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West Ham United will have to stand firm in the coming weeks if they want to keep one of their star players as Manchester City "will bid again", claims transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

West Ham United news – what is the latest?

It hasn't been the window that West Ham fans would've hoped for following their historic win in the Europa Conference League final just two months ago.

Instead of welcoming in a swath of new faces to help them push on, climb the league table, and maybe have a good go at challenging for the Europa League, they sold the club captain and talisman Declan Rice to cross-city rivals Arsenal, floundered around looking for targets and struggled to sign those they identified.

That said, things have started looking up in recent days with the arrival of Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse and the exciting acquisition of Mexican international Edson Alvarez.

Read the latest West Ham United transfer news HERE…

These three players should help the East Londoners genuinely improve this year; however, the efforts of treble-winning City to sign their most dynamic midfielder Paqueta over recent weeks has somewhat dampened the excitement of new arrivals.

According to the Daily Mail, the Premier League champions have already seen an offer worth £60m rising to £70m rejected by the Irons, with the London side only willing to sell their star should they receive an offer close to the player's £85m release clause that'll come into effect next year.

While that is obviously a lot of money, with City's seemingly endless resources, it's not a hard valuation to reach, and according to transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, they will "100%" come back in with another offer for the Brazilian.

He provided an update on the situation on his YouTube channel, saying:

"City keep working on the Lucas Paqueta deal, because City will bid again for Paqueta, 100% I can guarantee to you."

How good is Lucas Paqueta?

Despite the Rio de Janeiro-born dynamo only arriving in the league last summer from Ligue 1 side Lyon in a deal worth £51m, he has already left quite the impression on fans, managers, and players alike.

His former captain Rice was full of praise for his quality and skill earlier this summer, telling the Evening Standard: "He's incredible, honestly, he's absolutely incredible."

In his 27 league starts last year, the £150,000-a-week man scored four goals, provided three assists, took 1.9 shots per game, maintained a passing accuracy of 80.2%, won four Man-of-the-Match awards and averaged a match rating of 6.97, per WhoScored.

His underlying numbers are also fantastic and suggest that were he given a chance to play for a genuinely dominant side like City, he could quickly become one of the league's most deadly midfielders.

According to FBref, which compares players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, the "spectacular" star sits in the top 1% for tackles and blocks, the top 5% for clearances, the top 6% for aerial duals, the top 7% for progressive passes, and the top 16% for attempted passes, all per 90.

The Hammers faithful can only hope that David Moyes and Co are able to keep a hold of Paqueta for these final three weeks, but that might be easier said than done with the immense financial muscle at the disposal of Pep Guardiola's side.

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to bolster their centre-back ranks even further following the signing of Micky Van de Ven from Wolfsburg, amid reports that the Lilywhites are also interested in the Dutchman's compatriot – Perr Schuurs.

What's the latest on Schuurs to Tottenham?

Having wrapped up a £34.5m deal for Van de Ven on Tuesday, The Times are reporting that the north Londoners could also look to the Torino ace to help provide further depth and quality at the heart of the defence, provided that the club are able to move on their 'unwanted' figures in that role.

The piece suggests that the Serie A side are looking for a fee in the region of £28m if they are to part ways with the 23-year-old this summer, with 'several Premier League clubs' also showing an interest in the former Ajax man.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

With regard to who could be moved on to help supplement a deal for the 6 foot 3 ace, the report adds that Joe Rodon looks set to be on his way to Leeds United on loan, while Daniel Levy has seemingly been 'trying to sell' both Davinson Sanchez and Japhet Tanganga.

How good is Perr Schuurs?

While it may have been a second-string side that took to the field against Barcelona on Tuesday evening, the eventual 4-2 defeat to the La Liga giants will have further showcased the need for reinforcements in the centre of defence, with Eric Dier looking particularly 'shaky', according to football.london's Alasdair Gold.

As manager Ange Postecoglou himself admitted after that loss in Catalonia, there is a "potential" that the recent capture of Van de Ven will be followed by another centre-back before the window closes, with the aim no doubt to improve a defence that shipped 63 league goals last season.

The signing of Schuurs – who has been dubbed a "mountain" at the back by journalist Josh Bunting – could be a dream option as far as Postecoglou is concerned, having caught the eye as a result of his standout form in Italy in recent times.

While the former Netherlands U21 international has typically featured in a left-back centre-back berth in his career to date – as per The Times' Gary Jacob – the natural right-footer could slot in alongside the left-footed Van de Ven in the centre of defence, proving a potential perfect partner for his fellow countryman.

