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West Ham United "dream" of signing Fulham star Joao Palhinha this summer but it could be a very expensive deal, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Who will West Ham sign?

After selling former star midfielder Declan Rice to Arsenal, in a marquee deal worth £105 million (including £5 million in add-ons), West Ham are set to benefit from a huge financial windfall.

The agreement took time to be finalised, as there were delays in documentation from Arsenal's end, but Rice has now become the most expensive English player of all time – overtaking the price tags of Jack Grealish (Man City) and Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid).

It's now up to David Moyes' side to put that money to good use and invest in major signings. West Ham are also in dire need of an out-and-out replacement for Rice in midfield.

Juventus midfielder Denis Zakaria, Bayern Munich's Leon Goretzka, Man United's Scott McTominay, Chelsea ace Conor Gallagher and James Ward-Prowse of Southampton have all been linked with taking up the role recently.

Palhinha is also a player on West Ham's radar and has been subject to approaches, and while the player is apparently keen on joining, it is believed his price tag could well be too much.

According to Romano, speaking to CaughtOffside, the east Londoners "dream" of signing the Portugal international as he shares an update on West Ham's hunt for a new midfielder.

"Monaco want Zakaria, they have submitted their first bid for the player. It’s now up to West Ham if they want to bid again after initial proposal was rejected by Juventus 15 days ago," said Romano.

"Zakaria is still assessing his options, and Monaco could be an interesting option for him as their new manager Adi Hutter knows him well.

"West Ham’s dream target in midfield is Fulham’s Joao Palhinha, but that looks like being a very expensive deal.”

How good is Joao Palhinha?

The 28-year-old was one of Marco Silva's best-performing players by average match rating, according to WhoScored, and he racked up multiple goals from midfield.

Palhinha was also a fixture in the Fulham starting eleven last season, with the former Sporting Lisbon star playing more minutes than any other outfielder (WhoScored).

To further emphasise what a phenomenal player he is, the Portuguese averaged more tackles per 90 than any other player in the English top flight – making him the division's best in that regard (WhoScored).

Serbia international forward Aleksandar Mitrovic also called Palhinha the signing of the season for Fulham, not to mention an "amazing, amazing" player for the west Londoners.

“I think this year there’s been some sensational [signings] that we have made," said Mitrovic.

“For me personally, [Joao] Palhinha is the signing of the season so far, amazing, amazing [player].

“[Bernd] Leno is the signing that we made that’s amazing. The players who fit straight away and didn’t need time to adapt like before, they fit straight away.

Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo has an "offer from Tottenham" on the table but it is believed he prefers a move to Ligue 1 giants AS Monaco.

Who will Spurs sign?

New manager Ange Postecoglou has already seen a trio of new signings come through the door since the beginning of his tenure, namely goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, playmaker James Maddison and winger Manor Solomon.

The three stars join Pedro Porro, who signed permanently from Sporting Lisbon, and winger Dejan Kulusevski who was confirmed as a permanent Tottenham player after 18 months on loan from Juventus.

Spurs are widely believed to be targeting a new central defender next for Postecoglou, with reliable media sources claiming they want two senior stars to bolster that area of the squad.

Postecoglou, speaking to the media recently, even admitted that is something chairman Daniel Levy and co are currently attempting behind-the-scenes.

"That's definitely our intention, absolutely," said the Spurs head coach when asked about new defenders.

"We've been working on it for a while and we'll definitely try to get it done as quickly as possible.

"I don't think it's any secret about some of the areas we needed to strengthen. Some of it I identified early on. The goalkeeper was one and central defence is another.

"In terms of the other boys, we've got a big squad but my view is I wanted to bring them along and just work with them, get some clarity in my head and give clarity to them."

There have been a wide array of centre-backs linked with a move to north London, a long list which includes

Liverpool's interest in Southampton ace Romeo Lavia has hardly been inconspicuous this summer, and the precocious defensive midfielder remains firmly at the forefront of Jurgen Klopp's transfer consideration.

What's the latest on Romeo Lavia to Liverpool?

That's according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who has taken to Twitter to state that Liverpool are "still in contact" with the Belgian's agents, though Premier League rivals Chelsea are also keeping an eye on the situation.

This is corroborated by Football Insider, who have also recently stated that the Reds are confident of warding off competition for Lavia's signature and hope to reach an agreement by the end of the month.

The 19-year-old anchor was Southampton's shining light in a dismal campaign that ended in relegation from the top-flight, and due to the calibre of his performances, the Saints hierarchy believes that their starlet is worth £50m, though Liverpool are reluctant to venture past the £40m mark.

What position is Romeo Lavia?

