Sunderland are resolved not to trade Jobe Bellingham, despite interest from Premier League and European clubs. Tottenham, Brentford, and Crystal Palace are among the English clubs said to be interested in Bellingham, who was at Wembley Stadium on Saturday to watch his brother Jude win the Champions League with Real Madrid against Borussia Dortmund.
The German club for which Jude played has also expressed an interest in Jobe, though it is understood he is unlikely to follow in his brother’s footsteps because he wants to pursue his own path after leaving Birmingham last year to join Sunderland for an undisclosed price. Several other European teams are reported to have been watching the 18-year-old, who appeared in 45 Championship games this season and scored seven goals. Sunderland owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus is thought to be particularly reluctant to transfer Bellingham because he sees him as an important member of his side, which is vying for promotion after finishing 16th.
Dreyfus is anticipated to seek more than £20 million for a player with four years remaining on his contract, with Birmingham reported to have a 15% sell-on clause. Brentford and Southampton have been linked with a deal for Sunderland’s former Spurs winger Jack Clark. Palace are close to making their first two signings since Oliver Glasner took over as manager. They have agreed to terms with Japan forward Daichi Kamada on a free transfer, and he is expected in south London this week to complete his medical. Kamada will reunite with Glasner after playing for his Eintracht Frankfurt side that won the Europa League in 2022 before joining Lazio last year.
Palace are also poised to sign Chadi Riad from Barcelona, after the Morocco defender agreed to a five-year contract and completed his physical last week. Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta and Michael Olise have been nominated to France’s 25-man provisional roster for the Summer Olympics. Mateta was chosen as one of three overage players by manager Thierry Henry, and he previously won 11 Under-21 caps.
West Ham’s £25.5 million move for Palmeiras winger Luis Guilherme is on the danger of collapse due to personal issues. West Ham’s technical director, Tim Steidten, has been pushing to seal a deal for the 18-year-old, who is regarded as one of Brazil’s top young talents. Over the weekend, there was optimism that negotiations were going well. However, West Ham are becoming increasingly resigned to losing Guilherme, who can play in a variety of offensive positions, and are concerned that the Brazil Under-20 international will join the Saudi Pro League (SPL).
Julen Lopetegui, West Ham’s new manager, aims to sign six to eight players, including Flamengo center-back Fabrício Bruno, who is valued at £12.5 million. However, the 28-year-old Brazil international appears to be planning a transfer to the SPL in search of higher pay.
England has only two matches this week before Euro 2024, and Gareth Southgate is still working on refining his roster and deciding which seven players to drop from his preliminary group. The first of those warm-up friendlies takes place on Monday night, with the Three Lions facing Bosnia and Herzegovina. With a number of absentees, positions are definitely up for grabs if players impress when given the opportunity to start.
But who deserves the nod? With Jordan Pickford the clear option in goal, the three behind him are battling not only for two airline tickets, but also for the opportunity to be his go-to backup in the tournament. In defence, the possibilities at full-back must be selected, particularly on the left given Luke Shaw’s chronic injury problem, while four centre-backs in the team have only seven caps between them, with two still untested.
Further forward, Southgate must decide whether he wants to see Liverpool’s Alexander-Arnold in midfield alongside Declan Rice before the tournament begins, or if it is more important to give other fringe options a chance to succeed and earn a spot in the squad, while Jarrod Bowen and Eberechi Eze will be hoping for a chance with Anthony Gordon currently out with an injury. The competition for positions in the vast areas of attack is great, and there is also the Harry Kane understudy to consider. There is still a lot for Southgate to figure out, and Monday night’s lineup is key. Here are the opinions of the Independent’s sports desk regarding who should be given a start:
