Latest news with #AstonVilla
The Sun
8 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Aston Villa set to sign Feyenoord striker Zepiqueno Redmond, 18, on free transfer
ASTON VILLA are set to sign young Feyenoord striker Zepiqueno Redmond on a free transfer. With Unai Emery hopeful the 18-year-old Dutch youth international will become as successful as Jhon Duran - the last teenage striker he signed. 2 Duran cost Villa £14.5million when Emery signed him from Chicago Fire in January, 2023. And Villa made a cool £50million profit when they sold him to Saudi giants Al-Nassr two years later. Redmond's contract with Feyenoord expires at the end of June and Villa have beaten off interest from several clubs in the Premier League and across Europe. But the kid who can play as a striker or on the wing is poised to join Villa on a four-year deal. Emery has been looking to add a young forward to Villa's ranks since Duran was sold in January. Redmond has made nine senior appearances for Feyenoord and made his first team debut in November during a 4-1 win over Almere City in the Eredivisie. He went on to feature in the club's next two league matches and scored both of his side's goals in a 2-1 victory over MVV Maastricht in the KNVB Cup on December 17. Two months later, he made his Champions League debut, starting in a league phase clash against AC Milan at the San Siro, which ended in a 1-1 draw. 2 He also featured in the round of 16 second leg against Inter, coming on for the final 15 minutes in Milan. Redmond has played for the Netherlands at Under-16, Under-17 and has been a regular for the Under-19s over the past year.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Mic drop: Rio Ferdinand leaves TNT Sports for ‘new chapter'
In the preliminaries before kick-off between Aston Villa and Paris Saint-Germain at Parc des Princes last month, TNT Sports landed something of a coup. Having got celebrity Villa fan Prince William to agree to a pre-match interview, Rio Ferdinand and Ally McCoist were dispatched to ask His Royal Highness The Duke of Cornwall and Cambridge for his thoughts on how the game might unfold. While both former footballers have reached an age where they no longer have forelocks worthy of the name left to tug, Rio was so impressed with William's knowledge of gegenpressing, xG and heat maps that he issued a stark warning to the heir to the throne. 'Do not go into a punditry job because I could be out of the game,' he joked, as those armchair viewers the length and breadth of the country who are forced to pay top dollar for TNT subscriptions if they want to watch European football dared to dream. While there is no evidence to suggest that Prince William subsequently sent an equerry to hand one's curriculum vitae into the network's personnel department in the hope of earning a place in the gantry alongside Darren Fletcher and Lucy Ward on co-comms, today it was revealed that Rio is out of the punditry game anyway. The former Manchester United defender has quit TNT after a decade's service to focus on making YouTube videos in which he says 'geezer' a lot, hawking branded snapbacks and chilling with his family. His final outing with Woodsy, Resh, Fletch, Sav, Luce, Coisty, Jules, Crouchy and Owen Hargreaves will be at the Bigger Cup final between PSG and Inter at the Allianz Arena. It is to be hoped he marks the occasion by engineering another one of those ludicrous scenarios where he makes sure the cameras are rolling before studiously not stepping on a club-branded carpet in a preposterously performative show of respect. 'Since retiring from football, it has been a privilege talking about the game I love for a decade for sports fans watching BT Sport and TNT Sports,' he announced in a statement on his Social Media Disgraces. 'I want to acknowledge the tremendous support from the team behind the scenes, whose hard work often goes unseen but has been essential to our success. As I turn the page to the next chapter, I carry with me countless memories. I am excited about what the future holds, spending more time with my family, focusing on Rio Ferdinand Presents and my other business interests.' Whether it was stating the bland and blindingly obvious at great and tedious length, repeatedly parroting 'Ballon d'Or!' at the top of his voice in praise of a player who would go on to be overlooked for the award in question, or abandoning any small pretence at professionalism by reducing the commentary of a recent dramatic finale to the status of FanZone homage, Ferdinand has carved out a unique and lucrative niche in the punditry pantheon over the past decade. While TNT have yet to announce how they plan to fill the gaping void that will be left by the absence of his searing football insight and top-tier banter, subscribers can at least rest easy, safe in the knowledge that the inevitable montage of his 'best bits' shown at the end of Saturday night's Bigger Cup broadcast should be mercifully brief. [Mikel Arteta] had time to get a nine, he had time … Manchester United played five finals in the last five years. The United that everyone laughs at played five finals. In the last three years of building that building, you didn't reach a final, so I do understand when people ask the question. Surely you should compete for a trophy, being in the final?' – Thierry Henry doesn't hold back in outlining frustrations at Arsenal's failure to sign a goalscorer, reach a final or win a trophy this season. 