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West Ham United boss Nuno Espírito Santo has swung the axe on midfielder James Ward-Prowse, but one player has impressed him behind-the-scenes at Rush Green.

Nuno making key West Ham decisions in build up to Arsenal

The Hammers take on Premier League title contenders Arsenal this weekend, and Nuno could hardly ask for a tougher second game in charge.

Harry Redknapp predicts major David Sullivan decision that will transform West Ham

The former West Ham and Tottenham boss is convinced.

By
Emilio Galantini

Oct 3, 2025

West Ham have looked as soft as butter in all respects defensively, especially when it comes to set-pieces, and threatening from dead ball situations is something that Arsenal seriously specialise in.

West Ham’s results in the Premier League so far
Sunderland 3-0 West Ham
West Ham 1-5 Chelsea
Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham
West Ham 0-3 Tottenham
West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace
Everton 1-1 West Ham

Mikel Arteta’s side could have a field day if the Hammers don’t shore up in that regard and quickly, with Nuno looking to build upon his solid 1-1 draw at Everton on Monday.

Further up the field, Nuno has already decided that Ward-Prowse won’t be a part of his long-term plans – just under a year after Nottingham Forest cut his loan spell short with the 51-year-old still in charge – so he clearly doesn’t rate the midfielder that much at all.

Ward-Prowse was axed from the matchday squad for West Ham’s trip to Everton, and credible reports since then have claimed that the 30-year-old is expected to leave in January.

Fabrizio Romano has backed up the Englishman’s potential winter departure too, with journalist Dean Jones suggesting that Ward-Prowse could re-join Southampton as his exit looks nailed on.

However, while Ward-Prowse seems as if he’s being pushed out the door, Nuno has quite the opposite opinion on defender Max Kilman.

Nuno says Max Kilman has absolutely shone in West Ham training

The former Wolves boss worked with Kilman at Molineux for years, and Nuno says that the centre-back has impressed him at Rush Green so far with his work ethic in training.

Nuno’s arrival could be exactly what Kilman needs to rediscover his very best form, as the pair enjoyed a very productive relationship at Wolves.

The 28-year-old seriously credited Nuno for his development when they worked in the Midlands together, telling the Birmingham Mail in 2020 that West Ham’s boss helped him understand the game a lot better.

Interestingly, Kilman stood out as West Ham’s joint-best performer alongside Alphonse Areola against Everton (WhoScored), and supporters will be hoping that will spur on a string of convincing defensive displays.

Australia spinner had been due to play full group stage before calf injury

ESPNcricinfo staff13-May-2025Northamptonshire have signed Australian legspinner Lloyd Pope as one of their overseas players for the Vitality Blast* after Ashton Agar was ruled out with a calf strain.Agar helped Northants reach the quarter-finals of last year’s Blast, and was due back for the entirety of the group stage. He will be replaced by the uncapped Pope, 25, who was named in the 2024-25 Big Bash League team of the tournament.”I’m so excited to come to Northamptonshire, I can’t wait to meet everyone and to join my new teammates.” Pope said. “I’m really looking forward to hopefully contributing to some wins for the Steelbacks and going deep in the tournament.”There is also uncertainty over the availability of South Africa batter Matthew Breetzke for the start of the Blast, following the interruption of the IPL. Breetzke is contracted to Lucknow Super Giants – although he has not played a game this season – and is understood to be returning to India for the rearranged finish to the competition.Agar said: “I’m extremely disappointed to be missing this year’s Vitality Blast with Northamptonshire. I loved my time there last season, it’s a fantastic club with great people and I’ll be watching and supporting the boys from Perth.” He added.Northants head coach, Darren Lehmann, said: “We’re all very disappointed for Ashton, but we wish him well in his recovery.”*11.45am BST – Story updated with Pope signing

Manchester United are thought to be ahead of Premier League rivals Arsenal and Chelsea to sign a new attacker likened to Amad Diallo.

Amad missing from latest Man Utd defeat

The Red Devils star was absent from the latest Man Utd loss to Brentford on the weekend, with Ruben Amorim unable to call upon the Ivory Coast international due to a family bereavement.

Prior to the weekend, the 23-year-old had featured in every game of the 2025/26 season and has been one of a few shining lights under Amorim at Old Trafford.

