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live Updated 1h ago 3 New Updates Getty Images Stoke City are in advanced talks with Tottenham Hotspur over the loan signing of Ashley Phillips. The 19-year-old spent last season on loan at Plymouth Argyle, making 18 Championship appearances as the Devon club narrowly avoided relegation to League One on the final day of the season. The Salford-born defender came through Blackburn Rovers' academy before signing a five-year contract with Spurs last summer. On the international stage, Phillips has been capped for England Under-17s and Under-19s, having previously represented Wales at youth level. Stoke began the new campaign with a 1-0 win over Coventry City before suffering a 3-0 defeat to Watford last weekend. They are next in action against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday. GO FURTHER Ash Phillips: Life at Plymouth, taking Tottenham chance and debt to Blackburn Advertisement Brighton & Hove Albion forward Jeremy Sarmiento has attracted interest from several clubs keen to sign him on loan, including Championship side Sheffield United. A decision is yet to be made on whether to loan the 22-year-old out again before the transfer window closes on August 30. Sarmiento spent last season on loan in the Championship at West Bromwich Albion and Ipswich Town, helping the latter of those teams to promotion. The versatile Ecuador international came off the bench for the closing stages of last Saturday's opening 3-0 win in the Premier League at Everton after featuring during the pre-season programme under Brighton's new head coach Fabian Hurzeler. There are currently no plans to loan out Sarmiento's South American team-mate Julio Enciso. The 20-year-old Paraguay forward is back in training at Brighton after representing his country at Copa America and the Olympics, where he suffered a leg injury. “I haven't trained with him so much, ” Hurzeler said on Enciso. “I followed his games at Copa America, also in the Olympics and last season at Brighton. “He is very young, he has a lot of potential. He is exactly one of those players that fits Brighton, because Brighton are searching for young players with big potential. “It's also up to us to improve him, give him a good environment. I think he needs an environment where he feels comfortable to bring his best potential on the pitch. That is now our job. ” Getty Images The left side of the midfield has been a slight sticking point in Arsenal’s build-up across the past calendar year, particularly since Granit Xhaka left last July to join Bayer Leverkusen. The original idea of playing Kai Havertz, signed from Chelsea in that same window, as the left-sided No 8 did not quite bring the fluid ball progression that it promised on paper. Moving Declan Rice, another bought in the summer of 2023, into that box-to-box role has proven to be an effective solution. But this system places a lot of strain on the three starting midfielders to perform at a consistently high level as the games stack up and the pressure mounts during the run-in. Mikel Merino’s arrival would help to lessen the burden, a dependable figure who has averaged over 40 appearances per season across his six years with Real Sociedad. He is comfortable playing in that left half-space, where Xhaka used to reside, although he is more of a box-to-box athlete than a tempo-setter from deep. Additional reporting: Jordan Campbell GO FURTHER What Mikel Merino would bring to Arsenal: Athleticism, defensive duels and back-post runs Michael Regan/Getty Images Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has called for patience with regards to the club’s transfer business. United have signed Leny Yoro, Joshua Zirkzee, Matthijs De Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui this summer but are still targeting a No 6. Talks have halted over Paris Saint-Germain’s Manuel Ugarte but the Uruguay international remains under consideration. “Be patient, sit, wait, keep working very hard, we will always try to make the best squad possible, ” Ten Hag said just now. “We have a couple of days and we will always improve, as long as we have the opportunity we will look for it. “Very pleased (with the business so far). They’re showing we’re going in the right direction, we know as a club we have to catch up but it shows our ambition, the way we want to go, we have done good business, very good players, quality players who will add, contribute to our squad. ” Asked directly about Ugarte, Ten Hag replied: “When we have news we will bring it. ” After last Friday’s 1-0 home win over Fulham, Ten Hag’s side are back in action on Saturday at Brighton & Hove Albion. Getty Images Arsenal have reached an agreement in principle to sign Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad. Arsenal have agreed to pay €33. 5million (£28. 