Aston Villa are yet to show off their best in the Premier League this season.

It has been a disorienting summer for Unai Emery’s men after all, with the likes of Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins being consistently looked at by their fellow top-flight rivals, away from the disappointing departure of Jacob Ramsey to Newcastle United for £43m.

Still, with the transfer window wrapping up very shortly, the Spaniard will hope he can keep a firm grip on his top assets – away from the sad exit of Ramsey – with a bounce back from his side’s two winless opening matches also on the cards.

On top of that, he will further be eager to welcome in a few new additions before August is out, with a whole host of fresh signings reportedly on the Villans’ radar.

Aston Villa show late interest in £40m star

Minus splurging out £30m on Evan Guessand, Villa have been quiet in terms of flashy incoming signings.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

That could soon change if Emery and Co are finally successful in their advances to land Chelsea outcast Nicolas Jackson, with Villa having reportedly made him their top target for the remainder of the window.

A deal makes sense, particularly considering he’s already worked with Emery. However, he isn’t the only costly addition rumoured to be making the switch to Villa Park.

The Daily Mail Online have revealed that Villa are in the hunt to sign wantaway West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta.

It won’t be straightforward for Villa to win the Brazilian, who has a hefty £40m price tag above his head, with the report further clarifying that Tottenham Hotspur are also keen to pick up another asset from their near-London rivals, having sounded out Paqueta as a target to now pursue after losing out on Eberechi Eze.

Yet, if Villa were to find themselves at the front of the queue for the lively 27-year-old, they might be about to win a far better signing than a hit-and-miss Jackson entering Emery’s group.

Why Paqueta could be a better signing than Jackson

Rampant transfer talk surrounding Watkins deserting Villa Park has died down in recent weeks.

Therefore, forking out £60m on a striker such as Jackson, who has been prone to widespread barren patches of form at Stamford Bridge, might not be the most sensible move, with £30m already shelled out on landing Guessand to enhance the Premier League side’s forward personnel.

Worryingly, Jackson has squandered a colossal 43 big chances across his last two league seasons at Chelsea.

His goal return of 24 league strikes when he isn’t being wasteful ultimately falls flat next to Watkins’ far superior 35 efforts across the same span.

While the former Villarreal forward might not be viewed as the most sensible use of money, landing Paqueta for £40m could be deemed a masterstroke if he can let his football do the talking in the West Midlands, away from being embroiled in off-the-field controversies at the London Stadium.

Paqueta atWest Ham
Position	Games	Goals + Assists
AM	55	9 + 9
CM	22	3 + 0
LW	13	2 + 4
LM	13	2 + 0
DM	5	0
CF	4	1 + 1
RW	1	0
RM	1	1 + 0
Sourced by Transfermarkt

Indeed, Paqueta has stood out as a vibrant, versatile presence throughout his 122-game stay in East London, with his collection of 19 goals and 14 assists from those clashes seeing him line up in a plethora of different positions, showcasing precisely why he’s been described as “one of the best 10s in the world” by one data analyst.

Having been one of a select few to exit West Ham’s recent 5-1 loss with Chelsea with his head held high, too, having smashed home the Hammers’ opener, the Brazilian will be champing at the bit to line up alongside faces such as Watkins and Rogers, hoping he can elevate his game to their lofty standards in the process.

Well, he should be up for the test, having further been hailed as “magic” by U23 scout Antonio Mango.

Emery will also immediately want Paqueta’s energy from the middle of the park to rub off on his players after a lifeless opening to the season, with the Hammers’ number 10 winning a high six duels per game in league action throughout 2024/25.

Jackson could well go on to do a reasonable job up top in claret and blue, but with Paqueta once being touted for an £85m switch to Manchester City, snapping him up for just £40m is surely the better move to sign off on.

Villa already have Watkins and Guessand who can play up top, but adding another creative face to take the burden away from Rogers – particularly considering he could leave – would be a wise use of funds.

Their next Ramsey: Aston Villa advancing to sign £26m star in late move

Unai Emery could swoop in for his next Jacob Ramsey at Aston Villa by successfully purchasing this £26m ace.

By
Kelan Sarson

Aug 25, 2025

Wolverhampton Wanderers are now among the clubs showing the strongest interest in signing a £30m “monster”, and they have now opened talks over a deal.

