Premier League

ASTON VILLA have held internal talks about a potential swoop for departing Manchester City superstar Kevin De Bruyne… but may face competition.De Bruyne, 33, announced on social media that this season will be his last with City and will be leaving as a free agent in June after 10 years at the Etihad.Aston Villa held internal talks about a swoop for Manchester City star Kevin De BruyneMany teams are keeping tabs on De Bruyne ahead of his departure from Man CityCesc Fabregas’ Como are also interested in De BruyneAccording to Sky Sports, Villa are weighing a move that would see the star playmaker staying in the Premier League.The Belgium international is reluctant to uproot his family from the UK and that has alerted the Citizens’ Prem rivals, including the Villans.However, Unai Emery’s side would still face intense competition for De Bruyne’s signature Four MLS teams – Inter Miami, Chicago Fire, NYCFC and D.C. United – have made enquiries.Read More on FootballThe American outfits have asked about the Belgian star’s professional and financial expectations.But Serie A side Como are also looking to keep the ex-Wolfsburg star in Europe.Arsenal and Chelsea legend Cesc Fabregas’ team are doing checks to see if there’s any possibility of landing the attacking midfielder this summer.SunSport previously revealed that Al-Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo ordered his Saudi club to make the ex-Chelsea star an offer he cannot refuse.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSDe Bruyne is considered as one of the greatest midfielders in Premier League history after amassing a staggering 107 goals and 177 assists in 417 appearances with Man City.The former Genk star also won six Prem titles, two FA Cups, five League Cups and the 2023 Champions League which sealed a legendary Treble.But despite his success at the Etihad, it turns out that the decision not to renew his contract was made by the club rather than the player himself.The legendary No10 said after City’s 2-0 win at Everton that Director of Football Txiki Begiristain and CEO Ferran Soriano held a brief meeting to tell him his deal would not be renewed.De Bruyne said: “There was a little bit of shock. I didn’t have any offer from them through the whole year and the club made a decision. “Obviously, I was a bit surprised but I have to accept it. Honestly, I still think I can perform at this level like I’m showing but I understand that clubs have to make decisions.”De Bruyne ‘struggle’It is understood that City manager Pep Guardiola was involved in the decision but not a part of the meeting where De Bruyne was informed.The Belgian said he struggled a lot in the days between finding out and going public with his social media post.De Bruyne added: “It was half a week till I reported it out and it wasn’t nice. My family weren’t home. They were on holiday so it was a bit weird but it is what it is.”After the decision was made and when I came out, it was more of a relief when I reported it to the outside world compared to when I knew and nobody else knew. Read More on The Sun”You don’t know what to do with the emotion with everybody and how to handle it at the club. “Now it’s out, it’s fine and people see the way I am. I try to do my best and win games for the team. I love playing football so that’s it.” More

FRENCH wonderkid Enzo Kana-Biyik has agreed to join Manchester United in the summer.Kana-Biyik, 18, will be moving to Old Trafford from Le Havre as a free agent after the club failed to convince him to sign fresh terms in Normandy.Le Havre wonderkid Enzo Kana-Biyik has agreed to join Manchester United this summerKana-Biyik joins from the same club in which ex-Man Utd star Paul Pogba used to playThe Mail reported earlier this week that talks between the youngster and United were advancing.  And according to Le Parisien, the striker and his family ultimately decided in favour of a move to the Red Devils.The same source claims the France Under-18 international has been presented with a clear plan to progress with Man Utd.However, the teenage sensation, who is highly rated in Ligue 1, will spend the first season out on loan at Lausanne-Sport.Read More on Man UtdThe Swiss club belongs to United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS and will help him get first-team football in order to reach the levels required in the Premier League.Kana-Biyik has yet to make a senior appearance with Le Havre but has stood out at youth level.The forward, who is the son of Cameroon legend Andre Kana-Biyik, counts nine goals and one assist in 17 appearances with the Under-19s.The centre-forward will be coming from a club that has created several football greats in the past.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSThat includes former United star Paul Pogba, who spent two years within Le Havre’s youth ranks before moving to the Manchester giants in 2009 for his first stint with the club.Leicester and Manchester City icon Riyad Mahrez also moved to the King Power Stadium after four years with the French outfit.Roy Keane cracks joke live on Sky Sports as he tells De Bruyne to join Man UtdFormer West Ham star Dimitri Payet was also part of the youth teams between 1999 and 2003. More

