Wolves’ midfield is a fine engine room indeed – you’ve got the brawn of Leander Dendoncker, the control of Ruben Neves and some finesse from Joao Mourinho, though it is still lacking in one department.
Creativity.
And it appears that they missed the perfect solution this summer.
What was the word?
According to The Sun’s Alan Nixon last January, the Midlands outfit were “desperate” to sign then-Birmingham City wonderkid Jude Bellingham, but they faced competition from Manchester United as well as teams from within Europe’s top divisions.
The 17-year-old eventually opted for Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund in July, joining them in a record-breaking £25m deal and following in the footsteps of Jadon Sancho.
Speaking about the move, BVB sporting director, Michael Zorc, said: “He has enormous potential that we want to develop with him in the coming years. He already has a surprising amount of quality in his own possession as well as against the ball, and on top of that, the player also has a strong mentality.”
One that got away?
The decision to not push for a player that Nuno Santo seemingly was keen to sign has already proven to be a costly mistake.
This week, Bellingham was called up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad for games against Republic of Ireland, Belgium and Iceland. He’s still only 17.
Bukayo Saka claimed that his new Three Lions teammate was “doing amazing things” whilst Tyrone Mings believes he looks like a “fantastic talent” from training alone.
It’s no wonder that this amount of faith has been put in him, as he’s been performing substantially well in Germany since his mega-money switch.
The Dortmund sensation has scored one goal and provided two assists in all competitions whilst also averaging a passing success rate of 88.3%.
In the Bundesliga alone, Bellingham has averaged two tackles, 1.2 shots, 1.2 dribbles and one key pass per game, via WhoScored.
By comparison, none of the aforementioned Old Gold trio have contributed to a goal in the Premier League this season and only Neves surpasses the young England teen for key passes per game.
Bellingham has even been compared to Steven Gerrard in the past – Jermaine Pennant told talkSPORT (via Bundesliga.com): “He reminds me of a young Steven Gerrard. He throws himself about, he can get up and down the pitch, he can score goals and assist goals, he’s got trickery. He’s a fantastic young player.”
You can’t help but feel that Jeff Shi has missed out big time here, especially when one of his key philosophies revolves around bringing such fantastic potential to Molineux.
AND in other news, Shi dodged a huge £23.5m bullet in “fearless” Wolves target once dubbed a “nightmare”…
Even though he is only 23 years of age, Gonzalo Montiel is already starting to attract interest from teams from abroad. Of course, nowadays, 23 might already be old for a young talent on the rise but the Argentine is slowly but surely making his mark known in the world of football. For the entirety of his still short career, Montiel has been playing for River Plate and River Plate only.
His youth career started at the club and after successfully rising through the ranks and impressing the right people in the right places, the defender has managed to ensure his place in the historic club’s senior squad. His first-team journey began back in 2016 when he was 19 years of age and it’s safe to say that he hasn’t looked back since.
Fast forward a couple of years into the future and Montiel is not only an important member of the squad but has also registered 91 appearances for the club, scoring one goal and assisting seven in the process as well. Of course, it was never actually his job to rattle the inside of the opposition’s net but he does seem to have some predispositions for attacking play too.
It should also not be forgotten that he has also featured for his country as well, tallying two appearances for Argentina’s U20 squad before being named in the senior squad for friendly clashes against Venezuela and Morocco by coach Lionel Scaloni. Soon afterwards, on 22 March, Montiel finally got his senior bow against Venezuela and has since recorded three more appearances as well – one against Morocco, one against Chile and one against Mexico, all in friendly games.
Now, after spending years at River Plate, he is seemingly set to leave the club and the country for greener pastures in Europe. With only a solitary year left on his contract, Montiel is suddenly a very attractive option for some Premier League outfits.
TRANSFER LATEST
According to the latest transfer news, Montiel is a wanted man and West Ham United are one of the teams looking to take the young defender to London. However, the Hammers’ initial bid seems to have been rejected by River Plate and they will have to increase the offer if they are really to land the 23-year-old’s signature.
David Moyes seems adamant on improving his defence but the money is also tight. Still, big talents rarely come for cheap and if the transfer rumours are to be believed, Montiel, albeit with a single year on his contract, might not be any different as well.
PLAYER PROFILE
Montiel is a right-back by trade but he seems to be willing to venture higher up the pitch and can also be utilised as a wing-back or even a right midfielder if needed. This is mostly due to his tendency to oversee the whole flank and assist his team in the advanced areas of the pitch. Due to his good positioning and understanding of when and where to move, the 23-year-old is a great asset in the final third.
