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Sourced from Daily Mail article

Shane Long misses out on Republic of Ireland squad with injury

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The Republic of Ireland will be without Shane Long for their crucial World Cup qualifier against Austria later this month after the striker was ruled out with a hamstring problem.

Martin O’Neill named his provisional 35-man squad for the November 12 clash on Wednesday, with Southampton striker Long missing out after picking up the injury against Inter Milan almost a fortnight ago .

Stoke’s Jon Walters is likely to lead the line against Austria, with Aberdeen’s Adam Rooney, veteran Kevin Doyle and Ipswich’s David McGoldrick on course to make the final squad after O’Neill included just four strikers.

O’Neill has handed surprise call-ups to Dundalk duo Daryl Horgan and Andy Boyle, who are preparing to play Zenit St Petersburg in the Europa League on Thursday.

‘I’ve been impressed by the way Dundalk play,’ O’Neill said at his press conference in Dublin on Wednesday morning.

‘Quite a number have done well. Any players called up deserve to be.’

Five goalkeepers have been named in the provisional squad, while Premier League stars Seamus Coleman, John O’Shea, James McClean, Jeff Hendrick, Glenn Whelan, Harry Arter and David Meyler are also included.

Another top-flight player to have made O’Neill’s list is James McCarthy, despite the Everton midfielder currently being sidelined with a hamstring complaint.

Toffees boss Ronald Koeman was unhappy with the way McCarthy was used during the last international break, claiming O’Neill was ‘killing’ his player.

But the former Leicester and Sunderland boss defended his treatment of McCarthy on Wednesday, even accusing Koeman of ‘bleating about’ the situation.

‘I have included James at this minute,’ O’Neill said. 'Speaking to him, James is improving day-by-day.

'If the game was this week he would be out. He is doubtful for the week after.

‘Remarkably, he actually trained with Everton on the day his manager was bleating about it.’

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Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 02/11/2016 17:13:10

| | Saints star left out of Euro squadCLUBCALL |
| | Long left out of Republic of Ireland squadFOURFOURTWO |
| | Seven Premier League clubs battling for 15-year-old starlet - TEAMtalk | Latest Football News & Transfer RumoursTEAMTALK |

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

On-sale dates for #SaintsFC’s home game against #Boro next month have been confirmed. Read more: https://cards.twitter.com/cards/rh0us/2i14u

Retweets: 1

Favourites: 5

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

Predict the result of #SaintsFC’s #UEL clash with @Inter for a chance to win a signed home shirt. Enter here: https://cards.twitter.com/cards/rh0us/2i19f

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Sourced from Southampton FC - Official Site article

Gallery: Saints prepare for visit of Inter

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Our photographer was on hand at Staplewood Campus as Southampton prepare to face FC Internazionale in Group K of the UEFA Europa League at St Mary’s on Thursday night.

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Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 02/11/2016 18:13:18

| | FANTASYLEAGUE |
| | INTERNAZIONALECALCIO |
|

| Premier League’s Southampton Said to Be New China Soccer TargetBLOOMBERGUS |
| | Rumour Mill: Reds ‘tracking’ LB; Chelsea eye Rangers starlet - TEAMtalk | Latest Football News & Transfer RumoursTEAMTALK |

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Read Southampton

New content from (- Read Southampton)

| Southampton team news: Inter (H) | Southampton manager Claude Puel has handed out the latest team news ahead of his side’s clash with Inter tomorrow in … 02-11-2016 |
| Southampton vs Inter Milan - Predicting the Saints | Southampton will be looking to reignite their Europa League campaign on Thursday evening as they welcome managerless … 02-11-2016 |
| Puel unaware of any takeover at Saints | Southampton manager Claude Puel has insisted that he has heard no news regarding the club’s reported £200 million … 02-11-2016 |

