Aston Villa have been linked to a Premier League ace ahead of the transfer window, as Unai Emery aims to bolster his high-achieving squad this summer.

The Spaniard has transformed Villa since his arrival, directing the club to European football which has raised the stakes going into the transfer period with a host of top talent linked.

It has been reported that the 51-year-old will be handed a £150m kitty this summer, however, the latest talent reported to be wanted at Villa Park won’t dent the budget.

What’s the latest on Youri Tielemans to Aston Villa?

As reported by The Athletic this week, Villa have ‘joined the race’ to sign Leicester City star Youri Tielemans, who will become a free agent this summer.

Valued by CIES Football Observatory at €40m (£34m), the Spaniard could get an absolute steal in obtaining the midfielder with no fee.

What could Youri Tielemans bring to Aston Villa?

Lauded as a “phenomenon” by former Anderlecht player Par Zetterberg, Tielemans has established himself as one of the Premier League’s most threatening midfielders.

Such claims are supported by his 42 goal contributions in his four-and-a-half-year stay in the top division, ending with Leicester City in relegation to the Championship after an abysmal season for the Foxes.

Despite Leicester’s failures, the Belgian managed five goal contributions and could be a huge asset to Emery’s plans to take Villa to new heights.

One player that may benefit from the introduction of the 26-year-old is Jacob Ramsey, who could be provided with a new outlet from central midfield in an accomplished ball player.

When playing at Anderlecht, Tielemans was deployed in an identical formation to how Emery plays, starring in the centre of a midfield trio behind the striker.

Ramsey has shone in the Spaniard’s free-flowing system, scoring six goals and registering seven assists this campaign from the right wing – as per Sofascore.

For Ramsey, the £120k-per-week Tielemans could be the perfect instalment to the squad, highlighted through his advanced number of progressive passes he averages per 90, with 6.95 in comparison to Emiliano Buendia’s 5.15 per 90, showing he could be a better outlet for the winger.

The 22-year-old enjoys to run onto passes, as signified by his rate of progressive passes received, averaging 4.06 per 90 via FBref.

That certainly makes the potential arrival of the creative midfielder an exciting one.

Villa’s main supply of creativity in midfield is Buendia, who could be significantly upgraded by Tielemans this summer, who is accustomed to feeding wide players in the Premier League, as highlighted through his partnership with Harvey Barnes.

The duo contributed heavily to Leicester’s season, being the club’s standout performances alongside James Maddison this campaign.

Only time will tell if the deal can come to life this summer, however, there is little to wonder about the influence the Belgian could have on the squad.

Leeds United are still without a manager after suffering relegation from Premier League almost a month ago, but progress is starting to be made at Elland Road.

The 49ers have confirmed their full takeover of the club, buying Andrea Radrizzani out of his majority stake and taking full control in the last few days, which has been further boosted by the arrival of interim football advisor Nick Hammond.

Hammond was the sporting director at Reading, director of football operations at Celtic and most recently worked on a consultancy for Newcastle United, so has plenty of experience to provide Leeds with a much-needed expert to support in the summer transfer window during a difficult chapter for the West Yorkshire outfit.

Indeed, the main priorities for Leeds at present are the acquirement of a quality manager who can quickly reinstate their Premier League status and figuring out which players in the current squad will make an exit and who will stay to compete in the Championship next season.

However, with many Leeds players already speculated with a move away from the club this summer, identifying key targets who can replace and revive the team next season will be absolutely essential for a successful season.

One player who has been linked with a move to Elland Road this summer is Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks, who has just spent a year on loan in the Serie A with Sampdoria.

Would Harry Winks be a good fit for Leeds?

It is no secret that Leeds will struggle to keep a number of their talents ahead of their Championship campaign and finding the best way to approach that will be essential for Hammond during his time at the club.

In midfield, the Whites have already lost Weston McKennie as he returns to Juventus after his loan spell, whilst Tyler Adams has been attracting interest from a number of Premier League clubs following relegation to the second tier, so there is definitely an opportunity to bolster the centre of the pitch this summer.

