BBC
Barcelona are weighing up a move for 31-year-old Arsenal and Italy midfielder Jorginho. (Mirror)
England defender Harry Maguire, 30, has threatened to leave Manchester United if he continues to struggle for regular first-team football under manager Erik ten Hag. (Mail)
Real Madrid have extended the contracts of France midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, 20, and Uruguay midfielder Federico Valverde, 25, until 2028, with both deals including release clauses of £1bn. (COPE - in Spanish)
Jesse Lingard has boosted his chances of a move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq after scoring for Steven Gerrard's side in a friendly on Wednesday. The England forward, 30, has been without a club since leaving Nottingham Forest this summer. (Goal)
Chelsea have added Napoli and Nigeria forward Victor Osimhen, 24, to their list of January transfer targets. (ESPN)
Bayer Leverkusen's Spanish boss Xabi Alonso, 41, has a clause in his contract which would allow him to become manager of any of his former clubs - Liverpool, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich - as early as next summer. (Bild, via Mail)
West Ham, Brighton, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth are interested in 27-year-old Stuttgart and Guinea forward Serhou Guirassy, who is the leading goalscorer in the Bundesliga so far this season. (90min)
Manchester United are set to extend the contracts of English full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka, 25, and Sweden centre-back Victor Lindelof, 29, but will take their time before deciding on 27-year-old France forward Anthony Martial's future. (ESPN)
Former Tottenham boss Antonio Conte has rejected the chance to become Napoli's next manager, with the Italian, 54, preferring to wait for opportunities elsewhere. (Fabrizio Romano)
Napoli also have former Spain, Real Madrid, Sevilla and Wolves coach Julen Lopetegui on their list of possible replacements for Rudi Garcia. (Relevo - in Spanish)
Roma manager Jose Mourinho is interested in signing 29-year-old England defender Eric Dier, whose contract at Tottenham runs out in 2024. (Calciomercato - in Italian)
Juventus are keen on signing Tottenham and Denmark midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, 28, in January. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian)
Inter Milan have their sights on West Ham and Czech Republic midfielder Tomas Soucek, 28. (Calciomercato - in Italian)
Belgium midfielder Youri Tielemans, 26, wants to leave Aston Villa after falling out with manager Unai Emery. (Football Insider)
Barcelona are monitoring Porto's 22-year-old Argentine midfielder Alan Varela, Royal Antwerp and Belgium Under-21 midfielder Arthur Vermeeren, along with Bayer Leverkusen and Germany's Florian Wirtz, 20, as they look to strengthen their midfield next season. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish)
Arsenal are also interested in 18-year-old Vermeeren, who is valued at around £15m. (Teamtalk)
Former Paris-St Germain boss Christophe Galtier, 57, is close to becoming the new manager of Qatari side Al-Duhail. (Fabrizio Romano)
Sky Paper Talk
THE SUN
Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso has a release clause in his contract that only three clubs can activate, according to reports - Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.
Lionel Messi has made his decision over a winter transfer, with the Argentine fully focused on Inter Miami and Argentina.
Saudi Arabia's smooth procession to being awarded the 2034 World Cup could be hit by an Australian-led roadblock.
Manchester United fans proclaimed "we're back"... after Erik ten Hag's side beat Barnsley 3-0 in a secret friendly.
DAILY MAIL
Romelu Lukaku has lifted the lid on his nightmare summer after falling out with Inter Milan and being banished by Chelsea before snubbing Saudi Arabia to join Roma, declaring: "There were moments when I felt like I could explode."
James Maddison has admitted the latest international break has come at an "annoying time" with Tottenham having moved to the top of the Premier League after a fine start to the campaign.
Previously unseen footage has emerged of Samir Nasri looking visibly shaken in the aftermath of being confronted by an Arsenal fan during Sunday's game against Manchester City.
Marcus Smith is primed to start at full-back as England captain Owen Farrell returns to the No 10 shirt for the World Cup quarter-final against Fiji with Steve Borthwick set to drop George Ford.
Eddie Hearn has agreed a deal for Conor Benn to fight Chris Eubank Jr in the Middle East on December 23 in the event that Benn is not cleared to box in Britain.
Conor McGregor took another step towards returning to UFC by re-entering the US Anti-Doping Agency's (USADA) testing program.
YouTuber Ryan Taylor has reportedly been arrested, forcing his rematch against fellow influencer Swarmz on the undercard of KSI's clash with Tommy Fury on Saturday to be cancelled.
DAILY MIRROR
Xabi Alonso will be allowed to leave Bayer Leverkusen next summer if another club comes calling - putting Liverpool on red alert.
Antonio Conte has spoken of a potential return to football amid speculation linking him as the next Napoli boss.
Muslim and Arab players across football, cricket and rugby have held a summit meeting over the Israel-Hamas war.
Rasmus Hojlund has put his full backing behind Marcus Rashford, despite his Manchester United team-mate's dreadful start to the season.
DAILY TELEGRAPH
FA chief executive Mark Bullingham says the governing body is in favour of live broadcasting video assistant referee conversations to give fans clarity over decisions, but has received opposition from referees.
