Aston Villa are not looking to slow their pursuit of Nottingham Forest ace Brennan Johnson, with details emerging of a potential swoop for the promising speedster.

Unai Emery’s interest in the 22-year-old stems back as early as May, with FootballTransfers adding the Villans as one of the clubs eyeing the Welshman.

What is Brennan Johnson’s market value?

Valued by FootballTransfers at €36.7m (£31.4m), Villa’s long-standing pursuit of the forward could come to an end this summer.

As reported by the Daily Mail, Villa have held 'conversations' regarding a move for the youngster, with the piece suggesting that Forest may reluctantly accept an offer in the region of £40m in order to ease Financial Fair Play (FFP) concerns.

The initial report from FootballTransfers in May told of the Reds’ refusal of offers for Johnson, however the tides may turn as we delve into this window.

How good is Brennan Johnson?

Hailed as “unbelievable” by Wales coach Robert Page, via Wales Online, the 22-year-old has been a standout figure in Steve Cooper's side since their promotion to the Premier League in 2022.

In his first season in the top tier, the Welshman contributed to 11 goals in 38 appearances, scoring eight and assisting three as a versatile gem at the City Ground.

Forest value their forward highly, shown by him appearing in every Premier League game last term, as well as making 46 Championship appearances the year prior.

In the second division, Johnson managed to net 16 goals and assist nine times in the 2021/22 campaign, showing just how deadly he can be if equipped in a bright side.

Under Emery, the youngster could come to life and hit higher levels in the Premier League, in a side that has progressed massively since the Spaniard’s arrival in the Midlands.

One player that has elevated his performance and reaped the benefits since the 51-year-old’s appointment has been Jacob Ramsey, who could be a shining light for Johnson to play alongside.

The Englishman will miss the start of the season after suffering a broken metatarsal at the U21 European Championships, which is said to leave him sidelined for 10 weeks, however his return could be made brighter should the Villans capture Johnson’s signature.

Deployed in midfield, the Villa man highlighted his strengths going forward last season, scoring six goals and assisting seven in the Premier League.

As per FBref, the 22-year-old flexed his creative ability in the final third in recording an average of 1.43 key passes per 90, showing his playmaking capabilities in midfield.

The Birmingham-born ace could see his intricate vision and passing strengths pay off with the introduction of Johnson, who proved to be a livewire in attack last term.

Ranked as hitting the second-highest top speed in the league last season at 36.70 km/h, via OptaJoe, the Welshman is a lot for defenders to handle and could be a valuable asset for Ramsey to aim for going forward.

Lauded as a “great finisher” by Cooper, Villa could unleash a new level to the 22-year-old, just by integrating him into a more fluid, attacking side than what’s on show at the City Ground.

Emery could complete a strong deal in securing the signature of the Forest academy graduate,

Newcastle United bringing in experienced Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci this window would make new arrival Sandro Tonali 'delighted', according to journalist Dean Jones.

Is Leonardo Bonucci going to Newcastle United?

According to Calciomercato, Newcastle United have had a meeting with Juventus over the possibility of bringing Bonucci to St James' Park this window as he's set to leave the Allianz Stadium.

No concrete offer has been put forward to the £197k-a-week ace; however, the Magpies are assessing the 'economic, technical, physical and motivational conditions' before making a decision on whether to pursue Bonucci.

Speaking on the NUFC Matters Transfer Show, journalist Ben Jacobs cast doubt on any potential move to the North East for Bonucci, stating: "“Very strange, I don’t see it happening at all. Obviously at 36 years of age what would be the logic? You have to think of the wages as well, there would be a big outlay for a 36-year-old. I’m not sure there’s anything significant in this, it’s not advanced in any way, I’m not aware of any serious conversations and there hasn’t been an offer either."

Featuring in a reduced role for Juventus last term, Bonucci amassed 26 appearances in all competitions, getting himself on the scoresheet on two separate occasions, as per Transfermarkt.

