The January transfer window is around halfway through completion and Aston Villa have had a relatively quiet month in the market as it stands.

Unai Emery arrived to take over from Steven Gerrard earlier this season and this month is his first chance to add his own players to the squad but he has only made one signing thus far.

Left-back Alex Moreno arrived on a permanent deal from La Liga outfit Real Betis to bolster the Spaniard’s options at the back and the gem made his debut in the 2-1 win over Leeds United in the Premier League last Friday.

However, the defender may not be the last arrival at Villa Park before the end of the window as the club have been linked with additions in other areas of the pitch.

One player who has recently been touted with a potential move to reunite with Emery is Villarreal central midfielder Dani Parejo, with the club reportedly eyeing up a move for the veteran as an alternative option to Mikel Merino.

Johan Lange could now repeat the masterclass he played by signing Ashley Young on a free transfer from Inter at the start of the 2021/22 campaign by bringing in Parejo.

Young, who has been capped 39 times by England, joined at the age of 35 but has been able to establish himself as a key player for the club in the Premier League – making 39 appearances in the top flight in the last 18 months.

Only Douglas Luiz (7.00) has averaged a higher Sofascore rating than the full-back (6.96) within the Villa squad in the division this season and this indicates that the 37-year-old is one of Emery’s top performers, in spite of his age.

Parejo, 33, could come in as an experienced option in the middle of the park and have a similar impact on the team as he has been in fine form in La Liga this season.

The £185k-per-week gem – who is compared to Toni Kroos, Jordan Henderson, and Mateo Kovacic by FBref – has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.38 in 17 outings in the Spanish top-flight for Villarreal – creating six ‘big chances’ and making 2.4 tackles and interceptions per game for his side.

Journalist Josh Bunting once claimed that the Spaniard “oozes class” and the veteran’s statistics in LaLiga this term back that up, whilst the gem has also averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.14 or higher in the division since the 2015/16 campaign.

This shows that Parejo has been consistently delivering brilliant displays in midfield in a major European league for a number of years, which is why he could be Young 2.0 for Villa.

Emery worked with him at Villarreal and this could also allow him to hit the ground running in England as he already knows how the manager wants to play – increasing the chance of him replicating his form in Spain in the Premier League and instantly making himself a key player for the club, just as Young has since his move to the club.

Aston Villa secured yet another three points under Unai Emery with a 1-0 victory against Southampton this afternoon in what was a game that saw three goals, yet only one eventually stood and that turned out to be the winner for Villa.

The first half saw Villa dominate proceedings, but they couldn’t find a breakthrough despite having a 71% share of possession and taking nine shots, as it was the Saints who found themselves ahead, albeit temporarily, as Lyanco was ruled offside.

A drone stopped play for around ten minutes however the referee soon brought the players back out and in the second half and James Ward-Prowse looked like he opened the scoring, yet it was disallowed due to a foul on Jacob Ramsey in the build-up.

Not long after, Ollie Watkins rose and headed a Douglas Luiz free kick past Gavin Bazunu and the Midlands side claimed another crucial victory.

There were a few solid performances, with Ashley Young outstanding at right-back winning 80% of his duels, while Watkins scored the winner, however, it was Ramsey who was Emery’s unsung hero during the match.

“Special”

The 21-year-old was making just his second Premier League start since November following his return from injury, however, his performance today was almost as if he’d never been missing, so effective at protecting the defence when required while also trying to create chances for his teammates.

Against the Saints he achieved a Sofascore rating of 7.6/10, ranking him as the club’s second-best performer behind Young, while he was constantly looking to get involved in the match, taking 70 touches overall.

His passing was also excellent, recording an 86% pass success rate while making two key passes during the match and he was also keen on trying to grab a goal, having two shots on target during the encounter.

Defensively is where he showed his true worth however, as the midfielder won 11 duels, made two clearances, one interception, and a staggering seven tackles, ensuring his side kept a clean sheet.

