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Manchester City have been linked with both Pedro Neto and Jack Grealish in recent months but who would be the better addition to Pep Guardiola’s side?

Jack Grealish

According to the Daily Mail, City are favourites to sign the £100 million-rated Aston Villa captain this summer after his hugely impressive performances in Dean Smith’s side so far this season.

The 25-year-old has contributed six goals and 10 assists in 22 top-flight appearances so far this season, averaging a superb 7.73 rating – which sees him ranked as the second-best performer in the whole of the Premier League.

His performances over the past two seasons in the top-flight have seen him called up to the England squad, and after making his debut in September 2020, he has now earned five caps under Gareth Southgate.

Although there is no doubting his quality, Villa would undoubtedly demand a huge fee for Grealish, especially after he signed a new five-year contract with the Birmingham-based club ahead of the season.

Pedro Neto

According to journalist Duncan Castles on the Transfer Window podcast, both Manchester City and Manchester United are considering a move for the 21-year-old this summer after his excellent performances for Wolves.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have struggled in the absence of Raul Jimenez this season but have been aided by the excellent performances of Neto, who has contributed five goals and five assists in 29 appearances, resulting in an impressive 7.13 average rating.

The Portuguese international is now rated at £31.5 million by Transfermarkt, although with his Wolves contract running until 2025, you would perhaps expect the Old Gold to also demand a hefty fee for the former Lazio man.

Pundit Adrian Clarke certainly rates the winger highly, as he sang his praises earlier in the season, saying:

“I love Neto. I think Neto is destined to be a Champions League player in the not too distant future. I think they’ll do really well to hang on to him. You forget how young he is. He’s brilliant.”

Who would be the best option?

Although Grealish has arguably been the better performer this season and has the advantage of being homegrown, we feel that Neto would be the better long-term signing in Guardiola’s side as he is younger, would presumably cost less and possesses more pace than the Villa captain, so would be more useful as a counter-attacking winger at City in the mould of Leroy Sane or Raheem Sterling.

Therefore, Txiki Begiristain should consider bringing the Wolves man to the Etihad this summer, as it seems that he is destined for the top and he could become world-class under Guardiola.

And, in other news… Pep set for huge boost with “incredible” £90m-rated gem amid Romano claim

Wolves have joined the race to sign Valencia star Goncalo Guedes, according to reports.

Mendes the key

The 24-year-old has recently been linked with a move to West Ham United after the La Liga club’s owner Peter Lim withdrew his funding from the financially deprived Los Murciélagos.

Guedes, who takes home a comfortable pay packet of £101k-per-week at the Mestalla Stadium, has only scored two goals and provided one assist from 19 appearances this season, picking up two man-of-the-match awards in the process (Whoscored).

Football Insider revealed that Wolves have the attacking midfielder securely in their sightings as part of Nuno Espirito Santo’s list of potential signings this summer.

The report added that Guedes is on the books of superagent Jorge Mendes and his Gestifute agency, which could play a key role in the move to the West Midlands being completed.

Transfer Tavern Verdict

On paper, this appears to be a signing that they can compete at a bargain rate considering the current goings-on at Valencia.

The problem that Wolves may have is convincing the player to join at a decreased salary. On his current wage, Guedes would automatically be Wolves’ highest earner which may disgruntle some current first-team figures.

Time will tell whether Mendes can flex his negotiating muscles and influence the Portuguese attacker to make the move to England.

In other news, Wolves fans left irritated by ‘obvious’ call by Nuno Espirito Santo.

Despite having seemingly secured their Premier League status with Saturday’s 1-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion, Crystal Palace’s immediate future seems somewhat precarious.

The reason for that huge uncertainty is because a number of contracts, including manager Roy Hodgson’s, are winding down at Selhurst Park.

One of those players who could depart at the end of the campaign is veteran defender Gary Cahill, whose £65k per week deal is set to expire.

