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Aston Villa have scouted midfielder Habib Diarra with a view to making a potential move for the player during the upcoming summer transfer window, as manager Unai Emery aims to bolster his squad.

What’s the latest on Habib Diarra to Aston Villa?

According to The Sun, Aston Villa have sent scouts to watch Diarra in action for Ligue 1 side Strasbourg ahead of making a possible swoop for the youngster this summer.

As much as nine other teams are also keen on him however, among them are Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers. With a fee of just £20m looking like it could be enough to sign him, Villa are unsurprisingly not the only club monitoring his progress.

Could Aston Villa sign Habib Diarra in the summer?

Despite the intense competition for the 19-year-old, Villa have the means to lure him to the Premier League, especially if they qualify for European football next season.

The club have enjoyed previous transfer success from delving into the French market, with Boubacar Kamara joining the side last summer for nothing and has since gone on to be valued at €51.9m (£45m), with Villa clearly hitting the jackpot on the midfielder.

Although he has been restricted to just 20 league starts due to suffering a knee injury last year, he ranks in the top five out of the Villa squad for accurate passes, interceptions and tackles per game, certainly proving that he offers valuable defensive contributions while his passing ability has clearly been on show this term.

Diarra, then, could become Emery’s next Kamara. The 19-year-old has a greater positional versatility in terms of being able to operate either in the centre of the midfield or slightly deeper in a more defensive position, whereas Kamara tends to play deeper and dictate play from there.

The Strasbourg midfielder offers a greater attacking threat than the Villa player, scoring three goals compared to none for Kamara, while also creating 18 chances to Kamara’s seven, and this attacking output from the heart of the midfield could be a big bonus for Emery.

Kamara does have the better defensive stats however, with his experience proving to be the determining factor, winning more ground duels (101 to 61), making more clearances (23 to 11) and attempting more passes (909 to 523) which proves that the youngster still has much to learn.

Adding another player who is similar to Kamara would be a wise move from the Spaniard, especially with his undoubted potential. The current Villa star may be four years older than Diarra, but gaining experience in the Premier League will allow him to soon reach his level.

Talks will soon commence between Chelsea and a rival club over Mason Mount, with a large bid set to be made, journalist David Ornstein has claimed.

What's the latest on Mason Mount?

The England international is entering the final year of his contract at Stamford Bridge, and as things stand, a renewal looks unlikely.

The 24-year-old is believed to be attracting interest from a number of top clubs including Man United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Bayern Munich, and it has been reported that his preferred destination would be Old Trafford.

Speaking on Sky Sports News, Ornstein claimed that Chelsea still want to keep the midfielder, but they will soon speak to Man United over a big-money transfer.

"The soundings we're getting is that despite Chelsea, maybe trying to give it one last go and hoping to keep him, that it is very possible now that he will leave," he stated.

"As I understand it, the other clubs who are interested are aware of his preference, and that there are talks expected between Manchester United and Chelsea in due course."

Should Chelsea sell Mason Mount?

The club were in negotiations to extend his contract, but a previous breakdown in talks has led to the current situation where his departure seems likely.

The midfielder has had a difficult season, managing just three goals and two assists in an injury-hit league campaign, with Chelsea suffering a nightmare campaign under four different head coaches.

Chelsea were unwilling to further increase their wage bill and hand Mount a big-money contract, but given the high turnover of players they have had in midfield, it may be worth trying harder to keep the Englishman.

Jorginho left in the January transfer window, whilst Mateo Kovacic has been linked with a move away. Having to replace Mount as well may prove costly, even if they do gain a big transfer fee from his departure.

Mount has previously been described as "unbelievable," and given his experience at the club since graduating from the youth academy, he could become a key player under Mauricio Pochettino.

The incoming Chelsea manager reportedly wants to build around an English core within the squad, including Mount, and the club could do themselves a disservice by selling a player that Pochettino may wish to keep.

If he does join a rival club and succeeds, then there may be yet more sale regret at Chelsea, years after huge mistakes in the transfer market saw them sell Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah, who went on to become two of the best players in the Premier League for rival competitors.

Everton have been linked to a winger ahead of the summer transfer window, as Sean Dyche looks to make significant improvements in the break.

The Toffees confirmed their stay in the Premier League on the final day, as relief poured from Goodison Park after a challenging season both on and off the pitch.

The club have many things to improve on this summer, however, Dyche could add attacking strength to his inherited squad by signing a player already known on Merseyside.

What’s the latest on Ryan Kent to Everton?

