Friday News (includes West Ham)
Posted: 20 Sep 2024, 09:08
BBC
Manchester United are set to offer English midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, 19, a bumper new contract to reflect his status as a first-team star. (Fabrizio Romano on YouTube)
Manchester United could move for Bayern Munich's German midfielder Leon Goretzka, 29, with the futures of Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen, 32, and Brazilian 32-year-old Casemiro still in doubt. (Manchester Evening News)
Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United are all chasing Lille and England midfielder Angel Gomes, with the 24-year-old out of contract at the end of the season. (GiveMeSport)
Tottenham, Chelsea and Paris St-Germain are leading the race to sign Sweden forward Viktor Gyokeres, 26, from Portuguese giants Sporting. (Caught Offside)
Liverpool are considering Juventus and Brazil centre-back Gleison Bremer, 27, as their ideal replacement for Dutchman Virgil van Dijk, 33. (Teamtalk)
Newcastle are monitoring 18-year-old Norwegian forward Sindre Walle Egeli, dubbed the next Erling Haaland, with West Ham, Crystal Palace, Brighton and Brentford also interested in the £25m-rated teenager. (Daily Mail)
Liverpool are monitoring Hungary left-back Milos Kerkez, 20, from Bournemouth. (TeamTalk)
Bayer Leverkusen's Dutch wing-back Jeremie Frimpong, 23, is on Chelsea's five-man shortlist to replace English full-back Reece James, 24. (TBR Football)
But Chelsea will not to loan out Brazilian 17-year-old winger Estevao Willian when he joins the club from Palmeiras next summer. (Goal)
Inter Milan want to sign Arsenal and Japan defender Takehiro Tomiyasu in January with the Gunners asking for £25m for the 25-year-old defender. (Daily Mirror)
Manchester City are eager to start contract talks with 31-year-old goalkeeper Ederson, with the Brazilian's deal set to expire in summer 2026. (TBR Football)
Newcastle midfielder Joelinton, 28, wants to end his career in his native Brazil but remains committed to the Magpies for now. (Chronicle)
Southampton's 18-year-old forward Tyler Dibling is on Manchester United's radar after impressing their sporting director Dan Ashworth. (GiveMeSport)
Sky Paper Talk
DAILY TELEGRAPH
Manchester City are in danger of being thrown out of more than just the Premier League if they are found guilty of serious breaches of its financial rules.
Leading players due to appear at FIFA's expanded Club World Cup next summer have asked for clarification on the status of those whose contracts expire at the end of June - midway through the controversial new tournament.
There is growing concern among Premiership clubs that the beefed-up 30-game limit for players as part of the new professional game partnership will force them into odd tactical selections during the season.
Sean Dyche has declared his Everton reign a "success" and has hit back at claims he would profit from a £5m "sacking clause" in his deal.
THE SUN
Jesse Lingard has been fined by South Korean police after breaking two road rules during a scooter ride in Seoul.
Former referee Carlos Chandia has admitted to purposefully avoiding booking Lionel Messi in return for the superstar's match-worn shirt in 2007.
Manchester City title winner Jesus Navas has declared "I can't take it anymore" after admitting that chronic pain is forcing him into retirement.
Newcastle are reportedly monitoring 18-year-old Norwegian forward Sindre Walle Egeli.
Newcastle have begun talks to get Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon tied down to new deals.
Joelinton has revealed three other clubs he is keen to play for - just five months after signing a new Newcastle contract.
LaLiga stars Dani Carvajal and Jules Kounde have added their support for a possible strike over fixture overload.
Aaron Ramsey will miss Wales' next two matches with another hamstring problem.
DAILY MAIL
Jude Bellingham has been awarded a hefty pay rise at Real Madrid to bring his yearly salary level with Kylian Mbappe, according to reports in Spain.
Alexander Isak has suffered a toe injury and is a doubt for Saturday's trip to Fulham.
Martin Zubimendi reportedly regrets snubbing Liverpool this summer in favour of staying at Real Sociedad.
Arsenal fear Martin Odegaard will be out for eight weeks after he suffered ankle ligament damage.
Manchester City players have begun exploring their options amid the looming threat of enforced relegation.
Newcastle will offer to make Anthony Gordon their highest earner on a deal worth £170,000 a week to try to convince him to stay at St James' Park.
DAILY MIRROR
Kevin De Bruyne is set to miss Manchester City's title showdown with Arsenal - but his injury is understood to not rule him out long-term.
THE ATHLETIC
Manchester United have completed the signings of teenagers Samuel Lusale and James Overy.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has organised an emergency briefing with global television executives for Friday as he attempts to drum up interest in the FIFA Club World Cup, with the world governing body so far failing to announce a single broadcast deal for the tournament.
