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Aston Villa have been boosted in their efforts to sign Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie, with the Frenchman unhappy at his lack of playing time in Spain.

The Lowdown: Villa keen on Kessie

In recent times, the Ivorian has emerged as a reported transfer target for Villa, as Unai Emery looks to make some significant reinforcements.

Kessie moved to Barca from AC Milan during the summer transfer window but his time there has been disappointing, with just two La Liga starts coming his way to date.

A new update suggests that Villa’s hopes of signing the 25-year-old may have been enhanced.

The Latest: Villans receive boost

According to Il Giorno [via Sport Witness], Kessie is ‘already tired’ of life at Barca and is looking for a fresh challenge and more minutes elsewhere.

It is mentioned that a return to Milan could be on the cards, which wouldn’t be good news for Villa, but his unhappiness does certainly suggest that they could be in the mix. Kessie’s agent ‘would like’ to send his player to England, which is a clear positive.

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The Verdict: Could be a great signing

Kessie may have his heart set on a return to Milan, but if that doesn’t prove to be the case, he could be an ideal midfield signing for the Emery era at Villa.

Despite his struggles, the 60-time capped Ivory Coast international still has an 88.5% pass completion rate in the league this season and has one goal to his name in the Champions League.

Kessie would add drive and power to Villa’s midfield, as well as a wealth of experience, and he could prove to be a perfect replacement for Douglas Luiz, should the Villans man move on.

Wolves sealed their spot in the Carabao Cup fourth round as they earned a 1-0 win over fellow Premier League side Leeds United at Molineux.

Steve Davis named a much-changed team for the visit of Jesse Marsch’s men and despite huge amounts of pressure from the visitors, which included seven shots on target, Boubacar Traore’s late goal proved enough for the Old Gold to progress.

The Mali international, who joined Wolves on loan from Metz during the summer, has been a regular of late and did his chances of another start against Arsenal at the weekend no harm, as he came off the bench at Molineux to smash in a superb goal.

However, while he proved to be the match-winner, there was arguably another better performer in Wolves’ defence, with Rayan Ait-Nouri staking his claim to return to the side, having been dropped in favour of youngster Hugo Bueno in recent fixtures.

As per SofaScore, the Frenchman would earn a superb 8.1/10 for his performance, which was only bettered by Matija Sarkic in the Wolves goal.

During the 90 minutes, the 21-year-old full-back would contribute a remarkable 11 tackles, three interceptions and two clearances, with no other player coming close to his number of tackles.

For context, the left-back has averaged 1.8 tackles, 0.3 interceptions and 1.5 clearances per game in the Premier League so far this season, which emphasises just how impressive he was on Wednesday night.

Ait-Nouri completely dominated Leeds’ right-winger Jack Harrison, as the Englishman earned a shocking 6/10 rating for his display, completing just two out of 11 attempted dribbles and losing 14/23 ground duels, whereas Wolves’ young defender would win 14/23.

It was a real battle between the two players but Wolves’ young defender clearly came out on top, and that was vital in Wolves earning a morale-boosting win and clean sheet at Molineux.

He also contributed from an attacking perspective, notching three key passes, one shot on target and four successful long balls, which again is far better than his seasonal average of 0.6 key passes, 0.7 shots and 0.6 long balls per game in the top flight.

Bruno Lage dubbed Ait-Nouri “fantastic” during his time at the club and he certainly lived up to that praise on Wednesday night, with a return to the Premier League starting XI surely on the cards after such a dominant display.

Liam Keen has shared an early team news boost for Wolves ahead of their clash at home to Leicester City in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

The Lowdown: Ait-Nouri illness

As per The Birmingham Mail, Rayan Ait-Nouri missed Tuesday night’s 2-1 defeat at Crystal Palace due to illness, despite travelling to south London for the game.

Hugo Bueno took the French youngster’s place in the starting line-up and helped himself to an assist for the goal scored by Adama Traore at Selhurst Park.

The Latest: Ait-Nouri ‘fine’ to face Leicester

Taking to Twitter, Express and Star journalist Keen has shared some early team news from interim Wolves manager Steve Davis, who shared good news on Ait-Nouri and indeed the squad as a whole prior to the visit of Leicester on Sunday.

The 57-year-old stated: “Ait-Nouri is fine. Everyone is available.”

The Verdict: Keep Bueno in?

Even though Ait-Nouri is back and available, there is an argument for Davis to keep Bueno in the starting line-up, given his assist against Palace and an overall impressive performance which saw him win five duels, make three clearances, three interceptions and three tackles and achieve a 92% pass accuracy (SofaScore).

