The transfer saga involving Joan Garcia and Barcelona seems to be coming to a close, with the Espanyol goalkeeper set to join the Catalan rivals.
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Garcia close to joining BarcaWill complete cross-city transfer for €25mEspanyol star snubs interest from ArsenalFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Barcelona are close to signing Espanyol goalkeeper Garcia, per , with the deal expected to be finalised soon for €25 million (£21m/$28m), the goalkeeper's release clause. Garcia, also pursued by Manchester City and Arsenal, prefers a move to Barca but will consult his family before making a final decision.
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The transfer is emotionally complex due to his deep ties to Espanyol and the fierce rivalry between the two Catalan clubs, making such moves rare and controversial. Garcia has rejected the option of a loan in the event his transfer is complete and is ready to compete immediately for the No. 1 spot, challenging Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Barcelona are expected to activate his €25m release clause soon, viewing the 24-year-old as one for both the present and the future.
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The report further added that the club also plans to hold discussions with Ter Stegen to clarify the situation and manage potential dressing-room tensions. With both goalkeepers expected to compete for the starting role, new manager Hansi Flick could face a delicate balancing act next season. For his part, the German international has already ruled out a departure this summer.
"I know I'll be at Barcelona next year. I'm extremely excited about the coming season because we have a great team that's young, dynamic, and hungry. There's no situation that needs to be discussed," he told at a press conference.
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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR JOAN GARCIA?
The Espanyol star is currently weighing up his option, although recent reports indicate that a move to Barcelona could be finalised in the coming days. With interest from Premier League, too, in addition to Ter Stegen's assertion that he won't leave Barca, Garcia could well be tempted to move abroad in search of more playing time with an eye on the 2026 World Cup.
Sam Hain 165* sets platform before visitors lose last five wickets for 48 then follow on
ECB Reporters Network15-Apr-2023
Sam Hain was unbeaten on 165 at the declaration•Getty Images
Kent 158 (Bell-Drummond 40, Hasan 3-36) and 27 for 1 f/o (Compton 15*, Rushworth 1-7) trail Warwickshire 453 for 4 declared (Hain 165*, Yates 128, Mousley 94) by 268 runsWarwickshire are scenting LV=Insurance County Championship victory over Kent at Edgbaston despite the loss of four sessions to the weather after excellent seam bowling forced the match forward on the third day.In reply to the home side’s 453 for 4 declared, with Sam Hain 165 not out from 269 balls and Dan Mousley scoring 94 from 93 balls, Kent were skittled for 158 before closing the third day on 27 for 1 following on.The visitors’ first innings was cut down by a superb collective effort by the Bears’ seam attack. All five seamers took wickets as Hasan Ali led the way with 3 for 36 and England’s Chris Woakes picked up two wickets in his first Championship match for 19 months.It remains a good batting pitch but Kent have a lot of work to do on the final day to deny Warwickshire what would be a remarkable win after the weather took out sessions four to seven of the match.After Warwickshire resumed on the third morning on 367 for 3, Hain and Mousley extended their partnership to 179 against ultra-defensive fields. With Kent a key bowler down, Matt Quinn off the field nursing the groin injury he collected on the first day, at times all nine outfielders were on the boundary.Runs still came freely and Mousley collected his fourth six with a breathtaking ramp over the keeper’s head off Conor McKerr before falling six short of a maiden first-class century when he hoisted spinner Jack Leaning to long on.Hain and Michael Burgess added a perky 39 from 31 balls to take Warwickshire to maximum bating points at which point they declared to make the earliest possible start on the pursuit of 20 Kent wickets. Chris Rushworth delivered the first two in a textbook new-ball spell as he trapped Zak Crawley lbw for a sixth-ball duck and then pinned Ben Compton in front.When Joe Denly nicked a Hasan outswinger to wicketkeeper Burgess, Kent were 63 for 3 and a good-sized Edgbaston crowd were getting some reward for their patience through hours waiting for the grass to dry.Daniel Bell-Drummond survived a nervous start to unfurl some attractive strokes on his way to 40 but perished just after tea when he sliced a steeply lifting Hasan delivery to gully. Ed Barnard then ousted Jack Leaning, caught at point.At 86 for 5, Kent needed serious shoring up and Jordan Cox and Sam Billings put down some roots in a stand of 24 but a lapse in judgement from Cox triggered another clatter. The 22-year-old left one from Olly Hannon-Dalby which hit off-stump to spark the loss of the last five wickets for 48.Kent’s implosion earned them the unwelcome prospect of an awkward 12 overs to bat second time round. Crawley’s unhappy day continued when he suffered an arguable lbw decision against Rushworth before, much to Kent’s relief, bad light lopped off the last four overs.
