Tuesday News (includes West Ham)
Posted: 17 Jun 2025, 11:49
BBC
Manchester City and England defender Kyle Walker, 35, has agreed to join Everton on a one-year deal. (Sun), external
Brentford and Cameroon forward Bryan Mbeumo, 25, is leaning towards a move to Manchester United over Tottenham Hotspur, despite his former manager Thomas Frank joining the latter. (Sky Sports), external
Newcastle United have opened talks with Brighton over the signing of Brazil forward Joao Pedro, 22, and are also interested in Sporting and Ivory Coast centre-back Ousmane Diomande, 21. (Telegraph - subscription required), external
Juventus have offered Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres an £11m-a-year contract as they try to beat Arsenal and Manchester United to a deal for the 27-year-old Sweden international. (Mirror), external
Barcelona have moved ahead of Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Chelsea in the race to sign Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams, 22, but financial issues could scupper the Nou Camp side's move for the Spain international. (Sky Sports Germany)
Tottenham are set to open talks with Rennes over French striker Arnaud Kalimuendo, 23. (L'Equipe - in French), external
Manchester United have held initial talks with Eintracht Frankfurt over the signing of France striker Hugo Ekitike, 22, but no formal bid has been made yet. (Sky Sports, external)
Napoli are aiming to sign either Manchester United and Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho, 20, or Manchester City and England midfielder Jack Grealish, 29, but the Italian champions are only willing to spend £45m. (Sun), external
AC Milan and Napoli are both interested in Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez, with the Reds valuing the 25-year-old Uruguay international at 60m euros (£51m). (Corriere dello Sport - in Italian), external
Atletico Madrid will target Aston Villa and France full-back Lucas Digne, 31, if they do not sign Scotland and Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson, 31. (Times - subscription required, external)
Chelsea have opened talks with Lyon over Belgian winger Malik Fofana, 20. Nottingham Forest have also shown interest. (L'Equipe - in French) , external
Barcelona and Germany goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, 33, has turned down an offer from Turkish champions Galatasaray. (Sport - in Spanish), external
Athletic Bilbao, Marseille, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Inter Milan, and Napoli have all shown interest in Al Nassr and Spain defender Aymeric Laporte, 31, formerly of Manchester City. (AS - in Spanish), external
Liverpool have joined Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle in the race for Southampton and England Under-21s winger Tyler Dibling, 19. (CaughtOffside), external
Real Betis want to enter into a joint-ownership agreement with Manchester United for Brazil winger Antony, 25, that would see the Spanish club buy increasing percentages of his playing rights from next summer. (ABC - in Spanish)
Bristol City are set to appoint former FC Cologne, Red Bull Salzburg and Barnsley boss Gerhard Struber, 48, as their new head coach. (Telegraph), external
A number of Championship clubs are interested in signing Wycombe Wanderers' 21-year-old Ivorian striker Richard Kone this summer. (Sky Sports), external
Birmingham City have agreed a deal with Brighton to sign England Under-21 goalkeeper James Beadle on loan for the 2025-26 campaign. The 20-year-old spent last season on loan at Sheffield Wednesday. (Telegraph), external
Blues are also close to signing Japanese attacking midfielder Kanya Fujimoto, 25, who is a free agent after his contract with Portuguese Primeira Liga side Gil Vicente expired. (Sport TV via Birmingham Mail), external
Portsmouth are set to complete the signing of Australian attacking midfielder Adrian Segecic, 21, who scored 13 goals in 24 A-League games for Sydney FC in 2024-25. (The News), external
Leicester City are weighing up a move for Leeds United forward Sam Greenwood, 23, who spent last season on loan at Preston. (Mail), external
Preston North End are keen on signing former forward Callum Robinson, 30, from Cardiff City after the Welsh club were relegated to League One. (Irish Examiner), external
Ipswich Town have reportedly joined Birmingham, Celtic and Rangers in the race to sign Peterborough United's out-of-contract winger Kwame Poku, 23, with the Tractor Boys set to table an official offer. (Football League World), external
Ipswich have also made enquiries about Spanish Chelsea striker Marc Guiu, 19, and Divin Mubama, 20, at Manchester City with both considered as potential options to replace Liam Delap. (East Anglian Daily Times), external
Oxford United are interested in a move to bring left-sided Irish player Callum O'Dowda, 30, back to the club from Cardiff City. (Irish Examiner), external
Sheffield United have been dealt a blow to any hopes of bringing Manchester City defender Kyle Walker back to his boyhood club, with the 35-year-old likely to join Everton. (The Star), external
Southampton have agreed a £1m deal with Manchester United to sell their 16-year-old defender Harley Emsden-James. (The Athletic - subscription required), external
Huddersfield Town are keen on signing former defender Murray Wallace, 32, who was released by Millwall following seven years with the Lions. (YorkshireLive)
Sky Paper Talk
THE SUN
Manchester City defender Kyle Walker has agreed to join Everton on a one-year deal, with the two clubs thrashing out whether it is a permanent move or a 12-month loan.
