Sunday news (includes West Ham)

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Mex Martillo 12:54 Sun Jul 28

[Mex Martillo]

Thanks Alan

[Alan]

"BBC England midfielder Kalvin Phillips, 28, has told Manchester City he wants a permanent move away from the club, with Everton and Aston Villa considering a loan deal. (Football Insider) Nigeria striker Kelechi Iheanacho, 27, is close to joining Sevilla following the expiry of his contract with Leicester City. (Sky Germany) Paris St-Germain are still working to sign Athletic Bilbao and Spain winger Nico Williams, 22. (RMC - in French) Aston Villa are aiming to bring in Barcelona and Brazil forward Raphinha, 27, this summer (Football Insider) Liverpool and Tottenham have joined Arsenal in the race to sign Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres, 26, from Sporting Lisbon. (Football Insider) The mooted deal between Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid is not done yet for Portugal forward Joao Felix, 24, with no formal proposal sent to the Spanish club. (Fabrizio Romano) Villa want Atletico to lower their asking price for Felix to about ¬£50-¬£60m if they are to proceed with a move for the player. (90 Min) Newcastle will have to pay 40m euros (¬£33.73m) if they want to sign 22-year-old German centre-back Malick Thiaw from AC Milan. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian) Arsenal and Chelsea are set to battle to sign Manchester City and Argentina forward Julian Alvarez, 24. (TeamTalk) Arsenal will step up their attempts to sign Real Sociedad and Spain midfielder Mikel Merino, 28, once the arrival of Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori, 22, from Bologna is confirmed. (90 Min) Leicester City and Southampton will be interested in Liverpool and Scotland forward Ben Doak, 18, if the club put him up for a loan move. (The Athletic - subscription) Talks are ongoing between Manchester United and Bayern Munich over deals for Netherlands defender Matthijs de Ligt, 24, and 26-year-old Morocco defender Noussair Mazraoui, who both want to move to Old Trafford. (Florian Plettenberg - Sky Germany) Liverpool are still keen to sign England midfielder Anthony Gordon, 23, despite Newcastle planning to keep him. (Sunday World) Girona and Tottenham are finalising a deal for Spain forward Bryan Gil, 23, who is set to move to La Liga on an initial loan. (Fabrizio Romano) France centre-back Jean Clair-Todibo wants to join Juventus from Nice, and the 24-year-old's agent is in Italy to hold talks with the Serie A side. (Sky Sports Italy) Sky Paper Talk MAIL ON SUNDAY Leicester and Southampton are among several clubs keen on signing Liverpool starlet Ben Doak this summer - with the talented Scottish winger set to sit down with Arne Slot after the Reds' pre-season tour to decide whether to leave or not. Cole Palmer, Conor Gallagher and Marc Cucurella will not rejoin Chelsea's squad in the United States as the trio of Euro 2024 are being afforded an extended break after the Euro 2024 final. Fabio Carvalho insists he is ready to prove to new Liverpool boss Arne Slot that he is good enough to stick around at Anfield this season and fight for his place in a crowded field of talented attackers. West Ham are lining up Manchester United's Aaron Wan-Bissaka as new manager Julen Lopetegui looks to strengthen his options at right-back ahead of the Premier League season. THE ATHLETIC Former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea is in talks to join Genoa on a free transfer. Eddie Howe has held ""positive talks"" with Newcastle United's hierarchy and has reiterated that he wants ""collaboration"" on transfers, rather than the ""final say"". SUNDAY MIRROR England fans will come to regret hounding Gareth Southgate out of the Three Lions job, according to Tom Heaton. Heaton is the first member of Southgate's coaching staff to speak publicly following his resignation in the wake of defeat in the Euro 2024 final. SUNDAY TELEGRAPH Triathlon training in the Seine is understood to be in jeopardy, with water quality testers due to carry out an early hours inspection after heavy rainfall. THE SUNDAY TIMES Newcastle United's Saudi Arabian owners are considering making a first major investment in cricket by taking a stake in a new Hundred team based in the North East. THE SUN ON SUNDAY Aston Villa are set to investigate Jhon Duran after the striker appeared to make a gesture associated with West Ham on an Instagram live stream, amid transfer interest from the Hammers. DAILY RECORD Al-Ittihad have reportedly told all suitors for Jota they must pay his full salary if they want to snap up the winger on loan this summer. OS Match Report | Kudus strikes but Wolves storm past Hammers in