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With current Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy and Fraser Forster currently set to see their contracts expire next summer, the club have had their eye on adding a new shot-stopper to their squad in the past with previous reports linking them with a transfer move for West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.

With Johnstone’s contract at the Midlands club also set to run out in 2022, there’s every possibility that he could be on the move at that point unless Johnstone puts pen to paper on a new deal at The Hawthorns before then.

What’s the latest?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Tom Barclay had his say on the possibility of Southampton making a move to sign Johnstone in January if West Brom would rather let him go for a fee instead of as a free agent in the summer.

He said: “You’re looking at probably less than £10m. I’m speculating there, but I imagine it’d be less than £10m.”

Fans surely thrilled

Johnston signed for West Brom back in the 2018 summer transfer window from Manchester United for a fee of £6.5m. Since then, the 28-year-old, who is currently valued at £7.2m according to Transfermarkt, has gone on to make a total of 145 appearances for the Baggies, firmly cementing himself as their first-choice goalkeeper.

On the international stage, Johnstone has made three senior appearances for England, keeping three clean sheets in the process.

Even though Barclay made it clear that the potential price tag of under £10m for Johnstone was merely speculation, we feel that if this is true and West Brom would be willing to part with their goalkeeper in January, the Saints should definitely look to see if they can add him to their squad rather than wait until the summer.

Additionally, we feel that if Ralph Hasenhuttl does sign Johnstone in January for the price that Barclay has suggested, we feel the supporters would be thrilled by this swoop.

After all, he is a proven international ‘keeper and performed incredibly well for West Brom last term. For instance, no goalkeeper made more saves (161) than the England stopper in the top-flight throughout 2020/21. That type of record would be crucial for the south coast side who find themselves near the bottom of the table.

With The Athletic claiming that McCarthy has agreed a new deal at St. Mary’s, we feel that Johnstone would be a good replacement for Forster if he leaves in the summer when his deal expires. Crucially, he would provide some healthy competition to the former for a number one spot in Hasenhuttl’s side.

In other news: Ralph must unleash “explosive” £16.2m-rated Southampton machine, he’d terrify Villa – opinion

Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side have been dealt a fresh injury setback concerning Stephen Welsh ahead of their Scottish Premiership meeting with Old Firm rivals Rangers this weekend.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Record, who revealed that the centre-back was withdrawn shortly after half-time in Scotland U21’s 2-2 draw with Kazakhstan on Tuesday afternoon, with the 22-year-old looking to be holding his groin upon his substitution.

Postecoglou will be fuming

While it would appear unlikely that Welsh would have been handed a starting berth at Ibrox this Sunday, considering just how impressive the youngster has been so far this season, the news that the defender looks to have sustained an injury on international duty that could well rule him out of contention for the Old Firm fixture is sure to have left Postecoglou fuming nonetheless.

Indeed, over his nine Premiership appearances this term, the £1.35m-rated academy graduate has been rock solid for the Bhoys, helping his side keep three clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.6 interceptions, 0.8 tackles, 2.2 clearances, 85.9 passes and winning 5.1 duels – at a success rate of 59% – per game.

These returns have seen the £10.5k-per-week starlet average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.11, ranking him as Postecoglou’s joint 11th-best player in the top flight of Scottish football.

As such, while the 56-year-old manager’s first-choice pairing of Carl Starfelt and Cameron Carter-Vickers are both more than likely to be selected in the XI on Sunday, should either player pick up a knock in the run-up to the fixture, or even in the game itself, the loss of an incredibly reliable backup option in Welsh is sure to hit Celtic hard.

Indeed, with the chance of leaving Ibrox six points ahead of Rangers in the league standings – something that would all but confirm Celtic’s reclamation of the Premiership title – it is certain that the Greek-Australian manager will be hoping to have as many as his first-team squad fit and firing by the time Sunday rolls around.

AND in other news: £10.5m and counting: £23.5k-p/w “monster” should have played his final game for Celtic

West Ham United appear to be interested in signing Jed Wallace in 2022 after a very reliable source dropped a fresh claim on the situation…

What’s the word?

Over the weekend, Football League World reported that the Irons were among several top-flight clubs eyeing up a potential swoop for the 27-year-old Millwall attacker as he’s out of contract in the summer.

Club insider ExWHUemployee has now confirmed that he’s a player that the Hammers have looked at previously, also suggesting that these reports to have some substance.

On a recent episode of ‘The West Ham Way’ podcast, he revealed:

“Interesting[ly], there is a guy at Millwall. He’s 27 – Jed Wallace.

