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An update has emerged on Aston Villa and their interest in signing Athletic Bilbao enforcer Inigo Martinez in the summer transfer window…

What’s the latest on Inigo Martinez to Aston Villa?

According to the printed edition of Sport (via Sport Witness), the Villans are one of the eye clubs eyeing up a deal to sign the central defender at the end of the season.

The report claims that Villa and Atletico Madrid have both made contract offers to the Spaniard, who is set to be a free agent in the summer, as Johan Lange attempts to secure a swoop for the gem.

However, LaLiga giants Barcelona are also said to be keen on the centre-back and Martinez is waiting to see if Xavi’s team decide to come in with a proposal before responding to any other clubs.

What would Inigo Martinez bring to Aston Villa?

The Athletic Bilbao defender is a vastly experienced player who could bring knowledge and quality to Unai Emery’s squad in the 2023/24 campaign.

Villa could replicate the coup they landed by bringing Ashley Young to the club on a free transfer last season by securing a move for Martinez, as the former England international came in as a veteran and has used his experience to help the team.

Prior to re-joining the Villans in the summer of 2021, the ex-Inter full-back had played a whopping 623 career club matches and has gone on to play 46 times for the team in his current spell.

The 37-year-old, who has been capped 39 times by England, has showcased his quality in the Premier League this season with an average Sofascore rating of 6.93 across 18 appearances, which places him third in the squad.

Martinez, meanwhile, has played 441 club career games, which includes experience in the Europa League and the Champions League, and has been capped 19 times by Spain at international level.

The 31-year-old has used his know-how to be an excellent option for Bilbao in LaLiga this season. He has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.93 across ten appearances in the division and won 63% of his physical contests.

These statistics show that the £85k-per-week enforcer, who journalist Josh Bunting once hailed as “commanding”, is a strong defender who can deliver consistently solid displays in a major European league.

A Sofascore rating of 6.93 would place him level with Young in third place in the Villa squad this season and this indicates that the Spanish international would be a fantastic addition to the team if he can replicate his form in England.

Therefore, Lange could repeat the coup they landed with the ex-Manchester United right-back by beating off competition from the likes of Barcelona and Atletico to sign an experienced, solid, option in Martinez for nothing this summer.

Chelsea failed to win in the Premier League yet again under Graham Potter last weekend, with the 1-1 draw against West Ham United at the weekend marking the club’s third consecutive stalemate.

It isn’t getting any easier for the Blues either, with a Champions League tie against German giants Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday night sure to be a tough encounter, and it will give the Englishman an indication of just where his team sits amongst the continent’s elite.

The atmosphere at Signa Iduna Park will surely be as boisterous as ever, and the Bundesliga side are on a five-match winning streak and will be aiming to make that six against Chelsea.

It might not be all bad news for Potter, though, as he will be able to unleash forward Joao Felix. UEFA have relaxed their rules regarding players featuring for two different clubs in the tournament in the same season, which will be a huge bonus for the Blues, especially considering his performance against West Ham.

Will Joao Felix start against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League?

Having served a suspension after being sent off on his debut last month, Felix returned to the starting line-up against West Ham and put in a wonderful performance, despite Chelsea failing to win.

He played the full 90 minutes and scored his first goal for the club, along with making two key passes and took 66 touches and three shots, ending the match with a Sofascore rating of 7.7/10 for his display.

Not content with merely impressing going forward, Felix also chipped in defensively by making three tackles and winning eight ground duels. If Potter can keep the Portuguese ace in this form for the rest of the season, Chelsea’s results might soon improve.

A tie against Dortmund seems a daunting one, although the 23-year-old has previous experience in the Champions League, scoring ten goals in 36 appearances in the competition during his spells at Benfica and Atletico Madrid.

The £247k-per-week gem was described as a “special talent” by reporter James Dodd a couple of years ago, and although he hasn’t quite lived up to the massive hype which was generated following his £113m move to the Spanish capital in 2019, impressing at Chelsea could go a long way to re-establishing him as one of the finest talents on the continent.

If Potter wants to secure any kind of positive result against Dortmund, he simply must unleash Felix tomorrow night, as the 23-year-old could terrorise the home side should he replicate his performance from the weekend.

Liverpool have had a number of injury concerns plaguing their Premier League season so far, although a promising update has emerged regarding the imminent return of two players.

What’s the latest?

