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Southampton are believed to have told midfielder Will Smallbone that he can leave the St. Mary’s Stadium on loan this summer.

The Lowdown: Smallbone’s long-term injury

As per the club’s official website, the 22-year-old is an academy graduate of the south coast outfit after first joining aged eight, where he has worked his way up through the ranks to become an integral feature in the Saints’ U23s side.

Despite this breakthrough, the Republic Of Ireland U21 international sustained a serious long-term ACL injury during the 2020/21 season which halted any potential first-team chances. He missed a staggering 35 matches and hasn’t been able to get a consistent run of games ever since.

The Latest: Southampton give ‘green light’

In a new article published by The Sun, it’s claimed that Southampton have given Smallbone the ‘green light’ to leave on a loan transfer during the upcoming window.

The source states that manager Ralph Hasenhuttl ‘rates’ the creative midfielder, but feels like there are more experienced players in the Premier League squad that are currently ‘ahead of him’.

The Verdict: Time to make progress

Having made just four league outings under the Austrian boss since returning from injury, it comes as no shock to see that the Saints number 20 is set to make a move away from the top-flight giants in the coming weeks.

Smallbone, who Hasenhuttl once said has the “whole package”, has one goal and two assists in 20 total appearances for the senior side, but has never really forced his way into a consistent stretch as a part of the first XI.

It’s crucial for the youngster’s development that he now goes out and makes some progress away from St. Mary’s so that when he comes back, he can seriously start pushing for a regular place in the first team.

In other news… a reliable journalist has shared an exciting update involving one of Southampton’s summer transfer targets.

Celtic were a frantic ball of fun in the transfer window last summer as Ange Postecoglou’s first window in charge saw no fewer than 12 players walk through the entrance.

Some of those names have already forged themselves as fan favourites with the likes of Jota and Cameron Carter-Vickers being eyed for permanent moves following their loan spells with the Hoops.

Another player linked with a switch to Parkhead is Schalke youngster Rabbi Matondo.

Postecoglou has already shown he’s keen on signing the stars of tomorrow, namely the likes of Liel Abada and Matt O’Riley, but Matondo would be one of his most exciting deals yet.

It’s thought the Bhoys are in talks over a move for the Schalke youngster who spent last season on loan in Belgium with Cercle Brugge.

The £3.6m-rated forward enjoyed his best season in senior football yet across the channel by finding the net on ten occasions and also registering two assists.

It was a phenomenal campaign for Matondo and if he arrives in Glasgow, Celtic would have an exceptional talent on their hands.

The Welshman could even be the club’s very own Jadon Sancho. For starters, they follow a very similar career path.

Sancho started out at Manchester City before making the bold move to the Bundesliga where he became a star at Borussia Dortmund. What has followed are regular England caps and a mega-money £73m switch to Manchester United.

Fortunately, a deal won’t cost Celtic that much for Matondo but considering he’s also gone from City’s youth academy to the Bundesliga, it’s easy to see where the comparison lies.

That said, there are more similarities than just their respective careers so far. Once hailed by Ryan Giggs for his “electrifying” pace, that is just one attribute that the two young prodigies have in common.

When it comes to chance creation and take-ons, they both rank pretty similarly. In the Premier League this term, Sancho amassed 1.4 key passes and 1.6 successful dribbles per game whereas Matondo registered 0.9 key passes and 1.7 dribbles a match in the Jupiler Pro League.

Of course, we’re not saying for one moment that the Welsh sensation is better than Sancho. The England international’s talents are mind-blowing and his transfer valuation sums that up nicely.

Yet, they do both possess a tricky nature in the final third, something that will no doubt scare Scottish Premiership defences if the Schalke forward makes the move this summer.

AND in other news, Shortlisted: Celtic now keen on signing 6 ft 4 “monster”, he once tormented Edouard…

Wolverhampton Wanderers appear to be heading for a midfield reshuffle this summer, with manager Bruno Lage plotting new recruits amid uncertainty over the futures of some of his current stars.

