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A number of Crystal Palace fans have been reacting to their club’s renewed interest in Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah.

It was in July that Fabrizio Romano initially revealed that Palace were keen on the Englishman. and according to Transfer Market Web, the 22-year-old is back on the Eagles’ radar.

The report claims that Leeds United, where Nketiah has previously spent time on loan, face fresh competition from Palace, as well as Bundesliga duo Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Monchengladbach, in their pursuit of the striker.

The 22-year-old is apparently valued at €12m, which equates to about £10.2m, and he holds the record as England under-21s’ all-time leading scorer with 16 goals in 17 caps at that level.

He will be out of contract at the end of this season, and so there are three possibilities: he extends with the Gunners, he leaves in January so that they can recoup a fee, or he walks away in the summer on a free transfer.

Why might Palace fans be underwhelmed?

Nketiah has made 38 Premier League appearances but only scored five goals (via Transfermarkt), while Palace have recently shelled out £14m on a new striker in the form of Odsonne Edouard, who has already struck three goals in eight English top-flight appearances (via Transfermarkt).

The response to the news, as relayed by Palace Xtra, was mixed among some Eagles supporters.

Palace fans split on fresh Nketiah links

“Based on what happened in the summer I think we should move on. However if we can pick him up on a free in the summer……”

Credit: @brock_a_d_84

“Would be good on a free if wages aren’t crazy”

Credit: @davidjcayley

“RB pls”

Credit: @cpfctomm

“no”

Credit: @Eberzee

“We don’t need an ST”

Credit: @tomjones2610

“No, I beg”

Credit: @eaglessss_

In other news, many Palace fans were delighted by this international development

Eddie Howe has given a promising update on Newcastle United’s Jamal Lewis and his progress in his recovery from a long-standing groin problem.

What’s the latest?

The Newcastle manager took to his pre-match press conference ahead of the Norwich City clash on Friday, to reveal more information on Lewis’ condition.

Howe told the press (via Newcastle’s Twitter account): “He’s had a few operations and recently had another one. We hope this one has fixed his long-standing groin problem. It’s been frustrating for him because he’s not felt 100%. I’d love to see him back in pre-season and show us the player he can be.”

Howe will be buzzing

Lewis was cut from Newcastle’s 25-man squad in February to make way for new signings, so he will have the opportunity to really work on his fitness and recover ahead of pre-season when he can then start working on earning his place back in the team which will surely have Howe buzzing.

The 24-year old’s left-back position is currently being covered by Aston Villa loanee Matt Targett, and, despite many reports suggesting that the loan move will be made permanent this summer, The Athletic is now reporting that the Magpies manager is undecided on the signing.

When you compare the pair over their careers, Lewis has made 121 appearances, whilst Targett has made 130. Lewis has maintained a better pass accuracy and higher success rate in tackling than his position competitor, however, the 26-year-old offers more success in his dribbling and is more successful in winning aerial duels.

Even if Targett was to sign on a permanent deal, Lewis will still be needed to cover and rotate into the left defensive position, and considering how young he is, he is likely to be considered a long-term prospect in the position at St James’ Park.

Newcastle have almost completed their great escape from relegation this season securing 40 points in the Premier League table after a win over Crystal Palace on Wednesday night and will take on Norwich City this afternoon at Carrow Road – with Howe surely hoping they can continue to climb the table into a comfortable position.

AND in other news: Eddie Howe must finally axe “unacceptable” £80k-p/w NUFC passenger, he’s “looked lost”

An update has emerged on Manchester City winger Cole Palmer, regarding Newcastle’s interest in his services…

What’s the talk?

According to The Athletic, the Magpies have made a loan approach to sign the England under-21 international for the second halff of the campaign.

The report claims that their initial attempts to land him have been knocked back by Pep Guardiola’s side, but does not state whether or not Newcastle will go back in with another effort.

Snap him up

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe must do everything in his power to snap him up by convincing the Premier League champions to send Palmer on loan to St. James’ Park. He could be a terrific addition to the squad who could help them avoid relegation down to the Championship.

The £12k-per-week wing wizard has already played 12 games in the first-team for Manchester City, scoring twice, and has been capped four times by England at under-21 level.

Guardiola was previously effusive in his praise of the young attacker, saying:

“Cole has a special quality in front of the box, a talent that is difficult to find. When he has the ball there, most of the time it ends up in the net. It’s difficult to find that.

“I know how it works with young players. We have to be calm and patient. His position is the second team but at the same time he trains with us and works with our principles. I am happy with the goal. He could have done a few actions a little bit better, but that is normal. It is experience.”

His record at U23 level for City is phenomenal. He has scored 19 goals and provided 10 assists in 27 games, having found the back of the net 20 times – whilst managing eight assists – in 32 matches for the U18s previously.