With the former Chelsea centre-back suggesting he is “relaxed” about his future, the Eagles have to employ some urgency and commit him to a new contract.

Since arriving at Selhurst Park ahead of the 2019/20 campaign, Cahill has been one of the first names on the Crystal Palace teamsheet. He has played 41 matches for the club, usually being selected alongside either Cheikhou Kouyate, Mamadou Sakho, James Tomkins or Scott Dann.

His huge Premier League experience has evidently come in massively useful as Palace attempt to steer themselves away from relegation each campaign.

Even Eagles boss Roy Hodgson seems like he would be loathed to lose Cahill come the end of the season, labelling the defender as the “best type of leader”.

It seems baffling then that they would cut adrift a player with such knowledge of the division.

With both Sakho and Dann also out of contract at the end of the campaign, letting Cahill also go would really restrict Palace’s options at centre-back.

That would surely lead the club into the transfer market, where they’d likely end up spending a considerable fee on another option when they already had one at the club.

In order to overcome the precarious position that they find themselves in, it is key that Palace agree a new deal with Cahill sooner rather than later. They will need to sign replacements for Sakho and Dann, having to sign three centre-backs in one summer would be a huge challenge, one Palace could do without.

AND in more news, read more on why it would be hugely damaging for Palace to sell one of their current stars…

According to The Sun’s Alan Nixon, Crystal Palace are reportedly eyeing up a move for Stoke City starlet Nathan Collins.

What’s the word?

The Eagles have no fewer than eighteen players set to be out of contract in the summer, including defenders Gary Cahill, 35, and Scott Dann, 33, with several new start needed to come in ahead of their potential departures.

And now, The Sun claims Palace are scouting Stoke’s Collins, but that they face stiff competition from Premier League rivals Arsenal and Burnley.

The report adds that Burnley are lining up a £10m bid for the 19-year-old, who has been heavily linked with a bet365 Stadium exit.

Palace’s next Scott Dann?

Described as “very composed” by James McClean, Collins is a throwback to the traditional centre-back, possessing fine positional sense and awareness.

One of his other club-mates, Joe Allen, was also effusive in his praise for his younger teammate, saying: “There’s a lot of work to be put in and a long way for him to go, but I hope to see him in the Premier League one day. Hopefully with Stoke. He’s certainly got the tools for it — technically, and also in terms of his personality.”

And this level of maturity was clearly on display during his defensive shift in Stoke’s 2-1 defeat to Watford. Whilst he ended up on the wrong side, he held his own for the majority of the game.

As per SofaScore, the £1m-rated colossus made two tackles and three interceptions which was the joint-highest amount of any player for Michael O’Neill’s side, whilst he also took a game-high 98 touches of the ball as he looked comfortable at the back and confident in possession.

He kept Palace’s long-term target Ismaila Sarr in his back pocket for most of the game, as Sarr could only win four duels from 12 attempts as the teenager did his best to nullify the threat on the right-hand side of the pitch.

Despite his age, Collins clearly has an experienced head on his young shoulders, having made 44 appearances for the Potters across all competitions, and he is probably the closest thing Palace could have to the next Scott Dann, who has never been shown a card of any kind over the course of his career so far.

If Steve Parish can get a deal over the line, he could turn out to be a shrewd investment at Selhurst Park.

AND in other news, Crystal Palace target Jordan Amavi would provide ideal left-back cover and competition…

Reports by Il Milanista earlier this week claimed that AC Milan are now pushing to sign Celtic prospect Vincent Angelini, but Marcel Brands can unearth Everton’s long-term heir to Robin Olsen by beating competition from the Serie A heavyweight.

The Rossoneri are thought to have begun targeting the 17-year-old goalkeeper as club chiefs Paolo Maldini and Frederic Massara plot to future proof the San Siro outfit amid a stand-off in discussions to retain Gianluigi Donnarumma with a new contract.

