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Aston Villa will reportedly push to sign Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips this summer with the Englishman reportedly valued at £60m.

What’s the story?

According to The Telegraph, via Birmingham Live, Villa manager Steven Gerrard will push to sign the 26-year-old this summer, although a deal is expected to be complicated to complete.

The homegrown Leeds star, whose contract at Elland Road expires in 2024, has requested to sign a new deal at his boyhood club with the midfielder reportedly on £38k-per-week.

Moreover, the West Yorkshire club looking more likely to avoid relegation to the Championship this season with an eight-point advantage over Watford in 18th.

Jesse Marsch’s side have been without the England international for large spells of the season with the midfielder making just 13 Premier League appearances this term.

However, having returned to action from the bench in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at home to Southampton, the Whites look likely to have the incredibly popular Phillips available for the remainder of the season as they look to ensure survival.

 Aston Villa must swoop for Phillips

Having already been heavily linked with a move for Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma, it’s clear that Johan Lange will be looking to add to their midfield ranks this summer.

The regular trio of John McGinn, Jacob Ramsey and Douglas Luiz have impressed this season, particularly 20-year-old Ramsey who has come on leaps and bounds this campaign.

A product of the West Midlands club’s youth setup, the youngster has made 28 Premier League appearances this campaign, scoring six goals and registering one assist.

Contrastingly the Englishman made 22 appearances in the top flight during the entirety of last season and didn’t manage to find the back of the net.

However, there is certainly room for competition with 18-year-old Carney Chukwuemeka progressing up the ranks whilst Morgan Sanson could leave Villa Park this summer and Marvelous Nakamba is still yet to return to first-team action after a knee injury picked up in December.

Phillips has caught the eyes of numerous clubs over recent years, even when down in the Championship, and could be set for pastures new in the near future.

Described as a “destroyer” by former England manager Steve McClaren, the defensive midfielder has quickly become an England regular, winning the 2020/21 England men’s player of the year, particularly for his efforts at the European Championship last summer.

In the Premier League last season, the 26-year-old averaged 65 touches per game whilst also making 1.2 key passes, according to SofaScore.

Moreover, Phillips enjoyed an 85% passing accuracy and averaged 2.6 tackles, 1.6 interceptions and 1.7 clearances per game with the colossus a vital presence just in front of the defence for Leeds and now England.

Villa are looking to progress and part of those plans will be to invest heavily on ambitious signings during the summer and there’s no doubt that bidding £60m for the Englishman would be a seriously ambitious move.

Many would suggest that the 26-year-old, nicknamed the Yorkshire Pirlo by the Leeds faithful, may have now outgrown his boyhood club. However, there’s no doubt that if Villa, or any other club, are to lure him away from Elland Road, it will take a serious offer.

AND in other news: Major boost: Aston Villa now handed big double injury lift, supporters will be buzzing

According to a report from Brazilian news outlet Vasco Noticias, Wolves are among the clubs battling to sign Vasco da Gama starlet Andrey Santos. 

The lowdown: Neves replacement?

This comes as speculation increases surrounding the future of talismanic Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves.

Already linked with Barcelona, Manchester United and Arsenal in recent days, the future of the 25-year-old at Molineux appears to be in serious doubt.

A report from South America has now highlighted a possible long-term successor…

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The latest: Wolves in the mix for Santos

As per the report from Vasco Noticias, the Old Gold have joined Benfica, Monaco and AC Milan in the race to sign 17-year-old midfielder Santos in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that Wolves have made an ‘enquiry’ over the teenager but ‘no conversations’ have yet progressed to a formal offer being made as Bruno Lage attempts to strengthen the ranks in the Midlands.

A previous report from UOL had cited interest from Barcelona and Everton in the six-cap Brazil under-16 starlet.

The verdict: Get it done

Albeit only a sample size of four fleeting senior appearances from which to judge, the fact that Santos has already made strides into first-team action at such a tender age is a testament to his prodigious talents.

