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West Bromwich Albion are finally off the mark with their first signing of the summer transfer window as they ramp up their pre-season preparations ahead of the new Championship campaign.

Who have West Brom signed?

The Baggies confirmed the arrival of winger Jeremy Sarmiento on loan from Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion on Tuesday, providing manager Carlos Corberan with some extra quality out wide.

Albion's only other business this window has seen Dara O'Shea join Burnley in a £7m deal and Karlan Grant join Cardiff City on loan, while Jake Livermore and Tom Rogic were both released at the end of last season.

Corberan recently stated that he intends to make full use of the loan market, as was the case with the signing of Sarmiento, and West Brom could repeat the trick by moving for Aston Villa's Kortney Hause.

According to journalist Darren Witcoop, Albion are among the Championship clubs interested in signing the central defender, who would effectively be brought in as a replacement for O'Shea.

Is Kortney Hause injured?

Hause was hoping to use a spell on loan in the Championship with Watford last season as a chance to kick-start his career, but instead, he made only three appearances due to a knee injury that saw him return to Villa midway through the campaign.

The knee issue now appears to have cleared up and the 28-year-old will hope to join a team where he can play regular football, which will not be the case at Villa Park under Unai Emery.

It would be unfair to use Hause's numbers from last season to gauge exactly what West Brom can expect from him should he arrive at The Hawthorns, given he was on the field for a total of just 191 minutes.

Indeed, you have to go back to the 2019-20 season for the last time Hause played more than seven times in a single campaign. The Englishman played 18 times in the Premier League that season and stood out in a number of areas.

How good is Kortney Hause?

There are plenty of similarities between Hause – who is on wages of £8k-a-week at Villa, according to Capology – that season and O'Shea last season for West Brom, particularly in the defensive metrics.

For example, they registered 2.38 and 2.89 tackles and interceptions combined per 90 minutes respectively, according to FBref, while they won 0.52 and 0.62 tackles per 90.

O'Shea boasts a better pass-completion percentage across those respective seasons (82.9 v 73.6), but Hause comes out on top for aerial duels won (73.9% v 61.3%) and recoveries (6.34 per 90 v 5.57).

Described by Paul Lambert as an "excellent" defender during his time at Wolverhampton Wanderers, it remains to be seen whether Hause can put his injury issues fully behind him and return to those previous levels.

Signing a player with so little action under his belt over the past few seasons would of course be a risk, but considering West Brom's lack of funds, Hause may be as good an option as any to bolster their backline and replace the outgoing O'Shea.

Everton will be looking to avoid a repeat of their last two Premier League campaigns as Sean Dyche aims to significantly bolster his squad during the summer transfer window.

Ashley Young is the only arrival at Goodison Park so far, but now the Toffees are plotting a move for Leicester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho.

How much could Kelechi Iheanacho cost Everton?

According to Football Insider, Everton have ‘registered their interest’ in the striker as Dyche looks to add some attacking reinforcements to his squad ahead of next season.

The Foxes find themselves in a precarious situation whereby they may have to sell the majority of their prized assets due to their relegation to the Championship. James Maddison and Youri Tielemans have already left and now it appears as though the Nigerian could be next.

Iheanacho has only 12 months remaining on his current contract and Leicester may have to cash in on him this summer as opposed to losing him for free next year.

With that in mind, they have placed a valuation of between £10m-£15m on the 26-year-old and this could represent a solid investment by Dyche.

How good is Kelechi Iheanacho?

The former Manchester City starlet earns £90k-per-week at the Championship side and although this is nearly double that of Neal Maupay (£49k-per-week) a summer arrival in 2022, there is no doubt he could be a major upgrade on the Frenchman next season.

Having cost the club £15m from fellow Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion, he was expected to take his game to the next level having netted 27 goals for the south coast side in three seasons.

The 26-year-old ended up registering just two goal contributions – one goal and one assist – across 29 matches for Everton in what was an underwhelming campaign to say the least and Iheanacho could offer so much more.

Not only did he offer a greater attacking threat by scoring more league goals (five to one) last term, but he also created more chances (seven to zero), averaged more key passes per game (0.8 to 0.3) and completed more successful dribbles per game (0.7 to 0.3) with this clearly suggesting he would be a much better option for Dyche in 2023/24, adding goals along with the ability to create plenty of opportunities for others in the team.

