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Aston Villa confirmed on Friday that COVID-19 spot checks will be in place for Saturday’s game against Wolves.

Reliable reporter Ashley Preece relayed the news on social media, which, as to be expected, received plenty of interaction at such short notice from a number of Villa fans.

Villa return to action at home against their Midlands rivals on Saturday afternoon, looking to get back to winning ways following a 2-1 defeat to Tottenham prior to the international break.

Fans attending the Villa Park clash may now be asked to provide proof of a valid NHS vaccination pass, alternative proof of a vaccine or a negative lateral flow test 48 hours before kick-off.

Spot checks will be increased, however, Preece claimed that no fan will be refused entry as certification is not yet mandatory.

Villa fans react

This is what these fans had to say in reply to Preece’s post, with a selection of responses to view below.

“This is a shocker from Villa so last minute I get no one will be refused so why do it”

Credit: @SamBrogan3

“Villa Park 4G about to cause utter chaos”

Credit: @JamesLIoyd

“Shambles”

Credit: @MisterGuilbert

“Will cause chaos as there’s no signal for anyone to get on the NHS site .. you can guarantee most people won’t know beforehand”

Credit: @FowlerLegend

“Absolutely pointless then what is the point in doing it? ‘excuse have you got your covid status?’ No ‘Ok go on through’”

Credit: @KBK_DJ

“What is the point if no one will be refused entry?”

Credit: @ChristopherSS76

In other news: ‘Makes a lot of sense’ – Many AVFC fans buzz at Gregg Evans’ ‘exciting’ transfer news. 

Liverpool are expected to add to their squad depth in the attacking areas of the pitch this summer, even after signing Luis Diaz in January for £37.5m from Porto.

With Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah all currently set to be out of contract at the end of next season, it seems likely that Jurgen Klopp will be on the lookout for potential replacements, with Ismaila Sarr being the latest name linked with the Anfield club.

What’s the news?

The 24-year-oldhas become hot property once again after his agent Thierno Seydi told Afrique Sports: “It’s clear there are chances he leaves this year from Watford.”

According to Italian publication Corriere dello Sport, Liverpool have since reignited their pursuit of the Watford winger, after Goal reported earlier in the season that the Merseyside club didn’t follow up on their interest last summer.

The report added that the Reds could face competition from Serie A giants AC Milan, who are also keen on the Senegalese attacker with a price tag of £41m.

Liverpool’s future match-winner?

The 24-year-old has scored five Premier League goals in 16 appearances this season, having struggled with injuries and missing part of the campaign due to the Africa Cup of Nations, which left the likes of Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster wishing for his return.

The English veteran said of Sarr’s ability earlier this year: “It’s scary, isn’t it, really? It’s almost like everything seems to just be off the cuff. Every single time he gets the ball, even he doesn’t know what he’s going to do, but it will end up being good either way.

“Once he can start to really drill down on what he knows he can do, yeah, the world is his oyster. Honestly, like I say, the speed and the awareness, the touch, the precision, he’s got all of it. He just now needs all of it to connect and be in control of it too.”

“It’s great to have him back, he’s a game-winner, it’s as simple as that. He’ll win us games, but it puts the opposition on the backfoot as well and I think that’s the important part.”

Having scored important goals against the likes of Manchester United and Aston Villa, along with a brace in a 3-2 victory against Norwich earlier in the season, it’s understandable why Foster views the 24-year-old as a match-winner; and in a Liverpool side who create plenty of chances per game and excel with pacey attackers, Sarr could thrive.

In the 2019/20 season, he single-handedly ended the Reds’ incredible unbeaten run with the performance of his career, scoring two goals and setting up another in a shock 3-0 win over the runaway league leaders, also completing two dribbles and winning more than half of his duels.

Klopp probably still has that performance from February 2020 in the back of his mind ahead of the summer, and FSG must try to ensure that Sarr does the damage for Liverpool rather than to them by bringing him to Anfield as a long-term successor to their current attacking behemoths.