That is where he can combine with his teammates quite well because of an impressive passing range and an eye for a good and penetrative ball into the danger areas. But we shouldn’t disregard his defensive duties and abilities. He seems like an intelligent defender who knows when to engage his marker and when to lure them into a trap. Overall, Montiel is solid in performing the tasks that are asked of him and can undoubtedly improve to become a great player.
Even though there is some time until the ongoing summer transfer window officially closes, the Premier League season is just around the corner and that means the clubs will have to hurry up with their business on the market.
For Aston Villa, that undoubtedly means solving their striker issue which has become an emergency and a crisis on its own. Of course, the Villains somehow survived the 2019/20 campaign but it’s also quite obvious their strikeforce just wasn’t good enough.
Because of that, signing a new forward is now a priority for Dean Smith. Unfortunately, after missing out on Callum Wilson who joined Newcastle United, they will have to turn to other targets instead.
According to the latest report from The Telegraph, Smith is ready to table a £16m bid to land Bournemouth’s Josh King.
The Cherries were not as lucky as Villa and they got relegated last season. That usually means the players should be available for a cut-price so Smith is looking to cash in on that opportunity.
Still, Bournemouth already lost Wilson and Ryan Fraser so taking King away from them as well could take some negotiating after all. But with enough money to spend now that Wilson is no longer an option, Smith could have the financial power to seal the deal.
All he has to do now is convince Bournemouth they should part ways with their forward.
Only time will tell how easy that task will be.
Verdict
King, just like Bournemouth, didn’t exactly have the best season in front of goal throughout 2019/20. But in general, he seems like a consistent provider and a proven player in the English top-flight.
Getting him for £16m won’t exactly start a revolution at Villa but could help them plug some holes along the way.
Will that be enough for their 2020/21 aspirations, though? We’ll have to wait and see.
Leicester City welcome Crystal Palace to the King Power Stadium on Saturday in a battle between two sides trying to recapture their best form.
The Foxes are now eight points adrift of second-placed Manchester City following two consecutive draws and a defeat to Everton, and will be looking over their shoulders at Chelsea, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester United below them.
Palace, meanwhile, seem to have opened up a big enough gap over the bottom three to be sure of their survival, but can still be hopeful of a top 10 finish.
Roy Hodgson’s team are only three points adrift of Tottenham Hotspur in seventh and while they have suffered two defeats since the resumption of football, European qualification remains a possibility.
Form
Leicester have not found their best form following the resumption of Premier League football and are now just three points clear of Wolves in sixth.
Brendan Rodgers’ side have just one win from their last six matches following a disappointing 2-1 defeat at Goodison Park in midweek and were also knocked out of the FA Cup against Chelsea last weekend, so a return to winning ways would be very welcome.
Palace also lost to Burnley on Monday following a 4-0 defeat at the hands of champions Liverpool but had won their four games prior to that.
Goal scoring remains an issue for the South London side, but their five goals conceded in their last two will perhaps be of more concern to coach Hodgson.
Team news
Daniel Amartey and Ricardo Pereira are Leicester’s only injury concerns going into the game at the weekend, with neither player likely to feature again this season.
James Maddison is one player who could come back in after starting on the bench against Everton, while Demarai Gray, Ayoze Perez and Kelechi Iheanacho could all be pushing for recalls.
Crystal Palace meanwhile will continue to be without long-term injury worries Martin Kelly, Jeffrey Schlupp and James Tomkins, although Kelly and Schlupp are being assessed with an eye to a return shortly.
Christian Benteke is a major doubt due to a thigh injury and is facing a race against time if he is to feature.
How to watch
One of five live matches happening in the Premier League this Saturday, the game at the King Power Stadium kicks off at 15:00 UTC.
The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, while fans can also follow the game by watching live stream football.
Aston Villa were a surprise for many when they were promoted to the Premier League via the Playoffs last season – beating Derby County 2-1 in the final.
Dean Smith had a task on his hands in ensuring that the Villans would stay up this season, with Jack Grealish gunning to play Premier League football again given that the club had never been relegated prior to the 2015/16 season which saw them finish bottom of the league.
Fast forward three years and the club have found themselves back in the top flight – and fought hard to earn their spot in the Premier League for another season.