Iheanacho also impressed when compared to similar players across Europe’s big five leagues, ranking in the top 2% for assists per 90 (0.4), top 9% for shot-creating actions per 90 (3.59) and successful take-ons per 90 (1.6), again, evidence that he offers more than just goals, with a more rounded approach which could benefit the rest of the Everton forward line during matches.

In contrast, Maupay failed to even rank in the top 70% across the big five European leagues in the same attacking metrics, suggesting that there is a massive difference between both his and Iheanacho’s attacking output.

Former professional Tony Cottee lauded the Nigerian striker back in 2021 following a goal against Crystal Palace, saying he was a "special talent."

Considering how poor his forwards performed last season, it certainly appears to be a no-brainer in spending just £15m to lure the player to Merseyside this summer.

The focus of Liverpool's recruitment during the summer transfer window has been the midfield department so far as they have brought in two new recruits to bolster the squad.

Jurgen Klopp has swooped to sign Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai from Brighton & Hove Albion and RB Leipzig respectively, following Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita, and James Milner's respective departures at the end of last season.

However, the Reds could yet look to strengthen their options in defence as they have been touted with a move for a new centre-back to compete with the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez, and Joel Matip.

Liverpool were named as one of a number of teams interested in signing Bayern Munich central defender Benjamin Pavard last month, alongside top-flight rivals Manchester City and Chelsea.

How good is Benjamin Pavard?

The 27-year-old warrior, who can also be deployed as a right-back, has the quality to be a phenomenal player for Klopp if he is able to translate his form from the Bundesliga over to the Premier League.

Pavard could be the dream partner for Ibrahima Konate moving forward, given that he is five years younger than 32-year-old Virgil van Dijk, due to his ability, experience as a winner, and their pre-existing relationship.

They are both French internationals and started four matches alongside each other in defence for their country last season, which resulted in four wins and one draw – with only two goals conceded.

This suggests that Pavard, who would arrive as a proven winner with four Bundesliga titles, a Champions League, and a World Cup winner's medal, could hit the ground running next to Konate as they are already familiar with each other and there would not be a language barrier between them.

The Bayern star could also be an outstanding defensive performer for Liverpool due to his performances last term. He averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.36 across 30 league matches for the Bavarian side, which would have placed him top of the Reds' squad – above Trent Alexander-Arnold's club-leading score of 7.32 in the Premier League.

Pavard also made 3.8 tackles and interceptions per game for the German giants – more than any of Klopp's central defenders managed – as he showcased his ability to win possession back for his team on a regular basis to prevent his goalkeeper from being tested.

The French brute, who was once hailed as "underrated" by current boss Thomas Tuchel, is also an exceptional passer of the ball who could complement Konate's lack of progressive play.

Over the last 365 days, the Bayern titan ranks in the top 1% of centre-backs across the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions for progressive passes and the top 9% for progressive carries per 90 – as per FBref.

This essentially means that the talented stopper is able to consistently find teammates in advanced positions whilst also being able to dribble further up the pitch to gain ground on the opposition.

On the other hand, the former RB Leipzig colossus places below the average in both statistics, which suggests that the 24-year-old ace does not excel on the ball.

This is another reason why the £83k-per-week Liverpool target could be the dream partner for Konate as his magnificent ability to progress his team up the pitch to start attacks could make up for his compatriot's lack of quality in that department.

Leeds United reportedly want to sign Bayern Munich goalkeeper Alexander Nubel this summer on a permanent transfer.

What’s the latest Leeds transfer news?

The Whites and new manager Daniel Farke are currently preparing for the Championship season but are yet to make any senior signings in the transfer market. A number of payers have left Elland Road, either on loan or on a permanent basis, with a takeover involving the 49ers Enterprises still awaiting the EFL green light.

There has been plenty of speculation over new signings, though, with Phil Hay stating that a new goalkeeper, left-back, centre-back, midfielder and forward could be on the agenda in Yorkshire over the coming weeks. One player who could now be targeted in goal appears to be Nubel, with Leeds being named in a recent update.

According to reliable German outlet Bild in the last 48 hours, Nubel doesn’t see his future at the Allianz Arena and seemingly has two options on the table.

The report claims that fellow Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart are looking to loan the goalkeeper, whereas Leeds are interested in a permanent transfer, with Bayern Munich leaning towards a permanent sale. It is believed that a decision could be made regarding Nubel’s future by Monday.

Leeds’ current first-choice goalkeeper has been Illan Meslier, however, Hay believes the club will sell the Frenchman this summer.

Who is Alexander Nubel?

