Fulham have now opened talks to sign a “spectacular” U21 European Championships star, having expressed a concrete interest in securing his signature, according to a report from Sky Sports.
Cottagers set sights on U21 Euros star
Several players put themselves in the shop window courtesy of their performances at the recent U21 Euros, with former Fulham man Harvey Elliott playing a vital role in England’s triumph, picking up five goals throughout the tournament.
The Cottagers have expressed an interest in signing Elliott in the past, and the midfielder’s recent performances are only likely to have driven up his value, with Liverpool now thought to be holding out for a fee of £40m.
However, the Liverpool ace was not the only midfielder who excelled at the tournament, with a report revealing Marco Silva’s side have now taken steps towards securing the signature of a different midfielder…
Leeds leading Fulham in race to sign £8.5m defender alongside Bornauw
Leeds United are now in a race to sign a defender who has been impressing in Germany.
ByBrett Worthington Jul 1, 2025
According to Sky Sports (via Sport Witness), Fulham have now expressed a concrete interest in signing Borussia Monchengladbach’s Rocco Reitz, submitting an enquiry over a potential summer deal.
Reitz has a £17m release clause which becomes active next summer, and he is attracting widespread interest from within the Premier League, with West Ham United thought to be leading the race for his signature.
Monchengladbach are worried by the interest in one of their key players, with the German club determined to retain his services, but the fact the midfielder is set to be available for £17m next year could lead them to auctioning him off this summer.
"Spectacular" Reitz impressing for Germany U21s
Germany ultimately came up short in the U21 Euros final, with England prevailing 3-2 after Jonathan Rowe’s extra-time winner, but Reitz impressed throughout the tournament, being singled out for high praise from football talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Fellow scout Antonio Mango has lauded the maestro as “spectacular” in the past, and he has proven himself to be exceptional at winning back possession, ranking in the top 1% for interceptions per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.
Germany'sRoccoReitzand Germany's Eric Martel look dejected after the match
After losing Joao Palhinha last summer, Fulham brought in Sander Berge, but there are signs the Mönchengladbach midfielder could be more of a like-for-like replacement for the Portugal international, considering his defensive qualities.
As such, Reitz could be a shrewd acquisition for Silva this summer, and the manager will be hoping that Fulham finishing higher than West Ham last season will give them the edge over their Premier League rivals in negotiations.
Temba Bavuma, the former South Africa T20I captain, has not been retained
ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jul-2024 • Updated on 01-Aug-2024Sunrisers Eastern Cape, the defending SA20 champions, have signed South Africa batter David Bedingham, England opener Zak Crawley, fast bowler Craig Overton, and Netherlands allrounder Roelof van der Merwe for the upcoming season.Bedingham is one of the newer faces in the South African team having made his debut in December 2023. He struck a half-century in his first innings for his country and has since become a first-choice pick in Test cricket. Bedingham chose chose the longer format over the SA20 earlier this year, and went on a tour of New Zealand with a second-string side. He has played 63 T20s, scoring 1375 runs at an average of 22.17 and a strike rate of 135.06.For Crawley, it will be his first stint in the SA20, though he has previous experience in T20 leagues, having played for Hobart Hurricanes and Perth Scorchers in the BBL, Kent in the T20 Blast and London Spirit in the Hundred. He is yet to make his debut for England in the shortest format – and has only eight ODIs under his belt – but is very much a mainstay of their Test team where he opens the batting and is known for his expansive strokeplay and high strike rate. Crawley has 1771 runs across 76 T20s at a strike rate of 134.77.”I’ve always wanted to be a good white-ball player,” Crawley said. “I’m trying to add a few other shots to my game, but I feel like it’s quite suited [to me] and I’ve gone well in T20 cricket in the past when I’ve had a run at it. I’m trying to add a bit more power to my game, I’m working hard in the nets trying a few different things to hopefully hit more and bigger sixes.”As ESPNcricinfo reported last week, Crawley and England are in the midst of a cramped cricket calendar, with