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Aston Villa fans have called on the club to make one more signing this transfer window, and perhaps Dean Smith should listen to them…

What’s the word?

At the weekend, Brentford boss Thomas Frank called for a resolution to the saga surrounding his winger Said Benrahma amidst interest from several Premier League clubs.

According to the Daily Mail earlier this month, the 25-year-old is Smith’s ‘No.1’ target with the Bees holding out for a total of £20m.

West Ham, Crystal Palace and Arsenal have also been mooted with interest throughout the window.

The final piece

Villa’s unbeaten start to the new campaign continued on Monday night as they thrashed top-flight newcomers Fulham 3-0 at Craven Cottage. It’s three wins from three in all competitions without a goal being conceded.

Perhaps the Midlands outfit have found their best back four, meaning their attention could turn to further up the field with less than a week to go before deadline day.

Smith could really complete his attack with a move for his former superstar, Benrahma.

The Algerian wizard was one of the best players in the Championship last season after he bagged 17 goals and provided nine assists, also averaging 3.8 shots, three dribbles and 2.1 key passes per game, via WhoScored.

He and Ollie Watkins formed a formidable partnership – one that must be replicated at Villa Park. Just imagine Jack Grealish in the hole behind Benrahma, Watkins and Bertrand Traore.

EFL pundit Don Hutchinson believes Benrahma is ready for the step-up, which is a huge positive whilst Sam Saunders’ praise of him provides further excitement – “He could nutmeg a mermaid,” said the Brentford B coach.

He’s even been likened to Lionel Messi.

Benrahma reuniting with Smith and Watkins is a mouthwatering prospect and could be the move to elevate them from the depths of the bottom half into serious contenders further up the table.

AND in other news, Lange has to break club-record fee again to sign top target…

Bundesliga side Werder Bremen have urged Milot Rashica to make a decision over his future after being linked with a move to Aston Villa.

With the summer transfer window open, Villa boss Dean Smith could look to improve his squad options, in particular in attack where the likes of Keinan Davis, Mbwana Samatta and Wesley have all struggled to find consistent form.

With transfer gossip flooding the internet, Brentford striker Ollie Watkins has emerged as a potential arrival, whilst a link to Rashica has been heavily maintained.

The 24-year-old netted eight goals and supplied seven assists in 28 Bundesliga games for Bremen last season and has a current Transfermarkt value of £19.8m.

With interest reported from Villa, Bremen boss Kohfeldt provided an update on the attacker’s future and the German club have now urged the attacker to make a decision on his future.

Reacting to the news which was shared by Twitter account @AVFC_News, some Villa fans gave their opinion on the ongoing rumour surrounding the attacker. Whilst some want him to sign, given his impressive stats from last term, others aren’t as keen as they think he is holding out for a potentially bigger move, suggesting he doesn’t really want to join the Villans.

Do you think Rashica would be a good signing for Villa? Let us know in the comments section below…

A couple of years back, Liverpool were on Jeremy Doku’s tail but in the end, the transfer didn’t happen and for a while, the rumours have gone quiet on that front. However, it seems that Jurgen Klopp could be back to finish what he started in 2018.

According to a recent update from Het Nieuwsblad (via Sport Witness), the Reds have renewed their interest in the 18-year-old star and could indeed be looking to acquire his services in the ongoing summer transfer window.

However, even if they manage to get him, which at this point is not exactly a guaranteed operation, they would then be willing to loan him back to Anderlecht for the upcoming season.

That way, the youngster could still develop and play regularly while he waits for his real opportunity at Anfield. But the same source states Vincent Kompany’s side are aware of the interest but are not exactly thrilled about it.

Ideally, they don’t want to sell their rough gem but given the current financial situation at the club, every player could indeed be moved on for the right place, Doku included.

But in case of the young star, the report states it would have to be a bid in tens of millions – so not exactly cheap for such a young player.

We don’t know how strong Klopp’s interest is but the Reds are adamant on not spending too much money this summer. Would they be willing to make an exception for the Belgium ace?

Only time will tell.

Verdict

With eight goals and three assists across all competitions in 2019/20, Doku has certainly been on fire. So it doesn’t exactly come as a big surprise to see clubs like Liverpool wanting to take him to the Premier League.

But Anderlecht would also love to keep him. After all, he’s a huge asset for them.

Needless to say, this could complicate the situation for the Reds.

Charlton Athletic have emerged with interest in Love Island star Dennon Lewis, who has previously been linked with a move to Sunderland.

With seven players having already left the Stadium of Light, it is expected that boss Phil Parkinson will welcome a variety of new faces to the club and Lewis was linked with a move to the League One club earlier this year.

The Sun reported that Parkinson had joined a whole host of clubs with interest in Lewis, who shot to fame after appearing on the 2019 summer edition of Love Island, where he was dumped after just four days.

Sunderland join the likes of Huddersfield, Oxford United, Leyton Orient and favourites to sign the forward, Charlton Athletic, who are now said to have pushed forward with their interest.

