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Southampton could soon be able to breathe a sigh of relief in regards to the future of Nathan Tella, with reliable journalist Darren Witcoop reporting that Burnley are now looking at former Saint Nathan Redmond instead.

How many goals did Nathan Tella score for Burnley?

The 24-year-old spent the 2022/23 season out on loan with the Clarets in the Championship, helping them to storm to the league title under the stewardship of new manager Vincent Kompany. Having never managed more than 18 league games in a season before his move to Turf Moor, he went on to feature in 39 games for the side in the second tier and was a key member of their first-team. He bagged 17 goals, with five assists along the way, and ended the campaign with a rate of 0.79 goal contributions per 90 – the best rate of his career.

Prior to this spell with Burnley, he had spent the entirety of his career playing for Southampton and their reserve side. He was handed his league debut for the Saints back in 2019/20 and has so far managed 33 games in the Premier League with them. However, his goal and assist rate at St Mary's Stadium hasn't been as exceptional as what he managed with Burnley, as he has just one goal and two assists over those fixtures with the club.

Are Southampton selling Nathan Tella to Burnley?

Having finally realised his potential and shown his ability in that Clarets team, Kompany has been keen to reunite with Tella again for the 2023/24 campaign. He has already expressed his interest in adding the winger on a permanent basis, but as of yet there has been no deal done to send him back to the club.

And it now appears as though Burnley could be moving on from the Southampton man. According to a report from reliable journalist Darren Witcoop, the Saints have whacked a large price tag on the head of the 24-year-old after his displays for Burnley.

It means that the Clarets are currently being "priced out" of a transfer move for the forward this summer. With no end in sight in terms of sorting out the financials, it appears as though they could now be looking elsewhere to boost their wings as the journalist also adds that they have turned towards Redmond. He also formerly played for Southampton, but has most recently spent time with Besiktas and is now a free agent.

It's no surprise that Burnley have been desperate to try and bring Tella back to Turf Moor, with their current boss Vincent Kompany viewing the winger very highly. During his tenure with the Clarets, the manager stated that the forward was a "raw diamond" and was able to help the side "in so many ways" because he "has all the tools".

Tella really did shine at Championship level then, so if Southampton can hold on to the 24-year-old, it could do their chances of an instant promotion the world of good next season.

Leeds United loanee Charlie Cresswell has undergone surgery on a fractured eye socket and will miss the rest of the season as a result.

What’s the latest injury news on Cresswell?

Cresswell has been out on loan with Championship side Millwall where he has made 30 appearances in all competitions. The 20-year-old has even weighed in with five goals in the second tier, with Gary Rowett’s side currently in the playoff places.

However, the Leeds defender has missed the last three games after suffering a "significant" injury against West Brom at the beginning of the month. There has now been an update on the player’s condition, one that isn’t good for either Cresswell or Millwall.

Reporter Rich Cawley relayed an update regarding Cresswell in the last 48 hours, stating on Twitter that the Leeds gem has undergone eye surgery and will miss the rest of the season.

He added that Cresswell has a five-to-six-week recovery period, but even if Millwall reach the playoff final, would more than likely miss out due to not being match fit.

What next for Cresswell at Leeds?

Cresswell has enjoyed a positive loan spell at The Den and has been the club’s second-best performer this season, leading the way for clearances and blocks made, as per WhoScored.

His average match rating is actually better than any Leeds player, and the Whites’ survival hopes could well have a say in Cresswell’s future. The youngster was heavily linked with a permanent exit from Elland Road back in January, however, he is still under contract in Yorkshire until 2025.

Leeds have been leaking goals in the Premier League in recent weeks, shipping for against Arsenal, five vs Crystal Palace and six last time out against Liverpool, so if they are relegated, Cresswell may find himself with a chance to break into the club’s first-team plans. He could even look at forcing his way into the first-team setup even if Leeds stay up following his successful loan spell, but that may depend on who is in charge heading into the 2023/24 season.

