Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has received a major update in his pursuit of Aris Thessaloniki winger Luis Palma as speculation continues to rumble over his future, according to reports.

Is Luis Palma joining Celtic?

Greek journalist Giannis Chorianopoulos has issued a major update on the future of Palma amid reports linking the 23-year-old with a move to Celtic, as he stated on X: "Not confirmed 100% yet, but seems Luis Palma will be out of Aris Thessaloniki squad for the match v Lamia on Sunday. Celtic and two non European clubs offers are on the table. Palma wants Celtic."

The journalist, who works for Greece-based outlet Sportime, has since dropped further insight on Palma's potential next career steps and has indicated that the Honduras international is now closing in on a switch to Parkhead, stating: "Celtic are really close to sign Luis Palma from Aris Thessaloniki. Agreement in principle between the clubs, €4,1m. plus some bonuses. Palma 's contract €650.000 per season, probably for a 4 years contract."

Palma has been a coveted presence this summer, attracting interest from the Hoops' city rivals Rangers, Anderlecht and Watford among others; however, he now looks set to link up with former Liverpool boss Rodgers in Glasgow following a whirlwind couple of days where swift negotiations between both parties now look to be veering toward their conclusion.

Of course, Celtic have been in the hunt this window to find a replacement for Portuguese winger Jota, who was sold to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad for £25 million earlier in the summer, as per Sky Sports.

Rodgers has already signed off on six signings since returning to Parkhead in the form of Gustaf Lagerbielke, Maik Nawrocki, Odin Thiago Holm, Marco Tilio, Kwon Hyeok-kyu and Yang Hyun-jun, as per Transfermarkt.

In light of Palma's seemingly impending arrival, Celtic fringe man Sead Haksabanovic could find himself further down the pecking order at Parkhead and Football Insider claim that the Montenegro international is looking for an exit before the transfer deadline.

Is Luis Palma a good fit for Celtic?

Palma certainly fits the profile in terms of the style of recruitment Celtic have adopted this window, which has entailed bringing in young stars with potential with the aim of eventually selling them on in the future for a considerable profit.

His statistics also make for pleasant reading in his time at Aris, where he has notched 17 goals and 11 assists in 52 appearances for the Greek outfit encompassing all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

The Honduran arriving at Celtic would also spell the end to a long, drawn-out search for another wide option at Parkhead. Wolverhampton Wanderers star Daniel Podence was considered according to reports; however, it always seemed unlikely that the Hoops would fork out anywhere near the funds needed to satisfy his mooted £12 million price tag.

Scotland international Ryan Fraser was also courted by Celtic, though he is on the verge of completing a season-long loan move to Sky Bet Championship side Southampton, as per The Daily Echo.

Jackson Bird returned to Tasmania’s XI for the Shield match and had an impact with a five-for and a crucial 26 that boosted the side’s first-innings total

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Nov-2017
ScoreboardGetty Images

Having been released from Australia’s Test squad, Jackson Bird skittled South Australia with a five-for that gave Tasmania a 141-run first-innings lead in Adelaide. By stumps, Tasmania had swelled that lead to 220.Bird struck twice in the first three balls of his first over, sniping out Johnathon Dalton and Callum Ferguson for ducks. Travis Head, the South Australia captain, scored 80 and shared a 76-run stand for the third wicket with Jake Weatherald, before Thomas Rogers dismissed Weatherald and started South Australia’s slide. From 2 for 76, South Australia quickly slipped to 6 for 100, and Bird then returned to wipe out the tail-enders and complete his five-for. Earlier in the day, he had made an important contribution with the bat, too.That Tasmania were able to add 54 to their overnight score of 2 for 228 was largely down to a 42-run tenth-wicket stand between Bird and Bell, who made a dogged 16 off 76 balls. A five-wicket haul from Adam Zampa capped South Australia’s bowling efforts in the first innings, and the legspinner returned to dismiss Jordan Silk for 28 in Tasmania’s second innings. Kane Richardson took out Alex Doolan, Silk’s opening partner, before George Bailey shepherded Tasmania through to stumps with an unbeaten 52-ball 32. Jake Doran, who struck a century in the first innings was unbeaten on 1

