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In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Southampton midfielder Carlton Palmer has backed Ralph Hasenhuttl after a turbulent couple of months at St Mary’s.

After a bright start to the Premier League season, a poor run of form has seen Southampton drop into the bottom half of the table. They have also been on the opposite end of a humiliating 9-0 defeat to Manchester United, a repeat of the 9-0 massacre against Leicester City last term.

It has certainly been a difficult period for Southampton and Hasenhuttl; however, Palmer is still backing the Austrian manager, praising the overall job he has done since arriving at the south coast club.

Speaking exclusively with FFC, the retired Premier League footballer said:

“I don’t like the bashing of the manager. I think he’s a very good manager. I think he’s done a fantastic job there and they’re just going through a difficult time at the moment.

“You know, you’re seeing that with Liverpool. Liverpool are going through a difficult time at the moment. That doesn’t mean Jurgen Klopp’s not a good manager. He’s not all of a sudden a bad manager because Liverpool are going through a difficult situation. Same with Jose Mourinho, these are good managers. All teams go through difficult periods.”

While Southampton are struggling at present, it has not been all doom and gloom at St. Mary’s this season. The Saints have put in some good performances, including in the 1-0 win over Premier League champions Liverpool, and have reached the FA Cup quarter-finals.

Hasenhuttl’s side take on Championship outfit Bournemouth in the competition, with the Cherries the only thing standing between them and a trip to Wembley. Ultimately, there is still a possibility that Southampton could make success of the current campaign.

Liverpool have been linked to a new attacking option ahead of the summer transfer window. According to Football Insider, the club’s scouts are keeping tabs on Leeds United’s £17m Raphinha after he has quickly made an impact in the Premier League this season.

With Diogo Jota out injured and nobody else really staking a claim, a new wide-man is unsurprisingly on Jurgen Klopp’s side’s shortlist to serve as back-up to the blistering duo of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.

Would Raphinha suit Liverpool?

Between the two African wingers, they have accumulated 22 goals and six assists so far in the Premier League, according to BBC Sport. However, since Mane has been ruled out with an apparent muscle problem, it’s just laid bare the lack of genuine class options Klopp has at his disposal in those wide areas.

In Mane’s absence, Xherdan Shaqiri has stepped in. Whilst he managed to pick up an assist against West Ham, he is still yet to score in the Premier League so far. In fact, he has already bagged himself more than he did last campaign, where he managed one assist across all competitions, via Transfermarkt.

There have been whispers regarding a potential move away from Anfield for the Swiss attacker. A recent report from Fotomac linked Shaqiri to a permanent January move to Galatasaray (via TEAMtalk). However, with Liverpool’s limited options, they have kept the 29-year-old in Merseyside. But if they bring in a replacement, it could be the final nail in the coffin for Shaqiri.

As for Raphinha, his debut season in England’s top flight hints that he could be a solid back-up to Salah. According to Transfermarkt, the Brazilian has contributed to a goal in 50% of his Premier League appearances for Leeds. He currently has four goals and four assists to his name in 16 matches.

His performances at the back end of last year attracted a lot of attention. Raphinha earned praise from ex-Leeds man Noel Whelan, who said: “He’s incredible, he really is – I mean we weren’t sure what we were getting when we bought him, we’d seen clips on YouTube etcetera but didn’t know a great deal about him.

“He’s bought into everything that Marcelo Bielsa wants in a player, which is not just that flair on the field but that hard work and ethic that he brings as well, with the amount of trackbacks we’ve seen.”

Raphinha has proven to be a shrewd signing for Bielsa, and given that this is only his debut campaign in English football, it makes for a pretty exciting future for the Brazilian.

The fact that Whelan has picked out his defensive work should really have Klopp buzzing, who will want any new signings to really buy into the work-rate and culture at Anfield, and Raphinha appears to be someone who is just as willing to do the dirty side of the game.