Former Porto man Ruben Neves – who joined the club back in 2017 – appears set for pastures new as speculation builds regarding his future, while his fellow Portuguese Joao Moutinho could also be departing in the current window with just weeks left on his existing deal.

There are still hopes of a contract extension to keep the 35-year-old at the club beyond the end of the month, although the stall in negotiations will no doubt be a source of concern, with the Molineux outfit running the risk of losing their starting midfield pairing of recent seasons.

With that scenario potentially on the horizon, however, the Old Gold have seemingly identified one man to fill the void in Sporting CP’s Joao Palhinha – who would appear to be on his way to England – while another gem who could potentially join him at the club is Barcelona’s Nico Gonzalez.

The 20-year-old starlet is of huge interest to Lage and co, according to reports, with the Premier League side keen to secure a permanent deal or a temporary swoop this summer, as part of a switch that would see Neves head in the other direction.

The club’s links to agent Jorge Mendes – who represents young Gonzalez – could help to push through a deal, while the Nou Camp outfit’s financial woes may also help Wolves’ cause, as the La Liga side look to lighten their wage bill.

The two clubs seemingly already have a good connection, with Francisco Trincao having joined Lage’s side on loan last summer, while unique forward Adama Traore headed in the opposite direction in January in another temporary deal.

Should the Midlands side manage to secure the youngster’s services this summer, they would undoubtedly be taking on a player of huge potential, with the £18m-rated playmaker having been one of a crop of hugely exciting prospects to have emerged from La Masia in recent years.

Dubbed “highly gifted” by former youth team coach Fran Artega, the Spaniard may not be regarded quite as highly as current teammates and compatriots Gavi and Pedri, although is still a real, exciting talent, as demonstrated by his hugely impressive statistics of late.

In comparison to those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, the £10k-per-week maestro ranks in the top 1% for dribbles completed and in the top 4% for progressive carries, while also in the top 7% for pass completion, showcasing his ability to both drive his side up the pitch as well as retain possession.

That gift has seen him tipped to be the heir to veteran teammate Sergio Busquets by former Barcelona B boss Francisco Xavier Garcia Pimienta, while Xavier Vilajoana – who also worked for the Catalan giants – went as far as to suggest that Gonzalez is “going to be better” than Busquets as he is “more complete”.

That is high praise indeed considering all that the 33-year-old has won in the game thus far, for both club and country, with few players seemingly more comfortable with the ball at their feet than the World Cup winner.

Gonzalez may wish to stay put in order to be moulded into a player of that ilk in the coming years and eventually usurp his colleague, although should Barca wish to cash in, it could prove to be a major coup for Lage and co if they can win the race for his signature.

The battle for his services would no doubt be intense, although from Lage’s point of view he will seemingly want to do all he can to land what could potentially be the next Busquets.

IN other news: Deal agreed: Big Molineux transfer development emerges, it’s great news for Wolves

According to reliable journalist John Percy, Steve Cooper is now close to agreeing a new contract at Nottingham Forest.

The Lowdown: Hughton’s departure

The 42-year-old first arrived at the City Ground in September 2021 when he took the place of the departing Chris Hughton, whose time came to an abrupt end following a disappointing run of results.

The Welshman initially agreed on a two-year deal when he first put pen to paper, keeping him in the Midlands until next summer, but after leading the club back to the Premier League for the first time in 23 years, the hierarchy are unsurprisingly keen to retain his services.

The Latest: Cooper in talks over new contract

Taking to Twitter, the reliable Percy confirmed that Cooper is ‘close’ to signing a fresh deal after holding ‘talks’ with the Forest owner. He wrote:

“Steve Cooper is close to signing a new contract at #nffc. Cooper currently in Piraeus with owner Evangelos Marinakis to discuss transfer plans & talks over a long-term deal are progressing nicely. Huge boost for the club ahead of the Premier League season.”

The Verdict: Massive

When Hughton was sacked, many fans wanted Chris Wilder to be the new man in charge, and it’s fair to say those supporters will be delighted to be proved wrong.

