Chelsea have opened talks to sign AC Milan winger Rafael Leao, with the Serie A side prepared to let the 25-year-old Portugal international leave for around £63.5m. (Caught Offside), external
Arsenal have opened talks with France centre-back William Saliba, 24, over a new contract amid interest from Real Madrid. (Athletic - subscription required), external
The Gunners are also close to signing Espanyol's 24-year-old Spanish goalkeeper Joan Garcia as back-up. (Independent), external
Sunderland midfielder Jobe Bellingham, 19, could follow in his 21-year-old brother Jude's footsteps with Borussia Dortmund planning a £25m move for the England Under-21 international. (Times - subscription required), external
Manchester City target Florian Wirtz has agreed to join Bayern Munich, with the Bundesliga champions prepared to pay £87.1m for the 22-year-old Bayer Leverkusen and Germany midfielder. (Bild - in German), external
Rangers are considering re-hiring Steven Gerrard as manager, with Gary O'Neil, Rob Edwards and Russell Martin also being considered. (Telegraph - subscription required), external
Xabi Alonso is keen to bring 20-year-old Bournemouth and Spain defender Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid should he replace Carlo Ancelotti as manager at the Bernabeu. (Talksport), external
Liverpool and Uruguay striker Darwin Nunez, 25, is one of a number of options being considered by Serie A leaders Napoli as they look to improve their attack. (Corriere dello Sport - in Italian), external
American John Textor has held talks to buy out fellow shareholders David Blitzer and Josh Harris and take control of Crystal Palace, but faces competition from New York Jets owner Woody Johnson. (Guardian), external
Liverpool will discuss terms with Luis Diaz, 28, over a new contract in the summer, with the Colombia winger's current deal set to expire in 2027. (TBR Football), external
Nottingham Forest have joined Newcastle and Inter Milan in the race to sign Liverpool and England centre-back Jarrell Quansah, 22. (Teamtalk), external
Forest are also interested in Manchester City attacking midfielder James McAtee, but the 22-year-old Englishman also has admirers at Tottenham and Bayer Leverkusen. (TBR Football)
Sky Paper Talk
THE SUN
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is ready to sell French club OGC Nice with potential offers from Saudi Arabia, according to reports.
Arsenal vowed to take the "strongest possible action" after a video emerged of a group of fans appearing to racially abuse Paris Saint-Germain players.
Marcus Rashford has flown to Dubai in a desperate bid to rescue his season.
Barcelona legend Xavi is the new favourite to replace Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham should he leave at the end of this season.
Leeds United have joined Everton in the chase to sign Newcastle's Sean Longstaff.
DAILY MAIL
River Plate midfielder Franco Mastantuono has put Manchester United on notice after expressing his interest in joining Real Madrid.
Mohammed Kudus' contract contains a remarkable £125m release clause for Saudi sides this summer - but West Ham would be willing to listen to more realistic offers for their 24-year-old winger rather than demanding that lofty fee in full.
Real Madrid TV have launched a scathing fresh attack on another referee in the run-up to their LaLiga clash with Celta Vigo this weekend.
DAILY MIRROR
Manchester United have beaten Paris Saint-Germain and a host of other European clubs to a deal for Enzo Kana-Biyik, with the highly-rated teenage striker putting pen to paper on a long-term contract.
Manchester City have confirmed that their clash with Bournemouth later this month will be Kevin De Bruyne's farewell match.
Mikel Arteta faces a major striker dilemma this summer.
The FA has defended the decision to massively hike ticket prices for this year's FA Cup final.
THE ATHLETIC
Two members of Manchester United's senior leadership team - Richard Hawkins, director of football insights and innovations, and David Harrison, director of football operations - are expected to leave the club as part of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's second round of redundancies.
Spanish second division club Elche have banned the sale and consumption of sunflower seeds inside their stadium.
Chilean club Colo-Colo must play five home matches in continental competition without fans and will also not be allowed supporters for the next five away matches.
Barcelona are likely to be without Jules Kounde for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final tie against Inter due to a hamstring injury.