Corriere della Sera claim that Sampdoria boss Andrea Pirlo would like to reunite with Bonucci as they prepare for life as a Serie B outfit.

Journalist Jones thinks that new arrival Tonali would be happy if his fellow countryman Bonucci was to join him at St James' Park this summer.

In a recent interview with Football FanCast, Jones stated: "I'm sure Sandro Tonali would be delighted to have an Italian follow him to Tyneside. He is looking for a new club and in line with that, I know that sides have been approached, particularly anyone who is Champions League level but could do with some experience."

Who else has Eddie Howe targeted this summer to join Newcastle United?

Newcastle United look to be active in the market this summer as Eddie Howe plots some savvy business to prepare his side for Champions League involvement this term.

As per The Times, the Magpies are closing in on the signing of Leicester City winger Harvey Barnes for a fee that will touch the £35 million mark.

Any deal to bring Barnes to the North East would mean that Newcastle United have spent their net transfer budget for this window following the arrival of Tonali from AC Milan.

Chronicle Live understand that Newcastle United are yet to submit an official offer for Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney despite being keen on the Scotland international.

Gazzeta dello Sport report that Juventus winger Federico Chiesa could be sold by his current employers and both Newcastle United alongside Liverpool would be attractive options for the Italy international to seek a new challenge in England.

Looking ahead, we will find out more in the next few weeks over who Newcastle United are looking to bring in an what sort of impact they will potential have on the club moving forward.

West Ham United have “held initial talks” regarding a summer deal to sign Manchester United defensive midfielder Scott McTominay, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

Is Scott McTominay leaving Manchester United?

The Red Devils product has made 209 senior appearances since graduating from the club’s academy to become a regular feature of the first team, but last season, he fell significantly out of favour under Erik Ten Hag at Old Trafford.

In the Premier League, the 26-year-old was handed just ten starts and was forced to sit on the bench for the majority of the time, being introduced from the sidelines on 14 occasions, via WhoScored, and with the recent arrival of Mason Mount alongside Casemiro and Christian Eriksen, he’ll only continue to be out of favour and low down in the pecking order moving forward.

The Scotland international does still have another two years to run on his contract, but it’s likely that he will be on the move during this window in order to receive more game time elsewhere, and should he depart, he has an admirer in David Moyes at the London Stadium.

The Independent’s Miguel Delaney has reported that the Irons hold a “strong interest” in the central talisman who has been made a priority target by chiefs in the capital, and if the following update is to be believed, it sounds as if they have taken their admiration one step further by initiating contact.

Are West Ham signing Scott McTominay?

Taking to Twitter, Sheth revealed that West Ham have reached out to Man United to discover what it would take to get a deal over the line for McTominay in the coming weeks. He wrote:

“West Ham have held initial talks with Manchester United over Maguire & McTominay. Gap in valuations for both players. United see them as very important members of [the] squad. While not encouraging offers, it would require very big bids for United to even consider a sale.”

Who would Scott McTominay replace?

West Ham are yet to replace former captain Declan Rice following his move to Arsenal so Moyes will be aware that he needs to recruit a suitable successor, and having been dubbed a “hero” by journalist Josh Bunting, McTominay could be the ideal candidate he’s looking for.

Man United’s 6 foot 3 colossus ranked in the 99th percentile for clearances and the 98th percentile for aerial wins by midfielders last season, highlighting how strong he was at getting rid of the danger and protecting his backline, despite having a short amount of time to prove himself to Ten Hag.

The Lancaster-born talent, who also scored three goals and provided one assist across all competitions during the previous campaign, would additionally provide the boss with versatility with his ability to play in five various positions, including three roles in the midfield and at centre-back, just like Rice.

The Red Devils are reportedly looking to receive a fee of £40m in order to sanction the sale of McTominay which shouldn’t be a problem having received £105m for Rice, so if the opportunity presents itself, this is a deal that the hierarchy should be all over.

Darwin Nunez is always an interesting player to watch, for better or worse, as his unorthodox technique can result in both moments of madness and incredible goals.

