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West Ham United are close to reaching an agreement to sign Southampton central midfielder James Ward-Prowse this summer, according to reliable reports.

Is James Ward-Prowse leaving Southampton?

The St. Mary’s Stadium captain firmly established himself as his side’s overall best-performing player last season with a WhoScored match rating of 6.95, but having suffered relegation, he is likely to be one of the several prized assets cashed in on should the right offer arrive, despite still having three years remaining on his contract.

Football Insider claimed that the Irons saw a verbal proposal rejected for the 28-year-old earlier in the window, though the same outlet have since stated that David Moyes was set to formalise his interest by submitting an official opening offer, with a fee between £40-50m expected to be enough to prise him away from their rivals in the Premier League.

Speaking on Sky Sports News on Tuesday evening, reporters Dharmesh Sheth and Kaveh Solhekol confirmed the England international’s absence from his club’s pre-season friendly against Bournemouth detailing the reason as being due to a “precautionary measure due to a knee injury”, before following up with the suspicious line “Where have we heard that before during the transfer window?”, hinting that it was in fact as a result of his ongoing situation behind the scenes.

Are West Ham signing James Ward-Prowse?

According to Sky Sports Transfer Centre, West Ham are “edging closer” to an agreement with Southampton regarding a deal for Ward-Prowse. The E20 side are believed to have held “positive talks” with the south coast outfit and it’s suggested that the player agreeing personal terms is “not expected to be a problem”.

Ward-Prowse may primarily be a central midfielder but it’s obvious for everyone to see that he’s naturally much stronger in the offensive aspect of his game having posted 13 Premier League goal contributions (nine goals and four assists) last season, and should he sign on the dotted line, it would be a massive coup for Moyes and West Ham.

The CAA Stellar client recorded 241 crosses and 127 shot-creating actions over the course of the previous campaign which was more than any other member of his squad, via FBRef, and this kind of top form saw him dubbed a “machine” by journalist Alfie House.

The Portsmouth-born talent, who has the versatility to operate in six various positions across the pitch, is also strong when it comes to set pieces having been named the division’s number one free-kick scorer for the previous campaign with three direct goals, highlighting his ability to deliver under pressure.

Interestingly, Ward-Prowse has secured six victories against the Irons throughout his career so is already used to being successful when facing Moyes and Co, and with the boss having seen first-hand what his target is capable of when being part of the away team, he’ll be excited by the prospect of what he can get out of him should he decide to jump ship and instead be working under the guidance of the Scotsman ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Matt Doherty made some 'bold' comments over issues 'behind-the-scenes' at Molineux that could actually turn out to be a positive development, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What did Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Matt Doherty say?

In an interview with Viaplay Sports cited by The Irish Independent following Wolves' 1-1 draw with Celtic in a pre-season friendly in Dublin last weekend, Doherty didn't shy away from making his feelings known regarding things internally at Molineux, stating: “I don’t think things are perfect behind the scenes at all."

He then added: “But as players there is nothing we can do about it except go out onto the pitch and carry out what the manager wants us to do. “The season is not far away. We’ll just knuckle down, get training, work hard and see what happens in the transfer window, but for sure we do need some bodies.”

Of course, Doherty has only recently returned to Wolves for a second stint at the West Midlands-based outfit on a free transfer following a short spell out in Spain at La Liga giants Atletico Madrid, as per The Daily Mail.

In his first time of things at the Old Gold, Doherty became a favorite among supporters, registering 28 goals and 41 assists from 302 appearances in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Wolves start their Premier League campaign away to Manchester United at Old Trafford on August 14th as they look to put a problematic few months to one side, as per Sky Sports.

Cited by Telegraph Sport, Financial Fair Play concerns have restricted Wolves' ability to spend money on players this window and have led to the high-profile sales of Ruben Neves, Nathan Collins, Conor Coady and Raul Jimenez, with little breathing room from a monetary standpoint to recruit suitable replacements.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that 36-cap Doherty's honesty is actually a refreshing thing in a climate of footballers rarely commenting on internal matters within their working environment.

Jones stated: "It’s a pretty bold statement to make just as you have returned to the club but maybe it’s a good thing that he has no problems addressing major issues head on. Wolves can not hide from the problems they are going to be faced with this season and there are very few players that would speak out about issues behind the scenes that they may have spotted or heard about."

