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Aston Villa’s summer spending spree isn’t finished just yet as Dean Smith looks to splash the cash for a second time.

Having brought in his old Brentford striker Ollie Watkins for £28m along with Lyon winger Bertrand Traore for £19m, it appears that the Villa chief is still after another attacker.

Wesley Moraes is still on the sidelines following a nasty ACL injury last season whilst the future of Mbwana Samatta is by no means certain with West Brom and Fenerbahce battling it out to clinch him on loan.

According to the Express & Star, Celtic’s leading talisman Odsonne Edouard is still very much a player on the shortlist of options but the Midlands outfit will need to make their move soon with the window closing in a little over two weeks time.

The 22-year-old is one of the most in-demand players in the United Kingdom at the minute with Everton, Leicester City, Crystal Palace and Newcastle United also touted with interest.

Although Edouard could cost in excess of £40m, as per the Daily Mail.

The young French powerhouse bagged a whopping 27 goals and even provided 19 assists last season as the Bhoys clinched a ninth title in a row – and his red hot form has continued into this term having already scored five times.

Neil Lennon has given him high praise in the past, he believes Edouard is an “outstanding footballer, talismanic almost” and is also so talented” whilst former Hoops forward Andy Walker believes he’d be a “bargain” for “any of the big boys” in the Premier League.

It very much remains to be seen if Celtic would sell their key star this close to the end of the window, but it would be on Johan Lange and co to make an offer they simply can’t refuse.

For now, he remains north of the border.

AND in other news, Villa need to swoop for £20m maestro after his latest transfer revelation…

According to BILD, Everton are interested in FC Koln striker Jhon Cordoba, with the Colombian attempting to force a move away in this summer transfer window.

What’s the word?

The Toffees have enjoyed a superb last couple of weeks on all fronts, with the signings of Abdoulaye Doucoure, Allan and James Rodriguez, followed up by a 1-0 away win at Tottenham on Sunday afternoon.

Now, BILD claim that the Merseyside club are keen on further reinforcing their forward line, with Cordoba in their sights. The report claims that the 27-year-old asked Koln to be left out of their last game as his head was not in the right place amid talk of a move away.

How big of an Everton fan are you? Can you spot Mikel Arteta from Graham Stuart? This quiz will test your knowledge, try it if you’re brave enough…

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It’s suggested Everton will have to pay at least €15m (£13.8m) to prise him away from the Bundesliga side.

Ancelotti’s next Drogba

In his illustrious managerial career, Carlo Ancelotti has managed some of the world’s greatest players, including a Premier League legend in Didier Drogba, whilst the pair were both at Chelsea.

In Cordoba, the Everton boss could find someone with very similar traits to the Ivorian powerhouse, with the Koln striker himself even going on record to say that he loved the way the former Chelsea man played.

He said: “Drogba was my role model. I liked the way he played football. A battering-ram type who would always ride roughshod over everyone.”

The 6 foot 2 Cordoba is an equally physical striker, winning 6.3 duels per game in the Bundesliga last season, and winning more than 50% of battles in the air.

But the Colombian isn’t just an old-fashioned centre-forward, with his former teammate at Koln, Simon Terrode, saying: “Jhon is the kind of player who can get the ball on the halfway line, run towards goal and score.”

Cordoba has got all the tools in his locker to become a real force in the Premier League, and having someone who can be a presence both in the box, and as someone who can create magic on his own, could be a game-changer for Ancelotti.

According to Football Insider, Leeds United are plotting a late move for Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley.

What’s the word?

Two games into the Premier League season, and the Whites have already served up a great deal of entertainment, being involved in a pair of unbelievable 4-3 results – one going their way against Fulham, and the other going against them at Liverpool.

Is it Haaland Snr or David Hopkins? Your Leeds knowledge will be put to the test with this quiz…

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Off the pitch, Marcelo Bielsa’s side have enjoyed a good time in the transfer market, already luring the likes of Rodrigo and Robin Koch to Elland Road. And now, Football Insider claim they are planning a late window swoop for Barkley as a potential alternative to Udinese man Rodrigo De Paul.

The report adds that Chelsea could allow Barkley to leave on a loan deal as they look to trim their wage bill, with the England international of course having already spent time at Leeds back in the 2012/2013 season under Neil Warnock when he was on loan there from Everton.

Bielsa can revive him

It’s safe to say that since Barkley burst onto the scene for Everton all those years ago, that he hasn’t realised the kind of potential and hype that surrounded him.

The now 26-year-old managed just 27 goals and 28 assists in 179 games for the Toffees, before making a rather cut-price move to fellow Premier League side Chelsea, where his form has fallen off even more – in 86 matches for the Blues, he’s scored just 11 times and set up only 11 too.

