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Two young Aston Villa summer additions, Caleb Chukwuemeka and Tim Iroegbunam, have been training with the first-team group at Bodymoor Heath.

Reliable reporter Ashley Preece shared the news, which led to a number of Villa fans giving their thoughts on social media.

Centre-forward Chukwuemeka, older brother of Villa midfielder Carney, arrived from Northampton Town, whereas central midfielder Iroegbunam left West Brom for Villa Park.

Chukwuemeka, 19, made his first-team debut against Barrow in the EFL Cup but has mainly been turning out for the Under 23’s.

Iroegbunam, 19, is yet to turn out under Dean Smith but has been a regular in the Under-23’s.

The pair have seemingly been catching Smith’s eye and have been training with the first-team group ahead of this weekend’s Premier League clash with Everton.

Villa fans react

Preece shared the news regarding Chukwuemeka and Iroegbunam on Twitter on Wednesday. This is what these Villa supporters had to say in reply…

“They ain’t ready for the Chukwuemeka takeover”

Credit: @AlexAV1982

“Had a hunch, and was told, it wouldn’t be long before Caleb got himself involved with first team boys!”

Credit: @amc89avfc

“This is why the owners have stopped transfers,to give the talented crop of kids a chance.”

Credit: @avgorou

“great to see! the youth we have coming up is one thing that really excites me!”

Credit: @TotalVillansPod

“Tim’s stock is rising rapidly atm. He’s looked quality since arriving”

Credit: @VillansOpinions

“Our youth system is currently one of the best”

Credit: @Nathhhavfc

In other news: ‘We’re done’, ‘Was coming’ – Villa source update has lots of fans talking. 

Felipe Anderson has taken a sly dig at West Ham manager David Moyes, saying he has improved a great deal from playing under Maurizio Sarri instead.

The Lowdown: Anderson left Irons

In 2018, the Hammers signed Anderson from Lazio for £36m, a then club-record fee (BBC).

He had his moments at the London Stadium, scoring 12 goals and providing 13 assists in 73 matches in all competitions, but he returned to Lazio in the summer after an unsuccessful loan spell at Porto (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: Anderson makes veiled Moyes dig

Speaking to Football Italia, the Brazil international spoke about his move back to Italy. He said:

“I have improved a great deal already with the coach.

“I am convinced over time the whole team will understand fully what he wants from us. I always wanted to work on my consistency, even within a single game, and I’m getting there. The idea is to be constantly focused and ready from the first minute to the 90th.

“I know that I am capable of making the difference, but I used to struggle with the pressure when I was younger. It’s different now, I am on the right path. 

“Everyone knows I feel at home with Lazio. I’ve always expressed my love for Italy and the city of Rome. I never lost contact with my friends here, even after leaving. I feel that I’ve returned a more mature player.”

The Verdict: Didn’t work out

Anderson showed his talent at Lazio during his first spell at the club, scoring eight goals and providing nine assists the season before he moved to the Premier League. However, he was unable to replicate that form on a regular basis at West Ham.

With two goals and two assists in seven Serie A matches this term, he appears to be enjoying life back in Italy. Likewise, the Hammers are in good form, qualifying for the Europa League last term via the Premier League. It seems both parties are better off away from each other than together.

In other news, West Ham fans were far from happy with this Moyes call against Brentford.

Ozan Kabak is reportedly one of the centre-backs that could be available to Southampton this summer, and he could be the ideal heir to Jannik Vestergaard.

What’s the word?

Following the Danish defender’s £15m move to Leicester City earlier in the transfer window, Hampshire Live journalist Tom Leach compiled a list of potential centre-backs to replace him at St Mary’s.

That included Kabak, who spent the second half of last season on loan with Liverpool in order to aid their defensive crisis, and he would go on to make 13 appearances for the Reds, helping them earn a top-four finish in the Premier League.

Would Kabak be a good signing for Southampton?

Although he had some difficult moments in a Liverpool shirt, Kabak is still just 21-years-old and now has plenty of experience playing in the Bundesliga, Premier League and Champions League.

Whilst he is currently rated at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, Schalke’s financial woes suggest that he could be prised away in a bargain deal this summer, with some reports suggesting that the German side may even need to terminate his contract in order to balance the books, which would make him an extremely appealing option for the Saints from a financial perspective.

Hasenhuttl has shown a preference for signing younger players during his time at St Mary’s and Kabak could be the ideal long-term replacement for Vestergaard, although the Saints arguably do need an experienced head at the back if they want to avoid shipping so many goals again this season.

The Turkey international is clearly adept in the air, as he won 4.1 aerial duels per game in the Bundesliga and 2.9 per game in the Premier League last season, whilst he also boasts an impressive pass accuracy, which suggests that he could take over from Vestergaard when it comes to making the long switches of play to Southampton’s full-backs.

