All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Aston Villa have now registered their interest in signing Everton’s James Garner, amid a new update on the midfielder’s future on Merseyside.

Villa are very much back on track in the Premier League, signing off before the international break with a 4-0 battering of AFC Bournemouth, courtesy of goals from Emi Buendia, Amadou Onana, Ross Barkley and Donyell Malen.

However, one of Unai Emery’s more recent signings was once again absent from the match-day squad entirely, namely Harvey Elliott, who has been frozen out after seemingly failing to impress his manager since arriving on an initial loan from Liverpool in the summer.

There have been widespread reports suggesting Emery didn’t actually want to sign Elliott in the first place, and would’ve preferred to have brought in Lucas Paqueta or Marco Asensio, casting the Englishman’s future into further doubt.

Villa will only be required to sign the attacking midfielder on a permanent basis if he makes ten appearances this season, but having fallen out of favour, it is currently difficult to see a way back.

Aston Villa register interest in signing James Garner

Emery clearly has serious reservations about Elliott, but it has now been revealed that Aston Villa want to bring in another new English midfielder, having made contact by registering their interest in signing Everton’s Garner, according to a report from Football Insider.

The Villans have joined Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest in the race for the central midfielder’s signature, with the latter club making an approach of their own, meaning there could be stiff competition.

The 24-year-old’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season, so his future at Everton is now ‘up in the air’, although the Merseyside club do retain an option to trigger a one-year contract extension.

The Englishman, who scored his first Everton goal at Villa Park in the EFL Cup back in 2023, has been a key player for David Moyes’ side this season, starting all 11 Premier League matches and putting in a particularly impressive performance against Crystal Palace.

Hailed as “phenomenal” by Trevor Sinclair, the 18-time England U21 international has also displayed his versatility by slotting in at right-back and left-back this season, putting in a solid display against Villa in the 0-0 draw back in September, which earned a 7.9 SofaScore match rating, the highest of any player.

James Garner’s statistics against Aston Villa

Number completed

Tackles

4

Duels won

6 (6)

Big chances created

2

As such, Garner could be a shrewd signing for Aston Villa, who should look to capitalise on the midfielder’s contract situation and get a deal done this winter.

Aston Villa chasing another midfielder to partner Boubacar Kamara Aston Villa chiefs convinced £31m sensation would be Kamara's perfect midfield partner

The Villans are fighting with some of Europe’s heavyweights to secure his signature.

BySean Markus Clifford Nov 15, 2025

Sources have described an incoming Chelsea starlet as another potential superstar, as BlueCo prepare to welcome another Estevao-like talent.

Estevao rise leads Chelsea youth transfer revolution

Estevao has announced himself as one of world football’s brightest young talents since joining Chelsea this summer, producing performances that suggest the Brazilian teenager could become a generational superstar at Stamford Bridge.

The 18-year-old has enjoyed a sensational start to life in English football, scoring five goals and providing one assist in just 740 minutes across all competitions.

Statistically, he’s already surpassed legendary figures at similar stages of their careers, with his goal contributions eclipsing what Lionel Messi and Ronaldo managed in their first seventeen appearances for Barcelona and Manchester United respectively.

Estevao’s finest hour yet came against Barça in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

His breathtaking solo goal left top-level defenders trailing in his wake before the ex-Palmeiras sensation fired into the roof of the net, making him only the third teenager in history to score in each of his first three Champions League starts alongside Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé and Man City’s Erling Haaland.

Minutes

83′

Expected Goals

0.13

Goals

1

Expected Assists

0.35

Big Chances Created

1

Key Passes

3

Long Balls

1/1

Shots

2

Touches

47

Recoveries

4

Estevao’s Premier League performances have shown similar promise, with the South American’s dramatic last-gasp winner against Liverpool in October sending Enzo Maresca into raptures on the touchline.

Chelsea’s investment in young talent continues to shape their long-term recruitment strategy, with Estevao representing just the beginning of an exciting wave of arrivals.

Ecuadorian midfielder Kendry Paez, who is currently on loan at sister club Strasbourg, has been tipped for an exciting future, with Kairat Almaty forward Dastan Satpaev and Corinthians left-back Denner also set to arrive in 2026 — alongside Strasbourg striker Emmanuel Emegha.

