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Aston Villa have reportedly held talks over a move to sign Nottingham Forest forward Brennan Johnson this summer.

What’s the latest Aston Villa transfer news?

Unai Emery is set to be backed by NSWE ahead of his first full season in charge with a “huge” transfer budget, and the club have already spent €33m on Villarreal defender Pau Torres.

Midfielder Youri Tielemans has also put pen to paper on Villa Park terms this summer after his Leicester City contract expired, and it looks as if attention is now on a new attacker.

Villa have reportedly had an opening €45m offer for Bayer Leverkusen’s Moussa Diaby turned down, with Joao Felix another player of interest. Contact has been made for the Atletico Madrid forward, however, Villa have competition from Manchester United and Newcastle United, so it looks as if they could turn their interest to Johnson.

The Daily Mail provided an Aston Villa transfer update on Thursday regarding Johnson, claiming talks have taken place over a move for the Wales international.

Forest have already rejected a £30m offer from Brentford for the forward but are thought to be willing to sell, should a bid in the region of £40m be submitted.

Johnson has serious admirers within Villa Park and is believed to be keen on a move to the Midlands after encouraging noises emerged from the player’s camp.

How good is Brennan Johnson?

Johnson shares the same agency as Jacob Ramsey and is just 22 years of age who can play as an attacking midfielder, winger or striker. He has progressed through the youth ranks at The City Ground and appears to be at the peak of his powers with a career-high €38m Transfermarkt valuation.

In total, Johnson has made 105 senior appearances for Forest, scoring 29 times and registering 12 assists. He enjoyed a productive first season in the Premier League last year as well, helping the Reds to safety in the top flight with 11 goal contributions in 38 games. Steve Cooper lauded Johnson as a “fantastic player” and a “great finisher” back in February after netting the winner against Leeds.

“He’s a fantastic player, we know he’s got qualities and is a great finisher. The guys didn’t get loads of service at the top end of the pitch but, sometimes you just need one moment.”

As per FBref, Johnson has been compared to the likes of Michail Antonio, Odsonne Edouard and Danny Ings over the past 12 months and ranks in the top 12% of forwards for progressive carries, top 9% for crosses and top 1% for tackles in the defensive third, showing how he could bring more than just goals to Villa Park.

Should a £40m move go through, Emery could be getting a player who may only get better in time, while also providing the Spaniard with an alternative option or potential partner to Ollie Watkins. Johnson could turn out in a wide area, behind Watkins or as another centre-forward, and by the looks of things, a move will be one to keep an eye on over the coming weeks.

James Trafford pulled off a remarkable double save for England, saving a last-minute penalty, as his country won the UEFA European Under-21 Championship final.

Who won the UEFA European Under-21 Championship?

Coming up against Spain in the last stage of the youth competition, the young Three Lions claimed a narrow 1-0 victory at the Batumi Arena in Georgia on Saturday evening.

England took the lead on the cusp of halftime when Cole Palmer’s free-kick deflected off Curtis Jones and found the back of the net – technically going down as a goal for the Liverpool midfielder.

Lee Carsley’s men were yet to concede going into the final, and so if they could maintain that record, they would win the whole tournament.

However, in the sixth minute of injury time, after a check from VAR, Chelsea’s Levi Colwill was adjudged to have fouled Abel Ruiz inside the box.

The Spanish captain who’d won the penalty stepped up to take it but his effort was brilliantly saved by Manchester City starlet Trafford who guessed the right way.

The drama wasn’t over yet, though, as the England goalkeeper then had to get up to save the rebound before the ball was eventually blasted over the bar.

With that crucial intervention, Trafford had not only kept a clean sheet in the game, but it also meant he’d won the tournament for England without conceding once throughout the UEFA European Under-21 Championship.

You can see the footage below via Channel 4 Sport.

Of course, that wasn’t the only drama on the day as former Chelsea man Ashley Cole managed to get himself sent off on the sidelines after clashing with the Spanish bent in the aftermath of Curtis Jones’ first-half goal. While Morgan Gibbs-White was also handed a second yellow card right at the end of the match.

In the end, though, the England players and staff won’t care one bit as they’ll get to celebrate wildly tonight having secured this great achievement.

Who is James Trafford?

Interestingly enough, Trafford’s name has been in the news a fair bit of late. After all, the Manchester City goalkeeper looks set to complete a move to Burnley this summer for £19m.

The 20-year-old was loaned out to Accrington Stanley in the first half of the 2021/22 season before switching to Bolton Wanderers for the second half of the campaign, he then spent the most recent campaign at the same club and has clearly done enough to impress with Bolton to all but secure a big money move to Burnley.

