Aston Villa have made a new striker to partner Ollie Watkins their main transfer priority, according to Ashley Preece.

The Lowdown: Five in five

Unai Emery’s side returned to winning ways in the Premier League over the weekend after three defeats on the spin.

Watkins set Villa on their way against Everton from the penalty spot, making it five goals in as many top-flight games. He has netted nine goals in all competitions in 2022/23, and it looks as if Emery and co want more options in the final third heading into the Spaniard’s first full season in charge.

The Latest: Preece’s comments

Preece shared a Q&A for Birmingham Live on Thursday morning, where he was asked about the club’s transfer plans.

The Villa correspondent replied, saying: “A new No.9 to partner Ollie Watkins is at the top of Villa’s shopping list this summer. The defence will be strengthened as well.”

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The Verdict: Makes sense

Watkins is in a real purple patch at this moment in time, but after selling Danny Ings in January, bringing in a new marquee attacker would be a sensible move. Teenager Jhon Duran arrived in the Midlands during the winter window, with Emery having Watkins and Duran as his only options.

Prior to recent months, Watkins had scored just three goals in 19 league games, which again shows that it would be a wise move to bolster their ranks further.

It will be interesting to see who the club decide to go for, but one man who has been mentioned is Moussa Dembele, with Emery thought to be a ‘big fan’.

Newcastle United went through a difficult period during the ownership of Mike Ashley and have thankfully come out on the other side of it in a much better position, finally attracting and retaining important players to help them compete.

The Ashley era is an unforgettable time for the St James’ Park faithful and for most, the former owner’s handling of players, transfers and the general care invested into the club was non-existent and ultimately a nightmare in comparison to the experience they have had since the takeover.

During the 14 years of frustration and failure, there were many decisions that left a bad taste in the Newcastle supporters’ mouths and one of the most controversial was without a doubt the sale of youth academy ace Andy Carroll.

The Geordie striker became a breakthrough star in the North East tallying up 33 goals and 22 assists before Ashley found an opportunity to cash in on the club’s prodigy and perceived second-coming of legendary goal machine, Alan Shearer.

In January 2011, an unforgettable transfer Deadline Day unfolded when Newcastle fans’ worst fears came true with Carroll making a last-minute move to Liverpool in a £35m deal. Although at the time it caused an uproar on Tyneside, in hindsight the club hit the jackpot financially on the sale.

Where is Andy Carroll now?

It is no secret that Carroll’s move to Anfield was an absolute disaster and was even voted the worst transfer in Premier League history in a survey last year.

Within just 18 months, 58 appearances, 11 goals and six assists, the Gateshead-born forward was swiftly moved onto West Ham United where Carroll settled for the next seven years when his season-long loan in 2012 turned into a permanent £15m deal in the summer of 2013.

In 2019, Carroll returned to St James’ Park to reprise his centre-forward role at the club with former manager Steve Bruce hailing the striker a “local hero” upon his reunion with his boyhood club.

However, the 34-year-old – dubbed “reckless” by Samuel Luckhurst – was unable to meet the high expectations he left behind eight-and-a-half years before – scoring once and registering four assists before leaving the North East for the second time as a free agent.

Since then, Carroll has returned to the Championship with Bruce snapping up his services during his time at West Bromwich Albion and is currently in his second spell at Reading.

There, the colossal forward has managed six goals in 21 outings, while even being shown a red card against Manchester United in the FA Cup.

With that being said, Newcastle supporters will surely always wonder what Carroll could have become if he had remained in the first place, however, when reflecting on his career following the move to Liverpool it is hard to determine whether he could’ve really been the massive influence that they would have hoped for.

Newcastle United’s Allan Saint-Maximin is not for sale, despite rumours surrounding his future on Tyneside, it has been claimed.

The Lowdown: Saint-Maximin in demand

Saint-Maximin’s future is hardly set in stone, as he has been ousted from the starting XI at St James’ Park and struggled with injury problems this term.

Meanwhile, it has been suggested that Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur could be among his potential suitors come the summer, despite the Frenchman’s contract not expiring until 2026.

However, it appears that he is very much a respected figure at Newcastle and there are currently no plans to cash in on the 25-year-old.

The Latest: Saint-Maximin ‘not for sale’ at Newcastle

Football Insider’s Fraser Fletcher, speaking on The Insider Show, has claimed that despite the speculation over Saint-Maximin’s role at Newcastle, he remains in Eddie Howe’s plans on Tyneside.