Barry Ferguson is the man tasked with leading Rangers for the remainder of the 2024/25 season following the decision to sack Philippe Clement.
The ex-Ibrox captain is in interim charge until the summer and has been joined by former players Neil McCann, Billy Dodds and Allan McGregor as coaches, whereas Issame Charai – who was appointed as Clement’s assistant just last month – has remained at the club.
After making the decision to bring Ferguson back to Ibrox, Rangers CEO Patrick Stewart said: “I also want to welcome Barry back to the club. We appreciate him and his team stepping into the role at this difficult time. Myself, the board and the executive team will give them our full support for the rest of the campaign.”
Rangers are currently way adrift of rivals Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership, but Ferguson will have the chance to take on Jose Mourinho and Fenerbahce in the last 16 of the Europa League.
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Ferguson, who knows what it takes to come through the Gers’ academy, may look towards the future and the club’s youth ranks, especially in the final weeks of the season should Celtic seal another Premiership crown with games to spare.
With Clement arguably only taking advantage of the Light Blues’ youthful talents when absolutely necessary, Ferguson’s arrival could represent an opportunity to fully integrate these youngsters into the first team.
With that in mind, we’ve looked at five Rangers prospects aged 21 or younger who Ferguson could now unleash at Ibrox between now and the end of the season.
1 Ross McCausland 21 years old
Rangers forward Ross McCausland.
Ross McCausland has played less than 700 minutes of football all season at Ibrox, turning out on the left and right under Clement.
The Northern Irishman, who came through Rangers’ academy, started his last Scottish Premiership match back in October and has hardly been seen in 2025.
He does have four goal contributions to his name, so Ferguson may see McCausland as someone he can improve between now and the end of the campaign, giving him more minutes in the process.
2 Paul Nsio 18 years old
Central midfielder Paul Nsio could be another Ferguson looks to use more, with the interim boss himself a former midfielder. Nsio made his Scottish Premiership debut earlier in the year, coming on as a late substitute in a win at Dundee United.
The teenager was also given the nod from the bench by Clement in the Europa League win over Union SG at the end of January.
During pre-season last year, Nsio was reportedly impressing Rangers’ coaching staff with his work ethic, guile and creativity in the middle of the park, so perhaps he will feature more under Ferguson.
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ByRoss Kilvington Oct 9, 2025 3 Findlay Curtis 18 years old
More of an attacking midfielder than Nsio is Findlay Curtis, who can also play out wide if needed. The Scot has made five matchday squads in the Europa League, even playing 30 minutes at Old Trafford against Man Utd in January.
2025 has been a positive year so far for Curtis, who had also been making Clement’s squads in the Scottish Premiership in the weeks prior to the Belgian’s dismissal.
Curtis has also signed a contract extension and was praised by Technical Director, Nils Koppen, who said: “Findlay is a player who has progressed through our youth system since the age of six and his development towards the first team is testament to his own commitment and the hard work of all the coaches who have played a part in his journey.”
4 Bailey Rice 18 years old
Bailey Rice was just 16 years of age when Michael Beale labelled him “a heck of a player”, but since then, the defensive midfielder has found senior game time hard to come by.
The Scotland U19 international has been threatening to make a first-team breakthrough this season, making five of his eight first-team appearances in 2024/25.
Ferguson, previously a no-nonsense midfielder, may look to take Rice under his wing over the coming months and give him more regular opportunities as Rangers look to potentially plan for the future.
