Published Aug 25, 2026, 6:15 AM GMT+1

Dominic is a football journalist for Football FanCast, specialising in Premier League reporting, transfer analysis and the EFL. He graduated from the University of Huddersfield in 2022 with a first-class honours degree in Sports Journalism.
 

Since leaving university, Dominic has written for several leading football publications, including GiveMeSport, Football FanCast, The Transfer Tavern and Sports Mole, producing everything from transfer exclusives and breaking news to in-depth analysis and match coverage.
 

Dominic has previously worked in club media with FC Halifax Town, as well as for The Halifax Courier, where he interviewed figures including Pete Wild, Gary Johnson and Phil Parkinson. He has also interviewed the likes of Gus Poyet and Dean Saunders for Football FanCast.
 

His expertise lies in assessing the credibility of transfer stories, analysing what potential deals mean for clubs on and off the pitch and providing context behind football's biggest talking points. Through years of covering Manchester United and Newcastle United, Dominic has developed an extensive understanding of both clubs, their recruitment strategies and the issues that matter most to supporters. His reporting is informed by established relationships across the football industry, providing valuable insight into the game's biggest stories.
 

A Tranmere Rovers supporter, Dominic has a particular passion for the EFL and enjoys covering every level of the English football pyramid.

Jackson has been identified as a key target for Villa, but the Blues are demanding £65m, a very high fee considering they were willing to ship him out on loan to Bayern Munich last season.

The Senegalese striker, who Unai Emery knows very well, could be brought in to replace Ollie Watkins, with the Englishman being omitted from Villa's squad for the 4-0 defeat against Brighton on Sunday.

However, Mateta is now emerging as an option, with the Frenchman's future in doubt, as he has entered the final year of his Palace contract, after nearly leaving the Eagles to join AC Milan during the January transfer window.

Although the Palace star is around four years older than Jackson, at 29-years-old, there are signs he could be a better addition to Emery's squad, having been able to score more league goals over the past three seasons.

Encouragingly, the £60,000-a-week striker is also held in very high regard by Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney, who lauded him as "one of the best strikers in Europe" off the back of his exploits for Palace.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Mateta's agents are working to secure him a move away from Crystal Palace before the September 1st deadline, and they have now offered Aston Villa the opportunity to swoop in.

The France international's representatives have been in talks with Villa, but there could be competition for his signature, given that Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have also been approached.

Unsurprisingly, the Eagles remain reluctant to cash-in on their star striker, despite him being determined to leave, and they are even willing to risk losing him on a free transfer, so it remains to be seen whether a deal will be possible.

The latest on Ollie Watkins' Aston Villa future

Watkins' time at Villa Park looks set to come to an end, with Fabrizio Romano revealing the centre-forward has agreed personal terms on a move to Al-Hilal, and the Saudi Pro League side believe they will be able to get a deal over the line.

The 30-year-old could be difficult to replace, having amassed a whopping 108 goals and 47 assists in 278 matches for Villa, but Mateta is an exciting option due to his record in front of goal for Palace, whereas Emery is a big fan of Jackson, having worked with him at Villarreal.