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According to a recent report from The Daily Mirror, Southampton have made a January move for striker Che Adams. The 22-year-old currently plays his football at Championship outfit Birmingham City and has done so since leaving Sheffield United back in 2016, with his excellent efforts for the Blues this term seemingly attracting the interest of new Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl.

And that’s because a recent report from The Daily Mirror suggests that the South Coast club have launched a bid for the striking sensation, who might well prove to be a replacement for current Saints forward Charlie Austin, who has been linked with a move away from St Mary’s this month (as per The Daily Telegraph).

But given just how prolific Adams has proven to be this term, Southampton needn’t worry about Austin’s possible exit were Hasenhuttl to lure the 22-year-old striker to St Mary’s.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, 29-year-old Austin is one man who has suffered from Hasenhuttl’s arrival at Southampton last month, what with the Englishman having started just twice in the Premier League under the Austrian, none of which coming in their last three league matches.

And with Danny Ings very much the main man at St Mary’s with eight goals in all competitions this season, and Shane Long very much possessing the energy needed to complement Hasenhuttl’s high-intensity style of play, regular minutes look few and far between for Austin between now and the end of the season – a move away looks to be in his best interests.

But with the 29-year-old possessing those predatory instincts to get into the right place at the right time in the penalty area, Southampton could well miss Austin’s prolific nature in front of goal as the season wears on – but no such worries would be had were Adams to join the club.

The 22-year-old may never have played Premier League football in his short career to date, but the striker has proven to be quite the Championship forward in the last few months to emphasise his bright future in the game.

The Englishman has bagged 14 goals in just 28 league games for Garry Monk’s Blues this term to represent his best season in front of goal since moving to St Andrew’s – in fact, only four players have netted more in the second tier than Adams so far this season.

And with nine goals last term for the Midlanders and seven the campaign before, the 22-year-old has threatened to go on and really produce the goods for Birmingham in his short time at the club, doing so this time round to highlight just what a talent he is, and how far he could go in the game.

And in a Southampton side that have somewhat struggled for goals in the last 18 months or so, and potentially losing arguably their most natural goal-scorer in Austin, Adams could well flourish in the Premier League – he is clearly a striker on the upward trajectory.

And while potentially losing Austin may come as a disappointment to some Southampton fans, they needn’t worry about his possible exit were Hasenhuttl to get a deal done for Birmingham’s Adams.

Southampton fans… what do you think? Let us know!

Aston Villa have been linked with Inter Milan’s Stefan de Vrij, and it’s a move that Steven Gerrard simply has to make. 

This article is part of The Transfer Tavern’s The Gossip series, where we analyse players and managers based on praise and criticism from past and present.

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Football Insider reported on Saturday afternoon that Villa are monitoring the Dutchman as they look to sign an ‘A-list centre-back’ in the summer transfer window. De Vrij is into the final 18 months of his contract at the San Siro and Transfermarkt value him at £31.5m.

The same publication has previously reported that Gerrard had deemed Ezri Konsa too inconsistent and resolved to upgrade on him in the summer.

The manager

When he was in charge of the Dutchman at Inter Milan, Antonio Conte showered De Vrij with praise.

He talked up the defender’s reliability and importance and even compared him to Leonardo Bonucci, who was named in the FIFPro World XI in 2017 and, more impressively still, in the IFFHS Men’s Team of the Decade for the 2010s.

Placing De Vrij in that bracket is clearly a huge compliment.

The pundit

During last summer’s European Championship, Dutch pundit Kees Kwakman waxed lyrical about the defender.

He claimed that the Inter colossus ‘can do anything’ that’s asked of him as a defender and argued that he was more dependable than team-mate Matthijs de Ligt, the second most expensive defender in football history.

Kwakman said that the 30-year-old may not look ‘that strong’ or ‘that fast’ to the naked eye, but appearances can be deceptive.

The journalist

BBC Sport journalist Raj Chohan tweeted last summer that De Vrij had been ‘the best CB in Serie A overall’ in 2019/20 and 2020/21.

