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Southampton have not had a particularly good start to their 2021/22 Premier League campaign, with four draws and three defeats in their opening seven games.

One player who has yet to get his season up and running for the Saints and who Ralph Hasenhuttl should be putting in his starting XI to face Leeds United in their next Premier League match is Stuart Armstrong.

On the chalkboard

Having returned to team training prior to Southampton’s previous Premier League game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge after struggling with a calf muscle issue, we feel that the Scotland international should be in the starting XI to face Marcelo Bielsa’s side next week if he is fit enough to feature for his first match of this season.

Southampton signed Armstrong back in the 2018 summer transfer window from Celtic on a four-year deal for a fee of £7m.

Since then, the 29-year-old – who is currently earning a weekly wage of £50k-per-week according to Spotrac – has made 104 appearances for the Saints across all competitions, in which he has managed to score 14 goals and provide 11 assists.

Last season saw Armstrong, who was once labelled as a “role model” by Hasenhuttl, score four goals and provide five assists in the Premier League, ultimately earning him an overall season rating of 6.82/10, making him Southampton’s sixth-highest rated player according to WhoScored.

Looking ahead to the Leeds clash, we feel that he should definitely be in Hasenhuttl’s starting XI if he’s fit enough to play. He could even provide the team with a suitable replacement for James Ward-Prowse, who was given a red card in the Chelsea game, resulting in him being given a three-match ban.

Only three players contributed to more goals for the Saints last season. One is the suspended club captain and another is Danny Ings, who is no longer at St Mary’s. Therefore, the Austrian manager would certainly be wise to call upon the Scotland international to provide a cutting edge in the final third.

If Armstrong does play a part in the Leeds game and has a positive impact on the team in terms of contributing to a goal, we feel that he could potentially be the player to keep Southampton away from the relegation zone and save their season – if he is trusted to play regularly throughout the rest of the campaign and can match or exceed his 2020/21 goal contributions return.

Nonetheless, whether or not he plays a part against the Whites, we feel that this could still be a great opportunity for Southampton to grab their first league win of the season considering that Marcelo Bielsa’s team have also had a difficult start to their campaign.

In other news: Ralph could solve big Southampton issue with £12m “special talent”, fans would love it – opinion

Burnley manager Sean Dyche, who was linked with a move to Crystal Palace in the summer, penned a new four-year deal at Turf Moor on Thursday.

And, as to be expected following continued links to Selhurst Park, a number of Eagles supporters were quick to react to the news on social media.

Steve Parish was on the search for Roy Hodgson’s successor over the summer and placed Dyche on a list of possible Palace candidates.

Dyche admitted he was ‘flattered’ regarding the interest, with Palace approaching the Clarets over the 50-year-old’s services at the end of May.

The Eagles were told it would cost £3m in compensation for Dyche, and as we now know, decided to bring in Patrick Vieira instead.

Vieira chalked up his first Premier League win for Palace over Tottenham last weekend, with the Eagles currently sitting above Burnley in the table.

Palace fans react

Burnley shared the news of Dyche’s new deal on their official Twitter page. Their post received plenty of interaction, with a number of Palace responses available to view below.

“Waited to see if Vieira was actually any good before committing to Burnley”

Credit: @MattCPFC

“Bless him he waited so long for us to save him and we never did”

Credit: @liamb0117

“He even waited to see if Vieira would do a de Boer and we came calling before signing the deal. Maybe one day, Sean.”

Credit: @Phillyconcarne

“We’ll probably go for him if Arsenal come in and nab Vieira”

Credit: @SomePalaceGuy

“I can see this man managing them in the 2030s”

Credit: @cpfcboiling

“Burnley extend their stay in the Premier League by 4 years”

Credit: @CPFC_Cal

In other news: ‘No no no’ – Conor Gallagher update has lots of Palace fans talking. 

Celtic look set to wrap up a deal for VVV-Venlo forward Georgios Giakoumakis following the news that both clubs have agreed a fee, as well as the Greece international finalising personal terms with the Scottish giants on a four-year-deal, as per Sky Sports.

The Lowdown: Giakoumakis was an unexpected sensation in 2020/21

Rising from relative obscurity, the 26-year-old sent shockwaves through Dutch football in 2020/21, becoming the top scorer in the Eredivisie with 26 goals in 30 league appearances [Transfermarkt], in spite of his current employers suffering relegation at the end of the campaign.

