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Romeo Lavia has been a revelation for Southampton since signing from Premier League champions Manchester City in a £14m deal in the summer, subsequently earning £50m interest in his services from Chelsea back in January.

Indeed, the 19-year-old midfielder was granted a departure from Manchester following Pep Guardiola's acquisition of former Leeds United powerhouse Kalvin Phillips for £45m, with the young Belgian swiftly asserting himself as one of Saints' most coveted items, flourishing despite the tumult of the relegation-threatened campaign.

Interest in the 19-year-old has indeed been intense, and action could be taken from the swirling shark tank of suitors regardless of whether Southampton preserve their top-flight status at the end of the campaign, with Arsenal now considering a swoop.

According to Football Insider, Chelsea and City are joined by Manchester United and Mikel Arteta's north London outfit in pursuing a move, with Lavia fitting the profile of a first-rate midfielder capable of flourishing among Europe's elite.

The report states that the gem 'ticks a lot of boxes' for Arsenal, who might look to act upon their intrigue before Man City's £40m buyback option activates in the summer of 2024.

Should Arsenal sign Romeo Lavia?

The Premier League table-toppers have made remarkable progress this season under their Spanish manager's wing, currently eight points clear at the top of the division – though the second-placed Cityzens have a game in hand – after failing to reach top four for six successive seasons.

Failing to reach next term's edition would be a catastrophic, almost inconceivable failure at this point, with Arsenal currently 22 points clear of Newcastle United, who hang just outside a qualification spot.

And with the crafting of a force to be reckoned with ever-evolving at the Emirates Stadium, securing an illustrious future could receive apt bolstering after procuring Lavia from Southampton's clutches.

Making 24 appearances for his outfit this season, the teenager has scored one goal and assist apiece and has been integral in fighting to secure a place in the English top flight next year.

Hailed as "exquisite" by The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell, Lavia already ranks among the top 18% of midfielders across Europe's major leagues over the past year for pass completion and the top 10% for blocks per 90, as per FBref, illustrating a tenacity and vigour to his game that belies his tender age.

Should Arsenal's technical director Edu succeed in a bid, Lavia could well take Granit Xhaka's position in the team, with the resurgent Swiss now one of the centrepieces to his side's labours, although still dispensable if the right man arrives.

Xhaka has been a polarising figure in north London since signing from Borussia Mönchengladbach for £30m in 2016, being stripped of the captaincy in 2019 following disciplinary issues before rekindling his Gunners career and now integral in the club's title-chasing aspirations.

Forging 28 Premier League displays this term, the 30-year-old has scored four goals and supplied five assists, as per Sofascore, completing 86% of his passes and chalking an average rating of 7.02.

Lavia, in retrospect, has recorded a rating of 6.85 and flourished despite the insipid nature of his outfits campaign, completing 87% of his passes and making 1.9 tackles per outing.

At such a young age, the "monster" – as dubbed by journalist Benjy Nurick – holds all the tools to craft an eminent career for himself, and where better to ply his trade than the burgeoning Arsenal squad, where he could indeed take the baton from Xhaka and lead the side to glory.

Before Southampton took to the field at Old Trafford, facing the daunting task of stopping Manchester United on their home turf, a point would have been viewed as a spectacular result, but once again in a matter of weeks, the south coast club have failed to secure victory having contested the duration of a Premier League match with an extra man.

Albeit in contrasting circumstances, Southampton suffered the ignominy of defeat against relegation rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers at St. Mary’s almost one month ago to the day, the Old Gold having lost Mario Lemina following a reckless lunge with the scoreline already titled in the home side’s favour.

At the Theatre of Dreams, many would have expected Carabao Cup champions United to prevail even after Casemiro’s red card in the first half, with Southampton at the nadir of their Premier League era and confined to bottom place in the division.

However, the numerical advantage gave the Hampshire-based outfit license to exhibit their attacking prowess, creating 17 shots to Man United’s ten, finding the target on just four occasions.

Right-back Kyle Walker-Peters impressed with his offensive contribution, seeing a deflected cross skim agonisingly close to the back of the net before hitting the post with a fierce strike, with captain James Ward-Prowse clipping the crossbar with a free-kick shortly after the break, nearly replicating his match-winning strike against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge three weeks prior.

How did Ward-Prowse perform against Man United?

With Ward-Prowse’s 17 direct free-kick goals placing him just one behind the all-time leader and Man United legend David Beckham, the ball-playing wizard’s equalling of the record at Old Trafford would have been as much poetic as emphatic.

