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Wilfried Zaha would be an "exciting" addition to Tottenham Hotspur, and combined with the signing of James Maddison "makes Spurs stronger" in the Premier League next season, believes former pro-Darren Bent.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news – What's the latest on Wilfried Zaha

It has been a good start to the transfer window for Tottenham fans so far. Not only does the possibility of captain and talisman Harry Kane leaving look less likely thanks to the hardball dealings of Daniel Levy, but the club has started to sign some players as well.

Maddison arrived at the club from the recently relegated Leicester City last week for a reported fee of only £40m – significantly cheaper than the £60m the Telegraph reported as being necessary to get him out of the King Power – and signed a five-year deal with the Lilywhites.

In an interview with the club, he explained that he was convinced to join after having a conversation with new manager Ange Postecoglou who promised him he would see a "completely different spurs under me."

Could the north London outfit utilise the Australian's gift of the gab to convince the now out-of-contract Zaha to come north of the Thames?

The Crystal Palace icon has been tearing up in the league for years now, and the possibility of signing him for free has piqued the interest of clubs like Paris Saint-Germain. Still, the idea of him linking up with Maddison next season is exciting.

Former Spurs striker Bent certainly seems to think so anyway.

Speaking on TalkSPORT's YouTube channel, he said: "I think that would be quite exciting. I know that Postecoglou would have to figure out which the best three is, but if you have got Zaha on a free and James Maddison for £40m – I think that's two good players. I think that makes Spurs stronger."

How good is Wilfried Zaha?

It was another good season for the Ivorian winger in the Premier League last year, with WhoScored giving him an average match rating of 6.82 across his 27 games.

The dynamic winger was one of Palace's best-attacking players as well, scoring seven times and providing two assists to his teammates, meaning he was averaging a goal contribution every three games, which within the context of the team's inability to score for large portions of the season is quite impressive.

His underlying numbers are impressive as well, with FBref, who compare players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, putting the winger in the top 5% for progressive carries and progressive passes received, the top 6% for successful take-ons, the top 9% for shot-creating actions, and the top 14% for pass completion, all per 90.

If Spurs can get the "absolute monster" described by football writer Joe Roberts, to come to North London, especially on a free, it could go down as one of the best deals this summer.

Wolverhampton Wanderers will face 'competition' in their bid to sign Bristol City midfielder Alex Scott and the youngster would be an 'exceptional' piece of business by the Old Gold, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Alex Scott?

According to The Athletic's Steve Madeley, Scott is a target for Wolves this summer as Julen Lopetegui looks to add some flair to his side ahead of next term.

Nevertheless, the journalist detailed that any deal to bring Scott to Molineux could be a difficult one to pull off financially, stating: “Bristol City’s Alex Scott, who can play as a No. 8 or a No.10, remains on Wolves’ shopping list but, with the Guernsey-born playmaker valued at around £25m, it remains to be seen whether they can find enough flexibility in the budget to pursue a deal.”

Football Insider claim that West Ham United are also keen on Scott as David Moyes looks to add midfield depth to build on the Hammers' Europa Conference League triumph last term.

talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook has revealed that Brighton & Hove Albion were interested in Scott, though their hopes now look to have come to an end of landing the Guernsey-born ace. Crook said on Twitter: "BHAFC also not in the running for Alex Scott at current valuation nor Scott McTominay."

Liverpool, Brighton, Brentford, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United, Atalanta, Bologna, Monaco, Bologna and RB Leipzig were all rumoured to be monitoring Scott's situation back in April, as per 90min.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones has indicated that Wolves may try to haggle a lower fee to bring Scott to Molineux this summer.

Jones said: "Wolves are interested in Alex Scott, but it goes without saying they have hot competition to beat off if they are to actually sign him.

"They will also have to negotiate around the asking price. That £25million price point hasn’t moved, but it’ll be interesting to see if they can stick to it.

