The new INEOS regime is in the door at Manchester United, and while it still remains early days, those changes at boardroom level have not yet seeped into improved performances on the pitch – nor into enhanced recruitment.

Much was made of snapping up the likes of Dan Ashworth and Omar Berrada earlier this year, yet on current evidence, the highly-rated United hierarchy has merely overseen another questionable summer of transfer business.

£36.5m was spent on Joshua Zirkzee, yet the Dutchman has since scored just once for the club in all competitions, while Manuel Ugarte – who arrived on deadline day on a £42m deal – has found himself behind an ageing Christian Eriksen in the starting lineup in recent weeks.

Noussair Mazraoui looks to be a rare bargain for the Red Devils, while hopes are high for ex-Real Madrid target Leny Yoro amid his impending return from injury, although fellow centre-back, Matthijs de Ligt, has endured a shaky start in Manchester, having been axed in favour of Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans last time out.

Much of the blame may fall the way of under-fire manager, Erik ten Hag, although this latest batch of incomings appears to follow a common theme of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.

Man Utd's most notable transfer failures

Where to begin?

It is hard to overlook the saga surrounding Paul Pogba, of course, with the polarising Frenchman having been allowed to leave for nothing, prior to returning on an £89m deal, before then again leaving on a free after six turbulent years in Red.

£75m signing, Romelu Lukaku, only lasted two years before being given the boot by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, while Louis van Gaal’s statement capture – Angel Di Maria – only enjoyed a solitary campaign at Old Trafford, before packing his bags for Paris.

In more recent times, the £80m spent on Harry Maguire has long looked like an albatross around the Englishman’s neck, with the former Manchester City target notably stripped of the captaincy last year after losing his place under Ten Hag.

The Dutchman also showed a ruthless streak to bring Jadon Sancho’s time at the club to an end this summer, with the 24-year-old moving onto pastures new at Chelsea after scoring just 12 goals and providing only six assists in 83 games for the club. £73m well spent.

Ten Hag may not have had a hand in those catalogue of signings, but he must shoulder the blame for the addition of £86m man, Antony, a move that has been described as the ‘worst Premier League transfer of all time’ by journalist Daniel Storey.

The former Ajax man was also at the helm when another Brazilian, Casemiro, rocked up in 2022, and despite a solid first season – in which the five-time Champions League winner was hailed as the “cement” in the side by his manager – he has since dropped off spectacularly.

Wage Burners

Football FanCast's Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.

Now looking like “he’s in Soccer Aid” – as per pundit Jamie Redknapp – the £70m man does now strike as an expensive mistake, albeit with United’s £350k-per-week asset at least faring better than another high earner at the Theatre of Dreams, Alexis Sanchez.

Alexis Sanchez's total cost at Man Utd

80 goals and 44 assists in 166 games for Arsenal. Seemingly at the peak of his powers at the age of 29. What could go wrong?

A lot, was the answer to that question, with United’s decision to swap Sanchez for Henrikh Mkhitaryan in January 2018 backfiring spectacularly, such was the financial burden that the Chilean would prove to the club.

From the get go, the one-time Barcelona man failed to hit it off in his new surroundings, ending his first six months at the club with just eight goals and assists in 18 games under Jose Mourinho’s watch.

The winger’s first full season at the club didn’t go much better, in truth, as he chalked up just six goal involvements under Mourinho and Solskjaer, with club legend Gary Neville admitting at the time that it was a “mystery” as to why Sanchez hadn’t recaptured the form he had shown at the Emirates.

That ‘mystery’ was perhaps solved by the fact that the marquee signing didn’t appear to want to be there, having later revealed that he asked his agent to rip up his contract after his first day of training at Carrington.

There were moments of magic, no doubt, including his last-gasp winner against Newcastle United in the 3-2 win in October 2018, as well as the equaliser in the FA Cup semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur in April 2018, yet rarely did the forward look up to the task.

Such woes were ultimately compounded by the exorbitant wages handed to him by the club – or Ed Woodward, rather – at the time, with the Daily Mail reporting that he had been taking home around £400k-per-week, or £21m a year, before bonuses, thus ahead of what even Casemiro earns today.

With £31.5m having been dished out in wages during his 18-month stint in the first-team squad, United then still had to fork out around £16.5m of that sky-high salary upon his initial loan move to Inter Milan in the summer of 2019, as per the Mail’s report.

