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USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino admits it is his "dream" to return to Tottenham at some stage, but is unsure when this will happen.

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• Worked in England with Southampton, Chelsea & Spurs
• Now leading the United States toward home World Cup
• Hopes to work in the Premier League again at some point

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Argentine tactician Pochettino severed ties with Spurs in November 2019 a matter of months after leading them to their first-ever Champions League final, with 293 games being overseen during a five-and-a-half-year tenure. He has since worked with Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea at club level.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  An international offer was accepted in September 2024, with Pochettino agreeing to lead the United States towards a home World Cup in 2026. He is just six games into that reign, but has revealed that another stint in the Premier League forms part of his long-term plans.

• WHAT MAURICIO POCHETTINO SAID

  Pochettino told of taking in a second spell at Tottenham: "To be honest, the day that I left the club always I was thinking one day to come back. It's not that I was thinking before the offer from the USA national team, I was thinking to come back.

  "The day that I left I was thinking I would love to one day come back to Tottenham because like I told in the past, I said for me, I felt empty in the moment that I left. It was like an unfinished job and that is why. It's a feeling, it's a feeling, it's a dream.

  "I don't know how you can take or I can explain or describe but I think for sure it's a club that is always going to be special for me. And I would like to one day to have the possibility again to try to arrive in a situation that we are back to finish in a different way."

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  While Pochettino is happy to discuss professional ties to Spurs, he is reluctant to reveal how close he came to landing the Manchester United job – having been linked with the Red Devils on a regular basis. Pretending not to hear the question, the 53-year-old said: "I don't… I cannot hear!"

Pochettino trimmed his USMNT roster from 60 down to 23, with some obvious picks and surprise omissions

With the 2026 World Cup just 15 months away, the U.S. men's national team player pool continues to take shape. It's still evolving, of course, as Mauricio Pochettino continues to learn about his group ahead of his fourth camp in charge.

But with his 23-man CONCACAF Nations League roster, Pochettino did offer some insight into where things stand on the road to 2026.

On Tuesday, U.S. Soccer announced Pochettino's team as the USMNT trimmed a 60-man preliminary list down to just 23. Many of the notable names were there: Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tim Weah, for example. Several, such as Tyler Adams and Gio Reyna, are back on the team – but for the first time under Pochettino. There were January camp and MLS stars, too, fresh off their big wins two months back.

Still, while 23 from the 60 did receive that call-up, that means 27 did not. There were surprises among that list of omissions, players that many expected would be involved as the USMNT pushes for a fourth consecutive Nations League crown, starting with a March 20 semifinal against Panama.

For those among the 27, this will certainly be a reminder that World Cup spots are on the line. It should be a reminder for the 23 who made it, too.

GOAL looks at the winners and losers from the USMNT's Nations League squad selection.

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  WINNER: Gio Reyna

  Despite everything that has gone on over the last few years, Reyna has generally stepped up for the USMNT. He'll get that opportunity again in this camp as, once again, Reyna returns to camp in need of a jolt due to his club situation.

  Reyna hasn't played much for Dortmund this season – including subbing in late in the team's Champions League victory over Lille on Wednesday. When he has, he generally hasn't been at his best. The USMNT midfielder has seemed to lack confidence, a player that hasn't quite figured out how to impact a game with this Dortmund team as assembled. In that sense, it's a risk to rely on him in games of this magnitude.

  In other ways, though, it isn't risky at all. Reyna has shown time and time again that he can separate his club form from his international form. He was named Best Player at the Nations League tournament just last year. He scored in the 2021 final, provided assists in the 2023 final and then, again, last year scored to earn that Best Player nod. More than anyone, Reyna has dominated this particular competition, and that's regardless of his club form.

  Now he'll relish the chance to work under Pochettino for the first time and, perhaps, the last time in a while. Because of the Club World Cup, Reyna would likely not be available for this summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup if he remains at Dortmund. That fact has to be taken into account, too, even if his Dortmund future is far from certain.

  "I think one of the reasons to call him is because was a great opportunity," Pochettino said. "If not, it's going to be difficult to see him."

