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Aston Villa gem Cameron Archer bagged a stunning hat-trick as the Midlands outfit defeated Burton Albion in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night.

The 19-year-old was in ruthless form at the Pirelli Stadium, delivering an absolute goalscoring masterclass in front of first-team manager Dean Smith, his assistant Craig Shakespeare and sporting director Johan Lange.

Having gone two goals down, it was the young forward who kickstarted the comeback ten minutes before the break.

The Walsall-born teenager fired a low-driven effort past the home goalkeeper before doubling his tally to put Villa into the lead just after the hour mark. He beat the Brewers’ backline with a nicely-timed run before slamming the ball into the net once again.

He completed his hat-trick with less than 20 minutes to go, it was yet another clinical and impressive finish from the striker.

BirminghamLive reporter Ashley Preece described Archer’s display as “absolutely sensational” in his post-match ratings column.

“It was finishing of the highest order with Archer being applauded off by Smith, Shakespeare, Danks and Lange in the stands. Archer was levels above here, whacking home his trio past Balcombe in the Burton net,” he added. “Villa need to get his contract sorted now. His development since the summer has been staggering. The boy’s some finisher.”

It merely continues his electric form in 2021/22, having been given a proper opportunity for the senior side in the Carabao Cup, where he bagged another hat-trick against lowly Barrow and a magnificent header against the Champions of Europe, Chelsea.

The Claret and Blue Army have witnessed many a young talent break through the system and become regular first-team stars over the years, with the likes of Gareth Barry and Jack Grealish being prime examples.

But it’s been a while since a proper frontman went onto become a hero at Villa Park – perhaps the last being Gabby Agbonlahor. Whilst Archer and the former Lions star aren’t like-for-like, the young prospect could well be the man to break the trend.

Archer has “genuine pace” but is also “stocky”, according to Preece, so he can combine sheer speed and physicality to dominate opposing defences for years to come, and just like Agbonlahor, he had to go out on loan to the lower divisions before getting his chance.

The 19-year-old marksman enjoyed a successful stint at local side Solihull Moors, where his former boss Jimmy Shan waxed lyrical about his ability.

“He’s a centre-forward. His movement is excellent but it’s his pace that makes him such a threat,” he said. “He was rapid, let me tell you. He doesn’t look quick but he just pulls away from defenders with ease. He’s a bright and intelligent guy and very inquisitive.”

Also described as a “major talent” by Guardian journalist John Brewin, Villa boss Smith could genuinely unearth the next big thing in the Midlands by unleashing Archer more frequently.

The teenage sensation could be the first homegrown talent since Agbonlahor to go onto greatness in the senior side.

AND in other news, “Sources confirmed…”: Gregg Evans drops Aston Villa update that’ll really worry fans…

Serie A expert Conor Clancy believes Rodrigo De Paul would be able to slot into Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United side if he did make the move to Elland Road this summer.

The Udinese playmaker has been heavily linked with the club for around 12 months.

Last summer, Leeds saw a bid rejected for the Argentina international, who has enjoyed an exceptional season with the Italian club.

In total, he made 36 Serie A appearances, scoring nine goals and registering 11 assists.

He is a remarkably versatile presence, capable of playing in attacking midfield, on the both flanks, and in central midfield.

It remains to be seen if Leeds will be able to convince him to make the move to Elland Road, as Liverpool are also said to be interested, but Clancy, who is the editor-in-chief at Forza Italian Football, believes De Paul has the tools required to make a real impact at Leeds.

Indeed, he believes he would be able to adapt to Bielsa’s high-pressing demands, provided he was willing.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said: “With the work rate, he’s capable of it, I’m not sure if he wants to do it all that much.

“Particularly coming from Udinese, where he’s the man, he’s the star, the rest of the people do a little bit of his work for him. It might just be a case of, if he goes, he’s limited to an hour a game or something and then get someone else on but if he’s willing, he could do it.”

Celtic’s hunt to find a new manager has now reached another week and we are still no closer to discovering the Hoops’ successor to Neil Lennon.

Since then, the Bhoys have only got worse. They officially surrendered their grasp on the league title and then were dumped out of the cup by their biggest rivals.

What’s the word?

As well as trying to find a new manager, Celtic are trying to sort out a deal to bring in a new director of football.

It’s something that represents a major landmark in the club’s history as they look to shift the balance of power at Paradise.

Previously, the Hoops have had a number of cooks stirring the broth in the recruitment team but this would leave it in sole charge of one man.

That person could be Fergal Harkin. It was reported a number of weeks ago that a deal was 90% done before things stalled due to their manager hunt.

However, according to The Sun’s Alan Nixon, a deal is still very much alive and kicking. He took to Twitter on Sunday to comment: “Keep hearing it’s on.”