This, along with his exposure to first-team football under Guardiola, suggests that he could have the quality to provide a lift to the Magpies team. Callum Wilson (six) is the only Newcastle player with more than three Premier League goals and Allan Saint-Maximin (three) is the only player with more than two assists, highlighting the need for more forwards who can contribute at the top end of the pitch.

Therefore, Howe must work hard to change City’s mind and get them to send Palmer to the club on loan. He could come in and offer an added bit of quality in the final third, if he is able to translate even a fraction of the form he has shown for City at youth level into the first team.

AND in other news, Downie shares NUFC update after speaking “to the consortium”, fans will be thrilled…

Speaking to Give Me Sport, journalist and ‘transfer insider’ Dean Jones of Eurosport has backed some big transfer news out of West Ham involving Flamengo striker Gabriel Barbosa.

The Lowdown: Barbosa set to force move…

As explained by Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth, West Ham could still sign the 25-year-old in this transfer window as he explains their proposal is still on the table.

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In another development, potentially boosting manager David Moyes and recruitment chief Rob Newman in their bid to sign Barbosa, the Brazil international has his heart set on a move to England and the Premier League.

Sheth even lifted the lid on a sit down between Barbosa, his representatives and Flamengo over the matter as he eyes a transfer (Sky).

The Latest: Jones backs development…

Speaking to GMS, insider Jones has backed this development, claiming it is ‘true’, whilst also saying that West Ham were ‘offered’ Barbosa recently.

“West Ham were offered him weeks ago as they know the player has his mind set in the Premier League,” he explained.

“At the moment there has been no breakthrough but it’s true that Gabigol intends to force a move.

“He’s not happy with how things at Flamengo are changing.”

The Verdict: Right move?

Barbosa has racked up a head-turning 93 goals and 29 assists for the Brazilian Serie A giants, putting him back into contention for the national team ahead of Qatar’s 2022 World Cup this year.

Taking into account the South American’s goalscoring efficiency and the fact he has resurrected his career since a torrid spell at Inter Milan, we believe there are few forwards out there with his quality who could cost as little as £30 million (90min).

Still in his mid-20s and flying, Moyes could bring in a striker with plenty of sell-on value and a seeming determination to succeed in Europe.

In other news: West Ham source: Newman makes move to sign ‘devastating’ forward after price plummets by £32m, find out more here.

Frank Lampard has made the best first impression he possibly could at Goodison Park on Saturday leading his Everton side out in a convincing 4-1 win, in the team’s highest-scoring victory of the season so far.

If we take one thing away from Lampard’s approach to setting up his first Everton side, it’s the higher pressing 3-4-3 formation and overwhelmingly offensive play that made the difference in the players, and with that being said, it would be no surprise if the ex-Chelsea boss will want to further strengthen that strategy by adding players in the summer who understand his philosophy.

One player who has been linked to a move to the Toffees in the coming months is Armando Broja, with the Chelsea loanee becoming a hot prospect thanks to his performances for Southampton this season, scoring five top-flight goals.

However, Lampard could have the upper hand on any other club looking to sign the £8.1m-rated star who was hailed “dangerous” by current manager Ralph Hasenhuttl, thanks to their relationship at Chelsea.

Ironically, the 43-year-old Toffees manager gave Broja his senior debut in the Premier League in 2020 against Everton, and with the advantage of working together before, the former midfielder’s appointment has now potentially strengthened the Toffees’ chances of securing his signature in the summer.

Transfer insider, Dean Jones, has also weighed in on the potential move for Broja to work with the midfielder turned manager again, telling GIVEMESPORT:

“Broja, there’s no way Lampard doesn’t come into that conversation straight away. He knows him, think he gave him his debut. If he was genuinely available, Lampard would look in his direction.”

Imagine him & Alli

Despite Everton already having a strong attacking force with the likes of Richarlison, Demarai Gray and Dominic Calvert-Lewin having a huge presence in the team, the potential signing of Broja could be something explored if the club did decide to cash in on Calvert-Lewin this summer, as the 29-year-old forward has been strongly linked with a move to Arsenal for months.

Lampard wasted no time strengthening the creative attributes of the team by signing Dele Alli on Deadline Day, and will surely be hoping to find the perfect match to work with the attacking midfielder in the long term, and Broja could be the answer.

The Saints loanee also offers much more than just goal involvement, with the 6 foot 2 beast using every inch of his stature to impose himself on defenders, winning 47 aerial duels in the opponents half which is the seventh highest in the Premier League this season according to One Versus One.

His height and hunger for goals make him not only the perfect partner for Alli to serve up chances for, but also the perfect young replacement for 6 foot 1 forward, Calvert-Lewin, should he move on in the summer.

