Aston Villa

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Pressure will be on Steven Gerrard next season after the investment into Aston Villa's squad this summer, according to French football expert Julien Laurens.

Villa have made four signings since the season ended, bringing in Diego Carlos from Seville and Boubacar Kamara from Marseille on a free transfer, while Philippe Coutinho and Robin Olsen both completed permanent moves after loan spells at Villa Park.

"I think they are on the right path," Laurens told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.

"Kamara I know well from Marseille and he is a fantastic player. I remember when Gerrard went to watch him play I put it on Twitter and people were like ‘no way, there is no way he will go there’.

"He went there because he liked the project. He wanted to work with Gerrard and as a defensive midfielder himself he knew there was a lot to learn every day in training.

"Then they sign Diego Carlos, who is a Champions League centre-back. He makes crazy decisions at times but he will learn as well and I think he will fit really well in that team and in the Premier League too.

"They are on a good path, but the pressure will be high. That investment brings the pressure with it. I believe in him and think he is going to be an amazing manager."

Hear more from 28'26 on BBC Sounds

Are you happy with Villa's business so far? Where else do they need to strengthen? Have your say here

AC Milan are considering signing Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz - and the 24-year-old Brazilian's agents have travelled to the Italian club. (TuttoMercatoWeb - in Italian), external

Want more transfer news? Read Friday's full gossip column

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The draw has been made for the group stage of this season's Papa John's Trophy, with teams split into northern and southern groups and 16 Premier League under-21 sides again involved.

In the southern section, Brighton have been drawn in Group A alongside Charlton Athletic, Colchester United and Gillingham, while in Group B Aston Villa join AFC Wimbledon, Crawley and Portsmouth.

West Ham are in Group C with Cheltenham Town, MK Dons and Walsall, while Tottenham are joined in Group D by Stevenage, Peterborough United and Wycombe Wanderers.

Fellow Londoners Crystal Palace are in Group E with Bristol Rovers, Plymouth Argyle and Swindon Town, while Southampton are with Exeter City, Forest Green Rovers and Newport County in Group F.

Group G sees Chelsea take on Oxford United, Leyton Orient and Sutton, while crosstown rivals Arsenal are in Group H with Cambridge United, Ipswich Town and Northampton Town.

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Aston Villa's trio of England players impressed in a winning start at the European Under-19 Championship.

Carney Chukwuemeka was the pick of the bunch, scoring and bagging an assist as the Young Lions beat Austria 2-0 in their opening game of the tournament in Slovakia.

The 18-year-old has only started one game for Villa so far, but has appeared a number of times from the bench and could be set for a starring role for England this summer.

He opened the scoring from six yards in the first half before teeing up Spurs' Alfie Devine for a scintillating second later on.

Aaron Ramsey and Tim Iroegbunam all started the game for England, who are next in action against Serbia on Wednesday.

Aston Villa midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka is in buoyant mood after his starring role in England's opening win at the European Under-19 Championship on Sunday.

BBC Sport chief football writer Phil McNulty has some info on names that Aston Villa have been linked with in Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Luis Suarez.

Aston Villa are willing to listen to offers for midfielder John McGinn this summer. (Football Insider), external

Meanwhile, Trezeguet is close to leaving the club to join Turkish side Trabzonspor for about £3m. (Mail), external

Want more transfer rumours? Read Tuesday's full gossip column here

Image source, James Maddison Instagram

Remember the days when football's elite names used pre-season as a chance to put their feet up and indulge, perhaps packing on some timber in the process?

Our modern-day professionals seem to have shunned it fully as in their time off, Leicester City's James Maddison, Fulham's Harrison Reed, Aston Villa's Calum Chambers, and Liverpool duo Jordan Henderson and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have been working out as a group at a complex in Portugal.

Maddison has shared snaps of himself whipping free-kicks into the top corner and images of him generally working up a sweat alongside other Premier League names.

Oxlade-Chamberlain is packing plenty into his summer break as his partner Perrie Edwards announced he proposed to her while on holiday over the weekend., external

Image source, James Maddison Instagram

Image source, Getty Images

We asked you what you make of Aston Villa's 2022-23 Premier League schedule after the fixture list was released on Thursday.