The Football Association has been told by the Government it would be right to show support for victims of the terror attacks in Israel amid talks over lighting up the Wembley arch in the colours of the country's flag.
THE GUARDIAN
The FA will announce plans on Thursday to mark the recent atrocities in Israel at the friendly match between England and Australia, after leading Jewish figures within the game urged them to act.
Wayne Rooney said he plans to "elevate Birmingham City to the next level" after being appointed the Championship club's new manager on a three-and-a-half-year contract.
Sport England, which invests more than £300m of public money every year, intends to ask sports to do far more to fight the climate crisis as a condition of receiving funding.
THE TIMES
Opposition from referees is the biggest obstacle to the discussions between VARs and match officials being broadcast live - but football's lawmakers are expected to look at the issue again, the FA's chief executive Mark Bullingham has said.
The Australian Open is attempting to transform the grand-slam tennis viewing experience by introducing a new self-styled "party court" at next year's tournament.
Fiji's Sam Matavesi is expected to face England despite father's death.
DAILY EXPRESS
Chelsea outcast Trevoh Chalobah is edging towards a January exit from Stamford Bridge, having failed to play a single competitive minute up to this point in the season. And the Blues could also bid farewell to Malang Sarr and Marc Cucurella.
West Ham first-team coach Kevin Nolan has offered Eden Hazard the opportunity to have a trial at the London side, despite the winger announcing his retirement on Tuesday.
Manchester United have identified two 'perfect' defenders for Erik ten Hag to sign in advance of next season, according to reports in Portugal.
Plans released by golf icon Tiger Woods to develop a new sports bar at St Andrews have left local residents furious.
DAILY RECORD
Steve Clarke says Scotland do not want favours in their Euro 2024 pursuit as he tells his stars "let's do it ourselves".
Celtic are reportedly keen on landing Gwangju FC's Ho-Yeon Jung in January as the Scottish champions revisit the Korean market.
Spain boss Luis de la Fuente has warned Scotland they will face a better and stronger side than they beat at Hampden in March.
SCOTTISH SUN
As talks continue over Michael Beale's successor, Rangers' search for their 19th permanent manager is still ongoing, with detailed behind-the-scenes discussions now taking place - but the club will not be rushed into naming a new boss.
Rangers job contender Kevin Muscat has left his current club's fans 'concerned' he could be about to move on. The Australian took charge of Yokohama F. Marinos in their 1-0 win over Urawa Red Diamonds on Wednesday, but supporters have been left fearing he was saying goodbye in the aftermath.
EPL Index
West Ham and Brentford Eye Bundesliga Goal Phenom
Stuttgart’s Serhou Guirassy is not just any striker; he’s a goal phenomenon. In the bustling arenas of the Bundesliga, his presence resonates with every thundering goal. Such is his prowess that Premier League stalwarts like West Ham and Brentford have sat up and taken notice.
A Season to Remember
Within a mere seven outings this season, the 27-year-old talent has carved his name in gold, with an astonishing 13 goals. If his prolific form wasn’t headline-worthy already, consider this: he’s had hat-tricks against the likes of Mainz and Wolfsburg, and doubles against Bochum, Freiburg, and Darmstadt. These are not mere goals; they’re statements. The kind that has thrust Stuttgart to a commendable second spot, with only Bayer Leverkusen outranking them.
A Journey from Rennes to Stuttgart
It was only this summer that Guirassy decided to put pen to paper for Stuttgart, committing to a three-year stretch. The decision came after an impressive 11-goal haul in the 2022/23 Bundesliga season, post a loan spell from Rennes. And scouts? They’ve been nothing short of magnetised by his on-field antics.
Outshining the Best
To say Guirassy has been in form would be an understatement. He’s moved beyond the shadows of greats like Robert Lewandowski, even overshadowing the likes of Harry Kane’s early figures at Bayern Munich.
Premier League Attention
As per reports by 90Min, both West Ham and Brentford have been actively deploying scouts to monitor Guirassy’s game. But they’re not alone. Crystal Palace and Bournemouth are also in the mix, strategising their moves for the impending January transfer shuffle.
A Glimpse Beyond Europe
It’s not just Europe that’s beckoning Guirassy. The Saudi Pro League, known for its lavish spending, has its eyes set on him, given their track record of roping in football giants such as Benzema, Mane, Mahrez, and Kessie.
What Lies Ahead?
While Stuttgart’s stance on relinquishing their star player this January remains shrouded in mystery, one would wager they’d want to retain this goal machine. After all, with him in their ranks, European dreams seem all the more tangible.
In tracing his roots, Guirassy’s journey began at Laval, weaving through clubs like Auxerre, Amiens, and Rennes.
The Athletic
Freddie Potts on life at Wycombe: ‘I didn’t know I could keep my shirt after my first goal’
By Roshane Thomas
Freddie Potts prefers to let his football do the talking, but it is no surprise he is equally as impressive under questioning.
The 20-year-old midfielder is a wise head on young shoulders. He chooses his words with intelligent care and has benefited from being around the first-team environment at West Ham United.
