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Southampton’s proud position among England’s elite is in danger of shattering like glass, with the Saints bottom of the Premier League and without a manager for the second time in four months.

What’s new regarding Southampton’s manager hunt?

Jesse Marsch was recently relieved of his duties at Leeds United, with the Whites boasting just four league victories all season and consequently just one point above the relegation zone.

However, according to The Athletic, the 49-year-old may be handed a swift reintroduction to the Premier League stage, with Southampton reported to hold a “long-standing interest” in the American which pre-dates Sport Republic’s initial arrival at St Mary’s 13 months ago.

With Nathan Jones sacked after just 14 matches in charge, the Saints need to find the perfect replacement in short time, currently rooted to the foot of the table and four points from safety.

Is Jesse Marsch the right fit?

Jones achieved success at Luton Town, but seven defeats from sense of alienation with much of the fanbase, left him with little chance of replicating his good fortunes from Kenilworth Road.

Despite excelling in domestic cup competitions, beating Manchester City in the Carabao Cup and through to the last 16 of the FA Cup, where fourth-tier Grimsby Town await, the Saints are probably in their most precarious position since returning to the top flight in 2012.

After Ralph Hasenhuttl lost his place at the helm earlier this season, Jones was duly snapped up from the Hatters, but league progress has been devoid of substance on his brief watch, so Sport Republic must get the next appointment right.

Failure to appoint a suitable replacement would likely result in relegation in the new owners’ first full season in charge, despite spending roughly £128m since the summer.

While it did not quite work out for Marsch at Leeds, there were promising signs of a good team spirit during his tenure, and his dismissal after less than a year in the job is not wholly indicative of his calibre, or indeed his suitability for the project at St Marys.

The aforementioned report from The Athletic suggests that Marsch would be a good fit for this Southampton team, with his philosophy holding semblance to Hasenhuttl’s due to their shared former affiliation with the Red Bull sporting project in central Europe.

Daily Echo correspondent Alfie House took an optimistic view on the prospective appointment, tweeting: “If Jesse Marsch is to be the next Southampton manager, I think the personnel is there to suit him.”

With the spectre of relegation lurking just around the corner, Southampton CEO Martin Semmens will be anxious to get this appointment right, and Marsch could implement a high-octane, vertical emphasis which could excite the club’s hierarchy, with imposing January signing Paul Onuachu perhaps one to ostensibly prosper from such a setup.

Hope can also be taken from Marsch’s initial impact in Yorkshire; a run of ten points from his first six games ultimately proved pivotal in Leeds surviving relegation on the final day of the 2021/22 season. Under his management, Southampton could look to emulate the bounce which came in tandem with his arrival at Elland Road.

The Saints must act swiftly and with conviction if they are to salvage their season and repel the imminent and looming threat of relegation. By hiring Marsch, Hasenhuttl’s once-prosperous tactical blueprint – now dusty and neglected in Hampshire – could be utilised once again.

Transfer expert Dean Jones says that Glasgow Rangers are ‘loving’ Todd Cantwell at the moment.

The Lowdown: Good start

Cantwell has gotten off to a good start in his Ibrox career, starting four of the five games that he has been available, grabbing one assist and helping the team win all five matches (Transfermarkt).

He was signed from Norwich City in the January transfer window, and Michael Beale expressed his delight with the signing, saying that Cantwell was ‘fully aligned’ to his playing style.

The Latest: Rangers ‘loving’ Cantwell

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones says that Rangers are ‘loving’ Cantwell behind the scenes, and that is being reciprocated by the midfielder:

“They’re loving him and I think it’s reciprocated from everything I hear and see. When you make a move like this to Rangers, you have to go all in and give it everything and it seems he has done that – this could be a great time in his career. He is going to thrive.”

The Verdict: Great signing

Cantwell is a great signing for the Gers, and is sure to show his quality over the rest of the season.

The Englishman managed to score six goals and make two assists when Norwich were in the Premier League in 2019/20, before recording a further 13 goal contributions in the Championship the following campaign (Transfermarkt).

He has perhaps lost his way since then, but there is no doubt that the talent is there, and at 24 years of age, Cantwell is still yet to reach his potential.

