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Aston Villa’s search for a new manager has seemingly taken another setback, with Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim likely to remain with the Portuguese side.

After sacking Steven Gerrard in midweek following the 3-0 defeat against Fulham, the Villans have been linked with a host of top managers as they look to get their season back on track.

The potential of the squad was clear to see on Sunday afternoon as Villa demolished Brentford 4-0 at Villa Park but it seems as if it won’t be enough to tempt the top names to the Midlands.

According to The Telegraph, sporting director Johan Lange had begun talks with Amorim to bring him from Sporting CP to Villa Park, with Pochettino unlikely to join as he seeks a top-level club, despite a big money offer from the Villans. 

However, Fabrizio Romano has now provided the latest on Amorim, saying:

“Aston Villa are exploring the managers market, we should have more of an idea about who they go for next week. Personally, I think Amorim was a fantastic idea as he’s a potential top manager for present and future, but Sporting have no intention to let him go.”

It is no surprise that Sporting are keen to keep the 37-year-old, who is quickly emerging as one of the best young managers in European football.

After impressing with Braga, with whom he won ten of just 13 matches in charge, Amorim was given his chance to impress at one of the top clubs in Portugal, and he has grabbed that opportunity with both hands.

The Portuguese coach has thus far taken charge of 121 games for Sporting, winning 85, drawing 16 and losing just 20, which helped him lead Sporting to their first Liga NOS title in 19 years during the 2020/21 campaign.

His side also have the chance to progress through into the Champions League knockout stages this season after a memorable win over Tottenham Hotspur during the group stages, so it is easy to see why he wouldn’t want to leave right now.

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NSWE will no doubt be gutted to hear that Sporting are desperate to keep Amorim and will be hoping that they can still tempt the 37-year-old to Villa Park as Gerrard’s replacement.

Manchester United make their long-awaited return to Premier League action away to rivals Manchester City this afternoon, with Erik ten Hag’s side looking to pick up where they left off prior to the recent international break.

Following a miserable start to the season under the new manager – with dismal defeats to both Brighton and Hove Albion and Brentford – the Dutchman has inspired a real revival for the Red Devils since then, with four straight victories in the top flight.

The club’s most recent league outing – which came four weeks ago – saw United run out 3-1 winners over table-toppers, Arsenal at Old Trafford, with Ten Hag proving his big game credentials having already overcome long-time foes Liverpool a few weeks earlier.

A key figure in this recent turnaround has been summer arrival, Christian Eriksen, with the 30-year-old already proving a real astute piece of business having been signed on a free transfer after a brief stint with the Bees last term.

Just over a year on from suffering a life-threatening cardiac arrest while playing for Denmark at Euro 2020, the playmaker is currently earning rave reviews from both pundits, supporters and teammates alike, having sparkled in a deeper midfield role of late.

The £150k-per-week menace has notably been lauded by club legend Paul Scholes for his “intelligence” and forward-thinking nature in the centre of the park, while midfield colleague Bruno Fernandes has also praised the former Tottenham Hotspur man’s impact on his own game, stating that he makes life “easier” for the Portugal international.

He scores goals galore! Pay homage to one of his best with this amazing t-shirt! Click here to buy…

The £19.8m-rated gem will head into today’s derby clash at the Etihad having also showcased his unerring quality on the international stage, after netting an outrageous long-range strike in the defeat to Croatia last week, before again catching the eye in the win over France on Sunday.

That latter display saw the “absolute genius” – as dubbed by Statman Dave – at his very best as he simply ran the show against Didier Deschamps’ side, providing a staggering eight key passes including a delightful, searching ball to tee up Andreas Skov Olsen, only for the promising forward to subsequently spurn the gilt-edged opening.

Such creative brilliance will be needed against a City side who twice breezed to victory over United last season, although Eriksen has previously proven his knack for terrorising the champions, having been something of a nemesis for the Cityzens during his spell at Spurs.

The dynamic Dane has repeatedly proven the difference maker against today’s opponents over the years, having netted five times and laid on six assists in just 16 meetings across all competitions – only providing more goal contributions (13) against Swansea City of all his career opponents.

A notable triumph over the Manchester outfit for the north Londoners back in February 2016 saw the 117-cap sensation net a late winner to clinch victory against Manuel Pellegrini’s side, with a repeat of such heroics this afternoon likely to go down well with his current employers.

For all the likely talk of Cristiano Ronaldo and the aforementioned Fernandes, et al, providing the decisive blow in attack, it would be no surprise to see Eriksen making the telling impact as Ten Hag’s undoubted underdogs look to see off Pep Guardiola’s imperious outfit on the road.

Tottenham Hotspur could be without another two players for their trip to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League later this evening…

What’s the latest?

