BBC
Liverpool are considering letting midfielder Naby Keita, 24, leave the club at the end of the season and will accept a loss on the Guinea international. (Sun)
Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane says 23-year-old Spain midfielder Marco Asensio, who has been linked with Liverpool, will not be sold by the club. (Mirror)
Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham are monitoring Sampdoria's Danish defender Joachim Andersen, 22. (CalcioMercato)
Manchester United have been told it will take a record-breaking fee to land England defender Harry Maguire, 26, from Leicester. (Star)
Liverpool will miss out on Ajax and Netherlands defender Matthijs de Ligt as Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu is travelling to seal a deal for the 19-year-old. (Sun)
Norwich City defender Ben Godfrey is a target for Manchester United, with the 21-year-old having been watched by scouts of the Premier League club. (Sun)
Barcelona are not concerned that Dutch goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen, 29, wishes to leave this summer and are confident of finding a replacement. (Marca)
Arsenal are planning to sign Charlton Athletic midfielder Joe Aribo, 22, this summer. (Mirror)
Everton and Newcastle are among the Premier League clubs looking at Olympiakos left-back Leonardo Koutris. Leicester and West Ham are also keeping tabs on the 23-year-old Greece international. (TeamTalk)
Arsenal scouts watched Cagliari midfielder Nicolo Barella, 22, score his first Italy goal against Finland. (Metro)
Gareth Bale would be welcomed back to Tottenham should the 29-year-old Wales international choose to call time on his spell at Real Madrid, says Spurs defender Ben Davies. (Goal)
Liverpool are the latest club to scout Inter Milan and Slovakia defender Milan Skriniar, 24. (TeamTalk)
Juventus could move for Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane after the 25-year-old France defender told the Spanish club he wants to leave. (Football Italia)
Norway and Bournemouth striker Joshua King, 27, says Spain and Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos, 32, has a reputation for "being dirty and rough" but he does not "remember going up against a centre-back as nice as him" after their two countries met in a Euro 2020 qualifier. Spain beat Norway 2-1. (Marca)
Guardian Rumour Mill
Barry Glendenning
Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s permanent appointment as Manchester United manager has yet to be confirmed, but that minor detail hasn’t stopped the Norwegian identifying a whole host of potential signings for next season. The Mirror say Ole wants to create a little Portuguese enclave at Old Trafford by bringing in teenage playmaker João Felix and 21-year-old centre-back Rúben Dias from Benfica, along with midfielder Bruno Fernandes from Sporting. Combined, the trio would cost United about £250m, but the club are unlikely to have it all their own way considering a host of the usual European big guns also have their sights set on these players. United are also continuing their courtship of Leicester City defender Harry Maguire, but have been told they will have to make a record-breaking offer to get him.
Zinedine Zidane looks to have put the kibosh on Liverpool’s plan to get Marco Asensio on to their payroll. Out of sorts since Zidane left the club last summer, the left winger was up for sale but looks likely to be staying put now that Zidane has been reappointed. “I have spoken to him and told him that he will be fundamental to the team,” said Zidane. “And I want him here with us.” So that’s that, it seems.
Meanwhile at Anfield, Naby Keita has proved a little less fundamental to Liverpool’s team since arriving from RB Leipzig last summer and weekend reports suggest the club are ready to accept a loss on their £52.75m investment and move him on to Borussia Dortmund or Bayern Munich. Famously patient with his new acquisitions, Jürgen Klopp has made plenty of encouraging noises about Keita’s progress and it would come as something of a surprise if he was prepared to give up on the Guinea midfielder so soon.
Central defenders are proving in particularly high demand, with Sampdoria’s 22-year-old Dane, Joachim Andersen being scouted by Manchester United, Tottenham, Liverpool and Arsenal. United are also prepared to break the bank to bring long-term target Kalidou Koulibaly to Old Trafford from Napoli if he’s of a mind to join them. In Spain, Raphaël Varane has tired of life with Real Madrid and may move to Juventus. A Rumour Mill staple, Inter’s Slovak stopper Milan Skriniar is is currently being courted by Liverpool and Manchester City, among others.
Salomón Rondón has proved a big hit at Newcastle since arriving on loan from West Brom last summer, but club owner Mike Ashley is reluctant to make the move permanent because he thinks the 29-year-old is too old. With nine goals and five assists for Newcastle to his name this season, Rondon’s prodigious appetite for gadding about football pitches like a man possessed has helped him become a firm fan favourite and Geordies are likely to be extremely displeased if Ashley refuses to sanction a transfer fee likely to be around the £16m mark.