the men’s team scheduled to play 16 series over the next two years, including the 2025 Champions Trophy. England, however, have a competitive advantage over most of their rivals in that the majority of franchise T20 leagues take place during their off-season, allowing players the opportunity both to develop and to earn without restriction.Sunrisers have also brought back van der Merwe, who was previously with the franchise during the first season of the SA20 in 2022-23. The left-arm spinning allrounder was the joint leading wicket-taker with 20 that year, while boasting an economy of just 5.62. He was particularly influential in the final at the Wanderers, where he claimed 4 for 31 against the Pretoria Capitals, to win the Player-of-the-Match award. He also boasts the best ever figures in SA20 history – 6 for 20 against Durban’s Super Giants in Gqeberha.The SA20 will represent Overton’s first foray into an overseas T20 league. The 30-year old fast bowler has 102 matches’ worth of experience but all of them have been at home in England. Overton has picked up 106 wickets in T20s at an average of 26.21 and an economy rate of 8.56.Sunrisers also retained captain Aiden Markram, Ottniel Baartman, Marco Jansen and Tristan Stubbs among a list of 12. Temba Bavuma, former T20 captain who missed out on the 2024 World Cup squad, and Sisanda Magala, the death-bowling specialist who has struggled with injury since withdrawing from the 2023 World Cup squad, have not been retained.*Sunrisers Eastern Cape squad Retained: Aiden Markram (captain), Ottniel Baartman, Marco Jansen, Tristan Stubbs, Tom Abell (overseas, England), Jordan Hermann, Patrick Kruger, Beyers Swanepoel, Simon Harmer, Liam Dawson (overseas, England), Caleb Seleka, Andile Simelane. Pre-signed: Roelof van der Merwe (Netherlands), Craig Overton (England), Zak Crawley (England).*
Nottingham Forest have “sealed” the signings of two players from the same club, according to an exciting new update from journalist Fabrizio Romano.
Nottingham Forest raid South America in transfer market
After a fantastic 2024/25 season in the Premier League, in which the Reds exceeded all expectations and finished seventh in the table, it’s now a case of building on that success and making Nuno Espirito Santo’s squad even stronger moving forward.
Further signings will be needed, albeit ensuring they keep in line with financial rules at the same time, and Cruzeiro striker Kaio Jorge has been linked with a summer move to the City Ground. The Brazilian has scored 17 goals in 41 appearances for his current club, highlighting the quality he could bring to Forest in the final third.
Nottingham Forest managerNunoEspirito Santo is seen before the match
Another South American attacker, Goztepe’s Romulo Cardoso, has also been mentioned as a possible addition for the Reds before next season gets underway, with the club seemingly feeling that added firepower is needed, especially if Chris Wood fails to hit the same level as he did last term.
The summer transfer window may still be in its infancy this year, but Forest are already acting fast, with two different players now reportedly all but confirmed as new additions.
Nottingham Forest seal double signing
According to a key update from the renowned Romano on X, Nottingham Forest have “sealed” the double summer signing of Botafogo pair Igor Jesus and Jair Cunha.
Reds supporters will no doubt be buoyed by this news, with Nuno being backed in the transfer market by owner Evangelos Marinakis and being handed a couple of exciting signings in very different positions.
Nottingham Forest now rivalling Chelsea to sign "complete" £25m midfielder
He’s a wanted man…
By
Tom Cunningham
Jun 20, 2025
Jesus could be a fantastic addition to Forest’s attack, having scored one in four caps for Brazil and netted 43 times in 88 appearances for Saudi side Shabab Al-Ahli, also being described as a “special talent” by Bleacher Report.
Igor Jesus’ key career stats
Appearances
Goals
Brazil
4
1
Shabab Al-Ahli
88
43
Botafogo
57
17
Coritiba FC
49
5
Meanwhile, Cunha is an exciting young centre-back with a bright future in the game, with scout Jacek Kulig describing the 20-year-old as an “intriguing” player who can become “top-class” in the future.
This business immediately strengthens Forest at both ends of the pitch, with Jesus and Cunha representing long-term signings who could mature into massive players at the City Ground as the year pass.
If there is one thing Arsenal need to add to their squad ahead of next season, it’s goals.
Despite coming second in the Premier League, Mikel Arteta’s side scored 17 goals fewer than champions Liverpool and three fewer than third-placed Manchester City.