If you were to add the other three goals the 6 foot 1 ace converted in the KNVB Cup last term, he outscored his entire career goal tally in the space of 12 months, 29 last season to his previous 26 goals with various former clubs [Transfermarkt].

Well and truly striking when the iron is hot, Celtic seem to have all but sealed the capture of Giakoumakis following recent developments.

The Latest: Giakoumakis set to sign for Celtic on four-year deal

Celtic have agreed a £2.5m fee with VVV-Venlo for the signature of the Heraklion-born forward, according to Sky Sports.

He is set to link up with the Glaswegians on a four-year contract after agreeing terms, with the Hoops having seemingly beaten off stiff competition from Werder Bremen to land the instinctive poacher.

The Verdict: Potential to be a bargain signing

In the midst of heavy speculation surrounding the future of Hoops star Odsonne Edouard, the Celts will land themselves an impressive bargain should the Giakoumakis deal be completed before tomorrow’s transfer deadline.

The 26-year-old is most certainly a penalty box striker who is constantly looking to be the focal point of offensive passages of play, illustrated by his average rate of 3.2 shots per game across last season [WhoScored].

One exciting component of his game which should not be ignored is his aerial ability and desire to get on the end of whipped crosses, something that the Celts lack somewhat within their current strike force.

Ange Postecoglou is said to have been relentless in his sales pitch to bring in the striker [Daily Record], whilst the manager’s Greek origins may have been a source of familiarity and comfort for the VVV-Venlo marksman.

All things considered, Giakoumakis seems to be an intelligent prospective signing who has the tools to succeed in the high-stakes Parkhead environment due to his physicality and finishing ability.

In other news, Celtic are close to signing a Portugal under-21 international. Find out more here.

In the Premier League, not only have Liverpool got themselves comfortably in the race to win the title and scored more goals than any other team in the top flight, but the Reds have also managed to keep eight clean sheets along the way.

With the January transfer window on the horizon, it seems as though the Merseyside club could be in danger of losing one of their current senior players.

What’s the news?

It has recently been reported by the Sunday Mirror (via Liverpool Echo 16:58) that newly appointed Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard has got Reds defender Joe Gomez on his radar for a potential transfer move in the upcoming January transfer window.

Since joining the Merseyside club back in the 2015 summer transfer window from Charlton Athletic in a deal worth a reported fee of £3.5m, Gomez has made a total of 128 appearances for the Reds across all competitions.

Labelled as a “sensational” player by Jurgen Klopp in the past, Gomez has hardly had a look in for their current Premier League campaign, making just two appearances and playing just 13 minutes of action.

However, the 24-year-old, who is currently valued at £27m according to Transfermarkt, has played the full 90 minutes in both of Liverpool’s Carabao Cup games and one of their Champions League games, winning all of three of them and keeping two clean sheets in the process.

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Even though he has been injured in recent weeks, it’s safe to assume that Gomez would possibly be tempted to join Villa if he would be guaranteed regular playing time in the Premier League and play under Gerrard.

However, from a Liverpool point of view, it would be a calamity if FSG were to approve Gomez’s potential move to Villa. After all, he has vast experience with the Reds and has demonstrated enormous potential, leading us to believe he could become a regular figure in the team for the next few years alongside the likes of Ibrahima Konate.

With Vigil van Dijk and Joel Matip both now at the age of 30, it’s safe to say that Liverpool will be relying on the likes of Gomez and Konate to be their long-term replacements in the future, which would be quite hard if Gomez joins Villa.

It’s safe to say this wouldn’t be the wisest move from departing directing Michael Edwards.

In other news: Edwards could be set for LFC disaster as claim emerges on “unstoppable” £200k-p/w gem – opinion

Many Glasgow Rangers fans were delighted with the performance of Cedric Itten during their 2-1 pre-season defeat of Real Madrid on Sunday.

The Gers were in action at Ibrox as they continued their pre-season plans. Before this clash, they beat Partick Thistle 1-0 and then lost to Tranmere Rovers by the same scoreline before drawing 2-2 with Arsenal and 0-0 with Brighton.

, However, even without a whole host of their star players available, 13-time European champions Real Madrid were still able to field a starting XI full of glittering talent. The Gers picked up the victory, though, thanks to goals from Fashion Sakala and Itten.

The latter’s display in particular attracted plenty of praise from Gers supporters. Itten has been in top form in pre-season, scoring three times (rangers.co.uk), and may well have earned himself a spot in Steven Gerrard’s starting XI for their first Premiership game against Livingston next weekend.

