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Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has been dealt a significant setback to the depth of his squad ahead of the visit to Burnley.

What's the Aston Villa team news?

Villa could be without number one goalkeeper Emi Martinez on Sunday against the Clarets, as per an update from Emery's press conference

"Today (Friday) he didn’t train, and we’re going to wait for tomorrow. He has a small pain in his calf, it’s not big, but we have to take our time. Tomorrow is our last training for Sunday’s match, and it is the day to take a decision if he is going to be ready or not."

The manager will also be without Emi Buendia and Tyrone Mings, who are long-term absentees, while Jacob Ramsey is thought to be a few weeks away from full fitness.

According to Football Insider, Philippe Coutinho is also now expected to out of action for a number of weeks, having picked up a hamstring injury in the 4-0 win at home to Everton last weekend, but it may not affect a potential move away this summer:

"Aston Villa star Philippe Coutinho is facing three to four weeks out with the hamstring injury he sustained in Sunday’s win over Everton, sources have told Football Insider. Nevertheless, the 31-year-old could complete a move away from Villa Park before the window shuts – with the Midlands giants giving him the green light to do so.

"It is believed a Qatari club is currently leading the race to seal his signature – ahead of competition from sides in the Saudi Pro League. The injury should not prevent Coutinho from completing a medical at a potential new club – and the transfer windows in the Middle East are open for longer than in England."

This is another setback for Coutinho is a career that has nosedived so much since he departed Liverpool for Barcelona in a big-money move in 2018, at which point he was arguably one of the most sought-after players in world football. He flopped badly at the Camp Nou, subsequently being sent out on loan to Bayern Munich, and he has simply been a shadow of his former self for years now, including at Villa.

Read the latest Aston Villa transfer news HERE…

That being said, this injury blow still has to be considered a negative for Emery, considering he is match-winner on his day who has been hailed as "world-class" by Steven Gerrard during his time as manager. Having him as an option off the substitutes' bench can always be a handy weapon, so not having him at Turf Moor and beyond is a shame.

How much does Philippe Coutinho earn?

The 31-year-old, who earns £125,000 a week at Villa Park, arrived from Barcelona in January 2022, being seen as an exciting signing who once excelled in the Premier League for Liverpool.

In truth, Coutinho has underwhelmed hugely in a Villa shirt overall, despite a promising start in which he scored against Manchester United on his debut, netting only six times and registering three assists in 43 appearances. More has been required from such a talented player, and his future at the club is up in the air ahead of next week's transfer cutoff.

A move to Saudi Arabia in the summer transfer has been mooted for the 68-time capped Brazil international, but it remains to be seen where he will be plying his trade for the rest of the 2023/24 campaign.

Whether a move away from Villa comes to fruition in the next week or so remains to be seen, but if he does stay put, much more will be required from him upon his return from injury.

Nottingham Forest are working on a potential late move to bring former Liverpool striker Divock Origi to the City Ground before the 11pm deadline.

Are Nottingham Forest signing Divock Origi?

This summer's deadline day has certainly proven to be a busy one for Forest with a number of potential arrivals on the cards as well as a major outgoing expected over the coming hours.

Indeed, Forest have already seen deals agreed for Callum Hudson-Odoi from Chelsea and Ibrahim Sangare from PSV Eindhoven. It has been reported Hudson-Odoi will join Forest on an initial £3m fee with the possibility for that to rise to £5m with add-ones, while a proposed deal for Sangare could see Forest pay in the region of €35m (£30m) with personal terms agreed with the player.

However, these expected arrivals have come at a cost with Brennan Johnson also seemingly heading out the doors by the end of play tonight. It is believed Forest have come to an agreement with Tottenham Hotspur for a deal worth in the region of £47.5m for the Wales international.

Having lost one of their promising attacking threats, it is apparent Forest are keen to bolster Steve Cooper's options ahead of the remainder of the campaign.

And Fabrizio Romano has claimed Origi is already undergoing a 'secret medical' in the United Kingdom to become a Forest player on a season-long loan.

What happened to Divock Origi?

It is believed the 28-year-old will join Forest on loan for the remainder of the campaign but there will be a buy option for next summer. The Belgian has been playing his football over in Italy with AC Milan over the course of last season following his departure from Liverpool last summer.

However, it was not particularly a season to remember for the striker after making just ten starts in the Italian top flight which saw him return just two goals (via Transfermarkt).

