Arsenal forward Alessia Russo explained that she wants to see one big change in bestfriend and Lionesses star Ella Toone.
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Everton's board have been left raging at a recent development that has emerged, according to a new report.
Everton's 10-point deduction
There were genuine signs of improvements at Goodison Park prior to the international break, with some important Premier League wins coming their way, and talk of a potential relegation battle beginning to disappear.
Despite some positivity emerging, Everton have now been rocked by the 10-point deduction that has been handed to them for breaching financial rules, in what is a cruel blow for Sean Dyche and his players, although the club have confirmed they will appeal the decision and expect it to be significantly reduced.
It means that the Blues have suddenly been thrown straight back into the relegation zone, with only Burnley behind them on goal difference, and 17th-place Luton Town two points clear of Dyche's men. Granted, there is still time for Everton to pull away and not suffer relegation from the Premier League for the first time in their history, but the deduction has made life so much harder, and supporters will be hoping that an appeal is successful further down the line.
While this blow has been bad enough, another setback has also emerged, with reports claiming Burnley, Leeds United and Leicester City could demand compensation from the Blues after their financial punishment.
Everton lodge complaint over legal case
According to a new update from Football Insider, Everton have now lodged another complaint over the legal battle with three other English clubs. The Toffees aren't happy that the case is set to be heard by the same panel that delivered the club’s 10-point deduction, with the title saying that the "board rages at a new twist".
"The Everton board have filed an official complaint over their £300million legal case against Leicester City, Burnley and Leeds United, Football Insider has been told. The trio of clubs are taking legal action against the Toffees and seeking compensation after they were found guilty of breaching the Premier League’s financial and sustainability rules this month.
"As reported by the Daily Mail, the case is set to be heard by the same panel that delivered the club’s 10-point deduction from their Financial Fair Play case."
There really is a feeling of 'when it rains it pours' for Everton at the moment, with the club having to tackle so many issues on and off the pitch, causing a major headache for anyone associated with the club. The points deduction is a tough one to stomach, and the last thing they need is to also be hit with a huge compensation payout to the clubs mentioned above.
On top of this, the ongoing takeover situation at Goodison continues to rumble on slowly, with 777 Partners making little progress in bringing the Farhad Moshiri era to an end, so it could be difficult for Dyche and his squad to focus on the primary job in hand.
Everton supporters will simply have to hope for the best, with the appeal seeing the decision overturned, but more important than anything is the Blues remaining in the Premier League beyond this season, ensuring that they are in their new Bramley Moore Dock home when the 2024/25 season gets underway.
Candice Warner confirmed the comments came from Jason Hughes and said things had gone too far in the middle
Andrew McGlashan and Dan Brettig27-Oct-2018Banned Australia batsman David Warner briefly walked off the pitch mid-innings during a grade match in Sydney on Saturday after “hurtful abuse” directed at him from Jason Hughes, the brother of Phillip Hughes.Playing for Randwick-Petersham against Western Suburbs, Warner left the field when on 35 after he had taken offence to comments made in the early stages of the match. After a few minutes he was allowed to resume his innings and went on to make 157.Warner’s wife Candice confirmed that it had been Jason Hughes who had made remarks he considered too hurtful, but also indicated that when the former Australia vice-captain is again eligible to play the international game, he would not be changing the “aggressive” way he went about his cricket.”David was taken aback by the comments, and thought they went a bit too far so he decided to remove himself from the game,” Candice Warner said on . “Everyone has their own opinion but I think there’s a difference between sledging and abuse. Yesterday went too far. I think he removed himself because first of all he didn’t like what he was hearing and where that could’ve been taken. It was hurtful, it was very hurtful.”David’s really enjoying playing for Randwick, and it’s just a shame that this has taken from his great knock yesterday. He got 157, he got a century a few rounds a go, so he’s really enjoying playing for Randwick, and it’s just a shame that we’re talking about this instead of his century. David is very passionate and he is an aggressive player, that’s why he’s one of the best players in his position, because he’s aggressive. I think David will have to be careful when he comes back, but he won’t change his style of playing.”ESPNcricinfo understands that the umpires did not hear any comments that raised concerns for them, but were informed by Warner that he was leaving the field. However, they used their commonsense to allow Warner to resume his innings after a few moments to compose himself with the Western Suburbs players happy to allow him to continue. The next batsman had not come out to the middle.As news of his brief walk-off spread, a number of TV crews and reporters arrived at the Pratten Park ground to the west of Sydney but both times Warner later left the field during his innings – at tea and then on his dismissal – he refused to comment on the incident. After being dismissed he emerged from the dressing room to watch the closing overs of the day with team-mates in the stands.Nobody from either club was willing to speak about what happened earlier in the day.Warner is currently serving his one-year ban from international and state cricket handed down by Cricket Australia in the wake of the Newlands ball-tampering controversy. He has played in a number of T20 leagues during his Australia ban and was signed to play in the Bangladesh Premier League later this year.The sledging incident comes two days before the reviews into the culture of Australian cricket – instigated after the ball-tampering affair – are to be revealed in Melbourne.