Lewis netted an impressive 14 goals and provided 11 assists during the 2019/2020 season which ultimately helped Wealdstone clinch the National League South title.

The 23-year-old initially began his footballing career with Championship side Watford before having spells with Woking, Crawley Town, Falkirk and Bromley.

The Sun report Charlton are now ready to make a solid move for the attacker as they look to beat off interest from elsewhere.

Quite whether or not Lewis is ready for the step-up to England’s third tier remains to be seen but he has gained plenty of interest after his non-league performances.

Sunderland are in desperate need of some new attacking options and Phil Parkinson must look to bring in some new faces soon. If the package to sign him isn’t much, he may be a gamble worth taking for the Wearside club given his form last term.

Do you think Sunderland should make a move for Lewis? Let us know in the comments section below…

Speaking to Football.London, Jermaine Jenas has urged Tottenham to strengthen at full-back this summer.

What did he say?

With one game remaining in the Premier League, the north London side can still qualify for the Europa League next season, provided they get a result against Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon.

And with Jose Mourinho no doubt keen on shaping this squad in his own image, Jenas believes that bringing in two dynamic full-backs could drastically change how Spurs perform on the pitch.

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He said: “I personally would be looking at two full-backs if I was Jose. If that’s all the money I have to spend this summer, that’s where I’d spend it because I’d be saying I’ve got Toby Alderweireld, Davinson Sanchez and Jan Vertonghen, give him at least until January or next year, and then I could start working on my defence.

“They need more security in the wider areas, something a little bit stronger and on the front foot to cause problems. At the minute they don’t have that in those areas and that is where I’d start. I do think that would change Tottenham and their style of play drastically if they get two new full-backs. Spurs don’t have anywhere near enough quality or the dynamic element that they need in the league right now. That’s where I would start right now.”

Transformation

When Spurs were in their pomp under Mauricio Pochettino, both Kyle Walker and Danny Rose offered the Lilywhites the kind of attacking intent that made them such an exciting team to watch.

The pace, the overlapping runs, the dangerous deliveries into the area. It’s things they have well and truly lost in these past couple of years, and as Jenas points out, there’s a major absence in quality in the full-back positions at Spurs.

You only have to look at Premier League champions Liverpool to just see the kind of effect two world-class full-backs can have on a team, with both Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold providing a shed-load of assists between them – this season alone has seen them combine for 26 assists across all competitions.

So whilst on the surface, claiming that he would invest all of his money on two full-backs seems like a strange thing to say, Jenas certainly has somewhat of a point.

After Steven Bergwijn opened the scoring for Tottenham on Friday, Manchester United were preparing for the worst.

Bergwijn beat Harry Maguire and David De Gea with blistering pace, before the Red Devils clawed their way back into the game with a penalty from Bruno Fernandes.

While this could be a minor blip, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has indicated he wants to sign a new centre-back in the summer, and has identified Kalidou Koulibaly at the top of his shortlist.

Now, according to Gazzetta dello Sport, as per Sport Witness, Napoli have only received one offer for Koulibaly so far, which has come from the Red Devils.

Koulibaly has been linked to most of Europe’s biggest clubs at some point in his career to date.

It is fair to say the 28-year-old is one of the best defenders in the world, making 15 appearances in Serie A for Gennaro Gattuso’s side this season and featuring in 6 games in the Champions League – attempting 2.2 tackles per game, averaging 1.5 interceptions and completing a whopping 5.2 clearances on average in the European competition (WhoScored).

Man United have shockingly conceded three more goals than Premier League newcomers Sheffield United and ten more than Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Although Maguire has been solid at the back, his partner-in-crime Victor Lindelof has never looked particularly convincing. Indeed, the Swede has been given a below-par WhoScored rating of 6.65 for his performances so far.

With Marcos Rojo and Phil Jones seemingly heading out the door in the summer, there is room for another veteran to take their place.

However, United are only prepared to offer €80m, which roughly equates to £72m, for the Senegalese defender.

Ed Woodward is unwilling to go any higher, which will not be enough to convince Aurelio de Laurentiis.

Clubs are operating in uncertain times, and the executive vice-chairman has made it clear United’s summer spending could be limited as a result of the financial repercussions of the coronavirus crisis. As it stands, Solskjaer may miss out on Koulibaly when the transfer market opens.

United fans, should Ed Woodward splash the cash to sign Kalidou Koulibaly in the summer? Let us know down below!

Manchester United are determined to sign Jadon Sancho and have offered Alexis Sanchez in exchange for the Borussia Dortmund star, according to Mundo Deportivo. 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made it clear that Sancho is at the top of his shortlist after missing out on the England international last year. The Red Devils have been interested in the youngster for a long time, stemming back to Jose Mourinho’s infamous time in charge.

Earlier this year, The Telegraph revealed that United are leading the race to sign the 20-year-old in the summer and David Ornstein recently confirmed that this remains the case, despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

As a result, this latest development could be bad news for Daniel James.

