Football League World

West Brom have stepped up preparations for the upcoming 2025-26 season.

The Baggies’ playing squad are getting used to the new ideas head coach Ryan Mason is looking to implement, with the Black Country outfit drawing 1-1 with Dynamo Kyiv in a behind-closed-doors friendly game in Austria.

So far during the summer transfer window, Albion have recruited two new faces to the club, with seasoned Championship defender Nat Phillips linking up at The Hawthorns, while the club recently announced the capture of Norwegian striker Aune Heggebo from SK Brann.

Albion are still dealing with ongoing P&S issues, but are expected to remain active throughout the summer transfer window as they aim to build a squad good enough to compete for promotion back to the Premier League.

With this in mind, FLW has identified two players West Brom should sign before their season gets underway on the 9th of August against Blackburn Rovers.

Harry Toffolo

Left-back is an area that West Brom still need to address this summer.

Callum Styles occupied that position for the majority of last season, while Gianluca Frabotta failed to start a league game and has been touted for an exit this summer to ease P&S issues.

However, Styles’ natural position is in midfield, with his diminutive size an area opposition teams can target with long balls into the left channel.

To combat that, one player who would be a cheap and affordable option is full-back Harry Toffolo, who remains a free agent following his release from Premier League outfit Nottingham Forest.

Toffolo has Championship experience in abundance with 99 second tier appearances, as well as possessing an impressive attacking contributions record at this level, most notably registering six goals and seven assists back in the 2021-22 season for Huddersfield Town.

The 29-year-old is exactly what is needed in the Albion dressing room, possessing vital leadership qualities, knowing the demands of the division and what is required to fight towards the top end of the table.

As Albion lean towards a new era under Shilen Patel, the addition of Toffolo could be important to help strengthen the backline and bring about a winning mentality.

Mikey Moore

Meanwhile, the Baggies are yet to make any additions out wide despite the loss of Grady Diangana.

Tom Fellows’ future also remains up in the air after notching 14 assists in the second tier last season, with top-flight side Everton repeatedly linked with making a move.

Meanwhile, in their friendly against Dynamo Kyiv this month, Ryan Mason elected to use Mikey Johnston on the right-wing, as the Irishman looks set to stay at the club after his £5 million move to Flamengo fell through.

If Fellows leaves and Johnston is preferred on the right side, then competition will be imperative for Karlan Grant on the opposite flank.

This is where Mason could benefit from using his connections to Tottenham Hotspur and bring about a deal to sign Spurs youngster Mikey Moore, who has previously been linked with a loan move to Albion, as well as Birmingham City.

Moore would be a superb addition at second tier level, having a breakthrough term in the top-flight last campaign and ready to earn regular first-team game time to prove why there is so much hype and excitement about the 17-year-old.

While Albion’s wide options seem healthy right now, a lot can change before the start of the season, and adding Moore to the playing squad may be a vital decision to help the club still possess a sharp attacking line in matchday one.

Plymouth Argyle are well underway with preparations for their upcoming League One campaign.

The Pilgrims ended last season 11th in the Championship form table but couldn’t overturn their disastrous start under Wayne Rooney and suffered relegation.

New manager Tom Cleverley has added Aribim Pepple, Jack MacKenzie, Brendan Wiredu, Caleb Watts, Bradley Ibrahim, Xavier Amaechi, Jamie Paterson, Owen Oseni and Ayman Benarous to his ranks during the early stages of the transfer window.

This has already given them a slight edge over the other promotion candidates, but Argyle can’t rest on their laurels.

Adding extra quality when market opportunities occur late in the window can make a real difference across 46 games and these often happen in the shape of loan deals.

Plymouth Argyle should make another Tottenham Hotspur swoop after Alfie Devine, Ash Phillips successes - Dane Scarlett would fit the bill

The Pilgrims have had great success in the loan market recently, especially when Tottenham Hotspur have been the parent club.

In January 2024, Argyle were looking to add some extra strength to their squad as they aimed to retain their Championship status.

