All posts by z3u9t.icu

West Ham United are set to sign a “quick” teenage attacker from a Premier League rival, according to a new report.

Steidten and Lopetegui making mark with West Ham signings

New manager Julen Lopetegui admitted last month after joining that he wants to put his own stamp on things at the London Stadium, looking to make a “big, big noise” with the Irons.

He said: “I feel very happy, first of all, to be able to be part of the future of this big Club. We will try to put our stamp on the Club. I feel that we have a fantastic platform.

"I think the last few years have been very good years to have this base, of course, but my ambition as a coach is always to be better and better, to achieve more and bigger aims and to encourage and improve the players, the team, and to compete because football is about this – to compete. We are very ambitious about this.

“I am where I want to be. I am here because I want to be here and for us it was a fantastic day when we closed our agreement here because our commitment is 100 per cent to be here. We had other opportunities but I am very happy that West Ham chose me because I chose West Ham too, so we are really happy about this.

“We came here with the idea and the thought to make a big, big noise. That's why we came here, and we are excited by this challenge. Of course, we are going to do our best to help the Club and the team to achieve to achieve the best level and to achieve our aims. I assure the fans that they are going to be key in all our achievements.”

He is doing so already, with the help of technical director Tim Stediten in the transfer market. West Ham have already spent big on teenage winger Luis Guilherme, who arrived from Palmeiras, whereas Wes Foderingham has also signed on a free transfer.

West Ham in the mix for Antonio upgrade who’s “one of the best strikers”

This marksman is available to sign this summer.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Jun 28, 2024

West Ham are also hoping to seal a deal for Wolves centre-back Max Kilman, and further attacking additions look set to be made, with bids submitted for Galatasaray’s Wilfried Zaha and Fluminense forward Jhon Arias.

West Ham have held talks to sign Lille striker Jonathan David, who could be available for just £17m, and have also made it clear they are willing to sign Genoa forward Albert Gudmundsson.

Not all the attacking arrivals this summer will be for the first team, though, with an academy addition looking set to be sealed.

West Ham to sign “quick” young attacker from Man City

According to The Secret Scout on X, West Ham are “set to sign” David Chigwada from Manchester City. Chigwada, described as a “quick attacker”, was with Blackburn Rovers before City but now looks set to move to West Ham, who have been after a new attacking gem for their U18s.

Aged just 16, Chigwada could be one to watch in the club’s academy, and who knows, in time, we may see him progress into the first-team setup, possibly still under Lopetegui.

Whilst the main focus for Celtic supporters may be on incoming business and who the club could sign in the summer transfer window, there will also be exits from Parkhead.

One player who the fans may not want to see leave is attacking midfielder Matt O'Riley. It was recently reported that Leicester City have made an offer to take him to the Premier League next season.

The Danish wizard racked up 18 goals and 13 assists in the Scottish Premiership during the 2023/24 campaign and losing him would, therefore, be a blow as Brendan Rodgers would then be without one of his best attacking talents.

One exit that may cause less uproar from the stands, however, is the proposed sale of a striker who rarely got on the pitch for the Hoops last season.

Celtic dud expected to depart

According to the Daily Record, Hyeon-gyu Oh is expected to complete an exit from the Scottish giants before the end of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that Belgian side Genk are pursuing a deal to sign the South Korea international to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.

It states that the Hoops outcast is 'expected' to depart in a transfer that will see Celtic earn a fee in excess of £4m, despite him being the third-choice striker in the squad during the second half of last season.

If this report is accurate then it appears as though the Premiership champions are set to pull off a blinder by making a decent profit on the South Korean number nine.

Why this is a blinder for Celtic

This looks set to be a brilliant piece of business by the Hoops as they are on course to brutally ditch a player who has been disappointing on the pitch in Scotland.

The 23-year-old attacker enjoyed a relatively decent start to his career at Parkhead with a return of six goals in 16 appearances in the league in the second half of the 2022/23 campaign, after a £2.5m move from Suwon Bluewings in January 2023.

However, his form in his first full season in a Celtic jersey suggests that the club are pulling off a blinder by selling him for more than £1.5m profit.

Oh scored five goals from 6.35 xG in the Premiership last term and the rest of his all-round game did not make up for his wasteful finishing in the final third.

