Aston Villa now in race to sign "phenomenal" £13m tough-tackling defender

Aston Villa are still very much in the race to sign a “phenomenal” defender in the summer transfer window, but there will be competition for his signature from the likes of Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan, according to a report.

Emery's summer transfer plans take shape

Unai Emery was active during the January transfer window, bringing in Marco Asensio and Axel Disasi on loan deals until the end of the season, and it appears as though one of the manager’s priorities this summer will be making their stays permanent.

Former Villa CEO Keith Wyness has stated Emery is a “huge fan” of Asensio, while also claiming he expects a deal for the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder to be completed this summer, and there has been another update on the potential pursuit of Disasi.

A report has revealed the Villans are keen to keep hold of the Chelsea loanee beyond the end of the season, given his impressive performances since arriving in the winter, but they could face competition for his signature from rival Premier League clubs.

Aston Villa now plotting move to sign £67m star with same agent as Asensio

Monchi is a fan…

ByTom Cunningham Mar 9, 2025

Not only is Emery looking to tie down two loanees to permanent deals, but there is also an interest in signing a player who emerged as a target in the January window, with a report from InterLive revealing Aston Villa are very much in the race for Real Sociedad’s Jon Aramburu (via Sport Witness).

An approach was made for Aramburu during the winter, before ultimately opting to sign Andres Garcia, but Emery’s side could make a new attempt to get a deal done at the end of the season.

Real Sociedad'sJonAramburuin action with Maccabi Tel Aviv's Gabi Kanichowsky

There may be fierce competition, however, with Atlético Madrid, Newcastle United and Inter Milan also interested in the right-back, who is valued at €15m (£13m) by the La Liga side.

"Phenomenal" Aramburu is a superb tackler

It is clear to see why Villa were keen on signing the 22-year-old prior to bringing in Garcia, given that he has excelled on a number of key defensive metrics over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

Statistic

Average per 90

Aerials won

1.54 (90th percentile)

Clearances

3.60 (91st percentile)

Interceptions

1.29 (85th percentile)

Tackles

4.26 (99th percentile)

The Venezuela international has also been lauded for his performances for his national side, with journalist Nathan Joyes singling him out for praise after the 1-1 draw against Brazil back in November.

That said, considering Villa signed Garcia in January and Emery also has Matty Cash at his disposal, there are question marks over whether Aramburu would be a necessary signing this summer, and it may be best to focus on strengthening other areas of the squad.

Goiás dá fim a jejum, vence Cuiabá e deixa o Z4 do Brasileirão

MatériaMais Notícias

O Goiás venceu o Cuiabá, neste domingo, por 1 a 0, e deixou a zona de rebaixamento do Brasileirão. Os times se enfrentaram no Estádio da Serrinha, em jogo válido pela 14ª rodada. Pedro Raul foi o autor do gol solitário da partida.Com o resultado, o Esmeraldino subiu para 14ª colocação, com 17 pontos. Já o Dourado aparece em 18º, com 13.

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EQUILÍBRIO!

O jogo começou bem movimentado no Estádio da Serrinha. Apesar de não jogar em casa, o Cuiabá teve as principais chances de sair à frente do placar, além de ter mais posse de bola e ofensividade. Já Goiás tentou equilibrar a partida e chegou a dar trabalho à defesa do Dourado.

Pelo lado dos visitantes, Camilo e Elton até tentaram, mas desperdiçaram grande oportunidade. A melhor chegada do Cuiabá, porém, foi apenas aos 38 minutos, quando João Lucas arriscou de fora da área, e Tadeu espalmou. Rafael Gava, aos 40, mandou na trave. Já o Goiás apareceu com Diego e Elvis. Contudo, o jogo foi para o intervalo no 0 a 0.

GOL…

O segundo tempo voltou ainda bastante movimentado, com chances para os dois lados. Assim como na primeira etapa, o Cuiabá ofereceu mais perigo, enquanto o Goiás seguiu mais fechado, evitando as investidas do adversário.O Dourado teve boas chegadas com Elton, duas vezes. Tadeu, porém, impediu qualquer coisa.

