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The legspinner played an important role in Bangladesh’s 3-0 win over Afghanistan in the recent T20I series

Mohammad Isam07-Oct-2025

Rishad Hossain: “As a legspinner, if I get to play in these foreign leagues, it will be good for me and for my bowling”•Afghanistan Cricket Board

Rishad Hossain makes regular contributions for Bangladesh. The legspinner’s presence allows Bangladesh to have a varied bowling attack and gives them a fielder who can change the course of the game. Those skills have also raised his stock in franchise cricket. He played for Lahore Qalandars in PSL 2025, after which Hobart Hurricanes drafted him for the upcoming BBL season.Rishad is likely to be available for the full BBL season and is looking forward to link up with Ricky Ponting, the franchise’s head of strategy.”As a legspinner, if I get to play in these foreign leagues, it will be good for me and for my bowling,” Rishad said in an interaction organised by Hurricanes. “I’ll get opportunities to improve my skills.Related

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Bowlers, Saif hand Bangladesh 3-0 win in T20Is vs Afghanistan

Saif primed for debut as Afghanistan and Bangladesh do rare ODI battle

“Ponting was one of my favourite players growing up; I used to watch him play. I’m really looking forward to working with him. More than the players, I’m looking forward to working with Ricky Ponting and playing under his coaching.”For Bangladesh, Rishad plays the role of a middle-overs wicket-taker, something he wants to do for the Hurricanes as well.”As a legspinner, my job is to take wickets after the powerplay. I hope to continue that in Hobart,” he said. “My goal is to create doubt in the batter’s mind by using different angles. It’s just another variation. I believe in my strengths, and day by day I’m trying to improve – even if it’s just by one or two percent – without thinking too much about the future.”Rishad also has recent form on his side. He has taken at least one wicket in seven of the last eight T20Is – including five wickets in the recent T20I series against Afghanistan in Sharjah that Bangladesh won 3-0. He will be an important part of Bangladesh’s ODI attack too for the three-match series that begins on Wednesday.”I think it was important to get off to a good start right after the Asia Cup,” Rishad said. “Winning the series is always a good feeling.”What was particularly impressive about the Bangladesh spin attack was how they outbowled the Afghanistan spinners. Bangladesh’s spinners had a much better average and strike rate, even though they took ten wickets compared to 11 by Afghanistan’s spinners. Rishad’s bowling partner Nasum Ahmed was even adjudged the Player of the Series for five wickets at an economy rate of 5.58.”They have a lot of world-class bowlers in their side, so we tried to analyse them as much as we could before every game,” Rishad said about the Afghanistan spinners. “We got success [too].”Bangladesh are also finding out other sides of Rishad. His big-hitting ability became known last year when he cracked seven sixes in his of 30-ball 53 against Sri Lanka. His fielding impact was illustrated by his stunning run-out of Abhishek Sharma in the Asia Cup.”That situation demanded that we take a wicket,” Rishad said. “I was trying to create an opportunity, maybe with a diving catch or a fielding effort – anything to change the momentum of the game since it was on their side at that time, and it happened.”

Raheem Sterling's Berkshire home was the target of an attempted break-in by masked men last weekend, which happened while the player was in the house with his young family. It is the second time in the last three years that the Chelsea winger has been targeted in a burglary, with the previous incident taking place when he lived in a different area.

• Sterling's house targeted by burglars

  Masked men are believed to have tried to gain entry into Sterling's house, situated on a development on Crown Estate land in Berkshire, to the west of London, at around 6:30pm last Saturday night. That was just before Chelsea were due to face Wolves in the Premier League, but Sterling hasn't been part of the Blues' squad this season and therefore was at home when it happened, alongside his long-term partner and their three children. He also has a fourth child from a previous relationship.

  Beyond the criminals attempting to break, other details have not been disclosed and Sterling wishes for his and his family's privacy to be respected.

  A different house located in Surrey, near to Chelsea's training ground, was previously broken into at the end of 2022, during the World Cup. That prompted the winger to urgently leave the England camp in Qatar to head home, before returning to the tournament ahead of quarter-final defeat to France. 

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  Sterling & family safe

  Reported by the , a spokesperson representing Sterling told the newspaper: "We can confirm that Raheem Sterling was the victim of a home break-in this weekend. We can also confirm that he and his children were present at home at the time. Whilst the ultimate violation of privacy and safety, we are thankful to be able to confirm that he and his loved ones are all safe. We ask that the privacy of Raheem and his loved ones be respected at this challenging time."

