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Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has a "very good chance to stay" this summer as the club are yet to receive the amount that they want for him, according to transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Is Thomas Partey leaving Arsenal this summer?

It's been an outstanding transfer window for the red side of North London so far this summer as the club look to go one better than runners-up next season.

So far, the club have spent £65m on signing German international Kai Havertz from cross-city rivals Chelsea, £34m to secure the signature of Dutch defender Jurrien Timber from Ajax and a whopping £105m to finally lure Declan Rice from West Ham United – a new record for a British player.

In total, Mikel Arteta's side have spent around £204m on signings this summer. With the spending set to continue, current players are going to have to make way, with Ghanian international Partey looking, at one point, as if his time at the Emirates had come to an end.

At the end of June, it was reported by CBS Sports that the 30-year-old had garnered interest from three clubs in the Saudi Pro League, a report backed up by the Express' Ryan Taylor just two days later.

Despite all this interest from the Middle East, if Partey were to leave this summer, he has always favoured a move that keeps him in European football, with Juventus being his primary destination of choice, per CBS Sports.

That said, the Old Lady are reluctant to stump up the fee that Arsenal would want for their star player, and with that being the case, the club are more than happy to keep the 6-foot-1 titan for another season, per Fabrizio Romano.

He explained the situation on his YouTube channel, saying:

"They were open to letting him go, but only in case of a big proposal. At the moment, they have been approached by Saudi clubs but not reaching the €40m-€45m (£34m-£38m) they wanted for Thomas Partey and also Juventus three weeks ago asked for Thomas, but they don't want to pay that money."

"At the moment, the feeling internally at the club is that Thomas Partey has very good chances to stay at Arsenal and to continue at Arsenal because no one is putting on the table €40m to €45m.

"So very good chances for Thomas to stay and it means Arsenal have gone quiet on Romeo Lavia."

Who else has Arsenal been linked to this summer?

While the club have been focusing on big-money signings so far, Edu and Co look like they'll pull off their annual foray into the Brazilian league once again this year to sign the highly rated Gremio midfielder Bitello.

According to Italian publication TuttoMercato Web (via the Sun), the Gunners are set to complete the signing of the 23-year-old later this week for a fee of around £6.8m.

The 23-year-old has had a decent season so far this year, scoring seven goals and providing four assists in 36 matches for the Rei de Copas.

Another attacking player that has been touted for a move to Islington is Ajax's Mohammed Kudus, a versatile player who has filled in at striker, right-wing, attacking midfield and central midfield over recent seasons, and would add some extra bite to Arteta's midfield.

However, Edu should get a move on if he wants to land the Ghanaian international as reports suggest that Chelsea are also interested in Kudus and are currently slightly ahead in the race to sign him.

It looks like it's set to be another exhilarating year for Arsenal fans next season, and with Partey staying and the team getting stronger, they might just go one better than they did last year.

Tottenham Hotspur are plotting a move for another defender very soon, if reports are to be believed…

What's the latest on Edmond Tapsoba to Tottenham Hotspur?

The latest comes from transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, who took to Twitter to offer a short summation on Ange Postecoglou's pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen ace Edmond Tapsoba.

Regarding the north London outfit, he simply wrote: "Edmond Tapsoba, top of the list as talks will take place in the next days."

Given other reports are suggesting the German outfit will command a fee of around £61m, this could prove a lucrative move for the Lilywhites to make. However, if Daniel Levy is to truly back his new manager, these are the kinds of deals he must push through to progress his club back into the big time.

How good is Edmond Tapsoba?

Many will likely be aware of this towering Burkina Faso international for his work in Germany since his 2020 move. It has not taken long to establish himself as one of the Bundesliga's top centre-backs, with journalist Raphael Honigstein even writing: "Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba has been outstanding since arriving in late, late January. Meet Edmond Tapsoba, the Bundesliga’s new sensation."

The figures support the 6 foot 4 titan's prominence as a skilful modern-day defender, but he maintains the necessary defensive steel that could complement Cristian Romero well within a new-look system at Spurs.

In fact, when compared to others in his position across Europe, Tapsoba ranks in the top 5% for progressive passes and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90, with his potential new teammate also noted on his 'similar players' list.

The comparisons between the two as creative stars will likely please Postecoglou, whose whole philosophy is embroiled in playing out from the back with confidence.

