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Aston Villa are in the midst of their first poor run of form in the Premier League since Spanish head coach Unai Emery arrived in the dugout earlier this season.

The Villans have lost each of their last three matches in the top flight and have conceded 11 goals in that time – losing to Leicester, Manchester City, and Arsenal.

Emery made a few changes to his starting XI in their most recent clash, against the Gunners, and one player who made a return to the side was right-back Matty Cash.

The Poland international has been an excellent performer for the club in recent seasons but has been restricted to 14 starts in the division this term, thanks to the form of Ashley Young.

In spite of his recent struggles to start on a regular basis, Cash has been a terrific signing for the club since his arrival from Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2020.

How much is Matty Cash worth?

At the time of his move to Villa Park almost three years ago, Football Transfers placed his expected transfer value at roughly £14m (€15.8m) after his spell in the Championship with Forest.

As you can see in the graphic above, Cash’s xTV has now soared up to around £40m (€45.5m) because of his performances for Villa in the Premier League over the last couple of seasons.

His value has risen by around 186%, a fact that shows Johan Lange, the club’s sporting director, played a blinder with the signing of the full-back in 2020 with the gem having produced excellent displays and becoming a valuable asset from a financial perspective.

Cash, who was once dubbed a “real threat” in attack by Alex McLeish, enjoyed a superb debut campaign in the top flight with the Villans by averaging a Sofascore rating of 6.93 across 28 starts.

He made 4.6 tackles and interceptions per game and created 0.8 chances per match for his teammates, which resulted in him picking up two assists.

The English-born full-back followed that up by averaging a Sofascore rating of 6.94 in 38 Premier League starts last season, which placed him joint-fourth in the squad. In those games, the 25-year-old plundered four goals and three assists, whilst making 3.6 tackles and interceptions per outing, for the side.

These statistics show that the dynamo delivered consistently impressive performances for Villa in his first two campaigns for the club – providing quality at both ends of the pitch.

Therefore, Lange and ex-boss Dean Smith played a blinder by signing him from Forest in the summer of 2020 as the gem has enjoyed great success on the pitch, with his xTV highlighting his continual development over the years.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have enjoyed a rather fruitful start to life under Julen Lopetegui, racing away from the Premier League relegation zone having suffered just two league defeats since Christmas.

Several players have improved their performances under the Spaniard, which has led to the recent resurgence at Molineux. However, with the summer approaching, there could be widespread change across the first-team squad.

Nelson Semedo is a player who has been underwhelming this term. Across 20 league matches in the current campaign, his Sofascore average of 6.67/10 ranks him a lowly 19th out of the entire Wolves squad.

Defensively, he has managed to keep just two clean sheets, losing possession 9.1 times per match and committing 1.1 fouls per game; while his disciplinary record is the second-worst in the squad as he has accumulated five yellow cards, just behind the seven of Ruben Neves.

Lopetegui has already splashed the cash on a few new signings in January, and with Benfica showing interest in signing the Portuguese right-back, the summer could be time for a change.

Instead of scouring the transfer market for a successor, though, the Wolves manager could unearth his ideal replacement in a 20-year-old academy talent.

Can Luke Matheson replace Semedo at Wolves?

When Wolves signed a talented 17-year-old named Luke Matheson from Rochdale in January 2020 for £1m, there was clear excitement amongst the Old Gold faithful. This was a player who had made his first-team debut at the tender age of 15 and clearly was someone who had the potential to enjoy an extremely bright future in the game.

Four months before Wolves signed him, he scored against Manchester United in Rochdale’s Carabao Cup defeat at Old Trafford aged just 16. That sparked further intrigue around the youngster, although he remained down to earth following the occasion, having to sit a psychology exam the next morning.

Another wonderful display against Newcastle United in the FA Cup just before he signed for Wolves -setting up the equaliser which secured Rochdale a lucrative replay – was perhaps the catalyst for the Molineux club to sign him.

He hasn’t made his first-team debut in Old Gold as of yet, spending time out on loan at Ipswich, Hamilton and Scunthorpe United, and although these spells weren’t as productive as the player and club may have liked, he could have a new lease of life under Lopetegui.

