Friday News (includes West Ham)

[Alan]

BBC

Brentford forward Yoane Wissa's preference is to follow former Bees manager Thomas Frank to Tottenham, despite Newcastle United showing an interest in the 28-year-old DR Congo international. (Talksport, external)

Everton have submitted a bid to sign Brazil midfielder Douglas Luiz from Juventus, with Aston Villa and West Ham also interested in the 27-year-old. (Teamtalk), external

Arsenal are closing in on a deal to sign Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting, with the Gunners pencilling in a medical for the 27-year-old. (Football Transfers), external

Arsenal made a move for Portugal midfielder Joao Palhinha, 30, earlier this summer but were unable to agree a deal with Bayern Munich. (Bild - in German), external

Wolves have agreed a deal to sign 27-year-old Colombia winger Jhon Arias from Brazilian club Fluminense. (ESPN), external

Nottingham Forest are actively working to persuade England midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, 25, to commit his long-term future to the club amid growing interest from Tottenham. (Givemesport)

Leeds United are in talks over the signing of Feyenoord's 25-year-old Brazilian winger Igor Paixao. (Sky Sports), external

West Ham are in talks to bring in 28-year-old English defender Kyle Walker-Peters, who is a free agent after leaving Southampton and has pulled out of a move to Besiktas. (Talksport), external

Inter Milan have proposed a deal to take Nigeria striker Ademola Lookman on loan with a £34.6m obligation to buy but Atalanta are not keen on those terms and want £43.2m for the 27-year-old. (Sky Sports Italia - in Italian), external

Luton Town are set to sign the Republic of Ireland keeper Josh Keeley from Tottenham after the 22-year-old failed to agree a new contract with Spurs. (Standard), external

Arsenal have agreed a fee of around £200,000 with Salford City for 17-year-old English striker Will Wright in an effort to beat Liverpool to the signing. (Mail), external

Brighton and Republic of Ireland striker Evan Ferguson, 20, is in talks to join Roma this summer. (Fabrizio Romano), external

Newcastle are considering an approach to Juventus for Italian defender Nicolo Savona, 22, and also remain keen on his 21-year-old compatriot Giorgio Scalvini of Atalanta and Spanish defender Cesar Tarrega, 23, of Valencia. (Sky Sports, external)

Liverpool have held preliminary talks with Real Madrid for Brazil winger Rodrygo, with the 24-year-old considered a potential replacement for Luis Diaz if the club decide to sell the 28-year-old Colombia winger this summer. (Talksport, external)

AC Milan are interested in Manchester United and Denmark striker Rasmus Hojlund and are exploring the conditions of a deal for the 22-year-old. (Sky Sports, external)

West Ham are the latest club to contact Manchester City for England winger Jack Grealish, with Everton also keen on a loan deal for the 29-year-old. (Ben Jacobs on X, external)

Sunderland and Bournemouth have both had £23m bids rejected for Lille's French defender Bafode Diakite, with the club demanding a fee in the region of £34m for the 24-year-old. (L'Equipe - in French), external

Wrexham are preparing a bid for Bolton captain George Thomason, with the 24-year-old English midfielder valued around £1.2m. (Bolton News, external)

Blackpool are keen on Nottingham Forest forward Dale Taylor, 21, who impressed on loan at League One Wigan last season and is a Northern Ireland international. (Football League World, external)




Sky Paper Talk

THE SUN

Newcastle's Saudi owners will refuse to sell Alexander Isak - even if he wants to talk to Liverpool.

Arsenal are closing in on £69 million striker Viktor Gyokeres after a removal van was spotted moving furniture from his luxury Lisbon home.

Former Manchester United player Wyn Davies has passed away aged 83.

DAILY EXPRESS

Liverpool could target Real Madrid winger Rodrygo or Newcastle United's Anthony Gordon if they cash in on Luis Diaz this summer, according to reports.

Napoli have excluded Victor Osimhen from the club's pre-season training camp in the latest indicator of his impending permanent exit.

DAILY MIRROR

Morgan Gibbs-White wants his future to be resolved before Nottingham Forest jet off to Portugal for their pre-season training camp.

Former Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has denied claims he could sign Antony for a third time at Bayer Leverkusen - but insisted the Brazilian winger was "like a son to me".