This campaign has seen plenty of ups and downs for Smith and his side, so let’s take a look at all those things that made their season in the Aston Villa 2019/20 review…
Player of the Season – Jack Grealish
Since making his debut back in 2014, Grealish has gone on to become the club’s captain and the face of Aston Villa. He finished this season as the club’s top goalscorer, registered the most assists, and played the most minutes compared to any other Villa players.
His goal against West Ham on the final day of the season secured his boyhood club’s safety in heroic fashion – finishing in 17th just one point above the drop.
Goal of the Season – Jack Grealish v Manchester Utd, Dec 1st ’19
Here he is again – the Aston Villa man has been sensational for the club this season, and his effort in the clubs 2-2 draw with United back at the beginning of December was a peach.
Having picked the ball up on the left-hand side on the edge of the United box, Grealish shifted the ball to his right and wrapped his foot around it, whipping it into the top right corner with De Gea stood flat-footed and wondering how the ball has crept into his net.
It highlighted once again the capabilities that this man has – and earns him Aston Villa’s goal of the season.
Breakthrough Player – Ezri Konsa
Aston Villa signed the 22-year-old from Brentford during the 2019 summer transfer window for just shy of £12 million – and he has settled in perfectly.
Having made 26 appearances for the Villans in the league this season, the English defender averaged 2.6 clearances per game, as well as a 78% pass success rate.
It has been a good debut season for Konsa, who even scored the winner against Watford back in January for his first goal for the club. It will be exciting to see his progress at the club, and may even be a regular starter alongside Tyrone Mings next season.
Flop of the Season – Danny Drinkwater
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It seemed a smart move by both Aston Villa and Danny Drinkwater during the winter transfer window. The 30-year-old had only played one game whilst on loan to Burnley this season, and his career at Chelsea never really took off since his move there in 2017.
Despite this, there was still hope for him to find his form, and reach the levels he once achieved during his time at Leicester – sadly it didn’t quite play out that way.
The midfielder only made four league appearances and failed to make an impression to manager Dean Smith in any of them. His time at the club will likely be easily forgotten, and the Villa fans won’t be heartbroken about his departure either.
Defining Moment – 1-0 win vs Arsenal, Jul 21st ’20
An incredible win that helped the club secure their place in the Premier League for next season.
The Villans went into the game sat in 19th and looked sure to go down after drawing 1-1 with Everton – but an incredible effort from new boy Trezeguet in the 27th minute helped Aston Villa to a victory over an Arsenal side that had just beaten champions Liverpool in the league and Manchester City in the FA Cup – and the three points took the Villans to 17th in the table, where they would eventually finish the season.
Signing of the Season – Matt Targett
Soccer Football – Carabao Cup Final – Aston Villa v Manchester City – Wembley Stadium, London, Britain – March 1, 2020 Aston Villa’s Matt Targett looks dejected as he applauds the fans after the match Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please con
This may seem like a surprise to some Villa fans – but I am sure to many that it would make sense.
The 23-year-old signed from Southampton for just under £14 million during the 2019 summer transfer window and has become the club’s first-choice left-back.
The Englishman was the club’s fourth-best performer according to WhoScored. Targett has played 28 league games this campaign, averaging just under 2 tackles per game as well as 2 interceptions and 2.4 clearances – solid defensive numbers from his debut season with the club.
Hit Expectations? – YES
It may not have been achieved in the way the club expected, but Dean Smith and his team achieved safety in the league for another season and avoided the drop in dramatic fashion on the final day.
Their aim from the offset would have been to stay up, so in that sense, they hit their expectations – but I am sure that the club and fans would have liked it to be done sooner and easier compared to how it actually played out.
All in all, a positive season for the Villans who will be looking toward another year in the Premier League.
The transfer window is just around the corner, and the rumours are beginning to hot up.
Liverpool spent just £1.71m during the summer, and it seems to have been enough so far as they lead the way in the Premier League. However, as they make that second-half surge towards their first title in 30 years, they may need some reinforcements.
Defensive midfield could be one of the areas that is in need of a new recruit considering that Fabinho is out of action until the New Year, and if the latest reports are to be believed, Genk’s Sander Berge is on their radar. The Reds have already faced the Norway international twice this term, in the Champions League, and Jurgen Klopp was even said to have been particularly impressed with the 21-year-old. Not only that, they are even said to have had a €15m (£12.6m) bid rejected for him.
But do Liverpool actually even need him? We ask a selection of Football FanCast writers to find out.
Viji Jeevathayalan
“Standing at an imposing 6 foot 5, Sander Berge is a midfield giant. Operating in that holding role, the Norwegian has proven himself to be defensively strong, and equally metronomic with his passing. In the Champions League this season, the 21-year-old has averaged 1.8 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game, whilst his passing accuracy is up at an impressive 82%.