Wolves looking to bolster options after losing opening two games

Wolves were always expected to find it difficult against Manchester City in their opening Premier League game, but the manner of the defeat will be disappointing, losing 4-0 at Molineux, and Vitor Pereira’s side were unable to bounce back against AFC Bournemouth.

Marcus Tavernier opened the scoring after just four minutes, and Toti Gomes didn’t do his side any favours by being given a straight red card early in the second half, which meant the Old Gold were ultimately unable to find a way back into the game.

Emmanuel Agbadou, on the other hand, impressed throughout the match, winning all eight of the duels he contested and making one crucial last-man tackle, which earned the Ivorian a SofaScore match rating of 8.1.

Their new Vitinha: Wolves submit big bid to sign "midfield general"

As Wolverhampton Wanderers look to bolster their squad, could they sign a “midfield general” worth £26m, in a move reminiscent of Vitinha’s arrival?

Aug 22, 2025

However, with City finding it all too easy at Molineux last weekend, and Gomes putting in a poor display against Bournemouth, it is no surprise that Pereira remains keen on bringing in another centre-back this summer.

According to a report from Caught Offside, both Wolves and Bournemouth are now showing the strongest interest in signing Chelsea defender Axel Disasi, with the Blues open to sanctioning a departure for a fee in the region of £30m.

An anonymous Caught Offside source has also confirmed the Old Gold have now entered negotiations over a deal for Disasi, saying: “Talks with Chelsea have already begun. Wolves are exploring creative solutions such as performance-based bonuses to complete the deal without stretching their budget.”

However, the defender may wait to hear from the other interested parties before making a final decision, with reigning Serie A champions Napoli also expected to advance talks soon, alongside Bournemouth.

"Monster" Disasi could be excellent signing for Wolves

The 27-year-old is set to leave Chelsea before the deadline, having failed to force his way into Enzo Maresca’s plans, and while he may not be at the level to start for a side with title aspirations, the centre-back could be a solid addition to Wolves’ backline.

Lauded as a “monster” by journalist Rahman Osman, the Frenchman spent the second half of the 2024-25 campaign on loan at Aston Villa, where he impressed Unai Emery, with the manager praising the defender for his mentality and dedication.

The five-time France international is now experienced at Premier League level, having made 44 appearances in the competition, notably catching Statman Dave’s eye with a solid performance against Manchester City in the 2023-24 season.

Wolves recorded the worst defensive record of any side that avoided relegation last season, and having made a poor start to the new campaign, it is clear they need to bring in a new defender, so Disasi could be an excellent addition.

Bumrah is understood to be close to taking the final round of fitness tests at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru

Nagraj Gollapudi04-Apr-2025

Jasprit Bumrah wants to ensure he is totally fit before returning to action•AFP/Getty Images

Jasprit Bumrah will not only miss Friday’s IPL 2025 game for Mumbai Indians (MI) against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) but is also doubtful for MI’s next game, at home against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on April 7.However, ESPNcricinfo has learned that Bumrah, who has been in rehab since January following a stress-related discomfort in his lower back, is getting closer to returning to action. He has been building his bowling workload in recent weeks at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru and is understood to be close to taking the final round of fitness tests. Only after he gets the all-clear from the BCCI medical team can Bumrah link up with MI and play in the IPL.Bumrah, it is understood, has been cautious himself and wants to ensure he is totally fit before returning to action. This is keeping in mind India’s five-Test series in England, starting on June 28.Related

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MI have so far played three games in IPL 2025, winning one and losing two, and have handed debuts to the likes of Satyanarayana Raju, Vignesh Puthur and Ashwani Kumar in Bumrah’s absence, with Trent Boult and Deepak Chahar leading the attack and Hardik Pandya the other seam-bowling option in the line-up.The last update on Bumrah had come on March 19, when MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene had spoken about the “challenge” of being without Bumrah at the start of the season. At the time, it was understood that Bumrah would miss MI’s matches in March but join the squad in April. That has been delayed.Bumrah has played all his IPL cricket for MI, starting in 2013 and picking up 165 wickets in 133 matches over the years. The only IPL season he missed since he started playing was in 2023, when he had a back injury.Ashwani Kumar is among the bowlers who have been handed IPL debuts in Jasprit Bumrah’s absence•AFP/Getty Images

He suffered the latest injury on the second day of the final Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Sydney on January 4. Bumrah was subsequently ruled out of the Champions Trophy, which India won last month. This is the first time Bumrah has gone down with a back injury since his surgery in March 2023.While announcing the Champions Trophy squad in January, Ajit Agarkar, India’s chief selector, had said that Bumrah had been asked by the BCCI medical team to offload for at least five weeks (from the SCG Test). Since the Champions Trophy only started on February 19, Bumrah had been included in India’s provisional squad. He travelled to Bengaluru for fresh scans in early February, but continued to feel discomfort and was not named in the final squad.

