Liverpool May Have To Pay £90m For Premier League Midfielder

Liverpool's hopes of signing Joao Palhinha this summer may have been dealt a blow, with The Daily Mail reporting that Fulham want £90m for his signature.

Will Liverpool sign Joao Palhinha this summer?

The midfielder has spent only one season in the Premier League with Fulham so far but has already made quite the impression in England. The 27-year-old was a key player for the Cottagers as they managed to not only avoid the drop but to finish in the top ten during their first campaign back in the top flight.

The Portugal international made 35 appearances for the side over the course of the season and even bagged three goals along the way from his deep midfield role.

joao-palhinha-fulham-premier-league

Even more impressive from the player is how he has ranked against others in his position amongst the Men's 'Top Five' big leagues in Europe this year. Despite having to adapt to a new country, Palhinha managed 4.26 tackles per 90, which actually puts him in the top one percent in that area.

It shows that he works continuously in the centre of the field to break up opposition attacks, and with a rate of 1.77 clearances too (88th percentile), it showcases just how superb he can in front of a defence.

What is Palhinha's transfer price?

Now, according to a report from The Daily Mail, the player has indeed caught the eye of clubs like Liverpool, Man United and West Ham – but if any of them want to sign them, it could cost them a hefty amount of money.

The trio have all registered an interest in the midfielder but it appears that Fulham will demand around £90m for his signature – a huge amount for any club to pay if they want to sign the Portugal man. The hope from the Cottagers is that putting such a big amount of money on one of their best players could ward off any interest in his services.

It's no surprise to see the asking price for Palhinha shoot up, considering how well he has performed in the Premier League this season. Football journalist Josh Bunting called the midfielder "outstanding" for example and added that he is "top class" and "has it all".

It may be a steep price to pay for the player then, but if Liverpool want to bolster their midfield, it could be worth testing Fulham's patience with an offer.

Man Utd Could Sign Martinez’s Dream Partner In £51m ‘Animal’

Manchester United are considering competing with Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur for Juventus centre-half Gleison Bremer this summer.

Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane have both been signed over the past several years to fortify the strength of the Red Devils' backline, and while progress has been made in this regard, manager Erik ten Hag will be looking to strengthen further after reclaiming a place in the Champions League with a top-four finish.

Winning the Carabao Cup and returning to European competition's pinnacle is undoubtedly a successful starting point, but United still finished 14 points off divisional champions Manchester City, having shipped ten more goals (43) than their city rivals and top four peers Newcastle United (33).

So, Bremer could offer a solution, a formula to provide succour and strength to a defensive regiment in tantalising yearly increments, and according to reports, could join the fold for around £51m if United win the battle for his signature after the Old Lady's financial jeopardy thrust them cheerlessly into the Europa Conference League with a ten-point deduction.

How would Gleison Bremer perform at Manchester United?

While Juventus technically finished seventh in Serie A this season, the Turin side's points punishment swiped away their fourth-place in the division – level on points with Inter Milan in third – which would have retained their Champions League spot.

And with just 33 goals conceded all term, only Napoli and Lazio in first and second place could better the steely backline, in which Bremer certainly played a definitive role.

As per Sofascore, the three-cap Brazil international recorded an average rating of 7.11 in the league last season, playing 30 matches, scoring four goals, completing 90% of his passes, averaging 3.8 clearances per game and winning 61% of his aerial battles.

Also keeping 12 clean sheets for his prestigious outfit, it's no wonder that the "unbelievable" – as hailed by journalist Ryan Taylor – titan is attracting attention from aspiring Premier League sides.

His all-encompassing work would gel very nicely with that of Martinez, who has cemented a regular starting berth at the Theatre of Dreams after his £57m move from Ajax one year ago.

lisandro-martinez-manchester-united

Dubbed "an absolute warrior" by journalist Jon Dunham, the Argentine has swiftly emerged as a fan favourite for his no-nonsense defending and unflinching commitment to rebuffing danger.