He then went a step further, declaring that the former Lazio man deserved to be recognised as ‘one of the best CBs in the world’.

Based on these compliments, if the Dutch centre-back were to join Aston Villa, he’d be arriving at Bodymoor Heath with some pretty glowing endorsements from respected figures in management and media.

In other news, these blockbuster Villa links have also emerged

With almost two weeks gone in the 2022 January transfer window, Villa have managed to secure a loan agreement for Philippe Coutinho and are currently in negotiations to sign Everton left-back Lucas Digne, showing just how keen the Midlands club are at improving their squad wherever possible.

However, there have been some departures from the club, one of which being defender Axel Tuanzebe, who had his loan spell at Villa cut short from Manchester United and has since moved to Italian club Napoli after failing to get assurances from Steven Gerrard about his playing time.

Taking this into account, it has led Villa journalist Gregg Evans to share a claim regarding the club’s January transfer plans for the remainder of the window which may delight a lot of fans and Gerrard.

What’s the news?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Evans had this to say on the matter, confirming an exciting development in their plans for the winter.

He said: “They’re obviously going to be short on centre-backs with Axel Tuanzebe moving. So, that will be an area they look at now. In terms of who they’re after at centre-back, I don’t know yet, but there’s still 20-odd days in the window to go.”

Delight for Gerrard

Since joining Villa once again on loan back in the previous summer transfer window, Tuanzebe had played in seven league games under former Villa boss Dean Smith but was only given eight minutes of league action since Gerrard was appointed back in mid-November, proving why a move away was probably the best option for him.

In an ideal world, Villa will be able to sign a centre-back this month that will not only be able to take Tuanzebe’s place in the squad but also be able to rival the likes of Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings for a regular spot in Gerrard’s starting XI. However, that may be difficult to find.

Though, given Villa’s early activity in the window, this will surely give a lot of fans some hope that their club will be able to sign a suitable central defender before the window closes, in turn providing their manager with enough strength and depth in that position to go full throttle throughout the remainder of the season and end as high up the table as they can.

It’s evident the Villans could do with some more options in that third of the pitch and if Johan Lange does add more bodies to the defence, it will surely leave Gerrard and his coaching staff elated at how January has panned out.

There aren’t too many holes in the Liverpudlian’s squad but Villa’s backline clearly lacks the necessary talent.

In other news: Gerrard can repeat AVFC’s Coutinho masterclass by signing “relentless” 69-goal machine – opinion

Leeds United are reportedly lining up a bid for John Swift this January…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Football Insider, who claim the Yorkshire giants are keen on landing the Reading midfielder during the winter transfer window as he enters the final six months of his current contract.

The Championship outfit previously put a £7m price tag on his head amid interest from Marcelo Bielsa and co in the summer but that valuation may well have dropped given his contractual situation – January will be the last time the Royals can secure a fee for him.

It’s thought that director of football Victor Orta is scouring the market for an attacking no.8 and it seems as if Swift fits the bill nicely.

Hernandez heir, finally?

Indeed, the 26-year-old maestro – once on the books at Chelsea – has been one of the second flight’s best players this season.

After missing the bulk of last season with a pair of serious hamstring problems, Swift has bounced back in an exciting fashion by providing the Championship strugglers with eight goals and nine assists from 21 appearances.

It somewhat echoes his form from the 2019/20 campaign, where he directly contributed towards 16 goals across 41 games.

He is by far and away Reading’s best talent, topping the WhoScored charts with a 7.40 average rating. Swift is also managing a whopping three key passes per game, making him the Championship’s most creative talent, on top of 1.9 dribbles per match, too.

That makes him a prime candidate to solve Marcelo Bielsa’s attacking midfield woes. It could be argued that United failed to replace the reliable influence of Pablo Hernandez, who left in the summer.

Only five teams have scored fewer goals than Leeds this season. No player has registered more than two assists, with Raphinha leading the way for key passes per game (1.8) – still some way off Swift’s impressive form.