These Gers fans were delighted with the Switzerland international and they took to the social media platform to share their thoughts on the 24-year-old’s “superb” recent form, with one even joking that he might be the man Real Madrid will want to replace Bernabeu legend Cristiano Ronaldo.

Let’s see what these fans had to say about Itten’s performance

“Sakala is a player. Itten playing superb. Hagi and Lundstram been decent as well. Team looking strong once again”

Credit: @MrBluenose24

“Itten is gonna do some serious damage up top as well”

Credit: @gregmartin1982

“Cedric Itten is the Ronaldo replacement Real are looking for”

Credit: @BenFinlay10

“Everyone rightly talking about Sakala… however absolutely delighted Itten scored again. Think he could be an important player for us this season”

Credit: @Rossco76

“Right a few talking points and I’ll try not get carried away… 1, the new boys look like they have always been part of the team, Outstanding acquisitions. 2, Itten has found some form and his confidence is growing. 3, we are winning the Champions League!!”

Credit: @ibrox_blue

“Itten is the GOAT”

Credit: @Lachlan72_

In other news, Rangers are set to sell this player during the summer transfer window.

Wolves winger Adama Traore may not be a good fit for Marcelo Bielsa and Leeds United, says Express & Star journalist Luke Hatfield.

Traore has been heavily linked with a move to Elland Road this summer, with 90min recently reporting that the Yorkshire club are considering making a bid for the player.

When it came to delivering in the final third, Traore was not at his best last season, coming up with just four goal contributions in the Premier League.

Despite that, the £27m-rated 25-year-old still looks like he can bring an attacking threat to Leeds’ side. As per WhoScored, no player in English football’s top flight managed to average more dribbles per game than he did.

For Hatfield, though, Traore does not have all the requirements needed to play in a Bielsa team. The Wolves journalist told FFC:

“I’m not too sure whether he’s a Bielsa player to be brutally honest. I think there’s always been a couple question marks over not his work rate, but his defensive nous I’d say.

“And for Leeds, although they are, you know, all-out attack a lot of the time, I’m sure Bielsa wants his players tracking back and doing some defensive dirty work as well, which is not what Traore’s really known for.”

It is something to consider, but given how strong the Traore to Leeds links have been, it would definitely not be a surprise if the Whites did end up launching a bid for the Spain international.

Leeds United are interested in signing Barcelona defender Junior Firpo this summer as their search for a new left-back continues.

The Lowdown: Leeds look for new left-back

Marcelo Bielsa will be eyeing up reinforcements throughout his squad in the summer transfer window, but left-back could be a priority position for the manager.

With Ezgjan Alioski’s future very much up in the air, additions in that area could be essential as Leeds look to continue their current rise.

[freshpress-quiz id=“359346″]

The Latest: Whites interested in signing Firpo

According to The Yorkshire Evening Post’s Graham Smyth, the Whites are keen on bringing Firpo to the club, with the Spaniard being described as a ‘strong candidate’ at left-back. A number of other clubs are also interested in signing the 24-year-old, though, with Napoli mentioned in the report.

Firpo made just seven appearances for Barca in La Liga last season, struggling to oust first-choice left-back Jordi Alba from the starting lineup (Transfermarkt).

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The Verdict: Exciting left-back option

Firpo seems to be an ideal option for Leeds, given his age and style of play, with his peak years not likely to arrive for a while.

The Spaniard enjoyed an 89.7& pass completion rate in the league last season, which suggest that he could thrive in Bielsa’s possession-based system. Admittedly he wasn’t always tested defensively at Barca – he only averaged 0.1 tackles per game – but his tally of 1.8 for Real Betis in 2018/19 suggests he can thrive in that area when required.

Leeds could do a lot worse than considering a move for Firpo, who may want a move to a club where he might enjoy more regular game-time.

In other news, a pundit has claimed one Leeds player could be sold this summer. Find out who it is here.

Former Southampton star Carlton Palmer insists that goalkeeper Fraser Forster could join Celtic on a free transfer next summer once his contract expires.

The 6 ft 7 goalkeeper has enjoyed a number of spells at the Scottish champions in recent seasons.

Forster spent the 2010/11 and 2011/12 seasons on loan at the club, before making that move permanent in 2012. He remained there for two years and joined Southampton, but returned to the Hoops for the 2019/20 season.

In the 19/20 season, Forster made 39 appearances for the club, but he struggled for minutes upon his return to Southampton, playing 13 times in all competitions.

