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Nottingham Forest have been setting themselves up to take on their upcoming Premier League season by adding several new players to their squad.

While there is still time left before the transfer window closes, this could give the Midlands club the chance to strengthen their squad even more by securing deals for some other potential targets.

One name who has been mentioned with a move to Forest and who would add a significant amount of top-flight experience to Steve Cooper’s side is Che Adams.

Last week, it was claimed by The Athletic journalist Ryan Taylor that the Southampton striker is among the centre-forward targets of interest to Cooper.

After scoring 53 goals in 178 appearances combined for his two previous clubs Sheffield United and Birmingham City, Adams joined the Saints three years ago for a fee of £15m. Since then, the Scotland international has found the net 21 times and supplied 12 assists in 110 appearances for the south coast club.

One of his goals for Birmingham came in a 1-0 win against Forest in November 2017, when he not only scored the winning goal and gave Joe Worrall a torrid time, he also completed one successful dribble, made two key passes and won four of his seven duels.

His previous Premier League campaign with Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side saw him rack up 49 shots at goal, with 24 of those being on target, leaving only James Ward-Prowse (51) with more attempts among Southampton’s squad.

This highlights his clear attacking talent and shows how capable he is of being an attacking nuisance for opposition defences and goalkeepers.

Even though Forest have already brought in Taiwo Awoniyi, adding an experienced figure like Adams, who has three full seasons in the Premier League under his belt, could be vital for the team throughout their upcoming campaign.

Described as a “breath of fresh air” by Ally McCoist, the 25-year-old could be the cherry on the cake of what has already been an impressive summer of transfer business from Forest.

However, taking all this into account, it could be a challenge for the club to convince Southampton to let their star striker leave this summer, especially to a Premier League rival.

AND in other news – Imagine him & Awoniyi: Cooper can form deadly duo by signing “stunning” £10m star

West Ham United are believed to be plotting a move for Sassuolo striker Gianluca Scamacca, according to the latest reports.

What’s the word?

As per journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Hammers are said to be “preparing” a bid for the Italy international this summer, with the fee set to be in the region of €40m, (£34m) – potentially shy of the Serie A outfit’s €50m asking price.

Writing on Twitter about the east Londoners’ interest, Romano stated that: “West Ham are preparing an opening, verbal bid around €40m for Gianluca Scamacca. He’s in the list alongside Armando Broja, who just joined Chelsea squad in the USA & there’s lot of competition. #WHUFC Sassuolo want €50m for Scamacca. PSG, not intentioned to pay that much.”

This follows a previous report from 90min that revealed that David Moyes and co had made contact with the Italian side regarding the seven-cap gem – as well as teammate and compatriot Giacomo Raspadori – ahead of a possible swoop in the coming weeks and months.

Arnautovic 2.0

A player also on the radar of Paris Saint-Germain, Scamacca enjoyed a real breakthrough season during the 2021/22 campaign, the £27m-rated ace bagging 16 goals in 36 league games, netting at a rate of a goal every 135 minutes.

Prior to that, the imposing, 6 foot 5 menace had netted eight times in 26 league games while on loan at Genoa, having also worked his way into the international reckoning under Roberto Mancini in recent times.

Dubbed a “complete” player by former Italy U21 coach Luigi Di Biagio, the £3.2k-per-week striker seemingly has all the tools to be a success at the London Stadium, while he also notably ranks in the top 7% for non-penalty goals among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues.

His imposing, forceful presence in leading the line could evoke memories of a certain former Hammers star in Marko Arnautovic, with the pair sharing a number of statistical and stylistic similarities, as per FBref.

While the Austrian gem may have been a controversial figure during his time in English football – moving to the London Stadium from Stoke City on a £25m deal in 2017 – the dynamic forward emerged as something of a cult figure following his impressive displays leading the line, despite an eventual sour end to his time at the club.

