All posts by z3u9t.icu

With speculation still swirling regarding Harry Kane's future at Tottenham Hotspur, chairman Daniel Levy could be eyeing a dream successor to the England skipper in the form of Paris Saint-Germain contract rebel, Kylian Mbappe.

What are the latest Tottenham transfer rumours?

As per various reports, Levy may be forced to cash in on Kane this summer rather than run the risk of letting the 29-year-old leave for nothing in a year's time, with Mbappe seemingly facing a similar situation at the Parc des Princes, as the Ligue 1 giants will also not entertain a free transfer exit for the Frenchman next summer, if he does not commit his future to the club.

According to French outlet, L'Equipe, Spurs could look to pounce on the uncertainty surrounding the 24-year-old's current situation, with the north Londoners said to be among the clubs who have 'taken information' from PSG chief, Nasser al-Khelaïfi in recent days.

The belief is that the likes of Tottenham – as well as their rival suitors – see a 'possibility' of taking the former Monaco man on loan for the upcoming campaign, with Ange Postecoglou's ready to lodge an 'important' bid in order convince his current side to agree to that temporary exit.

This comes amid claims that Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal have lodged a mammoth £260m bid for the forward, despite the 70-cap superstar being valued at closer to €126m (£108m), according to Football Transfers.

Could Mbappe replace Kane at Tottenham?

For many, attempting to replace Kane either this summer or the next appears something of an impossible task, with the Premier League side set to be forced to fill the void of a player who is their all-time record scorer, having also netted 30 league goals last season to finish second in the scoring charts behind Erling Haaland (36).

If there was a man to plug the gap, however, it would seemingly be Mbappe, with the "crazy" talent – as described by Arsenal icon, Thierry Henry – having arguably been more clinical than the Englishman in recent times.

While the latter man has 280 goals in 453 games in all competitions for Spurs to date with a goal-to-game ratio of 0.61, his PSG counterpart has bagged 212 goals in just 260 games for his current side, resulting in a superior goal-to-game ratio of 0.81.

Equally, despite Kane's heroics last season – as he netted 32 goals and provided five assists in 49 games in all competitions – the Walthamstow native which still edged by Mbappe, with the World Cup-winning hotshot contributing 41 goals and ten assists in just 43 appearances across all fronts.

In the Champions League, for instance, Mbappe netted seven goals in only eight outings despite seeing his side crash out at the last 16 stage, while the Englishman only bagged one goal in eight appearances as his side were also dumped out in the first knockout round.

While it remains to be seen if the younger man could emulate his goalscoring feats in the Premier League, on the evidence of his career so far, the 5 foot 10 machine has certainly proven himself to be particularly lethal in front of goal, performing at a level that even Kane seemingly can't get close to.

Regard as arguably "the best" in the world at present – according to pundit Rio Ferdinand – Mbappe's arrival at N17 could provide Postecoglou with a new, devastating attacking figurehead.

Manchester United are about to offload a first-team player to help clear their wage bill, and Erik ten Hag has given him permission to depart Old Trafford, according to reports.

What's the latest transfer news involving Manchester United?

According to Football Insider, Manchester United are keen to bring in a midfielder and a defender before the close of play in the market, but they need to shift players out of the door in order to sanction prospective incomings.

Previously, the Red Devils hoped that selling Scott McTominay and Harry Maguire would provide the 'requisite funds' to complete their business in the window; nevertheless, both moves broke down and have left Ten Hag in a tricky position and unable to facilitate arrivals.

Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat has been earmarked as a key target by Manchester United and has been given a deadline of this Friday to determine his next steps amid interest from the Red Devils, Liverpool and Atletico Madrid, according to Corriere dello Sport via Football Italia.

Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch is also garnering attention from Manchester United and Liverpool, with the Netherlands international reportedly having a £22 million price tag on his head this summer, as per The Mirror.

Despite this, it remains to be seen whether Manchester United can afford moves for either target in light of their current situation. Dutch coach Ten Hag is looking to finalise a permanent exit for fringe player Donny van de Beek and any funds raised will be put towards further incomings, ESPN understand.

Now, in a report from Football Insider, Manchester United defender Brandon Williams has agreed a move to Sky Bet Championship side Ipswich Town after being left out of the squad for his employers' 2-0 defeat away to Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.

