In the modern era, there are few better midfielders than Xavi Hernandez. The Spaniard was the beating heart of an iconic Barcelona side that is considered among the greatest sports teams of all time.

At Barca, he won five La Liga titles, three Copa del Rey titles and three Champions League titles, while also lifting the World Cup with Spain and two European Championships. In short, there were very few opponents Xavi came up against and struggled to deal with.

That said, there was one Englishman who made quite the impression.

Xavi Backed English Goalkeeper to ‘Succeed at Barcelona’

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Back in 2013, Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes was expected to leave at the end of the season. With his future in doubt, Xavi spoke about wanting an English player to come in and take the job.

As quoted by the Metro, the Barcelona star was keen on seeing Fraser Forster join him at the Camp Nou. He explained:

Messi Also Was Impressed By Celtic Star Forster

In hindsight, it seems quite strange to see one of the greatest midfielders of all time speaking so highly of a player like Forster. After all, the Englishman would only win six caps for his country between 2013 and 2016.

Forster left Celtic for Southampton in a £10m deal within a year of Xavi’s comments and spent eight years with the English club, including one back on loan at Celtic, before heading to Tottenham as back-up. He departed Spurs in 2025 and now, aged 38, plays for Bournemouth, although he is yet to make a competitive appearance for the Cherries.

The reason Xavi was such a fan, however, was that they’d met in the Champions League and the Englishman always seemed to step up. Playing against Barcelona on four occasions in total, Forster delivered perhaps the performance of his career when he helped his side pick up a shock 2-1 win in 2012.

It was so good, in fact, Lionel Messi later would claim it was the best goalkeeping display he ever saw, noting: “The performances of Fraser Forster against us were talked about for a long time. There was one game in Scotland where he was not human. It is the best goalkeeping performance I have seen.”

Adding to this, Xavi would also go on to name the former Celtic star in his all-time British XI. He explained: “Barcelona have met Celtic four times in recent seasons, and every time Forster put in an incredible performance. In the games we’ve played, he’s made some of the best saves I have ever seen.”

While Forster didn’t quite go on to have the career many expected of him, he will forever be able to proudly recall the night he left the likes of Xavi and Messi glowing with admiration.

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Aston Villa are showing a genuine interest in bringing a former Manchester United star back to the Premier League.

Unai Emery’s squad is undergoing a rebuild following the departures of Morgan Rogers and Youri Tielemans. The pair were crucial members of the Villans’ team that won the Europa League last season and, as such, needed to be replaced.

Villa have since swooped for Johan Manzambi and Joao Gomes and the latter made his competitive debut in a 2-1 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup this week. But the West Midlands outfit’s business isn’t over yet and they are now trying to add a new full-back to Emery’s squad.

Aston Villa Want Wan-Bissaka

After sealing a deal with Atletico Madrid to sign Italian left-back Matteo Ruggeri, Villa are now looking to sign West Ham United right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The Congolese defender has been expected to move this summer following the Hammers’ relegation.

Romano gave an update on the club’s interest in Wan-Bissaka and revealed that they are trying to sign the player. He said on his YouTube channel:

Wan-Bissaka has spent his whole career in the Premier League, rising through the youth ranks at Crystal Palace before earning a £50 million move to Manchester United in 2019. His time at Old Trafford was full of ups and downs but he earned recognition as one of the best one-on-one defenders in the Premier League.

The 28-year-old left for West Ham in the summer of 2024 for £15 million and there are some who believe the Red Devils regret letting him go. He has been a nuisance when facing his former side, including in a 1-1 draw back in January 2025.

Former Villa defender Micah Richards raved about his performance on The Rest is Football podcast:

Aston Villa transfer targets

Emery could be enticed to move for Wan-Bissaka, not least because of his Premier League experience, but also because of his defensive brilliance. He has also improved going forward during his time at the London Stadium.

There’s no mention of a fee and how much West Ham are demanding for the DR Congo international. He still has six years left on his contract, which rules out the possibility of a cut-price deal.

