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West Ham are reportedly battling with Fulham for the signing of Fortuna Dusseldorf midfielder Ao Tanaka this summer, according to a fresh update.

Who is Ao Tanaka?

The 24-year-old is currently plying his trade with Dusseldorf in Germany, making 39 starts in the Bundesliga 2 over the past two seasons, shining at the heart of his side's midfield. He has also won 19 caps at international level for Japan, scoring three goals in that time and also appearing three times at the 2022 World Cup, starting two of his country's matches.

It could be that Tanaka is interested in a move away from Dusseldorf during the current transfer window, however, even though his current deal there doesn't expire until the end of the 2024/25 season. A move to a top league is likely to appeal, and it looks as though a switch to the Premier League could potentially be on the cards in the coming weeks.

That's where West Ham come into play, as David Moyes aims to conduct some strong transfer business before the start of the 2023/24 campaign, looking to build on their fantastic UEFA Europa Conference League success last term.

Would West Ham sign Ao Tanaka this summer?

According to Rheinische Post [via Sport Witness], the Hammers are in the conversation to sign Tanaka this summer, but they won't have a clear path when it comes to snapping him up. Fulham are also credited with interest, with West Ham's London rivals also eyeing squad reinforcements with the new Premier League season looming.

It is reportedly "no secret" that Dusseldorf expect to lose the Japan international in the near future because he himself "wants to leave" in the current window. Only €3m (£2.5m) would supposedly be required to prise him away from his current team, making it a cheap piece of business.

Tanaka wouldn't necessarily be a marquee signing by West Ham in the summer, considering he isn't exactly a household name, but he could be a shrewd addition who help fill some of the void left by Declan Rice, assuming his big-money move to Arsenal is eventually announced sooner rather than later.

He has proven himself at a World Cup, averaging one tackle and aerial duel win apiece as last year's tournament, and he is at a good age to come in and bolster the Hammers' squad options, potentially maturing as a player over time and also excelling alongside better players to the ones at Dusseldorf.

In fact, Tanaka was even handed the Player of the Match award after Japan's unforgettable 2-1 victory over Spain at the World Cup, in which he score the winning goal and generally excelled throughout – this should excite West Ham fans who could otherwise potentially feel underwhelmed about the east Londoners signing him.

Granted, signing him alone won't help make up for the incoming huge loss of Rice, who has been such a dominant performer in the middle of the park over the years, but it is a case of finding a number of quality new players in that area, in order to fully make up for his exit.

Aston Villa have reportedly walked away from a move for Sporting CP winger Pedro Goncalves after making contact over a transfer.

What’s the latest Aston Villa transfer news?

The Villans have made a start on their summer business ahead of Unai Emery’s first full season in charge, with an announcement made to sign Youri Tielemans on a free transfer last month.

The Belgian midfielder is the only confirmed arrival ahead of the new campaign, however, there have been a number of players linked, including Villarreal defender Pau Torres.

The centre-back, who worked under Emery at Villarreal, has agreed terms over a move to the Midlands, and a £33m transfer is expected to go through at some point next week.

Reports have suggested that a new midfielder, wide forward and striker are still wanted after Tieleans and Torres, with new president of football operations Monchi working closely alongside Emery and will report to Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens.

One attacking player who has been linked with a move to Villa Park is Goncalves, and it looks as if contact was made over a potential transfer.

Are Aston Villa signing Pedro Goncalves?

Sport Witness relayed an update in the last 48 hours regarding Villa and Goncalves. They claimed that Sporting will only sell their star attacker if his €80m release clause is matched.

Villa andChampions League finalists Inter Milan were keen on a move and even made enquiries, however, both clubs aren’t able to cover that fee and the Premier League side have now reportedly walked away from a deal.

Goncalves, lauded as “dangerous” by Portuguese football expert and journalist Tom Kundert and “fantastic” by Graeme Bailey, is primarily a left-winger who can also play on the right or in a central midfield role so would have offered plenty of versatility to Emery’s side in midfield and attack.

Previously on the books at Wolves as a youngster, the Portugal international has been at Sporting since 2020 and has made 129 appearances for the club, scoring 58 times and providing 34 assists. He could have been a shrewd addition for the right price, but it doesn’t look as if an €80m move is in Villa’s price range, even though NSWE have promised Emery a huge summer budget where the club’s record transfer could be broken.

A move to the Midlands doesn’t look like it will materialise over the coming months, so Monchi and Emery could move on to alternative attacking targets. Another winger who has been linked with a move to Villa Park is Harvey Barnes, but Villa look set to miss out on the Leicester City man to Premier League rivals Newcastle United.

