Many Aston Villa fans have debated who they feel has been the ‘biggest traitor to play for the club’, with Fabian Delph and Dwight Yorke as two names on the list.
With the season currently at a standstill due to the recent pandemic, Villa fans are nervously waiting to see if their club can beat off the threat of relegation, sitting 19th in the Premier League table as things stand.
Having gained promotion via the play-off final last season where they beat Derby County at Wembley, the Claret and Blue side will be keen to remain in England’s top flight and bring some memorable times back to the club.
Prior to their relegation to the Championship in 2016, Villa ended a spell in England’s top division dating back to 1986, and with it, some memorable moments where they tested the top six sides, had some of English football’s most successful players and produced a number of England international players.
One of those to feature for the club is Delph, who spent six seasons at Villa Park before he left the club to join Manchester City in the summer of 2015, and his exit left somewhat of a bitter taste in mouths of Villa fans.
Yorke, who famously moved to the Midlands club from homeland Trinidad and Tobago after being spotted by former Villa boss Graham Taylor, had unprecedented goalscoring success at the club before moving to Manchester United where he would find Champions League glory.
Looking back on players who left the club, fans were brutally honest on who they thought had been a ‘traitor to the club’.
Below are just some of the reactions from Facebook group Aston Villa Fan Club where one fan asked the question: “Who is the biggest traitor in football history?”.
Anthony J Brennan: Dwight Yorke
Kyle Davies: Fabien Delph
Kieran Merriman: The Gardner brothers and Benteke
James Howard-White: Anyone calling Delph a snake is deluded!!!
Andy Morris: David Unsworth, Delph, The Gardner brothers, Steve Hodge and Martin Keown
Tommy Joe Prickett: Dwight Yorke
Robbie Ogiegio: Fabian Delph
Jonathan Fellows: Delph by far
Tim Kenneth Hennum: Delph
David Cook: Delph 1000%
Who do you think is the ‘biggest traitor to play for Aston Villa’, let us know in the comments section below…
Barcelona’s bout with Celta Vigo ended up being a big success for the Catalans as they strolled to a comfortable 4-1 victory, courtesy of their talisman, Lionel Messi.
And even though Ernesto Valverde can be happy with most of what he saw that night at the Camp Nou, the injury to Nelson Semedo, which has been officially confirmed by the club, is definitely something that could ruin his mood just a tiny bit.
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The Portuguese right-back had to be substituted off in the first half as he felt some discomfort and couldn’t continue the match.
And now that he’ll be out for a while, loads of Barcelona fans are calling for Valverde to play the young Moussa Wague in Semedo’s and Sergi Roberto’s absence since the latter will be suspended for the next game due to yellow card accumulation as well.
So many of them are hoping the young former Barcelona B defender finally gets some minutes under his belt as he is yet to feature in the 2019/20 season.
You can see some of their replies down in the tweets below.
Tottenham Hotspur loaned Jack Clarke to Leeds United in the summer.
Sources have suggested to Football FanCast that, having agreed a deal to sign the winger, Mauricio Pochettino changed his mind, informing chairman Daniel Levy that he did not see a way to implement Clarke into his first-team squad.
It appears that the same goes for Marcelo Bielsa.
Thus far this season, the 18-year-old has not played a single minute of Championship football.
Instead, he has been limited to two appearances in the Carabao Cup, playing 70 minutes in the 3-0 win over Salford City and then being substituted at half-time during the penalty shootout defeat to Stoke City.
It means that particular avenue of first-team football is now closed off to Clarke, and it feels more like a disastrous move with every passing weekend.
Of course, this is not to say that Clarke was a regular last season; he made 25 appearances in all competitions but just five of those were starts.
It was perhaps presumptuous then, for Spurs to think the teenager would gain even more minutes this time around. Pochettino decided against keeping him, but there may have been League One or League Two clubs who could have taken Clarke on and made him an integral part of their side.
Noel Whelan, the Football Insider pundit who played for Leeds during his career, has claimed that Bielsa and Pochettino are in regular contact over the winger.
