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According to Sky Sports, Southampton are interested in signing Japhet Tanganga on a temporary deal from Tottenham Hotspur this summer.

The Lowdown: Saints looking to boost defensive options

After finishing in a disappointing 15th place in the Premier League last term, the Saints will be looking to improve this coming campaign, particularly at the back.

Indeed, it seems Ralph Hasenhuttl is looking to boost his defensive options – Romain Perraud (southamptonfc.com) and Danyl Simeu (chelseafc.com) have already joined, and the St. Mary’s Stadium outfit are now looking at another defender as well.

The Latest: Saints eye Tanganga

As per this latest report from Sky Sports, the Saints are looking at adding Tanganga to their squad.

Galatasaray are already said to have made an offer for the versatile 22-year-old, with Burnley also believed to be in pursuit.

The two English clubs have an advantage of the Turkish giants, as the young defender would prefer a loan move within the Premier League.

The Verdict: Interesting option

It was clear what Southampton’s weak point was last season. In 38 games in the top flight, they conceded a huge 68 goals – only relegated West Brom shipped more. With the signings of Perraud and Simeu, Hasenhuttl has of course pinpointed the problem as well.

While mainly a centre-back, £7.2m-rated Tanganga has shown his versatility by also appearing at both left-back and right-back (Transfermarkt). Former Spurs manager Jose Mourinho, who gave him his debut, called him “amazing” last year (via The Evening Standard) – he clearly has a bright spell ahead of him.

Hasenhuttl has recently stated that, even though he expects Jannik Vestergaard to stay this term, the club are awaiting offers for the Denmark international (Hampshire Live). If he does depart, Tanganga could be an interesting replacement.

In other news, Southampton fans react to this transfer link.

An update has emerged on Aston Villa target Axel Tuanzebe, regarding Manchester United’s loan fee demands for the defender.

What’s the talk?

According to The Sun, Manchester United are demanding a stunning £5m loan fee for centre-back Axel Tuanzebe.

The report claims that Aston Villa and Newcastle are both interested in the defender, but they will need to fork out a hefty sum to have the privilege of taking him on loan for a year.

Howler

Johan Lange must avoid a major howler over this deal following this update. Paying £5m to develop another club’s player for just a season would be a disastrous decision by the club and one that would surely leave fans fuming, as that money could be used to make a permanent addition to the squad.

Over the weekend, we suggested that Tuanzebe could be a shrewd addition to Dean Smith’s squad as he could come in and provide competition for Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa. The United defender could arrive and push for a spot in the starting XI, either ousting one of the aforementioned pair from the side or providing reliable, quality, depth in the centre-back position, but that would be as a permanent signing, not a £5m loanee.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer called the defender tremendous after an eye-catching display against PSG in the Champions League last term.

The Norwegian said: “Axel’s a tremendous defender, a great leader. He’s come through the academy and we’ve known for years that he’s going to be a top player for us and he’s got the character and the attitude that a Man United player should have.

Solskjaer added: “Sometimes you’ll get in a foot race with Mbappe and you have to run with him and we know Axel’s qualities, he’s a top defender.”

These type of comments go some way to showing why Tuanzebe has the potential to be a good addition, but not for the £5m fee touted for a season-long loan.

It would make more sense for Villa if an option-to-buy clause was inserted in the deal, so that they could make him a permanent member of their squad if the loan is successful – as £5m fee could be seen as a worthwhile gamble as a ‘try before you buy’.

So, unless United are open to an arrangement like that then Villa must avoid this deal. It would be a disaster for Lange to splash £5m on a player who would only be at the club for 12 months and who is not guaranteed to come in and be an instant upgrade on what they already have.

AND in other news, Newcastle must reignite interest in £14k-p/w “terrific talent”, he won’t cost a penny…

Southampton have reportedly made enquiries into the potential loan signing of Liverpool winger Takumi Minamino, according to talkSPORT.

The Japan international spent the second half of the 2020/21 season on loan with the Saints and scored two goals in ten appearances for Ralph Hasenhüttl’s side as they finished 15th in the Premier League table.

It appears as though he’s made a good impression on Southampton, who are reportedly keen to agree a deal to sign Minamino for another spell at St Mary’s this term.

It remains to be seen whether Liverpool are willing to listen to offers for the 26-year-old at this stage of the transfer window as Jurgen Klopp prepares for the upcoming Premier League campaign.

Minamino has been hailed as a ‘lively character’ by Football Insider pundit Kevin Campbell but has struggled to make his mark at Anfield, scoring just four times in 31 appearances and being limited to four Premier League starts for the Reds since joining in January 2020.

Plenty of Liverpool supporters took to social media to issue their thoughts on Southampton’s rumoured interest in signing Minamino, with some disparity among the reactions.

Take a look at the best of the replies from the Anfield Watch Twitter account below…

Liverpool fans react to Minamino loan rumours

“I really hope we keep him for incase our wingers are still on self destruct.”

Credit: @YamzyTetrum

“Be typical Liverpool to let Minamino and Ox to go to Southampton and not bring anyone in.”

