Newcastle United are still interested in Southampton right-back Tino Livramento after seeing an initial advance rebuffed, and could re-enter formal negotiations in the coming days.

What's the latest on Tino Livramento to Newcastle?

That's according to i news, who claim that the Magpies remain in transfer talks for the 20-year-old Englishman after a £30m transfer offer was rejected by Saints earlier this month, with his team demanding £50m.

It is said that there is still a gulf in respective valuations of the player, with Eddie Howe's club likely needing to raise their offer to £40m to see the south coast side part with their precocious talent following relegation from the Premier League this year.

The report underscores Newcastle sporting director Dan Ashworth's emphasis on squad improvement this summer by landing two further incomings to consolidate the return to Champions League football, with the Toon finishing fourth in the English top-flight last term.

Is Tino Livramento a good player?

Kieran Trippier has proved a remarkable signing for Howe's Newcastle project since arriving from Atletico Madrid in a £12m deal in January 2022, earning praise as a "revelation" by talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan and recording a remarkable average Sofascore rating of 7.61 in the league last season.

However, the England international will be 33-years-old in two months' time and Howe is working aptly in identifying an heir.

Livramento, who was restricted to just two Premier League appearances across the 2022/23 campaign following his recovery from a long-term injury, is now hoping to return to full fitness and could find his comeback well-suited to the role as Trippier's understudy, making the increments to both fitness and form as he ascends to the upper echelon of full-backs in English football, already praised as "excellent" by England manager Gareth Southgate.

Once hailed for his semblance to Premier League legend Gareth Bale by former teammate Theo Walcott, Livramento looks to hold the qualities requisite for success at the zenith of the game, and why not continue his burgeoning rise at a team enjoying their own rise to the fore in Newcastle?

Walcott said:

"Do you know what, he reminds me a little bit of Gareth Bale when he came through as a full-back. That's a big statement of course to compare him to someone like that but just feel like his presence and the way he drives and the pace and the power and it's no surprise that you know what he's going to do."

By utilising his pace, power and surging nature down the right flank, he could effectively contribute to both offensive and defensive sequences, which would aid winger Jacob Murphy in his efforts to succeed next season.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Murphy was a figure shrouded in shadow for much of his time on Tyneside after signing from Norwich City in a £12m move 2017 but played 36 times in the Premier League last season as Howe found good use of his industrious nature and "relentless" work rate – as was dubbed by Chris Waugh – and he now looks an indispensable member of a thriving outfit.

The £35k-per-week gem also ranks among the top 12% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries, the top 16% for touches in the attacking box and the top 17% for progressive passes received, as per FBref.

Effectively, this means that he would be well-placed to thrive with someone such as Livramento behind him, constantly pressing the player further up the pitch and allowing him to drift into promising openings in the danger areas, and Newcastle must now swoop.

Al-Hilal are now considering a world record bid for Harry Kane and there is a belief it could tempt Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy into doing a deal.

Is Harry Kane leaving Tottenham?

The 30-year-old has entered his final year as a Spurs player, and with his contract expiring in around 11 months time, these next few weeks could be pivotal.

August, arguably, represents the last chance for Tottenham to acquire a sizeable fee for Kane if the Englishman doesn't wish to pen fresh terms – as interested clubs would have plenty of wiggle room to bid far less in January.

The north Londoners have offered Kane a huge new contract, according to reliable media sources, but those same reports claim the striker has zero intention of signing it this window.

As a result, Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich sense an opportunity and appear above all on Kane's heels. The German champions, despite seeing bids rejected, are still attempting to sway Levy into selling before deadline day.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou, meanwhile, has admitted that he is far from relaxed about the Kane situation – especially as he prepares for his first full season in charge.

“Fair to say I am not relaxed about it," he said.

“It’s not something you go: ‘Ah, well, you know if it does or doesn’t happen!’ I mean it’s a very important part of this football club, not just the team, but the football club.

“So, you’ve got to deal with it, and I think, for everyone concerned, we don’t want to be doing it for too long. I don’t think that is good for anyone. I don’t think it is good for Harry, I don’t think it is good for the club, because as laser focused as we want to be, you end up sort of repeating yourself along the way."

The saga, according to TEAMtalk, may now have taken another interesting twist as Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal weigh up a huge move.