O Goiás, então, começou a crescer no jogo. Aos 26, Caio finalizou com perigo. Diego, logo depois, mandou por cima da meta. O gol só saiu aos 34. Depois de Diego cruzar da direita, Pedro Raul, de chapa, mandou de primeiro para o fundo das redes. Logo depois, Alan Empereur levou vermelho após o segundo amarelo.

FICHA TÉCNICA
GOIÁS 1 X 0 CUIABÁ

Local: Estádio da Serrinha, em Goiânia (GO)
Data e hora: 26/06/2022 – 18h (de Brasília)
​Árbitro: Rodolpho Toski Marques (Fifa/PR)
Assistentes: Bruno Boschilia (Fifa/PR) eIvan Carlos Bohn (PR)
VAR: Daiane Muniz dos Santos (Fifa/SP)
Cartões amarelos: Reynaldo, Matheus Sales e Yan Souto (Goiás); Alan Empereur e Jenison (Cuiabá)
Cartões vermelhos: Alan Empereur (Cuiabá)

GOL: Pedro Raul, aos 32’/2ºT (1-0)

GOIÁS (Técnico: Jair Ventura)

Tadeu; Yan Souto, Reynaldo e Caetano; Diego, Matheus Sales (Caio, aos 0’/2ºT), Elvis (Danilo Barcelos, aos 32’/2ºT), Luan Dias (Dadá Belmonte, aos 0’/2ºT) e Juan Pablo (Fellipe Bastos, aos 20’/2ºT); Vinicius (Renato Junior, aos 32’/2ºT) e Pedro Raul.

CUIABÁ (Técnico: António Oliveira)

Walter; João Lucas, Alan Empereur, Marllon e Uendel; Camilo, Rafael Gava (Joaquim, aos 41’/2ºT), André Luís (Valdívia, aos 41’/2ºT) e Osorio (Rodriguinho, aos 28’/2ºT); Felipe Marques (Jonathan Cafu, aos 29’/2ºT) e Elton (Jenison, aos 20’/2ºT).

'Adaptable' Mitchell looking forward to 'cool challenge' of batting at No. 5

His finger injury is not quite completely healed but it won’t impede him from playing against Sri Lanka

Andrew McGlashan28-Oct-2022

“I’m a competitor, I just want to get stuck into whatever role I’ve been given”•AFP/Getty Images

Daryl Mitchell admitted having a moment when he feared the worst about his T20 World Cup prospects after fracturing his finger just weeks before the tournament, but he is confident ahead of his return to New Zealand’s middle order against Sri Lanka at the SCG.Mitchell suffered the blow while batting in the nets before the tri-series involving Bangladesh and Pakistan in Christchurch. However, after being assessed it was decided to retain him in the squad having been assured he would be ready for the second game – the rain in Melbourne has now pushed that a few days later – and though the injury is not quite completely healed, it won’t impede him.Related

