Manchester United and Newcastle Target Neco Williams as Arsenal Eyes Tzolis

The Premier League’s heavyweights have started to show their hand. The window is still settling into its rhythm, but the early skirmishes are already drawing clear battle lines.

United and Newcastle test Forest’s resolve over Williams

Neco Williams has gone from useful squad option to one of the most courted full-backs in England.

Manchester United and Newcastle United have both registered firm interest in the Nottingham Forest defender, according to the BBC, after a season in which the 25-year-old Wales international played 37 of 38 Premier League games and proved he can operate on either flank.

That kind of reliability is rare. Forest know it. They are trying to slam the door before it properly opens, working on an improved contract at The City Ground in a bid to keep him at the heart of Nuno Espírito Santo’s back line rather than watching him walk into a Champions League-chasing dressing room.

For United, Williams would represent a younger, more durable option in positions that have become fragile. For Newcastle, he fits the template: high-energy, tactically flexible, Premier League-ready. Forest’s negotiation skills are about to be tested.

Arsenal line up Tzolis as Trossard contingency

While that plays out, Arsenal are quietly constructing their next attacking shuffle.

The Gunners are pushing ahead with a move for Club Brugge attacking midfielder Christos Tzolis, report The Sun, identifying the 24-year-old as a potential replacement if Leandro Trossard completes a mooted switch to Besiktas.

A fee of around £35 million is being discussed for Tzolis, who knows the Premier League’s demands from his stint at Norwich City in 2021-22. That spell was brief and uneven, but his development since then has put him back on the radar of a club that wants more goals and incision from its second line of attackers.

Arsenal’s pursuit of Tzolis does not close the door on their interest in Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers. Far from it. Rogers remains one of their priority targets, pointing to a summer in which Mikel Arteta clearly wants depth and variety across his forward and No. 10 roles rather than a simple one-in, one-out swap.

United’s midfield plan: Koné over Camavinga

At Old Trafford, the rebuild stretches beyond the back line.

Manchester United are preparing a move for AS Roma midfielder Manu Koné, according to TEAMtalk. The 25-year-old has emerged as a leading option for Michael Carrick’s evolving squad, with United viewing him as a better stylistic fit than Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga.

Koné would not come cheap. An offer in the region of £50 million is expected to be needed, and United are not alone. Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City have all been contacted by his representatives, opening the door to a multi-club tug of war if any formal bids land on Roma’s desk.

United want legs and bite in midfield. Koné offers both. Whether they can move quickly enough, and decisively enough, will define whether this interest becomes a cornerstone signing or another name that slipped away.

Europe’s elite queue for Elijah Upson

One of the most intriguing stories of the early window belongs to a player who has not yet played senior Premier League football.

Elijah Upson, 18, is on the radar of Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Manchester City, according to the Daily Mail, after turning down a professional contract at Tottenham Hotspur and ending an 11-year association with the club.

The son of former England defender Matthew Upson, the young centre-back has already visited Arsenal’s training ground and is expected to take his time before choosing his next step. He can afford to. Everton, Borussia Dortmund and Monaco are also in the race, and when this many clubs converge on a free agent teenager, the decision shapes not just a career but the reputations of the academies involved.

Bouaddi price set sky-high as Liverpool and Arsenal circle

At Lille, the stance is clear: if Ayyoub Bouaddi leaves, it will be on their terms.

Liverpool and Arsenal remain locked in talks with the Ligue 1 side over the 18-year-old Morocco international, report Football Insider, with both clubs prepared to include a one-season loan-back clause to smooth negotiations.

That concession does not soften the price. Any deal is still expected to demand close to £100 million, a figure that underlines just how highly Lille rate their midfielder. Liverpool see Bouaddi as a possible successor to Curtis Jones, who has attracted interest from Inter Milan, while Manchester City and other top clubs are keeping a close watch on developments.

The stakes are obvious: this is not a squad-filler. This is a potential centrepiece.

Done deals: City move quickly, Campbell heads to Germany

One club that rarely wastes time is Manchester City, and they have already ticked off an early piece of business.

City have brought back Northern Ireland international goalkeeper Pierce Charles, the 20-year-old who came through their academy before joining Sheffield Wednesday in 2021. He has immediately been sent on loan to Queens Park Rangers, a familiar City pathway: secure the asset, then find him regular football in the Championship.

Across the Channel, American forward Cole Campbell has completed a move to Bundesliga newcomers Elversberg from Borussia Dortmund. The 20-year-old Houston-born attacker has signed a four-year contract through June 2030, a long-term commitment from a club intent on building a young, energetic core for their top-flight challenge.

Other moves on the boil

The rumour mill is not short of subplots.

• At Juventus, striker Jonathan David intends to stay at the club despite not featuring in plans for next season, according to Gazzetta dello Sport, setting up a stand-off that will need resolving one way or another.
• Free agent Luka Modric is closing in on a one-year deal to return to AC Milan, report Corriere dello Sport, a remarkable late-career twist for a midfielder who continues to bend time.
• Manchester United are in advanced talks with goalkeeper Karl Darlow after his exit from Leeds United, with The Sun suggesting a deal could be confirmed on Friday.
• Wrexham’s ambitious rise continues, with the club interested in Everton goalkeeper Mark Travers, say Football Insider.
• Curtis Jones, as mentioned, is open to a move to Inter Milan, but Liverpool want around €40 million, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
• Tottenham defender Cristian Romero is drawing interest from LaLiga and Serie A, with Fabrizio Romano noting previous links to Atlético Madrid.
• Newcastle are closing in on Freiburg and Switzerland attacking midfielder Johan Manzambi, having agreed personal terms and moved towards a £49 million deal, report Sky Sports.
• Borussia Dortmund view FC Köln winger Said El-Mala as a possible replacement for Barcelona-linked Karim Adeyemi, though they want to negotiate below the €50 million valuation, says Florian Plettenberg.
• AC Milan are assessing Strasbourg right-back Guela Doue, according to Nicolo Schira.
• Tottenham are exploring a reunion with Paris Saint-Germain striker Randal Kolo Muani, report Tuttosport.
• Crystal Palace and Fulham have joined Leeds United in the chase for Southampton midfielder Shea Charles, per Ben Jacobs.
• Sassuolo defender Tarik Muharemovic has attracted interest from two Premier League clubs, with a fee of €40 million required, according to Nicolo Schira.
• Aston Villa could rival Leeds for Parma and Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, say TEAMtalk.

The names will keep coming, the numbers will keep climbing. The question now is simple: which of these early moves will reshape the season, and which will be remembered as the deals that never quite happened?