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Leeds United made it an astounding seven victories in a row in the Championship on Tuesday night versus Swansea City, the long-winded trip to Wales made worthwhile by the Whites cruising to a 4-0 win.

Unsurprisingly, Crysencio Summerville bagged yet another goal for Daniel Farke's men against a leaky Swans side, but it was his partner on the opposite flank in Wilfried Gnonto who proved his worth again for the promotion-chasers in this one.

Bagging a brace – with his second goal on the night a coolly taken strike after a swift Leeds counter-attack – Gnonto sticking around at Elland Road instead of leaving this January could prove to be crucial for the West Yorkshire titans in their bid to win automatic promotion.

Signed for a price that now looks like a steal back in 2022, the tricky Italian forward will hope to fire Leeds to promotion back up to the Premier League before any more transfer talk surrounding him comes back up again.

Wilfried Gnonto's transfer value when signing for Leeds

Leeds pulled off a bargain by managing to land Gnonto for just £3.8m two years ago, a masterful bit of business pulled off by Victor Orta when he was still pulling the strings at Elland Road.

Bagging goals for fun playing in the Inter Milan youth set-up before spreading his wings to join FC Zurich – scoring 14 times for the Italian giants in total as a teenager – Leeds did take a punt at the time gambling on the young prospect plying his trade in Switzerland.

Yet, it's a gamble that has worked with Gnonto even being touted for a move away to Everton at one point for a much higher price than the £3.8m the Whites paid at a jaw-dropping £25m.

Putting any bad blood behind him regarding the fact that he was unhappy at not being allowed to move on to a Premier League suitor, the 20-year-old – who was once referred to as a "diamond" by football scout Jacek Kulig – now has four goals in his last four games for Leeds to allow Farke's men to forget Daniel James' absence from the XI.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

When the time does come that Leeds might look to sell Gnonto on, they will be making a handsome profit on the skilful forward who has seen his transfer value soar off the back of his many heroics in West Yorkshire – thus proving one rare masterstroke of the Orta regime.

Wilfried Gnonto's transfer value in 2024

Gnonto was one silver lining from the dreadful relegation campaign Leeds endured last season, helping himself to two goals and four assists overall which included a strike away at Old Trafford in a 2-2 draw with Manchester United.

Now, with his importance being elevated in recent weeks with James out of action, Gnonto keeps bumping up his transfer value to make Leeds feel more and more smug about not offloading their once wantaway gem.

According to Football Transfers, Gnonto's value is now at an impressive €21.1m (£18m) which sees him become more of a prized asset for Leeds than Summerville, who is valued at a lesser €9.9m (£8.4m).

Farke will love the strength in depth he has at his disposal currently in attack, knowing that he can rely on Gnonto to be a nuisance going forward even when James is missing.

James did come on against Swansea to replace Gnonto in Wales, but the German boss in the Whites dug-out won't completely chuck the revitalised 20-year-old onto the periphery for good.

Rather, he'll see it as healthy competition for places with Gnonto turning around his Leeds career when at one point he was even refusing to play earlier in the season.

After falling behind early on, Luis de la Fuente's side battled back as the Manchester City midfielder led from the front in Cologne

A Rodri-inspired Spain overcame an early scare to romp to a 4-1 win over a plucky Georgia to reach the quarter-finals of Euro 2024, where they will take on hosts Germany in a mouth-watering clash between two of the tournament favourites.

For 17 of the first 18 minutes in Cologne, Spain had nearly 90 percent possession and put relentless pressure on Georgia; but one breakaway attack later, Robin Le Normand put the ball into his own net after a wicked cross into the six-yard box by Otar Kakabadze.

The Georgians looked so threatening on the counter-attack, and just when it looked like it could be one of those days for Spain, talisman Rodri guided a superb strike into the bottom corner six minutes before the break.

Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili repeatedly kept Spain at bay until Lamine Yamal's inch-perfect cross was headed in by Fabian Ruiz in the 51st minute, and Nico Williams' terrific run and finish in the 75th minute put the contest beyond doubt before substitute Dani Olmo stroked in a fourth seven minutes from time.

GOAL rates Spain's players from RheinEnergieStadion…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Unai Simon (6/10):

  Nothing he could do about Le Normand's own goal but wasn't really tested on the night.

  Dani Carvajal (6/10):

  Had his hands full with the irrepressible Kvaratskhelia and came off second-best against the flying winger.

  Robin Le Normand (5/10):

  Failed to deal with Kakabadze's fizzing cross and the ball squirmed off him and into his own net. His place could be under threat for the quarter-finals.

  Aymeric Laporte (7/10):

  Of the two centre-backs, he looked the more dependable one. Showed his experience when it was required.

  Marc Cucurella (8/10):

  Chelsea must be thinking, 'Where has this player been?'. In attack and defence, the left-back looked impressive.

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  Midfield

  Pedri (6/10):

  Started with some neat touches and flicks but went into his shell for a while after Georgia's opener. Was hooked not long after the break after a subpar display.

  Rodri (8/10):

  When players needed to stand up and be counted, the Manchester City man delivered the goods with an excellent finish into the corner. A towering display in midfield.

  Fabian Ruiz (7/10):

  Like much of his team-mates, began brightly but then was somewhat cowed by going behind. However, he was in the right place at the right time to head in Yamal's beautiful delivery.

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  Attack

  Lamine Yamal (7/10):

  After a relatively quiet first half by his standards, the 16-year-old burst into life with a magical assist for Spain's second. Should have grabbed at least one goal on a night that would have been a good learning experience for the Barcelona star.

  Alvaro Morata (5/10):

  Question marks may be asked over why this man is Spain's captain. The striker didn't offer a great deal up front.

  Nico Williams (7/10):

  At times, he looked unplayable, but when Spain conceded, the winger appeared seemed a bit predictable. After looking quiet for long periods, Williams scored a goal of individual brilliance to seal the win. Towards the end, he was a joy to watch.

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  Subs & Manager

  Dani Olmo (8/10):

  His passes in the final third were a delight and got a deserved goal late on. Putting his hand up to start the next game.

  Alejandro Grimaldo (7/10):

  Provided a bit more of an attacking threat down the left in a wing-back role.

  Mikel Oyarzabal (6/10):

  Didn't do a great deal when introduced.

  Jesus Navas (7/10):

  Nearly grabbed an assist at the death as he continues to show that age is just a number.

  Mikel Merino (N/A):

  On to give Rodri a late rest.

  Luis de la Fuente (7/10):

  His team were stung by conceding first, but they kept their cool, continued playing the same way, and got a crucial goal before half-time. This was their toughest game of the tournament and they did well to overcome this banana skin. De la Fuente's substitutes also helped give Spain extra control and go onto win comfortably.

Over the last few seasons, Everton have been in constant relegation battles and their Premier League status has never felt so close to disappearing.

To make matters worse, on the 16th November last year, the Toffees were handed a 10-point deduction due to the Merseyside club being unable to stick to the Premier League's FFP ruling. This deduction was the most severe in 135 years of top-flight football that any club has ever received.

The deduction took immediate effect and an already struggling Everton had been even more crippled due to this ruling. At the time the ruling was announced, Sean Dyche's side had a total of 14 points and were dropped down to four.

This then placed the squad second from bottom of the Premier League table, level on points with 20th-placed, Burnley. The deduction was recently met with an appeal that the Merseyside club are reportedly set to hear back from their appeal by the end of this week.

Former Liverpool legend, Jamie Carragher, has shared his thoughts on the situation, saying via X: "What is the hold up on the appeals decision regarding Everton’s 10pt deduction?

"Two weeks have passed, this is surely a matter of urgency for Everton and the clubs around them. I’m sure they and the Premier League know their decision by now. Are the Premier League waiting until after Everton’s home game…"

Although this is speculation, it does feel as if a long time has passed since the club were told that they'd be losing points.

