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Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins could sign a new deal at the club this summer, according to a key update from transfer expert Dean Jones.

When is Watkins out of contract at Villa?

The Villans ended up having an excellent season, with the arrival of Unai Emery transforming their fortunes, as they qualified for next year's UEFA Europa Conference League.

There were many players who did their bit throughout the campaign, but Watkins was arguably Villa's star man, producing some inspirational attacking performances. The £75,000-a-week attacker finished the 2022/23 season with a tally of 15 goals and six assists in the Premier League and the hope is that he stays put for years to come.

The 27-year-old's current deal expires in the summer of 2025, meaning the club may just start to be growing a little twitchy about nailing him down to an extension, with his price tag possibly diminishing the closer his contract gets to ending.

Could Watkins sign new Villans deal?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones said that Watkins could well extend his stay at Villa Park in the near future, acting as a potentially huge boost for the club:

"I think after [Youri] Tielemans, the forward line is what's going to become very interesting. There's potential for Ollie Watkins to get another contract soon."

This would be an enormous positive for Villa if Watkins commits his long-term future to the club – it would arguably be as important as any new summer that arrives during the summer transfer window.

The Englishman is at the absolute peak of his powers right now, having been hailed as "outstanding" by former Villa manager Dean Smithy recently, and there is no reason why his game can't reach another level under Emery over the next two or three years.

Many top strikers don't hit their prime until around 30, with the likes of Karim Benzema and Robert Lewandowski going strong well into their 30s, among others, and Watkins could grow even more with superior players alongside him, assuming some exciting additions come in this summer.

The hope is that the Englishman is only getting started at Villa Park, in a career that has already seen him rack up 43 goals and 13 assists in 116 appearances to date, and it would be a surprise if he even considered leaving in the near future, considering what a thrilling time it is at the club with Emery at the helm.

Newcastle United are interested in signing Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa this summer in a move which would create some tough competition for the No. 1 spot at St. James' Park.

Manager Eddie Howe has cultivated a winning mentality on Tyneside and has sensationally qualified for the Champions League following his first full season in charge, finishing fourth in the Premier League.

Shrewd signings and astute tactical awareness has contributed to the remarkable resurgence, with goalkeeper Nick Pope, signed from relegated Burnley for just £10m last summer, playing a central role in the triumph.

Despite this, Costa has indeed found his name attached to rumours that United may swoop, with Portuguese outlet A Bola stating that, while Manchester United are leading the race, Chelsea and Howe's outfit are firmly in contention.

With a €75m (£65m) release clause, Newcastle would have to pay more than sixfold the price to clinch Pope's services for the Portugal international, but would boast one of football's most imperious shot-stopping departments should they succeed.

Should Newcastle sign Diogo Costa?

It certainly presents something of a conundrum. The 6 foot 2 Costa is one of the most promising goalkeepers on the European stage, having been a centrepiece for Porto over the past few years and winning the league and Portuguese Cup on two occasions respectively.

The 23-year-old has averaged a rating of 6.95 in the Primeira Liga this season, as per Sofascore, having kept 16 clean sheets from 35 matches, making 63 saves and making 0.8 clearances per outing.

As per FBref, the 11-cap international ranks among the top 2% of goalkeepers across Men's Next 8 divisions for goals conceded per 90, the top 18% for save percentage and the top 5% for clean sheet percentage, evidently an elite 'keeper despite his tender age.

Speaking of his compatriot, Manchester United right-back Diogo Dalot said: "I grew up with him and he’s my friend, there’s a great relationship between us.

‘I know perfectly well that he has the capacity to one day be one of the best in the world."

While some may scoff at the notion of replacing Pope after such a stellar season, injecting healthy competition might be a prudent move, especially considering the clinching of European competition after two decades away from the Champions League.

Costa is indeed young and has ample time to grow into his skin, and he certainly boasts the acumen to rival his senior positional confer in Pope, who, at 31-years-old, still has a lot of gas left in the tank but could be displaced by such a flourishing talent in Costa who is already proving himself to be among the best.

كشف مهاب ياسر لاعب خط وسط نادي الزمالك عن بداية مسيرته في ممارسة كرة القدم، قبل الانضمام لصفوف النجوم، مؤكدًا رغبته في الفوز بالبطولات مع الأبيض بالفترة المقبلة.

