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Southampton have touched base with D.C. United boss Wayne Rooney, who is interested in replacing Nathan Jones as manager, according to a report.

The Lowdown: Manager search underway

After parting ways with Jones on Sunday morning, Southampton have started the search for a new manager, with Jesse Marsch and first team coach Ruben Seles said to be in line for the job.

While Seles is highly thought of by the hierarchy at St Mary’s, there is some concern about his lack of experience, and so the club are continuing to assess their options.

The Latest: Rooney interested

According to a report from 90min, intermediaries from Rooney’s camp have touched base with Southampton, as he is interested in taking over as manager.

The 37-year-old is not the only person eyeing up the job, however, with Steven Gerrard said to be keen, while Marsch is very much under consideration by Sport Republic.

The Verdict: Right man for the job?

West Bromwich Albion manager Carlos Corberan hailed the Englishman for doing a ‘fantastic job’ with Derby County, during which time he received plaudits for his loyalty to the club, despite the Rams’ uncertain financial situation.

The Manchester United icon has not fared as well during his time in America, however, averaging just 0.64 points per match in the 14 games that he has managed so far.

That, combined with the fact he has never managed in the Premier League, indicates there are better options available for the Saints, and they may be better off sticking by Seles, given that he already knows the players, who he is said to be ‘highly regarded’ by.

Despite the improved transfer dealings under current boss Erik ten hag of late – namely that of Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez – Manchester United have been renowned for their at times erratic and seemingly scattergun approach to the market.

The Red Devils notably forked out a club-record fee of around £89m to sign Paul Pogba in 2016 after having allowed the Frenchman to depart for nothing four years earlier, before again seeing the midfielder head out the door upon the expiry of his contract last summer.

That rather disastrous ordeal is just one example of the transfer-related mistakes that the club have endured of late, although that’s not to suggest that United have not at least done some good business in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.

One deal that now appears to be particularly astute is the sale of striker Romelu Lukaku in 2019, with the Belgian marksman having seen his stock plummet in recent times amid his current woes at Inter Milan.

How much is Romelu Lukaku worth now?

The 29-year-old had initially arrived at Old Trafford on a £75m deal during the summer of 2017, with the imposing asset having been snapped up by Jose Mourinho after scoring 87 goals in just 166 games during his previous spell at Everton.

Despite going on to record a respectable tally of 42 goals and 13 assists in only 96 appearances during his time in Manchester, Lukaku never truly managed to convince at the Theatre of Dreams, with supporters largely not warming to the high-profile signing.

The former Chelsea man was notably criticised by club legend Gary Neville for seemingly being “overweight”, while journalist Samuel Luckhurst was also critical of the striker’s “woeful” finishing.

As such, there were few tears shed when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ultimately sanctioned the struggling asset’s departure for San Siro on a £74m deal – as Neville said he was “delighted” to see the centre-forward move on – with the United hierarchy having no doubt played a blinder to recoup such a hefty sum.

Although the Antwerp-born ace somewhat proved the doubters wrong after subsequently enjoying a prolific spell at Inter over the next two years – scoring 24 league goals to fire Antonio Conte’s side to the title in 2021 – his latest struggles may well suggest that the Red Devils were right to sanction his exit so swiftly.

After sealing a £97.5m return to Stamford Bridge just over 18 months ago, the 6 foot 3 brute went on to score just eight league goals for the Blues last season, having fallen down the pecking order following his bombshell interview with Sky in Italy midway through the season.

With that homecoming failing to work out, the west Londoners allowed Lukaku to return to Italy on loan last summer, albeit with the 104-cap hotshot having scored just two Serie A goals so far this season.

Such has been that rapid decline, the one-time Anderlecht man is now said to be worth just £17m, according to CIES Football Observatory, with that a rather stark 77% decrease in valuation since sealing that £74m exit from United just under four years ago.

With the Premier League giants having notoriously struggled to move players on – with peripheral figure Phil Jones the most obvious example of that trend – the ruthless decision to part ways with Lukaku after just two seasons does appear to be a rare masterstroke for the club.

Newcastle United have reportedly sent scouts to watch Mainz midfielder Anton Stach ahead of a potential summer move.

The Lowdown: Stach profiled

Stach has been one of the standout players at Mainz so far this season, ranking highly among his team-mates for average aerial duels won, shots, key passes, dribbles, crosses and through balls per game in the Bundesliga (WhoScored).

He has been instrumental in Mainz knocking on the door for European qualification for next term, and is sure to attract plenty of interest in the summer.

The Latest: Newcastle scout Stach

Co-writing for 90min, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has shared that Newcastle are among a number of clubs to have scouted Stach in 2023 ahead of a possible move this summer.

Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United have all watched him in action too, so the Magpies would have to act fast to secure his signature.

Bailey notes that they have not won a game without Bruno Guimaraes this campaign, so are in need of cover for the Brazilian, and Stach can also play as an eight or ten as well as in defensive midfield.

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The Verdict: Get it done

Stach would provide quality cover for Bruno when he is not available, and could even force himself into the starting line-up at St. James’ Park.

The six-foot-four colossus has been one of the most consistent midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, ranking in the 97th percentile for assists and in the top 10% for a number of other key metrics.

At 24 years of age, Stach still has a high ceiling, and could be a mainstay in the Toon midfield for years to come.

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani is determined to complete a takeover at Manchester United, Sky Sports report.

The Lowdown: Bid made

Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe both made offers for the club before the soft deadline set by the Glazers last month.

The current Manchester United owners have placed a £5bn valuation at Old Trafford, with reports believing both Jassim and Ratcliffe’s bids are set to be rejected. However, it looks as if Jassim may not go away quietly, with the Qatari extremely keen on completing a deal.

The Latest: Sky Sports update

Sky Sports provided an ‘update’ regarding Jassim and Manchester United on Tuesday afternoon.

They said ‘it’s understood’ that Jassim is ‘determined to buy’ the club and feels he has made a ‘very good offer’.

They add that he would’ve liked to have attended Wembley for the Red Devils’ Carabao Cup final victory on Sunday but felt it was ‘not appropriate’.

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The Verdict: Long process

Manchester United supporters once again made their feelings known towards the Glazers during the Carabao Cup final at Wembley, so this update on Jassim may well be welcomed by those wanting the current owners out.

However, Avram Glazer’s presence at Wembley could be telling, with some believing that the Americans may stay involved at Old Trafford despite entertaining offers.

Reports elsewhere believe that a takeover could be delayed until the end of the season, so this will be a situation to monitor closely over the coming months, with Jassim potentially involved until the process reaches a conclusion.

Tottenham have ‘attempted’ to sign Chelsea star N’Golo Kante with journalist Rahman Osman making an interesting claim.

The Lowdown: Spurs linked to new midfielder…

Spurs have been linked with the signing of a new midfielder in recent weeks, coming after injuries to both Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur.

The latter player in particular is expected to be out of action until much later this year, leaving manager Antonio Conte with just Oliver Skipp, Pape Matar Sarr and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg as first team options.

This has lead to interest in Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie, but according to Osman, Spurs actually tried to land Kante.

The Latest: Spurs ‘attempted’ Kante signing…

As per the London World reporter, Spurs have ‘attempted’ the signing of Kante on a free deal, before he started closing in on a new long term deal.

Osman explained:

“Tottenham attempted to get N’Golo Kante who would have been free in the summer. Antonio really does like him from their time together but no chance he leaves Chelsea. He will sign a new contract and the club are preparing to announce a new deal for him.”

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The Verdict: Interesting…

There is little denying the Frenchman would have seriously strengthened Conte’s ranks but it now appears Kante will be unattainable.

A real shame for Spurs, Kante’s stats and experience as a proven winner in the English top flight would have undoubtedly been beneficial.

As per WhoScored, the Frenchman averaged more tackles per 90 than any Chelsea regular with over one start last season – with members of the media calling him ‘magic’ as a result.

Indeed, losing out on the 31-year-old may well be a sore one to take for Conte and co.

While West Ham were able to secure a 2-0 win against AEK Larnaca on Thursday evening to all but seal their progression in the Europa Conference League, David Moyes is still a man under serious pressure at the London Stadium.

Will West Ham sack David Moyes?

Last weekend’s 4-0 defeat at Brighton was a microcosm of how far the Hammers have fallen under the Scottish manager this season, with dreams of a top-four finish a distant memory.

There is no doubt that, despite the money that was spent on exciting new additions in the summer, the Hammers are in a relegation battle this season and a change is clearly needed to get the best out of this talented squad.

Unfortunately for West Ham fans, many of whom were singing anti-Moyes chants in the loss last Saturday, it seems as if the Scottish manager is here to stay.

Jim White, who is a journalist for Sky Sports and talkSPORT, revealed live on his radio show yesterday that the club have no plans to part ways with Moyes, even if the worst were to happen and West Ham were to be relegated this season.

“This source tells me that even if West Ham end up going down in the Premier League, the thought process is that David Moyes will carry on going into next season,” he said.

It was suggested by The Times ahead of the 4-0 win against Nottingham Forest that a defeat could see the former Everton boss sacked by West Ham but that result in isolation is seemingly enough to have saved his skin, as the subsequent defeats against Manchester United and Brighton warranted no action.

Could the Hammers be doomed to relegation?

