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Aston Villa have been fairly leaky in defence this season, and have not been able to stop regular goals going in against them. As per Sofascore, the Villans have conceded 32 goals this term in the top flight, better than only six teams in the entire division. It has certainly been a problem for Unai Emery’s side.

Yet, it is very surprising given they have a plethora of experience in defence. England internationals Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings are two options, although the latter has only come back from injury recently. The likes of Pau Torres and Diego Carlos are other options at Emery’s disposal.

It might not be a surprise that the Villans are eyeing up a new centre-back recruit this winter.

Aston Villa targeting new defender

The player in question here is 18-year-old Turkish centre-back Yasin Ozcan. The Kasimpasa number 58 has been really impressive since breaking into the first team and has now been linked with a move away from the club.

According to a report from The Athletic, the Villans are now believed to be ‘on the cusp of signing’ the 18-year-old defender, who is set to have his medical on Tuesday afternoon before making the deal official.

However, he will likely not play at Villa Park this season. The report suggests that Ozcan will return to Kasimpasa on loan for the rest of the season.

In terms of a price for the youngster, he will reportedly cost £5.8m up front, with a further £841k in add-ons, and will sign a contract until 2030.

Transfer Focus

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

Why Ozcan would be a good signing

Despite his inexperience, it has been a really important season in the development of Ozcan in 2024/25. At just 18 years of age, he has made 18 appearances in the Turkish top flight, starting all but one of Kasimpasa’s games this term. The one he did not start was their most recent game, a 5-0 loss to Gotzepe.

He is certainly a well-rated young player, with football talent scout Jacek Kulig describing him as a “highly talented” defender. Part of the reason for such high praise might partly be to do with his versatility. The 18-year-old is able to play both centre-back and left centre-back, making him an excellent option for Emery this term.

Indeed, he could be an excellent long-term replacement for Villans defender Carlos. The Brazilian is linked with a move away from the club, with Fenerbahce lodging a bid that was rejected by Villa, as per The Athletic.

The 31-year-old brings experience to the Villans’ defence but has not been a first choice under Emery this term. He has played 17 times across all competitions, with just ten of those games coming in the Premier League.

When looking at the statistical battle between the pair, it is easy to see why Ozcan could be a good long-term replacement and upgrade on Carlos when looking at the stats on Sofascore. The youngster trumps the Villa star in several key defensive metrics.

For example, when looking at Carlos’ duel stats from the Premier League on Sofascore, he wins an average of 1.1 ground duels and 1.1 aerial duels per game. Comparatively, Ozcan averages 2.2 ground duels won and 2.1 aerial duels won.

As the stats suggest, the young Turkish star would certainly be an upgrade on Villa’s ageing Brazilian defender. The fee for Carlos is not reported, but it would only have to be around £6m in order for the club to reinvest that money straight back into the signing of Ozcan.

Bringing in a talented, left-footed defender at the age of just 18 for such a cheap price seems to be a brilliant piece of business by the Villans, ahead of 2025/26 and future seasons.

Not just Malen: Aston Villa keen on "world-class" star who's Coutinho 2.0

Aston Villa could get their next Coutinho in January

By
Connor Holden

Jan 12, 2025

Chelsea want to bring Jamie Gittens back to English football, and are prepared to offer him an impressive salary.

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• Gittens is under contract until 2028
• Has lost his place in the Dortmund XI
• Attracting significant Premier League interest

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  in Germany reported that Chelsea have officially registered their interest in Dortmund forward Gittens, with the England under-21 international seemingly growing dissatisfied with his declining role under coach Niko Kovac.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Gittens is under contract until 2028 at Signal Iduna Park and has 12 goals for Dortmund in all competitions this season. However, he has not started a Bundesliga game since March 8, though he did start the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final with Barcelona. Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham have all also been linked with the former Manchester City youth player.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  reported that Chelsea are prepared to pay Gittens a salary of €6-7 million per season. He is said to be receiving €3m per season at Dortmund. Additionally, an offer of between €50m (£43m/$57m) and €60m (£51m/$68m) would reportedly be enough to get Dortmund to the negotiating table.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR GITTENS?

