All posts by h79snht.top

أجرى تشابي ألونسو مدرب ريال مدريد لقاء صحفياً للحديث عن لقاء ريال سوسيداد غداً على ملعب أنويتا في إطار منافسات الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم.

وقال ألونسو في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية: “بعد الاستراحة، حان وقت أنويتا، الأمر مرهق، الجميع يقدم أداء جيدًا، ولم يتعرض أحد للإصابة”.

وسئل ألونسو عن تصريح هانز فليك مدرب برشلونة والذي قال إن الغرور يقضي على النجاح: “نريد أن نكون ناجحين بصفات إنسانية، وأن يكون الجميع في قارب واحد، مستعدين للتجديف عند الحاجة، نبدأ بتحديات صعبة ونريد من الجميع أن يسيروا في نفس الاتجاه”.

وعلق ألونسو على حالة جود بيلينجهام: “أريد أن أكون متفائلاً بعض الشئ وآمل أن يكون جاهزاً قبل أكتوبر، إنه يتدرب بشكل جزئي دون احتكاك، يبذل مجهود كبير للتعافي، لنرى إن كان بإمكانه اتخاذ خطوات للأمام الأسبوع المقبل وسننتظره عند الشعور بالتحسن”.

وسئل ألونسو إذا كان التوقف كان إيجابياً أكثر من المعتاد: “الأهم هو وصول اللاعبين في الوقت المحدد وبصحة جيدة، كان لدينا عدد أكبر من اللاعبين هنا عن المعتاد، نحن بصدد مواصلة تعزيز صفوفنا”.

أقرأ أيضاً.. فينيسيوس جونيور يثير التفاؤل في ريال مدريد بعد استبعاده من قائمة البرازيل

وعقب ألونسو حول قدرة فينيسيوس ومبابي ورودريجو اللعب معاً: “بإمكانهم ذلك، فعلوا ذلك منذ زمن طويل، هذا ليس مستبعداً، عدم نجاحنا في ذلك حتى الآن لا يذكر، لا يمكن استخلاص استنتاجات من ثلاث مباريات فقط”.

ورد ألونسو على تقارير تتعلق برغبة منتخب الأرجنتين للشباب في الحصول على ماستانتونو في كأس العالم للشباب المقبل: “إذا كان الأمر بيدنا فإنه سيبقى معنا”.

وحول موعد عودة كامافينجا وميندي أجاب ألونسو :”إدواردو في جدول زمني مشابه لبيلينجهام وقادر على فعل كل شئ وسيتم ضمه للقائمة قريباً، حصل على الضوء الأخضر وأمام ميندي بضعة أسابيع أخرى”.

وعن فريق ريال مدريد وإذا كان وصل للمستوى الذي يطمح له ألونسو :”مازالنا في طور البحث، نريد إجراء تغييرات وتشكيل فريق جديد، بدنياً نحن أفضل، هناك إيقاع معتاد باللعب كل ثلاث أيام ونحتاج للاعبين جدد”.

وأثنى ألونسو على كيليان مبابي بعد أدائه الممتاز مع فرنسا وريال مدريد وإذا كان هو القائد للفريق: “إنه في حالة ممتازة، كروياً وشخصياً، يتطلع بشوق لموسمه الثاني بعد أول مواسمه ويتقبل دوره، ليس بالضرورة أن يكون مبابي القائد فقط”.

وذكر ألونسو عن خطة اللعب بثلاث مدافعين: “كان ذلك لأن كأس العالم سياق مختلف عما عليه الآن، كنا بحاجة لخطة لعب، لا إلى بناء ما نريده الآن، لم نكن بحاجة لثلاث مدافعين مركزيين بل إلى لاعب وسط واحد، لم أنسى ذلك، لدينا خمسة مدافعين مركزيين وبالنظر لجودة اللاعبين يمكننا تحقيق ذلك، عدم حدوث ذلك في ثلاث مباريات ليس قاطعاً لان الطريق مازال طويل”.