In just two years with the Irons, the 102-cap international – who has netted 33 times for his country – reached double figures for league goals across each of his two campaigns at the club, while also netting 22 goals and providing 12 assists in 65 games across all competitions in total.

The hope will be that Scamacca – who has endured controversies of his own – can equal or even eclipse the impact of the 33-year-old should he sign this summer, both with his goalscoring quality and his imposing presence on the pitch, with Moyes seemingly set to be able to find his new talisman in the Rome-born brute.

The former Everton boss has previously lauded Arnautovic and spoken about how he helped transform the striker’s fortunes during his first spell in charge at the club, with the Scotsman likely chomping at the bit to get to work with his heir apparent, Scamacca.

AND in other news: West Ham closing in on “remarkable” £10m target, it would be a “masterstroke” by Moyes

Everton are in desperate need of reinforcements this summer following a disappointing 16th-placed finish in the Premier League last season, and a reliable source has now given an update on the club’s progress in signing a potential transfer target.

What’s the latest?

Everton insider and former club communications director Alan Myers has been responding to supporters’ questions on Twitter.

He gave a succinct seven-word response to one supporter who asked about the potential signing of Maxwel Cornet this summer:

“Wouldn’t rule it out but nothing imminent.”

Supporters will be disappointed

There is no doubt the Goodison Park faithful will be disappointed to learn that there are no transfers imminent at the moment, as the season starts in just over two weeks’ time and Everton have only made one signing so far this summer, with no replacement for Richarlison as of yet.

The Brazilian winger left Merseyside earlier this month in a £60m deal with Tottenham Hotspur, and despite the Toffees being linked with a number of forwards over the transfer window so far, they are yet to make any progress on that front.

It will certainly be frustrating for Frank Lampard, who spoke out earlier this week about his concerns and what Everton need in order to ensure that they retain their top-flight status next year following a 4-0 defeat to Minnesota United in a pre-season friendly in recent days.

Speaking to Everton TV, the Toffees manager claimed (via The Mirror): “The players have to work and understand we were in a relegation battle for a big portion of last season. And if we don’t want to be in that situation again, they have to better and I have to be better.”

“As a club, it [the Minnesota game] reinforced the situation in terms of what we need to do with the squad, because it has to be stronger that what we saw tonight.”

Farhad Moshiri must give Lampard the resources and squad that he needs in order to compete next season. Despite already signing James Tarkowski this summer, there is still a lot of work to be done, and losing their top scorer from last season will leave them weakened if they don’t identify a player to replace Richarlison soon.

Everton’s fate when the 2022/23 Premier League campaign finishes could lay solely on the business that they execute over the next few weeks, so the powers at Goodison Park will need to act fast to improve the squad with new talent.

AND in other news: Everton given green light to sign “phenomenal” £15m “talent”, it would be a huge coup

Southampton have done brilliantly to cultivate one of England’s more underrated central midfielders in recent years, with James Ward-Prowse earning huge plaudits for his dependability and free-kick prowess.

However, they could be set to add another reliable set of legs beside him, which could prove to be a stroke of genius by Ralph Hasenhuttl.

Tottenham’s Harry Winks shares many similarities with Southampton’s 27-year-old skipper and has been tenuously linked over the past few weeks.

Perhaps a move slightly further south may revitalise a career that promised so much, and even propel Ward-Prowse to the next level too.

Last season Winks only managed 19 appearances for Spurs and was used even more sparingly once Antonio Conte came in.

Having now been deemed surplus to requirements by the Italian, a move down the table could relieve some pressure and allow him to play the football he once did earlier on in his career.

The England international did manage a respectable SofaScore rating of 6.84 across his few appearances, suggesting that a consistent performer still lurks beneath the surface of this wantaway maestro.

In fact, journalist Adam Crafton labelled him “remarkable” after he impressed against Real Madrid after a stint out of the team. He showed back then that even without minutes his quality did not diminish, so there’s no reason to believe this time would be any different.

