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

What's the latest Southampton transfer news?

According to iNews, the Saints are one of a number of clubs keen on a deal to sign Manchester United winger Amad Diallo during the summer transfer window.

The report claims that Russell Martin's side have registered an interest in the Ivory Coast international, who spent last season on loan at Sunderland.

It states that Everton and Leeds, along with other unnamed Premier League teams, are also looking into the possibility of landing him on a season-long loan before September's deadline.

How good is Amad Diallo?

The 21-year-old wizard is a proven Championship performer who has the quality to arrive at St. Mary's with the expectation of him making an immediate impact for the club on the pitch.

Diallo could be Martin's own version of Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez – a player the United youngster has been compared to by teammates Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire due to his skilful nature on the ball.

The 32-year-old magician has been a terrific player over the years for the Cityzens. He has racked up 78 goals in 236 appearances in all competitions for Pep Guardiola's team, which works out as a strike every 3.03 matches on average.

Like Mahrez, the Red Devils prospect is a left-footed right winger who is capable of cutting inside onto his favoured foot to offer a significant goal threat at the top end of the pitch.

During his time on loan with Sunderland last term, the former Atalanta prodigy plundered 14 goals in 39 matches – an average of one every 2.79 outings, which suggests that he has the scope to score at a similar rate to the Algeria international from the flank.

No Southampton ace managed to hit double figures for top-flight goals throughout the 2022/23 campaign and no winger was able to find the back of the net on more than two occasions. This highlights the stark lack of attacking quality within Martin's roster as it stands and why this signing could be a terrific piece of business.

The £29k-per-week forward, who was described as a "wizard" by journalist James Copley, averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.98 in the Championship, which is a score that would have placed him third within the Saints squad, albeit at Premier League level.

Diallo also showcased his creativity with an average of 1.1 key passes per game for Sunderland. Meanwhile, James Ward-Prowse (1.9) was the only Southampton player with more than one chance created per match.

Martin could, therefore, improve his wide options by securing a deal to sign the United youngster as his form for the Black Cats indicates that the quality is there for him to be an outstanding Championship performer.

The Scottish head coach could unearth his own version of Mahrez by setting his team up in a way that would allow Diallo to thrive off the right flank, which would open up the space for him to be able to cut in on his left foot to cause havoc in the final third week-in-week-out.

However, it remains to be seen if the Saints can beat off Premier League competition to land the "electric" – as dubbed by The Athletic's Peter Rutzler – dynamo this summer.

Arsenal have three games to potentially win their first Premier League title since 2004 – should Manchester City fail to win all of their remaining fixtures.

The Gunners were in the driver's seat for the majority of the season, however going four games without a win in April dealt Mikel Arteta a huge blow to their hopes of winning the title.

Mathematically, the north Londoners can still claim the top spot, though title talk aside, it’s been a successful season with Champions League football confirmed alongside a top-two finish.

A crucial element of Arsenal’s downfall were the injuries to both William Saliba and Takehiro Tomiyasu, whose absences terrifically impacted the team’s form and uncovered a lack of depth in defence that was not coverable.

As the end of the season beckons, Arteta will look to improve his young squad with depth and quality ahead of Champions League action and a new Premier League campaign to contend in.

According to reports, Arsenal have emerged as a possible new home for a young Ajax star, wanted by a host of European clubs in the summer.

Will Arsenal sign Devyne Rensch?

As reported by Football Insider the Gunners have “registered an interest” in 20-year-old right-back Devyne Rensch.

The Dutchman has been a revelation for Ajax this season, featuring 23 times in the Eredivisie, scoring three goals and securing one assist at right-back.

Having risen up through the prestigious Ajax academy, the Gunners now 'want to sign' the youngster in order to replace Ben White on the flank with the aforementioned sourcing suggesting Arteta plans to give the Englishman a “central role” in defence.

What can Devyne Rensch bring to Arsenal?

The Gunners have been exposed this season for their lack of depth in defence, providing little cover for unexpected injuries in a demanding season.

