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Everton are hoping to make another signing before the summer transfer window closes on Friday after securing a new talisman in Beto.

The striker joined from Serie A side Udinese for £30m this week following concerns over Dominic Calvert-Lewin's ever-unreliable fitness and Neal Maupay's woeful efforts in front of goal, with the Frenchman scoring just once for the Toffees and now linked with a move away.

Sean Dyche has been focussing on restoring the offence after finishing last season as the Premier League's second-lowest scorers, but the club need to make a defensive acquisition and might've now identified their man.

What's the latest on Nico Elvedi to Everton?

According to German outlet Sport Bild, Borussia Monchengladbach defender Nico Elvedi could be available for just €5m (£4m), with the Swiss international now in the final year of his contract and previously believed to hold a price tag of £8m.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

Gianluca Di Marzio reported last weekend that the Merseyside outfit had opened talks for Elvedi, but will now need to act fast with top-flight rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers also pursuing a deal.

How good is Nico Elvedi?

All of the attention has been on bolstering the attack at Goodison Park this summer, and perhaps the fact that Yerry Mina, Conor Coady (who was on loan) and Mason Holgate have all left the club has gone under the radar.

Dyche has not touched the central defence with just two days of the market remaining, and while Jarrad Branthwaite has returned after an impressive loan spell with PSV Eindhoven, an acquisition surely needs to be made.

Elvedi could be the perfect solution to this problem, with the exiguous fee for an established international sure to stamp some authority and control into the Toffees' backline.

Having been hailed as "incredible” by former Gladbach sporting director Max Eberl, Elvedi has made 270 appearances for Gladbach, scoring 14 goals and serving nine assists, competent both in central defence and out wide.

Given that the 26-year-old titan ranks among the top 6% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 10% for clearances and the top 17% for goals scored per 90, as per FBref, Dyche would be wise to consider completing a swoop for a player who could serve in Michael Keane's stead.

Dyche has wielded Keane at both Everton and his former club Burnley, and while the 30-year-old central defender reclaimed his starting berth at Goodison Park following Dyche's appointment in January, despite this return to regular match action, must now be ditched if the club are to ascend from their lowly position.

Indeed, having been signed for £30m back in 2017, Keane has failed to live up to the potential and prove to be the fulcrum of a backline that was supposed to lead the club to Premier League prominence, not desperate scraps for survival.

Described as a "genuine defensive liability" by journalist Richard Buxton, the inconsistent £80k-per-week defender ranks among the bottom 2% of positional peers for pass completion and the bottom 5% for tackles per 90, illuminating the lack of robustness that Everton need as they look to stop the issues.

With this in mind, Elvedi would be a perfect fit to upgrade on Keane, bringing a ball-playing ability to instil assurance and composure and a defensive work rate to build a foundation for a successful season.

Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag has made tracks to try and bring in some competition for Andre Onana between the sticks and bolster numbers in the goalkeeping department at Old Trafford, according to reports.

Who is the goalkeeper target?

According to The Daily Mail, Manchester United have already made an approach to Benfica about goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos as they look to secure a speedy replacement between the sticks amid news that Dean Henderson is in talks with Crystal Palace over a move to Selhurst Park.

Matej Kovar has been sold to Bayer Leverkusen and Nathan Bishop has moved on to Sunderland, creating a void to be filled in the goalkeeping department at the Premier League giants.

Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has issued a further update on the permutations surrounding Vlachodimos potentially heading to Manchester United, stating on X: "Manchester United are informed on the conditions of Odysseas Vlachodimos deal, as revealed yesterday. He wasn’t in Benfica squad last week as he’s expected to leave the club by the end of the window. Deal with Man Utd could only advance if Dean Henderson leaves the club."

Benfica youngster Samuel Soares has been given the nod ahead of Vlachodimos recently, and his boss, Roger Schmidt, has admitted that he is happy to introduce some 'new energy in the goalkeeper position' at the club.

Would Vlachodimos be a good signing for Manchester United?

Manchester United definitely need to get someone into the building at Old Trafford to help with available numbers in the goalkeeping position, which has been depleted further due to veteran Tom Heaton's calf injury, as per The Manchester Evening News.

Vlachodimos is an experienced stopper with a distinguished pedigree and would help provide some calm as an alternative to Onana at the club, and could actually be a better option to having behind the Cameroon star than Henderson.