DAILY TELEGRAPH
Newcastle United hold a strong interest in signing Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo but are concerned about the asking price.
THE TIMES
Arsenal face competition from other Premier League clubs, including Bournemouth, to sign Espanyol's highly rated goalkeeper Joan García this summer.
Scottish Championship club Greenock Morton have been hit by a Fifa transfer ban for failing to submit the necessary paperwork when they signed a player from Liverpool.
The Athletic
Thilo Kehrer: ‘Winning the Conference League with West Ham will stay with me forever’
By Roshane Thomas
Thilo Kehrer is personable yet candid as he reflects on the latter stages of his time at West Ham United, until a particular question proves too delicate for an immediate response.
The 28-year-old defender has just finished eating breakfast at Monaco’s training ground. Kehrer initially joined the French side on loan from West Ham in January 2024, which was converted into a permanent deal four months later.
The Germany international is a bright spark as he speaks to The Athletic, but adopts a sombre countenance when asked what led to his exit from the London Stadium.
“I was sad when I left West Ham and I didn’t want it to end this way,” says Kehrer. “I’m aware that things can change very quickly in a footballer’s career. I wanted to stay there longer.
“I love West Ham. The fans and I had a special bond with my team-mates. Winning the Conference League (in 2023) will stay with me forever. To achieve something like this, when you think about what the club had been through, was special. We had a few difficult moments in the league and we went through a journey that season, so to end it with a parade and see the joy on the fans’ faces was worth all those hard moments.”
Kehrer, who joined West Ham from Paris Saint-Germain in 2022 for €12million (£10.3m), posted a heartfelt video on Instagram after his permanent departure a year ago, letting fans know how much he had savoured his time at West Ham. The versatile defender fell down the pecking order behind Kurt Zouma, now on a season-long loan at Saudi Pro League club Al Orobah; Angelo Ogbonna, now at Watford; Nayef Aguerd, who is now on a season-long loan at Real Sociedad; and Konstantinos Mavropanos.
In the months leading up to Kehrer’s exit, he only made four substitute appearances in the Premier League. Although the German wanted to stay in east London, a discussion with former manager David Moyes hastened his decision.
“Before I left West Ham, I thanked the manager for the opportunity,” says the defender. “I appreciated our time together.
“It’s a shame things didn’t work out because I wouldn’t have left. Sometimes, these things happen, it’s life. I remember being out somewhere in London and this West Ham fan recognised me. I always wear a cap, so I was surprised he spotted me. He said: ‘Thank you for everything you’d done at West Ham. The Conference League win was one of the best days of my life. You and that team will always be in our hearts’.
“I’ve never received a compliment like that from a supporter of any of the other clubs I’ve played for. That supporter probably doesn’t remember now, but that meant a lot to me.”
Kehrer’s warm interaction with that West Ham supporter is why he tries to reciprocate that same kind of love to those less fortunate than himself. He started a foundation in 2020, which has built a youth centre in Burundi, the Central African country in which his mother was born.
Kehrer’s mother is a nurse and his German father worked as a carpenter for NGOs in Africa. Kehrer’s parents lived in Burundi, which was hit by civil war for 12 years between 1993 and 2005, and Rwanda, and his upbringing played a big role in his philanthropy today.
“I grew up with my dad involved in healthcare projects,” says Kehrer. “I always wanted to give back and when I played in Germany and went away with the national team, we would visit hospitals, visit kids in schools and do other charity work. Whenever they’d ask me to come along, I always remembered how gracious my dad was in giving back.
“I had no excuse to say no. I developed the love for helping people and that’s when I decided to start my foundation. We started five years ago and we haven’t looked back since. I’m happy that I’m in a position to help others.”
Kehrer once again has stability on and off the pitch.
It is 16 months since the former Schalke and Paris Saint-Germain defender swapped London for Monaco. He has scored four goals in 25 league appearances for Adi Hutter’s side and Monaco are third in Ligue 1 in the hunt for automatic Champions League qualification.
