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Yunus Musah is eager to point out that he still has his “head held high” despite forming part of AC Milan’s frustrating defeat to Juventus.

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• Rossoneri came unstuck against Juventus
• Reduced to 10 men in that contest
• Slipped from the top of Serie A table

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The United States international was handed another Serie A start by the Rossoneri in that contest, as he lined up against fellow countrymen Weston McKennie and Tim Weah. It was to be the visitors to San Siro that had the last laugh, with a solitary goal from Manuel Locatelli settling the tie in Juve’s favour.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Milan endured a disappointing evening on home soil, with USMNT star Christian Pulisic having to be taken off shortly before half-time following a costly red card picked up by Malick Thiaw. Stefano Pioli’s side were unable to hold out with 10 men, leading to them slipping from the top of the Serie A table.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Musah was, however, to put in another impressive performance – with his work rate in the middle of the park being noted once again – and he has posted on social media of the need for everybody in the Milan camp to stick together: “Head held high and always united.”

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• WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Musah has now taken in nine appearances for the Rossoneri on the back of his summer transfer from Valencia, with the 20-year-old midfielder earning plenty of plaudits in Italy for the speed at which he has settled in new surroundings.

Graham Roberts has been told that Tottenham have agreed terms with Japanese defender Takehiro Tomiyasu, meaning Nuno Espirito Santo is close to making his first signing as manager.

Tomiyasu, who’s made 60 Serie A appearances for Bologna since making the switch from Belgian, will bolster a Spurs defensive department that conceded 45 times in the Premier League last season.

The 22-year-old has already been capped 22 times by Japan and has been named in their squad for the upcoming Olympics.

However, depending on Japan’s progression, should Tomiyasu complete his imminent move to Tottenham, he could miss the opening few weeks of the Premier League campaign – with the Olympic final taking place just eight days before Santo’s side open their season against Man City.

Tomiyasu played at both right-back and centre-back in Serie A last term, and even the occasional appearance at left-back, which means he’ll bring a great deal of versatility to north London.

Roberts exclusively told Football FanCast just how close the deal is to being confirmed:

“I’ve been told through the grapevine that he’s agreed terms with Tottenham, and it’s just the fee now, but that could take up to the end of August the way we deal with things. But that could be one of the centre-halves in.”

The talk of the town at Everton right now is all on new signings. Will Rafa Benitez splash £55m on Ben White or bring a former rival to the club in the shape of Philippe Coutinho? Time will tell.
However, we’ve now received an intriguing update on a player who could leave the Toffees.

What’s the word?

One of the biggest departures from Goodison Park this summer could be James Rodriguez who has attracted the interest of AC Milan.
Though, to continue the Italian theme, Moise Kean could actually be set to stay in Merseyside.
The Italy international spent last season on loan at PSG and they were keen on bringing him back next term.
They’d made a loan proposal but in a fresh twist to the tale, Alan Myers provided a short 11-word update on his future.
Taking to Twitter, he said: “Everton are not interested in a loan deal for Moise Kean.”
With that in mind, it may take a permanent price of £40m to move him away from Everton.

Supporters must be buzzing

When it first became apparent that PSG were hoping to sign the forward on temporary terms again, fans were particularly aggrieved with the Everton hierarchy.
[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/check-out-the-latest-everton-news-benitez-kamara-romero-dumfries” title= “Read the latest Everton transfer news!”]
They thought that they were being given the run-around by one of the game’s elite clubs, being made to look like fools in the transfer market.
It was difficult to argue with that assessment. With Kean’s value so high, cashing in on him now could have funded some much-needed recruitment on the transfer front.
Considering how oil-rich the Parisians are, they shouldn’t have had any troubles negotiating a price for the youngster’s services.
Consequently, the decision from Benitez and co to cut short the potential of another loan spell should make supporters pleased. Indeed, the immediate reaction on social media supplements that viewpoint.
One Everton fan claimed it was “excellent” while another said it was the best news they’d heard out of Finch Farm in a long time. A further supporter suggested they should keep him at the club, evidently rating the Italian’s abilities.
A loan deal would have been particularly foolish and if a tempting bid doesn’t come in, Benitez may as well keep him.
After all, this is a player with immense potential and someone who starred at the highest level last season.
Kean found the net against Barcelona in the Champions League last term on his way to scoring 19 times in all competitions.
To loan somebody with those numbers out would be a baffling situation. Everton are taking the right steps.

