Nottingham Forest battle Newcastle for box office wonderkid as Aston Villa 'make bid' for £17m-rated gem

The summer transfer window hasn’t even opened yet, and clubs are already making moves to get new signings on board. Manchester United have flown out of the traps to bag Atalanta midfielder Ederson, Tottenham have snapped up Andy Robertson after his Liverpool exit, and Newcastle have bid farewell to England international Anthony Gordon.

Amid all the early transfer activity, we’re gearing up the FIFA World Cup, which kicks off next week. If you haven’t listened to tournament’s official album, we suggest giving it a swerve. Meanwhile, fans have been giving their verdict on some of the kits set to be debuted in North America, with some absolute howlers lurking amongst the many gems.

We’ll kick this rumours round-up off down at Craven Cottage, where Fulham are on the hunt for a new manager after Marco Silva failed to sign a new contract and opted to join Benfica after just under five years in west London. The Cottagers are said to have already been turned down by Arne Slot, after making a bold move for the ex-Liverpool boss.

Fresh reports from Portugal suggest Fulham are now taking an interest in ex-Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim, who endured a torrid time at Old Trafford, winning just 38% of his games in charge. The story says that Benfica originally tried to get Amorim before Silva, but failed in their attempts. The Cottagers could now swoop in to snatch the ex-Sporting CP head coach.

The 3AM Verdict: There’s no getting around it - Amorim had an absolute nightmare at United. While there was plenty of drama and turmoil off the field, the manager’s reluctance to adapt his methods really didn’t help matters. At Fulham, where he’d likely have more control, he could have the ideal opportunity to revive his reputation in the Premier League.

Aston Villa close in on Senegalese gem

Up to the West Midlands next, where Aston Villa are looking to press on next season after a strong 2025/26 season saw Unai Emery’s side win the Europa League. They’ll be in the Champions League next season, and the club are expected to bring in new signings as they look to make appearing in UEFA’s elite competition a regular occurrence.

According to reports from Spain, via Sport Witness, Villa are closing in on a move for young Senegal international Dion Lopy, who plies his trade for Spanish second tier side Almeria. The defensive midfielder has played an important role in his side’s push for promotion this season, with the team still embroiled in the play-off process.

The story says Villa have already made a bid in the region of £15m which was knocked back, with his club holding out for just a couple more million to seal the deal. It’s said that there’s a “real possibility” that the move will go through, and that Almeria have already lined up Real Zaragoza’s Yussif Saidu as his replacement.

The 3AM Verdict: We’re not going to pretend to be avid viewers of the Segunda Division or Lopy’s exploits within it. What we can tell you is that Everton made an unsuccessful bid to sign him last summer, so he’s clearly viewed as a talent capable of impressing in the Premier League. Villa would do well just to pay the extra £2m and get the deal done while they can.

Forest and Newcastle scrap for Bundesliga gem

We’ll round things off with a jaunt over to Cologne, where interest in dazzling young talent Said El Mala is continuing to grow. Brentford were heavily linked with the 19-year-old and were said to have had a club record bid accepted, only for the move to breakdown after difficulties when it came to negotiating the player’s contract.

A fresh report from Team Talk suggests there’s still plenty of Premier League competition to sign the Germany U21 international, with Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United ready to go toe-to-toe to sign him. The say both clubs have made contact over a potential deal, and that, bizarrely, they may have to also sign his older brother, Malek El Mal, for terms to be agreed with the player.

The 3AM Verdict: This is what happens when footballers’ parents get involved negotiations. (Said) El Mala is clearly a highly talented young footballer who could light up the Premier League with his explosive attacking play, but having to include his 21-year-old brother into the bargain is just bizarre. Both clubs should swerve this deal unless they can do it without the rather unusual bonus package.