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Aston Villa boss Unai Emery could look to add an experienced La Liga full-back to the ranks at Villa Park and he is known to 'appreciate' his qualities, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

What's the latest Aston Villa transfer news?

The Villans have added some star quality to their side in the transfer window after completing deals for Youri Tielemans, Pau Torres and Moussa Diaby and more exciting arrivals could land in the West Midlands before the close of play in the market.

According to The Guardian, Galatasaray attacker Nicolo Zaniolo is in the sights of Aston Villa and is reportedly open to a move to Villa Park after Argentinian playmaker Emi Buendia was ruled out with a serious injury.

Galatasaray will sell Zaniolo if they receive a fair fee for the Italy international; however, Tuttosport claim that any deal involving the former Roma star will be on a loan agreement.

Taking to Twitter X, Italian transfer expert Romano delivered an update on Aston Villa's pursuit of Sevilla left-back Marcos Acuna, stating: "Aston Villa want Marcos Acuna deal to be sealed today as new round of talks is expected to agree terms with Sevilla; personal terms already in place. Borna Sosa remains priority option for Sevilla as new LB if Acuna leaves."

£49k-a-week earner Acuna has already made two appearances this term and notched an assist in Sevilla's UEFA Super Cup final clash against Manchester City, which they eventually lost on penalties to the Champions League holders.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Romano gave some further insight into Aston Villa's admiration towards Acuna as they aim to secure his signature.

Romano stated: “More than a winger, now I would keep an eye on full-backs because I always told you they were looking for full-backs.

“So, there is an internal conversation about the next targets, but the next one will be Zaniolo.”

What next for Aston Villa?

Aston Villa face Everton this Sunday at home as they look to lay claim to their first three points of the Premier League campaign following a humiliating 5-1 defeat to Newcastle United on the opening day of the season.

Villans boss Emery will also have to do without the services of experienced central defender Tyrone Mings for a period of time after the England international sustained a 'serious knee injury' in their heavy loss at St James' Park, as per Sky Sports.

FootballTransfers claim that Mings' injury could open the door for Aston Villa to make a surprise move for Manchester United defender Harry Maguire and it is claimed by the outlet that 'enquiries' have already been made to see if they can prize the 30-year-old away from Old Trafford.

According to The Athletic, Liverpool are known to be admirers of Aston Villa midfielder Boubacar Kamara amid their ongoing quest to acquire a central midfielder.

Manchester United are believed to be preparing a move for OGC Nice defender, Jean-Clair Todibo, with the Red Devils likely to be in need of further reinforcements amid the uncertainty over Harry Maguire's future at Old Trafford.

How much would Todibo cost?

According to the Daily Mail, the Premier League giants are planning a move for the promising Frenchman – as well as Fiorentina's Sofyan Amrabat – this summer, albeit with player sales needing to take place before any new signings can arrive through the door.

As per the report, United are looking to move on both Donny van de Beek and Fred at present, while the club are also said to be awaiting 'better offers' for both Eric Bailly and Maguire – with the latter man said to have been the subject of a £30m bid from West Ham United.

Read the latest Manchester United transfer news HERE…

With Todibo believed to be 'among their targets', prior reports have indicated that Erik ten Hag's side could be able to snap up the 23-year-old for a fee of around €30m (£26m), with four years still left to run on his current deal in Nice.

How good is Todibo?

Ten Hag does already have an established centre-back pairing at his disposal in the form of Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane, although with the ex-Real Madrid man having repeatedly been hampered by injury during his two seasons in Manchester, the signing of his compatriot could prove a worthwhile venture.

While Todibo's prior experience at a truly elite club failed to work out – as he made just five first-team appearances during his time at Barcelona – he has since recovered amid his standout displays in his native France, having arguably emerged as "one of the most underrated CBs in Europe", according to talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Described as the "complete package" who has "superb build-up and defensive attributes", in the words of Kulig, the 6 foot 3 rock could well prove to be the dream heir to ex-United man, Rio Ferdinand, with the now-retired ace having also been something of an all-round talent during his glittering stint at the Theatre of Dreams.

The six-time title winner was a truly formidable and elegant figure during his pomp, having been lauded as the best Premier League defender of all time by Liverpool colossus Virgil van Dijk, while also earning an inclusion in the competition's Hall of Fame.

As per the Premier League's official website, the former England international – who made over 450 appearances for the Red Devils – was notably 'one of the greatest ball-playing central defenders of his era', due to his 'ability to carry and play the ball, paired with his natural pace and relentless desire to win'.