Leeds United supporters have not been accustomed to goal-filled matches involving their beloved side since promotion to the Premier League.

Indeed, Daniel Farke’s Whites are yet to score a goal from open play in league action, with their only strike to date being Lukas Nmecha’s penalty, which won a tight affair versus Everton.

Since then, it’s been many a spurned opportunity from the West Yorkshire outfit, with the free transfer addition of Dominic Calvert-Lewin not even boosting their early-season output.

Leeds might not be so frustrated in this department right now if they had managed to win a deal for Harry Wilson on deadline day, with the Welshman never arriving at Elland Road in the end from Fulham, despite serious efforts to bring him in at the final hour.

Why Leeds failed to sign Harry Wilson

Ultimately, the top-flight newcomers left themselves with too much to do as the clock ticked down, with Fulham deciding last-minute to keep their entertaining attacker around.

Why? Well, the story is a source of frustration as far as Leeds are concerned. They initially met Fulham’s quoted asking price a few days before deadline, but with the Cottagers focused on incomings, the Londoners ended up wanting to re-negotiate a move on the final day of the window.

The Whites did return with an improved offer and while that bid was accepted, resulting in a deal sheet being submitted to get the move signed off, Fulham ultimately decided that they did not want to sell the player, communicating to the hierarchy at Elland Road that a deal was off just minutes before the 7pm deadline.

It was a bitter blow for the Yorkshire side, but it’s understandable that Marco Silva’s men wanted to keep him, knowing full well what he’s capable of at the peak of his powers.

Indeed, the “incredible” number eight – as he was once lauded by Jurgen Klopp – is capable of stunning moments like the one above, culminating in Wilson tallying up 26 goal contributions in total for Fulham in the Premier League.

With a further 30 goal contributions coming his way in the Championship for Silva’s men, Leeds might well have thought they’d struck gold by tempting Wilson to Elland Road, with the Wrexham-born forward also offering depth down either the left or right wing for Farke, amid some gaps in the German’s squad.

However, it just wasn’t to be, as Farke now has to rely on the likes of Wilfried Gnonto and Daniel James until January.

Leeds did once have a tantalising winger in a similar mould to Wilson, though.

Leeds struck gold with their original Harry Wilson

Farke should hopefully have enough at his disposal to get the goals eventually flowing, with Calvert-Lewin boasting 57 Premier League goals at Everton when performing at full capacity.

He would love to have Crysencio Summerville back for selection if he could; however, notably having managed to get the very best out of the electric Dutchman during his first up-and-down season at the helm.

Arguably, his previous dynamite output in the Championship for Leeds puts him on the same pedestal Wilson once found himself on at Fulham in the second tier.

A bumper 28-goal contributions fell into his lap come the end of a breakout 2023/24 season, which somehow saw the Whites slip up in their bid to return to the Premier League in a jittery playoff final.

Still, Summerville would find his own avenue up to the top-flight with West Ham United, as Leeds were powerless to a £25m bid coming their way, in the wake of promotion failing to be secured.

Games played

89

Goals scored

25

Assists

13

Original fee

£1.3m

Fee sold for

£25m

Percentage increase

1823%

Leeds could let themselves be eaten up with regret here, considering Summerville is now strutting his stuff in London – not too far away from Wilson’s Fulham – with two assists next to his name already this campaign.

But, the table above reinforces the idea that Leeds struck gold on the Feyenoord-born attacker when they did, with Summerville purchased for just £1.3m four years ago.

Taking into account the £25m he was sold for, that is a wild 1823% increase between the two prices, with Leeds then putting their riches to good use to construct a promotion-winning team.

While they may be stunted in the here and now with no Summerville-style figure, with the Dutchman also adaptable like Wilson to play down either flank, time is still on Leeds’ side to beat the drop.

