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Aston Villa ‘have had constructive talks’ with midfielder Douglas Luiz over the possibility of signing a new contract, The Telegraph’s John Percy reports.

The lowdown

Of the six Villa players whose contracts are due to expire in 12 months’ time, Luiz is regarded as the most valuable by Transfermarkt (£34.2million).

As it stands, he will be able to sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign suitor come 1 January.

Villa have signed a new defensive midfielder this summer in the form of Boubacar Kamara, but clearly they’re still intent on tying Luiz down, three years after his move from Manchester City.

The latest

Percy took to Twitter on Friday to afternoon to reveal that Villa have been in positive discussions with the Brazilian over an extension.

He’s attracting ‘interest from clubs across Europe, including in the Champions League’.

Perhaps that’s created an additional sense of urgency for Aston Villa, who are ‘hopeful he will stay’.

The verdict

As per Spotrac, Luiz sits around the middle of Villa’s earning list at present. There are 11 players who take home more than his roughly £33,00 per week.

He may not be pushing the very highest bracket with a new deal – Danny Ings leads the way on £120,000, while Tyrone Mings and Bertrand Traore fetch around £80,000 – but he’ll be expecting a considerable uplift.

That’s because he’ll understand his value to the team, having started 31 of their 38 Premier League matches last season.

Ex-Villan Gabriel Agbonlahor said in March that Gerrard had ‘transformed’ Luiz and unlocked some ‘outstanding’ performances and so losing him now would definitely be a blow.

Rangers have been handed a huge lift ahead of their Premiership clash on Saturday afternoon…

What’s the word?

Speaking ahead of that fixture, as per the club’s official Twitter channel, Ibrox manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst has revealed that striker Alfredo Morelos is in line to make his long-awaited return from injury this weekend.

Asked about the fitness of his squad heading into the home clash against Kilmarnock, the Dutchman stated: “The squad is looking good. The biggest change will be Alfredo will be in the squad. He’s been training really hard with the team and he’s ready to be in the squad for tomorrow and hopefully play some minutes as well.”

The Colombia international has been absent since sustaining a thigh injury in April, with that issue ultimately ruling him out of the final few weeks of last season.

Massive boost

Amid what will already be a frenzied atmosphere at Ibrox as supporters return for the first home game of the season for the Light Blues, news of the 26-year-old’s return will only add to that bubbling excitement, with the crowd surely desperate to see the former HJK Helsinki man back in action.

While there are still lingering doubts over the £11.7m-rated marksman’s future in Glasgow with less than 12 months remaining on his existing deal, for now those of a Rangers persuasion will simply be delighted to see him fit and firing again, with Van Bronckhorst’s side having sorely missed the talismanic figure of late.

Tuesday night’s Champions League defeat to Union Saint-Gilloise in particular, showcased the void that the £33k-per-week menace leaves behind when he is unavailable, with summer arrival Antonio Colak having proven to be a “waste of time” in Belgium, according to pundit Mark Hateley.

In truth, while seeing the 11-cap brute in action this weekend would be a welcome development, the onus will be to ensure that Morelos is raring to go in the second leg of their European tie in midweek, with Van Bronckhorst seemingly in need of his talisman to help overturn the two-goal deficit.

The odds are stacked against them, although if ever there were a man to pull a rabbit out of the hat for Rangers, it is ‘The Buffalo’. The 5 foot 10 titan has been prolific for the club in recent years, with his tally for the Light Blues now standing at 113 goals in 224 games in all competitions.

The belief will be that he can add to that haul against Kilmarnock this weekend if he features, gearing him up for the pivotal European encounter on Tuesday evening.

After the disappointment in Belgium earlier this week, Morelos’ return could be the welcome boost that the Ibrox faithful need.

Southampton are reportedly looking to secure a deal for Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi before the end of the current summer window.

What’s the news?

In a recent Twitter post, journalist and transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano had this to say on the matter.

“Excl: Callum Hudson-Odoi could now leave Chelsea for regular game time. Southampton have already asked for CHO on loan, now pushing.”

Could he replace Walcott?

With 187 appearances to his name for the west London club across their senior and youth sides, the 21-year-old has found the net 47 times and delivered 40 assists along the way.

Last season saw the Englishman make 28 appearances for Chelsea across all competitions in which he scored three goals and provided six assists in the process.