His struggles in Italy are highlighted through his ranking in the bottom ninth percentile by players in his position for 'non-penalty' goals, via FBref.

However, this is a player who Jurgen Klopp praised incredibly highly during their time together on Merseyside: “He’s a positive person. He is talented, he shoots left and right, he is really quick, in the air – he is a monster. He is an interesting package,” Klopp said.

And having only taken three points from their opening three games, perhaps Origi's Premier League experience could provide Cooper's side with a big boost going forward.

After all, this is a player who has scored in the Champions League final for Liverpool and provided the Reds with 22 goals in the English top flight with the majority of his minutes coming as a rotational player (via Transfermarkt).

Glasgow Rangers have announced no changes to their Champions League squad ahead of the vital qualifier against PSV Eindhoven, with the winner progressing to the lucrative group stages.

This means that centre-back Ben Davies misses out once again, having failed to make the squad for the ties against Servette and his future now surely lies away from Ibrox.

Will Ben Davies leave Rangers?

At the start of August, The 4th Official gave a transfer update surrounding a few players, with Davies being told that he was free to secure a move away from the club.

The Englishman only arrived in Glasgow last summer, costing £4m from Liverpool, yet his time at the Gers hasn’t gone to plan.

His Premiership performances last term proved he was out of his depth as he ranked in a lowly 14th spot while also failing to rank in the top five for tackles and interceptions per game, failing to have a positive influence on the squad.

Read the latest Rangers transfer news HERE…

Teddy Bears boss Michael Beale should now spend the remainder of the transfer window trying to recoup some of he £4m fee spent on him in 2022 while also aiming to sign a direct replacement in the process.

Are Rangers interested in Zak Vyner?

According to Bristol Live, the Light Blues have recently shown interest in Zak Vyner as Beale looks to add at least another centre-back to his squad before the end of the window.

Championship side Southampton are also keen on landing the defender this summer, yet the lure of European football will surely favour the Gers in pursuit – with just 12 months left on his current contract at Bristol City, Beale should be aiming to land Vyner for a knockdown fee.

Although the Glasgow side have signed Leon Balogun and Dujon Sterling, the news that Davies could potentially be on his way out indicates that adding another centre-back to cope with the demands a hectic schedule is vital.

Vyner has prior experience of Scottish football, playing 18 times for Aberdeen during the 2019/20 campaign and although this isn’t exactly the best barometer of success, the 26-year-old will know what is expected of him North of the border.

His most impressive spell has come at City however, making 146 appearances for the Championship side across three and a half seasons, and he has begun the current 2023/24 season in excellent fashion.

Following his displays during the first two league ties, Vyner ranks second in the whole squad for overall Sofascore rating (7.1), while ranking first for accurate passes per game (45.5) and interceptions per game (1.5).

This shows he is already having a positive impact on the team and there is no doubt he could be a solid option for Beale to utilise.

He was lauded by his former manager Dean Holden following his first goal for City back in 2021, who said:

“Zak will score better goals, but he will always remember his first for us.

“I was right behind the shot and my only concern was that it might spin wide. I just wish there had been a crowd and his family here to see it.

“He deserved it because it was his first start for me in a new position and I thought his performance was outstanding.”

The next two weeks will hopefully see Beale bring in some more reinforcements at Ibrox, will Vyner be one of them? It would be a shrewd move if the titan did arrive, that’s for sure, as it could see the Ibrox giants finally move on from Davies.

Manchester United are still on the hunt for defensive reinforcements before the transfer window closes, and now a new update has emerged on the club's pursuit of a potential target.

Is Harry Maguire leaving Man United?

Man United agreed a deal with West Ham United for the former club captain to depart from Old Trafford this summer, however, after not agreeing personal terms in good time, the Hammers pulled out of the deal earlier this week.

As it stands, Maguire will continue in his very limited role under Erik ten Hag this season, unless another opportunity presents itself to sell on the 30-year-old over the remaining two weeks of the window.

That said, the Red Devils could still be in the market for a defender.

According to French newspaper Nice-Matin (via Sport Witness), Man United are interested in signing OGC Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo this summer.

Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…

As per the report, the Red Devils are exploring other avenues of bolstering transfer funds after a move away for Maguire fell through this week and remain keen on signing Todibo as they look to improve the quality of their defensive presence.

Would Todibo be a good Maguire replacement?

