Manchester United have made an offer of 65m euros (£54m) for Brentford's Cameroon striker Bryan Mbeumo, 25, who has a year left on his current contract. (Fichajes - in Spanish), external
Al-Nassr striker Cristiano Ronaldo, 40, has received an offer from an unnamed Brazilian club, which would allow the Portugal star to play in the Fifa Club World Cup which starts in June. (Marca - in Spanish) , external
Aston Villa are interested in Barcelona forward Ferran Torres, 25, and prepared to offer around 50m euros (£42m) for the Spain international. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish), external
English manager Will Still, 32, is in talks to become Southampton boss after leaving French club Lens. (Independent), external
Lyon's 21-year-old French winger Rayan Cherki, a target for Manchester United and Liverpool, has confirmed he will leave the French side his summer. (Goal), external
Manchester United are also keen on Sporting and Portugal midfielder Pedro Goncalves, 26, this summer. (Teamtalk), external
Atletico Madrid are among several clubs interested in Aston Villa's Argentine midfielder Enzo Barrenechea, 23, who is on loan at Valencia. (Birmingham Mail), external
Bayern Munich have not lost hope of keeping former Manchester City winger Leroy Sane at the club, with the 29-year-old Germany international out of contract next month. (Bild - in German), external
Nottingham Forest are keen to tie down England pair, midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, 25, and winger Callum Hudson-Odoi, 24, to new contracts as soon as possible. (Football Insider), external
Napoli need a new centre-forward for next season and are plotting a move for either Lille's out-of-contract Canada striker Jonathan David, 25, or Liverpool's Uruguay forward Darwin Nunez, 25. (Calciomercato - in Italian
Sky Paper Talk
THE SUN
Emiliano Martinez is wanted by Manchester United and Barcelona after he hinted at an Aston Villa exit, according to reports in Argentina.
Manchester United will not host a victory parade if they win the Europa League out of respect for the hundreds of staff who have lost their jobs this season.
Mikel Arteta will miss Arsenal's final game of the season after picking up a touchline ban.
Alexandre Lacazette's home was burgled while he was in action for Lyon on Saturday, according to reports.
JJ Gabriel has been tipped by Manchester United insiders to become their youngest ever player.
Fabia Paratici's return to Tottenham is set to be confirmed as the Italian looks to line up Ange Postecoglou's successor.
DAILY MAIL
Real Madrid officials are reportedly concerned by Jude Bellingham's drop-off in form this season, having held several meetings to discuss the situation.
Bernardo Silva delivered thinly-veiled criticism of unnamed Manchester City team-mates by claiming that he knows who has been in the trenches this season and insisting "something has to change".
DAILY TELEGRAPH
Manchester City will target four major signings during the summer transfer window to overhaul Pep Guardiola's squad after a first campaign in eight years without domestic silverware.
Rory McIlroy declined to speak to the media for the fourth day in a row at the 107th PGA Championship as he finished outside of the top 40.
THE ATHLETIC
Noussair Mazraoui has revealed his career-best longevity this season is down to cutting out fizzy drinks from his diet.
Angel Di Maria has confirmed he will leave Benfica this summer when his contract expires.
THE TIMES
Marc Skinner, the Manchester United Women head coach, has said he does not know why Sir Jim Ratcliffe was not at Wembley to watch his team in the Women's FA Cup final for the second consecutive year.
THE GUARDIAN
Southampton's search for a new manager has led them to hold talks with Tom Cleverley and Will Still. Danny Rohl, the Sheffield Wednesday manager, is also in the running for the job.
Kevin De Bruyne has revealed he "probably won't play" for Manchester City in this summer's Club World Cup, with the Belgian critical of FIFA for staging the competition when contracts are on the verge of running out.
DAILY EXPRESS
Marcus Rashford has reportedly changed his mind on the conditions he would accept to leave Manchester United this summer.
EVENING STANDARD
Arsenal co-chair Josh Kroenke says the club will invest in the squad this summer as they strive to win major trophies.
Fulham captain Tom Cairney has signalled that he wants to extend his decade-long stay at Craven Cottage.
DAILY RECORD
Barry Ferguson was left to lick his wounds at being overlooked for the Rangers job - just days after being officially interviewed for the position.