"Coventry’s star man Viktor Gyokeres is in the process of a transfer worth around £20million – and he was pretty much the best and most coveted player in the Championship – so I think that might end up being used to try to get the price down a little on Scott so that Bristol City eventually budge. But who knows if they actually will?

"Scott would be an exceptional signing. He really does have high levels to strive to, and he totally should be the type of talent you target when undergoing a refurb like the one Wolves are going through."

Will Wolverhampton Wanderers be able to beat off competition to sign Alex Scott?

It's hard to say at this point, but Wolves fending off competition from several other sides to bring Scott to Molineux would have to be considered as a major coup due to his enormous potential.

The England Under-20 international has a high ceiling and was an instrumental asset for Bristol City last campaign, registering two goals and five assists in 49 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

As cited by Sky Sports, Scott was Bristol City's most productive player in 2022/23, fashioning 38 chances for his teammates over the course of the season.

Scott also completed 1.1 dribbles per match on average in the Sky Bet Championship, demonstrating his ability to drive to regularly drive at opposition defenses, according to WhoScored.

It is unsurprising that interest in Scott's services is widespread and Wolves boss Lopetegui will hope to convince the youngster that the best place to continue his development is at Molineux.

Arsenal and sporting director Edu by extension are now "insistently" pursuing a deal for Galatasary defender Victor Nelsson, according to reports out of Turkey.

Who will Arsenal sign?

Manager Mikel Arteta has been seriously backed so far this transfer window, coming after a 2022/2023 campaign which saw him fall just short of the title to eventual treble-winners Man City.

Arsenal were in pole position for much of the campaign but Pep Guardiola's side were in imperious form towards the back end, meaning the north Londoners must regroup and strengthen in key areas for next term.

Germany international and former Bayer Leverkusen star Kai Havertz was first through the door at Arsenal this summer, with the club paying £65 million for his services.

“Kai is a player of top quality," said Arteta after his signing.

"He has great versatility and is an intelligent player. He will bring a huge amount of extra strength to our midfield and variety to our play.

“We welcome Kai and his family to Arsenal Football Club and we are all excited to start working with him when we start pre-season training soon.”

Arsenal also agreed a club-record £105 million deal to sign Declan Rice from West Ham United, making him the most expensive English player ever ahead of both Jack Grealish (Man City) and Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid).

Ajax defender Jurrien Timber has also completed his switch from the Eredivisie, but despite Arsenal's flurry of recent activity, they could make more signings.

The likes of Gremio midfielder Bitello and Montpellier forward Elye Wahi have been linked this week, and a report from Fanatik now claims Arsenal are pushing for Nelsson from Galatasary.

The 24-year-old, who featured at last year's World Cup in Qatar, is at the centre of interest from north London with both Arsenal and rivals Tottenham "insistently" pushing for him.

Nelsson is apparently in behind-scenes transfer talks to leave Galatasary, and if Arsenal wish to prise him away, they need just £21 million – the sum of his release clause.

There is little else said beyond that but it seems like a very do-able transfer for Edu, if they manage to beat Spurs to the punch.

How good is Victor Nelsson?

Reports in the Turkish press have revered Nelsson for his performances at Galatasary, branding the defender their "star player".

His stats certainly reflect that of a crucial player in their starting eleven, with no other star in their squad boasting a higher rate of aerial duels won or blocks made per 90 in the Super Lig (WhoScored).

Galatasary boss Okan Buruk views Nelsson as an indispensable member of their starting eleven, as highlighted by the numbers.

No other Galatasary outfielder played more league minutes than the Denmark international over 2022/2023, which potentially comes as an indicator of his reliability (WhoScored).

Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, writing on Twitter, also tipped him for stardom all the way back in 2020.

"Nelsson is a great mix of a pure defender and ball-playing centre-back," said Kulig.

"He can also play as a defensive midfielder. Great defensive skills combined with really good ball skills. The future leader of the Danish defence."

Burnley are reportedly showing an interest in possibly signing Southampton striker Che Adams, who is set to be on the move this summer.

