| Saints Chase Defrel ! | Arron Sanders takes a look at the latest transfer rumours surrounding Southampton Football Club this week and news … 27-06-2017 |
Manchester City boss Guardiola has made signing new full-backs his No1 priority, and has focused his attentions on the 27-year-old.
Left-back Bertrand is ready to quit St Mary’s this summer to further his career, and City are in pole position to sign him.
The former Chelsea starlet believes a transfer to a club playing Champions League football next season can boost his chances in the fight for a starting spot at the 2018 World Cup.
City are looking for a number of signings at full-back — last season, Guardiola’s top four players at the two positions were all over 30.
Three of those, Pablo Zabaleta, Gael Clichy and Bacary Sagna, are leaving this summer as their contracts expire.
Former Barcelona star Dani Alves is set to arrive from Italian champions Juventus, while they are also ready to sign Tottenham’s Kyle Walker, an England colleague of Bertrand’s.
Guardiola has been tracking Monaco’s Benjamin Mendy, too — but the French club are holding out for a fee in excess of £40million.
That may block a move for Mendy, and is why Bertrand now appears to be at the front of the queue as City continue their summer spending spree.
Monaco playmaker Bernardo Silva has already been snapped up for £43m, and Benfica’s Ederson is joining in a £34.9m deal that is a world-record for the position.
Virgil Van Dijk could still move to Liverpool despite allegations of tapping up, according to Steve Nicol.
He told ESPN FC: “No (I don’t believe it). If the price is right then yes (the transfer will happen).
“If the price is right, which I hope is not £60m, because I don’t think he’s worth £60m.
“Liverpool need a centre-back, I guess sometimes you have to do what you have to do. Whether the valuation is correct or not, Liverpool need a centre-back.
“He is a good player, the question is can he deliver at Liverpool?
“He did it at Southampton, can he do it at one of the big boys? I don’t know.”
England crashed out of the European U21 Championship at the semi-final stage after a heart-breaking 4-3 penalty defeat to Germany on Tuesday.
Nathan Redmond missed the crucial spot-kick after 120 minutes of action left the score 2-2 in Tychy.
The Southampton forward saw his penalty saved by Julian Pollersbeck to send Germany into the final on Friday, where they will face Spain.
Goals from Demarai Gray (41) and Tammy Abraham (50) had overturned Davie Selkie’s opener (35) but Felix Platte’s header (70) forced extra-time.
Germany dominated for large spells, registering 38 shots to England’s 17 and controlling nearly 70 per cent of possession.
They had chances to win the game in normal time, with Maximilian Philipp particularly wasteful, while Platte saw a second header ruled out for offside.
When the game went to penalties, England edged ahead thanks to Jordan Pickford’s save from Yannick Gerhardt but Pollersbeck promptly denied Abraham.
And when Redmond stepped up needing to score to keep England alive, the Germany goalkeeper dived to his right to put Germany through.
An incident-packed first half saw England start brightly and they almost opened the scoring through Nathaniel Chalobah after six minutes.
The Chelsea midfielder was unmarked six yards out but planted his header over the bar.
Gray then went close and Pollersbeck smartly saved an Abraham header before Stefan Kuntz’s side found their footing.
Selke, who had an early penalty shout turned down after tangling with Calum Chambers, served warning when he tested Pickford with a first-time shot midway through the half.
The RB Leipzig striker went one better 10 minutes before half-time, heading home from Jeremy Toljan’s clipped cross.
It was fully deserved after a spell of heavy German pressure, with Ben Chilwell particularly exposed down England’s left.
But Boothroyd’s side responded well and levelled on 41 minutes through Gray, who kept his composure to volley in after Germany failed to clear a corner.
It could have got even better for England on the stroke of half-time when Maximilian Arnold appeared to take out Abraham off the ball in the penalty area but the Lithuanian referee was unmoved.
The Young Lions didn’t have to wait long before going ahead, with Abraham on hand to finish from close range five minutes after the interval.
But Germany always looked a threat and Platte - on for the injured Selke - expertly guided a header past Pickford to level.
Kuntz’s side had plenty of chances to win it in normal time, Philipp and Serge Gnabry squandering good opportunities, while Platte had a goal chalked off for offside.
England survived to force extra time but continued to cede ground, with substitute Nadiem Amiri a threat for Kuntz’s side.
He nearly turned home in the first minute but a vital touch from Pickford denied the Hoffenheim forward.
England dug in and held on for penalties and looked set to advance when Pickford kept out Gerhardt’s low effort.