Appearances

20

Goals

5

Assists

0

Big chances created

0

Key passes per game

0.3

Duel success rate

41%

As you can see in the table above, the right-footed dud, who was behind Adam Idah and Kyogo Furuhashi in the pecking order, offered very little as a creator and lost the majority of his physical duels.

Veteran broadcaster Hugh Keevins claimed that it would be a "miracle" for Celtic to earn £4m from the sale of Oh and the statistics back up his disbelief at the quoted figure.

Oh's poor finishing and lack of quality in and out of possession outside of the box, with zero 'big chances' created or assists, suggests that the Hoops have done incredibly well to negotiate a fee of £4m+ for a player they only paid £2.5m for 18 months ago.

Brutally ditching a player for profit who was the third-choice in his position at the end of last season and has been underwhelming on the pitch can surely only be seen as a positive piece of business by the Hoops.

Imagine him & Idah: Celtic in talks to sign £4m star

The Hoops are reportedly pursuing a deal to snap up the talented midfielder.

1 ByDan Emery Jul 7, 2024

Sheffield Wednesday could be an arguable dark horse next season in the promotion mix, with Danny Rohl and Co onto their eighth signing of the transfer window already, after officially unveiling ex-Manchester United youngster, Charlie McNeill.

The Owls' blistering form at the end of the last Championship season – which saw them go unbeaten in their final six second-tier clashes – did indicate that their position of 20th in the overall finished rankings was somewhat of a false position, with Rohl having to pick up the pieces from the mess Xisco Munoz had left.

Across a full campaign at the helm to come, the beloved German boss could make Wednesday even dream about an unbelievable promotion success, with a new recruit in the middle of the park now being eyed up.

Wednesday interested in former England international

According to a report in the Sheffield Star, the Championship side are looking at former West Bromwich Albion man Nathaniel Chalobah, who is now a free agent having been released by the Baggies on their recent retained list.

Formerly on the books at Chelsea as a youngster, Chalobah has become somewhat of a nomad since walking away from Stamford Bridge, and will be an instantly recognisable face to those who regularly watch second tier football.

Playing for the likes of Watford, Nottingham Forest, Fulham and Reading among others across his well-travelled EFL career, Wednesday would be gaining a seasoned head if Chalobah does sign on the dotted line, therefore, who was even capped by England at a senior level back in 2018.

With Wednesday signing and prioritising a number of exciting and explosive talents entering through the door this summer to date – including young McNeill – Chalobah could act as a natural successor to Will Vaulks in a holding midfield role, as the Owls only strengthen more and more as the window goes on.

What Chalobah can offer Wednesday

Vaulks ditching Wednesday for newly promoted Oxford United would have hurt those at Hillsborough this off-season, considering the former Rotherham United midfielder's long-standing affiliation with the club made him a constantly dependable presence.

Yet, Rohl and Co won't want to dwell on their former Welshman abruptly moving onto the Kassam Stadium for too long, with a move for Chalobah now up their sleeve.

Stat – per 90 mins*

Chalobah

Games played

38

Goals scored

3

Assists

1

Touches*

46.2

Accurate passes*

25.3 (76%)

Interceptions*

1.4

Tackles*

1.6

Clearances*

1.4

Total duels won*

5.2

Stats by Sofascore

Only starting seven games last campaign for Carlos Corberan's men, his last truly successful season as the main part of a team came back in 2020 for the Hornets, with 12 yellow cards coming his way across 38 league games as a forceful disruptor of play.

Chalobah would also manage to bag three goals and pick up a solitary assist, with 5.2 duels won on average per contest that same season actually bettering Vaulks' lesser average of 4.9 in the Championship last campaign.

Of course, Chalobah would have to turn back the clock slightly and get back to his previous best to truly make an impact for his new South Yorkshire employers, but he would still be a useful body to have around from Rohl's perspective.

The 29-year-old has a promotion up to the Premier League on his CV to boast about, having lifted the Championship title with Fulham at the end of the 2021/22 campaign, which could be beneficial to Wednesday if they are striving to mount a surprise charge up the division.

Rohl will know he needs to add more defensive midfielders to his ever-growing group, with no recognised face in the current squad that plays there week in week out, as Wednesday look to add more and more signings to their promising camp.

