Aston Villa are not keen on letting midfielder Douglas Luiz go this summer, says Express & Star journalist Luke Hatfield.

Manchester City did have an option to buy back their former player but did not take it up, leaving Villa seemingly in the clear.

However, Luiz has since been linked with a move to AS Roma, while ex-Napoli coach Gianni Di Marzio recently claimed on Radio Marte (via Area Napoli) that the 23-year-old would be a good signing for his old side and could be worth up to €80m (£68m) in the future.

He is not a player Villa want to lose, though, Hatfield has told FFC. On the Brazilian, the Villa journalist said:

“I don’t think Villa are really keen to see him go. He’s obviously improved, like many of the players have, following his signing at the club.

“They always had that buy-back clause from Manchester City hanging over his head, but that’s passed now, so they don’t need to worry about that. I think they probably see Luiz as a key player.”

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Luiz appeared 33 times in the Premier League for Villa last season, so he was indeed an important player for Dean Smith.

The Brazil international also had the best passing accuracy out of Villa’s regular starters (minimum of 10 starts, via WhoScored), so the club not wanting to lose him is understandable.

Fulham have been dealt a blow in their bid to bring Matt Grimes to Craven Cottage this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Football Insider, who claim that both Watford and Brighton & Hove Albion have joined the race to sign the Swansea City midfielder ahead of the new season.

It was previously reported that Fulham looked close to securing a deal for the 25-year-old, with a medical at Craven Cottage having been scheduled for this week.

It is also claimed that Southampton and Newcastle United are thought to be keeping a close eye on the situation of the former England U21 international, who would be available to sign for as little as £1.5m due to having just one year remaining on his contract at the Liberty Stadium.

Silva will be gutted

Considering just how close Tony Khan appeared to be to securing the signing of Grimes this summer, should the midfielder eventually go on to seal a move elsewhere, it would undoubtedly leave Marco Silva gutted.

The 25-year-old has played a key role in Swansea City’s Championship success in recent years, and would have made a fantastic addition to the Portuguese manager’s options in the middle of the park next season.

Indeed, over his 45 Championship appearances for the Swans last term, the £6.3m-rated man scored two goals, registered three assists and created three big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of one shot and making 0.8 key passes per game.

The £10k-per-week midfielder also made an average of 1.5 interceptions, 2.1 tackles, 1.3 clearances and won 5.3 duels in each league appearance.

These metrics saw the man Steve Cooper dubbed an “excellent” player earn an average SofaScore match rating of 7.04, ranking him as the club’s fifth-best performer in the English second tier.

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As such, with Grimes demonstrating that he is something of a complete midfielder, his signing would have given Silva a huge boost to his chances of going on to secure an immediate return to the Premier League with Fulham next season.

However, with Watford and Brighton now sniffing around the 25-year-old, Grimes may well be playing Premier League football a lot sooner than the Cottagers.

In other news: Khan must axe Fulham’s “fabulous” £35k-p/w flop, he’s stealing a living

Regardless of where Harry Kane’s future lies Tottenham must bring in at least one striker this window, and Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge has told Transfer Tavern that Dusan Vlahovic is their number-one target.

Kane has been Spurs’ only recognised senior striker for the majority of his time in the first-team, and even when someone like Carlos Vinicius was brought in last season, he wasn’t up to the challenge.

With Tottenham in Europe once again, albeit in the third-tier and the UEFA Conference League, they’re expected to be fighting on four fronts, which means they need someone to support the England captain.

The Telegraph, who recently claimed that Nuno Espirito Santo wants to bring in Danny Ings to play with Kane, believe that the Spurs boss is now looking to sign Serbian and Fiorentina striker Vlahovic, who Serie A expert Conor Clancy told This is Futbol is “incredible”.

He scored 21 goals during his breakthrough season in Serie A last term, which saw him named as the league’s best young player.

Vlahovic is the latest Italian-based player that director of football Fabio Paratici has set his sights on and would cost Tottenham around £50m.

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Spurs have already signed goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini and young winger Bryan Gil from Sevilla, and Bridge told The Transfer Tavern that Vlahovic is their priority at present:

“I know that Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic is their number one choice at the moment, and I think it would be to play with Kane.”

Ange Postecoglou was enduring a nightmare start to life at Celtic but the Hoops’ win in midweek will have been revitalising.

The Bhoys have already been knocked out of Europe’s premier competition but the Parkhead side bounced back in perfect fashion just a few days ago.

On the chalkboard

Buoyed by the signing of Joe Hart, Celtic travelled to the Czech Republic last week with renewed confidence.

