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Nottingham Forest were reportedly interested in signing James McAtee this summer, but now a reliable source has given an update on the young player’s future and it’s not good news for Steve Cooper.

What’s the latest?

Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has revealed that James McAtee will join Sheffield United on loan this season.

Romano tweeted:

“Manchester City have completed full agreement with Sheffield United for James McAtee season-long loan.”

“Sheffield set to announce McAtee as new signing this week.”

He could’ve been Garner 2.0

Despite making 12 signings already this summer, it is reported that Forest still want to add another midfielder ahead of their long-awaited return to the Premier League this week, and McAtee could have been the perfect addition in the centre of the pitch for the Reds.

Cooper has already acquired the services of Orel Mangala and Lewis O’Brien to bolster his central options over the campaign in the top-flight, but adding McAtee could have been a great piece of business, just like James Garner was last season.

Garner has now returned to Manchester United following an impressive season-long loan with Forest, and the young midfielder truly thrived whilst working under Cooper contributing effectively in the club’s challenge for Premier League promotion, something that clearly inspired the interest in McAtee this summer.

Last term, the United prodigy scored four goals and racked up ten assists for the Garibaldi, numbers that painted him as an effective attacking presence.

By comparison, the Manchester City youngster has been attracting attention for similar reasons, after it was reported the club were open to letting him go on loan over this season to continue his promising development.

Pep Guardiola gave the 19-year-old his Premier League debut last season and followed it up with a debut appearance in the Champions League too following his consistent and reliable attacking output rising through the ranks of the Man City youth system.

Last season, McAtee, who was dubbed “special” by scout Jacek Kulig, was the top goal-scorer in the Premier League 2 with 18 goals over 23 appearances, and has scored 44 goals in total over his career with the club. Now, he is being given the opportunity to get even better by going out on loan to continue his development with first-team football.

Cooper clearly enjoys developing young players and getting the best out of them, something he has proven with both Brennan Johnson and Garner since joining Forest, but he will now need to look elsewhere for his next young prodigy following Romano’s confirmation of McAtee’s proposed move to the Blades.

Jordan Campbell from the Athletic has dropped a Rangers squad claim that could leave Ibrox boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst delighted.

What’s the latest?

The news surrounds the Rangers squad ahead of the rest of the season and Campbell gave an update via his Twitter page, saying:

“Would take something huge to alter Rangers’ plans for the squad this season. Katic & Kelly likely to leave but everyone else will play a role.”

This should offer some comfort to Van Bronckhorst and the Rangers faithful knowing that the squad is settled and ready to embark on yet another gruelling campaign.

More signings look unlikely

Following a tepid start to the summer transfer window, there has been an influx of activity during the previous three weeks which has given the Ibrox side a solid spine to the squad.

Ben Davies, Antonio Colak, Tom Lawrence, Rabbi Matondo, and Malik Tillman arrived at Ibrox as the Dutchman gave the side somewhat of a makeover, with the inevitable departures of Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey, new replacements were required.

The Gers defeated Union Saint-Gilloise 3-2 on aggregate to reach the Champions League play-off round where Dutch side PSV Eindhoven await them.

The comeback victory will have given the team confidence ahead of the mouth-watering tie and shows that Van Bronckhorst’s side appears to be gelling together quite well.

The manager has also had somewhat of a clear out of fringe players this summer, with Glenn Middleton, Jack Simpson, Cedric Itten, and Andy Firth all departing the club and freeing up space for the new faces.

Campbell’s update also states that Nikola Katic and Stephen Kelly are also likely to leave as first-team football appears unlikely for the pair. With Alex Lowry and Leon King likely to continue their development in the first team this season, it proves there is a pathway from academy to senior football at the club.

Van Bronckhorst will be delighted at how his squad is shaping up, despite the performances in the first couple of matches falling short of the high Ibrox standard. St Johnstone awaits at Ibrox tomorrow ahead of the crucial Champions League first leg on Tuesday and three points will be expected.

West Ham United are believed to be monitoring Atalanta star Teun Koopmeiners, as manager David Moyes seeks to bolster his midfield ranks.

What’s the word?

According to transfer insider Dean Jones – speaking to GIVEMESPORT – the 24-year-old is a player who the Hammers are keeping tabs on this summer, albeit with it seemingly unlikely that they will be able to secure his signature.

