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Crystal Palace have made three signings so far this summer, splashing the cash to acquire Ismaila Sarr from Marseille, Chadi Riad from Real Betis, and Daichi Kamada (who joined on a free) from Lazio.

However, the biggest story at Palace this summer, has, of course, been the loss of Michael Olise, who left to join German giants, Bayern Munich, for a fee of around £50m.

Olise made 19 appearances for Palace in the Premier League last season, scoring ten goals, providing six assists, and totalling 1,278 minutes played, with the race still on to help find ways to suitably replace him at Selhurst Park.

Crystal Palace transfer news

According to reports from Florian Plettenberg, Crystal Palace are "exploring a deal" to sign Union Berlin left wingback, Robin Gosens. PSV Eindhoven were also interested. However, their interest has cooled, and Palace is the most "concrete option" at this stage.

Union Berlin still sees Gosens as one of their "key players", and will only negotiate for a suitable offer, of at least €10m (£8.5m).

Gosens made 37 appearances for Union Berlin in all competitions last season, scoring seven goals, providing four assists, and contributing to six clean sheets in 2,748 minutes played.

Gosens vs Olise comparison

One of the main parts of replacing Olise at Palace, is finding a way to replace his goals and assists. Gosens, despite playing as a wingback/fullback more often in recent years, still provides a great level of creativity and output.

Described as "outstanding" by Statman Dave, Gosens has a tendency to arrive in the box, create chances, and find himself in dangerous areas to affect the game, no matter where he is playing on the pitch.

Gosens vs Olise vs Mitchell comparison

Stats (per 90 mins)

Gosens

Olise

Mitchell

Goals

0.23

0.70

0.05

Assists

0.10

0.42

0.08

Progressive Carries

0.89

4.79

0.90

Progressive Passes

3.73

5.49

2.64

Shots Total

1.25

3.94

0.36

Key Passes

1.12

2.54

0.67

Passes into Final Third

2.90

3.03

2.08

Touches (Att Pen)

2.28

5.63

1.52

Tackles

2.28

1.34

2.95

Blocks

1.88

1.48

1.77

Interceptions

1.28

0.77

0.74

Stats taken from FBref

The reason for including Tyrick Mitchell in the comparison table is to show the attacking output a signing such as Gosens could add as the left-wing back in Oliver Glasner's system, as opposed to Mitchell, helping to add those creative numbers back into the side to replace Olise.

Despite playing at wing-back, Gosens produces 3.73 progressive passes per 90 (1.09 more than Mitchell), 1.12 key passes per 90 (0.45 more than Mitchell), and takes 1.25 shots per 90 (0.89 more than Mitchell).

These metrics show the extra attacking qualities Gosens could bring to the team, getting himself into dangerous positions higher up the pitch than Mitchell, shown by his 2.28 penalty area touches per 90, compared to Mitchell's 1.52.

The versatility of Gosens is another important factor, as he can play deeper as a left wingback option, as well as higher up as a left-winger if needed, offering tactical versatility for Glasner. If he decided he needed extra defensive cover, he could start both Mitchell and Gosens in the same team.

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But you also wouldn't be losing out on defensive qualities when Gosens is playing instead of Mitchell, as the 30-year-old actually averages more blocks and interceptions than Mitchell, with 1.88 blocks per 90, and 1.28 interceptions per 90.

Whilst Gosens doesn't completely replace Olise's creative and attacking metrics, adding him to the squad, alongside other forward signings such as Sarr and Kamada, could equate to replacing those numbers, just through a variety of players, rather than a direct replacement.

Related Crystal Palace could replace Olise by signing "one of the best wingers"

Palace still looking for offensive upgrades after Olise exit

Posts ByConnor Holden

Aston Villa were looking to bounce back from their midweek defeat to Manchester City at home to Brentford on Saturday, although things didn’t quite go as anticipated.

The Midlands side held a two-goal lead after goals from Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers, before the Bees roared back by scoring three goals in just seven minutes, taking full advantage of Villa’s poor defence.

Watkins scored his second with just ten minutes left to salvage a point, yet it gives Tottenham Hotspur a boost in the chase for a top four finish in the Premier League.

Ollie Watkins saved the day for Villa

Prior to the match, Watkins last scored in the top flight in the 3-2 win against Luton at the start of March, but his two goals certainly saved Villa from another defeat.

Along with his goals, the striker also succeeded with 100% of his dribble attempts, won seven of his ten contested duels and was fouled three times during the match, proving to be quite the menace against the Brentford defence.