“Whilst Liverpool haven’t exactly missed Fabinho since he was ruled out until at least the New Year with an injury, it does raise some serious questions about their squad depth in that key anchorman role. Jamie Carragher hailed the Brazilian as the best in the Premier League in his position earlier in the season, and it goes to show how highly-rated the former AS Monaco man has become. If the Reds were to suffer more bad luck on the injury front when it comes to the 26-year-old, they may rue potentially not signing a replacement. Berge’s stats proves he would be the perfect cover for Fabinho.”
Domagoj Kostanjsak
“Sander Berge is one of the hottest prospects on the market currently and given Liverpool don’t really have natural replacements for Fabinho in the middle of the park, scooping up the young midfielder before someone else does sounds like a good plan.
“At this point, I’d actually say that he would be a necessary buy for Klopp. Depth wins you silverware and even though Liverpool have an incredible team, Berge could boost a somewhat sore area of the squad. If they can get him, it’s a no-brainer for me.”
Real Reds will get full marks: Take the ultimate Liverpool quiz below…
Danny Lewis
“Given the plethora of midfield options Liverpool already have at their disposal, it can be argued that they don’t necessarily need Berge. However, it will still be useful to sign him during the January transfer window, as he can be another body to battle for a place in the midfield. This will also be especially beneficial from the 21-year-old’s point of view.
“There will likely be plenty of games to be played, meaning he can be used at various points within the second half of the campaign and embedded into the team. This is also a squad that is currently excelling, as signified by the fact they are eight points ahead at the top of the Premier League and suffering from a build-up of fixtures. Being involved with a team like that can only do him good.”
Jack Saville
“It’s easy to understand why Liverpool are expressing an interest in Sander Berge but his talent would be wasted at Anfield. He’s effectively a Fabinho 2.0 but that’s exactly where the problem lies – there is only enough room for one player of the Brazilian’s ilk within the squad. Naturally, Liverpool may be tempted to move for the Norweigan in January during Fabinho’s absence, but that type of short-term thinking could be detrimental for the player’s development.
“At this stage in his career Berge needs to find a club who can guarantee him regular minutes, and Liverpool are unlikely to be able to offer that while the former Monaco metronome resides within the squad.”
In other news, Liverpool fans react to one rival manager’s latest comments.
Manchester City have reportedly made a move towards trying to sign Sergi Roberto from Barcelona, according to reports from Spain.
Mundo Deportivo claimed that director of football Txiki Begiristain has made enquiries to the La Liga club about the 28-year-old, with the approval of City manager Pep Guardiola, under whom the versatile Spain international has previously played at Camp Nou.
Roberto, who is valued at £36m by TransferMarkt and has won two Champions League titles with Barcelona, has the vast experience of playing 273 times for the La Liga champions, with 29 of those games coming this season as he has been a regular presence in their starting XI (as per TransferMarkt).
A midfielder by trade, the 28-year-old has been deployed mainly at right-back in recent months – coincidentally the position in which Nelson Semedo, who has also been linked with Manchester City (Sport,via Sport Witness), regularly features.
Roberto has an excellent passing success rate of 91.2%, which puts him ahead of Guardiola’s current right-backs Joao Cancelo (89.4%) and Kyle Walker (88.9%) in that regard. He also wins more tackles per game than the Englishman (1.2 to one), while they both average one interception per game.
However, Cancelo has a far better tackling average with 2.3 per game and also makes more interceptions per match with 1.4. Additionally, the Etihad Stadium duo have far greater attacking instincts than the Barcelona man. Roberto’s match averages of 0.2 shots and 0.5 successful dribbles pale in comparison with the respective figures put up by Cancelo (0.7 shots, 1.6 successful dribbles) and Walker (0.6 shots, 0.9 successful dribbles).
While Roberto would present Guardiola with a versatile option at right-back and central midfield, he does not seem an upgrade on the current right-sided defensive pair of Walker and Cancelo. Indeed, the latter has been reportedly considered as bait in a potential swap deal with Semedo (Mundo Deportivo, via Sport Witness), which seems difficult to comprehend given Cancelo’s more than respectable statistics from this season.
At £36m, 28 years of age and in a position where Manchester City are already well stocked, the Premier League champions ought to be looking elsewhere to bolster their squad over the summer.