As per FBref, the Argentinian menace ranks among the top 6% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for tackles, the top 5% for interceptions and the top 11% for successful take-ons per 90, underscoring his tenacity and paramount importance to Ten Hag's side.

Bremer, comparatively, brings a forward-thinking approach to complement the ferocious ubiquity of Martinez's defensive duties, with the £153k-per-week Juve star ranking among the top 8% for goals, the top 5% for touches in the attacking box and the top 19% for aerials won per 90.

Bremer is an "animal" of a colossus – as remarked by Torino’s Mergim Vojvod – and must be brought to Old Trafford to provide Martinez with the perfect partner and craft a whole new sense of dynamism to ensure Manchester United close the distance to the very forefront of the Premier League pack.

Everton: ‘Terrific’ Signing Could Partner Onana

Everton are turning their eyes towards the summer transfer window, as the Blues have been linked with a Premier League starlet.

With survival confirmed, Sean Dyche can place his focus on improvements ahead of the 2023/24 campaign as the club must avoid a repeat of the previous two seasons.

In a year of struggle both on and off the field, Everton have had some shining lights, one being the performances of Amadou Onana, who could potentially remain at Goodison despite rumours suggesting his departure.

The latest transfer link could be an exciting one for Dyche should Onana remain a Toffee, as the Blues could swoop for an electrifying midfield partner for the Belgian.

What’s the latest on Shea Charles to Everton?

As reported by the Daily Mail, Everton are one of the clubs interested in Manchester City U21 midfielder Shea Charles.

The Northern Ireland international has gained interest from the Bundesliga, with RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund also rumoured to be “admirers” of the player.

The 19-year-old made his debut for City last weekend against Brentford as a substitute, and is contracted to the champions until 2027.

What could Shea Charles bring to Everton?

Pep Guardiola handed the teenager his first minutes for the first team last Sunday, as he played 27 minutes earning an impressive 7.0 Sofascore match rating in the process.

It was a difficult game for the champions who were defeated 1-0 away from home, however, the Spaniard was full of praise for the academy graduate after the fixture, hailing him as “so good” and “so composed” on the club’s official website.

It’s praise indeed from one of the greatest managers of all time, however, his compliments are supported by his impressive numbers, hinting that he has an exciting career ahead of him.

On his Premier League debut, the teen won 100% of his aerial duels, as well as four out of five of his ground duels in midfield, making four tackles and one interception in just under 30 minutes of play – as per Sofascore.

The Manchester-born ace, lauded as “terrific” by journalist Mark McIntosh, could be an exceptional future addition to Everton’s midfield, alongside the talents of Onana.

Amadou-Onana-Everton

Goodison’s midfield gem has similar attributes to the City youngster, inspiring the thought that they could be a commanding duo in the middle of the park together.

The Belgian has averaged 2.60 tackles per 90 over the past year, as well as an average of 2.17 successful aerials per 90, placing him in the top 6% of midfielders in Europe's top five leagues in terms of winning challenges in the air – as per FBref.

With Onana being just 21, and Charles only 19, Dyche could have a midfield pairing for years to come, in two players that are combative both in the air and on the ground, as supported by their numbers.

There are lots of indicators to suggest that Charles is ready to take the leap into senior football, not just through his performance on his debut, but his integral presence in City’s U21 side, starting in all 26 of his appearances in Premier League 2 – as per Transfermarkt.

Whether the player would be available to purchase permanently, or as a loan deal is yet to be discovered, however with such talent shown in his youth career, Dyche could unlock a generational talent in Everton’s midfield.

£150kp/w Chelsea Star Drops Instagram Hint About Summer Exit

Christian Pulisic has dropped a potential big hint on Instagram which suggests he could be moving to AC Milan this summer amid reports that he will leave Chelsea.

What's the latest on Christian Pulisic and AC Milan?

The USMNT star didn't really enjoy a particularly good season last campaign as he started just five Premier League matches across the entire campaign – scoring only one goal.

