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Aston Villa are on the path to great success with Unai Emery at the helm.

The Villans have two games remaining to potentially end the season with European football lined up for the 2023/24 campaign, their first full term with the Spaniard in charge.

When Emery took over from Steven Gerrard at Villa Park in November, the club were nearing the relegation zone and in abysmal form with just two wins from their opening nine games.

Fast-forward to now, and Villa have registered 17 wins and sit in seventh just behind Tottenham Hotspur in 6th on just goal difference alone, amounting to two goals.

Despite the success of this season, Emery has reportedly already turned his attention to the summer transfer window, with a host of players being linked to a move to Villa Park.

News emerging over the weekend has placed the Midlands club as one hoping to sign a La Liga star as per the wishes of incoming Director of Football, Mateu Alemany from Barcelona.

What’s the latest on Ferran Torres to Aston Villa?

As reported by Spanish news outlet AS – as per Sports Witness – Alemany has pointed to Barcelona forward Ferran Torres as a potential new signing for the Villans ahead of the transfer window.

The news picked up as fellow Spanish outlet Sport told that the two clubs are “already negotiating” the potential transfer of the former Manchester City winger, who signed for the Catalan giants just last winter.

The report furthered talk by stating the forward will not be leaving Barcelona for at least a fee of €40m (£37m) to cover the costs of his €55m arrival in Catalonia from Manchester.

What could Ferran Torres bring to Aston Villa?

Speaking to The Athletic in April, the Villa boss expressed his desire to sign another forward in the summer window to “play with” Ollie Watkins in a bid to add depth and improve the team.

Watkins has found the net 14 times so far this season in the Premier League from 34 starts, with Torres netting four in just 13 starts for Barcelona in La Liga.

Lauded as "world-class" by Xavi, the wide forward ranks higher than Villa’s striker in a range of areas, including registering more successful take-ons per 90 minutes, as well as more touches in the box per 90 minutes – as per FBref.

The 23-year-old averages 5.86 touches in the penalty area per 90 minutes, slightly more than Watkins who scores 4.71 per 90 in this area.

The winger also averages 1.97 successful take-ons to the Englishman’s 0.51 per 90, showing the areas of his game contrasting to the Villa forwards.

While both score almost evenly in their ability to get goals through their average number of non-penalty goals per 90, Torres with 0.38 and Watkins with 0.39, the two could be a formidable force for Emery’s front line.

Combining Torres’ strengths in going forward on the ball with Villa’s number 11’s efficiency in front of goal, the Spaniard could create an attack to fire the Midlands club to another level, should the deal pull through.

Only time will tell if the club can get the Spaniard to trade the Camp Nou for Villa Park, however with Alemany and Emery’s influence, things look all the more possible.

Arsenal are set to join the race for Lens striker Lois Openda, alongside a number of other Premier League clubs, according to recent reports from Spain.

Will Arsenal sign a striker this summer?

Mikel Arteta is keen on bringing in a new striker this summer, with the manager looking to sign someone to provide competition for Gabriel Jesus, and Arsenal have now set their sights on signing Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins, after his impressive recent form.

Watkins is not the only Premier League striker being eyed by the Gunners, as Dominic Calvert-Lewin is also on the club's radar, with journalist Pete O'Rourke explaining they may want to bring in a more physical centre-forward.

In terms of options from abroad, Lille's Jonathan David has been touted for a move to the Emirates Stadium, while Arsenal also remain among the main contenders to sign Juventus' Dusan Vlahovic, who could be on the move this summer.

According to reports from Spain (via The Sun), the Gunners have now joined the race for Openda, with Arteta keen on signing a back-up option for Jesus, although they are not the only Premier League club interested.

Aston Villa and Leicester City are also named as potential suitors for the forward, with his stock rising after a fantastic season with Lens, so there is likely to be stiff competition for his signature.

The initial report claimed that Arsenal will have enough money to prise the 23-year-old away from Lens, but it is not detailed how much the French club are likely to demand.