But Abraham’s miss put the pressure back on England, taking second, and Redmond’s failure sent them home.
Germany captain Maximilian Arnold controlled the tempo as Germany dominated for large periods in Tychy.
England’s midfield struggled to get near the Wolfsburg man despite Aidy Boothroyd’s change of system at half-time.
His passing was crisp and his Champions League experience showed as the likes of Lewis Baker, Will Hughes and Nathaniel Chalobah scrambled to keep up.
Aidy Boothroyd told Sky Sports: "We tried our hardest to get a foothold in the game but at times they were really good.
"There were times in the game - I felt they went ahead against the run of play - but they came back into it and gave us a lot of problems. It was backs to the wall at times.
"I thought we showed real character and determination and we then went ahead and showed what we are about.
“In the end we are all deeply disappointed, to take it as far as we did. We can be proud and disappointed. I want us to take that next step and we are so close. On the night it just wasn’t to be.”
England head home having reached the semi-finals for the first time since 2009. Germany move on to Friday’s final - their first since they beat England at that tournament - where they will face Spain.
England Under-21s suffered more penalty semi-final heartbreak against Germany after Nathan Redmond’s miss sent them out of Euro 2017.
Julian Pollersbeck saved the Southampton winger’s spot kick as Germany won 4-3 on penalties following a 2-2 draw after extra time.
It was hard on the Young Lions who battled hard but it is Germany who will face Spain or Italy in Friday’s final in Krakow.
Demarai Gray had cancelled out David Selke’s opener before Tammy Abraham put England ahead for the first time just after the break in Tychy.
Felix Platte’s fine header sent the game into extra time with England hanging on before penalties.
It’s too early to say whether we are witnessing a golden generation of young English players; however the triumph of the U-20 side in South Korea and the impressive performance of Boothroyd’s team against this star-studded German side show that England fans have a lot of reasons to be positive.
Germany were the overwhelming favourites heading into this game, with so many technically-gifted players starring at Wolfsburg, Schalke and Bundesliga runners-up Lepizig.
But England’s young players showed character, skill and even enjoyed some prolonged spells of dominance against the favourites, making the game tough for Germany and eventually taking them to penalties. England may not have won the game, but Boothroyd’s team have taken some real strides forward.
Aidy Boothroyd can adapt to a situation and shuffle the team whenever there is a need for it. Nathan Redmond’s injury ahead of such an important game forced the former Watford manager into choosing Will Hughes, who had only played 51 minutes in this tournament so far.
It could have been deemed a risky decision, but England did not lose any of their attacking capabilities and the attacking trio Demarai Gray, Tammy Abraham and Hughes worked well from the off. They created a number of opportunities that really should have translated into an early opening goal.
Hughes seemed especially uplifted by the coach’s decision and was especially active, playing some brilliant long balls and impressing with his direct running.
After wasting so many good opportunities to score at the beginning of the game, England’s wastefulness ultimately came back to haunt them.
England could have been three goals to the good after half an hour, but despite this it was Germany who took the lead, with Davie Selke scoring a close-range header.
If England had been more ruthless, as they were in the game against Poland when Gray scored in the first 10 minutes of the game, this tie could have been put to bed. Boothroyd’s men however ultimately lacked that killer instinct.
Eight years ago it was Mesut Oezil, Manuel Neuer, Mats Hummels and Sami Khedira to name just a few; now it is Serge Gnabry, Maximilian Arnold, Max Meyer and David Selke.
The complete overhaul of the German youth football after the disastrous Euro 2000 tournament continues to produce cohorts of talented footballers; playing with flair, but also powerfully dominating their opponents on the pitch.
The Germans have caught up with the Spanish system, which produced a golden generation of Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Gerard Pique. It is truly one to look up to for all other FAs the world over.
Whenever there was a ball hung in the air or loose on the ground after a corner or a free-kick, England could sniff a goalscoring opportunity.
England really excelled over the dead ball, mostly because of James Ward-Prowse’s outstanding deliveries. Both Nathaniel Chalobah, if more precise, and Abraham, if a bit more lucky, could have given England an early lead.
Demarai Gray’s equaliser in the first half also capitalised on a scramble in Germany’s penalty box caused by a Ward-Prowse corner.
The Young Lions fell behind on 35 minutes when full-back Jeremy Toljan found Davie Selke in the box, who planted his header beyond the outstretched grasp of Jordan Pickford.
But Aidy Boothroyd’s men summoned up the spirit to respond just six minutes later. Ward-Prowse’s corner caused problems in the box, and when Calum Chambers shot deflected into the path of Demarai Gray, he made no mistake with a powerful finish.