Older content…

| Southampton v Inter: Training gallery18 hours ago |
| Southampton in talks over £200m deal18 hours ago |
| Saints join the chase for Rangers starlet Gilmour18 hours ago |
| Who is Southampton’s best midfielder?18 hours ago |
| Who’s the dangerman? Inter (H)18 hours ago |
| Who has been Southampton’s player of the season so far?2 days ago |
| Southampton - The November Guide2 days ago |

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Sourced from A tweet by OriolRomeu tweet

@OriolRomeu - Oriol Romeu

.@EuropaLeague returns to St Mary’s tomorrow! #saintsfc

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Sourced from Daily Echo article

PHOTOS: Saints enjoy training before Inter clash - see all the pictures

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SAINTS have been training ahead of one of the most glamorous games in the club’s history.

Claude Puel put his squad through their paces at Staplewood this morning – with tomorrow’s Europa League tie with Inter Milan at St Mary’s coming up fast.

Here, Echo photographer Stuart Martin was present to capture the training session.

Scroll through the gallery above to see the pictures.

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Sourced from Daily Echo article

GOSSIP: Ex-Pompey striker believes Liverpool are keen on signing Virgil Van Dijk

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LIVERPOOL are interested in signing yet another Saints player - according to a former Portsmouth striker.

Micky Quinn believes the Reds are keen on making centre half Virgil van Dijk their sixth signing from Saints in the space of a few years.

“I believe they’re interested in Van Dijk, when the transfer window opens up,” Quinn said. “They love a Southampton player, they’ll probably go back again.”

Who knows how informed Quinn’s sources are, but there is no doubt Liverpool have been keen on Saints players.

They signed Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren in the summer of 2014, and 12 months later returned to St Mary’s to sign Nathaniel Clyne.

Last season, they also signed QPR defender Steven Caulker on loan after the player had been on loan at Saints.

And in 2016 they were back again, this time to sign Sadio Mane for over £30m.

Liverpool have also been linked with Fraser Forster and Shane Long in the last two years, while they were also linked with Sam McQueen this week.

It was a surprise to some that they didn’t sign Franny Benali when he turned up at Anfield last month as part of his latest long distance run/cycle around the Premier League and Championship grounds!

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Sourced from Daily Echo article

Inter bring star names to Saints

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INTER Milan have named all their star names for the trip to Saints tomorrow, although some of them are ineligible to play in the Europa League.

Youth team coach Stefano Vecchi is in charge for the St Mary’s visit after Frank de Boer was sacked on Tuesday.

Vecchi is said to be keen to build unity ahead of their Serie A match on Sunday against lowly Crotone and, as a result, called up all the club’s star names for the Europa League despite them not being able to play.

Geoffrey Kondogbia, Joao Mario and Gabriel Barbosa were all left out the Europa League list at the start of the season to avoid Financial Fair Play penalties, but travel with the team to England anyway.

Only former Manchester City striker Stevan Jovetic, who couldn’t get a travel visa, and injured Rodrigo Palacio are not making the journey.

The temporary manager has also brought in experienced midfielder Felipe Melo as well as outcasts Jonathan Bibiany and defender Marco Andreolli.

Centre back Antonio Ranocchia, who was sent off against Sparta Prague, also comes in after serving his suspension.

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

“I’ve seen the growth on and off the pitch.”

@Prowsey16 on #SaintsFC’s rise ahead of @Inter clash tomorrow: http://sfcne.ws/JWPGrowth

Retweets: 0

Favourites: 7

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Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 02/11/2016 19:13:24

| | Liverpool eyeing yet another Southampton star, but would he really leave?FOOTBALLFANCAST |
| | Southampton in talks over multi-million pound deal | ShootSHOOTCOUK |
| | Saints Rumoured To Be The Latest Target For Chinese Investors - Southampton NewsTHEUGLYINSIDE |
| | Liverpool Transfer News: Virgil Van Dijk, Bartosz Matoga, Latest Reds RumoursBLEACHERREPORT |
| | Watch: Southampton Beautifully Rip The Piss With Their October Goal Of The MonthBALLSIE |