In came Tottenham Hotspur pair Ashley Phillips and Alfie Devine, who featured consistently for the rest of the campaign.

The duo helped give Plymouth the slight edge needed to achieve their goal of survival, beating out Birmingham City by a single point after 46 games, and both players have gone on to develop further away from north London - Devine played for Westerlo in the Belgian top flight last season, whilst Phillips had a productive stint at Stoke City.

Now back in League One, Cleverley and the Plymouth recruitment team could try to do another deal with Spurs, even though they're in a division lower than when they struck deals for Phillips and Devine, but they could offer a certain player regular minutes that are desperately needed.

Dane Scarlett spent the first half of last season on loan with second-tier outfit Oxford United. The 21-year-old netted four times for the Championship side but was recalled in January and subsequently saw his game-time dwindle.

Despite this, he scored against Elfsborg in the Europa League, highlighting the vast potential the striker still possesses.

Scarlett displayed the natural inconsistencies that come with his tender age with Oxford United last term, but a move to a competitive League One outfit could be just what he needs to get his development back on track.

With creative influences such as Benarous, Amaechi, Paterson and Watts freshly installed into the squad, Scarlett would provide an exciting, energetic young forward to try and convert the chances they produce.

Furthermore, the forward could combine with fellow marksman Pepple and allow Cleverley to operate with two players up front.

This duo would give League One defences nightmares all year long, consistently stretching backlines with continuous runs in behind.

Scarlett completed 0.91 successful take-ons per game last year, highlighting his ability to beat a man and cause problems. This trait can prove crucial for more competitive teams in a division, who will have to break down multiple low blocks across 46 games.

Argyle’s new manager has shown his willingness to develop young players in the past and could use this opportunity to harness a striker with such vast potential.

Dane Scarlett would relish Plymouth Argyle opportunity

Last season would’ve been a frustrating one for Scarlett, who showed in moments why he is so highly rated by Spurs.

His sharp attacking instinct and explosive playing style would make him a brilliant asset for a lot of teams in the second-tier, but his adaptation to the physicality of that level didn’t allow the striker to show what he can do to full effect.

In League One, he will be provided with a slightly less harsh division to acclimatise to, and his natural ability should stand out more.

Therefore, the 21-year-old would jump at the opportunity to join a competitive third-tier outfit, where he would be given a perfect platform to continue his development and score a hatful of goals.

West Bromwich Albion’s recent acquisition of Aune Heggebo from SK Brann could throw a spanner in the works for one of their other targets.

The club announced the signing of the Norwegian striker earlier this week, adding another no.9 to an already packed attacking department at the Hawthorns.

The Baggies had also been credited with an interest in bringing Spurs striker Will Lankshear back to the club, having spent half a season with the club on loan last term.

Now, however, with the arrival of Heggebo, questions may arise about how many strikers the squad can hold.

Heggebo signing fills up an already bulging striker department

Heggebo looks an exciting signing, having racked up goals in Eliteserien with SK Brann, and is still only 23 years old, and he’s clearly a player that West Brom have plenty of faith in, given the five-year contract he’s been handed.

A reliable goalscorer has been lacked at the Hawthorns, with Josh Maja the club’s top scorer in the league last season. But many of his goals were concentrated in the first few weeks of the season, suggesting he’s more streaky than consistent, a theory not yet totally proved on account of a calf injury that ruled him out for the second half of the season.

Heggebo will need to battle Maja for minutes, but that’s not all, as the likes of Karlan Grant, Daryl Dike and Devante Cole will all be vying for minutes in the same position, presuming they all remain at the club beyond this summer.

It certainly gives Ryan Mason plenty to think about in terms of selection, a problem that would only be worsened by adding another striker into the mix.

West Brom want to give Lankshear another shot

Although Lankshear didn’t manage to net a goal in his 11 Championship outings for West Brom last season, it’s clear the hierarchy saw something in the player during his time at the Hawthorns.

Sources informed football.london that the Baggies want Lankshear back again next season, in what would almost certainly be another loan.