  This run under the USMNT boss could ignite him for Dortmund. Reyna has generally performed when he puts on a USMNT shirt, and If he does that again this camp, it'll be a huge step forward under the new coach.

  "I think his talent is there," Pochettino said, "and it's good to feel and see how he can help."

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  LOSER: Brenden Aaronson

  Pochettino insisted that Aaronson's omission wasn't about form, it was about numbers. The reality is this, though: when you're in good form, the numbers seem to work in your favor, don't they?

  After a strong start to the season with Leeds, Aaronson has taken of a step back recently, scoring just once since the start of the new year. Leeds, of course, have kept on rolling and look bound for promotion. In fact, Aaronson and Leeds defeated Millwall 2-0 on Wednesday, retaining their spot atop the English Championship. The American played all 90 minutes and put on a brilliant midfield performance.

  He needs to keep turning in those high-caliber efforts. In the end, Pochettino broke down the numbers in terms of roster spots. After impressing in January camp, Diego Luna was in. So, too, was Reyna. Weston McKennie and Christian Pulisic can play as a No. 10, too. There were other spots in the squad to address and, as a result, Aaronson was left out.

  The question is: now what? This certainly isn't a death blow for Aaronson's USMNT, but it is definitely a red flag. Aaronson is experienced and he certainly adds something to the national team but, going forward, he'll need to deliver more. He spoke to GOAL in the fall about adding more goals and assists to his game, and those would clearly help his case.

  Aaronson is fighting for his place , and this exclusion showed just how hard that fight will be for the next year or so.

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  WINNER: January campers

  For those who consider January camps a waste of time, here's the contrary evidence.

  Patrick Agyemang and Luna were the two big winners of that camp and, based on those performances, both are in this team. Neither have overwhelmed in the early MLS season, but they haven't had to. Luna, in particular, is someone that Pochettino has been tracking for some time and believes is ready to take a big leap forward.

  "He's a player that we followed from the day that we signed with the USA national team," Pochettino said. "We want to give another possibility, not only in January camp, but to have continuity. He's a player that can provide different things during a game and it's important for him to feel that confidence from us. He was good in the January camp and that's why we wanted to provide the possibility of joining us again."

  Luna and Agyemang aren't the only ones, though. Brian White is one of the more surprising inclusions on the roster after he, like Agyemang, was among the goalscorers in January. He's the biggest beneficiary of the USMNT's striker injury crisis and now, at the very least, he'll get a chance to win an international medal at age 29 in his first non-January call-up.

  "To have [Josh Sargent] and have Brian White and, of course, Patrick Agyemang, it's a good competition that then provides the national team with a good three strikers competing to play in a very important tournament," Pochettno said.

  Zack Steffen fits in that group, too. After several frustrating years out of the picture, Steffen was given a chance at January camp, too, and he passed with flying colors. He beat out Drake Callender, Matt Freese, Ethan Horvath and Diego Kochen for the third goalkeeper spot, likely due to his performance against Costa Rica a few weeks back.

  It goes to show that January camp, even in its current form, has its value. It's still a launchpad, even if it launches fewer careers than before because of the rise of Americans in Europe. Let this show that those games pay dividends.

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  LOSER: Alejandro Zendejas

  While Aaronson's exclusion was a bit easier to explain, Zendejas' is hard to justify. He's in the form of his life at Club America, scoring and assisting for fun for the Liga MX champions. It wasn't enough, though, as Zendejas, too, was among those left out of the team.

  On form alone, it's hard to justify. After leading Club America to an Apertura title with four goal contributions in the final three games, Zendejas has been on fire to start the Clausura campaign. He has five goals and five assists in the first nine games of the new season. Again, though, it wasn't enough.

  Pochettino went in a different direction. Pulisic and Weah are the obvious starting wingers, so no issues there. Reyna and Luna, meanwhile, could play as inverted wingers if needed. Yunus Musah, too, is listed as a forward, which does indicate one of the ways Pochettino could use the versatile AC Milan regular.

