Category Uncategorized

Liverpool have made an enquiry to sign a new midfielder who has been compared to Reds star Ryan Gravenberch.

Liverpool prepare for summer transfers after Salah and Van Dijk deals

Arne Slot has enjoyed a brilliant first season in charge at Anfield, with the Reds closing in on the Premier League title. Liverpool can be crowned champions this weekend, should Arsenal suffer defeat against Ipswich Town and the Reds beat Leicester City on Sunday afternoon.

The main headlines at Anfield recently have been with Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk’s new contracts. The pair have both penned new two-year deals, with Van Dijk set to earn more than £40m on Merseyside between now and 2027.

Talking about Van Dijk’s new contract, Slot said that keeping the centre-back and Salah means that it is “already a big summer” for Liverpool.

“[Van Dijk’s contract] tells you that we want to keep our best players. The players that have played a great season for so many years in row. When we are able to keep them as free agents, it tells you the ambitions we have for the upcoming years.

“I’m really happy they both extended. Virgil is so important, defensively and offensively, in and around the dressing room. A great personality and a great football player. I think at Liverpool there is always a big summer and it is already a big summer now. Maybe the players don’t follow everything what has been said in the media, me neither, but what I do know it was it was a big thing – ‘can we hold onto them?’ – and by already holding on to two it is already a big summer.”

Imagine him & Van Dijk: Liverpool lead race for 'world's most in demand CB'

Liverpool are looking to sign one of football’s biggest talents this summer to partner Virgil van Dijk

By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 17, 2025

New signings could join Van Dijk and Salah ahead of the 2025/26 season, and a new defensive midfielder appears to be on the wish list.

Liverpool make contact to sign £60k-p/w Nicolo Rovella

According to reports in Italy, relayed by Sport Witness, Liverpool have made an enquiry over a move for Lazio midfielder Nicolo Rovella.

The 23-year-old is also wanted by Arsenal and Manchester City and could now be set to leave the Serie A side following their Europa League exit to Bodo/Glimt on Thursday.

Lazio would want to keep their star players including Rovella this summer, however, the financial implications of not qualifying for the Champions League may mean they cash in on some.

Currently sixth in Serie A, Lazio only have Rovella on loan from Juventus, although there is an obligation to buy with certain conditions. Liverpool could swoop in over the coming months and land the holding midfielder, who has been compared to Gravenberch among others, as per FBref.

Rovella, on around £60,000-a-week, was also hailed as “wonderful” by Italy boss Luciano Spalletti last year, and by the looks of things, a move to Anfield could be one to keep an eye on.

The team management sent mixed signals by picking four openers and leaving out Riyan Parag for the third T20I against Zimbabwe

Raunak Kapoor12-Jul-20243:44

Takeaways: India’s confusing selection calls

“That’s how we want to play and go forward,” Rohit Sharma said on June 22.Go hard from ball one, yet be smart with the bat; trust others to do their job in a bid to optimise your batting resources; and with a little bit of luck, you will win more than you will lose.The first T20 World Cup that India fully committed to with this new approach, they won.While Rohit and Virat Kohli have retired from T20Is, and Rahul Dravid’s tenure as head coach has ended, the future seems to be in safe hands. The template is set, the culture arguably transformed, and the baton passed on to an exciting new generation of batters, most of whom have learned the best habits of T20 batting at their IPL franchises.Related

• Rathour on India's transition: Needs to be done gradually, in a controlled manner

• No-holds-barred Jaiswal typifies the new and aggressive India

• Questions to answer for both India and Zimbabwe

• Rohit on batting vs Bangladesh: 'That's how we want to play and go forward'