Arsenal midfielder Max Dowman has become the youngest player to score in a UEFA Youth League game - aged 14 years, eight months, and 19 days.
Dinamo Zagreb have sacked head coach Sergej Jakirovic two days after the club lost 9-2 against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Chelsea Women right-back Jorja Fox, on loan at Crystal Palace, is set for an extended period on the sidelines after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.
EVENING STANDARD
Arsenal have sold more than 40,000 tickets for their Women's Super League opener with Manchester City at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
DAILY EXPRESS
Chelsea have reportedly drawn up a five-player shortlist as part of their search for a new right-back.
Chelsea's Mykhaylo Mudryk is reportedly "desperate" to leave the club in search of more regular playing time, with a potential move on the cards in the January transfer window.
DAILY RECORD
Hibernian have been warned they may see their Ibrox allocation for next week's Premiership clash slashed - or even cut completely - if Rangers cannot get their Copland Road works finished on time.
SCOTTISH SUN
Dave King wants an Ibrox EGM to let the fans decide who runs Rangers.
Football Talk
West Ham plot swoop to sign Brighton star Julio Enciso
West Ham United are reportedly planning to make a swoop to sign Brighton and Hove Albion star Julio Enciso next year, as per the Spanish outlet Fichajes.
The Seagulls have developed an excellent scouting network and have been showing their ability to spot young talents from all around the world at an early age in recent years.
Brighton have enjoyed the most success signing youngsters from South America with Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister the prime examples of that. Both have left the club for big money to join Chelsea and Liverpool respectively.
Enciso is another player – who has showcased his qualities in the Premier League after joining the South Coast side a couple of years ago and now, Fichajes reports that Brighton could be open to cashing in on him next summer.
The player will enter the final year of his current contract at the end of this season and the possibility is that he may not renew his deal at AMEX Stadium so Brighton would be looking to let him for a fee of at least £29m to avoid losing him for free in 2026.
Enciso to West Ham
The report says West Ham are closely following his situation and are prepared to make a potential swoop to lure him to the London Stadium if he eventually leaves next year.
The 20-year-old is an attacking midfielder but can also play on the left flank. He is a highly talented player, can link up the play, has the ability to dribble past opposition defenders in tight areas, has an eye for scoring goals from distance and is also efficient in playing threading passes between the lines.
The youngster could become a top-class player in future if he can continue developing. However, his recent injury problems have hampered his development a bit and if he can overcome it then he would be a great coup for West Ham with a view to the long-term future should they purchase him.
However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the East London club eventually opt to make a concrete approach to secure his signature in 2025.
The Athletic
West Ham have a forwards problem again. Shock. Surprise. Amazement. (Not)
By Roshane Thomas
The new dawn at West Ham United bears one very striking similarity to what came before: they are underpowered in the forward department.
Despite a summer expenditure of more than £120million ($159.4m) on nine players, Niclas Fullkrug was the only forward signed to challenge Michail Antonio and Danny Ings for a starting berth. But he sustained a calf injury while on international duty with Germany, making him an injury doubt for this weekend’s home game against Chelsea.
Tim Steidten, the technical director, and Julen Lopetegui were praised for West Ham’s business this summer, but Fullkrug’s injury highlights the paucity of striker alternatives.
Against Fulham, it was not hard to read Lopetegui’s dismay at Antonio’s failure to test goalkeeper Bernd Leno or the defensive duo of Joachim Andersen and Calvin Bassey. The result was Antonio being withdrawn at half-time.
The 34-year-old has been their first-choice forward in recent seasons, but the decline in his offensive efficiency is a concern. He has not scored in his last seven league games.
Antonio is still West Ham’s leading goalscorer in the Premier League with 67 goals, but last season he went 13 league games without scoring and ended the campaign with seven goals across 32 appearances. The Jamaica international is entering the final year of his deal — in June, a £500,000 offer from Brazilian side Gremio for the forward was rejected — and he should not be relied on as West Ham’s main attacking outlet, despite all his achievements.
Another solution to West Ham’s forward trouble seems to be playing Jarrod Bowen as a lone striker. But Bowen is the club’s best attacker on the right flank. Last campaign, he showed how potent he is, registering 20 goals and 10 assists across 44 appearances, his best season for the club.
Former manager David Moyes tried to transition him into a centre-forward but knew he was at his best running at defenders down the channels. (Though he did play as a striker in his late substitute appearance for England against Finland this month.)
