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A report in English media claims that Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani is now set to complete his takeover of Manchester United, and it could happen soon.

What's the latest Man United takeover news?

It was just last week that news surrounding the Glazer family and their potential sale of the Premier League club wasn't looking particularly promising.

After all, there was talk that Sheikh Jassim's bid of upwards of £5bn had not been responded to yet with brothers Avram and Joel potentially unwilling to actually sell their asset after all this speculation.

Indeed, Chief Manchester United writer Samuel Luckhurst wrote in his article for the Manchester Evening News: "Figures involved in a possible takeover of United are becoming weary with the process".

However, in a fresh update from The Sun, it has been reported that Sheikh Jassim is set to win the battle to buy Man United for £6bn ahead of rival bidder British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe of INEOS, who was willing to allow the Glazer family to retain a stake in the Red Devils with his offer.

Instead, the Qatari royal will complete a 100 per cent purchase of the club, thus finally seeing the Glazers depart Old Trafford after arriving in 2005 – news that will no doubt delight many fans.

The report adds that Sheikh Jassim’s team are now completing their due diligence on the English club and that this £6bn takeover is set to be completed by mid-October, while it could be officially announced as early as next month.

Who is Sheikh Jassim?

Born in 1982, Sheikh Jassim is the chairman of Qatar Islamic Bank, one of the biggest banks in the Middle East, and is a member of the Qatari royal family. His father, Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, was the Qatari prime minister between 2007 and 2013 and has been involved in the running of Paring Saint-Germain in the past (via Metro).

As per the Manchester Evening News, he and his family are believed to have a collective net worth of around £275bn. While that same report says it is estimated that he has a personal net worth of about £1.08bn.

He is also a lifelong fan of the club and has been to a number of Man United matches as a supporter – some of those have even been away from home, reports The Guardian.

Once the takeover is complete, the new Man Utd owner will supposedly wipe out the club's gross debt which is believed to be at £725m. Sheikh Jassim will then aim to

make renovations to Old Trafford, as well as their training centre at Carrington.

Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…

No doubt fans will also hope and expect some big new signings to arrive in the upcoming transfer windows, with the January market potentially the first opportunity the Qatari will have to flex his financial muscle.

After months and months of speculation, it does finally seem as though this whole saga is at last about to find a conclusion. It will be interesting to see how quickly this moves now and if a deal really can be finalised as soon as mid-October.

If Leeds United want to earn promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, then they're not exactly going about it in the best way, winning just once in five Championship games.

They were left without a win once more last time out, too, as newly-promoted Sheffield Wednesday came away with a well-earned point at Elland Road, having drawn 0-0.

The pressure will only continue to build on Daniel Farke, who was backed enough in the summer transfer window for those in charge at the Yorkshire club to be demanding better results.

Ethan Ampadu failed to hide his frustration with two particular teammates in the stalemate with Sheffield Wednesday, as revealed by Graham Smyth.

What did Graham Smyth say?

Speaking after the result, Smyth told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “Ampadu was an animated figure. He was dishing out words of wisdom to Piroe, gesturing for Rutter to run in behind to give him an option, growing frustrated with the lack of passing opportunities at times.”

With that said, Farke's problem is arguably clear for all to see, with his Leeds side lacking an out and out playmaker, leading to a disconnect between Ampadu, Archie Gray and the forward players.

Joel Piroe, although a goalscorer by trade, is one who will only improve with more time to build connections with his new teammates. As soon as the former Swansea City man builds a partnership with the likes of Ampadu, Leeds may well start firing on all cylinders.

The forward has, of course, already got one goal to his name for the Yorkshire club, scoring on his debut in their 4-3 victory over Ipswich Town, while he also has a rate of roughly one assist for every five goals he scores throughout his career.

Meanwhile, Georginio Rutter may need even more time than his new teammate. Since making the move to Leeds in January, the 21-year-old has struggled to make an impact, and has just one goal in five league appearances this season.

