BBC
Crystal Palace and Mali midfielder Cheick Doucoure, 23, is top of Liverpool's shortlist for a new midfielder and is valued at £70m. (Football Insider)
West Ham have re-opened talks with Manchester United over signing England defender Harry Maguire, 30. (Sun)
Manchester United have contacted Chelsea over a possible loan for Spain full-back Marc Cucurella, 26. (Fabrizio Romano)
Liverpool and Egypt forward Mohamed Salah, 31, has told the club he wants to join Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad. (Rudy Galetti)
Liverpool are lining up Atletico Madrid's Portugal forward Joao Felix, 23, as a potential replacement for Salah. (Football Transfers)
Everton have agreed to pay more than 30m euros (£25.7m) to sign Portuguese striker Beto, 25, from Udinese. (Fabrizio Romano)
England midfielder Connor Gallagher, 23, will reject a move to Tottenham in order to fight for his place at Chelsea. (Football Insider)
Ajax are in talks with Atlanta United over a deal for Argentina midfielder Thiago Almada, 22. (90 min)
Chelsea are targeting a move for Bayer Leverkusen and Netherlands defender Jeremie Frimpong, 22. (Fichajes - in Spanish)
Brighton have agreed a £23.2m deal to sign Lille's 19-year-old Cameroonian midfielder Carlos Baleba. (Talksport)
Luton are exploring a possible deal to sign Newcastle's English midfielder Isaac Hayden, 28. (Mail)
Spanish full-back Ivan Fresneda, 18, is set to join Sporting Lisbon from Real Valladolid. He had been linked with Arsenal and Newcastle. (Fabrizio Romano)
Barcelona were also keen on Fresneda but opted to sign Portugal defender Joao Cancelo, 29, from Manchester City. (The Athletic)
Crystal Palace could offer England midfielder Eberechi Eze, 25, a £5m-per-year contract with a release clause amid interest from Manchester City. (Sun)
Sevilla have enquired about the possibility of re-signing France defender Clement Lenglet, 28, from Barcelona. (Marca - in Spanish)
Fiorentina boss Vincenzo Italiano is urging the board to find a solution to 27-year-old Morocco midfielder Sofyan Amrabat's future amid interest from Manchester United. (Sky Germany)
Sky Paper Talk
THE SUN ON SUNDAY
West Ham have re-opened talks with Harry Maguire but any move to the London Stadium still depends on the England defender being paid a bonus to leave by Manchester United as the Hammers cannot match his current wages at Old Trafford.
Napoli have emerged as serious contenders to sign Manchester United target Sofyan Amrabat from Fiorentina after missing out on Saudi Arabia-bound Gabri Veiga.
Dean Henderson's imminent move to Crystal Palace could spark a transfer merry-go-round, with Wolves ready to make an offer for current Eagles No 1 Sam Johnstone and then potentially sell Jose Sa to Nottingham Forest, where Henderson played on loan last season.
Crystal Palace are ready to offer Eberechi Eze a lucrative new contract.
Blackburn Rovers are expecting interest from Crystal Palace in midfield sensation Adam Wharton and could look to loan Jesurun Rak-Sakyi as part of any deal.
Sean Dyche is keen on a reunion with striker Danny Ings as he looks to solve a striker problem at Everton.
THE GUARDIAN
Manchester United are considering a loan offer to Chelsea for Marc Cucurella because of their injury concerns at left-back.
Brighton have finally agreed a deal to sign midfielder Carlos Baleba from Lille as a replacement for Moises Caicedo.
SUNDAY TELEGRAPH
Nottingham Forest are considering a complaint to PGMOL over the performance of referee Stuart Attwell in their 3-2 defeat at Manchester United on Saturday.
Wales scrum-half Rhys Webb is facing a four-year ban after reportedly testing positive for a growth hormone in July according to reports in France, where he now plays for Biarritz.
DAILY STAR SUNDAY
Erik ten Hag is set to be offered a new contract by Manchester United despite the ownership doubts continuing to swirl around the Old Trafford club.
MAIL ON SUNDAY
Manchester City and Newcastle United could face an investigation by the European Commission for alleged breaches of regulations around "state subsidies".
Saudi Arabia's Pro League has rocketed up the standings to second place behind the Premier League in transfer spending this summer with more than £700m in deals done, which is more than double that done by sixth-placed Spain's LaLiga.
Newcastle's new kit deal with Adidas, which will start next season, will be worth £150m over five seasons according to industry insiders.
Hampshire directors have criticised the ECB's fixture allocations after posting losses of more than £1.3m.
THE ATHLETIC
Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana appears unlikely to go back on his decision to stop playing international football for Cameroon and is likely to miss the next Africa Cup of Nations.
Bath City striker Alex Fletcher returned to action on Saturday 10 months after being left in critical condition with a fractured skull when he collided head-on with advertising hoardings during a match.