To further emphasise this quality in possession, the defender actually admitted to modelling his game around John Stones, who has arguably redefined what it means to be a ball-playing defender.

Tapsoba told The Athletic: "John Stones, at Everton. I really enjoyed watching him, he made a huge impression on me. His manner on the ball, and the way he played with the ball. I loved that. I still go back to Stones when it comes to playing in a certain style."

Combining this fleet-footed philosophy with the steel of the World Cup winner could be a match made in heaven,

Whilst his 1.1 interceptions, 1.5 tackles and three clearances per game in the German league (via Sofascore) might not be the most exceptional, when accumulated alongside Romero's figures in these categories (1.6 tackles, 2.5 tackles, 3.6 clearances per game in the league), the two could blend well and cover each other's weaknesses.

It is therefore no surprise that Tapsoba remains so high on the list of the Spurs hierarchy, who would surely thrive with these two impressive, aggressive and technically proficient titans at the heart of their defence.

Chelsea "really, really like" AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan and are interested in bringing the player to the Premier League, but the deal itself is "really tough" to get done, claims journalist Ben Jacobs.

Chelsea transfer news – what's the latest on Mike Maignan?

The Blues have been having something of a fire sale in recent weeks, with players like N'Golo Kante and Kalidou Koulibaly joining the Saudi Pro League, whilst Mason Mount and Kai Havertz have moved to Manchester United and Arsenal, respectively.

Among the players bidding farewell to Stamford Bridge is Champions League-winning goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, who has also opted to join the Middle East's burgeoning super league, joining Al-Ahli.

That move has left Kepa Arrizablaga as the club's undisputed number one, but based on recent reports, it appears that the club does not have the most faith in the Spaniard.

According to the Telegraph, Chelsea are 'considering a move' for the French international, despite manager Mauricio Pochettino's 'willingness to start the season with Kepa.'

If the Blues are serious about securing the keeper's signature, they will have to stump up some serious cash, as transfers expert Fabrizio Romano revealed earlier this month that Milan have priced their player at over €55m.

What has journalist Ben Jacobs said about Mike Maignan to Chelsea?

Jacobs explained that the interest and admiration from the West London club is genuine.

Speaking to Football FanCast, he said: "Mike Maignan is someone that Chelsea really, really like, but it's a really tough deal to do with Milan."

Would Mike Maignan be a good signing for Chelsea?

While Kepa has certainly improved for Chelsea over the last 18 months, Maigan would be a brilliant signing for the Blues and a real step up in terms of quality.

According to WhoScored, Milan's shot-stopping extraordinaire had a brilliant season in Serie A last year, averaging a rating of 6.64 across his 22 games.

The Cayenne-born "monster" – as described by journalist Robin Bairner – looks even more impressive when you look at his underlying numbers.

According to FBref, who compare players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, the Frenchman is in the top 8% for saved penalty kicks, the top 11% for goals against, and the top 22% for clean.

If that wasn't enough FBref also considers both Alisson and Ederson to be within the five most similar goalkeepers to Maignan, hardly bad company to keep.

If Chelsea can, they certainly should get this deal done, even if AC Milan want a king's ransom.

Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo is 'available' for a transfer this summer following his return from a spell on loan at Bayern Munich, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Joao Cancelo?

Following concerns over his playing time last season, Cancelo was shipped out to Bayern Munich on loan and the German giants had the option to make the deal permanent for over £61 million, as per Sky Sports.

In his time at the Allianz Arena, Cancelo helped Bayern Munich to narrowly seal Bundesliga glory, registering one goal and six assists in 21 appearances, as shown on Transfermarkt.

German outlet Kicker report that Arsenal are keen on Cancelo amid uncertainty over his future at the Etihad, with RB Leipzig defender Benjamin Henrichs and Galatasaray's Sacha Boey also being monitored by the north Londoners this window.

Manchester City would demand a significant fee for Cancelo, who still has four years remaining on his contract at the club. Bayern Munich passed on the chance to sign the Portugal international, which may pave the way for the Gunners to firm up their interest in the coming weeks.

One outlet in Spain claim that Barcelona are also keeping an eye on Cancelo's situation and could initiate a loan bid to try and secure his signature.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones has indicated that Manchester City would be open to letting Cancelo move on this off-season.

