Wednesday news (includes West ham)
Posted: 26 Mar 2025, 09:59
BBC
Atletico Madrid are interested in signing Tottenham's 26-year-old Argentina central defender Cristian Romero. (Sky Sports), external
Everton are set to begin talks with England defender Jarrad Branthwaite, 22, over a new deal to ward off interest from elsewhere. (I Sport), external
Manchester United will only pursue a summer deal for Branthwaite if England centre-back Harry Maguire, 32, leaves Old Trafford. (Yahoo), external
Arsenal are set to offer Gabriel, 27, a new deal to deter interest in the Brazil centre-back from Saudi Arabia. (Football Insider), external
Real Madrid are also interested in 24-year-old France defender William Saliba, who is Gabriel's centre-back partner at Arsenal. (Mirror), external
The Gunners, meanwhile, have joined Liverpool in the race to sign 19-year-old Netherlands defender Jorrel Hato from Ajax. (Team talk)
Atalanta have put an asking price of £50m on forward Ademola Lookman, 27, amid interest from Manchester United and Newcastle United. (Tuttomercato – in Italian), external
Aston Villa have begun talks with France midfielder Boubacar Kamara, 25, over a new contract. (Telegraph), external
Barcelona's buy-back clause with Sporting for 25-year-old Portugal winger Francisco Trincao, who has been linked with Manchester United, Arsenal and Newcastle, ended in June 2024. (Record - in Portuguese), external
Crystal Palace are progressing in talks over a new deal for manager Oliver Glasner, amid interest in the Austrian from RB Leipzig. (Football Insider)
Sky Paper Talk
DAILY MAIL
Manchester United scouts were at Bangor City to watch Tyler Dibling in action for England U19s against Wales, and it is understood 14 Premier League clubs - led by United, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Manchester City - have inquired about the gifted 19-year-old winger.
Defending Formula One world champion Max Verstappen has been left frustrated by Red Bull's apparent decision to sack Liam Lawson just two races into the new season.
Former Manchester United star Paul Parker has launched a scathing attack on winger Alejandro Garnacho.
Referees' boss Howard Webb has told EFL clubs that Premier League match officials are earning an average of £240,000-a-year.
The construction of Manchester United's new £2bn stadium might take longer than some people hope, but one way of speeding up the process would be for the club to agree a land swap with their freight company neighbours.
Chelsea are reportedly prepared to pay over the odds to beat Real Madrid to the signing of Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen this summer.
Manchester United have confirmed matches will be placed into four categories next season as part of a change fans groups have slammed as 'dynamic pricing'.
Diego Maradona's former bodyguard has been arrested on suspicion of perjury.
THE SUN
Manchester United and Arsenal are keeping tabs on two Olympiakos wonderkids ahead of the summer transfer window - Babis Kostoulas and Christos Mouzakitis.
Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs has personally lost £100,000 after a trendy restaurant he backed went bust.
England are set to play their next home World Cup qualifier at Villa Park in September.
Six England hopefuls fear they may need to make a summer transfer to book their spot in Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad.
Manchester United turned down the chance to move into a new 80,000-seater stadium for free, according to an MP.
England are set to play their next home World Cup qualifier at Villa Park in September.
Jadon Sancho wants to return to Borussia Dortmund just seven months after joining Chelsea, according to reports.
DAILY MIRROR
Alejandro Garnacho and Manuel Ugarte face a ludicrous travel schedule this summer with Manchester United organising money-spinning friendlies after the Premier League season. United remain in talks over taking part in fixtures in Hong Kong and Malaysia after the conclusion of the 2024-25 domestic campaign.
Harry Maguire has been left fighting for his England future after Thomas Tuchel admitted he axed the defender for his first England squad rather than classing him as not being fit enough to report up.
Liverpool's compliance with the Premier League's spending rules could be jeopardised if Trent Alexander-Arnold departs for Real Madrid on a free transfer.
