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An update has emerged on Aston Villa and their plans to bolster their defensive options ahead of the 2023/24 campaign…

What's the latest on Thomas Meunier to Aston Villa?

German outlet BILD have reported that the Villans are one of a number of clubs interested in signing Borussia Dortmund right-back Thomas Meunier in the summer transfer window.

It is claimed that Serie A giants AC Milan, Juventus, and Inter Milan are among the other teams pursuing a deal to snap up the Belgian international in the coming weeks.

BILD states that the Bundesliga outfit are willing to part ways with the full-back for a fee in the region of €3m (£2.6m) as he has one year left on his current contract and is not in the manager's plans for next season.

Would Thomas Meunier be a good signing for Aston Villa?

Meunier, who European football expert Zach Lowy dubbed a "big name" in the right-back market, could be an excellent addition to Unai Emery's squad as the experienced campaigner could be the dream heir to Ashley Young's position in the team.

The club confirmed in May that the former England international will be leaving upon the expiry of his contract at the end of June and that came as a blow to the head coach as the 37-year-old had started 23 Premier League matches last term.

Young averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.86 across 29 league appearances and contributed with 1.7 tackles, 0.7 interceptions and 0.5 key passes per match for his side. Those statistics may not look too impressive but his rating placed him as the club's eighth-based player while only Matty Cash of defenders in the squad made more successful tackles per match.

It paints the picture that this is a valued member of the squad and as such, a quick replacement must be sourced. Villa could now land the perfect heir by bringing in Meunier to compete with Cash for the starting berth at right-back.

The Dortmund enforcer has made over 400 career club appearances and been capped 62 times by Belgium at international level, which illustrates the experience that he would be bringing to Villa Park.

Meunier only started seven league matches in 22/23 but did showcase his ability across 17 Bundesliga starts in the previous campaign.

Compared to Young, he averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.94 and caught the eye with 2.4 tackles and interceptions and 0.9 key passes per game, whilst the Belgian ace also created eight 'big chances' for his teammates. For context, that would put him on a par with Villa's best chance creator, Jacob Ramsey, who also supplied eight last term.

As such, it's evident that Meunier would make for an upgrade on what Young offered Villa last season in terms of his average performance level and creativity from right-back.

The veteran defender, who Dortmund sporting director Michael Zor claimed makes "few mistakes", also averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.05 or higher across all four of his seasons with Paris Saint-Germain earlier in his career.

These statistics suggest that the £165k-per-week gem could be the dream heir to Young's place in the squad as he is an experienced right-back who has a history of being able to produce excellent performances in multiple major European leagues when given regular game time.

Arsenal have been linked to Inter maestro Nicolo Barella as the Gunners aim to recruit reinforcements this summer.

Mikel Arteta’s quest to secure the signature of Declan Rice was reported to have taken a turn on Thursday, with journalist Gianluca Di Marzio reporting that Manchester City were ‘getting closer’ to signing the Englishman.

The news has come as a shock for the north Londoners, who have been in pursuit of the West Ham United captain for weeks. However, Arteta could land a strong alternative in the Nerazzurri star.

What’s the latest on Nicolo Barella to Arsenal?

As reported by Italian outlet FC Inter News, Arsenal hold an interest in Inter midfielder Barella, with the report claiming that both Manchester United and the Gunners are eyeing the Serie A ace.

The report claims that Inter are expecting ‘two very important offers’ from Arsenal and United in the ‘coming days’ following the 26-year-old’s decision to reject Newcastle United.

A separate report from CalcioMercatoWeb stated that Inter have priced the Italian at €50m (£44m).

What could Nicolo Barella offer to Arsenal?

The prospect of missing out on Rice at the hands of City would be a tough pill for Arsenal to swallow, though the blow could be significantly softened should the Gunners strike a deal for Barella.

Branded as an “exceptional player” by scout Antonio Mango, the Cagliari-born sensation has lit up the San Siro this past campaign, assisting his side in getting to the Champions League final and a third-placed Serie A finish.

Likened to Arsenal’s very own Martin Odegaard based on his statistics by FBref, the Italian has operated as one of the most impressive box-to-box midfielders in Europe over the past year.

Such praise is supported by his numbers, with Barella contributing six goals and six assists in 34 Serie A appearances from the middle of the park, maintaining an average match rating of 7.08, via Sofascore.

As well as his efforts in the final third, the 26-year-old is defensively competent, as highlighted by him winning 55% of his total duels in the league this term, averaging 4.4 per game.

