Turkish side Besiktas have opened talks to sign West Ham United duo Tomas Soucek and Alphonse Areola, according to a report from Foot Mercato.
Soucek and Areola both started for the Hammers against Sunderland at the weekend in their 3-1 Premier League victory, suggesting that Nuno Espirito Santo considers them important players for the second half of the season. West Ham might find it difficult to justify selling any player who’s a regular in the side at the moment, considering they are battling to stay in the Premier League.
GIVEMESPORT sources recently confirmed that Lucas Paqueta could be on his way to Flamengo, with the Brazilian club confident of securing his signature after upping their offer to sign him. Losing three players regularly involved in Nuno’s senior squad feels unlikely, this close to the end of the transfer window.
Bestikas Eyeing West Ham Duo
According to a report from Foot Mercato, Besiktas have opened talks to sign West Ham duo Soucek and Areola, as they plot a huge raid on the Premier League. It’s claimed that the Turkish side have held talks over signing four Premier League players, with the West Ham duo among those being targeted.
If the Hammers do plan on allowing either Soucek or Areola to depart in the coming days, alongside Paqueta who looks set to be out the door, then Nuno will need backing in the market before the window slams shut on Monday.
Manchester United are looking at options to bolster their forward ranks this summer, and have shortlisted a Premier League star as a potential transfer target, if recent reports are to be believed.
The Red Devils are in the market for several key players, with the midfield being the one area that the recruitment team wants to improve quickly.
Beyond that, a left-back is also expected to make a switch, as Man United look to avoid being hit with injuries during a 2026/27 campaign that will feature a return to the Champions League.
While those areas will seemingly take up most of the budget, it seems as though another forward could also be on the club’s radar.
Man United Want Iliman Ndiaye transfer
With the transfer market expected to be filled with deals left, right, and centre, Man United are getting their moves in order, with hopes of landing everyone they want to help strengthen the team.
With that in mind, The Mirror reports that the club have shortlisted Iliman Ndiaye as a player who could help bolster the left-wing for the team this summer.
The Old Trafford outfit are yet to formalise their interest with an approach, with their attention lying elsewhere, but it’s a move that may well activate later in the window.
Earlier this week, The Athletic reported that Everton have been keen to discuss the terms of a new contract with the 26-year-old, but there are some differences on both sides.
Particularly surrounding a possible exit clause for the Senegal international, which could be activated this summer if it was to be included with a new extension.
While there are three years left on Ndiaye’s contract at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, the rejection of multiple offers means the Toffees are braced for a fight to keep their star forward.
It remains to be seen whether that valuation could put Man United off a deal, with their priorities being elsewhere in the squad, but the rejection of a deal from Ndiaye certainly makes for an interesting saga.
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Should Man Utd Sign Ndiaye?
Iliman Ndiaye
As Manchester United chiefs ponder their next moves in the summer transfer window, there are questions over whether Ndiaye would represent good business or not for the club.
At 26 years old, there are still the peak years of his career ahead of him, along with clear evidence that the star can perform at the top level in the Premier League.
In his time at Everton, Ndiaye has been described as “one of the best dribblers”, having shown his quality when in tight spaces in the final third of the pitch.
A lot of the United squad excel in large spaces, hence the playing style reverting to a more vertical way of progressing the ball that may not work against low blocks.
Ndiaye would be a quality option for those areas, but at £69.2 million, he could prove to an expensive acquisition when there should be priorities placed elsewhere.
Another midfielder after Ederson must be on the cards, while a left-back will also be a key area to look at, making it an expensive summer already.
That’s not to say Ndiaye shouldn’t come in, but much like Benjamin Sesko last summer, he should be the flourish at the end of an already successful window, and not the main deal.
Whether it was Jordan’s reign with the Chicago Bulls throughout the 1990s, where he captured six championships and five MVP awards, or James’ remarkable longevity and ability to win NBA titles with three different franchises, both legends possess compelling cases for basketball’s GOAT crown.
Another figure whose place in NBA history is firmly established, much like Jordan and James, is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The Los Angeles Lakers icon still owns the record for the most MVP awards ever with six, one more than Jordan. Having won championships with both the Milwaukee Bucks and the Lakers, Abdul-Jabbar shared the court with many of the sport’s greatest players, giving him a unique perspective on some of basketball’s most debated topics.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Opinion on NBA GOAT Debate
In fact, despite the endless debate surrounding Jordan and James in the GOAT discussion, Abdul-Jabbar once stated that there is another NBA legend he considers superior to both of them.
