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Aston Villa are eyeing a move for Fulham centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo, with a major transfer update hinting that a move could be more likely this summer.

What’s the story?

Despite having a firmly established centre-back partnership in Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings – the latter of course now with the England squad for Euro 2020 – it appears that Dean Smith is keen on reinforcing in that area.

According to Complete Sports, Villa are among a host of Premier League clubs interested in signing Adarabioyo, with West Ham and Southampton also said to be keen on him.

The report follows on from Fabrizio Romano’s claim that the centre-back has a release clause of just £10m in his Fulham contract.

Premier League proven

While the centre-back might have been playing for a Fulham side which was relegated, that certainly doesn’t take away from how impressive he has been at Craven Cottage, or how good he could potentially become at Villa – you only have to look at Liverpool signings the likes of Georginio Wijnaldum and Andy Robertson in recent years to see that.

Having been described as a “high quality, class player” and “immense” by Tony Mowbray, his former boss at Blackburn, Adarabioyo has the kind of pedigree which could really bolster Smith’s side.

Mowbray said: “The reason we brought him was because of his attributes. He’s 6ft 5in, he’s very very quick, his distribution is as a good as any centre-back in the division.”

The former Manchester City starlet is also significantly better than any of Villa’s defensive options when it comes to playing out from the back, and even anyone in the entire squad – his 57.7 average passes per game at an accuracy of 86.2% would rank him top among all of Villa’s players.

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It’s no surprise that City manager Guardiola has previously called him “exceptional”, or why Villa are keen on landing him this summer.

Given his tender age of 23, his Premier League experience and his homegrown status, Adarabioyo fits everything that Smith recently suggested Villa would be targeting in the transfer window.

It’s exactly why the Villa boss would surely love to have him at the Midlands club.

Meanwhile, Ashley Preece has dropped an exciting Aston Villa transfer claim…

Alasdair Gold has dropped an update on the respective futures of Tottenham Hotspur midfielders Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso.

What’s the talk?

In a recent video posted on YouTube, the football.london journalist revealed that, with Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici planning an overhaul of the Tottenham squad this summer, the France and Argentina internationals are two players who look certain to be moved on at the end of the season.

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Regarding Spurs’ potential outgoing transfers this summer, Gold said: “Ndombele and Lo Celso have to be moved on. Whether it’s selling them or whether it’s loaning them again, those are two players who – you’d think – are not going to be at Tottenham next season.”

Time’s up

While it is true that both Ndombele and Lo Celso have enjoyed something of a renascence since their loan moves to Olympique Lyon and Villarreal respectively, it is undeniable that, considering the sheer amount of money Tottenham spent on their signings, both players have been failures in north London.

Following Ndombele’s £63m signing back in 2019, the 25-year-old struggled to live up to his hefty price tag, something which was all too evident from his performances in the first half of Tottenham’s Premier League campaign this season.

Indeed, over his nine Premier League appearances this term, the £31.5m-rated France international scored one goal, registered one assist and created one big chance for his teammates, as well as made an average of a mere 0.1 interceptions, 1.1 tackles, 25.6 passes and won 3.6 duels per fixture.

These returns saw the £120k-per-week midfielder average a rather disastrous SofaScore match rating of a mere 6.58, ranking him as Tottenham’s third-worst player in the top flight.

Meanwhile, over Lo Celso’s own nine league outings this season, the £19.8m-rated Argentina international scored no goals, provided no assists and created two big chances for his teammates, as well as made an average of just 0.1 interceptions, 0.9 tackles, 13.9 passes and won 2.7 duels per game.

These returns saw the £100k-per-week midfielder average an extremely disappointing SofaScore match rating of 6.72, ranking him as Conte’s sixth-worst performer in the Premier League.

And, while the 26-year-old has offered Tottenham slightly more than Ndombele in previous campaigns, it is nevertheless undeniable that Lo Celso has also failed to live up to his £55m transfer fee.

As such, while Tottenham are unlikely to recoup anywhere near their £118m outlay from the potential sales of the two players this summer, finally moving the duo on permanently would nevertheless appear an extremely wise move by Paratici – if for nothing else but to free up roughly £220k of Spurs’ weekly wage budget – as the pair’s time in north London is well and truly up.

AND in other news: Bid made: Paratici in talks for Spurs’ 1st summer signing, no one’s “identical to him”

A journalist has dropped a promising transfer claim involving Newcastle United and their pursuit of Kristoffer Ajer.

