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Aston Villa have been told that signing Oriol Romeu from Southampton in the January transfer window would be ‘smart business’. 

Former Premier League hitman Kevin Phillips made the claim in an interview with Football Insider.

The lowdown

The Athletic’s Gregg Evans reported last week that Romeu may be on a list of midfield options drawn up for Steven Gerrard by sporting director Johan Lange.

Villa apparently ‘tracked’ Romeu during the summer and it seems that their interest remains heading into the new year.

Defensive midfielder Romeu, who’s previously played for FC Barcelona and Chelsea, has started 17 of Southampton’s 18 Premier League games so far this season.

The 30-year-old is in the penultimate season of his contract at St Mary’s and is valued at £4.5million by Transfermarkt.

The latest

Phillips said the ‘nasty’ Romeu reminded him of Tottenham Hotspur’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – a consistently good but under-the-radar operator.

He thinks the Spaniard would offer Villa a ‘platform’ if they can get the deal done.

“I think Romeu would be a solid option for Villa,” he said.

“He reminds me a lot of Hojbjerg. He is an 8 out of 10 every week but he will never be that player who pulls up trees. I wouldn’t say he ever stands out but he does the nasty side of the game – the tough industrious side of things.

“Villa will know what they’re getting. Romeu is an organiser and a leader. If Villa could secure his services, it’d be smart business. He gives you a platform to build off and allows other more offensive players to play.”

The verdict

Romeu would bring vast experience to Villa Park, with 219 Premier League appearances under his belt.

Phillips compares him to Hojbjerg, but he actually boasts a similar stylistic profile to Liverpool’s Fabinho, standing out among positional peers for his progressive carries, successful aerial duels, tackles and clearances (via FBRef).

Based on Transfermarkt’s calculations, he’d also be fairly cheap, and so it could be a shrewd bit of business for Villa, particularly after they lost Marvelous Nakamba to a long-term injury.

In other news, fans ripped into this man’s performance against Chelsea.

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

Mark Warburton’s Queens Park Rangers head into their penultimate Championship fixture of the season on Saturday with nothing more than pride at stake.

Following their 3-1 defeat to Norwich City last weekend, QPR find themselves occupying 10th place in the table, 15 points behind sixth-placed Barnsley and 23 points above Rotherham United in 22nd.

As such, the Rs’ upcoming clash with fellow mid-table side Stoke City this Saturday does not have a great deal riding on it, but Warburton would still want to see his team leave the Bet365 Stadium with a result in order to finish as high up the table as possible.

So, will the 58-year-old be making any changes to his starting XI? Here’s our predicted XI, along with the latest team and injury news…

In terms of injuries, both Luke Amos and Charlie Owens remain sidelined for Warburton’s side, while defensive midfielder Geoff Cameron is also a doubt.

As for the starting XI, we expect there to be two changes from the team which lined up against Norwich last week, as well as a slight tweak in QPR’s formation.

Having been brought off at half-time after a distinctly average performance against the Canaries, George Thomas drops to the bench for the clash with the Potters. His replacement last Saturday, 22-year-old Sam Field, takes his starting spot this time around.

Meanwhile, Charlie Austin also makes a return to the starting XI following his impressive second half cameo against Daniel Farke’s side, taking the place of Christopher Willock in a move which sees a change in formation from 3-4-2-1 to 3-4-1-2, with the 31-year-old partnering Lyndon Dykes up top.

In other news: Get it done: Bhatia must seal QPR swoop for £1.8m-rated ace who “works his socks off” – opinion

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

Rangers’ signing of Joe Aribo from Charlton Athletic in 2019 looks to have been a masterstroke by the Ibrox outfit, with the Nigerian international’s market value having gone through the roof in his two years working under Steven Gerrard.

The midfielder joined on a free transfer from the Addicks in July 2019 and has been a regular with the Light Blues in the two years since, making 84 appearances for Gerrard’s side, in which he has contributed 16 goals and 12 assists.

Rangers did superbly well to sign Aribo for nothing when they did, as he had just played a huge part in Charlton’s promotion to the Championship through the League One playoffs, weighing in with 10 goals and five assists across the season.

At the time of his signing, Gerrard confirmed that there were plenty of clubs in the Premier League and Championship, as well as some across Europe, who were interested in signing the young midfielder, which emphasises just how well Rangers did to bring him to Ibrox.

This season in particular has seen Aribo impress for the Gers, as he has contributed six goals and four assists in 26 Premiership appearances so far in 2020/21, resulting in a superb 7.40/10 average rating from WhoScored.