AND in other news, Imagine him & DCL: Rafa may get Everton rocking again by buying “sensational” £50m gem…

The reigning WSL Player of the Year continues to be shifted around by her international manager, which is neither benefitting the player nor the team

England will be under no illusions of how tricky this UEFA Women's Nations League campaign is going to be after a late defeat to the Netherlands on Tuesday evening blew their group wide open, with a Belgium side that has never before qualified for the Women's World Cup sitting in pole position after two rounds of action. The Lionesses had started the new competition strongly with a win over neighbours Scotland last Friday, but a dramatic loss in Utrecht just four days later has raised several questions.

Thirty-three days after losing the World Cup final to Spain, Sarina Wiegman's side looked commanding and exciting in the first half of their opening game, scoring two good goals after being unlucky to have another ruled out for offside. The second half of that match was concerning, though, with England fortunate not to concede an equaliser. They would not get away with such sloppiness against Wiegman's home country, the Netherlands scoring a well-deserved 90th minute winner to bounce back from a shock defeat to Belgium in their opening match.

There is a lot at stake in the Nations League. The winners of the four groups in League A – one of which features England – will qualify for the competition's finals and have the chance to win a trophy. On top of that, the two teams that reach the final (unless one is France) will qualify for the women's football tournament at next summer's Olympics, to be hosted by Paris, something which is a big goal for England, Wiegman and Great Britain. Oh, and there is a place at the 2025 Euros to secure, too.

It wasn't a disastrous start to the competition by the Lionesses – after all, they've got a win on the board – but there is plenty to consider ahead of a double-header with table-toppers Belgium in October.

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from England's September fixtures…

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  LOSER: Rachel Daly

  When Wiegman made it known that Alessia Russo would be rested for England's first game in this international break, it gave Rachel Daly a huge opportunity to impress. The Aston Villa star is still struggling to get game time as a No.9 for her country, but that is where she started against Scotland and she played well, unlucky to have a goal ruled out for a controversial offside before creating the Lionesses' second of the night with a brilliant assist.

  However, in the second half of that win, she was moved back into the wing-back role she occupied for most of the World Cup and it limited her offensive threat. It was something of a surprise, too, because Daly and Russo are England's only centre-forward options in this squad while Bethany England recovers from surgery. If Daly was going to play 90 minutes, why not make them all as a No.9 and bring one of the versatile defenders off the bench to play at wing-back?

  Four days later, Daly started in that wing-back role against the Netherlands as Russo took her place up front and she was picked apart by the lively Victoria Pelova, who ran rings around her as the Dutch went on to win the game. Indeed, Daly was booked for bringing the Arsenal star down and taken off at half-time as England changed shape.

  Wiegman is still struggling to get the best out of last season's Women's Super League Player of the Year and Golden Boot winner, and it's not only a hindrance to the player but also to the Lionesses, who would certainly be better if a goalscorer like Daly could be integrated effectively into the team.

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  WINNER: Alessia Russo

  Out-scored by both Daly and England last season, Russo's form has been a hot topic of discussion for some time now, but the signs going into the new season are good for her, the Lionesses and Arsenal, who she has joined after leaving Manchester United this summer.

  Yes, she missed a penalty in the Gunners' decisive Champions League shootout with Paris FC earlier this month, but she also netted twice in that match from the bench, and she got another goal on international duty this week, too, with her strike against the Netherlands a wonderful finish.

  Wiegman's decision to rest Russo for England's first match was a wise one and hopefully she will reap the rewards of the week away with her country, having had a little bit of time to recover and got on the scoresheet before Arsenal's WSL campaign starts on Sunday.