Manchester United have been scouting holding midfielder Hicham Boudaoui from fellow INEOS-owned club Nice as they consider cut-price options.
Tottenham winger Manor Solomon is stuck in Israel during the conflict with Iran.
Manchester United are not selling Jadon Sancho or Antony shirts on their official website.
THE TIMES
Atletico Madrid have placed Aston Villa's Lucas Digne on a list of alternative options should their interest in Andrew Robertson reach a dead end.
THE TELEGRAPH
Napoli will not match Jack Grealish's Manchester City wages as they weigh up whether to make an offer for him.
Newcastle are on the verge of opening talks with Brighton over the signing of forward Joao Pedro.
Tottenham are in touch with Manor Solomon after the winger was stranded in Israel because of the conflict with Iran.
English cricket is close to agreeing to host the next three World Test Championship finals despite an attempt from India to stage the show-piece event.
DAILY MIRROR
Bayer Leverkusen are weighing up a bid for Manchester City youngster James McAtee - who has previously been linked with Manchester United.
Liverpool are said to be willing to accept an offer in the region of €60m (£51m) to sell Darwin Nunez this summer - just months after they rejected a more lucrative proposal for the striker from Saudi Arabia.
Juventus are looking to steal in and swoop for Viktor Gyokeres - with Arsenal putting a move for the Sporting star on ice - and are said to have offered the Swede a huge contract.
DAILY MAIL
Kia Joorabchian's ambition to be among the winners at Royal Ascot saw him make an eve-of-meeting swoop for a horse of immense potential, finalising a £2m deal for Ghostwriter.
THE ATHLETIC
FIFA has spent over £36.8m ($50m) on marketing to promote this summer's Club World Cup in the United States, including increasing their original budget by millions in the past month as they sought to drive attendances for the tournament.
FIFA has decided not to show any videos, signage or marketing assets in venues hosting the Club World Cup in the United States which explicitly mention challenging racism or discrimination.
Sheffield Wednesday should have a 55,000-capacity stadium, one of England's best academies and be "way bigger than Wrexham", according to the co-leader of a North American group trying to buy the crisis-hit Championship club.
THE SCOTTISH SUN
Rangers are closing in on a double swoop - with Max Aarons and Kwame Poku set to sign.
DAILY RECORD
Celtic remain relaxed and confident of keeping hold of Cameron Carter-Vickers despite mounting speculation the San Francisco 49ers hope to lure him to Leeds.
Guardian Rumour mill
Michael Butler
Real Madrid might be the biggest successful side in Europe but that doesn’t mean they are too big for a bargain. David Alaba, Kylian Mbappé, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Tony Rüdiger and Steve McManaman have all moved to the Bernabéu on a free transfer in the past and now the Spanish giants are reportedly targeting another soon-to-be out-of-contract star. Myles Lewis-Skelly had a breakthrough year at Arsenal last season but, with his current deal expiring next summer, he would be free to talk to foreign clubs in January. The Gunners are said to be “relaxed” about the contract situation but this would not be the first time they have been gazumped by a Spanish rival.
Another elite full-back but at the tail end of his career, Kyle Walker, is garnering interest from Everton after being left out of Manchester City’s Club World Cup squad. José Mourinho and Fenerbahce have already submitted an offer for the 34-year-old but the opportunity to stay in the Premier League might sway the England international to stay in the north-west of England. Any transfer fee would be nominal, with just one year left on his deal at City, but Everton would still have to match his substantial wages. Fulham are also said to be interested.