Meanwhile, contact has reportedly been made for Leeds United’s Wilfried Gnonto, so he could be a potential option following the Whites’ relegation to the Championship.

Gary Neville hailed the Italy international for his display at Villa Park last season when coming up against Ashley Young, so if the price is right, Gnonto could be Villa’s new wide-forward addition and not Goncalves, leaving Emery searching for another midfielder and striker.

An update has emerged on Rangers and their attempts to bolster Michael Beale's attacking options ahead of the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership campaign…

What's the latest on Danilo to Rangers?

According to the Daily Record, Danilo has told his club that he wants to join the Light Blues before the end of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Brazilian attacker informed Feyenoord of his decision over the weekend as he would like to make the move to Ibrox in the coming weeks.

This should come as a big boost to Beale in his attempts to land the attacker as it could put pressure on the Dutch side to be accommodating in negotiations in order to prevent them from ending up with an unhappy player for the rest of the season.

It states that the Gers have already had an offer of £3.5m turned down and that it will take a fee in the region of £5m to secure his services.

This comes as the club are closing in on the signing of Nigeria international forward Cyriel Dessers from Cremonese for a total package of €6.5m (£5.6m).

How did Danilo perform last season?

The 24-year-old number nine enjoyed a strong campaign with Feyenoord in spite of his limited game time as he showcased his impressive finishing ability domestically and in Europe.

His form in the Netherlands suggests that there is an exciting player for Beale to unearth and the English head coach could excite Rangers supporters by pairing him with current Ibrox star Todd Cantwell.

Danilo, who was once praised by Erik ten Hag as the manager's best "finisher" at Ajax, plundered an outstanding ten goals and three assists in 14 Eredivisie starts,

This shows that the right-footed dynamo often took his chances when given an opportunity on the pitch. Meanwhile, no Gers player with fewer than 15 Premiership starts hit double figures for goals last term.

He also found the back of the net twice in six Europa League starts, which means that the former Ajax prospect also has experience playing and scoring in European competitions.

His superb performances in front of goal are not a flash in the pan, either, as the 6-foot hotshot produced an eye-catching 17 goals and five assists in 31 Eredivisie starts on loan at FC Twente during the 2020/21 campaign, one more strike than any Rangers player managed last season.

Cantwell, meanwhile, averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.36 – a score no other attacker or midfielder matched – across 16 Premiership outings in 2022/23. The Englishman scored six goals to go along with his five assists.

The former Norwich ace caught the eye with his silky ability on the ball, which was combined with a quality end product, proviing himself capable of making a big impact in the final third.

This means that Beale could pair an outstanding number ten with the ability to be a scorer and a creator with a Brazilian striker who has the potential to be a lethal attacker, something that would no doubt get fans excited ahead of next season.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is "pushing as he never did before" to sign Declan Rice and a deal is "close now".

What's the latest on Declan Rice to Arsenal?

Late last night, Fabrizio Romano took to Twitter to claim that Edu and Arteta are doing an "incredible job" in the battle for Rice, with the manager making a "huge effort" to sign the West Ham midfielder, who he envisages as being one of the faces of the club's long-term project.

Now, it appears as though the Spaniard's persistence has finally paid off, with Man City dropping out of the race for the England international, as they are unwilling to match the new offer that has been made by the Gunners.

Edu returned to the negotiating table last night with a bid of £100m, plus £5m in add-ons, and work has now commenced on agreeing the structure of the deal. Rice's camp reportedly believe the most recent offer is fair for all parties, having now asked West Ham to accept the proposal, paving the way for a move to the Emirates Stadium in the near future, with personal terms already being agreed for quite some time.

Is Rice joining Arsenal or Manchester City?

After a nervy few days, with Man City making their interest in the central midfielder well-known, Arsenal now appear to have won the race for his signature, news that is sure to be very exciting for the fans.

According to Jacob Steinberg, a deal is "close now", as he took to Twitter this afternoon: "Agreement between West Ham and Arsenal close now and could be done today. Rice has wanted Arsenal all along and is going to get his move."

Arteta will be relieved the transfer saga is finally approaching its conclusion, and he is set to bolster his midfield with a top-quality player, who has a range of different qualities.

The West Ham captain averaged 2.1 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game in the Premier League last season, the highest number of any player in the squad, and he has also started to impress on the front foot.