وكان مهاب ياسر قد انضم إلى صفوف الزمالك خلال فترة الانتقالات الشتوية الجارية لتدعيم صفوف القلعة البيضاء بعد حل أزمة القيد.

وقال مهاب ياسر في تصريحات عبر قناة “الزمالك”: “تدربت حافيًا بدون حذاء في بدايتي مع الكرة، البعض قد يستغرب من هذا الأمر، ولكنه يساعد على تنمية مهارات اللاعب، وفترة اللعب في نادي النجوم كانت مهمة بالنسبة لي وساعدتني كثيرًا قبل أن يرفض النادي انتقالي لبيراميدز في فترة تولي حسام حسن المسئولية، واستمررت مع النجوم بعد الهبوط لدوري الدرجة الثانية”.

وتابع: “رحلت عن نادي إنبي بسبب قلة مشاركاتي، وانتقلت بعدها لنادي الداخلية وكنت ألعب بشكل جيد تحت قيادة هيثم شعبان ومنحني حرية التحرك في الملعب”.

وعن كيفية انتقاله لنادي الزمالك، أجاب: “تلقيت أكثر من عرض بعد أن قدمت مستوى جيدًا مع الداخلية، ثم قيل لي إن هناك ترشيحات بانضمامي لنادي الزمالك، وحينها رفضت التفكير في أي عرض انتظارًا لعرض الزمالك”.

طالع | الزمالك يرد على أنباء التعاقد مع مترجم فيتوريا

وأوضح مهاب ياسر: “الزمالك خطوة مفاجأة والمفاوضات سارت بسهولة وبشكل سريع دون أي عراقيل، الأجواء في نادي الزمالك مختلفة، شيكابالا اجتمع بنا ومنحنا الثقة في أول مران”.

وواصل: “مستعد للعب في أي مركز مع الزمالك، وشاركت في أكثر من مركز في المراكز الهجومية بجانب وسط الملعب، والصفقات التي انضمت إلى الزمالك قوية وستساعد على ظهور الفريق بشكل أفضل، نسعى إلى حصد كل البطولات هذا الموسم”.

وأشار: “نسعى إلى تحقيق لقب الكأس أمام الأهلي، وسنقدم أنفسنا خلال هذه المباراة للجماهير، جوزيه جوميز يعتمد خلال التدريبات على تصحيح بعض المفاهيم عن الضغط وكيفية استخلاص الكرة”.

وأتم: “جوميز طلب منا أن نضع التشكيل الأمثل في ظل وجود وفرة في كل مركز، المدرب قال للاعبين إن من سيقوم بتنفيذ تعليماته خلال التدريبات هو من سيحصل على الفرصة، وأعد جماهير الزمالك بأن نبذل قصاري جهدنا لتحقيق الـ4 بطولات خلال هذا الموسم”.

Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek is a "top target" for AC Milan this summer, according to an update from journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Is Loftus-Cheek set to leave Chelsea?

The Blues have had an awful season in the Premier League and are now guaranteed to finish in the bottom half, which seemed unthinkable back in August when pre-season predictions were made. They have had three different managers throughout the campaign, with performances and results nowhere near good enough.

Too many players have also slipped well below their usual level and one player who has struggled to play a pivotal role is Loftus-Cheek, who has found regular minutes difficult to come by. He has only started 18 of Chelsea's league games and it has become increasingly clear that his future could lie away from Stamford Bridge.

The £120,000-a-week midfielder's current deal expires at the end of next season, meaning the 27-year-old would be able to leave the Blues on a free transfer in 2024. That is something the club likely won't want to happen and would rather receive a fee for him in the coming months.

Could Loftus-Cheek join Milan?

Taking to Twitter, Romano offered the latest update on his future, revealing that Milan are working hard on a deal to sign Loftus-Cheek this summer, seeing him as a "top target":

"Talks continue behind the scenes for Ruben Loftus-Cheek to AC Milan. He’s top target for Milan, as revealed last week. Chelsea and Milan are discussing about the fee for permanent deal, no way for loan. RLC, keen on Serie A move."

This feels like the right time for Loftus-Cheek to move on, and Milan could be ideal for him, with a move allowing him to test himself in a different league. It has worked out well for Fikayo Tomori, who left Chelsea permanently to join the Serie A giants, which is something the 10-cap England international could take inspiration from.

