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Aston Villa boss Dean Smith could land a superb teammate for Jack Grealish in Wales and Juventus star Aaron Ramsey in the summer transfer window.

What’s the story?

A report from Italian outlet Tuttomercato suggests that Villa have got their eye on the former Arsenal man, who is currently on international duty at EURO 2020 with Wales.

It’s suggested that Smith’s side are the front-runners for the midfielder, who has scored 91 career goals for club and country thus far in his career.

Imagine him and Grealish

Arsene Wenger raved about Ramsey’s ability to get into the box and find himself on the end of moves, saying: “In my head, Ramsey was going to be a player between 10 and 15 goals a year. He is a Frank Lampard type. He is (about) getting in the box and he has a huge capacity to run. Physically, he has a combination of stamina, power and his capacity to repeat high intensity is certainly the best in the league.”

Described as an “outstanding technician”, Ramsey would offer that same knack of getting into the box at the right times and scoring those poacher-type goals. In fact, Lampard himself wrote in a column for The Evening Standard: “It will probably come as no surprise to people that I like Ramsey. Like me, he makes late runs in the penalty area and he showed that with aplomb for the second goal at AC Milan last week.”

And, after a superb goal-scoring performance in the win over Turkey at EURO 2020, former Wales international, Danny Gabbidon, said: “I love Gareth Bale massive amounts but when Aaron Ramsey gets Hulked up he is my favourite Wales player! There’s nothing he can’t do.”

Having Ramsey in the side could be a huge boost for Grealish. The Villa talisman would have a runner from deep in Ramsey to pick out, rather than just having Ollie Watkins to run in behind the opposition defence.

It would give Grealish a second man to pick out, and given his ability to spot a pass – he averaged 3.1 key passes per game last season in the Premier League, which was almost double that of any Villa player – you would back him to find Ramsey more often than not.

It could be a superb little double-act that would take the weight off Watkins’ shoulders in terms of goal-scoring, and give Grealish another partner in crime.

AND in other Villa news; pundit warns Smith to avoid a move for reported Villa target

Former Rangers ace Michael Ball believes that Harry Wilson deserves a move to the Scottish champions in this transfer window.

Steven Gerrard’s side have been linked with a swoop to sign the winger from Liverpool in the summer transfer window.

He has spent the season on loan at Cardiff City, making 37 appearances in the Championship, scoring seven goals and registering 12 assists.

The 24-year-old has struggled for minutes for Liverpool, making just two senior appearances.

But Ball believes that his performances for Cardiff and his other loan clubs – Crewe Alexandra, Hull City, Derby County, and AFC Bournemouth – have earned him the right to make the move north of the border to link up with Gerrard’s Scottish champions.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, Ball said: “It does seem like a similar situation to Ryan Kent.

“If he goes up there, he probably deserves his move to a big football club. He’s done the hard yards now, he’s developed, and he’s had a great season.”

Kent, of course, moved to Rangers for a fee of £7.5m after finding minutes hard to come by at Liverpool and he has developed into a star, playing a key role in their Premiership triumph this term, with eight goals and nine assists in 33 games.

كشفت شبكة “سكاي سبورتس” عن إمكانية مساعدة نادي أتلتيكو مدريد لنظيره في الدوري الإنجليزي أستون فيلا من أجل ضم صانع الألعاب، فيليب كوتينيو، نهائيًا من برشلونة في الميركاتو الصيفي المقبل.

وانتقل كوتينيو إلى صفوف أستون فيلا على سبيل الإعارة في يناير وحتى نهاية الموسم من برشلونة، بسبب عدم مشاركته المستمرة في المباريات تحت قيادة، تشافي هيرنانديز.

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وبحسب متخصص الانتقالات، فابرزيو رومانو، أن نادي أتلتيكو مدريد يريد تدعيم مركز الظهير الأيمن واتجهت أنظاره نحو لاعب أستون فيلا، ماتي كاش، خاصة بعد رحيل كيران تريبير إلى صفوف نيوكاسل يونايتد.