During his first season at Liverpool, the forward got off to a nightmare start after receiving a red card on his Anfield debut against Crystal Palace. He, and the rest of Jurgen Klopp’s side, struggled to gain consistency from there dropping out of the Champions League places, leaving many hopeful that things will return to their best for the Reds in the coming campaign.

When it comes to pre-season, too, Nunez is certainly showing more signs of life than last season, netting three goals in two games, including one in the 4-2 win over Karlsruher before grabbing a brace against their most-recent opponents Greuther Furth.

Both of the striker’s goals proved the potential that he has to burst into life in the coming months. Now, it could just be about consistency.

Darwin Nunez scores pre-season brace

Up against the 2. Bundesliga side, Nunez initially put Liverpool back in front after the break following Luis Diaz’s opener, making an excellent run, which was picked out by Mohamed Salah, before rounding the keeper and finding the back of the net with all the composure in the world – as you can see in the footage above.

His second to make it 3-1 was even more impressive. Left one-on-one with the final man, Nunez dropped the shoulder, before expertly firing home. The two goals showed a player with the coolness that last season’s version lacked in front of goal at times.

Greuther Furth turned the game around to lead 4-3 with quickfire goals, before Salah struck late on to end things level at 4-4.

Liverpool’s attention now turns to their friendly with Leicester City, where Nunez will look to find the back of the net once more, and the Reds will look to get back to winning ways, even if it is just a pre-season friendly.

Full of praise for the forward, The Athletic’s James Pearce took to Twitter to praise him following his second strike, saying: “Nunez scores his second of the game. Looking really sharp”

What is the market value of Darwin Nunez?

Initially arriving at Liverpool for a reported £85m last summer, Nunez’s inconsistent season has seen his valuation decrease. According to Transfermarkt, the former Benfica man is now worth €65m (£56.16m), which is more than £30m less than what the Reds initially splashed out to secure his signature a year ago.

Klopp will be hoping to see his side’s investment prove worthwhile next season, however, as he attempts to guide Liverpool back into the Premier League’s top four, and much more in the coming campaign.

Last season was the first time that the Merseyside club have failed to qualify for the Champions League in a full season under the German. And they won’t want to experience that feeling again.

With Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai adding to Klopp’s midfield options, Liverpool should be primed and ready to get back to their best form come August.

Starting with their opening game of the season against Chelsea, the manager may well have a big decision to make regarding his forward line. As Nunez continues to find the back of the net in pre-season, Klopp could be left with no choice but to hand him the starting role.

It’ll certainly be an interesting season for both Nunez and Liverpool.

West Ham’s summer starts now. The £105m fee acquired from Declan Rice’s departure gives David Moyes the power to revamp his squad.

With Europa League football in the upcoming season, there is no room for complacency, and there must be another reshuffle of the squad.

One name tipped to be part of Moyes’ continued revolution is James Ward-Prowse.

What’s the latest on James Ward-Prowse to West Ham United?

According to The Guardian, the Hammers are set to step up their interest in Ward-Prowse and are prepared to smooth negotiations with Southampton by allowing Flynn Downes to move in the opposite direction.

Fulham are also interested in the 28-year-old, but West Ham are ahead in the pecking order due to their offering of Downes.

It is understood that the midfielder, who could cost at least £40m, is keen on the move, and Moyes is a fan of his Premier League experience and set-piece expertise. However, the Irons are yet to submit a formal bid.

The report also details that West Ham want to bring in two midfielders after selling Rice – and Joao Palhinha, Youssouf Fofana, Conor Gallagher, Denis Zakaria, Scott McTominay and Amadou Onana are among the possible options.

Would James Ward-Prowse be a good signing for West Ham?

Ward-Prowse first joined Southampton as an eight-year-old in 2003, and after making his first-team debut in October 2011, he has gone on to make over 400 appearances for the club.

Upon making his Premier League bow on the opening day of the 2012/13 season, then-manager Nigel Adkins lauded him as “outstanding” – and he continued in that vein over the years.