Bielsa is said to be a huge fan of the Reading dynamo, according to the reliable Phil Hay of The Athletic, so he should be trusted if he wants him at Elland Road in January.

“[It] was interesting to see John Swift linked over the weekend because Swift is someone Bielsa quietly admires,” he revealed last month.

Therefore, the attacking midfielder who has been lauded as a “grafter” and as being “super-talented”, should be one of Orta’s biggest priorities heading into 2022.

Leeds could well finally replace Hernandez with a bargain swoop for Swift this winter.

AND in other news, Bielsa can finally axe Leeds’ “absolute disaster” by signing “spectacular” 5 ft 9 gem this winter…

Tanguy Ndombele’s days are surely numbered at Tottenham Hotspur after another disastrous outing resulted in a torrent of boos from the crowd on Sunday afternoon.

Spurs edged into the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 3-1 victory over League One minnows Morecambe but that was after the Frenchman was withdrawn by manager Antonio Conte.

The introduction of Harry Kane and Lucas Moura changed the game and spared the Lilywhites their blushes.

Ndombele, who was graded as SofaScore’s lowest-rated outfield player for either side, was withdrawn in the 69th minute to a raucous reaction from the home supporters. He trudged off slowly as the volume of the boos increased and went straight down the tunnel – that will surely anger the Italian head coach.

Considering the £34m-rated midfielder cost a club-record £55m over two-and-a-half years ago, the 24-year-old should be picking apart a side of the Shrimpers’ quality – with all due respect.

Indeed, the expensive flop, who ex-goalkeeper Joe Hart once dubbed “unplayable” cut an uninterested figure throughout the game and that drew criticism from the press box.

‘Booed off by his own fans after trudging towards the touchline when he was replaced by Kane. It felt terminal and you wonder if that’s the last we’ll see of him in a Spurs shirt. Followed an ineffective display,’ wrote the Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick in his post-match column.

Ndombele won just one of his six duels (16%), a rather weak effort up against a team two divisions below. Elsewhere, he failed to register a single shot on target, key pass, tackle or interception, via SofaScore.

According to Italian transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Spurs are “looking for a solution to sell or loan out” the former Lyon dynamo, so after these latest antics, it could well be the beginning of the end for Ndombele at the club.

That, at the very least, should be the last time that he gets to put on a Tottenham shirt.

AND in other news, Spurs dealt major injury blow ahead of  Chelsea clash…

Manchester United will be aiming to maintain their unbeaten start under new interim manager Ralf Rangnick when they travel to Carrow Road to take on Norwich City in the Premier League this evening.

The Red Devils secured an encouraging 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace in the 63-year-old’s first game in charge before a second-string side held Young Boys to a 1-1 draw in the Champions League in midweek.

Rangnick is expected to make multiple changes once again for the trip to Norfolk, but he could be without a couple of first team players due to injury and illness.

In Friday’s press conference, the German revealed that Aaron Wan-Bissaka picked up a couple of knocks on Wednesday night, while experienced midfielder Nemanja Matic is suffering from a cold.

It remains to be seen if the duo are able to play any part against Norwich, and they could join long-term absentees Paul Pogba, Raphael Varane and Edinson Cavani on the sidelines.

With that in mind, here’s how Football FanCast expects United to line up for the intriguing clash with the Canaries…

David de Gea is set to keep his place between the sticks after enjoying a stellar campaign, but Dean Henderson’s promising showing against Young Boys will have piled the pressure back on the 31-year-old.

Ahead of the Spain international is set to be a back four made up on Alex Telles, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and Diogo Dalot.

Luke Shaw made a successful return from concussion in midweek, but he is likely to be eased back into action, especially after Telles’ eye-catching performance against Palace last weekend.

The usually dependable duo of Fred and Scott McTominay will once again form the base of the midfield for Rangnick, providing a solid foundation from which the forward players can attack.

