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Leeds United fans will have been disappointed to see key player Max Wober substituted due to an injury problem during the international break.

However, an update has now emerged on the Austrian defender, and it seems as if he should only be out of action for a short while and will be back to aid Javi Gracia's side in their fight against relegation.

What is the latest Leeds injury news?

According to The Athletic, the centre-back is a doubt for this weekend's game against Arsenal but Leeds are confident that he will be fit for the Premier League run-in.

The Yorkshire outfit have completed an assessment on the former RB Salzburg man, who pulled up with an apparent hamstring problem in Austria's European qualifier against Azerbaijan and seem confident that the injury is a minor one.

Considering Leeds' struggles defensively so far this campaign, which have seen them ship the fifth-most goals in the division with 44, it can only be good news for Gracia that Wober is set to be out for just a short period.

Since joining from Salzburg in the January transfer window in a deal worth £11m, the 24-year-old has established himself as a regular in the Whites' defence.

The versatile defender has averaged an impressive 6.77 rating from WhoScored across his ten appearances in the top flight, which ranks him as the fourth-best performer at Elland Road so far this season, emphasising the impact he has had since his arrival in the winter transfer window.

The Austria international also ranks second for interceptions, second for clearances and first for blocks in Gracia's squad which again proves how quickly he has established himself as a key man at Elland Road.

His impressive form since Gracia's arrival has helped the Whites take seven points from a possible 12, lifting them to 14th in the Premier League table, which has given them a real chance of avoiding relegation when things looked desperate only a few weeks ago.

Wober, who is paid £35k per week at Leeds, earned a lot of praise from Leeds Live writer Beren Cross ahead of his arrival at Elland Road and he has certainly lived up to that praise thus far.

Cross said: "A leader, a beast one vs one, strong in the air, digs out lazy teammates, limited pace, but a national boss in Rangnick playing him at left-back too."

If his injury does prove to be a minor one, and he can continue his strong start to life at Leeds upon his return to action, then the Yorkshire outfit have a real chance of avoiding relegation this season.

Leeds United have registered their interest over a possible move to sign Millwall’s Jake Cooper, and a new report has shared the other clubs who are keen on the defender.

What’s the latest Leeds transfer news?

The Whites, and by extension owners the 49ers Enterprises, could be in for an extremely busy final few weeks with just four new players brought in so far for Daniel Farke in Ethan Ampadu, Karl Darlow, Sam Byram and Joe Rodon.

There have been more outgoings than incomings at Elland Road, and there could be time for further departures, including Wilfried Gnonto, who has been refusing to play.

One area where the club look keen to strengthen even further is at the back despite signing Rodon on a season-long loan from Tottenham. Liam Cooper suffered a serious injury on the opening weekend, which leaves Farke with Rodon, Charlie Cresswell and Pascal Struijk as his senior options.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

Manchester City’s Taylor Harwood-Bellis has been linked with a move to Elland Road, but it looks as if contact has been made over a deal for Cooper.

According to Football Insider, Leeds have registered their interest in Cooper ahead of a potential transfer. The report adds that Championship rivals and Friday’s opponents, West Brom, have done the same, with Scottish giants Rangers also keen on the player.

Cooper is into the final 12 months of his contract at the Den, and those interested are hoping to secure a cut-price deal.

Who is Jake Cooper?

Cooper is 28 years of age and is an out-and-out left-footed centre-back. The Englishman came through the academy at Reading and made 54 senior appearances for the Royals.

He spent the second half of the 2017/18 season on loan at Millwall before making a move permanent. Since then, the 6ft 5 defender has made over 300 appearances for the club, scoring 22 times and registering 17 assists.

Cooper has been hailed by manager Gary Rowett earlier this year, who called the player “absolutely outstanding” as Millwall narrowly missed out on the playoffs.

“Coops has been immense for us. With Hutchy being out, and taking the captain’s armband, it shows leadership within the group.

“It’s only sometimes when you reflect on a period that you realise how important and consistent he has been. He’s been brilliant so far and he’s going to be really important if we want to stay in and around where we are.”