The youngster earned plenty of praise during his spell at Rochdale, especially from his former manager Brian Barry-Murphy, who said: “Luke is an exceptional guy. He is one player you would have no problems staying grounded and true to his family.”

After signing for Wolves, scouting writer David Alexander Hughes discussed Matheson’s traits, saying: “In terms of his defensive work, the defender is exhibiting a strong tactical understanding of the game, reading opposition attacks well and making a decent amount of interceptions and possession recoveries per game.”

The next few months could be a crucial time in his career, and if the 20-year-old manages to impress Lopetegui, there may well be a lifeline for him at Molineux, and scope for him to replace the potentially exit-bound Semedo.

An update has emerged on Aston Villa and their transfer targets heading into the summer window…

What’s the latest on Marcus Thuram to Aston Villa?

According to Spanish outlet Sport, NSWE are interested in landing a deal to sign Borussia Monchengladbach striker Marcus Thuram at the end of the season.

The Villans are reportedly one of a number of clubs in the race to land the French international on a free transfer, alongside the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal.

Thuram’s contract with the German outfit is up in the summer and the report claims that Daniel Farke’s team have all but given up hope of him penning an extension.

Will Emery ditch Leon Bailey for Thuram?

It has been reported that Unai Emery wants to sign a tall, athletic, wide attacker to bolster his squad in the summer and that could be to fill the role that Leon Bailey has played alongside Ollie Watkins in recent weeks.

The Jamaican international has not been a consistent threat for Villa at the top end of the pitch this season and bringing in a player of Thuram’s quality could oust him from the side and force supporters to wave bye-bye to the winger – as a player at the club or just as a regular starter.

Bailey has scored three goals and provided two assists in 17 Premier League starts this term, whilst averaging a Sofascore rating of 6.68 – placing him 16th in the squad.

This comes after the forward managed one goal and two assists in 18 top-flight outings for the Villans in the 2021/22 campaign and his poor form in front of goals since arriving at the club indicates that the wide attacker is not a reliable attacking threat for Emery.

Thuram, meanwhile, has been sensational in the Bundesliga this season and his statistics for Gladbach suggest that the marksman, who stands at 6 foot 4, could be the perfect Bailey replacement.

The gem, who was once hailed as a “monster” by his former manager Herve Renard, can play out wide or through the middle – playing 92 matches as a left-winger and 92 as a centre-forward in his career – and this indicates that he would suit the wide attacker role next to Watkins, as the forward knows how to play in those wide and central areas. 

In the German top-flight this term, the French international has plundered ten goals and three assists – averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.09 – across 18 outings.

He also managed 18 goals and 15 assists in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 Bundesliga campaigns combined, which suggests that his form this term is not a fluke.

Therefore, Thuram could come in as a big upgrade on Bailey in the wide forward role next to Watkins, given their respective efforts in the final third in recent years, and that is why it could be bye-bye for the latter in the summer.

A claim has emerged on Newcastle United and their plans to strengthen their squad in the summer transfer window…

What’s the latest on Marcus Thuram to Newcastle?

According to Spanish outlet Sport, the Magpies are one of a number of teams interested in signing Borussia Monchengladbach centre-forward Marcus Thuram as Eddie Howe eyes up a possible summer swoop.

The report claims that the Bundesliga outfit appear to have already given up any hope they had of securing a new contract for the French international, whose deal is due to expire at the end of the campaign.

His potential availability as a free agent in the summer has alerted a number of clubs, including the likes of Barcelona, Aston Villa, Chelsea, and Arsenal, alongside Newcastle.

Is Thuram a good successor to Callum Wilson?

The Magpies could now land the long-term heir to Callum Wilson’s place in the squad by signing the £54k-per-week marksman on a free transfer.

In the Premier League this season, the current Toon forward has provided seven goals and three assists in 14 starts for Howe’s side and has been a reliable option at the top end of the pitch.

However, the England international turns 31 later this month and has missed 32 competitive matches, through injury or illness, since the start of last term.

This suggests that Newcastle may want to start thinking about what life will look like past the ex-Bournemouth man’s time at the club and Thuram could come in as the heir to his throne – to compete for a place in the side with Alexander Isak.

