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Aston Villa would need pay Geoffrey Kondogbia more than €120,000 (£101,000) a week if they want to sign him this summer, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Villa keen on Kondogbia

Kondogbia has been linked with a move to the Premier League in recent days, with Villa manager Steven Gerrard potentially seeing him as a primary summer transfer target.

It has been stated that Gerrard ‘appreciates’ him as a player, with the Frenchman proving to be a key part of Atletico Madrid’s midfield this season and the Villans boss even jetting off to watch him in action.

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Kondogbia has made 23 appearances in La Liga, as well as nine in the Champions League, averaging a respective 2.7 and 2.2 tackles per game.

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The Latest: Fresh update emerges

According to Mundo Deportivo [via Sport Witness], the midfielder is looking for a pay increase in order to trade Atletico for Villa this summer.

A ‘much higher wage’ than his current €120,000 (£101,000) per week is mooted in the report, with the Villans aiming to sell players in order to afford what would be a ‘very expensive transfer.’

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The Verdict: Could be hard to get done

While Kondogbia is clearly a top-class midfielder who would strengthen Villa’s midfield, paying him such extortionate wages could be a tricky situation.

Danny Ings (£120,000) is the only current player earning over £100,000 a week, so the France international would come straight in as one of the club’s highest earners.

Not only that, but he doesn’t seem overly convinced by a move to Villa Park, according to the report, so paying such big money for a potentially money-hungry player feels like a big risk.

In other news, Ashley Preece has dropped a key Villa transfer claim. Read more here.

Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst is heading towards the end of the 2021/22 campaign and in his first half a campaign in charge, he still in with a chance of bringing two pieces of silverware back to Ibrox.

The title is all but impossible to secure at this point, with the Gers six points behind their arch-rivals with three games left, but Rangers are in the semi-finals of Europe and the final of the domestic cup.

Van Bronckhorst can end his first season in charge at Ibrox with two cups to add to the trophy cabinet, and he has been able to get this far in the competitions because of some of the impressive players in his current squad.

One player who has been particularly brilliant in recent months at Rangers is central midfielder John Lundstram, who is proving that Ross Wilson played a blinder by signing him for free last summer.

Lundstram at Rangers

The 28-year-old has caught the eye in both the Premiership and the Europa League and is quickly establishing himself as one of Van Bronckhorst’s key players at Ibrox.

Former Gers full-back Maurice Ross recently lavished the Englishman with praise, saying: “Steven Davis is kind of moving out now. Surround Lundstram with good young players, and he can be the cornerstone of a team.

“Lundstram was strolling about the pitch like Graeme Souness! There’s a clip from the Rangers archives where I see Souness in an Old Firm game just turn and clip a pass out to Davie Cooper standing right on the touchline.

“I was reminded of that when Lundstram did a similar thing against Celtic, zipping one out to James Tavernier. The way Lundstram goes in with 100% commitment to tackle – bang – then goes calm. That’s a gift.”

The £22k-per-week midfielder has averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 6.92 across 26 appearances in the Premiership. He has won 60% of his duels in the league and made 2.4 tackles and interceptions per game, whilst also completing 90% of his attempted passes.

Lundstram has also been instrumental for Rangers in the Europa League, with 12 outings – 10 from the start – and an average SofaScore rating of 6.94. The 28-year-old has been a defensive lynchpin for his side in Europe with three tackles and interceptions and 3.1 duels won per game, breaking up play in the middle of the park to cut out opposition attacks and regain possession for the Gers.

These statistics, and the high praise from Ross, highlight how impressive Lundstram has been for the Light Blues this season, illustrating why Wilson pulled off a blinding deal by bringing him to the club without paying a penny in transfer fees.

AND in other news, Forget Ramsey: GvB must land “massive signing” for Rangers, he’d be “world-class”…

Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was on the receiving end of boos from the Burnley fans during Saturday’s Premier League clash. 

