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Crystal Palace bolstered their attack with the loan signing of Michy Batshuayi in the summer, and many fans are reacting as they still look to strengthen up front, with Mariano Diaz the latest name linked.

According to Sport, Palace and fellow Premier League sides Everton and West Ham are monitoring the £25million-rated Real Madrid striker. The forward has played 42 times in all competitions and only scored 11 times (Transfermarkt) and this is not the greatest record. Many Palace fans have various opinions on the rumour because of this, with one calling it a ‘horrible idea’.

Not only is his lack of goals worrying, but also the fact that he has only played 41 times in four years. This highlights that he isn’t really highly rated by Madrid, even though there is plenty of squad depth in front of him.

The signing seems like a bit of a risk, especially for a club who haven’t spent over £20million on one player since Mamadou Sakho in the 2017/18 season (Transfermarkt).

With the South London side already having a lot of experienced Premier League forwards at the club, it would probably be best if they spent their money elsewhere.

Here is how Palace fans reacted to the transfer update:

In other Palace news, many fans are not happy with this Premier League star being linked. Have a read who it is here!

The future of Glasgow Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos remains up in the air.

The Colombia international has been continually linked with a move away from Ibrox this summer, with Lille said to be leading the race for his signature – the 24-year-old has reportedly already agreed personal terms with Les Dogues, whilst Lille president Gerard Lopez has confirmed they have already had a bid rejected.

Should he depart, the Gers could well look to bring in a replacement for him and, according to Bill Young of the Talking Football podcast, the 54-time Scottish champions could look to Dundee United’s Lawrence Shankland to come in for him. The £585,000-valued 25-year-old (as per Transfermarkt) is a prolific goalscorer – he has 89 goals in his last 107 games.

This link has attracted plenty of attention from the Gers supporters, and it seems they would be quite happy to have Shankland at the club. They have taken to Twitter to share their thoughts, and you can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.

Let us know what you think!

Wolverhampton Wanderers may have found themselves the perfect successor to Diogo Jota – and no, it’s not Douglas Costa…

What’s the word?

According to FourFourTwo magazine, the Midlands outfit could be offered Bayer Leverkusen winger Leon Bailey, who has been linked to Premier League clubs all summer.

It’s thought that the Jamaican speedster is desperate for a move to England and could be available for as little as £30m, as per Sky Sports.

The likes of Everton, Spurs, Man City and Man Utd have all been mooted with interest in recent months.

Forget Costa

Wolves have also been linked with a swoop for Jorge Mendes client Douglas Costa but that could quickly become an £190k-per-week nightmare given his age and injury troubles, which has also been outlined in this article by FootballFanCast.

The 23-year-old presents much better value and fits the profile of a player who could improve under Nuno Santo before being sold on for mega profit.

Despite a lack of regular game time last season, Bailey provided five goals and three assists whilst averaging 1.6 dribbles, 1.3 shots and one key pass per game, via WhoScored.

The Leverkusen man is also a perfect fit as he’s an inverted winger who likes to cut inside and wreak havoc just like Jota, which is why he’s been compared to Arjen Robben in the past.

Former Ajax and Barca attacker Ronald de Boer believes Bailey is “so fast it’s not normal,” adding “his speed, combined with his technique, is very rare. Exceptional. He has no weak points.”

His ability to play anywhere along the front three and even at left wing-back should have Nuno all over this move. The explosive winger could add something special to Wolves this season.

Just imagine having Bailey, Pedro Neto, Daniel Podence and Adama Traore providing the support to Raul Jimenez.

He’s a much better option than Costa, so Jeff Shi should sanction another mega-money move to clinch Jota’s successor.

AND in other news, Wolves can land dream Nuno player in “fantastic” PL winner…

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Newcastle boss Steve Bruce has revealed the club already have a couple of deals in the works.

What did he say?

The Magpies of course are still awaiting confirmation of whether their proposed takeover has gone through or not, with the Premier League yet to ratify the Saudi consortium’s bid.

Despite that, Bruce has claimed that the Tyneside club are already working on transfers ahead of the start of the new season in September. He said (as quoted by The Chronicle): “As soon as the window opens, we’ll go to work. Things are not on hold. We need that (takeover) decision to be made, but the only thing I can do, along with Lee (Charnley, Newcastle’s managing director), is to keep planning as best we can, and that obviously includes the transfer market.

Think you’re a big Magpies fan? Can you name these former players by looking at their careers? Go on, give it a go…



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“I think, even without the takeover, a lot of clubs will be taking stock of the situation. When I say business as usual, we’ve got one or two irons in the fire right now – let’s hope we can pull them off. We’ve got competition, but I think that’ll be the case right through the summer.”

Good news

Whilst the takeover eventually going through will surely be worth the wait, the fact of the matter is, that Newcastle simply cannot afford to stand still and be passive this summer.

The quick turnaround from the end of this season on Sunday afternoon, and then the restart in early September, means the Magpies will have to be working flat out over these coming weeks to ensure their transfer targets are secured nice and early.

Waiting around for the Premier League to give the green light to the takeover would just waste unnecessary time, and even leave them in limbo. It’s exactly why Bruce’s claim that they have “one or two irons in the fire right now” should make for welcome reading.

We’re bound to keep hearing about Manchester United’s chase of Jadon Sancho long into the ongoing summer transfer window. Of course, Borussia Dortmund won’t exactly budge and are still demanding extraordinary sums of money for their young talent.

On one hand, it is understandable considering the sheer quality and the talent of the young Englishman. He is undoubtedly one of the players of both the present and the future. But on the other hand, the outside circumstances also mean no one can afford him for that price.

With that in mind, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will have to look for alternatives and many names have already popped up in the last weeks or so. The latest one, however, according to Sky Sports, is Juventus’ Douglas Costa.

The 29-year-old has been offered to Man United by Juventus and the Red Devils are still mulling over whether he’d be a good investment. The issue is, the same source claims, his injury record. Here’s what Gianluca Di Marzio said on the subject for Sky Sports:

“Juventus want him to leave. His agents are moving to find a solution, they have talked to Manchester United, to understand if the would be interested. They will think about it, but the problem is that Douglas Costa is often injured, so this is a problem for a club that wants to buy him. The agents have talked to Manchester United, for sure, and have proposed his transfer.”

Now, the ball is in Man United’s backyard.

Verdict

Of all the players to be mentioned as Sancho alternatives, Costa definitely looks like the least attractive one. He may still have quality but he’s 29 and with a bad injury record.

It’s pretty safe to say that this would indeed represent a downgrade if Ole went for him instead of the young Englishman. However, Sancho remains their n0.1 priority and his transfer to the Premier League is still on the cards.

A Carabao Cup quarter-final tie against League Two opposition always had the look of a potential banana-skin. But after a fairly turgid start that saw both Manchester United and Colchester go in goalless at the break, things began to heat up in the second-half. The Red Devils eventually cruised to a 3-0 victory, and are one step closer to lifting their first trophy under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

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But whilst their attack eventually came good at Old Trafford on Wednesday night, their defenders should take some credit too. It would have been incredibly easy to have been complacent, and therefore simply lose concentration at the worst times. But, the Red Devils’ back-line stayed alert, and were more than useful in terms of setting up attacks themselves. None more so than Axel Tuanzebe.

Watch Man Utd vs Newcastle Live and Free with Amazon Prime on Boxing Day

As per Sofascore, the 22-year-old had an incredible 98% pass accuracy with his 57 passes, and completed both of his attempted long balls. Despite only being on the pitch for 65 minutes, United fans flooded to Twitter to voice their thoughts on his performance.

Many fans of the Manchester side stated how Tuanzebe’s performance against the League Two side proved that he should be starting over Victor Lindelof on a regular basis.

After going off mid-way through the second-half with a suspected knock, Tuanzebe will be hoping that it’s only just a minor problem and that he can shake it off in time for the busy weeks of the Christmas period. If the 6 foot 1 man is fit and raring to go, then the 22-year-old will no doubt fancy his chances of staking a claim for a first-team spot at centre-back.

Meanwhile, Manchester United fans have a rather surprising reaction to news this ace could leave next summer.

Arsenal goalkeeper Emilano Martinez has come into the team over the last month since Bernd Leno got injured in the 2-1 loss to Brighton. 

He has done well, keeping three clean sheets in his first four matches since coming in for the German, per Transfermarkt, and he has also been speaking about how Mikel Arteta is managing the side.

Speaking to Sky Sports about the Arsenal manager (via Metro), Martinez said: “You’re in or you’re out, you’re with him or without him, and there’s no discussion on that. We know that if we want to play and we want to be at this football club, we have to be on board.