In other news: Klopp could unearth the “new Zlatan” as Liverpool make bid to sign £58.7m star

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.

At the beginning of the summer it looked as though Ruben Neves was a certainty to follow Nuno Santo through the exit door and leave Wolves.

However, current boss Bruno Lage will be thanking his lucky stars that he’s been able to keep the Portuguese ace at Molineux.

Neves initially appeared expendable with a variety of teams interested and Wolves keen to make money on the central midfielder.

Arsenal had been keen on him at one stage while Manchester United are still thought to have him on their radar.

Bruno Lage admitted last week that every player has his price but after Wolves’ 1-0 defeat to Tottenham, he will be doing everything in his power to keep in the Midlands.

Neves didn’t find the net with a long-range thunderbolt that we’ve become accustomed to seeing throughout the years but this was still a virtuoso performance.

Against Champions League regulars Spurs, the 24-year-old was simply outstanding in the middle of the park, glueing things together with an admirable work rate. Going forward he was a constant threat with his vision and when the visitors countered, he was often there to break it up.

It was a display worthy of interest from the Premier League’s elite and this should increase speculation surrounding his future.

Combative in the middle of the park, Neves won a whopping six tackles and was only dribbled past on one occasion. Considering that Nuno wanted his Spurs team to play on the counterattack, this was especially eye-catching.

When he got on the ball, the £58k-per-week earner was outstanding. He strode forward to complete five key passes, one of which Adama Traore really should have found the net with.

Neves found himself in a vacant pocket before threading an inch-perfect ball into Traore who stuck his shot straight at Hugo Lloris.

Their Spanish roadrunner was a constant thorn in the heart of the Spurs backline and did everything but score as the Old Gold somehow spurned 25 attempts at goal.

What specifically caught the eye was the range of passing in Neves’ locker. The Portugal international was successful with 16 of his 19 long balls, ultimately completing 81% of his passes in general.

This was a display that will have Lage delighted. If Wolves can finally start tucking away those balls from Neves then they will become a force to be reckoned with again.

AND in other news, Wolves make enquiry to sign “fearless” 6ft5 colossus, he’s a big upgrade on Saiss…

West Bromwich Albion’s transfer business in recent years has been far from exemplary, but there’s one deal for which the club’s hierarchy will gain praise for many years to come.

Back in the summer of 2015, the Midlands outfit turned down multiple bids for star striker Saido Berahino after the youngster had bagged an incredible 20 goals in all competitions throughout the previous campaign.

Fellow Premier League outfit Tottenham Hotspur were desperate to secure the forward’s signature in the run-up to the August deadline, but no deal could be agreed between the two clubs.

Berahino, who had cost West Brom nothing in transfer fees having come up through the youth academy, reacted badly after learning that his dream move had been blocked, tweeting that would never play for chairman Jeremy Peace again before going on strike.

Tony Pulis was appointed as the Baggies’ new manager midway through the speedster’s breakthrough season at The Hawthorns and attempted to bring him back into the fold before slowly losing patience.

The Welsh tactician later claimed that Berahino’s fitness and mental levels were not right after West Brom managed to secure a very healthy £12.51m fee for his services courtesy of Stoke City in January 2017. 

It was later reported that the Burundi international served an eight-week FA suspension at the end of his time at The Hawthorns for failing a drugs test, capping off a terrible final few years at his boyhood club. 

Berahino’s career offered so much promise in its early stages, with 10 goals in just 11 outings for England’s under-21s illustrating his truly top-class potential, but several bad decisions in a short space of time ensured that he never reached the heights which once seemed inevitable.

It took him 35 appearances to register his first goal at Stoke, by which time they had been relegated from the Premier League, and he would score just four more goals for the club before being released in June 2019, a month after being convicted for drink driving.