Todibo appears to share that composure at playing out from the back as he ranks in the top 15% among his European peers for progressive passes, as well as in the top 5% for successful take-ons, proving just how regularly he looks to carry the ball forward from his defensive berth.

Not that the towering titan shirks his defensive responsibilities, however, as he also ranks in the top 10% for tackles made as a marker of his ball-winning prowess, with German legend Lothar Matthaus previously branding him "the best centre back I've seen in a long time" ahead of his move to Bundesliga side Schalke in 2020.

Also described as "incredibly calm" by Matthaus, the former Toulouse starlet appears to have the necessary traits to prove the perfect successor to Ferdinand in the backline, with the Englishman having left behind a notable void following his exit back in 2014, such were his achievements prior to that.

Aston Villa are reportedly interested in Atlanta United midfielder Thiago Almada, as Unai Emery eyes more signings to elevate his squad ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The Spaniard has recruited strongly already this summer, with himself and new sporting director Monchi welcoming Youri Tielemans, Pau Torres and Moussa Diaby to Villa Park, with more activity anticipated.

Could Aston Villa sign Thiago Almada?

As reported by Italian outlet Tuttomercatoweb, the Midlands outfit have shortlisted Argentine attacker Almada as a target this window.

The report claims that the player is the ‘first on the shortlist’, adding that the club are working on ‘numerous market tracks’.

Valued by the MLS club at €20m (£17m), Villa could make a statement in signing the 22-year-old, who has been electrifying in the United States.

How good is Thiago Almada?

In just 21 MLS appearances this year 2023, the young Argentine talent has had a hand in 17 goals, scoring eight and assisting nine in an impressive feat in the final third.

Deployed primarily as an attacking midfielder, the World Cup winner can be played on the flanks also, proving to be a dangerous outlet wherever he is positioned along the front line.

Once hailed as “outrageous” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the 22-year-old gem could be a strong addition to Emery’s side, with Kulig identifying his “electric pace” and “superb dribbling skills” as the notable strong points to his game.

Born in 2001, the Argentine has recorded an impressive 65 goal contributions in 152 career appearances, representing both Atlanta and home club CA Velez Sarsfield.

If moved to the Premier League, the youngster could pose to be a strong asset for Emery to integrate into his attack, in a player that could threaten the positions of some individuals in similar positions already at Villa Park.

One player that could have his spot compromised by the potential arrival of Almada is compatriot Emiliano Buendia, who has struggled to live up to expectation since making the switch from Norwich City to Villa.

In his final season in the Championship, the Argentine scored 15 and assisted 17 in a monstrous individual campaign, however has only managed to score nine in his first two seasons at Villa Park.

The 26-year-old’s slow start to life in the Midlands could be detrimental to him maintaining his spot in Emery’s starting line-up, especially in the emergence of a talent as bright as Almada.

As per FBref, the 22-year-old has averaged an emphatic 9.44 progressive passes and 3.32 successful take-ons per 90 in the 2023 MLS, showcasing the threat he can cause from the midfield.

Such numbers blow away the averages recorded by Villa’s attacking midfield option in Buendia, who registered a far less impressive average of 5.15 progressive passes and 1.01 successful take-ons per 90 in the Premier League last term.

In obtaining the youngster, Emery could not only unearth a beast in nurturing the Buenos Aires-born marvel through his prime years but also provide his squad with a direct upgrade to those available at present, in a move that would ultimately improve depth.

At £17m, Monchi could pull another masterclass in his first transfer window at the club, in a move that could be fundamental to Villa’s growth.

Journalist Conor McGilligan is not worried about Maximilian Wober's potential Leeds United exit and believes the club already have a capable replacement in Pascal Struijk.

Is Wober leaving Leeds?

Having been omitted from Leeds' squad to face Monaco in the club's 2-0 pre-season friendly defeat, new boss Daniel Farke admitted that Wober's absence was due to a potential departure.

The German coach stated after the match: "Max Wober (absence) is to do with the transfer situation and also the contract situation and we will wait and see what the outcome is over the next days."

Despite having only arrived from RB Salzburg in January last season, a move that set Leeds back approximately £11m, the Austrian may already be leaving Yorkshire having failed to help keep the Whites in the Premier League.

The centre-back has been linked with Farke's former club Borussia Monchengladbach, a move that may be too tempting for Wober to turn down given Leeds' Championship status.

