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Birmingham World spotted Leon Bailey send his biggest transfer hint yet after Aston Villa’s 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur.

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Leon Bailey was a ball of emotions after Aston Villa’s 2-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur on Friday night, and not just because of the importance of the result in the Champions League fight.

As his jubilant teammates jumped on one another in the centre circle upon the full-time whistle, Bailey was alone, knelt down, and brushing the Villa Park turf. The Jamaican, despondent as he lifted himself off the ground, pointed to the sky and eventually began a slow meander down the tunnel.

It looked as if Bailey was trying to drink in the experience one last time with his future very much in doubt. He wasn’t the only one, either, as goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, also away from the main group of celebrating Villa players, was in tears for several minutes and appeared to be saying his farewells to the Villa Park faithful.

Head coach Unai Emery refused to rule out departures for the pair during his post-match press conference, instead shifting the focus to the next game away at Manchester United. “We will see about the team, the players, but of course, they are responding on the field at the moment,” Emery said.

“They are responding and are focused on how we are preparing and playing each match. Of course, Leon Bailey is playing less because I know everybody is responding very well. They are performing well. And we are going to play Manchester for the last three points. And for us it will be very important again, to prepare, to be focused everybody.

“And of course, then we will see about everything, how we are going to try to get better for the next season, coming back.”

Will Leon Bailey leave Aston Villa this summer?

Bailey’s future has been uncertain for a while now, but his reaction after the Spurs win says everything. That wasn’t a man who believes he’ll be at the club next season. He looked as if he had accepted defeat.

It’s such a shame it’s ended up this way as Bailey has enjoyed some brilliant moments with Villa. Since arriving from Bayer Leverkusen for around £25 million in 2021, the winger has contributed 22 goals and 24 assists in 144 appearances. His 10 goals and nine assists in the Premier League last season were pivotal to Villa qualifying for the Champions League. That involvement won’t be forgotten by Villa fans.

The time may be right to say goodbye, however, as there’s strong interest from the Saudi Pro League and across Europe. Spurs have shown an interest in the past, too, while Manchester United held talks over signing the winger at the end of the winter transfer window.

It’ll be interesting to see whether Man Utd return for Bailey, but the Jamaican’s emotions are a clear enough signal that he’s set to be on the move to somewhere or other. The Red Devils are set for a squad overhaul this summer and could be tempted to sign Bailey if the price is right.

There’s also the Premier League profit and sustainability rules (PSR) aspect, too. Villa are currently under pressure to make at least one significant sale to avoid breaching PSR and Bailey could be sacrificed.

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Player ratings and report from Aston Villa’s pivotal 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur.

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Aston Villa’s Champions League charge will go down to the final day after a professional 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Friday night.

Unai Emery’s 100th Premier League match in charge of Villa will go down as a pivotal one as the Villans, albeit a little unconvincing for large stretches of the encounter, nudged past a second-string Spurs side at Villa Park. Ezri Konsa’s composed 59th-minute opener and Boubacar Kamara’s first-ever Premier League goal were enough to earn a vital three points, temporarily edging Villa into the top five.

When the team sheets came out and Spurs named captain Heung-min Son alongside fringe players and youth prospects, many expected Villa to cruise to victory. That was far from the reality, however, at least in the first half, as Tottenham were difficult to break and looked a consistent threat on the transition. Emery’s men had to battle hard for every duel and the tension was palpable heading into the interval.

Before Konsa’s decisive opener roared Villa Park into life, you could cut the atmosphere with a knife. The first 45 minutes were tense and cagey; Villa had their fair share of half chances but there was a lack of conviction. Emery often reminded his players to remain calm with assurance the goal would eventually come, but there was genuine doubt in all four corners of the ground that the big moment wouldn’t arrive.

But it did. And Villa’s number four displayed incredible composure under the greatest pressure. Captain super John McGinn whipped in a peach of an outswinging corner and Ollie Watkins nodded it back into the danger area, Konsa volleying delicately through the legs of Yves Bissouma, finding the bottom left-hand corner.

Kamara then made sure of the points as he made it 2-0, striking with fury on his weaker left foot to find the net. Morgan Rogers laid the ball off to Kamara and he was afforded acres of space on the edge of the area, invited to have a pop. That he did as he breathed a huge sigh of relief into the Villa Park faithful.

