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Southampton midfielder Alexandre Jankewitz produced an excellent display for Switzerland under-21s in their 1-0 victory over their England counterparts on Thursday, which begs the question – why hasn’t he featured more under Ralph Hasenhuttl this season?

The 19-year-old earned a lot of plaudits for his display in the first group game of the Under-21 European Championships and helped Switzerland pick up a much-deserved win against Aidy Boothroyd’s lacklustre England side.

Football Scout Jan Perret named Jankewitz as his man of the match on Twitter and suggested that he dominated the midfield, which is an impressive feat when you consider England had Oliver Skipp and Tom Davies in the middle, both of whom have plenty of experience in the Premier League and Championship.

Meanwhile, talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook agreed, suggesting that the Saints youngster was “very impressive” and that he bossed the game.

Despite his obvious talent, the teenager has been limited to just three senior appearances for Southampton in his career, all of which have come this season. He did well in the Saints’ 2-0 win against Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup and made his Premier League debut as a substitute in the 1-0 defeat against Aston Villa.

He was then handed a start at Old Trafford and was sent off inside two minutes, which is probably the main factor behind him not featuring in Hasenhuttl’s side since.

Although it was a nasty challenge from the midfielder which earned him that red card, he is very inexperienced and will learn from that mistake, so it is a shame that the Austrian has decided not to utilise him since then.

Considering Southampton have lost Oriol Romeu for the rest of the season, you would have perhaps expected the 19-year-old to feature more regularly, but the fact that they now find themselves in a relegation battle perhaps means that Hasenhuttl isn’t willing to risk playing the Swiss youngster on a regular basis in the top flight.

Their latest match against Bournemouth in the FA Cup would have perhaps been the ideal time to reintroduce Jankewitz, considering the comfortable nature of the result, but he was left on the bench, which arguably doesn’t bode well for his future at Southampton.

It was suggested in January that Jankewitz had handed in a transfer request due to a lack of first team opportunities with the south coast club and, following his impressive international display earlier this week, he should not be short of suitors if he does want to leave in the summer.

Therefore, it could well go down as a mistake by Hasenhuttl if he fails to select him again between now and the end of the season, as it wouldn’t be a surprise if Jankewitz moved away and became a success elsewhere.

And, in other news… Signed for £8 million, left for nothing: Les Reed endured nightmare with Saints disaster

David Moyes must unleash Pablo Fornals against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday night amid claims that the West Ham United midfielder has returned to fitness.

That’s according to Claret & Hugh, who claimed that backroom staff at Rush Green have confirmed that the Spanish maestro will be available to travel to Molineux.

Moyes did not select to name Fornals when addressing those available to feature in the Black Country, but voiced hope in Arthur Masuaku being ready to return after four months out following knee surgery.

Fornals has missed the Hammers’ last two Premier League matches against Manchester United and Arsenal with a groin injury sustained in the build-up to kick-off at Old Trafford.

The 25-year-old had started the Irons’ previous three top-flight fixtures before being consigned to the treatment room, having been given a recall for February’s London derby win over Tottenham Hotspur following two unused substitute appearances.

He could now come back into the side against Wolves alongside Masuaku, although Monday’s affair may come too soon for Angelo Ogbonna and Andriy Yarmolenko following their respective ankle and knee injuries.

“Arthur is back playing. He played a reserve game a week or so ago, so he’s back around the squad, but whether he is fully match-fit yet, we have to question it,” Moyes said on Friday.

“Yarmolenko is not ready yet. He went to see a specialist about his medial knee ligament injury again which we don’t think is too bad, but we’re not quite convinced with it.

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“Angelo Ogbonna is making good progress, but he’s not ready at this moment in time. So, we’ve got a few knocks and niggles like everybody else, but we’ve also got a few players getting closer to returning to match fitness as well.”

Fornals has started 22 of his 24 Premier League appearances this season and boasts two goals and three assists – only Aaron Cresswell (7), Michail Antonio (5) and Said Benrahma (4) have been credited with creating more for West Ham to date.

Antonio provided two of his assists for the campaign during last month’s 3-3 draw with Arsenal when setting Jesse Lingard up to break the deadlock and Tomas Soucek to strike his side’s third, having played a team-high five key passes, per WhoScored. Jarrod Bowen failed to create a single goalscoring opportunity against the Gunners, while Lingard laid his only chance on in the 16th-minute.