WITH just five Premier League games remaining this season, Ipswich Town are destined for the drop.Should they lose to Newcastle on Saturday, the Tractor Boys will be relegated back to the Championship.Liam Delap is set to leave Ipswich this summerCredit: ReutersThe £30m striker is being linked with Arsenal, Chelsea and Man UtdCredit: GettyAnd that will almost guarantee the departure of sought-after forward Liam Delap amid interest from some of England’s top clubs.Delap joined Ipswich from Manchester City last summer for just £20million.And he will become available for just £30m if the Tractor Boys go down thanks to a relegation clause.The 22-year-old has managed 14 goal contributions in 32 Premier League games this term.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLAnd his impressive form has attracted interest from the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United over the last year.But which club would be the best fit for him? SunSport has looked at what makes him so good and what he would bring to each team.MOVEMENT OFF THE LAST LINEIt’s fair to say that the performance and output that we have seen from Delap this season for Ipswich has taken plenty of people by surprise.He spent the previous campaign on loan with Hull City in the Championship and, although he played well, his form did not suggest that he would take the Premier League by storm in the way that he has.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSOne of the biggest surprises for many has been the movement that Delap has shown on the last line to create space and separation for himself.When Ipswich are in the attacking phase, we often see Delap covered by two or three defensive players.Man Utd and Arsenal in Matheus Cunha transfer battle with Wolves star ready to make summer moveBut he routinely makes clever runs that give him the advantage over the opposition.His movement is very intelligent but it’s the timing of these runs that really makes an impact and allows Delap to create space for himself.Delap’s movement off the last line helps to create plenty of space for both himself and his team-matesIn the above example, we see a clever movement from Delap where he first creates the attack before timing his arrival into space to finish comfortably.He picks up the ball and drives forward before releasing it wide.The forward then moves into the space to pick up the cross and finish first time.The club that would most benefit from this specific part of Delap’s profile is Chelsea.The Blues have seen their form dip dramatically across the second half of the season and with that Cole Palmer has suffered.To get the best out of Palmer, Chelsea need to add a striker with the movement profile of Delap.The former Man City star can attempt clever runs to make the most of the quality passes we usually see from Palmer.By adding a striker with the profile of Delap to their team for next season, Chelsea will be taking a player with the presence, athleticism and intelligent movement to really help them break down teams that sit in a deeper defensive block.Delap would naturally push defensive lines back and provide space for Palmer to occupy in behind, but he is also capable of receiving and linking the play around him.Cole Palmer has not had a striker playing with him this season who he can rely on to make runs in behindChelsea need to add a modern profile of striker for next season and Delap should be high on their list.INTELLIGENT MOVEMENT IN THE AREAModern strikers who thrive on running and attacking space behind the defensive line often struggle with their movement in tighter spaces, including the penalty area.This is not the case with Delap.One of the most interesting aspects of his development with Ipswich this season has been with his movement to create separation within the opposition penalty area.He has developed into an instinctive striker with excellent timing when looking to attack balls in the area.Delap has the traditional size and shape of a target man and as such you would expect him to be strong when attacking crosses.It is his movement, anticipation and the timing of his first move though that makes him really effective in the area.He makes strong runs across the defender to attack space and has a tendency to arrive at the right time for the cross.Delap is able to read the pass before it’s madeIn the above example, Delap is initially isolated as the only Ipswich player in the Aston Villa penalty area.As the ball is worked wide the man in possession shifts the ball and drives across a good low cross.As soon as the wide player started to shift his feet, Delap read the intention with a clever run across the face of the defender to finish past the goalkeeper.Out of the top teams linked with Delap it’s Arsenal who would most benefit from adding a player with this profile.The Gunners generate a high volume of crosses but their striker options are not good enough to take advantage.The likes of Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus – when they were fit – rarely make the most of these chances.If Arsenal were to add a striker like Delap to really attack the ball and show clever movement, then suddenly the volume of crosses that they generate will be put to far better use.The Champions League semi-finalists do not need a striker who will provide value in build-up – but they do need someone who can finish.Kai Havertz sometimes struggles to time his runs correctlyHere, we see a moment where Arsenal have worked the ball into a strong position. Havertz is the striker looking to attack the cross but the timing of his run is too early, allowing the opposition defenders to react and block the eventual shot.Arsenal have one glaring hole in their squad and that is at the No9 position.They need to add an option in that area this summer and a domestic option like Delap should appeal to their top brass.PACE TO STRETCH THE PITCHOne of the stand-out things about Delap this year has been his strength when attacking space behind defensive lines.For the most part, Ipswich have faced teams with more possession of the ball and as such the opposition have pushed their defence higher.This has, in turn, meant that Ipswich have generally had space to counter attack with more direct passes, releasing Delap into space.In the modern game, more and more teams are looking for tall and powerful strikers who have the pace and ability to run behind and force the opposition to defend in space.That fits the profile of Delap nicely. He can stretch the space and really cause danger for his team when they are trying to attack quickly from deeper areas.In this match, Delap showed his ability to peel off the defender to create space for himself before then making quick runs to attack the space.His team-mates know they can take possession of the ball and then quickly hit forward passes to release him into space.Man Utd, under Ruben Amorim, are in desperate need of a striker who fits this profile.They thought they had this already in Rasmus Hojlund, but while Delap has shown real development in his game across this season, it would be fair to say that Hojlund has gone backwards.Indeed, when you watch United play they are clearly missing a forward player who can be effective running the channels and giving them an option to attack space behind the defensive line.This allows opposition teams to squeeze the game and to play higher, making it more difficult for United to effectively build their attack.Rasmus Hojlund is not effective when it comes to running the channelsWe see an example of this here as United play a direct pass into the channel to release Hojlund. He does not have the power or the pace, however, to make the most of the opportunity and allows two Man City players to catch him.CONCLUSIONThere is no doubt that Delap will be on the move this summer.There is no value for the player or for Ipswich in keeping the striker for a season in the Championship.The only question is where will he go?While he would no doubt benefit Arsenal and United, Chelsea could gain most by landing the man touted as a future England star.Read More on The SunIt can be argued that Delap could be the player to help things click for Chelsea and take them to the next level.If he can get the absolute best out of Cole Palmer, and vice versa, then surely the Blues will return to their absolute best.Delap could be a huge addition to any top Prem clubCredit: PA More