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After missing out on Harry Maguire, it looks as though David Moyes is finally set to strengthen his backline at West Ham United, with an update emerging on Konstantinos Mavropanos.

The Hammers have so far signed just two reinforcements, in the form of James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez. Now, however, they're reportedly securing one more.

What's the latest on Konstantinos Mavropanos to West Ham?

With the London club targeting a centre-back this summer, VfB Stuttgart's Mavropanos is set to undergo a medical, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The deal itself is reportedly agreed at €20m, plus €5m in add-ons, with 10% of the fee going to Mavropanos' former club and West Ham's rivals, Arsenal.

The Hammers turned to the former Gunner after facing rejection from Manchester United's Maguire. With a deal in place with the Red Devils, it was the England international's decision that reportedly broke the move down.

Moyes looks to have finally got his defender, however, as West Ham look to avoid the chaos of a relegation battle this season, and enjoy the comforts of mid-table, at the very least, instead.

On the opening day of the season, of course, they secured a point against Bournemouth, in what they may see as the foundation to build from in the coming weeks.

Should West Ham sign Konstantinos Mavropanos?

After shipping 55 goals last season – the ninth-worst record in the league – it's fair to say that West Ham needed reinforcements in their backline this summer. And Mavropanos could prove to be an ideal choice.

The defender, who was one of the quickest in the Bundesliga, may have struggled to make his mark when at Arsenal, but ever since switching London for Stuttgart, he has proven exactly why he got the move to the Gunners in the first place. He's earned plenty of praise in the process, too, with former Stuttgart manager Pellegrino Matarazzo saying, via the official Bundesliga website:

"He always shows in training that he can produce magic.

"He's our gladiator – a monster in terms of physique."

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

Meanwhile, Stuttgart sporting director Sven Mislintat said:

"Dinos is a prototype of everything this team stands for: always working, with a desire to win and to constantly improve.

"And when things aren't going well, he doesn't get negative. He always communicates well with his colleagues, and is always looking forward."

With that said, everything points to the notion that West Ham are getting themselves an excellent addition, and an addition whose speed is a particularly impressive trait.

As per the Bundesliga website, Mavropanos has previously clocked a top speed of 21.79 mph, showing pace that could play a crucial part in the Premier League when asked to keep up with the likes of Erling Haaland, and Mohamed Salah.

From West Ham's perspective, once medicals are done, and the defender is officially presented at the London Stadium, they'll want to get him involved as soon as possible. If the Hammers get the deal done in time, we may well see Mavropanos make his debut against Brighton & Hove Albion next Saturday.

A report from Italy has shared some West Ham United transfer news on their bid to sign Fiorentina star Sofyan Amrabat this summer.

Who will West Ham sign?

The possible departure of Lucas Paqueta to English champions Man City would leave a gaping hole in quality for manager David Moyes, thus prompting the east Londoners to scour the market for replacements.

Paqueta is thought to have agreed terms with Pep Guardiola's side and really wants a move to Eastlands, so despite the signings of James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez, another midfield signing is possible.

West Ham have been linked with a few already, including Man United's Scott McTominay and Burnley star Josh Brownhill, but Paqueta's quality will be truly hard to replace.

Speaking on the Brazil international's potential move to Manchester, Moyes recently confirmed that City had made an initial bid that fell way short of their valuation.

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

He said: "We've had an offer from Manchester City [for Paqueta] but at the moment it's not anywhere near meeting our valuation."

If West Ham find a full agreement to sell Paqueta, one player who has now attracted their interest is Amrabat, who funnily enough is a target for Man United.

The Moroccan, who seriously impressed during his country's exceptional World Cup campaign in Qatar last year, has apparently been subject to an "interesting" West Ham bid.

That is according to fiorentina.it, who claim the Irons have come forward with an offer, but it doesn't exactly meet La Viola's demands for a full sale.

Man United, though, are described as even further away to signing Amrabat, with it looking like the Irons have a small advantage over them in that respect, though the midfielder would prefer Old Trafford.