The England U21 international has done his chances no harm this season, though, being hailed as “excellent” by Rowett and his Transfermarkt valuation increasing to a career-high figure. It is unfortunate that his season is now over, but it’ll be interesting to see where he is plying his trade in the 2023/24 campaign.

Arsenal may prioritise spending money on alternative areas of their squad rather than paying a significant fee for Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, according to journalist Paul Brown.

What's the latest transfer news involving Romeo Lavia?

According to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal are keen on bringing Lavia to the Emirates Stadium this summer as Mikel Arteta eyes midfield reinforcements.

Speaking to his Twitter following, Romano delivered an update on the state of play surrounding Lavia's future, stating:

"Arsenal have concrete and strong interest in Romeo Lavia. Relationship is excellent with his camp — talks already took place. Timing will be crucial as Chelsea remain interested. Man United appreciate Lavia but still not advancing. City buy back clause only valid 2024."

In April, Football Insider revealed that it may cost around £45 million for any interested suitors to land the services of the 19-year-old enforcer this off-season, with Chelsea also said to be eager to sign Lavia at Stamford Bridge.

Lavia's buy-back clause that Manchester City have control over from 2024 onwards is rumoured to be set at around £40 million, according to The Daily Mail.

Football London report that the Gunners are also keen on sealing a deal to acquire Rice from West Ham United as a midfield reshape takes priority in north London ahead of next term.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Brown thinks that due to their pursuit of Rice, any deal for Lavia to join him at Arsenal may fall apart due to their transfer priorities likely involving bolstering different positions rather than securing another midfielder.

Brown told FFC: "I don't think Arsenal will be paying big money for another midfielder if they sign Declan Rice; they have other areas of the pitch they're also trying to improve in. It entirely depends really on what sort of price they'd be quoted. I think at the moment, Lavia is valued at around £45 million and that's probably a bit too high for Arsenal."

Would Romeo Lavia be a good signing for Arsenal?

Lavia is a talented young midfielder who looks to have a bright future in the Premier League and Arsenal may be the ideal environment for him to continue his development moving forward.

In 2022/23, the Belgium international made 34 appearances in all competitions for Southampton, registering one goal and a solitary assist, as per Transfermarkt.

As per WhoScored, Lavia showed maturity for his age in the middle of the park and was a reliable presence in possession for his current employers, maintaining a pass success rate of 86.4% in the English top flight.

FBRef also take into account that Lavia excelled in comparison to his positional peers across Europe's top five divisions regarding blocks, as he has made an average total of 1.90 per 90 minutes over the last 365 days, putting him in the fourth percentile for this metric.

Arsenal have established themselves as a breeding ground for elite talent and Lavia could be the next on their exciting conveyor belt if both parties can make progress in negotiations.

Russell Martin has made it his mission to reconnect Southampton's fanbase by making the Saints exciting to watch again after taking over from Ruben Seles as manager.

If the former Swansea City head coach is to achieve that, he could do with a helping hand from his own bosses when it comes to bringing in new recruits.

Southampton will have to offload some players to help balance the books following their relegation from the Premier League, with skipper James Ward-Prowse the most obvious example.

The future of striker Nathan Tella also remains in the balance following last season's impressive spell on loan in the Championship with Burnley, who are one of a number of sides reportedly interested in signing the striker.

But if Southampton are indeed going to cash in on Tella, they need to have a replacement – even if it is a cheaper alternative – lined up and ready to hit the ground running.

According to the Daily Mail, Martin is eager to bring Joel Piroe with him to St Mary's, but recent acrimony between Southampton and Swansea over a compensation fee for the manager could hinder negotiations.

The report suggests Piroe could be available for £12m which, while not exactly a small amount of money for a Championship team trying to readjust to a smaller budget, would mean effectively swapping the Dutchman with Tella and still having £3m or so left over.

Is Joel Piroe a better player than Nathan Tella?

First and foremost, Southampton would be signing a player that is not only Championship proven but also well known to Martin, having worked together over the past two years at Swansea.