Diallo’s stats under Amorim

Games

33

Goals

8

Assists

9

Minutes played

2,415

Whether it be playing on the right or in an attacking midfield role, Diallo has impressed under Amorim, scoring a memorable last-minute winner against Manchester City at the end of 2024.

Former Man Utd defender Rio Ferdinand hailed Diallo after his Etihad heroics, calling him “brilliant” under the current Red Devils boss.

“The new manager’s come in, and I would go as far as to say he (Amad) is the first name on the sheet for this new manager and that’s a testament to this kid’s character, his will to change the tide and swing against the current and say to people, ‘No, no, you can’t leave me out. You can’t! I might be small in stature but I have the biggest heart. I’m going to run, I’m going to work and then I’m going to make decisive, great decisions when I’ve got it, I’m going to impact the game.’”

“With and without the ball, he’s been brilliant. I think he’s a real footballer. I don’t think that was ever in doubt, everyone could see the talent. But they just didn’t see the other side of him when you look at him.”

Diallo is under contract until 2030, and by the looks of things, Man Utd want to bring in a player similar to the 23-year-old in 2026.

Man Utd in pole position to sign Kenan Yildiz

According to reports in Spain, Man Utd have taken the lead over Arsenal and Chelsea in the race to sign Kenan Yildiz from Juventus.

Ahead of both the Gunners and those at Stamford Bridge, the Red Devils may find it easier to sign Yildiz if Marcus Rashford seals a permanent move away from Old Trafford.

Yildiz is valued at more than £80m and Man Utd ‘appears willing to take the first formal step in negotiations’.

Players similar to Kenan Yildiz (Football Transfers)

Club

Amad Diallo

Man Utd

Antoine Griezmann

Atletico Madrid

Ademola Lookman

Atalanta

Morgan Rogers

Aston Villa

Rayan Cherki

Man City

A Turkey international who doesn’t have a weak foot, Yildiz can play on either wing or in a second striker role and enjoyed a fine Club World Cup campaign, scoring three goals and registering two assists in 250 minutes of action.

The 20-year-old has continued that form in 2025/26, which appears to have caught the eye of Man Utd, who appear to be in a great position to secure his services next year.

Liverpool have made an approach for a young Brazilian player who could have a massive future in the game, with another Premier League club also in the mix.

Praise for Wirtz ahead of Liverpool Everton clash

The Reds host Everton in the Merseyside derby on Saturday lunchtime, with Florian Wirtz expected to be a key figure throughout at Anfield.

Liverpool’s big-money summer signing is improving all the time, as he adjusts to life at a huge club, with teammate Jeremie Frimpong praising him after the 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid: “He’s just getting started, you know? Obviously I’ve been with him for four years in Leverkusen, so I know what he can do. I’m seeing that it’s coming, there’s a lot more to see from him.”

Meanwhile, Arne Slot has also spoken positively about Wirtz, stressing the importance of remembering that he is still a very young footballer who is getting used to a new league.

“He was indeed a few times close to scoring a goal, he was also a few times close to assisting a goal,” Slot told reporters at Anfield. I think he was the one who created the most chances for us today. I can see with him as well also that he’s getting fitter and fitter and adjusting more and more to us, which is normal, you need a bit of time to adjust.

“We all know how much quality he has, but sometimes people forget that he’s a 22-year-old that comes for the first time abroad. Last year I came when I was 46 and it was my first time that I started working abroad, the first two or three months your whole life is changing.”

Liverpool make approach for Brazilian teenager

Speaking of youngsters, a new report from ESPN Brazil claims that Liverpool have made an approach for Gremio goalkeeper Gabriel Menegon, with the 16-year-old a highly-rated young prospect and already standing at an impressive 1.96m, bigger than Reds captain Virgil van Dijk (1.95m).

While he is now a part of Brazil’s Under-17s side, Megenon is expected to join Gremio’s senior side soon, with Nottingham Forest also in the race alongside the Reds and sporting director Richard Hughes.

Signing the best young talent around should always be at the forefront of Liverpool’s thinking, and in Menegon, they could have a very special player on their hands.

The Brazilian has one cap at Under-17 level for his country, and, in the long run, could be a future part of the senior squad. Alisson and Ederson are currently Brazil’s elite options, but over time, Menegon could be the next star keeper.