The Club World Cup might be a bit of damp squib on the pitch but at least it is a fertile networking opportunity for agents. Hurray! Neymar’s father has been earning his 15% and has suggested his son could return to Europe before the real World Cup next summer. “This week, we’re going to Miami to talk to clubs,” Neymar Sr told L’Équipe. “We have to listen to them and decide what we’re going to do. Yes, there are European clubs. Some are competing in the Champions League. They know he’s capable of having a great season because the lights are green. But the Brazilian market is also interesting. There’s a good chance he’ll stay at Santos. I’m working for that. That doesn’t stop me from listening to other clubs. It’s Neymar [Jr] who will decide whether to stay or not. Now we’re going to prepare again for an impossible dream: winning the World Cup. Carlo’s [Ancelotti] arrival is good, but no matter who’s in charge, we have to work. Everything is there to make it work. The team has style. And I can see Neymar with Viní, Rodrygo, Raphinha.”
Newcastle were in fine fettle last season in the Premier League without the extra weight of European football, but know from their 2023-24 campaign (in which they finished seventh) that balancing Champions League football and a domestic campaign can be tricky and a tiresome business. And so with the club again qualifying for Europe’s elite club competition next season, Eddie Howe and co know they need a bigger and stronger squad. João Pedro has been linked with a move to the north-east but Brighton don’t sell their best players on the cheap, and the Brazilian would cost around £70m. Is that too much to spend on a player that would probably serve as a back-up to Alexander Isak?
Another Brazilian already at Newcastle is Bruno Guimarães, and while the midfielder has been continually linked with a move away from St James’ Park – the Saudi club Al-Ittihad are the latest to be named – the 27-year-old is said now to be very happy at the club and willing to sign a new contract, with the current deal set to expire in 2028.
Chelsea already have one Fofana (Wesley) but are now targeting another in Lyon’s Malick Fofana, with the 20-year-old viewed as an alternative to Jamie Gittens. Borussia Dortmund have been unwilling to budge on their £50m valuation for the latter, with Chelsea seeing a bid of £42m turned down last week, while Fofana is potentially a slightly cheaper option.
Liverpool are understood to have dropped their price for Darwin Núñez, with the Uruguayan’s price tag now £40m. Milan and Napoli are interested although any deal is likely to depend on other deals. Having lost Tijjani Reijnders to Manchester City, Milan are also considering adding Granit Xhaka and Luka Modric to their midfield while they are exploring a swap deal with Barcelona, reportedly offering Rafael Leão for centre back Ronald Araújo.
Sport Witness
“Don’t like using youngsters” – West Ham player blames Hammers managers for breakthrough failure
By Naveen Ullal
Internacional are in the picture to sign West Ham United’s Luizão this summer, according to journalist Marinho Saldanha, relayed by Bolavip Brasil.
The centre-back left São Paulo for West Ham in January 2023 and they initially included him in their U21 squad.
West Ham didn’t then feel they’d seen enough to promote Luizão to their first team and Internacional wanted to bring him back to Brazil in the winter market.
In December, Globo Esporte reported on the Brazilian club’s approach, an approach which wasn’t successful. The Hammers instead let the 23-year-old join Polish side Pogoń Szczecin on loan.
Saldanha says the West Ham player is analysing his next step. Internacional are looking for a new defender and the former São Paulo man is back on their agenda.
The journalist claims West Ham are unwilling to let Luizão return to Brazil and are looking for a club in Europe. This is the ‘main obstacle’ for Internacional to sign him.
It’s been more than two years since the South American joined the Premier League club and he’s yet to make his debut for their senior team. UOL had a chat with him, where he opened up about his struggles at West Ham.
Luizão said: “My first six months would be spent adapting to the team and the country, so I would stay on the U21 team and participate in some training sessions with the main team, and then, after that period, I would go straight to the main team.
“But when those six months were over, the main team coach had some difficulty working with young players and I stayed on the U21 team.”
Since Luizão joined West Ham, David Moyes, Julen Lopetegui and Potter have been their first team managers. He has blamed the trio for not trusting him.
“In the U21s, I was a starter, and the coach always praised me in training. He tried to get me to play in the first team, saying that I was ready to move up, but unfortunately, I got first-team coaches who didn’t like using young players,” Luizão explained.
“In the Premier League, since clubs have a lot of money, they end up buying ready-made players instead of preparing the younger ones.”
The Athletic
Michail Antonio makes first appearance in six months following car crash
By Roshane Thomas
West Ham forward Michail Antonio has made his first appearance since being involved in a car crash, coming on as a late substitute for Jamaica on Monday.
The 35-year-old came off the bench in the 85th minute but could not help his country rescue a 1-0 defeat to Guatemala in their opening game of the Gold Cup group stage in California.