If Wan-Bissaka were to join Villa, he’d become the latest player to have headed to Villa Park after a spell at Manchester United. The likes of Peter Schmeichel, Paul McGrath, Dion Dublin and Ashley Young encountered similar career paths.

Emery’s Choice: Aaron Wan-Bissaka or Matty Cash

Villa are looking to hand Matty Cash competition at right-back, and Wan-Bissaka will do just that given his defensive abilities. They are two contrasting full-backs.

Cash enjoyed a superb past season and has become an important player in Emery’s team. But with a return to the Champions League on the horizon, a move for the West Ham makes perfect sense.

Defensive: Wan-Bissaka would get the nod over Cash as he very rarely loses duels. His recovery timing and trademark slide tackle could be extremely beneficial for Emery come next season.

Attack: Cash is the man for the job, capable of putting an inch-perfect cross into the box. He also links up well with his attacking teammates and is better on the ball than the former Red Devil.

Stats courtesy of Premier League – correct as of 14/08/2026

Verdict: Who is better for this Villa team? Simply both of them, given their contrasting profiles. If Villa come up against a team with a world-class winger, Wan-Bissaka could completely nullify their threat while if Emery expects his side to be in control of a game, Cash is the one to help build by providing attacking width.

Fabrizio Romano has given an update on Newcastle United‘s pursuit of Benfica full-back Amar Dedic as the Magpies look to strengthen Matthias Jaissle’s squad.

Just nine days remain until the Magpies start the new Premier League season and do so under Jaissle following his appointment as Eddie Howe’s replacement. The German coach has arrived during a difficult time at St James’ Park amid the departures of Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes.

Kieran Trippier left at the end of last season following the expiration of his contract. Signing a versatile full-back to help address his exit has been one of the club’s main priorities, and they are edging closer to signing Dedic.

Newcastle Edging Closer To Dedic Deal

A deal for Dedic is moving into the final stages and he has agreed on a move to Tyneside. That’s according to Romano, who delved into the club’s pursuit of the Bosnian with a post on X:

A package worth €30 million (£25.6m) is on the cards, and if a deal is completed, Dedic will become Newcastle’s sixth summer signing and another young addition to a squad that is undergoing a rebuild.

The 23-year-old is a right-back by trade but can also operate as a left-back, which will be hugely beneficial given Tino Livramento’s injury struggles. Lewis Hall has been the subject of speculation amid interest from Manchester United, but the club made clear he’s not for sale.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Roberto De Zerbi is certainly a fan of Dedic, having coached him at Marseille. He spoke highly of the full-back back in February 2025:

Miralem Pjanic explained his playing style and Newcastle fans will be enthused: “His first touch, always directed forward, is an obsession for him. He constantly looks to create chances, take players on, overlap, or combine to get into the box.”

Stats courtesy of SofaScore – correct as of 14/08/2026

Jaissle will be keen to work with Dedic before the season gets underway, given he is starting to implement his ideas. That said, a deal doesn’t seem likely to occur before the final pre-season friendly against Strasbourg on Sunday.

Much to Like About Newcastle’s Business

REUTERS/Ibraheem Al Omari via Action Images

Newcastle may have lost three star men, but their transfer business has slightly gone under the radar. Czech goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek has been excellent in Liga Portugal for Braga in recent seasons and could be a worthy Nick Pope replacement for £25.7m, especially when their former target James Trafford cost Leeds United £40m.

Ivorian winger Bazoumana Toure is an exciting addition to Jaissle’s squad and while still raw he has bags of potential at just 20. Young midfield duo Aladji Bamba and Sean Steur have also arrived and could be long-term heirs to Tonali and Guimaraes further down the line.

via Reuters

That’s not to say that the Magpies don’t need proven names to help address those who have been sold. A new midfielder is still on the agenda, and the latest name linked to Brighton & Hove Albion is Carlos Baleba.

Newcastle transfer targets

It’s thought that the Tyneside outfit are considering a move for the Cameroonian who has long been wanted at Old Trafford. They have also been eyeing Bayern Munich’s Joao Palhinha, although Aston Villa are also chasing the former Premier League midfielder.