An area of Rice’s game that attracted Arteta to the 24-year-old appears to have been his progressive play, with the Englishman averaging 6.6 progressive passes and 2.42 progressive carries per 90 over the past year, via FBref.

While the Hammers captain’s numbers are impressive, his efforts are not just matched but slightly improved upon by Barella, who averaged 6.62 progressive passes and 2.8 progressive carries per 90 – showing the player Arteta could recruit in the event of talks over Rice falling through.

Only time will tell how the saga plays out, but the Gunners must recruit sensibly this summer in order to remain tight to champions City, with a defensive midfielder a priority.

Aston Villa recently confirmed the appointment of Monchi as their new president of football operations and the Spaniard is now tasked with working with Unai Emery to build a competitive squad for next season.

The former Sevilla chief should be looking to improve the team in the coming weeks and months as the club prepare to play Premier League and Europa Conference League football in 2023/24.

One area in which Monchi may look to strengthen is the forward positions. It was recently reported that Villa are interested in a deal to sign Manchester United forward Jadon Sancho, who is available for a fee of €70m (£60m).

The club are not willing to meet the Red Devils' demands at this moment in time but it is said that a compromise could be reached between the two parties.

Would Jadon Sancho be a good signing?

Sancho has the potential to be an exceptional addition to the squad and Monchi could finally uncover Villa's next Jack Grealish by bringing him in this summer.

No Villans player has hit double figures for assists in the Premier League since the now-Manchester City dynamo racked up ten during the 2020/21 campaign and this suggests that Emery's team could do with an injection of creativity.

Grealish registered 16 assists in his last two league seasons with the club and displayed his finishing quality by finding the back of the net 14 times, which made him the star of the team out on the left flank before his £100m move to The Etihad.

Sancho has only produced nine goals and six assists in two Premier League campaigns since joining United but the left winger's incredible form for Borussia Dortmund earlier in his career suggests that the England international has the ability to be a Grealish-esque figure for Villa.

The 23-year-old scored 38 goals and assisted 51 in just 108 Bundesliga matches for the German giants, which included 12 or more assists in each of his three league seasons. This shows that the skilful wizard excels at creating opportunities for his teammates on a regular basis as a right-footed player on the left.

Jude Bellingham previously described his international colleague's ability as "frightening" and his statistics for Dortmund back that up as the exciting winger proved himself capable of making a huge impact on a regular basis.

Therefore, the potential is there for Sancho to come in at Villa and be the Grealish-like figurehead of their attack if he can rediscover his touch in the final third.

With it now seemingly a matter of when and not if Brendan Rodgers will be named as the successor to Ange Postecoglou at Celtic, attention can begin to turn to just how the returning boss will alter the current Hoops squad this summer.

The ex-Leicester City boss – who had been out of work since being sacked by the Foxes back in April – will likely be hoping to keep hold of the Old Firm outfit's key men ahead of mounting another domestic and European charge next summer, with midfield maestro Reo Hatate, in particular, having been mooted for a reunion with Postecoglou at Tottenham Hotspur.

As well as attempting to persuade the likes of Hatate and Kyogo Furuhashi – who has been linked with a move to Spurs – to stay in Glasgow, the Northern Irishman may also have a plan to ditch those who he deems surplus to requirements among the first-team ranks, with Stephen Welsh perhaps among those who could well face the axe.

A recent report from Football Insider claimed that the Scottish champions are open to offers for the 23-year-old this summer, with the former Scotland youth international seemingly also keen to secure increased game time elsewhere.

While the young centre-back may be hoping that his standing could be improved with Rodgers in the dugout instead of Postecoglou, the one-time Liverpool boss could pull off the first blinder of his second spell in charge by showing the 6 foot 3 dud the door.

Will Stephen Welsh leave Celtic this summer?

It is seemingly not the first time that Welsh has been linked with a move away from Celtic Park in recent times, with reports back in January 2022 revealing that the club had rejected a loan approach from Serie A side Udinese, while Ligue 1 outfit Toulouse also made an enquiry last summer.

That was followed by further speculation heading into the winter window that the Coatbridge-born brute could be on his way, albeit with Postecoglou and co ultimately opting against sanctioning an exit following the abrupt end of Moritz Jenz' loan spell.

The latter man's exit did not aid Welsh's bid for increased game time, however, as he ultimately ended last season with just four Premiership appearances to his name – all of which came prior to the World Cup break.

The £4.6k-per-week asset notably underwhelmed when he was handed an opportunity to impress, however, having been branded "weak" by pundit Michael Stewart following the shock 2-0 defeat away to St Mirren back in September, while journalist Josh Bunting suggested that both Welsh and Jenz were "all over the place" on the day after getting "bullied" by the likes of Curtis Main and Jonah Ayunga.