However, Ait-Nouri has been one of Wolves’ standout performers over the season so far, ranking highly among his team-mates in terms of average tackles, dribbles and crosses per Premier League match (WhoScored).

Having the Frenchman back is a boost, and Davis may want to go for that extra little bit of experience against a Foxes side with confidence after their 2-0 win at home to Leeds United on Thursday night.

After a difficult spell at Manchester United, Wilfried Zaha returned to Crystal Palace and has established himself as a club legend but he has faced his fair share of criticism.

The Ivory Coast international began his career at Selhurst Park, hitting 18 goals and providing 28 assists in his first spell with the Eagles, ahead of his £15m move to Manchester United in January 2013.

However, the winger was afforded very few opportunities during his time at Old Trafford, making just four appearances for the senior side, before he returned to Crystal Palace on loan for the 2014/15 season, making his return permanent in February 2015 for just £6m.

Zaha has been a consistent performer in Palace’s side ever since and has remained at Selhurst Park despite reports linking him away in nearly every transfer window.

Despite some strong form in the 2016/17 campaign, which saw him enjoy the best Premier League season of his career at the time with seven goals and 11 assists, Harry Redknapp was quick to criticise his performances after he was overlooked by England and pledged his allegiance to the Ivory Coast.

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He said: “Zaha’s delivery hasn’t been good enough. He’s got to do a lot more if he’s going to be a top player. Zaha has ended up being a big disappointment.”

Considering Zaha currently sits on 87 goals and 74 assists for Crystal Palace in 437 appearances, it is safe to say that Redknapp got it badly wrong about the winger.

The 29-year-old keeps on getting better and after enjoying the best goalscoring season of his career in the last campaign with 14 top-flight goals, Zaha looks on track to be Palace’s talisman again this season.

Indeed, the player who Thomas Frank claimed has “unbelievable” magic in his boots has scored four goals and has one assist to his name in the opening seven Premier League games.

While there are doubts about Zaha’s future at Selhurst Park, as his contract is set to expire at the end of the current campaign, there is no question that he will be remembered as a Crystal Palace legend and one of the best players outside of the top six, so it seems clear that Redknapp was far too quick to judge Zaha in 2017.

Aston Villa have opened up their Premier League campaign with a whimper, losing four out of their five matches to date so far and Steven Gerrard will be feeling the pressure ahead of the match against Manchester City this evening.

A solid summer of transfer activity hasn’t yet yielded any positive results and with the league champions up next, Gerrard will need to find a spark from somewhere, but one of his deadline-day signings may not be in the starting XI to help his cause.

Gerrard might be without Dendoncker

Villa wrapped up a deal for Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Leander Dendoncker on the final day of the transfer window and Gerrard would have expected him to be available ready to take on Man City tonight.

However, during his pre-match press conference before Saturday’s game, he dropped some worrying injury news, saying: “Leander is struggling a little bit this morning with his throat, so we’ll have to analyse that as the day goes along.”

Not the news the Villa faithful would have been wanting ahead of a crunch tie with the title holders, although it looks as though the 42-year-old is waiting until the last minute before making any decision on his inclusion.

The Belgian poses a threat from the centre of midfield, scoring twice and grabbing two assists for Wolves last season, while also making 0.4 key passes per match as he looked to create chances for others.

The 27-year-old can also protect the back four with his defensive abilities if required, making 1.4 tackles per game, 1.1 clearances, and winning one aerial duel each match.

He was a key figure in a Wolves side under Lage that only conceded 43 goals last time out and this is an area that Villa needs to work on, as they conceded 13 more goals and Gerrard looks to have added some solidity into the midfield by securing his signature.

Hopefully, the manager receives good news regarding the player, and even though it will be a tough ask to win the match, having the Belgian in his engine room might make Man City’s job slightly harder.

Crystal Palace have suffered a huge blow in their pursuit of a Championship star…

What’s the word?

According to The Sun journalist Tom Barclay, despite their long-term interest, it seems Ismaila Sarr might end up sticking around at Vicarage Road.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he claimed: “I think Palace like him, but I was told from the Watford end the other day that there’s a strong possibility that Sarr will stay.”

Not too long ago Aston Villa had agreed on a fee of just £25m for the winger, and despite the supposed ease of these negotiations, Palace seem set to walk away without making any bids.

Vieira must act now

Although Patrick Vieira is not short on pacey and exciting attacking talents, not adding Sarr feels somewhat hollow given how he would likely thrive alongside the likes of Wilfried Zaha, Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze.

For journalist Rob Blanchette to label him “young, hungry and electric”, you could not describe a Palace attacker more appropriately with the philosophy that the French manager has brought.

Despite having played in the Premier League for some poor Watford sides, and given his youth at the time of those stints, ten goals and eight assists in 50 appearances is certainly a respectable return.