The outlet indicate that the £65k-a-week ace is set to swap Old Trafford for Portman Road on an initial loan agreement, which will likely include an option-to-buy to take him to Suffolk on a permanent basis.

Should Manchester United let go of Brandon Williams?

Despite showing promise in the infancy of his Manchester United career, it is clear that Williams' time is now up at Old Trafford and he is well down the pecking order at the club behind the likes of Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia.

Williams has made 51 appearances for the Red Devils since making his senior breakthrough, notching one goal and three assists in the process, as per Transfermarkt.

Last campaign, the 22-year-old spent the majority of time out with various injury concerns and made just one appearance for Manchester United's senior side in a five-minute cameo against Burnley in the EFL Cup.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano had detailed that negotiations are 'advancing' over Williams' impending loan switch to Ipswich Town and has claimed that a buyout clause will be present in any agreement, which more or less confirms that his time at Manchester United is on the verge of coming to a permanent end.

Finding an environment where he can play regular football looking ahead will be important for Williams and the chance to work with former Manchester United first-team coach Kieran McKenna may be the ideal scenario to get his career back on track.

Leeds United striker Rodrigo's agent is scheduled to hold a meeting regarding his client's imminent exit from Elland Road, according to journalist Beren Cross.

When did Rodrigo join Leeds?

Rodrigo first arrived in Yorkshire back in 2020 from Valencia and he’s since gone on to make 97 senior appearances after becoming a regular feature of the first-team, but there’s a strong chance that he could be set to depart during the ongoing window.

The Spain international will be out of contract next summer meaning that now will be the final big opportunity that the hierarchy have to cash in should they not want to risk losing him for free in 12 months time, and having established himself as their top-performing offensive player last season, he won’t be short of potential suitors.

The Whites will know that they are resigned to losing several of their big names in the coming weeks with stars like Jack Harrison, Tyler Adams and Robin Koch having already been linked with an exit, and if the following update is to be believed, the 32-year-old could be another to follow in their footsteps and seal a move away from the Championship.

Is Rodrigo leaving Leeds?

Taking to Twitter, Cross revealed that Leeds will meet with Rodrigo's representative possibly in the coming days to discuss his departure from LS11 after three years of service. He wrote:

"Rodrigo's agent, his father, set to meet Leeds top brass imminently to get the wheels moving on his exit. United not expected to make it difficult for him to move and get those wages off the books."

Should the 49ers keep or sell Rodrigo?

Leeds obviously won’t want to lose Rodrigo for nothing and the fee that they could potentially bring in for him will be appealing, but the centre-forward is such a standout player at the club so the 49ers should see if he could be tempted to stay by offering him a new contract.

The Nike-sponsored ace, who pockets £100k-per-week, racked up 14 goal contributions (13 goals and one assist) in 31 Premier League outings last season and recorded 66 shots over the course of the campaign, which was higher than any other of his teammates, as per FBRef.

Rodrigo, who has been lauded a “top talent” by CEO Angus Kinnear, also adds wonderful versatility to the squad with his ability to be deployed in seven different positions over the pitch, including all across the frontline and even in the midfield, so retaining his services is something that the board shouldn’t even have to think twice about if possible.

Manchester City are now eyeing a stunning move for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong, according to a recent report from The Sun.

Which midfielder are Man City signing?

With club captain Ilkay Gundogan putting pen to paper on a move to Barcelona, there is a huge gap in Man City's midfield that needs to be filled, and Declan Rice emerged as a major target, with a £90m bid being tabled earlier this week.

However, the Citizens have now pulled out of the race as they were unwilling to match Arsenal's offer of £105m, and they have now started to run the rule over other targets, including Celta Vigo's Gabri Veiga, as reported by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Veiga is not the only La Liga central midfielder that City have shown an interest in, as The Sun reports they are now mulling over a stunning £90m move for De Jong, who has been linked with a move away from Barcelona for quite some time.

Rivals Manchester United considered the Dutchman a major target a year ago, but he opted to remain at Camp Nou, and the report details that he is still in no major rush to leave Spain.

However, Barca want the central midfielder off the wage books, and they know that City have the money to sign a top-class midfielder, following their pursuit of Rice.

