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Aston Villa choosing to let go of veteran player Ashley Young has 'shocked' journalist Ryan Taylor due to his experience and impact behind the scenes.

What's the latest news involving Ashley Young?

As per the Aston Villa official website, Young will be leaving the club once his contract expires, bringing the curtain down on a long association with the club across two separate spells.

During his two stints at Villa Park, Young became a fan favourite and managed to notch 38 goals and 60 assists across 247 appearances for the West Midlands-based outfit, as per Transfermarkt.

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery did speak to the 37-year-old over the prospect of extending his £50k-a-week contract at the Villans, as per The Express and Star; however, no such agreement came to light and the former Manchester United man will be on the lookout for a new club this summer.

Club captain John McGinn posted a fitting tribute to the former England international on Twitter following the announcement of his departure, stating: "Absolutely gutted to lose a top guy and top player. Pleasure to have played with you."

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Taylor is 'shocked' that Young has been let go and revealed that the versatile star was keen to extend his stay at Villa Park.

Taylor said: "I was shocked, to be honest, purely because I've done a few matches this season covering Villa and spoken to Young in the mixed zone and the sort of standards he sets and drives…. He was key to that European push behind the scenes.

"He loves Villa and he made it clear he wanted to stay, and I don't think he would have been asking for huge wages either. So I am slightly shocked at that."

Have Aston Villa targeted anyone to replace Ashley Young this summer?

Aston Villa will have a hard job trying to replace Young in the transfer window due to his versatility and presence around the dressing room at Villa Park.

According to The Times, Aston Villa are keen on Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney; however, they will need to fend off competition from Newcastle United to land the Scotland international.

Young predominantly featured in either right-back or left-back functions during his second spell at Aston Villa and Manchester City defender Kyle Walker is another name of interest to the Villans to bolster their defensive depth, as per Football Insider.

Earlier this year, Tuttomercatoweb claimed that Inter Milan right-back Denzel Dumfries was also being eyed in an ambitious swoop by Aston Villa boss Emery, showing that the Spaniard is being proactive in trying to source an alternative to Young ahead of 2023/24.

Newcastle United threw the kitchen sink at Leicester City at St. James' Park on Monday night but could not find a way to break the deadlock, though the cacophonous ovation was not in line with the goalless draw in the Premier League.

Eddie Howe's Magpies had taken the one point they needed to cement their place in next season's Champions League, with fifth-placed Liverpool's home draw to Aston Villa on Saturday placing Newcastle and Manchester United within touching distance of securing top four.

The home side dominated and exerted their towering authority as a new force in English football but were indeed unable to bypass goalkeeper Daniel Iverson's line, having offered 23 shots to the Foxes' single strike, expertly kept out in the dying embers of the affair by the imperious Nick Pope.

The £10m summer signing might well have been languid after such little action throughout the contest but showed no signs of slack as he parried Timothy Castagne's guileful effort.

It all could have been so different were the 30-year-old not among the division's best, sparing talisman Callum Wilson's blushes after an uncharacteristically profligate performance.

How did Callum Wilson perform vs Leicester?

Newcastle's resounding feats this season are a product of astute recruitment and diligent, adept management, and Howe and co really do deserve plaudits for the swift manner in crafting a cohesive team capable of challenging for major honours and European endeavours.

However, the work is plied on the pitch and for all the Toon's recruitment since the PIF takeover in October 2021, Wilson has been a sensational component to Howe's system, having signed from Bournemouth – also playing under Howe on the south coast – and been a prolific focal point as the club ascend to prominence this term, scoring 18 goals and providing five assists from just 21 starts in the top-flight.

The six-cap England international certainly suffered a blip in the purple patch against Dean Smith's City, recording a woeful 6.0 rating on Sofascore and failing to take his chances as gallant Leicester clung on.

Withdrawn from action after just 68 minutes, the 31-year-old missed two big chances and hit the woodwork once with his four attempted shots, but it wasn't just his wastefulness that inhibited him.

Pope, while heroic with his late save, only made eight passes and 17 touches all match, while Wilson managed to minnow even this low rate by making just two passes and 16 touches, also failing in all four of his contested duels.

Losing possession five times and also finding himself caught offside, it was a wholly inauspicious night for the £46k-per-week ace that might have been cast in a far gloomier shadow had Pope been bested by his opposition, providing Liverpool with an opportunity to weasel back into contention.

Wilson's goals have been invaluable this season, and he would have never been judged from just one match, especially following a blistering individual campaign to coincide with his club's fruitful fortunes, but he will count his lucky stars that the Foxes didn't complete a remarkable snatch-and-grab, thus denting the Toon's Champions League hopes.