Fortunately, the club appear keen to address the problem this summer, as over the last few weeks, and particularly the last seven days, the Gunners have been linked with a host of incredible attacking talents.
Arsenal manager MikelArteta
One of those who has been heavily touted for a move to the Emirates for some time now is Benjamin Sesko, and while he would be a great addition to the team, another, potentially better signing has now been linked with the North Londoners.
Arsenal target attacking superstar
With the Gunners clearly lacking something in attacking areas compared to their competitors, it’s not been much of a surprise to see the club being linked with several brilliant goalscoring players in recent weeks, like Eberechi Eze and the aforementioned Sesko.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The former has a release clause worth around £68m in his current deal, and while that’s no small fee, it feels about right for a 27-year-old Premier League-proven England international, who scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists in 43 games this season.
The latter could end up costing the North Londoners around £70m this summer, and like the Crystal Palace star, he enjoyed a strong campaign this season, scoring 21 goals and providing six assists in 45 appearances for RB Leipzig.
However, while the Slovenian international would be a good signing for Arteta and Co, another, even more exciting player has now been linked with the club: Morgan Rogers.
Yes, according to a recent report from The Athletic, Arsenal remain interested in the Aston Villa star and are currently ‘exploring’ a deal for him.
A potential price for the England international is not mentioned in the story, but according to stories from late last week, he could be available for around £70m this summer.
It might be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line for Arsenal, but Rogers has shown he’d be worth the effort, and we even think he’d be a more exciting signing than Sesko.
Why Rogers would be a better signing than Sesko
The first reason why Rogers could end up being a better signing for Arsenal than Sesko is that, although he’s also just 22 years old, he has already proven himself in the Premier League.
Morgan Rogers
If the Gunners were fighting for a top-four finish, or even heading into their first title race, then perhaps signing a young and relatively unproven striker wouldn’t be such a concern.
However, that’s not the situation they find themselves in; instead, they need someone who can help them win something as soon as possible, which might not be possible if the Leipzig star needs half a year to settle in.
Moreover, while the Slovenian poacher could help solve Arteta’s centre-forward problem, that’s all he could help with.
In contrast, the “superb” Villa star, as dubbed by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, is more than comfortable playing off either wing and in attacking midfield, which could provide the manager with so many tactical options.
Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers in action with Brighton & Hove Albion'sIgorJulio
Finally, when we take a look under the hood at the pair’s underlying numbers from this past season, it becomes even clearer that the former Manchester City youth product is the far more complete player.
For example, the 22-year-old “machine,” as dubbed by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, comes out on top in purely offensive metrics, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists and key passes, as well as some defensive ones, including tackles won and blocks, all per 90.
Rogers vs Sesko
Statistics
Rogers
Sesko
Non-Penalty Expected G+As
0.42
0.40
Progressive Passes
3.55
1.74
Progressive Passes Received
5.43
5.34
Progressive Carries
3.29
1.78
Expected Assists
0.15
0.06
Key Passes
1.47
0.72
Passes into the Final Third
2.11
0.95
Passes into the Penalty Area
1.62
0.34
Shot-Creating Actions
3.04
1.93
Goal-Creating Actions
0.46
0.34
Tackles Won
0.64
0.11
Blocks
0.75
0.57
Interceptions
0.17
0.19
Carries into the Final Third
1.97
1.10
Carries into the Penalty Area
0.95
0.53
All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 League Season
This demonstrates that, across the board, the Englishman could and almost certainly would contribute far more to the Gunners next season.
Therefore, while Arsenal should be looking to sign both Rogers and Sesko this summer, the former would undoubtedly be the better buy.
A big upgrade on Eze: Arsenal discussing move to sign £80m "nightmare"
The international attacker would be brilliant for Arsenal.