Last week, it was reported that Rangers winger Ryan Kent could be on the move to Everton this summer, as a host of clubs around Europe keep their eyes peeled on the Englishman’s next move.

As reported by Italian outlet TuttoMercatoWeb, Kent is of interest to the Toffees, who alongside Bologna, Fenerbahce and Udinese could battle for the free agent this window.

The Liverpool academy ace spent five years at Ibrox, with his contract expiring this summer and opting against extending his stay.

What could Ryan Kent bring to Everton?

The Oldham-born forward could be a strong option for Dyche in a bid to improve Everton’s goal-scoring form, with the club being the league’s second-lowest scorers this season.

Hailed as “dangerous” by former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard, the 26-year-old is an explosive outlet to have on the left flank, as told by his colourful career in Glasgow.

As per Transfermarkt, in a five-year stay the Englishman contributed to 90 goals, scoring 33 himself and assisting 57, showcasing his abilities in the final third whether it be as the finisher or creator.

Operating primarily as a left-forward, the experienced attacker has a playing style bearing many similarities to Dwight McNeil and could challenge or even provide an upgrade for the Blues forward.

While McNeil possesses a dazzling left foot, Kent is a right-footed wide player who enjoys to cut inside, posing a threat on both flanks.

As per FBref, the Rangers ace comes out on top of the Everton man in a range of attributes key to playing as a threatening forward, as highlighted by their statistics over the past year.

Kent averages 2.84 progressive carries per 90, with McNeil recording just shy of the 26-year-old with 2.74 per 90, with results similar in terms of successful take-ons, with the Everton ace coming just behind with 1.95 to the £18k-per-week gem’s 2.13 per 90.

The former Liverpool youngster is a more competent passer of the ball than McNeil, as revealed by Sofascore, with Kent averaging a pass accuracy of 89% this season to the Goodison forward's 76%.

Whether Dyche opts to deploy the winger as competition or as a partner in an attacking reshuffle this summer, it will be interesting to see how the future of the Englishman plays out, with a potential return to Merseyside on the cards.

Chelsea have entered the race to sign outgoing Paris Saint-Germain forward Lionel Messi this summer, according to journalist Pablo Gravellone.

Who will Lionel Messi sign for?

With Messi's departure from PSG now confirmed, the forward has been linked with a move to several top clubs, including Barcelona, with manager Xavi calling on the board to bring him back to the Nou Camp this summer.

However, reporter Guillem Balague claims that "no formal offer has been made" by Barca, despite the fact the Argentine would "seriously consider" a return to his former club, while he also adds that an offer from MLS side Inter Miami "arrived weeks ago".

Saudi Arabian newspaper Okaz report that a move to Al-Hilal is "imminent" (via Morocco World News), with the 35-year-old's father, Jorge Messi, already visiting his son's potential place of residence in Riyadh, in preparation for the move.

That said, with the move not yet confirmed, there is still a chance the Barcelona legend makes a sensational switch to the Premier League, with Pablo Gravellone reporting Chelsea have joined the race.

The Argentinian journalist claims that both the Blues and Newcastle United are interested in signing the World Cup-winner, however he does not detail whether either club stand a realistic chance of winning the race for his signature.

Could Messi join Chelsea?

Given that a move to Saudi Arabia appears to be advancing, it seems unlikely the £1.1m-per-week forward would make a switch to Stamford Bridge, however he proved that he is still very much capable of performing at the highest level last season.

The Rosario-born attacker registered 21 goals and 20 assists in 41 appearances at club level during the 2022-23 campaign, averaging a goal contribution per game, while he also played a vital role for Argentina en-route to their World Cup triumph.

In seven games, the Argentina captain amassed three assists and seven goals, striking twice in the final against France, displaying that he is still a top player, despite now being 35-years-old and way beyond his peak years.

Hailed as the "Mozart of football" by former Real Madrid manager Radomir Antic, the Argentine still has a lot left to offer before he hangs up his boots, and he is still capable of competing for the top honours in European football.

That said, considering Chelsea are not in the Champions League, it does not seem realistic for the Blues to be able to attract Messi this summer.

West Ham United finally ended their 43-year trophy drought on Wednesday night with a thrilling victory against Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final.

However, in the game's aftermath, chairman David Sullivan confirmed that Declan Rice has the club's blessing to leave in the summer.

The likely destination at this point is Arsenal, who have been linked with the England international for months now.

The Hammers will look to use the windfall from that deal to fund a series of summer transfers, with Ajax midfielder Edson Alvarez one of their priorities, per the Telegraph's reliable journalist, Matt Law.