20-year-old Rensch has been integral to his team this term and could provide experience and an offensive full-back style of play while keeping to Arsenal’s youthful spark.

The "top talent" – as per scout Jacek Kulig – ranks highly amongst others in Europe in his position, excelling in his passing ability and desire to get forward – as per FBref.

At right-back, the Dutchman ranks in the top 2% for pass completion rate (86.1%) in leagues compared to the Eredivisie, and has also shown flair in getting forward, ranking in the top 4% for progressive passes, averaging a whopping 6.74 per 90 minutes.

Such numbers are comparable to White’s influence on the Arsenal team, who ranks in the top 4% amongst Europe’s top five leagues for progressive passes (7.18), showing Rensch’s potential to play ‘the Arsenal way’ under Arteta. The youngster is strong in defence also, averaging 2.47 tackles per 90 for Ajax over the last year.

Described as “incredible” by journalist Sizwe Jacques Mbebe after making his Netherlands debut in 2021, the Lelystad-born defender has been raved about by Erik ten Hag, who gave him his debut the year prior.

Speculated to potentially cost as much as £20m via Football Transfers, it's a sizable sum for a young player, but considering Arteta’s trust in youth prospects, Arsenal could be a strong place for the Dutchman to progress.

Manchester United could be set to acquire another Scandinavian striker in the form of Rasmus Hojlund, who will surely seek to follow in the footsteps of a former Old Trafford great.

What's the latest on Rasmus Hojlund to Manchester United?

Having been linked for the bulk of the summer, the latest to come out of this saga is an updated price tag. The Daily Mail suggested that Atalanta will demand a fee of around €100m (£86m), which whilst mouth-watering is still lower than what Tottenham Hotspur wanted for Harry Kane.

The England captain was expected to fetch a £100m fee, and as such Erik ten Hag has cooled his interest in the 29-year-old. He will look elsewhere, and that search could land on this young finisher.

Transfer insider Dean Jones even suggested that it might not be such a bad move, and he told Football FanCast: "I mean Solskjær was just such a good fit for Man United in terms of he had all the ability and none of the ego that you needed for a player that was coming into a strike force of such a high level.

"So they would love a player like Hojlund who could have that Solskjær effect on this team, but also not throw their toys out of the pram were they left on the bench."

Would Rasmus Hojlund be a success at Manchester United?

Although the free-scoring Kane would likely be atop everyone's list, his age profile would make this a deal for the present rather than the future.

So often this club have prioritised instant success over long-term growth, and it has left them light years away from their rivals. For once they must show some foresight to invest in youth and admit that silverware might have to take a back seat in pursuit of the creation of a dynasty.

Should Hojlund join and develop like he very well can, Ten Hag could secure his perfect number nine for the next decade.

After all, the 20-year-old is coming off the back of a term where he scored 16 goals and assisted a further seven in all competitions.

This is a far cry from the 32 that Kane notched or the double figures he has hit every year in the league since 2014, but turning 30 next month, his presence at the top of the game has a time limit.

Meanwhile, the Denmark international has only recently been branded a "monster in the making" by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, suggesting he is far from his final form despite already tearing up Italian football.

Should he have that same lethal finishing touch as Ole Gunnar Solskjær, who recorded 176 goal contributions in 366 games for the Manchester club and won nine major honours, then it would be an investment worth making.

After all, his tireless work rate, proficiency in front of goal and patency for a one-touch strike all emphasise these comparisons.

An update has emerged on Celtic and the possibility of Wilfred Ndidi arriving at Parkhead in the summer transfer window…

What’s the latest on Wilfred Ndidi to Celtic?

According to Football Scotland, the Nigerian international is not a ‘serious’ target for the Scottish Premiership side ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The report claims that the club are not actively pursuing a deal to sign the Leicester City enforcer, who worked with Brendan Rodgers during their time together in England, despite having been linked with an interest in acquiring his services.