Jones stated: "Cancelo is available. There has been no obvious change in that and he can leave. We can see Kyle Walker has been talked about leaving too. They're kind of open to even that happening, so Cancelo definitely could leave."

Who could replace Joao Cancelo at Manchester City?

Manchester City have been linked with potential targets to replace Cancelo this summer in the event he completes a transfer elsewhere in the duration of the window.

As per Football Insider, the Citizens hold a 'strong interest' in Paris Saint-Germain full-back Achraf Hakimi and he 'features highly' on a list of targets that Guardiola could target to bolster the ranks in defence.

In all likelihood, Manchester City will need to fork out a large sum of money to hold any hope of capturing Hakimi, though the outlet claim that they are 'ready to pay' for the Morocco international.

Veteran defender Kyle Walker could also make way for fresh blood amid interest from Bayern Munich; nevertheless, Manchester City are prepared to offer the 33-year-old a two-year contract extension to tie him down in the North West, according to Telegraph Sport.

The former Tottenham Hotspur full-back has a big decision to make surrounding his future, which previously looked to be doubtful earlier this year.

Of course, Manchester City could promote from within to replace Cancelo and there would be no better candidate on the books at the club already to step into his shoes than youngster Rico Lewis, who made 23 senior appearances for his boyhood club last season, scoring once, as per Transfermarkt.

Despite his supreme level of talent, Cancelo looks like he has run his race at Manchester City and is likely to depart for a new challenge should appropriate opportunities arise for him.

Manchester United are arguably on the verge of crisis mode in the Premier League, having lost three of their opening five games, including their most recent defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion at Old Trafford.

Off-field issues, which resulted in Jadon Sancho's exile, combined with injuries to key players such as Luke Shaw, have only added to Erik ten Hag's issues, too, culminating in an opening period to forget for the Red Devils.

There's no doubt that those in Manchester will already be keeping a keen eye on January reinforcements, but they must also be aware of the fact that their form could easily drive current players away.

With that said, reports suggest that Bayern Munich are still interested in one particular academy graduate at Manchester United, with a January move possible.

What's the latest Manchester United transfer news?

On paper, United spent well in the summer transfer window, welcoming the likes of Andre Onana, Mason Mount, and Rasmus Hojlund. On the pitch, however, that business is yet to make a positive impact, and United have looked worse than they have for a long time under Ten Hag.

Even in the two victories that they have picked up, the Red Devils looked a shadow of the side that finished third and won the Carabao Cup last season, with narrow results over Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers their only positive points in the current campaign.

Their form could result in exits, including from academy graduate Scott McTominay. According to The Mirror, Bayern Munich are interested in signing the midfielder, should they fail to sign Joao Palhinha at the second time of asking in January. McTominay is reportedly high up on Thomas Tuchel's wanted list.

The Scotland international has fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford, of course, following the arrival of Sofyan Amrabat, and may get the chance at a big move to the Bundesliga when the winter transfer window comes around.

Should Manchester United sell Scott McTominay?

With McTominay sitting lower than ever in Ten Hag's list of preferred options, an exit suits all parties, particularly if it is out of the Premier League and to Bayern Munich.

The Bundesliga champions may well get a close-up look at the midfielder if he plays in Manchester United's opening game in Group A of the Champions League at the Allianz Arena in mid-week. If McTominay does feature, and impresses, then January will become even more interesting.

When at his best, the 26-year-old has earned plenty of praise, including from Liverpool and Scotland left-back Andy Robertson, who told the official Liverpool website, via Manchester United's official website: "There was a wee bit of banter with Scott McTominay during the Scotland duty, just a wee bit, not much, honest!

“I thought Scotty was fantastic for us against San Marino, to be honest. And he’s been excellent all season in a United team that has had its critics. I think he’s carried himself very well. I’ll be looking forward to facing him on Sunday. Obviously, I hope to come out on top.”

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery will be aiming to end the transfer window on a high by adding another couple of players to a squad which is brimming with talent.

The Spaniard has lured Moussa Diaby, Pau Torres and Youri Tielemans to Villa Park, despite the demand from much bigger teams and with Europa Conference League football to look forward to, it’s an exciting time for the supporters.

Emery isn’t resting on his laurels however as he could potentially make a swoop for Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho before the window closes.

Could Aston Villa sign Jadon Sancho?