Sri Lanka 94 for 0 (Athapaththu 49*, Gunaratne 39*) beat Thailand 93 for 7 (Koncharoenkai 47*, Putthawong 13, Dilhari 2-13, Priyadharshani 1-10) by ten wicketsA disciplined bowling effort from Sri Lanka, backed up by Chamari Athapaththu and Vishmi Gunaratne’s unbeaten 94-run stand helped Sri Lanka beat Thailand by ten wickets and coast into the semi-final of the Women’s Asia Cup 2024 .Batting first, Thailand’s innings never found a high gear as they were restricted to 93 for 7 in their 20 overs. Athapaththu and Gunaratne then made light work of the target, as they romped home with 51 balls to spare. The win meant Sri Lanka topped Group B with three wins on the bounce, and will now face Pakistan in the semi-final on Friday.Sri Lanka had made as many as four changes from their previous game against Malaysia, bringing back the experienced Hasini Perera, Udeshika Prabodhani, Sugandika Kumari and Achini Kulasuriya into the playing XI.Barring the toss, not much went Thailand’s way. They lost Nattaya Boochatham off the first ball of the game, and it all went downhill from there. Opener Nannapat Koncharoenkai was the only Thailand batter who looked settled against the Sri Lankan bowlers as she carried her bat through the innings, finishing on 47 off 53 balls. Only three Thailand batters reached double digits, while five of the Sri Lanka bowlers picked up at least one wicket.In reply, Athapaththu and Gunaratne were circumspect early on, but opened up their shoulders after the powerplay. Athapaththu remained unbeaten on 49, and during the course of her knock, became the highest run-scorer of the current edition of the Asia Cup, while Gunaratne remained 39 not out.
Thailand get stuck in a rut
Sri Lanka couldn’t have asked for a better start, with Achini Kulasuriya, one of the four changes in the Sri Lanka unit, starting with the most perfect yorker that snuck under Boochatham’s bat and crashed into off stump. Aphisara Suwanchonrathi then got back-to-back fours in the first over, but fell soon after mistiming Inoshi Priyadharshani to mid-on.Koncharoenkai brought out a pristine cover drive against Priyadharshani before sending another classy drive past Udeshika Prabodhani, with Thailand ending the powerplay on 28 for 2. But while Koncharoenkai still got the odd boundary in, Phannita Maya, coming in at No. 4, simply failed to rotate the strike.Maya took 14 balls to get off the mark, as Thailand’s innings stalled after the powerplay. Her innings came to an end on a painful 18-ball 2 courtesy of a stunning effort from Kavisha Dilhari, who hared across from mid-off, then dived full-stretch to complete the catch inches off the turf.By the time ten overs were done, Thailand had already faced seven overs of dot balls, and slipped to 42 for 3.Nannapat Koncharoenkai was the only Thailand batter offering resistance•Asian Cricket Council
Koncharoenkai holds firm, but SL continue to strike
Chanida Sutthiruang started her innings by deftly placing Athapaththu, but fell off her third ball by chipping a simple return catch to Dilhari. Thailand went five overs from 11 to 15 without finding the fence, and lost Suleeporn Laomi and Suwanan Khiaoto in the process as they found themselves stuck on 54 for 6 after 15 overs.Thipatcha Putthawong and Koncharoenkai’s seventh-wicket stand of 28 turned out to be the highest of the game as Thailand tried to muster a few runs in the back end. They did score 39 in the last five overs, including 13 off the final, but 93 was never going to be enough.Barring a dropped catch from Hasini Perera, Koncharoenkai’s 47* was largely flawless as she carried the Thailand innings all by herself. But Thailand’s 70 dot balls came back to haunt them.
Gunaratne, Athapaththu make light work of small chase
Sri Lanka required just 16 runs to qualify for the semi-final, and 48 to top group B. They didn’t break much of a sweat to achieve that. Both Athapaththu and Gunaratne took a bit of time to settle in. Sutthiruang, the medium pacer, got loads of swing early on but lacked control, and the openers picked her away.Athapaththu got going by depositing Boochatham over deep midwicket before going after her again in her next over for a six and four. Gunaratne’s first four came by nurdling a friendly Sutthiruang full toss past short fine leg, before she cut the same bowler through point as Sri Lanka reached 40 for 0 after six overs.Both batters notched up a gear after the powerplay. Athapaththu thumped Onnicha Kamchomphu over long-on in the ninth over, while Gunaratne struck her for a six and four each. Athapaththu then took on Maya as Sri Lanka raced towards their target. Their win came in the 12th over via a bye. Athapaththu, for her unbeaten 49 and 1 for 15 with the ball, was named Player of the Match.
