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The Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece has dropped an exciting Aston Villa transfer claim about Southampton and England midfielder James Ward-Prowse.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent days have suggested that Dean Smith’s side are lining up a swoop for the Saints star, having already confirmed an early window deal for Norwich’s Emi Buendia.

And now, via his official Twitter account, Preece said: “Villa and NSWE looking to strike while the iron’s hot! Dean Smith has spoken of his PL, British-based “sweet spots” re summer additions. FK bossman JWP on Villa’s radar acc to good mate @Paul_Doyle. #AVFC always want business done early. Interesting!”

Villa fans will love it

With eight goals and seven assists in the Premier League last season, Ward-Prowse would not only bring his set-piece specialty, but also the leadership that comes with being Southampton’s captain.

And on that, Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl said: “You have to walk out there and always be the role model of what we are standing for. When you see him running and him fighting for everything in every game then this is what a captain should do.

“Not speaking in the dressing room or telling people how it works, but showing it on the pitch how it works. For me, this is how a captain should be.”

And after links emerged about Villa’s interest in the midfielder, some fans of the club already made it clear just how much of a good signing it would be, with some of them already dreaming of how he could team up with Jack Grealish at Villa Park.

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So, Preece’s latest claim that Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens are “looking to strike while the iron’s hot”, and that Villa “always want” their “business done early” is surely music to the ears of Villa supporters as the pursuit for Ward-Prowse heats up.

Meanwhile, a major update has emerged on Carney Chukwuemeka…

Leeds United have been heavily linked with Red Bull Salzburg star Brenden Aaronson in 2022, and his performance on Sunday will certainly have caught Victor Orta’s eye.

This forms part of our Transfer Watch series, where we react to a performance from a current transfer target.

The Lowdown: Leeds hoping to wrap up Aaronson deal

Aaronson has been the Whites’ main target this year after the club made two bids for the USA international in the January window.

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As we know, the attacking midfielder remained in Austria with Salzburg but is still on Leeds’ radar ahead of Jesse Marsch’s first full season in charge at Elland Road.

Aaronson made 25 appearances under Marsch last season and reports have suggested that the Whites are hoping to wrap up a move for the 21-year-old this summer.

The Latest: Impressive display from Aaronson

Salzburg clinched a ninth straight Austrian Bundesliga title on Sunday following a 5-0 win over Austria Vienna. Aaronson returned to action after a six-week layoff with a knee problem and impressed, ending with a SofaScore match rating of 7.3/10.

The attacking midfielder scored a penalty and registered three key passes, one of which led to a big chance.

He only had 30 touches of the ball during his 64-minute display but he starred upon his return and even showed off his pace after the final whistle when looking to dodge a beer shower from his team-mates.

The Verdict: Sign him

Should they stay in the Premier League, Leeds should be looking to wrap up a move for Aaronson as soon as possible.

Marsch doesn’t have an out-and-out attacking midfielder to choose from at Elland Road, making the 21-year-old’s arrival even more crucial.

Described as a player with a ‘monster mentality’ by Salzburg manager Matthias Jaissle, Aaronson has now contributed to 28 goals in 61 games for the Austrian champions, and with an impressive record under Marsch already, he could slot in perfectly at Elland Road.

In other news: Leeds and Orta may agree fee for ‘quality’ target ‘this week’ after Phil Hay’s reveal

West Brom were relegated back to the Championship after a shocking performance at Arsenal on Sunday evening, leaving Sam Allardyce plenty to ponder in the coming weeks.

It’s the 66-year-old’s first relegation and, if he’s to remain in the Albion dugout, some massive decisions will need to be made. This 3-1 defeat in north London may have provided some big clues, too.

The Baggies did not look like a team fighting for survival but rather a side coasting as if their fate had already reached a positive outcome. Indeed, they were completely outclassed, managing only 35% possession and one shot on target throughout the 90 minutes, a pathetic attempt to try and turn their fortunes around.

In the absence of Gunners loanee Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Big Sam had to tinker his midfield and this saw a surprise inclusion for Matty Phillips alongside Conor Gallagher and Okay Yokuslu.

This wasn’t just damning on the likes of skipper Jake Livermore and Romaine Sawyers, as the former QPR winger’s performance highlighted that he may well be lucky to remain at the club for much longer.

As a central option, the 30-year-old should have frequently been involved in the game, being the link between defence and attack, but just 32 touches in 90 minutes would suggest otherwise.

By comparison, even Baggies goalkeeper Sam Johnstone (39) managed more, which is just not good enough when you absolutely need a result. Furthermore, just 11 accurate passes, or roughly one every nine minutes, is more evidence of the Scotsman being completely under par.

