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Sunderland remain interested in Ipswich Town winger Gwion Edwards, according to Football Insider.

Black Cats manager Phil Parkinson was linked with a move for the winger last month as he looks to ramp up his transfer business this summer.

Finishing eighth in the League One table, Sunderland missed out on promotion for the second year in a row with the 2019/20 campaign ended via a points-per-game system.

The 27-year-old Welsh winger had a moderate 2019/20 campaign with Ipswich, appearing 27 times in which he scored twice and assisted one goal.

Having recently signed a new contract at the Suffolk club in May 2020 which commits him to Ipswich until the summer of 2021, the winger’s transfer status is unknown.

A whole host of clubs are also interested in the £720,000-valued attacker which include Oxford United, Luton Town and Middlesbrough.

Football Insider reignite the gossip surrounding Edwards’ future claiming all four mentioned sides remain keen.

Edwards may be a good signing for Sunderland and it would be a significant statement, signing a player from Ipswich, who are expected to be a promotion rival of the Black Cats.

Whether or not Sunderland can financially compete with the likes of Middlesbrough remains to be seen. however, given their north east rivals are in a higher division.

Do you think Edwards would be a good signing for Sunderland this summer? Let us know in the comments section below…

This article forms part of our Profit Players feature series, which is where Football Transfer Tavern takes a look at how well a player has fared since being signed or sold, using statistical figures and statements from pundits to prove how good of a deal the club managed to achieve.

Off the back of an impressive World Cup with the Republic of Ireland in 2002, scoring three goals in his team’s run to the last 16 after their chaotic pre-tournament preparations, Robbie Keane earned himself a move to Tottenham from Leeds for a reported £7m, as per BBC.

Then just 22, he had bounced back from an abortive spell at Inter Milan to earn his move to Spurs, already the fifth permanent club of his career, but the Irishman’s hitherto nomadic existence was in stark contrast to his lengthy spell at White Hart Lane.

Glenn Hoddle, the manager who signed him for Tottenham, said at the time of his arrival that “Keane can make White Hart Lane his spiritual home for many years”, which proved to be correct but seemed an ambitious prediction at the time given Keane’s abundance of transfers early in his career.

Keane and Spurs proved an ideal fit for one another, though, with the Tallaght native hitting double figures in the Premier League for six successive seasons in north London. Even in the 2004/05 campaign, when he often had to play second fiddle to Jermain Defoe, Frederic Kanoute and Mido, he still managed 17 goals in all competitions, a testament to his consistent penalty box prowess.

A three-time winner of Spurs’ Player of the Season award, the Irishman enjoyed his finest hour with the club in 2008 when he featured in their League Cup final success over Chelsea at Wembley, while he also scored a stoppage-time equaliser in a North London derby, albeit on the day that Arsenal clinched the Premier League title in 2004.

After six years with Tottenham, Keane moved to Liverpool, the club he supported as a boy, in the summer of 2008 but made a sensational return to White Hart Lane just six months later, this time for £12m. However, having sold him to the Reds for £19m, Spurs’ two purchases of the striker were cancelled out by the fee that they received from the Merseysiders.

After scoring 107 goals in his first spell at Tottenham, Keane added 15 more during his second coming before leaving for LA Galaxy in 2011 following loan stints at Celtic and West Ham (as per TransferMarkt).

The striker finished his career with 126 Premier League goals, making him the 15th-highest scorer in the division’s history ahead of the likes of Dwight Yorke, Nicolas Anelka and Steven Gerrard, yet it is his scoring feats at international level which are the most eye-catching. He is Republic of Ireland’s all-time leading scorer with 68 goals for his country, a record which seems unlikely to ever be beaten given that Niall Quinn, who is second on the list, has a mere 21 by comparison (as per 11v11).

Keane has played for numerous clubs but his highest tally of goals and appearances came in his time at Spurs, where it would be fair to say that he spent the best years of his career and more than justified Hoddle’s initial faith in him.

Tottenham fans, would you consider Keane a club legend? Comment below with your views!