SUNDAY MIRROR
Tottenham's pursuit of Nottingham Forest forward Brennan Johnson could be off for now after he suffered an apparent hamstring injury against Manchester United on Saturday.
Romelu Lukaku is ready for another link-up with Jose Mourinho as Chelsea prepare to send him on loan to Roma, costing the Blues a possible £40m transfer fee had the striker been prepared to go to Saudi Arabia.
SUNDAY MAIL
Daizen Maeda has admitted his form for Celtic is not what it should be and that adjusting to life after Ange Postecoglou as his coach has been tough.
THE SCOTTISH SUN ON SUNDAY
Hibs boss Lee Johnson begged Easter Road bosses not to sack him after their season hit a new low with a 3-2 home defeat at the hands of Livingston.
Brendan Rodgers admitted he could understand the booing and unrest at Celtic Park after his side laboured to a 0-0 draw against St Johnstone.
Guardian
West Ham hit the top after bringing Brighton’s flying start to an abrupt end
John Brewin at the Amex Stadium
Michail Antonio scores West Ham’s third goal against Brighton. Photograph: Chris Radburn/Reuters
West Ham top of the Premier League, their dreadful record against Brighton reaching a spectacular end, and a victory that must register as a tactical triumph for David Moyes. His old-style pragmatism picked apart the new-wave counter-press that has made Roberto De Zerbi the name to drop among football intellectual circles.
“Are you watching, Declan Rice?” asked the away fans, a tad ungratefully, as James Ward-Prowse, bought with Rice’s transfer fee, had opened the scoring. Rice’s replacement in defensive midfield, Edson Álvarez, was another outstanding performer. Brighton dominated possession but had no answer to the quality of West Ham’s finishing on the counter, though Alphonse Areola also produced a series of excellent late saves. Lucas Paquetá, who would have joined Rice in exiting the club had other matters not intervened, played creative director, and Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio, the other scorers, showed the ruthlessness in attack Brighton could not emulate.
An object lesson for Evan Ferguson, perhaps the next Brighton player to be sold for a nine-figure sum, making his first start of the season? The teenage Irishman was partnered in attack by Danny Welbeck and flanked by two wingers in what often resembled an old-style 4-2-4 formation, De Zerbi again ripping up the rule books, though this time the Italian’s free-form experimentalism ended up sounding an atonal note. “We can’t forget that we lost three important players,” said De Zerbi, highlighting his club’s summer of sales. “We can lose because we are Brighton.”
Moyes admitted: “We had to defend a lot. Let’s not kid ourselves, it is a part of football and it is not all about attacking. The last couple of games, we have defended really well as a team. Hopefully we improve and the football gets better.”
Álvarez, making his Hammers debut, fulfilled the deep-lying role that was once Rice’s, though without the forward surges of the former captain. Early on, a couple of flashes from Paquetá signalled the danger of Brighton’s risk-taking. First, the Brazilian looped a header over, and then, employing the vision that had Pep Guardiola coveting his services, picked out Antonio with a pass the lone striker should have done better with.
Antonio soon enough played supplier of West Ham’s first-half goal. Adam Webster lost the ball, then tussled with Antonio on the touchline to end up in a terrible mess before Ward-Prowse scored his first West Ham goal – his 50th in the Premier League – at the second attempt. “A lot of effort went in the gameplan, you have to respect Brighton,” said the goalscorer, thriving in new surroundings. “We executed our gameplan perfectly today.”
James Ward-Prowse’s first goal for West Ham set his side on the path to victory. Photograph: Andrew Boyers/Action Images/Reuters
West Ham’s stolid determination was such that in the 30th minute they had completed just 13 passes to Brighton’s 220. “They are unique,” said Moyes. “The manager here has done incredible things with the team and we had to find a way to stop incredible things happening.”
His first-half plan could hardly have worked better, and after the break both Bowen and Antonio blew decent chances before getting on the scoresheet within four minutes of each other. Paquetá also attempted a volley that Bart Verbruggen saved well. There was no such chance for Brighton’s Dutch goalie, 21 and another making his debut, with West Ham’s second goal. Created by Saïd Benrahma’s brilliant control, and his taking a beat before playing in Bowen to kill the ball and angle the finish, it was an absolute beauty.
Next came Antonio’s strike, with less artistic impression but deserved after an expert display in leading the line. This time it was Bowen’s touch and expression that created the chance before Antonio bullied Webster – again – before the move’s completion. “In the second half, we lost the balance,” said De Zerbi. “We made some crucial and important mistakes in the first and third goals.”
Pascal Gross’s low finish reduced the deficit and gave rise to faint hopes of a comeback. Brighton again dominated possession but as 90 minutes loomed, Joël Veltman’s volley was well saved by Areola who next made an even better stop from Ferguson. “He didn’t half pull off a couple of worldy saves,” said Moyes. “The best player on the pitch,” lamented De Zerbi. Maintaining the two-goal margin was enough to put the Hammers top of the table.
