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Southampton have been linked with a move for Robbie Brady recently and if he makes the move to St Mary’s this summer it could prove to be the end for Moussa Djenepo in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.

According to the Daily Mirror (27th May, 15:27), Southampton, Crystal Palace and Watford are all keen on the 29-year-old, who is set to leave Burnley this summer when his contract expires.

Although he has struggled with injuries during his time at Turf Moor, he could prove to be a stellar addition to Hasenhuttl’s side this summer, as he has regularly featured as both a left-winger and a left-back in his career.

This definitely marks him out as the sort of player the Austrian would love to have in his side next season, as he has spoken in the past about his preference for versatile players, and is in desperate need of a left-back next season following Ryan Bertrand’s recent departure.

The Republic of Ireland international, who was described as having “real quality” by Sean Dyche last year, has made 160 Premier League appearances in his career, contributing 10 goals and 13 assists, so would bring a wealth of experience to St Mary’s.

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Should he join on a free transfer this summer, it could be the catalyst for fellow left-sided player Djenepo leaving the club, especially as he has been linked with a move to Turkish side Fenerbahce in recent weeks.

The Mali international has struggled for consistent form since arriving from Standard Liege in the summer of 2019, managing just four goals and two assists in 51 appearances for the Saints.

His form this season was particularly disappointing, as he managed just one goal and no assists in 27 Premier League appearances, earning a shocking 6.37 average rating from WhoScored for his performances in the top-flight.

Therefore, it would not be a surprise to see him shipped out next season, especially if Brady arrives, as it is difficult to see him maintaining a starting spot unless his form and goal and assist return drastically improves.

And, in other news… Forget Firpo: Semmens should seal Southampton swoop for “exciting” £9m-rated “talent”

Sky Sports News journalist Ben Ransom has shared some worrying footage of Manchester City training ahead of their Champions League semi-final clash against Real Madrid.

The Lowdown: City’s UCL run

An ill-tempered draw in the second-leg of the Sky Blues’ quarter-final tie against Atletico Madrid sent Pep Guardiola’s side through to the last four of the Champions League.

Kevin De Bruyne’s second half goal in the first-leg was enough to secure the win for City, who now face Real Madrid in the semi-finals later on tonight at the Etihad.

When questioned in yesterday’s lunchtime press conference about the availability of Kyle Walker and John Stones following, Guardiola responded:

“They are doubts, they didn’t train for the last week to ten days and John since Brighton. We’ll see how they feel, we’ll speak to them tomorrow and then make the decision.”

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The Latest: Footage emerges

Taking to Twitter just 24 hours before kick-off, Sky Sports News reporter Ben Ransom has shared footage of Man City’s training session.

Captioning the video, he claimed: “No Walker nor Stones on the training pitch for Man City ahead of the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.”

The Verdict: Huge blow

This injury news will come as a huge blow for Guardiola’s selection, if indeed both players have not miraculously recovered in the hours since the footage was leaked.

With Joao Cancelo already suspended, City now do not have a player available who has been utilised at right-back before.

This suggests that one of Oleksandr Zinchenko or Nathan Ake will have to step up in Walker’s absence.

This will see to a makeshift back-line which Guardiola will hope can keep a strong Madrid side out, before his squad can recuperate for the second-leg.

In other news: Manchester City: Daily Mail makes Declan Rice claim

Dean Windass has exclusively told Football FanCast that he doesn’t think Tottenham will beat Manchester City in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final, even if Harry Kane plays.

Spurs go in search of their first major trophy since winning the same competition in 2008 when they face the seven-times winners and three-times defending champions at Wembley.

But Tottenham’s chances of ending their 13-year trophy drought could rest on the fitness of their star man Kane.

The England striker has been in scintillating form throughout the season, but hobbled off against Everton on Friday with his latest ankle problem, and faces a race against time to be fit.

But Windass believes that with Manchester City out for revenge following their FA Cup exit last weekend, it’ll be too big of a task to beat Pep Guardiola’s men, who haven’t lost in the League Cup for more than four years.

“I don’t think they’ve got any chance of beating City even if Harry Kane is fit,” Windass told Football FanCast.

“Ryan Mason has got to get everybody on board. But it’s going to be a tough game against Man City, especially after them getting beaten in the semi-finals, so they’ll be wounded. 