Due to the agreement that was in place for Maguire's exit, Man United had started working on a move for Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard, something that the Bundesliga giants have continuously pushed back on despite the player agreeing personal terms in the potential deal.

However, it is looking more likely that Pavard will remain in Germany with Bayern unwilling to part ways with their centre-back after an opportunity to sign Manchester City's Kyle Walker fell through.

As a result, Ten Hag could now turn his attention to Todibo in the dying days and weeks of the window, and the Nice titan could be the perfect alternative to Pavard.

Over 34 Ligue 1 appearances last season, the Frenchman – who has a reported price tag of up to €50m (£43m) – tallied up an 89% pass completion rate, successfully completed 78% of his dribbles and won 65% of his duels combined, proving he is a huge presence on the pitch.

Not only that, the young defender has been the recipient of high praise from former Nice teammate Aaron Ramsey, who waxed lyrical about Todibo's strengths and talents last season:

"Jean-Clair is a very interesting character; he’s very confident and he’s a great guy around the dressing room and he’s a very, very talented player, who can go all the way to the top."

"He’s a great guy, a great player and very ambitious, so there is no reason that he can’t go all the way to the top and represent France."

When comparing Todibo's output with Pavard's last season, the 23-year-old "rock" – as he was dubbed by scout Jacek Kulig – shared many similarities to his compatriot in a number of key attributes including pass completion rate (88.5% v 88.3%), percentage of dribblers tackled (73.2% v 75%) and aerial duels won (57.4% v 66%), as per FBref.

With that being said, the signing of Todibo would be a great opportunity for Ten Hag to bolster the quality and youthful presence in the Man United back-line to continue his pursuit to build a dominant and successful team for the future.

أعلن نادي بوروسيا دورتموند الألماني في بيان رسمي، رحيل لاعبه ماركو رويس بنهاية الموسم الجاري.

وأوضح بوروسيا دورتموند أنه توصل إلى اتفاق مع رويس على عدم تمديد عقده، على أن يغادر نهاية الموسم الجاري.

رويس لعب لدورتموند في فريق الشباب من عام 1995 إلى بداية عام 2005، وأمضى ما يقارب 21 عامًا بقيمص الفريق الألماني.

وسبق وغادر ولعب لبوروسيا مونشنجلادباخ، وفي عام 2012 عاد رويس إلى دورتموند واستمر في صفوف الفريق حتى الموسم الجاري وسينتهي عقده في صيف 2024.

ومن أبرز النجاحات التي حققها ماركو رويس بقميص دورتموند، التواجد في نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا في لندن عام 2013 وفاز بكأس ألمانيا مرتين.

وفي 424 مباراة حتى الآن، سجل رويس 168 هدفًا وساهم بصناعة 128 هدفًا آخر، وفي عام 2019، تم اختياره أفضل لاعب كرة قدم في ألمانيا.

اقرأ أيضًا | بيلد توضح حقيقة صراع بوروسيا دورتموند وبايرن ميونخ على لاعب ليفربول

وقال رويس: “أنا ممتن وفخور للغاية بهذه الفترة المميزة التي قضيتها في بوروسيا دورتموند، قضيت أكثر من نصف حياتي في هذا النادي واستمتعت بكل يوم، على الرغم من وجود لحظات صعبة بالطبع”.

وأضاف: “أعلم بالفعل أنه سيكون من الصعب علي أن أقول وداعًا في نهاية الموسم، ومع ذلك، أنا سعيد لأن الأمر أصبح واضحًا الآن ويمكننا التركيز بشكل كامل على المباريات النهائية المهمة التي لا تزال معلقة”.

وأكد: “لدينا هدف كبير في الاعتبار، ونحن جميعا نريد تحقيقه معًا، ولهذا نحن بحاجة إلى كل واحد من مشجعينا الرائعين، الذين أود أن أشكرهم صراحةً على دعمهم المذهل على مر السنين”.

ويتواجد دورتموند في نصف نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا، وحقق الفوز في مباراة الذهاب بهدف دون رد أمام باريس سان جيرمان.

Folarin Balogun to Chelsea wouldn't be a smart deal for the Blues according to transfer insider Dean Jones

The USA international enjoyed a strong loan spell in Ligue 1 last season and has reportedly attracted the interest of the London side this summer.

What is the market value of Folarin Balogun?