Telegraph
West Ham go top of the league with perfect away performance at Brighton
Roberto De Zerbi's team dominated possession but Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio sucker-punched them
By Ivan Speck, at the Amex Stadium
James Ward-Prowse and Jarrod Bowen were on the scoresheet in West Ham's thumping win at Brighton Credit: Reuters/Chris Radburn
Brighton started the day on top of the Premier League but visitors West Ham finished it in pole position after a victory that embodied the spirit of David Moyes’s side.
Goals by James Ward-Prowse, Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio gave them clear daylight. Yet, after Pascal Gross had reduced Brighton’s arrears, it needed two brilliant saves from Alphonse Areola and a header off his own line by substitute Danny Ings to make sure they maintained their supremacy.
West Ham swept forward twice in the opening five minutes as a precursor of what was to come. Lucas Paqueta skied his shot as he stretched to connect with an Antonio flick-on. The roles were then reversed as the Brazilian released Antonio, who shot straight at new Brighton keeper Bart Verbruggen.
The Netherlands Under-21 international was given his debut by Roberto De Zerbi ahead of regular incumbent Jason Steele.
At the other end, a patient Brighton passing move ended with Pervis Estupinan laying the ball into the path of Billy Gilmour, whose low shot thudded into the advertising boards behind Areola’s goal.
The first goal appeared to hold the secret of the game with West Ham content to exert a vice-like grip around the central space which Brighton love to play through. At the base of a midfield trio of tigerish tacklers was Edson Alvarez, given his first start for the visitors following his move from Ajax.
Edson Alvarez (left) made his Premier League debut for West Ham at Brighton Credit: Reuters/Chris Radburn
What the home side were not banking on was the sloppiness of Adam Webster after 19 minutes. First, he gave the ball away when trying to find his midfielders. Then he compounded his error with an even worse back pass when under pressure from Antonio, whose square ball to Ward-Prowse was converted at the second attempt.
Brighton responded with Evan Ferguson shooting straight at Areola, but the home side were struggling to create clear openings. The visitors were forced into a substitution in the 39th minute when Tomas Soucek was poleaxed by the follow-through of Verbruggen as he punched clear a Ward-Prowse free-kick.
Areola had a curious game. Anointed by his manager as his first choice in the Premier League after playing a central role in the club’s successful Europa Conference League campaign last season, the West Ham goalkeeper appeared uneasy under the high ball.
He escaped punishment after dropping one first-half cross, then redeemed himself two minutes into the second half with a brilliant reaction stop to parry away Ferguson’s downward header.
That save proved pivotal when West Ham produced a counter- attack of stunning simplicity and quality to make it 2-0.
Antonio collected possession by his own penalty area before finding the run of Said Benrahma, whose vision and execution of a cross-field pass was matched by the control and stabbed finish at pace of Bowen.
The visitors’ third goal four minutes later bore a similar pattern. Areola’s clearance was controlled near the touchline by Bowen, who slipped an immediate pass in front of Antonio.
The striker checked and then turned away from the hapless Webster before finding the far corner with an unerring shot.
That sent West Ham top of the Premier League with a goal to spare until Gross demonstrated to his Brighton team-mates what they should have been doing by trying his luck with a low shot that found the bottom corner.
Areola then produced two stunning reaction saves to beat away a Joel Veltman volley and a rising Ferguson shot, before Ings headed away a Lewis Dunk effort at the death.
Fabrizio Romano
@FabrizioRomano
Mohammed Kudus has successfully completed medical tests in London as new West Ham player
Contract until June 2028 plus option to extend will be signed on Sunday.
Here we go, confirmed.
Dharmesh Sheth
@skysports_sheth
West Ham United remain in market to sign a forward in final week. Yuri Alberto of Corinthians has emerged as a potential target. The 22-year old has one cap for Brazil. Dialogue remains open with Sevilla over Youssef En-Nesyri. 2 of number of options West Ham looking at #WHUFC
Sun
INGS & A PRAYER Danny Ings lined up for shock Premier League transfer switch from West Ham
Dan KingAnthony Chapman
SEAN DYCHE is keen on a reunion with West Ham striker Danny Ings at Everton.
Dyche is desperate for a new No9 with Dominic Calvert-Lewin sidelined again.
He worked with Ings at Burnley for four years, with the 31-year-old netting 43 times.
And after seeing Everton slump to a third defeat in as many games against Wolves, Dyche knows he needs more firepower.
The Toffees have already seen a £12million bid rejected by Southampton for Che Adams.
And they are now in talks to land Udinese hitman Beto in a £25m deal.
The Portuguese ace scored ten goals in Serie A last term.
At nearly 6ft 4in he fits the ideal profile for a Dyche target man.
And Ings could be the ideal foil playing as the poacher in the box.
West Ham United are targeting PSV midfielder Ibrahim Sangare but may face difficulty amid interest from “many clubs”, according to Fabrizio Romano.
