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Newcastle United are now in the top half of the Premier League table as a crucial January continues to chug along.

Eddie Howe has come out to state that the Toon’s start to the year is “season-defining”, with a mammoth nine games heading their way in all competitions, as another EFL Cup final potentially waits on the horizon.

Howe would have been delighted by the performance against Crystal Palace to kickstart 2026 with a comfortable 2-0 victory, but he will know his squad could still do with some improvements here and there, with the transfer window now back open for business.

Newcastle United looking at striker deal

With Sandro Tonali struggling to hit the grand heights expected of him this season, it’s no great shock to see that the Toon are planning to bring in midfield reinforcements in January.

The incessant rumour at St James’ Park at the moment revolves around Newcastle preparing to go all out to snap up AZ Alkmaar sensation Kees Smit, with a wild £52m valuation above the in-demand Dutchman’s head.

It’s not just centrally where Newcastle could look to add in additional bits of quality, though, with a new development no doubt piquing the Toon’s interest.

Back in the summer, it was heavily reported that the Magpies had bid a whopping £50m for Jorgen Strand Larsen’s services, with the Wolverhampton Wanderers marksman fresh off a goal-heavy campaign in the Premier League.

Now, however, with the Nordic striker’s reputation taking a battering at Molineux this season, TEAMtalk is reporting that Larsen could be available for a discounted £40m, with Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace, Everton, and Fulham all informed about the situation at hand.

Newcastle are also being kept up to date during talks regarding his cheaper availability, with Howe potentially winning another Nick Woltemade-style figure if the lofty centre-forward does desert the West Midlands for a chance at top-flight redemption on Tyneside.

How Strand Larsen is another Woltemade in the making

Immediately, the similarities are apparent when taking in their ginormous frames, with Larsen coming in at an imposing 6-foot-4 when powering through on goal.

Woltemade does have him beaten in this department, standing at a remarkable 6-foot-7, but, when weighing up the Wolves number nine’s debut season in the Premier League, next to the Bremen-born menace’s current potent campaign, the similarities are also clear for all to see in their shared goalscoring prowess.

Larsen’s debut PL numbers vs Woltemade’s

Stat

Larsen

Woltemade

Games played

35

17

Goals scored

14

7

Assists

4

1

Goalscoring frequency

186 mins

180 mins

Goal conversion %

26%

27%

Big chances missed

13

6

Big chances created

6

1

Stats by Sofascore

Looking at the table above, the numbers are eerily similar, with Woltemade surely in line to notch up 14 Premier League goals himself this season, if he can keep his blistering Toon stay up.

The table above is enough, though, to make Newcastle consider a £40m move for Larsen in January, even if he has just one league goal next to his name this season, with his finishing ability lauded as “phenomenal” last campaign by his ex-Old Gold boss Vitor Pereira, firing a goal home every 186 minutes.

It could just be that Larsen needs a change of scenery to get back to his best, having been plunged into a depressing relegation battle at Molineux, with his overall style of play – away from being a focal point with goals – also suiting Howe’s set-up.

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Indeed, although Woltemade has garnered a lot of praise this season so far for his “ridiculous” finishing ability – as he was once labelled by journalist Zach Lowy – he has also stood out for his general hold-up play, with the towering striker’s nous to find his teammates up top such as Harvey Barnes with ease even being heralded as “mesmerising” to watch by Sky Sports’ Andy Sixsmith.

The German’s perfectly timed backheel against Benfica in October would set Barnes on his way to slotting a chance home, with Larsen also known to be a selfless performer in trying to tee up his Wolves teammates, when at his Molineux peak, as seen in him creating six big chances last season.

Newcastle royalty in Alan Shearer has even praised Larsen’s hold-up play as “excellent”, with journalist Liam Keen also noting that the Scandinavian is “very strong” in holding off opposition defenders, before calmly playing a pass.

It’s a steep amount to fork out on a player who has seen his Wolves career fall to the wayside, but Woltemade cost a bomb, too, at £69m, as another £40m is possibly dropped soon.

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Crystal Palace are now “very interested” in signing a “terrific” defender, amid the uncertainty surrounding Marc Guehi’s future at Selhurst Park, journalist Patrick Berger has revealed.

