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The Athletic’s Leeds United correspondent Phil Hay has shared Rennes’ demands for striker Martin Terrier. 

The lowdown

The 25-year-old largely split his minutes between the centre-forward and left-wing positions last season. He played 17 matches through the middle and 25 out wide, showcasing the kind of versatility that Leeds may have valued in former transfer target Charles de Ketelaere.

He joined Rennes from Ligue 1 rivals Lyon in the summer of 2020 and is still under contract for another three years.

Leeds have done business with the French club in the recent past, signing Brazilian winger Raphinha for £17m in 2020 before turning a huge profit from his move to Barcelona earlier this summer.

The latest

Hay tweeted that Jesse Marsch and Leeds are still ‘waiting on a striker’ ahead of the new Premier League campaign.

In the attached article for The Athletic, the writer assesses some potential candidates, among them Terrier.

Hay wrote that Leeds ‘like’ the Frenchman, but they also know that he will cost ‘in excess of £30million’. The report added that, given that the Rennes forward is no longer in his early 20s, there may be concerns about his resale value from Leeds’ end.

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The verdict

Is Terrier worth that fee?

Based on his 2021/22 campaign, you’d have to say yes. He scored 21 goals and provided four assists in 37 Ligue 1 appearances, finishing joint-third in the division’s scoring charts and earning a place in the Team of the Year.

It’s not just end-product that he offers. He can bring the qualities of a winger to the centre-forward position, recording standout volumes of progressive carries and shot-creating actions. With exceptional quantities of defensive actions too, he’s similar in profile to the likes of Kai Havertz, Christopher Nkunku and Diogo Jota.

European football writer Tim Williams called his efforts in 2021/22 ‘phenomenal’ and says that Terrier may feel that it’s ‘now or never’ if he wants a big Premier League move.

Could Leeds be tempted to move away from their customary model in this instance?

Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard could be about to make another big mistake…

What’s the word?

According to Football Insider, the Midlands outfit are shopping striker Ollie Watkins in the final few weeks of the transfer window after a fall-out behind the scenes with the manager.

The 26-year-old was omitted from Gerrard’s starting XI for their season-opening defeat to Premier League newcomers AFC Bournemouth and it’s believed that the relationship between the two is ‘tense.’

One source told the website that the pair “do not see eye to eye.”

It remains to be seen how much Villa could land, should an interested club come forward, though after costing the club around £33m back in September 2020, he is now valued at a similar fee of £34m by CIES Football Observatory.

Another big mistake after Mings

Gerrard has already made a blunder with his decision to not only strip the captaincy from Tyrone Mings but also drop him from the starting lineup too, and he could be making another here with Watkins.

“Big mistake. He’s divided his dressing room right down the middle,” claimed beIN SPORTS presenter Richard Keys in a recent blog post. Gerrard left his bad news until 10 days before the season started. Big error,” he added.

Villa have rarely won without Mings in the XI, in fact they have lost eight of their last 12 league outings when the England international hasn’t featured.

Now with Watkins, he could well seal his fate in charge of the Midlands club. Last season, the former Brentford talisman was the only player to surpass double figures for goals (11).

Danny Ings, who was preferred last weekend, only managed seven goals all campaign and has struggled for fitness throughout the course of his top-flight career.

In that defeat to the Cherries, Villa only managed two shots on target all game, suggesting that their struggles in front of goal have rumbled over into the new campaign – it’s not as if they breezed past anyone in pre-season, barring EFL minnows Walsall.

Soon after Watkins arrived in Birmingham, The Athletic’s Gregg Evans explained how much of an impact he had made on Dean Smith’s side.

“I really think he’s making a big difference actually, to Villa, I think that he’s given them a new dimension and his hold-up play is great, he creates space for others and that’s helping the midfielders flourish.”

Meanwhile, also lauded as a “machine” by Bees programme editor Chris Deacon and “lethal” by former West Ham frontman Trevor Sinclair, it’s clear that the 26-year-old should be Villa’s starting striker rather than a player that is expendable just three weeks before the end of the transfer window.

This report should leave many around Villa Park worried as it would be yet another ‘big mistake’ from Gerrard, who is now under pressure.

AND in other news, Gerrard “interested” in signing £100k-pw player, he’s already been a “liability” at Villa…

Aston Villa are interested in bringing Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley back to Villa Park, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

The Lowdown: Barkley’s loan spell

Barkley, who was hailed by his former boss Frank Lampard for his ‘complete’ role with Chelsea and described by Harry Redknapp as a player who ‘has everything’, spent the 2020/21 season on loan at Villa.

Reports suggested that Villa paid an £11m loan fee for the 28-year-old, who made 24 Premier League appearances in the Midlands, scoring three times and providing one assist under Dean Smith.