Martin, therefore, knows exactly what Piroe is capable of in the final third. "He is so clinical with both feet, and he is a great technician," the then-Swansea boss said after a victory against Millwall last year.

"But the most important thing he has is the right mentality when he gets around the goal. He shows composure, he is calm, and he just focuses on his technique, something that all top strikers possess."

Piroe had very similar numbers to Tella last season – with the latter playing in a better side – as they scored 19 and 17 goals respectively, though the Burnley loanee did assist five goals to the former Netherlands U20 international's two.

They were also alike in terms of percentage of shots on target (44.4 for Tella and 41.4 for Piroe) and touches per 90 minutes (39.5 v 35), as per FBref, but Piroe came out on top for pass-completion rate (81.5% v 72.6%) and also the number of aerial duels won per 90 (0.55 v 0.43).

Ultimately, there is very little between the two players, with just one month separating them in terms of age. Piroe does have more longevity, though, having scored 22 goals and 19 goals in the past two Championship seasons, while also boasting experience of playing in Eredivisie with PSV.

Sanctioning the sale of Tella is a big call to make, but if Piroe is indeed available for a cheaper price, Southampton would not only be bringing in a proven striker but also helping to further ease their financial issues.

Aside from Celtic losing treble-winning coach, Ange Postecoglou, arguably the biggest setback of the summer so far for the Parkhead outfit was the departure of wing wizard, Jota, with the Portuguese gem having sealed a £25m move to Saudi Arabian side, Al Ittihad.

Despite being able to rake in a handsome profit on the 24-year-old – having signed him on a permanent deal for roughly £6.4m the year prior – that exit has left the Hoops without a player that was crucial to their domestic dominance under Postecolgou over the last two seasons.

Having initially snapped up the Lisbon native from Benfica on a season-long loan deal in the summer of 2021, the fleet-footed ace went on to score 13 goals and provide 14 assists in all competitions during his debut season in Glasgow, before adding a further 27 goal involvements last season.

With an overall tally of 54 goals and assists in just 83 games for the Old Firm giants in total, it is fair to say that Jota certainly made his mark at the club, hence the need to find a suitable replacement for the forthcoming campaign.

Who could replace Jota at Celtic?

Rodgers and co have, of course, already strengthened their attack with the signings of Marco Tilio and Hyunjun Yang, although further forward additions could be in store, amid prior reports that the Bhoys have also shown an interest in another South Korean sensation – Ji-sung Eom.

As per the Daily Record, Celtic are said to have been scouting the 21-year-old Gwangju starlet of late, albeit with his current side seemingly adamant that they will not sell the emerging sensation before the end of the K League 1 season later this year.

As the piece also notes, however, the Hoops could strike a deal that would see Eom spend the next six months on loan back at his current club, before eventually making the move to Scotland in the New Year.

Either way, if Rodgers can strike a deal for the 5 foot 10 dynamo in the near future, it could allow Celtic to forget all about that man Jota, such is the Korean's undoubted potential.

Who is Ji-sung Eom?

As stated above, trying to fill the void left behind by Jota will be no small feat, although, in Eom, the Scottish champions could potentially find a worthy candidate, following the wide man's impact in his homeland in recent times.

Such is the young forward's quality, he has even been dubbed "one of the most exciting young talents in Korean football" by journalist Jason Lee, having scored 15 goals and provided four assists in 80 games in all competitions for Gwangju.

While not quite at the same level as Jota's return for Celtic, Eom has been in fine form in the current campaign with two goals and two assists in just 15 league outings, having made a smooth transition to life in the top tier – after bagging nine goals in 28 K League 2 games last year.

A player who typically operates on the left wing, like Jota, the South Korean U22 international also mirrors the Al Ittihad ace with regard to his defensive output, having averaged 1.7 tackles and interceptions per game last season, while Jota averaged 1.6 in that regard in 2022/23.

