West Ham ready bold free agent swoop as Man Utd ‘hold talks’ with £73m signing

To paraphrase the immortal words of football’s unofficial poet laureate, Wayne Rooney: ‘Summer transfer window 2023 has passed away. RIP u will live on forever. Cant believe it. I wanna run to u. Really cant believe this.’

Yes, that’s right, on Friday, the market hauled down its shutters one last time - or until January, at least - and the chequebooks of football club owners all across the nation were solemnly laid to rest as they went to the big desk drawer in the sky. Again, until January.

But never fear, because while the spending may have stopped, the speculation will never, ever, ever die. As such, here are Tuesday’s Premier League transfer rumours.

Lingard nears West Ham return

Jesse Lingard could be on his way back to West Ham, according to the Daily Mail. The midfielder is a free agent having parted company with Nottingham Forest over the summer, but has been training with the Hammers to maintain his fitness, and has reportedly impressed enough to warrant a short-term contract offer in east London.

The ex-Manchester United star previously spent a hugely successful loan spell at the London Stadium, scoring nine goals and assisting five more in 16 outings. It’s understood, however, that manager David Moyes wants to be sure about the 30-year-old’s commitment to his cause in the capital before giving a green light to the deal. As such, an incentivised agreement until the end of the season with an option to extend is considered to be the most likely course of action.

The 3AM Verdict: If West Ham can bring back the Lingard they had on loan in 2021, then this is an absolute no-brainer. Arguably, that brief stint was the best of the midfielder’s career, and while things never really worked out for him at Nottingham Forest, the hope will be that a return to familiar surroundings can help to coax the best out of him once again.

Ten Hag set for Sancho talks

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is set to hold ‘clear the air’ talks with Jadon Sancho following the winger’s explosive social media post over the weekend. The Dutch boss suggested that the 23-year-old had been dropped from his plans due to poor peformances in training, which in turn led to the player sharing his side of the story, and reiterating his commitment to playing for the Red Devils.

In the aftermath of the debacle, the Daily Mail now report that the pair are set for discussions, with Ten Hag understood to be wanting more from a talent who cost United £73 million in 2021.

The 3AM Verdict: Something has to be done here. The longer the situation festers, the worse it will become for all involved, and the fact remains that Sancho can still be a real asset to this United side. For whatever reason, things haven’t quite worked out at Old Trafford, but if and when it clicks into place for him, then surely he will have a lot to offer Ten Hag.

Pepe edges closer to Arsenal exit

And finally, Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe is said to be undergoing a medical with Turkish club Besiktas ahead of a move away from the Emirates in the comings days, according to L’Equipe. The Gunners are set to receive a small transfer fee for the Ivorian international, but will, unsurprisingly, get nowhere close to recouping the £72 million they paid for him four years ago.

The 3AM Verdict: This is for the best. There’s no way that Pepe is ever getting anywhere near Mikel Arteta’s plans in north London, and moving him on, even if it is just for a nominal fee, frees up some space on the wage bill while also allowing the player to go out and try and rekindle his ailing career elsewhere. It’s a shame that it has come to this, but it is time to draw a line under the whole thing and move on.