West Ham and United are listed as the two main teams in the running for Amrabat, but Moyes' side will have to raise their bid if a deal is to be done.

How good is Sofyan Amrabat?

Moroccan journalist Amine El Amri, speaking to talkSPORT during Amrabat's impressive Morocco performances in Qatar, tipped the African to join an English club.

El Amri highlighted the player's quality, calling him a "raging bull" and "fantastic" alongside his brother, Nordin.

"I think there's a big chance that he might go there [the Premier League]," El Amri said in December 2022.

"But everybody will have to wait until the summer because Fiorentina don't seem to want to sell in the next couple of weeks.

"I have nothing but respect for guys like Luka Modric, Marcelo Brozovic and Rodrigo De Paul and many others but I think he's been absolutely the best player in midfield in this World Cup."

The 26-year-old still has time on his hands and we believe his tenacity in midfield would be welcomed by Moyes at the London Stadium.

There seems to have been another development invloving Liverpool and Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, according to Ben Jacobs.

The Belgian is the Reds top transfer target at this point in the window.

What is the latest news regarding Romeo Lavia?

The midfielder looks to be edging closer to a St Mary's exit this summer.

The player didn't feature in the Saints opening Championship game, instead being an unused substitute as the South Coast side beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-1, whilst the Belgian international wasn't a part of the squad that lost 3-1 to Gillingham in the second round of the Carabao Cup.

The player is a key target of Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool, who are light in the defensive midfield department after selling both Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to Al Ettifaq and Al Ittihad respectively, leaving the side with just young Stefan Bajcetic for the position, who is currently recovering from a major injury that not only ended his 2022/23 season prematurely, but has also forced him to miss every single one of the Reds pre-season outings.

According to journalist Paul Joyce, the Reds have submitted three offers for the midfielder this window; the first one being £34m plus £4m add ons, the second being £41m and the third being £45m. All the offers were rejected by the Championship side as they hold out for their £50m asking price they set at the beginning of the summer, which they believe that the Reds will meet eventually according to journalist Sacha Tavolieri.

Liverpool have reportedly been unwilling to match that asking price throughout the summer, and are considering alternative targets, with one such target being Fluminense midfielder Andre Trindade.

Speaking to Redmen TV, journalist Jacobs revealed that his understanding is that the Reds have submitted their fourth improved offer, with it "very known now" that Lavia wants to make the switch to Anfield this summer.

He said: "My understanding is that perhaps the media cycle has been a little bit behind on this one which is normal when you have a rejected bid, it tends to suffice and sometimes there is an assumption that the bid went in at the same time as the rejection, and my understanding is that since that third rejected bid, Liverpool have come back in with an improved offer, and naturally because the feeling is that Lavia and 50 million will do the deal and the rejected bid was at 45, there's obviously not much more needed if Liverpool want to get this one over the line, and if they meet the valuation that Southampton are looking for, it is very well known that Lavia wants the move."

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

Would Lavia be the right signing for Liverpool?

Lavia would be a really strong pickup for the Merseyside club.

Throughout pre-season, Liverpool have employed a similar system to the one the side used in the final games of last season, and have added two new midfielders in the forms of Alexis Mac Allister arriving from Brighton and Hove Albion for a fee in the region of £35m and Dominik Szoboszlai from German outfit RB Leipzig for a fee in the region of £60m. As it stands, only a left-sided defensive midfielder to partner Trent Alexander-Arnold is needed, with the club playing multiple players in that role throughout the past month, and that is where Lavia would shine.

The 19-year-old would most likely be tasked with being the defensive stalwart for Liverpool which would allow their more attack-minded players the opportunity to get forward and showcase their talents, and that aspect of his game is something he excels at.

Twitter user @SawkurGod posted a graph showcasing the U24 best duel winners in the Premier League last season, and Lavia ranked with some elite company at the very top alongside Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo, both players who could command fees in excess of £100m this summer according to reports.

