Emi Martinez is ready for a “fight” at Aston Villa, with the World Cup winner reiterating his desire to represent Argentina at the 2024 Olympics.

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Landed global title in 2022Back in the hunt for continental crownWants gold medal bid in ParisGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The enigmatic goalkeeper is already part of his country’s plans for the Copa America, as they seek to defend that continental crown, but has previously told of also turning out at international Games in Paris: “As many players have said, if Javier [Mascherano] is available and wants us, we are available. Obviously, the national team comes before the clubs and, if the clubs let us, we always have the power to say that the national team is always ahead. And for us, it is a source of pride. I want to go. There are a lot of guys who want to go.”

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Mascherano has named a 23-man squad for Olympic warm-up matches, but is yet to add overage players to that list. Martinez could be called upon despite the Copa America final being just 10 days prior to the event in France getting underway and the new Premier League season starting a week after the tournament finishes.

GettyWHAT MARTINEZ SAID

Martinez has now told of battling for the right to form part of Argentina’s plans: “I’ve had the possibility to speak with Marche (Mascherano), it is a wish that I want to play, but it doesn’t obviously just depend on myself. The club has blocked me from going lots of times before but I want to play Copa America and to have a little bit more strength at the end of the Copa America to make a decision. I know that I have to fight a little bit more with the club, it’s not 100 per cent done but from my part, it is a wish that I have, that I want to win the Olympics. It’s not obligatory for the club to let a player leave to play in the Olympics, I know that my club has not let any player go, they blocked everyone. A small chance, but I always put the national team in front and if I have to fight a little more with the club, I will, but first is the Copa America. It’s very difficult to fight with the club now because for us, the most important is to win the Copa America. Then comes the Olympics, and it is a personal wish of mine to win the trophy.”

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WHAT NEXT?

Villa, who will be gracing the Champions League in 2023-24 after securing a top-four finish in the Premier League, have already blocked France coach Thierry Henry from selecting Lucas Digne and Moussa Diaby in his squad for a gold medal bid on home soil.

Crystal Palace fans have had to deal with a lot this season.

From humbling defeats to a mounting injury list, there hasn't been a whole lot of joy at Selhurst Park in recent months, but that could soon change.

Crystal Palace's Previous Five Games

Date

Competition

Opponent

Result

January 17th

FA Cup

Everton

1-0 Loss

January 20th

Premier League

Arsenal

5-0 Loss

January 30th

Premier League

Sheffield United

3-2 Win

February 3rd

Premier League

Brighton

4-1 Loss

February 12th

Premier League

Chelsea

3-1 Loss

All Stats via Sky Sports

It was reported earlier this week that Roy Hodgson was set to be replaced by the highly-rated Austrian Oliver Glasner.

The 49-year-old has managed in his home country and Germany with Wolfsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt, winning the Europa League with the latter in 2022.

The progressive coach will likely bring some fire back to Palace, and while it'll take time, he could be the right man to bring European football to Selhurst Park.

With that in mind, let's take a look at what his dream XI could be for the start of next season.

Now, as that would only give him one transfer window in which to recruit, it's unlikely he'll get enough players in to play his favoured 3-4-2-1 formation, and he'll likely stick to the 4-3-3, at least until he gets a couple of windows under his belt.

1 GK – Dean Henderson

Starting between the sticks then, as all teams do, it would be a real surprise to see Dean Henderson lose his place over the summer.

Since recovering from his hamstring injury, the former Manchester United shot-stopper has started the last eight Premier League games.

Glasner will likely give the 26-year-old at least one full season to prove he's the best long-term option for the club.

2 RB – Daniel Munoz

Keeping his place at right-back will be new boy Daniel Munoz.

The Colombian full-back has had a rough introduction to English football in the last couple of weeks, with defeats to Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea.

However, his reasonable return of seven goals and two assists in 29 games in Belgium earlier this season will likely give him a grace period under the forward-thinking Glasner.

3 CB – Trevoh Chalobah

The first change to the XI comes at centre-back as Chelsea youth product Trevoh Chalobah – who was linked to the club for £35m last month – steps in for Joachim Anderson.

This will likely be a controversial choice, but his inclusion does not mean the end for Anderson, as this is likely a spot the pair will share and battle over.

Moreover, Chalobah's ability to play as a defensive midfielder will give the Austrian options, and when he can finally move into a back three, there is no reason Chalobah and Anderson couldn't play together.

