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Southampton’s summer transfer window was one akin to Football Manager, with Ralph Hasenhuttl seemingly identifying some of the best wonderkids in the Premier League before bringing them to St Mary’s.

The Austrian looks to have struck gold with former Manchester City midfielder Romeo Lavia, as the Saints could have made a significant and almost instantaneous profit on the Belgian youngster during the summer.

The 18-year-old joined from Pep Guardiola’s side in a deal worth £14m and he quickly established himself as a first-team option in Hasenhuttl’s outfit, with the former RB Leipzig boss so confident in the teenager’s potential, that he allowed Oriol Romeu to move to Girona.

After a “brilliant” debut away at Tottenham Hotspur, despite the 4-1 defeat, Lavia was trusted to become James Ward-Prowse’s midfield partner, a role Southampton fans will be hoping he can continue in for the significant future.

Lavia has made just five appearances in the Premier League so far this season after injury derailed his progress, but the youngster looked incredibly promising in those appearances, averaging a strong 6.82 rating from WhoScored.

After scoring an equaliser in the 2-1 win over Chelsea earlier in the season, it seems as if the Blues felt a pang of jealousy towards Southampton’s impressive find, with reports suggesting that the Stamford Bridge outfit offered £50m for his services before the transfer deadline.

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This represents a massive 257% increase on the fee that Southampton paid, but the fact that Chelsea weren’t able to sign the young midfielder suggests that the Saints perhaps believe that he has the potential to be worth even more in the future.

Lavia recently returned to training after his injury problems so it only seems a matter of time until he is back on the pitch, and Southampton’s decision to sign him from Manchester City will likely continue to look like a great piece of business if he can pick up where he left off before his spell on the sidelines.

Glasgow Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s game plan is ‘not working’ as a result of the Premiership giants suffering from so many injuries.

That is according to former Scottish top-flight striker Frank McAvennie.

The Lowdown: Ever-growing injury list

The Light Blues secured an emphatic 4-1 victory over Aberdeen at Ibrox last weekend, but their spirits were dampened when Ridvan Yilmaz was forced off the pitch less than ten minutes into the game after sustaining a hamstring injury.

Kemar Roofe, Tom Lawrence and John Souttar are among seven other players also currently sidelined at Ibrox, leaving Van Bronckhorst with limited options in a number of areas within the squad.

The Latest: McAvennie’s sympathy

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie had some sympathy for Van Bronckhorst and claimed that not all of Rangers’ current on-field problems are down to the manager.

The 62-year-old said: “First of all I feel sorry for him. He has got bad injuries. He has got two players at the back who should not be there. [Ben] Davies and [Leon] King should not be playing together.

“He is trying to put [James] Sands in midfield to shore it up, it is not working.

“They might be good players for the future but they were absolutely slaughtered by [Giovanni] Simeone against Napoli. When Rangers lose the ball and they just stroll about.“

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The Verdict: Right man for the job

Van Bronckhorst has been under increasing pressure of late, but there’s absolutely no way that he should be sacked.

The Dutchman has won 41 and drawn ten of his 64 matches in charge, averaging an excellent 2.08 points per game, not to mention that he led his side to Scottish Cup glory and the Europa League final last season (Transfermarkt).

Whilst the Gers do have an extensive number of absences, they are only four points away from Celtic at the top of the table, and it could take just one slip-up from their rivals to capitalise and reduce the deficit.

Newcastle United have reportedly scouted Rennes winger Martin Terrier over the last two weeks ahead of a potential move in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Exceptional form

With 11 goals and four assists in 18 games in total over all competitions for Rennes so far this season, Terrier is a player in exceptional form (Transfermarkt).

The French winger, who was hailed as ‘phenomenal’, ‘very quick’ and even likened to footballing legend Thierry Henry last term by European football writer Tim Williams, has carried on from where he left off after netting 21 times and supplying seven assists in the last campaign (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: Scouts sent

Writing in his latest piece for 90min, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has revealed that the St. James’ Park outfit are one of a number of clubs in the Premier League to have scouted Terrier over the last couple of weeks, having made contact with Rennes in the summer.