صفقة كاش لن تكون بسيطة على إدارة أتلتيكو مدريد حيث من المفترض أن تكلفهم مبلغا ماليا يصل إلى 35 مليون يورو، ولكن إذا قرر النادي الإسباني دفع هذا المبلغ سيكون ميزة لأستون فيلا.

حيث يريد أستون فيلا التعاقد مع كوتينيو نهائيًا من برشلونة بعد تألقه الكبير بقميص النادي الإنجليزي منذ انتقاله في يناير الماضي.

Admirable fighting qualities on a wearing pitch earned Barbados a draw against England ‘A’ yesterday, but other results around the region left them in sixth place after the halfway stage of the Busta Series.Confronted by a pitch on which the bounce became increasingly low and bombarded by a series of boisterous appeals, Barbados could take some satisfaction from losing only five wickets on the last day to deny the visitors victory.Adrian Griffith’s 84 and support from Ryan Hinds and Courtney Browne, along with a defiant unbeaten half-century stand between captain Ian Bradshaw and Dave Marshall during the last hour-and-a-half, allowed Barbados to reach 229 for six when the match was called off with two overs remaining.When it was over, Barbados finished second best for the third successive home match, but they were still upbeat and admitted they were able to learn a few things from the international opposition.”We didn’t get the most points in this game. Sometimes that happens, but one of the important things was that we are playing against a good English `A’ team and they have taught us a lot about preparation, mental attitude, performance and professionalism,” said Barbados coach Hendy Springer.It was a view shared by skipper Bradshaw, who won the Man-Of-The-Match award, mainly for his unbeaten 109 in the first innings. He finished 18 not out in the second innings to add to his three wickets.”We have learnt from the disciplined approach that the English guys took,” Bradshaw said. “They were very consistent in terms of their line and length. That is something our bowlers have got to look at and try to emulate. They batted very patiently and that is something we have been trying to stress to the batters. You can learn from these guys. They are professional cricketers.”The three points carried Barbados to 21, 15 behind front-runners Jamaica with three round of matches remaining.England ‘A’ slipped to joint-third on 27 points, but their captain Mark Alleyne was pleased about the performance in spite of their inability to gain maximum points.”We played well enough to deserve an outright victory, but Barbados showed a bit of resilience today and we couldn’t quite force it,” Alleyne said.”But we will take a lot from this game into the next match, knowing we are good enough to force an outright victory against Jamaica.”The one thing that disappointed Alleyne was to find a pitch that was of the same quality as those he had encountered in St. George’s and Port-of-Spain.”In terms of pace, it was very similar very slow. It didn’t spin that much off the straight. We had to use the bowler’s footmarks a little bit,” he said.Barbados, resuming yesterday on 27 for one still 167 runs behind suffered an immediate setback when Sean Armstrong gave a bat/pad catch to silly-point after 20 minutes.They, however, would have been satisfied that Griffith and Hinds were able to survive until the lunch break.Hinds overcame an uncertain start and was able to keep England at bay for almost two hours before the visitors gained an important double-strike quickly after lunch.Afzaal finally won a decision for lbw when Hinds (30) was pinned on the back foot, and there was a similar verdict in the next over for fast bowler Jonathan Lewis who trapped Holder as the experienced batsman was trying to push forward.By then, Griffith had passed his second half-century of the tournament. Browne joined him, but the wicket-keeper/batsman had to contend with the uncomfortable spin directed outside the leg-stump in the rough.It was a ploy that brought England no success, and Griffith and Browne were taking Barbados to the tea interval when their sixth-wicket partnership of 60 was ended by a loose stroke from Griffith five minutes before the break.For most of the day, England depended heavily on their spinners, but the second ball did the trick. Alex Tudor, rested all day, induced Griffith into a half-hearted drive that lacked footwork.The ball took the edge of the bat and went to second slip where Vikram Solanki accepted his 16th catch of the season to end an important innings that lasted five hours and included four boundaries off 238 balls.When Browne was run out for 29 by a direct throw by Mike Powell from mid-wicket to the bowler’s end in the first over after tea, Barbados were behind by 15 runs and only four wickets remained.Bradshaw and Marshall had their early problems, but managed to stay together to add 50 before the match ended.

