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After reaching an agreement to sign Youri Tielemans, Aston Villa have been linked to another Premier League ace as the transfer window officially opens.

Unai Emery is expected to be joined by Sevilla sporting director Monchi according to reports, with a busy summer proposed at Villa Park.

What’s the latest on Brennan Johnson to Aston Villa?

As reported by the Daily Mail, Aston Villa have been mentioned as one of the clubs interested in Nottingham Forest midfielder Brennan Johnson.

In a separate report, the same outlet also claimed that Forest will require a price of £40m to allow their star to leave this summer.

What could Brennan Johnson offer Aston Villa?

Once hailed as “fantastic” by manager Steve Cooper, Forest will not want to see their midfielder depart this summer considering the influence he’s had on the club’s rise to the Premier League.

The 22-year-old scored 18 goals in Forest’s promotion season in the Championship, including two goals in the playoffs to write himself into the club’s folklore for this spell in the English top-flight.

Deployed primarily as an attacking midfielder, the Welshman is versatile in his positioning in attack and with lightning-quick pace he could fit comfortably in Emery’s free-flowing system in the middle of the park.

Named as the “fastest player in the Premier League” by journalist Sheldon Miller, the Spaniard could have a gem in his arsenal if Villa can strike a deal to sign the budding talent.

Emery has his own midfield mastery in Emi Buendia and soon-to-arrive Tielemans, however, the young Welshman could find himself higher in the pecking order than the Argentinian if he arrives at Villa Park.

Despite lighting up the Championship, the former Norwich City dynamo is yet to show his magic in the Midlands to full effect, which could see him fall out of favour with new recruits set to arrive this summer.

Johnson could capitalise on Buendia’s struggle to emulate his Championship form, with statistics highlighting that the Welshman has performed better than the Villa man this season.

Having appeared in all of Forest’s league games this term, the 22-year-old scored eight goals and registered three assists, making a considerably higher contribution than the 26-year-old who scored five and assisted two in claret and blue.

With Villa soaring to a seventh-place finish, the side was ticking under Emery, however, Johnson still proved to be more effective than Buendia in a less superior relegation-medaling Forest side.

The 22-year-old averaged 2.70 progressive carries per 90 to the Argentine’s 2.24, showing his desire to push the ball upfield and his direct style of play, which would be perfect in the Spaniard’s system.

Understandably Forest are reluctant to let their “unbelievable” homegrown talent depart – as dubbed by Wales manager Rob Page – but for the right price, there remains a possibility that Johnson could relocate in the Midlands this summer.

Arsenal are currently leading the chase to sign Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia this summer as Mikel Arteta looks set to strengthen his midfield.

What’s the latest on Romeo Lavia to Arsenal?

According to Football Insider, Arsenal are in pole position to sign Lavia during the transfer window after the youngster verbally agreed to join the Gunners.

He will cost around £50m and the north Londoners have jumped ahead of Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United with regard to the move, although Manchester City do have a buy-back clause which is active next summer, but the report claims they are undecided on acting sooner.

Will Romeo Lavia join Arsenal?

It is looking increasingly likely that he will arrive at the Emirates ahead of next season and Arteta will be hoping to put Arsenal’s failed Premier League title challenge from last season behind him as the 2023/24 campaign looms on the horizon.

Indeed, the Spaniard is close to signing Chelsea star Kai Havertz for a fee of £65m, as with the added rigours of the Champions League next term, bolstering his options is a shrewd move and could certainly pay dividends.

It is unclear to what position the German will play upon joining Arsenal, as he was mainly deployed as a centre-forward during Chelsea’s underwhelming season, yet with Gabriel Jesus likely to be leading the line for Arsenal next term, he could drop back slightly deeper, perhaps into an attacking-midfield role.

With Lavia coming in and solidifying the midfield, there is potential for a key partnership to be formed which may spur the club onto success next term, with the Belgian’s defensive acumen allowing Havertz the freedom to express his creative talents.

He ranked second in the Southampton squad for tackles made per game (2.1) while also having the second-highest pass success rate (86%) across the whole squad, being able to dictate the play well. The midfielder also ranks in the top 17% across Europe’s big five leagues for ball recoveries per 90 (7.58), suggesting he is effective at sweeping up loose balls in order to move the ball onto more creative talents.