DAILY MAIL

Arsenal reportedly attempted to sign Bayern Munich midfielder Joao Palhinha before the Club World Cup.

THE TIMES

Crystal Palace's case to be reinstated to the Europa League has been boosted by the emergence of an email sent last year by the association of clubs that runs European football with Uefa.

Manchester United's new £50 million training ground, complete with its own barbers, is set to open next month when Ruben Amorim's squad return from their pre-season tour to the United States.

THE ATHLETIC

Plans for Julio Enciso to leave Brighton & Hove Albion during the summer transfer window have been put on hold by a knee injury which needs surgery.

THE STANDARD

Cole Palmer arrived to a hero's welcome in St. Kitts on Monday as he celebrated Chelsea's Club World Cup final win over Paris Saint-Germain.

Tottenham goalkeeper Josh Keeley is set to join Luton on a permanent deal.

SCOTTISH SUN

Gordon Strachan reckons Brendan Rodgers might be on his way out of Celtic next summer.

DAILY RECORD

Real Betis are set to test Rangers' resolve over Nico Raskin, according to a report.

Rangers are reportedly set to raid Sheffield Wednesday yet again, this time for a new goalkeeper.

Brendan Rodgers has hailed Benjamin Nygren as a brilliant bargain buy and tipped the Swede to become a Celtic star.

Dundee United are closing in on the signing of Ivan Dolcek



Guardian Rumour mill

Michael Butler

Given Victor Osimhen is one of the world’s best No 9s, definitely available for transfer and with a £64m release clause is a cheaper option than both Viktor Gyökeres (who is older) and Hugo Ekitike (who is relatively unproven), it seems a little bit wild that Arsenal, Liverpool or any other elite European team are not in for the Nigerian striker. Having impressed last season on loan at Galatasaray, winning the Golden Boot in Turkey on the way to a Süper Lig title, Osimhen could complete a remarkable permanent move to Istanbul in lieu of any other interest. Napoli are happy to sell, given Osimhen has one year remaining on his contract, but have reportedly inserted a clause preventing the striker from joining Juventus at a later date.

Like a sophisticated nuclear submarine patiently lying in wait or just a middle-aged man trying to get out of a bathtub, West Ham have emerged as a potential loan destination for Jack Grealish. The Manchester City winger’s gargantuan wages are too dear for a permanent move but a loan deal may suit and the Mill is wholeheartedly in favour of the deal, mainly because Grealish and West Ham mascot Danny Dyer will undoubtedly be thrown together in the name of #content. Everton could yet scupper the Englishman’s move to east London, offering Grealish a chance to stay in the north-west.

Speaking of West Ham, Aaron Wan-Bissaka was crowned last season’s Hammer of the Year for his performances at right back, so naturally West Ham are targeting … another right-back! In fairness, Kyle Walker-Peters will be relatively cheap after becoming a free agent, so the east Londoners will just have to stump up for inflated wages and a large signing-on bonus that is the norm with free transfers these days. West Ham have swooped after his provisional move to Besiktas was cancelled and the Turkish club released a curt statement: “It is publicly known that the arrival of professional football player Kyle Walker-Peters, with whom we previously announced an agreement in principle and invited him to Istanbul for a medical examination, has been postponed. Kyle Walker-Peters notified us, requesting an extension. Consequently, our club has withdrawn its transfer.”

One Englishman that has made his way to Besiktas is Tammy Abraham, with the former Chelsea striker confirming the loan move earlier this month. That leaves a Tammy Abraham-sized hole at his parent club, Roma, which may now be filled with the loan signing of Brighton’s Evan Ferguson. The Irishman failed to find the net in any of his eight appearances last season on loan at West Ham but there’s a good player in there somewhere and the Italian capital is not a bad place to find one’s form.

Hold the back page! Arsenal have signed a striker! Alas, it is not an expensive and moody Swede playing in Portugal (yet), but Salford City’s 17-year-old Will Wright, who is expected to cost around £250,000 after 50 goals across all age groups. Liverpool were also reportedly interested but failed to match Arsenal’s bid.

In the not-too-distant past, Gio Reyna was The Next Big Thing for Borussia Dortmund and the USMNT. Now, the 22-year-old is on the verge of a £5.5m move to American-backed Serie A side Parma, who are now managed by 29-year-old Carlos Cuesta, one of Mikel Arteta’s former coaches at Arsenal.