"We knew already that Lopetegui was rattled about the spending situation and now with Doherty talking like this, I think it’s fair to say they need a big start to the season or things are going to become very difficult very quickly."

What next for Wolverhampton Wanderers?

Wolves will need to try and navigate the difficult landscape they find themselves in to acquire new recruits to help their bid for Premier League stability.

Nevertheless, talks have collapsed between the Old Gold and West Ham United over a potential deal involving Aaron Cresswell and the 33-year-old will now not be heading to Molinuex as both parties have failed to agree on a fee for his services, as per The Daily Mail.

Football Insider report that Wolves could be stumped in their attempts to acquire Bristol City playmaker Alex Scott by Bournemouth, who are now believed to be in 'advanced talks' over a deal for the £25 million-rated Guernsey-born midfielder.

The Sun understand that both Wolves and West Ham are monitoring Stuttgart defender Konstantinos Mavropanos, who is also attracting attention from Serie A champions Napoli and they could look to replace Kim Min-jae with the Greek international.

Manchester United could revive their interest in Leeds United defensive midfielder Tyler Adams this summer due to the fact he has a relegation release clause in his current deal at Elland Road, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

Which clubs are keen on Tyler Adams this summer?

According to The Daily Mail, Aston Villa are willing to activate Adams' £25 million release clause and Chelsea have also expressed interest in taking the USA international to Stamford Bridge.

Nottingham Forest, Brighton & Hove Albion and West Ham United are three other sides keen on the injured midfielder, who has been sidelined since March with a hamstring issue.

Last campaign, Adams was a rare positive in a dismal Leeds United side, making 26 appearances in all competitions for the Whites, as per Transfermarkt.

Earlier this year, it was reported by Football Insider that Manchester United had looked at Adams as a potential recruit for the summer and were been impressed by his 'dynamism and energy' in the engine room at Elland Road.

The Mirror claim that Fiorentina defensive midfielder Sofyan Amrabat is now in the Red Devils' sights as Erik Ten Hag aims to protect his back four and the Morocco international is believed to be desperate to move to the North West, despite additional admiration from West Ham and Saudi Arabia.

Speaking to Football FanCast, transfer insider Jones believes that Leeds United midfielder Adams may come under consideration at Old Trafford once again if Manchester United fail in their pursuit of Amrabat.

Jones stated: "It’s not that common you see Man United and Leeds looking to benefit from each other in terms of transfers and the hostility between the two clubs will always exist, but in this moment when they are in very different situations in different leagues it’s intriguing to think about how they could deal with each other.

"One big worry around Adams will be his recent injury, I know a couple of clubs have been slightly deterred by that, but it would still be a surprise if he was at Leeds by the end of the window."

What next for Manchester United?

Manchester United will hope to continue recruiting wisely this summer as Ten Hag eyes building a side capable of challenging for the Premier League title.

Northern Ireland international Jonny Evans, who signed a short-term deal with Manchester United to participate in pre-season, is reportedly close to signing a one-year contract at Old Trafford after impressing in his short stint at the club, as per Belfast Telegraph.

The Red Devils could also try to trump Liverpool to sign Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia; however, Chelsea and Arsenal have also looked at the Belgian international, as per The Independent.

Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund will be announced as a Manchester United player imminently after both parties agreed a fee of £72 million for the Denmark international, who has undergone a medical at his prospective new employers, as per Sky Sports.

Newcastle United have been linked with Galatasaray midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo this summer, but now another key update has emerged regarding their interest in him.

Do Newcastle want Nicolo Zaniolo?

The Magpies made a sensational start to their Premier League season on Saturday evening, dispatching of Aston Villa 5-1 at St James' Park in a thrilling contest.

It was an early sign that Newcastle fans could be in for another treat of a campaign, with some superb football on show, not to mention new signings Sandro Tonali and Harvey Barnes both finding the back of the net.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

While the performance and result against Villa were memorable, it is still important that the Magpies continue to kick on this summer, bringing in some more new faces. Not many signings are needed, considering how strong the squad now looks, but a couple of additions would be the icing on the cake.

One player who has been linked with a summer move to Newcastle is Zaniolo, who is currently at Galatasaray, having joined them earlier this year. The Italian is also wanted by Villa, with a switch away from the Turkish giants on the cards.