It is believed they're "considering making a world record bid" for Tottenham's talisman, namely £200 million, which would eclipse the fee PSG paid for Neymar in 2017.

Intermediaries close to Al-Hilal believe this fee would "tempt Levy into a deal", but the problem lies with Kane, as it is suggested that he currently has no desire to make a move to the Middle East.

The Saudi Pro League giants are determined to add a superstar to their ranks, having already seen approaches for both Kylian Mbappe (PSG) and Victor Osimhen (Napoli) rejected.

What's been said about Harry Kane?

Every football fan is all too familiar with the quality of Kane.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

The superstar forward shattered record after record during his most recent full campaign, becoming both England and Tottenham's all-time top goalscorer.

Former Spurs boss Antonio Conte called Kane "world class" and "not normal" before the Italian coach and Tottenham mutually parted company.

"We are talking about a world class striker,” he said.

“He deserves the best because he's a great worker, hard worker… this is not normal because usually the players that have talent many times don't like to work hard because they have talent.

“In my career I didn't have great talent [so] for this reason I worked hard. What I liked about him from the first time was his ability. He was a big example for his team-mates."

Liverpool will "bid again" for Southampton's exciting young midfielder Romeo Lavia this summer and could do it as soon as "the next few days", according to transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Is Romeo Lavia joining Liverpool this season?

It has been a summer of change for Liverpool this year, especially in the centre of the park.

So far, the club have sold two of the players that have been instrumental in the domestic and European successes of recent seasons, with Fabinho and Jordan Henderson making their way to the ludicrously wealthy Saudi Pro League.

Coming the other way have been Alexis Mac Allister, who joined from Brighton & Hove Albion in a deal worth £35m, rising to £55m and Dominik Szoboszlai, who swapped life in the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig for Meyseyside in a deal worth £60m.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

And while these additions to the team certainly make Jurgen Klopp's side stronger, they still need to add a new number six into the mix, something they seem well aware of considering their pursuit of Saints star Lavia.

So far, the Merseysiders have made two separate offers for the youngster, one worth in the region of £34m plus £4m in add-ons and a second worth £41m, both of which were rejected by the Southcoast club, per the Liverpool Echo.

Not a club to be deterred, the Reds are now preparing a third offer for the Belgian international and could make it as soon as the "next few days", per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

He explained the situation on the That's Football YouTube channel, saying:

"We have to wait for Liverpool to prepare the third proposal for Romeo Lavia. The first one was £37m rejected, the second was £42m rejected, so it was a very clear way from the club because Southampton want £50m. That's what they want for Romeo Lavia.

"And let me say that [Southampton] have always been strong in negotiations this summer, for example, with Newcastle. When they negotiated for Tino Livromento, many rumours were saying £23m-£24m, Southampton always said £40m package or nothing and in the end, they got £40m for Tino Livromento. So it is almost the same for Romeo Lavia.

"They want £50m, that's going to be the fee, Liverpool know that very well, so I expect them to bid again, I expect them to try again in the next days this week. Lets see if they can reach an agreement, but for sure Romeo Lavia remains the main target for Liverpool in the midfield."

Would Romeo Lavia be a good signing for Liverpool?

To be succinct, Lavia could be an excellent signing for Klopp to make this summer. The move is only made all the more essential following the departure of Fabinho to Saudi Arabia, meaning that the team now have a glaring vacancy in the midfield just ahead of the back line, a vacancy Lavia could make his own.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

In his 26 starts for Southampton last season, the 19-year-old provided one assist maintained a passing accuracy of 86.4% and maintained an average match rating of 6.56, per WhoScored.

His standout statistic, however, is the number of blocks he makes per 90, 1.90, which according to FBref, puts the 5 foot 11 "monster" in the top 4% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues.

If Klopp and Co can negotiate a lower price for Lavia, they should certainly be doing all they can to bring him in, and to be honest, they should just pay the £50m if the Saints refuse to budge because, at just 19, the young Belgian could be a genuine superstar in the future.

