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Southampton ‘should have confidence’ about being able to sign Benfica forward Goncalo Ramos, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Southampton’s Ramos interest

Back in August, talkSPORT reported that the Saints were exploring the possibility of bringing Ramos to the club in a deal worth £25m, after being impressed following a scouting mission in Portugal.

With the striker displaying his ability at the World Cup for national side Portugal, netting a hat-trick and an assist in a 6-1 victory against Switzerland, Fabrizio Romano detailed that Manchester United have now emerged as potential suitors, after watching him many times.

Given the 21-year-old’s links to a club of this magnitude, Southampton fans may have feared they’d drop out of the running, but a recent update from Jones offers a more promising outlook…

The Latest: Jones offers hope

Asked about whether the Saints should still be optimistic about signing the Portugal international following their initial interest in the summer, Jones told GIVEMESPORT:

“Exactly. I think they should have confidence rather than concern.

“I think, in a way, a player should be flattered by the fact that this club liked him in the first place.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

As reported by 90min, Benfica president Rui Costa has recently claimed that no player will leave this summer unless their release clause is met, which stands at a whopping £103m for Ramos.

While this could just be a ploy to drive the starlet’s price up, the Saints would unfortunately not be able to compete for a player in this price range, but if any opportunity is presented to sign him for a cheaper fee, it is one that should be taken by Nathan Jones.

BBC Sport writer Raj Chohan has hailed the youngster as being ‘unreal’, specifically for the way he stepped up to the plate in the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo in Qatar, scoring three goals to send Portugal to the World Cup quarter-final.

The 6 foot 2 marksman has made remarkable strides this season, scoring nine goals in 11 league starts, already surpassing his total of seven in 29 last term, and he would be a massive boost in the Saints’ bid to avoid relegation from the Premier League, but the deal still appears very unlikely, due to Benfica’s current stance.

Liverpool have had their worst start to a Premier League season in a decade and with the transfer market opening up again next month, the club have been linked with a new potential target.

What’s the latest?

According to reports coming out of Spain, Liverpool are interested in signing Villarreal star Alex Baena.

As per the report, the young forward has become one of the hottest prospects in La Liga and has started to attract attention from Premier League clubs with the Reds named alongside Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal as interested parties.

It is reported further that Baena has a €35m (£30m) release clause that Villarreal are desperate to increase by tying the player into a long-term contract in an effort to deter interest.

Imagine him & Nunez

It is no secret that Liverpool are prioritising their midfield rebuild during the upcoming transfer windows ahead, however, there is no doubt that strengthening the forward line would only improve the quality of the team’s already-formidable attacking threat.

The Reds let go of Divock Origi, Sadio Mane and Takumi Minamino over the summer and only added Darwin Nunez to bolster their attack following the departures so there is definitely room to add depth in the forward positions, especially considering that Liverpool tend to compete ruthlessly in all competitions.

As a result, the signing of Baena would be a huge coup for Liverpool and could give them more options when dealing with congested fixtures, to allow them to maintain the high quality expected on all fronts in all competitions.

The 21-year-old rising star – who was hailed “spectacular” by writer Pablo Benitez – ranks in the top 5% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for non-penalty goals, shots on goal, progressive passes received and touches, proving that he is a phenomenal attacking presence in his team.

Over 13 LaLiga appearances this season, Baena has scored four goals, created two big chances and completed 64% of his dribbles, as well as averaging 1.4 shots on goal, 24.6 touches and 2.6 duels won per game.

One of the most fitting attributes that the talented player possesses is his versatility in positioning something that would be highly valued by Klopp as he likes his players to be capable of moving around the pitch to pose unpredictability on opponents, especially in the forward line.

Baena is predominantly a left winger but has a lot of experience in the attacking midfield and right winger roles too, making him the perfect partner to work with Nunez by playing alongside the Uruguayan striker to strengthen attacking opportunities delivered to Nunez from different positions on the pitch.

With that being said, the signing of Baena would be a great piece of business for the powers at Anfield, however, they will need to produce a very tempting offer to fend off their Premier League rivals also in pursuit of his signature.

It’s been a case of Jekyll and Hyde for West Ham United this season, with David Moyes’ men struggling in the Premier League but shining in the Europa Conference League.

They have won just four league matches so far this season, however, the club have clicked into gear on the continent, winning six straight group stage matches to qualify for the Conference League knockout stages.

With the World Cup break now upon us, Moyes will be thinking about adding quality to his team, especially in the full-back departments. The club appears to be keen on selling Vladimir Coufal during the January window, but it could be the left-back spot that the 59-year-old is aiming to strengthen.