Olympiakos left-back Leonardo Koutris will be able to take his pick of mid-table Premier League sides this summer, what with West Ham, Leicester, Everton and Newcastle falling over each other in the rush to secure his scrawl. Everton are also interested in bringing Birmingham City striker Che Adams to Goodison Park, but will face competition from Burnley and Southampton, who are also hitching their skirts at the £15m-rated 22-year-old.
And finally, Swansea City striker Oli McBurnie could find himself swapping one idyllic coastal paradise for another in the coming months if rumours linking him with a move to Ligue 1 side Nice are based in anything resembling reality.
C&H
London Stadium Survey 2019 results revealed
The results from the London Stadium survey 2019 are in with 4,358 match going supporters filling it out – we are able to publish today a true reflection of West Ham fan’s updated perception of the London Stadium, one year on from the last survey and 31 months after moving in. On the whole, perceptions have improved in the majority of categories in the last 12 months.
The supporter survey was promoted by several West Ham websites, blogs and social media channels.
After thirty months in the London Stadium do you believe that the move was a good idea?
Yes 49%
No 27%
Not sure 24%
This is a significant improvement since last year when only 22% said the move was a good idea.
When will the London stadium feel like our proper home?
It does already 20%
2-5 seasons 32%
6-10 seasons 18%
+10 seasons 9%
It never will 21%
If you are a season ticket holder do you plan to renew for next season?
Already have 12%
Yes 47%
No 4%
Not sure 11%
Not a season ticket holder 22%
On the waiting list 4%
This indicates that around 3,149 of those filling out the survey claim they are season ticket holders w
This means 532 (17%) say they have already renewed their season tickets, 1,989 (63%) plan to renew before the 31st May deadline, 183 (6%) say they will get up their season ticket at the end of this season and 445 (14%) are undecided at the moment
If you are a season ticket holder have you ever used ticket exchange functionality for matches you can’t make?
I never miss a game 20%
Yes sometimes 20%
Yes, every time I can’t go 10%
I prefer to sell it myself or forward to a friend or family 30%
Not worth it financially 17%
I prefer to leave my seat empty 3%
What is your view on the general matchday atmosphere at the London Stadium in terms of volume and support for the team?
Excellent 5%
Good 37%
Average 44%
Poor 14%
What is your view on the quality of stewarding and security taking into account the last game you attended at the London Stadium?
Excellent 2%
Good 22%
Average 45%
Poor 31%
What is your view on the quality, choice and price of food and drink within the London Stadium?
Excellent 2%
Good 15%
Average 42%
Poor 41%
What is your experience of the London Stadium sightlines and views of the pitch from your seat?
Excellent 21%
Good 44%
Average 21%
Poor 14%
What is your experience of travelling to and from the London Stadium taking into account walking, public transport or car?
Excellent 13%
Good 36%
Average 26%
Poor 25%
How do you rate your general match day experience at the London Stadium?
Excellent 7%
Good 48%
Average 34%
Poor 11%
West Ham has been criticised by some for not paying enough in the contribution to the running costs. Do you think West Ham should pay more?
Yes 22%
No 54%
Don’t know 24%.
Do you think West Ham will become a regular top six club within the next five years as a result of the move to the London Stadium?
Yes 14%
No 62%
Not sure 24%
Do you think West Ham will kick on to the next level and become a top four team within ten years as a result of the move to the London Stadium?
Yes 7%
No 70%
Not sure 23%
Do you think the West Ham board are doing a good job?
Excellent 3%
Good 36%
Average 45%
Poor 16%
How well does West Ham value you as a supporter and listen to fans concerns?
Excellent 2%
Good 20%
Average 47%
Poor 31%
These results together with 1,426 additional comments were sent to David Sullivan, David Gold, Karren Brady, Tara Warren and Andy Mollet this morning.
Irons back on trail of Greek defender
The Irons are tonight being reported as having again scouted Olympiakos left back Leonardo Koutris during Greece’s 2-0 win over Lischtenstein on Saturday.
The 23 year old has been on the Hammers radar since early season when director of football Mario Husillos was reported to have checked the player out.
Team Talk reports that Hammers scouts were at the game along with those from Everton, Leicester City and Newcastle United.
It has been known for several days that Manuel Pellegrini is looking to strengthen at the back and the ongoing scenario surrounding Koutris appears to demonstrate quite clearly that Arthur Masuaku could now be on his way.
The Greek defender is also able to double up as a left sided midfielder leaving little room for Masuaku to make any impression.
It’s very likely that the Olympiakos defender will be at the centre of attention from the four clubs again when Greece play Bosnia & Herzegovina on Tuesday.
Koutris has a contract with the Greek outfit until 2021 and is likely to cost around £10 million and the Hammers will believe they are in pole position with the attractive London living option available to the player.