England made a strong start to the second-half and capitalised when Will Hughes pressed high to win possession, before driving into the box and teeing up Tammy Abraham, who tapped home from close range.
Things took another twist in Tychy with 20 minutes remaining when Germany levelled. Maximilian Arnold’s corner found Felix Platte’s run across goal and he scored the second headed goal of the game.
As England looked to regain their composure and re-establish the momentum, Boothroyd introduced Nathan Redmond on 72 minutes, but neither side could get a decisive third
And after stalemate in extra-time, it was to the so often cruel nature of spot-kicks for a place in the final.
Ward-Prowse stepped up to convert from the spot, but Nathan Redmond saw his effort saved as the side bowed out 4-3 in the shootout at the last four stage.
England Under-21s suffered more penalty semi-final heartbreak against Germany after Nathan Redmond’s miss sent them out of Euro 2017 tonight
Julian Pollersbeck saved the Saints winger’s spot kick as Germany won 4-3 on penalties following a 2-2 draw after extra time.
It was hard on the Young Lions who battled hard but it is Germany who will face Spain or Italy in Friday’s final in Krakow.
Demarai Gray had cancelled out David Selke’s opener before Tammy Abraham put England ahead for the first time just after the break in Tychy.
Felix Platte’s fine header sent the game into extra time with England hanging on before penalties.
Lewis Baker, Ben Chilwell and Saints midfielder James Ward-Prowse all scored with Pollersbeck saving from Abraham and finally from Redmond as Germany progressed despite Jordan Pickford saving Yannick Gerhardt’s effort.
It was the second time Germany Under-21s boss Stefan Kuntz had broken English hearts having been part of the German side to beat the Three Lions on penalties at Euro 96 almost exactly 21 years ago.
Redmond was only fit enough to make the bench but Nathaniel Chalobah shook off a groin problem to start.
It was a welcome boost for the Young Lions and they received another after just two minutes when Germany’s penalty claims were somehow rejected.
Max Arnold slipped in Selke and the RB Leipzig striker stole in front of ex-Saint Calum Chambers as the Arsenal defender clipped his heels.
Selke went down but referee Gediminas Mazeika turned down his appeals.
Gideon Jung then denied Abraham a tap in before Chalobah planted two free headers over the bar as England turned the screw.
And they almost opened the scoring after six minutes when Will Hughes fed Gray only for Jeremy Toljan to block his shot and Pollersbeck save his follow up.
The high tempo start was in contrast to a limp atmosphere within the Tychy Stadium but England were on top and blew another fine opening when Abraham headed straight at Pollersbeck.
But the Young Lions still survived scares as Serge Gnabry headed wide before Pickford gathered Selke’s effort.
Slowly Germany wrestled control as Janik Haberer missed at the far post and Toljan’s deflected effort was turned behind by Pickford.
The warning signs were there but England failed to heed them with the Germans growing in confidence and composure.
England had blown their early chance and it was no surprise when Selke finally took his to put Kuntz’s side ahead after 35 minutes.
They earned joy on the left against Chilwell and Toljan’s marauding run had the Leicester man trailing.
The Hoffenheim defender advanced into the area and picked out the perfect cross for Selke to power in from 10 yards.
From slicing Germany open in the first 20 minutes England faced coming from behind for the second time in the tournament.
They were on the ropes but landed their own sucker punch four minutes before the break to equalise.
The German defence had looked brittle and when they failed to clear Ward-Prowse’s corner following Chambers’ header Gray smashed in from six yards.
England’s mental strength had prevailed and they grew stronger still when Abraham fired them ahead five minutes into the second half.
Germany’s defensive frailties were exposed again when Gnabry’s loose pass fell straight to Hughes who dribbled into the area and crossed for Abraham to poke in from close range.
Suddenly England looked comfortable and were buoyed when Selke was forced off injured and replaced by Platte after 63 minutes.
But seven minutes later Platte levelled with England undone again from a corner - just like against Slovakia in the group stage - as Mason Holgate was beaten to the ball and Platte flicked in to make it 2-2.
Confidence renewed, Germany began to press and Pickford tipped Max Philipp’s rasping drive over before the Young Lions survived a greater scare with 12 minutes left.
Philipp was gifted too much time on the right and his delicious cross was headed in by Platte - only for the striker to be flagged offside by the tightest of margins.
Weary England managed to cling on for extra time as the Germans dominated a game of attack against defence.