Florida Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-1 West Ham United Stateside Cup, EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida, USA, Saturday 27 July 2024, 9.05pm EDT West Ham United‚Äôs Stateside Cup challenge endured a stormy start as Wolverhampton Wanderers triumphed 3-1 in rain-hit Jacksonville. The Hammers‚Äô first of two Sunshine State Tour matches in Florida did not live up to its billing as a deluge of rain, thunder and lightning delayed kick-off for just over two hours at EverBank Stadium. Incredibly, the waterlogged pitch was cleared, the storm abated and the game was belatedly able to take place in front of thousands of grateful American Hammers, and supporters who had flown into the United States from the UK and elsewhere. West Ham made a decent start, but it was Wolves who took the lead 18 minutes in when a defensive slip allowed Norwegian J??rgen Strand Larsen to set up strike partner Matheus Cunha to drive low past ?Åukasz Fabia?Ñski with a first-time finish. The Irons continued to play their possession-based game under new Head Coach Julen Lopetegui, but without creating much by way of clear-cut openings. Instead, both Aaron Cresswell and James Ward-Prowse fired free-kicks into the wall, and Maxwel Cornet sliced a volley wide. That changed on 44 minutes when a sweeping move saw Danny Ings spin into space and find Mohammed Kudus wide on the right. The Ghanaian sped away from Rayan A?Øt-Nouri, ran past Toti and slammed an unstoppable right-foot shot past Dan Bentley and into the net. Lopetegui made six half-time changes, including the introduction of former Wolves player Maximilian Kilman. It was one of the starters, Cornet, though, who worked Bentley in the early stages of the second half. On 64 minutes, West Ham introduced for more substitutes, including goalkeeper Wes Foderingham, and the latter was called into action by Wolves replacement Tawanda Chirewa almost immediately, diving to his left to tip the ball around the post. Wolves boss Gary O‚ÄôNeil made no fewer than ten changes at the same time, and his replacements would ultimately settle the game in the Old Gold‚Äôs favour. First, on 72 minutes, Gon?ßalo Guedes raced into the penalty area following a turnover and, although Nayef Aguerd got back well to make a sliding challenge, left winger Rodrigo Gomes had raced forward in support and shot high past Foderingham with his left foot. Six minutes later, it was 3-1 and Gomes was again the goalscorer, timing his run and his header perfectly to power right-back Pedro Lima‚Äôs well-placed cross high into the net. West Ham kept plugging and Callum Marshall saw a late goal ruled out as Michail Antonio was flagged offside in the buildup. George Earthy and Gomes each saw shots blocked ‚Äì the latter by Kilman ‚Äì and Chirewa also fired a first-time shot high over the bar, but there would be no further goals. Lopetegui was not happy with his team‚Äôs performance, despite the challenge circumstances around the game, and will demand a better all-round display ‚Äì and better weather ‚Äì when his Hammers take on Premier League rivals Crystal Palace in their second Stateside Cup fixture in Tampa on Saturday 3 August. Wolverhampton Wanderers: Bentley, Doherty (Lima 63), Mosquera (Dawson 63), Toti (S.Bueno 73), Ait-Nouri (H.Bueno 63), Lemina (Bellegarde 63), Cundle (Doyle 63), Sarabia (Guedes 63), Chiquinho (R.Gomes 63), Cunha (Hwang 30, Rawlings 78), Strand Larsen (Chirewa 63) West Ham United: Fabia?Ñski (Foderingham 64), Coufal (Kodua HT, Casey 81), Mavropanos (Zouma HT), Aguerd (Earthy 75), Cresswell ¬© (Emerson HT), Potts (Orford HT), Ward-Prowse (Irving 64), Souƒçek (Kilman HT), Kudus (Marshall 64), Cornet (Antonio 64), Ings (Luis Guilherme HT) Subs not used: Herrick (GK), Robinson, Kelly, Scarles Mail Julen Lopetegui has work to do on the training ground, Mohammed Kudus is key for the Hammers and it's a mystery why this game was played in Florida: FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED as West Ham lose 3-1 to Wolves West Ham were beaten 3-1 by Wolves in a drenched Jacksonville on Saturday Julen Lopetegui‚Äôs new style suits some West Ham players better than others Mohammed Kudus will be key for the Hammers - if they can keep hold of him By Kathryn Batte In Jacksonville West Ham were beaten 3-1 by Wolves as new boss Julen Lopetegui suffered defeat in his first reunion with his former side. There had been doubt over whether this pre-season game would go ahead, with torrential rain and thunderstorms causing a two-hour delay to kick-off in Jacksonville, Florida. But ground staff worked hard to remove standing water from the pitch and, once the severe weather warning was lifted, the game was able to take place. Here, Mail Sport takes you through