It states, however, that the Glasgow giants are in the market to bring a defensive midfielder to Paradise before the deadline, as they had been working on targets prior to Ange Postecoglou’s departure.

The Daily Record recently reported that the club have been scouting Gwangju stopper Ho-yeon Jeong and the youngster could be an alternative to the now-Championship star.

Would Ho-yeon Jeong be a good signing for Celtic?

Rodgers could forget all about Ndidi by securing a swoop for the 22-year-old enforcer as his form in 2022 indicates that the talent is there for him to be an excellent signing.

Gwangju earned promotion from K League 2 last year and Jeong played a significant role in their success with his impressive displays across the middle of the park.

He averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.94 across 36 appearances and offered quality on both sides of the game.

The 22-year-old showcased his defensive attributes with 4.9 duels won per game with a success rate of 54%.

Ndidi, on the other hand, averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.75 in 27 Premier League matches for Leicester last season, and came out on top in 4.1 battles per outing with a success rate of 55%.

These statistics suggest that the "elite player" – as described by journalist John Bennett – and the South Korean battler could offer a similar level of defensive protection, along with efficiency, in front of the back four if he can translate his form over to Scotland.

However, the £75k-per-week Foxes powerhouse is not as adept in possession. Ndidi created 0.1 chances per game and completed 84% of his attempted passes for his club last term.

Meanwhile, Jeong averaged 0.8 key passes per outing and registered a pass completion rate of 88% in 2022, which suggests that the Gwangju tank would be able to provide his teammates with more opportunities in front of goal while also being more reliable with the ball at his feet.

It is difficult to compare their statistics to any of the current Celtic squad as Postecoglou's 4-3-3 system did not employ a defensive midfielder, while Rodgers' preferred 4-2-3-1 set-up could have a specialist number six in one of the two deep-lying positions in the middle of the park.

The Hoops are in the market for a holding player in midfield to fill that role and Jeong could be an exceptional alternative to Ndidi based on his performances for Gwangju last season.

Manchester City and Pep Guardiola are close to securing a deal for a young defender, with a deal said to be close to bringing him to the Etihad Stadium, according to reports.

What's the latest news involving Manchester City?

Cited by BBC Sport, Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Gary O'Neil has hinted that Manchester City target Matheus Nunes could be set to stay at Molineux despite going on strike to try and secure a move to the Etihad Stadium.

O'Neil has spoken about Nunes and his future at the Old Gold, stating:

"He's not with the group at the moment, his choice. After the bid from Manchester City he decided it was best for him to not to be with the group. Club policy, and how we deal with things like that, is set in place. As far as I'm aware there's been no improved bid. Matheus Nunes is still our player, we have a long contract still with him and at this moment I fully expect him to be here come 2 September."

According to The Daily Mail, Wolves are holding out for a fee of £60 million for the Portugal international; however, Manchester City are only willing to go up to £55 million in negotiations.

There has since been a further update from Fabrizio Romano, who said that Nunes is now set to sign for City, with Tommy Doyle heading the other way in a separate deal.

Kevin De Bruyne is currently sidelined through injury and West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta had also been a target for the Citizens before an investigation into the Brazilian regarding potential betting breaches scuppered any notion of a transfer.

Earlier this month, talkSPORT reported that Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips was attracting interest from Liverpool to help strengthen Jurgen Klopp's engine room. Journalist Alex Crook has spoken to Give Me Sport recently and admitted that Klopp is 'really interested' in sanctioning a late deal for Phillips, which in turn could pave the way for Manchester City to bring in additional reinforcements in the middle of the park.

Are Manchester City signing Jamal Baptiste?

Transfer expert Romano has detailed that Manchester City are now on the verge of completing a deal to bring in a talented young defender, as he stated on X:

"Excl: Manchester City are on verge of agreeing deal to sign former West Ham centre back Jamal Baptiste, born in 2003 — here we go. Baptiste will join on free transfer, been told medical and contract signing soon. City project’s to develop best youngsters in Europe."