Guardiola tried to sign the 26-year-old in 2019, and the Man City manager remains a fan.

How much does Frenkie de Jong earn?

According to Capology, the former Ajax man rakes in a massive £620k-per-week at Barcelona, so it is no wonder the La Liga club are keen to get him off the wage bill, particularly considering the recent arrival of Gundogan.

Despite Barca's willingness to sanction the departure of the Netherlands international, he is thought of in high regard by manager Xavi, who described him as "spectacular" last season.

The Arkel-born midfielder certainly played his part in Barca's title-winning 2022/23 campaign, making 33 appearances in La Liga, during which time he picked up two goals and four assists.

Over the past year, the maestro has averaged an 89.5% pass-completion rate per 90, which ranks him in the 97th percentile compared to his positional peers, indicating he would be a perfect fit for a Guardiola system.

However, De Jong's attacking output probably does not justify a £90m outlay, particularly if he is seen as a Gundogan replacement, so Man City should initially test the waters with a much lower offer.

Glasgow Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson worked hard throughout the January transfer window to secure two key additions to Michael Beale’s squad at Ibrox.

The Light Blues chief was able to secure the signatures of both Todd Cantwell and Nicolas Raskin, from Norwich and Standard Liege respectively, to bolster the team’s options in the middle of the park.

It remains to be seen whether either of the new arrivals will be a roaring success at Ibrox, but Wilson has had mixed success in the transfer market during his time in Glasgow.

One player with whom the former Southampton chief had a howler was midfielder Juninho Bacuna, who arrived at Rangers from Huddersfield in the summer of 2021.

At the time of the move, then-Light Blues manager Steven Gerrard stressed that patience was needed with the maestro, and that he required the right environment in order to grow and develop as a player.

The 42-year-old also hailed Bacuna by saying: “He is an attacking midfielder, he has got [a] good range of passing and he is a powerful boy, so he has got a lot of tools in his locker, so if he can put everything around that and we can give him the right place to evolve, then he should be a big player for this club.”

Where is Juninho Bacuna now?

However, Gerrard departed to join Aston Villa in November of that season and Bacuna only made 12 first-team appearances for the Gers – scoring once and setting up three goals – before being sold to Birmingham City in January 2022 for an undisclosed fee.

Despite Gerrard stating that Rangers had to be patient with the midfielder, the 25-year-old lasted a mere six months at Ibrox before being moved on, and his form since moving south of the border suggests that the decision to sanction his exit was a howler by Wilson.

In the English Championship last term, the Curacao international averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.98 across 17 appearances in the division and made 1.3 key passes per match – creating six ‘big chances’ in total for his team-mates – along with averaging 2.5 tackles and interceptions per game.

This season, the magician has created six ‘big chances’ and set up four goals in 25 starts, whilst making 2.3 tackles and interceptions per outing. This shows that Bacuna has the quality to regularly deliver quality in the final third to go along with his strong defending.

Meanwhile, none of Rangers’ central midfielders with at least two appearances has managed more than one assist or more than 1.1 key passes per match in the Premiership in 2022/23.

Birmingham manager John Eustace described the former Huddersfield man as a “leader” and hailed his “exceptional” ability earlier this season, which indicates that Bacuna is making an impact on and off the pitch at St Andrew’s.

Whilst the magician may be viewed as a flop at Ibrox, given his short time at the club, his form in England suggests that Wilson had a howler in allowing the creative genius to depart; and that the chief should have been patient – as Gerrard urged the club to be – and spent more time helping Bacuna to fulfill his potential.

A key feature of Erik ten Hag's Manchester United tenure so far has been the Dutchman's ruthless streak, with the former Ajax boss having notably shown Cristiano Ronaldo the door last season following the striker's bombshell interview with Piers Morgan, while also calling time on David De Gea's 12-year stint at Old Trafford earlier this summer.

The 53-year-old also looks set to allow Harry Maguire to join West Ham United after stripping the Englishman of the captaincy, while Brazilian enigma, Fred, is another who appears to be up for grabs after spending the last five years in Manchester.

It looks as if no one is truly safe from the axe with Ten Hag in charge, with the experienced coach also seemingly set to allow Donny van de Beek to move on before the September deadline, despite the playmaker having thrived under his compatriot during their time together in Amsterdam.