However, despite the reaction of some supporters, journalist McGilligan is not "bothered" by Wober's exit and believes that current Leeds defender Struijk is a better long-term option anyway.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, McGilligan said: "Someone like Wober at Championship level, he's only been at Leeds six months, £10m – I think he will attract attention.

He added: "Am I bothered about Wober in the Championship? No. Am I bothered about losing him? No.

"What we need to understand is that now just because he's potentially leaving Leeds United, and this is off the back of Daniel Farke saying yesterday that he's involved in some transfer thing at the minute hence why he wasn't involved yesterday, which is evidently him paraphrasing him saying he's leaving the club, you know was he good enough before you found out, in your opinion, that he was potentially leaving yesterday?

"You know, was he good enough for the Championship? Of course he's good enough, but is it just this transfer now that suddenly now everyone's turning around and going he's not good enough? I've sort of stayed consistent constant with Wober, he's alright, he's a decent player. He's hyped up way too much."

McGilligan went on to voice his opinions when comparing Wober to Struijk, the latter currently looking set to stay with Leeds, and he believes that Struijk has a much higher "ceiling" than Wober.

"I've always said this one here, Pascal Stuijk, it's been such a shame with what's happened to him as a left-sided centre-back because the ceiling that he's had.

"Struijk's ceiling, if you can get him playing, if you can get Pascal Struijk with that mentality that he had under that period under Marcelo Bielsa for around about 12 to 18 months, if you can get him playing like that again, if you're able to beef up some of his attributes when it comes to his mentality, his physicality and his leadership skills as well if he's got some locked down there, he's a much better player in my opinion [than Wober]."

Wober managed 19 games for Leeds last season and made a positive impact in an albeit leaky defence, impressing supporters with his attitude and commitment to the cause. That commitment looks less significant now with the 25-year-old set to call time on his short stint at Elland Road.

Meanwhile, Struijk has been at Leeds since 2018 and has risen from the U21s into the first team. He made 31 appearances in all competitions last term for the Whites and has been used as both a left-back and centre-back by the club, often failing to find consistent form.

Who is better – Wober or Struijk?

When comparing the two in the Premier League last season, it's obvious that Struijk has a lot more experience at the highest level despite being two years younger than Wober, although he did feature mainly at left-back last term. He played 29 matches to Wober's 16 – just under two times as many.

However, both defenders share similar numbers when it comes to blocks, interceptions and clearances, despite Wober playing far less. The Austrian also boasts a 1.4% better successful tackle percentage and looks the more developed player at present.

Struijk does pose a more attacking threat though, scoring twice and getting one assist, while Wober failed to register any goal contribution in the top flight. The 23-year-old also has a superior pass accuracy (79.2% to 70.6%), showcasing that he is more comfortable with the ball at his feet and progressing play.

Given his age and more modern defensive style, Struijk is perhaps the better long-term option for Leeds to invest in.

كشف نصر عزام خبير اللوائح الرياضية مدى صحة لجوء محمد الشيبي لاعب بيراميدز للمحاكم المدنية في الواقعة الشهيرة ضد حسين الشحات لاعب الأهلي.

ولجأ محمد الشيبي للمحاكم المدنية، بدلاً من الهيئات الرياضية المختصة، لفض نزاع رياضي مع حسين الشحات، بعد اعتداء الأخير عليه عقب مباراة الفريقين بالموسم الماضي.

وقال نصر عزام في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة أون تايم سبورتس: “هذا الموضوع يحدث فيه لبس، لأن فيفا تمنع اللجوء للقضاء المدني، لكني هناك استثناءات من ضمنها أن تكون الأمور من اختصاص المحاكم العادية”.

طالع | تحرك رسمي جديد في أزمة الشيبي والشحات بسبب اتحاد الكرة

وتابع: “هذا هو المعيار، وهذا ما يُحدث لبسًا، هل الشيبي لجأ للقضاء العادي لأن الاتهام جنائيا؟”.

وأكمل: “الشيبي من حقه تقديم البلاغ طالما الشكوى جنائية، لكن اللجنة الانضباطية تنظر للموضوع والطرف الآخر من حقه تقديم شكوى للمحاكم العادية، وهذا حق دستوري للاعبين كلهم”.