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Liverpool will eventually need to sign a replacement for Alisson, and while Giorgi Mamardashvili is pencilled in as his successor, signing Menegon could be perfect, giving the Georgian stern competition over time.

Ireland went toe-to-toe for most of the chase but lost the last four wickets in their last ten deliveries

Sreshth Shah14-Feb-2025Brian Bennett delivered a Valentine Day’s gift to all the cricket lovers at Harare Sports Club with a sublime 169 to set up Zimbabwe’s 49-run win in the first ODI against Ireland on Friday.Promoted to opener for the first time in ODI cricket, Bennett struck 56.52% of Zimbabwe’s total to give Ireland a target of 300 to chase. Along the way, he also became the fourth-youngest to score 150-plus in a men’s ODI and posted the fifth-highest ODI score by a Zimbabwe men’s batter.The target, though, on a docile surface, was quite gettable, and Ireland went toe-to-toe for most of the chase. But they ran out of wickets – including four dismissals in their last ten deliveries of their innings – to fold for 250. Blessing Muzarabani (4 for 51) and Richard Ngarava (3 for 56) shared seven wickets, and Zimbabwe arrested their four-match losing streak to take the hosts 1-0 up.A 9.30am start with rain in the air, and Harare historically favouring chasing sides, Ireland captain Paul Stirling made the logical call of bowling first. But Josh Little, the left-arm swing bowler, had a rough return to the ODI line-up as he conceded 35 runs in his first three overs. Bennett was the chief aggressor, pumping him for six fours in his first three overs, while Ben Curran carved another couple. He would eventually finish on 1 for 75 in nine overs with an economy of 8.33, conceding 11 fours and five wides in all.The prolific start, and the lack of incision from the Ireland new-ball bowlers, allowed the Zimbabwe opening partnership to grow. They put on 95 for the first wicket before offspinner Andy McBrine (1 for 53) broke the stand.There was no respite, though, as Bennett and the No. 3 Craig Ervine then added 136 in 134 balls in a second-wicket stand that was constructed masterfully. They were watchful through the middle overs with some turn in the pitch and the pair of Matthew Humphreys and McBrine appeared to strangle the pair.Craig Ervine and Brian Bennett added 136 off 134 balls•Zimbabwe CricketWhile Bennett took an affinity towards point, extra cover, deep midwicket and deep square leg with his 20 fours and three sixes, Ervine was more adventurous by moving across and trying to find empty pockets over fine leg. As the stand grew and Zimbabwe’s run-rate got a boost, Bennett too played with the Ireland bowlers by using the width of his crease to create boundary-scoring opportunities.The pair capitalised on three dropped catches and one missed stumping to bring up Zimbabwe’s 200 in the 38th over, and a big target was very much on before Ervine fell against the run of play to medium-pacer Graham Hume in the 41st over. Sikandar Raza and Wessly Madhevere, though, failed to keep the momentum up, and the big shots came from only Bennett’s end in the final ten. After batting for 216 minutes, Bennett perished in the final over trying to find a big shot, and his effort ensured Zimbabwe finished on 299 for 5.”I was pushing them for a while to get up [to open], and happy to get that opportunity,” Bennett said after the game. “I just wanted to watch the ball and hit the ball. It’s a very good sign, and I hope to do that again on Sunday. I wanted to take it deep as one of the set batters among the top four.”The chase began inauspiciously for Ireland as Andrew Balbirnie was caught behind off Ngarava in the first ball but the rest of Ireland’s batting unit showed enough promise that the chase could be pulled off, only to lose their wicket when the tide appeared to turn. Stirling was deceived by a Muzarabani short ball to fall for 32, Curtis Campher edged a wide ball from Raza to the keeper on 44, Harry Tector scooped Madhevere to fine leg on 39 and Lorcan Tucker inside-edged Muzarabani onto his stumps on 31.At 169 for 6 in 35.2 overs, Ireland’s chase appeared to lose its fizz, but an eighth-wicket stand of 73 in 9.1 overs between George Dockrell (34) and McBrine (36) brought life into the game and started to make the home crowd nervous.However, Ervine turned to Muzarabani for the 45th over, and he picked off both set batters in the space of four balls, and Ngarava wrapped up the tail in the 46th for a tame finish to a high-octane game.”We gave Bennett a chance or two and he made us pay,” Stirling said after the defeat. “We were rusty [in the field] when we shouldn’t have been. I felt 50 runs was the difference between the two sides and the result reflects that. [A target of] 300 was chaseable, and at 30 overs we were in the hunt. But we lost our way. We bat pretty deep and hopefully we do well with the bat next game.”