What's more, the Blues will be looking to offload a number of stars this summer with new boss Mauricio Pochettino reportedly set to press ahead with a major clearout. Indeed, 12 players could be sold in order to keep in line with Financial Fair Play rules.

As per the Evening Standard, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Edouard Mendy, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Hakim Ziyech, Mateo Kovacic, Marc Cucurella and Kai Havertz have all been touted as potential departures.

Alongside them, Pulisic is also expected to leave with Relevo's Matteo Moretto recently noting AC Milan could be his next destination.

Amid all this speculation, the 24-year-old has perhaps toyed with his fans when sharing a recent Instagram post. The winger is away with the USMNT and notably opted to include red and black dots in his wordless Instagram caption.

When does the 2023 summer transfer window open?

Of course, you can argue that these colours do match the training kit that he's wearing in the photo – which is predominantly black with the USA badge and Nike sponsor in red.

But the emojis posted aren't the usual red, white and blue you would associate with that country and their football team, so he may well have been dropping a bit of a hint about the next step in his career.

If that was indeed a deliberate post, then it does suggest he could be set for an imminent departure, already knowing what club he'll be joining despite the summer transfer window not actually opening until June 14.

His current contract runs until 2024 and so now would be the best time to move on if Chelsea want to bring in some funds with a sale, while also getting his £150k-p/w salary off their wage bill.

All in all, it really does feel as though the American attacker could be on his way to Serie A with AC Milan very soon.

Hales savours new high in summer of 'ups and downs'

There are ways to move on from “a tough few weeks”, as Alex Hales summed up his recent difficulties, then there is what he managed at Trent Bridge.In his previous 10 innings against Pakistan this season – eight in the Tests and then the first two ODIs – he had made 166 runs, plus an angry visit to the match referee’s office. In the space of 122 deliveries in Nottinghamshire, he plundered 171, England’s highest ODI innings, to break the 23-year-old record of Robin Smith who made an unbeaten 167 against Australia, at Edgbaston, in 1993.Although Hales began this series slowly, with scores of 7 and 14, his one-day form has been impressive for much of the year. He made five consecutive fifty-plus scores against South Africa then hit an unbeaten 133 against Sri Lanka, at Edgbaston, when he and Jason Roy, who also came close to breaking Smith’s record against Sri Lanka at The Oval with 162, put on a record 256.”It’s been a tough few weeks personally. The Test series didn’t go to plan but when it comes to the white ball in the last 12 months I’ve felt in good form,” Hales said. “I was always confident heading into this series and it’s nice to put it right tonight. The summer has had plenty of ups and downs.”I did well against Sri Lanka but didn’t do myself justice against Pakistan. It’s nice to try and sweep that under the rug and try to move forwards.”Hales’ place in the Test side is under scrutiny ahead of the Bangladesh tour – a trip which he admitted remained on his mind as he weighed up whether to travel amid the security situation – but while he is wary of linking his one-day runs to his five-day future, he did say how it had also taken him some time to settle in 50-over cricket.It was not until his 11th ODI innings that he made a half-century and it was his 21st when his maiden century came, against Pakistan, in Abu Dhabi last year.”They’re two very different games, red-ball and white-ball cricket. All I can do is try to score as many runs as I can in the remaining games and keep myself in contention for that spot. Hopefully they back me. It was a tough series but when it came to 50-over cricket it took me 20 games to cement my spot.”Hales was given a life in his innings, on 72, when he pulled Wahab Riaz to deep square leg, only for the TV umpire to indicate, via the trial method of him calling no-balls, that Wahab had overstepped.It was one of a litany of errors by Pakistan which began with a misfield in the opening over of the day. Captain Azhar Ali admitted it was a dire performance which allowed England to rack up a world-record 444 for 3.”We didn’t start well in the field. Once you have three or four fielding lapses straight away it doesn’t send a good message,” Azhar said. “We didn’t set a good tone to start with. There’s no excuse for that.”It’s basic stuff. You expect to field well in every game. We need to raise in all aspects of the game; batting, bowling and fielding. There were lapses everywhere.”The wicket was really good and there were lots of runs in it, but 444 is a bit too much. A few no-balls and fielding lapses really cost us. Once the batsmen start going, it is hard to stop them. In the key times we missed chances, especially the wicket of Hales on 70.”Throughout the early matches of this series the Pakistan players, including the captain, have insisted that they are better than their No. 9 ranking would suggest, but Azhar conceded it is a hard argument to sustain after such a defeat.”I still believe that we are not that bad but we need to learn quickly otherwise we’ll prove ourselves wrong.”They have two matches left to regain some pride, but with England in such form it is hard to see anything other than a whitewash.

