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Sunderland are reportedly now battling with one of Alex Neil’s former clubs to sign Troy Parrott.

The Lowdown: Familiar face…

The Stadium of Light faithful will know all too well what the 20-year-old is capable of, as he scored and assisted against them while on loan at MK Dons last season.

The Tottenham striker managed 10 goals and seven assists across all competitions (2-1 on aggregate by Wycombe Wanderers, the team that Sunderland saw off in the Wembley final.

The Latest: Three-way fight

As per Sunday World, the Wearside club are now in a three-way fight with Neil’s former side Preston North End and fellow Championship rivals Queens Park Rangers to sign Parrott.

Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny has suggested that he wants his players to get getting regular first-team football; and with Richarlison signed from Everton on top of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min being at Spurs, Parrott is unlikely to get that in north London.

The Verdict: Sign him

The Black Cats already know what Parrott can do, and given that Ross Stewart is the only senior striker in Neil’s squad at the moment, signing the young Irishman would be a smart piece of business.

Dubbed a ‘clever’, ‘smart’ and ‘cheeky’ player by former Ipswich Town team-mate Tomas Holy, the 6 foot 1 forward will be desperate to prove himself in the Championship, after impressing in League One.

Already a full Republic of Ireland international with four goals and two assists in 15 games (Transfermarkt), the 20-year-old certainly appears to have a lot of potential, and Sunderland could benefit hugely from his continued development if they win the race ahead of Neil’s former employers to sign him.

Rangers saw one of their most important players leave Ibrox earlier in the current transfer window as Joe Aribo waved goodbye to club.

The midfielder moved to the English Premier League earlier this month in a deal worth up to a reported £10m, bringing an end to his three years with the Light Blues.

Another significant player in Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s squad who has been linked with an Ibrox exit this summer is Borna Barisic. In June, it was reported that the full-back had attracted interest from Turkish club Trabzonspor.

Should the 29-year-old find himself following in the footsteps of Aribo and leave Rangers this summer or in the near future, the club will need to ensure that they have a suitable replacement for the Croatian.

One man who has been linked with a move to Ibrox and who could fit this particular bill is Stoke City full-back Josh Tymon.

With 114 appearances to his name for the Potters across their senior and under-23 teams, the 23-year-old has scored four goals and delivered eight assists along the way.

Last season saw the Englishman make 44 Championship appearances for his current club and play more minutes than any other player in Michael O’Neill’s squad, highlighting just how important he is to them.

Tymon ended the campaign with more crosses delivered (201) than any of his team-mates and also posted the second-highest number of successful tackles (40) at the club. This highlights just how capable he is of getting up and down the pitch with and without the ball.

Bearing in mind how Barisic racked up the second-highest number of crosses (158) and the third-most tackles won (33) in Rangers’ squad for their previous Premiership campaign, it’s easy to see the similarities between the two players, and why the Stoke gem would be an ideal heir for the 29-year-old at Ibrox.

Hailed as an “outstanding” talent by his former Hull manager Steve Bruce in the past, Tymon would certainly be a useful addition to Van Bronckhorst’s side, especially if Barisic ends up leaving the club in the near future.

With a reported price tag of £6m, securing a deal for the Stoke full-back would be an investment worth making for the Gers this summer.

AND in other news – Deal close: Rangers set to land “dynamic” £1.6m-rated “beast”, it’s great news for Van Bronckhorst

West Ham United have been handed a huge boost in their bid to sign Sassuolo striker Gianluca Scamacca.

What’s the word?

That’s according to ExWHUemployee, who, speaking on Friday’s episode of The West Ham Way podcast (via This Is Futbol), had the following to say: “As of this morning we were still talking to Sassuolo regarding the deal for Scamacca. It is felt that Sassuolo hope another club will enter the bidding having seen PSG look like they have moved onto Newcastle target Hugo Ekitike from Stade de Reims. There is a desire to try and get this deal over the line as soon as possible.”

Supporters will be buzzing

With David Moyes already outlining his intentions this summer with several early moves, this one could be the biggest of them all and will leave supporters buzzing.

West Ham have been crying out for a striker who could one day replace Michail Antonio, with plenty of failed experiments along the way.

This young, fresh, free-scoring Italian could be the answer to all their problems, as he would be coming off the back of a remarkable goalscoring season whilst playing for a lacklustre Sassuolo side.

His 16 league goals across 36 games represents a fine return for the 23-year-old, with the fact he managed to play so often instantly makes him more reliable than Antonio.

His injury record has ravaged the Jamaican and left West Ham forcing wingers and midfielders into the number nine spot. A reliable target man is a must, especially given he has just turned 32.

