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Southampton have been through the trenches over the past year, slipping slowly but surely from their once steady position in the Premier League and not facing a desperate fight to avoid relegation, with the business end of the campaign looking ominous indeed.

Indeed, the outfit languish at the nadir of their current stay in the top-flight, 19th in the division after 25 matches, albeit with two victories from the past three matches.

Current boss Ruben Selles is the third to take to the Southampton dugout this season alone, with Nathan Jones receiving the boot after losing seven of his eight Premier League matches in charge.

That spell, of course, came after long-term and respected boss Ralph Hasenhuttl was dismissed from his duties following a discernible downward trend and boiling temperatures between the Austrian and the owners, Sport Republic – who assumed control one year ago.

With the turbulence that Saints is beset with threatening to spiral the club from their position among the top outfits in the country, a rueful gaze will undoubtedly be cast back to recent misfortunes, with one failed deal on the transfer front exuding a potent sense of pathos.

Did Southampton nearly sign Gakpo?

Cody Gakpo was of interest to Southampton last summer, with The Telegraph reporting that the outfit had two summer bids rejected for the phenom, the second totalling roughly £21.5m.

It’s fair to say Gakpo is having something of a prolific season for club and country.

The 23-year-old has scored four goals from 12 outings for Liverpool, with a remarkable return of 13 strikes and 17 assists for PSV Eindhoven in the first half of the term, preceding his £35m-£45m transfer to Anfield.

He has started to emerge as a fierce offensive force, with Times journalist Hamzah Khalique-Loonat even lauding him as “tall, fleet-footed and dangerous.”

As per FBref, Gakpo ranks among the best 9% of forwards in Europe’s top five leagues for goals and the top 7% for assists per 90, illustrating a sharpness to his cutting edge that has been unforeseen in Southampton for some time, and it could have even saved Hasenhuttl’s job.

With St. Mary’s Stadium falling quickly into the lower third of the Premier League, Hasenhuttl’s reign seemed to be drawing to an inevitable close, especially given the relationship between the manager and owners was wearing thin after a short time together.

Given the dynamic capabilities of Gakpo, and the impact he could have made on the collective efforts of the team’s attack, it is a miserable thought for Southampton fans when mulling over what could have been.

Considering Gakpo’s performances in the Netherlands and his emphatic introduction to the global stage with his country at the World Cup, the powers that be at Saints must be veritably kicking themselves for blundering so badly.

And with the machine now starting to churn at Liverpool, the south coast is offered a poignant reminder of what could have been.

Arsenal were held to a 2-2 draw with Sporting CP in their Europa League clash in midweek, with Mikel Arteta having to field a makeshift starting XI due to injury issues.

It wasn’t their finest performance all season, with defenders Ben White and Jakub Kiwior – making his debut – underperforming in the tie and the second leg is all to play for.

Fulham are the opponent this afternoon and with the Premier League title race coming into the final stretch, three points are all that matters, especially considering Manchester City are hot on their heels.

With this in mind, Arteta will be looking to field the strongest line-up he has available and with Kiwior struggling against Sporting, the Spaniard should unleash Gabriel Magalhaes at centre-back alongside William Saliba.

Will Arteta unleash Gabriel against Fulham?

The Brazilian has been in fine form in the league this term for the Gunners, ranking as their second-best defender with a Sofascore rating of 7.04/10, just behind Oleksandr Zinchenko, while Kiwior recorded a score of 6.10 on Thursday.

Across 26 matches, he has scored twice, averaged 75.2 touches, holds a 90% pass success rate, and has kept 11 clean sheets during his time on the pitch, forming a solid partnership with Saliba in the process and this has been the cornerstone behind Arsenal’s excellent league form.

The 25-year-old has also chipped in with 1.3 tackles, 0.8 interceptions, and 3.2 clearances per game while winning 4.7 duels each match – a success rate of 62%.

The £50k-per-week centre-back has played an integral part this season and former Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell even described him as a “rock” back in 2021 and he appears to have significantly improved since then.

Indeed, writer Connor Humm claimed that the player has “gone to another level” since coming back from the World Cup and he must come back into the starting XI this afternoon as the gem could use his newfound form to dominate the Cottagers.