Nonetheless, he has made a good start to life at the Light Blues, and will be hoping to continue his fine form for the rest of the term.

TalkSPORT’s Mark Goldbridge believes that David Moyes could leave West Ham at the end of the season.

The Lowdown: No change appears imminent

There has indeed been a lot of talk over the last few weeks and months about the future of Moyes at West Ham as he struggles to guide them away from the threat of relegation with just six league wins under their belt.

However, their emphatic win at home on the weekend against fellow relegation strugglers Nottingham Forest will have done him and the team a whole load of good as they’re now out of the bottom three.

Moyes has been able to guide the Hammers away from relegation battles in the past and if West Ham were to sack him and bring in a new manager, there may not be many better qualified to do so, than Moyes himself.

The Latest: Moyes and West Ham may part ways in the summer

Goldbridge has admitted on Ben Foster’s YouTube channel that sacking Moyes now would make no sense but doesn’t believe a decision could be made in the summer.

He said: (16:40) “We said it a few weeks ago, I think with Moyes it might be time to go at West Ham but that’s a summer move. That’s a thank you very much and off you go, then you try a different project and then you’ve got the start of the season if it goes wrong you can make a change but you don’t take [him out now].”

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The Verdict: West Ham should be sticking with Moyes

The Hammers already made the mistake in the past of parting ways with Moyes only to return to the Scott with their tail between their legs and ask for him to come back, which has seen him lead them to a Europa League semi-final and come very close to a top-four finish.

West Ham mustn’t be looking into making a change as Moyes has had a hand in signing all of these expensively assembled players so he must be allowed to try and get a fine tune-out of them in the final stretch of the season.

With just 14 Premier League games left to play it would make very little sense to relieve Moyes of his duties as a new boss would have next to no time to implement his tactics and style of play and would also show a lack of respect for the job Moyes had done at the London Stadium.

Manchester United have an ‘active interest’ in Tottenham and England legend Harry Kane ahead of a summer move, according to a fresh transfer claim.

The Lowdown: Record-breaking legend

The 29-year-old is one of the best strikers of his generation, recently becoming the all-time top goalscorer in Spurs’ history, netting 268 times for the club, while also chasing down Alan Shearer’s league-wide record.

Kane has been linked with a move to United endless times down the years and although he has stayed loyal to his current club, his contract is now expiring next year.

This could mean that this summer is the last chance for Spurs to earn huge money for his services and it looks as though United are ready to pounce.

The Latest: United eyeing up move

According to Football Insider journalist Pete O’Rourke, United have an ‘active interest’ in Kane and want to snap him up in the summer, as Erik ten Hag looks to make big additions.

It is noted that Spurs are in talks with the Englishman over a new deal, however, so the decision will ultimately lie with the player himself.

The Verdict: Game-changing addition

If United manage to entice Kane to Old Trafford this summer, it could be one of the most influential pieces of transfer business they have done in many years.

Granted, he will be 30 by the time next season starts but he still has many years left in him and he will be hellbent on beating Shearer’s record of 260 Premier League goals.

The one thing United are lacking currently is an elite striker but Kane is exactly that, being hailed as ‘world-class’ by Antonio Conte and scoring at least 20 goals in the last nine seasons.

The England superstar could link perfectly with the likes of Marcus Rashford and Antony, dropping deep and allowing them space in behind, and he could turn United into an even greater force.

Tottenham Hotspur, in their desperate quest to end their trophy hoodoo, have been known to make some questionable transfer decisions in recent years.

Most managers who have come since Mauricio Pochettino have been handed hefty finances to fund their ambitions, yet the Lilywhites remain without a recent major honour. Thus far, it has even proven a task too far for serial winners Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, as the hierarchy strayed from their usual model of a manager to prioritise such a feat.

But, as the aforementioned Argentine earned steady progress with his team, he too was afforded more artistic license in the transfer market, which inevitably became his downfall.

One of his, and the club’s, worst financial moves was the one to sign Giovani Lo Celso, given how little he has offered since a mouth-watering fee tempted him from Real Betis.

