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An encouraging new development regarding the future of West Brom manager Carlos Corberan has emerged, following a fresh development before the weekend Championship action.

West Brom prepare for Bristol City clash

The Baggies return to the field on Saturday afternoon, welcoming Bristol City to The Hawthorns for another important game in the promotion race. Their weekend opponents sit 11th in the Championship table and only five points adrift of Corberan’s eighth-place side, highlighting the importance of the game, as they look to pull eight points clear of them.

West Brom have endured a frustrating period of form in recent months, topping the table back in September before going on a long winless run, with so many draws thrown in. In fact, they have drawn 11 of their 21 league matches so far this season, leading to them falling out of the playoff places.

For Corberan, it has been such a frustrating period, and considering that managers are ultimately judged on results, there has been some understandable criticism aimed at him in recent times, during a season in which many expected the Baggies to be one of the leading contenders to win the Championship title.

That said, the 41-year-old has largely impressed since taking charge at West Brom back in 2022, guiding his side into the playoffs last season, being beaten by Southampton in the semi-finals. Now, a significant update has emerged regarding the future of the Baggies manager.

Encouraging update over Corberan's West Brom future

Despite a claim from AS [via Sport Witness] that Southampton have sent an “important offer” to West Brom boss Corberan, following the sacking of Russell Martin, they have instead agreed a deal with Ivan Juric, according to Fabrizio Romano on X.

For all the disappointment at West Brom’s form at times this season, this update still represents a real boost for the Baggies, considering what an influential figure Corberan has been over the past couple of years.

The fact that a Premier League club were actively trying to prise him away from a Championship club says a lot about his credentials, but it looks as though he is staying put. To see him leave The Hawthorns midway through the season would be a bitter pill to swallow.

Hopefully, Corberan feels that West Brom are the perfect club for him for the time being, believing that he can guide his West Brom team into the top flight in the coming months, masterminding an upturn in fortunes.

Related Corberan must now ditch West Brom star who earns even more than Maja

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Posts ByKelan Sarson Dec 20, 2024

That said, the lure of the Premier League is great for so many managers, both in terms of being able to test yourself against some of the best coaches in the world and also the financial benefits.

It remains to be seen if Corberan’s head could be turned by another approach from a different club, assuming Juric does complete a move to Southampton, but his sole focus is now hopefully on sealing promotion in the coming months.

كشف أحمد شوبير مقدم البرامج التلفزيونية بقناة الأهلي، موقف علي معلول لاعب فريق الكرة بالنادي من المشاركة خلال مباراة صن داونز المقبلة في دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

ومن المقرر أن يواجه الأهلي منافسه صن داونز يوم السبت المقبل في مواجهة من العيار الثقيل، تعيد للأذهان سلسلة من اللقاءات القوية التي جمعت بين الفريقين، خلال السنوات الأخيرة، وسط ترقب جماهيري كبير داخل القارة.

طالع | كاف يُعلن موعد مباراة الأهلي وصن داونز في نصف نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا

ويعاني الأهلي من أزمة في مركز الظهير الأيسر بعد إصابة الثنائي يحيى عطية الله وكريم الدبيس خلال مباراة بيراميدز الأخيرة في الدوري المصري.

وقال أحمد شوبير في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة الأهلي: “علي معلول غير جاهز بنسبة 100%، ومن الممكن أن يسافر مع بعثة الأهلي إلى جنوب إفريقيا استعدادا لمباراة صن داونز”.

وأكمل: “أحمد نبيل كوكا سليم 100% وهو المرشح الأول لمركز الظهير الأيسر، والدفع بـ علي معلول بمثابة الانتحار في هذا اللقاء لأنه غائب منذ سنة ثم أول مباراة يشارك فيها بدور نصف نهائي إفريقيا، وهو الخوف عليه وليس منه في هذا الأمر”.

واختتم: “أعتقد معلول يستحق أن يتواجد مع البعثة ومسؤولية المشاركة أمر يخص كولر”.