To cap it off, Woodward and co were then forced to provide a £9m payoff to Sanchez ahead of his permanent move to the San Siro on a free transfer in 2020, totalling up to around £57m spent across his time at the club.

Stats by club

Games

Goals

Assists

Arsenal

166

80

44

Inter Milan

142

24

28

FC Barcelona

141

46

37

Udinese

112

21

20

Man Utd

45

5

9

Marseille

44

18

3

River Plate

31

4

3

Colo-Colo

19

5

3

Cobreloa

5

3

0

For a return of just 14 goals and assists in 45 games, that deal certainly didn’t prove worth United’s while, with the hope being that such high-profile moves for ageing players will remain a thing of the past.

Man Utd star whose value has risen 22424% may be sold for more than Ronaldo

The Red Devils ace has seen his value soar under Erik ten Hag

ByJoe Nuttall Oct 11, 2024

Tottenham Hotspur’s poor start to the season almost got significantly worse on Wednesday night.

Ange Postecoglou’s side took on Coventry City in the League Cup, which should have been a straightforward win to boost morale around the club. Instead, it became perhaps the worst performance of the Australian’s reign thus far and ended with a last-minute smash-and-grab.

It was certainly a night to forget for the North Londoners and their travelling fans, but they have the perfect opportunity to make amends tomorrow afternoon as they host Brentford in the Premier League.

The bad news is that the Bees seem to be in great form at the moment and came close to earning a point away at Manchester City last week and comfortably beating Southampton the weekend before that.

Spurs: Upcoming Fixtures
Date	Opponent	Competition
21/09/24	Brentford (H)	Premier League
26/09/24	Qarabağ FK (H)	Europa League
29/09/24	Man Utd (A)	Premier League
03/10/24	Ferencvárosi (A)	Europa League
06/10/24	Brighton (A)	Premier League
19/10/24	West Ham (H)	Premier League

So, if the Lilywhites are going to get anything out of the game, they’ll need to put in a performance far better than the one they gave on Wednesday, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see the manager make up to eight changes to help that happen.

1

GK – Guglielmo Vicario

So, starting in goal, we already have the first change: number one Guglielmo Vicario comes back into the side in place of Fraser Forster, who looked shakey during the week.

Vicario hasn’t had the best start to the season himself, but with more minutes under his belt, he could get back to his shot-stopping best.

2

RB – Pedro Porro

On the right of the back four is another change, as 18-year-old Archie Gray makes way for Pedro Porro.

The young Englishman looked bright here and there against Coventry, but the Spaniard is a sensational right-back who is integral to Postecoglou’s ultra-attacking style of play.

For example, in just 37 appearances last season, the Don Benito-born star scored four goals and provided seven assists, equating to a goal involvement on average every 3.36 games.

3

CB – Cristian Romero

To the left of Porro will almost certainly be the club’s co-vice captain, Cristian Romero.

The Argentine international came in for some deserved criticism following the defeat to Arsenal last week, but there can be no doubt about his quality, especially when Lionel Messi described him as “the best defender in the world”, and he probably knows a thing or two about football.

Moreover, we often see the best in the combative centre-back when the going gets tough.

4

CB – Micky van de Ven

Alongside the World Cup winner will be Dutch centre-back Micky van de Ven.

The former Wolfsburg star was rested for the match on Wednesday, which was probably the right call given his injury record, but in tomorrow’s must-win game, he has to start.

The incredible speed he can reach makes him an integral part of the manager’s playing philosophy, as it’s this rapid pace that allows him to run back and cover from the team’s high line.

5

LB – Destiny Udogie

The final player to make up the back four is the only one to keep his place from the last game, Destiny Udogie.

However, the Italian full-back didn’t put in his best performance and was actually hooked at half-time.

Still, given how well he played in the league last season and the manager’s reluctance to use Djed Spence apart from a rare time on Wednesday, it would be shocking if he didn’t start.

6

CM – Rodrigo Bentancur

The first name in midfield is another survivor from the fiasco against Coventry, Rodrigo Bentancur.

Like the rest of his teammates, the Uruguayan international didn’t do much of any note in that game, but with Yves Bissouma only returning to training today, it seems certain that he’ll start again.

That said, like plenty of his teammates, the former Juventus ace is incredibly talented, and in a side with more regular starters, he could get back to somewhere near his best – at least that’s what the manager will be hoping.