They are, however, not alone in that desire, with other Championship sides and clubs abroad thought to be in the mix.

At current count, minutes for a young striker like Lankshear looks difficult with the experience and talent at West Brom’s disposal in that area.

West Brom could be the ideal move for Lankshear in some ways

West Brom manager Mason was, of course, synonymous with the Spurs setup having spent over seven years there in various coaching and management roles, including with the academy that Lankshear is still currently part of.

Mason will therefore be well aware of Lankshear’s talent, already know a great deal about him and have a good idea of what he’s capable of and how to get the most out of him.

Lankshear would also feel relaxed, entering a dressing with a familiar face in Mason running things.

Tough competition may also not be the worst thing for Lankshear, getting him up to speed with what’s required to be a full-time professional at that level, while avoiding piling too much pressure on the youngster with plenty of experienced pros to rely on for goals.

Nevertheless, the striker count at the Hawthorns still feels slightly too excessive to add Lankshear into the mix.

West Brom could be the ideal landing spot for Lankshear this season, but it feels like departures are needed before that becomes the case.

Tyler Dibling was the shining light in Southampton’s otherwise dismal 2024/25 Premier League campaign.

The 19-year-old played 33 times in the top-flight last term and performed at a consistently high level.

This brought forward the attention of suitors such as Tottenham Hotspur, who had a £35 million bid rejected for the teenager in January.

Southampton made a statement by reportedly demanding £100 million for Dibling earlier this summer, but it has since been reported that the Saints could be negotiated with to lower this amount, with a £65 million price-tag now the reported figure.

Spurs are thought to still be interested in a move for the young midfielder, who has proven to be a capable Premier League operator.

Lee Hendrie weighs in on Tyler Dibling’s Southampton situation

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Sky Sports pundit and former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie believes that the Saints may be resigned to losing the talent but admits the South Coast side could price interested parties out of a move.

“My gut feeling is that Tyler Dibling will leave Southampton,” Hendrie told FLW.

“You'd put him in a category with the likes of Gustavo Hamer - the players who have really proved that they would stand out in the Championship, and this boy's got massive, massive potential.

“I think that the only thing that might keep him at the football club is Southampton’s valuation of how much he's worth. Around £65 million, who's going to pay that sort of money?

“I think there's no doubt that this boy's going to be a player and he's already a player, it's just whether someone can get him at a cut price fee and really get the best out of him.

“I think that'll be the thing that might keep him there next season. But as we know, these deals can always be varied.

“They can always be knocked down; there can be add-ons and all the rest of it. That might just tempt Southampton to take the money and give him the opportunity to go and play Premier League football.”

Southampton could benefit from lowering Tyler Dibling asking price

On the surface, keeping Dibling at St. Mary’s next season would boost Southampton’s chances of achieving promotion straight back to the Premier League.

His performances in the top-flight last term were impressive enough to suggest that he would be one of the Championship’s leading midfield stars.

However, if Will Still and Southampton sold the teenager for a hefty price, it might provide them with a substantial amount of money to reinvest back into their squad.

As a result, selling Dibling could potentially result in the South Coast outfit strengthening as a group, boosting their overall chances of securing promotion.

As they prepare for a second successive season in the Championship, Oxford United will be looking to build on survival last year and cement themselves as a team that belongs in the second-tier.

To do so, the U’s will have to become a little bit more adventurous in order to sustain themselves in the Championship, and that will require a bit more thrust and intricacy in the final third.

Having gained promotion under Des Buckingham, Oxford then struggled to become effective and robust enough in the Championship, leading to him being replaced by Gary Rowett in December.

The former Birmingham City and Millwall boss certainly shut things down at the Kassam Stadium, and made them immensely difficult to play against and beat.

The one growing concern, that was eventually allayed by survival, within the fanbase would be the lack of creativity and efficiency in the final third; a lack of spark.

Oxford will likely be tough to play against one again next season, but they need something extra in the final third and the man who could fill that void would be Tottenham Hotspur attacking midfielder Jamie Donley.