Big consequences

This could be a landmark appointment for a number of reasons. Not only does it have the potential to improve Celtic’s rather disastrous transfer recruitment but it could have a major say on who becomes the new first-team manager.

Harkin was thought to be close to penning terms a number of weeks ago now but after Eddie Howe emerged as favourite to become the new boss, it put those plans in doubt.

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Howe has reportedly been in discussions with the club’s hierarchy over a move, talks that Harkin has supposedly been a great source of debate in.

That’s because the 43-year-old isn’t keen on the Irishman taking on the role of director of football at Parkhead.

Instead, the former Bournemouth manager wants his companion at the Vitality Stadium, Richard Hughes, to be given the role instead.

Howe has made a number of demands over his coaching staff but according to one source, Celtic have dug their heels in and rejected them.

The Glaswegian outfit remain keen on Harkin and if they appoint him, it could mean that they’ve moved on from their number one manager target.

The Englishman wants someone he can trust and confide in but Harkin doesn’t appear to be that person.

Perhaps the Bhoys have other irons in the fire when it comes to their new head coach.

AND in other news, Forget Laxalt: Celtic ace had a “horror show” on Sun, Dykes called him a “nightmare”…

Reported Manchester United target Declan Rice is not for sale this summer, according to Sky Sports News.

The lowdown

The Telegraph’s Northern Football Correspondent James Ducker reported earlier this month that United would target West Ham midfielder Rice this summer, with incoming manager Erik ten Hag set to be given access to a transfer ‘war chest’.

Irons manager David Moyes said recently that the Englishman was worth £150million at a ‘minimum’.

That would be the biggest transfer in Premier League history, smashing the £105.75milllion record set by Jack Grealish’s move to Manchester City.

Rice is under contract until the summer of 2024, but West Ham crucially have the option to extend that deal by a further year. He’s believed to have turn down three offers of an extension, one of which was worth around £200,000 per week (via The Guardian).

The latest

Live on air on Friday evening, presenter Mike Wedderburn relayed an update on Rice.

While West Ham won’t countenance a sale this summer, their stance could change at the end of next season, he told Sky.

“Our chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol has spoken to West Ham today. West Ham have said this: they will not sell Declan Rice this summer, even if he doesn’t sign a new contract.

“The Hammers would be prepared to sell Rice in the summer of 2023 if he doesn’t sign a new contract.”

The verdict

This presents Man. United with an interesting dilemma. They can either bide their time for Rice, who will only be 24 years old come the 2023 window. If he’s their no. 1 target, they may be patient.

Or they may decide that they simply have to furnish Ten Hag with a marquee midfield addition this summer, particularly with Paul Pogba set to leave on a free transfer.

They’ve been linked with Rice’s England team-mate, Kalvin Phillips, who is available for a fee of £60million (according to The I’s Mark Douglas). This cheaper, swifter deal could prove to be more desirable.

In other news, Fabrizio Romano drops a key update concerning Ten Hag. 

Southampton have been linked with a move for Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham recently, and if he were to join the Saints, he could perhaps be the key to unlocking Che Adams’ potential under Ralph Hasenhuttl.

Whilst the former Birmingham City man has now found the net in each of his last three games, before that, he had endured a run of 16 games without a goal in all competitions, with a lack of consistency having been a key issue for the 24-year-old during his time on the South Coast.

Of course, you could argue that he has had to play second fiddle to Danny Ings for most of his time at Southampton and that his hard work in attack often goes unnoticed because of the former Burnley man’s proficiency in front of goal.

However, with the 28-year-old reportedly looking to join a Champions League club in the near future, whilst his contract is set to expire at the end of next season, it is looking increasingly likely that he could depart Southampton this summer, so it is no surprise to see them already being linked with potential replacements, such as Abraham.

Whilst the England international is a goalscorer in his own right, having regularly shown his ability to find the back of the net during loan spells with Aston Villa and Bristol City, before establishing himself as a first-team regular at Chelsea, his style of play could really improve Adams’ goalscoring potential.

Southampton lack any sort of target man in their side, with Ings and Adams being two very similar players, which can sometimes make them predictable and easy to defend against, which has, unfortunately, proven to be the case regularly during the recent terrible run of form for Hasenhuttl’s side.

Abraham is six foot three and averages 1.9 aerials won per game in the Premier League this season, with only centre-back pairing Jan Bednarek and Jannik Vestergaard averaging more in terms of the current Southampton squad, which emphasises that they lack any sort of aerial threat in attack.

The 23-year-old, who reportedly earns £65k per week at Chelsea, could prove to be a focal point in Hasenhuttl’s side, with the £13.5 million-rated Adams making runs beyond him from flick-ons or playing off him if Southampton were to play the ball to his feet.

