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Southampton have recently been linked with Everton midfielder Tom Davies recently but he would be a poor addition to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.

What’s the word?

According to Football Insider, Southampton have reignited their interest in the 22-year-old midfielder, having failed to sign him last year, and they will move for him this summer if they are given any encouragement by Everton.

The report suggests that Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti is a big fan of the England U21 international, which suggests that the Toffees would not be willing to part ways with the youngster for less than his current market value of £14.4m.

Would he be a good signing?

Davies’ performances in recent seasons do little to suggest that he would be a good signing at Southampton this summer.

This season saw the Englishman make 25 appearances in the Premier League, in which he failed to contribute a single goal or assist, averaging a woeful 6.46 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

This would rank him as the 17th-best performer in Everton’s side this season, whereas if he had produced the same level of performance at St Mary’s, he would’ve been ranked as the 15th-best player this season.

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Considering Hasenhuttl has suggested that Southampton will target players under £10m this summer, it is difficult to see the Austrian shelling out more than that on a player who would surely struggle to oust Oriol Romeu and James Ward-Prowse in the Saints midfield.

Earlier in the season, Sky Sports journalist Alan Myers was full of praise for Davies, saying:

“Tom Davies has been a player who’s increased performance-wise incredibly over the last few months. He’s had a lot of stick from fans and other areas, and he’s come back really well and is playing really well, so I’m glad to see him back.”

However, it is difficult to see how he would be an improvement on the options currently available to Hasenhuttl in midfield and considering how much he would likely cost, this is a transfer that the Austrian should definitely avoid this summer.

And, in other news… Hasenhuttl could evolve his Saints attack with swoop for “unbelievable” star

Slavisa Jokanovic has been handed a huge blow in his bid to bring Tom Cairney to Sheffield United this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Sheffield Star, who claim that, although the club are monitoring the situation of the midfielder, the Sheffield United hierarchy are unlikely to meet Fulham’s £10m valuation of the 30-year-old in the upcoming transfer window.

It has also been reported that the west London side may even raise their price tag for the Scotland international if they were to receive a formal bid from the Blades this summer.

Jokanovic will be gutted

Considering just how influential Cairney was within Jokanovic’s promotion-winning Fulham team in the 2017/18 Championship campaign, the news that a deal for the midfielder looks unlikely to happen this summer is sure to leave the 52-year-old gutted.

Indeed, over his 34 Championship appearances that season, the £8.1m-rated man scored five goals, provided five assists and created four big chances for his teammates, as well as averaging 93.5 touches of the ball and 1.9 key passes per game.

These metrics saw the £27k-per-week midfielder earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.35, ranking him as the club’s joint second-best performer in the second tier that year.

As such, with Sheffield United looking to secure an immediate return to the Premier League under the guidance of Jokanovic next season, the addition of the Serbian’s former Fulham talisman would have more than likely boosted the Blades’ chances of going on to achieve this feat.

Having said that, with the man dubbed a “quality” player by Scott Parker now a few years older, as well as having suffered a rather serious knee injury last term, perhaps the fact that a deal for the midfielder looks difficult to complete is something of a blessing in disguise for United.

Although, either way, with Jokanovic looking likely to be without the services of a player he knows has the potential to fire a team to promotion from the Championship, the new Sheffield United boss will undoubtedly be disappointed.

In other news: Sheff Utd transfer update emerges on “versatile” £3k-p/w gem, Jokanovic will be gutted

Aston Villa are interested in signing Rangers defender Filip Helander in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Helander’s season over

The 28-year-old is currently sidelined with a foot injury picked up earlier this month and he is not expected to play again for the Gers this season.

It has been an injury-plagued campaign for Helander, who has been limited to just six Scottish Premiership starts, failing to play much of a part in proceedings.

Now, a new report is claiming that the Swede may have played his last game for Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

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The Latest: Villa keen on move

According to Football Insider, a Villa source claims that Steven Gerrard is a big admirer of Helander and wants to sign him, having worked with him at Ibrox.

The former Rangers manager is thought to be ‘closely monitoring his situation’, with the player’s current deal expiring at the end of next season.

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The Verdict: Hard to say no

Helander would be a big loss for Rangers, having averaged a colossal 4.3 aerial duel wins per game in last year’s title-winning season, not to mention three per match in 2021/22.

The lure of linking up with Gerrard again and also playing in the Premier League could be too good to turn down, however, in what are the peak years of his career, especially if the Gers miss out on Champions League football.

The hope is that Helander recovers from his injury problems and remains at Ibrox but it is easy to envisage a situation where he is in a Villa shirt next season, where Gerrard is expected to replace Tyrone Mings.

In other news, another Premier League are also eyeing up a Rangers player. Read more here.

With Sheffield Wednesday manager Darren Moore previously sharing his hopes at being able to bring some new players to the club before the end of the current January transfer window, it seems as though there could be a decision to be made on the future of one of their current players.