Guehi's future remains up in the air

With Guehi’s contract set to expire next summer, Palace will need to cash-in before the transfer window shuts, if they are to receive a sizeable fee for his services, and the centre-back has now re-emerged as a target for Newcastle United.

With the Eagles set to hold out for £50m, and Newcastle reluctant to spend more than £40m, it remains to be seen whether a deal will be possible, but there are plenty of other clubs waiting in the wings too.

Liverpool are now said to be preparing an offer for Guehi, while Tottenham Hotspur have also been named as potential suitors in recent days, so it could be extremely difficult for Oliver Glasner to keep hold of his centre-back this summer.

Consequently, Crystal Palace have now started to work on finding a replacement for the defender, and Sky Sports reporter Berger has taken to X to reveal they are “very interested” in signing Middlesbrough’s Rav van den Berg.

There is set to be fierce competition for Van den Berg’s signature, however, with FC Köln submitting an offer worth up to €7m (£6m), having identified him as their top target to strengthen their backline, and the Boro defender is open to a move to the Bundesliga.

Feyenoord are also very interested in the Dutchman, alongside a number of unnamed Bundesliga clubs, so it remains to be seen whether the Eagles are able to tempt him into a move to Selhurst Park.

"Terrific" Van Den Berg could flourish at Selhurst Park

The Eagles have displayed a good eye for signing and developing Championship players in recent times, with Eberechi Eze perhaps the best example, and there are signs the Dutch defender could be another fantastic long-term addition.

Despite being just 20-years-old, the youngster has already racked up a great deal of first-team experience at Middlesbrough, making 66 appearances across the past two Championship seasons, during which time he impressed Michael Carrick.

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The former Boro manager said: “He’s a terrific individual, really grounded and humble, terrific character and great attitude. He has a real calming influence but quite sure of himself in a really good way.”

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Van Den Berg has proven he could now be ready to make the step-up to the Premier League, so it is promising news that Palace are in the race for his signature, but they may have to move swiftly, given that FC Köln have already submitted an offer.

The word ‘legend’ is thrown around all too readily in the beautiful game, but that is a tag that should be bestowed upon a key figure of Manchester United’s modern era – Wayne Rooney.

Plucked from Everton as a bulldozing teenager, the England and United great went on to achieve remarkable success during a glittering 13-year stay at Old Trafford, claiming a whole gamut of silverware, alongside his record total of 253 goals in all competitions.

Right from the outset, following his debut hat-trick against Fenerbahce, ‘Wazza’ simply looked born to pull on that famous red jersey, having also put the ‘devil’ in Red Devils with his relentless, full-blooded approach.

Yes, there were low moments – including his public desire to leave in both 2010 and 2013 – but the highs were so much more memorable, be it that overhead kick in the Manchester Derby, or his long-range stunner away at West Ham United.

Part of the famed forward line, alongside Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo, that claimed Champions League glory in 2008, Rooney was simply a menace in his pomp, with the great Sir Alex Ferguson previously suggesting that he could have played “in any era”.

Not only that, but the ex-Everton man was also seemingly the man for any position, be it as a number ten, a centre-forward, a winger or – as was the case in his latter days – as a central midfielder.

Why Wayne Rooney moved into midfield

It’s fair to say that much of Rooney’s best work for United came at the top end of the pitch, with the versatile speedster memorably scoring 34 goals in all competitions during the 2009/10 campaign, while operating as a centre-forward.

As he himself later admitted, however, he “hated” playing as the lone number nine as he “wanted to get involved” in the game, having notably moved into a number ten berth following Robin van Persie’s arrival in 2012.

That duo notably combined on the day that clinched what remains United’s most recent league title, with Rooney picking out the Dutchman with a delightful lofted pass over the top. Van Persie, of course, did the rest.

Such a moment perhaps hinted at a future for the Englishman in a deeper role later in his career, with Louis van Gaal subsequently opting to deploy his skipper as a central midfielder during his time in charge.

Speaking in April 2016, Rooney then admitted that he was looking to emulate teammate Paul Scholes in that role:

Most memorably, Rooney started in a deep-lying berth in the 2016 FA Cup final, with the Daily Mail’s Sami Mokbel writing at the time that the 30-year-old ‘ran the show’ in that eventual 2-1 victory.