The German could benefit from having someone like Lavia playing behind him. Havertz, across Europe’s top five leagues, ranks in the top 9% for passes received per 90 (34.24) and the top 18% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90 (5.98), indicating that he is keen to receive the ball as often as possible deep into the opposition half.

Lavia’s passing ability could find Havertz in these ideal positions and they could form a dream duo for Arteta. Reporter Benjy Nurick hailed the teen gem as a “monster” earlier this year and Arsenal must get this move over the line as soon as possible.

Manchester United are set to hold club-to-club talks with Chelsea this week over the possibility of closing in on a deal for Mason Mount.

How old is Mason Mount?

The early signs of the summer transfer window have indicated towards a potential departure for Mount from his boyhood club.

There promises to be significant changes made at Stamford Bridge this summer with the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino promising a new dawn for the Blues.

However, it does seem as if the 24-year-old midfielder may not be around long enough to see how those changes develop.

Indeed, the England international has been heavily linked with a potential move away from west London this summer with Old Trafford mooted as a potential landing spot.

And it has even been suggested that the 24-year-old is keen on making the potential move to United this summer amid the links to the Premier League giants.

With other Premier League clubs like Tottenham Hotspur making moves for the likes of James Maddison already this summer, it seems United are looking to step up their attempts.

Indeed, speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has claimed there will soon be some fresh talks to try and complete a deal for the midfielder:

"It's important to say that they are going to have a direct contact this week and will happen very soon with Manchester United about Mason Mount.

"So the two clubs will speak, you'll remember a few days ago, Chelsea offered Manchester United the chance to discuss directly about the Mason Mount situation and now, from what I understand, Man United decided to speak to Chelsea.

"So there will be a direct club-to-club contact to decide about the story on what they want to do. Man United insist to pay £50m + £5m in add-ons. Chelsea still want £65m."

How much do Chelsea want for Mason Mount?

The Chelsea midfielder currently has just one year remaining on his current deal at Stamford Bridge leaving the Blues vulnerable to potentially losing him for free next summer.

And considering the player is believed to be open to a possible departure this summer, the west London side have set their asking price for their homegrown talent.

Indeed, Romano has reported the Blues are now looking for a fee in the region of £60m/£65m for the 24-year-old.

This comes on the back of Mount enduring a fairly underwhelming campaign with the Blues which saw him provide a return of just three goals and two assists in the Premier League (via Transfermarkt).

Perhaps in comparison to the £40m which Tottenham are believed to be paying for Maddison this week, Chelsea's asking price does seem slightly inflated.

The Leicester City man enjoyed a stunning return last season in what was a hugely underperforming side.

Yet, United could be set to pay considerably more for Mount this summer despite the Englishman having a season to forget.

Maybe United missed a trick in not pursing Maddison this summer, however, it seems they are keen to secure a deal for Mount this week.

An update has emerged on Celtic and their business in the summer transfer window as they close in on a second addition…

What's the latest on Marco Tilio to Celtic?

According to the Daily Mail, the Hoops are expected to complete the signing of Melbourne City forward Marco Tilio ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The report claims that the Australian talent will link up with international teammate Aaron Mooy at Parkhead to become Brendan Rodgers' second fresh face, after the arrival of Odin Thiago Holm on a permanent deal from Valerenga last week.

As per the Daily Record, the Scottish giants have already agreed a fee with Melbourne to sign the attacker and personal terms have been thrashed out, which means that the confirmation of the switch is only pending a work permit and documentation.

Where would Marco Tilio fit in at Celtic?

The 21-year-old wizard is a left-footed attacker capable of being deployed on either flank or through the middle as a centre-forward or attacking midfielder, and he could well become Rodgers' own version of Manchester City ace Phil Foden.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig once described Tilio as a "playmaker" and named the England international as a similar type of player in comparison.

Over the last three seasons, Foden racked up 29 goals and 15 assists in 88 Premier League appearances for City, which works out as a goal contribution every two matches on average.