What’s the news?

In a recent Twitter post from Wednesday journalist Dom Howson, Lewis Wing’s future at the Yorkshire club has been thrown into question after being left out of the last two matchday squads by Moore.

Howson also said in his post that it “remains unclear” whether the midfielder will still be a Wednesday player by the end of the month.

The Owls signed Wing on a season-long loan deal from Championship club Middlesbrough back in the previous summer transfer window.

Since then, the 26-year-old has been a fairly regular figure in the team for the Yorkshire club with a total of 24 appearances under his belt across all competitions, chipping in with one goal and two assists in the process.

Fans will be worried

Despite being picked on a regular basis by Moore, apart from their two previous league games, Wing has not exactly been a top performer for Wednesday.

After all, Howson said in his post that the midfielder “has been a big disappointment this season,” which is back up by WhoScored listing him as Wednesday’s 11th-highest rated player with an overall performance rating of 6.73/10.

With that in mind, while it could be an option to keep the Englishman out of the team for a while based on his lacklustre performances, Wednesday fans would surely rather keep him in the squad as a viable option for Moore to have rather than see him leave the club early and have to worry about whether or not the club will be able to bring in a suitable replacement before the deadline.

If Moore continues to keep the midfielder out of the squad, then this could force Middlesbrough to bring him back to the club and look for another loan move for him, in a similar fashion to what happened with Theo Corbeanu earlier this month.

Either way, it would be in everyone’s best interest if a decision is made on Wing’s future to put to bed any speculation on the matter that could distract Wednesday from potentially strengthening their squad with some new incoming transfers before the end of the month.

Considering how their January has played out so far, yet more uncertainty is surely a worry for supporters.

In other news: “I have been told:” – Moore delivers SWFC transfer update that’ll have fans concerned – opinion

Some Wolves fans have been left reacting as a transfer update emerged on Rafael Leao.

As per MilanNews.it, the striker will not be sold by AC Milan before the summer window shuts.

Leao has reportedly been linked with a potential move to the Midlands club throughout the window, but it looks now as if any deal is off the cards.

It has been seen as a blessing in disguise by some members of the Molineux faithful, given that he only managed to score a mere seven goals in 40 matches in all competitions over the course of the 2020/21 term (Transfermarkt), and has also been criticised for his attitude when on the pitch.

Bruno Lage also has the likes of Raul Jimenez, Fabio Silva and Rafa Mir currently in his squad as options up top, and so they should really be focusing on strengthening in other positions.

Wolves fans on Leao transfer update

These WWFC supporters gave their reactions as the transfer update was shared on Twitter:

“Kind of happy about this just so we can focus on signing players in the midfield or defence”

Credit: @Millenwwfc

“Good, we don’t need another winger! We need a CM!! #wwfc”

Credit: @CallumONeill93

“We don’t need him anyway”

Credit: @Dreapers03

“I’m glad he’s not leaving Milan. He sucks big time. Very lazy player”

Credit: @pcaseiro

“Good sign Matthew Hoppe”

Credit: @capzwwfc

“Good now sign Palhinha”

Credit: @wwfcglover

In other news, find out whose Olympics performance has been lauded by Wanderers here!

Leicester City kick off their 2021/22 campaign this evening with the Community Shield at Wembley Stadium when they take on Manchester City.

The Foxes will be hoping to get their hands on some more silverware, adding to last season’s FA Cup triumph and providing an early confidence boost in their pursuit of a top-four finish in the Premier League.

On the Chalkboard

Brendan Rodgers’ charges recorded a second consecutive fifth-place finish in the league last term, narrowly missing out on a Champions League qualification spot once again. However, the Midlands outfit claimed their maiden FA Cup through Youri Tielemans’ stunning strike, seeing off Chelsea in the showpiece at Wembley three months ago.

The Belgium international’s long-range hit earned them a place in today’s season curtain-raiser, and Leicester will be keen to show that they’re ready for another assault on the upper echelons with a solid performance.

A lack of squad depth has undermined Rodgers’ charges over the last couple of campaigns, but the former Celtic boss has added several significant additions over the summer to address that issue.

The Community Shield could be the perfect opportunity to unleash at least one of them. With Jonny Evans and Wesley Fofana out injured, Wilfried Ndidi is expected to slot into centre-back, meaning that Boubakary Soumare is set to make his debut for the club this evening.

What Boubakary Soumare adds

The 22-year-old box-to-box dynamo arrived from French outfit Lille in a £17m deal over the summer and should add a new element to Leicester’s engine room.

Lille’s former CEO Marc Ingla described him as “a powerful and technical player who can evolve to several positions in the field” upon his arrival at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy back in 2017, and he certainly lived up to that billing.