Ramsey – dubbed a “special talent” by Sam Tabuteau – is clearly enjoying his football under the Spaniard and he looks set to play a key part for Villa over the next couple of months – with this performance sure to make him one of the first names on the team sheet for their next match.

Sunderland are in the market to sign a new number nine during the January transfer window after being dealt a blow to their squad at the start of the month.

Premier League side Everton decided to recall striker Ellis Simms from his loan spell at the Stadium of Light and Tony Mowbray has now been left with Ross Stewart as his only natural option in that position.

Kristjaan Speakman and Mowbray could now repeat the masterclass Sunderland played with Simms during the first half of the season by bringing in another loanee from the top-flight.

Earlier this month, Sky Sports journalist Keith Downie revealed that the Black Cats are interested in signing Nottingham Forest striker Sam Surridge.

The reporter claimed that the centre-forward is available on loan from the Premier League side and that fellow Championship outfit Burnley are also keen on the marksman.

Simms spent the first half of the campaign at Sunderland on a temporary basis from Everton and caught the eye with his impressive performances at the top end of the pitch.

The 22-year-old averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.03 as he produced seven goals and two assists in 14 Championship starts for the Black Cats, which shows that he was able to put in brilliant performances on a regular basis whilst scoring and assisting goals for the team.

He was a terrific signing who hit the ground running on Wearside to push the club up the table in the division and Surridge could now come in as a similar addition this year.

Like Simms was last summer, the Forest dynamo is a Premier League striker who has struggled for minutes in the top-flight – starting just once so far.

However, he has racked up two goals and two assists in four EFL Cup appearances for Steve Cooper this term, which shows that he is not completely out of form at present.

The forward is also a proven goalscorer in the Championship as he plundered nine goals and two assists in 11 starts, playing 37 matches in total, in the division last season for Forest as they gained promotion to the top tier. This shows that he has the ability to score goals on a regular basis from the start at this level.

Surridge, who was once hailed as “clinical” by journalist Callum Castel, could be an excellent addition to the team and could replace the goalscoring threat the club lost when Simms went back to Goodison Park.

Therefore, Mowbray must push to complete a deal for the £15k-per-week dynamo as the 24-year-old has the potential to be Simms 2.0 for the Black Cats.

Injury expert and Sky Sports contributor Ben Dinnery has given his insight on the latest Crystal Palace injury to Wilfried Zaha. 

The Lowdown: Zaha suffers injury

Zaha pulled up 65 minutes into Palace’s weekend clash and limped off the pitch before being replaced.

The match against Newcastle United was the Ivory Coast international’s 19th appearance in the Premier League this season, having scored on six occasions and provided two assists heading into the game.

The Eagles avoided defeat, but had to settle for a draw as they sweat over Zaha’s fitness.

The Latest: Possible tendon issue

Dinnery spoke about the possible diagnosis of Zaha’s injury when speaking on the Premier FPL Injuries YouTube channel.

He stated: “We’ve seen a non-contact injury for Wilfred Zaha. Pulled up, right hamstring, didn’t look great at the time, tried to continue, fairly high up, so that could maybe indicate that it’s [a] tendon [issue]. Never good when you see him going off.”

The Verdict: Olise to step up

Michael Olise was one of the players who came on as Zaha left the field on Saturday, and we believe there is an opportunity for him to step up and make a big statement at Palace.

Vieira has raved about the 21-year-old in the past, describing Olise’s work ethic as ‘unbelievable’ in a press conference last year.

Statistically speaking, Olise has arguably been more of a creative force for Palace than his teammate over the last 365 days, as he averages 3.94 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes as well as 0.29 assists per game.

Zaha comes up short in both departments compared to the Frenchman, with tallies of 3.62 and 0.06 per 90 respectively.

Therefore, we believe that the loss of Zaha may not be as worrying as some Palace fans may think, as Olise is evidently a player who can create, and in a side with only 18 league goals this season – the fifth-lowest in the league – he might just be capable of filling the void if the Ivorian is out for the long term.

