West Ham United are now reportedly closing in on another summer signing after reaching a three-year agreement to welcome an experienced defender.
Latest on West Ham incomings
After losing Mohammed Kudus, West Ham instantly reacted by signing El Hadji Malick Diouf. The former Slavia Prague winger arrives with big shoes to fill and for around £19m, but is well aware of how he could slot straight into Graham Potter’s plans.
The versatile 20-year-old told West Ham’s official website: “I’m really happy to be here and to make a progression for my career. I’m looking forward to working hard and joining my new team-mates.
“There were a lot of teams [who wanted to sign me], but I chose West Ham United first and I spoke with the coach [Graham Potter] and it was a good plan for me.
“Everyone wants to come here to play in the Premier League. I think it is a dream for everyone. When they are here, they want to make everything good. I think they also have the personality to play here and if you are young, you want to continue your progression.
“If you are young, you have to keep your personality. It’s about the team. The most important thing is the team, not the player. I want to say to the West Ham supporters I’m very happy to be here with them. I think we’ll make a very good season this year.”
Payet 2.0: West Ham in talks for £22.5m star who's "made for the big stage"
West Ham United have reportedly made contact to sign a player for just £22.5m, and he could be as good as Dimitri Payet in East London.
ByBen Gray Jul 18, 2025
Amid links to the likes of Jack Grealish and now one other player with plenty of Premier League experience, however, it’s clear that West Ham aren’t done there on the transfer front after Diouf, Daniel Cummings and Jean-Clair Todibo.
West Ham reach agreement with Walker-Peters
As reported by Fabrizio Romano, West Ham have now reached a three-year agreement with Kyle Walker-Peters. The right-back became a free agent when he left Southampton at the end of last season and is now set to join up with Potter at the London Stadium in a bargain deal.
In a quickfire transfer, the Hammers look to be welcoming a replacement for Vladimir Coufal and impressive competition for Aaron Wan-Bissaka down their right-hand side.
Even as his tenure ended in failure at Southampton, Russell Martin was often full of praise for Walker-Peters – highlighting his quality for all to see. The former Saints boss told reporters last season as transfer rumours commenced: “He’s still here. So, I hope he’ll still be here in a few weeks’ time.
“But whilst he is here, we had the chat and we need him to help us because he’s a really top player. He was great and he’s a fit, fit boy. He’s trained so well.”
Stand-in manages just 30 runs in four innings, but looks to bounce back at The Oval
Matt Roller01-Sep-2024
All eyes on Ollie Pope as he walks out to bat on day three•AFP/Getty Images
Ollie Pope has pledged to “block out” criticism of his batting, as the scrutiny on him mounts following 30 runs in four innings against Sri Lanka. England may have a perfect record under his captaincy, but Pope has come under fire after failing to reach 20 across two Tests standing in for the injured Ben Stokes.Pope managed scores of 1 and 17 during England’s 190-run win at Lord’s, and the manner of his dismissals suggested that his bid to “compartmentalise” the captaincy had failed. In the first innings, he top-edged a wild pull to square leg; in the second, with England setting up a declaration, he was caught at deep point (the only man back on the off-side) when top-edging an uppercut.”I’m not going to put down my average shot to the fact that I was captain,” Pope said. “I’ll learn from it and move on, but I think I’ve managed my own game better throughout this match… The second innings was slightly different, because we were really trying to push the game forward, but I was very disappointed with the shot I played in the first innings so early on.”I’m not going to hide behind the fact that I’ve had two poor games with the bat. That’s the way cricket is sometimes and form comes and goes. But I think the best players are the ones who can draw a line under it and have a fresh start next week. Hopefully, I can put a score together.”Pope has long had a reputation as being frenetic early in his innings. Steve James of has labelled him “the worst starter since prawn cocktail”, and Pope has now been dismissed within his first 20 balls 32 times in 85 Test innings. Despite coming into the series in a decent vein of form, following a century and two fifties against West Indies, he conceded that his nervous starts are an issue that he is trying to address.Related
Ollie Pope is a potential weak link for England at No. 3
Brook wears deputy tag lightly but greater responsibility beckons
England shelve the need for speed as attack puts shoulder to the wheel
No-one wants to be nasty … but that wasn't much of a contest
Ollie Pope passes first captaincy test, though his own returns beg to differ
