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Southampton journalist Jacob Tanswell has shared an update regarding the current fitness situation of James Ward-Prowse.

What’s the news?

In a recent tweet prior to the Saints’ 0-0 pre-season draw against Austria Klagenfurt, The Athletic journalist shed some light on the matter.

He said: “No James Ward-Prowse again for #SaintsFC this evening as he sits out through injury. Coaches felt it was best not to take the risk. Understand the injury isn’t too bad and he is likely to start training in the coming days, either tomorrow or when the team return home.”

Last season once again showed just how vital Ward-Prowse is to Southampton on the pitch. With 36 Premier League appearances to his name and more minutes played than anyone else in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s squad, the Englishman also ended the campaign with more goal contributions (15) than any of his team-mates.

In fact, the 27-year-old also topped the list for the number of shots at goal (51), shot-creating actions (113) and progressive passes (135) at the south coast club.

His overall performances in the league earned him a solid season rating of 7.01/10, making him the highest-rated player at Southampton according to WhoScored.

Now that this update has emerged regarding the Saints captain and his current fitness situation, it will surely be great news for Hasenhuttl and Southampton fans to hear that the injury is not serious.

Bearing in mind how the Saints will begin the upcoming Premier League season with a tough away fixture against Tottenham Hotspur, having Ward-Prowse fit and ready to play could be crucial for them in potentially getting their campaign off to a positive start.

Before that, Southampton still have two pre-season friendlies left to play at St Mary’s against Watford and Villarreal.

If the England international can get some minutes under his belt in either of those two matches, this should put him and the rest of the team in a good place to attack their opening league game of the season in north London.

Moving forward, the best thing that everyone at Southampton can hope for is that Ward-Prowse overcomes his current injury issue and gets up to speed in terms of his fitness ahead of the upcoming Premier League campaign.

AND in other news – “Southampton have…”: Teasing summer claim should leave Saints supporters excited

Rangers are ‘in negotiations’ for Besiktas left-back Ridvan Yilmaz and the 21-year-old is keen on a move to Ibrox, according to journalist Fraser Fletcher.

The Lowdown: Experienced youngster

The defender has already made 62 appearances for the Turkish giants; an impressive figure for a youngster who came through the academy.

Of this total, 27 appearances came in the Super Lig last season, with the player adding three goals and four assist to his name.

He even featured twice in the Champions League, with minutes against Ajax and Sporting CP.

The Latest: Fletcher’s claim

Fletcher has shared the latest news linking Yilmaz with a move to Ibrox.

Taking to Twitter, the journalist claimed:

“Rangers are in negotiations for left back, Ridvan Yilmaz. The capped Turkish international is the in final year of his contract and keen to move to Rangers.

“The clubs are still apart in fee and Rangers are awaiting Besiktas new proposal, reports of agreed proposal incorrect.”

The Verdict: Good signing

The 21-year-old was Besiktas’ joint-second top assister for the 2021/22 league campaign, while he also averaged 1.6 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 0.8 dribbles per game (via WhoScored), showing an impressive well-rounded skill-set.

With Giovanni van Bronckhorst on the lookout for another option at left-back after Calvin Bassey’s departure, the youngster could prove to be a strong long-term option for the Light Blues.

If Rangers can get the Turkish outfit to reduce their demands for the player, this could be a good signing for the club.

Talks are ‘ongoing’ in West Ham United’s pursuit of Eintracht Frankfurt ace Filip Kostic, according to Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor.

The Lowdown: Interest in Kostic

According to Sky Sports, the 29-year-old has already turned down two offers from clubs playing in the Champions League.

However, it is believed that the Serbia international would consider a move to the London Stadium if an agreement is reached.

Kostic is represented by the World Soccer Agency (WSA) – the same agency that looks after new Hammers signing Gianluca Scamacca.

As a result, founders Alessandro Lucci and Alessio Ceccarelli are trying to broker a deal between the clubs and also with the player, with a first bid reportedly made earlier this week.

The Latest: Taylor’s news

Taylor has shared an update on West Ham’s progression with the Kostic deal.

Taking to Twitter, the reliable journalist revealed the Hammers are a few million short:

“West Ham continue to work on Filip Kostić deal but will have to raise opening £12.8m offer to £16m in order to strike agreement. Talks ongoing on personal terms.”

The Verdict: Great signing

When looking at the left midfielder’s underlying stats, it is easy to see why David Moyes is so keen on wrapping up a deal for the player as soon as possible.

As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, Kostic ranks in the 99th percentile for shots, assists, expected assists and shot-creating actions.

Former Frankfurt coach Adi Hütter was extremely complimentary of the 29-year-old, saying he shows “outstanding qualities on the field and off it”, making him a fantastic addition to any squad.