In Van de Ven, Postecoglou has found a rare gem due to the 22-year-old's "extreme speed" – as described by Wolfsburg’s managing director, Marcel Schäfer – with the one-time Volendam man also a true master at playing out from the back, as he ranks in the top 12% among his European peers for both progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90.

While also no slouch himself on the ball – as he ranks in the top 20% for successful take-ons per 90 – Schuurs could perhaps provide a more defensive-minded asset for the Lilywhites, showcased by the fact that he ranks in the top 20% for tackles made per 90, a greater record than that of the 6 foot 4 speedster (bottom 38%).

That ball-winning prowess is also seen by the fact that the Torino machine also averaged 2.6 tackles and interceptions per game in Italy's top-flight last season, with that again a better record than Van de Ven achieved in the Bundesliga (2.2 tackles and interceptions per game).

That would suggest that while the latter man can offer a composed presence on the ball as well as his remarkable recovery speed, Schuurs, by contrast, can be the defensive 'mountain' to help aid Tottenham's leaky backline.

Such a combination could well prove fruitful indeed…

Newcastle United's transfer window is close to bolting its latch, with manager Eddie Howe and technical director Dan Ashworth plying some impressive work over the past few months.

Playmaker Sandro Tonali has completed a £55m transfer from AC Milan, Leicester City have allowed winger Harvey Barnes to make a £39m move to Tyneside after their Premier League relegation and Southampton (also relegated) have sold Tino Livramento for £40m.

Allan Saint-Maximin has departed for Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli, and while the Magpies will be ready and raring after qualifying for the Champions League this year, one more offensive signing looks to remain on the cards…

Who are Newcastle going to sign?

According to Turkish-Football, United have been in negotiations with Galatasaray forward Nicolo Zaniolo's agents all summer and are considering meeting the player's £30m release clause.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

However, transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Newcastle's Premier League rivals Aston Villa have registered a concrete interest following a recent ACL injury to Emi Buendia.

How good is Nicolo Zaniolo?

While Zaniolo has not enjoyed the most seamless career to date, it's easy to see why European outfits such as Newcastle and Villa are eager to add him to the ranks, with the Italian's cutting edge and dynamism blending to create a truly deadly attacking outlet.

Zaniolo suffered a nightmare period in 2020 where he endured two ACL injuries himself, but has since rebounded and has caught the eye of many top outfits looking to add an extra dimension to their frontline ahead of the looming campaign.

Described as a "lethal playmaker" by journalist Zach Lowy, the 13-cap Italy international scored five times in the Turkish Super Lig despite only joining from Roma in February and starting two matches.

This follows on from the previous campaign where he scored eight goals and supplied nine assists for Jose Mourinho's Serie A outfit, netting the winning goal in the Europa Conference League final against Feyenoord.

Zaniolo also ranks among the top 3% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for total shots taken and the top 14% for touches in the attacking box per 90, as per FBref, illustrating his prowess at finding dangerous openings to sink the opposition with regularity.

Barnes is listed as a comparable player to the £76k-per-week gem, and Howe might actually be wise to make a move for a similar profile and provide healthy competition for his thriving squad.

Indeed, Barnes enjoyed an impressive campaign on an individual level despite the Foxes' relegation to the second tier, having scored 13 goals from 34 Premier League matches and earned praise for his presence as a "livewire" by pundit Alan Hutton.

As such, Barnes now ranks among the top 7% of positional peers for goals per 90, and while his clinical ability will bolster Newcastle's attacking impetus, given that the club will be looking to compete across four competitions this year, spreading the workload could be imperative.

Once dubbed a “frightening talent” by journalist Ben Jacobs, Zaniolo could shoulder the burden considerably, offering a different slant but maintaining Barnes' goalscoring knack, and both players could consequently thrive and take the next step in their development.

Tottenham Hotspur's search to find a suitable successor to Harry Kane continues, with the latest reports indicating that the Lilywhites are plotting a move for Nottingham Forest speedster, Brennan Johnson.

How much would Brennan Johnson cost?

According to Football Insider, the north London outfit are currently 'keeping tabs' on the 22-year-old in their bid to land a possible replacement for Kane, with the latter man still looking set for a summer move to Bayern Munich.