Brian Deane has exclusively told Football FanCast that goalkeeper Sam Johnstone would be a good signing for West Ham.

With the Baggies’ relegation back to the Championship now confirmed, Johnstone already has a number of Premier League sides interested in his signature, with the Hammers one of them.

And recent reports believe that they’ve now moved ahead of Tottenham in the race for the England shotstopper, who was rewarded for his outstanding form this season with his first call-up by Gareth Southgate for March’s World Cup qualifiers.

The 6 ft 4 Johnstone, who former England manager Glenn Hoddle labelled as ‘outstanding’ earlier this year, has not only made the most saves in the Premier League this season but has managed six clean sheets and even an assist from his 35 appearances.

West Ham have three senior goalkeepers currently at the club, but number one Lukasz Fabianski has just one year left on his contract and has been short of form of late, whilst his back-up, Dave Martin, will become a free agent this summer having failed to make a single first-team appearance this season.

And the former Hammers striker Deane told Football FanCast that he’s been impressed with Johnstone’s form:

“He’s saved more than anyone else in the league and certainly when I’ve seen him, he’s looked a very good player. I think he would be a good candidate.

“He’s not let anybody down at West Brom and that could be a good move.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Quatro jogos sem fazer gols. O Botafogo, desta vez contra o líder do Campeonato Brasileiro, passou em branco novamente e vai se complicando na luta para ir à próxima Taça Libertadores. Após o jogo deste domingo, os jogadores reiteraram a importância de melhorar a finalização nos jogos finais da temporada.

– Não aproveitamos as oportunidades. Buscamos o resultado desde o início e fizemos um jogo estratégico. Temos que aproveitar as oportunidades – entende o atacante Rodrigo Pimpão.

Mais do que nunca, voltar a fazer gol e vencer virou uma obrigação contra a Ponte Preta, no sábado, na Arena Botafogo. Para isso, o time precisa melhorar o desempenho na criação e na finalização. O meia Camilo acredita que é preciso melhorar o poder de concentração.

– Precisamos fazer o dever de casa, agora. Vamos nos concentrar, fizemos um grande jogo. Até sair o gol, estávamos jogando de igual para igual. Agora, temos que nos concentrar. Foi um jogo nervoso, truncado e difícil, mas temos condições de conseguir a vaga – afirma Camilo.

O mais desconfiado torcedor do Botafogo já começa a duvidar da capacidade de a equipe alvinegra se manter no G6 até o fim da competição. O volante Dudu Cearense, porém, segue otimista de que os maus resultados recentes não vão pesar quando a competição terminar.

– Não tenha dúvida (de que dá para ir à Libertadores), mas precisamos pontuar – alerta o meio-campista, que foi titular neste domingo, mas deve voltar ao banco de reservas no próximo duelo, com os prováveis retornos de Bruno Silva e Airton.

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Celtic’s season has been a disastrous state of affairs at all reaches of the football club.

Whether it’s the Hoops hierarchy getting an earful from the Green Brigade or the playing staff dishonouring the famous Bhoys jersey with abject performances, it has not been a good campaign.

They’ve now also been missing a permanent manager in the Parkhead dugout for the best part of nine weeks.

It has been over two months since Neil Lennon departed Glasgow but the club still isn’t really any closer to welcoming a successor.

Eddie Howe has long been talked about and a deal is thought to be reaching a conclusion.

Though, if Dominic McKay and Dermot Desmond have an opportunity to change their minds and perform a U-turn, they should turn towards Young Boys coach Gerardo Seoane.

Football FanCast have already waxed lyrical about his qualities and why he’d be an ideal fit for the Bhoys.

For starters, he plays a very offensive brand of football. When the 42-year-old’s team won the Swiss top-flight in 2018/19, they scored a mighty haul of 99 goals, 28 more than any other side in the division.