Antonio Conte was already without Cristian Romero and Oliver Skipp, who are set to resume training early next week, but now, it appears as if Lucas Moura and Bryan Gil have emerged as major doubts after they missed the team’s final training session before today’s encounter.

The ever-reliable Dan Kilpatrick of the Evening Standard relayed an injury update ahead of kick-off, he tweeted:

“Team news: Conte says Romero & Skipp are sidelined against Forest on Sunday but will resume training with the squad at the start of next week. Gil & Lucas are also doubts after missing training today but will be assessed tomorrow.”

Conte worry

Spurs are about to embark on one of the busiest periods in the 2022/23 campaign.

Today’s game is the start of three matches in the space of a week, whilst the north Londoners will play seven times between now and the 17th of September.

The Italian will need to rotate his side if they are to remain competitive throughout the next few weeks and he has already hinted at the possibility of rotation as the likes of Harry Kane and Heung-min Son will not be expected to play all seven games.

“After every game, I will have to check the situation with all of the players for tiredness and injuries,” Conte told reporters.

“To tell one player that he is going to play in all seven games; it is impossible.

“I am not a magician! I cannot forecast this, but we go game by game to make the best decisions for the team and for the players.”

With crucial encounters against West Ham United and defending champions Manchester City in the English top-flight, as well as their Champions League group stage opener against Marseille, soon on the horizon, this game against the newcomers could represent an ideal opportunity to rotate the starting XI.

Both Moura and Gil would have been in line for minutes, as a result, but with them now being doubts, it could force Conte’s hand somewhat, so he may not be able to be as fresh as he maybe would have liked.

Given his comments this week, this development will surely leave him a little worried heading into a hectic fixture list.

AND in other news, Paratici could land “stunning” 8th signing in £15m star who “wants to join Tottenham”…

Reliable journalists Nizaar Kinsella and Adam Newson have shared a ‘shock’ West Ham United transfer update involving Chelsea defender Emerson Palmieri.

The Lowdown: Hammers eye deal…

Reports in the last 48 hours suggested that West Ham have been confident over sealing a move for Italy international.

Football Insider, for example, shared news of advanced talks to sign Emerson after the east Londoners submitted a £13million bid – they were apparently even hoping to complete a deal this week.

This comes amid the Premier League side’s search for an alternative left-back to Aaron Cresswell, who is reaching his twilight years, with Moyes seemingly on the look out for a successor.

The Latest: Journalists share ‘shock’ Emerson update…

Taking to social media, journalists Kinsella and Newson have shared a ‘shock’ development on the chase.

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It is claimed that a deal for the 28-year-old is currently off due to issues with personal terms.

“Emerson Palmieri’s deal to West Ham is off. It is a bit of a shock as a fee of £13m + £2m in add-ons was close to being agreed with Chelsea.” said Kinsella of The Evening Standard (via Twitter).

Meanwhile, Newson, a Chelsea correspondent for football.london, has followed on with further detail saying it was down to a difference in salary and personal terms.

He explained:

“Emerson Palmieri is now unlikely to join West Ham United this summer. A deal worth around £15m including add-ons was close to being agreed between the two clubs, but the defender’s salary demands were a problem.”

The Verdict: Blow for Moyes?

Called ‘unbelievable’ by Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel last year, despite his lack of game time at Stamford Bridge, Emerson could’ve been a brilliant option for Moyes.

The former Roma star has plenty of experience on the biggest stages, particularly with Italy at international level where he was named in Roberto Mancini’s squad for Euro 2020.

It appears West Ham will now have to turn to other options such as Arsenal ace Ainsley Maitland-Niles, recently linked by ExWHUemployee.

Leeds United have been dealt a big injury blow ahead of their upcoming Premier League meeting with Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by the Yorkshire Evening Post, Jesse Marsch revealed that, after picking up a hamstring injury in the 1-1 pre-season friendly draw with Crystal Palace last month, the 23-year-old winger now looks set to remain sidelined for the Whites opening game of the new season against Wolves this weekend.

Regarding the current condition of the Colombia international after the 6-2 win over Cagliari on Sunday, the 48-year-old manager said: “Sinisterra is probably a week from being on the pitch.”

A blow for Marsch

Considering the fact that Leeds only joined Leeds in what was a £21m deal at the start of July, the fact that the former Feyenoord forward looks set to miss the Whites’ Premier League curtain raiser against Wolves this Saturday is sure to come as a blow to the American manager.

Indeed, with Leeds having lost the services of Raphinha in the summer transfer window, it is clear to see that the £22.5m-rated attacker was signed as something of a replacement for the Brazilian.

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Considering just how impressive the 23-year-old looked in the Netherlands last season, he appears to be an apt successor to Raphinha’s throne at Elland Road.