As well as the aforementioned quartet, Chelsea will welcome Sporting CP sensation Geovany Quenda to London next summer.

Maresca’s side struck a £44 million deal for the winger in March, and he’s already been described by some as one of the most exciting young talents in world football.

Quenda has been on fire this term with five goals and eight assists in 20 appearances, with Chelsea signing Quenda for half of his release clause earlier this year in what could turn out to be a bargain move.

Chelsea have already signed 'the next Cristiano Ronaldo' in Geovany Quenda

That is according to Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol, who also says that those in Portugal are describing Quenda as ‘the next Cristiano Ronaldo’ in very high praise.

Speaking in a video down at the bottom of a Sky Q&A, Solhekol also reports that there are ‘more Estevaos on the way ‘— referencing Quenda as chief among them.

Commenting on his move to Chelsea, Sporting boss Rui Borges did have a word of caution for the Portugal Under-21 international — namely that this hype could ‘affect his mental state’.

Being compared to Ronaldo brings its own pressure, but from what Quenda has shown already, Chelsea could indeed be about to welcome yet another Estevao to Maresca’s ranks.

They haven’t always brought success, but West Ham United has had some incredible players represent them over the years.

For example, while it was short and sweet, Dimitri Payet’s time in the Premier League was incredible.

The Frenchman could do things with a ball that most players could only dream of, and it was easy to see glimpses of the sensational Paolo Di Canio in him.

The Italian was a livewire, but one of the most technically gifted players to don the famous claret and blue. Nuno Espírito Santo has a player with shades of him in his game, but said player is becoming an issue and should probably be sold at the end of the season.

Di Canio's West Ham career

West Ham signed Di Canio from Sheffield Wednesday in January 1999, and right from the off, there was controversy.

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Fans and pundits alike questioned the club’s decision to spend £1.5m on a player with a reputation as a troublemaker and, at the time, serving an 11-match ban for pushing a referee.

However, then-manager Harry Redknapp brushed aside any criticism of the move, telling the press that he was a player who “can do things with the ball that people can only dream of.”

The veteran coach would be quickly proven correct in this assessment, as he ended that campaign with five goal involvements in just 13 appearances for the Hammers and was named OPTA player of the season.

Moreover, just over a year later, he scored that famous strike against Wimbledon that was rightly later named the Premier League’s goal of the decade.

This ability to do anything he wanted with the ball, and his old-school passionate approach, quickly made him a fan favourite at Upton Park, and his decision to stop the game when Everton keeper Paul Gerrard was injured in December 2000, despite having a clear goalscoring opportunity, earned him fans across the Premier League.

However, as gifted and entertaining as the Italian was, his habit of causing problems never went away, and in 2003 he had a public falling out with then-manager Glenn Roeder, which saw him dropped from the team for some time.

At the end of the 02/03 season, despite making it clear he wanted to remain, West Ham refused to offer Di Canio another contract, a decision many attribute to his dispute with the manager.

In all, the Rome-born star was a truly sensational footballer, but his temperament eventually saw the club get rid of him, and the same thing might now need to happen with someone in Nuno’s squad.

Nuno's new Di Canio he should sell

There are a few West Ham players who should be sold in January, or at the end of the season, such as Niclas Füllkrug, Mads Hermansen and probably Max Kilman.

However, the only player who should be moved on who can even remotely be compared to Di Canio is Lucas Paqueta.

Now, before addressing the reasons the club should cash in on him, what makes the Brazilian similar to the Italian?

Well, first and foremost, he too, is capable of making something out of nothing, or as former coach Mark Warburton put it last year, he “sees things that you just don’t see. You look at the pass for the winning goal in the European final.”

That ability was on show again in the game against Newcastle United this season, when he smashed the ball into the net from some distance out.

Moreover, as Warburton puts it, the former Lyon ace is a “mercurial” talent in the sense that he can glide past opposition defenders if he wants, or pass them out of the game when on song.

With that said, then, why on earth should the club sell him?