  Dortmund may have a better chance of keeping Gittens in the Bundesliga for at least another season if they able to salvage their campaign by qualifying for the Champions League. They are outsiders to do so right now, as Kovac’s men trail fourth-placed RB Leipzig by four points with four games remaining. They’ll hope to gain ground on Saturday with victory away at Hoffenheim, and Chelsea and others may be paying close attention to whether Gittens starts the game amid speculation of him being disgruntled at the club.

Liverpool beat LOSC Lille at Anfield to extend their flawless record in the Champions League under Arne Slot. It wasn’t the prettiest victory, but it served as a marker of the Reds’ brilliance all the same.

This is a Liverpool team that knows how to get the job done. Here is resilience. Here is deep-rooted belief. Anfield sang as its squad moved within a whisker of winning the revamped group phase, forgoing a pesky extra knockout round in what could have a positive effect on progress in other competitions.

Liverpool are playing like a title-winning unit, cheering the ongoing prolificness of Mohamed Salah but also the performance of Harvey Elliott, a wonderful talent who has sat on the fringes for much of the campaign, but is an excellent player and capable of popping up big-time when the Reds need him.

Harvey Elliott's performance vs Lille

Perhaps strength in depth is the best yardstick to use when comparing Liverpool to their rivals. Only a few days ago, Darwin Nunez came up clutch at the Gtech, firing a stoppage-time brace past Brentford to extend his side’s lead at the top of the Premier League.

Here, Elliott’s second-half performance was one of style and incisiveness, stepping onto a scuffed clearance to fire a (deflected) shot past a firm Lille defence. It was the winning contribution.

The 21-year-old has yet to start a Premier League or European fixture this term but proved why he’s one of Europe’s most exciting young playmakers against French opponents that had gone 22 matches unbeaten before meeting Slot’s boys, adding energy and impetus and earning a neat reward through his strike from outside the area.

Liverpool’s squad is layered perfectly. Many folds quilt across the the squad and Elliott wasn’t the only up-and-comer to show why Liverpool have the mettle to achieve great things.

The Liverpool man who could save FSG millions

Indeed, Jarell Quansah was assured in defence, for sure putting in his best performance since Liverpool transferred managerial stewardship in the summer.

Performance in Numbers

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

Quansah hasn’t looked the same in Slot’s system. Under Jurgen Klopp, the 21-year-old centre-back was praised as “one of the biggest revelations in England” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, but his form has taken a landslide this year, notably substituted at half-time during the season opener against Ipswich Town.

However, he’s still a top talent and proved his worth under the European lights. Commanding and composed alongside Virgil van Dijk, Quansah, 21, was awarded an 8/10 match rating by The Liverpool Echo’s Ian Doyle after his ‘impressive’ display.

He missed a header in the first half but proved that he can serve well as Ibrahima Konate’s foil. With Joe Gomez also in the mix, this was the kind of display that could convince FSG that they can save millions on investing in a centre-half this year, instead directing funds toward more pressing areas like left-back and centre-forward.

Quansah won both of his duels and took 110 touches, the most on the field, showing his commitment and command, eager to get on the ball and confidently dictate play from the back. An anchoring metronome, of a sort.

Barcelona’s incredible 5-4 victory at Benfica means that Liverpool are not guaranteed top spot. They will need a point at PSV Eindhoven next week.

You wouldn’t bet against the Premier League and Champions League leaders, that’s for sure.

Most talented CF since Suarez: Liverpool in talks to sign £25m "monster"

Liverpool are gearing up to sign a new striker this year as Darwin Nunez continues to split opinion.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jan 21, 2025

Sunderland fans would have been worried this transfer window that a number of their best players would be poached by higher-up suitors.

Thankfully for the Black Cats, it hasn’t quite played out like that with the likes of Jobe Bellingham set to remain situated at Wearside until the close of the campaign, but young homegrown product Tommy Watson could now be on the move to the Premier League with Brighton and Hove Albion.

That potential switch is far from being done, however, with Regis Le Bris’ men now wanting a Seagulls star in exchange for allowing the 18-year-old starlet to move to the South Coast.

Latest Sunderland transfer news

As per an update by Daily Mail journalist Craig Hope, Sunderland will only allow for Watson to head to the top flight if they can secure a deal for Brighton winger Simon Adingra to relocate to the Stadium of Light.