Unsurprisingly, Scamacca earned a very high average SofaScore rating to pair with his fine season in front of goal. He earned a 7.03 rating, which ranks him second amongst his teammates.

Former Premier League striker Kevin Campbell was full of praise for the youngster after his performance against England, stating that “one thing I will say is that his link play is brilliant. It is very good and he puts himself about.”

He continued: “If you watch video clips of him he looks decent. He knows where the goal is. It looks as if he will cause a lot of problems.

It is clear that he has all the ability to make the step up to Premier League football, and West Ham supporters can start to get excited at the prospect of a big man with good feet filling the boots of fan favourite Antonio.

AND in other news: Moyes edging closer to 4th summer signing in West Ham talks for £32.3m “masterclass”

West Bromwich Albion announced their third new signing of the summer transfer window on Monday as they confirmed their three-year deal for Okay Yokuslu.

Having spent the second half of the 2020/21 Premier League season on loan with the Baggies, the Midlands club snapped up the midfielder once again, this time on a permanent basis.

Bearing in mind how impressive the Turkey international was during his previous stint with the club – racking up more interceptions (42) than any other Baggies player in the squad at the time, along with winning 33 tackles in just 16 league appearances – it’s safe to say that bringing him back to the club as a free agent is a great bit of business.

Looking ahead to the remaining weeks of the transfer window, another player who has been linked with a move to West Brom and who could be seen in a similar light to Yokuslu as someone who has also spent time on loan with the Baggies previously is Dwight Gayle.

Four years ago, the Midlands club signed the attacker on a loan deal from his current club Newcastle United.

During his time at The Hawthorns, Gayle racked up 24 goals and eight assists in 41 appearances. He also received heavy praise from Kyle Bartley, who hailed the Toon attacker as an “immense” player.

With 286 senior club appearances to his name, the centre-forward has scored 103 goals and supplied 30 assists along the way, highlighting his clear attacking credentials.

This shows just how much of an asset he could be for Bruce’s side in terms of being a regular goalscoring threat in the team.

Taking into account how West Brom ended their previous Championship campaign with the lowest percentage for shots on target (29.1%) in the division, having an experienced and clinical figure like Gayle in the team could be just what they need to get them closer to promotion.

Also, with the 32-year-old only making eight Premier League appearances last season totalling half an hour, a potential move back to The Hawthorns, where he’d likely be able to get more minutes under his belt, could be a tempting proposition for him.

If Newcastle would be willing to let Gayle leave this summer, Bruce and West Brom should do all that they can to get him to follow in the footsteps of Yokuslu and make a return to The Hawthorns.

AND in other news: Bruce can finally axe “lazy” West Brom dud by signing “outstanding” £2.4k-p/w wizard

Tottenham Hotspur, and by extension sporting director Fabio Paratici, remain linked with a move for Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans, as journalist Paul Brown shares the latest on that situation.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye swoop for attacker…

As reliably reported, Spurs and Paratici remain in the market for a creative midfielder ahead of Antonio Conte’s first full Premier League season in charge of the club.

Following on from their fourth-placed finish last season, earning the Lilywhites qualification for the Champions League, Conte has been well and truly backed after ENIC’s £150m equity increase.

Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Clement Lenglet and Djed Spence have all arrived at Hotspur Way, with links recently emerging to the likes of James Maddison (Leicester) and Nicolo Zaniolo (Roma).

The Latest: Brown shares Tielemans update…

The Daily Star reporter Brown has now provided an update for Spurs supporters involving Foxes playmaker Tielemans.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, the journalist states that Tottenham, and by extension Paratici, have ‘looked at’ signing the 25-year-old.

He explained: “I think he’s someone that Spurs have looked at for quite a long time and that he might be a better fit than someone like Maddison in the system.

“Conte has done quite a lot of retooling in attack and midfield, but I think he has some of the kind of qualities that would fit at Spurs. He has a good passing range and I think he’d get involved and be a good signing for them.

But I think that would be the only other signing they make. They’d have to spend the rest of their budget to get him I think.”

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The Verdict: Make the move?

Contrary to Brown’s claim, some reports suggest that Tielemans could cost around £25m – a fairly reasonable price tag and an arguably affordable one for Paratici.

If Leicester are willing to part company with him for that amount, we believe that the Belgium international could be a potentially brilliant Spurs signing.

Having been called ‘scary’ by Daily Telegraph reporter Sam Dean and a ‘gem’ of a signing for Leicester by Foxes reporter Rob Tanner, Tielemans certainly has no shortage of admirers.