He has bundles of experience in the second tier and has even registered two assists against Leeds over the years, and by the looks of things, a move could be one to keep an eye on as the deadline nears.

West Ham United are in the race to sign one of Spain’s most gifted and promising youngsters…

What’s the latest West Ham transfer news?

According to Marca Valladolid, the Irons are in a fight to sign Real Valladolid’s Ivan Fresneda, after Crystal Palace opened talks with the Spanish club with a view to making an offer.

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

Chelsea and Sporting CP are also said to be interested in the right-back.

As previously reported by SPORT, the 18-year-old is valued at around €15m (£13m) by Valladolid, who recently suffered relegation to La Liga 2.

Would Ivan Fresneda be a good signing for West Ham?

The defender was born in the Spanish capital, and joined Real Madrid’s youth setup in 2014, before leaving the club in 2018. He eventually signed for Valladolid in 2020, and despite only forging 26 appearances for the senior side, has firmly established himself as one of the continent’s most eye-catching talents.

This perspective has been reinforced by Matt Clark of the LaLiga Lowdown, who highlighted Fresneda’s accomplished profile and limitless potential, saying: “He is a remarkably complete right-back despite his young age, balancing his defensive duties with the odd attack too.

"He has that coveted combination of physicality and technical ability. Tall but agile, quick and athletic, he is also strong in the tackle and reads the game very well for someone so green when it comes to first-team football.”

The teen’s defensive acumen is mirrored by his rank within the best 9% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for blocks per 90 and clearances per 90, as well as the highest 21% for tackles per 90.

Moreover, The Athletic revealed he is a high-quality ball winner, winning 75% of his duels, with only one LaLiga full-back, his teammate Luis Perez, possessing a better success rate.

Following the end of last year, Fresneda was just one of seven players aged 17 or younger to play over 1,000 minutes of first-team football in Europe’s big five leagues, to signify his growing quality and importance to his team.

Therefore, a player on this trajectory is more than capable of becoming a useful asset for a Premier League side. From a West Ham perspective, Fresneda can be viewed as an ageing and less dynamic Vladimir Coufal.

The 31-year-old has been a solid and reliable servant for the Hammers, having featured in 91 of the club’s last 116 domestic games.

His lack of pace, directness, and attacking threat are major drawbacks to his game, and he fails to embody the full nature of the ‘modern full-back.’

Fresneda, who played for a far worse side last year, demonstrated that he can outperform Coufal in this respect. Over the past 365 days, the prodigy scores better than the Czech for progressive carries per 90 (2.48 vs 2.37), successful take-ons per 90 (0.77 vs 0.13), and pass completion per 90 (77% vs 62.2%).

Whilst his offensive output isn’t prolific, as he failed to record any assists last term, this is mainly due to the lack of quality in Valladolid forwards, who managed just 33 goals in the league, the second-lowest in the division.

Therefore, Fresneda, who has been hailed as someone with “good technique” and “great energy” by Emmanuel Petit, could flourish at the London Stadium.

An update has emerged on Southampton and their plans to bolster their playing squad ahead of the 2023/24 Championship campaign…

What's the latest Southampton transfer news?

According to talkSPORT, the Saints are the favourites to secure a deal to sign Norwich City right-back Max Aarons before the end of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the club are 'lining' up a swoop for the England U21 international to potentially replace Tino Livramento at St. Mary's.

This comes amid The Northern Echo stating that Newcastle United are set to make a renewed effort to land the former Chelsea academy prodigy from Southampton. His exit would leave a vacant spot in the squad for Aarons to potentially come in and fill.

How good is Max Aarons?

The Canaries starlet is an experienced defender in spite of the fact that he is only 23.

Aarons has made 213 first-team appearances for Norwich throughout his career to date, which includes 70 Premier League matches, and has been capped a whopping 27 times by England at U21 level.

Bringing the full-back in would be a masterclass of a move by Russell Martin as the Saints head coach could use his connections with his former club to secure a fantastic signing.

Martin, who once played alongside Aarons in a U23 match for Norwich, spent nine years at Carrow Road and Southampton could now benefit from his relationship with the Yellows.