Everton were credited with interest in Angelini earlier in the month by TuttoMercatoWEB, who claimed that the Blues, as well as Southampton, Manchester United plus Italian duo SS Lazio and Atalanta BC, had already made contact to discuss the possibility of the youngster departing Parkhead.

Angelini is out of contract in the summer and now believed to have informed the Celtic hierarchy that he will not be putting pen to paper on a new deal, in a boost to Milan’s hopes of signing the highly-rated talent who won the Goalkeeper of the Tournament award at the prestigious Marc Overmars Tournament in Holland earlier in his career.

Maldini and Massara do not consider Angelini as an instant replacement for Donnarumma but instead consider the Celtic product a player they can nurture behind the Italy international, who they are confident of retaining for at least another season.

Super-agent Mino Raiola is said to be pushing the Rossoneri to offer Donnarumma a €4m (£3.5m) pay rise to his current €6m-a-year deal (£101k-p/w), but has so far only seen the Serie A outfit table €8m-a-year (£135k-p/w) terms.

Everton could be met with an even greater hurdle than Milan’s interest in efforts to sign Angelini, as well, as TMW added that the teenager would like to enjoy a taste of the Italian game in the homeland of his father should he leave Celtic.

But the Toffees’ Director Football Brands should be pushing Angelini to accept a move to Goodison Park at the end of the season, in the same manner that he successfully oversaw with Niels Nkounkou’s move last summer following his release by Olympique de Marseille.

Angelini could prove to be the Blues’ long-term heir to Olsen, who has admitted that he would like to stay at Goodison Park beyond his season-long loan from AS Roma and who Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed he intends to sign in the next off-season.

Yet 6 ft 5 man Olsen is not perfect, as his performance against Manchester United on Saturday proved, when his errors in goals scored by Bruno Fernandes and Scott McTominay were questioned.

“There were mistakes there. But the thing is, when he played against Leeds, he showed quality. Against Manchester United, you then see why he’s a number two,” Noel Whelan told Football Insider. “That’s the problem for Everton at the moment: you’ve got an England number one who makes mistakes [in Jordan Pickford] and you’ve got a number two who’s shown real frailty, as well.”

Angelini would not be expected to contend for the starting gig immediately if he were signed, having yet made his senior debut and still only being a part of Celtic’s Under 17s.

So, Everton could strive to nurture his progress in the same way that Milan hope and then, one day, replace Olsen with a view to eventually seeing Angelini succeed Pickford, too.

AND in other news, Everton have been tipped to sign a £2m-rated veteran this summer after a 2020 deal collapsed…

Roy Hodgson must encourage Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish to sign Jean-Ricner Bellegarde from Strasbourg amid interest from West Ham United.

What’s the word?

According to Foot Mercato, Hodgson wants to strengthen his midfield in the winter transfer market whilst the club currently are exploring several options including Derby County wonderkid Jason Knight and Fenerbahce midfielder Ozan Tufan.

And it’s now been revealed Palace are reportedly eyeing up a move for Bellegarde and have already reached out to his representatives.

However, they will face stiff competition for his signature, as West Ham are also keen on landing the 5 ft 5 in speed demon in the January transfer window, who has previously been described as a powerhouse by Ghana Soccer.

Imagine Bellegarde and Eberechi Eze

Bellegarde was heavily linked with the La Meinau exit in the summer, as he had attracted interest from a host of top European clubs, including Serie A giants Fiorentina. But a move failed to materialise in the end and he ended up staying with Strasbourg instead.

The £3.6m-rated 22-year-old joined the Ligue 1 club from RC Lens for a reported €2m fee (£1.8m) in 2019. Since then, he has provided one goal and one assist in 46 appearances across all competitions for Thierry Laurey’s side, via Transfermarkt.

The box-to-box midfielder primarily plays in a deep-lying role but has demonstrated on occasion that he has the capacity to roam further forward, having bagged seven goals and five assists during his time at RC Lens.

With James McCarthy tipped to leave Selhurst Park, Hodgson will be well aware he will need to find a suitable replacement sooner rather than later.

