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West Ham United are hoping to tie up a deal to bring Filip Kostic to the London Stadium this weekend.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian media outlet Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), who claim that, following weeks of negotiations, David Moyes is finally hoping to reach an agreement with the Eintracht Frankfurt wing-back in the coming days – with the Hammers said to be in talks regarding a €15m (£12.6m) plus bonuses fee with the Bundesliga side.

However, the report goes on to state that Juventus are also set to make an offer of €12m (£10m) plus bonuses for the Serbia international in the next few days, something it is suggested could temp the 29-year-old more than a switch to east London.

Real coup

Considering just how impressive Kostic was for Eintracht last season, should West Ham manage to get a deal over the line for the defender ahead of Italian giants Juventus this summer, it would undoubtedly represent a real coup for the Premier League outfit.

Indeed, over his 31 Bundesliga appearances in 2021/22, the £21.6m-rated wing-back was in stunning form, scoring four goals, providing nine assists and creating 16 big chances for his team-mates, as well as taking an average of 1.6 shots, making 2.8 key passes and completing 0.8 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the 48-cap international average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.25, ranking him as Oliver Glasner’s best performer in the league and the 15th-best player in the division as a whole.

The £43k-per-week talent was also in deadly form over his 12 Europa League fixtures last time out, scoring three goals, registering six assists and creating four big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 2.7 shots, making 2.1 key passes and completing 0.8 dribbles per game.

These metrics saw the Serbian sensation who Fredi Bobic dubbed “extraordinary” average a breathtaking SofaScore match rating of 7.33, ranking him as the joint sixth-best player in the European competition.

As such, it is evident just how much Kostic would add to Moyes’ current options on the left of his backline next season, leading us to believe that the Scot simply must do everything in his power to convince the 29-year-old of a move to the London Stadium ahead of one to Turin this summer.

Sky Sports pundit Kevin Campbell has claimed that Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans ‘would be interested’ in joining Liverpool this summer.

The Lowdown: Thiago ruled out

The Belgian has now entered the final year of his deal at the King Power and has been linked with a move away from the Foxes before the end of the window, with fellow Premier League side Arsenal emerging as strong contenders for his signature.

Thiago Alcantara was forced off the pitch during the Reds’ 2-2 opening day draw against Fulham last weekend with a hamstring injury, meaning that Jurgen Klopp could now be eyeing a reinforcement to cover the Spaniard’s six-week spell on the sidelines.

The Latest: Campbell’s encouragement

Asked by Football Insider whether Liverpool should consider making a move for Tielemans, Campbell said:

“He has craft in his game.

“It is one of them, he is there with a year left on his contract. If the opportunity came about, could it happen?

“I’m sure Tielemans would be interested in a move to Liverpool.

“When you look at Thiago, his game and what he brings to Liverpool, Tielemans could go someway to replacing that. Thiago brings craft to that Liverpool midfield. Tielemans brings that as well.

“He could also add goals to that side. He would give Liverpool another dimension, if was he to go to Anfield.”

The Verdict: Magician in midfield

Alongside Thiago, Jurgen Klopp also has both Curtis Jones and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain out with respective injuries, so buying a new midfielder before the window closes may become a necessity.

The 25-year-old Leicester star, described as ‘absolute magic’ by sports journalist Josh Bunting, helped himself to six goals and four assists in the top-flight last season, also averaging 2.3 tackles per game, via WhoScored, with the ability to graft and win possession back in central areas a quality that the German boss admires.

Liverpool are already said to be eyeing a move for Matheus Nunes from Sporting CP, though Tielemans would no doubt be a welcome creative addition with fans happy to see him walking through the doors at Anfield instead.

Newcastle United are ‘tempted’ to make another move to sign Leicester City midfielder James Maddison, according to transfer insider Dean Jones. 

The lowdown: Magpies interested

The Magpies have been extensively linked with a move for Maddison this summer and are believed to have seen a £50million offer rejected earlier in the window.

Leicester are understood to be looking for a figure closer to £60million for the 25-year-old England international, who has amassed 78 direct goal contributions in 171 outings for the Midlands club.

Despite the lofty figures involved, one well-informed onlooker has suggested that Newcastle could be about to rekindle their pursuit of Maddison…

The latest: ‘Tempted’

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones – a journalist for Eurosport – has claimed that the North East outfit are ‘tempted’ to bid again for the one-cap ace.

