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The Athletic’s Gregg Evans has delivered a teasing Aston Villa transfer update that is sure to get fans excited.

What’s the story?

Dean Smith’s side have had an eventful summer transfer window thus far, seeing Jack Grealish leave for Premier League champions Manchester City, and a number of new arrivals come in to offset it.

Now, writing on Twitter, Evans said there is “perhaps still room for one more incoming”.

In a follow-up article for The Athletic, he added: “Aston Villa will consider dipping into the transfer window one final time if they can move on some of the fringe players at the club in the next few days.

“Dean Smith had made it clear earlier in the summer that he would like another central midfielder — it’s why bids were made for Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse and discussions over alternative options have continued since.

“Moving on Hourihane and right-back Frederic Guilbert may free up space and funds to reinvest in midfield. It means that these final days in the window can go one of two ways; Villa will either sign another midfielder or wait until a future window.”

Could be an exciting end for Villa fans

While Villa appeared to have all their transfer business done and dusted, it appears the club still might have one card up their sleeve.

As Evans says, if the Midlands club can get rid of a few squad players, then there could be the possibility of them making another splash in the transfer market and putting the final touch on what has arguably been the best post-Grealish leaving window.

Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse was very much on the radar of Villa, but the England international put pen to paper on a new deal at St Mary’s, so it will be very interesting to see which alternatives the club have continued to have “discussions” about.

This latest update is sure to have Villa fans excited about what their club could have in store as we head into deadline day next week.

Meanwhile, Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on this Aston Villa transfer target…

There were a host of marquee who walked through the door of Parkhead and signed for Celtic this summer.

The Hoops were incredibly busy in the transfer market as Ange Postecoglou and Dominic McKay were keen to make their intentions known.

They did lose three key players but have bought well and seem to be in a promising place to improve upon a dismal 2020/21 campaign.

On the chalkboard

There have been some eye-catching additions to Celtic over the last few months. Teenager Liel Abada looks a breath of fresh air on the flanks, while Kyogo Furuhashi has become an instant hit. The Japanese forward already has seven goals in nine outings and looks to be a perfect replacement for the now-departed Odsonne Edouard.

However, you sense the most important additions have come in defence. Josip Juranovic will halt Celtic’s reliance on an inexperienced Anthony Ralston, while Cameron Carter-Vickers will hopefully stabilise a rocky backline.

One of the few areas they didn’t strengthen too well, though, was at left-back.

The Hoops saw Diego Laxalt head back to Milan when last season ended, and with Boli Bolingoli not in Postecoglou’s plans, their options in that part of the pitch look unconvincing.

Greg Taylor has already attracted fan criticism and the manager will hope he doesn’t have to use Juranovic at left-back too often as he did in the Old Firm derby.

Adam Montgomery remains a very inexperienced option, so a certain Liam Scales could become somewhat of a secret weapon.

The defender is 23 but is relatively inexperienced in the senior game. Scales wasn’t spotted properly until he was 16 and playing for Arklow Town. He gained experience with University College Dublin before really making a name for himself in Ireland with Shamrock Rovers.

Described as the “hottest property” in the country by the Irish Examiner, Scales has risen to prominence in swift fashion.

Standing at 6 foot 2, the youngster is strong in the air and capable of playing in a variety of positions. He can play at centre-back but has earned acclaim for his performances at left-back and at wing-back.

Scales netted one goal and provided two assists for Shamrock Rovers in their Europa Conference League qualifying run and can lend a helping hand in an area where Postecoglou’s team are incredibly light.

He has a captivating game and should provide the Bhoys with a great deal both going forward and at the back.

Speaking about the defender after he arrived, Postecoglou commented: “Liam is a young player who has impressed us and is someone who we think has the potential to have a big future at Celtic. He is an athletic defender who has the ability to play in a number of positions.”

Republic of Ireland under-21 boss Jim Crawford has also backed him to make the grade quickly at Paradise.

He said: “He was part of the 21s, he wasn’t playing too many minutes and he got a break against Italy at left-back.

“I was hugely impressed, a game of that magnitude, Italy at Tallaght Stadium, he was excellent. He was someone I always felt could go a long way in the game.

“He defends well and he has really come on over the last few years at Rovers, really developed.

