Sports
Aston Villa Agreed £30m Deal to Sign Newcastle Star Osula
After what looked to be a strange summer transfer window and a slow start to the Premier League season, Aston Villa now look to be back on track under Unai Emery as they chase a Champions League finish once again.
The Villans were forced to sell midfielder Jacob Ramsey to help raise funds, but also managed to keep hold of experienced goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez despite strong interest from elsewhere. The club were quiet on their own arrivals until the final few days of the window, too.
Having signed goalkeeper Marco Bizot and forward Evann Guessand, Villa then brought in Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho on deadline day to bolster the attack, as well as Victor Lindelof on a free transfer for the defence. But it has now emerged that they also had a deal agreed for another striker to join too.
Aston Villa Agreed £30m Will Osula Deal
William Osula, who has been compared to France superstar Kylian Mbappe, looked set to depart Newcastle United on deadline day and head for the Bundesliga, with Eintracht Frankfurt agreeing a £30m deal to take him as Hugo Ekitike’s replacement.
But the German side had a change of heart and tried to alter their deal to a loan, which saw the move fall apart and he stayed at St James’ Park. However, it has now been revealed by the Daily Mail that Aston Villa also agreed a permanent move for the Frenchman, only for Newcastle to back out at the last minute.
Emery’s side have struggled for goals this season, with Ollie Watkins in particular not his usual self in front of goal. But £30m for Osula was not only a huge gamble, but it would also surely have been a complete waste of money when looking at how his season has gone.
In the Premier League and Champions League so far, Osula has managed just 190 minutes of action and one start for the Magpies, despite the Magpies having their own issues in attack.
While Sancho and Elliott have hardly hit the ground running, bringing in a project like Osula for a team that needs results immediately would have been a disaster, and it’s fair to say that the 22-year-old surely wouldn’t have made an ounce of difference to the way the team has performed thus far.
Ultimately, for a team short on cash and having to be picky about their transfer business, Newcastle pulling the plug on Osula was a good thing for Aston Villa and they can surely now consider it to be a bullet dodged.
Sports
Man Utd Eyeing Move to Sign Lille Star Matias Fernandez-Pardo
Manchester United are not only looking to bolster their midfield options this summer, with a new left-winger also being looked at for the transfer window.
Jadon Sancho has officially left after his contract expired, while Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund have departed permanently, leaving the club short of options in attack for the new season. Marcus Rashford is now an option to return to the first-team fold after Barcelona opted against making his loan permanent, but there are still options being looked at.
One of those is understood to be West Ham star Crysencio Summerville, but the club are also looking at alternatives, including one Ligue 1 sensation.
Man Utd Eyeing Fernandez-Pardo
According to Sky Sports, Lille star Matias Fernandez-Pardo has emerged as a potential target for Man Utd as they look to bolster their forward options.
Fernandez-Pardo, who has been described as ‘one of the most promising forwards in Europe’, enjoyed a fine breakout season in Ligue 1 in the 2025/26 season as he scored eight goals and registered six assists in all competitions.
The 21-year-old is capable of playing on both wings and also as a number ten, and Man Utd have identified the youngster as a potential option to come in and strengthen their forward line, as they prepare to enter the Champions League following their third-placed finish in the Premier League.
While there has been no formal contact or approach yet, United are alert to market opportunities at either left-wing or left-back, with a belief that Patrick Dorgu is capable of playing in both positions if needed.
Fernandez-Pardo has also attracted the attention of clubs like Newcastle and Aston Villa this summer, but Lille are understood to be holding out for a big fee for their star forward as they look to keep hold of him for at least another campaign.
Fernandez-Pardo Could Be Wildcard Signing
Carrick has made it abundantly clear that if it were up to him a new left-winger would be coming into the squad this summer.
The potential return of Rashford has potentially lessened that need for an immediate starter to come in, but he can’t and won’t play every game, while it’s fair to say that Dorgu and Matheus Cunha are both at their best in different roles.
Adding Fernandez-Pardo to the squad would provide quality depth and competition for the attacking positions, and his versatility means he’d be a welcome addition at Old Trafford for the right price too.
Sports
Everton Eyeing Deal to Sign Man City Star Rico Lewis
Everton are pushing to make some big additions to their squad this summer, and David Moyes has identified another option that could come in and do just that.
The Toffees are yet to formally announce any deals during the current transfer window, but have already agreed deals for Middlesbrough star Hayden Hackney and Chelsea starlet Arthur Barratt, while they are also closing in on an agreement for Chelsea winger Tyrique George following his loan at the club last season.
But after allowing Seamus Coleman to depart at the end of his contract, and with Nathan Patterson expected to be on the move, a right-back has been eyed as a priority position to strengthen.
