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Southampton have recently been tipped to sign West Ham centre-back Issa Diop, and the Frenchman could be the ideal replacement for Jannik Vestergaard in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side should the Denmark international leave St Mary’s this summer.

What’s the word?

Southampton were linked with a move for the former Toulouse defender by Foot Mercato earlier this month, and former Saints player Carlton Palmer has now suggested that the 24-year-old could be an excellent addition to Hasenhuttl’s squad.

He told This Is Futbol: “I think that would be a good move. Again, Diop wants to play, he would play regular football at Southampton, and it would be a good move for both parties.”

Could Diop replace Vestergaard at Southampton?

Vestergaard has attracted a lot of interest this summer after an impressive campaign with Southampton, before playing a key role for Kasper Hjulmand’s Denmark side as they reached the semi-finals of the European Championship.

Roma currently look to be the main contenders to sign him, with Jose Mourinho clearly keen on the former Borussia Monchengladbach man as Spurs were also heavily linked before the 58-year-old was sacked at the north London club.

After a tricky start at Southampton, the 28-year-old is now one of the first names on the teamsheet for Hasenhuttl as his passing has drastically improved from previous seasons, whilst his 1.99m (6 foot 6) frame obviously makes him a threat in both boxes, evidenced by his three Premier League goals last season.

However, his current contract is set to expire at the end of next season, and with no extension on the horizon, it would perhaps not be a surprise to see him depart this summer, which suggests that a replacement needs to be brought in.

Diop may have lost his regular starting place in West Ham’s side last season, making just 18 appearances in the Premier League, but he is still only 24 and has emphasised in the past that he can be a top defender when he is on form.

After an impressive performance for the Hammers against Manchester United in 2018, Mourinho labelled the £16.2m-rated Diop a “monster”, which suggests that the Frenchman could replace the aerial therat offered by Vestergaard in this Southampton side.

Indeed, like the Danish defender, the Irons centre-back also has a happy knack for popping up with headed goals.

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Therefore, if a deal can be done with David Moyes’ side this summer and Vestergaard is sold, then Southampton should definitely be looking to bring in Diop as his replacement.

In other news… Southampton look set for third signing as player confirms exciting update

Football Insider pundit Paddy Kenny has been reacting to Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic transfer comments.

The Lowdown: Sky Sports comments

Postecoglou is yet to bring a right-back to Parkhead this summer but revealed to Sky Sports last week that it is a ‘key area’ to bolster and admitted he has “three plan As” when it comes to right-back additions.

George Baldock, Aurelio Buta and Josip Juranovic are three right-backs who have been linked with a move to Celtic Park this summer, however, as we know, none of those have signed for the Hoops yet.

Postecoglou had to use Anthony Ralston in both legs of Celtic’s Champions League qualifier with FC Midtjylland, a tie the Hoops lost.

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The Latest: Kenny reacts

Kenny was quizzed by Football Insider about Postecoglou’s comments in Sky Sports’ post.

This is what the 43-year-old had to say, believing it makes sense for the Hoops boss to have three targets.

“I think you have to hedge your bets.

“If there are Premier League clubs interested in these players then, with no disrespect to Celtic, I can’t see them getting first dibs.

“So it makes sense to have three options in each area. You’ve always got to have a plan A, B and C. That’s exactly what they need.

“It’s handy just in case one or two of them don’t come off. At least you’ve then got something and you’re not leaving yourself short at the start of the season.”

The Verdict: Two are needed

With Ralston and Lee O’Connor Postecoglou’s only options at right-back, it may make sense to bring in two new additions to bolster that department before the window slams shut.

Ralston has made just 22 appearances in green and white in four years, whereas O’Connor is yet to make his debut.

So, bringing in two of possibly Baldock, Buta and Juranovic, all of which have way more experience than the Celtic duo, could be key for the Hoops to succeed this season.

In other news: ‘Celtic are finally closing in’ – Devlin’s transfer post on ace with ‘excellent final ball’. 