The cogs are falling into place at Manchester United, with manager Erik ten Hag thus far succeeding in rectifying the wrongs that have plagued the club over the past several years and setting a course for success.

Indeed, the Red Devils currently reside in the third place after 18 matches, with 38 points and just two league losses since Ten Hag’s rocky start – the Dutch manager fell to both Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford in a solemn introduction to English football.

And now, with the ship stabilising, the talismanic position at the club needs fortifying over the coming age at the distinguished club, and Borussia Dortmund’s prodigious striker Youssoufa Moukoko is one name to have been linked with a switch to the Theatre of Dreams in the not-too-distant future, with 90min stating that United are considering a bid.

According to the prominent publication, Dortmund have been desperately seeking to reach an agreement on a long-term contract for their latest budding superstar,

The “Wonder”, as lauded by his elder brother Borel, is quickly asserting himself as one of the standout prospects across the global game, and should he sign for United, an eminent club notably bringing many sublime talents through the youth ranks, he could continue this development on the richest soil, growing into one of the most feared attacking outlets on the European scene.

This season alone, Moukoko has scored six goals and assists apiece from only 12 starts, with a total of 11 goals and eight assists from 59 appearances since his professional debut.

The 18-year-old also ranks within the top 9% of forwards for rate of goals, the top 6% for rate of assists and the top 14% for tackles, as per FBref, which is a telling glimpse into the dynamic approach and devastating physicality that will leave opposition quaking.

Bearing these burgeoning skills in mind, there is no question that he could merge wondrously at Old Trafford with talisman Marcus Rashford, who is currently spearheading the emphatic Red Devil resurgence.

This season, the 51-cap England international has plundered 16 goals and six assists from 26 appearances, casting aside the cobwebs from a lacklustre preceding campaign where the forward clinched just five strikes across all competitions.

With Rashford indeed in the form of his career, riding a purple patch that is having devastating consequences on each and every opponent, Moukoko, who former teammate Erling Haaland dubbed “the biggest talent in the world”, would be a worthy addition, entering the Theatre of Dreams to thunderous applause, ready to adopt the esteemed striking role at the club and forge an immensely successful future.

The Athletic’s Greg O’Keeffe believes that Everton appointing Marcelo Bielsa would only end in tears.

The Lowdown: Hunt for a new manager is now on

After inevitably sacking Frank Lampard following a shocking run of just one win in their last 14 games across all competitions, Everton are now in the thick of an important search for a new manager.

The early reports have suggested that Bielsa is seen as the preferred candidate for Farhad Moshiri, although that will likely be met with trepidation given some of the managers he’s hired in the past.

Bielsa has now been out of a job for just under a year after he was sacked by Leeds United after suffering a series of heavy defeats in the Premier League himself, but he is now said to be open to the idea of joining the Toffees.

The Latest: Bielsa not everyone’s favourite

Despite what he did with Leeds in getting them promoted and securing a ninth-place finish in the 2020/21 Premier League season, O’Keeffe has issued caution over his potential appointment while speaking on the All Together Now podcast.

He said: “Marcelo Bielsa does not strike me as a character who would be happy with the amount of interference at various levels at Everton that Frank Lampard had to deal with.

“So, for me, it’s one that is probably not a good fit, and if I’m being ultra-pessimistic, I could even see it ending in tears with him walking away after a short while.”

The Verdict: Moshiri must get this appointment right

If Moshiri has his heart set on Bielsa, Evertonians could be set for a rollercoaster because of the intense demands the former Leeds boss puts on his players, as was highlighted during his time at Elland Road.

However, given how poorly things ended at Leeds, many may well question if he’s the right man to bring in for a relegation scrap, or whether Everton need someone such as Sean Dyche, who has more proven experience at the bottom of the league.

