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Southampton have been linked with Reims left-back Ghislain Konan recently, and he could be the ideal man to replace Ryan Bertrand in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s squad.

According to the Daily Mail, via TEAMtalk, both Southampton and Aston Villa are interested in the 25-year-old defender this summer, with the report suggesting that he would cost around £5.1m. It added that Konan is keen on a move to the Premier League and would come cheap due to only having a year left on his contract at the Stade Auguste-Delaune.

This immediately marks him out as someone who would be a viable option for the Saints this summer, as Hasenhuttl has already confirmed that his side will be targeting players who cost £10m or less in the transfer window ahead of next season.

The Austrian will be desperate to add a left-back to his squad ahead of the 2021/22 campaign, following the news that Ryan Bertrand would leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season.

Konan could prove to be the 31-year-old’s ideal heir on the south coast, as he has plenty of experience in Ligue 1 and in the Portuguese top flight with Vitoria Guimaraes, whilst he has also earned 11 caps for the Ivory Coast.

This season has seen the left-back make 30 appearances in the French top flight, in which he has contributed two goals and one assist, averaging a solid 6.75 rating from WhoScored.

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Bertrand, by comparison, contributed no goals and just one assist in the Premier League for Southampton this season, earning a much less impressive 6.41 rating for his performances from WhoScored.

Konan is very similar to Bertrand when it comes to defensive metrics such as tackling and interceptions this season, but the former seems to have the edge from an attacking perspective, averaging a better passing accuracy, more dribbles and more key passes per game than the 31-year-old.

This is where the Englishman has been weak at times in recent seasons, so Konan’s arrival could give Southampton much more of an attacking threat down the left-hand side, similar to Bertrand’s first few seasons at the club when he provided a lot more going forward.

Therefore, it looks as if Konan could be the ideal target to replace Bertrand at Southampton this summer, and given his low asking price, Saints vice-chairman Martin Semmens should definitely try and bring him to St Mary’s.

In other news… Hasenhuttl handed golden chance to axe £13.5m flop, Gao surely buzzing

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Everton are attempting to sign Michy Batshuayi from Chelsea and have learned that they will have to pay £35m for the forward, according to The Guardian.

What’s the story?

Everton’s problems in the final third this season have been well documented.

It is true that Richarlison has been a revelation following his summer move from Watford, but the likes of Cenk Tosun and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have struggled.

The Toffees are said to be keen to sign a new striker on deadline day and according to The Guardian, are attempting to bring Batshuayi to the club.

The Belgium international is back with Chelsea having spent the first half of this season on loan in Spain with Valencia.

It would be fair to say that the 25-year-old struggled at the Mestalla, managing just one league goal during a disappointing loan spell.

Batshuayi’s Chelsea record is 19 goals in 53 appearances, which is not exactly terrific, but he did score goals on loan at Borussia Dortmund last term.

Should Everton move for the striker?

Batshuayi is certainly capable of being a success at Everton, but £35m is a lot of money for a player who has not been in good form this season.

A move for the Belgian on transfer deadline day does make sense for Everton, but the Toffees must attempt to negotiate a lower price.

According to The Guardian, West Ham United had wanted to take Batshuayi on loan, but Chelsea are keen on a permanent sale, with Everton seemingly the only serious contenders at this stage of the transfer window.

The Londoners are in a strong negotiating position though, considering that Batshuayi still has more than two years left to run on his contract at Stamford Bridge.

If the asking price stays the same then Everton should dodge a move, but anything around the £27m mark should be seriously considered by the Toffees.

Pl>ymaker FC’s Matchday with Max caught up with Jamaica’s women’s team. See what happened when he met the history makers in the video below…

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Newcastle midfielder Rob Lee has laughed off claims that Harry Kane has said he wants to leave Tottenham this summer.

Kane’s future at Spurs has been a major talking point for some time, with recent reports from The Athletic this month saying that the England captain will hand in a transfer request should Spurs fail to qualify for the Champions League.

The striker is still waiting to win his first piece of silverware for the north London outfit, following Tottenham’s 1-0 defeat to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final last weekend.

Kane has been in scintillating form this term, and is the joint-top goalscorer and top assister in the Premier League this season having been directly involved in 34 goals in 30 appearances.

But whilst Lee believes that he could play for any side in the world, he’s rubbished reports that Kane said he will push for a move away from Spurs.

He told Football FanCast:

“Until Harry Kane comes out and says ‘I want to leave’, I don’t believe that his friends of friends have said ‘yeah I know Harry Kane has told me this’.