He said: “From what I’ve heard about Bielsa, he will be in talks with Pochettino regularly about Clarke.
“Bielsa will be telling him what’s going on in training, Clarke’s attitude, performance and effort, and why he isn’t in the side.
“They know each other well and Pochettino will be getting the full picture of what’s going on.
“Tottenham sent him back to Leeds because they trust Bielsa’s ability to develop young players. Jack Clarke is now third or fourth in the pecking order for the right wing role behind the likes of Pablo Hernandez and Helder Costa.
“Is Jack going to get in ahead of those two? No, he’s not. He’s going to have to bide his time and win the manager over in training.”
Whelan is probably right but the fact that Leeds have two senior wingers ahead of Clarke is a damning indictment of Spurs’ decision to send him back in the first place.
It is all very well thinking that Bielsa will develop him, but surely he has to play to earn his stripes?
One has to believe that Spurs have erred here and if the reports suggesting he has a recall clause turn out to be true, then the Premier League club should be bringing him back as soon as possible before sending him out on loan again in January – this time to a club that will actually afford him minutes on the pitch.
Tottenham are set to begin work on a potential new signing for Ange Postecoglou in the transfer windows to come, it has been reported, as they look to get a headstart on the competition for his services.
Spurs suffer mixed start to the Premier League
In 2023/24, Ange Postecoglou's new-look Tottenham side set Premier League records, with eight wins and two draws in their opening 10 games seeing them take home 26 points, the most of any manager in their first 10 matches in the competition's history. This time around, expectations are higher and they are yet to truly impress in the same way that they did this time 12 months ago.
They sit 10th in the Premier League over the first international break, having lost to Newcastle United at St James' Park to leave them sat on four points from their opening three games, with a draw at Leicester City on the opening day being followed with a win over Everton.
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There are concerns over squad depth too, with Spurs having seen a whole host of players leave over the summer and now looking light in some areas beyond the first XI. This is especially true of the defence, where all four of Tottenham's regular starters missed games last season; Radu Dragusin was recruited in January from Genoa, while Djed Spence's return is likely to counteract Emerson Royal's departure for AC Milan.
But left-back remains a concern, with no obvious replacement for Destiny Udogie in the Lilywhites squad and the Italian international having missed 10 games last season through injury and suspension, with Sergio Reguilon deemed surplus to requirements. Now, Spurs are moving to deal with that.
Spurs working to sign "Udogie 2.0"
That comes as Sport Witness relay claims in Italy suggesting that Spurs are "ready to launch an attack" to sign Patrick Dorgu from Lecce this season. The 19-year-old defender was on the Lilywhites radar over the summer as well as Chelsea's, and has enjoyed a strong start to the season for both club and country.
He scored less than a minute into his Denmark debut to help them secure a 2-0 win over Switzerland, before being offered another chance off the bench against Serbia.
Now, the report claims that it could well be "too late" if Tottenham or any other interested club to wait until the end of the campaign to try and sign the defender, and as a result they are ready to start contacts now to try and secure a deal early for a future transfer window, similar to how they negotiated the deal to sign Udogie.
Indeed, Dorgu isn't too different from the Italian defender, with Football Analyst Ben Mattinson dubbing him "Destiny Udogie 2.0" on X and adding that he is "the modern full-back dream" as he "oozes calmness and composure when on the ball".
If Tottenham are serious about their interest, they will have to stump up a hefty fee, with Lecce reportedly holding out for offers in excess of 30m euros (£25m), which is a similar fee to that commanded by Udogie when he was signed. But if Postecoglou's side could pull off the deal, they could well have their left-back role sorted for the next decade.
We've now entered the final week of the summer transfer window, and Liverpool have yet to complete the first senior signing of the Arne Slot era.
Liverpool have recouped over £60m in August through the sales of young fringe players Sepp van den Berg, Fabio Carvalho and Bobby Clark – with further outgoings expected – while veterans Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara left upon the expiry of their contracts in June to free up a combined £300k-per-week of the wage bill.