“He’s a great fella, a great pro and I feel it won’t be too long before he breaks into the senior team. He has the attitude and the ability.”

With Taylor proving to be an inconsistent player at Celtic, Scales has a genuine chance of becoming a first-team regular. Postecoglou definitely needs to unleash him after the international break.

AND in other news, “Being monitored”: Journo makes Celtic transfer claim, their next Ajer may arrive soon…

Everton are ‘prepared to make a winter swoop’ for Arsenal’s Ainsley Maitland-Niles, as per TRANSFERmarketWEB. 

The lowdown

Everton tried to arrange a loan with an option to buy in the final stages of the summer transfer window, but Arsenal blocked the move.

Maitland-Niles was keen on joining the Blues and took to Instagram to publicly express his frustration (via The Athletic).

Having been told he was part of Mikel Arteta’s plans for the season ahead, he’s featured in four of the Gunners’ six Premier League matches, starting once.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his Arsenal contract and is valued at £14.4million by Transfermarkt.

The latest

The report says that Maitland-Niles very much remains on Everton’s radar.

Intriguingly, the report says Rafael Benitez likely views him not as a midfielder but as ‘a possible successor for Seamus Coleman’ at right-back.

It remains to be seen, though, whether Arsenal will be willing to sanction his departure this time around. They’ve already let Hector Bellerin join Real Betis on a season-long loan.

The verdict

Everton’s failure to sign a right-back in the summer has already hurt them in the early weeks of the season. With Coleman sustaining an injury, Ben Godfrey has had to fill in, and he doesn’t look entirely comfortable in the role.

It’s important that they do get a deal done in January, but it’s hard to see Arsenal agreeing to part with a valuable squad option midway through the campaign.

In other news, this man came under fire for his performance against Norwich.

Wolves head into their opening Premier League clash of the campaign having endured a mixed pre-season.

Like last term, the Old Gold’s form has been questionable since Bruno Lage took over and there are plenty of questions to answer.

How will Raul Jimenez do on his return to the side? Will Wolves continue to operate with a three-man backline? There are plenty of uncertainties for the new manager.

They ended 2020/21 in wretched fashion by finishing 13th in the league, some way behind their goal of achieving European football.

After a quiet transfer window, it’s unlikely their chances will have been boosted in any sort of way, and their hopes will also be affected by Pedro Neto missing the opening stages of the campaign as he recovers from a broken kneecap.

With that in mind, how could Wolves line up when they face Leicester on Saturday? Here’s what we’re predicting…

We are tipping Lage to make three changes to the side which lost 1-0 to Celta Vigo in their final pre-season clash.

With Neto out injured, it sees Trincao earn his first competitive start in a Wolves shirt out on the right-hand side. Adama Traore and Ruben Neves also start despite being linked with a move away from the Midlands during the window.

Two of the changes are at wing-back, where Nelson Semedo is back from self-isolation and therefore available to play ahead of Ki-Jana Hoever.

On top of that, Fernando Marcal drops out for Rayan Ait-Nouri, who was described as a “danger” last year by his former manager Stephane Moulin. The £8k-per-week earner was only on loan at Molineux in 2020/21 but has now signed a permanent contract with the club.

The final change is at centre-back, where Romain Saiss is given the boot and replaced by Leander Dendoncker. The Moroccan was in poor form last weekend, giving away a needless penalty and subsequently attracting criticism from some supporters.

Saiss was questionable at times last season too, so Lage could settle upon a safer option in their Belgian enforcer instead.

AND in other news, Wolves could find their own Pedri in “outstanding” rarely-seen 17 y/o weapon…

Mark Warburton has labelled Moses Odubajo as a ‘class act’ and ‘outstanding’ after the defender scored against Manchester United in a pre-season friendly win at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium.

What’s the story?

Odubajo has been on trial with QPR during pre-season, and will be hoping he can secure a permanent contract with the R’s, as they prepare for the upcoming 2021/22 league campaign.

The defender had previously been on the books with Sheffield Wednesday, but departed Hillsborough in the summer, after his contract with the Owls reached a conclusion at the end of the 2020/21 season.

It was a frustrating campaign for Odubajo as well, as he made 22 appearances in that season, as they were relegated into the third tier of English football.