To have moved from operating in the final third to then pulling the strings in the centre of the park seemed like a natural progression for the now-retired star, with that scenario perhaps now repeating itself with regard to Bruno Fernandes.

Man Utd's "legend" could now be emulating Rooney

After the highs of that Wembley triumph at the end of Van Gaal’s tenure, Rooney – who played as a midfielder in England’s unsuccessful Euro 2016 campaign – saw his change in role prove short-lived amid Jose Mourinho’s arrival, with the Portuguese coach stating that his captain “will never be a number six” in his team.

Just a year later, ‘Wazza’ was on his way back to Everton after enduring a bit-part role in claiming Europa League and Carabao Cup success in 2016/17, before ultimately retiring in 2021 after spells with DC United and Derby County.

There is perhaps the view that it was a mistake for Rooney to have tried to change his game in the latter stages of his career, with analyst Michael Cox writing in 2017 that he ‘had not taken to that role because he does not have the mobility to play there’.

Fernandes’ stats vs Forest

Stat

Record

Touches

110

Pass accuracy

79%

Key passes

6

Shots on target

2

Shots off target

0

Big chances created

0

Successful dribbles

2/5

Duels won

7/17

Long balls completed

7/12

Possession lost

31x

Dribbled past

3x

Stats via Sofascore

Perhaps there may be a fear of Fernandes enduring similar difficulties, with the £300k-per-week talisman also not exactly the most defensively-minded figure to call upon. Indeed, against Nottingham Forest in midweek, he was dribbled past on three occasions and lost the ball 31 times.

Despite those concerns, the decision to move the 30-year-old into a deeper role – amid his previous work as a number ten – does look as if it could prove far more successful than Rooney’s own late career venture.

That was again evident against Forest as the Portuguese playmaker initially struggled when operating behind Joshua Zirkzee, before gaining greater control after a half-time reshuffle saw him slot in alongside Casemiro, as he went on to rack up six key passes in total.

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The reported Real Madrid target has been in fine form as part of the midfield duo after netting against the likes of Arsenal, Leicester City and Real Sociedad, with Amorim describing him as the “perfect captain” amid criticism from treble-winning hero, Roy Keane.

Also described as a “legend” in his own right by his manager, Fernandes has previously hinted that he envisages his future as a number six, again mirroring Rooney in having plotted out the latter stages of his career.

The only concern will be whether the former Sporting CP man – like Rooney – has the physical capabilities to make himself a long-term fit in this role moving forward, with The Athletic’s Carl Anka previously noting that the ‘central midfielders in Amorim’s 3-4-3 are chosen for their athleticism and tackling qualities first and foremost’.

The plan is working at the moment, to an extent, considering Fernandes’ individual brilliance, but it does beg the question as to whether he can maintain this momentum in the centre of the park.

With the midfield maestro perhaps approaching legendary status himself, he must ensure that his United career does not peter out in the same way that Rooney’s did before him.

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INEOS have sent Manchester United scouts to watch a hugely in-demand young player, according to a recent report. The Red Devils enjoyed their first Premier League game at Old Trafford under new head coach Ruben Amorim on Sunday, as they cruised to a 4-0 win over Everton. It has been a good week for United, as Amorim continues to get to grips with his new squad.

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Amorim will get to know his players very well over the coming weeks, as United play every three to four days in various competitions. However, as any new manager or head coach does, he may already know which players are not going to be part of his team going forward and have replacements in mind.

Midfielder Christian Eriksen looks set to leave Old Trafford at the end of this season. The Denmark international is out of contract at the end of this campaign, and as things stand, he will not be offered a new deal and therefore will be allowed to leave for nothing, as the Man United boss targets two new midfield signings.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that Amorim has requested that United look to sign Patrick Dorgu from Leece in the January transfer window. It has been stated that signing a left-back is a priority for the Red Devils, and Dorgu could be that addition in the New Year.

INEOS send Man Utd scouts to watch Valentin Atangana

According to Alan Nixon, relayed by Inside Futbol, Manchester United had scouts present to watch Reims midfielder Valentin Atangana in action last week. As previously mentioned, signing a midfielder or two is on United’s radar, as Eriksen looks set to leave soon and there is still talk of an exit for Casemiro in the summer.