With Mauricio Pochettino coming in, he is sure to want to bring in his own players and get rid of the deadwood, and unless he sees Loftus-Cheek as a key figure all of a sudden, offering him an extension on his current contract makes little sense.

He has been a solid servant for Chelsea and was previously called "fantastic" by Rio Ferdinand, but now is the time for him to test himself elsewhere, with a move away from west London making sense for all parties.

There was little evidence at Canterbury to support the notion that Kent are vigorous promotion candidates despite their lofty position in the table

David Hopps at Canterbury28-Jun-2016
ScorecardWayne Madsen again enjoyed the Kent bowling attack•Getty ImagesThere was little evidence at Canterbury to support the notion that Kent are vigorous promotion candidates despite their lofty position in the table. Derbyshire, without a win all season, drank their fill on a benign pitch against a threadbare attack before calling off their first innings with a lead of 195 and the last pair at the crease.Wayne Madsen and Shiv Thakor took hundreds off Kent in the corresponding fixture in Derby in May, and did so again, a feat thought by David Griffin, former Board member, freelance photographer and statistician, to be unique in Derbyshire’s history.They were a watchable combination: Madsen neat and orderly for his 163, Thakor displaying nimble footwork and wristy ambition as he contributed 123. Their stand of 144 in 37 overs dominated the third day.Whether Derbyshire will force victory, though, is highly dubious. Their declaration came with only 15 overs left in the day, hardly enterprising with rain forecast for the final afternoon. Kent’s pace bowler Mitch Claydon, fielding at third man, was heard to ask: “163 overs! I don’t think I’ve ever fielder for 163 overs. Why?” Such are the philosophical questions that concern fast bowlers with 30 overs next to their name.Derbyshire are expected be a bowler light after Will Davis broke down in the first innings with a recurrence of a hip injury. In fading light, Kent saw out the final hour without alarm.Madsen, whose innings ended when he played across one from Matt Hunn, has 22 Derbyshire hundreds now, a number beaten by only four players – Kim Barnett, now the county’s president; the casually talented John Morris; the New Zealander John Wright, a batsman of ungainly defiance; and the dapper South African, Peter Kirsten.Only Kirsten has scored his hundreds at a faster rate than Madsen’s one every 9.2 innings, although four-day cricket has had an influence on that, not forgetting the lack of world-class fast bowlers these days, especially in Division Two. Kent did little to challenge that notion.Thakor’s switch from Leicestershire to Derbyshire at the end of 2014 felt a bit of a sideways move, and his form last season was unspectacular. At 22, he has progressed this summer. This was his fourth Championship century and it was fun to watch, with all manner of little flourishes going on after he has played the shot.Seventy-five of his runs came off the spinners, James Tredwell and Joe Denly, both of them treated as a convenience, his hundred raised when he struck Tredwell for a straight six. He was dropped by Alex Blake at extra cover and long-off, soon after his hundred, in successive overs off Darren Stevens and Tredwell, eventually succumbing when he chipped to mid-on.The absence of one Kent pace bowler has already been remarked upon. Up on the dressing room balcony, as the players came off for tea, Matt Coles offered desultory applause and failed to stifle a sizeable yawn. Under scrutiny because of his drink-fuelled antics in Cardiff last week, he had a ponderous training session over lunch, and later sat on an exercise bike, but it did not endear him to every member. “Look at the size of him,” said one.Coles’ career is at a critical point and it would be regrettable if his issues are not seriously addressed by all parties, beginning with himself, because he is a good and entertaining cricketer.

Aston Villa take on Fulham at Villa Park on Tuesday night, with Unai Emery's side hoping to earn another three points in their push for European football.

How does the Premier League table look ahead of Aston Villa vs Fulham?

The Villans' winning run came to an end in Saturday's 1-1 draw against Brentford, but they remain just eight points off Newcastle United in third, with six points remaining.

It would be a big ask for the Midlands outfit to secure a top-four spot, especially given their less-than-impressive start to the season under Steven Gerrard, but a European finish is certainly on the cards.

Fulham also harbour hopes of a top-eight finish under Marco Silva and boast consecutive wins in the Premier League, which should make this evening's game an exciting spectacle.

How could Aston Villa line up against Fulham?

Here is how Football FanCast expects Emery to line his side up tonight, with three changes from the side that started against Brentford last time out.