  Thames Valley Police have also confirmed that a "thorough investigation" is underway, appealing for possible information or witnesses of any suspicious behaviour that might be relevant.

• Footballer burglaries a common occurrence

  Sterling is far from the only Premier League footballer to be targeted by brazen thieves in recent years. When his Surrey home was broken into in late 2022, Chelsea team-mate Marc Cucurella, and then Reading defender Scott Dann were also victims of the same burglar. The man responsible had managed to steal £1.1 million worth of belongings, but was eventually jailed in 2024 for 12 years and 10 months for conspiracy to burgle, possession with intent to supply cocaine and simple possession of cannabis. On that occasion, Sterling alone was robbed of 10 Rolex watches.

  Players in England's north west based in the 'Golden Triangle' of Cheshire, a collection of affluent towns south of Manchester, have also been routinely targeted over the years. With Jack Grealish among those targeted, it was reported earlier this month that players have been turning to former MMA fighters employed as bodyguards and security to better protect their homes.

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  Sterling's football future remains uncertain

  Sterling has been non-existent on a football pitch in 2025-26. Deemed surplus to requirements by Enzo Maresca at Stamford Bridge, the former England winger spent last season struggling to command meaningful minutes during a loan at Arsenal and was unable to secure an exit away from Chelsea during this past summer transfer window.

  Sterling, who has a contract with the Blues until 2027 and cost the best part of £50m to sign from Manchester City, hasn't actually played for Chelsea since May 2024. He will shortly turn 31, which is far from old for a footballer these days, but it is difficult to envisage how and where his career will get back on track after such a sustained period of inactivity.

  Sterling is costing Chelsea an enormous sum to not be playing, earning a reported £325,000 per week. At the start of this season, his outstanding contract was thought to be worth around £30m. His preference is rumoured to have been staying in and around London, rather than moving any great distance away, due to his son being with Arsenal' academy and an unwillingness to disrupt his family.

Pete Crow-Armstrong started off the Chicago Cubs' Fourth of July game against the St. Louis Cardinals with fireworks, quickly demonstrating why it was an easy decision for him to be named a National League All-Star starter.

First, Crow-Armstrong got the second out of the top of the first inning by laying out full extension on a dive to secure a line drive to center field off the bat of Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn.

Here's a look at the sensational catch.

Then, in the bottom of the first inning, Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki and Crow-Armstrong went back-to-back, swatting a pair of solo home runs to put Chicago on the board.

For good measure, he added another solo homer in the bottom of the third inning, this one a 414-foot blast.

Cubs fans certainly don't need to be reminded, but these plays perfectly illustrated the brilliance of Crow-Armstrong.

You want defense? Crow-Armstrong ranks third among all centerfielders with 12 Outs Above Average. Offense? He has 23 home runs and 26 stolen bases.

He's a big reason why the Cubs are both in first place in the NL Central and leading the Cardinals 7-1 on the Fourth of July.

Tottenham have been tipped to strike a ‘similar deal to Jack Grealish’ in January as Thomas Frank edges closer to his first winter window at Spurs.

Tottenham make January plans with a forward the priority

The Lilywhites are preparing to make attacking reinforcements their primary objective during the January window, with media sources confirming significant funds will be available for the right target as Frank seeks solutions to his struggling side’s creativity issues.

Co-sporting directors Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange will be drawing up a list of potential options spanning both domestically and abroad, if they haven’t already.

Reports suggest Spurs are more likely to pursue a wide forward rather than a central striker when the window opens, with Dominic Solanke slowly coming back to full fitness and Randal Kolo Muani starting to find his feet.

16. Burnley

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17. Nottingham Forest

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18. West Ham

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20. Wolves

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Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo has emerged as a very strong candidate to join the north Londoners.

The Ghanaian winger has been sensational this season, bagging six goals and three assists in 13 Premier League appearances for the Cherries so far this term.

His ability to threaten from both flanks, combined with his blistering pace, makes him ideal. The possibility of Mohammed Kudus on one side and Semenyo is pretty tantalising in itself, as is the 25-year-old’s £65 million release clause, which will be active early next month.