While withdrawing from the MCG Test with a bruised heel, Mitchell Starc shot back at England’s suggestion of lack of depth in Australia’s bowling resources

Daniel Brettig in Melbourne24-Dec-20171:33

‘England have bigger things to worry about than our depth’ – Starc

Mitchell Starc has withdrawn from the Boxing Day Test with a stinging message for England: why question our depth when you haven’t taken 20 Australian wickets all Ashes series?Having confirmed that a bruised heel had not healed enough to be 100% in time for the MCG match, meaning he has played only one such fixture over the past seven summers, Starc rounded on the provocative comments of England’s James Anderson, who had claimed that beyond him, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins “there’s not much other than these three”.Jackson Bird, the tall Tasmanian seamer who will come into the team for his first match in a year, will be eager to challenge that assumption, but it was Starc who offered a verbal riposte as hostile as any of the bouncers he has delivered over the first three Tests, all of which Australia won to secure the Ashes in the minimum number of matches required.”It’s quite humorous actually, they haven’t taken 20 wickets in the series and we have, and they’re having a crack at our depth,” Starc said in Melbourne. “I don’t like facing Jacko in the nets so I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do to the English batters throughout this Test match. He’s been awesome through Shield cricket this year, been doing it for a number of years so he definitely deserves his chance this week and I’m looking forward to it.”I think they’ve got bigger things to worry about than the depth of Australian fast bowlers. Hopefully Jacko takes five-for and really shows them the depth in Australian cricket, especially in bowlers, is pretty strong, even though there’s a few guys missing through injury. It’s never nice missing cricket but it’d be pretty selfish for me to go into a game not 100%, especially when Jacko’s waiting there and he’s bowling really well. So really happy for him to get a go and hopefully he takes five-for and sticks it up those depth comments from the Poms.”At the moment we’re ahead in the series and playing some really good cricket, so if they want to keep changing their tactics whether verbally or trying to get in the media as well, for us we’ll keep playing good cricket on the field, hopefully it’ll be 4-0 by the end of the week and they won’t have too much else to say.”There was also a further rejoinder from Starc about England’s suggestions, made first to the umpires in Brisbane and this week raised again in a column by the former captain Mike Atherton, that the umpires needed to consider the number of short-pitched deliveries they were allowing the Australian pacemen to bowl at the touring tail, relative to the game’s laws about dangerous bowling.1:34

Would have been selfish to go in underdone – Starc

“It’s Test match cricket,” Starc said. “I’m pretty sure our guys have copped enough bouncers and we haven’t whinged about it yet, so as far as I know our bowlers will keep bouncing their batters. From the start of the series we set out with some really good plans and they’ve worked through the series so far.”So we may have tinkered with a few of those but the plan to the tail has always been the same, bowl very aggressively, fast, get up in their nose and have them jumping around. We’re pretty happy with how our plans are going, we’re 3-0 up, that’ll continue during this Test match and hopefully by the end of the week it’s 4-0.”It’s still a plan, [Bird] still bowls quick enough, pretty sure he still bowls quicker than the Pom bowlers as well. He’s bowling really well, he’s taken a lot of wickets in Shield cricket, he’s been bowling fantastic in the nets, he’s been awesome around the team, so he thoroughly deserves his chance.”Though Starc had clearly hoped to play, he admitted that in the end it was important that he did not allow the bruised heel to worsen into the sort of injury that cost Pat Cummins a full international summer in 2011-12. “There’s always a risk. Going by the scan it was a good result, the bone and the plantar fascia is all good there, it’s just a deep bruise of the fat pad,” Starc sad.”It’s never nice missing a game, but if we pushed through it there was always a chance that it could’ve gotten worse, something like Pat Cummins had six or seven years ago and he was out for four or five months. Things come into it when you play through injuries, but that’s not the case this week. When you’re bowling with nine times your bodyweight going through your front foot it can be a bit sore bowling every ball.”But both our other quicks, Joshy [Hazlewood] and Patty [Cummins] have been through it before. It’s not a nice one, it doesn’t sound like much but it can hang around for a while from all reports. Some heal quicker than others, others tend to hang around for a period of time, so that’s probably played a little bit on the conversations over the last couple of days, making sure that it isn’t something that keeps me out for 10 more games, it’s more a one fixture sort of thing. Hopefully it’s all good in the next few days and I can prepare for Sydney.”Melbourne has seen little of Starc in Test matches over his career, though he was centre stage for the 2015 World Cup final. “One out of seven years isn’t very good, but it’s nice that we’ve won the series and we’ve played it a little bit safer I guess now and I might get another Boxing Day one day,” he said. “I still feel like I could’ve played on it, but it would’ve been pretty selfish if I’d gone into a game underdone and put those other guys under pressure if I had to pull out midway through a game.”So I think commonsense prevailed there, Jacko’s ready to go and he’s bowling really well, so excited for him to have a go. It gives me a good chance now to have a bit of time off it over the next few days to get my rehab done and give me a really good chance for Sydney. That’s definitely not out of the question so it’s a few days now to let it heal by itself, watch the boys do the business here in Melbourne then get ready for Sydney.”