Farke will be desperately hoping to see both of his forwards find their form – with Piroe in particular the potential superstar playing just off of Rutter – and start firing Leeds towards promotion form.

How has Ethan Ampadu performed this season?

So far this season, Ampadu has been one of the few positives for Leeds, and is a player who will undoubtedly be at the centre of any good form that Farke's side potentially build in the coming weeks.

According to FBref, the midfielder is in the 98th percentile for blocks by players in his position, with an impressive two made per 90. Meanwhile, the Welshman is also in the 75th percentile for passes attempted, the 70th percentile for pass completion rate and 71st for tackles per 90. In a struggling side, Ampadu has done anything but struggle.

From Leeds' perspective, they'll just be hoping that others start following Ampadu's lead, resulting in a much-needed change in form.

After the conclusion of the international break, they square off against Millwall in what will be another tough test for Farke's side to potentially overcome.

The last thing they need is another game without three points. And, with that, Ampadu, at the very least, will need to continue his standout form.

West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers will battle it out over the signing of Jesse Lingard who remains a free-agent following the expiry of his contract at Nottingham Forest.

The former Manchester United man is reportedly close to deciding where he will be playing his football in the coming days, as per Sky Sports [5th September, 18:08pm].

According to the report, the 30-year-old has been training with former club West Ham over the summer and will play in a behind-closed-doors friendly this week which will test his match fitness and ability in the Irons’ squad.

However, Premier League rivals Wolves are hot on the Hammers’ tail for Lingard’s signature with the four-time FA Cup winners also wanting the free agent's signature.

What’s the latest on Jesse Lingard?

Wolves have spent £80m so far this season and were obliged to buy Matheus Cunha for £43m due to a clause in the Brazilian’s contract following his loan spell at Molineux last season.

The Midlands club are quite strapped for cash so the signing of Lingard on a free transfer may be the perfect opportunity to improve their squad depth without breaking the bank.

In his first press conference as Wolves’ manager, Gary O'Neil claimed that he is “pleased” where his squad is currently at.

“I am just going to work with the players that are here, work extremely hard and get as much out of them as possible. I am really pleased with the group. I think there is enough quality in there to be really competitive.

“Things will move and change I am sure but as it is, I am fine with where we are. I like the group, I really think we have a chance of doing something this year," he said.

What happened to Lingard?

Following a stellar loan spell at West Ham, the attacking ace joined newly-promoted Nottingham Forest after agreeing a contract that made him the highest earner at City Ground.

The 32-capped England midfielder was in "sensational" form – in the eyes of former Arsenal defender Nigel Winterburn – during his time at the Irons as he managed to score nine and assist five in the 16 games he played for the three-time FA Cup winners.

He was also hailed as a "difference maker" during that period by the host of 'The West Ham Way' pre-match show, Dan Woffenden.

Moyes has previously spoken on whether he would like to work with Lingard again after his attempt to sign the Englishman last year failed.

Speaking in a press conference at the beginning of last season, Moyes said:

“You couldn't turn around and say David Sullivan and the owners didn't do everything they could to get him. They certainly did. I've got to say the club have tried to get lots of players but for different reasons, we've not been able to get them.

“You never know, [if he will try to sign Lingard again] it's a difficult question, I don't see how I can answer it. If he scores 25 goals next year and does fantastically well, maybe I will. If he doesn't, maybe I won't."

However at Forest. the English maestro failed to replicate the form he had in east London failing to score or assist in the 17 Premier League games he played for the Reds.

Given the financial problems at the Old Gold, signing Lingard on a free transfer wouldn't be the worst business, especially if O'Neil can be the one to get that West Ham-level of form back out of him heading into the remainder of 2023.

Manchester United suffered their third straight defeat in midweek against Bayern Munich and the pressure is now firmly on Erik ten Hag, despite a spirited performance in Germany.