What’s the latest Burnley transfer news?

The Clarets and Vincent Kompany are preparing for the 2023/24 season back in the Premier League and have already bolstered their squad ahead of the new campaign.

The club will host the first top flight game of the season against treble winners and Kompany’s former side Manchester City next month, and those at Turf Moor may see a few new faces in action.

Defender Dara O’Shea has been brought in from West Brom, whereas Jordan Beyer’s loan move from Borussia Monchengladbach has become permanent.

Meanwhile, Burnley were thought to be closing in on a move to sign Borussia Dortmund defender Soumaila Coulibaly on loan with an obligation to make a move permanent next summer for £15m, however, that deal is now thought to be off.

The club’s transfer record is on course to be smashed, though, with Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford, who recently starred for England at the U21 European Championships, set to join in a deal worth £19m, and big money could also be spent on Adams going off a recent report.

According to The Sun in the last 48 hours, Adams is set to leave St Mary’s this summer with just 12 months remaining on his contract but could still cost any side £15m.

The report states that Everton and Nottingham Forest are both keen on the Scotland international, while the player, who is back in pre-season training, is also attracting interest from Burnley.

How good is Che Adams?

The 26-year-old, who shares the same agency as Burnley new boy O’Shea, has been with Southampton since 2019 after leaving Birmingham City.

Since then, Adams has made 145 appearances for the Saints, scoring 35 times and registering 15 assists in all competitions. He has turned out on 124 occasions in the Premier League and is valued at €20m by Transfermarkt, so could provide a solid experienced option for Kompany in the final third.

Former Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl hailed Adams for having a “fantastic” attitude, and the forward can even turn out on either wing if needed.

“He is a guy who is one day a little bit frustrated when he sees he doesn’t play but then when the game comes, he shows up immediately and this is fantastic.”

As per FBref, Adams has been compared to the likes of Tammy Abraham and Odsonne Edouard over the past 12 months and has shown that he isn’t just a forward who relies on service. He could bring plenty aside from goals to Burnley as he ranks in the top 15% of forwards for through balls and tackles won, proving that he has quality on the ball and is willing to work hard out of possession.

Kompany currently has Wout Weghorst, Lyle Foster, Michael Obafemi and Jay Rodriguez as centre-forward options ahead of the new season, however, should any move on, Adams could be seen as a solid signing at Turf Moor, and by the looks of things, it may well be one to keep an eye on.

Tottenham Hotspur could reportedly be handed the opportunity to sign Dutch starlet, Xavi Simons this summer, according to the latest reports.

What's the latest on Simons to Tottenham?

According to Gianluca Di Marzio, Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain could potentially offer the 20-year-old to the Lilywhites as part of their bid to sign Harry Kane this summer, with the hope being that the inclusion of the one-time Barcelona gem could help to 'reduce the fee' that would be needed to sign the England skipper.

The promising forward is set to make his return to the Parc des Princes after Luis Enrique's side opted to trigger his £5m buy-out clause, with the 5 foot 10 sensation having spent the 2022/23 campaign with PSV Eindhoven after leaving the French side permanently a year ago.

This follows previous reports in Spain which claimed that the north Londoners were ready to compete with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United for the youngster's signature, hence showcasing that Simons has been on the radar of Daniel Levy and co of late.

What position does Xavi Simons play?

Lauded as a "fantastic talent" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the five-cap Netherlands international has caught the attention of clubs across Europe due to his standout displays in his homeland last term, having registered 22 goals and 12 assists in 48 games in all competitions for the Eredivisie side.

A player who is comfortable operating all across the forward line or in an advanced midfield role, Simons would offer a truly versatile and flexible asset to Ange Postecoglou, helping to ease the potential loss of the aforementioned Kane.

While still in the infancy of his senior career, the highly-rated ace – who has been valued at around £51m by CIES Football Observatory – has been the recipient of lofty praise of late, with ex-Spurs star Rafael van der Vaart having tipped his compatriot to be a potentially world-class asset in the future.