Rather than dropping deep, it could also allow Adams to use his pace more effectively and play on the shoulder of the last man, which would hopefully lead to more goalscoring opportunities for the Englishman.

Therefore, if Ings does leave in the summer, then Abraham could be a great replacement for Southampton to bring in, as it could really change the way they attack and help Adams evolve into a much more consistent goalscorer.

And, in other news… Semmens must avoid VVD repeat with £13.5m-rated “role model” who Ralph loves

David Moyes could save West Ham United a lot of money by unleashing academy starlet Emmanuel Longelo into the first team.

After sensationally qualifying for the Europa League, a year on from avoiding relegation with one game to spare, the Irons boss is in desperate need of strength in depth.

The prospects of being handed a 50-plus game campaign will soon become a reality and his current squad is far from set up to remain competitive throughout that period.

There’s the big priority of finding a new striker, to take the weight off Michail Antonio’s back, whilst it’s thought that Moyes would also like a new central defender.

Not to mention that they may need to replace Jesse Lingard’s presence in attacking midfield and find backup options in the full-back positions too.

All this means Moyes needs substantial financial backing from David Sullivan, David Gold and Karen Brady and as good as they have been in some of their recent windows under the Scotsman, it’s perhaps unrealistic to expect all of those positions to be filled in one summer, especially when taking into account the financial impact of the pandemic.

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Therefore, Longelo is someone who could, and should, benefit next season.

The 20-year-old is a hugely promising and attack-minded left-back who could provide perfect cover for Aaron Cresswell, especially if Arthur Masuaku continues to be blighted by persistent injuries.

He is just one of many players that Moyes has already handed a senior debut to since his return to the London Stadium, so surely it’s time for the next step up.

The Athletic’s Roshane Thomas has made some comparisons to the rise of Aaron Wan-Bissaka in the past, having been converted from a forward into a defender, whilst only two years ago, he was deemed to have “serious potential.”

Moyes must take a bold risk and allow Longelo to feature amongst the senior side more often next term.

AND in other news, Moyes dealt another devastating West Ham transfer blow, fans will surely be gutted…

Premier League duo Crystal Palace and Leicester City are reportedly interested in signing Sheffield Wednesday youngster Charles Hagan.

The Lowdown: Hagan makes Sheff Wed debut

Having impressed in the Owls’ academy, Hagan made his first-team debut in the Carabao Cup defeat to Fulham back in September, featuring for eight minutes.

The 19-year-old was unable to force his way into Wednesday’s team from that point on, as Darren Moore’s side suffered relegation to League One.

The Latest: Youngster linked with exit

It could be that Hagan is already on his way out of Hillsborough, with the Sheffield Star claiming both Palace and Leicester are eyeing up a move for him.

Charlton Athletic, Stoke City and Brentford are also believed to be keeping tabs on the forward, whose current deal expires at the end of this month.

The Verdict: Potential blow for Owls

It is important that Wednesday do their best to keep hold of their best young talent, allowing more seasoned out-of-contract players to leave instead this summer.

Hagan may not be the finished the article, but he is someone who could shine in League One – the fact that top flight sides are vying for his signature tells you exactly how much potential he has.

To lose him at such a young age would be an undoubted blow for the Owls, at a time when the club really could do with some positive news.

In other news, Sheff Wed are believed to have suffered a blow in their quest to sign one player this summer. Find out who it is here. 

Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips has been praised by Roy Keane, with the seven-time Premier League winner saying he is a “decent lad”. 

The 25-year-old has arguably matured into the Whites’ most important player in recent years, excelling in the middle of the park. His quality and energy in midfield have played a huge part in Leeds’ success under Marcelo Bielsa and his performances have been recognised by England manager Gareth Southgate.

Phillips now has six caps to his name for the Three Lions, having appeared in his country’s matches against San Marino and Albania during the current international break.

Keane heaps praise on Phillips

Keane is famously someone who doesn’t suffer fools gladly, so it is always a compliment if he speaks highly about any player.

The ex-Manchester United man did just that when it came to Phillips, telling ITV [via MOT Leeds News] on Sunday that he is impressed by what he has seen and heard, saying he could start at Euro 2020 if Jordan Henderson is injured:

“Well I suppose at the moment it would be Phillips because he’s playing week in week out for Leeds. Of course they’re not challenging for titles but they’re just a newly-promoted team, he looks a fit lad and seems mature.

“I’ve heard some good things about him that he’s a decent lad so a nice problem for Gareth [Southgate] to have.”

Transfer Tavern take

For Phillips to be praised by somebody of Keane’s stature speaks volumes about his quality, highlighting the importance of Leeds keeping hold of him long-term.