In his time at Benfica, the 29-year-old has become a fan favourite as the last line of defence, keeping 94 clean sheets in 225 appearances across all competitions for the Primeira Liga holders, as per Transfermarkt, an impressive rate.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was quick to praise Vlachodimos in 2022 following the Reds' 3-1 victory in the Champions League over Benfica away from home at the quarter-final stage, as per BT Sport cited via Reuters, stating: "We should have scored much more. I think, mainly because of their goalkeeper, credit to him. Their goalkeeper was probably the game's best player. We played well, but he made a couple of really good saves."

Compared to his positional peers in Europe's next eight divisions below the top five leagues on the continent, Vlachodimos ranks highly with his clean sheet percentage, with 56.3% of his last 90 minutes across the previous 365 days resulting in a shut-out, as per FBRef, ranking him in the 99th percentile for that figure.

Now looking unfancied at Benfica, it looks like the chance has emerged for Manchester United to bring the Greece goalkeeper to Old Trafford before the end of the window, in what could be a shrewd if unspectacular move.

Tottenham Hotspur will step up their pursuit of one of Europe's most exciting young prospects this week and talks between the player and club are 'expected to progress', according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

What's the latest Tottenham Hotspur transfer news?

Spurs have enjoyed a productive transfer window in N17 regarding incomings, with Guglielmo Vicario, James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Alejo Veliz, Manor Solomon and Ashley Phillips pitching up in north London so far, as per Transfermarkt.

Of course, star man Harry Kane has departed Tottenham for a fee in the region of £100 million to seek a new challenge at Bayern Munich, as per The Guardian, leaving Richarlison and Argentine youngster Veliz as viable forward options for Ange Postecoglou.

Kane stated that he hasn't closed the door on a potential return to Tottenham somewhere down the line on social media, stating: "It’s not a goodbye because you never know how things pan out in the future, but it’s a thank you and I’ll see you soon."

Identifying his replacement will now be of paramount importance to Spurs boss Postecoglou and Nottingham Forest striker Brennan Johnson has emerged as a serious target to succeed the England international; however, he may cost in the region of £45 million to prize away from the Tricky Trees, according to Telegraph Sport.

One other name who has been mentioned in connection with Tottenham quite heavily this window is Gent striker Gift Orban and they are said to be readying a bid for the Nigerian youngster, as per The Evening Standard.

Football Insider claim that Orban has left Tottenham scouts 'blown away' due to his exploits in Belgium and his 'huge potential' has given club chiefs belief that he could fill the huge shoes of Kane for many years to come.

Orban has enjoyed a fruitful career in front of goal so far, registering 44 goals and nine assists in 50 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Jones has revealed that Orban's proposed move to Spurs is 'expected to progress' in the coming days.

Jones stated: "I expect them to make three signings. I don't think that has changed in the past week.

"Obviously, Richarlison is going to get more chances this season and, in front of goal, Postecoglou is hopeful that he can start to deliver. That will be interesting."

What now for Tottenham Hotspur?

Cited by The Evening Standard, Postecoglou has indicated that shifting players off the wage bill will be a big part of his plans for the rest of the window, stating: “Over the next three weeks the priority is to trim the squad down and see where we're at and then fill the gaps where we need to fill the gaps.”

According to 90min, Eric Dier could become a casualty of Postecoglou's first window in charge amid interest in his services from several clubs around Europe and further afield, including Crystal Palace, Celtic, AS Monaco, Sporting Clube de Portugal and Al Nassr.

Gianluca Di Marzio via The Sun claim that Tottenham veteran Hugo Lloris could be on his way to Serie A giants Lazio as a potential replacement for Luis Maximiano.

Tanguy Ndombele is on a list of unwanted players at Spurs and Turkish clubs Fenerbache and Galatasaray are keen to offer him an escape route from his current circumstances, as per The Sun.