The likes of Noah Okafor, who did end up through the door this summer, could well turn into Leeds’ new, impactful Summerville-like presence down the line, with all hope not lost just yet at Elland Road.

Leeds already preparing January offer to sign £40m Calvert-Lewin upgrade

Leeds United are already preparing a formal offer to sign a star who would replace Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

1 ByDan Emery Sep 8, 2025

Liverpool target Marc Guehi has been told he could join Real Madrid as the Crystal Palace captain prepares to discuss a free transfer away from Selhurst Park. The England defender was set to join Liverpool in the summer before a move collapsed. Instead of sulking, the 25-year-old has delivered his best football yet, spearheading Palace’s record-breaking run under Oliver Glasner.

• Guehi central to Palace form

  Palace are unrecognisable from the club that once clung to Premier League survival, flying under Glasner. Nineteen games unbeaten in all competitions, the longest run in their history, has brought silverware in both the FA Cup and Community Shield, and now a first taste of European glory. On Thursday, the Eagles marked their continental debut in style, swatting aside Dynamo Kyiv 2-0 away from home in the Conference League.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Hargreaves hails a 'dream' defender

  Former England and Manchester United star Owen Hargreaves couldn’t contain his admiration for Guehi while analysing Palace’s latest European triumph on

  "He’s a fabulous player but he’s probably even as nice a lad as he is a player," Hargreaves said. "The way he handled that situation, he could’ve thrown his toys out of the pram like some others players did, and got their move but he has been the ultimate professional. He knows he is the captain of the football club, they’ve helped him, and he will get his move probably at the end of the season and he could probably go anywhere…Real Madrid."

  He added: "[Guehi is] a dream. On the ball he’s really good, he can defend really well. He’s only 25. He’s the oldest 25-year-old I’ve ever seen because he’s so level-headed. He’s so composed and so reliable."

• Guehi puts summer transfer saga behind him

  It’s Guehi's maturity, combined with his leadership at Selhurst Park, that has Europe’s elite circling. Liverpool may regret not closing the deal when they had the chance, with Real Madrid potentially ready to pounce when Guehi’s contract winds down. Guehi’s former Palace colleague Joel Ward added his voice, applauding the defender’s mindset.

  "What happened in the summer is in the past," Ward said. "I think, for me, one of Marc's biggest strengths is the way in which he handles situations. He’s got such a great support network around him in his family."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Palace emerge as surprise package

  Palace sit second in the Premier League table, the only unbeaten side left in the division. While Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City grab headlines, Glasner’s team have quietly become the story of the season. With Everton next up on Sunday, the Eagles are out to extend their streak and keep the pressure on the league’s big guns.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Corinthians novamente ficou impedido de registrar reforços ao atrasar uma das parcelas da compra de Fausto Vera ao Argentinos Juniors. O ban impediu o Timão de inscrever Matías Rojas a tempo para o confronto contra o América-MG, na última quarta-feira (5), pelas quartas de final da Copa do Brasil. A informação foi dada pelo ge e confirmada pelo Lance!.

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+ VÍDEO: Luan é agredido por torcedores do Corinthians em motel

Não há confirmação sobre qual parcela foi atrasada, mas a reportagem apurou que a dívida com o clube argentino foi quitada na última sexta-feira (30), antes de abertura da janela de transferências, assim como as pendências com o empresário Eduardo Bou Daye e com o atacante Mauro Boselli.

+ Renove o seu estoque de camisas do Timão com o cupom LANCEFUT 10% OFF

Incomodado com o atraso da diretoria alvinegra em quitar a parcela, o Argentinos Juniors não comunicou à Fifa sobre o envio do dinheiro. Dessa forma, o Corinthians avisou a entidade sobre o pagamento, e o clube aguarda o prazo de cinco dias úteis para ter o ban retirado.

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A tendência é que a Fifa tenha em mãos os recibos dos pagamentos até sexta-feira (7), e o Corinthians espera poder inscrever Rojas no BID da CBF para o jogo deste sábado (8), contra o Atlético-MG, pelo Brasileirão.

+ Timão avança? Veja datas de todos os confrontos das quartas de final da Copa do Brasil

O meia paraguaio teve o seu primeiro contato com a torcida corintiana no domingo (2), quando acompanhou a derrota do Timão para o Bragantino em um dos camarotes da Neo Química Arena. Ele está com a delegação alvinegra desde segunda-feira (3) e viajou com o grupo para Belo Horizonte.