As a result, the signing of Winks – who had a £22m buyout clause as part of his temporary deal – would be a major coup for Leeds if they could convince him to make a move and would definitely soften the blow of losing some of the key players in midfield.

Over 20 Serie A appearances this season, the 27-year-old Englishman – hailed "amazing" by Mauricio Pochettino in the past – has tallied up an 85% pass completion rate and successfully completed 78% of his dribbles, as well as averaging 1.2 interceptions, 1.4 tackles, one clearance and 3.2 duels won per game, displaying strong ball-winning capabilities and ability to look after the ball in possession.

One of Leeds' biggest issues in the top flight last season was their defensive consistency with no other team in the Premier League conceding more goals over the 38-game campaign (78), so bringing in players who can improve the defensive presence and being more efficient in possession would be advantageous.

With that being said, if Hammond could secure the services of Winks it could massively improve the performances in midfield next season and help Leeds to secure promotion back to the Premier League.

Liverpool are in the process of a midfield rebuild at Anfield this summer and now a new update has emerged on the club's pursuit of a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Liverpool's interest in Romeo Lavia?

According to The Independent's chief football writer Miguel Delaney, Liverpool are in a four-way battle to sign Southampton star Romeo Lavia.

As per his most recent article, Delaney claims Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea join the Reds in the race to sign the midfielder this summer and it is expected that Saints will command a fee of £45m to part ways with their youthful asset.

Who would Romeo Lavia replace in the Liverpool team?

Jurgen Klopp and new sporting director Jorg Schmadtke have got off to a great start this summer with the signing of World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister earlier this month.

When assessing the talent that Liverpool have been linked to this summer, including Khephren Thuram and Kouadio 'Manu' Kone, they appear to be targeting more youthful prospects who can develop into superstars at Anfield like those before them, instead of opting for more experienced and short-term solutions to bolster depth.

As a result, the signing of Lavia would be a fantastic opportunity for the Reds to inject another rising star into their successful squad, and he could be the dream understudy for Fabinho next season.

Over 29 Premier League appearances last season, the 19-year-old talent – hailed "perfect" by reporter Nick Emms – has tallied up an 86% pass completion rate and successfully completed 68% of his dribbles, as well as averaging 1.1 interceptions, 2.1 tackles and 4.9 duels won per game.

Not only that, Lavia ranks in the top 12% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues in 2022/23 for possession won, compared to Fabinho who ranked in the top 41%, demonstrating that the youngster is already showing stronger ball-winning capabilities than his Brazilian peer on Merseyside.

Liverpool have had huge success when acquiring the services of Southampton's talent with Adam Lallana, Virgil van Dijk and Sadio Mane just three of the players who have switched their allegiance to the six-time Champions League winners and thrived in the process.

With that being said, if the club could secure the services of Lavia, who Benjy Nurick views as a "monster", it would be a major coup and provide Klopp with a quality player to deploy instead of Fabinho, who could ultimately replace the Liverpool ace all-together in the defensive midfield role.

Manchester United have Sofyan Amrabat on their wanted list this summer and are set to battle Barcelona to get a deal done, as reported by Calciomercato via Sport Witness.

Who is Sofyan Amrabat?

Amrabat has once more been a regular first-team player for current club Fiorentina this season, managing 29 league appearances for the club with one assist. He's now played more games for the Italian side in the league than any other club over the course of his career too, with 83 outings to his name to date. It shows just how important the midfielder has become to the side since his move from Club Brugge in Belgium.

In fact, the 26-year-old has now become one of the most impressive players in his position for passing in the Big Five leagues. His 67.12 passes per 90 means that he is in the 89th percentile for that figure (or the top 11%). Even more impressive is that despite attempting so many passes, he actually ranks in the top five percent in his position for pass completion rate and the top eight percent for progressive passes.

His vision and ability to control the player and get the ball forward with his excellent passing range has now caught the eye of two big European sides. According to a report from Calciomercato via Sport Witness, both Manchester United and Barcelona are keen to sign the player after he said "goodbye" to his current team following their Europa Conference League final defeat.

