West Ham United may be preparing to tap into the Scottish Premiership for a potential bargain deal this January, with Celtic starlet Daniel Cummings reportedly on their radar, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Cummings, whose contract expires this summer, is eligible to sign a pre-contract agreement with clubs outside Scotland. While Celtic would receive compensation for developing the young talent through their academy, West Ham are said to be actively pursuing the 18-year-old striker.

Romano’s report highlights that the Hammers are keen on bringing Cummings to London, though Celtic are making efforts to retain their rising star by offering him a new deal to continue his development in the Scottish Premiership.

Despite not yet featuring for Celtic’s first team, Cummings’ performances at the youth level have captured attention. He has scored an impressive 24 goals in 24 appearances this season, including 18 goals in Scotland’s fifth tier and six in six UEFA Youth League matches.

His standout performances, including braces against Slovan Bratislava and RB Leipzig, earned him the label “unstoppable” by UEFA.

Premier League clubs, including Brighton, have also shown interest in the 6ft 1in forward. Celtic are eager to avoid losing another promising player for a nominal fee, having seen Ben Doak join Liverpool for £600,000 and Rocco Vata move to Watford for £250,000—both players already making an impact in their new clubs.

For West Ham, Cummings could address their striker shortage, as Michail Antonio is sidelined for the season following a car accident, and summer signing Niclas Füllkrug faces his third lengthy injury spell of the campaign.

Although Cummings lacks senior experience, he could follow a development path similar to Doak’s, transitioning into the first team under the guidance of Graham Potter over time.

Gary Neville believes that Kyle Walker’s request to leave Man City may be due to the mental and physical strain of keeping up with the demands of Premier League football.

The City captain has informed director of football Txiki Begiristain of his wish to depart this month, with AC Milan showing interest. Since expressing his desire to leave, Walker has not featured in matches against Salford City and Brentford.

Despite remaining club captain, Walker has not worn the armband during recent substitute appearances and has struggled with his form this season, facing fitness issues as the City squad endures a challenging period.

On the Stick to Football podcast, Neville suggested that Walker’s decision to seek a move could be related to the difficulties he’s faced during this tough campaign.

“He’s captain of the team, it’s midway through a challenging season. When I saw that he had asked to leave, he’s got a good relationship with the manager – but I reckon he said he’s just done,” he said.

“At City, the demands of Pep Guardiola and playing at that level, I think he thinks that he can’t do it anymore at this level and just wants to get out. Mentally and physically, he just looks beaten – that’s just what I feel, I don’t know.”

Roy Keane suggested that Kyle Walker’s off-field problems could be impacting his performance, given that his personal life has frequently made headlines in the media and gossip columns.

Keane also advised Manchester City to view Walker’s request to leave as a business transaction, noting that the club has previously secured good value from players who have left in recent seasons.

“A lot of players have off the pitch issues – not just Kyle Walker – and eventually it does catch up with your performance on the pitch and it takes its toll on you,” he said.

“I have no problem with a player saying that he needs a change, but in the middle of the season when your team are struggling – I would just bide my time. I still think Manchester City will look at this as a business deal.

“It is affecting his game now – I think it has taken its toll. Other players have been under huge pressure, whether it be Wayne Rooney or David Beckham, they get on with it and the best place for them to be is the football pitch.

“For other players, the pressure piles on them and then their performances are affected. I think Pep will look after him, but whether that’ll mean letting him go on the cheap, I don’t know.”

Juventus have reportedly set an asking price for Andrea Cambiaso, who has recently become a transfer target for Manchester City.

City are preparing to part ways with long-time veteran Kyle Walker, who has requested a move and is now linked with a transfer to Milan. This opens up the possibility for the Premier League champions to pursue a new full-back, with Cambiaso being an appealing option due to his versatility.

Though Walker is a primarily a right-back, Cambiaso began his career as a left-back but has been deployed in various positions by Max Allegri last season and Thiago Motta this term. He frequently plays as a right wing-back for the Italian national team under Luciano Spalletti.

In recent weeks, the 24-year-old’s performances have been below expectations, particularly after an injury last month. Still, his early-season form attracted interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs, starting with reigning European champions Real Madrid.

Following Madrid, Manchester City entered the race, with Pep Guardiola reportedly impressed by Cambiaso’s dynamic displays. However, acquiring the Italy international from Turin will not be easy for any suitor.

According to IlBianconero, Juventus have set a starting price of €50 million for Cambiaso. Any interested party would need to meet this figure to have a chance of signing the Genoa youth product.

The Bianconeri consider the left-back a key player for both the present and future, having even captained the team on several occasions.

However, no Juventus player is considered untouchable, as the club could be tempted to sell for the right offer, especially given their ongoing financial struggles.