Ryan Reynolds celebrated Wrexham's promotion to League One and Rob McElhenney's birthday with a hilarious gift for his fellow co-owner.
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Aston Villa know all too well the benefits of harvesting a talent from their academy, and Unai Emery could be handed a boost in the near future with one of the club’s pending stars.
The Villans are enjoying life under the Spaniard and challenging towards the top of the table, however there is much to be celebrated behind the scenes of the first team, as one starlet in particular is making waves at Bodymoor Heath.
Last summer, Villa welcomed Scottish striker Rory Wilson to the academy, signing the highly-rated teenager from Rangers.
Prior to his arrival, the 17-year-old netted an outstanding 49 goals in 2021/22, with his exit a huge loss for the Scottish Premiership outfit who failed to tie the prospect down with a refreshed contract.
At the point of his signing for Villa, academy manager Mark Harrison expressed that the club were “delighted” by his arrival, adding that he hoped to see him one day feature for the first team, a wish that could become reality sooner than expected.
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Rory Wilson scoring record at Aston Villa |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Season |
Apps |
Goals |
|
2022/23 |
20 |
15 |
|
2023/24 |
9 |
11 |
|
Figures via Transfermarkt |
||
The Scotland U21 international has made a statement start following his arrival in 2022, scoring 26 goals in only 29 appearances for Villa’s U18’s so far, which could warrant him taking the next step in his career in the Midlands.
According to renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano, Villa are “prepared to discuss” a five-year contract for Wilson, as he continues to impress at youth level.
In securing his future, the Villans could not only line up a future heir to take the throne in the first team, but also be planting a gold mine.
Romano mentioned that “many clubs” have the 17-year-old on their radar, and if his progression continues to develop at such a searing pace, who knows how much the striker could eventually be worth in years to come.
What Villa have in Wilson is one of the “best in Europe”, as he was once dubbed by international coach Brian McLaughlin for his ability to score goals so frequently.
Deployable as both a centre-forward or as a winger on either flank, the teen sensation was branded a ‘versatile attacker’ and lauded as a ‘lively frontman’ by the Daily Record’s Mark Pirie.
Such a high scoring rate showcases a clinical streak in the final third, a trait that is not recognisable in every forward in the game, however Villa are in safe hands with their current and future leaders of the line.
Emery has his own goal machine in Ollie Watkins, who like Wilson, understands how to put the ball into the net, having already scored nine goals in all competitions for the Midlands club this term, after previously netting 16 goals across all fronts in 2022/23.
By tying the Scotsman down, the Villans could be in good stead to line up their eventual heir to the in-form Watkins as Wilson continues to dominate at youth level, seeing him praised as a “star in the making” by U23 scout Antonio Mango.
Villa have signalled their understanding of the potential they have in a talent as prolific as Wilson with rumoured contract talks, with the next steps there for the teen to take when Emery deems it appropriate to integrate him into the first team.
Away from the expensive forwards on show in the transfer market, the Spaniard could already have his eventual replacement for Watkins lined up, with Wilson in line to have a flourishing career at Villa Park.
The French champions bid €200m to sign the teenage wonderkid, but despite the Blaugrana's money issues, they have to keep Yamal in Catalunya
Joan Laporta has run out of levers to pull. The Barcelona president fiddled with his club's finances for years, shifting some money here, making a deal there. But, with every possible option exhausted, the Catalan club are still in money trouble.
Heading into the summer, Barca need to sell a number of their assets just to balance the books. Laporta, though, won't be content with just standing still. He will want to upgrade, and Barca will almost certainly need to given the strengthening that Real Madrid are planning.
There are some obvious candidates for Barca to let go, but most of those who the club are willing to sell are unlikely to fetch huge sums. One player who could, however, is Lamine Yamal, and Paris Saint-Germain have even offered to stump up €200 million (£171m/$217m) to make the teenage wonderkid part of their post-Kylian Mbappe future.
Regardless of the numbers involved, though, selling Yamal should be beyond consideration when it comes to Barca's options this summer. The 16-year-old has to be the future of the club having been one of very few reasons for excitement amid a miserable campaign. He is the very definition of an untouchable player, and someone Barca simply have to hold onto.