This season in the Premier League, the Leeds winger has won an impressive 5.3 duels per match, which is actually sandwiched in between what Mane and Salah have managed – 7.6 and 3.2 respectively. The pressing starts from the front, and Raphinha has shown he can buy into that, and that extra bit of energy, dynamism and selflessness makes him a perfect fit for Klopp.

Both he and Jota could be the ideal super subs or rotation options for Klopp and Liverpool as they look to continue their run of winning silverware.

In other news, Liverpool should start Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain vs Man City…

Writing on Twitter, reliable club insider and West Ham United source ExWHUemployee dropped a claim surrounding youngster Jamal Baptiste after his senior debut against Doncaster Rovers in the FA Cup – going on to say that manager David Moyes rates him very highly and that he is deemed a ‘potential England player’.

Baptiste got his first taste of action for the Claret & Blues during their 4-0 victory in the fourth round on Saturday afternoon, later explaining to the official club website how he was ‘over the moon’ to finally feature for Moyes’ men.

The 17-year-old replaced Ryan Fredericks during the final 10 minutes of their encounter, and supporters were thereafter curious to find out just how highly Moyes rates him as a player.

ExWHUemployee, answering a fan on social media, explained that the Scotsman is indeed a fan of his promising centre-back who he rates ‘very’ highly – with there being a belief he could one day play for the national team.

Flocking to this inside claim, it’s safe to say plenty of Irons are excited about what the youngster could bring after witnessing his debut – find all of their verdicts from Twitter here.

West Ham fans excited by Baptiste claim

“great player”

Credit: @TomWHU2

“Him and Mipo have world-class potential.”

Credit: @TedAthientis

“He is quality”

Credit: @ScoutSoucek

“Jeeeezzzzz”

Credit: @westhamwhu49

“Seen him playing at CB loads for the under 23s, Ogbonna replacement in a few years. Class”

Credit: @berkovic_eyal

“only 17 as well”

Credit: @whupatrick

“He only got his pro contract this summer… highly rated… a friend of a friends son…. his Dad is a firefighter.. that gets him brownie points just by itself… can’t wait to see more of this talented young man.. along with many others currently coming through the academy.”

Credit: @mtux66

“Only 17”

Credit: @edster994

In other news: Some West Ham fans weren’t impressed with this ‘weak’ ace against Doncaster, find out more here.

According reports, Aston Villa are interested in signing free agent Alex Teixeira.

What’s the story?

Dean Smith’s side have enjoyed a superb Premier League season thus far, placing themselves firmly in the battle for a European place. And, according to Spanish publication, Fichajes, Villa are keen on making a move for Teixeira.

The Brazilian left Chinese Super League side Jiangsu Suning at the end of December, and the report claims that Villa, along with both Benfica and his former side Shakhtar Donetsk, are keen on giving him an immediate return to football.

It’s further suggested that Villa see Teixeira as someone who could give a “big boost” to their European push.

Upgrade on Barkley

Described as a “technical leader”, Teixeira has been doing the business across the world for a number of years now, amassing a quite incredible 172 goals over his illustrious career – that despite predominantly featuring as a number ten or out wide.

Speaking back in 2016, Teixeira’s then boss at Shakhtar, Mircea Lucescu, said: “He’s incredible, very fast, very good technique. I compare him with other players of the same age who changed (the fortunes of) a club, (Angel) Di Maria for example at Paris Saint-Germain.

“Teixeira can be at the same level, better even. He doesn’t get injured, and every year he gets better and better.”

The Brazilian would offer an immediate upgrade on Ross Barkley, who has still yet to prove himself as a real consistent performer over the years. He has never managed more than eight goals in a single league campaign, whilst his totals in the past three seasons in particular have been shocking to say the least, with three, one and two goals respectively.

On the other hand, Teixeira has consistently broken past the ten goal barrier in the league both at Shakhtar and with Jiangsu. Since the 2012/2013 campaign, he has managed totals of: 10, 6, 17, 22, 11, 8, 13 and 18. The veteran is a goal-scoring machine from midfield, and would give Smith’s side an added dimension, instead of just having to rely on Ollie Watkins to score all the time.