“The last two games I’ve had, they’re learning games for me,” he said. “It definitely is something that I’m still trying to improve in my game, and obviously the way that I start my innings especially is something that I want to keep on improving – and then when I do get in, it’s trying to cash in as well.”Michael Vaughan has been particularly critical, labelling Pope “an insecure human being” and “not the kind of personality” that should be England captain. Pope said that had expected to find himself under more scrutiny while in temporary charge, and that his primary aim was to avoid “overthinking” ahead of Friday’s third Test at The Oval.”I’m not surprised,” he said. “Chatting to Stokesy before this series, when you’re captain as well, you’re going to attract a lot more [criticism]. To be honest, it is just important to block it out and keep staying close with the people around you. There’s a lot of voices, a lot of guys who want to have their say – some past cricketers as well – and that’s completely fine.”Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, but it’s important for us as a team and me to stay and keep trusting the people in the four walls, because that’s not going to help me get back into my best form. Sometimes, when you have two bad games, it can feel a lot worse than it is because of the noise that’s surrounding it.””For me, it’s just trying to stay as level as I can and keep on trusting the people around me, putting my work in, and not really overthinking it, to be honest. When I went and made good runs in that West Indies series, that’s exactly what I was playing like, so there’s no real need for me to get too involved in what people are saying.”Pope has sought advice from Joe Root, whose twin hundreds set up England’s series-clinching win at Lord’s, since taking on the captaincy. “Any batter in England can learn a fair bit off him,” he said. “Form is something that comes and goes… for me, it’s not overthinking it, keep training hard, and going into the next game, it’s a completely fresh week, a fresh start.”It will be Pope’s first Test at his home ground – where he has scored 11 first-class hundreds for Surrey – since 2022. “Obviously it’s a great place to bat,” he said. “It’s always special getting back to The Oval, where I’ve played all my county cricket, so hopefully there will be a great crowd in. Everyone will be excited to get to The Oval.”England have not won every Test in a home season since 2004, and will be pushing for a summer sweep. “It would be a pretty cool thing to look back on,” Pope said. “We’ve played some really good cricket throughout this summer, and obviously had a tough winter away in India where the results weren’t what we wanted on the return trip. So to get used to winning games back-to-back is really pleasing for us.”
Chelsea are on the verge of finalising an “excellent” player’s exit from Stamford Bridge, according to one media source, and it could be a move which seriously suits all parties.
Enzo Maresca has a seriously bloated squad that needs trimming, especially factoring in their recent fine from UEFA for breaking FFP rules.
£52m Chelsea star could now join Barcelona, he's "no longer" unsellable
The La Liga champions have cast their eyes towards Stamford Bridge.
ByEmilio Galantini Jul 10, 2025
The likes of Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell and Carney Chukwuemeka are taking home six-figure pay packets each week but are currently nowhere near the first team, with Borussia Dortmund director Sebastian Kehl recently confirming the club’s intention to re-sign the latter.
“We will definitely have some more discussions in the next few days about his situation,” said Kehl.
“We will try to keep him because he’s a very good player.
“It’s always easier to loan a player than to buy one, especially within Carney’s [price] range, but let’s see. We are not that far advanced [in talks] at the moment, but I can tell you that we are pretty close to the player, and he loves Dortmund.
“Everything else will be decided between Chelsea and us. That won’t be tomorrow. That won’t be on Tuesday. I think it will take some more days.”
Sterling’s £325,000-per-week wages are proving a serious drain on Chelsea in particular, with Fulham reportedly considering a move for the 30-year-old if they can navigate the finances involved.
Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League last season
Average match rating
Cole Palmer
7.33
Moises Caicedo
7.02
Enzo Fernández
6.95
Nicolas Jackson
6.88
Noni Madueke
6.82
via WhoScored
However, journalist Simon Phillips reports that Sterling’s desire to remain in London is making it difficult for BlueCo to sell him.
Alongside the aforementioned names, Lesley Ugochukwu, João Félix, Renato Veiga, Christopher Nkunku, David Datro Fofana, Armando Broja, Axel Disasi, Noni Madueke, Nicolas Jackson and Djordje Petrovic are other players who could leave Chelsea this summer.
Of course, there are those promising young players who simply need to leave the club on a temporary deal to acquire more game time, with a view to a potential first-team slot in future seasons.
One of them, according to Sky Sports Switzerland reporter Sacha Tavolieri, is goalkeeper Mike Penders.
Chelsea "close" to agreeing Mike Penders loan deal to Strasbourg
Taking to X this lunchtime, Tavolieri reports that Penders’ loan to sister club Strasbourg from Chelsea is now “close” to being finalised.
The 19-year-old, who Chelsea signed from KRC Genk last summer, remained in the Jupiler Pro League for another season before officially linking up with Maresca this summer.
Penders was also named in Maresca’s Club World Cup squad, securing a spot on the bench for Chelsea’s games against Esperance, Benfica, Palmeiras and Fluminense, but the towering 6 foot 7 shot-stopper now appears close to sealing a temporary exit to further his development.