Credit: @TRIGGZYBOY

“They must go look somewhere else.”

Credit: @josephmandland2

“I’d sell him for a bag of crisps.”

Credit: @Andyluiz7

“Loan to buy. FSG not standing for that.”

Credit: @Gavstar79

“Great – sell him quick.”

Credit: @GarrettODoh

“Sell, tenner. Done.”

Credit: @Alex_McGuire1

“Please, take him.”

Credit: @ynwaMattH

In other news, another rumoured loan exit hasn’t gone down well with some Liverpool fans

Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa could build an exciting midfield partnership by signing Huddersfield Town star Lewis O’Brien this summer.

What’s the story?

Journalist Alan Nixon had previously claimed on Twitter that O’Brien was “very near” to the top of the shortlist for Leeds as they look to strengthen their squad ahead of the new Premier League season.

And in recent days, The Yorkshire Evening Post’s Graham Smyth delivered an update on the situation, saying: “He’s a player Leeds actually like, one they’ve expressed genuine interest in and, all things considered, one for whom a deal should be achievable in every sense for a Premier League club like Leeds, even if the initial discussions between the two clubs failed to yield any kind of progression.

“While nothing is imminent or even on-going – all was quiet as the week began – The Yorkshire Evening Post understands the two parties were not a million miles apart in their valuation.”Imagine him and Kalvin PhillipsAs per WhoScored, O’Brien averaged two tackles and one interception per game in the Championship last season, which is only slightly less than the 2.6 tackles and 1.6 interceptions Kalvin Phillips managed per Premier League match.And it isn’t just his defensive work that really sets him apart as a potentially perfect foil for Phillips in the engine room.Former Huddersfield goalkeeper, Matt Glennon, said: “He closes down until the 95th, 96th minute, still running to the corners, stopping defenders, he’s got unlimited energy.”Lewis O’Brien wants to put the hard yards in and wants to be at the very top of where he can get to. He’s one of those lads who works ridiculously hard which, for me, is your minimum in any league, but he’s got that quality, the drop of a shoulder, that strength to keep people off him, a low centre of gravity to glide past people, arm aloft when they try to knock him off the ball.”He has pace and he can finish as well, with that nice left foot. He’s come on a lot in the last three years.”That ability to find the back of the net could be a crucial addition to Bielsa’s midfield options, with Mateusz Klich the club’s highest-scoring central midfielder last season with just four.Having someone like O’Brien who can break into the box while Phillips sits back and dictates the play could give the Whites that extra cutting edge when going forward.It could be the making of an impressive duo for Bielsa and Leeds.Meanwhile, Angus Kinenar has dropped an update on Marcelo Bielsa’s future…

Steve Howey reckons Steve Bruce is set to bolster his midfield options by welcoming Hamza Choudhury to Newcastle United.

Bruce has only been able to welcome one addition to St James’ Park during the transfer window, with Joe Willock returning to the club on a permanent basis after a £20million deal was struck with Arsenal.

Willock enjoyed a successful loan spell with Newcastle last season and displayed his goalscoring capabilities by becoming the first player since Alan Shearer to score in seven consecutive Premier League outings.

Bruce has now set his sights on clinching the services of Leicester City’s Choudhury on loan and the midfielder appears open to the switch.

Choudhury, 23, saw a loan move to Newcastle fall through at the end of the January transfer window and made just four Premier League starts last season. He did, however, play a part in Leicester’s successful FA Cup campaign, coming on in the final against Chelsea.

Former Magpies defender Howey thinks Choudhury could prove to be a good signing if they manage to get a deal over the line this time around.

He exclusively told Football FanCast: “He is a decent player but the question is whether he will play week in, week out.

“If the manager feels as though he would come into the team and contribute really well then, of course, it’s an option.”

Marcus Bent has exclusively told Football FanCast that his former side Everton would love to re-sign Idrissa Gueye.

Following three impressive seasons at Goodison Park, the Senegalese midfielder left to join PSG two years ago for £30m.

Despite PSG’s array of talented players, the former Toffees established himself as a regular in the French capital, making 78 appearances on his way to winning four domestic trophies, whilst reaching the Champions League final in the process.

However, following PSG’s incredible transfer window, which has included bringing in the likes of Sergio Ramos and Lionel Messi, Mauricio Pochettino’s men need to balance the books and according to the Daily Mail are therefore looking to offload several players, including Gueye, who’s yet to feature in any of their three competitive matches this season.

Allan partnered Abdoulaye Doucoure in the heart of the Everton midfield in their victory over Southampton, but Rafa Benitez is generally quite light in midfield, with Fabian Delph and Andre Gomes both linked away from Merseyside.

And Bent told Football FanCast that the 31-year-old would be an outstanding addition to the side:

“What they’ve said to me is that Everton have Davies and Allan, but he would be better than both if they could get him back.

“He would improve the side, and you need someone like that with his experience and the Everton fans love him.”