وحول السبع مباريات الذين ينتظرهم ريال مدريد حتى فترة التوقف الدولي المقبلة وانطلاق الأبطال ومباراة الديربي: “لا أتعامل مع الأمر كذلك، كل مباراة مهمة للغاية ونقاط قد تكون حاسمة على المدى الطويل ويجب أن نعطي كل شئ وزنه”.

وأتم ألونسو حول خطة إدارة كارفاخال وأرنولد: “لحسن الحظ، لدينا منافسة قوية داخل الفريق، هناك تحديات وهم جاهزين، كذلك في مراكز أخرى، من يستحق المشاركة سيلعب وسيتكرر الأمر طوال العام”.

وختم حول البرازيليين الذين لم يتم استدعائهم للمنتخب وحالتهم البدنية وموقف إندريك: “لم يغيب فينيسيوس بسبب الإيقاف،رودريجو يتحسن أكثر فأكثر وإندريك قريب جداً وميليتاو يعود من إصابة طويلة ويتحسن أدائه عند اللعب، لن يبقوا هنا مرة أخرى ولكن إذا حدث ذلك، سيكون الأمر أفضل لكني أعتقد أن أنشيلوتي سيستدعيهم مجدداً”.

Manchester United’s hunt for new attackers has been evident throughout the summer window, with Ruben Amorim making his need for added reinforcements clear.

The 40-year-old took the reins back in November, but was unable to transform the situation within the final third at Old Trafford – with no player registering double figures in the Premier League last season.

Main striker Rasmus Hojlund only netted four league goals in 2024/25, leading to murmurs around his long-term future at the club, with Inter Milan just one of the sides interested in his signature.

His potential departure will likely raise some key funds for the manager within the transfer market, handing him the opportunity to improve the current situation at the Theatre of Dreams.

Numerous players have been touted with moves to join the Red Devils this window, with multiple deals appearing to be heading in the right direction over recent days.

The latest on United’s hunt for new signings this summer

Tyler Dibling has emerged as a key target over the last couple of days, with United just one side touted over a potential move after Southampton’s relegation to the Championship.

However, he would still cost a fee in the region of £55m this window, an extortionate price tag, especially considering that he only notched two combined goals and assists in the league last season.

It would be an expensive addition, but it wouldn’t be the only one, with Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo still a key target for Amorim this summer, according to Graeme Bailey.

The journalist claims that a deal is edging closer to being agreed, after the Red Devils had two offers rejected for the 25-year-old, with the latest totalling £62.5m including add-ons.

He also states that Mbeumo only wants a move to Old Trafford, with a £65m fee expected to be agreed between the two parties as personal terms are not expected to be an issue.

Why United’s latest target could be Amorim’s next Gyokeres

Viktor Gyokeres is a striker who’s arguably been one of the most in-demand talents this summer, unsurprisingly so given his phenomenal goalscoring record in recent seasons.

The Swedish international has registered a staggering 97 goals in his 102 appearances for Sporting CP after joining the Portuguese side back in 2023 from Coventry City.

Part of his incredible record in the final third came under Amorim, which has since led to huge rumours linking the 27-year-old with a switch to Old Trafford.

However, the Red Devils’ lack of European football appears to be a huge hindrance in their pursuit of his signature, with the Swede now fully focused on a move to join Arsenal instead this summer.

The United boss shouldn’t worry, with Mbeumo able to be his next version of the talisman, with the Cameroonian possessing a clinical nature as seen by his tally of 20 league goals in 2024/25.

When comparing his underlying stats to those of the Sporting star from last season, he massively outperformed Gyokeres in numerous key areas, handing Amorim the key talisman he’s lacked during his time in England to date.

Mbeumo, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by one analyst, may have been outscored, but he has posted a higher goal per shot on target rate – demonstrating the clinical edge he possesses in front of goal.

