BBC
Arsenal are confident of beating Manchester United to the £30m signing of Leicester City's 25-year-old Belgium midfielder Youri Tielemans. (Sun)
Manchester United have made a £51m bid for Ajax's 22-year-old Brazil forward Antony, but the Dutch club are holding out for a fee of £68m. (Goal)
Manchester United still do not know when Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo, 37, will return to training as the Old Trafford club prepare to leave for their pre-season tour to Thailand on Friday. (Times - subscription required)
Bayern Munich director Oliver Kahn says a move for Ronaldo would not fit in with the German club's "philosophy". (Mail)
Chelsea are preparing a £38m bid for Sporting Lisbon's 23-year-old Portugal midfielder Matheus Nunes, who is also a target for Wolves. (A Bola - in Portuguese)
Barcelona are considering Argentina left-back Nicolas Tagliafico, 29, again in case they cannot sign Spain defender Marcos Alonso, 31, from Chelsea. (Marca)
Everton are set to offer England Under-21 winger Anthony Gordon, 21, a new contract to ward off interest from Newcastle United. (Times - subscription required)
The Toffees also have no intention of selling England striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin and may offer the 25-year-old a new deal too. (Mirror)
Arsenal are looking to sell seven players - including Ivory Coast winger and club-record signing Nicolas Pepe, 27, and German goalkeeper Bernd Leno - in order to fund spending on further new signings. (Sun)
Fulham are in talks with the Gunners over a deal for the 30-year-old Leno. (West London Sport)
Leeds United have urged Barcelona to make a final offer for Raphinha this week as they want the 25-year-old Brazil
Crystal Palace are hopeful of beating Everton and Nottingham Forest to the signing of Wolves' 22-year-old English midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White. (Talksport)
Palace are in talks to sign Swansea's English midfielder Flynn Downes, 23, for £8m. (Mail)
But West Ham are also discussing a deal for Downes, who was a boyhood Hammers fan. (Sky Sports)
Tottenham are closing in on the £15m signing of 21-year-old England Under-21 full-back Djed Spence from Middlesbrough. (Telegraph - subscription required)
Nottingham Forest are hoping to complete deals for Bayern Munich's English left-back Omar Richards, 24, and Liverpool's 21-year-old Wales right-back Neco Williams by the weekend. (Athletic - subscription required)
Southampton are also interested in Williams and hope to beat Forest to the defender's signature. (Football Insider)
Club Bruges have rejected a bid from Leeds for 21-year-old Belgium midfielder Charles de Ketelaere, who would prefer a move to AC Milan. (HLN - in Dutch)
England midfielder Jesse Lingard, 29, is set to fly to the United States to hold talks with two Major League Soccer sides following his release by Manchester United last month. (ESPN)
England's players will receive a £55,000 bonus per player if they win the Women's European Championship. (Telegraph - subscription required)
Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has taken a wage cut to sign a new one-year deal with Italian champions AC Milan. (Marca)
Guardian Rumour Mill
Tom Davies
There’s been plenty of idle gossip about Bayern Munich players this summer and Serge Gnabry is the latest to have Premier League clubs a-tusslin’. Arsenal are the latest club to be linked with the winger, who began his career at the Emirates. Manchester City and United are also interested, and Bayern could demand as much as £50m for a player about to enter the final year of his contract.
Another Bayern player who could be England-bound is Omar Richards. The English left-back, who moved to the Allianz Arena from Reading a year ago, is on the radar of Nottingham Forest, who’ve been busy as they prepare for their first Premier League campaign of this century. Steve Cooper’s side are also confident of sealing a deal for Liverpool’s Neco Williams by the weekend for a fee of around £16m plus add-ons.
Erling Haaland (left), Fabio Carvalho (centre) and Noussair Mazraoui, Bayern Munich's new signing.
One player who shone for Forest last season, Middlesbrough loanee Djed Spence, is in Tottenham’s sights. The Telegraph reports Spurs are closing in on a £15m swoop for the England Under-21 right-back.
Forest’s fellow promotees Fulham are closing in on a deal for the Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno as they seek to shore up their rearguard and prevent the coming season replicating all their other recent ones in the top flight. Leno is keen for more regular first-team action in the run-up to the World Cup while Mikel Arteta is keen to get the £100,000-a-week German keeper off Arsenal’s books as he continues to rebuild.
Liverpool may have got a lot of their summer business done early and decisively but that hasn’t stopped tongues wagging about all manner of targets. The Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot is the latest to be linked with an Anfield move, with Naby Keïta a potential makeweight in the deal. We shall see.
Plucky, cash-strapped underdogs Barcelona could make a move for Ajax’s Argentinian international defender Nicolás Tagliafico, especially if they are unable to sign Chelsea’s Marcos Alonso or César Azpilicueta, for whom the Blues will name a high price. For their part, Chelsea are reported to be tempted by the thought of adding Nathan Aké to Raheem Sterling in their Manchester City shopping basket.
And down in the Championship, Norwich and West Brom are jostling each other for the Brazilian playmaker Gabriel Sara, with the Canaries favourites to land him. Norwich are in talks with Sara’s club, São Paulo, over a temporary move with an option to buy the 23-year-old, which would be triggered
if when they secure a return to the Premier League next year.