Atangana is 19 years old and has come through the ranks at Reims, playing 35 times for the first team over two and a half seasons. The French under-21 international has started all 13 league games he has played in Ligue 1 in this campaign but has yet to find the back of the net or register an assist.

The midfielder is not being watched just by United, as there are also many other Premier League teams keeping an eye on his situation. Teams such as Brentford, Liverpool, Everton, and Aston Villa are also tracking the player and have had scouts tracking him as well.

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Interestingly, When looking at Fbref’s comparison tool, which evaluates players based on key statistical metrics, Atangana is very similar to United’s own Kobbie Mainoo.

Valentin Atangana’s 2024/25 league stats compared to Kobbie Mainoo

Atangana

Mainoo

Apps

13

7

xG

0.2

0.1

xA

0.3

0.7

Progressive carries

16

5

Progressive passes

41

24

Shots per 90

0.90

0.63

Tackles (Won)

25 (19)

16 (13)

Interceptions

16

14

This report states that no fewer than 26 teams have been watching Atangana, with Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund looking like serious competition for the English clubs in the mix.

Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement knows that selling players this summer is the only way to fund a rebuild at Ibrox, but he is running out of time.

The opening Premiership match of the 2024/25 campaign takes place in less than two weeks, as Rangers travel to Edinburgh and a fast start is required if they hope to keep pace with the arch-rivals, who will be the favourites to retain their title.

It looked as though players such as Sam Lammers and Scott Wright, who appeared surplus to requirements, would have been sold by now, but the duo are still part of the club.

There are a few weeks left of the transfer window, which means the pair could still be moved on, but will it be a more prominent member of the first team who is first to leave Ibrox?

Latest on future of Rangers star

A few months ago, former Rangers manager Steven Gerrard was showing interest in bringing James Tavernier to the Middle East as he looked to strengthen his Al-Ettifaq side this summer.

The subsequent weeks offered no further progress with regard to any potential move, and it looked like the boat had sailed.

A fresh update offered by Fabrizio Romano earlier this week stated that Turkish side Trabzonspor have sent a proposal to try and sign the defender during the current window – albeit with that initial offer having been rebuffed.

Might this be time for both parties to go their separate ways? Tavernier has two years left on his current contract, which means now is the ideal time for Clement to cash in on the right-back and secure a decent transfer fee in the process.

James Tavernier’s market value at Rangers

With the ball seemingly rolling on Tavernier’s exit from Rangers, the main question is, how much will Clement demand for one of his prized assets this summer?

He is in a position to charge a decent fee given his contract situation, plus the fact the Belgian urgently requires some more quality injected into his starting XI ahead of next season.

According to Football Transfers, Tavernier’s current market value stands at €3.9m (£3.2m), which certainly places the Gers in a solid position.

As time goes on, this valuation will steadily decrease and with Tavernier turning 33 in October, he is approaching the final few years of his career.

As such, there are several players in the current squad who have better market values than the captain, with Nico Raskin one such player.

Nico Raskin’s season in numbers

The Belgian joined the Light Blues in January 2023 when Michael Beale was still in charge of the club. He was earmarked for a transfer throughout the window, finally joining as the market was about to slam shut.

He played 16 times for the club between then and the end of the campaign, emerging as a potential key player for the future under the new regime.

Last season perhaps didn’t go as well as anticipated for the Belgian starlet, as injury issues kept him out for a total of 22 games for the Ibrox side, as the progress he made during his opening six months was disrupted throughout the 2023/24 campaign.

This meant the midfielder started only 13 Premiership matches last term, registering just two goal contributions in the process.

During his time on the field, Raskin averaged a pass success rate of 85%, created two big chances, averaged 0.7 key passes per game and succeeded with 0.5 dribbles per game, showing some intent to get forward and make something happen.

It was the defensive side of the game in which the midfielder excelled, winning 4.2 total duels per game – a success rate of 53% – while making 2.3 tackles and recovering 5.3 balls per game in the top flight for the Gers.

There is no doubt that these statistics would have been higher had Raskin been fit for the entire season.

Hopefully, a solid pre-season will allow him to get to a level where the £19k-per-week ace can force his way into Clement’s starting XI next season, becoming a key player in the process.

Not only that, but his value has risen steadily since arriving in Glasgow 18 months ago, which could see the club make a wonderful profit on him should they ever decide to cash in.