Imagine him & McNeill: Sheffield Wednesday could sign "magic" winger

Sheffield Wednesday will look to sign even more explosive attacking talents this summer.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 11, 2024

As the transfer window approaches its fifth week of officially opening, Arsenal have yet to make a new addition to the first team.

In their defence, Edu Gaspar and Co have made David Raya's move permanent, and from reports, it appears that Ricardo Calafiori's imminent transfer is being held up by discussions between FC Basel and Bologna.

However, with less than a month until the Premier League graces our screens once more, the Gunners are risking missing out on their top targets.

That said, recent reports have revealed that Mikel Arteta is currently pushing the club to sign an increible player who has been compared to Gabriel Martinelli.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from Spanish publication Sport (via Sport Witness), Arsenal are still intent on signing Spain star Nico Williams.

In fact, while the Gunners are well aware of the Athletic Bilbao star's preference to join Barcelona this summer, they have identified him as the 'chosen one' to improve their attacking threat next season and see him as the ideal option for the left wing.

The report claims the 22-year-old has a €58m – £49m – release clause in his contract which is proving to be a significant issue for the Catalan side, and while it would still be a hefty fee for the Gunners, it would be well within their financial ability to pay it.

Overall, it may prove challenging to convince Williams to move to North London over Barcelona this summer, but if Arsenal want to make their attack even more potent next season, they'll have to put in the work to do it, and the comparison to Martinelli is just an extra incentive.

Why Williams would be a great signing and his comparison to Martinelli

So, before looking at why Williams would be such a good signing for Arsenal and his unreal form last season, let's take a look at this comparison to Martinelli and where it came from.

It stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues before creating a top ten list of the most comparable players for each one. In this case, they concluded that the Brazilian is the seventh most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Spaniard.

It's not just the fact that they play on the left and love to take players on that makes the two stars so comparable, but also the fact that they produce very similar underlying numbers in a swathe of metrics, including non-penalty expected goals, actual non-penalty goals, progressive carries, passes into the final third, switches and tackles, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals

0.24

0.31

Non-Penalty Goals

0.20

0.27

Progressive Carries

5.70

5.67

Passes into the Final Third

1.04

0.98

Switches

0.12

0.13

Tackles

1.24

1.34

It might seem odd that the player Arsenal want to sign to play off the left ranks so closely to their current left-winger in so many metrics, but it's not just about his underlying numbers.

He showed the world just how effective he can be last season, and along with his impact at the Euros, that's the main reason to believe he'd be incredible in North London.

For example, in just 37 appearances for Bilbao in 2023/24, the Spanish "pace demon", as dubbed by presenter Adam Keys, won the Copa del Rey, scored eight goals and provided 19 assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.37 games in what was a historic campaign for the Basque giants.

He followed that up by helping La Roja win their fourth European Championship, scoring twice – including in the final – and providing one assist.

Ultimately, while it may be a challenge to convince Williams to join Arsenal this summer, Edu and Arteta must give it their best shot.

At just 22 years old, the young Spaniard looks like he's already one of the best attackers in Europe, and in a team with Bukayo Saka on the other side, he could achieve incredible things in North London.

Arsenal struck gold on "phenomenal" star who's worth way more than Merino

The incredible player has been a game-changer since his arrival.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 18, 2024

After weeks of little transfer activity, Arsenal finally announced the signing of highly-rated defender Riccardo Calafiori on Monday, much to the delight of Gooners everywhere.

The former Bologna man looks like he could be one of the next great Italian centre-backs, and while fans are still revelling in his arrival, the North Londoners appear to be moving on to a plethora of other targets.

Big-name strikers such as Victor Osimhen and Viktor Gyokeres have been heavily linked with a move to the club, while other reports suggest that a move for Euro 2024 winner Fabian Ruiz is right around the corner.

However, based on recent reports, it appears that Edu Gaspar and Co have reached an agreement on personal terms for a midfielder who has been compared to Ruiz in the past.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from French outlet Sports Zone, Arsenal have come to a "contractual agreement" on personal terms with Real Sociedad star Mikel Merino.

The report claims that the Spaniard has agreed to a four-year deal with the Gunners and that the "next step" is for the two clubs to come to an agreement as well.

The update does not mention how much the £51k-per-week ace may cost the North Londoners, but a separate report last week revealed that he could be sold for about £25m.

