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Alan 12:46 Sun Sep 26
Sunday newspapers (includes West Ham)

BBC

Juventus are prepared to sell Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey, 30, in January - with West Ham, Everton and Newcastle United interested. (Sun)

Inter Milan have placed Arsenal and Germany goalkeeper Bernd Leno, 29, on their list of targets. (Fichajes - in Spanish)

Tottenham are considering a move for 21-year-old Juventus and Sweden attacking midfielder Dejan Kulusevski. (Mirror)

Chelsea are willing to sell 30-year-old France midfielder N'Golo Kante next summer. (Fichajes - in Spanish)

Germany centre-back Antonio Rudiger has chosen not to renew his contract at Chelsea beyond next summer, with a move to either Bayern Munich and Real Madrid appealing most to the 28-year-old. (Marca)

Chelsea are preparing to make a fresh bid for Italy winger Federico Chiesa. The 23-year-old is on loan to Juventus - who have an obligation to buy - from Fiorentina. (Calciomercato - in Italian)

Leicester City and Turkey defender Caglar Soyuncu, 25, is on the radar of Real Madrid. (DefensaCentral - in Spanish)

West Ham want to sign Clermont and Guinea striker Mohamed Bayo, 23. (Sun)

Manchester United are looking at RB Leipzig and France defender Nordi Mukiele, 23, as a new right-back for the club. (Fichajes - in Spanish)

Chelsea and Germany forward Timo Werner, 25, wanted to join Manchester United before his move to Stamford Bridge. (Bild - in German)

Sampdoria and Denmark's 21-year-old winger Mikkel Damsgaard, a Tottenham target, is also of interest to Juventus. (Tuttosport - in Italian)

Arsenal will have to pay at least £38.5m if they want to sign Sevilla's Morocco striker Youssef En-Nesyri, 24. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish)

Barcelona have opened negotiations with Ousmane Dembele about extending the 24-year-old France international's deal, which runs out next summer. (Sport)

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has added 24-year-old Porto and Colombia winger Luis Diaz to his lit of targets, despite the financial problems at the Nou Camp. (Marca)

Manchester City want to sign West Ham and England Under-17 striker Divin Mubama, 16. (Football Insider)






Guardian

Michail Antonio’s late winner stuns Leeds to give West Ham victory

Louise Taylor at Elland Road


Michail Antonio scores West Ham’s winner against Leeds, leaving Marcelo Bielsa’s team still looking for their first win of the season. Photograph: Craig Brough/Reuters

A pedestrian island on a road outside Leeds’s stadium is adorned with an evocative sign declaring: “In Bielsa We Trust.” That belief is far from broken but, for probably the first time since Marcelo Bielsa took charge, it is coming under slight strain.

With six Premier League games completed, his fabulous to watch yet self-destructively flawed side are still yet to win this season and could have done without Michail Antonio’s 90th-minute winner for David Moyes’s impressively resilient, if slightly fortunate, West Ham.

“Leeds are difficult to play against and it was a really tough game,” said Moyes. “But we got there in the end.”

While West Ham glimpse Europe on the horizons, their West Yorkshire counterparts have a more restricted outlook. “These are two teams with different realities,” said Bielsa. “A draw wouldn’t have been unfair – but evidently all our sacrifice didn’t crystallise.”

Injuries and suspension deprived Leeds of three senior centre-halves but afforded Charlie Cresswell a league debut at the heart of a back line which swiftly found itself under siege.

Cresswell ultimately shone but he and his fellow defenders had the excellent Illan Meslier to thank for a series of important early saves, most notably from Antonio and Saïd Benrahma.

With Benrahma seizing every opportunity to highlight Jamie Shackleton’s relative inexperience at right-back, Leeds took time to get the London side’s measure.

Then, almost imperceptibly, Stuart Dallas began diminishing Tomas Soucek’s customary influence in midfield before forcing Lukasz Fabianski into a fine, flying, save.

For the first time West Ham looked a little ruffled and within minutes they came thoroughly undone when Soucek miscontrolled the ball and surrendered possession to Rodrigo, whose cut back was collected by Mateusz Klich. He cued Raphinha up for a left-footed shot which the Brazilian delighted in curling into the far corner of Fabianski’s goal before throwing Covid protocols to the wind and celebrating with home fans.

It seemed Moyes’s gameplan had flown out of the window. His side appeared unnerved by Raphinha’s every touch and looked relieved when his menacing shot struck a post.

The power balance in midfield temporarily swung well away from Declan Rice and Soucek, leaving Kalvin Phillips, Dallas and Klich dictating play while Rodrigo’s attacking movement perplexed Kurt Zouma and Angelo Ogbonna.

Rodrigo has waited patiently for Patrick Bamford to vacate Bielsa’s lone striker role and, finally, the latter’s ankle injury left the £30m Spain forward occupying his preferred position.

Indeed Rodrigo’s relocation from midfield seemed to benefit Leeds as a whole, enabling them to press more effectively than at almost any point this season.