Some reports have previously claimed that BlueCo hold high hopes for Penders, who they privately liken to ex-Chelsea star Thibaut Courtois, with Malmo’s head academy goalkeeping coach, Matt Pyzdrowski, sharing his main strengths.
“Commanding his area is what he’s best at,” Pyzdrowski said to The Athletic.
“He’s really, really excellent at taking an aggressive position and very comfortable coming and taking high balls into his penalty area, even right up to the edge of the box. His timing is very good, and he loves to catch the ball rather than punch.
“That’s why I call him a mix between Ederson and Courtois, because Ederson has that aggressiveness commanding his box but Courtois has the hands to catch and hold the ball.”
The ECB has responded by reassuring SLC and the team about the security arrangements in place
Andrew Fidel Fernando08-Aug-2024The Sri Lanka men’s team has raised concerns about the security situation in England in light of the anti-immigrant riots that have erupted in various cities. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has responded by reassuring Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and the team about the security arrangements in place.Players already in England for the pre-series training have also expressed anxiety about the unrest, particularly as they do not have a security plan covering this portion of their trip. This nine-person contingent – seven players and two support staff – have asked SLC to arrange for better security over the next few days, as they travel to and from a ground near London.”Most of the issues seem not to be close to where we are but everyone is still a little concerned,” one player in England told ESPNcricinfo. “We can’t really go out to dinner or do anything like that. Mostly we stay in the hotel. No one wants to run into trouble and get beaten up.”We’ve asked the board to try and ask for some security for us until the main team arrives, but we haven’t heard anything back yet.”Most of the team is set to arrive in England for a three-match Test series on Sunday, at which point the ECB’s security plan kicks in. Sri Lanka’s team manager Mahinda Halangoda, who is still in Sri Lanka, told ESPNcricinfo that he had raised concerns with ECB after seeing news reports from Manchester – where the team play their first Test from August 21 – in particular.”I raised the issue with them, but the ECB responded very quickly and sent us their comprehensive security arrangements,” Halangoda said. “We’ll be having a security liaison on the tour from them as well.”While some far-right protests have been marked by violence, there have, over the last few days, been large counter-protests aimed at protecting immigrant-owned businesses, places of worship, and other places immigrants frequent.The United Kingdom government also assured sporting bodies that the country remained safe for sports, on an emergency call on Wednesday. The UK police has stated unequivocally that it will crack down on and prevent violence.Sri Lanka are set to play three Tests in England which begin on August 21 in Manchester. The teams then head to Lord’s for the second Test from August 29 before finishing off at The Oval on September 6.
ظفر فريق يوفنتوس بديربي إيطاليا أمام خصمه إنتر ميلان، خلال المباراة التي جمعت الفريقين مساء اليوم السبت بمنافسات بطولة الدوري الإيطالي، وحقق فوزًا قاتلاً بأربعة أهداف مقابل ثلاثة.
والتقى يوفنتوس وإنتر ميلان في مباراة بالجولة الثالثة لبطولة الدوري الإيطالي، على ملعب “آليانز ستاديوم” معقل البيانكونيري.
وتقدم يوفنتوس في الدقيقة 14 عن طريق لويد كيلي، والهدف جاء بعد كرة عرضية إلى داخل منطقة الجزاء لصالح يوفنتوس وصلت إلى بريمر الذي مررها لتصل إلى لويد كيلي ويسدد داخل شباك إنتر ميلان.
ثم تعادل إنتر ميلان عن طريق هاكان تشالهان أوغلو في الدقيقة 30، بعد تمريرة من كارلوس أجوستو إلى تشالهان أوغلو الذي سدد كرة رائعة من خارج منطقة الجزاء لتسكن شباك يوفنتوس.
وعاد يوفنتوس وتقدم مجددًا بهدف كينان يلدز في الدقيقة 38، بعد تصويبة رائعة من خارج منطقة الجزاء.
في الشوط الثاني، تمكن إنتر ميلان من إدراك التعادل بهدف ثانٍ لهاكان تشالهان أوغلو في الدقيقة 65 بتسديدة على الطائر.
اقرأ أيضًا | لاوتارو مارتينيز: لم أكن يومًا ضمن المرشحين للكرة الذهبية.. وتشاجرت مع كونتي
وأحرز ماركوس تورام الهدف الثالث لصالح إنتر ميلان في الدقيقة 76 بعد تمريرة عرضية من ديماركو وصلت إلى تورام ليسدد برأسية في الشباك.
ورد خيفرين تورام على شقيقه ماركوس بتسجيل هدف يوفنتوس الثالث في الدقيقة 82 وأيضًا برأسية بعد عرضية وصلت له من كينان يلدز.