Former Manchester City star Danilo has claimed that he only started playing football 'the right way' under Pep Guardiola.
Trent Alexander-Arnold will be forced to change his favourite shirt number if he moves from Liverpool to Real Madrid this summer as LaLiga does not allow shirt numbers higher than No 25.
THE ATHLETIC
England head coach Thomas Tuchel has expressed concern over the lack of a playing break for footballers with the newly-expanded Club World Cup.
Andoni Iraola's ambitions as a head coach will be matched by Bournemouth, the president of the club's ownership group Black Knight Football has said.
DAILY TELEGRAPH
A bankruptcy petition against Ugo Monye has been withdrawn after HM Revenue & Customs said it was unable to find him to serve it.
British & Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell has made a surprise move by bringing Scotland's John Dalziel on board as forwards coach.
THE GUARDIAN
Reading are trapped in a three-way battle of brinkmanship involving the owner, Dai Yongge, and two potential buyers, the American businessmen Robert Platek and Rob Couhig, leaving staff at the club fearing they will be forced into administration next month.
World Sevens Football, the lucrative seven-a-side women's series that will start in Portugal in May, is to hire one of Chelsea Women's most senior figures, Adrian Jacob.
Double Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen tells court of father's physical abuse in testimony
West Ham are lining up a move for the Sunderland midfielder Chris Rigg. Tottenham have also tracked the 17-year-old but West Ham have put themselves in a strong position to advance their interest.
DAILY EXPRESS
Former Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen announced that he will be retiring from football at the end of the season, having opened up on the daily pain he is suffering with and the fear of becoming dependent on painkillers.
THE TIMES
The British & Irish Lions are in talks about playing France for the first time in 40 years to launch their 2029 tour of New Zealand.
Yuki Tsunoda is set to replace Liam Lawson for the Japanese Grand Prix after the New Zealander was brutally dropped by Red Bull after only two races of the new season.
DAILY RECORD
Tony Docherty insists he would have no concerns playing Lyall Cameron against Rangers this weekend.
SCOTTISH SUN
A Danish journalist has sparked major controversy this week after taking aim at Kasper Schmeichel in the aftermath of Denmark's Nations League defeat to Portugal.
The Athletic
What’s going on with Crysencio Summerville’s hamstring injury?
By Roshane Thomas
It is an injury that has stalled Crysencio Summerville’s West Ham United career but after months of frustration, the winger has a date in mind for his return to action.
In January, Summerville sustained a hamstring injury in Graham Potter’s first game as head coach in the FA Cup loss against Aston Villa. The 23-year-old Dutchman was duly substituted at half-time as a precaution. He was initially supposed to be sidelined for a few weeks but has now missed the last nine games, having suffered a setback with his rehabilitation.
Summerville, who joined from Leeds United for £25million ($32m) last summer, was cautious about having surgery in the hope conservative rehab could heal his hamstring naturally and quicker. He has never had surgery on his hamstring, another factor behind West Ham and Summerville taking a cautious approach. Summerville has been rehabbing at West Ham’s training ground on his days off. He hopes to return to full fitness towards the end of April.
The attacker is not prone to injuries and is frustrated he has not been able to help the team. Summerville was impressive in his first performance under Potter (illustrated in his player dashboard below) — he displayed how he could contribute defensively and assisted Lucas Paqueta’s goal. However, he has not been able to build on that promising display.
This is the longest Summerville has been sidelined since injuring his ankle while playing for Leeds in April 2022.
“The setback was at the back end of his rehab, he just felt something, which is disappointing,” said Potter in his pre-match press conference before the 1-1 draw with Everton.
“From my perspective, it was always clear we’d have Summerville back after the international break. It’s fair for the individual to treat their diagnosis and treatment privately.”