Despite his struggles, some, like ex-Leeds man Rio Ferdinand, are convinced that he can eventually turn his career around. The former England defender said: “He’s got huge potential, great with his feet, drives at people. Decision-making has probably been his issue, getting goals and assists at the top end of the pitch. The potential we’ve known about for many years.”

The £100k-a-week earning ace however could end up reviving his career with another loan spell at Elland Road, this time under Bielsa. At 26, he’s almost a decade younger than Leeds’ chief creator, Pablo Hernandez, and if he stays fit and gets a regular run of game-time, could finally flourish under someone who can actually coach and give him that trust.

Bielsa could decide that Barkley would be best served playing alongside Hernandez and having the Spaniard almost take up a mentoring role. And as just a season-long loan, it’s a deal that makes sense on multiple levels.

Celtic will be hoping that they can return from the international break with victory on Saturday’s Old Firm derby.

Neil Lennon has already had some issues before the match as a few of his key players are currently having to isolate due to recent events.

Celtic legend Frank McAvennie has been speaking about the derby and he believes that the appointment of John Beaton as the referee for the match against Rangers could be a concern for the Hoops.

What did McAvennie have to say about Celtic’s derby hopes?

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie said: “I fear for the referee on Saturday. He is not very well liked by the Celtic side of Glasgow. I hope I am wrong, I really do. I hope he stands up because he is a good referee but in the past he has been known to make a couple of gaffs when it comes to Celtic.

“I am hoping they were just mistakes. Put it this way, I really hope next week we are not talking about the referee’s performance. I hope it is about football.”

Will this impact Celtic heavily?

McAvennie believes that Beaton could have a big impact on the game, although the Hoops should not be worried. Despite losing the last time that he took charge of an Old Firm derby in 2018, Celtic have won 28 and lost just twice on the 35 previous occasions that he has refereed one of their games.

With Neil Lennon’s side only a point behind their table-topping rivals and with a game in hand, Saturday marks a real opportunity to strike a major psychological blow. Hopefully the performance of Beaton won’t be the main talking point afterwards.

Celtic fans, do you share McAvennie’s concerns about Beaton taking charge of the derby? Comment below with your views!

Have you found your favourite team for the season yet? With Everton and Aston Villa in a surprising lead in the Premier league, it looks like it’s going to be an exciting run this year. You never know if they’ll pull off a Leicester City. We all know that championships are won in April and May, but why not find your team to root for already when the title is up for grabs?

With Virgil van Dijk out for most of the season, it looks like Liverpool will have a hard time winning their second Premier League title in a row. That means the Premier League might crown a new champion this year. The question is who’s hungry enough for it. Arsenal, Manchester United and City don’t look comfortable this year, Chelsea is being rebuilt, so who’s left?

Tottenham might look like a strong contender for the premiership this year. It certainly seems like Mourinho’s ideas are taking hold, and they look strong with Kane and Song in front. But if you really want to twist the tale of 2020, what about a team like Everton under Ancelotti’s rule? They haven’t been this strong since the 70’s and we might be in for a thrill of a season this year. Don’t do like Özil and miss out on all the fun.

Place your bets for the season

You probably heard of the man who placed a quid on Leicester City in 2015. Who would have thought there was 5000 times return on his bet and hold true? You don’t have to be quite as optimistic or radical in your approach to betting, but let’s say Aston Villa or Everton might qualify for the Europa League next season. Or might even join the top 4. It might not seem as unrealistic as it sounds. If Aston Villa can beat champions Liverpool at home 7-2, that kind of proves that anything can happen in football.

You can receive free betting tips if you look in the right places. If the Premier League doesn’t interest you, there’s plenty going on the leagues below. Will this be Brentford’s year? There’s football played every day all over the world, so you don’t have to limit your bets to English football. There are plenty of matches to go around for everyone and now the Champions League and Europa League have begun, it’s all about picking your games to watch.

Remember, be responsible

As with anything else in life, you can’t evade responsibility. That means you should never gamble for more than your worth or even can afford. You’ve heard the stories before. Betting should always be a fun supplement to your monthly income.

Betting is about responsibility and if you can set aside a little of your earnings each month, it should be sufficient for you to enjoy the fun of sports betting. If you always stick to your budget, you can make sure you will have a fun time at the sports centre.

Aaron Cresswell proved to be a rare gem for West Ham United in their 2-1 loss to Liverpool on Saturday, with the defender the stand-out player in David Moyes’ visiting side.

Moyes entrusted Cresswell with once again serving as his left-sided centre-half at Anfield, in a role the 30-year-old full-back has now occupied in the east London outfit’s last six Premier League fixtures.