  It's clear that she is still the first choice centre forward for the Lionesses, too.

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  LOSER: The back three

  One of the biggest questions going into this international window was about the formation that England would use. Wiegman has long set the Lionesses up in a 4-3-3 system, but she changed to a 3-5-2 during the World Cup and it helped the team reach the final.

  Indeed, it was the latter that the coach opted for in these September games and that meant the second fixture, against the Netherlands, was going to be a big one. The Dutch are well-versed in three-at-the-back systems and so would be the toughest test of Wiegman's new set-up to date – too tough a test, it turned out.

  With wing-backs Pelova and Esmee Brugts causing tons of problems for England in the first half, the World Cup runners-up came out for the second period in a 4-3-3. It's clear that there's still a fair bit of fine-tuning for Wiegman and her team to do if the Lionesses want to improve in the 3-5-2.

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  WINNER: Mary Earps

  England might not have kept a clean sheet in these two games, but goalkeeper Mary Earps certainly did her reputation as one of the best in the world in her position no harm. The Manchester United shot-stopper spoke openly this month about the struggles she'd endured while having her body language and facial impressions scrutinised amid transfer interest from Arsenal, but it was clear from her performances for the Lionesses that even that hasn't distracted her from putting in top performances.

  A fantastic save to deny Caroline Weir in the win over Scotland caught the eye and Earps made a couple of great saves in the defeat to the Netherlands, too, most notably a low stop to thwart Pelova.

  With the new WSL season starting on Sunday, United will be encouraged to see that their No.1 is laser-focused despite finding the attention on her difficult as of late.

Southampton have announced the signing of Romain Perraud from Brest, and the French left-back could prove to be a key addition to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.

It was confirmed by BBC on Friday that the 23-year-old had joined on a four-year deal, and it seems likely that he will be a regular starter for Hasenhuttl next season as the Saints begin life without Ryan Bertrand.

The Austrian seems delighted with his second addition of the summer – following Theo Walcott making his switch from Everton a permanent one – as he was full of praise for Perraud, saying: “This is an important first signing for us. Clearly, left-back is an area in which we were looking to strengthen and we have tracked Romain for a long time because he fits our profile for this position very well.

“He is a high energy, robust guy with good aggression who will bring lots of energy to our play. He has good quality with his delivery from wide and is very competitive with his defending.

“Completing the transfer before the start of pre-season allows him to start training with us immediately, learning our way of playing and tactical behaviours. I think Romain will fit in well with us and we can help him develop his game further and maximise his potential.”

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The young defender was in excellent form for Brest last season as he made 36 appearances in Ligue 1, contributing three goals and seven assists and averaging a solid 6.84 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

James Ward-Prowse, who also supplied seven assists, was Southampton’s top creator in the Premier League last season, so Saints fans will be hoping that Perraud can add some attacking threat to their team.

When you consider that Bertrand and Kyle Walker-Peters managed no goals and just three assists between them in the top flight last season, it seems clear that the Saints needed to strengthen at full-back, and hopefully the Frenchman will be able to add some more attacking impetus down the left-hand side.

A few more signings might be needed if Southampton are to avoid being dragged into a relegation battle next season but Perraud certainly looks to be a promising addition at Staplewood, and Saints fans will surely be delighted to see him join up with the squad.

In other news… Offer rejected in January, now wanted by Spurs: Saints missed out on £18m “warrior”

Mikel Arteta'a side recovered from conceding in the first minute to take the lead, only for a slip in concentration to allow a late equaliser

On a rainy London evening with thunder echoing over the broadcast at the Emirates, Arsenal and Fulham battled back-and-forth for the entire 90 minutes. An error from Thomas Partey less than 60 seconds into the match saw the Cottagers take an early lead and then chaos ensued.

A 66th minute spot-kick from Bukayo Saka levelled the match after Fabio Vieira was brought down in the box and then, nine minutes later, Vieira flew forward again. The Portuguese international played a pinpoint cross into the box and striker Eddie Nketiah fired home, leaving the Gunners convinced they had secured all three points.

