According to reports, Leeds United are targeting a move for Manchester United defender Brandon Williams this summer, as they look to bolster their squad ahead of a potential Championship promotion push.

Daniel Farke will be hoping to steer his new side back into England's top flight at the first time of asking.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

Is Brandon Williams going to Leeds United?

Leeds United are looking to sign Williams this summer, according to Miguel Delany of The Independent, with Manchester United looking to raise funds to welcome summer signings of their own.

New Leeds manager Farke briefly worked with the United academy graduate in the past, with the full-back spending the 2021/22 campaign on loan at Norwich City, as the Canaries suffered relegation.

If Williams did drop down to the Championship, it would mark the first time that he has appeared in England's second tier. It may be a case of needs must, however, as his game-time decreases more and more at Old Trafford.

At 22-years-old, the left-back may choose to prioritise minutes on the pitch over playing among the very best that English football has to offer.

Is Brandon Williams a good signing?

Signing a player who already has plenty of experience despite being just 22 would represent good business from a Leeds point of view. It could be a difficult deal if they are looking to loan Williams instead of splashing out on a transfer fee, though, as United want to add funds to their summer budget.

According to Transfermarkt, the left-back is currently worth €7m (£6m), potentially making it a deal that those at Elland Road can fund this summer. The Yorkshire club have already splashed out to welcome a Premier League youngster this summer, of course, with Chelsea's Ethan Ampadu arriving for a reported £7m.

Leeds' current left-back options are Junior Firpo and Pascal Struijk – with those two players in place a move may not make sense, but Firpo has been linked with an exit.

And Williams has certainly impressed in the past, earning praise from a number of English football's best legends, with Gary Lineker saying back in 2020, via The Daily Star: “The more I watch Brandon Williams, the more I like what I see. Another exciting young English talent.”

Meanwhile, Paul Scholes also once backed the left-back to take Luke Shaw's place, saying, via The Daily Star: “You'd have to choose him [Williams] at the moment.

“At the minute Brandon Williams is doing that so he is in pole position. He's an excellent defender but he can also get forward as well. He's got quality, he's a talented lad and he'll get up and down the pitch.

“He's got two good feet, I think he's more of a right-footed left-back which is strange. He's got the quality to get forward and the quality to score goals.”

Teammate Lisandro Martinez also labelled Williams a "machine" after his recent pre-season performance in a 2-0 win over Arsenal, so he has found some good form ahead of potentially joining a new club.

Jacques Rudolph led the way for Glamorgan again•Getty Images

Half-centuries by Jacques Rudolph and Aneurin Donald coupled with a frugal two-over stint of 1 for 12 by Craig Meschede helped Glamorgan extend their leadership of the NatWest T20 Blast South Group with an emphatic 25-run win over Kent.Rudolph’s captain’s knock of 77 not out from 52 balls saw Glamorgan post 199 for 2 on an excellent Canterbury pitch – a pursuit that proved too tough for Kent despite Joe Denly’s 68 as the hosts fell well short with a 20-over total of 174 for 4.Looking for their fourth South Group win, Kent’s chase started with panache when Denly straight drove Michael Hogan’s fourth delivery for a straight six. At the other end Daniel Bell-Drummond went for 3, dragging the ball on to middle stump in attempting to cut Lukas Carey’s third delivery of the afternoon to bring in Kent skipper Sam Northeast with only 21 on the board.Denly hit the ropes three times as Graham Wagg’s first over of left-arm seam went for 13 to move past the 300-run milestone in this year’s Blast, yet Kent were still 10 behind the visitors come the end of the Powerplay.Northeast upped the tempo with a swept six against Colin Ingram’s wrist spin and, with spin at both ends, Denly repeated the dose against Andrew Salter to keep Kent ticking at eight-an-over. Hitting to the shortest boundary on the Old Dover Road side of the ground, Northeast cleared the ropes again against Ingram as did Denly over extra cover against Wagg as Kent reached 93 for 1 at the midpoint of their reply.After taking a wicket and conceding only two in his opening over, Carey leaked 17 in his second over as Northeast cantered to a 28-ballfifty with four sixes. But he holed out to deep midwicket when targeting another six off Marchant de Lange to end a second-wicket stand of 89 and bring in left-hander Alex Blake.Denly continued serenely, lofting Wagg for a third maximum in a 36-ball half-century, but Blake chipped to long-off in Meschede’s first over to be replaced by allrounder Jimmy Neesham. Suddenly the boundaries dried up and, with 36 required from the last five overs. Wagg had his revenge by having Denly (68) caught on the ropes at deep midwicket and Kent’s outside victory hopes went with him.Bowling first after winning the toss, Kent made two changes to the side that beat Somerset on Friday night. Having suffered a recurrence of a thigh injury New Zealand paceman Adam Milne was replaced by Calum Haggett, while veteran offspinner James Tredwell was preferred to rookie left-armer Imran Qayyum.Glamorgan made a watchful start through openers Rudolph and Donald, who opened their side’s boundary account in the third over when Matt Coles leaked 15 runs. Neesham also conceded 15 from his second over as Glamorgan completed their Powerplay overs without alarm in reaching 62 without loss.Taking a low-risk approach to batting by keeping the ball on the turf with proper cricket strokes, the visiting openers complimented each other superbly and kept the board ticking just as nicely.Donald was first to his 50 from 30 balls only to lose his middle stump when playing across the line to Haggett’s very next delivery that made it 88 for 1. Glamorgan dangerman Ingram marched in with 275 runs already to his name in this season’s Blast and appeared intent on accelerating the run rate.Rudolph raised Glamorgan’s 100 with an impudent reverse flick for six off Haggett then left-hander Ingram cleared the ropes with a slog-sweep off the next delivery from Tredwell. But, with his score on 11, Ingram risked a lofted straight drive off Coles and miscued high to long-off where Bell-Drummond took a stunning catch on the run.Rudolph cantered to his fifty from 35 balls and finished unbeaten on 77 from 52, while David Miller contributed a useful 43 not out from 25 balls, plundering 19 off Mitch Claydon’s last over to set Kent a tough asking rate of 10 an over for victory.

