Sunday News (includes West Ham)

[Alan]

BBC

Aston Villa have joined Manchester United in wanting to sign 19-year-old Brazil striker Endrick on loan from Real Madrid in January. (Daily Star on Sunday), external

However, Lyon are favourites to land Endrick, who is keen to move to get more first-team football and improve his chances of making Brazil's squad for the 2026 World Cup. (Foot Mercato - in French), external

Manchester United are also set to step up their efforts to sign England midfielder Elliot Anderson, 22, from Nottingham Forest in January, but could face competition from Chelsea, Manchester City and Newcastle United. (Caught Offside), external

Napoli want to sign Manchester United and England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, 20, on loan in January, with a view to making the move permanent in the summer. (Mirror), external

England forward Marcus Rashford's representatives have already held talks with Barcelona about the terms of a contract, should the Spanish club turn the 28-year-old's season-long from Manchester United into a permanent move. (Sport - in Spanish), external

Aston Villa's obligation to turn England attacking midfielder Harvey Elliott's loan move from Liverpool into a permanent switch is thought to kick in if the 22-year-old makes 10 appearances for the Midlands club. (Independent), external

Paris FC are keen on making a move for 34-year-old France midfielder N'Golo Kante, whose contract with Al-Ittihad runs out next summer. (Foot Mercato - in French), external

Mexico striker Santiago Gimenez, 24, has until the January transfer window to convince AC Milan he deserves to stay at the club instead of being sold. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian), external

Italy forward Lorenzo Insigne, 34, is a free agent after leaving Toronto FC and holding out for a move to Lazio. (Football Italia)




Sky Paper Talk

Premier League

Aston Villa have joined Manchester United in the scrap to sign Real Madrid outcast Endrick - Daily Star Sunday.

Napoli are prepared to cover Kobbie Mainoo's entire salary in a bid to secure his signature in the January transfer window - Daily Star Sunday.

Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish has hinted that the club would prefer to lose Marc Guehi for nothing at the end of the season, rather than sell him in the January transfer window - Sunday Mirror.

Declan Rice has revealed the heartbreaking explanation behind his celebration after scoring against Burnley on Saturday - Sun on Sunday.

Championship

The former Newcastle owner Mike Ashley is preparing a bid of about £10m for Sheffield Wednesday in the hope of securing a quick deal.
European Football

Lamine Yamal's ongoing groin injury issues could be chronic without any obvious permanent cure - Daily Mail.

Mario Balotelli has hit out at Patrick Vieira after the former Arsenal midfielder was sacked as manager of Genoa - Sunday Mirror.

Cristiano Ronaldo's son has followed in his footsteps with a goal for the Portugal's Under-16s - Sun on Sunday.

Scottish Premiership

Steven Gerrard has revealed he was "very close" to returning as Rangers manager - Sun on Sunday.

Bodo/Glimt boss Kjetil Knutsen has spoken for the first time since an internal Celtic leak put him back in the running to replace Brendan Rodgers - Sunday Mail.





Sport Witness

Nuno Espirito Santo makes transfer request to West Ham – Player on January shortlist

West Ham United are interested in Lazio striker Tijani Noslin and eyeing up a move in the January transfer window.

That’s according to Il Messaggero, relayed by Solo Lazio. They report that West Ham are interested in the Dutchman.

They report that West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Sano believes West Ham need a new attacking talent. He’s told the Hammers’ management that they need a ‘versatile and dynamic’ striker.

West Ham currently have Callum Wilson and Niclas Füllkrug as their striker options. But both have fitness concerns. Wilson has spent 258 days out injured over the past three seasons. Füllkrug’s tally is 197 since joining West Ham two seasons ago. He’s currently out with a thigh injury.

Adding a striker to the squad in January would make sense. And Il Messaggero report that Noslin is a name on their list. He joined Lazio in 2024, scoring two goals in 30 games last season. He also managed two assists. He’s yet to score or assist this season.