The French international, who was once described as “clinical” by journalist Raj Chohan, has been on fire in the Bundesliga this season with ten goals and three assists in 18 appearances – averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.09.

Gladbach’s centre-forward also ranks in the top 12% of strikers in Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days for non-penalty xG, whilst Wilson is also in the top 12%, and this shows that the 25-year-old gets into superb positions to accrue high-value chances based on xG.

These statistics show that the marksman, who assisted two goals in five substitute appearances at the World Cup, has the quality to be a regular, consistent, goalscorer in a major European league.

He has not proven himself in the Premier League, yet, but his exceptional form for Gladbach in Germany indicates that the forward has the potential to be an excellent addition to Newcastle’s attacking ranks.

At the age of 25, Thuram is also five years younger than Wilson and could offer more to the club in the long term as a player Howe can work with on the training pitch to develop over the course of a number of seasons.

Therefore, sporting director Dan Ashworth and the Toon head coach could land the eventual heir to the English striker by snapping the Frenchman up on a free transfer in the summer.

There has been a fresh update regarding Tottenham Hotspur’s interest in promising Englishman, Djed Spence…

What’s the word?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Dean Jones has revealed that negotiations are “ongoing” regarding a move for the 21-year-old – who spent last season on loan at Nottingham Forest –  although Middlesbrough’s valuation is proving something of a sticking point.

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He stated: “Talks are definitely ongoing. I think the big issue here is the fact that Nottingham Forest had a pre-agreed deal to sign Djed Spence at a price that was about £13million.

“Tottenham are being quoted a price that is higher than that because they didn’t already have an arrangement in place.”

The full-back – who is likely to cost in the region of £20m – has reportedly been a target for the north London side since March, with the player seemingly favouring a move to the club over a return to newly-promoted Forest.

Bye-Bye Emerson

It is remarkable how quickly a player’s career can change, with Spence having gone from being dubbed surplus to requirements at parent club Boro, to now being on the cusp of joining a Champions League level side in Spurs, all via a breakthrough temporary spell at the City Ground.

That standout 2021/22 campaign saw the £7.2m-rated gem play a vital role in Steve Cooper’s side securing a long-awaited return to the top-flight, scoring two goals and proving four assists in 42 Championship appearances, averaging an impressive 1.5 interceptions, 1.4 tackles and 1.1 clearances per game in that time.

It was his form in the club’s impressive FA Cup run that firmly thrust him into wider focus, however, playing an integral part of a side that saw off the likes of Arsenal and Leicester City en route to the last eight, where they were only narrowly defeated by eventual winners, Liverpool.

A player clearly on the rise, the £4.4k-per-week starlet has seemingly been earmarked by sporting director Fabio Paratici as the man to solve the Lilywhites’ wing-back woes this summer, with neither Matt Doherty nor Emerson Royal having truly convinced on the right flank under manager Antonio Conte.

The latter man, in particular, has struggled for consistency since his £25.8m switch from Barcelona last summer, scoring just one goal and providing only a solitary assist in 31 Premier League outings, with such a poor attacking output simply not up to scratch in what is such an important role in Conte’s 3-4-3 formation.

As pundit Alex McLeish has suggested, the former Real Betis man appears to be “struggling to cope with the pace” of the English top-flight, with his unconvincing displays thus far having heightened the need for a new recruit.

The Brazil international has been linked with an exit of late, with the arrival of Spence seemingly set to hasten his departure – a fact few of a Tottenham persuasion will shed any tears over.

AND in other news: Fabrizio Romano now reveals “very advanced” talks, Spurs supporters will be gutted

West Ham United are eyeing a move for soon-to-be free agent Andrea Belotti this summer.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from Milan News. where it is said that the Scotsman is desperate to lure the centre-forward to the London Stadium in order to bolster his attacking ranks.

In the same report, it is claimed that the Hammers are a “concrete option” for Belotti this summer, with the forward set to leave Torino at the end of the month.

The next Zola

Being a technically gifted and prominent striker, Italian striker Belotti could well be the next Zola in the Premier League.

It’s been a while since we’ve had a notable Italian force up-top and the Torino man can fill that void, whilst also solving David Moyes’ depth issue at striker.

