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Aston Villa have proven themselves as the early market frontrunners so far this summer, having already confirmed four new arrivals in recent weeks, notably sealing the high-profile captures of both Boubacar Kamara and Diego Carlos, despite rival interest.

Not content with those incomings, however, it would seem that manager Steven Gerrard and sporting director Johan Lange are plotting further reinforcements prior to the start of next season, with one source suggesting that there could be at least three more fresh faces through the door in the current window.

Amid that hunt for quality additions, one name that has emerged as a possible target is Club Brugge starlet Noa Lang, with the former Ajax man having been tipped to make the move to Villa Park by respected scout and coach, David Webb – as per The Athletic.

Dubbed a “player that would excel in the Premier League” by Webb, the 22-year-old has become hot property following his sparkling form in Belgium in recent times, with the Dutchman notably starring in his side’s 1-1 draw with a star-studded Paris Saint-Germain outfit in the Champions League back in September.

That display not only thrust the three-cap international into wider focus, but it also saw him earn comparisons to one of his opponents on the day, Neymar, with that nod a marker of just what a talent he is.

While the aforementioned Brazilian can at times frustrate for his theatrics and apparent lack of commitment to the cause for an entire campaign, the 30-year-old has for so long dazzled at the elite level, winning a plethora of major honours and proving a talismanic figure for his country – for whom he now has 74 goals in 119 games.

To be compared then to the mercurial gem is a sign of just how special Lang is, with the £20k-per-week “assist machine” – as he has been labelled by Leeds reporter Graham Smyth – seemingly destined to make his mark at the highest level.

Despite his youth, the 5 foot 10 playmaker – who could reportedly cost in the region of £21m – has already recorded some remarkable numbers for his current side, racking up 52 goal contributions in just 85 games in all competitions, notably scoring seven times and registering 12 assists in the league alone last term.

Praised for his “individual quality” by former Belgium international Wesley Sonck, Lang would seemingly be able to add increased creative quality to a Villa squad already full of attacking talent, with it a mouthwatering prospect to imagine him lining up alongside former Barcelona man, Philippe Coutinho.

The 29-year-old has for so long featured alongside Neymar at international level, with Gerrard able to replicate that duo at Villa Park next term, were he to pursue a deal for the immensely talented young forward.

Like the PSG man, Lang is also comfortable off either flank and can even operate in an attacking midfield role if required – as noted by Webb – with his ability to unlock the door making him a key asset for any side.

As the Villans plot to improve upon last term’s disappointing 14th place finish, having their own Neymar in their ranks would no doubt help to steer them into European contention.

IN other news, Gerrard can land AVFC’s next Southgate with move for “outstanding” £120k-p/w warrior

Newcastle United appear to have been handed a huge boost in their pursuit of Stade de Reims striker Hugo Ekitike after an interview with the French club’s president emerged (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown: Rising star

Having made a senior debut in 2020/21, Ekitike continued on a rapidly upwards trajectory last season, breaking out as one of the hottest young talents in French football

The 19-year-old ended the campaign with 10 goals and four assists in 24 Ligue 1 outings and has even been compared to Paris Saint-Germain phenomenon Kylian Mbappe as a result.

Previously linked to the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham, it now looks as though Newcastle are set to prevail…

The latest: Bid on the table

Speaking to French outlet France Bleu, translated by SW, Reims president Jean-Pierre Caillot has confirmed there is a suitable bid already in place.

“Today is very concrete. And on the table, there is one that suits us very well. An offer which, in my view, is sportingly interesting for the player and it is now up to him to make his choice, it is not for me to do so.

“From now on, it is his advisers who must move forward on this file. And if at the time of speaking this is not done, it is because his advisers have not yet wished to move forward with this club.”

Caillot went on to say that only offers of around €30-40million (£25-34million) would be deemed acceptable for the young striker who was hailed as a ‘very special’ talent by manager Oscar Garcia.