الأهلي تأهل إلى نصف النهائي بعد التفوق على الهلال السوداني بنتيجة 2-0 في مجموع مباراتي ربع النهائي لدوري أبطال إفريقيا، بينما تخطى صن داونز عقبة الترجي التونسي بهدف نظيف، في مجموع الذهاب والإياب.

It might be too early to say with any certainty, but it’s starting to look like Arsenal are getting back to their best.

Mikel Arteta’s side were in dreadful form before the international break, not winning any of their four Premier League games, but have now won back-to-back games for the first time in almost two months.

The North Londoners put in a stellar performance to beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 last weekend and then did even better to smash the impressive Sporting CP on Tuesday night.

Arsenal’s recent form

Team

Result

Sporting CP (A)

5-1 (W)

Nottingham Forest (H)

3-0 (W)

Chelsea (A)

1-1 (D)

Inter Milan (A)

1-0 (L)

Newcastle United (A)

1-0 (L)

However, this afternoon brings with it a fresh challenge in a West Ham United side who beat Newcastle United at St James Park last time out, and if Arteta wants to stop the incredible £100m-rated Jarrod Bowen, he must start someone who shone in Europe.

Arsenal's star performers

So, before getting to the player in question, let’s look at some of those who stood out for Arsenal on Tuesday night, starting poster boy Bukayo Saka.

The Englishman provided an assist for Kai Havertz in the first half and then picked up a goal of his own from the penalty spot at a moment when the Lisbon-based outfit threatened to get back into the game.

However, he wasn’t the only winger who looked good on the night, as Gabriel Martinelli reminded fans and pundits alike just how effective he can be by scoring the opening goal of the game, which also happened to be his fourth of the campaign.

Likewise, club captain Martin Odegaard showed for the second game running how much better the team are with him at the heart of everything.

The Norwegian superstar won the penalty that Saka converted, but he did so much more than that, as his close control and general footballing intelligence were vital in allowing the team to launch attack after attack throughout the 90 minutes.

With all that said, it wasn’t just a night for the attackers, as one of Arteta’s summer signings demonstrated just why he has to start every game he’s fit for, and why he’s the ideal player to bully Bowen this afternoon.

The Arsenal star who has to start against West Ham

So, with a plethora of defenders to choose from, especially on the left, Arteta has to make the right one if he wants to stop the talented Bowen this afternoon, and that would be Riccardo Calafiori.

The Italian international joined the club for a whopping £42m in the summer but has endured something of a stop-start beginning to his Arsenal career due to a few injuries he’s picked up since moving to England.

However, when he’s been fit, the former Bologna star has been simply sublime, both in his ability to maraud up the pitch “like a wild horse on the loose,” as journalist Sam Dean puts it, and in his ability to drop back and do the defensive side of the job.

Calafiori’s scout report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

Pass Completion

88.6%

Top 2%

Aerials Won

2.26

Top 2%

Interceptions

1.60

Top 7%

Assists

0.19

Top 11%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.12

Top 12%

Passes Attempted

64.99

Top 14%

Non-Penalty Expected Goals

0.08

Top 15%

Clearances

2.96

Top 19%

All Stats via FBref

We can see this duality in the 22-year-old’s game best when looking at his underlying numbers, as according to FBref, he sits in the top 2% of full-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for pass completion and aerial duels won, the top 7% for interceptions, the top 11% for assists, the top 12% for non-penalty goals and more, all per 90.

Moreover, this, combined with the fact that he stands at 6 foot 2 and is seemingly unfazed by the pressure, is why he has to go against Bowen this afternoon, as he has all the skill required to lock the Englishman down while posing a real attacking threat himself.

In fact, his ability to hurtle down the byline should help him keep a handle on the former Hull City ace as well, as he’ll have to think about tracking back more often than if it was Jakub Kiwior there, for example, or even Oleksandr Zinchenko who cannot pose the same physical threat.