Newcastle United are reportedly among several clubs showing an interest in signing teenage French talent Georginio Rutter.

The print edition of The Sunday Mirror (page 73) reported [via Sportslens] that the Magpies are in the hunt to sign the 18-year-old ‘sensation’, who is also wanted by Arsenal, RB Leipzig, AC Milan and Lyon. He currently plays for Ligue 1 side Rennes, who value him at £10m.

According to Sportslens, Rutter’s pace, power and technical ability have caught the eye of scouts from Arsenal, with the teenager already a bulky presence at 1.82m (6ft). The 18-year-old has yet to make his first team debut for Rennes but he has featured at UEFA Youth League level, scoring once in four appearances in the competition last season (as per TransferMarkt).

L’Equipe (via Get French Football News) that Newcastle have already lodged an enquiry with the Ligue 1 club regarding their interest in the teenage striker, who has represented France at several underage grades.

Given his tender age and his lack of senior experience, Rutter would almost certainly be signed with the long-term picture in mind by whoever signs him, if he is to complete a transfer in the current window.

Newcastle manager Steve Bruce already has four senior centre-forwards at the club in Andy Carroll, Joelinton, Dwight Gayle (currently out with a lengthy knee injury) and summer signing Callum Wilson, who scored on his debut for the club against West Ham.

£10m indeed seems a hefty fee to pay for someone who has yet to even play a first team game, although from Newcastle’s perspective, it could be a gamble worth taking in terms of its long-term consequences.

The scale of the transfer interest in Rutter hints at the huge potential that he boasts, while it’s worth remembering that Carroll won’t be around forever. The Geordie native will be 32 in January and has already had an injury-plagued career, while his failure to score in 23 appearances since returning to the club last year suggests that he has lost sharpness up front.

In time, Rutter could become the eventual successor to Carroll as a powerful centre-forward presence – assuming, of course, that the Magpies can beat off the substantial competition for the Rennes youngster’s signature.

Newcastle fans, how good a coup would Rutter be for the Magpies? Have your say by commenting below!

According to a report from Spanish outlet AS, via Sport Witness, Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho has personally contacted Real Madrid left-back Sergio Reguilon over a potential move to north London – and the defender’s pedigree leaves little wonder why the club are now taking an interest. 

Indeed, per this report, Reguilon is attracting interest from Spurs, Chelsea and Man United – with the Lilywhites now allegedly on the ‘lookout’ over his signature.

Spending last campaign on loan at Sevilla, the youngster thoroughly impressed under manager Julen Lopetegui, starting 29 La Liga matches for the club and helping them to a Europa League triumph over Inter Milan.

Now, due to his noteworthy outings, clubs are considering a move despite his £31.7 million valuation – and AS now claim Mourinho is attempting to jump ahead in the queue.

The paper report, as relayed by Sport Witness, states that Tottenham’s manager is personally trying to persuade Reguilon over a move, and it’s little wonder why considering the Portuguese has been a big fan in the past.

When doing punditry work, covering two El Clasicos back in 2019 for beIN Sports via molineuxmix, Mourinho chastised many of the Real Madrid players’ performances over the defeats to Barcelona – but one man who received his admiration was none other than Reguilon.

Indeed, the ex-Chelsea boss praised his ‘desire’ during the encounter, and now it appears Mourinho would like to bring that same energy to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

A marauding full-back who is adept on the overlap, Reguilon averages more crosses into the box than Spurs star Son Heung-min, potentially evidence that he can also provide much needed-threat going forward (WhoScored).

Tottenham fans, should your club spend £31.7 million on signing a left-back? Join the discussion by commenting below…

Aston Villa’s congested schedule continues with a midweek trip to the south-west as Dean Smith’s side look to advance in the EFL Cup.

They’ll face in-form Championship outfit Bristol City later this evening at Ashton Gate but will the 49-year-old make any changes for the game?

The Midlanders head into this one on the back of a 1-0 victory over ten-man Sheffield United on Monday night.

