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The return of the Premier League this weekend after the latest international break sees Southampton take on Leeds United at St Mary’s on Saturday, with both teams having had rather disappointing starts to the campaign.

The Saints’ previous league outing before the break saw them fall to a 3-1 defeat against Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Djenepo should start for Southampton on Saturday

One player who did not feature in Southampton’s starting XI against Chelsea but who should come in against Leeds is Moussa Djenepo, who is currently earning a weekly wage of £55k-per-week according to Spotrac.

Southampton signed the winger back in the 2019 summer transfer window on a four-year contract from Belgian club Standard Liege in a deal which could rise to £15m.

Since then, the 23-year-old – who is currently valued at £11.7m by Transfermarkt – has made 58 appearances for the Saints across all competitions, in which he has scored four goals and provided two assists along the way.

So far this season, Djenepo – who was described by teammate Nathan Redmond as being a “super-talented” player – has played in all but one of Southampton’s league games, starting four of them, but has yet to score a goal or provide an assist.

Nonetheless, he has managed to rack up 1.2 shots per game so far this season in the Premier League according to WhoScored, showing that he is still very much an attacking threat for the Saints whenever he’s on the pitch, and he could therefore be a potential game-changer against Leeds. Only four players can exceed that tally and there is a strong chance that two of them won’t feature on Saturday through either suspension (James Ward-Prowse) or injury (Che Adams).

After replacing Nathan Tella in the second half of the Chelsea game, Djenepo made two successful dribbles and won five ground duels and two tackles in just 17 minutes, ultimately seeing him earn a match rating of 6.5/10. That was higher than the likes of Tella and Redmond, both of whom started the match according to SofaScore.

Looking ahead to the Leeds clash, we feel that Hasenhuttl should go with Djenepo over Tella on the left wing to see if the Mali international can help the Saints secure their first league win of the season against Marcelo Bielsa’s side – who they would overtake in the table if they manage to do so – based on the decent showing the 23-year-old delivered off the bench against Chelsea.

In other news: Hasenhuttl must unleash “perfect” £9m-rated Southampton gem, he’s a real game-changer

With previous reports claiming that Aston Villa’s owners will provide financial backing for Steven Gerrard to make some transfer deals in the current January window to help him make his mark on the squad and improve it where he sees fit, it seems as though the club have identified a player that could help the former Rangers boss do just that.

What’s the word?

According to a recent report from Football Insider, Villa have registered their interest in signing Everton defender Lucas Digne this month with Gerrard apparently wanting to recruit a top-class left-back for his side.

Since joining Everton back in the 2018 summer transfer window from Barcelona in a deal worth a reported fee of £18m, the left-back has gone on to make 127 appearances for the Toffees across all competitions, chipping in with six goals and 20 assists, showing how much of an attacking talent he has been from the left full-back position.

Having been labelled as a player who has a “wand of a left foot” by former Villa loanee Ross Barkley in the past, Digne has found himself in a difficult situation at Goodison Park in recent weeks after a reported behind-the-scenes falling out with manager Rafa Benitez has put his future at the club in jeopardy, with a January exit looking likely for the player.

With this in mind, Digne could be the ideal player for Villa to sign and give Gerrard what he wants this month, especially as a more attack-minded full-back with Targett only managing to score three goals and provide five assists in 88 appearances for the Villans.

Also, with Villa having Matt Targett and 36-year-old Ashley Young as the only two players in their squad that predominantly play in the left-back position, it could be worth the Midlands club adding some extra quality in that position, which would surely leave a lot of Villa fans buzzing.

Taking all of this into account, it’s definitely worth Villa approaching Everton at some point this month to see if they can work out a deal that would see the 28-year-old make the move to Villa Park and potentially get his season back on track and improve Gerrard’s squad at the same time.

However, with fellow Premier League clubs Newcastle United, West Ham United and Chelsea all reportedly interested in signing the £27m-rated Frenchman this month, it could be a challenge for Villa to secure his signature.

In other news: Villa could make a move for this Serie A starlet…

Everton have found themselves in a Premier League relegation battle this season with Frank Lampard desperately trying to save them from a drop into the Championship next season, but he could be heading for disaster if reports are to be believed on Michael Keane’s future at the club.

What’s the word?

According to journalist Paul Brown, Everton will keep hold of Keane this summer due to a potential lack of interest in the player and a contract that runs until 2025.

Brown told GIVEMESPORT;

“Michael Keane and Ben Godfrey are both under contract until 2025, so I can’t see that either of those two will be moved.