A tie against Burnley in the Premier League is next up for the Red Devils and while they currently occupy 13th spot in the table with just two wins from five, Vincent Kompany’s men have themselves secured only one point thus far.

This upcoming clash represents a wonderful opportunity for United to get back on track and a confidence-boosting victory will hopefully allow them to kick-start their season and nudge them further up the table.

Following the defeat to Bayern, Ten Hag will likely make changes, especially as several of his starting XI underperformed, with Christian Eriksen among the protagonists in this regard.

How did Christian Eriksen perform vs Bayern Munich?

The Danish midfielder made his first Champions League start since October 2020 against the Bundesliga side, yet he failed to showcase his vast talents when United needed him most.

His Sofascore match rating of 5.6 was the lowest out of anyone on the pitch during the match, as Eriksen's 69-minute spell saw him complete just 30 successful passes while giving away a penalty and being dribbled past twice as he failed to assert his authority in the heart of the midfield.

Following the tie, he and Casemiro were criticised by journalist Mark Critchley, who said: “Manchester United are under the microscope in just about every part of the pitch at the moment but the midfield might be most concerning.

“Casemiro and Christian Eriksen both look like short-term fixes to a long-term problem.”

Will Christian Eriksen start for Manchester United vs Burnley?

The £150k-per-week “absolute genius” – as so dubbed by Statman Dave in 2022 – hasn’t exactly lit up Old Trafford this season.

He has averaged a Sofascore match rating of just 6.9 across five Premier League ties, registering only two goal contributions – one goal and one assist – while creating zero big chances and averaging just 0.8 key passes per game.

Across the United squad, these statistics rank him only tenth, third and tenth for key passes per game, while he doesn’t even rank for big chances created.

It has been an underwhelming campaign thus far and indeed, across the previous 12 months, Eriksen has failed to showcase his best qualities over a range of metrics.

According to FBref, the Dane ranks in the lowest 93% for tackles (1.17) and the lowest 88% for interceptions (0.55) per 90 when compared to his positional peers in Europe's top five leagues, while some of his attacking statistics have not been great either.

He ranks in the lowest 74% for successful take-ons per 90 (0.43) and the lowest 40% for touches in the opposition box (1.37) when compared to his peers across Europe’s top five leagues and Ten Hag should perhaps give someone else an opportunity against Burnley today.

Something needs to click into gear for the Dutchman, and he needs it fast, otherwise the pressure could soon become unbearable, and he may well be looking for a new role sooner rather than later.

With it looking as if Eriksen is a key part of the 'problem' at present, a new solution must be found this evening.

Arsenal star Thomas Partey is the subject of a behind-the-scenes claim this week in a potentially worrying bit of news for manager Mikel Arteta.

Latest Arsenal news

The Gunners have got off to solid start to this 2023/2024 Premier League season; winning four out of their opening five league games with top flight victories over Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace, Man United and Everton. Arsenal haven't exactly been at their imperious attacking best in that time, with three out of those four victories coming at a narrow one-goal margin.

“Six years without a win here is a long time, so we had to learn some lessons, we had to be better." said Arteta after their 1-0 win over Everton. "I am delighted for the win but especially the way we won it, the way we played, how dominant we were, the presence that we showed on the pitch. We fully deserved to win the game.

“I think we had many other openings to put the ball in the last line and to put somebody in the box and finalise. Credit to Everton, they defended the box extremely well, and they had some big, big blocks when we opened them up."

However, Arteta's side did find some good form in the final third on Wednesday night; putting Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven to the sword with a 4-0 Champions League group stage victory. This result will lift some tails at the Emirates as Arsenal gear up for a crunch north London derby clash against high-flying Tottenham on Sunday.

Latest Arsenal transfer news

Despite a very ambitious summer transfer window where they spent north of £200 million on new signings, reports have suggested that a marquee striker move could be in the offing next year. The likes of Victor Osimhen and Ivan Toney have been linked in this regard, but as players could come in, some squad members could inevitably make way.