Fulham have the eighth-best total for goals scored in the league this term as they have enjoyed their first season back in the Premier League, and having narrowly lost to the Gunners in the reverse fixture back in August, Arteta will have to be on his guard, which is why Gabriel must come back into the side to replace Kiwior at the heart of the defence.

Chelsea have ‘good chances’ of sealing the signing of West Ham and England midfielder Declan Rice this summer, according to journalist Florian Plettenberg.

The Lowdown: Rice linked with Chelsea move

The Blues have needed midfield additions for some time now, in order to replace the likes of experienced duo N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic in the long term.

Enzo Fernandez has already come in as a big-money addition in January, helping alleviate that issue, but Rice is another player who has been strongly linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.

The 24-year-old is undoubtedly one of West Ham’s most important players, and England’s for that matter, having started all five matches for the Three Lions at the 2022 World Cup.

Rice is likely to leave the Hammers at the end of the season, in order to enjoy a new challenge at a bigger club, and Chelsea will know that they face strong competition for his signature.

Now, a new update shows that the Blues remain extremely keen on the midfielder.

The Latest: Fresh update emerges

Taking to Twitter, Sky Sport journalist Plettenberg claimed that Chelsea are ‘definitely in the race and highly interested’:

“News #Rice: Chelsea is definitely in the race and highly interested – confirmed! He’s one of the top candidates in order to strengthen the defensive midfield. Contract until 2024. Therefore good chances to sign him this summer.”

The Verdict: Perfect midfield signing

Rice would be absolutely perfect for Chelsea this summer, potentially coming in as part of the midfield rebuild along with Fernandez and fellow rumoured transfer target Romeo Lavia.

At 24, the 39-cap England international is maturing into the complete midfielder, possessing quality in possession, dynamism off the ball and also being a strong leader, already captaining West Ham at a young age.

Rice averaged 2.2 interceptions per game at the World Cup, as well as enjoying an incredible 94.3% pass completion rate, while in the Premier League, he has averaged 1.2 key passes per match, showing all facets to his game across various stages.

The fact that he is also a boyhood Chelsea fan could be an added bonus for the Blues, as they look to acquire the service of someone who Gary Lineker has hailed as ‘magnificent’.

Rice is a player who could end up captaining England in the future, such is his current standing, and it is hard to see him being anything other than a big success for Chelsea, even though he would clearly cost a lot of money.

Liverpool are interested in completing a swoop for industrious PSV Eindhoven midfielder Ibrahim Sangare, who could be available for an affordable price in the summer.

What's new on Ibrahim Sangare to Liverpool?

According to a recent report from 90min, the departure of the Ivorian centre-midfielder, who has a €37m (£33m) release clause, has been accepted by his Dutch outfit, with a host of Premier League sides circling.

Sangare has indeed attracted the attention of a multitude of English teams, with Liverpool joined by Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United in preparing for a transfer dogfight.

Liverpool's main target is Borussia Dortmund's £110m-valued midfield prodigy Jude Bellingham, but with a summer clear-out expected at Anfield, further additions will be needed to bolster the ranks, and Sangare represents a shrewd and sturdy investment.

Who could Sangare replace at Liverpool?

With Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner and Naby Keita all out of contract in a few months' time, Sangare would certainly be a wise move to make, especially when considering his relatively modest release clause.

The latter, Guinean Keita, could be the man Sangare will look to take the baton from, with the 28-year-old chastised for his subpar performances and extensive injury layoffs hampering his time at Anfield.

Hopes were high after the ace made a £53m move to Merseyside in 2018 from RB Leipzig, but he has failed to cement a sustained spell of success, branded "woeful" last year by journalist Louis Dangoor, and now looks set to depart upon the expiry of his contract.

On £120k-per-week, Klopp would be cutting costs and instilling an assured presence in Sangare, who is the dynamic and all-encompassing midfield presence Liverpool so desperately need.

As per FBref, the 24-cap machine ranks among the top 8% of midfielders across Men's 'next 8' leagues – the divisions underlying the established top five – for both tackles and successful take-ons, the top 7% for blocks and the top 15% for progressive passes per 90, illustrating the combative and transitional nature that will only enhance Liverpool's central efficacy.

A robust figure indeed, and with seven goals and three assists from 37 appearances across all competitions this season, Sangare could eclipse the goal-scoring prowess of his positional peer in Keita, who has never netted more than four times in a campaign for the Reds.