Like Zola, it’s Belotti’s ability to read the game that makes up for what is a lack of pace on the whole and truthfully, having endured his second-worst goal-scoring season in Serie A, it is time for the 28-year-old to move on and give his prime years to a more progressive side.

Belotti, who has been dubbed a “machine” who can “chop people down” according to Siavoush Fallahi on Twitter, bagged eight goals in 22 Serie A games this season and whilst that is still solid, it’s a far cry from his 26 goal haul from the 2016/17 season.

West Ham could well offer the Italian a platform in the Premier League with his only real competition being Michail Antonio.

He could go one further than Zola who managed West Ham and instead become their main bagsman.

For a player who is in his prime and possesses a market value of around £18m, according to Transfermarkt, it is a move that comes with little to no risk.

It’s a no-brainer for Moyes and co.

In other news: Enquiry made: West Ham could land a new £36m-rated monster by signing £21k-p/w gem 

Wolves have reportedly agreed a deal to sign Sporting Lisbon midfielder Joao Palhinha.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from CM Jornal, the Old Gold have reached an agreement with the Portuguese club to sign their midfield star. Wolves will reportedly pay €20m (£17m) up front and a potential €5m (£4.2m) in add-ons for the 26-year-old.

Across a combined 170 senior appearances for Sporting Lisbon and Braga, the midfielder has scored 13 goals and delivered three assists in the process. He also has experience of playing in the Europa League and the Champions League, which could be useful for Wolves as they aim to break into Europe under Bruno Lage.

In fact, he got a good taste of what it’s like to come up against the Premier League’s top brass as he played the full 90 minutes against Manchester City in the Champions League in February.

Great news for Wolves

His latest season with Sporting saw him score three goals in 27 league appearances and earn himself an overall performance rating of 7.03/10 from WhoScored.

However, it was his defensive talent which stood out throughout the campaign, as the midfielder won more tackles (47) than any other player at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.

Taking into account how Wolves only won two of their final 12 Premier League games of the season and conceded 23 goals in those matches, it’s easy to see why they have sought to secure a deal for Palhinha so early in the summer transfer window.

Also, with current Old Gold midfielder Joao Moutinho’s contract at Molineux set to expire at the end of the month, this reported deal could see the £22.5m-rated figure come in and be a potential long-term replacement for his veteran compatriot.

Bearing in mind how the Midlands club already have a significant number of Portuguese players in their ranks, and coaching staff as well, this could make it easier for Palhinha to settle into life at Molineux.

Even though the summer transfer window has only just opened for business, it would undoubtedly be great news for the club and their fans if they’re able to get the midfielder through the door and announced as soon as possible, so that they can then move onto other potential targets who may be on their radar.

In other news: Wolves eyeing swoop for “terrific” 20 y/o “hotshot”, he can be their next Moutinho

Leeds United have once again been name-checked with an interest in Wolves forward Adama Traore according to journalist Graeme Bailey.

The Lowdown: Barcelona loan

Traore, hailed as ‘unplayable’ by Jurgen Klopp, headed out on loan to Barcelona during the January window after scoring just once in 23 Wolves appearances in the first half of the season.

However, the 26-year-old continued to struggle despite a change of scenery, failing to score in 17 games at the Nou Camp.

As a result, the Spanish giants won’t be exercising their option to make a move permanent but it looks as if a move to Elland Road could be on the cards.

The Latest: Bailey’s claim

Bailey took to Twitter on Wednesday morning to provide an update on Traore. The journalist shared a link to a story for 90min, saying that Leeds, Newcastle and Tottenham all remain ‘interested’ in the right-winger’s services.

It is thought that Wolves are focusing on parting ways with Traore ‘for good’, with Victor Orta and Co already making contact over a potential transfer, while Newcastle have also enquired.

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The Verdict: Unlikely?

This isn’t the first time Leeds have been linked with a move for Traore and may not be the last, with rumours dating back to 2020 during the club’s first season back in the Premier League.

Traore has scored just 26 senior goals in over 300 games, not exactly an eye-catching return. Leeds are already well-stocked when it comes to wide options with Raphinha still a Whites player.

Jesse Marsch has also shown signs of looking to implement a narrower formation by signing attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson, so a move for Traore could be unlikely.

