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Aston Villa haven’t always been blessed with the greatest of goalscorers but in the last decade, the frontline at Villa Park has somewhat improved as the years have gone by.

Christian Benteke had great success, even earning a big-money move to Liverpool as a result, before failing to suit Jurgen Klopp’s heavy metal football system. Tammy Abraham is another who starred for Villa – albeit in the Championship – and now Ollie Watkins is leading the line, showing glimpses of bursting into life under Steven Gerrard.

Whether the Midlands club target another forward this summer remains to be seen. With Danny Ings and Watkins to call on, though, Gerrard has plenty of firepower already at his disposal.

Last season, both had spells of promise, but failed to enjoy campaigns of consistency. In Gerrard’s first full season in charge, they’ll both be desperate to establish themselves as the starting strikers.

Watkins, in particular, at 26, will have the pressure on him to perform as he enters his theoretical prime. He may even look to follow in the footsteps of some of the players listed below, as revealed by TransferMarkt.

12/13: Christian Benteke – 30

The big Belgian was unstoppable at his peak, scoring 23 goals and recording a further seven assists in the 2012/13 season as Villa survived the drop. It remains his best goal scoring season in English football.

13/14: Christian Benteke – 13

Even though Benteke’s 2013/14 season didn’t quite live up to the prior campaign’s total of 30 goal contributions, he still managed to rank top out of Villa’s squad, recording 13 contributions. His 11 goals and two assists were enough to help his side avoid relegation once more.

14/15: Christian Benteke – 18

If it wasn’t obvious before, Benteke more than enjoyed his time at Aston Villa. Just one season after topping the contributions rankings again, ‘Big Ben’ made it a hat-trick. And this time he managed to better the previous season.

With 15 goals and three assists, Benteke once again helped Villa survive. It must be said, however, that they cut it close – finishing 17th.

15/16: Rudy Gestede – 9

Having narrowly avoided relegation the season before with Benteke at the forefront, Aston Villa were not so lucky a year later, as their former striker jumped ship to Liverpool.

The responsibility to score goals fell on Benteke’s replacement, Rudy Gestede. The forward disappointed, however, with just six goals and three assists all season as Villa finished rock bottom.

16/17: Jonathan Kodja – 20

With the Gestede experiment failing, Villa turned to Bristol City’s Jonathan Kodja, who became an instant hit. The Ivory Coast forward managed 19 goals and one assist in his debut season, as Villa finished mid-table.

The underwhelming campaign was of no fault of Kodja’s, however, who had an excellent season producing numbers last seen by Benteke.

17/18: Albert Adomah – 22

With each Aston Villa season seemed to come new heroes when it came to goal contributions. And, in the 2017/18 campaign, the mantle was taken by Albert Adomah, whose contributions helped Villa reach the play-off final, where they suffered heartbreak at the hands of Fulham.

Adomah, much like Kodja in the previous season, had played his part, however, with 15 goals and seven assists.

18/19: Tammy Abraham – 29

Many have been full of praise for Tammy Abraham recently, having scored 27 goals and assisted five for Roma. But Aston Villa fans would have seen it coming as early as 2018 when the striker propelled the Midlands club back to the promised land of the Premier League.

His 26 goals and three assists were enough to book Villa’s place at Wembley, where they defeated Derby County 2-1 in the play-off final.

19/20: Jack Grealish – 18

Back in the Premier League, Jack Grealish stepped up to provide Villa’s goals. And that he did, with 10 goals and eight assists totalling 18 goal contributions.

Surviving on the final day, Jack Grealish’s goal earned his side a point against West Ham, before the celebrations regarding Villa’s safety got underway.

20/21: Ollie Watkins – 21

After surviving the season before, Villa took advantage of their top flight status to welcome Brentford striker Watkins to Villa Park. And he did not disappoint, scoring 16 goals and registering five assists in his debut season.

Watkins’ best moment from the 20/21 campaign will always be his hat-trick against Liverpool, as Aston Villa demolished the then-champions 7-2 at Villa Park.

21/22: Danny Ings & Ollie Watkins – 13

Much to Watkins’ credit, he didn’t rest on his laurels last season, even with the arrival of Ings to share the goals around. Instead, the England striker continued to kick on, scoring 11 goals and recording two assists.

Meanwhile, in his debut season, Ings managed to match Watkins’ goal contributions tally with seven goals and six assists.