According to the Liverpool Echo’s chief reporter Ian Doyle on Wednesday, Diogo Jota and Ben Doak are nearing a return to action ahead of the Merseyside derby against Everton next Monday night.

Doyle tweeted: “Diogo Jota trained with #LFC again today as planned as he nears a return to action. Ben Doak, who has been absent from the last three games with a minor muscle problem, is expected to be back in training by the end of the week.”

Klopp can finally unleash Doak

There is no doubt that Jurgen Klopp will be frustrated with his squad at Anfield, at the moment with the Reds knocked out of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup and heading into a difficult round-of-16 Champions League clash against Real Madrid later this month in terrible form.

Liverpool are currently tenth in the Premier League table – 11 points adrift of the top four – and are yet to win a game in the top flight in 2023, with three defeats and a draw from their last four outings, which leaves little confidence in the team’s chances against the current European champions.

However, the imminent return of key players from injury will give the Anfield faithful renewed hope, with experienced talents like Virgil van Dijk and Jota returning to team training this week, whilst Doak and Arthur Melo are also expected to be available and fit to compete for a starting berth in forthcoming fixtures.

Klopp’s search for solutions to fix his team’s dismal form could be found once again in a young and energetic presence on the pitch, and the “special talent” that is Doak – as dubbed by BT Sport – could follow in the footsteps of fellow academy graduate Stefan Bajcetic by making an instant positive impact should he get the golden opportunity to prove himself to the manager in the near future.

The 17-year-old Scotsman captured the attention of Liverpool supporters and his German coach with his impressive 16-minute cameo against Derby County in the Carabao Cup this season – completing three dribbles, delivering one key pass, winning five duels and taking one shot on goal during his brief but influential display.

Doak, who is “so exciting to watch” – as per Caoimhe O’Neill – joined the Reds from Celtic last year and has quickly established himself as one of the standout performers in the club’s youth setup, earning himself a professional contract in November just a few months after his arrival on Merseyside.

Across 17 appearances for Liverpool at youth level, the teenage sensation has scored eight goals and supplied six assists, averaging a goal contribution every 89 minutes, which has rightfully earned him five appearances in the first-team.

The future is looking bright for Doak, and his return to action will surely be something that Klopp will keep an eye on as the manager attempts to bring Liverpool back to life over the remainder of the season.

Wolves have been linked with Sporting Lisbon midfielder Manuel Ugarte recently and the Uruguay international could prove to be Julen Lopetegui’s next Casemiro at Molineux.

According to Media Foot, the Midlands outfit and Atletico Madrid have spoken to Sporting Lisbon about potentially signing the 21-year-old this month, with the Jorge Mendes connection potentially set to be fruitful for Wolves once again.

The young midfielder has established himself as a key player in Ruben Amorim’s side and could add defensive steel to Wolves’ midfield that Lopetegui currently lacks, although his €60m (£53m) release clause could prove a sticking point for the Old Gold.

Ugarte has contributed more tackles per game (three) in the Portuguese top flight than anyone in the Wolves squad has managed in the Premier League, while he has also averaged a mammoth 4.8 tackles per game in the Champions League this season.

In fact, no player has won more tackles or duels in the UCL this term, which certainly backs up football talent scout Jacek Kulig’s description of him as a “midfield machine.”

Lopetegui has been lucky enough to manage some world-class talents during his time as Spain, Real Madrid and Sevilla boss but few will have been better than Casemiro, who is currently starring at Manchester United following his summer switch from Los Blancos.

The Brazil international would make 55 appearances under the Wolves boss at Madrid, contributing four goals and three assists in that time, so the Spanish manager will be well aware of his ability and influence in the midfield.

Ugarte’s FBref scouting report sees him ranked in the top 1% of midfielders across Europe for pass completion and tackles completed, while he is also in the top 10% for interceptions, blocks and dribbles completed.

Casemiro also scores impressively, as he is ranked in the top 20% for tackles, blocks, interceptions and passes completed, so the similarities with Ugarte are clear to see.

Considering the 31-year-old is ranked as the second-best performer in Erik ten Hag’s team so far this season according to WhoScored, it is obvious how important a defensive ball-winner can be in a successful side.

With Wolves still very much in a relegation fight despite positive recent results against West Ham and Everton, Lopetegui would surely love to have another Casemiro-esque player in his squad at Molineux, so the Spanish boss should definitely look at bringing Ugarte in this month.