Should Arsenal sign Lois Openda?

The Belgian is not as well known as the likes of Calvert-Lewin and Vlahovic, but there are indications he may be a better signing than the latter player, given that he is having a much better season than the Juventus striker.

Hailed as "sensational" by sports writer Robin Bairner, the £13k-per-week marksman has scored a remarkable 17 league goals this season, also registering three assists, while Vlahovic has been out-of-sorts, now without a goal in his last ten Serie A games.

That said, if Arteta is looking for a physical striker, then Openda is not the best option, given that he is 5 foot 8 and has averaged just 0.53 aerials won per 90 in the past year, which ranks him in the ninth percentile compared to his positional peers.

If Arsenal are going to bring in a new forward, then they should bring in someone with a different skill-set to Jesus, so Calvert-Lewin could be an intriguing option, if he is able to put his recent injury problems behind him.

Leeds United now have just five matches remaining in order to retain their Premier League status for a fourth successive season, but how will they get on between now and the final weekend?

Javi Gracia’s side have struggled in recent weeks, with things taking a downward turn ever since the interval against Crystal Palace earlier this month. The Whites conceded four times in the second half against the Eagles to lose 5-1 and fell to another heavy Elland Road defeat to Liverpool.

Since then, Leeds went to Fulham last weekend and lost 2-1 but did manage to stop the rot by picking up a point against Leicester City on Tuesday evening. It could have been so much better for the Whites, though, with only a late equaliser from Jamie Vardy earning the Foxes a share of the spoils.

Despite this, Leeds are still clear of the relegation zone and will be above the drop zone heading into this weekend’s trip to Bournemouth.

Here are Leeds’ five remaining fixtures – we've predicted how we think they will get on below…

Leeds fixtures 30 April: Bournemouth (a) 6 May: Man City (a) 13 May: Newcastle (h) 20 May: West Ham (a) 28 May: Tottenham (h) Bournemouth v Leeds

Leeds were involved in a seven-goal thriller with The Cherries back in November, with the Whites coming from 3-1 down in the second half to win 4-3.

Gary O'Neil’s side have picked up important wins over Fulham, Leicester and Tottenham recently, though, and a win over Leeds could possibly guarantee them another season of Premier League football after winning promotion last year.

Both sides have struggled defensively this season and have conceded 63 goals prior to Bournemouth’s midweek clash with Southampton, so there may well be goals for both sides in this must-win encounter for the visitors.

Many would argue this is do or die in Leeds’ season with a tough final four games, and after a more promising showing against Leicester, it could be the time Leeds pick up three crucial points.

Prediction: Bournemouth 1-2 Leeds

Man City v Leeds

A trip to the Etihad is next on the agenda for the Whites, with this fixture now moved to a 3pm kick-off on Saturday 6th May due to Man City progressing to the Champions League semi-finals.

Pep Guardiola may well decide to tinker with his squad with one eye on the trip to the Bernabeu, however, Leeds shipped seven here last season.

Leeds did win at the Etihad back in 2021 after a brace from Stuart Dallas, although that was under Marcelo Bielsa in a ninth-placed finish, and with boyhood Whites fan Erling Haaland in fine form, another resounding win for the hosts could be on the cards.

Prediction: Man City 4-0 Leeds

Leeds v Newcastle

Leeds' penultimate home game of the season is against high-flying Newcastle United, who are pushing to achieve Champions League qualification under Eddie Howe.

The Whites managed to keep a rare clean sheet in the reverse meeting back on New Year's Eve, with Leeds only keeping two further clean sheets in 21 games since then.

The Magpies are starting to hit top form after an eye-catching 6-1 win over Tottenham on the weekend, and on the road, they are the third-best side in the league. It could be a nervy occasion with both sides having so much to play for, but it could be a bridge too far for Leeds.