• Gautam Gambhir unveiled as India's new head coach

Gautam Gambhir’s appointment as the new head coach fuels that belief further, and Shubman Gill, with the opening slots now vacant, understands the job description.However, if you glance at the scorecard of the third T20I between Zimbabwe and India in Harare, it seems like one out of time. India raced to 49 without loss in the first four overs. But in the next eight overs, they got just 40 for the loss of two wickets. After 12 overs, their run rate was 7.41, with Gill on 40 off 33 balls and Ruturaj Gaikwad on 2 off 4.In fitting the three T20 World Cup returnees – Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube – in the XI, India played four openers on the day, and Gaikwad came to the crease in the 11th over ahead of Samson, Dube and Rinku Singh. Inexplicably, Zimbabwe chose part-time offspinner Wessly Madhevere, who bowled for the first time in the series, for the 13th over. It cost them 19 runs.Gill eventually top-scored with 66 off 49 at a strike rate of 134.69. Gaikwad, in an unfamiliar role, did well with 49 off 28. Samson, having shown his wares as a top-order batter in the IPL, walked in at No. 5 with two overs to go. Rinku made his way out with just two balls to go, after having scored a 22-ball 48 in the second T20I. Dube did not even bat.Ruturaj Gaikwad scored a 28-ball 49 batting at No. 4 in the third T20I vs Zimbabwe•AFP/Getty ImagesIndia posted 182 for 4 after 31 runs came off misfields and dropped catches, as per ESPNcricinfo’s logs. Their bowlers and fielders got the job done but the eventual margin of victory was 23 runs.Gill acknowledged that finishing below 200 with the resources India had was disappointing, but said that the surface “was a bit double-paced” and “it wasn’t easy to hit balls off a length”. In his defence, this may be a one-off.In the previous game, albeit on a different surface, India – led by Abhishek Sharma’s 47-ball 100 – posted the highest T20I total at the Harare Sports Club, hammering 129 in the middle overs (seven to 16). One could argue that Abhishek should not have been the one moving away from the top after an innings like that to make room for Jaiswal. At the same time, Jaiswal’s return shouldn’t be up for debate. He was India’s reserve opener at the World Cup. The new philosophy is the only philosophy he perhaps knows.So why not bat Gill at No. 3? India perhaps wanted a left-right opening combination. Or they felt Abhishek was better suited for the No. 3 role as even during his hundred, he was on 27 off 23 before going on a rampage. Perhaps this was not about who bats where but how they bat.At the World Cup, India showcased flexibility with Kohli dropping the desire to bat deep and match Rohit’s intent. Rishabh Pant then disrupted the right-handedness at No. 3, with Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya to follow. Three of those are likely to command their way back into India’s full-strength T20I XI. So the batters that join them must display the same intent.Abhishek Sharma scored a blazing hundred in the second T20I•Associated PressInterim head coach VVS Laxman must ensure that the new batch is given the same message, and Gill must then lead the way as captain and batter.But the messaging has been mixed. Replacing Khaleel Ahmed with Sai Sudharsan after one defeat was akin to buying unnecessary insurance. In the following game, they left out Riyan Parag, who has established his credentials at No. 4 in the IPL, to retain Gaikwad. That Gaikwad did well is a credit to him, but it makes little sense to look at him as anything other than a top-order batter in T20Is.Parag and Abhishek were the two players who commanded India call-ups after dominating Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023-24 and IPL 2024. Their inclusions also gave India two batters in the top five who could bowl. By leaving out one of them and pushing the other down the order, India created a slight confusion in the roles, which was at odds with the philosophy that made them champions.Gill has shown he can carry that philosophy forward seamlessly as a batter. At 24, he will rely on experienced hands around him when it comes to team selections and communicating clear roles to players as well as making them understand when tough calls are made. In time, he may well be a successor to Rohit in more ways than one. For now, it is up to the team management to ensure India stay on the path Rohit and Co established last month.

West Indies’ No. 7 was at it again, trying to dig his team out of a hole – the way he often goes about it begs the question: does he deserve a promotion?