Jose Mourinho will undoubtedly go down as one of football’s best managers, but it is his big personality that may well be remembered the most, whether it be his work as the Premier League’s pantomime villain, or as an Instagram influencer at AS Roma.Some may have questioned his tactics in the past, too, accusing the self-proclaimed ‘special one’ of using the dark arts of football to secure silverware across Europe, taking a more negative approach to the beautiful game.The days of Mourinho sprinting down the Old Trafford touchline are over, however, but he still has the knack for making headlines.His latest act – as if he is trying to balance things out after the early drama of his career – saw AS Roma reduced to 10 men in a pre-season friendly with Partizani.You would assume that this was the referee and his red card’s doing. That was anything but the case, though. Instead, it was Mourinho, himself, who reduced his side. The question, then, is why?

Why did Jose Mourinho substitute Houssem Aouar?

It wouldn’t have shocked us if Mourinho reduced his side to simply send a statement to an underperforming player, but the answer, on this occasion, is far more commendable.

As reported by Corriere Dello Sport, Partizani manager Zoran Zekic mistakenly attempted to substitute a player for another he had already brought off, the referee intervened to rule the change out, and forced the Albanian side to play with 10 men. Now feels like the perfect time to remind everyone, including the referee, that this was a pre-season friendly…

Noticing the mix-up, in a true act of sportsmanship, Mourinho reduced his side to 10 men later in the game, sacrificing summer arrival Houssem Aouar in the 79th minute of play, much to the midfielder’s confusion.

The Frenchman was quick to share his bafflement and anger with his manager, who, in turn, explained the reason for the decision.

You can see footage of the incident here:

Following the act, Partizani’s Tedi Cara, ironically a substitute, scored what would only prove to be a consolation strike from the spot in the 85th minute, as Roma ran out 2-1 winners, courtesy of goals from Stephan El Shaarawy and Andrea Belotti.

How did AS Roma perform in pre-season?

As they look to extend the trend of a different team winning the Scudetto for the past four seasons, following the victories of Juventus, Inter Milan, AC Milan, and Napoli, Roma had themselves a fairly successful pre-season.

Starting their run of friendlies up against Braga, El Shhaarawy’s goal was cancelled out by Bruma to end things level at 1-1, before the Serie A side picked up their first win of pre-season against Estrela Amadora, winning 4-2.

Following that win, however, Mourinho’s side suffered their first defeat, losing 2-1 against Ligue 1 side Toulouse.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

They then ended their preparations with the aforementioned 2-1 victory over Partizani.

So, overall, Roma enjoyed a solid pre-season, and now turn their attention towards the opening day of the Serie A season, which will see them square off against Salernitana next weekend.

Somehow, we doubt Mourinho will show the same kind of sportsmanship that he showed against Partizani when actual points are on the line.

Crystal Palace are in the market for a defensive player before the transfer market closes for business on September 1st.

What's the latest Crystal Palace transfer news?

According to 90min, Palace are one of several ‘admirers’ of Tottenham Hotspur defender Eric Dier.

Monaco, Celtic, and a number of Bundesliga sides are also keen on acquiring his services.

Dier’s nine-year stint in North London could be drawing to a close as this outlet revealed that he is not in the ‘immediate plans’ of new head coach Ange Postecoglou.

The 29-year-old was left out of the club’s matchday squad for their Premier League opening day draw against Brentford, with the manager stating that it was not due to injury:

“He’s working hard in training and available for selection”, said Postecoglu. “ My decisions then are what I think will give us the best chance of success for any given game and then we reassess the week after.”

Dier has also reportedly been omitted from the manager’s new-look leadership group and with just one year left on his current deal, the chance of an exit is looking increasingly likely with Selhurst Park touted as a destination.

Is Eric Dier better than Marc Guehi?

The Englishman has been at Spurs since 2014 and as his career has progressed he has transitioned from a defensive midfielder into a centre-back.

Over the last three years, Dier has been exclusively deployed as a centre-half but his awareness, intelligence, and decision-making have often been questionable.

As a central defender, these traits boil down to a player's solidity and ball-playing competence, but Dier is lacking in both departments. Over the past 365 days compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, the 49-cap international ranks in the lowest 41% for progressive passes and progressive carries per 90. Then defensively, he resides in the bottom 31% for tackles and interceptions.

The second statistic is a particularly chastening indictment of Dier’s level as under Antonio Conte, the club played an extremely, defensive, disciplined and rigid style, so there would be an expectation that players would score impressively for those types of metrics. However, Dier has failed to deliver, and it raises questions if he would be suitable for a team such as Palace.