Indeed, he could even be open to joining Conte given Spurs’ status in the Champions League, with reliable journalist Sami Mokbel of The Daily Mail (via Spurs Web) believing that the player ‘would pick Tottenham over Arsenal’.

What a feather that would be in Spurs fans’ caps!

Southampton are reportedly looking to bring a new striker to the club before the end of the current summer transfer window.

What’s the news?

Speaking in a recent interview with Sky Sports (via Daily Echo), Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl had this to say about the club’s plans for the remaining weeks of the transfer window.

“He (Sekou Mara) is not the only offensive player we want to bring in. There is still somebody else to come. In the end, we need guys who make a difference up front.”

The south coast club have had a rather productive window of business so far with names such as Joe Aribo, Gavin Bazunu, Mara, Romeo Lavia, Mateusz Lis and Armel Bella-Kotchap all joining Hasenhuttl’s squad ahead of their latest Premier League campaign.

The Saints have also seen some players leave the club either on loan deals or free transfers such as Fraser Forster and Shane Long, among others.

Hasenhuttl would be thrilled

Bearing in mind how Mara has just turned 20 and only has 36 senior club appearances to his name, which came at his previous club Bordeaux where he scored seven goals and provided four assists, it’s easy to see why the Southampton boss would want another striker in his squad.

The St. Mary’s outfit will be without Armando Broja following the end of his loan spell last season and have seen Che Adams linked with a move away from the club, so adding another forward to the squad should be of utmost importance.

With only five clubs, including the three relegated sides, racking up fewer goal-creating actions and goals than the Saints in the Premier League last season, having a player that can not only find the net on a regular basis but help set them up for the team would be an ideal addition to the club.

If the Saints can get their new season off to a strong start and manage to get another centre-forward in before deadline day, this would surely top off what has been a busy summer period for the club, thus leaving the manager delighted in the process.

West Ham United are reportedly interested in signing Paris Saint-Germain forward Arnaud Kalimuendo, according to Goal France. 

The lowdown: Hot property

A product of the youth system at the Parc des Princes, the 20-year-old has risen through the ranks to become one of the most exciting young players in Europe at present.

Following back-to-back successful loan spells at Ligue 1 outfit Lens, yielding 27 direct goal contributions in 65 appearances, the France youth international has already been heavily linked with the Hammers’ Premier League rivals Leeds United, along with loan admiration from Nice and Rennes.

Despite impressing away from the French capital and in pre-season, PSG may still sanction the sale of Kalimuendo, and it now appears as though east London has emerged as a potential landing spot…

The latest: West Ham interested in Kalimuendo

As per Goal France, West Ham have joined the list of suitors for the France under-21 starlet.

It’s claimed that the Irons ‘are looking for a second striker after the arrival of Gianluca Scamacca’ and are therefore ‘interested’ in acquiring the services of Kalimuendo this summer.

The report also states that Leeds have ‘already submitted several offers’ for the youngster, who was described as a ‘disgustingly good striker with ‘bags of potential’ by reputable football journalist Jacque Talbot.

The verdict: Do it

Available for a previously mooted €25m (£20m), signing a player of the enormous potential of Kalimuendo for anything close to the suggested fee would be a sensational coup for the east Londoners.

Having been linked elsewhere with Chelsea marksman Armando Broja and Nice prodigy Amine Gouiri, the east Londoners are seemingly still in the market for an attacking addition, and the PSG gem can be considered a genuine possibility.

Last season, the French wonderkid scored 13 times in 34 Ligue 1 outings and continued to defy his xG statistics (8.8) in the process, comfortably outperforming his expected tally for a second consecutive campaign at Lens.

Sharing a close stylistic match with the likes of Luis Suarez, Kevin Gameiro and West Ham-linked Jonathan David (FBRef), Kalimuendo should be regarded as a top target in the remaining weeks of the window for Rob Newman and GSB as the West Ham board look to further bolster the options available to David Moyes at the London Stadium.

Nottingham Forest have a verbal agreement to sign Atalanta midfielder Remo Freuler, according to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg.

The Lowdown: Freuler’s career so far

Since joining the Serie A outfit six-and-a-half years ago, the 30-year-old has played an instrumental part in their rise to prominence in the Italian top flight, having amassed 259 appearances for the club.

After featuring 29 times in the league last season, Freuler also contributed a goal and an assist to Atalanta’s Champions League campaign, leading the team out as captain on two occasions in the group stage.

The midfielder is also a regular in the Switzerland national team, with 46 caps to his name.

The Latest: Verbal agreement reached

According to Plettenberg, Forest have now reached a verbal agreement with Freuler over a move to the Premier League this summer.