Partey, who stood out as one of Arsenal's best-performing players per 90 while making 33 appearances last term, is now apparently eyeing the exit door. Already injured behind-the-scenes, it appears Arteta may be dealt a further blow on the Ghanaian, as he's allegedly unhappy with his new role at the club.

Arsenal's manager, after bringing in club-record signing Declan Rice, has been using Partey as a makeshift right-back recently; something which is said to have displeased the midfielder.

That is according to Calciomercato.it, who claim the 30-year-old has "made it clear that he doesn't like" Arteta's plans for him and now "intends to leave the Emirates as early as January". Juventus are tipped as potential suitors for Partey after their reported interest over the summer.

How good is Thomas Partey?

The African ace has been praised by members of the media for his contribution.

"Thomas Partey is a defensive monster and controller," wrote journalist Abdu Dilshan Wasike on X in January. "Usually clubs are partnering 2 players with one of each to have this attribute in their midfield. Arsenal have both qualities in 1 player. He is the best six (6) in the league. MoTM against Newcastle"

Meanwhile, La Liga expert Gerry Armstrong has also called him a "sensational player".

Hibernian have started the Nick Montgomery era well, recording just their second Premiership win of the 2023/24 campaign on the weekend as they defeated St Johnstone 2-0.

Having sacked Lee Johnson due to their poor start to the season, former Sheffield United midfielder Montgomery was chosen as the new manager and it could well be a shrewd move by the Edinburgh side, especially if he can achieve similar success to that of his former club, Central Coast Mariners.

The 41-year-old will be hoping to get the best out of the summer arrivals, including the likes of Dylan Vente, Dylan Levitt, and Elie Youan, who all have the potential to be excellent players if managed right and deployed in the correct positions.

Finishing fifth last season was a poor showing and although the Easter Road side have finished third on just two occasions since the turn of the century, Montgomery will certainly be aiming high in order to improve the mood at the club following an under-par start to the campaign.

Not only can he bring the best out of the new players, but Montgomery will also be able to motivate the established professionals at Hibs and allow them to showcase their abilities.

There is still a lot of quality in the Hibs squad, that with the correct coaching and desire, could push the club onto greater heights than they have been used to recently.

The likes of Martin Doyle, Josh Campbell and Joe Newell could be key to any success during 2023/24 and in Newell in particular, Hibs have certainly struck gold.

How much did Joe Newell cost Hibs?

The midfielder arrived in Scotland in the summer of 2019 following his departure from English side Rotherham and the Premiership side managed to secure his signature for nothing, signing him to a two-year deal in the process.

Paul Heckingbottom, who was the manager at the time, praised Newell on his arrival, saying: “We’re excited to get Joe over the line.

“He’s coming in having played a lot of games at a good level in the English Championship last season and is a threat either out wide or inside.

“Joe can carry the ball up the park and I think he’ll link up well with our other attacking players.

“Joe had several other options so I am delighted that he chose to join us. It is exciting that we can attract players who believe in what we hope to do.”

High praise indeed for a player who had made 144 Championship appearances during his career, exuding a wealth of experience in the English second tier and this was surely going to stand him in good stead moving to the Scottish top flight.

Over the previous four years, Newell has impressed for Hibs and this has seen his current value rise exponentially.

What is Joe Newell’s market value now?

After just six months at Hibs, the Englishman’s market value stood at just €0.3m (£260k) and while they had signed him for nothing, it wasn’t exactly a staggering valuation.

Over the next few years however, this has risen rather swiftly and according to Football Transfers, the midfielder is now currently worth €1.8m (£1.5m) and this represents an impressive rise.

Football Transfers rate the expected transfer value of a player depending on a wide array of factors, including the length of their contract, performance level and the league they play in.

Why is Joe Newell worth this much?