Sky Sports journalist Michael Bridge insists that Japhet Tanganga was never likely to move to Galatasaray in this transfer window.

The Tottenham Hotspur defender was the subject of a loan bid from the Turkish club earlier this summer.

It was reported that Spurs actually accepted the offer but Bridge now insists that Tanganga was never keen on the move.

Indeed, he has remained with Spurs and played at right-back in the surprise 1-0 win over Manchester City on the opening weekend of the season, while he also featured in the 1-0 win over Wolves.

Tanganga has made a total of 25 appearances for the club’s first-team, and can play as both a full-back and a centre-back.

He is now likely to remain with the club beyond the end of the transfer window, particularly given his superb performance against City, in which he played a key role in Spurs keeping a clean sheet, and helping to keep quiet Jack Grealish, who was making his debut for City.

Bridge said: “I did hear the Galatasaray stuff was genuine and he didn’t really have any interest. I always found it a bit of a bemusing one because, firstly, Spurs have really got to watch their homegrown quota and I was a little bit surprised when I read about Tanganga.

“I got it in the sense that he’s had a lot of injuries and he needs a season on loan, I just didn’t think the Turkish league was the right place where Spurs could watch him develop.”

Steve Howey believes Newcastle United could make a move for Manchester United outcast Phil Jones by offering the defender a pay-as-you-play deal.

Having made 224 appearances for the club, with 200 of those coming in the Premier League, Jones has not featured for the Red Devils since the 2019/20 season due to a string of injuries.

Although the transfer deadline is just a matter of hours away, reports suggest Manchester United are willing to allow Jones to leave Old Trafford on a free transfer in a bid to resurrect his career. It comes with Newcastle United, Everton, West Ham United, Southampton, Brighton & Hove Albion, Crystal Palace and Burnley all keeping tabs on the situation.

Jones still has two years remaining on his £75,000-per-week contract with the Red Devils and there is an option to extend the deal by another 12 months.

Newcastle have been frustrated in the transfer market and only been able to sign Joe Willock, in a switch worth in excess of £20million, from Arsenal.

Former Magpies defender Howey believes boss Steve Bruce should consider offering Jones a way out of Old Trafford.

He exclusively told The Transfer Tavern: “He’s got vast experience. It’s just a question of whether he can do it in the Premier League anymore.

“Does he feel as though he could go somewhere else and restart his career? Possibly, but it just depends on injuries.

“Because of his injuries, he has got to be sensible and not demand a two-year contract but have belief in his ability and faith in his body, so be willing to take a pay-as-you-play deal.”

Sky Sports journalist Michael Bridge revealed that Crystal Palace wanted to sign Eddie Nketiah for weeks, eventually settling on a move for Odsonne Edouard on deadline day.

Dharmesh Sheth of Sky Sports posted on his personal Twitter on Monday that Palace were still pushing to sign Nketiah but there was a gap in the valuation and that there was also an unnamed German club in the mix also.

BBC Sport then reported on Tuesday that Crystal Palace had agreed a deal worth £15m with Celtic to bring striker Edouard to Selhurst Park, and obviously there was an issue regarding Nketiah given Bridge believes Palace have wanted to sign the Gunners man for a number of weeks in the lead up to the 11pm deadline.

“They were in talks for weeks with Arsenal over Eddie Nketiah. They’ve said to Arsenal ‘we’re not going to go above £12million we actually think that’s probably a bit too much’, but Arsenal have said ’20, he’s out of contract at the end of the season’,” the Sky Sports reporter told Transfer Tavern.

Throughout his Arsenal career, Nketiah has featured attacker has also featured out on both the right and left-wing showing versatility to his game.

Having failed to secure a move to a Selhurst Park or elsewhere, it remains to be seen how Mikel Arteta will use Nketiah in the coming months, while the Eagles will be hoping Edouard hits the ground running with Patrick Vieira’s side struggling to find the net in the opening weeks of the campaign.

Former Leeds United player David Norris believes that Harry Winks would have been a success at Elland Road.

Winks has featured for Tottenham on three occasions this season so far, playing both of Spurs’ UEFA Europa Conference League Qualifying legs against Pacos de Ferreira and also making a substitute appearance in the Premier League against Wolves.

During his time at Spurs Winks has featured 176 times and provides versatility to his game as he has played defensive midfield, central midfield, attacking midfield and out wide off both flanks.

Whilst there has been speculation about his future this summer, The Athletic’s Phil Hay revealed that Leeds rejected the opportunity to bring Harry Winks to Elland Road on loan, but Norris believes that the Tottenham midfielder would have been a success with the Whites.

He said: “I think so yeah, he’s a quality player and we’ve said before that Leeds need a little bit more back-up in that area and with what he’s done at Spurs I would have thought that would have been a good fit, a good move.”

Leeds head into the international break with two points from a possible nine after losing on the opening day of the season to Manchester United, but they have responded with back-to-back draws against Everton and Burnley.

The Whites will be looking to continue on their unbeaten run when club football returns and try to replicate last season’s top-ten finish this campaign.