According to Caught Offside, Villa are considering a late approach to capture the Englishman in the last few weeks of the transfer window.

There are other Premier League teams interested in the former Borussia Dortmund starlet however, including teams from abroad and this could give Emery some food for thought regarding a potential move.

Read the latest Aston Villa transfer news HERE…

Sancho cost United a staggering £73m in 2021 after shining in the Bundesliga for Dortmund, yet he has struggled to replicate that form for the Old Trafford side.

Erik ten Hag is reportedly open to letting him go, so long as a realistic offer is made and this could tempt Emery into testing the water with a bid.

What has happened to Jadon Sancho?

The 23-year-old emerged as one of the finest talents on the continent during his stint in Germany, registering an impressive 114 goal contributions – 50 goals and 64 assists – across just 137 games and upon moving to the Red Devils, it looked as though he would just get better.

The move hasn’t worked out as he scored just five goals during his first season and last term was plagued with a variety of issues. He missed the 2022 World Cup due to fitness and form concerns before missing a large chunk of club football.

Sancho didn’t make an appearance for United between October and January and it looks as though his days are numbered.

Emery could reignite the winger however, bringing him to an environment where there is considerably less pressure, forming a dangerous attacking duo alongside Diaby.

Like Sancho, the Frenchman saw the Bundesliga as his playground, scoring and grabbing assists for fun during his spell at Bayer Leverkusen, and he could take the Premier League by storm.

The former Paris Saint-Germain starlet ranked second across the squad for overall Sofascore rating while finishing top of the pile for goals and assists (17), big chances created (14) and third for successful dribbles per game (1.5).

These are impressive figures and the onus will be on him to shine in England. Sancho – lauded as a “phenomenon” by talent scout Jacek Kulig in 2021 – did rank fifth across the United squad for big chances created (six) and second for key passes per game (1.7), suggesting that even though he missed large chunks of action, he still contributed well.

The £350k-per-week dynamo may not have endured the greatest of times at Old Trafford, yet a change of scenery may just be the catalyst for him to return to his spellbinding best.

With Diaby prowling on the right wing, Sancho could add goals and assists from the left flank and Emery could have two genuinely world-class players supporting Ollie Watkins should he get his way in the next few weeks.

Chelsea and Luton Town have been playing one another on and off for almost 100 years, with the first match taking place back in January 1927. Football FanCast has everything you need to know about this fixture before the Blues host the Hatters tonight in what will be the first time the two sides clash in the Premier League.

While it's still far too early to make any wild assumptions about form going into this weekend's round of fixtures, things are looking much less rosy in West London compared to this time last week. Chelsea followed up their brilliant opening day performance against Liverpool with a tepid 3-1 defeat to West Ham United, a game that saw record-breaking Moises Caicedo concede a penalty on debut.

Things don't look much better for Luton, either. In their first-ever Premier League game, the Hatters fell to a 4-1 away defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion. That said, there were glimpses of quality from the league's new boys, but not enough to salvage anything from the match. Their second game – a home tie against Burnley – had to be postponed as Kenilworth Road still requires work to reach League standards.

Chelsea vs Luton Town: After previous matches, what's their head-to-head record?

Chelsea and Luton have met 44 times in all competitions since that first meeting almost a century ago, and unsurprisingly, the Blues have come out on top more often than not. Although, it's closer than most might assume, due in part to many of their clashes coming well before Chelsea's takeover in 2004.

In all, the West Londoners have won almost half of their encounters with the Hatters, while Luton have only just edged out the number of draws.

Chelsea wins: 19 Draws: 12 Luton Town wins: 13 Chelsea vs Luton Town: What's their record at Stamford Bridge?

When it comes to games in the West End, it's clearly advantage Chelsea. The Blues have hosted Luton 22 times at the Bridge and come out as victors over half the time, with 12 wins under their belt.

On the other hand, Luton have quite the miserable record away from home, having won just four times when making the trip to Chelsea, coming away with a single point six times.

Chelsea wins: 12 Draws: 6 Luton Town wins: 4 Chelsea vs Luton Town: What's their record at Kenilworth Road?

Home advantage evidently means something to Luton. In their 21 home matches against Chelsea, the Hatters have come out as victors in almost half of them, while the West Londoners have only managed to win as many games as they have drawn when journeying to Bedfordshire.