Here’s the lineup we think Smith could run with tonight…

We’re expecting there to be pretty much an entirely different XI now that the Premier League is fully underway with Tyrone Mings the only player keeping his place from earlier in the week.

Penalty-saving hero Emi Martinez is rested with Orjan Nyland being handed the ‘cup’ keeper gig whilst Tom Heaton is out through injury.

In defence, we could see a return for Frederic Guilbert at right-back with Kourtney Hause partnering the 6 foot 5 English colossus in the middle. Neil Taylor played in the Burton victory and should feature here again.

Marvelous Nakamba is also in line for a start in favour of Douglas Luiz in that defensive midfield position. Smith has solid depth options to rotate here.

Just like the last round, he could be joined by Henri Lansbury and young academy starlet Jacob Ramsey, who is very highly-rated at Villa.

Sean Kimberley believes “he will have a bright future in the game” but only “if he continues to match his undoubted technical ability and eye for a goal with the desire and energy to reach the next level.”

Skipper Jack Grealish won’t be featuring this time around. The home-grown playmaker signed a new £140k-per-week contract earlier this month but will earn a rest in Bristol.

Instead, Anwar El Ghazi is gifted a rare start whilst there could even be a debut for latest summer signing Bertrand Traore.

In attack, 22-year-old striker Keinan Davis could be handed the reigns with Ollie Watkins also being rested.

It means there’s no place for Trezeguet, Conor Hourihane or Ahmed Elmohamady.

AND in other news, Aston Villa could land a speed demon in £36.5m talent…

David Moyes’ decision not to sign Ryan Manning for West Ham United this summer has backfired drastically after Queens Park Rangers sold the full-back to Swansea City in a bargain Domestic Deadline Day deal.

What’s the word?

Swansea confirmed the capture of Manning on Friday after agreeing to a rumoured £250,000 deal with QPR, that sees the 24-year-old join the Swans on a three-year contract.

The Irishman has not made an appearance in this season’s Championship campaign under Rs boss Mark Warburton due to the uncertainty which surrounded his future at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium, where Manning’s contract was due to expire next summer after refusing offers of a new deal.

West Ham had been touted as a potential destination for Manning earlier in the window, with the Daily Star proposing that Moyes was considering a £5million swoop as he looked to bolster both his full-back and midfield options.

But the Irons ultimately did not push through with plans to sign the left-back who provided four goals and seven assists in the Championship last season, as claims soon surfaced that Moyes “doesn’t rate him” despite long-term links.

Ultimately, West Ham’s decision not to sign Manning – likely below the £5m fee claimed – backfired as the Irons ended the summer market without either a new full-back or midfielder joining.

Was Manning the answer?

While Moyes was claimed to no longer rate Manning despite scouting the goal-scoring full-back last season, his bargain Domestic Deadline Day move shows that a deal was on the cards while his output last term showed what he could offer.

Manning was also called up to the senior Republic of Ireland squad for the first time during the October internationals, following nine outings in his national side’s Under 21s in which he struck three goals and penned two assists.

A senior debut for the Boys in Green has been touted for years by those who have worked with Manning, with former QPR boss Ian Holloway telling The Herald, via quotes by the Irish Mirror, in 2017: “I see Ryan day in, day out. I have had some wonderful players and, in my view, Ryan is up there with them.

“I don’t know who else Ireland have to pick from but it’s only a matter of time before he gets into the international team, never mind the squad, he is that good. He is a special talent. He can play Premier League and international football, without a shadow of a doubt. I have no doubt about that.

“That left foot of his – which is a wand, by the way. He has athleticism, a desire to get down the pitch. I am not sure where he is going to end up playing, in central midfield as part of a three, but he could play anywhere down the left, as an attacking full-back, a bit like Seamus Coleman.”

Manning ultimately established himself as a left-back with QPR, but recorded two of his seven assists in last season’s Championship campaign during five outings at left-midfield while also earning minutes in a central midfield role.

Certainly, then, for any fee close to the £250,000 paid by Swansea, West Ham have missed a real bargain deal in Manning.