In his 15 league appearances last season, the attacker racked up 51 shot-creating actions, which is more than the likes of Romelu Lukaku (44), Christian Pulisic (33) and Timo Werner (26) managed to make, an impressive accomplishment given their respective qualities.

In fact, only Ross Barkley (9.05), ended the campaign with a higher rate of shot-creating actions per 90 minutes than Hudson-Odoi (4.77), which shows just how dangerous he can be in the final third.

Having played in numerous midfield and attacking positions for the west London club last season, this sort of versatility could make him a very useful addition to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s squad.

Described as a “monster of a talent” by Nizaar Kinsella, it very much appears as if when he’s in form, he has the world at his feet.

Despite this move potentially only being on loan, his potential arrival at St. Mary’s could push one of their current attacking options out the door.

Having been linked with a move away from the south coast club back at the start of the summer, Theo Walcott’s performances last season showed why adding a player like Hudson-Odoi would be a smart move from the Saints.

With no goals or assists to his name in nine league appearances, the £72k-per-week winger ended the campaign as the lowest-rated Saints player in terms of overall performance rating, with WhoScored giving him a measly rating of 6.09/10.

Taking this into account, it could be said that the Chelsea attacker may not have too much trouble in terms of getting regular game time at St. Mary’s.

In comparison to Hudson-Odoi, the Southampton winger lacks any form of threat, ranking in the worst 92% of players in the same position across Europe’s top five leagues for shot-creating actions in 2020/21.

With that in mind, most players would be an upgrade on him, but the lively Chelsea youngster should be the man to finally push him through the exit door for the second time in his Saints career.

West Ham United are interested in a deal to bring Francesco Acerbi to the London Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian media outlet La Lazio Siamo Noi (via Sport Witness), who claim that, despite the Hammers looking to have secured the £10.1m signing of Paris Saint-Germain centre-back Thilo Kehrer, David Moyes is still on the hunt for further additions to his options in the heart of defence – with the Scot now believed to have made an enquiry for the Lazio defender.

The report goes on to state that, with the 34-year-old not currently being a part of Maurizio Sarri’s first-team plans, the Serie A side would be willing to allow the Italy international to leave the club on a season-long loan deal prior to September’s transfer deadline – without the option of a purchase clause.

However, the Italian outlet also goes on to suggest that the Lazio centre-back is not overly convinced by the idea of a move to the Premier League, and would much prefer to reunite with his former manager at the Stadio Olimpico, Simone Inzaghi, at Inter Milan – although the Nerazzurri are yet to launch a move for the defender.

“Amazing” signing

Considering just how dependable Acerbi has been in the Lazio backline over the past few years, in addition to the heart of the Hammers defence being something of a problem position for Moyes already this season, it is not difficult to see why the 59-year-old would be keen on a deal to bring the 34-year-old to east London this summer.

Indeed, with West Ham having sanctioned the £15m sale of Issa Diop earlier this month, Moyes was left with four senior centre-backs in his first team squad – Kurt Zouma, Nayef Aguerd, Craig Dawson and Angelo Ogbonna.

However, with £30m summer signing Aguerd sustaining ankle ligament damage in pre-season – a setback that will keep the 26-year-old sidelined until October – Dawson and Ogbonna currently being ruled out with knocks and the club having fears that Zouma could have a long-term degenerative issue with his knee, Moyes is facing something of a centre-back injury crisis.

As such, while the addition of Kehrer will help to ease the strain in the heart of the Scot’s defence, it is clear that further reinforcements will be required ahead of what could well prove to be long and arduous campaigns in both the Premier League and Europa Conference League – with Acerbi appearing to be an amazing fit for the Hammers.

Indeed, despite his advancing years, the £3.6m-rated defender has managed 30 or more Serie A appearances in each of the past eight seasons, while his level of performance by no means appears to be on the decline.

This is evidenced by his highly impressive form over 30 league fixtures for Lazio last season, during which the £75k-per-week talent helped his side keep five clean sheets and scored four goals, in addition to making an average of 1.1 interceptions, 0.8 tackles, 3.0 clearances, 61.2 passes, 5.5 long balls and winning 3.8 duels – at a success rate of 61% – per game.