five things we learned‚Ķ Lopetegui‚Äôs new style suits some better than others The style of football Lopetegui wants to play at West Ham was evident in the opening seconds, with his team pressing Wolves high up the pitch from the first whistle. The Spaniard wants his team to play with intensity and they looked fit and energised in the early parts of the game, despite going behind in the 18th minute. However, it is clear that Lopetegui‚Äôs new system will suit some players better than others. Tomas Soucek struggled in possession and was at fault for Wolves‚Äô opening goal when he gave the ball away in front of his own goal. Youngster Freddie Potts, who had a successful loan spell with Wycome last season, looked to be more comfortable in the system. While the midfielder would probably have liked to have seen more of the ball, he was positive in possession and tried to drive his team up the pitch. The Hammers did not seem to press quite as high in the second half, with Michail Antonio putting Wolves‚Äô defenders under less pressure than Danny Ings had done in the opening 45 minutes. Lopetegui still has a number of weeks to drill his system into his players, with the likes of Lucas Paqueta, Jarrod Bowen and Edson Alvarez (currently injured), set to join the squad in Tampa next week. Kudus holds the keys It is no surprise Mohammed Kudus is a player attracting interest from other clubs and the forward showed why he will be so key for Lopetegui this season. He was the Hammers‚Äô best player in the first half and scored a well-taken solo goal to bring his team level before the break. Kudus was West Ham‚Äôs best attacking outlet and he tried to make things happen in the first half, before his withdrawal at the break. It was no surprise that the Hammers looked less dangerous in front of goal once the forward had gone off. Keeping hold of the 23-year-old, whose ¬£85million release clause will be active in the summer of 2025, is paramount if the club are going to continue to compete for the European places. Striker still needed It is no secret that signing a new centre forward is one of the main priorities for West Ham this summer and this performance only emphasised the need for reinforcements. Danny Ings started in the No 9 position and, to his credit, looked sharp in the first half as he tried to initiate the press from the front - but his service was limited. The future of Ings, who has been linked with a return to Southampton, is uncertain but he showed he can still be a useful member of the squad. Maxwel Cornet, who had limited opportunities last season, failed to make a mark on the game and it seems unlikely he will play more of a prominent role under Lopetegui. Technical director Tim Steidten, who is leading on transfers, was at the game this evening and will recognise that the need for a prolific striker is still evident. Jhon Duran has been a long-term target but the club have been unable to reach an agreement with Aston Villa. Steidten is exploring other options but will know that the clock is ticking before the start of the new season. Defence still looks shaky West Ham‚Äôs defensive issues were evident in the second half of last season, with the club failing to keep a clean sheet for a run of 17 games. The signing of Max Kilman, who came on to face his former club at half-time, was much needed but Lopetegui may feel he needs to further strengthen his backline before the start of the new season. The Hammers were cut open too often in the second half and were twice punished for allowing crosses into their box. The lack of pace in the backline was also exposed by Wolves‚Äô wingers. Right back is a position where West Ham are looking to strengthen, with Manchester United‚Äôs Aaron Wan-Bissaka a top target after talks with Bayern Munich‚Äôs Noussair Mazraoui broke down. The lack of options at right back was emphasised by youngster Kaelan Casey, whose primary position is centre back, filling in on that side mid-way through the second half. Weather warnings While the torrential rain may have been a unique experience for some of the players, locals describe July as ‚Äòflood season‚Äô in Florida - which perhaps raises the question of the decision to play here. Similar weather is forecast for Wolves‚Äô fixture with Crystal Palace in Annapolis on Wednesday, while rain and thunderstorms are also expected in Tampa, where West Ham play the Eagles on Saturday. It is unclear how close organisers came to postponing Saturday‚Äôs fixture but the two-hour delay to kick-off, which subsequently pushed back both teams‚Äô travel plans after the game, was less than ideal. The insistence to ensure the match went ahead, despite the extreme weather, also shows how lucrative these games across the pond are."