Teixeira’s consistency over such a long period of time, and the fact that he’s had plenty of experience playing at the highest level in the Champions League too, means he would surely represent an upgrade on Barkley. The fact he “doesn’t get injured”, like has been the case with the England international, makes him all the more of an attractive proposition when you add that to the fact he would arrive on a free transfer.

Meanwhile, this Aston Villa star has been a revelation…

David Moyes can find his ideal Arthur Masuaku replacement in Rangers full-back Borna Barisic amid reports West Ham United are considering a mid-season deal.

What’s the word?

According to Football Insider, the Irons are monitoring the Gers’ star left-back ahead of the January transfer window after losing Masuaku for the foreseeable future following knee surgery.

The Hammers believe there is a need for top-quality fresh legs in the position following Masuaku’s operation, while introducing competition for Aaron Cresswell after the three-cap England international’s struggles in recent games.

Barisic has emerged as the latest in a line of left-backs to be linked with a mid-season move to the London Stadium, with West Ham also said to be interested in FC Barcelona’s Junior Firpo and Manchester City’s Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Rangers chiefs expect Barisic to be a target for several sides in the upcoming window with his contract entering its final 18-months, but they will still demand upwards of £8m after snubbing approaches from Leeds United in the summer.

Forget Cresswell, sign Barisic

Barisic has been in sublime form under Steven Gerrard as Rangers look to claim the Scottish Premiership title this season, with the Liverpool icon lauding the 28-year-old for his consistency which ensured interest was inevitably high in the summer.

“We’re not surprised if there is any interest in Borna,” Gerrard said, via quotes by the Glasgow Times. “Of course, we’re not because he has been a consistent performer for us for some time now and has started the season so brightly again.

“But he has signed a long-term deal here, everyone loves him, the fans like him and he was in the running for Player of the Year. If someone did come, they would have to bring an awful lot of money with them.”

Rangers are rightfully loath to part ways with Barisic, who has provided an astonishing 10 assists and two goals in 26 appearances across all competitions thus far this season, despite failing to create or find the back of the net since September in the Premiership.

His output has remained high nonetheless, with Barisic averaging 2.7 accurate crosses and providing 2.2 key balls a game in the Scottish top-flight, along with 0.7 shots, while winning possession with 1.1 interceptions, 0.8 successful tackles and 1.0 clearances, per SofaScore.

It would not take long for Barisic to warm the hearts of Moyes and West Ham supporters were he to move to east London in January and hit the ground running with the same impact.

AND in other news, West Ham are monitoring a £20k-p/w talent to resolve David Moyes’ “big” blow.

According to Football Insider, Wolves are lining up a potential move for Stoke City starlet Tyrese Campbell.

What’s the story?

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side of course suffered a major blow after Raul Jimenez’s horrific clash of heads with Arsenal’s David Luiz left the Mexico international requiring surgery for a on a fractured skull.

Now, Football Insider claim that Wolves and Burnley are among the clubs considering a potential move for 20-year-old forward Campbell, who’s shown his versatility this season by playing all across the front-line.

Stuck in lockdown? Our mega footy quiz will cure any boredom…

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The report adds that Stoke are adamant that they won’t sell one of their star players in the January transfer window, but it remains to be seen whether he will still be with the Potters by the end of it.

Easing the pressure on Jimenez

When Jimenez is able to make his return back to the first-team, the most important thing Wolves can do for him is to make sure that he isn’t burdened with the task of having to fire in the goals straight away.

Easing him back into the side would be the best way to go, and bringing in an “explosive” player like Campbell would help with that massively.

His manager at Stoke, Michael O’Neill, said of him back in the summer: “Tyrese is a great finisher. If you are a good finisher you have to get in the positions and he did that today. He is a young player who is still developing. When he is in that mood, defenders are frightened at this level.”

