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Aston Villa have been tipped to make a move for West Ham United midfielder Tomas Soucek, with the Czech Republic international facing an uncertain future at the London Stadium.

What’s the word?

According to journalist Ashley Preece – in a Q & A for Birmingham Mail – sporting director Johan Lange is currently “exploring” potential targets ahead of a summer move, with the Hammers ace believed to be one figure of interest who is possibly up for grabs.

Asked if the Midlands outfit are in the market for a new central midfielder, Preece stated: “Yes, Villa are looking to add more quality in CM. Johan Lange exploring options. Tomas Soucek is said to be available…”.

This follows reports that the 27-year-old is of interest to Villa, along with a handful of other Premier League clubs, with the suggestion being that David Moyes could be willing to cash in on the 52-cap giant in the current transfer window.

Supporters will love it

Amid all the talk regarding a possible departure for current first-team regular Douglas Luiz – who has just a year left on his existing deal – Villa supporters will love hearing that Steven Gerrard and co are being active regarding a potential replacement, with Soucek seemingly an ideal candidate to fill the void.

Dubbed “unplayable” by Yannick Bolasie, the former Slavia Prague ace – who joined the Irons on an initial loan deal in January 2020 – has been integral to his current club’s remarkable resurgence in thr last couple of years, forging a formidable midfield partnership with Declan Rice.

While the Englishman has often stolen the limelight in that time, the 6 foot 4 colossus has undoubtedly been impactful in his own right, having chipped in with 20 goal contributions in 86 top-flight games so far for the east London outfit.

That haul includes a particularly impressive tally of ten league goals from the 2020/21 campaign as the Hammers secured Europa League football, while he provided a respectable five league goals last term from his defensive midfield berth.

A sheer menace in both boxes, the £40.5m-rated monster unsurprisingly ranks in the top 8% for touches in the attacking penalty area – and also in the top 1% for clearances made and the top 2% for aerial duels won – among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, showcasing both his attacking and defensive prowess.

A forceful and imposing presence in the centre of the park, the £47k-per-week brute would provide some much-needed steel to a Villa side which had been lacking a bona fide defensive-minded midfielder last term, with the aforementioned Luiz deployed as something of a makeshift stop-gap in the holding role.

While perhaps not the most glamorous addition, Soucek would offer a reliable and consistent asset for Gerrard’s side, with supporters set to be delighted if Villa can make another statement of intent this summer by poaching the player from a club who have been on the rise in recent years.

AND in other news, Lange eyeing Villa move for £30m “goalscoring machine”, he’d be their own Darwin Nunez

Arsenal’s summer transfer window started with sheer excitement but the wind has rather been taken away from their sails in recent days.

What’s the word?

After welcoming Fabio Vieira to the club from Porto, Edu set his sights on bringing Lisandro Martinez and Raphinha to the Emirates Stadium.

However, it looks as though the latter now prefers a move to Barcelona over the Gunners and Man United have meanwhile joined the race for the former.

Arsenal are set to battle Erik ten Hag’s men for the signature of another exciting talent, though, with reports linking the pair with a move for Serge Gnabry.

The German winger is in the final year of his deal at the Allianz Arena and as a result, is available at a cut-price of £40m.

Arsenal are interested in re-signing Gnabry according to the Daily Star, but they will have to ‘lock horns’ with United in order to sign him.

Better than Raphinha

There was much fanfare behind the Gunners’ bid to sign Raphinha but with that move now seemingly dead in the water, they should turn their attention to Gnabry.

Arsene Wenger holds great regret over the manner in which he left Islington and headed back to his homeland and it’s hardly a surprise when you consider what he’s done since.

A complete machine in the final third, the 26-year-old is now in the prime of his career and has been described as “truly unstoppable” by verified social media manager Alex Chaffer.

It’s easy to see why that assessment has been made with the Germany international scoring 64 goals and supplying 40 assists in 171 outings for Bayern. Five of those goal involvements came in one game back in October 2019, when he truly terrorised Tottenham in the Champions League.

Those types of performances are exactly why Edu and Mikel Arteta should be fighting hard to acquire his signature this summer.

He is a special talent and on the above evidence, he is even better than Raphinha. He has an elite pedigree and has shown on a regular basis that he can light it up on the continent’s biggest stage.