Being Liverpool's starting defensive midfielder could be a lot of pressure on the Belgian, however, he showed last season that he can perform at a high Premier League level in his 29 league appearances, earning praise from legendary Premier League midfielder Paul Scholes, who stated: "I think he is a player with so much potential and he could potentially go back, but he has settled in so well. He has got a pass in his locker and he is big and strong and likes to defend."

Heart of Midlothian have finally made a signing during this transfer window, bringing goalkeeper Michael McGovern from Norwich City on a free transfer.

The 39-year-old is hardly a marquee name which will set off ripples of excitement among the supporters, yet it could potentially be a catalyst for more players to start joining the Tynecastle side over the coming weeks.

With their first Premiership fixture in just 14 days, Steven Naismith will be aiming to bolster his squad significantly if he wishes to improve on the fourth-placed finished achieved last season, while trying to qualify for the Europa Conference League group stages for the second year in a row.

The Jambos might be ready to announce their second signing of the summer, with Australian midfielder Calem Nieuwenhof edging closer to a move to Scotland from Western Sydney Wanderers, although they may have to wait a week or so due to work permit issues.

With one year left on his current contract, it looks as though Hearts will have stumped up a fee to secure the youngster ahead of next season and judging by his talent, it could be a shrewd move by Naismith.

Who is Calem Nieuwenhof?

The midfielder might not be relatively well known in Scotland, yet he has enjoyed a successful start to his career in Australia, while he has even garnered praise from a former Manchester United player.

Morgan Schneiderlin, who played for United between 2015-2017 and is now a teammate, lauded Nieuwenhof, saying: "He's a very good player, you can see he's a young kid who's listening and doing everything right.

"He doesn't lose the ball and he knows how to use his body. I'm trying to help him to improve but he has a really good future ahead of him."

By the sound of it, Hearts are set to be getting a talented player, and he could even form a solid midfield duo with Beni Baningime next term.

The former Everton starlet enjoyed a solid start to life at Hearts upon joining in 2021 before injury ruined his progress, displaying his dogged nature in the heart of the midfield by ranking second in the squad for tackles (2.6) and interceptions per game (1.2), while finishing as their seventh-finest player via overall Sofascore rating, despite playing just 23 league games.

Alongside Baningime, the Australian could also offer a solid defensive output, making 3.4 tackles per match last term while also winning 6.1 duels per game, indicating that he was a strong physical presence in the midfield.

His attacking qualities could also benefit Hearts too, as he scored four goals and grabbed an assist across 27 games, while averaging 0.8 key passes and creating two big chances on average each outing, solid numbers for a defensive midfielder that tends to spend nearly as much time in his own half as well as the opposition's according to his heatmap from 2022/23

Nieuwenhof sounds like he could sparkle in Scotland given his traits and with Hearts dying for a player who could offer both defensive and attacking qualities to their midfield, Naismith could forge a solid duo with him and Baningime next season.

It seems Chelsea and its new chaotic ownership are addicted to the headlines.

Relentlessly lurching from one transfer to the next, their commitment to constantly improving is fascinating.

Predominantly, the club has targeted the world’s most exciting young players, with the occasional, more experienced player also added into the mix.

"They've got a twin-track policy," explains Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol. "They go around the world buying up the best young players and they're going to carry on doing that but they want to buy ready-made players as well."

With this in mind, Boehly has done it again, and in an attempt to award Mauricio Pochettino the best chance of progression, he is eyeing a sensational reunion with Neymar.

What’s the latest on Neymar to Chelsea?

According to Le Parisien, the Blues are interested in signing the former Barcelona trickster this summer.

It has been suggested by a different outlet in Spain that Paris Saint-Germain may listen to offers of around €60m (£52m) for the Brazilian.

The soap opera that constantly envelopes the French juggernaut has been heightened in recent weeks due to Kylian Mbappe’s ongoing disputes with the club’s hierarchy. Whilst he reportedly refuses to sign a new deal but wants to stay for another year, the board has ruled out the possibility of losing him on a free transfer.