Despite possessing a €30m (£25m) buyout clause, it has been reported that Vasco da Gama would be willing to sell their teenage star for between €6m and €7m (£5m-£6m).

At that price, this deal would represent a relatively low-risk option for Wolves should Neves indeed depart, and given the levels of top European interest, those in power at Molineux should be actively attempting to bring Santos to the Black Country.

In other news, Wolves man wanted by Portuguse giants. Find out who it is here.

Crystal Palace are still searching for a new striker as the January transfer deadline approaches.

Roy Hodgson has been desperate to bolster his forward options to help lessen the goalscoring burden on Wilfried Zaha. Christian Benteke has struggled for form and fitness this season and Jordan Ayew has failed to have the desired impact during his loan spell. Despite Connor Wickham netting last week, a new forward would help them steer them away from danger.

Time is quickly running out for Palace to bolster their attacking options and Hodgson has limited time available. His best chance of completing a deal could be a loan move. With few options currently available, the ex-England manager should return to his former employers to solve his problems.

One man he could look to is Liverpool outcast – Divock Origi. Valued at £9m by Transfermarkt, the Belgian was expected to leave the club in the summer after slipping down the pecking order. However, Origi made himself a hero on the Kop again after netting the winner in the Merseyside derby. Since then, he has been overlooked after struggling away to Burnley.

The former Lille man will be eager to prove himself in the Premier League and moving to Palace could help him relaunch his career. A pacey, powerful forward with an eye for goal, his arrival would give Hodgson the quality option he has been searching for in attack. If he can rediscover his confidence quickly, he would be scoring for fun alongside Zaha at Selhurst Park.

With his Liverpool contract set to expire in 2020, the Reds are unlikely to stand in his way should he choose to depart and Palace could secure his services at a great price in the summer.

Crystal Palace fans, thoughts?

Crystal Palace and Southampton are both eyeing moves for Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks, according to The Daily Star.

The Lowdown: Winks’ lack of game-time

The 26-year-old has struggled to become a regular for Spurs this season, starting just nine Premier League games.

He has regularly featured in cup competitions but doesn’t appear to be in Antonio Conte’s first-choice XI, playing just two league minutes in Tottenham’s last four games.

Winks is out of contract in 2024, and it seems as if a move across London could well be on the cards this summer.

The Latest: Palace keen on Winks

The Daily Star shared a story regarding Winks on Saturday evening, revealing that both Palace and Southampton are keen on a move for the 26-year-old.

Spurs will reportedly listen to sensible offers for the midfielder over the coming months, with the player not featuring in Conte’s long-term plans.

The Verdict: Smart target?

Even though Winks has fallen out of favour in north London, he could still be a shrewd signing by Patrick Vieira for Palace. The England international has been labelled by Paul Robinson as ‘one of the best’ who ‘dominates the game’, and he has a wealth of Premier League experience.

You could argue that he should be in the prime of his career at the age of 26, and with a Transfermarkt valuation of £15.3m, a move could be one to keep an eye on for Eagles fans over the coming months.

Vieira also has just five defensive and central midfielders on the books on a permanent basis, two of whom are out of contract over the next few months, so that could be in Palace’s thinking when it comes to their interest in Winks.

In other news: ‘Appalling…’ – Matt Woosnam fumes as off-field news involving Crystal Palace is confirmed

Tottenham Hotspur have reignited their interest in Antonio Rudiger after a fresh plea from manager Antonio Conte, according to club sources.

What’s the word?

As revealed by Football Insider this week, the north London outfit are back in the race to sign the out-of-contract Chelsea centre-back this summer in a fresh twist behind-the-scenes – just a few months after being ruled out of the running.

The 29-year-old German has been long admired by Spurs and the Italian head coach, who he once managed at Stamford Bridge, having been a top target last summer and during the recent winter window.

It now appears as if the Lilywhites will make another push to seal his signature ahead of some of Europe’s elite, including Barcelona and Bayern Munich, after the 52-year-old made it clear that he wants to be reignited with his ex-star to supremo Daniel Levy.

