Manchester United have made a direct approach to Bournemouth to sign midfielder Alex Scott, though the south coast club insist the 22-year-old is not for sale.
The Red Devils have prioritised midfield reinforcements this summer after missing out on primary targets Elliot Anderson and Matheus Fernandes.
United refused to meet the asking prices for those players, prompting a shift in focus toward the highly rated Englishman.
Bournemouth demand £80m for prized asset
Scott is entering the final two years of his current contract at the Vitality Stadium.
The Cherries are desperate to retain the central midfielder, having already lost key figures Antoine Semenyo and manager Andoni Iraola earlier this year.
In an effort to deter potential suitors, Bournemouth have placed a staggering £80m valuation on the former Bristol City prospect.
The south coast outfit also intend to offer the midfielder a new long-term deal to secure his future.
Old Trafford move appeals to midfielder
Despite his current club’s firm stance, the 22-year-old is understood to be open to seeking a new challenge during the current transfer window.
The prospect of Champions League football is believed to be a major draw for the dynamic ball-carrier.
However, Bournemouth responded to United’s initial contact by stating he will not be sold under any circumstances.
This resolute position may force the Manchester club’s recruitment team to explore alternative targets in their ongoing summer rebuild.
Tactical fit and alternative options
While highly regarded, a potential partnership between the Bournemouth star and Kobbie Mainoo has raised questions over a lack of physical presence.
Both youngsters prefer to drive forward from deeper areas, which could leave United lightweight in a demanding Premier League environment.
To address this, the Old Trafford hierarchy are reportedly close to securing Atalanta’s Ederson to add necessary steel.
They also maintain an active interest in Carlos Baleba and Aurelien Tchouameni as the search for midfield solidity continues.
Tottenham Hotspur are preparing an official £51m offer for Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush as they continue their dramatic summer rebuild under Roberto De Zerbi.
The North London club have already been incredibly active during the current transfer window.
After securing five defensive and goalkeeping reinforcements, the Lilywhites are now shifting their focus toward strengthening their attacking options.
Competition fierce for unhappy attacker
The reigning English champions are demanding a significant fee to part ways with the world-class forward.
He currently earns approximately £165,000 a week at the Etihad Stadium but has grown increasingly frustrated with his lack of guaranteed starting opportunities.
Spurs will not have a clear run at the player, with Juventus, Barcelona, and Aston Villa also monitoring his situation closely.
Guardiola exit and unprecedented spending
This potential departure coincides with significant upheaval in Manchester following Pep Guardiola’s exit and Enzo Maresca’s subsequent appointment as head coach.
Meanwhile, the ambitious capital club are showing no signs of slowing down their unprecedented spending spree.
A monumental £100m agreement to sign Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United is already close to completion.
Desperate push for top-half finish
This aggressive transfer strategy follows a dismal period of domestic football for the club.
Having finished 17th in the Premier League for two consecutive seasons, the Tottenham hierarchy are desperate to avoid another relegation battle.
Recent arrivals Mateus Fernandes, Jan-Paul van Hecke, Marcos Senesi, Andy Robertson and Martin Dubravka highlight their intense desire to climb back into the top half of the table.
Aryna Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka will renew their fierce rivalry this Sunday as the four-time Grand Slam champions go head-to-head for a place in the Wimbledon quarter-finals.
The pair of former world number ones broke through on the WTA Tour at a similar time but have experienced vastly different career trajectories.
They first clashed at the 2018 US Open, a match that served as a catalyst for the Japanese star to claim her maiden major title just days later.
Since that initial meeting, the heavy-hitting baseliners have developed into defining figures of the modern women’s game.
Diverging paths to the ultimate prize
Following her breakthrough in New York, the 26-year-old from Osaka rapidly accumulated three more Grand Slam titles over the next 28 months.
Conversely, the Belarusian endured a longer wait for major success while her rival temporarily stepped away from tennis in 2021 to protect her mental wellbeing.
The top seed finally secured her own breakthrough at the 2023 Australian Open, triumphing during a period when her opponent was on maternity leave following the birth of her daughter, Shai.
“She went through different things, I went through different things, and I feel like we both were completely different players and people.”
The reigning Australian Open champion reflected on their differing journeys after dispatching Jelena Ostapenko in the third round.