Barkley is still under contract with Chelsea but appears to be surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge, and it seems as if a return to Villa Park could be a possibility.

The Latest: Villa keen on Barkley

Phillips provided an update regarding Barkley’s future when speaking to GiveMeSport in a story shared on Saturday evening. .

He said that ‘a lot’ of clubs are keen on Barkley’s services, including Villa, as he stated:

“With Ross Barkley, he’s got a lot of other clubs interested in him at the moment so it’s not just Everton. He’s got Brighton, Newcastle, West Ham and Aston Villa and Celtic. So got plenty of options to go to.”

The Verdict: One to watch?

Ashley Preece believes that Villa will step up their efforts to sign a new midfielder after Carney Chukwuemeka left for Chelsea, so Barkley may well prove to be that man.

While the 28-year-old didn’t have the best of loan spells in the Midlands, working under a new manager in Gerrard may bring out a different side to the midfielder, who has plenty of Premier League experience.

You’d expect that Barkley would be able to play in multiple roles in Gerrard’s system, either as an attack-minded midfielder or in a box-to-box role, so this could be one to watch closely.

Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy is reportedly on the ‘shortlist’ at Manchester United, according to journalist Jonas Hen Shrag.

The lowdown: Journeyman career

Signed from Crystal Palace in 2016, McCarthy has made 129 outings for the Saints, taking an overall career tally to 282 appearances across a plethora of clubs.

The 32-year-old Englishman has represented Leeds United, QPR, Reading, Brentford, Ipswich, Yeovil Town, Woking, Aldershot and Cambridge having started out at Reading back in 2007.

Having slipped behind new signing Gavin Bazunu as Ralph Hasenhuttl’s number one gloveman, McCarthy could be on the move before the September 1 deadline…

The latest: ‘Shortlist’

Taking to Twitter, journalist Hen Shrag claimed that the one-cap England man is on the shortlist at Old Trafford as the Manchester giants look for additions in the goalkeeping department.

He stated: “Southampton’s Alex McCarthy is on Manchester United’s shortlist of understudy goalkeepers.”

The verdict: Watch this space

Having already lost Fraser Forster to Tottenham in this window, the Saints now have Bazunu installed as their first choice with McCarthy, Mateusz Lis and Willy Cabellero acting as the backup options.

However, should the perceived interest materialise into something more substantial, Hasenhuttl – who once hailed the English stopper as ‘fantastic’ following a 1-1 draw against Wolves in 2020 – could be forced to delve back into the market to reinforce the department at St Mary’s.

Still holding an estimated market value of £2.7m and under contract until 2025 (Transfermarkt), Martin Semmens would likely be looking for a healthy sum in order to sell the vastly experienced McCarthy.

Crystal Palace have shown interest in Hamari Traore of Rennes, according to French outlet Foot Mercato (via Sport Witness).

The lowdown

Right-back Traore, 30, dons the captain’s armband for Bruno Genesio’s side in Ligue 1.

But there’s some uncertainty over his future after he entered the final 12 months of his contract.

Patrick Vieira and Palace already have a couple of options in the position in the form of Nathaniel Clyne and Joel Ward.

And The Evening Standard reported on Thursday that Palace are in talks with Manchester United as they look to bring Aaron Wan-Bissaka back to Selhurst Park.

The latest

The report states that Palace have expressed an interest in Traore, but have deemed his valuation excessive up to this point – perhaps the number could drop as Rennes face the possibility of losing him for free come the end of the window.

The player is also said to feature on Barcelona’s shortlist of right-back options.

The verdict

Unlike Wan-Bissaka, who only has 11 assists in 131 Premier League matches, Traore is a real threat going forward.

He ranks in the 97th percentile among full-backs in the big five leagues for assists per 90 (0.31) and the 84th for shots per 90 (1.04).

Only four players in Ligue 1 set up more goals than the Malian last season.

In terms of profile, he’s similar to Liverpool’s Andrew Robertson, Arsenal’s Oleksandr Zinchenko and Barcelona’ Jordi Alba (via FBRef).

CAF Online have dubbed him ‘The Malian Eagle’, which is quite fitting when you consider Crystal Palace’s nickname.

If either the South London club or Rennes change their stance in the next couple of weeks, this could be a good bit of short-term business.

Tottenham Hotspur extended their unbeaten run in the Premier League to four matches and moved into third place as they defeated Nottingham Forest 2-0 at the City Ground.

Harry Kane got on the scoresheet twice, either side of a missed penalty, as the north Londoners edged to within two points of their arch-rivals Arsenal, who remain the only team in England’s top four divisions with a 100% win record.