“I know that we’ve watched him in the past and the fact that outlets are reporting about our interest suggests that the interest is still there. So that will be an interesting one because his contract is up at the end of the season.”

Should they swoop?

After signing some big-name players for substantial transfer fees, this latest development may seem a little underwhelming. After all, they have just brought in Champions League and Premier League winner Kurt Zouma for £29.8m, as well as the playmaking Nikola Vlasic for a similar amount.

However, it’s a prospective signing which should leave much of the London Stadium faithful excited as the Hammers have enjoyed plenty of success when dipping their toes into the Championship.

You only have to look at the success of Aaron Cresswell, Jarrod Bowen, Said Benrahma and Michail Antonio to realise that.

Wallace would surely join them in that list eventually, given his undoubted and impressive ability.

The £6.3m-rated winger has already started the 2021/22 season on fire, scoring three goals and providing two assists in the Lions’ opening six league games, adding to his ten goals and eight assists in all competitions last term and ten goals and 12 assists in 2019/20, as per Transfermarkt.

Furthermore, as per WhoScored, he has averaged 1.9 shots, 1.6 key passes and 1.5 dribbles every game since 2015/16, proving to be a mark of consistency in attack.

He’s a player who has been lauded as a “game-changer” by his current boss Gary Rowett as recently as August this year and you can never have enough players of this ilk to either start or come off the bench.

The fact that ExWHUemployee is confirming that the club have followed him in the past and is even suggesting that the interest still remains is a hugely encouraging sign heading into the January transfer window and beyond.

Wallace could well be available for a bargain given his contractual situation and if they’re willing to wait a little longer, he’ll be free to join for absolutely nothing, so it certainly seems like a low-risk signing for the Irons.

Therefore, the West Ham fanbase should be buzzing by this fresh claim.

AND in other news, Moyes must now axe his favourite from his West Ham starting XI…

Sunderland won their fifth competitive match of the season on Tuesday night as they beat Championship side Blackpool 3-2 in the second round of the League Cup.

Lee Johnson’s side were able to overcome going 1-0 down inside the opening 10 minutes to win 3-2, preventing penalties and heading through to the third round of the competition.

Aiden O’Brien scored a superb hat-trick to win the match for Sunderland, having also scored in the first round against Port Vale. The forward caught the eye with his performance and deserves praise for his showing, but one player for Sunderland struggled in the match.

Alex Pritchard lined up in the number 10 position for the Black Cats and failed to put in a display that may lead to some doubts about whether he is capable of mixing it against a Championship opposition. He received the lowest SofaScore rating on the pitch (6.4) for the club, despite picking up an assist for one of O’Brien’s goals – with his corner falling kindly to the attacker in the box to slot in one of his three strikes.

In 73 minutes on the field, Pritchard only managed 36 touches of the ball. Anthony Patterson in goal, meanwhile, had 46 touches, which suggests that the ex-Huddersfield man did not get into the game as much as he should have in midfield. A team’s creative number 10 should be constantly getting on the ball and looking to make things happen, but he was not able to do that against Blackpool.

Although he registered an assist, his corner was the only chance he created in the match and he also missed one big chance to score – showing that his end product was poor, whilst his retention of the ball was not much better. He lost possession 10 times from 36 touches and won one of his four duels. He was not strong enough to retain the ball under pressure and Sunderland were, perhaps, fortunate in the end that his disaster display did not cost them the result.

He let Johnson down with his performance, but it is still early days for the Englishman at the Stadium of Light. Pritchard has plenty of time left this season to get back to his best and show that he can be a difference-maker at League One level, and potentially in the Championship if they can secure promotion to the second tier.

AND in other news… “Desperate”: Alan Nixon drops Sunderland transfer update which will leave fans excited… 

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Tottenham Hotspur are scouting a number of Serie A players as they prepare for the summer transfer window, per Tuttomercatoweb.

Spurs have not signed a player in the last two transfer windows but appear ready to dip into the market at the end of the season.

What’s the word?

Spurs last signed a player in January of 2018, when they secured Lucas Moura from PSG.

But the aforementioned Tuttomercatoweb report claims that they are stepping up preparations for the summer by sending scouts to watch a number of players in action in Italy.

Representatives from the north London outfit watched AC Milan beat Atalanta 3-1, with midfielder Franck Kessie and winger Suso both on their radar.

Per Tuttomercatoweb, Spurs also took in Inter Milan’s match against Sampdoria, looking over Ivan Perisic’s performance for the Nerrazurri.

Sampdoria defender Joachim Andersen was also on their shortlist, but according to Tuttomercatoweb the interest in him depends on Toby Alderweireld’s future.