Also described as a truly "underrated" talent – in the words of scout Ali Can Kutlu – Eom has the potential to explode over the coming years, with the hope being that his development can continue under the watchful eye of Rodgers.

Losing Jota is undoubtedly a source of real frustration, although the former Celtic Park hero could be quickly forgotten about if a new figure steps up to take his place on the flanks.

A new report claims that Everton's decision to terminate the contract of Jean-Philippe Gbamin could now set them back millions.

What's happening at Everton at the moment?

The Blues picked up their first Premier League point of the season on Saturday lunchtime, drawing 2-2 away to Sheffield United in an entertaining contest. While far from a perfect result, especially having taken the lead at Bramall Lane in the first half, there were still positives to take from the game, suggesting that further improvements will be made after the international break.

It has been a fairly good summer in the transfer market in terms of finally adding some attacking prowess, signing Arnaut Danjuma on loan from Villarreal and bringing in Beto permanently from Udinese, but there have also been concerns about allowing players to leave without proper replacements lined up.

Some current players also don't feel like they will cut the mustard under Sean Dyche, such as Demarai Gray, who has recently hinted at his displeasure at not playing enough currently, and another individual's time at Goodison Park has come to an end, following a new update.

What's the news on Jean-Philippe Gbamin?

According to Football Insider, Everton's decision to pay Gbamin off is going to be a huge hit to Farhad Moshiri's pocket:

"Everton have paid a high seven-figure sum to terminate the contract of Jean-Phillipe Gbamin, sources have told Football Insider. It was announced on deadline day last Friday by the Merseysiders that the club had agreed with the midfielder to terminate his contract with immediate effect.

"Everton eventually decided to cut their losses by paying off a big chunk of Gbamin’s contract, which was worth more than £100,000-a-week. It is believed that the final cost was, as one source said, a 'high seven-figure sum'."

Gbamin really has become something of a forgotten man for Everton, having joined from Mainz back in 2019, making just eight appearances in that time. He has been loaned out to both CSKA Moscow and Trabzonspor, showing that other Blues manager haven't rated him, and it makes complete sense to get rid of him.

It is pointless keeping unwanted players at Goodison, especially as it can potentially hamper the team spirit within the squad, so it is good to see the club acting fast and disposing of the 27-year-old. Of course, it is a financial hit, which isn't ideal for Moshiri, but sometimes it feels necessary.

Former Everton manager Rafa Benitez did once hail Gbamin for "training well" during their time together at the club, but that is about the highest praise he has received, which speaks volumes about his lack of impact in a Blues shirt.

The 17-time capped Ivory Coast international will certainly go down as a hugely disappointing signing by Everton, considering there were relatively high expectations of him when he arrived and he cost £25m, and it is important that similar errors are avoided when it comes to incomings moving forward.

Everton produced a monumental comeback in their Premier League clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last night and Sean Dyche will be thrilled with the resilience his team showed throughout.

The Toffees climbed to 15th in the top-flight table following their point earned in west London and are now two points clear of the relegation zone with ten games to go.

Despite having only 31% possession, fewer shots on target (3 v 7) and far fewer accurate passes completed (165 v 445), Everton put up a fight until the very end.

It wasn’t until the final 45 minutes of the outing that the action started with Joao Felix giving Chelsea the lead in the 52nd minute, which was followed up 17 minutes later by a strike from Abdoulaye Doucoure to level out the score-line once again.

A penalty converted by Kai Havertz put Chelsea back in front with 14 minutes left, however, it was Everton youngster Ellis Simms who stole the show by earning his team a crucial point with a stunning goal in the dying moments of the game.

Indeed, the Goodison Park faithful will be jubilant following the well-fought draw but not every player put in a performance that was worthy of the 2-2 result with Alex Iwobi having offered very little to his team.

How did Alex Iwobi get on vs Chelsea?

There is no doubt that the Everton midfielder has significantly improved over the last 12 months and has often been a stand-out performer despite the club’s struggles to comfortably compete.