As per the piece, Forest could be willing to sanction a sale if they are to receive a bid in excess of £40m, with both Aston Villa and Brentford – the latter of whom has already seen a £35m offer rejected – also in the race for his signature.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

This follows similar claims made by the Daily Mail's Simon Jones earlier this week, with the transfer insider reporting that while those at the City Ground are looking for a figure close to £50m, Spurs are keen to find something of a 'middle ground'.

How would Brennan Johnson fit in at Tottenham?

As the Independent's Miguel Delaney previously wrote, Spurs are unlikely to try and acquire a direct replacement for Kane through the middle, with the desire instead 'to reshape the attack amid Ange Postecoglou’s fluid new style'.

Johnson, therefore, could represent the attacking figurehead of that new-look front line, with there a potential for the former Lincoln City loanee to be flanked by the likes of Heung-min Son and Dejan Kulusevski next season.

If the 19-cap international is to arrive through the door at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium it could then spell bad news for last year's summer signing, Richarlison, with the £60m addition potentially set to see his hopes of taking on the central striker role threatened.

The former Everton talisman endured a dismal debut season at N17 after scoring just a solitary Premier League goal, with Johnson, by contrast, scoring eight times to help Steve Cooper's men stave off relegation.

While the Brazilian did recently net a hat-trick against Lion City Sailors while on pre-season, it remains to be seen if the 26-year-old can replicate such heroics in the upcoming campaign, with talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor previously criticising the mercurial talent for having no "standout attributes".

Having failed to fire in 2022/23, Richarlison was also rather limited in a creative sense after creating just a solitary big chance from his 27 league outings, while his Forest counterpart created four big chances from his 38 appearances for the Midlands side.

Described as a "superb talent" by scout Jacek Kulig, Johnson had previously illustrated his devastating brilliance after registering 26 goal involvements as part of his current side's successful promotion charge during the 2021/22 campaign,

While that stellar haul did come in the second tier, it is still beyond anything that the current Spurs man has achieved during his time in English football to date, with the £90k-per-week man having hit career-best figures of 16 goals and assists in the league during the 2019/20 season while at Goodison Park.

That could well suggest that if Postecoglou does reinvest any potential Kane funds in Johnson, it could be Richarlison that proves one of the notable victims of that transaction.

Chelsea have approached the summer transfer window with a completely different strategy compared to the one they utilised during the January window.

Mauricio Pochettino has so far moved on 13 players permanently, with David Datro Fofana departing on loan, yet the Argentinian has signed just four players.

The main reason for this is to balance their spending so they don’t fall foul of the financial fair play rules, yet Pochettino knows that keeping a squad littered with unhappy players is a recipe for disaster.

Who will Chelsea sign next?

The Blues have recently made an offer for Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise, while Mohammed Kudus has also been linked with a move to the Premier League side.

With Kai Havertz and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang departing, the club are short on strikers and Pochettino could alleviate that by making a move for Aston Villa frontman Ollie Watkins.

According to Journalist Simon Phillips, via his Substack, the Englishman has become a player who is wanted by Pochettino this summer in an effort to bolster his attacking options.

The £75k-per-week hitman still has two years left on his contract and this means Chelsea will need to stump up a big fee in order to lure him to London.

Will Armando Broja leave Chelsea?

Phillips also states via his Substack that Armando Broja could leave the Blues on loan this summer amid interest from West Ham United.

Following a successful spell at Southampton in 2021/22, where he scored nine goals, Broja returned to his parent club that summer, aiming to become a first team regular under Thomas Tuchel.

The youngster ended up playing just 17 matches due to suffering a serious knee injury in December, scoring only one goal and it’s clear that Watkins could be a major upgrade on the Albanian international.

Despite struggling under Steven Gerrard during the embryonic stages of last season, netting only once in the league, Watkins hit his stride under Unai Emery.

A stunning spell between January and April saw him score 11 goals in just 12 matches, and he finished with 16 goals and six assists across all competitions.

Not only did the former Brentford striker register more shots per 90 (2.34 to 1.75) than Broja, but also more shot-creating actions (2.27 to 1.22) and a higher percentage of aerial duels (41.2% to 30%), indicating that he posed more of a threat in front of goal than the Chelsea gem, whilst also offering a better physical presence in the air.

The Stamford Bridge side scored just 38 league goals last season and this will need to be vastly improved if they are to challenge for honours. Replacing Broja with Watkins – who was dubbed “lethal” by Trevor Sinclair – would give Chelsea a significant boost in their hunt for more Premier League goals.