Fornals had connected with Lingard for his latest assist to set up the England international to score the winner against Spurs in a lively showing from the £16m-rated maestro, who Trevor Sinclair believes “is turning into a top player”.

All too often, the Spaniard is regarded as an unsung hero at the London Stadium, as while he is not considered to have a standout attribute, his all-round game sees the 25-year-old prove a handful for opposing defences and midfielders to handle.

Manchester City found that out the hard way when he drove at their backline and frequently took up pockets of space, before giving Leeds United plenty to think about in his last outing.

Moyes will need players like Fornals operating at their best against Wolves on Monday night, with Nuno Espirito Santo’s side desperately in need of a positive result after a run of four winless games in a row risks seeing their season end on a sour note.

West Ham are winless in their last two league games, but a win at Molineux will keep the Irons firmly in the race for Champions League qualification and maintan the pressure on Chelsea in fourth.

AND in other news, West Ham land boost in £17m race to sign “one of the finest footballers” who was David Moyes’ dream target in 2020…

In an exclusive interview with Transfer Tavern, Steve Bull, who made 561 appearances for Wolves, can’t see Brighton captain Lewis Dunk making the move to Tottenham Hotspur and improving them.

Jose Mourinho has constantly been changing his centre backs this season having played Davinson Sanchez, Eric Dier, Toby Alderweireld and Joe Rodon in the centre of defence with limited success.

The £45,000 per week defender has been linked with a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer after another campaign of marshalling a strong Brighton defence alongside Ben White.

Speaking on if he can see Dunk moving to Spurs and what Mourinho’s alternatives could be, Bull told The Transfer Tavern:

“Dunk is a big old fashioned centre half but I don’t think he would move to Spurs, as Mourinho has got a good bunch of defensive players as well as some players from the reserves that he might bring in next year.

“He could get rid of a few of the stars who are causing him a bit of stress but I’m not worried about Jose’s problems, trust me.”

Tottenham were linked with a move for Milan Skriniar last summer, however they couldn’t agree a fee with Inter Milan to bring the centre back to the Premier League.

Jose Mourinho has a fight on his hands to get Spurs into the top four but they do also have a Carabao Cup on the cards later this month which could be their first piece of silverware since 2008.

According to The Telegraph, Tottenham are interested in making a £25m move for on-loan Fulham defender Joachim Andersen this summer.

Spurs eye Andersen

Andersen has spent the season on loan at Craven Cottage from Lyon, and has made 25 appearances in the Premier League (Transfermarkt).

Now, it seems Spurs are eager to take him to north London. Lyon are said to be looking for a fee of £25m to part ways with him on a permanent basis.

Interesting move

On the surface, there would be little to suggest Andersen would be a good signing for Jose Mourinho. After all, Fulham are 18th in the table and are looking at relegation back to the Championship if they are unable to turn things around in the coming weeks.

However, it must also be pointed that Fulham’s backline has performed considerably better than those around them. They have conceded 41 times in 30 matches so far – better than six other sides in the top flight (Sky Sports). In the six games Andersen hasn’t played in the top flight, Fulham have shipped 14 times, showing a clear improvement with the Denmark international in the side. Former Cottagers man Tony Gale even called him “absolutely sensational” last month (fulhamfc.com).

A fee of £25m may well be a bargain for Daniel Levy and co, especially given he is just 24 years of age and now has Premier League experience to boot. This would not just be an investment for the here and now, but also for the future.

In other news, Rangers fans are livid at this broadcaster’s comments.

Eddie Howe is reportedly having second thoughts on becoming the new Celtic manager after verbally agreeing on a move to Parkhead.

Former England striker Kevin Phillips, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, has shared his thoughts on why the former Bournemouth manager is stalling over a switch to Glasgow.

Howe now on Palace radar

Howe has also spoken to English Premier League club Crystal Palace about potentially replacing Roy Hodgson and is on a three-man shortlist at Selhurst Park alongside Sean Dyche and Frank Lampard.

Phillips believes that the pressure of having to win matches on a regular basis at Celtic could be the reason for his Parkhead U-turn, saying:

“Whoever goes there will be well aware of the challenge they face.

“It’s a high-pressure job and we all know what you have to do if you go to Celtic this summer, you have to win the league next year, it’s as simple as that.

“Howe’s under no illusions and some managers won’t like that pressure, the pressure is a big factor, you have to win football matches if you take over at Celtic.

“If Eddie was to take over it would be a challenge that he hasn’t had to deal with in his football career.”