Balogun won't be cheap for Chelsea, especially when you consider the selling club are London rivals Arsenal.

The 22-year-old spent last season out on loan at Stade Reims, where he made 39 appearances for the club across all competitions, scoring 22 goals and recording three assists as the side finished 11th in the league.

The forward received plenty of praise from pundits and his manager alike, with manager Will Still saying: "He’s unbelievable, he has real talent, but he is also just a top person, He’s trying to learn the language – we have a bit of banter because his French is terrible (but) I think he realises: being good here will allow him to get the spotlight and attention he needs.”

The player's representatives reportedly held a meeting with manager Mikel Arteta, however with Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah already at the club as well as the signing of Chelsea forward Kai Havertz, first-team opportunities for the forward may not be as forthcoming as he would hope for following his performances last season.

According to reports, a number of sides are interested in signing the forward, with RB Leipzig pushing to bring in the striker following their failed pursuit of RC Lens forward Lois Openda. Another report states that Chelsea have held talks with Balogun's representatives ahead of a potential move, with Arsenal valuing the forward at £50m.

Jones, however, doesn't think the move is a smart one for Chelsea.

What did Dean Jones say about this transfer?

Speaking to FootballFanCast, Jones revealed that due to the lack of guaranteed quality in the Chelsea squad ahead of next season and the price tag the Gunners have put on the forward, he doesn't believe the Blues should make the move.

The journalist stated: "Chelsea have already got enough players that they aren't sure are going to deliver immediately next season. And they shouldn't really be going near this one, I mean Balogun is a good player, just no detriment to the player itself. But he's not cheap and He's not guaranteed to score goals in the Premier League."

Should Balogun sign for Chelsea?

A move to Chelsea probably wouldn't be the right move for the forward.

The Blues have already made two moves in the market for players in the position that Balogun plays, with Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson arriving from Leipzig and Villarreal respectively. First-team football could once again be hard to come by at Stamford Bridge, especially if reports that Ivan Toney is wanted by the club once his ban has concluded are true, Balogun could fall further down the pecking order.

A move to Leipzig seems to be a better fit, with the opportunity to come straight into the first team and replace Nkunku. The German side also offer Champions League football next season, which Chelsea do not due to their incredibly disappointing season last time around.

Balogun has to decide his next move very carefully if he wants to build on the form and success he had in Ligue 1, and Chelsea just might not be the best club to do that at compared to RB Leipzig

Everton appear to have missed out on a move for Almeria's El Bilal Toure, leaving supporters even more anxious ahead of the start of the new Premier League campaign.

However, Italian outlet il BiancoNero reports that Everton have shown a concrete interest in Juventus winger Samuel Iling-Junior in what could be a rare smart piece of business from the Merseyside outfit.

Who are Everton trying to sign?

After narrowly avoiding relegation from the Premier League on the final day of last season, Everton's squad was in need of some serious rebuilding this summer.

However, with two-and-a-half weeks to go until the new season kicks off, the Toffees have so far brought in only 38-year-old Ashley Young on a free transfer, plus Arnaut Danjuma on loan from Villarreal.

That is not to mention the fact that the likes of Yerry Mina, Tom Davies and Ellis Simms have all moved on and need to be replaced in the squad.

Bilal Toure has been strongly linked with a move to Goodison Park, but L'Equipe reports that the Almeria forward has instead opted to join Serie A side Atalanta.

Sean Dyche's men may now turn their focus to Iling-Junior, whom Gazzetta dello Sport previously reported could be available for as little as £10m due to Juventus needing to raise money.

How good is Samuel Iling-Junior?

Iling-Junior spent nine years in Chelsea's academy before making the switch to Juventus in 2020, and he was part of the Italian giants' first team within two years.

The England U20 international made his debut against Empoli last October and assisted goals in his next two appearances, against Benfica in the Champions League and Lecce in Serie A.

Iling-Junior, who does not turn 20 until October, scored his first – and so far only – senior goal in Juve's 2-0 win over Atalanta in May, but he has largely had to play a back-up role and the Bianconeri are reportedly open to offloading him.

Given his small valuation, Everton must ensure they see off rumoured competition from top-flight rivals Fulham and West Ham United – not least because the Englishman would provide an upgrade on Neal Maupay in attack.

Maupay struggled in his first season at Goodison Park after arriving in a £15m deal from Brighton & Hove Albion, scoring just one goal and assisting none in 27 Premier League outings last time out.