These returns saw the 25-cap international who David Amoyal dubbed “amazing” and Carlo Garganese labelled a “monster” average a SofaScore match rating of 7.03 – marking his seventh consecutive campaign in which Acerbi has averaged a match rating of 7.00 or higher.

As such, considering his dependability both in terms of fitness and performance, it would very much appear as if the 34-year-old would represent an amazing addition to Moyes’ current options at centre-back – leading us to believe that the Scot should do all he can to convince the Italian stopper of a switch to the London Stadium in the coming weeks.

Newcastle United are believed to be interested in signing Chelsea striker Armando Broja this summer, with a new centre-forward still seemingly a top priority for manager Eddie Howe.

What’s the word?

According to 90min, the Albania international is one of four Blues players that the Magpies are tracking at present, with Conor Gallagher, Christian Pulisic and Callum Hudson-Odoi all having been mentioned as potential targets.

While the latter three men are all on the Tynesiders’ loan ‘wish list’, in the case of Broja it said that the northeast side are willing to secure a permanent deal if a temporary move is not on the cards, having already made an ‘enquiry’ about the 20-year-old.

The 14-cap menace – who has also been the subject of interest from Everton this summer – could reportedly cost in the region of £50m, however, with West Ham United seeing a £30m bid rejected earlier in the window.

Devastating

Such clamour for his signature has no doubt been justified following what was a real breakthrough campaign last time out, the highly-rated prospect netting nine times in all competitions while on loan at Southampton.

Dubbed “devastating” by national team assistant, Sergio Porrini, the £19.8m-rated gem dazzled with his impressive speed and strength in leading the line, causing real problems for defences across the division as a result.

The former Vitesse Arnhem loanee – who scored 11 times while in Holland during the 2020/21 season – has since returned to the fold at his parent club, featuring off the bench for Thomas Tuchel’s side in the opening two games of the season.

The hope will be, however, that the youngster can still be swayed into making the move to Newcastle before the September deadline, with the “dangerous” asset – as dubbed by Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl – likely to be able to light up St James’ Park.

Although the player potentially has concerns at playing second fiddle to first-team regular, Callum Wilson, the latter man’s injury woes have seen him become an unreliable presence in recent times, with an able deputy no doubt needed both to slot in in his absence as well as contend for a starting berth.

Not just a goal threat, the Slough-born starlet also possesses excellent ball-carrying ability as he ranks in the top 15% for dribbles completed among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, while he also averages 4.29 aerial duels won per game, showcasing the use of his impressive, 6 foot 3 frame.

Wilson for instance ranks in just the top 43% for dribbles completed and only averages 1.83 aerial duels won per 90, with Broja likely to offer a different option to that of the Englishman when leading the line.

Still so young, the Chelsea academy graduate still has more room to develop in the coming years, with it an exciting thought as to just how devastating he could be both this season and beyond.

West Ham United have seen their latest bid to bring Hans Vanaken to the London Stadium this summer rejected.

What’s the talk?

According to a report by the Evening Standard, despite David Moyes having seen both his opening £8m offer for the 29-year-old and his latest €11m (£9.2m) bid rejected by Club Brugge KV, the Hammers manager is nevertheless confident of getting a deal for the attacking midfielder over the line prior to September’s transfer deadline.

Revealing the club’s latest bid for the Belgium international in a post on Twitter, Fabrizio Romano stated his belief that West Ham will have to seriously up their offer for Vanaken should they wish to get a deal over the line, as the Jupiler Pro League side are believed to be holding out of a figure in the region of €20m (£17m) in order to sanction the playmaker’s sale.

However, while the reigning Belgian champions look as if they intend to play hardball in negotiations with the Premier League outfit, it would appear as if Vanaken himself is much more open to a switch to east London, with the 29-year-old stating after Brugge’s 2-1 win over KV Kortrijk last weekend:

“I’ve had seven seasons here, just started my eighth and the respect between me and the club is very high. That has been proven again today. That tifo was fantastic, I actually have no words for it. But it is clear that there is interest – enough has been written about it in the meantime. This is the last chance for me to take a step. I’ve already thought about it a lot and I want to do that.”

Big Lanzini upgrade

Considering just how weak West Ham currently are in attacking midfield – with Manuel Lanzini and Pablo Fornals being Moyes’ only out-and-out options in the position – coupled with how impressive Vanaken has been for Brugge, it is not difficult to understand why the 59-year-old manager is believed to be “crazy about” landing the Belgian sensation in the coming days.

