Aston Villa manager Unai Emery wants to sign 24-year-old Portugal forward Joao Felix, who is keen to leave Atletico Madrid. (BirminghamLive), external
Fulham have stepped up their interest in Aston Villa defender Diego Carlos. The 31-year-old Brazilian is expected to leave before the transfer window shuts and Villa are open to offers. (Telegraph - subscription required), external
Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter
Right now, brinkmanship is the name of the game. There have been times when some clubs sorted their transfer business early in the window and everyone wondered why so few others followed their lead. Put simply, it isn't in the selling clubs' financial interest, and it usually isn't in the moving player's financial interest either, to go early.
A selling club wants a bidding war to up the price and they don't mind a bit of panic buying when the window is creaking ever nearer the sill. If you still haven't signed that star player who you think, hope or maybe even actually believe, will make all the difference, clubs can get twitchy and make rash costly decisions.
I have watched it happen from within. Good intentions and a willingness to stick to a pre-arranged budget, suddenly evaporates when clubs are bounced into making these calls. There is also a bit of pride in there too. "We aren't losing out on our first choice to that lot!" is a common refrain, especially when it's to one of your close rivals.
As for the moving player, or more specifically his agent, last-minute brinkmanship is the dream scenario. Playing two or three suitors off against each other (and you don't even have to tell the truth of what you are being offered elsewhere) means you can exaggerate as much as you like to up the ante.
So that is why the deals go to the wire, and why they are so lucrative. It is also why I never have too much sympathy for a player, when a huge deal falls through at the last moment. Greed can push it too far in the end and it can all come crashing down, which is why they call it brinkmanship! If you dance on the edge of a volcano you might just fall in.
We asked for your thoughts after Wednesday's friendly between Aston Villa and Athletic Bilbao.
Here are some of your comments:
David: Academy products Ramsey, Philogene and Archer on the scoresheet, Buendia looking sharp. I haven't been this optimistic since... well, last pre-season before they all got sold/injured. Nedeljkovic looks rapid and should be good with a bit of Emery schooling.
Pete: Much more like it. Our build-up play looked like last season again, that familiar Foxtrot rhythm - slow, slow, quick, quick, quick.
Nick: Can't tell too much from pre-season, but looking a little sharper and some of the youngsters look like they might get some more first team game time this season. Still think we are short of a centre-back.
Janice: Great win for Villa. Rogers is starting to sparkle, he is going to be a class player. Kosta Nedeljkovic proved why he will start ahead of Cash, he defends and his pace when he goes forward is unbelievable.
Simon: Thought we played well. Some of the passing early on and especially those moves which let to Ramsey's and Jaden's goals were great. A lot to look forward to, especially with Watkins, Martinez, Konsa and others coming back into the team. Roll on Dortmund on Saturday...
Image source, Getty ImagesCameron Archer scored a late winner to earn the Villains a win in their penultimate pre-season game.
What did you learn from this game, Aston Villa fans?
Aston Villa defender Lucas Digne has rejected a proposal to join Galatasaray. The 31-year-old Frenchman is expected to remain with Villa. (Athletic - subscription required), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column
Image source, Getty ImagesAston Villa full-back Kaine Kesler Hayden has joined Preston North End on a season-long loan.
The 21-year-old Villa academy product captained the club to FA Youth Cup victory in 2021 and made three Premier League appearances last season.
He was part of Unai Emery's first-team squad on their recent tour of the USA and has previously had loan spells at Swindon Town, MK Dons, Huddersfield Town and most recently Plymouth Argyle.
Aston Villa's English goalkeeper James Wright, 19, is in talks to join Real Union, who play in Spain's third tier, on loan this season. (Athletic - subscription required), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column
Former Aston Villa striker Bobby Thomson has died aged 87.
Dundee-born Thomson was with Villa between 1959 and 1963, scoring 70 goals in 172 appearances, and was part of the team that won the inaugural League Cup in 1961.
The club said in a statement, external that it was "deeply saddened" by the news and added: "The thoughts of everyone at the club are with Bobby's family and friends at this difficult time."
We asked for your thoughts after Aston Villa's 1-0 friendly loss to Club America.
Here are some of your comments:
Seth: We lost the game and it is not a confidence booster with the start of the Premier League season two weeks away. But hopefully we will see a stronger team play against West Ham. Emery has to lift the squad.
David: Rather than adding to a good team, Profit and Sustainability Rules have forced a complete rebuild on us. That disruption has showed during this tour. The lack of goals is worrying as it leaves us reliant on Ollie Watkins when he returns. We are sorely missing Douglas Luiz's quality in the middle. The Bilbao game should be more of an indicator for the season.
Colin: I am disappointed to be honest. We lacked a cutting edge up front and found ourselves under pressure too often. Keeping the ball is essential but we failed with that. We need more than the missing Watkins, Konsa and Martinez to compete in the Premier League. Unai will solve the puzzle I have no doubt, but give him time!
Andy: I don't think we can judge pre-season games yet as we have not had our best keeper and goal scorer. But what it does prove is how weak we are at the back and going forward without them. We need another keeper as Olsen is not good enough and a centre half as we really missed Konsa and I'm not sure how much longer Mings is going to be out.
Ronan: Again, not Villa's first or best 11,but it shows that we don't have the quality in depth. We had chances but sloppy defending let them score. Emery will need to work his magic before the start of the Premier League season.
Borussia Dortmund lead Chelsea and Aston Villa in the race to sign Hoffenheim's 21-year-old Germany forward Maximilian Beier. (Sky Germany), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column
Image source, Getty ImagesAston Villa boss Unai Emery after the defeat to Club America: "It was a great atmosphere. This match in pre-season was to try to find our feet and to show ourselves against America with a lot of Mexican fans here. That was good for the atmosphere and for us to face it.