In The Athletic’s West Ham fan survey earlier this month, 62.1 per cent of respondents believed the attack needs strengthening. And the stats show it too: West Ham are second from bottom in the league for big chances created (four) and shots on target (11). Ipswich Town are bottom for both categories with three and eight.
Fullkrug, the £27million signing from Borussia Dortmund, could help ease the offensive struggles, but Lopetegui favoured Antonio in the league games over Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Manchester City.
The Germany striker was still only nearing full fitness after no full pre-season. Instead, his involvement has been limited to substitute appearances, except for one start in the Carabao Cup win against Bournemouth.
Against Crystal Palace, Fullkrug felt the love from supporters, who sang his name throughout. But given the number of forwards who have failed to live up to expectations, they can be forgiven for merely hoping Fullkrug does not become the latest letdown.
One concern is that Lopetegui wants to implement a high-pressing system, which is not where Fullkrug thrives; a point illustrated by a video posted on X which went viral, showing him being outpaced by Bournemouth winger Dango Ouattara, despite having a head start.
But as the comments said, that is not his game. Instead, Fullkrug needs to be fed crosses, and if he is restored to the line-up, he will be reliant on Mohammed Kudus, Lucas Paqueta and Bowen to create opportunities for him.
“I am capable with both feet and have good aerial ability as well,” Fullkrug told West Ham’s website. “These are my strengths, and in the last few seasons I have been able to show that I can assist as well. If I can turn in a good position, then it is difficult to defend against me.
“One of my biggest qualities is scoring goals, and the fact I can score with my left foot, right foot, and my aerial ability. I hope for a lot of crosses, as last year I didn’t get as many as I would’ve wanted, which meant I couldn’t bring my strengths as perfectly as I wanted.”
Ings’ impact has been minimal since joining from Aston Villa for £15million in January 2023, signed by former manager Moyes. A paltry return of five goals across 54 appearances highlights that.
But, on paper, Ings is considered a better finisher than Antonio and Fullkrug. The 31-year-old, all three strikers are the wrong side of 30, seemed set to leave in the summer, but following his equaliser against Fulham, he may become more involved.
In July, Ings worked alongside Ben Rosenblatt, England’s former lead physical performance coach, to ensure he was in good condition before returning to pre-season. He was ready for his moment at Craven Cottage.
The recruitment by West Ham’s new regime was well received in the summer, but the striker issue refuses to go away. Yet again.
Manchester United are set to offer English midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, 19, a bumper new contract to reflect his status as a first-team star. (Fabrizio Romano on YouTube)
Manchester United could move for Bayern Munich's German midfielder Leon Goretzka, 29, with the futures of Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen, 32, and Brazilian 32-year-old Casemiro still in doubt. (Manchester Evening News)
Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United are all chasing Lille and England midfielder Angel Gomes, with the 24-year-old out of contract at the end of the season. (GiveMeSport)
Tottenham, Chelsea and Paris St-Germain are leading the race to sign Sweden forward Viktor Gyokeres, 26, from Portuguese giants Sporting. (Caught Offside)
Liverpool are considering Juventus and Brazil centre-back Gleison Bremer, 27, as their ideal replacement for Dutchman Virgil van Dijk, 33. (Teamtalk)
Newcastle are monitoring 18-year-old Norwegian forward Sindre Walle Egeli, dubbed the next Erling Haaland, with West Ham, Crystal Palace, Brighton and Brentford also interested in the £25m-rated teenager. (Daily Mail)
Liverpool are monitoring Hungary left-back Milos Kerkez, 20, from Bournemouth. (TeamTalk)
Bayer Leverkusen's Dutch wing-back Jeremie Frimpong, 23, is on Chelsea's five-man shortlist to replace English full-back Reece James, 24. (TBR Football)
But Chelsea will not to loan out Brazilian 17-year-old winger Estevao Willian when he joins the club from Palmeiras next summer. (Goal)
Inter Milan want to sign Arsenal and Japan defender Takehiro Tomiyasu in January with the Gunners asking for £25m for the 25-year-old defender. (Daily Mirror)
Manchester City are eager to start contract talks with 31-year-old goalkeeper Ederson, with the Brazilian's deal set to expire in summer 2026. (TBR Football)
Newcastle midfielder Joelinton, 28, wants to end his career in his native Brazil but remains committed to the Magpies for now. (Chronicle)
Southampton's 18-year-old forward Tyler Dibling is on Manchester United's radar after impressing their sporting director Dan Ashworth. (GiveMeSport)
Sky Paper Talk
DAILY TELEGRAPH
Manchester City are in danger of being thrown out of more than just the Premier League if they are found guilty of serious breaches of its financial rules.