Despite Calvin Bassey earning a red card, Fulham refused to give up, however, and, in the 87th minute, their efforts were rewarded after midfielder Joao Palhinha struck home off a corner kick to level the match.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the Emirates Stadium…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Aaron Ramsdale (4/10):

  Was caught out-of-position on both goals, albeit his defense let him down both times.

  Ben White (6/10):

  Did what was asked of him, wasn't at fault for either Fulham goal.

  William Saliba (6/10):

  Solid at the back, locked down the Fulham attack and was consistently in the right spot.

  Jakub Kiwior (6/10):

  Did exactly what was asked of him on the left flank of defense.

  Thomas Partey (4/10):

  At fault for Fulham's opening goal in the first minute of the match and was consistently caught out of position at right-back, despite playing out of position for the Gunners.

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  Midfield

  Declan Rice (6/10):

  Helped control the tempo of the match and drove Arsenal back into the match.

  Kai Havertz (5/10):

  Missed a golden chance in the first half and still doesn't look comfortable in a midfield role.

  Martin Odegaard (7/10):

  A brilliant performance from the Gunners midfield talisman again, but lacked a clinical finish throughout the match.

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  Attack

  Bukayo Saka (7/10):

  Scored a 66th minute penalty kick and was relentless on the wing all afternoon.

  Leandro Trossard (4/10):

  Subbed out at half-time, little to zero impact on the match through the first 45 minutes.

  Gabriel Martinelli (6/10):

  Very little impact on the match, but linked up well over the final stretch with the rest of the attack.

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  Subs & Manager

  Eddie Nketiah (8/10):

  Scored the match-winner after being subbed on at half-time, proving to Arteta once again why he's a reliable option up top.

  Fabio Vieira (8/10):

  Earned a penalty just 10 minutes after being subbed on and assisted Nketiah's goal shortly afterwards.

  Oleksandr Zinchenko (7/10):

  Subbed on in the 56th minute and brought life into the team and the crowd with his exceptional work rate.

  Jorginho (5/10):

  Subbed on in the 84th minute, missed his mark on the Fulham equaliser three minutes later.

  Gabriel Jesus (N/A):

  A welcomed return for the Gunners striker, but he was subbed on in stoppage time.

  Mikel Arteta (6/10):

  After a dreadful first 45 minutes, Arteta turned it around with a fantastic selection of second-half substitutes.

Tom Brady, one of the most recognisable American athletes on the planet, recently decided to become a minority owner of Birmingham City.

National Football League (NFL)'s legendary quarterback, Tom Brady, is a well-known figure in American Football circles. The now-retired quarterback recently announced his decision to partner with Knighthead Capital Management LLC, Birmingham City's holding company, to become a minority owner at the English club. The seven-time super bowl winner was appointed the chairman of a new advisory board.

The 46-year-old was spotted at The Roost, a pub near St Andrew’s stadium, before Birmingham’s game against Leeds in the Championship on the weekend. He was later pictured at the stadium signing jerseys.

Brady will be working alongside the sports science department to advise on health, nutrition, and recovery programs while applying his extensive leadership experience and expertise across several components of the club.

You may be wondering how Brady can afford all of this investment. Below,GOALtakes a look at his net worth, streams of income and sources of revenue.

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  What is Tom Brady's net worth?

  Net worth	$530 million
  Source of wealth	Football
  Date of birth	August 3, 1977
  Country of birth	United States of America

  According to Forbes, Brady got paid more than $530 million over the course of his 23 NFL seasons. $333 million from his playing contracts, according to Spotrac, and around $200 million from his endorsements and such.

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  What businesses does Tom Brady have?

  Apart from being a successful athlete on the field, the former New England Patriots quarterback is involved in a lot of things off-the-field as well.

  In 2016, Brady announced the launch of his peak performance website TB12Sports.com. The site features his training regimen information and includes a store to purchase TB12 equipment, snacks, and merchandise.