During his time with Stuggart, sporting director Thomas Hitzlsperger was full of praise for the defender, saying:

“It’s incredible how worldy-wise he is for his age. It’s astonishing. I see him every day and am amazed at how he mature he is. He wants to know everything; he wants to learn German right away and understand everything. That’s the kind of attitude we need. He’s already a role model, despite his age.”

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Therefore, given that he could well be available on a free transfer shortly, signing Kabak would make a huge amount of sense for Southampton this summer.

And, in other news… Hasenhuttl can amend key Saints issue by signing “exceptionally good” free agent

As per Charlie Eccleshare on Twitter, some Tottenham Hotspur sources ‘close to the deal’ are ‘confident’ an agreement can be reached to sign defender Cristian Romero.

The Lowdown: Spurs in Romero talks…

Tottenham have been in negotiations for Romero over this past week, with Sky Sports claiming that the Lilywhites have in fact stepped up their pursuit of the Argentine.

Spurs also allegedly made an offer of around £34m (€40m) plus £8.5m (€10) in bonuses – but managing director Fabio Paratici will not overpay for his services and has other targets as alternatives (Sky Sports).

A complete agreement is still yet to be reached on price as talks remain ongoing.

The Latest: Sources back agreement…

As per Eccleshare, sharing what he’s heard from some sources ‘close to the deal’, there are those who are apparently ‘confident’ a compromise will be settled when it comes to valuation.

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As well as this, some of the journalist’s sources believe an agreement is ‘not too far away’, but as it stands, the two clubs remain apart in their price for the player.

Tottenham officially sold Toby Alderweireld to Qatari side Al Duhail earlier this week and need to seal his replacement with the transfer window deadline looming next month.

The Verdict: Get it done…

There are great alternatives to Romero, like Fiorentina defender Nikola Milenkovic for instance, who Eccleshare believes would be a ‘straightforward deal’.

However, these extensive negotiations for the South American colossus could prove to be worth all of this trouble given his unbelievable performances in Serie A.

Romero was rewarded with the title of 2020/2021 best defender in the Italian top flight and has garnered praise from critics, with Serie A expert Conor Clancy calling him ‘phenomenal’ (This is Futbol).

At just 23-years-old, the centre-back also has plenty of years ahead of him, potentially marking him out as a real prime target.

In other news: Spurs receive boost in pursuit of possible Lamela replacement, find out more here.

Many Glasgow Rangers fans were far from happy with a letter sent out by SPFL chairman Murdoch MacLennan as the club’s stand-off with Cinch continues.

The Gers’ Premiership title defence has been mixed so far. They kicked off with a 3-0 victory over Livingston but they were then defeated by Dundee United 1-0, a result which brought an end to their 40-game unbeaten run in the top flight (Sky Sports).

In both of those matches, the Gers refused to feature the SPFL’s title sponsor Cinch either on their matchday shirts or, in the case of the Livingston game, on the advertising boards around the side of the pitch at Ibrox, as they believe there are gaps in the contract (The Daily Record). MacLennan has now written to the other 41 league clubs to explain the stand-off, and has revealed that the SPFL have asked the SFA to step in.

The letter in question was shared on Twitter by @Beatthatbeat, and it attracted plenty of attention from Gers supporters. These fans took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what these fans had to say about the letter

““If you would like to discuss these issues please don’t hesitate to call me”….. I have two opinions on that line 1. He doesn’t want a paper trail 2. We wouldn’t want any emails getting “lost” would we. Either way, shambles of an organisation. Utter shambles.”

Credit: @StubbsDamien

“Appallingly worded letter! So petulant, to actually refuse to refer to Rangers in name: very small-minded! Then to repeatedly refer to “..your board..” is divisive, confrontational and escalatory. This shows all the parochial behaviour that led to such a bad deal being signed.”

Credit: @B0mberHarris

“The conflict issue was raised by Rangers and ignored by the SPFL who proceeded to sign the contract without doing any due diligence on the Rangers’ contract. No mention of ‘Rule 17’ (our get-out), or of the agency involved, who will take £500,00 from the Scottish game. Shambles.”

Credit: @HamptonCaught

“SPFL never did due diligence on the cinch contract, as we know. Rangers have a conflicting contract. M Mc is trying, yet again to blame our club for his incompetence. He knows there’s political hatred for us out there, and is trying to divide and conquer.”

Credit: @RWM2021

“Said it all along. As much I 100% back the club’s stance on this, why haven’t we dropped multiple copies of our evidence at the SPFL’s door & gave them the ultimate GIRUY. Not doing so has allowed them to call our bluff & makes us look weak again”

Credit: @RabWhite

“I really hope our lawyers are on the ball with this 1.”

Credit: @dave_n84

In other news, Alex Rae has slammed this Gers player.

An update has emerged about West Ham’s pursuit of Kurt Zouma this week…

What’s the word?