What's the latest on Edson Alvarez?

The versatile machine has shot to the top of the Irons' wishlist this summer, but bringing him to the London Stadium might prove challenging.

The 6 foot 2 colossus was close to completing a move to Chelsea last summer, but the Dutch club refused to budge, leaving the player to spend another season in Amsterdam.

West Ham will have to act quickly if they're keen on the player as, according to 90min, Borussia Dortmund are 'confident' that they will sign the player this summer.

With no official bids yet, we can only speculate that the money needed to secure Alvarez's signature will be close to the £43m offered by Chelsea last September, whilst FootballTransfers currently estimates his worth to be around £25m.

Would Edson Alvarez be a good signing for West Ham?

By all metrics, the Tlalnepantla-born "monster", as dubbed by The Athletic's Felipe Cardenas, looks like he would be an excellent signing for the Hammers.

According to WhoScored, Alvarez has averaged a seriously impressive rating of 7.34 across 31 Eredivisie appearances this season.

The underlying numbers also paint the picture of an all-action defensive midfielder.

As per FBref, who have compared players in a similar position across their 'next 8 competitions', he sits in the top 1% for passes attempted, clearances, and aerials duals won per 90. Alvarez also ranks in the top 5% for pass completion, 6% for shots, progressive carries, no. of touches in the opposition's penalty area, and 9% for progressive passes per 90.

Another facet of the Mexican's game that could prove invaluable to the Hammers is his positional versatility.

Across the last 50 matches, the Ajax man has played as a central midfielder 23 times, a defensive midfielder 15 times and a central defender 12 times. This ability to fulfil several roles across the pitch and fulfil them capably would be a huge benefit to David Moyes' team.

Whoever the club sign in the summer, it is unlikely that they will be able to replace Rice on their own, but Alvarez certainly looks like he could get close.

An update has emerged on Chelsea and their plans to bolster their goalkeeping department in the summer transfer window.

What's the latest on Mike Maignan to Chelsea?

According to L'Equipe, the Premier League side are interested in a deal to sign AC Milan shot-stopper Mike Maignan ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The report claims that the Blues are pursuing a swoop for the France international and have already initiated contact with the Serie A giants to discuss a deal.

It states that the Italian outfit will not make it easy for a transfer to be completed, though, as they recently attempted to tie the 27-year-old down to a new contract to secure his future in Milan.

Would Mike Maignan be a good signing for Chelsea?

Mauricio Pochettino could finally find the club's replacement for Thibaut Courtois by striking a deal to sign the £59k-per-week ace, who would be an excellent addition to the squad this summer.

The current Real Madrid number one left the Blues in 2018 and has saved the Spanish giants an impressive 17.7 goals, based on the post-shot xG in LaLiga, underlining him as one of the best in the game.

That came following a spell where he won two Premier League titles during his time in England.

In five seasons at Stamford Bridge, Kepa Arrizabalaga has conceded 7.6 more goals than expected in the Premier League, which means that he has underperformed between the sticks over half a decade and let his defence down too often in recent years.

Senegal international Edouard Mendy, meanwhile, has let in 5.8 more goals than expected based on the same metric in the top-flight over three years with Chelsea.

These statistics suggest that the club have failed to adequately replace the excellent Courtois, who is a net positive rather than negative with his shot-stopping, and Maignan could finally solve this problem.

The Frenchman has saved 3.6 more goals than expected in his two Serie A campaigns with Milan and prevented an eye-catching 14.8 xG in his final three years with Lille in his home country, which shows that he is similar to the Belgian in that the giant pulls off miracles in goal to keep the ball out.

Maignan, who was hailed as a "monster" by GOAL's Robin Brainer, has stopped 18.4 more goals than the average goalkeeper would be expected to over the last five seasons, a truly astonishing record.

That means that the Frenchman has saved 26 more strikes from hitting the back of his net over the last five years in comparison to Kepa, indicating that the 27-year-old would be a significant improvement on the Spaniard.

The Milan star is able to bail out his defence on a consistent basis with his ability to stop shots that the average goalkeeper would be expected to see sail past them, whereas the current Chelsea number one has underperformed in that respect.

As such, Pochettino could finally find a worthy replacement for Courtois by working hard to convince the Serie A side to part ways with the colossus this summer.

Liverpool are believed to hold an interest in Napoli's prolific forward Victor Osimhen as they look to bounce back from a lacklustre season in the Premier League.