The verdict: Fingers crossed

There will certainly be high hopes from the North East that the aforementioned suitable bid has come from the St James’ Park hierarchy as all eyes remain on PIF and just how strongly the new owners will back Eddie Howe and Dan Ashworth this summer.

One key area in need of improvement was the centre-forward department, as Callum Wilson’s injury record means the Englishman cannot be relied on and Joellinton’s successful positional switch leaves only Chris Wood as a recognised, regularly healthy frontman.

Capped twice by France at the Under 20 level, the talented teenager has also shown impressive versatility in a developing career to date, occasionally operating from the left wing and showing off battling qualities by winning an impressive 4.1 duels on average per game last term (Sofascore).

If the Magpies are going to compete amongst the elite of the Premier League, signing a potent attacker such as the 6 foot 2 Ekitike would be a huge boost to the project.

In other news: Magpies send scouts to watch Ben Nelson…

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle United’s pursuit of Nathan Ake heading into the upcoming summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to talkSPORT, the Netherlands international is one of the centre-backs on the Tyneside club’s radar as Dan Ashworth plots his first deals as the Magpies’ new sporting director.

The report claims that the 27-year-old has been told that he is free to leave Manchester City ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, although it remains to be seen whether it will be on a loan or permanent basis.

Eddie Howe needs him badly

A deal for the defender will surely delight Toon manager Eddie Howe, as he badly needs Ake at St James’ Park heading into next season.

The Dutchman is a progressive defender who can help the Magpies to evolve their style into a dominant, possession-based system.

As per FBRef, Ake ranks in the 93rd percentile or higher for progressive carries, passes attempted, pass success rate, non-penalty expected goals + expected assists and non-penalty goals per 90 in his position across Europe’s top five leagues in the last 365 days.

Meanwhile, Dan Burn does not rank higher than the 58th percentile in any of those statistics and Fabian Schar ranks in the 45th percentile or lower in carries, passes completed and pass success rate. Newcastle captain Jamaal Lascelles sits in 54th percentile or lower in all of the aforementioned categories.

This suggests that Ake can be the centre-back that Howe needs in order to deploy a possession-based style of play, as the Dutchman has the ability on the ball to progress attacks out from the back.

The Citizens’ director of football Txiki Begiristain previously praised the 27-year-old, saying: “Nathan is a quality defender. He was a leader during his time at Bournemouth, and I am so pleased we’ve managed to bring him here. He’s strong and quick, and we feel he has the technical and intellectual attributes needed to excel in Pep’s setup.”

He has also been dubbed “underrated” by his fellow countryman and Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk, with these comments highlighting how much he is valued within the footballing community.

Signed from Bournemouth for £41m, Ake has played in nine Premier League seasons by the age of 27 and averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.08 in the 2021/22 campaign for Man City. He won 66% of his duels, including a whopping 73% in the air, as he showcased his ability to defend strongly as well as progress the ball.

Ashworth must now get a deal for the defender over the line, as Ake could be a vital cog in Howe’s system at Newcastle next season.

AND in other news, “I’m told..”: Journo drops “exciting” NUFC transfer claim that supporters will love…

Aston Villa correspondent Ashley Preece has been reacting to the club’s move for midfielder Boubacar Kamara.

The Lowdown: Five-year deal

Villa haven’t wasted any time in preparing for Steven Gerrard’s first full season in charge. The club secured a permanent transfer for Philippe Coutinho earlier this month and have now announced a deal for Kamara.

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The 22-year-old has signed a five-year contract in the Midlands and will officially become a Villa player when his Marseille contract expires at the end of June.

Kamara, who has recently earned a first senior call-up by France, made 48 appearances in 2021/22 and even captained the Ligue 1 club on multiple occasions.

The Latest: Preece reacts

Preece took to Twitter to give his thoughts on the transfer, describing it as a ‘big, big statement of intent’ due to interest from Atletico Madrid.

The Villa reporter also labelled the move ‘exciting’, with Gerrard ‘getting things in order’ at Villa Park.