The lowdown

Villa made it two wins on the bounce with a 3-1 victory at Turf Moor that dented the hosts’ survival hopes.

Danny Ings opened the scoring against his former club after just seven minutes, Emiliano Buendia doubled the visitors’ advantage just after the half-hour and Ollie Watkins made the points safe early in the second half.

Villa climb to 11th place, while Burnley remain two points above 18th-place Everton, having played two games more.

Martinez started in goal for 33rd time in 34 Premier League matches this season, and was denied his 12th clean sheet of the campaign by a late consolation strike from Maxwel Cornet.

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The latest

BBC Sport journalists Gary Rose and Emlyn Begley noticed the angry reaction of the Clarets fans.

They felt he was ‘time wasting with a goal kick’ just 36 minutes into the game.

Villa were already two goals to the good at that stage, and the home supporters seemed to suspect that he was trying to protect the lead by running down the clock before the interval had even arrived.

The verdict

Rose and Begley weren’t the only ones to sense the frustration. One Sky Sports journalist observed that the spectators had been ‘moaning’ about the alleged time-wasting for the whole half.

And Martinez is a ‘keeper who can sometimes land himself in trouble with the referee. He’s been shown four yellow cards this season, as many as any GK in the top flight, but escaped such punishment this time around.

It was a busy afternoon for the £47,000-per-week Argentine, who had to make five saves – two from shots inside the box – to preserve his clean sheet. He also recorded two high claims and 22 attempted passes (via SofaScore).

In other news, Aston Villa are interested in this defender.

A major Newcastle United transfer claim has emerged regarding PIF’s plans for the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has claimed that the Tyneside club will be looking to sign a central midfielder ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

When asked about Sean Longstaff’s contract situation, the journalist outlined the size task facing the academy prospect to get into the team.

Speaking to Football FanCast, Downie said: “It’s probably a bit similar to the Paul Dummett situation and quite keen to have homegrown players around the place and in the dressing room every day and (it will) be up to Sean Longstaff to prove that he can play in the first team but he’s going to be up against you know, top talent in there in the shape of Bruno and the shape of Joelinton.

“Shelvey’s got another year left I would expect them to add another midfielder as well. So you know there’ll be real competition for him.”

Eddie Howe will be delighted

Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe will surely be delighted by this news, as he would no doubt love to have more options at his disposal in the middle of the park.

Longstaff is out of contract this summer and the 24-year-old has not given a great account of himself throughout Howe’s time in charge.

In the Premier League this season, the Englishman has averaged an unimpressive SofaScore rating of 6.62 across 22 top-flight outings. He has recorded SofaScore ratings of 6.4 or lower in three of his last five appearances and has not achieved a rating higher than 6.9 since 23 October against Crystal Palace – before the ex-Bournemouth manager arrived at St James’ Park.

The midfielder has not shown enough to nail down a regular place in the team and, as his match ratings prove, he has struggled badly when he has been needed to fill in.

Therefore, Howe will be buzzing to have another midfielder signed in the next transfer window, as Longstaff – at his current level – is unable to provide significant competition to the likes of Joe Willock, Jonjo Shelvey, Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton.

Injuries and suspensions may cause the quartet to miss a few matches at times throughout the next campaign, which means that it is important to have players who can step up in their place. This is why the Newcastle head coach will be keen to bring in a fresh option in this position, as Longstaff has proven not good enough to fulfil that role.

AND in other news, Howe can land the next Shearer as Newcastle “prepares” £59m bid for 68-goal “diamond”…

Liverpool are having a phenomenal season already winning the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup, with the chance to win both the Premier League title and Champions League over the next few weeks too, so it will surely be an exciting time to be a player or a supporter of the club.

With that being said, to stay on top you must keep strengthening, improving and developing the squad and with many of Liverpool’s side already in or entering their 30s this year, it would be a good idea for Jurgen Klopp to start considering the next generation of talent he can develop into superstars.