Attack, though, is always Leeds’s default form of defence these days and much as it made for a thrilling, fast-paced contest, such persistent risk-taking ensured West Ham always retained hope of an equaliser.

Meslier was beaten following Aaron Cresswell’s free-kick early in the first half but a VAR review revealed the goalkeeper dropped the ball only because Antonio’s elbow caught him full in the face and, as medics struggled to stem the blood flow, Soucek’s ensuing strike was disallowed.

At this stage Leeds were still playing some exhilarating one- and two-touch stuff but West Ham simply bided their time and waited for fatigue to precipitate mistakes.

Admittedly luck played a part when Jarrod Bowen’s curling left-foot shot took a hefty deflection off Junior Firpo before arrowing past the wrongfooted Meslier but, after that equaliser, much of the energy seemed to drain from Bielsa’s players, particularly the fast-fading Dallas.


Bowen (left) cracked away his shot, and the nick off full back Firpo then took it beyond Meslier

Leeds were increasingly susceptible to counterattacks and from one such break Rice cleverly played in Antonio. He dodged Shackleton and his shot then evaded Meslier, prompting delirious visiting celebrations and defiant chants of “marching on together” from home fans determined to demonstrate their faith in Bielsa.

MATCH FACTS (Mail)

Leeds (4-1-4-1): Meslier; Dallas, Cresswell, Cooper, Firpo; Phillips; Raphinha (Roberts, 69), Shackleton (Summerville, 90 +1), Klich, James (Harrison, 46); Rodrigo

Subs not used: Drameh, Fuhr Hjelde, Gelhardt, Greenwood, Klaesson, McCarron

Scorer: Raphinha

Booked: Meslier, Raphinha, Roberts

Manager: Marcelo Bielsa

West Ham (4-2-3-1): Fabianski; Cresswell, Ogbonna, Zouma, Coufal; Rice, Soucek; Benrahma, Fornals (Vlasic, 78), Bowen (Dawson, 90+ 2); Antonio (Yarmolenko, 90 +7)

Subs not used: Areola, Diop, Johnson, Kral, Lanzini, Noble

Scorers: Firpo (own goal), Antonio

Booked: Fornals, Antonio

Manager: David Moyes




Telegraph

West Ham come from behind to extend Leeds' winless start to season

Michail Antonio struck in the final minute to hand David Moyes' side a dramatic victory

By Mike McGrath at Elland Road

There would be a compelling case for Michail Antonio’s recall to the England squad had he not switched allegiances to Jamaica this season.

His winning goal at Elland Road came in the final minute of a match he compared to running a marathon, such was the work-rate of Marcelo Bielsa’s players. When his chance came he belied his tiredness and coolly finished as international-class strikers do.

David Moyes, the West Ham manager, says it was not one of Antonio’s best performances but he was still the match-winner, sealing the victory after Raphinha’s opener had been cancelled out by Junior Firpo’s own goal.

"I've never run a marathon but that is the closest thing, that's how I see it,” said Antonio. “It was so hard. They play man-v-man so they keep going and working right to the end, they are tireless. You run until you can't run anymore. To come away with three points is quality. The feeling is relief.”

He and Jamie Vardy are on five Premier League goals among English-born players, with Antonio’s assists nudging him ahead. And it was another reminder of how important he is to West Ham, having missed their only defeat of the season through suspension.

As he walked down the touchline a few Leeds fans who had stayed behind shouted “cheat” at him for a stray arm that caught Illan Meslier, who had earlier looked like earning a point for Leeds with a string of saves, the best coming early on against Antonio.

“I've seen Michail play better,” said Moyes. “He missed a couple of chances at the start but as a centre-forward you always wait in hope of that chance. His finish was magic.

“Everyone talks about him and he gets a lot of respect but the biggest is from me and the club because we value him. He's developing into a really good player.”

His winner meant Leeds dropped into the relegation zone but their mitigating factors are the players missing from their team. Bielsa has always made attack his best form of defence and that was the case with injuries and suspension leading to Jamie Shackleton, 21, and Charlie Cresswell, 19, on the right side of his backline.

Pascal Struijk’s ban for injuring Harvey Elliott, despite the Liverpool midfielder insisting there was no foul, has left a bitter taste, with chief executive Angus Kinnear taking aim at Jurgen Klopp after losing the appeal to overturn the punishment.

“Following the panel’s decision we were left with no other recourse than to humbly request to the Premier League that opposing head coaches are not selected to officiate any more of our games for the remainder of this season,” wrote Kinnear in his programme notes.

Leeds’ makeshift defence relied on Meslier to keep out West Ham in the opening stages. There was Antonio chance but also saves from Pablo Fornals, his best a one-on-one when the Spaniard raced through on goal.

With chances being created at both ends, Raphinha seized the advantage with his third goal of the season, which also left Tomas Soucek shaking his head in disappointment. The Czech Republic midfielder lost his footing in a dangerous area and seconds later West Ham had conceded.

Rodrigo Moreno hard work set up the chance and his cut-back was helped along for Raphinha to curl into the bottom corner. From a similar position he struck the post shortly after.