Over his 30 Eredivisie appearances in 2021/22, the five-cap international was in sensational form, scoring 12 goals, providing seven assists and creating nine big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 2.6 shots, making 2.0 key passes and completing 3.6 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the winger average a rather breathtaking SofaScore match rating of 7.51, not only ranking him as Feyenoord’s second-best performer in the league but also as the joint fourth-best player in the Dutch top flight as a whole.

As such, it is clear to see that Sinisterra’s likely unavailability for the visit of Wolves this weekend will come as a big blow to Marsch and his side, with the American coach undoubtedly hoping the Whites can get off to the perfect start in the 2022/23 Premier League campaign – something the winger’s absence casts serious doubts upon.

West Ham have been handed a huge boost in their chances of signing Chelsea forward Armando Broja.

What’s the word?

That’s according to Fabrizio Romano, who wrote on Twitter: “West Ham have submitted two bids in the last 24 hours. Proposal around €35 million for Armando Broja, Chelsea have not decided yet as there are many clubs interested.”

The second bid was for Lille midfielder Amadou Onana, and it seems that David Moyes is looking to complete his transfer business early this summer.

Supporters will be delighted

After a respectable breakthrough season in the Premier League, the Albania international will be looking to build on the six league goals that he scored whilst on loan at Southampton.

Fortunately for him, he has all the attributes to continue striking fear into defenders. His 6 foot 3 frame makes him a huge aerial presence, whilst his blistering speed makes him something of a physical anomaly.

Perhaps with more creative players surrounding him, he really can catapult his goalscoring numbers.

The forward ranked in the 86th percentile for aerials won per 90 last season among positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, which instantly outlines him as a huge threat from any decent deliveries.

With West Ham already boasting the fifth-best record in the Premier League from set pieces last season, the addition of Broja would only bolster their goalscoring options.

Furthermore, with the open play delivery of Aaron Cresswell, who averaged one key pass and 1.1 accurate crosses per game last term, the 20-year-old is sure to feast on the tantalising deliveries of the English left-back.

Albania’s assistant manager Sergio Porrini was full of praise for Broja, claiming that “his greatest qualities are in progression, especially the ball and chain…in the spaces, he is devastating!”

The 20-year-old could be Moyes’ answer to finding an alternative to the ageing Michail Antonio, with a willingness to run channels but the physicality to win knockdowns and link the play.

West Ham supporters must be buzzing to see the club being linked with such a high-quality forward with almost his whole career still ahead of him.

AND, in other news: Moyes plotting “unbelievable” West Ham move for £49k-p/w machine, he’d be Evra 2.0

Rangers are one of several sides said to be interested in signing Oscar Gloukh this summer and it seems as if Giovanni van Bronckhorst has now been given the green light to try and bring him to Ibrox.

What’s the word?

The 18-year-old has been linked with Rangers in recent days after catching the eye at the U19 European Championships this summer and his father has now suggested that it is likely that he will depart Maccabi Tel-Aviv.

He said: “I feel he is more ready than a couple of years ago to make the move to a big league. I see him as a player who can cope in Europe. I’m not saying he will have an easy life. He will have to compete with a lot of players for his place. (But) if it’s possible to leave, he will leave.”

Imagine him and Colak

The report claims that the teenage sensation has been likened to Mesut Ozil and considering his impressive goal against England in the final last week it is easy to see why.

Gloukh received the ball on the edge of the box and turned his man with a delicate touch, before taking the ball onto his right foot to beat the defender, finding the top corner with a powerful finish.

Reports have suggested that he could cost as much as £8m this summer and while it is unusual to see Rangers spending as much as that on such a young player, they arguably need to shell out some transfer fees if they are to compete with their Scottish rivals next season considering their transfer business thus far.

The club should have benefitted financially from the run to the Europa League final and Gloukh could be a great investment if he lives up to his “wonderkid” status.

Rangers look to be close to their first summer signing in Antonio Colak and the striker could be one to benefit from Gloukh’s signing should both arrive at Ibrox ahead of next season.

If the attacking-midfielder does perform a similar role to Ozil, he will offer Rangers should real creativity in the final third with intricate passing and dribbling ability, which will surely create a lot of chances for the forwards in van Bronckhorst’s attack.

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Therefore, Rangers should definitely look at bringing Gloukh in this summer, as he clearly has a lot of potential and could combine well with Colak at Ibrox for the next few seasons.

And, in other news… Wilson can repeat Kent masterclass at Rangers in swoop for “stunning” £3.1k-p/w gem

Manchester City have been backed by Juventus to make a move for their defender Matthijs de Ligt this summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Getting down to business

The Blues aren’t wasting any time in completing their transfer business, having already secured Erling Haaland up top and now close to securing Kalvin Phillips in midfield, but the one area of the pitch where the movement has been pretty quiet is in defence.

