Liverpool to bid for Lallana

Liverpool are set to table a bid for Southampton playmaker Adam Lallana this summer, according to Sky sources.

The 25-year-old is expected to feature heavily for England at the World Cup finals in Brazil after a superb season for the Saints.

Lallana, recently voted Southampton's Player of the Year, has scored nine goals in 37 Premier League games this season.

He also has six assists and has created 69 chances for his team while earning regular England call-ups alongside team-mates Rickie Lambert, Jay Rodriguez and Luke Shaw.

Yaya Toure, Steven Gerrard and Eden Hazard are the only other midfielders to have scored more league goals than Lallana this term, while Aaron Ramsey and Raheem Sterling have also scored nine.

Southampton have insisted that they have received no official bid for the player from Liverpool.

Ahead of Southampton's final game of the season with Manchester United on Sunday, Saints coach Mauricio Pochettino said he was only aware of what has been reported in the media.

"I pretty much have the same information you have. The club has not spoken to me officially about anything (regarding Adam)," he said.

Sky sources suggest that Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is determined to complete a deal to sign Lallana before England depart for Brazil on June 8.

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Southampton - Manchester United Match Preview

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Manchester City v Southampton: match preview

Saturday, April 5, 2014

Manchester City v Southampton
Etihad Stadium
Kick-off: 12.45 BST.
TV: Live, BT Sport1, Highlights, BBC ONE Match of the Day.

Manchester City (Possible, 4-2-3-1): Hart' Zabaleta, Kompany, Demichelis, Cichy; Touré, Fernandinho; Navas, Silva, Nasri; Negredo.
Out: Agüero (hamstring), Nastasic (knee).

Southampton (Possible, 4-2-31): Boruc; CHambers, Fonte, Lovren, Shaw; Ward-Prowse, Cork; S Davis, Lallana, Rodriguez; Lambert.
Out: Clyne (groin), K Davis (hip), Yoshida (knee).
Test: Wanyama (leg).

Referee: Chris Foy. Matches: 19, R5 Y50.

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Juventus consider Osvaldo swoop

Juventus are considering a January swoop for Southampton striker Dani Osvaldo.

The former Roma star is looking likely to leave St Mary's before the winter window shuts in just over three days' time after he was involved in a training ground incident that reportedly involved him attacking team-mate Jose Fonte.

Osvaldo was subsequently suspended by the Premier League club for two weeks with manager Mauricio Pochettino conceding that he "doesn't know" if the 28-year-old will still be part of his squad at the start of February.

Serie A leaders Juve are interested in taking the controversial forward back to Italy, initially on loan with a view to a permanent deal in the summer.

Any potential move for Osvaldo is likely to hinge on the immediate future of Mirko Vucinic, however, with the Montenegro international keen to leave Turin having struggled for regular playing time under Antonio Conte.

Juve are keen to resurrect the mooted swap deal for Inter midfielder Fredy Guarin after talks had broken down following a backlash from furious Nerazzurri fans who do not want to see one of the club's prized assets depart.

Goal understands a meeting has been scheduled to renegotiate the deal, with a potential Vucinic exit clearing the path for Osvaldo to make the move to the Turin giants.

Conte's Juve currently sit at the top of the Serie A table and have been drawn against Trabzonspor in the last 32 of the Europa League, a competition Osvaldo would be eligible to feature in.

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Southampton v Chelsea: match preview

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Southampton v Chelsea
St Mary's Stadium
Kick-off: 15.00 GMT.
TV: Live BT Sport 1, Highlights, BBC ONE Match of the Day.

Southampton (Possible, 4-3-3): K Davis; Clyne, Fonté, Lovren, Shaw; Schneiderlin, Cork, S Davis; Lallana, Lambert, Rodriguez.
Out: Boruc (hand), Wanyama (shin) and Do Prado (knee), Wanyama (shin).
Tests: Osvaldo (ilness), Clyne (hamstring).

Chelsea (Possible, 4-2-3-1): Cech; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Terry, Cole; Ramires, Essien; Willian, Oscar, Hazard; Torres.
Out: Lampard (muscle), Ivanovic, Van Ginkel (both knee), Luiz (suspended).

Referee: Martin Atkinson. Matches: 13, R3 Y39.

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The 10 worst EPL Janaury signings

10-James Beattie
Southampton to Everton, January 2005
Fee: £6m

9-Afonso Alves
Heerenveen to Middlesbrough, January 2008
Fee: £12.7m

8-Ricardo Rocha
Benfica to Tottenham Hotspur, January 2007
Fee: £3.2m plus gate receipts from friendlies between the clubs

7-Jean-Alain Boumsong
Rangers to Newcastle United, January 2005
Fee: £5m

6-Savio
Brescia to West Ham United, January 2009
Fee: £9m

5-Chris Samba
Anzhi Makhachkala to Queens Park Rangers, January 2013
Fee: £12.5m

4-Scott Parker
Charlton Athletic to Chelsea, January 2004
Fee: £10m

3-Benni McCarthy
Blackburn to West Ham United, January 2010
Fee: £2.2m

2-Michael Ricketts
Bolton to Middlesbrough, January 2003
Fee: £3.5m

1-Andy Carroll
Newcastle to Liverpool, January 2011
Fee: £35m

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Pochettino confident of Arsenal scalp

Mauricio Pochettino is backing his Southampton side to deal a blow to Arsenal’s hopes of winning the Premier League title on Saturday.

The Argentine has earned plenty of plaudits after guiding the south coast club up to third place in an outstanding start to the season.

Pochettino has been impressed by leaders Arsenal so far this season and believes Arsene Wenger's side can end their trophy drought by winning the title this term.

However, the former Espanyol coach expects his side to give the London club a run for their money and has no doubt they are capable of consigning them to a second consecutive Premier League defeat.

"Arsenal can win the league, but I think there are other teams that will be in the running," he told reporters. "It'll be hard-fought.

"I'd say the team we play on Saturday is that one that's playing the best football in the league.

"We have to continue playing how we have been and applying the same level of effort.

"The Premier League is very competitive. Any team can beat any other team and we have the belief that we can beat any side."

Pochettino also expressed his pride after seeing Adam Lallana and Jay Rodriguez make their England debuts during the international break, with Rickie Lambert also featuring against Germany.

"Any experience our players gain with their international sides is going to be positive for us and a bonus for Southampton," he added.

"I'm happy with their contributions - we're very pleased with them and proud of how they did.

"Adam and Jay have returned motivated, and they're both excited to put their Southampton shirts on and perform on Saturday."

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HIGHLIGHTS : Liverpool vs Southampton 0 - 1

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