Well, the first reason is that, like Di Canio at his worst, he can have a bad temperament.

This was on full show against Liverpool at the weekend, when he received a second yellow card for dissent, which is a truly petulant reason to be sent off.

The second reason he should be moved on is that while he can be an exceptional player on his day, he also isn’t irreplaceable.

For example, he has scored only four goals this season, three of which have come in the Premier League, and last season he ended the campaign with a paltry tally of five goals in 36 games.

Appearances

36

13

Minutes

2536′

1135′

Goals

5

4

Assists

0

0

Ultimately, Paqueta is a great player, but with his contract running out in less than two years, his slightly underwhelming output and the fact that he can do things as silly as be sent off for dissent, West Ham may be wise to move him on at the end of the season.

West Ham set for 'big decision' over selling 'most talented player' with Nuno 'fuming'

It would be a controversial move.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 2, 2025

What do former Arsenal players Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Emile Smith Rowe and Aaron Ramsdale all have in common?

They were three of the first names on the team sheet during the early days of the Mikel Arteta reign at the Emirates Stadium but it wasn’t too long before they were given the boot.

While Ramsdale was actually signed by Arteta, replacing Bernd Leno, the Englishman was eventually told to find a new club once David Raya had established himself as the number 1.

Aubameyang’s situation was altogether rather different. His public falling out with Arteta is well documented (video below) after the Spaniard famously stripped the striker of the club captaincy.

The forward’s attitude and punctuality were questioned on a regular basis. The Gabonese was regularly late for things.

Despite being key to the FA Cup, still Arteta’s only trophy to date, he left in controversial circumstances and is not remembered in too many glowing terms now.

The same cannot be said of Smith Rowe. His exit from north London was far sadder.

The downfall of Emile Smith Rowe at Arsenal

The date is 26th July 2018. Arsene Wenger is no longer in the hot seat and during Unai Emery’s first pre-season in charge, Arsenal face Atletico Madrid.

Not much is remembered about that game besides the impact a 17-year-old Smith Rowe made. He scored a sumptuous goal from range, showcasing an abundance of potential in the process.

For the most part, the young attacking midfielder lived up to his early hype, but it was not until the Arteta regime began that he became one of the finest in the Premier League.

Smith Rowe earned his England debut in 2021 and went from strength to strength, buoyed further by the emergence of fellow Hale Ender, Bukayo Saka.

In 2021/22, the goalscoring midfielder was in electric from, notably finding the net on 11 occasions.

However, a dismal run of injuries eventually halted the now 25-year-old’s progress. Smith Rowe still has a dazzling run in him but his fitness was totally unreliable. Show an unreliable trait and more often than not you don’t last very long with Arteta.

No one can fault the academy graduate’s commitment and attitude but so rotten were his injury problems that he only started three league games during his final year with Arsenal.

That said, even when he was available, he very rarely started many games of football towards the end. He was an unused substitute on a remarkable 18 occasions in 2023/24 and only played 346 Premier League minutes.

Smith Rowe looked bright in cameos but he must have known his race was run. A mighty fine player he was, but he had now fallen victim to injuries and Arsenal’s increased depth and quality. By now, Martin Odegaard had entered the fray.

So, in the modern day, who is now facing the same treatment from the manager?

Arsenal "warrior" is becoming their new Smith Rowe

The job Arteta and his transfer chiefs have performed in the transfer window in recent years has been extraordinary, but it took for Edu Gaspar to leave and Andrea Berta to arrive for things to really ramp up.

While many thought Liverpool had won the summer transfer window of 2025, spending British record sums on Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, Arsenal were rightfully commended for the way they went about their business.

The forward line was finally bolstered but the defence was not neglected either, of course it wasn’t. Arteta loves a defender and he has totally transformed the Gunners’ backline since becoming head coach.

From the days of Rob Holding and David Luiz to William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, it’s been quite the change. Well, this summer saw the arrivals of Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie. In the process, it has hurt the game time of two players.

Hincapie and Riccardo Calafiori are now ahead of Myles Lewis-Skelly in the pecking order, while Benjamin White has perhaps suffered even more from Arsenal’s increased squad depth and quality.