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ByRoss Kilvington Feb 21, 2025 5 Zander Hutton 18 years old
Full-back Zander Hutton is still awaiting his Rangers first-team debut, and he may be hoping it is just around the corner after being named as a substitute for the final two rounds of the Europa League’s league phase against Man Utd and Union SG.
A regular in Rangers’ B team, Hutton, who can play as a right or left-back, helped the club beat Celtic 3-2 in the Glasgow Cup Final at the end of 2024.
Ferguson has a number of full-back options including Ridvan Yilmaz, Jefte, Dujon Sterling and captain James Tavernier, but who knows, he could be tempted to throw Hutton in before May.
As the Friedkin Group look to make their mark once again, Everton are reportedly already working on a £21m deal to sign an attacking talent ahead of Merseyside rivals Liverpool this summer.
Everton transfer news
The Toffees have certainly had more reason to be positive since the return of David Moyes, having steered clear of the relegation zone and onto likely safety in the Premier League. Meanwhile, Friedkin haven’t exactly had a bad start away from the action – welcoming Carlos Alcaraz on loan from Flamengo in what should hand Moyes an exciting player in central midfield.
Carlos Alcaraz for Flamengo.
Whilst defeat in the FA Cup did bring their momentum to a frustrating halt, the Toffees have the perfect chance to bounce back when they host the final ever Merseyside derby at Goodison Park on Wednesday. It’s there that they’ll have the chance to prevent rivals Liverpool from going as many as nine points clear in the Premier League title race – at which point it would undeniably be theirs to lose.
It’s not just on the pitch that those at Goodison Park could stand in the way of the Reds, however. According to reports in Spain, Everton are already working on a deal to sign Rayan Cherki ahead of Liverpool this summer in a transfer that would be worth €25m (£21m). Reportedly in pole position, the Toffees look set to swoop in on a player who has long been linked with their rivals.
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The young attacking midfielder, who can also play on both the right and left-hand side of a front three, looks destined to leave Lyon even after he was denied the chance to do so and join Borussia Dortmund in the January transfer window.
Given Lyon’s desperate financial situation, they won’t be able to remain firm forever and will likely have no choice but to sell if the likes of Everton come calling. With Liverpool also reportedly interested, meanwhile, the French club could quickly commence quite the race between the two Merseyside clubs.
"Special" Cherki would ignite Everton's attack
Whilst Moyes has so far managed to get an electric tune out of what was a choir-like attack under Sean Dyche, there’s no denying that he still needs fresh faces within his frontline. And that’s where Cherki should come in.
The 21-year-old has been one of the most highly-praised talents in European football at times this season, including from Ben Mattinson. The analyst went as far as to say that the Lyon man is a “special creator” who is “creative from all areas of the pitch” last month.
The stats certainly only add credit to that verdict too. In a struggling Lyon side, Cherki has been involved in 17 goals in all competitions so far this season – finding the back of the net six times himself and creating another 11 goals.
The Frenchman looks destined for the top, which could yet feature a summer switch to the Premier League and Everton.