Oxford should pursue ambitious move for Donley

Now, it has to be said from the off that a move for Donley would be an ambitious one, especially with Ryan Mason’s West Bromwich Albion said to be interested in the 20-year-old.

As well as that, Spurs are currently holding off on sanctioning a loan move for the former England youth international until new manager Thomas Frank has a look at him from close quarters in pre-season.

If a deal was to eventually be something possible, though, then Oxford should try and push themselves right to the front of the queue, as he would be the ideal man for the number ten position in a Gary Rowett system.

Versatile in terms of position because, whilst a natural so-called ‘ten’, he would have the ability to drift and float wide depending on the formation, whether Rowett prefer a back four for next season in something like a 4-2-3-1 shape, or he goes with a back three, whether that be by using two tens, one ten or wingers in attack – Donley fits the bill regardless.

Another practical element would be the physicality that Donley possesses. Rowett is known for his attritional, percentage-based football, and that often requires ‘big lads’, for want of a more sophisticated and nuanced expression, getting around the pitch.

Donley is technically excellent and can glide around the pitch but, at 6 ft and with his build, having now played a season of EFL football, he is also capable of putting himself about.

Then we can get onto the gifts that Donley would be able to provide Rowett with the ball at his feet; and especially from set-pieces, such as corner kicks, for which a Rowett side tends to be most threatening from.

The Northern Ireland international can strike with both feet, has dead-ball ability and a speed of thought that marked him out as a level above League One last season.

Why Oxford would work for Donley

Having played for a more ideological coach in Wellens, with a desire to play attacking and free flowing, fluent football, it would perhaps now aid Donley to not necessarily go to the other extreme, but work with someone further down the spectrum in terms of Rowett.

Thomas Frank, someone who appears to balance a desire for progressive, modern day football with a pragmatic awareness to get the best out of the players at his disposal, is someone who falls in between and that would only help Donley moving forward.

As well as that, it is likely to remain crucial that he gets regular game time and remains a key man wherever he is, and whilst that could be the case with the Baggies, it is far more likely at Oxford.

The U’s tried to bring in some maverick creativity last summer with the arrival of Louie Sibley, but that move hasn’t worked out, and Ruben Rodrigues has also now departed the club for Brazilian side Vitoria.

Donley can fill the void of attacking ingenuity at Oxford, whilst becoming a, or perhaps the, key man for a Championship outfit next season, if Spurs sanction the move and Oxford do come calling.

The summer transfer window is well underway as West Brom look to make additions for new boss Ryan Mason.

Albion have completed one acquisition so far in the form of seasoned Championship defender Nat Phillips, with The Hawthorns expected to be a busy place for both incomings and outgoings as financial issues continue to linger.

Controlling shareholder Shilen Patel admitted the Black Country outfit will have to be “pragmatic, adaptable, and resourceful” in areas like player trading this summer, as P&S problems remain similar to last season.

With transfer speculation ramping up, FLW brings you all the latest transfer news surrounding West Brom.

David Brooks will not join West Brom despite advanced claims

Bournemouth's David Brooks will not be signing for West Brom despite claims on social media suggesting the winger was on the verge of moving to The Hawthorns.

Online speculation claimed a medical was being completed ahead of a move from the South Coast, but it has now been confirmed by BBC WM and West Brom commentator Steve Hermon that Brooks will not be joining the Baggies, while Express & Star reporter Lewis Cox claimed that negotiations had never reached an advanced stage.

It’s undoubtedly a blow for Albion, who would have profited off a quality wide option who had experience of winning two promotions to the Premier League while recently shining at Southampton on loan in the second tier a couple of seasons ago.

Reyes Cleary makes West Brom exit to Barnsley

West Brom forward Reyes Cleary has completed a permanent move to League One side Barnsley.

The 21-year-old has put an end to his three-year association with the Baggies after breaking through Albion’s academy set-up, penning a three-year contract at Oakwell, with the Tykes having the option of a fourth.

Cleary had two loan spells away from The Hawthorns last season, firstly at Walsall, which was very underwhelming, before finding his feet in non-league with Hartlepool Town and leaving a positive impression.