Sky Paper Talk
THE SUN
Arsenal are aiming to offload seven more players, including record signing Nicolas Pepe and former first choice 'keeper Bernd Leno, to finance further moves in the transfer market this summer.
Chelsea are ready to open contract talks with key midfielder Jorginho and his priority is reported to be staying at Stamford Bridge.
Arsenal are ready to step up their interest in Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans and are confident £30m will be enough to secure the Belgium international's signature.
Benfica full-back Alex Grimaldo remains on Arsenal's radar and could be available for a cut-price £6m with his contract winding down.
Manchester United accept they will lose Cristiano Ronaldo this summer.
Newcastle could go for Callum Hudson-Odoi - after Everton told them to forget about Anthony Gordon.
World Cup chiefs are discussing changing the format of the 2026 tournament - meaning the winners would have to play eight games.
DAILY TELEGRAPH
Frenkie de Jong's possible move to Manchester United is being further complicated by £17m in deferred wage debt stemming from the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Nottingham Forest are poised to complete the £16m signing of Liverpool defender Neco Williams.
Tottenham are hoping to have their deal to sign Middlesbrough wing-back Djed Spence finalised by this weekend so he can join the squad on their pre-season tour to South Korea.
A Premier League club is coming under increased pressure to suspend an international footballer over his rape arrest.
Southampton are prioritising both a new striker and completing negotiations for Rangers midfielder Joe Aribo in a deal worth £10m.
Former Argentina captain Pablo Matera turned down a big-money contract offer from struggling Bath due to uncertainties surrounding the club's off-field restructure ahead of the new season.
DAILY MIRROR
Jesse Lingard is set to fly out to the USA for talks over a potential move to MLS, with a couple of clubs interested in the now former Manchester United forward.
Former Chelsea youngster Charly Musonda has "gone missing" after receiving a contract offer, according to the chief executive of Belgian club Zulte Waregem.
Chelsea are readying an offer worth around £43m for Sporting Lisbon star Matheus Nunes according to reports in Portugal.
Ayoze Perez is open to leaving Leicester City this summer but hopes of a move to Real Betis are being stalled by the Spanish club's need to sell players first.
Jack Grealish has flown to Athens to train at Olympiacos before starting back at Manchester City on Monday.
Manchester United's opening bid for Antony has been rejected after the Premier League club fell nearly £20m short of Ajax's valuation.
Cristiano Ronaldo has been rejected by Bayern Munich as his options for a new club continue to reduce following his request to leave Manchester United.
DAILY MAIL
Manchester United have reportedly made a £51m offer to Ajax for winger Antony but are said to be around £20m short of the Dutch club's asking price.
Jake Paul has accused Tommy Fury of "going into hiding" after the pair's boxing grudge match at Madison Square Garden was called off when the Briton was denied entry to the United States.
Three Wimbledon security guards have been arrested for brawling with one another outside Court Two in view of horrified tennis fans.
Everton will offer Antony Gordon a significantly improved new contract to ward off persistent interest from Tottenham and Newcastle in the England Under 21 international.
Ajax have offered Tottenham to waive some of the fee they were owed for Davinson Sanchez as part of the negotiations to sign Steven Bergwijn.
Sadio Mane has revealed he wanted to sign a contract to take responsibility if he died, due to his determination to play for Senegal after suffering a concussion at the African Cup of Nations.
West Ham are looking to beat Crystal Palace to the signing of Swansea midfielder Flynn Downes, who is valued at around £12m.
THE TIMES
Manchester United still have no idea when Cristiano Ronaldo will return to the club for pre-season.
Everton are set to offer Anthony Gordon a lucrative new contract to stop any interest from Premier League rivals Newcastle in their top young talent.
Callum Hudson-Odoi has resisted calls to switch international allegiance to Ghana and join his former England U21 team-mate Tariq Lamptey.
THE GUARDIAN
Mo Farah will return to run the London Marathon in October after finally calling time on his track career.
DAILY STAR
Juventus are struggling to find buyers for striker Moise Kean and midfielders Adrien Rabiot, Aaron Ramsey and Arthur Melo.
THE INDEPENDENT
A match-fixing investigation is under way in Sierra Leone after promotion rivals Gulf FC and Kahula Rangers won matches which kicked off at the same time 91-1 and 95-0.
DAILY EXPRESS
Chelsea's £10m deal to sign Chicago Fire goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina has gone quiet since the departures of Petr Cech and Marina Granovskaia.
Marcos Alonso is considering handing in a transfer request as Chelsea continue to block the move he wants to Barcelona.
DAILY RECORD
Celtic have been offered fresh hope of signing Vinicius Souza, who is yet to make a final decision on whether to join PSV, although a decision on his future is "near" according to his agent.
Rangers are set to boost their young talent with the signing of St Mirren starlet Dylan Reid.
Rangers have set their sights on Genk winger Theo Bongonda who could be available for around £6m as he enters the final year of his contract.
