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Plenty of Aston Villa supporters have been giving their thoughts on social media regarding Lee Hendrie’s transfer comments on Ivan Toney.

Toney, 25, was brought in by The Bees after Ollie Watkins left the club to join Dean Smith at Villa last summer.

Both forwards have had brilliant first seasons with their respective clubs, with Toney scoring 28 Championship goals in 38 games following his £5m move from Peterborough.

Toney, on £21,000-a-week in London, is under contract with the club until 2025, however, should Thomas Frank’s side fail to earn promotion to the Premier League, Hendrie feels Toney would be of interest to multiple clubs.

Talking to Football League World, cited by Birmingham Live, Hendrie urged Villa to move for the forward, should Brentford remain in the second-tier.

“There’s no way if Brentford don’t go up this season that he’s not getting snapped up by someone because he’s been the best player in the Championship arguably, because of the goals he has scored, and the assists he has been involved in.

“I’d certainly have a look at if I was Villa manager.

“If I had to pick a player, Toney I’d certainly be looking at if Brentford didn’t go up because of his goals this season.

“I feel that he would fit into a well certainly a Villa side if he was available, it’s just obviously what fee they’d have to pay for him.”

Villa fans react

@AVFC_News shared the story on Twitter on Wednesday evening, which, as to be expected, received interaction from both Villa and Brentford supporters.

This is what these Villa fans had to say about a potential deal.

“I have seen him a lot when he was at Peterborough and he was the full package. Quick, good in the air, clinical”

Credit: @RichardsonNath

“Big signing”

Credit: @boyreeks

“Adds options. Ollie can play wide left and might be really important if Jack moves to pastures new”

Credit: @AjMilitaria

“I wouldn’t be against this.”

Credit: @amc89avfc

“No we need proven quality from Europe now we have big money”

Credit: @StevenH48466088

“There’s a surprise. Talk about lazy journalism. Any other Brentford links?”

Credit: @ajsfounded71

In other news: Many AVFC fans react to transfer comments on another Championship star, find out more here. 

According to a report by Sky Sports journalist Rob Dorsett, England boss Gareth Southgate is considering a first England call up for West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone – with Jordan Pickford’s withdrawal meaning he has a ‘great chance’. 

Johnstone, who hasn’t yet been capped at international level, making only England youth appearances to date, has a good chance of earning his first call up to the senior squad as Dorsett shares this news.

The 27-year-old has been previously overlooked by Southgate, who has preferred the likes of Pickford, Nick Pope and Dean Henderson in previous squads.

Now, ahead of the official Three Lions roster announcement for the March internationals tomorrow at 2pm, Dorsett understands that Johnstone is firmly in contention.

Flocking to this ‘great news’ for Johnstone, especially after he’s started 28 Premier League games for West Brom this season, it’s little wonder why these supporters are excited for him to finally be in with an England shot.

Find all of their best verdicts from social media down below.

West Brom fans flock to Sky claim on Johnstone

“YESSSSS Do it Gareth!”

Credit: @JoshhhWBA

“OH MY WORD ITS HAPPENING”

Credit: @ftbl_joey

“Great news for Sam, probably not great news for WBA if we get relegated. Surely he’ll want Premier League football….

But hey ho, it’s okay because many of our delusional fans don’t rate him!”

Credit: @NeilStevensWoo1

“Fully deserves a call up. Been incredible in games this season”

Credit: @ian_wba79

“Forget everything bad I’ve ever said about Southgate”

Credit: @liamjackjones

“Fully deserved for me, Sam’s come on leaps and bounds over the last two seasons and has got to be in the top 3 English keepers.

Pick him Gareth!”

Credit: @AndyMoz18

“SAMMY SAMMY SAMMY SAMMY SAMMY SAMMY SAMMY SAMMY SAMMY SAMMY GET THAT PASSPORT READY MY GOAT”

Credit: @danwba_

“About time !”

Credit: @Stevotop

In other news: West Brom fans slammed these Allardyce comments, find out more here.

Rangers have been linked with a move for Peterborough United striker Jonson Clarke-Harris recently, and if he were to make the move to Ibrox this summer, he could prove to be the perfect replacement for Alfredo Morelos in Steven Gerrard’s side.

According to Football Insider, Rangers scouts were in attendance at Peterborough’s game against Accrington Stanley at the weekend to watch Clarke-Harris and the 26-year-old certainly put on a show for those watching, as he hit a hat-trick in a 7-0 demolition of John Coleman’s side.