In other news: Yerry Mina proves Lampard wrong with outstanding performance

Aston Villa made it back-to-back losses after they were beaten 2-0 by rivals West Brom at Villa Park over the weekend.

Defeat to Darren Moore’s side comes straight after a 1-0 loss to Brentford, leaving Aston Villa’s promotion dream in tatters.

Amid this current bad period, though, the club could be about to be given a huge boost.

The Breakdown

Attacking midfielder Jack Grealish looks to be closing in on a return from an injury that has kept him out of action since December with his manager Dean Smith optimistic he could be available for the upcoming Stoke City clash.

“I’m hoping Jack may be available for the bench at Stoke. He is working on his fitness side at the moment,” Smith was quoted as saying by Express and Star. “He is in no pain but I will be guided by the medical staff.”

Following Smith’s appointment as Steve Bruce’s successor in the Villa Park dugout, Grealish was one of the players who had really gone up another level under his new manager, putting in some very creative performances.

The 23-year-old’s absence has undoubtedly weakened this Villa side and, ultimately, hampered their chances of promotion.

His return, nevertheless, could still be massive as the Villans look to get a run together, while that last play-off spot is not completely out of sight just yet.

Marcelo Brozovic rejected the chance to link up with Tottenham Hotspur in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

In a recent appearance on Telelombardia (via Sport Witness), Italian journalist Fabrizio Biasin revealed that, prior to the 29-year-old midfielder putting pen to paper a new four-year deal with Inter Milan, all three of Tottenham, Newcastle United and Barcelona made contact with the Croatia international regarding a potential summer switch.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-martinez-dybala-spence-conte-2” title= “Read the latest Spurs news!”]

Concerning Spurs’ interest in Brozovic, Biasin said: “I can say that they tried for Brozovic. Tottenham made an attempt, but Brozovic, a man of his word, said he wanted to stay and he did it by signing the renewal. He had [offers from] Newcastle, Barcelona and Tottenham, and he stayed. Barcelona had offered him €8m [£6.5m] per season.”

Conte will be fuming

With it being reported that Antonio Conte was extremely interested in securing a reunion with his former Inter midfielder in north London, the news that Brozovic rejected Tottenham in favour of remaining at the San Siro is sure to have left the 52-year-old fuming.

Indeed, it is easy to see why the Italian was keen on a move for the 29-year-old, as Brozovic was a hugely important part of Conte’s title-winning Inter team last season.

Over his 33 Serie A appearances in 2020/21, the £41.5m-rated Croatian was in sensational form for the Nerazzurri, scoring two goals, registering six assists and creating nine big chances for his team-mates, along with making 1.4 key passes and taking 0.8 shots per game.

The €6m-per-year – roughly £96k-per-week – central midfielder also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making 59.7 passes, 1.2 interceptions, 1.6 tackles and 4.3 long balls and winning three duels per match.

These returns saw the player who Gianfranco Matteoli dubbed “irreplaceable” average an extraordinary SofaScore match rating of 7.28, ranking him not only as Conte’s second-best performer in Serie A but also the 14th-best player in the entire league last season.

As such, it is clear to see that Brozovic would have made a fantastic addition to Spurs’ current options in the middle of the park this summer, while it is also evident why Conte will be raging at missing out on the 29-year-old’s signature, especially as he wouldn’t have cost the club a penny in transfer fees.

AND in other news: “I wouldn’t be surprised…” – Alasdair Gold drops teasing Spurs claim which supporters will love

Antonio Conte must consider offloading one of Tottenham Hotspur’s struggling stars this January as he looks to change their fortunes in north London…

January approaching

The winter transfer window will be the first true sign of what the ‘Conte era’ could look like at Spurs as he’ll be able to make some additions of his own and perhaps shift on those that he does not want at the club.

Currently, his 3-4-3 system only accommodates a certain number of players, so some may find themselves frozen out as an unfortunate consequence of the Italian’s tactics.

Furthermore, the north London outfit have to be somewhat realistic, meaning they may well have to sell before they buy, at least if the 52-year-old and sporting director Fabio Paratici are looking at multiple additions.

Someone who could fit the bill as a potential money-spinner is Giovani Lo Celso, who has failed to set the ground alight in over two years at the club.

Lo Celso’s struggles

Indeed, the Argentina international cost a joint-club-record £55m in August 2019, arriving from LaLiga outfit Real Betis and with Christian Eriksen’s contract situation rumbling on in the background, there was huge hope that he would be the natural heir to his playmaking throne.

But that has not been the case, despite glimpses of promise.

Across 79 appearances for Spurs, the £25m-rated attacking midfielder has only provided eight goals and five assists, averaging a direct goal contribution once every 338.5 minutes – or once every six games, as per Transfermarkt.

