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Everton progressed to the next round of the Carabao Cup at the expense of Burnley, the Toffees resoundingly winning 3-0 against their lowly Premier League opponents to seal their spot in the next round draw.

Sean Dyche fielded a strong lineup for this Cup clash against his former employers, the 52-year old's decision to keep faith with his trusted group of players instead of resting key individuals paying off with the Blues dominant throughout.

From a Clarets perspective, it's now four defeats on the spin with this upcoming Saturday seeing Vincent Kompany's men return to league action versus Roy Hodgson's Crystal Palace low on confidence.

Everton will be jubilant, on the other hand, that they've managed to back up a positive victory away at West Ham with an emphatic home win over Burnley with Dyche's men controlling the match from the get-go.

James Garner would provide a Man of the Match-worthy performance from the centre of the park, the ex-Nottingham Forest man a big hit currently with the Goodison Park faithful.

How Everton beat Burnley

Despite only having 38% of the ball, Everton were still very much good value for the win with Dyche's Toffees showing their clinical edge in front of goal.

James Tarkowski would open the scoring against his ex-side, teed up for his header that would ripple past Arijanet Muric in the Clarets net by fellow former Burnley man Dwight McNeil.

Amadou Onana and Ashley Young would both chip in with strikes of their own to kill the contest in the second half, Dyche's side cruising towards the next round.

In contrast, Burnley exited the competition with barely any fight or energy apparent – only registering one solitary shot on target all night, as Everton romped home to a win under the Goodison Park floodlights.

Despite not getting on the scoresheet, Garner was the talk of the town after the match with the former Manchester United man continuing to endear himself to the Merseyside fanbase after a move to the Toffees last year.

James Garner's stats vs Burnley

One of the first names on his manager's team sheet at this moment in time – Garner ever-present for the Blues in their last five top-flight matches – it's clear to see why Dyche continues to select the 22-year-old centrally based on his imposing display versus Burnley.

Against the Clarets, Garner was instrumental in ensuring his team remained solid at the back whilst also helping his team push forward with pace and energy to catch out Vincent Kompany's side.

He would come away from this Cup encounter with a 7.4 Sofascore rating, winning all of the six ground duels attempted against his opponents whilst also successfully completing all of his dribbles for Dyche's men when the Toffees needed him further up the pitch.

Such a performance was rightfully praised by the Liverpool Echo's Connor O'Neill who handed the youngster a 7/10 match rating, before declaring: "Produced a vital interception to prevent a Burnley equaliser during the opening 45 minutes. A cool and composed figure in the middle of the pitch."

In general, this campaign has seen Garner excel at Goodison Park after a mediocre first term.

The £30k-per-week midfielder was again pivotal in Everton's last Premier League match versus West Ham, not in an attacking sense but very much so when helping out his defensive teammates – intercepting the ball three times against the Hammers to bravely break up the play, whilst throwing himself into four tackles to aid his side's pursuit of a clean sheet and the crucial three points.

Garner will hope he can continue this personal purple patch when the Toffees face off against Roberto De Zerbi's Brighton on Saturday, helping his side tick again with the aim of picking up three wins on the trot for the first time this season.

Since taking the Rangers job back in October, Philippe Clement has enjoyed a flawless start, avoiding defeat in his first seven games, which has included six wins in what has been an incredibly impressive run. And whilst the Scottish Premiership title race still has Celtic eight points clear having played an extra game, the Gers are still sticking around.

After settling into life at Ibrox seamlessly, Clement may well have his eye on potential reinforcements for the future, which could include the signing of one particular youngster.

Rangers transfer news

The Gers had a summer transfer window to forget under Michael Beale, who was made to pay the ultimate price for that failure when he was dismissed earlier this season. The likes of Cyriel Dessers and Sam Lammers never really got going under the former boss so their immediate focus could be to improve Clement's current options in January, but looking ahead to the future, those at Ibrox may soon welcome a Scottish Premiership gem.