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Roberto Firmino, Mo Salah and Sadio Mane all have contracts ending in just over 12 months, with the Egyptian winger’s contract, in particular, being a highly speculated subject ahead of the summer transfer window.

Liverpool’s top goal-scorer has been one of the side’s best players over the years but it seems that his contract is at a stalemate, with Caught Offside reporting two weeks ago that a source has told them the negotiations have not progressed any further and the Reds are not interested in budging when it comes to their strict wage structure.

If the powers at Anfield and Salah can’t come to an agreement it could see the player leave the club, whether that means he will be sold for a profit this summer or allowed to see out his last 12 months at the club and leave on a free transfer next summer.

Regardless of the outcome, Klopp must start preparing for the worst-case scenario and could be eyeing up his replacement who already plays in the Premier League with Bukayo Saka heavily linked with Liverpool for a while now.

The £150m ace who was hailed a “wonderkid” by journalist James Benge has been impressing for Arsenal and England over the last 12 months, playing his part in the Euro 2020 final last summer and being part of Arsenal’s impressive season that has kept them in the top four race for months.

Saka has scored 11 goals and contributed six assists for the Gunners in 37 Premier League appearances, creating eight big chances, making 1.8 key passes and 1.1 tackles, proving how effective and creative he can be in attacking play.

Podcaster Ian McGarry even claimed back in January that the youngster fits into Liverpool’s system in an interview with talkSPORT:

“Saka is someone who is a player who suits Liverpool’s style.

“Liverpool would provide the opportunity and platform for him to play and compete at the highest level. And that would certainly be something that I’m told he and his representatives are very interested in.”

Ultimately, Saka will likely want to continue to play first-team football and get regular game time whether he stays at Arsenal or moves on, so if FSG are seriously interested in the young talent they will need to sacrifice a position in the attacking rotation to provide him with a regular spot in the team.

Perhaps they ought to wait until Salah really has had enough of Merseyside before making a move.

AND in other news: Huge boost: James Pearce delivers four-word injury update that’ll delight supporters

A Rangers claim has emerged regarding Ibrox gem Ryan Kent heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Journalist Alan Nixon has hinted that Rangers are expecting offers to come in for the English winger ahead of the 2022/23 campaign with Giovanni van Bronckhorst potentially forced into selling.

90min reported earlier this month that a number of clubs from the Premier League are eyeing up the forward with a view to potentially swooping for him in the coming months.

In response to a fan asking for ‘Rangers news’, Nixon tweeted: “Need a keeper … waiting to see if there’s a bid for Kent.”

Gio van Bronckhorst will be worried

The Ibrox head coach will surely be worried by this claim, as it suggests that there is a concern that bids are going to come in for Kent.

Rangers are seemingly waiting to see if interest south of the border results in offers being placed for the ex-Liverpool winger’s services as one of their first priorities of the transfer window, along with signing a goalkeeper.

Losing the dynamo would be a major blow to Van Bronckhorst’s squad, as he was a crucial player throughout the season for the Dutchman.

He ended the 2021/22 campaign with a whopping 20 assists to his name. The attacker produced one goal and five assists in 13 Europa League outings, whilst managing two goals and 12 assists in the Premiership.

Kent averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.06 in the Scottish top flight as he showed that he can deliver superb performances on a regular basis. His assist numbers also illustrate that he delivered consistently in the final third with his chance creation, although he may be disappointed with his goal return for a player with his ability on the ball.

The Englishman created 10 ‘big chances’ and provided 1.7 key passes per game in the Premiership as he continually put the ball on a plate for the likes of Alfredo Morelos, Fashion Sakala and Kemar Roofe. He is capable of creating something out of nothing, a special quality to have as he can spark a game into life with his exciting play out wide.