And with Sofascore recording the "extraordinary" – as heralded by one analyst – midfielder's average league rating at 7.26 this season, with his 85% passing accuracy, 81% dribble success rate and 2.7 tackles per outing only furthering the claim that he would be an immense upgrade on Keita, who has completed just 78% of his passes this season and been beset with a shambolic 6.47 average match rating.

Liverpool need to replenish the ranks, and by signing Sangare, cohesion would go a long way toward being reinstated.

West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice and his representatives have held “no meeting” regarding a move to Bayern Munich, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.

What's the latest on Rice's future?

The Irons captain will be out of contract next summer and it’s looking unlikely that he’ll be putting pen to paper on a new deal after David Moyes admitted that he is set to bring in a “British transfer record” whenever he departs the London Stadium. The England international is currently the E20 outfit’s overall best-performing player with a match rating of 6.96 so it comes as no surprise that he’s attracting interest.

Football Insider report that Premier League giants Arsenal and Chelsea are both strong potential suitors with the 24-year-old’s preference being to remain in the capital but it’s the Gunners who are believed to be leading the race. El Nacional claimed that Bayern Munich were interested in a deal for the skipper with further outlets since suggesting that his agents held talks with key figures in the Bundesliga, though this doesn’t actually appear to be the case.

Taking to Twitter, Plettenberg revealed that Rice and his representatives have not in fact been in contact with the Allianz Arena outfit to discuss a potential move for later in the summer. He wrote:

“News #Rice: Been told there was NO meeting between his management/dad and FC Bayern last week. He’s no transfer target at this stage. Same as with Kovacic: Too expensive and too many players on his position. And: Laimer is coming…”

Should West Ham keep or sell Rice?

Rice has been a fantastic servant to West Ham having scored 12 goals and provided 14 assists in 262 appearances at all levels from the academy right through to the senior first-team but the summer would present the perfect opportunity for the club to cash in.

The Kingston upon Thames-born talent is now becoming a lot more recognised and appreciated on the international stage during his performances for the Three Lions where he not only scored but was also named man-of-the-match for the Euro 2024 qualifier vs Italy last week which will be increasing his price tag, a sum that can be used to generate transfer funds for future new signings.

The Adidas-sponsored star will probably feel like he's capable and deserving of achieving a lot more than he currently is in terms of silverware and titles which he realistically isn't going to get should he remain with Moyes' side considering the dangerous position they find themselves in so it's only fair that he gets the chance to go and prove himself at the highest level elsewhere.

Sheffield Wednesday are monitoring Halifax Town forward Millenic Alli ahead of a potential move to League One, according to reports.

What's the latest on Alli's future?

The Owls are currently in the race to achieve promotion, ideally automatic without having to go through the play-offs, alongside some of their fellow top-performing sides in the likes of Plymouth and Ipswich Town, but this hasn’t stopped them from identifying transfer targets for the summer behind-the-scenes.

The Shaymen’s winger first arrived in West Yorkshire on a free transfer from Stockport in July 2022, but having only put pen to paper on a two-year-deal, this means that he will be out of contract at the end of next season and potentially on the move during the upcoming window should his side want to cash in.

The National League’s 23-year-old has made 60 senior appearances since the start of his career, including 27 at Halifax where his performances have been impressing and have therefore caught the eye of Darren Moore at Hillsborough.

According to Football Insider, Sheffield Wednesday, Huddersfield Town and Barnsley are all “tracking” Allí ahead of a possible approach in the summer. The Owls, the Terriers and the Tykes have already deployed scouts to assess their target live in action with chiefs from the three potential suitors having “watched” him earlier this week as they “weigh up” whether to make a move in the months ahead.

Should Sheffield Wednesday make an offer for Alli?

Alli is still very much in the early stages of his development and hasn’t yet performed any higher than National League level so it would be a huge step-up for him but he’s shown that he’s got potential and so could prove to be a fantastic player for the future of Sheffield Wednesday.

The Irishman has netted ten goals in 60 career outings, seven of which have come in 27 appearances for Halifax where he has excelled this season, as per Transfermarkt, not to mention that during Friday's 3-1 victory over Wrexham he bagged a brace and took home the man-of-the-match award.

The Owls target would also bring flexibility to Moore’s squad with his ability to play in three various positions which are out wide on both the left and right flanks, the two roles he’s predominantly equally operated in this term, alongside up top as a centre-forward, so it would well be worth taking a chance on him and giving him the opportunity to prove himself at a higher level.

