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Journalist Charlie Wyett has shared a significant seven-word update on Southampton manager Nathan Jones.

The Lowdown: Saints slump…

Since hiring the former Luton Town boss, Southampton have managed just two wins in all competitions – a Carabao Cup victory over Man City and a 2-1 win at Everton in the Premier League.

The south coast side are looking like firm favourites for relegation this season, currently lying at the foot of the table with more losses on the board than any other top flight side.

The Latest: Wyett shares significant Jones update…

Sharing an update on Twitter, reporter Wyett has shared a seven-word update on Jones amid this terrible run of form.

The journalist states members of Saints’ squad are starting to lose faith in the 49-year-old in what could be a potentially significant development.

He explained: “Nathan Jones losing confidence of Southampton squad.”

The Verdict: Must leave…

Jones’ bizarre rant after Southampton’s most recent 3-0 defeat to Brentford spoke volumes that the head coach may not be ready for a job this big in one of Europe’s most prestigious divisions.

The Welshman compared himself to some of the best managers on the continent and, perhaps most surprisingly, blamed Southampton players for Jones having to compromise on playing style.

The Saints are currently three points off safety but it’s worth noting that Leeds, who occupy the nearest safe spot in 17th, possess a game in hand and have already commenced their search for a new manager.

Jones looks set to get the looming encounter with Wolves this weekend, but if the match doesn’t end with a result for Southampton, club owners Sport Republic must surely have to start mapping out potential replacements.

Aston Villa are in talks to bring Fenerbahce striker Enner Valencia to the Premier League this summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Senior reinforcement required

Following the departure of Danny Ings who joined West Ham in January, Unai Emery moved quickly to secure his replacement in 19-year-old Jhon Duran, but a more senior attacking reinforcement could be needed to provide competition for Ollie Watkins.

The Ecuadorian international will be out of contract in the Super Lig at the end of the season which has alerted potential suitors that he could be available on a free, and NSWE are already laying the groundwork on a deal to bring him to the Midlands.

The Latest: Villa make Valencia contact

According to print editon of The Sunday Mirror (via TEAMtalk), Villa have ‘opened talks’ regarding a potential move for Valencia this summer, with the club ‘keen’ to offer him an initial one-year deal with the option of a second.

Emery is reportedly a ‘big fan’ of the 33-year-old, and it sounds like negotiations are progressing in the right direction.

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The Verdict: Massive coup

Valencia has been dubbed a ‘baller’ by journalist Josh Bunting and it would be a massive coup for the Villans should they be able to secure his services ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The Esmeraldas native has racked up an unbelievable 24 goal contributions in just 18 league outings so far this season where he’s currently averaging 3.3 shots per 90 minutes (WhoScored).

Valencia is standing out as Fenerbache’s undisputed star as their top goal scorer and best-performing player by average match rating in the Turkish Super Lig (WhoScored).

Emery’s target would bring plenty of leadership qualities being the captain of Ecuador and he also has previous top-flight experience having endured a spell at West Ham, making him a perfect addition in the final third.

West Ham are reportedly considering a number of candidates should they choose to sack David Moyes in the coming weeks and Carlos Corberan could be a big upgrade on the Scotsman at the London Stadium.

Could Corberan replace Moyes at West Ham?

According to The Guardian, Moyes could survive with the Hammers due to a lack of available options, although Corberan is viewed as a future target after his recent transformation of West Brom.

The Spaniard was recently linked with a return to Leeds United, as he worked as a coach under Marcelo Bielsa at Elland Road, but he instead affirmed his commitment to the Baggies, where he has proven to be a revelation since taking over from Steve Bruce late last year.

During his time with the Yorkshire club, he would earn a lot of praise from the legendary Bielsa, who said:

“Carlos is a good colleague, I have found that. He is very talented. I listen more to his opinion than I give mine to him.”

However, should West Brom falter in their hopes of achieving promotion back to the top flight this season, then Corberan may well be tempted with a move to the London Stadium, provided that the Hammers can maintain their own Premier League status.

Saturday’s game at home to Nottingham Forest is a crucial one from West Ham’s perspective and another loss could be the final straw for the West Ham board, so it is no surprise that they are already being linked with potential successors to Moyes, and the stats suggest that Corberan could be an upgrade.

Would Corberan be better for West Ham than Moyes?

This season has seen Moyes muster just 0.87 points per game in the Premier League with West Ham, which if maintained, could easily see the Hammers drop into the second tier just a year after reaching the Europa League semi-final.

In his second spell with the club, the former Manchester United boss has taken charge of 154 matches in total, winning 69, drawing 28 and losing 57, with an overall points-per-game record of 1.54, which emphasises how disappointing this season has been.