The frontman will taste third tier football for the first time in his career, hoping a settled and fresh environment can bring the best out of him.

West Brom table interest in QPR’s Charlie Kelman

West Brom are considering making a summer swoop for QPR forward Charlie Kelman after his superb loan spell in League One last season with Leyton Orient.

Journalist Darren Witcoop has claimed that Albion are keen on securing the American’s services after the forward netted 23 times in the third tier, helping Leyton Orient reach the play-off final.

It's said that the Baggies are "ready to move" for Kelman, but they will face stiff competition, after Football League World previously revealed that up to eight Championship clubs are tracking the 23-year-old.

Albion certainly need a third striking option after the departures of Will Lankshear and Adam Armstrong to support Josh Maja and Daryl Dike, as Devante Cole could make an exit this summer after a dismal opening term in blue and white.

Tottenham Hotspur to offer West Brom Mikey Moore a long-term contract

As per a report by Football London, Tottenham Hotspur are hopeful of tying down West Brom target Mikey Moore to a new long-term contract, offering an improved bumper deal to the impressive 17-year-old.

Moore had a breakthrough term at Spurs under Ange Postecoglou, making 19 appearances, including 10 in the top-flight, as well as being included in the England U19 European Championship setup this month.

His current contract runs down in the summer of 2027, but negotiations have got underway about securing his long-term future.

Football Insider previously claimed that the Baggies are rivalling Birmingham City to take Moore on loan, while FLW revealed Hull City had entered the race for his signature.

The Football London report states that new Spurs head coach, Thomas Frank, is yet to decide what Moore’s future looks like next season and whether he’ll be made available for a loan switch, but a new contract extension is ensuring the North London outfit keep hold of their talent for years to come and are not forced into a permanent sale down the line.

West Brom linked with Will Lankshear reunion

According to a report by the Birmingham Mail, West Brom are keen on resigning Will Lankshear on loan from Tottenham Hotspur this summer.

The forward joined the Baggies for the seocnd half of last season back in January, but failed to make much of an impact, lying low in the pecking order of a strong forward department and unable to net for the club from 11 appearances.

However, Ryan Mason is keen to use his past connections as a Spurs coach to bring Lankshear back to B71.

The 34-year-old is reportedly keen on giving the youngster more opportunities to showcase what he’s capable of at Championship level, and he could well get further game time due to Josh Maja and Daryl Dike’s previous fitness issues.

Birmingham City and West Brom summer target Mikey Moore is reportedly set to be offered a new long-term contract at Tottenham Hotspur.

The 17-year-old is a rising star in the English game and one of Spurs’ brightest talents in the academy, which has led to significant interest from Championship clubs to expose him to regular first-team football.

Birmingham and West Brom hold ties to Tottenham through their managers as they both look to lure Moore to their clubs, with both Chris Davies and Ryan Mason holding coaching roles with the North London outfit before taking on their respective jobs.

Football Insider claimed earlier in the summer that the West Midlands rivals are set to rival each other for the addition of the wideman, but a development has emerged that could see the clubs competing for only a loan deal.

Tottenham Hotspur in talks to secure Mikey Moore to a long-term contract

As per a report by Football London, Tottenham Hotspur are hopeful of tying down Mikey Moore to a new long-term contract, offering an improved bumper deal to the impressive 17-year-old.

Moore had a breakthrough term at Spurs under Ange Postecoglou, making 19 appearances, including 10 in the top-flight, as well as being included in the England U19 European Championship setup this month.

The versatile attacker currently has a contract running through at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium until 2027, but negotiations have got underway about securing his long-term future.

New head coach Thomas Frank will decide what Moore’s future looks like next season and whether he’ll be made available for a loan switch, but a new contract extension is ensuring Spurs keep hold of their talent for years to come and are not forced into a permanent sale down the line.

This will come as a bitter blow for the likes of Birmingham and West Brom, who may have been debating a permanent switch had he made a blistering impact in his second tier debut season.