  It all left Zendejas as the odd man out, despite him proving regularly on the club level that he can be a match-winner. It'll be a tough pill to swallow for the 27-year-old winger, but all he can do at the moment is keep playing well ahead of a potential return later this year.

Newcastle United’s success has been wonderful. Supporters could never have dreamt of Champions League nights and consistent attacks toward the uppermost echelon of the Premier League table while languishing under Mike Ashley’s rule.

But the tycoon has been gone from Tyneside for several years now, and the pointers suggest that the Magpies are going to enjoy lofty heights for many years to come.

Eddie Howe has fashioned an outfit that it greater than the sum of its parts. St. James’ Park is home to some top-class players, of course, but the crop has grown as one through these exciting seasons of growth.

Newcastle have burgeoned, and while he’s not the… flashiest player in the squad, Joelinton embodies the development of his side, for he too has reached a level unseen after the dreary early days of his United career.

Joelinton's Newcastle resurgence

You’d have to credit Steve Bruce with the creation of this hybrid form of Joelinton, who was a flop, the floppiest of flops, in the seasons following his club-record £40m transfer from Hoffenheim.

Well-known manager Julian Nagelsmann had heralded the Brazilian as a “beast who is a nightmare to defend against” back in his German days, but he fell by the wayside in the Premier League, unable to adapt to the pace and intensity of the English game.

The striker-turned-roving-number-eight has been a fundamental part of Newcastle’s football under Howe’s wing, bringing a monstrous and unyielding style to charge the midfield and serve as a counterpoint of sorts to the music that Bruno Guimaraes creates with his technical command.

An effective Premier League striker he was not, but the 28-year-old has now completed 107 appearances under his manager across a four-year period, and is patently a midfielder of real importance within the Toon set-up.

His influence is emphasised through the data revealed by FBref. Over the past year, Joelinton ranks among the top 17% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues for goals scored, the top 16% for progressive carries, the top 17% for successful take-ons and the top 19% for tackles per 90.

Effective in front of goal now that it’s not his chief responsibility and capable of bull-like penetrations into the danger area, Joelinton has been hailed for his reshaping by journalist Antonio Mango, who said: “the way he’s transformed himself is extraordinary.”

He’s also a key defensive component, for he has averaged 2.5 tackles and 5.9 successful duels per Premier League match, as per Sofascore, this season.

The complete midfielder? It certainly feels like he has it all in his locker when he’s on his a-game in black and white, and Howe must be chomping at the bit to repeat the club’s feat in sculpting such a player from raw parts.

Though he’s hardly struggling in his current deployment, Lewis Hall could be the next Magpie to bloom into a fresh role down the line.

Lewis Hall could be Howe's own Joelinton

Hall is doing quite the job at left-back for Newcastle, with Alan Shearer even claiming that he was “blown away” by the 20-year-old during his negation of Bukayo Saka’s quality during the 1-0 victory over Arsenal just shy of a month ago.

Sources close to Newcastle suggest that Hall has been told that his immediate Newcastle future will remain at left-back, despite the ace having plied most of his youth trade in central midfield. But he can thrive in the engine room again; it’s something that Howe should consider.

He’s showing that, like Joelinton, he can make the requisite tweaks to become a polished player capable of operating in the centre of the field, with analyst Raj Chohan already noting that the dynamo’s “defensive level is rapidly improving.”

His statistical data, pulled from Premier League performances this season, show that Hall is turning into a robust and reliable option down the left channel, not the most active ball carrier but not shy of wading into the deep end when called upon.

The nuts and bolts of his skill set stem from technical quality and creativity, mixed against an ever-improving defensive spread that makes a telling comment on his faculty for success in midfield.

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Hall, hailed for his “sensational” showings by content creator Pete Davey, might spend some time on the defensive left flank over the coming campaigns, but he’s still so young and has all the properties required to become a superstar in the centre.

Newcastle’s decision to sign him from Chelsea, who he cut his teeth with as a youth, for a £28m fee in August after he spent the 2023/24 season on loan at St. James’ Park is proving to be a brilliant one, even if it was met with scepticism initially.