The England striker will certainly take the plaudits after firing his team to three points, especially on an afternoon where his usually lucrative partner Heung-min Son was so quiet.

However, it was Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s presence in the heart of the pitch that kept things constantly ticking over for Antonio Conte’s side as he truly lived up to his midfield “monster” tag.

Indeed, the Denmark international, who is widely regarded as a captain without the armband, ran proceedings in the Midlands.

It’s no wonder he remains just one of four players to have played every minute of every league game so far – the others being skipper and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, the aforementioned no.9 and backline general Eric Dier.

In terms of influence, no Spurs player saw the ball more than Hojbjerg. He registered a squad-topping 80 touches of the ball and with what possession he had, the 27-year-old powerhouse made the most accurate passes, some nine more than Conte’s other midfield and attacking options, as per SofaScore.

Three of his 53 accurate passes were key chances created, meaning the former Southampton skipper got forward to help out in the final third. These returns were also tied for the best in the team on the night.

Elsewhere, the £15m Jose Mourinho signing was solid as a rock defensively as he registered a match-high five interceptions, two tackles, one clearance and one block.

As you can probably tell by now, Hojbjerg was absolutely everywhere at the City Ground and had you asked him to put another 90 minutes in the tank, you would have.

Undoubtedly an unsung hero of this squad, the Conte favourite does all the dirty work that often goes unnoticed and after a game like today, he ought to be given his flowers.

So forget about Kane and his usual goalscoring exploits, Hojbjerg shone out against Forest as he ran the entire show on his back, to great effect, too.

AND in other news, Spurs “really like” £18m “absolute tank”, he’s a true heir to Conte’s £92k-p/w “beast”…

Chronicle Live journalist James Hunter has revealed a telling insight regarding Alex Neil’s departure as Sunderland manager.

The Lowdown: Neil’s sudden exit

To the shock of many on Wearside, it was announced on Sunday that the 41-year-old had left his role at the Stadium of Light in favour of a move to fellow Championship outfit Stoke City.

After guiding the Black Cats to promotion from League One, Neil led his team to a strong start to life in the English second tier, having gained eight points from their opening five games of the season.

Therefore, with Sunderland fifth in the Championship table prior to the weekend, his move to Stoke seemed all the more peculiar with the Potters sitting a lowly 21st, having earned just four points from their opening five games.

The Latest: Hunter’s insight

In response to various questions surrounding Neil’s salary at Sunderland and Stoke, Hunter shared some information regarding the manager’s exit from the Black Cats.

Taking to Twitter, the journalist claimed: “Doubt accurate figures will ever be made public, but he wasn’t being paid the market rate.

“And even ‘significantly enhanced’ terms didn’t match Stoke’s valuation of him. If you don’t pay the market rate, people leave – in any industry…”

The Verdict: Good record

Following the 41-year-old’s arrival at the Stadium of Light in February, his attitude at the club seemed like a breath of fresh air for Sunderland fans, who have endured pain and stagnation for the last few years.

The Scotsman averaged an impressive 1.88 points per match during his time in charge, topping his predecessor Lee Johnson, who had a slightly lower points-per-game rate of 1.82.

However, a list of managerial candidates has quickly been identified by the Black Cats to replace Neil, with MK Dons boss Liam Manning and Chelsea coach Anthony Barry reportedly in the running.

As per some reports, former Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray is the favourite to replace Neil. If the 58-year-old does end up being appointed, Sunderland fans will be hoping for a replica of his 2007/08 season, when he led West Brom to the Championship title and promotion to the Premier League.

Celtic have already enjoyed a busy summer of recruitment at Parkhead, with manager Ange Posteoglou overseeing eight major incomings thus far, with more additions potentially on the way before the window is out.

One man who could well be the next arrival in Glasgow is Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley, with reports earlier this month suggesting that the Old Firm giants had made an “offer” to sign the 28-year-old before deadline day.

The 33-cap England international has only recently come to the end of what had been a frustrating spell at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues having moved to rip up his existing contract with a year still left to run on the deal.

The former Everton man – who arrived in west London on a £15m deal back in 2018 – has struggled to secure a regular role at his now former club, making 100 appearances in all competitions over the last four and a half years.

Despite falling out of favour for both club and country – for whom he has not featured since October 2019 – the £96k-per-week playmaker still offers undoubted “quality” – in the words of Thomas Tuchel – with a move to Scotland potentially set to be the kickstart that he needs to his floundering career.

Much like with the case of form Three Lions teammate Joe Hart, Barkley could well spark a real turnaround in fortunes by joining Postecoglou’s side, with time firmly on his side to recover his form.