Spurs, resigned to defeat, hardly threatened in the closing stages as Villa held on. Here’s how the players rated out of 10.

Aston Villa player ratings vs Spurs

Emiliano Martinez - Preserved another clean sheet and it was fairly comfortable as he only had to make one save, denying Odobert. That’s now just four goals conceded in his last nine Premier League outings. 7

Matty Cash - Struggled to deal with Son’s pace on the transition in the first half and let the South Korean inside too easily once or twice. Received a silly yellow card for asking Peter Bankes to book Odobert, too. Improved in the second half to help Villa see out the clean sheet, though, and linked up strongly with Asensio. 6

Ezri Konsa - Scored the priceless opener, his third goal of the season in all competitions. Hardly put a foot wrong defensively, too, putting in several important tackles to stop Spurs on the transition. Perhaps should’ve controlled his emotions better when he had an argy-bargy with Tel, but that was soon forgotten. 8

Pau Torres - Displayed a great improvement, especially in possession. Swung in a great cross for Watkins early on and played some inch-perfect forward passes through tiny gaps. Still managed to find himself out of position at times, but got away with it on this occasion. 7

Ian Maatsen - Enjoyed a good battle with Moore and Spence, often coming out on top with his close ball control. Tracked back brilliantly to stop Tel on a dangerous counter attack at the start of the second half. Whipped in a few dangerous low crosses. 7

Boubacar Kamara - Bossed the midfield once again, winning his fair share of duels. Stood out when it turned edgy, calming things down with composed passing under pressure; Spurs couldn’t get near him in those moments. Capped off his fine display with his first-ever goal in this division – and it was a cracker. Bravo. 9*

Amadou Onana (off 88’) - Broke up the play brilliantly alongside Kamara, hardly giving Spurs any space to work with. Gave away the odd sloppy foul here and there but Emery won’t mind as he showed great determination to win back possession whenever Villa lost it. 8

John McGinn (off 90’) - Pressed relentlessly, on Spurs like a rash whenever they showed any sign of weakness. Whipped in the free-kick that Konsa headed on target in the first half and fizzed a powerful shot just over the bar. Delivered the corner that led to Konsa’s goal. 8

Morgan Rogers - Notched the assist for Kamara’s goal, albeit only with a simple pass. Not quite as involved as usual but still proved to be a handful for defenders. 7

Marco Asensio - Showed flashes of his immense quality. Played a brilliant through ball to Watkins, attempted an ambitious backheeled volley and fizzed a long shot narrowly wide, all in the first half. Then had the odd skillful moment in the second. 7

Ollie Watkins (off 86’) - Didn’t get on the scoresheet but got the assist for Konsa’s opener. Held up the ball brilliantly when required and got Gray in the book with one textbook example. Got in some great positions to see an early sighter saved and went close with a similar effort in the second period. 8

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Predicting Unai Emery’s Aston Villa lineup at home to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.

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Aston Villa are on home soil for the final time this season as they play host to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Friday night.

The Villans, full of confidence after navigating two tricky 1-0 victories over Fulham and AFC Bournemouth, know they must beat Spurs under the lights at Villa Park if they are to keep their Champions League flame alight.

Unai Emery’s side, sixth with two games to go, are now outside of the top five on goal difference alone. Beating Spurs could be enough to leapfrog Chelsea and put Champions League football in the palm of their hands, so it’s a pivotal fixture.

Ange Postecoglou’s side, down in 17th place with a record 20 defeats in their 36 matches, are unlikely to pose much of a threat. Spurs will have one eye - if not both eyes - on their upcoming Europa League final as there’s no longer anything for them to play for.

Nonetheless, Villa must guard against complacency and put on a professional display. To give his side the best chance of doing that, here’s the starting XI we reckon Emery will name.

Aston Villa predicted lineup vs Spurs

GK - Emi Martinez: The two-time Yashin Trophy winner will be delighted to have kept two successive clean sheets and will be eager to make it a hat-trick.

RB - Matty Cash: Locked in and focused, Cash is ahead of Andres Garcia in the pecking order as it stands. The Poland international has been in great form recently.