What's the latest on Victor Osimhen to Liverpool?

That's according to yesterday's edition of Corriere dello Sport (via Paisley Gates), who state that with a vested interest in the ace from the Reds, Manchester United, Chelsea, Newcastle United, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, the Serie A champions are demanding around €150m (£128m) for their talisman.

Osimhen has been one of Europe's most prolific forwards this season and has been instrumental in his outfit's triumphant campaign, but with just two years left on his current contract, Partenopi may be forced into considering a sale if negotiations are fruitless.

Liverpool's frontline is probably the area least desperate for reinforcements and given that the midfield holds a hole following contract conclusions this month, Osimhen's signature might be hard to obtain.

Despite this, Klopp will admire his superlative skill set and could look to test the waters by initiating negotiations.

How many goals has Victor Osimhen scored?

Since signing from Lille for £81m in 2020, Osimhen has scored 59 goals and supplied 14 assists from 101 appearances, bursting into prominence this term and plundering 31 strikes from 39 outings, now heralded as "world-class" by Matteo Bonetti.

The £90k-per-week phenom ranks among the top 1% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 1% for total shots and the top 3% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, as per FBref.

Dubbed a "goal-scoring machine" by journalist Josh Bunting, Osimhen would bring a potency only a select few in world football could rival, providing Jurgen Klopp with the dream rival to Manchester City's devastating striker Erling Haaland.

Liverpool hoped to have found their own new talisman last summer after completing a club-record transfer for Darwin Nunez, potentially reaching £85m, but a somewhat underwhelming maiden year on Merseyside has left the Uruguayan requiring an upswing in his cutting edge to truly cement a starting berth and wreak havoc as anticipated, with club legend Robbie Fowler saying he is "too wasteful".

Coincidentally, Nunez is listed as a comparable player on FBref to the 25-cap Nigerian, albeit far less convincing in his frontal prowess at present, ranking among the top 1% of peers for total shots and the top 12% for rate of non-penalty goals per 90, which is by no means unimpressive but highlights the missed opportunities that have contributed to the Reds' malaise this year.

Still only 23-years-old, Nunez has ample time to grow into his skin but Klopp will be tantalised by the prospect of signing such a first-class attacker in Osimhen and despite his exorbitant valuation, could lodge a formal offer as he looks to rebuild Liverpool's once-imperious squad.

He is the “heart and soul” – as stated by journalist Mina Rzouki – of Napoli's thriving outfit and he could emulate such an aura at Anfield and spearhead a coveted renaissance, albeit at the expense of Nunez who could well be banished from the starting XI as a result.

Everton are interested in signing Leeds United duo Willy Gnonto and Crysencio Summerville this summer, according to a new transfer update.

Are Leeds moving on Gnonto and Summerville this summer?

The Whites were relegated from the Premier League at the expense of the Blues last month, in what proved to be a tense final day of the campaign.

While Everton were able to breathe an enormous sigh of relief, Leeds now have to accept that they could lose a number of top players who don't want to be plying their trade in the Championship moving forward.

Two of those who could easily move on are young attacking pair Gnonto and Summerville, both of whom contributed positively at times last season, showing the potential that they possess.

With Everton looking to do some important transfer business over the next couple of months, it looks as though they could be hoping to raid their relegation rivals from last season.

Are Everton keen on Gnonto and Summerville?

According to The Daily Mail, Gnonto and Summerville and both considered to be Blues targets this summer, as Sean Dyche looks to work his magic, with midfielder Tyler Adams also getting a mention:

"Full-back Rasmus Kristensen is discussing a loan to Roma along with club mate Diego Llorente while Willy Gnonto and Crysencio Summerville are attracting interest from Everton.

"Midfielder Tyler Adams and goalkeeper Illan Meslier are also understood to have drop clauses. As Confidential readers will know, USA international Adams is a target for Brighton, Aston Villa, Everton and Nottingham Forest but West Ham also appreciate the 24-year-old."

It is vital that fresh attacking blood is added to Everton's squad in the summer transfer window, and in Gnonto and Summerville, they have two strong options to come in and bolster the depth and quality at Dyche's disposal.

It seems unlikely that both will come in, so if push came to shove, Gnonto is arguably the one with the higher ceiling, having already won 11 caps and scored once for Italy. Despite only being 19 years of age, he has been hailed as "really good" by Gary Neville and actually clashed with Seamus Coleman at Goodison Park last season.

Summerville is also a talented young winger in his own right, however, scoring a memorable later winner away to Everton's local rivals Liverpool last season and netting four times in the Premier League in total.