This shows that the left-footed gem, who can play anywhere across the forward line, is capable of being a regular contributor in the final third.

Tilio is a player with the potential to have a similar level of impact for Celtic at the top end of the pitch as a versatile left-sided attacker.

The Melbourne City hotshot plundered ten goals and five assists in 29 A-League outings, which works out as a goal or assist every 1.93 games on average.

These statistics suggest that the 5 foot 7 dynamo – which is the same height as the City gem – is also similar to Foden in style and production on the pitch. Therefore, he could be Rodgers' own version of Pep Guardiola's starlet on the flank in 2023/24.

His form in the A-League also indicates that the young Aussie international could be an excellent addition to Celtic's current squad. Only Jota (11) and Kyogo Furuhashi (27) managed more than ten Scottish Premiership goals while the former was the only winger with more than five assists last term.

Tilio's form for Melbourne indicates that the marksman could come in as one of the manager's most productive forward options out wide, adding another potent goal threat to the team ahead of next season.

Celtic reportedly have an interest in Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay.

What’s the latest Celtic transfer news?

The Hoops look set to back Brendan Rodgers in the transfer market following his return as manager, with up to £30m available to the Northern Irishman over the coming months ahead of the 2023/24 season.

Celtic’s finances were handed a boost after Jota completed a move to Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad in a deal worth £25m.

There have been incomings, though, with two players already through the door in Glasgow. Odin Thiago Holm has arrived from Eliteserien club Valerenga on a five-year contract, and Australian winger Marco Tilio has also penned a five-year deal, signing from Melbourne City.

There could be more to come, though, with Gangwon FC for forward Yang Hyun-jun a firm target and a £2.1m offer seemingly accepted. Former defender Kieran Tierney has been linked with a sensational return to Glasgow, and another Scot in McTominay has also been linked.

Football Scotland have claimed that with McTominay potentially up for sale this summer, Celtic and Rodgers have been listed as an interested party. Former Celtic defender Mark Wilson labelled the player as a “star” for Scotland but admitted that finances over a fee and wages could be an issue over any possible Parkhead move.

“When was the last player you heard who took a wage cut to move? There is very few of them.

"I really like him and for Scotland he has been a star. He has that composure and he has played at a certain level where I think he would fit into the side. It's one, transfer fee and two, the wage – that is what it all comes down to."

Is Scott McTominay leaving Man United?

There could well be a clear-out at Old Trafford this summer, with up to 13 players reportedly up for sale, including McTominay. The central midfielder has progressed through United’s academy and has made 209 senior appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils.

However, he started just 10 Premier League games under Erik ten Hag last season and is out of contract in 2025, so could well be on the move over the coming months.

A move to Celtic has been mooted, although United’s reported £40m asking price could price the Hoops out of a move, especially when you consider their record arrival is Odsonne Edouard at €11.5m.

McTominay could be a shrewd signing for Rodgers and Celtic due to his experience at the highest level alongside his versatility of being able to turn out as a holding or central midfielder and even as a centre-back. But his price tag and £60,000-a-week wage could be a problem, as Wilson mentions, so a transfer could be unlikely.

Jesse March is gone, Javi Gracia is gone, Victor Orta is gone, and more poignantly for Leeds United supporters, Andrea Radrizzani is gone.

In come the 49ers who blessed with their new managerial recruit in Daniel Farke, will hope to bring a great deal more promise to Elland Road.

This is a side that since Marcelo Bielsa's departure have been in steep decline. Two straight relegation battles finally saw them slump back into the second tier.

The hope will be that another dreaded 16 years don't pass by before they find themselves back in the Premier League. Fortunately, they have a promotion specialist in Farke at the wheel.

His first order of business will be to bring in new recruits. He may well start with Liverpool's Nat Phillips, a rumoured £10m target for the Whites, but another new face could be Sam Field.

It was claimed last month that the Yorkshire side are in the race to seal his signature. Sat in the last year of his contract at QPR, any deal is expected to cost around £3m, as per Football Transfers.

How good is Sam Field?

The midfielder seemed to be destined for big things when he broke through at West Brom.