Having established himself as a player who performed well in the Championship, coming to Scotland was certainly a downgrade in quality, thus giving Newell the chance to be one of the standout stars in the division for Hibs.

He made 25 appearances during his maiden term in Edinburgh, registering ten goal contributions – one goal and nine assists – in the process as the season was curtailed due to the pandemic.

His goal involvements did dry up over the following two seasons, recording only six and five respectively, yet he found himself as a key player during this time, making 77 appearances for the club.

Last season, Newell embraced his role in the centre of the midfield as he featured 38 times across all competitions for the club, scoring three goals and grabbing seven assists throughout the campaign, becoming one of Hibs’ finest players in the process.

Indeed, he ranked as their best player in the squad with regard to overall Sofascore rating (7.29) while also ranking fourth for goals and assists (seven), first for big chances created (six), second for key passes per game (2.1) and first for tackles per game (2.5).

These statistics reveal that he impressed significantly, not just in an attacking sense, but also defensively, becoming an integral member of the first team squad as he can chip in with the odd goal and assist, while also creating plenty of chances for others and winning the ball back often during games.

It is no surprise to see his valuation rise to £1.5m then due to these impressive performances during the 2022/23 season and this rich vein of form has continued into the new term, where Newell hasn’t wilted during the turbulent opening weeks.

After just six games, Newell ranks fifth in the Hibs squad for Sofascore rating (7.15), yet he rises to fourth for goals and assists (two), first for big chances created (five) and for key passes per game (two), further demonstrating his creative talents which have led the club to a much higher position than what they would currently be occupying if he wasn’t in the team.

These figures over the previous 12 months suggest Newell is still in his peak years as a footballer and this is certainly reflected in his valuation, which may even rise depending on how well he does during the remainder of the campaign.

Montgomery will just be happy he has a midfielder who can do just about everything from the middle of the pitch and if the time comes soon when the 30-year-old wishes to depart Easter Road, then the club will stand to make a wonderful profit on him.

Hibs have hit the jackpot by luring the £4.1k-per-week maestro north of the border for free and they have reaped the rewards during his four-year stay in the capital, there’s absolutely no doubt about that.

Aston Villa are readying a bid to sign a new midfielder according to a fresh report, and should he join it's not the first time that he will have been coached by Unai Emery.

Who are Villa's new signings?

Over the summer, NSWE and Monchi recruited five fresh faces in the form of Moussa Diaby, Pau Torres and Youri Tielemans on a permanent basis, whilst Nicolo Zaniolo and Clement Lenglet both joined on loan for the remainder of the season.

In the Midlands, Cameron Archer, Ashley Young and Wesley Moraes were just a few of the big name players to leave for good, alongside the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Morgan Sanson, who were sent out on the road to increase their game time.

Looking ahead to January, Emery will now be thinking about who he’d like to sign in the upcoming window and he appears to have highlighted Real Madrid’s Dani Ceballos as an ideal transfer target, having managed the central midfielder during his time at Arsenal.

In La Liga, Spain’s international has made zero starts this season and has been limited to just two substitute appearances, via WhoScored, so he has fallen significantly down the pecking order, though if the following update is to be believed, the 27-year-old may have been handed the perfect lifeline.

Are Aston Villa signing Dani Ceballos?

According to XCatalunya (via Sport Witness), Aston Villa are "preparing an offer" for Ceballos and are willing to spend up to €18m (£15m) to bring him back to the Premier League.

The Midlands outfit are "interested" in the talisman, and having seen how out of favour he's become at the Bernabeu Stadium, chiefs are "keen" to give him a new opportunity to kickstart his career. NSWE are also looking to bring his salary to €8m (£6m), with the idea being that he would put pen to paper in January.

How many trophies has Dani Ceballos won?

Since the start of his career, Ceballos has secured an outstanding 14 senior trophies, including titles like La Liga and the Champions League, which shows that he possesses the winning mentality required to compete and be successful at the highest level, meaning he could add a bit more top level pedigree and experience to the current squad at Villa Park.