It's undoubtedly still a lot of money, but within the context of modern football, landing Merino for that much seems like a steal, and the fact he's won comparisons to Ruiz in the past is a great bonus.

Merino's comparison to Ruiz

So, there are a few similarities between the Merino and Ruiz, some of which are fairly obvious and straightforward, while others are a little more complex. We'll first look at a comparison stemming from the latter.

It stems from FBref, which compared every player at Euro 2024 to those in a similar position, created a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and concluded that the PSG star was the fourth most similar midfielder to the Sociedad ace at the tournament.

They came to this conclusion by examining the pair's underlying numbers and measuring how closely they ranked in a number of key metrics, including, but not limited to, shots on target, expected assisted goals, passes into the penalty area, completed short passes, passes blocked, and dribblers tackled, all per 90.

Shots on target

0.99

1.00

Expected Assisted Goals

0.20

0.17

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.00

1.00

Completed Short Passes

33.5

32.8

Passes Blocked

0.50

0.50

Dribblers Tackled

1.00

1.00

Now that that similarity has been cleared up let's examine some of the other, far more straightforward facts that make comparing these two players so easy.

Firstly, the pair are both fully fledged Spanish internationals now, with the former Napoli star winning 29 senior caps thus far and the Sociedad "monster", as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, trailing by one, with 28. Moreover, they both played a part in La Roja's surprise triumph at the Euros this year, with the Arsenal target's extra-time winner against Germany in the quarter-finals a particular highlight.

Next, both players are older than the typical players the Gunners have targeted in recent years, with both men coming in at 28 years old. This suggests Arteta wants to add some more experience to his side for the upcoming campaign.

Lastly, both stars play in essentially the same position, with the PSG ace making 22 starts in central midfield last season to his compatriot's 38 for the Basque side.

Prepared to pay: Arsenal target ideal Jesus upgrade in £60m "powerhouse"

The exceptional marksman would be transformational for the Gunners.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 31, 2024

Ultimately, signing Merino for potentially just £25m would be a steal, and the fact he can be compared to Ruiz so easily is just an added bonus. Therefore, Arsenal should be doing what they can to bring the Spaniard to the Emirates this summer, as his experience and quality would be a brilliant addition.

Amid a busy transfer window, Nottingham Forest are reportedly set to continue their summer business by signing a potential future star ahead of Premier League rivals Newcastle United.

Nottingham Forest transfer news

Since easing any PSR concerns through the sales of Oriel Mangala and Moussa Niakhate at the start of the summer, Forest have been busy on the incoming front. Those at the City Ground have welcomed the likes of Nikola Milenkovic, Elliot Anderson and, most recently, Portuguese winger Jota Silva in an attacking addition for Nuno Espirito Santo's side.

Welcoming the winger, Chief Football Officer Ross Wilson told the club's official website: “We can see how excited Jota is to continue his career journey beyond Portugal where he has enjoyed such a strong period in the Primeira Liga with Vitoria Guimaraes, which resulted in him earning his debut for the Portuguese National Team back in March.”

Nottingham Forest now make enquiry to sign 26 y/o winger ahead of Newcastle

Forest could get one over on their Premier League rivals…

ByTom Cunningham Aug 3, 2024

Even as the Premier League campaign approaches, however, Forest may not be done there with arrivals. According to Football Insider, Nottingham Forest have won the race to sign Ally Graham from Dundee United ahead of Newcastle United and numerous Premier League sides this summer, with an agreement reached. The 15-year-old goalkeeper is one for the future and represents the planning in place in the Midlands.

Those at the City Ground have, of course, already welcomed one goalkeeper this summer in the form of Carlos Miguel. The Brazilian arrives vying to become Espirito Santo's number one, whilst Graham will look to impress in Forest's youth setup before possibly making his mark in years to come.

Rarely a quiet side in the transfer market these days, the fact that Forest have seemingly beaten Newcastle to the youngster shows just how far they've come in recent years as they look to once again maintain their Premier League place.

Graham is one for the future

A shot-stopper who has already featured for Dundee's U18s despite being just 15 years old, Graham is a player with more than enough potential to earn a move to the Premier League. Investing in their future, Forest will now hope to have a solution to any goalkeeping problems for years to come, especially if Graham impresses in the academy setup.