4m) alongside €5m in variables to secure the services of the midfielder, who is expected to agree a four-year contract plus a club option of a further year after undergoing a medical. The Athletic previously reported that the north London club had stepped up their efforts to sign the 28-year-old, who has one year remaining on his current contract. GO FURTHER Arsenal reach Mikel Merino agreement with Real Sociedad Ryan Pierse/Getty Images Leicester City have agreed a fee with Crystal Palace for striker Jordan Ayew. A deal worth an initial £5million plus £3m in add-ons has been struck for the 32-year-old Ghana international, who started 30 Premier League matches for Palace last season. He is set to undergo a medical and if all goes as planned will become the newly-promoted club’s seventh signing of the summer. Leicester have signed Oliver Skipp, Abdul Fatawu, Caleb Okoli and Bobby De Cordova Reid while Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Marc Albrighton, Dennis Praet and Kelechi Iheanacho were among those to depart. GO FURTHER Leicester agree fee with Crystal Palace for Jordan Ayew Advertisement Getty Images Burnley forward Anass Zaroury has signed for French side Lens. The Morocco international has signed a four-year contract with the Ligue 1 club for an undisclosed fee. The versatile forward scored six goals and added six assists in his first season at Turf Moor to help Burnley win promotion to the Premier League in 2022-23. He made six top-flight appearances last season before joining Hull City on loan for the remainder of the campaign. Lens general manager Pierre Dreossi said: "The whole of Racing (Lens) is happy to welcome Anass Zaroury under the blood and gold colours. "Anass is a complete attacker, able to play in different positions in the attack. He has great technical quality. He added: "But beyond his footballing background, Anass is above all a boy whose spirit is consistent with the values ​​of Lens. " Zaroury joined Burnley from Belgian-based side Sporting Charleroi. The winger has made four appearances for his country since making his senior international debut in November 2022. Nuno Espirito Santo has said that Alex Moreno will bolster Nottingham Forest's options at full-back. The Spaniard, who is Forest's eighth signing of the summer, has joined on a season-long loan deal from Aston Villa and Forest have an option to make his move permanent at the end of the season. “He can give us another option in the full back position, he is a good player. I hope he can help us, ” said Nuno, who sidestepped questions about whether he expected Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah to become signing number nine. Forest are in negotiations with the London club, who value the 25-year-old at around £30million. “Until the end, on the last day of the window, anything can happen. The most important thing is to keep our (best) players, so that we do not get any kind of surprise, ” said Nuno. Jon Hobley/MI News/Nur Photo via Getty Images Nottingham Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has confirmed that club captain Joe Worrall is in the process of completing a move to Burnley. The 27-year-old is expected to sign a four-year contract with the Championship club, ending a 13-year relationship with Forest that began when he joined the Forest academy in 2011 and saw him make 205 appearances for his hometown club. “I think you know, already, how much I appreciate Joe. When I arrived, we made the decision that he would not be involved, ” said Nuno. “But his behaviour as club captain has been amazing. ” GO FURTHER Joe Worrall close to completing Burnley move from Nottingham Forest Michael Regan/Getty Images Steve Cooper says he is confident Leicester City will be able to add to their forward line before the transfer deadline. Cooper is looking to strengthen his attacking options having signed midfielder Oliver Skipp, who is available to make his debut at Fulham on Saturday. The Leicester manager believes he now has the right balance in midfield but hopes to have the same in his attack. “I think we are close but we have been close before, ” he said. “I thought the week before we were adding two attacking players but it didn’t happen in the end. That’s the way it went. “The top end of the pitch is an area we would like to strengthen, like we have in midfield. Every area we want to strengthen, but that might not be in this window. “We are really keen on getting some deals over the line and we are working hard. If it happens, great, if not then we have belief in the guys who are here. That’s important. “If we can add, and I think we will, but if we don’t get on with it and commit to our objectives. ” Getty Images Liverpool youngster Harvey Blair is set to join Championship outfit Portsmouth for £300, 000. The 20-year-old attacker has been given permission to agree personal terms and undergo a medical. Blair featured in all three matches during Liverpool's pre-season tour of America this summer but was always going to find his opportunities severely limited when the club's senior forwards returned to the fold. He arrived at