The Liverpool-born defender was unable to influence the scoring on Merseyside as he did with assists in victory over Leicester City and his side’s 3-3 draw at Tottenham Hotspur, but stood out for his defensive game up against the likes of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane.

Cresswell’s sublime efforts to hold off Mane proved key to preventing the Senegalese sensation from scoring his fifth goal of the Premier League season, too, as the 28-year-old found himself thwarted perfectly when otherwise presented with a glorious chance to bear down on Lukasz Fabianski’s net.

Moyes would have been delighted with the efforts put in by Cresswell at Liverpool this weekend, though knowing the £5.85million-rated ace deserves even greater praise having shrugged off a groin injury to feature at Anfield and maintain his 100% appearance record for the top-flight campaign.

Irons icon Trevor Sinclair will also have been vastly captivated by the display, having told talkSPORT (23/10, 09:20) of his surprise at how well the three-time England international had taken to his new position at centre-half.

“Would you have said at the start of the season that Cresswell would be a great left-sided defender? I wouldn’t. He’s gone in there and he looks so composed.”

Cresswell’s performance at Liverpool on Saturday deservedly secured the 30-year-old the highest match rating by a West Ham player from SofaScore, who marked the defender at 7.2 out of 10 – only Salah (7.4), Mane (7.3) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (7.3) scored higher of those who started.

The former Ipswich Town full-back warranted the Hammers’ Man of the Match rating thanks to recording five successful tackles, five clearances and four interceptions whilst he won all four of his aerial duels, six of his eight ground contests, committed zero fouls, took 62 touches and completed 75% of his 32 attempted passes.

Cresswell was further never dribbled past by one of Liverpool’s boisterous forward options, was fouled once, and picked out teammates with three of his seven attempted long balls.

AND in other news, West Ham’s injury nightmare will only amplify David Moyes’ regret on failing to sign an “extraordinary” hitman.

It is no secret that West Bromwich Albion have one hell of an academy set-up, it’s arguably among the best in English football outside of your usual suspects.

The Baggies spent £1.3m on new facilities back in 2013 to breed through the next generation of young hopefuls and even pledged £3m-per-year after they were awarded category one status – the highest ranking – in the Premier League’s Elite Player Performance plan, as per the Express & Star.

Although only a couple of promising starlets have made their way into the first-team set-up in recent seasons, namely Nathan Ferguson, who left for Crystal Palace this summer, Rekeem Harper and Dara O’Shea, who is now a regular under Slaven Bilic.

The next talent to breakthrough could well be Rayhaan Tulloch, a 19-year-old who was quite sought-after in recent transfer windows and in the past, has drawn comparisons to both Jadon Sancho and Callum Hudson-Odoi.

“He’s quick and the type of player that’s broken through a lot recently — like Jadon Sancho and Callum Hudson-Odoi. I’m not saying he’s at that level but he’s that type of player that could quickly change a game through an explosive movement, a quick dribble or a run in behind and that can have quite an impact on a game.”

ex-England U17 coach Steve Cooper

He signed a new four-year deal in the summer and trained with the first-team prior to the new Premier League, showing just how much faith the Croatian has in his ability.

In fact, Bilic has described the versatile frontman as an “exceptional talent” with “very quick feet, very good skill, a very good sense of the game” – no wonder he’s been compared to some mighty impressive wingers already.

Following in the footsteps of both Saido Berahino and Ferguson, Tulloch has gone from junior club Phoenix United to making a debut for his hometown club, West Brom.

The teenager was a key part of the England U17 squad that made the semi-finals back in 2018 – “Rayhaan was, on his day, a really big threat — very direct and able to turn a game through his skill and athleticism,” said Cooper, now in charge of Swansea City.

Tulloch now finds himself on loan to Doncaster Rovers, under the stewardship of former boss Darren Moore, though injuries have curtailed his progress having started both their opening matches in League One.

He has been out ever since.

Within the next season or two, Albion will be in need of options upfront – both Kenneth Zohore and Charlie Austin will surely leave permanently whilst Hal Robson-Kanu is the wrong side of 30.

Rangers, Aston Villa, Southampton and Newcastle United all wanted a piece of him, as per the Express & Star, so Luke Dowling best hope he can now go onto big things at the Hawthorns.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Chris Kirkland tips 66 y/o to replace Slaven Bilic…

Former Glasgow Rangers manager Alex McLeish believes it is “amazing” that the Gers are said to be interested in Sampdoria midfielder Jakub Jankto.

Jankto on radar

Reputable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano recently revealed that the Gers were “so close” to signing 24 year-old Jankto. In the end, though, he ended up staying in Italy.

The fact that the 54-time Scottish champions were linked at all appears to have delighted McLeish. He told Ibrox News:

“It’s amazing to see Rangers getting linked with young international players like this after playing catch-up for four or five years.

