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Fulham are still looking at signing Leicester City defender Timothy Castagne this summer, but they are now facing growing competition from some of Europe's top clubs, according to a new report.

What's the latest Fulham transfer news?

As we enter the final two weeks of the summer transfer window, the Cottagers seem to be more concerned about potential outgoings, rather than making more additions to their squad, having already signed Calvin Bassey, Raul Jimenez and Adama Traore.

There are no guarantees that Willian will remain at Craven Cottage beyond the deadline at the beginning of next month, with club chiefs "worried" the winger will complete a move to Saudi Arabia, despite only putting pen to paper on a new one-year contract last month.

Aleksandar Mitrovic could also end up in the Saudi Pro League, with a £46m bid recently being tabled, but Fulham are now "determined" to keep hold of him, and they believe they will be able to do so, with the Serbian making a 32-minute cameo against Everton at the weekend.

With Joao Palhinha now emerging as a transfer target for Liverpool, Marco Silva has a real battle on his hands trying to keep hold of some of his best players this summer, but he is also still keen to strengthen in other areas.

According to a report from The Express, Fulham are looking at signing Leicester defender Castagne, who is yet to feature for the Foxes in the Championship this season, perhaps indicating he may be allowed to leave.

It has previously been made clear that the Belgian wants to leave the Championship club this summer, but the Cottagers now face growing competition in the race for his signature, with Juventus also keen.

As a result of Jurrien Timber's recent injury, Arsenal are also weighing up a move for the 27-year-old, so Silva's side will have to fend off interest from some of the continent's top clubs if they are to get a deal over the line.

How good is Timothy Castagne?

The Leicester ace has been lauded as "brilliant" by members of the media, and he ranks very highly across a number of key defensive metrics, placing in the 80th percentile for tackles per 90, the 84th for aerials won and the 94th for clearances, when compared to his positional peers.

With 91 Premier League appearances to his name, the Arlon-born defender has a great deal of top-flight experience, and he also starred for Atalanta in the Serie A, showcasing his attacking threat by recording six goal contributions in the 2018-19 campaign.

However, the former Atalanta man struggled last season, en-route to the Foxes' relegation from the top flight, with his average Sofascore rating placing him just 13th in the Leicester squad, and there are doubts over whether he would be a necessary signing.

The £65k-per-week defender could cost around €15m (£13m), yet Kenny Tete has averaged more tackles, interceptions and blocks per 90 in the past year, while also offering more in an attacking sense, recording a higher amount of shot-creating actions and assists.

Cricket Australia’s CEO James Sutherland said that alarm bells were ringing for Test cricket around the world, with the slide in the commercial value of the format creating headaches for the game’s future

Daniel Brettig16-Nov-2017Some days of international cricket are more equal than others. Cricket Australia’s chief executive James Sutherland has revealed how three hours of a single Twenty20 international are worth as much to India television broadcasters as five days of a Test match, a market reality that underlines the parlous state of the game’s longest form without context.Speaking to podcast, Sutherland said that “alarm bells” were ringing for Test cricket all round the world, in spite of the sold out crowds and strong television ratings expected for this summer’s Ashes series between Australia and England. The ICC recently, and at long last, approved plans for a World Test Championship to begin in 2019, but Sutherland said the slide of the five-day game’s value was creating major headaches around cricket’s future.”In many ways there’s so much doubt about Test cricket and its future I think and in some parts of the world it really is in a desperate state. That’s partly because it’s just not commercially viable,” he said, when asked how he saw Test cricket looking in 15 years’ time. “There are some really significant warning signals in some parts of the world.”As a starting point if you go to India, the country where there is supposedly the most lucrative commercial market, the current valuations on a Test match, five days of Test cricket, is exactly the same as the valuation on a three-hour Twenty20 international match. That’s a perspective on what the market in the biggest country in the cricketing world sees as the value of Test cricket, and that has a significant flow-on impact to other countries.”So the alarm bells are ringing for Test cricket and that’s one of the reasons why I think this context around Test cricket is so important with this league championship. In 15 years’ time I sincerely hope that this league will create extra relevance and drive and importance for Test cricket, ideally the championship has significant incentives for countries and players to stay involved in Test cricket, and the rewards and recognition from that will also be seen and reflected in fans coming and continuing to stay connected to the game.”Apart from the creation of the Test Championship to foster “third party” relevance and context to matches for fans not supporting either of the competing teams, Sutherland has also been an advocate for day-night Test matches to have more of their span played at a time when greater audience sizes are available both at the ground and on television.A third area in which he said the game could be enhanced is by the preparation of more bowler-friendly pitches in Tests, so that the balance between bat and ball is more even than that often seen in the ODI and T20 formats dominated largely by batsmen. “Money is basically a function of fan interest and support and there’s a lot of romantic connection to Test cricket and rightly so,” he said. “But Test cricket has to remain relevant and contemporary for the modern-day fan and I think it’s challenged by the fact there are two other forms of the game that are alternatives.”So context and relevance is particularly important. I’m not saying there’s any silver bullet solution so I’m not suggesting it’s that, but it’s another reason why we’ve been very strong in trying to introduce day-night Test cricket to time shift it into more available hours for fans to engage with cricket, and I think there are other things that need to be looked at, including pitches to ensure there is a better balance between bat and ball.”What I’m talking about there is actually giving more advantage to the bowler in Test cricket to make the game more interesting, because the one-day game and T20 game in terms of pitches and conditions heavily favour the batsmen. I think to even that up a little bit for the bowler would make for more compelling Test cricket.”Having just witnessed the women’s Ashes Test at North Sydney Oval, Sutherland said there was little prospect of more long-form women’s matches being scheduled. “World cricket — ICC and its member countries — have decided that the best format by which to promote the women’s game is the T20 format,” he said.”That’s the primary format and we continue to hold on the men’s side Test cricket as the primary format and the game that we want to preserve and make the ultimate form. We won’t see a lot more women’s Test cricket in the future but hopefully it will continue to be part of the Ashes at least.”

