Thursday News (includes West Ham)

[Alan]

BBC

Juventus will attempt to sign 31-year-old Portugal midfielder Bernardo Silva on a free transfer when his Manchester City contract expires next summer. (Tuttosport - in Italian), external

Manchester City are themselves considering a shock move for Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo, though they are likely to face competition from Newcastle and Chelsea for the 20-year-old England midfielder. (Teamtalk), external

Chelsea remain interested in Morgan Rogers despite being put off by Aston Villa's £80m valuation of the 23-year-old England forward over the summer. (Sun), external

A clause in Ruben Amorim's contract means he would receive a £12m pay-off if Manchester United sack him before the first anniversary of his appointment on 1 November. (Mail - subscription required), external

Manchester United's recent financial results have given them a greater chance of signing Brighton and Cameroon midfielder Carlos Baleba, 21. (Mirror), external

Crystal Palace's loan of Christantus Uche from Getafe will automatically become a permanent deal if the 22-year-old Nigeria forward starts 10 matches this season. (Marca - in Spanish), external

Liverpool are prepared to offer 50m euros (£43.35m) for Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo, 26, although Tottenham are also interested in the Uruguay international. (Fichajes - in Spanish), external

Birmingham are keen to tie 14-year-old England Under-15 goalkeeper Alfie Smith down to new deal to fend off interest from Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City. (Mail), external

Chelsea are the latest club to express an interest signing 25-year-old England centre-back Marc Guehi when his Crystal Palace contract expires next summer. (Football Insider)




Sky Paper Talk

DAILY MIRROR

Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson is said to be on Manchester United's transfer radar.

Julian Alvarez's representative has insisted that Liverpool did submit a bid for the Atletico Madrid striker during the summer transfer window.

DAILY EXPRESS

One-time Wimbledon finalist Marin Cilic has called out the ATP Tour over the 'dangerous and crazy' conditions at the Hangzhou Open.

SCOTTISH SUN

Andrew Cavenagh will be confronted by a furious fan protest at Ibrox on Saturday after the Rangers owner jets in from the USA.

Celtic fans eager for change in the board room have been urged to "back off" by a former director who says they've been spoiled by success.

DAILY RECORD

Rangers have confirmed a list of managerial candidates have thrown their names into the ring in the race to replace beleaguered boss Russell Martin.

THE TIMES

The former world 100m champion and Olympic medallist Fred Kerley has announced that he will take part in the controversial Enhanced Games, weeks after being suspended for allegedly breaching anti-doping rules.

Manchester United's wage bill has fallen below Arsenal's for the first time in the Premier League era, the club's annual accounts have revealed.

Emma Raducanu's decision not to represent Great Britain in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals has been described as "disappointing" by the team captain, as the British No1 overcame her emotions to claim a first-round victory at the concurrent Korea Open.

Rugby fans watching on television will soon be able to see how a player's heart rate changes as they stand over a match-defining kick or feel the force of a scrum.

Worcester Warriors could be hit with RFU sanctions if they do not settle their debts with a large number of former players and staff before the club's return to competitive action in the second tier of English rugby next month.

THE GUARDIAN

Michael Johnson's Grand Slam Track organisation has denied the former American sprinter has pocketed $2m from the series while athletes have gone unpaid, calling the speculation "categorically false" - and claimed he was facing financial losses himself.

Super League's proposed expansion to 14 teams is at risk of an 11th-hour challenge from clubs amid fears it could jeopardise the future of rugby league as a professional sport.

THE SUN

PSG's Champions League tie with Atalanta was marred by the arrests of at least 19 fans.

Monaco footballers were seen trudging off their plane in just their underwear as they were forced to cancel their flight to their Champions League opener.

DAILY MAIL

Spanish government officials have suggested they could remove their national team from next year's World Cup if Israel qualify.

Chelsea's chief revenue officer has departed Stamford Bridge less than two years into the role - with the club still without a shirt sponsor.




Sport Witness

West Ham in contact for Brazilian league top scorer – Ready to pay €25m, January move possible

By Pedro Reinert

West Ham are keeping a close eye on Kaio Jorge, one of the standout players in Brazilian football this season, according to a report from Globo journalist Pedro Rocha and later confirmed and detailed by RTI Esporte.

The Premier League club made enquiries about the striker’s situation at Cruzeiro towards the end of the last transfer window and even indicated a willingness to pay €25m (£21.4m) for his signing.

It was only a matter of time before European clubs turned their attention back to Kaio Jorge. The 23-year-old striker has been enjoying a spectacular campaign with Cruzeiro – 15 goals and five assists in 22 appearances – and has firmly established himself as a central figure in the country.

Despite West Ham’s strong and concrete interest, Cruzeiro are not inclined to negotiate a deal ahead of a future window, with the club still fighting for the league title and already through to the semi-finals of the Copa do Brasil. The board believes that selling now could derail those ambitions.

Cruzeiro also feel that Kaio Jorge’s market value may increase further as the season progresses. The striker is currently the top scorer in both the Brasileirão and the Copa do Brasil, and his goalscoring form continues to push his stock higher.

His recent call-up by Carlo Ancelotti for Brazil, where he made an appearance against Chile at the Maracanã, has only added to his reputation.

From the English perspective, West Ham view Kaio Jorge as an opportunity to strengthen their attacking options with a young forward whose physicality and finishing ability appear well suited to the demands of the Premier League.

Also, this is not Kaio Jorge’s first link with European football, as highlighted by RTI Esporte. A Santos academy product, he was sold to Juventus in 2021 but struggled to make an impact, failing to score in 11 appearances. A subsequent loan spell at Frosinone produced three goals and one assist in 22 matches, but he never truly settled in Italy.

Returning to Brazil has revitalised his career. Cruzeiro invested a little over €5m (£4.3m) to bring him in, and his contract runs until the end of 2029. That long-term deal gives the club control over his next move, with confidence that his value can rise further.

For now, though, the Hammers must wait, but the possibility of a winter transfer remains.