واقتنص فاسيلي أدزيتش هدف يوفنتوس الرابع في الدقيقة الأولى من الوقت المحتسب بدلاً من الضائع بتصويبة صاروخية من خارج منطقة الجزاء.
حسمت المباراة بفوز يوفنتوس بنتيجة 4-3، ليرفع رصيده للنقطة 9 في صدارة ترتيب الدوري الإيطالي، ويتوقف رصيد إنتر عند 3 نقاط في المركز 11.
Last season, Liverpool won the Premier League. And they are acting like it. We haven’t even reached July, but FSG have already signed Bayer Leverkusen duo Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong as well as Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez.
It’s a time of great excitement for those of a Reds persuasion. However, Arne Slot’s squad aren’t without their foibles.
Falling in the Champions League’s last 16 against eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain was a bitter pill to swallow, and that frustrating result was followed by defeat against Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final.
PSG deserved their victory and the Magpies did too. It was one stretch too far for the Merseysiders, who had already exceeded expectations to take a commanding lead that was indeed defended in England’s top flight.
Depth proved Liverpool’s issue. Slot was loath to enforce rotation last term, and the trickling-out of some of the side’s fringe players – like Jarell Quansah, with Harvey Elliott and Darwin Nunez soon to follow – illustrated that.
Quansah is signing for Bayer Leverkusen, and with Ibrahima Konate’s future uncertain as Real Madrid lurk (again), Liverpool need a new centre-back.
Liverpool chasing new centre-back
There’s one man who stands above other Liverpool defensive targets right now: Marc Guehi. The Crystal Palace defender is just one year away from free agency, and FSG are starting to circle.
Crystal Palace's MarcGuehicelebrates after the match
Though Tottenham Hotspur saw a £70m bid rejected for the England international only last January, Palace chairman Steve Parish will know that time is running out if he wishes to recuperate some funds from his prized defensive asset.
Some reports suggest Liverpool are closing in on Guehi’s signature, but in all likelihood, there will be something of a pause in the Anfield offices now that the bulk of the club’s summer activity has been sealed pronto.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk
It would be wise, then, for sporting director Richard Hughes to closely assess the market for potential alternatives. If reports are to be believed, such a player has been identified.
Liverpool identify Guehi alternative
According to Caught Offside, Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite has been earmarked by Richard Hughes and Co as a potential option in central defence, though this would be a contentious move indeed.
Not that Liverpool would care if they got the job done. Branthwaite, 22, is also attracting interest from Chelsea and Manchester United after revealing a desire to move clubs in March after being overlooked by Three Lions manager Thomas Tuchel.
Everton believe their star defender is one of the most talented in the business, and as such have slapped a £70m price tag on his name.
What Jarrad Branthwaite would bring to Liverpool
While Guehi’s contract situation would likely see him prove a more cost-efficient solution for Liverpool, Branthwaite is an incredibly fearsome protector, and he’s left-footed besides.
Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite
Returning from a successful loan spell with PSV Eindhoven in the summer of 2023, Branthwaite has since become a star member at Everton, playing 65 matches in the Premier League, winning the club’s Players’ Player of the Season for 2023/24.
It might seem ludicrous to think that Liverpool and Everton would do business on the transfer front, but the Hill Dickinson Stadium side are interested in Ben Doak, who is valued at £30m.
Tough-tackling and shrewdly talented on the technical front, the 6 foot 5 star is bound to earn himself a move to a club competing in the Champions League sooner or later, and Liverpool could do a lot worse, especially as Slot’s first-class coaching would prove the perfect way to develop Branthwaite’s ball-playing game.
That said, it’s not all that bad as it is. Indeed, looking at Branthwaite’s metrics in the top flight last season when contrasted with Guehi’s, you begin to see that maybe moving for the Everton man wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world.
Matches (starts)
30 (28)
34 (34)
Goals
0
3
Assists
1
2
Clean sheets
8
11
Touches*
51.9
64.9
Pass completion
83%
84%
Key passes*
0.1
0.5
Ball recoveries*
3.1
4.3
Dribbles (success)*
0.1 (60%)
0.4 (86%)
Tackles + interceptions*
2.1
2.6
Clearances*
6.3
4.6
Duels (won)*
3.9 (63%)
4.9 (59%)
As you can see, Branthwaite is more accurate in the duel than his positional peer while also producing a shedload more clearances on average. He’s far less mobile, but a 60% dribble success rate does point toward a latent ball-carrying ability that could be hammered into shape over at Anfield.
It’s important to remember that Branthwaite operates in a system which actively dampens ball-playing expansiveness, and that, even so, he has maintained a decent degree of passing success, almost as accurate on the ball as Guehi, if less progressive with his distribution.