Signing the former Luton Town academy prospect could ease the possible blow of losing Livramento as he has proven himself to be capable of excelling in a promotion-winning team at this level.

Aarons has been promoted as a title-winner in the Championship twice in his career and caught the eye with his displays during their 2020/21 success.

The £29k-per-week full-back averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.97 across 45 appearances as he created 1.4 chances per game, which would have placed him second within the Saints squad last term, as he helped his team to keep 17 clean sheets.

Livramento, who has never played at Championship level, averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.85 across 28 top-flight matches during the 2021/22 campaign and created just 0.7 chances per match from right-back to illuminate just how creative Aarons was in comparison.

This suggests that the potential is there for the young right-back to come in as an upgrade on the 20-year-old talent.

Livramento has also missed 47 competitive matches through injury since January 2022 and it remains to be seen whether or not he will be able to steer clear of further issues with his knee after a cruciate ligament rupture.

Whereas, Aarons, who was once hailed as "outstanding" by former England U21 boss Aidy Boothroyd, has only been absent for two games throughout his entire professional career with Norwich to date, which came due to an ankle injury in 2019.

The Saints target is an ultra-reliable player who has played in the Premier League and knows how to get out of the Championship, whilst still having room to develop and grow.

Therefore, Martin could pull off a blinder by using his connections to seal a deal for the young defender, who has the ability and pedigree to be a phenomenal signing.

After Declan Rice's summer exit to Arsenal for a reported £105m, some may have worried about West Ham United's status as a Premier League side, particularly after their fight with relegation at times last season.

Months later, however, that worry has likely gone away, given that the Hammers have since got off to an unbeaten start to their league campaign, drawing with Bournemouth and defeating Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion in their most impressive outings yet.

Now, David Moyes could be about to add the final piece needed to complete what has been a commendable rebuild at the London Stadium so far, with reports suggesting that West Ham are eying a move for a new forward.

What's the latest West Ham United transfer news?

There's no doubt that West Ham have used the summer transfer window to improve in several areas.

James Ward-Prowse, alongside Edson Alvarez, arrived to fill the boots of the departed Rice. Meanwhile, Konstantinos Mavropanos has arrived to reinforce a backline which conceded 55 goals last season.

The most impressive signing is surely Mohammed Kudus, though. The attacking midfielder was involved in 25 goals for Ajax last season, and already had four goals in three appearances to his name in the current campaign, before completing the move to the London Stadium.

The former Ajax man could yet form a deadly duo with another arrival, too.

According to IG Esporte, via Caught Offside, West Ham have shown interest in signing Flamengo forward Pedro this summer after reportedly failing in their pursuit of Corinthians' Yuri Alberto.

The Brazilian reportedly has a release clause of around €60m (£51m), however, and Flamengo are looking to recoup as much as possible for their striker if he leaves this summer, potentially making a deal difficult for the Hammers to pursue.

Should West Ham United sign Pedro?

Last season, it was Michail Antonio who shouldered the majority of the responsibility at the front of West Ham's attack, scoring just five Premier League goals. And, based on that, he could certainly do with some help going forward – help that Pedro could provide.

The Flamengo man scored an impressive 27 goals in all competitions, whilst also assisting a further four to hit a goal involvement number of 31 – 12 more than Antonio in all competitions.

Pedro's arrival wouldn't need to be at the expense of the current West Ham forward, either. Instead, he can finally reap the rewards of avoiding unnecessary minutes and getting the rest he needs to maintain his form in the second-half of the season.

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

At Flamengo, Pedro has received deserved praise, including from journalist Tim Vickery, who said, via HITC: "The local hero over here is the centre forward, Pedro of Flamengo, who was the top goalscorer in South America’s Champions League, the Copa Libertadores.

“He had a brief go with Fiorentina, it only lasted four games – I think he was coming back from a cruciate operation and wasn’t at his best, he’s not quick, but he is very, very good in the penalty area. He’s an excellent finisher and he’s very technically accomplished.”

Southampton are well-known for churning out talent from their academy setup and selling them on for huge profits in the future.