The Indian team management is understood to have asked the BCCI to prepare pitches that would serve as preparation for the South Africa tour

Nagraj Gollapudi20-Nov-2017India are likely to play the final two Tests of the Sri Lanka series on pitches helpful for fast bowlers as preparation for the forthcoming South Africa tour, which starts on January 5 in Cape Town. The second Test of the Sri Lanka series will be played from November 24 in Nagpur, and the final Test in Delhi from December 2.ESPNcricinfo understands that during the Australia ODI series in September, the Indian team management, led by coach Ravi Shastri, spoke to concerned officials in the BCCI and stated that the pitches for the Sri Lanka Tests should act as preparation for the South Africa tour. It is understood that Shastri emphasised that the pitches ought to be “lively greentops”, which are “hard and bouncy”.It is also understood that the Nagpur pitch is covered evenly with grass and is expected to retain a greenish tinge when the second Test begins on Friday. According to concerned officials, the role of the spinners is likely to be negligible in the first half of the match, and more effective during the final two days.Such a request from the team management is unusual only because India have fashioned Test victories at home against oppositions mostly on bald, turning tracks, which assist the spinners from the first day. Incidentally, India had played a Test on a rank turner, during Shastri’s time as team director, in 2015 against South Africa. The match ended in three days and was rated poor by the ICC match referee.However, under Virat Kohli, India are keen to challenge themselves overseas and with Tests lined up in South Africa, England and Australia in the next 18 months, India’s players and coaches want to be prepared.The greentop at Eden Gardens on the first morning of the first Test was a clear indication of the team management’s thought process. Although Suranga Lakmal silenced the Indian top order in the first hour on a damp pitch, India, led by their new-ball pairing of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami, nearly stunned the visitors on the final day, taking seven wickets in a little over 26 overs.After the first day’s play was truncated by rain in Kolkata, India’s batting coach Sanjay Bangar pointed out that India are now a team which “doesn’t really want to play in easy conditions”. He said players were “open” to playing on such challenging pitches as it only led to improvement.On Monday, India opener KL Rahul admitted that such surfaces were a good test for the batsmen. “It’s very clear that we’re preparing for the next two years that we’re going to travel abroad and play a lot of cricket overseas, and we are going to find wickets like this, and it is going to be challenging for all of us, so we wanted to prepare in that way.”

Liverpool could turn to an international midfielder to strengthen their engine room this summer after missing out on key targets, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Liverpool?

Truthfully, Liverpool have struggled to attract key targets this window and this has caused frustration among some sections of the Anfield faithful despite Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai being recruited, as per Transfermarkt.

The Reds had been keen to add both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to their midfield and pursued both heavily at separate stages of their respective sagas, which played out in a painful fashion. Chelsea have now claimed Caicedo's signature and are expected to put the finishing touches together to bring Lavia to Stamford Bridge, as per Sky Sports.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher has put the boot into Liverpool's transfer dealings so far and revealed his fury at their failure to bring in appropriate midfield reinforcements, stating on Monday: "(They're) in a pretty difficult place, people know they are desperate. They put a bid in for Lavia today for £60m when they refused to pay £50m four or five days ago. It's an absolute mess and a joke.

According to The Independent, Crystal Palace midfielder Cheick Doucoure has been earmarked as a new target for Liverpool and may arrive at Anfield for under the £60 million mark.

Mali international Doucoure is believed to be keen on a move to Anfield and personal terms will not be a stumbling block in negotiations.

Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, PSV Eindhoven ace Ibrahim Sangare and AS Monaco anchor Youssouf Fofana have been mooted as potential midfield additions during various periods of the window, according to various sources.

Fofana, who has been hailed as "magnificent", has also been courted by West Ham United earlier this window and Monaco are said to want between £26 million and £31 million for the 24-year-old, as per The Daily Mail.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones believes that Fofana in particular is a name that is 'there for the taking' at Anfield this summer.

Jones stated: "We're now back at the point where they've got to show ambition with a target. Beyond Lavia, there's not really much you can do to sign a player of that profile.

"So yeah, a very strange moment for Liverpool but a very important one that they have to get right."

What now for Liverpool?

Liverpool will be keen to build on their 1-1 draw away at Chelsea on the opening day when they face Bournemouth at Anfield on Saturday afternoon as they bid to claim their first three points of the campaign, as per Sky Sports.

Foot Mercato via FootballTransfers have revealed that Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch is still a name of interest to the Reds despite going cold on the Netherlands international earlier in the window.

Saudi Pro League clubs have suffered a disadvantage in their hunt to sign Liverpool pair Mohamed Salah and Alisson as it has emerged that their current employers won't entertain any offers for their services, as per 90min.

Fulham's Joao Palhinha and Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram are also two players that Liverpool have a vested attraction towards as the transfer window ticks on, according to The Daily Mail.