As far as Simons is concerned, the precocious ace will likely be keen to emulate the success that his fellow Dutchman enjoyed in a Tottenham jersey, with Van der Vaart having sparkled during his two-year stay in English football.

Also a player who could be deployed in a wide variety of attacking roles, much like Simons, the now-retired ace was snapped up by the Lilywhites on an £8m deal from Real Madrid at the tail-end of the 2010 summer window, before quickly establishing himself as a key figure in Harry Redknapp's side.

The 5 foot 9 playmaker would ultimately rack up 46 goals and assists in just 77 games across all fronts during his stint at White Hart Lane, having been lauded as a "magician" by former pro, Marvin Sordell due to his stellar displays in a Tottenham jersey.

As Redknapp noted following Van der Vaart's arrival in north London, the one-time Ajax man had that "knack of scoring goals", something which Simons also seems to share judging by his recent displays at PSV.

While the latter man would be joining Postecoglou's ranks in the early stages of his career – unlike his compatriot – there are signs that he could follow Van der Vaart's lead by bringing some 'magic' to N17.

There’s a general decorum around pre-season games, regarding the type of challenges that are put in, and the overall desire to avoid injury all around. Occasionally, some players don’t quite get the memo, however, leaving opposition managers rightly fuming.This was the case in Wrexham’s recent friendly against Manchester United, as young goalkeeper Nathan Bishop left Paul Mullin with a punctured lung.With an injury of that extent – you can see the concerning scenes below – the star striker will likely miss the first stages of Wrexham’s League Two season.

In a classy gesture from Ryan Reynolds, however, the club’s Hollywood co-owner has personally messaged Bishop to wish him well despite the incident, as per The Atheltic’s Laurie Whitwell.

As they seek back-to-back promotions, too, the last thing Phil Parkinson’s side needed was an injury to their best goalscorer.

The Welsh club officially get their season underway on Saturday, August 5 against MK Dons, giving Parkinson some time to find a solution to Mullin’s absence.

The Wrexham manager was not left best pleased with Bishop, though, and let his feelings known.

What did Phil Parkinson say?

Frustrated by the injury, Parkinson said after the game, via SportBible: “I mean, listen, Mulls has got a small puncture in his lung, he’s in hospital at the moment. But it’s a clumsy challenge from the goalkeeper and, for me, there’s no need to make it.

“It’s a straight red. The reason it’s a straight red, and even if the ref said to me that maybe there’s a covering defender, it’s a dangerous challenge.

“If you add those two situations up, he should’ve been off the pitch. Listen, it’s a massive blow for us to lose Paul. He’s an outstanding player.”

The referee wasn’t shy when it came to showing red cards, either, sending off United’s Daniel Gore for his reckless challenge.

The challenges set the tempo for a feisty affair, in what was supposed to be nothing more than a friendly between the two sides.

Mullin’s injury stole the headlines from an otherwise impressive performance by Wrexham, which saw the League Two club defeat a youthful Manchester United side 3-1, courtesy of goals from Elliot Lee, Aaron Hayden, and Sam Dalby.

How have Wrexham performed in pre-season?

Touring America, Wrexham have enjoyed an exciting pre-season so far, with the highlight being the victory over Manchester United, albeit coming in a game which saw Mullin injured.

As for the rest of their results, the Welsh club have done fairly well, losing just once in three games.

They began their USA tour with an impressive 4-0 victory over MLS side LA Galaxy, before suffering their one defeat so far against Chelsea, losing 5-0 against the Premier League giants.

Their time in America peaked when they defeated Man United 3-1, and with Philadelphia Union up next, they will hope to end pre-season in style.

Parkinson will be hoping that the preparation has been enough in the last month, as an important campaign in League Two beckons for his side.

Likely forced to start their season without Mullin, though, it may be a case of avoiding disaster in their opening games, rather than going all out for victory.

The last thing that Wrexham will want is a damaging start to their season to make promotion an uphill climb.