That lack of physicality has been a theme of the criticism that has fallen the Scotsman's way of late, with pundit Frank McAvennie also stating that the academy graduate needs a loan move to "toughen him up", while also labelling him as someone who "ball watches".

With Rodgers set to inherit a squad that includes the likes of Carl Starfelt, Cameron Carter-Vickers and January arrival Yuki Kobayashi – all of whom have been above Welsh in the pecking order of late – the 50-year-old can then make the decision to send the one-time Greenock Morton loanee packing, either on a temporary basis or permanently.

Manchester United could be set to make a move for Everton midfielder Amadou Onana as Erik ten Hag aims to add some strength in depth to his midfield area ahead of next season.

What’s the latest on Amadou Onana to Manchester United?

According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Onana is on United’s recruitment list ahead of the summer window, though he isn’t one of their main targets.

Ten Hag will be looking to add another few players to his midfield before the start of next season, and it was previously reported that if Everton were relegated to the Championship, they would have let the Belgian go for a fee of around £50m.

He could cost substantially more now considering they retained their top-flight status, and this could be a key factor in any potential deal this summer.

Could Amadou Onana be a good signing for Manchester United?

Having spent just a single season in the Premier League, joining the Toffees last summer, the 21-year-old showcased his vast potential, averaging a rating of 6.92/10 across 33 appearances, ranking as the third-best midfielder in the squad, certainly justifying his £33m fee.

He was lauded for being “superb” in Everton’s win over Arsenal earlier this year by reporter Richard Buxton, and having registered three goal contributions, a move to a side like United could give him a chance to flourish even further, whilst also becoming an ideal Casemiro heir for Ten Hag.

The Brazilian still has a few years left in the tank yet following his move from Real Madrid last summer, however, the 31-year-old won’t be around forever and signing a player who could replace him just now could be a wise move from the Dutchman.

Having enjoyed a trophy-laden spell at Madrid, he arrived at Old Trafford with pressure on his shoulders and he duly delivered, ranking as their second-best player in the league last term (as per Sofascore) while winning the League Cup, United’s first trophy in six years.

His defensive ability at the heart of the midfield was key to United securing Champions League football, winning 6.4 total duels per game, while averaging 3.2 tackles and 2.1 clearances per match and across Europe’s big five leagues over the previous 365 days, Casemiro ranks in the top 4% for tackles, blocks, clearances and aerials won per 90 (as per FBref), indicating he is one of the best on the continent in his position.

Onana on the other hand has shown glimpses of his vast talent, and across the same metrics, he ranks in the top 26% for all, with the midfielder particularly impressing in terms of aerials won, ranking in the top 7% across Europe’s big five leagues.

Add to the fact he made 2.2 tackles and 1.1 clearances per game last term – while also winning six total duels per game – he arguably has the potential to take over from the Brazilian in United's engine room, being able to protect the back four and have a positive influence on the team.

He may not be a priority for Ten Hag, however, if he becomes available for the right price, a move should be launched as soon as possible.

Arsenal are confident that Reiss Nelson will sign a long-term contract to stay at the club very soon, journalist Charles Watts has revealed.

What's the latest on Nelson and Arsenal?

The 23-year-old has struggled to break into the Arsenal first team this season as a result of injuries and the form of Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka, but has delivered when called upon as a substitute.

His cameo against Bournemouth saw him provide an assist for the equaliser and score a stunning winner as Arsenal completed a dramatic comeback, and some impressive substitute appearances followed as he finished the season with six goals and assists in 18 games across all competitions.

Nelson's contract expires this summer, and it appeared that he was going to depart the club, but he now looks set to stay following a breakthrough in talks.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Watts revealed that there is now confidence within the club that the winger is going to commit his future to Mikel Arteta's side.

"All signs are that this is going to be a done deal with Reiss Nelson and his contract, after rejecting a few previous offers," he stated.

"A breakthrough in talks has happened and people that I'm speaking to at Arsenal think this is going to happen. Until it's signed, until it's done, you never know something can change and other clubs can come in and wave a big contract offer under his nose and he could decide to go elsewhere.

"But at the moment there is a lot of positivity that Reiss Nelson will sign his new contract, we're just waiting for it to be done and announced."

What are Arsenal's aims for Nelson?

Given that Saka played in every league game last season, Nelson can be used more as rotational cover for the England international as Arsenal return to the Champions League.