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By
Stephan Georgiou

Apr 16, 2024

However, despite the negativity surrounding this season, there have been some positives regarding player performance throughout the campaign thus far, most namely, of those is Frank Lampard signing Amadou Onana.

How Amadou Onana has played so far this season

The defensive midfielder has been on top form for the Toffees in all competitions as he has played a total of 25 games in all competitions and has managed to contribute to three goals during that time.

Additionally, Sofascore states that in the Premier League, the 22-year-old has managed to make 2.5 tackles and recover the ball 6.2 times per game.

Although these stats may not seem too impressive, despite only playing two additional games than Onana, Rodri has only managed 2.2 tackles per game whilst recovering 7.3. When put into this perspective, it shows how influential the midfielder is to the defence on Dyche's side.

Over the course of the transfer windows, the Belgium international has been linked with a move away from Everton to many teams, such as Newcastle.

However, these never came to fruition and a move is now even less likely to happen now that Onana is worth more than Everton starlet, Jarrad Branthwaite.

Market Movers

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Onana & Branthwaite's valuations in 2024

Branthwaite is yet another one of Everton's players who has been performing to a high standard this season.

The 6 foot 4 defender has burst onto the scene this season and staked his claim for a starting spot. He has appeared a total of 27 times and has even managed to score a goal; the late equaliser against Spurs recently.

However, despite his solid outings this season, the 21-year-old's value is half of what Onana's is, according to Transfermarkt.

Onana's value currently sits at the €50m (£42.7m) mark, whereas Branthwaite is rated around the €25m (£21.3m). Of course, should either player be sold it's highly likely that any willing suitor will need to cough up a great deal more. That said, it's a marker of the Belgian's impressive displays that he's worth even more than his Everton teammate.

It's evident that both of them have helped solidify the Toffees' defence this season and will continue to do so until at least the 2024/25 season where a big pay day could well be on the way.

Over the years, Liverpool's academy has produced some of the Premier League's best talents, with players such as Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and, more recently, Trent Alexander-Arnold all emerging from the youth ranks.
Additionally, they have also managed to harness the talents of other clubs' players who didn't quite cut it in their teams or who the Reds saw potential in.
Some examples of these players are Harvey Elliott and Raheem Sterling. The pair each came from Championship teams before seeing their talents developed further with the Merseysiders.
Although the latter chose to leave the club in 2015 in order to join Manchester City for a fee worth a reported £49m, Elliott has become part of the furniture at Anfield.

The 20-year-old recently made his 100th appearance for the Reds against Luton in the Premier League. During that time, he has amassed a total of 15 goal contributions and, at times, has managed to cement himself within Jurgen Klopp's first team.
This season has been the youngster's most prolific. It seems that, as he gets older, he is becoming more mature and focused on his game and is managing to find his place within the squad.
Across the 2023/24 campaign, he has managed to score two goals and provide three assists for his teammates, while it is also looking likely that he could be featuring in Liverpool's upcoming Carabao Cup final due to the recent injuries the Reds have suffered in the centre of the park.

Despite Elliott's Liverpool career thus far going swimmingly, aside from the odd injury here and there, there have been some Liverpool youngsters who weren't given the chance to flourish under Klopp's wing.
An example of one of these fringe figures is that of Taiwo Awoniyi. The current Nottingham Forest striker joined the club in 2015 at just 18 years old and endured many loan spells during his time on Merseyside, prior to exploding elsewhere…

Taiwo Ayoniyi's Liverpool career

The Nigeria international joined Liverpool for a fee in the region of £400k from Imperial Academy in his home country.
When asked about what it meant to be joining Liverpool, he said the following: "This is the biggest club in the world, and I’m privileged to be here. I’ll try to develop myself very well so that when I come back to Liverpool I’ll be able to add value to the team."
Despite just joining the club, the then-teenager was instantly loaned out to German side, FSV Frankfurt.