The Englishman has also been the Saints' captain since 2020, and in recent times, has undoubtedly been their most important player.

Last term was a nightmare for Southampton – a chaotic whirlwind of unsuccessful transfers, a lack of squad harmony and a managerial merry-go-round resulted in a miserable relegation that will see the club play Championship football for the first time since 2012.

However, Ward-Prowse defiantly displayed that he should be playing top-flight football, and was a shining light in a desperately disappointing year for the south coast outfit.

The 11-cap international started every Premier League game and was the club’s top goal contributor (nine goals and four assists), averaged the most key passes per game (1.9), and created the most chances in all competitions (81; Che Adams in second had 23).

Ward-Prowse also possesses an esteemed reputation as one of the world’s best set-piece takers, having scored 17 free-kicks in Premier League history, just one behind David Beckham in the all-time rankings. He has netted six winners from direct free kicks, which is the best figure in the division.

This impressive repertoire of leadership and skill led former manager Nathan Jones to eulogise over his talent, saying: "He's been absolutely world-class for me. He's one of the best technicians I've ever seen, the consistency he shows is world-class."

The signing of Ward-Prowse appears a relatively low-risk transfer for the Irons as he has over a decade of top-flight experience, which coupled with his supreme technical impudence, means he would be an invaluable addition at the London Stadium.

Shiv Thakor, the Derbyshire all-rounder, has been suspended by the club after allegations he indecently exposed himself to two women.Thakor, a former England U19 player, has not been arrested but voluntarily attended a police station in Derby where he wasquestioned. Derbyshire subsequently suspended the 23-year-old on full pay pending a further investigation.He has not been charged.ESPNcricinfo understands the incident occurred when Thakor was being shown round a new house by a pair of female estate agents. It isalleged he catastrophically misread the signals and was found in a bedroom in a state of undress. It is understood that CCTV footage ofsome of the event exists.”Shiv has been suspended on full pay pending an investigation,” a statement released by Derbyshire confirmed. “He has not beencharged by police and there is no further comment to make at this stage.””A 23-year-old man voluntarily attended St Mary’s Wharf police station and was interviewed in connection with the alleged offences,” aDerbyshire Police spokeswoman told .

Manchester City and RB Leipzig are in active talks over a move for Josko Gvardiol, and a deal could be sealed by the end of the week, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Are Man City signing Josko Gvardiol?

The Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League winners have been heavily linked with a move for the centre-back this summer, with Pep Guardiola looking to bolster his squad ahead of the new campaign.

A transfer has proven tricky to complete, and although transfer expert Romano previously claimed the first part of Gvardiol’s medical had been completed ahead of a move to City, a deal is still yet to materialise.

Leipzig sporting director Max Eberl admitted towards the end of July that the two clubs haven’t agreed on a fee, saying:

"A lot has been written and the latest information about Josko surprised us all. Currently we're still very far apart.

"As you can see, Josko is here – so it's not true. He didn't do a medical check – not that we know. And I don't think he did it behind our backs because he's just a full professional. There is no agreement, not even remotely an agreement."

As a result, a number of City’s rivals have recently been looking to hijack a potential transfer, with reports suggesting that Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool have all submitted offers of their own.

Romano has now provided a further update regarding Gvardiol and a potential Etihad transfer in the last 48 hours, which looks positive. Taking to Twitter, the transfer expert said there is a verbal agreement in place between the two sides and that a deal could finally be signed and sealed by the end of the week.

“Manchester City and RB Leipzig are in active talks to seal Josko Gvardiol deal after the verbal agreement reached 10 days ago.

“It could be finally signed/sealed with all parties [including percentages of future sale/Dinamo Zagreb] by the end of the week.”

Other reports from Sky Sports are claiming a fee of £77.6m has now been agreed, so it looks like Romano's prediction of total completion by week's end might not be far off.

How good is Josko Gvardiol?

It does look as if a move to the blue side of Manchester is in the pipeline, and should a deal go through, Gvardiol could improve City’s options at the back even further.