The Verdict: Good move

As Preece mentioned, Villa weren’t the only club keen on signing Kamara, so it looks as if they have made an extremely shrewd signing in a position that Gerrard was desperate to strengthen.

Kamara appears to be the ‘specialist No.6’ that the 41-year-old wanted this summer, with NSWE securing a £22.5m-valued midfielder for nothing.

Premier League rivals Newcastle United, Manchester United and West Ham were also keen on the Frenchman, but it looks as if the pull of working under Gerrard was too good of an opportunity for Kamara to turn down.

In other news: NSWE now eyeing yet another move alongside Kamara; Villa chiefs sent to club after Gerrard approves

The Athletic’s Wolves correspondent Tim Spiers has provided an update on the possibility of the West Midlands club luring Valencia forward Goncalo Guedes to Molineux this summer.

What’s the story?

Speaking on the Talking Wolves YouTube channel, Spiers explained: “So he’s one, again, given who he is and his agency, he’s just constantly on Wolves’ radar, obviously because they know it’s a deal that they can do.

“So that link will perpetually be there, really. If a forward option came up this summer, he’d be right at the top of the list for them.”

The winger has one year left on his current deal with the La Liga outfit and is a client of Jorge Mendes, who represents numerous members of Wolves’ squad.

Therefore, the Portuguese agent’s association with Guedes could seriously increase the likelihood of the 25-year-old signing for Wolves this summer.

Wolves must sign Guedes

If Wolves are to strengthen any position this summer, you would argue that it would have to be in attack, with Bruno Lage’s side ending the campaign with one of the Premier League’s lowest scoring records.

Despite finishing 10th, the Old Gold scored just 38 goals in as many top-flight matches, with only the three relegated clubs scoring fewer goals.

Moreover, creativity from the flanks has been limited in the league this term, with Daniel Podence being Wolves’ most potent winger with two goals and three assists.

Guedes would undoubtedly improve Wolves’ front line, with the 29-cap Portugal international scoring 11 goals and setting up a further six in La Liga this season as Valencia finished ninth in the Spanish top flight.

This campaign has been a major improvement in front of goal for the winger, who scored just five goals in La Liga last season alongside six assists.

Guedes’ strong pedigree is clear to see, making him an excellent prospective signing for Wolves.

Furthermore, the 25-year-old can be accommodated straight into the team, with Francisco Trincao set to return to Barcelona after an unsuccessful loan spell, whilst Adama Traore could still leave despite Barcelona not taking up the option of making his loan deal permanent.

Wolves supporters will want to see intent from the board this summer, particularly after such a poor end to the campaign. With the prospective signing of Guedes, fans would certainly be appeased.

AND in other news: Wolves now closing in on “special” £23.4m-rated signing, it could be bye-bye Neves

Liverpool could make a swoop for Dutch winger Cody Gakpo after he has recently been talking about his future.

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Mail, the 22-year-old is ready to assess his future this summer as he looks increasingly likely to leave PSV Eindhoven for pastures new.

Gakpo told Dutch outlet De Telegraaf that “anything can happen this summer”, putting Liverpool on standby alongside other suitors.

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Arsenal and Manchester United have also been linked with the winger, and the Reds could face a battle for his signature.

Imagine him and Salah

Liverpool have had a remarkable season, and it could get even better. They are in the Champions League final and could snatch the Premier League title away from Manchester City on the last day of the season.

Jurgen Klopp is seemingly keen on adding to his squad and planning for the future despite that success. His diligent transfer business over the last couple of years, such as bringing in Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz, has rejuvenated the title-winning team from 2019/20.

Gakpo, who could be available for just £42m this summer, would be an excellent addition to the squad. Journalist Valentijn Driessen described the winger as “constantly threatening” after he scored the winner in the KNVB Cup final against Ajax last month.

With 21 goals and 15 assists in all competitions this season, it’s hard to think that he wouldn’t add something to the Liverpool side. Although Diaz also plays in Gakpo’s preferred left-wing position, the Dutchman can operate on the right or even as a centre-forward if necessary.