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Everything you need to know about the new West Ham United kits for the 2025-26 season.

Home

Home Kit

Predominantly claret with subtle tonal blue inserts beneath the arms, creating a sleek, uninterrupted silhouetteHas a ribbed collar and sleeve cuffs that are detailed with alternating claret and blue stripes A subtle crossed hammers motif is placed on the back of the neck

 

From

£75

Buy Now!Away

Away Kit

Blending nostalgia with modern design in a tribute to a memorable era in the club’s historyFeaturing an elegant Ecru base complemented by Navy detailing and subtle flashes of ClaretIncluding a stylish mono-colour version of the club crest

From

£75

Buy Now!Third

Third Kit

Influenced by the club's first jerseys worn as Thames Ironworks, with the gold trim representing the hammers in the club's crestDisplays an oversized crossed hammers crest, marking the first time it has appeared alone on a West Ham jersey since the 1980s

From

£75

Buy Now!Home

Home Kit

Predominantly claret with subtle tonal blue inserts beneath the arms, creating a sleek, uninterrupted silhouetteHas a ribbed collar and sleeve cuffs that are detailed with alternating claret and blue stripes A subtle crossed hammers motif is placed on the back of the neck

 

From

£75

Buy Now!Away

Away Kit

Blending nostalgia with modern design in a tribute to a memorable era in the club’s historyFeaturing an elegant Ecru base complemented by Navy detailing and subtle flashes of ClaretIncluding a stylish mono-colour version of the club crest

From

£75

Buy Now!Third

Third Kit

Influenced by the club's first jerseys worn as Thames Ironworks, with the gold trim representing the hammers in the club's crestDisplays an oversized crossed hammers crest, marking the first time it has appeared alone on a West Ham jersey since the 1980s

From

£75

Buy Now!Home

Home Kit

Predominantly claret with subtle tonal blue inserts beneath the arms, creating a sleek, uninterrupted silhouetteHas a ribbed collar and sleeve cuffs that are detailed with alternating claret and blue stripes A subtle crossed hammers motif is placed on the back of the neck

 

From

£75

Buy Now!Away

Away Kit

Blending nostalgia with modern design in a tribute to a memorable era in the club’s historyFeaturing an elegant Ecru base complemented by Navy detailing and subtle flashes of ClaretIncluding a stylish mono-colour version of the club crest

From

£75

Buy Now!Third

Third Kit

Influenced by the club's first jerseys worn as Thames Ironworks, with the gold trim representing the hammers in the club's crestDisplays an oversized crossed hammers crest, marking the first time it has appeared alone on a West Ham jersey since the 1980s

From

£75

Buy Now!

After West Ham announced a new multi-year extension with Umbro in 2023, fans will be eagerly anticipating the club’s 2025-26 kit range, which will mark the end of an era with Umbro before a major supplier switch for the following season. Here’s everything we know so far about the Hammers’ new jerseys, including leaks, release timelines, and pricing.

Shop West Ham kits at UmbroBuy now

GOAL takes a look at what West Ham players will be wearing in the upcoming season.

West Ham 2024-25 home kit, release date & price

According to leaks provided by , one of the first distinctions likely to be noticed on the possible West Ham 2024-25 home kit will be the new centenary logo on display in white and red.

There are expected to be no significant changes in the colour schemes, except that Umbro may do away with the maroon strip at the end of the sleeves, or at the cuffs in case of a long-sleeved shirt.

There may also be a graphically integrated diamond pattern that appears like the Umbro logo all over the main maroon patch of the shirt, possibly to mark the brand's centenary existence.

The pricing is expected to be similar to the 2023-24 season, as the new shirt would cost around £80 ($100) for the adult version.

AdvertisementWest Ham 2024-25 away kit, release date & price

The Umbro West Ham 2024-25 away shirt, as also mocked up by kit designer @grhaer9, will have the usual white as the base colour.

Once again, the contrasting maroon borders would be dropped, and the grey sleeves are to extend towards the neckline with a fading-in round dotted pattern on the shoulders.

With the main shirt sponsor and the sponsor on the sleeves in black, the Umbro logo and club crest are to return in colours intended to stand out as compared to the silver-kissed grey touch on the 2023-24 season's away kit.