Postecoglou was brave with his team selection again and in dropping Odsonne Edouard to the bench, the Australian showed he wasn’t scared of making the big calls.

Kyogo Furuhashi, James Forrest and Liel Abada all linked up superbly well against Jablonec, eventually running out 4-2 winners.

However, one man who disappointed and has been poor so far this season is David Turnbull.

The Scot was excellent in his debut campaign at Paradise, scoring ten goals on his way to being crowned the club’s Player of the Season.

Though, in the early stages of 2021/22, he’s yet to contribute to a single goal and looks off the pace in offensive situations.

The solution

As a result, Postecoglou should look at bringing Ryan Christie back into the starting XI ahead of Turnbull.

His contract is set to expire in January and with fresh terms yet to be agreed, a move elsewhere looked to be on the table.

It was inevitable that he’d be one of the faces to leave Glasgow behind this summer but his form since the Aussie took charge has been first class.

It marks a significant revival in Christie’s career after he was branded a “laughing stock” by Frank McAvennie for his performances last term.

He played out of position on the wing with James Forrest out injured but scored 13 fewer goals last term than he’d managed in 2019/20.

Yet, despite the mass criticism he received, the £12k-per-week earner has bounced back in tremendous fashion. Christie starred against Midtjylland in the Champions League, completing four dribbles and registering a further four key passes in the first leg.

He then popped up with a vital fourth goal from the bench against Jablonec in midweek.

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The Scotland international raced into the area, got across his marker and then planted an excellent header beyond the goalkeeper.

Christie’s energy was unrelenting when he came on and Celtic could do with that type of performance when they face Dundee on Sunday afternoon.

They have won their first European game under Postecoglou; now they must find their debut win in domestic competition.

AND in other news, Celtic eye swoop for £60k-p/w beast who’s “different class”, he’s an upgrade on Bitton…

West Ham United are keen on signing Luka Jovic this month…

What’s the word?

According to Eurosport, the Irons are considering turning their attention to the Real Madrid striker, who is said to be a long-term target.

It’s claimed that Jovic is not in Carlo Ancelotti’s plans for the new season, so the La Liga giants are prepared to let him leave before the transfer deadline on August 31st.

David Moyes and co have struggled to find a new forward and are desperate to find competition for the injury-prone Michail Antonio.

However, the Hammers face competition for the 23-year-old from at least three Bundesliga sides. It remains to be seen just how much Jovic will command, with both Transfermarkt and CIES Football Observatory valuing him at £18m.

 A statement signing

Whilst the 6-foot Serbian has struggled to make much of an impact at the Bernabeu since a €60m (£50m) move in the summer of 2019, even returning to his former club Frankfurt for a loan spell last season, he would still be quite the coup for the East Londoners.

During the 2018/19 season, Jovic bagged a whopping 27 goals in 48 appearances in all competitions, via Transfermarkt, also striking up quite the partnership with Sebastien Haller, whose own exploits saw him make the switch to the London Stadium.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-west-ham-news-transfer-rumours-the-latest-gossip-and-much-more-3” title= “Read the latest West Ham news, transfer rumours, gossip and much more!”]

His form, particularly that year, earned glowing acclaim from teammate Filip Kostic, who described the talisman as “just unbelievable” to Bundesliga.com.

Furthermore, Jovic has been likened to Radamel Falcao, largely due to his ability to use either foot, as well as his head, to find the net. It’s perhaps why another former teammate, Kevin-Prince Boateng dubbed him a complete striker.

“He has everything to become [a world-class striker]. You see that in training. He has football in his genes, he’s a street footballer, and he has a nose for goal,” Boateng said. “He scores with his head, right or left foot. He is technically good and can shoot well with both feet. He just has everything a striker needs.”

Also lauded as “fast, robust and technically savvy” by Haller, it’s easy to see why Madrid splashed the cash on the 14-cap Serbia international and you could forgive him for not living up to the expectations and pressure that comes with playing for Los Galacticos.

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Hammers boss Moyes should absolutely consider a move for Jovic before the end of the month. Given his impressive goalscoring record and experience across Europe, he could be exactly the sort of signing that takes the club.

The self-proclaimed “fox in the box” is well worth a late punt to solve the Scot’s striker nightmare.

AND in other news, Imagine him and Antonio: West Ham must seal move for “special” £31.5m-rated goal machine…

Leicester City will be aiming to build on their Community Shield victory last weekend by picking up three points against Wolves this afternoon.

