Daily Express

West Ham have made an understated start to the summer transfer window, with more players heading out the door than coming through it. First-team players Kurt Zouma, Danny Ings, Vladimir Coufal, Lukasz Fabianski and Aaron Cresswell have all been released, while Evan Ferguson and Carlos Soler have been sent back to their parent clubs after completing loan spells at the London Stadium.

So far, the only acquisition is Jean-Clair Todibo, whose own loan move from OGC Nice was made permanent for £32.8million. There is still plenty of scope for transfer dealings as the Hammers board look to build a healthy squad for Graham Potter ahead of his first full season in charge. Here, Express Sport takes you through three deals that would make up West Ham's dream window...

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Mohammed Kudus seals mega-money exit

There are murmurs that West Ham are willing to sell Kudus in order to fund their summer transfer ambitions. He only managed five goals across all competitions last season but he could still fetch a massive fee, with numerous big clubs, including the likes of Tottenham and Chelsea interested in the Ghanaian.

If the Hammers have internally made the call to cash in, the dream scenario rests on extracting the maximum value from Kudus' sale. Reports indicate that his contract includes an £80m release clause for European clubs, an £85m release clause for Premier League clubs, and a £120m release clause for Saudi clubs.

Kudus does have suitors in Saudi Arabia, but he is believed to be keen on a move which would bring him Champions League football. It remains to be seen whether West Ham bosses are able to change his mind.

£64m striker signs

Only six months on from completing a £64m switch to Al-Nassr, rumours have been swirling in this window about Jhon Duran leaving the Saudi Pro League side. West Ham hold a long-standing interest in the Colombian, and any realistic opportunity to land him this time round would surely be snapped up.

The Hammers tabled a £57m offer before Al-Nassr beat them to the punch, and came within a whisker of luring him away from Aston Villa in the summer of 2024. Potter desperately needs a first-class centre-forward and Duran would fit the bill.

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Aguerd raises cash

To balance the books and go after players of Duran's calibre, senior figures at the London Stadium will need to negotiate top-dollar deals for those they deem surplus to requirements. After spending last season on loan at Real Sociedad, Nayef Aguerd falls into that category.

West Ham signed the Moroccan for £30m in 2022, but he has failed to nail down a consistent spot in the first team over the past three years. Among his suitors are Juventus and Marseille - two clubs with enough cash to ensure the Hammers recoup most of their losses.

Tottenham are planning a revival following a poor Premier League campaign that was partially softened by a remarkable Europa League triumph. Thomas Frank’s appointment as head coach is part of a summer overhaul of the club’s hierarchy and playing staff.

Frank is likely to have a big say on transfer business in meetings with technical director Johan Lange. Scott Munn, who is the chief football officer, was reportedly placed on gardening leave earlier this week, leaving Lange to assume more responsibility. Loan deals for Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso have already been made permanent, and Spurs are expected to be busy over the coming months. Express Sport looks at what Frank might be hoping for ahead of his next meeting with the club’s hierarchy.

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Tottenham agree Benjamin Sesko fee

Sesko has been linked with almost every top European team wanting a centre-forward this summer. Arsenal and Manchester United are widely believed to have the Slovenian high on their agendas. However, Spurs could also contemplate a move as they strengthen their forward line.

Dominic Solanke’s first season was punctuated by a couple of frustrating injuries. Frank may also want two excellent strikers, having played a front two at times at Brentford. Sesko and Solanke could play alongside each other.

Reports suggest that RB Leipzig will only consider offers above £68m. That is a fee Spurs can surely match, particularly with the added income provided by their Champions League qualification. Playing in Europe’s elite competition gives Spurs the edge over United if it comes down to persuading the 22-year-old to join.

A slight sticking point will be convincing Sesko that the white half of north London is more appealing than the red, but Frank’s charm could make the difference.

Tottenham hijack Man Utd

The new Spurs boss will also want the latest on Bryan Mbeumo’s future. Frank enjoyed huge success with the Cameroon international in his forward line at Brentford. A possible reunion across London has been reported, but United are also interested in a move for the wide man.

Mbeumo seems set to join the Red Devils as their second summer signing. Football.London report that a medical has already been booked and that the 25-year-old will play alongside Matheus Cunha in Ruben Amorim’s new-look attack.

However, Spurs will know that a deal is not done until the required paperwork is signed. Frank may ask for efforts to be placed into convincing Mbeumo to U-turn on his decision and join him at Spurs instead.

