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An update has emerged regarding Aston Villa’s pursuit of Caleb Chukwuemeka…

What’s the talk?

According to the Daily Mail, League Two side Northampton have turned down an offer from Aston Villa for Caleb Chukwuemeka.

The report claims Villa are keen on landing the brother of their current academy forward Carney Chukwuemeka, but the Cobblers have been unwilling to play ball thus far. He is out of contract at the end of the year and Villa could snap him up on a free transfer in the January window.

Smith would be excited

Johan Lange must ensure that he can secure a deal for Chukwuemeka. The young forward appears to be a talented young prospect and could be a good addition to the youth rank at the club, with a view to him becoming a first-team player in the future.

However, that does not mean that Lange must go all out to sign him immediately. With his contract expiring at the end of the year, Villa have the opportunity to be patient and bide their time with him. They could allow Northampton to keep him until the end of his deal and then sign him for a compensation fee in 2022, bypassing the need to negotiate directly with the League Two club now.

That is only if they are unable to find a workable solution to his issue this summer. It would be ideal for Villa to get him in as quickly as possible as they could then decide on the perfect next step for the forward, rather than needing to do it midway through next season. For example, if they bring him in before the end of the current window they could decide to either send him back to the Cobblers or find a better club for his development.

Northampton boss Keith Curle labeled him as unorthodox but said that he has an exciting element to his game and is able to express himself on the pitch.

Curle told the Northampton Chronicle:

“Caleb has got an unpredictability about him and he can be unorthodox at times.”What we’re trying to do is get the fundamentals in place in his play without taking away that excitement and that freedom in his play.”Part of his foundation within his play is that he’s allowed to express himself but he also needs to work on retaining possession and keeping the ball. But when you turn and you’re facing the goal, go and play.”Smith would be excited to work with the youngster to develop him further. The 5 foot 10 gem made 28 appearances in all competitions for Northampton last term. In that time, he scored twice and assisting one goal. This shows that, whilst the end product is not there yet, he is able to play consistently at senior level.Therefore, he could be a promising talent and one Smith would like to coach in the coming years, which is why he will be delighted if Lange can get him through the door.AND in other news, talkSPORT drop promising update on “phenomenal” Aston Villa star, fans surely buzzing…

Newcastle United cannot take a gamble on a player like Jack Wilshere, former Premier League striker Dean Windass has warned.

While there is nothing currently to suggest that the Tyneside club will move for the 29-year-old this summer, he could quickly become an appealing option.

Wilshere is, of course, an experienced Premier League player who would be available for free following his release from Bournemouth, while some reports earlier claimed Steve Bruce would not have that much money to play with this transfer window.

Taking that into account, Wilshere is arguably an attractive proposition, with some Newcastle fans calling for his signing only last year.

That is not a sentiment that Windass shares, however. He told TT in an exclusive interview:

“Couldn’t take a gamble on that, you just couldn’t take a gamble. Listen, I’m not saying Jack’s… you know, he’s a great footballer, but I just can’t see Steve playing that sort of player.

“You’ve got to be very fit now to play in the Premier League and I don’t think Jack’s Newcastle’s sort of type.”

As far as midfielders go, it is another man with Arsenal connections that Bruce will surely be focusing on.

Joe Willock has already proven himself in a Newcastle shirt, bagging an impressive eight goals in 14 appearances last season.

Many Crystal Palace fans have been angered on Twitter after the club issued a behind-the-scenes update from Christian Benteke, who is currently on international duty with Belgium at Euro 2020 [cpfc.co.uk].

Sparsely featuring for the quarter-finalists, the 30-year-old has appeared for just six minutes across the duration of the tournament so far [UEFA].

In an interview posted on the Eagles’ website, Benteke relays his experiences of the competition alongside how the players pass the time outside of training in a COVID-19 environment [cpfc.co.uk].

Although it is nice to see major players from the club participating on the international stage, there is a feeling that Palace should be more occupied with other matters such as the pressing necessity to bring in a new manager ahead of pre-season. Lucien Favre’s rejection of the job last week leaves the club continuing to search for Roy Hodgson’s successor several weeks after the latter announced his departure.

In light of the Benteke feature, many Eagles diehards took to Twitter to vent their frustration at the club’s Twitter post.