Transfer Tavern take

Howe has averaged 1.51 points per game during his 540 games as a manager, with the majority of those coming at Bournemouth. That ratio would certainly need to increase if he were to make the move to Glasgow, but considering his previous jobs were with the Cherries and Burnley, it’s not a bad record.

We feel that Phillips citing pressure as a deterrent isn’t quite accurate. Howe would surely have known what would be demanded at Celtic Park in terms of the level of expectation, so there are probably other factors as to why he is holding off on putting pen to paper.

One reported assurance was being able to bring Bournemouth director Richard Hughes with him to the club, even though Celtic were thought to be closing in on Manchester City’s Fergal Harkin. That perhaps seems a more plausible reason for Howe’s potential move to Glasgow losing momentum in recent days.

In other news: Celtic keen on English teenager related to ex-Tottenham defender, find out more here. 

Leeds have been told they may hold a significant advantage in the race to sign Manchester City star Sergio Aguero this summer.

What’s the story?

The Argentina international recently confirmed that he will be leaving the Etihad Stadium once his contract expires in the summer; and speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Premier League player Carlton Palmer has suggested that Leeds’ location, as well as their ability to offer first team football, could give them an edge.

He said: “I was thinking about this today; it could be a possibility because Sergio wouldn’t have to move – obviously he lives in Manchester. I think at Sergio’s age, he wouldn’t want to go anywhere and be a bit-part.

“So, you know, when they’re talking about top clubs like Chelsea and whatever, if he’s not guaranteed of playing every week, which I think he’s going to fall into that category now with his injuries and with his age, Leeds could be a good shout. The problem that would be, I would assume, would be his salary.”

Incredible signing for Bielsa

With reports claiming that Aguero is set to demand a £200,000-per-week wage from his next club (Gazzetta dello Sport, via AS), that would certainly be a huge sum of money to fork out for a player who’s set to turn 33 this summer.

However, given everything he has achieved in the game and the world-class striker that he is (when fit of course), it would give Leeds and Bielsa a true star to gravitate towards.

The £22.5m-rated Argentine is a Premier League icon with 181 goals to his name in the competition, and Pep Guardiola was quick to hail City’s talisman. He said: “Aguero has conquered England. His numbers speak for themselves. Aguero is an extraordinary person, and we still have a month and a half to win more things and help him to score goals.”

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If Andrea Radrizzani wants to send a message to Bielsa that he means business, then opening up the chequebook and breaking the wage structure for a marquee player like Aguero would certainly do the trick.

Meanwhile, Leeds could finally wave goodbye to this liability…

Rangers could be set to receive a huge blow this summer as Leeds United have reportedly shortlisted Steven Gerrard as a potential replacement for Marcelo Bielsa should the Argentinian depart Elland Road in the coming months.

Speaking on Ask Ornstein, The Athletic’s Phil Hay name-checked Gerrard when discussing the Yorkshire club’s potential successors for Bielsa this summer, as despite an impressive campaign back in the Premier League, the legendary manager’s contract is currently set to expire at the end of the season.

The Whites are currently on track for a top 10 finish in the Premier League, having emphatically won the Championship title last season, so many Leeds fans would undoubtedly be disappointed if Bielsa were to leave.

However, given Gerrard’s impressive record at Rangers, he could prove to be an excellent replacement for the 65-year-old at Elland Road, and a return to the Premier League might just tempt the former Liverpool captain away from Ibrox.

Since being appointed in May 2018, Gerrard has helped transform the Gers, sealing their 55th league title earlier in the season after a superb campaign which has seen them remain unbeaten in the top flight with just four league games remaining.

The Light Blues also impressed in the Europa League, reaching the round of 16 before falling to a 2-0 defeat at home to Slavia Prague, and his European experience would likely make him an attractive candidate for a lot of clubs in the future.

Whilst you would hope that the prospect of managing Rangers in the Champions League next season would be enough to convince Gerrard to stay, the more success he enjoys at Ibrox, the more foreign clubs are going to take notice.

Earlier in the season, former Premier League manager Harry Redknapp was full of praise for Gerrard, saying: “A lot of people down here have been paying attention to the job Stevie has done because he’s done amazing.”

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Therefore, it would be a huge blow for Rangers chairman Douglas Park if Leeds were able to tempt Gerrard with an offer this summer, as it is difficult to see a new manager coming in and replicating the 40-year-old’s successes at Ibrox.