With the Premier League full of modern, spacious and state-of-the-art stadia, can Luton utilise Kenilworth Road's old-school and claustrophobic nature to get something out of the reverse fixture later in the season?

Chelsea wins: 6 Draws: 6 Luton Town wins: 9 Chelsea vs Luton Town: What's their record at neutral grounds?

Chelsea and Luton have only met once at a neutral ground, with the majority of their clashes coming in either the league or early rounds of the FA Cup, but this wasn't the case in April 1994 when the pair met at the Old Wembley for an FA Cup Semi-Final.

The Blues were hoping to reach a first FA Cup final since they had last won the competition in 1970. For Luton, it was the opportunity to make a second cup final appearance since their defeat in the 1959 final at the hands of Nottingham Forest.

Ultimately, the West Londoners won out in the end thanks to a brace from Gavin Peacock that saw him score in both halves to deny Luton Town.

Chelsea wins: 1 Draws: 0 Luton Town wins: 0 Chelsea vs Luton Town: What's their First Division record?

With the Premier League coming into being at the start of the 1992/93 season, Luton Town have actually never played in the competition, having been relegated from the old First Division in the 1991/92 season.

That said, the two clubs have faced off against one another plenty of times in England's top flight over the years, and whilst Chelsea have been the more dominant side overall, the Hatters have given a good account of themselves.

Chelsea have won just under half of the side's clashes in the First Division, with Luton picking up a win in less than a third of their games.

Chelsea wins: 12 Draws: 7 Luton Town wins: 7 Chelsea vs Luton Town: What's their Second Division record?

While the sides have played one another 26 times in England's top flight since 1927, they have also clashed 12 times in the country's second tier, with the most recent example of this coming in May 1982, with Luton winning 2-1.

In fact, the Hatters were the more dominant side when it came to playing in the second tier. In their 12 matches, the Bedfordshire side won five times, while Chelsea only won on three occasions, with the other four games ending in a tie.

Chelsea wins: 3 Draws: 4 Luton Town wins: 5 Chelsea vs Luton Town: Which team has the most goals?

With the fixture generally going the way of Chelsea more often than not, it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise to hear that they have also outscored their new Premier League rivals over their shared history.

In all competitions, the Pensioners have found the back of the net 73 times when playing against the Hatters. On the other hand, Luton have only been able to respond with 57 goals of their own. That said, there isn't a huge disparity there, and again shows that whilst Chelsea have had the edge in this fixture, it hasn't been totally one-sided throughout.

Chelsea goals: 73 Luton Town goals: 57 Chelsea vs Luton Town: What is Luton Town's biggest win?

Despite losing more games against Chelsea than they have won, Luton have enjoyed some significant wins over their West London opponents over the years, with the biggest coming in December 1976, when the Hatters put four past them to no reply in the old Second Division.

It was a bitterly cold winter's day with snow completely covering the pitch, but with 17,000 fans in the stands, the game kicked off. Lil Fuccillo – now chief scout of Crawley Town – opened the scoring for Luton, with Brian Chambers adding another before 12 minutes had even been played.

Another one from Jimmy Husband and a penalty from Steve Buckley gave the home side the victory.

Chelsea vs Luton Town: What is Chelsea's biggest win?

When it comes to Chelsea's biggest victory over their Bedfordshire opponents, two games share that accolade, and both are again 4-0 scorelines. The first instance came in the very first meeting between the two teams in the 1927 edition of the FA Cup.

The match was held at Stamford Bridge, and as the scoreline suggests, it was a totally one-sided affair. It was 27 year old forward Albert Thain who opened the scoring for the hosts before grabbing another not long after that. It was then the turn of 32 year old Robert Hamilton Turnbull to grab a brace of his own to take the game away from Luton entirely.

The same scoreline would once again emerge from the team's clash at Kenilworth Road exactly 30 years later, in what was the old First Division at the time. Once again, two braces won Chelsea the game, this time with Jim Lewis grabbing two before Ron Tindall did the same.

Chelsea vs Luton Town: What are the recent results?

Across the last five fixtures, it has been pretty much all Chelsea. The most recent match – an FA Cup tie in March 2022 – ended 3-2 to the visiting Blues, thanks to goals from Saul Niguez, Timo Werner, and Romelu Lukaku, all players that have either left the Bridge or have been frozen out.

