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Aston Villa now have their sights set on bringing a talented new attacker to Villa Park following his excellent start to the 2023/24 campaign, according to reports.

What's the latest news involving Aston Villa?

Pundit Natasha Dowie has offered Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins heavy praise following the England international's trio of strikes in the Villans' 6-1 annihilation of Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend.

Dowie stated via BBC Sport: "He should have had four, and actually I think he was quite frustrated to not get four. Everything about his game was impressive. He's a real threat, he has everything in my opinion. He's pacy, he can stretch the play, he's also strong and can be that hold up player, and obviously Gareth Southgate was there to watch and that's a good impression. Four goals and three assists now and the assists side is important. A brilliant, brilliant performance from him."

Cited via Tribal Football meanwhile, Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has complemented summer signing Nicolo Zaniolo's willingness to adapt and versatility following his move to the West Midlands, saying in the aftermath of the Brighton triumph: "Zaniolo as a person is very easy to talk with him, to work with him. His behavior and commitment with us from the first day was very good. His adaptation is going very well, and then he is playing well."

Aston Villa will next face HSK Zrinjski Mostar in the second matchday of their Europa League campaign and they will be hoping to put three points on the board to enter contention to qualify for the knockout phase.

In other news, Aston Villa are looking to enact further consultation with supporters over the design of their new club crest, which will be active on shirts at all levels from the beginning of the 2024/25 campaign.

Who are Aston Villa linked with?

According to 90min, Aston Villa have checked in on the performances of Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Pedro Neto, who has also attracted interest from Premier League high-flyers Arsenal and La Liga giants Atletico Madrid.

Aston Villa boss Emery and sporting director Monchi look to already be putting the work in on potential January additions and are keen to strengthen their options in attack; however, the threat of the Saudi Pro League swooping for Neto is another factor they will need to take into consideration regarding any potential swoop.

Neto has made a blistering start to life this campaign, racking up one goal and four assists in seven appearances across all competitions for the Old Gold, as per Transfermarkt.

Proving to be an enormously important attacking outlet for Wolves, Neto has averaged 1.6 shots, 2.6 key passes and 2.3 completed dribbles in the Premier League this term, according to WhoScored.

In the English top-flight, the Portugal international, who was labelled "incredible" by Gary O'Neil after Wolves' 1-1 draw away to Luton last month, has successfully carried out 28 shot-creating actions in total within 2023/24, with five of them directly leading to goals, as shown on FBRef.

Aston Villa already have a plethora of offensive talent; nevertheless, competition for places can only be a good thing as Emery's men look to break into the race for Champions League qualification.

Despite his battles with injuries, the fast bowler wants to succeed in the form of the game he considers “the pinnacle” and said he had not contemplated focusing on white-ball cricket

