Manchester United and other top Premier League clubs have been rocked after a West Ham United star they were targeting decided the club he wants to play for next season.

Man United have already completed their first signing of the summer in Atalanta midfielder Ederson after a full agreement was reached, with the Brazilian due to finalise the move at the beginning of July.

Ederson isn’t the only midfielder set to arrive at Old Trafford next month though, with Colombian youngster Cristian Orozco also set to seal his switch when he turns 18 on July 13.

The Red Devils could still add two more midfielders to their squad after Ederson, should Manuel Ugarte follow Casemiro through the exit door in the summer transfer window.

Reports earlier in the summer suggested that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is keen to cash in on the Uruguay international following an underwhelming two-year spell at the club.

United are said to be looking at many options, including Premier League-based quartet Mateus Fernandes, Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali and Carlos Baleba, as well as Aurelien Tchouameni of Real Madrid.

While a central midfield rebuild is the priority for United chiefs and Michael Carrick, they are likely to look at strengthening other positions too.

Man United Target Jarrod Bowen Wants West Ham Stay

According to the Sun, Manchester United, along with Premier League rivals Chelsea and Newcastle United, are all keen on West Ham’s England international Jarrod Bowen following the club’s relegation to the Championship.

There have not been any formal approaches yet for the 29-year-old, but it appears that it might be a waste of time after the player’s stance on a move away emerged.

The report adds that the forward has stated his desire to remain at the London Stadium to help the club make an immediate return to the Premier League.

The Irons have told interested suitors that they intend to keep their captain at the club this summer, despite the fact that they do need to raise money through player sales.

While many of his teammates suffered a 50% pay cut after relegation, Bowen will remain on his same £100,000-a-week-plus wages in the second tier.

United Seriously Pushing to Sign ‘Future Ballon d’Or Contender’

While a move for Bowen looks to be off the cards, it seems clear that United are considering adding a player out wide given the number of players they are being linked with for the position.

Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers and AC Milan’s Rafael Leao are just two of the names heavily mentioned in recent weeks, while a new report has claimed that the Red Devils are ‘seriously pushing’ to sign Bazoumana Toure from Hoffenheim.

Newcastle have already made a move for the Ivory Coast international, although United are said to be trying to do everything to bring him to Old Trafford instead.

If Carrick wants to add some pace and directness to his attack, you can understand a move for Toure, who has established himself as one of the fastest players in the Bundesliga and in Europe in recent seasons.

Liverpool appear to be wasting no time in their bid to back new manager Andoni Iraola in the transfer market this summer.

Liverpool confirmed the appointment of the Spaniard as Arne Slot’s replacement on a two-year deal on Thursday evening, and work off the pitch to give him a stronger squad next season is well underway.

After losing Andy Robertson, Mohamed Salah and Ibrahima Konate for free, club chiefs know they need to bring in new players to boost a squad that ended this season by finishing fifth in the Premier League standings.

The Merseyside outfit are already working on one major deal as they look to secure a successor to Salah, with David Ornstein confirming that they are now in contact with RB Leipzig over a deal to sign teenage winger Yan Diomande.

While the Bundesliga outfit are determined not to sell and ready to demand £112m for the Ivory Coast international if they do change their mind, Liverpool are said to be ahead of Paris Saint-Germain in the race to land the 19-year-old after an incredible breakthrough campaign.

The Merseysiders are in the strongest position player side, having been attracted to an exciting winger who scored 13 goals and registered 10 assists in his first proper full season in senior football.

Liverpool Hold New Talks to Sign Kennet Eichhorn

As well as Diomande, Liverpool are also chasing the signature of another sensation based in Germany in Hertha Berlin’s Kennet Eichhorn.

Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg reported on Thursday that the Reds had held new talks in the last 48 hours as they push hard to seal the signature of the 16-year-old wonderkid.

The teenager could be on the move this summer after Hertha failed to secure promotion back to the Bundesliga, with Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund also suitors alongside Liverpool.

As Plettenberg says, the teenager is open to all options at this stage of the summer, but the Premier League club are clearly pushing to convince him to move to England.

Eichhorn is Even More Exciting Than Diomande

Diomande is clearly a huge attacking talent who looks like he will have a huge future in the game, but Eichhorn is arguably even more exciting.