Arsenal, Manchester United, Leeds United, Leicester City, Wolves and Aston Villa have all watched him in action, while Liverpool and Leeds also contacted Rennes in the summer.

Terrier has recently been called up to the France national team ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and Rennes will ask for in excess of £30m for his services in January.

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The Verdict: No-brainer

To sign a player of Terrier’s quality for £30m in January is surely a no-brainer for the Tynesiders.

Should he play in the World Cup, the Frenchman is sure to attract attention from some of the top clubs in Europe, and with the added competition from the Premier League, it may be difficult for Eddie Howe’s team to persuade him to join above all.

Terrier is 25 years of age, and so the Magpies will want to sign him when he is about to enter his prime, with fellow French winger Allan Saint-Maximin among those who could try and help push through a move.

Newcastle United reporter for The Shields Gazette Miles Starforth has shared that Ryan Fraser has picked up a ‘calf problem’ ahead of this weekend.

The Lowdown: Not in squad

Fraser was on the bench in the 4-1 win away at Southampton.

He has made September.

The Latest: Calf problem

Taking to Twitter on Wednesday night, Starforth shared that Fraser missed the game against Palace because he has picked up a ‘calf problem’:

“Ryan Fraser missed tonight’s game with a calf problem.”

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The Verdict: Not ideal

Although Fraser has not had much game time this season, losing him to a calf problem is not ideal for Eddie Howe going into the weekend’s clash at home to Chelsea.

They do not have many natural wide options in the senior squad, and Allan Saint-Maximin has only just returned from injury.

Interestingly, he has been called up for Scotland for their upcoming friendly against Turkey, which suggests that his latest setback is not too serious, but nonetheless Fraser is now a doubt for the Magpies against Chelsea, as they look to gain three points on one of their rivals for a top four place in the Premier League.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are set to begin a new era when the Premier League finally resumes following the break due to the upcoming World Cup.

Julen Lopetegui officially started work as manager of the Old Gold this week and he is set to face a massive challenge to maintain the club’s top-flight status, especially after a disastrous opening 15 matches where they won just twice.

The Spaniard looks like he is aiming to assert his authority onto the team already, with the club being linked with players such as Pau Torres, Mariano Diaz, and Carlos Alcaraz recently, however, it is a young talent who is currently shining in the Championship which Lopetegui should be diverting his attention to…

Wolves eye deal for Isaiah Jones

According to TEAMtalk, Wolves have joined West Ham United in the race for Middlesbrough player Jones, with his recent form attracting attention.

Across 20 Championship matches so far this term, the right midfielder – who has been converted from a wing-back last season – has provided six goal contributions (three goals and three assists) and this is just four shy of last season’s total of ten contributions in 47 matches.

Irons boss David Moyes is aiming to repeat his success with former Championship star Jarrod Bowen, who has become that big a success in the Premier League that West Ham reportedly value him at £75m and there is no reason why Lopetegui could find this level of talent in Jones.

Jones is equally adept at playing in every position on the right-hand side, however, he has come to have great success in a midfield role and the 23-year-old was dubbed “a bit special” by journalist and Football League expert George Elek for his performances last season.

In the Premier League, Bowen has scored 23 goals and registered 21 assists, proving that he made the transition from the second tier extremely well. Jones could follow a similar type of pathway and the 56-year-old will be keen on bringing him to Molineux.

The Englishman won’t just improve the Wolves squad, but he may also generate the club a massive profit in a few years’ time, making it a wise move for a variety of reasons.

Aston Villa could make a move for Lille and Canada attacker Jonathan David once the 2022 World Cup is over, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: David looking to star in Qatar

The 22-year-old is a hugely exciting young attacking player, having already scored 41 goals in 111 appearances for Lille, despite his tender years.

David is currently on World Cup duty with Canada, as he looks to make an impression on the biggest stage of all, looking to add to his 22 goals in 35 caps for his country.

The youngster could potentially leave Lille in the January transfer window, and a move to Villa is being talked up.

The Latest: Villa move talked up

Speaking to Give Me Sport, O’Rourke claimed that David could be a transfer target for new Villans boss Unai Emery:

“I’m sure that they will be looking at the World Cup to see if there are any strikers that maybe come to their mind of being potential targets, which Jonathan David, I’m sure, might be. Unai Emery, I think, would like to bring in a marquee striker if he could in January.”