A season of renewed battles
Despite the initial US Open defeat, the Minsk native has firmly asserted her dominance in their recent encounters by winning all three matches played this season.
She delivered a clinical serving performance to secure an 80-minute victory at Indian Wells in March en route to lifting the trophy.
A closer contest unfolded on the clay courts of Madrid, where the returning mother snatched the opening set before succumbing to a fierce comeback.
Their latest clash at the French Open last month followed a similar pattern, with the world number three ruthlessly exploiting her opponent’s faltering first serve.
“I felt like we both were kind of upcoming, and when she won that match in 2018, I had a feeling she was going to win a Slam.”
Sabalenka acknowledged the profound impact of their early encounters, noting that they both felt like leaders of the next generation at the time.
Shohei Ohtani will be joined by three Los Angeles teammates in the National League starting lineup for the 2026 Major League Baseball All-Star Game on 14 July.
The Japanese superstar topped the fan ballots and will take the designated hitter role at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
He is joined by first baseman Freddie Freeman, third baseman Max Muncy and outfielder Andy Pages as the back-to-back champions boast a dominant infield presence.
Phillies and Braves match Dodgers contingent
While the Californian franchise secured four starting spots, they will send five players in total to the Midsummer Classic.
The host Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves will match that overall tally with five representatives each.
Philadelphia outfielder Brandon Marsh will start for the National League in front of his home crowd.
He is joined in the starting nine by New York Mets star Juan Soto, Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams and a pair of Atlanta players in Ozzie Albies and Drake Baldwin.
Trout and Judge headline American League
Across the diamond, Toronto Blue Jays infielder Ernie Clement secured the most votes in the American League.
The breakout star forms the right side of the infield alongside his Toronto teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
The AL outfield features a veteran trio consisting of the Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout, New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge and the Minnesota Twins’ Byron Buxton.
Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero, Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers and Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez complete the AL starters.
Stellar rookies make their mark
The 2026 rosters also highlight a standout rookie class making an immediate impact on the major league stage.
Cleveland Guardians duo Travis Bazzana and Parker Messick earned selection alongside Detroit Tigers prospect Kevin McGonigle and Cincinnati Reds infielder Sal Stewart.
The reserves were determined through a combination of player, manager, and coach ballots alongside selections made by the commissioner’s office.
Taylor Fritz has become the last American man remaining in the Wimbledon singles draw after defeating Lorenzo Sonego in four sets on Saturday to reach the final 16.
The sixth seed recovered from dropping the opening set to secure a 4-6 6-3 6-4 7-6 (7-5) victory on Court Two.
His progression comes as compatriots Frances Tiafoe, Marcos Giron and Zachary Svajda all suffered defeats in southwest London.
Tiafoe falls as Bublik awaits Fritz
Tiafoe was eliminated following a grueling five-set battle against Alexander Bublik.
The unpredictable Kazakh will now face Fritz for a coveted spot in the quarter-finals at the All England Club.
The American number one carries strong pedigree on the grass, having become the first man from the United States since 2018 to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals last year.
Zverev and Dimitrov advance
Elsewhere in the men’s draw, second seed Alexander Zverev cruised past Giron in straight sets.
The German contender claimed a 6-2 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 win to set up a fourth-round encounter with Jiri Lehecka.
Grigor Dimitrov also progressed after outlasting Matteo Berrettini in a thrilling five-set contest.
The veteran Bulgarian will next face British wildcard Arthur Fery, who is the final home player left across both singles draws.
Cobolli overcomes illness to progress
Ninth seed Flavio Cobolli recovered from a disastrous start to defeat Karen Khachanov 0-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-7 (7-5) 6-2 6-2.
The Italian revealed he was struggling physically during the opening stages of his marathon victory.
“I felt ill during the first set because I ate a little bit too close to the match,” Cobolli explained.
“I tried to vomit in the first set, but they gave me some pills that helped me a lot.”
He will now face fifth seed Alex de Minaur in the round of 16.
Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson suffered her second consecutive Diamond League defeat after finishing behind Kenyan world champion Lilian Odira in Eugene.
The reigning world champion over the distance surged past the British athlete in the home straight to secure a commanding victory.
