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West Ham United may try to 'accelerate' their endeavours to sign Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse this summer, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

Is James Ward-Prowse moving to West Ham United?

Football Insider claim that talks are continuing between Ward-Prowse and West Ham over a move to the London Stadium, which is now believed to be 'very possible' and the England international is believed to be keen on a return to Premier League football.

The outlet state that personal terms are not expected to throw up any unexpected hitches and discussions have progressed after the Hammers made an official bid of £35 million for the £100k-a-week ace 'in the past few days' as they seek midfield reinforcements.

Ward-Prowse, who has been hailed as a "wizard" with the ball, was left out of Southampton's squad earlier this week for a pre-season friendly against Bournemouth; however, it is said that his absence was injury-related rather than due to any impending transfer, as per talkSPORT.

Last term, the 28-year-old enjoyed a successful campaign on a personal level despite suffering relegation on the South Coast, registering 11 goals and five assists in 45 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Sky Sports Transfer Centre have revealed that a potential agreement between West Ham and Ward-Prowse is 'edging closer' at the London Stadium.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Sky Sports reporter Sheth thinks that Southampton may be more willing to sell Ward-Prowse due to their relegation to the Sky Bet Championship.

Sheth said: "Keep an eye out on James Ward-Prowse. I think West Ham United will probably try to accelerate and push for a deal to get James Ward-Prowse.

"He is someone that they've tried to sign in previous transfer windows, but I think the price has been prohibitive.

"I just wonder whether that price would be more accepting now that Southampton are in the Championship. That's definitely one to keep an eye on because there is definite interest. West Ham are looking at a whole host of midfielders."

What other midfielders are West Ham United looking to acquire?

West Ham boss David Moyes will be keen to enter the market for a midfielder this summer to compensate for the loss of former club captain Declan Rice, who joined Arsenal for a fee of £105 million earlier in the window, as per Sky News.

In the hunt for his replacement, the Hammers fear that they may miss out on the signature of Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, who is keen to stay and fight for his place at Stamford Bridge under Mauricio Pochettino, according to The Daily Mail.

Chelsea booted out an offer of £40 million plus add-ons for the 23-year-old and it is unclear whether West Ham will be willing to submit a further offer for the England international.

Telegraph Sport understand that Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay is another name on the radar at West Ham; however, it is expected that they will need to pay a fee of £45 million to entice him away from Old Trafford.

Tuttosport report that the Irons are closing in on a move for Juventus midfielder Denis Zakaria and he remains a 'concrete objective' for Moyes this window.

Glasgow Rangers remain in the hunt for another striker as Michael Beale looks to offset the departures of Antonio Colak and Alfredo Morelos.

Cyriel Dessers, Sam Lammers and Abdallah Sima have all arrived at the Ibrox side, yet it appears as though there is a concrete move being made to lure Feyenoord striker Danilo to the club this summer.

Have Rangers made a bid for Danilo?

At the end of June, the Gers made a bid for the Brazilian, yet this was rejected and rather than move onto other targets, Beale has since gone back in with another bid for the player.

According to Dutch outlet The Algemeen Dagblad, Rangers have now submitted a second bid for the 24-year-old which is set to be worth around €6m (£5.2m) and should he join, it would represent their biggest transfer outlay this summer following the £3m spent on Lammers and £4.5m on Dessers.

With Colak departing for Parma in a £2.5m deal and Glen Kamara attracting interest from Leeds amid a reported £4m move, Beale has the funds to complete his summer overhaul by luring Danilo to Scotland, and it will be a tense few days as they await a response.

Is Danilo better than Fashion Sakala?

The attacking department has undergone a total revamp since the end of last season. Kemar Roofe and Fashion Sakala remain the only forward options still at the club, although the Zambian could well be leaving the Gers sooner rather than later.

According to The 4th Official, an unnamed team in Saudi Arabia are prepared to spend £4m on Sakala this summer and considering Rangers brought him to Glasgow for nothing, it would be an excellent piece of business moving him on, especially if Danilo is set to arrive at Ibrox.

The 26-year-old frontman did enjoy playing under Beale.

Across 28 matches under the Englishman, he registered 11 goals and seven assists, ending up as their joint-second highest scorer throughout the campaign.