7

CM – Dejan Kulusevski

The first change in midfield sees one Swede replace another, as 18-year-old Lucas Bergvall comes out for Dejan Kulusevski, who has looked good in central areas recently.

Now, the youngster didn’t look bad on Wednesday, but he couldn’t quite take a hold of the game either, and while that’s understandable at his age, it’s also an indication he shouldn’t be starting in a tough league game either.

Moreover, Kulusevski is one of Postecoglou’s most technically gifted players and, with a record of 36 goals and assists in 101 Spurs games, he’s also one of the most dangerous.

8

CM – James Maddison

The second change in midfield sees James Maddison come back into the lineup in place of Pape Matar Sarr.

The Englishman has been getting some understandable criticism of late for some underwhelming performances, but even when he’s not at his very best, the “influential” midfielder, as dubbed by former manager Brendan Rodgers, is still useful.

For example, in his 32 league matches for the Lilywhites, the former Leicester City star has scored four goals and provided 11 assists, meaning he’s averaged a goal involvement every 2.13 games.

Maddison’s recent PL record
Season	23/24	24/25
Appearances	28	4
Goals	4	0
Assists	9	2
Goal Involvements per Match	0.46	0.50
All Stats via Transfermarkt

9

RW – Brennan Johnson

Brennan Johnson, the first of the three attackers, comes in for the injured Wilson Odobert.

It’s been a tough season for the Welshman so far, but he did make a difference in the game on Wednesday by keeping his composure and scoring the 92nd-minute winner to save the club and Postecoglou from an embarrassing defeat.

It will be tougher against Brentford tomorrow afternoon, but he clearly has the backing of the manager, and 15 goal involvements in his debut season for the club suggests there is a talented player there.

10

ST – Dominic Solanke

Starting up top and keeping his place in the team is the £65m man, Dominic Solanke.

The former Bournemouth ace hasn’t had the best of starts to life in North London, as in three appearances, he has yet to open his account with a goal or assist, but in his defence, his actual play has been quite good.

Moreover, he played like a man possessed last season and racked up a superb 21 goals and four assists in 42 appearances for the Cherries, so it feels more like a matter of when and not if he starts to find the back of the net in white.

Solanke’s 23/24
Appearances	42
Goals	21
Assists	4
Goal Involvements per Match	0.59
All Stats via Transfermarkt

It’s been a hectic and incredibly tough start to life in the Premier League for Ipswich Town this season, but they are handling it brilliantly so far.

Kieran McKenna’s side were given possibly the most challenging opening fixtures of anyone in the league this year. To kick things off, they played a home game against Liverpool, followed by an away trip to Manchester City, just in case the fans forgot how tough the top-flight can be.

Understandably, the Tractor Boys didn’t pick up any points from those games, but they have since picked up a point against Fulham, Brighton & Hove Albion, Southampton, and most impressively, Aston Villa.

In all, things are looking good for McKenna’s side, and while they might not be full of household names, there are more than enough talented players in the squad who could keep them up this year, including Liam Delap.

Delap's start to the season

Delap cost Ipswich around £15m plus a further £5m in potential add-ons in July, and while that is a fairly significant amount of money for a young striker, it’s not unreasonable considering his 32-game stint with Hull City last season, in which he scored eight goals and provided two assists.

Moreover, in 55 games for City’s various junior sides, the Winchester-born poacher racked up a seriously impressive haul of 46 goals and 16 assists, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 0.88 games.

Now, while he isn’t going to recreate those sorts of numbers at Portman Road, the 21-year-old forward has got off to a flying start, finding the back of the net away to Fulham and twice in the draw at home to Champions League contending Villa.

It’s still very early in Delaps’s Ipswich career, but if he can maintain his current form of scoring a goal every 2.33 games or so, then not only will the club have a brilliant chance of staying up, but his valuation will surely exceed his fee as well. That said, the Englishman is not the only McKenna signing coming good this season.

Axel Tuanzebe's Ipswich career

Yes, the McKenna signing in question is former Manchester United ace Axel Tuanzebe, who joined the club on a free last September, just three months after leaving the Red Devils.

However, the once-capped Congolese international only signed a one-year deal, likely due to persistent injury problems that had limited him to just 90 first-team appearances at that point in his career, which for a then-25-year-old was more than a little concerning.