“I think that they’ve been pretty studious in terms of the players that are brought in. A lot of them do have young legs and are learning the game but they’ve adapted really quickly.

“A lot of players can come and become a household name in Scotland. You saw Virgil van Dijk come here, spread his wings and go on to be a superstar. 

“But it’s not easy coming to play for Rangers – you have to stand up and be counted.”

Shows how far the Gers have come

Indeed, this is a big boost for the Gers even if they were unable to actually get their hands on the player in the end. Jankto is a player who has 28 caps for the Czech Republic, and has also previously been linked with Italian giants Juventus. The fact that the Gers were even in with a chance is a big statement of what they are trying to achieve at Ibrox.

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Currently valued at £8.55m (Transfermarkt), he would not have come cheap, and after two goals and one assist in six matches in Serie A so far this term for Sampdoria, his current employers may have decided against selling him. This level of player, though, is one the Gers should be targeting on a regular basis if they want to get back to where they belong.

In other news, Rangers fans surprisingly laud this Scotland star.

According to German publication DeichStube, Aston Villa remain interested in Werder Bremen hot-shot Milot Rashica as they contemplate making a move for him.

What’s the story?

The versatile forward was linked with a move to Villa Park all summer, with reports even suggesting that a deal was supposedly close. However, that failed to materialise before the end of the transfer window deadline, and Rashica ended up staying put with the Bundesliga side.

Now, DeichStube claim that Villa haven’t gone away in the chase to sign him, and that they will look very carefully at the 24-year-old’s form over the next few weeks to see if he recaptures his form – his start to the new season has been hampered by a knee problem that ruled him out of Bremen’s first couple of league games.

It’s further added that Rashica himself will look to push for a move away from the German side, and that Villa could also face competition from Bayer Leverkusen who failed in a deadline day bid for him.

Imagine him, Barkley and Grealish

Whilst Villa’s attack hasn’t been an issue this season – they currently have the joint-fourth best record in the entire Premier League with 19 goals scored – they surely must revisit a move for Rashica in January if they can.

The Kosovo international was in scintillating form for Bremen last season, notching 11 goals and providing eight assists in 32 games. Whilst he’s had an indifferent start to the new campaign, his cause hasn’t been helped by his struggles with a knee injury.

His ability to play through the middle and off the right would give Villa another hugely exciting and dynamic forward, and one that could offer the kind of pace and movement that the likes of Jack Grealish and Ross Barkley will love trying to find with their creativity.

Both Trezeguet and Bertrand Traore haven’t shown that they can be relied upon to provide that goal-scoring instinct just yet from that right-hand side, but Rashica showed it in some fashion last year for Bremen. Johan Lange could seal a stunning coup in the £16.2m-rated hot-shot.

Tottenham Hotspur may have already qualified for the Europa League knockout stages but they welcome Belgian outfit Royal Antwerp to north London in a battle for the top spot.

The visitors are two points clear of Jose Mourinho’s men and are the only side to have beaten the Premier League giants in the competition this season.

They’ll be out for revenge knowing that first place in Group J is likely to hand them a favourable tie, though they come into it on the back of an impressive and tireless victory over arch-rivals, Arsenal on Sunday.

Therefore, we’re expecting several changes and given the strength in depth at the Portuguese’s disposal, it could well be wholesale so here’s our predicted XI…

Mourinho could name an entirely new starting lineup from the side that defeated the Gunners.

Starting in goal, we might see back-up shot-stopper Joe Hart take the place of skipper Hugo Lloris whilst the central defensive pairing of Japhet Tanganga and Davinson Sanchez looks set to continue in Europe for a third successive outing.

One player who definitely won’t be featuring is Serge Aurier. He picked up a niggle ahead of the north London derby, but still managed to play the full 90 though his unavailability may hand an opportunity to Matt Doherty whilst Ben Davies takes over from Sergio Reguilon.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is another who will be handed a rest having started all 11 league games this term, which means Harry Winks could be given a rare start alongside U21 starlet Harvey White. The 19-year-old has played eight minutes against Ludogorets a few weeks ago.

Tanguy Ndombele should come back into the starting XI after being absent for the Arsenal win and he’s preferred to Dele Alli in the no.10 role.

Whilst in attack, Gareth Bale and Carlos Vinicius should replace the prolific exploits of Heung-min Son and Harry Kane, who quite rightly need a break from match action.

There may even be a start for Jack Clarke, who has only played 26 senior minutes this term. According to ESPN, the club’s staff “think very highly” of the 20-year-old, so it’s only right he’s given a fair crack.

AND in other news, Spurs could find their own Timo Werner in “stone-cold finisher”…