Will Aston Villa soon make their maiden first-team signing of the summer?

So far, teenager Yasin Özcan has arrived from Kasımpaşa for a reported fee of around £5.8m, albeit he was immediately loaned out to Anderlecht, while veteran goalkeeper Marco Bizot and 19-year-old winger Zépiqueno Redmond have both joined on free transfers.

Thus, right now, ahead of their Premier League opener against Newcastle United, Unai Emery will not have any high-profile new signings to showcase, but could that be about to change?

Aston Villa transfer news latest

Speaking on the Guardian Football Weekly podcast, Dan Bardell notes that Aston Villa have so far been unable to spend money in this summer window due to their lack of PSR headroom, but forecasts that they will be active and “opportunistic” in the coming weeks, having to date kept their powder dry.

This was exactly the strategy that saw the Claret and Blue Army land both Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio on loan in January, but the pair will need replacing, with the Englishman having joined Barcelona, while it appears unlikely that the Spaniard will return to Villa Park either.

Thus, as they target attacking reinforcements, with Alan Nixon revealing on his Patreon that Aston Villa had joined the race to sign Evann Guessand, and were willing to outbid Crystal Palace, who have long been viewed as the front-runners to secure the Ivorian’s signature.

That has since been followed up by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who revealed that the Midlands has reached a “verbal agreement” with Nice, having lodged a bid of around €30m (£26m), plus add-ons.

That comes after it was previously noted that the forward was valued at around £22m by the Ligue 1 outfit.

Transfer Focus

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

So, Guessand looks set to become just the second player from Côte d’Ivoire to call Villa Park home. Jonathan Kodjia is the first, and so far only, in case you were wondering!

What Evann Guessand would bring to Aston Villa

Guessand, who is still only 24 years old, joined Nice at the age of 15, but only became an outstanding figure in les Aiglons’ first-team as recently as last season.

He spent time out on loan at Lausanne-Sport in Switzerland and then Nantes in Ligue 1, scoring five goals for la Maison Jaune, most notably bagging a stoppage-time winner against Olympiacos in the Europa League, sparking wild scenes of celebration at Stade de la Beaujoire.

He has returned to Nice for the last two seasons, very much a key figure for his boyhood club, scoring six goals in Ligue 1 in 2023/24, before bagging 12 during the most recent campaign, firing Franck Haise’s side to a top four finish and possible Champions League qualification; they face Benfica in the first leg of a qualifier this week.

The table below emphasises Guessand’s impressive form in Ligue 1 last season.

Goals

12

10th

Assists

8

6th

Shots

27

10th

Goals – xG

+2.8

9th

Shot-creating actions

91

23rd

Goal-creating actions

17

8th

Attempted take-ons

103

15th

Progressive carries

87

19th

Average SofaScore rating

7.23

7th*

*among forwards only.

The table outlines that Guessand is an all-round attacker, ranked highly when it comes to both goals and assists, but also chances created and dribbling, overperforming his expected goals figure by almost three, underlining his clinical edge.

Alex Barker of The Athletic is certainly a fan, labelling him a “real physical handful” as well as being an “agile” forward who is capable of creating “high-quality chances” too, concluding that his ability to do it all makes him “Bruno Fernandes-esque”.

Venkatanarayanan of Total Football Analysis agrees, noting that he is a ‘good dribbler’, which is surprising given that he is 6 ft 2 in (188 cm).

Meantime, Mohamed Fathall of Breaking the Lines states that he thrives when able to ‘support a central striker’, adding that he is ‘constantly looking to take on defenders’, using his ‘intelligent movement’ to get into goal-scoring positions.

Well, this makes him the ideal strike partner for Ollie Watkins who, as documented by Ahmed Walid of The Athletic, only truly started scoring goals with impressive regularity at Aston Villa after Emery had coached him to remain within the width of the penalty area.

Watkins has reached double figures for goals in each of his five Premier League campaigns, although such consistency could be maintained if fed by the Fernandes-esque talents of Guessand, considering he created 12 ‘big chances’ in Ligue 1 last term, as per Sofascore.

For context, Manchester United’s skipper was only just ahead with 16 ‘big chances’ created in the Premier League.