Odubajo played in their recent pre-season win over Premier League giants Manchester United, and Mark Warburton has singled out the 27-year-old for praise in a post-match press conference.

“I know all about Moses. I know him inside out. He’s a class act on and off the field.

“He’s had a frustrating time with injury and there’s no doubt about his quality, we’re just looking at his fitness and durability – and he showed that this afternoon in abundance. You saw what a talented boy he is.

“I thought he had an outstanding game. From the first kick and first tackle he was on the front foot.”

It should be a no-brainer for QPR

Odubajo will certainly feel as though he’s got a point to prove in the Championship, having endured a frustrating time whilst with Sheffield Wednesday last season.

The 27-year-old defender had an average Whoscored rating of 6.54 for his performances for the Owls in the 2020/21 season, which put him ranked 15th on the list amongst the rest of Darren Moore’s side.

But Odubajo has impressed with the likes of Brentford and Hull City earlier in his career, and he’ll certainly feel as though he’s more than capable of getting back to his best, having struggled with injuries in recent seasons.

He’s evidently made a good impression on Mark Warburton at QPR, and given that he’d be available on a free transfer this summer, it could turn out to be a shrewd move by the R’s if they were to secure an agreement to sign the 27-year-old ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.

It should be a no-brainer for QPR to offer him a permanent contract, as he could turn out to be the ideal player to replace Todd Kane regularly in the starting XI, with Kane looking as though he’s heading for the exit door before the summer transfer window closes.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Leicester City player Steve Howey believes Schalke defender Ozan Kabak could be a “shrewd buy” for his old side.

Kabak spent the second half of last season on loan at Liverpool amid the Reds’ defensive crisis, but they opted against signing the 21-year-old permanently this summer.

He is now being linked with a move to Leicester, with reports in Turkey previously suggesting that a deal was close.

For Howey, if the Foxes can get that wrapped up, then it could be some very smart business. He told FFC:

“I think he’s done alright. Leicester’s recruitment has been excellent, so obviously they must’ve done their sort of homework on him. He could be quite a shrewd buy.”

Kabak had one of the highest averages in Liverpool’s squad for aerial duels won per league game last season (2.9, per WhoScored), so that ability in the air is one thing he could bring to this Leicester team.

Ultimately, Kabak is a player with quality and potential, impressing those in and around the game such as Alan Shearer with some of his performances at Anfield.

If Leicester are indeed looking to strengthen their centre-back options this summer, then perhaps the Schalke man could be a good option.

Newcastle must avoid signing former Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey this summer amid a recent transfer claim.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent days have suggested that the Magpies have made a shock enquiry for the Wales international as they look to revamp their midfield, and that Steve Bruce’s side have sounded out Ramsey’s availability for a move away from Juventus.

In response, Dean Windass threw his backing behind a potential move for the 30-year-old. Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said: “Newcastle would suit him. Why wouldn’t he go there? It all changes, the supporters coming back, get your career back on track. He will play in that attacking midfield role.”

Another Andy Carroll nightmare

Make no mistake about it, Ramsey showed in his time in the Premier League with Arsenal that he has plenty of ability in his locker.

Arsene Wenger raved about the Welshman’s ability to get into the box and find himself on the end of moves, saying: “In my head, Ramsey was going to be a player between 10 and 15 goals a year. He is a Frank Lampard type. He is (about) getting in the box and he has a huge capacity to run. Physically, he has a combination of stamina, power and his capacity to repeat high intensity is certainly the best in the league.”

Described as an “outstanding technician”, Ramsey would offer that same knack of getting into the box at the right times and scoring those poacher-type goals. In fact, Lampard himself wrote in a column for The Evening Standard about the 74-goal star: “It will probably come as no surprise to people that I like Ramsey. Like me, he makes late runs in the penalty area and he showed that with aplomb for the second goal at AC Milan last week.”

However, the Welshman is someone who will turn 31 later this year, and he is on a mammoth £400k-a-week contract in Turin, Even if he were to take a significant pay cut which would see him earn half that amount, it would still place him in the highest bracket of earners at St James’ Park.

Couple that with his injury record, which is less than stellar to say the least over the years, and the Magpies are facing enduring another nightmare akin to Andy Carroll.