A product of the long time of superlative talent stemming from Manchester City's esteemed youth academy, Lavia signed for the south coast club one year ago in a deal that could rise to £14m.

While Southampton did suffer the plummet into the second tier, Lavia was exceptional throughout a tough term and belied his tender age and inexperience at the heart of his outfit, earning praise as an "absolute monster" from reporter Benjy Nurick for one particular performance.

As per Sofascore, the one-cap international recorded an average rating of 6.8 in the Premier League, notably completing 88% of his passes and averaging 2.1 tackles per game as he held the shoddy Saints system together.

The ace also ranks among the top 4% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for blocks per 90, as per FBref, which illustrates his aptitude as a defensive whiz in the centre.

A recent report from The Analyst also displayed his prowess in ball retention, with only 15 midfielders who played over 800 minutes in the English top-flight last term winning possession more than he did per 90 (7.5), with the report also offering a graphic illustrating the ubiquitous, all-encompassing nature of his ball-winning skills.

He could be the perfect replacement for Reds captain Jordan Henderson, who has all but completed an initial £12m transfer to Saudi Arabian outfit Al Ettifaq after receiving a lucrative offer.

While Henderson plies his trade slightly further up the pitch, he has been described as the heartbeat and energy of Liverpool's midfield over the past several years, paramount to the illustrious success under Klopp's tutelage.

He can also feature competently as a defensive midfielder, which would have most likely been a role he assumed over the next year had he decided to remain on Merseyside, with Fabinho also attracting interest from Saudi side Al Ittihad, who are hoping to sign the Brazilian star for £40m.

Previously called "exquisite" by The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell, Lavia has been the centrepiece of Southampton's midfield at a tumultuous time and there is every possibility that he could transcend his own exploits with a move to Anfield, growing into one of the most destructive forces in the game.

Everton may miss out on striker target El Bilal Toure due to tight finances according to Paul Brown.

The club had an offer rejected by Almeria, with the Spanish side wanting the player's release clause met.

Will Everton sign El Bilal Toure?

The Toffees are very interested in signing the Mali international, but face competition from top European sides.

According to reports from Spain, Everton's opening bid was rejected by the Andalusian club, with the side holding out for the players €40m (£34.3m) release clause. The Merseyside clubs opening bid was in the region of €30m to €35m (£25.7m to £30m), however, according to The Daily Mail, that deal was structured as a loan with an obligation to buy rather than an outright sale.

It remains to be seen whether the club will push forward with another bid, with reports recently surfacing that the club are interested in Leeds United forward Wilfred Gnonto, and had seen a £15m bid rejected for the young Italian, with Leeds not wanting to sell the forward whose contract doesn't contain a relegation release clause. However, should the Toffees manage to secure a deal for the youngster who was a bright spark in a disappointing Leeds team, any potential move for Toure could be impossible due to budget restrictions.

Everton also face competition from Italian side Atalanta for the Mali international, with a report stating that the club had already submitted a €25m (£21.5m) offer for the 21-year-old who has only spent one season with Almeria. A factor that could swing the direction of this deal is the ongoing talks between the Bergamo side and Manchester United for current striker Rasmus Hojlund. Should the Danish forward join the Red Devils this summer, that could provide the funds Atlanta need to activate Toure's release clause, which Everton may not be able to match.

Speaking to FootballFanCast, journalist Brown suggested that there may not be much "wiggle room" for Everton in terms of submitting an improved offer due to financial constraints, and that should a deal be completed, it would have to be done for below the players release fee.

What did Paul Brown say about El Bilal Toure to Everton?

When asked about the current situation between all parties, Paul Brown stated: "Yeah, I think Toure's club know what Everton are willing to pay for him and how they're willing to pay for it. I'm not sure if there's much wiggle room really because of Everton's finances to go back in with a much better offer, so I don't think it's one that's going to get done anytime soon because I don't think his club are entirely happy with the bid that Everton made. Also, he's he's got a release clause that Everton don't intend to trigger. So it would have to be a deal that's done below that price."

Would El Bilal Toure be a good signing for Everton?

Toure could be the solution to a real problem that is surfacing at Everton.

The club are currently in the midst of a striker crisis. Dominic Calvert-Lewin has spent the last two campaigns hampered by injuries, with the forward missing 30 games due to three separate injuries across the last two seasons. When he has played, he has struggled to reach the heights he managed under the management of Carlo Ancelotti, scoring only seven goals across 36 games in all competitions since the beginning of the 2021/22 season.