CB - Ezri Konsa: One of the first names on the team sheet, Konsa has been brilliant throughout 2024/25. The defender will likely keep that status heading into next season.

CB - Tyrone Mings: Brought in for Pau Torres last time out, aerial powerhouse Mings showed why he should be starting ahead of the Spaniard. Based on form, it’s hardly a dilemma at this point.

LB - Ian Maatsen: It’s almost impossible at this point to guess who Emery will opt for at left-back, but we reckon it could be Maatsen rotating in for Lucas Digne as he has more pace to deal with the rapid Brennan Johnson.

CM - Boubacar Kamara: Pivotal to Villa for his strength and command at the base of midfield, Kamara can expect to stay in the lineup. Talks are current ongoing over a new, long-term contract.

CM - Amadou Onana: The Belgian replaced the injured Youri Tielemans against Bournemouth and did well. A dominant and physical pairing at the base of midfield could be effective yet again.

RM - Morgan Rogers: Undroppable, not many players in world football can charge forward on the ball as well as Rogers does. He’ll be eager to end a six-game wait for a goal.

LM - John McGinn: The skipper is probably the most suitable replacement for the now suspended Jacob Ramsey. McGinn doesn’t possess the same pace or flair but he’s effective on the half turn and can still beat a man effectively.

CAM - Marco Asensio: The PSG loanee is perhaps lucky to start as he hasn’t been in the best form since his electric start in claret and blue. He’ll be eager to put that right before the end of the campaign.

ST - Ollie Watkins: Now Villa’s record Premier League goalscorer having nudged ahead of Gabby Agbonlahor, Watkins can be considered a club legend. He’ll be desperate to get to the 100-goal mark.

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Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou loves to cause a stir in a press conference.

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Whether it be on purpose or completely by mistake, Postecoglou often says something controversial in his meetings with the media. The words themselves may not even be contentious at times, but the head coach’s tone - whether it be serious, sarcastic or otherwise - usually prompts a response.

Postecoglou certainly caused a reaction after last weekend’s 2-0 home loss to Crystal Palace, as he attempted to excuse and reason his team’s awful position in the Premier League standings. Spurs are currently 17th with a whopping 20 defeats in 36 matches, a club record in a top-tier league campaign. Postecoglou has blamed injuries and the progression to the Europa League final adding fixture congestion, expecting supporters and journalists to understand.

“Yeah, look and I get it and people are banging the drum about this record with defeats, but if people don’t see there is a correlation between the two (fixture congestion and poor form), I am not going to sit here. It’s not exactly Pythagoras' theorem,” Postecoglou said via Football London.

“It’s quite simple to understand we would have had much better results if we didn’t have to navigate this. So, either you understand or you don’t and beat us over the head, I get it.

“I am not happy with the way we performed today, so that’s what I look at. I think we could have performed better and irrespective of the result you can still lose a game of football and our performance level wasn't anywhere near where it should be. That's my responsibility to address.”

Postecoglou speaks the truth, to an extent, as Spurs and fellow Europa League finalists Manchester United have played more games than any other Premier League team, with 57 apiece. But it’s only a marginal difference, with the much higher-flying Arsenal (56), Aston Villa (55), and Liverpool and Manchester City (both 54) still having to navigate hectic months.

Meanwhile, when it comes to injuries, Spurs have had 22 so far this season, five fewer than bitter rivals Arsenal and just one more than Villa. Brighton & Hove Albion, also with 22, have managed just fine as they are still in the fight for a Europa Conference League place. Similar can be said for Newcastle United, who look likely to earn Champions League football despite contending with 17 injuries.

Villa fans can especially take great amusement from Postecoglou’s comments, as Unai Emery has had to deal with fixture congestion and injuries but has guided his team to European qualification with two matches to spare. It could yet get better, too, with a Champions League finish still on the cards.

All that has proved possible despite Villa’s financial disadvantage compared to the so-called ‘big six’, including Spurs. The Villans had to sell Moussa Diaby and Douglas Luiz last summer in fear of a points deduction due to a possible PSR breach, while Jhon Duran was sold in January with PSR in mind.