“If it’s there, then remove the rule – as simple as that. The ones who have a problem, good for them; it’s fine”
ESPNcricinfo staff25-Oct-2022
Hardik – “If I am walking out [of the crease], and someone runs me out – fair enough. It’s my mistake, not the bowler’s”•ICC/Getty Images
India allrounder Hardik Pandya is fine with bowlers running non-strikers out if they stray out of the crease. Speaking on , ahead of the start of the T20 World Cup in Australia, Hardik also said he isn’t fussed about spirit-of-cricket debates around the mode of dismissal.”We need to stop making a fuss about this. It’s a rule – [as] simple as that,” Hardik said. “To hell with the spirit of the game. If it’s there, [then] remove the rule – as simple as that. The ones who have a problem, good for them; it’s fine.Related
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“Personally, I have no problem. If I am walking out [of the crease], and someone runs me out – fair enough. It’s my mistake, not the bowler’s. He is taking the rules to his advantage – [as] simple as that. That’ll not make a big deal.”The debate surrounding the spirit of cricket and fairness of such a dismissal was reignited last month when Deepti Sharma ran Charlie Dean out at Lord’s in the deciding ODI of the series between England and India. England were nine down and needed 17 off 39 balls before Deepti flicked the bails off to catch Dean short.Earlier this March, the MCC had de-stigmatised running non-strikers out by shifting the move of a player being run out by the bowler while backing up from Law 41 (which deals with unfair play) to Law 38 (which deals with run-outs) in its recent update. More recently Australia quick Mitchell Starc suggested umpires use on-ground cameras to make “short-run” calls if the non-striker tries to gain an advantage. Starc spoke after informally warning Jos Buttler about the England batter leaving the non-striker’s end before he released the ball. Starc felt that docking the batting side a run in such circumstances would leave “no grey area”.”Every time the batter leaves the crease before the front foot lands, dock them a run. There’s no grey area then,” he had said. “And in T20 cricket where runs are so handy at the back end and games can be decided by one, two, three runs all the time, if all of a sudden you get docked 20 runs because a batter’s leaving early, you’re going to stop doing it, aren’t you?”Bowlers like R Ashwin have been vocal about promoting the use of the dismissal, having run Buttler out the same way in an IPL game in 2019. Running a non-striker out has historically been one of cricket’s most controversial and opinion-dividing topics. In the past, bowlers who practiced running non-strikers out – like West Indies’ Keemo Paul, for example, at an Under-19 World Cup game – have taken a step back from doing so after receiving backlash over their decision.
A próxima quinta-feira será importante para o Sport, que tenta somar três pontos diante da Ponte Preta, na Arena de Pernambuco.
– VEJA A TABELA DA SÉRIE B
Dentro do G-4 da Série B, o time de Gilmar Dal Pozzo terá a missão de quebrar a maré negativa do sistema ofensivo.
Nos últimos dois confrontos, o Leão não balançou a rede contra Novorizontino e CRB e ligou o sinal de alerta.
Vale citar, que em nove jogos disputados até o momento, o Sport anotou seis gols.
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Três jogos em nove dias, sendo apenas um na Neo Química Arena. Essa é a sequência que o Corinthians irá fazer na próxima semana, com dois duelos pelo Brasileirão, e um na Libertadores.
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> GALERIA – Jogos do Corinthians na Neo Química Arena com a volta do público
O primeiro deles é neste sábado, às 19h, no Beira-Rio, contra o Internacional, pela sexta rodada do Brasileirão.
Se por um lado o Timão é dominante em casa com Vítor Pereira, o mesmo não pode ser dito quando a equipe joga longe da Neo Química Arena.
São cinco derrotas, dois empates e apenas três vitórias longe de casa com o treinador português, com um aproveitamento de 26%. O elenco sabe que precisa melhorar o desempenho longe de seus domínios, e Fábio Santos contou que o técnico cobra essa melhora dos atletas.
-Jogar fora de casa é uma das coisas que o Vítor preza bastante da gente, cobra bastante, tentar manter o mesmo rendimento que temos dentro da Arena. Sabemos que é difícil, jogar do lado do nosso torcedor faz uma grande diferença, mas temos tentado achar esse equilíbrio, conquistar pontos importantes fora de casa. Uma equipe que quer títulos, seguir nas três competições, tem que achar esse equilíbrio, jogar bem dentro e fora de casa – disse o lateral.
O camisa 26 também fez uma análise do confronto contra o Internacional, que vem de dois jogos seguidos com empates, e ocupa o9º lugar na tabela do Brasileirão.
-Se criou uma rivalidade muito grande nos últimos anos entre Inter e Corinthians. Sabemos que é um jogo duríssimo, jogar no Beira-Rio é sempre complicado. Queremos aproveitar o bom momento para nos mantermos na liderança – afirmou o atleta.
O Corinthians tem dois pontos de vantagem do vice-líder Santos, e quer aproveitar os tropeços dos postulantes ao título, Atlético-MG, Flamengo e Palmeiras, para seguir firme na ponta. Caso vença o Inter, será o segundo triunfo consecutivo fora de casa no campeonato.