Ultimately, Arsenal will be favourites heading into the game at the London Stadium, and rightly so, but if Arteta wants to give his team the best chance of claiming all three points, he must start Calafiori.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 28, 2024

Two years into international cricket, 17-year-old Shafali Verma is fully aware of the need to improve constantly and her immediate focus is on tweaking her short-ball game against fast bowlers.Having made her India debut as a 15-year-old, Shafali has come a long way over the past 24 months and alongside Smriti Mandhana, forms one of the most explosive opening pairings in women’s cricket. However, on tours of England and Australia this year, Shafali was peppered with short balls and she didn’t look particularly comfortable against them. So, to get better against the rising ball, Shafali is now facing 200-250 balls from Under-25 men’s players, who can clock 125-130 kmph, at Shri Ram Narain Cricket Academy in Gurugram, under the watchful eyes of her coach Ashwani Kumar.”It feels good that I have been able to complete two years in international cricket but there is a long way to go. I know the areas of my game I need to get better at and one of them is playing the short ball,” Shafali told PTI after being named a Hyundai brand ambassador. “The coaches have also told me to play as per the ball and I will continue to do that. I will never change my game.”During the England and Australia series, Shafali was seen backing away to the short balls and the approach fetched her mixed returns. The coaches at the academy are making her play the short ball on cemented, astroturf and normal wickets. And, besides negotiating higher speeds from the men, Shafali is also facing throwdowns.Related

• Mithali: We have had 'good preparation' for 2022 World Cup

• New Zealand to host India Women for one T20I, five ODIs

• Mandhana: 'Amazing to watch our bowlers dominate Australia'

• Mandhana lauds leadership of Darlington at Sydney Thunder

“I won’t back away that much going forward. You will see me shuffling around the crease a lot more and play as per the merit of the ball,” Shafali, who is also working on her fitness, said.Her coach Kumar feels Shafali will only get better with time and experience. “We must not forget that she is still 17. Her dream Test debut shows that she has got the required technique to succeed at the highest level.”In the shorter formats, where there is scoreboard pressure, you need to be really quick with your thinking and that is where she needs to improve a bit. As she goes along playing for India, you will see her only getting better.”Mandhana targets better consistency for World Cup success
Mandhana, who was named a Hyundai ambassador alongside Shafali, Jemimah Rodrigues and Taniya Bhatia, said she wants to add more consistency to her batting going into the Women’s ODI World Cup in New Zealand in March.”Post [the] Covid [-enforced break from cricket], it was hard to get the rhythm back as I was playing international cricket after one and a half years,” Mandhana told PTI. “It took a while to get into the groove but the last two series [England and Australia] have been decent but surely there is scope for improvement.”I am really happy with the way I have been timing the ball… [But] as a batter you have to be selfish to be more consistent and that’s something I want to work on, closing games on a regular basis especially the tight finishes.”It is something which we all know that we need to work on as that is going to help us in the World Cup.”India has lost ODI series to South Africa, England and Australia since March, but Mandhana feels the team has got the best possible preparation for the World Cup. India will also play New Zealand before the World Cup.”The last one year has been really important for us and especially playing in England and Australia. We are also playing New Zealand, so playing the top three-four teams in a space of seven-eight months, that is the best preparation for World Cup. We have learnt a lot in the last two series.””The Australia series was a good one though results didn’t go our way. Almost all the matches were decided in the last over and those were matches we could have won or lost. We were able to score 250 plus in two out of three games. Will take take all the positives from that. I also learnt a lot in Australia.”

The USMNT star launched his sixth signature collection with the global sports brand in a bid to inspire the next generation

• Pulisic's new collection designed to inspire young athletes
• Features the return of the ULTRA 5 ULTIMATE boot
• Available as of Feb. 20 across various retail platforms

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED

  Christian Pulisic, the U.S. men's national team and AC Milan star, partnered with PUMA to release his sixth signature collection, titled "Chasing The Dream." The collection, which includes footwear and apparel, is designed to inspire young athletes to pursue their goals both on and off the pitch.

  All items feature Pulisic’s official logo and the pack features the return of the ULTRA 5 Ultimate boot.