And anyway, the hulking Blues star is just a phenomenal defender, strong as an ox and sturdy as steel. Talent scout Jacek Kulig has even gone as far as to declare him “an absolute monster” for the Toffees.
Could Branthwaite make the leap? The gulf on Merseyside is chasmic, after all.
Well, though it’s difficult to pull meaningful passing data from his Everton efforts last term, for Sean Dyche and David Moyes both employ counter-attacking and somewhat pragmatic styles, he still finished the year ranked among the top 20% of centre-backs for assists and the top 13% for switches, as per FBref, almost indicating a Virgil van Dijk-like approach to passing.
Hailed as an “incredible” part of Everton’s team by reporter Joe Thomas, Liverpool would certainly ruffle a few feathers if they got this one over the line in the coming months.
But if the Eagles play hardball and efforts to sign Guehi prove fruitless, this Englishman might just be the perfect alternative. And who knows, maybe he’d even prove the better signing.
He'd be Wirtz 2.0: Liverpool stand a "chance" of signing the "next Mbappe"
Liverpool believe they have a good chance to sign a star who would be a Florian Wirtz repeat.
There’s no certainty Liverpool will sign an out-and-out striker in the summer transfer market, even with Darwin Nunez in the process of leaving Anfield and joining Serie A champion Napoli.
It’s funny: in the build-up to the market, many of a Reds persuasion would have ranked the acquisition of a high-level striker among Richard Hughes’ chief priorities as Liverpool’s sporting director.
However, the Reds have armed themselves with a wide breadth of fresh quality, and though they are yet to sign a centre-forward, there’s no question that Arne Slot has the tools to defend his Premier League title and challenge for the various other trophies up for grabs.
Signing a new striker would hardly be a bad thing, though, especially with rumours linking Liverpool to Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, who was declared “the best striker in the Premier League” by pundit Jamie Carragher last season.
However, should Luis Diaz be on the move too, that stance will no doubt change.
Luis Diaz's Liverpool future: the latest
At the start of June, Liverpool reportedly rejected a formal approach from Barcelona for their trusty forward Diaz. The 28-year-old hit 17 goals and eight assists across all competitions last season, filling in plenty at number nine to compensate for the struggles of Nunez and Diogo Jota.
Liverpool’s supposed stance is that he’s going nowhere, but that hasn’t stopped a gurgling stream of rumours from flowing through.
With interest coming from the Saudi Pro League too, there’s every chance the Colombian moves ship after his successful year in Slot’s system, for he has just two years remaining on his current deal and earns a comparatively meagre salary at £55k per week.
Given the potential finances involved in an agreement with a team like Al-Nassr, Liverpool’s position may well shift, though it would mean that the Merseysiders would need to sign a replacement.
Liverpool forward Luis Diaz
Diaz’s dynamic qualities worked a treat for Slot last year, bringing something unique to the squad. Such players are few and far between, although Hughes has found a potential successor with similar properties.
Liverpool line up Diaz replacement
According to Caught Offside, Liverpool are interested in signing Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman this summer, albeit they are behind Arsenal in the race at this stage.
The Gunners, who have a long-standing interest in the 27-year-old, are engaged in negotiations, with the Serie A side seeking a €50m (£43m) fee.
Atalanta's AdemolaLookmanin action
With Hughes keeping an eye on Lookman, things may yet accelerate. A deal would depend on the outcome of Diaz’s quandary, but given his dynamic faculties, it’s a move worth exploring.
Why Liverpool should sign Ademola Lookman
Liverpool have one of the best left-sided forwards in the business in Cody Gakpo, but the Dutchman would need competition if Diaz were to leave.
Atalanta'sAdemolaLookmancelebrates scoring their second goal with Atalanta's Marten de Roon and Atalanta's Lazar Samardzic
Mohamed Salah is a matchless forward, but he turned 33 this month and cannot be expected to haul such a heavy load again without more goalscoring support from his peers – Lookman could help in that regard, for sure.
Lookman, indeed, could blend the skill sets together, especially as he has some experience as his team’s focal frontman, and performing prolifically at that.
Ademola Lookman – Career Stats by Position
Position
Apps
Goals
Assists
Left winger
102
29
7
Attacking midfield
98
33
14
Right winger
62
10
12
Centre-forward
38
14
9
Data via Transfermarkt
Broadcaster Maximiliano Bretos praised Lookman for his “monster” 2023/24 season, winning the Europa League and posting 27 goal involvements across 45 matches.
It was his stunning hat-trick which won Atalanta the Europa League and ended Bayer Leverkusen’s incredible unbeaten run, which stretched across the vast chasm of a campaign.
There was no doubting it: this former Everton, Leicester City and Fulham prospect, who never quite brought it together in the Premier League, was a “superstar”, as had been said by 90min’s Sean Walsh.