The £85k-per-week mishap has been branded as “terrible” by commentator Jim Beglin and someone “nowhere near the required level” to bring success by journalist Ryan Taylor.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

From an Eagles perspective, for that wage and his quality, he is unlikely to be considered a better option than either Marc Guehi or Joachim Andersen. Last term, this pair started 37 and 32 Premier League games respectively, and Palace’s sturdy mid-table status is built upon these pillars of reliability.

In the club’s opening day 1-0 victory over newly-promoted Sheffield United, both players were in imperious form. Andersen registered six clearances, three tackles, ten accurate long balls, and won ten duels, as per Sofascore. Guehi followed a similar pattern, recording 89% pass accuracy, two clearances, two blocks, two interceptions, and winning 100% of his ground duels.

The signing of Dier would only make sense if one of these titan’s left or if the former Sporting CP man was intended to be a backup. However, it is unlikely that Dier is willing to migrate between substitute benches, so Palace can surely find a more exciting alternative to create more meaningful competition.

Looking to strengthen before the summer transfer window slams shut, Leeds United could reportedly turn their attention to the Premier League as they attempt to build a squad capable of promotion at the first time of asking.

So far this summer, Daniel Farke has welcomed a total of four new arrivals, with the pick of the bunch being Joe Rodon on loan from Tottenham Hotspur.

Now, however, the Yorkshire club could reportedly turn to Jonjo Shelvey.

What's the latest on Jonjo Shelvey to Leeds United?

According to reports, Leeds are considering making a move for out-of-favour Nottingham Forest midfielder Shelvey this summer. The former Newcastle United man is yet to make an appearance for Steve Cooper's side this season, and missed the final part of the last campaign after a reported bust-up with the manager.

Now, Leeds could swoop in to end a saga to forget for the Englishman, after they recently lost Tyler Adams to Bournemouth, leaving them in need of a midfielder, as per Teamtalk.

With plenty of experience to his name, it would certainly be interesting to see Shelvey make the move to Elland Road this summer. If he does stay at Forest, game-time looks unlikely to come his way anytime soon.

Should Leeds United sign Jonjo Shelvey?

Replacing a 24-year-old midfielder with a 31-year-old player who was frozen out at the back end of last season is far from a good look on paper for Leeds. However, Shelvey's experience could be crucial in a young squad at Elland Road.

The likes of Ethan Ampadu and Archie Gray could undoubtedly do with a bit of guidance in the middle of the park to combine with their youthful fearlessness. So, whilst Shelvey is far from a star player, he could yet play a pivotal part if he made the move to the Yorkshire club.

It's worth noting, too, that the midfielder has experience of earning promotion from the Championship after securing the league title with Newcastle back in the 2016/17 season.

When at his best, Shelvey has earned plenty of praise, too, including from former Hull City man Michael Dawson, who said on Sky Sports, via Nottingham Forest News: "He certainly creates chances, he gets on the ball and makes things happen. That’s something that Forest in the first 60 minutes, or even in previous games, have been missing.

“He will get on the ball in the middle of the field, he’s got a wide range of passes, he’s a very confident player. Not just confident, he can execute that pass when he sees it, if it’s a long-range one he can hit that.”

So far this season, Leeds have struggled for control in some areas and have, therefore, failed to get off to an emphatic start.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

In their opening three games, Farke's side have struggled, failing to win a single game, with draws against Cardiff City and West Bromwich Albion, as well as a surprise defeat at the hands of Birmingham City.

Shelvey could bring some much-needed calm to what is a rocky ship at Elland Road, if he does end up making the move this summer.

Journalist Paul Brown has shared some detail behind a "serious" last-gasp deadline day Fulham bid to sign Tottenham star Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

Fulham deadline day signings

Despite the links to a plethora of stars very late in the window, Fulham did little business yesterday but did manage to seal a dramatic late loan move for AC Milan defender Fode Ballo-Toure.

The Senegal international, who plays as a left-back, joins Adama Traore, Raul Jimenez, Calvin Bassey, Steven Benda, Alex Iwobi and former Leicester City defender Timothy Castagne as Marco Silva's main summer signings.

Fulham were also boosted by star midfielder Joao Palhinha remaining at the club, as his proposed move to Bayern Munich collapsed in the eleventh hour.