Alan Gardner19-May-2018Mark Wood made the choice to come early from the IPL because he believes he has “a real point to prove” in Test cricket. Despite his battles with injuries, the fast bowler wants to succeed in the form of the game he considers “the pinnacle” and said he had not contemplated focusing on white-ball cricket, where he is likely to be a key member of the side hoping to lift the World Cup on home soil next year.Having won a recall to the Test team for England’s last outing, in Christchurch at the end of March, Wood then went straight to the IPL, playing in the first match of the tournament for Chennai Super Kings. However, after returning figures of 0 for 49, he was not selected again and spent his time bowling in the nets until a call from Andrew Strauss prompted a return to Durham.Wood subsequently claimed a career-best 6 for 46 against Derbyshire and was named in Ed Smith’s first squad as national selector for next week’s Pakistan Test at Lord’s. Following three rounds of ankle surgery in 2015 and 2016, there have been doubts about Wood’s fitness for five-day cricket but he is feeling positive – “I’ve had seven months injury free now, which I’ve probably never had before” – and wants to fight for his place.”That’s never even once crossed my mind,” he said, when asked about the possibility of preserving himself. “Any game I play for England I love it. When I was in the back garden as a kid it was never T20 or 50 overs it was Test matches. In my mind, all the best players were at Test level and that’s what I wanted to strive to. These days, the 50- and 20-over stuff is a huge part of the game so I’m delighted to be part of such a good team – we have an awesome one-day side – but the pinnacle for me is still trying to get into that Test and I think I have a real point to prove.”After a month of inaction in India, his trip to Derby was about “having fun” with a red ball back in his hand. Despite initially “thinking I’m miles away here”, after taking 1 for 91 from 29 overs in the first innings, Wood felt increasingly in rhythm and was rewarded by his first first-class six-for as reverse swing came into play on the final day.Wood’s extra pace and skiddy angles have seen him long identified as the man to bring a cutting edge to the seam attack, and he believes he benefited from being given a licence to bowl short and at the body in his previous Test appearance – similar to the role fulfilled by New Zealand’s Neil Wagner. Having scored a maiden Test fifty at Hagley Oval, he is now chasing bigger wicket hauls for England.”I need to get more wickets,” he said. “I need to be more consistent. Having the gameplan in New Zealand definitely helped because I knew the role they wanted me to play. Whether I got wickets or not I knew it didn’t matter because it was the role I was playing. Having a bit more of a specific role – whether it’s an enforcer or do something a little different – then even if I don’t get wickets I know I’m contributing.”To be be honest I’ve got a lot to prove to the selectors, coaches, media, the fans because I’m a guy people probably had high hopes for and I’ve not done it consistently enough. An average of 40 is pretty average to be honest and I definitely want to lower that.”Mark Wood back in action for Durham•Getty ImagesOn the state of his ankle, which required him to be rested from the one-day side in New Zealand, Wood described it as “decent”. “It’s okay, held together with a bit of Sellotape. We are all right at the moment and have managed it quite well over the winter. ‘Hopefully’ is the key word and hopefully I can keep it okay.”There have been times when I’ve thought I’ll never be the same again, I’ll never play for England again and I’ll have to go into the real world. There have definitely been doubts but things I can hopefully overcome with more game time.”As for his IPL jaunt, part of a record contingent of Englishmen involved in the T20 competition, his conclusion was: “Mad, but good. But mad.” It remains another arena in which he would like to prove himself in the future.”I’m glad to be back,” he said. “It was a difficult decision and I was 50-50 whether I leave. Andrew Strauss rang me up and said, if you’re not playing, there’s real value in coming home to push my case and try to keep my spot in the team. I worked so hard trying to get back in the Test side. At the time I wondered whether it was the right decision but as soon as I got back and took some wickets, it was the right decision.”I would have liked to have played more. It was hard going travelling every day and not playing. I was the only member of the England side who hadn’t been home for about seven months so that side was hard. I got why I wasn’t playing… I didn’t really set the world alight in my first game and it was always going to be difficult to come back in. I’m disappointed that I didn’t get to prove myself in that competition. To have one game and not do well leaves a bit of a sour taste. I’d like to go back and have one more crack at it and prove myself at that standard.”

Liverpool are keeping close tabs on an exciting forward from overseas, and a fresh report has revealed that Premier League chiefs have actually been interested in him for quite some time.

Who are Liverpool linked with?

Over the summer, Jurgen Klopp signed four fresh midfielders in the form of Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch, but before the deadline, FSG failed to recruit a new centre-back despite assessing their options in the market.

The Reds have therefore been recently linked with three potential candidates that they are looking at ahead of the next transfer window opening in January: Sporting CP’s Goncalo Inacio, Bayer Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapie and Benfica’s Antonio Silva.

However, Mohamed Salah continues to be linked with a future move to Saudi Arabia so a final-third replacement will be needed should he depart, and if the following update is to be believed, Montpellier’s right-winger Mousa Tamari has been identified as an ideal successor.

The Jordan international only joined Michel Der Zakarian’s side three months ago from OH Leuven (Tamari transfer history), but having already emerged as their second best-performing offensive player so far this season (WhoScored – Montpellier statistics), the 26-year-old has been brought onto the radar as a possible target at Anfield.

Mousa Tamari transfer update

According to Anfield Watch, which shared a transfer update on Mousa Tamari, Liverpool are “watching” the attacker at Montpellier, and have in fact been “keeping a close eye” on his progress even before the summer.

The Merseyside-based outlet, however, claim that the hierarchy view the left-footed star as someone who could complement Salah or even provide backup for him rather than being a long-term heir if he was to depart at any stage in 2024.

How many goals has Mousa Tamari scored?

Since putting pen to paper at Montpellier, Tamari has posted five contributions, three goals and two assists in six appearances in Ligue 1 (Transfermarkt – Tamari statistics), with this type of prolific form that he’s capable of in the opposition’s area seeing him nicknamed the 'Jordanian Messi', and here is a short lowdown of the qualities that he has in his locker:

Dribbling

Concentration

Likes to dribble

Blocking the ball

Tackling

Likes to play long balls

Indirect set-piece threat

(All data via WhoScored)

Likes to cut inside

Gets fouled often

Does not dive into tackles

Sponsored by Nike, Klopp’s target is also currently averaging two dribbles per league game, indicating he is a forward who loves to use his pace, take on his marker and create chances for both himself and his teammates in the final third (WhoScored – Tamari statistics).