Nubel is 26 years of age and is under contract with Bayern Munich until 2025. The German began his career on the books of SC Paderborn before joining FC Schalke in 2015. Nubel made 53 appearances for the club and signed for Bayern in 2020 on a free transfer.

However, he has featured on just four occasions for his current employers and spent the last two seasons on loan with AS Monaco, where he turned out on 97 occasions in all competitions.

Klaus Thomforde, Germany's U21 goalkeeper coach, once labelled Nubel as an “incredibly talented goalkeeper” who has “extraordinary footballing ability”.

"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."

Meanwhile, Eric Kroll, Nubel’s former teammate at Paderborn, has previously hailed the goalkeeper's ability with the ball at his feet.

"Alex was always better with his feet than many of our outfield players – when you had Alex on your team, that was half the job done – you knew you could always pass the ball to him. I can imagine seeing him as Germany number one in future."

As per FBref, Nubel ranks in the top 10% of goalkeepers for saves over the past 12 months (90th percentile), compared to Meslier who sits in the top 62% (38th percentile).

Nubel also holds a better pass completion percentage than the Leeds man and has conceded fewer goals, so it looks as if he could be a sensible option for the Whites to replace Meslier, and by the looks of things, a move could be one to keep an eye on over the coming days.

Liverpool will only strengthen in central defence if Jurgen Klopp finds the 'right player' to fit his vision, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

Who are Liverpool signing in 2023?

Liverpool have been busy making inroads in the summer transfer market and have confirmed two signings in the form of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai.

Reds' manager Klopp has his eye on bolstering his midfield further and Southampton youngster Romeo Lavia has emerged as another potential addition at Anfield, as per Football Insider.

The report states that Lavia is keen to join Liverpool over any other prospective suitors that are keen to secure his signature, which include the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Barcelona.

Intriguingly, Liverpool have also been linked with an ambitious swoop for Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde and even submitted an enquiry to the Spanish giants before being rebuffed, as per 90min.

Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Manchester City also made approaches to Real Madrid; however, it is believed that Valverde is completely against the idea of leaving the Santiago Bernebau.

Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram had been linked to Liverpool earlier in the window and was even thought to have verbally agreed personal terms with the club, as per FootballTransfers.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer guru Romano has indicated that midfield signings will take precedence and thinks that Liverpool will only enter the market for a central defender if Klopp thinks they are the correct fit at Anfield.

Romano said: “But let me say that Liverpool will only do that if they find the right player. They don’t want to put money in a player who is not 100% their important target, so this is the idea. But again, now the focus is on completing the midfielder and then moving to the new centre-back.”

Who are Liverpool looking at with regards to defensive additions?

Even though midfield reinforcements look likely to be the focus of recruitment for Liverpool just now, they have still been linked with plenty of defensive targets.

As per The Evening Standard, Chelsea defender Levi Colwill is one name that continues to be mentioned in connection with a surprise potential move to Anfield, though Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester City are also in contention to sign the England Under-21 international.

The Times have shared quotes from Colwill talking about where his future may lie, as the 20-year-old stated: “I’ll speak to my family, speak to everyone I need to and make a decision. I’ve got to play at the end of the day to hopefully get there and go to the next camp.”

Football Insider claim that Torino defender Perr Schuurs is a 'top target' for Klopp and could be a cheaper alternative to some of the high-profile names being floated this summer as recruits to slot into the Reds backline.

Sporting Lisbon ace Goncalo Inacio and Wolfsburg young star Micky van de Ven are also admired by Liverpool and appear on a shortlist of names identified by the club.

In the coming weeks we will likely find out more about who may pitch up on the red half of Merseyside as the 2023/24 campaign edges closer to kick-off.

Manchester United are still suffering the consequences of their protracted takeover process as the search for a new number nine has resulted in "nothing at the moment", according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The unintended side effect of this lack of progress in the market means that the prospect of Marcus Rashford being utilised as the club's "central striker" must now be "considered."

Manchester United transfer news – what's the latest in the club's search for a striker?

The Times reported earlier this month that regardless of the speed at which United's takeover is completed, it would be unlikely for the new owners to be in charge of the club before next season had begun.

It is perhaps no surprise then that transfer dealings have appeared somewhat more challenging for the club so far this window, though Chelsea's Mason Mount does look set to join.

However, it hasn't been easy as there was hope earlier this year that Harry Kane might make his way to Old Trafford over the summer, with the England captain entering the final 12 months of his contract in North London.