Corberan, meanwhile, would massively overachieve with Huddersfield Town during his time with the Terriers, averaging 1.41 points per match before leading them to the Championship playoff final last season, before a less successful stint with Olympiacos.

However, the 39-year-old’s return to England has proven to be an inspired decision by the West Brom board, as he has transformed them from relegation candidates to promotion contenders, averaging a phenomenal 1.84 points per game with the Baggies thus far.

Therefore, he has experience in turning struggling sides around and given that West Ham’s Premier League status is on the line, Corberan would surely be an upgrade on Moyes given their respective performances so far this campaign.

Chelsea are still interested in making a move for Borussia Dortmund and England ace Jude Bellingham this summer, according to journalist Matt Law.

The Lowdown: Bellingham Europe’s most wanted

The England international is one of the world’s most sought-after players at the moment, having produced a string of influential performances for club and country.

Bellingham is already a star man for Dortmund but he looks likely to leave this summer and Chelsea have been linked with a big-money swoop for him.

The Blues face plenty of competition for the 19-year-old’s services, however, with a number of their Premier League rivals keen on snapping him up.

The Latest: Chelsea still keen on signing

According to The Telegraph‘s Law, Chelsea are still keen on signing Bellingham in the summer, despite landing Enzo Fernandez in January.

The Blues are accepting that they are not necessarily the favourites to get their man, however, with others in front of them in the pecking order currently.

The Verdict: Game-changing addition

Bellingham could be a sensational signing for Chelsea if they managed to entice him to Stamford Bridge, with few players on the planet possessing more potential right now.

At 19, he has already won 22 caps for England and made 119 appearances for Dortmund, being described as a ‘superstar’ by Manchester United legend Roy Keane.

Bellingham could help transform Chelsea’s midfield, dovetailing beautifully with the similarly prodigious Fernandez and forming a world-class midfield for many years.

Despite his tender years, the Dortmund maestro already looks like a complete midfielder, averaging 3.2 tackles per game for England at the 2022 World Cup and also scoring ten times for his club side this term, in all competitions.

Journalist James McNicholas has revealed that Arsenal defenders Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba had an on-pitch “disagreement” at full-time after the club’s recent win.

What’s the latest on Gabriel, Saliba and Arsenal? In their latest Premier League game, the Gunners managed to extend their lead at the top of the table as they picked up a victory against Leicester City.Indeed, a single second-half goal from Gabriel Martinelli gave Mikel Arteta’s men an important 1-0 win away against the Foxes at the King Power Stadium.Despite the three points and the clean sheet, it seems as though Arsenal centre-backs Saliba and Gabriel had some reason to be upset with one another.Indeed while speaking on YouTube after the game, McNicholas noted the duo had an angry exchange on the pitch when the full-time whistle blew.He explained (3:24): “There was a bit of a disagreement at full-time between Saliba and Gabriel, I noticed, about I don’t know putting the ball out of play or whatever it might have been.”Listen, that’s good, it shows standards are high. Arsenal just won to go five points clear at the top of the table and they’re still looking for perfection, they’re still looking for more.”How important are Saliba and Gabriel to Arsenal?Considering the Gunners got the win and limited Leicester to just one shot in the entire game (which was off-target) it’s safe to say the two defenders did their job extremely well on the day.With that in mind, it’s easy to see why McNicholas notes this as an example of high standards between the duo who were still not entirely satisfied when the game ended.Gabriel has started every league game alongside Saliba so far this term, tasting defeat just three times across 24 games – proving just how available they are to the north London club.All in all, it sounds as though this shouldn’t be anything to worry about for Arteta and the club’s fans. Indeed, passions may have been running high in the heat of the moment but it seems unlikely that the pair will fall out over this issue.

Everton were rightfully denied a second penalty on Sunday in their game against Nottingham Forest after a coming-together between Seamus Coleman and Jack Colback, according to Dermot Gallagher.

Why weren’t Everton awarded another penalty?

Sean Dyches’ men took the lead in the game at the City Ground having won a penalty which was then converted by Demarai Gray inside the opening minutes.

However, they could have had the opportunity to score their second of the game just moments later after their Irish right-back was brought down inside the box.

It appeared as if Colback caught the heels of Coleman with the Forest midfielder chasing the Everton man into the box as he closed in on Keylor Navas’ goal.

But speaking on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch, Gallagher has suggested the referee came to the right decision despite recognising it was a decision which will divide football fans:

“This is going to divide people. I think this is actually not a penalty. I think Coleman catches Colback’s foot as he is about to shoot. And that is what throws him off balance.