James Ward-Prowse is the most recent of those to have demonstrated the quality being produced from the Saints' academy having followed in the footsteps of the likes of Luke Shaw, Theo Walcott and five-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid, Gareth Bale.

While the relentless production of talent coming from their academy is impressive – as emphasised this season through 17-year-old Samuel Amo-Ameyaw being rewarded with a chance in the first team – Southampton have also become renowned for signing young players at comparatively small fees and nurturing their development before selling at a significant profit.

The most blatant example of that fact was their £13m acquisition of Virgil van Dijk from Celtic in 2015 with the Dutchman quickly rising to prominence as one of the best defenders in the league, as the Saints pocketed a hefty £75m from Liverpool two and a half years later.

In 2022, Ralph Hasenhuttl unearthed a gem from Manchester City as Romeo Lavia joined the club for £10.5m and although the South Coast club were relegated from the Premier League, Lavia's impressive performances earned him a £58m move to Chelsea this summer, making them a cool £48m on their investment.

Southampton are experts when it comes to signing young players for a cheap and turning a huge profit, but have buckled under the pressure of spending big money on more experienced talents, wasting millions on Dani Osvaldo, who demonstrated that the Saints haven't always been smart with their business.

How much did Southampton pay for Dani Osvaldo?

During Mauricio Pochettino's tenure at the club, the Argentine was in desperate need of a striker to help them become more ruthless in front of goal and after managing him at Espanyol, where he chalked up 20 goals in 45 appearances, Pochettino decided to break the bank to lure Osvaldo to the Premier League.

Joining from Roma for a club record fee of £15m in 2013, the Italian promised to live up to the price tag having amassed an eye-watering 34 goal contributions in 55 appearances in the Serie A.

Despite his impressive rate of scoring, Roma's coach at the time, Rudi Garcia, questioned Osvaldo's attitude during a friendly with Turkish side Bursaspor in 2013, stating that the 27-year-old's behaviour would cause serious problems unless he changed his attitude.

He said: “He is a great striker, but his personality is a serious issue.

“[For instance], in my opinion, he shouldn’t have reacted to the fans’ jeers, although I do understand it’s hard not to do when you’re being insulted."

In that one moment, warning signs were thrown towards Southampton, but they chose to ignore them. Indeed, Pochettino thought his attitude wouldn't get in the way of his performances, and it turned out he was wrong.

What happened to Dani Osvaldo next?

As a club record signing, a lot is expected, especially as a striker. Supporters were expecting Osvaldo to become their next heroic goalscorer, following in the footsteps of Rickie Lambert, but how his Southampton career unravelled instead left supporters pulling their hair out.

In 13 appearances for the club in the 2013/14 campaign, Osvaldo's only moment of brilliance came against Manchester City, as his superbly curled effort helped the Saints to a point against the eventual champions.

"From now on I can show how much I can do, and how well I can perform,” the Italian said, after scoring his third – and last – Southampton goal.

Although he offered words of encouragement to supporters, he failed to kick on from there, headbutting Jose Fonte in training, an incident that ultimately ended his career in England.

Osvaldo spent just 166 days at the club before he was shipped out of the club to Juventus on loan, failing to impress at the Old Lady before Southampton released him in 2015 after he'd bled the club dry of £25m, including fees and wages, across two years.

After retiring at 30-years-old in 2016, the Italian outlined his hatred towards football in an interview with Fox Sports, saying: “Football was not happy, it is a world full of ****." You can imagine the ending of that.

As far as record signings go, Osvaldo will go down as one of the worst in Premier League history.

Some will nod their heads in satisfaction; few will wax lyrical about Newcastle United's performance on their return to Champions League football.

Having travelled to the San Siro for a much-anticipated tie to kickstart the Magpies' European campaign, Eddie Howe's side dug in deep to rebuff an AC Milan onslaught, thanks to a Nick Pope masterclass between the sticks – hailed as the "great wall of San Siro" by the Chronicle's Lee Ryder – and finishing with a goalless draw.

While a point away from home is not a bad way to start a Champions League group phase consisting of Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund alongside I Rossoneri, it's "still not clicking on the whole", as journalist Craig Hope would put it.