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Read Southampton

New content from (- Read Southampton)

| Southampton targeting Franck Kessie | According to an emerging report from The Mirror this evening, Southampton are interested in making a move for … 02-11-2016 |

Older content…

| Southampton team news: Inter (H)19 hours ago |
| Southampton vs Inter Milan - Predicting the Saints19 hours ago |
| Puel unaware of any takeover at Saints19 hours ago |
| Southampton v Inter: Training gallery19 hours ago |
| Southampton in talks over £200m deal19 hours ago |
| Saints join the chase for Rangers starlet Gilmour19 hours ago |
| Who is Southampton’s best midfielder?19 hours ago |
| Who’s the dangerman? Inter (H)19 hours ago |
| Who has been Southampton’s player of the season so far?2 days ago |

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Sourced from Daily Echo article

Puel in the dark over takeover talk

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Claude Puel says he knows nothing of a reported £200m Chinese takeover at Saints.

Bloomberg have reported that Lander Sports Development are in talks over a huge money buyout at St Mary’s.

Puel this afternoon faced the media ahead of tomorrow’s Europa League tie against Inter Milan and admitted he was in the dark over any talks taking place.

He said: “I am sorry but I finish the training session and I have no idea on this subject.

“I give all my confidence of course with the president, with all the people in the club to work very well and to do the things in a good way and the right way.

“I have no problem. I have confidence with my chairman.”

Puel insisted he remains totally focussed on the Inter tie, and will speak to chairman Ralph Krueger about business matters once the game is out of the way.

“I am staying of course concentrated on the game of tomorrow,” said Puel.

“After this the other things we will have time to discuss and to speak with this for the future.

“I think this is not the moment for us, for me, to speak about this.

“We will see this with the chairman and he is a good man to answer this subject.

“I say I have no problem of course and I have all my confidence with the chairman and the future of the club.”

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Sourced from Daily Echo article

UPDATE: Saints owner ‘in talks to sell club to Chinese company’

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SAINTS owner Katharina Liebherr is reportedly in talks to sell the club to a Chinese company.

Respected international business news company Bloomberg reported that talks have taken place with the Lander Sports Development Company with regards to a potential £200m sale.

Chinese companies have recently turned their attentions to English clubs after President Xi Jinping stated he wanted to turn the nation into a major footballing force.

Four Midlands clubs - West Bromwich Albion, Aston Villa, Wolves and Birmingham City - have recently been taken over by Chinese companies, with Saints’ Premier League rivals Hull City potentially being taken over by Hong Kong-based GreaterChina Professional Services Ltd.

Lander focused on the sale and management of property until last year but more recently has shifted to sports.

Its ventures include a sports insurance collaboration with Du-Bang Property & Casualty Insurance, and winter sports in China, which will host the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Bloomberg reports that a Premier League team would be among Lander’s biggest assets and the company announced a loss of about $44.8million last year.

Saints had a £12million profit and will benefit from the Premier League’s new lucractive TV contact, which is the biggest in history.

There is speculation that Lander’s interest in Saints could be inspired by the club’s academy, which has produced players including Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale, Manchester United defender Luke Shaw and Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana.

The Italian giants were themselves taken over by a Chinese company - Suning Holdings - earlier this year.

Libeherr’s father, Markus, rescued Saints from potential oblivion when he bought the club in July 2009 after previous owners Southampton Leisure Holdings PLC had gone into administration.

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

“It is difficult to prepare.”

#SaintsFC’s Claude Puel says events at @Inter this week make them unpredictable: http://sfcne.ws/CPDeBoer

Retweets: 7

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

#OnThisDay six years ago, #SaintsFC hosted @Dag_RedFC in a League 1 clash, as they stormed to a 4-0 win: https://grabyo.com/g/v/Qjzm0TtZWNg

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Sourced from Daily Mail article

Inter are a club in turmoil just six years after European triumph

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If winning the treble six years ago under Jose Mourinho was reaching the summit for Inter Milan, right now they are buried beneath an avalanche close to the base.