According to TeamTalk, Rangers are eyeing a move for Motherwell teenager Lennon Miller, who has become an important part of Stuart Kettlewell's side. The 17-year-old has reportedly attracted interest from Rangers and Celtic, as well as Premier League sides Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, Brentford, West Ham United, Newcastle United and Brighton & Hove Albion.

If Rangers want to secure the midfielder's signature, it looks like they may have to act quickly in a deal that could be worthwhile, given Miller's versatility and potential at such a young age. The Motherwell youngster can play both as a defensive and attacking midfielder, as well as on the right of midfield. He's already experienced the atmosphere of Ibrox, too, as he made his Scottish Premiership debut at Rangers last season.

Rangers eye move for "unbelievable" Miller

Miller could be a shrewd target for Rangers, as they look to get back to their best in the transfer market. The 17-year-old's best is likely yet to come, which is a frightening prospect when considering that he's already made 13 starts and attracted the interest of top clubs in both Scotland and England this season.

Motherwell captain Liam Kelly hasn't hesitated to sing the praises of Miller this season, either, even after his red card against Livingston. Kelly said:

"It will probably not be his last, these things are going to happen in his career. He has been unbelievable for us, and that’s not a thing that’s anything to do with his age, that could have happened to any of our players in that moment. He’s got a wise head on his shoulders, so he will be absolutely fine. We all love him, we’ve got so much faith in him as a player, and it’s going to happen in his career, this is just the first time it has.

"He was absolutely gutted, but he knows that’s part and parcel of football. We were hoping to bail him out, but we didn’t, and there were people who made mistakes for the goals after it, and we got punished. Lennon’s mistake wasn’t the only mistake we made in the game, we made loads, myself included.”

Lionesses stars Beth Mead and Alessia Russo were on target as Arsenal outclassed Leicester City in the Women's Super League.

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• Mead and Russo were on target for Arsenal
• Gunners beat Leicester City 3-0
• Kept up the pressure on Chelsea and Man City

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Mead opened the scoring in the 28th minute with a crisp finish from a scintillating move produced by the Gunners. Russo then doubled the team's lead in the 75th minute after receiving a pass from Steph Catley, who had made a brilliant solo run down the middle. Three minutes later, Mead completed her brace as her team registered a comfortable 3-0 win over The Foxes.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  With the win at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, Jonas Eidevall's side kept up the pressure on Chelsea and Manchester City. They currently find themselves third in the WSL table, three points behind the Blues and six behind league leaders City.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

  The North London side will be next seen in action on April 28 as they take on Everton in an important WSL clash.

USMNT star Weston McKennie and his Juventus teammate Kenan Yildiz had a hilarious interaction in Bianconeri training.

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• McKennie & Yildiz goofing off in Juve training
• Turkish teen has hilarious response
• Juventus preparing for Cagliari clash

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The American rolled into training for the Old Lady imitating DC Comics superhero Spiderman, shooting a web from his hand before throwing his body into a somersault until he rolled out into another web-shooting pose. The Turkish teenager, who trailed behind him, wasn't as amused with the theatrics.

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  Yildiz has been one of the breakout stars of the Bianconeri's 2023/24 Serie A campaign. The 18-year-old has one goal in 18 appearances this season in the league, but has established himself as one of the brightest prospects in Italian football. McKennie, meanwhile, has been a crucial asset to Juventus' campaign this season. The Bianconeri are currently in negotiations with the USMNT star about a contract extension.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR JUVENTUS?

  Juventus are back in action at the weekend, taking on Cagliari on Friday in Serie A action. The third-place Bianconeri will take on the relegation candidates in a clash of opposite ends of the table.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe looks set to become Manchester United’s minority shareholder after his 25% bid has been accepted by the Glazers.

He has agreed to buy a quarter of the club for £1.3b and this could give Erik ten Hag a new lease of life in charge of the club.

The Old Trafford side have endured a dismal start to the 2023/24 campaign, winning just nine of their opening 18 matches and this sort of form seems unlikely lead them to much success.

They currently occupy sixth place in the Premier League table and while they may only be seven points off the summit, recent performances against the top four suggest they will not be challenging for a title this term.

