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Aston Villa are reportedly leading the race to sign Juventus forward Federico Chiesa, however the move could prove to be a repeat of the past for the Villans.

A report from Italian outlet Calciomercato earlier this week claimed that Villa have ‘led above all’ in the pursuit for the Italian winger, with the Turin giants reportedly keen to sell the 25-year-old this summer.

A separate report from the Daily Mail claimed that Juventus have ‘offered’ the former Fiorentina whiz to Premier League clubs, with Villa named as one of those interested.

Unai Emery is keen to equip his side with star quality this summer after securing European football next term, however not all stars are worth aiming for, as seen in the Midlands before.

Would Federico Chiesa be a good signing for Aston Villa?

Lauded as a “diamond” by scout Antonio Mango, Chiesa was once regarded as a shining light in Italy for his time at Fiorentina.

The 25-year-old was snatched up by Juventus back in 2020 on an initial two-year loan deal before making the move permanent last summer.

In his final full Serie A campaign with Fiorentina, the versatile attacker contributed to 19 goals in 34 appearances, scoring 10 and assisting nine in a dominant individual year to showcase his breakthrough as one of the continent's best.

The 2020/21 season marked his first in Turin, where he made 30 appearances and both scored and assisted eight goals in the process.

Since that campaign, the Italian has failed to hit over 30 appearances in a league term for Juve, in an unfortunate sequence of events that have seen him miss a host of game time due to injury.

An anterior cruciate ligament rupture in January 2022 saw the 25-year-old sidelined for 36 games, with his record not getting easier for the player, missing a total of an additional 55 days of action since his recovery.

Players that face individual battles with staying fit face cruel paths, whether that be struggling to rediscover form after time away from action, or returning to find their spot no longer vacant, with Chiesa discovering such hardships at Juventus.

Making just six starts in Serie A last season, the Genova-born gem has fallen down the pecking order in Massimiliano Allegri’s side, not helped by him scoring just four goals over the previous two league campaigns.

Villa could learn from past mistakes before opting to take the £51m plunge to sign Chiesa, who despite his fitness woes is a superb talent, but could present the Villans with more burdens than success.

Villa Park has seen such disappointment with Philippe Coutinho, who arrived in the Midlands in January 2022 with an extensive injury history and has struggled to perform since trading Catalonia for Birmingham permanently last summer.

In 2020, the Brazilian sustained a rupture to his knee, leaving him sidelined for a total of 220 days, which like Chiesa, didn’t mark the end of his injury woes, with the 31-year-old missing an additional 81 days on separate occasions after.

Since returning to England, the former Liverpool gem – who has been linked with a move away from the Midlands side this summer – has scored just six goals in 41 appearances in all competitions, while starting just seven league games for the Villans last campaign.

Spending on Chiesa could implement a repeat of the woes surrounding the fitness and lack of performance from Coutinho, using funds that could allow for a better-suited individual to grace Villa Park.

Tottenham Hotspur have now held talks with Lyon midfielder Rayan Cherki's representatives over a potential summer move to the Premier League, but they may face competition for his signature from Chelsea, according to a report from Football Transfers.

What's the latest Tottenham transfer news?

Tottenham have already made a number of attacking signings this summer, bringing in the likes of James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Manor Solomon. However, manager Ange Postecoglou is still keen to bolster his squad even further, recently saying:

“We’re working with the players we’ve got at the moment and I’m really happy with the way they are all working hard.

“But we’ve obviously still got time in the transfer window and we’re still looking to do some business.”

On Saturday night, Spurs were linked with a shock move for Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe, as the French club are now considering a sale, however, that move does not seem very likely, given that he will surely be keen to play Champions League football.

Postecoglou is tasked with finding a potential replacement for Harry Kane, amid the uncertainty over the striker's future, with reports from Germany recently detailing his wife and family have been spotted in Germany inquiring about houses and schools.

The Lilywhites have therefore made an approach for Fiorentina striker Arthur Cabral, although the report also claims they have several other names on the list of potential replacements for their talisman.

Tottenham are also seemingly still keen on another attacking midfielder, with Football Transfers recently reporting they have held talks with the representatives of Cherki in London.

The 19-year-old is said to be regarded as one of French football's hottest prospects, and he has been attracting the attention of some top Premier League clubs, with Chelsea also holding talks over a summer move.

As a result of their financial problems, Lyon would be open to selling the youngster, but only for the right price, having already knocked back an offer from Chelsea. The Blues are ready to make an offer of €40m (£35m) for the Lyon star, so Tottenham may have to move swiftly if they are to win the race for his signature.