Prediction: Leeds 1-2 Newcastle

West Ham v Leeds

David Moyes has got things back on track for the Hammers in recent weeks, defeating Fulham and Bournemouth and drawing with league leaders Arsenal. Should they continue to pick up points, their Premier League status will more than likely be secured ahead of hosting Leeds on the penultimate weekend.

West Ham could also still be in the Europa Conference League as well, should things go to plan in the semi-final against AZ Alkmaar. The return leg in the Netherlands is actually just three days before Leeds visit the London Stadium, so there could be scope for Leeds to grind out another point in their battle to avoid the drop against a potentially tiring Hammers side, especially after winning 3-2 in this fixture last season.

Prediction: West Ham 1-1 Leeds

Leeds v Tottenham

There could be plenty to play for on the final day for both Leeds and Spurs, with European qualification possibly on the line for Tottenham, now under the leadership of Ryan Mason.

Mason was actually the Tottenham manager the last time Leeds beat Spurs back in 2021, so it could be a nervy affair in West Yorkshire. The final weekend always tends to throw up surprises, and Leeds could have eyes on scores elsewhere, providing they aren't safe before. The Whites narrowly lost the reverse fixture 4-3, and who knows, a point on the final day to finish on a predicted 35 points could just be enough to survive.

Prediction: Leeds 1-1 Tottenham

Predicted run-in points: 5/15 Predicted total points: 35

Newcastle United have "long admired" Liverpool's Joe Gomez, and they are interested in a summer move for the centre-back, according to agent Haydn Dodge, who recently spoke to CaughtOffside.

Who could Newcastle sign this summer?

It is fair to say Eddie Howe's side have surpassed expectations this season, currently sitting fifth in the Premier League, two points off the top four with two games in hand, but the manager still wants to strengthen in multiple areas this summer.

In terms of attacking options, Brighton & Hove Albion striker Evan Ferguson has recently been scouted, while Manchester City's Kalvin Phillips could be brought in to bolster the midfield, amid a lack of game time with the reigning champions. There has been less talk about new signings in defence, given that Newcastle have the best defensive record in the top flight, however they could target a player from a rival top flight club…

According to Dodge, Howe is a big fan of Gomez, and is looking to bring him to St. James' Park ahead of next season. In an interview with CaughtOffside, the agent said:

“It is quite well known that Newcastle United have long admired defender Joe Gomez as they look to bolster their centre-half options ahead of several players being out of contract this summer.”

Will Joe Gomez sign for Newcastle?

The bad news for Newcastle is that Liverpool are under no real obligation to sell the defender, given that he is contracted until the summer of 2027, meaning that it may take a huge bid to prise him away from the Merseyside club. There are some indications that the Englishman could be worth it, as a result of his performances for Liverpool across a number of seasons, making 28 appearances in the Reds' title-winning 2019-20 campaign, achieving an average match rating of 6.92.

The current campaign has been far more of a struggle for Liverpool, but Gomez has still managed to impress at times, being hailed "sensational" by the media back in October, after a dominant performance in Jurgen Klopp's side's 1-0 triumph against Man City, making six clearances and winning three tackles.

Even so, centre-back should not be a priority position for Newcastle to upgrade in the summer, considering Fabian Schar and Sven Botman are among the best-performing players in the squad, and the £85k-per-week Liverpool defender would be likely to cost far too much money, given his contract situation.

Aston Villa are set to make a move for influential Sporting CP midfielder Pedro Goncalves during the summer transfer window, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Goncalves superb for Sporting

The Portuguese has stood out as arguably one of the best players in the Primeira Liga this season, shining with his performances in both a central and attacking midfield role.

Goncalves has scored an impressive 12 goals and registered six assists in 23 league appearances, as well as netting three times in the Europa League.

That includes an outrageous Goal of the Season contender away to Arsenal last week, with the 24-year-old lobbing Aaron Ramsdale from close to the halfway line, as Sporting knocked the Gunners out of Europe.