Fulham are now preparing a second bid for Flamengo striker Pedro, with a new report revealing they have a number of striker targets in mind…

What's the latest Fulham transfer news?

With Aleksandar Mitrovic joining Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal for a club-record fee of £46m, Fulham seemingly have a lot of money to splash out on a replacement, and they have already made contact with Atalanta's Duvon Zapata.

Zapata's proposed loan move to AS Roma has now fallen through, which could open the door for a move to Craven Cottage, with Marco Silva's side making their first move, however, he is currently leaning towards staying with his current club.

The Cottagers have also held talks with Arsenal over a move for Folarin Balogun, although the USMNT international will not come cheap, with the Gunners set to demand around £50m, although Silva is personally hopeful that a compromise can be reached.

In a new report from The Evening Standard, it is detailed that Zapata remains of interest to Fulham, but Atalanta now want to keep him, despite recently signing Gianluca Scamacca from West Ham United.

Balogun has also been sounded out, but the 22-year-old is now expected to sign for AS Monaco, while Silva has denied interest in Juventus striker Moise Kean.

Silva is keen to have three strikers in his squad and the Cottagers have now made an approach for Flamengo striker Pedro, in their bid to replace Mitrovic.

In fact, a £21m offer has already been knocked back by the Brazilian club, but they are braced for a further bid, with Fulham currently in the process of preparing a new proposal, which they hope will be deemed acceptable.

The 26-year-old is keen on a move to the Premier League, which could give the Londoners an advantage over the likes of Benfica and Zenit St Petersburg, who are also credited with an interest.

How good is Pedro?

Mitrovic scored 14 goals in 24 Premier League games for the Cottagers last season, so it is important the Serbian's replacement is just as clinical in front of goal, and Pedro has been lauded by members of the media.

South American football expert Tim Vickery has described the Brazilian as an "excellent finisher", which is exemplified by the fact he has outperformed his non-penalty XG significantly over the past year, averaging 0.68 goals per 90, having been expected to average 0.51.

The Rio de Janeiro-born marksman has been clinical in front of goal in the Brazilian Serie A, however, there may be some concern over the fact his last move to Europe did not go to plan, failing to score in four games for Fiorentina before heading back to his home country.

That said, the former Fiorentina man has made improvements to his game since then, with Brazil legend Ronaldo lauding him as a "quality striker" with a "huge future ahead of him", and so it is exciting news that Fulham are about to make another bid.

With Zapata set to stay at Atalanta and Balogun poised to move to Monaco, the Cottagers are running out of options to replace Mitrovic, so they could try to get a deal for Pedro over the line as quickly as possible.