The seven-cap machine has scored 40 goals in the top flight from 109 appearances and playing in a side containing players such as Christopher Nkunku, Raheem Sterling and Enzo Fernandez suggests there will be plenty of chances that he could get on the end of.

It may cost Pochettino a big transfer fee, yet Watkins would be more than worth it, especially after his exploits last term.

Leeds United could be set to repeat a recent transfer success of theirs, should they choose to once again sign from the Bundesliga.

Is Alexander Nubel leaving Bayern Munich?

With Daniel Farke's summer revamp having been kicked off by the signing of Ethan Amapdu, it now finally feels like the 49ers will start to exert their influence on their new club and help forge a brighter future for this struggling giant.

Dropping into the Championship last season was a gut punch to their reputation, having only spent three years back in the Premier League. However, it already seems like the new owners are planning for an instant return, with a fresh report coming from Sky Sports Germany to reaffirm the Whites' interest in Bayern Munich goalkeeper Alexander Nubel.

Whilst VfB Stuttgart seem in the lead for his signature, the report does not discount the pull of the Yorkshire team, who remain in the race despite having yet to make an offer.

The German shot-stopper is valued at €13m (£11m) by FootballTransfers.

How good is Alexander Nubel?

Having spent the last two seasons on loan at AS Monaco, as playtime at his parent club was limited given the legendary status of Manuel Neuer, the 26-year-old has proven himself more than capable of starring as a first-choice option.

After all, his 6.93 average rating last term in Ligue 1 is indicative of this, with his 71% save success rate feeding into the mammoth 3.7 stops he averages per game, via Sofascore. A tally of 24 clean sheets across his 97 appearances for the French club is an admirable one.

However, his talents reach far beyond his ability to keep the ball out of his net, as Germany's U21 coach Klaus Thomforde claimed: "You can only speak highly of Alex – he's an incredibly talented goalkeeper, with the world at his feet. He's got an extraordinary footballing ability, but he's also very down to earth and is a great lad."

In once again returning to the Bundesliga for a signing, similar to how they did by prying Tyler Adams from RB Leipzig, the Elland Road outfit could be set to repeat old successes that would all but assure their promotion next season.

After all, the USMNT international proved to be an instant hit in the engine room despite relegation, having provided a much-needed injection of pace, dynamism and defensive steel.

This was outlined through his statistics, as he posted 1.5 interceptions, 3.7 tackles, one clearance and one key pass per game, whilst maintaining an 82% pass accuracy too, via Sofascore.

His ability to break up and dictate the play was impressive, as his 6.98 average rating in the Premier League made him the club's best performer of those who had started five or more games.

Sky Sports journalist Tim Thornton sought to support this, noting back in September:

"He's done really, really well. He knows his game. When he came in, he said ‘I'm not going to be the man to replace Kalvin Phillips, I’m my own man.’ There are similarities in the way he plays with Phillips in the way that he breaks play up and screens the defence. But he's also very different in a lot of ways. So he's done brilliantly."

Given the immediate success the 24-year-old garnered, translating his form from Germany to England in a flash, perhaps Nubel could seek to emulate this switch and help alleviate an area of huge weakness for Leeds.

Arsenal have been linked with Porto striker Mehdi Taremi; however, he is not 'on the radar' for the time being at the Emirates Stadium, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

How good is Mehdi Taremi and who has been linked with signing him?

Taremi is a player with a knack of finding the back of the net and enjoyed a masterful campaign for Porto last season, registering 31 goals and 14 assists in 51 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored take into account that Taremi was extremely consistent for the Portuguese giants in 2022/23, recording an average match rating of 7.47/10 in Liga Portugal alongside taking on 2.9 shots per game.

His clinical form in front of goal has attracted interest from the Premier League and O Jogo via TEAMtalk have reported that Arsenal and Manchester United among others are keen to secure the £29k-a-week ace's services in the off-season.

The Sun have picked up on a potential hint from Taremi's agent Borna Khoramdel, who is the CEO of Arvand Sport, that he could be on his way to join Manchester United following a post on Instagram that showed a picture of his representative at Old Trafford.

Sky Sport cite that AC Milan are big admirers of Taremi and claim that Porto have lowered their asking price for the Iran international to €20 million (£17.09 million) plus bonuses. Roma and Saudi Pro League outfit Al Hilal are said to be monitoring his situation.

Football Insider mooted back in April that Mikel Arteta could look to bring another striker to north London this window that possesses a different profile to current options Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, targeting a physical presence in the frontline.