Unfortunately for the Bunia-born defender, despite his undeniable quality, fitness issues once again impacted him at the start of last season, and up until around late February, he played very few games for the club. However, once he eventually got into the side, he became the club’s first-choice right-back and made 21 appearances across all competitions.

Tuanzebe’s Ipswich career
Appearances	27
Points per Game	1.74
Goals	1
Assists	1
Goal Involvements per Match	0.07
All Stats via Transfermarkt

In June, the newly promoted side confirmed that they had activated the option to extend the 26-year-old’s £40k-per-week contract for another year, and what a decision that has turned out to be.

In stark contrast to last season, the 6 foot 1 ace has played in and started all six of the Tractor Boys’ league fixtures so far, and though it’s been tough going at times, he has not looked out of his depth at this level.

For example, he was given an 8/10 rating for his performance against Villa by TNT Sports’ Paul Hassall, a 7/10 by the East Anglian Daily Times’ Alex Jones for his display against Fulham, and another 8/10 from Sky Sports’ Sam Blitz for the 0-0 draw with Brighton.

Ultimately, Tuanzebe is looking every bit like a Premier League player, and while Transfermarkt has him valued at just €3m – £2.5m – at the moment, that price will surely only increase if he can remain fit, and if he can, then he may well end up being just as crucial to Ipswich’s survival chances as Delap.

McKenna may have found Ipswich their own Grealish in "unplayable" star

The tremendously exciting attacker could play a big part in the Tractor Boys’ season this year.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Oct 1, 2024

Mumbai Indians threatened to defend 129 on a sluggish Sharjah track, but Shreyas Iyer dented their playoff chances and strengthened Delhi Capitals’ own chances of a top-two finish with a smart innings in the company of R Ashwin. Iyer absorbed the pressure created by the fall of three wickets within the first five overs of the chase and ushered Capitals home with five balls to spare.

Watch the IPL on ESPN+

Sign up for ESPN+ and catch all the action from the IPL live in the US.
Match highlights of Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals are available here in English, and here in Hindi (US only).

Despite the defeat on Saturday, Mumbai could still sneak into the final four, but in addition to needing to win their remaining two games against Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad, they must also rely on favours from other sides.It was Capitals’ depleted attack that set up the victory. While Avesh Khan and Anrich Nortje defied the slowness of the pitch with a hair-raising display of pace and guile, left-arm fingerspinner Axar Patel thrived with his more subtle variations.Not a favourable match-up? No problem for Axar
The Capitals left out offspin-bowling allrounder Lalit Yadav to welcome back Prithvi Shaw, which meant they had only five bowling options at their disposal. It proved enough, with the seamers dovetailing beautifully with Axar.It was Avesh who produced the first breakthrough when Rohit Sharma – believe it or not – miscued a pull to deep third man.Axar then ran into two left-handers and trumped both of them. He first dangled one away from Quinton de Kock’s reach and had him carving a catch to backward point. Then, he zipped one away from Saurabh Tiwary from around the wicket, drawing a top edge. Axar also had Suryakumar Yadav holing out later with a dipping full-toss, ending with 3 for 21 in his four overs.5:00

Brathwaite: Mumbai were below par with the bat, made it tough for the bowlers

Nortje and Avesh wreck Mumbai’s middle order
Mumbai’s middle order largely strolled through the middle overs, not managing to score even a single boundary for 35 balls between the 11th and 17th overs.After pounding the deck with heavy lengths in the early exchanges, Nortje cut his pace down to 123kph and had Kieron Pollard chopping on in the 15th over.Avesh yorked both Hardik Pandya and Nathan Coulter-Nile and although the last over, bowled by Ashwin, went for 13 runs, Mumbai were kept to a sub-130 total.Iyer and Ashwin get the job done
That total, however, looked a whole lot bigger once the Capitals lost their top three early. It was Pollard who had launched a familiar Mumbai comeback when he swooped in from mid-on and nailed a direct hit to run out Shikhar Dhawan for 8. Rishabh Pant then chanced his arm and swung his way to 26 off 22 balls before Jayant Yadav – specifically picked, ahead of legspinner Rahul Chahal, to counter the left-handers in Capitals’ line-up – bested him.There might have been jitters in Capitals’ camp when Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult also struck to reduce them to 93 for 6 at the start of the 14th over. Iyer and Ashwin, however, settled them by calmly knocking off ones and twos.Iyer, who had arrived in the powerplay, didn’t hit a boundary until the 17th over, when he swiped Coulter-Nile over midwicket. He meted out similar treatment to Bumrah in the 18th to effectively get the dirty job done.