He did also rank in the 98th percentile for progressive passes per 90, which suggests that alongside Ward-Prowse, Winks could perhaps operate from slightly deeper and maintain the tempo of the Saints side.

This would allow the Southampton midfielder to push forward and better utilise his creative attributes, as he ranked in the 90th percentile for shot-creating actions per 90.

Reportedly available for just £25m, it is suggested that all Winks needs to thrive is a run in a team and a slice of faith from his manager. Spurs have been through multiple managers in recent years, and this may have contributed to his reduction in play time.

Journalist Duncan Wright believes there is a “quality player” there, and that a move elsewhere could see him perform similarly to Jesse Lingard at West Ham.

If Southampton are to take that chance, it could not only help provide better service to their forwards but give their prized asset more freedom to express himself in attacking situations. This could prove invaluable for Hasenhuttl as they also grow closer to signing Sekou Mara from Bordeaux.

This is set to be an exciting few weeks for the St Mary’s outfit based on that.

AND, in other news: Imagine him & JWP: Ralph can form “superb” Saints duo by signing “stunning” 46-goal gem.

Liverpool are interested in signing young Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams this summer.

The Lowdown: Another winger coming in?

Jurgen Klopp has brought in three new additions in the summer transfer window, with Darwin Nunez, Fabio Carvalho and Calvin Ramsay added to his squad.

There is no official confirmation that the Reds’ spending has stopped there though, and perhaps they are simply on the lookout for a more under-the-radar addition than the highly touted Jude Bellingham.

It could be that another winger is seen as an option – someone who could come in and provide backup to the likes of Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz.

The Latest: Liverpool keen on Williams Jr

According to AS [via Sport Witness], Liverpool have been monitoring Williams ‘from close’ – the 20-year-old is the brother of former Reds target Inaki Williams.

It is claimed that there’s ‘no danger’ of the Reds triggering his €50million (£42.2million) release clause yet, but Bilbao ‘will have a problem’ if he continues to impress.

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The Verdict: One for the future

At 20, Williams Jr is still very much a work in progress as a player, possessing a rawness that is outlined by no goals or assists in 23 La Liga appearances last season.

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Spending big on him this summer would, therefore, feel like a risk, even though he has been tipped to have a ‘great future’ by former Spain Under-17s boss David Gordo and even likened himself to Kylian Mbappe, saying he dribbles ‘like Neymar’.

Williams could be one to go back in for next summer then, at a point where he is a year older and more mature as a player.

Journalist Santi Aouna of Foot Mercato has shared some new information for Tottenham supporters involving Roma playmaker Nicolo Zaniolo.

The Lowdown: Spurs chase Zaniolo…

The Lilywhites are believed to be chasing the 23-year-old as sporting director Fabio Paratici gears up for Antonio Conte’s first full Premier League season in the dugout in N17.

Deals have already been done for Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Clement Lenglet and Djed Spence this summer as the north Londoners remain very busy in the transfer market.

Paratici is apparently still in the market for a creative midfielder and potentially a new centre-back, with Aouna sharing the latest on Tottenham’s pursuit of Zaniolo.

The Latest: Aouna shares Zaniolo ‘info’…

Taking to social media on Monday morning, the Foot Mercato reporter shared ‘info’ involving Spurs and Zaniolo. Indeed, he claims the north London club are set for imminent fresh talks to sign the nine-cap Italy international.

Aouna explained (via Twitter): “Info: New discussions planned this week between Roma and Tottenham for Zaniolo.”

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The Verdict: Get it done…

As per WhoScored, Zaniolo finished 2021/22 as one of Roma’s best attacking threats, completing more take-ons per 90 minutes than any of his team-mates, whilst also attracting the most fouls in that time.

The starlet also possesses a physicality which seems tailor-made for English football, standing at a lofty 6 foot 3, an aspect of his game which could be attractive to both Paratici and Conte.