Newcastle United are yet to make a true landmark signing in this new era of the club. That could change though as the powers that be would be willing to pull rank over Eddie Howe and signing the generational talent that is Neymar, as revealed by Dean Jones to GIVEMESPORT.

Is Neymar a genuine Newcastle target?

The footballing landscape really must have shifted over the last year or two if Newcastle United and Neymar are being mentioned in the same breath.

Newcastle have spent big on a number of players already since their new ownership took charge, most notably Sandro Tonali and Alexander Isak, but this is on a whole different level.

The Geordies can now offer Champions League football for the first time in over two decades and the Brazilian has previously spoken of his love for the Premier League, making this transfer not as impossible as it may seem on the surface.

As per SportBible, he highlighted the English teams who stand out to him above the rest. “Someday, I would like to play [in] it, yes. I admire Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool —these are the teams that are always there fighting."

It isn’t the biggest snub ever that Newcastle aren’t included on this list but financially, they are able to compete with the giants of the Premier League now.

This conversation has arisen due to Neymar sounding out his desire to move on from Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain. Lionel Messi is now tearing it up with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer whilst Kylian Mbappe is also keen to move on to pastures new, meaning that the end is nigh for this iconic trio of superstars in the city of love.

What is Dean Jones' take on the matter?

“Newcastle were heavily linked previously and with the PIF ownership it is one of those marquee ideas they would love to come to light.

“Does Eddie Howe want him? I’m not so sure he would see it as the perfect time to be bringing a personality like that into the dressing room and potentially rocking the team balance but at the end of the day this is one of the best players in the world so he’s not really going to be able to say he doesn’t want him if PIF find a way to make it happen.

“Of course the chances here are still slim, but there are very few clubs that could even entertain the idea.”

Who else can afford Neymar?

The issue that arises when a player of this stature begins to angle for a move is the money behind it all. Very few clubs in the world can afford a Neymar or Mbappe, particularly in this post-covid world, meaning that their options are limited.

Another cash-rich Premier League team is Chelsea though and they have been heavily linked with the Champions League winner and Olympic gold medallist.

The 31-year-old has 43 goals and 36 assists to his name from 81 UCL outings and so even with all of the abuse he receives from fans worldwide, the talent is there for all to see.

This competition form isn’t necessarily relevant for the Blues though- their woeful 12th place finish in the Premier League last term meaning they don’t have any European football to offer Neymar.