Manchester City completed summer signings

Player

Fee

Previous Club

Josko Gvardiol

£77.6 million

RB Leipzig

Jeremy Doku

£55.5 million

Stade Rennais

Mateo Kovacic

£25 million (£30 million with add-ons)

Chelsea

All transfer fees courtesy of Sky Sports News

Jamal Baptiste, who left West Ham United at the end of last term, made two senior appearances for the Hammers during his time at the London Stadium; nevertheless, has suffered from the rare illness Guillain-Barre syndrome in the past (a serious condition that affects the nerves) which curtailed his opportunity to make an impact under David Moyes, as per The Athletic.

Former West Ham academy manager Terry Westley sang his praises with this early claim, though, stating about Baptiste back in 2019:

"One of the finest young prospects at the club without any doubt is 15-year-old Jamal Baptiste who believe me is going to be a monster player".

Ensuring bright young prospects are well stocked at the Etihad is a big priority for Manchester City chiefs as they look to maintain their dominance in English football, and 20-year-old Baptiste could be the latest instalment in a long conveyor belt of talent in the North West.

Everton have found themselves tangled up in another relegation battle this season and Sean Dyche will surely be working hard over the international break to get his players ready to take on the final push for Premier League survival.

The Toffees are currently just two points clear of the relegation zone in 15th and only have ten games remaining to retain their top-flight status at the end of the season, however, many of their competitors have games in hand.

Only Crystal Palace, Southampton and Wolverhampton Wanderers have played the same amount of games (28), with everybody else from 12th down to 20th playing fewer whilst only a maximum of four points separates any of the clubs embroiled in the scrap for safety.

As a result, every single point counts in the upcoming fixtures for the Merseysiders and Dyche must find ways to climb the table into a much more comfortable position to avoid a real chance of relegation.

One player who has rarely been seen at Goodison Park since his arrival last summer is James Garner but having now recovered from a back injury, the Everton boss must unleash the talented youngster.

Should James Garner start for Everton?

The former Manchester United academy graduate caught the attention of a number of clubs after his phenomenal season-long loan spell with Nottingham Forest in the Championship.

Over 41 appearances, Garner proved himself to be a well-rounded asset, scoring four goals, and registering eight assists in an attacking capacity. Defensively, he won 1.8 tackles, made 1.4 interceptions and won 3.9 duels won per game.

Since arriving at Goodison Park, however, the 22-year-old dynamo – hailed "exceptional" by Paul Robinson – has only made six appearances in which he has averaged only 23 minutes per game, which seems like a completely wasted opportunity to unleash a player who clearly has the capabilities of being a huge asset to the attacking threat.

It is no secret that some of Everton's midfielders haven't been pulling their weight as of late with the "disinterested" Amadou Onana – in the words of journalist Paul Brown – not performing to his usual standards and Alex Iwobi earning the second-lowest rating (6.4) against Chelsea – as per Sofascore.

Like his two positional peers, Garner has been called up for international duty and will likely play for the England U21s which would be a great opportunity for the player to prove his ability to Dyche who will surely be watching his young prospect's progress closely.

With that being said, if the £30k-per-week earner can put in some good performances on the international stage over the coming week there is no doubt that Dyche should unleash him against Tottenham Hotspur next month.

Aston Villa have provided Monchi and Unai Emery with funds to bolster the playing squad so far in the summer transfer window…

Who have Aston Villa signed this summer?

The Villans brought in Belgium international Youri Tielemans on a free transfer from Leicester City as their first signing ahead of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign.

They have since added Moussa Diaby for a club-record £51.9m deal from Bayer Leverkusen and central defender Pau Torres from Villarreal on a permanent basis.

Read the latest Aston Villa transfer news HERE…

There could be further business to come for Villa, though, as they have been linked with a swoop to sign Leeds United ace Wilfried Gnonto this summer, who would cost at least £40m.

How good is Wilfried Gnonto?

The 19-year-old dynamo is an exciting young talent who could come in as a player with long-term potential whilst also having the ability to make an immediate impact on the pitch.