Former teammate and current Wrexham goalkeeper Ben Foster called him "very elegant and classy" all the way back in 2016. Such words are very much apt for Field's performances in the present day too as he emerged as one of the most battle-hardened holding players in the Championship last term.

Via FBref, he ranks incredibly highly compared to his positional peers in the division. Indeed, the 25-year-old sits inside the best 20% for tackles made, 12% for aerials won, 7% for interceptions, 6% for blocks and 3% for clearances.

Field, therefore, is often left to the dirty work in front of the defence. Last term, he only found the net on three occasions, albeit that did help him to double his career tally.

That said, an enormous record of 12 yellow cards paints the best picture of his skill set. He doesn't deliberately seek ill-discipline, but this is a man who knows he'll be tasked with stopping opposition attacks.

Such a style of play sees him draw comparisons with the Yorkshire Pirlo; Kalvin Phillips.

The England midfielder may have won the treble with Manchester City last season but since his move from Elland Road, his stock has fallen a great deal.

He is simply on the periphery at the Etihad but at Leeds, he was quickly writing himself into folklore.

Part of the triumphant team that won promotion under Bielsa, he also posted impressive numbers akin to Field during that campaign.

Leeds undertook a great deal less defending in that term than QPR did last season, conceding just 35 goals to Gareth Ainsworth's side's 71, meaning Phillips was never going to rank as highly as Field.

That said, he still sat in the best 20% of Championship midfielders for tackles, interceptions and aerials won.

If Farke's men are to secure promotion at the first time of asking then securing one of the most dominant holding players in the second tier will no doubt aid their task.

The Whites have got it wrong plenty of times in the transfer market over the last two years; just ask Georginio Rutter, but in Field, they'd be signing a consistent and solid presence. You can't go too far wrong there.

When welcoming a player, leagues or clubs usually put together well-produced announcements, accompanied by classy graphics made by some of the best social media teams around.An announcement, at the very least, should tick two vital boxes, however. Get the player’s name right, and make sure that the picture on your graphic is actually the correct player, and not a former Real Madrid right-back.So, when MLS took to Twitter to welcome Inter Miami signing Sergio Busquets with a picture of Alvaro Arbeloa, you can imagine the awkwardness. The post has since been amended, with the admin of the account even poking fun at themselves, admitting their hilarious mistake.

MLS hilariously get Sergio Busquets announcement wrong

As you can see, the original post features the correct amount of Champions League wins, the correct number of La Liga titles, and, in general, the right number of everything. There’s even a player wearing the Spanish kit, kissing the World Cup trophy. The issue is, that player is not Busquets.

Instead, it is Arbeloa, who is, by contrast, long retired and incredibly unlikely to be stepping foot in MLS any time soon.

After amending the mistake, MLS posted a picture of the two players for Spain, showing their similarities, whilst taking a chance to mock themselves, saying: “Why do arbeloa and busquets look so similar in these. Admin needs new glasses…”

And, they might just have a point. Busquets and Arbeloa, at a first glance, looked incredibly similar at the 2010 World Cup.

How many trophies has Sergio Busquets won in his career?

It’s fair to say that Inter Miami are getting themselves a serial winner in Busquets. The Barcelona legend has won it all for Barcelona and Spain, with a total of 34 trophies to his name for club and country.

The standout silverware has to be the World Cup, however, winning the famous trophy with Spain back in 2010, courtesy of an Andreas Iniesta winner against the Netherlands.

The defensive midfielder’s final trophy at Barcelona may carry significant sentiment, too, however, as Xavi’s side lifted the La Liga title after a fairly dominant campaign.

Now at Inter Miami, Busquets, joined by Lionel Messi, has the task of dragging them from the bottom of MLS right to the very top. Miami have welcomed winners, and will be desperate to reap the rewards.

So, whilst MLS has often been a destination for players at the end of their careers – as is the case with Messi and Busquets – the duo have given themselves quite the final challenge.

If they can transform this Inter Miami side into title winners, then it will only prove once more their ability to win no matter what.

Fans tuning into the league next season will certainly be entertained, that’s for sure, as Tiki Taka takes Miami, in what could be a transformative period for David Beckham’s side. The Manchester United legend has certainly made a statement this summer by welcoming two of the best players of their generation.

