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Aston Villa could land a perfect alternative to Norwich’s Emi Buendia this summer in Reading starlet Michael Olise.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent months had suggested that the French talent is on Dean Smith’s radar as the manager looks to rejuvenate his Villa squad with younger talent, but it appears that they now face significant competition for his signature.

According to TEAMtalk, Lille are keen on bringing Olise back to his home country, with the recently-crowned Ligue 1 champions are keen to see him arrive as a potential replacement for Jonathan Ikone.

He matched Jack Grealish

Hailed as “super talented” by Reading manager Veljko Paunović, the 19-year-old has been widely hailed for his skill, with Jose Gomes – his former boss at the Madejski Stadium – adding: “Michael is really special. He can see, even before receiving the ball, more options than regular players. His technical ability and speed, decision capacity is really, really good.”

That speed of thought to which Gomes is referring is something very much akin to Villa talisman Jack Grealish, who was the main source of inspiration for Smith’s side this season – he has managed 12 assists in the Premier League, with seven goals in all competitions.

Both of those tallies were matched by Olise, who also recorded 12 assists in the Championship alone this term, as well as adding a further seven goals to his name.

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The £10.8m-rated teenager ranks in the top ten for most fouled players per game in the Championship (Grealish ranks top in the Premier League), and is second for key passes in the division (the Villa man is also second for that metric).

With Buendia also linked with a move to Arsenal, Villa have a real fight on their hands to land the Argentine this summer. If they miss out on the playmaker, or decide to go on a different direction, then Olise must absolutely be the man who Smith targets.

The Villa boss could forget all about Buendia by landing the much younger Olise this summer.

Meanwhile, Villa are eyeing a move for this free agent…

Liverpool are reportedly interested in Porto playmaker Fabio Vieira, according to Portuguese journalist Bruno Andrade.

The Lowdown: Liverpool chase multiple summer targets

As Liverpool continue their summer transfer activity, their attention has now seemingly turned to the creative playmaker as they look towards 2021/22.

So far, the Reds have completed a deal for RB Leipzig defender Ibrahima Konate, but with Georginio Wijnaldum leaving the club, midfield reinforcements will likely be required.

Enjoying a promising 2020/21 campaign, Vieira registered three goals and two assists from 33 fixtures whilst plying his trade in a multitude of different positions for his current employers [Transfermarkt].

The Latest: Liverpool keeping a keen eye on Vieira; he could still renew his Porto contract

Sharing the latest Twitter, Andrade’s [MaisFutebol] comments translated to the following: “Fábio Vieira is in the list of referenced by Liverpool… and the interest ends up increasing with the good performances of the midfielder in the U21 Euro, having been chosen the best player.”

Fresh from helping the Portuguese Under-21 side to the U21 European Championships final [Daily Mail], a switch to Merseyside could become an option for the 21-year-old in the summer months.

Despite this, Andrade also points out the youngster’s potential openness to remain in Portugal, revealing he is happy to discuss a contract renewal with FC Porto.

Currently, the wonderkid is only bound to the Lisbon based club until 2022 [Transfermarkt].

The Verdict: Klopp should look to sign Vieira

Described as a ‘playmaker who creates a lot of chances’ and ‘an excellent link between midfield and attack’ by UEFA technical observers, Vieira was voted as the star player of the UEFA U-21 EURO tournament [UEFA.com].

Undoubtedly, he is an exciting young prospect who would offer an excellent array of creativity to the Liverpool fold.

Given his shining performances at the U21 tournament, he feels like the sort of player who would improve immensely under Jurgen Klopp, given the boss’ reputation for improving young attacking talent.

Registering a 90% passing rate in six Champions League appearances across the 2020/21 campaign [WhoScored], the youngster has already shown he can step up to the highest level, so it would be no surprise to see him replicate that form at Anfield.

In other news, Liverpool fans fume at their reported transfer funding. 

Jack Grealish was voted Man of the Match in England’s 1-0 Euro 2020 warm-up victory against Romania on Sunday evening [Daily Express].

Putting on a dazzling display for the Three Lions, the 25-year-old created the decisive opportunity in the fixture at the Riverside Stadium. Jinking past two opponents, the boyhood Villa man waltzed into the penalty area before being cynically taken out by a Romanian defender, and up stepped Marcus Rashford to convert the spot-kick [BBC].

However, Grealish was the main talking point of the match due to his quick feet and weight of pass, deserving his Man of the Match award for his exploits [TEAMTalk].

Set to play a key part in the European Championship for England this summer, no wonder loads of Aston Villa fans took to social media to voice their pleasure at his well-earned Man of the Match accolade.

Villa fans react to Grealish’s award:

Here is what some of the Villa faithful had to say in response to a 30-second video clip posted on the club’s official Twitter account in which the 25-year-old thanked the supporters who voted him for the award on Sunday:

“What a star #jackgrealish”

Credit: @EthanSimmonds4

“My captain!”

Credit: @JayVtid

“Totally deserved”Credit: @VillaJeanK”Love him”

Credit: @SMGBirmingham

“How can you not love him”

Credit: @DeclanRigby

“England’s Starboy”

Credit: @_WillAVFC

In other news, here’s how some Aston Villa fans reacted to the signing of Emi Buendia.