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“When you are sitting in the X-ray room and you see a fracture in your hand, you think that’s probably the World Cup done,” Mitchell told ESPNcricinfo. “But we are really lucky that where the fracture is and the specialist gave us the timeframe to be back for game two, so it’s all gone to plan and just looking forward to getting out there now.”Mitchell took on the opening role in the last T20 World Cup after a last-minute change of tactics from New Zealand and carried them into the final with a brilliant, unbeaten 72 off 47 against England. This year, however, he has returned to the middle order, which is the position he will slot into – in place of Mark Chapman – at the SCG.It’s where the majority of his T20 cricket has been played, but like Matthew Wade for Australia, his versatility is a huge asset should it be required. It’s the variety of situations thrown up by being in the middle order that he most thrives off.”That’s one of my skillsets, I guess, to be adaptable to different positions,” he said. “It comes down to my personality in some ways, I’m a competitor, I just want to get stuck into whatever role I’ve been given and try to win games. Whether that means batting one, or wherever else, I’ll happily do it with a smile on my face.”I really enjoyed opening… but this role, the [No.] 5 position, it’s never the same, which is quite a cool challenge in that there are some sticky situations you have to come into and there’s also some fun times as well.”Earlier this year Mitchell enjoyed a spectacular run of form in the Tests against England where he scored 538 runs, the most by a New Zealander in a three-match series, including three centuries. While the format is vastly different to the challenge he will face over the next couple of weeks, there is an overall mantra that Mitchell has for his cricket about not trying to overburden himself.”I look back [on the England series] and it’s a culmination of a long time of learning your craft,” he said. “How you want to go about things, finding ways to succeed, then going through some phases to get to that position. For me, it’s about not trying too hard, remembering it is a game we play, and we are very lucky to be able to do it. If you keep enjoying the game, hopefully some success will come.”

Balbirnie: Ireland want to excite people

Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie believes that a shift in focus from results to performance this year will help his side go into the T20 World Cup with a better mindset.It may even be necessary given Ireland will play their first match of the tournament against Zimbabwe in Hobart on Monday on the back of losing a number of matches at home in a surprisingly busy summer this year.Ireland lost 10 white-ball matches against India, New Zealand and South Africa between June and August, but rounded it off with a 3-2 win over Afghanistan in a T20I series.”I think there’s been a big shift in focus in the performance/result based talk,” Balbirnie said. “I think last year we got caught up making sure we got the results rather than focusing on the performance. That shift in mindset has freed up a lot of our players. We played a lot of good cricket this summer without winning.”But we are pretty happy how we played, we know that if we keep playing this sort of cricket, more often than not we will get the right results. Certainly in a competition like this you need to get wins, but I think our message is loud and clear: we want to play pretty good cricket. Excite people. If we get the results, that’s great. But as long as we are putting in those performances, we will be happy.”Balbirnie was also relieved that his mostly young team will have the freedom to move about this time, unlike last year, when the threat of Covid-19 was still quite significant. The 31-year old captain said that having family around and being able to just get a coffee is important to tune out the pressure they are under.1:21

Kevin O’Brien: ‘The wickets in Australia will suit Andy Balbirnie’s game’

“Qualifying in Oman was such a relief. Australia is the best place to tour in my opinion. Not having bubbles has made a big difference to the guys. To get out and get a coffee, having wives and girlfriends over, that just takes your attention away from cricket. It makes a big difference for the lot of the group. I think last year, just going to the hotel after matches had a damaging effect on a lot of cricketers around the world.”I think it is a big difference in this World Cup. It is a lot more relaxed. There’s a lot more better feeling within the group. I think we are in a really good place. We haven’t had the prep that we wanted but every team is in the same boat. There’s been a lot of rain in this part of the world.”Ireland will also bank on fond memories in Hobart where they beat Zimbabwe by five runs in the 2015 World Cup. Balbirnie, who top scored then with a quickfire 97, said that they never thought they would be back at the same venue, seven years later.Related

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“I remember it being as probably one of my most memorable games in an Irish shirt,” he said. “Getting runs was nice but from a team win point of view. It was a really high-scoring game on a really good wicket. I imagine it will be pretty similar although it is a different time of the year. I am really looking forward to getting out there tomorrow.”I was out having dinner with George [Dockrell] and Paul [Stirling] who were there that day. Back then, we didn’t think we’d be back here to play the World Cup.”Balbirnie has full trust in his squad, which contains a number of promising players under the age of 25, but doesn’t want them to think too much about the challenge of the next week. “I think they are pretty tuned-in young guys,” he said. “We are trying to help the young guys the best we can. These World Cups can be pretty daunting, but the group has played against top opposition before and they’ve embraced that challenge.”The only thing that can hold us back this week is if they get overawed by it. They played in the World Cup last year. It is nice to see some of the families coming to Hobart in the last 24 hours. It is certainly nice to see some familiar faces around the town.”