Bryan Mbeumo has reportedly told both Brentford and Tottenham that he will only join Manchester United if he gets a move in the summer transfer window. The Cameroon international has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford, with United having an initial bid worth £55million rejected.

However, the departure of Bees boss Thomas Frank to Tottenham sparked speculation that the Europa League champions would hijack the pursuit. Mbeumo, 25, joined the club from Troyes in 2019, when they were still in the Championship under the Dane. He's since made 242 club appearances, scoring 70 goals.

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According to the Athletic, United have now had an increased bid turned down. The Red Devils are said to have offered £55m up front with a further £7.2m in add-ons.

That figure still appears to be short of Brentford's valuation. Cameroon winger Mbeumo is said to have responded by informing club bosses he will only negotiate a move to United, and has no interest in reuniting with Frank in north London.

The development comes on the same day that set-piece coach Keith Andrews was confirmed as the successor to Frank. The former Irish international appears powerless to stop his key forward leaving if all parties can agree on a fee.

Indeed, Brentford can ill-afford to price potential suitors out the market given Mbeumo's contract situation. His current deal runs out in the summer of 2026, meaning he will be eligible to leave on a free transfer in 12 months' time.

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Mbeumo is said to be on wages of £45,000-a-week at Brentford, with United likely to offer a significant increase. Ruben Amorim has already sealed the signing of Matheus Cunha from Wolves this summer in a £62.5m deal as he seeks to overhaul his squad.

The Portuguese manager appears determined to add Mbeumo to the ranks with him, with a third bid now expected. If a deal does go through, it's likely to trigger the sales of the likes of Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford.

Ruud van Nistelrooy has left Leicester City by mutual consent after suffering Premier League relegation.

The Dutchman joined Leicester from Manchester United in November 2024 but endured a tough spell.

In a statement, Van Nistelrooy said: “I would like to personally thank the Leicester City players, coaches, academy and all the staff I have worked with for their professionalism and dedication during my time at the Club and to thank the fans for their support, and take this opportunity to wish the Club well for the future.”

Manchester United will complete the signing of Le Havre striker Enzo Kana-Biyik on July 1.

And the 18-year-old is set to immediately leave on loan, joining INEOS-owned Swiss club Lausanne-Sport.

Kana-Biyik arrives in Manchester from Le Havre, following in the footsteps of Paul Pogba.

New York Red Bulls are reportedly locked in talks over a move for RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner.

According to The Athletic, Werner is surplus to requirements in Germany and both clubs are optimistic they will strike a deal.

The former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur star would be keen on a move to New York, and discussions are said to have been ongoing for months.

Arsenal have reportedly attempted to gazump Tottenham Hotspur's interest in Eberechi Eze by holding talks with the midfielder's representatives.

According to The Sun, Andrea Berta has already held discussions with the Crystal Palace star's camp over a transfer.

Eze has a £68m release clause in his contract as Mikel Arteta eyes a left-winger on top of a striker.

Liverpool are moving onto their next summer signing after completing a £40m deal for Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez on Thursday.

Kerkez joined Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz and Giorgi Mamardashvili at Anfield, and another defender could soon follow.

According to TBR Football, Liverpool are now pursuing a young centre-back before they move for a striker.

Nantes’ Nathan Zeze, Valencia’s Cristhian Mosquera and Club Brugge’s Joel Ordonez are said to feature on Arne Slot's shortlist.

Manchester United are on the brink of sealing a deal for Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo.

According to talkSPORT, who broke the news about United's second bid worth £60m, Mbeumo is expected to undergo his medical next week.

That would likely see the 25-year-old complete his switch at the start of July.

At this stage, it would be a shock if Mbeumo didn't join Matheus Cunha through the door before pre-season begins on July 7.

Good morning!

We have reached the end of the working week, but the transfer grind continues for clubs in the Premier League and beyond.

Grab yourselves a brew fit for a Friday and stay tuned for regular updates throughout the day...

Arsenal could thwart Tottenham's plans with an unexpected bid for Eberechi Eze, having reportedly 'held talks' with the England star's representatives as they seek high-quality attacking signings. The Gunners are on the hunt for a top-notch No. 9 and a left-sided forward to boost their title aspirations next season.