Some may have felt that that fee of nearly £20m is an awful lot to pay for a goalkeeper who has yet to actually play a senior game for Man City, but after this miraculous late double save, some may now think it’s a bit of a bargain.

Of course, you can’t forget that he also didn’t concede a single goal throughout the whole UEFA European Under-21 Championship, so it’s fair to say this has been a great tournament to help enhance his reputation.

Understandably, fans were blown away by the moment of high drama and praised the 20-year-old. Here are some of the best reactions on Twitter.

West Ham United are plotting a swoop to bring Norwich City defender Max Aarons to the Premier League, according to reports.

Is Max Aarons leaving Norwich?

The Canaries right-back’s contract isn’t set to expire until the end of next season, but after personally confirming that he will be departing during the ongoing window, clubs will have been alerted to his availability ahead of the new term.

During his 44 Championship starts last season, Carrow Road’s academy graduate established himself as David Wagner’s both third defensive and offensive best-performing player, so he may not be short of potential suitors, and it’s not the first time that he’s been linked with a move to the London Stadium.

Back in 2021, The Independent’s Nick Mashiter first credited David Moyes with an interest in the 23-year-old, and whilst a deal at the time obviously failed to materialise, it sounds like the boss is preparing to take a second bite of the cherry when it comes to securing his target.

Are West Ham signing Aarons?

According to talkSPORT, West Ham are “set to make a move” for Aarons this summer having been made aware that he is leaving his boyhood club.

The Irons’ interest from two years ago is backed up by the report and it’s believed that Norwich’s defender also “attracted interest” from Barcelona back in the day, and should he put pen to paper, he would “boost” the boss’ options at right-back alongside Vladimir Coufal and Ben Johnson.

Could Aarons be a good addition for Moyes?

West Ham are likely to have a healthy budget to recruit the players that they want should Declan Rice’s move to Arsenal go through and Aarons has clearly been a long-term target for Moyes which is understandable to see why considering the positive impact he has at both ends of the pitch.

Norwich’s “special” right-back, as lauded by their former manager Daniel Farke, made a total of 84 tackles last season which was more than any other member of his squad, via FBRef, alongside averaging 1.4 clearances per second-tier game, but he was also a threat going forward.

Sponsored by Adidas, the £22.5k-per-week earner ranked in the 99th percentile for progressive carries so loves to take on his marker and when having made it to the opposition’s box, whipped 102 crosses into the area which was the second-highest number in the east of England, so he would be a fantastic acquisition should the boss successfully be able to convince him to join.

Manchester United have reportedly made contact with Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot over a potential move this summer to the Old Trafford side.

What’s the latest on Adrien Rabiot to Man United?

According to The Athletic, the Red Devils have begun talks with the representatives of the Frenchman in order to lure him to the Premier League this summer, with his contract set to expire at the end of June.

The Serie A side want to keep him for another season and could be set to offer him a one-year extension to his deal, yet United will be desperate to avoid a repeat of last summer, where, despite reaching an agreement with Juventus, they failed to agree personal terms with the player.

Should Man United sign Rabiot this summer?

Missing out on the Frenchman last summer turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as Casemiro ended up joining the club from Real Madrid and enjoyed a stellar campaign, ending up as their second-best performer in terms of overall rating via Sofascore in the Premier League.

The Brazilian had numerous partners alongside him throughout the season and Erik ten Hag will surely want to bring someone in who could become a mainstay in the midfield, as the likes of Fred and Christian Eriksen filtered in and out of the lineup.

Rabiot, who Gigi Buffon explained has "the strength of Pogba", enjoyed a resurgence during 2022/2023, missing just six league matches for Juventus, and he could certainly offer more going forward than Fred that’s for sure.

The 28-year-old registered 12 goal contributions last term – eight goals and four assists – along with making one key pass per game and succeeding with 60% of his attempted dribbles, giving his team an added threat from the heart of the midfield.

In contrast, Fred managed just four goal contributions – two goals and assists – while making 0.9 key passes and succeeding with just 44% of his attempted dribbles. Indeed, it’s clear Rabiot would be an upgrade going forward.

Even defensively, the 6 foot 2 Frenchman comes out on top across a string of metrics, including winning more tackles (35 to 30), interceptions (26 to 19) while also winning a higher percentage of aerial duels (56.2% to 50%) than Fred, indicating that he would be a shrewd signing, especially on a free transfer.