Tallawahs rout Warriors to claim second CPL title

Jamaica Tallawahs rampaged past Guyana Amazon Warriors by nine wickets to claim their second CPL title on Sunday night at Warner Park

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Aug-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsKesrick Williams picked up two wickets off two balls in the 16th over•CPL/SportsfileA rematch from Wednesday’s first Caribbean Premier League playoff qualifier between the regular season’s top two teams quickly turned into an uncontested romp for Jamaica Tallawahs, who rampaged past Guyana Amazon Warriors by nine wickets to claim their second CPL title on Sunday night at Warner Park. For Warriors, it was a flat effort that left them runner-up for the third time in four CPL seasons, twice to Tallawahs.Warriors were the regular season table-toppers and beat Tallawahs in two of their prior three meetings, including by four wickets in Wednesday’s opening playoff match. On Sunday, however, they stumbled badly after being sent in by Chris Gayle at the toss and were bowled out for a franchise record low total of 93 in just 16.1 overs. Warriors never won a game while batting first in 2016, and lost all three games in which they batted first, with two of those losses coming against Tallawahs.Warriors were under pressure early when Nic Maddinson became the first of three batsmen dismissed first ball, edging Andre Russell behind in the first over. A bigger blow came at the start of the third over when Chris Lynn, the tournament’s leading scorer, carved Shakib Al Hasan straight to Jonathan Foo at backward point for 7.Left-handed Sohail Tanvir was promoted up the order to No. 4 in an attempt to combat the left-arm spin threat posed by Shakib and Imad Wasim. At an individual level, the plan worked as Tanvir top-scored with 42 off 37 balls, but the rest of his team-mates struggled. Despite Tanvir’s calm, chaos was ever-present at the opposite end. Dwayne Smith was one of just two others apart from Tanvir to reach double-figures but his stay ended for 17 when he top-edged a pull off Oshane Thomas to Rovman Powell at mid-on to make it 50 for 3 in the eighth.With the top three removed, Shakib and eventual Man of the Match Imad Wasim set about tearing through the middle order in ruthless fashion. Jason Mohammed was trapped playing down the wrong line to an arm ball from Shakib for a golden duck to make it 53 for 4 before Imad took the first of his three wickets as Christopher Barnwell mistimed a slog to Gayle at short midwicket for 10. Two balls later, Anthony Bramble was bowled backing away for a slog and Imad claimed his third in four balls to start the 15th when Rayad Emrit was stumped for nought missing a flick to a leg-side wide to make it 83 for 7.Kesrick Williams also was on a hat-trick in the 16th over – he had Tanvir caught by Foo running in from the midwicket boundary, and followed it up with a gem of a delivery that jagged back in to knock Steven Jacobs’ off stump for 7. Adam Zampa survived the hat-trick ball to end the over, but was out one ball later after failing to ground his bat coming back for a second run with Williams’ relay from long leg to Sangakkara producing the end of the innings.Gayle propelled the chase with his third fifty-plus score of the season, reaching his half-century off 22 balls and ending up with 54 off 27 balls. He was dismissed flicking Emrit to Jacobs at deep midwicket. The Tallawahs captain ended the campaign as his side’s leading scorer with 425 runs, third overall behind Lynn and St Lucia Zouks’ Johnson Charles. Gayle’s opening partner Chadwick Walton steered the rest of the chase with 25 not out, ending seventh overall in the CPL run charts with 301 runs and second for Tallawahs.However, it was the old pro Kumar Sangakkara who struck the winning runs with a four smeared wide of long-on off Veerasammy Permaul to clinch the title with 7.1 overs to spare. Russell was named Player of the Tournament thanks in large part to his scintillating 100 in Friday’s knockout game against Trinbago Knight Riders. Russell struck the fastest century in Caribbean T20 history, off just 42 balls, and also broke a three-game Tallawahs losing streak lifting them into the final.