White arrived in a £50m deal from Brighton back in the summer of 2021 and has proven himself to be a fabulous capture. It was an eye-watering amount of money to pay for a player with one full season of Premier League experience but that price tag has looked like a relative bargain considering his performances.

Arriving as a centre-back, he endured a tricky debut game against Brentford where Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville criticised his ability in the air and his strength.

While White has featured at centre-back plenty of times since then, it’s at right-back where he made a home for himself in Arteta’s side. His partnership with Bukayo Saka on the right flank became one of the club’s biggest weapons. Michael Owen said as much, describing it as “very important for Arsenal.”

It was a potent attacking threat but one that worked tremendously well defensively too. “The amount of defending he does for me is crazy. He never leaves me one-on-one,” White once said about Saka.

That once fabled partnership has been a rare one over the last year, however. That’s largely because of Jurrien Timber, but also because of injuries.

Timber bounced back from a horrific ACL injury during his debut year in north London to become the undisputed number one choice at right-back last season. The Dutchman played 48 times in all competitions, scoring twice and assisting four goals. White, on the other hand, featured in 26 matches but started on just 13 occasions in the league. That was not just due to Timber’s remarkable form but a troublesome knee problem.

This term, White has returned to full fitness but like Smith Rowe, cannot break into the team despite his qualities.

2021/22

37

0

2022/23

46

7

2023/24

51

9

2024/25

26

2

2025/26

6

0

In his final campaign with the Gunners, the attacking midfielder was regularly a substitute, something we’ve alluded to already, and White is suffering the same fate.

The 28-year-old played 71 minutes during the 1-0 win over Manchester United on the opening weekend of the campaign but has not played a single minute of Premier League football since. He has been an unused sub on eight occasions.

Firmly being given the Smith Rowe treatment, the defender is also struggling to break into the Champions League side, having played only 82 minutes across Arsenal’s four ties.

White has been an excellent servant since signing. He’s a “warrior” in the words of scout Jacek Kulig, but he has been surpassed swiftly by Timber, just as Odegaard surpassed Smith Rowe all of those years ago.

Whether the full-back gets back into the team only time will tell, but it may take an injury to one of the backline for him to save his career at the Emirates Stadium.

Liverpool look more and more unlikely by the game that they will retain the Premier League title.

Of course, collecting the top-flight trophy two seasons on the trot is a difficult feat even when you’re all guns blazing.

But, it’s definitely made more tricky when you assess how quickly the wheels are falling off Arne Slot’s title defence right now.

The Reds are already up to five defeats in league action this season, with newly promoted Sunderland only on two losses, in stark contrast.

Slot was also significantly backed in the summer, with the summer transfer business at Anfield no doubt catching the eye, when you consider a jaw-dropping £415m was splashed out by the Merseyside giants.

The likes of Alexander Isak and Milos Kerkez have really struggled to get going, having cost a substantial £165m alone to get through the door.

But, there is one high-profile name that is in very real danger of becoming Slot’s own Naby Keita. Yes, things really do look that bad at the moment.

The numbers behind Keita's Liverpool disaster

When Keita arrived at Anfield in 2018, there was a lot of fanfare surrounding his high-profile signing.

After all, Jurgen Klopp boldly announcde that the Guinean was the “best player in the league” in the Bundesliga when leaving behind RB Leipzig for a shot in England for a whopping a whopping £48m.

In Klopp’s defence, Keita had collected 16 goals and assists combined across all competitions for Leipzig during his swansong campaign and the former Reds number 8 did score some beautifully taken goals during his stint on Merseyside, as can be seen watching the entertaining highlight reel above.

But, with all the hype that had surrounded the capture at the time, it would have been Keita’s constant in-and-out presence in the treatment room that would have irritated Liverpool fans the most, with a staggering 122 games missed through injury for club and country across his five seasons in England.

In the end, he was let go at the expiry of his contract with Werder Bremen, with just 11 goals and seven assists to shout about.

Slot will pray he doesn’t have another Keita-like situation unfolding right now as Liverpool struggle for consistency, with another mega-money signing at risk of fading into the background.