“If he’s good enough, he’s old enough” was the verdict of ex-Tottenham captain Graham Roberts when asked whether Dane Scarlett will be given senior opportunities next season.

The teenage striker only signed his first professional contract back in March, but is highly-rated by those in north London and is expected to soon be making an impact in the first-team.

Scarlett became Spurs’ youngest player in their history when he came off the bench in the Europa League last term, one of three first-team appearances he made under Jose Mourinho, including his Premier League debut against West Brom.

Despite having the likes of Harry Kane ahead of him, the 17-year-old isn’t expected to head out on loan, and has already made an impact in pre-season, scoring the opener against Leyton Orient earlier this month before seeing an effort ruled out for offside four days later at Colchester.

With Tottenham’s seventh-place finish seeing them qualify for the Conference League, the third tier of European football, Roberts is confident Scarlett will get his fair share of chances under Nuno Espirito Santo.

He exclusively told The Transfer Tavern:

“Yes, you’ve got the League Cup; you’ve got the Conference League. He’s a young kid, only 17-years-old, but if he’s good enough, he’s old enough.”

The Athletic journalist Jordan Campbell has revealed that Fashion Sakala missed Glasgow Rangers’ clash with Dundee United on Saturday with a minor injury.

The Lowdown: Gers suffer defeat

After going 38 games unbeaten in the Premiership last term (thefishy.co.uk), it took the Gers just two matches to suffer their first league defeat of this campaign (Sky Sports).

They were beaten 1-0 by Dundee United, a game in which new signing Sakala did not feature.

The Latest: Sakala injured

In an article for The Athletic covering the Gers’ loss to the Tangerines, Campbell provided an update on the Zambia international.

He revealed that £3.6m-valued Sakala (Transfermarkt) suffered a minor injury and was therefore not included in the matchday squad as a result.

The Verdict: Worrying

This is worrying news for the Gers. While the sample size is not yet too big, the only match in three outings the Gers have managed to win this season is also the only one Sakala has started (Transfermarkt). While the defeat to Dundee United is far from positive, it is the impact that his potential absence could have on their next match which will likely be playing on Steven Gerrard’s mind.

The Gers face Malmo in the return leg of their Champions League third qualifying round tie on Tuesday. They lost the first match 2-1 in Sweden and therefore need to win at Ibrox to progress to the next stage. Gerrard will surely be hoping Sakala will be available, but in light of Campbell’s revelation of a minor injury for the 24-year-old, it remains to be seen whether he can play in the fixture.

In other news, Rangers are said to be ready to listen to offers for this man.

A number of Liverpool supporters are unhappy about Jurgen Klopp’s comments regarding the Reds’ pursuit of a central midfielder.

It has been a quiet summer in the transfer market for the Reds, with centre-back Ibrahima Konate still the only signing made to date.

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Meanwhile, Gini Wijnaldum has departed for Paris Saint-Germain, leaving a potential void in the middle of the park at Anfield.

The Dutchman may not have always provided goals and assists from midfield, but there is no doubting his impact during his time at Anfield, racking up 237 appearances and rarely ever missing time through injury.

Speaking in his pre-Norwich press conference on Friday [via journalist Paul Gorst on Twitter], a spiky Klopp played down the need to sign a new midfielder, rattling off the options at his disposal.

The Liverpool manager’s comments suggest the Reds won’t be bringing in anyone to replace Wijnaldum, which may not go down well with many.

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Liverpool fans unhappy with Klopp’s remarks

These Liverpool fans took to Twitter to show their unhappiness at Klopp’s comments, suggesting a new midfielder should be arriving.

“He’s gone mad somebody stop him”

Credit: @JCJlfc

“Bold of him to assume Naby can stay fit for two weeks”

Credit: @rebekkarnold

“Yep he’s finished”

Credit: @lfcJxn

“REPLACE YOUR MOST USED MIDFIELDER LAST SEASON”

Credit: @Alfieoclfc

“He’s just winding us up at this point”

Credit:@Maahir_J

“No, more depth you plank”

Credit: @ftblmichael

In other news, a journalist has provided an update on Leeds’ attempts to sign one player. Find out who it is here.