It remains to be seen how Neymar will react to the fanfare surrounding the loss of arguably the greatest player in the world. The 31-year-old has already seen his two-time former teammate Lionel Messi depart after receiving a torrent of abuse from a fractured and unpredictable fanbase.

Somehow, PSG has done the unthinkable – they have managed to make Chelsea look like a more stable environment and if a deal materialised for Neymar it would be one of the most eye-catching transfers in Premier League history.

Who can Neymar replace at Chelsea?

In an injury-hit season, the winger still retained his impeccable consistency, as he notched 35 goal contributions in just 29 appearances in all competitions.

Meanwhile, the term ‘consistency’ and these sorts of numbers are two things Raheem Sterling could only dream of as he endured the most miserable time of his senior career.

After comfortably surpassing double figures for league goals in each of his last five campaigns, the Englishman scored just six times in his debut campaign for the west Londoners.

In terms of creativity and productivity, the former Santos star massively outperforms the Englishman – the notable metrics are shot-creating actions per 90 (6.18 vs 3.14), progressive passes per 90 (9.41 vs 3.39), progressive carries per 90 (4.58 vs 3.71), successful take-ons per 90 (2.25 vs 1.54), and assists per 90 (0.56 vs 0.14).

It is a damning reflection of the steep decline that Sterling has experienced in recent times and a clear indication of Neymar’s ridiculous quality.

Whilst it likely remains just a sensational dream for the latter man to play English football, he would undoubtedly add a new level of flair and skill to a hugely underperforming frontline.

Described as “unstoppable” by Messi, it would be mouth-watering to see how Premier League defences would cope with one of football’s most dazzling technicians.

Mauricio Pochettino faces a major challenge as Chelsea manager heading into the 2023/24 campaign, with confidence low following a woeful 12th-place finish in the Premier League last term.

The Blues only conceded 47 goals, with only six teams conceding fewer across the entirety of the season, yet their ability to put chances away was terrible, scoring just 38 times. Relegated sides Leicester City and Leeds United both scored 13 and ten more goals respectively than the Stamford Bridge outfit, and it goes to show just how lacklustre they were in front of goal.

Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz both finished on nine goals apiece, enough to rank them as the joint-highest scorers in the squad, with centre-forwards Armando Broja and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netting just four goals between them, a dreadful return.

In the case of Aubameying, the ex-Arsenal and Barcelona man has been tipped to follow the flock of Blues to Saudi Arabia, while recent reports have suggested that Broja – who missed much of last through injury – also angling for a move.

The duo earn a combined £200k-per-week at the club and Pochettino must surely be tempted to brutally ditch the pair in order to free up some wages for a striker who could arrive at Stamford Bridge and improve their meagre goal tally alongside new arrivals Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson.

Could Chelsea sign Folarin Balogun this summer?

With a new out-and-out striker evidently required if Pochettino aims to deliver some sort of success next season, the club have been linked with a move for Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun and his representatives have spoken to the Blues ahead of a potential move during the summer transfer window.

He won't come cheap however, with the Gunners wanting £50m for the young hitman, yet judging by his form for French side Stade Reims during 2022/23, it could turn into a bargain.

The 21-year-old spent the campaign on loan in Ligue 1 and finished the season having netted 21 league goals, and this was enough to rank him as the fourth-best scorer in the division, finishing behind Kylian Mbappe, Alexandre Lacazette and Jonathan David – not bad company to keep that’s for sure.

Young coach Will Still lauded the youngster for his impressive spell last term, saying: “He's unbelievable, he has real talent but he is also just a top person.

“He's trying to learn the language – we have a bit of banter because his French is terrible (but) I think he realises: being good here will allow him to get the spotlight and attention he needs.”

His spell has certainly given him the spotlight judging by the interest from Chelsea recently and Pochettino could give him the opportunity to turn into a world-class performer.