Replying to a fan in a Q&A session with the Eastern Daily Press, Norwich City reporter Paddy Davitt was asked about their interest but claimed that the St. James’ Park faithful have been ‘touted’ for the potential signing of the Celtic central defender, and also added that ‘if it comes down to shoot outs’ with rivals from the Premier League, then the Canaries ‘won’t compete on financial terms’.

The Magpies have been heavily linked with Ajer in recent times, via Football Insider.

Newcastle must sign Ajer

Given that NCFC will be in the top flight with them in the 2021/22 term, assuming that the North East club do not get relegated this season of course, the Magpies will not be abel to blow Norwich away with the added incentive of Premier League football that they can offer to Ajer.

However, given the history and stature of the Tyneside club, as well as being financially better off as Davitt has claimed, the Toon should hold all of the cards for his signature if they want to follow through on their interest.

Standing at a mammoth six-feet-six-inches tall, Ajer could be a menace in both boxes for Steve Bruce’s team – winning over three aerial duels per game this term –  and at just 23 years of age, he will only get better.

Former Toon star Lee Clark, who managed the Norway international during a loan spell at Kilmarnock, described him as an ‘outstanding’ player back in March, which is very high praise.

Nonetheless, NUFC may not get a better chance to sign Ajer than this summer as his contract is ticking down (expires May 2022) and the Hoops could be forced to cash in, and it is one that they should take with open arms.

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

Rangers made a solid start to their Scottish Premiership title defence last weekend, seeing off Livingston 3-0 at Ibrox, but they could be in for a tough test on Saturday afternoon.

On the chalkboard

The Gers stormed to their first top-flight title in 10 years last season, finishing a whopping 25 points ahead of the pack.

Although Glasgow arch-rivals Celtic lost their opening league fixture, the additions of Joe Hart, Kyogo Furuhashi and James McCarthy have significantly strengthened their ranks.

Therefore, Rangers boss Gerrard must field his strongest XI over the weekend, reinstating key midfielder Glen Kamara into the Glasgow giants’ engine room.

The Finland international missed their midweek trip to Malmo in the third round of Champions League qualification through suspension, and the consequences of his absence were clear for all to see as the Gers fell to a 2-1 defeat which would’ve been worse only for Steven Davis’ last-gasp goal.

What Glen Kamara adds

Kamara was one of Gerrard’s standout performers as Rangers blew their domestic opposition away in 2020/21, recording an average passing accuracy of 90.7%, outperforming all of his current teammates in that metric.

In addition to that, he averaged 1.1 tackles, 0.9 interceptions and 0.8 key passes per league outing; whilst at Euro 2020, this increased to 1.3 tackles and 3.3 interceptions even though he faced semi-finalists Denmark and one of the favourites in Belgium in the group stage, as per WhoScored.

Neil McCann, his former manager at Dundee, lauded the 25-year-old after setting in well to life at Ibrox, complimenting his ability to take on instructions from his coaches.

“He isn’t a big, physical lad, but he’s made of iron and really strong. I knew immediately that he could handle the ball under pressure and not give it away, so he was perfect,” said the 46-year-old.

McCann added: “He’s a special talent… He’s lightning-quick, but he doesn’t show it. He’s a player who takes instruction well.”

The added security and drive which Kamara brings to Rangers’ midfield, alongside his careful use of the ball, could be decisive in cutting off the supply lines to the potent Lawrence Shankland if Gerrard’s charges are to pick up another three points at Tannadice. The Finn’s name should be one of the first on the team sheet over the weekend.

In other news… “Rangers would like to bring him in” – Exclusive: Michael Ball drops big Gers transfer claim

Rangers will be looking to put their Champions League exit behind them tonight when they take on Dunfermline Athletic at Ibrox in the Scottish League Cup, although Steven Gerrard’s side will have to cope without new signing Fashion Sakala.

Gerrard confirmed in his pre-match conference that the 24-year-old had picked up a minor groin injury which will rule him out of the game against the Championship side, which is a blow to Rangers’ hopes of progressing to the next round.

The Zambian striker impressed with his performances in pre-season, scoring the equalising goal in the memorable win against Real Madrid, which led Gerrard to sing his praises as he said: “He’s come in with an incredible attitude. He’s been an absolute role model to everyone.

“He’s come here with energy, he’s been bright, wanting to learn and pick up every bit of information. He’s smiling, he’s enjoying it and he’s grateful to be here.

“He’s been an absolute pleasure to work with, but there’s loads more to come. You can see he’s exciting.”

Is losing Sakala a blow?

Sakala struggled to impress against Livingston on the opening day when starting up front, before missing the defeat against Dundee United through injury and returning briefly against Malmo in midweek.