The Dutchman has not been helped with an injury crisis engulfing his squad, while his summer arrivals have failed to sparkle domestically and these factors have meant United have struggled.

With clashes against Newcastle United, Chelsea, and Liverpool to come in the next few weeks, along with tough Champions League ties against Bayern Munich and Galatasaray, ten Hag will need to see some vast improvement, and fast.

The January transfer window is fast approaching and could the former Ajax boss perhaps delve into the market and bolster his faltering squad?

Man Utd transfer news

Having spent £191.7m during the summer window, it remains to be seen how much money ten Hag will have to spend, and he may need to move a few players on in order to raise funds.

According to Portuguese outlet Record, however, the Red Devils are eyeing up a move for youngster Joao Neves in the upcoming January transfer window.

The club have scouted the player numerous times recently, most notably last weekend where he scored an equaliser for Benfica against Sporting CP before his side netted the winner just a few minutes later.

There is one major problem, however; money. The midfielder has a release clause which currently stands at €120m (£105m) and with a contract at the Portuguese side until 2028, ten Hag is going to have to break the bank to secure a deal for the talented gem.

Ratcliffe's arrival could provide fresh optimism, as could a splash from ten Hag to allow Neves to arrive in Manchester, as he would be the ideal player to replace Casemiro, who has been linked with an exit recently.

Casemiro’s future is in doubt at Man Utd

The midfielder has missed the previous seven games for United having suffered an injury while on international duty with Brazil in October.

He could be in his final furlong with the club, however, as Ratcliffe apparently wants to move him on in order to create space in the squad for other players.

This could suggest they are ready to cash in on the former Real Madrid midfielder, who they only signed in 2022 for a fee in the region of £70m and although he improved their midfield last term, some may question a fee of that size for a player who they are now prepared to move on after 18 months at the club.

There is interest from Saudi Arabia for the Brazilian and considering he still has two-and-a-half-years left on his current contract, ten Hag could be able to recoup some of the cash he spent on him in 2022.

He was instrumental in United winning their first trophy in six years, scoring in the EFL Cup final against Newcastle while helping the side secure third spot in the league.

Due to injury, however, he has only played eight league matches and with the interest from the Middle East apparent, the Dutchman could move him on and use the funds to try and lure Neves to England.

Joao Neves’ career statistics

This time last year, the 19-year-old had yet to make his debut for Benfica, but with the Portuguese club selling Enzo Fernández to Chelsea in January, a slot opened up in the midfield, and he hasn’t looked back since.

He played 20 times for the club during the second half of last season, scoring once, but it has been the previous few months that has seen his performances attract attention from other clubs.

As you can see in the table above, Neves has offered a similar level of defensive protection out of possession whilst being able to offer far more to his team on the ball this season.

Hailed as “highly talented” by talent scout Jacek Kulig alongside other Benfica gems, the midfielder has played a part in every Benfica game already this term, adding a goal and an assist in the process.

Indeed, he currently ranks fourth in the squad for accurate passes per game (53.7), along with ranking third for big chances created (three), fourth for successful dribbles per game (1.4), and third for accurate long passes per game (3.8), certainly proving that he belongs at the elite and is one of Benfica’s best performers across these metrics this season.

The teenager also ranks highly across a range of defensive metrics when compared to his positional peers. According to FBref, Neves ranks in the top 5% for tackles per 90 (3.44) along with ranking in the top 1% for blocks per 90 (2.18) and in the top 11% for aerial duels won per 90 (1.98) which suggests that, alongside his excellent passing abilities and forward-thinking mindset, the youngster is also effective defensively.

These attributes could ensure Neves would become an ideal heir for Casemiro, especially as he would be able to slot straight into the heart of the midfield given his experience in the Portuguese top flight and the Champions League.

The Dutchman may need to rejuvenate what appears to be a squad that is stagnating and injecting some young talent into the engine room could be an excellent way of giving the side a jolt.

Signing Neves could be a costly venture, given his reported release clause but, over time, he has the potential to develop into a midfielder who can shine in the Premier League.