Taking to Twitter, the reliable journalist claimed: “News Remo #Freuler: Verbal agreement with @NFFC about a permanent deal since days! The 30 y/o midfielder wants to join #NFFC but negotiations between the clubs ongoing and not easy. Open end. @SkySportDE”

The Verdict: Get it done

When looking at Freuler’s underlying statistics, it is easy to see why Forest boss Steve Cooper is so keen on bringing the versatile midfielder to the City Ground this summer in a potential €10m (£8.5m) move.

As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, the 30-year-old ranks in the 93rd percentile for progressive passes, the 86th percentile for passes attempted and progressive carries and the 75th percentile for blocks.

According to The Athletic’s Paul Taylor, one Italian journalist dubbed Freuler the ‘conductor of the orchestra’ due to the midfielder’s ability to dictate play in the middle of the park.

Therefore, if the Reds can get this deal over the line, this would be a brilliant addition to Forest’s squad.

One of Fulham’s summer signings has taken to Twitter to issue his own injury update…

What’s the latest?

In his pursuit of full fitness, Manor Solomon has suffered a serious setback and will now be missing for the foreseeable future.

He tweeted: “The last few days have been difficult for me. I injured my knee in a friendly game which caused me to have a surgery and miss the next few months. Thank you for your messages and support, I’ll be back stronger and better, see you soon.”

Based on his verdict of a “few months”, the winger will probably not feature again for the Cottagers until after the World Cup in the winter.

Silva will be gutted

Having been given the freedom to leave Shakhtar Donetsk on loan, it seemed that Marco Silva had landed something of a coup to bolster his squad with the 23-year-old.

However, the Cottagers are now back at square one with cover in the wide attacking areas. The club’s continued interest in Justin Kluivert could be indicative of how important it was to get in a winger of Solomon’s quality.

Last season for Shakhtar, he managed four goals and one assist in just 16 league outings, but with eight of those being substitute appearances, it actually makes for a very impressive return. The Israel international also has earned invaluable experience playing in the Champions League across multiple seasons.

He came to Craven Cottage having played at a higher level than many in Silva’s squad, which could have been instrumental in his performances against some of the Premier League’s leading lights.

In fact, the forward actually claimed in 2020 that Manchester City had made an attempt to purchase him, which suggests that Silva was shopping off the top shelf with this deal. Indeed, the Israeli gem scored against City in a 1-1 draw the previous year, which shows that he can make his mark against some of the best teams in Europe.

To lose a player of such ability and experience for so long will be gutting for Silva, who will hope to have him back for the second half of the season to potentially steer them away from the relegation battle that some have predicted for the Cottagers.

Nottingham Forest have been linked with Alex Moreno over this summer but the player rejected a move. However, a new update has emerged that could mean a deal might be back on the table over the last few weeks of the transfer window.

What’s the latest?

According to Spanish news outlet Estadio Deportivo, a deal for the Real Betis wing-back to join Nottingham Forest hasn’t been ruled out as of yet.

As per the report, the newly-promoted side could go back in for the player with more force as they are still very much interested in signing Moreno this summer.

It could be a big signing

Steve Cooper has already welcomed 15 new players to the City Ground this summer as the club have left nothing to chance in their efforts to build a team that can compete comfortably in the Premier League and retain their top-flight status.

Moreno is clearly a player the Forest hierarchy view as a perfect fit for their challenge over the season ahead with every part of the deal agreed to bring the player in before it was snubbed, and it’s not hard to see why when you consider the player’s strengths and dominance on the left flank for his Spanish side.

The 29-year-old ranked in the top 20% of his positional peers in the top five European leagues for tackles, blocks, clearances and progressive carries, demonstrating a phenomenal work rate on the flanks. That said, it’s not just his defensive attributes that would have caught the eye of the powers at the City Ground.

Over 30 La Liga appearances, the £9m-valued talent who was hailed as “quality” by journalist Ethan Lamb scored five goals, delivered three assists and created two big chances from an average of 62.7 touches per game, proving that Moreno has no trouble in not only providing defensive cover but offering plenty in attacking play too.

When you look at how Cooper has deployed his team over the first two fixtures in the Premier League, the Welsh manager opts for a 3-4-1-2 formation which worked perfectly for the Reds last weekend against West Ham United where they took their first three points from their first home game of the season.

With that being said, Moreno would be the perfect profile of player to occupy the left wing-back position in the team thanks to his admirable work rate and phenomenal power in the final third. Therefore, it would be no surprise if Forest do try their luck again in order to finally secure a signing that would be rather ideal for the manager’s system.