MatériaMais Notícias

A escolha da Federação Paulista de Futebol em colocar o Palmeiras para abrir os jogos das quartas de final do Paulistão agradou à direção palmeirense. Antes do conselho técnico, realizado na tarde desta segunda-feira (6), as chances eram grandes do Verdão fechar as partidas desta fase, jogando na próxima segunda-feira (13). No entanto, antes da reunião, pessoas ligadas ao clube alviverde, incluindo à presidente Leila Pereira, ligaram para o presidente da FPF, Reinaldo Carneiro Bastos, e diretores da entidade, para que os palestrinos jogassem no sábado (11).

Assim, quem fechará os jogos das quartas de final do Campeonato Paulista será o São Paulo, que enfrentará o Água Santa. O Tricolor tem o direito do mando de campo, mas como cederá o estádio do Morumbi para o show da banda britânica Coldplay, jogará no Allianz Parque.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasDesistência de candidato movimenta eleição à presidência do Conselho do Palmeiras horas antes da votaçãoPalmeiras06/03/2023PalmeirasRoberto Silva desiste de candidatura à presidência do Conselho do Palmeiras e apoiará oposiçãoPalmeiras06/03/2023PalmeirasElenco do Palmeiras ganha folga antes de iniciar preparação para jogo decisivoPalmeiras06/03/2023

+Raphael Veiga é destaque, mas não evita empate do Palmeiras com o Guarani

O fato de disponibilizar o seu estádio para o rival foi o principal motivo para que o Palmeiras solicitasse jogar primeiro. Mas isso nada tem a ver com um ‘braço de ferro’ entre os clubes. As diretorias do Verdão do São Paulo estão bem alinhadas. Inclusive, foram os próprio palmeirenses que colocaram a sua arena à disposição do Tricolor, contrariando até alguns conselheiros que torceram o nariz para essa aproximação.

+ Confira a tabela do Paulistão e simule os jogos das quartas de final da competição

Os presidentes das duas instituições Leila Pereira e Julio Cazares estão em diálogo constante e tem celebrado a boa relação entre os times. Ambos, inclusive, estão na linha de frente do projeto da Libra, nova liga prevista para o futebol brasileiro.

A única solicitação feita pelo São Paulo para usar o Allianz Parque era fazer um treinamento no local durante a preparação para o duelo contra o Água Santa. Como o Verdão atuará no sábado (11), a tendência é que o estádio fique disponível para atividade do Tricolor no domingo (12).

Having just conceded their Championship top spot to Sunderland following defeat against Middlesbrough, West Bromwich Albion may now be forced to avoid a third-consecutive loss without one of their star men when they play host to Millwall this weekend.

West Brom injury news

The Baggies were flying high at the top of the Championship after an excellent start, before Sheffield Wednesday brought them back down to earth and Middlesbrough brought them back down from that top spot, courtesy of Hayden Hackney’s second-half effort. Suddenly, Carlos Corberan’s side find themselves desperately searching for three points against Millwall this weekend to ensure that a recent blip doesn’t escalate into a frustrating struggle for form.

Those at the Hawthorns will be well aware of just how quickly things can change in the Championship, but their clash against Millwall represents an ideal opportunity for West Brom to regain some vital composure in the early race for promotion.

West Brom star just had his worst game of the season vs Boro

West Bromwich Albion have now worryingly lost two games on the trot in the Championship.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 2, 2024

If they are to return to winning ways, however, then they’ll likely have to do so without a key man up against the London side this weekend. As confirmed by Corberan, Grady Diangana is already an injury doubt for the Millwall game with a new shoulder problem, having missed the defeat against Boro.

The West Brom boss told reporters via the Express and Star: “[Gianluca] Frabotta has been my decision to put [Callum] Styles in the squad today, and Grady unfortunately suffered a foul where he had a problem with the shoulder.

“It is in the other shoulder. Unfortunately in the beginning he had the problem with the calf, then one shoulder and now the other one and he couldn’t get his normal rhythm. It looks like it is less serious than the serious one but he is still a doubt for Saturday.