For all of his enthusiasm, however, there comes a lack of ruthlessness, which Danilo has in abundance. The former Ajax starlet scored 14 goals last season for the Eredivisie outfit, two more than Sakala.

He also had a better conversion rate than the Rangers forward in the league last term (16% to 13%) and also missed fewer big chances (seven to 11), clearly suggesting that he would be a more clinical option for Beale.

The "amazing instinctive finisher" – as once lauded by Eredivisie expert Melvin Dupper – did score more often last season too, netting every 134 minutes compared to the 151 minutes it took Sakala and despite his lack of positional versatility, he could certainly be a big upgrade in terms of being more effective in the final third than the current Gers player.

Danilo was hailed by current Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag when he was in charge of Ajax, saying: “Danilo is the best finisher we have in the squad” and if he can bring the form he has shown in the Dutch top-flight over the previous 12 months to Rangers, then he could be an ideal person to complete Beale’s attacking options ahead of what is set to be a crucial Premiership campaign in 2023/24.

Leeds United winger Jack Harrison could be "snapped up by a Premier League team" this summer due to a release clause in his contract, claims journalist Alex Crook.

What is the latest Jack Harrison transfer news?

It has been a busy summer of transfer activity for the recently relegated Leeds this year, but perhaps not in the way fans would've been hoping, as the club have already seen 11 players go out the door, some on loan like Brenden Aaronson, but some permanently, like Tyler Roberts.

That list of departing players could soon have another name as Spanish striker and Leeds' top scorer last season Rodrigo Moreno has completed his move to Qatari side Al Rayyan.

The Peacocks won't even earn much for the move; his £3m price tag will actually represent a £27m loss on the former Valencia man. The fee is so low due to a release clause in his contract that could be activated after the team's relegation to the Championship last season.

In yet more bad news for new boss Daniel Farke, Football Insider revealed last month that exciting attacker Harrison also has a similar release clause in his contract that could see him leave for just £16m this summer.

With his performances for the Whites over the last few years and that appealing price tag, it shouldn't be a surprise if he ends up playing in England's top flight again next year, per Alex Crook.

He explained the situation on air, which was posted on TalkSPORT's YouTube channel, saying:

"Most of that squad have got similar clauses, I think Jack Harrison will be snapped up by a Premier League team."

Is Jack Harrison good enough for the Premier League?

Harrison has had an interesting journey to get where he is today, moving to the USA in his teens before playing in the MLS and signing for Manchester City.

Following that, he spent four seasons in Yorkshire, making himself one of the first names on the teamsheet for much of that time.

He has certainly proved that he has what it takes to play in England's top tier, and even last season, as the team around him was crumbling, he was able to put in consistently decent performances, with WhoScored giving him an average rating of 6.72 across his 36 appearances.

His underlying numbers were also solid, with FBref, who compare players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, placing him in the top 8% for blocks, the top 15% for clearances, the top 21% for interceptions, and the top 32% for assists, all per 90.

His talents are clearly appreciated by his teammates, as left back Junior Firpo waxed lyrical about his teammate on the Leeds official podcast, saying:

"He's one of the best wingers I had, in terms of helping the fullback. This is really important for the fullback when you have a winger that is committed to the work and helps you with the 2 v 1's, especially here in the Premier League where every team has amazing wingers. It's unbelievable to have him."

While Leeds would undoubtedly miss him, for the reported fee of just £16m, he would represent outstanding value for any mid-table team in the Premier League, and it's likely just a matter of when and not if he makes that move this summer.

Arsene Wenger is set to be the next Arsenal legend to get his own statue outside the Emirates Stadium, according to reports.

When was the Emirates Stadium built?

The club's iconic manager played a huge part in the move from Highbury to the club's current home, with plans beginning as early as the late 1990s.

Construction of the venue started in 2004 with a total project budget that amounted to £390 million. A few years on, the Emirates Stadium officially opened on the 23rd of July 2006.

Speaking on beIN Sports (via GIVEMESPORT), Wenger said explained his role in pushing for such a big change, noting he felt it was an important step to take even though it made things complicated in terms of on-pitch success.

He said: “I encouraged the club to do it. It cost £200 million more than we expected it to be.

“We were blocked, we could only spend 50% of the turnover on wages. For example, if the turnover was £500 million we could only dedicate £250 million to wages.