  “This collection is special because I want it to be part of the younger generation’s journey as they write their own story on and off the pitch,” said Pulisic. “It’s meant to give them confidence – not just when scoring goals, but in the countless hours of practice that build real skill and passion.”

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• THE COLLECTION

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  This collaboration between Pulisic and PUMA represents more than just a new product line. It is intended to symbolize the journey of a young athlete who has risen to the top and now aims to inspire the next generation.

  The collection's theme of chasing dreams resonates with Pulisic's own career trajectory, from a young talent in Pennsylvania to a star in European football and with the USMNT.

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  WHAT’S NEXT?

  AC Milan face a challenging climb to reach the top four in Serie A. They dropped a 2-1 match to Torino on Saturday, a match in which Pulisic missed a penalty kick. AC Milan face a trip to Bologna next before hosting Lazio in March as they look to climb back up the table.

Glasgow Rangers’ recent financial results show a loss of £17.2m, and it is clear that the Light Blues could face challenges in the next couple of years.

Judging by the performances on the pitch this season, Philippe Clement will be doing well to finish second in the Premiership given the recent form of Aberdeen, the side that Rangers play this evening.

Having laboured to a 2-1 win over St Mirren on the weekend, Aberdeen will pose a much greater challenge. Changes will be made, but who comes into the starting XI?

Clement could unleash Cyriel Dessers vs Aberdeen

Hamza Igamane started against the Buddies but struggled and was replaced by Cyriel Dessers for the second half.

The Nigerian has scored seven goals this term, although none have come in the Premiership since August. With limited options in this department and Igamane’s lack of experience, the 29-year-old looks nailed on to start against Jimmy Thelin’s men this evening.

Clement needs players behind Dessers to make things happen for him, giving the striker the best chances to increase his goal tally.

While Tom Lawrence is available, the Belgian should give a start to someone who can make all the difference – Ianis Hagi.

Why Hagi could make his first start of the season for Rangers

The Romanian has scored at Pittodrie before, netting during a 1-1 draw in January 2022, just a few days before he suffered a serious knee injury which kept him out for a year.

Due to a contract dispute, Hagi only made his first appearance of the season last month, coming on as a substitute against St Johnstone. He grabbed an assist before being shown a red card, announcing his return in dramatic circumstances.

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Once hailed as an “absolute dream to work with” by Steven Gerrard, the £21k-per-week star could get Dessers firing again, especially if he can replicate his early Rangers form.

The attacking midfielder was perhaps at his best during his maiden campaign in Glasgow, helping the Gers win the 2020/21 Premiership crown unbeaten.

Ianis Hagi’s stats in 2020/21 for Rangers

Goals

7

Assists

11

Big chances created

6

Total duels won per game

3.2

Shots per game

1.8

Key passes per game

1

Via Sofascore

Across 33 matches that season, Hagi registered 18 goal contributions in the league alone – seven goals and 11 assists – while also creating six big chances, averaging one key pass per game and succeeding with 0.6 dribbles each match.

His creativity allowed others such as Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe to flourish and there is no doubt he could do the same for Dessers tonight.

Making an impression against Aberdeen this evening could be the catalyst that Hagi needs to push on and finally live up to his potential. If he can create a few chances in the northeast and help the Light Blues secure a confidence-boosting victory, Clement may give him plenty of opportunities in the coming weeks.

The Dons have yet to taste defeat this season. Will Rangers be the first to inflict such a result tonight? Or will Thelin lead his side to another impressive result against one of the Old Firm?

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Posts ByDan Emery Oct 30, 2024

Unai Emery got in the way of a potential exit from Aston Villa over the summer, it has been reported, with the Spanish coach keen to keep one man at the club despite offers to sell.

Aston Villa flying high under Emery

Though a 0-0 home draw with struggling Manchester United dampened spirits at Villa Park somewhat, it has been an excellent start to the season for the midlands side.

Currently fifth in the Premier League, they have lost just once (to second-placed Arsenal) and are just four points off early pace setters Liverpool.