Newcastle United fell at the final hurdle last season in the EFL Cup, losing 2-0 at Wembley to Manchester United but Eddie Howe's side have an inviting chance at redemption in the competition on Wednesday night as the Magpies travel to Old Trafford.
Erik ten Hag's Red Devils are struggling in all competitions this season, having lost seven out of a possible 15 games. Newcastle will certainly smell blood and sense an opportunity to pile further misery on their long-time foes.
Nonetheless, unlike the previous campaign, Howe's men are now battling on all fronts, having qualified for the UEFA Champions League, and with two massive games against Arsenal in the Premier League and Borussia Dortmund in Europe on the horizon, the Newcastle boss may be looking to rotate his team at the Theatre of Dreams.
One man Howe could look to bring into the starting lineup at Man United is summer signing Tino Livramento. The former Chelsea academy product has had limited game-time this season but could sparkle in front of the Stretford End.
Kieran Trippier has been a fine addition to Newcastle United's squad ever since the England international joined from La Liga side Atletico Madrid for £12m back in January 2022. However, the ex-Tottenham Hotspur man is now 33 and has played 16 games in all competitions for club and country this season. Likewise, Dan Burn has made 13 appearances this term for the Magpies.
Howe may be looking to keep his preferred fullback duo fit ahead of some crucial fixtures coming up in the league and in Europe so Livramento could offer some much-needed rest for one of Trippier or Burn. The 20-year-old's primary position is at right-back but the Croydon-born youngster "can play on the left just as comfortably", providing flexibility for the coaching staff during games.
Livramento spent most of Southampton's 2022/23 relegation season on the sidelines with a knee injury that took him 400 days to recover from but the player is now back fully fit and can feature regularly for the club in the North East.
In Newcastle's last EFL Cup match, which ended in an impressive 1-0 win against European champions Manchester City, Livramento started at right-back in place of Trippier. This was his only start all season under Howe and has made three further appearances off the bench.
The ex-Southampton defender played the entire game, helping his side to a clean sheet versus "the strongest team on the planet", according to Bayern Munich centre-back Matthijs De Ligt. Meanwhile, Matt Target completed the same feat on the opposite flank as Burn missed the fixture through illness.
After the game, writing for Chronicle Live, Newcastle United legend Malcolm Macdonald labelled Livramento as a "Rolls Royce of a player, so full of confidence and smooth ability" and even called for Howe to play both him and Trippier in the same team.
During that third-round clash in the Carabao Cup at the end of September, Livramento completed more tackles than any other Manchester City player with three, as per FotMob. Furthermore, the £40m signing from the Saints registered 18 ground duels, six ball recoveries, three interceptions, two clearances, and one last-man tackle on the night.
Livramento proved against City that he is no pushover defensively, but the right-footer's "top-class" attacking prowess – as per Jacek Kulig – has been likened in the past to ex-Wales star Gareth Bale by his former Southampton teammate Theo Walcott.
His contribution going forward was quite impressive as the attacking fullback completed 50% of his dribbles, played two successful passes into the final third, drew four fouls in total and ended the game with a 93% pass accuracy.
What stats can't show, though, is how well Livramento recovered mentally from such a lengthy injury spell, looking born again against Man City five weeks ago and what grander stage to showcase your talent once more than under the harrowing lights at Old Trafford.
Harry Kane has sent a Champions League “war” warning to Jude Bellingham ahead of Bayern Munich’s semi-final showdown with Real Madrid.
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The international break may have taken centre stage currently, but Rangers manager Philippe Clement is reportedly making big moves at the club before the return to domestic action.
The Gers made a disappointing start to their Scottish Premiership campaign under Michael Beale, with results and performances both short of what was expected at Ibrox. For that reason, Beale was eventually relieved of his duties early in the season, with Clement replacing him, hoping to turn their fortunes around. It has been a promising start to life in Scotland for the Frenchman, who has got some momentum back into Rangers' season, with his side now eight points behind Celtic with a game in hand.