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has revealed on his Here We Go podcast that he expects the Reds to get busy at this late stage, with Joe Gomez potentially moving on. Should that happen, signing a new centre-back would be imperative.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot
Fans crave the arrival of a deep-sitting midfielder too, but recent rumours actually suggest that FSG are considering an audacious swoop for one of Europe's finest wide forwards.
Liverpool transfer news
According to Football Insider, Liverpool are plotting a late move for Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who has emerged as one of the most talented wingers in the world over the past few years.
Napoli forwardKhvicha Kvaratskhelia.
The Georgian dominated Italy as Napoli won the Scudetto in 2022/23, and though the side fell off a proverbial cliff last year, he remained a world-class component.
The Naples giants shudder at the thought of his exit. Any deal would be complicated by his having three years remaining on his contract, and offers below £70m wouldn't be entertained. But then Liverpool do have money to spend, on the right player of course.
A left-sided forward, Kvaratskhelia would not be lined up as Mohamed Salah's replacement. The Egyptian king is out of contract at the end of the campaign but Liverpool appear ready to wait until 2025 before signing the perfect successor on the right flank.
Instead, Kvaratskhelia would bring his qualities to the left, with level of talent that could actually see him eclipse the competition and become one of Slot's most important cogs.
What Khvicha Kvaratskhelia would bring to Liverpool
Kvaratskhelia has that almost ineffable quality of raising the roof with mere movements, shifting and scurrying past his opponents to wreak the most remarkable of devastation, supplying goal machine Victor Osimhen with high-class consistency and finding space to unleash strikes on goal himself.
Napoli forwardKhvicha Kvaratskhelia.
To think that the Italian team signed the 23-year-old for only €10m (£9m) in 2022, bringing him in from Dinamo Batumi in Georgia following previous spells in Russia.
He has now scored 25 goals and supplied 26 assists across 88 appearances for his current club, indeed winning the 2022/23 Serie A title and being crowned the division's Player of the Year.
Most impressive is his ability to carry that form into Gli Azzurri's title defence, where it all fell apart and the team languished toward a tenth-place finish.
He was hailed for his "unstoppable" attacking ability by talent scout Jacek Kulig while also evidencing the kind of dynamic and athletically robust style of play that would be sure to thrive in the Premier League.
Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
On that point: as per FBref, he ranks among the top 19% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 15% for shot-creating actions, the top 4% for progressive carries and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90.
He'd be the perfect addition at Liverpool, though it's implausible to imagine he would be signed without a high-profile sale.
An upgrade on Luis Diaz
Luis Diaz's potential move to Barcelona seems to have been in the pipeline for ages, with his father revealing last year that his son is a supporter of the Catalan club and would consider a transfer to Camp Nou his unmatchable dream.
Liverpool winger Luis Diaz
Such rumours have persisted throughout the summer transfer window, though Slot has recently stated that Diaz is at the core of his plans and he does not expect him to depart this month.
Rightly so. Diaz's fleet-footed, electric nature is hard to replicate, and while he's not the most clinical forward in the world, with only eight goals across 37 Premier League games last year, if there was ever a showcase of his skillset, he completed all five dribbles against Ipswich Town last weekend, also winning eight duels and placing three key passes.
Matches (starts)
37 (32)
34 (32)
Goals
8
11
Assists
5
6
Touches*
43.8
55.1
Shots (on target)*
2.5 (0.9)
3.8 (1.3)
Pass completion
85%
86%
Big chances created
5
11
Key passes*
1.8
1.9
Dribbles*
1.8
3.0
Ball recoveries*
3.4
2.9
Total duels won*
4.6
6.9
But, as you can see above, Kvaratskhelia is more rounded and more deadly in his performances, and four years younger than Liverpool's maverick, he could be the perfect, long-term option for Slot.
His dribbling output and energy in the duel, as well as his tipped favour in creative and ball-playing metrics, speak volumes about the kind of package Liverpool would land.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Barcelona are still in the market for a winger despite closing in on Federico Chiesa from Juventus (right-sided) so Diaz could yet be sold, and Kvaratskhelia must be signed, no one else.