Premier League table as it stands

Team

Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

Goal difference

Points

Liverpool

7

6

0

1

11

18

Manchester City

7

5

2

0

9

17

Arsenal

7

5

2

0

9

17

Chelsea

7

4

2

1

7

14

Aston Villa

7

4

2

1

3

14

Though their fixture list has not been the most demanding (including games against struggling Everton, West Ham and Leicester City), they have still made a strong start to their attempts to become a mainstay at the top after their fourth-placed finish last season.

Their best moment of the season so far has come in the Champions League though; playing in Europe’s premier competition for the first time since the 1980s, they have won both of their games so far, including a 1-0 win over German giants Bayern Munich at Villa Park, settled by a fantastic strike from Jhon Duran.

It follows a tricky summer transfer window in which Duran was one of several players that could well have been sold in a bid to balance the books at Villa Park as they battled financial fair play regulations.

He was not the only star to have proved his worth after being denied a move though.

Emery personally blocked Aston Villa exit

That comes as The Athletic report that Emery personally intervened to block young defender Lamare Bogarde’s departure from Villa Park after a bid was received from Nottingham Forest over the summer.

Villa’s midlands rivals tabled a £4m offer to sign the defender, and it had already been decided that Bogarde “move on or agree a new deal” before the new campaign.

Yet to break into the first team, he had been dubbed “quality” by Joey Barton during a loan spell with Bristol Rovers.

“He’s quality, isn’t he?” Barton said. “You can see his composure and he is young in terms of years on the clock, but he is very mature and he passes the ball correctly.”

But a debut for Villa was yet to emerge.

Aston Villa wanted to sign £54m star on a free but got Duran instead

Aston Villa could have won the services of this superstar.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 13, 2024

However, Emery, who was “a growing advocate” of the youngster, chose to take him on the pre-season tour of the USA rather than accept an offer from their Premier League rivals. During that tour, Bogarde impressed and “convinced Emery he should be part of his 2024-25 squad”, something that saw him sign a new deal at Villa Park not long after.

He has gone on to make two appearances this season, both coming in an unfamiliar right-back role rather than the centre-back role he has played for much of his youth career, with Bogarde asked to tuck inside when required similarly to Ezri Konsa when the England international plays the same role.

Clearly, Emery has seen something in the youngster, and given his reputation for developing young talent, that will be an exciting theme to watch this season.

Diogo Jota has suffered a fresh injury setback and has been left out of Liverpool's squad to take on Brentford.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Jota absent from matchday squad
• Slot says forward has another injury
• Reds face Brentford in Premier League

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Jota had just settled back into a rhythm of actually playing for Liverpool but his injury issues have resurfaced ahead of the Reds' crucial clash against Brentford. The 28-year-old was not included in either the starting XI or on the bench ahead of the meeting in west London.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Head coach Arne Slot revealed earlier in the week that the prolific forward was a doubt for the trip to the capital, saying: "There is no doubt about the fact Jota is an important player for us, but he wasn't on the training ground yesterday so that means we have to see today where he is." But it seems Jota did not make it through a late fitness test and will work once again to get back on the pitch, leaving the Reds slightly lighter in attack until he returns.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Jota's impact on Merseyside has been huge but there is a common theme with the former Wolves man. This season alone he has missed 12 games through injury and he missed more than 20 last term.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR JOTA AND LIVERPOOL?

  Slot and Co. will have to cope without their marksman for the time being as Liverpool look to get their Premier League title charge back on track. After they take on Brentford, the Reds will host Lille in the Champions League.

MatériaMais Notícias

É oficial: os empresários de Elkeson têm uma proposta do Botafogo pelo atacante na mesa. Em um primeiro momento, as negociações ainda estão em estágio inicial: enquanto o estafe acredita que os valores estão abaixo, o clube aposta na identificação do jogador – e da família dele – com o Glorioso.

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+ Propostas do Botafogo, demora e destaque: a saga de Rafael Navarro até o possível acerto com o Palmeiras

A proposta foi oficializada nos últimos dias, como o ‘Ge’ noticiou primeiro. O LANCE!havia publicado com exclusividade que o atacante era o sonho da diretoria para 2022 e a cúpula alvinegra buscava um plano para oferecer algo ao atacante.