The boss will have a big call to make over the composition of his forward line, though. The £76.5m-rated Marcus Rashford is currently enduring a seven-game goal drought and may be dropped to the bench as a result.

In his place, Mason Greenwood may get the opportunity to impress after a wonderful strike in midweek, with Cristiano Ronaldo partnering him up front and Jadon Sancho and Bruno Fernandes lining up out wide.

In other news… Big blow: Man Utd suffer late selection setback ahead of Norwich clash, Rangnick will be gutted

A number of Liverpool fans are delighted after a club tweet showed Harvey Elliott making more positive progress in his injury recovery.

The Reds have experienced bad luck with injuries to midfielders so far this season, with Jurgen Klopp struggling to get a settled unit on the pitch. Liverpool are currently without Naby Keita, James Milner and Curtis Jones, as well as Elliott, who has been missing since September.

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The 18-year-old suffered a dislocated ankle in the 3-0 win away to Leeds United two months ago, with a long spell on the sidelines expected after confirmation of the injury.

Elliott seems to be making impressive progress, though, and on Thursday, an official club tweet showed the midfielder working hard in the gym, not looking a million miles away from a return to action.

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Liverpool fans react to Elliott latest

It is promising footage which has got some Liverpool supporters excited – these fans took to Twitter to show their delight at seeing Elliott taking the next steps in his recovery.

“Tears in my eyes…”

Credit: @joeeyson

“Oh yeah”

Credit: @barrnnss

“Like a new signing”

Credit: @BobTetteh

“This is great to see”

Credit: @dantunna

“Our comeback is soon”

Credit: @KD1892

“Starboy”

Credit: @NegusSabali

In other news, some Liverpool fans have gone wild over one transfer claim. Read more here.

Both Aston Villa left-back Lucas Digne and striker Danny Ings are expected to be fine after the former was withdrawn early in Saturday’s 2-1 Premier League defeat away at Wolves whilst the latter missed the game.

What’s the story?

Villa boss Steven Gerrard confirmed to the press after his side’s defeat that Digne was withdrawn because the Frenchman was dealing with a stomach issue but is expected to be in contention for next week’s game against Tottenham Hotspur.

The 28-year-old managed just 13 minutes at Molineux and had only recently returned from a hamstring injury that saw the Frenchman play just ten minutes against West Ham and miss the home defeat to Arsenal prior to the international break.

As for Ings, the 29-year-old became a father for the first time and had had little sleep, with Gerrard preventing the Englishman from playing.

Supporters will be buzzing

Having paid Premier League rivals Everton a reported fee of £25m for Digne’s services in January, there’s no doubt that the Frenchman is Gerrard’s first-choice left-back by some margin and thus, news that his issue is not long-term will leave the fanbase elated.

Initial first-choice Matt Targett subsequently joined Newcastle United on loan for the remainder of the season, making 36-year-old Ashley Young the only other option on the left-hand side of the defence.

Moreover, the veteran scored an own goal against Wolves on Saturday after replacing the Frenchman and is yet to sign a contract extension with his current deal set to expire this summer. Digne’s position is incredibly settled.

Therefore, any more absences from the winter signing could prove detrimental to Villa’s plans for the remainder of the season as the West Midland’s outfit targets their first top-half finish in the top-flight since the 2010/11 season.

According to SofaScore, the 28-year-old has averaged a rating of 6.91 in the Premier League this season whilst also making 1.7 tackles per game as well as 1.1 interceptions and 1.9 clearances.

Moreover, Digne wins over half of his duels with a 54% success rate as well as completing over a third of dribbles at 38%. However, his passing could be improved with the left-back’s current accuracy at 76%.

The France international has also kept three clean sheets in nine appearances for the Villans as well as registering an assist against his former employers Everton.

As for Ings, the striker was also subject to a £25m fee when bought from Southampton last summer, however, his start to life in the West Midlands hasn’t gone exactly to plan.

Having scored 13 goals last term and 25 the season before, the Villa forward has just five goals this term in claret and blue.