وأتم: “من الممكن أن ترفض المحكمة إصدار أي عقوبة ضد حسين الشحات، المحكمة هي صاحبة السلطة، وهذا لا يُعتبر مخالفة للوائح فيفا”.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details5:20

Watch – Rossouw, Sarfraz fifties flatten Karachi

In a nutshellA 130-run partnership between Rilee Rossouw and Sarfraz Ahmed – the second highest in PSL history – saw Quetta Gladiators beat the Karachi Kings by seven wickets. The pair came together with the Gladiators tottering at 30 for 3 in the fifth over but they combined power hitting with composure, not to mention superb running between the wickets. It was a chanceless stand, a masterclass in how to deal with pressure and gradually take control of a game.On Friday, Mohammad Amir was the Kings’ most impressive opening bowler. This time his opening partner Sohail Khan took up the mantle, bowling a consistently good length on the off stump line, seaming the ball away from the right-hander. It wouldn’t have been out of place on the first morning of a Test match. He got his rewards, dismissing Ahmed Shehzad, Kevin Pietersen and Asad Shafiq in the space of four balls only for momentum to be stolen back by Rossouw and Sarfraz.Karachi had earlier started off quite cautiously. Chris Gayle scratched out an unconvincing 11 and Kumar Sangakkara searching for form holed out to extra cover for 25. By the end of the fourteenth over, they were 87 for 3. From there, they were never going to get a par score, and only poor death bowling by last year’s finalists – Tymal Mills excepted – took Karachi to their final total of 159. But Rossouw and Sarfraz saw to it that it wouldn’t be enough.Where the match was wonWhile the Gladiators fourth wicket partnership was impressive enough, it only really began to pose a threat after a moment Karachi only had themselves to blame. Five balls into the ninth over of the Quetta innings, a no-ball was called because the Kings’ didn’t have enough fielders inside the circle. That bit of self-inflicted harm was punished severely, Rossouw launching the free hit for six over midwicket. The final ball met the same fate as a good over suddenly went for 19. The asking rate came under eight and the batsmen had all the answers.The men that won itRossouw, who was so impressive against Lahore on Friday in holding Quetta’s innings together, was the main architect again, albeit in a more destructive manner. Forty runs came off his first 21 balls before the former South African international slowed down as Quetta’s captain Sarfraz began to find his timing.The pair’s running between the wickets is especially worth pointing out. Pressure was regularly placed on Karachi’s fielders and several ones were converted into twos. At no stage did it look like a wicket was about to fall, from the moment the pair got together right to the last delivery, a full toss which Rossouw dispatched to the extra cover boundary.1:23

WATCH – Rossouw’s match-winning 76*

Tidy Tymal MillsThe only phase where Quetta looked like being outplayed was between overs 14 and 19 of the Karachi innings. From 87 in 14, Sangakkara’s men plundered 64 runs off the next five overs, taking advantage of wayward – and frankly bizarre – lines and lengths from Quetta’s bowlers.At one point, it looked like they might even get to 170. They might have done were it not for Mills, who more than justified his T20 reputation with a superb spell by varying his pace and line regularly to finish with 2 for 21 in four overs. That included a disciplined final over which yielded just eight runs and ensured Karachi’s total didn’t get out of hand.Moment of the matchIt is often said Quetta do not have superstars in their lineup, relying instead on team performances. There is one glaring exception to that of course in the form of Pietersen. However, when he came in today at 23 for 1, he edged the first ball from Sohail to the wicketkeeper. It was a poor shot first up against the seaming ball and it left him with three runs in two matches. Other teams might struggle in the absence of a contribution from such an instrumental player, but Quetta have still managed to win both their games, showing there might be something in their reputation of being a team rather than just a collection of individuals.Where they standQuetta are the only team to still boast a 100 percent record and sit at the top of the table on four points. Karachi, conversely, are the only side to lose both their games and sit at the bottom of the league. This defeat means Karachi Kings have lost 9 of their 11 PSL matches with their only wins coming against Lahore Qalandars.

Nottingham Forest will be looking for a much more settled campaign in the Premier League next season and making sure the recruitment is spot on this summer will be essential for improving.

The Garibaldi Reds finished 16th in the top-flight table with four points to spare following a difficult relegation scrap and Steve Cooper will be delighted with the fight his team put up at the business end to retain their status in the top division for another season.

Having said that, there is still plenty of work to be done at the City Ground to establish and cement themselves as a consistent Premier League team who can comfortably compete, so identifying new additions who can make a genuine impact will be essential to improve performances.

Forest confirmed their retained and released list earlier this month with 12 players departing the club this summer, including former Manchester United star Jesse Lingard following a disappointing season on Trentside.