Ashes aspirants Hilton Cartwright and Marcus Stoinis made thirty-somethings each to push the hosts’ lead to 294 by stumps on the third day in Perth

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Oct-2017
ScorecardGetty ImagesAshes aspirants Hilton Cartwright and Marcus Stoinis each made thirties to help tighten Western Australia’s grip over Tasmania in the rain-hit day-night fixture in Perth.It was the bowlers who set things up for WA, dismissing Tasmania for 231 from an overnight 6 for 134. Ben McDermott stayed unbeaten on 45 off 63 balls, including eight fours. Debutant seamer Matthew Kelly impressed with 4 for 58. He claimed three of the four Tasmania wickets to fall on the third day. Jhye Richardson also chipped in with 3 for 30, helping Western Australia secure a 92-run first-innings lead.The batsmen then stretched it to nearly 300 by stumps. After being reduced to 3 for 39, Cartwright and Stoinis added 60 for the fourth wicket. The stand ended when Stoinis was dismissed for 32 in the 35th over, and three overs later Cartwright exited for 38. Richardson and Nathan Coulter-Nile then put on an unbroken 57-run stand in 52 balls to close out the day.

Tottenham Hotspur finally seem set to address their outstanding problem, further bolstering Ange Postecoglou's already impressive summer window…

Are Tottenham Hotspur signing Micky van de Ven?

That's according to transfer insider David Ornstein, who took to Twitter to issue an update on their pursuit of Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven. He wrote:

"Tottenham on verge of agreement with Wolfsburg to sign Micky van de Ven. Fee approaching €50m (£43m) inc add-ons. Once deal finalised, 22yo left centre-back will fly to UK to do medical + complete move on long-term contract".

Their pursuit of the Dutchman has been a longstanding one, but at last it seems they will get their man, and that all-important centre-back to boost a fragile backline.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

Having fought off rival interest from Liverpool, the 22-year-old stalwart would mark an important signing, should the positive talks from earlier in the week transform into a tangible acquisition.

Is Micky van de Ven any good?

Despite only enjoying his breakout year in European football last term, such was the quality of the hulking speedster, he has already drawn an impressive level of interest.

Scouts likely see the 6 foot 4 frame of Van de Ven, and are subsequently stunned when his blistering pace is then showcased. Marcel Schäfer, Wolfsburg’s managing director for sport, even sought to outline it:

"Left foot, extreme speed, plays every second. Micky [has performed] consistently very well throughout the season. He’s a player with huge potential and this season in particular has shown incredible development, playing himself into the spotlight with his performances."

Given his preference to play from the left, which is a unique and important asset to have in any top side, it is thought that his signing will spell the end of Spurs' permanent pursuit of Clement Lenglet.

After the torrid season he has just endured in north London, perhaps that is a blessing.

Having joined on loan from the mighty Barcelona, many assumed Antonio Conte had earned a coup by tempting the Frenchman on loan. However, having played 26 Premier League games, it quickly became clear he was not cut out for this level.

He maintained a 6.65 average rating during that period, but journalist Muhammad Butt had predicted such a failure whilst lambasting the Catalonian giants' poor squad depth in April 2022:

"Garcia and Lenglet are both just terrible."

Meanwhile, the Wolfsburg star has been shining in the Bundesliga, having featured 36 times across all competitions and earned deserved praise.

His 6.85 average rating in the league perhaps even belies his influence, as he maintained an 88% pass accuracy, a 70% dribble success rate, 1.4 tackles and 3.1 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

For comparison, Lenglet would only offer an improvement on one of those figures, with his 1.5 tackles per game hardly an outstanding upgrade on his potential successor.

At six years his junior and already past the level of the former Sevilla man, Postecoglou seems set to avoid his first big blunder by opting for Van de Ven over last season's loanee.

Even if FBref seek to outline a potential comparison between the two, including the Catalan dud on his 'similar players' list, it is clear that this is solely regarding play style rather than quality.

The young defender could underpin a long-lasting reign in north London, with Postecoglou using his impressive assets as the foundation for a brighter future. Lenglet would have instead just been a reminder of one of the worst campaigns in Spurs' recent history, without nearly as much talent.

The ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit has launched an investigation even as the players, including captains Dinesh Chandimal and Upul Tharanga, urged SLC to probe the ‘baseless allegations’ reportedly made by former selector Pramodaya Wickremasinghe

Andrew Fidel Fernando23-Sep-2017The ICC has confirmed its Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) has opened an investigation in Sri Lanka, less than 48 hours after 40 top cricketers petitioned Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to launch an inquiry into corruption allegations.On Friday, SLC confirmed it had received a letter signed by national players, including captains Dinesh Chandimal and Upul Tharanga, urging the board to probe the “baseless allegations” the players claim were made by former cricketer and selector Pramodya Wickramasinghe. The board, however, stopped short of stating it would launch the probe, and merely recounted the current players’ dismay at having their integrity questioned. But the ICC itself has now publicly established ACU officers have recently visited Sri Lanka in relation to an investigation.”The ICC Anti-Corruption Unit works to uphold integrity in cricket and this includes conducting investigations where there are reasonable grounds to do so,” Alex Marshall, the ICC’s General Manager – ACU, said. “There is currently an ACU investigation underway in Sri Lanka. Naturally, as part of this, we are talking to a number of people.”There have been rumours in Sri Lanka about the nature of play in a particular international match for several weeks, but no evidence of any sort has been produced, or even pointed to.And while some present cricketers claim Wickramasinghe made wild allegations against them, Wickramasinghe himself has more recently suggested that he was only making note of allegations that were already in circulation.Nevertheless, Wickramasinghe has been cast as the source of these allegations. SLC said the players had expressed “profound shock and displeasure at a former national cricketer and selector making such serious allegations,” and that SLC should “initiate an immediate inquiry by summoning Wickramasinghe in fairness to their good names that have been slandered by such diabolic [] allegations.”Whatever the case, it is uncommon for the ICC to comment on ongoing ACU investigations as they have on this occasion.

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Aug-2017Shai Hope got an inside edge on to his stumps in the first innings and was lbw in the second•Getty ImagesKyle Hopec Stokes b Anderson 25, feisty, rearing off a length, clips the shoulder of the bat and flies to gully! Hope has been blasted out by an absolute ripsnorter from Anderson! Stokes this time holds on without drama, it was a straightforward catch after the ball had kicked like Buckaroo and taken Hope completely by surprise. He battled through admirably last night but couldn’t do too much with thatlbw b Roland Jones 12, full, straight and given lbw! After a long talk, Hope calls for the review out of, well, hope. It has angled back in a little, Hope plays around it, but it’s umpire’s call on clipping leg stump. Not plumb, but out enough with it being given on the field by S RaviKieran Powellrun out (Anderson) 20, angled in and tapped down towards mid-on, Powell calls for the single – but it’s a risk, direct hit! Gone, run out by a yard! Calamitous stuff from West Indies and they’ve lost two in two overs… It was a good throw from Anderson but Powell really misjudged thatc Cook b Anderson 10, edged and taken at first slip! Anderson nips out the first again, maybe could have been left on length but it veered away as Powell pushed stiffly from the crease and sent a fast nick straight into Cook’s bucket handsRoston Chaseb Anderson 0, bowled ‘im! Precision stuff from Anderson, decking back in off a perfect length, Chase can’t get his bat down quite in time and edges on to his stumps… The pink ball pops the bails and England are right amongst ’em, herelbw b Broad 24, shoots on low, into the pads – Chase has been done! Easy decision for Marais Erasmus, Broad gets his wicket and moves within one of levelling up Ian Botham… Chase might have come forward but couldn’t then get his bat down as it seamed in at himShai Hopeb Roland-Jones 15, timber! Hope plays on, Roland-Jones breaks the (brief) resistance and West Indies are five down… An ill-advised shot, given the circumstances his team were in, trying to drive on the up and there was enough seam movement to mean the ball ended up cannoning into the stumps off the inside edgec Root b Stokes 4, edged, sharp catch at second slip! Stokes has found some good rhythm in this spell, but it’s a loose poke outside off, really. Was just short of a good length, but quite wide, Hope hangs his bat out and the edge is grabbed by the captainThe West Indies captain Jason Holder was another who went twice in the day•Getty ImagesShane Dowrichlbw b Roland-Jones 4, that’s stone dead lbw! Gets it full and straight, that actually straightens off the seam and beats the outside edge as Dowrich shapes to play towards mid-on and that’s clattering off stump.b Broad 5, bowled him, neck and crop! That went through Dowrich like a battering ram, seaming in to smash the top of off stump – and it moves Broad clear of Botham as England’s second-leading Test wicket-taker! Anderson and Broad are together at the top of the pileJason Holderc Bairstow b Moeen 11, caught behind after a review! Another one past the outside edge, and Bairstow is convinced he’s nicked it! The review is called for. Moeen certainly wasn’t sure. There are spikes on Ultra Edge – although did they quite match up? – and this is overturned! Holder isn’t impressed. Bat was nowhere near the ground or the pad. Noise can’t have been anything elsec Cook b Broad 0, gone first ball! Broad is off and running again, no need to check with the umpire this time… A beauty holding its line on off and Holder can only steer it low to first slip! He’s level with Botham and on a hat-trick!Kemar Roachb Broad 5, that’s through him! Full at off stump, Roach goes for the drive and this spears past the inside edge to take out off stumpb Anderson 12,that does the job, full and straight. Very similar to the first-innings dismissal, Roach misses his drive and the stumps are clatteredAlzarri Josephlbw b Broad 6, fired in at the stumps, hits the pads and up goes the finger! Joseph misses playing across the line, pinned like a gigantic butterfly on the crease… That looked plumb and S Ravi agreed with Broad, who was off and running in familiar fashion before glancing round to have it confirmed. West Indies still have two reviews left but Joseph doesn’t even bother to burn onec Stokes b Roland-Jones 8, edged to slip, and that’s the win to England. In the channel outside off, excellent line, the outside edge carries low to Stokes who grabs it down to his right