Last summer, West Ham spent more than £120m on a total of nine players. It was a shift away from their previous policy and showed a willingness to compete at the higher end of the Premier League’s financial spectrum. Summerville, who signed a five-year contract, with the option of a further year, was a sought-after talent, having been crowned the PFA Championship Player of the Year for his exploits in the 2023-24 season. He registered 21 goals and 10 assists across 49 appearances in all competitions and helped Leeds reach the Championship play-off final, where they lost to Southampton.
Summerville’s arrival was viewed as an exciting addition because of his potential, offensive efficiency and how his skill set aligns with captain Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus. Before sustaining the hamstring injury, Summerville had shown glimpses of his attacking ability, memorably in West Ham’s victory over Manchester United in October.
“He has been brilliant,” Bowen told Premier League Productions after the 2-1 win. “He trains superbly, is a great person off the pitch and has waited for his chances. Every time he plays, he has an impact and he has done that today. I can’t speak highly enough of him.”
Summerville has formed a close friendship with Mohammed Kudus (Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
Potter’s attacking options are Summerville, Bowen, Kudus, Niclas Fullkrug, Evan Ferguson, Danny Ings, Luis Guilherme and Michail Antonio, who will not feature again this season as he recovers from a broken leg. Potter has recently favoured a 5-3-2 formation but previously used 4-2-3-1 and 3-4-2-1 systems. He has been hampered by the absence of Summerville, though. A case in point was the 1-0 home loss to Brentford in February when Carlos Soler played as a makeshift left-winger. The experiment did not work and the Spaniard was substituted at the interval.
The winger was initially on West Ham’s radar in the summer of 2023. A glowing reference from John Heitinga, the former assistant first-team coach, saw him rebuff interest from three other Premier League clubs. The first glimpse of Summerville’s ability came in the Carabao Cup win against Bournemouth in August. He operated on the left, was a key attacking outlet and came close to scoring.
But despite this performance, former head coach Julen Lopetegui, who Potter replaced in January, slowly integrated Summerville into the starting XI. Only three of his first 10 league appearances were starts. Lopetegui favoured playing Kudus on the left, which meant Summerville was limited to substitute appearances. Kudus’ form has regressed since the turn of the year and Summerville would have been a decent alternative. Instead, the injury means he has failed to add to his one goal and two assists across 22 appearances this season.
On the plus side, Summerville has formed a close bond with Kudus and defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and the duo have helped to lift his spirits as he nears a return to full fitness.
In February, Summerville posted on Instagram chronicling his rehabilitation, personal life and happier moments in a West Ham jersey. But there is one picture that referenced his mindset: “This comeback is personal.”
Summerville’s belated return will be a welcome boost for Potter’s side. His has been a notable absence, but if he can pick up where he left off, it can only improve West Ham’s cutting edge in the closing weeks of the season.
(Top photo: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
C&H
West Ham Leading Race for In Demand Young Trickster
West Ham’s summer transfer plans have received a big boost in our attempts to land one of the country’s most exciting talents.
The Hammers are in pole position to land Sunderland’s talented youngster Chris Rigg, having worked on the deal quietly behind the scenes for the past few weeks.
As Claret & Hugh revealed earlier this month, the gifted trickster was offered to West Ham at a knockdown price. Communications between Sunderland, the player’s agents and the Hammers remain positive following smooth dealings between the clubs in the past.
Earlier in the season, some had speculated that West Ham scouts were regularly attending Sunderland matches to monitor Jobe Bellingham. However, those stories masked the Hammers’ real target—Chris Rigg—who has caught the eye with his creativity, composure, and excellent close control.
Not only are West Ham understood to be the frontrunners for the attacking midfielder’s signature, but Claret & Hugh have been told: “West Ham can have the player if they want him.”
We were informed that “advanced preliminary talks” are taking place—something of an oxymoron, but nevertheless, progress appears to be steady.
One potential stumbling block could be Sunderland’s promotion push. The Black Cats currently sit 4th in the Championship and are firmly in the play-off picture.
Presumably, promotion to the Premier League would change the landscape, and any planned exits could be halted. But if Sunderland do agree to sell Rigg, West Ham appear to be at the front of the queue—which makes a nice change.