Will Still has reportedly "rejected" an approach from Rangers to become their next manager.
SCOTTISH SUN
Nico Raskin insists he will be a Rangers player for as long as the club wants him to be.
From next season, Sky Sports' Premier League coverage will increase from 128 matches to at least 215 games exclusively live.
And 80 per cent of all televised Premier League games next season are on Sky Sports.
Guardian
Forest survive West Ham’s frantic finale to set up crunch decider against Chelsea
Jacob Steinberg at the London Stadium
In the end the only thing missing was Evangelos Marinakis charging down to the pitch to add one more body to Nottingham Forest’s desperate rearguard action. There was chaos everywhere at the London Stadium, all sense evaporating after Jarrod Bowen stirred West Ham into life with a superb volley. So serene until Bowen’s goal transformed the mood in the 86th minute, Forest were gripped by nerves once their two-goal buffer disappeared and they found themselves battling to prolong their push for Champions League qualification.
There were 17 minutes of added time to endure. A melee broke out at one stage and there was an escape for Forest when Matz Sels, a standout player during a season in which so many of Nuno Espírito Santo’s players have exceeded expectations, repelled a powerful header from Niclas Füllkrug, whose introduction as a substitute had contributed to West Ham’s belated improvement in attack.
Forest are doing it the hard way. Not bothered about aesthetics, Nuno relished his side, with 39.5% of the possession, securing a second win in eight games. All that mattered after a recent wobble was rising a point below fifth-placed Aston Villa and setting up an almighty showdown with Chelsea at the City Ground on the final day. “We are trying to make something magical happen,” Forest’s manager said. “It is going to be a special game.”
Do not bet against Forest if they can ride a wave of emotion against Chelsea. Here they were playing for Taiwo Awoniyi, still recovering in hospital after undergoing surgery on a horrific abdominal injury, and proving they have not been affected by Marinakis’s very public debrief with Nuno after last weekend’s draw with Leicester. A restorative 2-1 victory, secured with goals from Morgan Gibbs-White and Nikola Milenkovic, means Forest continue to push against the Premier League’s established order.
Can they finish the job? The evidence is inconclusive. “It was more open than me and Nuno would want,” Graham Potter said after another disappointing result at home. Forest, boosted by Murillo returning from a hamstring injury to renew his partnership with Milenkovic in central defence, are giving chances away. West Ham started well and could have led when Tomas Soucek’s header drew a wonderful save from Sels after two minutes.
Vladimir Coufal’s early raids from right-wingback caused problems. The Czech Republic international almost marked his penultimate appearance for West Ham by scoring his first goal for the club with a deflected drive that Sels pushed wide. Aaron Cresswell, another veteran defender playing his final home game in claret and blue, later threatened with a back-heel.
Forest stood firm. They knew that West Ham were even more vulnerable at the back. Gibbs-White spurned an easy chance, volleying straight at Alphonse Areola from close range. Anthony Elanga then teed up Chris Wood to test Areola from 25 yards. West Ham’s goalkeeper is undoubtedly a fine shot-stopper. Yet he is less sure commanding his area and even worse with the ball at his feet, so it was not clear why he was attempting to play out from the back in the 11th minute. Baiting the press is not really Areola’s thing and he was embarrassed when Gibbs-White intercepted a pass to Guido Rodríguez before firing an uncompromising finish into an unguarded net.
While Gibbs-White celebrated by lifting a shirt in support of Awoniyi, the air went out of West Ham. They have struggled at home under Potter, whose steady 3-5-2 system has had more success in away games. “At home you have to be the protagonist,” he said. “You have to be able to be proactive.”
Goalkeeper Matz Sels saves from Carlos Soler to help keep Nottingham Forest’s top-five hopes alive. Photograph: Matthew Childs/Action Images/Reuters
There was a quadruple substitution from Potter before the hour. Forest responded by doubling their lead in farcical circumstances, Milenkovic onside when he diverted Elanga’s firm free-kick past Areola. Patience was stretched to breaking point by thevideo assistant referee taking six minutes to assess whether Nicolás Dominguez, marginally offside in the middle, was interfering with play when Milenkovic scored. It later emerged that the semi-automated offside system was not available, plus that communications with Stockley Park had broken down. “They’re drawing the lines,” Potter said. “I think they ran out of ink.”