Antonio’s last competitive appearance was more than six months ago in West Ham’s defeat to Leicester City on December 3. Four days later, he was involved in a single-vehicle collision, when the car he was driving struck a tree in Epping Forest.
He underwent surgery on a lower limb injury and spent four and a half weeks recovering at a central London hospital, returning to fitness ahead of schedule having initially been told his rehabilitation would take 12 months.
Antonio’s future at the London Stadium remains uncertain, with his contract set to expire on June 30.
The player’s camp have held talks with the club’s majority shareholder, David Sullivan, and head of recruitment, Kyle Macaulay, but no agreement over a new contract has been reached.
The club say his “unique situation” means no formal decision will be made until the time is “right and appropriate”.
Antonio joined from Nottingham Forest in 2015 and is their all-time leading Premier League scorer with 68 goals in 268 games.
Jamaica face Guadeloupe on Friday and Panama next week as they bid to make it out of Group C in the Gold Cup.
(Photo: Candice Ward/Getty Images)
Sport Witness
West Ham have shown interest in signing Arsenal player – €15m could be enough
Over the past week or so, Oleksandr Zinchenko’s situation at Arsenal has been the focus of attention in the Italian press. Interest in the versatile full-back is now growing as West Ham has emerged as a potential destination.
PianetaMilan take a detailed look at what the future could hold for the 28-year-old, who would be interested in a move to AC Milan.
The Rossoneri are also intrigued by the possibility of signing Zinchenko but are put off by Arsenal’s demands of €15m, because the player’s current contract at the Emirates runs out in the summer of 2026.
This could prove to be an opportunity for other clubs like West Ham, Ajax and Borussia Dortmund, who are keeping a close eye on the left-back.
The Arsenal player currently earns €5m per season but it’s stated he would accept a drop from that figure.
This should prove encouraging for West Ham, who certainly find themselves in a better financial position in the Premier League.
The report claims Arsenal have constantly reiterated their desire to sell the Ukraine international and even though Milan are keen, they do not want to overpay due to Zinchenko’s physical problems.
The opportunity could therefore be available Graham Potter’s side, with the manager having previously shown a preference for versatile full-backs during his time at Brighton and Chelsea.
OS
West Ham United to host Lille OSC
West Ham United will welcome French club Lille OSC to London Stadium for an exciting pre-season match on Saturday 9 August, with kick-off at 3pm BST.
The Hammers will complete preparations for the 2025/26 season by taking on top-level opposition in their final warm-up fixture, with the four-time Ligue 1 champions sure to provide a strong test for Graham Potter’s side.
The game will give the Claret and Blue Army the first chance to see how the Hammers are shaping up ahead of the big Premier League kick-off a week later.
Tickets are priced from just £10 for Adults and £5 for Under-18s, illustrating the Club’s commitment to affordable family football, and are on sale now. Click here for full pricing and sales details.
Managed by Pep Génésio, Lille finished fifth in Ligue 1 and reached the UEFA Champions League round of 16 in 2024/25 and will compete in the UEFA Europa League next season.
Head Coach Potter, who will take his squad to the United States for the Premier League Summer Series in July, believes facing high-quality opponents will help prepare his players for the competitive challenges ahead.
“We’re really looking forward to facing Lille,” he said. “Our pre-season schedule is geared to building the players up so that they are in the best possible condition when the Premier League gets underway on Saturday 16 August, and a fixture against high-quality European opposition a week beforehand is part of doing that.
“We will have had a few weeks of building the players’ fitness levels and have been to America to play against Manchester United, Everton and Bournemouth in the Premier League Summer Series, then this game gives us the opportunity to return to London Stadium and play in front of our fantastic fans again.”
This pre-season fixture will be the first-ever meeting between West Ham United and Lille, but there are historic links between the two clubs. Hammer of the Year winners Joe Cole and Dimitri Payet have played for both, as have Morgan Amalfitano, José Fonte and Youssef Sofiane.
West Ham have faced French opposition on ten previous occasions in the Club’s history, with the first in 1924, when Syd King and his players crossed the Channel to face the France Olympic XI in a warm-up fixture for the Paris Summer Games.
In the ensuing 101 years, the Hammers have welcomed Marseille to east London and travelled to France to face Lens (twice), Bordeaux (twice) and Rennes in friendly matches, faced Valenciennes in the United States, Angers in Austria, defeated Metz in the 1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup final and knocked Lyon out of the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals in style in 2022.
