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Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth reports that West Ham have had a second bid for Lille midfielder Amadou Onana rejected.

The Lowdown: Opening offer turned down

The 20-year-old still has four years remaining on his contract with the Ligue 1 outfit so certainly won’t be easy to prise away, but has been the subject of plenty of interest from the Premier League.

According to The Athletic, the Irons had an opening £19.4m offer rejected last week, with their efforts being frustrated even more by the news that Arsenal have already held talks over a potential move to the Emirates.

After taking a second bite at the cherry though, the Hammers have been dealt yet another setback in their pursuit.

The Latest: Second West Ham bid rejected

Taking to Twitter, Sheth revealed that yet another West Ham offer for Onana has been turned down, with the club now exploring elsewhere despite their interest. He wrote:

“Had it confirmed West Ham United have had a second bid rejected by Lille for midfielder Amadou Onana. The offer was believed to be around €30m. While West Ham haven’t closed the door on pursuing the player, it is thought they are looking at other options.”

The Verdict: Long-term partnership?

Onana was a significant player in Lille’s starting XI last season, making 32 Ligue 1 appearances and netting one goal during that time, via WhoScored.

His key strength though is in the defensive part of his game, having averaged 1.5 tackles per league 90 minutes, an attribute which David Moyes loves in seeing his players get stuck in.

Standing at 6 foot 3, the Belgian could also add Soucek-esque dimension to the midfield and has the ability to form a great long-term partnership alongside Declan Rice, but only if the Irons up their financial game to secure both Onana’s services and the long-term future of their talisman.

Rangers have been linked with a move for a winger this summer who could end up being the Light Blues’ replacement for Ryan Kent at Ibrox.

It has been suggested that Tom Lawrence was brought in to replace Joe Aribo, while Oladapo Afolayan could be the man to fill Kent’s shoes in Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side.

The 24-year-old has enjoyed two impressive seasons with Bolton Wanderers, first helping them to promotion from League Two before finishing as their top scorer in League One last term. In total, the £3.4k-p/w winger has made 72 appearances for Ian Evatt’s side, contributing 15 goals and nine assists.

Last season saw Afolayan make 44 appearances for the Trotters in England’s third tier, in which he managed 12 goals and four assists as he averaged a superb 7.11 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

As a right-footed left winger who loves to dribble and cut inside, excelling at long shots, he would arguably be a natural replacement for Kent, who is unsurprisingly attracting interest after another excellent season at Ibrox.

The former Liverpool man perhaps most notably in the memorable win against Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park.

Recent reports have suggested that Galatasaray are in talks with the Englishman over a potential transfer, while Leeds United have also been linked with him regularly over the last few months.

Kent’s contract at Ibrox is set to expire at the end of next season, so as much as it might sadden Rangers fans, it might be the best decision to sell him this summer rather than potentially losing him for free in a year’s time.

Should he leave Glasgow, it would free up the funds for Afolayan, who Van Bronckhorst would also surely love to have at Ibrox next season.

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Evatt was full of praise for the winger last season, saying: “He has huge expectations of himself and we also have huge expectations of him and sometimes you have dips in form. We all understand that.

“In football terms and education, he’s still a young player, but his attitude when coming on today was first class.

“We have just said that to them in the dressing room – he made a great pass to Dion on the edge of the box and it was a wonderful finish, but 30 seconds later after the goal, Dapo was sprinting to the corner flag to block a cross for a corner, and that’s what it’s about. It’s defending as a team and attacking as a team and Dapo epitomised that today.”

Football journalist Josh Bunting also joined in with the praise for Afolayan, dubbing him “superb” after a resounding win over AFC Wimbledon earlier this year.

The former West Ham starlet clearly has an excellent attitude and work rate judging by Evatt’s appraisal, which suggests that he would fit in nicely at Rangers next season if he moves to Ibrox, and he could be the ideal man to replace Kent should the latter move on.

AND in other news: Van Bronckhorst can unearth his own Bernardo Silva with “dream” Rangers swoop for “fantastic” gem

Arsenal are interested in signing PSV Eindhoven winger Cody Gakpo in the summer transfer window, journalist Aaron Catterson-Reid has claimed.