How Mbeumo compares to Gyokeres throughout 2024/25

Statistics (per 90)

Mbeumo

Gyokeres

Games played

38

33

Goals & assists

27

46

Goals per shot on target

0.44

0.41

Progressive passes

3.7

2.1

Passes into final third

1.7

0.5

Take-on success

47%

45%

Carries into final third

1.8

1.3

Stats via FBref

He’s also completed more progressive passes and more passes into the final third per 90, having the tools to provide other attackers with the chances to thrive within the final third at Old Trafford.

The Cameroonian’s all-round talent has been showcased in his ability to complete a higher success rate of take-ons, whilst also registering more carries into the final third – with Mbeumo being able to carve out an opportunity out of nothing.

The saga of his proposed transfer this summer has been one that has dragged on for way too long, with a conclusion desperately needed in the coming days.

If he can replicate his levels from last season at United, it would be a phenomenal signing, handing Amorim the talisman he needs to replicate the level produced by Gyokeres in recent years.

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Posts 8 ByEthan Lamb Jul 10, 2025

As Everton’s summer transfer business begins to heat up, The Friedkin Group are reportedly expected to launch a £9m move to sign one particular midfield star.

Everton set to sign Thierno Barry

The first signing of the Hill Dickinson era is on his way, according to Fabrizio Romano. Replacing the departing Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Thierno Barry is set to commence Everton’s summer business in style and hand David Moyes a striker who has certainly left many impressed whilst at Villarreal.

After scoring 19 goals in all competitions, Barry is ready to take the Premier League by storm and solve a striker problem that has been ongoing at Everton since Calvert-Lewin’s injury struggles began.

As one striker arrives, however, another has bid an emotional farewell. Taking to social media to confirm the news that he is leaving Everton after deciding against signing a new deal, Calvert-Lewin said: “After nine remarkable years I’ve made the incredibly difficult decision – together with my family – to begin a new chapter in my career.

“This isn’t something I chose lightly. Everton has been my home since I was 19 years old. It’s the place that saw potential in me, challenged me to grow and shaped me both as a footballer and as a man.

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“I want to express my gratitude to all the managers and coaches I’ve worked with over the years and to my team-mates who have become life-long friends.”

The Toffees acted swiftly to replace the experienced striker and that could become quite the trend this summer amid reports that Friedkin are now expected to launch their move to sign the perfect Abdoulaye Doucoure heir.

Friedkin expected to launch Wilfred Ndidi move

According to former Manchester United and Blackburn Rovers scout Mick Brown, Friedkin are expected to launch a £9m move to sign Wilfred Ndidi from Leicester City this summer, triggering his release clause for Everton in the process.

The former scout told Football Insider: “Everton are considering signing Wilfred Ndidi. It’s a move I expect he will be open to as well, the chance to get straight back into the Premier League after getting relegated with Leicester. They’ve been keen on him for a while and he’s a very solid player.

“Everton have had scouts watching his performances and he’s been one of Leicester’s better players. It might prove difficult to get over the line because there are a lot of clubs who have been made aware of that release clause he’s got.

“But I expect them to make an attempt to bring him in ahead of these clubs. Either way, it looks like he’s definitely leaving Leicester.”

A Premier League veteran who is still more than capable in the top-flight, Ndidi represents the type of midfielder who would instantly replace the departed Doucoure at Everton.

Pakistan were dumped out of the tournament after just three games, following defeats to the USA and India

Danyal Rasool04-Jul-2024

The uncertainty around the future of Pakistan white-ball captain Babar Azam as well as the fate of the selection committee lingers as head coach Gary Kirsten and selector Wahab Riaz submitted their tour reports to PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi following Pakistan’s disappointing T20 World Cup campaign. Pakistan were dumped out of the tournament after just three games, with defeats to the USA and India proving terminal to their campaign.The end of Pakistan’s World Cup was followed by a fierce – and a somewhat frenzied – backlash in the country. The selection committee of seven, widely viewed as being de facto headed by Wahab, was one of its central targets, while a perceived tactical ineptitude and culture of conservatism under the captaincy of Babar has also come under scrutiny. There remain unanswered questions about the selection of the squad itself, particularly around the continued non-selection of specialist legspinner Abrar Ahmed despite Shadab Khan’s indifferent form.Related