وصل منتخب مصر الأول إلى بوركينا فاسو، استعدادًا للمباراة التي تجمع بينهما ضمن منافسات تصفيات كأس العالم 2026.
وتقام مباراة مصر ضد بوركينا فاسو، يوم 9 سبتمبر الجاري، في إطار لقاءات الجولة الثامنة من التصفيات المؤهلة إلى مونديال 2026، على أرضية استاد 4 أغسطس.
ونشرت الصفحة الرسمية لـ منتخب مصر على “فيس بوك”، فيديو وصور من وصول بعثة المنتخب المصري إلي مدينة واجادوجو في بوركينا فاسو.
ومن المقرر أن يخوض منتخب مصر تدريبه الرئيسي غدا الاثنين في السابعة مساءً بتوقيت مصر- الرابعة بتوقيت بوركينا فاسو.
طالع | محمد الغزاوي: تذاكر مباراة مصر وبوركينا فاسو نفذت.. وطلبنا حراسة خاصة لـ محمد صلاح
ويتصدر منتخب مصر ترتيب المجموعة الأولى برصيد 19 نقطة من 7 مباريات، متفوقًا على بوركينا فاسو صاحب المركز الثاني بـ14 نقطة.
وتضم المجموعة الأولى كلًا من مصر، بوركينا فاسو، سيراليون، جيبوتي، إثيوبيا وغينيا بيساو، ويأمل الفراعنة في تعزيز صدارتهم والتأهل رسميًا إلى نهائيات كأس العالم.
وكان منتخب مصر، حقق الفوز على إثيوبيا، في لقاء الجولة السابعة التي أقيمت على ملعب استاد القاهرة مساء الجمعة الماضي، بهدفين دون رد.
Robinson in the wickets as Sussex seal home quarter-final for Sussex
ECB Reporters Network19-Jul-2024
Daniel Hughes, seen in action for NSW, was in rampant form for Sussex•Getty Images
Sussex Sharks secured a home quarter-final in the Vitality Blast after thrashing Middlesex by nine wickets in front of a sell-out crowd at Hove.They leapfrogged Somerset, who lost heavily to Glamorgan in Cardiff, and back into second place after securing a ninth win in the South Group and will host the team who finish third in the North in the last eight when the competition resumes in September.The pitch at the 1st Central County Ground was being used for the third time but Middlesex’s 159 for 9 never looked like being enough and conditions were put into perspective by Sussex openers Harrison Ward and the Australian left-hander Daniel Hughes, who put on 141 in 15.1 overs, Sussex’s fourth highest stand for any wicket in T20.Hughes is now the top scorer in what is his debut season in the Blast after taking his aggregate to 560 runs with an unbeaten 96 while Ward, who had been drafted into the Hundred for the first time with Oval Invincibles earlier in the day, celebrated by easing to his third half-century in this season’s competition.Apart from a mix-up which nearly ended in Hughes being run out, the Sussex pair did much as they pleased until Ward was caught at deep mid-wicket for 56 (42 balls, 5 fours, 1 six).Hughes faced just 54 balls, hitting 12 fours and three sixes – the third to win the game with 22 deliveries to spare as he equalled his T20 career-best with his fourth fifty.Some disciplined bowling had set Sussex up. They had reduced Middlesex to 22 for 3 by the third over with Ollie Robinson picking up a wicket with the first ball of his first two overs. The dangerous Leus du Plooy was superbly caught at short-cover by Daniel Hughes and Danny Lamb produced an even better effort to remove Max Holden, flinging himself to his left to hang on to a full-blooded slash at backward point.Later in the same over Lamb put down a much more straightforward chance to reprieve Jack Davies on nought and had to go off with an injury to his right shoulder. It left Sussex a bowler light but slow left-armer James Coles (2 for 28) and off-spinner Jack Carson (2 for 23) strangled Middlesex’s attempts to accelerate, although Davies celebrated his reprieve by making 52.Davies hit four boundaries in an over off Scott Currie and also swiped three sixes but Carson got him in the 14th over courtesy of one of three catches on the mid-wicket boundary by Tom Clark.Luke Hollman made 28 at the end but Hughes and Ward soon had Sussex’s chase under control as Middlesex finished another disappointing campaign second from bottom after winning just three games.