Barbados in a hurry against Bangladesh 'A'

Sherwin Campbell and Philo Wallace have always approached batting with contrasting yet equally efficient methods

Haydn Gill29-May-2016Sherwin Campbell and Philo Wallace have always approached batting with contrasting yet equally efficient methods.And yesterday was no exception.Compact Campbell and walloping Wallace launched a splendid Barbados response to a challenging Bangladesh ‘A’ first innings total on Day 2 of the fifth-round bottom-of-the-table Busta Series clash.At stumps, captain Campbell was five away from his 22nd first-class century, his unbeaten 95 compiled off 210 balls with due care and application.By then, the rampaging Wallace had long departed, his awesome aggression giving Barbados a flying start. He, however, would have been angry with himself when he gifted his wicket for 81 off 100 balls on an afternoon in which Barbados’ batsmen were seldom troubled.Young Kurt Wilkinson joined Campbell for the evening session and finally overcame his habit of succumbing in the 20s or 30s. By the close, he was unbeaten on 52, having reached his half-century with an impressive lofted drive that was preceded by a couple of sweet boundaries.The efforts of the trio in maintaining a decent scoring rate of almost three-and-a half-runs an over carried Barbados within 50 runs of their first points since the opening round. They also put the hosts in a position to build a commanding lead against what appears to be the weakest bowling attack in the competition.The Saturday Kensington Oval crowd would have especially welcomed the contribution of Campbell, who looked a touch above what we had seen from him recently, but he still feels his timing, movement of the feet and confidence could be improved.It’s not as perfect as I would like it, but I am getting there, said the 31-year-old former West Indies vice-captain.Sometimes, maybe the bat is a little heavy, but I am trying to get an innings together, take my time and try not to force it too much.He was also not too perturbed that he did not complete his century yesterday.I would have loved that, but that’s how it goes sometimes. I feel very good and relaxed and I am confident that I will definitely get a hundred tomorrow, he said.Campbell, recalled to the West Indies team for the first time in more than a year on the recent tour of Sharjah where a fractured little finger prematurely ended his participation, knows the importance of a big innings.I am definitely looking towards a West Indies pick, he said. A good innings here and then maybe in the next two games may give me a chance to play against India.He and Wallace put on 135 for the first wicket in fewer than 33 overs and he and Wilkinson spent the next 38 overs adding 109.Wallace might have gone off after a few balls before he settled at the start, but once he was into his stride, the Bangladishis found it difficult to contain him.There were a couple of powerful pulls and drives on the way to his half-century, but he exploded when the 18-year-old fast bowler Tareq Aziz was recalled for a second spell.The first ball was contemptuously lifted over long-on and onto the Garfield Sobers Pavilion. Before the buzz around the ground could subside, the next ball was lifted straight down the ground, prompting some to scamper for cover.The beefy Wallace seemed headed for an 11th first-class hundred before one of the most innocuous balls of the match caused his demise 20 minutes before tea.It was a long-hop from off-spinner Naimur Rahman and Wallace pulled it down the throat of deep mid-wicket to end his third half-century of the season, which included nine fours in two hours’ batting.As usual, Campbell was the quiet partner in his association with Wallace. When Wallace departed, he was 45, and he used the remainder of the day to diligently accumulate his highest score at this level since 2000.One can usually tell when Campbell will score heavily and it was on the cards from the time he opened his account with one of his trademark cuts.During the four-and-half-hours he was firmly entrenched, the ball constantly hit the middle of his broad bat and there was no hint of the scratchy footwork that has troubled him in recent times.Earlier, Barbados enjoyed a fine morning session, spearheaded by left-arm pacer Pedro Collins who grabbed the last four wickets after Bangladesh ‘A’ resumed on 263 for six.Using the second new ball with telling effect, he bowled mainly a fullish length and Bangladesh ‘A’ were unable to score a run in the first 25 minutes. He induced Mushfiqur Raham into gloving a catch to third slip and then troubled the stumps of the next two batsmen.Mosadek Hossain, playing with a huge gap between bat and bad, was bowled off-stump, while Alamgir Khan was undone by a fullish delivery a few balls after he had swung Collins over mid-wicket when only one fielder was positioned on the leg-side.Collins duly wrapped up the innings and finished with five for 56 from 27.2 overs, but it left Ian Bradshaw without a deserved maiden five-wicket haul. His four for 89 represented his fifth such haul this season in which he has taken 28 wickets.

