Sports
Southampton Can Seal Automatic Promotion by Signing Josh Sargent in January
Southampton are on a roll under Tonda Eckert with Tuesday night’s 3-2 victory over West Bromwich Albion their sixth win in their last seven matches.
Saints have gone from 21st when the 32-year-old took over from Will Still to ninth and one point adrift of the play-off positions, sitting nine points behind second-placed Middlesbrough.
With the transfer window three weeks away, attentions are turning as to how Eckert can strengthen his in-form squad so the south coast outfit can do something they couldn’t two years ago – finish in the top two and secure automatic promotion.
While Adam Armstrong is the top goalscorer in the Championship this season, Southampton don’t really have a strong deputy to provide competition for their prolific striker.
There is one obvious signing they could make in January to fix that issue though.
Southampton’s Top January Target is Obvious
If Southampton want to strengthen in the centre-forward position in the New Year, they should look no further than Norwich City’s Josh Sargent.
Armstrong has cemented himself as Eckert’s clear first-choice striker in recent weeks, but there are doubts over the options behind the Geordie goal machine.
Damion Downs was signed by Johannes Spors for £7m during the summer and arrived with promise after helping FC Koln secure promotion back to the Bundesliga last term.
However, the 21-year-old simply hasn’t looked up to scratch when he has got onto the pitch and a loan move away would be the best option for all parties come January.
Beyond Downs, Saints looked as though they may have finally found a fit and firing Ross Stewart after significant injury issues hampered his whole spell at St Mary’s.
The Scottish striker netted twice in the 2-1 win at Sheffield United in September, but disaster struck for the former Sunderland star as he picked up an injury when he went for a diving header in the following match against Derby County.
Stewart hasn’t been seen since with no update on when he could return, leaving Saints short of options in the centre-forward position.
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Cameron Archer is the other option currently available for Eckert and expectations were high that he could recreate what he did in 2022-23 when he scored 11 goals in 20 games at this level on loan at Middlesbrough.
It hasn’t worked out yet though with the 24-year-old scoring just one league goal this season, while he was left out of the squad completely for the defeat at Millwall last month.
Sargent, meanwhile, is a proven goalscorer at this level over a number of years, and he would add a lot to a Southampton frontline already boasting Armstrong, Leo Scienza, Finn Azaz and Tom Fellows.
The quartet have all been scoring and assisting since Eckert took charge and they have the ability to create the chances that Sargent would finish.
The 25-year-old began the campaign in outstanding form with five goals in the opening four Championship matches, but they have dried up since then with the Canaries struggling in the relegation zone.
But Sargent has shown his quality and clinical finishing with 50 goals in 118 appearances at this level, and he could thrive in a Saints side who have scored 21 goals in Eckert’s seven games at the helm.
Southampton have made it clear they want the right type of characters as well as footballing ability, and they will surely be impressed by the fact that the striker has also captained Norwich on a number of occasions this term.
Sargent Could be in Demand in January
Norwich’s struggles in the Championship could pave the way for a January exit for Sargent, who attracted interest from newly-promoted Burnley and Leeds United during the summer transfer window.
West Ham United are said to have sent scouts to watch the USA international ahead of a potential January switch, but if Saints can move up the table even further in the next few weeks, they could be a more than interesting proposition for Sargent.
It would be no surprise if the Irons or Burnley made another attempt for him in the New Year given their lack of goals, but the Clarets in particular look like they face an uphill battle to survive in the Premier League.
The one thing against Sargent though is that he isn’t yet proven in the top flight, and perhaps he would be better off going up to the Premier League having scored a hatful of goals in the Championship.
With his impressive goalscoring record and the fact he is 25 years of age and should be approaching his prime, he may not come on the cheap with reports in the summer suggesting the Norfolk outfit wanted £18m for their star man.
Interested clubs would hope they could get Sargent for less now, and if Southampton can recoup a bit of money with sales in January, then Spors should make an ambitious move to bring the USA striker to St Mary’s.
That signing would be the difference between Saints finishing in the top two, or not.
Manchester United have blocked a possible exit for one of their stars this summer, according to TeamTalk, as European teams eye a potential deal in the transfer window.
The Red Devils are keen to strengthen their ranks, following an impressive second-half of the previous season that saw Michael Carrick guide the team back into the Champions League.
The challenge now is to compete in a similar way in the Premier League, while impressing in Europe as well as the domestic cups when they come around.
Not only is the need for quality there, but depth is also a requirement. It will be costly, with high-profile moves for Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes likely to take up much of the budget.
That’s where some sales could come in, but Man United are adamant that one in-demand star won’t be sold.
Man United Block Benjamin Sesko Exit
One of the stars who is attracting interest is Benjamin Sesko, as TeamTalk reports that Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have shown interest in a possible deal for the striker.
Enquiries have been made about the availability of the 23-year-old, but Man United have shown no interest in parting ways with the star this summer.
Both Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have used the opportunity to scout the market for possible striker options, due to the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Julian Alvarez’s future.