Chelsea are expected to make an offer for Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe this summer, with the French champions determined to sell him this summer to avoid losing him on a free transfer next year, according to a report from The Times.

Is Kylian Mbappe leaving PSG?

Having left Mbappe out of the squad for their pre-season tour of Japan, the forward is now training at the campus with the other players that were omitted, and the French champions are planning to sell him this summer.

Fabrizio Romano reports the Ligue 1 side are "convinced" the France international has already agreed terms on a move to Real Madrid in 2024, which would mean they miss out on a transfer fee, and so they have now put him up for sale.

Journalist Fabrice Hawkins has stated that Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal have already made an approach for the PSG star, making an offer of €200m (£173m), while Chelsea are said to be "studying the feasibility of the transfer."

There has been no offer from the Blues at the moment, and at least one other English club are also interested in signing the Frenchman.

However, a bid could be made in the near future, with The Times reporting PSG are expecting offers from Chelsea and Saudi Arabia this summer, as they look to sell the superstar to avoid losing him for free to Real Madrid next year.

The French club have failed to convince the £1.2m-per-week earner to put pen to paper on a new deal, and they are poised to open negotiations over his transfer next week, with a number of formal offers set to be made.

The Blues are expected to lead a group of European clubs in formalising inquiries on his availability, but the highest offer on both transfer fee and salary will come from one of the four interested Saudi Pro League clubs.

Is Kylian Mbappe signing for Chelsea?

The 24-year-old is likely to have a number of offers on the table, but he has previously made it clear his dream of moving to Real Madrid is "never over", so it may be very hard to turn down an approach from the Spanish club.

Fabrizio Romano has stated a move to the Bernabeu remains the attacker's priority, and considering Chelsea do not have European football of any description on offer next season, it may be very hard to tempt him into a move.

However, if the Blues are able to win the race for the superstar, he would evidently be an unbelievable signing, having been lauded as "incredible" by teammate Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Mbappe has staked his claim as one of the best players in the world, as indicated by the fact he ranks in the 98th percentile for non-penalty goals per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

The France star was also one of the best performers at the 2022 World Cup, finishing as the tournament's top goalscorer, and it is no wonder so many teams are vying for his signature.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has abruptly revoked No-Objection Certificates given to 13 players currently in England and the West Indies and has asked them to return home to fulfill national and domestic commitments.The board had originally given as many as 10 players, including seven centrally contracted cricketers, permission to play the entire Caribbean Premier League – which began on August 4 and runs until September 9. Three cricketers without central contracts – Kamran Akmal, Sohail Tanvir and Mohammad Sami – have also been asked to return after they were selected by Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Lahore Whites for the National T20 Cup. While there is no contractual compulsion on them to do so, it is expected that they will.

