Aston Villa are thought to be leading the transfer chase for Charlton Athletic forward Miles Leaburn, according to The Sun.
What’s the latest Aston Villa transfer news involving Leaburn?
Villa have one of the form strikers in the country in Ollie Watkins, with the 27-year-old netting twice in a 3-0 Premier League win over Newcastle on Saturday to make it 11 goals in his last 12 games.
His form has resulted in Unai Emery calling off the search for a new first-choice striker signing this summer, however, it looks as if sporting director Johan Lange and owners NSWE are on the hunt to sign teenager Leaburn.
The Sun shared a story in the last 48 hours, claiming that Villa are leading the transfer chase for Leaburn. The Charlton gem, who stands at 6 foot 5, has caught the eye of a number of Premier League sides, with the Addicks expecting to receive offers over the coming months.
Could Leaburn be one for the future?
Leaburn is just 19 years of age and is under contract with his current employers until 2025. Valued at €350,000 by Transfermarkt, the youngster has enjoyed a fine breakthrough campaign, scoring 12 times in 36 appearances, with manager Dean Holden describing his goal involvement record as “excellent”.
An out-and-out centre-forward, Leaburn could be viewed by those in the Midlands as a star in the making, so securing his services this summer may prove to be a smart piece of business further down the line.
In the short term, Villa will have a decision to make on Cameron Archer. The 21-year-old has contributed to 14 Championship goals in 16 appearances on loan at Middlesbrough, so Emery may well decide to look to use Archer in his first full season alongside Watkins and Jhon Duran.
Leaburn could also possibly become a Villa player this summer, and it could be wise to loan him back out for the 2023/24 campaign in what would be just his second season of senior football.
Celtic may have been let off the hook with a potential red card during their stunning victory over Kilmarnock on the weekend in the Scottish Premiership.
What's the latest on VAR and Celtic?
It was a comfortable afternoon for Ange Postecoglou's men who took another step closer to retaining their Scottish crown with victory in Kilmarnock.
The Bhoys made an incredible start to the game which saw them three goals up after just 18 minutes which all but sealed the points.
Despite the frantic start to the game, there were no goals to following the second half after the visitors took a 4-1 lead into the break.
However, that is not to say there wasn't any action with Celtic's South Korean striker, Oh Hyeon-gyu, at the centre of a controversial decision made.
And it is a decision which has left the Kilmarnock boss, Derek McInnes, furious following the game with the 51-year-old feeling the visitors should have been reduced to 10 men:
"I think it should have been a red card for Oh. We got a player sent off for a similar challenge at Easter Road and I don't know what VAR are looking for if it's the same people who are looking at the one at Easter Road," he said.
The incident saw the South Korean raise his foot to win the ball in a challenge with Killie's goalscorer Liam Donnelly.
And an image of the incident has emerged on social media with the striker's foot evidently unnaturally high when going for the ball.
Oh Hyeon-gyu challenges Liam Donnelly for the ball as Celtic run riot against Kilmarnock.
Should Oh have been sent off?
There is certainly no denying that this is a high foot from Oh, however, there can be some appeal from Celtic that the challenge was not with malicious intent.
The South Korean was shown a yellow card for the incident with the referee seemingly deeming it a careless action from the Celtic striker.
"I think a yellow card. It is reckless. I think the referee has got it absolutely right," said Dermot Gallagher on Sky Sports.
"It is a high boot but he doesn't know the player is there. He puts his head in and comes into his space, but he shouldn't have his foot that high. But he doesn't lead with his studs, he doesn't go to injure anybody or see the player coming so yellow card for me."
As Gallagher suggests, there could even be an argument that it was Oh's ball to win in the first place and any potential foul has been initiated by Donnelly putting his head "into his space".
The 22-year-old is being slowly introduced to life at Celtic with just 253 minutes of league action under his belt since arriving in January (via Transfermarkt).
Given he has only netted twice in the league for the Bhoys, perhaps his biggest regret of the game was not getting in amongst the goals on what was an afternoon of football all forwards would have relished.
Everton grabbed what could be a vital point against Crystal Palace, in a game where they were reduced to ten men away from home, but still find themselves 18th in the league with just six games to go.
The Toffees have never been relegated from the Premier League, but could be set to go down after a number of disappointing seasons.
Their draw at Palace has meant that they are level with Leicester City on points, and are just one point behind Leeds in 16th.
With the table as tight as it is, every point is now crucial. Here's how we think Everton could fare in this final month of Premier League action…
Everton fixtures
27 April: Newcastle (h)
1 May: Leicester (a)
8 May: Brighton (a)
14 May: Man City (h)
20 May: Wolves (a)
28 May: Bournemouth (h)
Everton vs Newcastle
Anthony Gordon and Eddie Howe discuss the incident after full time as Newcastle United beat Brentford in the Premier League.
Newcastle are in red hot form, fresh from their 6-1 victory over Tottenham, but they will be looking to improve their results on the road, having lost 3-0 at Villa Park in their last away trip.
Everton will hope that home advantage can give them a boost, with Eddie Howe's side still playing for a place in the top four.
The Toffees lost the reverse fixture 1-0 in October, and could face former star Anthony Gordon, who joined Newcastle in January.
Prediction: Everton 0-2 Newcastle
Leicester vs Everton
Leicester City's James Maddison reacts.
With both teams dangerously close to relegation, this is arguably the most important game in each of their remaining few.
Win, and Everton can start to put some distance between themselves and the drop zone. Lose, and they may begin to panic about the possibility of going down for the first time in their Premier League history.
Leicester recorded a 2-0 victory at Goodison Park in the reverse fixture, and with the side picking up a victory against Wolves under new interim manager Dean Smith, it will be a game which carries a lot of pressure for the away side.
Everton have won just once away from home in the Premier League all season, but Dyche's men will be right up for it and could come away with a hard-fought point.
Prediction: Leicester 1-1 Everton
Brighton vs Everton
Brighton & Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi watches on from Elland Road as the Seagulls visit Leeds United in the Premier League.
Another tough away game awaits Dyche's side as they travel to face an in-form Brighton side who are in the hunt for a Champions League place.
Brighton ran riot at Goodison Park in January, winning 4-1 with four different goalscorers, and they will hope that Roberto De Zerbi's side aren't as clinical as they were in that match.
With European football still very much in sight for Brighton, they certainly won't be taking their foot off the gas.
Whilst facing Man City is a daunting prospect for anyone, particularly given the form they are in as they chase down Arsenal at the top of the league, Everton may take some comfort that they held Pep Guardiola's side to a 1-1 draw at the Etihad earlier this season.
A Demarai Gray stunner rescued a point for the visitors that day, and they will hope for a similar level of defensive performance as they welcome the likes of Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish to Goodison Park.
City also have a two-legged Champions League semi-final tie against Real Madrid to contend with, and Dyche will hope this means that some of the visitor's star players are rested.
Given the form they are in, it is tough to look past an emphatic City victory.
Prediction: Everton 0-3 Man City
Wolves vs Everton
Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves in action.
Wolves could have their safety secured by the time they welcome Everton for their final home game, and the visitors will hope that they have little motivation in what could be a vital game for their survival.
Everton fell victim to a 95th minute winner against Wolves on Boxing Day in Julen Lopetegui's first game in charge, and the Toffees will be out for revenge at Molineux.
Given the potential differences in pressure heading into that game, Everton could walk away with three points, and this could be vital to their hopes of survival given the other tough fixtures they have.
Although Bournemouth have improved in recent months, picking up impressive wins against Liverpool and Tottenham, a 4-0 home defeat to West Ham may affect their confidence in the next few weeks, and their Premier League safety is not yet secure despite being five points clear of Everton.
Everton's final game being at home could be a huge boost, and if they are still within touching distance of safety, they will have to do everything to gain three points in what could be one of the club's most important games in years.
Bournemouth humiliated Everton twice in the space of a week in November as they beat them 4-1 and 3-0 in the Carabao Cup and the League, and Everton will have to be wary of the strength of their opponents going forward.
The Cherries scored twice at Arsenal and three times at Spurs on their travels, but have won just four away games all season, and Everton could use their home advantage to secure victory.
Prediction: Everton 2-0 Bournemouth
Predicted run-in points: 7/18 Predicted total points: 35
Arsenal defender Rob Holding has been slammed for his poor display against Manchester City as his side slipped further away from the Premier League title.
How did Rob Holding play against City?
Mikel Arteta's side were far from their best as they fell to a crushing 4-1 defeat to severely dent their title hopes after being outclassed by City, and Holding had a tough time as he was terrorised by Erling Haaland throughout the game.
Although he netted a consolation goal towards the end of the match, his failure to win a duel against Haaland led to the first goal, and his performance appeared to sum up the Gunners' pitiful showing.
The Englishman has been filling in as William Saliba continues to be sidelined with injury but has failed to impress the likes of Watts, with Arsenal failing to win their last four matches.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Watts slammed Holding's display, lamenting his lack of ability to deal with the threat of Haaland.
"Rob Holding was exposed woefully," he stated.
"He really struggled, as we all thought he probably would. Haaland gave him the run-around, dominated him, I gave him a three (out of ten)."
Should Holding be dropped from the team?
Holding's current run in the first team appears to have coincided with Arsenal's poor run of results. The Gunners have conceded 12 goals in their last four matches, having conceded 26 in the previous 29.
Saliba has been a big miss, but with Takehiro Tomiyasu also injured, Ben White has remained at right-back, leaving a shortage of alternatives in the squad who could replace Holding for the rest of the season.
One option would be to play January signing Jakub Kiwior, but as a left-footed centre-back, it remains to be seen whether he could play alongside Gabriel Magalhaes in a back four.
Another option could be to move White back into the centre, where he played last season and throw a wildcard option in at right-back. Jorginho could come into midfield with Thomas Partey moving to the right having played there previously, or one of Kieran Tierney or Oleksandr Zinchenko could play on the opposite side.
With Arsenal looking out of the title race barring a miracle, the final few games of the season could allow for more experimentation with less pressure, but Arteta's side will want to finish strongly – and finding an alternative for Holding could help them recover their form.
Newcastle United target Ivan Fresneda may be on Eddie Howe's 'radar' and the Magpies may swoop for his services in the summer transfer window.
What's the latest transfer news involving Ivan Fresneda?
As per 90min, Newcastle United, Arsenal and Aston Villa scouts were all in attendance last month to watch Fresneda turn out for Real Valladolid in their recent 2-1 defeat to Valencia.
The report states that Arsenal tried to sign Fresneda in the January window; however, a move never materialised and now interest is said to be growing in the 18-year-old.
As per Sky Sport 24 via Sport Witness, journalist Gianluca Di Marzio has claimed that Newcastle United 'remain in the race' to sign Fresneda this summer; however, AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund are also monitoring his situation with intent ahead of the forthcoming off-season.
Fresneda is believed to have a release clause worth £26.5 million inserted into his contract at Real Valladolid, as per The Sun.
Madrid-born Fresneda has gained plenty of first-team experience this campaign, making 21 appearances for his current employers in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.
Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that Newcastle United will likely be one of several clubs keeping tabs on Fresneda moving into the summer.
Jones told FFC: "I think it's a situation that finally needs to be sorted out. There's so many clubs that have enquired and have shown interest in him, but Newcastle are one of them; it wouldn't surprise me at all if they kept him on the radar, ready to make a move."
Would Ivan Fresneda be a good signing for Newcastle United?
Fresneda is a youngster with bags of potential and could go on to be a very savvy piece of business by Eddie Howe if the Englishman could entice him to St James' Park this summer.
As shown on WhoScored, the 18-year-old has made an average of 2.2 clearances per match this campaign in La Liga, demonstrating his defensive awareness toward dangerous situations.
Valladolid defender Ivan Fresneda.
FBRef also note that Fresneda has successfully performed 37 shot-creating actions this term, illustrating that he can also carry an offensive threat bombing forward from the right-hand side of defence despite being in a relegation-threatened Real Valladolid side.
Given his age, the Spaniard also has plenty of room for development in the coming years and if he joined Newcastle United, he would be able to learn from the example that first-choice right-back Kieran Trippier sets every week on the field.
Moving forward, acquiring Fresneda, who has been hailed as "fantastic", would be an intelligent signing for Howe as he looks to strengthen ahead of 2023/24.
Arsenal have Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia "on the radar" for a potential summer transfer swoop, CBS reporter Ben Jacobs has recently told GiveMeSport.
Will Arsenal sign a new midfielder this summer?
The Gunners were keen to bring in a new central midfielder during the January transfer window, as indicated by their pursuit of Brighton & Hove Albion star Moises Caicedo, having a £70m bid rejected for the Ecuadorian on deadline day.
Given that pundit Gabby Agbonlahor has branded Granit Xhaka "questionable", while he also criticised Thomas Partey for his poor form in recent matches, Mikel Arteta could be even more keen on bringing in new options in the summer.
Arsenal are said to be captivated by Sporting CP's Manuel Ugarte, while they have also submitted a proposal for Chelsea's Mason Mount, however it is another England international they are most interested in.
The Sun report Declan Rice is the north London club's top transfer target, and given that the 24-year-old has previously expressed his desire to play in the Champions League, the Gunners may be well-placed to win the race for his signature.
In an interview with GiveMeSport, CBS reporter Jacobs made it clear that Rice is Arteta's number one target, however he is not the only Premier League midfielder of interest.
Jacobs said: "I still think that if we look at midfield, Declan Rice is the priority. But we know that Moises Caicedo and it is probably fair to say Romeo Lavia, are there on the radar for Arsenal."
Should Arsenal sign Romeo Lavia?
Arsenal are not the only Premier League side interested in signing Lavia, as Football Insider report Chelsea believe they will be able to land the central midfielder for £45m in the summer.
Although that is a large fee for a 19-year-old, who does not have a great deal of Premier League experience, there are some indications he could be a very shrewd addition for the Gunners.
Romeo-Lavia-celebrating-for-Southampton
The Southampton ace is competent defensively, ranking in the 91st percentile for blocks per 90 in the past year, when compared to his positional peers, and he has recently been hailed as "superb" by football writer Simon Collings.
As you would expect, Rice outperforms the youngster on the vast majority of key metrics, so the West Ham skipper should remain Arsenal's priority signing.
However, given that the Gunners are willing to listen to offers for Xhaka this summer, multiple new midfielders may be required, so Lavia would still be a worthwhile addition to Arteta's squad.
Rangers are keen on signing Arsenal defender Auston Trusty this summer in a deal that could be worth £2m, according to a recent report from the Daily Mail.
Will Rangers sign a defender this summer?
With Filip Helander's contract set to expire at the end of the season, the Gers may be keen on bringing in some additional depth at centre-back in the summer, and they are said to have "watched" Aarhus FC defender Thomas Kristensen.
Some of Ben Davies' performances may also convince Michael Beale to sign a new defender in the upcoming window, with Kenny Miller describing the former Liverpool man as "so poor" after his display against Celtic last month.
According to a report from the Daily Mail, Rangers are now interested in signing Arsenal defender Trusty, who has impressed on loan at Birmingham City this season, winning the fans' player of the year award last week.
The American's performances have already earned him an international call-up, and a summer move could now be on the cards, with the Light Blues keen to get a deal done for a fee in the region of £2m.
The report also provides an update on some of the Gers' other transfer business, claiming a deal has been agreed with Kieran Dowell, while they have also discussed a move for goalkeeper Jack Butland with Crystal Palace.
Should Rangers sign Auston Trusty?
The 24-year-old has been an absolutely vital player for Birmingham this season, making a total of 44 appearances in the Championship, during which he has displayed he can pose a threat in the opposition box, picking up four goals and two assists.
Obviously, the most important thing is the centre-back's defensive attributes, and he ranks in the 93rd percentile for tackles per 90 in the past year when compared to his positional peers, placing in the 94th for blocks in the same timeframe.
Auston Trusty
Birmingham manager John Eustace has heaped praise on the 6 foot 3 colossus, claiming that he is "going to be a top player", while also hailing him as "exceptional" back in October.
An average Sofascore match rating of 6.97 ranks the Pennsylvania-born defender as Birmingham's third-best performing player in the Championship this season, so the Blues may be keen to sign him on a permanent deal.
However, if Rangers are able to win the race for his signature, he would be an excellent addition to Beale's squad.
Chelsea, for all the immense talent they have acquired since Todd Boehly's arrival as owner, are still lacking that clinical focal point up top.
This means that no matter how comfortable in possession they can be, or how solid their defence remains, with little threat up top they are so easy to thwart.
Therefore, it is not surprising to see that the Blues have claimed just a sole victory in all competitions since early March, with their tally of 36 goals the joint-fourth lowest in the Premier League.
Frank Lampard has offered little in the way of a new manager bounce, however, it seems that with each passing day, the announcement of Mauricio Pochettino nears.
In the proven Argentine, it is hoped that they have snagged a top-class head coach capable of welding together this makeshift side and propelling them into a brighter future.
However, should he not address their glaring issue, the problems of this miserable campaign will persist.
Therefore, should the reports linking them with a move for "main target" Victor Osimhen be true, the former Tottenham Hotspur boss simply must fork out the reported €150m (£130m) price tag this summer. It would mark a small price to pay to add that final piece of the jigsaw that could knit together a stumbling team at last.
How good is Victor Osimhen?
It is a testament to the quality of the Nigerian forward that he has earned comparisons with the legendary former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba.
When told about these rumours, talkSPORT pundit Ally McCoist boldly claimed: "He's the only striker I've seen in the last 10 years that reminds a little bit of Didier Drogba."
Given his goalscoring feats this season, such a notion is certainly well-founded.
After all, his 23 goals and five assists have proved instrumental in firing the Naples outfit to their first league title since 1990.
These figures mean that already the 24-year-old has already outscored all but one of the former Ivory Coast international's nine Premier League campaigns, a feat Statman Dave has branded as a "ridiculous output".
didier-drogba-chelsea-transfer
However, it is not just his potency that likens Osimhen to the 45-year-old, who truly cemented his legacy in west London after first scoring in normal time before coolly slotting the penalty that handed Chelsea the most unlikely of Champions League triumphs in 2012.
Both of these hulking forwards have blistering pace that belies their immense physique, and these raw assets would be emphasised further when surrounded by the technical proficiency of Kai Havertz, Enzo Fernandez and potentially Joao Felix as well.
The fact that BBC Sport contributor Raj Chohan has also lauded him as someone who "presses like a monster" only feeds into this notion.
Given the young African powerhouse has already admitted that Drogba remains his idol, there would be no better place to emulate his glittering career than at Stamford Bridge, should Pochettino convince him to make the move and Boehly fork out another expensive fee this summer.
Arsenal are reportedly looking towards the summer transfer window, after a season of progression and lessons in the Premier League.
Mikel Arteta’s young side led the race for the title for the majority of the campaign, however, injuries and lack of squad depth influenced a spell of poor form, subsequently blowing their hopes of becoming champions.
There are many positives for the Gunners to take from this term, with Champions League football confirmed and areas to improve on highlighted ready to be acted on in the market.
News surrounding Arsenal’s potential incomings has been dominated by the likes of Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo, however, a former legend has pointed the north Londoners in the direction of a forward.
Could Romelu Lukaku go to Arsenal?
Former Arsenal midfielder and Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has advised the Gunners to attempt to sign Inter Milan forward Romelu Lukaku this summer.
The 30-year-old, who is on loan in Serie A from Chelsea, could be on the market this summer as the opportunity for the Belgian to assert himself in the west Londoner's plans isn’t guaranteed.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Merson explained that the striker would be a good fit for Arsenal, with his ability to score “scrappy goals” to exclude the Gunners’ predictability going forward.
The pundit added: "Ivan Toney would have suited Arsenal, but that won’t happen now because of his ban.
"Romelu Lukaku might be available. The 30-year-old is an out-and-out centre-forward. He will stay up front and back into players. That might help Arsenal."
What could Romelu Lukaku offer Arsenal?
There is little to doubt that Lukaku can score goals, having found the net 287 times in his illustrious career so far spanning over 596 professional appearances – as per Transfermarkt.
Described as a “monster” by journalist Siavoush Fallahi, the £350k-per-week forward ranks with Europe’s best in terms of his numbers over the past year, and not just for his goals.
Likened to Harry Kane by FBref, the Belgian ranks in the top 8% of forwards in Europe’s top five leagues for the number of progressive passes received, averaging 8.61 per 90, highlighting his presence when leading the line.
Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku on loan at Inter Milan.
Arsenal are in need of an out-and-out goalscorer, with their top two scorers this season being Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard, showing their need for a lethal number nine to pop up when needed.
Despite signing Gabriel Jesus last summer, the Brazilian has missed a whopping 16 big chances in 25 appearances this season in the league, as per Sofascore, and has not been as clinical as required when it comes down to the fine margins of winning a title.
In signing Lukaku, Arteta could have a true presence leading the line to convert when the chance arises, lauded as “physically devastating” by Udinese ‘keeper Juan Musso, the £39m-rated talent could equip the squad with something they’re arguably lacking.
With no concrete link made, time will tell if the Spaniard opts to hire reinforcements in the striker role this summer, however, Merson’s advice should not go unheard as the Gunners aim to challenge in Europe next season.
Journalist Dean Jones has called the recent rumours linking Andy Robertson with a move from Liverpool to Real Madrid "madness".
What are the latest Andy Robertson transfer rumours?
It's not been the best season for Jurgen Klopp and co, as evidenced by the fact that they won't be playing in the Champions League next term.
With that being the case, the Reds may look to be pretty active in the summer as they offload some squad members and look to rejuvenate the team with new signings.
And it appears that one stalwart under Klopp could potentially be on his way out. Indeed, Robertson has been linked with a £40m+ move to Los Blancos by the Daily Mail this week.
While speaking about it all on the Chasing Green Arrows YouTube channel, Jones couldn't believe what he'd seen after spotting the rumour.
He said before laughing: “Did you see Robertson was linked with Real Madrid yesterday? Madness.”
Would Klopp sell Robertson to Real Madrid?
Klopp certainly has been a big fan of Robertson over the years and has dished out praise this term too. After a win over Newcastle, the manager praised the defender's willingness to work hard right up until the last minute.
He told the press (via Daily Mail): "Then you see Andy Robertson, in minute 93, going on a 150mph sprint – that's absolutely exceptional."
And the two really seem to trust one another, with Klopp playing Robertson 267 times over the span of his career while also winning many trophies together too – such as the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and more.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
And even when things have been tough this term, the Scotland international has stuck by his manager, saying (via All Football): "He has been calm and the backroom staff have been a different class. They are the team behind the team and they are the ones who keep us going and positive.
"When people say he is nervous or we are nervous it couldn't be further from the truth. He's probably been more 'smiley'. He is just trying to get us going and it's obviously worked."
And the left-back has continued to be a regular in the side this season having played over 40 times this term, showing that he's still very much a favourite for Klopp.
With all that in mind, it does seem quite unlikely that Liverpool would sell Robertson to Real Madrid but you never know…