Antonio’s challenge on Meslier, which was shown on the big screen and angered home fans, came after Soucek had the ball in the net. Kevin Friend gave the goal but disallowed it after looking at the pitchside monitor.

Although bloodied by the foul, Meslier was able to carry on and next tipped away when Soucek met a corner with a header that was going towards the top corner.

He was finally beaten when Jarrod Bowen cut in from the right and his shot ricocheted off Liam Cooper and Firpo. Antonio’s dramatic late winner came after Declan Rice carried the ball forward and sent his team-mate through. Antonio danced past Shackleton and finished into the bottom corner. It is the first time since 1935/36 that Leeds have not won in the first six matches of a top-flight season.

"When you defend too close to your goalkeeper it is likely the opponents chances of scoring increase," said Bielsa.

Worryingly for Bielsa, Raphinha came off in the second half and needed ice-packs strapped to the back of his legs. "He let us know it was becoming difficult for him to stay on the pitch. Throughout the whole week he was recovering from the knock he received against Newcastle and played a great game for as long as he could stay on the field," said the Leeds manager.




Football Insider

Sources: Man City set sights on signing West Ham wonderkid Mubama as talks underway

West Ham wonderkid Divin Mubama is on the radar of Premier League rivals including Man City, Football Insider understands.

The striker, 16, is regarded highly at the London club, where he is seen as a potential first-team star of the future.

A recruitment source has told Football Insider that City are keeping tabs on Mubama after being impressed by the promise he has showed for club and country.

It comes as West Ham look to secure the England Under-17 forward to a professional contract when he turns 17 next month.

Mubama is currently on a scholarship deal but talks have been held on tying him down to pro terms at the first opportunity.

City are believed to be one of a number of top-flight teams who are monitoring the forward’s situation.

Mubama is among a crop of exciting young talents at West Ham who club coaches believe are capable of establishing themselves in the Premier League in the future.

The Irons also have big plans for England Under-18 duo Jacob Knightbridge and Sonny Perkins, as well as Regan Clayton and Freddie Potts.

They intend to promote them into the Under-23s and provide a pathway into the first them.

Mubama has been sidelined by injury this season but has an outstanding record in youth-team football.

In 22 appearances in the Under-18 Premier League, the forward has scored 10 goals including a hat-trick against Reading in April.




Sun

West Ham eyeing Guinea striker Mohamed Bayo from French side Clermont in £10m transfer

Alan Nixon

WEST HAM are on the trail of Clermont striker Mohamed Bayo.

Guinean international Bayo, 23, helped his side win promotion last season but has been unsettled by failed bids in the window.

Bordeaux had a £7million offer rejected as Clermont want £10m.

Bayo is due to play in the African Cup of Nations in January so a move by the Hammers is more likely next summer than this winter.

The centre-forward earned a place in the French club's senior squad in 2018 after impressing in its youth set up.

The 23-year-old underwent a season-long loan a year later in Dunkerque and has since become a regular in Pascal Gastien's side.

The Guinean has amassed a total of 26 goals and nine assists in 54 matches across all competitions for Clermont.

The forward has been impressive in this season's Ligue 1 having registered three goals and two assists in six matches already.

Texas Iron 9:37 Sun Sep 26
Re: Sunday newspapers (includes West Ham)

CHEERS...

chim chim cha boo 4:37 Sun Sep 26
Re: Sunday newspapers (includes West Ham)

Cheers Alan. It looks like the media are having a scatter gun approach to players we've signed and players we've not.

The game reports were 'ooh aren't dirty Leeds good and entertaining but unlucky with their best form of defence is attack attitude'. They seem to bypass what a great team we are

I'm totally okay with that as we still go under the radar, preparing to fuck up the next team in front of us

With Kind Regards 1:36 Sun Sep 26
Re: Sunday newspapers (includes West Ham)

Thanks Irish 1:20 Sun Sep 26

Irish Hammer 1:34 Sun Sep 26
Re: Sunday newspapers (includes West Ham)

Thanks very much Alan

Thanks Irish 1:20 Sun Sep 26
Re: Sunday newspapers (includes West Ham)

Thanks Alan

Mex Martillo 1:20 Sun Sep 26
Re: Sunday newspapers (includes West Ham)

Thanks Alan 1:03 Sun Sep 26

gph 1:10 Sun Sep 26
Re: Sunday newspapers (includes West Ham)

Sorry, that should read lose, not sell.

Too young for us to have a contract to sell on.

Thanks Alan 1:03 Sun Sep 26
Re: Sunday newspapers (includes West Ham)

ted fenton 1:00 Sun Sep 26

gph 1:03 Sun Sep 26
Re: Sunday newspapers (includes West Ham)

Thanks, Alan.

Bit sad if we sell Mubama before he gets anywhere near the first team.

I'm guessing Man City wouldn't be interested if he didn't have a realistic chance of being a Premier League player.

ted fenton 1:00 Sun Sep 26
Re: Sunday newspapers (includes West Ham)

Thanks Alan