Journalist Dean Jones claimed West Ham wanted Benfica left-back Alex Grimaldo during the summer transfer window and Moyes could yet go back in for the defender in January.

According to reports in Portugal, the left back appears to show no signs of signing an extension to his contract which expires next summer, something that surely represents good news for the Hammers.

A fee of €10m (£8.5m) was mooted for the player back in September, although this may now be lower if he doesn’t sign a new deal and it’s a move West Ham simply have to make, especially with Aaron Cresswell turning 33 by the end of the year.

The Englishman has been consistent this season, contributing well going forward by playing 2.1 key passes per game and creating three big chances. Defensively, however, he has struggled at times.

The 32-year-old has been dribbled past on average 0.7 times a match while losing possession 14.2 times each game and someone younger should be considered.

In comparison, the 27-year-old has shone for Benfica this season, averaging a SofaScore rating of 7.51, adding four goal contributions as well as 2.4 key passes per match, and creating a further five big chances, proving he’d be an upgrade on Cresswell offensively.

Defensively he has helped his team keep five clean sheets while being dribbled past 0.6 times per match and making 2.4 tackles. Add in the fact he is at the peak of his powers and he would likely be a guaranteed starter at the London Stadium should he join, pushing the English defender out in the process.

Benfica sporting director Tiago Pinto lauded him as being “one of the best five left-backs in Europe”, and his performances clearly show why Pinto holds him in such high esteem.

If Moyes can sign Grimaldo for a knockdown price, it would arguably be one of his finest transfer moves yet, especially with his talent and ability to perform at the highest level, while adding some attacking impetus down the left-hand side.

Celtic maintained their excellent domestic form on Sunday lunchtime with Ange Postecoglou’s men overcoming a bogey ground for the Hoops in recent years.

Indeed, the Bhoys had only won one of their last six visits to the Tony Macaroni Arena before they defeated Livingston 3-0 today.

It was a comfortable victory as Celtic opened up their advantage at the top of the Premiership table to four points.

Greg Taylor was one of the stars of the show, as he picked up the official man of the match award on what was his 100th appearance for the club.

He notched the game’s second goal shortly after the interval, meaning he has now scored in consecutive matches after previously finding the net just once in his 181 career outings up to that point.

That said, the full-back wasn’t the only one to put in a convincing performance this weekend.

Part of the praise must go Kyogo Furuhashi’s way, as he swatted aside the doubters to rediscover his form.

The Japanese striker had been part of a big problem that saw Celtic struggle for goals in the Champions League with Postecoglou’s men failing to find the back of the net in Europe’s elite competition before Giorgos Giakoumakis scored against Shakhtar Donetsk in midweek.

Kyogo had looked toothless in that competition and with only two goals in his last ten matches prior to today, there was an easy case for his Greek teammate to be given the nod up top instead.

However, calls for that may well stop after the win at Livi, with the former scoring a thunderous left-footed strike in the first half before the latter missed a penalty after coming off the bench.

The goal was classic Kyogo, as the forward peeled off the last man, darted in behind and then lashed the ball home.

It was an expertly taken strike with Sky Sports commentator, Ian Crocker, claiming it was a “masterclass in finishing” from the 27-year-old.

Few would argue against that, with the Japan international proving in his time at Celtic that he is a ruthless finisher. Today was his 29th in the famous green and white hoops and of all of those strikes, today was likely one of his most satisfying.

During his 80 minutes on the pitch, he didn’t see much possession, with just 25 touches and 15 passes, but all that mattered was the one that left his boot in the ninth minute.

It was a welcome return to form and one that he will be hoping has sent a message to Postecoglou and his critics – ‘doubt me at your peril’.

Immediately, Kyogo has gone from a player who should be dropped to someone who must now be one of the first names on the team sheet again.

His “world-class” movement, as hailed by Jota, has the potential to cause big danger for Real Madrid in a few days’ time.

Nathan Patterson is reportedly ‘back fit’ and ‘expected’ to be in the squad for Everton for their trip to Fulham in the Premier League this evening.

The Lowdown: Out since September

Patterson has been out since September with an injury to his ankle suffered during international duty, and has missed the Merseyside club’s last five matches in the top flight.

The right-back had previously started every game ahead of club captain Seamus Coleman, showing how much Frank Lampard rates him.

The Latest: Back in squad

Taking to Twitter on Thursday afternoon, Toffees reporter for The Athletic Patrick Boyland has shared that Patterson is ‘back fit’ and ‘expected’ to be in the squad against Fulham:

“Nathan Patterson back fit and expected to be in Everton’s squad to face Fulham at the weekend. Good news – has been missed.”

