Liverpool are keen to improve their squad in January and are interested in signing France midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, 24, from Real Madrid. (Teamtalk)
Brentford's Cameroon forward Bryan Mbeumo, 25, and Bournemouth's Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo, 24, are among the players being scouted by Liverpool, with Egypt forward Mohamed Salah, 32, in the final year of his contract at Anfield. (Sky Sports)
West Ham want to sign Botafogo's Brazil forward Igor Jesus, 23, in a £30m deal. (Sun)
Manchester United want to buy a young gem to grow into a superstar at the club, and believe one player who would fit is 17-year-old English midfielder Chris Rigg, who Sunderland value at £20-30m. (Football Insider)
Galatasaray now hope to sign Chelsea target Victor Osimhen on a permanent basis, having already taken him on a season-long loan from Napoli, with the Turkish club willing to pay 50m euros (£42m) for the the Nigeria striker, 25. (Sozcu - in Turkish)
West Ham have joined a number of clubs who are keeping tabs on Atalanta's Nigeria winger Ademola Lookman, 27. (Teamtalk)
Chelsea are eyeing a summer move for Borussia Dortmund's Germany forward Karim Adeyemi, 22, who has been a target for Liverpool. (Football Insider)
The prospect of Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso and their 21-year-old Germany winger Florian Wirtz both joining Real Madrid is becoming more realistic. (Sky Sport Germany - in German)
Real Madrid could rival Arsenal and Chelsea for the signing of 18-year-old Brazilian defender Vitor Reis from Palmeiras. (Athletic - subscription required)
Manchester City's Stefan Ortega is on Bayer Leverkusen's radar but they are yet to make a concrete approach for the 31-year-old German goalkeeper. (Sky Sport Germany)
Incoming England boss Thomas Tuchel has been given permission to split his time between London and Munich when he takes over as Three Lions boss in January. (Sun)
Viktor Gyokeres is certain to leave Sporting next summer with Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Paris-St Germain, Juventus and AC Milan expressing an interest in the Sweden striker, 26. (Corriere dello Sport - in Italian)
Guardian
Nottingham Forest in dreamland as Wood helps sink 10-man West Ham
Will Unwin at the City Ground
There might be a few tongues in cheeks when the Nottingham Forest supporters unite as one to chant “We’re going to win the league” but it shows how well things are going at the City Ground.
Victory over West Ham means Forest have won three consecutive Premier League games for the first time in more than a quarter of a century and moved them into third in the table.
It does not seem to matter that the manager, Nuno Espírito Santo, is banned from the touchline and the owner, Evangelos Marinakis, not even allowed in the stadium. Forest have the second best defence in the league, having conceded seven times, and a prolific striker in Chris Wood, who along with Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ola Aina settled the match against a West Ham team who had to play for more than a half with 10 men after Edson Álvarez was dismissed for the second time this season.
“We have to work and work hard and even improve much more,” Nuno said. “Nothing has changed since the beginning. We have to keep on going, keep on going, keep on going. Believe me, there’s no other way. If you get distracted, football doesn’t forgive you.”
The first quarter passed without incident but it was clear Forest were the better side. Their speed of thought and movement was far superior to the visitors and the opener was deserved when Álex Moreno made a clever run beyond the defence and collected a Nicolás Domínguez pass before chipping to Wood who headed home from six yards. Despite West Ham playing three centre-backs, no one took responsibility to mark the striker who has eight goals in 10 games.
West Ham’s forgettable first half was summed up in stoppage time – having failed to have a shot on target in the opening 45 minutes, Lucas Paquetá saw his attempt from the edge of the box cleared off the line by Wood. “Did you see that? Wow,” Nuno said. “There’s no better example. Wow. You cannot thank them enough. He’s been huge for us, huge. I hope he continues. The way he leads, the example, the voice, the belief that his teammates have in him.”