His anonymous showing turned into a weak one, too.

Phillips won just two of six duels (33%), was dribbled past twice and lost possession 11 times, via SofaScore. He effectively lost the ball as many times as he passed it, yet he remained on the pitch for the duration of the match.

The long-serving wide man has been at the club since 2016 but such performances have been a recurring theme, especially in the Premier League. Despite all of West Brom’s struggles, he still ranks amongst their worst performers with an average WhoScored rating of 6.35. That’s the worst average return of anyone to start on Sunday.

Overall, Phillips is just not good enough and it’s time for Allardyce – or whoever is in charge – to be bold and move him on in the summer.

AND in other news, Journo drops worrying claim over West Brom’s “big-game player”, Big Sam will be gutted…

West Ham United centre-back Angelo Ogbonna is already attracting interest ahead of the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian media outlet Citta Celeste, who claimed that the Hammers defender has emerged as a target for Maurizio Sarri’s Lazio, who are hoping to land the 33-year-old on a free transfer upon the expiry of his current contract at the London Stadium in the summer.

Previous reports had claimed that, despite the former Italy international’s season-ending cruciate ligament injury, the Irons are planning on offering him a new one-year deal, although a move back to his homeland could well tempt the former Crotone, Torino and Juventus defender.

Disaster

While it is true that Ogbonna may not have too many years ahead of him in which he is capable of playing a starring role at the very highest level of the professional game, it is undeniable that the centre-back still has much to offer West Ham in the short-term. That leads us to believe that his departure this summer would be a disaster for David Moyes and his team.

Indeed, in recent years, the £1.8m-rated defender has proven himself to be one of the Hammers’ most important players in the top flight, earning seasonal SofaScore match ratings of 6.82 in 2019/20, 6.81 in 2020/21 and averaging a rating of 6.71 over his 11 Premier League appearances in the current campaign prior to his injury.

This form led to the £70k-per-week defender receiving some huge praise, with Declan Rice stating of the Italian in December 2020: “He’s so good. Honestly, he’s gone to another level this season. He looks like a real top, top centre-half and he’s stepped up when it’s really mattered.”

West Ham podcaster Sam Delaney also praised the influence of the 33-year-old on the Irons’ backline in March of last year, stating: “The fact is he’s a real leader and he’s marshalled that defence whether we played in a four or a three. You can see him being vocal and he was so integral to it.”

As such, it is clear to see just how much of an impact Ogbonna has made in the heart of the West Ham defence, not only with his consistently solid performances but also with his leadership abilities. Moyes simply cannot afford to jettison such qualities in the summer, especially on a free transfer.

In other news – Forget Diop: West Ham liability with 40 touches must have just played his last game for Moyes

Just Joe football show host Joe Wainman believes that having Junior Firpo and Jack Harrison down the left-side is going to be frightening!

Harrison made his move to Elland Road permanent this summer after previous loan spells with Leeds and the Whites also completed the signing of left-back Junior Firpo from FC Barcelona.

Firpo featured 18 times for Barcelona in all competitions last season, whilst Harrison featured in 38 matches for Leeds in all competitions.

The duo will be frightening according Wainman, who told Football FanCast: “Junior Firpo is really exciting, I know it didn’t work out for him at Barcelona but when you’ve got Jordi Alba ahead of you it’s always going to be tough.

“We’ve paid next to nothing for him in terms of what his projections could be and look, once Bielsa has worked his magic, I think Junior Firpo from that left-back position, him and Jack Harrison this season it’ll be frightening, it’s going to be frightening!

“I see a lot of goals coming from that left hand side and I think Junior Firpo will get involved and he’ll get quite a lot of assists as well.”

Marcelo Bielsa has looked to strengthen his Leeds side this summer and provide competition for places in his starting XI, signing both Lewis Bate and Kristoffer Klaesson alongside Junior Firpo and Jack Harrison.

The White enjoyed a successful first season back in the Premier League finishing ninth on 59 points and ended the season in good form winning their last four matches, conceding just two goals in the process.

Marcelo Bielsa will be hoping to take that form into the new season and hit the ground running early and look to improve on last points tally and final position.

Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar is reportedly available for £25m this summer, and Liverpool must swoop for the talented technician as they seek a replacement for Gini Wijnaldum.

What’s the story?

According to French outlet L’Equipe, the 22-year-old’s value has plummeted after an underwhelming campaign with the Ligue 1 giants, meaning a potential bargain is there to be had.