He said: “Eddie Howe has spoken about how much he likes Allan Saint-Maximin and is excited by what he brings. I think he’s great to watch because I don’t even think he knows what he’s going to do when he’s got the ball at times. But he produces sublime moments of absolute magic, but then also sometimes some frustration as well.

“But it’s clear that those in the game believe he has got the potential to go to the very, very top in terms of ability, and some of the things he does in training are absolutely outrageous. It would take a big bid to move Allan Saint-Maximin from Newcastle – not impossible, obviously; many clubs could look at him as an option.

“But at this point in time, he is not for sale, he’s not been transfer listed. He’s a player that’s loved and adored by the staff there and the players there. He’s seen as an exceptional talent and it would take a lot to shift him.

“Of course, there’s a long way to go until the transfer window starts and of course, things change. But at this point in time, he’s still very much in the plans for Newcastle United, still very much in the plans for Eddie Howe, and you would expect him to be there.”

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The Verdict: Win-win situation for Newcastle and PIF

We think that it would be tricky for Newcastle to lose out whichever way they decide to resolve Saint-Maximin’s future.

One scenario would be that he stays and continues to develop in the north-east, and judging by Fletcher’s comments, the club would have no qualms with him staying amid rumblings of discontent from the winger over the Magpies’ summer business.

Alternatively, Saint-Maximin could either fail to live up to expectations or demand to be let go. In these cases, Howe would arguably hold all the cards in terms of getting what he wants.

Come the summer, the ex-France U21 international would still have three years left on his deal and has shown flashes of brilliance this season – not least in last week’s defeat to Liverpool. Therefore, there is surely no reason Newcastle would not be able to sell at a premium.

And given PIF’s riches, you would imagine that there will be no desperation for funds, even when taking Financial Fair Play considerations into account.

As a result, we struggle to see how, as it stands, Newcastle come out of this situation worse off.

An update has emerged on Tottenham Hotspur and their pursuit of a deal to sign James Maddison in the summer transfer window…

What’s the latest on James Maddison to Tottenham?

According to Football Insider, Spurs are in ‘pole position’ to secure the signing of the Leicester City attacking midfielder at the end of the season, as Fabio Paratici eyes a swoop for the 26-year-old.

The report claims that the England international wants to be a key player at his next club and that is said to be something that Antonio Conte’s side could offer him, whilst the London club are also on course to finish in the Champions League places in fourth – with the player aiming to compete at the highest level.

It is stated that a fee in the region of £70m could be enough for the Englishman and that Tottenham have the finances to compete with Manchester City and Newcastle, who are also interested in the gem, for his signature.

Could Maddison thrive alongside Harry Kane?

Antonio Conte could form a sensational pairing at the top end of the pitch by working with Paratici to get this deal for Maddison over the line ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The attacking midfielder could thrive alongside current Spurs superstar Harry Kane as the gem is adept at creating chances for his teammates on a regular basis and the England international is a phenomenal finisher.

Since the start of the 2014/15 season, the centre-forward has scored 197 Premier League goals from 173.84 xG and this means that the gem has been an above-average finisher in the last nine campaigns as he has scored far more than the quality of chances has suggested the marksman should.

Maddison, who was once lauded as a “magician” by analyst Statman Dave, has consistently shown that he has the ability to create high-quality opportunities on a regular basis.

The former Norwich City maestro has created 27.08 xG for his teammates since the start of the 2018/19 campaign and has provided 2.2 key passes per match in the Premier League so far this term, which suggests that the playmaker could rack up assists by playing alongside Kane.

Maddison’s finishing ability could also help the current Spurs man to improve his assist numbers. The Tottenham star has 14.76 xA since the start of last season but has only been rewarded with 11 assists.

Meanwhile, the Foxes sensation has scored a whopping 29 goals from 13.96 xG in the last three campaigns.

This shows that the 26-year-old is an excellent finisher from midfield and that he could make the most of Kane’s playmaking from the centre-forward position, whilst also providing the striker with chances of his own to score from.

Now, imagine the pair lining up – alongside Heung-min Son as well – in the Premier League for Tottenham next season…

Leeds United are responsible for producing a number of world class players over the years. There was a point in time when their academy seemed like a never-ending talent factory, with a constant flow of future England internationals bursting onto the scene in a style even Micah Richards would be proud of.

In recent times, that talent factory has slowed down ever so slightly, with the modern game more focused on improving via the transfer market, and not the option closer to home in the form of academies. Those at Elland Road will still be hoping to discover the next best thing in the next few years, however.