And Florian Wirtz’s dad has credited Arne Slot as the reason his son chose Liverpool over Bayern Munich. “Arne Slot presented his playing philosophy, the team tactics in possession and pressing, and how Florian can develop his strengths in these areas,” Hans Wirtz told Der Spiegel. “This made a decisive impression on Florian. The training conditions in Liverpool were also totally impressive.”




Sport Witness

West Ham player could be ‘on the way out’ after Graham Potter decision

By Naveen Ullal

Edson Álvarez could be living his ‘final days’ at West Ham United.

That’s according to ESPN in Mexico, and they report that Graham Potter has decided to leave the midfielder out of his plans at West Ham next season.

West Ham seem to be in favour of the manager’s decision as it’s claimed they are willing to sell the 27-year-old this summer.

The Mexico international has three years left on his contract and Transfermarkt currently values him at €25m. The report adds the Hammers are open to listening to offers for him, but there’s no mention of an asking price.

The former Ajax man could be ‘on the way out’ of the Premier League club, following Potter’s reported decision.

Álvarez joined West Ham in August 2023 and has played 73 games, of which 13 were under Potter, who joined the London club in January.

Two months ago, the player said he’s happy at West Ham but didn’t categorically close the door on an exit.




Evening Standard

West Ham agree Kyle Walker-Peters deal after Besiktas saga with medical imminent

Former Tottenham, Southampton and England full-back to sign a three-year contract at the London Stadium

Simon Collings

West Ham are set to sign former England defender Kyle Walker-Peters.

The 28-year-old is currently a free agent after his contract with Southampton expired at the end of last season.

Besiktas had been in discussions with Walker-Peters, but they publicly pulled out of negotiations on Thursday after he delayed his medical following interest from the Hammers.

Talks with West Ham have progressed quickly and Walker-Peters now has an agreement in principle to move to the London Stadium.

The full-back is due to begin his medical on Friday, which will run into the weekend, before putting pen to paper on a three-year deal.

The Hammers have already bolstered their backline this summer by signing Senegalese defender El Hadji Malick Diouf from Slavia Prague for £19million.

Walker-Peters brings plenty of Premier League experience, while he has also been capped by England on two occasions.

The 28-year-old is capable of playing on either side of defence. He made 35 appearances in the Premier League last season, but could not stop Southampton from being relegated.



Rousing the Kop

Liverpool name their price to sell Harvey Elliott and Tyler Morton to West Ham together

James Brooke

Liverpool are looking likely to splash even more cash in the transfer market this summer after moving ahead with a deal to sign Hugo Ekitike.

Having already spent close to £200m on some exciting new additions, the Reds could spend upwards of £70m more on Ekitike.

Once that deal is sealed and sorted, there is the prospect that Liverpool are still not done yet. A centre-back is definitely needed whatever else happens.

Anything further may depend on outgoings, with the Liverpool squad likely to be trimmed a little before the window closes.

Two players who that could possibly affect are Harvey Elliott and Tyler Morton, who both suffered from a lack of game time under Arne Slot last season.

And with West Ham sniffing around Elliott and Morton in a joint deal, Liverpool have reportedly now named their price for the pair.

Liverpool want £55m to sell Harvey Elliott and Tyler Morton

After Elliott shone in the European Under-21 Championships with England this summer, the 22-year-old sent a strong reminder of his qualities as a player.

Plenty of Liverpool fans would like to see Slot use Elliott more than he has, but, unfortunately, it looks like it could be the end of the road for him at Anfield.

For Morton, he will be desperate to kick-start his career having only made five appearances with the Reds last season.

A Premier League move would surely appeal to both, and West Ham could provide that.

According to The Daily Mail, however, the Hammers are going to have to cough up to get both Elliott and Morton.

They claim it would cost ‘in the region’ of £55m to extract the two friends from Liverpool together.

[Attwood]

Mex Martillo 13.54 18/07/25 

[With Kind Regards]

Thanks Alan.

[Texas Iron]

Cheers…

[Mex Martillo]

Thanks Alan
I don't know much about Morton, but 55M for the two doesn't sound so bad. I'd like to see Elliot come our way.