According to Sky Sports, the 26-year-old colossus is still a key target for the Irons, with just one week to go in the transfer window. The addition of a new central defender has been a top priority for manager David Moyes for several weeks now.

After a move for Fiorentina’s Nikola Milenkovic fell through, the France international has seemingly become the main option, despite rejecting the club several weeks ago.

“We’re told that they remain interested in signing Chelsea centre-back Kurt Zouma,” revealed Sky Sports News presenter Tom White. “This is just into us right now. We’ve been told that there is a deal to be done between the clubs. Chelsea’s asking price is believed to be £25m.”

“That isn’t the stumbling block, though. We’re told that the stumbling block is personal terms, which might be difficult to agree [on].”

Pay up, GSB!

The Athletic’s David Ornstein has provided further information into the situation, claiming in a recent column that Zouma is demanding an increase on his reported £46k-per-week wages at Stamford Bridge to around £125k-per-week.

Whilst it may seem like a considerable increase for a player that is currently not first-choice for the Champions League winners, the Hammers run the risk of missing out and signing nobody in the role.

You could also justify splashing that much on a player that has contributed towards that aforementioned triumph, as well as two Premier League titles.

That’s not to mention the fact that Andriy Yarmolenko is currently the highest-earner at the London Stadium, taking home a whopping £115k-per-week, via Spotrac. The Ukraine international only started one league game last season. What a waste of money.

Zouma, however, would walk right into Moyes’ starting XI and be a leader in the backline.

Once hailed as a “beast of a player” by England and Premier League legend John Terry, the 26-year-old powerhouse has made 165 appearances in the top-flight, whilst his 27 games across all European competitions will come as a benefit when the Irons’ Europa League campaign gets underway.

Last season, only three other centre-backs were better on the ball, with the Chelsea star averaging a passing accuracy of 90.6%. He was also a beast in the air, winning 3.6 aerial duels per match, which was more than every one of Moyes’ current options, as per WhoScored.

Valued at €30m (£26m) by CIES Football Observatory, it’s evident that West Ham would be getting a great deal at a reported £25m, so they should look to stump up the necessary funds to secure him.

There’s a week to go, GSB must pay up to secure Moyes his man. They’re risking disaster by not doing so.

AND in other news, Forget Antonio: £60k-p/w West Ham beast with 83 touches was Moyes’ unsung hero vs LCFC…

Some Everton fans have been reacting to a transfer update involving Rodrygo.

As per a report from earlier in the week from Spain, which has since been shared by Toffee TV on their Twitter page, the Goodison Park faithful are one of three teams that are interested in signing the Real Madrid ace in the summer window, along with both Napoli and Sevilla.

The 20-year-old is a very exciting prospect, having already played in 59 games in total for Los Blancos over the last two consecutive seasons, scoring nine goals and making a further 11 assists (Transfermarkt).

He has also been capped at senior level for Brazil despite his age, playing alongside the likes of Neymar, Roberto Firmino and Gabriel Jesus.

Of course, signing Rodrygo would be quite the coup for the Merseyside club, but currently valued at £31.5m by Transfermarkt, there may be some doubts over whether they can actually afford him.

Everton fans on Rodrygo transfer update

These Toffees supporters gave some fairly mixed reactions as the transfer update was shared on Twitter:

“Now we’re talking”

Credit: @bluetom_tom

“Ancelotti deserves to move back some things for us, such as signing this young man’s contract.”

Credit: @toffees_tiger

“He will be part of Richarlison deal”

Credit: @Miksharples

“Lol, aren’t we skint?”

Credit: @1878_Shirts

“We can’t afford him & they won’t want to sell one of their best young players”

Credit: @Jay_No_Z

“Better not be a swap for Richarlison”

Credit: @TomWalshy77

In other news, find out what transfer update has been slammed by Blues here!

Liverpool are reportedly closing in on the signing of Lille midfielder Renato Sanches after his impressive 2020/21 campaign.

What’s the story?

Portuguese-based journalist Pedro Almeida, (as reported by The Express), have provided an update on the Reds’ pursuit of the 23-year-old.

“Renato Sanches to Liverpool is almost done. The Portuguese midfielder will sign for the English club for around €35million (£30m),” said Almeida.

Fans will be thrilled

The departure of Gini Wijnaldum to French giants Paris Saint-Germain has led to several big names being linked with a move to Anfield in recent weeks.

Saul Niguez, Florian Neuhaus and John McGinn have reportedly caught the eye of the 19-time English champions, but it seems as though a move for Sanches is close to competition.

The Portugal international burst onto the scene back in 2016, helping his nation lift their maiden European Championship title, being named as the Young Player of the Tournament in the process.

A move from boyhood club Benfica to Bayern Munich followed, but his time in the Bundesliga failed to live up to expectations.

