Tuesday News (includes West Ham)
Posted: 24 Mar 2026, 10:10
BBC
Manchester United and England winger Jadon Sancho, currently on loan at Aston Villa, has held talks with Borussia Dortmund about a return to the Bundesliga club on a free transfer with the 25-year-old willing to take a pay cut. (Sky Sports Deutschland - in German), external
Former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has agreed to take over as manager of France after the World Cup. The 53-year-old, who scored twice as France won the 1998 World Cup final, will replace Didier Deschamps. (ESPN), external
Former Brighton and Marseille boss Roberto de Zerbi is open to becoming the new permanent Tottenham head coach should the club stay in the Premier League. (Telegraph - subscription required), external
Manchester United have yet to make contact with any candidates to become their new permanent manager in the summer and the club's hierarchy will not rush into a decision. (Sky Sports), external
Newcastle's executive team still have faith in under-pressure manager Eddie Howe, while a high turnover of players is expected at St James' Park this summer. (Mail+ - subscription required), external
Chelsea's English right-back Josh Acheampong, 19, is seen as a good fit by Crystal Palace amid suggestions he might leave Stamford Bridge this summer. (Football Insider), external
Leeds and Japan midfielder Ao Tanaka, 27, is wanted by German clubs Schalke and Hannover. (Teamtalk), external
Manchester United are keen on signing left-back Alphonso Davies from Bayern Munich this summer, with the Bundesliga club open to offers for the 25-year-old Canada international. (CFBayerninsider), external
Manchester United also want Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes, with reports in his homeland Brazil suggesting the 28-year-old might be sold for £60m. (Sports Illustrated), external
France forward Antoine Griezmann, 35, is set to end his 10-season association with Atletico Madrid this summer and join MLS side Orlando City. (Times - subscription required)
Sky Paper Talk
PREMIER LEAGUE
Tottenham are considering appointing a permanent head coach before the end of the season with Roberto De Zerbi one of the names in the frame, according to The Times.
De Zerbi is open to taking over at Tottenham this summer if they stay in the Premier League, according to The Telegraph.
Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez is open to joining Real Madrid this summer, according to talkSport.
Bayer Leverkusen are closely monitoring Fabian Hurzeler with the Brighton boss high on their shortlist of potential candidates to take over next season - Sky Germany.
Borussia Dortmund have held talks over re-signing Jadon Sancho as a free agent this summer - Sky Germany.
INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL
Zinedine Zidane has agreed to take over as France head coach after the World Cup when Didier Deschamps steps down - ESPN.
SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP
St Mirren haven't ruled out giving caretaker boss Craig McLeish the job until the end of the season - Scottish Sun.
EUROPEAN FOOTBALL
Antoine Griezmann is set to join MLS side Orlando City on a free transfer from Atletico Madrid this summer - Marca (Spain).
3 Added minutes
The £60m rising star West Ham could snatch from a rival - if Man Utd don't get there first
By Calum Preston Kelly
The two Premier League clubs could go head-to-head for a midfield transfer target - who just so happens to play for a rival of both.
West Ham United have seven games left to save their Premier League status and will hope to come back firing after the international break in order to rise out of the relegation zone.
The Hammers have seen an upturn in form of late but a 2-0 defeat at Aston Villa on Sunday ensured that they stayed in 18th place despite Tottenham Hotspur’s heavy defeat at home to Nottingham Forest. West Ham’s summer business will likely depend highly on which division they find themselves, with big-name sales expected if they are relegated.
Manchester United, meanwhile, remain in third place despite dropping points at Bournemouth on Friday night and are currently on course to secure Champions League football under Michael Carrick. The Red Devils are weighing up a significant list of transfer targets of their own and might ultimately compete with the Hammers for a midfield signing this summer.
West Ham and Man United target Andrey Santos move amid uncertain future
Both West Ham and Man United are amongst the sides interested in Andrey Santos as Chelsea prepare to make a ‘big decision’ on the future of the 21-year-old midfielder this summer.
Sources close to the agents industry have reportedly told Caught Offside that the Brazilian has an uncertain future at Stamford Bridge despite an impressive first season since returning from a previous loan spell with sister club Strasbourg. Despite his ‘enhanced’ reputation this term both within the Stamford Bridge club and externally, it remains unclear whether he will stay in west London for the long-term or become a high-profile departure to balance finances.
Reporting continues that both West Ham and Man United have been ‘repeatedly linked’ with the Brazilian, while there is significant interest in Italy from the likes of Inter Milan and Juventus. Reporting from Calcio Mercato states that Inter have held ‘summits’ with the agents of the player, both recently and prior to the start of the season, while the Blues rejected a €50m (£43m) approach from the Saudi Pro League last summer. Caught Offside cite that Santos is highly-rated internally at Chelsea but is valued at between £51m-£60m, making him one of the most valuable sellable assets currently at the club.
Could Santos move to a Premier League rival this summer?
Santos offers a valuable midfield profile, both defensively disciplined and capable of progressing the ball, and it makes sense that he would be in high demand if made available by Chelsea this summer.
West Ham may view him as an upgrade on many of their current midfield options and he could form a formidable partnership with Mateus Fernandes, if the Hammers stay up and keep hold of the Portuguese. The 21-year-old pair could become a midfield staple at the London Stadium for years to come, alongside other options such as Freddie Potts, and allow the Hammers to enter a new era with an established young core.
At Old Trafford, meanwhile, midfield reinforcements are viewed as a summer priority and Santos has been a name frequently linked with the club as they aim to bring in at least two top-quality options in the middle of the park. Strength in depth will be a necessity if the Red Devils are to return to the Champions League and Santos could blend well with the likes of Kobbie Mainoo in the United engine room, though Casemiro is expected to move on. Whether Chelsea do ultimately sanction Santos’ departure to a Premier League rival this summer will be intriguing to see.