With that said, we’ve ranked the 10 most successful academy products in Leeds United history. 

10) Fabian Delph 

Going onto captain Aston Villa after graduating from the Leeds United academy, Fabian Delph was one of the most talented young England midfielders at one stage, even earning himself a move to Manchester City.

At The Etihad, Delph picked up two Premier League titles, one FA Cup and three League Cups, playing a part in the famous ‘Centurions’ team.

He went on to play for Everton before eventually retiring at the end of last season.

Delph also racked up 20 caps for England between 2014 and 2019.

9) Kalvin Phillips

Someone who will look to replicate Delph’s success at Manchester City, Kalvin Phillips was a fan favourite at Leeds United, where he helped the club back into the Premier League.

Phillips also played a key role in helping Leeds survive in the Premier League, and he earned himself a move to City. 

He has also been an England regular under Gareth Southgate, and was a member of the squad at both Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup.

If he can become a key player at City, he’ll climb this list.

8) Gary Kelly 

One of the best right-backs in Leeds United history, Gary Kelly made an incredible total of 501 appearances for the Yorkshire club, even playing for the side that reached the Champions League semi-final in 2001.

Kelly was as consistent and loyal as they come, and more than deserves his place on this list.

Kelly also won 52 caps for the Republic of Ireland, playing for his country at the 2002 World Cup.

A true one-club man and Leeds legend.

7) David Batty 

Never one for the spotlight, David Batty quietly enters this list as one of the most successful players to come out of the Leeds United academy.

The midfielder made an impressive 228 appearances for his boyhood club, and also played for both Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers, where he won the Premier League title.

He bookended his career at Elland Road, playing for them between 1987 and 1993, and between 1998 and 2004.

A player who loves Leeds, and was loved right back by the fans.

6) Paul Robinson 

One of the most consistent goalkeepers to ever grace the Premier League, Paul Robinson played for Leeds United, Blackburn Rovers, Tottenham Hotspur, and Burnley, keeping a total of 88 Premier League clean sheets in 375 appearances.

His legacy as an English football and Leeds United legend still remains to this day.

He was good enough to become England’s No.1, a player who represented his country on the very biggest stage.

It could be argued he was more successful elsewhere, but at Leeds, he truly blossomed into an excellent goalkeeper.

5) Jonathan Woodgate 

The fact that Jonathan Woodgate became a Galactico at Real Madrid should instantly cement his place as one of the most successful academy graduates in Leeds United history, even if it didn’t work out in Spain.

The central defender remains one of the best defenders to ever play for the Yorkshire club.

He represented Leeds with distinction between 1998 and 2003 but left as a financial crisis engulfed the club, moving to Newcastle United.

He would go on to win the League Cup with Tottenham, scoring the winning goal in the 2008 League Cup final against Chelsea.

4) James Milner 

If this was a lactate test, then James Milner would be clear as the number one.

In a list of successful Leeds United academy graduates, however, he finishes a more than respectable fourth.

The Liverpool midfielder has won it all in what has been an illustrious career, and he doesn’t look like slowing down either, even at 36.

A regular England international and a truly unbelievable athlete, Milner has been superb for decades.

3) David Seaman 

One of England’s best ever goalkeepers, David Seaman didn’t actually make an appearance for Leeds United’s first-team.

Instead, he went on to have incredible success elsewhere, mainly at Arsenal, where he kept 218 clean sheets in 509 games.

At the North London club, Seaman also won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, and one League Cup.

He also played for England at multiple major tournaments, including the World Cup.

2) Gary Speed

The late, great Gary Speed remains one of the best players to grace Elland Road.

In total, he made 226 appearances for his boyhood club, even winning a league title in 1992, and Community Shield in 1993.

He also starred for Newcastle United, where he made 285 appearances during his time at the club.

Speed is greatly missed, and retired with a huge cabinet filled with trophies.

1) Denis Irwin 

One of the greatest players to ever play for Manchester United, it’s with great irony that we place Denis Irwin top of our list of the successful academy graduates to come out of Leeds United.

The left-back only made two appearances for Leeds, before joining Oldham Athletic and eventually making the move to Old Trafford, where he won seven Premier League titles, one Champions League, three FA Cups, and one League Cup.

He goes down as one of the best left-backs English football has ever seen.

It’s a real shame for Leeds that they didn’t know what they had with Irwin.

So, there you have it, our list of the most successful academy products in Leeds United history. Do you agree with our picks? Or do you believe that we’ve missed out some deserving players? Let us know in the comments!

