Gossip: Hermansen could be a Hammer
Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Monday's gossip column here.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Liverpool get Alexander Isak boost as striker hands in Newcastle transfer request
Alexander Isak has informed Newcastle of his desire to explore a move away from the club this summer. The Swedish striker, who hit 23 Premier League goals last season, has been the subject of heavy transfer speculation this summer, with some reports claiming Liverpool were willing to offer £120million for his services. Eyebrows were raised today when he was left out of Newcastle's travelling squad for a pre-season tour of Asia, though the club insisted that was due to a minor thigh injury. It has now been revealed, though, that Isak is exploring his options. According to Mail Sport, the player does not want to commit his future to Newcastle amid interest from Liverpool and Saudi Arabia. Isak has three years left on his contract, meaning Newcastle are in a strong negotiating position. It is thought that an offer of around £150m, in conjunction with Isak's desire to move, would be difficult for Newcastle to refuse. That price would constitute a British record fee, usurping the £116m Liverpool paid for Florian Wirtz earlier this summer. Liverpool are aware of the player's intentions. It was expected that they would withdraw their interest in Isak after yesterday completing a £79m deal for Eintracht Frankfurt's Hugo Ekitike, but they have reportedly informed Newcastle that they are willing to make another approach. The Reds could add yet more forwards should Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez leave this summer. Al-Hilal are also preparing a significant offer for Isak, though the player is not thought to be keen on a move to the Saudi Pro League. Newcastle are now exploring striker options, having missed out on deals for Ekitike and Joao Pedro earlier this summer, with the latter opting to join Chelsea. Eddie Howe has made clear that he does not want Isak to leave St James' Park this summer, saying: 'I think it's difficult for me to ever give 100 per cent clarity on any player, I'd never do that. 'All I can say is Alex is happy at Newcastle, he loves the players, the staff, the team. 'I've never had any issue with him and I'm confident he's going to be here at the start of the season. "We have a few of those players who are irreplaceable. Your top players are so hard to find, so hard to recruit, and so hard to develop. So when you have them, you need to treasure them. Of course we're desperate to keep him as part of our team."
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
The coach who develops Gloucester's future stars
When lock Arthur Clark made his international debut by starting for England on Saturday in their comprehensive win over the USA, it was a moment of personal pride. But it was also a huge success for his club Gloucester. The 23-year-old has come through the junior ranks at Hartpury College and the Cherry and Whites' academy to now having 40 games under his belt. Next season, he will be one of 14 former academy graduates in the 40-player Gloucester senior squad. Wayne Thompson is the man tasked with finding the next Clark, or Jonny May, or Lewis Ludlow, Louis Rees-Zammit or Freddie Thomas - players who have all come through the club's academy to establish themselves in the first team. A former prop, who played down the M5 motorway at Bristol for 13 years, Thompson was appointed in May 2024 when the club's academy was revamped and expanded. "The academy is one of the key strategies for the club as a whole," Thompson told BBC Radio Gloucestershire. "My remit has been to help bring players through, identify players and ensure the next generation of Gloucester talent, a streamline of players coming through." Gloucester have spent 'wisely' - Skivington The importance of Gloucester's academy has only grown in recent years as the club aims to cut its cloth and become more financially sustainable. Owner Martin St Quinton has said Gloucester's ambition is to financially break even and, as such, their reliance on developing young talent has only increased. Thompson's role as head of academy has, in many ways, never been more important. Even more so in light of wholesale changes made to its structure last summer. As part of the Professional Game Partnership agreed between the Rugby Football Union, Premiership Rugby and Rugby Players' Association announced in September, the geographical boundaries for the 10 Premiership clubs' academies were re-drawn. With Worcester and Wasps both no longer in the top flight, the boundaries of Gloucester's patch has spread and now includes Birmingham, Worcestershire, Warwickshire and as far as Shropshire and Oxford, as well as Gloucestershire. The setup for academies across the league has also altered and must encompass three phases - a foundation phase for age 15-16; a development phase for 17-18; and a confirmation phase, otherwise known as the senior academy, for those up to the age of 23. "The key thing for us as a club is having an affinity with the whole catchment now," Thompson said. "You've got a natural affinity with the local area in and around Gloucester but how do we create that cultural connection with those Midland areas, Oxford, Henley? "The more we engage with the community and the academy, through stakeholders - schools, clubs, parents, you'll start to see that grow." 'Starting to see the fruition of work' After hanging up his playing boots in 2013, Thompson spent 10 years working at Hartpury University as the junior academy manager, leading their under-18s programme Rees-Zammit, former scrum-half Stephen Varney and current Gloucester winger Josh Hathaway have all prospered under Thompson's watch during that time. "I'd always had an affiliation with Gloucester, stepping across probably has helped those links with players, and giving them playing opportunity through that Hartpury pathway," Thompson said. "We're starting to see the fruition of that with the players stepping across and up into this Gloucester senior squad and developing in the academy." Of the most recent crop of academy players, in the past year 12 have represented England at under-18, under-19 and under-20 age grades - most notably centre Will Knight, who featured in the recent World Rugby Under-20 Championship, while Caio James and Deian Gwynne represented Wales. This summer, 10 players have moved up from Gloucester's under-18s team to the senior academy - six of whom have come from the new catchment area. Yet Thompson says the real test will be how many players they have named in the England Under-20 Elite Player Pathway squad for 2025-26 when it is announced next month. "It'll be interesting to see how many of the lads that have played in that under-19s, under-18s age group this year get pulled through," Thompson said. "That for me is probably going to be the initial marker for us as an academy as to how far we've come in this last year and how much of an impact this bigger area and the work we've put in has shown through." Director of rugby George Skivington said in May that the talent coming through Gloucester this coming season is as good, if not better, than it ever has been. Thompson agreed he is "extremely excited" by the prospect of the players in the building although the challenge is to ensure they continue to progress forward. "The athletic potential of these lads, it's a different size, shape of your stereotypical Gloucester lads coming through," Thompson said. "How do we make sure that transition in the next two or three years isn't lost? And that we are seeing these lads forming the majority of the Gloucester team in four, five years."