Manchester City are reportedly interested in signing Napoli sensation Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, and the winger could be a significant upgrade on Jack Grealish at the Etihad Stadium.

According to the Daily Mail, Pep Guardiola’s side are keeping tabs on the Georgia international after his incredible start to life at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Kvaratskheila only joined the Serie A giants from Georgian minnows Dinamo Batumi last summer but he looks set to inspire Luciano Spalletti’s side to the Scudetto this season, having starred in their 5-1 thrashing of Juventus last weekend to stretch their lead at the top of the table to nine points.

The 21-year-old boasts seven goals and seven assists in just 15 Serie A appearances so far this term, with WhoScored awarding him a phenomenal 7.55 average rating for his performances.

By comparison, Grealish has managed just two goals and three assists in 12 Premier League matches in the current campaign, averaging a more sedate 7.08 rating from WhoScored.

However, it is their respective performances in the Champions League which perhaps best emphasises the difference in output and quality. Kvaratskheila has two goals and three assists in five appearances, with a 7.59 average rating from WhoScored, compared to Grealish’s zero goal contributions in six appearances and 6.74 average rating.

The Georgia international also leads the former Aston Villa man when it comes to shots (2.9 vs 1.3), key passes (1.7 vs 1.6) and dribbles per game (1.7 vs 1.3), which suggests that he could be a much better option for Guardiola on the left hand side.

Unsurprisingly, the youngster won’t come cheaply, with his agent suggesting that the 21-year-old could easily fetch €100m (£86m) in the current market. However, given Napoli’s form in Serie A and the Champions League so far this term, he may not be particularly interested in leaving the Azzurri.

Napoli legend Marek Hamsik was full of praise for Kvaratskheila’s impact at the club and the way he has filled the void left by the departures of the club’s top two all-time goalscorers Dries Mertens and Lorenzo Insigne in 2022.

The Slovakian said: “Kvara has incredible dribbling ease and he is among the best in the world. It’s incredible to see this Napoli team without the three most important players.”

Therefore, it is easy to see why City would be interested in signing the Georgian sensation this year, as he could make the Premier League champions a much more devastating attacking team if he replaces the inconsistent Grealish in Guardiola’s side.

Tottenham Hotspur could sign USA international Weston McKennie, as CBS reporter Ben Jacobs drops a transfer hint on Twitter.

The Lowdown: McKennie linked with Tottenham…

The Juventus midfielder has been linked with a move to Spurs in recent weeks as manager Antonio Conte and sporting director Fabio Paratici take an interest after the 2022 World Cup.

McKennie impressed for the USA in Qatar, with reports suggesting that the north Londoners have even made contact with the player’s entourage in recent weeks.

The 24-year-old has attracted Tottenham’s attention in past seasons, with CBS Sports reporter Jacobs now hinting at his possible signing on social media.

The Latest: Spurs could sign McKennie…

Speaking in a Q&A on Twitter, when asked who the Lilywhites could snap up in January, the journalist advised followers to keep a close eye on McKennie to Spurs.

Jacobs said: “McKennie is one to watch. Spurs would love Bastoni as well but it’s not an easy deal to pull off as they found last summer.”

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The Verdict: The right man

Called an aerial ‘monster’ by members of the media, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher also heaped praise on McKennie for his some of his performances at the World Cup.

The former Schalke 04 star turned Carragher’s head with a rip-roaring display against England, with the former Liverpool legend praising the 24-year-old’s ‘energy’ in the middle of the park that night.

That attribute alone could appeal to Conte, who famously demands much of his squad in terms of fitness and tenacity.

West Ham United are interested in deal to bring Joan González to the London Stadium in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian media outlet Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), who claim that, having been one of the ‘revelations’ of Pantaleo Corvino’s Lecce side this season, a number of clubs are interested in signing the central midfielder this winter, including the likes of West Ham, Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Borussia Dortmund.

The report goes on to state that the Serie A side are ‘already looking forward’ to the sale of the former Barcelona starlet, with top-flight newcomers said to value the 20-year-old at a figure in the region of €15m (£13m).

Ditch Souček

While it is undeniable that Tomáš Souček made a huge impact following his €21m (£18m) signing in the summer of 2020 – scoring ten goals and averaging an impressive Sofascore match rating of 7.16 in his first full campaign with the club – considering how poor the 27-year-old has been this season, it is not difficult to see why David Moyes would be keen on a move for González.