The now 28-year-old spent time in Belgium following his Stoke exit, featuring for Zulte Waregem and RSC Charleroi, before returning to English shores with League One outfit Sheffield Wednesday over the summer.

However, he has never shown the form which almost earned him a move to Spurs six years ago, proving that West Brom struck gold over his transfer by earning themselves a sizeable fee for a player who was already in decline.

In other news… Signed for free, now worth £6.3m: West Brom struck gold over “special” maestro

Kevin Phillips has offered his thoughts on Everton’s interest in Newcastle dud Sean Longstaff.

What’s the talk?

Former Premier League striker Kevin Phillips has questioned why Everton are, reportedly, looking to sign Sean Longstaff from Newcastle. The retired forward does not believe that the Toffees need him in their squad this season.

He told Football Insider:

“Do I think Everton need him? Possibly not.

“Longstaff hasn’t played loads of Premier League games but he does have that experience.

“From Newcastle’s point of view, he doesn’t play that often and it could be great business to move him on. It would free up a wage for Bruce to get someone with a bit more experience.

“I’m surprised Benitez is in for him but he obviously likes him and Longstaff played well under him. It’s a surprising one, I’m not sure Everton need him.”

No better than Davies

Marcel Brands must avoid a howler with Longstaff this month. Put simply, Everton should not be looking at a deal for the Newcastle outcast at all. He is not an upgrade on their starting XI and he is not an improvement on the back-up options Rafa Benitez already has.

Last season, Tom Davies made 25 appearances in the Premier League – 17 starts – as a rotation player for Carlo Ancelotti. He averaged a WhoScored rating of 6.46 whilst making 2.6 tackles and interceptions per game in midfield.

Longstaff, meanwhile, played 23 matches for Newcastle in the league. The Toon academy product averaged a WhoScored rating of 6.36, making 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game.

Given they both played a similar role for their respective clubs in the same position in the Premier League, it seems fair to directly compare them. Davies, on paper, appears to be the better option out of the pair and that means that Longstaff would not come in and make Benitez’s squad better.

Last year, the midfielder said that criticism over his performances baffled him, saying: “At times, it’s probably been a bit surprising. It’s something you have to take in your stride and enjoy.

“I hold myself to those high standards, so I’ve got no problem with everyone else doing that as well. I’ve still got people around me helping me, trying to get me to where I want to be.

“I’m still enjoying it, and it’s just about staying at an even keel and I know that, ultimately, I’ll get to where I want to be.”

This suggests that the £18k-per-week dud is not willing to accept that his performances were below par, given that he found criticism surprising and his statistics for the Magpies were unimpressive. Therefore, given he does not appear to be an upgrade on Davies, Everton must avoid bringing him in this summer.

AND in other news, Everton make contact for “tremendous” 6 ft 3 machine, Benitez would love him…

Aston Villa have introduced a new manager, with Steven Gerrard joining the club in November, and he will surely be confident going into his first Premier League winter transfer window, making his own mark on the squad.

Gerrard has been in charge of the side for seven games, with four wins for the Villains so far climbing from 16th to 10th since his arrival, and has had the opportunity to work with the current crop of players at Villa Park to determine his next moves in the upcoming transfer window.

He recently spoke to Birmingham Live to offer an insight to his plans for January;

“In terms of the January window, there’s obviously conversations at Villa and there always will be behind the scenes identifying areas where we can improve.”

Time to go

One player who is expected to be axed in the winter transfer window is striker, Wesley Moraes, who has been on loan at Club Brugge for the first half of the season, struggling to make an impact on the Belgian side with no goals or assists in his seven appearances.

The centre forward suffered a horrific ACL injury back in January 2020, when he was playing for Aston Villa, which saw him injured for almost 18 months, making his return in April 2021, and being sent out on loan to Club Brugge a few months later.

