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Aston Villa have submitted a £26m bid for a “world-class” forward, with the move receiving the green light from manager Unai Emery.

Villa return to form in victory against Forest

Villa’s 11-game winning run was brought to an end by Arsenal in their final match of 2025, but they kicked off 2026 in very promising fashion, securing a 3-1 victory against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Ollie Watkins continued his improved form in front of goal, scoring for the fourth time in his last three Premier League outings, and Emery was clearly impressed by the performance, saying: “For him it is much, much better. Even when he wasn’t scoring, others were scoring. We need every player focused like him, and doing his task like him.”

The Spaniard then went on to describe the centre-forward as “fantastic”, while Donyell Malen, who has also been utilised at striker this season, has impressed too, chipping in with seven goals in all competitions.

However, with Aston Villa potentially looking to bolster their hopes of making a title push, they are keen to bring in another striker this month, and a €30m (£26m) offer has now been submitted for Real Madrid forward Gonzalo Garcia.

That is according to a report from Spain, which reveals Emery has now given the green light for Villa to make a move for the Spaniard, as he believes the Madrid ace is capable of making an immediate impact at Villa Park.

The Villans want to finalise a deal as quickly as possible, as they are keen to avoid being dragged into a bidding war, and they are confident the offer is high enough to tempt the La Liga club into a sale.

"World-class" Garcia may need to leave Real Madrid

When given the opportunity at Real Madrid, the 21-year-old has often impressed, most recently scoring a hat-trick as his side demolished Real Betis 5-1 in La Liga, while he also caught the eye at the Club World Cup in the summer.

Indeed, the youngster picked up four goals and one assist in six games in the USA, and journalist Zach Lowy believes his performances were top drawer.

However, consistent game time has been hard to come by for the centre-forward, who has largely been used as an impact sub late on in games this season, which suggests he may need to leave Madrid for the good of his career.

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Although Watkins has returned to form as of late, the England international recently turned 30, which means it may be a savvy move to start thinking about potential long-term replacements, and Garcia has proven he could be up to the task.

What a whirlwind start to 2026 it has been for Chelsea Football Club.

In what is perhaps a surprising turn of events, Enzo Maresca has left after a string of poor results and has been relieved of his duties at Stamford Bridge with immediate effect.

As is the done thing when a manager is removed from his post, the Blues released a club statement to confirm the news. It clarified that the club “believe a change gives the team the best chance of getting the season back on track,” with half of the season still to go.

A new manager has yet to be confirmed, but rumours are already flying around.

Chelsea target Premier League manager to replace Maresca

One of the names flying around to replace the Italian in West London is Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior. Of course, the two clubs are linked, with the French side also under the same BlueCo ownership as Chelsea.

However, those owners might instead look within the Premier League to find their new boss.

According to a report from the Mail, Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola is ‘being considered’ by the club, with Chelsea set to have an interim manager this weekend against Manchester City, and thus more time to find a manager.

Iraola is clearly one option that the Blues have as they hunt for Maresca’s replacement. What makes things slightly easier is the fact that he is out of contract down on the South Coast this summer.

That might reduce the compensation fee if he were to switch to Stamford Bridge mid-season.

Why Iraola would be a good appointment

There is no doubt that Cherries boss Iraola, a close childhood friend of Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, is one of the most highly rated managers in the top flight. Journalist James Horncastle even went as far as saying that he is the “best coach in the Premier League,” which is huge praise indeed.

Well, whether or not you agree with that statement, there is no denying that the Spaniard has impressed at the Vitality Stadium. In 107 games in charge of the club, he’s won 40 of them, and has a positive goal difference, with his side scoring 166 times and conceding 160.

Iraola key stats at Bournemouth

Stat

Number

Games

105

Wins

40

Draws

27

Losses

38

Goals for

166

Goals against

160

PL points per game

1.35

Stats from Transfermarkt

Across the board, the 43-year-old has managed to get the Cherries somewhat punching above their weight. There have been some memorable results in there, which included a wonderful 3-0 win away from home against Manchester United.

It would certainly be a different appointment compared to if the Blues were to go and get Rosenior. The former Hull City gaffer has also impressed at Strasbourg, helping them to reach the Conference League this term.

The ex-Brighton and Hove Albion player certainly has a good record in charge of Le Racing out in Ligue 1, winning 51.61% of his games so far. He has also helped guide his side to some iconic wins along the way. In the Conference League this term, they beat Crystal Palace 2-1.

However, there is one thing that might swing it in Iraola’s favour, and that is the fact that he has Premier League experience. Rosenior, of course, has never managed in the top flight of England, just like Maresca hadn’t done before.

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Perhaps BlueCo will not want to risk making the same mistake which has ultimately led to Maresca’s demise despite success on a more global scale. Even though the Strasbourg manager would be easier to appoint, there might be a view that it’s a riskier move.

Provided Iraola adapts and plays more of a possession-based game as Maresca looked to implement, rather than focusing on quick vertical transitions, this might be a masterstroke of an appointment from the Blues.

Rosenior might be a more logical appointment, but Iraola could be the dream alternative. One thing is for sure, it is going to be a fascinating few days down at the Bridge.

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