Goncalves has been linked with a summer move to Villa in the recent past, as Unai Emery looks to make some significant signings at the end of the season.

Now, a new rumour has emerged, as the Villans continue to eye up a move for him.

The Latest: Villa set to make move

According to Record [via Aston Villa News], Villa are ready to make a move for Goncalves in the summer, even though his £70million release clause could prove to be a stumbling block.

He is mentioned as a sizeable upgrade on Philippe Coutinho, who is longer the player he once was – the Brazilian has scored just once in 22 appearances this season – and is someone Emery no doubt wants to bring in.

Goncalves’ current Sporting deal doesn’t expire until the summer of 2026.

The Verdict: Could be a special signing

If Villa managed to pull off the signing of Goncalves it could be a spectacular piece of business, with the two-time capped Portugal international a footballer of immense talent.

The creativity and end product he possesses is outlined by an overall tally of 55 goals and 28 assists in 117 matches for Sporting, while his aforementioned goal at Arsenal was described as ‘outrageous’ by journalist Jordan Campbell.

At 24, Goncalves is at a great age to come in and be a new hero at Villa Park, with his best years likely to be ahead of him but plenty of experience already in his legs, too.

He could be the player that Coutinho used to be at Liverpool, wreaking havoc with defence-splitting passes and eye-catching strikes, lifting the level of those around him in the process.

The release clause issue is clearly a potential problem for Villa, but if they can strike a deal for Goncalves, it could be their most important transfer of the summer.

Manchester United head into Sunday’s Premier League encounter with bitter rivals Liverpool following what has been a potentially season-defining week for Erik ten Hag’s side, with the in-form outfit having enjoyed success in all three cup competitions in the space of just six days.

The most recent triumph over David Moyes’ West Ham United saw the Red Devils overcome a shaky start to produce a stunning late finale at the Theatre of Dreams, with a Nayef Aguerd own goal drawing the hosts level following Said Benrahma’s opener, before late strikes from both Alejandro Garnacho and fellow South American star, Fred clinched progression into the quarter-final stage.

With a mouthwatering meeting at Anfield now on the horizon, United will now be looking to keep pace with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City at the summit, with there still lingering hope that Ten Hag’s men can be in with a shout of clinching the title come May.

One possible concern for the Old Trafford giants will be the doubts surrounding the fitness of defender Luke Shaw, with the England international having sat out the win over the Hammers with what his manager described as a “small injury”.

Despite that potential blow, however, the 27-year-old’s positional rival Tyrell Malacia more than staked his claim for a starting berth on Merseyside following what was a “magnificent performance” on Wednesday evening, in the words of Statman Dave.

Will Malacia play against Liverpool?

The £14.7m summer arrival has largely had to play second fiddle to teammate Shaw in recent months – having started just ten league games all season – although the 23-year-old showcased that he is up for the fight against the Irons, having been a typically tenacious presence at left-back.

The £75k-per-week “pitbull” – as previously lauded by ex-United boss Louis van Gaal – notably won eight of his nine duels on the night from his defensive berth, including recording seven tackles, having also made five interceptions and contributed four clearances as a marker of his defensive prowess.

The 78-touch machine also completed 100% of his total dribbles and committed just one foul, with the diminutive gem having regularly shown great determination to get ahead of his man in order to win back possession cleanly.

There was undoubtedly some erratic moments in an attacking sense from the Dutchman – as he fired an errant cross high and wide late on – although it is hard to ignore his contribution defensively, with the six-cap ace’s committed display seeing him earn a 7.7 match rating, as per Sofascore.

Such doggedness will no doubt be needed up against the likes of Mohamed Salah this weekend, albeit with Malacia having proven in the reverse fixture that he can be more than a match for the Egyptian, as he ‘defended stoutly’ on what was an ‘encouraging full debut’ back in August, as per Manchester Evening News journalist, Samuel Luckhurst.