Nadiem Amiri fired across goal as Germany probed for an opening but the best openings came from England as Baker sliced wide and John Swift headed off target.
And with seven minutes left Amiri missed his golden chance when he missed his kick with the goal gaping which sent the game to penalties.
Pickford saved from Gerhardt and Pollersbeck stopped Abraham but after Amiri netted Redmond needed to scored to send the shoot-out to sudden death.
But Pollersbeck guess right to turn away the 23-year-old’s penalty as England went out.
The country’s wait for a third Euro U21 title - England first won it in 1982 and retained the silverware two years later - therefore goes on.
Mauricio Pellegrino’s arrival at Southampton is an exciting prospect for the club and Fantasy Premier League managers.
The Argentinian takes over at St Mary’s Stadium having overseen a hugely successful season for Alaves in LaLiga.
Widely tipped for relegation following promotion to the top division, Pellegrino masterminded a ninth-place finish and also guided them to the Copa del Rey final.
His tactical prowess was impressive throughout that campaign.
Meticulously planning his approach against each opponent, Pellegrino is known to adapt his system accordingly.
The former Valencia centre-back favours a 4-2-3-1 formation, although he can also switch to a five-man defence, sometimes mid-match.
He expects his wide defenders to be able to perform two roles: as traditional full-backs and pushing forward as wing-backs.
He used converted winger Kiko Femenia and Atletico Madrid loanee Theo Hernandez in these roles at Alaves.
At Southampton, he is set to turn to Cedric Soares and Ryan Bertrand.
Both are already outstanding FPL prospects.
Only West Bromwich Albion’s Chris Brunt supplied more successful crosses than Soares’ 43 among defenders last season.
Meanwhile, Bertrand was involved in 20% of Southampton’s goals scored over his 28 appearances, netting twice and providing four assists.
Pellegrino’s tactics look set to boost the pair’s attacking influence, while also increasing Southampton’s potential for clean sheets.
Alaves conceded only 43 goals from 38 LaLiga matches. Only four teams bettered that record.
Equally, Pellegrino’s side struggled for a cutting edge last season and scored just 41 goals.
But he should benefit from more creativity and attacking threat from his Southampton squad.
The progress of Dusan Tadic, Nathan Redmond and Manolo Gabbiadini will be of keen interest to FPL managers.
But it is Bertrand and Soares who could be the early benefactors.
With Southampton boasting arguably the most promising opening to the season of any Premier League side, FPL managers should be poised to react to Pellegrino’s potential impact.
Sir Graham Henry almost did not recover from coaching the British and Irish Lions in 2001. Despite a series that went to the third Test, and a 29-13 win in Brisbane that many recall as positively as any victory in Lions history, Henry says he did not enjoy the experience and it almost ruined him.
To take charge of a Lions tour is a great honour but equally a poisoned chalice, when the coach returns to his day job. Henry was the manager of Wales and found his relationship with his players was no longer the same. Some had been relegated to the margins on tour; many had been overlooked for British rivals.
It is hard to go back to the dressing room and tell players of your faith in them, when the hard evidence reveals an uncomfortable truth. Henry’s XV for the first Test had just three Welshmen but eight from Clive Woodward’s England. How could he send his players out with confidence at Twickenham the next season, when indisputably he thought England had better players?
The fact is, he couldn’t. The 2002 Six Nations Championship was arguably the poorest in Welsh history. Henry’s team won a single game, against Italy, and lost the other four. The 54-10 scoreline in Dublin was a record defeat and England put 50 points on them at Twickenham, too.
France and Scotland won high-scoring games in Cardiff and the 188 points conceded in total is Wales’ worst defensive performance. It is the fifth highest number of points shipped by any country and the only total in the top 11 list of points conceded that is not owned by Italy.
Unsurprisingly, Henry left the northern hemisphere after that campaign but was appointed defensive coach and technical advisor with the Blues. The Blues won the Super 12 that season and, bit by bit, he resurrected his coaching career in his native New Zealand.
Looking back, Henry admits he made a mistake even accepting the Lions job. ‘I wasn’t ready to take it up,’ he says. ‘The Welsh Rugby Union warned me that it was too big a step and I needed time to prepare but, being an arrogant little sod, I didn’t listen. I thought I could handle it but they were dead right. Clive Woodward should have done it. The Lions made a poor decision.’
In conversation this week, Woodward agreed. He wanted the Lions job in 2001, he said, he thought he was ready for it and was put out when he didn’t get it. But there’s a coda. If he had got it in 2001 Woodward thinks England wouldn’t have won the Rugby World Cup two years later.