Valued at a career-high €75m by Transfermarkt, Gvardiol has impressed over the past 12 months, with FBref ranking him in the top 1% of centre-backs for passes attempted, carries and passes received, showing how he could fit into Guardiola’s possession-based system with ease.

Compared to Ruben Dias, journalist Zach Lowy also labelled the player as a “sensational” defender at the World Cup in Qatar last year.

"Josko Gvardiol is a Rolls-Royce of a defender. 20 years old and the best player on the pitch in a match that featured Kevin De Bruyne and Luka Modric… sensational centre back."

He is also still just 21 years of age, so you’d like to think Guardiola could possibly take the player to the next level over the coming years, something which may make City even stronger at the back, and by the looks of things, we could see further developments very soon.

Nottinghamshire captain Dan Christian applauded his bowlers for backing up his gamble of giving Somerset first chance to bat despite Trent Bridge’s reputation for yielding high scores in this year’s Twenty20 Blast.”Knowing Somerset hadn’t played here before, we figured they might not know what a good total might be on this pitch,” he said.”It was a touch slower than it has been this season, although still probably a 190-kind of wicket, but we bowled brilliantly throughout.”If someone gets going here, with the good pitches and the short boundaries, it can be hard to stop them, but we bowled brilliantly throughout, Jake [Ball] at the top and Samit [Patel] in the middle in particular. There weren’t really any loose overs and they couldn’t build the big partnership they needed.”So we were pretty confident after how well we bowled and we have chased 220 here before and even after we lost early wickets we knew we had depth in the shed.”Christian admitted the controversy over Alex Hales’ dismissal upset the Notts dressing room and momentarily disturbed their equilibrium on the field.”It was pretty obvious from the reaction in the crowd what everyone on the ground thought,” he said. “We will have to look at it again and ask the third umpire what his reasoning was but from our perspective it didn’t quite carry.”There was a period of about 10 minutes when everyone needed to calm down. Everyone in the changing room was pretty upset with it and Alex was pretty upset too when he came back in.”It needed things to calm down a bit but we knew we had time to gather ourselves and get going again.”Somerset’s Steven Davies, who top scored with 59, said he trusted the officials to have reached the right decision over the Hales dismissal.”Pete was convinced he got his fingers under it and we can only go by that,” he said. “The television cameras are here and I’m sure they got it right.”Pete has copped some abuse from the crowd and on Twitter but he’s pretty used to that. It doesn’t bother him too much.”He suspected the pitch did not play as well as either side expected.”It looked nice but I think the signs were there when I got hit in the glove in Harry Gurney’s first over. The slower balls were difficult to get away.”But they are a top side with international class bowlers and although we are disappointed to have lost the game we scrapped really well in the field and we were in with a shot and it took a couple of good innings to win the game for them.”

Crystal Palace are keen on bringing Flamengo midfielder Mathues Franca to Selhurst Park this summer in a pursuit that is being 'driven by Dougie Freedman’s connections in Brazil', according to Daily Express reporter Ryan Taylor.

Which clubs are keen to sign Matheus Franca?

As per Torcedores via Sport Witness, Crystal Palace have offered a proposal of €40 million (£34.4 million) to Flamengo that has been accepted for Franca.

All parties are reportedly translating transfer documents to English, which will then be signed off on by Flamengo president Rodolfo Landim, Crystal Palace owner John Textor and Matheus Franca.

Earlier in the window, it was claimed by The Daily Mail that Chelsea had emerged as suitors for Franca in a prospective transfer that could amount to £25 million.

West Ham United and Newcastle United had also held a prior interest in the Brazilian playmaker; however, the Blues could now look to add the prodigious 19-year-old to their portfolio of exceptional young talent at Stamford Bridge.

Last term, Franca, who has been hailed as a "great finisher", made 29 appearances in all competitions for Brazilian giants Flamengo, registering three goals in the process, as per Transfermarkt.