Already, Brighton have seen an £8.5m bid be rejected by Le Bris’ outfit, with the promotion hopefuls wanting to pick up Adingra on a loan-to-buy deal to then sanction this switch.

This does feel rather far-fetched, but Sunderland have flexed their muscles in the market already this window with the shock swoop of Enzo Le Fee, with this potential deal again seeing them land a significant coup.

If Adingra was to drop down to the Championship, he would likely tear second-tier defences to shreds based on his bright patches of form in the Premier League and could end up being Sunderland’s best option down the left wing since Jack Clarke’s unbelievable spell at the club.

What Adingra could offer Sunderland

After all, whilst Clarke has struggled at the elite level this campaign for Ipswich Town, the Ivorian has managed to toy with many a top-flight defence since joining the Seagulls.

Indeed, the “explosive” attacker – as he has been labelled in the past by football analyst Ben Mattinson – boasts an impressive 12 strikes for his current employers from 59 clashes, with six of those coming during his debut Premier League season as skills and tricks aplenty were on show.

Whilst Adingra continues to impress at the very top of the English game, Clarke has faded into the background somewhat at Portman Road since his summer arrival, with zero league goals next to his name and just two assists.

This really shows the major gulf in quality between the Premier League and the division below as Clarke picked up a standout 15 strikes last season for the Black Cats, meaning Adingra could make the second tier his very own playground on his potential statement arrival.

The table above more than demonstrates the fact that Adingra has been a rip-roaring success wherever he’s been so far across his well-travelled playing days, with a stunning 46 goals and assists next to his name starring in Belgium and Denmark alerting Brighton.

Therefore, he would unlikely be fazed by a switch to Wearside occurring with Sunderland seriously improving their attacking options if this move was to get done, especially with Jayden Danns all but guaranteed now to join on loan as another exciting recruit.

If this was finalised before the 11pm deadline, Sunderland would arguably be the big winners of the window in the Championship, even if Watson packs his bags.

Bringing Adingra and Danns into the fold would certainly be a real boost for the remainder of the season…

The next Gyan: Sunderland target deadline day swoop for dream Danns rival

Sunderland’s hunt for a new striker will go right to the death.

By
Kelan Sarson

Feb 3, 2025

Injured Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford has reportedly flown to the Middle East for a rehabilitation programme in a bid to save his season.

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• Rashford suffers hamstring injury
• Expected to miss rest of season
• Aston Villa loanee has other ideas

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 27-year-old suffered a hamstring injury last month, one that was expected to rule him out for the season. But the England international is said to be targeting a return this term, with The Sun claiming he has flown to Dubai for a warm-weather rehab programme to speed up his recovery.

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  Rashford swapped United for Villa on loan in early February and since then he has shown flashes of quality, something Red Devils fans have not seen for a while at Old Trafford. The Villans have an option to buy him permanently for £40 million ($53m/€47m) this summer but it remains to be seen if they will do that or if his future lies elsewhere.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Rashford, whose lucrative United contract runs until 2028, has scored four goals and bagged five assists during his 17-game loan spell at Villa.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  While Rashford tries to return to action before the season finishes, Unai Emery's Villa take on Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday.

With just a couple of days left in the window, any Chelsea fans will be glad to see the back of the transfer market given the huge number of players linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.

The most prominent rumours have come in the attacking third, with boss Enzo Maresca evidently targeting reinforcements to his frontline to improve on their current Premier League standing.

However, despite the influx of potential options targeting this month, no deal is yet to be completed, potentially following in the same manner as the summer, in failing to secure a new centre-forward.

Benjamin Sesko and Victor Osimhen, who were both targets during Maresca’s first window, have once again emerged as potential signings but the club are running out of time to secure moves for either player.

As a result, another former target has remerged on the radar, as the Blues look to finally land the top-quality talisman they have been searching for.

Chelsea eyeing late move for £84m talent

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Chelsea are targeting a late move for Porto striker Samu Omorodion after his stellar form for the Portuguese giants.

The Spaniard was a real target for the Blues in the summer, rumoured to be included in a swap deal involving Conor Gallagher moving to Atlético Madrid as a result – but the move fell through, with the striker joining Porto instead.

