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Aston Villa boss Dean Smith could land Jack Grealish’s dream partner in Arsenal starlet Emile Smith Rowe this summer.

What’s the story?

According to recent reports from The Telegraph, the England U21 international has emerged as a transfer target for Smith’s side, with the play-maker yet to sign a new deal at the Emirates.

And in the last couple of days, The Athletic have revealed that Villa actually submitted a £25m bid in an attempt to entice the Gunners into selling, but that offer has now been rejected.

Imagine him and Grealish

Speaking on the Pitch to Post Preview Podcast, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp said: “Emile Smith Rowe has come in and been a revelation. They needed someone to light the flame, give them that spark.

“He’s an academy boy and you can see he’s doing a great job, the fans love him. I hope with Odegaard coming into the club, that doesn’t stop him being instrumental in what they’re doing. But I’ve been so impressed with him, I love his work ethic, I love the way he runs with the ball, he’s been a breath of fresh air for this team, exactly when they needed it.”

And, his former manager on loan at Huddersfield in the Championship a couple of seasons ago, Danny Cowley, even made some impressive comparisons with Grealish himself.

He said: “He has got that little bit of Jack Grealish about him. He’s got the ability to square defenders up and go past them like they’re not there. He’s so hard not to get excited about, he has potential to be world-class.”

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The £43m-rated star could team up brilliantly with the Villa talisman, with his knack of beating players when one vs one and also with him having the awareness to pick out a final pass – last season, the England youth international picked up seven assists in both the Premier League and Europa League.

Villa look like they mean business this summer and despite having a first bid rejected for Smith Rowe, they should not end their pursuit. If the club want to take the next step and get into Europe, they’ll need more quality players and Smith Rowe is exactly that; a quality player.

Villa could strike absolute gold if they are able to complete a deal to sign the Arsenal man this summer.

Meanwhile, Villa must avoid selling this star this summer…

Graham Roberts believes that Mauricio Pochettino remains the best candidate for the Tottenham job.

The Argentine was sacked and replaced by Jose Mourinho in November 2019, but with Spurs now in need of a manager, reports believe that Pochettino is on Daniel Levy’s radar.

He recently secured his second major trophy with PSG following their Coupe de France final victory over Monaco, but his failure to win the Ligue 1 title has raised serious questions over his future.

Tottenham have been linked with several names following the departure of Mourinho last month ahead of the Carabao Cup final, but Levy is trying to convince Pochettino to make a sensational return just 18 months after he was sacked.

Pochettino was a favourite with the Spurs faithful having turned the club into top four regulars before guiding the north London outfit to their first Champions League final in his final full season.

Asked whether the Tottenham chairman’s ego could get in the way of him approaching Pochettino about a return to the club, Roberts exclusively told Football FanCast:

“Everybody knows he’s got it wrong, so he’s not owning up to anything.

“Why not just say, who is the best person for this football club? Pochettino is your answer.”

According to TuttoSport (via The Boot Room), Tottenham are interested in signing Arkadiusz Milik from Napoli this summer.

The Lowdown: Spurs target a striker

Harry Kane recently dropped a bombshell on the club when he revealed that he wants to leave north London this summer (Sky Sports).

As such, Spurs could well need a new striker. That has led to them targetting a forward who has regularly been compared to Robert Lewandowski.

The Latest: Spurs eye Milik

It is now being reported Spurs are interested in Poland international Milik, who currently plays for Marseille in France on loan from Napoli.

Along with Tottenham, Juventus are also said to be interested in signing the 27-year-old.

The Verdict: Good target

Milik has struggled with injuries in the past, but he is certainly a forward who knows how to find the back of the net. In 281 senior career matches, he has managed 119 goals, with his best spell coming at Ajax, where he managed 47 in 75 outings (Transfermarkt).

With 34 career assists, he is also capable of creating for his teammates. Currently valued at £19.8m (Transfermarkt), he could be available for a good price as well.

The sale of Kane would bring in a considerable amount of money for Spurs – if they could sign Milik for a reasonable price, they would have plenty of funds to improve other parts of the squad as well.

In other news, Spurs are interested in signing this Bundesliga midfielder.