Losing Nelson for free would have made a replacement necessary, and keeping Nelson, even with a wage rise, would likely be better value than spending a large fee on another winger, when Saka and Martinelli are the undisputed first choice options.

Arteta recently described Nelson as "important," and it is hard to imagine a scenario where Nelson will have committed his future to the club without assurances over his game time.

The winger was once regarded as one of the best talents in the academy, and after a difficult few seasons and a number of loan spells away, it now seems that he is in prime position to fulfil his potential at the club.

Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic may be moved on this summer as part of the Blues' rebuild under Mauricio Pochettino, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest transfer news involving Mateo Kovacic?

As per Football Insider, Chelsea will demand £30-£40 million for Kovacic this summer amid interest from Manchester City in signing the Croatia international.

The report states that Pep Guardiola is a 'huge fan' of the 29-year-old, who is entering the final year of his £100k-a-week contract at Stamford Bridge and Chelsea may look to cash in on his services to raise transfer funds.

Intriguingly, the same outlet also claim that Manchester United are monitoring his situation heading into the off-season as Erik Ten Hag eyes midfield reinforcements.

Bayern Munich are also looking into potentially adding Kovacic to their ranks, with Chelsea having 'accepted that they are likely to lose' the playmaker in the not too distant future, as per The Guardian.

Blues' co-owner Todd Boehly is believed to be keen to sell players that enter the final 12 months of their contract in west London, which is something that could put Kovacic's Chelsea future in serious doubt.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs thinks Kovacic's importance at Chelsea has declined since former boss Graham Potter was relieved of his duties back in April.

Jacobs told FFC: "Mateo Kovacic is another one that could go, Manchester City amongst others, are admirers and again, under Graham Potter, he was playing and Potter particularly wanted to try and keep him. Now Potter's gone, the situation has moved in a different direction and Kovacic hasn't extended and that one is a little bit uncertain as a consequence as well."

Should Chelsea look to sell Mateo Kovacic in the summer transfer window?

Chelsea are going to need to refresh their squad this summer and reduce how bloated it has become, meaning that someone like Kovacic may be an easy candidate to recoup a sizable fee for to then reinvest in prospective transfer targets.

In 2022/23, the Croatian managed to make 37 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea, registering two goals and two assists, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored also notes that Kovacic has been safe pair of hands in possession this term for club and country and maintained a pass accuracy of 88%.

Kovacic has also successfully manufactured 83 shot-creating actions this season, as per FBRef, illustrating his inventive nature from the heart of the midfield.

Nevertheless, it looks as if his time may be up at Chelsea and there is no surprise that multiple sides are looking to offer him a new challenge away from west London.

Arsenal have been handed an almighty boost in their pursuit of their top target.

What’s the latest on Declan Rice to Arsenal?

That’s according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who spoke on the House of Champions Podcast about the Gunners’ pursuit of Declan Rice.

He shared an update on the widespread interest, noting that the north London outfit might just have pulled out in front in the race: “Yes, (Ten Hag is) an admirer and I think that’s normal, but it is the same with Mikel Arteta and I still think that Arsenal are the favourites to sign Declan Rice.

“They have been working on that deal, it was in January when they discussed Rice internally. They’ve already had him at the top of their list for the midfield, so I’m sure Arsenal will make a bid for Declan Rice in the next weeks.”

Despite the clamour surrounding any progress, his mouth-watering £120m price tag still looms ominously over a potential deal.

Would Declan Rice improve William Saliba?

It is common knowledge that a good midfield partnership to protect the back four is what truly allows the latter to flourish.

For every Rio Ferdinand, there was a Roy Keane patrolling ahead, just like with Patrick Vieira and Sol Campbell and even Rodri and Ruben Dias today.

Now, in north London, it is William Saliba who will be hoping to gain such solidity with the West Ham United captain just in front of him.

Having enjoyed a fine debut year in the Premier League, starring at the heart of a squad that has conceded just 43 goals in 37 games, this has been with the exploits of Thomas Partey as the Frenchman's screen.

The Ghanaian has maintained a 7.10 average rating, upheld through defensive excellence that has included 2.1 tackles and 0.9 interceptions per game, via Sofascore.

Meanwhile, Rice improves upon all those attributes, boasting a superior 7.20 average rating paired with 2.2 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game, alongside six goal contributions, via Sofascore.

Such consistency, continuing on from last year’s successes where he was branded a Hammers “legend” by Ray Parlour, only emphasises just how influential this deal could be in taking them to the next level.

Whilst offering a colossal defensive presence, the England international somehow also manages to be a creative threat too.