The duo might not yet be the finished article, making them works in progress instead, but if Dyche feels he can get the best out of one of them, or both for that matter, Everton should do all they can to get the business done.

Despite selling club captain Ruben Neves for big money this month, Wolverhampton Wanderers are "not looking like" they will reinvest the money into players over the summer, claims transfer insider Dean Jones.

Wolverhampton Wanderers transfer news – what's the latest?

The Old Gold confirmed that after six years at the club, they had completed the sale of club captain Neves earlier this month, in a deal that reportedly earned the club a hefty transfer fee of £47m.

Usually, when a team sells a vital player for such a significant fee, a good portion of the proceeds are reinvested into new transfers to help rebuild the squad.

Unfortunately for Wolves fans, that isn't going to be the case this time.

On June 15th, Sporting Director Matt Hobbs updated fans on the club's plans for the coming window.

On the transfer front, Hobbs confirmed that Wolves would be looking to minimise spending this year as they try to operate "within FFP limitations" and operate on the basis that "players will leave before we can bring new faces in."

It's a strategy in stark contrast to the side's previous summers of high spending and reportedly shocked manager Julen Lopetegui, leading to 'genuine fears' he would walk away from the job, per the Athletic.

Luckily for club fans, the Telegraph confirmed that after considering his options, he informed the club about his commitment to staying and making the best of their situation.

The new strategy for Wolves, as revealed by journalist John Percy, will be to target players within the £8m-£15m price range, which, if the current market is anything to go by, completely rules out any big names.

What has Jones said about Wolverhampton Wanderers' transfer situation?

Jones wasn't optimistic about the prospect of Wolves bringing in any like-for-like replacements for Neves this summer.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: "You'd like to think Wolves would now be able to go and sign some high-profile replacements. But unfortunately, that's not looking like the case."

Why are Wolverhampton Wanderers at risk of breaching financial rules?

The major concern for the Midlands outfit is their mounting 'losses' over the previous three years.

According to the rules, no Premier League team can lose more than £105m over a three-year period, and at the end of 2022, Wolves had already posted losses of £46.1m.

Their record of spending big over the last few years makes things even more precarious.

Last summer, the team paid fees amounting to £115m for just four permanent signings, of which none have been a massive success as the club was embroiled in a relegation scrap for much of the season.

That spending, combined with their previous losses, is the primary reason Wolves won't be splashing the cash this summer, even with the windfall from Neves' sale.

Aston Villa secured themselves European football for next season as they finished seventh in the Premier League table under Unai Emery.

The Villans will be playing in the Europa Conference League and their participation could help their ambitions during the transfer window, as they will be able to offer players a chance to compete on the continent as well as the English top-flight.

One talent the club have been linked with a swoop for is Fenerbahce magician Arda Guler, who is reportedly attracting interest from a host of European teams ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Fabrizio Romano revealed that the exciting youngster is available for a fee of €17.5m (£15m) due to a release clause in his contract with the Turkish side, which could open the door for Villa to swoop in.

What is Arda Guler's style of play?

He is a left-footed wizard who is often deployed as a right winger or attacking midfielder and has the quality to make a big impact in the final third.

The 18-year-old dynamo has the potential to be a dream upgrade for Emery on current Villa winger Leon Bailey, who is also a left-footed forward.

During the 2022/23 campaign, the Jamaica international averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.67 across 26 Premier League starts. He contributed in the final third with four goals to go along with four assists and 0.9 key passes per game.

Bailey ranked 15th in the squad for Sofascore ratings and sixth for chances created per outing, which was led by Jacob Ramsey and Douglas Luiz with 1.2.

Guler, meanwhile, enjoyed a terrific Super Lig campaign with Fenerbahce. The teenager, who was dubbed a “sensation” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, averaged a phenomenal Sofascore rating of 7.48 across 20 appearances, including 11 starts, and chipped in with four goals to go along with three assists and two key passes per match.

His average rating dwarfed Villa's best performer – Luiz (7.10) – and he managed 0.8 more chances created per game than any of Emery's aforementioned stars.

Although it is impossible to predict whether or not he can translate his form for Fenerbahce over to the Premier League, these statistics suggest that the potential is there for Guler to be an outstanding performer for the Villans as a creative winger on the right.

At the age of 18, he is also seven years younger than Bailey and could be an immediate upgrade on the former Bayer Leverkusen man by providing more quality, in his average performance level and his ability to open up defences for his teammates on a regular basis.