Manchester City and England defender Kyle Walker, 35, has agreed to join Everton on a one-year deal. (Sun), external
Brentford and Cameroon forward Bryan Mbeumo, 25, is leaning towards a move to Manchester United over Tottenham Hotspur, despite his former manager Thomas Frank joining the latter. (Sky Sports), external
Newcastle United have opened talks with Brighton over the signing of Brazil forward Joao Pedro, 22, and are also interested in Sporting and Ivory Coast centre-back Ousmane Diomande, 21. (Telegraph - subscription required), external
Juventus have offered Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres an £11m-a-year contract as they try to beat Arsenal and Manchester United to a deal for the 27-year-old Sweden international. (Mirror), external
Barcelona have moved ahead of Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Chelsea in the race to sign Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams, 22, but financial issues could scupper the Nou Camp side's move for the Spain international. (Sky Sports Germany)
Tottenham are set to open talks with Rennes over French striker Arnaud Kalimuendo, 23. (L'Equipe - in French), external
Manchester United have held initial talks with Eintracht Frankfurt over the signing of France striker Hugo Ekitike, 22, but no formal bid has been made yet. (Sky Sports, external)
Napoli are aiming to sign either Manchester United and Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho, 20, or Manchester City and England midfielder Jack Grealish, 29, but the Italian champions are only willing to spend £45m. (Sun), external
AC Milan and Napoli are both interested in Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez, with the Reds valuing the 25-year-old Uruguay international at 60m euros (£51m). (Corriere dello Sport - in Italian), external
Atletico Madrid will target Aston Villa and France full-back Lucas Digne, 31, if they do not sign Scotland and Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson, 31. (Times - subscription required, external)
Chelsea have opened talks with Lyon over Belgian winger Malik Fofana, 20. Nottingham Forest have also shown interest. (L'Equipe - in French) , external
Barcelona and Germany goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, 33, has turned down an offer from Turkish champions Galatasaray. (Sport - in Spanish), external
Athletic Bilbao, Marseille, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Inter Milan, and Napoli have all shown interest in Al Nassr and Spain defender Aymeric Laporte, 31, formerly of Manchester City. (AS - in Spanish), external
Liverpool have joined Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle in the race for Southampton and England Under-21s winger Tyler Dibling, 19. (CaughtOffside), external
Real Betis want to enter into a joint-ownership agreement with Manchester United for Brazil winger Antony, 25, that would see the Spanish club buy increasing percentages of his playing rights from next summer. (ABC - in Spanish)
Bristol City are set to appoint former FC Cologne, Red Bull Salzburg and Barnsley boss Gerhard Struber, 48, as their new head coach. (Telegraph), external
A number of Championship clubs are interested in signing Wycombe Wanderers' 21-year-old Ivorian striker Richard Kone this summer. (Sky Sports), external
Birmingham City have agreed a deal with Brighton to sign England Under-21 goalkeeper James Beadle on loan for the 2025-26 campaign. The 20-year-old spent last season on loan at Sheffield Wednesday. (Telegraph), external
Blues are also close to signing Japanese attacking midfielder Kanya Fujimoto, 25, who is a free agent after his contract with Portuguese Primeira Liga side Gil Vicente expired. (Sport TV via Birmingham Mail), external
Portsmouth are set to complete the signing of Australian attacking midfielder Adrian Segecic, 21, who scored 13 goals in 24 A-League games for Sydney FC in 2024-25. (The News), external
Leicester City are weighing up a move for Leeds United forward Sam Greenwood, 23, who spent last season on loan at Preston. (Mail), external
Preston North End are keen on signing former forward Callum Robinson, 30, from Cardiff City after the Welsh club were relegated to League One. (Irish Examiner), external
Ipswich Town have reportedly joined Birmingham, Celtic and Rangers in the race to sign Peterborough United's out-of-contract winger Kwame Poku, 23, with the Tractor Boys set to table an official offer. (Football League World), external
Ipswich have also made enquiries about Spanish Chelsea striker Marc Guiu, 19, and Divin Mubama, 20, at Manchester City with both considered as potential options to replace Liam Delap. (East Anglian Daily Times), external
Oxford United are interested in a move to bring left-sided Irish player Callum O'Dowda, 30, back to the club from Cardiff City. (Irish Examiner), external
Sheffield United have been dealt a blow to any hopes of bringing Manchester City defender Kyle Walker back to his boyhood club, with the 35-year-old likely to join Everton. (The Star), external
Southampton have agreed a £1m deal with Manchester United to sell their 16-year-old defender Harley Emsden-James. (The Athletic - subscription required), external
Huddersfield Town are keen on signing former defender Murray Wallace, 32, who was released by Millwall following seven years with the Lions. (YorkshireLive)
Sky Paper Talk
THE SUN
Manchester City defender Kyle Walker has agreed to join Everton on a one-year deal, with the two clubs thrashing out whether it is a permanent move or a 12-month loan.
