Image source, Getty Images

Alexander Isak is training individually at Real Sociedad’s facilities as he recovers from a minor thigh injury, according to Sky Sports, external. This is amidst the growing uncertainty over his Newcastle future.

The Sweden striker, who missed the club’s pre-season tour of Singapore, has told Newcastle he’s open to exploring his options this summer after interest from Liverpool.

Newcastle are reportedly aware of Isak’s location, with the forward working alongside his own staff at Sociedad’s training ground when it is empty.

If Isak is sold, Sociedad stand to benefit - they’re due 10% of any fee above €70m, plus an additional 2.5% through Fifa’s solidarity payments.

Image source, Getty Images

Timely reminder or not from Rasmus Hojlund, Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim appears to have indicated that he could leave the club before the end of the transfer window.

While he was quick to praise the striker, he certainly didn't make any assurances over the 22-year-old's future.

"I'm really happy with Rasmus, but I don't know what is going to happen until the end of the market," Amorim told reporters.

"The important thing is that Rasmus is scoring goals. He's connecting really well with the team. He's improving.

"Again, I don't know what is going to happen until the market is closed. We suffered a lot because of the lack of goals last season."

You can listen to more from that Amorim press conference on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United may be looking for a new striker but it was a good night for their current number nine, Rasmus Hojlund.

The 22-year-old Denmark international opened the scoring as Ruben Amorim's side beat Bournemouth 4-1 in the Premier League Summer Series overnight.

It was a timely reminder that he still has something to offer at Old Trafford, even if Benjamin Sesko does come in.

Patrick Dorgu, Amad Diallo and Ethan Williams were also on target for United in Chicago, while Bournemouth's strike came through a Matthijs de Ligt own goal.

As you've mentioned Ollie Watkins, John, now seems like a good time for this comparison between the Aston Villa striker, Benjamin Sesko and Rasmus Hojlund...

Simon Stone
BBC Sport chief football news reporter in Chicago

Benjamin Sesko does not fit Ruben Amorim's preferred template of having Premier League experience.

However, he has become one of the most highly rated young forwards in Europe - and his record of 39 goals in 87 appearances for RB Leipzig is impressive.

At 6ft 5in he would also bring a significant physical presence to United's front line.

Old Trafford sources say they do not have to sell players in order to make more signings, despite spending almost £130m on Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo this summer.

But they do accept finance will have to be generated - with buyers still to be found for the remaining members of their 'bomb squad', Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia, who were excluded from the current Premier League Summer Series in the United States.

Benjamin Sesko has spent the past two seasons in Germany with Leipzig, having joined them from sister club Salzburg in 2023.

That was a deal that had been agreed and announced in the summer of 2022 - making him unavailable for any English sides.

He has scored 39 goals in 87 games in all competitions in those two seasons (plus eight assists), with 27 in 64 in the league.

Six of those goals have come in the Champions League.

Since moving to Germany, Sesko is the top goalscorer currently aged under 23 in all competitions, of players who are based in Europe's top five leagues.

He is one above Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham and five clear of Florian Wirtz, who joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen for £100m this summer.

A recruitment specialist working at the highest level recently spoke to BBC Sport reporter Alex Howell about Benjamin Sesko, who stands at 6ft 5in tall.

"He's so athletic, he's big, physical and strong," said the anonymous source.

"I think the physicality of the Premier League won't overawe him.

"When you look at some players in Europe, where the tempo is slower, you see them struggle to transition to bigger leagues.

"The Bundesliga is one of the big three in the world, but when you look at transitioning in big leagues he has the physical capabilities to do it."

Simon Stone
BBC Sport chief football news reporter in Chicago

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United have made RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko their number one choice to come in as a new striker this summer.

Sesko has been heavily linked with Newcastle over the past few days amid increasing uncertainty over the future of Alexander Isak.

However, there has been contact between United and RB Leipzig over the 22-year-old Slovenian.

Sesko has an informal agreement with the Bundesliga club that means he would be able to leave if an elite club came in with an offer in the region of £70m.

Staying with Manchester United, let's get to those Benjamin Sesko links...

Daily Mirror

The Mirror are also leading with the same story, which also details that Luke Shaw believes the club can get back to the top.

Image source, Mirror

The Daily Star

A quick look at the back pages now and the Daily Star is leading with the story that Manchester United defender Luke Shaw says manager Ruben Amorim is cleaning up the culture at the club.

Image source, Daily Star

Image source, Getty Images

The Women's League Cup group stage draw has just taken place on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Defending champions Chelsea and Arsenal were not included in the draw because they qualified for the Champions League. They will enter the competition at the quarter-final stage.

Manchester United, meanwhile, were also not included because of the Champions League. However, they have to go through qualifying.

If they fail to qualify for the Champions League group stage there will be another draw to determine if they slot into Group A or Group B in the northern section.

Here's the full draw:

Group A

• Nottingham Forest
• Everton
• Manchester City
• Newcastle United

Group B

• Sheffield United
• Sunderland
• Liverpool
• Durham

Group C

• Southampton
• Brighton
• West Ham
• Charlton Athletic
• Portsmouth

Group D

• Crystal Palace
• Leicester City
• Ipswich Town
• London City Lionesses

Group E

• Aston Villa
• Birmingham City
• Tottenham
• Bristol City

Granit Xhaka has become Sunderland's seventh summer signing and joins from Bayer Leverkusen where he won the Bundesliga in 2023/24 season.

Here's a look at how the newly promoted side are shaping up.

Sunderland's summer signings:

• Enzo le Fee - from Roma - £19.3m
• Habib Diarra - from Strasbourg - £30m
• Noah Sadiki - from Royale Union Saint-Gilloise - £15m, (plus a £2.5m in add-ons)
• Reinildo Mandava - from Atletico Madrid - Free
• Chemsdine Talbi - from Club Brugge - £18m (plus a £2.5m in add-ons)
• Simon Adingra - from Brighton - £18 (plus £2.5m in add-ons)
• Granit Xhaka - from Bayer Leverkusen - £13m (plus £4m in add-ons)

Tom McCoy
BBC Sport journalist

Granit Xhaka provides the one thing the Black Cats sorely lack: Premier League experience.

Just six members of their current squad have played in the English top flight before, with the only players to have started in the competition being winger Simon Adingra, who arrived from Brighton this month, and back-up goalkeeper Simon Moore.

Adingra, Moore, Ian Poveda, Patrick Roberts, Leo Hjelde and Niall Huggins boast a combined total of just 85 appearances. Those figures are dwarfed by Xhaka, who has played in 225 Premier League games.

He has also won a record 137 caps for Switzerland, wearing the captain's armband since 2020.

Image source, Getty Images

Anyway, another big move on Wednesday saw Switzerland international Granit Xhaka complete a move from Bayer Leverkusen to newly-promoted Sunderland.

He signed back into the Premier League for £13m plus £4m in add-ons.

Xhaka said: "It’s exactly what I wanted, and I have a very good feeling. We are back to where this club needs to be, and we want to stay here to write our own history.

"I feel I’m ready to help the team with my experience but with quality as well. We need to find ourselves on the pitch, but I don’t think this will be a big problem. It’s been a long time to wait, but I’m here now and I’m looking forward to it.”