The Foxes suffered late heartbreak for the second consecutive season last term, missing out on a Champions League qualification spot on the final day following defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

However, the Midlands outfit will not be disheartened. They have continually punched above their weight under Brendan Rodgers, and their maiden FA Cup triumph in May capped an outstanding two-and-a-half years under the Northern Irishman.

However, following several astute purchases in the transfer window, Leicester will be hoping to go one better and finish in the top four next May.

Rodgers will have to cope without several first-team players in the opening weeks, though, with James Justin, Wesley Fofana, Jonny Evans and Nampalys Mendy all currently sidelined.

With that in mind, here’s how Football Fan Cast thinks the 48-year-old will line up his team at the King Power Stadium today…

New club captain Kasper Schmeichel is a certainty to start between the sticks for the Foxes, although there’s set to be a couple of fresh faces ahead of the Denmark international.

His compatriot and international teammate Jannik Vestergaard has completed his move from Southampton in time to be registered for this one, so he should make his club debut after his transfer was announced yesterday evening, partnering Caglar Soyuncu in the heart of defence.

That means the £4.5m-rated Daniel Amartey is set to drop to the bench after starting at Wembley a week ago, with Ricardo Pereira and Vestergaard’s former Saints team-mate Ryan Bertrand occupying the full-back positions.

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In midfield, the dependable trio of Wilfried Ndidi, Youri Tielemans and James Maddison will take up their usual residency in the Leicester engine room.

Up top, talismanic striker Jamie Vardy is expected to be partnered by the returning Harvey Barnes and Ayoze Perez as they look to supply the goals on the Premier League’s return. The veteran’s 15 top-flight goals last season make him too difficult to drop, despite the summer arrival of Patson Daka.

In other news… Journalist drops transfer update that’ll leave Leicester fans buzzing 

Celtic star Odsonne Edouard is being targeted by Ligue 1 outfit OGC Nice, with an offer expected to be submitted imminently, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Speculation has followed Edouard all summer

Well into competitive football in 2021/22, Hoops manager Ange Postecoglou will be under no illusions that there is still work to be done regarding activity surrounding the much-needed rebuild at Parkhead this summer.

High-profile exits have been mooted for multiple different players over the last couple of months, none more so than 23-year-old Edouard, who has been followed by relentless speculation surrounding his future [The Scotsman].

Could he now be set to move back to his native France after recent developments?

The Latest: Nice inform Celtic of their interest in Edouard

As relayed by a Football Insider recruitment source, Nice have informed Celtic of their admiration towards the 6ft 2in ace, whilst an offer is said to be in the post.

The French top-flight club are keen to do a deal before the end of this month, whilst the Bhoys are likely to accept a bid of under £20m due to his contract in Glasgow expiring next year.

The Verdict: Celtic should sell Edouard

Interest in Edouard from a well-respected club such as Nice will come as a positive boost to the Celtic hierarchy. Unlikely to sign an extension at the Hoops, it makes sense to try and recoup a profit on the £9m they paid for his services back in 2018 [Sky Sports].

In 2020/21, Edouard was in commendable form for Celtic, registering 28 goal contributions in 40 appearances with 22 goals and six assists [Transfermarkt]. Furthermore, his rate of 3.5 shots per game in the Premiership frequently troubled opposition defences [WhoScored].

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Once labelled as ‘magnificent’ by former Celtic manager Neil Lennon [Glasgow Live], the Hoops should look to cut their losses on the France under-21 international to avoid losing him for nothing in the future.

In other news, a 21-goal striker has his heart set on joining Celtic

When Valerien Ismael took over at West Bromwich Albion earlier this summer, some may have questioned whether the Frenchman was experienced enough to take on the daunting prospect of securing the Baggies an immediate return to the Premier League this season.

However, after just three Championship fixtures, any such doubts have been rather substantially quashed, with Ismael’s side topping the table having scored a league-high nine goals and comfortably dispatching one of their potential promotion rivals Sheffield United 4-0.

As such, confidence will undoubtedly be high in the Albion dressing room heading into today’s clash with Blackburn Rovers, and the 45-year-old could yet be handed a further boost ahead of the fixture at Ewood Park.

Having made just eight appearances since his move to West Brom due to a recurring back injury, Robert Snodgrass now appears to be nearing full fitness, having scored two goals and provided one assist in a recent outing for the Baggies’ under-23 side.

If the Scotland international is indeed ready for a return to first team action this weekend, it would appear wise for Ismael to unleash the versatile winger – who can also play in central midfield – against Blackburn.