Monaco have a strong young core, with forwards Mika Biereth and Folarin Balogun, both of whom are formerly of Arsenal, shining, while there are high hopes for 18-year-old midfielder George Ilenikhena.
“We have some great young talents and experienced players like myself,” he says. “I feel settled here, but my plan wasn’t to leave West Ham because I was very happy there.
“But in terms of playing time, I had no other choice because I needed to play. It’s what we as footballers train, work and play for. I didn’t have a preference of which country or league to go to. What was important was the conversations I had about the style of play and the club’s ambitions.
“That’s what attracted me to Monaco and even hearing the Champions League theme was special this season (Monaco finished 17th in the league-phase table and were then beaten 4-3 on aggregate by Benfica in the knockout-phase play-offs). It made me realise I was at the right place. We just have to keep building because the talent is here.”
Kehrer remains in contact with former West Ham team-mates Zouma, Aguerd, Alphonse Areola, Lucas Paqueta, Emerson Palmieri and Maxwel Cornet. They are part of a group chat on WhatsApp, along with former attacker Said Benrahma. Kehrer attributes the camaraderie that developed during his spell at the London Stadium to one thing.
“It’s not always like that in football (such togetherness in a dressing room), but those guys are my brothers,” says Kehrer. “This is the environment Moyes created.
“He’s a good person and really tries his best to help people. He goes out of his way to make sure things are fine in your personal life. Not every manager is like that. Moyes knew how to get results, whether it was (against) Burnley or Manchester City. People can debate whether it’s a nice way of football or not, but look, it’s a results business and he did an amazing job at West Ham. No one can take that away from him.”
Kehrer with former West Ham manager David Moyes in 2023 (Clive Rose/Getty Images)
Kehrer has no ill feelings towards Moyes over the manner of his West Ham exit. Although some sadness lingers over the Scot, now manager of Everton, not being able to guarantee the defender first-team opportunities, Kehrer still cherishes the happier times.
“For me personally, I think the reason why it didn’t work out between him and me was maybe his idea of playing as a team didn’t align with where I see my strengths,” says Kehrer. “But despite this, I still have massive respect for him.
“My best memory of the manager is after the Conference League final, he came with the team to celebrate. Tomas Soucek organised the celebrations at this private venue. We left the hotel and got into a minibus. We’re all waiting to leave and we see the manager smiling as he comes on the bus. He said: ‘I’m coming with you guys’.
“That’s why I said these are memories that will always stay with me. I still keep track of West Ham’s results. I have a soft spot for the club and I will always want the best for them.”
(Top photo: Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images)
Pompey News
'From the bottom of my heart' - Classy West Ham midfielder's parting message to Portsmouth faithful after hugely successful loan stint
Freddie Potts has reserved a special thanks to the fans as he bid farewell to the Fratton faithful.
The classy midfielder has returned to parent club West Ham after a hugely successful loan spell with the Blues that saw the 21-year-old become a mainstay of John Mousinho’s team in the Championship and start 35 of the club’s second-tier games in 2024-25.
At the Hammers, Potts will be given the opportunity to cement a place in Graham Potters’ first-team plans during pre-season, after signing a new four-and-a-half-year deal with his boyhood club back in March.
That’s bad news for Pompey, who would love to see the midfielder back at Fratton Park, where he quickly established himself as a firm favourite among the supporters.
The Blues have, however, positioned themselves at the top of the queue if West Ham decide that another loan move would benefit the player further. Meanwhile. there’s proof once more that Potts clearly treasured his time on the south coast after he said one more goodbye to the Pompey family via the club website.
Freddie Potts’ final message to Pompey fans
Singling out the fans for the support they provided during his season-long stay, Potts said: ‘Honestly, from the bottom of my heart, it's a massive, massive thank you because it was easy to turn against myself or the team, but the fans stuck with us and supported us and they've took me in unbelievably well.
‘You know, it's not easy for fans to take a young player in as well as they have, so I'm just thankful for all the support that they've gave me and the team away from home or at home. It's just been such an enjoyable season.