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The Verdict: Huge boost

Having Patterson back and available is no doubt a huge boost for Lampard and his side.

The Scotland international has ranked as the Blues’ fourth-best performer in the Premier League so far this season, and no player in the squad has averaged more tackles (four) per match than him (WhoScored).

Some of his performances have really stood out, notably in the Merseyside derby against Liverpool in September, when journalist Paul Brown claimed that he was ‘absolutely tremendous’, ‘phenomenal’ and ‘one of the best players on the pitch’.

Nonetheless, to get a result against high-flying Fulham, Everton will need their best players on the pitch, and Patterson certainly gives them an extra dimension at right-back.

Journalist Mark Carruthers has shared his thoughts on a letter from Newcastle United chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan to mark one year since the takeover.

The Lowdown: Takeover letter

To mark the one-year anniversary of the takeover at St. James’ Park today, Al-Rumayyan wrote an open letter to supporters on Thursday evening, which has been shared by the North East club’s official Twitter page.

In the letter, the chairman reminisces over the first game after the takeover was completed, and informed supporters that while there is still ‘a long way to go’, each season remains a building block towards their objective of challenging for trophies on a domestic level, and eventually in Europe.

He signs off by saying that the supporters and the wider community are an ‘incredible motivation’ for the owners, as they look to achieve their long-term goals together.

The Latest: Carruthers reacts

Taking to Twitter after the letter was shared, Carruthers claimed that it is a statement that ‘should excite NUFC supporters’, adding that the club now has ‘undoubted potential’, after a long time without much structure or expertise under the previous ownership of Mike Ashley:

“Jokes aside, this is a statement that should excite #NUFC supporters. For the first time in a long time, there is a structure and expertise being put in place that can help the club realise its undoubted potential. The return of drive and ambition has been a long-time coming!”

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The Verdict: Exciting

These are certainly exciting times for Magpies supporters, as emphasised in the letter from Al-Rumayyan.

The new owners clearly have the ambition to get the club to the very top, and while it may take a few seasons or more to reach those heights, the journey is one that supporters should enjoy.

Nonetheless, they have already shown their ambition by spending big in the last two transfer windows, spending a club-record fee on striker Alexander Isak from Real Sociedad and bringing in the likes of Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes from Lyon in January (Transfermarkt).

More money will be expected to be splashed over the next year or so, which should really help Eddie Howe’s side push up the Premier League table.

Manchester United could look to Antoine Griezmann to replace Cristiano Ronaldo if the 37-year-old leaves Old Trafford in January, sports journalist Pete O’Rourke has told GiveMeSport.

The lowdown

Ronaldo pushed to leave the club during the summer transfer window so that he could play Champions League football, but his wish was not granted. The Portuguese has not been Erik ten Hag’s favoured option in the centre-forward position so far this season, starting just one Premier League game.

Griezmann is technically on loan at Atletico Madrid from Barcelona, but Diego Simeone’s side are obliged him to sign him permanently if he plays 50% of the matches for which he is available.

The latest

O’Rourke says that United will move for another forward if Ronaldo departs midway through the season, believing that Griezmann’s track record will appeal to the Old Trafford hierarchy.

He told GiveMeSport: “We don’t know what’s going to happen with Ronaldo, is he going to stay or go in January? I think if something like that was to happen, then Ten Hag would like to bring another forward in.

“I’m sure Griezmann, with his CV and calibre, and potential availability, could be a live target in January.”

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The verdict

Griezmann is at the centre of a remarkable situation right now, with Barcelona apparently concerned that Atletico are deliberately holding him back to avoid their £33.8m purchase obligation (via The Daily Mail).

Dermot Corrigan of The Athletic says that the situation is ‘becoming a joke’, and you wonder if the player will eventually lose patience and push for an exit route.

After all, the 31-year-old is a World Cup, Europa League and UEFA Super Cup winner who once top scored at the European Championships (Transfermarkt), so he may justifiably feel that he deserves better than to get sporadic game-time at Atletico.

France manager Didier Deschamps says that Griezmann’s ability to ‘think outside the box’ makes him ‘remarkable to watch’ and believes he’s ‘one of the greatest players of all time’.

With a career haul of 273 goals for club and country, United could do a lot worse than bringing in the Frenchman as Ronaldo’s successor.

Newcastle United are interested in making a move for Rennes striker Gaetan Laborde this summer.

The Lowdown: Laborde starring at Rennes

The 28-year-old was a standout attacking figure in Ligue 1 last season, registering an impressive 23 goal contributions, 15 of which were goals and the other eight assists.

Laborde may feel that his performances have justified a move to a top team, and he has already been linked with a move to Wolves earlier this summer.