THE SCOTTISH SUN
Alexander Bernabei is free to open the season in Celtic's squad after a headbutting ban he was handed in Argentina was not carried over to Scotland.
Dharmesh Sheth
@skysports_sheth
Gap in valuation between what Fulham prepared to pay and what West Ham United want for Issa Diop. West Ham valuation thought to be £20m. Talks continue. #IssaDiop #FFC #WHUFC
Sky Sports
Swansea midfielder Flynn Downes close to £12m West Ham move as Fulham open talks over Hammers defender Issa Diop
West Ham closing in on signing Swansea midfielder Flynn Downes in a £12m deal; Championship club look set to replace Downes with former midfielder Joe Allen; Fulham in talks with West Ham to sign defender Issa Diop but gap in valuation between the two Premier League sides
Swansea midfielder Flynn Downes is having a medical ahead of a £12m move to West Ham, who are in talks with Fulham over selling defender Issa Diop.
Sky Sports News has been told a deal is close to being finalised for Downes, who is having the second part of his medical, with West Ham increasingly confident they can complete the signing.
The Hammers are light in the central midfield area after club captain Mark Noble retired in the summer and the former Ipswich midfielder could fill that combative void.
The 23-year-old made 39 appearances in all competitions last season for the Championship side, who look set to replace Downes with Joe Allen.
West Ham want £20m for Diop
West Ham are also in talks with Fulham over the sale of Diop, but there is a gap in valuation between the two sides.
Initial talks had centred around an initial £12m plus performance-related add-ons but the Irons value the centre-back at around £20m.
The 25-year-old, who joined West Ham for a then club-record £21.9m from Toulouse in June 2018, started just 10 Premier League games last season as he made 26 appearances in all competitions.
Fulham are in the market for a central defender, having previously approached Manchester United over Eric Bailly's availability earlier this window.
talkSPORT
@talkSPORT
𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦: Fuham have leapt ahead of Lyon in the battle to sign West Ham defender Issa Diop.
Diop had been close to a return to France but Fulham have come with a rival bid worth up to £17m.
- talkSPORT sources understand.
Swansea Independent
Wasserman: The West ham link
Flynn Downes : The West Ham link explored. Medical is part done.
It was an all of a sudden moment for Flynn Downes. Seemingly destined for a transfer to Crystal Palace something happened to unsettle the balance of that transfer. We always pride ourselves on our prudence and awareness to look beyond the basics here at Swansea Independent, so that’s exactly what we did.
To delve deeper some would say, but definitely to look at all the information available.
Whilst doing our ‘due diligence’ yesterday on the extremely quick move by West Ham to intervene in Flynn Downes availability it was important to ask why ? Or maybe even how ? Links in football are very much about trust and having a track record of honesty and integrity, and that’s where this all started.
West Ham appointed ex QPR boss Mark Warburton to their first team coaching staff less than two weeks ago. He made some bold claims too. Replacing Stuart Pearce he said “You’ve got to challenge yourself and the chance to work in the Premier League with outstanding players and an outstanding manager and staff and understand everything about the Premier League is a big learning curve. I’ve always been learning all my life in terms of working in the city and coming to football later, and you’ve got to keep on learning and challenging yourself and pushing the boundaries.”
Warburton made it very clear he was going to change numerous things within the coaching set up to improve the hammers. “In terms of West Ham, which is a top-ten Premier League team pushing hard for top-six, you have to say: ‘Right, what do West Ham do really well? Would it in any way be negatively impacted, but at the same time can I add something to the attacking side of the play because the quality of players we have here?’ Look at the quality of players in the squad and the manager is keen to add to that as well, so I’ve got to add something to that with my attacking philosophy, but make sure it’s never to the detriment of what has been done already.”
Mark Warburton is the solid link to Flynn Downes and West Ham United.
When at QPR Warburton was well known for his employment of the Wasserman group, one of the largest and most successful agencies in the world. They boast offices across the globe and any image of seedy agents with brown paper bags is possibly a bit dated. Their football division is the reason why Warburton utilised their services so much whilst at QPR. It’s something the majority of football clubs do. The client profile at the agency is massive, and they look after the interests of Flynn Downes.
With that picture becoming clearer, there always has to be more links.
Having your daughter working for Wasserman is not so much helpful but practical as a point of contact. Client privacy is huge. Elisha Warburton, Mark’s daughter manages Player Services at Wasserman specialising in the ‘Lifestyle Management of High Net Worth individuals and their families’ She currently looks after thirty five players and families and in her words ‘I have close relationships with each individual taking away any stress that they may have off the pitch. I manage every aspect of their life, with the service being extremely individualistic’
With the Wasserman team looking after the interests of Flynn Downes at Swansea, and Mark Warburton recently appointed as first team coach at West Ham the picture is now clear. Mark has the contacts, the knowledge and the foresight to spot a gem when he see’s one. Flynn Downes is that gem, his Wasserman links from the past and currently are in plain sight. That’s why Flynn is as close as ever to being a West Ham player.
With Downes medical rumoured as now ‘part complete’ and the rest to be done over the next twenty four hours West Ham have a real gem on their hands, and Swansea City have at last obtained some financial breathing space.