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However, as ESPNcricinfo reported last month, the PCB has chosen to take its time before launching into any major decisions. Pakistan do not have a white-ball engagement until November, allowing the PCB to wait till Kirsten and Wahab – who was also the senior team manager for the tournament – handed in their reports.It is understood the PCB remains open to a change of captaincy, though sticking with Babar has also not been conclusively ruled out. This partly stems from a lack of obvious candidates to replace him; when Naqvi decided to sack Shaheen Shah Afridi, he ultimately returned to Babar – who had only been replaced a few weeks earlier. That was following yet another poor showing at an ICC event – the ODI World Cup in India in 2023.Now that Kirsten and Wahab have submitted their reports, any decisions regarding the “surgery” Naqvi had reportedly been prepared to conduct do theoretically move closer. However, the PCB has consistently refused to put a timeline on any action, insisting they wish to make a considered decision rather than a quick one.

Manchester United have plenty of decisions to make this summer and Andre Onana’s future at Old Trafford may now have taken another twist, according to a report.

Andre Onana's Manchester United future uncertain

On the face of it, Onana is a name that divides opinion across the Red Devils’ support and his inconsistent performances last campaign won’t have won any favour among the undecided.

The Cameroon international conceded 65 times in 50 appearances across all competitions, and a string of high-profile errors have led Manchester United to look at the likes of Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez as a potential replacement.

Shedding light on the rumours, ex-Premier League scout Mick Brown stated: “Man United have made it clear they would like to sign Martinez. They’ll take whatever they can get for Onana, and then they’ll make contact with Aston Villa and see if they can get a deal over the line.

“He’s seen as a huge upgrade on Onana so they’re prepared to take a hit to get things moving. If Man United could swap Onana for Martinez tomorrow, they’d jump at it. Martinez is in his 30s now, but he’s a very capable goalkeeper and they’re not concerned about that.“

Intriguingly, Manchester United have also been given the green light to pursue Porto stopper Diogo Costa, lending credence to the notion that they could be set for a change between the sticks this summer.

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Plenty of names may enter the hat to replace Onana if he is moved on, though it remains to be seen how events develop over the next few weeks.

That said, the Red Devils could now have their house in order on that front as Ruben Amorim tries to sort out his goalkeeping situation.

Man Utd could loan out Onana with John Victor lined up

According to The Sun, Manchester United could loan out Andre Onana this summer and sign Botafogo’s John Victor as a replacement for as little as £6 million.

In the case of Onana, Monaco are said to have asked the question over a temporary move, but his £120,000 per week wages have proved to be a stumbling block. The Red Devils would prefer to conduct a deal with a European club over a Premier League rival.

Andre Onana vs John Victor – who is a better fit for Manchester United?

Andre Onana – Premier League

Save percentage

67.2%

Goals conceded

44

Clean sheets

9

Pass accuracy

69.8%

Penalties faced/saved

1/4

John Victor – Brazilian Serie A

Save percentage

81.1%

Goals conceded

7

Clean sheets

6

Pass accuracy

79.4%

Penalties faced/saved

0/0

Victor may have a smaller sample size than Onana, but purely for demonstrative purposes, his statistics do stand up to scrutiny when evaluating the consistency levels needed for a Manchester United goalkeeper to succeed at Old Trafford.

Keeping ten clean sheets in 29 appearances across all competitions this season, he could be the man to succeed the Cameroon international, even if there will be difficulties to overcome in sanctioning his exit.