Pakistan players called back

From the CPL: Imad Wasim, Shoaib Malik, Shadab Khan, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Hafeez, Wahab Riaz, Babar Azam, Mohammad Sami, Sohail Tanvir, Kamran Akmal
From England: Sarfraz Ahmed, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Amir

The same notices went out to Mohammad Amir, who was to stay with Essex until September, Sarfraz Ahmed, who was to play five games for Yorkshire in the Natwest T20 Blast, and Fakhar Zaman, who was set to join Somerset until the end of the season.Essex are currently top of Division One of the Championship, after Amir’s ten-wicket haul helped them to a two-day win over Yorkshire earlier this week. They are understood to be in negotiations with the PCB about when Amir is required to return, but could try to bring back New Zealand quick Neil Wagner, who filled the overseas spot in the first half of the season, as a replacement.”The centrally contracted players were given permission to participate in the CPL and English county season subject to recall if the World XI series took place in mid-September,” the PCB said in a statement. “So they are being recalled owing to the changes in the schedule brought about due to the change in the original plan of the World XI’s tour of Pakistan.”The World XI’s visit – subject to security clearance – was originally scheduled for the last week of September but it has been brought forward into a window between September 10 and 16. This change was made to ensure the series would not clash with a high profile by-election in Lahore on September 17, coming in the wake of the Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification from the post of Prime Minister last month.However, the final call over the World XI matches is expected to be taken by the government. The Law and Order Committee of Punjab has reviewed the PCB’s request to host the series in Lahore and, according to Najam Sethi, the new chairman of the board, both parties are in agreement over dates and are waiting for the approval of the chief minister.Pakistan are also set to travel to the UAE from September 21 for a full series against Sri Lanka. Amid this tight schedule, the PCB announced a National T20 Championship running from August 25 to September 10.”Owing to the late finalisation and rescheduling of the ICC World XI series to be played mid-September, the PCB has been obliged to schedule its National T20 Cup to start near the end of August and finish before the World XI series so that its national team can leave for UAE to play Sri Lanka starting September 24,” the PCB explained. “This has compelled the PCB to call back centrally contracted players in contention for selection for the World XI series next month from their ongoing Caribbean Premier League and English county stints.”The series has been brought forward to mid-September because the Punjab government wants it to be held before the NA120 election on September 17. It can’t be held after September 17 because there is no time to both hold the series and also give coach Mickey Arthur time for training his team before the series against Sri Lanka starts on September 24. The players have been asked to report for a pre-series fitness testing/training camp, as planned by the national team management and the National T20 tournament that starts in Multan on August 25.”The returning players have been asked to report to the National Cricket Academy for fitness and medical tests under Arthur’s supervision on August 22.

Leeds United are set to continue their summer of vast change, with another shrewd signing that would bolster a key area for Daniel Farke…

Who are Leeds United signing this summer?

That's according to reporter Alan Nixon, who took to his Patreon page to issue an update on the future of Manchester City youngster Taylor Harwood-Bellis.

Having enjoyed a starring season on loan at Burnley, playing a key role in their promotion from the Championship, it now seems like the Whites are seeking to employ his services to repeat that feat at Elland Road.

However, his form has understandably drawn suitors, with many from the Premier League having also taken note. The recently-relegated Yorkshire outfit will therefore have to act quickly to pry him from the Etihad, stumping up his £15m asking price despite only recently joining the race.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

His acquisition would supplement the two other defensive signings made this window, having welcomed Ethan Ampadu and Karl Darlow.

How good is Taylor Harwood-Bellis?

For Farke, the promotion pedigree of the 21-year-old titan will draw his attention, as someone capable of both spearheading their return to the top flight, whilst boasting the potential to thrive at that top level should they get there.

All signs point towards a stunning career for Harwood-Bellis, who not only thrived for his club last term but most recently also for his country.

Captaining England's U21 outfit, he led his side to the European U21 final without conceding a single goal, defeating Spain 1-0 and claiming the trophy.

His 7.26 average Sofascore rating throughout the competition made him one of his country's top-seven performers in a group full of elite top-flight stars. He would achieve similar levels in the second tier too.

Under both Lee Carsley and Vincent Kompany, he was deployed as a ball-playing asset capable of both dominating at the back and also strolling forward to forge chances. The former even lauded him as a fine "leader" far before he would captain his side to European glory.