Therefore, this is a deal that FSG need to see cross the line. Next summer, there could be a storm of interest in the Georgia superstar's services, but for now, a golden opportunity to swoop in and land a prodigious talent has opened up, and he must be signed.
Slot's own Ugarte: Liverpool could land dream No.6 in £51m "machine"
As the opening Premier League weekend approaches, Newcastle United are still trying to sign a new central defender. The Magpies get their new season underway this Saturday as they welcome newly promoted Southampton to St. James’ Park.
Eddie Howe will be keen for his side to get off to a good start as they look to improve on last season’s standings. However, it appears likely that they will get their new campaign underway without a new central defender as their search continues.
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ByHenry Jackson Feb 12, 2024 Newcastle continuing Marc Guehi negotiations
It is publicly known that Newcastle are in the market for a new central defender, with their mind on capturing Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi. The Magpies have already seen two bids rejected for Guehi in this transfer window, but that hasn’t stopped the club from making a third offer.
Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi.
The new bid from Newcastle is said to be worth an initial £55 million, which could rise to £60 million depending on add-ons. In the latest update, the Premier League side are now increasingly confident that their latest offer to sign Guehi will be enough to get a deal over the line.
The two clubs remain in talks about a deal for Guehi, and there is confidence from Newcastle that a deal will be agreed. The 24 year-old would be an excellent addition for Newcastle, given how well the defender has performed for Crystal Palace and for England in this summer’s Euro 2024.
However, the Magpies could still be looking to add another defender to their squad, a player who will be considerably cheaper than Guehi.
Bologna worried Newcastle will hijack Logan Costa deal
Newcastle have already added Lloyd Kelly to their ranks this summer, but their defensive additions may not stop there, as it was reported last week that the Magpies and West Ham United are both keen on Logan Costa of Toulouse.
Toulouse's Logan Costa.
Serie A side Bologna have also shown an interest in the player but up until now have been put off by the fee. Now, according to Il Resto del Carlino, via Sports Witness, Toulouse would rather deal with Newcastle than Bologna, and are awaiting a "mega offer" from Tyneside.
The Ligue 1 side is said to have received a €15 million (£13m) bid from Bologna, but they are hoping for Eddie Howe’s side to make an offer between €20 million and €25 million. This has resulted in Bologna being worried about a deal being struck for Costa, and they have started to look at alternative targets.
Apps
37
Goals
1
Assists
1
Stats as per Transfermarkt
It appears at this stage that Newcastle are trying to get a deal over the line for Guehi, but given that Jamal Lascelles and Sven Botman are still out injured, a further depth addition arriving after Guehi shouldn’t be ruled out.
It is no real secret that Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is seeking to sign a new centre-forward and midfielder this summer, with the Dutchman no doubt hoping to fashion a side that will be capable of competing for the top honours next season.
Perhaps more surprisingly, however, is the news that the former Ajax boss is also said to be targetting a new left-winger – as per The Telegraph – despite already having the likes of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Jadon Sancho on the club's books.
That desire for a new addition on the flanks may appear logical amid the news that Sancho – who has been linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur – could be among those to depart this summer, while Rashford could potentially find a new home through the middle, having regularly been deployed as a number nine in the 2022/23 season.
That would then leave Ten Hag needing further competition for the teenage Garnacho, hence why a new addition could be on the cards over the coming weeks, with reports in Italy suggesting that Juventus' Federico Chiesa is among those being targetted by United.
The belief is that the Old Trafford outfit have a long-standing interest in the Italy international, with the 25-year-old also set to prove an attractive option amid the suggestion that he could be available for as little as €35m (£30m).
Should Man United sign Federico Chiesa?
That price tag does appear rather minimal for a player who has registered 42 goals and assists in just 94 games during his time in Turin, with the 40-cap ace having previously chipped in 34 goals and 25 assists in 153 outings for his former employers, Fiorentina.
While there may be concerns over Chiesa's fitness record – having been hampered by injury since returning from an ACL blow last year – the £153k-per-week speedster could prove an astute addition for Ten Hag, particularly due to his apparent likeness to Napoli sensation, Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, as per FBref.