MatériaMais Notícias

Os especialistas ouvidos pela Betfair.net acreditam que Corinthians poderá ter um time competitivo para voltar a sonhar com a conquista da Libertadores nas próximas temporadas, após acordo de venda dos naming rights do estádio. No dia 1º de setembro, data do aniversário de 110 anos, o clube anunciou a Neo Química como dona do nome da arena, localizada na zona leste de São Paulo.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansOtero celebra estreia em casa pelo Corinthians e lamenta gol anuladoCorinthians08/09/2020CorinthiansSerá que é ela? Lembre outras camisas alternativas do CorinthiansCorinthians08/09/2020Fora de CampoRonaldo diz que Luxa ‘atrapalha’ o Palmeiras: ‘Não está fazendo o time jogar’Fora de Campo08/09/2020

O acordo milionário de 20 anos é visto como divisor de águas na montagem do elenco, já que o Corinthians sofreu desmanches seguidos e a reposição não foi à altura do time, que foi campeão invicto da competição sul-americana em 2012, ao bater o Boca Juniors (ARG) na decisão.

– Com certeza tudo isso pode mudar na vida do Corinthians, pois com os encargos e agora entrando essa grana, o clube vai poder bancar direitinho os funcionários, colocar tudo em dia onde foi criticado – disse Ronaldo Soares Giovanelli, ídolo do Corinthians e comentarista esportivo.

O goleiro com 602 jogos pelo Corinthians espera que a Neo Química ajude a trazer bons nomes para o futebol.

– A empresa veio também para fazer uma parceria forte com contratações ano que vem, acho que é isso que todo torcedor está esperando. Também sobrar dinheiro é o que vale para poder pagar as contas. Então essa parceria da Neo Química veio em uma hora espetacular, ainda mais em pandemia. Eu penso assim – completou Ronaldo, que fez a apresentação do naming rights ao lado do ator Dan Stulbach.

E falando em Libertadores, o Corinthians não teve sorte nos últimos anos, com quatro eliminações nas oitavas-de-final – Boca Juniors em 2013, Guaraní do Paraguai em 2015, Nacional do Uruguai em 2016 e Colo-Colo em 2018. Em 2020, a equipe ficou na pré-Libertadores ao ser derrotada pelo gol qualificado diante do Guaraní do Paraguai.

– O Corinthians nos últimos anos tem enfrentado dificuldade até em competições nacionais, então fica difícil projetar com otimismo uma participação na Libertadores, como visto na rápida passagem do time pela atual edição do torneio. Acho que primeiro é acertar casinha pensando em Brasileirão pra aí sim, no futuro, formar um bom elenco com potencial de título sul-americano. O acerto do naming rights sem dúvida ajuda, mas trará retorno ao futebol corintiano só quando o estádio for pago, então não pode ser tratado como solução a curto prazo, contou Lucas Faraldo, do Meu Timão.

Já o embaixador da Betfair.net Chico Garcia, o primeiro passo com os naming rights é tornar o clube sustentável, com maior capacidade de arrecadação e melhorar a saúde financeira.

– Pela marca que tem o Corinthians, obviamente os investimentos serão feitos para montar equipes competitivas em busca de mais uma Libertadores. Haverá um direcionamento melhor dos recursos e o futebol será o mais beneficiado.

A Libertadores de 2012, mais precisamente o duelo histórico contra o Vasco, no Pacaembu, em São Paulo, foi tema do sexto episódio da série “Todo Resultado É Possível”, da Betfair.net. A defesa milagrosa de Cássio e o gol salvador nos minutos finais do volante Paulinho foram destacados por Mauro Cezar e Chico Garcia.

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Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsPeter Della Penna

Ireland piled up 331 for 6 – their joint-highest total in ODI cricket – and secured their fourth successive win in the tri-series in the UAE. Ireland clinched the series, with Scotland and UAE still to register a point.Scotland made a decent fist of the chase with opener Michael Jones, Calum MacLeod, and Michael Leask making fifties, but they ultimately fell short by 24 runs. This was only the sixth time Scotland had made 300 or more in an ODI.After opting to bat, Ireland lost their captain William Porterfield for 6 in the third over, but Paul Stirling, the other opener, gave the innings direction with his 14th ODI half-century. Niall O’Brien hit a fifty of his own while his brother Kevin, Andy Balbirnie, Simi Singh, and Gary Wilson each made forty-somethings to propel the total. Stuart Whittingham, playing only his second ODI, picked up 3 for 58.Scotland then made a strong start in their reply, with fifty stands for the first two wickets. But from 127 for 1, they slumped to 169 for 5. MacLeod and Leask then raised 95 for the sixth wicket at nearly 10 runs an over to give their side hope, but the rapidly rising asking rate was too much to overcome.MacLeod was ninth out, for 58 off 46 balls, as Scotland’s hopes evaporated. Barry McCarthy, Peter Chase, and George Dockrell claimed two wickets each for Ireland.