‘I've loved, honestly, every part of it since the first game I had at Burnley away. It's just been a special, special place to play and to give me this chance to play at this club was a massive, massive thing for me, so just from the bottom of my heart, thank you.’
John Mousinho’s last words on Freddie Potts
Mousinho deliberately gave supporters the opportunity to thank Potts for his Pompey service on the final day of the season when he substituted him in the second half against Hull.
The move went down well, with the Fratton faithful providing the midfielder with a standing ovation as he left the pitch. Meanwhile, chants of ‘one more year’ rang out when Potts joined his Blues team-mates on a lap of appreciation around Fratton Park upon the conclusion of the season.
Afterwards, the Blues head coach said: ‘Freddie massively deserved the ovation.
‘It’s one where if we had more subs maybe we could have done that with Rob (Atkinson) and maybe brought a couple of the loan players on, too.
‘With Freddie, in particular, it’s one where he’s been here all season and done such a good job.
‘It’s most likely we won’t see him again next season, unfortunately, so it was a really good moment.
‘I suspect he’s going to go back and challenge at West Ham so if we do (see him again) then great, if we do it’s a bonus. But that would be my expectation for Fred next year and, if not, then we will certainly be knocking at the door and first in the queue.’
Freddie Potts on his West Ham hopes
After signing a deal that will keep him at West Ham until the summer of 2029, Potts said: ‘Mark Noble rang me to say the Club wanted to offer me a new contract, and I was delighted. To be given this extension is a massive moment for me. I’ve worked really hard over the last couple of seasons to earn this.
‘I’ve been at West Ham since I was five. I grew up in the area, and I’ve wanted to become a West Ham player my whole life. Hopefully, this (coming) pre-season, with the new manager coming in, brings a fresh opportunity. From what I’ve seen, it looks really exciting, so I’m eager to be part of it. My goal is to break into the first team and show what I can do at the highest level.’
Northern Ireland Sport
Dungannon school offer 'best wishes' as Irish League teens prepare for Premier League moves to Chelsea and West Ham United
St. Patrick's Academy Dungannon have offered their “congratulations and best wishes” to Year 12 pupils Chris Atherton and Joel Kerr with the pair set to join Premier League giants this summer.
Both teenagers have came through the ranks at Irish League clubs – Atherton at Glenavon and Kerr with Glentoran – and their undoubted talent has now been recognised by some of England’s biggest teams.
Atherton is widely considered as one of the most exciting Premiership youngsters of recent times, racking up 24 top-flight appearances for the Lurgan Blues throughout this season despite only turning 16 in October.
He created history in September 2022 by becoming the youngest-ever player to feature in a competitive match in the United Kingdom, introduced off the bench in Glenavon’s BetMcLean Cup win over Dollingstown aged 13 years and 329 days.
Atherton will now make a move into the academy of Premier League powerhouse Chelsea having travelled frequently to England to train at his new club.
St. Patrick's Academy Dungannon have offered their “congratulations and best wishes” to Year 12 pupils Chris Atherton and Joel Kerr with the pair set to join Premier League giants this summer.
County Tyrone teenager Kerr, who like Atherton is a Northern Ireland youth international, hasn’t made a senior Glentoran appearance but is a highly-rated academy product and has signed a long-term contract at West Ham United.
"As they approach their final few weeks in our school, we offer our congratulations and best wishes to two of our Year 12 students who will be embarking on exciting careers in the English Premiership following the completion of their GCSE examinations,” St Patrick’s posted on Facebook. “Both Joel and Christo have demonstrated exceptional skill, maturity, determination and talent in soccer from a very young age.
"Their hard work and dedication have already earned them places on Northern Ireland’s international teams, an outstanding achievement in itself. Joel has signed for West Ham United while Christo will join Chelsea at the end of June.
“We are immensely proud of their success and are excited to follow their journeys as they take this next major step in their sporting careers.
"We wish them every success for the future and know that they will continue to make us proud both on and off the field.”