The £148k-per-week dynamo also shone during the 2022 World Cup for France, scoring during the opening match against Australia while ranking second in the squad for interceptions per game (1.7) and seventh for accurate passes per game (38.8) as France came so close to retaining their title, losing to Argentina in the final.

He was even lauded as being “sensational” by sections of the media during the World Cup and Erik ten Hag could land himself one of the bargains of the transfer window. With Champions League football adorning the Old Trafford pitch next season, it shouldn’t be a hard sell.

An update has emerged on Celtic and their plans to bolster their attacking options in the summer transfer window…

What's the latest on Benie Traore to Celtic?

According to journalist Alan Nixon's Patreon (25/06/2023), the Hoops are one of a number of clubs showing an interest in Hacken centre-forward Benie Traore.

The report claims that the club have been trying to green-light a swoop for the 20-year-old marksman for over a week as Brendan Rodgers attempts to land his second signing of the summer, after the arrival of Norwegian midfielder Odin Thiago Holm.

It states that Premier League side Sheffield United and fellow Scottish outfit Rangers are also keen on the young attacker, who is set to be available for a fee in the region of £5m.

Who is Benie Traore?

The Ivorian could be a terrific addition to the club's squad as his form in Sweden this year suggests that he has the potential to be a dream heir to Kyogo Furuhashi at Parkhead.

Burnley, who have been promoted to the top-flight of English football ahead of next term, are reportedly interested in signing the Japan international and Celtic may have to start thinking about what life will look like after the 28-year-old moves on.

He has been a phenomenal performer for the Hoops since joining in the summer of 2021 and has proven himself to be a reliable Scottish Premiership goalscorer.

Kyogo averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.11 and plundered 27 goals in 31 league starts last season and that came off the back of 12 goals in 16 starts during his debut campaign in the division. As such, the exceptional finisher has scored once every 1.2 league starts on average for the club over the last two years.

These statistics suggest that it will be a tough task to replace his output in the final third. However, Traore's goalscoring record in Sweden indicates that the 20-year-old prospect could come in and enjoy similar success.

Indeed, the Hacken centre-forward, who was hailed as "talented" and a "jewel" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.25 across 13 Allsvenskan appearances and contributed with 12 goals and three assists.

Traore also produced three goals and three assists in six Svenska Cupen outings earlier this year on the way to helping his team win the competition.

At the age of 20, the star of the Swedish top-flight would come in as a player with long-term potential as well as being a striker who could make an instant impact at Parkhead, given his incredible form since the turn of the year, if he is able to adapt to Scottish football.

His goalscoring record in 2023 is extraordinary and Rodgers could, therefore, find the dream heir to Kyogo by bringing the prolific number nine to Celtic.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou has personally held talks with the representatives of Leicester City star James Maddison, according to reports.

Who will Spurs sign this summer?

Maddison is being pushed as a top target for Spurs by sections of the press with some sources even suggesting that the 26-year-old was at the centre of a double bid last week.

The Lilywhites were said to have lodged an offer for both Maddison and his teammate, Harvey Barnes, worth in excess of £50 million which was swiftly rejected by Leicester.

Sky Sports rebuffed this claim, stating while Spurs had a serious interest in both, no formal proposal of any kind had gone in for the duo.

As well as the Foxes playmaker, it is believed that Tottenham are targeting a new goalkeeper, central defender and possible forward additions.

David Raya of Brentford is wanted to replace Hugo Lloris, meanwhile the likes of Man City defender Aymeric Laporte have been tipped with potential moves to Spurs.

Galasary forward Nicolo Zaniolo has emerged as a target in recent days, too, with Postecoglou seemingly looking to strengthen in various areas of the pitch.

Going back to Maddison, a report by Football Transfers has shared some interesting news on Tottenham's chase for the England international.

According to their information, Postecoglou has personally held talks with Maddison's agents recently, and he is thought to have made a really good impression on them,

This has apparently helped to sway Maddison more towards Tottenham than Premier League rivals Newcastle, and the former Norwich City star may be tempted to join.

Despite this, Maddison is yet to have any personal contact with Spurs, but Postecoglou coming across well to the player's camp could be crucial.

How many goals did Maddison score last season?

Maddison starred for Leicester over the course of 2022/2023, scoring 10 goals and providing nine assists in the league alone, totalling an impressive 19 attacking contributions (WhoScored).

The Three Lions ace also attempted more shots at goal per 90, completing more key passes and registered their joint-highest rate of successful take-ons in the top flight (WhoScored).