Glasgow Rangers are in the market for a new striker this summer, and Michael Beale has reportedly made a bid for Haji Wright ahead of the transfer window.

What’s the latest on Haji Wright to Rangers?

According to Turkish journalist Salim Manav, Rangers “made a transfer offer” of £7m for the Antalyaspor striker, however, it was rejected as the team are currently holding out for a fee in the region of £8.5m.

It remains to be seen whether the Ibrox side will go back in with a new and improved offer, but with Alfredo Morelos leaving and Antonio Colak potentially set to leave the Light Blues after one season, then Beale will be desperate to secure another striker ahead of next season.

Who will replace Alfredo Morelos at Rangers?

The departing Colombian striker has left behind an endearing legacy at Rangers which has seen him score 124 goals for the club, win a Premiership title and Scottish Cup while becoming the club’s all-time top scorer in European competition, and he will be tough to replace.

It wasn’t only his goals which made Morelos frightening, but his ability to hold up the ball and bully defenders meant he gave Rangers much more than just a simple goal threat, and it will take someone special to become his successor.

Wright could be the ideal player for this role, especially given his stunning form in Turkey this season. He has scored 16 goals and registered three assists in just 26 appearances this term, and considering Morelos has only netted 12 goals in 44 matches, the Gers may be onto a winner with the 25-year-old.

What's more, Wright also has more shots on target per game (1.1 to 1), more successful dribbles (1.1 to 0.3) and scores more goals per game (0.6 to 0.4) than the Rangers striker, suggesting that he could even be an upgrade for 2023/24.

It’s no wonder he has been described as a “dangerous striker” former Schalke sporting director Horst Heldt, and there is no reason to doubt that he couldn’t shine in Scotland with such a goalscoring record.

The American also has experience at the highest level, representing his nation at the World Cup in Qatar last year, playing in all four matches for the USA, where he scored a bizarre goal against the Netherlands in the last 16.

Strengthening Rangers' attacking options will be paramount for Beale this summer, and Wright could well be a worthwhile addition to the first-team squad.

Unai Emery is building something exciting at Aston Villa, which is clear in his rise to success in the Midlands in such a short space of time.

The Spaniard took over when Villa were suffering in the Premier League, looking towards relegation early in the season, however, all worry was expelled when the 51-year-old made the switch from Villareal to Villa Park.

It feels to some like the four-time Europa League winner has been in the Midlands for years with the way he has reconnected the players and fans to the club, sketching a bigger picture for further success way past this tremendous opening six months.

With fast success comes a lot of ‘what ifs’ both present and past, with a lot of talent previously departed from Villa, in hindsight, Emery could’ve changed the fortunes of the careers of many in claret and blue had his time come sooner.

Why did Idrissa Gueye leave Aston Villa?

After joining the club in 2015 for £9m when Tim Sherwood was in charge, Gueye quickly became a trusted member of the squad at Villa Park.

Described by the aforementioned Sherwood as "one of the best" in his position at the time, the Senegalese midfielder made a name for himself in the Premier League in his short stay in the Midlands.

Villa’s relegation that year triggered Gueye’s release clause, which saw him move to Everton where his form continued.

The story grew for the Dakar-born player, who was snatched by European giants Paris Saint-Germain, in a move that the French champions “fought a lot” for, as per former boss Thomas Tuchel.

What could Idrissa Gueye have offered in Emery’s system?

It began and ended too swiftly for the midfielder at Villa Park, and considering Emery’s track record with managing players and nurturing their development, it sparks talk of what could’ve been for Gueye had his time crossed the Spaniard’s.

In his first season at PSG, the midfield "monster" as acclaimed by Tuchel, averaged a whopping 3.3 tackles per game, as well as winning over half of his ground duels (57%).

He epitomises what the current Villa boss craves in a box-to-box player, maintaining a passing accuracy rate of 93% in his first Ligue 1 season whilst being defensively solid – as per Sofascore.

When you revise the way the Spaniard unleashed the potential of former Arsenal holding midfielder Lucas Torreira, who "exploded" under his tutelage – as per Amy Lawrence – it’s clear to see how Emery aims to utilise his players in that position.

The 51-year-old has done the same with Douglas Luiz since arriving in the Midlands, stating last month of the importance that the Brazilian plays in the "idea" he wishes “to create” in his team.

As per FBref, Luiz averages 2.30 tackles per 90 in Emery’s side, as well as ranking in the top 25% of interceptors in the Premier League this season.