Sunderland hold a genuine admiration for an up-and-coming forward, but they aren’t the only club who are hoping to bring him to the Championship in January.
Sunderland updates
Tony Mowbray’s side have made an extremely mixed start to the new campaign having won seven, drawn two and lost six of their opening 15 games, meaning that they currently find themselves eighth in the league table.
Rotherham United (2-1)
Coventry City (0-0)
Ipswich Town (2-1)
Southampton (5-0)
Swansea City (0-0)
Preston North End (2-1)
Queens Park Rangers (3-1)
Cardiff City (1-0)
Blackburn Rovers (3-1)
Middlesbrough (4-0)
Sheffield Wednesday (3-0)
Stoke City (2-1)
Watford (2-0)
Leicester City (1-0)
Norwich City (3-1)
The Black Cats will no doubt be confident that they are able to compete from promotion being just two points outside of the play-offs as it stands, but that won’t stop the boss from assessing his options in the market to search for players that he could strengthen his squad with.
Barnsley’s left-winger Fabio Jalo has emerged as a potential target due to his deal being set to expire at the end of the season (Barnsley contracts), meaning that he is likely to be made available for transfer during the upcoming window should he not put pen to paper on fresh terms.
The Portugal youth international was named the Academy Player of the Season at the Oakwell Stadium for the 2021/22 term which shows what a bright future he has ahead of him, and the 17-year-old’s impressive performances have caught the eye at the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland showing genuine interest in Fabio Jalo
According to TEAMtalk, Sunderland are keen on a deal for Fabio Jalo, but they aren’t alone in their pursuit of the promising attacker with five other teams additionally looking to reach an agreement.
“TEAMtalk can exclusively confirm that Brighton, Everton and Fulham are among several English clubs showing an interest in the highly-rated winger. Our sources suggest that along with the Premier League trio, Leeds United and Sunderland are also amongst the sides showing a real interest.
"Sporting Lisbon back in Jalo’s native Portugal have also been checking on his progress, so a return to his homeland could also potentially be on the cards.”
Fabio Jalo's "magnificent" left foot
During the 2021/22 season, when he received his aformentioned individual accolade, Jalo scored a remarkable 27 goals across all competitions (Leeds Live), which shows just how prolific he can be in the final third.
The Tykes’ “magnificent” left-footed forward, as hailed by their academy manager Bobby Hassell, is also a versatile operator with his ability to play as a centre-forward, right-winger and an attacking midfielder alongside his usual role out wide on the left flank (Transfermarkt – Jalo statistics).
Additionally, Jalo only pockets £550-per-week (Barnsley salaries), so he would be more than affordable for chiefs to recruit – that would make him the lowest-earner on their books (Sunderland salaries) – making this a move worth considering in January.
Nottingham Forest look to have made a decision on one of their signings at the City Ground as Steve Cooper continues to map out the long-term future of the club, as per a fresh report.
Nottingham Forest updates: Andrey Santos news, Liverpool prediction
Speaking in the aftermath of Nottingham Forest's 2-2 draw against Luton Town at the City Ground last week, former Reds midfielder Lewis McGugan has expressed his bemusement as to why Willy Boly was withdrawn from proceedings before the visitors struck twice to claim a point from the encounter.
McGugan told the The Garibaldi Red Podcast: "The strange thing for me is the timing. 78 minutes. At that point, if he makes it at 60-65 minutes, there’s a large chunk of the game left. Sometimes, when you change it to become solid, you invite pressure that’s not there. The subs made the midfield a lot more defensive and you sit deeper and deeper and deeper."
He later added: "For me, make one change, stick Boly in the middle of a back three, his legs have gone but he’s 6 foot 5 and a very good defender. You keep him on and make the unit more solid around him."