Their search for the latter could lead them into an unexpected contest with their arch-rivals Spurs for Eze. Crystal Palace talisman Eze is on Spurs' shortlist with a deal for Bryan Mbeumo now seeming unlikely. Manchester United look set to land the Brentford winger instead. But Eze, 26, is also on Arsenal's radar as they finalise their own list of attacking targets and The Sun reports that discussions between Andrea Berta and Eze's representatives have already occurred.

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It's highlighted that Arsenal have a keen interest in Eze, who has a £68million release clause in his Eagles contract. Given his availability at that price, Eze presents a more affordable option than Real Madrid's Brazilian forward, Rodrygo, whom the Gunners have also been pursuing this summer.

Arsenal's interest will be a fresh setback for Tottenham, who appear likely to miss out on signing Mbeumo. Thomas Frank was eager to bring the Cameroon star with him to north London from Brentford. However, joining Manchester United was always Mbeumo's preference, with a deal now close.

The Gunners are working on numerous deals as it stands, with Martin Zubimendi all but an Arsenal player. He will join from Real Sociedad for around £55m.

Christian Norgaard, the Brentford captain, is also set to undergo a medical to move to the Emirates. Arsenal agreed a deal below £10m with their London rival for the Dane on Wednesday. Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga is also poised to join from Chelsea for as little as £5m.

Arsenal also want to bring 20-year-old centre-back Cristhian Mosquera in from Valencia and could pay less than £20m for him. Benjamin Sesko has emerged as the club's top centre-forward target ahead of Viktor Gyokeres.

Bryan Mbeumo is already on the path to becoming a fan favourite at Manchester United as he edges closer to a £60million transfer this summer. United are on the brink of an agreement with Brentford, which would see Mbeumo follow Matheus Cunha through the Old Trafford arrivals suite.

At the start of June, it emerged that the 25-year-old forward had chosen a move to Manchester as his preferred option. Mbeumo's decision to snub interest from Arsenal, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur instantly earned the plaudits of United supporters. And the Brentford talisman's reported behind-the-scenes movements will endear him to his new fanbase even more.

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According to Fabrizio Romano, Mbeumo wants to complete his switch to United as soon as possible, and there is optimism a deal will be done.

It's claimed that the Cameroon international has made it clear to Brentford that while he loves the club, United is his dream move.

There was scepticism about the level of players the Red Devils could attract this summer on the back of their worst-ever campaign in the Premier League era.

Ruben Amorim oversaw a 15th-place finish and ended the season without silverware after losing 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final.

Yet, despite having no European football on offer, Mbeumo's impending arrival has offered serious encouragement for the 2025/26 campaign.

The Brentford No. 19 featured in all 38 Premier League games, scoring 20 goals and registering eight assists.

Only Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland bettered his goal tally, which was almost half of United's 44 goals as a club.

Cunha's £62.5m arrival from Wolves has equally sparked excitement. The Brazilian notched up 15 goals and six assists last term and also represents an instant upgrade.

Both players are thought to be arriving to play as specialist 'No. 10s' in Amorim's 3-4-3 system. But they can also fit in as the central striker, offering valuable versatility.

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United are primed to showcase a new-look attack next season, leaving their toothless 2024/25 firepower in the past.

Marcus Rashford, Antony, Alejandro Garnacho and Jadon Sancho are all set to leave permanently. Rasmus Hojlund's future is also uncertain amid interest from Inter Milan.

Amorim reportedly wants to sign a new starting striker once Mbeumo is through the door and player sales boost his budget.

Along with the likes of Cunha, Bruno Fernandes and Amad, Mbeumo is almost sure to turn United into a far more dangerous outfit beyond the summer.

Tottenham Hotspur have struck a transfer agreement with Kawasaki Frontale to sign defender Kota Takai in a record-breaking £5million deal, according to reports. Spurs are edger closer to making the 20-year-old centre-back the most expensive Japanese player from the J1 League in history.

Thomas Frank is moulding his squad ahead of his first season as the club's head coach following their decision to sack Ange Postecoglou earlier this summer. And Spurs have moved to bolster their defensive options with Takai, who has been in Frontale's ranks since joining the youth set-up in 2011.

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According to talkSPORT, the four-cap Japan international will become part of Frank's first team once he completes his switch to North London.

Since making his Frontale debut in 2022, Takai has played 78 times, scoring four goals, and lifted the Japanese Super Cup last year.

He was also voted as the J.League's Best Young Player in 2024 and now looks set to land in the Premier League.