Speaking to Italian broadcaster Sport Mediaset, via Inside Futbol, former Serie A star Francesco Graziani has dropped a Tottenham claim involving Inter Milan boss Antonio Conte. 

The Lowdown: Conte linked with Spurs move

There have been reports of Tottenham holding an interest in the Nerazzurri manager since Jose Mourinho was dismissed last month, with Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness) even going as far as to say talks have already been held over his possible appointment.

Indeed, another report from Italy, this time courtesy of Calciomercato24.it, claimed that Tottenham are willing to offer a ‘monstrous’ contract of €17 million-per-season (£14.5 million) over three years.

However, despite these updates coming from the continent, sources closer to home dismiss Conte’s links with Spurs (Alasdair Gold).

The Latest: Graziani drops Conte claim

Speaking to Sport Mediaset (via Inside Futbol), 1982 World Cup winner Graziani has still touted Spurs as a credible option for Conte despite the 51-year-old having just lead Inter to their first Serie A title in 11 years.

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“Anything can happen [with Conte’s future],” he explained.

“If the club [Inter] do not find financial stability and the possibility to plan for a certain future, it is clear if Conte could go to Tottenham, with important goals, he could think about going.

“He wants to understand if from now there are the conditions to continue to be competitive.

“He is hungry and it seems right that he checks.”

The Verdict: Take it with a pinch of salt…

While Conte enquiring over the Tottenham vacancy is a possibility from his side, it is debatable whether Spurs will reciprocate that interest despite claims in the Italian media.

His reported sky high salary could make him a tough acquisition amid the financial plight caused by coronavirus and reliable correspondent Gold is under the belief he is not on the Spurs radar as of this moment (football.london).

That being said, we believe he would be a truly brilliant appointment in north London, however unlikely.

Former Spurs midfielder Jamie O’Hara is among his many admirers, with the pundit calling him ‘brilliant’ in an interview with talkSPORT (via the Boot Room) recently.

As well as this, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has heralded Conte as a tactical ‘master’ (via Reuters).

His credentials are there, evidently, but it could be notoriously difficult to pull off a move and arguably out of Tottenham’s reach.

In other news: Journalist relays ENIC promise to supporters after big development, find out more here.

Aston Villa must go back in for Norwich City star Emi Buendia this summer amid a major transfer update from Sky Sports.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent weeks and months have suggested that the Argentine is a target for Dean Smith’s side, with Buendia helping to fire the Canaries back into the Premier League for next season.

Sky Sports have now claimed that both Villa and top-flight rivals Arsenal are ready to renew their interest in the diminutive playmaker, with both clubs making enquiries about potentially signing him this summer.

The report added that Smith “has a long-standing interest in Buendia since first switching to Villa from Brentford”.

Imagine him and Grealish

The £20,000-a-week earner has enjoyed a tremendous season for the Canaries, scoring 15 goals and providing an incredible 17 assists in the Championship alone.

His teammate Max Aarons has raved about Buendia’s abilities, saying: “He’s not really a player who will get on the ball and take you on as a full-back. His game is more about getting into pockets, playing neat passes and creating things.

“When you’ve got someone, who wants to run at you, then it’s easier to lock them down whereas someone like him is quite intricate so it’s hard to get near him. He’s tenacious and very strong. He’s got a lot of attributes.”

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Dubbed as a “very special talent” by Norwich’s Ben Gibson, Buendia would bring the kind of creativity and goal threat from midfield which Villa probably thought they were getting from Ross Barkley when they signed him on loan from Chelsea last year.

Partnering him alongside Jack Grealish would give Villa a legitimate twin threat which could provide constant ammunition for Ollie Watkins to convert into goals. The club captain has 12 assists to his name this season, while the ex-Brentford striker has 16 goals, illustrating how fruitful they can be in tandem with one another.

Adding Buendia’s creativity into the mix is truly a mouth-watering prospect.

Meanwhile, Villa are eyeing a summer move for this Scottish star…

Many Sunderland fans were particularly disappointed with the ‘nightmare’ performance of goalkeeper Lee Burge during their 2-1 defeat on Saturday.

The Black Cats’ hopes of automatic promotion to the Championship from League One were dealt a blow this weekend as they were defeated by Charlton Athletic. Although they have a game in hand on second-placed Peterborough United, they are five points adrift (BBC), so their fate is no longer in their own hands.