Napoli's Kvicha Kvaratskhelia
The similarity between the pair can be shown by the fact that they have the ability to bamboozle defenders on the flanks, with the Juve star having been lauded as "unpredictable" by former Udinese man, Antonio Di Natale, while Kvaratskhelia has been hailed as "instinctive" and "untamed" by journalist, Rory Smith.
The comparison between the duo – who both typically operate on the left flank – can also be illustrated by their dribbling prowess, with Chiesa ranking in the top 15% among his European peers for progressive carries and the top 16% for successful take-ons, while the Georgian menace has performed only slightly better as he ranks in the top 6% and the top 5% for those same two metrics, respectively.
The two Serie A stars can also seemingly provide a creative outlet as the latter man ranks in the top 5% for assists, with the Italian ranking in the top 4% in that regard, proving that there is an end product to mirror their dribbling exploits.
Of course, there may be those championing bringing in Kvaratskhelia – who has been linked with a move to Old Trafford of late – as the 22-year-old racked up 12 goals and 13 assists in the league in 2022/23, although the suggestion is that the Tbilisi native could command more than £150m if he is to be sold this summer.
As such, while Chiesa only registered two goals and five assists in Serie A amid his return to fitness, the 5 foot 9 wizard's obvious likeness to the Napoli menace could make him a dream, bargain alternative for the Red Devils this summer.
Newcastle United have a huge summer transfer window ahead of them before they compete in the Champions League next season and now a new update has emerged on a potential target.
What's the latest on Dominik Szoboszlai to Newcastle?
According to Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, Newcastle have made RB Leipzig star Dominik Szoboszlai a top target this summer.
Plettenberg tweeted: "News Szoboszlai: Player is very open to leave RB in summer as he’s aware of the concrete interest from NUFC as revealed."
"He’s a top transfer target of NUFC, release clause of around €70m (£60m), RB bosses not happy with his latest statements, it’s a question of the price now."
Who would Szoboszlai replace at Newcastle?
There is no doubt that Eddie Howe will be thrilled with the resilience and quality his squad has shown to achieve a top-four finish in the Premier League and earn qualification for Champions League football this season.
However, it will now be crucial for the Magpies boss to remove any sentiment and focus on the next steps of taking Newcastle to the next level by comfortably competing for multiple trophies and making themselves known on the European stage, which means recruiting high-quality talent to improve the squad further.
As a result, the signing of Szoboszlai could be the perfect opportunity for Howe to deploy an upgrade on Miguel Almiron in the attacking line at St James' Park, as the versatile Hungarian star has been a force to be reckoned with in the Bundesliga.
Over 31 league appearances, the 22-year-old – hailed a "classy talent" by journalist Tomaz Mortimer – has scored six goals, registered eight assists and created a whopping 14 big chances as a market of his end product in the final third.
A tricky offensive outlet, the Hungary international also averaged 2.3 key passes, 1.7 successful dribbles, and 1.9 shots on goal per game.
Not only that, Szoboszlai is clearly a man for the big occasion after scoring the second goal to kill the game in the DFB Pokal Final last night against Eintracht Frankfurt, further demonstrating his ability to soak up the pressure in season-defining games and cup finals which is a mentality that would be massively beneficial to Newcastle in their pursuit of success.
The RB Leipzig ace has also comfortably outperformed Almiron in a number of key attacking attributes this season including shots on target rate (48.3% v 29%), shot-creating actions per 90 (5.52 v 3.14) and goal-creating actions per 90 (0.63 v 0.47), as per FBref.
Whilst Szoboszlai has mostly been deployed on the right wing this season, the young whiz is more than capable of being deployed behind the striker, in an attacking midfield role and on the left flank too, making him an incredibly versatile player who could offer Howe much more than just an upgrade for his Paraguayan positional peer.
With that being said, it would be a no-brainer to snap up the services of the Leipzig star this summer, as he could be exactly what Howe needs to improve and add quality to his attacking threat in order to compete for multiple trophies next season.