However, a tough stance from Daniel Levy ultimately made any negotiations untenable, so United pulled out.

What has transfer insider Dean Jones said about the search for a striker at Manchester United?

Jones was pessimistic about the progress the club has been making regarding the search for their new number nine and pointed out that the longer they delay, the more and more likely it'll be that Rashford has to be used down the middle.

Speaking to Football FanCast, he said: "There's nothing at the moment and the longer it goes on, the more you start to wonder, does Marcus Rashford end up having to be used as United's central striker next season? That wouldn't be ideal, but I think that that is something that has to be considered."

How good was Rashford last season?

It was a good year for Erik ten Hag's team last year; a Carabao Cup triumph and a top-four finish would have been the kind of level they were aiming for in preseason, and they have Rashford to thank for that success.

According to WhoScored, the Manchester-born-dynamo averaged a great match rating of 7.08 across his 35 appearances in the Premier League, scoring 17 goals and assisting a further five.

Ex-United striker Michael Owen was a massive fan of the 25-year-old's exploits last season, saying: "It's scary numbers we're looking at, and we're looking at a player that we're talking about at world-class level in years to come if he keeps this going."

His underlying numbers were equally outstanding and only go to prove – if it needed to be – that his season wasn't just a fluke.

According to FBref, who compare players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, he sits in the top 1% for non-penalty goals and non-penalty expected goals, the top 2% for total shots, and the top 8% for touches in the oppositions penalty area, all per 90.

If United can't get their hands on a quality striker in time for the start of the season, Rashford should be able to provide high quality cover if required.

That said, if they want a repeat of his outstanding performances from last season, they need to keep him out wide and spend the cash required to get a central striker through the door.

Sunderland may have been handed a boost in their efforts to sign Ellis Simms this summer, with Phil Smith of The Sunderland Echo reporting that the player himself could be keen on a switch back to the Stadium of Light.

What is the latest Sunderland transfer news?

The Championship side appear to have a few irons in the fire when it comes to transfer dealings, as they look to try and push on and seal a potential promotion into the Premier League next season.

The Black Cats are clearly keen to bring in attacking reinforcements, with the side revealed as one of the teams wanting to bring in Sonny Perkins on loan this summer. The Leeds man could be available on a short-term basis and the Black Cats have thrown their hat into the ring over a potential deal to sign him for the duration of the campaign.

In turn though, they lose some of their key players to those higher up the pyramid. Jack Clarke put himself on the map with his displays on Wearside last season and Burnley are now trying to snap up the winger.

One big striking target for Sunderland though has been former loanee Simms, with the Black Cats keen to get him back through the door at the Stadium of Light. It seems that a decision will be made soon over where the striker's future lies after a bid was made last week.

Are Sunderland signing Ellis Simms?

Now, according to a report from Phil Smith for The Sunderland Echo, there has been a fresh update over a potential deal. That's because the player himself is open to a return to the Championship side and "keen" to link back up with his old teammates.

That means that if the previously reported bid is accepted he will surely choose Sunderland. Other clubs are also interested, but it looks as though the Black Cats' previous association with the youngster has handed them a huge leg up in the race.

He's received high praise in the game already for his efforts up front, with Karen Carney calling him "unbelievable" in terms of his finishing ability. The Toffees starlet already possesses an excellent ability to find the back of the net despite being just 22-years-old and a transfer back to Sunderland could see him get more minutes and allow him to really hone that ability in front of goal.

It seems as if the player himself could fancy bagging goals again for the Black Cats too, so that will be positive news for fans of the club.

West Ham are interested in signing Juventus midfielder Denis Zakaria this summer but don't want to spend the reported €20m asking price, according to a new report.

Did Zakaria have a good season?

The Hammers are on the lookout for some significant transfer business in the summer window, as they look to kick on after a disappointing Premier League season, but a campaign that ultimately saw them crowned winners of the UEFA Europa Conference League.

With Declan Rice looking almost certain to leave the London Stadium for a fresh challenge in the coming weeks, finding a replacement in midfield will be of the utmost importance for West Ham.

One player who has been linked with a move to east London recently is Zakaria, who is currently at Juventus but spent last season on loan at Chelsea, where he earned £90,000 per week. The Swiss had an underwhelming spell at Stamford Bridge, though, being part of a struggling Blues team and only starting five league games in total.

Despite this, it looks as though he remains a transfer target for West Ham, though, and with an approach already made, a fresh update has emerged regarding his future.

Could Zakaria be off to West Ham?