Now, a new update regarding his future has dropped, however, and it looks as though a move to St James' is out of the question.

What's the latest on Nicolo Zaniolo to Newcastle?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jacobs claimed that Newcastle signing Zaniolo doesn't look on the cards this summer, with their interest in him never particularly strong:

"I don't think there's been too much with Zaniolo and Newcastle in terms of any action. I know that we've had him linked before, but he has obviously suffered quite a tough two years with injuries and then his relationship with Jose Mourinho before eventually moving to Galatasaray."

Zaniolo is a high-quality footballer who has won 13 caps for Italy, scoring twice in that time, so in many ways, seeing him in a Newcastle shirt would have been exciting, giving them something different in attacking midfield after being called a "decisive" player by Claudio Ranieri.

That being said, as Jacobs alludes to in his update, the former Roma man has suffered terrible luck with injuries down the years, so there would be a concern that he would break down continually in a Magpies shirt, ultimately not proving to be worth the money spent on him.

It could be argued that Zaniolo has now overcome the worst of his issues, and is still a young player who can prove his worth for another decade or so, but it would feel like a risky signing when there are other good options out there.

With Newcastle's interest in him seemingly non-existent at this point, it is important that they now turn their attention elsewhere, look to snap up someone with a similar ability to link the deeper midfielders and the attack, coming in as someone may be rotated with the likes of Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton, making the Magpies' squad even more formidable and enhancing their hopes of back-to-back top four finishes in the Premier League this season.

Liverpool will host Aston Villa at the start of September in the two teams' last Premier League fixture before the international break. It's always an interesting fixture and there's perhaps more at stake than ever this season.

After all, Liverpool will hope to rebound after last season and build some early momentum. A repeat of last season can't happen if they're to recapture a top-four place.

But Villa will have eyes on those spots themselves. They're back in European football after a stunning second half of the season under Unai Emery. A win over Liverpool would be a huge statement to start the season and get the team looking up the table going into the international break.

To beat Liverpool, they'll need goals, though. Ollie Watkins could be their best chance of finding them – so we at Football FanCast thought we'd look into his record against the Reds. Here's everything you need to know.

What is Ollie Watkins' goals record against Liverpool?

Watkins has come up against Liverpool six times in his career and his record against them looks pretty great. He's scored five times in that span – the most he's managed against anyone in his career.

Though, it's worth mentioning that three of those goals came in his first appearance against Liverpool. That was a crazy game, finishing 7-2 to Villa as they took advantage of some bizarre defending from the Reds. Watkins took advantage as much as anyone.

His record since is two goals in five games, which isn't quite as impressive. Still, he did manage one against them at home last season – Watkins hasn't forgotten how to find the Liverpool net.

What is Ollie Watkins' assists record against Liverpool?

Watkins only has the one assist against Liverpool, again coming in that 7-2 win. And virtually everyone got an assist in that one.

But then, it's not his game. There aren't too many teams against which he's managed more than a solitary assist, and only two – Luton and Colchester – where Watkins has three.

Don't expect him to supply the goals at Anfield, then – Villa will hope he's on the end of chances, rather than creating them.

What is Ollie Watkins' head-to-head record against Liverpool?

It's not a pretty one. In six games, Watkins has only won once against Liverpool – the 7-2 in his first appearance vs them. There's only one draw in his history, too, and that was in the most recent outing in May of this year.

But we're not sure how much you can really read into this. For one, Villa look like a much better side right now than they have in any of Watkins' previous seasons with the club. We fully expect them to give the Reds a proper match this time around, as they did back in May.

All of Watkins' games against the Reds have come in the Premier League, too. He didn't feature in the 4-1 FA Cup defeat against the Reds back in 2021.

What is Ollie Watkins' record at Anfield?

Watkins does only have three games in his career at Anfield, so there's not too much to go on here. All have come in the Premier League and usually end in defeat – two losses, one draw is his record.

As for goals, Watkins does have one. He scored at Anfield in a 2-1 defeat back in 2021 but has been unable to find the net there since that first appearance.

Who has Ollie Watkins scored against the most?

Two teams have conceded five to Watkins – the most he's managed against a single club. Liverpool are one, of course, with the other being Swansea City. His record against the Reds is slightly better, though, as he managed that total in one fewer game.