“Exactly [Diangana’s been unlucky], the fact he didn’t make a pre-season and after he has come back and suffered a couple of injuries mean he hasn’t been ready to help the team in the level we want him to. We know he’s an important player, without any doubt, we need everyone fit and in the best level.”

"Important" Diangana facing frustrating spell

Missing three of West Brom’s opening eight Championship games so far this season and struggling to earn a starting spot as a result, another injury blow is the last thing that Diangana needed amid such a frustrating spell. For Corberan too, it will undoubtedly be frustrating to see one of his star men struggle to gain any foothold on the campaign, given just how crucial the £20,000-a-week star can be at his best.

Last season, the former West Ham man proved his impact once and for all with seven goals and eight assists in the Championship, as the Baggies flirted with promotion. Now, as his side set their sights on an automatic place, Diangana will prove to be a huge miss if he continues to struggle for fitness at the Hawthorns. With Millwall up next, meanwhile, West Brom have a golden opportunity to return to winning ways.

Despite picking up a much-needed 4-0 victory in the Europa League against FCSB, it wasn’t all good news for Rangers, who have been dealt a double injury blow ahead of St. Mirren this weekend.

Rangers injury news

It was so very nearly the perfect night at Ibrox, with Rangers sweeping their Romanian opposition aside in impressive fashion. Tom Lawrence opened the scoring with just 10 minutes on the clock, before Vaclav Cerny’s brace either side of the break all but sealed the points and Hamza Igamane turned a comfortable victory into an evening to savour for the Gers with just 20 minutes remaining.

Philippe Clement’s attention must now turn to getting his side back to winning ways in the Scottish Premiership as his side square off against St. Mirren this weekend. The Gers already sit six points adrift of leaders Celtic and second place Aberdeen and cannot afford to drop any more points after losing late on against Kilmarnock last time out.

That said, a double injury blow may well make their task that much more difficult. As confirmed by Clement and relayed by Rangers Review, both Tom Lawrence and Cyriel Dessers are doubts to face St. Mirren after coming off injured against FCSB.

Related More touches than Cerny: Rangers star with 95% pass rate stole the show

Rangers secured their second Europa League win on Thursday evening

Posts ByRoss Kilvington Oct 25, 2024

Clement issued an update on the duo, telling reporters after Dessers suffered an eye injury: “I’m not an eye specialist. I’ve a lot of things to do at this club, but that’s not one of those things. We will see how he is in the next couple of days.”

After what looked like a worse knock for Lawrence, the Rangers boss told reporters: “Tom Lawrence got a bad knock, so we need to see how he is and what we can do with that.”

"Emotional" Dessers must find Rangers form

Amid their inconsistency, Rangers have desperately lacked the talisman that Dessers must become sooner rather than later. The 29-year-old has scored just three goals in eight games so far this season and showcased his frustrations after being forced off through injury against FCSB.

Clement explained the forward’s disappointment following the injury after he walked straight down the tunnel, telling reporters: “He apologised for that. He was so emotional. He was hungry to score, hungry to play good for the team.

“He got a knock on his eye and lost eyesight. He could not see anything any more or not enough to play so he was emotional in that moment because he didn’t want to come off. But he could not play.

“Afterwards he said, ‘Sorry manager I should have stayed longer and sit down and give time for the rest’ but it was an emotional reaction of a player who is very hungry to play.”

It’s the type of luck that Dessers could do without as he looks to make things finally work at Ibrox. Whether he gets the chance to do just that against St. Mirren remains to be seen, however.

Aston Villa are at the front of the queue to land an exciting teen talent for Unai Emery to turn into another gem, according to recent reports.

Aston Villa flying high in the Champions League

A third consecutive win in the Champions League put Aston Villa top of the new-look league format after three games, handing Unai Emery’s side an excellent chance of progressing into the last 16 without having to play an additional knockout clash.

A top eight finish in their first season back in Europe’s Premier competition since the 1980s would be a massive achievement for Emery, who arrived with the club only just above the relegation zone just three years ago. But it is looking increasingly possible as they swept aside Bayern Munich and Bologna in what has been an immense start to the season for the Villans.

Aston Villa’s Champions League league group games

Opponent (Home/Away)

Date

Club Brugge (Away)

6th November 2024

Juventus (Home)

27th November 2024

RB Leipzig (Away)

10th December 2024

Monaco (Away)

21st January 2025

Celtic (Home)

29th January 2025

They have paired that success with excellent form in the Premier League, aided by supersub turned superstar Jhon Duran, who has come off the bench to grab vital points for the Villains.