Furthermore, Tamari, who pockets £7k per week (Montpellier salaries), is a versatile operator having been deployed in six different positions over the grass since the start of his career, including everywhere across the frontline and even two roles in the midfield, so his ability to easily adapt to the manager's demands gives him the potential to be an exciting addition for Liverpool.

Vinicius Jr paid tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo when delivering an iconic goal celebration at Real Madrid, but there was no ‘Siuuuu’ to be heard.

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Brazilian forward on target against LeipzigMimicked celebration of Portuguese superstarFills the same No.7 shirt at Santiago BernabeuGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Portuguese superstar Ronaldo has grown accustomed to seeing players mimic his famous celebration that involves leaping into the air, spinning and roaring in delight. That routine has become so popular that it is no longer reserved solely for football fixtures – with NFL, basketball and rugby stars among those to get in on the act.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Vinicius, who now occupies the legendary No.7 shirt at Santiago Bernabeu that was once worn with such distinction by Ronaldo, has performed the ‘Siuuuu’ show at times. He is, however, aware that CR7 boasts other celebrations within his collection.

DID YOU KNOW?

With that in mind, and having hit the back of the net for Real in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 encounter with RB Leipzig, the Brazil international took to emulating another of Ronaldo’s famous routines – which sees him take to sitting on the advertising hoardings.

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WHAT NEXT FOR VINICIUS?

Vinicius’ effort against Leipzig proved to be crucial, as the Blancos survived a European scare on home soil to prevail 2-1 on aggregate and book their place in the quarter-finals. Their talismanic South American forward is now up to 15 goals for the season.

Northamptonshire took just 32 minutes on the third day to wrap up a 10-wicket victory over Gloucestershire at Wantage Road

ECB Reporters Network22-Jun-2018
ScorecardNorthamptonshire took just 32 minutes on the third day to wrap up a 10-wicket victory over Gloucestershire at Wantage Road to claim their first win in the Specsavers County Championship this season.Having resisted on the second evening to take the game into day three, Gloucestershire could last only another 17 balls to be bowled out for 250, leaving a target of only 31 that Ben Duckett knocked off himself in just four overs.Brett Hutton removed the final two wickets within three balls to finish with 8 for 57 – the third-best figures for Northants this century.”We’ve played very well this week, we’ve been disappointed in the Championship so far but we showed if we play somewhere near our best cricket we’re capable of winning games.”Ben and Brett will take the headlines but the whole attack did their bit and added to the pressure and they never got away from us,” head coach David Ripley said. “We took the majority of our catches as well, the surface offered a bit more carry which brought the cordon into play so a great effort from the groundsman as well.”We need to back up this performance now at Cardiff and it’s about building the confidence up and we can take that into the T20s too.”Matt Taylor only added a single to his overnight 37 before pushing at a length ball and edging to second slip where Richard Levi dived to his right to take a sharp catch. No. 11 Chris Liddle then lost his off stump for a duck leaving Craig Miles stranded on 38 not out.The chase was over very quickly as Duckett played an emphatic extra-cover drive off Miles, a flick through midwicket and two top-edged pulls over the wicketkeeper’s head. Another pull off Miles took Northants to within one hit of victory before an outside edge found the third man fence to complete the win.Northants, who took 21 points from the match, now head to Glamorgan on Monday while Gloucestershire are left to concentrate on the T20 Blast that begins in two weeks.Gloucestershire head coach said: “We’ve been outplayed, and it’s more to do with the ball – it wasn’t a 280 wicket. We didn’t exert any pressure with the ball, we bowled two sides of the wicket and the wrong length.”We were a bit more up for the fight in the second innings but day one we were behind the eight ball and couldn’t recover from that.”We’ve got the T20 coming up but also the Cheltenham festival and we want to be playing some good cricket in the Championship there so by no means will we just be focussing on T20.”

The first four-day fixture (September 2-5) will be held at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, while the second (September 8-11) will be played in Alur

Shashank Kishore28-Aug-2018Australia A’s two-week stay in Bengaluru – originally scheduled for the 50-over Quadrangular series – is set to be extended. The BCCI is contemplating moving the two four-day games against India A out of Visakhapatnam.The 50-overs leg of their tour, originally slated to be held in Vijayawada, was also moved to Bengaluru because of heavy rain and unfit ground conditions. In Vijayawada, the Australian players were forced to spend a majority of their week-long stay indoors or in training at a private gym facility.While there has been no official announcement yet, ESPNcricinfo understands that the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has accepted BCCI’s request, and has facilitated all logistical arrangements. The first four-day fixture (September 2-5) is likely to be held at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, while the second (September 8-11) will be played in Alur, in the outskirts of the city.Until November 2017, Alur hosted only one-day fixtures. However, the recent construction of a clubhouse and dressing rooms that conform to BCCI’s set standards have made it a first-class venue. It hosted the second four-day fixture against South Africa A last month and has hosted matches in the ongoing Quadrangular series.

Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp has named the one Ange Postecoglou favourite who is still to convince him at Spurs.

Who are Tottenham's star players?

Spurs supporters have been spoiled for choice in terms of their star players this season, as nearly every member of Postecoglou's traditional starting eleven have played a big role. Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario has made some pretty important saves after coming in to replace Hugo Lloris, while centre-back pairing Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero have formed an incredible understanding.

Wing-backs Pedro Porro, and especially Destiny Udogie, have seriously impressed as Postecoglou's inverted full-back regulars while both Yves Bissouma (before his suspension) and Pape Matar Sarr shine in front of them. However, there is an argument to be made that winger Dejan Kulusevski, Son Heung-min and summer signing James Maddison are the trio most dazzling on the eye. Indeed, all three have been revelations for Tottenham's new manager, with both Maddison and Son blowing opposition away in the attacking areas.

While nearly every member of the Spurs eleven are impressing, one man who is still dividing opinions is former Everton star Richarlison. Signed in the summer of 2022, the Brazilian has chipped with just a handful of goals in all competitions since his arrival. He has played more of a role this season, though, especially against Sheffield United. His goal and assist deep into added time gifted Spurs a dramatic win against the newly-promoted Blades last month, and Richarlison has been to play a big part this term.

What's been said about Richarlison?

Postecoglou has lavished praise on the "fantastic" South American already, saying this after their win over Sheffield United (via TEAMtalk):

“We’ve got to maintain a balance in life and even for him, he needs to understand his football is still good, he’s a fantastic footballer, he’s got so much to give and that can help ease the burden he’s feeling in other parts of his life, like so many of us.

“I’m really pleased for him – I thought he did really well. We were obviously chasing a goal and getting some balls in the box and he’s always a threat in the air.”

Seemingly a favourite of Tottenham's new manager, Richarlison has played in every single league match so far this term, scoring one and assisting three others. However, despite this, former Spurs boss Redknapp has told talkSPORT that the forward still has a lot of work to do.

“I think he’s got a bit to do for me still to convince me," said Redknapp on a Tuesday morning broadcast.

“To be honest I was like that with him at Everton. There was something about him that didn’t endear him to me that much. Listen, if they feel they need to bring someone in on that side and they’ll be looking then they’ll go out and do that.

“Hopefully, he’s turned the corner, he needs a goal or two doesn’t he really? His confidence is key, if you haven’t got the confidence it’s an impossible game.”

Pep Guardiola says Jude Bellingham has had a "massive" impact on Real Madrid ahead of Manchester City's Champions League tie with the European giants.

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Man City to face Madrid in UCLBellingham starring for Real Guardiola praises midfielder (C)GettyImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Guardiola's City will face Los Blancos in the quarter-finals of the Champions League in a rematch of last season's semi-final, where the Premier League outfit won 5-1 on aggregate. Ahead of that heavyweight encounter, manager Guardiola has lauded the displays of England international Bellingham – who has scored 20 goals and bagged nine assists at the Spanish side this season.

Advertisement(C)GettyImagesWHAT PEP GUARDIOLA SAID

When speaking to reporters, the Spaniard said: "[Bellingham's] impact has been massive. It's a different team from last season. His influence is obvious, and we have to try to discover what he does to control it. Facing Real Madrid is always a tough challenge, nobody can deny it. They are an exceptional club, and in this competition, they can control many things with the experience they have in the past. Like last season there will be moments for them and moments for us. The longer we can keep our moments, we'll be closer. We'll try to do a good performance in Madrid and then here, with our people, do it again."

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

City romped into the final of the Champions League last season, before edging out Inter Milan to lift the famous trophy for the first time, but Guardiola knows Madrid will pose a different threat this time out. Both teams are looking to win multiple trophies this season and this tie could play a big part in how they fare in the final stretch of the campaign.

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WHAT NEXT?

The two heavyweight teams will lock horns in the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday, April 9, before Guardiola's defending champions entertain Carlo Ancelotti's side at the Etihad the week after.

With just two pre-tournament friendlies to go before the hosts kick-off vs Bolivia on June 23, GOAL's staff got together to pick our 23-man roster

Following their CONCACAF Nations League triumph, the USMNT now have their eyes set on the 2024 Copa America. The last time they appeared in the competition was 2016, where they made a heroic semifinal run, and now they're back in search of glory on home soil.