A concern for Spurs could well be Zaniolo’s injury history at the Stadio Olimpico, yet the player’s aforementioned quality could make him a worthy punt depending on the asking price.

Rangers are back in Premiership action this afternoon with their first home clash of the new campaign.

The Gers fell to a disappointing 2-0 defeat in midweek in the first leg of their Champions League third round qualifier, leaving them with a mountain to climb for the return fixture at Ibrox in the coming days.

Prior to that, Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side kicked off their domestic campaign last weekend with a 2-1 win away to Livingston.

Now that the 2022 Europa League finalists are back in league action at Ibrox against Kilmarnock, this will give them the chance to put their midweek defeat behind them and secure another win in the league.

On the chalkboard

Even though Killie only managed to snatch a last-gasp draw against Dundee United last weekend, Derek McInnes’ team still had 18 attempts at goal, so that they could well cause a few problems for Rangers this afternoon.

In terms of what Van Bronckhorst’s starting XI could look like on this occasion, one man who didn’t start against Union Saint-Gilloise in midweek but who we feel should be in from the beginning to face Kilmarnock today is Tom Lawrence.

Rangers signed the Welshman last month from Derby County and gave him his Premiership debut in their first league game of the season against Livingston.

During that match, the 28-year-old completed 40 of the 44 passes that he attempted, also having three shots at goal and making five tackles in total, ultimately earning himself a solid match rating of 7/10 from SofaScore.

This shows how useful he can be in terms of being both an attacking threat and a solid defensive figure, which is why the Light Blues could have had a better chance at securing a win in midweek if he had started.

In terms of who the Wales international could replace in the team, with Rabbi Matondo – who Lawrence replaced in midweek – being described as looking “well off the pace” by journalist Andrew Newport after the 2-0 defeat, this could make it a simple decision for Van Bronckhorst to make.

Hailed as a “fabulous talent” in the past by his former manager Gary Bowyer, the Welshman certainly has the talent and work-rate in him to terrify today’s opponents and cause them plenty of problems, which is why the Rangers boss should have no doubts over putting him back in the starting XI.

Manchester United are once again being linked with a move for Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinković-Savić and the Serbian could prove to be Erik ten Hag’s own version of Kevin de Bruyne should he move to Old Trafford.

Various outlets have linked the Red Devils with a move for the 27-year-old, as Ten Hag looks to bolster his limited midfield options at United before the transfer window shuts.

The Dutch manager arrived at United only to see Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata all leave the club on free transfers after their contracts expired.

Only Christian Eriksen has been signed so far, and with a move for Barcelona’s Frenkie De Jong having been United’s primary focus for much of the window, only for him to be linked with a switch to Chelsea, they need to look elsewhere for midfield improvements.

Milinković-Savić would certainly help to strengthen United in midfield, as is emphasised by his superb season in Serie A last season, where he contributed 11 goals and 11 assists, averaging a 7.36 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

For context, no United player would register as many goals and assists, while Cristiano Ronaldo was rated as the top performer in United’s squad, averaging a 7.11 rating across his appearances in the Premier League.

Manchester City talisman Kevin De Bruyne, according to FBref, is the eighth-most similar player to Milinković-Savić in terms of play style.

Considering how influential the Belgian has been for Pep Guardiola in recent seasons, winning the Premier League player of the season last year as they won the title, United would be foolish to turn down a player similar to De Bruyne.

As per FbRef, the two registered the exact same number of shots on target last season (31), while they also registered a similar number of expected goals per 90 (0.21 vs 0.26) and progressive passes (170 vs 157).

This shows that they are both midfielders that like to get forward and make an impact in the final third, which is something United will need if they are to avoid relying on Ronaldo for their goalscoring exploits again this season.

WhoScored also suggests that both Milinkovic-Savic and De Bruyne excel at passing, long shots and playing key passes, so they clearly have a similar style of play, and the Serbian could be very effective in Ten Hag’s midfield.

Therefore, the Glazers should definitely consider a move for the “complete midfielder” before the transfer window shuts.