He is now linked with a move to one of two Brazilian clubs, Sao Paolo or Internacional, who are both rumoured to be interested in the £35K-p/w gem and it could really be a blessing in disguise for Gerrard, as he will be looking to free up funds so that he can spend on players he wants to add into his Aston Villa team of the future.

Rumours of a replacement

Gabriel Barbosa, better known as Gabigol, has been heavily linked with Aston Villa and a number of other Premier League clubs for that matter, including Newcastle United, West Ham, Arsenal and Everton.

The Flamengo forward has offered a much better output in his most recent season for his club compared to Villa flop, Wesley, with an impressive 29 goals and nine assists in 43 appearances, and has quite rightly grabbed the attention of Premier League clubs desperate to add goals and creativity to their side.

Flamengo legend, Zico, claimed Gabigol “has everything” in an interview: “I think Gabigol has everything to be the greatest striker in Flamengo’s history.”

Reports suggest that the goal machine would costs around £17m, but with the competition so broad across a number of Premier League clubs rumoured to be interested in securing Gabigol’s signature, it could be a battle of the highest bidder.

The Villa boss would surely welcome a striker with the volume of goals Barbosa has scored for his Rio De Janeiro based club at Villa Park, as he continues to attempt to climb the Premier League table in the second half of the season, in the hopes he will be able to repair the damage done before his arrival to the club last month.

In other news: Gerrard dealt a blow in securing transfer target

If Celtic fans have been casting their eye across the pond at the MLS in recent times, then they might have seen a very familiar face in Victor Wanyama.

The Kenya international was of course on the books at Parkhead for a number of seasons having been signed by Neil Lennon back in 2011.

The then 20-year-old almost immediately endeared himself into the hearts of Celtic supporters when he paid tribute to the Lisbon Lions at his unveiling, saying: “It has always been a dream of mine to play for a club like Celtic. After reading the club’s history, I have chosen 67 as my squad number to show appreciation to the 1967 squad.”

Wanyama would make 91 appearances in total for the Hoops during his spell in Scotland, scoring 13 goals and providing nine assists too – his most famous strike of course being the one against Barcelona in the Champions League when Celtic pulled off the unthinkable in beating the European giants.

The Kenyan’s tough-tackling nature and ability to drive forward from box-to-box saw him nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award in 2012/13, and it was no surprise to see him attract admiring glances from south of the border.

Sold to Premier League side Southampton for a fee around £12m, Wanyama went on to make 97 appearances in all competitions for the Saints, netting four goals in total and helping the club achieve three top-eight finishes in the Premier League.

That then earned him a move to Tottenham where he would make the exact same amount of outings, but his time in north London ended rather acrimoniously.

He would then later say: “I was frustrated and when I came back from injury I didn’t get enough chances to play and enjoy my football.When I came back, the club should have trusted me and given me more chances to play again.

“I was fit and training well. I never argued with Pochettino but I wanted to speak to him. I went to his office but he was busy. I saw his assistant Jesus (Perez). He told me be to be patient, that my chance would come blah, blah, blah. I didn’t go to see them again. That’s why I left the club. I’m a football player and I wanted to play football.”

Since arriving in the MLS on a free transfer back in March 2020, things haven’t quite worked out for the Kenya international.

Montreal lost in the play-in round in his first year at the club, having finished ninth in the Eastern Conference (out of 14), and 18th overall (out of 28).

Then just last season, Wanyama’s side fared even worse, finishing tenth in the conference and thereby missing even the play-in bracket, let alone finding themselves in the play-off proper or even making a run for the MLS title.

To think that just a few years ago, Wanyama was shining on the global stage by helping to beat Barcelona, then playing Premier League football with the likes of Southampton and Tottenham.

Now, Transfermarkt see his value down at just £4.5m, and it paints a real picture of how his career has panned out.

Things have gone downhill for the 6 foot midfield machine, and it’s safe to say Celtic played a blinder by cashing in on him at the right time.