It was not to be, but the sense of pathos left behind by the relegation-threatened outfit will be intense; just an infinitesimal difference to the delivery could have resulted in a season-defining moment.

Hailed as “a dangerous man” by journalist Nathan Quao for the effort, it would be unfair to filter the all-encompassing scope of Ward-Prowse’s performance to a failed free-kick.

As per Sofascore, the 28-year-old’s 7.9 match rating was bettered only by Saints goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, who was imperious between the sticks having made four saves including a stunning stop to prevent a Bruno Fernandes strike.

Making 96 touches, the £100k-per-week ace completed 93% of his passes and placed four key passes, imperative in the creative potency of his team on the afternoon; winning two of his four ground duels, making four interceptions and two tackles, the “epic” gem – as remarked by sports writer Michael Oti Adjei – proved his worth once more for his side. 

On another day, Ruben Selles’ outfit would have left the lion’s den as monumental victors, but wayward shooting and meekness in the offensive third left efforts falling fruitless.

But with Ward-Prowse robust and reliable from the centre, Southampton may yet find a pathway illuminated from danger, now just two points adrift from safety and returning undefeated from Chelsea and Man United in three weeks under Selles’ tutelage.

Liverpool completing a deal for RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol is ‘not hot at this stage’, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.

The Lowdown: The story so far

Premier League clubs Chelsea and Manchester City, alongside the Reds, have all been credited with an interest in the 21-year-old, who is making a name for himself in the Bundesliga.

90min report that Jurgen Klopp has already sent scouts to watch the Croatian in action, so that he and the hierarchy are able to maintain regular updates on his transfer situation.

Marco Rose’s centre-back has publicly made it known that he supported the Merseysiders growing up and would love to one day complete a move to Anfield.

The Latest: Plettenberg’s update

Taking to Twitter, Plettenberg revealed that Liverpool aren’t currently in talks to sign Gvardiol. He wrote:

“News #Gvardiol: As reported yesterday #LFC is interested! He’s on the list. It would be a great fitting. But I’ve been told that it’s not hot at this stage. No negotiations. Leipzig wants to keep him 100%. Release clause in summer 2024 (!) is around €110m.”

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The Verdict: Splash the cash

Gvardiol’s release clause being £97m as of next year isn’t at all cheap for a centre-back, but Liverpool should splash the cash to secure his services whenever the opportunity presents itself.

The Zagreb native is currently averaging 2.5 tackles and 1.4 aerial wins per 90 minutes in the Bundesliga, via WhoScored, but can also be a threat in the final third.

The 6 foot 1 colossus has scored two goals in five Champions League appearances this season showing that he’s a danger at set pieces, much like Virgil Van Dijk.

Gvardiol will know what it takes to be successful having already won four trophies despite his young age, and he would only thrive further under the leadership of Klopp should he sign on the dotted line.

Tottenham Hotspur are battling Manchester United for the signature of Ajax winger Antony, according to The Independent’s chief football writer Miguel Delaney. 

The lowdown

United are interested in reuniting Antony with Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford, Delaney says.

He arrived in Amsterdam from native club Sao Paulo in the summer of 2020 for a fee of £14.2million. Under Ten Hag, Antony won the Eredivisie twice, as well as the 2020/21 Dutch Cup.

The 22-year-old, who has three years left on his contract, is now valued at £31.5million by Transfermarkt.

The latest

Delaney writes that Ten Hag and United ‘face competition’ from Spurs for the Brazilian attacker.

Conte would appear to be at a disadvantage without the personal connection to the player but, significantly, the club are prepared to offer Steven Bergwijn to Ajax as part of the deal.

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The verdict

Even though Antony has a prior relationship with Ten Hag, Spurs’ willingness to include Bergwijn in the deal could swing it in their favour.

That’s because Ajax clearly possess a strong interest in the former PSV Einhoven man, having seen a £17million bid rejected earlier in the summer.

The hope for Spurs, of course, is that Antony would represent an upgrade off the back of his impressive 2021/22 campaign.

The nine-times-capped international was directly involved in 22 goals (scoring 12 and setting up ten) in 32 appearances in all competitions.

Adding the ‘elegant’ playmaker (in the words of talent scout Jacek Kulig) to a squad that already includes Dejan Kulusevski would be a real statement. Conte would have an elite level of attacking depth at his disposal.

In other news, Fabrizio Romano reveals talks for a ‘star’ target.

Journalist Shay Lugassi, chief editor for the Barca Times, has shared an update on Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye centre-half…

Spurs head coach Antonio Conte is reportedly eyeing a new centre-back before pre-season begins with both the Italian and club chief Fabio Paratici eager to get business done early.

