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Aston Villa ace John McGinn would ‘walk into’ the current Manchester United midfield, that’s according to former Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor.

The Lowdown: Flying Scotsman

Since moving to Villa Park from Hibernian in 2018, the 26-year-old has made 117 appearances for Dean Smith’s side and has helped the club return to the Premier League and sustain their position in the top flight.

The midfielder has scored 14 goals and set up another 19 since moving to the West Midlands and rumours were doing the rounds over the summer linking the Scotland international with a move to Liverpool.

However, he remained at Villa and Agbonlahor has claimed that he would walk into the midfield of one of the current top four in the English top flight.

The Latest: ‘Walk into’ midfield

Speaking on talkSPORT, former Villa marksman Agbonlahor has claimed McGinn would easily get into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s midfield at Manchester United.

The 34-year-old said: “I say it everytime I see him play but when Fred gets on the ball, it’s just sloppy passes and he’ll give it away. Even when he’s in there to win the ball he doesn’t do that. I just don’t see why he’s in that team.

“There’s a lot of central midfielders who would walk into that Manchester United team. John McGinn, walks into that midfield.”

The Verdict: Midfield woes for United

United’s midfield struggles have been an ongoing issue and they have never managed to replicate the quality with which Roy Keane and Paul Scholes once graced Old Trafford.

So far this season, McGinn has completed an average of 77% of his passes per game and has won 4.5 ground duels per match in the opening seven games this season. Sky Sports pundit and former Villa player Micah Richards also stated the midfielder has ‘got everything’ after the recent win over United and the 26-year-old’s performances have merited such praise.

Fred and Scott McTominay have received stick for their performances, especially the Brazilian, and the signing of McGinn would surely strengthen United’s midfield, but Villa must do all they can to resist any potential overtures from the Old Trafford outfit further down the line.

In other news, assistant coach of club has made this claim about an Aston Villa starlet. Find out more here.

Taking to Instagram, Tottenham Hotspur defender Joe Rodon has dropped a four-word message in a possible boost for Lilywhites boss Nuno Espirito Santo.

The Lowdown: Rodon yet to feature…

The Wales international impressed for Tottenham last season when given his sporadic chances under both former manager Jose Mourinho and interim coach Ryan Mason.

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Over his 12 Premier League appearances, the starlet averaged a cool and composed 88.1% pass accuracy out from the back with only Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg racking up a higher success rate (WhoScored).

He also turned heads at international level, with Wales Online journalist Ian Mitchelmore branding him a ‘special player’ and ‘flawless’ after his performance against Belgium in March (Twitter).

The 23-year-old is still yet make his debut under Nuno due to a thigh injury picked up at the start of the season, but going by his Instagram post, the Portuguese could soon be able to call upon him.

The Latest: Rodon drops four-word message…

Taking to his social media, the centre-back has published a four-word message as he returns to the training pitches for Wales following successful rehabilitation.

After his most recent setback, Rodon simply stated ‘good to be back’ as he drops an Instagram update for both Spurs and Welsh supporters.

The official account for Wales’ national team also posted their own update on Twitter confirming his return from injury.

The Verdict: Boost for Nuno…

Amid the plethora of unwelcome international news regarding Tottenham players, this Rodon update arguably comes as a breath of fresh air.

As explained by Alasdair Gold, it’s hard to remember a worse international break than this one with Ryan Sessegnon, Son Heung-min and now Oliver Skipp all succumbing to injury issues.

Davinson Sanchez, Giovani Lo Celso and Cristian Romero are also stuck abroad and must complete a ten day training camp in Croatia before their expected return to London around September 16 (Dan Kilpatrick).

Indeed, it appears Nuno and Spurs are in need of a much welcomed positive update.

In other news: ‘So excited’, ‘Start him against Palace’…Many Tottenham fans wowed by another ‘generational’ talent, find out more here.

Some Liverpool supporters have bemoaned an update on Harvey Elliott which suggests he will be missing for around six months through injury.