Leading players due to appear at FIFA's expanded Club World Cup next summer have asked for clarification on the status of those whose contracts expire at the end of June - midway through the controversial new tournament.
There is growing concern among Premiership clubs that the beefed-up 30-game limit for players as part of the new professional game partnership will force them into odd tactical selections during the season.
Sean Dyche has declared his Everton reign a "success" and has hit back at claims he would profit from a £5m "sacking clause" in his deal.
THE SUN
Jesse Lingard has been fined by South Korean police after breaking two road rules during a scooter ride in Seoul.
Former referee Carlos Chandia has admitted to purposefully avoiding booking Lionel Messi in return for the superstar's match-worn shirt in 2007.
Manchester City title winner Jesus Navas has declared "I can't take it anymore" after admitting that chronic pain is forcing him into retirement.
Newcastle are reportedly monitoring 18-year-old Norwegian forward Sindre Walle Egeli.
Newcastle have begun talks to get Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon tied down to new deals.
Joelinton has revealed three other clubs he is keen to play for - just five months after signing a new Newcastle contract.
LaLiga stars Dani Carvajal and Jules Kounde have added their support for a possible strike over fixture overload.
Aaron Ramsey will miss Wales' next two matches with another hamstring problem.
DAILY MAIL
Jude Bellingham has been awarded a hefty pay rise at Real Madrid to bring his yearly salary level with Kylian Mbappe, according to reports in Spain.
Alexander Isak has suffered a toe injury and is a doubt for Saturday's trip to Fulham.
Martin Zubimendi reportedly regrets snubbing Liverpool this summer in favour of staying at Real Sociedad.
Arsenal fear Martin Odegaard will be out for eight weeks after he suffered ankle ligament damage.
Manchester City players have begun exploring their options amid the looming threat of enforced relegation.
Newcastle will offer to make Anthony Gordon their highest earner on a deal worth £170,000 a week to try to convince him to stay at St James' Park.
DAILY MIRROR
Kevin De Bruyne is set to miss Manchester City's title showdown with Arsenal - but his injury is understood to not rule him out long-term.
THE ATHLETIC
Manchester United have completed the signings of teenagers Samuel Lusale and James Overy.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has organised an emergency briefing with global television executives for Friday as he attempts to drum up interest in the FIFA Club World Cup, with the world governing body so far failing to announce a single broadcast deal for the tournament.
Arsenal midfielder Max Dowman has become the youngest player to score in a UEFA Youth League game - aged 14 years, eight months, and 19 days.
Dinamo Zagreb have sacked head coach Sergej Jakirovic two days after the club lost 9-2 against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Chelsea Women right-back Jorja Fox, on loan at Crystal Palace, is set for an extended period on the sidelines after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.
EVENING STANDARD
Arsenal have sold more than 40,000 tickets for their Women's Super League opener with Manchester City at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
DAILY EXPRESS
Chelsea have reportedly drawn up a five-player shortlist as part of their search for a new right-back.
Chelsea's Mykhaylo Mudryk is reportedly "desperate" to leave the club in search of more regular playing time, with a potential move on the cards in the January transfer window.
DAILY RECORD
Hibernian have been warned they may see their Ibrox allocation for next week's Premiership clash slashed - or even cut completely - if Rangers cannot get their Copland Road works finished on time.
SCOTTISH SUN
Dave King wants an Ibrox EGM to let the fans decide who runs Rangers.
Football Talk
West Ham plot swoop to sign Brighton star Julio Enciso
West Ham United are reportedly planning to make a swoop to sign Brighton and Hove Albion star Julio Enciso next year, as per the Spanish outlet Fichajes.
The Seagulls have developed an excellent scouting network and have been showing their ability to spot young talents from all around the world at an early age in recent years.
Brighton have enjoyed the most success signing youngsters from South America with Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister the prime examples of that. Both have left the club for big money to join Chelsea and Liverpool respectively.
Enciso is another player – who has showcased his qualities in the Premier League after joining the South Coast side a couple of years ago and now, Fichajes reports that Brighton could be open to cashing in on him next summer.
The player will enter the final year of his current contract at the end of this season and the possibility is that he may not renew his deal at AMEX Stadium so Brighton would be looking to let him for a fee of at least £29m to avoid losing him for free in 2026.
Enciso to West Ham
The report says West Ham are closely following his situation and are prepared to make a potential swoop to lure him to the London Stadium if he eventually leaves next year.
The 20-year-old is an attacking midfielder but can also play on the left flank. He is a highly talented player, can link up the play, has the ability to dribble past opposition defenders in tight areas, has an eye for scoring goals from distance and is also efficient in playing threading passes between the lines.