Steve Parish and Crystal Palace will not budge on Wilfried Zaha’s valuation, former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer has told The Transfer Tavern.

Zaha had been strongly linked with both Tottenham and Everton at the end of last season but nothing is yet to materialise.

The latter’s interest dates back to 2019 where they had an offer rejected for the player, which was confirmed by the club (via Liverpool Echo).

Transfer insider Dean Jones, speaking on the Football Terrace, has claimed that Spurs are still looking at Zaha ahead of deadline day. Palmer, though, has warned them and other outfits not to expect a discount.

“Steve Parish is one of those guys. He won’t budge on this,” the ex-Leeds United player said. “If he’s said it’s 50 million, for example, it’s 50 million. So it’s for the clubs now to trigger that.”

While you would never rule anything out, it would be a surprise to see Tottenham splash out on Zaha in this moment of time.

Nuno Espirito Santo currently has the likes of Son Heung-min, Lucas Moura and Steven Bergwijn for those attacking positions, the trio all impressing in that recent 1-0 win against Manchester City.

They have also just brought in Bryan Gil from Sevilla so are hardly lacking in that area of the pitch right now.

Tottenham Hotspur have hit a major stumbling block in their attempts to sign Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic, as Atletico Madrid have reportedly agreed a £60million fee for his services [Corrierre dello Sport via The Boot Room].

The Lowdown: Kane rumours intensify

With the future of star man Harry Kane still as uncertain as ever amid interest from Manchester City [Manchester Evening News], the Lilywhites will have consulted contingency options should the worst-case scenario evolve and their talisman leave the club this summer.

One such contingency plan is Vlahovic, who is allegedly a priority target for the north London outfit and managing director Fabio Paratici.

Despite this, they may now miss out on one of their main offensive targets if recent reports are to be believed.

The Latest: Spurs look set to miss out

In a crushing blow to the North London side, Atletico Madrid and Fiorentina have successfully come to an arrangement in a deal worth around £60m for the 21-year-old [Corriere dello Sport via The Boot Room].

It is believed that the last step in sanctioning the transfer will be seeking the approval of La Viola chairman Rocco Commisso.

The 6 foot 3 colossus was also mooted to be attracting the attention of Arsenal in recent weeks.

The Verdict: Losing out on Vlahovic is a bitter blow

Needing to beef up their forward line with whether Kane goes or not, losing out on Vlahovic would come as a bitter blow to the Tottenham Hotspur hierarchy.

In 2020/21, he was in superb form for Fiorentina, registering 23 goal contributions in 40 outings; 21 goals and two assists [Transfermarkt].

Furthermore, his aerial presence has been a constant thorn in the side of opposition rear-guards, managing to win 3.1 duels in the air across last term [WhoScored] – he would seemingly have no issues at all adapting to the pace and physicality on offer in England.

Once labelled as ‘incredible’ by Serie A expert Conor Clancy, Spurs look to have missed the boat on a supremely talented forward [This is Futbol].

In other news, Tottenham are in advanced talks with another Serie A ace. Read more about it here.

Considering the absolute mess that Derby County are currently in away from the pitch, the results that Wayne Rooney’s Rams side have been picking up in the Championship so far this season have been rather impressive.

Indeed, while a win, two draws and a loss are by no means groundbreaking returns in normal circumstances, considering the 35-year-old manager has just 17 fit outfield players to pick from, the fact that Derby are currently sitting comfortably in midtable is a rather remarkable feat.

The club’s most recent result, a 0-0 draw with a very solid Middlesbrough side, while perhaps not being the most exciting game in Derby’s history, was yet further evidence that Rooney is indeed a very steady hand on the wheel of a rather unpredictable ship.

However, while there were a number of impressive performances in the Derby ranks on Saturday, there was one player who caught the eye for all the wrong reasons – Louie Sibley.