Those are hardly exciting numbers, though. So perhaps the Hammers are looking at something else when it comes to the striker.

We’d hold off any excitement for the time being, but he may be a name to keep an eye on ahead of the January transfer window.




C&H

Consternation grows over player “liability” claim

At the pre-match press conference, Hammers coach Nuno Espírito Santo made it clear that he demanded more of one of his senior players, wanting him to become a talisman and a symbol on the pitch rather than a passenger.

Expecting Lucas Paquetá, now freed of the threat of the FA inquiry, to step up and lead the side’s recovery this autumn is clearly Nuno’s wish- “Being a ‘ten’ is a symbol. Being the ‘ten’ and this is what we need from Lucas – the best of him to really help his team mates, because the team-mates trust him a lot and they know that there’s much more for him to give us, the talent that he has” .

Was how he put it. Others don’t have then same confidence in Paquetá’s ability to lead by example: Ex-Spurs player turned pundit Tim Sherwood claims Paquetá is a luxury player who doesn’t play for his team, and the last thing the Hammers need just now. Speaking to Premier League’s ‘team talks‘, Sherwood blasted the Brazilian:

“Paqueta plays for Paqueta. He doesn’t play for West Ham at the moment. And I think he’s great player. He could potentially play for the Man City’s and Liverpool’s of this world and the Arsenal’s…A lot of West Ham fans will be out there saying, well, he’s our best player. He probably is in the final third, but he’s probably the biggest liability you got when you’re asking him to do a responsible thing.”
Pundit claims Paquetá is a liability for West Ham in their predicament

And making it clear that in Nuno’s position, he’d offload Paquetá as soon as the January window comes around:

“I would drive to any club he wants to go if we were getting the money for him and I’m in the position if we need to release some funds so we can spend it in other positions I would take him wherever he wants to go,” Said the ex Spurs man.

“I think he’s a real top player. But he’s a liability in the position where we are in the league.”

So far, Espirito Santo has resisted the chance to drop the Brazilian, playing him as a midfielder and unsuccessfully as a false ‘9’: He’s yet to get the best out of West Ham’s ‘number 10’ and the longer that ‘fail’ continues, the more the consternation will grow that perhaps, just this once, Tim Sherwood may have a point.



OS

U18s hit Ipswich for eight to claim third straight win

Ipswich Town U18s 2-8 West Ham United U18s
U18 Premier League South, Playford Road, Saturday 1 November 2025, 11am GMT

West Ham United U18s made it three consecutive victories in all competitions with a stunning 8-2 win over Ipswich Town, with U16 starlet Isaac Thomas enjoying a dream debut at U18 level by scoring four goals, Andre Dike netting a brace and Jephthah Medine also etching his name on the scoresheet.

Within the first six minutes, West Ham’s early possession paid off as they took the lead through Thomas, who got off the mark in style by heading in Medine’s pinpoint free-kick delivery.

Lauris Coggin’s side continued to dominate as Medine led a swift counter-attack just minutes later, turning away from his marker and setting up Dike, whose low shot whistled just wide after cutting inside onto his left foot.

Then, in the eleventh minute, Dike produced another moment of brilliance when he curled a superb effort into the top corner to make it 2-0, successfully following up his spectacular strike against Aston Villa last time out.

The young Hammers were relentless in the early stages, and another perfectly executed set-piece saw Thomas rise highest again to head home his second goal, extending the lead to 3-0 after just 18 minutes.

The home side eventually found their rhythm and threatened a response. Benjamin Buskell struck on the volley after a cross into the box, but Finley Hooper reacted sharply, saving with his feet.

Just before half-time, Ipswich pulled two goals back, reducing the deficit to just one goal in quick succession. Indiana Pedder capitalised on a loose touch from Hooper to score into an empty net, before turning in Buskell’s cross moments later to make it 3-2 and give the hosts hope of a potential comeback.