That swift exit came about as the youngster was having problems with regard to acquiring a work permit to play football in the UK. These problems would be set to follow him throughout his Liverpool tenure.
After joining the club, the attacker only managed to appear a total of 14 times for Frankfurt and only amassed a total of two goal contributions during that time.
Then, for his next six seasons at Liverpool, he was loaned out to various clubs across Europe, including spending two seasons at Belgian club, Royal Excel Mouscron. It was during those two seasons in Belgium that the Nigerian had his most prolific time in front of goal – netting 21 times in 47 games.
During the 2020/21 campaign, he spent his time on loan with Bundesliga side, Union Berlin, and made a total of nine goal contributions during his spell with the club.

His performance over the season ended up being enough that the striker managed to finally get a permanent move away from Liverpool after the German side bought him for a fee of £6.5m.
This move occurred just after he was finally granted a work permit to play football in the UK after spending six years of his professional career bouncing around other clubs.
Awoniyi's permanent transfer away from Liverpool was expected. However, the fact that the striker was sold for less than ageing midfielder Jordan Henderson – who departed for Al Ettifaq on a £12m deal last summer – is something the Reds may live to regret.

At the time, this was Union Berlin's club-record fee, and it seemed as if it was money well spent, as, despite not having the most prolific of campaigns the season prior, he managed to score a total of 20 goals in all competitions and assist a total of five times during the 2021/22 season.
This sudden burst of form was by far and away the most prolific of the attacker's career and, to this day, it still stands as his strongest goal-scoring season.
His performances for Union Berlin didn't, however, go unnoticed. After Forest's promotion from the Championship in the same season, the club were looking to make some additions to strengthen their side.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

This resulted in Forest making a total of 30 signings across the season, with Awoniyi being among those.

Why Jamie Carragher loves Awoniyi

Since arriving in Nottingham for a fee worth £17.5m, Awoniyi has been a constant figure within the Garibaldi squad. During his time at the City Ground so far, he has managed a total of 46 appearances and has contributed to 20 goals.
Although he hasn't yet found the form he showed in his final season at Union Berlin, he has cemented himself within the Forest system superbly, even leading to praise from Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher who has compared him to Premier League icon, Didier Drogba.

Discussing Awoniyi's strike against Southampton back in May, Carragher exclaimed: "He reminded me of Drogba as soon as I saw the goal. Absolutely brilliant. I've been in that position as a defender. The turn – and bang. Brilliant."
Drogba, of course, enjoyed a remarkable stint in English football at Chelsea – across two spells – notably scoring 164 goals and providing 88 assists in 381 games for the Blues, while also winning a plethora of major honours, including the Champions League in 2012.
Awoniyi has a way to go to emulate the Ivorian's heroics, although the 6 foot marksman has already scored more than half of the goals he bagged in England's top-flight last season, netting six times from just 14 outings.

His form thus far sparked even more talk from pundits and Carragher doubled down on the praise he lauded the former Liverpool man with last season.
"The first touch is unbelievable centre-forward play. Holding the centre-back off because don’t forget he’s got no space, he knows the goalkeeper is going to be converging on him," Carragher said.
"I’m a huge fan of his. His goals towards the end of the season kept Forest up and it could do the same again."

Liverpool's "special" £4m star is now worth 1175% more

Jurgen Klopp has shaped this rising talent into one of the Premier League’s most exciting prospects.

By
Angus Sinclair

Feb 23, 2024

Time will only tell whether Liverpool will live to regret selling the promising youngster after years of chasing a work permit for him.
One thing is for sure, however, and that is the fact that we will likely be seeing the £50k-per-week hotshot in England's top flight for many years to come.

La Roja could carve out another dominant era after this most deserved of triumphs, but the Three Lions' agonising wait for glory goes on and on

In the end, beauty beat the beast as attacking, daring football triumphed over pragmatism. Spain met their match in England for 45 minutes of the Euro 2024 final, but once the second half began, they turned up the volume and took the bull by the horns. And that was after Rodri had been taken off, too!

