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Plenty of Aston Villa fans have been reacting to footage on social media regarding youngsters Louie Barry and Aaron Ramsey.

The pair were in action at Villa Park against Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday evening in the FA Youth Cup.

Both Barry and Ramsey helped Villa progress to the fifth round following a 3-0 win, with the latter of the two netting a brace in the second half.

Kaine Kesler-Hayden opened the scoring, with captain Ramsey sealing the victory with two goals in the space of six minutes.

It was Ramsey’s second effort which had plenty of Villa fans talking on social media. Barry picked up the ball and beat a few Brighton players before feeding it into Ramsey’s path, with the midfielder slotting an effort into the far corner.

Villa fans react

@academyavfc shared the third goal on Twitter on Wednesday evening, with the clip viewed over 24,000 times as of Friday morning.

This is what these Villa fans had to say, with one describing Barry’s run as ‘Jack-esque’.

“Jack-esque going forward like that. Love to see it.”

Credit: @JayVtid

“Barry’s turn of pace is something else”

Credit: @JAnnetts_

“The first team awaiting”

Credit: @Alanmccaugherr1

“That’s absolutely brilliant”

Credit: @nicknackjames1

“Love that run from Barry and the finish from A Ramsey”

Credit: @mickstewartssss

“There’s some Jack Grealish about this Louis Barry kid”

Credit: @MShauib1

In other news: Many AVFC fans react as FFP news emerges, find out more here. 

Andreas Sondergaard has spoken exclusively to Football FanCast about his decision to come to the Premier League and sign for Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Wolves’ young shot-stopper has been in and around the first team all season training and recovering with them, but also keeping up his match sharpness by playing for the under 23s.

This sort of environment and feeling involved in the whole club was a huge pull factor for Sondergaard when he made the decision to move to the Midlands at just 17-years-old.

Nuno Espirito Santo has already shown that he wants him to be amongst the first-team squad to gain valuable experience alongside two international keepers in Rui Patricio and John Ruddy.

To feel wanted was a big necessity for Sondergaard when he moved to England at a young age and not knowing anyone at the club so, to be welcomed and included in day-to-day training has helped him grow both on and off the pitch.

The 20-year-old explained to Football FanCast exclusively, what the key factors were in deciding to join Wolves.

“Definitely the environment,” Sondergaard said when asked for the reasons why he joined the club.

He went on to say: “I’d only heard good things about going to England and, that’s where you can learn the most.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/exclusive-andreas-sondergaard-wolves-premier-league” title=”Exclusive! Andreas Sondergaard talks all things Wolves”]

“Especially with the environment, because it is a tough environment. And there are so many other keepers to compete with, and there’s a lot of competition.

“So, it would only make you even better and again, I know the Premier League is the best league in the world. So it did attract me a lot to come here and grab the chance to come over here and yeah, do my best and hopefully, being able to achieve my goals.”

It was a huge decision to make as a 17-year old to move away to a foreign country to play football, especially in such a competitive position as a goalkeeper.

However, to make a young player feel like they belong at the club may go a long way in helping Sondergaard to become a future number one for the club.

Reports by Todo Fichajes earlier this week claimed Everton are keeping tabs on Martin Braithwaite’s situation at FC Barcelona, as well as that of Miralem Pjanic, but Marcel Brands must block a move for the striker to head to Goodison Park this summer.

The Toffees are understood to be eying a raid on the Camp Nou to improve Carlo Ancelotti’s squad, having built a strong relationship with the European giants through their deals to sign a string of the Catalan natives’ outcasts in Andre Gomes, Yerry Mina and Lucas Digne.

Braithwaite completed a controversial €18m (£15m) move to Barca last February, having been given permission by La Liga to leave CD Leganes outside of the winter market after injury ruled Ousmane Dembele out of action for six months.

Braithwaite has faced uncertainty over his long-term future at the Camp Nou ever since his arrival, despite having a €300m (£251m) release clause in his four-year contract, as Barcelona made the 29-year-old available for a transfer last summer to recover the fee they paid.

Reports by Sport claimed West Ham United approached Barca to open negotiations over the 46-cap Denmark international in the off-season but baulked at the £15m asking price, and again snubbed a deal at £13mduring the recent winter market.

The Irons were not alone in probing Braithwaite’s situation in January with West Bromwich Albion and Leeds United also sounding out his availability, despite the £105,000-per-week attacker having no interest in leaving Catalunya.

Everton now seem to be giving Braithwaite yet another route back to England after his two years on the books at Middlesbrough, where he only scored nine goals in 40 games across all competitions.

Braithwaite found some form in front of the net with Leganes after a permanent move to the Estadio Municipal de Butarque in 2019 following an initial loan spell, netting six goals in 24 La Liga fixtures before moving to the Camp Nou where he has three goals in 34 league games to date.