The Utrera native has also posted 18 contributions (12 assists and six goals) in 122 appearances for Real Madrid which shows how prolific he can be in the final third, alongside ranking in the 98th percentile for successful take-ons past his marker.

Sponsored by Nike, Emery’s ex-star is additionally a versatile operator having been deployed in eight different positions over the pitch since the start of his career, including everywhere across the midfield and even three roles in the frontline.

Ceballos has been dubbed a “genius” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig and there’s no doubt that he could bring a wealth of experience to the Villans, therefore making this a no-brainer of a deal to complete should the opportunity present itself.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is targeting a move for a talented youngster from the continent; however, he will face high-profile competition for his signature, according to a report.

Manchester City news: Grealish injury, Phillips transfer update

Cited by The Daily Mail, Manchester City winger Jack Grealish has revealed that he suffered a huge haematoma on his thigh that left him unable to walk for a period of time following the 2-1 victory over Sheffield United in late August.

Speaking about the ordeal, Grealish stated: "You have little ones that are there for two to three days — but if you get a dead leg and you have the haematoma, a bad one, it’s around six centimetres. Mine was like 20 centimetres. Our doctor said it’s the worst dead leg he’s ever seen, by a mile."

He then added: "It wasn’t even bad, the tackle. It was Oli McBurnie. If I showed you the tackle now, you’d be like, “Get up”. But the pain…honestly! After the game it was sore. But when I was on the coach, I was like, I need something here. I went to walk off the coach back into the training ground at City and I genuinely could not walk. I couldn’t bend my leg. I had to get crutches."

Meanwhile, according to a Manchester City transfer update from The Sun, midfielder Kalvin Phillips could be offered a shock escape route from the Premier League champions, with Bayern Munich believed to be keen on the England international.

Thomas Tuchel is reportedly eyeing a move for the out-of-favour 27-year-old, who has been sparingly used by Guardiola this term despite Rodri's recent suspension from playing action. Bayern Munich are keeping tabs on his situation and a similar arrangement to that of Joao Cancelo, who went on loan from Manchester City to the Bundesliga champions in January, isn't said to be out of the question.

Kalvin Phillips' time at Manchester City in numbers

Appearances (Transfermarkt)

Goals

Assists

26

0

0

WhoScored average match rating (2023/24) – Premier League: 6.24/10

Notable statistics (2023/24)

90% pass success rate, average passes (16.7 per fixture), 1.3 accurate long balls per game

Manchester City transfer news – Arthur Vermeeren

Recently, a report claimed that the Blues have made their first move to try and bring in Royal Antwerp midfielder Arthur Vermeeren by making contact with his current employers and enquiring about his availability. Vermeeren has previously been hailed "one of the most complete young midfielders in Europe" by Football Talent Scout – Jacek Kulig.

The outlet indicate that competition is fierce for the 18-year-old, with Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus all believed to be circling for the Belgium Under-21 cap.

Starting the 2023/24 campaign in sparkling form, Vermeeren has racked up one goal and five assists in his opening 15 appearances for Royal Antwerp across all competitions (Vermeeren's statistics – Transfermarkt).

In the Jupiler Pro League, the Lier-born man has gained an average Sofascore match rating of 7.45/10 this season for his exploits, which will explain why Manchester City boss Guardiola is keen to strengthen his midfield with the addition of Vermeeren.

Aston Villa have enjoyed a phenomenal start to the 2023/24 campaign and picked up their 12th successive Premier League home wins, stretching back to last term, with a 3-0 win over Luton Town on Sunday.

The Villans are pushing up towards the Champions League places as Unai Emery looks to build on an impressive first season with the Midlands outfit.

Their impressive transfer business over the summer window has allowed them to push on as the likes of Moussa Diaby and Pau Torres have caught the eye since their respective moves to the club.