  In 2021, the quarterback co-founded a sports-based NFT platform called Autograph alongside American entrepreneur Richard Rosenblatt. Autograph announced it raised $170M in funding in January of the same year.

  Fox Sports announced that following Brady's playing career, he would join the network as the lead color commentator. The deal will reportedly pay him $375 million over 10 years, making him the highest-paid sports commentator in history.

  In 2023, the Michigan University graduate also purchased a minority stake in the Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA.

• What charity work does Tom Brady do?

  Following the launch of his peak performance website TB12Sports.com, Brady, alongside Boston Private and Robert Paul Properties, announced the formation of the TB12 Foundation as well. The nonprofit foundation was launched with the aim to provide free post-injury rehabilitation care and training to underprivileged young athletes.

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  What NFL records does Tom Brady have?

  Brady has 10 Super Bowl appearances and seven wins, both an individual record. He won the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award a record five times, being the only player to win it in two different franchises. He is widely regarded as the greatest quarterback of all time.

  The California-born superstar holds many major quarterback records, including most career passing yards, completions, touchdown passes, and games started. He is the only quarterback to win a Super Bowl in three separate decades.

  His longevity is one of the most talked about aspects of his career. He had a career spanning 23 years, the first 20 seasons were spent with New England Patriots. He was the oldest NFL MVP at age 40 and the oldest Super Bowl MVP at age 43.

  Brady is the only NFL quarterback named to two all-decade teams (2000s and 2010s) and was also named in the 100th Anniversary All-Time Team in 2019.

GOAL sat down with the USWNT midfielder to discuss her rehab, her new purpose and the emotions of seeing your loved ones get their chance.

Sam Mewis is doing okay. She's still recovering from her knee injury, the one that has kept her out of a U.S. women's national team jersey for the last two years and will unfortunately see her miss the Women's World Cup. One knee, multiple surgeries, two years out and, ultimately, one World Cup dream gone up in smoke.

A World Cup is the pinnacle of a player's career. Mewis has already been to, and won, one, but who wouldn't want another crack at it? A healthy, in-form Mewis would be a key figure for the USWNT this summer if not for that injury.

That fact, though, doesn't make accepting it all any easier. Knowing what could have, and should have, been makes moments like this even harder. And Mewis, admittedly, has spent much of the last two years not just rehabbing her knee, but rehabbing her mind due to all of the trouble that injury caused her.

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She'll still be majorly connected to this World Cup, though. Two sisters, one born and one chosen, will be in the USWNT squad this summer, and Mewis will, of course, be watching and cheering, sweating out every result from afar. What comes after that? It's too soon to tell. But, as the USWNT prepares to defend their World Cup title Down Under this summer, Mewis has accepted her new role, even if it isn't the one she always dreamed of.

Ahead of the World Cup, GOAL caught up with Mewis to discuss her recovery, the World Cup and her renewed sense of purpose during a challenging time in her playing career.

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  Finding a new purpose

  It's been nearly two years since Mewis underwent surgery on her right knee, surgery that was supposed to keep her out for somewhere around eight weeks. It doesn't take much math to put together that eight weeks and two years are vastly different timelines. It's safe to say that this process, all of it, hasn't gone as expected.

  Back in January, Mewis announced that she'd need to undergo more surgery on the same knee. The announcement came after her NWSL club, the Kansas City Current, who traded for her in 2022, placed her on the season-ending injury list with a “long-standing progressive injury to her right leg suffered prior to her arrival in Kansas City.”

  USWNT head coach Vlatko Andonovski said in January that Mewis would remain out with a "long-term injury" before Mewis herself confirmed that there was no timeline for her return.

  The injury has cost her two years of her career, games for her club and the national team that she'll never get back. She scored 24 goals across her 83 caps, winning a World Cup title and Olympic bronze, but it still isn't clear when Mewis will be back to being a player that was always so key to the USWNT. Mewis played in six of the USWNT's seven matches in the last World Cup, scoring two goals in the group stage as the U.S. triumphed over the Netherlands.