And Bellegarde is arguably the calibre of player who could be the perfect fit for Palace – in 16 top-flight appearances this season, the defensive-minded midfielder is averaging 1.8 tackles per game, via WhoScored.

WhoScored lists his strong tackling as one of his main strengths, which suggests that he doesn’t shy away from a tackle (or two). He’s also averaging 24.6 passes per game (82%), showing he is comfortable at the back and confident on the ball. Just imagine him linking up with new summer recruit Eberechi Eze – it almost doesn’t bear thinking about.

Parish needs to start providing the Palace boss with the right kind of recruitment, namely bringing in fresher, younger players with a bright future ahead of them, and Bellegarde ticks all of the aforementioned boxes. Get it done, Eagles, before it’s too late.

AND in other news, Crystal Palace must avoid signing Newcastle defender Ciaran Clark at all costs…

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to bounce back from their midweek heartache later this afternoon as they head to rock-bottom Sheffield United in the Premier League.

It was the same old problem for Jose Mourinho as his Spurs dropped points when holding 1-0 lead once again, something we’ve seen in games against Newcastle, Palace and Wolves.

Spurs did have plenty of chances to double their lead as Heung-min Son missed a whopping four big chances, and he was also found offside when Sergio Reguilon fired home in the second half.

Mourinho made a surprising call in starting central midfielder Moussa Sissoko at right-wing and that experiment ultimately failed.

The 31-year-old is just not cut out for an attacking role like that – per SofaScore, he managed to win only six of 14 duels (42.9%), lost possession 13 times, was dribbled past three times, and was graded a disappointing 6.6.

That meant he ranked as Spurs’ fourth-worst player whilst only two other members of the squad lost more duels. He was simply wasteful and ineffective.

But that’s hardly a surprise given he’s an ageing midfielder who has averaged a shocking 0.1 key passes and 0.1 shots per game in the Premier League this term.

Why Mourinho thought he could offer anything in attack is surprising when looking at those figures. They only prove his inefficiency. He’s either got to start further back or not at all, which is why a ruthless decision must be made against the Blades tomorrow.

The Frenchman, signed for £30m by Mauricio Pochettino, ought to be axed for an actual winger as both Lucas Moura and Erik Lamela were on the bench against Fulham.

Once dubbed “remarkable” by Arsene Wenger and compared to Steven Gerrard by Kevin Phillips, the £80k-per-week Sissoko clearly still has a lot to offer but neither of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg or Harry Winks should be expended for his presence in the engine room.

The one-time “disgrace” and “liability” has turned his career around at Spurs since Mourinho was appointed, but after that shocker in midweek, he must be dropped.

AND in other news, Spurs dodged a £27m bullet in “phenomenon” who’s WORSE than Janssen…

Alan Hutton has told Football Insider that he cannot see Neil Lennon lasting as Celtic boss until January if the results do not turn immediately.

Speaking to the news outlet, the former Spurs, Rangers and Aston Villa defender said that the Scottish Premiership race will be finished by January if the Hoops do not pick up results soon and Steven Gerrard’s team continue the way they have been doing at the top of the league table, and highlighted that Lennon is now under huge pressure to deliver sooner rather than later:

“If this run goes on, January’s too late, I think the league will be finished.

“If Rangers keep playing the way their playing and Celtic keep playing the way they’re playing, the league will be over by January, I can’t see going on that long.

“There’s so many games between now and January, obviously they had a tough one against Milan which nobody expected them to win, really, but the league’s the bread and butter.

“They’ve also got the Scottish League Cup final coming up, that might mask over a couple of cracks but I just don’t see, if it keeps going the way it’s going, I can’t see him getting to January, if I’m honest.”

Lennon under huge pressure

The Bhoys have lost their last three games in all competitions now, including Thursday night’s 4-2 defeat away at AC Milan in the San Siro in the UEFA Europa League, which means that they are guaranteed to finish bottom of their group having only picked up a single point from their five matches in the European competition.

They are also currently 11 points off the pace in the SPFL table at the moment, albeit with two games in hand on their Glasgow rivals.

Nonetheless, Lennon will surely need to pick up results fast if the Northern Irishman wants to remain as manager for the near future.

In other news, find out who Celtic have been urged to sign here!

This has been a topsy-turvy few weeks for Wolves, a side who for the first time under Nuno Santo, have favoured some chopping and changing.

Nuno’s tenure in the Midlands has been one filled with familiar styles and tactics. Before his side drew with Southampton, he had never played with a four-man defence.

That was a period of 166 consecutive outings with a three-body backline. Initially, it proved fruitful. Wolves drew with the Saints and then beat a dejected Arsenal side in north London.

However, after being battered by Liverpool and tasting defeat against Aston Villa, they reverted to their tried and tested three-man defence versus Chelsea. The result was a victory.

The change in formation hasn’t been the only thing that’s troubled Wolves, though. Indeed, the fractured skull to Raul Jimenez has also played havoc with their attacking options.

Fabio Silva, the club’s record signing, is yet to score in the league and as a result, it begs one very specific question. Did Wolves make a mistake in the summer?

Of course, Fosun and Nuno paid for the potential in Silva but with Jimenez now missing through injury, a more experienced professional is needed.

They had one in their sights in the summer but failed to sign him – Carlos Vinicius. The Brazilian was at Benfica but the Midlanders were unsuccessful with a bid in January and then in the summer.

He subsequently joined Spurs on loan with a view to a permanent transfer of £40.5m. He’s made just one appearance in the Premier League but has been a force to be reckoned with in Europe, scoring three times and assisting three goals in just five outings.

It’s hardly a surprise to see him described as “exciting” by BT Sport pundit Glenn Hoddle.

Silva is still learning his trade and despite the enormous price tag that brought him to England, it feels too soon to entrust him as their main centre-forward. Thus, a player like Vinicius would have been of enormous help.

After all, the Spurs striker scored 18 league goals in the Portuguese top-flight last term. Silva netted just once. Clearly, it has proven to be a bit of a mistake at this moment in time.

That’s not to say that Silva won’t come good, but in the short-term, Vinicius would have been a better option.

It’s a shame Wolves weren’t able to sign him.

AND in other news, Wolves can unearth perfect Moutinho heir in colossal titan who models himself on Kroos…

Aston Villa made a huge mistake in the summer transfer window by not tying up a deal for Reading’s John Swift.

What was the story?

Reports from The Birmingham Live back in late August suggested that Dean Smith’s side were very much interested in signing Swift, and that they were ready to compete with fellow Premier League side, Sheffield United, for his signature.

The report added that Villa were set to offer around £6-8m, more than what the Blades had initially proposed to Reading. In the end, the midfielder stayed put, and after starting the first two games of the Championship campaign, has missed the last few weeks of the new season through injury.

A goal-scoring option for Dean Smith

Whilst Villa have started off the new campaign superbly with four wins from four, and their new signings settling in well, you can’t help but feel Swift could have added a different dimension to the squad.

The former England U21 international is comfortable playing as a central midfielder or further forward, and has proven over the years that he has a real knack for getting himself into the box and finding the back of the net – last season saw him bag six goals and provide ten assists in 41 Championship games.

If you compare that to Villa’s central options from last season, then it’s really night and day. Only Conor Hourihane scored more with seven, whilst he and the rest of his midfield teammates could only manage half the amount of assists.

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder has previously gone on record to hail Swift, saying he’s part of a Reading attacking force that has “got the ability to do something out of nothing”.

In fact, England boss Gareth Southgate once tipped him for a “great future” following his performances at U21 level, and whilst he may not have kicked on into becoming a household star, he’s certainly someone who Villa should have brought to the club.

Earning a reported £25k-a-week at Reading, Swift could have been a midfield dynamo for Smith.