Neal Maupay's move from Brighton has been a disappointing one, with £15m striker managing just one league goal last season. The forward could reportedly depart Goodison Park after one campaign, with Italian side Salernitana hoping to reignite their interest in the 26-year-old. Young Ellis Simms, who scored a memorable last-minute equaliser for the Blues last season at Stamford Bridge has already departed, joining Championship side Coventry City in a deal worth potentially £8m.

Toure meanwhile enjoyed a breakout campaign in La Liga last season, managing seven goals and two assists in just 21 matches. He is also proven on the international level despite his young age, managing five goals in 15 games for Mali. Last summer, Everton were interested in the forward when he was still at Reims, with him being labeled as a "major talent" a year ago, and a strong opening campaign in Spain has only strengthened that belief.

West Ham United have already been "doing lots of work behind the scenes" to smooth the transition away from Declan Rice and find the best replacements they can, claims Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

Who are West Ham United going to sign to replace Declan Rice?

It has been the first proper transfer saga of the summer, and despite no official announcement coming from either team, transfer expert David Ornstein has already confirmed that a fee of £105m was agreed between Arsenal and the Irons for the services of England international Rice.

While losing your club captain and talisman is never a good thing, the loss will have been somewhat softened by the massive influx of cash the Hammers have received in return, cash they are already working on using to find the best replacements they can for the 24-year-old.

The first player heavily linked to David Moyes' side once it was clear that they would lose Rice was Fulham's one-man midfield, the tenacious Portuguese international Joao Palhinha.

The East London club were heavily linked to Europe's leading tackler last month, but reports of a £90m price tag put the brakes on their, and many others, interest in the 27-year-old.

However, the Guardian reported last week that the Cottagers have reconsidered their demands, now valuing their midfield lynchpin at the far more reasonable £50m, something West Ham could seriously consider with their recent windfall.

The same article from the English publication has also claimed that the Irons are 'considering' whether or not to push ahead with a loan move for Juventus midfielder Denis Zakaria.

The Swiss midfielder spent an injury-filled six months on loan to fellow London side Chelsea last year, making just ten appearances for the Blues. The loan move would also include an option to buy for just (£15m)

Bristol City's exciting youngster Alex Scott has also been linked to the London Stadium recently, with Football Insider claiming that the club were in a 'strong position' to secure his signature earlier this week.

What has Dharmesh Sheth said about West Ham United?

Sheth was clear that the Hammers will have already been working on sounding out replacements for Rice whilst the sale has been going on but that they will likely have to change how they play next season slightly.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: "Life after Declan Rice is starting already because West Ham will be doing lots of work behind the scenes on replacements for him.

"It's very difficult to bring in one player in that position and say, 'There you go, do what Declan Rice does.'

"It might mean that West Ham have to tweak the way they play and maybe bring in two or three new midfielders."

Who else might be leaving West Ham United this summer?

While the footballing world's attention has unsurprisingly been set on the saga surrounding Declan Rice's departure from the Irons this summer, some of the club's other big names have either already left or are rumoured to be on the way out.

The "brilliant" Manuel Lanzini was one of those that left the club after his contract expired on June 30th. The Argentinian made 226 appearances in Claret and Blue, scoring 32 goals and playing a crucial role in the club's Europa Conference League triumph last month.

Fullback Ben Johnson could also be on the way out this summer as Football Insider reported earlier this year that the out-of-favour defender was still a target of Everton after the club first registered their interest in the player during the January transfer window.

Whoever comes in and whoever ends up leaving, one thing we can all be sure of is that it will be an exciting and busy summer for West Ham United.

Tottenham Hotspur have certainly started their new reign under Ange Postecoglou with a bang, having already cemented five permanent additions this summer already.

The Australian coach will be far from finished too, and there feels like a renewed sense of belief has flooded over this part of north London, which seemed dead and buried as last season slumped to its miserable conclusion.

Many will hope that the former Celtic boss can emulate and even elevate beyond the levels set by Mauricio Pochettino, and create a new longstanding and sustainable dynasty for years to come.

However, to do that he will need to make more signings than he already has done. He could even take a few notes from the way in which the Argentine began his tenure at White Hart Lane, especially with regard to bolstering his backline.

Last season Spurs shipped 63 goals in the Premier League, making them the sixth-worst defence in the division.

They are crying out for a truly dominant centre-back to solve these frailties, and in Aymeric Laporte, they could have the answer to these prayers.

With strong links persisting throughout this window already, and a startlingly low reported price tag of €30m (£26m), Manchester City might be set to do Spurs the ultimate favour to truly get things underway for Postecoglou.

Is Aymeric Laporte a good player?

Having moved to the Etihad in 2018, the Spain international has largely been a mainstay for Pep Guardiola throughout his tenure. However, just last season saw his influence wane somewhat, as the system shifted and left him with just 11 starts in the league.