He stated: “I mean, he is definitely on the radar. I just think that it might be a bit too ambitious. He’s such a good player, and some of the genuinely top clubs across Europe have been looking at this guy.

“It’s going to be tough, if I’m totally honest, I just don’t see him joining.”

This follows a recent report from Italy that claimed the east Londoners had made an enquiry regarding the Dutchman, albeit with a move said to be ‘complicated’ with just a few weeks remaining in the window and with the midfielder having three years remaining on his existing deal in Bergamo – plus the option for a further year.

Moyes’ own Tielemans

While it’s been a largely impressive window for West Ham boss David Moyes thus far – securing five major deals in total – one area of concern remains the centre of the park, even with boyhood fan Flynn Downes having joined from Swansea City.

The retirement of long-serving skipper Mark Noble – and the exit of loanee Alex Kral – has left the former Everton boss with little depth in his midfield department, with an injury or absence to one of Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek likely to prove catastrophic.

With a new recruit needed, turning to Koopmeiners could well be the ideal solution, with the £22.5m-rated man having shone since his move to Italy last year, having provided eight goal contributions in 44 games for the Serie A side thus far.

Prior to that, the £31k-per-week ace had scored an impressive 43 goals and chipped in with 17 assists in 153 games for Eredivise side AZ Alkmaar, having also notched up nine caps thus far at international level.

That goalscoring record is all the more remarkable considering the 6-foot menace typically lines up in a defensive midfield berth, showcasing his ability to impact the game in the final third even from a deep-lying position.

While a player perhaps unfamiliar to some supporters, it is telling to note that he can be compared to Leicester City gem Youri Tielemans, with the pair sharing a number of stylistic and statistical similarities, as per FBref.

The two men are both seemingly masters at kickstarting attacks with an incisive forward pass, with Koopmeiners averaging 3.51 for progressive passes received per 90 as well as 5.15 for progressive passes, while Tielemans compares similarly with an average of 3.06 and 5.83 for the same two metrics, respectively.

Furthermore, they are both goal-scoring midfielders, with the latter bagging 16 times in the past two campaigns to the Dutchman’s 21 strikes.

That will pique the interest of those at the London Stadium such has been the form of the Belgian maestro in recent seasons, with the 25-year-old’s stunning displays having seen him repeatedly linked with a move to Arsenal.

Should Moyes and co get Koopmeiners through the door, the hope will be that he can make a similar impact as to that of the Foxes sensation.

Nottingham Forest are believed to have shown an interest in Lyon striker Moussa Dembele, with Reds manager Steve Cooper still seeking to bolster his forward line.

What’s the word?

According to Foot Mercato, the City Ground outfit – along with fellow Premier League side Everton – are believed to have enquired about the Frenchman this summer, albeit with the 26-year-old not giving a ‘favourable response’ to any such proposals.

The report adds that the former Celtic striker – who currently has just one year remaining on his existing deal in France – is now ‘seriously considering’ agreeing fresh terms with the Ligue 1 outfit, although a failure to do so could see him sold before the September 1st deadline.

As for Forest, the Midlands club have already invested heavily in both Emmanuel Dennis and Taiwo Awoniyi to help bolster their centre-forward options, although another striker addition could be on the cards with the club’s reported move for Neal Maupay in danger of being hijacked.

Imagine him and Aouar

Although it could prove a difficult deal to get done, adding Dembele to his ranks would no doubt be a real statement signing for Cooper, with the former Fulham marksman having proven to be a “deadly” presence in front of goal throughout his career, in the words of journalist Rich Fay.

After rising through the ranks at Craven Cottage, the former France under-21 international – who could cost in the region of £25m this summer – was plucked by the Old Firm outfit in 2016, going on to score 51 goals in just 94 games across all fronts for the Hoops.

Having secured a move back to his homeland two years later, the £66k-per-week menace has continued to deliver the goods. He has racked up 67 goals in 144 games for his current club thus far, notably netting 22 goals in just 36 games last season.

Despite that fine form, the one-time Atletico Madrid loanee has seen his future in Lyon plunged into doubt by the return of compatriot Alexandre Lacazette to the club, with the former Arsenal man netting a goal and an assist on his comeback appearance against AC Ajaccio earlier this month.

That uncertainty could well allow Forest to swoop for the “scoring machine” – as dubbed by L’Equipe’s Bertrand Latour – with Cooper having the chance to add both Dembele and current Lyon team-mate Houssem Aouar to his squad, with the latter believed to be nearing a £15m switch to England.