However, after this social media blunder from MLS and the recent footage of Messi nearly getting in a car crash in his new home city, it’s not exactly been the smoothest of starts to life in the US for the former Barcelona duo.

An update has emerged on Celtic and their plans to add further reinforcements to the squad ahead of the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership season…

What's the latest Celtic transfer news?

According to Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph, the Hoops have made "initial contact" with Future FC over a possible deal to sign Mohamed Reda during the summer transfer window.

The reporter claims that they are one of a number of clubs across Europe who are interested in signing the 22-year-old central midfielder over the coming weeks.

He also states that the Scottish giants eyeing a potential bid to snap up the Egypt international, who could join the likes of Marco Tilio, Hyun-jun Yang, and Odin Thiago Holm as a new arrivals at Parkhead.

What is Mohamed Reda's style of play?

The talented youngster is an all-action midfielder who has the ability to make an impact at both ends of the pitch, which is illustrated by the fact that the Egyptian dynamo has been deployed in a holding, central, and attacking position in midfield throughout his career.

He could end up being the eventual heir to Reo Hatate at Paradise, as the Japan international has unsurprisingly been linked with a move to Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur to reunite with Ange Postecoglou this summer.

Celtic have become accustomed to losing some of their biggest talents over the years; including the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Kristoffer Ajer, Odsonne Edouard, and Victor Wanyama – to name but a few.

The latest star to depart Glasgow came earlier this month as Jota completed a stunning £25m move to Saudi Arabian outfit Al Ittihad.

This means that the Hoops have to be constantly planning ahead as they are in danger of one of their gems moving on in each transfer window.

Signing Reda now could be a shrewd move by manager Brendan Rodgers as the 22-year-old ace could come in and learn from Hatate before potentially replacing the Japanese hotshot in the future, if the 25-year-old maestro seals a move elsewhere.

This would mean that the club already have a ready-made replacement instead of needing to rush around to sign a new player.

Reda is a dynamic midfielder who has the potential to make an impact in the final third as he produced four goals and four assists in 20 league starts for Future FC last season, which works out as a direct contribution every 2.5 starts on average.

Hatate, meanwhile, produced six goals, which was the most of any central midfielder at the club, to go along with eight assists in 29 Premiership starts, which is an average of one involvement every 2.07 starts.

However, Reda's return is particularly impressive when you consider that his team only scored 34 league goals in total, in comparison to Celtic's staggering 114.

The Future FC gem, who was once described as "really technical" by analyst Ben Griffis, could make a greater impact in attack and replicate or improve upon Hatate's numbers as part of a vastly superior team, which is why he could be a dream heir to Spurs target from an attacking perspective.

Defensively, they performed at a similar level last season. They both made between 1.2 and 1.5 tackles and interceptions combined per match, whilst Reda won more individual duels (4.4) per outing than the Hoops technician (3.6).

These statistics suggest that the potential is there for the Egypt international to be a future heir to Hatate with his ability as a battler in midfield as well as his quality to make consistent contributions in attack.

Manchester United target Andre Onana felt it was "impossible to reject the opportunity to play for Manchester United" and equally impossible to turn down "having a manager like Erik ten Hag" as the two have worked together at Ajax before, per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Andre Onana is joining Manchester United

It's been an interesting summer at Old Trafford so far this year.

The early stages of the transfer window looked fairly bleak for fans of the club as the news was dominated mainly by disappointing updates surrounding the prolonged takeover process with little in the way of transfer news.

However, the completion of the deal to sign Mason Mount from Chelsea last month changed that, as now the club look set to complete the signing of Inter Milan's £47m goalkeeper Onana, and there are reports of the club's interest in Atalanta's exciting youngster Rasmus Hojlund.

The signing of Onana is particularly intriguing, as only a few years ago, he was already playing under Erik ten Hag at Ajax and helping the Dutch giants reach the semi-finals of the Champions League.

This previous relationship and mutual respect made this move to United all the easier for the Cameroonian keeper.