Considering how dominant Jordan and James were during their primes, many fans would view them as the toughest possible opponents in a one-on-one match-up. Both combined elite athleticism with extraordinary basketball intelligence, while possessing the competitive drive that made them incredibly difficult to overcome.
However, Abdul-Jabbar believes one of his former teammates deserves even greater praise than either Jordan or LeBron. Interestingly, the Hall of Fame center — often regarded as the greatest center in NBA history — did not choose Lakers stars such as Magic Johnson or James Worthy. Instead, he selected a teammate from his Milwaukee Bucks days.
“LeBron is awesome, MJ was awesome — but I think Oscar Robertson would have kicked them both in the behind. Absolutely. Oscar was awesome. He had brains. […] He had all the skills. He could rebound and box out guys four and six inches taller than him. He was ruggedly built. He had fluid, quickness, and just understood the game. No flair, he just got the job done every night. Who’s going to average double figures in points, assists and rebounds?”
It’s evident that Abdul-Jabbar holds his former Bucks teammate in extremely high regard, even calling him the greatest point guard the NBA has ever seen, ahead of the player many fans place at number one, Magic Johnson.
Long before Russell Westbrook emerged, Robertson set the standard for point guards, impacting every area of the game, including rebounding. A 12-time All-Star, the ‘Big O’ captured the NBA MVP award in 1964 and also earned MVP honours in that season’s All-Star Game.
That campaign came two years after Robertson became the first player in league history to average a triple-double across an entire season. He remained the only player to achieve the feat until Westbrook and, later, Nikola Jokic joined him. Robertson also led the NBA in assists six times, including three consecutive seasons from 1964 to 1966, and earned spots on the league’s 35th, 50th, and 75th anniversary teams.
Michael Jordan made a fair few enemies during his illustrious NBA career, but one man stood out more than most when it came to hatred.
Standing 6-foot-5, Robertson possessed virtually every quality a team could want from a floor general. He finally secured an NBA championship in 1971 alongside Abdul-Jabbar. While younger fans who have witnessed the brilliance of Jordan and James may struggle to imagine a player surpassing them, Robertson’s Hall of Fame career and revolutionary style made him one of the most influential talents the game has ever seen.
Although Abdul-Jabbar may naturally be influenced by his personal connection to Robertson, that should not diminish just how exceptional Robertson was during the peak years of his career.
Those championship-winning runs stretch back from 1999 to 2014 and were led by legendary coach Gregg Popovich, in addition to some of the greatest players the NBA has seen in recent decades.
The current Spurs roster, spearheaded by French superstar Victor Wembanyama, is currently competing in the 2026 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks. However, the team have some work to do if they are to bring home a sixth championship after falling 1-0 behind in the series following Wednesday’s Game 1 contest at Frost Bank Center.
A recent list put together by AI has named and ranked the 10 greatest ever Spurs players, with the list including numerous multiple-time NBA championship winners.
10 Artis Gilmore
Ranked 10th in the AI-generated list is former Spurs center, Artis Gilmore. The six-time NBA All-Star may not have won a championship in his career, but his tenure with the Spurs between 1982 and 1987 was quite underrated.
He was an efficient operator on the court during his spell in San Antonio and was a reliable big man for the franchise before David Robinson and Tim Duncan followed in later years.
9 Alvin Robertson
Following Gilmore on the list is former Defensive Player of the Year and four-time All-Star, Alvin Robertson, who spent his first five years in the NBA with the Spurs. While the former shooting guard’s peak level did not last as long as some of the other Spurs greats, his ability to steal possessions and play great defence means he is well remembered by long-time Spurs fans.
Also, Robertson is one of only four NBA players and the only guard to ever record a quadruple-double in a game.
8 Sean Elliott
Ranked eighth on the list is former small forward and two-time All-Star, Sean Elliott. After being drafted by the Spurs with the third pick in the 1989 NBA Draft, Elliott would go on to spend 11 of his 12 seasons in the NBA with the franchise.