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With nine top-flight starts to his name already this term, averaging 1.3 key passes and 4.5 ball recoveries per game, Hall is becoming one of Newcastle’s most important members.

Who’s to say that he couldn’t emulate Joelinton though, and step into midfield down the line to help propel Newcastle even further forward?

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Newcastle are looking to replace Miguel Almiron with a new right winger this January.

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Marsch, a Wisconsin native, insists he's enjoying his time with Canada after being overlooked for the USMNT role

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• Marsch says he's not a traitor for coaching Canada
• Led Canada to third-place win over the USMNT
• Insists he's thinking long-term future with Canada

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Jesse Marsch is America's most successful coach abroad, taking on three first division managerial roles with RB Salzburg, RB Leipzig and Leeds before eventually joining Canada. Prior to Canada's third-place match against the USMNT Sunday night, where they would win 2-1, Marsch spoke with CBS and defended himself against recent insults in the U.S. about being a traitor for coaching

  "This is not about being a traitor," Marsch said in the interview. "If I would have said, 'I'm not taking the U.S. job. I'm going to Canada?' Right? That's an important [distinction] then maybe you could say, yeah. But like, you know U.S. had the chance to hire me, and now it's over."

  Long-rumored for the U.S. job, the team interviewed Marsch while investigating Gregg Berhalter for violent conduct. The USMNT elected to bring back Berhalter and a year later, Marsch reflected on the process saying he wasn't treated very well by U.S. Soccer.

  READ MORE:

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  WHAT MARSCH SAID

  "You know it's over, trust me, it is over. It is over," Marsch said of future interest in the USMNT role. "I'm enjoying my time in Canada entirely. Like, I'm thinking more about what could this look like long term, you know? And working with the game in the country, working with the coaching elements, trying to build a more robust youth national team program, trying to connect the dots of what the game is and what the sport is in the country. And I find that there's a lot of people that really want to work together and that part's been really nice."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Marsch's arrival in Canada heightened the rivalry between and the Americans. Canada have beaten the U.S. in their last two outings, including Sunday night, for the first time since 1985. And Marsch now wants Canada to continue to progress ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

  "We had a good 2024, we did well at Copa America, all these things. And I just said, 'Look, culturally, the game is nowhere near what it is in Mexico, right?' So it's not just, do we have a good player pool and is our do we, you know, do we have a good foundation for what the team is," Marsch said. "Yes, we do. We can say that we're creating some high-level talents in these countries, but to put it all together culturally, right? To really understand how to be the best, to beat the best, to be amongst the best – like this is where the challenge lies."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Marsch has a 7-5-4 record as Canada's manager (WLD).

Tottenham’s chiefs are becoming increasingly interested in a new manager as pressure builds on current Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou, it has been reported.

Tottenham's season in tatters

Tottenham threw away another lead this season as they fell to a 4-3 home defeat to Chelsea in their most recent Premier League outing. The Lilywhites roared into a 2-0 lead courtesy of two errors from Marc Cucurella, but were pegged back by goals from Jadon Sancho and Cole Palmer, before Enzo Fernandez and second Palmer penalty left them 4-2 down.

They clawed one back in stoppage time, but it was too little, too late and it was their London rivals who escaped with all three points.

The result, Tottenham’s third loss in four Premier League games, leaves the Lilywhites marooned in 11th in the Premier League with more defeats than wins, though they only remain five points off fifth placed Nottingham Forest.

Postecoglou was keen to stress the positives of the game though: “We had moments to get our third and at half-time we were in a decent position. The second half is a ding dong, especially at the start, they scored but we had a big chance with Son, we didn’t take it and then they [are] 3-2 up.

“I think there were quality opportunities but I don’t think there was an abundance of them. I can’t remember the keepers making a load of top quality saves.

“We more than matched a good side in that department and when there is quality out there you are going to have moments. There were things we could have done better for sure.”

Despite this, there are concerns mounting in north London, with the Spurs boss having been booed by his own fans during their midweek defeat to Bournemouth, and should results not pick up a change could be inevitable.

Should he depart, one man is creeping his way up Tottenham’s radar.