The duo of Ings and Watkins will be looking to give Gerrard a major headache when it comes to choosing a preferred frontline next season. They’ve partnered each other at times, but Gerrard opted for a lone striker towards the end of the campaign.

If they can build a strong partnership, then Villa may unlock the door currently keeping them out of European football. That will be the goal next season, too, with Europa Conference League and Europa League positions highly competitive in the Premier League.

According to The Athletic journalist David Ornstein, Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Brice Samba has turned down the offer of a new contract and wishes to leave the club this summer.

The Lowdown: Forest secure promotion

Samba arrived at the City Ground from Caen back in 2019, where he has featured 133 times for the club during his three-year spell in the Championship.

The 28-year-old enjoyed a hugely successful season with the Reds as they managed to secure promotion to the Premier League for the first time in 23 years following a 1-0 victory over Huddersfield Town at Wembley.

However, now entering the final 12 months of his contract with Steve Cooper’s side, a decision regarding his future with the Midlands outfit will soon have to be made, and following a fresh update, it appears as though the shot-stopper knows exactly the next steps he wants to take.

The Latest: Samba’s decision revealed

In a post on his personal Twitter account, Ornstein confirmed that Samba doesn’t have any intentions of staying at Forest.

“EXCL: Nottingham Forest suffer major blow as goalkeeper Brice Samba informs club he won’t be signing new contract (deal ends 2023) and reluctantly intends to leave this summer. NFFC still hopeful but 28yo deemed recent offer unacceptable.”

Expanding further in his column for The Athletic, the journalist stated that the keeper’s decision to turn the new proposal down is said ‘not to be financially motivated’, but more based on respect for his ‘achievements, importance and popularity’ at the club.

The source claims that Forest have directly told them that ‘talks are taking place’ with the player, and that they ‘remain determined’ to retain his services beyond the upcoming window.

The Verdict: Samba’s penalty heroics

Samba has become a favourite amongst fans during his time in England and played such a key role in the jump up to the top-flight, most notably for his incredible penalty shootout heroics against Sheffield United.

The Linzolo-born talent made 45 outings across all competitions for Forest this season, keeping a total of 16 clean sheets, as per Transfermarkt, and effectively played the number one role having been chosen as first-choice keeper by the Welsh boss.

Cooper has a great relationship with Samba, but whether that will be enough to convince him to stay at the club for their first campaign back in the Premier League yet remains to be seen.

In other news… a club have reportedly made an offer in a bid to sign one of Forest’s 2021/22 standout performers.

A big Rangers claim has emerged on Ibrox gem Ianis Hagi and Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s plans for the player heading into the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

According to Romanian outlet Sport, Galatasaray have submitted a bid in the region of £6m (€7m) for the attacking midfielder.

The report claims that the offer, however, has been rejected by the Light Blues as they see him as a key member of the team heading into the 2022/23 campaign.

Gio van Bronckhorst will be delighted

This claim will leave the Ibrox head coach delighted as keeping Hagi in Glasgow will be a huge boost to his squad for next season.

The midfielder has been out of action due to injury since January and looks set to make his comeback later this year, with his return potentially being like a new signing for the Gers. He is a proven talent who can come back in and make an instant impact on the team, which could fill the hole left by the end of Amad Diallo’s loan spell.

Rangers brought the Ivorian in on loan from Manchester United in the winter window and he scored three goals in ten Premiership starts during a bumpy spell at the club.

Hagi can slot back into the XI and take up the position on the right of the attack. He has showcased his qualities in the Scottish top-flight in the past as he played a major role in the club’s title success under Steven Gerrard in the 2020/21 campaign.

That season, the Romania international produced seven goals and 11 assists in 33 league outings. The gem created six ‘big chances’ and 33 opportunities in total, whilst averaging an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.02, which illustrates how much of an impact he can have upon his return to fitness.

Since arriving in Glasgow, Hagi has been directly involved in 36 goals in 85 games for the Light Blues. He can score and assist from midfield and this is why van Bronckhorst will be buzzing to have him back in his team when competitive football returns in July.

At the age of 23, the former Genk man also has scope to develop further. He can grow and improve as a player if the Dutch head coach can get a tune out of him on the training ground and this means that his value can increase in the coming years as he hones his skills.