He was among the Spurs roster that won a franchise-first NBA title in 1999. Elliot produced an iconic play during that title run, dubbed ‘Memorial Day Miracle’, which saw him hit a late three-point conversion against the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 2 of the Conference Finals.
7 Victor Wembanyama
Next on the list is current Spurs superstar and the top overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Victor Wembanyama. The French prodigy was heavily hyped up before even reaching the NBA due to his impressive exploits back in his home country. The level of physicality and dominance he has been able to demonstrate, thanks to his large 7ft 4in frame, means he is regarded by basketball watchers as a true generational talent.
ChatGPT has spoken and identified the 10 greatest Knicks players in basketball history.
In just his third year with the Spurs, the Frenchman has helped steer his team to a first NBA Finals appearance in 12 seasons, while being unanimously voted DPOY for 2025/2026. The 22-year-old was very impressive during the Western Conference Finals, as he averaged 27.3 points and 10.9 rebounds to help take down the reigning NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, in seven games.
6 Kawhi Leonard
Following Wembanyama and ranked sixth, is current NBA star and small forward, Kawhi Leonard. The seven-time All-Star and two-time DPOY spent his first eight years in the league with the Spurs and was a key member of the 2014 championship-winning team thanks to his contributions at both ends of the court. These impressive displays against the LeBron James-led Miami Heat earned him the Finals MVP award.
Leonard departed the Spurs in the 2018 offseason after being traded alongside Danny Green to the Toronto Raptors. He went on to win a championship in his sole season with the Canadian franchise before joining the Los Angeles Clippers, where he remains to this day.
5 Tony Parker
Making the top five is four-time NBA champion with the Spurs, Tony Parker. The French international was a six-time All-Star during his 17-season stint in San Antonio and is regarded as the franchise’s greatest ever point guard, largely due to him being the Spurs all-time leader in assists with 6,829.
He helped run the Spurs’ offence during that impressive championship-winning period between 2003 and 2014, with his display in the 2007 Finals being arguably his best. From averaging 24.5 points per game, Parker helped Popovich’s team sweep the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0.
4 Manu Ginobili
Fourth on the list is another international star and four-time championship winner with the Spurs, Manu Ginobili. The Argentine may not have filed the stats sheet as impressive as someone such as Parker, but the two-time All-Star’s efficiency on the court was crucial to maintaining the winning culture within the Spurs.
ChatGPT has spoken and the 10 best players gracing the courts for the NBA Finals have been named and ranked in order.
Ginobili spent his entire NBA career with the Spurs and was rewarded for his impact from the bench when he earned the Sixth Man of the Year award in the 2007/2008 campaign.
3 George Gervin
Following Ginobili is nine-time All-Star, George Gervin, who was an instrumental figure in making the Spurs an attractive NBA franchise on a national scale. ‘The Iceman’ picked up four scoring titles during his 11-season tenure in San Antonio and ranks third in the franchise’s all-time scoring chart, with 19,383 points to his name.
Gervin was known for dominating in both the ABA and NBA eras, making him one of the first true icons of the Spurs.
2 David Robinson
Just missing out on the top spot in the rankings is a key figure from the Spurs’ early years of its championship-winning era, David Robinson. The two-time NBA champion with the Spurs is viewed as one of the top two-way centers to ever play basketball and was a dominating figure in his playing days.
He collected the regular season MVP award for the 1994/1995 season and was named DPOY for his displays in 1991/1992. Robinson was also a 10-time All-Star and sits second in the Spurs’ all-time scoring chart with 20,790.
1 Tim Duncan
Ranked number one on the list of the greatest ever Spurs stars, is the only man to win five championships with the franchise, Tim Duncan. Arguably the greatest ever power forward, Duncan is the undisputed Spurs icon as the 15-year championship period for them between 1999 and 2014 was built around his talents.
The NBA Finals are set, and a huge prediction has been made.
‘The Big Fundamental’ was named an All-Star in 15 of his 19 years in the NBA with the Spurs and won the regular season MVP award in both 2001/2002 and 2002/2003. Duncan was also known for stepping up in big postseason moments, winning Finals MVP in 1999, 2003, and 2005.
Duncan leads the Spurs’ all-time scoring chart to this day with an incredible 26,496 points attained from his iconic stint in San Antonio from 1997 to 2016, plus he is also the franchise leader in games, rebounds, and minutes.