The Reds may have won 3-0 at Leeds United on Sunday afternoon, but an excellent result was marred by a serious injury to Elliott.

The 18-year-old was stretchered off the field with an apparent dislocated ankle in the second half, following a tackle by Pascal Struijk which saw the Leeds youngster receive a red card.

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It was a hugely upsetting moment for anyone of a Liverpool persuasion, with Elliott a prodigious talent who has already become a key man this season, starting three out of four top flight matches, including against potential title rivals Chelsea.

According to expert sports surgeon Mike Hennessy [Daily Mail via Anfield Watch on Twitter], the hope is that the midfielder will be back on the pitch in six months because of the good work of the paramedics.

Six months from Sunday’s visit to Elland Road would be until mid-March, so it’s hard to envisage the youngster gaining 100 per cent sharpness and fitness until very late into the campaign, leading one fan below to worry ‘that’s the season over for him’.

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Liverpool fans react to Elliott claim

Despite the timeline being seen as a best case scenario in the report, these Reds fans took to Twitter to bemoan the fact that Elliott will be out for such a long time, with supporters saying they are ‘devastated’.

“No way”

Credit: @WillDinsmore88

“Damn this is most of the season gone”

Credit: @Homes19LFC

“Speedy recovery Harvey! Devastated for him though”

Credit: @alikhwannn

“6 months, there’s so much pain in my chest rn”

Credit: @SAINTLAUR3N

“And I was here expecting 3 months tops”

Credit: @IamNvestor

“6 months!! That’s the season over for him. Have to make some signings in January as a minimum”

Credit: @CleverClaremont

In other news, some Liverpool fans have hailed a pundit after he stuck up for one Reds player. Read more here.

Dean Windass has exclusively told Football FanCast that the departure of Jack Grealish might not be the worst outcome for Aston Villa, despite it being a huge blow on paper.

Following months of speculation, the boyhood supporter and Villa captain recently confirmed his British-record move to Manchester City in a £100m deal.

Prior to Grealish’s switch to the Etihad Stadium, Villa had already broken their club-record fee to bring Emiliano Buendia to the east Midlands from Norwich.

And with Grealish’s transfer to the champions moving ever-closer, Dean Smith acted by bringing in Leon Bailey before Danny Ings signed from Southampton – with those three additions going some way to replacing him.

He’s been the club’s talisman since their promotion back to the Premier League, scoring the goal which helped them avoid relegation two seasons ago before chipping in both goals and assists to secure an 11th place finish last term.

However, Windass told FFC that Grealish leaving could help Villa become more of a team and not so reliant on one individual:

“Jack going to Manchester City, it might not be a bad thing, because it becomes a one-man band. Like last season, he didn’t play for ages then it was the whole ‘Aston Villa don’t win without Jack Grealish’.

“So, if he’s gone, you’ve got to set up another strategy.”

Alan Nixon has dropped a transfer update that could worry Sunderland fans… 

What’s the talk?

According to The Sun’s Alan Nixon, Sunderland target Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel is “not available” this month unless a bigger offer comes in for him.

In response to a question from a fan asking if the Black Cats are still in for the Nottingham Forest full-back, Nixon provided the worrying update on their pursuit of him.

Fans will be frustrated

Sunderland fans will be frustrated by this update from Nixon, as it appears to suggest that the Forest man will not be arriving at the Stadium of Light any time soon. It remains to be seen whether or not Kristjaan Speakman is willing to up the club’s offer for him, which means that ‘not available’ could well be his status for the rest of the transfer window.

They will be particularly gutted because Lee Johnson currently has zero natural right-back options on the books as it stands. Luke O’Nien and Carl Winchester have been deployed on the right side of the defence, but are both central midfielders by trade.

Gabriel, meanwhile, is a born and raised right-back. He has already played twice on the right-side of the defence for Chris Hughton’s side in the Championship this season and caught the eye on loan at Blackpool in the third tier in the 2020/21 campaign.