It mattered little that Spain had lost their best all-rounder for they still had the same structure and the same attacking ideals. And they could count on their truly brilliant, youthful wingers Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal, who combined for their opening goal.

Spain could and should have put the game to rest there and then, but Gareth Southgate finally saw sense and made some attacking changes, which led to the mercurial Cole Palmer finding an equaliser from nowhere. England should have seized the momentum, but instead they sat back again and Spain passed their way through them, the unlikely figure of Mikel Oyarzabal firing La Roja back in front.

Spain's deserved win vindicates their decision to hire the unassuming Luis de la Fuente after parting with the blockbuster Luis Enrique following the last World Cup, and they have a very bright future ahead of them, with every chance of carving out another era of dominance.

England, meanwhile, must reflect on another missed opportunity. Gareth Southgate looks set to be remembered as the manager who lost two European Championship finals while Harry Kane is still waiting for his moment to lift a trophy.

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from the Olympiastadion…

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  WINNER: Spain's wing wonders

  For 45 minutes, it appeared as if Spain's sensational wingers could actually be stopped. As it transpired, Kyle Walker and Luke Shaw had merely postponed the inevitable.

  Yamal and Williams ran riot in the second half in Berlin, with the pair combining to break the deadlock just after the interval. They continued to create havoc thereafter and, if we're being critical, they probably should have scored another goal between them. But this most dynamic of duos were a joy to watch, just as they have been throughout the tournament.

  And the best thing about Williams and Yamal is that they're both so young, they're only going to get better – which is such an exciting prospect for Spain (and us neutrals!), but a terrifying thought for full-backs all over the world.

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  LOSER: Harry Kane

  The England captain was never going to be dropped for the final, but it was always unlikely that Kane would rediscover his top form against the best side at the tournament. As such, he predictably had another miserable evening.

  He touched the ball just 13 times, and one of those led to him being booked for a foul. He had just one shot, which was quickly blocked by Rodri, while his only positive contributions were in his own area, when he made a useful block.

  pundit and former England women's international Alex Scott called for Kane to be hauled off at half-time, and that would have been a good call. Southgate eventually got him off on the hour-mark, which was the earliest he has taken Kane off at the tournament, and when he was replaced, England finally came alive.

  Kane fronted up and did his interviews, putting on a brave face post-match. But he must be truly gutted. He has now lost two finals as England captain and is still yet to win a single trophy for club or country. Bizarrely, though, he will share the Golden Boot as joint-top scorer with five other players.

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  WINNER: Luis de la Fuente

  It's incredible to think about it now, but in March of last year, there were serious doubts in Spain over whether Luis de la Fuente was the right man to lead the national team, after a dismal 2-0 loss to Scotland in Glasgow.

  However, La Roja haven't lost a competitive fixture since, winning the Nations League in the Netherlands before pulling off a thrilling Euro 2024 triumph in which they won every single game, beating the likes of Italy, Germany, France and England along the way.

  De la Fuente is the main reason why. Granted, he has exceptional talent at his disposal, but the manager deserves so much credit for two reasons: putting his faith in youth, and instructing his players to take the game to every single team that had the misfortune to come up against them. As we saw at these Euros, such bravery is uncommon among international coaches.

  For that reason, the game owes De la Fuente a huge debt of gratitude. From facing the sack to saving football in just over a year – not bad at all!

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  LOSER: Gareth Southgate

  Southgate has had two opportunities to end England's long, long wait for a trophy. He deserves a lot of credit for getting the team there and for changing the culture of the national team. But he will ultimately be remembered as the man that got to two finals and lost them both.

  England should not be as distraught about this defeat as the Euro 2020 final loss to Italy on penalties. Spain were the better team both on paper and on the night. But once again, Southgate's in-game tactics left a lot to be desired. As in the previous matches, he only made changes when his team went behind, and England only started to ask serious questions of Spain after conceding.