Granted, Spurs may have had more important players missing at times and for longer, but it’s hardly been night and day between them and Villa in this respect. The gap ahead of this Friday’s meeting between the two sides at Villa Park is 25 points and, if the hosts win, it could grow to 28. It’s just injuries and fixture congestion though, right, Ange?

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West Brom have discussed the possibility of signing a Tottenham Hotspur forward this summer.

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West Bromwich Albion have lodged an enquiry to sign Tottenham Hotspur hot prospect Jamie Donley on loan, Birmingham World understands.

The Baggies are still managerless as the hunt continues for Tony Mowbray’s successor, but that hasn’t stopped the club from beginning its summer transfer business well ahead of time. Albion turned to Spurs in January to loan in Will Lankshear for the second half of the campaign and now another of their forwards has caught the eye.

Donley, who has spent this season on loan at League One play-off qualifiers Leyton Orient, is a player West Brom have been keeping an eye on. The 20-year-old has impressed at Orient, scoring eight goals and making 10 assists in 39 League One matches this term.

It’s understood West Brom have contacted Spurs to get in there early, assessing Donley’s availability and whether the London club are willing to loan him out again. Orient will no doubt be interested in extending Donley’s spell at the club, but Spurs and the player himself may believe he’s worthy of playing at a higher level.

West Brom certainly think so, as they see Donley, who has more assists than anyone else in League One this term, as a player who could compete for a starting place in a new-look attack. It’s become apparent that there will be an extensive squad overhaul at The Hawthorns as several first-team players see their contracts expire and others are set to be sold to raise funds.

Winger Grady Diangana and attacking midfielder John Swift are both definitely departing as their deals expire on June 30, while academy product Tom Fellows has been linked with a £15 million transfer to the Premier League. Josh Maja and Daryl Dike are probably good enough to lead the line, but Albion will be wary of their poor injury records and may sign another striker for cover.

How could Spurs starlet Jamie Donley fit in at West Brom?

Donley is capable of leading the line but typically prefers to slot in just behind the striker, or as an inside forward. The Northern Ireland international has predominantly operated as a left inside forward for Orient, getting heavily involved in the build-up to attacks as well as providing a goalscoring output.

You’d think the transfer business would wait until a new head coach has been appointed but, as Mowbray brutally outlined in his final press conference, there’s very little cooperation between the recruitment team and the manager.

The transfer window doesn’t open until June 12, so West Brom should have a new boss by the time signings can be made. Mowbray’s successor probably won’t have much of a say in the transfer business anyway, however, with many of the key decisions falling to Ian Pearce, the director of football.

It awaits to be seen how successful Albion’s approach to Spurs was for Donley, but an update is expected to emerge in due course. For now, the interest is strong but the attacker remains fully focused on seeing out Orient’s campaign in the play-offs.

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Aston Villa will now be without a vital player for at least two of their remaining three games of the Premier League season.

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Aston Villa midfielder Youri Tielemans has sustained a rare injury and could miss the rest of the season.

The 28-year-old has started all of Villa’s 35 Premier League matches this season but will miss at least two of the final three, with even the third - away at Manchester United on the final day - now a stretch. Tielemans is so often one of the most reliable in the squad for fitness, but even he isn’t immune to setbacks.

Birmingham World understands, as earlier reported by The Athletic, that Tielemans has suffered a muscular problem. It’s nothing serious but it’s enough to rule him out for around two weeks, making his return date very close to the trip to Old Trafford on Sunday, May 25. It’s the first injury he has sustained since a groin problem last April and May.

Tielemans, often utilised in a midfield double pivot alongside either Boubacar Kamara, Amadou Onana or John McGinn, is absolutely pivotal to the way Villa play. The Belgium international is the cornerstone, the creator, the benefactor of calm.

Last month, Tielemans became the first Villa player to start more than 50 games in a single season since Alan Wright and Mark Bosnich in 1995/96. He’s started 52 all in all across the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup, only ever really afforded a rest in the Carabao Cup games back in August and September.

Emery will be gutted to lose Tielemans for two - or possibly three - pivotal matches in the race for Champions League football. Villa are still well-equipped without him, but Tielemans’ quality so often shines through, even when the Villans aren’t performing well.