Manchester United have been scouting holding midfielder Hicham Boudaoui from fellow INEOS-owned club Nice as they consider cut-price options.
Tottenham winger Manor Solomon is stuck in Israel during the conflict with Iran.
Manchester United are not selling Jadon Sancho or Antony shirts on their official website.
THE TIMES
Atletico Madrid have placed Aston Villa's Lucas Digne on a list of alternative options should their interest in Andrew Robertson reach a dead end.
THE TELEGRAPH
Napoli will not match Jack Grealish's Manchester City wages as they weigh up whether to make an offer for him.
Newcastle are on the verge of opening talks with Brighton over the signing of forward Joao Pedro.
Tottenham are in touch with Manor Solomon after the winger was stranded in Israel because of the conflict with Iran.
English cricket is close to agreeing to host the next three World Test Championship finals despite an attempt from India to stage the show-piece event.
DAILY MIRROR
Bayer Leverkusen are weighing up a bid for Manchester City youngster James McAtee - who has previously been linked with Manchester United.
Liverpool are said to be willing to accept an offer in the region of €60m (£51m) to sell Darwin Nunez this summer - just months after they rejected a more lucrative proposal for the striker from Saudi Arabia.
Juventus are looking to steal in and swoop for Viktor Gyokeres - with Arsenal putting a move for the Sporting star on ice - and are said to have offered the Swede a huge contract.
DAILY MAIL
Kia Joorabchian's ambition to be among the winners at Royal Ascot saw him make an eve-of-meeting swoop for a horse of immense potential, finalising a £2m deal for Ghostwriter.
THE ATHLETIC
FIFA has spent over £36.8m ($50m) on marketing to promote this summer's Club World Cup in the United States, including increasing their original budget by millions in the past month as they sought to drive attendances for the tournament.
FIFA has decided not to show any videos, signage or marketing assets in venues hosting the Club World Cup in the United States which explicitly mention challenging racism or discrimination.
Sheffield Wednesday should have a 55,000-capacity stadium, one of England's best academies and be "way bigger than Wrexham", according to the co-leader of a North American group trying to buy the crisis-hit Championship club.
THE SCOTTISH SUN
Rangers are closing in on a double swoop - with Max Aarons and Kwame Poku set to sign.
DAILY RECORD
Celtic remain relaxed and confident of keeping hold of Cameron Carter-Vickers despite mounting speculation the San Francisco 49ers hope to lure him to Leeds.
Guardian Rumour mill
Michael Butler
Real Madrid might be the biggest successful side in Europe but that doesn’t mean they are too big for a bargain. David Alaba, Kylian Mbappé, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Tony Rüdiger and Steve McManaman have all moved to the Bernabéu on a free transfer in the past and now the Spanish giants are reportedly targeting another soon-to-be out-of-contract star. Myles Lewis-Skelly had a breakthrough year at Arsenal last season but, with his current deal expiring next summer, he would be free to talk to foreign clubs in January. The Gunners are said to be “relaxed” about the contract situation but this would not be the first time they have been gazumped by a Spanish rival.
Another elite full-back but at the tail end of his career, Kyle Walker, is garnering interest from Everton after being left out of Manchester City’s Club World Cup squad. José Mourinho and Fenerbahce have already submitted an offer for the 34-year-old but the opportunity to stay in the Premier League might sway the England international to stay in the north-west of England. Any transfer fee would be nominal, with just one year left on his deal at City, but Everton would still have to match his substantial wages. Fulham are also said to be interested.