Nico Raskin’s market value at Rangers

At the time of writing, Raskin is currently valued at €4.4m (£3.7m) and this figure will continue to rise should he get back to his best from the start of next season.

This valuation is £0.5m more than what Tavernier is currently worth, which suggests that while Beale may have endured a torrid time of things at Ibrox, he did make a few decent signings, with Raskin certainly one of them.

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While the Light Blues have since added Connor Barron on a free transfer to bolster the midfield department – amid the departures of both John Lundstram and Ryan Jack – a fully fit Raskin being available to Clement against Hearts in a couple of weeks will give the club a major boost.

He, Barron and Mohamed Diomande will all be fighting it out for two midfield berths, which means competition will be fierce for the players, something which could improve their performances.

It is no secret that the 50-year-old will want to add at least one more body to this area before the end of the transfer window, but it will remain to be seen just how much money he can raise in the next few weeks.

Will this need for future signings mean Tavernier is the first player to be sold for a substantial fee this summer? Who knows, but it would be wise for Clement to cash in.

The club have struck gold with the signing of Raskin, on the other hand, and despite an underwhelming 2023/24 season, he could be one to keep an eye out for next term, that’s for sure.

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A hugely experienced and successful manager is "open" to the idea of replacing Eddie Howe at Newcastle United this summer, according to an update from journalist Graeme Bailey.

Mixed reports over Eddie Howe's Newcastle future

The Magpies have suffered a season to forget in 2023/24, having gone into the campaign with such high expectations, following last year's brilliance.

The only thing Newcastle realistically have left to play for between now and the end of the campaign is the FA Cup, and that dream could easily end on Saturday evening when they make the daunting trip to Manchester City in the quarter-finals.

Howe has been tested to the limit as a manager this season, with injuries not helping him at all, and there have been mixed reports regarding his future at St James' Park. Some claims have suggested that he is under big pressure to keep his job, but a contrasting update has said that he remains the right man for the job and will continue as manager beyond the summer.

Plenty of candidates have emerged as options to replace the Englishman, should he be relieved of his duties, including Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann and legendary former Chelsea and Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho.

Serial winner "open" to becoming next Newcastle manager

Speaking to Geordie Boot Boys, Bailey discussed another potential choice in the role, talking up the idea of Roberto Mancini replacing Eddie Howe as Newcastle manager this summer.

"From what I’m told, Mancini would be open to it [becoming Newcastle manager]. He [Mancini] was one of the catalysts for what happened at Man City. He won their first Premier League title. If I was PIF, Roberto Mancini would be very much towards the top of my list, not the Jose Mourinho’s of this world. Mancini has been in this position. He’s taken over from a very popular manager previously.

"He’s been able to bring in these top quality players, and yeah Newcastle can bring big players in too, but you’re not telling me that Roberto Mancini can’t attract more players than Eddie Howe. That’s just a fact. Mancini can attract a player without having to pay them X amount of money. Yes, Newcastle with Howe can get the player in but you might have to pay him that much more."

Mancini is a proven winner who would be a strong candidate to be Howe's successor, even though it remains to be seen what the PIF's decision will be. It is pleasing to see them showing faith in him currently, considering what an excellent job he has done overall, but another poor couple of months to end the season could sway their thinking.

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In Mancini, Newcastle would be acquiring the services of an individual has won the Premier League title with City back in 2011/12, as well as tasted Euro 2020 glory as Italy manager, among numerous other huge trophies.

Roberto Mancini's trophy wins as a manager

Total

European Championship

1

Premier League

1

FA Cup

1

Serie A

3

Italian Cup

4

Italian Super Cup

2

Community Shield

1

Turkish Cup

1

He knows the English game extremely well, and could want a return to club management instead of being in charge of the Saudi Arabia national team, so there are certainly worse choices out there to come in for Howe.

Manchester City are looking to sign a "fantastic" Manchester United player in the near future, according to an eye-catching transfer update.

Man City transfer news

Pep Guardiola's side are again the team to beat in the Premier League this season, even if they may not end the weekend in pole position.

Having got over a mini-slump, City are playing some wonderful football again, and the manner in which they dispatched rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford last weekend was ominous for the other clubs challenging for the title.