After the narrow 1-0 win over Fulham, a game in which Tielemans scored the only goal, Emery spoke of his delight at his number eight’s progress. “His commitment with us is fantastic, his qualities and how we are trying to get of him in our structure is very important,” Emery told Birmingham World.

“Last year, he was adapting and progressively getting better. But he didn’t play like this year and also played in different positions too. This year he has been more consistent playing as a number eight, or a 10.

“Those positions are something he can dominate. Of course, he is a very good example how he works every day and takes a commitment with us to try to get our objective, working hard.”

Who will step up for Aston Villa in Youri Tielemans’ absence?

It’s difficult to figure out exactly who Emery will turn to while Tielemans is sidelined as he often chops and changes between a host of options at his disposal. Taking on AFC Bournemouth next before hosting Tottenham Hotspur, Villa will have to be at their best knowing they need maximum points for a realistic chance of finishing in the top five.

John McGinn is perhaps the favourite to step into the centre if Emery prefers the captain’s feisty nature and ability to escape the press on the half-turn. McGinn often starts on the left flank but could step inside, allowing Jacob Ramsey to move into the XI out wide.

Amadou Onana can’t be ruled out, either, as the £50 million summer signing offers plenty of physicality in the centre of the park. Emery has also turned to the Belgian recently when he’s wanted Kamara and Onana in the pivot, therefore moving Tielemans into the number 10 role. In this structure, Tielemans could instead be replaced by Marco Asensio.

Then there’s Ross Barkley, who has been patiently awaiting opportunities to play after a string of injury problems. The former Everton and Chelsea man is now back up to full fitness but hasn’t started a match for Villa since the 2-1 win over Leicester City on January 4. Maybe he could get a chance.

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The latest contenders as West Brom carry out their search for a new manager.

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West Bromwich Albion’s search for a new head coach continues following the parting of ways with Tony Mowbray a fortnight ago.

The Baggies relieved Mowbray of his duties just three months into a two-and-a-half-year contract at The Hawthorns after the 61-year-old won only five of his 17 matches, losing eight and drawing the other four. The 3-1 defeat to relegation battlers Derby County proved to be the final straw.

It was a great shame it didn’t work out for Mowbray after he was welcomed back for an emotional return 16 years on from his initial exit. His historic first stint included a Championship title, still reminisced about by many in the present day. When Mowbray rejoined Albion, he had only just been given the all-clear after recovering from the bowel cancer scare that had ended his time at Birmingham City prematurely.

Football is a results business, though, and Albion’s higher-ups removed all emotional ties when making their decision. Football moves on and the Baggies are now being patient in their approach to hiring Mowbray’s successor, making their way through a shortlist of candidates.

Tottenham Hotspur first-team coach Ryan Mason has been the clear favourite ever since Mowbray’s exit and there was a significant update on Monday. The Sun reports that Albion are so eager to appoint Mason that they are willing to wait for Spurs’ season to end to make it a reality.

No other reports have followed, however, and Birmingham World hasn’t heard of any West Brom talks with Mason, let alone anything advanced. That doesn’t mean Albion aren’t keen on the Spurs man, but it makes it less likely than The Sun makes out.

Who else could be in contention for the West Brom job?

If Mason isn’t the one for the Baggies, then, who else could be lined up? Well, West Brom are remaining very tight-lipped about the whole situation with very little being given away. As a result, many of the outsiders we are about to list are based more on logic and gut feeling than anything substantial.

Raphael Wicky, spoken to in January before Mowbray was appointed, could be an outside shout. The former Basel and Young Boys manager was close to joining the Baggies at the turn of the year but the deal fell through due to complications over backroom staff.

It’s unknown whether West Brom have sounded out Wicky again this month - or vice versa - but an effort could be made to resolve the previous hiccup. All parties were keen at the time and the prospect of a summer rebuild could prove tempting. As it stands, the bookies aren’t even listing Wicky as an option for punters to back.

Marti Cifuentes was briefly a firm favourite to be appointed by West Brom when he was placed on gardening leave by Queens Park Rangers. The Telegraph initially reported that Albion were going to enter talks with Cifuentes before going back on their information, instead ruling out a move.