The former Swansea coach took charge of 45 games during his first season in charge, of which he won 27, drew 11 and lost just seven, via Transfermarkt, and with form like that, it’s no wonder that he guided his team to a top-four finish.

Marinakis definitely hit the jackpot when he appointed Cooper, and it’s wonderful to see that he is now set to be rewarded for all of his fantastic efforts ahead of an exciting new era for Forest.

In other news… a reliable journalist has delivered his verdict on the news that Forest have been linked with a move for Tottenham defender Joe Rodon.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could form a ‘formidable’ partnership with Philippe Coutinho at Aston Villa, Frank McAvennie has told Football Insider.

The lowdown

Transfer insider Dean Jones told GiveMeSport on Sunday that the 28-year-old is ‘of interest’ at Villa Park.

The £14.4m-rated midfielder is approaching the final year of his £120,000-per-week contract at Liverpool, while he watched virtually the Reds’ entire run-in from the sidelines last season, with his most recent appearance coming in an FA Cup win over Nottingham Forest on 20 March.

Oxlade-Chamberlain’s overall senior club career record stands at 373 appearances, 47 goals and 56 assists.

The latest

McAvennie thinks that a move to Villa will appeal to Oxlade-Chamberlain on the basis that Steven Gerrard should be able to hand him significantly greater game-time than Jurgen Klopp has done on Merseyside.

The former Villans striker told Football Insider: “I think that is a good bit of business.

“I like him as a player. You can tell he wants to get out and play, some players are happy to sit on the bench and not play. He would love to stay at Liverpool and he would love to be in the first team, but he’s not.

“The reality is, he can go and play for Aston Villa every week. I can understand him wanting to go and play and he would be a really good signing for Villa.”

McAvennie believes that, alongside a fellow goalscoring midfielder in Coutinho, with whom Oxlade-Chamberlain briefly played at Liverpool in 2017, the Englishman could electrify Villa Park.

The 62-year-old said: “Him and Coutinho, that’s not bad, formidable. The two of them have goals in them. It would be great for the fans as well because those players play the game the way it should be played.”

The verdict

Villa may be reliant on Liverpool’s stance changing if they want to get this move done.

As it stands, the Reds do not intend to sign another midfield option this summer. As a consequence, it has been suggested that Jurgen Klopp could be eager to keep Oxlade-Chamberlain at Anfield to preserve the depth that the German currently has.

Another year of frustration may potentially be in store for the Englishman before the end of his contract on Merseyside.

Still, it’s still very much early days in the market, and there’s plenty of time for Liverpool to reassess their stance on the 28-year-old Villa target.

In other news, this superstar has a ‘decent chance’ of joining Villa

Crystal Palace are interested in signing Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks and have seemingly been given the green light to do so.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from 90min, who claimed that Spurs are happy for the 26-year-old to to depart the club this summer, with a number of Premier League teams said to be interested in his services.

Brentford, Everton, Leicester City and Wolves are the clubs mentioned in the piece, in addition to Crystal Palace, with the report stating that “several” top-flight clubs “have been put on alert”.

Supporters surely buzzing

Following Yves Bissouma’s arrival at Spurs, Winks will have slid further down the midfield pecking order, and it looks as though a move to pastures new is exactly what he needs in order to rejuvenate his stalling career.

Despite making 19 league appearances for Antonio Conte’s side last season, he played just 905 minutes. At 26 years of age, he needs to be playing more regular first-team football.

As a player, Winks has seemingly gone under the radar due to his elegant and calculated style of play. He’s an asset who brings stability to the midfield and is capable of pulling the strings and dictating play with his wonderful range of passing.

With Conor Gallagher’s loan deal having expired, amidst uncertainty over a return to Selhurst Park, Patrick Vieira should be doing everything in his power to pull off a move for Winks, who can help the Eagles to build on their 2021/22 average of 51.2% possession.

Winks’ average of 56.55 passes completed per 90 as a registered defensive midfielder place him in the 88th percentile among positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues according to FBRef, whilst his 74.61 touches per 90 demonstrate his ability as a stabiliser in the heart of the engine room.