Ollie Watkins' stats vs Brentford

Goals

2

Assists

0

Successful dribbles

1/1

Touches

29

Total duels won

7/10

Via Sofascore

In this sort of form, Watkins is a huge threat, yet he was let down by the Villa back four who struggled to remain composed, especially while leading by two goals.

Ezri Konsa in particular endured something of a horror show, and if it wasn’t for Watkins stealing a point towards the end of the game, his performance may have come in for harsher criticism.

Ezri Konsa’s game in numbers vs Brentford

Journalist Jacob Tanswell criticised the Villa defence during the match, saying: “Every Brentford goal has started and came down Villa's right side and between the two centre backs.”

Konsa was largely at fault during the Bees' sensational run when they scored three goals in a matter of minutes, while he was given a rating of just 3/10 by Birmingham World for his display.

Charlie Haffenden said Konsa ‘really struggled up against Reguilon’ during the match as his crosses proved to be a key component of their comeback.

The Englishman was playing at right-back due to Matty Cash’s injury and during the game, he managed to take 104 touches while completing 93% of his passes.

However, Konsa won just three of his six contested duels against Brentford, made just one tackle while losing the ball on ten occasions as he really struggled to cope when the Bees were on the attack.

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There is no doubt his display cost Villa all three points and Unai Emery will be hoping Cash recovers sooner rather than later ahead of a crucial few weeks.

Thoughts will now turn towards the Europa Conference League, where there is less pressure to succeed, with Villa taking on French side Lille in the quarter-finals of the event.

The first leg is at Villa Park, which could allow the club to build up a lead to take over to France ahead of the second leg. Having not won a major trophy for 28 years, Emery will be targeting European success, especially with how strong a squad he has at his disposal.

If Konsa starts the match, he will have to vastly improve, there is no doubt about that.

Manchester United have set their sights on bringing a defensive gem to Old Trafford and are attempting to fend off competition from Liverpool among others for his signature, according to reports.

Man Utd's transfer activity…

In the near future, the Red Devils could be set for some big changes behind the scenes that could alter the landscape of their approach to life both on and off the field, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe close to purchasing a minority 25% stake in the Premier League giants.

According to a report from The Sun, Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo and Sporting Club's Goncalo Inacio are being lined up by Ratcliffe's new regime, who have also green-lit the sale of France international Raphael Varane amid his recent struggle for form. Erik ten Hag could be set to offload the former Real Madrid man to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich; however, his £340,000 per week wage may prove to be a stumbling block if he is to depart Old Trafford for Germany.

As per A Bola via Sport Witness, Man United have also acted to make exploratory contact with Benfica to find out the potential conditions for a deal involving midfielder Joao Neves. Nevertheless, Benfica won't let the 19-year-old leave in January, meaning the only way he will be able to speak to other clubs is if an interested suitor triggers his €120m release clause. The Portuguese giants are keen to keep hold of Neves as they believe he can play a huge role in their push for the Primeira Liga title.

Now, it appears that Ten Hag has his focus on bringing in a defender at Old Trafford to bolster his squad for the long term, according to a report.

Man Utd look to beat Liverpool to Sam Curtis

90min report that Manchester United have entered the race to sign St Patrick's Athletic full-back Sam Curtis in January, who is just 17 years old and also happens to be attracting interest from Liverpool.

Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Hull City, Middlesbrough, Leeds United and Celtic are also tuned into his situation and could look to strike a deal for the Republic of Ireland Under-21 wonderkid, as dubbed in the report, who registered three goals and three assists in 39 appearances this term (Curtis statistics – Transfermarkt).

Named in the PFAI Team of the Year, Curtis could also help to scratch an itch for the Red Devils in the long run, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka being courted by West Ham United and appears to have an uncertain future at Old Trafford, with his contract set to expire at his current employers in the summer of 2024.

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There is an option to extend his deal by a year that United could elect to activate; however, it remains to be seen how his situation in the North West will be resolved. Although Curtis probably wouldn't be signed straight away as a first-team player, he is making rapid progress and is reportedly in line to receive a call-up for the Republic of Ireland senior team in the near future.

The Red Devils could do with strengthening the right-hand side of defence and may not want to lose out on a chance to snap up a prodigious talent, especially when Liverpool are lurking as an alternative potential destination for Curtis to continue his development.

West Ham United are still looking for reinforcements in the summer transfer window ahead of their return to Premier League football this weekend, and now a fresh update has emerged on a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on West Ham's interest in Elye Wahi?

According to 90min, West Ham have made contact with Montpellier to sign their young striker Elye Wahi this summer.

As per the report, the Hammers are weighing up an offer for the player following the departure of Gianluca Scamacca and is admired by technical director Tim Steidten, however, other Premier League clubs are also interested with Chelsea and Arsenal named as potential suitors.