The 24-year-old former Gunners target would be a notable coup for the two-time European champions, having scored 40 goals and provided 35 assists in 216 games for his current club to date.

Dubbed “incredible” by serial-winning coach Pep Guardiola, the creative midfielder would add undoubted quality to the Forest ranks, and it’s a mouthwatering thought to imagine the playmaker lining up with Dembele for the Garibaldi.

A duo who have both tasted Champions League football, such experience could well prove vital for the City Ground club this season in their attempts at Premier League survival, while also raising hopes for a potential push further up the table in the coming years.

West Bromwich Albion are reportedly looking to secure a transfer for former Nottingham Forest striker Lewis Grabban.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Football League World, the Baggies are in talks to sign the player as a free agent following his exit from Forest at the end of last season.

With 546 club appearances and 168 goals under his belt, the 34-year-old certainly has the experience to be a useful asset for the Hawthorns outfit.

During his four-year stint at Forest, the veteran found the net 56 times in 149 appearances across all competitions.

Bruce needs him

With Daryl Dike out for a significant period of time with an injury, it’s evident why Steve Bruce needs to add a new centre-forward to his squad before the summer transfer window closes, even though he did recently see his side put five goals past Hull City.

Despite that, only seven clubs in the second division have a lower rate of goals per shot than West Brom (0.08), so having a player like the 34-year-old Grabban in the squad could help the Baggies find the net on a regular basis.

With that in mind, securing a deal for the former Forest star is a must for the Baggies, not just from a financial point of view but also from a short-term footballing perspective too.

To highlight his attacking prowess, in 32 league appearances last season, the Englishman ended the campaign with 12 goals, leaving only Brennan Johnson (16) with more, while he also had the third-highest number of shots on target (22) at Forest.

Described by Jamie O’Hara as a player that “knows what it takes to get goals”, Grabban has also been hailed as being “a great presence on the pitch” by Steve Cooper which is certainly something that Albion could do with in the absence of Dike.

Thus, if the Midlands club feel that Grabban could do a job for them while injuries ravage their forward line, sealing his signature as soon as possible could put to bed any worries there may be as they aim to strengthen the squad ahead of transfer deadline day.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe arrived at St James’ Park last season after PIF’s takeover and comfortably guided the Magpies to safety in the Premier League.

One of his biggest masterstrokes since taking the job came in November when he opted to trial Joelinton in central midfield after Ciaran Clark’s sending-off against Norwich forced a formation change.

The 26-year-old has gone from strength to strength since that night and ended the 2021/22 campaign by winning the club’s Player of the Season award.

The Brazilian has carried that form into the current campaign and caught the eye as he was sensational in the 3-3 draw against champions Manchester City last weekend.

Dan Ashworth could now form a frightening partnership in the middle of the park by swooping to sign Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay to play him next to Joelinton.

The Magpies are reportedly eyeing up the Scotland international, alongside a number of other Premier League clubs, and are keeping tabs on his situation.

They are said to be long-term admirers of the 26-year-old, and Casemiro’s arrival at Old Trafford could open the door to a potential exit for the Scotsman, although it remains to be seen whether or not the Red Devils are willing to cash in on him.

Joelinton’s 109 tackles and interceptions in 35 Premier League outings led the way for the Magpies last term, and convincing the Red Devils to part ways with McTominay would add another all-action, ball-winning destroyer to the mix.

The £60k-per-week Scottish machine made 99 tackles and interceptions in the top flight in 2021/22, which was more than any other player in Manchester United’s squad.

Former Red Devils manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer once lauded him and his team-mate Fred, saying: “Those two are brilliant. They’re absolutely top. You just see Fred running forward today, scoring a goal. Scott is probably one of the best we have got at arriving in the box at the right time.

“He is a beast of a man physically; he has only played 20 minutes in pre-season – as a centre-back – because he has been nursing an injury. Today, for me, you can see he is a man. So all the criticism on them two, I am completely against because I love them.”

These quotes, along with McTominay’s impressive ball-winning statistics, illustrate how much physicality and quality he could offer alongside Joelinton in front of Newcastle’s back four. However, is he suited to the manager’s style of play?

Howe wants Newcastle to be a pressing team, and former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho once described the 26-year-old’s as a “mad dog” and claimed that he was “pressing really hard”.