However, a deeper look at his numbers also tells us why he is a greater threat than the Leeds United forward.

Gnabry’s scout report, via FB Ref, is a sea of green with the former West Brom loanee ranking in the top 12% of players in Europe’s top five leagues for shot-creating actions per 90 minutes. Raphinha, by comparison, only sits in the top 32%.

Meanwhile, the effervescent attacker is also in the top 10% for expected assists, the best 6% for progressive carries and the top 5% for touches in the attacking penalty area.

If we compare that to Raphinha, he is considerably better with the Brazilian ranking in the best 34% for expected assists, the top 61% for progressive carries and the top 42% for touches in the opposition’s penalty box.

With that in mind, it’s clear to see why Arsenal should now put all of their eggs in Gnabry’s basket. He is more experienced, knows the Premier League and is available at a bargain price.

Journalist Paul Brown has delivered his verdict on the potential transfer activity to come at West Ham United this summer. 

The lowdown: Hotting up

Having made a quiet start to the summer, the Hammers have now completed deals to bring Rennes defender Nayef Aguerd, Swansea City midfielder Flynn Downes and Paris Saint-Germain stopper Alphonse Areola to the London Stadium on a permanent basis.

Meanwhile, club captain Mark Noble has retired, whilst Ryan Fredericks and Andriy Yarmolenko both left the east London club after the expiration of their respective contracts.

The only other significant transfer saw on loan defensive midfielder Alex Kral return to Spartak Moscow, but now one informed onlooker has shed some light on what could come next in the market for the Irons…

The latest: ‘West Ham are saying…’

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Daily Star journalist Brown suggested that David Moyes may not have the funds to land the amount or quality of signings required.

He said: “West Ham are saying they want to end the window having signed five or six players. It’s a strange situation at West Ham because there’s a lot of talk that they don’t have the money people thought they had, although they still seem to be targeting a quite high calibre of player.”

The verdict: Irons in the fire…

Although only three incomings have so far been confirmed, one of which was a loan move held over from last season, Moyes and transfer chief Rob Newman have certainly been actively pursuing targets.

West Ham have reportedly recently had an offer rejected for Lille midfielder Amadou Onana, been heavily linked with Chelsea striker Armando Broja and been named among the multiple suitors for free-agent forward Jesse Lingard – who spent a stellar spell on loan in east London in 2020/21.

With more than enough room in the current squad to accommodate further signings, any of the aforementioned trio would be welcome additions to the Hammers’ ranks, particularly Broja as Moyes simply cannot afford to head into another gruelling season with only Michail Antonio as a recognised senior centre-forward.

A huge update has emerged regarding Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of Djed Spence in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

The Athletic’s David Ornstein has revealed that Spurs are now closing in on a deal for the England under-21 international after discussions with Middlesbrough.

He tweeted: “Tottenham on the verge of total agreement with Middlesbrough to sign Djed Spence. Talks between Daniel Levy, Steve Gibson, player rep Scott Smith have produced a breakthrough. If all goes to plan medical expected in next 48hrs.”

Fabrizio Romano later added to the story, tweeting: “Tottenham are set to complete Djed Spence deal, confirmed and here we go! He’s gonna sign a five year deal, medical tests ready – final details discussed now & contracts being prepared. #THFC Fee will be £12.5m guaranteed plus add ons, total package will be just under £20m.”

Antonio Conte will be delighted

The Spurs head coach will be delighted by this latest development, as Spence would be an exciting addition to his squad for the 2022/23 campaign.

At the age of 21, the full-back is a player who can make an impact in the short run and the long-term for Tottenham. He played 42 games in the Championship on loan at Forest, producing two goals and four assists in that time as he showcased his attacking quality.

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His potential was illustrated by ITV pundit Ian Wright, who said: “If we are talking about right-backs performing at an unbelievable level, we’re talking about Reece James and Trent, but I have not seen a combative, technical, swashbuckling performance like that for a very long time.

“I said to him, in all seriousness, ‘That level we saw there? You should be in the Premier League.’ Simple as that.”

These comments suggest that Spence has the ability to put in an elite wing-back performance, although it is up to him to develop and prove that he can do it week in, week out to be on the same level as the likes of James and Alexander-Arnold.

Spence has the scope to become a full-back capable of making a big impact at the top end of the pitch, scoring and creating goals for the team.