AND in other news – £4.7m down the drain: £12k-p/w Celtic liability rinsed Peter Lawwell for 140 weeks

Aston Villa are interested in a deal to bring Joe Gomez to Villa Park in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Mirror, who claim that Steven Gerrard is hoping to strike a deal with Liverpool regarding a loan move for the centre-back this winter.

The report goes on to state that the Reds’ £36m summer signing of Ibrahima Konate has knocked the England international down the pecking order at Anfield, something that the 41-year-old Villa boss is attempting to take advantage of.

However, it is also claimed that Jurgen Klopp will not have forgotten the defensive injury crisis his side suffered last season, something which could see the German block Gerrard’s potential move for the 24-year-old.

Gerrard’s dream deal

While things appear to be very much on the up at Villa Park under the new leadership of Gerrard, with Villa having won both of their fixtures since the 41-year-old’s appointment at the club earlier this month, it is undeniable that, should the club wish to mount a serious charge towards the top end of the Premier League table, they must strengthen in the January window.

And, considering the fact that Villa have already shipped 21 goals over their 13 top-flight fixtures in the current campaign, centre-back would certainly appear to be a position that is in more urgent need of winter reinforcements.

As such, while it is true that Gomez has not featured all that much for Liverpool this season, featuring just seven times in all competitions for the Reds, the defender has nevertheless proven in the past that he would make a fantastic addition to Gerrard’s options in the heart of defence.

Indeed, over his 28 Premier League appearances back in 2019/20, the £27m-rated man helped his side keep 12 clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.4 interceptions, 0.8 tackles, 2.1 clearances and winning four duels per game.

These returns saw the £75k-per-week centre-back earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.92, ranking him as Liverpool’s 13th-best performer in their title-winning campaign.

Furthermore, Klopp is clearly an enormous fan of the 24-year-old, with the German coach stating of Gomez back in 2020: “Since he is playing as a centre-half again – his natural position – together with [Virgil van Dijk] there is exceptional. He is a sensational footballer, which is good.

“He has outstanding speed, which helps us a lot to keep our last line high; he is a really good challenger; good in one-on-one situations; football-wise, I said already, good. The package is really nice.”

As such, it would indeed appear highly advisable for Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens to do all they can to secure a deal for the 11-cap England international in January, as not only would Gomez appear to be a dream upgrade on Villa’s current options in the position, he could also help replace the potentially outgoing Tyrone Mings – who has been heavily linked with a move to Newcastle United this winter.

In other news: Hatfield drops AVFC January transfer claim which will be music to the ears of fans

Aston Villa will look to sign a new left-sided centre-back this summer to replace club captain Tyrone Mings, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Summer rebuild

Villa have struggled in recent weeks, losing their last four Premier League games. They have dropped down to 15th in the table as a result, and it looks as if Steven Gerrard is planning a major rebuild ahead of his first season in charge.

Recent reports have claimed that NSWE are expected to spend over £150m this summer, with the futures of eight players thought to be in doubt.

One of those is Mings, who has been a regular at Villa Park this season, and a further update regarding the England international has now emerged.

The Latest: Source shares update

Football Insider shared a story on Monday morning after being informed by a Villa source. They led with a title suggesting that Villa want a new defensive star to replace Mings, with Gerrard not convinced about the 29-year-old.

Mings has just over two years remaining on his current contract and is actually represented by the same agency as Gerrard.

The Verdict: Busy summer

Should Mings and Ezri Konsa move on as reports have suggested, Villa would be in desperate need of marquee defensive signings with just Calum Chambers and Kortney Hause remaining.

It looks as if Villa will have the funds to make some big-money signings, and you’d expect that could grow beyond £150m with funds brought in by possible departures.

The likes of Joe Gomez, Stefan de Vrij and Matthias Ginter are just three centre-backs who have been linked with a move to the Midlands in recent months, and at this rate, all three could be needed.

In other news: Gregg Evans: AVFC chiefs very excited over midfielder now set to sign at Villa Park