Tottenham chiefs increasingly impressed by Fulham boss

That is according to The Independent, who report that Tottenham’s hierarchy are casting “increasingly admiring looks” in the direction of Fulham boss Marco Silva.

The Portuguese coach, who sets his team out in a much more rigid and traditional 4-2-3-1 at Craven Cottage, has helped Fulham into 10th place this season, and picked up a credible point against Tottenham’s north London rivals Arsenal in his most recent outing.

Evening Standard reporter Dom Smith dubbed him an “underrated manager”, and now it appears that Tottenham have their eye on him should they be forced into making a decision over Postecoglou.

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Even having sold his best player in back to back summers, Silva’s side have gradually improved since their arrival in the Premier League, and their draw with Arsenal left them three points above Spurs in the table, with far fewer resources.

His work is likely to have caught the eye of other clubs too. Tottenham had shortlisted him over the summer of 2023, but ended up plumping for Postecoglou instead. Could they now return?

Everton star Jarrad Branthwaite is reportedly considering leaving the Toffees as Liverpool and Manchester City continue tracking the defender.

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• Branthwaite could ask to leave Everton
• Wants to get back into the England squad
• Man City, Liverpool among interested clubs

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Branthwaite has been touted as one of the best centre-back prospects in England at the moment and the Everton star has been living up to the billing over the course of the last two seasons. However, playing with the Toffees has sort of put his selection with England on the back-burner.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  As per Sky Sports, Branthwaite is now considering leaving Everton in the summer as he is keen on making it back into the England squad after missing out on Thomas Tuchel's first England squad. Branthwaite is currently part of Lee Carsley's England U21s squad but the Everton defender wants to make it back into the senior team as soon as possible.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The report also added that Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur are keeping a keen eye on Branthwaite with Real Madrid also said to be interested in signing the defender.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BRANTHWAITE?

  The prices quoted by reports for Branthwaite have gone upward of £100 million ($129m) over the last summer. However, it is possible that Everton may be open to negotiations if Branthwaite makes it clear that he has his heart set on leaving.

The managerial merry-go-round is in full swing in the Premier League now with Russell Martin’s dismissal from the Southampton hot seat following on from Gary O’Neil losing his job at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Both managers were facing a losing battle to remain employed, especially Martin who bowed out from his time at the Saints with a depressing 5-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur, which left his side rooted to the bottom of the league on a dire five points.

Now, the next appointment has to be spot on in order to try and give Southampton a fighting chance at somehow surviving, as many names begin to be linked to the vacancy.

Southampton's managerial search

The main faces being linked to the pressurised job post include Danny Rohl and Carlos Corberan, as Southampton cast their net into the Championship to find Martin’s successor.

Rohl has previously been a coach at the Saints, with the German at the club under Ralph Hassenhuttl’s lengthy tenure, whilst Football Insider has revealed that Corberan is a ‘top contender’ to take over at the Premier League’s basement club, having been in the dug-out at West Bromwich Albion since 2022.

Away from those two in-work managers, there are also many unemployed bosses who could be up for consideration to come in and be just the fresh blood needed at St. Mary’s.

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One of those free agent managers is reportedly Kasper Hjulmand, who would be seen as both an upgrade on the heavily fancied Corberan and recently departed Martin if he does relocate to England soon.

What Hjulmand could offer Southampton

That’s the case according to a report by talkSPORT, who state that the relegation favourites have long admired the Dane, with the potential for Hjulmand to be swayed into taking on the tough opening.

The 52-year-old has shown in the past, however, that he can work wonders under pressure as a manager, having guided one of his previous clubs, FC Nordsjælland, to their first-ever Danish Superliga title in 2012, among other glittering achievements.

Moreover, he also helped his nation reach the semi-finals of the Euros in 2020, only to be beaten by Gareth Southgate’s England 2-1 in a closely fought contest at Wembley.

Therefore, it does feel as if the ex-Denmark head coach is worthy of an opportunity to test himself in England’s elite division, with Hjulmand also tallying up more victories as a manager overall when weighed up next to Corberan and Martin.

