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West Ham United could sign Blackburn Rovers star Ben Brereton Diaz for a fee ‘in excess of £10m’, as reported by Graeme Bailey for 90min.

The Lowdown: Hammers make transfer plans…

The Hammers enjoyed one of their best transfer windows in history over the summer with some record-breaking spending. They completed deals for Alphonse Areola, Nayef Aguerd, Flynn Downes, Gianluca Scamacca, Maxwel Cornet, Thilo Kehrer, Emerson Palmieri and club-record signing Lucas Paqueta.

However, the Irons’ league position and goalscoring record is hardly a reflection of that outlay, with David Moyes’ side currently sitting 15th in the Premier League.

In addition, only Nottingham Forest, Wolves and Everton have scored fewer top-flight goals than the east Londoners in 2022/23, potentially forcing the club to ponder a mid-season return to the market.

The Latest: Bailey shares Brereton Diaz interest…

Taking to Twitter and sharing an article for 90min, Bailey has shared news on West Ham’s interest in Championship star Brereton Diaz.

The Chile international has continued his fine form from last season with 10 goal contributions in 20 second-tier starts this term (WhoScored), prompting interest from a host of top-flight clubs including the Irons.

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As per Bailey for 90min, West Ham are apparently eyeing a move for Brereton Diaz and have even sent scouts to watch him in action recently.

Bailey added on social media that Blackburn could be ‘swayed’ by a January offer ‘in excess of £10m’ for the forward despite the damage that it could inflict on their promotion chances.

The Verdict: Bargain?

Considering that Rovers reportedly valued the 23-year-old at around £30m earlier this year, a fee in excess of £10m could be seen as a real bargain.

His current deal at Ewood Park expires in 2023, meaning that West Ham could sign the free-scoring South American for a cut-price fee mid-season.

Still quite young, Brereton Diaz’s scintillating form has attracted praise from members of the press, some of whom have called him an ‘undoubted star’ of Rovers’ high-flying promotion chasers.

The sheer amount of clubs taking an interest in the Chile forward perhaps best sums up the player’s quality, and Moyes could land a real coup if he manages to beat off all the competition to his signature.

Manchester City have been backed to launch a transfer move for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham. 

The Lowdown: Man City’s track record

City have an impressive track record when it comes to winning the race for top up and coming English players, with the likes of Kalvin Phillips and Jack Grealish joining the club in recent years.

Now though, it appears that the Premier League champions have been touted to try and add another English talent to their ranks in the near future.

The Latest: Gundogan out, Bellingham in

Speaking to Football Insider, former Arsenal and Everton player, Kevin Campbell, had this to say on the matter.

“You have to guarantee Bellingham game time to get him. City may need to get one out. Guardiola is going to freshen up again next summer.

“It would be fair enough of City to let [Ilkay] Gundogan leave at the end of the season. It will free up a chunk of wages for them. They could go and buy somebody.

“Bellingham could be an option. Imagine Gundogan leaving and Bellingham replacing him. That is the way City do it. We know how they operate.”

The Verdict: A no-brainer for City

Not only do City have previous in terms of signing English players, the club have also had fairly recent dealings with Dortmund as they signed Erling Haaland and Manuel Akanji from the German side during the previous summer transfer window.

In terms of what Campbell had to say, the fact that Gundogan’s current contract at the Etihad Stadium is set to expire at the end of the season makes it easy to see why the pundit has suggested that Bellingham could be a potential replacement for the German.

Hailed as an “outstanding” player by Oliver Kahn, the 19-year-old has played every minute of Bundesliga action for his side this season and racked up more shots at goal (27), passes into the 18-yard box (17), blocks (18) and interceptions (16) than any other player at the club.

Despite having a rather hefty price tag of €150m (£128m), launching a move to sign the teenager could be a very smart long-term investment for the City hierarchy to make based on his age and clear talent.

Newcastle United have been hit with a major setback over the fitness of Swedish international Alexander Isak…

What’s the latest?

Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has confirmed that the striker is now set to be out until after the World Cup, which ends in December, due to injury.

Ahead of the club’s clash with Everton at St. James’ Park tonight, the journalist said on Twitter: 

“Big blow for Newcastle that Alexander Isak won’t play again until after the World Cup. Frustrating start for the Swede who’s only played three games since record-breaking arrival. Allan Saint-Maximin also misses visit of Everton tomorrow with hamstring set-back.”

Bad news

This news is rather bad news for the head coach and indeed the club, as losing Isak is a seismic blow for Newcastle heading into the next few weeks before the World Cup starts.