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
James Trafford reveals Manchester City ambitions amid growing transfer interest
Manchester City's interest in bringing James Trafford back to the club seem to align with the goalkeeper's own beliefs regarding his Etihad Stadium hopes of the past. Trafford departed City in 2023 in pursuit of regular Premier League football, joining Burnley in a deal worth up to £19 million. But just two years on, a return to the Etihad is under serious consideration as the club assesses potential changes in their goalkeeping department. As things stand, City are only expected to act on Trafford if one of their two senior goalkeepers departs. Ederson remains the subject of interest from Galatasaray, while Stefan Ortega is open to becoming a No. 1 elsewhere should the opportunity arise. As a direct result of those considerations, James Trafford is now being seriously considered in both scenarios, with club officials holding talks in recent weeks over what a return could look like. Importantly, City retain a £40 million buy-back clause on Trafford, but that is understood to be a ceiling figure rather than a fixed fee, with the Premier League giants keen to negotiate a lower price with Burnley. City also maintain the right to match any offer accepted by the Clarets. Should another suitor – like Newcastle United – meet Burnley's valuation, Trafford's preference is still believed to be a return to the Etihad, where he spent much of his development pathway. Speaking during a recent appearance on The Ben Foster Podcast, James Trafford opened up on the manner of his Manchester City exit back in 2023, when he brought an end to his association with the Etihad Stadium by joining Burnley in a deal worth up to £19 million. 'I wanted to go, and when the opportunity came to play in the Premier League and go to Burnley, I was like, 'Yeah, I want to do that', because I was away at the Euros at the time, and I'd known about Burnley for a long time before and it was more or less done before the Euros,' Trafford revealed. He continued, 'And I remember speaking to the goalie coach [at Manchester City] and he was like, 'We've obviously got interest, we've accepted the bid, do you want to go?' And I was like, 'Yeah, I want to go in the Premier League'.' However, James Trafford went on to admit, 'I said I wanted to play for Man City, and who doesn't want to be Man City's number 1, I believed I could be, but obviously at this moment in time, I'm not going to say that I want to be XY and Z because and he's obviously proved myself I need to get better. 'And I think this is the best for me. And he was like, yeah, I agree, this is the best thing for you. So it was quite simple in that way, just me and the goalie coach speaking like that… And my heart was set on it, and they're not daft in how they did the deal, but like they knew I wanted to go and they knew it was really good for us.' Looking to his future ambitions within the game amid strong speculation concerning a return to Manchester City this summer, Trafford admitted, 'That's where I've always been aiming for, the top of the Prem. Everyone wants to go there and everyone wants to play there. 'And then you to get there, you have to play games and prove and get into a level where when you do go back to wherever I end up, whenever, then I'm ready for it and I'm the best equipped and ready to perform.' As it stands, City are closely monitoring the situation but remain patient in their approach. While no formal bid has been submitted, the club are prepared to act quickly if Ederson or Ortega depart in the coming weeks. From a strategic standpoint, bringing Trafford back would allow City to secure a long-term option in goal – a player well-versed in the club's system and expectations, and someone who fits within the homegrown quota. At just 22 years of age, he still has significant scope for development and would be well-placed to grow under Pep Guardiola's coaching staff. With pre-season underway next week and transfer activity heating up across the Premier League, all eyes will remain on City's next move. Should Burnley begin formal discussions with another club, the decision could come to a head quickly, and the opportunity for Trafford to realise his Manchester City ambition may arrive sooner than expected.