What position does Rayan Cherki play?

The Frenchman is capable of playing in several attacking positions, including on both wings, and he has occasionally played as a striker, however, he has predominantly featured in an advanced midfield role throughout his career so far.

Lauded as a "difference-maker" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, the starlet ranks in the 84th percentile for assists per 90 in the past year, showcasing his creative flair, while he also places in the 97th percentile for shot-creating actions.

The Lyon-born attacker is still very young, but he has already established himself as a key first-team player with his current club, having made 34 Ligue 1 appearances last season, following up the 2021-22 campaign in which he made 27 outings.

As such, the indication is that Cherki would be able to push the likes of Maddison, Kulusevski and Heung-min Son for a starting spot from the get-go, and he could be a very good acquisition for Tottenham.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy has been in close contact with Paris Saint-Germain over a potential deal for Kylian Mbappe, according to a recent report from MARCA.

What's the latest on Kylian Mbappe's future?

Mbappe has not been included in PSG's squad for their upcoming pre-season tour of Japan and South Korea, with the French side making it clear that no player is more important than the club, and his future now appears to be in major doubt.

The 24-year-old seemingly has his sights set on a move to Real Madrid, with the same report detailing that he is prepared to sit out the entire 2023-24 campaign to seal a move to the Bernabeu on a free transfer, but the Spanish side are not the only potential suitors.

Saudi Arabian side Al HIlal are one of the clubs interested in signing the Frenchman, having already made contact with PSG to discuss a deal, with other reports claiming they have offered him an eye-watering £173.2m deal to join the club.

According to a report from MARCA, a whole host of Premier League clubs are also interested in signing the PSG star, including Manchester United, who would be keen on completing a deal regardless of whether they are taken over by Qatari owners.

Chelsea are also named as potential suitors, however their very delicate financial situation is currently being watched by UEFA, and they need to sell more players to balance the books before they can think about pursuing a move for the France international.

Spurs are one of the other Premier League clubs given a mention, with Levy allegedly having been in close contact with the PSG owners for quite some time, because the French champions were one of the teams to ask about Harry Kane.

Who is Kylian Mbappe signing for?

A move to Saudi Arabia would certainly raise a few eyebrows, however it could be hard to resist a package of £172.3m, with a number of other European players being tempted by a move to the up-and-coming Saudi Pro League this summer.

However, Real Madrid reportedly hold all the cards in the race to sign the former AS Monaco man, who has already made his mind up about moving to the Spanish capital, with an agreement already said to be in place.

As such, a move to Tottenham does not seem like a likely eventuality, particularly considering they do not have European football of any description on offer next season, which is likely to make it very difficult to lure the £1.2m-per-week superstar.

Of course, if Levy did somehow manage to pull off a deal for the attacker, he would undoubtedly be an excellent addition to the squad, in light of his performances for both club and country over the past few years.

Lauded as "unbelievable" by Fabrizio Romano, Mbappe is already PSG's all-time leading goalscorer, having found the back of the net on 212 occasions for the French champions, and he now has 12 goals to his name at the World Cup.

Pre-season is a time in which most managers likely want nothing more than to just get the bubble wrap out for their players, forever hoping that it will do the trick if they dare square off against Lisandro Martinez in a not-so-friendly friendly game.The so-called ‘butcher’ has so far spent most of pre-season slicing up the calves of some of Europe’s best attackers. First, came his horror challenge on Bukayo Saka, as Manchester United defeated Arsenal 2-0. And, if that wasn’t controversial enough, Martinez then turned his attention to Jude Bellingham, wiping the Real Madrid midfielder out entirely.Taking the attention away from United’s 2-0 defeat, Martinez sparked a reaction from Bellingham, who was rightly left displeased.The commentators were quick to jump the gun with the incident, however, getting slightly mixed up on what actually happened.

Lisandro Martinez and Jude Bellingham clash after tackle

On very rare occasions, a defender can be excused for a shocking challenge, with the ball there to be won. This was not one of those occasions, though. It was anything but.

As Bellingham shifted the ball onto his Madrid teammate Vinicus Junior, Martinez came recklessly sliding in, catching the England international on his right leg in a needless challenge that potentially could have ended up as a red card.

Reacting, Bellingham instantly sprung to his feet to confront the Manchester United defender, pushing the Argentine. Mason Mount then briefly got involved, before things were separated in what was a feisty affair.