Conte is believed to be ‘pushing hard’ to sign the free agent and it will now be a test of the chairman’s ambition heading into a big summer of business.

Rudiger coup

Whilst Spurs are far away from being the front-runners to seal the Germany international, if they manage to secure him next season, it would surely be something of a major coup for the club.

They would not only be prising him away from their arch-rivals – the Blues – but he would also fill a big need of Conte’s as he searches for a central defensive addition this summer.

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If Spurs want to keep Conte on board for the long term, then there won’t be a bigger statement of intent than signing Rudiger, who played 45 times under the Italian at Chelsea.

They clearly had a positive relationship with the defender lauding his coach as “very good” during their stint together.

Despite his contractual situation, Rudiger has remained an imperative member of Thomas Tuchel’s side, having featured in 47 games across all competitions, on the back of their Champions League triumph last term.

Across 28 league starts, the £31.5m-rated titan has won an average of 1.8 headers and 1.3 tackles per game, whilst being equally adept on the ball, managing a seasonal passing accuracy of 87.8%, so it’s no wonder Conte retains an interest as his ball-playing and physical ability would be an ideal fit in N17.

Such form for the Blues has led to some high praise indeed.

Premier League great Rio Ferdinand, now a pundit for BT Sport, lauded the 6 foot 3 colossus as an “animal,” with his current boss describing his performance against Real Madrid earlier this month as “world-class” and “outstanding.”

Given his current value, form, ability and suitability to Conte, as evident above, Rudiger would indeed be a major coup for the north Londoners this off-season. Fabio Paratici and his recruitment team must now deliver for Levy as the supremo will want to keep the Italian as happy as possible.

AND in other news, Paratici can land his next Bentancur as Spurs eye £21m talent whose “tempo is perfect”…

An update has emerged on Newcastle United’s attempts to add further signings to their ranks in January…

What’s the talk?

Daily Mail journalist Craig Hope has revealed that the Magpies are unlikely to sign Divock Origi or Dominic Solanke this month as they go in search of a striker to bolster their squad.

He tweeted: “Understand Newcastle haven’t gone in for Burnley’s Chris Wood, as it stands, but he has been put to them (same agents as Trippier). One of several striking options being considered. Azmoun of Zenit among them but Origi/Solanke unlikely, I’m told. Either way, NUFC need to act fast.”

Howe will be gutted

This update will surely leave Newcastle manager Eddie Howe feeling gutted, as both Origi and Solanke are strikers who could come in and make an impact at St James’ Park in the second half of the campaign.

The Belgian is a proven Premier League performer and the Englishman is a player who the 44-year-old knows well from his time at Bournemouth in the top flight.

Upon signing him for the Cherries in 2019, Howe said this about the ex-Liverpool man: “Dominic is technically gifted, very athletic and has the physical profile that will give us something different in our front line.

“He has done very well for England at various age groups, has a huge amount of potential and I’m really excited about working with him.”

This shows that he rates Solanke highly, which is why he will be gutted a deal now appears to be off the cards this month, especially given the striker’s form this season. The 24-year-old has scored 18 goals in 25 Championship matches for Bournemouth, after managing 15 last term, and this suggests that he could be ready for another shot at the top flight.

Meanwhile, Origi has won the Premier League and Champions League for Liverpool, scoring in the final of the latter. He has found the back of the net 40 times in 167 matches for the Merseyside club, showing that he knows how to score at the very top level.

This is another reason why Howe will be gutted with this update from Hope, as the Belgian could have come in and scored vital goals for Newcastle. The ex-Bournemouth boss will now be hoping that quality alternatives are identified and brought in as quickly as possible to bolster his attacking options, especially with injured top scorer Callum Wilson facing several weeks on the sidelines.

AND in other news, “We understand”: Keith Downie drops big NUFC transfer claim which will leave fans gutted…

Journalist and transfer ‘insider’ Dean Jones has made a behind-the-scenes West Ham United claim on midfield star Declan Rice’s future at the club.