Guardiola again refreshed his squad during the summer transfer window, bringing in the likes of Mateo Kovacic, Matheus Nunes and Jeremy Doku, among others, and he will always be looking out for further signings moving forward, with the possibility of making additions in January.

While focusing on the present is clearly important for the Spaniard, he is someone who will also want to ensure that City remain a force well into the future after he is gone, highlighting the need to snap up some of the most exciting young talent around, too.

It looks as though that is exactly what the club are looking to do at the moment, and they are reportedly eyeing an audacious piece of business.

Man City want Kobbie Mainoo

According to an update from FourFourTwo, Manchester City are attempting a stunning move to sign highly rated Manchester United youngster Kobbie Mainoo.

It is stated that they want the 18-year-old to cross enemy lines, with Mainoo incidentally part of the outlet's most exciting teenagers, where he ranks 43rd.

This could be a spectacular swoop by City, not only because it would be robbing one of their biggest rivals of a huge talent, but also because of Mainoo's potential ceiling as a player.

At just 18, the Englishman has already caught the eye greatly at Old Trafford, with Mainoo's statistics highlighting that he has made three first-team appearances, as well as shining during pre-season, when Denis Irwin said of him (via Metro):

"He’s had a fantastic game, Kobbie. Brave, good on the ball.

"He’s got confidence, he looks a real top player. What I’ve seen from Mainoo, what the manager’s seen in training and matches, he must trust him."

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Mainoo is also a three-time England Under-19 international, suggesting that he could rise through the ranks at international level and eventually make it into the senior setup, so plenty points towards him having a massive future in the game.

United will clearly be absolutely desperate to keep hold of the teenage midfielder, seeing him as a major part of their future, but the lure of City and Guardiola is clearly great, so his head could be turned by representing arguably the world's best club side on current form.

It is a transfer story that perfectly illustrates how City have overtaken their rivals in recent years – this is something that would have happened in reverse in the past and be a big statement of intent.

Crystal Palace are “ready” to make a second offer in an attempt to sign Flamengo star Matheus Franca, according to reliable journalist Rudy Galetti.

Is Matheus Franca leaving Flamengo?

The Brazil U20s international is an academy product at the Maracana Stadium, and having worked his way up through the various youth ranks to become a regular feature of Jorge Sampaoli’s first-team, he’s impressed during his 54 senior appearances to date.

The Serie A outfit are in a strong negotiating position when it comes to the attacking midfielder’s future because his contract isn’t set to expire for another four years, though that hasn’t stopped Roy Hodgson from making his move in the hope of bringing him to the Premier League.

Earlier this month, Fabrizio Romano confirmed that the Eagles had tabled an official opening bid for the 19-year-old via his social media, stating: “Crystal Palace have submitted a formal proposal for Matheus Franca. Talks are ongoing for the Brazilian talent. Understand Franca’s open to the move despite interest from Chelsea — #CFC spoke to Flamengo but no bid as €25m (£21m) is still excessive.”

Despite this offer being soon after turned down, the Selhurst Park outfit will know that they need to start quickly signing new recruits having so far only landed Jefferson Lerma from Bournemouth on a free transfer, and it sounds as if the hierarchy are ready to take a second bite at the cherry to secure their exciting teenage target from South America.

Are Crystal Palace signing Matheus Franca?

Taking to Twitter, Galetti revealed that Crystal Palace remain in discussions regarding a deal for Franca and that Steve Parish and Dougie Freedman are in the process of preparing a fresh bid to send to Flamengo. He wrote:

“#CrystalPalace are still in talks with #Flamengo for Matheus #Franca. After the first proposal rejected (€15m) [£12m], now the club is ready to make a new increased bid, expected in the next few days.”

How good is Matheus Franca?

Crystal Palace will know that Franca being just 19 years of age means that he’ll be more of a signing for the long-term future of the club, and having been hailed a “big talent” by football scout Jacek Kulig since bursting onto the senior stage and making a name for himself, he’s got a promising career ahead of him.

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Flamengo’s £1.9k-per-week earner has a total of 14 goal contributions (11 goals and three assists) to his name in 59 outings since the start of his career and he’s extremely dangerous when driving forward currently ranking in the 99th percentile for most successful dribbles when taking on his marker.