His importance to the team is why Van Bronckhorst will now be worried about the prospect of bids coming in for Kent. The 25-year-old would leave a huge hole in the starting XI which would be difficult to fill in the summer, and the Rangers head coach will surely be hoping that the club can now repel any offers which might come their way for the forward.

AND in other news, Rangers can finally replace Defoe in deal for lethal 29 G/A gem who “never gives up”…

Newcastle United’s summer business is set to get underway as the transfer window opens next week and Dan Ashworth is able to get to work.

The former Brighton chief has arrived at St James’ Park as sporting director and will now be working with Eddie Howe to bring in new signings to bolster the squad ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

One player for whom the club have recently been linked with a swoop is Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly. Dean Jones of GIVEMESPORT has revealed that the centre-back is one of the Magpies’ main targets this summer, having worked with Howe at the Vitality Stadium previously.

Imagine him & Dan Burn

The Newcastle head coach can seal a terrifying Magpies centre-back pairing by signing the Cherries defender to pair up with Burn at St James’ Park.

Kelly, who joined Bournemouth for £13m three years ago, enjoyed an excellent season in the Championship as they won promotion to the Premier League, and he has earned plenty of plaudits during his time on the south coast.

Former Cherries boss Jonathan Woodgate previously took the time to salute the defender’s pace, saying: “At the minute he just looks like a bit of a Rolls-Royce doesn’t he? He looked very, very good (against Bristol City).

“I was impressed to be honest with you, especially when (Antoine) Semenyo tried to run him down the line and Semenyo gave him two yards and Lloydy overtook him. It’s eye-catching when things like that happen, especially as a fellow defender. When you see things like that, it’s like ‘you’ve got a bit’.”

In the 2021/22 campaign, Kelly averaged a superb SofaScore rating of 7.04 in the second tier across 41 appearances for Bournemouth. The 23-year-old won 64% of his duels and made 4.3 clearances per game as his team kept a whopping 20 clean sheets with him involved.

Meanwhile, Burn averaged a score of 6.98 in the Premier League playing for Brighton and Newcastle in the 2021/22 season. He won 60% of his duels and made five clearances per game, whilst also making 2.8 tackles and interceptions per match.

The towering Newcastle defender does not have the pace to make speedy recoveries and chase balls in behind but he can defend one-on-one and be an aggressive defender, as shown by his statistics. This means that pairing him with a player in Kelly who has the speed to cover him would be a dream deal for the Magpies.

Opposition forwards would be terrified by the prospect of either having to challenge Burn in a physical contest or beat Kelly in a foot race, and that is why Newcastle must snap the Bournemouth man up this summer.

AND in other news, PIF plotting NUFC bid for “tremendous” £30m “champion of the world”, he’s Ben Arfa 2.0…

Newcastle United have seen an approach for Roma winger Nicolo Zaniolo rebuffed, according to Sky Italy (via The Daily Mirror). 

The lowdown

Zaniolo joined Roma from Inter Milan in a £4.05million deal back in 2018, and his estimated value has now climbed to £29.7million (via Transfermarkt).

He earns £75,000 per week at the Stadio Olimpico and has two years remaining on his contract.

Last season, he largely split his minutes between the right wing and second striker roles under Jose Mourinho.

It was a campaign that ended in silverware, with Zaniolo scoring the only goal as Roma beat Feyenoord 1-0 in the Europa Conference League final.

The latest

The report states that Roma are planning to sell Zaniolo this summer in order to fund incomings.

Newcastle saw an opportunity and made a bid, but it was rejected because the player isn’t keen to play in the Premier League.

It remains to be seen whether that stance changes, but domestic offers from AC Milan and Juventus are also anticipated.

The verdict

Zaniolo’s overall record of 22 goals and 15 assists in 111 appearances for Roma may not be particularly eye-catching, but his strike in the ECL final saw him reach a commendable 17 goal involvements in 2021/22 (8G, 9A).

And that return is all the more impressive when you consider that he’s had to come back from two serious knee ligament injuries in the space of two seasons.