The frontman has enjoyed a superb season with the Posh since joining from fellow League One outfit Bristol Rovers in the summer, scoring 25 goals in 37 league appearances for Darren Ferguson’s side.

His performances in League One have seen him average a superb 7.29 average rating from WhoScored, which includes as many as eight man of the match awards.

His manager was full of praise for him earlier in the season, saying:

“Jonson’s goals have been valuable, but he’s more than just a goalscorer. He is a leader, a winner and a real focal point for this team.“He was our number one target when Ivan Toney left and we had to work hard on his fitness when he first got here, but he’s been an outstanding signing and a real pleasure to work with. He’s been brilliant so far.”

The Englishman was brought in by Peterborough in the summer as their replacement for the impressive Ivan Toney, who hit 24 goals in 32 league appearances last season before it was ended early and has subsequently hit 28 goals in the Championship this season for promotion-chasing Brentford.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-rangers-transfer-rumours-and-news” title=”Read this week’s latest Rangers news, transfer rumours and more!”]

If Clarke-Harris could have a similar rise after leaving Peterborough with Rangers, then he would surely prove to be an excellent signing for Gerrard’s side and he could end up being the man to replace Morelos, should the Colombian depart Ibrox this summer.

The 24-year-old was extremely close to joining Lille last summer and, after another impressive campaign with the Light Blues, it seems likely that there will be plenty of clubs looking to bring him in ahead of next season, with Morelos himself admitting that he wants to play in the English Premier League.

[freshpress-quiz id=“588789″]

Therefore, if the Colombian’s time with Rangers does come to an end this summer, then Gerrard and sporting director Ross Wilson will undoubtedly be looking for a replacement; and given his excellent goalscoring record in recent seasons, Clarke-Harris looks like he would be a more than adequate replacement for ‘El Bufalo’.

In other news… Bye-bye Edmundson: Rangers signing £1.08m-rated beast surely the end for 23 y/o

Some West Bromwich Albion fans were far from happy with the performance of Mbaye Diagne during their 0-0 draw with Newcastle United on Sunday.

It would be fair to say the match was far from an enthralling encounter. Neither side were able to put any real pressure on the opposing goal for long periods, and it was clear why these are two teams struggling at the wrong end of the table right now.

Diagne, who joined the Baggies on loan from Galatasaray during the January transfer window, was far from at his best in this match. He had four chances overall throughout the game and failed to convert a single one (SofaScore) – he must do better if Sam Allardyce’s side are to stay in the Premier League.

The West Brom fans were disappointed with his display – one even called it “next to useless” – and they took to social media platform Twitter to share their thoughts on the 29-year-old.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about Diagne below

“Diagne is absolutely woeful aha”

Credit: @samandrews_1

“Diagne is a waste of money. What good is a striker who only gets into good position but can’t strike the ball into the goal? Zero.”

Credit: @LTR_ZH

“Diagne is awful how have we managed to find the striker version of Allan Nyom #wba”

Credit: @_Simonian

“He’s correct. Diagne is garbage”

Credit: @Jord012

“General musings…. Diagne is next to useless in front of goal. Can Pereira actually put a decent ball in? We have always lulled by an hour in. We aren’t direct enough. No guile in the final third.”

Credit: @RICHARD_NATH4N

“Diagne is a big donkey who can hold the ball up that’s it..missed a lot of chances in games”

Credit: @GeneralSharpe85

In other news, West Brom are eyeing this 23-goal forward.

When Pablo Hernandez signed for Leeds on loan in 2016, few supporters would have expected him to make the impact he has.

After all, the Spaniard scored just five times during a two-year spell where he played on 71 occasions for Swansea.

It wasn’t too clear whether English football suited Hernandez but he has swatted those fears away in unrelenting fashion.

Hernandez has become a cult hero at Elland Road and has won their Player of the Season three years in a row. On that evidence, English football has been game-changing for the midfield veteran.

In his first two seasons at Leeds, he racked up 30 goal contributions. However, since Marcelo Bielsa walked through the door, he has been taken to a whole new level.

His tallies across the previous two campaigns amount to 42 goal involvements. Considering his age, it’s a remarkable accomplishment.

Though, with Leeds earning promotion to the Premier League, it has arguably been detrimental to his career. The club broke their transfer record to sign Rodrigo and since his arrival, Hernandez has started just twice in the top-flight.

It’s a sorry sight for someone who has offered so much to Leeds, but clearly, Bielsa thinks he has taken Hernandez as far as he can.