It comes back to team selections. He simply couldn’t have picked all of his England players. Even if he had gone with as many as Henry — Matt Perry, Jason Robinson, Jonny Wilkinson, Richard Hill, Martin Corry, Martin Johnson, Danny Grewcock and Phil Vickery started the first Test — that would still have meant snubbing some key contributors in 2003.
In Henry’s line-up, where are future World Cup final starters Will Greenwood, Lawrence Dallaglio, Matt Dawson, Ben Cohen and Neil Back? Where are Jason Leonard, Iain Balshaw and Mike Catt, who were all replacements in the 2003 final? Woodward is convinced the decisions he would have made as Lions coach would have destroyed much of the spirit he had worked so hard to build with England.
Even if he had wanted to favour his own players on tour for purely meritocratic reasons, he couldn’t. For the sake of team unity he would have had to lean towards Celtic players in any borderline call.
The need for balance is a minefield for Lions coaches. Warren Gatland picked seven England players out of 15 in Auckland last week and was still accused, in some quarters, of having anti-English bias. Does Gatland wonder, in private now, about the wisdom of taking this particular gig? Might it do for him, and Wales, what it did for Henry in 2001?
Even if Gatland were to selfishly pick his second Test team with one eye on long-term and the 2018 Six Nations — and he won’t do that — the damage might already be done.
Where does he stand now with Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb, Justin Tipuric, George North, Leigh Halfpenny and Sam Warburton? How does he convince them that he considers them superior to counterparts from Ireland and England?
Graham Rowntree made plain the statement of a first Test XV. ‘This is us,’ he said. Gatland may be able to persuade Warburton that, at peak fitness, he would have played. Yet those overlooked will feel understandable hurt and resentment.
On the face of it, every Lion is 100 per cent supportive of the coach’s picks and just happy to be here even if they never play more than the odd midweek game: later, when the books are published, we discover what they really thought.
Henry’s tour in 2001 was notable for players writing searing commentaries in national newspapers in real time. On the morning of the first Test, Matt Dawson revealed in his Daily Telegraph diary that the coach ‘doesn’t inspire me at all’ and manager Donal Lenihan ‘treats us like kids’.
On the morning of the deciding Test, Austin Healey used the Guardian to send out an alternative message to the hosts: ‘Up yours, Australia.’ He referred to Wallabies lock Justin Harrison as a ‘plank’ and a ‘plod’. Australia won. Harrison was man of the match.
Modern rugby players have received too much media training to let slip their emotions the same way, but that does not mean they are meekly accepting. Even if several Wales stalwarts are called up for the second Test, that cannot entirely erase the memory of Gatland’s initial rejection. And, unlike Henry, Gatland may not be welcomed home to New Zealand if his race is run in the northern hemisphere.
Henry felt broken by some of the more painful elements of the 2001 Lions tour — without doubt he had issues with the English contingent and when it was mooted that Dawson might be sent home for his public criticism of the management, Martin Johnson said he would walk too if that happened — but at least the crisis unfolded in Australia. This tour is in Gatland’s back yard. If he wishes, one day, to go back to New Zealand, this is the audition. And it isn’t going well.
For a start, he is 11-0 in Test defeats against the All Blacks and finding it hard to escape the sneering contempt for ‘Warrenball’, as New Zealanders call his pragmatic style of rugby. The war of words with All Blacks coach Steve Hansen is equally unhelpful. It may be a means to an end but in accusing the hosts of deliberately setting out to harm scrum-half Conor Murray, Gatland is considered to have overstepped the mark.
The All Blacks have only had two players sent off in their history, the last in 1967. We can all cock an eyebrow at this but they are very proud of a reputation for playing the game hard but fair. Calling that into question, saying they are dirty, is pretty much what Sir Clive Woodward did after the spear tackle on Brian O’Driscoll in 2005 and they don’t forget it. There was considerably more evidence for that than there is for foul play around Murray.
Either way, it has won Gatland few friends in the country where he might hope to live happily ever after once his time in Wales is at an end. For the second time on Tuesday he was caricatured as a clown on the pages of the New Zealand Herald. This is not a look that suggests he will be leading his country into a World Cup any time soon, as Henry did after his Lions experience.
So if this is a big one for the Lions on Saturday, it is huge for Gatland personally. Lose in Wellington, and the players will simply fulfil the rest of their tour commitments and go home.
Lose and one wonders whether Gatland still has a home to go to at all.