It remains to be seen how highly Barcelona intend to value Braithwaite in the upcoming summer market, when his services are again expected to be touted around as new President Joan Laporta strives to begin reducing the club’s debt of more than €1.1bn (£942m).

But, regardless of Barcelona’s asking price, Brands must step in and block any deal for Everton to sign Braithwaite at the end of the season, as the Danish dud – with a TransferMarkt valuation of £8m – will not improve Ancelotti’s options at all.

The 29-year-old rarely fashions chances to score when on the field with just 0.7 shots a game, and he rarely creates chances for his teammates with a mere 0.5 key passes from a woefully low nine accurate passes a game, per SofaScore.

Those efforts have also seen Braithwaite miss seven clear-cut chances to find the back of the net, which is the seventh-most across the entire Spanish top-flight, despite only playing an average of 46 minutes a game having started just 11 of his 23 outings to date.

Convert Braithwaite’s record into shots per 90 minutes and his average increases to 1.7 with 0.6 on target, per WhoScored, which would be enough to rank fifth at Everton for total attempts but with 0.9 fewer than Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the Premier League, who has provided 14 of his side’s 40 goals.

With Joshua King yet to score since his Deadline Day arrival on Merseyside last month and endless speculation on Moise Kean’s future, the Blues may be looking into signing a new striker this summer.

But they will not improve with a deal for Braithwaite, even if Koeman has praised the attacker as he has “worked hard” to earn his chances to feature at the Camp Nou this term.

AND in other news, Carlo Ancelotti has set his eyes on bringing a £59m flop to Everton…

Southampton continue to be linked with Manchester United full-back Brandon Williams this month, with The Athletic’s Dan Sheldon suggesting that he ‘remains a target’ and after Tuesday’s defeat against Arsenal, it seems clear that the Saints have to bring him in on loan this month.

Ralph Hasenhuttl was without both of his first-choice full-backs for the visit of Arsenal earlier this week, with Kyle Walker-Peters having picked up a muscle injury in training, whilst Ryan Bertrand was suspended.

Youngsters Yan Valery and Jake Vokins started in their place and both struggled against Mikel Arteta’s side, as they picked up 6.1 match ratings from SofaScore – the joint-worst of any outfield player on the pitch.

Both of Arsenal’s wingers, Nicolas Pepe and Bukayo Saka, would score on Tuesday after getting in behind the young full-backs, so you could argue that they were a big reason why Southampton ended up losing the game.

Neither have much experience in the top-flight, with Vokins having made just five senior appearances for Southampton in his career, whilst Valery has spent time with David Horseman’s B team this season following the arrival of Walker-Peters, having struggled to establish himself in the first-team since the 2018/19 season.

Therefore, when Hasenhuttl brought on Nathan Redmond for Vokins in the second-half, with defensive-midfielder Ibrahima Diallo moving to left-back, the Austrian was perhaps sending a message to the Southampton board that he is desperate for some defensive cover, especially with the Saints struggling with injuries this season which has emphasised their poor strength in depth in recent fixtures.

Williams looks to be the ideal man to bring in, as the 20-year-old has featured as both a left-back and a right-back in his time with Manchester United, so could provide excellent cover for both Bertrand and Walker-Peters.

The £9.9 million-rated youngster has struggled for game time in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side this season as a result of Luke Shaw and Alex Telles’ form, so a loan move could definitely suit both parties.

If Williams were to impress we could see a repeat of the situation that saw Walker-Peters join on a permanent deal from Tottenham Hotspur during the summer, and given the performances of both Valery and Vokins on their rare starts against Arsenal, it seems as if the full-back would be a great option to have for the long-term, rather than just this season.

Therefore, Martin Semmens should do everything he can to bring him to St Mary’s before the transfer window shuts.

And, in other news… “Ralph seems optimistic” – Exclusive: Pundit makes Danny Ings contract claim

Southampton have now picked up just one point in their last eight Premier League fixtures, with Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side looking a shadow of the team that briefly went top of the Premier League earlier in the season.

A key factor behind their drop in form looks to have been the absence of Kyle Walker-Peters, who has picked up two separate injury issues so far this year, which have kept him sidelined and forced Hasenhuttl to look for alternative options at right-back.

The young defender quickly established himself as a key player with the Saints following his loan spell last season, which was made permanent last summer as he won over the Austrian manager and fans with his impressive performances.

Those displays continued into the new season, with Walker-Peters having made 19 appearances in the top-flight so far this season, averaging a solid 7/10 rating – the third-best of any Saints player.

Southampton have picked up 29 points in the 19 games in which the 23-year-old has featured, averaging 1.53 points per game, whereas in the six Premier League games he has missed through injury, Hasenhuttl’s side have earned just one point, averaging 0.17 points per game.