West Ham United returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion this afternoon as they dispatched their Premier League relegation rivals Nottingham Forest on a 4-0 scoreline.

It was an all-important win which not only sees the Irons crawl out of the relegation zone, but also brings them to within just two points of today’s visitors to the London Stadium.

Having endured a quiet first half, it took a 15-minute flurry in which the Hammers’ 4-3-3 system finally bore offensive fruit. From minutes 70 to 85 they blew away the Tricky Trees, scoring four goals and putting the game to bed.

Whilst there were plenty of standout players from such a remarkable result for David Moyes’ side, Declan Rice will command particular praise for his stunning goal and well-earned 8.1 Sofascore rating, which he paired with four key passes.

However, it was the first two goals which proved the most important for West Ham, what is why the ice-cold Danny Ings must be handed much of the acclaim.

How did Danny Ings play against Nottingham Forest?

Having been doubtful to start in the build-up to the clash due to injury, the 30-year-old made his first Premier League start since his January move to east London, and did so in remarkable fashion.

His two goals completely changed the complexion of a game which was growing increasingly nervy, as the teams remained level with 20 minutes to go.

Stealing in just inside the six-yard box, he expertly dug out the opener from under his feet and past Keylor Navas, before bundling in a second just three minutes later.

His goals may have underpinned the bulk of his contribution to the team, but the 32-touch marksman’s all-round role was integral to the victory. He also completed b12 passes and proved a consistent aerial threat despite his diminutive frame, winning three of his five aerial duels (via Sofascore).

It was a performance which led journalist Jonty Colman to describe it as Ings “proving his worth” after the injury-prone forward had suffered since his £15m transfer last month.

What is beyond doubt is that West Ham fans saw the brilliant best of the man once dubbed “lethal” by Chris Sutton, and Moyes will be hoping that the 30-year-old can now find some consistency as the Irons look to fire themselves away from the Premier League drop zone.

Performances like today’s will go a long way towards achieving that mission, and should Ings remain fit and firing, the threat of relegation should soon diminish.

Wolves will be looking to repeat their performance against Liverpool from February when they travel to Anfield on Wednesday night.

Julen Lopetegui’s side thrashed the Reds 3-0 at Molineux early last month and can distance themselves further from the relegation places with another three points this evening.

How should Wolves start against Liverpool?

The Old Gold looked impressive on Friday evening against Fulham but only came away from Craven Cottage with a point after Manor Solomon’s excellent equaliser.

Lopetegui will be forced into some changes due to injury but may rotate his team ahead of an extremely tough game against a fairly resurgent Liverpool side.

Here is how Football FanCast expects the Spaniard to line his side up in Merseyside, with three changes from the team that started against Fulham:

(4-3-3) Sa, Semedo, Dawson, Kilman, Ait-Nouri, Neves, Nunes, Lemina, Traore, Podence, Jimenez.

Unsurprisingly, Jose Sa looks likely to keep his place in between the sticks, as they were unfortunate not to keep a clean sheet at Craven Cottage and earned Wolves a point thanks to his late save from Carlos Vinicius.

There is just one change in defence, as Rayan Ait-Nouri replaces the inexperienced Hugo Bueno at left-back, in the hope that the Frenchman can contain Mohamed Salah, as he did in the 3-0 win at Molineux.

Craig Dawson will also be hoping to replicate his performance from that game after scoring Wolves’ second, and he partners Max Kilman at centre-back, with Nelson Semedo keeping his place at right-back.

Wolves’ midfield looked to have a good balance to it at Craven Cottage, with Ruben Neves dictating the play from deep, while Mario Lemina broke up the play and Matheus Nunes pushed on, so Lopetegui should select the same three at Anfield.

He will be forced into changes in attack, however, as Matheus Cunha looks unlikely to start after picking up a knock at Fulham, so Daniel Podence comes in for him.

Adama Traore, who Jurgen Klopp once called “unplayable,” should come in for Pablo Sarabia to add counter-attacking threat at Anfield, with Raul Jimenez completing the attack.

YouTuber Mark Goldbridge has slammed Erik ten Hag for his “horrific error” as he subbed Fred off for Scott McTominay during the Manchester United defeat this weekend.

What’s the latest on Erik ten Hag and the Man United defeat?

On Sunday afternoon in the Premier League, the Red Devils knew they had a tough game on their hands but nothing could have prepared their fans for the shock 7-0 thumping they were about to suffer against Liverpool.

A brace from Cody Gakpo and one effort from Darwin Nunez had given the Reds a three-goal lead by the 50th minute and before the hour mark, Ten Hag opted to make a change.