Crystal Palace fans react:

Replying to the Eagles’ Twitter account, here is how some fans reacted:

“Amazon Prime, no manager and a toxic atmosphere We caught up with Palace fans during #EURO2020”

Credit: @rtaylor96_”Would be good if you could catch up with appointing a manager”Credit: @CpfcDan_”Don’t tweet unless you have a manager”Credit: @erictwigs”Did I hear we had a new manager – no, ok then I’m back to sleep”Credit: @rickyj555″Not one soul cares, just appoint a manager”Credit: @Thomas01568186″not a manager though is it?”Credit: @CPFC_TrigsIn other news, these Crystal Palace fans react to an update in their search for a new manager.

Many Wolves fans have been left to flock to a transfer update involving Samu Costa.

As per Diario de Almeria, the Midlands club are eyeing a potential move for the Portugal U20 international in the summer window, but would have to pay a fee of €25m (£21.5m) for his signature.

Costa is certainly a promising player having represented his country at youth level, and helped Almeria reach the La Liga 2 play-offs while on loan from Braga, playing in 40 games in total over all competitions in the 2020/21 season, scoring two goals and making one assist (Transfermarkt).

However, £21.5m is certainly a bit excessive for someone who has not really proved himself at the highest level, and at just 20 years of age, is still relatively raw.

Wolves fans on Costa transfer update

These members of the Molineux faithful seemed split as the transfer update was shared on Twitter, with one WWFC supporter even going as far as to claim that it was ‘very underwhelming’:

“If this is first team squad signing then it’s very underwhelming. Not exactly an upgrade on anyone and not someone we’re exactly excited to see”

Credit: @GoldenWolves2

“Another garbage youngster from Portugal!!”

Credit: @SteveWiles20

“41 senior games. €25m. Make it make sense”

Credit: @Gary_Poynton

“Have I watched a lot of his videos on YouTube….maybe. But he’s got a great left foot by the looks, could offer great balance in midfield. Seems to love to run with it too. Very powerful. Only criticism is you could probs get Zambo same price. If that’s what you want. A unit….”

Credit: @ThePavFM

“I actually wouldn’t mind this. Only seen Almeria play a couple cup games, but he looks like a really promising midfielder and Braga fans seem to rate him. Could be a good squad addition if we’re desperate for midfielders”

Credit: @KingiMatt

“Good player tbf, decent left foot on him.”Credit: @YasWWFCIn other news, find out what Ruben Neves transfer update has got Wanderers talking here!

A major update has emerged on Juventus’ Aaron Ramsey, regarding Aston Villa’s interest in his services.

What’s the talk?

According to Italian outlet Sports Media Set, as relayed by Tutto Mercato, Aston Villa are in pole position to land Juventus central midfielder Aaron Ramsey this summer. Ramsey has two years left to run on his Juventus deal and is expected to depart from Turin ahead of next season, with a return to England looking most likely.

The report claims that Ramsey is not a part of Juventus’ plans heading into next season and the Italian giants will allow him to leave if the right offer comes in. Ramsey wants to seal a transfer back to the Premier League and Villa are now attempting to pounce on this opportunity.

In 2019, Keown hailed the outstanding midfielder and claimed that he was becoming a leader in Arsenal’s team, prior to his transfer to Juventus. He told BT Sport, as transcribed by the Daily Mail:

“He continues to mature as a player and develop. He’s a real leader now in this Arsenal team.

“Playing in a deeper role, as he did under Arsene Wenger – I think that’s the best role for him. If you want Ozil and him in the same team. He’s so important to everything to do. It’s the energy – the box-to-box energy. He’s become an outstanding technician.”

Smith needs him

Villa sporting director Johan Lange must sanction a deal for Ramsey this summer as head coach Dean Smith needs him next season. Smith’s side struggled for goals from central areas in midfield in the 2020/21 campaign, with Ross Barkley and John McGinn the top scorers with three goals each. This suggests that there could be room for a goalscoring midfielder to enter the fray and that is where Ramsey comes into the equation.

Ramsey was able to produce goals and assists from midfield during his time in England with Arsenal. The Welsh international racked up 65 goals and 65 assists for Arsenal in all competitions before his move to Juventus, including three 10+ goal seasons for the Gunners. He has also netted 17 times in 65 caps for Wales, scoring his 17th against Turkey in the European Championships earlier this week. This shows that he has the quality to make runs into the box to score goals for his side.

The £187k-per-week ace could, therefore, be an upgrade on Villa’s existing midfield options in that regard due to their aforementioned lack of goals. Ramsey could arrive at Villa Park and bring an added goal threat to Smith’s side, which could then help the club push on and challenge for European football next season. This is why Lange must make sure that he is able to seal a deal for Ramsey to bolster Smith’s ranks in the coming weeks/months.