The squad will be led by Shubman Gill and will play five matches in Zimbabwe from July 6

Shashank Kishore24-Jun-2024

Shubman Gill has been named captain of India’s T20I squad for the five-match series in Zimbabwe that begins on July 6. Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Riyan Parag and Tushar Deshpande all received their maiden India call-ups after impressive performances in IPL 2024.Dhruv Jurel has also been picked as the second wicketkeeper, his first call-up to the T20I squad after making his Test debut earlier this year against England.Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson are the only two players from India’s T20 World Cup squad who are also travelling to Zimbabwe; all of the other World Cup players have been given a break after the tournament ends on June 29.Rinku Singh, Avesh Khan and Khaleel Ahmed, the other travelling reserves in India’s T20 World Cup squad along with Gill, are also in the squad for Zimbabwe. The team is likely to leave for Zimbabwe on July 1 and will be coached by VVS Laxman in the interim, with Rahul Dravid’s tenure ending with the T20 World Cup.The squad does not include Tilak Varma, who has played 16 T20 internationals since his debut in August last year. ESPNcricinfo learned Tilak had injured two fingers on his left hand ahead of Mumbai Indians’ final league game of IPL 2024 and is undergoing rehab at NCA in Bangalore. He was part of India’s most recent bilateral series, against Afghanistan this January, and also had a successful IPL season for Mumbai – 416 runs at a strike rate of 149.64.Abhishek’s inclusion comes on the back of a successful IPL 2024 for Sunrisers Hyderabad: 484 runs at a strike rate of 204.21 and 42 sixes, the most in the season. He had also played a pivotal role in Punjab’s run to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali title in November, with 485 runs at a strike rate of 192.46 as an opener.”It feels great to get this opportunity,” Abhishek said in a statement. “Finally my hard work has paid off. I will give my best and perform well for India.”Playing in his sixth IPL season, Parag had a breakout year for Rajasthan Royals, scoring almost as many runs in IPL 2024 as he had in five previous seasons. Offered a chance to bat at No. 4, Parag scored 40 or more in seven out of 14 innings; only Virat Kohli had 40-plus more scores (nine) this season. Parag’s 573 runs in 16 innings made him third on the leaderboard for most runs, behind Kohli (741) and Gaikwad (583).Reddy, a 21-year old seam-bowling allrounder, is believed to have impressed the selectors with his temperament in the Sunrisers top order. He made 303 runs in IPL 2024 at a strike rate of 142.92, while also delivering 13.1 overs for three wickets. Reddy, like Abhishek and Parag, was a part of the BCCI’s target group of young players who have been under the NCA’s watch over the past year.Deshpande was the top wicket-taker for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2024, with 17 wickets and an economy rate of 8.83.India play five T20Is against Zimbabwe in Harare on July 6, 7, 10, 13 and 14.India’s squad for T20I series in ZimbabweᏚhubman Gill (Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Nitish Reddy, Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Tushar Deshpande.

Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada ran through the top order as Afghanistan folded for 56, their lowest total in T20Is

Andrew Fidel Fernando27-Jun-2024

South Africa’s quicks ravaged Afghanistan’s top order, taking five wickets inside the first five overs, to send the opposition spiralling towards their eventual 56 all out in the first semi-final of T20 World Cup 2024.Then, although they lost Quinton de Kock early, Aiden Markram and Reeza Hendricks calmly navigated the small chase on an exceedingly tricky Tarouba pitch.For a team infamous for playing jittery cricket in the knockouts, this win was dominant and clinical. South Africa left next to nothing to chance. They bowled beautifully, fielded well, and weathered some difficult early overs while pouncing on the loose balls.Related

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As their reward, they have their first ever berth in a men’s World Cup final, and continued their unbeaten run in the tournament, which now is up to eight matches. The margin of victory, by nine wickets and with 67 balls remaining, underscored the control they exerted on this match, from start to finish.Jansen and Rabada rip out the top orderThe Tarouba surface not only offered lateral movement but also a lot of bounce early on. With the heights that Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada bring to the table, South Africa had a great attack to exploit conditions.Kagiso Rabada flattened Mohammad Nabi’s off stump•AFP/Getty Images