أحمد دويدار: الزمالك كان يجب أن يفعل مثل الأهلي.. والأحمر ينتحر فنيًا في هذا الأمر

انتقد أحمد دويدار، لاعب الزمالك الأسبق، مجلس إدارة الفارس الأبيض، بشأن طريقة التعامل مع اللاعبين، وذلك بعد أزمة اللاعب أحمد سيد زيزو ورحيله للنادي الأهلي.

ويلتقي الزمالك مع سيراميكا كليوباترا، ضمن منافسات الجولة الخامسة من مرحلة التتويج في الدوري المصري.

وقال أحمد دويدار في تصريحات عبر قناة “إم بي سي مصر”: “إدارة الأهلي فعلت موقف مع رمضان صبحي قبل رحيله عن الفريق وقالوا له معك مهلة لمدة ساعة، كان يجب على إدارة الزمالك تتعلم من هذا الموقف، هذه هي الإدارات القوية التى لم تنتظر أي لاعب (زيزو مين ولا شيكابالا مين ولا دويدار مين)”.

طالع أيضاً.. الظهور الأول لـ الرمادي.. تشكيل الزمالك المتوقع أمام سيراميكا كليوباترا في الدوري المصري

وتابع: “عبد الله السعيد لم يجدد للزمالك حتى الآن رغم ذلك يشارك وزيزو عقده لم ينتهي بعد”.

وأتم: “مجلس إدارة النادي الأهلي يحاول أن يُرضي السوشيال ميديا وهذا انتحار فني، لا يوجد مدير فني في العالم يرضى بكل هؤلاء اللاعبين 8 لاعبين في مركز واحد”.  

Fire breaks out at Cristiano Ronaldo's hotel in terrifying incident in Morocco

A terrifying incident at the hotel owned by Cristiano Ronaldo in Morocco saw a fire break out at the Marrakesh-based establishment.

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  • Venue opened in 2022
  • Operating as normal again
  • No injuries reported
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    The incident in question occurred on April 5, with flames seen raging inside the building. Fortunately, emergency services were quickly on the scene and were able to get the fire under control.

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  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    According to , only a “small fire” broke out. Prompt action by those inside the venue ensured that all guests and members of staff were safely escorted off the premises.

  • DID YOU KNOW?

    The blaze was able to be contained, preventing it from spreading to the rest of the hotel’s facilities. All of the necessary measures were taken to guarantee the safety of customers and employees. No injuries were reported.

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    WHAT NEXT?

    The Pestana CR7 Hotel opened in 2022, as Portuguese superstar Ronaldo – who is now plying his trade in Saudi Arabia for Al-Nassr – expanded his business empire. The hotel is said to be operating as normal once more.

Worth way more than Jones: West Brom struck gold on “explosive” £0 star

West Bromwich Albion are seemingly coming to the end of their search for a new manager, amid rampant speculation surrounding Raphael Wicky, albeit with the Baggies still heading into their fifth game in all competitions without Carlos Corberan at the helm today in the FA Cup.

This will be a tough test for the Baggies as they travel to Premier League side AFC Bournemouth, hopeful that an upset could be on the cards for interim boss Chris Brunt.

West Bromwich Albion manager Carlos Corberan.

Away from the ongoing managerial situation, the Baggies have also started to be linked with January additions on the pitch, with this potential deal now looking dead in the water.

West Brom's interest in Isaiah Jones

It did look as if West Brom were going to secure an early January purchase in the form of Middlesbrough attacker Isaiah Jones, with a bumper £5m deal reportedly on the table.

However, no such deal ultimately occurred, with Express and Star journalist Lewis Cox taking to his X account to reveal that links between the two sides had been “wide of the mark”.

This might well come as a blessing in disguise for those at the Hawthorns, with £5m a steep amount to fork out for a winger who is yet to register a single goal or assist for Boro this season, with Luton Town subsequently winning the race for his signature.