Liverpool's Naby Keita repeat

The failed signing of Keita still stands as Liverpool’s eighth most expensive signing of all time.

Thankfully, above the hot-and-cold 30-year-old’s name in the rankings are the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai, Alisson, and Virgil Van Dijk, who are all figures Slot knows he can rely on.

Unfortunately, the same is yet to be applied to Florian Wirtz, who comes in as the Reds’ second most expensive capture at an astronomical £115m fee.

The German’s arrival from Bayer Leverkusen met with the same Keita-level hysteria, having been dubbed a “generational” talent by sports media professional Christian Nyari just last season.

With 57 goals and 65 assists under his belt for Leverkusen, it can be rationalised as to why Liverpool blew such a large chunk of their budget on Wirtz instantly coming good.

Indeed, Reds journalist Bence Boscak pleaded in the summer that Slot and Co needed to land his signature “whatever” the price may be.

Games played

16

Minutes played

1119 mins

Goals scored

0

Assists

3

Yet, much like they found out with Keita, blistering form in the Bundesliga doesn’t necessarily mean they will instantly hit the ground running on English shores, with Wirtz still yet to collect a single goal or assist in Premier League action.

Wirtz was particularly ineffective last time out as Liverpool were reminded of how far they’ve fallen in such a short space of time against Manchester City, with an unmemorable 39 touches of the ball seeing the German fail to amass one single key pass.

It’s even clearer from the graphic above how much the number 7 has been “struggling” – as journalist Mark Ogden has noted – in his new surroundings, with both his take-on success percentage rate and duels being won per ninety minutes success rate taking a significant hit.

Analyst Darnish Iqbal has even branded the deal as a “disaster”, with it not being a stretch to state that it is Liverpool’s biggest disappointment in the transfer window since Keita joined way back in 2018. Perhaps the Reds should avoid the Bundesliga for now?

Wirtz, hopefully, won’t fall victim to Keita’s same fate in leaving for cheap though, with glimmers of his quality here and there – as seen in the playmaker amassing five key passes against Real Madrid – meaning Liverpool will hold onto him for the time being, praying he hits his Leverkusen heights on a consistent basis down the line.

Not Wirtz or Isak: Liverpool's "nervous wreck" at risk of becoming Nunez 2.0

Liverpool have fallen by the wayside under Arne Slot’s leadership this season.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 12, 2025

Everton have now been told that they’ll have to pay a record price to sign an attacking reinforcement, who’s also in the sights of German giants Bayern Munich.

Everton plotting attacking additions

Whilst Thierno Barry certainly did his job against Manchester United, his run for a first Everton goal only continued. The fact that the Toffees were down to 10 men didn’t help his chase for that vital goal, but questions about continuing to arrive as to whether David Moyes should look to January for key reinforcements in the striker’s position.

Ahead of the winter window, several names have already been linked with a move to the Hill Dickinson Stadium, including Troy Parrott. The Republic of Ireland striker has been in sensational form for club and country this season and grabbed Everton’s attention by scoring five goals in two games to help Ireland into the World Cup playoffs earlier this month.

The former Tottenham Hotspur youngster would be an excellent addition, but so would Celtic’s Daizen Maeda. The Japan international reportedly wants to leave the Scottish club and could do so for as little as £15m in January – allowing Everton to land a bargain deal.

At his best, Maeda scored 33 goals in all competitions for Celtic last season, before struggling to replicate that in an inconsistent side in the current campaign.

So, Everton certainly have options if they do want to add competition to Barry and Beto this winter. So much so that they may not even need to turn towards Parrott or Maeda. Instead, they could sign Franculino Dju from Midtjylland.

Everton told to pay record fee to sign Franculino Dju

According to Danish outlet Tipsbladet, as relayed by Sport Witness, Everton have been told to pay €35m (£31m) to sign Franculino in January, which would break Midtjylland’s transfer record.

Everton line up January move for England international who Alan Shearer called "world class"

The Toffees have spotted a low-cost opportunity.

ByHenry Jackson Nov 22, 2025

Joined by Bayern Munich and Manchester United in pursuit of the forward, it remains to be seen whether the Toffees are willing to pay such a price to secure his signature after sending scouts to watch him recently.