There are then three different clubs against whom Watkins has four total goals. Arsenal, Bristol City and Derby County are the unlucky trio – you can usually count on the striker to find the net against them.

How many goals does Ollie Watkins have in September?

Watkins has found the net 11 times in the month of September since the start of his career. However, it doesn't make good reading for those expecting him to net at Anfield.

None of those goals have come in the Premier League, while nine of them weren't even with Aston Villa. Watkins has nine Championship strikes in September and then two for his current club both in the EFL Cup.

He'll be hoping to break his duck against Liverpool.

What is Ollie Watkins' Aston Villa goal record?

Watkins has played 118 times across all competitions for Villa since arriving in 2020. His record in that span is pretty good, too, with 43 goals and 14 assists so far.

It means Watkins is closing in on his record haul for a club. That stands at 49 for Brentford, where he also managed his most assists – 17. There's every chance that he will overtake both figures by the end of this season.

What is Ollie Watkins' Premier League goal record?

Watkins is now 111 games into his Premier League career, with all of them coming at Aston Villa. In that time, the striker has managed 40 goals – a solid haul for three seasons of work.

Last season was his best yet, too. Watkins scored 15 times in 37 games, beating his first Premier League campaign by one goal in the same number of appearances. His middle season saw him get 11 goals,

There have been 14 assists so far, we should add. In total, Watkins has provided 53 goal contributions in 109 games – so just under one every other game.

What is Aston Villa's record against Liverpool?

Villa vs Liverpool is a fixture that dates all the way back to 1895, so there's a lot of history here. In total, the two teams have met on 201 occasions.

As you might expect, given their dominance over the last few decades, Liverpool's record is far superior in this one. They've won 101 of the 201 meetings, with Villa managing just 59. That leaves 41 draws for those keeping track.

But what about just in the Premier League era? There have been 56 meetings since the rebrand with Liverpool again winning over half. In fact, their record is even better when just counting the last 32 years – 32 wins to Villa's 13.

What is Aston Villa's record at Anfield?

As you may have guessed from the last section, it's not particularly good. This will actually be the 100th time Villa play at Anfield but they'll be hoping for what would be just their 18th win.

So in 99 Anfield fixtures, it's 17 wins, 20 draws and 62 defeats to the Reds. Not exactly a game that's brought a lot of luck their way, then, and a win this time around would be something of a surprise.

What are Aston Villa's recent results against Liverpool?

Not good. In fact, Villa have lost five of their last six against Liverpool, dating back to their last win in the fixture – the 7-2. The only time they avoided defeat came in the most recent game, too, back in May.

That was a 1-1 draw at Anfield and to be fair to Villa, it's by far the most relevant result here. Not only was it away, but it was also their only meeting with Unai Emery as boss. They shot up the league once the Spaniard took over, becoming so much better that comparing results before him seems unfair to this side.

And the previous results were particularly bad, too.

Since Jurgen Klopp took over at Liverpool, Villa have played 12 games against his team. They've won two of them – the 7-2 and the 5-0 win in the EFL Cup against the Reds' Under 21 side. In other words, this is a fixture they almost always struggle in.

But hey, at least the wins tend to be emphatic.

When is Liverpool vs Aston Villa?

Liverpool host Aston Villa on Sunday, September 3rd at 14:00 UK time. It'll be a huge match for both teams as we get an early idea of what they're about this season.

Liverpool want to bounce back after an incredibly disappointing campaign last time out. Their struggles saw them out of the title race incredibly early on, while they barely managed a top-four challenge in the end. A new midfield could be exactly what they needed, though – it's certainly their gameplan this season.

Villa were only one place behind Liverpool in the Premier League table, of course. A sensational run under Unai Emery saw them climb all the way up from the bottom into the Europa League spot – and they'll have plans to do even better this time around. The right transfers – and some momentum carried on from last season – could see Villa threaten to go one better.

A win in this fixture, then, would be a sign for either that they mean business from the off this time around.

Following the arrival of Wataru Endo, Liverpool are reportedly still in the market for another central midfielder this summer, as they look to end their crisis in the middle of the park once and for all.

Their problems were evident on the opening day of the Premier League season, as they drew 1-1 against Chelsea with new arrival Alexis Mac Allister playing out of position in defensive midfield.

Now, Jurgen Klopp could reportedly turn to Wolverhampton Wanderers to solve his midfield issues.