“So we always had to sell our best players because the best players want money.”

No doubt, the lack of resources to keep hold of the club's best players, and bring in new top talent, cost Wenger in the later stages of his time with Arsenal.

Even so, he still departed a legend in 2018 having won 17 trophies during his time with the Gunners, which included three Premier Leagues, seven FA Cups and seven Community Shields.

When will Arsene Wenger's Emirates statue be unveiled?

In an exciting new update about the stadium, Connor Humm – who works for Sky Sports – revealed on Twitter that Wenger will be the next Arsenal legend to get a statue, after Tony Adams, Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry and Herbert Chapman.

In full, he explained: "I understand that Arsenal are set to give Arsène Wenger a statue outside the Emirates which will be unveiled on Thursday 3rd August.

"He joins Tony Adams, Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry and Herbert Chapman with a statue outside the stadium."

After noting that this will happen as soon as August 3, in a follow-up Tweet, Humm also reported that the Frenchman is expected to be there at the Emirates for the unveiling in person.

It will be great to see the club legend honoured for all the success he had with the North London outfit between 1996 and 2018, especially as he has only returned to the stadium once since leaving.

Indeed, last season, in December, despite previously saying he had no plans to watch his old side in action, he was in the crowd to watch Arsenal’s Premier League win over West Ham United on Boxing Day.

At the time, current manager Mikel Arteta warmly welcomed Wenger back, saying (via The Athletic): “Hopefully we can bring him close because I think he would have a great time just seeing the environment that he can create around him when he’s around this place.

“That is because of the respect, admiration and love that everybody at the club has for what he’s done and for what he represents as a person in this club.”

Leeds United could have a vast rebuild on their hands this summer, but might be set to make one huge early stride forwards…

What's the latest on Emmanuel Dennis to Leeds United?

That's according to Nigerian outlet Mobile Punch (via NottinghamshireLive), who suggest that the 49ers will kickstart their new reign with a move for Nottingham Forest's Emmanuel Dennis.

Given the huge influx of players the Tricky Trees oversaw last campaign, some will simply have to be offloaded. With the 25-year-old having endured a stuttered season, he could seek to revitalise his career at Elland Road. Given he was signed for around £20m, the €12.3m (£11m) value that Football Transfers have attached to his name seems appropriate.

Complete Sports supplement the earlier report by suggesting that a bid is being prepared too.

His arrival would mark the perfect replacement for the expected exit of Rodrigo, replacing his goals with ease.

Would Emmanuel Dennis replace Rodrigo?

Although the Nigerian striker did not enjoy the most prolific term at the City Ground, his work with the relegation-threatened Watford should remain fresh enough in the memory to suggest he would still be an asset.

After all, just five goal contributions across all competitions came largely as a result of stuttered play time, to which he would surely be handed plenty more than just 715 league minutes at Elland Road.

It seems the speedster thrives when he is the focal point of an attacking unit, as the season prior he scored ten goals and assisted a further six whilst featuring all across the front three. Given this was his debut year in England too for a lacklustre Watford, it marked a successful start to life in a new country.

Journalist Josh Bunting sought to praise the new boy early on in that campaign, taking to Twitter: "Emmanuel Dennis has been one of the most underrated players outside of Watford fans this season, he’s been a very good addition. 4 goals and 5 assists in 11 Premier League games should be being spoken about much more. Today he was absolutely electric from the start to finish."

The Yorkshire outfit will be desperate to replace the goals of their Spanish scoring machine, as the 32-year-old found the net on 13 occasions last season in the Premier League. However, it could be argued that this was the only outstanding year he enjoyed since his club-record move in 2020, suggesting that Dennis would hardly have to set the world alight to replicate him.

With a vacancy in their dugout still, few managers would pass up the opportunity to build their team around Dennis, given his capability at a level far above the Championship.

He could join, spearhead their promotion charge, and still retain his usefulness once back in the top flight. Therefore, this deal should represent a no-brainer for the 49ers who would be without last year's top scorer.

Inter Milan CEO Beppe Marotta has confirmed that Manchester United are interested in signing their goalkeeper Andre Onana and expects them to make a bid in the next few days.

What's the latest on Man Utd and their goalkeepers?