As such, in the Championship he also maintained a 7.21 average rating across 32 appearances, buoyed by his 85% pass accuracy, 91 touches, 1.8 interceptions and 3.1 clearances per game, via Sofascore. That rating would have made him Leeds' best-performing player by far last season, and his clearances would have ranked third.

He was constantly commanding possession, clearly far from overawed when faced with the prospect of regular senior football.

To now place the classy colossus beside the supremely experienced 22-year-old that is Ampadu, these two could strike an immense partnership that potentially spans the next decade.

After all, the Wales international has 125 senior appearances under his belt across six different clubs, having plied his trade in Italy and Germany as well as England. Not to mention his 43 caps, which is a remarkable feat for someone so young.

Just last campaign in Italy, for a Spezia side that fell to the drop, his no-nonsense defending saw him stand out among a doomed outfit. Despite this, his 6.91 average rating made him the club's top-rated player, which was largely aided by his 90% dribble success, 2.1 tackles and three clearances per game, via Sofascore.

To combine such exploits with that of the powerful 6 foot 2 Harwood-Bellis, and these two along with their new goalkeeper could provide the foundation that fires Leeds back to the big time.

Newcastle United are interested in completing their defence by signing Nice centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo this summer, with Eddie Howe preparing his side for Champions League football.

What's the latest on Jean-Clair Todibo to Newcastle?

According to French publication Nice-Marin – via Sport Witness – Nice have made their financial demands for the sale of Todibo following 'recurring' stories regarding Newcastle's interest in the 23-year-old.

The Frenchman has impressed of late after a challenging start to life with Les Aiglons, and Newcastle are keen admirers, with Premier League rivals Aston Villa and West Ham United also vying for his services.

The Ligue 1 outfit do not want to sell but are said to have placed a €40-50m (£34-43m) price tag on his name, and it's now up to Magpies technical director Dan Ashworth to negotiate a move after making initial contact.

How good is Jean-Clair Todibo?

Despite emphatically securing Champions League qualification last season and completing the 22/23 league campaign with the English top-flight's joint-best defence – conceding 33 goals alongside Manchester City – Newcastle are still hoping to bolster their backline.

Sandro Tonali has supplemented the midfield, arriving from AC Milan for £55m, while Harvey Barnes – who scored 13 league goals last season – brings directness and a goal-scoring threat to the attack after joining from relegated Leicester City for £39m – with Allan Saint-Maximin departing for Saudi Arabian side Al Ahli in a £23m deal.

But the back four remain undisturbed thus far, though efforts have already been made to sign full-back Tino Livramento from Southampton; Todibo would be a fine addition and could provide competition for Fabian Schar, who is 31 years old and entering the final year of his contract at St. James' Park.

Todibo would bring a new dimension to the United squad, hailed as a “rock” by talent scout Jacek Kulig – the same could be said of Sven Botman – but differing in his ball-playing ability, which is top-class.

As per FBref, the one-time Barcelona prospect ranks among the top 13% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted, the top 12% for progressive passes, the top 5% for successful take-ons and the top 8% for tackles.

This evidences his passing ability but also his tenacity and defensive acumen, with the different facets combining to craft a defender to be reckoned with and an ace more than capable of flourishing under Howe's wing with Newcastle.

And given that he is likened to Manchester United menace Lisandro Martinez via FBref's 'Similar Players' model, it could be an apt move to continue the upward trajectory of the club, who will be hoping to leapfrog the Red Devils – who finished third last year – and creep toward title contention.

Martinez has been something of a revelation at Old Trafford, with the £120k-per-week Argentine heralded as "one of the best signings" the club have made for years by pundit Patrice Evra, recording an average match rating of 7.12 (Sofascore), and keeping eight clean sheets from 27 appearances, winning 65% of his ground duels, completing 87% of his passes and averaging 3.6 clearances per game.

Diminutive in stature, the 5 foot 9 centre-half looks to have cast concerns over his height aside with a nonchalant shrug and lets his feats on the pitch do the talking, and given that he ranks among the top 6% of centre-backs for tackles, the top 5% for blocks, the top 15% for passes attempted and the top 11% for successful take-ons per 90, he's evidently in the top stratosphere of defenders.

Having been called an "absolute monster" by teammate Luke Shaw too, Howe might be wise to secure a similar profile in Todibo and rival Erik ten Hag's side in the defensive department.