Shashank Kishore06-Feb-2022Not for the first time in his career, Jason Holder had to clean up a top-order mess. And not for the first time, he showed how the job ought to have been done. Again, not for the first time, he made you wonder if he was batting too low at No. 7.Ahead of the series, Kieron Pollard spoke of batting out 50 overs being a realistic goal, but West Indies were in danger of folding inside 30 overs in the series opener against India. Holder’s defiance, which quickly turned into a full-blown attack, especially with India’s spinners trying to exercise control, helped them bat out 43.5 overs eventually. This was by no means any consolation.For the record, West Indies haven’t batted out 50 overs for seven matches in a row now, stretching back to the Australia series at home in July 2021. It merely reaffirms Pollard’s statement that West Indies have a batting problem.Related

West Indies building 'something special' – Jason Holder

Washington and Chahal spin India to comfortable victory

Pollard wants Windies to bat entire 50 overs

Holder put on a batting show that many of his team-mates would do well to emulate. There was no premeditation, neither was there an attempt to throw the bowlers off their lengths. He was simply reacting to what was presented to him and played shots he thought were appropriate without worrying about how the pitch was playing or how one good ball could get him.The essence of his innings was built around trying to get fully forward and using his long levers to play Yuzvendra Chahal’s teasing legbreaks, and playing Washington Sundar by going right back into the crease because the offspinner was looking to largely bowl good length.It wasn’t that the class of his batting suddenly stood out; he has oozed plenty of it right from his debut seven years ago. You don’t average 30 across 53 Tests at No. 7 without possessing it. You don’t make a Test highest off 202 not out without learning to apply yourself at the crease. Yet, you couldn’t help but marvel at his ability to loft the ball cleanly with the spin, pick lengths early to punch through the covers, and nonchalantly play the pickup shot to anything that veered into the pads. More than anything, Holder seemed to revel even when he walked out to immense scoreboard pressure at 71 for 5 in the 20th over.For a better part of the last seven years, Holder has shouldered much of West Indies’ lower-order batting in ODIs. Since the 2015 World Cup, Holder has walked into bat inside the 25-over mark 19 times when he has batted at No. 7 or lower. He has made 564 runs at an average of 35.25, including six half-centuries, in these games. He has struck these runs at 88. Does this merit a promotion? You’d think yes.”When you’re looking at different things, you can say that,” Pollard told host broadcaster Star Sports at the presentation ceremony, when asked if there was merit in promoting Holder. “For instance, 12 months ago, guys wouldn’t have been saying that from a statistical point of view. But last couple of games, he has done well. He has played Test cricket, he has made a double-hundred, so he can bat at any position in the order.”But again, the combination of the team, when you look at it, yes he can bat at No. 6 or at No. 5, but when you watch the make-up of our team, we have international batsmen who have played Test cricket. He (Holder) has a role to play for us, and he came into a crucial scenario and made a crucial fifty. In the last couple of weeks, his cricket has improved and he’s doing well for himself. We’re happy for Jason as a team and long may it continue.”Jason Holder adapted to the challenge of batting in India despite limited time to acclimatise•ICC via GettyThis batting ability from a bowling allrounder is something teams around the world yearn for. Holder’s batting, along with his nagging bowling, has contributed largely to whatever success West Indies have had in Test cricket too, in recent years. It has allowed them to play five bowlers for one thing. But Holder’s improved batting hasn’t quite been enough to mask the inefficiency, and in some cases recklessness, of some of his colleagues.In Ahmedabad, Shai Hope was out driving with no feet in the same over that he dispatched Mohammed Siraj for two glorious boundaries. Pollard was out looking to hit out, disregarding Chahal’s dip and spin as he attempted a big mow first ball with his team four down and trying to rebuild inside the 20th over. Brandon King and Fabian Allen tamely lobbed return-catches to deliveries that stopped on them. Nicholas Pooran completely misjudged the length trying to sweep a full delivery, only to lose his balance and wicket. Of course, you could make some allowances for the fact West Indies came into the series barely having had one full training session, but the question remains: if Holder could, maybe some of the others could, too?Holder aside, there were a few other positives too for the visitors. Alzarri Joseph, fresh off a short stint in the Bangladesh Premier League, was zippy and nipped out the wickets of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in an over. Kohli’s, in particular, was a wicket well-earned because he surprised him for pace and got him to top-edge an attempted pull to fine leg. Rohit was beaten and nipped out lbw trying to play across the line.West Indies have little time between now and the second ODI to get their mindset right. If they need to look for inspiration, they needn’t look beyond Holder. In an era of the Pollards, Bravos, Narines and Gayles, that he has managed to carve a niche for himself speaks volumes of his drive and resolve. His team-mates will do well to try and match the benchmark he has set.

