BBC
German international striker Timo Werner's £52m move from RB Leipzig to Chelsea is being held up by Covid-19 quarantine regulations preventing the 24-year-old undergoing a medical. (The Athletic -subscription required)
Barcelona are reportedly looking at defenders from Tottenham and Chelsea who could be included in a potential swap deal for 27-year-old Philippe Coutinho. (Sport via Mail)
Inter Milan are planning to make a £27m bid this summer for Arsenal right-back Hector Bellerin even though the 25-year-old Spaniard has three years left on his current deal. (Express)
Bayern Munich forward Thomas Muller said he would welcome linking up at club level with Bayer Leverkusen and Germany midfielder Kai Havertz, 21, who is tipped with a move away from Leverkusen this summer. (Metro)
Highly-rated Birmingham City 17-year-old Jude Bellingham seems set to turn down a move to Manchester United and join Borussia Dortmund instead. (Sport Bild via Talksport)
The agent of Bayern Munich midfielder Corentin Tolisso has denied reports he has held talks with Manchester United over a transfer for the 25-year-old Frenchman. (Standard via Sky Germany)
Talks are continuing between Juventus and Barcelona over a potential swap deal featuring midfielders Miralem Pjanic, 30, and 23-year-old Arthur Melo. (Independent)
Midfielder N'Golo Kante, 29, could be sold to Real Madrid by Chelsea this summer in order to raise transfer funds. (Express)
Chelsea's planned summer transfer spending is set to be boosted by £13.5m thanks to the sale of 25-year-old midfielder Mario Pasalic to Atalanta where he has been on loan for the last two years. (Football London)
Wolves have become the latest Premier League club to show an interest in 22-year-old Rennes defender Axel Disasi and have put in a £13.5m bid for the Frenchman. (L'Equipe - in French)
Tottenham are increasingly confident of agreeing a new contract with midfielder Eric Dier this summer, before the 26-year-old enters the final year of his deal. (Football Insider)
Liverpool have been linked with a move for Roma midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo but despite being keen to get rid of some of their high earners, the Serie A club are not keen to sell the 20-year-old. (Tuttosport)
Barcelona midfielder Arturo Vidal insists he is just focusing on his football and not thinking about a possible move away from the Nou Camp as the 33-year-old Chilean enters the final year of his contract. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish)
Arsenal target Thomas Partey wants to remain at Atletico Madrid on increased wages amid speculation over his future. The Ghanian midfielder has a £45m release clause in his contract. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish)
Vital
“Has great potential” – Roshane Thomas gives verdict on West Ham’s versatile 20 y/o starlet
There has been plenty of chatter recently of the imminent departure of West Ham United defender Jeremy Ngakia and his controversial contract stance.
Whatever side of the coin you sit on this, there has to be a discussion on who should replace the 19-year-old if he decides to depart from the London Stadium once the 2019/20 campaign comes to its conclusion.
One name in mind is Ben Johnson, who recently signed a new extension to his current deal. Replying to a comment from a fan on The Athletic, Thomas gave his verdict on the 20-year-old and has high hopes for the youngster.
Thomas said: “I think Johnson has great potential. He’s fast, he reads the game well, strong and also vocal on the pitch. Johnson had a good season for the under-23s but when he suffered his hamstring injury it opened the door for Ngakia. Now we know the latter is leaving, Johnson has a great chance to mount a serious claim for the right-back position.
Moyes rates Johnson highly and was on the bench for West Ham during a league fixture against Manchester City in December 2017 at the age of 17.
Johnson has provided three assists from eight appearances during the current campaign for Dmitri Halajko’s side and has caught the eye with some impressive performances this season.
Adding all of these points together, it appears that Johnson has a bright future in East London. Despite not possessing much first-team experience, Moyes is willing to give him the opportunity that perhaps he should have had ahead of Ngakia, had he not suffered a hamstring injury during a match against Newcastle United U23s.
With the ability to play in both full-back positions, and if Johnson can take full advantage of the opportunity, it looks like we may have found a replacement in house.
The 4th Official
West Ham United Prepared To Offer €12m For This Midfielder: What Will He Bring To The London Stadium?
According to a recent report by Corriere dello Sport (subscription required), West Ham United are prepared to offer €12m to land Fiorentina midfield ace Erick Pulgar this summer. However, the same source has claimed that the Viola are likely to decline the Hammers’ move for their prized asset whose current contract at Florence runs out in the summer of 2023. It is understood that David Moyes’ team could face competition from Sevilla in pursuit of the talented midfielder (via Corriere dello Sport).
Pulgar’s Impressive Debut Season At Florence
The Chilean playmaker has enjoyed a brilliant season at the Stadio Artemio Franchi after producing a series of match-winning performances at the heart of Giuseppe Iachini’s midfield. He has banged in four goals and grabbed five assists in 29 appearances for the Florence-based outfit this term across multiple competitions which showcase his growing influence in the final third.
Pulgar has established himself as an all-round performer in the middle of the park as evidenced by his average of 2.4 tackles, 1.5 interceptions, 1.4 clearances, 0.9 shots, 2.4 key passes and 1.8 crosses per 90 minutes in the Serie A this season. He has also completed 86.6% of his attempted passes in league football so far (stats via whoscored).
The ex-Bologna talent has secured 24 senior caps for the Chilean national side, registering one goal for his country in the process. If he can maintain his high standards in the upcoming campaign, then he will be a nailed-on starter for Chile in next year’s Copa America following the competition’s postponement as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
What Will The Chilean International Bring To The London Stadium?
Pulgar is a moderately-paced midfielder who is usually quick to read the danger which enables him to make some vital interceptions and last-gasp clearances inside his own half. He can use his strength and stamina to provide adequate cover at the back. The South American sensation has the vision to play a decisive pass in the attacking third and is also a potent goal-threat from long range as he can pack a lot of venom with his shot attempts.
Even though Pulgar has been primarily used as a defensive midfielder, he is highly versatile and can fill in as a box to box midfielder or operate as a centre-back if required. His all-round effectiveness in midfield, coupled with his incredible versatility, make him an ideal signing for West Ham to consider before the start of the new campaign.
The 26-year-old will not only add more stability and variety to David Moyes’ midfield but also improve the overall depth of his squad at the London Stadium. Plus, he will offer some much-needed competition for Mark Noble, Carlos Sánchez and Jack Wilshere at East London next season. The Chilean could also serve as a perfect replacement for Declan Rice, who has been a subject of interest from Chelsea this summer.
All in all, Pulgar has what it takes to be a success story in English football as he can impact the game positively at both ends of the field. At 26, he is currently playing at his prime which West Ham could look to benefit from in the coming seasons.