In the remaining 32 minutes with Fred now off and McTominay on, Man Utd managed to ship a further four goals and Goldbridge has outlined why this was such a poor substitution to make.

While speaking on The United Stand, he explained (8:25): “It’s as unforgivable as it is shocking because of what actually happened. But to be honest with you, I actually think at 3-0, Ten Hag made a horrific error. A horrific error that cost us four goals.

“Bringing Scott McTominay on and putting them in a game like that was like throwing a rabbit into a bunch of lions. It was a tear-up because we completely capitulated in the midfield.

“Fred might not have been having a good game, but we’ve always said this about Fred: he can have a bad hour and then in the last half an hour he can be world-class.

“Taking Fred off from McTominay… He [Ten Hag] was obviously not very happy with Fred, but taking Fred off and McTominay – however bad we were with Fred – that midfield just dissipated, completely disappeared.”

How badly did Scott McTominay play for MUFC?

Seeing as the game was essentially lost at 3-0, it’s not hard to see why Ten Hag felt as though he needed to change things up to try and shift the momentum of the game.

As it happened though, things only went from bad to worse. In the end, McTominay finished the game with a 6.2 SofaScore rating, having picked up a yellow card, touching the ball just six times, compelling two out of three passes, losing the ball once, winning one of two ground rules, while making a foul too.

As that shows, it was a forgettable 32-minute cameo from the midfielder. However, you can hardly blame him for the result, but the decision to bring him on and the entire United performance certainly doesn’t reflect well on Ten Hag, who up until recently has been earning big praise.

All in all, it was a day to forget for everyone involved with MUFC.

TalkSPORT pundit Jamie O’Hara has praised Manchester City star Phil Foden, claiming he would be worth £200m in this market.

How has Foden performed for Man City?

The England international has found himself on the bench at times this season, with just 16 of his 24 league appearances coming from the start, but opened the scoring in City’s crucial victory over Newcastle.

The 22-year-old has scored 13 and assisted five times in this campaign, as the Champions attempt to keep pace with league leaders Arsenal, and has earned praise for his level of performance.

Speaking on Sky Sports, O’Hara lauded Foden, claiming that he could be worth double what record signing Jack Grealish is to City.

“Whenever I watch him play, he’s just so good,” he stated.

“We talked about Jack Grealish being a £100m player, but he’s been around for a long time. Phil Foden’s really still a kid, and he’s doing things that I’ve never seen before in a young player.

“He’s born and bred through Manchester City’s Academy, and they have got a £200m player in Phil Foden, and every time I watch him play, I’m just mesmerised. I really am. I don’t think we appreciate how good he is.”

Should Foden be starting more games?

The versatile winger has to compete with Grealish and Riyad Mahrez amongst others for a starting position in City’s large squad, and regular rotation means none are guaranteed starters.

The departures of Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus in the summer opened up more potential game time for City’s wingers, but there is a case to be made that Foden should be starting more.

Guardiola has admitted that he is playing Foden less, partially due to the form of Grealish and Mahrez, with the more experienced players performing well.

The Spaniard previously claimed that Foden was “the most talented player” he had ever seen, indicating that he does rate the Englishman highly despite his inconsistent starts, but Foden may have to improve his consistency if he is to become a more regular fixture on the team sheet.

Newcastle United are reportedly set to reward Nick Pope with a new contract worth £100,000-per-week.

The Lowdown: Top signing

Hailed as an ‘exceptional’ goalkeeper by Eddie Howe upon arriving from Burnley in the summer, Pope has been a top signing for Newcastle.

The six-foot-three colossus boasts the most amount of clean sheets in the Premier League so far this season with 12, and his team have conceded the fewest goals by far with 17.

The Latest: New bumper contract…

As per The Sun, the St. James’ Park outfit are set to reward Pope with a bumper new deal worth £100,000-per-week.

His basic salary at the moment is £60,000-per-week, but that is thought to increase with appearance money, clean sheet and win bonuses.

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The Verdict: Deserved

Pope’s new contract is well-deserved considering his form this season.

He has established himself as not only one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League, but in Europe as well, ranking in the top 20% for a number of key metrics for shot-stoppers in Europe’s top five leagues.

Pope’s current £60,000-per-week wage does not reflect his importance in the squad, and a new £100,000-per-week contract would put him among Newcastle’s highest earners.

Thus, the Magpies should be looking to wrap this deal up as soon as they can, so that it does not become a distraction for the rest of the campaign.