What's the latest on Mario Lemina to Liverpool?

The Reds are in the picture to sign Wolves midfielder Mario Lemina this summer, according to Foot Mercato, via Sport Witness, after the 29-year-old impressed despite suffering a 1-0 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford to open the season.

If Liverpool are to push ahead for his signature, they will have to fend off interest from Saudi Arabia, however, with several clubs reportedly interested in making their move for Lemina this summer.

Of course, Klopp's side are in this mess thanks to departures to Saudi Arabia in the first place, after both Fabinho and Jordan Henderson made moves earlier in the transfer window.

Now, they may hope that Lemina doesn't follow suit, potentially allowing them the chance to welcome the Wolves man to Anfield.

Should Liverpool sign Mario Lemina?

At this stage of the window, Liverpool can ill-afford to get things wrong, especially when it comes to midfielders. That said, signing Lemina – a player with plenty of Premier League experience – wouldn't exactly be a piece of bad business at Anfield.

During his Wolves spell, which only got underway in January, the Gabon international has left many impressed, earning plenty of praise in the process, including from former Wolves player Andy Thompson.

After the Midlands club defeated Liverpool 3-0 in emphatic fashion, Thompson said, via the club's official website: “He was very effective in the way he played. Wanting the ball, dropping into the backline so he could receive it.

"He was outstanding, especially in the first half. He got around and made it difficult for Liverpool. Liverpool found it hard to get passing going because we kept blocking things off and he was the influence in there.

"He’s got mobility in the midfield area, to give them problems getting about the pitch. We start one of the things we needed was legs in there and we’ve got it with him. He can play, he can break things up and it’s refreshing to see.”

With that said, it's fair to say that Klopp got a solid first impression of Lemina a few months ago, perhaps giving the German plenty to think about this summer.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

Having already lost Ruben Neves this summer, though, it remains to be seen whether or not Wolves would be willing to bid farewell to Lemina on top of that earlier departure.

If Liverpool do come knocking, it will certainly be interesting to see what those at Molinuex choose to do, as Premier League games come thick and fast and the transfer window edges closer and closer to slamming shut.

Manchester United could pull off one of the shocks of the transfer window after putting an experienced former England international on their shortlist at Old Trafford, according to reports.

What's the latest news involving Manchester United?

Telegraph Sport revealed that big summer signing Mason Mount has been ruled out for the next four to six weeks. This news could force Erik Ten Hag to turn to previously out-of-favour Scotland international Scott McTominay to help with the balance of their midfield, who had originally been expected to leave the club.

Rasmus Hojlund also finds himself on the sidelines and will not be available until next week at the earliest as he continues to have issues with a back problem that has prevented him from featuring at all so far, as per The Daily Mail.

According to The Sun, Ten Hag has called Hannibal Mejbri, Isak Hansen-Aaroen, Omari Forson and Marc Jurado up to the senior squad to bolster numbers available for selection, though it is unclear whether they will participate for the senior side at any given point.

BBC Sport understand that Red Devils left-back Luke Shaw is also now set to spend 'a number of weeks' on the treatment table due to a muscle injury, which has created an injury crisis at left-back as Tyrell Malacia is also currently unavailable.

Brandon Williams would've represented the next natural fit positionally to feature in upcoming matches; nevertheless, he has completed a season-long loan switch to Sky Bet Championship outfit Ipswich Town.

Suprisingly, Manchester United look like they may need to enter the market to sign someone to offer cover on the left-hand side of their defence a shock target has been identified by the Premier League giants to fill in for the time being.

Who are Manchester United signing?

According to The Daily Express, former Leicester City left-back Ryan Bertrand has been identified as an unexpected solution to their dearth of options at left-back.

Contact has been established between Bertrand's representatives and Manchester United and talks are believed to be at an early stage. Other names are also being evaluated by chiefs at Old Trafford as they look to draft in an emergency recruit to help solidify their rearguard.

Bertrand has enjoyed a distinguished senior club career and has featured for the likes of Chelsea, Aston Villa, Southampton and Leicester City, among others, racking up 485 appearances in total and registering 11 goals and 28 assists, as per Transfermarkt.