As the Italians prepare to take on Southampton on Thursday evening, they are a club in chaos; bottom of their Europa League group, 13 points behind Serie A leaders Juventus and seeking their ninth manager since that pinnacle in 2010 after sacking Frank de Boer this week.

The Dutchman was tasked with guiding them out of this suffocating mess, but he has only managed to dig them deeper into the depths during the 85 days he was in charge.

This season, their captain and top scorer, Mauro Icardi, fell out with his own fans over claims he made in his recently published autobiography. De Boer made the situation worse by blaming the supporters for causing a ‘distraction’.

De Boer also publicly rowed with Marcelo Brozovic, questioning whether the midfielder was ‘committed’, exiling him then saying he had been ‘punished enough’ when he returned.

The board continually backed the manager until Eder, the striker, refused to shake De Boer’s hand when he was subbed in their 1-0 loss to Sampdoria at the weekend and they knew his position was untenable.

Yet this is the culmination of more than half a decade of problems for what was once one of the world’s biggest clubs. Inter are on their third owner in three years after Massimo Moratti, their petroleum tycoon billionaire sugar daddy, finally refused to keep spending lavishly on player wages and transfer fees.

Moratti, 71, sold a 70 per cent stake of the club to an Indonesian consortium headed by businessman Erick Thohir in 2013, but they lasted three years before selling up to Suning Sports, who paid £243million for the whole lot, including Moratti’s stake, in June. They have changed owners as much as Southampton have changed managers in that time.

The transfer fees and attendances have plummeted, while the discontent has only risen. At the end of the 1990s they were averaging 63,000 at their San Siro Stadium.

This season, that figure is down to 47,000. Two seasons ago, it reached a century low of 37,000 — less than half the stadium’s 80,000 capacity.

Even then, earlier this year respected Italian newspapers La Repubblica and the Corriere dello Sport reported that Inter had been lying about their attendance figures and that they were significantly lower.

Against Southampton, the attendance was 26,719, and 7,000 of those were Saints supporters. While the numbers have dropped off, so too has the quality of players they come to watch.

For five seasons after Mourinho’s treble, with Moratti wanting out, the most they spent on a single player was £15.7m for defender Andrea Ranocchia, in 2011. For the 2014/15 season they spent £13.4m in total on transfers and loan fees.

The year Gareth Bale went to Real Madrid for a world record £85.3m fee, their marquee signing was midfielder Hernanes from Lazio for £15.3m. A year later, Cardiff’s Gary Medel was their biggest expenditure at £6.8m.

This is a club who once prised the Brazilian Ronaldo from Barcelona for a world record £19.5m in 1997.

And who two years later even piqued the interest of the Pope when the Vatican’s official newspaper described their £32.1m signing of Christian Vieri from Lazio as ‘an offence to the poor’.

They have begun to arrest that slide. Midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia arrived from Monaco for £26.3m last season, while they paid £34m for midfielder Joao Mario this summer as part of an investment topping £100m.

Paul Ince, who played there from 1995 to 1997, is saddened to see the Italian heart ripped out of his former club. ‘Inter of the last three or four years haven’t been the Inter of old,’ he told the BBC World Service.

‘They don’t attract the best players like Juve, Roma and Napoli. I feel since Massimo Moratti sold his major stake, they haven’t been the same.

‘They’ve gone through so many managers in the past six or seven years. When I was there in 1995-96, it was full of Italian players who cared about the club and fans. I watched their game the other day and they only had about three Italian players.’

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Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 02/11/2016 20:13:34

| | Southampton have just won Twitter with this amazing responseFOOTBALLFANCAST |
| | Liebherr in takeover talks with LanderCLUBCALL |
| | Report: Saints in talks with Chinese investorsSPORTSMOLE |
| | Southampton enter talks regarding major deal that would affect club massively | | Where football transfer rumours …THETRANSFERTAVERN |

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