This is another reason why it is a good decision from Ross Wilson to turn down a £6m bid from the Turkish giants, both in terms of what it means in the short and long-term.

AND in other news, GvB can find Kemar Roofe 2.0 in Rangers swoop for “clinical” gem who “rarely misses”…

Leeds United could make a move for New York City FC forward Valentin Castellanos this summer, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Castellanos links

The Whites were credited with an interest in Castellanos back in February when they reportedly made contact with the forward’s representatives and were willing to pay £10.3m for the 23-year-old, who has been hailed as ‘top-class’ by Ronny Deila.

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Castellanos, primarily a striker who can also play on the wing, has contributed to 76 goals in 126 games for the MLS side.

The Argentine is under contract until 2025, but it appears as if a move to Elland Road is still a possibility.

The Latest: Leeds update

Jones provided GiveMeSport with a Leeds transfer guide on Thursday evening, shortly after Brenden Aaronson was announced as the club’s first summer signing.

When it came to who else the Whites could sign this summer, Castellanos was mentioned, with Jones describing it as ‘one to keep an eye on’.

The Verdict: Needed?

Leeds lacked quality in front of goal last season, with star striker Patrick Bamford limited to just seven Premier League starts due to a number of injuries.

Wide man Raphinha was the club’s top scorer with 11 goals, however, it looks as if he could be on the move to Barcelona over the coming months.

Therefore, bringing in a player like Castellanos, who has scored goals for fun in the USA, appears to be a shrewd move and would help Jesse Marsch implement his preferred 4-2-2-2 system in his first full season in charge, possibly striking up a partnership with Bamford.

In other news: ‘Wow…’ – Sky Sports man now reacts to big update on Kalvin Phillips’ Leeds United future.

Liverpool midfielder Thiago has a good chance of being fit for this weekend’s Champions League final, according to reliable journalist Paul Joyce.

The Lowdown: Season-defining match

The Reds face their biggest game of a monumental season on Saturday night as they come up against Real Madrid at the Stade de France in Paris.

Victory for Jurgen Klopp’s side would seal a trophy treble this season, further outlining their status as one of the greatest English club sides of all time.

Liverpool have been sweating over the fitness of Thiago after he limped out of last Sunday’s 3-1 win over Wolves in the Premier League, but a major update has now emerged.

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The Latest: Joyce drops Thiago boost

Taking to Twitter on Wednesday, Joyce communicated Klopp’s comments that Thiago is now looking likely to be fit for the final on Saturday, having made a swift recovery from his weekend knock.

The journalist stated: “Jurgen Klopp said Thiago Alcantara has a good chance of making the Champions League final. He will train this afternoon. Klopp: ‘It is surprisingly good’.”

The Verdict: Massive news for Liverpool

This is an absolutely enormous boost for Liverpool, with Thiago enjoying a sensational season, proving to be one of the best midfielders in the country.

He has posted a 90% passing success rate this term, ranking him in the 92nd percentile for positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues (as per FBRef) and bettered only by sporadic first-teamer Curtis Jones among Klopp’s midfielders.

The 31-year-old brings so much class and control to the Reds’ midfield, while he also has the experience of winning Champions League finals with Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Therefore, Liverpool being without him on Saturday would have given Real Madrid a huge boost, allowing their midfield a greater chance of dictating proceedings.

While there is no guarantee that Thiago will definitely be fit for two days’ time, this update certainly suggests that his progress is positive. His potential inclusion could be pivotal as to whether or not he and his team-mates are celebrating in Paris on Saturday night.

In other news, Liverpool are set to listen to offers for one player this summer. Find out who it is here.

Leeds United have now written another letter in regards to Everton’s possible Financial Fair Play breaches, according to Sky Sports.

The Lowdown: First letter

Officials from both Elland Road and Turf Moor wrote to the Premier League earlier this month regarding the Toffees’ financial losses over the last three years.

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The Merseyside club have recorded losses of £371.8m over the past three years, £266.8m more than the maximum permissible amount of £105m. As we know, Everton avoided relegation prior to the final day after a dramatic 3-2 win over Crystal Palace on Thursday.

The Latest: ‘Development’

Sky Sports dropped a live TV ‘development’ on Saturday afternoon, revealing that ‘Leeds have’ written another letter alongside Burnley.