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is the one who "has to give the green light" to the proposed swap deal of Romelu Lukaku and Dusan Vlahovic, per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Is Dusan Vlahovic joining Chelsea this summer?

It has been a strange summer of transfer activity for the Blues this year. Despite still being one of the busiest clubs in Europe – as they always are – the vast majority of their business has been focused on selling the considerable array of stars they have accumulated over the previous windows.

So far, the club have managed to ship off several of the stars that helped them win the Champions League two years ago, with the likes of N'Golo Kante, Edouard Mendy, and Kalidou Koulibaly leaving for the unimaginably wealthy Saudi Pro League.

Whereas Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, and Mateo Kovacic have opted to stay in the country but join Chelsea's Premier League rivals.

Read the latest Chelsea transfer news HERE…

While it's been an impressive effort from the West Londoners to sell so many players so quickly, there is one man that has proven to be a little more challenging to be rid of, Lukaku.

The Belgian's time as a Blues player has been nothing short of a disaster, as after a poor first season in the capital in which he was able to get the fanbase to turn on him – mostly thanks to that interview -, he spent the following year back in Italy, where he had a middling year for Inter Milan.

It was expected that he would make his move to the Nerazzurri permanent this summer, and it looked like it was going to happen until the Champions League runners-up found out he had been speaking to Juventus – their staunchest rival – and so they called off any negotiations and washed their hands with him.

This turn of events has left the Old Lady as the only viable destination for the former Inter man that would keep him in European football, and to try and sweeten the deal for Pochettino's side, they have offered a swap deal that would see Serbian forward Vlahovic go the other way – so long as Chelsea chipped in another €40m (£34m) to boot.

After offering this possibility to the West Londoners last month, the Turin side have offered it again, and with Lukaku happy to make the move, the decision has been left in the hands of new boss Pochettino, per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

He explained the situation on his YouTube channel, saying:

"For Dusan Vlahovic, Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea manager, is thinking about that. He will take some days, it will be the weekend probably, to discuss internally, of course, with the board, but basically, for Chelsea, the decision is wait for something else for Romelu Lukaku or to go next week into negotiations with Juventus and reach an agreement for the swap deal: Lukaku, Vlahovic.

"So it has to be a strategy, but it is also important to understand what Pochettino wants to do with Dusan Vlahovic because more than one month ago, Chelsea said no to the swap deal between Lukaku and Vlahovic. Now Juventus are offering that again, they want €40m (£34m) as part of the deal.

"So it's Pochettino who has to give a green light to this move, and then we have to see if the two clubs can reach an agreement. Meanwhile, Lukaku already said yes to Juventus."

How good was Dusan Vlahovic last season?

Blues fans might not want to read this, but it wasn't a particularly good season for the Serbian international last year, nor has he found form since his move to the Bianconeri last January.

In his 27 Serie A appearances, he scored just ten goals, provided only two assists and could maintain a passing accuracy of just 72.1% – placing him 27th in the squad for his passing – per WhoScored.

His underlying numbers are also abysmal for a player that is expected to be amongst the best strikers in Italy and suggests that in a tougher league such as the Premier League, he could struggle yet further.

According to FBref, which compares players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, the Belgrade-born forward only sits in the top 28% for non-penalty expected goals, the top 39% for pass completion, the top 44% for assists, and the top 47% for non-penalty goals, all per 90.

It gets worse still, as he also sits in the bottom 34% for aerial duals won, the bottom 31% for progressive carries, the bottom 30% for shot-creating actions, and the bottom 28% for successful take-ons, also all per 90.

Ultimately, Chelsea find themselves between a rock and a hard place as they must move on Lukaku, but doing it through a swap for Vlahovic whilst paying €40m (£34m) seems like just another mistake.

Arsenal could be set to emulate the success of their fierce rivals, in an effort to finally usurp them…

Is Michael Olise leaving Crystal Palace?