Lingard failed to live up to high expectations during his stint, with the 30-year-old struggling to make the desired impact; tallying up just 17 league appearances and zero goal contributions.

As a result, replacing Lingard with a more prolific presence in front of goal shouldn't be the most difficult task for the club's hierarchy and one player who could be a real asset next season is recently linked Manchester City academy star Carlos Borges.

ESPN reported last week that Forest have held 'preliminary talks' to sign the youth player this summer, with the Premier League champions valuing him at £11m.

Who is Carlos Borges?

The talented teenager has been going from strength to strength in the treble-winning club's youth set-up and this season earned the title of Premier League Two Player of the Season due to his incredible output for the U21s.

Over 38 appearances in all competitions, Borges – hailed the "real deal" by journalist Tom Young – scored a whopping 29 goals and registered 18 assists, with a goal contribution every 55 minutes which is an incredible achievement for the youngster who was the outright top-scorer in the entire Premier League Two last season with 21 goals.

Not only that, the Man City left-winger has given glimpses of other key strengths that could make him an incredible asset to Cooper next season – averaging 2.3 shots on target, 1.7 key passes, 2.7 tackles, one successful dribble and 3.7 duels won per game over his three Football League Trophy appearances last term.

The 11-cap Portugal U19 star – dubbed "phenomenal" by Jacek Kulig – now looks to be ready to take the next step into first-team football and Forest could provide him with the opportunity to continue his outstanding development in the forward line at the City Ground next season.

The Tricky Trees have had great success with youthful talent in their forward line as both Brennan Johnson and Morgan Gibbs-White have been a force to be reckoned with in the attacking third – contributing to 26 goals last term – so Cooper could now bolster that energetic presence by deploying Borges alongside the tenacious duo.

With that being said, the signing of Borges would be a no-brainer for Forest this summer and if the young talent could emulate his goal-scoring escapades for Forest he would significantly improve upon Lingard's impact.

The USA captain has been named in Jamaica’s 14-member squad for the WICB Nagico Super50 tournament, which begins January 24 in Antigua and Barbados

Peter Della Penna08-Jan-2017USA captain Steven Taylor has been named in Jamaica’s 14-man squad for the WICB Nagico Super50 tournament, which begins January 24 in Antigua and Barbados.Taylor, American-born and raised to Jamaican immigrants in Florida, had been spending his off-seasons from the Florida club calendar to play club cricket in Jamaica for the last two years in a bid to improve of chances for Jamaica selection, and it has finally paid off. The 23-year-old, who is contracted with Barbados Tridents in the Caribbean Premier League, had been named as vice-captain last month for the ICC Americas squad due to play in the Nagico Super50.Taylor was in the ICC Americas squad last year for the Nagico Super50 competition and was expected to be an integral part as a returning member of this year’s team, especially after scoring a blistering 124 not out off 95 balls against Oman during USA’s run to the ICC WCL Division Four title in November. However, a pair of batting spots opened up in the Jamaica squad after Chris Gayle was ruled out due to injury and Marlon Samuels reportedly took up an offer to play with Leewards Islands, paving the way for Taylor’s inclusion.The move from the ICC Americas squad to Jamaica leaves a hole at the top of the batting order for the combined USA-Bermuda-Canada squad. Canada’s Srimantha Wijeyratne, who was the leading scorer for ICC Americas last year at the Nagico Super50, is expected to fill one opening spot while the other may be contested between USA’s Fahad Babar and Bermuda’s Kamau Leverock. Babar has been playing first-class cricket during the winter with Kalutara Physical Culture Club in Sri Lanka while Leverock struck an impressive 137 off 111 balls opening the batting against Jersey in Division Four.No replacement has been announced yet for Taylor in the ICC Americas squad. He is the second player who has been plucked away from the combined squad after Bermuda’s Delray Rawlins withdrew from consideration to commit to the England U-19s’ tour of India in January-February 2017.A potential showdown between Taylor and his several of his USA team-mates looms on February 1 and again on February 11 when Jamaica is scheduled to play ICC Americas. The ICC Americas squad opens up Group B against Combined Campuses and Colleges on January 26 while Jamaica’s first match is against CCC on January 24. Barbados and Guyana round out Group B while Group A is comprised of Leeward Islands, Windward Islands, West Indies U-19, English county side Kent and defending champions Trinidad & Tobago.

Manchester United have held “detailed talks” over moves for Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund and Eintracht Frankfurt forward Randal Kolo Muani.