That performance – in which the former Feyenoord man won six duels – should provide encouragement that the Rotterdam native can again thrive this time around if he is given the nod against Jurgen Klopp’s men, with Shaw’s injury having provided the 5 foot 7 menace the chance to nail down a regular role moving forward.

Everton are a club that have seldom enjoyed success in the transfer market, particularly since Farhad Moshiri’s takeover. It is actually seven years to the day since the Iranian acquired a majority stake in the club, and things since then have taken a distinct nosedive.

They now find themselves in the relegation zone yet again as they enter March, with Sean Dyche having been handed the unenviable task of mounting a survival bid after Frank Lampard had left the club devoid of quality and confidence.

The January window did little to persuade fans that Moshiri was truly invested in avoiding the drop, as they remained the only Premier League club not to make a single signing.

It marked yet another failed transfer period, but in the background of these tumultuous times and disappointing moments has been the steady decline of Ross Barkley.

Having forced a move out of his boyhood club to Chelsea back in 2018, the £15m fee was tiny in comparison to what had been touted previously.

He left with his status in the city in disrepute, with journalist Richard Buxton describing the context of his exit as “disappointing”, but with the platform to truly take his career to the next level.

Did Everton really win by selling Ross Barkley?

Had the 29-year-old gone on to fulfil the potential that was expected of him, the money received for the transfer would have made this one of the worst deals the club had made under Moshiri.

However, fortunately for the Toffees chief, the Liverpool-born maestro failed miserably in the capital and now plies his trade in France with OCG Nice, with just four goal contributions in 17 Ligue 1 appearances to date.

His time at Stamford Bridge was cut short by mutual termination last summer and he left on a free transfer having played just 100 times over five years, scoring a measly 12 times in over 5000 minutes of action.

Since signing for the French outfit, Football Transfers claim that his expected transfer value has dropped as low as €3.8m (£3.3m). It is a searing indictment of his decision to leave Goodison Park, where he had been lauded as a hero for his offensive exploits, as his value has plummeted from the £15m the Toffees received for his services. 

He sacrificed that for his shot at the big time, and in turn curtailed his career completely, much to the Evertonians’ delight.

Whilst it may not have seemed it at the time, this has absolutely transformed into a win for the club. It is just a shame what could have been had he decided against forcing a move.

Leeds United have ‘a few bumps and bruises in the squad’ ahead of this evening’s trip to Manchester United, Phil Hay reports.

The Lowdown: Crazy few days

It has been an eventful few days for the Whites following a 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest on Sunday, with Jesse Marsch being relieved of his duties less than 24 hours on from that defeat.

The search is now on for his long-term successor, with Michael Skubala, Chris Armas and Paco Gallardo set to be in the dugout for this evening’s meeting at Old Trafford.

The Latest: Injury claim

Hay was present at Thorp Arch on Tuesday for Skubala’s pre-Manchester United press conference.

When it came to injuries, Hay relayed an update from the co-caretaker on Twitter, stating that alongside the long-term absentees, there are ‘a few bumps and bruises in the squad’.

The Verdict: Not ideal

Skubala didn’t give any specifics, however, it looks as if there could be one or two niggles in the camp, which won’t be ideal given the current circumstances.

Stuart Dallas, Adam Forshaw and Rodrigo appear to be the long-term absentees, but hopefully, Skubala, Armas and Gallardo have a relatively strong squad to pick from excluding those three issues.

The games come thick and fast for Leeds, with a return meeting with the Red Devils pencilled in for Sunday, where the Whites may well have a new manager, and whoever that is will no doubt want as close to a fully fit squad as possible to choose from.

Newcastle United are looking at the Sheffield United midfielder Sander Berge as a potential late option in this January transfer window.

What’s the latest?

Eddie Howe’s side seems set to part ways with their midfielder of seven years, Jonjo Shelvey, with the Englishman expected to join Nottingham Forest before Tuesday’s deadline.