The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope had reported that the striker would miss three matches ahead of the club’s clash with Manchester United but the forward is now on course to be absent for seven games in all competitions – four more than initially predicted.

This comes after he had already been watching on from the sidelines for the wins over Fulham and Brentford, with his last appearance coming in the 1-1 draw with Bournemouth last month.

Isak had enjoyed a superb start to life at St. James’ Park, with two goals in his first three Premier League outings, and Howe will now not be able to benefit from the forward’s clinical finishing until the end of December, something that represents a hefty blow to their ambitions.

Callum Wilson has scored three goals in six games this season but his injury record does not make for great reading and there is a chance that he breaks down before the World Cup break, as he has missed 43 matches since joining the Toon in the summer of 2020.

The Magpies paid a club-record fee for Isak to sign him from Real Sociedad in the summer and this suggests that they felt like he would be a difference-maker for the team on the pitch, as they were willing to splash out such a large fee to acquire his services.

Instead of winning matches in the Premier League, the 23-year-old will now be watching on from the sidelines for the rest of the first half of the season. It is evidently a big setback for Newcastle.

Wolverhampton Wanderers look to have sold Helder Costa at the ideal time as the Angolan winger is now struggling in Saudi Arabia.

The Old Gold originally signed the 28-year-old winger from Benfica in a club-record deal in 2017, after he impressed in a loan spell at Molineux the season prior.

During his time with the club, Costa would make 109 appearances, contributing 19 goals and 19 assists, the majority of which came in the Championship as he struggled to adapt to the Premier League, where he scored just one goal in a Wolves shirt.

A £16m move to Leeds United would follow after a year-long loan spell at Elland Road and, considering his career since, the Midlands outfit did superbly well to receive such a fee for a winger who was inconsistent at the best of times.

Costa managed just eight goals and 11 assists in 71 appearances for the Whites and repeated his trick of struggling in the Premier League with the Yorkshire side, losing his place in Marcelo Bielsa’s side for the 2021/22 campaign.

He was sent on loan to Valencia where he failed to score in 27 appearances before agreeing on a loan deal with Al Ittihad this summer, where he will link up with former Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo.

After he joined Valencia, former Leeds man Noel Whelan summed up his time at Elland Road, and perhaps at Molineux as well.

He said:

“He’s got everything in his makeup. He’s got all the ability, the pace, the skill, but we just didn’t see it enough at Leeds.

“That inconsistency in his performances was frustrating for a lot of the fans because we know what he can do on his day.”

Since his summer switch, Costa has featured three times for the Saudi side, failing to score or assist in any of those appearances, which perhaps emphasises how far he has fallen since leaving Wolves.

While he was a good player for the Old Gold in the Championship, selling him for as much as £16m was excellent business by Wolves, as he clearly was never good enough to be a first-team regular in the top-flight, and his disappointing performances since leaving emphasise that.

West Ham United will ‘probably’ make two more signings along with Lucas Paqueta before the transfer window closes on Thursday night, according to transfer insider Dean Jones. 

The lowdown: Paqueta close

This comes as the Hammers get closer to the capture of Paqueta from Lyon, a deal that David Moyes himself discussed off the back of the 1-0 victory over Aston Villa this weekend.

The Scot confirmed that the move was close as the 24-year-old, described as an ‘exciting player’ by the Irons manager, prepares to undergo a medical before completing a £51m switch to the London Stadium (Sky Sports).

Despite the impending club-record transfer, one well-informed onlooker has suggested that there remains money in the GSB coffers for further incomings before Thursday’s deadline…

The latest: ‘Probably two more’

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones claimed that there are two more names in the mix to arrive at the London Stadium this week.

When asked about the possibility of further signings by West Ham before the transfer cut-off, the Eurosport journalist replied: “Probably two more. They’re going to ask about Vanaken and Gallagher.

“That gives you an idea of where we’re at and these are the key areas of the field that they’ve got to sort out in the coming days. They see it as realistic that three players will sign before the deadline.”

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The verdict: Fingers crossed

Signing Paqueta along with the two players mentioned by Jones would mark an exceptional end to what has already been a relatively successful window for the east Londoners.

Conor Gallagher made his mark in the Premier League last term, scoring eight goals on loan at Crystal Palace, while fellow Irons target Hans Vanaken went even better, netting 15 times in all competitions for Club Brugge.

Having perhaps run out of steam towards the final few weeks of a hectic 2021/22 campaign, squad depth is going to be more important than ever for the Hammers, who have Premier League, domestic cup and European challenges on the horizon once again this term.