Ever since he arrived at Signal Iduna Park from Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City for a mere £7m in 2017, the Englishman has dazzled for Lucien Favre’s Borussia Dortmund, scoring 14 goals and creating 16 assists in the Bundesliga this season (WhoScored).

Furthermore, Sancho is the club’s top goalscorer, ahead of the likes of Erling Haaland and Marco Reus (BBC).

On the other hand, it is fair to say that James hasn’t enjoyed the same levels of success as his English counterpart. Indeed, the 22-year-old has struggled for consistency so far, only finding the back of the net on three occasions in the Premier League up until now, although it is worth highlighting that he has registered the highest amount of assists in the English top flight out of all of his Old Trafford teammates.

The Welsh international has netted four goals in all competitions, taking 1.3 shots per game, averaging 0.5 key passes and completing 1.3 dribbles on average in the Europa League (WhoScored).

Solskjaer is prepared to offer Sanchez as part of a deal for the starlet as the Chilean is deemed surplus to requirements.

Although Dortmund are best known for signing young players, United are optimistic that the Yellow and Blacks could be interested in Sanchez. It is worth pointing out that the German club have rejuvenated plenty of inconsistent stars in the past, including the likes of ex-Barcelona forward Paco Alcacer.

The Red Devils have set their sights on bringing Sancho to Old Trafford at all costs, which will surely have an impact on the Welshman. Evidently, if the City academy graduate moves to the Theatre of Dreams, it is highly likely that he will replace James in the starting lineup.

Solskjaer has given the winger lots of opportunities to prove himself and he has largely failed to deliver, so if Sancho returns to Manchester, it is the former Swansea ace who will probably suffer the most.

United fans, do you think Jadon Sancho should start instead of Daniel James? Let us know down below!

Rangers advanced to the third round of the UEFA Youth League after a 2-1 win away to Slovan Bratislava on Wednesday completed a 4-1 aggregate victory over the Slovakian club. [via The Scottish Sun]

Two goals from Nathan Young-Coombes fired Graeme Murty’s young charges to victory in Bratislava, with the 16-year-old scoring either side of half-time after the home side had taken the lead. [via The Scottish Sun]

The teenage forward had also scored in the first leg against Slovan Bratislava three weeks ago, as well as netting what proved to be a vital goal in the previous round against Young Boys when Rangers advanced only on away goals (as per rangers.co.uk).

It isn’t just in the UEFA Youth League that the youngster has been on the goal trail, either – he found the net in the Light Blues’ 2-0 win over Wrexham in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Challenge Cup recently, citing a pre-game talk with ex-Rangers striker Peter Lovenkrands as beneficial in helping him to get into goal-scoring positions. [via Evening Times]

These Rangers fans on Twitter were getting quite excited about Young-Coombes after his double against Slovan Bratislava on Wednesday:

Do you think Young-Coombes could be fast-tracked into the Rangers first team before the end of the season given his recent form? Have your say by commenting below!

After arriving from Fulham last summer, Ryan Sessegnon perhaps hasn’t enjoyed the amount of first-team football at Tottenham that he may have originally hoped for.

The England U21 international has only featured 12 times across all competitions for the first-team, with his only goal in a Spurs shirt coming away against Bayern Munich in the Champions League group stages.

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The north London side have had a mixed season as a whole too, with Mauricio Pochettino’s sacking leading to Jose Mourinho’s arrival as the club’s manager.

And despite them currently finding themselves in eighth place in the Premier League, Sessegnon has revealed his optimism for next year. He said: “The gaffer wants to push on next year, I can’t see why we won’t be pushing for the top 2 or 3. We’ve got a very strong squad. If we can add some bits to it we can go all the way and I know the gaffer is looking to win title.”

After hearing about Sessegnon’s comments, Spurs fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts.

One fan in particular felt that Sessegnon’s ambition seemed slightly far-fetched given that the club may not be able to spend big-money this summer.”Stop talking”, “Bless him” – Sessegnon’s “deluded” comments has many Spurs fans shaking heads

It’s certainly an ambitious statement to make.

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The Lilywhites have had a fairly tumultuous season both on the pitch and off it, so it will be a real test of Mourinho’s credentials if he really can turn things around and get Spurs to challenging for the league title.

Meanwhile, Spurs fans react to their interest in this 15-goal striker.

Mauricio Pochettino has finally parted ways with Tottenham Hotspur, the club has now officially confirmed.

And interestingly enough, the Argentine’s replacement has already arrived in the form of none other than Jose Mourinho.

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The Portuguese will now have a big task ahead of him to steady a sinking ship and bring Spurs back to the level they were on last season when they reached the Champions League final.

But it seems that Pochettino’s departure has affected some of their biggest stars and Harry Kane was quick to post a heartbreaking message to his former manager on Twitter, thanking him for everything and wishing him good luck.

Of course, upon seeing that emotional tweet, loads of Spurs fans were simply devastated and sad, stating how it made them cry and how life is simply unfair at times.

You can see some of their replies and comments down in the collection of tweets below.

Check them out…