Atletico Madrid are interested in signing Tottenham's 26-year-old Argentina central defender Cristian Romero. (Sky Sports), external
Everton are set to begin talks with England defender Jarrad Branthwaite, 22, over a new deal to ward off interest from elsewhere. (I Sport), external
Manchester United will only pursue a summer deal for Branthwaite if England centre-back Harry Maguire, 32, leaves Old Trafford. (Yahoo), external
Arsenal are set to offer Gabriel, 27, a new deal to deter interest in the Brazil centre-back from Saudi Arabia. (Football Insider), external
Real Madrid are also interested in 24-year-old France defender William Saliba, who is Gabriel's centre-back partner at Arsenal. (Mirror), external
The Gunners, meanwhile, have joined Liverpool in the race to sign 19-year-old Netherlands defender Jorrel Hato from Ajax. (Team talk)
Atalanta have put an asking price of £50m on forward Ademola Lookman, 27, amid interest from Manchester United and Newcastle United. (Tuttomercato – in Italian), external
Aston Villa have begun talks with France midfielder Boubacar Kamara, 25, over a new contract. (Telegraph), external
Barcelona's buy-back clause with Sporting for 25-year-old Portugal winger Francisco Trincao, who has been linked with Manchester United, Arsenal and Newcastle, ended in June 2024. (Record - in Portuguese), external
Crystal Palace are progressing in talks over a new deal for manager Oliver Glasner, amid interest in the Austrian from RB Leipzig. (Football Insider)
Sky Paper Talk
DAILY MAIL
Manchester United scouts were at Bangor City to watch Tyler Dibling in action for England U19s against Wales, and it is understood 14 Premier League clubs - led by United, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Manchester City - have inquired about the gifted 19-year-old winger.
Defending Formula One world champion Max Verstappen has been left frustrated by Red Bull's apparent decision to sack Liam Lawson just two races into the new season.
Former Manchester United star Paul Parker has launched a scathing attack on winger Alejandro Garnacho.
Referees' boss Howard Webb has told EFL clubs that Premier League match officials are earning an average of £240,000-a-year.
The construction of Manchester United's new £2bn stadium might take longer than some people hope, but one way of speeding up the process would be for the club to agree a land swap with their freight company neighbours.
Chelsea are reportedly prepared to pay over the odds to beat Real Madrid to the signing of Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen this summer.
Manchester United have confirmed matches will be placed into four categories next season as part of a change fans groups have slammed as 'dynamic pricing'.
Diego Maradona's former bodyguard has been arrested on suspicion of perjury.
THE SUN
Manchester United and Arsenal are keeping tabs on two Olympiakos wonderkids ahead of the summer transfer window - Babis Kostoulas and Christos Mouzakitis.
Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs has personally lost £100,000 after a trendy restaurant he backed went bust.
England are set to play their next home World Cup qualifier at Villa Park in September.
Six England hopefuls fear they may need to make a summer transfer to book their spot in Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad.
Manchester United turned down the chance to move into a new 80,000-seater stadium for free, according to an MP.
England are set to play their next home World Cup qualifier at Villa Park in September.
Jadon Sancho wants to return to Borussia Dortmund just seven months after joining Chelsea, according to reports.
DAILY MIRROR
Alejandro Garnacho and Manuel Ugarte face a ludicrous travel schedule this summer with Manchester United organising money-spinning friendlies after the Premier League season. United remain in talks over taking part in fixtures in Hong Kong and Malaysia after the conclusion of the 2024-25 domestic campaign.
Harry Maguire has been left fighting for his England future after Thomas Tuchel admitted he axed the defender for his first England squad rather than classing him as not being fit enough to report up.
Liverpool's compliance with the Premier League's spending rules could be jeopardised if Trent Alexander-Arnold departs for Real Madrid on a free transfer.
Former Manchester City star Danilo has claimed that he only started playing football 'the right way' under Pep Guardiola.