He does not turn 20 until next September, giving the Old Trafford side plenty of time to work with him and build him into a top-class central midfielder.

If Ratcliffe can receive a decent fee for Casemiro in January, then this should enable the club to make a concrete offer for Neves, who could come in as the heir to the Brazilian's position.

Sunderland have been having to make do without a “fantastic” player because of injury, but a key update has emerged regarding his return, courtesy of reliable journalist James Hunter.

Sunderland's injury problems

The Black Cats were hoping to return from the international break with a win away to Plymouth Argyle on Saturday afternoon, but that didn't prove to be the case.

Instead, Tony Mowbray's men slumped to a 2-0 defeat on the south coast, and that result coupled with other scorelines throughout the day means that Sunderland have dropped to ninth place in the Championship table.

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In fairness, injuries aren't necessarily helping Mowbray at the moment, with a number of players unavailable as they tackle respective fitness issues.

Defender Aji Alese is one player who is currently absent, with his return not expected to arrive for another few weeks, while youngster Mason Burstow, who joined on loan from Charlton Athletic in the summer, also missed the loss to Plymouth.

Mason Burstow injury latest

Providing an injury update on X after Saturday's game, Hunter claimed that Sunderland loanee Burstow is expected to return to the fold in the near future.

Tony Mowbray expects Mason Burstow back in action very soon after he missed safc's defeat at Plymouth."

Meanwhile, in his report for The Chronicle, Hunter gave more depth on the matter, explaining that Burstow could even be back for the visit of lowly Huddersfield Town at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday evening:

"Mason Burstow is expected to be available for Sunderland's midweek game against Huddersfield Town despite missing the trip to Plymouth Argyle through injury. On-loan Chelsea striker Burstow has not been starting games recently, with boss Tony Mowbray giving Nazariy Rusyn a chance instead, he but has been involved from the subs' bench.

"Mowbray did not give any details of the nature of Burstow's injury but indicated that it was a minor issue, saying he is set to train tomorrow and be in contention when the Terriers visit the Stadium of Light on Wednesday evening."

Burstow has done a solid job for Sunderland since arriving on a temporary basis from Sunderland, and while he isn't necessarily one of the first names on Mowbray's team sheet, he is still a handy squad player who it is important to have available.

The 20-year-old has started seven Championship games for the Black Cats this season, also making two substitute appearances in the competition, but no goals have come his way, and only one assist.

For Burstow to become a more key figure upon his return from injury, he needs to improve his end product, especially considering he is a forward, with his contribution something that could be vital to Sunderland's promotion chances.

The youngster is clearly a talent, with former Charlton manager Johnnie Jackson once describing his progress as "fantastic" and calling him a "really humble young man", and it's now a case of finding some consistency and delivering goals and assists at a more regular rate.

Thomas Muller gave a hilarious response when asked about the dispute between Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel and Uli Hoeness

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• Tuchel set to leave Bayern in a few weeks
• Accused of neglecting youth by Hoeness
• Muller refuses to get involved

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  On Friday, Hoeness accused Tuchel of not wanting to work with his younger players and the former Chelsea man took the insult to heart, eventually batting away the criticism in front of the media. The honorary president went on to claim that the German head coach does not think he can improve the likes of Alphonso Davies or Jamal Musiala. Muller, one of the senior figures at the club, refused to be drawn into the argument and stated his job is to perform on the pitch.

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• WHAT THOMAS MULLER SAID

  Speaking to Sky, the veteran attacker said: "If you ask great questions, then of course we take notice. Patrick, you are one of the best sports journalists. There will be no background noises with us. I quoted Oli Kahn before: 'I don't give a sh*t.' – I know that just as I try to be there for the goal scoring chances, you are of course always looking for the finish."

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  The tension between the senior figures at the club and Tuchel has stemmed from Bayern's poor campaign that led to them failing to win the Bundesliga for the first time since 2012. The Bavarians still have a shot at winning the Champions League but there is evidence that things are starting to sour as Tuchel prepares to depart. Having spent a hefty sum on Harry Kane in the summer, there is an understanable disappointment across the board that Bayern have been unable to dominate.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR TUCHEL?