They are one of the most vertical teams in Europe too, playing an average of 82.81 progressive passes per 90 minutes. This would be ideal for Celtic because the Glaswegian side average 85.05 per 90 themselves.

At a time where Celtic are in such a big transition, they will also need to find a manager that’s adept at working with young players. Fortunately, Seoane is an expert in this regard.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/celtic-manager-transfers-eddie-howe-jesse-marsch-ryan-christie-siriki-dembele” title=”Read the latest Celtic managerial updates, transfer news, rumours and gossip!”]

His Young Boys team is built around a collective group of players who are yet to reach their prime.

Seoane’s side possesses just three players over the age of 30 while six players in the squad are below the age of 23. Only five individuals are over the age of 25; typically the peak of a footballer’s career.

One of the stand out individuals for Young Boys down the years has been Jean-Pierre Nsame.

Coincidentally, he’s been linked with a move to Celtic in the last few days. He has netted 96 goals for the Swiss champions, 82 of which have been scored under Seoane’s watch.

Speaking about the striker earlier this season, his manager commented: “Jean-Pierre Nsamé has had an extraordinary season. He has really progressed especially in terms of taking responsibility in the team.”

Seoane added: “He is very physical, with an unbelievable ability in front of goal.”

Therefore, if McKay can lure the pairing to Paradise this summer, he’d potentially create a dream duo.

Seoane appears a perfect fit on the manager front while Nsame is a fearsome striker, someone who could replace Odsonne Edouard at Celtic if he finally departs.

AND in other news, Lennon will have every right to be fuming with Desmond after big Celtic manager update…

Sunderland are currently stuck in a horrible rut.

Lee Johnson’s men haven’t won in five matches and in the space of a fortnight; they’ve seen their automatic promotion hopes dusted.

On the chalkboard

Sunderland’s chances of securing promotion this season won’t be made any easier by the news emerging regarding Aiden McGeady.

The Irishman missed their 2-2 draw with Hull City in midweek because of a bruised foot which, given he’s got 13 assists to his name this term, was a huge blow.

It doesn’t look good for McGeady’s involvement this weekend either. Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Thursday afternoon, Johnson admitted: “I would put him at 50-50.”

The boss continued: “He is tough and he wants to play, but his foot is still very bruised even though it is only a superficial injury, if you like – it’s nothing bone or ligament related.”

Consequently, the manager may have to start thinking about alternatives.

The solution

When the Black Cats drew with Hull it was Jordan Jones who started on McGeady’s favoured left side.

Next to Jones were Josh Scowen and Lynden Gooch but they put in two different performances.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-sunderland-transfer-rumours-and-news-grigg-denayer-louis-dreyfus-sanderson-melamed” title=”Latest Sunderland transfer news and views!”]

Gooch stood out on the right-hand side and was a menace for the Tigers’ backline. Scowen, however, isn’t particularly adept in forward areas.

Thus, in order to extract more from Sunderland’s front line, Johnson should consider unleashing Chris Maguire.

The Scot hasn’t started for the Mackems since the current manager’s very first game in charge, a 1-0 defeat to Wigan Athletic.

That’s a run of outings stretching back to the 5th December, a painstaking 27 straight league matches.

Though, there was a spell within that, specifically towards the end of February and the beginning of March where he showed his quality.

Dubbed “very talented” by Steve Parkin, he hasn’t shown many glimpses of that apart from a three-game run.

During the aforementioned time frame, the 32-year-old scored a superb goal against Crewe while picking up assists against Fleetwood and Swindon.

Maguire made his feelings felt in a recent U23 match. He let rip from range and scored a breathtaking strike from long-range against Burnley.

Having endured a spell in the youth team to get his fitness up to scratch, Johnson needs to bring him back into the first team.

AND in other news, SAFC can finally axe McFadzean by signing 18 y/o that Jack Ross thinks is “brilliant”…

Peterborough United Director of Football Barry Fry has told Football FanCast that West Ham have done excellent business in the January transfer window but fears for the club if Michail Antonio is injured.