Graham Roberts said that Jermain Defoe is absolutely loving his time at Rangers and remains a great player coming off the bench despite the former Tottenham striker turning 39 in October.

Defoe recently penned a new one-year contract at Ibrox, although the frontman has joined Steven Gerrard’s backroom staff and will be working as a player-coach for the upcoming campaign.

He’s been with Rangers for two-and-half years following his move from Bournemouth, and whilst Defoe has never been a regular starter under his ex-England teammate Gerrard, he boasts an impressive goal tally of 32 goals in 72 games.

Four of those came last season to help Rangers claim their first Scottish Premiership crown for more than a decade, with Defoe netting his first Old Firm goal in the thumping victory over Celtic last month before he secured the Gers’ unbeaten campaign against Aberdeen on the final-day.

With Gerrard having the likes of Kemar Roofe and Alfredo Morelos in attack, Defoe oversaw just 627 minutes in all competitions, but with more than 300 goals under his belt, Roberts thinks that the veteran striker remains a great option.

He exclusively told The Transfer Tavern:

“I know him really well, and he absolutely loves it at Rangers. They won the league, and it makes it a lot easier.

“He wants to be a part of the backroom, Gerrard likes him, so he’s going to be no problem, scoring 20 goals a season coming off the bench. He’s a great asset to have off the bench.”

Michael Ball believes Everton may pursue a deal to sign Chris Smalling from Roma this summer.

Gianluca Di Marzio has claimed that the Toffees are interested in signing the English centre-back this summer.

Roma have just appointed Jose Mourinho as their new manager and the report claims that he is looking for a different profile of defender.

Smalling first moved to the Italian club on loan in 2019/20 but the deal was made permanent the season following and he has made a total of 58 appearances in Rome.

A former England international with 31 caps, the 31-year-old spent a decade at Manchester United, making 323 appearances at Old Trafford.

And Ball believes that a deal to sign Smalling could be a realistic one for the Toffees this summer, with his experience likely to add plenty to the club’s backline.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said: “Chris Smalling, experience is probably what Everton need. Experience at centre-half, we’ve got so many, Godfrey’s doing really well, he had a fantastic season, he’s just lacking experience, you’ve got Yerry Mina who consistently can’t get a run of games, he keeps catching niggles here and there. It’s never been a settled back two or three.

“Chris Smalling will be fit week in and week out and that experience could help the likes of Godfrey, improve his development, and also settle the likes of Michael Keane or Mina alongside him, with his experience.

“It’s a possible one, I can see Everton probably going for it, it’s a player Everton were probably interested in a couple of years ago so it’s more realistic, I can see it happening.”

Smalling is valued at £10.8m by Transfermarkt and has a contract until 2023.

Chelsea and Scotland star Billy Gilmour is the sort of midfielder that would keep things ticking over at Southampton, says former player Carlton Palmer.

Gilmour could be available for loan this summer, with The Athletic recently reporting that newly-promoted Norwich City are looking to bring him in but are likely to face Premier League competition.

The 20-year-old stole the show when Scotland took on England at Euro 2020, winning Star of the Match in the 0-0 draw, before missing his country’s final game against Croatia after testing positive for Covid-19.

Asked if Gilmour, who completed the most passes for Scotland in that fixture versus England (via WhoScored), could be perfect for a team like Southampton, Palmer told FFC:

“For sure, for sure. I mean, the one thing you have to do in the Premier League, you have to be able to retain the football. It’s not like the Championship. You can’t get possession and give the ball away because against the better sides, you won’t get the ball back and they’ll do damage to you.

“So if you can get somebody who can keep the ball moving, keep it ticking over, keep possession, be progressive, then obviously it fits.”

As he showed with his display at Wembley, Gilmour is capable of doing just that. Southampton were also in the top eight last season for average possession so, all in all, the Scottish youngster looks like a good fit for the south coast club.

Leeds United are reportedly on the verge of signing Barcelona left-back Junior Firpo, with a move to Elland Road now thought to be imminent.

The Lowdown: Leeds keen on Firpo move

The Whites are on the lookout for a new left-back this summer and Firpo has emerged as a front-runner, in that respect.

The Barcelona defender has been described as a ‘strong candidate’ for the role and could look for a fresh challenge, in order to earn more playing time.

Firpo only managed three La Liga starts last season, with Jordi Alba keeping him out of the Barca team.

[freshpress-quiz id=“359346″]

The Latest: Fresh update emerges

According to Calciomercato [via Sport Witness], Leeds have made a ‘decisive thrust’ in their efforts to sign the 24-year-old, with the report even claiming that a deal ‘will be closed in the next few hours’ by ‘the club of (Andrea) Radrizzani’.

Leeds are believed to have met Barca’s €15million (£12.8m) asking price for Firpo and a medical could take place early next week.

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The Verdict: Ready-made Alioski replacement

Firpo is an exciting left-back who could thrive under Marcelo Bielsa, having averaged an incredible 92.9 percent pass completion rate in the Champions League last season.