Previously called a "disgrace" by Villa fans prior to the Spaniard’s arrival, the Brazilian has relished working under Emery, transforming his game in a way typical of the coach’s demands.

Had Gueye’s time come later or lasted longer at Villa Park, the Senegal international could’ve taken Villa to the next level and undoubtedly thrived in the four-time Europa League winner’s progressive system.

أعلن الاتحاد الجزائري لكرة القدم في بيان رسمي، التقدم بشكوى رسمية للاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم “الكاف”، بسبب التحكيم في مباراة الجزائر وبوركينا فاسو.

وحسمت مباراة الجزائر وبوركينا فاسو بتعادل إيجابي بهدفين لمثلهما، في الجولة الثانية لدور المجموعات من بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023 المقامة بكوت ديفوار.

وسلط الاتحاد الجزائري الضوء في شكواه على حكام الفيديو المساعد “الفار”، مشيرًا إلى أنه تم تعيين نفس حكم الفيديو للفريق في مباراتي أنجولا وبوركينا فاسو في البطولة، بالإضافة لكونه لم يتخذ قرارات حاسمة.

اقرأ أيضًا | محرز يتجاهل الانتقادات بعد تعادل الجزائر مع بوركينا فاسو: لا نستمع لما يُقال خلف الهواتف بيان الاتحاد الجزائري لكرة القدم

“تقدمت الجامعة الجزائرية لكرة القدم بشكوى رسمية إلى الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم بخصوص التحكيم خلال مباراة الجزائر وبوركينا فاسو، في إطار منافسات اليوم الثاني من المجموعة الرابعة لبطولة كأس إفريقيا للأمم 2023.

وبينما ترحب الجامعة الجزائرية لكرة القدم بالجهود المبذولة لرفع مستوى تنظيم الحدث القاري، فإنها تأسف للعيوب التي لاحظتها.

لا يفهم الاتحاد الجزائري لكرة القدم سبب تعيين نفس حكم الفار كما في المباراة الأولى، مما يثير تساؤلات مشروعة حول عدم ملاءمة مثل هذا القرار، خاصة وأن القرارات المتنازع عليها خلال المباراة لم يلاحظها حكام الفار مثل الأخطاء التي ارتكبت على لاعبينا في الدقائق (10′) و(57′).

تستند شكوى الاتحاد الجزائري لكرة القدم إلى حقائق يمكن التحقق منها ويجب على الحكام المسؤولين الرد عليها.

وتأمل الجامعة الجزائرية لكرة القدم من خلال هذه الشكوى التدخل حتى يكون التحكيم بمستوى أفضل ويرقى إلى مستوى المنافسة القارية العريقة”.

ويستعد منتخب الجزائر لمواجهة موريتانيا في الجولة الثالثة من دور المجموعات يوم الثلاثاء المقبل.

جدير بالذكر أن منتخب الجزائر حسم أول مباراة له في البطولة بتعادل إيجابي أيضًا ضد أنجولا بهدف لمثله.

It would appear that at least one new centre-forward addition will be on the cards for Manchester United this summer, with manager Erik ten Hag keen to find a long-term solution to the club's current striking problem.

The departure of Cristiano Ronaldo in November left the Red Devils with Anthony Martial as the sole centre-forward option at the time, although the former Monaco man has been plagued by injury this season, amid suggestions that his time could be up at Old Trafford at the end of the season.

The top-four hopefuls did move to ease the burden on the injury-prone Frenchman by snapping up Wout Weghorst in January, although the Dutchman has since scored just twice for the club to date, with it yet to be seen if the loan signing will be handed a permanent contract.

Recent reports have suggested that United are keen on prising Harry Kane from Tottenham Hotspur, although Ten Hag and co may need more than just one new face if both Weghorst and Martial are to depart.

As such, one potential option could have presented itself in the form of Feyenoord marksman, Santiago Gimenez, with The Mirror recently reporting that the Carabao Cup winners sent scouts to watch the 21-year-old in action against Ajax.

The hope would be that the Mexico international – who is said to be rated at around £18m – could prove just as successful as another striker to have traded the Eredivisie for Old Trafford, in the form of Ruud van Nistelrooy.

How good was Van Nistelrooy at Man United?

As goalscorers go, there were few better than the legendary Dutchman in his pomp, with Van Nistelrooy having been an "absolute machine" in front of goal during his time in England, as per ex-teammate, Roy Keane.

Having seen a move to the Theatre of Dreams shelved in 2000 due to a knee issue, the then-PSV Eindhoven star made his belated move to Manchester a year later, going on to quickly make up for lost time after scoring twice on debut against Fulham.