If the Irons are able to secure a deal for Kostic in the coming weeks, this could be a very shrewd signing for Moyes’ side.

Arsenal have been handed a huge injury boost ahead of their opening Premier League fixture of the new season against Crystal Palace tonight.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to reports by the Daily Mail, who sent Chris Sutton to speak to Kieran Tierney about the upcoming campaign.

Other reports had claimed that the 25-year-old was one of four Gunners players set to miss out on this fixture, with a number of weeks left in his rehabilitation.

However, when asked about his knee injury, the Scottish defender replied: “I’m ready. I’m good to go.”

Arteta will be thrilled

Whilst the absences of Takehiro Tomiyasu, Fabio Viera and Emile Smith-Rowe will be felt heavily, the return of a player like Tierney can only be seen as a boost for the Gunners.

Arsenal’s season was derailed after he suffered his injury, so to start the new campaign with him available will be a big boost in their bid to break into the top four by the end of 2022/23.

He missed the final ten matches of the previous Premier League campaign, and during this time the Gunners won five and lost five. In the 13 top-flight games before that, when Tierney played every minute, they won ten and only lost two (to Man City and Liverpool).

Therefore, the difference is abundantly clear when he is missing.

Having only featured 22 times in the league last season, Tierney’s presence is also heavily felt due to his personality. Branded a “great leader” by former Celtic striker Scott McDonald, it is clear to see how Mikel Arteta’s side crumbled in his absence during the spring.

Although the £75k-per-week defender has had a tumultuous, injury-hit career at the Emirates Stadium, perhaps this season could be the one where his fitness can match the form he has shown whenever he has played.

His assertion that he will be available for tonight will be music to the ears of Arteta, who now sees his tactical options increase exponentially. They have an inspirational player back, and hopefully the 25-year-old can help to get them off to the perfect start to the new campaign.

Tottenham Hotspur could secure another Cristian Romero type of player before the transfer window deadline on September 1st…

What’s the word?

That’s according to ever-reliable The Athletic journalist Charlie Eccleshare, who claims that Spurs would love to sign a specialised left-sided centre-back to complete manager Antonio Conte’s backline.

“Last season, Spurs basically had no one else who could play left centre-back. Partly as a consequence of the fact that Conte came in mid-season with a different system that necessitated that position, whereas they hadn’t really had the same need for it before,” he told GIVEMESPORT.

“What Spurs would love is Romero on the right, who has been absolutely outstanding. If you could have a player of his sort of level on the left, you’re talking about really, really good defence.”

Conte wants Romero 2.0

Both Conte and sporting director Fabio Paratici have overseen a busy summer of business at Hotspur Way, bringing in no fewer than six new players and a swoop for a specialised left-sided centre-back could be the icing on the cake.

It is true that they have somewhat fixed this problem, having brought in Clement Lenglet on loan from Barcelona but given that is a temporary deal, they’ll only have this same issue next summer.

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After qualifying for the Champions League, Conte will need that depth if the Lilywhites are to remain competitive across all competitions and given Eccleshare’s comments, it’s clear that they would like further defenders in their ranks.

The Italian head coach missed out on his former Inter Milan star Alessandro Bastoni early in the window but have also been linked to the likes of Josko Gvardiol of RB Leipzig and Villarreal’s Pau Torres – the former being a natural left-footer.

Romero is a ruthless and aggressive presence in Tottenham’s defence but he can also act as a ball-playing option, having registered two clearances, one interception and an 85.1% passing accuracy on the opening day of the new Premier League season in Spurs’ 4-1 win over Southampton, as per WhoScored.

Last term, the Argentina international was described as an “animal” by former teammate Pierluigi Gollini to Standard Sport. “He’s perfect for the Premier League,” he added. “He’s a clever guy and an amazing player.”

If the north Londoners could secure a similar presence on the other side of defence, then Conte will have a frightening unit, so it’s no wonder that Paratici is on the lookout for a left-footed central defensive beast.

AND in other news, Paratici now eyeing Spurs swap deal for “ultimate” £148k-p/w dynamo, he’s another Giovani Lo Celso…

A claim has emerged on Newcastle United and who they could attempt to sign in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Journalist Dean Jones has suggested that the Magpies could potentially move for Lille centre-forward Jonathan David, or a similar player, if they miss out on other targets.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “I do wonder if they might go for Jonathan David or somebody like that if these ones don’t work out.

“I think he’ll probably be a bit more expensive, but there’s obviously a mould that they’re trying to fit in within Newcastle, but also they don’t want to spend that much money if they do end up splashing out.”

It has been reported that the Ligue 1 club value him at around €50m (£42m) and he was linked with a move to Newcastle earlier this year.