Indeed, over his 64 minutes on the pitch, the 19-year-old managed just one shot, completed 11 of his 16 attempted passes and failed to find his man with his one attempted cross and his two attempted long balls.

The £2.7m-rated midfielder also gave away possession of the ball on 12 occasions, lost all 11 of his duels and touched the ball a grand total of 25 times – 12 times fewer than the Derby County goalkeeper, Kelle Roos.

These returns saw the England U20 international earn an extremely disappointing SofaScore match rating of 5.9, ranking him as the worst performer of any player to feature in the match.

As such, while Rooney does not exactly have a wealth of options waiting to replace Sibley in his squad, should the 19-year-old wish to keep his spot in the 35-year-old’s starting XI going forwards, he will certainly have to up his game in his side’s Carabao Cup clash with Sheffield United on Tuesday night.

In other news: Derby dealt big blow over “outstanding” £35k-p/w ace, Rooney will be livid with Morris

Newcastle United are now reportedly weighing up a cut-price move to sign Jack Hendry before the summer transfer window ends.

The Lowdown: Centre-back wanted

The St. James’ Park faithful are clearly after a new central defender, with the likes of Phil Jones and Mouctar Diakhaby being linked so far this month.

However, with so little time left in the window remaining, any deal will have to be done fast in order to bring them to the North East.

The Latest: Hendry eyed

As per The Daily Mail, the Tyneside club are one of a number of sides to have made enquiries over the possibility of signing Hendry, along with Burnley, Southampton, West Brom and Sheffield United, while Torino are also interested in his signature.

Oostende value their player at around the £8m mark but a deal could be done for around £4m, which has put a lot of teams on alert.

The Verdict: Sign

Given that could be available for half of his value, the Magpies should not be breaking a sweat in trying to get this Hendry deal done.

Described as a ‘natural leader’ by Oostende manager Alexander Blessin back in November, he is currently the captain of his side – despite only joining last year – and so would bring leadership qualities both on the pitch as well as on it.

He has also started the 2021/22 season off well, winning no fewer than five of his duels per game in the Belgium Pro League, while also averaging 4.6 clearances, 1.2 interceptions and 1.2 tackles per match (Sofascore).

Nonetheless, the Scotland international would certainly be a smart purchase by the Toon.

In other news, find out whose display against Southampton was criticised here!

Everton’s negotiations with FC Porto for winger Luis Diaz have stalled, according to journalist Ryan Taylor.

The Lowdown: Diaz links

Rumours regarding a Merseyside switch for Diaz appeared to be positive on Friday.

Taylor claimed that discussions over a deal for the 24-year-old were on the right track, however, the involvement of James Rodriguez in a potential transfer has now complicated things on deadline day.

It now seems as if Rafa Benitez will miss out on the Colombian altogether on deadline day.

The Latest: Taylor’s twist

Taylor took to Twitter on Tuesday evening to provide four pieces of Toffees-related transfer news, one of which was on Diaz.

He claimed that negotiations have stalled and a move would have to be revisited down the line.

“Everton transfer update… #EFC – Salomón Rondón deal reportedly close, chasing confirmation. – Ainsley Maitland-Niles staying at #Arsenal. – Luis Díaz negotiations stalled. Could be revisited in future. – Niels Nkounkou undergone Standard Liege medical, straight loan.”

The Verdict: Not ideal

It’s clear that Diaz was a player Everton wanted to bring in this summer, so missing out on him isn’t exactly ideal, with little depth on the wings for Benitez now.

Salomon Rondon could well be the club’s only late addition, which would take the total tally of signings to five, and take some pressure of Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

The Toffees haven’t spent much at all this summer though and a move for Diaz could have been useful alongside Demarai Gray and Andros Townsend, but it seems as if that now won’t be happening.

Is the addition of Rondon as some depth up front enough to satisfy the Goodison Park faithful?

Find out how James Rodriguez’s involvement has complicated things with Diaz here…