Aston Villa are looking to recover from a nightmare 24 hours in which they lost two key first-team stars after their release clauses were triggered.

The Villans were rocked when Manchester United triggered the £35m exit clause in Youri Tielemans’ contract on Monday morning, before European champions PSG informed them later in the day that they would be triggering the clause in Lucas Digne’s contract to sign him for a fee worth less than £10m.

Now Unai Emery is keen to rebuild the squad ahead of a campaign which will see the team competing in the Champions League once more, and the club have made a bid to replace one of those stars.

Aston Villa Make Offer for Estupinan

REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura

According to a report by SportMediaset, Aston Villa have tabled a bid to sign AC Milan left-back Pervis Estupinan to replace Digne.

Estupinan, who has been described as ‘phenomenal’, left the Premier League to join the Serie A side last summer but struggled to make an impact, and is now considered to be surplus to requirements by new manager Ruben Amorim.

Emery worked with the Ecuador international during their time together at Villarreal, and has identified the 28-year-old as the man he wants in his squad to replace the PSG-bound Frenchman.

Villa are understood to have tabled a bid worth between €10m-12m (£8.5m-10.2m), but Milan are holding out for a fee closer to €18m (£15.3m) to allow him to move on, having paid £17m to take him away from Brighton 12 months ago.

Talks are ongoing between the clubs to find an agreement, and all parties are working to bridge the gap in valuation, with a deal expected to happen.

It’s understood that Emery is the man driving the deal behind the scenes at Villa Park, and Milan have opened the door to his departure.

Estupinan and Emery is a Great Match

Emery knows his system and demands better than anyone else, and it’s no surprise that most of the deals he has asked for during his time in the Midlands have ended up being a success.

The Spanish manager knows Estupinan well, and the defender himself knows the demands of the Premier League and what is required to be a success in Emery’s system. At the reported fee, it’s a sensible idea for Villa to go for someone who will need limited time to adapt, while also replacing the experience and quality they are losing in Digne.

Villa have been very good at bouncing back from disappointment in the market in recent years, and this is another chance for them to show they belong in the big time with the way they get their business done on and off the pitch.

Manchester United have been dealt a blow in their bid to land a proven Premier League attacker this summer. The Red Devils have been concentrating on their midfield business over recent weeks, ultimately deciding to cancel the Ederson deal and snap up Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans for a combined £86million instead.

That was smart business from United, who were almost tempted into spending £85million for Mateus Fernandes alone recently, only for Tottenham to win the race to sign the midfielder. But as Carrick and his recruitment staff turn their attention to strengthening the full-back and wing positions, there is another West Ham star who has attracted their interest.

Summerville could be heading to Roma this summer

via Reuters

West Ham and Netherlands star Crysencio Summerville is a player Carrick is very interested in signing and is reportedly their ‘top’ target, according to recent reports, but European club might just have stolen a march on the winger, according to a fresh report.

According to Gianluca Di Marzio, AS Roma are now pushing for a deal for the Dutchman. He wrote on X: “@OfficialASRoma Summerville’s agents are already in the city, possible meeting today. Meanwhile, Jorge Mendes is working to convince Behdad Eghbali to accept the offers for Garnacho and Moreira.”

The report comes after Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini confirmed the club’s owners had arrived in the city to push ahead with the club’s transfer business this summer, so it’s possible the Summerville talks could speed up from here.

United may have a small window to make their move if they want to land the winger this summer.

Summerville a perfect fit for Man Utd’s transfer strategy

Summerville has been a key player for West Ham, and Troy Deeney said when speaking about him last summer: “It feels like week after week we are talking about this guy. He has been fantastic for West Ham, cutting in on his right foot and scoring goals.”

Beyond his talent, Summerville fits United’s recent transfer strategy, which has revolved largely around signing players who have proven themselves in the Premier League already. The strategy, which has seen the likes of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo signed, takes a significant portion of the risk out of a signing, given it can take players time to adapt to the Premier League, and some never manage it.

Summerville fits that mould having impressed in the top flight with both Leeds and West Ham, but he might just be slipping away.

US police have issued a statement after the FBI warned England vs Argentina is the ‘highest-risk’ fixture at this year’s World Cup. The Three Lions face their toughest test in modern history when they come up against the reigning champions in Atlanta, Georgia, on Wednesday night.

Thomas Tuchel’s side have rarely made things easy for themselves, having had to come from behind to beat both DR Congo and Norway, while their dramatic Round of 16 win over Mexico came against the backcloth of altitude and heat issues that threatened to take the spotlight away from the football itself.

Against a South American side supercharged by the world’s greatest footballer in Lionel Messi, England cannot afford to be anything less than their absolute best if they are to beat a nation inside the top four of the FIFA Men’s World Rankings at a major international tournament for the first time in their history.

Us Police Statement Issued As England vs Argentina Tensions Rise

REUTERS/Issei Kato

As per The Mirror, the FBI, FIFA and police met on Monday as they sought to discuss the historical divide between the two nations and concerns over issues that could escalate between supporters.

Ahead of the game, the Atlanta Police Department have said: “As Atlanta prepares to host an upcoming FIFA World Cup semi-final match and welcomes increased numbers of residents and visitors, the Atlanta Police Department has enhanced its citywide public safety and security posture.

Argentina’s players have consistently chanted songs that include reference to the Falklands after matches, but their coach Lionel Scaloni has looked to focus purely on the football. He said: “The message to the Argentine people is that this is a soccer match. We’re going to face a great team with a great coach, but it is just a soccer match, nothing more than that.”

There has been a heavy police presence outside each team hotel, with a major focus on the area around the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Each nations’ entry point is different, with segregation for Wednesday night much more strict than it has been for the rest of the showpiece event.

Why England & Argentina Have Bad Blood

REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli via Action Images

The English-Argentine rivalry far transcends football with Argentina’s foreign minister this week stating their claim over the Falklands, which was swiftly rejected by Sir Keir Starmer. In 1982, following Argentina’s invasion, 907 people lost their lives in a conflict that saw Britain reassert control.

But, of course, there are also noteworthy occasions where football has helped add even more needle into the rivalry. Not least the 1986 World Cup semi-final, which saw Diego Maradona use his hand to punch the ball into the back of the net and help La Albiceleste reach that year’s final before eventually lifting the title.

In the 2026 edition, animosity towards the reigning champions has been at an all-time high thanks to murmurs of scandals and corruption that has seen them perceived to be favoured by FIFA as they look to defend their crown.