(4-2-3-1) – Olsen; Chambers, Konsa, Mings, Moreno; McGinn, Luiz; Traore, Buendia, Ramsey; Watkins.

Emiliano Martinez was forced off at half-time in the draw with Brentford due to a stomach bug, which suggests that Robin Olsen could be forced to deputise in between the sticks against Fulham this evening.

There is one change at right-back, as Ashley Young is rested after starting a lot of games recently in the absence of Matty Cash, with Calum Chambers replacing him in the defence.

Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings continue their partnership at centre-back, although summer signing Diego Carlos will surely be itching for a start having returned from his long-term injury recently, while Alex Moreno continues at left-back.

There is one change in the midfield, as Leander Dendoncker drops out with John McGinn moving into a more familiar central midfield position alongside Douglas Luiz, to give the Villans more of an attacking look ahead of a must-win game at Villa Park.

This allows Bertrand Traore to come into the side on the right wing after two impressive cameos from the bench in recent weeks, with the Burkina Faso international, who was dubbed "marvellous" by former manager Dean Smith, notching important goals against Nottingham Forest and Leicester.

Jacob Ramsey will be looking to continue his fine recent performances on the left wing, with Emiliano Buendia playing through the centre at Villa Park in support of the in-form Ollie Watkins in the attack.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Manchester United will "speak" to Alexis Mac Allister over a possible summer transfer.

What's the latest on Alexis Mac Allister and Man United?

The Red Devils still have plenty to play for in what's left of the season as they hope to go far in the Europa League and also finish inside the top for in the Premier League.

Depending on how their campaign ends, they will then assess how much money they can spend, and who exactly they need to spend it on, in the summer market.

It seems as though Mac Allister is one player already on their radar though. Indeed, if the latest rumours are to be believed then Man United will soon talk to the Brighton player regarding a possible move.

Indeed, when speaking on his YouTube Channel, Romano outlined his latest understanding of the situation, with Liverpool also in the mix.

He said “Keep an eye also on Alexis Mac Allister because Man United and Liverpool will speak to the player's side to discuss the potential project.

"But for sure Man United are exploring options in that position, midfield, because they could do something there in the summer."

Will Alexis Mac Allister leave Brighton this summer?

Mac Allister currently is paid just £50k-p/w so he might be more affordable than some players, but with his contract running until 20025 and Liverpool also in the mix, Brighton will have no reason to sell on the cheap.

Romano's update certainly backs up what the father has been saying in the press lately too. Indeed, Carlos Mac Allister told Puro Boca (via bolavip): "Normally the next [transfer window] will find him playing in another institution, we don't know which one. The talks are just beginning in general, but it is most likely that Alexis will already be playing in another team next July."

To be fair, seeing as he's been a vital player for Brighton as they've surpassed all expectations to put themselves in with an outside shot of finishing in the top four, it's not hard to see why Mac Alister has caught the eye.

Indeed, with eight goals and one assist in the Premier League this term, only two players – Solly March and Kaoru Mitoma – have bettered the Argentines' average WhoScored rating of 7.07.

Certainly, one player to keep an eye out for this summer.

Sheikh Jassim has made a second offer to take control at Manchester United, Sky Sports report.

The Lowdown: Slight delay

Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe have been the front runners when it comes to a complete takeover from the Glazers, with both holding Old Trafford talks earlier this month.

However, both missed the deadline to make a second offer for the club on Wednesday in an incredible development, asking for an extension from the Raine Group in New York. That was granted, with Ratcliffe needing less than 24 hours to place his revised bid for United. It went relatively quiet when it came to Jassim’s second bid, but there has now been a development.

The Latest: Second offer

Sky Sports provided an update regarding Jassim and United in the last 24 hours. They said that a new offer has now been submitted, describing it as ‘news that Manchester United fans have been waiting for’.

‘Now the news that Manchester United fans we know have been waiting for and that is that Sheikh Jassim, the Qatari bid, a new bid has now been submitted to buy Manchester United.

‘It went in overnight, the deadline for the second bid was 9pm on Wednesday, an extension was granted. We knew that Sir Jim Ratcliffe had submitted a second bid on Thursday – now we know that Jassim has followed suit.’