With Villa’s number 11 thus able to pounce on regular, quality service, Guessand and Watkins could form a deadly attacking partnership, as Villa target a top five finish and Europa League glory in the season ahead.

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Leeds United have now “rejected” a loan offer for an “excellent” player, according to an update from reliable journalist Beren Cross.

Leeds closing on Paixao and eyeing more signings

It looks as though Igor Paixao is increasingly likely to be the Whites’ latest signing this summer, with a move for the Feyenoord attacker now “fully approved” by the club.

The Brazilian has the ability to be a big hit at Elland Road, providing Leeds with the additional firepower that is badly needed back in the Premier League, having bagged 16 goals and 10 assists in the Eredivisie last season.

Paixao hopefully won’t be the Whites’ only addition between now and the end of the summer transfer window, however, and Chelsea left-back Ben Chilwell has emerged as an ambitious target who would bring a huge amount of experience and quality to Daniel Farke’s team.

Meanwhile, Fulham striker Rodrigo Muniz is also said to be a target for Leeds, with the Brazilian keen on securing a move to Elland Road after an impressive 2024/25 campaign with the Cottagers.

Leeds reject offer for "excellent" attacker

Writing on X on Friday, The Athletic‘s Cross claimed that Leeds and 49ers Enterprises have now “rejected” a loan bid with an option to buy for forward Mateo Joseph from La Liga side Real Betis.

“Leeds United asked Getafe about Christantus Uche a few weeks ago. €25m release clause. Not advanced, but one they have checked on. Betis loan offer, with option, for Mateo Joseph has been rejected. Leeds insist he’s not for sale.”

This is good news from a Leeds perspective, with Joseph a young player with lots of potential – one who Farke has spoken of fondly in the recent past.

“I’m happy with what Mateo’s delivering. As a striker you’re only 100 per cent if you score game after game, but I don’t rate him in output of just goals. His link-up play is excellent and how he holds defenders. For example the third goal [vs Coventry], Joel Piroe, everyone is speaking about Ao Tanaka and the really good assist of Willy [Gnonto]. But I praise Mateo, under pressure keeps the ball against aggressive forward defending to keep possession and bring the midfielders into a good position.”

Granted, Joseph may struggle for regular football in the Premier League, having only started 11 Championship matches last season, so it is understandable why a fresh challenge may appeal to him.

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He still has so much to offer, though, and should only develop as a footballer over the next five or six years, so Leeds selling him would be a risk.

Celtic kicked off their defence of the Scottish Premiership title with a dramatic 1-0 win over St Mirren at Parkhead in their opening match on Sunday evening.

Luke McCowan scored the goal of the game for Brendan Rodgers’ side, as he came off the bench to fire into the bottom corner, via a deflection, from the edge of the box.

The Scottish midfielder saved the Hoops from drawing a blank on the opening day, as they had looked rather blunt at the top end of the pitch in the 86 minutes that preceded his strike.

Adam Idah was selected to start as the centre-forward for the Premiership champions ahead of new signing Shin Yamada and Johnny Kenny, and he failed to justify his inclusion.

Adam Idah's disappointing showing against St Mirren

The Ireland international was provided with a big chance to show the supporters that he has what it takes to be the main number nine for Celtic, but he failed to take it.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast’s Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

Idah had a huge opportunity to open the scoring from close range in the second half and rattled his effort off the past, albeit from a fairly tight angle, whilst the striker failed to score with his other three shots on goal.

The 6 foot 3 forward did with both of his aerial duels, to his credit, but the former Norwich man also lost four of his five duels on the deck and failed to complete his only attempted dribble.

It was a blunt performance from the Irish striker, who may have harmed his chances of keeping his place in the XI, but he was far from the only disappointing performer, as Benjamin Nygren also struggled on his debut.

Why Celtic should drop Benjamin Nygren

Rodgers must ruthlessly drop the Swedish central midfielder for the trip to Aberdeen next Sunday because he was just as bad as Idah against St Mirren.

The left-footed summer signing was picked over Arne Engels in midfield and failed to justify his inclusion, with an awkward-looking showing in the middle of the park.

Nygren appeared to trip over his own feet a few too many times, with Sky Sports pundit Chris Sutton describing a few of his touches as “dreadful” during commentary.