However, the reports are suggesting that the Gunners will first have to outspend them, as they are set to battle with Manchester City and Chelsea to tempt Crystal Palace's Michael Olise to join them.

Having been linked back in April, more recent rumours have since suggested clubs are circling for his services. Even Roy Hodgson admitted they face a fight to keep ahold of the tricky wide man, for whom a £35m release clause rests in his existing deal.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

Whilst this will likely put off most, Edu and Mikel Arteta have remained shrewd negotiators throughout this window. Perhaps they could once again work their magic on a Premier League side who will have little incentive to allow their top asset to depart, less than a month after Wilfried Zaha chose to exit Selhurst Park too.

How good is Michael Olise?

Given their immense success, it is no surprise to see teams try to emulate what Pep Guardiola has forged in Manchester.

Whether it be transfer policy, philosophy or just tactics, to try and mirror him is mere flattery of one of the game's most decorated and well-respected coaches of all time.

Arteta has previously denied claims that he has "copied" from his former mentor concerning play style, but he could now instead be set to follow in Guardiola's footsteps, making Olise his very own version of Jack Grealish.

Signed for a British transfer record £100m fee, the Cityzens snatched the former Aston Villa captain to occupy their left flank with his elegance and dynamism. However, he had seldom posted outstanding numbers, in a modern game that is often so dominated by them.

His debut year at the Etihad saw him post just ten goal contributions across all competitions, and even last season as they won the treble, he would record a further 16. However, Guardiola has admitted his job consists of far more than the tangible assets, as he noted: "I'm impressed with how professional he is".

For all the talent he boasts, his work rate remains unrelenting, and as such he has become a mainstay under a manager who is famed for his unpredictable rotation. He featured 50 times across all competitions last year, as his side made history, making 0.9 tackles per game whilst maintaining a 7.34 average match rating in the league, via Sofascore.

Grealish works hard, gets the team forward with his driving runs, and more importantly offers himself completely to the system.

Arteta could seek to mimic such success with Olise, who has startling similarities with the England international.

He too seldom sets the world alight with his figures alone, although his 11 league assists last term marked a fine return. Instead, he thrives when driving at full-backs, often tearing them to shreds when isolated in a one-on-one. As such, journalist Muhammad Butt dubbed him a "wizard" for how magical he can be in these positions.

As such, when compared against others in his role across Europe, the France U21 international ranks in the top 7% for assists per 90, as well as the top 15% for tackles per 90, the top 13% for interceptions per 90, and the top 11% for blocks per 90, via FBref.

He truly is relentless and would be able to spearhead a press on his own.

Olise is certainly the "special talent" that The Athletic's Ed Malyon branded him, and at just 21 years old, remains so perfect for Arteta to mould in Grealish's image.

Tottenham Hotspur have "come forward" for Torino defender Perr Schuurs and are willing to outbid Premier League rivals, according to reports.

Who will Spurs sign?

Following the signings of goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, midfielder James Maddison and winger Manor Solomon, exciting reports in the last few days indicate there will soon be more.

Indeed, Spurs have apparently closed a deal for Rosario Central striker Alejo Veliz, with reliable transfer reporter Fabrizio Romano giving his famous "here we go" to the move.

Meanwhile, new manager Ange Postecoglou is finally nearing his first centre-back signing of the summer, with Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven closing in on a move to north London.

However, despite van de Ven's transfer nearing, it has been reliably reported that Spurs haven't ruled out making two senior central defensive signings – not counting their alleged deal for Blackburn Rovers starlet Ashley Phillips.

As we near deadline day and enter the final phase of this transfer window, it looks to be a very busy month at Spurs, with DAZN journalist Orazio Accomando now saying they've entered the bidding for Schuurs of Torino.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

The centre-back, who has apparently has a verbal agreement in place with Crystal Palace for some time, is being targeted by Spurs as they "come forward" for his signature.

It's added that Tottenham are "willing to raise the offer" to both Schuurs and Torino, presumably meaning they could outbid Palace, but Schuurs is apparently in no hurry to leave.