With seven goals and six assists in 18 games this season, Campbell is showing signs of having a real breakout year, and if Wolves can snare him before he makes an even bigger name for himself, they could land another perfect project signing for Nuno,

Following the summer signing of Kyle Walker-Peters from Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton right-back Yan Valery has struggled for a spot in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s team, and perhaps the South Coast club should consider loaning him out in January.

The French defender is yet to make an appearance for the Saints’ first-team so far this season and has only made the bench on three occasions, as he has been dropped to the U’23s for a few fixtures so far this campaign (per Transfermarkt).

The 21-year-old looked set for a bright future with Southampton after establishing himself in the first-team in the 2018/19 season, when he made 23 appearances in the top-flight, contributing two goals and one assist (per Transfermarkt).

However, he failed to really push on from there, as he made 11 appearances in the top-flight last season, due to the loan arrival of Walker-Peters, as well as him suffering from a virus that kept him out for two months between November and January.

Considering his lack of minutes this season, as well as the form of Walker-Peters, perhaps Hasenhuttl should consider loaning out the 21-year-old in the upcoming January transfer window, to ensure that his progress isn’t stifled too much.

He would surely have plenty of suitors from the top two divisions, having earned plenty of Premier League experience in his career thus far and it would surely benefit both parties if Valery was to get some much-needed first-team football out on loan, rather than just being a back-up with Southampton.

However, this could be a risky decision from the Saints, as Valery and Walker-Peters are the only two senior right-backs in the senior squad, so if the former Spurs man were to suffer an injury, it would mean having to play another player out of position, or trusting someone from the academy, if Valery had already departed on loan.

After he signed a new contract until 2023, Hasenhuttl was full of praise for the defender, saying:

“I am very happy first that he has made good development in the last month.

“He has got a lot of trust from my side and he grabbed the chance with both hands.

“His development was good, so it’s a very important sign for us as a club and for him that he signs a new contract.”

“It depends on his work and his ability, but we see Yan working very hard and working on his deficits he still has in his game.

“But I think he is a perfect example of The Southampton Way that we want to go in.” (per Southampton)

Therefore, the Austrian manager is clearly a big fan of Valery but if he wants to ensure that his progress isn’t stifled, he needs to bite the bullet and send the French U’21 international out on loan.

And, in other news… Southampton sold lazy flop at the perfect time; he’s sat on the bench now

Manchester City have been linked with Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish recently but the Citizens already have their next Kevin De Bruyne in Phil Foden.

The 20-year-old showed his immense quality on England duty earlier in the week, as he scored twice in a 4-0 win against Iceland and he clearly has a huge future with both England and Manchester City.

The ‘Stockport Iniesta’ has progressed through City’s academy to establish himself as one of the most talented youngsters in the Premier League and you worry that if the Citizens splash the cash on Grealish, his pathway into becoming a guaranteed starter under Pep Guardiola may be blocked by the 25-year-old.

So far this season, Foden has made just four starts in the Premier League, with a further three appearances from the bench, in which he has contributed two goals and averaged a strong 6.84 rating (per WhoScored).

Whilst City often play him in central midfield, or on the left-hand side, his best performance this season came when he was playing in an attacking midfield role for England, as he earned a perfect 10/10 rating for his display in the 4-0 win (per WhoScored).

Following the win, England manager Gareth Southgate was full of praise for the young talent the Three Lions possess, including Foden, saying:

“We are very conscious of the crop of young players coming through that we think will be fabulous for England for years to come. It was great for the public to get a glimpse of that. They were surrounded by some excellent professionals.

“It would have been easy for us to not perform well tonight, there was every excuse possible not to perform well, but that wasn’t the mentality of the seniors and I have to say the captain led that from the start.” (per The Guardian)

This suggests that his future should be as an attacking midfielder who has more license to go forward and contribute more goals and assists but he is unlikely to displace De Bruyne from Guardiola’s team at this moment in time.