Moyes has an array of attacking talent at his disposal and yet the Hammers are one of the lowest scorers in the division, which suggests that the 59-year-old simply cannot get the best out of his side.

Summer signing Gianluca Scamacca has been consigned to the bench for recent fixtures, while the likes of Jarrod Bowen, Pablo Fornals and arguably Declan Rice have all regressed this season, so it is no surprise to see the Hammers looking over their shoulders at the relegation places.

It is hard to see how Moyes turns things around as his defensive set-up for big games is consistently costing his side points, as Rice pointed out after the 2-0 defeat against Spurs last month.

“Last season we were so good,” Rice told Sky Sports (via The Athletic). “You felt like every game we’d go into we’d score one or two goals.”

It is therefore extremely worrying that West Ham are reportedly not considering sacking Moyes, as while this squad might be far too good to go down on paper, it remains a real possibility given their recent lacklustre displays.

Burnley could reportedly make an ‘audacious’ move to sign Borussia Dortmund star Raphael Guerreiro this summer, despite their current transfer embargo.

The Lowdown: Clarets charged…

The Championship high-flyers were placed under a surprise embargo after failing to submit their financial accounts by March 1, the deadline to hand over necessary paperwork.

Vincent Kompany’s side will want this lifted as quickly as possible and especially before the summer, where they will more likely than not be preparing for life back in the Premier League.

Burnley’s boss is confident the issue will get resolved ‘very soon’ considering the reason they weren’t able to send over their accounts on time.

The club changed auditors last year, and in a statement, the Clarets wrote that was the main reason why their accounts weren’t sent over by March 1 – but they did provide other financial details to the EFL.

They are yet to have the embargo lifted but reports suggest Kompany and co are confident it will be rescinded by April.

The Latest: Guerreiro on Burnley radar…

According to 90min, Burnley are so confident their embargo will be lifted that they’re making transfer plans for the summer.

Indeed, reporters Sean Walsh and Graeme Bailey write that ‘sources have suggested’ the Turf Moor side ‘could make an audacious attempt’ to lure Dortmund star Guerreiro to Lancashire.

The 61-cap Portugal international is out of contract at the end of the 2022/2023 season, making him an enticing prospect for Burnley and other suitors on a free deal.

Leeds United, Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Wolves are also in the running.

The Verdict: Ambitious…

Guerreiro is a player of great experience and real quality with Man City even linked to making a move just last year.

The 29-year-old has enjoyed quite a decorated career at both club and international level, winning the European Championship with Portugal in 2016 and the Nations League three years later.

For Dortmund, Guerreiro has clinched domestic honours galore with two German Cups and a German Super Cup in his trophy cabinet.

According to WhoScored, the versatile left-back remains a key player under Edin Terzic – ranking as their fourth-best performing player by average match rating in the Bundesliga this season.

Guerreiro has racked up an impressive seven assists in that time whilst averaging Dortmund’s second-highest rate of key passes per 90 in the final third (WhoScored).

Defensively, the former Lorient star has also made more interceptions per match than any Dortmund player.

It’s crystal clear to us that he would be a stellar signing for Kompany with superstar England international Jude Bellingham even once saying Guerreiro ‘runs rings around everyone’.

Journalist James Olley has claimed that Tottenham Hotspur are not in a position where they can afford to turn down a large bid for star striker Harry Kane.

What's going on with Kane at Spurs?

The forward has been linked with a move away yet again after another season with no silverware at Spurs, and Manchester United have been labelled as a potential destination.

With just over a year remaining on his contract, Spurs have found themselves in a position where they may need to sell their star player in case they want to avoid losing him for free.

Speaking on ESPN FC, Olley claimed that Kane's potential desire to leave, as well as Spurs' underachievements on the pitch, have put the club in a weak position should a big offer arrive for the Englishman in the summer.

He said: "Tottenham are not a club that can just write off a £100m asset for the sake of one season.

"I think if United got anywhere near that figure – 80, 90, 100 million – it would be very difficult for Tottenham to turn that down, particularly if Harry Kane, once again reiterated his desire to leave.

"He has expressed privately that he wants to review that situation at the end of the season. I suggest that probably means whether they're gonna be in the Champions League or not, but moreover than that, if Antonio Conte goes, who are they going to get in?

"The only manager I can think of, aside from Gareth Southgate – but he's obviously in the England job until 2024, anyway – is Mauricio Pochettino, who has that relationship with Kane, who might be able to say to him, 'look, we are going to build here. I've had the assurances, stay with me, stick it out, sign maybe a shorter-term contract, and maybe give us another year'."

Should Spurs sell Harry Kane?