> TABELA – Confira e simule os jogos do Corinthians no Brasileirão
-Dá para candidatar sim o Corinthians em uma briga por conquista. O elenco, camisa, grandeza do clube, pede isso. Campeonato de pontos corridos, o Corinthians na frente, sabemos que nas rodadas finais faz diferença. Uma equipe acostumada a brigar por títulos. Obviamente que é cedo, agora não muda tanto estar em 1 ou 6, porque a diferença é muito próxima dos jogos, mas queremos nos manter nas primeiras colocações, e na parte final do campeonato, ver o que realmente a gente vai brigar no campeonato – comentou Fábio Santos.
Após a partida em Porto Alegre, a delegação corintiana embarca direto para Buenos Aires, chegando no domingo (15). A situação no grupo é favorável aos brasileiros, e um empate contra o Boca Juniors deixaria uma das vagas no grupo praticamente garantida ao Timão.
Mas nada é simples quando o jogo é em La Bombonera, e o retrospecto do Corinthians jogando fora de casa nesta Libertadores não é positivo. O clube foi derrotado na altitude de La Paz contra o Always Ready-BOL, e empatou contra o Deportivo Cali na Colômbia.
-Classificar o quanto antes é o nosso objetivo, não deixar para a última rodada. Fazer um grande jogo na Argentina para voltar classificado.La Bombonera é um estádio conhecidíssimo, principalmente aqui na América. A gente fala, tem jogadores que sonham em jogar lá. É difícil contar ou passar experiência, tem que ser vivida. Os jovens estão ansiosos para viver esse momento, assim como eu de voltar lá. Só na terça-feira a gente vai matar essa ansiedade – concluiu Fábio Santos.
Após o duelo contra o Boca, o Timão volta a disputar uma partida na Neo Química Arena, mas a pressão será imensa, pois enfrenta o São Paulo no domingo (22), com a torcida pressionando pela primeira vitória em clássicos no ano.
With a tough test at home to a resurgent Newcastle United side on the horizon, Ruben Amorim’s already waning attacking options at Manchester United look set to be even more depleted.
The former Sporting CP boss will be without his captain, Bruno Fernandes, for the visit of the Magpies, following his compatriot’s red card at Molineux, while it would appear likely that Marcus Rashford’s exile will continue amid a four-game absence for the Englishman.
Bruno Fernandes
With Mason Mount having also broken down with injury in the Manchester Derby, Amorim will be left to pick between Alejandro Garnacho, Antony and Amad Diallo to operate in those two number ten berths.
It was only a few weeks ago, however, that Garnacho was left out of the trip to the Etihad – having scored just once under the new boss against Bodo Glimt – while Antony, meanwhile, has only netted once all season.
The burden then falls on Amad to create some magic for the Red Devils, although the Ivorian wizard could certainly do with some help in the January window.
Amad's rise at Man Utd
Eyebrows were raised back in October 2020 as reports emerged that United were set to fork out a fee of as much as £37m to sign a raw teenager from Atalanta. This was a player who, at the time, had chalked up just five senior appearances for the Serie A side.
Upon his eventual arrival in Manchester in January 2021, it’s fair to say that it took time for Amad to make his mark, albeit while scoring his first goal for the club with a deft, flicked header against AC Milan toward the end of that campaign.
Comparisons to a certain Lionel Messi hung in the air from his days in Bergamo, although United pleaded patience, ultimately sending the winger out on loan to Rangers in January 2022, before a further temporary stint was secured at Sunderland the following season.
With injury then impacting much of the 2023/24 campaign for the 22-year-old under Erik ten Hag – aside from his notable FA Cup strike against Liverpool – it looked like it would simply never happen for Amad at Old Trafford. Fast forward a few months, however, and the diminutive talent is now the man of the moment.
A strong pre-season was followed by a rare run of games under Ten Hag, resulting in notable highs such as the opener against Brighton and Hove Albion, although it wasn’t until Ruud van Nistelrooy’s interim appointment that Amad began to flourish, having scored twice and registered one assist in just four games under the Dutchman.
