BBC
Manchester United are set to face competition for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson, 23, with Bayern Munich ready to step up their interest in the England international. (Mail + - subscription required), external
Aston Villa's English winger Morgan Rogers, 23, may be tempted to look for Champions League football elsewhere if Unai Emery's side fail to qualify for next season's competition. (Talksport), external
Arsenal's Brazilian winger Gabriel Martinelli, 24, faces an uncertain future at the club along with English left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly, 19, and 18-year-old English winger Ethan Nwaneri. (Times - subscription required), external
Newcastle fear being dragged into another Alexander Isak-style saga with Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali, 25, amid speculation of a £100m move to Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea or Real Madrid. (The I), external
Manchester City defender Nathan Ake is a target for AC Milan and Inter Milan with the Netherlands international, 31, unable to command a regular starting spot this season. (Caughtoffside), external
Arsenal have little intention of allowing 23-year-old Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori to leave this summer despite growing interest from Serie A clubs including Inter Milan, AC Milan, Juventus and Napoli. (Teamtalk), external
Liverpool are eyeing up a potential deal to sign Real Madrid and France midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, 23, this summer. (Football Insider), external
Juventus are listening to offers for Jonathan David, 26, with West Ham, Tottenham and Nottingham Forest all expressing an interest in the Canada striker in the past. (Tuttosport - in Italian), external
Paris St-Germain have no plans whatsoever to sell 25-year-old Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to Arsenal. (Fabrizio Romano), external
Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini is wanted by Juventus with the 29-year-old Italian attacking midfielder out of contract at the Giallorossi at the end of the season. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian)
Sky Paper Talk
PREMIER LEAGUE
Chelsea outcast Mykhailo Mudryk could yet restart his career on loan away from Stamford Bridge if and when the winger returns to action following the outcome of his provisional doping ban - Daily Mail
Igor Tudor is set to remain as Tottenham Hotspur's interim head coach for their Champions League game against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, as well as the pivotal match at home to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League - The Times
Mikel Arteta has offered a glimmer of hope that captain Martin Odegaard could be available to lead Arsenal in Sunday's Carabao Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley - The Independent
SCOTLAND
Rangers and Hearts are both hoping to get an edge on rivals Celtic by going on warm-weather training camps ahead of the title run-in - The Scottish Sun
Former Rangers boss Russell Martin insists he has no regrets over how his time at the Gers went despite being the club's shortest-serving manager - The Scottish Sun
Steve Clarke says he is open to offers from club football with his Scotland future hanging in the balance - The Scottish Sun
WORLD FOOTBALL
Marcus Rashford has been handed a massive boost as Barcelona president Joan Laporta is set to stay at the Nou Camp for another five years - The Sun
Five members of the Iranian women's football team who were seeking asylum in Australia have reportedly reversed their decision and will now return to Iran - Daily Mail
Former Arsenal and Chelsea star Cesc Fabregas clashed with Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini over the weekend following his Como side's victory - Daily Mail
Major League Soccer announced on Monday that it has suspended Philadelphia Union sporting director Ernst Tanner without pay through 1 June 2026 - The Guardian
The Athletic
What Konstantinos Mavropanos’s viral face block says about his West Ham revival
Konstantinos Mavropanos walks away having been knocked down by Erling Haaland’s shot Rob Newell/Getty Images
By Roshane Thomas
The sight of Konstantinos Mavropanos blocking Erling Haaland’s shot with his face was symbolic of his determination to deal with adversity head-on.
In the 91st minute during West Ham United’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City on Saturday, the defender was momentarily dazed as he fell to the turf. Michael Oliver, the referee, urgently signalled for West Ham’s medical team to provide treatment to the centre-back. Team-mates Mateus Fernandes and Mads Hermansen also checked on Mavropanos’ well-being.
It was a courageous block, from a strike that seemed destined to test goalkeeper Hermansen. It also provided an incredible image that felt almost like it could have been generated by AI, but was in fact captured by photographer Dave Shopland. It’s no surprise that West Ham fans have taken great joy in sharing it over the past 48 hours.
Mavropanos, who earlier that evening had scored what could prove to be a crucial equaliser, was applauded off the field when he received further treatment on the sidelines. He received another ovation when he returned to the pitch to help his team cling on for a much-needed point.
The result saw Nuno Espirito Santo’s side temporarily climb out of the relegation places for the first time since November, before Nottingham Forest’s 0-0 draw with Fulham on Sunday saw West Ham slip back into the drop zone. The two sides are level on 29 points, but the Hammers have an inferior goal difference.
But Mavropanos’ act of bravery, symbolic of his never-say-die attitude, seems to be spreading through the side. West Ham have now taken 15 points from nine games and have the momentum to drag themselves away from the bottom three.