  Once Palmer had got England on level terms, they reverted to type, sitting back, allowing Spain to have the ball. They had extra-time on their minds. Southgate, in the end, was punished for being reactive and not proactive. The four crucial matches he has lost at major tournaments all have one common denominator: England had less of the ball than their opponents.

  In the crunch moments, when he had to go for it, he once again lacked the necessary courage. This is likely to be his last act as England manager, even though the FA are said to want him to continue in the job. They might believe he could make it third time lucky. But even considering the huge progress he has made in his eight years in charge, that would seem like wishful thinking.

Robert Sanchez is reportedly the No.1 at Chelsea despite Djordje Petrovic's bright form as the Blues eye a fresh goalkeeper in the summer.

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• Sanchez to reclaim No. 1 spot from Petrovic
• 26-year-old deemed suitable to Enzo Maresca's style
• Blues could still look to hire a new shot-stopper

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Petrovic took over the starting role from Sanchez last season and delivered several commendable performances under former head coach Mauricio Pochettino. However, with Enzo Maresca now at the helm, the goalkeeping situation has taken a different turn.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  According to Maresca prefers Sanchez for the role of starting goalkeeper. The 26-year-old Spaniard is believed to be more suited to Maresca’s style as he has proven his capability to play out from the back in training. While Sanchez is seen as the frontrunner, Chelsea acknowledge the need for another goalkeeper with a similar skill set to ensure a seamless transition if changes are necessary. Although Petrovic is highly rated, there are concerns about the disparity between his abilities and those of Sanchez.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Chelsea are aiming to construct a squad capable of competing across a demanding season, including next summer's Club World Cup. This requires having reliable alternatives for all positions. However, the London outfit are not seeking a high-profile No.1 goalkeeper like Mike Maignan. Instead, they are targeting a promising stopper who can initially serve as a backup but has the potential to challenge Sanchez for the starting role. Despite Spanish reports linking Chelsea with Real Madrid’s Andriy Lunin, he does not align with the club’s requirements.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR PETROVIC?

  The future of Petrovic remains uncertain. While there are discussions about a potential loan or sale, Chelsea are said to maintain that they are not doubting his talent. The club values Petrovic, but the immediate need is for a goalkeeper who can match Sanchez's style of play and provide reliable competition.

Chelsea are thought to be eyeing up a summer move for one Premier League player, with the Blues impressed with what they’ve seen.

Chelsea transfer news

The Blues, under Todd Boehly, have splashed the cash in recent years, however, it hasn’t had the desired effect on the pitch under a number of different managers.

Mauricio Pochettino is the latest boss to struggle at Stamford Bridge, with the most recent disappointment coming in the EFL Cup final loss to Liverpool.

Chelsea eyeing move for "unique" new manager to replace Pochettino

The Blues know his club well.

By
Charlie Smith

Mar 6, 2024

The FA Cup is the last remaining chance of silverware for the Blues, who already seem to be looking to the summer for further reinforcements.

A new striker appears to be of interest, with Napoli’s Victor Osimhen a target, however, Manchester United appear to be rivalling the Blues for the Nigeria international.

Meanwhile, AC Milan winger Rafael Leao is also on the club’s radar, seen as a possible replacement for Raheem Sterling, should the latter depart Stamford Bridge.

However, attacking additions aren’t the club’s only priority heading into the 2024/25 season, with further signings at the back also on the cards.

Chelsea looking at Antonee Robinson move

According to sources close to GiveMeSport, Chelsea are thought to be "seriously interested" in signing Fulham defender Antonee Robinson, with a new left-back to rival Ben Chilwell their top priority.

In fact, those at Stamford Bridge have been scouting the left-back ‘for the past year' and have been impressed by a number of aspects of his game. Chelsea like his attacking mindset and pace, whereas they also feel his defensive duties have improved and that Robinson has 'good recovery traits'.