Liverpool have sold Jarell Quansah. Liverpool’s defensive graduate has played his part over the past few years, replacing Joel Matip after the Cameroonian’s knee injury and then going on to win titles and cement himself as a first-team star.
Praised by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his “complete package”, Quansah is the perfect profile for a modern centre-back; however, he struggled to replicate his form under Arne Slot’s last wing, on the backfoot from the offing after his half-time substitution last August, the new coach bemoaning his side’s success in the duel during his opening match in the dugout against Ipswich Town.
It’s the events of Liverpool’s triumphant 2024/25 season that have led to Quansah’s sale, but the 22-year-old can certainly hold his head high after winning the Carabao Cup and Premier League, notching 58 Reds appearances in total.
Beginners luck? Not likely. This is a wonderful talent who has now been signed by German club Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth £35m. Liverpool have inserted a buyback clause.
Jarell Quansah for Liverpool
Liverpool are having a fantastic transfer window, but they may yet have to contend with further exits to ruffle things up in Slot’s squad. Indeed, Luis Diaz is also being chased by one of the German Bundesliga’s heaviest hitters.
Why Luis Diaz could leave Liverpool
There’s a lot to be excited about if you’re of a Liverpool persuasion, but there’s no question that selling Diaz would be met with a measure of concern.
Bayern Munich have seen a formal approach rejected for the Colombian winger after Barcelona’s rebuffed bid at the start of June.
Liverpool forward Luis Diaz
While Diaz’s contract expires in two years, there have been no concrete negotiations pertaining to a renewal. This has left the 28-year-old frustrated, for he earns a comparatively modest wage of £55k per week.
For FSG’s part, they are happy to run down Diaz’s contract, waiving any chance of banking a healthy fee and instead profiting from his performances on the pitch.
Luis Diaz
After all, Diaz is coming off his best campaign in a Liverpool shirt, notching 25 goal contributions and providing invaluable support as a makeshift centre-forward.
But there remains an interest in a long-term successor all the same.
Liverpool in talks to sign new winger
According to The Independent, Liverpool are one of the clubs in contact with Lyon winger Malick Fofana, although FSG know work is to be done if they are to win the race, for Nottingham Forest have had an official bid accepted already.
Lyon have been provisionally relegated from Ligue 1 for financial troubles, thus widening the opportunity for suitors to sign Fofana, 20, this summer.
He won’t go cheap though. The French giants have slapped a €60m (£51m) price tag on their rising star, and that figure may yet soar as Lyon seek to hold out and drum up as much interest as possible.
Why Liverpool should sign Malick Fofana
Sporting director Richard Hughes has been tracking Fofana for a while, and his style of football suggests he would be an ideal addition to emulate the success Diaz has enjoyed on Merseyside.
Lyon's Malick Fofana
Fofana, who has already made his international debut with Belgium, has been praised for his “explosive” style of play by analyst Ben Mattinson, bearing pace and physicality that isn’t too far away from Diaz’s robust skill set.
Joining from Belgian team Gent for a fee rising to €22m (£19m) in January 2024, he’s certainly shown himself to possess a clinical eye, scoring 15 goals and supplying seven assists across 62 appearances, of which only 29 have been starts.
The majority of those contributions came last term, with Fofana’s 11-goal and six-assist haul marking the beginning of a prolific journey that could see him emulate Diaz at Liverpool.
Goals
0.47
0.48
Assists
0.21
0.15
Touches (att pen)
6.08
6.18
Shots taken
1.84
2.52
Shot-creating actions
3.38
4.34
Progressive passes
2.44
3.95
Progressive carries
6.72
3.98
Successful take-ons
1.41
2.17
Ball recoveries
3.38
3.92
Tackles + interceptions
1.84
1.69
When looking at how the two wingers ranked up across all competitions in 2024/25 for their respective clubs, there’s perhaps a curious point to be made regarding Fofana’s (and in sequence Diaz’s) output, more creative and marginally more prolific than his counterpart.
Add his unrelenting ball-carrying into the bargain and you’ve got a wide forward capable of playing the role which Diaz plies so effectively for the Anfield outfit. In March, Fofana freed himself from his teenage years; the best is yet to come.