The game before that – in January 2021 – was another FA Cup match in which the Pensioners emerged as the victors thanks to a hattrick from Cobham graduate Tammy Abraham. However, the three games prior to that one all took place in the early 1990s, and so there isn't a lot we can go off to predict how the two teams will fair this weekend.

Chelsea vs Luton Town: When is it?

Chelsea host the Premier League debutantes tonight, Friday 25th August at 8pm British Summer Time, and while it isn't one of the league's most illustrious fixtures, it could well be a cracker.

Both sides have an enormous amount to play for this year, and with Chelsea's miserable showing against West Ham last week, the Hatters might be able to spring an upset and put more pressure on Mauricio Pochettino before his tenure truly gets underway.

There is also the chance that the Argentine could give new £115m man Caicedo his full debut on Friday night, and after his personal contribution to the defeat against the Irons, he'll want to lay down a marker as well.

Rob Edwards will also have a new signing of his own, as Ross Barkley could be given his debut against his former club, having joined the side on a one-year deal just a couple of weeks ago.

Chelsea could finally rekindle some of their former verve as the west London outfit prepares to take on relegation-threatened Leeds United at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League this afternoon, and both sides will be eyeing all three points.

The mid-table Blues have fallen by the wayside this season, with manager Graham Potter boasting just two victories from the past 15 outings across all competitions, and the previous home encounter resulted in a chastening defeat to bottom club Southampton.

The Whites, in retrospect, defeated Saints in their previous divisional outing before falling to high-flying Fulham in the FA Cup, and new boss Javi Gracia will be quietly confident that the Yorkshire outfit can pull off a major upset to calm the roiling waters of their turbulent campaign.

With further woes eradicating all chance of a late surge for Champions League qualification, the Blues must now rally together, though they will have to complete the feat without Thiago Silva, who has been ruled out for six weeks with a knee injury.

Cobham graduates Reece James and Mason Mount are both nursing respective problems and might not feature, but Potter can take solace in welcoming back assiduous midfielder Mateo Kovacic to the fray.

What could Chelsea look like against Leeds?

Considering this, here is the line-up that Football FanCast predicts Chelsea will field against United, with three changes expected from the starting eleven that fell to defeat against London rivals Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.

4-3-3 – (GK) Kepa; (RB) James, (CB) Fofana, (CB) Koulibaly, (LB) Chilwell; (CM) Loftus-Cheek, (CM) Fernandez; (RW) Madueke, (AM) Felix, (LW) Mudryk; (ST) Havertz. 

The injury to Silva could warrant the inclusion of £75m titan, Wesley Fofana, while the Stamford Bridge faithful will be hopeful that James can overcome his issue with stalwart Cesar Azpilicueta still out due to concussion protocols.

As for the midfield, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and British record £107m signing Enzo Fernandez will continue to nurture their central partnership, with the respective skillsets already looking promising.

The “dream” Hakim Ziyech – as dubbed by Frank Khalid – will return to the bench, having featured prominently over the past few weeks. Replacing the Moroccan, Noni Madueke’s pace and directness could pay dividends against a robust Leeds defence; winter arrival Mykhaylo Mudryk could be offered a starting berth having yet to score or assist from six outings for the Blues.

Up front, Kai Havertz will continue to offer his dynamic abilities, although he will be hoping to score after netting just six times from 32 appearances across all competitions this season.

West Ham United have rightly prioritised signing a holding midfielder to replace Declan Rice this summer, but the need for a new striker is surely very high on David Moyes' list of targets.

Who are West Ham interested in signing?

Denis Zakaria appears to be on his way to the London Stadium from Juventus – offsetting the £105m departure of Rice to Arsenal – as does Real Betis centre-back Luiz Felipe.

In terms of attacking players, though, options appear to be few and far between as far as West Ham are concerned. United appear to have missed out to Newcastle United over the signing of Harvey Barnes from Leicester City, whilst links with the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Matheus Franca have gone quiet.

However, according to Football Insider, Moyes is pushing hard for West Ham to sign Strasbourg striker Habib Diallo.

The report suggests that Brentford are also showing a strong interest, with Thomas Frank's side on the lookout for a striker to fill in – and possibly then play alongside – Ivan Toney during his spell in the stands for breaching the FA's betting rules.