The youngster could become a top-class player in future if he can continue developing. However, his recent injury problems have hampered his development a bit and if he can overcome it then he would be a great coup for West Ham with a view to the long-term future should they purchase him.
However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the East London club eventually opt to make a concrete approach to secure his signature in 2025.
The Athletic
West Ham have a forwards problem again. Shock. Surprise. Amazement. (Not)
By Roshane Thomas
The new dawn at West Ham United bears one very striking similarity to what came before: they are underpowered in the forward department.
Despite a summer expenditure of more than £120million ($159.4m) on nine players, Niclas Fullkrug was the only forward signed to challenge Michail Antonio and Danny Ings for a starting berth. But he sustained a calf injury while on international duty with Germany, making him an injury doubt for this weekend’s home game against Chelsea.
Tim Steidten, the technical director, and Julen Lopetegui were praised for West Ham’s business this summer, but Fullkrug’s injury highlights the paucity of striker alternatives.
Against Fulham, it was not hard to read Lopetegui’s dismay at Antonio’s failure to test goalkeeper Bernd Leno or the defensive duo of Joachim Andersen and Calvin Bassey. The result was Antonio being withdrawn at half-time.
The 34-year-old has been their first-choice forward in recent seasons, but the decline in his offensive efficiency is a concern. He has not scored in his last seven league games.
Antonio is still West Ham’s leading goalscorer in the Premier League with 67 goals, but last season he went 13 league games without scoring and ended the campaign with seven goals across 32 appearances. The Jamaica international is entering the final year of his deal — in June, a £500,000 offer from Brazilian side Gremio for the forward was rejected — and he should not be relied on as West Ham’s main attacking outlet, despite all his achievements.
Another solution to West Ham’s forward trouble seems to be playing Jarrod Bowen as a lone striker. But Bowen is the club’s best attacker on the right flank. Last campaign, he showed how potent he is, registering 20 goals and 10 assists across 44 appearances, his best season for the club.
Former manager David Moyes tried to transition him into a centre-forward but knew he was at his best running at defenders down the channels. (Though he did play as a striker in his late substitute appearance for England against Finland this month.)
In The Athletic’s West Ham fan survey earlier this month, 62.1 per cent of respondents believed the attack needs strengthening. And the stats show it too: West Ham are second from bottom in the league for big chances created (four) and shots on target (11). Ipswich Town are bottom for both categories with three and eight.
Fullkrug, the £27million signing from Borussia Dortmund, could help ease the offensive struggles, but Lopetegui favoured Antonio in the league games over Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Manchester City.
The Germany striker was still only nearing full fitness after no full pre-season. Instead, his involvement has been limited to substitute appearances, except for one start in the Carabao Cup win against Bournemouth.
Against Crystal Palace, Fullkrug felt the love from supporters, who sang his name throughout. But given the number of forwards who have failed to live up to expectations, they can be forgiven for merely hoping Fullkrug does not become the latest letdown.
One concern is that Lopetegui wants to implement a high-pressing system, which is not where Fullkrug thrives; a point illustrated by a video posted on X which went viral, showing him being outpaced by Bournemouth winger Dango Ouattara, despite having a head start.
But as the comments said, that is not his game. Instead, Fullkrug needs to be fed crosses, and if he is restored to the line-up, he will be reliant on Mohammed Kudus, Lucas Paqueta and Bowen to create opportunities for him.
“I am capable with both feet and have good aerial ability as well,” Fullkrug told West Ham’s website. “These are my strengths, and in the last few seasons I have been able to show that I can assist as well. If I can turn in a good position, then it is difficult to defend against me.
“One of my biggest qualities is scoring goals, and the fact I can score with my left foot, right foot, and my aerial ability. I hope for a lot of crosses, as last year I didn’t get as many as I would’ve wanted, which meant I couldn’t bring my strengths as perfectly as I wanted.”
Ings’ impact has been minimal since joining from Aston Villa for £15million in January 2023, signed by former manager Moyes. A paltry return of five goals across 54 appearances highlights that.
But, on paper, Ings is considered a better finisher than Antonio and Fullkrug. The 31-year-old, all three strikers are the wrong side of 30, seemed set to leave in the summer, but following his equaliser against Fulham, he may become more involved.
In July, Ings worked alongside Ben Rosenblatt, England’s former lead physical performance coach, to ensure he was in good condition before returning to pre-season. He was ready for his moment at Craven Cottage.
The recruitment by West Ham’s new regime was well received in the summer, but the striker issue refuses to go away. Yet again.