Callum Wilson alternative

By snapping up a deal to sign the Canada international this summer, Newcastle could finally find the alternative to Callum Wilson that they have been crying out for.

The English striker has proven that he has the quality to be a regular goalscorer when he is on the pitch, but his injury issues are a huge cause for concern.

Since arriving at Newcastle in 2020, he has scored 21 goals and provided five assists in 41 Premier League starts for the Magpies. However, he has also missed 35 matches in all competitions in that time through six knocks.

This suggests that he is not a striker Eddie Howe can rely upon over the course of an entire campaign and the club attempted to fix that problem by signing Chris Wood in January.

That move is yet to show any sign of working out as he has scored two goals – one from open play – in 19 Premier League matches so far.

In Jonathan David, Newcastle could find a striker capable of pushing Wilson for his place and having the quality to be an adequate alternative to the Englishman if he suffers any injuries.

He was once dubbed “fearless” by his national team coach John Herdman and journalist Musa Okwonga previously called him an “emerging superstar”, with his statistics backing up that claim.

In Ligue 1 last season, the 22-year-old managed 15 goals in 32 starts for Lille as he showed that he has the ability to find the back of the net on a regular basis at the top level, after scoring 13 goals in 29 starts in 2020/21. He has also started the current campaign on fire with two goals and two assists in two appearances in the French top-flight.

The club’s previous interest in him suggests that they feel he would suit Howe’s style of play and his statistics in France make him look, on paper, to be a dream target to bring in as an alternative to Wilson.

He is also eight years younger than Wood and has the potential to bring far more goals to the team, given their respective goalscoring returns, which is why the club should now look to the young talent this month.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte will be without midfielder Oliver Skipp as he prepares to face Chelsea this afternoon.

The Lowdown: Spurs start brightly…

Spurs have started this 2022/2023 Premier League campaign very brightly as they seek to build upon a fantastic end to last season.

Conte guided the Lilywhites to a top four finish and subsequent Champions League qualification, prompting club owners ENIC to invest their complete faith in the Italian and grant a £150 million equity increase.

Sporting director Fabio Paratici has put these funds to good use, completing six major summer signings in the form of Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Clement Lenglet and Djed Spence.

A 4-1 opening weekend victory against Southampton followed as the north Londoners kickstarted their ambitious campaign with a convincing win.

The Latest: Skipp unavailable…

In full preparation for their London derby clash against rivals Chelsea today, aiming to maintain the momentum of their Saints thrashing, Conte has been dealt a blow in the form of midfielder Skipp’s availability.

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As relayed by the BBC, Tottenham will be without the 21-year-old for their trip to Stamford Bridge due to a foot injury.

The Verdict: Setback for Conte?

A midfield double pivot of Rodrigo Bentancur and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg seems to be the most likely solution for Conte in the absence of Skipp and we’re sure the 53-year-old can’t wait to have his starlet back in action.

As per WhoScored, the Englishman averaged a higher pass accuracy than any Spurs regular in the top flight last season and can instil a real degree of composure when allowed.

It’s little wonder Spurs pundits like John Wenham have called him a ‘valuable asset’, not least for his ability but also his potential to be even greater.

Indeed, the sooner Skipp can be called upon again, the sooner he can build upon his exciting start to life as a first-team player in N17.

Tottenham Hotspur could dip their toes back into the lower leagues of English football again this transfer window…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Daily Star journalist Paul Brown, who dropped an exciting claim to GIVEMESPORT this week, where he said:

“Daniel Levy quite likes a young player, he got Djed Spence in, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he tried to sign another one from the Championship, just to fit into the squad, but Spurs have a lot of players to get rid of.”

Indeed, the north Londoners signed Spence in a £15m deal from Championship outfit Middlesbrough and have been linked to Ashley Phillips of rival club Blackburn Rovers in the past few days.

Planning for the future

This change in transfer strategy shows that the chairman and his sporting director Fabio Paratici are planning for the long-term and not just the immediate future under manager Antonio Conte.

Of course, there is going to be a ‘win now’ mentality from the trophy-hungry Italian, having clinched some of England’s top accolades over the course of his managerial career, but he has hinted that he’s in it for the foreseeable.

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“This is a young team and we can work for many years together to improve and fight with the best teams in England and in Europe,” he claimed during pre-season.

That’ll be music to the ears of many supporters around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and their moves in the transfer market are starting to reflect that.

Earlier this month, the Lilywhites confirmed the signing of Destiny Udogie, 19, from Udinese, where he will remain on loan for the 2022/23 campaign, adding to players like Pape Matar Sarr and Bryan Gil, who were signed by Paratici last summer.

Spence is a hugely exciting young talent and one that’s ripe for Conte’s wing-back system.