Liverpool from Manchester United at under-12s level but his progress through the academy was hampered by a number of injury setbacks. Jurgen Klopp handed him his senior debut against Preston North End in the League Cup in October 2021 but that proved to be his only competitive first-team appearance for the club. Blair, who can play wide or through the middle, scored five goals in 20 games for Liverpool Under-21s in Premier League 2 and has opted to move to the south coast in search of regular first-team football. John Mousinho's Portsmouth side are back in the Championship this season having won the League One title in 2023-24. Advertisement Watford are in advanced talks with Royal Antwerp over the signing of Pierre Dwomoh. The 20-year-old midfielder is undergoing a medical with the clubs finalising a deal worth in the region of €1million (£850k). Dwomoh, who has been capped by Belgium at youth level, will sign a long-term contract at the Championship club. GO FURTHER Joe Worrall will sign a four-year contract at Burnley with his move from Nottingham Forest at the final stages. The defender travelled yesterday to undergo a medical and the expectation is that the transfer will be made official later today. The Athletic reported yesterday that Worrall was close to completing his move to Burnley, having fallen out of favour at Forest. The 27-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at Besiktas, making nine appearances. Worrall is a product of Forest’s academy and had been made club captain by Steve Cooper in 2022. Lewis Storey/Getty Images Manchester United midfielder Maxi Oyedele is set to join Polish club Legia Warsaw on a permanent basis. United say the Poland under-21 international will move to Legia for a fee contingent based on appearances, while United will retain a high sell on clause, initially of 50 per cent, while also retaining matching rights and a buyback option. The 19-year-old will become the latest player to leave United after Facundo Pellistri completed a permanent transfer to Panathinaikos this week, with Raphael Varane, Anthony Martial, Donny van de Beek, Aaron Wan Bissaka, Mason Greenwood, Omari Forson and Willy Kambwala among the other exits so far this window. GO FURTHER Manchester United’s Maxi Oyedele set for Legia Warsaw transfer Jeff Halstead/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Orlando City forward Duncan Mc Guire has agreed a new contract with the MLS club until 2027. The 23-year-old recently featured for the U. S. at the Olympic Games and has now committed his future to the club for a further three years, with the club holding an option for a further year to 2028. Mc Guire's contract was due to expire at the end of the current campaign with options to extend for two more years, but extended negotiations have led to a new and improved deal being finalised. Mc Guire — scorer of 23 goals in 63 appearances for Orlando — was unveiled by Blackburn Rovers in January only for the move to fall through because of an administration error. Further interest was registered during this window, but a new deal rather than a departure has been sealed. Dan Mullan/Getty Images Girona are confident of progressing with a deal to sign Watford’s Yaser Asprilla with clubs now engaged in talks. The Spanish top-flight side have held discussions with the 20-year-old Colombian international and agreement on personal terms is moving closer. Final agreement between the clubs has not been reached as yet, but discussions over a transfer package in the region of £25million are now advancing. GO FURTHER Advertisement Getty Images Kieran Trippier wants to leave Newcastle United before the transfer window closes, with Everton among the clubs keen to sign the England full-back. Trippier was the first recruit by the new ownership on Tyneside in January 2022 and has played a central role in the club’s rise. But the 33-year-old was an unused substitute in Saturday’s opening-weekend victory over Southampton after Eddie Howe decided to select Tino Livramento at right-back. Read more below GO FURTHER Kieran Trippier wants to leave Newcastle, Everton interested in transfer It's midday in the UK and 7am on the east coast of America, so if you're starting on lunch or brewing your morning coffee, here's the state of play with transfers so far today: Michael Regan/Getty Images The final paperwork came through later than expected on the evening of August 12, but there would be no final hitches. Matthijs de Ligt, regarded as one of Europe’s best young centre-backs for almost a decade, would become a Manchester United player courtesy of an opportunistic transfer, which first arose as a possibility during this summer’s European Championship, and which was ultimately completed for €45million (£38. 4m, $50m), plus a potential €5m more in add-ons. For De Ligt, who turned 25 that same day, this had been a long time coming. GO FURTHER De Ligt to Man Utd – inside the deal: Ten Hag’s texts, perfect profile… and lifelong love