Balogun ranked in the top 9% across Europe’s top five leagues for total shots per 90 (3.63) clearly indicating that he gets into shooting positions on a regular basis while he also ranks in the top 19% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90 (5.94) and a move to Chelsea could see this figure get better due to the attacking nature of the Argentinian’s tactical system.

The United States international would be a wildcard choice for the Blues, yet his clinical nature is something that Chelsea desperately require, and he could well be worth taking a chance on.

If they can poach the 5 foot 10 starlet from their London rivals, the Stamford Bridge outfit could then have the licence to show both Broja and Aubayameng the door.

Leeds United have been keeping tabs on AZ Alkmaar defender Milos Kerkez ahead of a potential move to the Championship, according to reports.

Who is Milos Kerkez?

Kerkez is primarily a left-back who currently plies his trade at the AFAS Stadium having moved there from AC Milan’s U19s back in January 2022. He’s since gone on to become a regular feature of the first-team having made 33 starts out of 34 Eredivisie matches last season.

The Hungary international’s contract isn’t set to expire for another three years, but after emerging as Pascal Jansen’s fourth best-performing defensive player during the previous term, he’s caught the eye of the 49ers, and not for the first time.

Back in April, Portuguese outlet Record reported that the Whites were applying pressure to sign the 19-year-old ahead of the ongoing window, and with Daniel Farke now in charge, it seems that they are still continuing to pursue a deal for their target.

In Yorkshire, Pascal Struijk, Junior Firpo and Leo Hjelde are the boss’ current options at left-back but it’s currently unknown as to which players will be departing over the coming weeks following relegation, so reinforcements may well be needed, which is where the teenager comes into play.

Are Leeds signing Kerkez?

According to The Daily Mail, Leeds have “checked on” Kerkez “over the past year” ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. Premier League high-flyers Newcastle United, fellow second-tier rivals Leicester City and Bundesliga outfit Borussia Dortmund are also keeping tabs, but it’s Bournemouth who are the first club to have “opened discussions”.

The Cherries are “in talks” regarding a deal for the defender, who is valued at “over” £20m by AZ Alkmaar, so the Whites hierarchy will have to act fast should they want to beat their competitors in the race for his signature.

Could Kerkez be a good addition for Farke?

Leeds will know that Kerkez would be more of a signing for the long-term future of the club being just 19 years of age, but having been hailed a “high-quality” left-back by talent scout Jacek Kulig, he would be a promising acquisition for Farke to have at his disposal.

Sponsored by Adidas, the left-footed gem won 32 out of his 54 tackles made last season which was the second-highest success rate throughout the whole of his squad, as per FBRef, whilst also averaging 1.5 clearances each outing, so he’s obviously strong in the natural aspect of his game.

The youngster however equally contributed to efforts in the final third having ranked in the 92nd percentile for attacking touches in the opposition’s area by players in his position, which resulted in him clocking up 12 goal contributions (seven assists and five goals) across all competitions, showing his desire to burst down the flank.

Finally, Kerkez would provide the manager with some great versatility with his ability to operate slightly higher up on the left side of the midfield and even on the opposite wing at right-back alongside his usual role in the defensive backline which is yet another attribute that the hierarchy will be attracted to.

Islamabad United opener Sam Billings combined clean timing with explosive power-hitting to ensure the defending champions inflicted the season’s first defeat upon Quetta Gladiators