While Ndidi offers protection to the back four, Tielemans brings technical ability and an incredible passing range and James Maddison provides a goal threat, Soumare has other unique aspects to his game.

As per SofaScore, the former France under-21 international made 1.2 interceptions and 1.4 tackles and won 3.7 duels per game last season, highlighting his ability to win back the ball and stop opposition attacks.

However, what makes Soumare so special is that he’s also adept with the ball at his feet. He completed an average of 0.9 successful dribbles in 2020/21, illustrating his natural instinct to surge through the centre of the park, driving his team up the pitch.

His enviable blend of midfield skills could be crucial if Leicester are to cause an upset against Pep Guardiola’s Cityzens, and Rodgers must unleash the potentially game-changing Frenchman for this intriguing encounter.

In other news… Get it done: Rudkin must sanction LCFC swoop for £22.5m-rated gem, he’s a “top player” 

Gareth Bale continues to thrive at Tottenham Hotspur following the departure of Jose Mourinho nearly a month ago.

The £18m-rated Real Madrid superstar struggled for game time under the Portuguese, playing just 477 minutes in the Premier League but under interim head coach Ryan Mason, he has started all four top-flight matches, as per Transfermarkt.

That run includes a goal against Southampton and a hat-trick against Sheffield United last time out, but his display on Sunday afternoon may well go a little unnoticed given he failed to add to his 14 goals and three assists.

For what he was lacking in terms of goal contributions, he more than made up for in work rate and creativity, only showing that he was suffering under Mourinho – or that the Special One got it so wrong with the Welshman.

Bale rated amongst Spurs’ best performers, with SofaScore grading him a 7.6, which was only bettered by the two goalscorers, Harry Kane (7.9) and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (8.7).

It was the fourth straight league game that he’s managed a 7.0 or better, which is better than his final two appearances in the Premier League under Mourinho.

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That is rather telling.

The 31-year-old, who Spurs have an option to keep hold of for next season, was a constant nuisance down the right flank, exposing an out-of-position Nelson Semedo throughout the 89 minutes he was on the pitch.

No player on either side did better in terms of playmaking, as he notched four key passes, which is way above his average of 0.8 per game. This was aided by three shots at goal and a 100% success rate with his dribbling whilst he also won six of eight duels (75%), as per SofaScore.

That only further shows how he consistently got the better of Semedo.

As Spurs journalist Alasdair Gold stated in his post-game column for football.london, Bale was “always involved,” “looked sharp,” and had “some bright moments.”

Bale’s recent form has certainly sent a telling and revealing statement to Mourinho – perhaps he would still be in the job if he unshackled his summer signing more often.

It has been a decision questioned by BBC pundits Jermaine Jenas and Alan Shearer only two weeks ago to Match of the Day, via football.london.

The former Spurs midfielder said: “Yeah, he lacked fitness initially, but I’ve always felt Gareth is the type of player who just plays until he gets himself fit. He has been a world-class player and he is ruthless in that situation, as we saw today.”

Whilst the ex-Premier League winner added: “It was a magnificent performance. It was the very best of Gareth Bale, it had everything, the running off the ball, work rate and his finishing was lethal.”

Mason has certainly trusted him and it has paid serious dividends as Spurs’ qualification into Europe is now firmly in their hands. His display against Wolves merely highlights where Mourinho potentially got it all so wrong at the club.

AND in other news, Levy could seal Spurs’ best signing since Son in £36m beast who’s “similar to Eriksen”…

Fabrizio Romano believes Tottenham Hotspur are very much still interested in Dusan Vlahovic, despite sporting director Fabio Paratici claiming otherwise…

What’s the word?

Earlier this week, the Italian supremo poured cold water on Spurs’ mooted interest in the Fiorentina talisman, claiming to Festival dello Sport (via Romano): “Dusan Vlahovic is appreciated by many clubs, it’s normal – he’s not in our plans, for now.”

However, the transfer guru has dropped a fresh claim during a recent episode of the ‘Here We Go’ podcast that seems to refute such comments.

“Vlahovic is a bit different. The feeling I have because what he [Paratici] said is that ‘he is not in our plans for now’ and in Paratici language that means he is pursuing the player,” revealed the Italian journalist.

“We know about it because last summer, Tottenham were really interested in Vlahovic. They were looking at him as [a] potential Harry Kane backup, not [a] replacement.

“Tottenham are still following this boy, as are Atletico Madrid and other English clubs, and Italian clubs, so there will be a big fight for Vlahovic. Let’s see if it’ll be January or next summer but he is leaving Fiorentina.”

Sneaky Paratici

This latest development should leave much of the Lilywhites faithful on the edge of their seats and whilst it may come as a surprise, it is well-known Paratici operates in this manner.

Harry Kane has struggled for goals in the Premier League so far this campaign, failing to find the net in five starts, but he still does not have a viable senior backup behind him, with Nuno Santo sometimes turning to 17-year-old gem Dane Scarlett in other competitions.

