Man Utd could gift Fulham unexpected transfer boost as Brighton to make ‘new move’ for Man City target

Brighton and Hove Albion’s much vaunted scouting system is reportedly ready to click into gear once again as they were linked with an Argentinean youngster.

The likes of Alexis Mac Allister, Julio Enciso and Facundo Buonanotte have swapped life in South America for a move to the south coast in recent years and the Seagulls are said to be ready to revive their interest in another young prospect from Argentina after missing out during the summer.

Boca Juniors full-back Valentin Barco is said to be on the Seagulls shortlist for the January transfer window - although they will face competition from Premier League champions Manchester City and Italian giants Juventus according to The Sun. The 19-year-old has already made 22 appearances for Boca and has earned three Argentina Under-20 caps to cement his reputation as a near-certain future senior international.

The 3AM Verdict:You do wonder if other clubs keep an eye on possible targets for Brighton given the incredible success level of their recruitment. The Seagulls have firmly cemented their reputation as a classic example of a club others should follow as they look to develop in a sustainable way.

West Ham keeper hails ‘incredible’ summer signing

West Ham United star Alphonse Areola has hailed the impact summer signing James Ward-Prowse has made at the London Stadium.

The England midfielder made a £30m switch to the Hammers last month following Southampton’s relegation from the Premier League and has wasted little time in making an impact. After scoring in Saturday’s home defeat against Manchester City, Ward-Prowse has scored two goals and provided three assists in his first four appearances for David Moyes’ side - and that has met the approval of one of his new team-mates.

Speaking about the former Saints midfielder with the Mirror, he said: “You just have to look at his games, his stats. He’s helping us a lot, offensively, defensively, set-pieces. He’s just incredible for us so we have to keep that positivity and go again.”

The 3AM Verdict: It’s hard to argue with Areola’s reasoning and the stats behind Ward-Prowse’s undoubted ability. His signing could well be the most shrewd of the summer transfer window and another impressive piece of business by David Moyes.

Cottagers star opens up on failed Bundesliga switch

Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha has reflected on a ‘weird couple of weeks’ after he missed out on a big money move to Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.

The Portugal international has scored five goals in 44 appearances since joining the Cottagers in a reported £20m deal from Sporting CP in July last year and has firmly established himself as a key player within Marco Silva’s side. His performances have attracted the attention of several clubs and the reigning Bundesliga champions were close to completing a move for Palhinha in the final days of the summer transfer window.

However, the deal fell through as Fulham failed to find a replacement and the midfielder has now committed to a new contract at Craven Cottage. After putting pen-to-paper, Palhinha delivered his verdict on the events of the last month.

He said: “I won’t lie, it’s been a weird couple of weeks for me and my family. But I want to forget about that now and focus on helping Fulham.”

Elsewhere, reports suggest that Bayern Munich could turn their attentions to Man Utd’s Scott McTominay in January, which could see the Cottagers hang onto their star man a little longer.

The 3AM Verdict: It would be understandable if the disappointment of missing out on a move to Bayern Munich, almost guarenteed silverware and yearly participation in the Champions League had made a major impact on Palhinha. He may well get his move at some point in the future but it says a lot about his professional attitude that he seems so focused on Fulham.