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

It is noted that his Ligue 1 club would expect a fee of around £35m to part ways with their star, an investment that should not be difficult for West Ham to meet due to the money earned on their outgoings over the window so far.

How good is Elye Wahi?

There is no doubt that strengthening the attacking threat in east London will be a huge priority for David Moyes as the club look to improve upon their rollercoaster season in the Premier League last season.

Scamacca's exit and Michail Antonio's reported eagerness to depart this summer presents an opportunity for West Ham to bring in a fresh perspective who can provide consistent goal contributions, working alongside Jarrod Bowen and the other forwards to compete comfortably domestically and on the European stage.

As a result, the signing of Wahi would be a great piece of business for the Hammers in their pursuit to add quality and goal contributions in the final third, as he could provide the club with a worthy Antonio heir who can become the future of the forward line.

As per FBref, when comparing the Montpellier ace's output to Antonio's last season, Wahi has comfortably outperformed his positional peer in a number of key attacking attributes including goal contributions (24 v 8), shots on target rate (58.1% v 33.1%), pass completion (68% v 53.4%) and percentage of dribblers tackled (35.7% v 25%), proving that he could be much more effective in front of goal.

In fact, Wahi was the seventh highest-scoring player in the entirety of Ligue 1 last season, as well as ranking first for his shots on target percentage and fourth for non-penalty goals scored, which is an impressive achievement for a 20-year-old who is just making his start in first team football.

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The Frenchman's explosive talent has not gone unnoticed over his short career so far, with Ex-Caen academy director Francis de Taddeo waxing lyrical about Wahi's strengths and development:

"He is a powerful, athletic and fast player with a range of dribbling skills where only he knows what he is going to do next."

With that being said, if West Ham could secure a deal for Wahi it would give Moyes a fantastic young goalscorer at his disposal to usurp Antonio's starting berth and if he could emulate his form of last season, would prove to be a standout performer in improving the side's performances.

Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi was recently honoured with the PFA Scotland Men's Player of the Year award after another stunning campaign in the Scottish Premiership under Ange Postecoglou.

The Hoops plundered 25 goals and two assists in 30 starts in the top-flight with that coming after the attacker struck 12 times in 16 starts in the previous season.

The Japanese talent has proven himself to be a prolific scorer in Scotland and is a player who the manager can rely on at the top end of the pitch over the course of a campaign.

However, having variety in a squad can be important as it provides the opposition with different threats and allows the team to switch up their tactics and style if needed in games where a change is required.

The Hoops were recently linked with a possible swoop for centre-forward Eduvie Ikoba from Hungarian outfit Zalaegerszeg and he could be a dream alternative to Kyogo in the number nine position.

Who is Eduvie Ikoba?

The 25-year-old is an American striker who has been in fine form in front of goal this season since his move to Hungary from AS Trencin last summer.

He is a 6 foot 3 attacker, who Yanks Abroad hailed as "prolific", his physical presence could offer Celtic a different dynamic at the top end of the pitch.

Kyogo stands at 5 foot 7 and offers almost no aerial quality to the Hoops. The Japan international lost 87% of his contests in the air in 2022/23 and won 0.1 per game in the Premiership, which shows that the 28-year-old gets bullied in aerial duels.

Ikoba, meanwhile, could provide more of an outlet for his teammates when they play longer. His height could allow him to win flick-ons or hold the ball up to bring others into play, rather than Kyogo being dominated and potentially losing the ball to the opposition from longer passes.

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Therefore, the American marksman could be a useful alternative to the Japanese star, particularly in European matches when Celtic are not expected to dominate the ball and may need more of a physical presence to retain possession.

The Zalaegerszeg ace, who writer Caleb Turner dubbed "fascinating", has also scored 11 goals in 21 league starts this season, suggesting that the potential is there for him to also be a reliable goalscorer, although it remains to be seen whether he can translate that form over to Scotland.

As an alternative option to Kyogo, who may only come off the bench and start the occasional game, this could be a worthwhile gamble for Postecoglou to make this summer.

Injury expert Ben Dinnery has said that Aston Villa ‘are in dreamland’ knowing that Diego Carlos could return before the end of the season.

The Lowdown: Month or two…

Carlos has been out of action since August after rupturing his achilles against Everton. The Brazilian, who joined from Sevilla in the summer, actually suffered the injury in his first game at Villa Park.

Unai Emery admitted last month that ‘Carlos is getting better’, however, he said that ‘it will be a month or two’ before he is back around the squad.

That appears to point towards a return to action before the end of the season, something which Dinnery has been reacting to.