That would suggest Cifuentes won’t be going to West Brom, but that could change. Strange and sudden twists in narrative are common in football and Cifuentes is still expected to move on from QPR. It’s not as likely as the bookies would suggest (2/1) but it’s possible.

Russell Martin, relieved of his duties by Southampton earlier in the season, is yet to earn a proper mention. The 39-year-old earned promotion with the Saints via the play-offs in 2023/24 and would be tasked with repeating those heroics with West Brom if he were to be approached.

Martin certainly backs his ability and may be waiting out for a Premier League opportunity, but beggars can’t be choosers and Albion coming knocking could be tempting. The ex-Southampton man plays entertaining, fast-flowing football and could help get the best out of a host of new signings expected to come through The Hawthorns doors.

Unlike with Mason, Wicky and Cifuentes, there haven’t been credible reports linking Martin with the job. But he’s one of those who could make sense if moves for others don’t materialise. Don’t rule him out, is all we’d say. Martin’s chances stand at 16/1.

Other managers listed by the bookies - in likelihood order - are: Steve Cooper, Luke Williams, Sean Dyche, Steven Gerrard, Gary O’Neil, Des Buckingham, Darren Moore, Gareth Southgate, Rob Edwards, Shaun Maloney, Grant McCann, Lee Carsley, John Terry, David Wagner, Nathan Jones, Chris Hughton and Wayne Rooney.

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Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur is set to be moved to a different date.

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The upcoming Premier League clash between Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur is expected to be rearranged despite a backlash from the hosts.

Last week, Spurs requested to move the fixture from Sunday, May 18 forward to Thursday, May 15 as they asked for more time to prepare for their likely Europa League final against Manchester United or Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, May 21. Villa rebuffed those plans, pointing out that there is no set precedent for the Premier League to move matches to help clubs in European competition.

Tottenham, with a 3-1 semi-final aggregate lead over Bodo/Glimt, haven’t even secured their place in the Europa League final just yet. Their trip to Norway could yet end in misery, with a comeback for Kjetil Knutsen’s team not incomprehensible.

It appeared the chances of Villa’s clash with Spurs being moved were done and dusted heading towards last weekend, but it has been bubbling away in the background. General sale tickets have been on sale for over a week for a game that’s yet to have its date set in stone. In any other sphere, that would be deemed totally unacceptable – and Villa agree.

The Telegraph has now provided an update in favour of Spurs, suggesting the match will be moved as the visitors requested. It won’t be on the Thursday as Ange Postecoglou’s side hoped, but rather on Friday, May 16, with kick-off at 7.30pm. No official announcement has been made just yet but the report adds the Premier League are expected to communicate their decision imminently.

Villa, who played every three or four days throughout April due to their participation in the Champions League and FA Cup, were never afforded such generous treatment from the Premier League. Club officials are understood to be infuriated by the inconsistent management of the schedule and will be disappointed by the Premier League giving in to Spurs’ insistence.

Granted, it was never going to be easy to move games around in April to help Villa with so many to fit in, but the way the situation has been dealt with has been far from ideal. Supporters who have already booked travel and accommodation for the game will be equally as frustrated as they will have to adjust their plans accordingly.

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Aston Villa and Tottenham are battling to land a five-time England international

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Champions League hopefuls Aston Villa are believed to be leading the charge to sign a highly-rated England international in the summer despite competition from Tottenham Hotspur.

Villa have enjoyed a superb season this term under the guidance of Unai Emery, reaching the Champions League quarter-final while also ensuring a first appearance at Wembley Stadium since the Championship play-offs in 2019 by reaching this year’s FA Cup semi-final.

The Lions are edging closer to their first domestic piece of silverware since 1996 and are also enjoying a strong run of form in the league which has catapulted them back into Champions League contention, with five places up for grabs this season. Villa were extremely busy in the January window and are likely to be follow a similar trend this summer as Emery continues to try and take the team to new heights with more shrewd additions.

Aston Villa plot move for Noni Madueke

Aston Villa have been handed a significant boost in their attempts to lure Noni Madueke to Villa Park, according to reports from Give Me Sport. The outlet understands Emery is a huge fan of the winger and has recently been handed a significant boost by Chelsea, with the west London side indicating that they will entertain offers for the winger this summer.