It marks a deal that cost the club greatly and continues to do so whilst he plies his trade in Spain once more.

How much has Giovani Lo Celso cost Spurs?

Fresh from their Champions League final disappointment, Pochettino was at the apex of his Spurs career having taken them as far in the competition as they had ever been.

Famous victories over Ajax and Manchester City saw them stumble through the knockout stages, and Lo Celso could have been seen as the final piece of the puzzle to push them over the line to consistently compete with Europe’s elite.

However, the £55m fee was somewhat inflated by the 16 goals and six assists he had notched from central midfield the season prior. But in his debut season in North London, he would fail to score in the Premier League and has since featured just 84 times across a three-year spell, failing to make his mark.

The 26-year-old was even lambasted for his conduct whilst at the club, where ex-Premier League forward Noel Whelan slammed him and his compatriot Cristian Romero as “disrespectful” for their antics during the pandemic.

Such has been his downturn, he made the aforementioned move on loan to Villarreal where he has continued his distinctly average form – playing eight times in the league this season. 

Whilst the move freed up his wages for the year-and-a-half he is set to be gone for, that does not expunge the three years he spent earning £70k-per-week whilst being branded a “flop” by journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke.

Therefore, he has cost Daniel Levy an astronomical total sum of £65.9m thus far, including wages and his transfer fee, and will likely continue to do such unless they find a permanent buyer in the summer. 

It perhaps proves that Spurs should not stray too far from their usual business model, as it represents too big a risk to trust these kind of funds to anyone; not even the great Pochettino.

Ahead of Julen Lopetegui’s arrival at Wolves in November, Nelson Semedo didn’t look to have much of a future at Molineux.

How has Semedo played for Wolves?

The Portuguese right-back joined Wolves from Barcelona in a £28m deal back in 2020 but has struggled to justify his transfer fee in his three years in the Midlands.

In total, the 29-year-old has made 92 appearances for the Old Gold, contributing two goals and four assists, arguably failing to live up to his reputation as an attacking right-back, having notched double figures for assists in his time with Benfica and Barcelona.

The former Portugal international has struggled most with defending, with the Athletic’s Tim Spiers labelling him a “liability at the back” in 2021, which has certainly proven to be the case on a number of occasions.

Semedo’s performance against Brighton and Hove Albion earlier in the season, ahead of Lopetegui’s arrival, perhaps summed up his time in a Wolves shirt best, as he was tormented by Kaoru Mitoma throughout the game and received a first-half red card.

However, Lopetegui has clearly worked on Wolves’ defensive set-up as a whole and Semedo has clearly benefitted, with the defender’s vast improvement one of the key reasons that the Old Gold are now looking up the table rather than over their shoulder at the relegation battle.

The right-back was also nominated for the February player of the month award and earned plenty of praise from Lopetegui for his recent upturn in form.

The Spanish manager said: “He’s showing that he is a good player, above all. He loves football and works very hard every day. He is very focused now.

“I can only talk about my experience with him here and we are happy with him.”

Despite him averaging a disappointing 6.53 rating from WhoScored for his performances in the Premier League this season, Semedo has earned above a 7/10 rating in recent wins against Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as a strong display in the 1-1 draw against high-flying Fulham.

Although his current contract is set to expire at the end of the season, it was reported recently that Wolves would activate the extension in his deal to ensure that he remains at Molineux for the 2023/24 campaign.

After his impressive displays under Lopetegui, fans will no doubt be looking forward to seeing how the Portuguese defender continues to improve under the Spanish manager next season, in what represents a huge turnaround for the right-back in the opinion of the fans.

Chelsea's Hakim Ziyech will no doubt be looking for a route out of Stamford Bridge in the summer after seeing a January move to PSG fall through and Graham Potter could replace him with academy graduate Harvey Vale.

Could Ziyech leave Chelsea?

Ziyech has endured an underwhelming spell at Chelsea since joining from Ajax in 2020, with the Moroccan failing to replicate the phenomenal form he consistently produced at the Johan Cruyff Arena.

In 165 appearances for the Eredivisie side, he registered 49 goals and 81 assists but has just 14 goals and 11 assists in 102 outings for the Blues.