Takai would be Tottenham's fourth permanent addition of the summer transfer window so far.

Fellow defender Kevin Danso has completed a £21m move to Spurs after spending last season on loan from Lens.

Mathys Tel has also joined permanently for £30m from Bayern Munich, despite an expensive but unremarkable loan stint last term.

On July 1, 18-year-old Croatian Luka Vuskovic will arrive from Hadjuk Split. Beyond Takai, more activity is expected.

Takai joins a centre-back regiment featuring Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Radu Dragusin, Ben Davies and Danso.

Frank is reportedly also looking to strengthen his attack but seems to have missed out on Bryan Mbeumo to Manchester United.

The Red Devils have submitted an improved offer worth £60m for the Brentford forward, which should make a deal imminent.

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TalkSPORT report that Spurs are now expected to shift their focus towards Crystal Palace attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze.

Eze is believed to have a £68m release clause in his Palace contract and was linked with a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last summer.

The England international could be keen to remain at Selhurst Park for another season, though, ahead of a historic Europa League campaign.

Eze scored one of the most famous goals in Palace's history by netting the decider in their 1-0 FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.

Should Spurs trigger his release clause, it would leave the 26-year-old with a major decision to make.

Manchester United's pursuit of Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo has received a significant boost after a reported second bid for the forward. After netting 20 Premier League goals last season, Mbeumo has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford, with United keen to make the Cameroon international their second signing of the transfer window following the triggering of Matheus Cunha's £62.5million release clause.

United's initial offer of £45m plus £10m in add-ons was rebuffed earlier this month. It is believed that Mbeumo favours a move to United over Tottenham, although an agreement with Brentford is yet to be reached. The Red Devils are now set to bow to a demand made by the Bees. According to the Evening Standard, Brentford are insisting on receiving the majority of the fee upfront. United have now tabled a bid exceeding £60m.

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Brentford are keen to secure a substantial upfront payment rather than allowing their star player to depart via a staggered payment structure. However, United's obligation to adhere to financial regulations could complicate matters. Initially, United had planned to spread the payment of Cunha's release clause over five years before agreeing to Wolves' terms of three instalments over two seasons.

This could pave the way for Tottenham and Thomas Frank to pursue a move for the Dane's former star player. Spurs have been rumoured to be considering a reunion between Mbeumo and Frank after he departed the Gtech Community Stadium for the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier this month.

Having triumphed over United in the Europa League to secure a Champions League spot, Spurs are better equipped to meet Brentford's demands.

However, reports of United's offer suggest that Amorim's squad is ready to comply with the conditions set by Brentford to bring Mbeumo on board. It remains uncertain whether the Bees will accept the revised proposal.

A version of this article first appeared on the Manchester Evening News website.

Tottenham's chief football officer Scott Munn has reportedly been placed on gardening leave. The 51-year-old Australian joined Spurs less than two years ago after a delayed move from the City Football Group and was a key ally of sacked manager Ange Postecoglou.

However, following the dismissal of the head coach earlier this month, and with the appointment of new CEO Vinai Venkatesham, it appears Munn's time at the club is drawing to a close. Although no official announcement has been made, it has been claimed that Munn has now been put on gardening leave by the north London club as changes continue to occur at the top level of Spurs. Alongside former Arsenal chief Venkatesham's arrival, Tottenham have appointed a new head coach in Thomas Frank. It was also confirmed that the club's executive director, Donna-Maria Cullen, a long-standing advisor to Daniel Levy, will be stepping down from the board and leaving the club this summer.

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According to Football London, club insiders anticipate the return of former managing director of football Fabio Paratici later this year. Paratici, who is closing in on the end of his ban from specific football activities, maintains a consultancy role at Spurs until August. He remains part of a civil trial in Italy, with investigations ongoing into the dealings of several former members of the Juventus hierarchy.

Upon Munn's appointment as Tottenham's chief football officer in 2023, Levy praised his comprehensive expertise: "Scott has a unique and broad experience of running sporting organisations at the highest level and will take responsibility for the leadership and management of our football activities to instil best practice both on and off the pitch."

Meanwhile, Frank, who recently took over the reins as head coach, has engaged with Venkatesham, technical director Johan Lange, and Levy regarding the club's structure and processes. Last week, Frank commended the thorough approach taken by the club's executives: "They've done a very, very good process. I would say Daniel Levy and Vinai and Johan Lange. I've had very good conversations and meetings with them, where we discussed everything in depth, details about club structure, processes, and of course I came with my view on things and how I saw it and my ideas and the way I want to do things and how I try to build a team and the club, and of course it's not, it's not just me.

