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Aston Villa Prepare Bid to Sign Ilaix Moriba, Unai Emery Loves Him

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Aston Villa are preparing a bid to sign Celta Vigo star Ilaix Moriba this summer to bolster their midfield, according to Sports Boom.

The Villans have secured their place in the Champions League next season following their 4-2 win over Liverpool in the Premier League last week, while they are also currently preparing to compete against Freiburg in the Europa League final, as they look to end a 44-year trophy drought.

Emery has identified the midfield area as one that he wants reinforcements in heading into the new campaign, and a priority target has now been identified despite the window not yet being open.

Aston Villa Frontrunners to Sign Moriba

Ilaix Moriba

Moriba, who has been described as ‘the next Paul Pogba’, came through the famed La Masia academy at Barcelona but has struggled to nail down a place at several clubs, with spells at RB Leipzig, Valencia and Getafe, before joining Celta permanently last summer.

The 23-year-old has excelled for the La Liga side this season across 46 appearances in all competitions, and his performances have now attracted the interest of a number of clubs, including Aston Villa and Brighton in the Premier League.

Celta’s financial situation means that they are open to a sale this summer for a fee of around £26m, and Villa are understood to be leading the race for the Guinea international.

Emery is noted to be a huge admirer of the midfielder’s qualities, and believes he could step into the side and help them to control the rhythm of games more, having been a fan for a long period of time.

Villa are said to be preparing an offer worth around £17.3m plus add-ons to convince Celta to sell up, but they are likely to demand more as they will owe 10% of any fee they receive to Barcelona. Moriba is currently under contract until 2029.

Moriba Arrival Could Be Shrewd Business

Unai Emery

Emery has been an unequivocal success at Aston Villa since replacing Steven Gerrard, and one of the reasons for that has been his and the club’s excellent recruitment strategies.

The Spaniard’s ability to identify players that fit his system perfectly, and then maximise their talent and quality once they arrive, has been second to none, and that suggests that the signing of Moriba could be a brilliant bit of business to prepare for next season.

His quality on the ball is excellent, and he has the physique and engine to shine in English football too. At under £30m, it would be an absolute steal.


Aston Villa manager Unai Emery gives the thumbs-up


Aston Villa Confident of Beating Leeds in Race to Sign ‘Magical’ Star

Aston Villa are in a strong position to secure his signature.

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New Footage Shows Lisandro Martinez ‘Struck’ a Spain Player

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Ugly scenes marred the closing moments of the World Cup final, as tempers boiled over between Argentina and Spain players on the pitch once the full-time whistle blew.

Players and coaches from both camps got involved in an attempt to defuse everything, with a host of separate incidents taking place over the course of three minutes.

Several individual moments have already drawn scrutiny in the days since, with clips of the chaos spreading rapidly across social media and prompting FIFA to launch an investigation into Argentina’s conduct.

Now, a new angle of a specific incident has emerged online, and it appears to show one of the ugliest moments of the entire meltdown.

Lisandro Martinez’s Unceremonious Statement Causes Backlash

Lisandro Martinez after the World Cup final REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian

In the aftermath, defender Lisandro Martinez posted a message on social media, leading fans to brand him and Argentina “so unlikeable,” before calling them the worst sort of losers in decades:

“With a heavy heart for not having been able to bring home the cup that we all deserved, but with pride bursting at the seams for this jersey, for my teammates, the coaching staff, the executives, the medical team, the cooks, the kit men, and every single person who was involved to make all of this work in the best possible way.”

He continued: “I want to congratulate Spain on their well-deserved title. We defended our colours far beyond the pitch and shared unforgettable moments with the National Team, alongside our families and with the unwavering support of all Argentinians.

“Remember that ‘the fall of the great is the joy of the mediocre’.”

“Thank you all so much. Let’s take care of our country. I love you, Argentina!”

Lisandro Martinez injury REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian

The freshly surfaced clip appears to show Martinez himself getting physically involved, with footage suggesting the Manchester United defender ‘punched’ Spain midfielder Gavi in the face.

The moment came after Leandro Paredes threw the 20-year-old Barcelona man to the ground, which had already caused enough chaos in itself.