While the Hoops are clearly the favourites to seal title glory once again in 2023/24, there is a new look about the Gers, and the hope is that they will only improve with Clement at the helm. Domestic football has currently made way for international action, but for those players not currently representing Scotland or other countries, it looks as though they are being asked big questions of by their new manager.
According to Football Insider's Wayne Veysey, Clement is spending the international break working his Rangers squad extremely hard physically, in order to get them in the best possible shape for the remainder of the season with intentions to "blow Celtic away".
"Philippe Clement is pushing his Rangers stars extremely hard during the international break as he looks to transform their fitness and help them reach new physical levels at their Auchenhowie training headquarters, sources have told Football Insider.
"The Ibrox boss is said to have implemented individually-tailored fitness programmes for the players who remain in Glasgow during the two-week break to get them fitter and sharper for the pre-Christmas programme. Those players not on national team duty have also been afforded just two or a maximum of three days off depending on the intensity of their match schedule prior to the international break."
This is great to hear from a Rangers perspective, with Clement clearly feeling that his squad haven't been at their optimum fitness level under Beale, with improvements in that area taking them up a gear as a team. In fact, a recent report even hinted at the players not being fit enough when Beale was in charge, with Glen Kamara's physical ability at Leeds United praised in spite of what was going on at Ibrox before he moved to Elland Road.
Having incredibly fit players is so essential in the modern game, with high-intensity styles of play and relentless pressing the norm for so many sides, so it is hugely encouraging to see that Clement feels the need to focus on this area.
The likes of Manchester City and Liverpool have shown in recent years that being brutally effective as a unit off the ball can depend on physical fitness, and it looks as though the Rangers boss feels exactly the same, potentially paving the way for his squad to be in perfect shape heading into a busy run of relentless fixtures.
Fans have called for Arsenal to bring Anne Hathaway to the club after the Hollywood star's 'I love you' message to Leandro Trossard in an interview.
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Derby County are believed to be plotting a move to sign a "phenomenal" player for Paul Warne, according to a fresh transfer update.
The Rams have made a promising start to the 2023/24 season, currently sitting seventh in the League One table ahead of the festive action in the coming weeks. Granted, Derby could be in a better position towards the automatic promotion positions where Portsmouth and Oxford United currently are, but they are nicely poised to finish in the playoff places, hopefully making their way back into the Championship next year.
The January transfer window will allow Warne the chance to add to his squad, should the money and right targets be available, and the Rams have been linked with a number of players in recent weeks. Young Irish midfielder Adam Murphy is one player who has been backed to move to Derby, being seen as a long-term acquisition, while AFC Wimbledon's Ali Al-Hamadi is also seen as an option for the Rams. It looks as though another player has now joined the list of potential additions at Pride Park in January, with a fellow League One ace tipped to head there.
According to Football Insider, Derby are one of the clubs interested in signing Blackpool winger CJ Hamilton, with the Rams "plotting a move" for him.
Huddersfield Town and Queens Park Rangers are also seen as potential suitors for the 28-year-old wide man, who is out of contract at his current club at the end of this season. That means Blackpool could jump at the chance to earn a fee for him in January, rather than lose him on a free transfer next summer.
It is claimed that "Derby are keen to strengthen in the new year to boost their promotion bid", with numerous clubs "ready to test Blackpool's resolve". Derby may not find it easy to bring in Hamilton in January, considering there is interest from clubs higher up in the Football League currently, but he could be such a shrewd addition if they get a deal over the line.
This season, the Rams transfer target has four assists in League One so far this season, highlighting the creativity he can provide from out wide and at 28 years of age, he is someone with lots of experience, not to mention being a left-footed player who can play on either flank, which could appeal to Warne.
Hamilton has even earned huge praise from former Mansfield Town manager David Flitcroft in the past during their time at the club together, saying of him:
"I can play him anywhere and he is phenomenal. He's had another match-winning day today. Winning goals are the ones you remember."
Derby may need an extra injection of attacking quality in their squad to further enhance their hopes of going up to the Championship this season, and in Hamilton, they could have a perfect option to bring in. An overall tally of 24 goals and 34 assists combined in the Championship, League One and League Two combined further outlines why he could be a smart signing.