Once labelled "fantastic" by former Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert, Bertrand has also represented his native England on 19 occasions, getting himself on the scoresheet once.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano recently revealed that Bertrand was training with his former club Chelsea's loan development group to keep himself in shape ahead of his next move. The Italian journalist also indicated that the 34-year-old has grabbed the interest of clubs in England, Europe and the Middle East.

Manchester United are in need of a left-back imminently and Bertrand could find himself becoming an unlikely hero at Old Trafford.

West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers will battle it out over the signing of Jesse Lingard who remains a free-agent following the expiry of his contract at Nottingham Forest.

The former Manchester United man is reportedly close to deciding where he will be playing his football in the coming days, as per Sky Sports [5th September, 18:08pm].

According to the report, the 30-year-old has been training with former club West Ham over the summer and will play in a behind-closed-doors friendly this week which will test his match fitness and ability in the Irons’ squad.

However, Premier League rivals Wolves are hot on the Hammers’ tail for Lingard’s signature with the four-time FA Cup winners also wanting the free agent's signature.

What’s the latest on Jesse Lingard?

Wolves have spent £80m so far this season and were obliged to buy Matheus Cunha for £43m due to a clause in the Brazilian’s contract following his loan spell at Molineux last season.

The Midlands club are quite strapped for cash so the signing of Lingard on a free transfer may be the perfect opportunity to improve their squad depth without breaking the bank.

In his first press conference as Wolves’ manager, Gary O'Neil claimed that he is “pleased” where his squad is currently at.

“I am just going to work with the players that are here, work extremely hard and get as much out of them as possible. I am really pleased with the group. I think there is enough quality in there to be really competitive.

“Things will move and change I am sure but as it is, I am fine with where we are. I like the group, I really think we have a chance of doing something this year," he said.

What happened to Lingard?

Following a stellar loan spell at West Ham, the attacking ace joined newly-promoted Nottingham Forest after agreeing a contract that made him the highest earner at City Ground.

The 32-capped England midfielder was in "sensational" form – in the eyes of former Arsenal defender Nigel Winterburn – during his time at the Irons as he managed to score nine and assist five in the 16 games he played for the three-time FA Cup winners.

He was also hailed as a "difference maker" during that period by the host of 'The West Ham Way' pre-match show, Dan Woffenden.

Moyes has previously spoken on whether he would like to work with Lingard again after his attempt to sign the Englishman last year failed.

Speaking in a press conference at the beginning of last season, Moyes said:

“You couldn't turn around and say David Sullivan and the owners didn't do everything they could to get him. They certainly did. I've got to say the club have tried to get lots of players but for different reasons, we've not been able to get them.

“You never know, [if he will try to sign Lingard again] it's a difficult question, I don't see how I can answer it. If he scores 25 goals next year and does fantastically well, maybe I will. If he doesn't, maybe I won't."

However at Forest. the English maestro failed to replicate the form he had in east London failing to score or assist in the 17 Premier League games he played for the Reds.

Given the financial problems at the Old Gold, signing Lingard on a free transfer wouldn't be the worst business, especially if O'Neil can be the one to get that West Ham-level of form back out of him heading into the remainder of 2023.

Manchester United and astute transfer dealings are two things that don't appear to belong in the same sentence, with the Red Devils having erratically splashed the cash over the last decade or so.

With Erik ten Hag currently in charge of the most expensively assembled squad in Europe – totalling almost £1bn – the Old Trafford outfit look little closer to closing the gap on treble-winning rivals, Manchester City, with it now ten years since the club last tasted Premier League title glory.

What has perhaps been even more frustrating than the scattergun nature of United's transfer business is the fact that there also a number of figures who the club's hierarchy passed up the chance to sign, only to be forced to watch them blossom elsewhere.

The most blatant example of that fact was the failure to land Erling Haaland for a fee of just £4m during his time at Molde, with the Norwegian powerhouse now spearheading Pep Guardiola's City side to devastating effect, after hitting 52 goals in his debut season last time out.

Those woes were also laid bare with regard to fellow striker, Benjamin Sesko, with United having reportedly deemed the Slovenian's £2.5m fee as 'excessive' back in 2019, albeit with the 20-year-old having only recently sealed a £55m move to RB Leipzig.

Those two cases will likely have supporters tearing their hair out, although perhaps the most infuriating example of a player who got away is World Cup-winning superstar, Kylian Mbappe, with the Red Devils having failed to strike while the iron was out in the recent past.