The 20-year-old has since taken his career to the next level, scoring 18 times in just 25 appearances across all competitions, leading to more speculation of a move to West London.

Bailey’s report claims that Omorodion has a €100m (£84m) release clause in his current deal, but that he could be available for a cheaper sum should any side negotiate a deal for his services this month.

After missing out on his signature once, Maresca can’t afford to do so once again, with the Italian desperately needing to prioritise a move for the youngster over one other transfer target.

How Omorodion compares to Mathys Tel

Mathys Tel has been a player who has constantly been linked with a move to the Bridge in recent weeks, potentially receiving a boost in their pursuit over the last couple of days.

The Frenchman has been absent in each of the last three games for Bayern Munich, with boss Vincent Kompany leaving the 19-year-old on the bench in each of the outings.

It’s since been confirmed that he wants a move away from the Bundesliga giants before the closure of the transfer window, with Chelsea one of the main sides in the running for his signature.

Given his tender age, he could fit into the hierarchy’s philosophy of investing in youth for the long-term, but for the immediate future, they need to be plotting a move for Omorodion over Tel.

When comparing the pair on FBref, the Porto star has massively outperformed the Frenchman in 2024/25, highlighting what an important addition he would be to Maresca’s outfit.

Omorodion, who’s been dubbed a “monster” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has registered way more combined goals and assists, whilst also achieving a higher shot on target rate, subsequently highlighting his clinical nature in the final third.

He’s also won more aerial duels per 90, whilst also creating more chances per 90 for his teammates, offering that all-round focal point that the Blues have greatly missed in recent months.

Given the stats produced by the pair this season, it’s glaringly obvious who the better option would be in the closing stages of the month, with the Spaniard producing the goods to try and take the club back to their glory days.

An immediate option is needed to lead the side back towards the Champions League come the end of the season, with Tel arguably one for the future, but Omorodion could offer that ready-made talisman whilst also having the potential to improve given the fact he’s only 20.

Their next Hazard: Chelsea plotting late move for "dangerous" £30m star

Chelsea could make a statement signing that could see them sign a new version of Eden Hazard.

By
Ethan Lamb

Jan 29, 2025

Mikel Arteta has demanded a reaction from his Arsenal team when they face Paris Saint-Germain off the back of a frustrating defeat to Bournemouth.

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• Arsenal beaten by Bournemouth
• Arteta left feeling 'rage, anger, frustration'
• Expects response in PSG return leg

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Following Bournemouth's 2-1 win at the Emirates Stadium, Arteta admitted it was exactly the opposite of what Arsenal had wanted in preparation for facing the French side in Wednesday's Champions League semi-final second leg. The Gunners must now take the taste of defeat into a game they have to win to have any chance of prevailing – they need a two-goal margin in Paris to prevail over 90 minutes, without extra-time.

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  The Premier League title race is over and Arsenal are highly unlikely to tumble all the way out of the top five, so the Champions League is understandably more of a priority, not least because the Gunners have never won it. But a big boost going into the second leg would have been momentum from a positive result against Bournmeouth, which they didn't achieve. It means Arteta has to look for other ways to motivate his team.

• WHAT MIKEL ARTETA SAID

  Arteta said to : "On whether the side have lost momentum before facing PSG: "It didn't create the right momentum. It created a lot of anger, frustration, rage, disappointment. Let's use all of that on Wednesday. That's what we have to do."

  He added in his post-match press conference: "We certainly wanted to create a really good vibe, a positive result would really help us to build what we wanted towards Wednesday. So what we have created now is a lot of rage, anger, frustration and a bad feeling in the tummy. So make sure that we use that for Wednesday to have a massive performance in Paris, win the game and be in the final."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Wednesday night in Paris has the potential to define not just Arsenal's season but their history. Every other major Premier League club has won the Champions League at least once, with the Gunners coming agonisingly close in 2006 but never again since. If this season ends trophyless, it could also even see cracks in the Arteta era start to form.

Xabi Alonso has confirmed he will leave Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the season.

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• Alonso announces imminent Leverkusen exit
• Won Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal last season
• Set to replace Ancelotti as Real Madrid coach

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Spanish coach has achieved unprecedented success with Leverkusen, guiding them to a first ever Bundesliga title as well as the DFB-Pokal trophy last season. The German side also reached the Europa League final that season, where they suffered their only defeat in all competitions.