Indeed, over González’s 15 Serie A appearances this term, the £2.5m-rated talent has been in fantastic form, scoring one goal, registering two assists and creating two big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 0.6 shots, making 0.7 key passes and completing 0.5 dribbles per game.

The 20-year-old has also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 1.5 tackles, 0.6 interceptions, 1.3 clearances and winning 5.1 duels per match.

Furthermore, it is evident that the £34.5m-rated Souček has been far from his best so far this season, with ExWHUemployee stating of the 27-year-old earlier back in September: “The whole game is bypassing him regularly. He’s had a good half against Tottenham, I think, from memory. A decent game against Chelsea, from memory.

“Other than that, he hasn’t performed. Honestly, I’ve been saying this for over a year now, I’ve been saying this for about a year and a half. The game just bypasses him.”

As such, while it would undoubtedly be a bold call to ditch Souček for González in January, considering just how exciting a prospect the “magic” Spaniard very much appears to be, coupled with how below-par the Czech Republic international has been this season, it could very well be a risk worth taking for Moyes and his transfer team this winter.

Everton had started the 2022/23 campaign off more vibrantly than last term as they looked to completely forget about a relegation-threatened few months.

They had acquired the signatures of James Tarkowski and Conor Coady with the defensive duo playing a big part in their revival.

The pair are nothing flashy but they had steadied the ship, proving to be astute acquisitions at the back.

Indeed, at the beginning of October, Everton were the best defensive side in the Premier League with the Toffees conceding just seven goals.

With that in mind, it would not be a surprise to see Frank Lampard bring in Coady on a permanent transfer once his loan deal expires at the conclusion of the campaign.

Such a deal would see a £4.5m transfer fee paid to Wolves who would be losing an experienced leader.

Coady has been exceptional since signing but if the Merseyside outfit want to sign a more expensive upgrade, they need to look no further than Pau Torres.

Reports in recent times suggest that Everton are one of the sides interested in sealing a move for the Villarreal centre-back, but any ideal could cost upwards of £40m.

Farhad Moshiri may have cost Everton a fortune in transfer disasters since arriving at Goodison Park but in Torres, they’d surely be signing a reliable asset, one who would only bolster an impressive centre-back pairing of Coady and Tarkowski.

It would even allow Lampard to play with a three-man defence, something that benefited Everton so greatly when attempting to stay in the division last season.

You only need to glance over at what he’s done at the World Cup to realise how effective a signing he would be.

He didn’t play in his country’s matches with Costa Rica and Germany but played during the 2-1 defeat to Japan. Now, that might not be a particularly good omen but his qualities on the ball were simply astonishing.

Indeed, the 25-year-old took a gargantuan 194 touches of the ball and completed a staggering 173 passes at a success rate of 92%.

To put those numbers into context, it’s the second-highest number of passes made by one player in a single game in World Cup history, with only Rodri (204) having achieved more. That just so happened to be in the same game against Japan.

Furthermore, it’s 103.2 more passes than the average number of touches Torres has taken in La Liga this term.

With that in mind, it’s hardly a surprise that the Spaniard ranks in the top 16% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive passes per 90 minutes.

He might not be an elite defender just yet but he typifies the modern-day centre-half. Indeed, he is very much a player capable of carrying the ball out from the back, a statement exemplified by his 0.56 dribbles per 90 – a number that ranks him in the top 5%.

Therefore, if Everton are aiming to bring more composure to their backline, Torres would certainly fit the bill. He was part of a defence that conceded just 37 times in the Spanish top-flight in 2021/22, the joint-fourth best side.

Torres knows an organised and efficient backline when he sees one and that experience could be vital when it comes to digging Lampard’s team out of the current rut they find themselves in.

Tottenham Hotspur have already been linked with a number of centre-backs ahead of the January transfer window, with Antonio Conte thought to be keen on strengthening his central defensive options ahead of the second half of the 2022/23 campaign.

Indeed, Spurs are rumoured to be interested in winter moves for the likes of Benfica’s Antonio Silva, Inter Milan’s Milan Skriniar and Stefan de Vrij and RB Leipzig’s Mohamed Simakan, however, while any one of these players would undoubtedly make exceptional additions to Conte’s current options, it is arguably Kim Min-jae who would be the best fit for Tottenham’s side.