Like Idah, the 24-year-old attacker also fired a shot against the post, although his was via a save from Shamal George, and had two shots on target without scoring.

Minutes

78

Big chances created

0

Shots on target

2

Accurate crosses

1/8

Successful dribbles

0/1

Ground duels won

1/5

Aerial duels won

1/4

As you can see in the table above, Nygren was too much of a lightweight in midfield for Celtic, as he lost 77% of his overall duels, whilst Idah, at least, was dominant aerially.

This shows that he was just as bad as the Irish forward because he was even worse in duels and only came slightly closer to scoring than the striker with his shot that was saved.

Hoops supporters also may not want to see too many more corners from the Sweden international, as he only completed one of his eight attempted crosses from set-pieces and open play combined.

Nygren may just need some time to settle in and adapt to Glasgow and Scottish football before Celtic fans can see the best of him on the pitch, which is why it may be best for Rodgers to place him on the bench for the time being.

Engels delivered ten goals and 13 assists in his debut campaign in Scotland, and McCowan won the game with his strike off the bench on Sunday. They are both suitable options to come in and replace Nygren as a starter for the trip to Aberdeen next weekend.

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MatériaMais Notícias

A pressão sob o Corinthians aumentou após a derrota por 1 a 0 contra o Argentinos Juniors, pela Libertadores. Depois do apito final, a torcida corintiana protestou contra o elenco, entoando a cântico “ou joga por amor ou joga por terror”.

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A maior parte dos protestos vieram do setor Norte, onde ficam as torcidas organizadas do Timão. Outros cânticos foram entoados, como “P… que saudade, quando o Corinthians jogava com vontade” e “Vamos jogar bola, oh oh”. Durante o intervalo, foi possível escutar pedidos de raça nas arquibancadas.

+ Assine o Star+ por apenas R$32,90 por mês e acompanhe o Timão na Libertadores quando e onde quiser!

Para o duelo contra o Argentinos Juniors, Lázaro promoveu mudanças no time titular, optando por Balbuena no lugar de Bruno Méndez, e Cantillo na vaga de Roni. Após o intervalo, ele colocou trocou os volantes citados, e optou por Romero na vaga do jovem Matheus Araújo.

+ATUAÇÕES: Fernando Lázaro tem noite desastrosa e leva a pior nota em derrota do Corinthians

Mesmo perdendo, Lázaro optou por não fazer todas as substituições, fazendo apenas quatro alterações no time durante a partida.

+ Veja tabela e a situação do grupo do Timão na Libertadores

O Timão volta a campo pela Libertadores no dia 2 de maio, contra o Independiente del Valle, na Neo Química Arena. Antes, o clube alvinegro enfrenta Goiás e Palmeiras, pelo Brasileirão, e tentará reverter a desvantagem contra o Remo, pela Copa do Brasil.

continua após a publicidade

انتقد مايكل أوين، نجم فريق ليفربول السابق، أداء أحد اللاعبين في مباراة اليوم ضد نظيره كريستال بالاس، في إطار منافسات بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وحل ليفربول ضيفًا على كريستال بالاس على ملعب “سيلهرست بارك” في الجولة السادسة من الدوري الإنجليزي، موسم 2025/26.

وتعرض ليفربول لأول هزيمة له في الموسم الحالي من الدوري الإنجليزي حيث سقط أمام كريستال بالاس بهدفين لهدف.

وقال مايكل أوين، في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “sportbible” الإنجليزية: “لا أعلم إن كان الإرهاق هو السبب، لكن ليفربول أراح عددًا لا بأس به من اللاعبين في منتصف الأسبوع في كأس كاراباو”.

وأضاف: “لم يكونوا على طبيعتهم المعتادة، ما زلنا في بداية الموسم، لذلك أتردد في إلقاء اللوم على ذلك (الإرهاق)، هناك مثلًا كوناتي لم يكن يعرف بما يفعله في الشوط الأول”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. شبكة إنجليزية بعد هزيمة ليفربول أمام كريستال بالاس: محمد صلاح فقد شيئًا مميزًا

وواصل: “لا أستطيع القول إن ذلك كان بسبب قلة خبرته أو إرهاقه، لقد رأينا منه أداءً أو اثنين مماثلين هذا الموسم، لن أستخدم هذا العذر، بل سأشيد بـ كريستال بالاس، إنه فريق قوي”.