Miguel, 25 years old, may be perfectly placed to hand the Dundee man the responsibility just as he is hitting his prime if all goes to plan. But for now, Graham's arrival will remain out of the spotlight compared to the likes of Milenkovic and Anderson this summer.

Forest get their Premier League campaign underway in just a couple of weeks when they will open their season against Bournemouth in a first fixture that should give us plenty of clues as to what those in the Midlands can expect from Espirito Santo's first full season in charge. Whether teenage sensation Graham is confirmed by then remains to be seen, however.

Nottingham Forest are closing in on the £11m signing of an international forward after a significant "breakthrough" in talks, according to the reliable John Percy.

Nottingham Forest transfer news

Nuno Espirito Santo's side are close to opening up their 2024/25 Premier League campaign, with a home clash with Bournemouth coming their way on Saturday afternoon. Having stayed up by the skin of their teeth last season, more signings before deadline day will help their fight to make this campaign a more comfortable one.

Paraguay international Ramon Sosa has emerged as a strong target for Forest, with the club confident that they can strike a deal for the 24-year-old, while AC Milan midfielder Yacine Adli is also seen as an option for the Reds. He has even been compared to Zinedine Zidane in the past, which says a lot about the ability he possesses.

Ferdi Kadioglu appears to be on the radar of many clubs this summer, including Manchester United, and the Fenerbahce left-back is also believed to be wanted by Nuno and Co. A bid has been tabled for his services, with the Turkey ace capable of thriving in both full-back positions and in midfield.

Santiago Gimenez has also been mentioned as a possible option for Forest ahead of the new season, with the Mexican excelling for Feyenoord last term, scoring 23 goals in just 29 starts in the Eredivisie, shining under now Liverpool manager Arne Slot. Now, it looks as though the Reds are close to adding to their squad, following a key update.

Nottingham Forest closing in on £11m signing

According to Percy on X, Nottingham Forest are close to completing the signing of Talleres and Paraguay forward Sosa, with an £11m move on nearly done after a big "breakthrough".

Added firepower is so important for Forest this season, in order to have game-changers who are capable of being the difference in tight games, and Sosa falls into that category.

The Paraguayan has 30 goal contributions (17 goals and 13 assists) in 56 appearances for Talleres, highlighting both his goalscoring expertise and creativity, and while one strike in 14 caps for his country is nothing to write home about, he will hope that tally increases over time.

Nottingham Forest now chasing £16k-p/w ace dubbed "the new Zinedine Zidane"

He is available for just £12m this summer.

ByBen Browning Aug 10, 2024

At 24, Sosa is still a relatively young player who has many years ahead of him to improve, and although he may need a little time to adjust to the pace and physicality of the Premier League, it is easy to envisage him being an effective addition to Nuno's squad, proving to be at his best on the left wing, but also adept on the right and in a centre forward role.

After missing out on Eddie Nketiah, Nottingham Forest are now reportedly willing to table an offer worth as much as £17m to sign an alternative who scored 17 goals last season.

Nottingham Forest transfer news

Nketiah would have rounded off a solid summer for all involved at the City Ground, who have welcomed the likes of Ramon Sosa, Elliot Anderson and Alex Moreno in recent months. Moreno, the latest to join, adds plenty of experience and arrives from Midlands rivals Aston Villa in quite the summer move.

Forest's Chief Football Officer Ross Wilson welcomed the Spaniard to the club, telling the official website: "Álex is a player we have had a long-standing interest in so we are naturally all very happy to see him arrive at Nottingham Forest today. He has amassed significant experience in La Liga and the Premier League, and he brings all of that quality and experience to our group now.”

Forget Gimenez: Nottingham Forest hold talks for new CF who's like Gyokeres

The Reds are desperately trying to sign a new striker before tomorrow’s deadline.

ByEthan Lamb Aug 29, 2024

Following Moreno, those in the Midlands turned their attention to Nketiah, even agreeing a deal worth £30m with Arsenal only to see talks break down on the forward's side, who has since closed in on a move to Crystal Palace.

Now searching for alternatives, Forest have looked towards the Bundesliga. According to BILD via Sport Witness, Nottingham Forest are willing to offer €20m (£17m) to sign Omar Marmoush, who wants to complete a Premier League switch this summer. Eintracht Frankfurt, however, reportedly want as much as €30m (£25m) to part ways with their star forward.