As they succumbed to the Addicks, shot-stopper Burge was far from at his best. He was partly to blame for the opener – an own goal from Sunderland’s Josh Scowen – and the 6.4 SofaScore rating he received was the joint-worst of any of the 22 players to start the match. Lee Johnson will need the 28-year-old to bounce back quickly as the important clashes keep on coming.

Given the magnitude of the match, these Sunderland fans were angry with the goalkeeper’s display, and they took to social media platform Twitter to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what these fans had to say about the performance of Burge

“A few facts that some can’t accept: 1.Burge is shocking 2. need Wright back 3. Wyke relies on good balls and poor defending 4.we play bad when Geads plays bad 5. Haven’t played well since Pompey away 6. Leadbitter should play in a midfield 3 7. We aren’t getting autos”

Credit: @jpsleightholme1

“Pathetic to a man today like, been beat all over the park. Team selection didn’t help and two Burge errors cost us massively”

Credit: @redman_aiden

“Burge was dreadful, at fault for first could have done better for second. Manager 2 out of ten McFadzean why ????”

Credit: @pootzwar

“Shouldn’t be starting Gooch. Jones has to start for me. Burge had a nightmare”

Credit: @rennwerken

“Poor team selection. Scowen not fit for purpose, Gooch???,Burge not good enough and others now been found out. Still hoping for automatic promotion which will bring massive changes.”

Credit: @Mcewan1320David

“Burge should have saved that all day long, once this season is over its paramount we get a new goalkeeper”

Credit: @piesarnie1

In other news, many Sunderland fans also slammed this man against the Addicks.

Leicester City return to Premier League action on Thursday as they host relegation-threatened West Bromwich Albion at the King Power Stadium.

The Foxes come into the game on a high having reached the FA Cup final against Southampton last time out at Wembley.

Now, as Brendan Rodgers sets his sights on a UEFA Champions League place once again, how many changes could he make to the team that defeated the Saints?

We are expecting just two alterations from the Northern Irishman for the clash against the Baggies.

Kasper Schmeichel will, of course, continue in goal having not missed a Premier League match since the conclusion of the 2018/19 season.

The defence should also remain unchanged with Jonny Evans, Wesley Fofana and Caglar Soyuncu assembling a formidable back three. The latter came through his return at Wembley unscathed so will have no problem in playing once again.

However, there should be one slight chance further forward. Wing-back Ricardo Pereira could only play an hour of the FA Cup semi-final after “taking a blow” to his calf according to Rodgers. With the Portuguese continuing his comeback from a long-term injury, he might not be risked against West Bromwich Albion, giving Marc Albrighton the opportunity to start.

This would see Timothy Castagne moved over to the left-hand side.

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Rodgers’ midfield should have somewhat of a familiar look to it. Youri Tielemans and Wilfred Ndidi are going to continue their partnership.

However, Ayoze Perez might well drop out for James Maddison with the latter having made a cameo appearance at Wembley on Sunday. He already has ten goals and 11 assists this season so will be hoping to add to that record against the Baggies.

Elsewhere, the Leicester frontline should stay the same. Kelechi Iheanacho continued his hot form with the winning goal against Southampton and is sure to start.

Jamie Vardy, despite being a prime candidate for a place on the bench, is also likely to be included from the off by Rodgers having hit six goals in nine Premier League career appearances against West Brom.

AND in more news, take a look at which striker Leicester must sign in the summer…

If rumours are to be believed, Leicester City are looking to strengthen their forward line this summer.

The Foxes have been linked with a number of attacking recruits but the most prominent names appear to be that of Celtic’s Odsonne Edouard and Raul de Tomas of Espanyol.

Brendan Rodgers has been rumoured to be considering a move for the Frenchman currently at his former club for some time, meanwhile Fichajes indicate that the East-Midlanders are eyeing a move for the Spaniard instead.

Edouard though should be right at the top of the club’s shopping list.

On paper, the two forwards are enjoying extremely prolific campaigns in their respective leagues.

Edouard, who Rodgers brought to Celtic Park, has found the net 20 times in all competitions for the Bhoys. As a matter of fact, former manager Neil Lennon praised the former Paris Saint Germain man for his “magnificent” performances before he departed the club.