The Verdict: Now we wait

It looks as if it is now down to the Glazers to provide feedback to Jassim, Ratcliffe and other parties who have made Old Trafford bids, so it could be an interesting few months.

Fabrizio Romano has stated that Jassim and his group remain confident as they believe their bid is the best one for the club, fans and local community. He also seemingly has a marquee transfer on his radar, should he take over, with Jassim thought to be a huge fan of Jude Bellingham.

That might come as music to Erik ten Hag’s ears, with the manager after a midfielder and a forward this summer, but in regards to a takeover, Jassim may have to remain patient for now.

West Ham United are one of the sides who are believed to be showing an interest in potentially signing the possible free agent Reiss Nelson in the summer.

Will Reiss Nelson be a free agent in the summer?

The Arsenal winger is currently running into the final months of his deal with the north London side which is set to expire at the end of the campaign.

However, there are reports suggesting the Gunners are already holding talks with the 23-year-old over potentially extending his stay at the Emirates Stadium.

This comes on the back of another heroic weekend for the youngster after netting a dramatic late winner to take all three points in the game against Bournemouth.

But speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast, insider Graeme Bailey has suggested there are a number of clubs eyeing the Englishman, West Ham being one:

“Reiss Nelson, really interesting one, out of contract at the end the season. He’s 23 already, Reiss Nelson, which I think says a lot, really. I just think he does want to stay. But he’s got an awful lot of interest out there from a lot of clubs – West Ham being one of them.”

Would Reiss Nelson provide West Ham with an upgrade?

The Arsenal winger has enjoyed two huge games in the Premier League this season having come off the bench to help win the games against Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth.

In those two games, Nelson – hailed “absolutely unreal” by BBC man Gavin Ramjaun – racked up just 84 minutes of football, however, he was able to return Mikel Arteta with a stunning three goals and two assists (via Transfermarkt).

But on the whole, it has perhaps been a slightly underwhelming campaign for the 23-ear-old who has been sidelined for large chunks of the season through injury.

His only starts have come through games in the Europa League and the Carabao Cup in which he has provided Arsenal with one assist in those three games.

The winger’s on three appearances in the Premier League have come from the bench with the likes of Bukayo Saka proving fierce competition to break beyond in Arteta’s pecking order.

And with this in mind, a move in the summer could prove a smart decision from the Englishman in a bid to pick up some regular first-team football.

However, he has only featured in a handful of Premier League games this season, it could potentially prove a bit of a risk for the Hammers given his limited sample size.

TalkSport’s Alan Brazil believes that Antonio Conte will leave Tottenham Hotspur this summer and be replaced by Mauricio Pochettino.

The Lowdown: Spurs struggling for consistency

Tottenham have been in and out of good form this season, having picked up points against the champions last weekend and progressed to the knockout stages of the Champions League, yet they find themselves sitting outside of the top four.

Due to this form, there has constantly been talk about Conte’s future and how he is seemingly unwilling to sign an extended deal that would keep him in north London for the foreseeable future.

If that is to be the case, Daniel Levy will surely already have candidates in mind from which to appoint a successor come the summer if Conte does leave – and someone who’s been linked with a return is Pochettino.

The Latest: Pochettino backed to replace Conte

Brazil has been speaking on TalkSport about how Pochettino will replace Conte this summer, but claimed no matter who the manager is, Levy must hand the man in charge a decent transfer budget.

He said: “I’ve been disappointed with Spurs, but you look at the table, you look at what they’re left in, and I’ve just said I think they can overcome Milan in London, I do. I think they can go through to the next round.

“I’ll say it again, that I’m told that he’s probably going to leave and Poch will come in, but whoever comes in has got to have money to improve – especially the midfield.”

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The Verdict: May be difficult to improve Tottenham

While it is easy for Brazil to say Spurs have to spend money this summer on players and improve their midfield, things may well have just got far more complicated, as Iranian-American billionaire Jahm Najafi is now reportedly readying a £3.1bn takeover of Tottenham.

This could make Spurs’ situation seem less clear in terms of how much money will be made available if ENIC and Levy were to leave in the near future, as well as who the new owners may want as manager.

No matter who the manager or owner is in the summer, though, at least one new midfielder surely has to be brought in, as in midweek, Conte had no choice but to hand Champions League debuts to Oliver Skipp and Pape Matar Sarr, which shows how desperate they are for reinforcements in that particular area.