“There probably wouldn’t be much of a market for Keane anyway; he’s not playing well this season.”

Major Everton nightmare

It is no secret that the Everton centre-back has had an abysmal season, with a number of serious blunders in his performances that have ultimately cost the team crucial points in their pursuit for safety in top flight football.

Keane tops the list for Premier League own goals this season with two instances where the defender has opened up the scoring for his opponents, with one goal scored against Norwich City at Carrow Road in a 2-1 defeat, and then scoring the first goal again a few weeks later for Tottenham Hotspur in the 5-0 thrashing.

The £65k-p/w centre-back, who was dubbed a “liability” by Trevor Sinclair, then proceeded to get red carded against West Ham United which saw Everton concede another defeat, proving that the player has let his team down time and time again this season with extremely poor decision making in the last few months during the most vulnerable time for the club.

If Lampard manages to secure safety for Everton this season there is no doubt that he will need to strengthen his team to ensure that they don’t find themselves in a similar position next season, and with Keane’s aforementioned mistakes hindering the team’s progress, the manager could be sleepwalking into a major nightmare by not encouraging the club to move him on this summer.

With that being said, the former Chelsea boss must do everything he can to either demote the defender to a squad player by signing a replacement or put Keane on the transfer market in an effort to sell ahead of next season as improving the squad should be the top priority this summer.

In other news: Lampard can unearth the new Terry as Everton plot bid for 19 y/o heading for “the top”

Reliable journalist Tim Spiers believes Wolves youngster Theo Corbeanu has a big future in the game, following some impressive loan spells away from Molineux.

The Lowdown: Corbeanu shining on loan

The 19-year-old is a highly thought-of figure at Wolves but he has been shipped out on loan in recent seasons, in order to enjoy more minutes elsewhere.

Corbeanu did well at Sheffield Wednesday earlier in the campaign, chipping in with two goals and assists apiece in six League One starts, before heading off to MK Dons.

He has also scored once in his first five games there, not to mention netting twice in six caps for Canada.

The Latest: Spiers excited about youngster

Taking to Twitter on Friday, Spiers waxed lyrical over Corbeanu, as he plugged an article written for The Athletic:

“They’re singing his name in the stands and waving Canada flags. Promotion with MK Dons and a World Cup with his country? Things are happening for Theo Corbeanu.”

The Verdict: One for the future

It is great to see Corbeanu thriving so much elsewhere, as he looks to eventually reach his potential and become a key figure for Wolves.

At 19, he is already showing he can produce end product in a tough, physical League One, and he has been hailed as ‘outstanding’ by Under-23s manager James Collins.

A move back to Wolves this summer could make sense, although if Bruno Lage feels another loan move would be beneficial for his development, that would be a more shrewd decision.

Staying put at Molineux and getting no minutes is of no benefit to anyone.

In other news, Spiers has also made a fresh claim regarding two Wolves players. Find out who they are here.

Aston Villa are keen on signing Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Yves Bissouma, according to Sky Sports.

As to be expected, a number of Villa fans have been giving their thoughts to the news on social media.

The Midlands club have already finalised their first marquee addition of the January transfer window by agreeing on a loan deal with Barcelona for Philippe Coutinho.

Steven Gerrard and Johan Lange now appear to be turning their attention to a holding midfielder, with Marvelous Nakamba recently undergoing knee surgery.

Bissouma has just 18 months remaining on his contract with the Seagulls, with Villa seemingly willing to take advantage of that situation this month. The 25-year-old has been with Brighton since 2018 and has made 111 appearances for the club, 15 of which have come in the current campaign.

The Mali international is renowned for his effective distribution of the ball and his tough-tackling nature. No player who has started a top-flight match for Villa this season can better his 88.8% passing success rate, while his match average of 3.6 tackles is well clear of anyone in Gerrard’s squad (John McGinn leads the way with 2.7 per game).

Villa fans react

Well-known Twitter feed @villareport shared Sky Sports’ claim regarding Villa’s interest in Bissouma on the social media website.

Here is what these supporters had to say in reply, with many buzzing over the development and one describing a potential deal as ‘huge’.

“OH MY, STEVIE IS GOING CRAZY.”