After the interval though, West Ham quickly regained control, and just three minutes into the second half Medine restored the two-goal cushion when Lewis Beckford’s cross caused chaos in the box, and the winger bundled the ball over the line to make it 4-2.

Two minutes later, the Hammers continued to use their threatening set-pieces to their advantage, after another dangerous delivery forced Isaac Boakye-King to turn the ball into his own net, extending the lead to 5-2.

Despite making a few substitutions, including the introduction of Jude Longman, who came on for his first U18s appearance, and Connor Brooks, the Hammers’ intensity didn’t drop as they looked to see out the victory.

Beckford’s relentless pressing forced an error from Joshua Bentley in goal, which almost let Brooks in. Then, the Ipswich defenders failed to clear the ball after more good work from Beckford, with the ball this time falling kindly to Dike, who tapped in his second of the game to make it 6-2.

Things went from bad to worse for Ipswich when their captain, Charlie Wood, was shown a second yellow card for a late challenge and was sent-off in the 76th minute.

Despite the significant scoreline, the visitors refused to stop their attacking dominance, and they almost added another when substitute Martin Peychev was denied on the line by the goalkeeper following another dangerous set-piece.

In the 85th minute, Thomas completed his hat-trick, once again losing his marker inside the box and heading home powerfully from close range from a corner.

Then, in stoppage time, the U16 rounded off a dream debut with his fourth goal of the game, turning in Joe Scanlon’s cross after a clever one-two with Longman, sealing an emphatic 8-2 victory.

The young Hammers will face Ipswich Town again later this month, this time in the U18 Premier League Cup, returning to Playford Road on Saturday 22 November.

Before that, Coggin's side are back at Little Heath next Saturday, 8 November, to take on Crystal Palace U18s in the Premier League South, when they will look to stretch their winning run to four games in all competitions.

Ipswich Town U18s: Bentley, Barry, Ologho, Brown (Olawole 70), Wilkinson (Enkotosia 45), Boakye-King, Buskell, Wood ©, Ladegbaye, Eze (Adebayo 45), Pedder

Subs not used: Fletcher (GK), Msabah

Goals: Pedder 43, 44

Booked: Boakye-King

Sent-off: Wood

West Ham United U18s: Hooper ©, Perkins, Smith, Thomas, Scanlon, Morris-Agyemang (Peychev 56), Unwin, Dike (Longman 61), Obi (Brooks 56), Beckford, Medine (Omotoye 56)

Sub not used: Ayesta (GK)

Goals: Thomas 6, 18, 85, 90+2, Dike 11, 60, Medine 48, Boakye-King (OG) 50

Booked: Unwin, Brooks

Coggin: We have real depth coming through the Academy

After securing three consecutive wins in all competitions at Ipswich, lead coach Lauris Coggin was delighted with how his team dominated the game and showed the impact of the tactical instructions set out before kick-off.

He said: “I thought we were dominant throughout. We spoke before the game about controlling the first ball, the second ball, to allow us to play the game in the way that we wanted to. We did that from the start, scoring three good goals early on, which put us in a position where we could show our individual and collective quality.

“We were obviously disappointed to concede the two goals just before half-time, which changed the momentum, but I spoke to the players about staying calm in that moment and believing in what we hoped the second half would be.”

Coggin also praised Isaac Thomas’ fantastic four-goal debut at U18 level, as well as the other players who made the step up for the first time.

He continued: “I think it speaks to the depth of quality that we've got within the Academy. Isaac is not naturally a centre-half, so for him to step into that position, and then to score from set-pieces, which, as you've seen this year, are prominent throughout the game, was brilliant.”

Finally, Coggin shared his reaction to West Ham's U17s making it through to the quarter-finals of the U17 Premier League Cup earlier this week, following a 3-1 win over defending champions Tottenham Hotspur.

He added: “I’m really proud of that group. Against Tottenham, they faced a much older side, but the boys showed great maturity. There have been plenty of changes, but once again I’m proud of how they performed, and now they’re looking forward to the next round and the quarter-finals.”