  The former Champions League winner has been linked with a move back to the Premier League with ex-club Chelsea reportedly interested alongside Manchester United. Tuchel has proved in the past that he can implement a winning formula and he will likely have no shortage of options when he departs the Allianz Arena in a few weeks time.

It's been reported this week that Chelsea are "set to cash in" on one of their "selfless" players next month, even if he actually wants to stay.

Chelsea transfer plans for January

Despite spending in and around £400 million in the summer transfer window, Mauricio Pochettino's side have undergone a mixed bag of form so far this season.

Sitting in and around mid-table, the Blues could seriously improve in some areas, as some issues arguably lie both in defence and further forward.

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The Blues need to offload players.

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Long-serving centre-back Thiago Silva also looks set to leave Chelsea when his contract expires in 2024, prompting reports that chairman Todd Boehly and co are eyeing his successor.

Chelsea have been linked with Bayer Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah in this regard, while other media sources believe Napoli star Victor Osimhen is a top target for Pochettino as he chases a prolific goalscorer.

Boehly's heavy spending over the last 12 months, though, means Chelsea may have to sell on more of their squad members in an attempt to comply with FFP.

Chelsea "set to cash in" on Chalobah

This is echoed by TEAMtalk, who claim that outgoings are set to be a big theme of Chelsea's January transfer business.

One player who now seems more and more likely to leave is versatile defender, Trevoh Chalobah. The 24-year-old seems out of favour under Pochettino, with Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest thought to be potential landing spots for him mid-season.

The player himself wants to remain at Stamford Bridge, but Chelsea are "set to cash in" on Chalobah regardless. The Englishman has been in west London since childhood, though it now appears likely he'll wave goodbye to his boyhood club in January.

While Pochettino doesn't see Chalobah as viable for the long-term, he's a player who appears to have split opinion at Chelsea over the last 12 months.

Former interim boss Frank Lampard, for instance, was actually a big fan of his.

“He’s such a selfless lad. He doesn’t say ‘I want to play in this position,” said Lampard to the media last season.

“Maybe (his best position) will become apparent, but I think he’s played really well in a back three for the club. (He had) a really good period when he first got into the team, he can play well as a centre-back in a back four and at right-back. The bigger picture is the way he’s been applying himself since I’ve come back.

“He’s a delight to train with every day because he comes in with an enthusiasm, low maintenance, and when you talk about the things you want, he tries to do them on the pitch, which is a great thing.

“In my short period here, you look at what are the games and the individual players, I’ve been very happy. I was looking forward to working with Trev because I didn’t get that chance when I was here before.”

Tom Brady has been roasted by his former New England Patriots boss Bill Belichick after seeing Birmingham relegated out of the Championship.

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• American football icon invested in Blues
• Has seen them tumble into the third tier
• Vowed to help deliver a brighter future

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  It was revealed early in the 2023-24 campaign that NFL legend Brady had acquired a stake in the Blues and would be taking on a role as chairman of the advisory board. His debut campaign at St Andrew’s proved to be a forgettable one.

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  After taking a gamble on Manchester United great Wayne Rooney at one stage, and working with four different managers across the season as a whole, Birmingham slipped out of the second tier on the final day after falling one point short of safety.

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  WHAT BELICHICK SAID

  Brady has already vowed that a brighter future lies ahead for Birmingham, but he is having to take criticism for now. Belichick, who oversaw six Super Bowl wins for Brady in New England, said at ‘The Roast of Tom Brady’ for : “I see your soccer team Birmingham City got knocked down another tier in the English football leagues. For those not familiar with English football and the intricacies of their obscure regulation system… let me put it in English for you: they suck. Not so easy running a team, is it Tom?”

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• WHAT NEXT FOR BRADY?

  Birmingham are back in the third tier of English football for the first time since 1994-95. They will be rubbing shoulders with Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney and Co next season, with Wrexham earning promotion into League One.