However, the report adds that United may have the upper hand though because of their financial power compared to the Catalan outfit. Fiorentina have slapped a 40 million Euro (or £34m) price tag on his head and the Red Devils are more able to pay that fee compared to Barcelona.

Should Amrabat join Man United?

The midfielder could certainly help bolster the Premier League side's ranks in the centre of the field if he was to join. Erik Ten Hag would be getting a player that is not only a good passer of the ball as previously shown but can also get the ball forward himself, with a knack for dribbling and driving the play forward himself. His rate of 1.62 progressive carries per 90 mark him out as better than average in his position (67th percentile) for example and his 70.6% successful take on rate show that he is able to not only get the ball forward but beat his man too.

In addition, football journalist Josh Bunting has previously hailed the player as "outstanding," admitting that during the Europa Conference League Final the midfielder "ran the game."

Amrabat then is certainly talented and his ability to dictate the play could come in useful at Old Trafford if they did sign him.

With the summer transfer window now well underway, Tottenham Hotspur will be aiming to hand new boss Ange Postecoglou the tools to spark something of a revival at N17, amid the need for quality additions over the coming months.

According to recent reports in France, one man who is believed to be on the north Londoners' 'shortlist' is Lyon midfielder, Maxence Caqueret, with German giants Borussia Dortmund also keeping tabs on the promising Frenchman.

The 23-year-old – who is said to be valued at around £26m, according to CIES Football Observatory – has racked up 130 appearances for his current side since rising up through the youth ranks, notably contributing four goals and seven assists in 40 games across all fronts last season from his deep-lying berth.

Undoubtedly a player of "pure quality and intelligence" – according to talent scout Jacek Kulig – it is no surprise just why the 5 foot 9 gem has warranted such interest of late, with Postecoglou seemingly looking to shake up his midfield ranks this summer, amid reports that Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg could be on his way.

For all Caqueret's quality, however, Spurs may well be cautious with regard to splashing out on another exciting midfield star from Lyon, having previously been burned by the signing of Tanguy Ndombele from the French outfit.

Has Tanguy Ndombele been a good signing for Spurs?

While there have been reports that Postecoglou could be open to giving Ndombele another chance to impress this summer, the mercurial Frenchman has perhaps had enough opportunities over the past few years, having been signed on a club-record £63m deal back in 2019.

The 5 foot 11 enigma – who has spent time on loan back at Lyon and at Napoli over the last 18 months or so – has scored just ten goals and contributed only nine assists in 91 games in all competitions over the last four years for Spurs, having failed to truly make his mark in the centre of the park.

Branded a "disgrace" by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher due to his lack of work ethic, the one-time Amiens man also came under fire from former boss Jose Mourinho due to his Tottenham woes, with the Portuguese stating in 2021 that "Tanguy is the kind of guy that you always expect more from."

With it clear to see that the £200k-per-week asset has not lived up to his rather hefty, initial price tag, it would be fair to suggest that the signing of Ndombele has proven a notable error for Daniel Levy and co, hence the possible concern over snapping up another Lyon midfield man in the form of Caqueret.

South Africa wanted a pitch to nullify the threat of Rangana Herath, and that is what they got in Port Elizabeth