  It's all been difficult, no doubt, physically and mentally. Mewis has dealt with a lot over the last two years, and going through that is something that will change your perspective on not just your career, but life in general.

  "I think it's super important to keep in mind," Mewis began, "and I would give this advice to any of the athletes here: when you are facing an injury or some kind of adversity like this and you're unable to participate the way you want to, find a new purpose in there somewhere. Maybe you're feeling isolated from the team or you have a setback with an injury or something goes wrong, I think being able to kind of reframe in that moment and say, 'What can I do here that's going to be productive?'.

  "It might not look exactly like what I want it to look like but it will give me a new sense of purpose. I think I've had to do that a little bit. Obviously, I haven't played in a while. I'm just doing my rehab and taking it one day at a time but I think my message is just in moments like that, in moments of difficulty, just try to find that new purpose, if you can, and apply yourself to that."

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  Rooting for Kristie (and Lynn)

  If there is a silver lining to it all, it is that Mewis will still feel deeply connected to this summer's World Cup team. The group is obviously made up of long-time teammates and friends, many of whom she played alongside for years while claiming trophies at the highest level.

  There's something even more human to it than that, though. Mewis' absence has, at least somewhat, helped pave the way for her sister, Kristie, to make her first World Cup squad.

  The two starred together in the USWNT midfield back in 2021, with Sam scoring her first career hat-trick in a 4-0 win over Colombia. Kristie scored the other goal in that win and, in the years since, has completed a return to the USWNT that, for a while, seemed like it would never be on the cards.

  Kristie has 52 career caps, but was totally out of the picture between 2013-2020. After making one appearance in 2020, she's become something of a regular in the years since, especially since her sister's injury took her out of the lineup.

  In a video released by U.S. Soccer, the elder Mewis was clearly emotional as she received the call from Andonovski. You can see the precise moment when nerves turn to tears, signaling her realization that her dream just came true.

  Kristie Mewis must have felt like the happiest person in the world during that Facetime call, but her feelings were soon matched by her sister Sam when she found out the good news.

  "When Kristie did call, I was just so proud of her and happy for her," Mewis said. "I know that she's been through her own adversity, her own injuries. She's been in and out of the team, so seeing her dreams come to fruition was so inspiring for me. Watching people you love get that call and have that moment it's really inspiring and you really just feel so happy for them."

  Mewis' sister wasn't the only one close to her that received that life-changing call. Her longtime friend, and 'Snacks' podcast co-host, Lynn Williams was also named to the USWNT's World Cup squad for the first time in her career, having amassed 53 caps since making her debut all the way back in 2016.

  "I feel super invested in both Kristie and Lynn Williams,'" Mewis said. "Lynn, we joke that she's like my other sister. I'm really close with her. I was so confident in both of them and I wasn't nervous waiting for them to tell me that they had made it because I just felt like I knew they would both make it."

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  Staying a part of it all

  Mewis, though, won't just be a fan during the upcoming World Cup. She'll also be analyzing it from the other side.

  On Wednesday, it was announced that Mewis would be a part of the Men in Blazers' World Cup coverage, hosting a daily podcast as well as Twitch streams to provide live commentary during games. It's an opportunity for Mewis to be a part of the tournament, albeit in a different way than she would have originally hoped.

  "I'm excited to watch," she said. "I'm going to do some media stuff during the World Cup, so I'm really excited to be a part of it from another perspective."

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  Looking at the next generation

  Ahead of the World Cup, though, Mewis got a chance to take a look back at one of her earliest accomplishments while also spending a moment looking ahead to the next generation.

  Mewis, a two-time Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year, joined the likes of Jayson Tatum and DK Metcalf at the Gatorade Player of the Year Awards in Los Angeles on Tuesday, spending time alongside 2022-2023 Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year Kennedy Fuller. Fuller, a U.S. U-16 international, won the award as a high school sophomore and has already committed to the University of North Carolina.