Meanwhile, former Real Madrid man De Tomas has hit 16 of his own in the Segunda Division.

Judging by those records, either of them would be fantastic rivals to the likes of Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho at the King Power Stadium.

Their statistics are also markedly similar, but Edouard just continues to edge ahead.

According to SofaScore, the two strikers average 0.6 goals per game this season but Edouard has netted them more frequently, scoring every 125 minutes in the Scottish Premiership whilst de Tomas finds the net every 148 minutes.

Meanwhile, Edouard tends to get more involved in general play, averaging 40.3 touches per game and 1.2 key passes. The 26-year-old Spaniard sits marginally lower once again at 32.1 and 1.1.

Away from their skillsets though, the much younger Edouard would also ironically bring much more experience. He has made 36 appearances in UEFA competitions, an aspect that would be key to Leicester as they potentially embark on a second-consecutive European campaign.

de Tomas has only been afforded four appearances in the UEFA Champions League with Benfica.

So, should Leicester be looking for a forward to bolster their frontline, the £13.5m-rated Edouard makes a lot more sense than de Tomas. And, given the fact that he worked with him before, the Leicester boss will know how to get the best out of him.

It’s exactly why Jon Rudkin should be all over a potential deal for the Frenchman.

AND in more news, the Foxes must not sign a midfielder who has been likened to Yaya Toure…

Liverpool duo Curtis Jones and Divock Origi will miss the Reds’ vital Champions League clash with Real Madrid through injury.

Jurgen Klopp’s men face one of their biggest games of the season on Wednesday night, as Madrid make the trip to Anfield.

The Spanish giants won 3-1 in last week’s quarter-final first leg clash, on a night when Liverpool were hugely disappointing throughout.

Another special Anfield night in Europe is required, but this time, the Reds will have to do it without supporters roaring them on.

Jones and Origi out of Real Madrid clash

Liverpool’s injury problems may have been easing in recent weeks, apart from at centre-back, but they will have to make do without Jones and Origi at Anfield, according to the Mirror.

The news emerged on Tuesday that neither player was spotted in training at Kirkby, suggesting they will play no part in proceedings against Madrid.

Transfer Tavern take

Jones may not have started the first leg, but his creativity is a loss, with the 20-year-old capable of opening up defences with a moment of magic.

His tally of four goals for the season is more than any of Liverpool’s other midfielders, too, highlighting the guile he possesses in the final third. With some of the forwards struggling this term, losing a goal threat from midfield will certainly hurt.

Meanwhile, Origi’s ability to produce huge moments in Europe was evident against Barcelona and Tottenham in 2018/19, so his impact as a substitute could also be missed on the type of night when cult heroes such as Origi are born.

In other news, some Liverpool fans have bemoaned an update on the future of two Reds midfielders. Read more here.

According to a recent report, Tottenham Hotspur will have first refusal for the signing of Gareth Bale this summer due to Daniel Levy’s negotiations.

The report by Eurosport claims that the Tottenham chairman inserted the first refusal clause when negotiating the season-long loan deal of the forward with Real Madrid in last summer’s transfer window.

As a result, should Jose Mourinho wish to do so, Spurs are all but guaranteed to sign the Wales international in the summer market, providing they can reach an agreement with Real Madrid regarding the 31-year-old’s price, with it being reported the La Liga side will ask for between €20m (£17m) and €30m (£26m) to part with the winger.

Transfer Tavern Take

Aside from an abject performance against Arsenal last weekend, in recent fixtures Bale has started to show signs that he can replicate his form of old, bagging four goals and two assists over his last five Premier League fixtures, as well as three goals and one assist over his last five Europa League appearances.

However, with Spurs reported to be paying £240,000 of Bale’s £600,000 weekly wage at Real Madrid, any move permanent move to Tottenham would likely require the 31-year-old to take a rather substantial pay cut.

Despite his aforementioned upturn in form, with Mourinho singling out Bale for his lack of intensity in the North London derby defeat, it could be argued that the Welshman still has a little way to go in convincing the 58-year-old he is worth keeping at the club.

In other news: Tottenham have been sent a warning over Harry Kane – find out more here!