The Portugal international had even travelled for a medical with Bayern, but the Whites ultimately didn't give the green light to the move, possibly because they couldn't source a late replacement.

Hojbjerg, who was a mainstay for Spurs under Antonio Conte last season, has found game time difficult to come by in Ange Postecoglou's new-look Tottenham system.

The Dane, as a result, was being chased by Fulham during the latter stages of the summer window – with journalist Brown sharing what he's heard on the matter to GiveMeSport.

Indeed, it is believed Fulham were the "last club" to make a "serious" last-ditch offer to sign Hojbjerg, but the move didn't come to fruition.

The former Southampton star is now left in "limbo" as a result of this, as explained by Brown to GMS:

“Hojbjerg is also one who isn't going to be allowed to leave. I think Fulham were the last club to make a serious offer, but they no longer need to decide what to do about how they replace Joao Palhinha, and I'm not sure he was their first choice there.

“So, he's currently in limbo. It is interesting that Ange Postecoglou also said today that he's not going to be freezing anyone out. If any of the fringe players they're trying to sell end up staying beyond the deadline, they will be reintegrated.

“He's not quite as strict on squad numbers as other managers and he is willing to work with a slightly bigger squad, while he says that right now it's not a problem in terms of numbers in training or anything like that.

How good is Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg?

While Palhinha staying reduces the need for Hojbjerg, in a hypothetical universe, he may well have been a capable deputy for the ex-Sporting CP ace.

The Denmark international ranked as one of Spurs' best-performing players per 90 last term, according to WhoScored, with Hojbjerg also registering the highest pass accuracy (88.6%) of any Tottenham player with over 10 starts.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

He chipped in with nine goal contributions in the league, four goals and five assists specifically, and former Spurs keeper Paul Robinson praised Hojbjerg for his performances at the back end of last year.

"I’ve been surprised by how much he has stepped up this year," said Robinson to Football Insider.

“I thought he was the one who would make way for Yves Bissouma. The club spent a lot of money on Bissouma. I think Hojbjerg recognised that and stepped up.

“He is playing to a level that we have never seen before. He is playing his best football in a Spurs shirt."

Aston Villa achieved a successful summer in the transfer window, bolstering the squad in a host of areas to better their chances at improving on last season's highs.

Five new faces have arrived on the scene during the window, with Moussa Diaby, Nicolo Zaniolo, Pau Torres, Youri Tielemans and Clement Lenglet joining Unai Emery on his quest to take Villa to the next level.

Making impressive signings would not have been possible without the Spaniard’s intervention following his arrival at Villa Park in October 2022, where he has since transformed the club in ways beyond in-play performance.

Aston Villa summer signings

Player

Club

Fee

Youri Tielemans

Leicester City

Free

Pau Torres

Villarreal

£33m

Moussa Diaby

Bayer Leverkusen

£51.9m

Nicolo Zaniolo

Galatasaray

Loan

Clement Lenglet

Barcelona

Loan

Figures via Sky Sports.

The Midlands club have been granted a new lease of life thanks to the 51-year-old’s objectives for his side, bringing with him a stellar CV that has ultimately helped to attract some star names to join his project.

Despite bringing in such a calibre of talent, as well as smashing the club's record transfer fee to obtain the £51.9m signature of Diaby, there were some targets that could not be collected by Emery and Monchi this summer.

Last month, one name was rumoured to be of interest to the Villans, as midfielder Tyler Adams was speculated to be on the manager’s and Monchi's radar, in a move that could have prevailed to have a strong outcome for Villa.

Did Aston Villa nearly sign Tyler Adams?

Reported by Football Insider in August, it was claimed that the Midlands side were ‘exploring a potential move’ for the former Leeds United midfielder, who joined a host of players who were hoping to depart Elland Road.

The Whites’ relegation to the Championship called time on a number of players’ futures at the club, with Adams being one of them eager to leave to avoid playing in the second tier.

Luckily for the United States international, a £20m relegation release clause was in place in his contract with the Yorkshire club, making him an affordable asset for interested parties to consider.

Villa looked to be in the race to sign the American, however, Chelsea seemed to get their first, as it was reported that the Blues were closing in on the 24-year-old.