وشدد: “لقد تغلبوا على ليفربول في كأس الدرع الخيرية، ولم يكن ذلك مجرد صدفة، أميل أكثر للقول إن كريستال بالاس لعب بشكل جيد للغاية”.

وأكد: “خيبة أمل كبيرة لـ ليفربول، كان من الممكن تجنب الهدف الأخير، كان أداؤهم سيئًا للغاية في الشوط الأول، في الشوط الثاني دخلوا المباراة بقوة، وسجلوا هدفًا”.

واختتم: “أعتقد أن ليفربول كان سيسعد بالنقطة بعد كل هذا، لكن كريستال بالاس كان الفريق الأفضل طوال المباراة، ليفربول سيلوم نفسه بشدة على ذلك”.

Sam Konstas missed an opportunity to strengthen his Test case while Steven Smith made a duck as Victoria closed in on victory over New South Wales despite a superb six-wicket haul from Mitchell Starc.Konstas made 43, after being given a life when on 23, while Smith was given out lbw not offering a shot to Scott Boland as the Blues slumped to 185 for 6 chasing 383. An unbeaten half-century from Josh Philippe has ensured the game will reach the fourth day, but the Blues need 198 runs to win with just four wickets in hand.Earlier, critical half-centuries from Sam Harper and Tom Rogers helped Victoria set the Blues a large fourth-innings chase in the face of some outstanding bowling from Starc, who finished with 6 for 81 from 17.5 overs and looks in superb shape ahead of the Test series against India.”I nearly got to 40 overs, which was probably more than the people off the field would have liked,” Starc said post-play.”Wickets aside, the rhythm was there and it felt the best I’ve felt in a while. Across the two innings it feels like it’s in a good spot at the front end of the summer.”The Blues chase got off to a horror start as they lost 4 for 35. Boland was back to his unerring best with the new ball. He had Nic Maddinson caught at slip off a no-ball before nicking him off again with a brilliant legal delivery from around the wicket that angled in and seamed away.He then trapped Smith lbw with a delivery that nipped back sharply from wide of off. Smith shouldered arms not expecting so much movement. Umpire Sam Nogajski thought it was hitting the stumps. It was a brave decision but, despite Smith’s clear displeasure, replays suggested it was highly likely to be hitting the stumps.Steven Smith was trapped lbw by Scott Boland for a duck•Getty Images

“I thought it was out,” Boland said after play. “It only has to hit the stumps when you don’t use your bat like that.”Boland was pleased to get through another 11 overs in his return from injury.”Body feels really good,” Boland said. “Happy with how the knee and foot are feeling.”Just general soreness from being back bowling. As much as you try to in the nets, you can’t replicate what you get out in the middle. And I haven’t played again for six months and I can feel it a little bit. But I just think if I get through this week, I’ll be ready to go.”Moises Henriques was trapped lbw by Fergus O’Neill before Ollie Davies fell nicking a loose drive off Will Sutherland.Konstas held firm in the face of some excellent seam bowling. But he battled for fluency despite looking sound in defence. The moment he tried to expand he nearly came unstuck. On 23, he drove firmly at a Boland delivery that wasn’t as full as it appeared. A thick edge flew to Peter Handscomb’s right at second slip, but he could not reel it in at full stretch despite getting two hands to it.The drop appeared to free Konstas up. He began to accumulate, moving to 43 alongside Philippe, who continued the form he showed in his unbeaten 45 in the first innings.But having done the hard yards against the quicks, Konstas was undone but the offspin of Todd Murphy. He had mauled South Australia’s Ben Manenti in his twin centuries in the opening game of the season, but the Test offspinner was a different challenge. Konstas punched him neatly off the back foot for four through cover-point and wanted to go back-to-back skipping out early to the next delivery predicting it might be fuller. Murphy outsmarted him. Konstas was nowhere near the good length as he tried to mow it over long-on and the top edge skewed to backward point where Campbell Kellaway held the tricky chance.The Blues were 97 for 5 before Philippe and Sean Abbott steadied the innings. The two shared a 59-run stand before Abbott edged Sutherland to first slip.Philippe reached a half-century for the second time this season and looks in good touch heading into his Australia A appearance in a few weeks.Earlier in the day, Harper and Rogers produced an excellent 130-run partnership to put Victoria in a strong position before late hitting from O’Neill and Murphy pushed the game seemingly beyond the Blues reach. Harper made 72 and looked in complete control before holing out to wide fine leg when a predictable plan had been set for him.Rogers made 59, his maiden first-class half-century, and looked very assured before he lost a battle with Nathan Lyon. Australia’s No. 1 Test spinner went over the wicket to the left-hand batter for a period of time to dry him up. He fell trying to work against the spin and was caught at short leg.Starc and Abbott threatened to blow the tail away but O’Neill and Murphy made 33 and 36 respectively with some lusty hitting and some good fortune. Starc finally castled both of them to finish with six wickets.