He has already proven that the Championship is below his station, with his last full season in the division seeing him record 13 goals and ten assists.

Palace also have form with bringing talents from this league up to the top-flight, with Olise and Eze both having made the step up with great success, outlined in the fact they have now made 51 and 29 appearances in the division respectively.

Selhurst Park is a breeding ground for this kind of hungry talent, and with all the foundations in place to be a hit, Vieira should not wait around to secure this talent for a cut price.

Last season in the Premier League, as well as his five goals and two assists, he averaged 1.0 key passes per game and created five big chances.

For his service to be finding a higher calibre of player would surely see his numbers increase tenfold, making the £25m fee seem minuscule. Indeed, if it’s more money Watford are after in order to sanction a move then the Eagles should consider acting to hand the Hornets exactly that.

The 46-year-old must move swiftly to bring the Senegalese speedster into his side and add another exceptional talent alongside his many others. In time, Palace could have one of the most potent attacking forces in the league.

Aston Villa have been tipped to make a move for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, Tanguy Ndombele, with manager Steven Gerrard still on the lookout for a new midfield addition.

What’s the word?

According to journalist Pete O’Rourke – as per This is Futbol – the Villa boss would be keen to try and revive the Frenchman’s career by plotting a swoop this summer, despite the 25-year-old’s struggles in north London in recent times.

The transfer insider stated: “I’m sure Steven Gerrard would fancy that he might be able to get the best out of Ndombele, because we just haven’t seen it during his time at Tottenham, with the player failing to live up to that price tag after signing from Lyon.

“But there’s obviously a talented player in there, and maybe if somebody could get that out of him, you could have a real bargain this summer.”

As per the report, the Midlands side are believed to have made an enquiry about the former Lyon man back in January, albeit with the seven-cap gem ultimately returning to the Ligue 1 outfit on a short-term loan deal.

Recent reports have suggested that he could be available for another loan exit this summer, with three years still to run on his existing contract.

Real bargain

As O’Rourke alluded to, the capture of the mercurial midfielder – who arrived at Spurs on a £63m deal three years ago – could well prove to be something of a bargain for the Villans this summer, with the player possessing undeniable quality despite having not always shown it of late.

Currently out of the picture under Antonio Conte, Ndombele has failed to impress a string of managers during his time with the Lilywhites, making just 63 Premier League appearances for the club thus far, scoring six goals and providing just five assists.

While rarely handed the chance to shine, the fleet-footed ace has shown brief glimpses of his sparkling talent during his frustrating stint in England, notably netting a stunning dinked effort against Sheffield United back in January 2021.

Such instinctive, rare quality has unsurprisingly seen him likened to compatriot Paul Pogba by former Lyon boss Bruno Genesio in the past, such is his technical talent and physical prowess.

Pogba also endured a rocky road period in the Premier League during a turbulent six-year stay at Manchester United, prior to his recent return to Juventus, although the 29-year-old has for so long been noted as one of the best midfielders in the game, having also been an integral asset in his nation’s World Cup triumph four years ago.

Like the now former Red Devils man, Ndombele has that unpredictable, off-the-cuff nature that can make him so joyous to watch but also so frustrating in equal measure, although it is that uniqueness that makes him such a high-quality asset.

That style of play has also seen the £27m-rated ace lauded by West Ham United skipper Declan Rice, with the England international stating that the 5 foot 11 menace is something of a “street footballer” due to his confidence with the ball at his feet, while also insisting that £120k-per-week gem is “one of the toughest” he has played against.

That praise will no doubt pique the interest of Gerrard and co, with the Liverpool legend potentially able to find the midfielder that he has been looking for in Ndombele

Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper can land his dream heir to Lewis Grabban by signing Borussia Monchengladbach striker Alassane Plea this summer.

According to a recent report in L’Equipe (via RMC Sport) Forest are one of several clubs in talks with the representatives of the forward – who has just entered the final 12 months of his contract in Germany.

They face competition from fellow Premier League side Everton as well as French sides Marseille and the player’s former club Nice. Plea will cost around £7m which is an affordable price for the Garibaldi.

However, the reports state that the Frenchman would prefer a move back to Ligue 1 which would appear to put the English clubs behind in the race to sign him.

It’s not a surprise that Cooper wants to strengthen the striker position at the club following the loss of Lewis Grabban who was so crucial in their promotion success last season.

He scored 12 and assisted four in 32 appearances for Forest in the league last season but has since left the club due to his contract expiring. In four years at The City Ground, he appeared 147 times and became the first player since 2002-03 to score over 20 goals in a single campaign.

The 34-year-old will be a huge miss for the club next season, but given his age, it might be a blessing in disguise that allows Forest to plan ahead for the future.