Phil Hay revealed before deadline day that Castellon – his boyhood club – were interested in signing the 35-year-old and indeed he reiterated those claims once the window shut. Castellon will reportedly revive their interest in the summer and if they come calling, it will be time to cut ties.

The £18k-per-week earner has enjoyed a wonderful stint in Yorkshire, one where he’s been described as “unreal” by Hay, but clearly, he’s struggling with the fast-paced life of the Premier League. Hernandez has only registered two assists this term and with his contract set to expire in the summer of 2022, this year is when they must cash in.

It’s unlikely that Victor Orta will gather a hefty fee for his services but at the moment, it is damaging to his career if he stays.

For the first time in Bielsa’s Leeds reign, Hernandez is out of favour. The jinking runs and mesmeric passing is still there, but the energy is not.

A place on the substitutes bench has been the story of his season and even with Rodrigo now missing through injury, it’s Stuart Dallas being preferred in the middle.

It also spoke volumes that Tyler Roberts was introduced ahead of Hernandez in the defeat against Everton in midweek.

Bielsa is clearly beginning to phase the midfielder out and it wouldn’t be a great surprise if he departed in the next window. It’s the perfect time for Leeds to cash in on the Spanish magician.

AND in other news, Forget White: £23k-p/w gem who “attacks similar to Klich” is a bigger miss to Leeds…

Leeds United narrowly lost to Wolves in the Premier League on Friday night, however talisman Patrick Bamford believes VAR denied the club of getting some points out of the game.

Bamford fumes at VAR

The striker thought he had equalised in the second-half following a nice strike, but it was ruled out as offside. Looking back at the decision, you can see that there is only a few millimetres in the decision. Bamford tweeted: “Gutted for the lads tonight, robbed of a point but at least it’s ‘mAkInG tHe GaMe BeTtEr’ we go again Tuesday”

The striker has a point

Bamford has indeed had a great campaign so far this season, scoring twelve Premier League goals in 20 appearances (Transfermarkt). He has received praise by many, one being Gabriel Agbonlahor, who said: “He’s been outstanding”

As well as his twelve goals, Bamford has also picked up five assists and managed 3.3 shots per game (WhoScored). Without his eleven goals, Leeds would be a lot closer to the relegation zone than they currently are. With it being mentioned by many that Bamford could possibly get an England call-up, the amount of goals he can get this season matters massively.

When the decision is so tight, it seems silly to not give the decision to the attacker, as he is not getting an advantage from being millimetres offside. This plus him battling for an England spot emphasises that it is understandable to see him so frustrated at the goal being disallowed.

In other Leeds news, one star has been praised by legend Deco, have a read who it is here!

Kevin Phillips has exclusively told Football FanCast that he thinks Jack Grealish will leave Aston Villa this summer.

Having scored the crucial goal at West Ham on the final day of last season which kept Villa in the Premier League, Grealish has continued his outstanding form this term to put Dean Smith’s team on the cusp of the European places.

Grealish has contributed to 18 goals Premier League – with his brilliant performances not only making him a strong favourite to be named in Gareth Southgate’s squad for the European Championships, but he’s attracting attention from Manchester City, who’ve been heavily linked with the attacking midfielder.

Villa’s captain is currently out injured having missed their last five games with a leg problem, and Phillips, who played for the Villa Park outfit himself, thinks that his former side are resigned to losing the England star this summer.

Phillips told Football FanCast: “I actually see him wanting to stay because I live in the area, and I know people that know him – he absolutely loves Aston Villa, a bit like Stevie G at Liverpool.

“He’s Villa through and through, but from a footballing perspective, I think someone will come in with a big bid, and the club will probably find it hard to turn down. Villa have done very well this season, but my suggestion would be ‘go and win trophies’. And he’s good enough to do that, he’s shown that.”

But exactly how confident is Phillips that Grealish will be tempted by a move away from the West Midlands?

He added: “If I had to put my head on the block, I think Grealish will probably move in the summer.”

Sheffield Wednesday put difficult circumstance behind them to advance into the next round of the FA Cup on Saturday afternoon.

The Owls, who are staring down the barrel of a relegation battle in the Championship, were already managerless and now had to play without their caretaker boss Neil Thompson after he and his assistants tested positive for the virus.

In his absence, they saw off League Two side Exeter City with relative ease, winning 2-0 down in Devon.

Wednesday utility duo Adam Reach and Calum Paterson both got on the scoresheet, either side of half-time, though it was another versatile star who received the plaudits in Liam Shaw, who expertly deputised at centre-back.