4 CB – Marc Guéhi

The other centre-back choice in this XI is an easy and obvious one, Marc Guehi.

The 23-year-old has played 92% of league games this season, has nine senior caps for England and averaged a match rating of 6.81, per FOTMOB.

The 6 foot defender has also been the club's youngest captain in a decade, so his place in the team seems secure, lest he secure a transfer away in the summer.

5 LB – Tyrick Mitchell

Keeping his place at left-back, at least for the first season under the Austrian, is Tyrick Mitchell.

The 24-year-old Englishman has started 96% of the team's league games this season, and while he might not be the most exciting full-back going, he's reliable and does a job.

6 DM – Jefferson Lerma

The first midfielder in Glasner's team is 29-year-old Jefferson Lerma.

The Colombian international joined the Eagles in the summer after his contract with Bournemouth expired and has been regular in the team since, starting 79% of Premier League games this campaign.

However, with FBref ranking him in just the top 20% of midfielders in Europe's top five leagues for clearances, the top 26% for interceptions, the bottom 41% for passing accuracy and the bottom 12% for tackles per 90, he might not survive past the first season.

7 CM – Adam Wharton

Starting just ahead of Lerma next season could be recent signing, Adam Wharton.

The young Englishman arrived at Selhurst Park with a lot of hype around him, with talent scout Jacek Kulig describing him as "one of the most exciting English U-19 talents around" in the summer and "a quality and complete midfielder" to boot.

He arrived in South London off the back of 29 appearances for Blackburn Rovers this season, scoring two goals and providing three assists from a deeper position on the pitch.

His ability to play anywhere from attacking to defensive midfield will surely go down well with his new Austrian manager, and with the expectation on his head, he could explode next year.

8 CM – Eberechi Eze

Starting just ahead of Wharton will be one of Palace's – if not the league's – most exciting players, Eberechi Eze.

The former Queens Park Rangers gem has only been able to make 20 appearances for the Eagles this season due to injury, but he has still scored five goals and provided three assists in that time.

If Glasner can implement his 3-4-2-1 in South London, Eze's dynamic style of play could see him fit perfectly in one of the two attacking midfield roles.

9 RW – Michael Olise

Starting on the right next season will hopefully be Michael Olise, injuries allowing, that is.

The former Chelsea youth product has been electric when on the pitch, and has racked up six goals and three assists in just 755 minutes of Premier League action this season.

The only question over his long-term suitability under the former Frankfurt manager is if he can adjust his game somewhat to fit his favoured formation in the long term. However, given his quality, that seems like a problem that can be solved.

10 LW – Jack Clarke

Starting on the opposite flank to Olise could be the dazzling Sunderland gem, Jack Clarke, who was heavily touted for a move to the side in January for a fee of around £20m.

If the south Londoners can, they should try to sign him again in the summer, as in 34 appearances for the Black Cats this season, he has scored 14 goals and provided four assists.

The young "diamond", as former manager Tony Mowbray dubbed him, could even be the club's long-term heir to Wilfried Zaha, another exciting, goalscoring left-winger.

Lastly, the 23-year-old's positional versatility would be another significant boost as he could play in both a 4-3-3 and a 3-4-2-1 formation.

Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman has not come to terms with Xavi Simons' disallowed goal against France.

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Koeman left frustrated with Simons' disallowed goalVan Dijk questioned the referee's decisionThe Dutch will next face Austria on TuesdayWHAT HAPPENED?

European giants, France and Netherlands played out a boring goalless draw on Friday in their second group game of Euro 2024. The only talking point from the dull game was a controversially disallowed goal of Xavi Simons around the 70th-minute mark, which according to manager Koeman should have been allowed.

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Speaking to reporters after the game, the former Barcelona coach said, "I think the position of Dumfries is offside but he isn't disturbing the goalkeeper. When that happens it is a legal goal in my opinion. Also, you need five minutes to check it? I don't understand this."

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Liverpool star and Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk also backed his coach's claim as he felt Simons' goal was a fair one. Speaking to Euro 2024's official media channel, he said, "We scored a goal that is a fair goal. He had no chance to get into that corner. But yeah, the English referee decided not to give it."

Premier League referees Anthony Taylor and Stuart Attwell, who ruled out the strike, were savagely trolled on social media for their controversial decision which did not go down well with fans online.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR NETHERLANDS?