Used mainly as a centre-forward in a campaign in which Everton's star performer Dominic Calvert-Lewin spent more time on the sidelines than on the pitch, Maupay's inability to either score or create was a huge factor in why the Toffees were involved in a relegation scrap.

Indeed, Maupay was described as "absolutely woeful" by football reporter Paul Brown towards the end of last season. A failure to bring in an upgrade could well lead to another dismal campaign on the blue half of Merseyside.

Looking at their figures from last season, there is no reason why the younger Iling-Junior – labelled "simply superb" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig for his performance in that aforementioned game against Benfica – cannot provide a better outlet than Maupay.

Taking all competitions into account, Iling-Junior was involved in 0.43 goals or assists per 90 minutes last season, as per FBref, compared to 0.14 for Maupay. The 19-year-old also won more of his aerial duels (50% v 23.8%) and had a better take-on success percentage (42.9 v 36.8).

Iling-Junior was also stronger in defensive metrics such as tackles won per 90 (0.94 v 0.35) and recoveries (5.64 v 2.10), which will no doubt please Dyche.

Juve's decision to listen to offers for Iling-Junior seems bizarre on the face of it, but there will be no complaints from Everton supporters should their side land the hugely talented player.

Chelsea "have an interest" in Brazilian wonderkid Matheus Franca, with the youngster himself being "keen" on a move to Stamford Bridge, claims transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Chelsea transfer news – what's the latest on Matheus Franca

After securing the signatures of Villarreal forward Nicolas Jackson and 16-year-old prodigy Kendry Paez last month, the Blues seem to have turned their attention to another exciting youth prospect in Flamengo's Franca.

The 19-year-old has been courting the attention of some of Europe's biggest clubs over the last six months, with Newcastle United reportedly offering the Brazilian club €16m (£14m) for the player's signature, only to be told that he wouldn't be sold for anything less than £20m.

Around the same time, Spanish giants Real Madrid noticed the youngster's exploits and sent some scouts to the country to 'monitor him'.

However, this competition hasn't seemed to worry Chelsea, as they look to make contact with the Brazilian side later this week, to thrash out a deal and find a price all parties can agree upon, per Fabrizio Romano.

He explained the situation on his YouTube channel, saying:

"We can confirm that Chelsea have an interest in Matheus Franca, one of the best talents in Brazil, born in 2004. Newcastle had a bid rejected for €15m (£13m) plus add-ons, it was in January. Bayer Leverkusen and also many other clubs have always been following him, but now Chelsea are entering the race.

"Chelsea will have a direct contact club to club this week, so Chelsea will speak to Flamengo in the next days and they will try to reach an agreement. Flamengo want around €25m (£21m), Chelsea will offer something around €20m (£17m). The add-ons structure could be important and so keep an eye on Matheus Franca who is keen on the move to Chelsea."

Would Matheus Franca be a good signing for Chelsea?

Despite being a relative newcomer to senior football, making just 53 total appearances for Flamengo, Franca looks to be an unbelievable talent.

According to WhoScored, the prospect achieved an average rating of 6.62 across his career so far, finding the back of the net on nine occasions.

His underlying numbers also look promising, with FBref placing the young attacker in the top 2% for non-penalty goals, the top 4% for non-penalty expected goals, total shots and touches in the opposition's penalty area, and the top 10% for successful take-ons, all per 90 compared to players in his position within their definition of the 'next best eight' leagues in world football.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig identified the sought-after prospect two years ago when he was playing with the club's youth set-up and described him as a "great midfielder, great striker, he can play almost everywhere. One of the most exciting teenagers in Brazil at the moment."

There has been a recent trend of young talent coming straight from the Brazilian league and making an impact for Europe's elite teams, the two clearest examples being Gabriel Martinelli for Arsenal and Vinicius Junior for Real Madrid.

If Kulig is right in his assessment, and the player is "keen" on the move, it could be worth the extra money for Chelsea to get this deal done, as he certainly looks very promising.

Manchester United's persistence to sign the highly rated Inter Milan keeper Andre Onana looks to have paid off as the deal has "progressed" as the club "look to close a deal out", claims transfer insider Dean Jones.

Manchester United transfer news – what's the latest on Dean Jones?