AND in other news, West Ham potentially saved £16m in being snubbed by a summer target.

Southampton are currently keeping their eye on Accrington Stanley shot-stopper Toby Savin as they head into the January window. According to Football Insider, the Saints are keen on the rising star and have already planned to line up an offer for his services.

The England youth international only recently penned a new three-year deal with the League One side, but there’s no doubt that he would be extremely tempted by Premier League football. Indeed, moving to the south coast would also do wonders for Savin’s growth, learning from first choice goalkeeper Alex McCarthy and veteran Fraser Forster.

With no Transfermarkt value yet, the Saints could strike a very cheap deal for the 20-year-old who could become one for the future at St Mary’s. However, it would likely spell the end of Angus Gunn’s time with the club.

Bad news for Gunn

The Norwich-born ‘keeper signed for Southampton two years ago for a fee of £13.5million, an amount the club will be wishing they hadn’t spent.

Gunn has had far from the dream start with the Saints, making just 22 Premier League appearances since 2018 and conceding a worrying 43 goals in those games (via Transfermarkt). It seems already as though he is not part of Ralph Hasenhuttl’s plans moving forward, after he was shipped out on loan to Stoke City this summer.

He made his Potters debut on Tuesday against Swansea City and was hauled off the pitch at half-time after conceding their first goal of the day. His start to life in the Championship is also not exactly how he had planned.

Contrastingly, 20-year-old Savin has proven himself to be a strong character in between the sticks. The 6 ft 3 powerhouse has an average of 3.7 saves per match so far after his most recent display against Fleetwood Town saw him make an impressive six.

The youngster has also made four high claims in his last three appearances and has shown he is comfortable making important saves from inside the box (via Sofascore). Having already proved his ability to work under pressure, he could be a very fine signing for Hasenhuttl, who is looking to keep Southampton on their winning streak.

Adding a young goalkeeper to the ranks as someone to build and rely on in the future would be very smart January business for the Saints, but it would likely spell the end of the disappointing Gunn.

In other news, Southampton missed out on potential Che Adams upgrade in Darwin Nunez…

Crystal Palace were on the receiving end of a 2-0 drubbing by Wolves as Roy Hodgson’s side started off slowly at Molineux on Friday night. Palace loan signing Michy Batshuayi struggled to make much of an impression before he was replaced by Christian Benteke – although he was by no means the only player at fault for the poor performance.

What’s the story?

According to The Sun’s Alan Nixon, Palace are facing an exodus of players with thirteen of them coming out of contract next term. Hodgson has some big decisions to make as several senior members of the squad have entered the final few months of their deals.

It’s claimed that former Aston Villa frontman Benteke could be departing Selhurst Park along with Connor Wickham when their contracts run out in the summer. So, Palace chairman Steve Parish must return for Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard in the winter transfer window.

Bye Benteke

Reports in recent times revealed that the Eagles were interested in signing the £13.5m-rated centre-forward as a potential Benteke replacement. The report by The Times suggested that Palace were prepared to sell the Belgium international in the summer, but a move failed to materialise, so they went back to the drawing board.

Hodgson and Parish embarked on a summer spending spree, splashing out on the likes of Batshuayi and former Queens Park Rangers winger Eberechi Eze, whilst they also brought in Nathan Ferguson from West Bromwich Albion.

Goals have started to dry up in spite of the new signings, as Batshuayi has failed to find the back of the net so far, although in fairness that isn’t for want of trying, whilst Wilfried Zaha is the club’s leading goalscorer in all competitions, having scored five times in total, via Transfermarkt.

But the 17-cap Ivory Coast international needs someone who can share the burden of scoring goals and Edouard is a player who can do precisely just that.

Once hailed as an “exceptional” player by football journalist David Tanner, Edouard was recently described by Celtic boss Neil Lennon as a “special talent” after his hat-trick against Hamilton.

The 22-year-old has bagged 66 goals in over 100 appearances for the Bhoys, via Transfermarkt. By comparison, Benteke has only scored 23 goals in 118 games for the Eagles.