These numbers make one thing crystal clear – he is far too good for the Championship.

Whether it is Newcastle or Spurs, either side may be on to seal a very potent and capable attacking threat in the final third.

Former West Ham and Leicester City star David Connolly has also called Maddison "absolutely magnificent" for his form at the King Power.

Arsenal are expected to launch a bid for West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice "very soon", according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

What's the latest on Declan Rice to Arsenal?

CBS reporter Ben Jacobs has recently detailed that Arsenal could get a deal for Rice done "quickly", as he wants to move to the Emirates Stadium, however he does not completely rule out another team winning the race for his signature.

Jacobs has also claimed the Gunners will take a "disciplined" approach in their pursuit of the 24-year-old, with their opening offer set to be worth less than £100m, but "all signs point towards" a move to north London this summer.

Personal terms have reportedly already been agreed, meaning the last remaining obstacle is submitting an acceptable offer to West Ham, and according to a new update from Romano, a bid could soon be on its way.

Taking to Twitter, the transfer expert gave a very positive update on the Gunners' pursuit of the midfielder, saying:"Arsenal will enter into crucial stages of Declan Rice deal next week. Official bid expected very soon after positive talks in the recent days.

"Gunners feel they’re ahead of Bayern as player priority is to continue in England — but timing will be crucial for Arsenal."

Is Rice signing for Arsenal?

A move to the Emirates Stadium would seemingly tick a lot of boxes for the England international, as he has previously made it clear he wants to stay in London, while he is also keen to play in the Champions League and compete for trophies.

Of course, the West Ham captain got his hands on his first piece of major silverware when West Ham won the Europa Conference League last weekend, which also grants them qualification to the Europa League next season.

The fact there will be European football at the London Stadium once again could potentially make the London-born midfielder think twice about leaving, although West Ham chairman David Sullivan has recently confirmed the player has his heart set on leaving.

If, as expected, the £60k-per-week midfielder does move on this summer, Arsenal will be getting a top player if they win the race for his signature, having been hailed as "incredible" by members of the media.

Not only does Rice rank very highly for some key defensive metrics over the past year, including interceptions and clearances per 90, there is also an indication he could be an attacking threat, with Jack Wilshere previously claiming he was the "best finisher" at West Ham.

Chelsea forward Kai Havertz could ‘definitely thrive’ at Stamford Bridge under new boss Mauricio Pochettino, transfer insider Dean Jones has told Football FanCast.

Chelsea news – What’s the latest on Kai Havertz?

Despite scoring ‘that’ famous goal in Portugal to help the Blues win the Champions League in May 2021, life in west London hasn’t gone entirely to plan for Havertz.

The former Bayer Leverkusen star made the £72m switch to England with a lofty reputation and price tag, but he has generally failed to live up to the expectations many had for him.

The last few weeks have seen several transfer rumours linking the German with a move away from the two-time European champions.

Just this week, it was reported in the German publication BILD that Spanish giants Real Madrid were considering the player, as he is a ‘dream player’ for coach Carlo Ancelotti.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has also reported that “Chelsea and Kai Havertz are on the same page”, and the Blues hierarchy is “prepared to let him leave.”

However, not everyone is on the same page, and some think that the 6 foot 4 forward can rediscover his form at Stamford Bridge.

What has Dean Jones said about Kai Havertz and Chelsea?

Jones thinks the coaching of Mauricio Pochettino might be just what the Aachen-born dynamo needs to fulfil his massive potential in England and stresses that despite the rumours, Chelsea aren’t exactly desperate to be rid of the player this summer.

Speaking to Football FanCast, the journalist said:

“Think of how Pochettino sides have played in the past, someone like Kai Havertz could definitely thrive, and Chelsea aren’t desperate to get rid of him. I think that’s important to point out.

“He was signed in line with being potentially one of the best forwards in the world over the next five, six years. They still believe he can become that in the right system.”

Should Chelsea keep Kai Havertz at Stamford Bridge?

This depends on the figures involved in any potential deal to move the player on.

Should Real Madrid come in and pay the reported fee of £75m, per Evening Standard, the club should probably cut their losses and move on, especially after their increased spending over the last year.

However, if there are no buyers at that price point, it might be best to give Pochettino a chance to try and improve the player, especially since his underlying numbers aren’t that bad.

According to FBref, when compared to other attacking midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues, Havertz sits in the top 8% for non-penalty expected goals and the top 9% for touches in the opposition’s penalty area per 90.

