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Southampton have reportedly been scouting Bristol City midfielder Han-Noah Massengo recently and if he were to join The Saints, it could prove to be similar to the deal that saw Morgan Schneiderlin sign for the South Coast club in 2008.

According to the Bristol Post, Southampton scouts have been in attendance at Ashton Gate for recent Bristol City fixtures, and one player who they are said to be looking at is 19-year-old Massengo.

The Robins splashed the cash to bring the teenager to the club from AS Monaco in 2019 and he has since gone on to make 51 appearances for the Championship side.

Like Schneiderlin, Massengo established himself as a regular in Ligue 1 from a young age, before moving to a lower-league English side, with the defensive-midfielder enduring a relegation in his first season with Southampton, before helping the South Coast club to back-to-back promotions.

He would go on to make 257 appearances for the Saints, in which he contributed 15 goals and 11 assists, before completing a £25 million move to Manchester United in 2015, where he would spend just a year and a half before joining Everton.

Massengo can play as a defensive midfielder and has featured for the French U’19 side in the past, although he has struggled to adapt to Bristol City in his time there thus far, having averaged a pretty poor 6.27 rating for his performances this season.

However, he is still just 19-years-old and undoubtedly has some potential, which Southampton could help him realise if he makes the switch to St Mary’s this summer. If he did join, then perhaps it could be a repeat of the masterclass that saw Schneiderlin join from Strasbourg 13 years ago.

If the French midfielder proved to be even half as good as Schneiderlin was during his time on the South Coast, he would be a very good signing indeed, so it will be interesting to see if Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side make an official approach for the 19-year-old this summer.

And, in other news… Forget Diallo: Southampton can sign their ideal Romeu heir in 22 y/o gem

After securing an impressive victory away from home against Leeds United, Villa were brought back down to Earth somewhat with a disappointing 1-0 defeat to the Premier League’s bottom side Sheffield United in midweek.

A David McGoldrick strike was enough to give the Blades all the points, and Dean Smith’s side will no doubt be keen to make amends when they welcome Wolves to Villa Park on Saturday evening.

Having lined up with a midfield trio of Jacob Ramsey, Marvelous Nakamba and John McGinn for that game against Sheffield United, Smith must surely consider bringing Douglas Luiz back into the fold.

The 22-year-old has been dropped to the bench for the past couple of games in the Premier League, but the time is surely right for him to take his place among the starters once again.

Speaking last summer, The Athletic journalist Gregg Evans said of him: “He’s an absolute joy to watch now and I never thought I would be saying that. Villa have got a fantastic player in Douglas Luiz now, he looks like an absolute star, he could have played in that Man United team.

“He was better than (Paul) Pogba, I thought. I thought he was brilliant, hardly did anything wrong, hardly put a foot wrong. He won so many interceptions and made so many important blocks. When he gets the ball, he passes it nicely. He’s the best player in that Villa team at the moment because it’s just not working for John McGinn.”

With Villa sliding to a defeat last time out, Smith will surely want to inject some fresh legs into his starting line-up for the clash against Wolves, and the £50,000-a-week earning Luiz should be one of those who comes straight back in.

As Evans says, Luiz is someone who can control the tempo of a game for Villa, and with John McGinn surely needing to be dropped after his howler in mid-week, it seems like the perfect and necessary change to make.

Meanwhile, Villa could find a perfect strike partner for Ollie Watkins in this star…

Manchester City cult hero Pablo Zabaleta, as relayed by an exclusive with the Mirror, is in talks over an emotional return to Eastlands nearly four years after his departure – with the Argentine open to taking up different roles for the club following his retirement from football in October.

Zabaleta, who made 333 appearances for the Sky Blues before emotionally saying goodbye at the end of the 2016/2017 season, winning two Premier League titles, two League Cups, an FA Cup and a Community Shield at the Etihad, could now make a dream return in a non-playing capacity.

The Argentine is a fan favourite for the club, being one of the only players signed before the takeover to survive in City’s squad for years thereafter.

After his departure from the Etihad, Zabaleta could come back in a non-playing role – as the Mirror relay CFG have approached him over a return in some capacity as he will continue to negotiate.

The 36-year-old hinted he could even take up a coaching role as supporters flock to this ‘awesome news’ shared by City Xtra on social media, and it’s little wonder why they’re excited given the love for ‘Zaba’.