Koeman's side could seal a knockout berth on Tuesday if they manage to beat Austria in their final group game.

USMNT star Christian Pulisic has been cosying up with golfer Alexa Melton on a yacht and jet ski as romance rumours intensify.

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• Milan forward on international duty
• Has been relaxing away from the field
• Enjoying time with fellow sports star

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The AC Milan forward is back in his homeland ahead of the 2024 Copa America. Having taken the armband for warm-up fixtures ahead of that event, there is every chance that Pulisic will be captaining his country at a major international tournament.

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  For now, Pulisic has been making the most of any free time between games. Shortly after returning to the States, the 25-year-old made a point of attending the US Women’s Open in his native Pennsylvania – giving him an opportunity to meet up with LPGA rookie Melton.

  Instagram

• THE GOSSIP

  Pulisic and Melton have continued to enjoy one another’s company since then, suggesting that they are now more than friends. Melton was in attendance as Pulisic and fellow USMNT stars hosted a training session for youngsters at the Pulisic Stomping Ground in Miami.

  Instagram

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Melton has now revealed in a series of pictures posted on social media that she has also been relaxing on the water with Pulisic by her side, with the pair squeezing onto a jet ski at one stage as opportunities to relax and unwind away from the pressures of their day jobs are embraced.

Lord’s will transform from a smattering of egg-and-bacon into a sea of red on the second day of the second Ashes Test – on August 15 – in a show of support for the Ruth Strauss Foundation, set up this year as a tribute to former England captain Andrew Strauss’ late wife, who died after a battle with a rare form of lung cancer.The move will see the players of the two teams wear red caps and red stumps being used, with fans in attendance encouraged to wear red. It’s an almost direct parallel to Pink Stumps Day at the SCG in honour of the Jane McGrath Foundation.”The one huge opportunity you have as an ex-cricketer is to use that platform to raise awareness for what you’re trying to do,” Strauss, who served as ECB’s director of cricket after finishing up as a cricketer, said. “As soon as you go down that train of thought you think about the incredible work the McGrath Foundation has done in Sydney, and you think is that possible to replicate in this country.”I’ve played all my cricket here [for Middlesex] at Lord’s, and it’s an Ashes Test – you just think ‘wow, if the MCC are willing and able to make this happen, are willing to support it, we can put this together’.”Strauss said he had been “blown away” by “the incredible wave of support from the cricket family and fraternity” since his wife’s passing on December 29 last year.”This is the embodiment of that,” he said. “Doors have been opened that usually wouldn’t be opened and everyone’s said, ‘yeah, let’s do it, let’s make it a special day’.”I’m hopeful that it’s going to be a successful day for the foundation and a great spectacle – an addition to what’s going on on the pitch – it’s an incredibly important game and incredibly important day.”Strauss met his wife-to-be in a Sydney bar in 1998 while playing grade cricket during the winter, and were married five years later. Ruth, a non-smoker, was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2017, and Strauss stepped away his job as England team director to care for her at the time, though he formally resigned only in October 2018.Strauss played in one of the earliest Pink Tests in the 2010-11 Ashes, which England won to seal the series 3-1.”My recollection of the Pink Test was how keen all the players were to support Glenn McGrath and support him, and what the charity was doing,” he recalled. “It added an extra dimension to the Test match and maybe a moment to pause and reflect and go ‘it’s an Ashes series, we’re all at each other’s throats and desperately want to win, but in the greater scheme of things there’s more important things out there’.”I loved the day, I thought they did it brilliantly, and I loved the way the Australian public connected and bought into that as a concept.”McGrath and Strauss have been in regular discussion about the personal aspect of dealing with grief while in the public eye, as well as the day itself. “He’s a great man,” Strauss said, “and it’s incredible to see how successful that foundation has been in Australia.”Strauss has spoken publicly about dealing with grief in a handful of newspaper interviews, and the effect Ruth’s passing has had on his two sons, Sam and Luca.The World Cup final on Sunday coincided with Luca’s 11th birthday, and Strauss said that it had been a bittersweet moment. “Time has passed by so quickly,” he said. “It’s been so incredibly busy for me and the boys – a lot of distraction there which has been great, but there are touch points where it really hits you.”Sunday was an incredible day for him to come and watch the World Cup final and how it unfolded, but the night before and the mornings were moments where it hit you that there were three of us there rather than four. Grief is not something that dies overnight – it hits you forever, but it evolves and changes.”