The Lowdown: Gakpo excels for PSV

The Dutchman stood out as one of the Eredivisie’s most productive attacking players last season, registering 25 goal contributions (12 goals and 13 assists) in just 27 appearances in the competition.

Gakpo has also scored two goals in seven caps for the Netherlands and will hope to play a starring role for them at the upcoming World Cup in Qatar.

The 23-year-old has been linked with a summer move to Arsenal and it is a rumour that is refusing to go away.

The Latest: Arsenal keen on move

Taking to Twitter on Friday, football.london‘s Catterson-Reid claimed that Mikel Arteta is a big admirer of Gakpo and that a move could happen this summer:

“Understand Arsenal remain interested in PSV winger Cody Gakpo, who is one name on #afc’s potential list of wide options. Mikel Arteta is a huge fan of the player.”

The Verdict: Perfect for squad depth

Gakpo could be a superb signing for Arsenal ahead of a busy 2022/23 season – one that will require lots of attacking depth across four different competitions – having been hailed as a player who ‘has everything’ by Theo Janssen.

The fact that the Netherlands international is capable of thriving on the left wing, as a No.10 or as a forward makes him ideal, in terms of versatility, while his age also means he would be a long-term acquisition.

With the likes of Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Fabio Vieira, Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli already battling for playing time in those attacking midfield and wide positions, adding Gakpo could make competition for places even more healthy.

Everton have only made one signing so far this summer, with James Tarkowski joining the ranks at Goodison Park, and now a reliable source has revealed a new potential transfer target.

What’s the latest?

Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Toffees are interested in signing Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Leander Dendoncker.

He tweeted: “Everton want to sign an extra quality midfielder. Frank Lampard has also Leander Dendoncker in the list, he’s appreciated by board and manager. Everton, ready to explore this move in the next weeks.”

“Contract with Wolves expires in 2023, with option for further season.”

Supporters will be delighted

There is no doubt that Everton supporters will be delighted that the club seem to be working on identifying players who can come in and make a difference to the team following a relegation scrap at the wrong end of the Premier League table last season.

Dendoncker has been part of a strong Wolves team which were competing for European football for most of last term, but they narrowly missed their opportunity by five points, finishing 10th at the end of the season as their campaign ultimately tailed off.

Nevertheless, the 27-year-old midfielder has been a consistent and reliable performer in Bruno Lage’s side and would be a major coup for Farhad Moshiri if he can seal the deal for Everton this summer.

Over 30 league appearances last term, Dendoncker scored two goals and delivered two assists, making 1.4 tackles and 1.1 interceptions and winning 2.8 duels per game, along with tallying a pass accuracy of 90% in his own half, illustrating that he is a great asset in the centre of the pitch.

The Belgian talent has been the recipient of high praise for his contributions at Molineux, with Max Kilman describing his Wolves team-mate “brilliant” following one performance against Tottenham last season.

The 24-year-old gushed (via Molineux News): “Leander’s performances always go under the radar. He does the job and gives you a good performance every time.”

“He’s brilliant, nothing phases him. He knows his task and he doesn’t feel the pressure.”

The prospective signing of Dendoncker would be a great addition in the heart of Everton’s team as they attempt to leave the bad form of the last 12 months in the past when they return to Premier League action next month.

AND in other news: Everton given green light to sign “phenomenal” £15m “talent”, it would be a huge coup

The future of Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos remains a hot topic for the Ibrox outfit this summer, with the Colombian once again linked with an exit from the Premiership.

What’s the word?

There is growing uncertainty regarding the Gers talisman with just 10 months remaining on his existing deal in Glasgow. The 26-year-old has unsurprisingly been tipped for a departure from the Old Firm giants after five seasons at the club, with a number of Premier League sides having been linked with the striker in recent years.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has now provided his thoughts on the 11-cap predator’s future in an interview with Football FanCast, suggesting that it would be hugely significant if the former HJK Helsinki man were to stay at the club.

He stated: “Yeah it would be a huge boost to keep hold of their star striker. They’ve kept hold of him for the last few transfer windows which is obviously big news for Rangers as well and they can maybe persuade the Colombian to pledge his long-term future to the club.

“And if they can get the striker to pay in fresh terms what a boost that would be for Rangers going into this season as well”.