Amad’s Man Utd record by coach
Manager
Games
Goals
Assists
Minutes played
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
8
1
1
329
Michael Carrick
0
0
0
0
Ralf Rangnick
1
0
0
68
Erik ten Hag
24
3
2
1058
Ruud van Nistelrooy
4
2
1
217
Ruben Amorim
10
2
5
731
Total
47
8
9
2403
Stats via Transfermarkt
Such momentum has been maintained under Amorim’s watch, with it taking just over a minute for the silky left-footer to make his mark at Ipswich Town, surging down the right flank before picking out Rashford with a somewhat wayward cross. When your lucks in.
A further four assists and two goals have since followed – including that winner in the Derby – with Amad’s rising stock epitomised by his status in the pecking order ahead of both Rashford and Garnacho.
Seemingly a perfect fit for one of the two roles behind the striker, the 5 foot 8 sensation could do with a suitable partner next to him. Cue the January window.
Man Utd's search for a playmaker
Funds, it must be said, are likely to be tight at Old Trafford in the New Year, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s succession of rather miserly budget cuts pointing to a quiet window as far as incomings are concerned.
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That said, a potential bargain opportunity could arise before too long, with The Times reporting earlier this week that United are among the clubs on ‘red alert’ should Barcelona’s Dani Olmo become available.
The Catalan side’s own financial constraints mean that there is a chance the Spain international could depart on a free transfer in January, should the club prove unable to register him. Any exit would represent a swift one, considering the 26-year-old, La Masia product only returned to Camp Nou on a £51m deal over the summer.
With Manchester City and Arsenal also in the frame, getting a deal over the line for the ex-RB Leipzig man may be tricky, yet there’s every reason to suggest it would prove a worthwhile investment.
What Dani Olmo would bring to Man Utd
While injury and eligibility has been a factor in an at-times stop-start season for Olmo, the playmaker has still managed to make his mark for Hansi Flick’s side, scoring five goals in just 11 La Liga outings.
Dani Olmo at Euro 2024Dani Olmo at Euro 2024
In the Champions League, the one-time Dinamo Zagreb star has also chipped in with one goal and one assist in four appearances, with such fine form following his standout Euro 2024 campaign, in which he contributed three goals and two assists en route to La Roja’s glorious triumph.
Capable of operating in a number ten berth, or on the flanks, Olmo appears ready-made for Amorim’s 3-4-3 set-up, not least having also played in that system during his days in Germany under Julian Nagelsmann.
It could be said then that the Red Devils missed a trick by not snapping him up sooner, with former United star Louis Saha suggesting as much back in September, while insisting that the Barca man is in a “similar bracket to Bruno Fernandes”.
A playmaking, goalscoring presence like Fernandes – as shown by his 63 goals and assists in 148 games for Leipzig – Olmo could represent the perfect replacement or successor to the Portuguese, with the chance for United’s skipper to also drop deeper into the midfield two.
In essence, having Olmo operating behind the striker would be akin to utilising a right-footed Amad, with the pair deemed to be statistically similar players among those in their position across Europe’s top five leagues, according to FBref.
Indeed, Olmo averages 0.72 goals and assists per game in 2024/25 so far, while Amad is just behind, having averaged 0.68 in that regard. Equally, the pair are also alike in their work off the ball, with Olmo ranking in the top 17% across Europe for tackles made across the last 365 days, while his United counterpart is just ahead as he ranks in the top 3% in that regard.
That likeness can also be seen in their ability to beat a man down the flank, with Olmo averaging 1.4 successful dribbles per game in La Liga this season, while Amad averages 1.5 for that same metric in the Premier League. It certainly bodes well for what the Barcelona man could bring to the Theatre of Dreams to help bolster Amorim’s creative, attacking options.
Having previously snapped up that man Fernandes in the January window back in 2020, the Red Devils could repeat that trick with another statement signing in 2025.
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Crystal Palace have submitted a January bid as they attempt to lure an “explosive” player from an elite club, and Oliver Glasner’s side have been handed a response to their advances.