The Verdict: Could be a great signing

Villa have been goal-shy too often in the Premier League this season – they have scored 16 times in 15 matches – with the likes of Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings struggling to consistently shine in the final third.

David could prove to be an upgrade on both players, with his goalscoring record for club and country speaking volumes about his pedigree, with analyst Danny Corcoran describing him as ‘incredible’.

Whether or not the Lille star sees himself at a Champions League-playing club remains to be seen, but if Emery can entice him to Villa Park, it could prove to be a masterstroke.

West Ham United enjoyed a vast transfer overhaul in the summer, welcoming eight new faces to the London Stadium for a combined fee of £156m.

These additions were seen as necessary to take the next step up to start truly challenging the Premier League’s ‘top-six’, however, this season has been somewhat disappointing given the significant outlay.

They sit just one point outside the relegation zone after 15 games.

One of the biggest deals was the club-record signing of Lucas Paqueta, with the Brazilian expected to provide a classy bridge between the midfield and attack.

However, he has somewhat struggled to acclimatise, with no goals and just two assists to his name in English football.

It could, therefore, leave manager David Moyes wishing he had pushed harder to sign Polish international Piotr Zielinski, who the Hammers reportedly bid for in the summer too.

Having tied up a fee of €40m (£34m) with Napoli, the classy attacking midfielder turned down the contract due to a lack of interest in moving to east London.

The 28-year-old will feel happy about his decision, given his integral he has become in his side’s sensational rise.

They currently sit atop the Serie A table, having qualified first in their Champions League group ahead of Liverpool. Zielinski has boasted six goals and seven assists during this period, more than earning his place in his country’s squad for the World Cup.

Despite the vast change in tactics from club to country, where the latter opts for a far more conservative approach, the £107k-per-week maestro has still excelled.

He is boasting a 7.10 average Sofascore rating and even scored the opener in their all-important win over Saudi Arabia. Despite being starved of touches in the competition, where he is recording just 34.7 per game, he still averages 1.7 key passes, via Sofascore.

He truly can excel in any system, lending to Carlo Ancelotti’s praise:

“Zielinski is a complete midfielder, he played in all positions with me. He is dynamic and skilled with the ball.”

Given his blistering form and the disappointing nature of Paqueta’s performances, surely Moyes will be rethinking his decision to abandon the pursuit of Zielinski.

This World Cup only serves as added proof of his intangible qualities that would surely have West Ham far higher in the table than they currently are.

Incoming Glasgow Rangers boss Mick Beale will seemingly need to deal with the situation surrounding contract rebel Ryan Kent, amid an update on the Englishman’s future at Ibrox.

What’s the word?

According to Football Insider, the appointment of the former Queen’s Park Rangers manager will seemingly have ‘no bearing’ on talks over a contract extension for the 26-year-old, with the fleet-footed ace having just a matter of months left on his existing deal.

The report suggests that the former Liverpool winger has been offered improved terms by the Old Firm outfit, although appears to be keeping his options open ahead of the January window.

This follows previous claims that the one-time England youth international has his eyes set on the Premier League after rejecting an offer from the Light Blues, having notably been linked with a move to Leeds United in the summer.

Ruthlessly ditch

The uncertainty surrounding the future of the Oldham-born ace will no doubt be a notable issue on Beale’s in-tray, with the 42-year-old potentially having to decide whether to try and tempt the player into staying with the Gers, or to simply move him on sooner rather than later.

Having previously worked with the 5 foot 8 ace during his time as Steven Gerrard’s assistant, the up-and-coming coach may well be inclined to try and revive Kent’s fortunes in the coming months in order get the electric talent back to his best.

However, the best course of action could well be to ruthlessly ditch the £18k-per-week man when the market re-opens, with the dynamic speedster having perhaps become something of a problem for the Light Blues in recent times due to his underwhelming form.

The one-time Bristol City loanee – who arrived in Scotland on an initial loan deal in 2018 – has still chipped in with a respectable tally of six assists in all competitions this season, although has proven somewhat unreliable in front of goal with just one strike to his name thus far.