A player on decent wages, with a worrying history of injuries, and on the wrong end of the scale in terms of the kind of progress Newcastle want to make on the pitch – the Magpies just got rid of one in Carroll, so why sign another one in Ramsey?

Meanwhile, Newcastle could sign a huge Jonjo Shelvey upgrade in this star…

Graham Roberts has urged Harry Winks to leave Tottenham Hotspur and seek a move to Aston Villa.

The 25-year-old started just nine Premier League fixtures last season as he fell out of favour under previous Spurs boss Jose Mourinho.

Despite only being used sporadically by the Portuguese, who has gone on to take charge of Italian side Roma, Winks was not given the green light to leave Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the January transfer window.

Winks has three years remaining on his £50,000-per-week contract and it seems as though Spurs see it as the ideal time to cash in on the central midfielder.

Aston Villa have been linked with making a move for Winks, who boasts 10 England caps but missed out on Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2020 squad due to a lack of action.

Villa boss Dean Smith has already been busy in the transfer market, bringing in Emiliano Buendia for a club-record fee and welcoming Ashley Young back to the club.

Former Spurs man Roberts believes Villa Park would be an ideal destination for Winks.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, he said: “Aston Villa would be a good move for Harry. I think he needs a new challenge.

“Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is a better player than Harry Winks. Harry needs to prove to himself that he can do it week in, week out.”

Graham Roberts insists that Jermain Defoe can become a manager after signing a new contract at Rangers.

The striker has penned a new one-year deal at Ibrox, giving him the chance to move into a player and coach role with the Scottish champions.

Defoe has been with the club since 2019, having initially moved to the club on loan from AFC Bournemouth.

That deal was made permanent in 2020 and he has made a total of 72 appearances for the club, scoring 32 goals and laying on 10 assists.

He will now take his first steps into coaching as a member of Steven Gerrard’s backroom team, while also hoping to score goals on the pitch.

And Roberts, who played for both Rangers and Defoe’s former club Tottenham Hotspur, responded when asked if he could go on to see the striker become a full-time manager.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said: “I suppose you can, I think everybody goes in with a chance of being a manager.

“He’d have to get a good backroom staff in with him, it’s not about mates, it’s about people that know their job, so he has to get rid of those mates that think he’s going to look after them and get people you can trust in there.”

Defoe made 362 appearances for Spurs, scoring 143 goals and laying on 31 assists.

Former Glasgow Rangers defender Craig Moore has expressed his concern as Connor Goldson’s contract at the club trickles down.

The Lowdown: Goldson has one year left on current deal

The 28-year-old is one of Steven Gerrard’s most important players but he currently has only one year left on his contract at the club (Transfermarkt).

The Gers are trying to tie him down to a new three-year deal amidst interest from West Ham (Football Insider), but there has so far been no official confirmation as to whether an agreement is close.

The Latest: Moore expresses concern

Speaking about Goldson’s situation, Moore said (via The Daily Record):

“When you’re coming into the last year of your contract you can re-sign if you want to stay and the club want to protect their asset. Or the flip side, which you see sometimes, is that the player just tries to run his contract down.

“I don’t know what Connor’s thinking but he’ll be 29 in December. So I’m surprised that he’s not signed an extension yet like the other senior players.

“I’d like to think that it’s something Rangers and Connor are discussing right now behind the scenes.

“After what the team achieved last season – and how important Connor was to that – hopefully he’ll want to stay at Rangers for a few more years.

“Every player wants to be able to perform at the highest possible level. At your club, that’s the Champions League. So of course Connor will want a crack at that – he’ll want to experience it.”

The Verdict: Crucial

After winning the Premiership last term and duly earning a place in the Champions League third qualifying round, the upcoming season is arguably an even bigger one for Rangers than 2020/21, and having Goldson settled and ready to perform is vital to the Gers’ chances of success.

In the previous season, Goldson was crucial. He played in every single minute of every match in all competitions as he made sure the Gers had a tight and sturdy defence, while he also scored eight times to take his career tally to a healthy 27 (16 of which have come for the Light Blues). At the heart of the back four, the 28-year-old is a leader, and it is vital that the 55-time Scottish champions tie him down to a new deal.

In other news, this Rangers man has received a four-game ban.