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Southampton were linked with signing Manchester United left-back Brandon Williams on loan before the summer transfer window shut and following the injury to Ryan Bertrand recently, it could be argued that the Saints made a mistake in not bringing him to St Mary’s.

Sky Sports suggested that Southampton made an enquiry for the 20-year-old towards the end of the transfer window, but a deal could not be concluded.

Ralph Hasenhuttl has subsequently lost regular left-back Ryan Bertrand to injury after he went off in the 4-3 win against Aston Villa recently with natural centre-back Jack Stephens filling in there in the recent 2-0 win against Newcastle United.

Williams has made just two appearances for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side this season, both of which came in the League Cup, which suggests that his progress at United is being stifled and a loan to Southampton would have benefitted both parties.

The defender was praised heavily by his manager following United’s 3-1 defeat to Chelsea in the FA Cup last season, with him saying:

“You saw Brandon [Williams] and the character he showed. He played a square pass into Mount [which led to their second goal] and he probably felt a bit responsible, but for the rest of the half, he was absolutely outstanding. The kid has been out for a while and not played, and had the eye injury, but his character and personality out there was great, he kept going and kept going,” (per Manchester United).

Both of the games the 20-year-old full-back played in have resulted in 3-0 wins for the Red Devils, with the academy graduate earning impressive 7.37 and 7.22 ratings for his performances against Luton Town and Brighton respectively.

This shows that when the Englishman has played, he has impressed, so perhaps he would have been an excellent option for Hasenhuttl to have in his Saints side, especially when you consider the lack of options available to the Austrian manager in that position.

Sam McQueen is currently out injured with a cruciate ligament rupture, whilst 20-year-old Jake Vokins has just three senior Saints appearances to his name, so is perhaps not ready for a starting role in the Premier League.

Therefore, it would have been sensible for Hasenhuttl to recruit another left-back with slightly more experience, such as Williams, and it could be argued that Southampton chief executive Martin Semmens may have let his manager down by not securing a loan deal for the Manchester United man.

However, with United having recruited fellow left-back Alex Telles during the summer transfer window, you would imagine that Williams’ game time won’t be increasing any time soon, so perhaps we will see the Saints return for the 20-year-old in the upcoming January transfer window.

Tanguy Ndombele has been tipped to leave Tottenham Hotspur and move to Inter Milan this summer, reports say. 

Tottenham have reportedly held talks with Inter to sort out a deal for the club’s record signing as he has fallen out with Jose Mourinho.

However, contrary to these reports, the Lilywhites have no intention of letting the six-cap French international leave. According to Alasdair Gold, Spurs are not looking to sell Ndombele in the summer, despite interest from Inter Milan. This may come as a surprise to many fans of the north London club, who were perhaps gearing up for him to be sold following the previous reports which suggested he could leave.

It is understood that while Inter are certainly interested in the 23-year-old, Tottenham have made it clear that they are in no rush to sell the cenral midfielder, who they feel needs time to adjust to playing in the Premier League.

Ndombele has moved away from his family, which is no easy task, and it wouldn’t be the first time the club have experienced a signing who has taken a little longer than most to adapt to life in north London. Son Heung-min famously asked to leave after his first season at White Hart Lane.

He has struggled to settle down under Mourinho, having played just two games since the Premier League restart, before being dropped from the squad after picking up an injury.

It is no secret that the Spurs duo share a frosty relationship, which has shown signs of strain in recent months.

However, Daniel Levy spent a club record fee on the Frenchman over a year ago, and he will not let him go.

Instead, Levy will look to offload Juan Foyth, Danny Rose, Kyle Walker-Peters and Cameron Carter-Vickers to raise some much-needed funds to bring in new players in the summer.

Ndombele needs to be given a chance to prove himself, as he has shown flashes of his underlying quality this season.

Indeed, he has reserved his best performances for playing in the Champions League, supplying two assists, making 1.7 tackles per game, averaging one interception, and attempting 2.8 dribbles on average (via WhoScored).

Whether or not Mourinho will be wiling to give him the opportunity is another matter altogether but he must make the most of any chances that come his way.