They have now asked the Premier League to ensure that Everton ‘keep all emails and data related to their business activities’. Both clubs are ‘committed to seeing this course of action through to the end’, regardless of which team dropped down to the Championship on Sunday.

As we now know, Jesse Marsch’s side remained in the Premier League following a dramatic final day after beating Brentford and Burnley losing 2-1 to Newcastle.

The Verdict: Could drag on…

It’s good to see that both Leeds and Burnley are willing to work together regardless of this afternoon’s results, looking to get answers from the Premier League.

However, you’d expect that this saga could drag on over the coming months, and any potential punishment could be delayed ahead of the 2022/23 season.

Leeds know first-hand how long legal action can linger following the transfer fiasco with Jean-Kevin Augustin, so this could be one to keep a close eye on over the coming weeks and months.

In other news: Orta now eyeing Leeds swoop for this exciting winger 

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy is often noted as a shrewd operator when it comes to transfers, although that’s not to say that the 60-year-old always gets it right with the club’s incoming and outgoings.

One scenario where the frugal businessman appears to have made what could be a costly error is with the sale of versatile defender Juan Foyth, the Argentine having gone on to impress since his £13m departure for Villarreal last summer.

The 24-year-old had spent four years on the books at Tottenham after being signed from Estudiantes by compatriot Mauricio Pochettino in 2017, although he was hardly given a look-in over the next few seasons, making just 16 Premier League appearances for the Lilywhites in total.

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A loan move to Spain ensued for the 2020/21 campaign after the 6 foot 2 gem had fallen out of favour under Jose Mourinho, before he was snapped up on a permanent deal by Unai Emery and co after impressing during that temporary stint.

This season has seen the £27k-per-week gem kick on again for the La Liga side, playing his part as the Yellow Submarine surged to the Champions League semi-finals, before crashing out at the hands of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.

In Europe’s premier club competition, the La Plata native averaged a remarkable 3.7 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 2.1 clearances per game from his ten outings, while also winning 1.9 of his aerial duels per match.

Comfortable at both right-back and in the centre of defence, Foyth also ranks in the top 3% for tackles made among players in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, and in the top 13% for pressures made, illustrating his sheer desire to regain possession for his team.

Such an asset would no doubt have a place in Antonio Conte’s current side as either a defensive wing-back or as part of the back three, with the Italian likely to be impressed by the former Spurs man’s full-blooded approach, while the club are currently suffering a real shortage of defensive options at present.

In a business sense as well, the north London outfit’s decision to sever ties with the player now seems an odd one, with Foyth now valued at £18m – £5m more than the amount for which he was sold just a year ago.

Tottenham are likely to go into the market to bolster their defensive ranks this summer, although they could well have been better served retaining the services of the 14-cap Argentina international, with Conte set to have nightmares about his departure.

In other news – Imagine him & Bentancur: Spurs can find perfect Conte gem in £49.5m-rated “phenomenon”

A big update has emerged on Sunderland and their plans for the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Craig Hope has revealed in an article for the Daily Mail that the club are attempting to snap up the brother of Borussia Dortmund talent Jude Bellingham.

The reporter tweeted: “Exclusive: Sunderland invited Jobe Bellingham & his family to Stadium of Light to watch recent home game as they explore ambitious move to sign Birmingham City teenager, younger brother of England star Jude.”

In the corresponding article, it is claimed that Kristian Speakman has a close relationship with the brothers’ parents and is said to have played a key role in Jude’s development as Birmingham’s academy manager before joining the Black Cats.

Sunderland will be hoping that his prior experience with the family will give them a boost in their pursuit of the 16-year-old gem.

Alex Neil will be delighted

Black Cats head coach Alex Neil will surely be delighted with this update, as it shows that the club are prepared to invest in the future.

It proves that Speakman is keen to develop the academy, and the potential for players to break through into the first-team, by improving the standards within the youth sides.

Sunderland are in the League One play-off final later this month, and a win would surely strengthen their chances of signing the youngster. They would be competing in the same division as Birmingham, which means that they could both offer him Championship football.

Bellingham has played in two Championship matches for Birmingham this season, coming off the bench against Preston and Blackburn. This illustrates the immense potential that he holds, as he has shown enough in training to prove that he is ready to compete at first-team level despite being in his GSCE year.