Huge boost for Rangers

For all the potential incomings at Rangers this summer, perhaps sporting director Ross Wilson’s best piece of business could well be keeping hold of the imposing Colombian brute for the new campaign, with the added sweetener of potentially seeing the £11.7m-rated man commit to a new deal.

As O’Rourke mentioned, it would represent a huge boost to the Light Blues if they were able to retain the services of their leading marksman, having already seen the duo of Calvin Bassey and Joe Aribo depart for Ajax and Southampton respectively.

Losing yet another player who was a key figure in last season’s surge to the Europa League final could well prove a knockout blow to Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s hopes of wrestling back the league title from bitter rivals Celtic this season, with the Dutchman no doubt keen to see his squad strengthened rather than weakened.

Morelos’ status as the club’s main man up top has been garnered following a hugely successful stint at Ibrox in recent years, the £33k-per-week menace having been signed for just £1m in 2017.

Since then, ‘El Bufalo’ – as he has been nicknamed in his homeland – has gone on to score 113 goals and provide 51 assists in 224 games in all competitions for the club, including a haul of 19 goals and eight assists in 42 games last term.

That tally would no doubt have been far greater had the 5 foot 10 marksman not sustained an injury in April, with that complaint ultimately ruling him out of the final few weeks of the season – leading to fears that he could well have played his last competitive game for the club.

Those of a Rangers persuasion will remain optimistic that he could line up in the famous blue jersey for the forthcoming campaign, with such a scenario seemingly the boost that Van Bronckhorst needs as the club’s 2022/23 season gets underway.

AND in other news, “Had contact…”: Journalist drops “unlikely” Rangers transfer claim that’ll delight Van Bronckhorst…

Sky journalist Lyall Thomas has relayed some promising Tottenham Hotspur transfer news involving Udinese starlet Destiny Udogie.

The Lowdown: Spurs preparing…

The Lilywhites are preparing for the 2022/2023 Premier League season and have already made a plethora of summer signings in Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Clement Lenglet and Djed Spence.

Antonio Conte, it’s safe to say, is receiving the full backing of Spurs and sporting director Fabio Paratici this summer as they gear up for the Italian’s first full campaign in charge.

They’ve been tipped to potentially add a creative midfield player to their ranks alongside the possible addition of a new defender with an update emerging on Udogie.

The Latest: Tottenham open Udogie talks…

As relayed by Sky journalist Thomas, there has been a promising development.

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He explains, relaying news from his colleague Gianluca Di Marzio, that they’re ‘pushing ahead with talks’ to sign the 19-year-old after his brilliant season in Serie A over 2021/2022.

Thomas stated (via Twitter):

“Tottenham are pushing ahead with talks to get the Destiny Udogie deal done. Udinese looking for £21m and to keep him on loan for the season.”

The Verdict: Wise move?

Udogie comes as a very bright prospect and finished 2021/22 as one of Udinese’s best performers, even ranking as one of their top four performers by average match rating (WhoScored).

Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, an expert on Europe’s best young talents, claims the wing-back is a ‘tenacious tackler’ and possesses ‘top pace and physicality’.

For £21 million, he would be a significant investment, but it’s clear the potential is certainly there to work with.

Newcastle United may have got the new season underway with a convincing victory over newly-promoted Nottingham Forest, although the need for further additions continues, with the forward line, in particular, in need of strengthening.

Moves for the likes of Alexander Isak and Moussa Diaby have broken down due to the potential, sizeable asking prices, while the Magpies saw long-term target Hugo Ekitike join Paris Saint-Germain, with their pursuit of Leicester City’s James Maddison having also yet to bear fruit.

That has become a source of frustration for manager Eddie Howe, although the former Bournemouth boss appears to have identified a target who could well be the solution to those concerns, with 90min reporting late last week that Marseille forward Bamba Dieng is of interest to the Tynesiders.

The report suggests that the northeast side – as well as fellow Premier League clubs West Ham United, Leeds United and Wolverhampton Wanderers – are all interested in the 22-year-old this summer, with the youngster having been frozen out by new boss Igor Tudor at the Stade Velodrome.

Previous reports have claimed that the 5 foot 10 menace could be available for around £15m, with the Senegal international also believed to have been a target for Howe and co back in January.