Tottenham fans, do you think Levy should sell Ndombele in the summer? Let us know your views in the comments below!

It may just be pre-season, but one Tottenham player who is already staking a claim to be someone to keep a close eye on for this upcoming campaign, is Dennis Cirkin.

The 18-year-old was the subject of high praise from Jose Mourinho earlier in 2020, with the Portuguese man hailing the youngster as a “kid with a lot of quality”.

Whilst he may not have played a first-team game for Spurs last season, he has already caught the eye in the build-up to the new campaign. Following his display against Ipswich last week, fans of the north London side took to Twitter to hail the academy product, with a couple of supporters admitting they realised why Mourinho rates him so highly.

Is it Mido or Pedro Mendes? This Spurs quiz will separate the loyal from the fake…



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The real question now is whether the Spurs boss is a big enough fan of his to throw him into the deep end when the Premier League gets underway next week.

But if Mourinho has any hesitations about doing so, then he might want to take a look, if slightly reluctantly, at Spurs’ north London rivals Arsenal. The Gunners finished below the Lilywhites once again in the top-flight, but one of their emerging talents, Bukayo Saka has painted a brighter future for the club.

The left-back – just like Cirkin – took his opportunity with both hands early on in the season, before cementing himself as a regular in the first-team squad. In the end, Saka notched four goals and provided 11 assists across all competitions, eventually leading to his nomination for this year’s PFA Young Player of the Year award.

If Mourinho is willing and even brave enough to take a gamble on Cirkin, then he and Spurs could be richly rewarded. At the moment, Ben Davies is the starlet’s only real competition, especially with Danny Rose being so out-of-favour at the club that he was sent out on loan to Newcastle in the January transfer window.

Cirkin could save Spurs a whole load of money by turning into a star, and the only man who has the power to see if that can be the case, is Mourinho.

Noel Whelan believes that if Steven Gerrard wants to take Florian Kamberi back to Glasgow Rangers, a deal will be struck with Hibernian for his services.

The 25-year-old made the switch to Ibrox on a temporary basis in January and scored once in nine games before the term was brought to a premature close due to the coronavirus pandemic. There had been suggestions that the ‘Gers were on the edge of an extension to his contract that would keep him on their books until the end of their Europa League campaign (as per the Sunday Post via Glasgow Times), but that now appears not to be the case.

However, Whelan still believes that a move could materialise for the player Hibs signed for £117,000 in 2018, telling Football Insider:

“Hibs are still in the Scottish Premiership and they may want him back, they may feel that they need him next season. They are under no obligation to sell.

“However, if Stevie G thinks he will improve their side then I am sure they will strike a deal as quickly as possible so that Hibernian have the money in the bank and Rangers have the player for preseason.

“I am sure there is talks going on and Hibs may not be able to turn down the money.”

Perhaps Whelan has a point – if Gerrard really does want to add Kamberi to his squad, then they will find a way to get a deal done. However, the big question is whether the former Liverpool captain actually wants him above all else.

The ‘Gers are clearly in the market for a striker, with the likes of Lyndon Dykes and Ivan Toney recently linked. Kamberi may have offered something different up front with his 6ft 2in frame, but one goal in nine is far from a clinical strike rate.

It remains to be seen what Gerrard decides moving forward.

‘Gers fans, should the club try to sign Kamberi permanently? Let us know what you think by commenting below!

Current Sunderland owner Stewart Donald has left the door open for Sammy Yu and Mark Campbell to make takeover bids.

Back in April 2018, Donald arrived as the club’s new ownerafter taking over from Ellis Short but, just 19 months into the businessman’s tenure, he made public his desire to sell the club.

With Sunderland missing out on the chance of promotion from League One for a second successive season, there have been calls from some fans for Donald to sell up.

Sammy Yu and Mark Campbell have both been credited with takeover interest over the last few weeks, although the former claimed that Donald had failed to acknowledge attempts to contact him regarding the matter.

Speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle as quoted by Sunderland Echo, Donald spoke about a potential bid arriving and revealed how talks went with Campbell.