Indeed, he leads the assist chart at Goodison this term with six assists, four more than he managed in 2021/22.

However, in the capital last night, Iwobi was a passenger in his team’s fight for a positive result lacking effort and presence on the pitch.

Over his 90-minute performance, the 26-year-old dud – dubbed “useless” last campaign by Peter Guy – certainly lived up to that tag on Saturday with the ball at his feet.

He lost possession a staggering 21 times, completed just ten accurate passes and lost six of his defensive duels.

In fact, only Seamus Coleman earned a lower rating (6.3) on the entire pitch with Iwobi (6.4) a stand-out for all the wrong reasons, as per SofaScore.

Those statistics would appear to back up reviews from various sections of the media with 90min giving him a 6/10, while saying 'his final pass was poor at times.'

Dyche will surely be happy with the performance but there is still a long way to go before their survival in the Premier League is confirmed and Iwobi’s lacklustre effort could’ve put the club in an even more worrying position if his teammates had not shown moments of quality.

With that being said, Everton must not get complacent as they host Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park after the international break, where they will hope the Nigerian is back to his creative best.

Alex Crook believes that Manchester United could finally hand Erik ten Hag the midfielder he craves in Frenkie de Jong.

The Lowdown: Man United will look to improve

United were very interested and keen to sign De Jong last summer as Ten Hag tried to bolster his midfield options but instead, they decided to recruit Casemiro and many may believe they actually got a better deal with the Brazilian given his performances.

However, Man United are still being linked with De Jong despite his persistence against joining the Red Devils last summer as Ten Hag looks to build upon what has been a very solid season of progress and rebuild.

The Red Devils will have been buoyed recently by the news that Barcelona are set to be hit with a transfer ban this summer, which could indeed force them into a sort of fire sale, including De Jong.

The Latest: De Jong could move to Old Trafford

Crook has admitted on TalkSPORT that despite their failed attempts to land De Jong last summer, Ten Hag may finally be reunited with the former Ajax player this upcoming transfer window.

He said: (0:30) “Of course, De Jong got a bit of a taste of the feel-good factor that’s certainly reverberating around Old Trafford when Barcelona were dumped out of the Europa League at United last week.

“I think this is one that could happen and I think Manchester United fans should be excited, Casemiro alongside De Jong in midfield that is top quality.”

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The Verdict: Ten Hag could assemble monster midfield

It will be mouthwatering for Man United fans to imagine a midfield duo of Casemiro and De Jong, players who’ve played at the very top level of the game and the latter has been hailed as the ‘best player on the ball’ after his El Classico display on Thursday night.

De Jong may well have got a taste for moving to Old Trafford after experiencing the atmosphere last week during Barcelona’s Europa League defeat, however, given that the Catalonian giants are thriving in the league, it will be a tough choice for him to make.

If Ten Hag was to be handed De Jong this summer as well as a proven goalscorer then there would be no reason why the Red Devils couldn’t become serious title contenders next season based on their form as of late.

Arsenal fans have been bemoaning the news that Takehiro Tomiyasu left the Emirates Stadium on crutches after getting injured on Thursday night.

The Lowdown: Tomiyasu injured

Tomiyasu was forced off injured in just the ninth minute of their 1-1 draw at home to Sporting in the UEFA Europa League second leg, as he was replaced by Ben White at right-back.

William Saliba was then forced off injured just 12 minutes later in what was an unlucky night for the Gunners injury-wise as well as the scoreline, as they crashed out of the competition on penalties.

Speaking to the media after the game, Mikel Arteta admitted that Tomiyasu’s injury looked ‘pretty serious’ in a worrying assessment:

“Tomi looks pretty serious from what he said to me. Willy I don’t know, he had some discomfort.”

Arsenal reporter for The Evening Standard Simon Collings has since shared an image on social media of Tomiyasu leaving the Emirates on crutches, which does not bode well for the Japan international.