Credit: @Jack_Hurley_R

“If we get him, wow”

Credit: @GW_94

“We are huge, man”

Credit: @TommmForddd

“Incredible if we pull this off as well”

Credit: @jack_gatehouse

“PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Would have a bigger impact on the team overall than Coutinho”

Credit: @trading2b3

“DON GERRARD WHAT IS GOING ON”

Credit: @Finleysurrell1

In other news: ‘Oh my god’ – Many Villa fans erupt at who West Ham now want to sign

Kyle Lafferty has had a bit of a tough time on his return to Ibrox this season. The 31-year-old striker had bagged just four goals before yesterday, with his most recent goal coming against Cowdenbeath in the Scottish Cup in January, and before that his most recent Scottish Premier League goal coming all the way back in late September.

There has been no doubting that Alfredo Morelos is Steven Gerrard’s number one choice up front, and the January signing of Jermain Defoe has only pished Lafferty further down the pecking order. However, when the Northern Irishman came on and scored yesterday it would have given him the much-needed confidence boost that he’s been needing for a while.

The Bluenoses will hope he can put together some kind of run of form now and if he can kick on and grab some goals between now and the end of the season then it will be a welcomed bonus that would relieve some of the goalscoring burden that is so often put on Morelos. However, it won’t be easy to string together goalscoring form, and if it is to happen then the big man will need more than cameo appearances from the bench.

You can read the Gers’ reaction to Lafferty’s strike here:

The Bluenoses loved seeing their big man score and will hope there are few more to come from Lafferty this season.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) Public Investment Fund (PIF) are reportedly now ‘optimistic’ that they can sign Eden Hazard for Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: Howe’s first signing?

Eddie Howe was spotted in the stands sitting next to Amanda Staveley in the 1-1 draw away to Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday evening, perhaps implying that he will be the next permanent manager at St James’ Park.

Hazard is a player that the 43-year-old knows very well from his time managing in the Premier League, describing him as ‘outstanding’ after a top performance against his former club Bournemouth when the Belgian was playing for Chelsea.

The 30-year-old scored a very impressive 110 goals and supplied a further 92 assists in 352 games in all competitions across seven consecutive seasons at Stamford Bridge, mainly playing out on the wing (Transfermarkt).

He was not short of silverware at the Blues either, winning the Premier League and UEFA Europa League twice and lifting both the FA Cup and League Cup (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: Optimism

As per Spanish media outlet Sport, PIF have now ‘set their sights’ on Hazard and are ‘optimistic’ about signing him for Newcastle.

Carlo Ancelotti has reportedly ‘lost confidence’ in the 30-year-old, so Real Madrid will ‘open the exit door wide’ if the new owners on Tyneside can present a convincing offer to the La Liga giants.

His current deal at the Bernabeu expires in 2024, meaning that Los Blancos could get a lot of his wages off of their books.

The Verdict: Worth the risk

Of course, signing a 30-year-old Hazard, who has injury problems, so he should be given the benefit of a doubt.

His record in English football speaks for itself, and he may be up for a different challenge in trying to keep the Magpies in the top flight so that they can kick on next season.

Nonetheless, he is a big name in world football given what he has achieved, and he could well attract other stars to Tyneside if he becomes a Newcastle player.

In other news, these were NUFC’s three worst players against Brighton

Tottenham defender Davinson Sánchez has been linked with a move to Italian giants Napoli in the January transfer window, with the Colombian reportedly available for around £25m.

What’s the story?

According to Italian outlet Calcio In Pillole, the Azzurri are eyeing a move for Sánchez, with current Napoli defender Kostas Manolas due to sign for Greek outfit Olympiakos.

The 25-year-old has had mixed fortunes this season, managing just six starts in the Premier League. However, he has started Spurs’ last two games, with his stock rising under new manager Antonio Conte.

Having been bought for a reported £42m from Ajax in 2017, the defender’s form has been inconsistent, which may tempt Conte to cash in on him in order to fund new additions.

According to Transfermarkt, the defender is valued at £28.8m, but reports suggest that a fee of £25m could be enough for the north London club to part ways with the Columbian.

Last season, Sánchez was subject to criticism from pundit and former Premier League defender Kenny Cunningham, who labelled him “awful” and referred to him as a “liability” after an error-laden performance against Newcastle.

In four-and-a-half years at Tottenham, the Colombian has never recorded a seasonal WhoScored rating of more than 7.00, which indicates that he has been rather average on a consistent basis for the club.

Spurs should sell Sánchez

Should the right offer come in, Tottenham may well be tempted to cash in on Sánchez. Despite being reportedly available for just over half of what was paid for him, his long-term future under Conte appears to be in doubt.