MatériaMais Notícias

Na estreia do América-RJ na Taça Santos Dumont, os holofotes estavam voltados para a possível reestreia de Romário. No entanto, o camisa 11 não entrou em campo na equipe comandada por Marcus Alexandre.

continua após a publicidade

➡ A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!

Por outro lado, André, que soma passagens por Santos, Vasco e Sport, foi titular e marcou um dos gols da vitória dos Encarnados. E no fim, Romarinho, filho do presidente do clube, entrou em campo para a decepção de muitos torcedores.

Veja as reações na web:

Tudo sobre

Romário

كشف الإعلامي أحمد شوبير حقيقة ما تردد خلال الساعات الماضية بشأن اقتراب رحيل لاعب الأهلي محمد مجدي أفشة.

وقال شوبير في تصريحاته الإذاعية صباح اليوم الأربعاء: “الحديث عن أن محمد مجدي أفشة تلقّى عرضًا غير صحيح إطلاقًا؛ فاللاعب ما زال موجودًا داخل النادي، ولم يطلب الجهاز الفني رحيله، ولم يحدث أي شيء من هذا الكلام”.

طالع أيضًا | أولمبي الشلف الجزائري يوضح لـ”بطولات” حقيقة عرض الأهلي لضم أشرف عبادة

وأضاف: “على العكس، فإن ييس توروب يحتاج وجود أفشة معه، وما زال يراقب اللاعبين ويقيّمهم، صحيح أنه لم يشارك في الفترة الماضية، لكنه دائمًا يؤكد أن لأفشة دورًا مهمًا مع الأهلي”.

واختتم شوبير حديثه قائلًا: “لا توجد أي عروض وصلت لأفشة، ولا أفشة نفسه طلب الرحيل، ولا النادي الأهلي يفكر في رحيله”.

ومن المقرر أن يلعب الأهلي مباراته القادمة في بطولة كأس الرابطة المصرية ضد إنبي في الجولة الأولي من مرحلة المجموعات، وذلك يوم الخميس الموافق 11 ديسمبر المُقبل.

استكمل الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة حصصه التدريبية بعد مباراة ديبورتيفو ألافيس ضمن منافسات الدوري الإسباني.

وحقق برشلونة فوزًا مهمًا على حساب نظيره ألافيس بنتيجة 3/1 في المباراة التي جمعتهما ضمن منافسات الدوري الإسباني “لا ليجا” أمس، السبت.

وتصدر برشلونة جدول ترتيب الدوري الإسباني مؤقتًا بـ 34 نقطة، وبفارق نقطتين عن ريال مدريد صاحب المركز الثاني برصيد 32 نقطة، والذي سيواجه جيرونا مساء اليوم، الأحد.

ويستعد رجال فليك لمواجهة مرتقبة وحاسمة في المباراة المقبلة أتلتيكو مدريد ضمن منافسات الجولة الرابعة عشر من بطولة الدوري الإسباني.

وشهدت تدريبات برشلونة مشاركة فرينكي دي يونج والذي كان قد غاب عن مواجهة ألافيس لأسباب شخصية لكنه تدرب اليوم بشكل طبيعي مع الفريق.