Newcastle would only benefit from adding a new dimension to their already well-oiled defensive third, and it is a move that Howe must seriously consider, ensuring that progress does not stagnate this season.

يرى صانع ألعاب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي دريمز الغاني، سيمبا سيلفستر، أن لديهم أفضلية أمام الزمالك قبل إياب نصف نهائي كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية.

ويحل الزمالك ضيفًا على دريمز يوم غد الأحد، في تمام الساعة السابعة مساءً بتوقيت “القاهرة”، وكانت مباراة الذهاب قد انتهت بالتعادل السلبي بين الفريقين.

اقرأ أيضًا.. عبد الواحد السيد: الأجواء في غانا مثالية ولاعبو الزمالك لديهم دوافع للتأهل إلى نهائي الكونفدرالية

وتواصل “btolat.com” مع سيلفستر الذي شارك كبديل في مباراة الذهاب مع بداية الشوط الثاني، للحديث عن حظوظ دريمز أمام الزمالك.

وقال اللاعب الغاني صاحب الـ 22 عامًا في تصريحات خاصة: “اعتقد أن نتيجة الذهاب حتى الآن جيدة بالنسبة لنا، لدينا أفضلية على الزمالك”.

وأضاف: “اللعب على أرضنا ووسط جماهيرنا سيكون مختلفًا، رغم أن الزمالك يمتلك لاعبين مميزين خاصة في الهجمات المرتدة”.

واستمر: “دعوة النادي لحشد الجماهير تؤكد على أهمية المباراة بالنسبة لنا، نتمنى أن يدعموننا، نريد الوصول إلى النهائي والمنافسة على البطولة”.

ويحتاج الزمالك لتسجيل هدف للفوز في مرمى دريمز والتأهل إلى النهائي، أو تحقيق التعادل الإيجابي بأي نتيجة على الأقل.

Liverpool are continuing their midfield rebuild at Anfield this summer following the imminent exit of more players, and now a fresh update has emerged from a reliable source on the club's next transfer target.

What's the latest on Liverpool's interest in Marco Verratti?

According to Sky Sports journalist Kaveh Solhekol, Liverpool have been linked with the signing of Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti.

Kaveh revealed on Sky Sports News: "We’ve also been told that two Premier League clubs are interested in signing him.

"We’ve been told that those clubs were Liverpool and Chelsea.

"We haven’t been able to confirm that, it could just be a case of he’s a player that has been offered to Liverpool and Chelsea by intermediaries, by agents, by representatives who are trying to make some money from the deal, and they know that Chelsea and Liverpool are potentially looking for midfielders this summer."

How good is Marco Verratti?

Jurgen Klopp and sporting director Jorg Schmadtke have had to change their strategy for the remainder of the summer transfer window due to the unexpected departures of two of his most experienced midfielders in Jordan Henderson and Fabinho.

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed yesterday that a full agreement was in place for the Liverpool captain to join Al-Ettifaq, whilst a move to the Saudi Pro League was also in the works for his Brazilian teammate.

As a result, there is now a real opportunity for Klopp to finish what he has started in his midfield refresh ahead of next season, by snapping up the services of Verratti to add even more fresh quality and talent into the centre of the pitch without compromising experience.

The PSG star has the much-needed winning mentality that has driven the success at Anfield over the last half a decade – collecting nine Ligue 1 titles, six Coupe de France trophies and the European Championship back in 2021 with Italy when they beat England in the final at Wembley.

Verratti – hailed "extraordinary" by Thomas Tuchel – is one of the most highly rated midfielders in Europe, ranking in the top 5% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues over the past year for passes attempted, pass completion, progressive passes and tackles per 90, as per FBref.

Not only that, but FBref considers the Italian machine's most comparable player over the last 12 months to be none other than Liverpool whiz Thiago Alcantara, with the pair sharing many similarities in their strengths and style of play.

In fact, the 30-year-old outperformed the Spaniard in a number of key attributes last season, including pass completion (92.6% v 86.2%), shot-creating actions per 90 (3.41 v 2.94), goal-creating actions per 90 (0.37 v 0.14) and aerial duels won (45.8% v 36.8%).

Unfortunately, their similarities don't end at their output, as Verratti is also extremely injury-prone – something that has also been a nightmare for Klopp when it comes to Thiago's availability over the last two seasons.