Whilst not exceptional, there is clearly a foundation there for the former Tottenham Hotspur manager to work with.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane will sit down with the expected new Spurs boss, Ange Postecoglou, to hold talks over where his future lies in north London.

Who is Ange Postecoglou?

The managerial search in N17 is seemingly coming to a close with Daniel Levy believed to have found his man in the Celtic manager Postecoglou.

Indeed, reports have suggested the Australian has now agreed personal terms with the Premier League club just hours after completing the treble with the Bhoys.

It is now believed that it is only the final details which will need to be ironed out with Celtic to overcome in order to see the 57-year-old become the new manager at Spurs.

However, Postecoglou has a huge task on his hands as the Lilywhites appear to be in need of a major rebuild following a dreadful 2022/23 campaign.

And one of the major issues hanging over the club at the moment is the future of their star player, Harry Kane, who has just one year remaining on his current deal.

With the Australian now looking set to become the new Spurs boss, Fabrizio Romano has told his YouTube channel that Postecoglou will hold behind-the-scenes talks with Kane in an attempt to keep him:

"But what is very clear also is that Daniel Levy is still prepared to fight for Harry Kane. He will try once he will have a new manager, conversations will take place with Postecoglou to convince Harry Kane, to keep Harry Kane at the club. So Tottenham will try again in the next days."

Could Kane leave Spurs?

The England captain's future appears to be at a real crossroads this summer with a number of clubs believed to be interested amid his dwindling contract.

Indeed, it is believed the likes of Manchester United have identified him as a priority signing for the summer window as Erik ten Hag searches for a new striker.

However, interest from abroad has also increased over recent days with reports suggesting Real Madrid will look to Kane as their potential replacement for the departing Karim Benzema.

Two of the world's biggest clubs could, therefore, be on the hunt for Kane's services this summer but it seems Spurs are not willing to potentially lose him without a fight.

But is Postecoglou a big enough name to convince Kane to stay?

The Australian has enjoyed a brilliant spell at Parkhead having won a bag full of trophies over his two years in the job.

However, this potential move to north London would be the 57-year-old's first job in one of Europe's top five leagues which could leave a lot of uncertainty for the England captain.

Kane will turn 30 years old over the coming weeks and whether he is willing to invest his time in this expected rebuild at Spurs under a manager who is not proven at this level is yet to be seen.

Hibernian will have to wait until the outcome of the Scottish Cup final to see if they have secured European football next season.

They finished their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Hearts, yet their arch-rivals finished ahead of them in the Premiership table, and they will need to hope Celtic defeat Inverness Caledonian Thistle this weekend in order to enter the Europa Conference League at the second qualifying round.

Lee Johnson will be hoping to make improvements to his squad in the summer, although there could be some key players heading out of the exit door. Kevin Nisbet turned down the chance to join Championship side Millwall in January, although Hibs will be braced for further offers as clubs scouted him during their win over St Mirren at the start of the month.

The Easter Road outfit will need to replace him with someone who could score plenty in the Premiership, and former Hibs striker turned pundit Tam McManus believes Motherwell striker Kevin van Veen should be their main target.

He said the club need ‘two new strikers minimum’ in a recent column, before claiming van Veen should be one of them.

Given his excellent campaign, it could be a move worth pursuing.

Could Hibs sign Kevin van Veen this summer?

The 31-year-old still has a contract at the Steelmen until 2024 and Hibs would need to spend in order to lure him to the capital, however, it would be worth the money.

Van Veen scored 29 goals across all competitions during the 2022/23 campaign, and he was even nominated for the PFA Player of the Year while becoming the first Motherwell player in ten years to claim a place in the PFA Team of the Year.

It was a stunning season and his goals could certainly replace Nisbet's if he does depart this summer, with the Scotsman bagging 12 goals from just 19 league appearances, finishing as Hibs' top scorer and Van Veen would be an ideal choice for the club going forward.

The striker underlined his qualities by ranking as the second-best performer in the squad with a Sofascore rating of 7.07/10, while also ranking third for big chances created (three), second for key passes per game (1.1) and first for goals scored (25).

Clearly more than just a goalscorer, Johnson should be doing all he can to make a move before it is too late. Nisbet won't be around forever and sourcing a replacement should be of utmost priority.

The 6 foot 1 gem was lauded by journalist Ben Banks, who claimed that seven goals in four matches a few months ago was “frightening form” and that the striker was “on fire”.

Indeed, for a player outside any of the Old Firm clubs to score 25 league goals is something special and it would be quite the coup should Hibs bring him to the club.