Os valores iniciais ainda estão longe da pedida feita pelos empresários do atleta, livre no mercado após deixar o Guangzhou Evergrande, da China. O interesse do estafe e do jogador é de que haja um desfecho positivo, então há margem para conversa e apresentação de novos números.

Inicialmente, um dos empresários havia procurado Eduardo Freeland, diretor de futebol do Botafogo, para conversar sobre a situação de Elkeson. Durcesio Mello, presidente do clube, entrou no circuito ao ficar sabendo da possibilidade e também iniciou conversas com o agente. Logo, os papos evoluíram para um tom de proposta, saindo apenas da sondagem.

+ Torcida do Botafogo ‘invade’ redes sociais de Elkeson, que dobra número de seguidores

A contraproposta do estafe deve chegar em breve. Entre um valor maior de salário, uma das pedidas dos empresários será que Elkeson ganhe parte de qualquer ação de marketing que envolva a contratação, seja camisas, plano de sócio-torcedor ou algo que o Alvinegro formular.

Os números iniciais trouxeram um salário com o recebimento de direitos de imagem – algo que nem todos os atletas do elenco recebem atualmente. Há cláusula de confidencialidade sobre qualquer valor envolvendo as negociações.

A grande aposta do Botafogo para tentar convencer Elkeson vem da parte emocional. O filho do jogador mora no Rio de Janeiro e é botafoguense. A proximidade com o garoto e o fato de atuar novamente no clube que o projetou para o mercado asiático são os trunfos que o Alvinegro coloca para tentar convencer o atacante a diminuir os salários.

With just one day to go until the transfer window slams shut, Aston Villa are reportedly plotting to end their summer as it started by pursuing an impressive reinforcement.

Aston Villa transfer news

The Villans have undoubtedly been among the winners in the summer transfer window, welcoming the likes of Ian Maatsen and Amadou Onana, who eased any blow caused by Douglas Luiz's departure to Juventus. Heading into their first appearance in the modern Champions League, those in the Midlands have built Unai Emery a squad which could yet be at the centre of some shocking upsets.

Now in the final stages of a busy window, Villa may not be done there with arrivals, especially on the attacking front.

He's like Salah: Aston Villa chasing late move for Joao Felix upgrade

Unai Emery may have some more transfer business to conduct between now and the Friday evening deadline

1

By
Ross Kilvington

Aug 29, 2024

According to Football Insider, Aston Villa are plotting a late hijack to sign Tammy Abraham from AS Roma if Jhon Duran leaves before the window closes. The forward reportedly prefers a return to Villa Park, where he spent the 2018/19 season on loan, despite reportedly closing in on a move to AC Milan.

Villa aren't the only club interested either, with West Ham United also reportedly in negotiations with Roma over a deal for the England international throughout the summer, only to so far miss out on his signature. As the window closes, Abraham will undoubtedly be one to keep an eye on.

"Incredible" Abraham would complete Aston Villa attack

As if Ollie Watkins isn't a dangerous enough option in his own right, signing Abraham would complete Emery's frontline once and for all, particularly if it's in the absence of Duran. The Roma forward has been there and done it in the Premier League and at Villa Park, making a return something that certainly makes sense on paper this summer.

Tammy Abraham 2018/19	Aston Villa stats (via Transfermartk)
Appearances	40
Goals	26
Assists	3

It was during a clinical season at Villa Park that Abraham set course for a starting place at Chelsea, where he earned significant praise from then-manager Frank Lampard.

Lampard previously told Sky Sports: "It's the work ethic behind the scenes that gets him in such good nick. He's not just an incredible handful for defenders – he's running them, he's holding the ball up, he's controlling it, he's got good feet – he's also getting his goals, which is brilliant for him. I trusted in Tammy at the start of the season. I felt it was his time to come back to Chelsea."

Of course, Milan's pursuit of Abraham's signature makes any deal that much more difficult to chase, but Villa would be wise to at least attempt a headline-stealing hijack for the forward this week.