The Germany Under 17 international doesn’t celebrate his 17th birthday until next month, but he has already made 19 senior appearances at the age of 16 for Hertha, showing just how highly he is rated.

Had he not suffered an ankle injury and a red-card suspension towards the end of this season, it would likely have been a lot more.

Tall, composed and technically assured, Eichhorn is showing maturity well beyond his years after being promoted to Hertha’s first team in recent months.

The 16-year-old has been scouted by the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Barcelona already, and it remains to be seen if those clubs get involved in the race for his signature this summer.

Hertha captain Fabian Reese has described him as “an incredible, exceptional talent”, while he has been likened to Toni Kroos in his homeland – quite the comparison.

Even better for Liverpool is that the wonderkid is said to have a release clause worth €9m for clubs in the Champions League, although the player’s entourage want a deal worth a total of €19m.

Toni Kroos may have hung up his boots, but he still has plenty to say about football.

The former Bayern Munich and Real Madrid midfielder won the league in both Germany and Spain a combined seven times. Add to that his record-setting six Champions League titles, as well as the 2014 World Cup, and you have one of the most successful players of all-time.

He appeared on Brazilian legend Romario’s YouTube channel to share his predictions for the 2026 tournament, and let’s just say not everyone will agree with him.

One pick in particular caught people off guard, and the teams he left out were among some of the biggest nations in world football. Of course, Kroos is entitled to his opinion, but that won’t stop a fair few supporters from taking issue with what he had to say.

The Four Teams Toni Kroos Backed

Spain are the most straightforward pick on the list. Few nations have managed to reinvent themselves the way Spain have. After the golden generation of Xavi, Iniesta and Sergio Ramos dominated world football between 2008 and 2012, many wondered whether they could ever reach those heights again. Under Luis de la Fuente, the answer has been a resounding yes. The reigning European champions, currently top of FIFA’s world rankings, arrive at the 2026 World Cup as the bookies’ favourites.

France need little justification either. Winners in Russia in 2018 and finalists in Qatar four years later, Les Bleus have been in most people’s picks to win either the World Cup or Euros for the last decade. On paper, you could make a strong case that they are the best squad at this tournament. Didier Deschamps’ side has depth in every position and will be hellbent on taking home the trophy this year after penalty heartbreak in 2022.

Portugal is an interesting selection. Kroos is a former Real Madrid teammate of Cristiano Ronaldo, and his backing of Portugal feels partly personal, but it isn’t without merit. Roberto Martinez has built a squad that merges Ronaldo’s experience with a talented young core, and recently tasted international success, winning the Nations League title.

The headline pick is Morocco, but Kroos might have a point. The Atlas Lions became the first African side to reach a World Cup semi-final in Qatar in 2022, and they’re the reigning AFCON champions, albeit in rather controversial circumstances. Their technical improvement and standout players like Achraf Hakimi and Brahim Diaz make them a genuine dark horse.

Kroos’ Notable World Cup Omissions

The absences are just as thought-provoking as the picks. Argentina, the defending world champions, are nowhere to be seen despite following up their World Cup win with a Copa America triumph. Lionel Messi’s side then qualified as CONMEBOL group winners and arrive in North America targeting back-to-back titles for the first time since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.

Brazil get a diplomatic apology from Kroos, “Sorry to Romario,” but still don’t make the cut. Given Brazil’s turbulent qualifying campaign and the upheaval surrounding their squad in recent years, it’s less surprising than the Argentina omission. But there’s cause for hope when your manager is Carlo Ancelotti.

Germany, Kroos’ home nation, are also left out of his picks. For a man who won the World Cup with them in 2014, that’s quite the verdict on how far the national team has fallen from its peak. Unlike Spain, their golden generation weren’t replaced by top-bracket talent in the same way. That isn’t to say there aren’t some quality players still in their side, though.

Interestingly, England, who Messi himself named among his tournament favourites, don’t feature in Kroos’ thinking either. The Three Lions go into the World Cup with the best striker in the world as their captain, a player who knows what it takes to win the Golden Boot. But Kroos has no care for that and has no intentions of believing it’ll be coming home.