Nevertheless, transfer insider Jones doesn't think that Arteta will move to bring in an alternative forward to add to his options in the final third.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones stated: "Yeah, I mean, Mehdi Taremi is suddenly being linked with a lot of clubs. Whenever that happens, I'm always a little bit cautious about whether he's just being touted around and what the meaning is behind it.

"I haven't heard too much on this one in terms of Arsenal's genuine interest. As far as I've been told, a forward of this sort of mould isn't really on the radar at this sort of time."

What else is going on at Arsenal this transfer window?

The Gunners have already already secured their first signing in the summer in the form of Kai Havertz, who has moved across London from Chelsea for a fee in the region of £65 million, as per Sky Sports.

West Ham United captain Declan Rice and Ajax defender Jurrien Timber have both underwent medicals at the club and will be officially announced this week, according to The Evening Standard.

Speaking to The Residency quoted by 90min, Arsenal midfielder Jorginho admitted that he has 'no idea' when both deals will be announced.

Southampton star Romeo Lavia is another midfielder that is under consideration from Arteta as he aims to bulk up his midfield, as per The Guardian, signifying that some exciting times may be in store at the Emirates in the next few weeks.

Rangers are set for phase two of their transfer window in the coming weeks according to Dean Jones.

The Glasgow side have made seven signings so far this window, and their window is far from finished according to the journalist.

Who have Rangers signed so far?

Rangers have aimed to strengthen their squad this window with seven new arrivals at Ibrox.

Three forwards joined this summer, with Cyriel Dessers joining from Serie B outfit Cremonense on a four-year deal for a fee reported to be £4.5m. The Nigerian forward is joined by former Atalanta striker Sam Lammers, with the 26-year-old signing for the club for around £3m. Abdallah Sima was the final frontline addition this summer for Rangers, signing on a season-long loan from Premier League high-flyers Brighton and Hove Albion.

The Scottish league side also added four free transfers, with Kieran Dowell joining from Norwich, Jack Butland joining from Crystal Palace, Dujon Sterling moving from Chelsea and Leon Balogun returning to the club on a free transfer following the expiration of his Queens Park Rangers contract.

The club have lost some key names however, with Ryan Kent, Alfredo Morelos, Scott Arfield, Allan McGregor and Filip Helander all departing on free transfers this summer. It's a big overhaul in the Rangers side, with all five of those players who left having been major pieces to the club's most recent title win, where the side also went invincible, under former manager Steven Gerrard back in the 2020/21 season.

The Gers have been linked with further additions ahead of this season as Michael Beale attempts to close the gap on Celtic, with Nottingham Forest centre-back reportedly close to completing a move to Ibrox, whilst the club could once again move for Feyenoord target Danilo after they had their first offer rejected weeks ago. LAFC midfielder Jose Cifuentes has also been linked with a move to the club.

According to transfer insider Jones, before Rangers can make any more signings, they have to "trim the squad".

What has Dean Jones said about Rangers?

When asked about what the rest of Rangers window will hold, Jones told FootballFanCast that the club have to "trim the squad" but there is a "second phase coming" to this window:

"They're also having to implement a bit of an exit strategy for players in the next couple of weeks in order to trim the squad and then be able to improve it. I think Michael Beale will be very satisfied so far with what's been done, but there will be a second phase coming."

What players will leave Rangers?

A number of players will have to leave the club in order to reduce the size of the squad which sits at a bloated 36.

One player who looks set to depart this summer is Glen Kamara. The Finland international has reportedly "demanded" a transfer from the club this summer with interest from Turkish side Besiktas, and has not traveled to the side's current pre-season training camp. Manager Beale previously said that a fee in the region of £5m would be enough to secure the services of the midfielder who was a regular under previous managers.

According to another report from the Daily Record, three more players could follow Kamara out of Ibrox, with Ianis Hagi, Ben Davies, and Borna Barisic all available should Rangers receive a good fee. Barisic in particular could be let go of should the player and club fail to agree on new terms if the club hope to make any money on the 31-year-old fullback who was integral to the successful Rangers sides of the previous seasons.

It remains to be seen who will leave the Gers to fund the second phase of this transfer window, but fans should be excited as the club seem to mean business this summer.

Dele Alli was once the next best thing. One chest, flick, swivel and volley cemented the Englishman among some of the best young players in world football. He was putting up numbers that even Steven Gerrard couldn't manage at his age. That's how good he was.

The key here is past tense, because Alli's career has taken the most unexpected nose dive. Suddenly, the player billed as the next best thing is on course to become the next big wasted potential – perhaps one of the biggest in Premier League history.