He said: “They’re tempted to go one more time for James Maddison. They’ve been weighing it up. The thing that they really like about James Maddison is that he’s quite flexible in what he can bring to them.

“If you look at Newcastle at the weekend, what [Miguel] Almiron and [Allan] Saint-Maximin offer, it’s just not quite there in terms of if you’re going to knock on the door of the top six. They’re just probably going to be short of the creativity needed.”

The verdict: Make it happen

Signing a player of Maddison’s proven Premier League quality would be a significant statement of intent from PIF, particularly in light of the long-term injury suffered by current Toon creator Jonjo Shelvey.

Linked elsewhere to Everton starlet Anthony Gordon, it appears as though Dan Ashworth is still attempting to bolster the forward-thinking options at St James’ Park and the Leicester mainstay, who has successfully completed 255 dribbles in his top flight career, could be the ideal candidate.

Last season, the man dubbed a ‘special talent’ by Henry Winter scored 18 times and provided 12 assists in 53 appearances across all competitions before picking up where he left off this term with an assist in a 7.70 Sofascore-rated display against Brentford at the weekend.

Under contract until 2024 (Transfermarkt), paying the mooted asking price for Maddison would still represent impressive business and could go a long way towards kickstarting the next phase of the Newcastle project under Eddie Howe.

Leeds United have ‘submitted a formal offer’ for Los Angeles FC midfielder Jose Cifuentes, reports Ecuadorian news outlet bolavip.com. 

The lowdown

Ecuadorian journalist Andreas Ponce reported earlier this week that Leeds are interested in Cifuentes, and now it seems they’ve taken things up a notch.

He joined the Major League Soccer outfit from native club CD Universidad Catolica in a £2.45million deal in 2020.

The 23-year-old is predominantly a central midfielder but he can also play in a deeper or more advanced role.

Significantly, his contract is due to expire at the end of 2023, potentially putting LAFC in a week negotiating position.

The latest

‘Several teams in Europe’ want to sign Cifuentes, the report from his homeland claims, but Leeds have seized the initiative by making a bid.

They’ve laid down an offer of $5million, which is the equivalent of about £4.1million.

Champions League outfit Napoli and Premier League sides Leicester City and Brighton are also named as suitors.

LAFC regard Cifuentes as a valuable asset, particularly as he’s set to feature in the Ecuador squad for the upcoming World Cup.

The player has added his own fuel to the fire by admitting that a move to Europe is a ‘dream’ transfer for him, and it looks like Victor Orta and Andrea Radrizzani hope to make that dream a reality.

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The verdict

Leeds have already signed three central midfield players this summer in Tyler Adams, Marc Roca and Darko Gyabi, but you can see why they’d be interested in Cifuentes too.

Marsch is a former coach of the New York Red Bulls and clearly recognises the potential of the American market.

Adams, Brenden Aaronson and Jack Harrison have all passed through MLS before making an impact in Europe.

Cifuentes boasts a strong record this season, scoring six goals and providing seven assists in 26 appearances across all competitions.

And one player who might be able to endorse him is his new LAFC team-mate Gareth Bale. Cifuentes actually gave up his no. 11 jersey for the Welshman when he arrived in California.

Leeds United have been linked with a move for Tottenham defender Japhet Tanganga in the last 24 hours.

The Lowdown: Tanganga profiled

The 23-year-old is primarily a centre-back who can also line out at right-back.

Valued at £10.8m by Transfermarkt, the Englishman has made 43 senior appearances for Spurs after progressing through their academy, 19 of which came last season.

He’s under contract in north London until 2025 but reportedly wants to leave the club in search of more game time.

The Latest: Leeds linked with Tanganga

Tuttomercatoweb shared a transfer update regarding Tanganga on Monday evening following links of a move to AC Milan.

They said that, ‘in the last few hours’, Leeds have joined the race for the defender alongside Everton and Newcastle.

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The Verdict: Avoid?

It appears as if Victor Orta has looked into a move for Tanganga following the impressive 3-0 win over Chelsea on Sunday, although a move for the defender doesn’t appear to be necessary at this moment in time.

Jesse Marsch has plenty of options at centre-back and right-back, but you could say that left-back is an area where the club are somewhat light with Junior Firpo still sidelined.

Tanganga, who BBC pundit Alan Shearer labelled ‘magnificent’, has only played at left-back on four occasions, and with a new forward also required at Elland Road before the 1 September deadline, it could be wise for Leeds to look elsewhere for new arrivals in the final few days of the transfer window.