The commentary team of Stewart Gardner and Ben Thorn didn’t exactly have their best moment, either, with one accusing Bellingham of hitting Martinez in the face, when the incident quite clearly shows that this was not the case.

As you can hear in the video above, one of the commentators said: “He didn’t just push him there, did he? He struck him in the face as well.”

Speaking after the game on the incident, Bellingham said, via The Guardian: “The little tiff with Martínez is one of those things. He is a brilliant player. I came in at half-time and I was f’ing this and f’ing that. But when he came over to wish me all the best when he came off, I really respected it.

“I know what goes on on the pitch stays on the pitch. I saw him at the end of the game and wished him well. I can respect that when two players are trying to win for their team and can come together and be respectful after the game. He is a great competitor and a great player. Just like me, he wants to win. Sometimes it spills over.”

How have Real Madrid performed in pre-season?

Defeating Manchester United 2-0 after goals from Bellingham and Joselu, Madrid continued a fairly successful pre-season.

So far, they have beaten AC Milan 3-2, coming from behind, and defeated the Red Devils. Their focus now turns to a pre-season El Clasico, as Los Blancos get their first encounter of the season with Barcelona.

In a preview of what’s to come, we may get an indication about the La Liga title race, even though the season is a few weeks away.

Juventus transfer target Franck Kessie is currently "leaning towards" joining Tottenham Hotspur this summer, according to recent reports.

Who will Spurs sign this summer?

Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou has been backed with three major signings so far as we enter the latter phase of this transfer window, with August coming as their last chance to strengthen.

Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, midfielder James Maddison and winger Manor Solomon have arrived in the last month – coming after both Pedro Porro and Dejan Kulusevski made their Tottenham loan deals permanent.

The agenda for Postecoglou and chairman Daniel Levy is, now, to sign multiple senior centre-backs to reinforce a fragile defence which conceded 63 league goals last season.

Tottenham, as per rumours in the last fortnight, could also sign a star midfielder to replace Denmark international Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – who has recently been in talks to join Atletico Madrid.

The La Liga side have reportedly seen a £16 million bid rejected for Hojbjerg, but that doesn't mean the deal is off, as The Times (SB Nation) report there is still confidence a deal will be reached eventually.

A new midfielder could therefore be a priority for Postecoglou, as they will be in need of a capable stand-in for Hojbjerg should he depart for Spain.

Kessie is one of the names linked with a move to north London, alongside the likes of Chelsea's Conor Gallagher, with La Gazzetta dello Sport sharing an update on the former.

Page nine of the newpaper (via Football Italia) say the Ivory Coast international is "currently leaning towards a move" to Tottenham.

This is bad news for fellow interested side Juve, who have been in close contact to try and seal a move for the Barca star. The Serie A giants want Kessie on loan with an option to buy, a deal which Xavi's side are open to themselves, and could well be encouraging financially from a Spurs perspective.

How good is Franck Kessie?

Over the 2020/2021 season, Kessie starred for ex-club AC Milan, scoring 13 goals and assisting four others in 36 Italian top flight starts for the Rossoneri (WhoScored).

These flashes of form potentially resulted in Barca snapping up the African last summer, but he's found consistent game time difficult to come by since, having started just seven league games last season (WhoScored).

That being said, he has displayed his quality on occasion, with Xavi praising his performance after a 1-0 victory against Villarreal in February.

"Kessie was great today," explained the Spain footballing legend.

"He recovered many balls, distributed well… Everything for the team. He is very solid.”

Former Spurs keeper Paul Robinson, commenting on Tottenham's previous links to Kessie, also said he would've fit the bill for ex-boss Antonio Conte as a "quick" and "amazing" player.

"Kessie would fit the bill," said Robinson to Football Insider.

"He is strong, quick and effective at both ends of the pitch. He ticks a lot of boxes.

“There is no doubting that he is an amazing player. The question is, would he come in and command a starting spot? Hojbjerg and Bentancur have done extremely well. [Yves] Bissouma has struggled to get a look in at times.

“Would Kessie upset that midfield? Maybe but I don’t think it’s a certainty. It’s really important that Spurs sign better than what they already have."

Leeds United have been told that £12m could be enough to sign Coventry City defensive midfielder Gustavo Hamer this summer, but The Sky Blues are still desperate to keep him.

Is Gustavo Hamer leaving Coventry?