Find all of their best verdicts down below.

Man City fans wowed by ‘awesome’ Zabaleta news

“Get in Zaba”

Credit: @MCFCAJ10

“#ZABACK SIUUUUUUUU”

Credit: @gundo8ii

“YEA!!!! Awesome news…!”

Credit: @MCFCTone

“YEEESSSSSSS”

Credit: @jontekarlsson02

“Can’t wait to have Zaba back in any capacity. His genuine love for mcfc

is unmatched.”

Credit: @dippyalone

“Please make this happen”

Credit: @Mr_C_Walsh

“The king shall return”

Credit: @_TrueInBlue

“YESSSSSS”

Credit: @mcfcsaif

In other news: Man City fans weren’t impressed by this claim, find out more here.

After picking up a hugely impressive 3-1 win away at Southampton last time out, Mikel Arteta will be hoping his Arsenal side can continue their Premier League rise when they take on Manchester United at the Emirates.The Gunners have been on a bit of a roll in recent weeks, with five wins in their last six league games, but do head into the game against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side with a couple of injury concerns, none more so perhaps than Thomas Partey.The Ghana international has endured a difficult debut campaign in English football, with injuries restricting him to just ten appearances for his new club.And after being forced off with an issue mid-way through the second-half of the Gunners’ win over the Saints, there were some questions about whether he would be available to play against United.Now, Goal journalist Charles Watts has delivered a huge boost on the eve of the game, confirming that Partey has “recovered well”, and that he is “expected to be fit to face United”.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the United game on Thursday, Arteta said: “I don’t know (whether Partey and Emile Smith Rowe would be fit for Saturday). They had some discomforts in different parts, Thomas and Emile, and we will have to see how they evolve. We still have some days until the game but not long so let’s see how they recover.”

But with Watts confirming that Partey is all set to go, that will no doubt have the Arsenal boss absolutely buzzing. The former Atletico Madrid star has already shown in his limited game-time how he can be a major game-changer for the Gunners – Roy Keane tipped him to become the north London side’s modern-day Patrick Vieira after his superb performance in the 1-0 win against United at Old Trafford.

Partey’s availability is a huge boost to Arsenal and Arteta.

Meanwhile, Arsenal could sign their perfect Lacazette successor in this striker…

Ex-referee Mark Halsey has admitted that he has “doubts” over the red card that was given to Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno during Wolves’ 2-1 win against them on Tuesday night.

Halsey unsure

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side came from behind to beat the Gunners who finished the game with nine men, after David Luiz was sent off during first-half stoppage time.

But Leno was dismissed after racing out his area to dispossess Adama Traore charging up the right-hand side, only for the ball to strike his hand which saw him given a straight red card.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, Halsey revealed his doubts about the decision, regarding whether the German shot-stopper was denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.

“It’s not about the last man, we keep going ‘oh he’s the last man’, it’s nothing to do with that,” he said.

“It’s about did the player deny a goal or an obvious goalscoring opportunity. In those situations, the referee must consider the distance between the offence and the goal, the general direction of play, the likelihood of gaining and keeping control of the ball and the location and number of defenders around at that moment.

“The one part of that criteria I felt was in doubt was is he going to gain control of the ball? If you take Leno out of the picture and he misses that, on the wet and slippery surface, I think there’s a bit of doubt there whether he (Traore) would have gained control of the ball.”

Transfer Tavern Verdict

We have to agree with Halsey here. If Traore was barrelling down the middle of the pitch at the edge of the penalty box, then the red card would be unquestionable, but that wasn’t the case.

There were no guarantees from that position that Traore was going to score, due to the angle and where he would have ended up if Leno missed it. The Spaniard still would have had a lot to do to find the net from there.

Despite this, Wolves supporters won’t care one bit, as it was a huge win that pushed them far away from the relegation places and put a cork on their recent slump in form.

In other news, Key Wolves asset attracting interest from PL duo who left England international feeling ‘powerless.’

Glasgow Rangers manager Steven Gerrard must wield the axe on Ryan Kent for the game against St. Mirren on Wednesday afternoon after his rapid decline in form.

Kent started the Boxing Day clash with Hibernian at Ibrox but offered very little going forwards as he cut a frustrated figure on the left flank.