His 18-year-old brother Jude is valued at £67.5m by Transfermarkt and has been capped 12 times by England. If Jobe can follow in his sibling’s footsteps, then Sunderland could be about to land a masterstroke in the market…

Neil would love to have another talented prospect to work with in the years to come. Bellingham may not make an immediate impact on the senior squad, but he could be a player who develops over time and then breaks into the Scot’s XI in two or three seasons.

Therefore, the head coach will be buzzing with Speakman’s attempts to snap up the midfielder from Birmingham and will be hoping that a deal can be agreed ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, irrespective of the league in which his team will be competing.

AND in other news, Forget Roberts: Sunderland “warrior” with the “heart of a lion” was the real play-off hero…

Crystal Palace are reportedly keen on a move for Huddersfield Town midfielder Lewis O’Brien.

What’s the word?

According to TEAMtalk, the 23-year-old is at the centre of something of a transfer tussle, with the Eagles one of six Premier League sides believed to be keen on his signature, having caught the eye for the Championship play-off hopefuls this season.

The report suggests that the Terriers’ vice-captain does have a £12m release in his current deal which is likely to be activated this summer, albeit with his future potentially resting on whether or not Carlos Corberan’s side can achieve promotion in the coming weeks.

The likes of Leeds United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton are among the other top-flight sides who are keeping a watchful eye on the £2.7m-rated man.

McArthur upgrade

O’Brien’s arrival at Selhurst Park could provide Patrick Vieira with the perfect upgrade to current midfield stalwart James McArthur, the long-serving 34-year-old currently approaching the end of his existing deal.

In the Huddersfield man, Palace have identified the ideal candidate to fill the Scotsman’s boots, with the dynamic midfielder having been earning plenty of plaudits for his displays in the second tier in recent times.

Pundit Jobi McAnuff was particularly complimentary of the Colchester born gem’s displays, insisting that “he’s got a bit of everything” such is his all-action, combative style in the centre of the park.

The one-time Bradford City loanee has chipped in with three goals and three assists so far this season in 43 league games – all of which have come as starts – while he also averages one key pass per game and has completed 70% of his total dribbles.

Equally, in a defensive sense, the £3k-per-week maestro has also caught the eye, winning a solid 56% of his total duels, as well as recording 2.2 tackles, 0.8 interceptions and 0.9 clearances per 90.

That form has been instrumental in helping guide his current side to a remarkable third-place finish in the table, with the 5 foot 8 playmaker having also captained the club in the absence of Jonathan Hogg.

Vieira will no doubt be looking for leaders to add to his side next season and O’Brien could well be the perfect addition, with it a case of out with the old and in with the new.

The aforementioned McArthur is the man who should seemingly be the casualty of the younger man’s arrival, the veteran having failed to score so far this term and won just 48% of his total duels, with fresher legs potentially needed.

IN other news, “Agreement close…”: Ornstein drops huge CPFC update that supporters will love

Aston Villa are leading the way to sign Rangers forward Rory Wilson, according to The Daily Record.

The Lowdown: Academy signings

Villa have been hard at work over the last 12 months when it comes to bolstering their academy ranks at Bodymoor Heath.

Kerr Smith, Finley Thorndike, Finn Azaz, Caleb Chukwuemeka, Declan Frith and Tim Iroegbunam have all made the move to Villa in the last 12 months.

Iroegbunam has already made the step up to Steven Gerrard’s first-team plans after signing a new deal in March and made a first Premier League start against Norwich on the weekend.

The Latest: Wilson update

The Daily Record shared a story on Monday lunchtime regarding Wilson, who looks set to sign a six-figure deal with Adidas.

They claimed that Villa are leading the chase for the forward, who has recently signed with well-known agency CAA Base and is set to leave Ibrox this summer.

The Verdict: Gerrard gets his way

Reports have suggested that Gerrard wanted Villa to pip Liverpool in the race for Wilson’s services, so it looks as if the boss will get his way.

Wilson, labelled as ‘clinical’ by Brian McLaughlin, appears to be a star of the future after scoring more than 40 goals this season.

The 16-year-old is also regarded as one of the best young players in the United Kingdom, so a move to the Midlands should be viewed as an exciting one as Villa continue to build for the future alongside backing Gerrard with senior signings.

In other news, Fabrizio Romano drops big transfer news regarding ‘outstanding’ Aston Villa starlet. Find out more here!