Last term, he secured promotion to the Premier League, via the playoffs, with Nottingham Forest after a successful loan stint that saw him register three goals and five assists across 46 appearances in all competitions.

He also averaged 1.5 tackles and 1.6 interceptions per game, via WhoScored, which highlights his capability to defend, on top of his obvious threat in the final third.

It’s why he was lauded as a “Rolls-Royce” by ex-Arsenal defender Martin Keown and “swashbuckling” by fellow Gunners legend Ian Wright.

As such, Spurs should definitely be on the lookout for more talent in the EFL and whilst Spence is still an unknown quantity, it can’t hurt to sign more young, English gems in preparation for the future.

AND in other news, Spurs could seal perfect Conte signing in “complete” £50m gem, he’s shades of Kevin De Bruyne…

Wilfried Zaha has long been linked with a move away from Crystal Palace, with some of the top Premier League clubs frequently credited with an interest over the years.

This summer has been no different, with the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal both keen on signing the former Manchester United man, who has started the season in excellent form, hitting three goals in the opening three games of the Premier League campaign.

While Patrick Vieira will be hopeful of keeping the 29-year-old at Selhurst Park this summer, his contract situation is a worrying one.

The Ivory Coast winger will be free to leave the club on a free transfer at the end of the season as it stands, something which journalist Ryan Taylor feels is a distinct possibility.

He told GiveMeSport about Zaha: “Someone I spoke to believes he will leave on a free transfer next summer.

“He has only got one year left on his contract and he has angled for a move in the past. It has not quite happened with Arsenal or Everton and there’s also been interest from foreign clubs like Napoli, Borussia Dortmund and Roma.”

Zaha will undoubtedly go down as a Palace legend if he does leave the club this summer, having featured 433 times for the Eagles across two separate spells, contributing 86 goals and 73 assists in that time, placing him 11th on the club’s all-time scoring list.

While Vieira has overseen a youthful transformation at Selhurst Park since his appointment and has the likes of Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi available as potential long-term heirs to Zaha, it would undoubtedly be a big blow if the Ivory Coast international were to leave.

At 29, he still has plenty of years left at the top level and has consistently finished as Palace’s top scorer in recent years, enjoying the best goalscoring campaign of his career in the 2021/22 season as he hit 14 goals in the top flight.

Therefore, Vieira will be desperate for Zaha to commit to a new deal at the club before the season ends, as the Eagles’ line-up would undoubtedly be weaker without the talismanic winger.

Leeds United could make a late move to bring Pedro to Elland Road on transfer deadline day.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Fabrizio Romano, with the Italian journalist revealing in a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT that Victor Orta has been tracking Flamengo centre-forward over the course of the summer transfer window. He went on to suggest that, should the Spaniard wish to bring the 25-year-old in the final hours of the market, he will have to move extremely quickly.

Regarding the Whites’ interest in the Brazil international, the transfer insider said: “I’m told that the player they have been monitoring for a long time is Pedro from Flamengo, the Brazilian striker. But the problem with South American transfers is the timing. Of course, now we’re close to the end of the window, so they need to be fast if they want to do a South American deal.”

A huge coup

Considering just how impressive Pedro has been for Flamengo this season, coupled with the fact that all of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Southampton and Crystal Palace have been linked with the striker this summer, the argument that the 25-year-old would be a huge coup for the Whites is an extremely easy one to make.

Indeed, the £10.8m-rated forward has been in scintillating form over his 19 Brazilian Serie A appearances – only eight of which have come as starts – in 2022, scoring seven goals, registering three assists and creating four big chances, as well as taking 1.9 shots, making 0.6 key passes and completing 0.5 dribbles per game.

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However, it is his returns over his 11 Copa Libertadores fixtures which have most caught the eye, with the 25-year-old bagging 11 goals – including a hat-trick in the first leg of the semi-final – providing one assist and creating six big chances, in addition to taking 2.2 shots – 1.4 of which have hit the target – making 0.9 key passes and completing 0.5 dribbles per game.

These metrics have seen the striker – who boasts a £110m release clause – average an impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.35, not only ranking him as Flamengo’s third-best performer in the competition but also as the joint 27th-best player in the tournament as a whole.

With Patrick Bamford and Joe Gelhardt having both struggled with injuries so far this season, coupled with Rodrigo suffering a dislocated shoulder in the draw against Everton on Tuesday, it is clear that Jesse Marsch could use greater depth up top prior to the passing of tonight’s 11pm transfer deadline.

It may well be a tricky deal for Orta to pull off, but considering just how deadly a striker Pedro has proven to be in Brazil, the 25-year-old would very much appear to be an exceptional signing for the Spaniard to get over the line in the coming hours.