One more wrong appointment could indeed be the final nail in the coffin for Everton and seal their fate, which would mean relegation into the Championship and knocking off some of the value in the club – something that would be a blow for Moshiri as he looks to sell up.

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and Michael Beale’s attempts to bolster his squad during the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to the Daily Record, the Light Blues are keen on a deal to sign Standard Liege central midfielder Nicolas Raskin before the end of the month.

The report claims that the Gers are interested in snapping up the Belgian talent and that they are also ramping up their efforts to sign Todd Cantwell and Morgan Whittaker from Norwich and Swansea respectively.

Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri recently claimed that the club were in talks over a swoop to sign Raskin, who is out of contract at the end of the season,

Steven Davis replacement

At the end of December, Rangers central midfielder Steven Davis was ruled out of action for the rest of the season after suffering a knee injury but Beale could finally replace the Northern Ireland international, almost a month later, by signing the Standard Liege maestro.

Raskin’s form in the Pro League this season indicates that the gem could be an excellent addition to the Gers squad as he has been superb for Liege.

The 21-year-old has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.01 across 16 appearances in the Belgian top-flight this term, which is an improvement on the score of 6.85 he managed in the previous campaign.

That rating would place him eighth in the current Rangers squad and 0.11 better off than Davis’ score of 6.90 in the Premiership in 2022/23 for the Light Blues.

Raskin, who was once described as “powerful” and a “pitbull” by journalist Bob Faesen, has made 3.7 tackles and interceptions and 1.1 key passes per match in the Pro League this term, something that indicates he is an excellent box-to-box midfielder who can make an impact at both ends of the pitch.

Meanwhile, no Gers player has made more than 2.9 tackles and interceptions per game and John Lundstram’s 2.3 per outing is the most by any midfielder, which suggests that the Belgian gem could be an upgrade on Beale’s current options in the middle of the park from a defensive perspective.

At the age of 21, Raskin would also arrive as a player with the potential to grow and improve over time. This means that the maestro could be a long-term addition to the side, someone Beale can work with over the course of a number of years, which is another reason he could be a dream replacement for the injured Davis, who turned 38 this month.

Arsenal are reportedly set to hold talks over the potential signing of Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie, with his agents already in London.

The Lowdown: Arsenal interest

It was reported earlier this week that the Emirates Stadium outfit are on the ‘trail’ of McKennie, and Juventus are willing to sell him for between €20-25m (£17.5-22m) plus add-ons.

Mikel Arteta admitted in his pre-game press conference ahead of their FA Cup fourth round tie away at Manchester City that he would like ‘more cover’ in midfield, and so could explore a deal late on in the transfer window, with under a week until the deadline.

The Latest: McKennie talks

Taking to Twitter, journalist Nicola Balice, who contributes for Italian news outlets Calciomercato and Corriere dello Sport, says that McKennie’s agents are ‘in London’ already to talk to clubs about a potential deal for the USA international, with Arsenal named alongside fellow Premier League rivals Leeds United as a possible destination:

“#McKennie, agents in London for a few days already to evaluate and negotiate with various clubs (#Arsenal and #Leeds, not only). Ambitious player, we need a project that convinces him. #Juve pending, clear requests and absolutely within the reach of every club in the Premier League.”

The Verdict: Get it done

With both Granit Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny now 30 years of age, and Thomas Partey set to join them in the summer, Arteta will feel like he needs to build a midfield for the future, and add some more youth into this area of the pitch.

Hailed as a ‘monster‘ in the air by football writer Wes Tucker and a ‘pressing machine‘ by USMNT journalist Chris Smith, McKennie is already rated very highly, and is crucially a lot younger than the Gunners trio at just 24.

He ranks in the 86th percentile for non-penalty goals, 84th for touches and 90th for progressive passes received per game for all midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year (FBRef), showing that he is already among the best for key midfield metrics.