Hailed as a "very good finisher" by teammate Tomas Soucek, Rice registered five goals and four assists for West Ham last season, and Arteta will now be hoping he can continue his development in an Arsenal shirt.

Arsenal are in "positive" talks to sign Ajax defender Jurrien Timber and he "wants to make that move", according to Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth.

Who will Arsenal sign this summer?

The Gunners currently have many plates spinning behind-the-scenes as sporting director Edu looks to reinforce their midfield, sign a versatile attacker and bring in more defensive options.

Having missed out on their first league title in nearly 20 years to treble-winners Man City, Arsenal now find themselves in a fierce transfer battle with the blues to sign top target Declan Rice from West Ham.

Both sides have had bids rejected for the England international recently and it will be very interesting to see where he ends up – in Manchester or across London.

Meanwhile, in some better news, Arsenal have sealed the signing of Chelsea forward Kai Havertz in a £65 million deal, with Southampton's Romeo Lavia and Timber from Ajax at the centre of negotiations too.

The latter player has been described as a versatile, inverted full-back option, similar to Oleksandr Zinchenko, and is currently renowed for his composure/passing range (The Telegraph).

Mikel Arteta's side have been attempting to sign Timber over the last fortnight, again seeing bids rejected for the defender in a similar vain to Rice.

However, speaking on Sky Sports, reliable journalist Sheth has dropped a positive update on their pursuit of the 22-year-old.

Sheth believes talks are "positive" between Ajax and Arsenal with Timber firmly setting his sights on a move to the Emirates.

"There is another player that they're interested in as well, and that is the Ajax defender Jurrien Timber," said the Sky reporter during broadcast.

"We are told that talks are ongoing between both clubs, we're told talks are positive as well, personal terms not expected to be a problem.

"And in this case, rather like Declan Rice as well, the understanding is that Timber wants to make that move to Arsenal.

"He's got two years left on his contract, I think, so it's the optimum time for Ajax to maximise that transfer fee."

What's been said about Jurrien Timber?

The Netherlands international was an undroppable for Ajax last season, featuring over more Eredivisie minutes than any other player in their squad over 2022/2023 (WhoScored).

Former Spurs star Rafael van der Vaart has also heaped praise on Timber's athleticism, explaining how he is "so quick" and "sharp" when called upon.

"Timber is so quick, light feet, always sharp, never panicking on the ball. Almost like a great midfielder in defence,” Van der Vaart said (via the MEN).

All the indications are that he could be an exceptional signing for Arteta.

An overwhelming plethora of tasks remains at hand for the incoming Mauricio Pochettino as he begins his Chelsea rebuild.

However, one of the biggest issues that the Argentine must immediately address is to find a new goalkeeper.

Frank Lampard, Thomas Tuchel, and Graham Potter have all dealt with a recurring issue between the sticks, as neither Edouard Mendy nor Kepa Arrizabalaga evolved into a long-term, reliable first choice.

The former is on the verge of a move to Saudi Arabia and starting the Spaniard throughout the campaign would be a risky and uncalculated decision.

Therefore, the Blues have been considering making a move for Diogo Costa.

What’s the latest on Diogo Costa to Chelsea?

According to Rudy Galetti, the 2021 Champions League winners, alongside Manchester United and Bayern Munich, are interested in the Porto man, who has a release clause of €75m (£65m).

The West Londoners appear to be at a crossroads in their search for a new shot-stopper as one target in Andre Onana is being tracked by the Red Devils, while Mike Maignan doesn’t want to join Chelsea after the club missed out on Europe and David Raya is seemingly set for a move to Tottenham Hotspur.

Therefore, it seems that Costa has emerged as the most attainable option for Pochettino.

Why do Chelsea want Diogo Costa?

The 14-cap international has been at Porto since 2011 and has risen through the youth ranks and made his senior debut for the club in August 2017.

As a child, he idolised Vitor Baia and at the start of the 2020/21 campaign, he inherited the number 99 jersey, made famous by his hero and Porto legend.

But it was the 2021/22 term that the 23-year-old become the club’s first-team goalkeeper, and was part of 16-game unbeaten league run, in which he kept eight clean sheets and was named as the league’s Goalkeeper of the Month for four consecutive months from December to March 2022.

Porto would eventually win the domestic double and the Portuguese was named in the Primera Liga Team of the Year.

More recently, he played every minute of his country’s World Cup campaign in December 2022 and became the youngest Portuguese goalkeeper to play in a major international tournament.

Statistically, the 6 foot 2 titan ranks within the top 5% outside of Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for clean sheet percentage and goals against per 90, as he's proving to be ready for the next step in his career.