Perhaps he didn’t quite reach the same heights last year, but he still scored 20 goals and provided seven assists for his Italian outfit – a higher tally than Diaz for Liverpool, it should be noted.
Ademola Lookman for Atalanta
And the underlying data speaks in his favour too. As per FBref, Lookman ranked among the top 4% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues last year for goals, the top 1% for shot-creating actions, the top 8% for progressive passes and the top 2% for progressive carries per 90.
With Newcastle set to demand £200m for Isak this summer, Liverpool might be better off heading down this left-field track and signing a versatile forward who was recognised for his talent at a young age and has since realised his potential after first weathering adversity.
After all, FBref’s data reveals the Sweden international to have been among Lookman’s most comparable strikers in 2024/25, having played with a roundedness that aligns with the complete nature of Isak’s skill set, as has been noted by pundit Alan Shearer, who said in January, “his all-round game is magnificent.”
His performances out wide have also led the stats-led site to draw up Salah as one of his most comparable wingers, something which should hardly come as a surprise given the Nigerian’s ball-striking prowess and direct style of play.
Would he be expected to emulate Salah’s ridiculous output? Absolutely not. The Egyptian King scored 34 goals and supplied 23 assists in Slot’s system last year.
But the fact that Liverpool are pursuing a player with a semblance of their talisman bodes well for Slot’s project, especially as Lookman would be best utilised centrally or out on the left, meaning the forwards could play side-by-side.
All this hinges on Diaz’s fate, of course, but with so much exciting activity happening on Merseyside this summer, there are so many reasons to be excited for Liverpool fans.
A Mane repeat: Liverpool likely to finalise move for £40m "monster" soon
Liverpool have enjoyed a fantastic transfer window and it’s not slowing down.
Leeds United have bolstered their defence and midfield with several additions since the summer transfer window officially opened for business last month.
Sebastiaan Bornauw, Jaka Bijol, and Gabriel Gudmundsson have arrived to improve the backline, whilst Sean Longstaff and Anton Stach have been signed to beef up the midfield.
Hoffenheim'sAntonStach
The Whites have also reportedly agreed a deal to sign French goalkeeper Lucas Perri from Lyon to be their new number one in the Premier League.
Daniel Farke is also looking to add to his options at the top end of the pitch, on top of Lukas Nmecha, though, with a swoop for Feyenoord attacker Igor Paixao.
Reporter Graham Smyth claims that Leeds have offered a fee in excess of £26m to sign the Brazilian forward, but it remains to be seen if that will be enough to get a deal over the line.
As Smyth states, though, the player is impressed by the club’s plans for him, which could give them an edge over other teams in the race for his signature.
Why Leeds should sign Igor Paixao
The Whites should push to get this deal over the line because he could be a terrific addition to the squad to bolster their options in the forward line.
Manor Solomon, who started on the left flank regularly in the Championship last season, has returned to Tottenham Hotspur, which has left a hole on the left wing in the team’s best XI.
Paixao predominantly plays on the left, as a right-footed player, and could slot in as the perfect replacement for the Israel international ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
If he can translate his form from last season in the Netherlands over to English football, Leeds will have an incredibly exciting winger who could win them vital points in the Premier League next term on their hands.
Paixao delivered 18 goals and 14 assists in all competitions for Feyenoord in the 2024/25 campaign, which included four assists in 11 outings in the Champions League.
Appearances
34
39
xG
10.56
8.15
Goals
16
10
Big chances created
12
21
Key passes per game
2.1
1.7
Assists
10
12
As you can see in the table above, the Brazilian winger could even provide more quality than Solomon in the final third, given that he registered more goal contributions in fewer matches at a higher level last season.
Whilst Paixao, as evidenced by his form for Feyenoord, could be a fantastic signing for Leeds, Farke also needs a new centre-forward option and the club are reportedly still in the race for a Championship forward.
Leeds remain in the race for Championship striker
Speaking on the Pink Un podcast (24/07/2025), journalist Paddy Davitt mentioned that Leeds United are one of the teams interested in Norwich City centre-forward Josh Sargent.
The reporter explained that the USA international has already turned down a potential move to Bundesliga side Wolfsburg, who had reportedly been close to a £21m deal for the number nine.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Sargent now remains at Norwich and there is no other deal that is close to being done for the striker, as per Davitt, which has left the door open for other teams to make their move.
Leeds and Burnley are said to still be interested in the former Werder Bremen attacker, but it remains to be seen whether or not they will formalise their interest with an official approach for the Championship marksman.
JoshSargentof the U.S. reacts
Farke signed Sargent for Norwich when he was in charge of the Canaries in the summer of 2021, and could reunite with the 25-year-old attacker ahead of next season.