The upshot is that Emery’s side find themselves fourth in the Premier League after eight games, level on points with Arsenal and just four points off early pace-setters Liverpool, with their only loss having come against Mikel Arteta’s side.

Now, reports suggest that they are already eyeing January reinforcements, and are one of the sides leading the race to land a teenage talent.

Aston Villa front of the race for Toure

That comes as the Villans are the latest side to be linked with a move to sign teenage talent Bazoumana Touré. who currently plays in the Swedish top flight with Hammarby. The Ivorian has caught the eye with a series of dazzling appearances, grabbing seven goals and three assists in 20 outings for his side.

In fact, Elijah Michiels, a video scout for Swedish giants Malmo, took to X to dub him a “top dribbler”, while Rising Stars XI added that the Ivorian is “a very strong winger in 1vs1 situations, very fast and great in linking up with his teammates”.

Hammarby director Mikael Hjelmberg recently admitted that scouts have been watching his side’s talented winger, suggesting that a deal could be fixed sooner rather than later.

“We need to plan for a future without him. Then if it happens this winter, next summer or even further than that – I don’t think so, we’ll see. But the longer we get to keep him the better.”

He has been linked with moves to Arsenal, Crystal Palace and Wolves, but according to the latest update to surface from Fotboll Skanalen [via Sport Witness], it is Aston Villa, Brighton and West Ham who are ‘leading the hunt’ for the Hammarby gem.

It is claimed that it is this trio “who are out in front at this moment in time”, with a mooted price tag of around £6m. Given Emery’s success with Duran since his under-the-radar arrival, could he repeat the trick with a future star from the Swedish top flight?

ظهر النجم المصري محمد صلاح في لقطة مميزة عقب مباراة فريقه ليفربول أمام ساوثهامبتون بمنافسات بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “البريميرليج”.

والتقى الفريقان اليوم السبت، ضمن مباريات الجولة الثامنة والعشرين للدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز على ملعب “آنفيلد”.

وحقق ليفربول الفوز بثلاثية لهدف، وقد أحرز محمد صلاح هدفين، وسجل داروين نونيز هدفًا، وأحرز ويليام سمالبون هدف ساوثهامبتون.

وعقب المباراة أظهرت الكاميرات محمد صلاح وهو يطالب ألبرت جرونبيك مهاجم ساوثهامبتون بالحصول على قميصه.

اقرأ أيضًا | مواصلاً كتابة التاريخ.. محمد صلاح يكسر سلسلة أرقام قياسية مميزة في الدوري الإنجليزي

وخلع لاعب ساوثهامبتون قميصه وأعطاه لمحمد صلاح وفي المقابل فعل المصري الأمر نفسه.

ورفع محمد صلاح رصيده إلى الهدف رقم 27 في قمة ترتيب هدافي الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، بعد ثنائيته في شباك ساوثهامبتون اليوم.

ويتصدر ليفربول ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي برصيد 70 نقطة، وساوثهامبتون في المركز الأخير بـ9 نقاط. لقطة رائعة لـ محمد صلاح مع لاعب ساوثهامبتون

GOAL's key takeaways from Americans playing in Europe, including goals from USMNT stars that could be key in Nations League

All eyes may be on the transfer market as the European window nears closing, but for the U.S. men's national team's group of stars, this weekend was about what happened on the pitch – specifically goals and assists, and they came from all over the continent.

The most important arguably came in England's second division. Both Josh Sargent and Brenden Aaronson found the back of the net. For Sargent, it was a chance to further his USMNT ambitions. For Aaronson, it was a goal that moved his club one step closer to a potential Premier League return.

In the Premier League, Antonee Robinson continued his quest to provide an assist against just about everyone. He's on a record-breaking pace, and there's no reason to doubt that he could end this season in the history books. Chris Richards and Crystal Palace won't be in any history books but, they, too had a big win as the USMNT star stepped up to shut out Manchester United.

And then there's Italy, where Americans continue to contribute to two of the world's biggest clubs. Tim Weah provided a huge assist for Juventus as they look to climb up the table. Unfortunately for Milan, neither Christian Pulisic or Yunus Musah could provide the same magic, as Milan conceded a late goal to settle for a 1`-1 draw with eternal rivals Inter on Sunday.