The 22-year-old is the only name who has made the headlines when it comes to a potential Etihad switch, with Pep Guardiola’s side previously understood to have been battling it out with Premier League rivals Manchester United for his signature, and another link to the former Ajax captain has now surfaced.

The Latest: Juventus ‘confident’ of City interest

In a new article published by Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), it’s claimed that Juventus are ‘confident’ that City will attempt to sign De Ligt this transfer window.

The source states that the reason for this is because Guardiola has ‘never hidden his admiration’ for the centre-back, and that if Nathan Ake were to leave the club this summer, this could create ‘space to include’ the 6 foot 2 ace at the back.

The Verdict: Not a transfer priority

Whether Ake is to stay in Manchester or not, De Ligt isn’t someone who City should be making a priority to sign at this moment in time, given his sizeable price tag.

The 38-cap international, who was once hailed a ‘complete’ player by his former Ajax teammate Dusan Tadic, is believed to have a whopping €120m (£103m) release clause in his contract at Juventus.

This isn’t a sum that the hierarchy should be coughing up for someone who they don’t consider a serious transfer target in comparison to the level of interest they held in their new signings, but this could definitely be a deal to watch in the future if his contract situation lowers the price tag.

Leeds United and Newcastle are both keen on signing Burnley defender Nathan Collins this summer, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Whites working on second signing

Andrea Radrizzani, the 49ers Enterprises and Victor Orta have already made their first marquee signing under Jesse Marsch, with Brenden Aaronson penning a five-year deal on Thursday.

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Aaronson has cost in the region of £25m and is the club’s first permanent senior midfield signing since Adam Forshaw back in 2018.

The Whites are now working on sealing a second signing ‘in the next few weeks’, according to Graham Smyth, and it appears as if Collins is on the radar at Elland Road.

The Latest: Collins interest

According to FI, both Leeds and Newcastle are plotting moves for Collins following Burnley’s relegation to the Championship.

Whites chiefs view the 21-year-old as a player with ‘huge’ potential after he made 22 appearances last season following a £12m move from Stoke City.

The Verdict: Needed?

You could argue that centre-back is an area where Leeds are well-stocked at this moment in time, so bolstering other areas of the squad could be wise before looking at a move for Collins.

Marsch has five centre-back options and is also able to call upon Luke Ayling for cover if required. The Leeds boss is still fairly light at full-back, in midfield and in attack, so perhaps looking to strengthen those areas first could be a shrewd move.

However, it appears as if they are now keen on Collins, so this could be one to watch closely over the coming weeks as Leeds look to get a head start on their summer business.

In other news: Phillips partner: Leeds now want ‘extraordinary’ int’l for free; Orta’s already spoke with agent

Crystal Palace midfielder Luka Milivojevic is reportedly considering a departure from Selhurst Park this summer with former employers Olympiacos interested in re-signing the Serbian.

What’s the word?

That’s according to Inside Futbol, who claim that the 31-year-old could leave south London with game time under Patrick Vieira this term limited.

Milivojevic has made just 14 Premier League appearances this season, nine of which have been starts, with a place in the XI against Aston Villa last weekend his first in the top-flight since February.

The Serbian had been a kingpin in the Palace side under Roy Hodgson, but new manager Vieira hasn’t taken a shine to the 31-year-old who will undoubtedly be keen to play more frequently next term, which looks like it will be away from Selhurst Park.

Palace fans will be gutted

Although it will be the best outcome for Milivojevic, Palace fans will certainly be sad to see an excellent servant leave.

Since his move from Olympiacos in January 2017, the midfielder has gone on to make 176 appearances for the Eagles, scoring 28 goals and registering six assists.

Moreover, the Serbia international is still regarded as the club’s captain, taking the armband this season whenever he has started.

However, a departure for the 31-year-old would surely be a mini-disaster as it would leave the Palace midfield incredibly light and would certainly require Vieira to dip into the transfer market to sign at least one quality central midfielder.

With Conor Gallagher set to return to Chelsea upon the conclusion of his loan deal whilst James McArthur and Cheikhou Kouyate’s contracts are set to expire, only 27-year-old Will Hughes will be left.

The French manager has already demonstrated how he wants to integrate fresh, young talent into what was an ageing Palace squad with the likes of Michael Olise, Odsonne Edouard and Gallagher all joining last summer.

Now, it appears as though the same sort of makeover will occur in the midfielder, with Miliojevic a victim of that.

Despite limited playing time this season, the Serbian will be regarded highly at Selhurst Park and supporters will be gutted to see him leave.

AND in other news: Imagine him and Olise: CPFC must swoop for £13.5m-rated wizard, Vieira would adore him