Firdose Moonda30-Dec-2016As much as South Africa succeeded in scoring the runs and taking the wickets they needed to beat Sri Lanka, they also managed to make use of home advantage by blunting the opposition’s biggest threat. Unusually, the most spinner-friendly surface in the country offered little turn and barely deteriorated despite a severe dry spell in the lead-up to the match but that was all part of the South African plan to take Rangana Herath out of the game.”The groundsman got it spot on,” Faf du Plessis said. “We asked him for a wicket that didn’t spin right through the innings – that moved around on the first innings and didn’t spin on day four and five. So it’s great wicket that he prepared.”Adrian Carter, the St George’s Park groundsman, left a much thicker grass covering on than he normally does, in the hope the pitch would hold together for five days. As a result, the teams got what du Plessis called a “new-ball wicket,” where there was a little bit of movement on the first day, as Suranga Lakmal proved, but that became better for batting as the match went on. By the fourth and fifth day, it was still flat and South Africa’s attack had toil in the absence of any reverse swing.But that was the devil they knew and chose, opting to make their lives more difficult with ball in hand because they did not want to take the chance of it becoming impossible when batting. “You can either choose a green wicket or one that’s good for batting and then it will spin later but against a team like this it’s important that you nullify their strengths, which is spin bowling,” du Plessis said. “As a batting unit, we are not scared of batting on a green top, so we will choose going on something that looked a bit greener than something that look a bit more brown.”That there were no bare patches to help scuff up the ball also meant du Plessis did not have to resort to any outlandish ball-shining strategies and he was seen to pass the duties on to the likes of Hashim Amla, Dean Elgar, Stephen Cook and Temba Bavuma. Du Plessis admitted he enjoyed keeping his hands out of the sweet jar, for now.”I didn’t shine the ball with a sweet in my mouth this Test match,” he said. “It’s still something that’s fine. I spoke to the umpires before the Test to get some clarity on it and they said its fine, they are not going to stop the game, but it’s about making sure it’s not obvious. But I also did take a step back and make sure the other guys also had the responsibility of shining the balls. It gave me an opportunity to make sure my head is really in the game.”Having his focus trained on the field was important for South Africa because they needed to combine patience with proper planning if they wanted to make things happen in the Sri Lanka second innings. Du Plessis set attacking fields, asked his bowlers to put in long spells and remain accurate while also knowing the target was chaseable so they could not let it slip. The role of left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj was important as it allowed Kyle Abbott, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rababa to rotate.”They had a few soft wickets and if they didn’t do that and batters had put their hands up, they could have chased this score down,” du Plessis said. “But Vernon, Kyle and KG are doing an amazing job. For Kyle to step into Dale’s shoes and do as well as Dale has done for this team is amazing. Every time he plays a game he is incredibly consistent. Even though KG wasn’t as quick as he would like – you are not going to always be on song – Vernon put his hand up as he always does on a green top.”Du Plessis played down concerns over Rabada being down on pace – he only occasionally got over the 140kph-mark – as a result of fatigue and brushed off suggestions he needed a rest. “Mentally and physically, he is fine,” du Plessis said. “If he played all the domestic T20 games I would have maybe had a different answer but I think he has had his rest and he is ready to go.”Instead, he laid the challenge on the batsmen to continue the search of consistency. “I spoke about it before the Test. I feel we are batting really well as a unit but it comes in individual greatness and I feel we can do a little bit more as a unit. It’s about lifting that bar a little higher and not being happy with getting to 300 and winning the game but actually pushing it to 400. In the first innings, we had fifty runs as a batting unit, left in the tank. It’s about not settling.”

James Neesham defended 17 runs in the final over, and prior to that he slammed an unbeaten 42 off only 16 balls to set up Otago’s two-run victory over Northern Districts

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Dec-2016
ScorecardJames Neesham smashed five sixes in 16 balls.•Getty Images

Allrounder James Neesham and fast bowler Warren Barnes played vital hands in Otago’s tense, two-run victory in Dunedin. It was their first of the 2016-17 Super Smash.Northern Districts, who were chasing 178 in 15 overs since the match was delayed by rain, needed 26 runs off 11 balls thanks to a ferocious start provided by their captain Dean Brownlie. He faced 26 of the first 30 deliveries of the innings to strike his third T20 fifty. He also ended up being dismissed within that time, which allowed Otago a way back in.Warren picked up two wickets in the 14th over – wicketkeeper Tim Seifert for 7 and Daryl Mitchell for 8. That left Northern Districts with 18 runs to get in the final over, and in that final over, Neesham ran Scott Kuggelein out, then bowled the No. 10 Zak Gibson and wrapped the match up.Neesham’s contribution with the bat was just as pivotal. Coming in at the 10th over, he smacked five sixes and a four to finish unbeaten on 42 off only 16 balls. Considering Otago’s margin of victory was only two runs, every one of those blows were crucial. Neesham was picking up where half-centurion Neil Broom had left off, after the team had won the toss but lost their opener Hamish Rutherford off the second ball. Broom smashed 57 off 35 balls with four fours and three sixes, he was assisted by Michael Bracewell who walloped four sixes in his 34 and Neesham gave the fishing touch.