That proves how adept he is in possession, suiting Leeds’ forward-thinking style down to the ground, and his attack-minded nature means he could even be an option on the left side of midfield, where he has played on occasion.

Firpo looks an ideal replacement for Ezgjan Alioski, assuming the North Macedonian moves on this summer, acting as a younger but equally versatile flying full-back.

In other news, Leeds have reportedly made contact with another left-back target – find out who it is here.

Steve Howey reckons that Mat Ryan could cope with the pressure of playing for Celtic.

According to Sky Sports, the Scottish Premiership giants are interested in bringing the goalkeeper to Parkhead this summer.

Celtic struggled for a first-choice shot-stopper last term, with both Vasilis Barkas and Scott Bain sharing the number one shirt, although even youngster Conor Hazard was given first-team action.

But reports believe that new manager Ange Postecoglou wants to work with Ryan again following their time together with the Australian national team.

Ryan spent the second half of last season on loan at Arsenal having lost his number one shirt at Brighton to Robert Sanchez, although the 29-year-old has since revealed his confusion as to why he was dropped by Graham Potter.

He wasn’t even included on the bench for the final eight games before he moved to north London, which suggests that his days at Brighton might be numbered and could therefore open the door for a switch to Celtic.

Howey exclusively told Football FanCast:

“Some players can flourish and embrace it completely.

“I would have thought the lad would cope with it, I’d be very surprised if he didn’t, to play for a club like Celtic with their history and the fans.

“For any player, unless you’re desperate to play in the Premier League, to play for a club like Celtic would be fantastic.”

Leeds United have been given a major transfer update on Jack Harrison, and it’s news which will surely have fans buzzing.

What’s the story?

In a Q&A for Leeds Live, Beren Cross dismissed suggestions that there may be some late hitches with a permanent deal for the winger and insisted that he will join up with Marcelo Bielsa’s side essentially from the start of pre-season.

The journalist said said: “I don’t believe so. From what I’ve been told, there won’t be any issues with Harrison coming in. To be honest, I’m not sure on the technicality in the paperwork, but it certainly came across last summer as though he would definitely be joining permanently 12 months later. It may have been left as an option rather than an obligation to give Leeds a way out if they changed their mind, but I’m not sure.

“Harrison’s deal has effectively been in place since last summer when he agreed his third year-long loan spell. It should go through on July 1, if not a little after. There are no concerns about it and he’ll be in place from the start of pre-season pretty much.”

Fans will be buzzing

The news that there are no hitches in Harrison’s permanent arrival and that he will be at Elland Road for the start of pre-season will surely have Leeds fans buzzing.

The Whites are yet to complete any significant first team signings just yet, with Birmingham City starlet Amari Miller the only player to walk through the door so far.

While Harrison has been at the club for so long and may not feel like a ‘new’ signing, there will be a major relief and excitement that he will now join on a permanent basis and will be at Elland Road for the long-term.

He enjoyed a superb campaign with Leeds in the Premier League last season, with his tally of eight goals bettered only by Patrick Bamford, and his haul of eight assists second only to Raphinha (Transfermarkt).

It’s exactly why Cross’ latest update on where things stand with a permanent deal for Harrison should have Leeds fans delighted.

Meanwhile, Leeds receive major update on Marcelo Bielsa’s future…

Alex Pritchard looks poised to complete a move to Sunderland after completing a medical, according to reports from the Sunderland Echo.

The Lowdown: Sunderland move towards crunch 2021/22 campaign

Looking towards 2021/22, Black Cats manager Lee Johnson will be under no illusions with regards to the importance of the forthcoming campaign as he bids to lift his side out of League One for the first time since 2018.

Making inroads in the transfer market, the Wearsiders have brought in former Manchester United goalkeeper Jacob Carney [The Chronicle]. Sunderland now look set to land their second signing in quick succession following recent developments.

The Latest: Pritchard close to Stadium of Light switch

Pritchard is said to be on his way to the Stadium of Light after finalising background checks, and journalist Keith Downie has revealed that his medical evaluation has been successfully ratified, with looser ends of the deal expected to run smoothly [Sunderland Echo].

Available as a free agent after departing Huddersfield Town last season, he is set to sign a three-year deal on Wearside.

The Verdict: Pritchard would seem a solid signing for Sunderland

Upon reflection, the 28-year-old would be a solid addition who would add experience and quality to the Sunderland starting XI. Pritchard made 19 appearances for the Terriers in 2020/21, although the midfielder was unable to get on the scoresheet [Transfermarkt].

Of course, he made heads turn in 2016 after signing for Norwich City in an £8m deal from Tottenham Hotspur [Daily Mail].

Now in need of a career revitalisation, moving to Sunderland could be the perfect tonic to boost his confidence. Successfully carrying out 236 of 296 attempted passes (79.7%) last season [Infogol], his composure on the ball could add another dimension to the Black Cats’ midfield.

Once labelled as ‘very skilful’ by former Spurs teammate Christian Eriksen, Sunderland should look to ratify the deal for Pritchard as soon as possible .

In other news, a divisional rival has signed this former Sunderland talisman.