He has plenty of years left ahead of him to hone his skills and build his consistency over time as he gains experience playing in the Premier League. The gem is a player who can benefit from Conte’s coaching and learn from the likes of Ivan Perisic, who is a vastly experienced winger/wing-back in Europe.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano delivers frustrating Spurs update that’ll leave Conte & Levy fuming…

An update has emerged on Newcastle United’s interest in Harvey Barnes in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to The Sun, the Magpies are eyeing a swoop to sign the Leicester gem as Dan Ashworth looks to improve Eddie Howe’s squad.

The report claims that the Foxes are demanding a fee of £50m for the wizard and are not willing to budge on their valuation.

It is stated that the club are looking at Barnes after Everton set a £50m price tag on Anthony Gordon’s head, with the Toon valuing him at £25m.

Big upgrade on Ryan Fraser

By securing a deal to sign the Leicester attacker, Newcastle can land a big upgrade on current Magpies winger Ryan Fraser.

The Scotland international joined the club from Bournemouth on a free transfer in 2020 and he is yet to prove that he has what it takes to be a consistent starter in the Premier League.

In 2020/21, Fraser played 18 games for the Toon and registered two assists, whilst failing to score a single goal from out wide. He then followed that up with two goals and three assists in 27 outings last term, which shows that he has struggled to make a big impact in the final third.

Barnes, on the other hand, has been impressive for the Foxes in the last two campaigns as he has shown that he can be a reliable option at the top end of the pitch.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp previously heaped praise on the winger, saying: “Barnes is probably one of the biggest talents, I’m not sure if he is respected or appreciated as much as he should be, he is an unbelievable player to be honest, a proper Leicester product.”

His statistics suggest that he is deserving of that praise. In 2020/21, he produced nine goals and four assists in 25 Premier League appearances, before racking up six goals and ten assists in 32 matches the following season.

The 24-year-old has proven that he can make a bigger impact than Fraser in the final third, as he has a better record in terms of both scoring and assisting goals from out wide.

Therefore, Ashworth must work hard to get a deal over the line for the Englishman as he would improve Howe’s options in attack for the 2022/23 campaign by offering far more than the Scotsman.

AND in other news, Howe could land his own Dias for Newcastle in £38m deal to sign “underrated” colossus…

Liverpool have already made three signings this summer with Darwin Nunez, Fabio Carvalho and Calvin Ramsay all joining the Anfield outfit ahead of next season, but there could be room for more new faces in Jurgen Klopp’s trophy-chasing squad.

The Reds have now had nine departures in total during the current transfer window, with Sadio Mane, Taki Minamino, Neco Williams and Divock Origi to name a few of the players that have been making moves away from Merseyside over the past few weeks.

As a result, there is surely an opportunity to bring in new players and add further depth to the squad as Liverpool will be wanting to repeat their success of last season by competing across all competitions to win as many trophies as they can.

One player who has been recently linked with a move to the six-time Champions League winners is Martin Terrier, who has been in impressive form for Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais.

With Mane joining Bayern Munich and Roberto Firmino in the last year of his contract currently, the £34m-valued Frenchman could be the perfect replacement for the Brazilian forward going forward if the club decides to part ways with their player next summer.

Over 37 league appearances last season, Terrier scored 21 goals, delivered three assists and created five big chances. The striker also made 1.1 key passes, 1.5 tackles and managed 1.6 shots on target per game, as well as winning the majority of his duels (53%), proving he has the complete package and a consistent goal threat.

Terrier who was hailed “high-level” by Bruno Genesio also ranked second for the most shots on target (47) just behind Kylian Mbappe and ranked sixth for big chances created in the entirety of Ligue 1 last term, proving that he is not just a stand-out in his team but also in his league.

Klopp could quite literally land the second coming of Mane as according to FBref the Senegalese winner was the second most comparable player to Terrier throughout the last 365 days.

Although Mane completed more passes (819) and had a better success rate for pressures (31.6%), the French attacker had more league goal contributions (24), had a better shot-on-target accuracy (50.6%) and produced more shot-creating actions (99) than the former Liverpool star.

With that being said, not only could Klopp deploy a player who can recover the loss of Mane’s attacking threat by signing Terrier, he could even be an upgrade in Liverpool’s forward line next season.