The expectation would be that by placing these bolstered defensive numbers in front of him, Saliba could build upon an already admirable 6.96 average rating in the league to reach the levels of the likes of Ferdinand and Campbell.

Having already been branded one of the top centre-backs in the division by pundit Darren Bent, perhaps the presence of such a solid and reliable midfield general could be that legendary asset akin to Keane and Vieira, affording the 22-year-old that license to truly reach outstanding levels on his way to Premier League glory.

Leeds United may still be completely unsure of the division they'll find themselves in next season but that hasn't stopped reports linking them with big-money new signings ahead of the summer window.

One man who has been linked with a move to Elland Road recently is Barcelona winger Abde Ezzalzouli, and the 21-year-old could prove to be a dream successor to Wilfried Gnonto, should he move on to bigger things.

Could Leeds sign Abde Ezzalzouli this summer?

According to Spanish news outlet Sport, Leeds would be willing to pay €40m (£35m) to sign the Morocco international this summer as Barcelona look to cash in on some of their young talents in order to balance the financial books.

The Yorkshire outfit have been linked with him in the past, with reports claiming that Leeds held talks with his agent in April, which suggests that he is certainly on their shortlist of potential signings ahead of the summer.

The prospect of spending so much with an impending relegation seems unlikely but if Leeds were able to retain their Premier League status this season, perhaps they could invest some money in Ezzalzouli, in the hope that he could reach his potential at Elland Road.

Should he arrive at Leeds, he could prove to be a replacement for Gnonto, who looks increasingly likely to depart after catching the eye in his debut campaign in England, with the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea all linked with his signing.

Would Ezzalzouli be a good replacement for Gnonto?

While Gnonto has endured an up-and-down season with Leeds that started so promisingly before he was inexplicably benched by Javi Gracia, he does boast two goals and four assists in just 22 appearances so far this term.

An exciting dribbler who likes to cut inside, the Italy international has consistently gotten Leeds fans off their seats in another disappointing campaign, and it would be frustrating for fans to lose him after just one season in Yorkshire.

However, Ezzalzouli – also known as Ez Abde – could be a similarly exciting prospect for the Elland Road outfit given that he has already made 12 appearances for Barcelona's first team, and has contributed six goals and two assists in a loan spell with Osasuna this term, with Barca boss Xavi singing his praises last season.

"Extraordinary Abde, Gavi and Nico. They are supporting the team in difficult moments. The effort is extraordinary. Young people make a difference and that is difficult to digest. It is positive and negative because they will not always perform excellently because they are young," he said.

"Abde’s game is spectacular, and also Nico and Gavi’s. Abde is a differential player. He can make a difference, it is not because of the goal. He is a dagger. A marvel."

Like Gnonto, the Moroccan's most dangerous attribute is arguably his dribbling as WhoScored suggests that he is very strong at it, so the youngster could be a dream replacement in this Leeds side, should they fail to keep hold of their Italian teenage wonderkid this summer.

Manchester United are reportedly ‘on pole’ to sign Napoli striker Victor Osimhen this summer.

The Lowdown: Nunez links with Man Utd

New United manager Erik ten Hag is set to make a start on the club’s summer targets soon, and it looks as if a star striker is high on his wish list.

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Benfica’s Darwin Nunez has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford, with recent reports suggesting that Ten Hag has made an ‘express request’ to sign the Uruguayan.

United are now ‘one of the best-placed clubs’ to land the  22-year-old striker this summer, but it looks as if another marquee forward could arrive in Osimhen.

The Latest: Osimhen transfer latest

Sport Witness relayed an update from La Repubblica regarding United and Osimhen.

They claimed that the Red Devils are currently ‘on pole’ to sign the Nigeria international, although Premier League rivals Newcastle United are also ‘ready to go crazy’ for the Napoli star.

A €90m (£76.8m) figure was mooted for the 23-year-old, who was labelled ‘highly unpredictable’ during his time at Wolfsburg.

The Verdict: Sign them both?

You could argue that United could do with signing both strikers this summer, with Edinson Cavani set to leave the club at the end of the season.

Ten Hag could be left with Cristiano Ronaldo as his only senior centre-forward, although Anthony Martial will return from his Sevilla loan spell in the summer.

Nunez and Osimhen have both had outstanding seasons in front of goal, and with the former able to play out wide and in a deeper second striker role, they could both possibly find a spot in Ten Hag’s side.

However, the pair would come at a big cost, potentially more than £150m combined, a figure which is thought to be just about within Ten Hag’s budget.

In other news: Man Utd want to hijack Man City’s move for ‘explosive’ star who ‘has no weakness’.