The Rio de Janeiro native, who has already had a taste of success having won two trophies with his boyhood club, would finally provide the manager with plenty of versatility with his ability to operate in six various positions across the pitch, including two roles in the midfield and everywhere across the frontline, so should he put pen to paper, he’d be a massively exciting acquisition for Hodgson in SE25.

Mikel Arteta’s transfer business as Arsenal manager has been excellent – as managing to sign players such as Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Martin Odegaard have given the club an ideal chance to end their Premier League title drought this season.

Of course, not every signing has worked out quite how Arteta would have wanted. The likes of Cedric Soares and Willian perhaps failed to live up to expectations during their stints at the Gunners, while the jury is still out on Albert Sambi Lokonga following an underwhelming start to life at the Emirates.

But one of Arteta’s biggest mistakes so far in terms of transfer business is arguably letting striker Alexandre Lacazette go for free last summer, especially considering the club’s attacking crisis after Christmas and his resurgence at Lyon.

How much is Alexandre Lacazette worth now?

The Frenchman joined the Gunners in the summer of 2017 for a then-club record £46.5m from Lyon, and was looked upon as the striker Arsene Wenger badly needed in order to mount a serious title challenge.

This was a player who had scored 37 goals the previous campaign and was one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe, so landing him was arguably a major coup for Arsenal.

His time at the north London side was successful in terms of goals scored, netting 71 in just over 200 matches, while also chipping in with 36 assists, showcasing his abilities as not only a pure out-and-out striker, but one who could link up well with teammates and create plenty of chances.

His exploits even led Charles Watts to describe him as “magnificent” in 2020, and although his final campaign saw the 31-year-old score just four league goals, it was perhaps time for him to move on, leaving for free when his contract expired at the end of the season.

Has it been a mistake, however? Lacazette has returned to form this term, scoring 21 goals in just 30 matches back at Lyon, and with Arsenal suffering a crisis in terms of attacking options when Gabriel Jesus was injured at the World Cup, they could have done with the Frenchman’s services.

Indeed, since his move away from England, Football Transfers has now valued the player at €18.6m (£16m) and if his goalscoring form continues, that value may well increase.

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Arteta may have suffered a rare howler on the striker, and although Jesus has been an inspired signing, keeping hold of Lacazette may have been the better choice rather than letting him leave for nothing.

Liverpool could look to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Matheus Nunes this month, according to Daily Express  journalist Ryan Taylor.

The Lowdown: Liverpool targeting a midfielder

It is no secret that Jurgen Klopp is trying to bolster his squad with a new midfielder, with Jude Bellingham being linked with a move to Anfield, while Mason Mount has also emerged as a potential option in recent days.

The Reds are in need of some new signings in that area of the pitch, with both Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain seeing their contracts expire at the end of the campaign, while Fabinho has been the subject of criticism from Scott Minto for his performances this season.

The Latest: Nunes the likeliest option

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Taylor claimed that reported target Nunes could be Klopp’s midfielder of choice if the Liverpool manager chooses to bring in another midfielder this month.

The journalist said in relation to prospective January signings for the Reds: “I think Matheus Nunes is the likely one if they were to move for a midfielder [this month].

“That’s not to say they’d be able to strike a deal. With Wolves likely to sign João Gomes after the arrival of Mario Lemina, if you look at their midfield roster, it’s now very overinflated.”

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The Verdict: Get it done?

Lauded as ‘unbelievable’ by former team-mate Goncalo Santos, the 24-year-old has really started to find his form in recent weeks. He was especially impressive in Wolves’ recent Carabao Cup clash at Nottingham Forest, receiving the joint-highest SofaScore rating of any outfield player on the pitch (7.5) and winning eight of the 10 ground duels that he contested.

The Portugal international is not renowned for his attacking contributions, weighing in with just three goals and two assists for Sporting Lisbon in the league last season. However, his recent exploits indicate that he is quite combative defensively, making 29 tackles in the Premier League this term.

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Liverpool have previous in signing gems from Wolves, with Diogo Jota arriving at Anfield for £41m in September 2020 and going on to score 34 goals in 93 Reds appearances so far.

Klopp could pull off another masterclass by bringing in Nunes from Molineux for a similar fee, with The Telegraph reporting that £44m could be enough to tempt his current club into a sale.