Forest cleared the resulting corner and broke down the right through Anthony Elanga whose run was curtailed by a late tackle from Álvarez, who was given his second booking, sealing West Ham’s fate. The Mexican then wandered down the touchline and past the tunnel, much to the home supporters’ amusement, until he was eventually forced to sheepishly turn back for a few extra seconds of goading.
“We did not deserve to win or draw the match,” Julen Lopetegui said. “He [Álvarez] knows he needs to improve his decision making but I am the coach, I am responsible for all of them. We have to use this bad moment to push us up and forward and face the next challenge. We have to be better and more consistent.”
This is not solely the story of a strong starting XI, there is quality running throughout the Forest squad. When they wanted to add freshness, Jota Silva and Elliot Anderson were sent on to increase the pressure on a tiring West Ham, who managed one shot on target all game. Within seconds, Anderson had bamboozled Jean-Clair Todibo to win a free-kick on the edge of the box. The former Newcastle man took it short to Hudson-Odoi who performed his trademark trick of curling the ball from the left-hand side of the box into the far corner.
If the home fans thought things could not get better, they were pleasantly surprised when Aina cut in from the right and managed to whack a bouncing ball into the top corner from 20 yards. The Nigerian arrived on a free transfer in the summer of 2023 and has played all over the pitch but like everyone else in red, looks incredibly comfortable within Nuno’s framework.
Forest stayed up on the final day of last season and have already surpassed half the total of points they earned in 2023-24. Forest are in dreamland and no one wanted to leave at the end amid the noise of celebratory fireworks outside. It might not last for ever but everyone on this side of the Trent is rightly enjoying every moment.
Sun
PAQ YOUR BAGS West Ham lining up £30m transfer for Brazil striker Igor Jesus but Lucas Paqueta could leave in shock swap deal
By Alan Nixon
WEST HAM want to sign Botafogo’s brilliant Brazilian striker Igor Jesus in a surprise £30million raid.
And that could spark a shock swap deal that would see Lucas Paqueta return to his homeland.
Jesus has been scoring in Brazil since his return from a near four-year spell in the United Arab Emirates.
He only joined Rio de Janeiro club Botafogo earlier this year, but they will trade at the right price.
Jesus, 23, has just made the Brazil senior squad for the first time.
Botafogo owner John Textor was keen to move him to Everton if he had won the takeover battle for the Merseysiders.
Now the Hammers are eager to sign Jesus as they look to add extra flair to their forward line — and they could try for him in January.
However, Textor is a huge fan of the mercurial Paqueta, who saw a move to Manchester City collapse after the story of a betting probe emerged.
He protests his innocence, but any club signing him would take the risk of possible future action - especially with the FA pushing for a LIFETIME BAN.
But Botafogo would take Paqueta and try to come to an arrangement with West Ham.
Football Insider
West Ham set sights on signing ‘next Mohamed Salah’
West Ham United have set their sights on signing Club Brugge winger Skov Olsen, sources have told Football Insider.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, senior correspondent Pete O’Rourke revealed that the 24-year-old is “on the radar of a number of Premier League clubs.”
The right-winger has drawn comparisons to Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah due to his attacking playing style, being a left-footed forward who cuts in from the right flank like the Egypt international.
Danish reporter Klaus Egelund told Het Niewsblad, “He is an Eden Hazard type, but since he’s left-footed and plays on the right, you could better compare him to [Arjen] Robben or Salah.”
Olsen will soon enter the final 18 months of his contract, as his Club Brugge deal expires in June 2026.
Well-placed sources have told Football Insider that the Denmark international could be prised away for a fee of around £25-30million, which is why he’s come onto the radar of the Irons.
West Ham will face competition to sign Skov Olsen
The Hammers aren’t the only Premier League outfit considering a move to sign Olsen, with Tottenham and Aston Villa also admirers of the winger.
West Ham are doing the due diligence on Olsen, and the club are hoping to add more quality and depth in the attacking third.
Olsen has already scored four goals and provided one assist this season in 11 appearances for Club Brugge.