Newcastle United and Aston Villa have submitted an offer to sign the Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen.
The talented young defender recently joined Real Madrid from Bournemouth, and the Spanish club has no intention of sanctioning his departure. They will not enter into negotiations with the English clubs, and it remains to be seen whether Newcastle or Aston Villa move on to other targets.
Newcastle and Villa want Dean Huijsen
They could use a quality central defender, and they were preparing to spend €40 million (£34.5m) on the Spaniard, as per Fichajes. However, the 20-year-old is a key part of Real Madrid’s plans, and it is no surprise that they are not prepared to consider any move.
Aston Villa are pushing for Champions League qualification, and they are likely to be an attractive destination for players if they finish in the top four. However, Huijsen is unlikely to leave Real Madrid for them. They will have to look at other options as they look to tighten up at the back.
Newcastle are also looking to put together a formidable team. They need quality long-term alternatives to players like Dan Burn and Fabian Schar. There is no doubt that the Spanish defender would have been ideal for them, but the move seems unrealistic.
Dean Huijsen warming up (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Real Madrid are looking to build a team for the future, and they will not want to lose one of the most talented young defenders in Europe and football right now.
Newcastle and Aston Villa have exciting projects, and they will be attractive destinations for quality players in the summer. It remains to be seen whether they can plug the gaps in their defence and launch a strong push for trophies next season.
The transfer window is now closed, so we’ve rounded up every single done deal by all 20 Premier League clubs over the last month.
It wasn’t the most memorable January transfer window, but read on for every done deal as there were some major deals done by the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham.
For City, it was a pretty exciting window as Pep Guardiola moved to bring in Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth after his terrific form there in the last year and a half or so.
Meanwhile, Marc Guehi also made the move to the Etihad Stadium to fill the void left by the injured Josko Gvardiol, meaning that long-running saga came to an end a little earlier than expected, with his Crystal Palace contract only a few months away from expiring anyway.
For Arsenal, it was mostly a window of exits, as Ethan Nwaneri joined Marseille on loan, while Oleksandr Zinchenko left for a permanent move to Ajax.
Elsewhere, Conor Gallagher was a big name arrival back to the Premier League, with the former Chelsea midfielder leaving Atletico Madrid after a year and a half to join Tottenham.
Read on for our full list of done deals from this transfer window…
Arsenal
IN
None
OUT
Osman Kamara – Blackburn, undisclosed
Oleksandr Zinchenko – Ajax, undisclosed
Louie Copley – Crawley, loan
Ethan Nwaneri – Marseille, loan
Maldini Kacurri – Grimsby, loan
Aston Villa
Tammy Abraham in action for Aston Villa (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
IN
Tammy Abraham – Besiktas, £18.2m
Alysson – Gremio, £10m
Brian Madjo – Metz, undisclosed
Leon Bailey – Roma, loan recall
Douglas Luiz – Juventus, loan
OUT
Louie Barry – Stockport, loan
Samuel Iling-Junior, Pisa, loan
Ben Broggio – Falkirk, loan
Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba – West Brom, loan
Evann Guessand – Crystal Palace, loan
Aidan Borland – Swindon, loan
Sil Swinkels – Chesterfield, loan
Donyell Malen – Roma, loan with £21.6m obligation to buy
Harvey Elliott now looks increasingly likely to see out the season at Aston Villa, despite uncertainty surrounding his long-term future at Villa Park, according to BBC.
The attacking midfielder joined Villa on loan from Liverpool last summer, but his situation appeared to stall earlier in the campaign after manager Unai Emery decided against pursuing a permanent deal.
Emery had publicly indicated as far back as October that Villa did not intend to trigger their option to buy the 22-year-old, a decision that saw Elliott fall out of the matchday picture for an extended period.
However, circumstances have shifted dramatically in recent weeks.
Injuries change the equation for Aston Villa
A growing injury crisis has forced Villa to reassess their options. Midfield anchor Boubacar Kamara has been ruled out for the remainder of the season, while key figures John McGinn and Youri Tielemans are both facing lengthy spells on the sidelines.
With Villa competing across multiple competitions, Emery has been left short on depth and experience in attacking and midfield areas.
As a result, Elliott has been recalled into action, featuring in Villa’s last two matches after not playing since October 2.
Villa have a £35m clause to sign Elliott permanently
Harvey Elliott in action for Aston Villa (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Elliott’s appearances are also being closely monitored for contractual reasons.
The Liverpool loanee is just three games away from triggering a £35 million transfer clause tied to his loan agreement.
While Villa previously appeared reluctant to activate that option, the renewed involvement raises questions about how carefully his minutes will now be managed.