Having missed out on an €18m (£16m) move for the South Korea international in the summer transfer window, Gianluca Di Marzio recently revealed that the long-term Spurs target has a €50m (£44m) release clause that will become active at the end of the current campaign – something that could present Fabio Paratici with a second chance to land the 25-year-old.

And, while it would appear unlikely that Tottenham’s sporting director will be able to get a deal over the line for the 6 foot 3 colossus this January, considering just how impressive the defender has been this season, the Italian simply must do his utmost to land the 44-cap international in the summer of 2023.

Indeed, over his 14 Serie A appearances in the current campaign, the £31m-rated talent has been in imperious form, helping his side keep five clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.1 interceptions, 1.6 tackles, 3.9 clearances and winning 4.9 duels – at a success rate of 62% – per game.

The £54k-per-week centre-back has also caught the eye going forwards, hitting the back of the net twice, as well as making an average of 0.4 key passes, playing 3.5 long balls and completing 66.1 passes – at a success rate of 90% – per fixture – proving he is very much the type of ball-playing and progressive defenders Conte prefers in his backline.

These returns have seen the South Korean average a simply sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.22, not only ranking him as Luciano Spalletti’s sixth-best performer in the league but also as the 21st-best performer in the Italian top flight as a whole – an extraordinary feat considering he is still in the infancy of his career at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.

Furthermore, Napoli sensation Khvicha Kvaratskhelia recently heaped a considerable amount of praise on the centre-back, stating in an interview with the Serie A YouTube channel:

“He is a very strong defender. For me, he is one of the best in the world. If he is in the defence, you are in front of an iron barrel! You know he will stop the attacker and will not let the opponents score. This is why he is an extraordinary defender, which is why he is one of the best in the world.”

And, with Min-jae set to star alongside Son Heung-min at the World Cup later this month, the 25-year-old looks set to truly announce himself on the world stage this winter, something that could easily see interest in the defender skyrocket.

As such, it would appear extremely advisable for Paratici to start laying down the foundations of a move for the centre-back as soon as possible, as the South Korean star would undoubtedly represent an exceptional addition to Conte’s current defensive options at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

A worrying injury update has emerged on Newcastle United centre-forward Alexander Isak…

What’s the talk?

Daily Mail journalist Craig Hope has revealed that Eddie Howe will be without the £60m signing for the next two matches, having missed the clash with Manchester United shortly after this claim, after breaking down in training.

Hope said: “Exclusive: Newcastle’s Alexander Isak suffers setback in recovery from thigh injury after pulling up with same problem. £60m striker was nearing return but now set to miss at least next 3 games after fresh blow. More news awaited on full timescale.”

The accompanying article states that the club expected him to be available for selection this week before he suffered a reoccurrence of his knock recently.

Huge blow

This could be a huge blow for Howe as Isak was a club-record signing in the summer and enjoyed a superb start to his career at St. James’ Park by scoring two goals in three Premier League appearances.

Back in August, the head coach heaped praise on the forward and backed him to hit the ground running in England as he said:

“He has the mix of qualities I like in a forward. He scores goals, he has pace, technical ability, dribbling ability and he’s got a bit of an X-factor about him.

“The English game will suit his profile, he’s a really good athlete and technically really good so he’s got a whole host of things going for him and his best years are still ahead of him.”

Isak’s first few performances for the Magpies proved the former Bournemouth boss right as he found the back of the net against Liverpool and the Cherries, whilst also creating three chances for his teammates in that time.

The Sweden international joined Newcastle after scoring 23 goals in his last two full La Liga seasons combined for Real Sociedad and his fast start in front of goal in the Premier League suggests that he has the quality to replicate that form on Tyneside.

He has the potential to be a prolific number nine for Howe and that is why this injury setback is a big blow for the head coach as it now remains to be seen when he will be available for selection again.

Callum Wilson is currently fit and starting games for the club but he has missed a whopping 43 competitive games due to injury since the start of the 2020/21 campaign and this suggests that there is a reasonable chance that he suffers a knock before Isak is back.

That would leave the club with Chris Wood as their only number nine to select and he has scored just twice in 25 league matches since joining from Burnley in January.

Therefore, losing Isak for an undetermined period of time is a seismic blow for Newcastle and Howe will be hoping that it does not drag on any longer than Hope’s claim of a minimum of three matches.