Boasting 46 more victories than Martin as a more experienced head, Hjulmand could sense this is the perfect job for him to get stuck into after resigning from his international team position earlier this year.

After all, the 52-year-old’s play style in aiming to keep possession before launching into an attack would suit the Saints well, having averaged 53% of the ball this campaign to date despite being often blown away by superior opponents.

Whilst Corberan would perhaps be able to offer some more stability, as a defensive coach who knows the ins and outs of the English game, Hjulmand could be the bold left-field choice Southampton are crying out for, with 560 goals rippling the back of the net under his exciting managerial methods.

Once labelled as a “fantastic coach” by Simon Kjaer when the pair worked together at Denmark, the proof will be in the pudding if the Scandinavian can miraculously keep his new club afloat should a deal go through.

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Dec 17, 2024

Manchester City reportedly have their sights set on one of La Liga’s most promising young defenders, who they hope can help solve their ongoing crisis at the back.

Manchester City latest news

City’s poor season took yet another downward turn over the weekend as Pep Guardiola’s side were beaten 2-1 by Aston Villa in the Premier League. The defeat was City’s sixth in their last eight in the top flight, and leaves them seventh in the Premier League table, 12 points adrift of leaders Liverpool.

Guardiola conceded after the defeat to Villa that his side, who have been champions for the past four seasons running, are now out of the race for the title.

“When you want to achieve something important, like win the Premier League, arrive in the latter stages of the Champions League, how you have to behave is this one concept: consistency. All this time we were incredibly consistent and now we are not,” said the Spaniard.

City want Valladolid starlet

One of City’s biggest problems in recent months has been their propensity to ship goals – which has in part been caused by injuries to a number of key defenders, including Nathan Ake, John Stones and Ruben Dias. Guardiola’s side have kept just three clean sheets all season in the Premier League, and just one in their last eight games.

They’ve also conceded 25 goals already, which is just one fewer than they conceded in the entirety of their 2021/22 title-winning campaign. Amid the crisis, the club are now reportedly eyeing a move for teenage central defender Juma Bah.

The 18-year-old is currently on-loan at La Liga side Real Vallodolid from AIK Freetong in his native Sierra Leone, and has impressed with his assured performances at the heart of the Blanquivioletas’ defence.

The Sun insider Alan Nixon has reported via his exclusive Patreon page that City want to purchase Bah next month, but loan him straight back to Vallodolid so he can continue to play regularly. Nixon claims that City would be willing to pay £12 million for 6 foot 5 defender, who is keen on a move to the Premier League despite there also being interest from Barcelona.

Bah, the first player ever from Sierra Leone to play in the Spanish top flight, has been praised by football analyst Chencho Alonso.

Commenting on Bah after he featured for Vallodolid B versus Langreo earlier this year, Chencho said, per Foot Boom: “He was commanding and pushing forward, showcasing solid defensive concepts in movement and marking adjustments. He is very calm on the ball and plays simply.

“The next day I said he would be called up in September for the first team, and on Saturday he was a starter.”

Kyle Walker admits to leaving Manchester City in tears and says the “chapter’s not fully closed” after finding it impossible to turn down AC Milan.

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• Defender wanted to take on new challenge in Italy
• Found it hard to say goodbye at the Etihad Stadium
• Remains under contract with Premier League giants

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 34-year-old defender was offered the opportunity to head for Italy during the winter transfer window. Having achieved so much in England, as a Premier League and Champions League title winner, the decision was taken to step out of a professional comfort zone.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Pep Guardiola was happy to grant Walker’s wishes once it became apparent that he wanted to trade the Etihad Stadium for San Siro, with City reluctant to keep any player against their wishes. The appeal of Milan was obvious to all of those in Manchester.