Tottenham Hotspur still hold an interest in Everton winger Anthony Gordon despite the ever-increasing links to Chelsea, according to football.london’s Alasdair Gold.

The Lowdown: Young additions

Spurs have already added a plethora of youthful players to their ranks this summer.

21-year-old Djed Spence arrived at Hotspur Way after extensive negotiations and 19-year-old Destiny Udogie joined Spence as a young addition at full-back before returning to the Serie A on loan for the season ahead.

More high-profile signings, the likes of Richarlison and Yves Bissouma, are still young at 25-years-old, meaning Antonio Conte’s squad will be able to gel with one another and improve for years to come.

The Latest: Gordon interest

Fresh rumours have now suggested Tottenham could be looking to add another youngster to their ranks, but this time in a hefty deal from a Premier League rival.

According to a football.london report written by Gold, Spurs hold a firm interest in 21-year-old Everton star Anthony Gordon.

The winger is of course the subject of a serious move by Chelsea, who are ready to pay the Toffees £50m (plus £10m in add-ons) for his services.

Gordon has informed Frank Lampard of his intent to join the Londoners, with the player keen to play in the Champions League.

Manchester United and Newcastle United are also interested in the U21 England international.

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The Verdict: Perfect for Conte

Having established himself as a core component of Lampard’s starting eleven last season, the talented wide player has drawn up serious hype amongst rival Premier League scouts.

When looking at his underlying stats, it is easy to see why. As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, Gordon ranks in the 99th percentile for blocks, in the 96th percentile for tackles and in the 94th percentile for pressures – illustrating a constant hunger to win the ball back for his side which Conte would absolutely love.

Journalist Jeff Wallner previously hailed the youngster’s pressing from the front, dubbing him an ‘absolute beast’ on the pitch.

Whilst it remains a possibility that Fabio Paratici tries to hijack Gordon’s Chelsea move, a £60m fee for the 21-year-old does appear to be a little steep for Spurs.

Everton could reportedly still sign FC Porto attacker Goncalo Borges after making a bid for the player.

The Lowdown: Attackers wanted

It seems as if the Goodison Park outfit still want to bring in a new attacker before the deadline, having recently been linked with moves for Watford’s Joao Pedro and Villarreal’s Samuel Chukwueze.

They have recently confirmed the signing of Idrissa Gueye from PSG, and their business may not be done there given the need for more firepower up front.

The Latest: Borges bid

As per Portuguese news outlet O Jogo (via Sport Witness), the Merseyside club have made a €12m (£10.3m) bid for Borges, which has been rejected by Porto.

The Portuguese giants are holding out for a transfer fee closer to €15m (£12.9m), and Frank Lampard’s team face competition from Estoril for his signature.

Porto intend to try and keep hold of Borges in the last hours of the window, but a number of clubs in Portugal are thought to be keen, and the Toffees could still raise their offer.

The Verdict: Time running out

If the Blues are serious about wanting to sign Borges, then they need to put in an improved offer fast that matches Porto’s valuation of the player.

Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig claims that he is a ‘similar’ player to Bayern Munich and Germany star Serge Gnabry, reporting his strengths in pace, dribbling, technique, ball control and creativity.

The 21-year-old is clearly very talented, having scored ten goals with six assists for Porto at youth level, as well as making three appearances for the senior team (Transfermarkt).

Borges also actually shares the same agent as four EFC players, and so this could help push a last-minute deal through before the deadline.

Everton are considering a move for Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Hwang Hee-chan, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein.

The Lowdown: Goalscorers wanted

As widely reported this summer, the Toffees are keen to add firepower to Frank Lampard’s squad following the £60m departure of Richarlison to Tottenham Hotspur.

The Brazil international ended the last Premier League season as the Blues’ top scorer with ten goals in 30 appearances.

Without Richarlison, goals are expected to come from Everton number nine Dominic Calvert-Lewin. However, with the England international’s history of injury, he is not always the most reliable striker to base a team around.

For example, the 25-year-old played just 17 league games last season, contributing on a minimal five occasions.

The Latest: Interest in Hwang Hee-chan

According to Ornstein’s most recent report for The Athletic, Everton are considering Hwang as a potential addition at striker.

The 26-year-old has also been receiving strong interest from Premier League rivals Leeds United.