But with Jose Mourinho no longer in charge, and the squad on a clean slate, Windass made no secret as to who should be their front-three moving forward.

He added:

“I would like to see Gareth Bale get a number of games from now until the end of the season with Son and Kane upfront.

“You’ve got more chance of winning football matches with them three upfront than with them not in the team.”

Southampton had no chance of signing new Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, the club’s former midfielder Carlton Palmer has told The Transfer Tavern.

Guehi recently joined Palace in an £18m deal from Chelsea following a couple of successful loan stints with Swansea City in the Championship.

However, according to The Athletic, Southampton were one of many suitors who were keen on the 21-year-old as they look to strengthen their backline this summer.

At £18m, though, Palmer feels his old side were never really in the running to sign Guehi. When asked by TT if St. Mary’s was a realistic destination, the former Saints star said:

“Not a chance, not really. When your budget is £10m, you’re not in the hunt, are you? It’s a difficult one, but when you’re a manager, you know what your budget is, you know what your capabilities are. 

“The manager has to be creative with loan players, get good young players in and give them the opportunity.”

Guehi looks like he could have been a good addition to Southampton. Last season, the England U21 international won 3.3 aerial duels per league game (via WhoScored), more than any player in the Saints’ squad bar Jannik Vestergaard (also 3.3).

However, with Ralph Hasenhuttl stating that the south coast club are indeed looking at players who will cost £10m or less, a deal always seemed unlikely.

West Ham United are reportedly set to submit an offer for Matheus Pereira…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Portuguese journalist Pedro Almeida, who delivered a fresh update on the Irons’ pursuit of the West Brom playmaker to Twitter, where he revealed: “West Ham prepares an offer of around 20M€ + 2M€ bonus to present to West Brom by Matheus Pereira.”

The £13.5m-rated attacking midfielder has also been linked to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal, by whom he is said to be tempted thanks to the salary they are offering.

Pereira has been widely regarded as an alternative option to last season’s loan star Jesse Lingard, and with the England international seemingly unlikely to return to the London Stadium, interest in the Brazilian has ramped up considerably in the past week.

Moyes needs him

As mentioned above, the Hammers have a gigantic void to fill in attacking midfield as one of the stars of 2020/21 is unlikely to be playing in the claret and blue this term.

Lingard rated out as David Moyes’ second-best player, as per WhoScored figures, despite only joining the club in January. He provided nine goals and five assists, playing an integral role in the Irons qualifying for the Europa League with a sixth-place finish.

Only two other players scored more goals than the Manchester United loanee, and they had a full season to reach that number.

Pereira may have been relegated at West Brom but he was one of their shining lights and he proved that he belongs at this level by registering 11 goals and six assists in what was his maiden campaign in the Premier League.

He actually accounted for 48% of all of the Baggies’ goals scored, which is hardly a surprise as the versatile 5 foot 9 dynamo averaged 2.1 key passes per 90 – a number which exceeded every player in Moyes’ squad, including Lingard (1.1), Aaron Cresswell (1.6) and Said Benrahma (1.7), as per WhoScored.

The 25-year-old maestro, who earns around £30k-per-week, has previously been hailed as a “genius” with unseen technical ability as well as a “special talent”, which only adds further reasoning to why Moyes may well have turned his attentions to him in recent weeks.

For around £17m, West Ham could do little wrong in securing the Baggies star in this transfer window. He may well provide that missing spark needed to challenge for a place in Europe once again.

Just imagine the damage that the ten-goal Michail Antonio could do with a player like Pereira providing the service behind him. He racked up plenty of assists without a proper striker at The Hawthorns, so he could elevate to a new level with the 31-year-old in front.

GSB must look to seal this deal before kickoff in two weeks time.

AND in other news, “Moysey would be delighted if he got him” – Exclusive: Pundit drops WHU claim on £20m-rated ace…

Steven Gerrard’s reported hopes of signing Joseph Okumu for Rangers this summer appear to have been handed a boost after the confirmed that the Elfsborg centre-back wanted to leave the Swedish club, which should surely increase the chances of him ending up at Ibrox ahead of next season.

Rangers were initially linked with the 23-year-old by Football Insider back in March, with the report suggesting that the Light Blues were preparing for the exits of Filip Helander and George Edmundson this summer and are duly keen to add another centre-back to their ranks.