As such, Sesko has appeared as a player of interest, but Man United are not envisaging a sale after spending over £70 million to land him from RB Leipzig last summer.
It means both Spanish clubs will need to move on, while the Red Devils plan to build their team around the Slovenian international for the future.
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Sesko’s Man Utd Development
After shelling out a huge fee to land Sesko last summer, Man United had to give the star signing some time to get up to speed as he continued to develop.
At such a young age, the striker was always going to need to adjust to the Premier League and the challenges that come with starting regularly for the Red Devils.
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In the end, Sesko stepped up and banged in 11 league goals, an impressive return for a debut campaign, and there is hope that more is to come in the future.
By the close of the season, many could see the quality he possesses. Bruno Fernandes described him as a “very good” player, and there’s hope he could become even better.
That will be a driving factor behind keeping Sesko for years to come. The deal was a long-term one, with the future in mind.
Cristiano Ronaldo is taking part in what is expected to be his final World Cup in 2026, but his son could continue his legacy from 2030 onwards if he continues on his current trajectory.
Recently turned 16, Cristiano Junior has trained in the youth academies of Manchester United, Juventus and Al-Nassr. He’s also represented Portugal at Under-15 and Under-16 level.
If he continues on that path, he’ll take over from his father, provided the teenager is deemed good enough to play for the senior team eventually. He has already overtaken his 6’2″ dad in height and has scored a huge number of goals in his youth career.
A tug-of-war could break out soon enough as Cristiano Jr could technically ply his trade for five different countries. But who are they and what is the link to Ronaldo’s son?
Ronaldo Jr Has 5 World Cup Nations to Choose From
Portugal
The most obvious nation the youngster could choose to represent is that of his father. Ronaldo Jr wasn’t born in his dad’s homeland, but looks most likely to choose the 2026 World Cup favourites as his international team.
United States of America
The young forward was born in La Mesa, California. That means he could be donning the colours of the USMNT for the next World Cup. They have been one of the surprise packages of this year’s competition so far, but this would be an incredible coup to snap up the child of one of football’s greats.
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Spain
Under Spanish law, Ronaldo Jr could apply for citizenship and become a member of Luis de la Fuente’s European champions. This is because he spent more than three years living in the country while his dad was playing for Real Madrid.
England
If he keeps improving and scoring goals, there’s every chance the English Football Association will throw an interested glance in the 16-year-old’s direction. Having a Ronaldo turning out for England would be incredible to see. Again, he could become a British citizen due to the time his father spent at Manchester United.
Cape Verde
The least likely of his future international teams is Cape Verde. That’s if he takes footballing reasons into account. The African minnows have qualified for their second-ever World Cup in 2026, but can’t compete with the four other powerhouses Ronaldo Jr can pick from. However, he is entitled to play for them through his biological grandmother, Maria Dolores dos Santos Aveiro.
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Liverpool believe that Yan Diomande is now keen to join the club, according to TeamTalk, which is the reason behind their latest push to sign the winger this summer.
The 19-year-old has taken the world by storm in recent months, with his move from Leganes to RB Leipzig placing him on the Bundesliga stage.
While he had drawn interest, all eyes have been on the forward at the World Cup, where he has performed well for the Ivory Coast in the early phases of the competition so far.
As focus persists on Diomande, Liverpool have made an offer that was firmly rejected by RB Leipzig, but the plan seems to be that another bid is on the way.
Yan Diomande Wants Liverpool Move
According to the report from TeamTalk, Liverpool are growing in optimism that Diomande is keen on joining the club this summer, which is behind their recent push to land the forward.
It comes as Paris Saint-Germain have also been linked with the star, who has openly admitted that he would like to compete in Ligue Un if given the chance.
While that seemed to hand the Champions League holders the advantage, the report from TeamTalk suggests that Liverpool believe a deal could now get done.
The Reds have spent a considerable amount of time with the player’s representatives discussing a possible deal, and have recently given an in-depth look of where they see his future in the team.
That is claimed to have excited Diomande, who is a key target as part of the new era under Andoni Iraola. Personal terms are thought not to be an issue, with the largest remaining obstacle being the club-to-club talks over a fee.
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Liverpool Need To Seal Deal Quickly
Diomande is quite clearly an unbelievable talent, who has been described as “unstoppable” on his day, with his rapid ascent showing his quality.
Given his World Cup performances, and the interest from elsewhere, it’s clear that Liverpool need to get a deal done quickly while they’re ahead of others in the negotiating stage.
Liverpool Join Rivals In Race For £100k-a-week World Cup Star
Liverpool have entered the race to land a midfielder this summer, and will be joined by some rivals in the hunt for his signature.
PSG are also in the hunt and any deal could help free up Bradley Barcola for a move, as he has been linked with a potential switch to Anfield this summer.
However, Diomande remains priority number one for good reason, and the fee shouldn’t be prohibitive of landing an important star for the future.
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