Oliver Glasner tipped to sign attacker for Crystal Palace in January
The Eagles are arguably well-stocked in defence, although you could definitely make a case that Tyrick Mitchell needs competition at left-back, or even a potential replacement if the Englishman opts to join another club after his contract expires at the end of this season.
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The goalkeeping position is taken care of, while manager Oliver Glasner boasts two solid striker options in Jean-Philippe Mateta and Eddie Nketiah.
Another area of the squad which arguably needs addressing, though, is in the attacking midfield. Eberechi Eze stands out as a star player, but the inconsistent Daichi Kamada and Ismaila Sarr require more competition, even if Justin Devenny has performed superbly at times.
Leicester City (away)
January 15
West Ham (away)
January 18
Brentford (home)
January 26
Man United (away)
February 2
Everton (home)
February 15
Glasner and chairman Steve Parish are reportedly attempting to reinforce their midfield this window, and there is a belief that Palace are targeting Sergi Altimira from Real Betis as an option in that regard.
According to Standard Sport, Palace also hold an interest in Man City winger James McAtee, and Lyon star Rayan Cherki is a transfer target for Glasner as well.
The latter could be available for as little as £25 million due to the French side’s financial problems and provisional relegation to Ligue 2, so Palace face serious competition from elite clubs.
Crystal Palace submit bid for Liverpool winger Ben Doak
According to The Daily Mail and other national media outlets, Palace also have Liverpool winger Ben Doak firmly in their sights. The Scotland international is performing impressively out on loan at Middlesbrough as Michael Carrick’s side push for promotion to the Premier League, so much so that Palace submitted a £15 million bid to sign Doak in January.
However, Glasner and co have been given a reply to their request, with Liverpool rejecting it out of hand. The Reds are holding out for around £25 million, using the summer transfer fees paid for ex-Championship stars Wilson Odobert (£30m) and Crysencio Summerville (£25m) as yardsticks for Doak’s valuation.
Following Palace’s snub, there is hope for the south Londoners, as it is believed they haven’t given up and could return for another swoop.
“He’s got a lot of confidence, he’s a good laugh and he’s fitted in well,” said international teammate John McGinn. “Think everyone’s aware of his ability and he’s certainly something different to what we’ve got. Hopefully we can see that on Thursday.
“Even in training, he’s so explosive. Sheer pace, power, strength. It’s certainly something we’ve been missing over the past couple of seasons. He’s definitely going to bring something different there and hopefully we can see. He’ll definitely get supporters off their seats.”
اختار هيثم فاروق، محلل قنوات “بي إن سبورتس” أفضل لاعب ومدرب، في مباراتي ذهاب دوري أبطال إفريقيا.
وتعادل الأهلي مع ماميلودي صن دوانز الجنوب إفريقي بدون أهداف، وبنفس النتيجة أنهى بيراميدز مباراته أمام أورلاندو بايراتس.
وقال هيثم فاروق: “أفضل لاعب في ذهاب نصف نهائي دوري أبطال أفريقيا؟ إمام عاشور كان جيدًا، وأضيف معه مصطفى فتحي الاثنان يتقاسمان الجائزة، ولو كنت سأختار لاعبًا واحدًا فقط، سأختار مصطفى فتحي، لأن الفارق الكبير الذي صنعه مع بيراميدز واضح، وهو يشكل خطورة كبيرة على مرمى الخصوم، إنه لاعب كبير ومؤثر”.
طالع.. مدرب أورلاندو يعلق على التعادل مع بيراميدز في ذهاب نصف نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا
وتابع: “سأختار كولر كأفضل مدرب في ذهاب نصف نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا، لأن الانتقادات كانت عنيفة جدًا عليه في الفترة الأخيرة، وكان تحت ضغط رهيب”.
واختتم: “أن تغيّر التكتيك ليس أمرًا سهلًا، وأن تُقنع به فريقك، وتقنع اللاعبين بشخصيتك، رغم أن كثيرين استغربوا من تشكيل الأهلي في بداية المباراة، فهذا يدل على الشخصية الكبيرة لهذا الرجل”.