Everton Eyeing Rico Lewis
Jack Grealish is someone that the club are very keen on bringing in from Man City on a permanent deal if they can, but TEAMtalk now report that his City teammate Rico Lewis has now also emerged as a target.
The right-back, who has been described as ‘extraordinary’, struggled for regular first-team football in the 2025/26 campaign under Pep Guardiola, having lost his place as a starter to Matheus Nunes.
Now, despite Guardiola being replaced by Enzo Maresca, it has emerged that the five-time England international will be allowed to leave this summer, with all parties believing a transfer is in their best interests.
Everton are understood to be a club who could emerge as serious contenders for his signature, with his homegrown status versatility and availability making him a genuine target.
Lewis has played in both full-back positions as well as midfield under Guardiola, and it’s the type of deal that could help Everton to fill a number of holes in their squad for a relatively modest fee. Both Lewis and City are open to an exit, although no asking price has been mentioned.
Everton Need Right-Back Additions
With Coleman no longer a player at the club, and Patterson expected to move on, Everton are light on options at right-back heading into the new season.
Recently it has been Jake O’Brien playing there, but he is a centre-back by trade and bringing in someone with an engine and an offensive threat from full-back would provide some exciting new options.
Lewis can do that, while also being comfortable playing in midfield if needed, and it could be a shrewd bit of business for the Toffees to get done, and may even help to build a relationship with City that could see a deal for Grealish, and potentially others, easier to do in the future.
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Everton are looking at options to improve their frontline this summer, and have explored a move for an Arsenal star.
Sports
VAR Expert Casts Clear Verdict on Folarin Balogun Red Card vs Bosnia
A VAR expert has provided a strong verdict after USA forward Folarin Balogun was controversially shown a straight red card during the 2026 World Cup Round of 32 clash against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Wednesday night.
Balogun, the former Arsenal and England youngster who currently plies his trade at club level for AS Monaco, put the USA 1-0 up on the stroke of half-time.
But he was left heartbroken midway through the second half when Brazilian referee Raphael Claus showed him a straight red card for a foul on Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic following a VAR review.
While the incident looked relatively innocuous in real time, slow-motion replays made the incident appear far more serious. “I think it is accidental, but that looks horrible,” BBC Sport commentator Jonathan Pearce said at the time. “I think there is only one outcome here.”
The referee then announced to the crowd: “The number 20, United States, committed a serious foul. The final decision is red card.” Watch the incident below:
Pochettino: It’s Never a Red Card
Despite playing the final 25 minutes with 10 men, the USMNT secured an impressive 2-0 victory at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, with Malik Tillman doubling the joint-hosts’ advantage late on.
The USA will now be without Balogun, their top scorer at this summer’s tournament with three goals, when they face Belgium in the last 16 on Monday night.
“For me it’s never a red card,” USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino said in his post-match press conference, per the Independent. “Watching after on TV… there was never intention to step on the player.
“[It’s] a normal action in football that happened by accident. It’s never intentional. That is why for me it’s never a red card.
“I think today, the 50/50 decisions, not one went for us. The players reacted very well, we controlled that emotional part of the game, how they managed the situation was amazing, we were mature enough to continue competing.”
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VAR Expert Casts Clear Verdict Over Balogun Red Card Decision
Amid the intense debate over whether or not Balogun deserved a straight red card, VAR expert Andy Davies has provided a firm verdict in his ESPN column. Davies says:
“Balogun can feel unfortunate to be red carded in this situation as, in my opinion, this was not a red card offence.”
He continued: “With both players challenging for ball, the contact from Balogun on Muharemovic, while it looked bad in slow motion, was purely accidental and an unfortunate result from two players challenging for possession of the ball in a normal football movement.”
Curiously, it’s suggested that a VAR protocol was broken with this particular review. Davies adds:
“VAR made their recommendation to the referee based on slow-motion and still replays, which is not aligned with VAR protocols, as these should be used for only point-of-contact purposes in a red card tackle situation.
“Once at the screen, however, it would have been a surprise if the referee did not send off Balogun considering the pictures he was presented by VAR.”
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Meanwhile, a FIFA official has confirmed to The Athletic that a team cannot appeal against a red card of subsequent suspension. The official pointed to its regulations and Article 66.4, which states: “A sending-off automatically incurs suspension from the subsequent match. The FIFA judicial bodies may impose additional match suspensions and other disciplinary measures.”
As a result, Balogun is currently ruled out of the Belgium fixture and could miss further games – provided the US reach the quarter-finals – should FIFA’s disciplinary committee choose to extend the suspension.
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