“Why would he tell anyone that? Unless you’re close – I think his brother is his agent. Why would he say that? I don’t know if he would.

“I’m sure he wants to play at the top level, but does he want to stay at Tottenham and be a club legend as Alan did at Newcastle?

“Does he want to go abroad at Real Madrid or Barcelona or does he want to go to another Premier League club, but then he’s got to play against his beloved Spurs.

“It’s down to Harry Kane what he decides he wants to do. I think he’s the best centre-forward in the world by quite a distance at the moment.”

Rangers looked to have missed out on a gem when Bright Osayi-Samuel joined Fenerbahce in January but his performances since suggest that Steven Gerrard’s side dodged a bullet in failing to bring him to Ibrox.

Rangers were heavily linked with the winger in January, due to his contract with QPR being set to expire at the end of the season, but he would instead join Turkish Super Lig side Fenerbahce.

The 23-year-old has caught the eye with a series of fine performances with QPR, contributing 13 goals and 13 assists in 115 appearances for the Loftus Road outfit, with his electric displays leading manager Mark Warburton to suggest that he was destined to play in the Premier League but should stay with QPR.

His performance in a 2-1 defeat against Bristol City led opposition manager Dean Holden to sing his praises, saying:

“Bright was outstanding.

“I’ve watched him for a number of years now and he is a top player in this division.

“Bright was getting the ball a bit easily and he’s a very good player when he gets the ball to his feet, it was about stopping the supply to him and we did that more in the second half.”

After it was made clear that he wouldn’t sign a new deal with the London club, he made the somewhat surprising decisoin to move to Turkey, which looked to be a big blow to Gerrard’s side at the time.

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However, his performances since then have suggested that Rangers may have actually dodged a bullet in failing to sign him, as he has managed just one goal and one assist in his first 19 appearances for Fenerbahce.

After losing out on the title on the final day by just one goal, Fenerbahce manager Emre Belözoğlu will perhaps rue Osayi-Samuel’s disappointing contribution in his time at the club thus far.

The Nigerian, who is currently valued at £3.15m by Transfermarkt, is contracted with Fenerbahce until 2025, so will need to improve his performances in upcoming seasons if he wants to see out his contract in Turkey.

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For now, though, Rangers fans should perhaps be relieved that Osayi-Samuel didn’t make the move to Ibrox, as on current form, both Ianis Hagi and Scott Wright would get in ahead of him on the right-hand side.

And, in other news… Gerrard could be set for significant Rangers boost after pundit’s huge claim on “fantastic” goal machine

Charlton Athletic have been dealt an injury blow ahead of their crucial League One fixture on Tuesday evening, as Diallang Jaiyesimi has been ruled out.

What’s the latest?

According to a statement posted on the club website, Jaiyesimi is expected to miss the fixture against Lincoln City due to a hamstring injury, meaning this will be the third consecutive fixture in which the winger has been sidelined.

However, the club went on to confirm that Ben Watson, after being rested for the 1-1 draw with Accrington Stanley last weekend, looks set to be involved in Tuesday’s clash.

Huge blow

Following the stalemate at The Crown Ground, Charlton now simply must win against Lincoln if they are to stand any chance of securing a top-six finish in the league come the end of the season.

As such, the continued absence of Jaiyesimi is likely to come as a huge blow for Nigel Adkins, as the Addicks appear to have been missing the 22-year-old’s cutting edge in the final third in both their loss against Peterborough United and their draw with Crewe Alexandra, as well as the aforementioned draw at Accrington.

Indeed, prior to the loss against the Posh, the former Dulwich Hamlet ace had scored one goal and provided two assists over his previous five league appearances, averaging a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.04 over these fixtures.

However, Adkins will once again have to make do without the winger on Tuesday, and will undoubtedly be hoping that his side can secure a result in order to keep Charlton in with a shout of the play-offs on the final day of the season – a fixture in which the 56-year-old will likely be praying for Jaiyesimi to be back for.

In other news: Adkins must unleash “unplayable” £5.4k-p/w Charlton ace tonight, can be a game-changer – opinion

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Daniel Pinder, editor-in-chief at Get German Football News, has claimed that Milot Rashica would be a massive upgrade on what Aston Villa already have in the final third after Football Insider reported they could reignite a move for him.

It was reported last summer that Villa had agreed to meet Rashica’s £20.5 million release clause, however the deal was scuppered when the 24-year old asked for his £40,000 per week wages to be doubled.

Aston Villa have struggled for creativity in the final third during Jack Grealish’s time on the sidelines with Trezeguet, Anwar El Ghazi and Bertrand Traore not being consistent enough as they have just 13 goals between them in the Premier League this season.