Will Van de Beek leave Man United this summer?

According to recent reports, the 26-year-old has been the subject of interest from Real Sociedad as his nightmare stint in English football looks set to be coming to a close, with the £40m signing having scored just twice and provided only two assists in 60 games in all competitions for the Red Devils.

Read the latest Manchester United transfer news HERE…

Despite previously chipping in with 75 goals and assists in 175 games in all competitions during his time in the Eredivisie, Van de Beek has since been unable to enjoy a consistent run of games since being snapped up by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and co back in 2020, having notably missed the second half of last season after suffering an unfortunate injury blow in January.

In what has been a rather luckless three years for the midfielder, in truth, the one-time Everton loanee has hardly impressed when he has featured in a United shirt, with journalist Samuel Luckhurst suggesting last year that playing the Netherlands international simply "doesn't work".

With Van de Beek likely to be on his way sooner rather than later, it may well provide a chance for Hannibal Mejbri to stake a claim for a more prominent role in the first-team squad, although the Tunisian isn't the only youngster who could be deserving of a promotion, with Isak Hansen-Aaroen also catching the eye of late.

Who is Isak Hansen-Aaroen?

The former Tromso starlet is yet to make a senior, competitive appearance since signing for United back in 2019, although at the age of just 18, the Norwegian maestro still has time on his side to force his way into Ten Hag's thinking over the coming years.

The teenage talent did take his chance to impress during the pre-season encounter with rivals Leeds United last month, with Manchester Evening News journalist Rich Fay writing that the £1.1k-per-week gem was 'direct and dangerous whenever he got on the ball in front of a noisy home crowd'.

That rare outing was followed up by another sparkling cameo against Lyon a week later in Edinburgh, with MEN's Steven Railston also writing glowing about the playmaker's performance, stating: 'His passing was progressive and he looked to initiate attacks whenever in possession.'

Previously part of United's FA Youth Cup-winning side back in 2022, the Norway U19 international has been dubbed a "beautiful footballer" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, with the respected insider also writing that the precocious prospect "has football in his veins".

That has come amid hefty praise from his former Tromso teammate Yttergard Jenssen, who has previously likened Hansen-Aaroen to his compatriot, Martin Odegaard:

"I realised that this was a talented boy already in the first training. He has some skills that are completely raw. He's so playful with the ball. And the way he moves on a football field… There's something artistic about it. He is a bit reminiscent of Martin Odegaard."

While yet to prove himself on the senior stage at the Theatre of Dreams, it would be no surprise if Hansen-Aaroen were to follow in Alejandro Garnacho's footsteps and cement his place in Ten Hag's squad moving forward, with the likely exit of Van de Beek set to leave a space up for grabs in those attacking midfield berths.

Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag has made tracks to try and bring in some competition for Andre Onana between the sticks and bolster numbers in the goalkeeping department at Old Trafford, according to reports.

Who is the goalkeeper target?

According to The Daily Mail, Manchester United have already made an approach to Benfica about goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos as they look to secure a speedy replacement between the sticks amid news that Dean Henderson is in talks with Crystal Palace over a move to Selhurst Park.

Matej Kovar has been sold to Bayer Leverkusen and Nathan Bishop has moved on to Sunderland, creating a void to be filled in the goalkeeping department at the Premier League giants.

Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has issued a further update on the permutations surrounding Vlachodimos potentially heading to Manchester United, stating on X: "Manchester United are informed on the conditions of Odysseas Vlachodimos deal, as revealed yesterday. He wasn’t in Benfica squad last week as he’s expected to leave the club by the end of the window. Deal with Man Utd could only advance if Dean Henderson leaves the club."

Benfica youngster Samuel Soares has been given the nod ahead of Vlachodimos recently, and his boss, Roger Schmidt, has admitted that he is happy to introduce some 'new energy in the goalkeeper position' at the club.

Would Vlachodimos be a good signing for Manchester United?

Manchester United definitely need to get someone into the building at Old Trafford to help with available numbers in the goalkeeping position, which has been depleted further due to veteran Tom Heaton's calf injury, as per The Manchester Evening News.

Vlachodimos is an experienced stopper with a distinguished pedigree and would help provide some calm as an alternative to Onana at the club, and could actually be a better option to having behind the Cameroon star than Henderson.

