Arsenal have been encouraged in their £70m pursuit of Brazil forward Rodrygo, who is not guaranteed a starting spot under new Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso. (Mirror), external
Atletico Madrid are willing to go all out to sign Tottenham and Argentina defender Cristian Romero, 27, and are willing to put a deal in place worth about £61m. (AS - in Spanish), external
West Ham have rejected a £50m bid from Tottenham for Ghana forward Mohammed Kudus, 24. (Talksport), external
Manchester United want £25m for Jadon Sancho, 25, with Juventus still interested in the England winger. (Corriere dello Sport - in Italian), external
Sancho is prepared to lower his wage demands to join the 36-time Serie A winners. (Eurosport Italia - in Italian), external
Manchester United are stepping up their interest in Aston Villa and England striker Ollie Watkins, 29, and have held tentative talks with the Midlands club who want a fee of about £60m. (Mirror), external
Napoli boss Antonio Conte is keen to sign Nigeria forward Ademola Lookman, 27, from Atalanta this summer. (La Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian)
Newcastle are aiming to tie up a deal for Burnley's English goalkeeper James Trafford, 22, as early as next week and remain in talks with Nottingham Forest for Sweden winger Anthony Elanga, 23. (i paper), external
Japan winger Kaoru Mitoma, 28, has told Brighton he wants to stay at the club and sign a new deal despite being linked with Bayern Munich (Sky Sports), external
Nice goalkeeper Marcin Bulka, 25, is set to join Saudi Arabian side Neom, despite Sunderland having a £12.8m bid accepted for the Poland international. (Meczyki - in Polish), external
Sunderland have turned their attention to signing Chelsea's Serbian goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, 25, but face competition from Aston Villa and Bournemouth. (Times), external
The Black Cats are also nearing the capture of Union Saint-Gilloise's DR Congo player Noah Sadiki, 20, who can play in defence or midfield. (Sunderland Echo), external
Italy striker Ciro Immobile, 35, is to terminate his contract with Turkish club Besiktas and join Bologna on a free transfer. (Corriere dello Sport - in Italian), external
Valencia's Spanish defender Cristhian Mosquera, 21, has turned down a lucrative new contract with the La Liga club because he wants to join Arsenal. (Las Provincias - in Spanish), external
Wolves defender Nasser Djiga, 22, might join Rangers on loan for the season having made just five Premier League appearances after joining in February. (Express and Star), external
Lyon have set a price of at least £51.5m for 20-year-old Malick Fofana with Premier League clubs Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Fulham and Nottingham Forest joining continental sides Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig and Napoli in the race for the Belgium winger. (Independent, external)
Chelsea have held talks with Borussia Dortmund over a potential deal for 21-year-old Soumaila Coulibaly, with the French centre-back likely to be sent on loan to Strasbourg next season by the Blues. (Sky Sports, external)
Werder Bremen have a strong interest in Leeds United centre-back Max Wober, 27, with permanent and loan options under discussion for the Austria international. (Sky Sports, external)
Leicester City full-back Victor Kristiansen looks certain to be heading for the exit door with Nottingham Forest the latest club to be showing an interest in the 22-year-old Denmark defender. (Leicester Mercury), external
Swansea City are winning the race to sign 24-year-old Leyton Orient midfielder Ethan Galbraith with a fee of £1.6m reportedly agreed. Sheffield United and Huddersfield Town have also been linked with the Northern Ireland international. (Wales Online), external
Coventry City, Norwich City and Southampton have all made contact with representatives of Belgian forward Adriano Bertaccini, 24. He plays for top-flight side Sint-Truiden in his homeland. (Coventry Telegraph), external
Ukraine centre-back Maksym Talovierov, 25, could be set to leave Plymouth Argyle to return to the Championship with Stoke City. (Stoke Sentinel), external
Wycombe Wanderers are expected to make a second bid for Barnsley midfielder Luca Connell after having an initial offer for the 24-year-old rejected by their League One rivals. (Bucks Free Press)
Sky Paper Talk
THE TIMES
Gareth Bale has tabled a £40m bid to buy his hometown club Cardiff City.
DAILY MIRROR
Manchester United are stepping up their interest in Aston Villa and England striker Ollie Watkins.
Liverpool are set to press on with their plans to sign Marc Guehi after selling Jarell Quansah.
Crystal Palace will not consider selling Eberechi Eze for a sum lower than the £68million release clause in the player's contract, amid interest in the midfielder from Arsenal.
Manchester United continue to negotiate with Brentford over the transfer of Bryan Mbeumo but are confident they can reach an agreement by the end of the week after seeing two bids rejected.
Jack Grealish is happy to play a waiting game regarding his future despite Pep Guardiola telling him to leave.
DAILY MAIL
Manchester United have reportedly handed wonderkid JJ Gabriel a unique squad number - 95. The 14-year-old has been dubbed as 'Kid Messi'.