“The fans have asked me to leave, and whether it’s Mark Campbell or somebody else,” he said.

“If somebody passes the EFL [tests], has the funds and has the vision… I’m not quite sure what the fans want me to do.”

Donald was speaking after he met with fans on Thursday to discuss the sale of the club and other pressing matters.

It seems that, if either Yu or Campbell have the necessary funds, then Donald will welcome a bid – so why has it taken this long?

Something does not seem right at the moment and it appears that the current Black Cats owner is holding out for a bid that will guarantee getting his money back on his initial investment.

Donald says that he does not know what fans want, but it seems quite clear they want a new owner to come in and for things to change as quickly as possible.

Who do you think has a better chance of taking over Sunderland? Let us know in the comments section below…

Many Aston Villa fans on Twitter have hit back at pundit Jason Cundy after he said that Jack Grealish needs to leave his hometown side for a big club.

While speaking on The Sports Bar this morning, the former Chelsea and Tottenham player has said that he looks “a hell of a player”, before saying he “has to” leave Villa Park.

While discussing it with Andy Goldstein, both agreed that if a big side comes in for him that he needs to leave the club, irking many of the supporters who saw the tweet from talkSPORT with the discussion on.

There’s no doubt that the 24-year-old is some talent. So far, from the 12 games that he’s played this season, he has been able to score three times and assist four, per WhoScored. The stats website have also given him a 7.41/10 average from those games so far, making him have the second-highest rating in the entire squad.

Many fans from the West Midlands claimed that the claret and blue are in fact a big club, and that he doesn’t need to leave just yet.

Here are some of the replies below…

We have only gotten a taste of what Jose Mourinho’s era at Tottenham Hotspur might look like moving forward. With two games and two wins under his belt so far, Spurs fans have plenty to look forward to as time goes on.

But what is maybe the most exciting aspect of the Special One’s tenure in London is his apparent willingness to give a proper shot to some of his youth prospects and talents waiting in the pipeline.

After all, he said so himself when he was first appointed and we’re eager to see whether he stays true to it.

Be that as it may, here are three talents Mourinho should definitely be looking to pull through at Spurs if he’s really going to put some trust in the youth:

Oliver Skipp

This one hardly comes as a surprise to anyone but the 19-year-old midfielder is one of those players that are simply begging for promotion.

Despite verging on a permanent senior call-up in the past – seeing how he’s tallied 12 appearances for Pochettino in 2018/19 – this season has only seen Skipp play four games for Tottenham Hotspur and tally a meagre 82 minutes under his belt.

For a young player of his talent, that is simply not enough and if Mourinho is really going to trust in the academy and bring some of the players through, it should definitely be this kid right here.

The fans already adore him and his recent display for the young English side showed just what he’s capable of doing, which prompted the showers of praise by the fans in the first place.

By all means, Skipp looks like someone worth Mourinho’s time.

Kyle Walker-Peters

Walker-Peters is someone who’s already at the senior team but it very much feels like he’s an outcast if anything. Or at least, that’s what he used to be so far.

The 22-year-old right-back has only featured in a total of four games across all competitions, tallying just over 300 minutes in the process. And mostly, he didn’t even make the bench.

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He was once in the squad for the Champions League – but wasn’t given the chance to participate – and four times in the Premier League, three of which came at the very beginning of the season, which was the last time he was playing somewhat regular football in the first place.

With Serge Aurirer’s struggles on that right side – with the defender often getting heavy criticism by the media and the pundits – maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea for Mourinho to show some faith into the kid and make a bold move in the near future.

Troy Parrott

Even though Parrott is the only name on this list with no actual first-team football under his belt in 2019/20, he is arguably the most exciting of the three.

Of course, we’ve seen him called-up once before in an EFL Cup when he tallied 66 minutes under his belt but he’s too big of a talent to stay in the pipeline for too long.

Of course, this is even more emphasised by the fact he is reportedly wanted by the likes of Borussia Dortmund – who are famous for developing young players – and it seems like if Mourinho doesn’t want to invest in him, someone else undoubtedly will.