Birmingham City, West Brom forced into only a loan move for Mikey Moore

Birmingham City and West Brom had only been linked with loan swoops for Mikey Moore to begin with, but both clubs could have been considering a full-time switch if he had settled into the Championship with ease and torn the second tier apart.

This plan would go up in smoke should Moore want to place his long-term future in North London, while the West Midlands duo could battle several more clubs who would be interested in a simple loan agreement with no strings attached. Football League World exclusively revealed recently that Hull City have entered the race.

Meanwhile, there is still uncertainty over whether the youngster will be made available for a move away in the first place, so it’s set to be a long and painful waiting game before discovering whether they can both try and secure an agreement.

One thing is for sure though is that Tottenham see the potential, and Blues and Albion are likely to only see one season of it.

Sheffield United are willing to pay a £6m fee to Tottenham Hotspur for young centre-back Ashley Phillips, according to reports.

The beaten Championship play-off finalists are looking to go one better than last season under the guidance of new head coach Ruben Selles, and are reportedly willing to splash the cash on the Spurs prospect.

The latest development came from journalist Alan Nixon via his Patreon page, as he revealed that the Blades are willing to pay a high seven-figure fee to bring Phillips to Bramall Lane on a permanent deal.

However, under new manager Thomas Frank, all of United's attempts to sign him have been rebuffed so far, according to Nixon, with the new Spurs boss reportedly keen to keep him at the club.

Sheffield United willing to pay seven-figure sum to sign Tottenham's Ashley Phillips

The 20-year-old has been at Tottenham since 2023, having caught the eye of the Premier League giants whilst playing for Blackburn Rovers. He has since been sent on two loan spells with Plymouth Argyle and Stoke City respectively.

With a solid amount of Championship experience under his belt at such a young age, Phillips has become a transfer target for Sheffield United, as they look to bounce back from last season's play-off final defeat at the hands of Sunderland.

Selles' side are now willing to splash £6m to bring the Spurs star to Yorkshire, according to the latest reports by Nixon. The centre-back is said to have been a long-term target of United's.

The Blades reportedly rate Phillips very highly, with him being approved by their old-school scouting system, and their brand-new AI model.

Sheffield United's moves to sign Ash Phillips have been rebuffed so far by Thomas Frank

Despite their willingness to pay a substantial fee to bring Phillips to the club, Nixon reported that all efforts to sign him have been turned down thus far, as new Tottenham boss Frank is planning on including him in his squad for the forthcoming season.

Unfortunately for Sheffield United, Spurs are yet to change their stance on the 20-year-old's future at the club, but the Blades are reportedly ready and waiting if they do change their minds.

It was also mentioned that fellow Lilywhites youngster Alfie Devine, who is also a target of Selles', has a similar valuation on his head, as Spurs are yet to make a decision on his future in North London.

This update will come as a rather disappointing one for United supporters, as despite showing their intent with the willingness to pay a big fee for Phillips, the ball is on Tottenham's side of the court, and it sounds likely that they won't be changing their minds.

Former West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Don Gooman believes that securing Mikey Moore on loan would be an "enormous coup" for Hull City.

Goodman compared the 17-year-old sensation to a fellow bright winger in Ben Doak, who lit up the Championship in the first half of last season for Middlesbrough before injury put an end to his campaign.

Moore is Tottenham Hotspur's youngest Premier League debutant, after Ange Postecoglou handed the Englishman his debut in May last year, aged 16 years and nine months.

His sporadic first-team appearances continued into this season, and he even scored in Spurs' UEFA Europa League-winning campaign.

Now, Moore is being touted for a loan move to the Championship side, and Hull City are lining up a move for him, according to an exclusive report from Football League World.

Other Championship sides are looking at the youngster too, and EFL pundit Goodman isn't surprised at all. He believes that Moore will excel no matter where he ends up next season.

Don Goodman praises Mikey Moore amidst Championship loan rumours

Speaking exclusively to FLW, current Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman said: "I'm not surprised that there are Championship clubs interested in signing Mikey Moore.