“It wasn’t an outstretched foot from Colback. The McNeil one was a tackle. It is what it is. I spoke to loads of people who thought it was a penalty. When it’s such a tough, tough call, then VAR won’t get involved.”

Will Everton avoid the drop?

Given the struggles Everton have endured this season and with results under Dyche perhaps not picking up in the way some would have hoped, three points on the weekend would have felt like a huge result.

Instead, it feels as if this decision could be one which could potentially be looked back upon at the end of the campaign as a defining moment in their season.

Three points against Steve Cooper’s side would have lifted the Toffees out of the bottom three and up to 16th place following the results elsewhere over the weekend.

And having played an extra game compared to the teams around them, three points would have also put pressure on their relegation rivals.

However, it was not given and perhaps there is no point dwelling on the decision but it is certainly one which has been recognised as one which can be seen through the eyes of the Everton fans.

There was seemingly contact from Colback but whether Coleman also caught the Forest man or not may have played a part in the decision-making.

It feels as if it is one which will be filed under the clumsy category but that is not something which will entertain Everton fans as their side continues to battle against the drop.

TalkSport pundit Ally McCoist has claimed it would be “business madness” to let Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane leave for free is he doesn’t sign a new contract.

What’s the latest on Harry Kane’s Spurs contract?

As things stand, the England captain is the subject of much transfer speculation. Indeed, with his current deal set to expire in 2024, he seems to have reached a pivotal point in his career.

He could stay at Spurs to try and cement his status as a club legend, or he could try and seek out success at a top club where he is more likely to win the first silverware of his career.

By the end of the season, he will have just one year left on his contract. This means, if he won’t renew, Spurs will have to sell him in the summer in order to extract his maximum value in the transfer market. If not, they could hold onto him for one more campaign, but he would be free to leave for free in 2024.

While speaking about this possibility on TalkSport prior to Spurs’ Champions League exit in midweek, McCoist claimed that Daniel Levy would not allow this to come to pass, and so it seems as though the player’s future will be decided this summer.

On the matter, the pundit said: “Absolutely no chance, and the one man that wouldn’t allow that to happen will be Daniel Levy.

“I mean, one thing, Daniel Levy is a very, very, very astute businessman. There can be no argument with that. So it would be business madness to let an £80m, £100m asset leave 12 months later from nothing.

“So that will not happen, that can’t happen.”

Will Kane leave Tottenham this summer?

Amid all this contract uncertainty, Manchester United look to be the favourites to land the striker at the moment. What’s more, The Sun reports that he could be signed for less than the £100m asking price currently expected.

It’s pointed out that if Spurs don’t finish in Champions League spaces this season, they won’t be able to quite demand as much for Kane as they would like.

Even so, it’s likely that Levy would still be able to get a figure close to £100m for his club’s star player but if he isn’t sold in the summer, they’ll need the 29-year-old to sign a new deal or else risk losing him for nothing.

Kane has given so much to the club – and is now Tottenham’s all-time top scorer – but having yet to win a trophy, it remains unclear if the club can offer him what he’ll want in the next stage of his career.

It certainly will be a fascinating situation to watch unfold this summer as his true ambitions become clear.

Newcastle United could potentially look to Barcelona's Raphinha as a possible option in the summer transfer window given the club's financial struggles.

Is Raphinha for sale?

Reports coming out of Spain have suggested the former Leeds United winger could well be on the move in the summer as the La Liga side could look to cash in on him amid their financial issues.

And it is believed there is interest coming from the Premier League already with the likes of Newcastle and Chelsea both credited with an interest.

Barca have been set with a huge task of raising £178m before they are able to enter the summer transfer window which could leave force their hand into selling players like Raphinha.

And speaking on the Football Insider YouTube channel, Jacque Talbot has suggested this would be a real statement signing for the Magpies if they were able to bring the 26-year-old back to England:

"He's a key member – is he a crucial member of Barcelona? Doesn't seem like he's a crucial member. And so I wonder, [if they] can get a big fee for him, then he's certainly on [their transfer list]. He's certainly one Newcastle would like, I feel, and I would be delighted if he came as well.

"Although he doesn't have the versatility, I suppose, of playing down the middle, I don't think. So, there's that, but that'd be a huge statement signing as well to bring him back [to the Premier League]."

Would Raphinha improve Newcastle?

Since landing at the Nou Camp last summer, Raphinha has racked up 24 appearances in the Spanish top flight under Xavi where he has returned six goals and four assists (via Transfermarkt).

However, it is also worth noting that only 14 of those 24 appearances have come from the starting XI with the Brazilian not exactly a key member of the starting lineup.