The Dutchman’s contract is set to expire in less than a year, meaning that this window will be the Sky Blues’ final opportunity to cash in should they not want to lose their prized asset for free. Having established himself as their overall top-performing player with a WhoScored match rating of 7.26 last season, excluding Luke McNally who has left, he won’t be short of potential suitors should he depart.

Building Society Arena boss Mark Robins was recently asked about speculation surrounding the 26-year-old’s future at the Championship club, to which he replied: “I have got nothing new to add on that or share with anybody. I think that will become clearer as we move forward, but that’s entirely down to Gus.”

Read The Latest Leeds Transfer News HERE…

Voetbal Rotterdam reported last month that the central talisman has been offered a new deal by the Midlands outfit but revealed that he hasn’t signed it amid interest from the Whites, Fulham and Burnley, who are stopping him from putting pen to paper, and should Daniel Farke want to secure his target in the final weeks of the window, he now knows how much cash will need to be put on the table.

Are Leeds signing Gustavo Hamer?

According to Football Insider, Leeds and other admirers will have to pay “upwards” of £12m if they want to sign Hamer this summer. The Elland Road outfit are claimed to still be monitoring the midfielder, though it’s stated that Coventry are “desperate” to keep hold of him as they look to make the top six once again.

City are “likely to ask” for an eight-figure fee following the £20m sale of Viktor Gyokeres to Sporting CP and are “willing to risk” losing him for nothing next summer having already rejected a player-plus-cash bid from Burnley.

How many goals has Gustavo Hamer scored?

In the Championship last season, Hamer racked up 19 goal contributions (ten assists and nine goals) in 41 appearances, which is an extremely impressive return for someone who is naturally a defensive midfielder, so it would be a massive coup should he decide to make the move to Leeds.

The Itajai native, who’s sponsored by Adidas, also ranked in the 96th percentile for shots and whipped 174 crosses into the box which was more than any of his fellow teammates, via FBRef, with this outstanding form in the final third seeing him receive nine man-of-the-match awards from WhoScored.

Coventry’s “creative” wizard, as hailed by journalist Josh Bunting, who has the versatility to operate in five different positions, additionally shares the same agent, CAA Stellar, as Luke Ayling, Daniel James and Patrick Bamford. This existing connection that his representative already has to the club could give them a small advantage should they try to get a deal over the line in the weeks ahead.

Southampton have not been busy in the summer transfer window in terms of bringing players into the club as they have only made three first-team signings to date.

Who have Southampton signed this summer?

Russell Martin has been able to bring in left-back Ryan Manning on a free transfer from his former team Swansea and versatile defender Shea Charles on a permanent deal from Manchester City, whilst goalkeeper Joe Lumley has also arrived on a free.

Meanwhile, Tino Livramento, James Ward-Prowse, Mohammed Salisu, Mislav Orsic, Ibrahima Diallo, Mohamed Elyounoussi, and Theo Walcott have all departed on a permanent basis.

These sales could provide the Scottish head coach with the funds to dip into the market to bolster his squad further before next month's deadline.

One player who could arrive on the south coast over the coming weeks is Newcastle United outcast Isaac Hayden. The defensive midfielder has been linked with a move to St. Mary's this summer and is reportedly free to depart Tyneside if the right offer comes in for his services.

How good is Isaac Hayden?

Martin could land Oriol Romeu 2.0 for the Saints by signing the English enforcer as he is an excellent ball-winning battler who can screen in front of the back four to make Jan Bednarek and Jack Stephens' lives easier.

Hayden spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan with Norwich in the Championship and showcased his defensive instincts with 2.7 tackles and interceptions per match, which came after he managed three tackles and interceptions per outing for the Magpies during the 2021/22 Premier League season.

The £22k-per-week ace also ranked within the top 3% or higher of his positional peers across the last second-tier term for blocks (2.21) and aerial duels won (3.31) per 90.

These statistics suggest that Hayden could be an outstanding defensive option for the Saints as no midfielder managed more than 0.4 blocks or two aerial battles won per clash for the club last season.

Romeu made 3.5 tackles and interceptions per game during his final Premier League campaign with Southampton in 2021/22. He also averaged 1.22 blocks and 2.09 headers won per 90 at the base of Ralph Hasenhuttl's midfield.

His duel success rate of 55% showed that the Spaniard was strong in his physical contests and the reported Saints target came out on top in 58% of his Championship battles for the Canaries.

The now-Barcelona enforcer excelled at putting out fires across the pitch to win possession back for his side as a holding midfielder and the Magpies outcast is a player who has similar qualities, as ex-boss Dean Smith hailed him as an "excellent" and "technical" ball-winner.