Nonetheless, there will be added worries over Partey’s injury record, while Arteta has expressed his concern over Elneny’s recent injury, so it is vital that the Gunners get some cover in before the deadline, and McKennie would provide just that.

Arsenal could still potentially decide to make a move for Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans this month, journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed.

The Lowdown: Tielemans linked with Arsenal

The Belgian has been one of the Foxes’ standout players in recent years, memorably scoring a stunning winning goal in the 2021 FA Cup final against Chelsea.

Tielemans has been linked with Arsenal a number of times in the recent past, with Mikel Arteta seeing him as a possible midfield addition, bringing further quality to that area of the pitch.

While rumours appear to have cooled a little of late, a new update suggests that the saga could still have legs.

The Latest: Move still possible

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Romano failed to rule out the idea of Tielemans making the switch to the Emirates:

“For the midfielder, it depends on the opportunity that they will have in the market. Let’s see if they go back in for Tielemans again and let’s see what happens with other players.”

The Verdict: Extra injection of class

In truth, Arsenal are in no massive need to sign Tielemans currently, with the Gunners excelling so much and the likes of Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka in inspired form.

That being said, the 25-year-old could be someone who just gives Arteta’s squad that extra injection of life for the second half of the season, boosting their Premier League title challenge in the process.

Tielemans would provide willing running and a goal threat from the middle of the park, having scored 28 goals for Leicester and been hailed as ‘fantastic’ by Emile Heskey, and if a January move doesn’t happen, then a summer arrival makes complete sense.

Aston Villa added to their spending in the January transfer window on Monday as they announced an agreement to sign Jhon Duran from MLS side Chicago Fire on a permanent basis.

The 19-year-old Colombian attacker, who scored eight goals in 14 MLS starts in 2022, has arrived to bolster Unai Emery’s options at the top end of the pitch and he becomes the club’s second addition of the month.

Emery’s first piece of business was to bring in left-back Alex Moreno on a permanent deal from La Liga outfit Real Betis, to compete with Lucas Digne, and the Villans may not be done there.

Villa are reportedly in the market to improve their options in the middle of the park and former Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi is one of the players on their radar in that area of the pitch.

Last week, journalist Ben Jacobs tweeted: “Aston Villa working on Matteo Guendouzi, who is open to a reunion with Unai Emery. Told Marseille want €50m but Villa’s first offer will be less. Villa looking at €25-30m plus add-ons, as @FabriceHawkins first reported. OM permanently signed Guendouzi for €11m last summer.”

Emery could now sign an upgrade on current Villa midfielder John McGinn by securing a £44m deal to snap up the French international, who he worked with at The Emirates, before the window slams shut at the end of the month.

Guendouzi, who Alan Shearer once lauded as a “warrior” on Match of the Day, could offer far more to the club as a box-to-box player than the Scotland international, based on their respective form over the last 365 days.

As per FBref, the Marseille gem ranks in the top 30% of players in his position for progressive passes, pass completion percentage, non-penalty xG, assists and shot-creating actions per 90 in Europe’s top five leagues over the last year.

Whereas, McGinn does not crack the top 30% in any of those statistics, which indicates that the Frenchman would be an upgrade from an attacking perspective.

The ex-Arsenal dynamo’s impressive attacking talent, which is backed up by his four goals and six assists last term, could elevate the side’s attack and allow them to score more goals, as he finds the back of the net himself and tees up others to score.

Guendouzi, who editor Jack Mendel once hailed as “unreal”, has also averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.93 in Ligue 1 this season, whilst the Villa man has averaged a score of 6.91 in the Premier League.

This shows that the Marseille man has been marginally better in that regard but his attacking attributes, his pre-existing relationship with Emery and the fact that he is five years younger than McGinn could make him an upgrade on the Scotsman in the Villa squad in the immediate and long-term.

The 23-year-old has plenty of time on his hands to continue his development and he could take his game to the next level at Villa Park, which is why he could be an excellent addition to the squad this month.