With the Hammers being the only Premier League side yet to score in the league this season, it is evident that the Irons are in need of greater depth in their attacking arsenal – with Lanzini having been particularly underwhelming thus far in 2022/23.

Indeed, over his three league fixtures, the £10.8m-rated attacking midfielder has scored no goals, registered no assists and created no big chances for his teammates, as well as failing to make a single key pass, taking a total of two shots and completing no dribbles.

These returns have seen the £70k-per-week Argentina international average an extremely disappointing SofaScore match rating of just 6.47, ranking the 29-year-old as Moyes’ third-worst performer in the top flight of English football so far this season.

In comparison, over Vanaken’s five Jupiler Pro League fixtures in the current campaign, the £14.4m-rated attacking midfielder has highly impressed, scoring one goal and creating one big chance for his teammates, in addition to making an average of 2.8 key passes, taking 1.2 shots and completing 1.2 dribbles per game.

These returns have seen the player who Onur Kaya dubbed “extraordinary” average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.24, not only ranking him as Brugge’s fourth-best performer in the league but also as the 30th-best player in the Belgian top flight as a whole.

As such, despite the duo’s limited game time so far this season, it is clear to see that Vanaken has had a much greater impact on his side than Lanzini has at the London Stadium – leading us to believe that the 29-year-old would represent a big upgrade on the Argentine.

Tottenham Hotspur admire Marc Guehi…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas, who revealed that the Crystal Palace defender is highly thought of at Spurs and could be a potential replacement should Japhet Tanganga leave this summer transfer window.

He told the ‘Last Word On Spurs’ YouTube channel:

“One they really like, at Crystal Palace, is Marc Guehi but he is fundamental to Palace.

“They love him there. He plays every week there. Is he going to play every week if he comes in at Tottenham? He’s not going to play ahead of [Cristian] Romero or [Eric] Dier or [Ben] Davies/[Clement] Lenglet.”

Dier-like gem

If Taganga does depart Hotspur Way before the deadline next week, then it would make sense to target a homegrown talent to replace his void, having come through the academy system in N17.

Guehi was raised through the famed Chelsea youth system and has gone on to be a solid option for the Eagles under Patrick Vieira.

Last season, for example, he was their third-best performer per WhoScored ratings of all players to start 20 or more matches. It’s with the ball at his feet where he most excelled, leading the squad for average passing accuracy (87.4%).

That would, therefore, make him an ideal fit to one day take the reins from Spurs’ pass-master at the back, Eric Dier, who averaged an accuracy rate of 88.1% in 2021/22, which saw him rank as the top defender in Antonio Conte’s squad for this metric.

Dier, who was once dubbed a “beast” by his teammate Harry Kane in the past, has emerged as an unsung hero under the Italian but it’s clear that no other defender can live up to the £92k-per-week star’s ball-playing abilities.

He may still only be 28, some way off a respectable ‘prime’ age for a central defender but he has very little backup or even a true alternative, particularly if Tanganga were to depart.

Guehi, lauded as an “absolute tank” and “massive” by his former England U21 teammate Josef Bursik, could be that final piece of the puzzle for sporting director Fabio Paratici.

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The Italian supremo is running out of time, though, and the Palace sensation will not come cheap. CIES Football Observatory value him at an eye-watering €70m (£59m), having cost just £18m last summer.

A move before this summer’s deadline would be huge for the club, albeit unlikely. But Guehi is a player that Spurs should continue to monitor in the coming months as they look to bolster Conte’s backline with even more talent.

AND in other news, Paratici could secure Conte his next Vidal in Spurs swoop for “complete” £50m machine…

Rangers enjoyed a solid summer transfer window despite bringing in no new faces on deadline day and securing a bumper Champions League windfall.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst has added quality in the likes of Malik Tilman, Tom Lawrence, and Antonio Colak, improving the starting XI which was a requirement following the departures of Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey for big fees.

One of the biggest talking points was again over Ibrox striker Alfredo Morelos and whether his future lay at Rangers or elsewhere. The Colombian spent the summer recovering from an injury he sustained at the tail end of last season so the likelihood was there wouldn’t be any bids, however, his contract expires at the end of next season and a lack of communication surrounding the situation is worrying.