As we are now in July, the Red Devils have technically lost their number one option between the sticks. Indeed, David de Gea has seen his contract officially expire.

However, the club have explained in a statement (via Reuters) that there is a chance the Spaniard still remains at Old Trafford beyond this summer.

They explained: "David De Gea's contract is due to run out but discussions remain open with the long-serving keeper."

Astonishingly, according to The Sun, Man Utd have asked him not to agree to join a new club just yet in case they can't find a suitable replacement in the market. As per the same report, it appears that they want to first see if they can sign Inter goalkeeper Onana for £40m.

Confirming that transfer interest, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano, Inter CEO Marotta explained the current situation between the two sides.

He said: "Manchester United should submit an official bid for Andre Onana in some days; then we will tell them our position and the player will do the same."

What did Inter's CEO say about Man Utd and Andre Onana?

As reported in the Daily Mail, Marotta elaborated more on the rumours at the Gran Gala, saying: "Manchester United expressed a particular interest, but that needs to blossom into making a proposal over the next few days.

"Once that happens, both Inter and the player will make a careful evaluation."

Marotta also confirmed that the club's director, Piero Ausilio "is working on [a deal]" but that "there is still no official bid from United at this stage."

With that being the case, it does appear that the Red Devils are genuinely interested in signing the 27-year-old Cameroonian international and appear to be prioritising him over securing De Gea to a new contract.

If Inter don't accept a bid, though, Man Utd may have to turn back to the Spaniard, which could potentially be rather awkward. After all, it remains to be seen just how he feels about his treatment at Old Trafford of late – although he did recently post a yawning emoji online, suggesting he's rather tired of it all.

It'll be interesting to see how this all plays out over the coming weeks, with that offer for Onana evidently in the works.

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

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

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

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

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

How good is Edmond Tapsoba?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

An unknown name has thrown his name into the mix for the managerial vacancy at Sheffield Wednesday, according to reports.

What's the latest Sheffield Wednesday news?

After the shock departure of Darren Moore earlier this week, Wednesday have been busy looking for a replacement as they prepare for their first season back in the Championship.

The news came as a surprise to fans after the 49-year-old had just steered the Owls back to the second tier of English football, with the club embarking on a historic playoff run that saw them overturn the biggest deficit in League One playoff history, coming back from 4-0 down to beat Peterborough before a last-minute Josh Windass goal against Barnsley sealed their return.

Out of seemingly nowhere, club chairman Dejphon Chansiri announced Moore's departure, with The Star reporting that the two parties came to a mutual agreement for the 49-year-old to leave due to their differing transfer policies.

In the aftermath, Wednesday have begun their search for his replacement, with former Owls boss Carlos Carvalhal sensationally linked with a return to the club, but The Star has now reported that former Chaves manager Vitor Campelos has now put his name forward to Chansiri to take charge at Hillsborough.

Will Vitor Campelos take charge at Sheffield Wednesday?

Campelos is far from the only name in the mix for the vacant managerial job at Wednesday, so it remains to be seen how likely it is that he'll be taking charge of the club ahead of next season.

Having spent the last two years at Chaves, the 48-year-old was a resounding success at the club, guiding them to promotion and a return to Portuguese's top flight in 2022, before leading them to a seventh-place finish in their first year back, one point short of their greatest ever league campaign.

After being linked to several Championship clubs, the Portuguese coach left Chaves earlier this month, but is keen to get straight back into management and has apparently identified the Wednesday job as one of great interest to him.

Campelos' preferred formation is a 4-4-1-1, a shape that Wednesday aren't too familiar with, so if he were to get the job, it's likely the club's tactical approach would change significantly, but as he has previously shown in Portugal, his ability to navigate a team to success after promotion to a higher division could bode well for his chances on securing the job.

Aston Villa are eyeing an audacious swoop for a Premier League ace, if latest reports are to be believed.

The Villans are expected to have a busy summer both on and off the pitch, with Sevilla sporting director Monchi set to join Unai Emery to bolster the business side of things at the club.

A host of talent has been linked with a move to Villa Park already, with the latest name being one of high potential.

What’s the latest on Jadon Sancho to Aston Villa?

As reported by FootballTransfers earlier this week, Aston Villa have emerged as a potential candidate to sign Manchester United forward Jadon Sancho.