The Villans profited from a lucrative cash injection when they sold Jhon Duran in January and are keen to reinvest some of that money towards a new winger. Marcus Rashford is thought to be a likely target. He has a £40m option to buy placed in his loan deal, but there could still be room in the budget for two new arrivals, with Leon Bailey being linked with a move away, via Football Insider.

The Jamaican has struggled to hit the heights of last term with only two league goals and four assists, and has first team starts increasingly hard to come by in recent months.

Where would Noni Madueke fit in at Aston Villa?

Noni Madueke has played most of his career as a right-sided winger and is renowned for his incredible pace, agility and ability to seamlessly dribble past defenders.bHe’s scored 10 and assisted for in 33 appearances this term and notably scored a hat-trick against Wolves during the second game of the campaign. Madueke initially struggled for regular minutes at Stamford Bridge after joining from PSV but has become an increasingly important member of the squad since the end of last season, establishing himself as a full England international in the process.

Give Me Sport understands Villa see Madueke as a player that fits their project and claims they are frontrunners although Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United are also credited with interest. The report claims Madueke is valued at around £30m, which is the exact fee the Blues paid for him in January 2023. However, with five years remaining on his deal and with interest high, it’s likely the Stamford Bridge club could seek a higher fee.

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Tottenham and Aston Villa are fighting to sign a talented Premier League prospect

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Tottenham Hotspur are leading Aston Villa in the race to land in-demand Southampton wonderkid Tyler Dibling this summer.

Birmingham World understands that Villa are huge admirers of the former Chelsea academy prospect, who has been one of the only bright sparks in a bleak season for a Saints team that have been rooted to the bottom of the table for almost the entirety of the campaign.

Dibling made just one appearance for Southampton during the promotion season, but has now stepped up to become one of the team’s most important players and arguably their biggest hope if they are to get more points on the board and at the bare minimum surpass Derby County’s record low points tally of 11 in a Premier League season during the 2007/08 campaign.

The 19-year-old has been widely spoke about as a prospect for a number of years and is attracting attention because of his excellent ball control, agility, pace and his ability to seamlessly beat defenders.

Football Insider reports that Tottenham are the main contenders to sign Tyler Dibling this summer. It is believed Southampton will struggle to keep hold of Dibling this summer following their inevitable relegation from the Premier League. This reports comes after the Telegraph sensationally claimed that Dibling was valued by the St Mary’s club at a staggering £100m.

Football Insider explains that while Dibling is a huge asset to the Saints he will likely leave for much less than that figure so that the team can use any potential funds to aid their effort to win promotion next term. His current deal is set to expire in 2027, and this summer is seen as their main chance to make a significant fee from his sale while his stock is highest.

Mick Brown, a writer for Football Insider, who once worked as a scout at a number of England’s biggest clubs including Manchester United claims that from his understanding Spurs have already held internal talks with Dibling’s representatives and feels they are the most serious about making a deal happen.

Why are Aston Villa interested in Tyler Dibling?

Aston Villa are likely to look for additions to the front three this summer, especially if they are unable to secure the permanent signings of loan stars Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio. Rashford has a £40m option in his loan deal to make the move permanent which looks increasingly likely following his England term. While no such clause is in place for Asensio.

Dibling is seen as a player with bags of potential, who at 19 while playing in a weak Premier League side, is yet to realise just how his ceiling can be. In April 2022, he scored a hat-trick of near-identical goals in a Premier League 2 game against Newcastle United, with a video of the goals going viral, earmarking him as a talent to the footballing world. A short-lived spell of less than two months with Chelsea followed before he opted for a return to home to continue his development.

Dibling signed his first contract a year later and since then has been capped for England at Under-21 and Under-19 level while consistently showing that he’s one of the few Saints players with the bravery and imagination to make things happen in the Premier League with two goals this term and creating the bulk of his sides chances across the season.

It's likely that sporting director Monchi will look to sign a new striker to provide depth and competition for Ollie Watkins. Dibling would be among the preferred options, but his spiralling price may force Villa to look elsewhere with Bournemouth’s Dango Outtara also being mentioned in recent days.