اقرأ أيضًا | برشلونة يفكر في إجراء صفقة تبادليه للتخلص من لاعبه

ووفقًا لصحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” فإنه في حال عدم تعرض فرينكي دي يونج لأي متاعب أخرى، فمن المتوقع أن يكون جاهزًا للعب ضد أتلتيكو مدريد يوم الثلاثاء المقبل.

على الناحية الأخرى، استمر غياب رونالد أراوخو بسبب معاناته من فيروس المعدة الذي منعه من التدريب في الأيام الأخيرة وأبعده عن مباراة ألافيس.

لذلك وبحسب ما أفادت “موندو” فإن تواجده في مباراة أتلتيكو غير مؤكد، من المقرر أن يُعقد التدريب الأخير لتلك القمة يوم الإثنين المقبل وسيتحدد موقفه غدًا.

بالنسبة للاعبين المصابين فقد واصل كلًا من فيرمين لوبيز، جافي وتير شتيجن برامجهم التأهيلية بشكل منفصل عن باقي الفريق.

First and foremost, Newcastle United have no pressing concerns relating to finances and the ever-ominous profit and sustainability rules in the Premier League.

Furthermore, technical director Ross Wilson is now settled into his chair in the St. James’ Park offices, and have formed a good early relationship with Eddie Howe as they look to tackle key areas of the squad.

Now is the time for action. It’s been a wobbly start to the season after a summer of upheaval, but United are beginning to show green shoots in their bid to cement themselves as Champions League contenders and a multi-trophy-winning outfit.

Defensive positions are being examined, but with Joelinton’s form lacking in stages this season, Howe wants a new midfielder.

The question on everyone’s lips: Will it be Elliot Anderson?

Newcastle chasing elite midfielder

Howe spoke at the start of October about his desire to bring Anderson back home. The 23-year-old was sold to Nottingham Forest in 2024 and he has since become a top-class midfielder. It was not a happy sale for the Magpies, whose hand was forced by PSR.

Now, United want him back. The problem? Manchester City and Manchester United are also keen, and the Tricky Trees have priced their gem in excess of £100m.

This is a superstar in the making. Already, he is ranking favourably against the likes of Sandro Tonali in the Newcastle midfield; the Italian is widely regarded as one of the best in the Premier League.

If Newcastle are fruitless in their bid to sign Anderson, they could do worse than fall back on Scott McTominay, who was named the Serie A MVP last season after leading Napoli to the Scudetto.

As per Chronicle Live, McTominay is reportedly unsettled in Naples and is considering a return to the Premier League. Newcastle would be right there, offering the Scotland star a chance to take his career to the next level.

Valued at £70m, McTominay, 28, will not be short of suitors in 2026, but sources close to the player suggest that he would be open to moving to Tyneside and working under Howe’s stewardship.

What McTominay would offer Newcastle

It’s a testament to McTominay’s meteoric rise in Italy that had Newcastle signed him from Manchester United, it would have been a move met with indifference.

But now, he is revered as a hero for both club and country, 18th in the 2025 Ballon d’Or rankings and regarded as a “true superstar of European and world football”, as said by content creator Adam Joseph.

Ole Gunnar Solskjær, his former boss at Old Trafford, also hailed him as a “physical monster” once, and this is why McTominay could be such an interesting Anderson alternative.

He is capable of show-stopping moments, but the Tartan Army hero also has the athleticism and defensive attributes to dovetail right into Howe’s engine room.

His high duel success bespeaks his tenacity, and his eye for goal makes him an intriguing option to place just ahead of Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes, both elegant and combative players with excellent passing ranges, sure to pick out the Napoli star’s surges into the danger area.

Anderson has since raised his level, but McTominay has hardly regressed himself, instrumental in a title-defending Napoli team that trail first-placed AC Milan this season by only a single point.

There is a winning mentality about McTominay that Newcastle need to take their project to the next level, and while the 23-year-old Anderson would be a fantastic addition, this would provide Howe with the instant effect he and his team need.