The West Ham 2024-25 away kit is expected to cost around £75 ($95) for the adult version.

West Ham 2024-25 third kit, release date & price

It will not be the first time West Ham don a black third kit, the previous notable design was unveiled in black and gold (solid black base with gold logos and club crest) as the club's commemorative 125th Anniversary Umbro Third Kit in the 2020-21 season.

This time, however, the sleeves are expected to have a playfully chalked-out graphic, and like the home and away kits will feature Umbro's centenary logo.

The Umbro West Ham 2024-25 third kit is likely to cost around £80 ($100) for the adult version.

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Getty Images West Ham 2024-25 training kit release date & price

Although there seems to be no sight of what West Ham's 2024-25 training kit is supposed to look like, the Hammers have announced a 10 percent discount on Umbro replica kits and training wear for their season ticket holders.

However the training gear may appear to have Umbro's centenary logo design, but it would be unclear if the colour of the kit manufacturer's logo, club crest and sponsor will be the same – given the white and red colours on the logo.

The pricing for the training wear is likely to range between £40-60 ($50-75) for the adult version.

تحدث الدولي الهولندي فرينكي دي يونج، لاعب خط وسط الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة عن إشادة النجم الأرجنتيني ليونيل ميسي به ومدربه الألماني هانز فليك وأزمة تير شتجن.

وأجرى اللاعب البالغ من العمر 28 عامًا مقابلة مع صحيفة “إل باييس” يوم الأربعاء الماضي بعدما جدد عقده مع النادي الكتالوني حتى عام 2029.

راتب دي يونج خلال الفترة المتبقية من الموسم الحالي سيكون حسب العقد القديم، بينما سيبدأ راتبه الجديد بدءً من 1 يوليو القادم أي مع بداية موسم 2026/2027، وستكون قيمة الشرط الجزائي في العقد الجديد 500 مليون يورو بدلًا من الحالي الذي يُقدر بـ400 مليون يورو.

وقال دي يونج، في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو”: “في أحد الأيام، كنا نتناول وجبة الإفطار وجاء ميسي وقال لي أنت رائع، لكنني لا أريد التحدث كثيرًا عن ذلك لأن ليو لا يحب أن تُنشر محادثاته الخاصة على الملأ”.

وعن أزمة تير شتيجن أكمل: “أحيانًا تتعقد الأمور، لو كنت أؤدي بشكل جيد ولم يختارني المدرب لرحلت بكل تأكيد، أريد أن ألعب كرة القدم”.

وعن عدم تكوين صداقات مع إعلاميين أوضح: “أريد أن أكون منصفًا وأعيش بسلام، لا أريد أن يكون عندي أصدقاء في الصحافة يتحدثون عني بإيجابية ويدافعون عني دائمًا، إذا لعبت بشكل سيء فليقولوا ذلك وإذا لعبت بشكل جيد فليقولوا ذلك أيضًا”.

اقرأ أيضًا | تشكيل برشلونة المتوقع أمام جيرونا اليوم في الدوري الإسباني

وأضاف: “صحيح أن العديد من زملائي والمدربين الذين تدربت معهم في الفريق قالوا دائمًا إنني أكثر لاعب لا يأخذ حقه من التقدير”.

أما عن أسلوب لعبه كشف: “أعتقد أنه من الصعب تقييم أدائي لأنني لا أسجل الكثير من الأهداف أو أقدم الكثير من التمريرات الحاسمة، هذه الأيام الناس تركز كثيرًا على الإحصائيات، كما أنني أمتلك الكرة كثيرًا، أحيانًا أحتفظ بها لفترة أطول من اللاعبين الآخرين، لا ألعب دائمًا بلمسة واحدة أو لمستين، أحيانًا أفعل ذلك لكن الأمر يعتمد على اللحظة التي تكون الكرة معي فيها”.

وعن افتقار برشلونة لقائد أوضح: “يخلط الناس بين القائد والشخص الذي يصرخ كثيرًا أو يغضب أو الذي يوبخ زملائه في حال حدوث أي شيء لكنني أعتقد أن الأشخاص أصحاب الشخصية القوية هم أولئك الذين يتمسكون بـ قيمهم، أشخاص صادقون يساعدون زملائهم، لست بحاجة إلى الصراخ من أجل القيادة، إذا صرخت كثيرًا سيتوقف الآخرون عن الاستماع، يكمن الذكاء الحقيقي في معرفة كيفية التحدث في الوقت المناسب”.