He has been on the bench thus far this term, apart from the EFL Cup clash with Newport County, which the Saints won 8-0.

His contract is set to expire at the end of this season and Palmer believes that a move to Celtic could happen once the season is over.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, he said: “Absolutely, he’s got an affinity with the supporters there so, yeah, I could easily see that happening, with Celtic also in the financial position that they’re in, I think he’d be a good fit on a free.

“I could definitely see that happening.”

Tottenham Hotspur’s chances of keeping Harry Kane this summer may have just gotten a bit slimmer…

What’s the word?

According to the Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has given his manager Pep Guardiola the green light to pursue a move for the Spurs striker this summer.

The Citizens owner believes that the Premier League champions need to send a strong message in the transfer market and has confirmed that they will be looking at finding a replacement for the departed Sergio Aguero, in which Kane features as a key target.

“This is actually the time to send a strong message that there is no contentment and that we are not just satisfied with just winning the league,” claimed Al Mubarak. “We lose a very important legend in Sergio Aguero, very hard shoes to fill but I am confident we will find the right player to fill those shoes.”

Long summer ahead

Last month, Spurs were rocked with the bombshell that their 27-year-old talisman expressed his desire to leave his boyhood club in the summer as he seeks to add silverware to his goal-laden career, as per Sky Sports.

Lilywhites chairman Daniel Levy has remained firm thus far, with reports suggesting that he is unwilling to sell the England international and that he certainly has no intention of strengthening a Premier League rival.

Although the ball seems to be firmly in Kane’s court as it’s also thought that the had a gentlemen’s agreement with Levy that he would stay to try and win a trophy in Jose Mourinho’s first full season in charge – the Portuguese boss was sacked on the week of the Carabao Cup final.

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Spurs have had their fair share of transfer sagas and Levy has been in this position before. Back in 2011, Luka Modric submitted a transfer request following interest from London rivals Chelsea before signing for Real Madrid a year later.

According to Eurosport’s Dean Jones, Kane likes the idea of playing for Man City, though not even £150m may not be enough to tempt the Spurs chairman.

It’s clear that the North London outfit are going to be in for a long summer of uncertainty, however, this fresh twist does not help Levy’s cause whatsoever and he may well be left absolutely reeling.

City certainly have the financial clout to test his resolve, especially after the 2020/21 campaign saw them clinch their fifth Premier League title, whilst also making their first-ever Champions League final.

A signing of Kane’s calibre could be exactly what Guardiola needs to finally get them over the line in Europe and now he’s been given the green light to sign him, who knows how much the Manchester giants can throw at him?

Kane wants to leave, City are going to pursue him and Guardiola has a war chest of funds available at his disposal. It puts Levy in a tricky spot, even more so when considering that Spurs’ next manager will likely want the prolific marksman at the club next season.

Trying to compete without a player that directly contributed towards 54.4% of your top-flight goals throughout the 2020/21 season is a worrying prospect. He has also hit at least 17 goals in every Premier League campaign since 2014/15, too, as per WhoScored.

This latest development will leave Levy seething, that’s for sure.

AND in other news, Levy risks major Spurs disaster with “cheap” Poch alternative who once wowed Guardiola…

Kemar Roofe’s strike for Glasgow Rangers against Standard Liege has received the Europa League’s Goal of the Season award.

The Lowdown: Roofe scores stunning strike

The Gers were 1-0 up against Belgian outfit Liege in their Europa League group stage match going into the final minute.

Then, Roofe produced a moment of magic, scoring a remarkable lob from his own half after skipping past a couple of players.

The Latest: Roofe wins Goal of the Season

As such, Roofe has won the Goal of the Tournament from UEFA.

He beat the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Dele Alli to the accolade – Alli’s stunning bicycle kick against Wolfsburg was only good enough for second place.

The Verdict: Deserved

It is hard to argue with the outcome of the award, no matter who you support. It was a truly wonderful moment from the £5.4m-valued 28-year-old (Transfermarkt), and it displayed the ability and skill the former Leeds United forward possesses. He will likely never score a better goal.

It was the icing on the cake for what has been a successful first season for Roofe at Ibrox. He netted 18 goals in 36 games in all competitions (Transfermarkt), helping the Gers win the Premiership along the way. He will be hoping for plenty more memorable European strikes as the 55-time Scottish champions embark on a Champions League campaign next time out.

In other news, Rangers are interested in this striker.