Everton have made five new signings this summer so far but are still in the market for a new striker before the transfer window closes, and now a potential transfer target has been identified.

What’s the latest?

According to The Daily Mail, Everton are one of four Premier League clubs interested in signing RC Strasbourg striker Ludovic Ajorque.

As per the report, the Toffees join Brentford, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City in their interest of acquiring the services of the popular player this summer.

Strasbourg are willing to sell their player before the transfer window closes but the asking price is believed to be £18m.

He could be Lukaku 2.0

Everton are in desperate need of a new striker at Goodison Park, with the side having to start their Premier League season without one in their opener against Chelsea last weekend following an injury to Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Salomon Rondon serving a one-match suspension from last season.

With Calvert-Lewin missing for at least the next six weeks, it would make perfect sense for the Toffees to bring in a striker that can fit seamlessly into his role as Lampard would have had a style of play in mind throughout pre-season to enhance the striker’s chances of converting chances in front of goal.

As a result, finding a striker who is a similar profile of player as the 25-year-old would be the most advantageous option for the Toffees to get stuck straight into picking up points in the Premier League over the coming fixtures where Calvert-Lewin will be certainly missing and Ajorque could be the perfect fit.

The hulking 6 foot 6 goal machine who was hailed a “complete player” by Julian Stephan has been dominating his opponents with ease over in Ligue 1, scoring 12 goals, delivering eight assists and creating an impressive 11 big chances over 36 appearances last season.

Ajorque has no trouble using his stature when causing trouble for the players he comes up against with the player ranking in the top 3% for tackles compared to his positional peers in the top five European Leagues over the last 12 months, as well as ranking inside the top 10% for aerial duels won.

With that in mind, Everton could even land their next Romelu Lukaku, a player the club has struggled to replace since he left Goodison Park. During his time on Merseyside, he bagged 87 goals and delivered 29 assists over 166 appearances, with a goal contribution every 120 minutes for the Merseysiders.

Just like Ajorque, Lukaku also uses his wiry 6 foot 2 stature to knock players off the ball and win possession in the air in the final third with the striker completing the majority of his aerial duels (52%) last season at Chelsea, something that the Frenchman can now emulate if Everton can secure a deal.

With that being said, the signing of Ajorque could be a big addition for Everton, but they will need to act fast as they need a striker as soon as possible in order to boost their hopes of staying in the division.

Newcastle United are reportedly keen on signing Scott McTominay before the transfer window shuts.

The Lowdown: Shelvey injury

It has been reported that Jonjo Shelvey is likely to be out for as many as three months with injury after deciding to have surgery on his injured hamstring.

The St. James’ Park outfit have not brought in any midfield players in this window, and may need to look for some cover for him with just a couple of weeks remaining.

The Latest: McTominay interest

Co-writing in his latest piece for 90min, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has revealed that the Tynesiders are one of a number of clubs who are ‘keen’ on signing McTominay, and it would ‘likely’ be on loan rather than a permanent deal.

They are ‘long-term admirers’ of the Manchester United midfielder, and are ‘keeping tabs’ on his situation at Old Trafford following the arrival of Casemiro from Real Madrid.

The Verdict: Loan ideal

Given Shelvey’s injury, a loan deal for McTominay would be ideal until the Englishman is able to recover.

Hailed as ‘absolutely unbelievable’ and a potential future club captain last season by United legend Sammy McIlroy, the six-foot-four colossus was a standout performer in an otherwise poor season for the club.

He ranked as their sixth-best performer in the Premier League, picking up one goal, one assist and two man-of-the-match awards, while he also ranked highly among his teammates in terms of average aerial duels won, tackles, interceptions, clearances and blocks per game (WhoScored).

McTominay has already come under huge criticism this campaign for his performances, and has seemingly lost his way, but a move to a new club may give him the confidence to perform like he did last term, and the Magpies can give him the platform to do that.