While the potential next moves of Alexis Sánchez (still at Arsenal), Kylian Mbappé (still at Monaco) and Philippe Coutinho (still at Liverpool) continue to hog the headlines, West Ham probably deserve a column inch or two if news of their interest in William Carvalho is to be believed. The Sporting Lisbon defensive midfielder has a £39.5m release clause in his contract and is rumoured to be keen on a move to the Premier League, but the Hammers will test the waters with an opening bid of £25m. Previously linked with Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United and – more recently – Arsenal, West Brom and Newcastle, the burly Euro 2016 winner has no shortage of suitors and is contracted to Sporting until 2020.

Danny Rose will consider offers to ‘play up north’ as he calls for Spurs signings Read more

After announcing on TalkSport on Wednesday that he is hoping to sign “three players … maybe four” before the transfer window closes, Mauricio Pochettino has been linked with a move for Ajax defender Davinson Sánchez in this morning’s Sun. Tottenham’s inactivity in the current transfer window has been well documented but talks have begun in Amsterdam over the future of the 21-year-old Colombian centre-back who you may remember from Ajax’s Europa League final defeat at the hands of Manchester United. Chelsea, Barcelona and Crystal Palace are also rumoured to be sniffing around.

Tottenham have been heavily linked with Everton midfielder Ross Barkley for months, but reports this morning say Chelsea are ready to torpedo any potential offers with a bigger bid of their own. After being sent home from the club’s pre-season trip to China for posting insulting messages about his hosts on social media, their cultural attaché Kenedy is on the verge of being re-assigned to Newcastle on a season-long loan, while the Stamford Bridge outfit are also being linked with moves for disaffected Tottenham defender Danny Rose, Barcelona’s Sergi Roberto and Valencia’s João Cancelo. That’s a lot of full-backs.

Despite his public assertion that Manchester United’s chances of signing Gareth Bale have evaporated, nobody believes José Mourinho really thinks that. Tabloid reports suggest the Manchester United manager has urged his Old Trafford employers to offer Real Madrid £100m to secure the Welshman’s services.

Newcastle central midfielder Jack Colback may have to look for another club after the Shields Gazette revealed he will not be included in Rafael Benítez’s Premier League squad. “We are trying to move players out to bring players in,” said Benítez, who is known to be most disillusioned with his club’s apparent unwillingness to secure his transfer targets since winning promotion from the Championship. “We know where we are and what we need.” A new owner?