YouTuber Conor McGilligan has slammed Leeds United manager Javi Gracia for bringing on Rasmus Kristensen at left-back in the club's most recent game.

What's the latest on Leeds and Javi Gracia?

With the threat of relegation looming large, the Whites were hoping for a big performance at Elland Road on Easter Sunday.

However, they really failed to do that as they were humiliated by Crystal Palace in front of their own fans as they suffered a 5-1 Premier League defeat.

Patrick Bamford actually gave Leeds the lead but goals from Marc Guehi, Eberechi Eze, Odsonne Edouard, and a brace from Jordan Ayew saw the Eagles pick up all three points with ease.

Not long after going 3-1 down, Gracia tried to change things up as he subbed off Junior Firpo and brought on Kristensen.

This seemed to baffle McGilligan, who questioned why the right-back came on when the 52-year-old manager had more natural options at left-back

When talking on the One Leeds Fan Channel, he said (5:19): “Rasmus came on at left-back which I mean was almost hilarious in itself. Rasmus hasn't got a left foot.

"I was wondering why [Liam] Cooper didn't come on, then [Pascal] Struijk was put out to left-back. Don't really know why Rasmus is going on at left-back.

"But seriously, seriously worrying times."

Can Rasmus Kristensen play left-back?

As you can see from his WhoScored profile, Kristensen hasn't played any football at left-back this term. What's more, his passing is noted as a weakness, so to put him in a position where he will be using his weak foot to try and build attacking play and mount a comeback certainly isn't the best plan in theory.

In addition, as McGilligan mentions, Struijk could have moved across to left-back seeing as the 23-year-old has played there 20 times this season already.

In the end, it's safe to say Gracia's plan didn't work out at all as Palace went on to score two more goals in the final stages of the game with Kristensen playing out of position as club captain Cooper sat on the bench as an unused defensive option.

In the LeedsLive player ratings, Beren Cross also noted just how badly Kristensen played after coming on for the final half-an-hour of the game.

Indeed, the journalist handed the 25-year-old Denmark international a three out of ten. He also wrote: "Switched off when the centre-backs stepped up to play Ayew onside for the fifth goal. Caught badly out of position by [Michael] Olise at left-back several times."

Arsenal are among the main contenders to sign Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic this summer, according to a recent report from CalcioMercato.

What's the latest news involving Dusan Vlahovic?

Vlahovic looks like he could be on his way to the Premier League this summer, with a number of top clubs said to be interested in the striker, including Arsenal, and the player himself would "definitely" be keen on a move to the Emirates Stadium.

There is set to be competition for the Serbian's signature, however, with Manchester United also being named as potential suitors, while Chelsea could look to sign him in a swap deal, with Christian Pulisic going in the opposite direction.

Journalist Pete O'Rourke has recently talked up the forward, describing him as a "proven striker", who would be a "big-name signing" for the Gunners, and it appears as though they will be near the front of the queue this summer.

According to a report from CalcioMercato (via Sport Witness), Arsenal are still among the main contenders for the Juventus star, and there is a growing possibility that he will be available this summer.

The 23-year-old's recent performances mean that he is no longer untouchable at the Allianz Stadium, and the Serie A club could look to cash-in this summer, although they want at least €90m (£80m) to sanction his departure.

Not only will the Gunners have to fend off interest from other Premier League clubs, but Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are all said to be in the race for the marksman's signature this summer.

Should Arsenal sign Dusan Vlahovic?

As referenced in the report, the Belgrade-born attacker has not been at his best recently, and he is now without a goal in his last eight Serie A games, however this is his first real dip in form since bursting onto the scene with Fiorentina.

The Serbia international scored a remarkable 24 league goals during spells with Fiorentina and Juventus last season, the second-highest amount in the Italian top flight.

Hailed as an "absolute beast" by sections of the media, the former Fiorentina man is a proven goal-scorer, and Arsenal may need competition for Gabriel Jesus next season, considering Folarin Balogun's future is in major doubt.

Vlahovic's recent form is cause for some concern, but his previous exploits indicate it will only be a temporary dip in form, and the Gunners should continue to monitor his performances between now and the end of the season.

