Aston Villa is moving on with plans to replace Steven Gerrard as their manager and they could bring Mauricio Pochettino back to the Premier League. The Villans have just fired the former Liverpool midfielder after nearly a year at the helm and they now need a new man to continue their season. Gerrard enjoyed their support in the last transfer window and he was allowed to sign some of the players he wanted and build his team. Yet his team could not buy a win and their 3-0 defeat to Fulham after Douglas Luiz was sent off was the last straw for the former Rangers manager. Matchplug understands the Villans are looking for a world-class manager and they will approach Poch to become their next boss. Poch has been unattached since he was fired by PSG and he might be more than happy to make a return to the EPL.

Erling Haaland could become the first £1bn player in the world, according to his agent Rafaela Pimenta. The Norwegian has developed into the world’s most lethal striker this season as he leads Manchester City in goalscoring. The striker joined the English club for just £51.2million, which is considered a steal now when his impact his measured since he moved to the Etihad. The striker is one of the best players in the world now, and he has shown he will keep getting better and that means there is room for more endorsement deals and even salary increases. Pimenta says via Matchplug: ‘I think Erling will be the first player to achieve a transfer that will be around £1bn. ‘If you put together his football value, his image value, his sponsor value, it is for sure £1bn. It’s normal to compare Erling with Mbappe so you have a little bit of an idea of the market.’

Former Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard has come out fighting for his job and insists the team is better now than when he first became its manager. He is close to finishing his first year on the Villa bench and his team is struggling for consistency in this campaign. The Villans undeniably play good football, but they have failed to convert chances in their matches and they keep falling to defensive mistakes and conceded cheap goals. Gerrard’s job is now on the line and he could be sacked if Villa loses their next two matches, but the former Rangers boss say the team is better than when he first arrived. He said via Matchplug: ‘I won’t feel sorry for myself. We’ll accept the outcome of the game because it is what it is… obviously the outcome is a defeat but we’ll certainly take the positives. ‘Yes I do (think we’re better than when I started, in November 2021). I have total trust and confidence and belief in myself and this group of players. It’s well documented we’re missing big players at the moment.  ‘A lot of improvements we tried to make in the last window are not available to help us at the moment. I believe we might have been in a healthier position with that support, but they’re on the way back. I think that’s a positive.’

Atletico Madrid is turning to the Premier League to find a new player for their squad and their next target is Brighton’s Leandro Trossard. The Belgian has been in fine form in recent campaigns and continues to show why he is one of the most underrated attackers around. The likes of Arsenal and Chelsea also have an interest in his signature, but they will struggle to get him now that Atleti is in the picture. His current deal expires at the end of this season, but Brighton can automatically extend it for another year, which could be the smart thing to do. However, Matchplug understands if he wants to leave as a free agent, Atleti has positioned itself to clinch the Belgian’s signature. The Premier League clubs will want to fight hard to sign him and a reunion with Graham Potter at Chelsea might interest him.

Manchester United is the latest English club to become interested in AC Milan forward Rafael Leao and the Portuguese star could land in the Premier League in the summer. The attacker has been in fine form since he joined Milan from Lille and fired them to the Serie A title in the last campaign. United could lose Cristiano Ronaldo at the end of this season and they have already started targeting a replacement for him. Several attackers are on their radar and Leao is the latest name on their transfer wishlist as he keeps shining in Milan. Matchplug understands they watched him when Milan faced Chelsea in London and they could table around £60million for his signature when the transfer window opens in the summer. However, Manchester City and Chelsea also has an interest in his signature and they will want to compete to sign him.

Chelsea midfielder, Jorginho wants around £150,000 a week to sign a new contract with the London club as they seek to keep him on their team. The midfielder has been a key player since he joined them, but he is at the end of his current deal at the Premier League side and needs to extend. The Blues want to keep their core players and have been in talks with him over a new deal, but Matchplug understands that the talks have stalled because the Italian-Brazilian wants a pay raise. He currently makes around £120,000 a week and wants a raise of £30,000 a week, which is not something the club seems willing to accept at the moment. Both parties have not spoken to each other on the negotiating table recently, but the Blues are likely to accept his demands if Graham Potter considers him a key member of his squad and wants the midfielder to remain at Stamford Bridge.

Former Chelsea man Joe Cole has warned Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans that he needs to start performing like he can play for a top club if he wants to join one. The Belgian midfielder has been on the radar of the top European clubs as he looks to run down his contract at the King Power Stadium. Despite links to these top clubs, none made a serious effort to sign him last summer and he might need to prove his quality again to get their attention. He did little to justify that as Leicester played out a goalless draw against Crystal Palace yesterday and Cole warns he needs to do more. The former England international said via Matchplug: ‘This is a player who has been looked at by some of the top clubs so he will be thinking I’m a Champions League player but you need to perform like a Champions League player, you need to perform in all situations. Maddison’s levels have not dropped. ‘His character is one I admire. He wasn’t quite on it today but he was trying to get on the ball and make things happen. ‘Tielemans is a player I admire, and I rate so much and if he can improve his game five to ten per cent get control, run the midfield and that’s when the points will be coming.’