Real Madrid are keen to sign a centre-back this summer and Everton's England defender Jarrad Branthwaite, 22, has been discussed. (Teamtalk), external
Serie A club Napoli are prepared to offer Denmark striker Rasmus Hojlund a move away from Manchester United, if the Premier League club are willing to take a financial hit on the 22-year-old, who cost £72m. (Talksport), external
Manchester City are interested in making Newcastle's England right-back Tino Livramento, 22, and Juventus' Italy left-back Andrea Cambiaso, 25, part of their summer rebuild. (Telegraph - subscription required), external
England forward Cole Palmer, 22, will be asked if he is happy to stay at Chelsea this summer, should the club miss out on Champions League qualification. (Times - subscription required), external
Arsenal are keen to strengthen their midfield with the addition of Netherlands international Frenkie de Jong, 27, and are willing to offer Barcelona 75m euros (£62.2m). (Fichajes), external
Atletico Madrid are interested in signing Croatia midfielder Mateo Kovacic, 30, from Manchester City this summer. (Caught Offside), external
Clubs are looking to take advantage of Manchester United's financial crisis by offering instant cash to buy out sell-on clauses for players who have left. (Telegraph - subscription required), external
No club has shown concrete interest in signing Brazil midfielder Casemiro from Manchester United, with the 33-year-old unwilling to budge on his salary demands. (Teamtalk)
MLS expansion team San Diego have made no progress in securing Belgium midfielder Kevin de Bruyne on a free transfer from Manchester City this summer, despite suggestions a deal for the 33-year-old is close. (Teamtalk), external
Southampton's 19-year-old English midfielder Tyler Dibling will leave the club if they are relegated from the Premier League this season. (Football Insider), external
Tottenham could offload Mali midfielder Yves Bissouma, 28, when the summer transfer window opens. (Give Me Sport), external
Aston Villa are set to rival Arsenal, Chelsea and West Ham for 20-year-old Spain and Porto forward Samu Aghehowa. (Caught Offside), external
Newcastle United will listen to offers for England goalkeeper Nick Pope, 32, in the summer. (Football Insider), external
Neymar recently returned to his first club Santos but his agent Pini Zahavi has said the Brazil forward, 33, might rejoin Barcelona in the summer on a free transfer. (Sport - in Spanish), external
Manchester United want to wrap up a deal to sign Sporting's Portuguese wing-back Geovany Quenda, 17, before the summer transfer window opens. (Give Me Sport), external
Manager Ruud van Nistelrooy is under growing pressure at Leicester City. (Football Insider), external
Newcastle United chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan has travelled to the city to make the final decision on the club's stadium plans. (Sun)
Sky Paper Talk
THE ATHLETIC
Manchester United have appointed Christopher Vivell as director of recruitment on a full-time basis following his interim spell in the position.
Carlo Ancelotti has said he wants players "who are angry if they don't play" but denied there were any issues with Real Madrid youngsters Arda Guler and Endrick.
THE SUN
Erik ten Hag hinted he may never return to management after his dismissal from Manchester United.
Manchester United will face an eye-watering £12m bill if they sack Ruben Amorim this summer.
Reading's latest potential buyer is American businessman Robert Platek, owner of Italian club La Spezia and Portuguese side Casa Pia.
Manchester United should give Paul Pogba a third chance because he's still better than any of their current midfielders, claims Old Trafford legend Dwight Yorke.
DAILY EXPRESS
Manchester United's owners the Glazer family refused to sell the club to Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani as they did not believe the Qatari billionaire had done enough to prove he had the funds to purchase the club.
Lionel Messi is reportedly planning a sensational return to Barcelona.
Former Manchester United youth sensation Federico Macheda has offered his services as Ruben Amorim's attack continues to misfire.
Former Liverpool star Sepp van den Berg has admitted that he 'dreams' of returning to Anfield in the future.
DAILY MAIL
Tickets for three of Manchester United's next four home games have gone on general sale amid the team's dismal form and anger over rising prices.
Sir Matt Busby's family are auctioning off the first medal he won as a player for Manchester City almost 96 years ago.
Santos president Marcelo Teixeira is confident Neymar will extend his stay at the club at least until the 2026 World Cup.
DAILY MIRROR
Rising Argentinian star Ian Subiabre is being linked with a move to Chelsea, with his new agent said to be heading to England for negotiations.
Arsenal splashed out an eye-watering £1.2m on their sunshine trip to Dubai.
Federico Chiesa is in serious danger of missing out on an automatic Premier League winners' medal if Liverpool clinch the title.
Aaron Ramsdale could complete a shock move to Chelsea with the help of a relegation release clause.
Hugo Lloris says Europa League success can save Tottenham's hot and cold season - but Daniel Levy has already helped put them in the group of best clubs in the world.
Arsenal splashed out an eye-watering £1.2m on their sunshine trip to Dubai.
THE GUARDIAN
Brentford are to integrate microchips into their match-day shirts that will prove their authenticity, in a move against the growing market for counterfeit football kits.
The Philadelphia Eagles would visit the White House to celebrate their Super Bowl victory if invited, according to multiple reports.
Lionel Messi has been fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Soccer after grabbing the neck of a New York City assistant coach at the end of Saturday's game between the sides.
THE TIMES
England fear they may have to scrap plans to select Benhard Janse van Rensburg before the next World Cup after it emerged that the Bristol Bears centre cannot qualify on residency grounds.
DAILY TELEGRAPH
Manchester United's rivals are looking to take advantage of the financial crisis, and shocking transfer record, at Old Trafford by offering instant cash to buy "sell-on clauses" for players who have left.
The full inquest into the death of an England football supporter in Bulgaria more than five years ago will be heard before a jury after a coroner said there could be "reason to suspect it was unlawful".