The calls from ten Hag helped convince Onana that he couldn't reject the opportunity to come and play in the Premier League for a club like United, per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

He explained the situation on his YouTube channel, saying:

"Sources feel that for Andre Onana, it was really impossible to say no.

"Andre Onana was really happy at Inter; he had a fantastic season there, he was very happy with the teammates, the manager, the city.

"But then what happened is Erik ten Hag started to call weeks and weeks ago, for Andre Onana, it was impossible to reject the opportunity to play for Manchester United, the opportunity to play in the Premier League, having a manager like Erik ten Hag, who already knows Andre Onana's skills, so it was the perfect match for Andre Onana's dreams and this is why he decided to accept."

What did Andre Onana win under Erik ten Hag at Ajax?

Onana joined the Amsterdam side's youth setup from Barcelona in January 2015 before making his full Eredivisie debut for the senior side a year later against Willem II Tilburg.

It wouldn't be until December 2017 that ten Hag would join the club, bringing immense success and a return to national dominance that was so synonymous with the side.

Despite not winning the league for four years in a row, ten Hag led the club to domestic triumph in each of his three full seasons in Amsterdam, a success that he shared with his new keeper Onana.

It wasn't just league dominance, though, as with both of them at the club, Amsterdam's premier club also won two Dutch Cups and a Dutch Super Cup.

It's clear that ten Hag was grateful for the performances of his then-keeper as he branded him a "masterful goalkeeper" in an interview he gave when he was still Ajax's manager.

The arrival of Onana could be one of the defining transfers of the Erik ten Hag era at United, and if the pair of them can replicate even some of the success they experienced in the Netherlands, then fans of the Red Devils will be in for a brilliant few years.

Liverpool are firmly in contention to sign Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha with pivot Fabinho closing in on a £40m move to Saudi Arabian outfit Al Itihadd.

Is Joao Palhinha leaving Fulham?

According to Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri, the Reds are 'most keen' on the Portugal international as they seek fresh faces to reassemble their midfield.

Tavolieri claims that the Cottagers are seeking in excess of £52m for the ace, with certain sources claiming that a jaw-dropping £90m might even be the requirement to prise him away from Marco Silva's squad.

Reliable source ExWHUEmployee claims that the 28-year-old wants a move to the Hammers, though it's hard to imagine he would turn his head at a move to Anfield if Jurgen Klopp decides to advance negotiations.

Is Joao Palhinha a good player?

Having lost James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to contractual conclusions last month, Klopp might not have wanted to lose such a distinguished star as Fabinho despite the Brazilian's poor performances last season, especially when partnering with captain Jordan Henderson's forthcoming and highly-publicised move to Saudi side Al Ettifaq.

While The Athletic recently posted a report summarising Liverpool's top targets, Palhinha could prove to be the ace best-placed to unlock the full capacity of this talented Liverpool team, it just remains to be seen if a reasonable fee could be negotiated for a player with four years left on his current deal.

The metrics certainly don't do the £50k-per-week gem any harm, with FBref ranking the "machine" – as he has been called by teammate Harrison Reed – among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for tackles, the top 12% for clearances and the top 8% for aerials won per 90.

Completing a £17m transfer to London last summer, Sky Sports reporter James Weir even went as far as to say that he had been "one of the signings of the season" after playing a starring role in Fulham's tenth-placed finish after achieving promotion that term.

It would be ludicrous for Liverpool to not attempt to sign the phenom, especially considering the Anfield side's past success in raiding teams of lesser stature in the Premier League under Klopp's wing.

Of recent years, the prime example is the £41m acquisition of dynamic attacker Diogo Jota from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020, with Palhinha's compatriot harvesting 58 direct contributions from 117 matches since his arrival, winning the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

The 26-year-old has been hailed as a "pressing monster" by Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders and was instrumental in the side's vital late-season purple patch last term, scoring seven goals across the last eight league encounters.

With the Portuguese star making the successful leap to a side capable of challenging for major honours with regularity, perhaps Palhinha can join his countryman and make a marked improvement on the Merseyside club's central midfield.

Liverpool must now act in order to get the Anfield masses cheering again, and with Palhinha's signing, the perfect foundation for Klopp's new-look midfield might just be installed.