Along with being a player who can push on and force the issue himself, Jesse Lingard previously claimed that the security McTominay provided in midfield allows the forwards at Old Trafford to confidently execute a high press.

Therefore, he would suit the way that Howe wants to play, and he has the defensive stature to frighten opposition attacks by lining up alongside Joelinton and forming a metaphorical wall in the middle of the park.

West Ham United have been handed a huge boost in their bid to bring Aaron Wan-Bissaka to the London Stadium this summer.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Dharmesh Sheth, with the Sky Sports reporter revealing in a recent post on Twitter that Manchester United are now exploring the possibility of a late deal for Barcelona right-back Sergino Dest – who is believed to be available for a figure in the region of €20m (£17m) this summer.

The journalist went on to state that, should Erik ten Hag be successful in his move for the USA international, United would subsequently be willing to allow Wan-Bissaka to leave Old Trafford – with West Ham and Crystal Palace both believed to be keen on the 24-year-old.

This represents something of an unexpected twist in David Moyes’ pursuit of a £10m deal for the former England U21 international, as The Athletic’s David Ornstein claimed in a story on Monday that Ten Hag would not be willing to allow the right-back to leave the club prior to Thursday’s transfer deadline.

In his tweet, Sheth said: “Manchester United exploring the possibility of a late deal for Barcelona right-back Sergino Dest. If they can secure a move, they will allow Aaron Wan-Bissaka to leave – West Ham United and Crystal Palace are interested. Dest played under Erk ten Hag at Ajax.”

Massive upgrade

While it is true that Vladimir Coufal did highly impress during his debut campaign at West Ham following his £5m move to east London back in October of 2020 – registering seven assists and averaging a SofaScore match rating of 7.01, ranking him as the Hammers’ joint fifth-best player that season – considering how average the 30-year-old has been in the time since, it is not difficult to see why Moyes would be interested in a move to bring Wan-Bissaka to the club in the next 48 hours.

Indeed, over the Czech Republic international’s 28 Premier League appearances last season, the £10.8m-rated full-back endured a rather torrid campaign in a defensive capacity, making an average of 0.8 interceptions, 1.6 tackles, 2.0 clearances and winning 3.9 duels – at a success rate of 51% – per game.

These returns saw the £35k-per-week defender average an extremely disappointing SofaScore match rating of 6.77, ranking him as Moyes’ tenth-worst performer in the top flight of English football last time out.

In comparison, over Wan-Bissaka’s 20 Premier League appearances in 2021/22, the £22.5m-rated talent returned much more impressive numbers at the back, making an average of 1.7 interceptions, 2.5 tackles, 1.6 clearances and winning 5.8 duels – at a success rate of 56% – per game.

These metrics saw the £90k-per-week full-back average a SofaScore match rating of 6.91 – a rating which, should he have achieved at West Ham last season, would have ranked him as the club’s fourth-best player in the league.

As such, it is clear to see that, should Moyes be able to get a £10m deal for the player who Fernando Duarte dubbed a “monster” over the line in the next 48 hours, the Scot would have sealed a massive upgrade on Coufal, not to mention forming a young, exciting and homegrown right-back duo alongside the 22-year-old Ben Johnson.

Following West Ham United’s 3-1 win over FCSB in the Europa Conference League on Thursday night, David Moyes has been left with a big decision to make regarding his midfield.

Tomas Soucek was rested for the clash against the Romanian side, with Flynn Downes coming in for his first start for the Irons since joining the club from Swansea City during the summer.

Carlton Palmer was impressed by the deal, as he said: “It’s brilliant business by David Moyes again, £12m for a player that’s got a very, very bright future ahead of him.”

The 23-year-old certainly impressed alongside Declan Rice in midfield last night, with SofaScore awarding him a 7.3/10 rating for his performance, the second-best of any West Ham player to start the match.

Meanwhile, Soucek has come under questioning from some quarters at the start of this season after a few underwhelming performances which have seemingly played a big part in the Hammers’ disappointing record in the Premier League so far this term.

A few weeks ago, following reports of an apparent falling-out with the player, Moyes tellingly said: “We are bringing in new players and you can probably see, if you are being honest, maybe some of the players who have been here are maybe not quite the same as they were even a year ago, a year and a half ago.

“So we’ve got to look at that as well and decide when the changeover time is. We’ve got a little bit of that going on, but we’ve got to try and keep it going and keep hanging in while we’re maybe not quite ready.”