In July, Potts joined Wycombe Wanderers on a season-long loan. The League One side signed 13 players in the summer but Potts has been arguably the pick of the bunch, making an immediate impact with two goals and one assist across 11 appearances in the league.
“I’m loving it at Wycombe and it’s been one of the best decisions to come here,” he says. “The treatment and trust the gaffer (Matt Bloomfield) has put in me is starting to pay off. It’s a tough league with good sides but I’m really enjoying it. It’s a club that suits my style of play and we’re looking to achieve big things.
“As a young player, it’s important to get minutes under your belt. In pre-season (for West Ham), I kept thinking, ‘I have to go out on loan this year’. My first game (for Wycombe) was a 3-0 loss against Exeter City and it was an eye-opener about how different the pace and physicality are to under-21s football. Now I have that desire for three points; it’s the feeling of playing for something every week.”
Potts is the son of Steve Potts, West Ham’s under-21s manager who played more than 500 times for the club, and brother to Luton Town defender Dan Potts. Freddie joined West Ham when he was six and his deal expires in the summer of 2026. He made his first-team debut in the UEFA Europa League fixture against Dinamo Zagreb in December 2021.
Five unnamed League One sides were interested in signing the midfielder. But West Ham felt Wycombe — looking to implement a more progressive playing style under manager Bloomfield — would be best for Potts’ development.
“We went along to watch West Ham train at the end of last season and Freddie was a player who stood out, and we identified him as someone we’d love to bring in on loan,” said Bloomfield.
“A lot of credit goes to Richard Thomas (Wycombe’s assistant manager), who has a close relationship with West Ham, including Freddie’s dad and also Kevin Nolan (West Ham’s first-team coach). Freddie plays with real energy and athleticism and I’m excited to see how he develops throughout the season with us.”
Potts scored his first senior goal in the 3-1 loss to Charlton Athletic. He has started 10 of his 11 league games for Wycombe and is in regular contact with West Ham’s first-team coach Mark Robson, previously manager of the under-21s.
Team-mates at Wycombe have been impressed at how quickly Potts has settled into what is his first loan spell, with one of them likening his assist against Fleetwood Town last weekend to a Cesc Fabregas assist for Chelsea against Burnley in 2014 — both being passes that no one else on the pitch saw coming. It has also been noted that Potts is not afraid to put his feet — and head — where it hurts, a necessary approach in the combative world of League One.
“I’m playing with confidence and I’ve been getting forward and taking things on myself,” he says. “I didn’t know I could keep my shirt after my first goal. I gave it to the kit man (James Turner), but when I walked into the changing room at the training ground, I saw a note that said, ‘Congratulations on your first senior goal, Freddie. From kit man JT’.
“Mark Robson makes sure that I stay on my toes, my brother gives me lots of advice on and off the pitch and I speak to Nolan a lot. He’s the link between the players and the coaches. Hopefully, I can keep having an impact on this team. I want us to reach the play-offs and my personal goal is to be in contention for the player of the year award.”
Potts has impressed West Ham manager David Moyes with his maturity and dedication. In 2021, when the first team returned from their training camp in St Andrews, Scotland, Moyes and his coaching staff asked who from the youth team had impressed. Potts’ name was mentioned, which led to the midfielder featuring in the pre-season draw away to Leyton Orient. It says a lot about Potts’ development that he only needed one year of his initial scholarship deal to convince coaches to commit his long-term future to the club.
The midfielder was an unused substitute in the UEFA Conference League final win over Fiorentina in June. When Potts emerged from the changing room, he was embraced by sporting director Mark Noble. Potts’ journey to Prague proved to be a remarkable one.
“Before the final, me and Divin (Mubama) had to sing during the warm-weather training camp in Portugal,” says Potts. “I went for Justin Bieber’s ‘Love Yourself’. I got a standing ovation and Aaron Cresswell said I was pretty good. “I wasn’t involved in the squad for the semi-final (against AZ Alkmaar), so I watched it at a local pub as a fan. To get the call-up for the final was crazy.
“When I trained with the squad a few weeks before, I thought nothing of it. I joined them for the trip to Portugal and, again, thought nothing of it. Then all of a sudden, the squad list gets put out and me and Divin are in the squad. For the final, we weren’t expecting to be on the bench.
“About 30 minutes before we went out to warm up, me and Divin were still in our tracksuits. Then Emerson (Palmieri) says, ‘Boys, what you doing? You’re on the bench’. Me and Divin looked at each other like, ‘No way, this can’t be real. Let’s hurry up and get to the changing room’. We literally had no idea. It was so surreal.
“My shirt and medal are framed. I’m making sure I keep that for the rest of my life. My uncle Dan was at the game because I managed to get him a ticket. He’s a massive fan. I got him on the pitch and that night was so special for us. That whole experience has made me more driven.
“The success we had is something we haven’t had for a very long time. I know what it means to the fans because I’m one too. To be part of that is something I’ll never forget and it’s motivated me to really kick on with Wycombe this season.”