He has every chance of starting for England at the Euros this summer, battling with the likes of Declan Rice and Henderson, should the latter be fit.

In other news, Leeds have been linked with an exciting move for a La Liga attacker – read more about it here.

Tottenham Hotspur may be without a permanent manager right now, but it seems full steam ahead of their summer transfer plans…

What’s the word?

According to the Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, Spurs are in pole position to sign Joachim Andersen following Fulham’s relegation to the Championship.

The 24-year-old is due to return to his parent club Lyon at the end of the season before he is likely to be sold in the region of £20m, though Daniel Levy is facing stiff competition from arch-rivals Arsenal.

However, Spurs do seem like a plausible destination for the Danish centre-back. Eurosport’s Dean Jones added fuel to the fire with his comments on a recent episode of the ‘Touchline Talk’ podcast.

“To be honest, I think Arsenal face a battle to get him. From what I’ve heard, Tottenham are definitely in pole position to get him,” he said.

“They’ve monitored him for quite a long time. At least three years he’s been on their radar and they’ve been considering a move for him. I think, from what I’ve been told, his performances at Fulham have just convinced them that this is the guy they need to go for.”

Imagine him and Rodgers

It is no secret that Spurs are looking to bolster their backline, irrespective of who takes over from Jose Mourinho.

As per the ever-reliable Alasdair Gold at football.london, the North London side are looking for a new central defensive leader to spearhead their back four after a clear lack of cohesion and leadership throughout the season.

He would also ideally be one of two new specific additions to that role.

Andersen is certainly an interesting candidate but he will need the right manager to help continue his impressive progression in the English top-flight.

Of course, his current manager Scott Parker has huge claims in this regard and according to Football Insider, the 40-year-old will have talks with the club in the coming days.

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However, fellow managerial target Brendan Rodgers, who Spurs have not given up hope of securing just yet, would be absolutely ideal given his proven track record in developing young players.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast in March, Dean Windass claimed the 48-year-old is “unbelievable” for his transformation of zero-to-hero striker Kelechi Iheanacho.

Players like James Maddison, James Justin, Wesley Fofana and Harvey Barnes are several other examples of his fine work in recent times.

Andersen appears to be a more commanding and reliable defender than any of Spurs’ current options, managing more aerial duels won (3.2) and interceptions made (1.4) per game, via WhoScored.

This season, the Cottagers loanee has been lauded as “absolutely sensational” and “magnificent” whilst ‘The 2 Robbies’ podcast gave a glowing verdict over his leadership qualities, especially as he’s still young for a centre-back.

“He’s 24 years of age – he’s a man back there. He can win it, he can play, looks like he’s got a little bit about him to organise those in and around him,” he said,” claimed ex-Wimbledon star Robbie Earle.

Pairing up Rodgers and Andersen this summer would certainly be a massive statement to the rest of the league, and one that would kickstart an exciting new era at the club.

Levy must swoop for both at all costs.

AND in other news, Forget Parker: Levy could win back Spurs fans by hiring 53y/o dubbed a “master” by Pep…

Former Leeds United defender Danny Mills believes Ian Poveda’s Whites career is over, following his loan move to Blackburn Rovers this summer.

The Lowdown: Poveda heads out on loan

The 21-year-old isn’t seen as a key part of Marcelo Bielsa’s plans this season, so he will spend the 2021/22 campaign on loan at Ewood Park after a temporary deal was confirmed this week.

Poveda is yet to fully establish himself at Leeds in general, failing to make a single Premier League start last time around, coming on 14 times as a substitute.

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The Latest: Mills makes brutal prediction

Speaking to Football Insider, Mills gave a bleak outlook regarding the youngster’s Whites future, when asked if he thinks he will remain at the club:

“No is the answer. Once you get sent out on loan it’s very difficult to come back and have a real impact.

“The reason you are being sent out on loan is because you are surplus to requirements.

“That sticks in your mind, even if you go out and have a fantastic season, it’s always in your mind that ‘This manager did not want me last season’.

“There’s always a bit of a hangover from that. It’s quite hard to shake off sometimes.”

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The Verdict: Time up for youngster?

At 21, Poveda certainly has time on his side – some fans praised his performance at home to Manchester City last season, calling him ‘immense’, among other superlatives – but if Bielsa saw him as a key man moving forward, he would surely have kept him as part of his squad.

The hope is that the youngster impresses at Blackburn and goes up a gear, although even if he does, it is difficult to see him ever being a star figure at Elland Road.

He hasn’t done enough to justify that yet, and as Leeds move on without him, he could only get left further behind.

In other news, Leeds are believed to be interested in making a late summer move for one player. Find out who it is here.