There is, however, a concern over his injury record as Hayden has missed 45 competitive games since the start of the 2021/22 campaign.

However, he had only been absent for 19 matches over the previous three years and his recent issues could just be a flash in the pan.

Southampton could gamble on him being a reliable option as his statistics when he is available suggest that the 28-year-old battler could be Romeu 2.0 for the club as a screening midfielder in front of the back four.

Mark Goldbridge has been reacting to news that Dean Henderson could be set to stay at Manchester United to provide support for Andre Onana, despite previous rumours suggesting he could be set to leave Old Trafford.

Is Dean Henderson leaving Manchester United?

According to The Manchester Evening News, Henderson could now be set to stay at Manchester United following an injury to Tom Heaton that is expected to keep the veteran stopper out for a few weeks.

Henderson had been expected to join Nottingham Forest on a loan deal with an option-to-buy amid discussions between the Tricky Trees and Manchester United, yet his future plans could now be taken out of his hands due to a lack of available options between the sticks.

Kicker via transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Matej Kovar, who is another one of Erik Ten Hag's understudies at Old Trafford is expected to join Bayer Leverkusen, as he stated on Twitter X: "Bayer Leverkusen sign Matěj Kovář from Man United on permanent deal. Fee will be €9m, as per Kicker. First part of medical tests will take place today."

Last term, £100k-a-week earner Henderson made 20 appearances on loan at Nottingham Forest and managed to keep six clean sheets in total, as per Transfermarkt.

Last year, Manchester United goalkeeper Henderson famously blasted the Premier League giants after they were believed to have failed to follow through on their promise of allowing him to replace David De Gea as number one stopper at the club after the EURO 2020 Championships.

Cited via talkSPORT, the England international said some time after joining Nottingham Forest on loan: "The conversation I had coming out of the Euros squad was 'you're coming back here to be the No.1. I got COVID, came back, so I should have still been the No.1, but then unfortunately nobody followed through with what they had told me. It was frustrating because I turned down so many good loans last summer for that reason, and they would not let me go. To sit there and waste 12 months, it is criminal really, at my age, I was fuming."

Nottingham Forest have also moved to bring in USA international goalkeeper Matt Turner this window on a four-year contract and it remains to be seen if any knock-on effect will be had with regard to Henderson's potential return to the City Ground as the window drags on, as per BBC Sport.

United in Focus cite that Red Devils boss Ten Hag has signalled that Henderson will not be available to take part in Manchester United's Premier League opener with Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday, with the Dutchman stating the following: “All the others (players struggling with injuries), like Henderson and Hojlund, are quite short but it will take a few weeks."

What has Mark Goldbridge said about Dean Henderson?

Speaking on The United Stand YouTube channel, Goldbridge thinks that there is 'no chance' Henderson would be able to upstage first-choice goalkeeper Onana if he is to be kept on at the club.

Goldbridge said: "There's a very big chance that Dean Henderson will have to stay and be the understudy and he has got no chance of being the goalkeeper ahead of Onana unless Onana gets injured and then if Onana comes back, he'll be out anyway. I don't really care if Dean Henderson stays as a backup goalkeeper, because he's a good goalkeeper and as a backup, that'd be absolutely fine, but it's 100% not what he wants to happen and also, it's another player really we needed to sell to bring some money in.

"It's bad news in that sense, it's horrific news for the player, but apparently Tom Heaton's got a bit of an injury so Dean Henderson may well end up staying now."

Henderson may well have to stay put for now and undoubtedly is a more than able deputy for Onana when necessary; however, you can't help but feel that his own career trajectory may suffer if he isn't gaining regular first-team involvement at Manchester United.

Inter Milan teenager Kevin Zefi has been seen as a potential summer signing by Newcastle United in the summer transfer window and a big update has now emerged.

How old is Kevin Zefi?

The Irishman is just 18 years old currently and moved to Inter from Shamrock Rovers two years ago, such was his ability as a young and emerging footballer.

While Zefi is yet to make a senior first-team appearances for the Serie A giants, he has shone in the youth teams, scoring six goals and registering seven assists for the Under-17 side, as well as an incredible 16 strikes in just 13 games for the Under-18 outfit.

The young winger signed his first professional deal last years and is contracted at Inter until the summer of 2024, but it could be that he moves on before the current transfer window closes at the end of this month.

Newcastle have emerged as strong potential suitors for Zefi and a fresh update further suggests that he could be plying his trade at St James' Park in the very near future.