The franchise that signs the England allrounder at the auction can seek a replacement player if he is not available for the entire 2018 season due to the legal proceeding concerning the charge of affray against him

Nagraj Gollapudi20-Jan-2018The IPL will allow a franchise to seek a replacement Ben Stokes in the event that the England allrounder is not available for the entire 2018 tournament due to the legal proceedings concerning the charge of affray against him.However, should he miss only part of the tournament, no replacement would be sanctioned.Stokes is expected to appear in Bristol Magistrates’ Court on February 13 to answer the charge of affray, which was levelled against him by the UK Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) earlier this week.Affray, depending on the circumstances, can be prosecuted at either Magistrates Court or Crown Court. At a Crown Court, the maximum sentence is three years imprisonment, but if tried in a Magistrates Court it is only six months. Stokes was arrested in September by the police after a dead-of-night incident outside a nightclub in Bristol.Apart from some domestic cricket for Canterbury in New Zealand in December, Stokes has not featured in any competitive cricket since his arrest on September 25, missing the entire Ashes series as the ECB awaited the outcome of police investigations. Nonetheless, his IPL value does not seem to have diminished.The IPL announced the final auction pool of 578 players on Saturday and Stokes’ name featured among the 16 marquee players who will kick off the two-day mega auction on January 27 and 28 in Bangalore.Stokes was one of the 36 players to list the highest base price of INR 2 crore (USD 315,000 approx) when the IPL released the longlist earlier this month.Last season, Stokes started his maiden IPL as the most expensive overseas buy in the tournament’s history when he was signed by Rising Pune Supergiant for INR 14.5 crore (USD 2.16 million approx). He finished as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.Although he missed the final because he had to report back for England duty, he overshadowed IPL heavyweights in his team such as MS Dhoni to help Pune reach the final. Stokes scored 316 runs at a strike rate of 142.98, including an unbeaten century while chasing down 162 against Gujarat Lions. He also picked up 12 wickets with an economy rate of 7.18 in the 12 matches he played.Various IPL franchises told ESPNcricinfo that Stokes would once again be among the most attractive buys, but said they would need clarity on his availability. Their main question was whether the IPL would allow a replacement in case they paid big money to buy Stokes and he had to return to England due to the court case.On Saturday the IPL clarified its position. In a note to the eight franchises, the IPL said the ECB had granted the player a No Objection Certificate. The ECB, the franchises were informed, would consider any disciplinary action against Stokes once the court had delivered its verdict.”The ECB have confirmed they will issue an NOC for Ben Stokes and advised that the Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) will wait for the conclusion of all criminal proceedings relating to the charge against Ben before it runs its independent process,” the IPL advisory said.According to the IPL Stokes’ legal team had “advised” the ECB that the court case would not hamper his participation.”Ben’s legal advisors have advised that they think it highly unlikely that the criminal proceedings will conclude before the end of IPL 2018,” the IPL told the franchises. “They have advised that they do not expect the criminal proceedings will have any impact on Ben’s availability for IPL 2018.”Due to the uncertainty regarding court dates and therefore his availability for the IPL 2018 season, BCCI confirms that if he is completely unavailable in advance of the season he may be replaced under section 6.1 (e) of the 2018-20 IPL Player Regulations.”However, if Stokes were to be available even partially, the IPL told the franchises that no replacement could be sought. “In the event of his partial unavailability due to the court process then he may not be replaced. Player replacements for partial unavailability during the IPL Season are only allowed in relation to player injuries as prescribed by section 6.1 of the 2018-20 IPL Player Regulations.”