Newcastle need a new midfielder, and that won’t change. Either of these stars would mark stunning acquisitions.

He wants to leave: PIF must sell Newcastle's "poor man's Haaland"

Newcastle United must cash in on this player who reportedly wants to move on from the club in January.

1

By
Dan Emery

Dec 1, 2025

It turns out teams other than the Los Angeles Dodgers are allowed to make MLB offseason moves.

On Thursday, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that former San Diego Padres outfielder Jurickson Profar is heading to the Atlanta Braves in free agency. The Braves would announce soon after that the deal was for three years and $42 million.

The move comes after Profar’s breakout season in 2024, which saw him post career highs in home runs, RBIs, stolen bases, and OPS at 31 years old in San Diego—making his first All-Star Game and winning his first Silver Slugger while helping the Padres push the Dodgers to five games in the NLDS.

While Atlanta fans were quick to celebrate the signing, San Diego fans were understandably disappointed. After nearly reaching the NLCS just a few months ago, the Padres have now watched stars like Profar leave in the offseason—while also missing out on the sweepstakes for star free agents like pitcher Roki Sasaki.

Profar is set to join Michael Harris II and Ronald Acuna Jr. in the Braves outfield, immediately making the trio one of the best in all of baseball.

He won’t have to wait long to face his old team—Atlanta opens its 2025 season in San Diego on March 27.

Chelsea returned to action following the international break with a 2-0 win over London City Lionesses in the Women's Super League on Saturday. Australia internationals Ellie Carpenter and Sam Kerr netted for the Blues, who maintained their one-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the table with a victory over their big-spending opponents that kept their long unbeaten league run under Sonia Bompastor going.

Erin Cuthbert was handed a gilt-edged chance to break the deadlock in the opening throes, but had her goal-bound effort blocked on the line by Wassa Sangare. However, Chelsea didn't need to wait long to open the scoring, as Carpenter got on the end of fellow wing-back Sandy Baltimore's cross to net her first goal for the Blues in the sixth minute.

Sjoeke Nusken should have doubled the lead after 20 minutes when she headed over from close range, and the Germany midfielder almost compounded her error when she lost possession on the edge of her own box later in the first half, only for Izzy Goodwin to fire over the crossbar under little pressure.

Bompastor's decision to deploy a 3-5-2 formation following the return to the line-up of Lucy Bronze meant numerous Chelsea players were getting used to new roles, and it showed in what was a sluggish display at times. Cuthbert, Aggie Beever-Jones and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd came close to doubling their advantage in the second half, before substitute Kerr made the points safe in stoppage time with a delightful chipped finish.

GOAL rates Chelsea's players from Stamford Bridge…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Hannah Hampton (7/10):

Came into the match under scrutiny following recent headlines but wasn't overly stretched. Did well to come off her line and sweep up on more than occasion, most notably when denying Goodwin a chance inside the final 20 minutes.

Lucy Bronze (6/10):

Deployed as a right-sided centre-back which limited her attacking output, but she did a good job in keeping former Lyon team-mate Nikita Parris quiet.

Nathalie Bjorn (8/10):

Made numerous blocks and won plenty of headers inside her own penalty area. A commanding presence at the heart of the backline.

Millie Bright (6/10):

Dragged out of position on more than one occasion as she got to grips with playing in a back three. Did use her physicality to her advantage to diffuse attacks, too, though.

AdvertisementMidfield

Ellie Carpenter (8/10):

Got herself on the end of Baltimore's cross to score her first Chelsea goal and was always an option in attack. Tracked back to do her defensive work as well.

Erin Cuthbert (7/10):

Will be wondering how she didn't open the scoring with the goal gaping but didn't let it affect her as she was constantly on the move in midfield. A pressing monster, though that did lead to her picking up a booking.

Keira Walsh (7/10):

Controlled things effectively at the base of the midfield. Always an option for the defence to pass into and very rarely gave the ball away.