AND in other news: In talks: FSG preparing £60m Liverpool bid for “top player”, imagine him & Nunez

In just over 12 months, Patrick Vieira has overseen an impressive transformation at Crystal Palace.

So much about the club had sadly gone stale under Roy Hodgson but the Frenchman has introduced fresh young talent to the first team, while also getting rid of a lot of deadwood at Selhurst Park.

Although he inherited Eberechi Eze, Vieira has brought in the likes of Odsonne Edouard, Michael Olise and Marc Guehi to south London – all of whom look set to play a big part for the Eagles again next season.

The Arsenal legend has shown that he can use youth effectively and one youngster who could be set to make his mark on Palace’s first team in the near future is Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.

The 19-year-old is being linked with a loan move to League One after starring in Palace’s academy last year and if he can make his mark in senior football, it would not be a surprise to see him earn more first-team minutes with the Eagles.

Last season saw the teenager winger contribute a hugely impressive 18 goals and five assists in just 25 Premier League 2 appearances, so Vieira will surely be keeping a close eye on his progress.

After making his first Palace start in the 1-0 win against Manchester United on the final day of last season, Vieira was full of praise for Rak-Sakyi, saying:

“He played two games against Chelsea and United, so it has been challenging and difficult. But he showed some quality, and he is a really promising young talent.”

If Rak-Sakyi lives up to his obvious potential and finds the net for the first team with the same regularity as he did with the academy side last season, then he could even prove to be the next Wilfried Zaha at Selhurst Park.

The Ivorian has long been linked with a move away from Palace and Roma are reportedly keen this summer after his impressive performances in the Premier League last season, which saw him hit 14 goals.

Should he leave, Vieira might be tempted to forget about signing a replacement, and instead introduce Rak-Sakyi into the first team, potentially saving millions in the process.

AND in other news: Fabrizio Romano reveals huge Crystal Palace development, supporters will be buzzing

Rangers have left themselves with a mountain to climb at Ibrox next week after losing 2-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday.

The Gers struggled in the first leg of the qualifying match as Royale Union Saint-Gilloise strolled to a fairly comfortable win on the night. 

Teddy Teuma gave the hosts the lead in the match as he picked the ball up inside the box and fired a shot that seemed to go right through Jon McLaughlin in goal. 

The Light Blues goalkeeper will be disappointed with himself for allowing it to go past him so easily, although there were bodies between him and the eventual goal scorer.

They then doubled their lead from the penalty spot in controversial circumstances as Connor Goldson – despite the ball coming off his teammate from point-blank range – was adjudged to have committed a handball offence in the box after a VAR review. 

Whilst the referee could be questioned on that decision and McLaughlin did not cover himself in glory on the first goal, the player who really let Giovanni van Bronckhorst down was James Sands as he was disappointing at centre-back. 

Ex-Light Blues attacker Mark Hateley criticised him on BBC Sportsound, saying: 

“Sands has been a problem. I think he’s been caught out two or three times. We asked before, is he comfortable being in there? On this showing, we’re right to question it. Union have figured him out.”

He came in as part of the back three to deal with John Souttar’s absence and looked way off the pace during the match. His positional awareness left a lot to be desired and was partly to blame for the opening goal.

Sands got caught sleeping in the box as he failed to notice the player standing behind him from a cross and he was too slow to react and close him down – allowing Teuma to score.

Former Gers man Richard Foster, meanwhile, urged the manager to take the 22-year-old USA international off whilst the score was 1-0, telling BBC Sport:

“I think Rangers need to take Sands off. They can put on King or Davies and go to a four at a back and move Lundstram into midfield, where we know he’s better. I don’t think Kamara does that advanced role as well.”

He then bemoaned the lack of fight on the pitch, saying:

“The worrying thing for me was there was an acceptance about it. The players weren’t getting at each other. They never put in any tackles. There was no-one taking charge of the game. Rangers are more than capable of coming back in this tie, but they’re going to need to do something.”

It would be unfair to place all of the blame on Sands for this but he was in an unnatural position and was unable to command the team from the back as the 2022 arrival was too busy trying to fix his own performance.

Having a natural centre-back, like Souttar, may have injected more fight into the team by imposing themselves on opposition attackers.

Everton are closing in on a deal to re-sign a fan favourite… 

What’s the word?

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Toffees could be set to make three signings in the coming week.