Everton's financial issues are particularly startling given the lack of quality within their first team. Farhad Moshiri has somehow come to Merseyside and taken a side that has boasted Romelu Lukaku, John Stones and Ross Barkley, spent hundreds of millions, and turned that into Neal Maupay, Michael Keane and an archaic Idrissa Gana Gueye.

Whether they remain in the division or not, the latter of which would plunge the club into further disrepute, something drastic has to change with regard to their recruitment.

At one time the Toffees' U23s were regarded as the best in the country, having won the Premier League 2 twice across three seasons back in 2016. Yet the promotion of those players was scarce, and their careers stalled as a result. Their Iranian owner had been led astray by the shiny alternatives the transfer market could bring, stuttering the growth of numerous youngsters all at once.

Perhaps the main shift in focus, both to save money and to profit from this incredible academy they are blessed with, could be to look to promote youngsters with more regularity to fill places within the squad.

One example might be, instead of tying the permanently-injured Yerry Mina down to another contract or signing the underwhelming Conor Coady from Wolverhampton Wanderers, Sean Dyche could look at Paul Tait's U21s and pluck someone ready for first-team action; someone like Ryan Astley.

Who is Ryan Astley?

Having been handed his debut in the U21s at the tender age of 16 by David Unsworth, putting in what he described as a "magnificent performance", the 21-year-old has since gone on to feature countless times for the various youth teams before earning his first taste of senior football.

Having spent this year on loan at Accrington Stanley, the League One club has proved a perfect fit for the promising Welshman, where the defender has made 32 appearances across all competitions, scoring four times.

A 6.77 average rating perhaps belies the importance of the youngster, who records on average 2.4 tackles, 3.1 clearances and 1.7 interceptions per game, via Sofascore, for a side that could be resigned for relegation.

Such experiences lower down the football pyramid, where each clash pits the centre-back against battle-hardened opposition, are sure to prepare the Wales youth international for the trials of England's top flight.

He even outlined back in 2020 just how much he'd grown, citing Unsworth as a vital factor in such progression: "He’s taught me the basics of how to defend the goal. He’s also helped me improve my game with and without the ball. He’s made me a more mature defender."

With a season in League One soon to be under his belt too, this claim is only exacerbated.

Although the reported £4.5m buy-out clause in Coady's loan deal is tempting, a 6.77 rating is no great improvement on Astley. Mina, meanwhile, has started just three league games all season and has a £120k-per-week contract that expires this summer.

If the club are truly interested in saving money and utilising their illustrious academy once again, then Dyche's first port of call after this season should be to ditch these two relics in favour of the potential future of their back line.

Aston Villa are thought to be plotting a move to sign Brentford forward Ivan Toney, according to Football Insider.

What’s the latest Aston Villa transfer news involving Toney?

Unai Emery has worked wonders with the current Villa squad after taking over back in November and is leading a late push for European football.

However, the club seemingly have one eye on the summer transfer window ahead of the Spaniard’s first full season in charge. The transfer record could be smashed by NSWE, and it seems as if Toney, on £2.93m-a-year with the Bees, is a player of interest in the Midlands.

The England international recently scored in a 1-1 draw with Villa and actually netted his first-ever Premier League goal at Villa Park back in 2021.

Football Insider shared a story in the last 48 hours regarding Villa and Toney, revealing that those in the Midlands are plotting a raid on Brentford for Toney.

The report states that the 27-year-old is on Villa’s radar and could leave Brentford this summer, with a number of Premier League clubs keen on the forward’s services.

Toney and Watkins in attack?

Ollie Watkins has been Emery’s star man in attack in recent months, scoring 11 Premier League goals in 2023. He has netted 15 times in total this season, whereas Toney, described as a "monster" by Bees reporter Billy Grant, has scored 19 goals in the Premier League during the current campaign.

Both England internationals, Toney has seen his Transfermarkt valuation rocket with Brentford from €4.5m to a career-high €50m, showing how he appears to be at the peak of his powers. Emery has also gone with two forwards on a number of occasions this season, so the pair could play alongside each other next season.

As per WhoScored, Toney has outperformed Watkins when it comes to match rating and aerial duels won, while also drawing more fouls. Meanwhile, Watkins is dispossessed fewer times and averages fewer unsuccessful touches than Toney, recording a better pass completion rate as well, so who knows, Emery could see the two as an ideal partnership.