"We played trying to get fit and to work on things tactically, trying to show with our performance where we’re going with different players. The result was not good, but it gave me a lot of information.
"We lost three matches here and we don’t like it, but we are accepting it because we are in the pre-season and we are trying to get information out of the players.
"Today was a very good test in a great atmosphere. It was like playing away with all the Mexican fans here and they played very well."
Image source, Getty ImagesAston Villa's defeat to Club America means Unai Emery's side have finished their US tour having lost all three matches.
What did you learn from this game, Aston Villa fans?
Image source, Getty ImagesTributes have been pouring in from those who worked with former Leicester City manager Craig Shakespeare, who has died at the age of 60.
Shakespeare also worked for West Brom, Hull, Everton, Watford, Aston Villa and Norwich and had a spell as England assistant boss in 2016.
Manchester City's Jack Grealish posted a message, external he received from Shakespeare when he was left out of England's Euro 2024 squad alongside a tribute: "One of the greatest people I’ve ever met not only in football but in life. Last month was texting me when I didn’t make the Euros squad while he was ill. It shows the type of man he was! An absolute heart of gold! Everyone really will miss you Shakey."
Manchester United and England defender Harry Maguire wrote, external: "The man who signed me for Leicester, the man who gave me so much belief, the man I learnt so much from. I will be forever grateful. Football will miss you, life will miss you. An incredible man."
Leicester striker Jamie Vardy, external: "I don’t have the words right now. Just gutted. RIP Shakey."
Former Leicester captain Kasper Schmeichel posted, external: "Devastated beyond words. An absolutely fantastic coach, one of the best I have ever seen, but more importantly, an incredible human being. He taught me so much, and I am just thankful to have worked with and known him."
Fellow former Foxes skipper Andy King tweeted, external: "Devastated to hear the passing of Shakey. Not only a brilliant coach but more importantly an amazing person. There through it all on the LCFC journey, none of which could have happened without him. RIP Shakes, thanks for everything."
Aston Villa have reached a deal with Chelsea for Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku, but the 31-year-old wants to join Antonio Conte's Napoli. (Il Mattino, in Italian - subscription needed), external
Nottingham Forest are not looking to cash in on 24-year-old English midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, despite interest from Newcastle, Arsenal, Aston Villa and Chelsea. (HITC), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column
We asked for your thoughts on Aston Villa's 2-0 pre-season friendly defeat to RB Leipzig in New Jersey in which defender Diego Carlos was sent off in the first-half.
Here are some of your responses:
Brenda: Good tough opposition and Carlos receiving a red card did not make things easy. Giving players minutes on the pitch so their ability can be judged is important. Still some hard work to be done.
Paul: Continued from last season, without Martinez we look a different team, although added to that was how toothless in attack we are without Watkins. Villa were caught out by Leipzig's intensity and couldn't get back in the game once Diego Carlos was sent off. With a better referee and VAR it is a different result but few positives to take from it.
Steven: Need another keeper for sure. Not reading too much into these results. Being ready for the first league game is what is important.
Tom: It's a friendly. A glamorous training session. Let's not lose our heads. Although looking at Villa's socials, people already have.
Bergmann: Whatever objectives Emery had for this friendly went straight out the window once Carlos managed to get himself sent off. Not sure we learned much after that.
Charles: Once again, playing out from the back costs us. When will we learn we can't do it and we get caught out?
Image source, Getty ImagesAston Villa manager Unai Emery spoke to the media following the 2-0 defeat by RB Leipzig in a pre-season friendly in New Jersey.
He said: "Today was a match against an opponent of the level we will face in the season. It was a test.
"In the first half, I think we were good, even losing 2-0 due to two mistakes. One goal was a clear offside. After the red card, it was a completely different match.
"The idea after [the sending off] was to get players like Jacob Ramsey and Emi Buendia taking minutes."
On how new signing Amadou Onana is settling into the team: "He is progressively getting better. He's trying to quickly understand our tactical idea and he played some minutes at centre-back.
"Of course he is a player for us to play as a midfielder, but he's competitive and his adaptation is going really well."
Image source, Getty ImagesUnai Emery's men suffered their second defeat of their pre-season campaign at the hands of RB Leipzig.
What did you learn from this game, Villa fans?
Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter
Image source, Getty ImagesPlayers like Manchester United’s Rasmus Hojlund are already suffering from hamstring injuries two weeks before the season even starts - and they say the modern preparation regimes are better, safer and more scientific!
They probably are better. At least the players do not have to go through some of the borderline sadistic routines that previous generations did. Back then, after a decent length of summer break, pre-season meant working incredibly hard over a short period of time to get yourself back in top condition fast.
Sprinting up and down gigantic sand dunes against the clock until many players were physically sick was de rigueur, alongside other road runs and track work.
Here is the weird part: I used to look forward to that, the way a class swot looks forward to exams. Being smaller, lighter and a committed long-distance runner all my young life, even before I became a pro footballer, it was, if not exactly a piece of cake, then certainly much easier for me than most of the rest of the team.
I have asked many modern managers what they would prefer to do in a perfect world during their pre-season. The most common answer is "just about anything other than what we are forced to do now!"
Aston Villa and Chelsea have submitted offers for 21-year-old Bayer Leverkusen and Germany forward Maximilian Beier. (Sky Germany), external
Meanwhile, Villa are also interested in 27-year-old Crystal Palace and France striker Jean-Philippe Mateta. (Express), external
Want more transfer news? Read Wednesday's full gossip column