Trent Alexander-Arnold will be forced to change his favourite shirt number if he moves from Liverpool to Real Madrid this summer as LaLiga does not allow shirt numbers higher than No 25.
THE ATHLETIC
England head coach Thomas Tuchel has expressed concern over the lack of a playing break for footballers with the newly-expanded Club World Cup.
Andoni Iraola's ambitions as a head coach will be matched by Bournemouth, the president of the club's ownership group Black Knight Football has said.
DAILY TELEGRAPH
A bankruptcy petition against Ugo Monye has been withdrawn after HM Revenue & Customs said it was unable to find him to serve it.
British & Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell has made a surprise move by bringing Scotland's John Dalziel on board as forwards coach.
THE GUARDIAN
Reading are trapped in a three-way battle of brinkmanship involving the owner, Dai Yongge, and two potential buyers, the American businessmen Robert Platek and Rob Couhig, leaving staff at the club fearing they will be forced into administration next month.
World Sevens Football, the lucrative seven-a-side women's series that will start in Portugal in May, is to hire one of Chelsea Women's most senior figures, Adrian Jacob.
Double Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen tells court of father's physical abuse in testimony
West Ham are lining up a move for the Sunderland midfielder Chris Rigg. Tottenham have also tracked the 17-year-old but West Ham have put themselves in a strong position to advance their interest.
DAILY EXPRESS
Former Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen announced that he will be retiring from football at the end of the season, having opened up on the daily pain he is suffering with and the fear of becoming dependent on painkillers.
THE TIMES
The British & Irish Lions are in talks about playing France for the first time in 40 years to launch their 2029 tour of New Zealand.
Yuki Tsunoda is set to replace Liam Lawson for the Japanese Grand Prix after the New Zealander was brutally dropped by Red Bull after only two races of the new season.
DAILY RECORD
Tony Docherty insists he would have no concerns playing Lyall Cameron against Rangers this weekend.
SCOTTISH SUN
A Danish journalist has sparked major controversy this week after taking aim at Kasper Schmeichel in the aftermath of Denmark's Nations League defeat to Portugal.
The Athletic
What’s going on with Crysencio Summerville’s hamstring injury?
By Roshane Thomas
It is an injury that has stalled Crysencio Summerville’s West Ham United career but after months of frustration, the winger has a date in mind for his return to action.
In January, Summerville sustained a hamstring injury in Graham Potter’s first game as head coach in the FA Cup loss against Aston Villa. The 23-year-old Dutchman was duly substituted at half-time as a precaution. He was initially supposed to be sidelined for a few weeks but has now missed the last nine games, having suffered a setback with his rehabilitation.
Summerville, who joined from Leeds United for £25million ($32m) last summer, was cautious about having surgery in the hope conservative rehab could heal his hamstring naturally and quicker. He has never had surgery on his hamstring, another factor behind West Ham and Summerville taking a cautious approach. Summerville has been rehabbing at West Ham’s training ground on his days off. He hopes to return to full fitness towards the end of April.
The attacker is not prone to injuries and is frustrated he has not been able to help the team. Summerville was impressive in his first performance under Potter (illustrated in his player dashboard below) — he displayed how he could contribute defensively and assisted Lucas Paqueta’s goal. However, he has not been able to build on that promising display.
This is the longest Summerville has been sidelined since injuring his ankle while playing for Leeds in April 2022.
“The setback was at the back end of his rehab, he just felt something, which is disappointing,” said Potter in his pre-match press conference before the 1-1 draw with Everton.
“From my perspective, it was always clear we’d have Summerville back after the international break. It’s fair for the individual to treat their diagnosis and treatment privately.”
Last summer, West Ham spent more than £120m on a total of nine players. It was a shift away from their previous policy and showed a willingness to compete at the higher end of the Premier League’s financial spectrum. Summerville, who signed a five-year contract, with the option of a further year, was a sought-after talent, having been crowned the PFA Championship Player of the Year for his exploits in the 2023-24 season. He registered 21 goals and 10 assists across 49 appearances in all competitions and helped Leeds reach the Championship play-off final, where they lost to Southampton.