In an update involving the future of Nottingham Forest ace Andrey Santos meanwhile, 90min report that the Brazilian is a target for Newcastle United in January; however, any deal would be a complex procedure to complete as he would have to terminate his agreement at the City Ground to move to St James' Park.
Newcastle United also have Lewis Hall on loan from Chelsea, meaning they would have to sign him permanently before being allowed to facilitate a loan move for Santos, as Premier League rules state you cannot have more than one player on loan from a particular side at the same time.
Next up for Nottingham Forest is a trip to face Liverpool at Anfield this weekend as Cooper's men look to edge further away from the relegation zone, in what will be an incredibly difficult task as Jurgen Klopp's side look to make it 15 home matches without a defeat in all comeptitions.
Nottingham Forest's next five fixtures
Competition
Opponent
Venue
Premier League
Liverpool
Anfield
Premier League
Aston Villa
City Ground
Premier League
West Ham United
London Stadium
Premier League
Brighton & Hove Albion
City Ground
Premier League
Everton
City Ground
Nottingham Forest transfer news – Divock Origi
An update on Divock Origi's future at Nottingham Forest has emerged from Italian outlet Calciomercato, who claim that the Belgium international may return to San Siro upon the expiration of his loan deal in the East Midlands after his campaign's frustrating start.
The outlet claim this could be a major financial problem for AC Milan and cost the Italian giants millions of pounds, considering he has a large salary in Italy that they worry they will now have to shell out.
Origi is under contract at the Rossoneri until the summer of 2026 and is scheduled to pocket around €4 million per season at AC Milan for the next two-and-a-half years unless Stefano Pioli can find a buyer for the 28-year-old, which would be a considerable drain on their resources.
Since arriving at the City Ground, Origi has made just four appearances for Nottingham Forest and is yet to get himself on the scoresheet (Origi statistics – Transfermarkt).
Unless Origi can turn his fortunes around under Tricky Trees boss Cooper, it looks exceedingly unlikely he will be around for the long term at Nottingham Forest.
Arsenal have started the new Premier League campaign in similarly blistering fashion as they did the last, as Mikel Arteta is seeking to mount yet another title charge, but actually see it through until the end this time.
His summer additions are expected to provide the edge needed to topple Manchester City, with their win last weekend proving that the likes of Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and David Raya are already making their mark and offering the step-up needed.
However, to fund such a summer of free-spending, there unsurprisingly had to be a few casualties.
It always felt like Edu and his Spanish manager were building towards a window of such magnitude, having seen big-earners like Mesut Ozil, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette all banished for the betterment of the team.
After all, shattering the club's previous record transfer by bringing in the former West Ham United captain marked a monster transfer, and one which needed some alternative deals to offset the £105m expended.
Unfortunately, there are no better sales to be made than from the academy, marking pure profit as they go down on the books as created for free. As such, the widespread interest in Folarin Balogun proved too good to be true, and having arrived at the perfect time to cash in.
Why did Arsenal sell Folarin Balogun?
Whilst the desperation for funds likely played a big role in sanctioning the of their promising 22-year-old marksman, given the £35m they would eventually recoup marked a huge fee for someone who had only made ten senior appearances for the Gunners, there were naturally other factors that fed into the deal.
Having enjoyed a blistering loan spell with Stade Reims, where he scored 21 goals across 37 Ligue 1 showings, the young American had truly put himself on the map.
His manager during that period, Will Still, would unsurprisingly rush to praise the man who was spearheading his unlikely push for Europe: "He’s unbelievable, he has real talent but he is also just a top person. He’s trying to learn the language – we have a bit of banter because his French is terrible (but) I think he realises: being good here will allow him to get the spotlight and attention he needs."
Having now moved permanently, his language learning will certainly have to improve, as he seeks to maintain that newfound spotlight by continuing his fine form.
So, upon returning to the Emirates, he was bound to want more play time, which was a concern he has voiced since leaving: "Football is a competitive sport, and of course, the manager sometimes makes choices: sometimes there are opportunities for some players, and sometimes it’s a bit difficult. I wanted to play, I wanted to prove to people that I can compete at this level."
"I think the decision was natural, but I wouldn’t say there is any regret. As a young player, I want to play".
Clearly, with Gabriel Jesus returning from injury and Eddie Nketiah viewed as a solid backup, a starting first-team spot was massively unlikely. Whilst the sale was hardly received well, as few fans enjoy seeing academy stars offloaded, it was one which Arteta sought to justify: "We didn’t have space for him in the squad to give him the minutes that he needs.