"Update Schuurs," wrote Accomando on Twitter.

"In addition to Crystal Palace, with which he has had a verbal agreement for some time, Tottenham has come forward again, willing to raise the offer both to Torino and to the player.

"Schuurs has not asked for the transfer and is focused on the season in the grenade, waiting for new developments."

How good is Perr Schuurs?

The 23-year-old made 30 appearances for Torino last season, becoming a mainstay under Ivan Juric, with Schuurs even managing two assists in the Italian top flight (WhoScored).

Still young and with plenty of potential to improve, it is unclear how much Torino value their defender at from this update, but reports suggest he could cost around £34m to prise away from the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino.

Bearing that in mind, if Spurs do have the funds for such a transfer after van de Ven, there is reason to believe he could be worth the investment.

Schuurs tops Torino's charts for some crucial defensive stats, having made more successful tackles and clearances per 90 than any of his teammates in Serie A last season (WhoScored).

The Dutchman also completed 88.2% of his passes out from the back, making him a potentially astute fit for Postecoglou's fluid, attacking system (WhoScored).

Journalist Josh Bunting, commenting on Schuurs late last year, also called him a "mountain" of a defender.

He wrote during a match:

"First Empoli goal in Serie A for Mattia Destro as they lead at Torino. Stunning goal,the touch and the bicycle finish superb however the cross from Tyronne Ebuehi was so well weighted. Should give Destro the confidence to kick on in his season. Perr Schuurs a mountain for Torino."

Southampton are still in for West Ham midfielder Flynn Downes, and a new update has revealed what sort of deal Saints chiefs are looking to make.

Do Southampton want to sign Flynn Downes?

Saints started their Championship season in positive fashion last weekend, picking up a hard-earned 2-1 victory away to Sheffield Wednesday, thanks to Che Adams' late winner at Hillsborough.

That doesn't mean that more signings aren't needed between now and the end of the current transfer window, as was evident at times against Norwich, in order to give Southampton the best possible chance of securing a speedy return to the Premier League.

That is especially important with both James Ward-Prowse and Romeo Lavia expected to move on, with the pair two of the most influential players at the club currently.

One player who has been linked with a summer move to St Mary's is Downes, who once shone under Russell Martin at Swansea City and made 21 top flight appearances for West Ham last season.

It looks as though Saints are still looking to sign him as soon as possible, continuing to see him as a great option to replace Ward-Prowse this summer, aiding their promotion push in the process.

What's the latest on Flynn Downes to Southampton?

Writing on Twitter, 90min's Tobuy Cudworth provided an update on Southampton's pursuit of Downes, confirming it will be a loan-to-buy deal:

"Never mind Kane or Caicedo, the big news of the day is that James Ward-Prowse has completed his WHUFC medical ahead of his £30m switch from Southampton. Flynn Downes in talks to go the other way on loan with a view to a permanent transfer."

At this point, it would be a surprise if Downes didn't end up at West Ham by the time the end of August arrives. The midfielder was lauded for his performances in Europe last seaosn by journalist Jonty Colman, saying:

"There was only a second start in West Ham colours for Flynn Downes, bought into the midfield allowing both Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek a rest. Looked really good in possession, keen to both receive the ball and move it forward where fit, creating a half chance for Antonio with a clipped in cross.

"Consistent throughout the game, won battles in midfield, fought for possession as much as he could and really impressed facing an Anderlecht midfield that had plenty of energy in it. 8."

At 24, Downes would be arriving at Southampton at a great age, coming straight in as an immediate key man, but also someone who could mature into a more formidable player over time, as has been the case with Ward-Prowse in a Saints shirt.

He has won a combined total of 11 caps for England's Under-19s and Under-20s, showing the talent he has possessed since his youth team days, and the fact that Martin has managed him before means he should be able to make a fairly seamless transition into the team. Should he excel for Southampton, a permanent move should then be a no-brainer this time next year.