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Sheffield Wednesday are the front-runners to sign Swansea City youngster Kyle Joseph this summer.

The Lowdown: Owls keen on new signings

The Owls’ League One season is underway but that doesn’t mean Darren Moore’s business in the transfer window is necessarily done yet.

The manager himself has publicly admitted he’s still keen on making additions in the attacking third of the pitch, in order for Wednesday to have enough firepower throughout the squad.

And a new update suggests an exciting young player could be heading to Hillsborough before deadline day ends on September 1.

The Latest: Wednesday linked with Joseph move

According to Wales Online, the Owls are ‘battling it out’ with Oxford United for the signing of Joseph.

The 20-year-old will be allowed to leave on loan, and the two sides name-checked are the ‘front-runners’ for a deal.

The striker scored four times and added two assists in 13 League One starts on loan at Cheltenham last season.

The Verdict: Strong squad option

Joseph could be an ideal signing for Wednesday this season, coming in as someone who can provide strong competition for the likes of Lee Gregory and Michael Smith.

His form at Cheltenham last season is proof that he can shine in England’s third tier, and he could give the Owls that extra piece of class in attack as he looks to prove to his permanent employers he has what it takes to be a serious player in the senior game.

The bonus of a loan move is that if Joseph proves to be out of his depth at Hillsborough, Wednesday won’t have wasted too much money on him, and perhaps they can even negotiate a permanent deal if the opposite happens and the youngster thrives.

Manchester United have been heavily linked with Ajax defender Lisandro Martinez in recent weeks, and the Argentine’s prospective move to Old Trafford could be getting closer.

What’s the word?

After starring under Erik ten Hag at the Eredivisie giants, a move to Old Trafford was always likely to be on the cards this summer, and links have certainly intensified after it became clear that Jurrien Timber wanted to stay with the Amsterdam club.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke shared his views on Martinez’s situation in an interview with Football FanCast, suggesting that United are leading the race:

“Looking from the outside you think, they probably would have an advantage over Arsenal because of Erik ten Hag, who Martinez has previously worked with. You’d think that would work to their benefit to try and persuade Martinez to snub Arsenal and move to Manchester United instead.

“I’m sure both Manchester United and Arsenal would put lucrative offers on the table for the player if they try and sign him in this window.”

Supporters will be buzzing

Given Martinez’s impressive form for Ajax in recent seasons, United fans will surely want him to be reunited with Ten Hag at Old Trafford.

The Argentina international, who is also capable of playing in defensive midfield, was one of Ajax’s star turns last season as they won the Eredivisie title, making 24 appearances in the Dutch top flight and averaging a superb 7.60 rating from WhoScored.

While some fans might have doubts about Martinez’s height as a centre-back, as he stands at just 5 foot 9, his ability in the air is one of his main strengths as a player, while the 3.3 aerial duels he won per game last season was more than both Raphael Varane and Harry Maguire.

Reports have suggested that United will have to pay £51m for the defender, who is also of interest to Arsenal. However, given his incredible form under Ten Hag previously, that could prove to be a bargain.

If Martinez can come in and steady United’s defence, which shipped 57 goals in the top flight last season, then he will surely prove to be an excellent signing, so fans must be delighted to hear that the Red Devils are seemingly in pole position for the 24-year-old.

AND in other news: “It’s agreed” – Romano drops big transfer update that’ll leave Ten Hag gutted

Aston Villa have shown over the past few years that they aren’t shy when it comes to securing transfers for players from fellow Premier League clubs.

The likes of Danny Ings, Calum Chambers and Emi Martinez, among others, have all made moves to Villa Park from other top-flight teams.

Now that the Villans are in the midst of yet another summer transfer window, this period could give them the opportunity to continue their track record of signing players with whom they are familiar from facing in league action.

One Premier League player who has been mentioned with a move to Steven Gerrard’s side this time around is West Ham United midfielder Tomas Soucek.

After initially joining the east London club on loan from Slavia Prague in January 2020, the midfielder secured a permanent transfer the following summer on a four-year deal worth €21m (£18m).

Overall, the 27-year-old has made 101 appearances for David Moyes’ side across all competitions, scoring 18 goals and providing two assists along the way.

Another Premier League midfielder who is included on a list of similar players to Soucek according to Football Transfers is Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante.

Bearing in mind how the Frenchman has won multiple trophies for club and country, along with numerous individual awards, this shows the pedigree of the Stamford Bridge stalwart.

To compare the duo from their previous domestic campaigns, both players ended the season with more than 100 tackles and interceptions combined, highlighting how impressive they both are without the ball and how capable they are at winning it back.

Labelled a “huge” player for West Ham by Jamie Carragher, Soucek has also been hailed as “magnificent” by Trevor Sinclair regarding the defensive work that he puts in for his team.