Also sitting in the top 25% for crosses stopped, it's clear that Costa's shot-stopping ability and his commanding nature could be game-changing for the Blues as they look to finally put their goalkeeping woes to one side.

Described as “world-class” by compatriot Diogo Dalot, Chelsea should accelerate their attempts to sign the goalkeeper, who could excel even further under Pochettino.

Arsenal seem to be closing in on their top target for the summer, with reports referencing a deal close to completion…

What's the latest on Declan Rice to Arsenal?

That's according to Football Insider, who claims that Edu has agreed terms with West Ham United's captain Declan Rice.

The Gunners are set to make an initial bid of around £92m, with £8m worth of add-ons to take the deal into a nine-figure sum.

The 24-year-old has also agreed personal terms, seemingly rendering this deal all but done. Having won the Europa Conference League with the Hammers, their chairman David Sullivan admitted that his exit was an almost certainty. This latest report seeks to confirm that.

Would Declan Rice improve Gabriel Jesus?

Whilst the acquisition of someone who was originally a defensive midfielder might have little impact on a striker on the surface, what Rice has accomplished this season alongside his growth has made him much more than someone to simply protect the back four.

His 7.19 average Sofascore rating for the term, whilst largely buoyed by defensive figures, is also married to the nine goal contributions he recorded in all competitions. This was partnered with an 88% pass accuracy, one key pass, 2.1 tackles and 1.7 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

What is set to make the England international so important in bolstering Jesus' numbers is a mix of all those statistics just mentioned, as not only will he provide the defensive foundation for the Brazilian to occupy better goalscoring areas, but this added creativity from midfield could prove crucial.

In what has been an injury-hit debut year in north London, the former Manchester City finisher still notched 11 goals with seven assists. However, his main role ended up being the spearhead of Mikel Arteta's pressing system, rather than the goalscoring monster he likely dreams of being.

By signing Rice, who boasts incredible football intelligence as well as technical proficiency, he could perhaps occupy spaces that the ageing Granit Xhaka could not, offering further fluidity and athleticism to allow his would-be 26-year-old teammate to apply more of a focus on finding the back of the net.

After all, he was not lauded as a "world-class" asset by manager Danny Cowley for nothing. His efforts in dictating the play could see the Gunners exert even more control over games than they have done, surely resulting in more chances for the forward.

Rice has starred in a struggling Irons team, and the step-up will likely not phase someone so confident and talented.

Arteta and Edu will hope that he can be the final piece to complete their side, arguably improving everyone around him.

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino was in agreement with the club not to overpay for Manuel Ugarte amid the competition from Paris Saint-Germain.

How much are PSG paying Ugarte?

The Blues endured a hugely underwhelming 2022/23 campaign which saw them finish in a disappointing 12th spot of the Premier League table.

But it is apparent Todd Boehly will not allow that to happen again with the American owner already putting plans in place to bring change ahead of next season.

Indeed, Pochettino has already been appointed as the new Chelsea manager and they have been involved in a transfer saga this early in the summer.

However, this was not a transfer saga which ended in Chelsea's favour after they bowed out of the race to sign the Uruguay midfielder, Ugarte, following the competition from the Ligue 1 champions.

Although the west London side had submitted a significant bid for the 22-year-old, they were forced to move away from the negotiations after PSG trumped their financial proposal to the player.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has provided an insight to the discussions behind the scenes at Staford Bridge amid their negotiations with the Sporting CP midfielder.

It is apparent the Blues were keen to strengthen their midfield with the addition of Ugarte, however, Pochettino was not in favour of overpaying for the 22-year-old with PSG offering a reported £2.6m more in annual salary:

"I wanted to tell you something behind the scenes about the situation that Chelsea had regarding Manuel Ugarte."

"I can tell you that Mauricio Pochettino was always involved in the conversation with the Chelsea board. Of course, Pochettino will be into the market this summer together with the board, and also Pochettino when Chelsea told him: 'We are not going to make another bid [for the] player because the idea is not to match Paris Saint-Germain's salary proposal for Ugarte'.

"Also the position of Mauricio Pochettino was like: 'Okay, Ugarte is a great player, but we don't want to enter into any crazy proposal to players, especially'."

Will Chelsea sign Moises Caicedo?

Now the Blues are expected to see N'Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic depart the club over the coming days, midfield reinforcement will be on the mind for Pochettino.

And with that in mind, it is believed the west London side are eyeing a potential move for the Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo.