The club’s miserable Champions League run saw the £15m-rated dud particularly underwhelm as he failed to provide a single goal or assist, with pundit Neil McCann notably calling out the attacker for having “disappeared” during the shambolic, 7-1 home defeat to the Reds back in October.

Pundit Frank McAvennie also suggested that while Kent is a “wonderful player” he has seemingly been the Scottish Premiership outfit’s “biggest failure” of late, having come under scrutiny for his work ethic and attitude.

As Beale looks to stamp his authority on the side and spark a revival of fortunes for Rangers, the new head coach will seemingly not want to have problematic and uncommitted figures lingering in his dressing room, with a fresh start perhaps the best solution for all parties.

Sunderland could reportedly lose both Ross Stewart and Dennis Cirkin in the January transfer window, as a number of clubs consider making bids for the duo.

The Lowdown: Key players

There is no doubt that Stewart and Cirkin are two key members of Tony Mowbray’s squad at the Stadium of Light.

The former played in every minute in the Championship for which he was available before his injury earlier this season, scoring five goals and supplying three assists in his opening seven games in the division [featured heavily under the current manager.

Nonetheless, with their 3-0 win over Millwall at the weekend taking them to within one point of the play-off places, the Wearside club will not want to lose anyone in the January transfer window in a manner which may halt their momentum.

The Latest: Bids considered

As per The Sun, Stewart is a January target for Olympiakos, and the Scotland striker is ‘open’ to a move abroad.

He has yet to sign a new deal with the Black Cats, and his contract is up in the summer. Sunderland have the option to extend Stewart’s deal, but they ‘expect bidders’ in January.

Meanwhile, Premier League duo Tottenham Hotspur and Brentford are thought to be ‘considering bids’ for Cirkin, whose contract expires in 2024.

The Verdict: Keep them!

If Sunderland are to have any chance of clinching a play-off spot by the end of the season, and potentially secure back-to-back promotions, they need to keep hold of Stewart and Cirkin in January.

It may be tempting to accept bids for both given their respective contract situations, but the Black Cats must push to tie them down for the longer term, as they remain crucial members of the squad.

Also, it would be difficult to find adequate replacements for the pair in January, so ultimately it is not worth the risk of cashing in on them.

Manchester City star Jack Grealish will not be sold in the near future despite the rumours about replacing him, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Grealish’s future

It has been reported by Football Insider that Man City would be willing to sell Grealish to fund their pursuit of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham.

With the former Aston Villa man only arriving at the Etihad Stadium last summer in a British-record £100m deal, it would surely be a premature departure if he were to be sold already, and Jones has now given an update on whether this is likely to be the case…

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Jones tells GIVEMESPORT that the Englishman will not be leaving at this early stage, despite a difficult start to his City career:

“I just see no chance of Man City actually looking to cash in on Jack Grealish at this point. I know that he probably hasn’t transitioned into the team as well as you might have hoped in terms of stats, in terms of maybe even minutes.

“But it was a really big signing for them, and it’s a player that Pep Guardiola really has spoken about with great admiration and great hope. And it’s not very often Man City quickly turn their back on someone.”

The Verdict: Too soon?

While it is true that the 27-year-old has not recorded the best numbers for the Sky Blues up to this point, registering six goal contributions in 26 appearances last season, Pep Guardiola should give him more time to replicate his Villa form.

Jamie O’Hara has previously lauded the £300k-per-week earner as being ‘world-class’, and he has shown this in glimpses for City, starring in a 3-0 away win at Wolves earlier this season ,with a goal and an 8.1 SofaScore rating, the highest received by any player.

Hia manager has also been keen to stress that goals and assists are not the be-all-and-end-all for the maestro, saying:

“We didn’t sign for the incredible goals or assists at Aston Villa. It was another reason and when he played he did it. I want [him] to make goals and assists and he does too. But it’s not about that, it’s about his contribution without the ball and what he can produce for the other ones.”

As such, Grealish is still playing his part in the Man City team, even if he is not recording the same sort of numbers as the likes of Kevin De Bruyne or Phil Foden, and Guardiola should at least give him until the end of the season before making any hasty decisions.