This immediately emphasises that the South Coast club struggle without the right-back, which makes it even more baffling that Hasenhuttl allowed back-up right-back Yan Valery to depart on loan during January, without any back-up being brought in.

Walker-Peters briefly returned for the consecutive games against Wolves earlier this month after picking up an injury in training but was forced off in the Premier League defeat, with Hasenhuttl confirming that he would miss a few weeks at least.

The Austrian manager has deployed Jan Bednarek as a right-back in recent fixtures, and whilst the Polish international is solid from a defensive point of view, he doesn’t offer the same attacking threat as Walker-Peters.

The former Spurs man offers Southampton an out ball by pushing high up the right-hand side and formed an excellent partnership with Stuart Armstrong down that side, something which Bednarek is unfortunately unable to replicate.

Walker-Peters, who earns £23k per week at Southampton, has also registered more tackles on average than any other Saints defender, barring Kayne Ramsay who has made just one appearance, which could be a factor as to why Southampton have struggled defensively so much in recent weeks.

Jermaine Beckford said on the post-match Sky Sports coverage of the 3-0 defeat to Leeds United that the Saints’ recent run of form and how many goals they are conceding right now was “disgusting”, so it seems clear that they need Walker-Peters back in their side as soon as possible if they want to turn their awful run of form around.

And, in other news… Dire: Old habits die hard for £15m Southampton man who lost 71% of his duels vs Leeds

When Raul Jimenez suffered a fractured skull against Arsenal last month, everyone at Wolves feared the worst.

Their star man was now out injured for a prolonged period of time and the player they had to rely on instead was just 18 years of age.

What’s the word?

The transfer window has come just at the right time for Wolves who are searching for reinforcements in the market, namely in attacking positions.

According to Eurosport FR (via Get Football News France) Jeff Shi and his recruitment team are eyeing up a move for Montpellier forward Gaetan Laborde.

They face competition from two unnamed Bundesliga clubs in a bid to sign him. Per Transfermarkt, the 26-year-old is valued at around £11.7m. Thus, a sizable fee seems unlikely.

His wages are also far from astronomical. Laborde earns £23k-per-week in Ligue 1, so this shouldn’t be a deal that sets Wolves back very much.

Ideal for Nuno

Laborde is far from a household name, particularly in English football, but he’d be an exceptional investment for a side who need cover for Jimenez.

When you look at the Frenchman, he plays in a very similar way to Wolves’ number 9 and that’s not just in terms of his goals.

The 6-foot striker – who stands just three inches smaller than Jimenez – is a commanding force in the air and has won a mammoth 70 aerial duels this season – 3.9 a match. Considering he’s of lesser stature than the Mexican, he’s actually more dominant in that part of the game. For context, Jimenez has only won 1.5 battles in the air a game.

That isn’t the only thing Laborde offers though. Like his potential new teammate, he is adept at bringing others into play and has five assists to go with his six goals in Ligue 1 this term.

A big part of Jimenez’s game is that he can hold the ball up and utilise others well, something that Laborde does to near perfection.

A cut-price option in January, the Montpellier forward looks like a handy player and would undoubtedly add valuable depth to Wolves’ frontline.

AND in other news, Wolves can land huge Silva upgrade in 9-goal beast, he’s on his “way to the top”…

According to The Sun, Glasgow Rangers are close to striking a deal to sign Scott Wright from Aberdeen as the winger edges closer to agreeing to a Bosman move to Steven Gerrard’s side.

What’s the word?

It is understood that the move has all but been confirmed after the Gers approached Aberdeen about securing the services of their key man, whose contract is set to expire in the summer.

Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has made no secret of his desire to sign Wright in the January transfer window, although Dons manager Derek McInnes wants him to remain at Pittodrie for the rest of the season.

The report adds that the winger has agreed a three-year deal with the Scottish Premiership league leaders.

Better than Brandon Barker?

With Rangers blessed with an abundance of young talents, Gerrard has put his neck on the line by giving plenty of them a chance, which has paid off almost immediately as Rangers have reeled off 22 wins in the Premiership this season.

Wright has been very good for McInnes’ side this season in the Scottish Premiership, managing two goals and two assists in 15 games.

The 23-year-old can play in the centre or on the left of the midfield and with Ianis Hagi now a regular feature from the right flank, it could give the Gers a formidable partnership out wide.

Signing Wright will give Rangers an immediate upgrade on Brandon Barker, whose struggles have been well-documented this season – in his last appearance alone, he was ranked as one of the worst Rangers players on the pitch by SofaScore in the 2-0 win over Lech Poznan in the Europa League. Per WhoScored, the attacker’s contributions significantly outweigh Barker’s output.