If Spurs do opt to sign a centre-forward in January, all signs point towards FC Porto’s Samu Aghehowa as their top target.

The 21-year-old Spanish international has seriously impressed in Portugal following his £15 million move from Atlético Madrid in 2024, scoring six goals across all competitions this season after his 27-goal haul last term.

Standing at a towering 6 foot 3, Aghehowa offers the physical presence and aerial threat Tottenham currently lack, though Porto president André Villas-Boas has publicly stated the forward is “not for sale at any price in winter,” with the club demanding at least £68 million for his services.

All that being said, the media remain adamant that a new attacker will arrive at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next month, but a box-to-box midfielder also cannot be ruled out amid Yves Bissouma’s uncertain future.

The Mali international is yet to play a single competitive minute under Frank, largely due to injury, but it is worth noting that Spurs were open to offers for Bissouma in the summer.

Tottenham will entertain bids for the 29-year-old once again in January, but if they can’t find a suitor they’ll activate the one-year extension option in his contract to prevent a free transfer next year (The Mail).

If Bissouma does leave in the winter, Frank will need a replacement, and Atlético Madrid’s Conor Gallagher is available.

Tottenham tipped to strike Grealish-like deal for Conor Gallagher

Spurs did hold a serious interest in the England international before his switch to Atlético, with Diego Simeone’s side informing Gallagher that he can leave in January.

That is according to former Spurs scout Bryan King, who also believes that Tottenham could well sign Gallagher on loan in a ‘similar deal’ to Grealish at Everton.

King also thinks that the 25-year-old would ‘jump’ at the chance to move there, even despite his Chelsea connections.

Gallagher has made 70 appearances for Atlético since his 2024 move, scoring six goals and racking up another six assists.

He’s been in and out of Simeone’s eleven this season, and with the 2026 World Cup looming, he’ll be keen to battle his way back into Thomas Tuchel’s thinking.

The dynamic midfielder would offer a different option to the likes of Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur in front of the back four, and he can play more offensively too.

Capable of pitching in going forward, signing Gallagher on loan would be a very astute bit of business.

The 68-year-old is trying to return New South Wales to former glories while also looking to produce the next generation of Australia players

Alex Malcolm11-Sep-2025What is driving you to keep going with New South Wales at this stage of your coaching career?You have to be careful not to overstay your welcome. But I’m particularly thrilled being involved with Cricket New South Wales. It’s steeped in history, it’s got high expectations, and I like to operate within that framework. We’ve got an exciting opportunity with an emerging group of players to build a foundation that can stand the test of time like previous decades have delivered.The mind still is going at 100 miles an hour, but the body is slowing down. But I’ve got some wonderful support coaches around and the system itself, behind the Blues team that represents New South Wales in the Shield and other competitions, is first-class. There’s a nice balance of city and country involvement in that process and a vibrant premier club competition. We need to put in place that next six or seven Australian players [like those] that have been sitting in the Australian team for many years now. That’s the challenge. We’re chasing it aggressively.Related

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'Still people talking about the final' – Sangha hopes to channel Shield joy