With just a day left to complete what seems a complicated deal, only time will tell whether Forest land the attacking addition that they've been craving in recent weeks.

"Diligent" Marmoush would replace Wood

As much as Chris Wood's goalscoring expertise is something that Forest have benefitted from, they should turn to alternative options now that the forward is 32 years old and almost ready to pass on the responsibility. That alternative should be Marmoush too, who has become quite the star in the Bundesliga with Frankfurt, enjoying an excellent campaign last time out.

Goals

12

14

Assists

6

1

Expected Goals

11.6

11.9

Key Passes

40

22

Whilst Wood's finishing ability is something that should not be looked past, his all round play is fairly limited compared to the more creative Marmoush, who still managed to maintain solid goalscoring numbers last time out.

The Egyptian – still just 25 years old – would bring the likes of Hudson-Odoi and Elanga into play far better than Wood manages, with last season's six assists highlighting that ability.

Frankfurt will only sell for the right price, however, after watching on as their forward earned high praise throughout his time in Germany, including from current head coach Dino Toppmöller.

Toppmöller said via the Bundesliga's official website: "He works extremely hard and is hard to defend against. His pace makes him an akward opponent for defenders when he runs in behind them. I like that he is very diligent and always listens. His goals are a reward for his effort."

Ipswich Town sent out a statement when picking up the services of Kalvin Phillips recently, gaining a new central midfielder on loan that once cost Pep Guardiola's Manchester City an eye-watering £45m to snap up.

Now, Kieran McKenna is tasked with breathing life back into the stuttering ex-Leeds United man's career, but he will have to sit out this weekend's Premier League tie, as the Tractor Boys travel to the Etihad to face his parent employers.

Ipswich might not be done there with exciting new additions in the centre of the park, however, as this EFL starlet is now being eyed up by the newly promoted outfit.

Ipswich's search for a midfielder

As reported by journalist Mike McGrath earlier this week, the Suffolk side are looking at Sheffield United youngster Ollie Arblaster this summer, alongside a whole host of other top-flight clubs.

Brentford and Southampton are also named as suitors keeping a close eye on the South Yorkshire-born talent, who scored his first-ever senior goal for the Blades recently in the division below under Chris Wilder's tutelage.

Impressing out on loan in the lower depths of the EFL with Port Vale in the past, this could be Arblaster's breakout campaign, with Portman Road his potential next onward destination.

What Arblaster could offer Ipswich

Of course, the youngster could well want to remain loyal to his hometown club for the time being, but the bright lights of the Premier League could also be too tempting, having got a taste for the elite division with the Blades last season.

Phillips was also a wide-eyed talent with the world at his feet once upon a time, playing for one of the Blades' rivals in Leeds, with the potential for Arblaster to become an even bigger name in the game, when compared next to the Man City dud.

Of course, the 20-year-old midfielder would find it hard to instantly break into the Tractor Boys first-team, owing to the fact Sam Morsy and Massimo Luongo are rock solid as a holding duo for McKenna.

Yet, Arblaster could be viewed as the type to catch a tiring Premier League defence off-guard, in place of the older heads at Portman Road from off the bench, with the Blades youth product excelling more as an attacking option centrally, than a defensively sound presence.

Stat

Preston

QPR

Minutes played

90

90

Goals scored

1

0

Assists

0

0

Touches

69

59

Accurate passes

42/54 (78%)

44/48 (92%)

Accurate long balls

6/11

4/7

Key passes

2

5

Duels won

5/8

2/4

Away from scoring on the opening day as Wilder's men convincingly brushed Preston North End aside 2-0, Arblaster also shone in the following 2-2 draw with Queens Park Rangers, with an impressive five key passes registered in the score draw.

The 20-year-old ace could well go on to become Ipswich's next Darren Ambrose if everything clicks into place, with the former Tractor Boys icon once a raw talent himself in the middle of the park.

The club hero burst onto the scene at Portman Road back in the early noughties, netting eight strikes from 29 games during his first full league campaign in the senior mix.

Unlike both Ambrose, and now Arblaster, who have made the transition to men's football seem rather seamless, Phillips wouldn't instantly become a world-beater at Elland Road.