She crossed the finish line in a season’s best time of one minute and 56.19 seconds.
The Olympic gold medallist followed closely in second place with a time of one minute and 56.73 seconds.
Struggles and injury concerns in Oregon
A realistic challenge for the oldest track world record never materialized during a physically demanding race in the United States.
The 24-year-old emerged for the competition with both knees heavily strapped following a recent bad fall.
This physical setback directly contributed to a laboured start that left the pre-race favourite playing catch-up.
Mixed summer season continues
This latest result follows a previous setback in Stockholm last June when Audrey Werro took the victory.
The British record holder has navigated a frustrating and fragmented summer campaign.
She was forced to withdraw from the 400m final at the UK Athletics Championships last month.
The athlete cited feeling “a little twinge” as the primary reason for abandoning the domestic sprint event.
Chasing a historic track milestone
The ambitious runner has been competing over 400m this season to dramatically improve her crucial first-lap speed.
Her ultimate goal is to mount a serious challenge for the 800m world record later this summer.
That historic mark of one minute 53.28 seconds was established by Czech athlete Jarmila Kratochvilova in 1983.
Everton have agreed a transfer worth up to £25m with Chelsea to sign 20-year-old winger Tyrique George on a permanent basis.
The Merseyside club have successfully renegotiated the initial fee to £17m, with the remaining £8m structured as add-ons based on European qualification and player appearances.
Chelsea have also ensured a 15% sell-on clause is included in the agreement for their academy graduate.
Moyes impressed by previous loan spell
The England Under-21 international is already familiar with his new surroundings after spending the second half of last season on loan at Goodison Park.
He made 11 appearances during that four-month stint, primarily featuring from the substitutes’ bench.
Manager David Moyes was eager to retain the forward’s services following a series of encouraging performances.
He is an excellent boy with an excellent work-rate.
Everton continue summer rebuild
The lightning-fast attacker has been available for transfer for the past year and previously held discussions with RB Leipzig.
A proposed £22m switch to Fulham dramatically collapsed on transfer deadline day last September.
This current move remains subject to the successful completion of a medical examination and the finalisation of personal terms.
The young prospect will become Everton’s second major summer acquisition, following the £16m arrival of Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough.
German playmaker Merlin Rohl has also converted his recent loan spell into a permanent stay.
Meanwhile, veterans Idrissa Gana Gueye and Seamus Coleman have officially departed following the expiration of their contracts.
Newcastle United have dismissed a verbal offer from Arsenal for captain Bruno Guimaraes as they prepare to offer the Brazilian a new contract.
The Magpies consider the 28-year-old to be priceless and have informed the London club that he is firmly not for sale.
Manager Eddie Howe remains determined to keep his star player on Tyneside, despite the midfielder’s representatives holding exploratory talks with both Premier League sides.
Contingency plans and midfield targets
Despite their defiant public stance, the North East outfit are reportedly formulating backup plans following the recent £100m departure of Sandro Tonali to Tottenham Hotspur.
Borussia Dortmund’s Felix Nmecha has emerged as a potential target to fill the void, though the Bundesliga side have slapped a £100m asking price on the player.
Manchester United are also closely monitoring the German international ahead of the new season.
Red Devils sporting director Jason Wilcox is known to be a prominent admirer, having worked extensively with the player during a 14-year stint in the Manchester City academy.
Guimaraes’ impact and alternative options
The Brazil international initially moved to St James’ Park in January 2022 for £40m, decisively rejecting advances from the Gunners in the process.
It was the second time the North London club had missed out on the combative midfielder, having previously been beaten to his signature by French side Lyon.
“Newcastle arrived and they got serious. Bruno couldn’t wait another six months to decide his future in a World Cup year.”
He has since accumulated 195 appearances for Newcastle, establishing himself as a crucial and passionate leader during a highly successful period that included lifting the Carabao Cup.
Arsenal shift transfer focus
Mikel Arteta’s side are now expected to shift their attention towards strengthening the left side of their attack ahead of their Premier League title defence.
Aston Villa forward Morgan Rogers and Paris St-Germain winger Bradley Barcola have both been strongly linked with moves to the Emirates Stadium.
Meanwhile, an alternative Magpies move for Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara now appears increasingly unlikely to materialise.