Sunday News (includes West Ham)

[Alan]

BBC

Manchester City are concerned about the possibility of losing Spain captain Rodri, 29, as he has yet to decide whether to extend his contract beyond in 2027, with Real Madrid looking to sign a central midfielder this summer. (AS - in Spanish), external

Everton have held further talks over signing England winger Jack Grealish, 29, on a loan move from Manchester City, which could cost the Toffees £12m. (Times - subscription required), external

Newcastle United have told Sweden striker Alexander Isak he will not be sold this summer and will not be allowed to join Liverpool, who have had a £110m offer for the 25-year-old rejected. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

Newcastle United have agreed a deal to sign AC Milan's Germany defender Malick Thiaw, 24, in a deal worth 40m euros (£34.6m). (Mail), external

AC Milan have held talks with intermediaries over the signing of Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund, but the Denmark international wants to stay at the Old Trafford club. (Fabrizio Romano), external

Liverpool are the favourites to sign England defender Marc Guehi if the 25-year-old leaves Crystal Palace this summer. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

Liverpool and Palace are expected to hold further talks about Guehi after the two clubs meet in the Community Shield on Sunday, with the Eagles wanting about £45m for a player who is out of contract next summer. (Mail), external

Chelsea have stepped up talks with Manchester United over a move for 21-year-old Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho. (Athletic), external

Former England striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, 28, has let go of his representative and will do his own negotiations as he hopes to join Manchester United after leaving Everton at the end of last season. (Sun), external

Chelsea are still in talks over a deal for RB Leipzig's 22-year-old Netherlands midfielder Xavi Simons. (Sky Sports), external

Brentford have held initial talks with Bournemouth about signing Burkina Faso winger Dango Ouattara, 23. (Sky Sports), external

Newly-promoted Sunderland are on the brink of agreeing a £10m deal for Getafe's Paraguay defender Omar Alderete, 28. (Sun), external

Nantes' 22-year-old French forward Matthis Abline is attracting interest from Paris FC, Eintracht Frankfurt and Wolves. (Fabrizio Romano), external

Al Nassr are preparing a bid of about 30m euros (£26m) for Bayern Munich's 29-year-old France winger Kingsley Coman. (Florian Plettenberg), external

AC Milan are set to battle city rivals Inter, as well as Liverpool, for Parma's 18-year-old Italian centre-back Giovanni Leoni. (Corriere dello Sport - in Italian)





C&H

West Ham’s new season | Radical changes on and off the pitch

West Ham travel to Sunderland on Saturday for the Black Cats’ triumphant return to the big league. For a change, a 3pm on Saturday kick off will be like a dose of nostalgia, such is the rarity of Saturday afternoon football. Recent years have seen Friday, Saturday evening, Sunday and Monday kick offs as Sky’s schedule dictates all.

The Premier League is set to go live with a number of changes for the 2025/6 season: Some for the benefit of the TV audience, some for the fans in the stadium- here’s a brief rundown.

Goal keeper time wasting: Referees are set to clamp down with ‘keepers allowed eight seconds to release the ball or else a corner will be awarded to the opposition. This will baffle everyone to start off with, as it did when first introduced in the Club World Cup this summer. Whether it will be enforced more than the old ‘indirect free kick’ rule remains to be seen. Watch for referees counting down on their fingers and goal keepers claiming not to have seen!

Semi Automated VAR offsides: Hopefully the interminable line-drawing om the tv screen are long gone. More goals being ruled out for little toes being off side is the worry. At least it should happen faster without the five minute wait which is killing the spectacle. Don’t hold your breath. VAR announcements inside the stadium are also proposed to make VAR decisions less incomprehensible to spectators.

New football: Puma will be the new supplier instead of the 25 – year association with Nike. Fingers crossed it behaves itself and doesn’t herald more Arteta-like criticism.

For the armchair viewer, a big change you’ll notice is increased access for TV cameras: Touchline interviews with substituted players and cameras inside the dressing room promise all sorts of opportunity for profanities and general hilarity. The team talks will not of course be broadcast but I just wonder if UK audiences are ready for USA-style TV coverage. EPL footballers are not the brightest bunch and the opportunity to ‘offload and offend’ might be just too tempting.



Sport Witness

West Ham in negotiations to sign player on free transfer – He ‘wouldn’t turn down’ Hammers

By Naveen Ullal

AS Roma’s Lorenzo Pellegrini could end up at West Ham United this summer, according to a report from Italy.

The attacking midfielder managed 10 goals and five assists from 41 games during the 2023/24 season but wasn’t able to replicate that form last season. To put it in context, he scored three goals and registered three assists from 34 games.

Gian Piero Gasperini’s side are determined to get rid of the 29-year-old, who could move to West Ham

That’s at least RomaNews.eu are reporting, and they state Roma are in negotiations with the Hammers for the Italy international.

He’s in his final year of contract which includes a salary of €7m gross per year. The report explains the Serie A side can let him leave on a free transfer in this window, in order to get rid of Pellegrini’s hefty salary.

It’s claimed the player ‘wouldn’t turn down’ the move to West Ham if he receives a three-year contract with the same salary. Should he leave, Roma can save on his wages and use it to sign two to three new players.

Pellegrini can also operate in the middle of the pitch. The report states his arrival at West Ham will depend on Guido Rodríguez leaving Graham Potter’s side.

RomaNews.eu claims Pellegrin is ‘heading to West Ham’ should the Argentine join another club. This claim hasn’t been backed up or dismissed by others in Italy.

[Texas Iron]

Cheers…

[With Kind Regards]

Thanks Alan.