The Friedkin Group certainly weren’t afraid of splashing the cash in the summer, having made Tyler Dibling their second most-expensive ever signing at £42m and spent £27m on Barry’s arrival.

Dubbed “unstoppable” by scout Jacek Kulig earlier this month, Franculino is well worth the chase for Everton. The 21-year-old has recently taken his total to 19 games in 28 games for the season and that clinical form makes him someone to watch ahead of January.

Everton ready to replace £120,000-a-week star with key January signing

Glasgow Rangers were dealt a big blow in their 3-0 win over Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday, as Nedim Bajrami was forced off with what appeared to be a hamstring injury after 21 minutes.

The Albania international had scored one goal and created seven chances in his last two starts in the league, per Sofascore, which shows that he was finally finding his feet in the 2025/26 campaign.

Unfortunately, the former Sassuolo man is now set for a spell on the sidelines after this latest injury blow, which means that Danny Rohl will need to find a new left winger for the game against Ferencvaros on Thursday night.

Why Findlay Curtis should not start against Ferencvaros

Academy graduate Findlay Curtis came off the bench to replace Bajrami in the 21st minute against Kilmarnock on Saturday, but the Scottish youngster failed to take his chance to impress.

Perhaps it was nerves, as it was only his third appearance since the start of November, but the 19-year-old winger produced a shaky display before being substituted in the 76th minute.

Per Sofascore, Curtis completed one of his three attempted crosses, created one chance, and failed to score with either of his shots on goal, whilst one of those failed crosses sailed high and wide in the first half and led to some frustrated reactions in the penalty area.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The teenage forward also struggled with the physical side of the game. Per Sofascore, he lost three of his four ground duels and was dribbled past three times, which shows that the Kilmarnock players found him too easy to get the better of on the night.

With this in mind, Rohl could solve the Bajrami injury blow by leaving Curtis on the bench to be an impact sub and starting Thelo Aasgaard in a new role.

The new role that Thelo Aasgaard could play for Rangers

It is fair to say that the summer signing from Luton Town has not enjoyed an ideal debut season with the Ibrox giants so far, with a return of one goal and one assist in 22 appearances in all competitions, per Sofascore

He was described as a “passenger” by Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar last month, and his lack of goals and assists for the Light Blues backs up that comment.

Per Transfermarkt, all of his starts this season have come in central positions. This is why Rohl should flip the script and attempt to ignite Aasgaard’s Rangers career by playing him in a brand-new role on the left flank.

AM

70

20 + 10

LW

21

5 + 0

CM

19

1 + 0

LM

6

1 + 1

CF

5

0 + 1

As you can see in the table above, the Norwegian talent is no stranger to playing on the left flank, as he has played 27 matches there in his career, which suggests that he is capable of playing out wide.

A return of seven goals in those 27 games also suggests that moving him out on the left could ignite his goalscoring potential at Ibrox, after a run of one goal in 22 matches in central positions so far for the Light Blues.

Unlike Curtis, Aasgaard has the physical and defensive attributes to his game that could make him a reliable operator out of possession in a left wing position. Per Sofascore, he has won 58% of his ground duels and only been dribbled past once in 12 appearances in the Premiership.

The Scottish youngster, meanwhile, has lost 53% of his ground duels and been dribbled past three times in 119 minutes of football, which suggests that the summer signing from Luton offers more physicality on the pitch.

Physicality is not everything, though, and Aasgaard will still need to prove that he can deliver goals and assists on a regular basis if Rohl opts to provide him with a chance to shine on the left wing after injuries to Bajrami and Oliver Antman in recent days.

With Mikey Moore, who can play centrally or out wide on either flank, also returning to fitness, it will be interesting to see what the German head coach ultimately decides to go with against Ferencvaros on Thursday night.

Rangers prioritising move to sign "strong" 6ft 4 box-crasher after scouting mission

He could be Rohl’s first signing.

ByTom Cunningham 6 days ago

It could be a good move, though, to unleash Aasgaard over Curtis in that left wing spot on Thursday night, both because of the physical element and how it could ignite the ex-Wigan star’s career at the club.