Rachin Ravindra’s half-century and four-wicket haul vaulted New Zealand to the top of Group A, thereby setting up a quarter-final against Afghanistan in Christchurch

Shashank Kishore in Mount Maunganui20-Jan-2018Rachin Ravindra’s half-century and four-wicket haul vaulted New Zealand to the top of Group A, thereby setting up a quarter-final against Afghanistan in Christchurch. South Africa, who fell short by 71 runs to finish the preliminary stage with two wins in three matches, will play Pakistan.New Zealand’s margin of victory after they posted 279 for 8 could have been much bigger if not for Hermann Rolfes, who struck a 124-ball 108 to lift South Africa from the pits of 76 for 4 in the 23rd over. In Jean du Plessis, he found a steady accumulator who was more than happy to remain in the background. During the first 50 runs of their 106-run stand, Rolfes’ share was more than three quarters of it.Hermann Rolfes celebrates his century•ICC/Getty Images

Rolfes was adventurous and the only South Africa batsman to commit himself into strokes against Ravindra’s loopy left-arm spin. Off the fast bowlers, his picking of lengths to play the pull was particularly impressive.Going into the last 10 overs, with South Africa needing close to ten an over, he decided to take it upon himself completely. It resulted in one big shot too many and was pouched at long-off by Dale Phillips. Du Plessis’ dismissal in the 44th over, soon after he made a half-century, with South Africa still needing 81 off 41 effectively killed the chase. South Africa were eventually bowled out for 208 in 46.2 overs.Earlier in the day, Ravindra and his Wellington Under-19 mate Jakob Bhula put together 108 for the opening wicket in 19.5 overs. But at no stage did South Africa feel completely out of it. Bhula, coming off a world record 180 in the previous game, was quite tentative as runs flew off edges and he mistimed drives to third man. After a number of pokes and misses, he kept slicing his off-side strokes behind square. Ravindra, in comparison, was more stylish and free flowing.Once the opening stand was disturbed, Finn Allen, who made a sparkling hundred in New Zealand’s opening win over West Indies, showed urgency right from the outset, hitting a six and four off Jade de Klerk to signal his intention. But a mix-up with Ravindra coupled with a sensational under-arm flick by de Klerk to the striker’s end caught him short.South Africa tightened the noose after Allen’s dismissal. A mix of rash strokes and lack of application resulted in them losing five wickets for 28 in the middle overs to slip to 174 for 6. It needed a record seventh-wicket stand for New Zealand at the Under-19 World Cup to lift them close to 250.The orchestrators were Dale Phillips, brother of international batsman Glenn Phillips, and Max Chu. The pair put on 77, thereby surpassing the previous record set by Anton Devcich and Sam McKay against Bangladesh at the 2004 edition, to help New Zealand to 279. Those extra runs gave them some breathing space in the middle overs on the face of a terrific Rolfes century that went in vain.

An update has emerged on Aston Villa and their transfer plans as they attempt to seal a last-gasp deal before the summer transfer window slams shut…

What's the latest Aston Villa transfer news?

According to Real Betis reporter Pepe Elias, Monchi has been in late talks with Barcelona over a deal to sign Morocco international Ez Abde before the deadline passes.

The journalist has claimed that Unai Emery is also trying to convince the player to accept a move to Villa Park, after his proposed move to Real Betis broke down.

This comes after Mundo Deportivo recently reported that the Villans and Bayer Leverkusen were both keen on the attacker and that the Spanish giants want a fee within the region of €30m (£26m) for the talented youngster.

How good is Ez Abde?

Aston Villa have already bolstered their squad with some superb additions that have helped them to enjoy a strong start to the season and they could now end the window with a bang by signing Abde as he is a player with huge potential.

Emery has brought in Moussa Diaby, Nicolo Zaniolo, Clement Lenglet, Youri Tielemans, and Pau Torres so far and some of them have helped the team to win four of their first five competitive games of the campaign.

Abde could now supplement that by arriving as a player who would not have the expectation to make an immediate impact, as a 21-year-old prospect, but one who could be a star for the club further down the line.

U23 scout Antonio Mango once hailed him as a "majestic" creator who is "unpredictable" at the top end of the pitch and he showcased his ability to open up the opposition's defence on a regular basis during his time in Barcelona's B team.