Former Liverpool coach Neil Critchley lauded the full-back last season whilst managing him in Lancashire, with the defender helping them achieve promotion to the Championship. He said:

“Jordan is a talented modern-day full-back, and is someone I have been aware of from his early years at Arsenal and Nottingham Forest.

“He will bring athleticism to the right-hand side of the team, and he is very good defensively in one v one situations. He’s very highly thought of at Nottingham Forest and we’re thankful to them for allowing us to sign Jordan for the season.”

He averaged a solid SofaScore rating of 6.75 in League One for the Tangerines. The 22-year-old made 1.7 tackles and interceptions per game and made zero errors leading to goals or shots overall. This shows that he was able to provide steady performances in the third tier, which could mean that he would be able to do the same for Sunderland.

This, along with their struggles with the right-back position, is why fans will not be pleased with this update from Nixon. They will surely be hoping that the issue is resolved before the end of the month, whether that is by signing Gabriel or bringing in another player to fill that role.

AND in other news, Forget Stewart: £3.6k-p/w SAFC beast who won 87% of duels stole the show vs MK Dons…

Manchester United are willing to sell rumoured Leeds United target Daniel James this summer, acting as a potential boost for the Whites.

The Lowdown: Leeds linked with James move

Marcelo Bielsa could be looking to bring in another wide player in the transfer window, with Leeds arguably light in that area currently.

One player who has been linked with a move to Elland Road is James, who only managed 11 starts in the Premier League last season.

Jadon Sancho’s move to United is likely to send the Wales international further down the pecking order, meaning he could move on, and he was of course close to swapping South Wales for Yorkshire back in January 2019.

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The Latest: Man United willing to sell

According to ESPN, United are happy to let James leave for the right price in the coming weeks, giving Leeds the opportunity to swoop.

The exact amount isn’t specified, although the 23-year-old is valued at £16.2million by Transfermarkt.

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The Verdict: Snap him up, Marcelo

James could be a shrewd addition by Bielsa this summer – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has claimed he has an ‘X-factor’ – possessing the kind of attributes that could be lethal in this Leeds team.

The Welshman has electrifying pace that can be deadly on the counter-attack, but he also works incredibly hard for the team. He averaged one tackle and 0.9 fouls per game in the Premier League last season, implying he could fit right into Bielsa’s intense pressing system.

James might not play regularly instead of Raphinha and Jack Harrison, but improved squad depth is vital and he could provide exactly that, allowing Bielsa to rotate more often and keep players fresh.

In other news, a pundit is delighted with the situation surrounding one Leeds player. Find out who it is here.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Carlton Palmer believes Marvin Johnson fits the bill for his old side, with Darren Moore bringing him in to add more experience to his squad.

Johnson was a free agent after leaving Middlesbrough at the end of his contract and officially joined Wednesday on Thursday.

The Star initially reported on the Owls’ interest in the winger last month.

Ultimately, for Palmer, 30-year-old Johnson can bring the sort of experience that Wednesday need as they aim to make a return to the Championship at the first time of asking.

“You can’t just go with young players,” the ex-Wednesday star told FFC. “You’ve got to balance the side with experienced players, so he fits the bill. 

“A player of his calibre should be able to cope with that league easily and bring experience to the young heads in there.”

The Owls have brought in a few young players this summer, including left-back Jaden Brown, so perhaps the experience of Johnson is something that they needed.

The Englishman has made over 100 appearances in the Championship, with 42 of those coming last season. On a free transfer, you can certainly see the logic behind signing him.

Manchester City and England star Raheem Sterling was the outstanding player of Euro 2020, claims former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer.

Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was named as the official Euro 2020 Player of the Tournament by UEFA, but Sterling was certainly among the best performers in the competition.

The Three Lions attacker helped Gareth Southgate’s side make it all the way to the final at Wembley, where they just missed out to Donnarumma’s Italy, scoring three goals in seven appearances.