Liverpool fans were treated to some fine football last season, with Arne Slot’s Reds barnstorming their way through the 2024/25 campaign and winning the Premier League comfortably.

To think that Slot achieved this, taking the baton from Jurgen Klopp as he did, without any real first-team investment, is quite unbelievable. FSG did move to sign Federico Chiesa from Juventus for £12.5m, but he only started once in the top flight all term, that appearance coming in May, after the title had been wrapped up.

This summer, however, paints a different picture. Wide defenders Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong look fit for a title-winning squad, and Florian Wirtz even more so, the German creative joining Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen for a British-record £116m fee.

The matter of a centre-forward remains unresolved. Liverpool’s top target is Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, but the Magpies are rather fond of their prized silver.

As such, a deal for Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike is in the works, with the Frenchman actually submitting a transfer request to speed things along. Such a profile is duly needed, especially with Luis Diaz facing a potential Anfield exit.

The latest on Luis Diaz's Liverpool future

Diaz, 28, is one of Slot’s most trusted lieutenants. Last season, he enjoyed a career-best in England after notching 25 goal contributions across all competitions.

The Colombian, however, has entered the penultimate year of his contract and wants a pay rise. Such a rise doesn’t seem to be forthcoming, and thus, he’s seeking a route out of Merseyside.

Barcelona and Bayern Munich have been among the frontrunners, both enticed by Diaz’s electric pace and his potency and his versatility across wide and central attacking berths.

However, Barcelona are now pushing ahead with a deal for Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, leaving Bayern and suitors over in the Saudi Pro League to engage in a straight shootout.

If Diaz does go, Liverpool will need a replacement, even though Cody Gakpo grew in strength last term and even though FSG plan to sign the versatile Ekitike.

Liverpool line up Diaz heir

Spanish reports have indicated that, while Arsenal remain favourites, Liverpool may yet push ahead and pursue a deal for Real Madrid’s Rodrygo this summer.

The South American is widely considered one of the most talented forwards in the world, but Xabi Alonso’s chock-full frontline has made him expendable.

Arsenal are preparing an offer worth €80m (£68m) for the Brazilian forward, though Los Blancos are expected to reject this as they hold out for their original €100m (£85m) asking price.

The potential for advancement over on Merseyside hinges solely on the outcome of Diaz’s transfer saga.

Why Liverpool want Rodrygo

With Rodrygo’s illustrious Real Madrid journey seemingly drawing to a close, Liverpool might find themselves regretting not making their move, should Diaz indeed leave.

The 24-year-old’s track record speaks for itself. However, Rodrygo is rarely deployed on the left wing, his favourite and most productive position, for the Spanish giants have Vinicius Junior in that position, and Kylian Mbappe too.

By signing Rodrygo, Liverpool could secure a “world-class” winger, as he has been dubbed by former teammate Luka Modric, for the coming era, one who could combine with Ekitike to create a deadly strikeforce on the same level as Liverpool’s before, when Jurgen Klopp was in his Anfield heyday.

This blend of experience and up-and-coming exuberance could work wonders for Slot’s side, especially when considering there’s a legendary figure in Mohamed Salah to complete the set on the right flank.

Even in spite of a ‘poor’ season, Rodrygo has finished with as many goal involvements as Diaz, and indeed, has wonderfully illustrated his propensity for impact when coming off the left, with six goals and six assists across only 12 matches as a left winger.