However, the £108million-rated Belgian is now 29-years-old and although his quality means he will probably be playing at the very top level for another four years at least, City may already have a direct replacement for the former Wolfsburg man in Foden.

Foden will certainly be hoping to learn from De Bruyne and try and add more goals and assists to his game, so hopefully, Guardiola will consider playing him further forward in future matches, as to try and unlock his obvious goalscoring potential.

According to Football Insider, Tottenham have offered Son Heung-min a new blockbuster contract worth £200,000-a-week, prompting Sky Sports pundit and former Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson to welcome the ‘amazing news’. 

Son, who has struck up a devastating partnership with striker Harry Kane so far this season, with the South Korean international currently sitting top of the Premier League scoring charts, is reportedly being offered a new deal worth far more than his current wages.

Spurs look to tie down Son

According to Spotrac, the 28-year-old is currently on £140,000-a-week, and this new offer will increase the winger’s weekly earnings by around £60,000.

In an effort to tie him down and warn off any potential interest, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is now looking to make sure the new deal is an offer Son cannot refuse, with Robinson going on to claim that this could be ‘amazing news for Spurs’.

Lauding Son’s ‘outstanding’ form from the very first day, the ex-England ‘keeper believes that the attacker’s presence in the dressing room and on the training pitch is reason enough to hand him a new contract.

“It’s amazing news for Spurs if he signs a new deal,” explained Robinson to Football Insider.

“He has been outstanding from the first day he walked into the building.

“He brightens up the place when he comes through the door and his performances on the pitch match his attitude off it. He is brilliant to have around the club. Son is always happy, always smiling and always has time for people.

“He has been as good if not better at times than Harry Kane.

“Over the years he has made himself one of the first names on the team sheet because he is so consistent. He deserves every single penny of his new contract.”

Transfer Tavern take

Judging by his brilliant run of form so far this season, Son appears to be most deserving of a fresh deal – and according to recent reports, Spurs may not be done there.

As per The Athletic, Lloris is next in line for a bumper contract; and if Levy can tie up all these loose ends, it’s safe to say this has been quite the year of business for Tottenham.

In other news: Dele Alli’s situation at Spurs has just taken a positive turn, find out more here.

The pressure is mounting at West Brom.

According to emerging reports this week, Slaven Bilic’s position as manager of the Baggies is under serious scrutiny – if they lose embarrassingly to Spurs on Sunday afternoon, he could well face the sack.

Albion are sat third from bottom after seven matches having picked up only three points. They hold the worst defensive record in the Premier League, averaging just under 2.3 goals conceded per game.

The Croatian may forever regret some of the decisions made throughout the summer transfer window. Some, like the situation around Ahmed Hegazi, were outside his control.

Although that doesn’t excuse his failure to bolster the backline.

Throughout the summer, the Midlands outfit were linked to several names, including Brentford left-back Rico Henry, who has continued to deliver in the Championship once again this term.

He’d have been the perfect replacement for the departed Nathan Ferguson as well as being a genuine upgrade to both Kieran Gibbs and Conor Townsend.

Per WhoScored, the 23-year-0ld has contributed with two goals and has averaged 1.3 tackles, 1.3 clearances and 0.8 key passes per game. It means he’s on track to surpass last season’s attempt of three assists already.

Henry’s former boss, Dean Smith, who is now in charge of arch-rivals Aston Villa has previously claimed that the youngster is similar to that of Ashley Cole, he said: “If I were to liken him to anyone it would be a young Ashley Cole. He’s got a good engine and pace, he can get up and down the pitch. He’s got a great personality, which will hold him in good stead.”

The 5 foot 7 dynamo has also been lauded as “fearless” as well as being “something special” by the former Bees manager.

90min claimed in September that the Championship outfit were looking for around £10m for his signature, which in the grand scheme of things, would have be an absolute bargain.

If he continues to impress in west London, you’d only imagine that his stock would continue to soar whilst Brentford have every chance of being in the big time come next season.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Chris Kirkland tips 66 y/o to replace Slaven Bilic…