Things took a quick turn, as Mauricio Pochettino’s side pulled the plug on the deal after the midfielder’s medical, with the Daily Mail reporting their concerns over his ongoing hamstring injury.

It didn’t take long for the former RB Leipzig star to find a new club after the west Londoners’ snub, as Bournemouth activated his release clause to secure his signature on a five-year deal.

The American is back in the Premier League, however after making such an impact in his debut campaign at Elland Road, it poses the question of just how much of a strong acquisition he would have been under Emery.

What is Tyler Adams’ market value?

Valued at €38.3m (£32.9m) by Football Transfers, Villa could have sealed a bargain in Adams, whose release clause was a price far lower than the figure reflective of his form.

At just 24, the combative midfielder has experience playing in his home nation in the MLS, as well as the Bundesliga and of course, the Premier League, where he made 24 appearances for Leeds.

Lauded as a “monster” by former defender and fellow countryman Alexi Lalas, the United States ace is highly-regarded back home, captaining his country at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar aged just 23.

With strong leadership ability and a rounded skill set in the engine room, the New York-born gem could have sparkled in Emery’s midfield, considering that the Spaniard recruited in such a position earlier in the window.

Who do Aston Villa have in that position?

Before the summer transfer window officially opened, Villa announced that they had reached an agreement to sign former Leicester City marvel Youri Tielemans, as the central midfielder’s contract expired with the Foxes.

A middle of the park maestro that had just suffered relegation from the Premier League, the Belgian had a similar claim to the club to their later rumoured target in Adams.

Deployed more typically in a slightly more advanced role to that inhabited by the American, Tielemans signed to seek relief from relegation, however, he hasn’t had a chance to show his worth yet under Emery.

Speaking in a recent press conference, relayed by Football 365, the former Anderlecht star admitted that his situation at Villa Park is “not pleasant”, as he still waits to earn his first Premier League start for the claret and blues.

The player believes the reason behind his absence to be down to the manager’s preference to play two in midfield, with enforcers Douglas Luiz and Boubacar Kamara fitting the demographic of a combative presence better.

Should Aston Villa have signed Tyler Adams?

There were rumours in the summer that Luiz, Villa’s favoured midfielder, was attracting interest from the capital, with The Sun reporting that both Arsenal and Tottenham were eyeing his movements.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

In the instance that the Brazilian was to leave Villa Park one day in the future, Tielemans would get a clearer path to being a crucial member of the midfield, which poses the question as to whether Adams would have been a better fit from the off.

Last season, the former Leeds dominator ranked in the top 3% of midfielders in the Premier League with reference to his rate of tackles per 90, in which he averaged a stellar 3.72 per 90, via FBref.

Tielemans, while eye-catching from a technical point of view is not so good at that part of the game, averaging below Adams but still impressively with 2.53 tackles per 90 in the same campaign with Leicester. However, his numbers fell glaringly short of those of Adams, telling of what Emery could have got in the American considering the role he wants his midfield duo to undertake.

Instead, the Belgian is heralded for his passing ability, but the Bournemouth man actually topped the Villa outsider in terms of his average pass completion rate per 90, recording 82.5% to his 80.3%.

There’s no denying the quality that Tielemans has in his locker, but with him missing out on minutes due to Emery’s preference to field the two holding midfielders, the Spaniard could have hired the player that fits his wishes better in Adams.

Adding in the fact that sides interested in Luiz may come knocking for the Brazilian again in the winter and beyond, the former Arsenal boss could have had a reassuring defensive presence in the American.

There are of course many factors to the reported interest, with the fact remaining that the Villans have got a seasoned midfielder in Tielemans despite missing out on Adams, however only time will tell if Emery lives to regret not pushing for the 24-year-old.

Brighton & Hove Albion have begun their season in emphatic fashion, notching up an impressive four victories from their first five, including wins over Luton Town, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Newcastle United and Manchester United.

The Seagulls took flight last season and successfully landed on the prize of Europa League football, carrying that scintillating form into this campaign as they aim to go one better by qualifying for the Champions League.

Brighton's meteoric rise on the South Coast has been formed from the humble foundations laid by chairman Tony Bloom, scouring leagues outside of Europe for the best young talent and landing their chequebook on the likes of Alexis Mac Allister, Moises Caicedo and Yves Bissouma, who arrived as unknown quantities, developed into stars at the Amex before being sold for substantial amounts of money.