It could finally be the end of the road for David De Gea at Old Trafford as the Spanish goalkeeper's £375,000-a-week contract with the Red Devils runs out at the end of June, and any move to resign him look to have been put on hold.

According to the Athletic, the former Atletico man has communicated his desire to remain at United, but those within the club are 'relaxed' about the situation, feeling they have 'sufficient options to replace him.'

United's relative serenity around their goalkeeper situation probably stems from the club's chances of signing Cameroonian international Onana as a replacement for De Gea, as talks to bring him to Old Trafford have "progressed", per Jones.

According to transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, the Italian giants will want around €60m (£52m) for their brilliant shot-stopper, but that personal terms should be less of a problem as Erik ten Hag "knows the player very well since he was at Ajax, and they have a good relationship."

What has Dean Jones said about Andre Onana to Manchester United?

Jones spoke on the changing nature of United's transfer window and highlighted just how "game-changing" the signing of Onana would be for the Red Devils.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: "The signing of Onana would be game-changing for United – literally. The style of play would be altered and definitely for the better. What he has brought to the identity of Inter Milan's play is hard to praise enough, and as United look to close a deal out, it is pretty exciting.

"This was not a priority coming into the window but United are having to react to the circumstances they find themselves in and I am hearing this really has progressed."

Would Andre Onana be a good signing?

Onana would be an outstanding signing for ten Hag's project at United. Not only is there already a pre-established relationship between the player and manager, but he has also proven himself on the highest stage, the Champions League.

During Inter's run to the final, the 6 foot 3 colossus consistently impressed fans and pundits alike with both his brilliant skills with the ball at his feet and the fact that he still excelled as a traditional shot-stopper when the situation called for it.

Rio Ferdinand heaped praise on the player after their win against AC Milan in the semi-finals, saying:

"[As a] modern-day goalkeeper, he's top class. He takes the ball under pressure, doesn't panic, and brings the other team onto him, which creates space around that.

"He plays over or through the press. He was fabulous tonight in doing that."

He also had a great year in Serie A last season, with WhoScored giving him an average rating of 6.72 across his 24 appearances.

If the Red Devils can secure his signature in the coming weeks, they could be a completely different proposition for teams next season.

An update has emerged on Manchester City and their attempts to bolster their defensive options after their treble-winning 2022/23 campaign.

What's the latest on Josko Gvardiol to Man City?

According to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Citizens are set to advance their attempts to land RB Leipzig central defender Josko Gvardiol this summer.

Pep Guardiola is pursuing a deal to sign the Croatian ahead of next season and the club will need to pay at least £85m in order to secure his signature.

The reporter said: "Manchester City will keep working on Joško Gvardiol deal next week. Talks will enter into advanced stages with Leipzig with new verbal bid. Exclusive story from yesterday: personal terms, 100% agreed. Gvardiol said yes. Leipzig want at least €100m."

Where would Josko Gvardiol fit in at Man City?

Guardiola often deployed a system last season that had four out-and-out central defenders across the back four and Gvardiol could easily slot in on the left side in either position.

The 21-year-old has experience playing as a central defender and as a left-back in his career and the talented youngster could come in as a big upgrade on Nathan Ake in the latter role.

RB Leipzig's stopper has proven himself to be an excellent Bundesliga performer and caught the eye with his exceptional performances at the World Cup last year. He averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.16 and made 2.9 tackles and interceptions per match across seven outings in the tournament.

The Croatian defender also averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.10 across 29 Bundesliga appearances in 21/22 and made 3.4 tackles and interceptions per game.

Ake, comparatively, has not averaged a Premier League rating higher than 7.08 or managed more than 1.9 tackles and interceptions per outing in any of his three campaigns with City to date, which suggests that Gvardiol has the potential to deliver better performances week-in-week-out.

The "monster" – as the aforementioned Romano once described him – could suit the left-back role in Guardiola's new-look system perfectly as he is adept at progressing the ball through dribbles to get his team up the pitch.

He has averaged 1.63 progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90 over the last 365 days in the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions, in comparison to Ake's 1.41 per 90.

This suggests that the £19k-per-week colossus could also be an upgrade in terms of how he drives the team forward by dribbling past opposition attackers to open up space for the midfielders and attackers to then receive possession.

Gvardiol is also seven years younger than Ake and, therefore, has many years left ahead of him to grow and develop under Guardiola's coaching, which is another reason why City could land a big upgrade on the Dutchman by securing this deal.