Once compared to the likes of Paul Gascoigne and Wayne Rooney, the £10.8m-rated ace had previously sparkled during his time at Goodison Park, chipping in with 55 goal contributions in 179 games across all competitions for the Toffees.

The dynamic gem could well thrive as that link between the midfield and attack for the Scottish champions, taking on the role that is currently occupied by the highly sought, Matt O’Riley.

The Denmark U21 international – who joined from MK Dons back in January on a £1.5m deal – is reportedly the subject of interest from a host of elite clubs across Europe, with Manchester United said to be one of those who are watching the 21-year-old closely.

The London-born starlet has also recently admitted that there is interest in his signature at present, albeit with Celtic likely to demand a fee of around £20m if he is to be moved on before deadline day.

The 6 foot 2 youngster has caught the eye in his brief time in Glasgow to date, scoring four goals and providing five assists in just 25 games in all competitions for the club, including three assists in just five games in the new season.

In Barkley – who is also 6 foot 2 – the club could well find an ideal fit to replace his coveted star, with his arrival set to more than soften the blow of O’Riley’s potential exit.

While they may have to fend off bitter rivals Rangers in order to land his signature, it could well prove to be another Postecoglou transfer masterstroke, particularly with the player now available on a free transfer.

The Northern Echo journalist Matty Jones has shared some Sunderland injury news on Dennis Cirkin before Saturday’s game at home to Preston North End.

The Lowdown: Hamstring injury

Cirkin picked up a hamstring injury during the Stadium of Light outfit’s 1-0 loss away at Middlesbrough in the Championship earlier this month.

He has since missed their last two games in the division, but will be looking to get back to full fitness now that the international break has finished.

The Latest: Back in training

Taking to Twitter, Jones shared ‘some positive news for Sunderland’ on Cirkin in that he is now back in training ahead of the Wearside club’s match against Preston on Saturday afternoon:

“Some positive news for Sunderland with Dennis Cirkin making a return to training ahead of this weekend’s game against Preston.”

The Verdict: Big boost

Having Cirkin return to training is a big boost for Tony Mowbray and his side, and he will be hoping that the defender can now be fit enough to play a part against Preston at the weekend.

Before his injury against Middlesbrough, he had played in every minute of the Championship campaign, establishing himself as a key player in the team.

In the division, Cirkin ranks highly among his teammates in terms of aerial duels won and average tackles, interceptions, clearances and blocks per game (WhoScored), further highlighting his worth.

The Black Cats will now be aiming to try and keep him fit until the start of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and Cirkin himself will be looking to get back to full match sharpness.

Manchester United return to Premier League action away to rivals Manchester City on Sunday, following an international break that has brought mixed fortunes for Erik ten Hag’s star-studded squad.

Struggling skipper Harry Maguire continued his recent slump after a wretched outing for England against Germany on Monday night – playing his part in two goals for the opposition – while misfiring teammate Cristiano Ronaldo was once again far from his best for Portugal.

By contrast, summer signing Christian Eriksen replicated his fabulous early season club form for his country, netting a stunning long-range effort in Denmark’s eventual defeat to Croatia, before proving instrumental in the shock, 2-0 victory over World Cup holders France where he supplied a whopping eight key passes.

The 30-year-old is rightly grabbing the headlines as a result of those sensational showings on the international stage – as well as at Old Trafford – although there was another Red Devils star who also caught the eye for their national team this week, with long-serving full-back Luke Shaw impressing at Wembley a few days ago.

Unlike the aforementioned Maguire, the former Southampton man reminded both fans and pundits alike of his quality in the thrilling 3-3 draw with Hansi Flick’s side, having recently been restricted to the substitutes’ bench under Ten Hag in recent weeks.

The 28-year-old has been a bystander to proceedings since the debacle at Brentford back in August, having previously endured a wretched 2021/22 campaign, forming part of a side that recorded United’s worst ever points tally in the Premier League.

The £150k-per-week man has remained a firm favourite for Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate despite that recent slump, going on to repay that faith after netting the hosts’ first goal of the night on Monday to help spark a remarkable comeback, with that his first goal for his country since netting in the Euro 2020 final just over a year ago.

Lauded by Southgate as an “outstanding footballer” following that performance earlier this week, Shaw will likely be hoping that his club boss has taken note, having admitted to having discussions with the former Ajax coach regarding his poor early season form.

The £27m-rated gem’s woes at the Theatre of Dreams have handed a chance for recent arrival Tyrell Malacia to impress, with the 23-year-old Dutchman seemingly nailing down the left-back berth since the defeat to the Bees, with his recent form having even seen him compared to club legend Patrice Evra.

While Shaw may not be able to regain his place at the Etihad this weekend due to his teammate’s displays, his recent outing for his country may well have left Ten Hag with something of a selection headache moving forward.