This versatility will only please Klopp further and added competition isn’t a bad thing, especially when the German wants the team to challenge for every competition they enter.

Liverpool fans will surely be excited to think of a wide comprising of serial goalscorer Mohamed Salah and Gakpo, and it may just become a reality this summer.

AND in other news, Klopp eyeing £150m “wonderkid” who “suits Liverpool’s style”, it may be bye-bye Salah

Leeds United are back in action on Sunday with a crucial Premier League clash against Brighton & Hove Albion at Elland Road.

With the Whites currently in the relegation zone, they will need to make sure that they do all they can to pick up all three points this time around and hope that Burnley and Everton do the opposite in their games.

Their previous outing turned out to be yet another disappointing one for Jesse Marsch and his side, who lost 3-0 to Chelsea in midweek.

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One concern which arose during this defeat was that Raphinha looked to have picked up an injury problem, which eventually led to him being taken off in the 78th minute.

Looking ahead to this clash against Graham Potter’s side, it seems as though an update has emerged which will have lots of Whites supporters buzzing.

What’s the news?

Leeds journalist Phil Hay shared a post on Twitter relaying news from Marsch in his recent press conference regarding the fitness and availability of Raphinha.

According to the Leeds manager, the winger will be fit enough to play against the Seagulls this weekend.

Taking into account how the Brazilian is currently the Whites’ top scorer in the league this season with 10 goals and three assists to his name in 33 appearances, this will come as a huge boost to everyone of an Elland Road persuasion ahead of the Brighton clash.

To further highlight how important the 25-year-old has been for the Whites in the current campaign, he has the highest number of shots (78) and shots on target (19) at the club. He also has the highest number of shot-creating and goal-creating actions to his name out of anyone at Leeds.

The 25-year-old’s overall performances in 2021/22 have earned him a season rating of 6.94/10, making him the joint-highest rated outfield player at the club according to WhoScored.

With all that in mind, it’s undeniable that having him available to take on Brighton will have Whites fans elated and give the home side a much bigger chance of securing a victory than if they didn’t have him.

Marsch and everyone else connected with Leeds will undoubtedly be hoping that Raphinha can push his side to a much-needed victory against the south coast club as they make the long trip to Elland Road.

In other news: Insider drops huge Leeds transfer claim involving “big names”, supporters will love it

Crystal Palace are just one of several clubs to have joined the race to sign FC Porto winger Pepe during the upcoming transfer window, according to a Portuguese source.

The Lowdown: Pepe’s caught the eye

The 25-year-old first joined the Dragons on a five-year deal from Gremio last summer and has become more of a main feature in Sergio Conceicao’s starting XI since the departure of Luis Diaz back in January.

On the back of committing his future to the club long-term, his current contract with Porto isn’t set to expire until 2026, but nonetheless, his form has been good enough to attract suitors from England’s top flight.

He has already been linked with a move away from the Portuguese giants to Arsenal, but the Gunners aren’t the only ones taking a look…

The Latest: Palace in contention

In a new report published by Portuguese outlet A Bola (via Sport Witness), it’s claimed that Patrick Vieira has already made contact and ‘collected information’ about Pepe, with the Selhurst Park outfit believed to be one of the serious contenders in the battle for his signature.

The source further states that Palace are set to face ‘tough’ competition for their man though, with Premier League rivals Arsenal also closely monitoring the forward.

It’s believed that the player is protected by a release clause of €70m (£59.8m), but Porto would be willing to allow him to leave for €60m (£51.3m), despite the English clubs named only valuing him at €50m (£42.7m).

The Verdict: Perfect competition

Pepe has enjoyed a decent run of form during his first full season at Estadio do Dragao, scoring six goals and registering five assists across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Palace do already have strong options with Wilfried Zaha and Michael Olise currently occupying both flanks, but the Brazilian is an exciting young talent and could improve the quality and competition for places in the first team.

With Vieira possibly looking for a suitable attacking upgrade on Jordan Ayew – who could be set to depart the Eagles in the coming months – Pepe could be the ideal candidate to make the switch to the top-flight and help the English giants aim for a top-half finish next season.