Taking all this into account, the prospect of Gerrard having his own version of Kante at Villa in the shape of the Czech Republic star could be a very exciting prospect for everyone connected with the Midlands club.

With a reported price tag of £40m, securing a deal for the West Ham machine could be a very smart bit of business for Villa and something that they should definitely explore before the transfer window closes.

AND in other news: Reliable journalist claims Villa move would be “attractive” for 6 foot 1 “rock”, Gerrard will love it

Aston Villa have been linked with a move for Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain recently and if he were to join Steven Gerrard’s side this summer he could prove to be his own version of Jude Bellingham.

According to Football Insider, Villa have turned their attentions towards signing the former Arsenal man ahead of next season, with the 28-year-old reportedly available for a cut-price of just £10m, as he seeks regular first-team football away from Anfield.

Since joining the Reds in a £35m deal in 2017, he has gone on to make 133 appearances for Jurgen Klopp’s side, in which he has contributed 17 goals and 15 assists.

The strength of the German’s midfield meant opportunities were hard to come by for Oxlade-Chamberlain last season and it is perhaps no surprise that he is seeking a move away, and Villa could be the ones to benefit.

Although Villa fans might not take too kindly to a potential signing being compared to Bellingham, given that he started his career at fierce rivals Birmingham City, there seems little doubt that he will become one of the best midfielders in world football.

At 18, he is already a fully-fledged England international and a regular for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga and the Champions League, with his performances in the German top-flight last season earning him an impressive 7.12 average rating from WhoScored.

FB Ref suggests that Oxlade-Chamberlain and Bellingham have very similar styles of play, with both excelling at progressive carries and dribbling, which suggests that the Liverpool man could add some real dynamism and counter-attacking threat to Gerrard’s side next season.

WhoScored also suggests that Oxlade-Chamberlain and Bellingham like to dribble, so it seems clear that both midfielders like to carry the ball and use their athleticism to go past opposition defenders.

Therefore, while the “fantastic” £16.2 million rated Liverpool man in the words of Gerrard, might have ten years on Bellingham, he could perform a similar role to the teenager in Gerrard’s squad next season for a much cheaper fee, so Villa should definitely consider bringing him in.

And, in other news… Gerrard already has his dream Watkins heir at AVFC in “bullish” rarely-seen 20 y/o

Manchester United are lining up a bid for Brazilian talent Joao Gomes as Erik ten Hag aims to start the club’s summer transfer business early.

What’s the news?

South American news outlet BolaVIP have reported that the Red Devils are sending scouts to watch Flamengo star Joao Gomes in action as they appear keen to bring him to England.

It was originally TNTSports which linked United with the 21-year-old in March, and it looks like Ten Hag is about to get a closer look at the player.

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A fee of around R$200m (£33m) is what the Manchester club are willing to pay for the defensive midfielder, according to journalist Gustavo Henrique, and this seems a reasonable fee for someone of Gomes’s talent and age.

Imagine him and Bruno

One of Ten Hag’s main priorities at Old Trafford will surely be to rejuvenate the midfield. With the future of Paul Pogba still hanging in the air and Nemanja Matic leaving, there will be a need to bolster United’s options in this area.

Gomes could well be an ideal signing and he has a respectable WhoScored average rating of 6.85 this season. His pass success rate is an excellent 88.4%, and a player with such impressive passing ability is one that the Dutchman will surely want in his team.

Having a holding midfielder of his ball distribution in the team would allow more creative freedom to the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Cristiano Ronaldo. Knowing that they have a solid midfielder behind them with the attributes to break up play and potentially build attacks from the base of midfield could be a game-changer going into next season.

Gomes has been described in the past as the “great ball thief”, and this quote perfectly summarises his qualities. The 21-year-old makes 4.1 tackles per game and wins back possession 0.4 times per 90 minutes.

For a reported fee of £33m, Ten Hag should be making Gomes one of his first summer signings at Old Trafford.

AND in other news, Bid incoming: Sky Sports journalist drops MUFC transfer update, Ten Hag will be thrilled

Tottenham Hotspur are looking to secure a deal to extend Pierluigi Gollini’s stay at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

What’s the word?

That’s according to a report by Italian publication TuttoMercatoWeb (via Sport Witness), who claim that, despite previous reports suggesting that Tottenham will not be looking to make the Atalanta goalkeeper’s loan deal a €15m (£12.5m) permanent switch this summer, Fabio Paratici now would like to extend the stay of the 27-year-old in north London.

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However, the report goes on to state that Torino are also interested in a move for the Italy international this summer, with the Serie A side believed to already be in contact with the shot-stopper regarding a switch to the Olympic Grande Torino Stadium.

Paratici must axe Gollini

Considering just how little Gollini has featured for Tottenham since joining the club last summer, in addition to the widespread reports that Spurs previously had no intention of activating the goalkeeper’s purchase clause, the news that Paratici could now be considering a deal to keep the shot-stopper on is certainly surprising.