In other news… Fewer passes than McLaughlin: £3m Rangers dud let Gerrard down vs St Johnstone

Tottenham Hotspur are aiming to end a 13-year wait for a trophy when they head to Wembley Stadium to face league leaders Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final.

After the surprise departure of Jose Mourinho last Monday, interim boss and former midfielder Ryan Mason guided Spurs to a victory over Southampton and go into this encounter as the underdogs, understandably.

Pep Guardiola’s men have won this tournament in three successive years, and have also won it five of the last seven times, too.

The 29-year-old caretaker has plenty to ponder over his team selection, so it’ll be interesting to see what sort of side he names for only his second-ever game in management.

Here’s our predicted Spurs XI along with the latest team and injury news from N17…

There could be as many as three changes from Wednesday night’s come-from-behind victory as Mason has been handed a major boost in the build-up to kick-off.

According to the Telegraph, Harry Kane is set to be passed fit to feature, having been nursing an ankle issue this past week. He came off towards the end of last weekend’s defeat to Everton and missed the win over the Saints.

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The 27-year-old will undoubtedly start if he’s genuinely cleared to play, so he’ll replace Lucas Moura in the starting XI. The £36m-rated dynamo, who has previously been dubbed “a nightmare” in training will feel hard done by, but Mason could be tempted by a lethal-looking front three.

Kane should be joined by the two goalscorers from midweek, Heung-min Son and Gareth Bale, but the interim boss may opt for a change in the no.10 role, with Erik Lamela coming in for Giovani Lo Celso to give the side some much-needed and relentless energy in attacking midfield.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is another who shouldn’t lose his spot, though the third and final change could be next to him as Harry Winks gets the nod over Tanguy Ndombele, who disappointed against Southampton.

Mason looked to have been preparing his defence with this game in mind, so a back four of Sergio Reguilon, Eric Dier, Toby Alderweireld and Serge Aurier is likely to remain, with Hugo Lloris continuing between the sticks.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Spurs legend tells Mason to play two stars in Carabao Cup final…

Crystal Palace have seemingly handed Celtic a major boost in their pursuit of Eddie Howe.

That’s according to Football Insider, who have been informed from sources close to both the Eagles and the Hoops.

Burnley’s Sean Dyche is now the favourite to take over from Roy Hodgson, with a Palace source admitting ‘Dyche figures most prominently in the thoughts of the board’ – ten words that could be key in Celtic’s attempts to land Howe.

Howe has spoken to Palace ahead of a potential Selhurst Park swoop, but it seems as if they now have Dyche at the top of their list.

A Celtic source meanwhile believes the 43-year-old, who verbally agreed on a Parkhead move at the beginning of the month, has been hedging his bets while waiting to see how events pan out in London.

Transfer Tavern take

In our opinion, Dyche being the favourite for the Palace job may now lead to Howe eventually putting pen to paper on a Glasgow move.

As a Hoops source believes, he could have been waiting to see what was going on in Croydon, however, he was tabled a ‘wonderful offer’ by Celtic and may now be willing to sign the paperwork with Dyche moving to the fore in London.

Of course, details such as his coaching staff, salary and transfer budget may still need to be agreed, but with Palace now aiming for Dyche, we feel that will only spell good news for the Hoops going forward if Howe is their man.

In other news: Manager of Premier League giants talks to Celtic star ahead of possible summer move, find out how it went here. 

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie has shared his delight over Keinan Davis’ recent impact at Villa Park.

The 23-year-old has been coming off the bench for Dean Smith’s side of late and has by no means done a bad job in these cameos, including against Fulham and when he netted the equaliser against West Bromwich Albion last weekend.

It was Davis, after being brought on for Morgan Sanson just before the 70th minute, who helped Villa to make it 2-1 versus the west London club when he set up fellow substitute Trezeguet for his second goal of the game, before his injury-time strike against the Baggies.

After initially going down, in the end, it was a good day for Davis and Villa, and Hendrie has since praised the English forward for his recent displays.

Speaking exclusively to FFC about the player, Hendrie said:

“I’m really, really pleased for Keinan. He’s got himself back fit again and I’ve got to say he’s really impressed me. The only thing with Keinan is that he just doesn’t score enough goals, which is the big downfall for him because the work he does in and around the pitch.

“Every time I’ve seen him come on, he does look like something different that Villa [can] bring and, you know, fortunate for Ollie that he’s coming on and giving him that second striker, which is helping him out there.”

Last season, Davis failed to score in any of his Premier League appearances, so there is definitely work to be done there.