After struggling for game time and form at the Allianz Arena, Sanches endured a torrid season-long loan spell in the Premier League with Swansea City during the 2017/18 campaign.

However, despite his difficulties on English shores, the youngster rebuilt his career at Lille, helping Les Dogues secure the Ligue 1 title last season.

Over the last year, Sanches made 6.65 progressive passes per 90, 7.75 progressive carries and 2.54 completed dribbles, as per fbref.com, highlighting his influence and impressive performances with the reigning French champions, whilst he also played very well for Portugal at Euro 2020.

Therefore, his potential arrival at Liverpool will surely have the club’s supporters buzzing.

Wijnaldum featured in every single league game for the Reds last season, and his departure will leave a big void in the centre of the pitch for Jurgen Klopp’s charges.

The enigmatic German manager will be keen to strengthen his first-team squad after finishing 17 points behind Manchester City last term, and Sanches would do exactly that.

He has unfinished business in the Premier League and may feel it’s the perfect time to return and prove his doubters wrong.

And, in other news…Liverpool eye swoop for “future England captain”, Klopp would love him 

Leicester City have been linked with a move for Sampdoria winger Mikkel Damsgaard after a string of impressive displays at Euro 2020.

What’s the story?

According to Sky Sports reporter Ben Grounds (as reported by Leicestershire Live), the Foxes have opened negotiations with the 20-year-old’s representatives over a potential transfer.

Damsgaard has starred for Denmark over the summer, scoring one goal and providing an assist, helping his nation reach the semi-finals of the European Championship.

Fans surely buzzing

The youngster is a product of the famed Nordsjaelland academy and only moved to the Serie A 12 months ago via a £6 million deal.

However, after a solid first campaign in Italian football and an outstanding contribution to Denmark’s run to the last four of the Euros, he could be on the move once again over the coming months.

Damsgaard recorded modest numbers last term as he settled into life at Sampdoria, bagging just two goals and providing a modest four assists in 35 top-flight appearances.

Nevertheless, he still managed 1.5 dribbles per league game, the highest tally amongst his teammates. His potential is clear for all to see, and he’s showcased it on the international stage to devastating effect.

After playing a pivotal part in a shock 2-1 victory over eventual champions Inter back in January, TV2’s football expert Martin Mikkelsen hailed Damsgaard as being “magical”, praising his decision-making in the final third despite his tender years.

“He’s magical – what speed! He is dynamic and can go both ways. He is creative but also so mature in his decisions,” Mikkelsen claimed.

After Harvey Barnes suffered a season-ending injury in February, Leicester were left with the ageing Marc Albrighton, and the underwhelming Cengiz Under as the only recognised wingers in their squad.

The likes of Ajoze Perez and Ricardo Pereira were forced to play out of position as the Midlands outfit narrowly missed out on a Champions League qualification spot once again.

Brendan Rodgers has already secured the signatures of Patson Daka and Boubaary Soumare as the Northern Irish tactician plots another assault on the top four, but acquiring another winger is thought to be high up on his wish list.

Damsgaard would certainly fit the bill of a typical Leicester signing, and news that the club have opened talks with his representatives will surely have the club’s supporters buzzing.

And, in other news…Rodgers can save millions by unleashing never-seen LCFC gem, he’s “absolutely class” 

Celtic confirmed on Friday evening that winger Marian Shved has sealed a permanent Parkhead exit.

And, as to be expected, a number of Hoops supporters have been reacting to the news on the Ukraine international on social media.

The 24-year-old, who joined Celtic in 2019 in a deal worth £1.8m has signed for Belgian club KV Mechelen.

The right-winger spent last season on loan at Mechelen, scoring five times and registering three assists in 24 appearances.

Shved leaves the Hoops with just three appearances in green and white to his name and was never really given a chance to shine in Glasgow.

His only goal for Celtic came on his debut against Nomme Kalju in a Champions League qualifier and he’s now signed a three-year deal with Mechelen.

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Celtic fans react

Celtic quoted Mechelen’s post and confirmed Shved’s exit on Twitter. These Hoops fans were quick to share their disappointment, with one feeling the move was ‘genuinely. Confusing’.

“40 minutes of first-team football, 1 goal. Never seen again. The mind boggles”Credit: @chriscapanni”Never given a chance, joke really, guy looked good, goes with best wishes”Credit: @1973Bhoy”Didn’t get a chance at all. Genuinely confusing.”Credit: @Miverick”Criminal. Justice for my boy Shved”Credit: @mjoneill67″What a waste, boy didn’t even get a look in scored on debut Europe and never seen again, strange? Good luck Marian HH”Credit: @James34728098″A talent ruined by Lennon.”Credit: @TheTweetofShaun

In other news: Celtic now offered fee more than Dembele’s for Edouard; reporter shares ‘evolving situation’.