Tottenham Hotspur and Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba is "definitely" one to watch this summer and he looks like their top defensive target, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Who will Tottenham sign?

Spurs and new manager Ange Postecoglou are thought to be targeting multiple senior centre-backs ahead of the 2023/2024 Premier League season.

The new campaign, and Postecoglou's debut one at that, kicks off in around a fortnight but the north Londoners are still yet to confirm the arguably crucial addition of a capable new defender.

Spurs held one of the worst defensive records of any elite side in the top flight last season, conceding a pretty woeful 63 league goals, with no side above 15th in the table leaking more.

It is a glaring issue that Postecoglou and chairman Daniel Levy must address quickly, especially if they are to mix it with some of the division's top sides.

The Lilywhites head coach, speaking to media recently, has also admitted that his side are actively looking at signing a new defender or two this summer.

"That's definitely our intention, absolutely," said Postecoglou.

"We've been working on it for a while and we'll definitely try to get it done as quickly as possible.

"I don't think it's any secret about some of the areas we needed to strengthen. Some of it I identified early on. The goalkeeper was one and central defence is another.

"In terms of the other boys, we've got a big squad but my view is I wanted to bring them along and just work with them, get some clarity in my head and give clarity to them."

Tapsoba, who has been heavily linked with a move to Tottenham in recent weeks, is believed to be one of the centre-back candidates – joined by Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo, Barcelona's Clement Lenglet, Juventus star Gleison Bremer and Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven – who have all been mentioned at points by the media.

Renowned transfer journalist Romano, speaking to CaughtOffside this week, shared an update on Tottenham's pursuit of Tapsoba in particular.

He says that it is "definitely" one to watch and the Burkina Faso international could well be Spurs' top transfer target in the centre-back position.

"Tottenham are still working on this one, he remains a top target for Spurs in defence," said Romano.

"Still, it’s not an easy deal to get done because Bayer Leverkusen are asking for a big fee but Spurs are still trying to find a way.

"Also with Tapsoba, let’s see if other clubs could join the race for him too – it’ll be one to watch, definitely.”

How good is Edmond Tapsoba?

The 24-year-old played more Bundesliga minutes than any other Leverkusen outfielder last campaign, highlighting his real importance for manager Xabi Alonso.

Tapsoba ranked just behind teammate Jonathan Tah for clearances made per 90 also, making him an enticing option for Spurs and Postecoglou (WhoScored).

Indeed, the Bundesliga website even likened him to former Bayern Munich star Jerome Boateng for his composure in possession and pint-point long range passing.

Everything is going to plan for Worcestershire who will hope for a matchwinning flourish by R Ashwin on the final day