Early preparations

Spurs are clearly readying for a frenzied summer of transfer activity.

Alderweireld has a clause in his contract that allows him to leave if a bid of £25million is tabled this summer, while Christian Eriksen’s future remains up in the air amid reported interest from Real Madrid.

Spurs are in need of reinforcements, particularly if both players depart, and it makes sense that they would be scouting top leagues, particularly for players with the right profile to play under Mauricio Pochettino.

Andersen is just 22 while Kessie and Suso are 22 and 25 respectively, and all three have the ability to grow under the Argentine’s management.

Perisic, of course, is 30, with that deal surely more of a long shot for the north London club.

As confirmed by Tottenham Hotspur on their official website, Nuno Espirito Santo will still be without defender Matt Doherty for their highly anticipated London derby clash against West Ham United today.

The Lowdown: Doherty injured…

Looking to reignite his Spurs career under the manager who made him a success at Wolves, it’s safe to say that the 29-year-old hasn’t exactly achieved that so far.

Once labelled ‘fantastic’ by Nuno, the Republic of Ireland international has cut a bit-part figure yet again so far and is arguably third-choice right-back behind the likes of Japhet Tanganga and summer signing Emerson Royal.

He also isn’t helped by his fitness levels as Spurs shared an update prior to today’s match.

The Latest: Doherty out of West Ham clash…

As confirmed in an update from Tottenham on their official website, Doherty will miss the clash against West Ham today, and Nuno is expected to bring back many of the players who missed their midweek trip to Vitesse Arnhem.

As well as the 29-year-old, Spurs will also still be without left-back Ryan Sessegnon, who still hasn’t recovered from a knock sustained during the torrid September international break.

The Verdict: Blow for Doherty…

Doherty will be personally gutted to miss out on one of Tottenham’s highly-anticipated London derby clashes of the year against bitter rivals West Ham, especially as his future hangs in the balance.

While it is a point of contention whether he would have actually featured, the right-back represents a different outlet for Nuno, and it has been a debate whether the Portuguese could start using him in a 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 system akin to his time at Molineux.

Alas, the Irishman will not get the opportunity to do so this afternoon.

In other news: Paratici may now be willing to offer ‘frightening’ player more than £200k-p/w to join Tottenham! Find out more here.

Celtic goalkeepers Vasilis Barkas and Conor Hazard could leave the club in January, according to The Athletic’s Kieran Devlin.

The Lowdown: Lack of game time…

Both Barkas and Hazard featured in stages last season under Neil Lennon but have fallen out of favour during the current campaign.

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Barkas, labelled as ‘horrendous’ by pundit Tam McManus, made 22 appearances last season but has started just twice under Ange Postecoglou.

Meanwhile, Hazard, described as ‘jittery’ by pundit Natasha Meikle, is yet to feature in 2021/22 after making six appearances last season.

The Latest: Devlin’s claim

Devlin shared a transfer mailbag on The Athletic on Wednesday, answering numerous questions from Hoops fans ahead of the January window.

He was asked about the club’s goalkeepers, with Devlin admitting Celtic ‘will attempt to move Barkas on in January, although his wages might make a permanent transfer difficult.’

Devlin then said that Hazard ‘might be moved on too, again depending on what kind of loan bids or permanent offers comes in’.

The reliable reporter revealed that there are no immediate plans to replace Scott Bain, with Celtic also having high hopes for teenager Tobi Oluwayemi.

The Verdict: The right calls?

It seems as if Barkas and Hazard aren’t in the club’s long-term plans, so looking to move them on next month appears to be the right call.

Hazard only penned new Parkhead terms back in March, but it doesn’t look like he’s fancied by Postecoglou given he hasn’t even featured under the gaffer, with youngster Oluwayemi possibly identified as the first-choice in the long run.

On that basis, selling or moving the pair out on loan could be a wise decision, but even though they’ve hardly played this season that doesn’t mean the club should accept any old lowball offers that come in.

In other news: Print newspaper reveal Celtic now want left-footed ace who’s racked up £20m in transfer fees. 

Sharing news midweek, 90min journalist and ‘insider’ Graeme Bailey now has a major player update for Manchester City supporters out of Eastlands.

The Lowdown: Sky Blues in contract flurry…

City sporting director Txiki Begiristain and the club have seemingly been renewing contracts left, right and centre over 2021/2022 as Pep Guardiola aims to tie down both future and first team stars.

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The likes of John Stones, Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias, James McAtee and Ederson, to name a few, have all put pen to paper on fresh terms in the past 12 months.

According to reports, Guardiola and co aren’t done there, with the likes of Rodri and Ilkay Gundogan also tipped to receive the option.