“That’s good for the team because no one can relax. If you relax, you don’t train properly or you don’t perform like he wants you to, you’re out. You have to follow him and that’s what we’re trying to do now.

“We knew Mikel would be a good manager when he signed here, but we didn’t know he would be this good. He is incredible. He knows how to deal with experienced players, with young players. He gives us a gameplan against anybody and gives us hope when we do the training sessions.

“When he says something now, we are so willing to listen to him because we know he will take us to another level. That’s Arteta.”

These comments from the goalkeeper reflect very well on Arteta, for whom the Arsenal gig is his first job as a head coach. From what Martinez has said, it seems that he already has the persona of a very experienced manager and perhaps his time as Pep Guardiola’s right-hand man at Manchester City has given him the exact teaching and guidance that he needed to excel as the main man in charge.

The fact that Arteta is being highly praised by a player like Martinez who has had to be patient for his chance suggests that he is very much respected.

If the Gunners can continue their recent good form and push for a top six finish by the end of the campaign, then supporters of the club could be very excited for a full season under the Spaniard next term, and Martinez’s comments about Arteta suggest that he is determined to set high standards at the Emirates Stadium.

Gunners fans, what did you make of Martinez’s praise of Arteta? Let us know in the comments below!

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Sheffield Wednesday go to battle in the Championship’s early kickoff this afternoon and they’ll be hoping for a drastic change of fortunes as they head to The Valley to face Charlton Athletic.

The Owls are winless in their last five matches having salvaged a point at home to Birmingham City in midweek.

But today’s match presents an ideal opportunity to get back on track if manager Garry Monk has the balls to do so…

On the Chalkboard

The 40-year-old will be tasked with the suspensions of both Julian Borner and Liam Palmer in defence while further up the pitch, he faces a selection headache over what system and what players he utilises.

One thing that he needs to do is allow the team to play to their full attacking potential. Over several of the last few matches, Wednesday have created chances well beyond what their final result was, which has led to the boss bemoaning the struggles in front of goal.

Well, it’s time to change that. Go all out. Go very attacking.

Charlton are there to be pounced on this weekend. Lee Bowyer is suffering an injury nightmare with over 12 first-team players on the treatment table while instrumental midfielder Conor Gallagher is suspended for this one too, even better news.

Bowyer said: “Conor will be a big miss on Saturday, another threat that’s been great for us.”

With so many gaps in the Addicks starting line up, Monk must look to punish this obvious weakness.

He can do this by giving top goalscorer Steven Fletcher a partner in attack, allowing one of Barry Bannan or Massimo Luongo further freedom up the pitch or even go completely left-field and try that 3-5-2 system Football FanCast suggested earlier this week.

There won’t be a better opportunity to try something new than this afternoon. Don’t let it pass.

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According to The Daily Mail, Sunderland are one of a number of clubs in the market for West Brom youngster Rayhaan Tulloch.

The striker is yet to make a competitive appearance for the Baggies but has looked promising in Premier League 2 this term, scoring four times and also laying on two assists.

A product of the academy that produced Tyler Roberts, Kemar Roofe and Saido Berahino, the Baggies youth setup is a flourishing one.

Last season they reached the FA Youth Cup semi-final, a run Tulloch netted four goals in five outings.

However, if Sunderland want to acquire his signature on a loan basis, they’ll have to fight hard to bring him to Wearside.

Leeds, Stoke and Wigan are all after him while the 19-year-old has attracted interest from the top-flight as well. He is on the radar of Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Southampton and Newcastle.

It would be quite the statement if the Black Cats were able to land him but if he did indeed arrive at the Stadium of Light, would he be a good signing?

Our team of writers at FFC passed their verdicts.

Lewis Blain:

“Sunderland are in a spot of bother in League One currently, but manager Phil Parkinson needs to be given time to stamp his mark on the squad. After all, it was assembled by his predecessor, Jack Ross. If he’s given the backing to do so, January offers up the perfect chance to do exactly that and what better move is there than to start with their faltering frontline.

“An addition like Rayhaan Tulloch would bring its questions, there’s no doubting that – the 18-year-old is yet to taste any senior football at West Brom, although, he comes with the pedigree of being an England youth international who will be surely keen to prove he can cut it in the men’s game. The club have never really replaced Josh Maja but here they have a player in a similar mould.