The 11-cap gem has warranted such clamour following his sparkling form of late in France, with the starlet having scored eight goals and provided three assists in all competitions last season.

That haul included a tally of “explosive” talent – as dubbed by former boss Jorge Sampaoli – with it having proven something of a shock to see him cast out of late following the change of regime.

That also comes as a surprise considering just how highly-regarded the £9m-rated prospect is by those in his homeland, with journalist Graeme Bailey revealing how he is referred to as the “new Sadio Mane”, with the expectation being that he can emulate his international colleague.

Such a comparison is a real marker of Dieng’s quality, with Mane having been in truly special form in recent years, notably enjoying a stunning six-year spell at Liverpool prior to his recent switch to Bayern Munich.

That glorious stint at Anfield – where he won a plethora of major honours – saw the 30-year-old score 120 goals and provide 48 assists in 269 games in all competitions, albeit while also sacrificing himself for the team with his relentless work ethic.

Like his young compatriot, the one-time Southampton man is also comfortable all across the front line and offers a real dynamic threat for any side, with it no surprise to see him already settling into life in Germany, having netted on his Bundesliga debut on Saturday.

For Howe and co, it will be of huge interest that the Marseille man has been tipped to become the next Mane in the coming years, with the hope being that the 44-year-old can be the one to develop him at St James’ Park.

The new Premiership season may be well underway, although all the talk surrounding Celtic remains that of potential incomings at Parkhead, with just a matter of weeks left in the transfer window.

Despite having completed seven major deals so far this summer, Ange Postecoglou has hinted that there could well be further arrivals in Glasgow before the September 1st deadline, with the 56-year-old looking to strengthen a squad which reclaimed the league title last term.

The name dominating the headlines at present is that of Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley, with reports suggesting that the Old Firm outfit have made an “offer” to the Blues regarding a permanent swoop for the 28-year-old.

The 33-cap England international – who last represented his country in October 2019 – appears set for a departure from Stamford Bridge, having failed to truly establish himself at the west London outfit since his arrival from Everton on a £15m deal in 2018.

With just a year remaining on his current contract, the playmaker is now in search of a new home, having not been handed a shirt number for the new season by manager Thomas Tuchel, duly opening the door for any interested parties to pounce.

While there may be concerns about signing a player who has been hampered by injury throughout his career and has made just 100 appearances in four-and-a-half years with his current club, the former Everton man is still seemingly an asset who has “loads to offer”, according to pundit Noel Whelan.

Equally, a failed stint with the Blues does not necessarily mean that the 6 foot 2 menace is a busted flush, with the case of Hoops legend Chris Sutton proving that a bad spell at Chelsea can be quickly forgotten about north of the border.

The now-retired striker was signed for a then-hefty £10m fee by the Premier League side in the summer of 1999 after a profitable stint at Blackburn Rovers, although he ultimately scored just one league goal over the next 12 months in what was a disappointing stint in the English capital.

Unperturbed by that failed spell, then-Celtic boss Martin O’Neill moved to bring the Englishman to Parkhead in a sizeable £6m deal, with that decision ultimately proving to be a masterstroke as the 6 foot 3 marksman went on to thrive in the green and white jersey.

The imposing forward went on to score 63 league goals for the club and win three league titles before his departure for Birmingham City in January 2006, notably forming an immense attacking partnership with Swedish genius Henrik Larsson.

Much like with Sutton’s arrival at Celtic, it would require another notable gamble if the club were to move for Barkley in the coming weeks. However, as the former Blackburn marksman proved two decades ago, one bad spell doesn’t necessarily make for a bad player.

Of course, Barkley’s dismal stint at Cobham has been far more tortuous than that of his compatriot, but having once been likened to Three Lions great Wayne Rooney, there is clearly a raw natural talent in him which is just waiting to be unleashed.

As O’Neill did all those years ago, Postecoglou must simply take the leap of faith and snap up the £96k-per-week ace.

Tottenham Hotspur remain interested in Nicolo Zaniolo ahead of the summer transfer window deadline on September 1st…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Daily Star journalist Paul Brown, who provided supporters with an update on Spurs’ pursuit of the AS Roma midfielder to GIVEMESPORT earlier this week.