The Latest: Dinnery’s comments

Talking to Football Insider, Dinnery, who contributes for Sky Sports, said that the defender is ‘making brilliant progress’ and said that ‘Villa are in dreamland’ knowing he could be back on the pitch before the end of the campaign.

“Diego Carlos is progressing really well.

“He’s not with the group as it stands, but he is training outside and working individually.

“He’s coming through those protocols and making brilliant progress.

“An achilles rupture is high on the list of injuries that will keep a player sidelined for a long time, and so Aston Villa are in dreamland after finding out he might be able to make a return to play before the end of the season.

“With things ahead of schedule at the moment, we’re certainly looking at game time towards the back end of February.”

The Verdict: Fingers crossed

Carlos was the marquee defensive signing in the summer, costing £26m, so the sooner he can return, the better. Villa have conceded 27 times in 20 Premier League games, more than West Ham who are just one point above the relegation zone.

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The 29-year-old also comfortably outperformed Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa last season, as per WhoScored, so you’d expect he could be first choice when fully fit.

Therefore, returning before the end of the season could be key, especially when it comes to Emery preparing for his first full season in charge in the Midlands.

West Ham United seem to be closing in on moves for both Pablo Maia and Luizao.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Dean Jones, with the transfer insider revealing in an interview with Football FanCast that there is clear communication between the Hammers and the players involved in the deal.

Regarding how far along the deals are, Jones claimed:

“They’re not players I know loads about but clearly a path of conversation is open here. From a West Ham point of view, you’re always going to be excited when you hear about talents like this joining the club.”

Maia is expected to cost around £9m, whilst his Sao Paulo teammate is likely to be available on a free transfer in January.

Mascherano & Parker 2.0

This double swoop could draw comparisons with the Irons’ controversial 2016 unveiling of both Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano, given how both of these deals saw young talent shipped straight from Brazil to east London.

Around the time of this West Ham team, and just after the latter had moved to Liverpool, it marked the emergence of Scott Parker.

Both Luizao and Maia share qualities with these impressive stars who graced the Boleyn Ground before going on to achieve huge things in the game, and given the fact that they are both just 20 years old, the future is truly blinding for these two at the London Stadium.

The former boasts a particular bite and nastiness that could share similarities with the Argentine defender who went on to play 334 times for Barcelona.

He already has five yellow cards this season in 14 appearances, but his 3.8 clearances and 1.0 tackles per game outline him as a fine defender.

Meanwhile, the relentless midfielder has proven himself a dependable asset in the engine room, becoming a talismanic figure for Sao Paulo despite his youth.

Boasting a 90% pass accuracy, he too manages to get through the dirty work as Parker did before him which endeared him with fans.

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Maia is averaging 1.3 tackles, 0.7 interceptions and 0.9 clearances per game alongside his stunning ability with the ball.

Should he translate this form to the English game, he might be the next man to win Hammer of the Year, of which the former Bournemouth manager won three.

Although that period is somewhat mired by its relegation, these two stars will often leave fans romanticising such a dismal period in the club’s history.

Hopefully, in Maia and Luizao, they can underpin what will be a bright future for David Moyes’ side that is brimming with talent.

Celtic are reportedly willing to sanction the departure of forgotten man, Albian Ajeti, with the Switzerland international seeking an exit from Parkhead in the coming days.

What’s the word?

According to Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph, the Old Firm outfit are “open to offers” for the 25-year-old with the end of the window on the horizon, with the striker having failed to make his mark since joining from West Ham United back in 2020 on a £5m deal.

Writing on Twitter about the marksman’s future, the transfer insider stated: “Celtic striker Albian Ajeti is looking to leave the club before the end of the transfer window. Celtic will not stand in his way & are open to offers. It’s understood Ajeti hasn’t been convinced by the clubs who have expressed an interest, so far, but knows time is running out.”

The 11-cap dud still has two years remaining on his current deal in Glasgow, although has slipped way down the pecking order under manager Ange Postecoglou of late.

Problem

That impending exit appears somewhat inevitable following what’s been a largely underwhelming two years with the Hoops for Ajeti, with the £18k-per-week marksman having scored just nine goals in 43 appearances in all competitions for the club.

Despite enjoying a prolific spell at FC Basel – where he netted 43 goals in just 96 outings – the £2.25m-rated forward arrived in Scotland off the back of a goalless stint with the Hammers, with it something of a surprise that Neil Lennon and co had opted to splash the cash on a player who had already struggled in British football.

The 6-foot striker has seemingly never appeared the right fit during his time at Celtic Park – particularly under Postecoglou – with his lack of mobility having been an issue when leading the line, according to pundit Frank McAvennie.