The Club World Cup might be a bit of damp squib on the pitch but at least it is a fertile networking opportunity for agents. Hurray! Neymar’s father has been earning his 15% and has suggested his son could return to Europe before the real World Cup next summer. “This week, we’re going to Miami to talk to clubs,” Neymar Sr told L’Équipe. “We have to listen to them and decide what we’re going to do. Yes, there are European clubs. Some are competing in the Champions League. They know he’s capable of having a great season because the lights are green. But the Brazilian market is also interesting. There’s a good chance he’ll stay at Santos. I’m working for that. That doesn’t stop me from listening to other clubs. It’s Neymar [Jr] who will decide whether to stay or not. Now we’re going to prepare again for an impossible dream: winning the World Cup. Carlo’s [Ancelotti] arrival is good, but no matter who’s in charge, we have to work. Everything is there to make it work. The team has style. And I can see Neymar with Viní, Rodrygo, Raphinha.”
Newcastle were in fine fettle last season in the Premier League without the extra weight of European football, but know from their 2023-24 campaign (in which they finished seventh) that balancing Champions League football and a domestic campaign can be tricky and a tiresome business. And so with the club again qualifying for Europe’s elite club competition next season, Eddie Howe and co know they need a bigger and stronger squad. João Pedro has been linked with a move to the north-east but Brighton don’t sell their best players on the cheap, and the Brazilian would cost around £70m. Is that too much to spend on a player that would probably serve as a back-up to Alexander Isak?
Another Brazilian already at Newcastle is Bruno Guimarães, and while the midfielder has been continually linked with a move away from St James’ Park – the Saudi club Al-Ittihad are the latest to be named – the 27-year-old is said now to be very happy at the club and willing to sign a new contract, with the current deal set to expire in 2028.
Chelsea already have one Fofana (Wesley) but are now targeting another in Lyon’s Malick Fofana, with the 20-year-old viewed as an alternative to Jamie Gittens. Borussia Dortmund have been unwilling to budge on their £50m valuation for the latter, with Chelsea seeing a bid of £42m turned down last week, while Fofana is potentially a slightly cheaper option.
Liverpool are understood to have dropped their price for Darwin Núñez, with the Uruguayan’s price tag now £40m. Milan and Napoli are interested although any deal is likely to depend on other deals. Having lost Tijjani Reijnders to Manchester City, Milan are also considering adding Granit Xhaka and Luka Modric to their midfield while they are exploring a swap deal with Barcelona, reportedly offering Rafael Leão for centre back Ronald Araújo.
Sport Witness
“Don’t like using youngsters” – West Ham player blames Hammers managers for breakthrough failure
By Naveen Ullal
Internacional are in the picture to sign West Ham United’s Luizão this summer, according to journalist Marinho Saldanha, relayed by Bolavip Brasil.
The centre-back left São Paulo for West Ham in January 2023 and they initially included him in their U21 squad.
West Ham didn’t then feel they’d seen enough to promote Luizão to their first team and Internacional wanted to bring him back to Brazil in the winter market.
In December, Globo Esporte reported on the Brazilian club’s approach, an approach which wasn’t successful. The Hammers instead let the 23-year-old join Polish side Pogoń Szczecin on loan.
Saldanha says the West Ham player is analysing his next step. Internacional are looking for a new defender and the former São Paulo man is back on their agenda.
The journalist claims West Ham are unwilling to let Luizão return to Brazil and are looking for a club in Europe. This is the ‘main obstacle’ for Internacional to sign him.
It’s been more than two years since the South American joined the Premier League club and he’s yet to make his debut for their senior team. UOL had a chat with him, where he opened up about his struggles at West Ham.
Luizão said: “My first six months would be spent adapting to the team and the country, so I would stay on the U21 team and participate in some training sessions with the main team, and then, after that period, I would go straight to the main team.
“But when those six months were over, the main team coach had some difficulty working with young players and I stayed on the U21 team.”
Since Luizão joined West Ham, David Moyes, Julen Lopetegui and Potter have been their first team managers. He has blamed the trio for not trusting him.
“In the U21s, I was a starter, and the coach always praised me in training. He tried to get me to play in the first team, saying that I was ready to move up, but unfortunately, I got first-team coaches who didn’t like using young players,” Luizão explained.
“In the Premier League, since clubs have a lot of money, they end up buying ready-made players instead of preparing the younger ones.”
The Athletic
Michail Antonio makes first appearance in six months following car crash
By Roshane Thomas
West Ham forward Michail Antonio has made his first appearance since being involved in a car crash, coming on as a late substitute for Jamaica on Monday.
The 35-year-old came off the bench in the 85th minute but could not help his country rescue a 1-0 defeat to Guatemala in their opening game of the Gold Cup group stage in California.