Given the uncertainty of their managerial situation, with Antonio Conte reportedly about to leave the club, as well as the potential of missing out on qualification for the Champions League next season, we think Spurs should cash in on their star man and use the funds to rebuild their squad.

With it considered that upgrades are needed all over the pitch, Kane's value may never be higher than it is now, and the money, combined with the arrival of a head coach with a long-term vision in mind, could help Spurs evolve in the long run, even if there is a short-term dip in performance as a result of Kane's departure.

Pochettino is one of the names linked with the Spurs job, and a big-money sale of Kane would allow him to bring his own players in and have a fresh start without the England captain.

Injury expert Dr Rajpal Brar has said he’d ‘be surprised’ if Leeds United full-back Stuart Dallas returned from injury before the end of the current campaign.

The Lowdown: Three operations

Dallas has now been out of action for 11 months after suffering a serious injury against Manchester City at Elland Road last April. The Northern Irishman suffered a femoral fracture following a collision with Jack Grealish and had surgery in London shortly after.

Since then, the 31-year-old has had two more operations, with the first being to help limit the sensation in his knee and the latest a small clean-up surgery.

Leeds correspondent Phil Hay said at the beginning of the month that ‘it sounds like he’s going in the right direction’ with the aim ‘always to be back before the end of the season’, but it looks as if that may be asking a lot of the versatile fan favourite.

The Latest: Brar’s comments

Brar was talking to MOT Leeds News regarding Dallas and a possible return before the season is out. The injury expert said he had a ‘rare’ injury for footballers and admitted he’d ‘be surprised’ if he returned, claiming it would be a lot to ask.

“He had a rare femoral fracture (rare for footballers) and then a follow-up procedure in January as well to help clean up the area.

“I’d be surprised if he returned this season because he will return to relatively high-intensity games with Leeds looking to avoid the drop and that is a lot to ask for after missing the entire season.”

The Verdict: Right call

Dallas has been a key man for Leeds over a number of years, helping them return to the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa. He won three honours following the club’s first season back in the top flight, turning out in a number of different positions.

However, it is only a year on from his very serious injury, so it could be the right decision to look to integrate Dallas back into the side in the summer instead of pushing for a return before the end of May.

He may need time to get fully back up to speed, and with Leeds involved in a battle to avoid the drop, placing the pressure on Dallas to perform to the high standards straightaway could be extremely unfair.

Hopefully, we will see Dallas return to the form that made him a regular for Leeds prior to his injury in the Premier League next season, provided the club remain in the top flight.

Arsenal are leading the race to sign West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice in the summer transfer window, according to the latest report from Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Rice on the move?

It appears as though Rice will be on the move this summer, given that West Ham appear to have made no progress in talks to extend his contract beyond 2024, meaning the upcoming window could be their last big opportunity to cash in on the midfielder.

There are no shortage of top Premier League clubs eyeing moves for the Englishman, with it recently being reported that Chelsea have a good chance of signing him, while Manchester United are also said to be in the race.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has recently confirmed that the Gunners ‘really appreciate’ the West Ham captain, and they will be even more impressed after his performance from England on Thursday night, scoring the opening goal in the 2-1 victory against Italy.

The Latest: Arsenal in pole position

According to a report from Football Insider, Arsenal are leading the race to sign the central midfielder in the summer, and they could hold one key advantage over Man United in the battle for his signature.

The 24-year-old is keen to remain in London beyond the summer, while his ambition to play in the Champions League could sway him to pick the Gunners over Chelsea, given that the Blues are not currently on course to qualify for Europe’s elite competition.

Chelsea are still pursuing a deal for their former youth player, however Arsenal are currently leading the race.

The Verdict: Make it happen

The England international is likely to set any suitor back a lot of money, given that Man United had a £100m bid rejected last summer, however he would be a real statement signing for Mikel Arteta’s side.

Teddy Sheringham recently hailed the maestro in the wake of his performance for England against Italy, saying: “If you add a couple of goals to Declan’s game, not a couple but six or seven, with what he’s got at the moment, you’re talking about an absolute world beater of a player.

“He can go anywhere, wherever he goes he’s going to make that team a better team.”

It is hard to disagree, given just how well he has performed for the Hammers over the past year, ranking in the 91st percentile for his pass completion rate and the 96th for interceptions per 90, when compared to other top midfielders.

As alluded to by Sheringham, the one aspect of the £60k-per-week earner’s game that is perhaps lacking is his goal-scoring, netting just twice in the Premier League this season, but he showed a good eye for goal against Italy on Thursday, on a night where he was rated by Sofascore as the Three Lions’ best-performing player.

Rice would be an excellent addition to Arteta’s squad in the summer window, capable of taking Arsenal to the next level as they look to establish themselves as Champions League regulars once again.