Will Newcastle sign Kevin Zefi?

Eddie Howe revealed Lewis Hall would be the last first-team signing, but according to NUFC Blog, Newcastle are now expected to sign Zefi for the academy:

"Newcastle United look set to follow the signings of AC Milan youngster Cathal Heffernan and Chelsea’s Lewis Hall with the arrival of fellow 18-year-old Kevin Zefi.

"Zefi is being advised by former Toon defender Stephen Carr and is set to join our U21s after a breakthrough in talks. He also plays at international level alongside Toon duo Alex Murphy and Reece Byrne; two players Dan Ashworth has brought to the club’s academy over the past 12 months."

This is a very exciting update for Newcastle, as they continue to show that they are not only planning for the present, instead making sure they sign young players with big futures in the game.

In Zefi, they have someone who is considered something of a wonderkid, with former coach Shane Robinson explaining what makes him so special:

“Kevin is that type of player that catches the eye easily – he backs himself 100% in possession of the ball. He has lovely balance and uses his body very well to protect the ball.

"He has worked very hard on his overall game over the last number of years and deserves credit for that, he has gone up through the levels impressively from U15 to U19 with First Division appearances last season also."

While Zefi clearly wouldn't be arriving as an important member of the senior setup to begin with, given his lack of experience, he is someone who could continue to start at youth team level, gradually blossoming into a top-level footballer who can cut it on the biggest stage.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

It is always hard to gauge how a youngster will develop, with injuries and work ethic always potentially getting in the way, but the former Shamrock ace has all the tools to make it and could be a future hero on Tyneside.

Nottingham Forest have enjoyed an impressive start to the season, sitting in 9th place on six points from the first four games and being only merely beaten in visits to Arsenal and Manchester United.

Another busy summer saw the Reds make 13 new signings, including seven on deadline day, where they announced the signing of Ivorian midfielder, Ibrahim Sangare for £30 million – a new club record.

Perhaps a more underrated piece of business, however, was the signing of Anthony Elanga, who joined from Manchester United for a fee of around £15m.

What did Rio Ferdinand say about Antony Elanga?

Speaking on his YouTube channel FIVE, Ferdinand was full of praise for the former United dynamo.

He said:

“[Chelsea] got smoked by Elanga, one of the players [United] let go.

“Elanga has looked red-hot by the way, did you see what he did to Mudryk?

"He’s done well man, every game he’s had an impact since he’s been at Forest. He came on against [Arsenal] and set up the goal, then he scored against Chelsea and got the winner.

"This kid looks electric.”

Seemingly disagreeing with United’s decision to let the winger leave the club, Ferdinand has no doubt about Elanga’s “application and desire” to succeed in his new endeavours.

How did Elanga sign for Forest?

The Swedish whiz made his first-team debut for Manchester United in May 2021 and would score his first senior goal less than two weeks later against Wolves in the Premier League.

Elanga became a regular for United under Ralf Rangnick for the second half of the 2021/22 season, making 27 appearances and scoring three goals, including an unforgettable equaliser against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League knockout stages.

When Erik Ten Hag took over ahead of the 2022/23 season, Elanga lost his position in the starting eleven and made only five league starts over the season.

With his place in the national team at risk, the 21-year-old decided he needed to leave for a club that could offer him more game time, with the Daily Mail reporting in May that over 12 clubs around Europe were interested.

Eventually, Nottingham Forest announced the signing of Elanga in July, becoming their second signing of the summer.

How has Elanga performed for Forest so far?

Without having started in the league yet, the 21-year-old dynamo's impact has been instant.

He got his first assist after only two minutes of coming off the bench against Arsenal on the opening day.

This past weekend when Forest faced Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, Elanga was introduced ahead of the second half with the scores level.

Within three minutes, he found space in behind the defence and placed the ball past Robert Sanchez, which would be the winning goal in a huge 1-0 win.

Just as Ferdinand said, he gave Mudryk – who cost a whopping £89m – a torrid afternoon in west London, as seen by the following clip that shows the Ukraine star getting beaten all ends up by an exceptional piece of skill.

Meanwhile, as per Sofascore, the Sweden international registered the second-highest rating in the match (7.7), having contributed three shots on target, three successful dribbles and a total of four duels won in just 45 minutes on the pitch.

Tricky Trees boss Steve Cooper will be looking for more of the same after the international break when his Forest outfit return to action with a clash to basement boys Burnley at the City Ground on September 18th.