That goalscoring entrance in his new surroundings set the tone for what was to follow from the 70-cap menace, with the ruthless and single-minded gem bagging 150 goals in just 219 games for United in total, including 95 goals in just 150 Premier League outings.

While others have struggled in recent times to make that transition from the Netherlands to England – with Memphis Depay notably lasting just 18 months with the Red Devils after also signing from PSV in 2015 – Van Nistelrooy proved himself a truly "fantastic goalscorer", as per former boss Sir Alex Ferguson, with the hope being that Gimenez can emulate that success.

On current evidence, it would appear that the latter man also has the credentials to be a rather prolific presence under Ten Hag, with the Argentine-born ace having been "on fire" so far this season, according to talent scout Jacek Kulig.

The former Cruz Azul man – who only arrived in Rotterdam last summer – has already bagged 18 goals in just 37 games to date for his current side, helping to fire the club into title contention.

Much like Van Nistelrooy – who scored just one top-flight goal for United outside the box – Gimenez also truly thrives inside the penalty area having scored nine of his ten league goals inside the 18-yard box, while he also ranks in the top 2% among his peers in the Men's next eight best competitions around the globe for touches in the attacking penalty area.

To have a truly clinical poacher at their disposal once again would be a real coup for United, with the Premier League giants needing to repeat that Van Nistelrooy masterclass and bring the Feyenoord man to Old Trafford ahead of next season.

Arsenal are one of a number of Premier League clubs who could consider a summer move for Mason Mount, with the Gunners "aware" of his quality.

Mount to leave Chelsea in the summer?

The England international could possibly leave Chelsea at the end of the season, having failed to agree a new contract there for a number of months. He and the club can't reach an agreement that suits all parties, and for that reason, a summer exit appears to be increasingly likely.

Mount's current Blues contract expires in the summer of 2024, and in order to avoid losing him on a free transfer at that point, thet west Londoners could decide to sell him in the coming months. A host of top teams have been linked with a move for the 24-year-old and he is unlikely to be without suitors if a Chelsea exit does materialise.

Mikel Arteta will clearly already be eyeing up potential summer signings at Arsenal, in order to sign make his squad even better ahead of next season, with midfield an area of the pitch where more depth is required. That's where Mount comes into play, with the Chelsea and England man seen as a possible addition at the Emirates.

Could Arsenal snap up midfielder?

According to The Athletic's Simon Johnson and Raphael Honigstein, Arsenal "may well seek to strengthen their options at No 8 in the summer and will be well aware of Mount’s pedigree — even if, at present, that is as far as their ‘interest’ has extended to date."

The report states that Liverpool look to be the front-runners to acquire Mount's signature during the summer transfer window, although the Gunners do seem to be eyeing him as an option.

The 36-time capped England international could be an excellent signing by Arsenal at the end of the season – he has 70 goal contributions for Chelsea – possessing so many of the attributes that Arteta admires in a player. He is hugely switched in a tactical sense, with Jose Mourinho once describing him as a "very, very intelligent" footballer, while Danny Murphy has called him as "terrific talent".

At 24, Mount is also at a great age to come in and be an instant hit in the Gunners' midfield, with his peak years still likely to be ahead of him, whether than be physically or in terms of maturity. It looks as though others are ahead Arsenal in the pecking order currently, but they are clearly an attractive proposition at the moment and he could like the idea of joining the Arteta revolution.

Leeds United are thought to be keen on a potential move for Bournemouth left-back Jordan Zemura, according to 90min.

The Lowdown: Zemura profiled

Zemura made the move to Bournemouth’s academy back in 2019 from Charlton Athletic and was previously on the books at Queens Park Rangers.

Since then, the 23-year-old has progressed on the south coast and has gone on to make 61 senior appearances for the Cherries, 19 of which have come in the Premier League this season.

Primarily a left-back, Zemura is also a full Zimbabwe international and is at the top of his game with a career-high €4m Transfermarkt valuation.

He is out of contract in a matter of months however, so is currently set to become a free agent in the summer, with Elland Road seemingly a possible next destination.

The Latest: Leeds interest

90min reporters Toby Cudworth and Graeme Bailey provided an update on Zemura in the last 48 hours, claiming that West Ham are leading the chase for the free signing of the Bournemouth man.

However, they added that Leeds are also admirers of the player alongside Aston Villa and Newcastle, with Zemura also attracting interest from France and Germany.

The Verdict: Needed?

Left-back seems to be an area of the pitch where Leeds look fairly light, with Junior Firpo the club’s only out-and-out senior option. The Spaniard has improved in recent weeks after enduring an injury-hit beginning to the campaign, scoring the winner against Southampton in Javi Gracia’s first game in charge.