Did Man United want to sign Kylian Mbappe?

While some reports may at times need to be taken with a pinch of salt, in the case of the dazzling Frenchman it would appear that there was genuine interest from those at the Theatre of Dreams, amid his promising career beginning at AS Monaco.

According to club legend Ryan Giggs, the Welshman had seemingly recommended that United make a move for the the-teenager – as well as current Arsenal man Gabriel Jesus – with the pair likely to have cost just £5m apiece at the time.

As per the Times, the 13-time title winner revealed: "I watched Mbappe play. I was watching him and Gabriel Jesus with the chief scout and it was a no-brainer. It was just like, Get them. It would have cost £5million or something – get them, loan them back and that's where the recruitment could have been better.

"I know what a Manchester United player looks like."

At a time when United notably splashed out an initial £36m on Anthony Martial from the Ligue 1 outfit back in 2016, to have fluffed the potential opportunity to sign the striker's compatriot is a blunder that the Premier League giants will likely never be able to recover from.

Why didn't Man United sign Mbappe?

United's failure to get snap up the promising forward for such a lowly fee was made even more apparent in the summer of 2017, with The Guardian reporting at the time that Jose Mourinho and co had launched a £72m bid in an attempt to prise the then-18-year-old from Stade Louis II.

That ultimately unsuccessful offer had coming following a breakthrough 2016/17 campaign which saw the Paris native score 15 times and register 11 assists in just 29 Ligue 1 outings as Monaco claimed the title.

It was on the European stage that a young Mbappe truly announced himself, however, after scoring six goals in just nine appearances in that season's Champions League, memorably running Man City ragged with a goal both home and away against Guardiola's men in the last-16 stage.

That lightning start to his senior career had ensured that Monaco were able to easily fend off the £72m approach from those in Manchester, with the selling club having been holding out for more than £100m at the time.

As it proved, the fleet-footed speedster did eventually depart in that same window on an initial loan move, joining rivals Paris Saint-Germain on a deal that included an option to make the switch permanent for an eyewatering £165m fee – blowing any rival interest out of the water.

What is Mbappe worth now?

What has followed since that move to the Parc des Princes has been glittering success for the 24-year-old, with the seemingly "unstoppable" talent – as described by compatriot Rio Mavuba – now boasting a haul of 219 goals and 98 assists in just 264 games for his current side.

Arguably the "best player in the world" when in full flow, according to Mavuba, the 5 foot 10 whiz has been a dominant force both domestically and on the international front, despite still longing for that elusive Champions League crown.

Now the captain of his country despite his relative youth, the one-time Bondy youth asset already has 40 goals in just 71 appearances for Les Bleus to date, having previously been integral to his nation reaching the final of the last two World Cups.

In 2018 in Russia, the explosive wideman became the youngest player to net in the tournament's showpiece since Brazilian great, Pele back in 1958, memorably scoring in the 4-2 thrashing of Croatia.

The PSG talisman then hit even bigger heights in Qatar last year after scoring eight times in the competition in total, including a breathtaking hat-trick in the final against Lionel Messi's Argentina side to help take the game to extra-time.

While it was ultimately the South American outfit who emerged victorious during the subsequent penalty shoot-out, Mbappe yet again illustrated why he is a possible successor to the likes of Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at football's top table.

Such a talent is thus worthy of a sizeable valuation, with the player having only recently been the subject of a £259m offer from Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal – a stunning increase of 5080% in relation the reported £5m fee that United could have signed him for years prior.

While Ten Hag's side may still have lingering hopes of snapping up the £1.1m-per-week asset next summer when his current contract reaches its expiry, a move to Real Madrid looks to be the most obvious scenario, ensuring that Mbappe is likely to remain 'one that got away' for the Red Devils.

Former Celtic manager Neil Lennon enjoyed two largely excellent spells in charge of the Scottish giants as he won ten pieces of silverware for the club.

Which trophies did Lennon win with Celtic?

The Northern Irish head coach dominated football in Scotland and won five Scottish Premiership titles in total, with the latest one coming in the 2019/20 campaign.

Via Transfermarkt.

However, Lennon did not get everything right throughout his two stints in the dugout at Parkhead and some of his dealings in the transfer market were questionable, including the signing of striker Patryk Klimala from Jagiellonia Bialystok.