Moreover, if West Brom can keep a firm grip on Tom Fellows across January, this development would have made the move for Jones feel even more redundant, considering the homegrown ace’s heroics down Jones’ right flank so far this campaign.

Tom Fellows celebrates for West Brom.

Fellows' market value at West Brom

After being thrown into the deep end once or twice under Corberan during the 2023/24 season, Fellows has since taken to the demands of the Championship like a duck to water.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

Indeed, the super confident 21-year-old boasts a stellar goal contribution total of 12 in league action to date, with ten of those startlingly being assists, which often come about when the West Brom youngster is darting forward with pace before setting up chances for clinical players such as Josh Maja to tap home.

Of course, there will be lots of joy in the air that Fellows is continuing to rip the second tier to shreds, with football talent scout Jacek Kulig labelling his sensational showings as “explosive.”

But, the big anxiety will be that a higher up poacher will put forward a sizeable bid for the 21-year-old at some point this hectic month, with Everton previously noted as an interested party watching the Solihull-born forward with intrigue.

Southampton even reportedly had a bid turned down last summer as they went about assembling a new squad for the Premier League, as the Baggies now brace for more frenzied interest.

West Brom will take some solace in the fact that if Fellows was to depart, at least he was a product of their own academy who they managed to snap up for nothing, with the electric number 31 surely worth many millions now.

West Brom’s top five goal & assist contributors – 2024/25

Player

League games played

G/A numbers combined

1. Josh Maja

26

14

2. Tom Fellows

26

12

3. Karlan Grant

25

8

4. Alex Mowatt

24

6

5. Michael Johnston

22

4

Stats by Sofascore

If past transfer window rumours are anything to go by, Fellows could go for around the £15m mark this January, which would amazingly be more than Maja’s reported £10m valuation, with clubs sniffing around too for West Brom’s top goalscorer.

That is £10m more than Jones’ reported value as well, with the Baggies no doubt expanding their horizons away from the Boro attacker if Fellows was to be sold.

Ideally, Fellows would be kept around, but West Brom will know all too well how hard it can be to keep top assets when bigger clubs start lurking.

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Ange must ruthlessly drop Son to unleash Spurs "phenomenon" instead

Over the last year and a half, Ange Postecoglou has turned Tottenham Hotspur into one of the most exciting teams in the Premier League.

The North Londoners are the leading scorers in the competition and look a million miles from the underwhelming side managed by Antonio Conte and José Mourinho just a few years ago.

However, for all the success the Australian has enjoyed in N17, he hasn’t been able to banish the club’s inconsistent streak, which has been on full display over the last week or so, as they beat Manchester City 4-0 away only to draw against AS Roma and Fulham at home.

So, tonight’s clash with Bournemouth is a must-win to ensure the team don’t go into the weekend’s match with Chelsea in terrible form, and to ensure the team do pick up all three points, Postecoglu must drop club captain Son Heung-min.

Why Son should be dropped

Okay, so the first thing to say is that Son’s impact at Spurs over the last nine years or so is perhaps only surpassed by his old partner in crime, Harry Kane.

However, therein lies the problem: the South Korean superstar has had an incredible impact on the club, but as most fans will likely attest, he’s struggling to have that same impact this season.

For example, against Roma, he may have scored the penalty, but after that he was a passenger, taking just 36 touches, failing to complete a single cross, registering an expected assists number of 0.08 and generally making the wrong decisions when in dangerous positions.

Unsurprisingly, such a performance saw Spurs writer Alasdair Gold award the 32-year-old a paltry match rating of 6/10 at full-time, writing that he was ‘not quite in his full rhythm.’

Postecoglou tried to reduce how much running the former Bayer Leverkusen ace would have to do in the game against Fulham by starting him in the number nine position, but it only led to an even more underwhelming display.