Overall, it was a big weekend overseas. GOAL looks at key takeaways from Americans Abroad.

• Getty
  

  Sargent stepping up to fill striker void

  When Folarin Balogun went down with injury, Ricardo Pepi stepped up for the USMNT. Now, Pepi himself is down and out, potentially for March's CONCACAF Nations League. And that leaves Sargent as the guy to step up – and he's certainly doing that at the club level.

  After overcoming his own injury issues to return from a near-three-month absence in mid-January, Sargent is now back scoring goals for Norwich. He netted two on Jan. 25 in a 5-1 blowout of Swansea City to get his feet back under him. He then scored another this weekend, lifting Norwich to a 1-0 win over Watford.

  He likely won't reach the heights of his last two seasons, in which he scored 16 and 13 respectively. But with seven this season, Sargent is still putting up numbers again. It's all coming at the right time, too.

  There are numerous games between Sargent and USMNT duty but, if things continue on this path, there's a very real chance he's the guy in Nations League in March. It'd be a huge moment for a player that has been waiting for a chance, and in this form, he certainly will be feeling confident he can take it.

  The most important thing is to stay healthy, as the rest of the striker pool can attest. Sargent seems back to his best, and the USMNT will need him to remain there.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Aaronson pushes Leeds towards promotion

  When he spoke to GOAL in the fall, Aaronson admitted his personal goal was ambitious, saying "15 goals."

  Keep in mind he'd scored just 16 in the four seasons since he moved to Europe. But it's looking as if Aaronson might not have been too far off. He'll need to get hot at some point this season, but with the calendar now turned to February, 15 isn't totally out of the question.

  The Leeds midfielder netted his eighth of the season in a 7-0 rout of Cardiff City, scoring his side's first in what turned out to be an epic blowout. With that eighth goal, Aaronson has now hit a career high, surpassing his first season at RB Salzburg after trading MLS for Europe.

  Leeds sit atop the Championship and have a very real chance of returning to the Premier League. That's certainly been one of Aaronson's other goals since his first crack at England's top flight. He certainly looks like a different player these days – confident, getting his goals and potentially more to come.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Robinson chasing down Liverpool stars

  Mohamed Salah. That's the list. That's the only player in the Premier League with more assists than Antonee Robinson at the moment. And, suddenly, one of Salah's teammates' records looks to be in very serious danger, too.

  With his assist in Fulham's 2-1 win over Newcastle on Saturday, Robinson now has 10 on the season, putting him only behind Salah's 13. Robinson isn't just chasing Salah, though. He's also chasing Trent Alexander-Arnold, who holds the record for most assists by a defender in a Premier League season.

  The England star provided 13 assists in 2019-20 and, with 15 games still remaining, Robinson will have a very real chance of pushing for that mark. It's no guarantee, but Robinson will have hope. He's already levelled Steed Malbranque's club record for most assists, and it's quite clear that Fulham will continue to run their attack through the left-back.

  There isn't a better player in that position in the Premier League, and Fulham knows it. Robinson is going record hunting and, with every big assist, he gets closer.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  Weah's fortunate assist helps Juve to big win

  Let's be honest: Tim Weah didn't mean to get an assist. This wasn't some wonderful display of vision or passing finesse but, hey, they all count right? Weah got his assist and Juventus got their win.

  Weah's assist came from an attempted long shot, as the USMNT winger banked the ball off Randal Kolo Muani and into the back of the net. Kolo Muani knew nothing about it, so he'll feel fortunate to get that goal, although he'd also scored one just three minutes before. Ultimately, those goals powered Juve to a 4-1 win over Empoli, one in which two Americans played their parts.

  Starting at right-wingback, Weah's contribution was clear thanks to that assist. Fellow USMNT star Weston McKennie, meanwhile, was back in the heart of the Juve midfield after largely playing at wingback himself in recent weeks. It was a solid shift for McKennie, who went 85 minutes in a familiar position to make yet another point to Juventus boss Thiago Motta.

  It was a big win for Juve, one that, at least temporarily, vaults them up to fourth in Serie A. It was also a bounce-back win following back-to-back losses to Benfica in the Champions League and to Napoli in Serie A. Momentum has been hard to come by but, if Weah's assist is any indication, luck may be on their side.