Why Leeds should sign Josh Sargent
The Whites should swoop to sign the striker because he could be amazing alongside Paixao in the Premier League, if the Championship champions are able to get both deals over the line to improve their frontline.
Of course, first and foremost, Sargent has to be an upgrade on what they already have in the building in the number nine position, in Joel Piroe, and his form last season suggests that he is.
xG*
0.48
0.50
Goals*
0.54
0.55
xA*
0.11
0.10
Pass accuracy
80%
77%
Duel success rate
43%
27%
Duels won*
3.20
2.24
Aerial duel success rate
36%
21%
Dribble success rate
47%
32%
As you can see in the table above, Sargent outperformed his xG at a higher rate and created high-quality chances for his teammates per 90, whilst offering significantly more to the team out of possession as a physical presence in the number nine role.
This suggests that the Norwich star, who Tony Pulis described as “relentless”, is more likely to make an impact in the Premier League against stronger defences than Piroe, who was too much of a lightweight at times in the Championship, is.
Joel Piroe
Sargent’s returns of 15 goals from 13.37 xG last season and 16 goals from 12.68 xG in the 2023/24 campaign in the Championship show that he is an efficient striker who can finish chances effectively.
This is why he could be a fantastic partner for Paixao in the Leeds team in the Premier League next season, as the current Feyenoord star is a winger who likes to consistently create high-quality chances.
The Brazilian forward created 17 ‘big chances’ for his teammates last season, which shows that he likes to get on the ball to split open opposition defences with passes and crosses.
This could make him the perfect teammate for Sargent at Elland Road because the American striker is a clinical forward who knows how to find the back of the net efficiently, albeit he has yet to prove himself at Premier League level on a regular basis.
Both players would arrive with question marks over them, as neither are Premier League proven forward, but their respective statistics for Norwich and Feyenoord last season suggest that the potential is there for them to form an exciting partnership in West Yorkshire.
Farke's new Buendia: Leeds are now pushing to sign "magical" £26m star
Leeds United are interested in signing a midfielder who would be Daniel Farke’s new version of Emiliano Buendia.
ByDan Emery Jul 22, 2025
It is now down to the club to get deals done for both players to come in and improve Farke’s options at the top end of the pitch ahead of the first game against Everton.
Tottenham still have a few key items on their transfer agenda, and luckily for chairman Daniel Levy, weeks remain before the deadline day timer runs out on September 1.
Harry Kane has already endorsed £167k-a-week star who Tottenham want to sign
Spurs have reportedly contacted his agents.
1 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 23, 2025
Spurs have already spent around £112 million on the signings of Kevin Danso, Mathys Tel, Kota Takai and Mohammed Kudus this summer, and that number really should be closer to £172 million, if not for Nottingham Forest blocking Morgan Gibbs-White’s £60m switch to Spurs two weeks ago.
Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025
Average match rating
Son Heung-min
7.00
James Maddison
6.98
Pedro Porro
6.95
Dominic Solanke
6.84
Dejan Kulusevski
6.83
via WhoScored
The Lilywhites could still sign Gibbs-White, but may end up paying more compensation to sweeten the deal and loosen Forest’s legal stranglehold on the player (Stefan Borson).
As Forest maintain their stalemate with Tottenham over Gibbs-White, following their unhappiness over an alleged ‘illegal approach’, Spurs do have their eyes on other targets for different areas of the squad.
Brentford's YoaneWissacelebrates scoring their first goal
According to reliable journalist Ben Jacobs this week, Brentford striker Yoane Wissa is still in their sights, despite rival interest from Forest and Newcastle United, with Tottenham also believed to be in talks for the Congolese.
Alongside Wissa, Tottenham are in the market for a number six, but they’ll need to offload one of their current abundance of central midfielders, which will most likely be Yves Bissouma (Alasdair Gold).
Bayern Munich’s Joao Palhinha is apparently one of many targets being considered by Thomas Frank and co in that regard (Alasdair Gold), but they’re also keen on a new cenre-back.
The Telegraph reported earlier this week that they’re weighing up a move for Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi, who’s now entered the final 12 months of his contract, and the centre of defence is a position actively being looked at.
Crystal Palace's MarcGuehi
Frank already has Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Radu Dragusin, Luka Vuskovic and Danso as options in that area, and it would’ve been six centre-backs if Ashley Phillips hadn’t sealed a loan move back to Stoke City earlier this week.
Vuskovic could also depart on a loan deal, but that would still leave Spurs with four senior centre-backs – perhaps indicating that there is still uncertainty surrounding Romero’s future.
Crystal Palace prepared to sell Marc Guehi amid Tottenham interest
Now, as per GiveMeSport, an update has emerged on the future of Guehi as Tottenham continue to register an interest in the England international.