It seemed as if his Stamford Bridge nightmare would come to an end on deadline day in January when he agreed a loan move to PSG, only for the deal to collapse at the last minute after Chelsea submitted the paperwork late, which is unlikely to improve the 29-year-old's attitude.

This season has been a woeful one for the experienced winger, as he has no goals and just one assist in 13 Premier League appearances, with his 6.47 average rating from WhoScored remarkably ranking him as the 24th-best performer in Potter's squad. Across his whole career for the Blues he only has six league goals to his name.

Roy Keane perhaps put it best when discussing Ziyech on Sky Sports following his wonder goal in the 2-0 win against Spurs last season.

He said (via talkSPORT): “I think the reason he doesn’t play regularly is because he’s inconsistent. He set a good standard today and scored during the week, but he needs to be in line with it.

“To play in one of the big clubs, you have to play weekly and weekly, as talented as he is, but he doesn’t play regularly.”

Chelsea could only dream of an consistent Ziyech this season, however, as the fact is that the £100k-per-week winger has been consistently bad, and Potter must look to replace him in the summer. Especailly as his value nosedives with each week, having already dropped by £23.6m since signing.

Who could replace Ziyech?

Although Todd Boehly would no doubt be willing to spend millions on a replacement, Potter could find a new squad option in Harvey Vale, who has progressed into Chelsea's first team through the academy.

The 19-year-old, who can play as both an attacking midfielder and a winger, has already made five appearances for the senior side and has caught the eye in the Premier League 2 this season, notching three goals and two assists in just nine appearances.

Although a loan spell at Hull City in the Championship didn't go to plan, as he was limited to just three appearances, Vale is still highly rated at Chelsea and will no doubt be given a chance to impress Potter in pre-season.

Teammate Ruben Loftus-Cheek was full of praise for the academy graduate after his display in the 3-2 win against Luton Town last season.

He said: "He did really well, he held his own against some physical and strong players. He didn't look out of place at all. Well done Harvey, I'm sure it felt natural to him. It looked very natural. Hopefully, he can kick on now."

Therefore, if Vale can live up to his potential at Stamford Bridge, there seems no reason why he couldn't replace the wantaway Ziyech in Potter's squad.

Celtic are confident that manager Ange Postecoglou won’t leave the Scottish Premiership to join Tottenham Hotspur, according to reports in the last 48 hours.

The Lowdown: Spurs interest

The Australian’s contract at Parkhead is set to expire at the end of the season as he’s on a 12-month rolling deal and he’s already been linked with an exit on several occasions given his level of success.

Premier League clubs Leeds United, Brighton and Hove Albion and Leicester City have all previously been credited with an interest in the 57-year-old and Spurs are the latest club to join that list.

Speaking to beIN SPORTS, journalist Gary Jacob claimed that the N17 outfit are looking at the Hoops boss as a potential replacement for Antonio Conte who seems set to leave following an outburst during his post-match interview on Saturday.

The Latest: Celtic’s stance on Ange

According to Football Insider, Celtic are ‘confident’ that Postecoglou won’t leave the club for Tottenham or any other team in the English top flight during the middle of the season.

The Bhoys reportedly ‘do not expect’ to lose their manager at this unusual stage of the term and feel ‘convinced’ that he will decide to stay in charge until the summer at the very least.

Glasgow supporters have experienced ‘fear’ that the coach could jump ship but it was just last month that he reaffirmed his commitment to the club amid exit links.

The Verdict: New deal deserved

Postecoglou has been an absolute revelation since joining Celtic so it’s no surprise that clubs are looking at him, and it would be a massive boost if he was to sign a new deal.

The 4-3-3 attacking boss has an unbelievable record north of the border having won 76, drawn ten and lost just 16 of his 102 games in charge, averaging 2.33 points per match (Transfermarkt).

The Nea Filadelfeia native has also led his side to plenty of silverware, twice bagging the Scottish League Cup trophy and once the Premiership, while he looks set to secure a second consecutive one of those very soon.

A number of Leeds United supporters have hailed right-back Luke Ayling for his display against Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday.