According to Gazzetta dello Sport [via Sport Witness], the Hammers "having carried out a survey" for Zakaria, with Juventus happy to let him leave the club before the beginning of next season. That being said, the mooted €20m (£17.1m) asking price is "too much" for West Ham, so a move is only likely to materlialise if they lower the price.

There is competition for the Juve man's signature, however, with Bundesliga pair Borussia Monchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund believed to have "sniffed out" a deal for him.

While Zakaria's time at Chelsea hasn't exactly enhanced his reputation as a player, he could still be an exciting signing by West Ham this summer, helping fill what is likely to be a sizeable void left by Rice in the middle of the park.

Former Chelsea and England star Joe Cole hailed him as "excellent" at one point last season, while a tally of 49 caps for Switzerland shows what an experienced international player he is, not to mention the fact that he has 125 Bundesliga appearances to his name.

At 26, Zakaria could be a strong signing for West Ham for four or five years, bringing a combination of 1.3 tackles and 1.1 clearances in the Premier League in 2022/23, while also ranking in the 99th percentile for medium and long passes completed.

Liverpool aren't just after midfielders this summer it seems, with the Reds preparing an offer to bring in Federico Chiesa, according to Gazzetta dello Sport, via Rousing the Kop.

How many goals has Federico Chiesa scored?

The winger has had a somewhat torrid year for Juventus in the 2022/23 campaign, with knee injury troubles meaning he was limited to very little playing time. He started on just six occasions in Serie A for example, although he did manage to play in 21 games in total – meaning that he largely had to make do with coming off the bench.

Even though that meant his minutes were limited, he was still able to score two goals and assist five times – it meant that he actually bettered his totals from the 2021/22 season, despite playing for slightly less time.

When able to get onto the field frequently though, the Italian has already showcased in the past what he can do. The last season in which he managed over ten lots of 90 minutes for example brought him eight Serie A goals and the same amount of assists. That meant he had a rate of 16 goal contributions in 28 starts for the Old Lady.

Are Liverpool signing Chiesa?

Now, according to a report from Gazzetta dello Sport, via Rousing the Kop, the player could be given an escape from the Turin side. That is because Liverpool do appear to have an interest in him and, not only that, they are already preparing an offer for the player to try and tempt Juventus into letting him leave.

That bid will reportedly be worth around £34m and they will be hopeful it can be enough to convince the Italian side into a sale – although it's believed that they are more likely to want just above £50m for the player.

Chiesa clearly still has a lot to offer a football club when he is fit, as football journalist Josh Bunting recently praised his "wonderful" talents after witnessing a "special" goal from the Juve starlet on international duty.

It shows that the forward can still fulfil his potential despite his injury hell over the last 18 months, and given the chance to thrive elsewhere, we could see the best out of him – perhaps Liverpool could be that team.

Liverpool will not be making a move for Alex Scott this summer, according to a report from reliable journalist Ben Jacobs.

Who is Alex Scott linked with?

The midfielder has had an electric year in the Championship for Bristol City and has become a key player for the side already despite being only 19-years-old. He featured in a total of 42 second tier games for the Robins in the 2022/23 season – nearly every single league fixture for the club – and 40 of those came as starts. It led to one goal and five assists from the centre of the field, the teenager's best ever career tally for assists.

In addition, when compared to others in his position in the Men's 'Next 8' competitions in Europe, he ranks extremely highly despite his youth and relative inexperience (he's only had two years of first-team football).

He sits nicely in the top 11% for progressive carries for example with a rate of 2.34 per 90 and also fits into the 83rd percentile for successful take-ons, with a total of 1.22 per 90 to boot.

It's led to plenty of clubs from higher up the pyramid sniffing around his signature – but one club that won't be making a move is Liverpool according to journalist Ben Jacobs. He states that the Reds have indeed scouted and had a look at Scott but that they won't be making a move to sign him. Instead, that leaves the path empty for some of the other interested Premier League sides, namely Wolves and Tottenham.

What is Alex Scott's transfer value?

A deal won't be cheap for the player even though he is only 19. That's because Jacobs adds that Bristol City want around £25m for his signature – a huge fee for a player who has yet to leave the Championship.

However, when you consider the impact he has had on the game already and some of the high praise he has receieved, it comes as no surprise. Even Pep Guardiola has hailed Scott for example, as he called the midfielder an "unbelievable player."

Indeed, some Reds fans may feel that, considering his talent, their club should be in the race to try and bring Scott to Anfield.