His match average of 51.61 carries is also a very solid return, whilst his total carrying distance of 255.10 yards is a promising metric in terms of ball progression.

According to CIES, Palace should be able to capture the signing of Winks for no more than €15m (£12.9m) in what would prove to be a bargain for such a technically gifted player.

In other news – “Noises I’m getting..”: Big Palace transfer claim emerges that’ll leave Vieira gutted

Rangers have had a slow start to the summer transfer window and Giovanni van Bronckhorst is yet to make a first-team signing beyond the arrival of John Souttar.

The Scotland international centre-back signed a pre-contract agreement in January and Ross Wilson has not brought any other players in to bolster the squad.

This could be because the Gers are waiting to see what happens with some of the players who could be sold on before the 2022/23 campaign begins.

One player who could be on their way out of the club in the coming weeks is star striker Alfredo Morelos. He is in the last 12 months of his contract in Glasgow and it remains to be seen whether or not he will be put pen to paper on a new deal.

It has been reported that Sevilla are keen on a deal for the centre-forward and that the Colombian international woul be interested in a move to the Spanish giants, as he views them as a good option.

Rangers rubbished talk of a £7m bid from the La Liga side and it has been claimed that the Light Blues would demand more than that to allow him to leave this summer.

Dream heir

Instead of waiting for Morelos to leave, van Bronckhorst can land the dream heir to the attacker’s throne at Ibrox by securing a deal to sign Thijs Dallinga.

The club are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the gem, who is available for a fee in the region of €5m (£4m), and they must now snap him up to take over from the Colombian.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed his form last season as “outrageous” and described him as a “poacher”. His statistics back those claims up as he plundered an astounding 32 goals and eight assists in 37 games in the second division of Dutch football.

The 21-year-old number nine created 13 ‘big chances’ for his teammates to go along with his sensational goalscoring record and this suggests that he has the potential to replace Morelos as Rangers’ talisman at the top end of the pitch.

In the Premiership last season, the Gers striker scored 11 goals and provided seven assists for the team – showing that he can both score and create goals.

Dallinga’s statistics in the Netherlands indicate that he has a similar skillset and, if he can adapt to Scottish football, he can be the dream heir to Morelos’ throne, which is why van Bronckhorst and Wilson must bring him in.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Morelos: Rangers can form dream duo with bid for 98 G/A “delicious” gem…

Glasgow Rangers boss Gio van Bronckhorst ended his first campaign in charge of the club with one trophy as he won the Scottish Cup at the end of 2021/22.

The Dutch head coach joined midway through the season and his first chance to make his own signings came in the January transfer window.

Ross Wilson bolstered his squad by bringing in the likes of Mateusz Zukowski, Aaron Ramsey, Amad Diallo and James Sands, with varying degrees of success.

Arguably the most high-profile move was the signing of Ramsey on loan from Italian giants Juventus. He had played 371 games for Premier League side Arsenal earlier in his career and came to Ibrox with heaps of experience at the top level.

The Wales international was used as a central midfielder, as a number 10 and out wide at times, showcasing his versatility.

Whilst many may remember him for missing the crucial penalty in the Europa League final, the former Gunner did provide four direct goal contributions in 12 games leading up to that match and was able to show off glimpses of quality when he was fit.

Van Bonckhorst can now find the dream replacement for the Juventus midfielder at Ibrox by unleashing recent signing Tom Lawrence – who has joined on a free transfer from Derby County.

Pete O’Rourke previously suggested that he can come in to take over from his fellow Welshman, telling GIVEMESPORT: “Maybe where Aaron Ramsey played last year on loan, he could maybe fill in there rather than Ryan Kent.

“But I think a number of clubs are looking at Tom Lawrence as well, so it won’t be straightforward for Rangers, but I’m sure they’ll be hoping they can lure him to Scotland and join Van Bronckhorst’s side for next season.”

Steve Evans once dubbed the 28-year-old a “smashing talent” and claimed that he was “unplayable” during a loan spell at Rotherham, while his form for Derby last term suggests that both comments are still applicable.