Speaking on how Rashica would be an improvement on what Vill already have and how playing with someone like Grealish would help Rashica, Pinder told FFC:

“He is a versatile player who can play anywhere across the front three as he has done for Werder Bremen, and I think he would be a huge upgrade on Trezeguet and El Ghazi.

“At a team like Villa where he would have the likes of Grealish and John McGinn, I think he could do well and excel.”

Rashica has been a steady performer at Bremen since joining in 2017, with a record of 26 goals and 19 assists in 95 games for the Bundesliga outfit.

The Kosovo international has also been linked with fellow Premier League sides, Leeds United and Southampton recently.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, former Premier League midfielder and Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie believes Celtic are not Eddie Howe’s first choice as he looks to get back into management.

Howe has been out of work since leaving Bournemouth last year following their relegation from the Premier League.

He has since been linked to the Celtic job, with many reports claiming that he is the Bhoys’ No.1 target in their search for a permanent successor to Neil Lennon.

Meanwhile, journalist Alan Nixon has reported that difficulties in assembling his potential coaching team have complicated things.

Hendrie, however, does not think Celtic are No.1 for Howe, suggesting that the 43-year-old is possibly holding out for another club as he continues to leave the Glasgow giants waiting.

On the Howe to Celtic links, the ex-Aston Villa player told TT in an exclusive interview:

“I think Eddie Howe, at the moment in time, I think he’s been linked with this job for so long, that I kind of feel like he’s waiting for something else to come along if you get what I mean. And I feel that’s not his first option.”

Howe has been linked with Premier League clubs, including Crystal Palace, so perhaps he has told Celtic to wait as he considers all of his options.

Roy Hodgson’s contract at Selhurst Park expires at the end of the season, meaning a job could soon open up there.

Whilst Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Manchester City was a blow to Leicester City, they were also dealt gutting news on the fitness of Caglar Soyuncu following the game.

Having seen his defender leave for international duty with Turkey during the break, Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers revealed that the 24-year-old had tested positive for coronavirus.

The news will of course be concerning in regard to his health but will also be bad news for Rodgers’ squad as they aim to navigate a few key fixtures on two fronts.

With those testing positive instructed to self-isolate for a minimum of ten days, this would keep Soyuncu out of next weekend’s vital meeting with West Ham United – a game that could see Leicester strengthen their hold on a top-four position.

Meanwhile, the Foxes then have an FA Cup semi-final meeting with Southampton to consider and depending on how Soyuncu recovers, should he be showing symptoms, he may also miss that game too.

Whilst Leicester have a solid defensive partnership in Wesley Fofana and Jonny Evans to call upon, with Daniel Amartey being a reserve, Soyuncu’s influence on Leicester cannot be understated.

It comes as another devastating blow as the central defensive colossus missed nearly two months of the campaign with an abductor problem back in October.

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With the Turk in the side, Leicester have managed to accumulate an impressive 62% win percentage this season. However, in matches where he has been unavailable throughout what has been a frustrating personal campaign on the injury front, that drops to just 50%.

He had played every minute in each of the Foxes’ last eight league games, sustaining just one defeat in that time – a 3-1 reverse at the hands of Arsenal.

This impact alone then could potentially see Leicester’s claim for a top-four position come the end of the campaign falter once again.

Hailed as “fantastic” by Rodgers for his performances since he arrived at the club, the Northern Irishman will certainly be feeling the blow of Soyuncu being ruled out for at least the next few weeks.

AND in more news, remind yourself of the sale of Ahmed Musa – a transfer that saw Leicester hit the jackpot…

When Christian Marques signed for Wolves for a fraction under £600,000, he became the academy’s most expensive ever acquisition.

This was a player arriving in the Midlands who could quite easily now be plying his trade for one of the biggest clubs on the continent.

A fee had been agreed between Grasshoppers and Benfica in January 2019 before that move fell through. Bayern Munich even enquired about Marques’ services before he penned terms with Wolves.

Evidently rated very highly, the humble teenager has been making waves at Wolves as he’s developed and come through the ranks.

The centre-back was awarded the Academy Player of the Season for 2019/20 and it’s clear to see why. A modern-day sweeper, the 18-year-old has captained Switzerland at youth level and has already skippered both the U18s and U23s at Molineux.

He has never made a senior appearance for the club but it only feels like a matter of time before the youngster becomes an important part of Nuno Santo’s plans.

Marques was in Wolves’ squad for the Premier League Asia Trophy in 2019 while he has trained regularly with the senior side and even been included on the substitute’s bench in the top-flight on three occasions.