Abde racked up seven assists, alongside three goals, in 21 appearances for the club's reserve side, which shows that he has the potential to consistently set up his teammates for chances in front of goal.

Jacob Ramsey (seven) was the only Villa player, in any position, who managed more than six Premier League assists for the club last season, and Abde could, therefore, be an excellent creative threat for Emery if he is able to translate that form over to the English top-flight.

The Barcelona magician also showcased his quality at the U23 Africa Cup of Nations for Morocco over the summer with an outstanding three goals and three assists in just four appearances at the tournament.

Abde spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan with Osasuna in LaLiga and produced four goals and two assists in 19 starts for the Spanish side, which shows that there is still work to be done with him before the exciting gem is able to deliver the attacking consistency that he displayed for club and country at youth level.

However, at the age of 21, there is plenty of time left for him to develop and grow as a player and that is why he could be an excellent long-term addition to the Villa squad, with Football FanCast recently publishing an article explaining how he could develop into a Jack Grealish-esque figure.

Tottenham Hotspur have suddenly come into a vast amount of money with the sale of Harry Kane, which will likely be burning a hole in Ange Postecoglou's pocket…

Who are Tottenham Hotspur signing?

With these huge riches hopefully set to be reinvested in a playing squad that has already sufficiently bolstered this summer, it promises to accelerate their Australian revolution tenfold, despite the massive amount of quality lost with his departure.

However, to make up for the goals they are set to miss, perhaps portions of the sum received could be distributed across various signings, bringing in two or three attacking stars to nurture and offset such a crushing blow.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

One such name that could arguably be a perfect acquisition is Wilfried Gnonto, who has made his feelings clear to Championship side Leeds United with regard to his plans for the future.

The Italy international is refusing to play, whilst the Elland Road outfit responded by issuing a statement that they are unwilling to sell, which isn't ideal for either party.

Despite that, the £30m price tag set could easily be attained by the Lilywhites, who have been credited with an interest in recent weeks.

How good is Wilfried Gnonto?

In taking advantage of the relegated Whites to sign a tricky winger, it is hard not to draw comparisons with their 2005 acquisition of Aaron Lennon, who quickly turned into a fan favourite in north London.

However, there are far more similarities between these two speedsters than just the career path they are set to take, as a couple of dynamic but diminutive wide men.

Standing at 5 foot 5 and 5 foot 7 respectively, the now-retired Englishman arrived at a cut-price £1m amidst the financial turmoil of the time in west Yorkshire.

The 36-year-old would go on to feature 364 times for Spurs, and despite never really being particularly prolific, remained a constant starter throughout the bulk of his ten years at the club, posting 79 assists.

Praised for his various assets, Andre Villas-Boas sought to outline one particularly starring performance in 2013:

"Aaron Lennon is such a magnificent player and sometimes he does not get the recognition he deserves but his form has been extraordinary. He has been magnificent for us, scoring goals like last week, and is such a good player."

Then, after bravely admitting his struggles with mental illness, Mauricio Pochettino would praise his character:

"The fact Aaron spoke publicly about the issue can inspire people around the world, not only in football, through him or through his behaviour, to get some help.

"Because Aaron spoke publicly that there are a lot of people ready to help people with temporary mental [health] issues, it's good for him to get the love from the fans and inspire people to get the same help and talk about it."

His blistering speed often offsets his lack of physicality, which is a trait he shares with Gnonto.

The 19-year-old star took to English football with ease despite only joining last summer, with his eight goal contributions across all senior English competitions marking an admirable return during a debut term.

He would also rank in the top 18% for progressive carries per 90, suggesting he would add excitement that has been somewhat lacking in recent seasons.

Football scout Jacek Kulig could have been describing Lennon when he wrote of Gnonto: "Electric pace, stature, low centre of gravity, mobility, bravery and powerful finish."

Should Spurs capitalise on Leeds' misery once again, hopefully earning more silverware than they did during the tenure of the former Everton gem, this could prove another impressive coup to emphasise Postecoglou's early-tenure success.