Whilst links with Okumu have slightly died down in recent weeks, with the Gers having also been heavily linked with Vitesse centre-back Danilho Doekhi recently, it would appear that Okumu could well be on the move this summer.

The Kenya international admitted earlier this week that he “definitely” wants to leave Elfsborg for another European club this summer, which will surely put Rangers on high alert as they prepare for next season.

He was also heavily praised by Eflsborg’s sporting director Stefan Andreasson recently, as he suggested that the 23-year-old was the best defender the Allsvenskan has ever seen, saying: “Okumu has been talked about a lot since he came to us.

“We understood that this was a very good player, then he showed maybe the whole of Sweden last year, and also Europe. It is clear that Okumu is one of the best.

“I have said it once before, that he is the best centre-back that has ever been in the Allsvenskan – you can say that sometimes.

“He is destined to have a career outside Scandinavia, which is positive. We must enjoy him as long as he’s here.”

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Therefore, it certainly seems as if he is resigned to losing Okumu this summer; and given that the Kenyan has been so highly rated, Ross Wilson would be foolish to not at least try and bring him to Rangers ahead of next season.

In other news… £94k per start: Gerrard is making the right call by axing Rangers dud, he will quickly be forgotten

Leicester City have been linked with a move for Sassuolo winger Domenico Berardi after his impressive start to Euro 2020.

What’s the story?

The 26-year-old has provided two assists in two games for Roberto Mancini’s impressive Italy side in this summer’s tournament, attracting the attention of multiple sides across the continent.

According to Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport (as reported by Sport Witness), the Foxes and fellow Premier League sides Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Berardi, with a £43 million price tag muted.

Rudkin must swoop

The pacey forward has been a standout performer for his boyhood club for many seasons now, and 2020/21 was one of his best campaigns yet.

Berardi bagged 17 goals and provided eight assists in just 30 Serie A appearances last term as Sassuolo finished in a highly respectable eighth position in the top-flight table.

He’s become synonymous for bursting down the right-hand side before cutting inside on his favoured left-foot and burying the ball into the opposition’s net.

It’s something that’s currently missing from Brendan Rodgers’ side, with Harvey Barnes and Marc Albrighton the only recognised wide men in the Foxes’ first-team squad.

AS Roma winger Cengiz Under has returned to his parent club following a disappointing 12-month loan spell at the King Power Stadium, meaning the current FA Cup holders are targeting that position this summer.

After narrowly missing out on a Champions League qualification spot for the last two consecutive seasons, Jon Rudkin must swoop for Berardi and provide Rodgers with the extra quality he needs to break into the top four.

With the likes of Jamie Vardy already plying their trade with the Midlands outfit, the addition of the 6 ft beast could be the final piece of the jigsaw that Leicester require to return to Europe’s elite cup competition.

Berardi would provide balance to the Foxes’ front line, allowing Rodgers to play with two natural attacking wide men with Barnes on the opposite flank. The duo could look to feed Vardy through the middle or go for goal themselves.

It would be an attacking trio that would strike fear into any opponent, and the club’s supporters will surely be hoping that Rudkin swoops for the 26-year-old ahead of Leicester’s domestic rivals.

And, in other news…Rudkin can find Leicester’s ideal Morgan heir in £9m-rated monster, Rodgers needs him 

Paddy Kenny says links between Everton midfielder Tom Davies and Crystal Palace are ‘really strange’.

The lowdown

Football Insider reported last week that Palace were monitoring Davies’ situation with a view to a possible move.

Davies has found first-team football hard to come by under new boss Rafael Benitez.

He’s played only 16 minutes across Everton’s first six Premier League matches.

His contract is up in less than two years’ time and there’s apparently been ‘no progress’ towards an extension.

Palace, meanwhile, may need another midfielder if Conor Gallagher returns to Chelsea at the end of his loan spell.

The latest

Kenny has urged Davies to fight for his place at Goodison Park rather than countenance a ‘big drop down’.

He reckons the Scouser has all the support he needs to succeed at his boyhood club.

“For me, that’s a big drop down anyway,” he told Football Insider. “No disrespect to Palace, but Everton are a bigger club. So it’s a really strange one, this.