Pascal Struijk has turned out at left-back for large parts of the current campaign in Firpo’s absence and Max Wober can also feature as a left-back if required, but the January signing has made himself a mainstay at centre-back since arriving.

Therefore, bringing in a player like Zemura for free could be a shrewd move. Hailed as ‘excellent’ by former manager Scott Parker, Zemura appears to be improving every year and now has experience of playing in the top flight.

He’s also sampled the Elland Road atmosphere at its peak, watching on from the bench back in November as Leeds beat Bournemouth 4-3 in a thrilling league fixture after finding themselves 3-1 down early in the second half.

A move could well be one to keep an eye on, however, you’d expect that Leeds will need to remain in the Premier League for a transfer to have any chance of materialising, and it could also help if Bournemouth drop straight back to the Championship, potentially influencing Zemura’s future.

TalkSPORT presenter Simon Jordan has claimed that Chelsea are the likeliest suitors for Declan Rice, as they would pay West Ham’s high asking price.

What’s the latest on Declan Rice?

The West Ham United captain looks almost certain to leave the club this summer, after expressing his desire to play in the Champions League, and Rice is reportedly Arsenal’s top target.

Chelsea have also been linked, and West Ham have set a price tag of over £100m.

However, Jordan criticised Rice, stating on TalkSPORT that the England international is “not a £100m footballer,” and went on to claim that Chelsea owner Todd Boehly would be likely to sign the midfielder given his heavy spending so far.

“Todd Boehly will come in and buy him for £120m because he’s not really that much interested in valuations,” he stated.

“He’s interested in what he’s building the football club towards, and if they believe that he’s the missing part of a jigsaw at Chelsea, that’s he’s going to be the anchor that they can build around, then they’ll pay that money for him.”

Could Rice solve Chelsea’s problems?

Chelsea are in a crisis on the pitch despite record levels of spending, with just two wins in their last 15 games in all competitions, as Graham Potter finds himself under increasing pressure.

They spent a British record fee on Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandez, whilst also selling Jorginho, and they have not seen an improvement in fortunes yet.

Bringing Rice to Stamford Bridge could mean he plays alongside Fernandez to form what would be a midfield packed full of tenacity and quality.

Although he is a more defence-minded midfielder, Rice could allow Fernandez to push forward more, and the 21-year-old ranked highly for assists, shot-creating actions and shots during his time at Benfica as per FBref.

If Chelsea do splash out on the Englishman, they will need to see an instant improvement next season to justify the levels of investment in the team, but the West Ham star could help revive a team that is completely lacking in confidence.

Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale could be set to face an exodus of first-team players from Ibrox unless he and Ross Wilson act fast to tie them down to long-term deals.

The likes of Ryan Jack, Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent are out of contract at the end of the campaign and are valuable assets for the club who can’t allowed to be let go for nothing.

Others such as Steven Davis, Allan McGregor and Scott Arfield may be released come the end of the campaign, which would lower the wage budget and give Beale the chance to fill his squad with younger talent.

The majority of decisions seem fairly straightforward, but with Filip Helander also out of contract, that could give Beale the biggest headache in terms of whether or not to offer him a new deal.

Will Filip Helander be offered a new contract by Rangers?

The latest update on the Swedish centre-back from Football Insider claims that he is not expected to play for Rangers again, especially following Beale’s announcement that the 29-year-old will miss another three months of the campaign.

He hasn’t featured at all this term due to an injury he suffered at the tail end of 2021/22, and with the player earning £14k-per-week, it represents a colossal waste of money for someone who is now unlikely to play until next season.

It marks a low point for the Swede, who was amongst the club’s finest players when he was fully fit, and he formed an excellent duo with Connor Goldson when the Ibrox giants strolled to the Premiership title two years ago.

In that season, Helander received a Sofascore rating of 7.1/10 across 22 appearances, averaging 63.4 touches per game while making 1.7 tackles, 2.2 clearances and 0.7 interceptions per match.

He won an impressive seven duels per game at a success rate of 68% and was only dribbled past 0.4 times per game, displaying his physical presence and keeping 13 clean sheets during his 22 matches.

This led to interest from Premier League club Aston Villa last year as Steven Gerrard looked to reunite with the player, yet his latest injury woes would make a transfer to the English top flight now seem unlikely.

Beale has described the Swede as a “big asset to Rangers”, but following the recent injury update, Helander’s four-year association with the club appears to be over.

However, despite missing 109 matches for the Light Blues, his performances during the title-winning season will surely be remembered well by the Ibrox faithful.