Here are some of your thoughts:

James: If Villa want to be finishing in the top half, then they need to be aiming for at least 10 points from their opening five games. The first three should be winnable - and to take points from West Ham and/or Arsenal would be a real statement of intent.

Mike: Good fixtures to begin the season by getting a few points on the board.

Rupert: Villa need to gather momentum quickly otherwise it's going to be a long struggle again. Gerrard could be unemployed before Liverpool on Boxing Day.

Westy: Easy start, tough end. I'd like to see us out of the traps fast at the start of the season. That would define the rest of the campaign and set up a challenge for a spot in Europe.

Matt: We always seem to play one of the three newly promoted teams at the start of the season. I'd prefer to be away at the Etihad on the opening weekend! The promoted teams are massively up for it and it's always harder to get a result - Bournemouth will be no different.

The 2022-23 season has been adjusted to accommodate the 2022 World Cup, which takes place in the middle of the domestic calendar.

It starts a week earlier than normal - 75 days after the final day of the 2021-22 campaign - and finishes a week later than usual on 28 May.

Fifa, world football's governing body, has already stipulated that players must be released on 14 November for the World Cup.

It means the mid-season break will last more than six weeks.

There will be 16 matchdays before Qatar - five in August, three in September, six in October and two in November.

Image source, BBC Sport

• Since they met on the opening day of the 2015-16 season, Bournemouth have won all three games against Aston Villa, each by a 2-1 scoreline.

• Villa have won just once on the five previous occasions they’ve started a Premier League campaign against a promoted side, though that victory did come at the Cherries in 2015.

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Ex-England defender Laura Bassett says players need a proper break in order to perform at a high level.

After a busy post-season international schedule, the domestic 2022-23 season starts just 50 days after Premier League fixtures were released on Thursday.

Bassett says recent international performances have shown that players need a longer break.

She told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily: "It’s tough isn’t it? But over recent years it's something players have had to get used to, rightly or wrongly.

"I just think the clubs are so refined in their processes and their research. The amount of staff that they have now, you really have to give the players as much support as possible.

"But sometimes, as a player, it’s the psychological and mental aspect that you just can’t take away - and underestimate and downplay, to be honest.

"We saw from recent games that it’s tough. These players are human - you can’t forget that. You can’t just roll out performances at such a high level and intensity. Players need a break in order to perform."

 Hear more from 18'17 on BBC Sounds

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Obviously Aston Villa have to play everyone twice - but what's your reaction to the fixture list?

Is there a run of games Steven Gerrard will have his eye on? And what about a time he might be dreading?

See Villa's Premier League fixtures in full here

Have your say here

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After starting their season with a trip to newly promoted Bournemouth, Villa host Everton on 13 August weekend in their first home game of 2022-23.

The first West Midlands derby against Wolves of the season is on 2 January at Villa Park, with the reverse fixture at Molineux on 6 May.

Steven Gerrard's side host Liverpool on Boxing Day and see out the season with a trip to Anfield on the final day.

Aston Villa will visit Bournemouth in their opening game of the 2022-23 Premier League season.

The match will take place on the weekend of 6-7 August, with Villa's first home fixture against Everton on the weekend of 13-14 August.

See Villa's Premier League fixtures in full here

Have your say here

Tottenham, Newcastle and Aston Villa are among the Premier League clubs monitoring 32-year-old Wales forward Gareth Bale, who is a free agent after his contract with Real Madrid expired at the end of the season. (Sun), external

Want more transfer news? Read Thursday's full gossip column

John McGinn’s 13 goals under Clarke are bettered under a single manager in Scotland’s history by only Denis Law (21 goals under Ian McColl) and Ally McCoist (15 goals under Andy Roxburgh).

Image source, PA Media

Cameron Archer was on target once again but England Under-21s lost to Slovenia in Huddersfield.

The 20-year-old netted an injury-time consolation as England lost their first European Championship qualifier for more than 10 years.

Despite the defeat, England top Group G and have already qualified for next summer's tournament.

As for Archer, he scored seven goals on loan at Preston in the second half of last season and has had an outstanding international window, with four in three games for the England youngsters.

He will see next season as the chance to improve on this campaign's three Premier League appearances.