Rodrygo – Real Madrid Stats by Position (24/25)
Position	Apps	Goals	Assists
Right winger	31	8	5
Left winger	12	6	6
Centre-forward	10	0	0
Stats via Transfermarkt

Moreover, his six-goal haul in La Liga, while not a fine representation of his clinical edge by any stretch, also returned only one missed big chance, as per Sofascore, which plays right into Ekitike’s hands.

Frankfurt’s rising talent has the makings of an elite goalscorer, but he’s also a sharp and intuitive player, capable of achieving a wide range of things when in full flow, which could make him a dream partner for Rodrygo at the top end of the pitch.

As per FBref, the 23-year-old ranked among the top 10% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues last season for assists, the top 6% for shot-creating actions, the top 4% for progressive carries and successful take-ons, and the top 20% for ball recoveries per 90.

What can we ascertain from this? Well, Ekitike’s movements and link-up play would actively promote Rodrygo’s own quest for goals. Hardly a target man in the strictest sense of the word, the adroit forward’s ability to create and his knack and deceiving opponents with off-the-ball movement would play right into Rodrygo’s goalscoring focus.

Not that the Real Madrid man is so one-dimensional. After all, in La Liga last season, he completed 91% of his passes while averaging 1.6 key passes per game, which is an absurd rate of crispness for one performing in and around the final third, especially when considering he chipped in with regular creative balls.

With a rich attacking crop and a system which was set up without a hitch last season, Slot will be confident that by adding players such as Ekitike and Rodrygo, he can grow his Liverpool team into an even more powerful and threatening state.

Such players could combine to create something truly special, not just set up to defend their Premier League title but also to challenge for the biggest prizes across the board. Year in, year out.

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ESPNcricinfo has learnt that India’s head coach will be back with the team before the Adelaide Test on December 6

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Nov-20241:48

Manjrekar: ‘India’s selection calls made cricketing sense’

India will be without head coach Gautam Gambhir when they take on the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra in a two-day tour game starting on November 30. Gambhir has left the team to be in India for personal reasons. A BCCI source confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that Gambhir will be back with the team before the next Test, which will be a day-night match in Adelaide starting on December 6. The tour game in Canberra will be a day-night match played with the pink Kookaburra ball.India lead the series 1-0 after they made a stunning comeback from being whitewashed 3-0 at home by New Zealand. Assistant coaches Abhishek Nayar, Ryan ten Doeschate and Morne Morkel will collectively be in charge in Gambhir’s absence.Related

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Just as Gambhir left, India were bolstered by the return of the full-time captain, Rohit Sharma, who had been on paternity leave during the first Test. Rohit’s return into the XI could lead to a tricky question around the combination as in his absence, KL Rahul made a successful return to the top of the order in difficult conditions.If Shubman Gill, who missed the Perth Test with a fractured thumb, also makes it back to full fitness, India will have to free up two places in the batting line-up. There is no update yet on Gill’s recovery as there is time to go to the next match. He will likely miss the tour game with assessments becoming more regular as the training days and the Adelaide Test approach.

Liverpool are continuing to build a squad capable of fighting on all fronts this season and have now turned their attention to a defender who models himself on Virgil van Dijk, according to reports.

Liverpool set for return to action in FA Community Shield clash

After a summer that has yielded several statement signings at Anfield, Liverpool return to competitive action this weekend against Crystal Palace as they aim to win the FA Community Shield.

Speaking ahead of the tie, Arne Slot has confirmed the Reds won’t underestimate Crystal Palace as both sides take part in the curtain-raiser ahead of this season’s Premier League.

He stated: “It’s nice if you can start the season by winning something. We have a chance at the beginning of the season. We face a difficult Crystal Palace side. They have shown how hard it is to win a one-off game with them.

“Counter-attacks, set-pieces, long-balls to Mateta and individual quality of their forwards. Bilbao, AC Milan and Yokohama already gave us good competition (in pre-season). Palace hit the ground running again, it is still the same team. A good challenge for us to start the season.”

With Darwin Nunez heading for Al-Hilal, Liverpool are also expected to submit another bid for Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, potentially lifting their attacking output into a different paradigm if they can force Eddie Howe into a sale.