See the incident between Lisandro Martinez and Gavi below:

With the video gaining traction online, scrutiny on Argentina’s conduct after the final looks set to intensify further, adding yet another unwanted moment to an already chaotic post-match scene.

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10 English Clubs With the Most Fan Arrests in the 2025/26 Season

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Police in England and Wales are pushing for extra funding to help manage matchday disorder, and the case for it just got stronger.

According to the Home Office, arrestable incidents were logged at 1,644 fixtures in England and Wales during the 2025-26 season, the highest total recorded since the UK Football Policing Unit began tracking the figures in 2017-18.

Fees correct prior to summer 2026

All 10 found — excellent!

Now, a full breakdown of football fan arrests by club for the season has been released, and the numbers make for uncomfortable reading.

Some of the country’s biggest Premier League clubs feature prominently on the list, and the gap between several of them is narrow, painting a picture of an issue that isn’t confined to any one corner of the game. Here’s how every club in the top ten compares.

10. Tottenham Hotspur – 52 arrests

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium general view

Spurs round out the bottom of the list with 52 football-related arrests across the 2025/26 season. Not the number any club wants to have attached to their name, but being the best of a bad bunch in this situation isn’t something to shout about.

9. Liverpool – 52 arrests

Anfield

Liverpool are tied with Tottenham on 52 arrests, but edge higher due to the larger number of banning orders among their fans. For a club with one of the largest travelling fanbases in the country, it’s a figure that will raise concerns despite sitting at the lower end of this list.

8. Portsmouth – 55 arrests

Portsmouth Fans Action Images/Paul Childs

Portsmouth’s inclusion stands out as they are one of only two clubs outside the Premier League’s usual big-city clubs to feature prominently, with 55 arrests recorded over the season.

7. Leeds United – 59 arrests

Elland Road-1

Leeds United’s return to the top-flight has come with 59 football-related arrests, a reminder of the intensity that runs through the club’s fans regardless of division.

6. Everton – 62 arrests

Hill Dickinson Stadium Jason Cairnduff via Reuters

Everton sit on 10 more arrests than Liverpool with 62, meaning the two Merseyside clubs combine for 114 arrests when their respective stadiums sit less than two miles apart.

5. Millwall – 63 arrests

the den millwall

Millwall’s reputation precedes them at times, and 63 arrests this season keep that narrative alive, placing them fifth on the list. With bitter rivals West Ham now playing Championship football next season, this number could easily inflate for Millwall by this time next year, as well as see West Ham enter the list, who currently hold the most banning orders of any club in England and Wales (121).

4. Arsenal – 66 arrests

Premier League title shown with Arsenal ribbons of red and white

Titleholders Arsenal racked up 66 arrests, reflecting the scale of their fanbase and the number of high-profile fixtures they’ve been involved in across the last season, both in the Premier League and Champions League.

3. Manchester United – 67 arrests

Old Trafford

Manchester United sit third with 67 arrests, a figure that comes as little surprise given the size and reach of their support both home and away, with almost 18% of their fanbase coming from London.

2. Chelsea – 76 arrests

Chelsea flag

Chelsea take second spot, and with it the most in London with 76 arrests, some way clear of Man Utd, but still miles behind the club at the very top of this list.

1. Manchester City – 102 arrests

Etihad Stadium Reuters/Jason Cairnduff

Manchester City top the table by some distance, with 102 football-related arrests recorded across the 2025-26 season, well over a third more than second-placed Chelsea. To make matters worse for City, the club also sit behind West Ham in second overall for the most banning orders racked up, with 86.

Rank

Club

Football-Related Fan Arrests (2025-26)

1

Manchester City

102

2

Chelsea

76

3

Manchester United

67

4

Arsenal

66

5

Millwall

63

6

Everton

62

7

Leeds United

59

8

Portsmouth

55

9

Liverpool

52

10

Tottenham Hotspur

52

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The Truth About Barcola to Liverpool + Argentina Reaction to World Cup Final

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Olivia Buzaglo and Ben Jacobs are live with the latest edition of Market Madness, bringing you breaking transfer news, expert insight and all the biggest talking points from across football.

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