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This rates him as the joint-second best performer for Gerrard’s side in the league so far this term, which emphasises just how important he has been to Rangers’ title success.

It is no surprise, therefore, that his market value on Transfermarkt has significantly increased as a result of his performances this season, as he is now rated at £3.15m, which is the highest value of his career.

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Considering that Aribo was valued at just £450,000 when he joined the club, it is excellent to see how his impressive performances on the pitch are being recognised by a significant increase in market value, and it would not be a surprise if we see the 24-year-old’s value continue to rise in the future.

Last season, Gerrard labelled the Nigerian international “outstanding” after an impressive performance against Braga, and it seems clear that the midfielder has now established himself as a key player under the former Liverpool captain.

In other news… Gerrard suffers potentially huge Rangers transfer blow with “outstanding talent”

Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa must ruthlessly sell Helder Costa in this summer’s transfer window amid a recent transfer claim.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent weeks have linked the likes of Noni Madueke, Josip Brekalo and Noa Lang with a move to Elland Road this summer, and now, former Premier League striker Gabby Agbonlahor has insisted that Costa’s time at the club is up.

And now, speaking to Football Insider, Agbonlahor has said: “100 per cent. Costa did not do enough to stay at Leeds. Leeds will like to get Harrison, they’ve got Raphinha and one more winger plus they’ve still got Poveda. They definitely need another winger. Costa’s had his chance and he’ll be definitely moved on.”

Rinsing Andrea Radrizzani dry

With reports claiming that Leeds spent around £16m to sign him from fellow Premier League side Wolves, it’d be fair to assume that Bielsa would have expected a lot more from one of the club’s most expensive signings in recent memory.

Now, Transfermarkt value him at just £9m, almost half of what the Whites actually paid the Molineux side to bring him to Yorkshire on a permanent basis.

Costa had a woeful campaign in the Premier League last season for Bielsa’s side, scoring just three times and providing only three assists in 22 games – in fact, in total, he’s found the back of the net only eight times in 69 matches.

And, after a particularly disappointing performance against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, Noel Whelan criticised the winger, telling Football Insider: “The one player that disappointed me was Helder Costa. Once again he was poor. There is something there that is not right because Poveda came on and did more in that short time than Costa did in the 60 minutes he was on the field.

“He is fourth in the pecking order in terms of wingers for me. Poveda has to come before him now. He plays it safe and he’s negative. For a player that cost £16m, I need to see a hell of a lot more from him. At least Poveda runs at people. He is positive and that is what a winger should do. Costa has been a massive flop. A real disappointment again.”

Earning around £70k-a-week, Costa is one of the Whites’ highest-earners at Elland Road, but has done nothing to suggest he is worthy of being in that category of players.

With reports already claiming that Leeds would be willing to listen to offers this summer for him, now is the perfect time for the club to cash in on a player who is essentially rinsing Andrea Radrizzani dry.

Meanwhile, Leeds facing major transfer blow as fresh twist emerges…

Southampton fans want to sign Adnan Januzaj after they were linked with a move for the former Manchester United man.

The Saints are currently preparing for the next campaign after they finished in 15th place in the Premier League table and reached an F.A Cup semi-final last term. That is likely to include new signings – they are on the verge of completing a move for Stade Brestois left-back Romain Perraud (The Athletic), and they now appear to have someone else on their radar.

That man is £10.8m-valued Belgium international Januzaj (Transfermarkt). According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, the Saints are set to do battle with Brighton to sign the 26-year-old, who currently plays for Real Sociedad. He has managed 18 goals and 18 assists in 124 games for the club (Transfermarkt).

The news was shared on Twitter by @TheSaintCentre, and it attracted plenty of attention from the supporters. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts when asked whether he would be a good signing.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Januzaj link

“Yes”

Credit: @I_amDarren

“Yeah”

Credit: @PSmith1994

“Yeah”

Credit: @calcashin666

“absolutely”

Credit: @yourboyandy8

“Yes. He’s been good for Sociedad, so why not.”

Credit: @_ScottWinter_

“On a free, definitely. Might keep Redmond out the side which can only be a good thing.”

Credit: @sam_arthur

In other news, Southampton want to sign this Champions League midfielder.

Odsonne Edouard could end up leaving Celtic for as little as £8m this summer.

That’s according to an exclusive report from Football Insider, who have been informed by a recruitment source that the 23-year-old’s camp believes he can seal a Parkhead exit at the end of the campaign in a deal worth between £8m and 10m.

Edouard is entering the final 12 months of his Hoops contract in the summer, and regardless of who comes in to replace Neil Lennon, he wants to leave the club ahead of the 2021/22 season.