The delay gave West Ham time to recover. They improved thanks to Potter’s attacking changes, Lucas Paquetá, Carlos Soler and Füllkrug making a difference. It was game on when Morato, introduced to stiffen Forest’s defence, headed Paquetá’s chip to Bowen. The subsequent finish was emphatic and the stage was set for a frantic finale. How Forest made their fans sweat. How they fought for the points. Now for Chelsea.
The Athletic
Another West Ham defeat leaves fans with little optimism for next season: ‘It looks bleak’
By Roshane Thomas
Thousands descended on east London to participate in the Hackney Half Marathon, while just a stone’s throw away at the London Stadium, Morgan Gibbs-White and Anthony Elanga were running circles around West Ham United’s defence.
The Nottingham Forest duo were shining lights as their club pushes for Champions League qualification. During the 2-1 victory, West Ham endeavoured to keep a semblance of defensive calmness, but it proved futile, with Gibbs-White and Elanga tormenting them.
The England international pounced on Alphonse Areola’s misplaced pass for the opener, while Elanga assisted ex-West Ham transfer target Nikola Milenkovic after the hour mark. West Ham scored via Jarrod Bowen, but their late spirited fightback failed to yield a draw.
“Credit to Forest, they are a strong outfit with some fantastic players,” said head coach Graham Potter. “Their (opening) goal was disappointing from our perspective. I think we suffered a little bit from that.
“They’ve recruited well and Nuno (Espirito Santo) has worked another season with them. As a club, they’ve taken positive steps. So it’s credit to them and they’re an aspiration for us. We have to use the summer to make some good decisions to try to take the club forward.”
West Ham have lost nine of their 18 league games this calendar year, winning four and drawing five. An online petition was created on May 14 calling for the removal of majority shareholder David Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady. It has garnered fewer than 2,000 votes at the time of writing, but it is a sign of the discontent.
The loss to Forest was the last home game of a disappointing season. There were special send-offs for Lukasz Fabianski, Aaron Cresswell and Vladimir Coufal, all of whom will depart when their contracts expire at the end of the season. Mark Noble, the sporting director, presented Cresswell with a framed jersey, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka received an award for winning player of the year.
Some supporters stayed after the final whistle to watch the players give a lap of honour. Wan-Bissaka, captain Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paqueta, Tomas Soucek and Edson Alvarez signed autographs and posed for pictures with fans in the lower tier of the west stand.
Jarrod Bowen after scoring for West Ham (Henry Nicholls/AFP/Getty Images)
But there were also hordes of fans who left long before the players re-emerged from the tunnel. Before kick-off, The Athletic spoke to supporters to find out their thoughts on the season, Potter, and their hopes for next term.
John Ward, 60, was watching another football match, one taking place at the Bobby Moore Academy on Marshgate Lane. Of his many wishes for the next campaign, the integration of two particular academy prospects is high on that list.
“It’s been a very poor season when you factor in the money we spent on players last summer,” Ward said. “Having two managers (Julen Lopetegui and Potter) this season is far from ideal and the jury is still out on Potter. The only good thing about looking at the table is that we’re above Manchester United and Tottenham. Performances under Potter have been worse than Lopetegui. It’s harsh, but it’s true.
“We won’t really know what Potter can achieve until he brings in his players. We need to see some form of progress in those first 10 games of next season.
“We have Freddie Potts and George Earthy (both of whom were on season-long loans at Portsmouth and Bristol City) returning. They’ve played at a good level in the Championship. Potter should bed them into the team. Look, so many years we’ve spent big money on players and it hasn’t worked. It’s make or break this summer with our recruitment.”
Mark Tomkins, 36, was on his way to meet friends for a drink next to Hackney Wick station. “I’ll be arriving at the match praying for the best but expecting the worst,” he said. “I wish we showed more ambition with appointing Moyes’ replacement. Due to our owners, we always go for the cheaper option, which in the long run ends up being expensive because we have to pay them off. The club wanted Potter initially and I back him to do well.
“This summer we need a centre-midfielder, a centre-back and a striker, again. Evan Ferguson (on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion) has hardly played and when he has featured, he’s failed to take his chance. But my main worry is whether we’re even an attractive club to join?