The Lowdown: Rice rumours emerge…

A plethora of rumours surrounding Rice have come to light in the last week with big name transfer source Fabrizio Romano claiming he is ‘open’ to leaving this summer and has turned down a third new deal offer.

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This comes after both Jones and 90min reporter Scott Saunders first said he is more open than ever to a Rush Green exit, yet according to Claret & Hugh, there have been claims to the contrary.

The insider believes that Rice is committed to West Ham for 2022/2023 at the very least, though if there isn’t any sign of competing for silverware, he could consider his future next year.

The Latest: Jones shares update…

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones claimed that the 23-year-old is set for a ‘big’ conversation with West Ham behind-the-scenes and there is ‘no doubt’ clubs will be knocking on the door.

He explained: “Declan Rice is going to have to have a big conversation with West Ham at the end of the season, no matter what happens.

“There’s no doubt that there’s going to be two or three clubs asking the question of how much would you actually sell this guy for?”

The Verdict: Interesting summer ahead…

There is little danger of manager David Moyes losing his superstar player this window given West Ham’s hard-line sale stance and the fact GSB have an option to extend his contract by a further year.

However, if Rice pushes for a possible move away, West Ham may be pressured somewhat to entertain interested clubs as to not disrupt the harmony of Moyes’ squad.

That being said, any price below £100 million simply shouldn’t be considered given his obvious quality, the fact Rice is homegrown and may only get better.

According to WhoScored, the colossal Three Lions international has averaged a fifth-best passing accuracy per game on average out of every Premier League player in the division (91.6%) – backing his composure and assurance at an impressively young age.

He’s also in high demand, putting West Ham in a position of strength to command a justifiable fee for his services.

Ideally, Moyes will have another season or two with Rice in his squad, but this summer could be a very interesting one nonetheless.

In other news: ExWHUemployee shares major West Ham player update with deal agreed! Find out more here.

West Ham United have been handed a boost in their bid to bring Fabio Carvalho to the London Stadium in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Mail, who claim that the Fulham attacking midfielder could find a move to a Premier League side too tempting to turn down this month.

The report goes on to state that all of West Ham, Liverpool and Leeds United are keeping a very close eye on the situation of the 19-year-old – who has less than six months left to run on his current contract at Craven Cottage – ahead of a potential £5m swoop for the forward prior to the closure of the January market.

Lanzini’s heir

Considering just how impressive Carvalho has been for Fulham this season, it would appear a very smart move for Moyes to make an offer for the attacking midfielder this month, rather than waiting for the England youth international to become a free agent at the end of the season.

Indeed, the £3.15m-rated prodigy has been in breathtaking form over his 17 Championship outings in the current campaign, having already scored eight goals, provided two assists and created four big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.1 shots, making 1.5 key passes and completing 1.2 dribbles per game.

These returns have seen the £650-per-week forward who Greg Cruttwell – one of Carvalho’s first coaches at Balham FC – dubbed “unplayable” average a SofaScore match rating of 7.10, ranking him as Marco Silva’s eighth-best performer in the second tier.

Indeed, there are clear similarities between the Fulham starlet and West Ham’s own Manuel Lanzini – with both players being slight in stature, being able to operate on either wing as well as their primary position in the number 10 role, being extremely comfortable in their progression of the ball and possessing a penchant for scoring spectacular goals.

And, with the Argentina international turning 30 next season, as well as his current contract expiring in the summer of 2023, it will not be long before a replacement could be required for the Hammers’ current attacking midfield magician – with it being difficult to find a more suitable candidate than Carvalho.

As such, it is our belief that the West Ham board must do all they can to fight off the competition in order to secure a deal for the 19-year-old this month, as Carvalho is clearly a player heading for the very top of the game – something he could well achieve at the London Stadium.

In other news: Moyes can land perfect Gabigol alternative as WHU submit offer for “quality” £8.5m gem

Wolves manager Bruno Lage has confirmed that he has no new injuries to deal with ahead of their Premier League meeting with Southampton this afternoon.

