Unai Emery ‘personally driving’ Aston Villa’s pursuit of ex-Arsenal man as Wolves target becomes free agent

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is working hard to ensure that his team are ready to navigate the challenges of a Champions League group stage campaign whilst remaining competitive in the Premier League and other domestic competitions.

The West Midlands giants are already on the verge of signing Luton Town ace Ross Barkley - and are now pushing for yet another midfielder in the form of Lazio star Matteo Guendouzi, according to reports. Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport understands that Guendouzi is keen to return to the Premier League this term and believes that the chance to be reunited with Emery is a driving factor behind his decision.

Emery was the coach who first spotted Gunedouzi’s talents and he brought him to Arsenal in 2018 for a nominal fee of just £7m after a string of impressive performances in the second-tier of French football.

The teenager instantly became a first team regular for Arsenal and quickly showed signs of promise as the Gunners reached the Europa League final before falling short against Chelsea. The Frenchman’s status at Arsenal quickly plummeted after Emery’s departure at the Emirates and he was forced after a clash with Mikel Arteta over ‘attitude and general conduct.’

However, after a successful loan stint at Hertha Berlin and a permanent move to Marseille, Guendouzi has shown signs of once again living up to his potential. His form in Ligue 1 saw him win eight caps for the French national team in a highly competitive era for Les Bleus. 

On deadline day last summer, Gunedouzi joined Lazio on a loan move with an obligation for a permanent switch this summer. In his first term, he played 33 times in the league and generally performed well. However, since the departure of Mauricio Sarri he has had a poor working relationship with Igor Tudro, leading to suggestions that he could be made available this summer for around £26m.

Wolves target and former FM prodigy becomes free agent

Former Football Manager wonderkid Ryan Sessegnon has become a free agent after a frustrating five-season spell at North London giants Tottenham Hotspur.

Sessegnon rose to prominence at just 16-years-old when he became a first team regular at Fulham and he quickly wrote his name into the history books by becoming the first player born after 2000 to score in England’s top eight divisions.

The teenager was lauded for his incredible pace, dribbling ability and creativity - becoming a star performer both at left back and as a winger. He scored 15 goals in the 2017/18 Championship campaign as the Cottagers won promotion and rapidly became one of the most coveted youngsters in world football.

Fulham retained the youngster for one further season, but after relegation in 2019 agreed to sell the star to Jose Mourinho, who claimed the England U21 star had the potential to become as good as ‘Ashley Cole’ in the future.

Sessegnon played just six times in an injury-hit first season at Tottenham, but showed signs of potential during a loan spell with Bundesliga side Hoffenheim as he struck two goals and three assists in 23 appearances.

He made a promising start to both Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte’s reign as manager when playing as wing back, but ultimately succumbed to injury. Overall, he played just 38 league games in five seasons, including just seven minutes in all competitions last term.

Despite his injury record, however, Wolves believe they can still reignite the youngster’s career as potential cover for Rayan Ait-Nouri or Huego Beuno if either were to leave the club, according to Molineux News.