Indeed, Newcastle started the Premier League season with aplomb after finishing fourth last term, dismantling Aston Villa 5-1 at St. James' Park, but then swallowed three successive defeats against Manchester City, Liverpool, Brighton & Hove Albion, before securing a slender victory over Brentford last time out.

Against Milan, the Magpies can take solace in their resilience and workrate against a Serie A side who threatened throughout but failed to dominate in their historic home stadium, despite taking 25 shots to Newcastle's six.

The contest marked the return to his Italian homeland for playmaking midfielder Sandro Tonali, who joined Newcastle in a £55m transfer from, as fate would have it, AC Milan in July.

How did Tonali play against AC Milan?

The midfielder hasn't quite hit the ground running despite bagging on his debut against the Villans, and against his former outfit, he was culpable of a meek display, completing just seven of his ten passes and winning only one of his six duels.

Withdrawn after 72 minutes, Hope also noted that the 23-year-old was "struggling to impact" upon his return to his old stomping ground, having also failed to make a key pass and squandered possession nine times, despite having just 20 touches of the football.

While Tonali did struggle, it was striker Alexander Isak who cut the bleakest figure on a miserable night for the Swedish striker, having failed to make an impact or even affect the game with any shred of positivity.

How did Alexander Isak perform vs AC Milan?

Isak, also aged 23, did not enjoy his most fruitful fortunes for Howe's side up front, with presenter Kev Lawson remarking that the ace looked "knackered" and needed "hooking" during the game. Such a statement is a worry considering he didn't even play last weekend.

Isak did enjoy more of the ball than his Italian teammate, taking 34 touches and actually completing 18 of his 20 passes at a completion rate of 90%.

He failed to do much with it though, succeeding with just one of his five dribble attempts and failing to unleash a single shot on Mike Maignan's goal, ineffective and seeing his threat negated – in isolation, adrift from his peers.

Ryder was particularly scathing in his post-match player ratings, branding Isak with a lowly 6/10 and writing: 'A spectator at times and lost the ball cheaply. Didn't manage a shot.'

Capping off his post-match thoughts, Howe mused that "it could be a vital point, who knows?", having avoided defeat on their return to the big time.

Perhaps. And there were certainly encouraging signs for the Tyneside club, but their star signings in Isak and Tonali will need to click into gear with a bit more inspiration if they are to advance from the 'group of death' of this year's edition of Europe's pre-eminent club competition.

Arsenal are reportedly interested in Dinamo Zagreb centre-back Josip Sutalo, as Mikel Arteta eyes further defensive reinforcements this summer.

The Spaniard has already equipped his side with the stability of Jurrien Timber, however after the prognosis of last season’s title chase took a turn due to lack of depth at the back, the former midfielder could opt for additional quality.

What’s the latest on Josip Sutalo to Arsenal?

As reported in Italy, relayed by Sport Witness, from the viewpoint of the attention Sutalo is getting from Serie A clubs, the Gunners have already made contact over the central defender.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

It’s claimed that the north Londoners have ‘already exceeded’ the €20m (£17m) ‘threshold’ to sign the player, with no clarification if an official bid either verbal or written has been made.

With fellow Premier League club West Ham also named as having an interest in the young defender and significant interest elsewhere in Europe, Edu must act fast in order to strike a deal.

How good is Josip Sutalo?

At just 23-years-old, the centre-back has cemented his place in Dinamo Zagreb’s side, posing as one of the club’s most important figures in the back line.

Standing at 6 foot 3, the commanding defender was included in Croatia’s World Cup-winning squad, suggesting just how valued he is and the talent he possesses.

Identified as a “complete and elegant centre-back” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Bosnia-born gem was also lauded as “simply amazing” for his performances in the national team.

Placing his international form aside, the Zagreb star was instrumental in guiding his side to their title-topping finish in the 2022/23 Hrvatska Nogometna Liga (HNL).

In 27 appearances, Sutalo contributed to 10 clean sheets, winning 54% of his total duels with an average of 3.1 per game, via Sofascore.