If indeed Moyes and co can get deals over the line for Paqueta, along with Gallagher and Vanaken, then West Ham would be far better placed to at least replicate the tremendous showings they enjoyed domestically and in Europe last season.

ExWHUemployee has dropped an update on a West Ham United target that could delight David Moyes.

What’s the news?

Ex has dropped an update on West Ham target Matheus Nunes, writing on his Patreon that the “club are expected to follow up” on their talks with the Sporting Lisbon midfielder.

Portuguese newspaper Record claimed that West Ham made a bid of around £29.5m for the player, although he has a release clause of £51m.

With former target Amadou Onana joining Everton, it’s clear Moyes is still in the market for a quality midfielder.

Moyes aims to bolster his midfield options

With West Ham losing to Manchester City last weekend in their first Premier League match of the season, improvement will be required against tomorrow’s foes Nottingham Forest.

Moyes is currently operating with a paper-thin squad, hence the need for further reinforcements and Nunes could add some much-needed quality to their engine room.

Pep Guardiola referred to the Portuguese player as “one of the best players in the world” proving just how good he really is and a move to England would allow him to continue his development by playing at a higher level.

Nunes can offer both attacking and defensive qualities to the West Ham side. He ranks in the top 1% for assists and dribbles completed compared to positional peers in the top five leagues (0.35 per 90 and 3.19 per 90 respectively) over the last 365 days, showing that pushing forward and contributing to the attack is a key strength.

Defensively, Nunes won possession 0.6 times, won 55% of his total duels and was only dribbled past 0.7 times per game over his 33 Liga Portugal fixtures last season. These stats are better than Thomas Soucek’s, who won possession only 0.4 times, won 49% of his total duels and was dribbled past 1.1 times per match over his 35 outings in the Premier League last term.

Moyes will have to splash the cash to secure a move for Nunes, but these stats prove that not only will he slot straight into the first team, but he is also a better option than what the Scot currently has available to him at the minute – not to mention the fact that Guardiola believes the midfielder is one of the best in the world at present.

Celtic have been handed an injury boost ahead of their first away clash of the new Premiership season against Ross County on Saturday.

What’s the news?

In a recent post on Twitter, Sky Sports journalist Alison Conroy revealed that Hoops defender Carl Starfelt will be available to play at Dingwall following his recovery from an injury that he picked up over the summer.

Celtic signed the centre-back from Rubin Kazan last summer for a fee of £4m. His debut season at Parkhead saw the defender play a big role in seeing the Hoops secure the league title as he racked up more league minutes (3,015) than any other outfield player at the club.

In terms of his defensive output, the Sweden international ended the campaign with the second-highest number of interceptions (42) and successful tackles (30) at the club, along with the second-highest average for clearances per game (3.6)

Big boost for Postecoglou

His overall performances throughout the campaign earned him a solid season rating of 7.19/10 from WhoScored, making him the sixth-highest rated Celtic player currently at the club.

This shows just how important he is for the Hoops and why his return to fitness could provide a massive boost for the team and Ange Postecoglou.

Celtic’s opening match of the new campaign saw them secure a 2-0 win over Aberdeen, in which Stephen Welsh started next to Cameron Carter-Vickers in Starfelt’s absence.

Not only did the Scotsman help the Bhoys to keep a clean sheet by making two tackles and two clearances and winning six duels, he also scored his team’s first goal of the afternoon.

This could duly give Postecoglou a headache over whether or not he decides to give Starfelt his first appearance of the season against Ross County on Saturday or reward Welsh with another start after making such a big impression last weekend.

Either way, that the 27-year-old is now fully recovered from his injury will still be a huge positive for the club, especially with the number of games ahead of them across all competitions this term.

Irrespective of whoever Postecoglou decides to select at his starting centre-backs on Saturday, the main objective will undoubtedly still be to pick up another win, along with another clean sheet if possible.

Leeds United target Juan Mata is willing to lower his previous Manchester United wage in order to move to Yorkshire.

The Lowdown: Mata talks with Leeds

The Whites have been linked with a move for the 34-year-old in recent days, with the attacking midfielder now a free agent.

Reports have claimed that Victor Orta has contacted Mata’s father over a possible Elland Road deal, with negotiations slow but progressing ‘on track’.

Mata, who was described as a player with ‘class’ dress sense by former Old Trafford team-mate Scott McTominay, is also wanted by Real Betis, Marseille and an Italian club.