Jansen struck at the end of the first over to remove Afghanistan’s batter of the tournament – Rahmanullah Gurbaz – who edged a ball angled across him to Hendricks at slip. In his next over, Jansen bowled Gulbadin Naib through the gate with a delivery that darted back into him.Rabada’s first over sent Afghanistan really into a nosedive. He jagged two balls back and hit timber on both occasions. The ball that clipped the top of Ibrahim Zadran’s middle stump was the killer – Ibrahim at that point was Afghanistan’s best hope of getting to a good score. Fourth ball, he took out Mohammad Nabi’s off stump with an even more stunning delivery. That over was a double-wicket maiden.Nortje and Shamsi do the restWith the top five gone, and their middle order having failed to produce much right through the tournament, Afghanistan were seriously struggling. Anrich Nortje and Tabraiz Shamsi closed down the innings from there. Nortje had Azmatullah Omarzai (the only Afghan batter to get to double figures) caught at deep point, then later knocked out Rashid Khan’s off stump.Shamsi bowled a leg-stump line to the right-handers and kept getting them lbw as the balls rushed onto them. They reviewed all three decisions, but the on-field umpires had given them out, and umpires’ calls on impact were good enough.Jonathan Trott and Rashid Khan during the innings break•ICC/Getty Images

Farooqi and Naveen can’t wreck South Africa’s top orderComing into this match, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naveen-ul-Haq had 29 wickets between them. Their only chance of defending such a paltry score was running through the top order together.Farooqi added to his tournament-high wicket tally in his first over, setting de Kock up with some big outswingers before jagging one back in and making a mess of his stumps.And Naveen should have had Markram the next over, but most of Afghanistan’s players didn’t hear the thin edge to the wicketkeeper, and Rashid wasn’t sure enough of it to review the decision.Markram and Hendricks take the chase homeThere were still testing moments, as the pitch continued to play up, still often keeping low. But whenever Afghanistan bowled poor deliveries, South Africa’s batters pounced. The fifth over itself yielded 13 runs – more than a fifth of the target. South Africa got home in the ninth over, sparking restrained celebrations, even though this was a historic victory for them.

West Bromwich Albion supporters won’t have to wait too much longer to see who their beloved Baggies will play in the opening matches of the new Championship season.

Indeed, the always hotly anticipated fixture list will be released next week, with Ryan Mason hopeful that whatever selection of fixtures is thrust his side’s way, they can start the fresh second-tier campaign with a bang, instead of a whimper.

One figure that definitely won’t feature under Mason’s early tenure is Grady Diangana, with the Congolese forward reportedly edging ever closer to a Hawthorns departure, after failing to seal an extended contract this summer.

Diangana's current situation

Mason’s arrival on the scene might well have contributed to the former West Ham United man wanting to leave, knowing that the 33-year-old boss would want to stamp his mark onto proceedings from the get-go.

It is a sad severing of the ties, however, with Diangana once viewed as an electric menace donning Baggies blue and white in both the Premier League and in the EFL.

In total, the 27-year-old would collect an impressive combined tally of 48 goals and assists from 202 appearances in the West Midlands, with Diangana often having the Hawthorns masses in the palm of his hand when pulling off unbelievable finishes like the one above.

But, the output on Diangana’s end had begun to dry up – as seen in just four goals and three assists coming his way last season – with a reported reunion now on the cards for him to uproot to Valencia to link up with ex-Baggies boss Carlos Corberan to try and recapture his best.

Whilst Diangana looks forward to his possible moment in the sun in Spain, West Brom will no doubt be on the hunt for a replacement to bolster their options in attack.

West Brom's "fabulous" Diangana replacement

After all, the long-standing servant’s exit will be felt in terms of the personnel Mason can select from.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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Jed Wallace is the only other recognisable right winger in the depleted Baggies camp currently in the wake of Diangana moving on, whilst the rookie manager has even fewer faces to call upon in the number ten spot – another position that the 27-year-old was comfortable playing in – with John Swift also heading out of the building on a free transfer.