The Colombian has only featured in the last two games because of an injury suffered by fellow centre-back Cristian Romero, putting his long-term future at the club in doubt.

Sánchez has been in and out of the Tottenham setup this season in what has been a turbulent campaign thus far with a managerial change.

Across all competitions, the 25-year-old has played 946 minutes; and before the injury to Romero, he hadn’t started a Premier League match since September.

It could be argued that Spurs could do with depth at centre-back for the rest of the season, with Conte deploying a back three, but the North London club may find it difficult to reject a lucrative offer for a player in Sánchez who has flattered to deceive during his time at N17.

In other news: Conte must unleash Spurs’ £80k-p/w “team player” tomorrow, he could terrify Liverpool

Everton are another side who are interested in Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz.

The Toffees have been name-checked with a late interest in the Brazilian by Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol (January 28th), relayed by HITC, which has caught the attention of a number of Villa fans on social media.

Luiz has been a player in demand during the final days of the January window, with both Arsenal and Tottenham keen on the 23-year-old’s services.

Villa are poised to open talks with Luiz over a new contract, though, with the central midfielder having 18 months remaining on his current deal.

According to Solhekol on Sky Sports’ live Transfer Show, Everton have shown an interest in Luiz, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Tanguy Ndombele, with the Toffees hunting midfielders after injuries to Fabian Delph and Abdoulaye Doucoure.

However, since that update, they now look set to sign Manchester United’s Donny van de Beek on loan, so it remains to be seen where that leaves their interest in the Villa man.

Villa fans react

Total Villa relayed the links regarding Everton and Luiz on Twitter. This is what these Villa fans had to say in reply, with many surprised at the rumour.

“Luiz to Everton!? If this had been last summer per Carlo going to Madrid I could have understood it. Not now.”

Credit: @TalkTrinity

“Imagine leaving Villa for that at the minute”

Credit: @DaveHin55518309

“I guess he’s missing El-Ghazi”

Credit: @Jelly31807434

“EVERTON HAHAHAHAHAHA”

Credit: @KishinJay

“We’d be nuts to let him go”

Credit: @chrisw333

“Everton couldn’t afford Luiz & why would he want a relegation scrap”

Credit: @Villaste1

In other news: Villa now keen on ‘special’ centre-back after Calum Chambers; he can also play in midfield. 

Leeds United make their long-awaited return to Premier League action this weekend and manager Marcelo Bielsa will be hoping that their fortunes change on the pitch.

After recording a top-ten finish last season, the Yorkshiremen find themselves just three points above the relegation zone after 11 matches, so with two-thirds of the campaign still to play, there’s plenty of time to find that improvement.

The Argentine has been faced with several problems over the course of the season so far, ranging from injury blows to inconsistencies in front of goal but arguably, their Achilles’ heel has been in the engine room.

And the form of long-serving favourite Mateusz Klich has to be one of the biggest causes for concern. It could be time to make a bold and brutal call on his selection, starting this Sunday when they face Tottenham Hotspur in north London.

Adam Forshaw’s recent return has certainly posed some further question marks and if the 30-year-old can stay fit, perhaps it will make the decision to axe the Poland international for the foreseeable future.

When local news outlet LeedsLive rated the current squad on the 2021/22 campaign to date, Klich was dubbed a ‘middle of the road performer who has neither dazzled or disappointed.’

Meanwhile, ex-Leeds ace Noel Whelan believes a midfield partnership of Forshaw and Kalvin Phillips will be much more beneficial to the Whites, he told Football Insider:

“He and Phillips seemed to have a really good understanding in the midfield. He gave us just a bit more presence in there, a bit more aggression. That partnership worked better than having Klich in there, it was great to see Forshaw back.”

Klich, who turns 32 next year, has been one of Bielsa’s most trusted stalwarts but his form in recent months has suddenly dropped off a cliff, almost out of nowhere.

His last two starts in the Premier League earned paltry WhoScored ratings of 6.34, which is above his seasonal average of 6.63. He failed to last the full match in either outing.

There have been calls for Klich to return to the lineup this weekend but he has not started their last two outings, in which United have looked a lot better. Maybe a coincidence but there is nothing to suggest that the £8.5m-rated Pole deserves a recall to the side.

Furthermore, there could be an argument that the £34k-per-week star is looking out of his depth in the big time and Bielsa hasn’t been afraid to make huge calls in this sense, having phased Pablo Hernandez out of the team last season.

AND in other news, Phil Hay drops claim on Leeds target who Marcelo Bielsa “quietly admires”…