It wouldn't really be until Marcelo Bielsa's arrival to West Yorkshire that Phillips would be transformed into a player deemed worthy of a £45m price tag, having had to fight for his place in the senior side beforehand.

The "incredible" Ipswich target – as he was labelled by Wilder last season when cutting his teeth in the top flight – will have to battle it out for a space at the Tractor Boys too.

But, the future looks extremely bright for the Blades academy product, as does Ipswich's in the top division with McKenna continuing to strengthen.

Better than Ahmedhodzic: McKenna lining up Ipswich move for EFL “warrior”

Ipswich Town are linked with another new defender.

ByKelan Sarson Aug 20, 2024

Reliable West Ham United insider ExWHUemployee has revealed what "concerns" the club have over ex-Liverpool defender Joel Matip, following their decision to open talks to sign the centre-back on a free deal.

West Ham in discussions over signing Matip and John Egan as free agents

The Hammers waved goodbye to both Nayef Aguerd and Kurt Zouma over the summer, as Julen Lopetegui, technical director Tim Steidten and co elected to part company with two of their starting centre-half options from last season.

West Ham have already hit gold on amazing star who's worth more than Soler

West Ham have enjoyed plenty of success in the transfer window this summer

ByRoss Kilvington Aug 31, 2024

Zouma sealed a loan move to Saudi Arabia with Al-Orobah, while Aguerd chose a temporary switch to Real Sociedad in La Liga, leaving Lopetegui with Max Kilman, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Jean-Clair Todibo as his only three senior central defenders for the Premier League campaign.

West Ham are now after a fourth option ahead of a long debut season in the dugout for Lopetegui, which could be imperative considering just how prevalent injuries and fitness issues are in the English top flight right now.

West Ham summer signings

From

Fee (Transfermarkt)

Max Kilman

Wolves

€47.5m

Crysencio Summerville

Leeds United

€29.3m

Niclas Fullkrug

Borussia Dortmund

€27m

Luis Guilherme

Palmeiras

€23m

Mohamadou Kante

Paris FC

Undisclosed

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Man Utd

€18m

Wes Foderingham

Sheffield United

Free transfer

Guido Rodriguez

Real Betis

Free transfer

Jean-Clair Todibo

Nice

Loan transfer

Carlos Soler

PSG

Loan transfer

West Ham summer departures

To

Fee (Transfermarkt)

Flynn Downes

Southampton

€17.85m

James Ward-Prowse

Forest

Loan

Maxwel Cornet

Southampton

Loan

Nayef Aguerd

Real Sociedad

Loan

Kurt Zouma

Al-Orobah

Loan

Said Benrahma

Lyon

€14.4m

Angelo Ogbonna

Watford

Free transfer

Thilo Kehrer

Monaco

€11m

Nathan Trott

FC Copenhagen

€1.5m

Ben Johnson

Ipswich Town

Free transfer

Joseph Anang

St. Patrick's Athletic

Free transfer

With the summer transfer window now closed, the Irons are forced to dip into the free agent market, where they have landed on two top defensive choices in former Liverpool ace Matip and ex-Sheffield United stalwart John Egan.

Funnily enough, West Ham were linked with a swoop for Egan during David Moyes' time in charge, but it now appears they could sign either the Republic of Ireland international at zero cost.

ExWHUemployee shares Joel Matip "concerns"

However, according to Hammers insider Ex, a move for Matip is West Ham's priority rather than Egan, who is seen as an alternative to the Cameroonian.

West Ham are apparently pushing ahead with the signing of Matip as their top target, but it is also believed that Lopetegui's side have "concerns" over the 33-year-old Champions League winner, which could even stop the transfer from going ahead.

“The club appear to be pushing ahead with the Matip signing,” stated Ex on The West Ham Way Patreon (via West Ham Way).

“John Egan is an alternative signing but it appears that the former Liverpool defender is the preferred choice for now as we exclusively revealed two days ago.

“Talks will continue over the next few days. There are concerns over Matip’s previous injuries so these would be investigated before the club decide to go through with it or not."

Matip's most recent injury, a cruciate ligament tear, resulted in him missing 37 games in all competitions under Jurgen Klopp from early December through to the end of 2023/2024, and he has a backlogue of extensive fitness problems before that (Transfermarkt).

While he would arrive for no transfer fee, it will be interesting to see if Steidten and co are willing to grant him a squad space.