Whilst the 24-year-old’s form has started to spiral out of control, Ianis Hagi has outshone his teammate since the start of the month, providing three goals and an assist in his past six games across all competitions, via Transfermarkt.

The Ibrox boss shouldn’t think twice about dropping Kent for Hagi as it’s surely a no-brainer at this stage, with the Romania international showing what he can do from that flank by cutting in from the left wing to score against Lech Poznan in the Europa League earlier this month.

Rangers have enjoyed an imperious campaign since the start of the season, with 18 wins, two draws and no defeats in the Scottish Premiership so far. However, there is still room for improvement, having conceded four goals in their past five games.

The Govan-based Glaswegian giants couldn’t keep a clean sheet against the Saints in the Scottish League Cup, with John Goodwin’s side enjoying success up and down the left flank, which saw Gerrard haul Calvin Bassey off shortly after half-time.

Against Hibs, Kent was equally found wanting once more, after the 24-year-old lost possession 15 times, won just three out of 13 duels overall, committed two fouls and was dribbled past once, via SofaScore.

Valued at £3m via Transfermarkt, the Oldham-born Englishman was invisible for most of the game with two attempts blocked proving to be his only shots of the match, as per SofaScore.

It looks like he’s run out of steam which is hardly a surprise as in this season, he has made 20 appearances in the Premiership, scoring five goals and supplying six assists, via Transfermarkt.

Whether his head has been turned by links to Leeds United in the summer, who knows, but he simply isn’t performing at a consistent level to warrant his place in the starting line-up, for the time being at least, as he has failed to find the back of the net in his previous five fixtures.

Once hailed as a “game-changer” by Gerrard after the Europa League victory over Willem II at the start of the season, Kent currently earns around £18,000-per-week at Ibrox, but it’s fair to say that the board aren’t getting their money’s worth at the moment. A short spell on the sidelines should do just the trick.

AND in other news, Steven Gerrard must hand Rangers goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin rare start vs St. Mirren…

As the January transfer window draws nearer, huge international names continue to be linked with a move to the Premier League. One side looking to bolster their ranks in aid of keeping their place in England’s top flight is Leeds United.

The Whites have been connected with a move for Paris Saint Germain star Julian Draxler and would, given his contract situation, be able to agree pre-contract terms with the midfielder this month, whilst a loan move has not been ruled out either. Fabrizio Romano recently tipped the Whites to be “looking for this kind of player” as they potentially enter the transfer market once more.

Draxler would be ideal signing for Leeds

Draxler oozes creativity and flair. The German international has experience in abundance and a sharp eye for setting up a goal. For Leeds, he is the ideal addition to their recently promoted squad.

Marcelo Bielsa relies heavily on stalwart striker Patrick Bamford to score goals, which may cause a lot of problems against more defensively sound teams. The Whites seem to be in need of a bit of a mix up when it comes to their attacking options and it could be wise to add a creative spark from midfield.

The end of Hernandez

Whilst signing Draxler on loan, and perhaps even on a permanent deal down the line, is arguably a no-brainer for Andrea Radrizzani, it could lead to him letting go of 35-year-old Pablo Hernandez.

The Spaniard has been a loyal contributor to the Yorkshire outfit since his arrival in 2017, but his age and lack of contribution could spell the end of his time at Elland Road. So far this season, Hernandez has added just two assists to Leeds’ tally and has started on only two occasions, according to Transfermarkt.

He is the club’s only recognised attacking midfielder, which, in terms of squad depth, isn’t rally good enough for a side looking to stay and thrive in the Premier League. Leeds would benefit a whole lot from adding a player like Draxler, who has 22 goals and 33 assists for PSG, as well as 56 caps for his country, as per Transfermarkt.

According to WhoScored, the 27-year-old has averaged a higher passing percentage this season (89.5%) and more key passes (1.2) per match when compared to Hernandez’s totals of 78% and 0.6, respectively.

This highlights that Draxler’s capability to pick out important passes and build up play from the middle of the park is better than the veteran Leeds star. Quite simply, his creative flair is clearly more threatening than that of the Leeds man, whose days could be numbered at Elland Road.

Hernandez is contracted until 2022 with the Whites so by the time that expires, he will have turned 37. Now, is the time for Leeds to be brave and move out the old dogs in order to make way for younger, fresher legs.

If Leeds can do a deal to get Draxler to Elland Road, and get him playing to his best, it would be a huge coup for the Yorkshire-based club.