The Poland youth international flopped at Paradise and it took the club securing a phenomenal piece of business after the Northern Irish head coach moved on to make up for the signing's failure.

How much did Celtic pay for Klimala?

The Hoops reportedly agreed a £3.5m deal to sign the young centre-forward despite having yet to prove himself as a regular scorer at first-team level by that point in his career.

At the time of the move, in January 2020, FootballTransfers placed his Expected Transfer Value (xTV) at €600k (£514k), which is considerably less than the £3.5m Lennon and Celtic sanctioned to sign him.

This suggests that the Scottish giants massively overpaid for the 6 foot marksman as they lavished a big transfer fee on an unproven player whose market value was less than £1m.

Klimala was coming off the back of seven goals in 17 Ekstraklasa matches during the first half of the 2019/20 campaign and that came after the attacker struggled throughout the previous season.

He produced one goal and one assist in 22 games in the Polish top-flight during the 2018/19 term, and arrived at Parkhead with 11 goals and four assists in 50 senior appearances for Bialystok in all competitions.

The Poland U21 international had, however, shown promise at youth level with a stunning 17 goals in nine U19 clashes for Bialystok, whilst he also scored 13 goals in 27 outings in the second division of Polish football on loan with Wigry Suwalki during the 2017/18 campaign.

How many goals did Klimala score for Celtic?

Klimala endured a rough 18 months with the Scottish side as he only found the back of the net three times in 28 competitive appearances in all competitions for the club.

Lennon snapped him up in January of the 2019/20 campaign and slowly bedded him in with four outings during the second half of the season.

He produced one assist in two SFA Cup clashes and did not contribute to any goals in his two Scottish Premiership games, although the young forward only played 15 minutes of football in those matches.

Klimala then played 17 times in the Premiership throughout the following season but was unable to prove his worth to Lennon as he managed three goals and zero assists in that time.

The Polish attacker averaged an unimpressive Sofascore rating of 6.65 in those games and missed five 'big chances', which shows that he was not clinical with the opportunities that did come his way at the top end of the pitch.

27 other players averaged a higher Sofascore rating within the Celtic squad and this highlights how disappointing his displays were when he was given a chance to showcase his skills.

His lack of physicality was also evident as the £3.5m signing lost 68% of his aerial battles and 57% of his duels in total in the top-flight, as per Sofascore, which shows that opposition defenders found it far too easy to get the better of him in physical contests.

He also made seven appearances in the cup competitions, domestically and in Europe, throughout the 2020/21 campaign and failed to deliver a single goal or assist.

How much did Celtic sell Klimala for?

Celtic decided to cash in on the Polish centre-forward in April 2021, which came two months after Lennon was relieved of his duties in February, and played a masterclass in doing so as they were able to rake in a reported fee of €6m (£5m).

The Hoops sold him to MLS outfit New York Red Bulls and made a £1.5m profit, despite his struggles on the pitch throughout his time in Glasgow.

Red Bulls chief Kevin Thelwell hailed him as a "talented" ace and Klimala showcased his quality in front of goal with eight strikes and six assists in 26 MLS starts throughout the 2021 campaign.

However, his form did not last as the former Bhoys lightweight then struggled during the 2022 season and ended the term with five goals and three assists in 29 league outings.

Where is Klimala now?

The 25-year-old finisher is currently playing for Hapoel Beer Sheva in Israel after moving to the club from New York Red Bulls in January of this year.

Klimala has failed to deliver consistent quality at the top end of the pitch since his latest switch as he has scored three goals in 20 appearances in all competitions to date, which includes zero strikes in five matches this term.

At the time of writing (15/09/2023), FootballTransfers has his xTV at €1m (£857k) and this shows that Celtic played a masterclass with their deal to sell him to Red Bulls for a staggering £5m.

The Scottish giants were able to make a £1.5m profit on the Polish flop, in spite of his poor performances on the pitch, and have now watched on as he has struggled to kick on his career beyond life in Glasgow.

Klimala is not playing in a major European league and his market value is nowhere near the fee that they raked in for his services in 2021, which shows that the club made the right decision by selling him when they did.

Whilst the signing was a flop for Lennon on the pitch, the Hoops board made sure that a positive came out of Klimala's time at Parkhead with a fantastic piece of trading that they can look back on as a huge success given his lack of consistency in the final third since his exit.