Sjoeke Nusken (5/10):

Showed off her passing range when given time in midfield. Wasted a big opportunity to make it 2-0 with a header before gifting Goodwin a huge chance to equalise. Replaced early in the second half.

Sandy Baltimore (6/10):

Showed good patience and skill to lay on the opening goal and delivered some more good balls into the box. However, could have done more tracking back to deal with Asllani, and that perhaps led to her half-time substitution.

Getty ImagesAttack

Aggie Beever-Jones (6/10):

Did well with her back to goal and when carrying the ball forward. Couldn't get a clear sight of goal until midway through the second half when she fired wide, but an effective outlet up front nevertheless.

Guro Reiten (6/10):

Excellent movement and vision opened things up for Chelsea to break the deadlock, but that was her biggest impact on the game before her substitution early in the second period.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesSubs & Manager

Niamh Charles (6/10):

Gave the Blues more defensive solidity after replacing Baltimore at half-time, even if her output in the final third was lacking.

Oriane Jean-Francois (6/10):

Replaced Nusken and was solid without being spectacular in midfield.

Johanna Rytting Kaneryd (7/10):

Gave the hosts a useful attacking outlet with her willingness to run in behind.

Sam Kerr (7/10):

Still working her way back to full fitness but showed she still has an eye for goal with a supreme chipped finish in added time.

Wieke Kaptein (N/A):

On for Beever-Jones in the 85th minute.

Sonia Bompastor (6/10):

Will have been thrilled to see one wing-back provide for the other to score following her formation switch, but it's clear her new system needs work given how open Chelsea were in transition at times. Second-half changes did tighten things up, to be fair, though they also led to less attacking edge.

Aston Villa are now exploring a move for an “extraordinary” goalkeeper as a replacement for Emiliano Martinez, with Unai Emery considered an admirer.

Villa looking to sign Martinez replacement

Martinez is undoubtedly one of the best goalkeepers in the world, winning the Yashin Trophy in 2023 and 2024, so it is no surprise that Emery has chosen to reintroduce the 33-year-old to the starting XI, despite him pushing for a move to Manchester United during the summer.

The Argentinian was keen to complete a move to Old Trafford on deadline day, but Man United ultimately ended up signing Senne Lammens, who kept a clean sheet on his debut against Sunderland.

However, having pushed for a move in the summer, the controversial goalkeeper’s future remains in doubt, with it recently being revealed that he has lost faith in Emery, amid the slow start to the season.

According to a report from Spain, Aston Villa have now set their sights on a new goalkeeper, with Martinez’s future in doubt, having identified Real Madrid’s Andriy Lunin as a target, and there are signs that a deal could be possible.

Lunin has made it clear he wants to leave the La Liga side, having been left frustrated with his role as a back-up to Thibaut Courtois, given that, at 26-years-old, he needs to be playing regular first-team football.

It is suggested that Madrid could hold out for around €30m (£26m) for the Ukrainian, making him a relatively affordable option for Villa, with it previously being revealed that Emery is personally keen on signing him.

"Extraordinary" Lunin could be fantastic Martinez replacement

Although the Madrid shot-stopper has fallen behind Courtois in the pecking order, he has previously proven himself at the highest level, making 12 Champions League appearances, including eight en-route to the Spanish side’s 2023-24 triumph.

Aston Villa set to make January approach for £52m Champions League "monster"

Villa are expected to make a move for a “freak athlete”.

ByDominic Lund Oct 14, 2025

Courtesy of his performances that season, the former Zorya Luhansk man also received very high praise from CBS Sports’ Nico Cantor.

Whenever called upon over the past year, the Ukraine international has been solid, recording a clean sheet percentage of 42.9%, which places him in the 97th percentile, when compared to other goalkeepers.

Given his age, however, Lunin needs to be a first-choice goalkeeper, so a move to Villa Park would make perfect sense, and Aston Villa should no doubt make an approach if Martinez makes it clear he still wants to leave.