Man Utd’s £120k-p/w Ace Was Superb vs Villa

Manchester United moved a step closer toward securing Champions League qualification after edging past an in-form Aston Villa side on Sunday afternoon, with a first-half strike from Bruno Fernandes ultimately proving the difference at Old Trafford.

Just a few days on from the second-half collapse away to Tottenham Hotspur, the Red Devils put in a professional performance this time around to seal all three points and end the visitors impressive, ten-game unbeaten run in the process.

For all United’s dominance on the day – having enjoyed 57% possession and had 14 shots at goal – the top-four hopefuls were still reliant on some defensive heroics to help get over the line, with Victor Lindelof notably producing a “magnificent” goalline clearance in the second half, as per Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst.

That intervention epitomised what was yet another “excellent” performance from the Sweden international, in the words of Luckhurst, as the 28-year-old has truly stepped up to the mark in the absence of Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane in recent weeks.

How did Lindelof play against Villa?

While there have been question marks surrounding the former Benfica man’s long-term future at the Theatre of Dreams in recent months – amid reports that he could be shown the door this summer – the £120k-per-week ace has shown of late that he can be an invaluable asset for manager, Erik ten Hag.

The ‘Ice Man’ was notably something of a hero in the Wembley win over Brighton and Hove Albion just over a week ago, having also showed his class in the victory away to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League prior to that.

On what was his fifth successive start, the experienced centre-back produced “one of his best performances” for the club to date, according to Luckhurst, with one journalist even going as far as to suggest that it was “one of the finest defensive displays for United in recent seasons”.

Man United's Victor Lindelof

That was evidenced by the fact that the 58-cap rock was a real composed and dominant presence at the heart of the backline having lost possession on just three occasions from his 72 touches and recorded a 97% pass accuracy rate, while also recording four clearances on the day.

Despite not having been engaged in a physical battle with Ollie Watkins – after winning one of only two total duels – Lindelof still ‘put his body on the line for the cause’, as per GOAL’s Harry Sherlock, having done all he could to help secure a 15th league clean sheet of the season for goalkeeper, David De Gea.

As The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell noted, yesterday’s outing was “another tick” for the centre-back partnership of the Swede and usual left-back, Luke Shaw, with it looking increasingly unlikely that club captain Harry Maguire will be able to force his way into the side in the coming games.

Tottenham: "Unbelievable" Manager "Ready" For Spurs Talks

Tottenham Hotspur manager target Vincent Kompany is now 'ready to listen' to Spurs if they make a move, according to reports.

What's the latest on Kompany to Spurs?

The Manchester City legend is one of two exciting, young managers who Spurs firmly have their eyes on. Indeed, Kompany joins former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann on chairman Daniel Levy's shortlist, with both coaches still yet to reach the age of 40.