As a result, Chelsea are weighing up a summer move and believe he should be valued at £35m, although Liverpool have also been linked alongside interest elsewhere.

Robinson has gone from strength to strength since joining Fulham from Wigan Athletic back in 2020 and is now valued at a career-high €20m by Transfermarkt.

The 26-year-old, who can also turn out as a left midfielder if needed, has made 140 appearances for Fulham, becoming a regular under Marco Silva, while also winning 39 caps for the USA. He was hailed by journalist Alexandre Gangue-Ruzic during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Robinson has been Fulham’s second-best performer behind Joao Palhinha during the current campaign, as per WhoScored, and came in for praise in December from Silva, who said after a defeat at Liverpool:

"What a performance from him, he was at a high, high level. I am pleased for him because some games before, he probably wasn't at his best, so it has been good to see him react."

Whilst it's difficult not to focus on the excellent work that the current Aston Villa squad are doing in the Premier League, the Villans have already started thinking about the future, according to reports, with an exciting new talent now on trial at the club.

Aston Villa transfer news

Ahead of the summer transfer window, Villa are on course to be in a stronger position than ever when it comes to attracting big players. And that's been reflected in the latest transfer headlines, with recent reports suggesting that the Midlands club are above all in the race to sign AS Roma star Paulo Dybala this summer. In a deal which could cost just £10m, Villa and Unai Emery could land the bargain of the summer.

Meanwhile, the Villans have also already been linked with Athletic Club's Nico Williams, who is currently one of the best young players in both Europe and La Liga. So, it's clear that the Premier League sides have set their sights high on improving Emery's immediate squad, but it's also worth handing them credit for focusing on future stars at the same time.

Aston Villa make first move for "incredible" new Zaniolo upgrade for Emery

He’s impressed this season.

By
Tom Cunningham

Mar 20, 2024

According to Cristian Camilo Ortiz Hoyos, Independiente Medellin winger John Edwin Montano is currently having a trial at Aston Villa, with the Colombian side sending club official Federico Spada to Bodymoor Heath to keep abreast of the move. It is reportedly a source of pride for the club that a player of Montano's talent now has the chance to play for a club of Aston Villa's calibre.

What's more, the trial is reportedly going well for the 17-year-old, ahead of a potential deal to join Villa. X account Scouts in Attendance posted an update on the trial this week.

One for the future, Montano could quickly become a familiar face around Aston Villa's training ground, should the next week of his trial prove to be a success.

Montano an example of Aston Villa's planning

Of course, Aston Villa's potential Champions League qualification doesn't just put them in a solid position to attract Europe's current best stars, but also those for the future such as Montano.

The right-winger, who can also play as a centre-forward, has already made three senior appearances for Medellin ahead of a hopeful move to Aston Villa in the next few months.

It's at Villa that Montano will look towards competitions such as the FA Cup and Carabao Cup to impress Emery and potentially earn an eventual Premier League debut. That will be the dream for the teenager and the idea of Premier League football will no doubt be part of the reason why he's currently in the Midlands on trial.

This time next week, as the Colombian's trial ends, we may be talking about Villa's latest young talent, who will be left looking to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Jacob Ramsey by graduating into the first-team.

Pop star Robbie Williams revealed how he 'almost begged' Ruud van Nistelrooy for a picture as the Manchester United fan ran into the Dutch legend.

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• Robbie Williams meets Van Nistelrooy
• Tells story about naming his dog after legend
• Dutch coach currently with Man Utd

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The pop star recently met the former striker in the United States as the Red Devils continued their Stateside pre-season tour. Williams posted a photo with Van Nistelrooy and said he felt like he was "14 again".

  Instagram/robbiewilliams

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• WHAT WILLIAMS SAID

  The pop star posted the photo on Instagram and wrote in the caption: "Today for a moment I became 14. See the second slide for details. I don’t really ask anyone for photos – True story, the last person was Sue Pollard – But as I drove past Ruud van Nistelrooy whilst in a golf cart, I yelled: ‘Stop……….pls’. Sprang like a gazelle, phone in hand and almost begged for one.

