League One play-off zone with a win over Plymouth Argyle this evening.

The Addicks head to the southwest in pursuit of extending their unbeaten run to a tenth game and to bolster their promotion hopes but will need to improve after a 0-0 draw with fellow rivals Ipswich Town on Saturday afternoon.

But will Nigel Adkins make any alterations to that side? Here’s our predicted XI along with the latest team and injury news ahead of this crucial encounter…

The 56-year-old is yet to lose since taking over from Lee Bowyer last month, though he could make just two changes from Saturday.

Speaking ahead of kick-off, Adkins revealed that top goalscoring duo Chuks Aneke (12) and Conor Washington (11) had returned to training after missing the last few matches through injury.

However, this game could come too soon for either to start, so Jayden Stockley is likely to lead the line once again.

The Addicks boss remained coy on the fitness of Chelsea loanee Ian Maatsen but having been rested at the weekend, he could come straight back in to replace 22-year-old winger Diallang Jaiyesimi on the right flank, with Liam Millar keeping his place on the left.

In midfield, Alex Gilbey and Jake Forster-Caskey are likely to spearhead the engine room once again but Darren Pratleys’ disappointing display should see him lose his place as there is fellow veteran Ben Watson waiting in the wings.

The 35-year-old would then be the second and final change, which means the back four of Ben Purrington, skipper Jason Pearce, Ryan Inniss and Adam Matthews should remain.

As does Ben Amos between the sticks.

AND in other news, Adkins must resolve Lee Bowyer problem to bolster promotion hopes…

After seeing Matty Cash get sent off in Aston Villa’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester City in the Premier League, Dean Smith must surely now look to unleash academy starlet Kaine Kesler.

Speaking after the game, the Villa boss made it clear that Cash cost his side the chance of a potential victory, saying: “He will be down, especially with the earful he got off me in the dressing room after.

“He will learn. He is a young lad in his first Premier League season and I think he will be a super player. But he was reckless and stupid. We won’t have many better chances of going and beating a team like Manchester City.”With Cash set to be suspended for Villa’s next game against West Brom at home on Sunday, it’s surely the perfect time for Smith to turn to one of the club’s brightest academy prospects: Kesler.Speaking to The Athletic, one source said: “He looks like he’s got a real chance of featuring for the first team in the future. His speed is frightening and that could set him apart.”And writing for The Athletic, Gregg Evans revealed that “senior players have been taken back by his blistering pace and his desire to make an impression when called upon”, and that “Smith rates the rapid right-back highly”.The 18-year-old could provide the injection of energy and dynamism that Cash usually brings when on song, and rather than handing a rare chance to someone like Ahmed Elmohamady, Kesler would get much more out of it.With Villa still chasing a surprise place for European football next season, these kinds of opportunities are going to be few and far in between.[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-aston-villa-transfer-rumours-and-news-copy-copy” title=”Latest Aston Villa transfer rumours and news”]It’s exactly why Smith must turn to the explosive Kesler this weekend in Cash’s absence.Meanwhile, this Villa star let Dean Smith down vs Man City…

Former Newcastle United star Keith Gillespie has hailed Martin Dubravka’s form at the club but has told Football FanCast that Karl Darlow can feel unlucky that he is now sitting on the bench.

Dubravka missed the first 15 games of the season, due to a heel injury, but he returned to the substitutes’ bench for the 0-0 draw with Liverpool in December.

Since then, he has had to watch on from the bench but made his return against Wolves in February, and has been in goal for the Magpies ever since.

Newcastle have only lost one of those games, a 3-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion, and he has kept one clean sheet, against West Bromwich Albion.

Darlow has subsequently been relegated to the bench, having played in 25 games, conceding 43 goals and keeping four clean sheets.

And Gillespie, who played for the club between 1995 and 1998, believes that Darlow played well enough at the start of the season to potentially earn an England call-up, though he has praised the form of Dubravka recently.

He told FFC: “He’s been fantastic since he came to the club. He had to bide his time once he came back from injury and for me, Darlow was probably one of Newcastle’s best players this season in the early parts.

“He could probably say he’s a little bit unlucky to all of a sudden lose his place because I remember watching a few months ago and talking Karl Darlow up in terms of possible England recognition, and now all of a sudden he finds himself on the bench.

“Again, it’s a big call from the manager to make that decision.”

According to an update by Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas, writing on Twitter, a detailed appraisal of Tottenham Hotspur’s situation and how best to move the club forward is now ‘underway’ and will include inquiries about ‘a number of options’ over the coming weeks. 

Thomas, as well as this, drops a claim in contrast to what most other reliable outlets are reporting in regards to the Spurs managerial timeline.

Sky Sports journalist drops managerial development

football.london and Alasdair Gold, for example, believe that Spurs are aiming to announce their new boss before the end of this season – but Sky Sports now say not to expect a new manager in that time given the coaches up for nomination are already in work.

They believe instead that Spurs will adopt a more patient approach given they’re yet to settle on a preferred candidate after most recent top target Erik Ten Hag signed a new deal at Ajax.

Indeed, Spurs are ‘underway’ on a detailed appraisal of their managerial situation and the Lilywhites will inquire about a number of options heading into the summer.

Tottenham’s next boss will need plenty of time to orchestrate transfers and shape the team in his own image, so this update comes as a possible worry for supporters.

Ideally, the hunt for a new boss will not drag on into the European Championships and Lilywhites will be hoping that the club do in fact manage an announcement before the summer months.

Transfer Tavern take

As Spurs need a new top target after the Ten Hag blow, Transfer Tavern recommends out of work 62-year-old ‘perfectionist’ Ralph Rangnick, as described by RB Leipzig forward Yussuf Poulsen.

Dubbed ‘the father of gegenpressing’, Rangnick’s influence stretches over the likes of Julian Nagelsmann, Thomas Tuchel, Ralph Hassenhuttl and even Jurgen Klopp (The Telegraph).

Some of these German coaches adopt the same intense high pressing style, and it is believed Spurs are on the look out for a boss who can re-install an attacking brand of football.

Therefore, with Rangnick inspiring a host of these men, he could be an ideal fit for Tottenham.

In other news: Graham Roberts squashes links with this Champions League-winning boss, find out more here.

Former Premier League midfielder Lee Hendrie has told The Transfer Tavern in an exclusive interview that he expects Joe Worrall to leave Nottingham Forest this summer.

This comes after The Sun’s Alan Nixon reported that West Ham are interested in signing the 24-year-old defender.

While it has been a lacklustre campaign in the Championship for Forest this season, with Chris Hughton’s men closer to the relegation zone than the play-off spots, Worrall will be able to take some positives away on an individual level.

He has been one of the side’s better performers, recording one of the highest average ratings in the squad on WhoScored this term.

And now Hendrie would not be surprised to see him leave the City Ground when the transfer window opens amid West Ham’s reported interest.

When asked by TT if he could see Worrall departing in the summer, the ex-Aston Villa player said:

“Yeah, he’s a player that’s had a really good season and Nottingham Forest haven’t been anywhere near what they can be.

“If you’re standing out and performing in a side that’s not been doing particularly well, you know, you’re going to form that bit of attraction.

“I think he’s been a standout player in the Championship this season.”

As well as West Ham, Burnley and Championship winners Norwich City are also said to be keen on the English centre-back.