But in his last five league starts for Barca, the 26-year-old has been able to provide an impressive return of four goals and an assist (via Transfermarkt).

So it will be interesting to see how the remainder of the campaign will play out for the former Leeds winger, who is beginning to show signs of what he could provide to Xavi's side if he is given a consistent run of starts.

But due to Barca's financial issues, it will be interesting to see who the club potentially look to cash in on and Raphinha could well be one of them, having earned a lot of interest from the Premier League when he was leaving Leeds in the summer.

Both Arsenal and Chelsea were believed to be battling it out for the 26-year-old – hailed a "magician" by ex-teammate Daniel James – before Barca came swooping in.

And on the back of his recent form, the Brazilian could certainly offer Eddie Howe with a dangerous option from the right.

However, with Miguel Almiron stepping his game up to another level this season, it would leave the 45-year-old with an interesting selection choice if Raphinha was to land on Tyneside.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte’s job is now ‘completely untenable’ as a result of his rant in the press conference following the 3-3 draw against Southampton, according to journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke.

The Lowdown: Scathing attack

After his side threw away a 3-1 lead to draw against a struggling Southampton side yesterday, Conte launched a scathing attack on his players, branding them ‘selfish’ and unwilling to ‘help each other’.

The Italian claimed the disappointing result was the ‘last straw’, while also appearing to take a swipe at the Tottenham ownership, saying: “Tottenham’s story is this – 20 years there is this owner and they never won something. Why?”

After the bombshell press conference, there has been speculation about the manager’s future at the club, with talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor insisting Daniel Levy needs to sack him as he ‘doesn’t want to be there anymore.’

The Latest: Pitt-Brooke reacts

Taking to Twitter to react to Conte’s comments to the press, Pitt Brooke said: “Never seen anything like that Antonio Conte press conference just now. 10 minutes of trying to take everyone else down with him. It was such an amazing performance you almost had to admire it.”

The Athletic journalist later added: “I don’t see how Conte can plausibly make it to Goodison Park on 3 April after this. He has made his own job completely untenable.”

The Verdict: Conte must go

The 53-year-old made a few very good points during his explosive rant, particularly in his criticism of the Spurs hierarchy being unable to compete for major trophies since taking over the club in 2001, which indicates a serious problem at board level.

This group of players has also let down far too many managers, with Conte, who has won nine trophies in his managerial career, becoming the latest coach unable to get a tune out of this Tottenham squad, with serial winner Jose Mourinho also struggling.

That said, it could be very weak of the Spurs board to allow the former Juventus boss to continue after so openly criticising his higher-ups, while he may have also damaged his relationship with some of the players after his heavy criticism.

Tottenham have been presented with an opportune time to part with Conte, given that we are now heading into an international break, and it could be wise to part ways with the manager, as keeping him will likely do them no favours in their push to finish in the top four.

Tottenham Hotspur are believed to have shortlisted Mauricio Pochettino and Luis Enrique as potential successor for Antonio Conte and both are said to be keen to return to football.

When will Spurs sack Conte?

It is reported a possible early exit for the Italian and his backroom staff is now ominous after Conte's comments in his post-match press conference over the weekend.

Talks are believed to be taking place over a compensation package which would see the 53-year-old pack his bags ahead of his contractual departure at the end of the season.

A shortlist of managers is believed to have been drawn up by Fabio Paratici and two of them are said to be keen to make their return to management.

Indeed, speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has claimed Pochettino and Enrique are both eager to get back into the thick of it amid their links to the job in N17:

"Mauricio Pochettino wants to return to training as soon as possible. Also, the same for Luis Enrique. He wants to be back coaching as soon as possible.

"So these two coaches are waiting to understand what kind of projects there will be around Europe – not just at Tottenham, but also other possibilities."

Who should Spurs appoint as their new manager?

If you are to narrow their options down to these two managers, there are some significant differences between what they could look to bring to Spurs.

One of the biggest issues for Spurs fans will have had with Conte's tenure is the dismal style of football which has been on display in north London.

And that is something which Pochettino would look to change, having previously played attack-minded football during his time at Spurs previously.

On the other hand, there could well be concerns as to whether Spurs have the players available to implement his possession-based style of football.

But what is perhaps even more intriguing ahead of the summer than who Spurs bring in as their new manager is the future of Harry Kane.

Pochettino is believed to have maintained a healthy relationship with the England captain since leaving north London back in 2019.

And it is possible Kane could potentially be persuaded to stay and sign a new deal by either manager with Enrique also bringing vast experience from his time with Barcelona and the Spanish national side.

But if Kane is to leave, it will leave Spurs with an even bigger project and it could potentially be seen as an opportunity to completely start again with a younger managerial option.