After a superb 2020/21 season which saw him contribute 10 goals and average an impressive 7.36 rating from WhoScored, Soucek’s form dropped significantly last term, with just five goals and a 6.97 rating to his name, so Moyes well have been referring to the Czech Republic international in this statement.

There were several reports during the summer that the West Ham manager was involved in a bust-up with Soucek, but he has started each of the Irons’ Premier League games so far this season.

In those outings, he has averaged 30.5 passes, a 79.2% pass accuracy and 0.2 key passes per game. By comparison, Downes contributed 57 passes last night with a 92% accuracy, including three key passes, which suggests that he certainly made a big statement.

While this weekend’s games have been called off, the 23-year-old seems to have done enough to warrant a start in West Ham’s next fixture after his impressive display against FCSB, and the added competition will hopefully kick Soucek back into gear after a poor start to the season for him.

Crystal Palace’s hosts could be without star midfielder Bruno Guimaraes today, Chris Waugh reports.

The Lowdown: Tough start

Patrick Vieira’s side have had a difficult start to the season, already playing Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City in their first five games.

They sit on five points, though, and are on the hunt for a first Premier League away win of the season this afternoon.

The Eagles have had to deal with a few injury concerns this season, and it looks as if their opponents today could be without a key player.

The Latest: Guimaraes update

Guimaraes has missed the last two matches with a hamstring injury, but Eddie Howe said prior to the Liverpool game that he wasn’t far from a return.

However, Newcastle correspondent Waugh took to Twitter on Friday, claiming that Guimaraes is still a doubt alongside Allan Saint-Maximin, with Callum Wilson also out.

The Verdict: Potential boost for Vieira

Saint-Maximin and Wilson are key for the Magpies going forward, and Guimaraes has been just as important in midfield.

Howe has said that the midfielder will be a ‘huge player’ this season, while Alan Shearer has already waxed lyrical about the Brazilian during the current campaign.

His move to the club in January resulted in a huge lift in form, so Guimaraes’ absence this afternoon could be a boost for Vieira and co at St. James’ Park.

It’s not often that a free transfer is exciting but Tottenham Hotspur appear to have struck gold with the arrival of Ivan Perisic this summer.

The Croatian veteran, 33, was one of the first names through the door as manager Antonio Conte finally got to shape his own squad at Hotspur Way, he joined alongside former Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster as two bargain signings in the off-season.

Perisic had previously worked with the Italian head coach at Inter Milan, whom he joined the Lilywhites from back in May, signing a two-year contract.

As his contract was up at the San Siro, the north London outfit did not have to pay a penny in terms of a transfer fee, though – whilst unofficial – there was probably some sort of signing-on bonus or fee, meaning sporting director Fabio Paratici and chairman Daniel Levy snagged him for peanuts.

It also represented a change in policy as the club have rarely signed players on the wrong side of 30 but at the age of 33, the Croatia international has plenty to offer and we’ve already seen plenty of glimpses of his ambidextrous nature, set-piece precision and relentless work rate.

Indeed, Perisic has already provided four assists from his nine appearances in a Lilywhites shirt across both the Premier League and Champions League, in which just six of those have been starts, as per Transfermarkt.

That makes him the most creative outlet at Conte’s disposal with January addition Dejan Kulusevski tailing behind on three assists.

It makes it even more impressive when you consider the fact that nine other players have managed more minutes than the former Bayern Munich man this campaign, perhaps a sign of the Italian managing his workload.

Even former Arsenal foe Paul Merson has been left in awe by Perisic.

“I’m a huge fan of Ivan Perisic, he’s a top player who works as hard as anybody else on the pitch,” he told Sportskeeda.

“For every young kid who wants to be a professional footballer – watch this player and see how he makes things happen on the pitch. He sets the tone with his work ethic and professionalism and will turn out to be a great signing for Tottenham.”

Also capable of playing on the other flank and in a more advanced role, the vastly-experienced 33-year-old could continue to prove to be the biggest difference-maker in this Spurs squad.

According to CIES Football Observatory, who assess the transfer value of professional footballers on a scientific basis, Perisic is valued at around £18m, so when you combine the fact that Tottenham did not pay a penny for his signature with his impressive start to life in N17, then the club have surely struck gold with the £178k-per-week dynamo.

He is certainly living up to the once-dubbed “monster” tag by journalist Oliver Young-Myles. Age clearly isn’t everything in football.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold drops Ben Davies update…