As typical in most of the best in his position in Europe, the 23-year-old maintained a composed and assured pass completion rate of 93%, highlighting the importance of his presence in guarding the goal.

For Arsenal, the Croatian could be the perfect candidate to bolster Arteta’s defence, with the Gunners hoping to offload some deadwood following the crumble in form at the latter stages of last season.

Once lambasted as a “Championship defender” by former Premier League ace Gabriel Agbonlahor, Rob Holding showed his frailties and lack of quality in comparison to the club’s first-choice centre-backs.

In signing a player like Sutalo, the Spaniard could finally allow the Englishman to depart the Emirates, after his woeful performances were attributable to his side’s loss of the title.

Quality in depth is an area that was one of the defining factors in Manchester City’s poaching of the Gunners, a crack that could be plastered by the introduction of the Croatian in place of the 27-year-old.

As Arteta’s side continues to improve, the players at the club are transitioning from those of past quality to present strength, as seen by last season’s switch in personnel as Gabriel Jesus took the line-leading duties from Alexandre Lacazette.

Further tweaks would naturally boost Arsenal’s progression, with the mishaps of Holding’s lack of quality last term not facing a repeat as the club continue to filter out the good from the bad.

Everton are once again struggling to pick up points in the Premier League, with zero goals and zero points tallied up in their first three fixtures so far.

Now, with just a few days left of the summer transfer window, it will be crucial to bring in reinforcements that could significantly improve the current situation at Goodison Park, with a fresh update emerging on a potential transfer target.

Will Everton sign anyone before the window shuts?

According to journalist Alan Nixon, Everton are one of many clubs interested in signing Blackburn Rovers midfielder Adam Wharton.

Writing on his Patreon platform, Nixon claims that Brighton and Hove Albion, Newcastle United, Liverpool and Manchester United have all been monitoring the youngster.

However, Everton are eager to secure his signature, despite strong competition from Crystal Palace who are also pushing forward with a move for Wharton before the transfer window closes on Friday.

Who is Adam Wharton?

Whilst the focus has been on building an improved attacking threat at Goodison Park this summer, there is no doubt that Sean Dyche will be looking for opportunities to strengthen every area of his squad to ensure quality is consistent throughout.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

The Toffees have started their new campaign in the same concerning state they left off in last season and are currently rock bottom in the top-flight table following three consecutive defeats, so the remaining days of the summer window will be crucial.

As a result, the signing of Wharton could not only be a great opportunity to bring in the dream heir to succeed Abdoulaye Doucoure, but would provide Dyche with some quality depth in the centre of the pitch throughout the season ahead.

The 19-year-old is a product of the Blackburn Rovers academy and has risen through the ranks to become a key player for the Championship club, making his debut in the second tier in August 2022.

Over 18 Championship appearances last season, the midfield dynamo impressed a great deal, scoring two goals, registering one assist and tallying up an 84% pass completion rate, as well as winning 52% of his aerial and ground duels combined, as per SofaScore.

Not only that, Wharton is one of the hottest English youth prospects. Indeed, across the eight leagues most comparable to the Championship, he ranks in the top 25% of his positional peers per 90 minutes played for non-penalty goals, blocks, tackles, interceptions, assists and progressive passes, demonstrating his wide and versatile skill set both in his attacking and defensive presence in midfield.

Such metrics match up well when comparing him to the aforementioned Doucoure. He isn't quite the same level of tackler as Wharton but throughout Europe's top five leagues, he sits in the top 3% with regards to positionally similar players for non-penalty goals, the top 39% for assists, and the best 16% for blocks, to highlight a similar all-round package in the middle of the park.

Wharton also offers an invaluable asset to Everton due to his versatility to adapt to most midfield roles when needed, with experience in the attacking, central and defensive roles over his short career so far. Again, that stacks up well when compared to Doucoure.

The youngster has deservedly earned high praise for his development and breakthrough at Ewood Park, with his manager Jon Dahl Tomasson waxing lyrical about Wharton last season:

"He’s a big talent for the club and that was a big reason why I gave him a chance at a very young age, a player who had never been involved before."