Big Picture: Unbeaten sides, solid bowling units

Two unbeaten sides. Two stories of significant progress over two years will culminate with the final of the Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.It might only be edition number two, but India have asserted themselves as the team to beat in this competition. They have outclassed every team in their path to the finals, and have looked stronger than the title-winning squad in 2023 with two capped internationals under Shafali Verma.Niki Prasad’s team has exhibited skills that might well mistake them for being a senior side, be it ball striking and power hitting with bat, accuracy and discipline with ball or athleticism and catching efficiency in the field. West Indies, Malaysia, Scotland and Bangladesh were brushed aside without sweat. Sri Lanka (in the group stage) and England (in the semi-finals) had their moments, but were unable to press the advantage across 40 overs, and India eventually prevailed comfortably.Related

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India’s pathway to prepare for the tournament also trumps most sides, many of whom had never travelled overseas before the World Cup. They won the U-19 Women’s Asia Cup in December 2024, with all games played at the Bayumeas Oval in Kuala Lumpur, the venue for each of India’s World Cup fixtures as well as the semi-final and final. Prior to that, two Under-19 sides played a triangular series in Pune that also featured South Africa, their opponents for the final.That South Africa’s story in World Cups has moved from falling short of finals to falling short in finals might be considered progress in itself.Under captain Kayla Reyneke, one of seven players in the squad playing in their second edition, South Africa have shown significant progress after failing to go beyond the Super Six at home in 2023. They outclassed Australia in Friday’s semi-final, which was effectively their first experience of a full game in the tournament. Their previous wins were secured in severely reduced games, largely due to rain against New Zealand, Nigeria and Ireland, and Samoa’s 16 all out. Still they got the job done emphatically.After two consecutive senior women’s T20 World Cup final appearances in as many years, and just as many heartbreaks, South Africa have set their sights on the Under-19 women’s team to bring home a first women’s title, just as India did in 2023.

Form guide

India WWWWW (last five completed games, most recent first)
South Africa WWWWW

In the spotlight: G Trisha and Jemma Botha

Power-hitting takes time to evolve. It’s unlikely to be seen at the women’s Under-19 level. Try telling G Trisha and Jemma Botha that. Both, in their second edition of the tournament, are now promoted to open the batting. They both also have the power game that could decide the fate of the final.Jemma Botha scored 37 off 24 balls in the semi-final•ICC via Getty Images

Trisha is the tournament’s leading run-scorer and is likely to remain so regardless of what happens in the final after striking the first hundred in the competition, against Scotland. It’s not just the 265 runs though, it’s the strike rate of 149.71 that stands out.Botha might have been competing for similar honours had South Africa’s batters batted more than the 26.5 overs they did in the entire tournament leading up to the semi-final. Her 37 off 24 with five fours and two sixes at a strike rate of 154 in the semi-final against Australia gave South Africa a crucial head start that proved to be decisive in what could have been a tricky chase.

Team news

Both teams are likely to stick with the same XIs from their respective semi-finals.India (probable): 1 G Trisha, 2 G Kamalini (wk), 3 Sanika Chalke, 4 Nikki Prasad (capt), 5 Ishwari Awasare, 6 Mithila Vinod, 7 Aayushi Shukla, 8 VJ Joshitha, 9 Shabnam Shakil, 10 Parunika Sisodia, 11 Vaishnavi SharmaSouth Africa (probable): 1 Jemma Botha, 2 Simone Lourens, 3 Kayla Reyneke (capt), 4 Karabo Meso (wk), 5 Fay Cowling, 6 Mieke van Voorst, 7 Seshnie Naidu, 8 Luyanda Nzuza, 9 Ashleigh van Wyk, 10 Monalisa Legodi, 11 Nthabiseng Nini