Match facts

Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Start time 1900 local (1330 GMT)3:27

‘Time for DRS in T20s’ – Root

Big picture

It is not often that India have to contend with their batting being a weakness but ahead of the deciding T20I in Bangalore – which only gained that status courtesy Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling – that seems to be the case. The line-up is not quite as deep as it tends to be in Test cricket and their losing wickets a little too frequently hasn’t helped, leading to totals such as 147 and 144. A good partnership at the top of the order could do nicely with the trophy on the line.England have coped well despite injuries. David Willey was ruled out after damaging his left shoulder in the final ODI and Alex Hales had to board an early flight out with a broken hand. It is testament to their limited-overs bench strength that they go into the final match on an even keel. Chris Jordan’s death bowling has stood out while Moeen Ali has improved on his most economical four-over performance in consecutive matches.India haven’t yet won a bilateral T20 series against England, with their two-match series in 2012-13 ending in a stalemate, and England coming out on top in three previous one-off clashes. There was a distinct chance of this record staying intact but an umpiring error “shifted momentum” away from the visitors. Eoin Morgan has raised the issue with the match referee, but might well prefer to do most of his talking on the field so that England can return home with at least one piece of silverware after a long and difficult tour.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)India WLLWW
England LWLWLJasprit Bumrah’s slog-overs bowling could be key to India’s chances•AFP

In the spotlight

Jasprit Bumrah‘s intelligent variations of pace resulted in several swing-and-miss moments, leaving England frustrated in Nagpur. In two overs at the slog, he conceded just four runs, and took out Root and Buttler in the 20th to win the game. India would love a spell like that in Bangalore, a place notorious for producing run gluts.Sam Billings has not shown his full potential in this series. He could very well find himself back on the bench again when Hales regains his fitness. But with one more chance to impress the selectors – with the series up for grabs – his future could yet be in his control.

Team news

India don’t have reason to change much. Yuzvendra Chahal should keep his place in the XI, considering he will be on home turf having played for Royal Challengers Bangalore since 2014 in the IPL. Amit Mishra did well in Nagpur and would be hopeful of another start as well. Considering the must-win nature of this game, it is likely Rishabh Pant will spend his first series with Indian team on the sidelines.India (probable) 1 Virat Kohli (capt), 2 KL Rahul, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 Manish Pandey, 6 MS Dhoni (wk), 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Amit Mishra, 9 Jasprit Bumrah, 10 Ashish Nehra, 11 Yuzvendra ChahalEngland’s batsmen struggled on a sluggish pitch in Nagpur, but should relish the one at the M Chinnaswamy stadium, famous for its true-paced nature. Liam Dawson, though, might have reason to complain, for he may find himself replaced by a fast bowler, possibly Liam Plunkett, in light of the ground’s short boundaries.England (probable) 1 Jason Roy, 2 Sam Billings, 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Chris Jordan, 9 Liam Dawson/Liam Plunkett, 10 Tymal Mills, 11 Adil Rashid

Pitch and conditions

With a new outfield, the Chinnaswamy stadium is all set to host its first match since the IPL final in May last year. That match had over 400 runs scored. A flat deck and small boundaries could produce the highest totals in this series yet. The weather is expected to stay clear through the match.

Stats and trivia

• India have played three bilateral series involving three T20Is before this and have won each of them.
• Ashish Nehra has taken the most wickets among India bowlers in the Powerplay. He surpassed R Ashwin with his dismissals of the England openers in Nagpur.
• Out of England’s current squad, only Eoin Morgan, Jos Buttler and Chris Jordan have played at the Chinnaswamy stadium in the past.

Everton could be about to boost their frontline it seems, with TuttomercatoWeb reporting that the Toffees are in "advanced" talks to bring in Rodrigo from Leeds United.

How many goals did Rodrigo score for Leeds United?

The current Leeds striker has been with the club for the last three seasons but really found his stride in the top flight in the 2022/23 campaign. Having never managed a double-digit goal tally for the Whites prior to this year, he managed to bag 13 goals and one assist for them in just 23 starts.