Antonio’s last competitive appearance was more than six months ago in West Ham’s defeat to Leicester City on December 3. Four days later, he was involved in a single-vehicle collision, when the car he was driving struck a tree in Epping Forest.
He underwent surgery on a lower limb injury and spent four and a half weeks recovering at a central London hospital, returning to fitness ahead of schedule having initially been told his rehabilitation would take 12 months.
Antonio’s future at the London Stadium remains uncertain, with his contract set to expire on June 30.
The player’s camp have held talks with the club’s majority shareholder, David Sullivan, and head of recruitment, Kyle Macaulay, but no agreement over a new contract has been reached.
The club say his “unique situation” means no formal decision will be made until the time is “right and appropriate”.
Antonio joined from Nottingham Forest in 2015 and is their all-time leading Premier League scorer with 68 goals in 268 games.
Jamaica face Guadeloupe on Friday and Panama next week as they bid to make it out of Group C in the Gold Cup.
(Photo: Candice Ward/Getty Images)
Sport Witness
West Ham have shown interest in signing Arsenal player – €15m could be enough
Over the past week or so, Oleksandr Zinchenko’s situation at Arsenal has been the focus of attention in the Italian press. Interest in the versatile full-back is now growing as West Ham has emerged as a potential destination.
PianetaMilan take a detailed look at what the future could hold for the 28-year-old, who would be interested in a move to AC Milan.
The Rossoneri are also intrigued by the possibility of signing Zinchenko but are put off by Arsenal’s demands of €15m, because the player’s current contract at the Emirates runs out in the summer of 2026.
This could prove to be an opportunity for other clubs like West Ham, Ajax and Borussia Dortmund, who are keeping a close eye on the left-back.
The Arsenal player currently earns €5m per season but it’s stated he would accept a drop from that figure.
This should prove encouraging for West Ham, who certainly find themselves in a better financial position in the Premier League.
The report claims Arsenal have constantly reiterated their desire to sell the Ukraine international and even though Milan are keen, they do not want to overpay due to Zinchenko’s physical problems.
The opportunity could therefore be available Graham Potter’s side, with the manager having previously shown a preference for versatile full-backs during his time at Brighton and Chelsea.
OS
West Ham United to host Lille OSC
West Ham United will welcome French club Lille OSC to London Stadium for an exciting pre-season match on Saturday 9 August, with kick-off at 3pm BST.
The Hammers will complete preparations for the 2025/26 season by taking on top-level opposition in their final warm-up fixture, with the four-time Ligue 1 champions sure to provide a strong test for Graham Potter’s side.
The game will give the Claret and Blue Army the first chance to see how the Hammers are shaping up ahead of the big Premier League kick-off a week later.
Tickets are priced from just £10 for Adults and £5 for Under-18s, illustrating the Club’s commitment to affordable family football, and are on sale now. Click here for full pricing and sales details.
Managed by Pep Génésio, Lille finished fifth in Ligue 1 and reached the UEFA Champions League round of 16 in 2024/25 and will compete in the UEFA Europa League next season.
Head Coach Potter, who will take his squad to the United States for the Premier League Summer Series in July, believes facing high-quality opponents will help prepare his players for the competitive challenges ahead.
“We’re really looking forward to facing Lille,” he said. “Our pre-season schedule is geared to building the players up so that they are in the best possible condition when the Premier League gets underway on Saturday 16 August, and a fixture against high-quality European opposition a week beforehand is part of doing that.
“We will have had a few weeks of building the players’ fitness levels and have been to America to play against Manchester United, Everton and Bournemouth in the Premier League Summer Series, then this game gives us the opportunity to return to London Stadium and play in front of our fantastic fans again.”
This pre-season fixture will be the first-ever meeting between West Ham United and Lille, but there are historic links between the two clubs. Hammer of the Year winners Joe Cole and Dimitri Payet have played for both, as have Morgan Amalfitano, José Fonte and Youssef Sofiane.
West Ham have faced French opposition on ten previous occasions in the Club’s history, with the first in 1924, when Syd King and his players crossed the Channel to face the France Olympic XI in a warm-up fixture for the Paris Summer Games.
In the ensuing 101 years, the Hammers have welcomed Marseille to east London and travelled to France to face Lens (twice), Bordeaux (twice) and Rennes in friendly matches, faced Valenciennes in the United States, Angers in Austria, defeated Metz in the 1999 UEFA Intertoto Cup final and knocked Lyon out of the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals in style in 2022.