Emery could land Ollie Watkins a dream partner in the final third as the Italian ace is a versatile gem who could either play out wide to provide service for the England international or through the middle as a striker partner for him.

The former Inter prospect produced two goals and four assists in 14 top-flight starts for the Whites as they were relegated from the division last term and could improve upon that tally as part of a better team, given that Villa finished seventh in the table and a whopping 30 points clear of the Yorkshire-based outfit.

Watkins scored 15 league goals for the Villans last season and he could help the Italy international, who struck ten times in 16 U17 matches for Inter, to find his feet as a goalscorer at the top level after signs of promise so far.

The Leeds ace scored 12 goals and assisted ten in 74 games for Zurich prior to his move to England, but it is his play in deep possession that has caught the eye during his time at Elland Road so far.

In the 2022/23 Premier League campaign, Gnonto ranked amongst the top 13% of his positional peers for progressive carries per 90 (4.39), which shows that the teenage ace is excellent at driving his team up the pitch by picking the ball up in a deep position before racing past players to eat up ground.

Watkins, on the other hand, ranked in the bottom half of players in his position for progressive carries per 90 (1.44) and this suggests that he would benefit from having the Leeds star as a strike partner to do that side of the game for him.

Gnonto could use his dynamism and ball-carrying ability to push Villa forward and Watkins can maintain his position through the middle as the starting number nine and concentrate on getting into goalscoring areas to punish teams at the top end of the pitch.

The £40m-rated ace, who was described as an "absolute nightmare" for defenders by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has not proven himself to be a lethal scorer but his four assists in 14 top-flight starts suggests that he also has the creativity to provide the English striker with chances to score from.

Therefore, they could form a dream partnership upfront for Villa and one that could have the potential to get even better with time as Gnonto, hopefully, develops.

Journalist James Hunter was deeply unimpressed with referee Jeremy Simpson in Sunderland’s 5-1 loss at home to Stoke City on Saturday afternoon.

The Lowdown: Bad day for Black Cats

The Black Cats welcomed their Championship opponents to the Stadium of Light on Saturday, in what was another key game in their promotion push.

It proved to be a woeful day at the office for Tony Mowbray’s side, however, with Stoke taking the lead through Josh Laurent during the first half, before pulling well clear after the break.

It was a result that could ultimately prove damaging come may and it was an afternoon in which frustration boiled over both on and off the pitch.

The Latest: Hunter fumes at referee

Taking to Twitter, Hunter was quick to reveal what he thought of Simpson’s performance on Saturday:

“Absolute shambles from the referee, this.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/efl-news/” title=”EFL news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Simply not good enough

Granted, referees do have a difficult job on their hands and they are only human, but this was another unacceptably poor performance by an official.

So many of Simpson’s decisions left supporters scratching their heads, including one moment when he allowed Stoke to play out from the back after a head injury, as well as blowing for half-time when Sunderland had possession in a dangerous area.

Refereeing standards in the Championship are not strong at the moment, and while Mowbray’s men deserve criticism for their performance, Simpson should also be under the spotlight.

Jose Mourinho blamed his grey hairs on a former Chelsea and Real Madrid star who went on to play for a club which no longer exists.

During the special one’s first spell at Stamford Bridge, during which he won the Premier League twice, Mourinho signed a young nimble midfielder from French club Le Havre, who have produced talents such as Paul Pogba and Dimitri Payet down the years.

That man was Lassana Diarra, who would later go on to play for the likes of Arsenal, Real Madrid and PSG, also earning 34 caps for the Franch national team.

Diarra’s list of admirers includes Mourinho, who called him “amazing” during their time at Chelsea, and France manager Didier Deschamps, who brought him back into the national team set-up in 2015.

“He has intelligence, he has everything and in such an important strategical position,” Deschamps told TF1.

“It’s so good to have the choices I have. Lass is a top player, a top-class performer who has experience.”