Now, Newcastle appear to have entered the race to sign the Frenchman.

The Latest: Newcastle keen on move

According to Foot Mercato [via Sport Witness], Newcastle have been looking to sign Laborde for ‘several months’, as have Sevilla and ‘especially Lille’.

The Magpies ‘could go on the offensive’ regarding the move, with an offer of around €20-25million (£16.8m-21m) demanded by Rennes.

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The Verdict: System change?

Laborde’s success last season speaks for itself, with his displays helping Rennes finish a surprise fourth place in the league last term, which is something that Newcastle may feel he could do for them.

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He is an experienced player with 197 appearances to his name in Ligue 1, so the step up to the Premier League certainly won’t leave him overawed, and his arrival could even signal a system change to put two up front.

Known for his ‘excellent’ and ‘class’ finishing in the words of journalist Josh Bunting, Laborde and striker partner Andy Delort have formed ‘one of the best strike pairings in Europe’, with Zach Lowy even claiming they are ‘genuinely the midtable Ligue 1 version of Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole’.

Could Eddie Howe actually be searching for a player to partner with Callum Wilson rather than one to support him when injuries strike?

Tottenham Hotspur are eyeing a move for Wolves winger Adama Traore as reports reveal a bargain price tag.

The Lowdown: Paratici keeps busy…

Fabio Paratici, it’s safe to say, has been a busy man at Spurs this summer as the Italian is tasked with reinforcing Antonio Conte’s squad ahead of his first full Premier League season in charge of the north Londoners.

So far, Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Clement Lenglet and Djed Spence have arrived at N17 with the hope being they gift Conte enough options to maintain their place in the top four and even push for more.

Spurs’ qualification for the Champions League has gifted them a new lease of life both on the pitch and off it and there is a belief that they could make even more additions before this window closes.

The Latest: Spurs eye Traore move…

As per reporter Sean Walsh, it now appears they are eyeing a move for Wolves forward Traore as Conte seeks another right-wing-back option.

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The Spaniard would come as a makeshift in that position with both Spurs and Chelsea interesting in his signing.

He could even be available for ‘£15m or less’ and Walsh goes on to claim that he’s hoping to secure a move away this summer.

The Verdict: Get it done?

Conte was widely believed to be keen on Traore in January and the fact he could now leave for around £15m means Spurs should at least consider making an offer.

At one point, the player was valued at around £100 million by Wolves, potentially meaning this opportunity comes as too good to refuse.

As per WhoScored, before his temporary move to Barcelona, the 26-year-old was quite the marauding presence out wide for Wolves – completing more successful take-ons than any of his teammates at a phenomenal 4.2 of them per 90.

It’s clear Traore has the presence to really take matches by the scruff of the neck, as evident by some of his fine performances in the past and the fact pundits like Noel Whelan have called him a ‘game-changer’.

Tottenham Hotspur supporters will love manager Antonio Conte’s recent comments…

What’s the word?

Speaking ahead of their penultimate pre-season friendly against AS Roma in Tel-Aviv, the Italian head coach claimed that “we can work for many years together,” as relayed by football.london reporter Alasdair Gold, who was in attendance for his press conference.

The former Inter Milan and Chelsea manager is only under contract for the remainder of the current campaign, having signed an 18-month deal when he took over from Nuno Santo back in November.

There is an option of a one-year extension and these comments will surely hint toward that being triggered at some point this campaign.

Spurs supporters will go wild

Given the uncertainty over the Italian’s longevity in the Spurs dugout, whether it be down to their ambition in the transfer market or their performances on the pitch, Spurs fans may well go wild over these comments.

Ultimately, Conte worked wonders with the squad last season, earning a fourth-place finish, which they stole from arch-rivals Arsenal’s grasp late in the campaign.

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He has now been backed in the transfer market with six new additions, with the club on the lookout for a seventh in the form of either another centre-back or attacking midfielder.

Conte is certainly being backed as sporting director Fabio Paratici splashed a whopping £60m on Richarlison from Everton, and he’s unlikely to even start due to Heung-min Son, Harry Kane and Dejan Kulusevski’s form towards the back end of the season.

There are always murmurs in the press surrounding Conte and his future that send worries right through the fanbase but these latest comments will surely alleviate those doubts to send supporters into raptures, less than two weeks before the start of the new Premier League campaign.

Conte suggests that he can work with this squad for many years to come, meaning he seems committed to the Lilywhites for the long-term, and it’s that sort of stability the north Londoners need to get back on top.

Those fans around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will surely be buzzing.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold reveals Antonio Conte transfer claim…