Writing shortly before Conor Coady’s confirmed transfer he wrote on his Twitter: “Talks at final stages for Gana Gueye too, Everton are optimistic.”

Romano also stated that the Merseyside outfit aim to conclude a deal for Amadou Onana this week.

Allan could be in trouble

With Everton seemingly completely reshaping their midfield, and Alex Iwobi’s central midfield performances making him the first name on the team sheet, it could be worrisome for veteran Brazilian Allan.

Gueye is certain to be given a run in the team, especially considering he will join a considerably better player than when he left Goodison Park in 2019.

The £99k-per-week midfielder featured 26 times in the league last season, and also earned invaluable Champions League experience for Paris Saint-Germain. He was even a scorer in their 2-0 win over Manchester City in the group stages.

Throughout the campaign, he also ranked in the top 5% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for pressures per 90 and continued his trend of remarkable tackling numbers, as he also ranked in the top 7% for tackles per 90.

The Senegalese star is a “relentless” midfielder who brings exceptional talents to an Everton side crying out for an injection of speed and hard work.

He also marries this with a 92.7% pass completion percentage, outlining him as a consistent metronome within central midfield.

Compared to Allan, whose powers have waned over the last year or two, it suggests that this double midfield swoop could spell the end for the former Napoli man.

The 31-year-old has impressed during his spell at Goodison Park but his technical qualities have often let him down. This is indicative in his 26.72 pressures per 90, an impressive score, but a miserable 78.3% pass accuracy.

It seems that he is similar to Gueye when he left the club, however, he now returns with experience far beyond anything already in the Toffees’ dressing room.

To bring back their former player of the year is a romantic move, but it also deepens the squad with real quality that can ensure they do not get sucked into another relegation battle.

The only downside is that it could spell the end of a short and admittedly underwhelming Everton career for Allan who will no doubt be facing an anxious wait over his place in the team.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are believed to be eyeing a move for Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi, with the Belgium international seemingly surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge.

What’s the word?

Recent reports have suggested that the Midlands club are eyeing a loan swoop for the 28-year-old this summer, with Premier League rivals Everton also believed to be in the picture for the 6 foot 1 menace.

The former Marseille man – who has just a year left on his current deal in west London – appears set for a departure from his current club, having not been handed a shirt number for the new season by manager Thomas Tuchel, with that possibly opening the door for the Old Gold to pounce.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has now given his verdict on that potential deal for Bruno Lage’s side, with the transfer insider stating that it could prove an astute move, particularly with Raul Jimenez currently sidelined with injury.

In an interview with Football FanCast, he stated: “Even before Jimenez’s injury they were quite short up front as well. Batshuayi’s obviously got Premier League experience from his time at Chelsea and on loan at Crystal Palace, so it could be a good deal for Wolves”.

Jimenez replacement

As O’Rourke referenced, the aforementioned Jimenez is facing multiple weeks on the sidelines after injuring both his groin and his knee in a pre-season clash earlier this summer, leaving Lage and co desperately short of centre-forward depth.

Even prior to the 31-year-old’s absence, a new striker had appeared a necessity following the Mexico international’s struggles in front of goal last term, as he scored just six league goals in total.

As a whole, the Molineux outfit scored just 38 goals in the Premier League during the 2021/22 season – the fourth worst record in the division – with the top scorers in all competitions being Jimenez and Daniel Podence with just six goals each.

Further firepower is no doubt a necessity before the September 1st deadline, with Batshuayi potentially the man to fill that attacking void, having proven to be a “prolific” presence – in the words of journalist Alex Wood – throughout his career.

The £9m-rated gem netted 44 goals in 120 games during his time at his first club Standard Liege, following that up with a haul of 33 goals in 78 games at Marseille prior to his move to England in 2016.

While he has spent much of the last six years out on loan, the £90k-per-week hotshot still boasts a respectable goal tally of 25 goals in 77 games for the Blues at a rate of almost one every three matches.

The 2021/22 campaign saw the former Crystal Palace loanee impress during his season-long loan stint at Turkish giants Besiktas, scoring 14 goals and registering five assists in 42 games for the Super Lig side.

With 25 goals in 45 caps at international level, the Brussels native clearly offers a potent threat in front of goal, with Lage unlikely to find many better replacements for the stricken Jimenez, particularly on the cheap.