• WHAT KYLE WALKER SAID

  Speaking on the about why he agreed to an Italian job, the England international said: “In football, I think when certain things come, or certain opportunities come, you have to take it…You have to take it, and for me to experience a different league, for me to experience a different culture, for me to play for a club like AC Milan…I don't think you can turn that down, and when you know they want you, or you want to go there, and you want to have a new challenge, I think there are certain clubs in the world that you kind of can't say no to.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  While Walker was happy to pack his bags, he found it tough to sever ties with City and claims his adventure there may not be over. He added: “I said to the team manager…the player liaison officer, I said that I wanted to say goodbye to the lads in the canteen before I left when I knew the deal was complete. And he actually texted the whole building!

  “So, there were 150 people there and I had to say goodbye, which was a little bit nerve wracking, and it was sad because as much as people might have this persona about me or whatever, I did speak to completely everyone in that building from the cleaners, to the cooks, to the kit men, to the physios…There was the lady there, Emma, that would be behind the counter and serve you food, or get your drinks and whatever, and even when I looked over at her, I wanted to cry because it was like every day I've said, 'Morning' to you and given you a cuddle, and all of a sudden now I'm not going to see you anymore, and you don't think about that when the process is happening, but then when you come to say goodbye, it's hard.

  “But, after I said my goodbyes, Pep got up and spoke and said a really nice message to me, just saying thank you for everything. But, listen, it's not over. I'm just on loan here. I've got to take that into consideration that I can go back. Obviously, both parties need to come to an agreement come the end of the season and… listen, the chapter's not fully closed, but we'll see what happens.”

Aston Villa fans will be hoping that January is a far more straightforward month for their side in terms of wins being collected, with December proving to be a topsy-turvy period for those with connections to the Villans.

Whilst there were impressive victories over the likes of Manchester City, Unai Emery’s men were also on the receiving end of a bruising defeat here and there, seen in two 3-0 defeats at the hands of Chelsea and Newcastle United.

Therefore, a priority in this transfer window could be to strengthen at the back to ensure more depressing losses don’t come their way, but Villa look to be on the hunt for even more explosive firepower up top.

Aston Villa reignite interest in "unstoppable" attacker

As per a report by the Daily Mail, Villa look set to rekindle their interest in Borussia Dortmund striker Donyell Malen this January, with the Dutchman valued in and around the £25m mark.

The report goes on to state that the Premier League side are looking at around three new additions to attempt to boost morale, with the West Midlands outfit lingering in a below-par ninth spot in the division currently.

The 25-year-old’s arrival on the scene would no doubt raise the entertainment levels up a notch at Villa Park, having once been described as “unstoppable” by talent scout Jacek Kulig when making a name for himself as a goal machine playing in his native country.

This interest being reignited in Malen could signal a potential departure for Jhon Duran, which would be a devastating blow for Emery and Co to take, but one that would be softened by the Dortmund ace entering the building.

What Malen could offer Aston Villa

Much like the enthralling Duran, Malen has a reputation for being a deadlier finisher wherever he’s been across his career to date.

Indeed, the former Arsenal youth player was a hit at PSV Eindhoven before a major move to the Bundesliga opened up for him, with 55 strikes buried from 116 total contests.

Not all of those goals were typical striker-like finishes, however, as can be seen from an outrageous strike for PSV back in 2020, which must have caught Dortmund’s eye.

He has since picked up an impressive 39 goals and 20 assists playing for the German giants, with Dortmund getting a lot of joy out of the 25-year-old when playing him as a winger over lining up him as a traditional centre-forward, which shows off a versatility Emery will likely be a fan of.

Looking at the table above, Malen is an extremely adaptable figure in attack, with his game not too dissimilar to Luiz Diaz – another versatile figure – according to FBref’s similar player’s tool.

Across the last year, the Dutchman matches his Colombian counterpart in many different areas with both players boasting similar shot numbers per game at 3.30 and 3.17 respectively, alongside always being able to receive a ball and make something happen with 9.96 progressive passes being received by Malen over the last year next to Diaz’s 10.16.

Whilst it doesn’t feel a top priority for Emery to recruit more entertaining forward players, Villa will have to be prepared that a team could soon wildly come in for Duran, considering his excellent 12-goal return this season.

Therefore, Malen could be the answer, offering the top-flight side a contingency plan if Duran does surprisingly depart, and further gifting them even more options down either wing.

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