  For Mewis, the ability to meet and give advice to a player like Fuller is something that she enjoys immensely as she looks to remain a role model to the next generation of rising USWNT stars.

  "I'm so impressed hearing about Kennedy's life and how advanced she is and how much she's doing and how well she's doing," Mewis said. "I think when I was her age, something that we actually were just talking about is balancing that traveling with the national team or coming to events like this. For Kennedy, being away, traveling for your club, being away from your family, there's such a balance to it, and if you go on to have a career where you're going to be playing all over the world or all over the country all the time, you really have to learn that balance.

  "Kennedy seems like she already knows all of those steps. She's talking about her nutrition and being in the weight room and recovering and, when I was 16, I don't think I understood that fully. It seems like Kennedy does so I'm just super impressed and it's been fun getting to know her."

  She added: "I think being a part of something like this reminds you of why we go through all of this stuff. It's to create opportunities for yourself to, hopefully, inspire the next generation. I think a part of my motivation is always trying to be involved with who's up and coming and seeing if I can help in any way or give any advice."

Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn has been linked with a move to Premier League giants Liverpool, as reported by the Daily Record.

The Lowdown: Aston Villa prepare for 2021/22

As Aston Villa prepare for the 2021/22 campaign, they have shown no sign of complacency as they bid to improve upon their 11th-placed finish last time out.

Already active in the transfer window, they have swiftly moved to acquire the signing of Emiliano Buendia from Norwich City for a club record fee [avfc.co.uk], alongside the signature of former Claret Ashley Young on a free transfer [BBC Sport].

However, keeping hold of prize assets may be integral to the Villans’ hopes of challenging for Europe next season. Jack Grealish has been linked with a move away, with Manchester United and Manchester City believed to be admirers [The Athletic].

In an interesting turn of events, attention may now turn to the Scottish international after latest developments.

The Latest: Liverpool interested in bringing McGinn to Anfield

Champions League qualifiers Liverpool are said to be interested in bringing McGinn to Anfield ahead of the forthcoming campaign, and Aston Villa are said to be holding out for at least £20m for the man affectionately dubbed “Meatball” by his teammates [Daily Record].

Advantageously, the Villains hold the trump card of McGinn signing a new contract at Villa Park last December. Scheduled to stay in the Midlands until 2025 after agreeing an extension, it may be difficult for Jurgen Klopp’s men to get a deal over the line for McGinn [avfc.co.uk].

The Verdict: Villa can ill afford to lose ‘integral’ McGinn

If McGinn’s rumoured exit did come to pass, it would come as a bitter blow to everyone involved with Aston Villa.

His efforts were pivotal to Dean Smith’s side last season, registering nine goal contributions in 37 Premier League appearances, with three goals and six assists [Transfermarkt].

He has also shone as a ball carrier, completing the most dribbles from defensive areas on average in the entire Villa squad with 1.5 per match, indicating his propensity to drive his team forward regularly [WhoScored].

Unsurprisingly, Smith has previously labelled McGinn as ‘integral to everything we do at Aston Villa’ [Express and Star]. Moving into the new season, keeping hold of the former Hibernian midfielder should be a top priority for the Aston Villa hierarchy.

In other news, Danny Mills has dropped his verdict on Villa talisman Jack Grealish.

David de Gea's place at Manchester United is under serious scrutiny after a disaster-class against West Ham – but who should they sign to replace him?

There is little doubt that David de Gea's legacy at Manchester United is secure; across 12 years of service, the goalkeeper has developed from a meek youngster into one of the finest shot-stoppers around.

However, with grumblings about his footballing ability growing increasingly loud this season, De Gea's disastrous performance in the Europa League quarter-final humbling by Sevilla thrust his deficiencies into the cold light of day; whatever he has achieved in the past, he is now costing them dearly in the biggest moments.

De Gea's failure to keep out a tame Said Benrahma shot led to United's latest defeat against West Ham, and they are now in danger of being caught by Liverpool in the race for a top four Premier League finish. Erik ten Hag has backed the 32-year-old, but he cannot afford to keep picking him based on his past repuation.