While they are minor injuries, Rangers fans could well be concerned that he has already missed two different games through separate problems so early in the season and will be hoping that he doesn’t prove to be injury-prone throughout his debut season with the club.

Following the Champions League exit, Rangers may well be forced to cash in on the likes of Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent, which suggests that Sakala could have an important part to play as a regular starter in Gerrard’s side.

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Friday’s match against weaker opposition could have been the ideal time for Sakala to get his first competitive goal for the club and build his confidence, so it is undoubtedly a blow for both Rangers and the 24-year-old that he isn’t fit enough to feature tonight.

In other news… Wilson could sign Rangers’ next Ryan Kent with swoop for “top player”

Former Scotland and Premier League manager Alex McLeish has talked up the idea of Jack Harrison joining Leeds United on a permanent deal this summer, claiming a deal may even be done already behind the scenes.

The Lowdown: Key figure for Leeds

The 24-year-old is coming to the end of a three-year loan spell at Elland Road, with newly-crowned Premier League champions Manchester City still his official employers.

Harrison has shone at times for Leeds, scoring 18 goals in 127 appearances and playing his part in a glorious period under Marcelo Bielsa.

With the forward’s loan spell coming to an end, the Whites now need to make a decision over his future, with an option to sign him for £10million this summer expected to be taken, via Phil Hay.

The Latest: Harrison tipped to sign permanently

Speaking to Football Insider, McLeish believes it makes complete sense to do just that, with Harrison worth double that amount now:

“There’ll probably be a deadline on that clause.

“With the season that he’s had, Man City will be possibly thinking when does it expire? Because he’s now looking like a £20million player. In the current climate, £10million is something Leeds could easily do business-wise.

“Therefore, they’ll probably just be waiting for some kind of deadline and then doing it immediately before that. For all we know, talks are really amicable and it’s kind of almost a done deal.

“Three loan years and he’s grown every step of the way with Leeds’ progress. He’s like an integral part of the family now.”

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The Verdict: No-brainer for Leeds

Harrison has become such a key player that it is surely a no-brainer to retain his services, in a decision that would suit Leeds, City and the player himself.

He is the Whites’ joint-second top scorer in the league this season with eight goals, but he has also chipped in with the same number of assists, highlighting his important to a team who need proven end product to make their rip-roaring attacking style effective.

For Leeds to snap up Harrison for just £10million would be a steal, especially as his prime could still be a few years away.

In other news, a Leeds player has officially started talks over a move away from Elland Road. Find out who it is here.

Paul Stewart has told Football FanCast in an exclusive interview that he would not say no to Liverpool defender Nathaniel Phillips joining Tottenham this summer.

The 24-year-old was given plenty of opportunities last season by manager Jurgen Klopp due to a defensive crisis at Anfield.

However, some reports suggest he could now be sold – and for as little as £10m – as Liverpool slowly recover from that defensive crisis.

As for Tottenham, the north London club find themselves in the market looking for reinforcements at the back, with The Athletic reporting that they could sign up to two new central defenders this transfer window.

And Stewart has made it clear that he would not be against the idea of bringing Phillips to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

“I wouldn’t say no to him at Spurs,” the ex-Tottenham player said in an exclusive interview with FFC. “The back four is just not good enough. At 10 million, he may just be an option.”

Phillips repaid the faith shown in him by Klopp. As per WhoScored, the Englishman won 5.6 aerial duels on average, the highest in Liverpool’s squad.

He also made the most clearances per league game, averaging 4.8. All in all, Phillips did a good job standing in, with Klopp describing the centre-half’s concentration levels as “immense”.

Southampton finally secured their first Premier League win of the season last weekend with a 1-0 victory over Leeds United thanks to a second half goal from Armando Broja. 

Their next league fixture sees them take on Burnley at St Mary’s this afternoon to see if they can pick up another three points and climb further away from the relegation zone.

Ahead of the match against Sean Dyche’s side, who are now one of the three teams still without a league win, Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl revealed in his latest press conference that only Jack Stephens will miss the game through injury, with Che Adams back available after recovering from a muscle injury.

Taking all of this into account, here’s how we feel Southampton will line up against Burnley, with two changes from the team which started last Saturday.

In goal, having played every minute of league action so far this season, it’s safe to assume Alex McCarthy will retain his place in the team this afternoon.

For the defence, given how Southampton managed to keep a clean sheet against Leeds last weekend as well as stopping the visitors from having even one shot on target throughout the whole game, we think Hasenhuttl should stick with the same back four of Valentino Livramento, Jan Bednarek, Mohammed Salisu and Romain Perraud to see if they can keep another clean sheet this time around against a Burnley side who have only managed to score five goals so far this season.