When your supposed creative influence isn’t delivering in a shorter space of time than every six games, especially when leading the squad for key passes per 90 (2.1) this term, then it’s a problem and it suggests that the player isn’t performing to a good enough standard.

[snack-amp-story url = “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/spurs-latest-news-updates-transfers-antonio-conte-thfc” title=”Read the latest Spurs news, transfer updates and much, much more!”]

For comparison, Eriksen managed a goal or assist every 151.6 minutes across six-and-a-half years in N17.

The 25-year-0ld has been a passenger at times, coasting through matches without any sort of involvement, and elements of his game have been woefully poor, such as at set-pieces. It’s been so disappointing that even a social media account highlighting his mistakes has emerged in recent months.

When you consider the amount chairman Daniel Levy paid for him over two years ago and his reported £100k-per-week wages, then the Argentine has cost the club around £850k per appearance, around £5.2m per contribution, and around £8.3m per goal.

It’s hard to argue against him being one of the biggest flops of recent times.

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For instance, Dele Alli often cops a lot of flak and is even thought to be one player that is available for transfer in January, per The Athletic, but he should not be sold over someone like Lo Celso, based on the above evidence.

Even more so as Conte has publicly revealed his admiration for the Englishman, who was frozen out by both Jose Mourinho and Nuno Santo, whilst another former manager, Tim Sherwood, has backed Alli to become the main no.10 under the Italian.

At just 25, Lo Celso could offer some sort of value if there are any interested parties this January and as such, he must be ruthlessly axed by Conte.

AND in other news, Spurs eye “explosive” £34m-rated gem likened to Lampard, he’s way better than Lo Celso…

Wolves are ‘still looking’ at making potential signings before the January transfer window closes next week, according to reliable journalist Tim Spiers.

The Lowdown: Wolves flying on the pitch

Bruno Lage’s team are in the middle of a superb run of form, winning their last three Premier League matches, including a famous 1-0 victory away to Manchester United at the start of the year.

With each passing week, Wolves increasingly look as though they could genuinely finish in the European places this season, with Lage turning them into a well-drilled unit with the league’s second-best defensive record.

There are yet to be any major reinforcements in the squad this month, but there is still time for that to change.

The Latest: Spiers hints at signings

Taking to Twitter on Monday in response to a question from a Wolves supporter, Spiers claimed that there is still a chance that new faces could come in before next Monday’s transfer deadline.

He outlined: “I think regardless they’re looking at possible deals, either loan or permanent. Doesn’t mean anything will happen, but they’re always open to it for the right player/right deal.”

The Verdict: One or two needed?

With Adama Traore looking set to join Tottenham imminently, money will suddenly be available for Wolves, giving them a great chance to make a couple of signings before Monday.

There is no need for wholesale additions, but a replacement for the winger would be ideal so that Lage would continue to have plenty of attacking options.

Another centre-back wouldn’t go amiss either, in order to ease the burden on current first-choice trio Max Kilman, Conor Coady and Romain Saiss, with Willy Boly not available currently due to fitness issues and Yerson Mosquera a long-term injury absentee.

In other news, Fabrizio Romano has provided a key update on one Wolves player. Find out who it is here.

Wolves making a move for Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli in January would not be a wise decision, according to journalist Luke Hatfield.

The Lowdown: Alli’s career on the slide

There was a time when Alli seemed like the golden boy of English football, but his reputation has diminished in recent years, with the midfielder making very little impact at Tottenham.

Alli has been limited to six Premier League starts and he is struggling to force his way into new manager Antonio Conte’s plans currently, leading to speculation over his next destination, with Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson linking him with a possible move to Wolves.

Indeed, Spurs could look to cut their losses on a player who has been described as ‘fantastic’ by Ian Wright, with the 25-year-old someone who Hatfield has been quizzed about.

The Latest: Hatfield doesn’t want move to happen

Speaking to Give Me Sport, it was clear what his stance on the matter is, with the journalist urging Wolves to stay away from any possible deal:

“For the player, I could understand the move, but not for the club. I couldn’t understand Wolves making a move for Dele Alli, to be honest.”

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The Verdict: Avoid it, Wolves

Alli looked like he would be a world-beater as a youngster, scoring 18 league goals for Spurs back in 2016/17, not to mention netting in the 2018 World Cup quarter-final for England against Sweden.

Sadly, he just hasn’t kicked on, however, and while he is still only 25 years of age, it would be extremely risky for Wolves to sign him.

The fire seems to have gone out with Alli, with his impact on matches so often unnoticeable – he has only scored one league goal since 2019/20 – so he could be more of a hindrance than an effective signing.

In other news, some Wolves fans have erupted over a transfer claim. Read more here.