Southampton, once a bastion of intelligent recruitment and transfer window proficiency, quickly became a case study of how things can go so wrong so fast for clubs in the Premier League if decision-making at the highest level isn't up to scratch.

Having once signed the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Sadio Mane, Dejan Lovren, Morgan Schneiderlin and Dusan Tadic, the Saints were able to be successful on the pitch and move these players on while accumulating a profit.

Brighton and Hove Albion and Aston Villa have followed this blueprint in recent seasons and have been highly successful. However, Southampton should be an example to the two sides for how quickly things can spiral with poor recruitment.

The last time the south coast club accumulated more profit than expenditure during a transfer window prior to this summer was back in the 2017/18 season. Since then, the club have spent more money on bringing new players to the club than they have sold.

Some of Southampton's signings in recent seasons have been disastrous, which piqued in 2023 as the side were relegated to the Championship, having enjoyed an eleven-year stay in the top-flight. A lot of these signings have since parted ways, including one expensive purchase who has flopped since leaving the St. Mary's Stadium.

Southampton's balance sheet since 2018

In 2018, inflated by the departure of Van Dijk to Liverpool, Southampton had a positive balance sheet, having made more money on player departures than what went the opposite way.

In total, the Saints earned just shy of £85m, spending a total of merely £53m on players, according to Transfermarkt, although the club did have a close shave with relegation that term and stayed up uneasily within the last few games of the season.

However, in the five campaigns following that, the club threw money at signings in the hopes of finding their next gem, spending £323m in total on players alone, primarily under manager Ralph Hasenhuttl, who had been in charge from 2018 to 2022.

Some of these transfers included Paul Onuachu, Mohamed Elyounoussi and and Jannik Vestergaard, but there's one other costly player who was an indictment of Southampton's recruitment over the past few seasons.

Djenepo's time at Southampton

In 2019, Southampton secured the services of highly-rated Standard Liege star Moussa Djenepo for £13.5m when Hasenhuttl was in charge of the team. The Saints had been left impressed by the winger's form in Belgium, having scored 12 goals and recorded seven assists in 61 appearances.

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As per Transfermarkt, Djenepo had primarily played as a left-winger but was no stranger to the centre-forward position as well as the right flank, which offered Hasenhuttl versatility.

The Malian looked scintillating in some games for Southampton, leaving talkSPORT pundit and former player Tony Cascarino to describe Djenepo as a real "handful", comparing him to ex-winger Mane.

Unfortunately, Djenepo never quite got to grips with the Premier League and struggled for consistency across his four-year spell with the club.

Over the course of 91 matches in all competitions for the Saints, the Mali international scored five goals and registered five assists, an average of one goal contribution every nine matches. Furthermore, Djenepo never really became a regular player in the starting lineup for Southampton.

Coincidentally, Djenepo's most productive seasons were his first and his last and after Southampton were relegated to the Championship during the summer, the winger return to Standard Liege in the Belgian Pro League for a reported £3m, less than four times what he was bought for as a 21-year-old back in 2019.

Despite playing a full game in the EFL Cup earlier in the campaign under new Southampton boss Russell Martin, the manager decided it was best for all parties if the attacker left the club.

Moussa Djenepo's stats this season

Standard Liege are having quite a tricky start to the season, having finished sixth last season. The Belgian outfit are ninth right now and have won merely five matches from their opening 16 of the campaign. Djenepo's form in the final third certainly hasn't helped manager Carl Hoefkens, a former player for West Bromwich Albion and Stoke City.

Djenepo has made 11 appearances this season for Les Rouches, scoring zero goals and failing to bag one single assist. Furthermore, his disappointing form in Central Europe has seen his transfer value decline from £6.9m to a mere £5.6m since June, according to Transfermarkt.

Additionally, Djenepo is even underperforming this term in comparison to fellow winger and old counterpart Kamaldeen Sulemana, who has failed to find the net as well this season despite his hefty £22m price tag.

It's safe to say that Djenepo's move back to Standard Liege has been nothing short of a disaster, just like his arrival at Southampton in the first place.