In Colak, the club appears to have found someone who can fill Morelos’ shoes and alleviate the pressure put on the 26-year-old. The Croatian has scored seven goals in nine games so far this season and looks like an astute signing.

The Ibrox side may already have the long-term Morelos replacement at the club already, however, with 16-year-old Zak Lovelace making waves for the B team so far.

Lovelace joined the Gers from Millwall, where he made his debut aged just 15 last year and he looks like an outstanding talent.

He has taken the Lowland League by storm this season, scoring five goals and registering two assists in just seven games, proving that he has adapted well at the club.

Lovelace also scored once in the Challenge Cup against Dumbarton in a 7-0 romp, a step up from league duty and a match where he displayed his growing maturity.

His form was rewarded when Giovanni van Bronckhorst included him in the matchday squad for the recent League Cup tie against Queen of the South, with a much-changed Rangers starting XI securing a 3-1 win to progress to the next round.

The 16-year-old came on with 14 minutes remaining and looked lively. This could be his only appearance for the first team this season, but it have the player a glimpse of what’s to come if he keeps improving.

Lovelace was dubbed as “promising” by journalist Henry Tomlinson when he joined the Light Blues and if he keeps up this rapid progression, he could well stake a claim to become Morelos’ long-term replacement.

And who knows, he may well net the club a fortune in the future if they decide to cash in on him.

Broadcaster Richard Keys claims that Rafael Benitez has been in contact for Brendan Rodgers’ job at Leicester City.

The Lowdown: Rodgers under pressure?

The Foxes head into the international break rock bottom of the Premier League and without a win in their opening seven games.

Rodgers’ position at The King Power is thought to be under threat due to a poor start, with reports suggesting that the Northern Irishman is on the brink of being sacked.

Leicester chiefs are already thought to be sounding out potential replacements, and it looks as if they may have an interested party in Benitez.

The Latest: Keys’ claim

Keys took to Twitter on Tuesday, mainly reacting to Benitez’s recent interview with Sky Sports on his time at Everton.

However, the presenter then said this about the Spaniard and Leicester:

“My friends at Leicester tell me Benitez has applied for that job. Is there a vacancy?”

The Verdict: Interesting

The next few days will be very interesting to see what Leicester officials decide to do regarding their managerial position, as you could argue that now could be a good time to make a change due to the international break.

Thomas Frank and Sean Dyche have been two names mentioned, with Benitez now the third recognisable hat thrown into the ring.

The 62-year-old has plenty of Premier League experience with Liverpool, Chelsea, Newcastle and Everton and has won 13 major honours during his career, so he could well be of interest to Leicester, should they part ways with Rodgers.

Aston Villa chief Christian Purslow appears to be backing manager Steven Gerrard, according to Ashley Preece.

The Lowdown: Gerrard rumours

Villa haven’t had the best of starts to the season and have lacked quality in the final third with just four goals in their opening seven games.

That led to speculation regarding Gerrard’s future at the club, with reports suggesting that NSWE wouldn’t be afraid to pull the plug on his time in the Midlands, name-checking Mauricio Pochettino as a potential replacement.

A much-needed win over Southampton prior to the international break took the club into 15th place with seven points, and it looks as if Gerrard’s potion is safe for now.

The Latest: Preece’s comments

Talking to GiveMeSport, Preece said that he thinks Purslow is ‘backing’ Gerrard, who is ‘learning on the job’ in the Premier League at Villa Park, saying that could ‘frustrating’ for the Villa faithful.

“I think he’s got a strong relationship with the man that brought him to Villa Park, Christian Purslow. I think he’s backing him. He’s a rookie Premier League manager. He hasn’t been in the job a year yet, so he’s learning on the job. I know that’d be frustrating to hear for Villa fans. But that’s the realisation. He’s learning on the job. He’s admitted to making mistakes, this season and last season.”

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The Verdict: Huge October

Rumoured target Pochettino is thought to be open to the idea of possibly replacing Gerrard, so it could be crucial for the Villa boss to have a solid start to October.

Villa have six Premier League fixtures next month, starting at Elland Road against Leeds, but they won’t be able to call upon Boubacar Kamara due to injury.

Kamara has suffered knee ligament damage while Lucas Digne has reportedly suffered a possible stress fracture to his ankle on international duty, potentially making Gerrard’s task even harder.