Last season’s sensation Rishabh Pant has endured a lean run this year, but said he was not under pressure as “this is cricket – you have good days, you have bad days”

Sidharth Monga in Delhi17-Nov-2017Just as the smog has relented and the air quality in Delhi has come down to being just “very poor” from “severe” levels, flights landing and taking off from the domestic terminal of the Delhi airport had a new threat. In the adjoining Airforce Sports Complex in Palam, Rishabh Pant was announcing return to form with big sixes. Aircrafts fly so low here that it seemed he could have hit them had he gone a little bigger.Pant joined Nitish Rana – whose big-hitting capabilities were seen with Mumbai Indians – at 55 for 3 but his 110-ball 99 and Rana’s unbeaten hundred took Delhi to 260 for 4 on a weather-hit day. Only 62 overs were possible, but the two left-hand batsmen deflated a buoyant Maharashtra side that had taken out Gautam Gambhir in the fifth over and the other opener Anuj Rawat in the 10th. Unmukt Chand, himself struggling to recreate the form that made him a star at the Under-19 level, was dropped.There could be a lesson for Chand in the way Pant has taken in stride the lean period. Not long ago Pant was seen as the man putting incredible pressure on MS Dhoni to retain his place in India’s T20 internationals side. He had rattled off a 326-ball 308 in the last Ranji Trophy, then two hundreds at better than a run a ball in the same first-class match, followed by a 43-ball 97 in the IPL for a faltering Delhi Daredevils, but that was all in the last season.Pant got the reward through selection in two T20 internationals for India. In the first one, he didn’t get a chance to do much, and in the second he managed to go barely a run a ball in a high-scoring defeat for India. He still would have got a longer run for India had he done well in the A tour of South Africa, according to the selectors. He didn’t grab that chance either, is out of the India squads now, and has spent more than a year without a century in any senior representative cricket.The 99 in a tough situation will bring Pant back into the conversation. He was asked if he felt relief that he was back among the runs. “There was no pressure, so why will I feel relieved?” Pant shot back. “This is cricket. You have good days, you have bad days. You can’t afford to put yourself under too much pressure and risk ruining your future games too. There will be days when you will score runs, there will be days when you won’t. This is a part of a cricketer’s life.”It is remarkable to have managed to attain that kind of equanimity this early in a career, but Pant said the seniors have helped him in this regard. “You get to learn from seniors,” he said. “Whatever time I spent in the Indian team, I learnt. Here, too, there is Gauti [Gambhir, who has first-hand experience of insecurities as a young cricketer] and Ishant [Ishant Sharma, who is now the Delhi captain]. There is no minimum age to learn these things. The sooner you learn, the sooner you will grow as a cricketer.”A good example of similar effort reaping “good” and “bad” days is how Pant was dropped in the 30s. It is luck he might have earned. In this lean period, he has been out backing up when a straight drive kissed the bowler’s hand and strangled down the leg side on more than one occasion. That is why, Pant said, he has not looked to change his game. “The game that has got you runs, if you stick to it, you give yourself the best chance to keep scoring runs,” he said. “Rather than running after changes, stay positive and back your game. I used to feel bad that I was not actually putting the runs on the board, but there was no special pattern to my dismissals, which might make me change my game.”

The New South Wales Supreme Court found insufficient evidence following allegations that the batsman had exposed himself to a massage therapist during the 2015 World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Oct-2017Chris Gayle prevailed in his defamation case against Fairfax Media, after a four-person jury in the New South Wales Supreme Court found that there was insufficient evidence to prove he exposed himself to a massage therapist in a Sydney dressing room during the 2015 World Cup.After deliberating for a little less than two hours, the jury concluded that Fairfax Media – which publishes , and the – had not justified its January 2016 report of the allegation on either the basis of truth or of qualified privilege, which weighs up the public interest value of published information and whether or not the media outlet acted reasonably.The massage therapist who made the allegation, Leanne Russell, testified in court last week that she cried uncontrollably after Gayle pulled down his towel to expose himself while saying “is this what you’re looking for?” during a training session at Drummoyne Oval. Both Gayle and his team-mate Dwayne Smith gave evidence denying that the episode took place.Russell had contacted the sports editor of the , Chloe Saltau, to tell her story after she saw the infamous interview of Gayle by the broadcaster Mel McLaughlin in January 2016. Russell also said that the incident with Gayle had followed another, when Smith had sent her a text message saying “sexy” while she had been giving him a massage.Speaking for Gayle, barrister Bruce McClintock said Russell had been “bitter” and “vengeful” in targeting Gayle. Russell, who now works as an executive assistant for the AFL, stated in her evidence that she had wanted to take a stand for women in sport. “I was sick of being treated that way,” Russell said in evidence. “I was someone who had forged my career in sport. I would never be as successful as I would be if I was a man.”Russell had made a verbal complaint at the time to the West Indies team manager Richie Richardson, who had then sent an email to the team requesting them to “please at all times, treat her in a respectable and professional way”. In his evidence, Gayle had insisted the incident “did not happen”.After the verdict was read out, Gayle spoke of his relief outside court. “I’m a good man,” he said. “I’m not guilty.”Following the verdict, Fairfax Media indicated concerns with the conduct of the case and that the company would be considering an appeal. “Fairfax Media is concerned with the conduct of the trial to the extent that on Friday it sought an order that the Jury be discharged and a new trial ordered,” a spokesperson said.”The Judge [Justice Lucy McCallum] accepted that the Jury had been misled in a way that prejudiced Fairfax, but declined to discharge the Jury. Fairfax believes that it did not get a fair trial. It is seriously considering its appeal rights.”