With that being said, if Everton could seal a deal for Wharton over the dying days of the transfer window it would be a major addition for Dyche and a signing that will not only offer huge quality and potential to the squad, but provide a promising future for the midfield presence at Goodison Park.

Aston Villa are one of the most historic clubs in English football. And with that history comes plenty of famous faces donning the claret and blue we see at Villa Park on a weekly basis. From acting greats to sports stars and musical royalty to actual royalty, if Aston Villa hosted a celebrity lunch, they wouldn’t be short on impressive guests.

With that said, we at Football FanCast decided to take a deeper dive into the aforementioned famous faces, as we discovered 10 Aston Villa-supporting celebrities courtesy of Birmingham World and the Birmingham Mail.

10 Ian Bell

One of England's greatest-ever cricketers, Ian Bell MBE, kicks off the list. Bell is also sometimes known by his nickname, The Sledgehammer of Eternal Justice – which has to be one of the coolest, if not outright crazy, nicknames in all sports.

Bell had an outstanding career both domestically and with England that spanned over three decades, with his first professional game coming in 1999 and his final one 21 years later in 2020. In total, he earned 188 Test caps for England, scored 7727 runs, made 46 50s and 22 100s. He also excelled in ODI's, playing in 161 for England, scoring 5416 runs at a strike rate of 77.

His was a career full of unbelievable moments, and his retirement three years ago meant that James Anderson was – and just about still is – the final member of the practically mythologised 2005 Ashes series to be still playing.

Bell's love of Villa stems from his childhood in the 1980s when he fell in love with the team thanks to players like David Platt and Tony Daley, and he's been following ever since.

9 Chris Woakes

Another name, another English cricketing great. Granted, Chris Woakes isn't quite on the same level as Bell regarding all-time greats, but not many are. That said, Woakes is currently one of the best bowlers in England, and when he does eventually retire, he will be remembered as such.

The 34-year-old has had a fantastic career so far for both the club sides he's represented and whenever he's been asked to represent his country on the global stage. Since making his Test debut in the final Ashes Test of the 2013 tour, he has earned a further 48 caps.

While he's officially an all-rounder and can be handy with a bat – his 137 not out against India in 2018 proves that – his bowling gets him selected for international matches.

In his 48 Test matches, he has taken 148 wickets for an average of 29.13 and an economy rate of 3.03. He has also racked up five five-wicket hauls and one ten-wicket haul. However, his most remarkable series in an England shirt probably came in this summer's Ashes when he was drafted to play the final three Tests and ultimately named the Player of the Series for his unbelievable performances against the Aussies.

His love for the Villans stems from his childhood and the stories his father used to tell him about the club.

8 Benjamin Zephaniah

In a list full of athletes, actors and musicians, a Birmingham-born poet comes next. Benjamin Zephaniah is almost certainly one the country's most famous and successful poets in recent memory, with the Times including him in their list of Britain's top 50 post-war writers in 2008.

While his poetry and writing have earned him a lot of attention over the years – and for good reason – he has also boosted his presence among the public with his role in the hit BBC drama Peaky Blinders.

Zephaniah's love of the Claret and Blue has been with him all his life, and he used to be a regular at games until fan violence in the 1970s and 80s stopped him from attending for many years.

7 Brendan Gleeson

Actor and film director Brendan Gleason is one of Ireland's most famous faces and has made his love for Aston Villa no secret over the years.

He played Alastor Moody in – you guessed it, Harry Potter – and also featured in Braveheart, Gangs of New York, Suffragette and 28 Days Later. He has been nominated for 45 awards in his career, winning ten.

His love for the club has rubbed off on his son – and fellow actor – Domhnall Gleeson, who told Aston Villa TV that the number of Irish players in the team when he was growing up was a big part of why he's now such a fan alongside his dad:

"We won the European Cup in 1982, I was born in 1983 – and then when I was growing we had the great team – Paul McGrath, Steve Staunton, Andy Townsend, Ray Houghton – I love Ray Houghton!

"These were brilliant Irish players and inspired me."