Superstar playmaker Phil Foden is yet another, and if Bailey is to be believed, a major development has come to light on City’s attempts to tie down the England international.

The Latest: Bailey shares Foden development…

Taking to Twitter, the 90min insider says Man City are now closer to agreeing a new deal for the 21-year-old.

“Man City close to finalising Phil Foden contract extension,” he explained.

“Talks have been ongoing since last year but Premier League champions confident their prized asset will re-sign by end of the season.”

The Verdict: Absolutely huge…

As perhaps best summed up on Tuesday night, Foden looks set to be an absolutely crucial player for City for years to come.

The Sky Blues struggled to break down a resilient Atletico Madrid side in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final tie in Manchester, but thanks to their homegrown starlet’s cameo off the bench, Guardiola’s men eventually found a way through.

Foden’s delicate through ball to Kevin De Bruyne, who subsequently fired home past Jan Oblak, gifted City a 1-0 aggregate advantage as they gear up for their Wanda Metropolitano visit next week.

The midfield gem’s introduction was a crucial one and this is just one example of his importance at the Etihad Stadium.

As City take one step closer towards tying him down further, it’s safe to say this midweek update could be looked back on as massive for years to come.

In other news: Blues now preparing bid to sign ‘special’ £67m star alongside Haaland! Find out more here.

Celtic goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas will leave Parkhead in the January window, according to journalist Giannis Chorianopoulos.

The Lowdown: Barkas’ Hoops career

It’s safe to say that Barkas hasn’t lived up to expectations in Scotland after joining from AEK Athens for £4.5m in 2020.

The 27-year-old was in and out of the side last season under Neil Lennon, making just 13 Premiership appearances. He hasn’t managed to turn things around this season under Ange Postecoglou, with his only appearance coming against FC Midtjylland.

He hasn’t featured following his blunder at Celtic Park in the Champions League qualifier, and it now seems as if he will leave over the coming months.

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The Latest: Chorianopoulos’ post

Chorianopoulos, a Greek reporter, had his say on the shot-stopper on Wednesday night, revealing that a loan or a permanent exit are both options at this moment in time.

He tweeted: “Vasilis Barkas is about to leave from Celtic on January. On loan or permanent.”

The Verdict: The correct decision…

Celtic brought in Joe Hart over the summer and also have Scott Bain and Conor Hazard sitting around, so shipping out one of the three who aren’t playing is a shrewd call.

Barkas is on £9,000-a-week in Scotland, while Bain and Hazard are on £10,000-a-week combined, so it makes sense to move on the big earner.

Things haven’t worked out in Scotland for the Greek goalie, and the Hoops may face a battle to recoup the £4.5m they paid for his services, especially with his Transfermarkt valuation plummeting since moving to Lennoxtown.

In other news: Nicholson now looking at signing ‘strong’ beast for Ange who ‘would suit playing for Celtic’

Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing exciting Fulham youngster Fabio Carvalho, but they are not alone in being linked with a move for the starlet.

The Lowdown: Carvalho shining for Fulham

The 19-year-old has been a key player for a Cottagers side currently leading the way in the Championship this season, scoring eight goals and registering two assists in 14 league starts. He has also represented England at various youth levels, including six caps for the country’s under-18 side.

The attacking midfielder’s performances have caught the eye of a number of clubs, and according to a fresh report, Leeds are among the suitors.

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The Latest: Leeds linked with Carvalho move

According to The Daily Mail, the Whites see Carvalho as an exciting option to bring in during the January transfer window, with a move to the Premier League this month potentially ‘too tempting to turn down’. Indeed, the 19-year-old rejected the offer of a new contract at Craven Cottage in November.

Liverpool and West Ham are also credited with taking an interest in the Fulham starlet, so it may not be easy for Whites to get a deal over the line if they are battling with two of the top flight’s current top five.

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The Verdict: Hugely exciting prospect

It is crucial that Marcelo Bielsa plans for both the present and the future, ensuring Leeds that continue to grow after he has left the club, and Carvalho could be a great prospective signing in that respect.

He possesses huge long-term potential, already a standout performer for a team who have scored a ridiculous 73 goals in just 27 league matches this season, and he has been hailed as ‘fantastic’ by his current manager Marco Silva.

The lure of Liverpool in particular could act as a stumbling block for Leeds, but a greater prospect of first-team action at Elland Road – where young talents like Charlie Cresswell, Cody Drameh and Joe Gelhardt have all earned Premier League starts this season – could possibly give the Whites an edge.

In other news, Leeds have been linked with a move for another talented attacking player. Find out who it is here.