In his 97 minutes of action, he amassed a combined expected goals and assists figure of just 0.21, took a single shot on target, misplaced all three of his crosses, lost the ball ten times despite taking just 40 touches and missed one big chance, which led to Gold giving the Chuncheon-born star just a 4/10 rating, writing that he was ‘very quiet’ and ‘contributed very little.’

In short, with him struggling on the wing during the week and looking even worse at centre-forward on the weekend, the manager should drop him and reintroduce someone who could terrorise Bournemouth’s defence.

The Spurs ace who must start in place of Son

So, if Son is to be removed from the number nine position ahead of tonight’s game with Bournemouth, there is only one player who can and should come in to replace him, a player the opposition will be more than a little familiar with, Dominic Solanke.

Now, some might say the Cherries’ knowledge of how the Englishman plays could be a disadvantage for him, but that is more likely going to be the other way around, as Solanke will have a better understanding of things like their defensive shape, trigger presses and general tactical approach.

However, away from that, there is one incredibly straightforward reason why the former Liverpool gem has to start in the game: his output.

Solanke’s recent form

Season

23/24

24/25

Appearances

42

17

Goals

21

6

Assists

4

3

Goal Involvements per Match

0.59

0.52

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Despite a slowish start to the campaign, likely down to his need to adapt to Postecoglou’s demanding system, the 6 foot 2 “phenomenon”, as dubbed by Ian Wright, has still scored six goals and provided three assists in 17 appearances, which equates to a reasonably impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.88 games.

On top of that, the Basingstoke-born ace will give his teammates far more of a target to aim for and play off of than Son did against Fulham, which should help the team play higher up the pitch and generally create more chances, as defenders won’t be able to rest for even a moment.

Ultimately, Spurs need to pick up a win after last week’s disappointing results, and the best way for Posetcoglou to ensure that happens is by dropping Son and, in his place, starting Solanke.

He's similar to Dele: Tottenham could sign future £120m star to replace Son

The sensational attacker could play on the wing or in midfield for Spurs.

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Jack Salveson Holmes

Dec 4, 2024

Aston Villa and Monchi eyeing move to sign int’l player in £8m+ transfer

Aston Villa and their sporting director, Monchi, are keeping a close eye on an international player who could cost them £8 million, according to a recent report.

The Villans are back in action on Wednesday night as they host European giants Juventus in the Champions League, and they will be looking to end this six-game winless run they are currently enduring.

Aston Villa could now pounce on "fantastic" Premier League star in January

He could be an opportunity too good to turn down for Unai Emery.

2 ByBen Browning Nov 26, 2024 Aston Villa transfer news

Unai Emery’s side started the new season off very well, but in recent weeks there has been a dip in form, and with the January transfer window on the horizon, this could have changed the club’s plans for that month.

One player that has now emerged on Villa’s transfer radar is Arda Guler of Real Madrid. The Turkish international is expected to be allowed to leave the Champions League winners in January on a temporary basis, and Villa are keen on bringing him to Villa Park. The Midlands side have a strong interest in Guler, and he would provide strong competition to players such as Morgan Rogers and Jacob Ramsey.

As well as Guler, Mark Tillman is also of interest to Villa ahead of the January transfer window. The former Bayern Munich man has made an impressive start to the season with Dutch side PSV Eindhoven, and that has now put him on Villa’s radar, who could look to try and bring him to Villa Park in the New Year. But new midfield options don’t stop there, as they also have their eye on a player who could cost them just £8 million.

Aston Villa and Monchi eyeing move to sign int'l player in £8m+ transfer

According to Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, Aston Villa and Monchi are closely monitoring Romano Schmid from Bundesliga side Werder Bremen. Schmid has been with the German side since January 2019, and after a loan at Wolfsberger AC that ended in 2020, he has returned and become a key player for the Bundesliga side.

Schmid, who has won 21 caps for Austria, impressed a lot in the Bundesliga last season, scoring four goals and recording seven assists in 33 Bundesliga games. He has continued to be among the goals and assists this season, and that consistent form has put him on Villa’s radar.