That has been evident in comparison to the seemingly relentless Kyogo Furuhashi, with McAvennie also insisting that it has been a big “problem” when the title-winning coach has had to turn to Ajeti instead of the Japan international due to injury concerns.

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Not that the former Yokohama boss has often been keen to give the Basel-born dud an opportunity to impress, as he made just 17 appearances in all competitions last term – only six of which came from the start.

Undoubtedly surplus to requirements – having also yet to feature in the early weeks of the campaign – it will continue to be a ‘problem’ for the champions if the one-time St Gallen man is not moved on before Thursday’s deadline, with the player developing into something of a wage burner for the club.

Aston Villa are in the running to sign Yannick Carrasco from Atletico Madrid, according to Spanish publication Sport. 

The lowdown

The transfer window may not officially open until Friday, but Villa have already got a head-start in Steven Gerrard’s first summer market in the Midlands.

They have signed Philippe Coutinho permanently for £18m following his loan move from Barcelona in the second half of last season, shelled out £27.8m on Sevilla centre-back Diego Carlos, brought in Boubacar Kamara on a free transfer and sealed a £3.15m deal for Robin Olsen (via Transfermarkt).

It now seems that Gerrard may have identified Carrasco as a candidate to be his fifth new arrival, with the Belgian playing most of his football this season on the left wing but also featuring on the right for Diego Simeone’s side.

The 28-year-old, who is under contract at the Wanda Metropolitano for a further two years, is valued at £36m by Transfermarkt.

The latest

As per Sport, the noises from Atletico are that Carrasco may be one of the players who is sold in the summer transfer window.

Newcastle United have made him their ‘main target’, but two other Premier League sides have also been alerted.

One of them is Aston Villa, while Tottenham Hotspur are also said to be keen.

The verdict

Signing Carrasco, who was dubbed an ‘extremely underrated’ player by sports journalist Josh Bunting, would be another strong piece of business for Villa.

He has played 219 matches for Atletico, scoring 37 goals and laying on 39 assists, and he’s also earned 55 caps for Belgium, currently ranked as the second-best international side on the planet.

Gerrard has already had the opportunity to watch Carrasco in the flesh, having travelled to Madrid for the second leg of Atletico’s Champions League quarter-final tie against Manchester City in April.

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He was apparently there scouting Geoffrey Kondogbia, but the Villa manager would have seen a tidy substitute performance from Carrasco, who won every duel and completed 11 out of 13 passes in his 21-minute cameo.

Perhaps it was on that night that he caught Gerrard’s eye…

In other news, this journalist has dropped a big claim on Villa’s pursuit of Calvin Bassey

The Athletic’s Celtic correspondent Kieran Devlin has dropped an update regarding Hoops defender Christopher Jullien.

The Lowdown: Jullien’s return

The 28-year-old has missed the majority of the season due to a serious knee injury he sustained in 2020, with his one and only appearance coming against Raith Rovers last month.

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Jullien came on as a substitute in the Scottish Cup and has been named on the bench since, although he hasn’t been involved in Celtic’s last three Premiership matchday squads.

While the Frenchman appears to be over his injury issues, Devlin has dropped a worrying contract claim regarding the centre-back.

The Latest: Devlin’s update on Jullien

The journalist shared a Celtic mailbag on The Athletic on Friday and responded to a question on Jullien. He provided an injury update, along with an insight on the defender’s future in Glasgow, saying:

“On Jullien, I understand that Carl Starfelt and Cameron Carter-Vickers are very settled as a partnership more than anything else. I understand there is nothing significantly wrong with Jullien’s recovery after 15 months out with injury, however, by the summer he will have only one year left on his contract. When combined with the possibility that Carter-Vickers decides not to turn his loan from Tottenham Hotspur into a permanent move, it makes the centre-back question this summer an intriguing one.”

The Verdict: A worry…

As Devlin has mentioned, Jullien will be into the final 12 months of his Hoops deal in the summer, so Parkhead chiefs may have a big decision to make on the Frenchman ahead of Ange Postecoglou’s second season as manager.

The fact that he has hardly kicked a competitive ball for Celtic since December 2020 is a worry, and it seems as if he may not get too many opportunities in the crunch stage of the season, with Cameron Carter-Vickers and Carl Starfelt now Postecoglou’s first-choice centre-back pairing.

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Should Jullien not feature regularly between now and the summer, Celtic chiefs may well look into parting ways with their sixth most-expensive signing of all time due to his injury issues and contract situation.

In other news: Celtic pundit fumes at ‘massive’ Parkhead news after insider’s reveal