The French wizard, in particular, has hit the ground running in England with three goals and three assists in ten Premier League appearances for Villa since his switch from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.

He was brought in for a reported club-record transfer fee of £51.9m and is already starting to show why the Villans and Emery were willing to splash the cash on his services.

The left-footed whiz has showcased his attacking quality on a regular basis but another exciting forward player, who plays on the opposite flank, could have been shining in a Villa shirt this season – Jaden Philogene.

Emery allowed the talented youngster to leave the club on a permanent basis over the summer and it already looks like the Spaniard had a mare with that decision as his performances this season suggest that he is on the way to becoming Jack Grealish 2.0.

The fee Hull paid for Jaden Philogene

The Birmingham Mail reported that Hull City secured the England U21 international's services for a fee within the region of £5m during the summer transfer window.

Two of his former Villa academy teammates were also sold by the club ahead of the 2023/24 campaign as Aaron Ramsey joined Premier League rivals Burnley for £14m and Cameron Archer completed an £18.5m switch to Sheffield United.

Philogene was coming off the back of a season on loan with Cardiff City during the 2022/23 campaign. He racked up four goals and one assist in 25 outings for the Welsh outfit and failed to deliver quality in the final third on a regular basis, which may have contributed to the decision to cash in on him.

Hull vice-chairman Tan Kesler has, however, confirmed that the Villans have an interesting buy-back agreement in place with the Championship side.

He confirmed that Villa have the option to buy him back for a fixed fee of £15m but only if the Tigers are promoted to the Premier League. The chief also revealed that his club are able to listen to offers from other teams that are above £15m but Philogene's former side have the first refusal on a deal.

This suggests that there is still wiggle room for other teams to swoop in if Hull are not promoted or if they bid in excess of £15m. It would also be up to the player to decide whether or not he would want to return after being sold over the summer.

The stats that show why selling Philogene may have been a mistake

Philogene's form for club and country throughout the 2023/24 campaign so far suggests that the Villans cashed in on him too quickly as he appears to be on his way to becoming Jack Grealish 2.0.

HITC's Alfie recently lauded him as "special" and claimed that he has the potential to be better than the likes of Andy Robertson, Harry Maguire, and Jarrod Bowen, who had all starred for Hull previously.

This is incredibly high praise when you consider that Bowen has 24 goals and 19 assists since the start of the 2021/22 Premier League campaign, Maguire was bought for £80m by Manchester United from Leicester in 2019, and Robertson has won the top-flight and the Champions League with Liverpool.

The plaudits coming his way are flooding in because of his outstanding performances for Hull and England's U21 side as he has showcased his ability to score and create goals as a right-footed left winger at Championship, as Grealish did before his breakthrough at the top level.

Philogene has contributed with three goals and four assists in nine second tier starts for the Tigers so far this season, to go along with two goals and one assist in two appearances for his country.

The 21-year-old magician has also displayed his ball-carrying ability with 3.2 completed dribbles per game at Championship level, which shows that he can commit and beat opposition players on a regular basis.

Jack Grealish's Championship form for Villa

During his last season in the second division with the club, Grealish produced six goals and six assists in 31 league starts to win promotion under Dean Smith.

As a right-footed left winger, like Philogene, the English forward completed 1.7 dribbles per game as he was able to produce goals, assists, and progressive play in possession with regularity.

Grealish followed that up with 14 goals and 16 assists and at least two dribbles completed per match across the next two Premier League campaigns and that earned him a £100m British record transfer to Manchester City in 2021.

The England international was able to make the step up to the Premier League after his impressive Championship displays as a winger who could score and assist goals whilst also being an impressive dribbler and constant menace to opposition defenders.

The next step for Philogene

In order to follow in Grealish's footsteps and be the next version of the former Villa superstar, Philogene must now remain consistent throughout the rest of this season and continue to provide goals and assists.