Who is Strasbourg striker Habib Diallo?

Diallo is a man in demand after scoring 20 goals in 37 Ligue 1 appearances last season, making him the sixth-highest scoring player in the French top flight, with Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe (29) leading the way.

The 28-year-old was responsible for 39% of all of Strasbourg's Ligue 1 goals last season, as per WhoScored – only Alexandre Lacazette (42%) and Folarin Balogun (47%), for Lyon and Reims respectively, were more relied upon by their teams.

According to FBref's player comparison tool, Diallo's statistical profile is very similar to that of Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic – a player West Ham would no doubt love to have up top next season.

Indeed, the pair scored at the exact same rate of 0.63 league goals per 90 minutes last season – Diallo in Ligue 1 and Mitrovic in the Premier League – while both chipped in with one assist each.

Diallo found the target from more of his shots (40% compared to 31.8% for Mitrovic), though there was very little between them in terms of aerial duels won (46.1% for Diallo, 48.8% for Mitrovic).

Indeed, FBref ranks Diallo in the top 11% of all forwards across Europe's top five leagues for aerial duels won last season (4.22 per 90 minutes), while he is in the top 17% in terms of non-penalty goals scored (0.53 per 90).

To put that in some perspective, Gianluca Scamacca – the flop striker that Diallo would effectively be signed to replace at West Ham – ranked in the bottom 41% in both metrics with 1.65 and 0.29 respectively.

Thought to be available for around £20m this summer, West Ham could bring in a player who boasts similar qualities to Mitrovic – and is therefore a huge upgrade on what they have.

Recently described as a "reliable" striker by Strasbourg head coach Frederic Antonetti, moving for Diallo seems a no-brainer as far as the Irons are concerned.

Newcastle United are now interested in signing Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Jesper Lindstrom, but they will have to battle the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal for his signature, according to recent reports from Denmark.

What's the latest Newcastle transfer news?

There have been suggestions that Newcastle have made contact with Galatasaray over a move for Nicolo Zaniolo, as a result of the "excellent impact" he made for the Turkish club after arriving in January, but they have no interest in selling him this summer.

That has not deterred the Magpies, however, as they are expected to make an official offer this week, with Zaniolo emerging as one of their key midfield targets, but they do have a few other options in mind, including Flamengo youngster Victor Hugo.

Eddie Howe's side have "decided" to make a bid of around €24m (£21m) for the 19-year-old, having closely monitored him for some time now, and the Brazilian club will have to be prepared for an "astronomical proposal" this summer.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

There are no other clubs named as potential suitors for Hugo, but Newcastle are set to face a lot of competition in their pursuit of Lindstrom, with Ekstra Bladet, via Sport Witness, recently detailing that a whole host of clubs are vying for the Frankfurt star's signature.

Alongside the Magpies, Tottenham Hotspur, RB Leipzig, Inter Milan and Napoli are all interested in the 23-year-old, who could be on the move this summer, with his current club said to be planning for a sale.

Frankfurt would find it hard to say no to a good offer, and if an auction breaks out, the fee could rise as high as €55m (£47m), although he is valued at around €35m – €40m (£30m – £34m). At the moment, Arsenal, Liverpool and Juventus are the clubs that have taken the most concrete steps, having "already been in contact" with the Bundesliga club to discuss a deal.

How good is Jesper Lindstrom?

Football writer Seb Stafford-Bloor has praised the attacking midfielder on a number of occasions, describing him as "fun to watch", before recently adding:

"Jesper Lindstrom is a fascinating player. Really talented and unusual, but also hard to define."

Having arrived in the Bundesliga from Brondby ahead of the 2021-22 campaign, it was always going to take the Dane some time to adapt, but teammate Kevin Trapp believes he has already come on leaps and bounds since his arrival:

"Jesper is very young and came from a different league. The Bundesliga is a tougher league than the Danish league, you have to get used to it. It’s normal, and everyone in the club and the team knows that. Jesper has already made significant steps forward… you can see that he's an outstanding footballer and has very good technique."

Of course, a move to the Premier League would be another step up for the maestro, but he has proven he may be up to the task, having scored seven league goals last season, the third-highest amount in the squad. If Newcastle are able to sign Lindstrom for a fee close to his valuation of around £30m, he could be a quality addition, but it may be difficult to win the race for his signature, given the level of interest.