وعن هانز فليك: “يتمتع بشخصية قوية، لديه أفكار واضحة للغاية وهو شخص ودود ولطيف ولكن عليك أن تفعل ما عليك وإن لم تفعل فلن تلعب”.

واستطرد: “تكتيكيًا، علينا أن ننفذ أفكاره لأنه يمتلك أفكارًا واضحة للغاية وهذا أسلوبنا ولكن لدينا حرية داخل النظام لإظهار مهاراتنا، هناك حرية ولكن هناك أيضًا نظام تكتيكي”.

وأتم: “لهذا السبب أعتقد أن الكثيرين يقولون إن برشلونة فريق ممتع للغاية، كل لاعب لديه فرصة للتعبير عن نفسه على أرض الملعب”.

Andre Onana has impressed just a few weeks into his Trabzonspor loan. The goalkeeper found himself surplus to requirements at Manchester United, dropped in favour of a patchy Altay Bayindir at the start of the season and then seeing Senne Lammens also recruited. But having been one of the world's best in his position as recently as 2023, a move was necessary to kickstart his career.

Onana's fresh start out of the spotlight

Trabzonspor was a surprise destination for Onana last month, with the club having only finished seventh in the 2024-25 Super Lig and not competing in Europe this season. But, with the major European transfer windows already closed by that point, the Cameroon international didn't have an awful lot of options, with Turkey seemingly more appealing that rumoured Saudi Pro League interest.

But the global scrutiny that comes with playing for Manchester United, particularly a poor version of Manchester United, doesn't exist in Turkish football. The league doesn't have a significant international following, even less so outside the traditional Istanbul giants, and joining Trabzonspor has allowed Onana the chance to reset and get back to basics. A reported pay rise that could see him double his United salary through generous bonuses probably didn’t hurt either.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTrabzonspor keen on permanent deal

Onana has been a Trabzonspor player for less than a full month. But, according to The Sun, the Turkish club has already communicated to the his representatives that they'd be very happy for him to stay at Papara Park, on Turkey's northern Black Sea coastline, beyond the initial loan.

Trabzonspor have taken seven points from a possible 12 in Onana's four appearances so far. He's kept two clean sheets and has conceded five times across the other three games, but the club is said to have been impressed by his performances. Beyond that, it is also claimed that Onana's positive behind-the-scenes impact has been noticed, supposedly quickly developing into a dressing room leader and adapting well to what are brand new surroundings.

No option or obligation to buy

Unlike the £38 million ($51m) easily triggerable obligation to buy in Rasmus Hojlund's loan to Napoli, or the £26m ($35m) option Barcelona have on Marcus Rashford, United did not include any such clause with Trabzonspor when it comes to Onana's future beyond June 2026.

It means that if Trabzonspor want to keep him permanently, a fee will have to be negotiated from scratch. It could work both for and against either club, with a resurgent season likely to drive up the valuation and potentially price the Turkish side, whose transfer record is under €7m (£6m/$8m), out of the market. Equally, if Onana's early form eventually deserts him, United could find it difficult to extract an acceptable fee out of a potential deal come the summer.

The agreement that took Onana to Old Trafford from Ajax in 2023 was worth up to £47.2m ($64m), which the Red Devils will almost certainly recoup just a fraction of, if and when he is sold.

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AFPLammens makes positive Man Utd start

Back in Manchester, Senne Lammens will have been happy to come through his delayed United debut unscathed, handed a refreshingly simple test to begin with against Sunderland.

The 23-year-old Belgian replaced the under fire Bayindir for the 2-0 win at Old Trafford, which Ruben Amorim put down to rotation. But that place could now be Lammens' to lose, with fans seeing no reason why Bayindir, whose aerial weakness has been routinely exposed this season, deserves to return to the side unless there is a particular need for the new stopper to come out of the team.

United have also been curiously linked by a Spanish report with Barcelona captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who is on the road to recovery from back surgery but is not thought to have a future in Catalonia following the capture of Joan Garcia. Ter Stegen is believed to have turned down Monaco during the summer, while Newcastle and Tottenham are credited with interest too.

It is set to be a very busy final few days of the transfer market for Celtic.