Liverpool, for their part, remain attentive to Elliott’s situation.
While Aston Villa may have decided months ago against making Elliott’s move permanent, the realities of injuries and fixture congestion have brought him back into the fold.
Elliott now has an opportunity to reassert his value in claret and blue.
Crystal Palace have been presented with a late-market opportunity to strengthen their attacking options, with reports suggesting the club have been offered the chance to sign former Aston Villa striker Jhon Durán before the January transfer window closes.
According to TEAMtalk, there is significant movement behind the scenes regarding Durán’s short-term future.
French side Lille are understood to be in advanced talks to take over the striker’s loan for the remainder of the season and are currently viewed as being in pole position.
However, intermediaries have also been active in sounding out Premier League clubs, with Crystal Palace, Leeds United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Newcastle United all made aware of his availability.
Jhon Durán is looking to revive his career
Durán’s representatives are keen to secure a move that offers regular minutes during the second half of the campaign, after the forward struggled to establish himself following his exit from Aston Villa.
While the switch away from European football offered financial and profile benefits, his on-pitch involvement has been limited, a situation his camp are eager to rectify with the 2026 World Cup cycle in mind.
For Crystal Palace, the timing of the approach is particularly interesting.
Mateta’s omission from Palace’s travelling squad for the Premier League fixture against Nottingham Forest has only intensified speculation that his time at Selhurst Park may be drawing to a close.
Should Mateta depart, Palace would face a clear need for attacking reinforcement. Durán’s profile offers a useful solution.
Jhon Duran in action for Al Nassr (Photo by Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images)
During his time at Aston Villa, the Colombian impressed with his physical presence, direct running, and willingness to stretch defenses.
Although still raw, his age and prior experience in England make him a logical option compared to alternatives from unfamiliar leagues.
Lille’s advanced position suggests competition is fierce, but a Premier League return, particularly one offering regular starts, could prove appealing to the player.
For Palace, this is not just about replacing a potential outgoing striker, but about maintaining attacking momentum during a crucial phase of the season.
Brahim Diaz has been linked with a move away from Real Madrid in recent weeks.
The 26-year-old has struggled for regular opportunities under Alvaro Arbeloa, and he needs to move on in order to play more often.
Spurs and Villa keen on Brahim Diaz
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa would be willing to provide him with an exit route. They have already made enquiries about the availability of the Moroccan international. It remains to be seen whether they submit an offer for him in the coming days.
The 26-year-old is a versatile attacker who is capable of operating anywhere across the front three. He will add goals and creativity to the team.
Brahim Diaz in action for Real Madrid (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
Tottenham are in desperate need of more quality in the final third, and the Moroccan certainly fits the profile. He could be the ideal addition for them. They have missed a dynamic attacker like him since the departure of Son Heung-min.
The opportunity to join Tottenham will be exciting for the Moroccan as well. He will look to prove himself in the Premier League and play regularly with them.
On the other hand, Aston Villa have an exciting project. They are pushing for Champions League qualification, and they have a top-class manager like Unai Emery.
It will be interesting to see what the player decides if the two clubs come forward with an offer for him.
Meanwhile, the report claims that Newcastle United are also monitoring his situation and have contacted the player’s representatives to express their interest. They could use more depth in the final third, and the dynamic Moroccan could support the likes of Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga.
A late move in January is still very much possible, and it remains to be seen how the situation unfolds.
Uruguay international goalkeeper Sergio Rochet has now slammed Aston Villa star Emiliano Martinez for his arrogance on the pitch.
The Uruguayan international explained that the Argentine star can be quite provocative, especially during penalty shootouts, and his style of play does not sit right with the Uruguayan.
There is no doubt that Martinez has been a quality player for club and country. However, his provocative style of play can rub the opposition the wrong way. Rochet admitted that the Aston Villa star is a phenomenon and a very good goalkeeper; however, his attitude is questionable.
He also admitted he does not like the Argentine international’s personality.
Rochet on Emiliano Martinez
“Personally, I don’t like his way of being like that. As a goalkeeper, honestly, he’s a phenomenon. A very good goalkeeper,” he said speaking to El Espectador Deportes in Uruguay.
“It doesn’t quite sit right with me because of the attitudes he has. Everyone has their own personality. I don’t like it, I’m more low-profile. It worked for him and that’s fine, if he feels comfortable like that,” Rochet added.
“Those things don’t appeal to me, I don’t like arrogance. I try, as a person, to be like that, and to advise teammates when I can, to keep that profile, because that’s our profile as Uruguayans,” he explained.
He has been a quality performer for the Premier League club, but he has looked mediocre in recent weeks, and this could be the right time for Aston Villa to cash in on him.
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