The 19-year-old received the highest rating on SofaScore and was given the Man of the Match by YorkshireLive’s Dom Howson.

However, it was Owls skipper Barry Bannan who arguably stole the show on their travels. He enjoyed more touches (90) than any other player on the pitch and considerably more than any other visiting player.

The Scottish veteran is often the heartbeat of the team, the ticking metronome, and that proved to be true once again as he made 58 passes, eight of which were long balls and two of which were key chances, via SofaScore.

Howson was pleased with his outing too, dubbing him a ‘magician’ after providing the assist for their opener.

Indeed, this is something often attributed to the 31-year-old genius – following Wednesday’s encounter in Manchester City in this very competition last season, Pep Guardiola lauded Bannan, calling him “incredible” and “fantastic,” according to the Daily Record.

With the midfield orchestrator out of contract at the end of the season, whoever the next manager is will have to quickly act to secure the £24k-per-week monster down to a longer deal.

His form will undoubtedly be key to whether or not they beat the drop in the Championship.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Pundit drops hint over vacant Sheffield Wednesday job

Leeds were strong enough to keep Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal at bay this evening, but didn’t do enough to snatch all three points. However, Marcelo Bielsa cannot sniff at a point against the Gunners, who are pushing to catch up with ‘top six’ rivals Spurs and Chelsea.

Neither team could break the deadlock and spoils were forced to be shared at Elland Road. Patrick Bamford looked the most likely to score during the evening, but the 27-year-old fluffed his lines on several occasions and missed putting his side in front.

However, it wasn’t just Bielsa’s golden boy who struggled in front of goal tonight. New signing Raphinha, who made his first senior start for his new club, really struggled to find his groove and was extremely wasteful in front of goal.

Raphinha vs Arsenal

The Brazilian reportedly completed just 68% of his attempted passes, despite playing the full 90 minutes for Leeds. Despite his 100% cross and long ball success, he failed to register a single shot on goal, pulling the trigger four times during the match and failing to hit the target with any (via Sofascore).

With neither side able to beat the opposition’s goalkeepers, both Leeds and Arsenal settle for the lone point in their returning Premier League match. The Whites will more than likely be pleased with the result, given the fact their previous two appearances saw them suffer back-to-back 4-1 defeats to Leicester and Crystal Palace.

Leeds creep up a spot in the table and remain the two points behind Arsenal, who are also struggling for points this season. But Bielsa must be focusing on the fact that despite his attackers’ best efforts, they just aren’t finding that final spark to tuck their goals away.

Raphinha was extremely wasteful this evening and may have ruined his chance of starting more games. The £60,000 per week forward slotted in to replace Helder Costa, who didn’t make it off the bench. However, with Everton next to play, Bielsa won’t want to risk fielding the 23-year-old if he couldn’t make his first start for the club count with at least a shot on goal.

In other news, Cellino made massive mistake in selling this former Leeds player…

The day Pablo Hernandez calls time on his long and illustrious career, Leeds United fans will no doubt be in mourning.

The Spanish wizard has been an absolute revelation since joining from Swansea, making well over 150 appearances for the club and scoring 36 goals and providing 41 assists in total.

But with him turning 36 in April, Victor Orta will have to be on the look-out for a potential long-term successor to the veteran, and he could do a lot worse than bringing in Celtic’s Ryan Christie.

According to reports, there is considerable interest in the Scotland international, and that with him currently being unwilling to sign a contract extension at Parkhead, he could be on the move, with Leeds one of the clubs keeping a close eye on his situation.

Able to play anywhere across midfield, but perhaps at his most destructive when in the middle of the pitch, Christie has been an absolute machine when it’s come to driving Celtic’s attacks.

This season alone has seen him already reach double figures in terms of assists with 11, including setting up a goal each in both of Celtic’s Europa League clashes against Serie A giants Milan.

And when you compare his influence in game with Hernandez, Christie goes clear. As per Sofascore, the latter has averaged an impressive 2.4 shots, 2.6 key passes, and 1.9 dribbles per game this season, whilst Leeds’ resident magician has managed just 0.8 shots, 0.6 key passes and 0.4 dribbles.

That’s not to mention the fact Christie is the kind of hard-working team player who Bielsa would surely love to build his team around – he’s averaging close to two tackles per match in the Scottish Premiership.

Bringing Christie in would go a long way to completing Bielsa’s dream Leeds team as he looks to establish the Whites as a Premier League force.

Meanwhile, Leeds could Bielsa’s dream signing in this “unplayable” £40m star.