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Published Jun 9, 2026, 7:15 AM GMT+1
Daniel is an experienced football writer and editor, having worked in the football media industry for over a decade.
After voluntarily writing for Fresh Press for two years, helping to build and establish the Read brand, Daniel started a part-time job with Fresh Press that later turned into a full-time writing and editing role, writing for club-specific pages such as Read Norwich, Read Celtic, Read Liverpool, and Read Arsenal.
Daniel spent just shy of a year writing and editing for Liverpool-based website, Anfield Watch, which included conducting and/or transcribing interviews with Liverpool goalkeeping coach John Achterberg, former Wycombe striker Adebayo Akinfenwa, and journalist Fabrizio Romano.
Since the summer of 2021, Daniel has worked for Snack Media (now Valnet) and has been a contributor to Football FanCast, on a freelance and full-time basis, as a writer and editor.
Daniel is a Norwich City fan and season ticket holder. He has been heard on BBC Norfolk and helped DAZN with research for their commentary due to his knowledge of the club, along with being featured in several local papers across the country, including the Coventry Telegraph and the Liverpool Echo, for Norwich-related content.
Daniel's knowledge extends to Scottish football, having covered Celtic and Rangers for several years. He particularly enjoys producing player analysis and producing transfer content.
Aston Villa ended the 2025/26 campaign as Europa League champions and are now set to prepare to play Champions League football next season.
The upcoming summer transfer window will be used to build a squad that can compete in both the Premier League and the Champions League, and it could be a busy summer of business.
One player who may not return to Villa Park is England international Jadon Sancho, who spent the 2025/26 campaign on loan with Unai Emery's side from Manchester United.
The Spanish boss was open to a permanent deal for the winger in February, but there have not been any recent reports that suggest a permanent move is in the offing for the former Borussia Dortmund star.
Sancho ended his loan spell with the Villans with a return of one goal and three assists in 39 appearances in all competitions, as he failed to offer consistent quality at the top end of the pitch.
Aston Villa eyeing move for Premier League forward
The United loanee played nine minutes off the bench in the 3-0 win over Freiburg in the Europa League final, but did start eight of his 13 appearances overall in the competition.
Now, the Villans are reportedly looking at a Premier League player who could arrive at the club as a much better option than Sancho, who did not offer enough in front of goal week-in-week-out.
According to TEAMtalk, Aston Villa are one of a number of clubs interested in a deal to sign Liverpool winger Cody Gakpo in the upcoming summer transfer window.
The report claims that Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, AC Milan, and Atletico Madrid have all held talks with intermediaries to explore a potential move for the Netherlands international, who is set to play at the World Cup this month.
It adds that Gakpo has concerns about what his role will be like under Andoni Iraola after Arne Slot's departure and that he does not want to be a back-up under the Spaniard next season, which could open the door for an exit from Anfield.
Earlier this month, Spurs were linked with an offer worth around £74m for the Dutch forward, and it remains to be seen whether or not the Villans are prepared to pay that much to secure his services.
How Cody Gakpo would be better than Jadon Sancho for Aston Villa
The problem with signing Sancho on loan last summer was that he arrived at Villa Park off the back of several disappointing seasons with United and Chelsea, failing to hit double figures for goals or assists in four successive campaigns.
Villa knew that it was a risky signing because of his struggles in front of goal in recent years, and his struggles at the top end of the pitch continued this season.
Gakpo, however, is a proven Premier League forward who has shown that he can offer plenty of goals and assists to his side, whether that is playing on either flank or through the middle as a centre-forward.
|
25/26 |
Liverpool |
15 |
|
24/25 |
Liverpool |
24 |
|
23/24 |
Liverpool |
22 |
|
22/23 |
PSV & Liverpool |
38 |
|
21/22 |
PSV |
34 |
|
20/21 |
PSV |
12 |
|
19/20 |
PSV |
15 |
The Dutch attacker has hit double figures for combined goals and assists in each of the past seven seasons for Liverpool and PSV, which speaks to both his quality and his consistency in the final third at the top level.
Gakpo scored ten goals and created four for his teammates in 35 appearances in the Premier League when the Reds won the title under Slot in the 2024/25 campaign, showing that he can be consistent and effective in an elite team.
The 27-year-old star was described as a "really dangerous" player by his national team coach Ronald Koeman, and his statistics over the years in England and the Netherlands back up that comment.
In the last two Premier League seasons, Gakpo has racked up 17 goals and nine assists for Liverpool, whilst Sancho scored three goals and provided six assists for Chelsea and Villa combined.
The £74m-rated attacker, therefore, has the quality to arrive at Villa Park as a much more effective attacking option than the England international for Emery's side, as a versatile and Premier League proven winger.
Villa may have to move quickly if they want to get a deal done for the forward, though, because the reported interest from Spurs, Atletico Madrid, and Milan shows that there is plenty of competition for his signature ahead of the summer transfer window.
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