  "And just like that I behaved like so many people I’ve seen behave with me. I was almost possessed…….. like ‘This MUST happen’. You see, I named my dog Ruddy after Ruud. My beautiful German Shepherd.

  "Ruud and his Man Utd team saw me through some dark periods in my life. His goals made me happy. Happy when I wasn’t. In some way that moment today was a full circle kind of deal.

  "My beautiful dog, my mental illness and this man and his goals. Ruddy is no longer with us. My mental Illness in many ways -for want of a better expression- is in remission. ll thats left is this Photo. A memory for some memories.

  As I left Ruud said: ’Thank you for your songs’ and in return I said: ’No, thank you for your goals’. Cheesy but very heartfelt. Maybe one day I’ll be able to meet him and just be a human talking to a human. But until then, witness Robbie Williams competition winner in slide 2."

• Getty/GOAL
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Van Nistelrooy recently rejoined United as part of Erik ten Hag's coaching staff this summer, returning to the club where he enjoyed his most successful stint. The Dutchman played 219 games for the Red Devils and had a total of 180 goal contributions in all competitions.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR VAN NISTELROOY?

  The former Old Trafford star continues travelling with the Red Devils squad as they are set to take on Liverpool in their final friendly against Liverpool this weekend.

A concerning Celtic transfer update has emerged regarding the exit of a "wonderful" Hoops player, with a summer move away from Parkhead potentially on the cards.

Celtic transfer news

The upcoming summer transfer window is going to be an important one for Celtic, regardless of whether they end up winning the Scottish Premiership title over Rangers or not. By the club's usual high standards, performances haven't always been as impressive in comparison to previous years, which is why they will be second in the table if their rivals win their game in hand.

New signings could be needed to add new life to Brendan Rodgers' squad at the end of the season, and some potential additions have emerged in recent times, as they look to act fast.

Paulo Bernardo is currently on loan at Celtic from Benfica, and such is the manner in which he has impressed at Parkhead this season, a permanent move to the club has been mooted. He has two league goals and assists apiece to his name in 2023/24 to date, as well as averaging 1.6 tackles per game.

Wolves left-back Hugo Bueno is seen as another possible target for the Hoops, having failed to snap him up in the January transfer window, with a summer switch potentially on the cards instead.

Celtic could sell "wonderful" O'Riley

According to a new update from Give Me Sport, Celtic could end up selling Matt O'Riley this summer if they receive a huge offer, as interest emerges from other clubs such as Brighton, Brentford and Leeds United.

"Celtic midfielder Matt O'Riley will 'definitely' be in demand during the 2024 summer transfer window at Parkhead, according to GIVEMESPORT sources.

"According to GMS sources, O'Riley will be 'in demand' this summer, with a move to the Premier League a distinct possibility. The 23-year-old arrived at Parkhead from Milton Keynes Dons during the 2022 winter transfer window for a fee of £1.5m."

O'Riley is undoubtedly one of Celtic's most talented and influential players currently, so the idea of him moving elsewhere this summer doesn't bear thinking about. The 23-year-old Dane has scored 11 goals and registered 10 assists in the league this season, producing so much quality from his attacking midfield role. Rodgers has also lauded him in the recent past, saying:

"It is all about arriving in the areas and finding composure to finish. I really like him, his build-up play is good, he takes the ball, and he needs to work on his pressing and intensity but he is a wonderful footballer and he is a good guy as well."

There is always the chance that O'Riley feels that a fresh challenge is required, however, possibly moving to the Premier League, so it could be hard to begrudge him a move away, although it would be nice if he bowed out with a title win.

On the plus side, Celtic will be able to demand big money for the Denmark international, considering he is contracted at Parkhead until 2027, which could at least ease some of the pain of seeing him leave, should he decide to.