Therefore, in hunting down an immediate fix to Diangana’s exit, West Brom will need to win themselves a versatile and flexible presence who can play all over the attacking positions.

Who could that be? Well, former Derby County captain Tom Lawrence is perhaps their man. It has been reported by TEAMtalk this week that West Brom are interested in landing the now free agent forward.

Away from his ability to be adaptable making him a worthwhile candidate to replace Diangana, the 31-year-old also boasts a vast collection of goals and assists in the Championship himself, with a mighty 50 goals and 40 assists tallied up from 264 career appearances in the second-tier.

Staggeringly, that’s 42 more goal contributions than the Valencia-linked star managed during his entire Hawthorns spell, albeit from 62 fewer clashes.

Lawrence in the Championship by position

Position played in

Games

Goals

Assists

LW

157

30

21

SS

57

9

9

CF

21

5

2

RW

16

2

7

AM

6

2

0

LM

3

2

1

Sourced by Transfermarkt

The similarities don’t just stop here either, with Lawrence also prone to scoring an audacious strike or two during his celebrated Derby stay, much like Diangana at his Baggies peak.

His expertise in this regard even saw ex-Rams boss Gary Rowett label the entertaining Welshman as “fabulous” when the pair were together at Pride Park, as West Brom now pray he can arrive on the scene this summer and roll back the years to fire Mason and Co. to promotion.

Pulling off such a feat would make the managerial newcomer an instant icon at the Hawthorns, with Lawrence also entering into the club’s hall-of-fame no doubt by securing a promotion success Diangana could never get over the line.

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Setting their sights on fresh targets, Aston Villa have now reportedly joined the race to sign an impressive £42m midfielder who already has a goal to his name at Villa Park.

Aston Villa face difficult summer

Whichever direction Aston Villa go down this summer, they must approach with caution. Their PSR concerns are likely to limit their spending unless they complete some ruthless sales. Those concerns make their defeat against Manchester United to cost them a Champions League place on the final day all the more frustrating for Unai Emery, who failed to hide his anger at the time.

Now, weeks on, it’s simply a situation that the Midlands club must prepare for. Rumours have already arrived as to who could be heading for the exit door as somewhat of a sacrifice for the Villans and it seems as though not many names are off the table completely.

Among those most mentioned has been Emiliano Martinez. The Argentine looked to be bidding an emotional farewell to Villa Park in the final home game of the season, sparking rumours that he could yet depart amid interest from the likes of Atletico Madrid.

Losing Martinez would be a frustrating but perhaps necessary blow for all involved at Villa Park, who could then have the chance to welcome incomings of their own. Already, Zepiqueno Redmond looks set to arrive on a free transfer from Feyenoord to commence Villa’s summer business, but they won’t want to stop there.

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With Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford on their way back to their parent clubs, Emery has important roles to fill in his side and Villa have seemingly turned their focus towards signing a Premier League rival as a result.

Aston Villa racing to sign Mikkel Damsgaard

According to Caught Offside, Aston Villa are now racing to sign Mikkel Damsgaard from Brentford this summer. The Bees reportedly value the Danish midfielder at as much as €50m (£42m) amid interest from the Midlands club as well as Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and West Ham United.

Villa Park received a first-hand glimpse of Damsgaard’s quality when he scored Brentford’s only goal in an eventual 3-1 defeat at the hands of Emery’s side. Even in the face of defeat, however, the 24-year-old showed what he’s capable of.

With 11 assists to his name last season – a number that only Mohamed Salah, Jacob Murphy and Anthony Elanga bettered – Damsgaard was often at the centre of Thomas Frank’s praise.

The Brentford boss told reporters after victory over Leicester in December: “He just got better and better.Today he was fantastic in every way possible. He had another performance and also did an assist. He ties our team and games together amazingly. It’s cool to see.”

Finally realising his potential, it may not be long before Damsgaard is on the move away from Brentford and perhaps even towards Villa Park if the Midlands club make their move this summer.