In his time at Benfica, the 29-year-old has become a fan favourite as the last line of defence, keeping 94 clean sheets in 225 appearances across all competitions for the Primeira Liga holders, as per Transfermarkt, an impressive rate.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was quick to praise Vlachodimos in 2022 following the Reds' 3-1 victory in the Champions League over Benfica away from home at the quarter-final stage, as per BT Sport cited via Reuters, stating: "We should have scored much more. I think, mainly because of their goalkeeper, credit to him. Their goalkeeper was probably the game's best player. We played well, but he made a couple of really good saves."

Compared to his positional peers in Europe's next eight divisions below the top five leagues on the continent, Vlachodimos ranks highly with his clean sheet percentage, with 56.3% of his last 90 minutes across the previous 365 days resulting in a shut-out, as per FBRef, ranking him in the 99th percentile for that figure.

Now looking unfancied at Benfica, it looks like the chance has emerged for Manchester United to bring the Greece goalkeeper to Old Trafford before the end of the window, in what could be a shrewd if unspectacular move.

Glasgow Rangers will be without another of their first-team players for tonight’s Europa League group stage game vs Real Betis, following a fresh update.

Who is injured at Rangers?

At Ibrox, Michael Beale currently has both Todd Cantwell and Danilo on the sidelines with their own respective injuries, and whilst Kieran Dowell is also out of action, the boss recently provided a positive update on his fitness.

The Light Blues manager has confirmed that the summer signing is hoping to stage his comeback during the Scottish Premiership game against Aberdeen on September 30th having made positive progress in training.

However, Nicolas Raskin is also set to be unavailable for selection having missed training on Wednesday after sustaining a suspected calf injury, via Sky Sports, which is a real shame for the central midfielder who has been impressive following his arrival at the start of the new year.

Back in January, Belgium’s youth international put pen to paper north of the border from Standard Liege and he’s since gone on to make a total of 25 appearances, though taking into consideration the next update, he’ll have to wait a little bit longer to make his 26th.

How long is Nicolas Raskin out for?

Speaking during his pre-match press conference on Wednesday, Beale confirmed that Raskin is ruled out of this evening’s fixture vs Manuel Pellegrini’s side but failed to specify how long for in total, whilst also delivering an update on Cantwell and Danilo. He said:

“Nico Raskin is out with a calf problem – Raskin, Cantwell and Danilo will be missing. We still have options in midfield – we are losing a good player but we have good ones coming in. Danilo has had a successful surgery on the areas impacted. He will be back in non-contact training come the end of the international break.”

What type of player is Nicolas Raskin?

Raskin is naturally a central midfielder so he is capable of making an impact at both ends of the pitch, and supporters will have seen that following his arrival at Rangers having been dubbed a “different class” in comparison to his fellow teammates by journalist Josh Bunting.

Sponsored by Adidas, the 22-year-old has been averaging 2.4 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per league game so far this season so loves to get stuck into challenges and win back possession for his team, via WhoScored, but he’s also provided two assists since joining so can get involved with the action in the final third.

Furthermore, Liege’s native is a versatile operator having been deployed in five different positions over the pitch since the start of his career, including four roles in the midfield and even out wide on the right-wing, and this is another attractive attribute that the gaffer will have to cope without.

The Teddy Bears having to enter tonight’s encounter without Raskin will definitely be a blow to Beale, but there’s no doubt that he will work hard on his recovery to ensure that he can get back on the pitch as soon as possible.

Arsenal have been linked with Porto striker Mehdi Taremi; however, he is not 'on the radar' for the time being at the Emirates Stadium, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

How good is Mehdi Taremi and who has been linked with signing him?

Taremi is a player with a knack of finding the back of the net and enjoyed a masterful campaign for Porto last season, registering 31 goals and 14 assists in 51 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored take into account that Taremi was extremely consistent for the Portuguese giants in 2022/23, recording an average match rating of 7.47/10 in Liga Portugal alongside taking on 2.9 shots per game.

His clinical form in front of goal has attracted interest from the Premier League and O Jogo via TEAMtalk have reported that Arsenal and Manchester United among others are keen to secure the £29k-a-week ace's services in the off-season.