That is not to suggest that his quality has declined at all though, as the 2021/22 season saw him enjoy some of his best football since joining the Premier League.

During that campaign, the 29-year-old maintained a 7.12 average rating in the league, which was buoyed by his 95% pass accuracy, one tackle and 1.8 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

Journalist Duncan Castles even lauded him as "one of Manchester City’s few aerially powerful players" back in 2019 too, with fellow writer Bill DiFilippo also branding him a "warrior".

Boasting incredible technical proficiency to pair well with his 6 foot 2 frame, Laporte has all the qualities needed to perhaps emulate the success Jan Vertonghen enjoyed across his eight-year spell in north London.

Joining in 2012, it felt like his career only really kickstarted once Pochettino arrived. However, the former Ajax man – who was once hailed as "dominant" by journalist Henry Winter – would then become one of the division's most outstanding central defenders, silencing strikers and creating from deep.

As a left-footed titan who also stood at 6 foot 2, he would muster 315 appearances for the Lilywhites, the pinnacle of which likely came during the 2016/17 year. There he would record a 7.31 average match rating, with his 85% pass accuracy, 1.3 tackles and seven clearances per game reaffirming his dominance, via Sofascore.

Laporte may be far older than the Belgian was when he first joined, but he could still have that same calming presence with which a solid defensive foundation could be built.

Not to mention his insane winning experience – having claimed the treble last term – which would hopefully aid Postecoglou's mission to shift the mentality and finally bring some long-lasting success to a club that has been starved of it in recent years.

Defensively, Leeds United were simply not good enough last season, shipping 78 in total – the most in the Premier League – as they suffered relegation to the Championship in just their third season back in the top flight.

In a frantic campaign, the Yorkshire club went through three managers, starting with Jesse Marsch, before handing Javi Gracia the task of keeping them up, and eventually having one more desperate throw of the dice, hiring Sam Allardyce. None of the three managers could address their defensive issues, however.

Now, it is up to new man Daniel Farke to get them back to the Premier League at the first time of asking. And to do that, he may need to replicate the leadership of the likes of Liam Cooper by securing summer target Nat Phillips – something that transfer insider Dean Jones believes the Liverpool defender is capable of doing.

Speaking to Football FanCast, Jones said: “I mean, Liam Cooper was never someone you would typically get most excited about seeing on the ball or anything like that, but when you see the team sheet, he was a player as a Leeds fan that you’d always want to be on there on their rise to the Premier League.

"And they need to find that again, and maybe Nat Phillips has the determination and the focus and the talent to replicate that. They certainly have got to find figures like that if they’re going to bounce back.”

How does Nat Phillips compare to Liam Cooper?

When compared, Phillips and Cooper have been incredibly similar players throughout their respective Premier League careers.

As per FBref, the Liverpool man, who has a "colossal" frame, just about edges the Scot when on the ball, with a better pass completion rate and more progressive passes per 90 – something that could prove crucial in the Championship when Leeds will likely enjoy more possession than in the Premier League.

Off the ball, Cooper makes more blocks, wins more tackles, and makes more interceptions than Phillips, who, to his credit, is still within touching distance of all three statistics.

It must be said, too, that Phillips has played in a Liverpool side which holds the majority of possession, reducing the need to block, tackle, and intercept compared to that of Cooper's in a Leeds side who were pinned back in their own half in the Premier League.

Praising his defender back in 2020, Klopp said: "He's a brilliant guy, smart guy, intelligent, everything. He's not easy on the eye, he's not Messi but who cares?'

"In the air, he's a monster! He was incredible.

"For the first game, I think everyone can imagine how nervy that must be after a long wait. It's a crazy story, three years ago he was on his way to America to college.

"Twelve Championship teams wanted him and to me it was clear he was going, and I was fine with that – and it didn't work out for whatever reason, and it's great! Tonight he was spot on, helped the team incredibly."

Currently valued at £10m by Liverpool, according to The Athletic, it's the 26-year-old's experience in such a possession-heavy side that could be crucial for Farke.

He has played at the very top, winning at the San Siro in the Champions League against AC Milan. Phillips can not only replicate Cooper's ability, he can exceed it.

Liverpool are still interested in completing the signing of Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella this summer, according to a fresh transfer update.

Is Barella linked with Liverpool?

The 26-year-old enjoyed a superb 2022/23 season for Inter, arguably standing out as their most influential player at times, and helping them go all the way to the Champions League final, which they eventually lost narrowly to Manchester City.

Barella cemented his reputation as one of the best players in Serie A with a tally of six goals and assists apiece in the division, proving to be a creative force in the middle of the park.