Despite his talent, Diarra only made 13 Premier League appearances for Chelsea, many of which were out of position at right-back, before he was sold to Arsenal as he sought more playing time.

And Mourinho has since revealed in a chat on John Obi Mikel’s podcast that both Diarra and his agent were a nightmare to deal with.

And leave he did, with one year left on his contract, Diarra left for Arsenal, where again he would make just seven top flight appearances before swapping North London for Portsmouth.

After a successful 12 months at Portsmouth, the midfielder earned his big money move – €20 million – to Real Madrid, where he would win La Liga, Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup between 2009 and 2012.

Le Havre

2004-05

Chelsea

2005-07

Arsenal

2007-08

Portsmouth

2008-09

Real Madrid

2009-12

Anzhi Makhachkala

2012-13

Lokomotiv Moscow

2013-14

Marseille

2015-17

Al Jazira

2017

PSG

2018-19

He later joined a string of high profile players, including the likes of Samuel Eto’o and Roberto Carlos, in signing for Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala. Their quest to dominate Russian football was short-lived however, as the club struggled to maintain the high wages on offer and sold the likes of Diarra shortly after, eventually losing their license to operate as a professional club in Russia in 2022.

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag could be dealt a cruel blow on the injury front as one of his star players is now awaiting assessment for an injury picked up on international duty, according to reports.

Man Utd latest news: Sheikh Jassim withdraws, injury problems, Sancho exit

Recently, huge news has hit the headlines in regards to a Man Utd takeover after Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al Thani withdrew from the bidding process to try and acquire 100% of the club. Sir Jim Ratcliffe is now close to agreeing a deal to buy 25% of the club, in an agreement that would still see the Glazer family hold a verticle of control at Old Trafford; however, the exact terms of any potential deal upon ratification are yet to be fully established.

In other news, The Athletic have recently reported that Man Utd's injury latest is being investigated as their list of absentees continues to mount over the course of the season. Luke Shaw, Kobbie Mainoo, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Lisandro Martinez, Amad Diallo and Tyrell Malacia are all currently on the sidelines long-term due to various concerns; meanwhile, summer signing Mason Mount, Raphael Varane and Sergio Reguilon have missed chunks of action due to sustaining knocks. Director of Football John Murtough has shed some light on the next steps to try and combat the Premier League giants' injury crisis, stating:

"We’re also looking at why we’ve had so many injuries to see if there are any patterns to improve prevention in future. Some of them have been impact injuries, such as Kobbie’s and Amad’s, which are unpredictable. Others have been muscular and could reflect the sheer volume of games played over the past year, including last year’s World Cup."

Meanwhile, Barcelona are said to be keen on a cut-price move for Manchester United outcast Jadon Sancho next summer; however, the England international would need to significantly lower his salary demands to push through any deal either on loan or permanently.

Jadon Sancho at Manchester United – statistics per season since arrival

Signed from Borussia Dortmund for a fee in the region of £73 million in 2021

Statistics 2021/22: Appearances in all competitions – 38

Goals: 5

Assists: 3

Statistics 2022/23: Appearances in all competitions – 41

Goals: 7

Assists: 3

Statistics 2023/24: Appearances in all competitions – 3

Goals: 0

Assists: 0

Man Utd injury update – Casemiro suffers concern on international duty

As per a fresh Man United injury update on Casemiro from the club, the midfielder suffered an ankle injury on international duty with Brazil against Venezuela and was substituted in the 79th minute after asking to be taken off.

Reports since have claimed he did not train on Saturday due to his ankle being 'badly swollen' and he will undergo further assessment to determine the severity of the injury, which could lead to a spell on the sidelines for the veteran midfielder, who has previously been hailed as "magnificent" by Ten Hag.

Casemiro has been a major contributor for United since completing his move from Real Madrid in 2022, registering 11 goals and seven assists in 62 appearances across all competitions (Casemiro statistics – Transfermarkt).

Nevertheless, it looks as if he could now be unavailable for some upcoming fixtures at Old Trafford, though United will need to wait and see on that front.