DAILY RECORD
Neil Critchley admits Cammy Devlin's delayed concussion is "not good" as the Hearts midfielder gets set to miss a huge week in the race for the top six.
SCOTTISH SUN
Celtic won't face any action from UEFA after ultras unfurled a massive banner declaring 'Show Israel the Red Card' prior to this month's first-leg Champions League clash.
The Athletic
Ollie Scarles is West Ham’s most exciting prospect since Declan Rice but he had to bide his time
By Roshane Thomas
Ollie Scarles was being escorted to the director’s box at the Emirates Stadium by a West Ham United security team member when he cautiously unzipped his bag to show a cherished item.
He revealed a shirt and was asked whose it was. “It’s Dec’s shirt (Declan Rice),” a beaming Scarles responded. Rice, the former West Ham midfielder who joined Arsenal in July 2023 for £105million, had written a personalised message for Scarles on the jersey.
According to sources close to the full-back — who like those spoken to for this article, asked to remain anonymous to protect relationships — the 19-year-old plans on getting it framed.
Rice knows what it is like to be a highly rated prospect. The England international made his Premier League debut at 18, was appointed captain at 23, and led the club to UEFA Conference League glory in 2023. But while Rice was subjected to schadenfreude from the away end, Scarles continued to show why the left-back position is in safe hands.
In a similar vein to Rice, Scarles was let go by Chelsea at under-12 level. Shortly after, he joined West Ham and has not looked back. Head coach Graham Potter handed Scarles his first domestic start in the FA Cup defeat by Aston Villa last month. Impressive cameo appearances in the Premier League led to Scarles receiving his first Premier League start in the 1-0 victory against Arsenal.
“I need more than a word,” Potter said in Saturday’s post-match press conference when asked about Scarles’ performance. “He’s been really good since we’ve come in. It’s a big thank you to the academy because that type of player is (rare). And person as well — he’s a really good character. Obviously I’m saying a lot now but I need to calm it down because he’s still young and has a lot to do. But there’s a lot to look forward to.”
Potter has been happy to promote youth, with midfielder Lewis Orford featuring in games against Crystal Palace and Chelsea. Scarles is seen as one of the better prospects and Potter intends to ease his transition into the first team.
“Credit to him, his family and the academy,” said Potter in Tuesday’s press conference. “That development process has been a long project. He’s done a great job but he’s a young player. We have to be careful not to speak too much about (him). But the initial first impressions have been really positive. There’s more to come from him, which isn’t a criticism, but natural for someone his age.
“This is a high start point for his career and I’d like to think he can maintain that. But the reality of it is it goes up and down. We have to be there to help and support him through that. Every aspect of his game can improve and that’s the most exciting thing because we already have a top player.”
On Saturday, fellow academy graduates Kaelan Casey and George Earthy, who is on a season-long loan at Bristol City, cheered on the defender from the away end. Scarles, who dislodged Emerson Palmieri, was named man of the match.
“I actually found out I was starting in a meeting earlier on in the week,” Scarles told West Ham’s website. “We worked on shape and stuff, so I knew fairly early. He’s (Graham Potter) been really influential in my play and style of play, and I’m grateful for the trust that I’ve had from him. I couldn’t be more grateful for the minutes that he’s given me and the trust that he’s put in me. It’s just about pushing on now.”
In December, ex-head coach Julen Lopetegui gave Scarles his Premier League debut against Bournemouth from the bench. Sources close to Scarles say he messaged Lopetegui after he was sacked, thanking him for the opportunity. The Spaniard duly responded wishing him well for the future. Senior staff have been impressed with the left-back’s application behind the scenes. His team-mates and non-playing staff have been infected by his enthusiasm. Captain Jarrod Bowen eulogised Scarles’ impact in an interview with West Ham’s website.
“He’s been brilliant since he’s come in, and he’s been getting consecutive minutes,” said Bowen. “Coming to the Emirates is never an easy place for anyone to start the game, but Ollie made it look like he’s played 300 or 400 games for the club.”
Scarles, a member of the FA Youth Cup-winning side in 2023, has had to remain patient during his rise. In November 2022, aged 16, he made his first-team debut against FCSB (formerly known as Steaua Bucharest) in the Conference League. But he had to wait 23 months for another first-team outing. Although Scarles mainly featured for the under-21s, he received high praise from ex-manager David Moyes.
At the start of last season, West Ham played a behind-closed-doors friendly against Stevenage Borough. A member of their hierarchy asked Moyes if the club had any good players coming through. Moyes confidently said that Scarles would progress into a Premier League footballer. But before he set out on fulfilling Moyes’ prophecy, the defender was sidelined for five months last February with a back injury.
Those close to Scarles believe the injury helped him develop physically, a key factor behind his ability to adapt to Premier League football. With Scarles easing his return to full fitness last summer, he did not travel with the squad to Austria in July for the friendly against Hungarian side Ferencvaros. But that same month he featured in the friendly against Dagenham & Redbridge and travelled with the squad to America.
Scarles was also in negotiations over a new deal. His current contract was set to expire. The youngster had interest from other clubs but Mark Noble, the sporting director, prioritised addressing his future. Noble held a meeting with Scarles and his family and mapped the defender’s pathway into the first team. It was a sales pitch which convinced Scarles to sign a four-year deal, which expires in 2028, with the option of a further year. It is one that is clearly panning out too.
There has not been this level of excitement about an academy player since Rice. As an acknowledgement of Scarles’ progress, supporters often chant, “He is one of our own”. Scarles has excelled and shown maturity beyond his years. There will be hurdles along the way but that is another challenge he intends to pass with flying colours.