MatériaMais Notícias

O trabalho de Abel Ferreira no Palmeiras é baseado no “todos somos um”, no qual o protagonismo da equipe é maior do que as individualidades e, quando o assunto é final, isso se faz presente no elenco. O Alviverde disputa a Supercopa do Brasil contra o Flamengo neste domingo (11), às 11h (horário de Brasília) no Mané Garrincha.

Em competições decisivas, somente atletas diferentes marcaram em finais. Ainda com Vanderlei Luxemburgo, Luiz Adriano marcou no 1 a 1 contra o Corinthians, na volta da final do Paulista. Nos pênaltis, Weverton e Patrick de Paula garantiram a conquista depois de 12 anos.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasEXCLUSIVO: Gabriel Menino fala sobre temporada, futuro e pressão de ser um dos melhores do PalmeirasPalmeiras10/04/2021PalmeirasAbel Ferreira, sobre escalação do Palmeiras contra Flamengo: ‘Uma equipe personalizada, de caráter’Palmeiras10/04/2021PalmeirasFelipe Melo nega rivalidade entre Palmeiras e Flamengo: ‘Os nossos estão em São Paulo’Palmeiras10/04/2021

>> Sorteio dos grupos da Libertadores rende memes na web; Corinthians e Flu foram os principais alvos

Já com o comandante português, o Palmeiras teve um herói improvável no bicampeonato da Copa Libertadores. Breno Lopes entrou no segundo tempo e, nos acréscimos, garantiu a vitória no estádio do Maracanã. O atacante tinha recém-chegado ao clube após negociação com o Juventude.

Na Copa do Brasil, outros três atletas diferentes marcaram nos triunfos em Porto Alegre e Allianz Parque. Na Arena do Grêmio, Gustavo Gómez usou a cabeça para garantir a vantagem pelo placar mínimo. Na volta, as Crias da Academia ratificaram o quarto título da competição com os gols de Wesley e Gabriel Menino.

Na última quarta-feira (7), dois novos jogadores apareceram para garantir a vitória no jogo de ida da Recopa Sul-Americana contra o Defensa y Justicia, na Argentina: Rony e Gustavo Scarpa. O segundo confronto acontece também em Brasília, no próximo dia 14 (quarta-feira).

Com a mentalidade do “todos somos um”, o Palmeiras está na Capital Federal para buscar dois títulos inéditos e o caminho das decisões está aberto para novas histórias.

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Former Chelsea star Gus Poyet has given his take on the Blues season so far and picked two players who are having a "real impact" at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea finally clicking in attack

After coming in over the summer, Mauricio Pochettino was backed by Todd Boehly and the Blues board with a number of new faces arriving ahead of his first Premier League campaign with Chelsea. Several of those were in attack, but it's only recently the Blues have kicked it up a notch in the final third, scoring 16 times across their last six games in all competitions.

Chelsea summer signings

Axel Disasi (Monaco)

£38.5m

Nicolas Jackson (Villarreal)

£30.1m

Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig)

£52m

Kendry Paez (Independiente del Valle)

£17.27m

Robert Sanchez (Brighton)

£25m

Moises Caicedo (Brighton)

£115m

Lesley Ugochukwu (Rennes)

£23.5m

Angelo Gabriel (Santos)

Undisclosed

Alex Matos (Norwich)

Undisclosed

Diego Moreira (Benfica)

Undisclosed

Ishe Samuels-Smith (Everton)

Undisclosed

Dujuan Richards (Phoenix All Stars Academy)

Undisclosed

Romeo Lavia (Southampton)

£58m

Deivid Washington (Santos)

£17.1m

Djordje Petrovic (New England Revolution)

£14m

Cole Palmer (Manchester City)

£42.5m

All fees courtesy of Sky Sports

The likes of Cole Palmer and Raheem Sterling have been regulars for Chelsea during the current campaign and both helped the club overturn a first-leg deficit against Middlesbrough in the EFL Cup semi-final. The Blues ran out 6-1 winners on the night, with Sterling and Palmer both registering goal contributions as Chelsea booked their place at Wembley.