But that’s not to say he hasn’t shown his quality against heavy hitters. Only a few months ago, he racked up an assist against Manchester United in that extraordinary Europa League knockout tie. The Red Devils went through but the Belgian winger added to his earlier success in the competition with an impactful off-the-bench performance.
Did we mention that across his 16 Ligue 1 starts last season, the left-sided, right-footed forward scored five goals, missing only four big chances, created six big chances and won 54% of his ground duels, as per Sofascore. Combative and creative, he’s the full package.
Stepping into the Premier League while still finding his feet as a professional would make Fofana a risk for Liverpool to make, but an educated one at that. He wouldn’t be expected to perform with the slick intensity that Diaz brings, not from the offing, but there’s no question he has the tools to replace and maybe even improve upon Slot’s South American sensation.
Belgium'sMalickFofanain action with Italy's Giovanni Di Lorenzo
Liverpool’s boss has already demonstrated an incredible coaching aptitude on English soil, lifting the likes of Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo (who adds perfect competition on the left flank).
This is a talent of immense potential, and with so many clubs queuing up, Liverpool might want to take their shot before it’s too late.
Dream Diaz upgrade: Liverpool "discussing" move for "world-class" £85m star
Liverpool could be ramping up their pursuit of a new forward…
West Ham United are searching for reinforcements this summer and have now made contact over a bargain move for a striker with a proven track record who is available on a free transfer, according to reports.
West Ham United seek to recruit a goalscorer
Graham Potter hasn’t enjoyed the most fruitful spell since taking charge of West Ham. However, the Irons are set to be active on the market to address their fundamental issues.
Above all, the lack of a prolific striker at the London Stadium has led to a dependence on Jarrod Bowen, and it is fair to say the Irons are now moving in on targets to fill the vacancy available through the middle.
Hamza Igamane for Rangers against Fenerbahce.
Reports suggest Rangers striker Hamza Igamane is being targeted by West Ham following a breakthrough season in Scotland. However, Brentford, Everton, Lens, RC Strasbourg, Lille, and Stade Rennais are among alternative interested parties.
Further back, Burnley’s Josh Brownhill could add goals from midfield for the Hammers as his Turf Moor future becomes increasingly uncertain with his contract set to expire.
Potter’s men endured an uninspiring campaign last term and require some inspiration, which has prompted Carlton Cole to urge West Ham land Jack Grealish ahead of their Premier League counterparts.
West Ham now racing to sign 24 G/A midfielder who's "out of this world"
The Hammers are now in a straight shoot-out with a rival Premier League club for the signature of a goal-scoring midfielder.
ByDominic Lund Jun 3, 2025
Circling the wagons, West Ham have now made contact to sign an alternative England international who is set to be a free agent this summer.
West Ham make contact to sign Dominic Calvert-Lewin
According to Football Transfers, West Ham have made contact to sign Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and they are prepared to better his current £100,000 per week salary in order to secure his services.
Michail Antonio is on course to depart the London Stadium after failing to agree terms on a short-term extension, and Potter believes the Toffees forward would be an ideal addition to strengthen his forward line without paying a transfer fee.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s record at Everton
Appearances
273
Goals
71
Assists
22
Dubbed a “proper number nine” by David Moyes, Calvert-Lewin is viewed as a low-risk high reward signing and has previously been offered to the Hammers, albeit they passed on the chance last summer due to his injury history.
Niclas Fullkrug didn’t set the heather alight last year and Evan Ferguson’s short loan spell didn’t have the desired impact, which may explain why West Ham have plumped for Premier League experience as they close in on a new striker.
Perhaps the sheer wealth of activity since then has played its part, although Trent Alexander-Arnold’s exit from Liverpool now feels almost like old news, with the Anfield side far too busy looking ahead to reflect on their local hero turned villain.
Having risen up through the youth ranks, the 26-year-old – dazzled by the lights of the Bernabeu – shunned the opportunity to cement a legacy for himself on Merseyside, instead opting to become the latest Galactico signing at Real Madrid.
Trent and Carragher
A leader and a figurehead under Jurgen Klopp, and then Arne Slot last season – alongside the likes of Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk – the Englishman is now just one of many at Madrid. A talented, albeit dimmed cog in a far mightier machine.