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Real Madrid winger Rodrygo is also on the Reds’ radar, offering scope for a landmark end to a window that has already seen Slot raise the floor of his squad with additions such as Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez.

Now, they could add to their defensive ranks with a signing that has previously expressed his admiration for their club captain.

Liverpool continue to push for Giovanni Leoni

According to Florian Plettenberg on X, Liverpool are courting Parma defender Giovanni Leoni and he is said to be “one to watch” on the market, though their focus still remains firmly on Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi.

Other Italian clubs could come to the table for the 18-year-old and he may indeed remain at his current employers, but the Reds indeed have him on their list and they are believed to be “closely monitoring” his situation.

Citing his biggest influences, Leoni has admitted he models his game on Virgil van Dijk, which would be something that could endear himself to supporters.

Last term, the Rome-born man registered a solitary effort in 17 Serie A appearances, though his arrival at Anfield would very much be deemed as a long-term project.

Sunderland fans will be very excited for the upcoming Premier League season now as the Black Cats attempt to cause an instant storm on their arrival, rather than just being content with making up the numbers.

Regis Le Bris and Co. have been extremely busy this summer fine-tuning their options to give themselves the best possible chance at sealing survival and achieving even more, with the standout purchase of Granit Xhaka finally happening, sending shockwaves through the top-flight.

For £17m, the Black Cats have won themselves a potential steal, as the Swiss international prepares to return to the division where he made a name for himself as a tough battler from the middle of the park for Arsenal.

Why Xhaka is a standout deal

The 32-year-old also boasts vast experience in top divisions beyond just the Premier League, having been a staple at Bayer Leverkusen over the last two seasons, before returning to English shores.

Indeed, across the last two campaigns, Xhaka was an ever-present force centrally, with six goals and nine assists coming his way at the BayArena from 99 appearances.

But it’s his no-nonsense, battling attitude that will have caught Sunderland’s eye even more as they attempt to stave off the drop zone in the Premier League, as seen in Xhaka averaging 5.4 ball recoveries per Bundesliga clash last season when tirelessly fighting for his side’s cause.

For the Gunners, the 32-year-old battled with even more intensity, with Xhaka throwing himself into a high 1001 duels in total across his 225 league appearances in North London.

17 goals and 24 assists were also tallied up in the brutal division, with the brand new Sunderland number 34’s ideal blend of skill and grit making him a top asset for Le Bris’ men as they venture up a level.

He could soon be joined by another talent that is also both sleek and combative, if necessary, as Le Bris’ midfield options become more and more stacked by the day.

Xhaka's "incredible" potential midfield partner

It will all be about reining in Xhaka’s aggressiveness, however, as the two-time FA Cup winner did end up with four red cards during his Emirates career.

However, they won’t want to eradicate this side of his game completely, with fellow new recruits that are set to join the building also potentially possessing this bite in their varied game.

New Sunderland target Gabriel Sara – who has been tipped to make a £26m move back to England – certainly showed a spiky side when donning Norwich City yellow and green, as seen in him averaging 4.8 duels won on average across his swansong Championship campaign with the Canaries.

This attritional side to his character means he could well happily line up as a defensive midfield option alongside Xhaka, but in Le Bris’ trusty 4-2-3-1 set-up, the well-rounded Brazilian might be better suited to a number ten role, as the Swiss international prepares to set the 26-year-old up for plenty of chances on Wearside from deep.

Games played

40

46

Goals scored

7

13

Assists

4

12

Touches*

53.4

76.6

Accurate passes*

29.8 (80%)

47.9 (86%)

Key passes*

1.7

2.6

Big chances created

6

16

Total duels won*

3.3

4.8

From this role at Carrow Road, Sara would turn into an “incredible” star for his second-tier outfit – as he was dubbed by U23 football scout Antonio Mango – with his final offering during the 2023/24 season seeing him pick up a staggering 25 goal contributions from 46 league clashes.

He has since refined his game even more in Turkey with Galatasaray, with two goals and ten assists coming his way from 45 games, further allowing him to live up to his “exceptional” billing by Canaries-based journalist Conor Southwell.

Both Xhaka and Sara together have the shared class to enhance Sunderland centrally, as the pair prepare to potentially link up with each other to help their new side succeed in the Premier League.

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