The Latest: Arsenal fans react

Taking to Twitter, Gunners supporters were left fearing the worst for Tomiyasu after seeing him leave on crutches.

They said:

“This really isn’t good. All the best, Tomi!” – @akarsenalnews

“Sell him Diaby 2.0” – @ed1_94

“This brother is made out of glass, speedy recovery” – @muideentemitop

“This hurts me more than getting knocked out of the EL” – @ElDanMan86

“Oh no” – @ifeyeee

“Feels worse then the loss tbh” – @ArseBrosRyan

“He’s on crutches. Season over” – @theodox_dip

“Could be just a precaution but man that doesn’t look good” – @Bibz_14

“Goodness me” – @Tobi2332_

“This might just hurt us” – @sihle_nzima

The Verdict: Frustrating

Tomiyasu’s injury capped off a frustrating night for the North Londoners, as they crashed out of the Europa League via a penalty shootout.

The 24-year-old has had rotten luck with injuries in the past, notably a calf problem keeping him out for a large chunk of last season.

With Ben White very much establishing himself as the left-back for Arsenal as well this season.

Nonetheless, Gunners supporters will be waiting nervously to see the extent of his latest setback, and will be hoping that it is not too serious and that Tomiyasu can have a speedy recovery, with full attention now on Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

Tottenham Hotspur are believed to be "very keen" on what one high-earning player could offer them as they eye up a January move to sign him.

Who will Spurs sign in January?

Spurs will be boosted by the confirmed appointment of new technical director Johan Lange on November 1, with the Aston Villa chief coming in to replace ex-director Fabio Paratici and is to work under new Chief Football Officer Scott Munn. Ange Postecoglou's arrival has already rejuvenated Tottenham following the departure of ex-boss Antonio Conte earlier this year, with table-topping Spurs currently sitting first in the Premier League standings.

The Lilywhites have won six out a possible eight games so far this season, all while displaying their free-flow, attack-minded style of "Ange-ball" to thrilled supporters. However, that isn't to say they won't be busy in the January transfer window. Tottenham fans could see another central defender come in as back up for Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, especially considering Eric Dier currently isn't favoured and looks likely to leave next year when his contract expires next year. Galatasaray defender Victor Nelsson, Juventus star Gleison Bremer, Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly and Bayer Leverkusen star Edmond Tapsoba have all been linked with moves to N17.

Meanwhile, new strikers like Santiago Gimenez and a replacement for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg have been mooted as possibilities also. Speaking of successors for Hojbjerg, one very interesting name is being reported this week.

Kalvin Phillips transfer news

Man City midfielder Kalvin Phillips, who has found life increasingly difficult at Eastlands since his multi-million pound move from Leeds United in the summer of 2022, is set to find game time even more limited when Rodri returns from suspension after the international break. The England international, despite not being given many opportunities, has been praised by Pep Guardiola this season.

“He played really good today," said Guardiola after City's 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest recently. "For the type of game that we needed, defensively and keeping the ball and run, he was amazing. I’m so pleased for him because he’s an incredible guy, never one bad face when he didn’t play the minutes."

Football Transfers, sharing the latest update on Kalvin Phillips and his future at City, say Tottenham are "very keen" on signing the £150,000-per-week midfielder (SpotRac). Spurs are admirers alongside the likes of Everton and Newcastle, and a move for Phillips is intriguing for Tottenham given the possibility he could rekindle his Leeds form. It's added that he is "likely" to leave Manchester.

Former Leeds midfielder Andrew Hughes, speaking to The Athletic, once called him a "very special" player, saying:

"He’s one-paced but he’s made that work for him and, in the end, it doesn’t matter. I’ve been lucky enough to watch training at Leeds and you see it with the midfielders — out early before the main sessions and making sure whichever team they’re going to be playing, they know where to take the ball and where to pass the ball. It’s about intelligence.

"The only way to get someone who can cover and do the same job perfectly is to spend £50 million, at least, that’s what a player like him costs. Rather than talking about how other players match up, you just have to accept he’s very special.”