No one has more coaching experience than you in Australian cricket. You have coached senior teams and young teams. You have a young group in New South Wales now. What are you learning about coaching young players now compared to other times in your career?I think right now it’s probably the toughest environment for young players to be in with the continual drag and adaptation from format to format. During those really solid years I had in Victoria, T20 had just been emerging. So, the players were really consistent and focused on two formats, and were very good at those two formats. Now with the introduction of T20 cricket, it’s played in grade cricket as well, so not only the players at our level are having to adapt with that, but also players in club land are experiencing the challenges of what’s the right tempo to play at and what are my foundational skills with bat, ball, and fielding.It’s the individual challenge for the player to slip in and out of those processes. It is about getting the player to understand how to set themselves up for each of those different formats, how they control their mental skills in the game. That’s probably an area of growth for everyone in the industry, coaches as well, to learn more about how to assist our players in those transition moments from game to game.How did you assess last summer with New South Wales and what are you hoping to get out of the group moving forward for this summer?Largely similar to the first season, progress is being made. We had some real challenges in terms of the depth of our squad and our Australian player representation across the course of the year. That took away some of our next level players in Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, and Tanveer Sangha. For us to be playing off for a grand final spot in the last game of both competitions meant that we’re very, very competitive. I’m really pleased about that. The next step for us is to win those crunch games more often than we did, in particular at the back end of last year.But really pleased with Kurtis Patterson jumping back in as a real presence around our group. We had to deal with Moises Henriques retiring out of the red-ball game basically through the course of the season. But thankfully he’s not lost to us and will participate in our one-day program going forward. I think that’s a great leadership sharing opportunity between he and Jack Edwards, who showed some great signs last year, but it also wore him down across the course of the season, so that balance needs to be struck and found for this season.Liam Hatcher will likely have a greater role to play this season•Getty ImagesYou’ve lost Jackson Bird from the attack. But Jack Nisbet played for Australia A during the off season and you’ve got a group of emerging quicks. What are your hopes with the ball?For us to be playing off in those last two games that I mentioned without Chris Tremain bowling a ball for the season, Hayden Kerr being unavailable for most of the season, and Daniel Hughes not playing at all, I think it was a pretty good effort across the group and we exposed some new players. Jack Nisbet is making steady progress. Ryan Hadley, Liam Hatcher and Charlie Stobo will form the basis of our attack going forward. And hopefully Chris Tremain is back and able to bowl this season.So it will be a young group and we’ll be putting a lot of attention strategically and technically around them in the lead-up to what remains to be a tough challenge for all teams at the start of this season with the Australian team playing and an Australian A team playing internationally that clashes with a couple of rounds of one-day cricket and Shield matches. There is a great opportunity for young players to be exposed early in the season.You will have some Australian players dipping in and out at the start of the season as they prepare for the Ashes. How do you manage that?It’s never a burden to try and fit those players back into your team because the benefit is not only in what they deliver on the field, but it’s in preparation, it’s in dressing room moments that their experience is shared with our younger players. For example, Pat Cummins against Victoria last year playing in the side, young Charlie Anderson played in that game, and Jack Edwards and our young players, and that is priceless.What do you see as the foundation for these young guys to become international three-format players? What are the core things you are trying to help them with or does it just depend on the individual? Each individual has their own roadmap and their own strengths and weaknesses. We try, with them, to identify them and go to work. For some, it’s a technical issue. For others, it’s making good strategic decisions in the game. For others, from a mental point of view, it’s about blocking out the pressures and playing with an open mind and making good, crisp decisions. So we’re on our toes, and the players are as well, in building their foundation that is likely to work in each of those formats and to understand the moments in the game and having the capacity to adjust your game to play team first cricket.Kurtis Patterson’s comeback was one of the stories of last season•Getty ImagesHow do you feel about the Shield pitches at the moment in terms of producing batters for the next level, and giving them confidence to make big scores, given it’s very difficult for domestic batters to average more than 40 given the way the surfaces are playing?It was strongly reported and happily received by batting groups across the country…that there was a desire to tone down the pitches across the country and find that better balance between bat and ball. I think that worked for two thirds of the season until some places identified that a result is necessary, and the nature of the pitch changes quite aggressively. I think for that to be stamped out would be excellent. But it is a delicate balance between bat and ball, and also strategic decisions in games can influence whether a pitch is rated in one fashion or another.There’s perhaps not a great wider understanding of batting averages and how difficult pitches are in Shield cricket. Do you have a sense of what a realistic good marker for a young batter to achieve across one or two or three Shield seasons to develop into an international player?The highest performers are 50 or above. I think a really solid 40 plus across two or three seasons for a batter and somewhere between 25 and 30 with the ball. If you’re at 20, like Jackson Bird last year, less than that, 34 wickets [at 17.20] – he’s a legend of the competition and he had a terrific season – but that’s what the best produce, and your developing players should be, I think, chasing those numbers but also understanding the process to get there.Your skipper Jack Edwards is coming into that age bracket now where he’s going to be at his very best. What’s the next phase for him?It is for him to sort of recognise how he wants to play and approach the game and in red-ball cricket he’s moved the game forward really strongly. To have him and Ollie Davies, two of the same type together, puts a bit of counterpunch into our armoury. I’m very open-minded about Jack still playing anywhere in the list from one to six in white-ball cricket. I think he’s still got a capacity to find that rhythm, and then as he’s become more mature, to lock in a consistency around that.