The former Scotland U21 international, who was recently dubbed “outstanding” by the Dons boss, currently averages more dribbles (1.5) and key passes (1.2) per match and is fouled more times than Barker. His style of play has even been likened to Ryan Kent by former Aberdeen player Frank Ross.

There’s no doubting the fact that Wright should be a fine addition for the Scottish giants, that’s for sure.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Howey admits he’s been blown away by Rangers duo McGregor and Tavernier…

Tottenham Hotspur fans could be forgiven for never knowing who Dane Scarlett was before breaking history, but it’s a name they should get to know quickly.Against Ludogorets in the Europa League last week, the 16-year-old became the youngest-ever player to feature for the north London outfit, surpassing John Bostock’s 12-year record.

The teenage sensation has enjoyed a meteoric rise this season. On the face of it, eight competitive minutes is nothing to shout about but it’s even more impressive considering he’s yet to feature for the U23 squad.

Scarlett has caught Mourinho’s eye that much that he’s bypassed that level of football to be granted a professional debut. Very rarely do you see players at his age feature for an elite club.

Last season, the striker missed ten months of action due to a serious knee injury, so to feature for Spurs’ first-team is just desserts after recovering fully in August this year.

With Troy Parrott out on loan, could Scarlett be the next prospect in line behind Harry Kane? Quite possibly.

Speaking about his debut, Mourinho said:

“He played a few minutes in some of our pre-season matches. Of course, he went back to his [U18] team. He trains with them. Yesterday when I felt there was space for another young player in the squad, I didn’t decide by myself, I asked my football director and I asked the academy director and they contacted all the coaches. ‘Who deserves it?’

“There are of course a few names, especially the U18s because they are doing so well. They gave me his name and because I knew him already I thought if the opportunity would arise it would be a good chance for me and a good feeling for everyone in the academy.”

For the U18s in their Premier League, Scarlett has bagged ten goals in just nine matches, including four strikes in one game against Southampton, who have quite an illustrious academy set-up themselves.

If he continues to bag each week, there’s a high chance that he is involved under Mourinho again at some point this season, especially when they face non-league outfit Marine in the FA Cup in January.

He could well be bordering on the potential of being the next Kane at Spurs.

Arguably, the Englishman has been Daniel Levy’s greatest success story at the club, so if Scarlett follows that path having already broken one long-standing record, then perhaps the Lilywhites chairman has struck gold once again.

Forget Harry Winks, Japhet Tanganga and even Parrott, Scarlett could be the future of Tottenham Hotspur.

AND in other news,ÂExclusive: Marlon Harewood admits shock overÂforgotten Spurs man’s decline…

In reply, Tottenham simply exclaimed ‘let’s go’ as they confirmed the ‘great’ bit of news – with Lilywhites having potential reason to get excited as another academy product is let loose.

Time will tell whether he follows a similar journey to the likes of Harry Winks and Oliver Skipp, but judging by his award of a four-year extension, it’s safe to say Spurs have every faith in him.

In other news: Daniel Levy has gifted Tottenham another unlikely boost, find out more here.

Speaking exclusively to FootballFanCast, former Newcastle United defender Steve Howey has claimed that Steve Bruce just doesn’t get the credit he deserves at St James’ Park.

The Magpies have endured a mixed start to the season, with a couple of impressive wins against the likes of West Ham and Burnley arguably undone by some timid defeats to Brighton and Manchester United.

Despite that, Howey believes that Bruce is managing under a ‘lose-lose’ situation, and that when compared to former manager Rafa Benitez, he’s done a very reasonable job.

When asked whether he gets enough credit for how he’s doing on Tyneside, Howey remarked: “No, I don’t so. I think he’s one of those managers where he’s damned if he does, and damned if he doesn’t. Obviously there’s criticism about the way that they play. For instance, you look at the last game against Manchester United.

“I felt as though if Newcastle had gotten at them, they could have been there for the taking given the fact of their last performance and how much they’ve been struggling defensively. He has got more points than Rafa did, but Rafa was kind of the hero.

“But unfortunately, it’s one of these ones, where if they get a win, it’s a lucky win. If they get beat, it’s because he’s useless. And I disagree with it. I think he’s doing everything he can to try and get the team on the right path.”

Whilst it’s early days in the league table, and things should be taken with a pinch of salt, Newcastle are only three points behind last season’s Premier League champions Liverpool, who lie in third at the moment.

The result and performance against United was particularly disappointing given as Howey himself says, the Red Devils looked there for the taking after their mauling at the hands of Tottenham.

Given that the summer just gone saw Bruce actually backed somewhat in the transfer market, the expectations have understandably gone up. The Newcastle boss is right under the cosh.