Aston Villa will be hoping to get back to winning ways in the Premier League when they face champions Manchester City this evening after their recent 2-2 draw with AFC Bournemouth.
Unai Emery had to be rescued by a late goal from Ollie Watkins to secure a share of the spoils, and while he had to rotate his starting XI due to the European tie in midweek, he will need to unleash his strongest side tonight.
This means benching a few players who underperformed against the Cherries, most notably Nicolo Zaniolo.
The Italian was deployed alongside Watkins in a two-man attack on the weekend, yet it didn’t quite have the desired effect Emery had in mind.
Zaniolo took just one shot during his 45 minutes on the pitch while failing with his only dribble attempt and losing possession ten times, proving that his change of role clearly wasn’t working.
He barely had the ball, taking only 20 touches throughout the first half, and when he did, he completed just three passes, a shocking statistic.
It was hardly surprising when Emery hooked him ahead of the second half for Jacob Ramsey and there is no doubt he will be back on the bench this evening.
This leaves the door ajar for Moussa Diaby to be unleashed in the starting XI.
The winger has managed to find the back of the net on four occasions since his big-money move from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer, while also chipping in with five assists.
The £130k-per-week star was utilised heavily out wide for the Bundesliga outfit, yet Emery prefers to deploy him in a more central role and the Frenchman has led the line on seven occasions this term already, scoring twice.
Emery must now bench "sloppy" 6/10 Aston Villa star
This £26m dud lost possession of the ball 12 times for Aston Villa against Bournemouth and should be dropped in the next game.
By
Adam Scully
Dec 3, 2023
With key strengths such as long shots and holding onto the ball according to WhoScored, a transition into a central role for the long term shouldn’t be a problem for the player and this could work out well against City.
Diaby currently ranks second in the Villa squad for total shots per game (1.9) and shots on target per game (0.8) in the Premier League this season, along with ranking first for big chances created (seven) and second for key passes per game (1.7), ensuring that a new role alongside Watkins could pay off handsomely for Villa in the long run judging by these statistics.
The winger was praised by Morade Djeddi, the president of his first club, Esperance Paris 19e, who said: “I’m not comparing him to Messi: I’m just saying that Lionel Messi didn’t learn his dribbling anywhere. It’s the same for Moussa. He was born with it. If dribbling was just work, there would be hundreds and hundreds of Lionel Messis. It’s just that Moussa has a supernatural, divine gift. A gift that some have and others don’t.”
This ‘supernatural’ gift appears to be working wonders for Emery so far and if he continues his recent run of form, the Midlands side will be tough to stop, and he must be unleashed against Pep Guardiola’s men tonight.
Luis Enrique's side were made to rue missed opportunities at Signal Iduna Park as they slipped to defeat in Germany
Kylian Mbappe was kept quiet while a wide forward on the opposition dominated proceedings as Paris Saint-Germain were left to rue missed chances in their 1-0 first-leg loss to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League semi-final.
Jadon Sancho, enjoying his finest game since re-joining Dortmund on loan in January, wowed on the wing for the hosts, overshadowing Mbappe, who was all-but marked out of the game, and the Parisians will now have to overturn an aggregate deficit if they are to keep up their hopes of lifting a first European Cup before their all-time top scorer departs this summer.
Dortmund took the lead after 35 minutes, as Niklas Fullkrug darted in behind the Parisian defence, corralled a lofted pass and fired past a sprawling Gianluigi Donnarumma.
PSG created more after the break, and peppered Gregor Kobel's goal early in the second half, as. Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi both hit the inside of the post, before Fabian Ruiz nodded wide with the goal gaping. Ousmane Dembele was also responsible for a couple of misses of his own, twice failing to find the net from inside the box.
Dortmund, too, had their chances, with Julian Brandt and Fullkrug both squandering opportunities – the excellent Sancho serving as their point of inspiration throughout. Still, neither side found another goal, and the Parisians find themselves in a hole ahead of what seems set to be an enticing second leg.
GOAL rates PSG's players from Signal Iduna Park…