There is the belief that the Norwegian midfielder is not the only player Dan Ashworth has on his shortlist with Craig Hope suggesting there are multiple players being considered.

Berge has been linked with a potential return to the Premier League since United’s relegation with Liverpool believed to have shown an interest back in 2021.

But speaking on the BBC Transfer Gossip Daily podcast, journalist Luke Edwards has suggested bringing in the Championship midfielder would be a strange addition to the squad although they are struggling to find a replacement for Shelvey:

(7:10) “Newcastle will try and bring in a replacement. I think Sander Berge at Sheffield United has been talked about. A bit of a strange one.

“Yeah, bit of a strange one coming from the Championship. My sort of information is that they are struggling to find someone to come in. So Newcastle are also taking a risk.”

Need to replace Shelvey

Howe’s options in midfield already feel stretched with Shelvey yet to return from an injury which has seen him miss a large chunk of the season so far.

The likes of Sean Longstaff have been given a lot of game time so far this season as Howe’s men continue to impress in their quest for a spot in the Champions League.

However, there have been some scares along the way with the most recent being to Bruno Guimaraes who has somehow managed to recover almost instantaneously from what appeared to be a horrific roll of the ankle.

And had the Brazilian been sidelined for a number of weeks or even months through that issue, who knows how big of an impact that could have had on the Toon?

But in Berge, Newcastle could be bringing in a player who (this season) has provided more shot-creating actions and an almost identical number of passes per 90 minutes as Shelvey did when fit last season (via Fbref).

The 24-year-old has enjoyed an impressive campaign in the Championship so far this season with four goals and three assists also to his name.

But as Edwards suggested, seeing Newcastle look to the Championship at this stage in their development does feel slightly strange when they have been linked to the likes of Edson Alvarez already this month.

Money will obviously be a big factor, but with the Blades flying high in second-spot, we do wonder whether this may be a player who Paul Heckingbottom will be looking to keep ahold of this month.

Tottenham Hotspur could have been handed a potential boost in their reported pursuit of the Sporting right wing-back, Pedro Porro.

What’s the latest?

Porro has been a layer who has been heavily linked with a potential move to north London this month with the Spaniard believed to be at the top of Fabio Paratici’s list.

However, there has been some concerns from inside Spurs over the player’s valuation due to the €45m (£39.5m) release clause said to be in his contract.

It is believed the Lilywhites have held further talks with Sporting over a potential deal this month and the player is said to be keen on a switch to north London.

And now, insider Graeme Bailey has said on the latest episode of the Talking Transfers podcast that there are some inside Sporting who are warming to an offer with instalments from Spurs:

“Tottenham won’t pay the full release clause which Sporting are insisting. However, we’ve learned there are some within Sporting’s hierarchy who are willing to take instalments.”

Porro the priority

It has been suggested Porro – who’s been hailed as a “special talent” – is the priority this month and considering over two weeks into the window Spurs are still pursuing him that does seem to be the case.

And it is apparent that Spurs feel the right wing-back spot is an area which they want t strengthen this month with Emerson Royal and Djed Spence linked with potential departures.

However, this does make us wonder what the plan is at Spurs if they are unable to land Porro in the remaining days of the January window.

Until Bailey’s comments, there has been the narrative that Sporting have given Spurs the ultimatum of pay his release clause or look elsewhere.

The fact Spurs are seemingly still trying to make some progress in this deal would suggest they believe Sporting could give way.

But if this does not turn out to be the case then Spurs could well be left with egg on their face and possibly even left searching the market for another option.

And this will only likely frustrate the fans who are already letting their voices be heard over their thoughts on the Tottenham owners amid their current poor form.

Spurs wanted to sign Alessandro Bastoni in the summer and ended up with Clement Lenglet. Spurs want Porro but who will they end up with?

And it is these types of transfer failings which could potentially see Antonio Conte decide his future on if he does not feel he is been adequately backed by the owners.