Plettenberg states the Midlands side are closely monitoring Schmid, with scouts watching the attacking midfielder live in action. Furthermore, there have already been concrete enquiries made ahead of the January transfer window.

Apps

135

Goals

10

Assists

23

However, if a move doesn’t occur in January, a move in the summer will happen at the very latest, as several clubs are interested in signing the international midfielder. Bremen are looking to get around €10 million, which is roughly £8.3 million.

Schmid has great versatility in his game, as he prefers to play as an attacking midfielder, but he can also play deeper if needed, as well as operate on either flank or, if need be, as a centre forward. His arrival at Villa could give Emery a player who is incredibly versatile, and that is a good component to have in modern football.

183 touches, 158 passes: Wolves flop who left in 2021 is now shining

Just as Wolverhampton Wanderers fans must have thought their relegation-threatened side had turned a corner, a 4-2 defeat at the hands of AFC Bournemouth would grimly greet them.

Gary O’Neil would have been doubly upset at the outcome of the Cherries encounter having previously managed the away side before taking up the Old Gold vacancy.

A number of the Wolves first-team failed to spark into life in this action-packed defeat, as relegation concerns overwhelm the West Midlands outfit once more.

Wolves' underperformers vs Bournemouth

It wasn’t a display that was completely devoid of any positivity, however, with Jorgen Strand Larsen impressing again for the Old Gold in attack with two strikes in the high-octane contest.

But, it was the defenders that really struggled to keep tabs on the confident Bournemouth attackers, away from any plus points involving the Nordic forward.

Toti Gomes would, in particular, stand out as a notable underperformer at the back, with the out-of-sorts centre-back gifting Bournemouth their first penalty of the day after he rashly tangled with Justin Kluivert after only three minutes.

Moreover, Jose Sa between the sticks would be at fault for the other two penalties in the frantic clash, as the Portuguese goalkeeper had to fish the ball out of his net a depressing four times.

Away from the defenders, midfielder Joao Gomes would likely have trudged off the Molineux turf frustrated with his performance, which saw the usually forceful number eight only win five of his 13 duels, on top of surrendering possession a costly 13 times.

With their form in mind this term, O’Neil and Co would surely love to turn back time and have this player at their disposal in the centre of the pitch…

Wolves loan flop is now a European sensation

The player in question here is Vitinha, who joined Wolves in the midst of the Portuguese invasion that engulfed the Premier League side in the summer of 2020, with Fabio Silva and Nelson Semedo also joining the Molineux ranks around this time.

Whilst both players remain on the books of the top-flight strugglers to this day, Vitinha walked away from Wolves after an unmemorable loan stint, having only played 22 times for the club with just one goal and one assist registered next to his name.

His only strike for the West Midlands side would amazingly come away at non-league Chorley in the FA Cup, with the slick 5 foot 8 ace now front and centre of Luis Enrique’s new-look Paris St. Germain, away from playing against obscure teams from England.

The PSG number 17 is 109 games down at the Parc Des Princes after a bumper £35m move from Porto took place in 2022, with the 25-time Portugal international stunning last time out in Ligue 1 action versus Nantes, whilst Wolves stumbled to defeat in the Premier League.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Shots

3

Big chances missed

1

Touches

183

Accurate passes

158/169 (93%)

Key passes

6

Staggeringly, Vitinha would end up amassing a ridiculous 183 touches of the ball up against Antoine Kombouaré’s visitors, with 158 accurate passes also managed as a constant livewire attempting to make things happen for his French employers.

Wolves would love to have their former flop back if he could dazzle in the top flight in a similar manner, as opposed to the uninspiring displays he conjured up during his brief spell at Molineux, with the Old Gold even deciding against buying him outright at the end of the loan.

That might well be a decision that they now regret, with Vitinha aiming to keep these stylish displays for PSG coming all the whole O’Neil’s men anxiously battle against relegation back in England.

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