Vlahovic is a firm contender to fill such a void and it would certainly give the Portuguese coach another valuable option to either start alongside the England talisman or to replace him from the bench.

The 21-year-old scored a whopping 21 goals in 37 appearances in the Serie A side last season and has continued such form into the new campaign, where he has found the net a further six times in just eight matches, as per Transfermarkt.

La Viola’s goal machine has been compared to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, which is hardly a surprise given his 6 foot 3 slender frame, whilst former Italy international Christian Vieri believes he’s the strongest young forward in Europe, behind Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.

Dubbed a “complete number nine” by Italian football expert Conor Clancy to This is Futbol, Vlahovic could well be in Spurs’ sights despite Paratici trying to throw off the scent and that ultimately should leave many supporters thrilled.

AND in other news, Nuno may have his own Varane in “talented” 18 y/o gem who can help Spurs save millions…

With Wolverhampton Wanderers deciding to cash in on long-term goalkeeper Rui Patricio this summer, Bruno Lage was forced to splash the cash on a new first-choice option between the sticks, eventually bringing Jose Sa to Molineux in a £7.2m deal.

And, Sa has looked impressive over his eight Premier League appearances so far for Wolves, keeping two clean sheets and making an average of three saves per game – with these returns seeing the ‘keeper average a SofaScore match rating of 6.96.

However, with the Portuguese shot-stopper being 28 years of age, and Wolves’ second choice option, John Ruddy, being 34, the position may require slightly long-term thinking in the coming seasons – a problem which Lage may already possess the solution to.

Having joined the club from Wolves’ West Midlands rivals Aston Villa on a free transfer in the summer of 2020, Matija Sarkic impressed during a loan spell at Shrewsbury Town last season, with the £90k-rated man keeping nine clean sheets and making an average of 2.3 saves per game over his 26 League One appearances.

These metrics saw the shot-stopper earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.80, ranking him as the Shrews’ joint 11th-best player in the third tier of English football – with his performances ultimately convincing Lee Bowyer that the 24-year-old was ready to make the step up to the Championship, with Birmingham taking the shot-stopper on loan for the 2021/22 campaign.

Sarkic has continued his impressive rise at St. Andrew’s, so far making 12 Championship appearances for the Blues, over which the youngster has already kept five clean sheets and has made an average of 2.4 saves per game.

These returns have seen the man who Kris Boyd dubbed an “excellent” goalkeeper average a SofaScore match rating of 6.79, with his early-season performances convincing Bowyer that the Wolves’ loanee deserved to take the number one jersey away from the much more experienced Neil Etheridge.

So, should the Montenegro international continue his fine form in the Championship, having already impressed in League One, the next logical step would be to Premier League football, something that perhaps moves the 24-year-old closer to his own prediction that he will one day become Wolves’ number one between the sticks.

And, with the potential of another season of impressive performances under his belt, Sarkic could well prove to give Lage a major selection headache upon his return to Molineux ahead of the club’s 2022/23 Premier League campaign.

In other news: Lage could be set for huge mistake on “powerful” 5 G/A gem, Wolves fans will be fuming

According to The Daily Star, Tottenham are interested in signing Anthony Martial from Manchester United this summer.

The Lowdown: Spurs step up transfer plans

Following a long wait, even after confirming the appointment of Nuno Espirito Santo as the club’s new manager, Spurs have finally made their first signing of the transfer window.

They have confirmed the arrival of Pierluigi Gollini on loan from Atalanta (tottenhamhotspur.com), but they will need to bring in more new players if they want to be truly competitive at the top end of the Premier League in 2021/22.

The Latest: Spurs eye Martial

As per The Daily Star, Tottenham want to sign Martial from the Red Devils.

Manchester United recently signed Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund (manutd.com) and are therefore open to selling Martial. The Old Trafford club are said to want £50m, but the France international’s £250,000-a-week wages may be the biggest obstacle to offloading him.

The Verdict: Plenty to prove

Martial has had a mixed career so far at United. There have been highs – he has managed 78 goals and 50 assists for the club in 258 matches, with 23 goals coming during the 2019/20 campaign – but there have also been lows. For instance, he hit the back of the net just seven times last term as his influence decreased (Transfermarkt).

Last year, Owen Hargreaves showered him with praise, calling him a “Ferrari” and a “£100m player” (via The Independent).

It is easy to forget that the former AS Monaco man is just 25 years of age, and therefore has plenty of time left ahead of him to hit his peak. A change of scenery could be perfect for him moving forward and could allow him to reach his full potential.

Given his return of 61 goals across the Premier League and Champions League, Spurs could do a lot worse than acquiring the Frenchman.

In other news, this man revealed his disappointment at not being given the Spurs managerial job.