After beginning to struggle at Tottenham Hotspur during the ruthless tenure of Jose Mourinho, Alli made the move to Everton back in 2022 in a deal worth a reported £40m. And to say that move hasn't worked out would be a significant understatement.

Things got so bad that Alli was sent on loan to Besiktas. A fresh start away from the pressures of English football, surely this would be the start of a career revival? Think again. The former Spurs man had a season to forget and now returns to Everton under Sean Dyche, having seen his career reach some sort of standstill.

Former manager Mauricio Pochettino is keen to help, however.

What did Mauricio Pochettino say about Dele Alli?

Speaking about Alli's struggles, Pochettino said, via GOAL “I hope to have some time to call and see because he is a great guy and I want to talk a little bit with him and hear. I want to help him and see what is going on with him.

"He is still young. And for sure he has the mentality. Now it’s a long time since I spoke to him but I want to contact him again and see what is going on.”

Talking to the man who helped set the world alight for Alli and his career in the first place may be the perfect way to finally get things back on track, too, even if it is for the benefit of Everton, rather than Pochettino's new club, Chelsea.

At 27 years old, Alli should be playing at his prime right now. And he still has time to reach that level, too. It's simply a case of getting back on track. One thing that is for sure is that Dyche would have himself some player at Goodison Park if the midfielder gets back to his best.

What happened to Dele Alli?

It's difficult to pinpoint the exact moment that things began going so downhill during Alli's career. The failed loan spell at Besiktas was just the cherry on top of a disastrous few years.

The spell went so bad that the Besiktas president criticised Alli, telling beIN Sports: "He was a player we were very excited about when he came. He won't come back. We didn't get what we expected from him. I hope he recovers as a human."

The criticism is warranted when looking back at the Englishman's time in Turkey. In a total of 15 appearances in all competitions, Alli was involved in just three goals. For a player who once took the Premier League by storm to win the PFA Young Player of the Year, those are incredibly poor numbers, which sum up his downfall in recent years.

Insiders with information on the ongoing Manchester United takeover are 'adamant' that Sir Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS group are still in the running, according to journalist Ben Jacobs via GIVEMESPORT.

What is the latest news regarding Manchester United's takeover?

Indeed, with the Glazers starting to explore a potential sale back in November 2022, a lot has happened since then.

As it stands, there are two contenders for ownership of the club, with both British Billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim submitting incredible bids that exceeded £5 billion in previous months.

Both bids still fall short of the Glazer families' valuation of the club, which sits at a mind-blowing £6 billion, and it is believed that neither Ratcliffe nor Sheikh Jassim is willing to cave to those demands.

Sheikh Jassim and the Nine Two Foundation seem to be leading the race for ownership of the Red Devils after reports emerged in the last week or so, but Ratcliffe could still swoop in and take ownership.

What has Ben Jacobs said regarding the takeover?

Ben Jacobs told GIVEMESPORT: "At the moment, nothing is progressing on the INEOS side even though it hasn’t been communicated to them that they’re formally out of the race. In fact, quite the opposite.

Many insiders are adamant that they’re still there. So, this would also suggest that Qatar can be somewhat more positive, but also sceptical because they’re in the dark as to the Glazers' intentions.

So, from Qatar’s perspective, they either think they’re going to win or it will be a no-sale and from Ratcliffe’s perspective, the group are going to have to work out how they can get board approval, if they are to proceed. Otherwise, they could be out of the race."

How is Manchester United's transfer business affected by the takeover news?

The uncertainty around the takeover is undoubtedly having an effect on the club's ability to conduct business this window.

The Red Devils are the only "big six" side yet to confirm a deal, however, the club have agreed a deal to sign two-time Chelsea Player of the Year Mason Mount in a deal that could rise to £60 million after having three bids rejected for the Englishman.

The club is also in the market for a goalkeeper after the expiry of David De Gea's contract, and Andre Onana appeared to be the first choice for Erik ten Hag. According to a report from the Mirror, however, United may have to pivot from the Cameroonian to cheaper alternatives due to FFP rules.

It remains to be seen if the club will pursue a new striker this window as well, with names like Harry Kane, Rasmus Hojlund and Goncalo Ramos all being linked with big-money moves to the side, but with the FFP restrictions, these targets may well be out of their price range.

As what is a crucial summer for the club continues on, all involved will be hoping that the takeover is completed soon, so they can attack the market and try to build from a successful last campaign.