Since taking over from Dean Smith at Villa Park, one of the biggest puzzles Gerrard has tried to solve has been trying to find a system that compliments the strengths of both Ollie Watkins and Ings, with the former scoring his eighth club goal of the season against Wolves as well as netting for England on Tuesday.

Naturally, the English manager will want as many of his players available for the run-in and knowing that both Digne and Ings will be okay will be a relief to all those associated with Aston Villa.

In other news: Forget Young: “Stupid” Aston Villa dud who lost 71% duels was a liability v Wolves

With a loan deal for Philippe Coutinho now agreed, Aston Villa now have the opportunity to focus on signing other players who Steven Gerrard feels would improve his squad.

One player to whom the club could turn their attention and realistically get through the door before the end of the month is Liverpool defender Nathaniel Phillips.

In a recent article from The Athletic by James Pearce, it was claimed that the 24-year-old “is attracting plenty of interest from both Premier League and Serie A clubs”.

The report also claimed that the Merseysiders have already rejected a bid of £7m from an unnamed top-flight club for him, with Liverpool having set their asking price set at £15m.

Additionally, the report named Villa as one of the Premier League sides who are in the market for a centre-back this month, so there’s every possibility that the Midlands club could launch a move for Phillips in the coming weeks if they feel he could improve their squad.

Taking into account how Villa have said goodbye to Axel Tuanzebe after his loan spell at Villa Park was cut short this week, there certainly is room for a new centre-back such as Phillips, who is currently valued at £7.2m by Transfermarkt, to come in and try and secure a place in Gerrard’s team.

Also, with a recent poll ran by Football FanCast revealing that 67% of Villa fans think Tyrone Mings is a liability for the team after his performance in their recent 3-1 defeat against Chelsea – when he was at fault for Romelu Lukaku’s goal – this could pave the way for Gerrard to sign Phillips this month and create a solid centre-back partnership alongside Ezri Konsa, potentially fixing the issue of their leaky defence, with 30 goals conceded in 19 league games.

With just four appearances under his belt for Liverpool across all competitions so far this season, a potential move to Villa could be very appealing for Phillips, who has been labelled as a “monster” on the pitch by Jurgen Klopp. If he would be guaranteed regular game-time under Gerrard’s guidance, it would benefit Liverpool at the same time by reaping what they see as a suitable transfer fee for him.

With Villa also being linked with a move for fellow Liverpool centre-back Joe Gomez, Phillips could be a much easier deal to secure given the Merseyside club’s reported willingness to sell him this month.

In other news – “What they’re looking at..”: Journalist drops Villa transfer claim, fans will be buzzing

Liverpool are reportedly looking to tie left-winger Sadio Mane down a new contract. 

Speaking on the Here We Go podcast, Fabrizio Romano revealed that the Reds are preparing to meet with the player’s camp to discuss fresh terms.

Mane last signed a contract extension back in November 2018, and his deal is up at the end of 2022/23.

Mane’s LFC career recapped

Mane joined Liverpool from Southampton in 2016 has gone on to make 234 appearances, scoring 106 goals and winning four major trophies.

Manager Jurgen Klopp has showered Mane with praise, calling him ‘unbelievable’ and ‘world-class’.

The Senegalese international is the Reds’ second top-scorer this term with nine goals in 16 outings.

Mohamed Salah leads the way on 16 goals, and intriguingly his contract is also up in 2023.

Fan feed Anfield Edition relayed Romano’s claim, and here’s how a selection of supporters responded.

Fans flock to Mane contract news

“Mo Salah next inshallah”

Credit: @lfc_football66

“The OG front three must stay”

Credit: @qaz1f

“YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS”

Credit: @SeanMG27

“GO GET THAT BAG KING”

Credit: @RoloRed05

“Give him 200k a week, he won’t be asking for more since he’s a great human being who uses the money for others and not himself”

Credit: @Tierniesta

“Yay!!”

Credit: @nimalamap

In other news, fans were pleased by this team selection hint ahead of Porto.