The Report by Danyal Rasool15-Feb-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsIn a nutshell
A blistering 78-run knock from Islamabad United opener Sam Billings neutralised Quetta Gladiators’ impressive spinners Mohammad Nawaz and Hasan Khan and ensured the defending champions inflicted the season’s first defeat upon Quetta. In the first game of this season’s PSL at the Sharjah Stadium, the 25-year-old England batsman combined clean timing with explosive power-hitting to keep his side on course throughout the chase.Quetta had earlier managed a slightly under-par 148, thanks to a disciplined bowling display from Misbah’s men. It centred around 18-year old legspinner Shadab Khan, who was extremely difficult to read as he spun the ball sharply both ways. Each of the bowlers bowled according to their strengths; Mohammad Sami consistently found the inswinging yorker – one of which accounted for Kevin Pietersen’s second successive golden duck – and Shane Watson’s short deliveries and pace variations were just as hard to dispatch as they have been all tournament. Quetta’s innings never really took off as wickets fell regularly and the scoring rate stayed below seven for much of the first 15 overs, before a late partnership between Mahmudullah and Thisara Perera took them near 150. It was to be competitive, but not match-winning.Where the match was won
Quetta’s middle-order pairing of Sarfraz Ahmed and Rilee Rossouw – the PSL’s top scorer thus far – got them over the line against Karachi in their last game. So when Ahmed Shehzad got off to a quick start with Pietersen and that duo lying in wait, Quetta might have looked set for a total nearer 200. However, they reckoned without a fiery Mohammad Sami having one of his better days. He beat Shehzad for pace, forcing him to pull right down midwicket’s throat, before a 146 kph yorker crashed into Pietersen’s pads and pinned him lbw.Shadab and Shane Watson then took charge of the middle overs, strangulating Quetta, and continuing to push the run rate down. In the ten overs that began with Shehzad’s dismissal, Quetta managed only 56 runs, and lost four wickets. Powerplays and death overs might make for better talking points, but these middle overs were what handed Islamabad the two points today.The men that won it
Billings seemed to be batting on a different surface to his fellow team-mates, finding the gaps regularly in the first six overs and clearing the ropes periodically thereafter. It wasn’t all guns blazing, either; he was content to show respect where it was due, taking the singles off left-arm spinners Nawaz and Hasan, while unleashing his ire on the pace attack. Perera bore the brunt of Billings’ buffeting, going for 40 in 3.1 overs. It was a mark of Billings’ dominance that by the end the 17th over of the Islamabad innings, no other batsman had a strike rate above 100. Billings, meanwhile, was coasting along at 150.Shane Watson removed Asad Shafiq and Rilee Rossouw•PCB

The drop v the missed stumping
When Rilee Rossouw was on 5 in the first innings, he charged down the track to the young Shadab, missing the ball completely. Haddin, however, fluffed an easy stumping chance, and must have feared the worst after reprieving the South African. Next over, however, Rossouw holed out to deep midwicket. In contrast, when Watson joined Billings with their side wobbling at 72 for 3, he nicked Mohammad Nawaz behind before he had got off the mark. It popped right out of Sarfraz’s hands, and from thereon, Quetta’s fate was sealed. The pair combined for what turned out to be a match-winning 63-run partnership, Watson contributing 36 in 27 balls. He, unlike Rossouw, made the opposition pay.The moment of the match
Hasan, singled out by Moin Khan as the most promising of Quetta’s youngsters, might have been on the losing side, but there was a moment the 18-year old is unlikely to forget. He had been bowling a tight line to opposition captain Misbah-ul-Haq, not hesitating to follow him when he attempted to make room. So when Misbah stepped inside the line to sweep the teenager over fine leg for four, Hasan appeared to be under pressure. Two balls later, he bowled a similar delivery, except he had slid it in with the arm. Misbah attempted the same shot, but he was too late. The ball struck him on the thigh and the umpire raised the finger. Hasan, more than 24 years his junior, had out-thought Pakistan’s most successful Test captain.Where they stand
This result means both Quetta and Islamabad now have two wins from three games. They occupy second and third position respectively on four points each, with Quetta ahead on net run rate.

West Ham United are keen on making a move for Nottingham Forest talisman Brennan Johnson this summer, according to Simon Jones of the Daily Mail.

Who is Brennan Johnson?

Johnson is one of Nottingham Forest’s own. Born in Nottingham, the forward entered the academy and hasn’t looked back ever since.