A move for Inter Milan star Alessandro Bastoni now seems unlikely with the player’s agent confirming the 23-year-old’s intention to remain at the San Siro for 2022/2023.

As such, Paratici’s scattergun approach may come into play with the Lilywhites now linked to many alternatives – including Villarreal star Pau Torres and Lenglet.

The Latest: Spurs ‘open’ to loan deal…

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According to Lugassi, Spurs are now ‘open’ to sealing a loan move for France international Lenglet – but there is an issue with his salary demands.

Sharing news on the 26-year-old, he explained (via Twitter):

“If something was not understood, Tottenham are OPEN to getting a loan deal but the problem is the salary.”

The Verdict: Go further?

If Spurs can whittle down these proposed wage problems, Lenglet could be a solid option at little cost if they can secure a temporary deal.

Called a ‘top player’ by Les Bleus boss Didier Deschamps, he is a composed and assured figure at playing out from the back, averaging an impressive 91% pass accuracy over his 21 La Liga appearances last season (WhoScored).

That’s better than any Spurs player in Conte’s squad managed over 21/22, but that being said, a ‘world class’ potential signing like Torres would arguably excite fans that bit more.

In other news: ‘Better and better’ – Insider says Tottenham could make announcement ‘in the coming days’…find out more here.

Leeds United are chasing another young talent as well as George Hall and Sonny Perkins, The Athletic’s Phil Hay reports. 

The lowdown

Reports revealed last week that Leeds are looking to tie up deals for young duo Hall and Perkins, who are currently on the books of Birmingham City and West Ham United respectively.

They’ve always made sure to allocate funds to strengthening their academy teams, and even after Jesse Marsch replaced Marcelo Bielsa as manager, this year is no different.

Leeds were relegated from the Under-23 Premier League last season after finishing in 13th place, while they wound up ninth in the northern division of the U18 PL.

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The latest

In a mailbag piece for The Athletic, Hay told Leeds supporters that they ‘can expect to see more additions to the academy ranks’.

On top of Hall and Perkins, ‘they are also on the trail of at least one other young prospect’ based in England.

Their policy of recruiting at youth-level seems to be ‘intensifying’, Hay notes.

The verdict

Leeds snapped up a number of prospects last summer.

Among the new arrivals were Lewis Bate, who joined from Chelsea in a £1.6million deal, and Leo Hjelde, signed from Celtic.

Bate and Hjelde would make seven first-team appearances combined in their first season at the club, including five in the Premier League.

In total, Leeds handed 1,073 minutes of top-flight playing time to teenagers, the fourth-highest figure in the Premier League.

While that may partly have been result of the team’s injury woes, you could also argue that it shows that the system is working, with academy talents ready to step up if required.

In other news, Jermaine Beckford reveals conversations with Leeds players about Phillips’ future.

Sheffield Wednesday have rejected a bid from Atletico Talleres for attacking midfielder Josh Windass, according to reliable journalist Alex Miller.

The Lowdown: Windass’ future up in the air

The Owls suffered a disappointing end to the season after failing to get out of League One, with attention now turning to transfer activity this summer.

One player whose future is up in the air is Windass, who has been a strong servant for Wednesday, scoring 17 goals in 65 appearances overall for the club.

The 28-year-old’s current deal at Hillsborough expires next year, and there has been a seven-figure bid tabled by Argentine club Atletico Talleres in recent days.

The Latest: Miller provides Windass transfer latest

Taking to Twitter on Sunday, Miller reported that Wednesday have rejected the offer and want to keep hold of Windass beyond the summer transfer window.

Sharing his corresponding article from The Star, the journalist tweeted:

“EXCL: Sheffield Wednesday look set to resist interest in Josh Windass from Argentine side Atlético Talleres. Bid in region of £1m rejected in strong terms – Windass important to Darren Moore’s plans.”

The Verdict: Keep hold of him

It looks set to be a summer of real change at Hillsborough, with numerous players who are out of contract due to depart and Darren Moore likely to bring in some new faces.

However, Windass is someone that Wednesday need to do their utmost to retain, with the 28-year-old a valuable player when fit, and someone who can take League One by storm. Four goals and two assists in nine appearances this term was a decent ratio, and his tally would have been much higher if his campaign hadn’t been ravaged by injury.

In truth, it will feel like a bonus if he remains an Owls player for next season – if he does end up leaving, the only positive will be the money received for him, instead of losing him for free next summer.

In other news, journalist Joe Crann has also provided a key Sheff Wed transfer update. Read more here.

Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring Gustavo Hamer to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Coventry Live, who claimed that Brighton & Hove Albion have now joined the Whites in their interest in a move for the Coventry City midfielder – who is reported to be valued at more than £5m by the Championship side – this summer.

The report added that the likes of Celtic, Rangers, Brentford and Norwich City are also keeping tabs on the 24-year-old, although the Sky Blues’ chief executive Dave Boddy recently revealed that he is not overly keen on the idea of sanctioning the sale of the Brazi-born Netherlands youth international.

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In comments made earlier this month, Boddy said: “There’s clearly going to be a lot of interest in our players this summer because of the success that we have had, and the success that they have had this season. Market forces will always dictate what happens to players but we will not let players go for anything less than we believe to be the market value.

“We are not looking to sell anybody. We are trying to protect them all and I think we have shown that ambition by extending their contracts during the season. But if people do come knocking they’ll get short shrift unless they come up with the values that we believe the players are worth. And even then we will fight it.

“But the market dictates what players do sometimes. We are not looking to sell and will do our best to protect our assets but we won’t be giving players away, that’s for sure.”

Leeds’ next Phillips

Considering just how impressive Harmer was for Coventry this season, it is not difficult to see why Victor Orta would be keen on a deal to bring the 24-year-old to LS11 this summer.

Indeed, over his 39 Championship appearances in 2021/22, the £2.7m-rated talent was imperious in the heart of Mark Robins’ side. He scored three goals, registered 10 assists and created 14 big chances for his team-mates, along with taking 1.7 shots, making 1.6 key passes and completing 0.7 dribbles per game.

The £6.5k-per-week midfielder also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, completing 37.3 passes, 1.2 interceptions, 1.9 tackles and 3.7 long balls and winning 3.3 duels per match.

These returns saw the player who Marko Marosi dubbed “unbelievable” and Robins labelled “special” average a fantastic SofaScore match rating of 7.23, not only ranking him as Coventry’s best performer in the league but also as the sixth-best player in the entire division

For comparison, over Kalvin Phillips’ 37 Championship appearances for Leeds back in 2019/20, the £60m-valued midfielder scored two goals, provided two assists and created six big chances, in addition to taking 0.5 shots, making 1.8 key passes and completing 0.5 dribbles per game.

The England international also completed 44.9 passes, 1.4 interceptions, 2.6 tackles, 5.3 long balls and won 6.4 duels per match, with these returns seeing the £38k-per-week Thorp Arch academy graduate average a SofaScore match rating of 7.28.

As such, it is clear to see that Harmer and Phillips are two players who boast very similar traits, leading us to believe that Orta must do everything he can to land the Dutchman this summer, as Hamer could quite easily prove to be the Whites’ next big thing in the middle of the park.

AND in other news: Fabrizio Romano drops exciting Leeds United transfer claim, supporters will be buzzing

Ahead of their return back to Championship football, Sunderland have completed their first piece of summer business in a signing that Black Cats fans will know well.

What’s the word?

As per a report from Chronicle Live, Union Berlin loanee will complete a permanent move to Sunderland in the wake of the club’s promotion to the Championship.

Sunderland’s Sporting Director, Kristjaan Speakman confirmed the news, saying:

“Leon’s contract will crystallise [into a permanent move] based on us being promoted. We were really pleased with all of our loans. They’ve all had an impact on our team and an impact on our success at different times, and that has been really pleasing.”

Sunderland fans surely elated

Sunderland’s official capture of Germany U20 star Dajaku bodes well for their upcoming fight for Championship survival.

Neil will want familiar faces in and around the dressing room for next season. In some ways, keeping hold of the bulk of the squad, that just achieved a feat that has been four years in the making, will be just as important as adding new faces.

The Black Cats have played it well with Dajaku, allowing him to bed into the side with less pressure and deciding on the deal when they’ve seen his progress up close and personal.

Despite suffering from illness in the final couple of months of the campaign, the 21-year-old still played a big part in their bid for promotion, featuring 22 times and registering eight returns (four goals, four assists) in what has been a successful spell in League One.

With that in mind, it’s evident he has plenty of potential and perhaps with a full season under his belt, he can register even more exciting numbers in the final third.

Dajaku’s versatility is one of his best features, and one that Neil will most certainly take advantage of in the level above, with the former Union Berlin man a player who is capable down either wing, having also performed as a wing-back at Sunderland this season, despite arriving as a forward.

It’s a promising first signing for the Black Cats, and one that Sunderland fans will surely be happy about.

In other news: Major mistake: Sunderland now set for summer disaster on 36-goal “magician”