In the central midfield positions, with club captain James Ward-Prowse still serving his three-game ban, we think Oriol Romeu and Ibrahima Diallo will partner each other to try and dominate the midfield.

On the wings, we reckon Mohamed Elyounoussi, who is currently earning a weekly wage of £60k-per-week according to Spotrac, will drop out of the team as a result of his poor performance against Leeds. That allows Stuart Armstrong to come back into the starting XI on the right after he came on as a substitute in the second half last weekend.

On the left wing, we can see Hasenhuttl taking Moussa Djenepo out of the side, with Nathan Redmond moving back to that position from centre-forward to allow the potentially potent Adams to come back in the team to partner Broja up top.

In other news: Saints could unearth ideal Romeu heir with “excellent” 18 y/o ace, Ralph is a big fan – opinion

Reliable Celtic reporter Kieran Devlin has recently answered a question on Hoops left-back Boli Bolingoli.

The Lowdown: Bolingoli in 2021…

Bolingoli has made just eight appearances during the calendar year, loan with Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir.

A permanent move away from Celtic Park failed to materialise over the summer, despite links of a return to Turkey with Altay SK.

He’s since made two sporadic Celtic appearances under Ange Postecoglou, who decided to start the Belgian in a defeat to Livingston in September and a win over Motherwell earlier this month.

Aside from those fixtures, Bolingoli hasn’t featured in a Scottish Premiership matchday squad, leaving many wondering what’s next for the defender, who is still under contract until 2023.

The Latest: Devlin’s response…

Devlin ran a Q&A on The Athletic on Wednesday prior to the Hoops’ 3-1 win over Hibernian.

He was asked by one Celtic supporter about Bolingoli’s situation, to which he described it as ‘incredibly odd’.

“People I speak to around the club were as surprised – on both occasions – as we all were from afar. Just an incredibly odd situation.”

The Verdict: Ange needs to make a call…

You’d have expected if Postecoglou saw Bolingoli in his Parkhead plans, he would have been a regular in the league following Greg Taylor’s shoulder injury back in September.

However, the Hoops boss has used youngster Adam Montgomery and right-back Josip Juranovic at left-back, with Bolingoli making a couple of appearances in between.

On that basis, it might be wise for Postecoglou to resolve the situation for good by giving the club the green light to move Bolingoli on for good.

Not only would it put to bed the end of his Celtic career, but it would also free up the wage bill, with Bolingoli currently on £15,000-a-week.

In other news: ‘Difficult’ – Injury expert reacts as ‘excellent’ Celtic ace may miss 3 more games. 

Tottenham Hotspur are set to make another game-changing off-the-field appointment…

What’s the word?

According to football.london reporter Alasdair Gold, the North London outfit are to appoint Everton’s Chris Perkins as a new ‘head of emerging talent’.

It’s claimed that the Toffees’ head of academy recruitment has been placed on gardening leave until he departs Merseyside and will link up with sporting director Fabio Paratici, technical performance director Steve Hitchen and academy boss Dean Rastrick to help develop the club’s youth set-up.

Perkins will be tasked with signing the very best youngsters to bolster the academy sides.

Hotspur Way boost

This will come as a massive boost to Nuno Santo and his chances of success at the Lilywhites.

The 47-year-old has already trusted several young stars in pre-season so far and many could well make a name for themselves in the first team, including returning loan duo Oliver Skipp and Ryan Sessegnon.

Especially with the club in the newly-formed UEFA Europa Conference League, where plenty of opportunities may arise.

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Young hopefuls like Dane Scarlett, Nile John and Maksim Paskotsi have featured regularly thus far.

It’s a trend that hasn’t really worked out over the years, with the likes of Harry Kane, Harry Winks and Japhet Tanganga the only real success stories of recent times.

Whether that’s down to a lack of talent or a lack of faith from past managers remains to be seen but by appointing a talent-spotter in Perkins, it’s only going to benefit Nuno’s chances of bucking the norm and as a result, appeasing chairman Daniel Levy.

Perkins made a name for himself during a five-and-a-half-year stint at Championship side Derby County, where a high percentage of their first-team players came through the youth system under his tenure. That list included the likes of Louie Sibley, Jason Knight, Max Bird, Jayden Bogle and Max Lowe.

If he can replicate such a feat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, then Nuno is only going to be boosted greatly. Those around N17 should be delighted by this latest update.

AND in other news, Nuno Santo could secure his next Neto if Spurs sign “exciting” £27m-rated “big talent”…