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  Their success under Alonso resulted in reports he will replace Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid, with the Italian set to bow out at the Santiago Bernabeu this summer, and Alonso will have added to the speculation after telling reporters that he will soon leave Leverkusen.

• WHAT ALONSO SAID

  "The club and I agreed this week that the next two Bundesliga games will be my last as coach of Leverkusen," he said, with reporting that he is on his way to Madrid.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ALONSO?

  Leverkusen have secured second place in the Bundesliga and will play their final home game of the season against Borussia Dortmund on Sunday before Alonso's last match in charge against Mainz the following Saturday. It appears the coach will then return to the club he spent five years with as a player.

Leeds United have been handed a blow as it has emerged that one member of their squad will miss the next seven games as they battle for the Championship title under Daniel Farke.

Leeds in pole position for Championship title

Despite their FA Cup defeat to Millwall, Leeds United are still on for a successful season after play-off heartbreak last time around.

Farke’s side are sitting pretty atop the Championship, two points clear of Sheffield United in second and a further three ahead of Burnley, meaning that they sit in pole position to be promoted back to the Premier League come the end of the campaign.

They have been the best side in England’s second tier when it comes to finding the back of the net, while they also unsurprisingly have a strong defence which has helped them keep 19 clean sheets already this campaign, the second most in the division.

Bigger talent than Chambers: Leeds have another teen set for the first team

Leeds United have a player in their academy who could be an even bigger talent than Sam Chambers.

2

By
Dan Emery

Feb 9, 2025

With 15 games of the season left, the Yorkshire outfit are firm favourites to be promoted, but they will be wary of previous slips and their terrible record in the play-offs, with the memory of their 1-0 defeat to Southampton last season still fresh.

Now, they have been dealt a blow on the injury front as they hunt for the title.

Farke confirms Leeds injury blow

Now though, Farke has confirmed a serious injury to one member of his Leeds squad.

That comes in the shape of defender Max Wober, who is now expected to spend a significant period on the sidelines. The defender was not part of the squad that fell to defeat in the FA Cup against Millwall and has had a setback.

And quizzed on the fitness of his squad, Farke confirmed that the Austrian international was now set to be sidelined until the next international break, missing seven games in the process.

“He has an ongoing knee problem and will need surgery as quickly as possible and will be out until after the next international break”, the Leeds boss explained. “He will have surgery and be out for six weeks.”

It leaves Leeds short in defence, with Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu and Pascal Struijk Farke’s only senior centre-back options for the foreseeable future, which could mean that bowing out of the FA Cup could prove to be a blessing in disguise.

Though he had only featured six times this season, Wober earned high praise from the Leeds boss in December after filling in at left-back in their win over Derby County.

“Many compliments to Max. Not the easiest start to the season for him with many injuries. He’s normally a centre-back and not naturally made for the left-back role, but he put a shift in and was rock solid defensively,” Farke eulogised after the victory.

Though he was not allowed to leave the club in the summer window, his future is likely to be revisited this summer as he enters the final two years of his £35,000 a week deal at Elland Road.

For now though, his injury means that added pressure will be put on the remaining defensive options to stay fit in order to avoid the season derailing in the late stages and barring Leeds’ return to the Premier League.

Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber is all set to undergo an ankle surgery which might delay his pre-season preparations.

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• Timber to undergo ankle surgery
• Uncertainty over return date
• Will miss the clash against Southampton

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Per , Timber will go under the knife due to a persisting ankle problem he has been nursing since last month. After examining his condition, the club's medical staff decided that the player needed surgery. However, it remains unclear when the player will regain full fitness and return to the pitch.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Timber's ankle issue cropped up since last month, which forced him to start in just one out of the club's last seven Premier League matches as he was keeping himself fit for the Champions League clashes against Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  In Timber's absence, Ben White is likely to step up and fill in the right-back role in the club's final game of the season on May 25 against Southampton.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR JURRIEN TIMBER?

  Timber, who missed the entire 2023-24 campaign due to an ACL injury, became an integral part of Mikel Arteta's side in the current season, having made 48 appearances across all competitions. Arteta will hope that the defender recovers quickly from his surgery and joins the team from the start for their pre-season preparations.