It hasn’t been so positive in the Premier League, though, with a number of defeats leaving Chelsea with plenty to do if they are to finish in the top four. When it comes to individual performances in the league, two of the top Chelsea players so far this season, as per WhoScored, have indeed been Palmer and Sterling, and they have caught the eye of Poyet.

Poyet picks out Chelsea's top players

Speaking to Football FanCast on behalf of William Hill, Poyet feels there have been signs of improvement under Pochettino and highlighted Palmer and Sterling as two players who are leading the charge.

"Looking at Chelsea though, we are seeing signs of improvement. I think Palmer is now having a real impact in the team and I think Sterling, under the circumstances, is having a very good season.

"With Reece James and Ben Chilwell being injured, this is difficult for the coach, but consistency is the key for a team if they want to achieve success."

So far this season in the Premier League, no Chelsea player has scored more goals than Palmer (9), or provided more assists (4) than the 21-year-old. His move from Manchester City is looking like a shrewd piece of business, despite the player even admitting the plan wasn’t initially to leave the Etihad on a permanent deal over the summer.

Meanwhile, Sterling has contributed to 15 goals in all competitions this season, already more than his total tally during his first season at Stamford Bridge. The two attackers could therefore be crucial over the coming months if Chelsea are to lift the EFL Cup and climb up the Premier League table under Pochettino.

أكد روجيرو ميكالي المدير الفني لـ منتخب مصر للشباب مواليد 2005، لـ مسؤولي اتحاد الكرة على ضرورة تكثيف مجهوداتهم لـ استضافة بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا المقبلة.

ومن المقرر أن تقام بطولة كأس الأمم الإفريقية للشباب المقبلة خلال شهر فبراير 2025 المقبل.

ووقع اتحاد الكرة المصري برئاسة جمال علام، عقود تدريب منتخب مصر للشباب مع المدرب البرازيلي روجيرو ميكالي، ليقود الفراعنة في الفترة القادمة استعدادًا لـ أولمبياد لوس أنجلوس 2028.

طالع | وزير الرياضة: استمرار ميكالي استثمار للكرة المصرية.. ويوجه طلباً إلى اتحاد الكرة

وعلم “بطولات”، أن ميكالي أكد لمسؤولي اتحاد الكرة، أن مسألة التأهل من التصفيات المقرر إقامتها في نوفمبر بتونس، غير مضمونة، في ظل استعداد المنتخبات المنافسة بالشكل الأمثل، خاصة وأن في حالة استضافة دولة من خارج شمال أفريقيا لأمم أفريقيا، سيتأهل منتخب واحد من التصفيات، وهو ما يصعب من مأمورية مصر.

ويرى ميكالي أن مصر طالما لديها فرصة لاستضافة البطولة أن تعمل على ذلك، من أجل خوض منتخب مصر التصفيات بأعصاب هادئة، ويكون هناك فرصة قوية للمنافسة على البطولة عندما تقام في الملاعب المصرية.

يذكر، أن روجيرو ميكالي كان مديرًا فنياً لمنتخب مصر الأولمبي في الفترة الأخيرة، وقاد الفراعنة إلى احتلال المركز الرابع في أولمبياد باريس 2024.

Will the Chahar brothers play together? Will West Indies bat Hetmyer higher up? As such, the match is a dead rubber