Cooper has recently signed Taiwo Awoniyi from Union Berlin for a club-record £17m but could add even more quality and competition by signing Plea.

The Monchengladbach star made 32 Bundesliga appearances last season and was directly involved in 15 goals. Signing him would replicate the experience that has been lost with Grabban’s departure and would be another addition who is proven in a top division.

He’s a player who’s been dubbed “phenomenal” by Statman Dave and his numbers prove exactly why.

Given the small fee Plea is available for, it really should be a no-brainer for Cooper to try and sign him, it could also potentially weaken rivals Everton who are a club Forest could be competing with in a relegation battle next season.

AND in other news: “In the next hours”: Sky Sports journo drops NFFC transfer update supporters will love

Celtic have been handed a boost to their hopes of sealing a summer transfer deal for Schalke defender Malick Thiaw.

What’s the news?

Speaking to WAZ (via the Daily Record), Schalke sporting director Rouven Schroder said that they would be willing to listen to any potential offers that come in for the Celtic-linked centre-back this summer.

He said: “There is no such thing as an abrupt no. We have always said that we will deal with offers that come in.

“If the overall theme fits, we’ll also think about it. Malick is here and I think he suits us very well in the Bundesliga, nevertheless, he is of course in demand because of the Under-21s and his performances.”

This, therefore, could give Ange Postecoglou the thumbs up to launch a move for the centre-back and put an offer in that the German club would have to consider.

Great news for Celtic

Having had experience of playing in the youth ranks of clubs such as Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Monchengladbach, the 20-year-old joined Schalke’s youth squad back in 2015.

Since then, the German has gone on to make 142 appearances for his current club across their senior and youth teams, scoring 14 goals and providing five assists along the way.

Last season saw the centre-back make 31 league appearances for Schalke as they won promotion back to the Bundesliga.

In those appearances, Thiaw made more interceptions (55) and won more tackles (45) than any of his teammates.

He also ended the season with a higher average of clearances per game (3.4) than any other player at the club.

His overall performances earned the defender a solid season rating of 7.09/10 from WhoScored, making him the fifth-highest rated outfield player at Schalke.

This shows just how capable the youngster, who is currently valued at £5.4m according to Transfermarkt, is at the back, even at such a young age and why it’s great news for the Hoops that Schroder has revealed the club would listen to offers for the player.

Now that this revelation has emerged, Celtic should spring into action and launch a move to secure a deal for Thiaw this summer, especially with current Bhoys defender Christopher Jullien looking likely to leave.

AND in other news: “Almost impossible”: Big transfer update emerges that’ll have Celtic supporters gutted

West Ham are reportedly one of several Premier League clubs to have offered a contract to Christian Eriksen this summer, and if he were to arrive at the London Stadium, he could prove to be David Moyes’ own version of Kevin De Bruyne.

According to football.london, the Hammers are one of nine clubs to approach the Denmark international with a contract offer after he impressed in his six-month spell at Brentford last season.

After suffering a cardiac arrest when playing for Denmark at Euro 2020, it was unclear whether Eriksen would ever play football again, especially as Inter were forced to release him due to Serie A rules, which dictate that players cannot feature if they have a heart monitor.

Brentford took a gamble on signing the former Tottenham playmaker in January, with manager Thomas Frank claiming that the player was “world-class” upon his arrival.

In his 11 top-flight appearances for the club, Eriksen helped to revive the Bees’ form, inspiring them to a comfortable finish in their debut season in the Premier League.

The midfield maestro contributed one goal and four assists for the west London outfit, averaging an impressive 7.37 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

In his career so far, the Dane has contributed a remarkable 162 assists, so it is no surprise that, during his time at Spurs, former team-mate Dele Alli described him as a “magician on the ball”.

Eriksen’s quality in possession was clear to see, as he averaged 2.7 key passes per game for Brentford – for comparison, Pablo Fornals’ and Michail Antonio’s 1.3 key passes per game was the best of anyone in West Ham’s squad.

Therefore, it is clear to see the quality that the 30-year-old would add to Moyes’ squad next season, and he could perform a similar role to De Bruyne, who won the Premier League Player of the Season award as Manchester City secured another top-flight title last month.

According to FBRef, the Belgian is the second-most similar player to Eriksen in terms of style of play, while WhoScored suggests that both Eriksen and De Bruyne excel at passing, long shots and taking set pieces.

Considering how dangerous the Irons were from set pieces last term, there is little doubt that Eriksen would be a success in Moyes’ squad next year, so GSB should do everything they can to try and bring him in.

In other news… Romano says West Ham are “confident” of signing “fantastic” ace, supporters will be buzzing