"He was doing well last year in his loan period. He’s evolving the right way and wanted the chance to continue developing his career. He’s going to a really good club that has huge experience of developing talent, as everybody knows. So I’m really happy for him as well."
How is Folarin Balogun playing?
Since making last season's loan permanent, Balogun has shown little signs of slowing down. Even if Arteta's men may be flying too, as they sit top of the Premier League alongside rivals Tottenham Hotspur, they would certainly benefit from the exploits of the youngster, especially given the mini injury crisis suffered recently.
Seeing Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli both absent from the starting XI in that aforementioned win over Pep Guardiola's outfit, a new setup had to be enforced which saw Jesus pushed out to the left wing, with Nketiah through the middle.
Whilst the former is a passable option, the latter cannot be trusted to lead the line for an extended period of time, with former Gunners defender Gael Clichy supporting such a notion: "Arsenal need a backup for Jesus, someone young who can push him to score more goals.
"Eddie Nketiah has scored some big and important goals for Arsenal, but he's not as good as Gabriel Jesus. Nketiah has proved he can be a difference-maker, but I don’t know if he's a player who can take Arsenal to the title. That's why I think Mikel Arteta should bring a top backup striker to compete with Jesus."
Unfortunately, they already had one in Balogun, who has managed to post three goals and one assist in five Ligue 1 games, boasting a conversion rate of 23%.
How good is Gabriel Jesus?
This kind of form even puts Arsenal's Brazilian forward to shame, who despite having been deployed out of position on occasion, remains nowhere near as proficient as the four-cap international.
After all, whilst the former City star may have endured an injury-hit term last year, he was also largely very profligate, having scored 11 in the league from an expected goals of 14.16.
GK
Bernd Leno
LB
Kieran Tierney
CB
Ben White
CB
Pablo Mari
RB
Calum Chambers
CM
Granit Xhaka
CM
Albert Sambi-Lokonga
CAM
Emile Smith Rowe
LW
Gabriel Martinelli
RW
Nicolas Pepe
ST
Folarin Balogun
It seems that this campaign will be no different, as he only has one goal in the Premier League after six games. Given how the former City man started last season, recording nine goal contributions in his opening 11 league games, he faces an uphill battle to finish on an admirable tally.
Enduring such a low-scoring run of form unsurprisingly has seen his goal conversion rate drop to a lowly 14%, nowhere near that of Balogun's. Perhaps, had Arteta not been so quick to offload the forward, he might have provided some real competition for Jesus, and actually usurped him for a period had such profligacy continued.
Although the funds they received marked a massive sum, coming at an incredibly useful time, in the long run it could actually prove to be a thoughtless move that might have set them back in the striker department.
Luke Fletcher is ready to start taking wickets for Notts again and put memories of his horrific head injury behind him
Jon Culley26-Mar-2018It was a moment that left a permanent imprint in the minds of teammates and opponents, not to mention several thousand spectators in the stadium and many, many more watching on TV. It will be on playback in quite a few of those minds, too, when the man at the centre of one of county cricket’s most horrific incidents begins his run-in for the first time since in a competitive match.Luke Fletcher’s doctors told him that he had dodged a bullet when a ball smashed back down the pitch by the Birmingham Bears batsman Sam Hain struck him full on the skull in a T20 match at Edgbaston last July.So horrifying was the impact that had that blow merely ended his career he might have considered himself lucky. In the event, by some good fortune as freakish as the injury itself, all it cost him was a few stitches and the rest of the season off.Yet Fletcher insists that when he next comes to bowl in a competitive match for Nottinghamshire he will do so without even a hint of trepidation. It has never crossed his mind that perhaps, having been lucky once, he should walk away. He has already bowled in pre-season games and would be ready to face the raw aggression of T20 tomorrow.”I’m from a quite down-to-earth, grounded, hard-working background,” he said. “My dad worked down the pit for 30 years and he had some bad injuries but his attitude was dust yourself off, enjoy the break and then get back on to it. So not any stage did anyone say that I shouldn’t do that, nor did I think it.”I just see this as my job, to go out and play cricket, to run in and bowl. It’s either this or go back to frying chicken at Hooters.”It was a freak injury, he says, yet in the same breath he believes there is every chance it will happen again. He imagines a day when protection for bowlers and umpires will be commonplace. For the moment, though, like his colleagues, he will run in bare-headed.”Hopefully it will not be commonplace but to be honest I reckon it will,” he said. “Definitely in T20 and maybe in later overs in one-dayers, or even early on.”Batters come so hard throughout the whole innings now. They are just trying to hit every single ball out of the park. And, if you are in the way, you are copping it.Luke Fletcher is helped from the field after being struck by the ball•Getty Images