FIFA have been offering more free tickets to Club World Cup matches, Mail Sport understands.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has wasted little time in making his impression felt at Real Madrid since joining from Liverpool, with Thibaut Courtois already complaining about having to face the right back in training.
Rangers are in talks to sign Luton Town's highly-rated Norway midfielder Thelo Aasgaard.
THE SUN
Juventus manager Igor Tudor has revealed 10 of his players asked to come off in the Club World Cup defeat to Real Madrid.
Porto have sacked Martin Anselmi after just six months.
Pep Guardiola will hold crunch talks with Manchester City stars as he begins a "tough" squad cull.
THE TELEGRAPH
Six Sheffield Wednesday players have handed in their notices over unpaid wages.
Dan James has agreed a new long-term deal with Leeds.
THE ATHLETIC
Sunderland have agreed a deal worth £17.75m to sign midfielder Noah Sadiki from Belgian champions Union Saint-Gilloise.
Leeds United are in talks with Werder Bremen over the permanent transfer of Max Wober to the Bundesliga outfit.
Atletico Madrid have completed the signing of Spain international Alex Baena from Villarreal.
THE GUARDIAN
Everton are closing in on the signing of the Villarreal striker Thierno Barry for a fee of around £27m.
DAILY RECORD
Reports that David Brooks' move to West Brom is off has opened the door for a reunion with Russell Martin at Rangers.
Guardian Rumour Mill
Tom Bassam
Last week it was Istanbul, this week it is Turin. Jadon Sancho’s next destination for employment is like an Interrail trip around our favourite city break destinations. According to Corriere dello Sport, Manchester United want £25m for the England winger, 25, and Juventus are interested. Helpfully, Sancho is said to be prepared to lower his wage demands in order to join the Old Lady.
Sancho’s departure will free up some cash to fund the potential signing of Ollie Watkins, because nothing says thought out transfer strategy like paying £60m for a 29-year-old striker due a big payday. Multiple back pages suggest that Jim Ratcliffe’s crew are intensifying their pursuit of Watkins, with Rasmus Højlund potentially returning to Italy.
After missing out on João Pedro, Newcastle must turn to alternatives. Anthony Elanga at Nottingham Forest has been cited as one potential target and another, it has emerged, is West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus. Again the Toon appear to have competition, with Tottenham also eyeing up the Ghanaian. TalkSport claim the Irons have already rejected a £50m bid for Kudus from Spurs but reports suggest Newcastle would want to pay around that mark.
One coveted winger who looks to be staying at his current club is Kaoru Mitoma. Bayern Munich placed the Japanese international on their wishlist, but Sky Sports have delighted all Brighton fans with an update suggesting that Mitoma wants to remain at the Amex and sign a new deal.
Sunderland have geared up for their return to the Premier League by selling Jobe Bellingham to Dortmund and Tommy Watson to Brighton. Two midfielders have come through the door in the shapes of Habib Diarra and Enzo Le Fée but the Black Cats now need defensive reinforcements, for that they have turned their attention to signing Chelsea’s Serbian goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic and Union Saint-Gilloise’s DR Congo international Noah Sadiki, 20.
Bayern Munich are interested in Lyon’s Malick Fofana. The 20-year-old has been priced at at least £51.5m, according to the Independent, which suggests a bidding war might emerge with all of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Fulham and Nottingham Forest in contact about the Belgian international.
More from Germany, with Leipzig defender Castello Lukeba another to be coveted by a host of top clubs. Foot Mercato claims that Tottenham are rivals for the 22-year-old Frenchman, along with Bayern. Lukeba is said to have a £78m release clause but Leipzig would be willing to deal for less than that.
Drama in Italy as a row between Inter captain Lautaro Martínez and teammate Hakan Calhanoglu could see the Turkish midfielder leave the club. After Inter’s exit from the Club World Cup, Martínez told reporters “whoever wants to leave, should leave”, before club president Beppe Marotta acknowledged that the Argentinian was probably referring to Calhanoglu. Although this report from the Gazetta dello Sport suggests the players are working things our privately, Galatasaray could be beneficiaries as Inter cut the asking price for Calhanoglu to €30m.
The Athletic
Former Fiorentina chief scout announces move to West Ham recruitment team
By Roshane Thomas
Fiorentina’s former chief scout Antonio Tramontano has announced he has joined West Ham United’s recruitment team.
Tramontano, who also previously worked at clubs FC Lugano and Virtus Entella, as well as the Italian Football Federation, says he has become the London side’s Italian market scout.
Between July 2019 to June 2023, Tramontano held the roles of match analyst, assistant sports director and chief scout at Serie A outfit Fiorentina, where he worked under managers Vincenzo Montella, Giuseppe Iachini, Cesare Prandelli and Vicenzo Italiano.
Tramontano would be the latest addition to head coach Graham Potter’s backroom staff following Kyle Macaulay’s appointment as head of recruitment in January.