The young ace must then showcase his ability in the top-flight, if provided the opportunity to do so, and step up to that level and influence games week-in-week-out with his match-winning potential.

His current form for Hull and England suggests that he is well on the right path to doing just that and that is why Emery had a mare by sanctioning a £5m sale earlier this year.

The best case scenario, if Philogene does develop into the new Grealish, is that Villa buy him back for £15m next summer and that means they would have essentially paid a staggering £10m to send him to the Tigers for one season.

Or, another team could swoop in and convince him to reject a homecoming and he could go on to be a star for another Premier League outfit, or another side in Europe, which is why selling him may have been a mistake.

Manchester United spent big during the summer of 2016, making Paul Pogba their statement signing as their former academy man turned Juventus star joined the Red Devils for a record fee, with a ludicrous £89m price tag above his head.

The club also sought to prove that they meant business by bringing in Zlatan Ibrahimovic to the building, the iconic and scarily potent striker joining the Theatre of Dreams on a free transfer deal.

Yet, there was another signing from this same transfer window that equally generated the same hype as both the Swedish striker and the Frenchman conjured up when signing on the dotted line at Man United, but is now forgotten about.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan would come and go from Old Trafford in the blink of an eye, signing from Borussia Dortmund and failing to ever really make an impact.

How much did Man United sign Mkhitaryan for?

The Armenian international would leave the Bundesliga behind for the Premier League for a substantial fee, joining Jose Mourinho's Red Devils for £26.3m – a fee at the time that felt like Man United would get their money's worth, after the winger's exciting spell in Germany.

Coming onto Dortmund's radar after scoring 25 goals from 29 starts for Shakhtar Donetsk in his final full season with the Miners, the now 34-year-old ace excelled when switching Ukraine for new pastures.

He would instantly endear himself to the Signal Iduna Park faithful, registering an impressive 19 goal contributions from 31 matches during his debut Bundesliga campaign – nine goals scored, with a further ten assists to his name.

By the time Man United snapped Mkhitaryan up, the ex-Shakhtar attacker was a crucial component to the multiple exciting, full-throttle, Dortmund teams put together by the likes of Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel, and the Red Devils were enthralled by the prospect of Mkhitaryan replicating his Bundesliga best in the Premier League. Dortmund, for the attacking midfielder, truly meant home.

Unfortunately, this feeling of security for the former BVB superstar would unravel when moving to England with the move to Man United ultimately disastrous.

How did Mkhitaryan perform for Man United?

Mkhitaryan's time in a Red Devils jersey saw the Armenian become unusually goal-shy, the once clinical and feared attacking midfielder now a deer in the headlights.

He would only manage an unsatisfactory five goals in the Premier League over two campaigns for the club, as Jose Mourinho's hyped up collective failed to deliver great things on the pitch domestically.

Mkhitaryan's underwhelming spell with the Red Devils was put of its misery in a winter transfer-swap deal with Alexis Sanchez in 2018, the Chilean departing Arsenal in the form of his life but equally flopping at the Theatre of Dreams.

Alternatively, Man United's £26.3m man has managed to rejuvenate his career since his exit from Old Trafford and has even linked up with Jose Mourinho again.

How has Mkhitaryan performed since leaving Man United?

Despite his Arsenal move crashing and burning in similar fashion to his failed Man United transfer – only scoring nine times and assisting 13 goals across 59 appearances – relocating back to European comforts in AS Roma has seen the Armenian's career undergo a major rebirth.

Under ex-Red Devils boss Mourinho in Rome, his electric previous goalscoring form was back. He would manage 24 goal contributions from 34 games during the 2020-21 campaign in Serie A, both Man United and Arsenal scratching their heads at why he couldn't do this in England.

Notching up 45 goals and assisting 43 since departing the Red Devils after a torrid spell, Mkhitaryan – now 34 years of age – will see out his career knowing he turned his fortunes around and put the Man United disaster firmly behind him.