“Plus, other London clubs have the edge over us. Crystal Palace can offer European football next season (after winning the FA Cup), so can Arsenal and Chelsea, plus higher wages, Brentford and Fulham are well-run clubs. Tottenham have been poor like us, but they could potentially be playing in the Champions League next season.
“It looks bleak when you really break it down. I just hope that by October we will have seen a big improvement. If not, I fear it will be a similar season to this.”
Potter after West Ham’s last home match of the season (Steve Bardens/Getty Images)
As the match drew closer, a swarm of claret and blue jerseys appeared at Pudding Mill Lane station. While waiting for her niece, Sophie Reid, 58, explained why she has lowered her expectations for life under Potter.
“I’m prepared to give the manager the benefit of the doubt for now,” she says. “It’s an ageing squad and we haven’t seen much belief in what they’re doing. We haven’t been good for roughly 18 months.
“As much as we want the European run under Moyes to return, we’re far from achieving that. I can’t see us challenging for Europe like Forest for another three years. Our focus next season should be avoiding relegation because of the massive turnover of players this summer. We have to be realistic with where we’re at.”
Thirty minutes before kick-off, Richard, 35, and his young sister were enjoying the views from the upper tier of the West Stand. He was reluctant to give his last name and was not opposed to defending Potter.
“We’re all just waiting for summer so Graham can bring in his players,” said Richard. “It’s a bit like Christmas when it reaches December and everyone starts counting down the days. Watching Crystal Palace made me think, ‘That could have been us’. On paper, we have the team to do it, but we haven’t been able to build momentum since the season started.
“Potter has a tough job ahead of him, so fans need to cut him some slack. It’s been largely the same squad for the previous two seasons. (Mohammed) Kudus has been poor. There’s a lot of dead wood. We need to freshen it up, but it will take time. Let’s see what happens this summer.”
(Top photo: Henry Nicholls/AFP via Getty Images)
Sport Witness
West Ham’s fresh strategy to sign target – Ready to offer money plus Hammers man
By Naveen Ullal
Yuri Alberto has long been on West Ham United’s agenda and is reportedly still on their radar for the summer window.
Two months ago, Alberto’s agent André Cury stated West Ham are one of the clubs to have made an offer at some point.
West Ham are back in the picture to sign the Corinthians player, according to Jorge Nicola, relayed by Bolavip Brasil.
The 24-year-old joined the Brazilian club on loan from Zenit Saint Petersburg in June 2022 and his stay was made permanent the following year. He’s scored 69 goals and registered 19 assists from 181 games, of which 12 goals and an assist are from this year.
West Ham have a new strategy to try and sign the Brazil international in the upcoming window. Nicola claims the Hammers have decided to offer money plus Luizão in exchange for their long-term target.
The 23-year-old centre-back has been on loan at Pogoń Szczecin since the winter market. Prior to his move to Poland, a few Brazilian clubs, including Corinthians, had looked at the West Ham player.
Corinthians, who are looking to improve their defence, need a ‘very high’ fee to sanction Alberto’s sale. There’s no mention of their demand or the fee West Ham are willing to pay.
Daily Record
Celtic star 'spotted at West Ham' as Hoops close in on six figure payout for departing man
The departing Celtic star appeared to watch West Ham as they lost to Nottingham Forrest over the weekend
By Robbie Copeland Live Sports Writer
Daniel Cummings was spotted at West Ham's clash with Nottingham Forrest at the weekend as he gets set to leave Celtic for the English Premier League.
The striker made his top-team debut for the Hoops in the Champions League this season after running riot for the B-team in the Lowland League and UEFA Youth League.
He has 29 goals in 36 appearances for the B side but, other than an 11-minute cameo against Aston Villa and the occasional appearance in the squad, he hasn't been utilised by Brendan Rodgers.
That may be down to the fact he is out of contract and all season has looked increasingly set to leave the club with West Ham closing in.
And now eagle-eyed fans appear to have spotted him taking in their 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest at the weekend.
We understand Celtic will bank around £300,000 once the move is sealed with the 19-year-old set to join the Irons despite rival interest from Brighton.
It's believed the promise of first-team involvement next season was central to Cummings' decision to swap Glasgow for London.
He becomes the latest promising Parkhead talent to move south before really breaking through at Parkhead with Ben Doak and Rocco Vata among the recent departures.