ECB Reporters Network30-Aug-2017Daryl Mitchell has put Worcestershire in a strong position•Getty ImagesDaryl Mitchell scored his fifth Specsavers County Championship century of the campaign as Worcestershire set Gloucestershire a 401 target at New Road.The 33-year-old opening batsman put a recent lean spell behind him – 33 runs from the previous six innings – in making an accomplished 130.Then star spinner Ravichandran Ashwin struck two early blows as Gloucestershire closed on 55-3.As on many occasions throughout his lengthy career, Mitchell, the curent PCA chairman, provided the glue which held the Worcestershire innings together.He went to three figures off 156 balls with 10 fours and a six in what is his 99th appearance out of Worcestershire last 100 Championship fixtures.It followed on from his 120 against Derbyshire, 161 versus Northamptonshire, 121 off the Sussex attack and 142 when facing Kent.Mitchell was eventually run out attempting a second run shortly before the declaration which left Gloucestershire a minimum of 121 overs to chase their daunting total.He has now amassed 894 Championship runs at an average of 47 so far this summer.Brett D’Oliveira, George Rhodes and Ashwin all provided excellent support for Mitchell as Worcestershire capitalised on their first innings lead of 105.The declaration came at 295-8 and the home side will be hoping the weather forecast is kind tomorrow particularly with promotion rivals Sussex triumphing against Glamorgan and moving into second spot.Worcestershire resumed on 10-0 and D’Oliveira launched an early offensive in making 55 off 58 balls and dominating an opening stand of 76 with Mitchell. He followed up his first innings top-score of 93 by striking 10 boundaries.D’Oliveira’s dismissal – bowled by Liam Norwell – triggered a minor collapse with the out of form Tom Fell falling in the same over for a second ball duck when caught behind and Joe Clarke perishing at square leg off a top edged sweep against Tom Smith.Rhodes proved a valuable ally in a partnership of 114 in 31 overs before he went to try and paddle Smith around the corner and was lbw.Indian star Ashwin raced to 28 as a further 55 was added in nine overs with Mitchell until he chipped Norwell to midwicket.Ben Cox showed positive intent with his first two scoring shots being sixes over long off at Smith’s expense. There was a flurry of wickets before the declaration as Mitchell and Cox were run out and skipper Joe Leach was bowled. Leach then took the new ball and, after switching ends, made the first breakthrough as Cameron Bancroft was caught behind by Cox in a sharp piece of work standing up to the wicket.Ashwin came into the attack after just six overs and quickly made an impact by bowling Will Tavare for a duck and then having Chris Dent caught at second slip. He ended the day with the impressive figures of 10-3-11-2.

West Ham United "dream" of signing Fulham star Joao Palhinha this summer but it could be a very expensive deal, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Who will West Ham sign?

After selling former star midfielder Declan Rice to Arsenal, in a marquee deal worth £105 million (including £5 million in add-ons), West Ham are set to benefit from a huge financial windfall.

The agreement took time to be finalised, as there were delays in documentation from Arsenal's end, but Rice has now become the most expensive English player of all time – overtaking the price tags of Jack Grealish (Man City) and Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid).

It's now up to David Moyes' side to put that money to good use and invest in major signings. West Ham are also in dire need of an out-and-out replacement for Rice in midfield.

Juventus midfielder Denis Zakaria, Bayern Munich's Leon Goretzka, Man United's Scott McTominay, Chelsea ace Conor Gallagher and James Ward-Prowse of Southampton have all been linked with taking up the role recently.

Palhinha is also a player on West Ham's radar and has been subject to approaches, and while the player is apparently keen on joining, it is believed his price tag could well be too much.

According to Romano, speaking to CaughtOffside, the east Londoners "dream" of signing the Portugal international as he shares an update on West Ham's hunt for a new midfielder.

"Monaco want Zakaria, they have submitted their first bid for the player. It’s now up to West Ham if they want to bid again after initial proposal was rejected by Juventus 15 days ago," said Romano.

"Zakaria is still assessing his options, and Monaco could be an interesting option for him as their new manager Adi Hutter knows him well.

"West Ham’s dream target in midfield is Fulham’s Joao Palhinha, but that looks like being a very expensive deal.”

How good is Joao Palhinha?

The 28-year-old was one of Marco Silva's best-performing players by average match rating, according to WhoScored, and he racked up multiple goals from midfield.

Palhinha was also a fixture in the Fulham starting eleven last season, with the former Sporting Lisbon star playing more minutes than any other outfielder (WhoScored).

To further emphasise what a phenomenal player he is, the Portuguese averaged more tackles per 90 than any other player in the English top flight – making him the division's best in that regard (WhoScored).

Serbia international forward Aleksandar Mitrovic also called Palhinha the signing of the season for Fulham, not to mention an "amazing, amazing" player for the west Londoners.

“I think this year there’s been some sensational [signings] that we have made," said Mitrovic.

“For me personally, [Joao] Palhinha is the signing of the season so far, amazing, amazing [player].

“[Bernd] Leno is the signing that we made that’s amazing. The players who fit straight away and didn’t need time to adapt like before, they fit straight away.