Tuesday night’s Champions League play-off exit at the hands of Kairat brought into sharp focus the Hoops’ lack of quality and depth, something they desperately need to address before the window slams shut on Monday.

Well, it appears as though the Scottish Premiership champions are going to sign Michel-Ange Balikwisha from Antwerp for around £4.5m, while they’ve also had a bid rejected for another winger, namely Sebastian Tounekti of Hammarby.

However, there are plenty of other areas of the team that need addressing, so could the Celts bolster their back-line too?

Celtic's need for greater squad depth

Fans’ favourite Kieran Tierney returned to Celtic this summer too much excitement, but his minutes are being managed.

So far, Tierney has started five of Celtic’s six matches this season, rested against Livingston last weekend, along with many other players, given that it came in-between the two legs with Kairat.

In all five of his starts, Tierney has been substituted between the 63rd and 76th minute, with Brendan Rodgers being ultra-cautious given his injury history, most commonly replaced by Auston Trusty, with centre-back Liam Scales subsequently shifting over to left-back.

The most natural deputy is Hayato Inamura, debuting against Livingston on Saturday, but Rodgers has stated publicly that he doesn’t believe the 23-year-old, who has joined from Albirex Niigata, is ready to be a regular first-team figure just yet.

Thus, Anthony Joseph of Sky Sports News reported a few days ago that Celtic were “close to agreeing” a deal to sign Marcelo Saracchi from Boca Juniors; the transfer would be a loan with a £2m option to buy.

However, the Hoops might just be turning their attention to other targets, because journalist Jeroen Kapteijns is reporting that Celtic are “interested” in signing Anass Salah-Eddine.

They mention that PSV Eindhoven, Nottingham Forest, Porto, Lille, Torino and Werder Bremen are also in the race for the 23-year-old Roma defender, who is available on loan.

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So, should the Celts snap up the Dutchman, rather than Saracchi?

Why Celtic should sign Anass Salah-Eddine

Salah-Eddine joined Roma as recently as January, but safe to say he’s not had the best time in the Eternal City.

Despite the fact the Giallorossi paid £9m to secure his signature, the left-back made just three appearances for them last season, totalling a miserly 153 minutes, remaining an unused substitute for the other 12 Serie A matches.

A change of manager at the Stadio Olimpico has actually only worsened Salah-Eddine’s situation, emphatically not in Gian Piero Gasperini’s plans, underlined by the fact he wasn’t even on the bench for Roma’s Serie A opener against Bologna on Saturday.

However, before this, he was a highly-rated prospect in the Netherlands, coming through Ajax’s academy, before his real senior breakthrough came at Twente, appearing 52 times for the Enschede-based side, including starting all eight of their Europa League league phase matches last season, registering assists against both Nice and Beşiktaş.

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout is certainly a fan, labelling him “technically gifted”, adding that he was amongst the “most talented” young players in the Eredivisie.

So how does his career compare to that of Saracchi? As the table documents, Saracchi is the vastly more experienced of the pair, but is his career on the way down?

Age

23

27

Clubs

3

6

Senior appearances

65

245

International caps

Zero

9

Apps since 1 Jan ’24

38

36

Starts since 1 Jan ’24

28

23

After leaving River Plate in 2018, the Uruguayan international has spent time at RB Leipzig, Galatasaray and Levante, without ever making more than 44 appearances for any of them, returning to Argentina to join Boca Juniors two years ago, but he’s not been a regular starter for them either, seeing just ten minutes of playing time during the Club World Cup.

South American football expert Tim Vickery notes that, when he first broke into Danubio’s first team, there were “immense hopes” placed upon him, but he’s “bounced around” and been a bit of a “disappointment” thus far, yet to truly fulfil his potential.

Thus, signing Saracchi has to be viewed as a gamble, considering he’s played just 605 minutes in 2025, starting only seven times.

In fairness, it’s been a pretty miserable year for Salah-Eddine at Roma too, as already outlined, but the Dutchman was performing at Europa League level, where Celtic find themselves, this time last year when he was still a Twente player.

Also, given that the Dutchman is four years younger, he surely has more room to develop and improve, suggesting he would be the shrewder addition.

Celtic now agree deal to sell Champions League gem after qualifier defeat

The Hoops have included a “significant” clause.

ByCharlie Smith Aug 27, 2025