AND in other news, Villa must avoid unforgivable disaster over £17m-rated “warrior”, fans will be fuming…

According to a report by Italian news outlet La Stampa, Tottenham Hotspur now represent the ‘most attractive offer’ for ex-Chelsea boss Antonio Conte as chairman Daniel Levy continues the hunt for a new manager.

The Lowdown: Conte quits Inter…

As announced yesterday evening, the 51-year-old has left Inter Milan and the belief is that the separation was due to differences in moving the club forward.

Conte, on the one hand, desired new signings and a ‘clear project to win again’, while the Nerazzurri need to offload players and recuperate €80 million (£69.1m) through sales to combat their dire financial situation (Fabrizio Romano).

As such, the Italian has departed the San Siro with immediate effect and is now available for hire.

The Latest: Spurs ‘most attractive offer’ for Conte…

Just before Conte decided to part ways with Inter, with it seeming inevitable even before the official announcement, La Stampa dropped a rather promising claim on the links between him and Tottenham Hotspur.

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The Italian news outlet boldly said that Spurs have proposed a lucrative contract offer to the ex-Juventus manager worth close to €20 million (£17.3 million) in a ‘pharaonic engagement’.

Meanwhile, lifting the lid on Conte’s stance when it comes to a possible Spurs move, La Stampa believe that the Lilywhites represent the ‘most attractive offer’ for him.

This is due to Spurs representing a huge stimulus for Conte in terms of turning their results around, with the ‘offer of recruitment’ also an enticing draw.

Levy’s alleged £17.3m salary offer is another reason and is said to be a ‘very convincing argument’.

The Verdict: Huge opportunity…

Now that Conte has officially quit the Inter post, his availability should force Levy to do all he can to bring him to Tottenham.

There will be big clubs across Europe knocking on the door, including Real Madrid given the news on Zinedine Zidane, with Spurs needing a proven serial-winner to turn their fortunes around.

It would arguably be foolish not to lodge a serious attempt for Conte in light of his Serie A exit, especially considering he has won four Serie A titles, two Italian Super Cups, the Premier League and FA Cup (Transfermarkt).

He is also revered by other managers, with Andrea Pirlo dubbing him a ‘demon’ and the ‘best coach’ he has ever worked with (La Gazzetta dello Sport via FourFourTwo).

Meanwhile, Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola lauded Conte as a tactical ‘master’ during his time in England (Reuters).

Conte also has over 300 career wins under his belt as a manager (Transfermarkt) – could he be the saviour for Spurs?

In other news: Alasdair Gold says Spurs may now axe this ‘fantastic player’ who loves the club, find out more here.

Newcastle United have received a big transfer boost as a journalist has dropped a definitive four-word update on the future of Jacob Murphy.

The Lowdown: Murphy has not signed contract yet

Murphy is still stalling on a new contract at the St. James’ Park faithful, although reports broke out in April that the Tyneside club are planning to hold talks with him, amid interest from Rangers, Southampton and Watford for his signature.

That said, while a new deal has not been signed, other clubs will feel that they can lure him away from the North East in the summer transfer window given that his current deal expires next season.

The Latest: Norwich journalist rules out Murphy move

While Norwich City have not been explicitly linked with a move for their former man recently, their sporting director, Stuart Webber, did say it ‘pains’ him how under-utilised Murphy has been on Tyneside, per Chronicle Live.

Now, Canaries journalist Paddy Davitt, in replying to a fan in a Q&A session with the Eastern Daily Press, seems to have ruled out any potential return to Carrow Road by claiming that ‘that ship has sailed’.

Nonetheless, this will come as a welcome boost to Steve Bruce and the Magpies, considering the plans to talk to Murphy over a new contract.

The Verdict: Newcastle must keep Murphy

The Toon must try and keep hold of Murphy at all costs, even if that means giving him a much bigger wage.

The 26-year-old has played the full 90 minutes in each of the last four games in the Premier League so far in the 2020/21 term, and so is clearly an important part of the team at this minute in time.

His added versatility to be able to play both as a wing-back and a winger is also very handy to have in the squad as it allows Bruce or any other manager on Tyneside to switch between a back three, four and five, and so letting him go would not seem like a wise idea in that regard.

In other news, find out who has been lined up as a potential Bruce successor here!

In an exclusive interview with The Transfer Tavern, former Manchester United winger Keith Gillespie has urged his old club to use Sir Alex Ferguson in their search for an Ed Woodward replacement.