"I think it's very important to say, yes, the head coach is an important person, but if I don't have good people around me, it's impossible. You can't do anything alone in my opinion. If you want to do something quick, you can go alone, if you want to do something big or achieve something big, you go together. So it's definitely a thing about doing things together. Me, staff and players.

"I think the alignment is key from top to bottom, and of course it starts from Daniel and Vinai and Johan and me, and the more the four of us can be aligned, just like a unit and like unbreakable unit, the stronger we will be, and there will be ups and downs. I think right now it's a fairy tale. Everyone is happy. The sun is shining. It's fantastic, but we haven't played one game yet.

"Hopefully we win a lot. We'll work very hard every single day to make sure we create as many magic moments for the fans, and put them together and hopefully at the end of the season there will be a very good season, but the alignment in terms of structure, processes, transfers, squad, playing style, culture, all that is is key."

A version of this article first appeared on the Football.London website.

Tottenham's squad should brace themselves for a unique pre-season with Thomas Frank, who is known to buck traditional gruelling regimes. Ex-Brondby player Martin Albrechtsen, once of West Brom, sang the praises of Frank’s pre-season regime, contrasting it with his demanding experiences in the Premier League.

Under Frank’s system previously seen at Brentford, players need to zoom through 1km on the pitch in approximately three minutes and 15 seconds; a task which seems almost leisurely compared with Conte’s notorious 'death runs' in Seoul three years prior, wherein Spurs stars were pushed to the limits with 42 sprints following a two-hour workout in sweltering heat.

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Harry Kane, then Spurs captain, famously fought off jet lag enough to throw up mid-drill, while Son Heung-min visibly faltered under the exhaustive trial.

Albrechtsen elaborated on how this year's training would differ, telling the Mirror: "I've had a taste of both worlds, the totally crazy pre-season regimes and also managers that think differently.

"With Thomas, his coaches and physios organise the sessions but he's mindful of the bigger picture, it's not just about running 20km, there was a clear plan and he knew how to schedule things.

"He thought about recovery and that if we're training tomorrow, we don't want injuries.

"His mindset was not about short-term gain and smashing people to their absolute limit, it was more about improving our conditioning and sharpness."

Former West Brom defender Albrechtsen, who hung up his boots last summer, still has vivid memories of his pre-season training during his 2004–2008 stint at The Hawthorns which continue to haunt him.

Now 45, he reflected: "Life under Gary Megson was a bit special. We had this coach that would make us run in this park in Sutton Coldfield, it was the hardest thing I've ever done in my career.

"I lost around 5kg, I wasn't very big back then anyway so it was a real culture shock.

"I don't know any player that would enjoy running in a forest for two hours non-stop, they thought we were in good shape but we weren't ready to play football because our bodies were so fatigued.

"Thomas likes to involve the ball a lot, there were still interval runs but you were getting a feel for the ball which goes a long way."

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has praised Frank for his prowess in nurturing young talent.

However, Frank will now have to manage high-profile players at Tottenham and Albrechtsen remembers him being rather "soft" during their time together at Brondby.

He added: "I think he was maybe just a bit too soft.

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"We were a group of older players that were used to a harder, tougher mentality so we were missing that direct, rougher managerial approach at times.

"That said, it was around 10 years ago now and I'd expect he's changed given his success."

Nevertheless, even Ange Postecoglou's feat in bringing Spurs' 17-year trophy drought to an end wasn't enough to satisfy chairman Daniel Levy. If you found the peculiarities of the Australian's departure striking, then Thomas Frank's exit from Brondby presents an even stranger tale.

In a twist worthy of a spy novel, Frank quit his managerial post at Brondby in 2016 after revelations surfaced that chairman Jan Bech Andersen had anonymously criticised him on a supporters' forum. The club's former defender Martin Albrechtsen confirmed the astonishing events, saying: "Yes, it's true."

Despite the turmoil within the Danish outfit, which teetered on the brink of relegation amid financial woes, Albrechtsen reflected with a sort of battle-hardened nonchalance akin to just another day at the office, remarking: "Still, it was really strange but perhaps it was a good thing because we weren't performing well and if we carried on, Thomas may have been sacked."