Pitch and conditions: Spin to win

The Bayumeas Oval in Kuala Lumpur has two surfaces prepared with soil imported from Darwin, Australia, and another two with local red soil. Matches have been played on both pitches in the tournament, with the red-soil pitches offering more turn, like the game between India and Sri Lanka. The Australian soil pitches (numbers 2 and 3) have been conducive for run-scoring and yet sporting, like pitch No. 2 was for Friday’s semi-final. Pitch No. 3 will be used for the final, and should play similarly.Regardless of the pitch, India’s three left-arm spinners have been outstanding, having taken 35 wickets between them, including all eight in the semi-final. South Africa will need to find a way to score down the ground against them, given the success that Aayushi Shukla, Parunika Sisodia and Vaishnavi Sharma have had against batters sweeping. South Africa’s batters are the second-best team after India against spin, averaging 20.3.South Africa’s spinners also accounted for six of the eight Australian wickets in the first semi-final, with Reyneke (10) leading their wicket-takers list at an average of 5.50.While rain has been around all tournament, more so in Johor and Kuching than in Kuala Lumpur, the forecast for Sunday’s final is clear with temperatures reaching a high of 32 degreesCelsius and humidity around 60%. There is a reserve day for the final.

Stats and trivia

• Together, G Trisha and G Kamalini have scored approximately 75% of India’s total runs. Sanika Chalke is the only other batter to have faced more than 20 balls, leaving the middle order largely untested.
• South Africa’s pace bowlers, led by Nthabiseng Nini, have picked 16 wickets at an average of 5.60, the best among all teams in the tournament.
• India’s left-arm spinners Vaishavi Sharma (15) and Aayushi Shukla (12) lead the wickets tally for the tournament.

Celtic supporters are not happy with their side’s summer transfer business, so expect the Scottish Premiership champions to be busy in the final week of the window.

Vociferous chants of ‘sack the board’ could be heard throughout Wednesday night’s goalless draw with Kairat, meaning Brendan Rodgers’ side must now win in Kazakhstan next week to qualify for the Champions League.

No new faces will be eligible to feature in Almaty, just the 3,500 miles east of Glasgow, but with the first Old Firm of the season coming up the following Sunday, Rodgers will be desperate to belatedly get some quality new recruits through the door.

So, could the Hoops finally land one of their top targets?

Celtic's need for signings

As reported by Sky Sports News, Celtic are aiming to sign “two wingers, a striker and a left-back” before the transfer window closes on 1 September, and it is the attacking area of the pitch where new recruits are most required.

The Hoops have scored just three goals in their opening two Premiership outings, their joint-lowest tally since 2012, while Rodgers’ team rarely looked like breaking the deadlock against Kairat in mid-week, their sole Opta-defined big chance a Liam Scales header from a corner.

In search of more creativity, Anthony Joseph of Sky Sports News claims that Celtic are “ramping up” their interest in Jakob Breum.

He adds that “fresh talks” between the Celts and Go Ahead Eagles have taken place, claiming that the 21-year-old is valued at around £5m, while a report by the Herald asserts that Breum has a £6m price-tag on his head, a valuation that ‘is likely to increase’ if Celtic make it through to the Champions League league phase.

So, will he become the 11th Danish player to represent Celtic, linking up with Kasper Schmeichel, while looking to emulate Matt O’Riley, Morten Wieghorst, and others?

What Jakob Breum would bring to Celtic

Born in Odense, Breum began his senior career with local team Odense Boldklub, making 51 appearances for the Danish Superligaen side, before joining Go Ahead Eagles in 2023.

His first season in the Netherlands was pretty quiet, scoring just three Eredivisie goals, before really bursting onto the scene last time round.

He scored ten times in the Eredivisie, only three midfielders, namely Sem Steijn (24), Malik Tillman (12) and Ismael Saibari (11) bagged more, while it was also a historic campaign for Go Ahead Eagles, defeating AZ on penalties in April’s KNVB Beker Final at De Kuip, thereby landing the club’s first-ever major silverware.

This has earned them a place in this season’s Europa League, the first time ever Go Ahead Eagles will feature in a European group stage, hence why they’re desperate to hold onto their star man.

So, let’s assess Breum’s statistics from last season.