SPURS HAVE A SPACE MISSION TO PREPARE FOR
Tottenham were never going to be allowed to alter the size of the pitch at Wembley next season. West Ham had the same problem moving to the London Stadium. Clubs with traditional, compact grounds — such as Everton and Chelsea — are given Premier League dispensation for smaller pitches, but that does not apply when shifting to a new arena, where minimum dimensions apply. Tottenham will have to get used to wide open spaces, not just at Wembley, but at the new White Hart Lane, too.
In England, we often hear we should learn from German football, with its cheap ticket prices, safe standing and supporter-run clubs — whose supporters always seem to agree on selling the best player to Bayern Munich, which seems strange.
Yet here’s something even stranger. Next season, China’s Under 20 team will play in Germany’s fourth division. It is part of a government agreement between Germany and China in 2016.
The Regionalliga Sudwest has only 19 teams, so China’s Under 20s will add balance. Clubs will receive around £15,000 to play two matches against them, although China won’t be included in the league table. Tier four is already a bizarre mix, featuring once-famous names such as Kickers Offenbach — a Bundesliga presence as recently as 1984 and the club that produced Rudi Voller — plus the reserve teams of Kaiserslautern, Stuttgart and Hoffenheim.
Yet this hybrid format couldn’t happen here. China Under 20 could not be parachuted into League Two, no matter what agreements the Football Association or Football League had struck abroad.
We’re too proud for that, and rightly so. The mix in the English game is too sincere. League Two includes Football League founders Notts County, clubs such as Morecambe who have known nothing else, newly-arrived Forest Green Rovers and elite teams now fallen on harder times, like Coventry and Luton. Yet each club has its fan base, its proud history, and those who care would not see that devalued by a commercial arrangement, no matter how lucrative.
Equally, if China Under 20 are not part of the league table, then the league is in essence still a 19-team competition with one club playing a glorified friendly for the cash each week. Contrast this with the sense of tradition at the heart of England’s lower leagues.
The average attendance in League Two is still a creditable 4,752, a total that only two clubs in Regionalliga Sudwest can hope to attract.
Indeed, the Regionalliga Sudwest average is 1,754 — superior only to Barnet, Morecambe and Accrington Stanley in League Two last year.
English football is not perfect but it is a long way from inviting Chinese kids to make up its numbers. Our game is considerably healthier than its detractors think.
One final point about new Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino. In summer 2012 he was appointed manager of Valencia, who had come third the previous season; he left on December 1 that year, Valencia 12th in the table, having won 10 of 21 matches.
He returned to Argentina and rebuilt his career with Estudiantes and Independiente. Gary Neville also went to Valencia, in more difficult circumstances, did poorly and got the sack in his first season, too. There is no chance of him being allowed to put his career back together at any Premier League club in England — and certainly not two of equivalent size to Estudiantes and Independiente.
Why do you think Les Reed, vice-chairman of Southampton, wants to appoint managers, rather than be one?
If Manchester United do go through with the £40million signing of Nemanja Matic it can only mean that Jose Mourinho bears no grudges over his fateful last season at Stamford Bridge.
Matic was one of Chelsea’s poorest performers in Mourinho’s final months, and suffered the embarrassment of coming on at half-time of a 3-1 home defeat by Southampton, only to be substituted 28 minutes later.
Mourinho must have mellowed; either that or United are running out of ideas.
It really does not matter where Serena Williams would rank against men, any more than it matters how Edwin Moses compares to horses over hurdles. Species have different physical attributes — as do men and women.
Who cares whether, as John McEnroe claims, Williams would be the 700th best man? Who cares where she would be in a man’s world? She is the greatest woman: now, and of all time, and can be no more.
West Bromwich Albion hope to finalise the £14million signing of Southampton striker Jay Rodriguez by the weekend.
The 27-year-old is keen to link up with Tony Pulis and will give the Albion manager a welcome lift to his summer transfer business.
Pulis has tried twice before to sign Rodriguez only to be blocked by Southampton who wanted the former England international to remain as a cover.
New boss Mauricio Pellegrino does not want to stand in Rodriguez’s way and the clubs are close to agreeing a fee.
Rodriguez has been away on holiday but returned this week and Albion are confident they will agree terms quickly.
Pulis has been looking to make progress on a number of fronts but has been frustrated, with Burnley likely to beat them to long-time target Charlie Taylor from Leeds United.
Albion fly out to Austria on July 4 and will stay there until they finish their opening fixture of pre-season against Slavia Prague in Kumberg on July 13.
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