Since September 2021, the 32-year-old has had seven separate instances of injury amounting to 45 fixtures missed, whilst the Italy international has also had seven injury issues in the same period, though he has missed just 14 fixtures for the Ligue 1 champions.

It has been claimed that PSG will command a fee of €80m (£69m) to part ways with their midfield dynamo this summer – an expensive price tag that will require careful consideration from the powerbrokers at Anfield, taking into account both his age and injury record.

With that being said, there is no doubt that Verratti would bring huge quality to the Liverpool squad if a deal can be done with the French giants, however, it would be a huge investment on a player who doesn't offer reliability in fitness.

The former Bangladesh captain had gone into a coma on Sunday evening and will be airlifted out of Dhaka for treatment

Mohammad Isam31-Jul-2017Former Bangladesh captain Khaled Mahmud is likely to be taken to Singapore for treatment after he suffered a stroke on Saturday morning. A family member confirmed on Monday that the BCB is arranging an ambulance to the airport this afternoon.Mahmud, the team’s manager and a board director, went into coma on Sunday evening when he was shifted to the intensive care unit of United Hospital in Dhaka. BCB president Nazmul Hassan and several directors visited him soon after an emergency meeting in Mirpur.Mahmud was Bangladesh’s third Test captain, having led them in nine games in 2003. He also led them in 15 ODIs the same year. He retired from international cricket in 2006 and went into coaching and administration soon afterwards.

West Ham United will "step up their interest in a range of players now" as they start to "make moves" in the transfer market following the sale of Declan Rice, claims journalist Paul Brown.

West Ham transfer news, what's the latest?

It was a hectic start to the transfer window this year for West Ham, not because they were signing players, but because they were negotiating the sale of club captain Rice to Arsenal for a new British record fee of £105m.

It would appear that this deal was taking up most of the East Londoners' resources as they haven't signed a single player yet, something that surely has to change going forward.

With the club now without their midfield lynchpin and flush with cash, it's hardly surprising to see that most of the players they're linked to occupy the space vacated by Rice.

A name that has followed them all the way through the Rice saga has been Fulham's Joao Palhinha.

The Portuguese international has had an unbelievable debut season in the league for the Cottagers and, because of that, has become a player that the Irons would very much like to buy as a replacement for their departed star.

Unfortunately, potentially knowing the kind of money the Hammers have, the West London side reportedly valued their star player at an eye-watering £60m, which might prove too much for West Ham, even with the Rice money burning a hole in their pocket.

Although, the Hammers have bid for Conor Gallagher, though it was rejected by Chelsea.

Earlier this month, the Guardian reported that the Conference League champions were keeping tabs on several midfielders, notably Scott McTominay, Denis Zakaria, Edson Alvarez, James Ward-Prowse, and Amadou Onana.

That said, the club wants to target other areas of the squad over the coming weeks.

What did Paul Brown say about West Ham's transfer business?

Brown outlined the areas he believed would be targeted by the Irons before saying he expects them to up their activity in the market as we advance.

Speaking to Football FanCast, he said: "I think West Ham want two midfielders, a defender and a forward if at all possible. Wherever the money stretches to buying four players, this window we'll see.

"But I think that's the ideal outcome really for West Ham and I think you'll see them start to make moves in the transfer market and step up interest in a range of players now."

Who have West Ham been linked to this summer?

On the striker front, Football Insider have reported that the Hammers have placed Armando Broja and Youssef En-Nesyri on a shortlist of forwards that they could try to sign.

It wouldn't be the first time the club have tried to bring Chelsea's Broja to the London Stadium, having had a £30m bid rejected in July 2022, per the Guardian.

The Albanian international had a quiet year compared to 2021/22 as he stayed in West London, playing just 12 Premier League games, 1 EFL Cup game and five Champions League games for the Blues.

With a contract set to last until June 2028, it would likely take much more than the £30m offered last year to convince the Pensioners to sell their young striker.

On the defensive side of things, Football Insider also reported that the Hammers are currently in the 'lead' in the race to sign former Manchester United captain Harry Maguire as he's deemed excess to requirements at the Red Devils.

However, the main stumbling block for all interested parties is the player's mammoth £190,000-a-week wages, which would be more than the Irons would be willing to pay.

Whatever happens, it'll be interesting to see just how much of the Rice money West Ham reinvests into their squad this summer, but they better get a move on as they have just over a month left.