The Frenchman has netted 81 times in 162 appearances in green and white, but it seems as if his days at Celtic Park are numbered.

Transfer Tavern take

Should Celtic sell at £8m over the coming months, the Hoops could be in line to make an embarrassing loss on a player they valued at £40m last summer. They paid Paris Saint-Germain £9.27m back in 2018 and owe the French giants a whopping 40% of any sale.

Therefore, should an £8m transfer go through, Celtic would have to hand over £3.2m to PSG, leaving the Hoops with the remaining £4.8m – a £4.47m loss on the £9.27m they forked out three years ago.

There has been talk that AC Milan could offer loanee Diego Laxalt plus cash for Edouard’s services this summer, so that could be a possible avenue for the Hoops to explore over the coming months going off this latest update.

In other news: 25 y/o Celtic ace could leave this summer following eight-word admission, find out more here. 

The Athletic’s Gregg Evans has dropped a major transfer update involving Aston Villa this summer.

What’s the story?

Dean Smith’s side enjoyed an impressive end to the Premier League season, registering back-to-back wins over both Spurs and Chelsea and capping off what was a remarkable campaign for a team which only just survived relegation the year before.

Evans has now indicated that plans are already underway at Villa Park for the club to try and strengthen their squad, and crucially, it is being done without the idea of having to replace club captain and talisman Jack Grealish.

He said: “Villa already recognise the need for another wide player, and The Athletic understands Burnley’s Dwight McNeil is of serious interest, as is Emi Buendia of Championship winners Norwich. Extensive groundwork has already been done on both of them.

“It should be made clear, however, that such a pursuit by Villa is not to replace Jack Grealish. Grealish has had open and honest conversations with Villa co-owner Nassef Sawiris, chief executive Christian Purslow and head coach Dean Smith about his ambition to play European football. For now, though, Villa are relaxed about the situation after the 25-year-old midfielder signed a new five-year contract last September.”

Fans will be buzzing

After the success of last season’s transfer window, one in which the likes of Ollie Watkins and Emi Martinez were signed, Villa fans may feel confident that their club has things in order when it comes to recruitment.

Perhaps most importantly for them, and Villa as a club, is what happens with Grealish.

The England international once again proved his class at Premier League level last season, scoring six goals and providing 12 assists in the top flight, and it was no surprise that Villa looked a little lost without him – their average points-per-game this season dropped from 1.7 with Grealish involved to just one when he was out injured.

Therefore, news that the club have every intention of keeping him and are “relaxed about the situation”, planning on ways of building the team with him in it, should be music to the ears of everyone at the club.

Villa fans will surely be absolutely buzzing with Evans’ latest transfer update.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa will surely be buzzing with this update…

Tottenham Hotspur have received a huge defensive boost ahead of Sunday’s Premier League tie with Chelsea.

The Lowdown: Problems at the back

Despite winning their opening three league games of the season, Nuno Espirito Santo suffered his first defeat as Spurs boss last weekend as Crystal Palace ran out 3-0 winners.

Tottenham were without Cristian Romero, Davinson Sanchez and Giovani Lo Celso due to their involvement with Argentina and Columbia, with the trio currently training in Croatia with a member of the Spurs coaching team.

With Japhet Tanganga being sent off and Eric Dier limping off after only 12 minutes at Selhurst Park, Nuno’s options at the back are slim, but he is now set to be handed a huge boost ahead of the meeting with the European champions.

The Latest: Defensive boost

In a report by the Daily Mail, Spurs’ defensive concerns will be eased as Romero and Sanchez are set to return to the side, with the duo arriving in England on Saturday.

Sanchez and Romero, alongside Lo Celso, have been training in Croatia together to avoid having to self-isolate for ten days after returning from red-list countries.

The report claims that the trio will arrive in London 24 hours before the meeting with Chelsea so are available for selection against Thomas Tuchel’s side.

The Verdict: Eases the blow from Palace

Spurs’ defensive woes were evident in the drubbing at Selhurst Park, with Tanganga losing his head and receiving two yellow cards and Dier being forced off the field.

The return of Romero and Sanchez, the latter of whom was lauded as ‘a beast’ by Mauricio Pochettino, will be pleasing news for Nuno.

Last season, Sanchez produced 2.2 tackles per game, 4.7 clearances per game and won 60% of his aerial duels, and he has started the current campaign off in top form too.

With Romelu Lukaku bagging goals for fun at the moment for Chelsea, having the return of these two extremely physically strong defenders will certainly make Sunday easier and potentially help Spurs return to winning ways.

In other news, Spurs top target for 2022 has been announced after making no bid this summer. Find out more here.