In other news… Palace are already believed to have held contract talks with one of their star players.

West Ham United could target Sheffield United stalwart John Egan if defender Craig Dawson leaves the east London club, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: West Ham enjoy busy summer…

The Hammers seriously backed manager David Moyes this summer with eight major signings, displaying their real intent to remain among the Premier League’s elite clubs.

West Ham have enjoyed a brilliant couple of seasons under the 59-year-old, having qualified for Europe in both of their last two full campaigns, prompting GSBK to supply the Scotsman with fresh faces as a result.

Alphonse Areola, Nayef Aguerd, Flynn Downes, Gianluca Scamacca, Maxwel Cornet, Thilo Kehrer, Emerson Palmieri and club-record acquisition Lucas Paqueta were all permanent signings in the summer, but reports suggest the east Londoners are already weighing their next moves.

The Latest: West Ham eyeing Egan?

Speaking to This is Futbol, O’Rourke now believes that West Ham could target Blades ‘leader’ Egan – in the words of The Athletic’s Kate Burlaga – if Dawson elects to depart the London Stadium.

He explained:

“Yeah, Egan’s a good player, he obviously has Premier League experience as well from Sheffield United’s time in the top flight.

“He’s a Republic of Ireland international, obviously doing quite well with Sheffield United right now who are top of the Championship table as well.

“So, if West Ham do end up losing Craig Dawson, I’m sure Egan is somebody who’s on the list of targets that David Moyes is looking at.”

The Verdict: Like-for-like?

The 29-year-old has been a fixture in Paul Heckingbottom’s high-flying side so far this term, with Egan playing more league minutes than any other Sheffield United player (WhoScored).

In that time, Egan has averaged a superior amount of clearances and blocks per 90 compared to all of his team-mates, so it is clear why the centre-back would appeal to West Ham and Moyes.

While this potential move could revolve around Dawson’s possible exit, we believe that Egan could certainly be a like-for-like heir to the east London favourite.

An update has emerged on Sunderland youngster Chris Rigg and interest in his services ahead of the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to The Sun, the Black Cats’ arch-rivals Newcastle United are eyeing up a swoop to snap the young prospect up from Wearside.

The report claims that the club are ‘desperate’ to keep hold of the 15-year-old talent but may struggle to do so as teams circle around him, with Everton also said to be keen.

It is stated that the Magpies are plotting a £2.5m raid on the Stadium of Light, although it is unclear if that will be enough to tempt Kristjaan Speakman into selling or not.

Tony Mowbray would be gutted

The Sunderland head coach would be gutted by the sale of a highly-rated talent with the potential to make the breakthrough into the first-team.

It would be a disaster for the Black Cats if sporting director Speakman opts to sell the youngster to Newcastle for £2.5m, for more reasons than one.

Firstly, the message that it would send to supporters would be a damaging one. It would signal to the fanbase that they are not in a place where they can manage to keep hold of their brightest prospects and that their noisy neighbours are more appealing as a club, which may not go down well on Wearside.

Along with that, Sunderland may well be losing a player with the quality to make an impact in the first-team in the future. At the age of 16, he has already made his way to the under-21 squad and captained England at youth level.

Journalist, and supporter of the club, Josh Bunting hailed the gem last month, tweeting:

“15 years of age and Chris Rigg is really impressing for Sunderland at 21’s level this afternoon. Making things happen, lovely and comfortable on the ball and confident at driving at the opposition. He is a key player to keep, can’t lose players like him at this stage.”

This, along with interest from Premier League clubs, suggests that he is a future star for the Black Cats and that is why losing him would be a huge blow for Mowbray and the club.

The Sunderland boss will surely want to keep talented players on Wearside and that is why the prospect of losing Rigg should leave him gutted, as the 15-year-old is a player with the scope to develop into a key player given the hype he has attracted at such a young age.

Therefore, selling him to their bitter rivals would be a disaster for Speakman and one that the sporting director must avoid in the coming months.