It is also claimed however that a Toffees move may require Conor Coady’s loan at Goodison Park to be made permanent, possibly throwing this proposition in doubt.

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The Verdict: Risky move?

Despite having scored 76 senior goals throughout his career, including eight for the South Korea national team, Hwang has netted just five times in 36 appearances for Wolves.

This could prove to be worrying for Everton fans as it appears the 26-year-old hasn’t adapted well to life in the Premier League.

Whilst playing for Red Bull Salzburg, the versatile forward bagged an impressive 45 goals and 29 assists in 126 games.

As a result, former Salzburg head coach Peter Zeidler sung his praises, having exclaimed: “He’s exceptional, has a brutal dynamism. I’ve rarely seen anything like it.”

If Lampard can get him back firing like he used to in Austria, this could be a strong addition to the Toffees’ squad, but it certainly feels like a risky one.

Nottingham Forest made 22 new signings over the summer transfer window in an ambitious effort to bolster and strengthen the squad ahead of their Premier League return after 23 years away from the top flight.

Jesse Lingard, Morgan Gibbs-White, Emmanuel Dennis, Neco Williams, Renan Lodi and Willy Boly are just a few of the players who made the move to The City Ground to contribute to the challenge of retaining Forest’s top-flight status over the season ahead, but it hasn’t been plain sailing so far.

Steve Cooper will feel the pressure upon returning to club football on Monday evening as they travel to the King Power Stadium to take on the only team below them in the Premier League table, Leicester City.

So far Forest have only picked up four points over their first seven outings and have conceded the third most goals in the entire league (17), proving that their defensive play isn’t yet up to scratch to fend off the quality attacking threats they have come up against.

As a result, in hindsight focusing on strengthening the defensive set-up with high-quality defenders should have been more of a priority during their £150m summer splurge, and there is one player that Evangelos Marinakis missed out on that could’ve provided Forest with just that.

Levi Colwill was one of the targets Forest were keen to snap up over the transfer window following his impressive season on loan with their play-off final opponents Huddersfield Town, and there is no doubt that the Chelsea youngster would’ve given Forest a solid and reliable output in the backline.

The 19-year-old, who was hailed a “rising talent” by The Athletic’s Simon Johnson, was the fourth highest rated player (7.10) in the entire Huddersfield squad last season, proving his versatility in both defensive and attacking play over his Championship loan.

Over 29 appearances, Colwill scored two goals and delivered one assist, made 1.3 interceptions, 1.8 tackles and 4.1 clearances per game, as well as winning the majority of his duels (65%) and completing 76% of his dribbles.

The talented centre-back has now joined Brighton and Hove Albion on loan after Forest missed out on securing his signature, but he could have been a really important player for Forest this season, especially after Moussa Niakhate’s injury blow.

With that being said, not putting more effort and ambition into strengthening the defence could be a decision that comes back to bite Forest over the season ahead but Cooper will now need to work with the current crop of defenders at the club to improve their current form.

Tottenham Hotspur are plotting a move for Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak to replace Hugo Lloris, according to reports in the last 48 hours.

The Lowdown: Life after Lloris

The Frenchman has been with the Lilywhites for ten years since joining from Lyon, but is expected to leave the club when his contract expires in 2024.

Fabio Paratici now appears to be planning for life after the 35-year-old’s departure, and with the help of Antonio Conte, has identified who he wants to bring to the Premier League as his successor.

The Latest: Spurs interested in Oblak

According to the Evening Standard, Tottenham have made Oblak their ‘primary target to be their next No1’, and have already ‘sounded out’ the shot-stopper over a potential move next summer.

This comes after the boss and director of football are believed to have ‘spoken’ to one another about securing a long-term goalkeeping alternative.

It’s stated that whilst the Slovenian has six years remaining on his deal in La Liga, the Spanish giants would be ‘prepared to discuss a transfer’ with any potential suitors interested.

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The Verdict: Ideal candidate

Fraser Forster was never going to be seen as anything more than cover for Lloris when he put pen to paper in the summer, but Oblak has all the qualities to be the perfect successor.

The 6 foot 2 colossus, dubbed ‘sensational’ by sports journalist Josh Bunting, has kept an impressive 177 clean sheets in 360 outings for Atletico.

Oblak is also a previous Europa League champion and has a Player of the Year title to his name, so he should be able to bring that winning mentality to Spurs should he make the switch next year.