The Sun have picked up on a potential hint from Taremi's agent Borna Khoramdel, who is the CEO of Arvand Sport, that he could be on his way to join Manchester United following a post on Instagram that showed a picture of his representative at Old Trafford.

Sky Sport cite that AC Milan are big admirers of Taremi and claim that Porto have lowered their asking price for the Iran international to €20 million (£17.09 million) plus bonuses. Roma and Saudi Pro League outfit Al Hilal are said to be monitoring his situation.

Football Insider mooted back in April that Mikel Arteta could look to bring another striker to north London this window that possesses a different profile to current options Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, targeting a physical presence in the frontline.

Nevertheless, transfer insider Jones doesn't think that Arteta will move to bring in an alternative forward to add to his options in the final third.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones stated: "Yeah, I mean, Mehdi Taremi is suddenly being linked with a lot of clubs. Whenever that happens, I'm always a little bit cautious about whether he's just being touted around and what the meaning is behind it.

"I haven't heard too much on this one in terms of Arsenal's genuine interest. As far as I've been told, a forward of this sort of mould isn't really on the radar at this sort of time."

What else is going on at Arsenal this transfer window?

The Gunners have already already secured their first signing in the summer in the form of Kai Havertz, who has moved across London from Chelsea for a fee in the region of £65 million, as per Sky Sports.

West Ham United captain Declan Rice and Ajax defender Jurrien Timber have both underwent medicals at the club and will be officially announced this week, according to The Evening Standard.

Speaking to The Residency quoted by 90min, Arsenal midfielder Jorginho admitted that he has 'no idea' when both deals will be announced.

Southampton star Romeo Lavia is another midfielder that is under consideration from Arteta as he aims to bulk up his midfield, as per The Guardian, signifying that some exciting times may be in store at the Emirates in the next few weeks.

An update has emerged on Southampton and their plans to bolster their playing squad ahead of the 2023/24 Championship campaign…

What's the latest Southampton transfer news?

According to talkSPORT, the Saints are the favourites to secure a deal to sign Norwich City right-back Max Aarons before the end of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the club are 'lining' up a swoop for the England U21 international to potentially replace Tino Livramento at St. Mary's.

This comes amid The Northern Echo stating that Newcastle United are set to make a renewed effort to land the former Chelsea academy prodigy from Southampton. His exit would leave a vacant spot in the squad for Aarons to potentially come in and fill.

How good is Max Aarons?

The Canaries starlet is an experienced defender in spite of the fact that he is only 23.

Aarons has made 213 first-team appearances for Norwich throughout his career to date, which includes 70 Premier League matches, and has been capped a whopping 27 times by England at U21 level.

Bringing the full-back in would be a masterclass of a move by Russell Martin as the Saints head coach could use his connections with his former club to secure a fantastic signing.

Martin, who once played alongside Aarons in a U23 match for Norwich, spent nine years at Carrow Road and Southampton could now benefit from his relationship with the Yellows.

Signing the former Luton Town academy prospect could ease the possible blow of losing Livramento as he has proven himself to be capable of excelling in a promotion-winning team at this level.

Aarons has been promoted as a title-winner in the Championship twice in his career and caught the eye with his displays during their 2020/21 success.

The £29k-per-week full-back averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.97 across 45 appearances as he created 1.4 chances per game, which would have placed him second within the Saints squad last term, as he helped his team to keep 17 clean sheets.

Livramento, who has never played at Championship level, averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.85 across 28 top-flight matches during the 2021/22 campaign and created just 0.7 chances per match from right-back to illuminate just how creative Aarons was in comparison.

This suggests that the potential is there for the young right-back to come in as an upgrade on the 20-year-old talent.

Livramento has also missed 47 competitive matches through injury since January 2022 and it remains to be seen whether or not he will be able to steer clear of further issues with his knee after a cruciate ligament rupture.

Whereas, Aarons, who was once hailed as "outstanding" by former England U21 boss Aidy Boothroyd, has only been absent for two games throughout his entire professional career with Norwich to date, which came due to an ankle injury in 2019.

The Saints target is an ultra-reliable player who has played in the Premier League and knows how to get out of the Championship, whilst still having room to develop and grow.

Therefore, Martin could pull off a blinder by using his connections to seal a deal for the young defender, who has the ability and pedigree to be a phenomenal signing.