The recruitment team currently consists of head of technical recruitment and analysis Maximilian Hahn; sporting director Mark Noble; European scout Georges Santos; Adrian Clarke, the first team scout; and Dylan Curnell, the first team recruitment analyst, among others.
“I’m pleased to share that a few weeks ago I embarked on a new professional challenge as Italian Market Scout for West Ham United,” Tramontano posted on his LinkedIn profile.
“Becoming part of a club with such a prestigious history, competing in one of the most fascinating and competitive leagues in the world — The Premier League — is a great source of pride and motivation for me.
“I’m grateful for this opportunity and committed to giving my utmost contribution, continuing to grow and take on new challenges in such a high-level environment.”
Football Insider
‘West Ham plan to accept huge Lucas Paqueta offer after FA ban news’
West Ham are prepared to accept offers for Lucas Paqueta as Saudi Pro League clubs are preparing bids, according to their former scout.
Mick Brown, who also worked as the chief scout at Man United and Blackburn and remains very well-connected at his former clubs, exclusively told Football Insider that “huge” offers for the 27-year-old are being lined up behind the scenes.
However, any deal will depend on the outcome of the FA probe into suspicious betting activity which started in 2023 and is expected to reach an outcome in the coming weeks.
Football Insider revealed in October that West Ham are looking to replace Paqueta amid the ongoing threat of a potential “lifetime ban” from football.
As things stand, no deal will progress until the official verdict is announced, with all parties left in limbo amid ongoing confusion and speculation.
This comes after Brown told Football Insider in May that West Ham plan to accept offers for Paqueta in an effort to raise funds for reinvestment in Graham Potter’s team.
West Ham made Lucas Paqueta transfer decision
Brown told Football Insider in March that West Ham are identifying potential replacements for Paqueta in cases he faces a lengthy ban from the FA.
The former scout, who has a wealth of experience in top-level player recruitment after over a decade at Man United during their most successful period, has insisted any deal will depend fully on the outcome of the FA investigation.
“West Ham are prepared to let Paqueta go this summer,” he told Football Insider.
“I’m told there are a few clubs in Saudi Arabia having a look at him and whether a deal would be possible.
“They’d be prepared to pay huge money to bring him in.
“But he’s got the threat of this ban looming over him, which not only would see West Ham lose one of their better players, but also a big chunk of money.
“To be honest, it’s typical of the FA that it has been allowed to drag on for so long.
“Faced with a difficult decision to make, they sweep it under the carpet for as long as they can.
“That hasn’t helped West Ham, and it certainly hasn’t helped the player.
“If the charges against him are accurate, he broke the rules and will be punished, he’ll be banned and it may even be a lifetime ban.
“But having it in the background for so long as put a number of things on pause, everybody is in limbo.
“Why would the Saudi clubs come in at the moment, give West Ham a load of money and take over their problem? If he gets banned, it won’t just be in England.
“At the moment, it’s all on hold, but if he is cleared things will start moving.”
Football Talk
West Ham make ‘approach’ to sign Oscar Mingueza
West Ham United have reportedly made an ‘approach’ to sign Celta Vigo star Oscar Mingueza, as per transfer journalist Graeme Bailey.
After ranking through Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy, the 26-year-old made his first team debut back in 2020 but found it difficult to play regularly at Camp Nou.
Therefore, he decided to leave and joined Celta Vigo in 2022. He initially took time to settle down in his new surroundings, but has established himself as a key player for Los Celestes in recent times.
Mingueza enjoyed a stellar campaign at Balaidos Stadium last term, scoring four goals and registering six assists in 31 league starts. Moreover, he helped his side keep eight clean sheets.
Having displayed eye-catching performances in La Liga, he has secured his place in the Spanish national team, but plays as a rotational option under Luis De La Fuente.
Now, on TBR Football, Bailey says that West Ham are interested in reinforcing the defensive department and have earmarked Mingueza as a serious option. They have already made an ‘approach’ to secure his service, and the player is open to moving to the London Stadium.
Mingueza to West Ham
The 26-year-old is valued at around £17m by Transfermarkt and has entered the final year of his current contract. Therefore, Celta Vigo might be open to cashing-in on him to avoid losing him for free next year.
The journalist says that apart from Mingueza, El Hadji Malick Diouf of Slavia Prague is also on the Hammers’ radar, and they have already been in talks to purchase him. The player is ready to join the East London club.
Mingueza is a versatile player as he is comfortable playing in the RCB position and the right-back role. Moreover, he can provide cover in the RWB and LWB positions.
Following Vladimir Coufal’s departure, West Ham need a new right-sided defender, and Mingueza could be a shrewd acquisition as he is technically sound, comfortable playing out from the back, and is efficient going forward.
However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the Hammers eventually manage to secure the Spain international’s service in this transfer window.