Manchester United recently confirmed that Woodward would be stepping down from his role as executive vice-chairman at the end of the year, leaving the Premier League outfit needing to find a replacement.

The likes of Edwin van der Sar and Richard Arnold have been touted as potential successors, and it will now be interesting to see who else enters the fray over the coming months.

And for Gillespie, Ferguson should be having a say on the candidates for the position given his experience and everything he has accomplished in the game.

Speaking exclusively to TT about United’s search for a Woodward replacement, Gillespie said:

“When you’ve still got Alex Ferguson about the place, he’s always one you have to take advice from. He worked at that club and was successful at that club for 26, 27 years, so he knows how to bring success.

“So certainly, in terms of who is going to come in and replace Woodward, Alex Ferguson would be the first person that you would be asking who you should go and get.

“He knows the club inside out. He knows the DNA of the club.”

Before then, Woodward and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be looking at how United can close the gap with rivals Manchester City, with bringing in Harry Kane this summer potentially being a solution.

Reported Crystal Palace midfield target John Lundstram is available on a free transfer [Scottish Sun].

The Lowdown

Making no secret of his future plans, the 27-year-old refused to sign a new deal at Bramall Lane despite Chris Wilder’s best efforts last October [BBC]. Now officially a free agent, he will not be short of options due to his largely successful stay with Sheffield United.

The Liverpudlian made 120 appearances for the Blades, registering nine goals [Transfermarkt].

Despite enduring a disappointing end to his time in Sheffield as his soon-to-be former employers fell into the Championship, Lundstram registered a 84.2% successful pass percentage, illustrating quality on the ball despite plying his trade for a struggling side [WhoScored].

The Latest

In terms of suitors, Crystal Palace and Scottish side Rangers have been most strongly linked with the midfielder. Steven Gerrard is known to be an admirer of his talents, whilst the Eagles have reportedly been in pursuit since March [TeamTalk].

Though out of contract now, Lundstram would’ve cost around £4 million to acquire in January which has driven the former England Under-20 to run down his deal [Athletic].

Described by pundit Kevin Phillips as a ‘combative midfielder’ with ‘good energy’, there is no doubt he would be great addition to many a squad [Football Insider], with the Eagles reportedly big admirers when Roy Hodgson was at the helm.

Verdict: Lundstram would fit in nicely at Selhurst Park

Fundamentally, Crystal Palace should look to pull the strings necessary to finalise this move. Should he still be a firm target now that Hodgson is gone, there are few midfielders of his Premier League experience available for nothing at all.

Currently in the prime of his career, he would offer composure to the Eagles midfield and a versatility that would be helpful to any new manager arriving at Selhurst Park – the 27 year-old can play in multiple midfield positions and has also played in defence before.

Whether as a starter or an depth player offering a burst of energy off the bench, he would be a shrewd acquisition for the Eagles.

In other news, Crystal Palace fans react to an exciting managerial update

With the European Super League being the talk of the town at the moment, you’d be forgiven for potentially forgetting that there is still the little old matter of a Premier League clash between Leeds United and Liverpool taking place this evening.

The game between two of the giants of English football has been largely overshadowed by the fury and shock of the top-flight’s big six wanting to break away and form their own elite competition.

Marcelo Bielsa will no doubt have his opinion on the ESL, and it will be intriguing to see what the Argentine has to say either before or after the game tonight.

The Leeds boss also has a couple of crucial conundrums to solve in terms of his team selection, with suspensions and injuries taking its toll.

And with that in mind, below is a look at how Leeds might line up for the Premier League tie against Liverpool tonight.

In goal, Illan Meslier will be looking to keep his tenth clean sheet of the season in the top-flight, and become the seventh goalkeeper to get into double digits for the campaign.

The back four will, of course, see one enforced change after Liam Cooper’s sending off against Manchester City last weekend, and in the club captain’s absence, Robin Koch will be the man Bielsa turns to.

Dubbed by former Leeds man Tony Dorigo as a “rock”, the 24-year-old is in line to make his first start for the club since recovering from his knee injury last month.

The midfield could see a couple of alterations, with Tyler Roberts dropping out for Mateusz Klich, and Jack Harrison coming in for the injured Raphinha – the City loanee missed the clash against his parent club due to the terms of his loan deal.

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That should be the only changes Bielsa makes to his starting line-up, with Patrick Bamford set to lead the line once again.

Predicted XI: Meslier; Ayling, Llorente, Koch, Alioski; Phillips, Harrison, Dallas, Klich, Costa; Bamford.

Meanwhile, Leeds must start this “under-rated” gem today vs Liverpool…