The Latest: Mata transfer update

Sport Witness relayed an update from Spanish outlet Marca regarding Mata.

They claimed that he is ‘studying’ the offers from both Leeds and Betis and ‘has made it clear to the clubs that have contacted him that he is willing to lower the amount he earned at Manchester United’ ahead of his next move.

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The Verdict: Experienced option

Leeds’ oldest signing this summer has been 25-year-old Marc Roca, so a swoop for 34-year-old Mata would be a bit of a surprise.

However, the Whites have limited options in behind the striker at this moment in time, so the latter could be a useful signing and a Pablo Hernandez-like mentor, especially with teams able to make five substitutions per game in the Premier League from next season.

Mata has plenty of experience at the top level so he would be able to help a number of young attackers, and with the player willing to lower his previous £160,000-a-week salary, a one- or two-year deal could be a smart move from Leeds.

Fabrizio Romano has relayed a big transfer update which will surely please Liverpool supporters.

What’s the word?

The journalist has communicated an update from Bayern Munich sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić regarding the future of Serge Gnabry, with the Bosnian seemingly hinting that the player’s future in Bavaria is far from secure.

Romano tweeted these quotes from Salihamidžić: “We really want to keep him. I hope that he chooses Bayern. If a player doesn’t want to decide for the club, then we can find a solution that makes everyone happy.”

The Germany international’s current contract expires in 2023 and Liverpool have held talks with the player’s representatives over signing the forward this summer. This update from Romano will duly hand a big boost to Klopp in his pursuit of the 26-year-old.

 Kopites will be buzzing

With Sadio Mane and Divock Origi having left the club and Takumi Minamino looking increasingly likely to join them in departing Liverpool, Klopp’s attack could do with a couple of new faces.

Gnabry has been outstanding during the previous few years at Bayern Munich, winning the treble of DFK-Pokal, Bundesliga and Champions League in 2020 as he scored 23 goals and added 14 assists in an incredible campaign.

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The 26-year-old is akin to Liverpool’s January signing Luis Diaz, according to FBRef’s similar player model; and if he could make the same impact that the Colombian has in a short space of time at Anfield, then Klopp may be onto another winner.

Both players reached double figures for league goals last season (18 for Diaz, 14 for Gnabry) as their respective teams enjoyed domestic success.

The two were constant threats to the opposition, with Gnabry averaging 4.37 shot-creating actions per match compared to 4.6 for Diaz; and with both players usually operating from wide areas, these returns are incredible, showing just how often they can cause damage to opponents.

With the Bayern Munich forward having a year left on his contract, the Bundesliga giants may be forced to accept a lower offer this summer as opposed to letting him leave for free in 2023, a situation which could leave Liverpool fans buzzing should the Merseyside club maintain an interest in him.

If Klopp can do a deal for Gnabry, it could be a shrewd move indeed as the Reds look to replace their departing forwards.

AND in other news, Klopp could land dream Mane heir with Liverpool bid for “world-class” £200k-p/w dynamo

Journalist Rudy Galetti of Sport Italia TV and Tribal Football has shared an exciting Manchester City transfer development involving Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips.

The Lowdown: City earmark Phillips…

Club legend Fernandinho has drawn the curtain on a glittering nine-year stay at Eastlands as manager Pep Guardiola targets possible midfield replacements.

The Brazilian will be remembered by Blues for his crucial contribution over City’s decade-long dominance of the Premier League and whoever comes in may have some big shoes to fill.

Guardiola and co, looking to build upon their dramatic final day title-win last season, have reportedly earmarked the possible signing of Phillips with things expected to develop in the coming weeks.

The Latest: Galetti shares exciting update…

According to reporter Galetti, sharing news on Twitter, talks are ‘progressing quickly’ to sign the 26-year-old with an ‘official offer’ set to be ‘presented soon’.

He explained:

“Next hours in Manchester, City side will be hot for Kalvin Phillips: the official offer to Leeds should be presented soon. As reported in preview in the last days, the negotiation is progressing quickly.”

The Verdict: Promising…

Valued at around £60 million and revered for some of his performances over the last year, we believe the dynamic England international could be an ideal heir to Fernandinho in front of City’s back four.

According to WhoScored, when fit and available, he averaged more successful tackles per 90 than any one in Guardiola’s squad over 21/22 with teammate Liam Cooper even branding Phillips one of the best in the world.

City’s interest is of no surprise ahead of what will be an interesting 2022/2023 campaign with the likes of Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez already arriving.

In other news: Man City now a ‘dream’ destination for very exciting defender…find out more here.