Manchester United have a World Cup-winning defender on their shortlist at Old Trafford as Erik Ten Hag looks to bolster his backline before the end of the window, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

Is Benjamin Pavard moving to Manchester United and who could he replace?

According to The Daily Mail, West Ham United have had a £30 million bid accepted for Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, who is now mulling over whether to take the Hammers up on their offer and move to the London Stadium.

David Moyes would consider appointing Maguire as club captain following the departure of Declan Rice to Arsenal; however, the England international could yet look to stay on at Manchester United or explore other available opportunities to further his career.

In light of the speculation surrounding Maguire's future, Manchester United have drawn up a four-man shortlist to replace the 30-year-old this summer, which includes Benjamin Pavard of Bayern Munich, Crystal Palace stopper Marc Guehi, Nice star Jean-Clair Todibo and Bayer Leverkusen's Edmond Tapsoba, as per the same outlet.

Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg has recently delivered an update regarding £83k-a-week earner Pavard's chances of securing a move to Old Trafford, stating on Twitter X: "Man Utd, at this stage the favorite in the poker for Benjamin Pavard! Pavard can really imagine to join MUFC as Ten Hag wants him. Concrete talks are ongoing and positive. Price valuation: Around €30m. Tuchel wants to keep him. Pavard wants to leave Bayern. Would be a massive loss for the club."

Pavard featured 43 times in all competitions for Bayern Munich last term, registering seven goals and one assist in the process, as per Transfermarkt.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Jones has indicated that Pavard is top of Manchester United's list of potential recruits to strengthen the heart of their backline.

Jones stated: “Manchester United have been hoping that Harry Maguire would become open to this move, but obviously it’s out of their hands how much West Ham United can offer him and the buying club have to be a little careful not to rattle current important members of their squad with the personal terms they are putting to Maguire.

“Todibo in particular I have always been told is a very key target, so it’s interesting if they decide to totally dismiss that one now. Pavard has a level of experience and establishment in the game that United like very much and the fact he is so adaptable will be a real asset to Ten Hag. The latest update is that United are very hopeful rather than confident on this but the fact they have been able to even seriously consider it is positive, and the player has indicated that he would like the move.”

What next for Manchester United?

Manchester United will open their Premier League account at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday and will be keen to showcase their credentials as potential title winners this term, as per Sky Sports.

Alongside Maguire, The Mirror claim that Fred, Scott McTominay and Donny van de Beek are likely to be sold as Ten Hag looks to streamline his squad in the final weeks of the window.

Fiorentina enforcer Sofyan Amrabat has emerged as a 'top target' for Manchester United and will be targeted now that Rasmus Hojlund has arrived at Old Trafford, as per The Daily Mail.

Turkish journalist Sercan Hamzaoglu has claimed that French striker Anthony Martial has been offered to Fenerbache as the Red Devils look to resolve his future at the club.