In other news: After Kristensen: Radz & 49ers now ready to write Leeds cheque for ‘really exciting’ midfielder. 

Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson has suggested that Everton would be set to face some serious competition if they tried to sign Manchester City left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko this summer.

The Lowdown: Zinchenko’s future up in the air

The Ukrainian first made the switch to the Etihad from FC Ufa back in 2016, where he has since gone on to make 128 appearances and nine trophies for the Sky Blues during his six-year spell at the club.

The 25-year-old still has two years remaining on his current contract with the Premier League champions, but it was recently reported by The Athletic journalists Patrick Boyland and Greg O’Keeffe that his future is very much up in the air, with the likes of the Toffees and fellow top-flight side Newcastle United believed to have identified the full-back as a possible transfer target for the upcoming window.

The Latest: Robinson unsure about Everton move

When asked during an interview with Football Insider whether or not he thought Zinchenko would be a strong addition at Goodison Park, Robinson said:

“As much as Zinchenko is a top-quality player, where does he fit in at Everton?

“They already have [Vitaliy] Mykolenko.

“Zinchenko is unlucky not to get more game time at Man City. He’s a very good player.

“If he is going to make a move this summer there will be a lot more clubs than just Everton looking to sign him.

“He can play left-back and in the midfield. His versatility and quality make him a very attractive proposition for a lot of clubs.

“I’m sure there would be a lot of managers keen on a player like him if it becomes common knowledge that he’s available. 100 per cent.”

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The Verdict: Zinchenko’s high ambitions

Despite only making 15 top-flight outings this campaign, the 48-cap international has more than shown what he’s capable of when he’s on the pitch, having provided four assists, as per Transfermarkt.

As well as making 1.3 tackles per game, the defender has been equally as threatening going forward, recording 1.1 key passes and 1.6 long balls per league game, via WhoScored, and he is exactly the profile of player that Everton should be looking at signing if they are aiming for a much higher place finish next season.

However, even if Zinchenko were to leave the Manchester outfit in the coming weeks in a bid to get more game time, he would highly likely want to switch somewhere that he’ll have a strong chance of continuing to get his hands on silverware after his success with City, a factor that might end up being a disadvantage for Everton in the race for their man.

In other news… Fabrizio Romano has revealed the transfer intentions of one of Everton’s ‘best’ players.

Nottingham Forest have secured promotion into the Premier League next season after taking the victory over Huddersfield Town at Wembley on Sunday afternoon, and they could already be about to make their first summer signing.

What’s the latest?

According to The Star, Nottingham Forest are keen to extend Max Lowe’s stay at The City Ground this summer following an impressive loan spell at the club.

As per the report, sources in the East Midlands have claimed Steve Cooper would like to keep the midfielder when they challenge in the Premier League next season but are aware that Sheffield United could offer their player a contract extension to tempt him away from signing a deal with the newly-promoted side.

Cooper would love it

It would not be surprising that the Forest manager wants to keep his winning side together for next season and take some of his loan players who have become key components into the Premier League with him.

Cooper would clearly love to keep Lowe at the club following his high praise of the player this season after he returned from a nasty groin strain that kept him sidelined for two months:

“I’m proud of Max, and generally pleased for him.

“He’s been an absolute credit to his profession in how he has handled himself through his rehab and his recovery.”

The £14k-per-week ace who was hailed a “king” by journalist Ryan Conway, has been phenomenal from the centre of the pitch for Forest this season, with SofaScore ranking him as the ninth top-rated player in the squad.

Lowe has scored one goal and contributed four assists, creating three big chances, making 1.5 interceptions, 1 key pass and 3.7 tackles on average per game as well as winning the majority of his duels (58%), and proving successful in the majority of his dribbles (53%) in his 20 Championship appearances this season.

These statistics prove that he has been a reliable and consistent performer in the Nottingham Forest team this season, and further illustrate good reason for the club to attempt to further extend Lowe’s time at the club and deploy him in the squad in the top flight.

With that being said, there is work to do now for the club and Cooper to identify the right players to get the best out of their campaign in the Premier League and will be hoping they will have enough to maintain their status in the league next term.

AND in other news: Nottingham Forest must secure deal for “unbelievable” £20m gem, Cooper loves him