The Old Gold have become a club accustomed to developing young talent but very rarely have they found gems from a defensive point of view. In attack, they have plenty of young talent from Fabio Silva and Pedro Neto to Theo Corbeanu and Owen Hesketh.

Though, of every player in the U23s, the keenest of eyes need to be cast towards Marques. He is the real deal and could become the club’s next Conor Coady.

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Like the England international, he is an example for his teammates and can carry the ball out of defence astutely. He is a confident passer and plays in a similar role.

Wolves knew he could eventually replace their club captain just four weeks after scouting him. Graham Clutton, their head of European academy recruitment, reported back in that time frame that the defender was a “no-brainer” for the Coady role.

He was first spotted by Harry Hooman – now Wolves’ head of UK academy recruitment – who described him as “outstanding.”

What sets him apart from the rest is his maturity. Speaking to The Athletic, Wolves’ elite player development coach, Darren Ryan, said: “It’s rare for a youngster coming from another country to show such leadership.

He continued: “That Coady role is so important in a 3-4-3 or a 3-5-2 but like Coady, he’s a leader, he’s driven and has a great mentality.”

Having trained with the senior side on a regular basis, Marques now knows what it takes to become a figurehead in defence.

Despite being just 18 years of age, he looks set for a bright future in the game. Those at Wolves rate him above every other player in the academy and Nuno checks frequently on his progress.

Marques epitomises what Wolves have become; a team who pick up talent at a young age and develop them into Premier League regulars.

The teenager, however, may just be the jewel in the crown of their efforts.

AND in other news, Forget Neto: Wolves should unleash rarely-seen 18 y/o who’s “got a bit of everything”…

James Rodriguez stole the show against Tottenham Hotspur on Friday night as the Everton midfielder proved to his doubters that he can defend as well as attack.

The Toffees were forced to settle for a point at home to Jose Mourinho’s Spurs after crucial mistakes from Mason Holgate and Michael Keane gifted Harry Kane two opportunities to register a brace.

Kane’s goals came either side of a double from Gylfi Sigurdsson, the Icelandic maestro converting a first half penalty before beautifully placing a delicate weak-foot volley into the far corner of Hugo Lloris’ net.

Referee Michael Oliver wasted no time in pointing to the spot moments after Kane opened the scoring following apparent contact between Spurs left-back Sergio Reguilon and Rodriguez, who had arrived late into the area to meet Sigurdsson’s cutback.

Rodriguez proved to be a prickly thorn for the Tottenham defence to try and put a cap on throughout the match, and he started brightly by sending Richarlison in down the left-hand channel after creating a yard of space.

Lloris was later forced to prevent Rodriguez from putting Everton ahead minutes after Sigurdsson converted from the spot when the Colombian let rip from range, and the Frenchman again had to be well-placed to thwart the £27m-rated playmaker with what should have been his seventh goal of the season.

Chances flowed through Rodriguez throughout the first half with Richarlison again allowed to adventure forward and the pair continued to combine well after the break, while the late introduction of Joshua King added another target for the former Real Madrid star to find.

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Ultimately, his creativity would not return an assist or a goal to put Everton back ahead, but Rodriguez ended the night with a joint-game high four key passes with Sigurdsson, per WhoScored.

Rodriguez also matched Sigurdsson’s two successful tackles and made one interception while the former Spurs playmaker did not, and unlike his goalscoring colleague, he even contested a defensive aerial duel, per WhoScored.

The Colombian has averaged only 1.2 successful tackles and offered 0.7 interceptions per Premier League game in 2020/21, while contesting 0.7 aerial duels across both offensive and defensive situations.

Rodriguez is not generally a player known for his defensive contributions but rather his offensive exploits, which has previously raised suggestions that he could become a burden for Ancelotti if he cannot influence games at both ends of the field.

“Ancelotti will have to weigh up whether he’s doing enough offensively with his defensive contribution,” Darren Bent told Football Insider in January. “We know he’s not a defensive player, that’s not what his strength is.

“When you sign players like that, you don’t sign them for their defensive qualities. Defensively, we know he might leave them a little bit short, but they need to overcome that and move forward.

“These sorts of maverick players, they don’t really exist anymore because you can’t afford to be playing with ten men, especially with the energy and intensity of some teams, they’ll just keep on creating overloads all over the place.”

However, Rodriguez’s performance against Tottenham – which earned rave reviews from some Everton supporters – proved to doubters like Bent what he can do from a defensive point of view.

AND in other news, a rarely-seen Everton outcast is wanted in a £10.5m summer transfer…