Mikel Merino salvaged a 1-1 draw for Premier League leaders Arsenal, but they will feel like this was two-points dropped against a Chelsea side who were reduced to 10 men after just 38 minutes when Moises Caicedo was sent off. In an extremely feisty London derby that was littered with early yellow cards, it was no real surprise to see a dismissal, with Caicedo seeing red for a brutal tackle on Merino seven minutes before the interval.

It was a big blow to Chelsea, but they dealt with it well and got themselves in front just after half-time when Trevoh Chalobah flicked on Reece James' corner and his header looped over everyone and into the far corner.

Arsenal hit back quickly, however, and got back on level terms when Merino rose to power Bukayo Saka's cross past Robert Sanchez, and you felt at that point the visitors would go on to make their extra man advantage count.

But they struggled to create any clear cut chances and had to settle for a point which keeps them six points clear of the Blues and moved them five clear of second-placed Manchester City.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from Stamford Bridge…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  David Raya (6/10):

  Got caught out a bit by the free-kick that led to the corner which Chelsea scored from. Didn't have much to do in terms of saves.

  Jurrien Timer (7/10):

  Class act as always. Amid all the chaos, especially in the first half, he was the one calm head in the Arsenal back four.

  Cristhian Mosquera (6/10):

  Surprisingly named in the XI due to the training ground injury suffered by William Saliba. Looked edgy on the ball as Chelsea pressed, but never hid and played his part,

  Piero Hincapie (6/10):

  You could see him trying to talk Mosquera through the game at times. Played the senior defensive role quite well. Almost set up a late winner with his cross into the box. Booked.

  Riccardo Calafiori (5/10):

  Stupid booking in the first half. Chelsea dealt with him quite well, so he wasn't his usual attacking threat. Replaced by Lewis-Skelly at half-time.

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  Midfield

  Martin Zubimendi (6/10):

  Booked in the opening minutes so was always walking a tightrope. Found very little as was in a constant battle with Enzo.

  Declan Rice (7/10):

  Probably the one player who showed any consistent quality for Arsenal. Produced one exceptional tackle to deny Neto. 

  Eberechi Eze (5/10):

  Never really got into the game. Looked frustrated by the constant fouls and stop-start nature of the game.

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  Attack

  Bukayo Saka (6/10):

  Was in and out of the game, but found a moment of real quality when he got to the touchline and picked out a perfect cross for Merino to score.

  Mikel Merino (6/10):

  Not his best game. His touch and passing range was off at times, but still popped up with a crucial goal.

  Gabriel Martinelli (5/10):

  Had one shot well saved in the first half. Looked rusty, which is no surprise given this was his first start in well over a month.

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  Subs & Manager

  Myles Lewis-Skelly (5/10):

  On at half-time to replace the booked Calafiori, but picked up a yellow himself almost immediately.

  Martin Odegaard (6/10):

  Good to see him back. Got involved, but was unable to unpick the lock in the Chelsea defence.

  Noni Madueke (6/10):

  Booed relentlessly on his return to Chelsea. On the fringes of things. 

  Viktor Gyokeres (N/A):

  Couldn't get into the game, though did look like he was about to score the winner right at the death, but Timber took Hincapie's cross off his head.

  Mikel Arteta (6/10):

  It felt like his late attacking changes didn't work. It made the game more open and Arsenal lost any control.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has lavished praise on a few members of his squad ahead of their Carabao Cup tie at Newcastle on Wednesday.

Tottenham prepare for Newcastle tie after 3-0 win at Everton

After his predecessor, Ange Postecoglou, ended the club’s 17-year wait for a trophy at the back end of 2024/2025, Frank will undoubtedly be judged on his charge for major silverware.

Spurs are currently third in the Premier League table and back to winning ways after victory against Everton on Sunday, and much like their north London rivals Arsenal, they’ve been excelling at set pieces.

The Lilywhites have scored from a dead ball situation on five different occasions this term in the league, the same number as Bournemouth, with it being no coincidence that the Cherries and Frank’s side occupy a place in the top three behind Arsenal.

While concerns have surrounded Tottenham’s lack of creativity from open play, with summer signing Xavi Simons off to a slow start after being signed as their new star playmaker, Frank has undoubtedly embraced this new ‘set piece revolution’ happening up and down the Premier League.

Spurs travel to St. James’ Park for their next clash as Frank looks to inspire a cup run, but they face a tricky test against the current Carabao champions who have won five out of their last seven matches in all competitions.