Varun Shetty05-Aug-20195:58

Dasgupta: India can afford to rest both Rohit, Kohli

Big PictureWith lightning scares, and the possibility of any series result other than India’s win out of the way, the teams move to Guyana, in the northern mainland of South America for the third and final T20I. Neither team looked keen on making changes during the second match on Sunday, but that will likely change.While next year’s World Cup – 14 months away – is probably still not the focus, West Indies captain Carlos Brathwaite did hint towards long-term planning, and as such may be looking to bring even more young talent into the fray before they move to the next series. West Indies have made one change to their squad going into this third match, with the big-hitting Fabian Allen replacing left-arm spin-bowling allrounder Khary Pierre.* There is also a five-match losing streak to snap for West Indies.For India, there is the chance to reward some of IPL’s most consistent players in what is essentially a dead rubber. In a system brimming with competition for places, they will not find a more convenient time.Form guideWest Indies LLLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
India WWLLLIn the spotlightShimron Hetmyer batted at No. 5 for a duck in the first game, and came in at No. 6 before the players went off in the second. At home in Guyana, West Indies could look to push him higher up the order and have the kind of impact he had in the limited-overs leg of the India tour last year. They’ve had two different No. 4s in the first two games, so it is not out of the question.India will be impressed by Krunal Pandya’s integration into the senior team. The last four series he’s played in have all been in different countries and he’s produced notable performances in each of those. However, even within that small sample size, he’s shown the tendency to follow up good performances with middling ones. With the form he showed with both bat and ball on Sunday, he has the opportunity to close out the series on a high.Team newsWest Indies will be fairly happy with their bowling performances over the two matches, and the batting improved vastly from the sub-100 effort in the first match. They’ll be tempted to name a few changes in the top order to build on that.West Indies (probable): 1 John Campbell/Evin Lewis, 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Nicholas Pooran/Anthony Bramble (wk), 4 Shimron Hetmyer, 5 Kieron Pollard, 6 Rovman Powell, 7 Carlos Brathwaite (capt), 8 Fabian Allen, 9 Keemo Paul, 10 Sheldon Cottrell, 11 Oshane ThomasIndia could bring all four of their benched players in and still put out a competitive squad. They are yet to play Rahul Chahar, the only wristspinner in the squad, and Shreyas Iyer, who has long been knocking on the doors.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Shikhar Dhawan/KL Rahul, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Rishabh Pant (wk), 5 Manish Pandey/Shreyas Iyer, 6 Krunal Pandya, 7 Ravindra Jadeja/Washington Sundar, 8 Deepak Chahar/Navdeep Saini, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Khaleel Ahmed, 11 Rahul ChaharPitch and conditions
Thunderstorms are forecast in Georgetown, Guyana just before start of play. So not much changes in terms of potential sluggishness in the pitch – they got it in Florida, and they could get it again on Tuesday.Stats and trivia Having won five of their first seven completed T20I matches against India, West Indies have failed to win in the last five – dating back to July 2017Rishabh Pant hasn’t made a limited-overs fifty for India across formats in his last six innings

Aston Villa have thus far seen two bids rejected for Middlesbrough forward Morgan Rogers, with the Championship side apparently adamant that he won't leave for less than his valuation. There has been a sense that this could become a saga as we approach deadline day on 1 February.

Villa intend to keep pushing for Rogers even in the face of Middlesbrough's resistance, because Unai Emery is determined to land the player and make him the big signing of the January transfer window after the deal for Red Star Belgrade's Kosta Nedeljkovic, who has returned to Serbia on loan for the remainder of the season.

Speaking after his side was thrashed 6-1 by Chelsea in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semifinal on Tuesday night, Boro manager Michael Carrick was tight-lipped on Rogers' future, telling the press that "he's our player for the minute". Based on the latest update, though, that may not be the case for much longer.

Villa can now accelerate towards Rogers deal

According to Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke, Villa could now sign Rogers for a fee between £10m and £12m. Middlesbrough wanted to ensure he was available for the trip to Stamford Bridge, but Emery's side are now expected to "step up the negotiation process".

Rogers' former club Manchester City are due a "big sell-on clause", and that's part of the reason Boro have been so rigid, but Villa know how much it will take to get a deal done. The Englishman is expected to be the final signing of the window at Villa Park, barring any "significant outgoings" in the next week or so.

Rogers produces strong audition against Chelsea

While Rogers and Boro were on the end of a hiding in West London on Tuesday, he was one of the few players who could hold his head high as he left the field. He scored a consolation goal for the visitors in the final minutes of the match, picking up the ball on the left wing, dribbling infield, cutting inside Axel Disasi and then whipping the ball low into the far corner beyond Djordje Petrovic.

While he won't have the chance to extend his tally in the final as he would have dreamed, Rogers is now in with a real shot of finishing as the competition's top scorer after moving clear of Liverpool's Cody Gakpo with his fifth strike of the competition. Gakpo and the Reds are in action against Fulham in the other semifinal on Wednesday night.

In a game where Middlesbrough recorded just 38% possession, Rogers worked tirelessly off the ball – he contested more ground duels (16) than anybody else in his team, and he also won two tackles. One journalist, James Benge, said he looked "Premier League ready" against Mauricio Pochettino's men and called his goal "gorgeous", while another, Simon Johnson, declared that Boro's asking price had "just gone up" after he found the net.

One thing's for sure – Tuesday's game will only have strengthened Villa's desire to get this deal done before time runs out.