The report claims that Aouar would be open to offers coming his way, but with Arsenal also thought to be interested in acquiring his services, Jurgen Klopp may have to move quickly to secure his signature.

Liverpool must swoop

Liverpool will be glad to see the back of a testing 2020/21 campaign, where serious injuries to several key players destroyed their hopes of retaining their Premier League crown. The Reds recovered admirably in the latter stages of the season, winning their final five games to secure a Champions League qualification spot.

However, there are still expected to be several changes made by the Merseyside club over the coming months as Klopp looks to freshen up his first team squad, and a successor to Wijnaldum should be  top of the wish list.

The Dutch international is expected to join Barcelona on a free transfer once his current contract expires, leaving a substantial hole in the Liverpool engine room.

Wijnaldum offered a unique combination of skills which will be hard for any player to replicate, with the 30-year-old often impressing through his work rate, technical ability and eye for goal.

Nevertheless, when comparing the two midfielders’ numbers, there are some surprising similarities.

Despite Aouar regularly playing a slightly more advanced role at the Groupama Stadium than the one Wijnaldum often played in Klopp’s system, the France international still matched the Liverpool man’s 0.6 tackles per league game this season, and his total of 0.6 interceptions per league game was only just under Wijnaldum’s 0.7.

In an attacking sense, Aouar completely outperformed his counterpart. Admittedly this is partly down to the tactical responsibilities placed upon Wijnaldum, but it’s still telling all the same.

Aouar recorded 2.3 shots per league game compared to Wijnaldum’s 0.8, made 1.3 key passes where the Dutchman made just 0.6, and also pulled off 1.5 dribbles in contrast to Wijnaldum’s 0.9.

After Manchester City found life tough against an impressive Lyon side back in 2018, Pep Guardiola was quick to lavish praise on Les Gones’ midfield maestro.

“Houssem Aouar is a very good player. He is incredible. We talk a lot about (Tanguy) Ndombele, but Aouar is also excellent. He’s always very calm with the ball at his feet, with an excellent technical quality,” marvelled the City boss.

With Aouar having a market value of £45m (Transfermarkt), Liverpool could solve their midfield problem with a clever cut-price deal this summer. Their director of football Michael Edwards must swoop for the Frenchman and provide Klopp with the tools he needs to mount another title tilt next year.

In other news… Liverpool heading for massive transfer mistake over £30m liability, Klopp must avoid 

Ben Jacobs has dropped a claim on the potential takeover of Newcastle United as news emerged involving Amanda Staveley.

The Lowdown: Staveley’s letter

As per Sky News, Staveley – the businesswoman and head of PCP Capital Partners who is part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) group looking to take over at St. James’ Park – has written a letter to Tracey Crouch, the MP leading a government-commissioned review of football’s governance.

In this letter, she has accused the Premier League of a ‘closely guarded lack of transparency’ ahead of their upcoming arbitration case over the failed takeover deal between Mike Ashley and the consortium.

She also argued that the administrator of the Premier League has raised ‘an effective shield against public scrutiny’, and admitted that there is ‘real urgency’ with regards to trying to get their bid over the line.

Jamie Reuben, the wealthy businessman who is also part of the consortium, is thought to be supportive of Staveley’s letter.

The Latest: Jacobs reacts

Jacobs, a sports journalist who has been closely following all of the latest developments in the takeover saga, has since taken to Twitter to give his overall reaction to the letter which was released.

He claims that both that the letter from Staveley and the statement from Newcastle calling for the arbitration process to be made public ‘can be seen as either confident and confrontational or just a little desperate’.

Jacobs added that Staveley ‘will need a cordial working relationship’ with the Premier League if the takeover succeeds, meaning that her criticism at this stage of the process is ‘significant’.

The Verdict: Significant indeed

As Jacobs points out, it certainly seems significant that Staveley has felt the need to send this letter so close to the start of the arbitration hearing, especially since she will need the support of the Premier League if the result is to go in her favour.

If the Tyneside club end up winning the case, then it may be difficult for them to get the Premier League on their side, given that both their statement and Staveley’s letter have effectively criticised them for their handling of the process so far.

Nonetheless, a solution will have to be worked out with the top flight if the Magpies are successful, and the sooner the better, so that the takeover process can be accelerated.

In other news, find out what promising insight Liam Kennedy has dropped from those involved in the potential takeover

Queens Park Rangers were dumped out of the Carabao Cup last-16 after losing to League One outfit Sunderland on penalties following a 0-0 draw in the 90 minutes.

The west Londoners were denied a place in the quarter-finals of the competition after a hugely controversial offside decision went against them in the closing stages of the match.