The Englishman was a crucial part of Forest’s shock promotion from the Championship in the 2021/22 season, with 19 goals in all competitions, including two in the play-offs.

Is Brennan Johnson leaving Nottingham Forest?

Whilst Johnson’s Nottingham Forest exit is far from a guarantee this summer, given their Premier League status, the Wales youngster has reportedly attracted plenty of interest.

This comes as little surprise, too, given the exceptional campaign that the "unbelievable" forward – as once hailed by former boss Sabri Lamouchi – had in the Premier League for the first time – scoring eight goals and assisting a further three to help keep Forest afloat.

Still young, Johnson has plenty of time for improvement, meaning that any club that did swoop in this summer would have themselves a player for both the present and the future.

As per Jones, West Ham are interested in the forward, though do face competition from Everton. Both clubs could battle it out for Johnson, who is reportedly valued at £40m by Forest.

The Hammers could certainly do with the goals that the Forest man could bring, that’s for sure – last summer’s £30.5m flop – Gianluca Scamacca – found the back of the net just three times in a total of 16 Premier League appearances.

Meanwhile, Michail Anontio’s form began to spiral slightly when it came to domestic action, only scoring on three occasions, despite making 33 appearances in the league last season.

Their lack of goalscorer very nearly cost the Hammers the ultimate price of relegation, before David Moyes guided them to safety. But, nonetheless, this is a precarious feeling they won’t want to face again, meaning that reinforcements are a must this summer.

With Forest’s valuation of Johnson reportedly as high as £40m, however, West Ham may need the financial boost of potentially winning the Europa Conference League if they are to consider pursuing the deal further.

Those at the London Stadium showed last summer that they are willing to break the bank for quality, though, having hit a new transfer record with the deal for Lucas Paqueta, which saw them splash out a record £51.3m.

Johnson may well find himself amongst West Ham’s most expensive signings, if the Hammers continue their interest in the forward and complete a deal.

The batting frailties that have dogged England’s women throughout their tour of the Caribbean resurfaced with a vengeance once again in the fourth ODI at Sabina Park

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Oct-2016West Indies Women 223 for 6 (Taylor 85, Quintyne 41) beat England Women 181 (Beaumont 57, Winfield 51, Taylor 3-29) by 42 runs
ScorecardStafanie Taylor produced a superb all-round performance to defeat England•Getty Images/ICCThe batting frailties that have dogged England’s women throughout their tour of the Caribbean resurfaced with a vengeance once again in the fourth ODI at Sabina Park, as West Indies squared the five-match series at 2-2 with the decider to come at the same venue on Wednesday.Chasing 224 to win after Stafanie Taylor’s 85 from 129 balls had laid a strong total for the hosts, England appeared to be well placed on 133 for 1 in the 29th over. However, they lost their next nine wickets for 48 runs in 16 overs, five of them to run-outs, to slump to defeat by 42 runs.England’s chase could hardly have started with more intent, as Lauren Winfield and Tammy Beaumont added 95 for the first wicket in 19 overs to break the back of the run-chase.However, Beaumont was caught and bowled for 57 by Taylor to inject a hint of anxiety, and when Winfield followed nine overs later, run out for 51, England’s momentum shuddered to a halt.Nat Sciver departed six balls later to become Taylor’s second victim, and before the over was out, England had lost their third wicket for four runs in the space of 10 balls.After a brief rally through Heather Knight and Georgia Elwiss, the second wave of England’s collapse was even more dramatic – four wickets for four runs in 19 balls – with Taylor’s second caught-and-bowled accounting for Knight for 36 and ending England’s meagre hopes.Hayley Matthews chipped in with two wickets to account for Amy Jones and Jenny Gunn, and fittingly it was left to Taylor to wrap up an astounding allround performance with her second run-out of the innings to remove Laura Marsh for 13.Earlier Taylor’s innings of 85 had featured six fours and two sixes, and included a second-wicket stand of 69 with Shaquana Quintyne, who made 41.