However, the Blues are not believed to be the only London side keen to potentially bring Caicedo to the capital with Arsenal all credited with interest.

But this is a deal which will not come on the cheap with the 21-year-old having signed a new deal on the south coast following the January transfer window.

As a result, it is suggested the Seagulls will be looking for a fee in the region of £80m – all in – for their midfielder.

The Ecuadorian is believed to be earning in the region of £60k-per-week at Brighton, so if he is to make a big-money move to Stamford Bridge it would be expected his wages will increase significantly like his former teammate, Alexis Mac Allister.

Manchester United are now "monitoring" Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka for a potential summer transfer swoop, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.

Who are Man United signing?

Bringing in a new central midfielder appears to be one of Erik ten Hag's main priorities in the upcoming window, with Mason Mount emerging as a key target, and it has now been reported an offer of around £50m is in the works.

Not only are Man United interested in Mount, but they could target the 24-year-old's Chelsea teammate, Mateo Kovacic, with it being reported they have made a move to try and beat Manchester City to the Croatian's signature this summer.

The Red Devils have also registered their interest in signing West Ham United captain Declan Rice, however Arsenal remain in pole position for the 24-year-old, meaning they may have to turn their attentions towards other targets.

One such player is Goretzka, with Plettenberg recently taking to Twitter to claim that United are "monitoring" the Bayern midfielder, whose future at the Allianz Arena is uncertain, amid the German club's interest in signing Rice.

However, there has not yet been any concrete talks with the German, who "definitely" wants to stay at Bayern this summer, with club executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge also keen to keep him.

Will Man United sign Leon Goretzka?

At the moment, it appears unlikely that Man United will be able to sign the 28-year-old, given that he is committed to Bayern Munich, however if his situation changes in the future, then there is evidence he could be a quality addition to the squad.

Former Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann has hailed the £300k-per-week maestro, previously stating: "Leon is one of the best box-to-box players in Europe. He has incredible goal threat and knows when to bomb forward."

The Germany international is also capable of playing in a defensive role, as he did on numerous occasions last season, and he ranks highly on some key defensive metrics over the past year, including blocks per 90, averaging 2.04 per game.

That figure places the central midfielder in the 97th percentile compared to his positional peers, while he is also in the 95th percentile for assists, highlighting his ability on the front foot, so it is clear that he is a very well-rounded player.

As such, if Goretzka's situation changes at some point this summer, then Man United should definitely pursue a move.

An update has emerged on Burnley and their plans to improve their attacking options following their promotion to the Premier League…

What's the latest on Jack Clarke to Burnley?

According to Football League World, Sunderland are expected to cash in on Clarets target Jack Clarke ahead of next season amid growing competition for his signature.

The report claims that Vincent Kompany is eyeing a swoop for the attacker alongside Rangers, Crystal Palace, and Everton, among others.

It is stated that Burnley hold the strongest interest in the former Leeds United academy graduate, who joined the Black Cats from Tottenham Hotspur in a deal that could rise to £10m last summer.

How did Jack Clarke perform this season?

The English forward caught the eye with his performances in the Championship for Tony Mowbray's side and could form an exciting partnership with current Clarets star Josh Brownhill.

Clarke averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.00 across 45 matches in the second tier and chipped in with nine goals from out wide and only missed five 'big chances'. He plundered those strikes from 6.92 xG and proved himself to be a reliable finisher in front of goal.

Brownhill, meanwhile, averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.27 across 41 league games and scored seven times. The former Preston North End ace outscored his xG by 0.85 and this suggests that, like his compatriot, the maestro is not wasteful with his shooting.

These statistics show that both players are effective at the top end of the pitch and could both carry a significant goal threat in the Premier League next season if they are provided with enough chances.

The Sunderland magician, whose dribbling ability was hailed as "effortless" by ex-Leeds ace Noel Whelan, also showcased his wizardry by racking up 12 assists from 11.10 xA in the division – four more assists than any Burnley player managed.

Brownhill was also a source of creativity for his side as the Englishman assisted eight goals and created 10.94 xA for his teammates, which suggests that the ace was let down by his fellow attackers as they did not make the most of the chances he was providing them with.

Kompany could now add another forward who is capable of finishing and creating opportunities in the final third by securing a swoop for Clarke.

The Black Cats whiz could form a dream partnership with Brownhill as they have both proven themselves capable of outperforming their xG and being able to consistently create openings for others from midfield and wide positions, which makes them huge threats for the opposition to deal with.