'Entries on The Knowledge are always worth reading, but the clip showing Jeff Astle's tap-in against Leeds after an outrageous non-offside call was especially entertaining. The referee's howler was the main feature, of course, but three cameos really made it memorable: the old chap in the St John's ambulance uniform, chuckling away at Astle's celebration; Don Revie showing untameable outrage by the old-school method of pursing his lips and shaking his head; and the highlight, a fleeting shot of a man in a suit, who could only be Arthur Scargill, being hauled off the pitch protesting against the injustice of it all. Glory days indeed' – Charles Antaki. 'Re Tuesday's Football Daily, can I be amongst the first of 1,057 pedants to point out that Chelsea came fourth, not fifth' – Matthew Purchase (and 1,056 others). Send letters to . Today's prizeless letter o' the day winner is … Charles Antaki. Terms and conditions for our competitions can be viewed . This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, .
France 24
12 hours ago
- Sport
- France 24
No more bling: How PSG earned Europe's respect ahead of Champions League final
Over the years, PSG's star-studded, overpriced squads have racked up a depressing list of Champions League fiascos, acquiring an unwanted reputation as careless spenders without a game plan. With the likes of Neymar, Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi now gone, the French champions have a golden opportunity to set the record straight on Saturday when they take on Inter Milan in the Champions League final. The showdown in Munich is a remarkable achievement for coach Luis Enrique, who has stripped his squad of superstars and molded it into a youthful, cohesive and forward-minded force. In the process, he has helped change perceptions of the Qatari-owned club both at home and abroad. 'PSG have reviewed their plans, giving sporting consistency and achievement priority over glitz and glamour,' says football consultant Xavier Barret. 'This reset began two years ago with the decision not to renew Lionel Messi, to sell off Neymar and then eventually to let Mbappé go too, even if reluctantly.' Speaking at the Parc des Princes ahead of PSG's quarter-final against Aston Villa, Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel credited the club's change of strategy with turning the Parisians into tournament favourites. 'Getting rid of the Galactico stars and bringing in all the hungry young players (...) who play as a team, that's a new thing here in Paris,' said the 1999 Champions League winner. 'This is the best PSG team I've seen in all these years of coming here.' Becoming 'likeable' The reset coincided with the arrival of Luis Enrique, whose style of play and winning record have earned the respect of fans and opponents, says former PSG defender and captain Éric Rabésandratana. 'Once you start winning against the top clubs in Europe – and in style – people start looking at you differently,' says the football pundit for FRANCE 24's sister radio RFI. 'Luis Enrique has put in place a game plan that is very testing for opponents. There are so many permutations between players and between positions that it drives opponents crazy,' he adds. 'It's the culmination of a transition that began last season and is now bearing fruit.' Teamwork, selflessness and tactical discipline – traits that were so lacking in past seasons – have become hallmarks of Luis Enrique's PSG. They were on full display in the semi-final against Arsenal, which saw January signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia cancel out Bukayoko Saka in defence while also leading PSG's counterattacks. 'Would PSG have signed a player like 'Kvara' in the Messi-Neymar era? Certainly not. But today, there's consistency to the club's transfer policy,' notes Barret, for whom the Parisians have become 'likeable because they play very well and are young.' The French champions have the most youthful team in the competition, averaging just 24. Should they win on Saturday, they would become the second youngest to lift the Champions League trophy after the Ajax Amsterdam squad that triumphed in 1994-1995. Their multi-pronged attack is especially precocious, with 19-year-old Désiré Doué and 22-year-old Bradley Barcola starring alongside talismanic striker Ousmane Dembélé, who will surely be a serious contender for the Ballon d'Or should PSG defeat Inter Milan. Remarkably, Luis Enrique's squad combines youth with the tactical nous required of top-tier European football. 'When you look at this team, you see quality players who work together and have the same objective,' says Rabésandratana. 