The Hammers are currently fifth in the Premier League table and are continuing to push for qualification to the Champions League.

With nine games of the season remaining, David Moyes’ side are just two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea and seven behind Leicester City.

The Irons have a reasonable run-in too, as they only play two teams who are above them in the league: the Blues and the Foxes.

Moyes’ side have won just one of their last four games, however, which included games against Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal, and Fry thinks the club may be left in trouble if Antonio suffers an injury.

The striker has scored seven goals and laid on five assists in 20 games this season in the Premier League and is the club’s only out-and-out forward as they failed to sign a new centre-forward in the January transfer window.

Speaking exclusively to FFC, Fry hailed the signing of Jesse Lingard, who has eased the goalscoring burden on Antonio with five goals in seven games since his loan move from United, but sounded a note of caution.

He said: “In Lingard, I think that was a magnificent signing and the icing on the cake.

“I’m a little bit worried if anything happened to Antonio, they’re a bit short in that department.”

Fry revealed in a separate interview that he told West Ham to sign Ivan Toney from Peterborough United before he moved to Brentford.

أعلن روبرتو مانشيني المدير الفني للمنتخب الإيطالي عن قائمة الأزوري لمعسكر يناير الذي من المفترض أن ينطلق يوم 26 يناير الجاري.

معسكر منتخب إيطاليا لن يشهد مباريات دولية لأبطال أوروبا، لكنها ستكون فترة تحضيرية قبل تصفيات كأس العالم لقارة أوروبا، وتحديدًا الملحق المؤهل للمونديال في مارس المقبل.

تم استدعاء 35 لاعبًا من قبل الإيطالي روبرتو مانشيني، أبرزهم كان ماريو بالوتيلي بعد غياب أكثر من 3 سنوات، بينما انضم ماركو كارنيسكي لأول مرة للمنتخب.

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وكانت آخر مباراة شارك فيها بالوتيلي مع المنتخب الإيطالي، يوم 7 سبتمبر في 2018.

ومن المقرر أن ينطلق المعسكر يوم الأربعاء 26 يناير، بعد المؤتمر الصحفي الذي سيعقده مانشيني بعد الواحدة ظهرًا، ثم يقوم بأولى الجلسات التدريبية. قائمة منتخب إيطاليا لمعسكر يناير

حراسة المرمى: ماركو كارنيسكي (كريمونيزي) ، أليسيو كراجنو (كالياري) ، أليكس ميريت (نابولي) ، سالفاتوري سيريجو (جنوى)

الدفاع: أليساندرو باستوني (إنتر) ، كريستيانو بيراجي (فيورنتينا) ، دافيد كالابريا (ميلان) ، جورجيو كيليني (يوفنتوس) ، ماتيا دي تشيليو (يوفنتوس)، جيوفاني دي لورينزو (نابولي) ، أليساندرو فلورنزي (ميلان) ، لويز فيليبي (لاتسيو) ، جيانلوكا مانشيني (روما) ، لوكا بيليجريني (يوفنتوس) ، جورجيو سكالفيني (أتالانتا) ، رافائيل تولوي (أتالانتا).

وسط الملعب: نيكولو باريلا (إنتر) ، بريان كريستانتي (روما) ، نيكولو فاجيولي (كريمونيزي) ، دافيد فراتيسي (ساسولو) ، مانويل لوكاتيلي (يوفنتوس) ، ماتيو بيسينا (أتالانتا) ، صامويل ريتشي (إمبولي) ، ستيفانو سينسي (إنتر) ، ساندرو تونالي (ميلان).

الهجوم: : ماريو بالوتيلي (أضنه دميرسبور) ، دومينيكو بيراردي (ساسولو) ، فيديريكو برنارديشي (يوفنتوس) ، سيرو إيموبيل (لاتسيو) ، لورنزو إنسيني (نابولي) ، جواو بيدرو (كالياري) ، جياكومو راسبادوري (ساسولو) ، جيانلوكا سكاميا (ساسولو) زاكاني (لاتسيو) ، نيكولو زانيولو (روما).