Substitute Charlie Austin headed the ball into an empty net, but his effort was disallowed despite Dennis Cirkin clearly keeping the 32-year-old and Albert Adomah onside.

Both sides had chances to break the deadlock at Loftus Road, though. Sunderland goalkeeper Lee Burge kept out Yoann Barbet’s half-volley and Lyndon Dykes’ shot after he latched on to a misplaced pass.

While Carl Winchester failed to capitalise on two decent chances at the opposite end for the Black Cats before Aiden McGeady went close to stealing the victory for the visitors in the final minute.

Austin, Ilias Chair and Barbet then missed their spot-kicks for QPR in the shoot-out, condemning the west London outfit to a disappointing defeat.

However, one player let Mark Warburton’s charges down more than most.

So often, creative midfielder Chair is the one charged with providing the spark to unlock stubborn defences, but he was woefully below his usual best on Tuesday night.

As per SofaScore, the 23-year-old was awarded a match rating of just 6.0, the lowest total received by any player on the pitch. And the lowest of any Rs player by quite some margin, even despite their defeat, highlighting just how much poorer he was compared to the rest of his side.

And when taking a closer look at his underlying numbers, it’s easy to understand why.

Chair found a teammate with just two of his nine attempted crosses, lost possession a whopping 22 times (the most in the match) and failed to win any of his eight duels.

It was certainly a night to forget for the Morocco international, but with Nottingham Forest coming up on Friday, he won’t have to wait long before getting a chance to make amends.

And, in other new, Alan Nixon drops QPR claim on “outstanding” £4k-p/w beast that’ll surely have fans buzzing…

Lee Ryder has dropped some promising insight from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium on the potential takeover of Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: Arbitration adjourned

As per the official website of the St. James’ Park faithful, the arbitration hearing between them and the Premier League has now been adjourned until early 2022 due to issues with the disclosure of evidence.

The case was expected to take place this month, but now further delays have been implemented.

The Latest: Consortium insight

Writing in his latest piece for The Chronicle, Ryder, a North East journalist who has been following the whole takeover saga closely, has shared that Mike Ashley is ‘confident’ that the consortium will stay around long enough to see the results of the legal battle with the top flight.

He also shared that the consortium remain ‘undeterred’ by the news of the arbitration delay, and added that there is ‘no immediate rush’ to walk away.

The Verdict: Promising

It is certainly promising to hear that the consortium remain fully committed to the deal, despite yet another setback with the arbitration delay.

The fact that the proceedings are not set to take place until next year now is not ideal at all, given that the Tyneside club will have to go into yet another season with uncertainty, and the inability to really flex their financial muscles in the transfer market.

Nonetheless, with patience could come great reward, and the Magpies seemingly still have confidence that they can win arbitration and thus speed up the whole takeover process.

In other news, find out which Premier League ace dubbed ‘unbelievable’ by Callum Wilson NUFC are trying to sign here!

Flocking to Twitter, many Liverpool fans have erupted over news involving Real Madrid forward Marco Asensio, with FSG already preparing a January bid.

By way of transfers, incomings were among the quietest in the Premier League at Anfield this summer, with only Ibrahima Konate arriving on a permanent deal from RB Leipzig.

Aside from that addition along with some exits, Jurgen Klopp’s side are unchanged from last season, with most of the focus having been on tying down their first team. Indeed, Liverpool wrapped up new deals for Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho, Virgil van Dijk, Andrew Robertson, Nat Phillips, Adrian and Jordan Henderson in recent months.

Now that many players’ futures are secure, perhaps the Reds can turn more of their attention to potential new signings in the winter transfer window, with Spanish outlet Fichajes sharing news.

They claimed that FSG and Liverpool are already preparing a €35m (£30m) bid to sign Asensio in January, and it’s safe to say there has been no shortage of Reds fans with opinions on the link with a forward who has scored 37 goals for Real Madrid and won two Champions League crowns.

Check out some of the best replies in response to Anfield Edition below, with one fan believing that the fee quoted would be a “steal” for the 25-year-old.

Liverpool fans erupt as FSG prepare bid…

“Ooo”

Credit: @RedArmy42904059

“steal at 30 million”

Credit: @Maltby77

“please”

Credit: @lfcdanny21

“I’d love him ngl”

Credit: @kloppboy23

“No way”

Credit: @___nurzhan

“What”

Credit: @LiverpoolDan654

“Quality player if possible would be a fantastic addition”

Credit: @ian76274972

In other news: ‘Praying’, ‘We are serious?’…Liverpool fans flock to £85.9m claim, find out more here.