Just imagine the chaos he could cause alongside Zaha – it almost doesn’t bear to think about. Getting rid of the Belgian would make room for the 6-cap France U21 international in the first team instead.

AND in other news, Steve Parish must convince Crystal Palace’s Tyrick Mitchell to sign new contract…

Manchester United have been linked with AC Milan midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu, but Ed Woodward could be walking the Red Devils right into a trap.

What’s the word?

According to Bild, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side are already holding talks with the Turkey international over a possible move to Old Trafford.

It’s claimed that Solskjaer is a big admirer of Calhanoglu as he could be available for a free transfer in the summer, as he is currently involved in ongoing discussions concerning his contract with AC Milan. However, Man United must avoid signing the 26-year-old at all costs.

Major mistake

The Red Devils really don’t need any more attacking midfielders at the moment, as even new summer signing Donny van de Beek is struggling to get some minutes under his belt.

As we’ve previously discussed, we think United could be on to something here with the Dutch international.

Last season, Calhanoglu scored nine goals and supplied nine assists in Serie A, whilst he averaged 2.9 shots, 2 key passes and 0.8 dribbles per game, via WhoScored. Impressive enough indeed, we’ll give him that.

Sometimes it is no wonder that current Milan manager Stefano Pioli has dubbed him “generous” and “exceptional.”

However, it’s worth remembering that Van de Beek actually managed more dribbles per league game than the £27m-rated Turkish midfielder last term, as per WhoScored.

Calhanoglu also has a chequered injury history as he missed several games last season with calf problems. Throw in the fact that he has also been criticised by ex-AC Milan boss Gennaro Gattuso for his attitude in the past and you will start to question why the club were even interested in him in the first place.

And that’s without even mentioning the wage bill, as he currently earns wages worth a whopping £78,000-per-week, whilst Woodward will surely want to avoid another Alexis Sanchez situation, at any rate.

In fact, it’s fair to say that the last thing he will want to see is another disgruntled expensive signing sat on the sidelines as an unused substitute as its hard to imagine Calhanoglu will start ahead of either Bruno Fernandes or Paul Pogba.

AND in other news, Cavani & Rashford start, no van de Beek: Predicted Manchester United XI vs Arsenal…

Tottenham Hotspur could have rounded off a perfect summer of business with a swoop for one of Jose Mourinho’s former players…

What’s the word?

According to L’Equipe (via Sport Witness), the north Londoners had a bid rejected for Chelsea centre-back Kurt Zouma during the transfer window with their local rivals wanting around €45m (£40m) to let him leave Stamford Bridge.

It’s claimed that the 26-year-old wouldn’t have been against an exit with Premier League rivals Everton also having an offer rebuffed.

However, Zouma has since gone on to cement his place down under Frank Lampard, forming a formidable partnership with veteran Thiago Silva.

Levy fail

Mourinho originally signed the French international for the Blues in 2014 but it has taken until now to truly see his potential come to fruition.

In seven league starts, Zouma has averaged 5.1 clearances, 3.3 aerial duels won, 1.3 interceptions and a 90.2% passing accuracy, via WhoScored.

Upon his arrival, the Special One claimed the central defender was a player with “big potential” before quickly suggesting that he would be a “big player for Chelsea for many years” just a few months into his maiden campaign.

Spurs know about him all too well too as he was part of the side that silenced Harry Kane last season – in fact, he absolutely terrorised the England talisman.

Frank Lampard won both matches over his old boss, but it was the game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium which stood out most. Zouma made four clearances, two interceptions, won 100% of his aerial duels and of course, kept Kane quiet, via SofaScore.

With Davinson Sanchez heavily out-of-favour at Spurs, not being named in their last three league squads, and Joe Rodon seemingly not yet ready for a crack at the big time, a £40m swoop for Zouma is something that Daniel Levy should’ve absolutely done.

Mourinho knows him well, so he could’ve fit straight in as an option beside Eric Dier or Toby Alderweireld.

AND in other news, Spurs may forever regret not signing their next Dele Alli in 2019…