Despite being one of the world's best when it come to making reaction saves from basically any range, the Spaniard and his club have been left behind as the modern game moves towards a model where a ball-playing goalkeeper is almost essential.

De Gea's contract expires this summer, and while it is rumoured he could yet extend his stay, that may well provide the perfect opportunity to part ways. Here are the goalkeepers Man Utd should consider to replace him…

🏆 TOP STORY: Another De Gea error proves costly 😲

📣 HAVE YOUR SAY: Man Utd must offload De Gea

🚨 MUST READ: Sorry City – Arsenal aren't done quite yet!

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  Diogo Costa

  The man who is widely reported to be in line to replace De Gea at Old Trafford is Porto's Diogo Costa, and it's easy to see why they might target him.

  Costa, who has emerged as Portugal's No.1 goalkeeper, prides himself on his ball-playing ability and is adept at spraying long passes out from the back – both from his hands and the ground.

  The 23-year-old is also at ease playing with either foot, meaning he is more comfortable than most under the pressure of an attacker's press and won't turn into trouble.

  In terms of his goalkeeping ability, Costa is an adept shot-stopper who is an imposing figure in the penalty area, keeping clean sheets in more than half of the 35 games he has played so far in 2022-23.

  He wouldn't come cheap, though, with Porto said to value their goalkeeper at a whopping £66 million ($53m).

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  Mike Maignan

  A difficult sell compared to most of the other names on this list, but if the opportunity arises to land a man who is swiftly emerging as one of the finest goalkeepers on the planet, Man Utd should jump at it.

  Maignan has been exceptional in a Milan side that has failed to recapture the title-winning form of last season, and he was France's natural successor to Hugo Lloris when he hung up his international gloves.

  While he has defied physics with some incredible reaction saves, Maignan is also supremely comfortable in stepping out from his box and joining the build-up as a pseudo third centre-back.

  Indeed, one of Milan's secret weapons is his pinged diagonal pass to flying winger Rafael Leao, as the opposition midfield is taken out of the equation and Leao is immediately set one-on-one with his defender.

  It would be a costly and complicated deal to pull off, with Maignan seemingly settled in Milan and heading for a Champions League semi-final. But of the world-class goalkeepers out there, he is arguably the most attainable and provides a perfect balance between shot-stopping and playing the sweeper keeper.

  Man Utd have been linked in the past, and now could be the perfect time to strike with his value only increasing.

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  Giorgi Mamardashvili

  Another of those touted to be a potential successor to De Gea is Valencia's Giorgi Mamardashvili.

  The 22-year-old has enjoyed a meteoric rise having initially been signed for the club's B team in 2021, demonstrating all the attributes required to be a top goalkeeper with his agility, reactions, command of his penalty area and shot-stopping ability.

  In terms of his distribution, Marmardashvili's kicking is by no means perfect, but there is potential there that can be worked on in training.

  While he's also been linked with Chelsea, becoming Man Utd's No.1 goalkeeper at this early stage in his career may be a bit too much of a leap, but he would come cheap from cash-strapped Valencia and the Red Devils have had success in the past when they have rolled the dice; De Gea was just 20 when he signed in 2011.

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  Jordan Pickford

  It feels as though it is only a matter of time before Jordan Pickford jumps ship at Everton after two consecutive relegation dogfights.

  Given the pressure potential Premier League-winner Aaron Ramsdale is putting him under, Pickford needs to be playing at a higher level and in Europe if he wants to keep his place as England's No.1.

  Although he is prone to a high-profile rush of blood to the head, Pickford has developed into an excellent all-round goalkeeper whose distribution is one of his main assets.

  It could also be argued that he is far more assured in an England shirt, where is usually protected by a higher calibre of centre-back than he is used to at club level, and it is the mark of a top player when they still shine in a struggling team.

  A man with vast Premier League experience who has played on the biggest stage with his country, capitalising on Everton's woes could make good business and footballing sense for Man Utd in the summer.