Gregg Berhalter now has just two friendlies on the eve of the tournament, against Colombia and Brazil, to prepare for the team's tournament opener against Bolivia on June 23, and so any final decisions when it comes to his 23-man squad will have to largely be made based on club performances.

So who should be on that final roster, and who will have to be left at home at what is a crucial juncture on the road to the 2026 World Cup? Here at GOAL we put our best USMNT minds together to select what we believe should be Berhalter's final Copa America squad.

Check out our selections below, and let us know how right – or wrong – we were in the comments section at the end…

Getty ImagesGoalkeepers

Despite losing his starting spot at Nottingham Forest, Matt Turner remains the USMNT's undisputed No.1, and we see no issue with him being Berhalter's go-to starter this summer.

Behind him, we've gone for Ethan Horvath, who is currently impressing during a loan spell at Cardiff City, and Inter Miami's Drake Callender.

GOAL's selection: Drake Callender, Ethan Horvath, Matt Turner.

AdvertisementGettyFullbacks

Berhalter's starting fullbacks are pretty locked in, too with Sergino Dest and Antonee Robinson both enjoying excellent seasons for PSV and Fulham, respectively.

In terms of their back-ups, our selection committee stuck with Joe Scally and Kristoffer Lund, with Scally in particular earning his spot due to his versatility in being able to play on either flank.

GOAL's selection: Sergino Dest, Kristoffer Lund, Antonee Robinson, Joe Scally.

GettyCenterbacks

We were happy with what we saw from Tim Ream and Chris Richards in the Nations League final, and so Berhalter's favored centerback duo should be locked in for selection this summer.

Competition for who provides cover, though, is intense. In the end, we opted for FC Cincinnati's Miles Robinson, who started the Nations League semifinal win over Jamaica, and Celtic's Cameron Carter-Vickers. The latter might be seen as a risk by some given Carter-Vickers' recent injury history, but if fit, he deserves his place.

GOAL's selection: Cameron Carter-Vickers, Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Miles Robinson.

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USA Today Sports Midfielders

It remains to be seen whether Berhalter sticks with the MMA midfield of Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah and Tyler Adams this summer following its success at the 2022 World Cup, but there's no doubt that the trio are deserving of their places in the squad.

La Liga duo Luca de la Torre and Johnny Cardoso, meanwhile, have forced their way into the reckoning with their performances in Spain, and will provide excellent cover off the bench.

GOAL's selection: Tyler Adams, Johnny Cardoso, Luca de la Torre, Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah.

Mutual decision reached with England management after tough winter schedule is taken into account

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Sep-2018Sarah Taylor, the England wicketkeeper, will miss the Women’s World T20 in the Caribbean in November due to the ongoing treatment of the anxiety issue that has caused her to take regular time away from the game in recent seasons.Taylor, who played a key role in England’s World Cup victory in 2017, was in prime form with the bat and behind the stumps this season. On the international front, she helped ensure a clean sweep of trophies in England’s series against New Zealand and South Africa, including a matchwinning century against South Africa at Hove in June. Domestically, she was an integral member of the Surrey Stars team that claimed victory in the Kia Super League Final.Perhaps the highlight of Taylor’s summer’s work, however – certainly in terms of the viral clips that circulated on social media – was her series of remarkable leg-side stumpings for England, feats of athleticism which confirmed that, pound for pound, she is among the most talented cricketers of her generation, male or female.However, Taylor’s availability for England has been carefully managed ever since she took a year out of the sport in the wake of the last World T20 in India in 2016. And, having missed the subsequent tour of India earlier this year, a “mutual decision” has been reached that she should sit out this winter’s engagements too.”Since the end of the summer Sarah hasn’t been able to train fully with the squad due to not being as fit as she would want to be from a psychological point of view,” England’s head coach, Mark Robinson, said.”At the moment she isn’t in a place where we would all be comfortable that the demanding training, playing and travel schedule wouldn’t potentially put her backwards and make her road to full recovery longer.”It’s important we see mental health in a similar way to a player with a physical injury. You wouldn’t risk a player if you felt that playing them with an injury would increase the chances of them being out for a long time or the issue even becoming career-threatening.”Sarah will continue to train at Loughborough at a pace more suited to where she is right now with a view to hopefully being fully fit in the new year. All of our players’ health and well-being is the most important thing and we must never lose sight of that in the intense and demanding world of professional sport.”Either way, her absence from England duty is a blow, as Heather Knight’s team look to emulate the efforts of their predecessors in 2009, who managed to add the World T20 title to the World Cup that they had claimed earlier in the same year.England are due to announce their squad on October 4, with Amy Jones now expected to be the frontrunner for the wicketkeeping role.