What’s the latest?

The West Midlands side have a fresh bill of health going into their game at Molineux against the Saints, with Pedro Neto (knee), Yerson Mosquera (thigh), Jonny Otto (knee), Hwang Hee-Chan (thigh) and Romain Saiss (AFCON) still the only players unavailable.

Speaking to the media ahead of the game, the Portuguese said: “For now, nothing new. We have the same players as the last game.

“Saiss is doing very well this season, him with Coady and Max are doing very well, not just defending but helping the team win points because they are also a threat at set pieces.

“He’s an important player but I think we also have solutions in our squad to replace him. I’m confident that Marcal and Leander can play there, and we continue to be solid.”

Lage’s team have enjoyed a 100% start to 2022, winning 1-0 at Manchester United in the league as well as a 3-0 victory at home to Championship outfit Sheffield United in the third round of the FA Cup.

The FA Cup victory was the first game after defender Saiss’ departure for the Africa Cup on Nations to compete with his native Morocco, which saw usual left-back Marçal come in as the left-sided centre-back of a back three in what was almost a full-strength lineup.

As mentioned in his press conference, Lage also has the option of deploying Leander Dendoncker at centre-back alongside Max Kilman and Conor Coady.

Fans will be buzzing

After a strong first half of the campaign, it is vital that Wolves maintain their good form if their ambition of finishing in a European place at the end of the season is serious.

Ahead of their meeting with the Saints, the Golden Boys sit ninth with a game in hand on eighth-placed Brighton and are just five points off of the top-six.

The West Midlands side have put themselves in a fantastic position and have a platform to build from going into the second half of the season.

However, it is absolutely vital that they have as many of their regulars available for as long as possible, therefore, a clean bill of health going into a game they will fancy themselves in is a major boost.

In other news: Shi could secure the next Jimenez at Wolves with swoop for “quality” £49k-p/w beast – opinion

Wolverhampton Wanderers will face a Burnley side without Ashley Westwood in their Premier League clash this afternoon.

What’s the story?

The Clarets midfielder was forced off on a stretcher in their 1-1 draw against West Ham last weekend and has since had to have surgery on his ankle, after fracturing and dislocating it.

Caretaker boss Mike Jackson said to the media, as quoted by Birmingham Live: “It is a fracture and a dislocation. The operation went really well.”

Although, Jackson did provide a positive update on left-back Erik Pieters, saying: “Erik Pieters is doing a lot of running on the grass and is where he needs to be.”

However, after surgery, the 32-year-old now faces a long period on the sidelines and will certainly be absent for Wolves’ meeting with the Lancashire outfit at Turf Moor this afternoon.

A boost for Wolves

It goes without saying that we wish Westwood the very best in his recovery from a serious injury but given his importance to the Clarets, it will be a boost to Wolves that he is missing for this encounter.

The significance of today’s match for both sides is of serious magnitude with both fighting at different ends of the table.

Burnley boosted their survival hopes on Thursday evening with a 2-0 win at home to Southampton but still find themselves one point off safety with 17th-place Everton having a game in hand.

As for Bruno Lage’s men, European qualification is still very possible but will require a strong run of form to close out the season, with the West Midlands outfit currently eighth but five points behind sixth-place Manchester United with two games in hand.

Wanderers are also battling with West Ham, who currently occupy seventh, for a European place with the Hammers three points ahead, although Wolves do have a game in hand.

Lage’s men are in a good position, however, they are slightly reliant on results elsewhere going their way whilst also needing to win their own matches.

At 32, Westwood boasts plenty of experience whilst making 27 appearances in the top-flight for the Lancashire outfit this term, making him a key fixture in their plans.

Therefore, the knowledge that Burnley will be without one of their regular players in Westwood for a crucial match will be a major boost for Lage and co.

AND in other news: Wolves now plot bid to sign “unique” £31.5m-rated livewire, just imagine him & Jimenez