Tottenham also have nine players unavailable for the clash, including star defenders Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie, with Kevin Danso set to partner Micky van de Ven at the heart of Frank’s defence once again after impressing against Everton.

Tottenham absentee list to face Newcastle	Problem	Estimated return date
Dejan Kulusevski	Knee	22/11/2025
James Maddison	ACL	01/06/2026
Radu Dragusin	Knee	22/11/2025
Ben Davies	Thigh	23/11/2025
Yves Bissouma	Ankle/Foot	08/11/2025
Kota Takai	Ankle/Foot	08/11/2025
Cristian Romero	Groin	01/11/2025
Destiny Udogie	Knee	08/11/2025
Dominic Solanke	Ankle	08/11/2025
via Premier Injuries

Frank has piled praise on Danso for his excellent form since coming to replace Romero, but the Austrian has been somewhat overshadowed by van de Ven.

The latter has proved magnificent since Frank took over from Postecoglou, with reports suggesting that Tottenham are prepared to double van de Ven’s salary in a bid to keep him out of Real Madrid’s clutches.

The Dutchman’s brace against Everton condemned the Merseysiders to their first ever defeat at the brand-new Hill Dickinson Stadium, with Frank lavishing his star centre-back in the build up to Wednesday.

Thomas Frank says Micky van de Ven is becoming a new leader at Tottenham

Van de Ven was named as part of Spurs’ leadership group earlier this season, alongside Ben Davies, Guglielmo Vicario, James Maddison and Romero, with Frank explaining how he’s since repaid the faith.

Commenting further in his pre-match press conference before Newcastle, Frank also explained how he’s gone up another level behind-the-scenes.

While van de Ven is tied down until 2029, if the 24-year-old continues in this fine form, Spurs must surely be worried about the prospect of Real swooping in to tempt him amid their hunt for new centre-backs.

That being said, the defender will command a premium, so the pending availability of free agents like Ibrahima Konate, Dayot Upamecano and Marc Guehi could sway them elsewhere.

Unai Emery’s Aston Villa are one of several Premier League clubs that are tracking Porto striker Samu Aghehowa.

Having qualified for European football in three seasons under Emery, who has overseen a revolution at Villa Park, the Villans endured a slow start to the 2025/26 campaign. Villa, who did not score in any competition until mid-September, only picked up their first Premier League win on the 28th September.

Just days earlier, Villa beat Bologna 1-0 in the Europa League, a victory that kicked off a five-game win streak across all competitions. The club have since beaten Manchester City 1-0 at Villa Park, before falling to a 2-0 loss at Anfield against defending champions Liverpool.

With the January transfer window fast approaching, Villa have been linked with a number of players. Having had well-documented troubles with PSR rules in recent months, it is clear that Villa’s first-team needs something of a revival through new additions, which they could get if they sign this particular forward.

Villa interested in Samu Aghehowa

As per Football Insider, Villa are interested in acquiring the services of Samu Aghehowa. Since joining Porto from Atletico Madrid in 2024, the forward has blossomed into one of Europe’s most-promising number nines and as such, has garnered interest from multiple clubs.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly keen on the Spaniard and as per Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Villa and Arsenal are also eyeing a move, while Newcastle may drop out of the race having signed Nick Woltemade.

Aghehowa would not be cheap. Understandably, Porto are keen to hold onto their star striker, who has an £88 million release clause in his contract. A lethal goalscorer, Aghehowa has been described as a “powerhouse” for his displays in Portugal.

Appearances

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Yellow Cards (Red Cards)

7 (1)

Minutes Played

4,147′

In September, Roberto Olabe joined Villa as their President of Football Operations, replacing Monchi who had filled a similar role. January will mark Olabe’s first window with the Villans and Aghehowa would certainly be a statement first signing for the Spaniard.

Having lost Jhon Duran in January 2025, it could be argued that Villa are yet to replace the striker. Evann Guessand signed in the summer, but the former Nice forward has predominantly been used out wide by Emery.

Aghehowa, contrastingly, would be an out-and-out number nine were he to sign for Villa, offering England international Ollie Watkins a viable level of competition. The Spaniard would be a sensational addition, though whether Villa can agree a deal for him remains to be seen.

Villa scouts 'blown away' by hat-trick hero

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