“Bowlers and umpires are in a very vulnerable position these days because the ball comes back so fast you don’t have time to react. I can see the day when bowlers and umpires are wearing protective headgear.”Fletcher was discharged from hospital the next day but that was only the start of a long road back to being declared medically safe to resume a normal life.”I could not do anything for two months,” he said. “I had a build-up of pressure in my head and any exercise would have added to the pressure so I pretty much did nothing until the end of the season. I didn’t get into training until I came back with the lads in November and not full training until this year.”I couldn’t drive for six months, which was the killer. It was classed as a traumatic brain injury and you have to report it to the DVLA. You can only drive again when you have a report from your surgeon to say everything is back to normal.”The club got me a bike and I was cycling in every day. It was more dangerous than driving – I came off it a few times on black ice. Seriously, though, they were worried I might have a fit at the wheel and you have to think about other people on the roads.”That inconvenience apart, Fletcher’s biggest concern was boredom. Much as he enjoys the company of his now two-year-old son Freddie, he was not used to being around him quite so much.”I had never had a six-month injury so I didn’t know how I would react to it. The strangest thing was not actually having to be anywhere, not having to see anyone, not having to turn up to anything. I found that quite weird really.”For the first couple of weeks it helped that people kept coming round. Nick Peirce [the ECB’s chief medical officer] came a few times. I got calls asking if I wanted to get involved with some commentary stuff.”It probably stopped me thinking about things too much, although I was never worried because I felt all right. It’s the people around me, my family, my partner Kirsty, who have been more worried.”Now his focus is on picking up where he left off. He had taken 36 Championship wickets at 22.4, reasserting that he was an important component of Nottinghamshire’s attack, when his misfortune struck.Happier times: Luke Fletcher celebrates Notts’ Royal London Cup triumph•Getty Images
“We had just won a Lord’s final the week before and things were going well for me and the team in the Championship,” he said “I had seen the opportunity to have a big season and suddenly it was all over.”I had got myself into pretty good shape before last season, so it was disappointing. But I’m only 29 and I think I’ve got a lot of overs left in me yet.”He is better acquainted with the gym, too, than once might have been the case.”When you are young, there are a lot of distractions,” he said. “You go out and enjoy yourself. But my life is different now and in the last couple of years I’ve worked out what I need to do to give myself the best chance to help the team.”I’ve struggled in the past with my weight and probably will all my life. I’m not the most natural athlete but I’ve got a good engine. I’ve done a lot to get back in shape, a lot of running and sessions on the bike.”There are exciting things happening in the game with the new T20 franchises and I hopefully I’ll be putting my hat in the ring for that. I’m just looking forward to getting started again.”
Manchester United are reportedly looking to sign a former Premier League forward to potentially replace Jadon Sancho at Old Trafford.
Is Jadon Sancho leaving Man United?
The Red Devils were busy over the summer in the transfer market, adding to their attacking ranks with a big-money move for Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta. Alongside the forward, Mason Mount, Andre Onana, Altay Bayindir, Sofyan Amrabat, Jonny Evans and Sergio Reguilon also made the move to Old Trafford.
There were also a number of departures, and it looks as if Sancho may well be the next to leave the club following a stand-off with manager Erik ten Hag.
The winger has not played this month after Ten Hag criticised his performances in training, with Sancho saying he has "been a scapegoat for a long time" on social media. The club were hoping there would be a resolution during the international break, but neither Sancho nor Ten Hag appear to be willing to back down, resulting in rumours of a January exit.
It appears as if a move away early in 2024 could be on the cards with those at Old Trafford expecting to receive offers for the player, and the search for Sancho's replacement already appears to be underway.
According to one Spanish report in the last 48 hours, Man United are looking at three wingers to come in for Sancho, one of which is Bayern Munich’s Serge Gnabry. He has strongly emerged as an option alongside Athletic Club’s Nico Williams and Juventus’ Federico Chiesa.
Gnabry’s asking price is thought to be set at €60m (£51.8m), with another possibility being moving Bruno Fernandes r Mount out to the right.
How good is Serge Gnabry?
The 28-year-old, primarily a right-winger who can also play as a centre-forward or on the left, scored against the Red Devils in the Champions League earlier this month in a 4-3 win for Bayern.