Given the £154,000-a-week midfielder's reputation, it is no surprise to see him being linked with a move away from his current club this summer, and Liverpool appear to be one of the front-runners to acquire his signature.

The Reds are continuing to search for midfield reinforcements to join Alexis Mac Allister in arriving at Anfield, and rumours of them snapping up Barella are refusing to go away even despite the likely addition of Dominik Szoboszlai.

What's the latest on Barella to Liverpool?

According to journalist Rudy Galetti on Twitter, Barella is also still a genuine target for Liverpool before the 2023/24 Premier League season gets underway:

"Barella remains a target for Liverpool to strengthen the midfield. LFC are internally evaluating if made a concrete move (bid!) for Nicolo in the next days. Inter – to date – consider the player non-transferable."

This is another encouraging update when it comes to Liverpool's pursuit of Barella, with the Italy Euro 2020 winner and one-time Serie A champion someone who could be a wonderful signing for the Merseysiders.

He ticks so many different boxes when it comes to what Jurgen Klopp is after this summer, possessing more end product than any current Reds midfielders, as 12 goal contributions in the league last season prove.

Barella is so much more than just a creative force, however, possessing lots of intelligence on and off the ball, not to mention a great work ethic – one that saw him average 1.4 tackles per game in Serie A last term.

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has described the Inter star as a "fantastic" player and the idea of him slotting into the Reds' midfield alongside Mac Allister and possibly Szoboszlai is mouthwatering, suddenly giving them the legs and creativity that was so sorely lacking for vast chunks of last season.

David de Gea wants to stay at Manchester United but his future looks far from certain, journalist David Ornstein has claimed.

What's the latest on David De Gea?

The Spaniard's £375k-per-week contract is set to expire this summer, but whilst an extension previously looked to be on the cards, there is currently no resolution and he could depart for free.

The 32-year-old has come in for criticism following some glaring errors this season, and Erik ten Hag could look to move on from United's longest serving player.

Speaking on Sky Sports News, Ornstein outlined that whilst De Gea is still keen to extend his deal and remain at Old Trafford, he could depart if United choose to replace him.

"It's a huge decision for Manchester United. I think De Gea wants to stay, he intends to report back after the summer break, at which point he'll be out of contract as things stand," he stated.

"Manchester United are not seeing the 30th June as a hard deadline, so they presumably think they could still come to an agreement with him. There were reports recently that the agreement was there, but it doesn't seem that it's there in full and so it presents Manchester United with a massive decision.

"Do they renew him on reduced wages, but still really significant, when he's not the sort of player that Ten Hag is looking for from his goalkeeper, or do they go for somebody else and let him go as a free agent and go for Andre Onana for example, he has been linked or one of a number of keepers that will be gettable.

"So this is a pretty seismic moment for Manchester United and De Gea, and it's gone this far, it looks like he may well leave."

Should Man United keep De Gea?

Although he previously operated at a world-class level for United over the years, it is clear that Ten Hag needs to upgrade on his number one goalkeeper.

De Gea's poor ability on the ball and in the air, which sees him ranked in the bottom 10% of European keepers for both goal kicks and crosses claimed via FBref, fails to help United in possession.

Ten Hag's style, which saw Andre Onana play the ball out from the back at Ajax, may require a more modern keeper than De Gea, and given that the former Spain international could depart for free and make space on United's wage bill, now seems to be the ideal time to move on and find a replacement.

Fans online have been left stunned after Manchester United ace Marcus Rashford pulled off a brilliant bit of skill for England in their most recent match.

What was the score in England v Malta?

On Friday night, the Three Lions travelled away from home to Malta looking to maintain their spot at the top of their Euro 2024 qualifying group.

And Gareth Southgate’s men we able to make it three wins from three as they cruised to a 4-0 victory thanks to a midfield masterclass from new No 10 Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Indeed, the Liverpool defender played a beautiful through-ball to open up the defence for England’s opener from an own goal before rifling in a fine effort to make it 2-0. Harry Kane won and scored a penalty to make it 3-0 before half-time, while Callum Wilson also scored from the spot later on in the match.

Rashford didn’t start the game, but did come on for Jordan Henderson on the hour mark and was able to make a positive contribution with one fine moment in particular.

Indeed, as shared in this footage on Twitter, he picked the ball up on the left flank and did a couple of sharp stepovers before leaving his man for dead with an elastico.

After seeing the replay of the 25-year-old, it’s safe to say a number of fans were left rather impressed and they soon flocked to social media to express their thoughts.

Here are some of the best Twitter reactions…

Supporters were seriously impressed.