Goals

10

10th

Goals + assists

15

10th

Shots

59

18th

Shots on target

22

15th

Goals – xG

+3.7

10th

Key passes

44

16th

Shot-creating actions

100

9th

Big chances missed

4

42nd

Big chances created

6

37th

Accurate final 3rd passes

270

31st

Touches

1238

99th

Average SofaScore rating

7.3

13th

As the table outlines, Breum’s statistics are impressive across the board, most notably when it comes to goals scored, shot-creating actions, and the fact he over-performed his expected goals by almost four, emphasising his clinical nature.

Despite their cup triumph, Go Ahead Eagles did finish seventh in the Eredivisie, one of the least-balanced leagues in Europe, making his performances for not one of the Netherlands’ powerhouses even more commendable, performing in what is, according to Global Football Rankings, the 13th strongest league in the world, 14 places above the Premiership.

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labels him an “underrated creative winger”, adding that he has an “interesting future ahead”, while António Mango adds that he “can operate anywhere behind a striker”, believing that the “impressive” Dane could contribute to a team at an even higher level than he is now.

So, why would this be such a key addition for Celtic?

Well, Breum would surely help unleash the Hoops’ current most dangerous attacker, Daizen Maeda.

During Wednesday’s dire goalless draw with Kairat, the Japanese forward was deployed wide-left in the first half, before moving into the centre-forward role after the break, but this did not have the desired effect.

Maeda touched the ball just 45 times all nine, eight Celtic players, including Anthony Ralston and James Forrest, both of whom came off the bench, accumulated more, while the forward had only one shot, a tame attempt straight at Temirlan Anarbekov in stoppage time.

Having scored 33 goals across all competitions last season, Maeda has proven himself as a reliable goalscorer, but he still requires service, which is exactly what Breum could provide, so not only would Celtic be securing the signature of a highly-rated youngster, this move could also unlock the best in their most quality attacker.

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Chelsea have been one of the busiest Premier League sides this summer, and that’s been the case in pretty much every summer window since Todd Boehly/Clearlake Capital’s takeover of the club in 2022.

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Only this time, the west Londoners head into next season looking like genuine title contenders.

Chelsea are fresh off the back of a very promising last few months, winning both the UEFA Conference League and the inaugural new edition of the Club World Cup, not to mention qualifying for the 2025/2026 Champions League.

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

BlueCo have therefore sought to back manager Enzo Maresca with a complete revamp of the squad, with Chelsea being extremely active in terms of both incomings and outgoings.

In the last 72 hours, a host of surplus players in Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Lesley Ugochukwu and Armando Broja have sealed permanent exits from Stamford Bridge – with the trio’s departures poised to yield around £65 million (The Mail).

After being fined for breaching FFP rules by UEFA last month, player sales are absolutely key, as Chelsea must produce a “positive transfer balance” or face not being able to register new signings for their Champions League squad next season (Nizaar Kinsella).

The Blues are intent on spending even more money before deadline day too, adding to their already-impressive collection of new signings in Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens, Joao Pedro and left-back Jorrel Hato.

Chelsea have been in talks for RB Leipzig playmaker Xavi Simons for some time, but a potential deal for the Dutchman apparently won’t impact their long-standing interest in Man United winger Alejandro Garnacho.

Reliable media sources indicate that Chelsea are expected to bid for Garnacho before the window shuts as they pursue another left-winger after Gittens. Now, Sky Sports have shared an update on this.

Chelsea in talks to sign Alejandro Garnacho and Xavi Simons

The broadcast giant reports that Chelsea are in ongoing talks to sign both Garnacho and Simons right now, and Maresca’s side are “pushing” to make the duo their next signings of the summer.

Simons is apparently valued at around £60 million, according to talkSPORT, while The Mirror recently claimed that United have slashed Garnacho’s asking price to around £40 million with the clock ticking to strike a deal.

The latter is on Ruben Amorim’s ‘for sale list’ after his Old Trafford fallout, while Simons has apparently made it clear that he’d like to leave Leipzig this summer, with manager Ole Werner leaving him out of their Saturday squad for a friendly defeat to Atalanta.

This potential £100 million double-signing would be a real statement of intent from Chelsea.

Garnacho and Simons bagged a combined 22 goals and 20 assists in all competitions last term, and depending on their role in the squad, the promising young attackers could be major assets as Maresca looks to compete with Liverpool, Arsenal and Man City at the very top.

Having already welcomed Kepa Arrizabalaga and with Christian Norgaard on his way, Arsenal have now reportedly scheduled “club to club” talks to sign another top target.