What’s the latest Man United transfer news?

The Red Devils don’t appear to be wasting any time when it comes to bolstering their squad, with Erik ten Hag seemingly wanting the majority of the club’s summer business done early.

There could well be a number of new faces arriving at Old Trafford, with Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount potentially one of the first through the door.

Reports in recent days have suggested that personal terms have been agreed with the England international, with a move expected to go through, and it looks as if focus is also on bringing in a new striker.

According to Red Devils correspondent Laurie Whitwell, the club have held discussions to sign Hojlund and Kolo Muani, with the reporter also touching on links to Mount.

“MUFC hold detailed talks over Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund. Erik ten Hag ideally wants a young forward plus an experienced one. Hojlund, 20, falls into former category. Frankfurt's Randal Kolo Muani also discussed.

“Negotiations on over Mason Mount.”

Who are Hojlund and Kolo Muani?

The pair look like alternative targets to Harry Kane or Victor Osimhen, with a new striker seemingly needed after the club scored 58 Premier League goals last season – the fewest of any top-six side.

Hojlund only signed for Atalanta last year but is already catching the eye and has been hailed as an "absolute monster in the making" by football scout Jacek Kulig. The 20-year-old is a Denmark international and has scored nine times in 33 appearances for his current employers.

Meanwhile, Kolo Muani is four years older than Hojlund at 24 and has more experience at the highest level than the Atalanta gem.

The France international has been in career-best form this season, netting 23 goals in all competitions and has been hailed as "special" by sections of the media.

Therefore, United may need to decide if they want to go all out for a proven Premier League scorer like Kane, target an impressive European forward such as Kolo Muani or Osimhen or take a gamble on an up-and-coming youngster like Hojlund.

It will be a big decision for Old Trafford officials to make, and should they get it wrong, the club’s struggles in front of goal could well continue heading into Ten Hag’s second season in charge.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are looking ahead to the summer transfer window, with a Brazilian full-back linked in the bid to improve Julen Lopetegui’s defence.

Despite being linked with a host of players, the dominant narrative of Wolves’ expected transfer activity is the pressures surrounding issues of FFP.

It’s expected that Lopetegui will be forced to recruit on a budget this summer, as the difficulties of the Premier League season begin to spill into the break.

What’s the latest on Dodo to Wolves?

As reported by Torcedores, relayed by Sport Witness last week, Wolves are in the picture to sign Fiorentina ace Dodo this summer.

There has since been an update regarding the player’s availability, with his club placing a price tag between €30m and €35m (£26m – £30m) on the defender.

Italian outlet TuttoMercatoWeb relayed the update of the Brazilian’s price tag with reference to Juventus’ interest in the defender.

What could Dodo bring to Wolves?

While Wolves are expected to face financial shortages this summer, the club are also expected to make a number of sales, which could still allow signings to happen.

One player that has been linked with a move away from the club is Rayan Ait-Nouri, who was rumoured to be “ready to leave” Molineux in December.

The Algerian’s potential departure could assist in freeing up finances and leave a vacancy in defence that could be perfectly filled with Dodo, who despite predominantly being a right-back has featured on the left-hand side in his career before.

According to TuttoMercatoWeb’s report, the Brazilian is 'one of the best' defenders on the flanks in Serie A, making him a worthy investment should Wolves have the ability to spend.

While the full-back’s defensive abilities are praised, the 24-year-old is extremely competent going forward, in qualities that are required to be a recognised full-back in the English game.

As per FBref, Dodo betters Ait-Nouri in a range of attributes going forward from defence, averaging 2.83 progressive carries to the 21-year-old’s 2.51 per 90, showing his strength on the ball and going forward.

A similar pattern is evident in the duo’s impact on goal, most obviously through the Serie A defender’s four goal contributions (one goal and three assists) this season to the Wolves defenders’ single goal.

As highlighted by FBref, the Molineux target averages 2.55 shot-creating actions per 90 in comparison to Ait-Nouri’s 1.92, showcasing his desire to get amongst the goals whether it be through assisting or scoring.

The future of the “sublime” Wolves defender, as praised by analyst Jack Fawcett, remains in doubt, however, the club may not need to fret over his departure should they capture the signing of Dodo.

There is little doubt that the Brazilian wouldn’t fit smoothly into Lopetegui’s plans in the Algerian’s expected absence, however with Italian giants Juventus also eyeing the star, Wolves will need to act quickly.