After all, we’re talking here about a kid who has eight goals and one assist across all competitions in the ongoing campaign and very much looks like he could turn into a superstar.

Pull the trigger, Jose.

Manchester United surrendered a late lead as they largely disappointed against Sheffield United on Sunday, but one man who did cover himself in some glory was David De Gea.

The Spain international often gets his side out of trouble and he did so once again for the Red Devils early on in the Bramall Lane clash.

A superb double save, the first from a John Lundstram and the second a point-blank stop from David McGoldrick’s header, kept his team in the game and it was a moment which left many fans astounded.

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In response they were quick to praise the keeper, who has previously been criticised and has conceded 15 goals in 13 league games this term.

However, there is a reason he has the nickname ‘Dave Saves’ and many were quick to show their appreciation for the 29-year-old, with one supporter suggesting that he deserves to be paid whatever amount he wants.

An abysmal first-half saw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team 1-0 down at the break, with every player other than De Gea failing to produce their best quality – and but for the keeper the scoreline could have been a lot worse.

Here are some of the comments praising the Spaniard.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Son Heung-Min finally did it.

He finally added that flourish that has to come after so many attempts, after so many failures.

The South Korea international has completed a total of 37 dribbles this season across 14 games in the Premier League, with eight of them coming against Manchester United at Old Trafford in midweek.

Money talks: How much did Levy pay for each of these Spurs stars?

They didn’t lead anywhere, though, as Jose Mourinho’s men were beaten 2-1 at Old Trafford.

On Saturday, though, he completed five against Burnley and one was simply astonishing.

Collecting the ball on the edge of his own box, Son burst forward, taking the ball all the way into the Clarets area, beating two men in the process, before firing past Nick Pope.

This was a goal straight from the school of Lionel Messi, with Son showing the killer instinct required to score a goal befitting the greatest players in the world.

And, really, it couldn’t have come at a better time, as it signals that Son is again allying that deadly finishing ability to his pacey, shimmying runs.

He had actually only scored once under Mourinho’s management prior to Saturday’s game, instead focusing on adding assists to his repertoire.

He had four of those prior to the weekend and now has five after playing the pass that led to Harry Kane’s opener.

If he can bring the two together, though, that creativity and that ability to score such superlative goals, he may well end up being an unstoppable presence in the Spurs attack.

Meanwhile, Spurs have to start playing one man. 

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to The Telegraph, Adam Lallana is an emerging target for MLS and Chinese clubs.

What’s the story?

The 31-year-old signed for the Reds from Southampton for £25m in 2014, and has since made 164 appearances for the Anfield outfit.

Watch the moment Adam Lallana broke United hearts at Old Trafford in the video below…

However, his contract is running out in the summer and, although he is set to be offered a new deal, he could depart in January if those aforementioned clubs step up their interest in him.

Versatility makes him valuable

In recent times, the 34-time England international has struggled with injuries. According to Transfermarkt, he has missed 39 games across the past two seasons combined, which does not make for good reading.

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However, Jurgen Klopp and co should do all they can to keep hold of him beyond January and, indeed, this current campaign. Whilst he will not be a guaranteed starter any time soon, he can prove to be a valuable back-up option moving forward.

The main reason for that is his versatility. Naturally an attacking midfielder, he can play in a number of positions in midfield, as well as further forward. As per Transfermarkt, he has played over 30 matches in attacking midfield, left midfield and on the left wing, whilst a handful of matches have come on the right as well.

Against Aston Villa at the weekend, Lallana even played in defensive midfield, and to great effect too, as he won five tackles and seven ground duels.

One only needs to look at his teammate on Merseyside, James Milner, to see that versatile players can be worth their weight in gold. Since joining the Reds, he has featured at left-midfield, right-midfield, defensive-midfield, right-back and left-back. All in all, he has made 191 appearances, scoring 25 goals and providing 39 assists, and he will leave Anfield with a Champions League medal at the very least.

The former Leeds man has received criticism in the past, just like Lallana, but Milner has had a strong impact on Liverpool, and the former Saint can do the same.

Klopp must do all he can to make sure he remains a part of his squad.