Arsenal pushing on with summer spending

After missing out on the Premier League once again last season, Arsenal always needed to spend big this summer, and it looks as though they’re prepared to do exactly that. With deals agreed to sign Kepa, as well as reportedly Norgaard and Martin Zubimendi, the Gunners have turned their focus towards attacking reinforcements.

Ultimately, Mikel Arteta’s frontline has been his biggest problem for at least 12 months. It’s a large reason why his side were blown away by Liverpool in the title race and it’s why the likes of Rodrygo and Viktor Gyokeres have been linked with a move to the Emirates this summer.

But as incomings potentially arrive in their frontline, the North London club could yet suffer a shock departure in the near future. With one year left on his current deal, Ethan Nwaneri’s future has been thrown into doubt amid reports that he wants guarantees over playing time.

Losing the young winger would be a major blow for Arsenal, there’s no doubt about that, but losing him to a rival would only add salt to their wounds.

It’s a situation that sporting director Andrea Berta must consider when turning towards the transfer market, but if the new club chief lands the likes of Rodrygo and one other Premier League rival then question marks will arrive as to whether Arsenal can guarantee Nwaneri his desired game time.

Arsenal schedule Noni Madueke talks with Chelsea

What wouldn’t help Nwaneri is the arrival of another winger. According to Fabrizio Romano though, Arsenal have now scheduled “club to club” talks to sign Noni Madueke from Chelsea, having already agreed personal terms with the England international.

In a deal that would see Madueke become the latest of a growing list of players to feature for both Chelsea and Arsenal, the Gunners could finally welcome backup for Bukayo Saka.

Whilst Madueke, valued at £50m, hasn’t always remained consistent with his output – scoring seven Premier League goals last season – he is still just 23 years old and represents the type of player who could realise his full potential in North London.

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Described as “fearless” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Madueke looks increasingly likely to cross the divide in London and swap blue for the red of Arsenal this summer.

As exit rumours continue to surround Emiliano Martinez, Aston Villa have reportedly opened talks to sign one of Monchi’s top targets who could be an instant upgrade on the Argentine shot-stopper.

Atletico Madrid & Man Utd targeting Martinez

Aston Villa have been stuck between a rock and a hard place this summer with that rock being PSR rules. Whilst in an ideal world they keep hold of Martinez this summer and continue to enjoy the World Cup winner’s talents, his sale would go a long way towards easing their PSR concerns.

The goalkeeper isn’t exactly short on interest, either. Manchester United and Atletico Madrid are both reportedly chasing Martinez’s signature this summer as Aston Villa continue to deliberate over a potential sale.

Of course, the worst-case scenario for Villa this summer would be Martinez joining a direct rival in Manchester United, but they may have little choice in the matter amid reports that he would now prefer a switch to Old Trafford if he is to depart.

It creates a tough choice for Villa once again. Either sell a 32-year-old player who has become a leader under Unai Emery or cash in for the sake of their off-pitch troubles and welcome a fresh option. Aston Villa must pick their poison this summer and hope that the remedy is an unexpected upgrade between the sticks.

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To that end, it seems as though those in the Midlands are at least preparing for the worst case and have reportedly opened talks to sign what would be an excellent replacement for Martinez.

Aston Villa open talks to sign Chevalier

As reported by TeamTalk, Aston Villa have now opened talks to sign Lucas Chevalier from LOSC Lille this summer and are converging on a deal for the Frenchman’s signature. With a formal offer now the next step in any negotiation too, Monchi has reportedly already mooted a £40m bid to the Ligue 1 club in pursuit of their goalkeeper.

Starts

34

37

Clean Sheets

11

8

Saves per 90

2.68

2.70

Save Percentage

74.4%

69%

At 23 years old, Chevalier enjoyed an impressive campaign as part of a Lille side that defeated Real Madrid in the Champions League table phase and reached the last 16 of Europe’s elite competition.

If the Villans have the option to solve their PSR problems by selling Martinez and signing Chevalier to replace him then it is a move they should prioritise this summer. The Lille star is too good to miss out on if they’re on the hunt for a new No.1.

Described as “excellent” by scout Jacek Kulig, Villa would be signing one of the best young goalkeepers around if they managed to lure Chevalier to the Midlands this summer.