Man City fans, are you surprised that the club are reportedly pursuing a move for Sergi Roberto? Comment below with your views!
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ injured centre-back Willy Boly is progressing well according to his teammate Romain Saiss, who has often been filling in for him since the mainstay colossus fractured his fibula in training last month.
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What’s he said?
The 28-year-old had started the season impressively, resulting in transfer reports linking him with a switch to both north London clubs, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal.
Wolves were expected to suffer in his absence given the lack of depth, and somewhat trust, in Nuno Santo’s backline.
The likes of Saiss himself and even fellow midfielder Leander Dendoncker have come into their element while playing alongside captain Conor Coady in defence.
Speaking to the Express & Star, the Morocco international gave an encouraging update surrounding his injured teammate, he said:
“He’s really good. He’s working really, really well, every day.
“It’s a tough situation when you’re injured, but he is working really well with the physio.
“I hope he can come back, maybe early [next] year.
“He’s a strong guy and keeps smiling every day.”
Encouraging
Boly is expected to be out for the foreseeable future given the severity of his injury, but the Express & Star do mention that the timeframe surrounding his return could be as early as January.
These comments from Saiss only add further fuel to the fire as he suggests that the powerhouse is working hard to mount a rapid comeback.
His return could be a timely boost on their season as they look certain to advance into the next round of the Europa League while Nuno has guided them to fifth spot in the Premier League, which has been very much under the radar.
The club were always looking to add a central defensive option in the winter window, per BirminghamLive, so don’t expect Boly to lose out on his place completely during the time he sits on the sideline.
He’s a big part of Nuno’s plans.
In other news, Wolves could be set to lose one of their first-team players in January due to the decisions made by Nuno Santo this season…
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
According to The Daily Mirror, Arsenal are amongst a number of Premier League clubs who are interested in signing Manchester United’s Chris Smalling.
What’s the story?
The 30-year-old centre-back is currently on loan with Serie A outfit AS Roma, who he joined for the duration of the 2019/20 campaign.
Now, it is being reported that the Gunners are one of several teams who want to give him a reprieve in England, with Everton and Leicester City also said to be pursuing him.
It is believed the Red Devils want £18m for his services.
A bargain
At Old Trafford, the former Fulham defender often struggled to make an impression, which led to his departure on loan. He made 323 appearances for the 20-time English champions, but he played in more than 30 Premier League games in just one season. Portions of the club’s fanbase have slammed him in the the past, as well.
However, the loan move to Italy appears to have rejuvenated the 31-time England international. This term, he is actually the Giallorossi’s best performing player to date, with an average WhoScored rating of 7.48. He has impressed in a number of different areas, including the 4.5 aerial battles per match he has won, and the minimal 0.2 occasions he has been dribbled past per match.
He has also contributed going forward as well, picking up two goals and one assist, whilst also amassing an average pass accuracy of 90.1%.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but it now looks as though he was stagnating at Old Trafford. This change of scenery and culture appears to have come at the perfect time, and he now appears to be showing the ability that he has often threatened to display.
Can you get full marks on the Ultimate Arsenal Quiz? Test your knowledge below…
At the Emirates Stadium, things look a little bleak, and there is no real indication of what the future holds.
But Smalling’s arrival in would surely be a boost to the team. He has experience, has won trophies – both domestic and European – and looks to be hitting the best form of his career. He may already be 30, but £18m for a player who looks arguably better than he ever has does not represent a huge outlay.
Whisper it quietly, but it would perhaps be a very astute signing, and it could be a lifeline for Smalling himself in England’s top tier. It could be a win-win scenario involved.
In other news, one Gunner had a shocking game against Brighton.
Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed that Erik Lamela will be unavailable for Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Red Star Belgrade.
The Argentine has missed Spurs’ last two matches with a hamstring injury.
Lamela was excellent when Mauricio Pochettino’s side welcomed Red Star to London – scoring once and providing two assists in a 5-0 win.
Which North London club is facing the biggest crisis at the moment? Decide for yourself by watching the video below…
The attacker has missed Tottenham’s last two Premier League games with Liverpool and Everton, though, and will not be available on Wednesday night.
Indeed, the London club’s official Twitter account confirmed the news on Tuesday afternoon, stating that Lamela would miss the Champions League tie but could be available for this weekend’s Premier League clash with Sheffield United.
A number of Spurs fans took to social media to comment on the news, and whilst some were upset, others are not all that surprised due to the 27-year-old’s injury problems in recent seasons – particularly last term as he made just 19 league appearances.
A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below: