Phillips: Barkley could be ‘signing of the season’ at Aston Villa

Former Premier League striker Kevin Phillips believes Ross Barkley could become the ‘signing of the season’ for Aston Villa.

The Englishman joined Villa on a season-long loan deal after falling down the pecking order at Chelsea.

He’s made a great start to life in Birmingham, achieving four goal contributions in his first eight appearances.


READ: Guardiola ‘close’ to signing Man City contract extension


Barkley has also formed an impressive partnership with fellow midfielder Jack Grealish.

Speaking to Football Insider, Phillips said: “I would have taken Ross Barkley all day long.

“He just needed to play football and go somewhere where there is less pressure than Chelsea. Yes, he is now a big fish at Villa but he is a fantastic player.

“To have him and Grealish both on fire in your team, two of the most creative players in the Premier League, is massive.

“Ross Barkley could potentially turn out to be the signing of the season.

“If Villa can persuade him to join them come the end of the season, it would be a massive step in the right direction.”

Barkley seems to have turned his fortunes around during a small amount of time at Villa Park.

Now aged 26, the player needs to be getting regular first team football if he wants to return to the England setup.

He wasn’t really getting that at Chelsea due to the quality of their midfield options.

He was getting played, but he was never one of the star men.

As Phillips says, things are different at Villa. Barkley will want to emulate Grealish, who has now become a vital player for England.

Villa will be determined to make the move permanent and Chelsea could comply.

They already have the likes of Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount, Kai Havertz and Hakim Ziyech in similar positions.

The only trouble for Villa is Barkley’s form could now cost them a significant fee.

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AC Milan and Turkey midfielder Calhanoglu ‘offered to Man Utd’

The agent of AC Milan’s Hakan Calhanoglu has reportedly offered the player to Man Utd in a bid to speed up transfer proceedings.

The attacking midfielder has been linked with a move to Old Trafford recently.

That’s despite United having Bruno Fernandes and Donny van de Beek who already play in his position.


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According to Italian outlet Tuttosport (via Manchester Evening News), agent Gordon Stipic has offered Calhanoglu to both Man Utd and Inter Milan.

The news means the Red Devils are one of the frontrunners to sign Calhanoglu next year.

It’s unlikely that the Manchester club will sign him in January, meaning the deal could be done during the summer window.

They will have to compete with Inter for the player’s signature. Antonio Conte’s side are interested in Calhanoglu to bolster their options going forward.

Calhanoglu has previously been linked with fellow Premier League sides Arsenal and Tottenham.

But those moves never materialised, meaning he has been with Milan since 2017.

One sticking point for a move to United is the club’s pursuit of a new central defender.

That is probably going to be the priority so that Solskjaer can have a new defensive partner for captain Harry Maguire.

RB Leipzig’s Dayot Upamecano is the favoured option, although Braga’s David Carmo recently emerged as a cheaper alternative.

A move for Calhanoglu also depends on Milan’s willingness to sell.

The player is currently an important member of the first team, having played 11 times already this campaign.

He’s scored four and assisted four in that time.

It looks like United will have to fork out a substantial amount of money if they want to sign Calhanoglu and a new centre back in 2021.

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Gossip: Villa duo and Messi to City; Liverpool’s new defender link

BIG APPLE ENDING TEMPTS MESSI

The Lionel Messi to Manchester City saga is sure to rumble on until at least next March, when Barcelona hold their presidential elections. It has been reported that City have identified a window of opportunity in the new year before those elections, when they will be able to make a concrete proposal to Messi while he is able to talk to other clubs as a prospective free agent.

Should they sit down with the Messis, it is being claimed that City have an ace in their hand in the form of their MLS franchise. Mundo Deportivo is recycling Dean Jones’ comment on the Ranks FC podcast that the opportunity to finish his career at New York City FC is something which could turn Messi on to a move to City.

You would think that Messi, arguably the greatest player of all time, could have his pick of MLS clubs whenever he feels it is his time to move to the States but, sure…

 

PEP CLOSE TO CITY RENEWAL

Messi is also said to have other demands of City, aside from a massive salary presumably.

El Chiringuito says the Barca star wants assurances that Pep Guardiola and Sergio Aguero will be waiting for him when he arrives at the Etihad.

Good news on Guardiola, Leo: The Telegraph reckons that those close to the City boss believe he will sign a new contract with the club to make his stay in Manchester his longest managerial stint so far.

Aguero’s future is rather less clear. Inter Milan have been sniffing, as they do around every ageing Premier League star, while the centre-forward has never hidden his desire to return to Argentina.


READ MORE: Every Premier League club’s most-capped international


CITY TARGET VILLA DUO

It seems City have other irons in the fire too. Indeed, the Daily Star suggests Messi isn’t their top target right now.

That, apparently, is Jack Grealish. It is claimed that the Aston Villa captain’s form this season ‘has convinced City that the Three Lions playmaker would be the perfect addition to their squad next June’.

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Pep also wants Grealish to bring a mate. City are said to be considering using the buy-back option they have for Douglas Luiz, with the midfielder available to his former club for £25million.

 

LIVERPOOL AND EVERTON EYE BREMER

It wouldn’t be a Gossip column without Liverpool being linked with a centre-back…

Sunday’s defender du jour is Gleison Bremer. The Liverpool Echo says Jurgen Klopp would be extremely interested in the Torino stopper with the winter window fast approaching.

So too would be Everton. The Echo makes the case that Bremer, a 23-year-old Brazilian, would fit nicely into either Merseyside outfit.

Fabregas: Xhaka among Arsenal’s ‘top players’

Cesc Fabregas has named his top five Arsenal players, which includes Granit Xhaka and Dani Ceballos.

Mikel Arteta has enjoyed plenty of success since he took over as Arsenal boss. There has been a clear improvement in them since he took the job.

Last season they lifted the FA Cup trophy under him for the fourteenth time. They also rose up the Premier League table to finished 8th.


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Arsenal had a busy transfer window, bringing in the likes of Gabriel and Thomas Partey. The Gunners have made an inconsistent start to the season. They sit 11th currently with four wins and four losses.

Arteta is undergoing a long-term project at Arsenal, and he has some great players at his disposal.

Fabregas told 90.min that he considers Xhaka to be among Arsenal’s best players currently:

“Listen, it’s a transition period. Mikel has his ideas, but it takes time. The problem for a coach nowadays is that you have no time. You lose three games, everyone is asking for your head.

“I know it’s very, very difficult because you want to implement your ideas, and it’s a process. Sometimes, it’s difficult because football is moving very quickly, everyone wants to win, there’s pressure from the board, from the fans, from the players. You’re on the spot every single day.

“He’s trying to find his team. They have [Dani] Ceballos, they have [Granit] Xhaka, now they’ve added Thomas Partey from Atletico, who’s a very good player as well. They have Willian, they have [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang – top, top players, that’s 100 per cent sure.

“Maybe they still need a little bit more time.”

Mark Smith and Sarah Winterburn look ahead to the international break, everyone’s favourite time of the year. Jude Bellingham, then…

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AEW News: Jon Moxley Reportedly Dealing With an Elbow Injury

— Jon Moxley is dealing with an elbow injury, reports the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. It is unclear what exactly the issue is but could be an infection he got while wrestling in Japan. Moxley wrestled this past weekend for Northeast Wrestling where his singles matches were turned into tag team bouts, with the exception of a show on 8/16 where he wrestled Pentagon Jr. but was careful not to take any bumps on his elbow.
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