“The Baggies youngster has four goals and two assists in nine Premier League 2 appearances this campaign, playing in just about every attacking position known to man, per Transfermarkt. On Monday night, a whole host of top-flight teams were scouting him against Manchester United, and even though he didn’t contribute with a goal, it only goes to show the level at which he could reach. Forget Grigg, forget Maguire, forget McNulty. Tulloch can bolster the Black Cats’ season.”

Vijievan Jeevathalyan:

“To paraphrase one of football’s greatest ever chants, Will Grigg isn’t on fire, and no defence is terrified. The Sunderland marksman hasn’t found his shooting boots at all this season, netting just once in League One, and only three across all competitions. Reinforcements up-front would be much welcomed, and in West Brom prospect Rayhaan Tulloch, they could well find the man to solve their goal-scoring woes.

“A versatile forward who has already played in five different positions in his fledgling career, the 18-year-old has been shining at Premier League 2 level. He has four in nine games this campaign, with an additional two assists to his name too, and could provide a much-needed spark to Phil Parkinson’s side. Whilst he may not have bundles of experience, he can add some youthful exuberance, paying no attention to Sunderland’s current plight and simply getting on with his game. It’s a gamble worth taking.”

Whose Line Is It Anyway: Roy Keane, Graeme Souness or Adrian Durham?

Charles Jones:

“Signing any player who has yet to play a senior game is a bit of a risk, but there may not be a team that needs to take this gamble more than Sunderland.

“The Black Cats are undoubtedly one of the biggest sides in League One, but they’re severely under-performing as they sit 11th in the Championship, scoring just 24 goals in 19 games this term.

“On paper, Sunderland’s attack should be brilliant as both Charlie Wyke and Will Grigg have hit double figures in League One before, but it’s simply not happening.

“There’s no harm in rolling the dice on this West Brom loanee.”

Matt Dawson:

“This will be a real test of Sunderland’s pulling power. We know they’re one of the biggest clubs in their division but with the run they’re on at the moment, winning two of their last 12 games, is it really a project you want to be involved in?

“It’s a difficult question to answer but there is no denying that Wearside would be a fabulous place for a young player to develop at. Such is the stature and pressure surrounding the club, you are unlikely to come across that type of environment too much while out on loan anywhere else.

“Given Tulloch’s lack of first-team football, it’s hard to assess whether he’d be a good signing but it’s certainly worth a gamble. He scores goals and Sunderland have lacked that significantly this term, netting just 13 strikes during Parkinson’s 12-game tenure. Tulloch has four goals this season in just nine matches and possesses a direct, skilful and quick game that’s much like Josh Maja’s. I think this would definitely be a signing worth pursuing.”

Meanwhile, one Sunderland youngster is giving supporters a reason to be positive…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Tottenham Hotspur attacker Son Heung-Min has confirmed that he did not celebrate his goals against Red Star Belgrade out of respect for Everton’s Andre Gomes, per BT Sport via The Evening Standard.

What’s the word?

The South Korea international was at the centre of his Portugal counterpart’s grisly injury during the clash between the two clubs at Goodison Park on Sunday.

Son fouled Gomes on the left wing and, as the latter fell, he subsequently sustained a fracture-dislocation of his ankle, leaving the Spurs star in tears prior to his sending off.

The red card has since been rescinded – meaning he will be available for Spurs’ upcoming Premier League games – and he scored twice as Mauricio Pochettino’s men thumped Red Star Belgrade 4-0 on Wednesday evening.

However, instead of celebrating, Son merely gestured apologetically towards the camera, and he has explained that he still feels sorry about the incident, having been in contact with Gomes since the issue.

He said: “Of course it has been a really tough few days but I have realised how lucky I am with all the support I have had from the fans and my team-mates.

“I can say I’m really sorry for the accident and the situation but I had to focus for the team and I had to keep going and it was the right response to all the people who have supported me. I didn’t want to celebrate because I just want to respect the situation.

“Of course, I still feel really sorry about this situation. It’s been a few tough days. I wish Andre Gomes gets well soon and best wishes.”

A measure of the man

This is just genuinely heart-warming stuff from Son.

Not only is he blossoming into a genuinely world-class forward for Spurs – he has scored seven goals in 14 outings this season – he appears to be a respectful and humble guy to boot.

His gestures on Wednesday were remarkably classy and prove that Gomes was at the forefront of Son’s mind.

That he managed to perform as he did on the night, even after the horrible events at Goodison Park, is a further testament to just how good Son is on the pitch.

Off the pitch, he appears to be a diamond too.