The German has previous Premier League experience with Arsenal and West Brom but has now gone from strength to strength with Bayern, turning out on 224 occasions in all competitions, scoring 82 times and registering 51 assists.
He has caught the eye of Man United legend Rio Ferdinand in recent years, who once waxed lyrical over the attacker’s rise after leaving the Emirates, saying:
“His stats are phenomenal. He's sitting in the top level, world class. He's come to Germany and set the place on fire, he was absolutely stunning tonight. His decision making has been extraordinary.
“I'll go as far as to say he's one of the most improved players in football at the moment. I don't think anyone's upwards trajectory is as sharp as his.
“From where he was, being discarded by Arsenal and West Brom, to where he is now. Wow.”
As per FBref, Gnabry has been compared to the likes of Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka over the past 12 months and has ranked in the top 1% for wingers when it comes to non-penalty goals, so he could be a shrewd addition in 2024, making this one to watch.
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.
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.
MatériaMais Notícias
Nesta quarta, Botafogo eAthletico-PR duelam pela nona rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro, na Arena da Baixada, às 17h30. Com cinco empates em sete jogos, o Glorioso busca se recuperar na competição e quebrar um longo jejum. Desde 2008, a equipe carioca não vence o Furacão em Curitiba e está há quatro jogos sem conquistar uma vitória no campeonato.
Com oito pontos, o time de General Severiano deposita suas esperanças no marfinense Salomon Kalou, que marcou o seu primeiro gol pelo clube no empate contra o Corinthians, naNeo Química Arena. Ele entrou bem no time e a tendência é crescer de rendimento conforme for tendo mais ritmo de jogo.
Após as lesões de Guilherme, Lucas Barros e a saída de Danilo Barcelos, o treinador só tinha duas opções para a posição.Hugo, jovem de 18 anos, da base, que jamais fez um jogo pelo profissional, e Rafael Forster, zagueiro, que atuaria improvisado pela esquerda.
No entanto, o lateral esquerdo Victor Luis foi liberado pelo departamento médico do clube e foi relacionado para o jogo. Recuperado de uma cirurgia de apendicite, o retorno do jogador depende da opção do técnico Paulo Autuori, que também contará com Carlos Rentería, que já foi regularizado e pdoerá fazer a sua estreia pelo Alvinegro.
O Athletico-PR, por sua vez, não vence há cinco jogos e está com o mesmo número de pontos do rival Coritiba, primeira equipe na zona de rebaixamento do Brasileirão. Após a demissão de Dorival Júnior,Eduardo Barros segue como técnico interino do Furacão para a sequência da temporada.
Ele contará com o retorno de cinco jogadores do elenco. Ozagueiro Thiago Heleno, o lateral Jonathan e o atacante Nikão, ambos liberados pelo Departamento Médico.Além do volante Wellington, que cumpriu suspensão automática no jogo contra o Vasco, no último domingo.
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FICHA TÉCNICA
ATHLETICO-PR x BOTAFOGO
Data-Hora: 09-09-20 – 17h30
Local: Arena da Baixada, Curitiba (PR)
Árbitro: Vinicius Gonçalves Dias Araujo (SP)
Assistentes: Marcelo Carvalho Van Gasse (Fifa/SP) e Miguel Cataneo Ribeiro da Costa (SP)
Onde acompanhar: Tempo real do LANCE! / O jogo não tem transmissão programada para o Brasil.
ATHLETICO-PR: Santos; Erick, Pedro Henrique (Thiago Heleno), Lucas Halter e Abner Vinícius; Wellington, Richard e Léo Cittadini; Fabinho, Geuvânio (Nikão) e Bissoli. Técnico:Eduardo Barros
Suspenso:
Lesionado: Vitinho
Poupado:
BOTAFOGO:Gatito; Kevin, Marcelo Benevenuto, Kanu, Victor Luis; Rafael Forster, Caio Alexandre, Honda; Bruno Nazário, Kalou, Matheus Babi. Técnico: Paulo Autuori
Suspenso: –
Lesionado: Marcinho (transição), Guilherme Santos (Coxa esquerda), Luís Henrique (pubalgia)
Pendurados: Barrandeguy e Matheus Babi
PALPITES
Para o confronto desta quarta, 80% da redação do LANCE! acredita na vitória do Botafogo, enquanto 10% apostaram que o Athletico manterá o jejum de 12 anos. Por fim, 10% disseram que a partida terminará empatada.