The report claims that Villa are ‘keen’ on the Englishman, who is valued at £60m by his club.

It’s added that, at present, the Midlands club are ‘not willing’ to spend such a figure on the 23-year-old, who has struggled since arriving at Old Trafford.

What could Jadon Sancho offer to Aston Villa?

Despite not thriving as dangerously as he did at Borussia Dortmund, the former Manchester City academy starlet has built a huge reputation due to his thunderous form displayed in Germany.

The left-winger contributed to a monstrous 89 goals in 104 Bundesliga appearances for Dortmund, scoring 38 himself and assisting 51 in just under three and a half seasons, via Transfermarkt.

Once lauded as being an “insane talent” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Londoner could be an emphatic name for Emery to introduce to Villa Park and integrate into his free-flowing attack.

This campaign has been tough for the Englishman, who took some time away from activity earlier in the season due to being not “physically or mentally” fit to be among his teammates, as revealed by Erik Ten Hag.

Ending the term with 26 appearances, the 23-year-old contributed six goals and three assists for the Red Devils, showing the gap he finds himself at to being close to his best.

The youngster could reach such levels once more if given the chance to thrive, something he could do by joining Villa, who have been presented with an exciting project thanks to the work of Emery.

Deployed on the left flank, the right-footed ace could be provided with a strong outlet in new arrival Youri Tielemans, who has been praised as a “phenomenon” for his play-making ability by former Anderlecht midfielder Par Zetterberg.

The two could form a dangerous combination in Emery’s attack, as suggested by their statistics gathered, piecing them together as the perfect pair to partner at Villa Park this off-season.

As per Sofascore, the Belgian created 10 big chances, as well as averaging one key pass per game in what was a hugely underwhelming Leicester City side that was relegated from the Premier League.

Most notably, the 26-year-old dynamo averaged 6.95 progressive passes per 90 which when paired with Sancho’s average of 9.23 progressive passes received per 90, proves for exciting potential between the two.

The numbers show both the Englishman’s ability to be progressive in his play through movement and positioning to get into intricate areas in the final third, as well as Tielemans’ own ability to pick and execute a pass from a deeper role.

With a hefty price tag and a long way to go in the summer transfer window, only time will tell if Villa decide to flex their financial strengths to snatch the 23-year-old but given the evidence above, it could well be a risk worth taking for Monchi and co.

Sergio Aguero has revealed that he has already trolled Lionel Messi about Inter Miami’s lowly position in the league.

What position are Inter Miami in MLS?

It was revealed this week that the former Paris Saint-Germain star would be swapping Ligue 1 for MLS after two seasons in France.

There had been reports that he was wanted by both Barcelona as well as teams in Saudi Arabia, but – perhaps surprisingly – Messi will be going to America instead.

However, Inter Miami aren’t exactly in the best shape right now having just fired head coach Phill Neville amid an awful run of just two wins in their last 13 games.

As a result, Messi’s new team are dead last in the Eastern Conference and Aguero wasted no time in ribbing his close friend about this.

Indeed, speaking to ESPN Argentina (via Felipe Cardenas), the retired striker claimed that he chatted with the 35-year-old recently and sent him a screenshot of the Eastern Conference standings.

Aguero explained his conversation with Messi saying: “Your team is behind! You have to move up to 8th/9th.”

He then revealed the 35-year-old attacker’s response: “Messi cracked up. He said we have to make the playoffs.”

On top of this, as reported in a follow-up Tweet, Aguero was also asked if he’ll watch Messi’s games in Miami in person.

He replied: “They are no tickets! It’s sold out. But I think he arrives in mid-July.”

Who is Messi’s godson?

Messi and Aguero of course played together for Argentina and appear to be pretty close. After all, the new MLS star is actually godfather to Sergio’s son.

What’s more, Benjamin appears to be quite happy to defend the World Cup winner too. Indeed, he recently

trolled PSG when they announced Messi’s departure, saying: “He was too big for you.”

Well, if the 35-year-old was too big for the Ligue 1 champions, one can only imagine the sort of impact he’ll have in America. He’s already helping grow Inter Miami’s social media brand.

For instance, since his transfer was announced, the club’s Instagram account has gone from one million followers to over 6.5 million.