Mavropanos joined West Ham for £17million ($21.6m) in 2023 from German side Stuttgart. Tim Steidten, the ex-technical director who left the club in January 2025, pushed hard for Mavropanos’ signature but the defender received little fanfare upon his arrival. His previous stint in English football was an underwhelming spell at Arsenal, where he made only seven league appearances between 2018 and 2022. His struggles in the early months following his return to the Premier League led some West Ham fans to call him ‘Mavropanic’, due to his error-prone playing style.
Yet there has been no consternation about his defending this season. Last week, Mavropanos scored the winning penalty in the FA Cup shootout victory over Brentford and his performances in the heart of the defence, alongside Jean-Clair Todibo and Axel Disasi, have aided West Ham’s push for top-flight survival. Mavropanos has gone from being an afterthought to polishing the final touches of his redemption arc.
“It was a great performance from him,” Tomas Soucek told The Athletic following the draw to City. “It’s really important that we all go for every tackle like this. We have to be like that and fight for our lives. Dinos is a strong guy, so he can manage it. It’s great and he’s so happy he blocked the shot because it could’ve been a goal. As I said, we all have to show fighting spirit like this.”
The thought of not carrying on would not have entered Mavropanos’ mind. He has a penchant for putting his body on the line: another example came back in January when West Ham hosted London rivals Queens Park Rangers in the third round of the FA Cup. During that victory, Mavropanos sustained a neck injury while attacking a corner and was stretchered off.
But post-match, an unsuspecting spectator would have had no inkling Mavropanos sustained an injury as he moved freely outside of West Ham’s home dressing room. It was all in a day’s work for the defender.
Mavropanos celebrates his goal against CityJulian Finney/Getty Images
Take, for example, the pain he felt in his right knee in the goalless draw against Bournemouth. He was assisted off the field by the medical team but insisted on carrying on. He returned to help West Ham keep their third clean sheet of the season. Sometimes it seems like the only pain Mavropanos feels is being incapable of helping his team-mates.
On Saturday, he was part of a defensive trio, with Todibo and Disasi, which limited Haaland to one shot on target. They will hope to repel the attacking threat of Ollie Watkins during this Sunday’s league encounter with Aston Villa. In a previous fixture between the two sides in January 2025, Mavropanos used some unorthodox defending to prevent a counter-attack, as he desperately threw himself at Morgan Rogers, with his head hitting Rogers’ knee. It led to him being forced off with an injury.
It’s the type of action that will add to his ascent towards cult status, in which there can be no doubts about Mavropanos’ commitment to the cause. A frustrated Haaland will know that better than most.
The Hard Tackle
West Ham United, Everton interested in Lucas Herrington
West Ham United and Everton are among the teams keen to explore a move for Lucas Herrington from MLS side Colorado Rapids.
According to Sports Boom, the Colorado Rapids have a fight on their hands to retain their impressive defender Lucas Herrington. The centre-back, standing at 1.93m tall, has versatile capabilities that Premier League teams like West Ham United and Everton admire, as the duo could be in the mix to make enquiries in the summer.
Lucas Herrington’s move from the Australian side Brisbane Roar to MLS outfit Colorado Rapids is already paying dividends. The centre-back, standing at 1.93m tall, is already showcasing that he is meant for the big leagues, as some English sides are already showing an interest.
Herrington’s recent performance in the 2-0 win over Portland has impressed many, as he also scored a goal in the game and showed absolute dominance in many aspects of his defensive display. West Ham United and Everton are the teams keen on exploring a move for the teenager, as the English sides could test the waters with an offer of sorts.
The report states the MLS side wants to keep him for at least two full seasons and bring his value to around the €15–20 million mark. However, the story suggests that West Ham and Everton could test the waters with a bid in the region of €8–10 million in the summer, which might lead to a conversation about the 18-year-old MLS prodigy’s immediate future.
The Premier League teams admire his versatility, given that Herrington can play in both central positions as well as double up as a right-back if needed. He has only played four senior games for Colorado, but already has 29 senior appearances for former club Brisbane Roar.
Lucas Herrington to the Premier League?
Herrington, like any other player in his age group from the MLS, could be tempted by the prospect of making the switch to England. However, given the modern outlook, he might only consider the idea if there is a clear arc to let him develop into a big star — something Colorado wants to achieve with the player.
Yet, the prospect of rejecting a move to the Premier League might not cross the 18-year-old MLS prodigy’s mind. Hence, should West Ham or Everton make an acceptable offer, there is every chance that Herrington makes the switch across the Atlantic to one of those English sides, although there is further interest from other clubs in Europe.