More good news 
Or maybe not…
Wonder if that’s anything to do with the manager getting sacked? 
You could sort of imagine them selling the club to him on the basis of playing under “the legendary Frank Lampard…”.
Would likely be a factor but also, more money (probably), champions league football, Conte, Kane or… Everton.
The shit show that is Everton is one of the few things making our situation more bearable.
You just know that they’ll wriggle out of it somehow though. I can’t say the same for us.
Grand Old Team is amusing
“At least we are entertaining off the pitch”
Hasenhuttl considered by Everton
Former Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl is being considered for the vacant Everton manager’s job.
As we’ve reported, former Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa is the number-one target of Farhad Moshiri, however, Hassenhuttl is a serious contender should a deal for Bielsa prove too difficult.
The Austrian’s Premier League experience is a factor in Everton’s thinking as they search for Frank Lampard’s successor.
There is every chance that Bielsa will turn them down - unlike most unemployed British managers who whore themselves to any one wafting cash about, Bielsa actually studies the team and the players he would inherit and if he thinks they are dog shit, tell the club to jog on
Which would be mightily amusing
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Remember when we wanted him but ended up with Diallo?
Can anyone break the paywall for me please?
How Bournemouth pinched £20m Nicolas Jackson from under the nose of Southampton
By Jacob Tanswell and Guillermo Rai
5h ago
All it needed was a “sexy plan”.
It was the first week of January and Southampton were plotting to buy Nicolas Jackson from Villarreal.
With Sport Republic co-founder Rasmus Ankersen spearheading January recruitment, they had been made aware of the 21-year-old’s availability after he had fallen out of favour under new boss Quique Setien.
Setien forged his coaching identity on building “pausa” in his team — a Spanish and South American term for players who put their foot on the ball and wait for the right moment, finding calm in chaos. Jackson’s style led to an ideological clash with Setien and the forward started just 33 per cent of Villarreal’s games this campaign.
Predecessor Unai Emery was a great advocate of Jackson and viewed the verticality in his play as a benefit within his 4-2-2-2 system. Across all competitions last season, Jackson played 2,300 minutes, scoring seven goals in 36 appearances.
Jackson fitted Emery’s game plan (Photo: David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
This season, though, the landscape was different. Jackson’s contract ran until 2026 and while he did not make the largest dent in Villarreal’s wage bill, the Spanish outfit wanted alternative ways to reduce their salary outlay, which had been at Champions League level last year. It was inevitable, given the team were now in the Conference League.
Southampton made their interest known in the first week of January, aware they needed to be bold, with a “sexy plan”, according to a source close to the deal who spoke anonymously to protect relationships. They discussed personal terms and worked out the deal.
A six-month loan with a high option to buy at the end of the season was the initial proposal. Jackson was not in a rush, understanding the complex, ambitious nature of the deal would take time, even if Southampton wanted him as soon as possible to make an immediate impact.
And he could have had an impact. Jackson is nicknamed the “Neymar of Senegal” for his similar characteristics to the Brazilian. His favoured position is on the left-wing so he can cut onto his stronger right foot to cross, combine or shoot.
According to FBref, Jackson ranks in the 76th percentile for dribbles completed, averaging 1.08 per 90 minutes. In other words, only 24 per cent of forwards from Europe’s top five leagues are more effective ball carriers than the Senegal international.
Significantly, his 57.9 per cent dribble success rate, which is in the 95th percentile, indicates his natural adeptness for taking players on. Those attributes, Jackson feels, are best displayed from wide or deep areas.
Any notions of operating in the No 8 position are disputed, with Jackson’s physicality not seen to suit a box-to-box type of midfielder, but rather an archetypal No 10.
“He also doesn’t have the nature to be a centre-forward,” said another source close to the deal, who also wished to speak on the condition of anonymity to protect relationships. “He looks for spaces deep, so he is certainly not an out-and-out striker.”
Jackson’s career heatmap suggests he does his best work between the lines and not as an archetypal striker.