6 Oliver Phelps

Primarily known for his role in Harry Potter as George Weasly – twin to Fred Weasley – Oliver Phelps is also a diehard Villa fan and has been all his life.

Interestingly, Oliver and his brother had zero acting experience before landing their roles as the Weasley twins and skipped a day of school to audition for the parts. Oliver has also appeared in the television show Kingdom and the film A Minds Eye.

Just to show how much of a fan he is, Phelps went on ESPN's version of Mastermind and chose Villa's 2003/04 season as his specialist subject and managed to get a seriously impressive 16 questions correct in just 60 seconds.

5 Simon Le Bon and Roger Taylor (Duran Duran)

We weren't lying when we said music royalty. Simon Le Bon and Roger Taylor of the 1980s supergroup Duran Duran have been lifelong supporters of Aston Villa. The band have been nominated for 17 awards since their inception, winning 11 – including two Grammys.

Like Black Sabbath, the band was involved in Birmingham's Commonwealth Games, performing a medley of their greatest hits at the opening ceremony.

4 Dan Bailey

The first American on this list is former NFL star Dan Bailey. The 35-year-old had a brilliant career in the NFL, playing for the Dallas Cowboys and the Minnesota Vikings as a Placekicker.

Speaking to Aston Villa TV in 2014, the former NFL star explained that he has always been a fan of the club, with Gareth Barry being one of the reasons he started following them:

"I grew up following soccer and following specific players. A lot of those players played for Aston Villa, so I just grew fond of the team, and it all took hold from there. I have continued supporting them ever since.

"I was a big Gareth Barry fan. He was a lot of fun to watch. I loved the way he played and his style on the pitch.

3 Black Sabbath

Aston Villa could make a pretty good gig from their famous fan cohort.

Formed in Birmingham, Black Sabbath qualify as both notorious Villans in the football world, and notorious Villains in the bat community. Sabbath are arguably the most influential band to come out of the midlands, with many often crediting the group for spearheading the development of metal music due to their heavy sound.

Most of the band have been lifelong fans of the Villa, with bassist Geezer Butler admitting to invading the pitch "after every game" he attended as a younger man.

2 Tom Hanks

Arguably the most unexpected name on this list – and possibly the coolest – Tom Hanks picked Aston Villa because he liked the club's name, according to Birmingham World.

The 67-year-old is one of the most iconic actors in the world and has starred in some of Hollywood's biggest movies, including; Saving Private Ryan, Forrest Gump, Catch Me If You Can and Sleepless in Seattle to name but a few of his blockbusters.

He is also among the most decorated actors working today, with an impressive 53 awards to his name and a frankly ridiculous 136 nominations for everything from writing, directing and acting. And if that wasn't enough, he's also an ordained minister and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama in 2016 for services to American film and advocacy work.

Hanks made his first visit to Villa Park earlier this year when he was invited into the director's box to watch the club host Arsenal – a game they would lose 4-2 in the end.

1 Prince William

It's no secret that The Duke of Cambridge is a massive Aston Villa fan, but that doesn't make it any less interesting or strange.

He's been seen at plenty of games in the past, including Villa's 2018/19 play-off final at Wembley – a game they won, beating Frank Lampard's Derby County to earn a spot back in the Premier League.

William explained the reason behind his support for the club in an interview with the BBC in 2015, saying:

"A long time ago at school, I got into football big time. All my friends were Chelsea or Manchester United fans, and I didn't really want to follow the run-of-the-mill team.

"I wanted to have a team that was more mid-table that could give me more emotional rollercoaster moments. Aston Villa has always had a great history."

As reasons go, it's a pretty respectable one, and with him set to be King one day, we're sure Villa are delighted with his decision.

So, there you have it, the ten most famous Aston Villa fans.

They'd certainly make some dinner party, with a range of celebrities in different fields. It's always good to see those new to the sport pick teams outside the traditional Big Six, and we aren't sure many clubs can boast a more interesting and famous set of fans than Villa.

We're not sure about you, but we'd love to see how a conversation between Tom Hanks, Ozzy Osbourne, Benjamin Zephaniah and Prince William would play out.