In the 2021/22 Championship season, Lawrence plundered 11 goals and five assists, averaging a SofaScore rating of 7.08. He is a player capable of making a huge impact in the final third and, like Ramsey, he has the versatility to play anywhere across the attack.

The 28-year-old will, therefore, be an ideal replacement for the Juventus star, as he can offer a high level of production at the top end of the pitch, whilst being an option in several different positions.

AND in other news, “Understood to be”: Jordan Campbell drops Rangers transfer claim that’ll frustrate Van Bronckhorst…

Manchester United have recently been linked with signing Southampton full-back Kyle Walker-Peters and his arrival could be the catalyst Erik ten Hag needs to finally axe Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

According to The Athletic, both Manchester United and Arsenal are interested in signing the 25-year-old, whose impressive performances for the Saints last season saw him earn his first senior England caps.

They also suggest that Tottenham Hotspur have a buy-back option for £30m, should they want to bring him back to North London after selling him in the summer of 2020.

Ten Hag currently has Wan-Bissaka and Diego Dalot as first-team right-back options at Old Trafford but neither have done much to suggest that they are top-four quality in recent signings.

The former Crystal Palace man has disappointed since his £50m switch from Selhurst Park and while he remains fairly strong defensively, he offers next to nothing going forward, as emphasised by his zero goals and assists in the Premier League last season.

Earlier in the summer, reports suggested that the 24-year-old wasn’t in Ten Hag’s plans, and given his preference for free-flowing attacking football at Ajax, where right-back Noussair Mazraoui contributed five goals and two assists in the league last season, it is easy to see why.

If United were to spend £30m on Walker-Peters, then surely one of Wan-Bissaka or Dalot would leave the club, with the former seeming like the most likely candidate.

In Walker-Peters, United would be getting a much more attacking right-back, evidenced by the Southampton man outscoring Wan-Bissaka in shots, dribbles and key passes per game last season, despite playing in a weaker side.

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl was full of praise for the versatile defender after his England debut last season, saying:

“It’s amazing what he has done and shows that it’s not a disadvantage if you are flexible in your position. I tell my players to be open-minded and do their best in whatever position they can. When he was playing for England, he showed some of the skills that we want.”

Therefore, alongside Frenkie de Jong, who United are in contact with signing, he could be a quality addition at United and if his signing allows Wan-Bissaka to finally be sold, then the Glazers would arguably be killing two birds with one stone.

AND, in other news: BBC journalist drops big Man United transfer update, supporters will be buzzing

Wolves are closing in on the summer signing of dominant Burnley centre-back Nathan Collins, reliable journalist John Percy reports.

The Lowdown: Collins continually linked

With Romain Saiss leaving Molineux after his contract expired last month, it was always important that a new central defender arrived this summer.

A number of players have been linked with moves to Wolves but Collins’ name has arguably been at the front of the queue, following Burnley’s relegation from the Premier League.

Now, it looks as though the transfer is on the verge of being completed, following a fresh update from Percy.

The Latest: Move nearly done

Taking to Twitter on Monday evening, The Telegraph reporter claimed that Collins and Wolves are in ‘advanced talks’ over a move, in what would be a £20.5million capture:

“Wolves are in advanced talks with #Burnley over a £20.5m deal for centre-back Nathan Collins, the Republic of Ireland international. Not done yet, but negotiations progressing well and it’s close. Collins will be the first signing of the summer for Bruno Lage if all is agreed.”

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The Verdict: Superb signing by Wanderers

While Wolves are clearly breaking the bank to acquire Collins’s signature, he has the potential to be a fantastic defensive signing over many years, as he looks set to become the club’s fourth-most expensive addition in history.

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Still only 21, he already has six caps to his name for the Republic of Ireland and has been hailed as ‘fantastic’ by former Burnley manager Sean Dyche, averaging 3.1 aerial duel wins per game in the league last season – no Molineux player with more than four appearances made more.

Alongside Max Kilman and Conor Coady, Collins could now complete an all-British back three for Bruno Lage moving forward as he looks to even be an upgrade on the excellent Saiss.