“Surely he’d want to do his utmost best to try and stay at Everton and get himself into that first-team.

“He’s got the backing of the crowd and the support of all the staff there as well. That means a lot.”

The verdict

It really isn’t all that difficult to understand. Davies is struggling badly for game time at an upper mid-table outfit, so he could move to a lower mid-table side where his prospects should be significantly better.

Yes, it’s perhaps more complicated because he’s a local lad, but he shouldn’t be criticised if he chooses to put his career first, and there is also the prospect of playing under one of the greatest centre-midfielders in Premier League history at Sehurst Park.

It’s certainly hard to see him agreeing to a new deal if the current trend continues.

In other news, Palace have been linked with this Championship ace. 

Taking to Twitter, reliable reporter Fabrizio Romano has shared the latest on Torino striker Andrea Belotti in what could be a possible boost for West Ham United.

The Lowdown: West Ham eye move…

As reported, West Ham and new head of recruitment Rob Newman are eyeing a move for the Italy international in the Irons’ continued search for a back up striker.

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WestHamFans.org, as shown on NewsNow, believe that the club are lining up a ‘sensational’ swoop for the 27-year-old amid his contract dispute at Torino.

Now, taking to social media, Romano has shared the latest on Belotti in what could be a boost to West Ham’s chances.

The Latest: Romano makes claim…

Indeed, the Italian journalist says Torino’s captain has not yet accepted the last proposal to extend his current deal.

Belotti’s contract expires in 2022, meaning he could leave for free next summer, and Romano says the chances of him doing so are real.

“Andrea Belotti has chances to leave Torino as free agent next summer, as things stand now,” he explained on Twitter.

“He’s out of contract in June 2022 and he has not accepted yet last Torino proposal to extend current deal.”

The Verdict: Time to swoop?

If the Serie A forward continues to stall on fresh terms and opts to leave for free next summer, there is now question that West Ham should indeed take advantage.

Labelled as ‘unique’ by his former manager Davide Nicola, the 39-cap centre-forward has experience on the biggest stages in world football.

As well as this, Belotti is experienced in finding the back of the net, having racked up 99 goals and 26 assists in 250 Italian top flight appearances (Transfermarkt).

On a free deal, this is an absolute no brainer.

In other news: West Ham now plotting big money bid to sign 115-goal striker who Moyes personally wants, find out more here.

Crystal Palace have been tipped to sign Josh King this summer after his Everton release, and the 29-year-old could be a superb addition to Patrick Vieira’s side.

Bent tips King for Selhurst Park switch

In an exclusive interview with Football Transfer Tavern, former Palace man Marcus Bent suggested that Vieira should be looking at signing the former Bournemouth man on a free transfer this summer.

He said:

“A player that has talent. Is Palace the right move for him from Everton? I think it would be a massive signing for Crystal Palace.

“Would it be the move he wants? I’m not sure, but it’d literally get him playing and get his confidence up. He’d be playing with a team that’s fired up, new manager [Patrick] Vieira coming in, still in the Premier League.”

Would he be a good signing for Palace?

Palace have been linked with a move for King in the past, so he is clearly a player they are aware of, and his signing would represent a low-risk deal with a potentially big return, if the 29-year-old can rediscover the form he showed at Bournemouth.

During his time with the Cherries, the Norway international would contribute 53 goals and 19 assists in 184 appearances, including 16 goals in the 2016/17 Premier League campaign, which emphasises how dangerous he can be when he is at his best.

After a baffling spell at Everton where he was signed in January but made just 11 appearances from the bench totalling 138 minutes, King will be looking for a fresh start and Palace could offer him Premier League football, so it is a move that makes sense for both parties.

After he scored a brace in a game against Newcastle in 2019, former Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe was full of praise for the striker, saying:

“Josh is outstanding physically, technically and mentally – he has the complete package, a little bit of everything.”

Therefore, he definitely seems like the sort of player that Vieira would love to have in his squad for next season. He could provide healthy competition for current attacking options Wilfried Zaha, Christian Benteke and Jordan Ayew, so the French manager should definitely be looking into bringing the forward, who has 69 goals in his career thus far, to Selhurst Park on a free transfer.

And, in other news… Palace handed transfer boost with midfield dynamo, Vieira would love him