"It kind of reminds me of the Ben Doak situation at Liverpool last season when we went out on loan to Middlesbrough and, when fit, he tore the Championship apart and was outstanding."

Doak impressed whilst at the Riverside last season, scoring three and assisting seven in just 24 games for Middlesbrough.

However, thigh surgery kept him out for a prolonged period, and the 19-year-old missed the final three months of the season, as Boro slumped down the table and finished 10th.

"His injury was one of the main reasons why Middlesbrough didn't see the job through and fell off a cliff in terms of creativity and goal output," Goodman continued.

Doak arrived with plenty of promise at Middlesbrough and delivered on that in the short time he was there. Goodman puts Moore in that talent bracket, too, which is a credit to his potential.

"I see Mikey Moore very much in that mix, and it would be an enormous coup for Hull, there's no doubt about it, because there is going to be plenty of competition for him."

Hull City may have to fend off ambitious Championship duo to sign Mikey Moore on loan

Football Insider reported earlier in the month that both West Brom and Birmingham City were also interested in bringing in Moore on a loan deal.

With Birmingham and West Brom projected to be in and around the play-off picture next season, and Hull coming off the back of a disappointing season where they escaped relegation on the final day, a move to either of the other interested sides may prove to be a more attractive offer for the exciting 17-year-old.

However, Moore stands to play a bigger part in Hull's season if he makes the move there in comparison to Birmingham, at least, as the Blues have their eyes set on a reunion with Demarai Gray.

As for West Brom, they may be forced to part ways with Tom Fellows this summer, but they may also use whatever money they bring in from that deal to sign someone with more first-team experience, despite Moore's clear potential.

Kevin Danso has signed permanently for Tottenham Hotspur in a £21 million transfer from French side RC Lens, despite being a complete flop at Southampton.

Danso signed on loan for Southampton in 2019. The Austrian, Ralph Hassenhuttl, was in charge at St Mary's and recognised the potential of his 19-year-old compatriot. Danso had been playing his football for FC Augsburg in the German Bundesliga, making 44 appearances for the club.

Danso had already built a great reputation for himself by the time he arrived on the south coast. Southampton fans were keen to see him in action but Hasenhüttl had difficulty trying to shoehorn the youngster into his team. As a result, Danso played just 10 times for the Saints, which included being sent off against Manchester United and playing 45 minutes in the infamous 9-0 thrashing by Leicester City at St Mary's.

Hassenhüttl played Danso out of position at Southampton

Although centre-back was Danso's preferred position, the Southampton coach played him first at left-back and then even tried him for one match at right-back. The player spoke about the experience in an interview with the Daily Echo.

“I had never played left-back professionally, but was doing so, then three weeks later he (Hasenhuttl) decided to play me as a right-back against Bournemouth.”

Unsurprisingly, Danso returned to FC Augsberg at the end of the loan term and was quickly loaned out again, this time to Bundesliga Two outfit, Fortuna Düsseldorf. The Austrian's form picked up at Fortuna, and he helped them to a fifth-placed finish before being transferred to RC Lens in the Summer of 2021.

Danso proves to be an inspired signing for Lens

Danso proved to be an inspired signing for Lens and during the three and a half years that he spent there the Blood and Gold finished seventh, second, and seventh again under head coach Franck Haise. During this period, Danso made over 100 appearances.

It was during Danso's fourth season at Lens, after Will Still had taken the helm, that the Austrian's early potential appeared to be fulfilled.

Under Still's leadership, the 26-year-old central defender achieved two man-of-the-match performances in 12 appearances and achieved the highest set of player rankings in his career, as per whoscored.com.

Danso becomes a UEFA Europa League winner

During February 2025, Tottenham Hotspur were impressed enough to take the player on loan to North London. The 26-year-old made 10 Premier League appearances as Spurs limped to the end of a challenging domestic season and came on as a late substitute when they defeated Manchester United in the Europa League final.

As reported by BBC Sport, as per the terms of the loan agreement, Danso signed for Tottenham in a £21m permanent deal on the opening day of the transfer window.