John Textor, who is the co-owner of Crystal Palace, also retains control of Brazilian Serie A side Botafogo, therefore creating knowledge of the South American market within the building at Selhurst Park.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Daily Express reporter Taylor believes that Crystal Palace could look to exploit this particular market and detailed that sporting director Freedman's 'connections in Brazil' may help to seal a deal for Franca.

Taylor stated: “Franca is another player that’s, you know, is attracting very strong interest, which has been driven by Dougie Freedman’s connections in Brazil. Obviously, there is a link between Palace and Botafogo I believe through Textor, who is their owner. So, it’s a market that Palace have been actually looking at.

“Franca has also been tracked by Chelsea and Newcastle, however, so don’t know how easy the deal will be to do. It’s going to cost them a significant amount of money. Franca has still been featuring in pre-season for Flamengo so, again, it’s not necessarily a given they’re going to sign him, but I do think there’ll be other names on their radar as well.”

Who else could Crystal Palace look to recruit this summer?

Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson will hope to add some fresh blood to join Jefferson Lerma this summer at Selhurst Park as he aims to see how far he can guide the Eagles up the Premier League table in 2023/24.

According to The Daily Mail, Everton winger Demarai Gray has cropped up on his radar and could be available for a fee of £12 million due to the Toffees' financial restrictions and need to raise money.

In a surprising turn of events, Crystal Palace are also keen on Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte and it is claimed by The Daily Star that the Citizens would be looking to recoup a fee of £35 million for his services.

Speaking on his Patreon, journalist Alan Nixon has signalled that despite losing Wilfried Zaha to Galatasaray, Crystal Palace aren't expected to bid for Sunderland winger Jack Clarke as a potential replacement.

Arsenal have now made an approach to sign Galatasaray right-back Sacha Boey, who is also being targeted by Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United, according to recent reports from Turkey.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

Mikel Arteta is set to use Jurrien Timber at right-back next season, meaning the manager is now well-stocked in that area of the pitch, with the likes of Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White also at his disposal, however the Gunners continue to be linked other options.

With Fabrizio Romano recently detailing that Cedric Soares could be sold, Arteta may want to bring in some more competition at right-back, and Manchester City's Joao Cancelo remains a potential target, as reported by journalist Dean Jones, who said:

“My information is that if Cancelo is still there for the taking later in the window, Arsenal may well look to strike a deal. It’s not been totally forgotten about, it’s just not a main priority. More of a luxury.”

Boey has also been named as a target for Arsenal, with reports from earlier in the window claiming they went as far as making an "official offer" of £12m, and they have now re-emerged as potential suitors for the defender.

That is according to reports from Turkey, which state that both Arsenal and Tottenham have been in contact with Galatasaray to discuss a potential summer move, with Newcastle and Juventus also following him closely. (via Sport Witness)

The Frenchman has previously admitted that he is flattered by the reports linking him with a switch to the Emirates Stadium, and he has made it clear that he wants to play in the Premier League.

However, it appears as though a move is very unlikely this summer, with Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk expressing his desire to keep him, saying: "We want to continue with Boey and [Victor] Nelsson. We have a Champions League goal and this goal can be achieved if the players stay in the team."

Who is Sacha Boey?

Lauded as a "true warrior" by members of the Turkish media, the £9k-per-week defender has started to make a name for himself at Galatasaray over the past few seasons, making 31 league appearances en-route to his side winning the title last season.

With an average WhoScored match rating of 7.31 in the Turkish Super Lig, the right-back was ranked as Galatasaray's fifth-best performing player across the campaign, impressing both defensively and on the front foot.

The former Rennes man weighed in with four assists, the joint-fourth highest amount of any player in the squad, while he also averaged a total of 2.8 tackles per game, the joint-highest amount alongside former Arsenal man Lucas Torreira.

Boey appears to be a very well-rounded full-back, and so it is disappointing that he will seemingly not be available this summer, but a new right-back should not be a priority target for the Gunners.

Arteta has Timber, Tomiyasu and White to choose from, but if he really feels he needs another option, he could launch a move for Cancelo, who already has Premier League experience.