Beyond end product, Zaniolo also records high volumes of dribbles (he’s in the 91st percentile among positional peers in the top five European leagues) and receives 8.58 progressive passes per 90 minutes (90th percentile). That speaks to both his technical ability and his positional intelligence.

As per FBRef, he boasts a similar profile to the likes of West Ham’s Said Benrahma and Wolves’ Adama Traore.

Zaniolo, who was named the best young player in Serie A in 2018/19, has been called ‘joyous’ by Italian football journalist Euan Burns and ‘huge talent’ by talent scout Jacek Kulig. It’s easy to see why Newcastle are interested.

In other news, a club chief has confirmed a big NUFC transfer development.

Aston Villa are expected to sign Rangers teenager Rory Wilson in the coming weeks, according to The Athletic. 

The Lowdown: Finally!

Wilson, a 16-year-old striker labelled as ‘clinical’ by Brian McLaughlin, has been on Villa’s radar for some time.

Villa were linked with the forward at the end of March and again at the beginning of May, with reports suggesting that Gerrard wanted Villa to pip Liverpool in the race for Wilson’s services.

It looks as if the Villa manager is finally set to get his way when it comes to the teenager regarded as one of the best young players in the United Kingdom.

The Latest: Set to leave Ibrox

The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell provided a Rangers transfer update on Friday, looking at the club’s summer plans.

When it came to youngsters at Ibrox, Campbell stated that Wilson ‘is expected to leave for Aston Villa in the coming weeks’.

The Verdict: Shrewd move

Wilson appears to be a future star and has already been snapped up by Adidas in a boot deal and CAA Base agency, who represent the likes of Heung-min Son and Raphael Varane.

You’d expect that the striker, who scored more than 40 goals at youth level last season, will go into the club’s academy ranks to start with. However, it wouldn’t come as a shock if the Scot impresses at Bodymoor Heath, which could see him make the odd first-team match-day squad from time to time, as we saw with Tim Iroegbunam last season.

In other news: Sky Sports man now drops ‘crazy’ Luis Suarez to AVFC claim after what he’s heard from Villa Park. 

A big Rangers transfer twist has emerged that will leave supporters at Ibrox unhappy amid uncertainty over who will be the club’s number 1 next season.

What’s the news?

That’s according to the Glasgow Evening Times, who reveals that Rangers have dropped their interest in Bosnian goalkeeper Vladan Kovacevic despite having him scouted him on numerous occasions.

The player has two years left on his current contract and the Ibrox side would have had to pay a fee to secure his services, but it appears the club are moving on to other targets in a fresh twist to the tale.

Supporters will be gutted

One area that Giovanni van Bronckhorst will need to strengthen ahead of next season is between the posts, with the future of Allan McGregor still uncertain, there will likely be a new keeper arriving in Glasgow to provide competition for Jon McLaughlin and Robbie McCrorie.

The club have earmarked a host of players who could arrive in the position over the previous few weeks, with names such as Jack Butland, Sam Johnstone, and Martin Fraisl all being linked with the jersey.

But it is the news regarding Kovacevic that will leave the supporters gutted, as the 24-year-old appeared to be an excellent fit.

He kept 11 league clean sheets in 27 appearances this term, conceding 0.9 goals per match, similar stats to McGregor (12 clean sheets, 0.9 goals conceded per 90).

This area is a priority for the Dutchman and even though competition between McLaughlin and McCrorie would be beneficial for both, a new ‘keeper really needs to be brought in.

Despite the Europa League run boosting the Ibrox coffers substantially, it appears that the club doesn’t want to be spending big fees on players, that’s unless there is an outgoing or two.

It will be tough to replace McGregor, who made his Gers debut in 2002, but life moves on and the manager will have a big ask to fill a position that the club has been well versed in over the years.

AND in other news, “Rangers will…”: Jordan Campbell drops big transfer update, supporters will be livid…