“Zaniolo is someone that Spurs have chased for several years, he’s been a target for other managers there too,” he said.

“I think they actually came quite close to signing him at one point two or three years ago, but it didn’t quite happen. So, I can see that the club still have an interest there.”

Paulo Dybala repeat

It’s thought that the Serie A outfit would like around £50m to let him depart the Italian capital, whilst top-flight rivals Juventus are also keen on his signature.

With two weeks to go in the window, this saga is set to boil right down to deadline day and for Lilywhites chairman Daniel Levy, this has all the hallmarks to be a repeat of Paulo Dybala.

Back in the summer of 2019, the Argentine dynamo – then at the Bianconeri – had agreed on a £64.4m deal to join Spurs, even accepting the personal terms offered by the north Londoners, only for the move to collapse late on due to the player’s image rights.

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Tottenham have been mooted with interest in the 28-year-old ever since then, including during this summer’s window, but Dybala has actually moved to the Stadio Olimpico, putting Zaniolo’s place under Jose Mourinho most at risk.

As Brown claims, the Lilywhites have long held an interest in Zaniolo, who has been dubbed a “frightening talent” by CBS Sports reporter Ben Jacobs, and have even come close to signing him before, just like with Dybala.

Last season, the Italy international enjoyed one of his best seasons yet, bouncing back from his second ACL tear with eight goals and nine assists across 42 appearances, as per Transfermarkt.

Throughout the 23-year-old’s young career to date, Zaniolo has earned comparisons to that of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, so he could be an instant hit in the Premier League.

But right now, this saga looks set to rumble on and is bordering on ‘Dybala territory’ for Levy and the club’s recruitment staff.

AND in other news, Paratici eyeing dream Zaniolo alternative as Spurs plot £50.5m bid for “unreal” talent…

Nottingham Forest have already made 16 new signings in their pursuit of retaining their Premier League status this season, and now they could add another player with top-flight experience before the transfer window closes.

What’s the latest?

According to The Athletic, Nottingham Forest are plotting a loan move for Tottenham Hotspur left-back Sergio Reguilon.

As per the report, talks are claimed to have already taken place between the two clubs. If an agreement can be reached Spurs would expect Reguilon’s wages to be paid in full by Forest and according to sources the player will be back to match fitness soon.

Forest could end summer with a bang

There is no doubt that Forest have wasted no time or resources over the transfer window to make sure they have a team that can compete, and adding Reguilon into the squad could help the club end the summer with a bang.

Despite being out-of-favour in the Spurs team at the moment, the left-back has Premier League experience with injury towards the end of last season with Ryan Sessegnon replacing the left-back.

As a result, Forest could take the golden opportunity to sign the £53k-per-week ace as new signing Omar Richards is sidelined with a hairline leg fracture and Steve Cooper will want to make sure he has enough strength in the wing-back positions, a role that the Welsh manager heavily relies on in his high pressing system.

Reguilon did manage to make 25 appearances in the Premier League last term for the north London club and displayed over the campaign exactly why he’d be such a spectacular addition late in the window.

The left-footed Spaniard scored two goals, delivered three assists, created five big chances and made 1.2 key passes per game going forward. He was also solid from a defensive point of view, producing 1.2 interceptions and 1.6 tackles per game, proving that he is not only capable of being a driving force in the final third but can also be relied on in transition at the back.

By way of comparison, Forest’s flying wing-back from last term, Djed Spence, managed two goals, four assists and produced one key pass per match, demonstrating that he and Reguilon are actually quite alike.

Thus, if Cooper could unearth a similar player, just on the left-hand side of his defence, it could see them end their summer with a bang after missing out on a player who coincidentally, is now at Spurs with Reguilon.

Tottenham journalist Alasdair Gold hailed the defender when reflecting on the club’s summer signing back in 2020, offering a glimpse of what he could add to the City Ground.

“You kind of don’t want to overshadow Sergio Reguilon, who I think is going to be one of the best left-backs in Europe – probably almost is.

“With Sevilla, he was phenomenal: had a great season, won the Europa League. He’s got incredible confidence.”

With that being said, the signing of the Spanish full-back would be a seismic addition for Cooper and if they can get the player on loan it would be a great opportunity to add some proven Premier League experience to the team in their first season back in the big time.