Summerville’s arrival was viewed as an exciting addition because of his potential, offensive efficiency and how his skill set aligns with captain Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus. Before sustaining the hamstring injury, Summerville had shown glimpses of his attacking ability, memorably in West Ham’s victory over Manchester United in October.
“He has been brilliant,” Bowen told Premier League Productions after the 2-1 win. “He trains superbly, is a great person off the pitch and has waited for his chances. Every time he plays, he has an impact and he has done that today. I can’t speak highly enough of him.”
Summerville has formed a close friendship with Mohammed Kudus (Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
Potter’s attacking options are Summerville, Bowen, Kudus, Niclas Fullkrug, Evan Ferguson, Danny Ings, Luis Guilherme and Michail Antonio, who will not feature again this season as he recovers from a broken leg. Potter has recently favoured a 5-3-2 formation but previously used 4-2-3-1 and 3-4-2-1 systems. He has been hampered by the absence of Summerville, though. A case in point was the 1-0 home loss to Brentford in February when Carlos Soler played as a makeshift left-winger. The experiment did not work and the Spaniard was substituted at the interval.
The winger was initially on West Ham’s radar in the summer of 2023. A glowing reference from John Heitinga, the former assistant first-team coach, saw him rebuff interest from three other Premier League clubs. The first glimpse of Summerville’s ability came in the Carabao Cup win against Bournemouth in August. He operated on the left, was a key attacking outlet and came close to scoring.
But despite this performance, former head coach Julen Lopetegui, who Potter replaced in January, slowly integrated Summerville into the starting XI. Only three of his first 10 league appearances were starts. Lopetegui favoured playing Kudus on the left, which meant Summerville was limited to substitute appearances. Kudus’ form has regressed since the turn of the year and Summerville would have been a decent alternative. Instead, the injury means he has failed to add to his one goal and two assists across 22 appearances this season.
On the plus side, Summerville has formed a close bond with Kudus and defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and the duo have helped to lift his spirits as he nears a return to full fitness.
In February, Summerville posted on Instagram chronicling his rehabilitation, personal life and happier moments in a West Ham jersey. But there is one picture that referenced his mindset: “This comeback is personal.”
Summerville’s belated return will be a welcome boost for Potter’s side. His has been a notable absence, but if he can pick up where he left off, it can only improve West Ham’s cutting edge in the closing weeks of the season.
(Top photo: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
C&H
West Ham Leading Race for In Demand Young Trickster
West Ham’s summer transfer plans have received a big boost in our attempts to land one of the country’s most exciting talents.
The Hammers are in pole position to land Sunderland’s talented youngster Chris Rigg, having worked on the deal quietly behind the scenes for the past few weeks.
As Claret & Hugh revealed earlier this month, the gifted trickster was offered to West Ham at a knockdown price. Communications between Sunderland, the player’s agents and the Hammers remain positive following smooth dealings between the clubs in the past.
Earlier in the season, some had speculated that West Ham scouts were regularly attending Sunderland matches to monitor Jobe Bellingham. However, those stories masked the Hammers’ real target—Chris Rigg—who has caught the eye with his creativity, composure, and excellent close control.
Not only are West Ham understood to be the frontrunners for the attacking midfielder’s signature, but Claret & Hugh have been told: “West Ham can have the player if they want him.”
We were informed that “advanced preliminary talks” are taking place—something of an oxymoron, but nevertheless, progress appears to be steady.
One potential stumbling block could be Sunderland’s promotion push. The Black Cats currently sit 4th in the Championship and are firmly in the play-off picture.
Presumably, promotion to the Premier League would change the landscape, and any planned exits could be halted. But if Sunderland do agree to sell Rigg, West Ham appear to be at the front of the queue—which makes a nice change.