The Lowdown: Three points

The Whites once again came out on top in a thriller at Molineux, exactly a year to the day after their dramatic 3-2 comeback win last season.

Javi Gracia’s side came away with a 4-2 victory, with Ayling once again netting against Wolves, even producing the same celebration from 12 months ago in front of the away fans.

The right-back put Leeds two goals to the good, with Jack Harrison, Rasmus Kristensen and Rodrigo also getting on the score sheet. The three points took Leeds from 19th to 14th in the Premier League in what was a huge victory prior to the international break.

The Latest: Fans react

Leeds shared an image of Ayling following the eventful fixture on Saturday afternoon on their official Twitter page, with a number of supporters hailing the player, with one even describing the right-back as the best pound-for-pound signing over the last 20 years.

“Magnificent player” – @LUFC444

“QUITE LITERALLY RUN IT BACK WHAT A PLAYER” – @Townend1919

“Pound for pound the best signing we’ve made in 20 years. Go on Bill” – @garykeast70

“This guy was outstanding again true leeds United legend to be” – @lufc75kb

“Immense today Bill, you and all the lads put in a proper shift. ALAW” – @ScampyFryNinja

“God I wish he had a few more years left in him. What a servant to our club he’s been. LUKE Ayling.” – @batesylufc2

“Delighted for him today, after that interview yesterday this is more than deserved.” – @Stuey4__

The Verdict: Mentality

Ayling actually came in for criticism from some members of the media during the first half. He came up against winger Daniel Podence, with Phil Hay stating he was having a torrid time and Beren Cross suggesting he was being ripped to shreds.

Therefore, his goal in the second half showed his superb mentality, with the experienced defender playing a key role in what is just a second away win of the campaign. As per SofaScore, Ayling was Leeds’ joint third-best starter on the day behind Jack Harrison and Illan Meslier, winning nine duels and making four tackles to go alongside his goal.

Leeds and Ayling will be looking to back up this win after the international break, with two home fixtures against Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace on the horizon, games which could be key come May.

Manchester United are reportedly one of a host of top Premier League clubs interested in signing Croatia and RB Leipzig centre-back Josko Gvardiol in the summer transfer window.

What's the situation with Gvardiol?

There were many players who shone at the 2022 World Cup but few enhanced their reputations more the 21-year-old. Gvardiol featured in all seven of Croatia's matches in Qatar, standing out as one of the best defenders at the tournament and helping his country finish third overall, with his performances labelled "sensational" by journalist Zach Lowy.

It is no surprise to see that the youngster is one of Europe's most wanted young players currently, with numerous clubs linked with making a move for him at the end of the season.

United are one of those clubs who are believed to be in the mix, as Erik ten Hag looks to bolster this squad options during the upcoming transfer window. Gvardiol has a widely known £97m release clause which becomes active in 2024, so he will not come cheap either this summer or next.

Will he join Manchester United?

According to Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke, United are 'showing interest' in acquiring Gvardiol's signature, should Leipzig allow him to leave this summer. The Red Devils are far from alone in expressing an eagerness to sign the defender, however, with Tottenham, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Liverpool all mentioned in the report, too.

Gvardiol's current Leipzig deal doesn't expire until the summer of 2027, putting them in an extremely strong bargaining position and allowing them demand a huge fee for one of their most prized assets, or simply to refer suitors to the £97m clause.

There is no denying Gvardiol's talent as a player – he has been described as someone with "limitless" potential by pundit Alex Scott – and he has all the assets to be one of the standout centre-backs of his generation. At the World Cup, he averaged an incredible 5.3 clearances per game, while in this season's Champions League for Leipzig, he has an 89% pass completion rate.

He could be outstanding for United, but the one drawback is the fact that Ten Hag already has Lisandro Martinez in that left-sided centre-back role, and at 25, he is likely to remain a key figure for many years, meaning it would hard to fit both into the team.

Give the money that Gvardiol would likely cost, United could be wiser to use those funds in areas of the pitch that look weaker, such as in attack, where someone like Harry Kane or Victor Osimhen is needed as a world-class addition to lead the line.