Speaking exclusively to FFC about England’s European Championship run, Palmer said:

“We’re talking about Luke Shaw being the best left-back in the world. As far as I’m concerned, he’s not done any more than alright for me.

“Ok, he’s got into a position where he scored, where he’s created goals. The space has been created by the outstanding Raheem Sterling, the outstanding player of the tournament for me.”

Sterling will now be hoping to carry that sort of form into the new season after things dipped a bit last term.

While he did play in the final, the 26-year-old was not always a regular in the Champions League under manager Pep Guardiola due to a drop in form.

Sterling scored just once in Europe’s elite competition after netting six times the campaign prior. But after his showing at the Euros, it looks like he has it in him to get back to his best again.

As per The Daily Record, Connor Goldson has agreed to sign a three-year deal to stay at Glasgow Rangers.

The Lowdown: Goldson future up in the air

The defender’s deal was set to run out at the end of the 2021/22 campaign (Transfermarkt), and for a while it may have been doubted whether he would put pen to paper on a new contract.

It was also reported that West Ham United were interested in signing the 28-year-old (Football Insider), but now there has been an update on the former Brighton man’s future in Glasgow.

The Latest: Goldson agrees new deal

As reported by The Daily Record, the Scottish champions have been handed a major boost with regards to Goldson.

The centre-back has agreed a new deal with the club which will extend his stay at Ibrox for another three years following several days of talks with sporting director Ross Wilson.

The Verdict: Huge boost

With the Gers closing in on the start of an important new season, uncertainty over the future of Goldson was a cloud over their preparations. While this news has not yet been formally announced by the club, it will come a huge boost for Steven Gerrard if there are no late hitches – the manager called the 28-year-old “immense” earlier this year (via The Scottish Sun).

The £6.75m-valued defender (Transfermarkt) was a rock at the heart of the Rangers backline last term as the they won the Premiership for the first time in 10 years. He played every single minute of every single game in all competitions as the Gers were defeated just three times, including once on penalties (Sky Sports).

In the league, Rangers conceded just 13 goals (thefishy.co.uk), illustrating his importance to the side. As the Gers attempt to defend their title and also qualify for the Champions League group stage, having Goldson’s future secured is exactly what they would have wanted.

In other news, this Rangers ace has revealed he is flattered by interest from one Premier League club.

Former Celtic manager Martin O’Neill is ‘interested’ in becoming the club’s new director of football, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Hoops’ DoF talks

Celtic remain on the hunt for a DoF after their talks with Manchester City’s Fergal Harkin failed to lead to a Parkhead move.

The Irishman, who is a massive Hoops fan, was closing in on a Scotland switch, with reports back in March suggesting a deal was 90% done.

However, stories last month claimed that Harkin, City’s football pathways and partnerships manager, wants to remain loyal at the Etihad.

The Latest: O’Neill links

Football Insider shared a story on Wednesday, linking O’Neill with a Parkhead return.

A Celtic source informed the site that the 69-year-old has thrown his name into the hat and is ‘interested’ in becoming the Hoops’ DoF as the club’s summer rebuild continues.

The report adds that the former Celtic manager, who won nine honours in the dugout with Celtic and Leicester City, would be keen on a more executive role following Ange Postecoglou’s arrival as manager.

The Verdict: A smart move?

It could well turn out to be a smart move by the Hoops to bring a man with O’Neill’s experience back to Celtic Park in a role higher up.

Postecoglou would be able to go to the Northern Irishman for advice in his first season in Glasgow, should he wish to do so, and the pair could even work closely together on transfer targets.

O’Neill knows just what it takes to succeed in Scotland, and even though he wouldn’t be in the dugout alongside Postecoglou, having his presence back at the club could help the Hoops in their quest to win back the Scottish Premiership from Rangers.

In other news: Celtic transfer twist emerges on ‘fantastic’ ace; Dominic McKay trying to play a blinder, find out more here.