'This mentality is precisely what you need to succeed at the highest level.' Composure, on and off the pitch Mental toughness is another quality that was sorely lacking in past PSG teams, but which Dembélé and his teammates appear to have acquired. The Parisians showed unprecedented grit in late January when they fought back from two goals down against Manchester City at the Parc des Princes, narrowly averting an early exit from the tournament. The turnaround stood in stark contrast with past collapses, from the infamous 2017 'Remontada' in Barcelona to their home implosion against a woeful Manchester United two years later. The players' composure has mirrored the club's greater sobriety off the pitch, too, with Luis Enrique able to manage his squad free from the capricious demands of superstar players and the club's Qatari owners. 'PSG have given Luis Enrique a free hand when it comes to choosing players in agreement with sporting director Luis Campos, who has done a fantastic job as he did previously at Monaco and Lille,' says Barret. Ditching their past smugness, PSG now seem to be cultivating values that win over the fans, including professionalism and a certain form of simplicity, exemplified by Luis Enrique cycling to the training ground or chatting casually with supporters. 'It's a very positive thing because at the end of the day it's a sport, and in sport what's most important are the values,' the coach told a press conference ahead of the return leg against Arsenal. 01:44 After years of bitter disappointment in Europe, both the club's supporters and sports commentators have faith in this new-look PSG. 'It's the first time that the public and the media want to see PSG win,' a Parc des Princes regular told AFP, noting that there was 'much less antipathy' towards this team than in the past. Barret is predicting a win for Luis Enrique's men, banking on the Parisians' youthful enthusiasm against an ageing Inter side. 'If there's ever a time for Paris Saint-Germain to win the Champions League, surely it's now,' adds Rabésandratana. 'But in football, you're never safe from a red card, an injury, anything. It's not always enough to deserve the win.'
The Independent
14 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
How Guardiola's 2-4-4 formation has saved Man City's season
Despite a rotten run in the winter and an injury to Erling Haaland, Manchester City 's 2-1 victory over Aston Villa has them back in 3rd place in the Premier League. With Champions League qualification looking a certainty, Adam Clery looks at what was going wrong for them, and how Pep Guardiola has completely reinvented the team since.
The Sun
15 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Steven Gerrard ‘REJECTS chance to be next Rangers manager after his wife makes huge lifestyle choice'
STEVEN GERRARD is reportedly set to pull out of the race to become the next Rangers boss. The Liverpool legend was one of the front-runners to take over the reins at Ibrox alongside former Real Madrid assistant Davide Ancelotti and ex-Southampton boss Russell Martin. 3 3 3 But, just hours after shareholder Dave King gave him his backing when he said he was the "obvious choice", it looks like he's dropping out of contention. King felt Gerrard had "unfinished business" at Ibrox after leading the club to the Premiership title in 2021 before joining Aston Villa months later. He told SunSport on Wednesday: "'From Steven's point of view and where he is at the moment, I think he'd love nothing more than to come back and take on the challenge of restoring the club. 'It's not just about one title. The project we hope we're starting is to make Rangers the dominant No 1 team in Scotland." But according to the Daily Record, sources say Gerrard and his family have opted to stay in the Middle East for at least another year in what is being described as a "lifestyle" choice. The report claims it's not to do with a potential huge tax bill facing Gerrard if he returns to work in the UK after being in Saudi Arabia as Al-Ettifaq boss as he is now exempt. That would seemingly open the door to remaining contenders former Madrid assistant Davide Ancelotti, ex-Feyenoord boss Brian Priske and former Southampton boss Russell Martin. It's believed Rangers is Ancelotti's number one choice, with news expected on that front in the next couple of days, according to the BBC. The 35-year-old has been assistant to his legendary father Carlo at Madrid, Bayern Munich, Napoli and Everton but now looks set to go out on his own. But if things are dragged out longer, the Gers could miss their window to land the Italian if that is who they want. Russell Martin is also expected to meet with club representatives this week to make a fresh pitch to become the next Rangers boss. American health tycoon Andrew Cavenagh, who is the driving force behind the takeover, is also expected to be in Europe this week to take a leading role in the final stages of the hiring process.