Indeed, over his four appearances in the Europa Conference League this season, the £9m-rated stopper did little to convince that he would be a worthwhile signing for Spurs, being unable to keep a clean sheet against the likes of Stade Rennais, NS Mura and Vitesse, in addition to conceding an average of 1.5 goals and making just 1.3 saves – at a success rate of 45% – per game.

These returns saw the £23k-per-week Italian who John Wenham dubbed both “damaging” and “unnecessary” average an extremely disappointing SofaScore match rating of just 6.25, ranking him as Conte’s second-worst performer in the competition.

Furthermore, with it being reported that Tottenham are closing in on the signing of West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone on a free transfer – an England international who highly impressed during his last campaign in the Premier League – a move to sign Gollini for around £12.5m appears to make even less sense this summer – leading us at Football FanCast to believe that Paratici simply must axe the Atalanta shot-stopper at the end of the current campaign.

AND in other news: Paratici could land Spurs their own KDB with £68m signing, he’d be “unreal” for Conte

West Ham may well regret not giving Toni Martinez more of a chance during his time with the club, as the Spanish striker is now featuring in the Champions League with Porto.

The Hammers signed Martinez from Valencia in 2016 when he was just 18 and he continued his prolific form with the academy sides, contributing 25 goals in just 29 appearances for the U’21s during his time at the club.

He was sent on a number of loan spells away from West Ham but struggled to make the grade at Oxford United, Real Valladolid and CF Rayo Majadahonda, while he also failed to contribute a goal or assist in any of his three appearances for West Ham’s senior side.

The young forward did impress coach Terry Westley when he scored twice in a 3-1 win against Bristol Rovers in the Checkatrade Trophy.

He said:

“His second goal was sublime. The way he got in between people and he saw the keeper and instantly knew he had to take it in one touch, it was a magnificent finish.”

Martinez was released by the Hammers in 2019 and joined Familicao, where he hit an impressive 14 goals in 40 appearances, earning a move to Portuguese giants Porto the following summer.

During his time with the blue and whites, he has made 72 appearances and scored 17 goals and featured in their Champions League game against Atletico Madrid earlier in the season.

Few at West Ham would have predicted this trajectory considering his disappointing form out on loan but at just 25, Martinez has made a career for himself in Portugal and could still improve further.

Perhaps if he had been given more time and opportunities to impress with West Ham’s first-team then he could have been more of a success at the club, as his goalscoring exploits with the academy sides suggest that the talent has always been there.

Regardless of his form, releasing a player for nothing only for him to find himself playing in the Champions League a couple of years later suggests that the Hammers were far too quick to pull the trigger on Martinez, and they could have had a quality striker on their hands if they had offered him a clearer pathway into the first team.

Therefore, the decision to release him should definitely go down as a blunder by former manager Slaven Bilic.

The match-up for Sunday is an interesting one because it pits the most aggressive batting line-up of the tournament against the best bowling unit

S Rajesh and Srinath Sripath13-Jul-2019Several parallels have been drawn between the 1992 World Cup and the current one, so here is another: these are the only two World Cups in which the team winning the tournament would have lost more than two matches. Pakistan lost to West Indies, India and South Africa on the way to their title in 1992, and whichever team wins on Sunday would have lost three in their journey. England lost to Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Australia, whereas New Zealand were beaten by Pakistan, Australia and England.Pace, swing and guile: New Zealand’s pace attack has stepped up at the World Cup•ESPNcricinfo LtdThe best batting line-up versus the best bowling attackEngland and New Zealand have both stumbled along the way in their campaign, but the match-up for Sunday is an interesting one because it pits the most aggressive batting line-up of the tournament against the best bowling unit. England’s tournament run rate of 6.43 is easily the best – Australia are next with 6.02 – while their average of 43.26 runs per wicket is bettered only by India. Meanwhile, New Zealand’s economy rate of 5.01 and their average of 27.12 are the best in the tournament.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe difference, though, is in the comparison between New Zealand’s batting and England’s bowling. New Zealand’s run rate is ninth among ten teams, and their batting average seventh, while England’s economy rate and bowling average are second only to New Zealand’s. That makes England the firm favourites going into Sunday’s final.Coming to the tactics, here’s where the 2019 World Cup final could be won and lost.How New Zealand neutralise England’s Roy-Bairstow advantageThe biggest difference between the two teams is their opening combinations. The last four times Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow have opened the batting, they’ve put together 128, 160, 123 and 124 (which could perhaps lead to the argument that they are due a failure); New Zealand’s last seven opening stands read 1, 2, 29, 5, 0, 12, 0 – 49 runs at an average of seven.ESPNcricinfo LtdIn the matches where Roy and Bairstow have opened, England have usually bossed the Powerplays, while New Zealand’s batting Powerplay numbers are among the poorest. The bowling numbers, though, are pretty similar.