When The Athletic revealed Southampton’s intentions to find a permanent agreement with Villarreal, the initial response from supporters was lukewarm. After all, buying a forward was the club’s priority area to address this window, having ruefully missed out on Cody Gakpo and Goncalo Ramos in the summer. Although Jackson’s three goals in 24 appearances this season is below his average, his record of a goal every six games over the previous two seasons did not appear especially alluring, either.
During a recent press conference, manager Nathan Jones implied the focus was on acquiring a more versatile, multifaceted attacker. It was one of the reasons why Bristol City’s Antoine Semenyo, who Ankersen held face-to-face talks with last week, similarly appealed. Curiously, Bournemouth also registered an interest in Semenyo, with their financial package thought to be favourable. It served as a premonition of what was to come.
Jackson ranks low for most decisive goal actions. In comparison to positional peers, his record of 0.20 goals every 90 minutes is in the 11th percentile, with his low volume of shots (1.76 per 90) in the bottom eight per cent.
However, his proficiency from deep or wide positions gives him an assist rate of 0.20 per 90, which is in the 81st percentile. In addition, his goal-creating actions — an advanced metric that tracks the two offensive actions that lead to a goal — is in the top 18 per cent of forwards from Europe’s top five leagues. This was crucial for Southampton.
From the start of January, Southampton kept in touch with Jackson’s representatives daily. The player and club were keen to finalise the deal and worked together to overcome roadblocks.
Following Southampton’s win at Everton, sources in Spain were growing increasingly optimistic of a transfer. Jackson was in favour of the move and the two clubs were not far off agreeing. Drawing comparisons with Southampton’s deal to sign Carlos Alcaraz from Racing Club, the general feeling changed to one of confidence that it would be eventually done.
Yet, in retrospect, the deciding factor was caused by the imminent departure of another Villarreal attacker, Arnaut Danjuma. When it became clear that the 25-year-old would leave on loan, the goalposts shifted for Southampton’s move for Jackson. Villarreal would not countenance two players leaving temporarily, insisting they needed a cash windfall to find a replacement. Talks switched to finding a permanent transfer for Jackson.
Sources close to Villarreal, who wish not to be named to protect relationships, describe Jackson as a good character who is still maturing on and off the pitch. The same source says that, while Setien did not value him as highly as Emery, team-mates wished to keep Jackson at the club — unlike Danjuma.
Villarreal, who were described as tough negotiators, set an asking price of €20million (£17.5m), with Southampton’s first offer falling below that figure.
Jackson’s representatives and Southampton continued working to strike a deal, prepared for negotiations to enter the final week of the window. Southampton were resistant to paying Villarreal’s full asking price, deemed as prohibitive given the club’s precarious league position and Jackson, by the admission of people close to him, was seen as a player for the future, not now.
Instead, Southampton and the player’s representatives looked at resourceful ways to reach the £20million mark, including various add-ons and clauses. Despite interest from elsewhere in the Premier League, progress was being made, gradually.
However, the cautious nature of negotiations meant Southampton were always susceptible to getting overtaken. In short, it was they who laid the groundwork, both in regard to the player’s personal terms and the overall financial package. Bournemouth, who look like they may have missed out on Danjuma, were ready to strike.
A key source involved in the deal, who spoke anonymously to protect relationships, described Bournemouth as “coming in very hot”. Director of football Richard Hughes was keen to move fast. Bournemouth had made it known they were prepared to exceed the €20million figure. Very quickly, they became Jackson’s likely destination.
“Southampton have slept on this. Bournemouth have come in and closed,” said the same source.
Ultimately, Bournemouth agreed a deal worth €23million (£20.3m) plus add-ons for Jackson.
It was the type of “sexy deal” that appealed from the outset.
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The final indignity, gazumped by Bournemouth.
FFS.
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Thanks Boberto.
More or less what I assumed had happened, re Danjuma.
Until they turn to Ralph and he keeps them up? 🫣
Cheers Bob
Over £20m for someone with potential, who scores less then Che does and who is not a centre forward. I know we desperately need someone - almost anyone - but I am not losing sleep over this guy.
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That Weghorst bloke could have solved our problems…
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