It wasn't enough to keep the Whites in the Premier League, with the Toffees surviving on the final day, but it was a valiant effort from the 32-year-old.

That total was also his best goals tally for six years and shows that the player still has plenty to offer when leading an attack. Further proof that he is still at the top of his game comes when you look at his stats compared to other strikers across the Men's 'Top Five' big leagues in Europe.

His non-penalty goal rate of 0.56 per 90 for example puts him in the top 12 percent in that category and his shot total of 3.07 also puts him in the 77th percentile in that area. It shows that the Spaniard can be prolific at the highest level – and is one of the most clinical in his position – but also regularly gets into the spaces where he can attack the opposition goalkeeper and get those goals.

Are Everton interested in Rodrigo?

With Leeds now facing Championship football though, the player could be allowed to move on and it appears that the Premier League is a real proposition for the attacker.

That's because according to TuttomercatoWeb, Everton are in talks with Rodrigo over a potential transfer move. Not only that, but these "contacts" are described as being "advanced" and it adds that a deal could even be completed "as early as next week." It means that the Toffees appear to be fairly far along in negotiations and a transfer could soon be completed for the striker, who currently earns around £100,000-a-week with the Whites.

Rodrigo has arguably earned his place back in the Premier League next season, impressing with his performances up front for the relegated outfit, with football journalist Josh Bunting stating that a strike from the player was "class." It shows the level that the attacker is at and if the Toffees could indeed snap up the player, it could give them a good chance at trying to push on next season.

Burnley look set to bring in a first new face since earning promotion to the Premier League, as head coach Vincent Kompany attempts to assemble a squad capable of staying in the top flight.

Are Burnley signing Dara O'Shea?

BBC Sport reports that the Clarets are set to sign Dara O'Shea from West Bromwich Albion after the centre-back impressed in the Championship last season.

Albion need to bring in some money this summer due to their Premier League parachute payments coming to an end, and the sale of O'Shea is therefore considered a necessity to balance the books.

The report states that a deal in the region of £7m is due to be concluded with the player undergoing a medical at Turf Moor.

Where would Dara O'Shea fit in at Burnley?

Burnley have already made the loan signing of Jordan Beyer permanent this summer, signing the centre-back from Borussia Monchengladbach for a reported fee of £13m, but defensive partner Taylor Harwood-Bellis is back at parent club Manchester City.

It is perhaps no coincidence that O'Shea has very similar attributes to Harwood-Bellis, the man he is effectively being signed to replace. Indeed, FBref's player comparison tool ranks Harwood-Bellis ninth on the list of centre-backs most similar to O'Shea in terms of statistical profile, suggesting he would be perfect for Kompany and co.

Both players offer the occasional goal threat (0.05 goals per 90 minutes for O'Shea, 0.03 for Harwood-Bellis); they complete a similar number of passes (82.9% and 85% respectively); while they win a near identical amount of tackles (0.62 v 0.68) and likewise for percentage of aerial duels won (61.3 v 62.2).

Kompany regularly praised Harwood-Bellis last season, though he did suggest it would take time for the 21-year-old to find real consistency with his performances.

"The difference between a young player and an experienced player is usually the amount of consistency you can get in your performances," Kompany said. "That's how you become a centre-half that teams can trust."

Three years older than Harwood-Bellis, and with 19 senior caps for his country already under his belt, O'Shea is further along in his development than the talented City product.

One concern for Kompany would be O'Shea's injury history, having missed 25 games in the 2021-22 season and the final nine games of last season, prior to returning for Ireland's Euro 2024 qualifiers.

However, as then-West Brom boss Valerian Ismael put it when O'Shea recovered swifter-than-expected from the first of those lay-offs: "He has the mentality; he's a warrior."

Ranked by FBref in the top 5% of his positional peers for aerial duels won (4.24 per 90 minutes) and top 10% for passes attempted (65.24 per 90), the £15k-per-week earner looks like the ideal option for Kompany to partner Beyer – or indeed Hjalmar Ekdal – in the Premier League next season.