The outfield of the Shere Bangla National Stadium has been rated “poor” by ICC match referee Jeff Crowe who oversaw the first Test between Bangladesh and Australia last month

Mohammad Isam14-Sep-2017The outfield of the Shere Bangla National Stadium has been rated “poor” by ICC match referee Jeff Crowe who oversaw the first Test between Bangladesh and Australia last month in Dhaka. Crowe, in accordance with Clause 3 of the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process, submitted his report to the ICC in which he “expressed concern” over the quality of the outfield.The report has been forwarded to the Bangladesh Cricket Board, which now has 14 days to provide its response. Once they respond, it will be reviewed by ICC’s General Manager – Cricket, Geoff Allardice, and Ranjan Madugalle from the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees.”The grass was their main concern and we understand why they found it to be poor,” BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said. “The weather this year was the worst in the last decade, but the groundstaff gave it their best.”The matter will be dealt by Clause 4 of the process in which the first occasion of such a rating is dealt with a warning and/or a fine not exceeding $15,000 given together with “a directive for appropriate corrective action”. If it happens again within five years of the first finding, the fine goes up to $30,000.Although the Test was held during Bangladesh’s off season, the BCB’s grounds committee was preparing the Dhaka outfield for months in advance. After the 2016 BPL final was completed, the outfield grass was completely taken off and the surface was relaid. But ESPNcricinfo had learned a week before the Dhaka Test, there were serious concerns about the quality of the outfield. There was even talk of the Test match being shifted elsewhere as most of the ground didn’t have full grass covering, giving it a brownish look.So much so that on the day before the game, Crowe was seen having long discussions with the stadium’s curator Gamini Silva and BCB’s grounds department staff. Reportedly, the ground wasn’t handed over to the match referee in time as the groundstaff needed more time for last-minute touch-ups.During the Test itself, the outfield seemed slow and some players privately spoke about the poor quality of a normally fine ground. This is the first time the Shere Bangla National Stadium’s outfield has come under such scrutiny.

An update has emerged on Aston Villa and their efforts to bolster the playing squad ahead of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign…

What's the latest Aston Villa transfer news?

According to Spanish outlet Sport, the Villans are preparing to make an offer of €15m (£13m) to sign Real Madrid central midfielder Dani Ceballos during the summer transfer window.

The report claims that Unai Emery is keen on a deal to bring the former Arsenal technician to Villa Park and has pushed for Monchi to test the LaLiga giants' resolve with a bid for his services.

Read the latest Aston Villa transfer news HERE…

It states that Italian side AC Milan are also interested in signing the 26-year-old gem but the Villa boss is hoping to use the lure of regular game time to convince him to make the move to England after the pair worked together at The Emirates.

How good is Dani Ceballos?

The Spain international is an excellent midfielder who could be a fantastic addition to the squad as he has already proven himself in the Premier League and is coming off the back of an impressive season with Real Madrid.

Ceballos averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.93 across 30 appearances for Carlo Ancelotti's team, which is a score that only three Villa players were able to beat, and the club's interest in him is bad news for Leander Dendoncker, who did not enjoy a successful year.

The 28-year-old dud averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.70 in 24 Premier League outings for the Villans, which placed him 13th within the squad, as he struggled to deliver consistently good performances after his move to the club last summer.

It was reported last month that the Villans would be willing to cash in on the Belgium international for a fee of up to €12m (£10m) amid interest from a number of clubs in France.

The arrival of Ceballos could accelerate any potential negotiations surrounding an exit for the former Wolverhampton Wanderers star, as it would push him further down the pecking order, and he would then face the prospect of a season of sitting on the bench or in the stands.

Dendoncker failed to contribute much to Villa on the pitch last term as he ranked outside of the top ten within the Villa squad with 0.3 key passes and one tackle per game, whilst he completed 88% of his attempted passes, to go along with his unimpressive average rating, as per Sofascore.

Ceballos, meanwhile, made one key pass and 1.4 tackles per match last term for Real Madrid, which would have placed him in the top seven performers in those respective statistics for the Villans, and could make a greater impact at both ends of the pitch with his ability to open up opposition defences whilst also being able to cut out attackers to regain possession.

The Spanish maestro's last Premier League season for Arsenal also suggests that he has the ability to push Dendoncker further down Emery's plans.

He averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.06 across 25 outings in the 2020/21 campaign as the talented ace made 1.1 key passes and 1.5 tackles per clash.

Douglas Luiz (7.10) was the only Villa player who managed to record a Sofascore rating of 7.00 or higher last term and this suggests that Ceballos, who was once dubbed an "animal" by Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, could be an outstanding performer for the club.

Therefore, his arrival would be terrible news for Dendoncker as it could leave the Belgian flop out of the first-team picture with the likes of Ceballos, Luis, Jacob Ramsey, John McGinn, and Boubacar Kamara, which could force him to explore a move to France.