In other news, Leeds can land Alioski successor in Fredrik Andre Bjorkan…

With Ollie Watkins and Ross Barkley leading Aston Villa’s incredible start to the new Premier League season, it’s been no surprise to see the duo earn a lot of praise in these opening months of the campaign.

They have been part of a scintillating attack that has scored 19 goals, ranking them fourth in the entire division. And that too having played a game less.

And whilst Watkins and Barkley are rightly receiving their fair share of the plaudits, it’s been another one of Villa’s summer arrivals that has arguably been Dean Smith’s unsung hero this season: Matty Cash.

After arriving in a £16m deal from Championship side Nottingham Forest, the right-back has quickly established himself as a cornerstone of the first-team, usurping Ahmed Elmohamady to be the club’s undisputed first-choice in his position.

He has played in every single Premier League game this season for his new side, and Kevin Phillips has admitted that he has been left in awe of his performances.

He said: “I hold my hands up. Credit to Matty Cash. Some players fit a club and a style of play and Matty Cash is one of them. Tony Adams even said that he reminds him of a young Lee Dixon.

“Cash has come in and he has been flawless. He has taken to the club like a duck to water. You have to give credit to the player and the recruitment department. They have obviously done their homework. He has been one of their shining lights this season.”

Right-back isn’t the most fashionable of positions to end up playing in. Who can forget when Jamie Carragher declared that nobody grows up wanting to be a Gary Neville for instance?

But the way Cash has been performing, has been nothing short of impressive. And it’s about time he gets his recognition. Johan Lange pulled off a stunning Villa heist to get him for just £16m.

Leeds United have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of recently linked defender Fikayo Tomori, with fresh reports suggesting where the centre-back could end up in January.

The latest on Tomori

The defender has reportedly been seen as a potential option for Leeds to pursue on loan in the winter transfer window. However, talkSPORT are now reporting that despite Leeds expressing an interest, Rennes is his most likely destination.

This will be a blow for Leeds

Last season, the 22 year-old impressed in his 15 Premier League appearances for Chelsea. He managed 1.9 tackles, 1.5 interceptions and 2.8 clearances a game (WhoScored). However he has struggled for game time this season, only featuring three times.

In one of his performances last season, Tomori was praised by Garth Crooks, who said: “This performance by the Chelsea youngster was outstanding and his goal only tells half the story.”

Therefore the news that Ligue 1 outfit Rennes seem to be favourites will be frustrating for Leeds. Marcelo Bielsa has three defenders currently injured and conceded twice again to Newcastle even despite the impressive victory, so this is yet another big blow for a centre-back position already in dire straits.

In other news, Leeds United tipped to go in for £14.4m-rated Premier League winner.

Every club has stories of players they almost signed whether it’s Alex McLeish claiming that he almost signed Lionel Messi or Arsene Wenger saying that he almost signed Kylian Mbappe, but in Fulham’s case, they almost landed a future world superstar when he was just 21 years old.

Indeed, Robert Lewandowski was set to sign for the Whites back in January 2010 on a loan deal with an option to buy, and it’s scary to think of what could have been had the Whites landed the future Champions League Golden Boot winner.

Lewandowski would certainly have added something to Roy Hodgson’s side that possessed Bobby Zamora and Andy Johnson as main striking options, but if the £54m-rated striker had signed, he may have completely changed the course of the club’s history.

The Bayern Munich star would have been arriving at Craven Cottage in the midst of their historic Europa League run that saw them lose a cruel final in extra time to Atletico Madrid, but if the Whites had a young and hungry Lewandowski rather than a semi-fit Zamora starting that final up front, you can’t help but feel that things could have turned out so differently.

Of course, winning a Europa League could have had a huge domino effect on the next decade at Craven Cottage.

The Whites have been a much more lucrative destination for any potential signings and the impending sale of the club to multi-billionaire Shahid Khan may have gone a different way if the club were consistently challenging in the top-half of the table with one of the best strikers in the world developing at the club.

However, for one reason or another, that loan deal never came to fruition and neither did the option to buy. Fulham would get their striker that winter in the shape of future Watford flop Stefano Okaka, not the future world-beater they had lined up in Lewandowski.

This is certainly one of the most painful transfers that didn’t come to fruition to look back on in hindsight.