Reliable reports have also suggested that the north Londoners are after a young, progressive new boss to replace Antonio Conte after he left the club by mutual consent last month. That has ultimately led to their interest in Feyenoord's Arne Slot, who is on the cusp of clinching his first league title at 44 years old.

Kompany, who has just fired Burnley back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, certainly fits into that mould and is currently heavily linked with a move to Spurs.

Vincent Kompany returns to Manchester City as his Burnley side visit in the FA Cup.

Members of the press have even urged him to make a move to Tottenham, with a report from The Sun now sharing a very promising update on his potential switch.

According to their information, Levy is personally 'blown away' by Kompany as a manager and Spurs chiefs have received glowing reports on his first full campaign at Turf Moor.

It is explained that the 37-year-old is now Tottenham's preferred choice to succeed Conte, and what's more, he is apparently open to joining them. Indeed, Kompany is now 'ready to listen' to Spurs if they make a move.

This is due to fears that Burnley may not have the financial capabilities to invest in their squad and stay in the top flight.

Should Tottenham move for Kompany?

The biggest issue with Kompany's possible appointment is arguably his lack of experience.

City's former captain, barring this sensational season in Lancashire, has just a spell at Anderlecht to show on his CV and a job the size of Spurs could prove too much so soon.

That being said, we believe he could be one for the future, as Kompany encourages an attack-minded, entertaining style of football which will appeal to some Tottenham supporters judging by the criticisms aimed at Conte during his tenure.

His Burnley team have also dominated England's second tier this season, with the Clarets still on course to break the division's points record.

Called "unbelievable" for his work over 2022/2023, it is unsurprising that Spurs are taking a serious interest, but we think there is a massive decision for Kompany to think about in the near future if an offer comes forward.

Aston Villa’s "Obsessed" Teen Is Their Best Thing Since Grealish

When Aston Villa sold Jack Grealish to Manchester City in 2021 for the staggering fee of £100m, it was looked upon as a wonderful piece of business for the club.

Of course, in an ideal world, Dean Smith would have wanted to keep him for longer but having emerged as one of the club’s finest ever talents, it was evident he was going to move on at some stage or another and securing a British record transfer for the midfielder was only ever going to be a massive bonus.

They haven’t quite managed to replace him yet, however, there are a few youngsters coming through the youth ranks which could push into the Villa first team and stake a claim over the coming years.

One such player is Rory Wilson, who has been scoring for fun since joining from Glasgow Rangers last summer for just £350k.

Who is Rory Wilson?

The striker completed a move south of the border during the summer having netted 49 goals for the Gers and Scotland youth groups in what was a wonderful season for the 17-year-old.

The teenage prodigy has been described as being “obsessed with becoming the best” by Scotland coach James Grady and his relentless nature in front of goal could take him all the way to the Villa first team in the next couple of years.

Wilson hasn’t let the move to England faze him in the slightest, already making his mark in the U18 and U21 sides this term.

Four goals in the younger age category is impressive enough, but to make the step-up to the Premier League 2 and FA Youth Cup – scoring four and three goals in the respective competitions – takes some talent, and he could find himself on Unai Emery’s mind sooner rather than later.

Grealish also starred for the U21s during his formative years at the club, scoring five goals and grabbing six assists and Wilson has already usurped these totals having been at Villa for less than a year.

The striker also has experience at national level for Scotland, playing for the U17 team on 16 occasions and netting an impressive 15 goals, including a hat0trick against Switzerland just last month.

Jack Grealish for Aston Villa

He doesn’t appear to be resting on his laurels either, having made his U21 debut, aged just 16, in September last year with his future looking extraordinarily bright.

Who knows, in time he could well end up being sold for millions just like Grealish in 2021. Indeed, his current goal-scoring spree dictates that he is arguably the biggest talent since the boyhood hero departed the Midlands. Exciting times.

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