Alas, for better or worse, the rampaging right-back is now basking in the Spanish sun, with those at Liverpool, meanwhile, basking in a month of business that has already seen Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez join the party.
For all that positivity, however, the talk of potential outgoings may well sour the mood somewhat.
Latest on Liverpool's outgoings
Many a club may well have rested on their laurels after romping to the Premier League title last season, but not Liverpool. No, the Reds are acting ruthlessly in the market, both in terms of arrivals and departures.
In terms of the latter category, Caoimhin Kelleher has already moved on to Brentford, with Jarell Quansah heading for his own exit amid an imminent move to Erik ten Hag’s Bayer Leverkusen.
While Luis Diaz may well stay put, despite lingering interest from Saudi Arabia, his South American colleague, Darwin Nunez, appears to be inching ever closer to a switch to Napoli.
Transfer Focus
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The Uruguayan could well be followed out the door by England U21 star Harvey Elliott, if reports are to be believed, with journalist Graeme Bailey revealing that the aforementioned Klopp – now overseeing things at RB Leipzig – is personally pushing to bring the playmaker to Germany.
As per Bailey, while a raft of Premier League clubs have made an enquiry regarding the 22-year-old, there is also interest from abroad, with Klopp keen to be reunited with his former signing at Leipzig.
Harvey Elliott celebrates for Liverpool
The suggestion is that Elliott is in fact open to the move, albeit with Liverpool looking to rake in more than £40m, if they are to sanction a sale. Is cashing in the right decision, however?
Why Elliott sale would be a bigger blow than Trent
The fury surrounding Alexander-Arnold’s free transfer exit was somewhat eased by the subsequent £10m agreement for his involvement in the Club World Cup, albeit with there still likely to be a lingering frustration over not raking in a fee for a player deemed to be worth £64m, as per Transfermarkt.
That said, as a product of their academy, Liverpool have more than reaped the rewards of the right-back’s progression, with the creative machine racking up 92 assists in 354 games in all competitions. Just consider what a player of that talent would have cost to buy in the first place?
Over an extended period, the Reds have witnessed Trent blossom, seen his vital role in securing a plethora of major honours. Now, he’s flown the nest.
Trent Alexander-Arnold
In the case of Elliott, however, there remains a real intrigue over his talents, an undoubtedly skilled individual who has simply been lost among a pool of other high-class forwards and midfielders at Anfield.
As pundit Joe Cole has stated, perhaps the former Fulham man – who left Craven Cottage as a mere 16-year-old – is almost a “victim of his own skills” as he can “play anywhere”.
Games (starts)
6 (6)
Goals
5
Assists
0
Big chances created
0
Key passes*
1.7
Pass accuracy*
82%
Tackles & interceptions*
1.2
Balls recovered*
4.0
Successful dribbles*
0.7
Described as an “explosive” talent by England youth boss, Lee Carsley, the silky left-footer has been unable to find a settled role for himself at club level, having been restricted to just two starts in the Premier League last term.
Losing such a talent, amid Leipzig’s interest, may not be too great of a mistake with that considered, although as he has showcased on the international stage, Elliott is a potential superstar in the making. Just look at his semi-final winner against the Netherlands in the U21 European Championships.
Back at club level too, he also ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for non-penalty goals per 90, as well as in the top 14% for assists and the top 2% for progressive passes, as per FBref. In essence, when he is given a chance to impress, he typically takes it.
The match-winner in the first-leg triumph over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, Elliott appears deserving of a more prominent role, be it at Anfield or elsewhere, with Slot risking seeing him go on to sparkle elsewhere.
Liverpool's HarveyElliottcelebrates
And therein lies the difference with Alexander-Arnold. The England senior star has made his mark on Merseyside already, with Liverpool getting plenty out of him over the last decade or so.
In the case of Elliott, he remains an unknown quantity, a player whom the club could live to regret if he does dazzle at another Premier League or European outfit. Liverpool already know the heights of Trent’s talents – Elliott’s gifts are yet to be truly discovered…
Wirtz will make him world-class: Liverpool getting ready to bid for £85m ST
Liverpool may yet welcome a new centre-forward to Arne Slot’s fold.