Who are Brighton's most sought-after talents?

While those who departed left a legacy at the football club, the remaining stars are creating one, as Kaoru Mitoma, Pervis Estupinan and Evan Ferguson were all acquired for low fees and have since seen their value skyrocket after producing moments of brilliance for the club.

The latter of that trio has taken brilliance to a new level, becoming only the fourth 18-year-old to score a hat-trick in the Premier League with the club slapping a £120m price tag on the Republic of Ireland international.

With Brighton doing their best to scare the big clubs away from the teenage prodigy, Ferguson is threatening to become the latest triple-figure asset to be sold by the club, but he isn't the only talented Republic of Ireland youngster they have at their disposal.

Academy star Mark O'Mahony is making a name for himself in the youth setup.

Who is Mark O'Mahony?

In January, Brighton sent their scouts to Ireland, and they came back with who they thought would be the next young prodigy from that part of the world as Mark O'Mahony left Cork City and signed a contract with the Seagulls until June 2025.

Praised by his former manager Colin Healy for being a "very talented" player, the 18-year-old showcased that talent by being named the FAI’s U17 Men’s International Player of the Year for 2022 having chalked up six goals in ten appearances for the Republic of Ireland U17's.

Having shone on the international stage for his country, the teenage sensation has translated that form to club level with an impressive five goals in his first four appearances for the Brighton U21s this season, one behind Premier League 2's top scorer, Dom Ballard.

Following his nomination for the Player of the Month award in PL2, O'Mahony has received plaudits for his excellent form, with journalist Dylan O'Connell labelling him as "one to watch".

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Fellow Irishman, Ferguson, chalked up 18 goals in 39 appearances for Brighton's U21 and has since gone on to show his prolific nature in the Premier League.

Indeed, he already has four goals in five this season – and if O'Mahony can carry on his rich vein of form, he could make a rapid rise to stardom, following in his fellow countrymen's footsteps.

One Manchester City midfielder still wants to join a new side, but there are a number of barriers blocking his departure, according to a report from Spain.

What year does Bernardo Silva's contract end?

Back in August, Bernardo Silva signed a one-year contract extension to keep him at the Etihad Stadium until the summer of 2026, ending the speculation that he may choose to leave Man City after over six years at the club. Speaking after penning his new deal, the midfielder said:

“I’ve had six incredible years at Manchester City and I’m delighted to extend my time here,”

“Winning the Treble last season was extremely special and it’s exciting to be part of a squad where there is such a hunger and passion.

A move to Barcelona has been touted as a possibility for quite some time, with reports from the summer of 2022 detailing the La Liga giants were "fully convinced" they could sign the Portugal international, who was believed to be homesick.

There was also interest from the Saudi Pro League, with the 29-year-old said to be "on the cusp of a move to the Middle East" at one stage, but he ultimately opted to commit his immediate future to the Sky Blues.

However, according to a report from Mundo Deportivo, a move away could still be on the cards, with the Spanish publication revealing a release clause of around €58.5m (£50.2m) was included in the maestro's most recent contract.

The report states "the Portuguese player's desire continues to be to sign for Barca", with a move still possible next summer, but time is running out, given that he will be 30 years of age by that point, which means the Catalonian club may be unwilling to shell out a large fee.

Not only that, but Barcelona have a "delicate economic situation", which suggests they may not be able to match the release clause, despite desire on the player's behalf to make it happen. It remains to be seen whether Barca renew their interest, but they will now be well aware they only need to pay £50m to prise him away from City.

Is Bernardo Silva leaving Man City?

Given that the star is contracted until 2026, Man City remain in a decent negotiating position, as would-be suitors may be unwilling to shell out £50m on a player who will be 30 at the beginning of next season.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

However, the Lisbon-born midfielder has previously opened up about feeling homesick, while also adding that he would love to go back and play for Benfica in the not so distant future.

As such, it would not be a surprise if Silva seeks a move next summer, and City would be losing a top player, who Director of Football Txiki Begiristain has described as "exceptional."

Last season, the attacking midfielder was an integral player for Pep Guardiola en route to winning the treble, making 55 appearances in all competitions, and the manager will be hoping he can have a similar impact on Man City's ongoing campaign, but his long term future could be one to watch.