England's Harry Kane celebrates scoring their first goal withMarcGuehi
The Lilywhites had a club-record £70 million bid rejected for Guehi in January, as widely reported, but the defender’s contract situation means that Eagles chairman Steve Parish could now let him go for £45 million.
Palace are apparently open to offers for Guehi before deadline day, with Spurs, Liverpool and Newcastle all keen, so this could be one to watch as the 25-year-old’s future becomes one of the main talking points in the last few weeks of this window.
“There is a price and a situation where we might consider it,” Parish told BBC Sport last summer.
“Somebody [in another interview] said he is a superstar, so somebody has got to pay superstar money. Realistically, he is homegrown, 24 years old and a sensational talent – so somebody has to make it difficult for us. At the moment, it isn’t.”
Now, the situation has changed, and Parish is very unlikely to get ‘superstar money’ with Palace facing the prospect of losing him for free in 2026.
You can imagine the frustration Ruben Amorim has had to endure during his time as Manchester United manager, so far being unable to change the club’s fortunes in the Premier League.
However, there’s only so much the 40-year-old can change, especially given the lack of talent he’s had at his disposal in numerous key areas of the pitch at Old Trafford.
He’s gone from having Viktor Gyokeres as his main talisman to having to rely on Rasmus Hojlund, with the Dane scoring 44 fewer goals across all competitions in 2024/25.
Rasmus Hojlund
Undoubtedly, Amorim must wish he could rekindle such a partnership with the Swede this summer, but the 27-year-old has already expressed his desire to join fellow top-flight side Arsenal this window.
As a result, he’s had to turn his attention to other forwards to try and improve the situation, with numerous names on their radar between now and the end of the summer market.
The latest on United’s hunt for a new striker this summer
Moise Kean is a player who’s firmly been on their radar over the last couple of weeks, but United will have to act quickly to secure a deal with the Italian’s £44m release clause expiring on Tuesday.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is another talent who’s in their sights, after the Englishman was released at the end of his contract with Everton, leading to a pay-as-you-play contract with the Red Devils being mooted.
Everton's DominicCalvert-Lewincelebrates scoring their first goal
However, he’s not the only Premier League talisman on their shortlist this summer, with Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins a player they’re monitoring, according to CaughtOffside.
Their report claims that Amorim has made the 29-year-old his top target for the current window, after he registered 17 goals and 14 assists across all competitions in 2024/25.
It also states that Unai Emery’s side don’t want to part ways with their top goalscorer during the off-season, demanding a fee in the region of £60m if he were to depart the Villans.
Why United’s £60m target would be Amorim’s answer to Haaland
Striker Erling Haaland has been a player who has been a constant nuisance to countless backlines in the Premier League, undoubtedly being one of the most feared talents in the division.
The Norwegian has managed to find the net 85 times in his 97 league appearances in his three years across the city under Pep Guardiola’s guidance.
Such a record has seen him claim the Golden Boot award in two of his three years in England, with United supporters undoubtedly wishing they had their own version of the talisman.
However, talents such as Haaland are extremely hard to come by in the modern game, potentially costing a pretty penny in the process, with the club struggling to convince such talents to join given their recent decline.
That could be about to change this summer with a move for Watkins, with the Villa talent labelled as a similar player to the Manchester City talisman by FBref.
When comparing the pair’s stats from the most recent league campaign, the Villa star has outperformed Haaland in numerous key areas – showcasing the talent he possesses in forward areas.
Watkins, who’s been dubbed “world-class” by journalist John Townley, posted a better goal per shot on target rate, with such a record handing Amorim the clinical edge his side have hugely lacked in recent months.
Games played
38
31
Goals & assists
24
25
Goals per shot on target
0.4
0.3
Progressive passes
1.1
0.5
Pass accuracy
72%
66%
Progressive carries
1.9
0.7
Carries into final third
1.3
0.6
Aerials won
1.9
1.8
Fouls won
1.2
0.4
The England international also completed more passes whilst posting a higher tally of progressive passes per 90, having the skillset to provide the other forwards around him with added chances in front of goal.
His dominance over the Norwegian is further reflected by his tally of aerials won per 90 and carries into the opposition box, subsequently being an all-round threat that can cause problems in multiple different ways for the opposition.
£60m may appear to be a hefty sum for Watkins, but he’s showcased in recent times that he’s a readymade talent who can hand the Red Devils the goal threat they crave this summer.
If he can transfer his talents over with him to Old Trafford, it would be a sensational piece of business, handing the manager his very own version of Haaland in the process.
Amorim's answer to Kane: Man Utd in talks to sign "world-class" striker
Manchester United could finally end their pursuit of a new talisman with a move for one European star.