Journalist Alasdair Gold has claimed that defender Davinson Sanchez will "struggle" with the style of football Ange Postecoglou wants to play at Tottenham Hotspur.
Will Davinson Sanchez ever play for Spurs again?
It was a pretty disappointing season for the centre-back as he made just eight starts for Spurs in the Premier League.
What's more, he didn't really impress in that limited game time. For instance, he was booed off the field after coming on off the bench only to be subbed just 23 minutes later in a home loss to Bournemouth.
The good news for Sanchez, however, is that a new era is about to begin with former Celtic boss Postecoglou now confirmed as Tottenham's next manager.
The only concern, though, is whether or not the £65k-p/w defender will be well suited to the Australian's tactics. While talking about all this on his YouTube channel, Gold certainly didn't seem to hold out much hope for Sanchez.
He explained: "Some of those players are going to struggle with the playing around from the back.
"You maybe imagine, unfortunately, Davinson Sanchez perhaps will struggle with that. The ability to very quickly and calmly play some of the passes that will be required."
What style of play will Postecoglou bring to Spurs?
Former Spurs goalkeeper – and current Celtic number one – Joe Hart has given some insight on what Tottenham fans and players might expect of their new manager.
Indeed, he told the press (via Keep Up) that Postecoglou will ask his player to stick to his tactic of playing out from the back no matter what.
Hart said: “We live and die by it. I love that opportunity. There’s been many coaches and managers I’m sure out there who say, ‘Look, this is how I want you to play and, if it doesn’t (work), it’s on me’. I have heard that many times.
“But I genuinely feel comfortable making risky passes, short passes, and if someone does miss a pass or a tackle and the ball goes in, I don’t think any of us would even flinch because that’s what we are being asked to do."
It seems, then, the Spurs defenders will need nerves of steel to stay calm under press and play out from the back.
Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou.
Seeing as Sanchez has been accused of bringing "the panic in the stadium" by Jermaine Jenas on Match of the Day (via TeamTalk) before, he might not be an ideal fit for Postecoglou.
Only time will tell but it's not looking good for the Colombian.
Insider Dean Jones has exclusively revealed that Rangers want to sign a new goalkeeper "quite fast" as they eye up Jack Butland.
What are the latest Rangers transfer rumours?
With the Scottish Premiership now over, the Ibrox outfit can start planning for next season and they could be set for a busy summer.
Indeed, Michael Beale will have a big job on his hands as he looks to build a team in his image and keep Rangers as competitive as possible in the near future.
There has been plenty of talk now for some time about the need for a new goalkeeper with 41-year-old Allan McGregor on his way out.
Well, it seems that the Scottish outfit don't want to hang around on finding his replacement and may have already lined up a move for Butland.
Indeed, when speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, journalist Jones revealed what he's heard may happen at Ibrox.
He said: "Yeah, I think we're going to get some early clarification on this. I think Rangers intend to go ahead and sign a new goalkeeper quite fast.
"Butland [is] definitely one of the ones that they have looked into."
How much will Butland cost Rangers?
McGregor played the most minutes in between the sticks for Rangers this season, while Jon McLaughlin and Robby McCrorie also featured at different points.
But with the preferred option departing, it makes sense for Beale to now target a new signing in goal as a priority to get sorted as soon as possible.
Still only 30 years old, Butland could arrive with his best years as a goalkeeper yet to come. However, he has not played a single game this term having started the season with Crystal Palace before heading on loan to Manchester United.
Even so, his contract expires in the summer and is reportedly happy to leave for free and join Rangers even if it means taking a pay cut to get the deal done.
At Man Utd, he was on £35k-p/w but if Beale and co could get that down – as well as not having to pay a transfer fee – this could be a more affordable deal.
Manchester United'sJackButland
Former Scotland goalkeeper Alan Rough has already approved the deal too, telling the PLZ Football Show (via Ibrox News): “No [no surprise], that’s the kind of goalkeeper they would go for.
“He’s been about playing at the top level down there. He comes into the category of yeah, I think it will be a good signing.
“He’s been hanging around the England set-up previously so he’s got something and when I saw his name I thought good choice.”