As previously mentioned, the £38k-per-week earner has not really had the chance to impress so far in his career at The Hawthorns. However, in his last full season for West Ham United, the 33-year-old proved that he could well be a hugely valuable asset in the Baggies’ promotion push this term.

Indeed, over his 24 Premier League appearances in the Hammers’ 2019/20 campaign, Snodgrass scored five goals, registered five assists and created five big chances for his teammates, taking 0.9 shots and making 1.4 key passes per game.

These returns saw the man who Ismael dubbed a “refreshing” personality earn an average SofaScore match rating of 6.94, ranking him as the Irons’ sixth-best performer in the top flight that season.

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As such, a fully fit Snodgrass clearly has the ability to play a key role in Ismael’s West Brom side this term, with his potential presence in the Albion line-up on Saturday being a sight which will surely terrify Blackburn’s defenders.

In other news: Journalist drops West Brom transfer claim on “surprising” £6m beast, Ismael would love him

Manchester City fans are unhappy with the news that Harry Kane has confirmed he will be staying at Tottenham Hotspur.

Earlier this summer, Kane dropped a bombshell on Spurs by telling the north-London outfit he wanted to leave the club before the end of the transfer window (Sky Sports).

The Citizens have always been the main team in pursuit of the 28-year-old England captain, and it looked at one point like a deal was possible (The Guardian).

However, Tottenham refused to let their star leave without a fight and, as we approach the final week of the window, Kane has made a decision of his future. On Twitter, he has revealed that he will be staying with the Lilywhites and is 100% committed to helping the north London outfit succeed.

The news was relayed on Twitter by @City_Xtra, and it attracted plenty of attention from the supporters. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Kane news below

“This is an outrage”

Credit: @Eddy56230239

“Shambles.”

Credit: @King_Kevin100

“Shock. What a waste of time and resource trying to buy a player that was overvalued with the owner (quite rightly so) no accepting anything less than 150 upfront. Poor business from City.”

Credit: @commando42

“We’ve wasted so much of our time chasing a striker who wasn’t serious about joining our club , if he wanted to he would have forced that move. We cannot afford to go into this season without a striker , not to retain Premier League or even stake a claim on Champions League.”

Credit: @dean41786543

“We’ve been trying to get him since march btw lol. What a waste of time”

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Credit: @SilkyCyrus_74

“It’s time for Ronaldo, don’t bottle it”

Credit: @SxrgioSZN

In other news, Manchester City fans were livid at these Pep Guardiola comments.

Fulham have completed deals to bring both Nathaniel Chalobah and Domingos Quina to Craven Cottage.

What’s the latest?

In a statement posted on the Fulham website in the early hours of Wednesday morning, the club confirmed that Quina had signed for the Cottagers, with the Watford forward joining on a season-long loan deal and the west London side holding an option to make the move permanent at the end of the season.

Shortly after this announcement, the club revealed in a second statement on their website that Chalobah would be following Quina from Watford to Fulham, with the defensive midfielder joining Marco Silva’s side on a permanent deal for an undisclosed fee.

Silva will be buzzing

With Andre-Frank Anguissa joining Napoli on a season-long loan deal on Tuesday, and the Serie A side having an option to purchase the midfielder for €15m (£12.9m) at the end of the current campaign, it appeared clear that Fulham were in need of a replacement for the Cameroon international.

And, following the last-minute swoop for Chalobah, it would appear as if Silva has his man, with the 26-year-old looking to be a very solid replacement for the departed defensive midfielder.

Indeed, over his 38 Championship appearances for Watford last season, the £4.5m-rated man made an average of 1.4 interceptions, 1.6 tackles, 1.4 clearances and won 5.2 duels per game.

He also chipped in for his side in an attacking capacity, scoring three goals, registering one assist and creating one big chance for his teammates, in addition to making an average of 0.3 key passes per game.

These returns saw the England international earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.85, with the midfielder playing a key role in the club securing automatic promotion to the Premier League.

Meanwhile, the signing of Quina brings further depth in both the central and attacking midfield positions within Silva’s squad, with his addition appearing to be a sensible signing when taking into account the fact that Tom Cairney does not look likely to recover from his knee injury any time soon.

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As such, the last-minute signings are sure to have left the Portuguese manager buzzing, as both Chalobah and Quina look to be players who strengthen what seems to already be a very strong Fulham side, who will undoubtedly be one of the favourites for the league title following their summer transfer business and impressive start to the campaign.

In other news: Journo drops Fulham transfer claim on “excellent” £6.3m-rated ace, fans surely buzzing