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Crystal Palace have not made any signings to improve their squad over the January transfer window, but they could still be in a position to do some business this month with just under a week to go.

It has now been revealed that they could make a last attempt to sign a player they have been strongly linked to.

What’s the word?

Journalist, Sami Mokbel, believes that there is still a chance that Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah could become a Crystal Palace player.

Mokbel told GIVEMESPORT:

“Yes, they’re keen on signing Eddie Nketiah, for sure. It’s a deal Palace are definitely interested in.”

Crystal Palace have been linked to the Gunners star for months, with rumours circulating that the move could happen this month, but nothing yet has materialised, especially since Mikel Arteta spoke out to quash the chances by claiming that Nketiah would stay at the club.

However, his contract ends at the North London club this summer.

A perfect fit

The 22-year-old striker was named as a player the club has been interested in “for a number of years let alone months” by Roy Hodgson earlier this month, and it’s not hard to see why he continues to be touted with a move across London.

That’s thanks to Patrick Vieira’s progress in developing younger players, something we have already seen this season with the likes of Conor Gallagher and Odsonne Edouard thriving under the Frenchman.

Gallagher has already been involved in ten Premier League goals this term while Edouard has nine involvements himself.

Thus, Nketiah is the perfect fit for Vieira’s youth revolution that he began in the summer transfer window by bringing in a number of younger players to fill positions in the team, and the additions have proven to make a positive impact on the side.

However, when you look at Palace’s season so far they have gained over almost as many draws as they have wins, so adding a striker with potential who can add goals to inspire more victories for the side could make a real difference in their pursuit of another top half finish this season.

The £9m-rated forward, Nketiah, who has scored five goals in 11 appearances, could be the answer.

The Eagles have lost three of their last five Premier League games, and Vieira will surely be hoping that the club can come back after the winter break and get back to consistent form by securing more points and climbing the table during the last few months of the season.

In other news: Vieira could be close to signing Aaron Ramsey

Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst is just weeks away from his first transfer window in charge of the Ibrox giants.

He may want to dip into the market to bring in one or two players of his own to bolster his squad and ensure that they are fully prepared to see out the second half of the season and clinch as many trophies as possible.

One player who has recently been linked with a move to Glasgow is Heerenveen gem Joey Veerman, who is reportedly of interest to the Gers heading into next month.

Brutally axe

He only joined the club in the summer from Sheffield United, but midfielder John Lundstram could find himself on the chopping block if a deal for Veerman is completed.

Van Bronckhorst already has a plethora of options in the middle of the park and the addition of another one in January could result in someone losing their place in the squad. That does not mean that they will need to be sold or that their future at Ibrox is completely over, but simple maths dictates that Veerman taking up a position in the XI or bench will force a player to watch on from the stands.

Lundstram has not had the best of times since moving from Brammall Lane earlier this year and his form this season has not been good enough to warrant a regular spot in the starting team.

Earlier this season, Kris Boyd blasted him after an error against Dundee United in a Premiership match, telling Sky Sports:

“John Lundstram switches off for the goal and I know it’s early days, but he’s got a lot to improve on.

“We’ve seen big names come here and struggle in the past and he’s going to have to up his game.”

The dud has only started seven games in the league and has averaged an unimpressive 1.6 tackles and interceptions per game, winning only 2.3 duels per match. This shows that he is not a guaranteed starter getting minutes week-in-week-out, potentially putting his place under threat.

Therefore, signing the £6.3m-rated Dutchman, Veerman, could lead to van Bronckhorst brutally axing Lundstram from his matchday squads unless he is able to show, consistently, that he is good enough to make a big impact for the side.

The likes of Juninho Bacuna, Steven Davis, Joe Aribo, Glen Kamara and Scott Arfield are also vying for the starting XI and competition could be fierce if another body is added to the mix.

AND in other news, Gvb could solve big Rangers issue at Ibrox by unleashing “clinical” 21-goal teen…

Celtic have been linked with a January swoop for Motherwell defender Bevis Mugabi, according to The Scotsman’s Andrew Smith.

The Lowdown: Mugabi profiled

The Uganda defender, who once claimed he had Liverpool winger Sadio Mane in his ‘pocket’ during an international clash, has been at Fir Park since 2019. The 26-year-old has made 57 appearances for the club, 19 of which have come during the current campaign.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/celtic-updates-20/” title=”Celtic updates!!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

A 12-cap Uganda international, the 6 foot 1 beast is primarily a centre-back who can also play as a right-back and was previously on the books at Southampton.

The Latest: Parkhead links

Smith shared a story for The Scotsman on Saturday morning, assessing what the Hoops may now do in the January window following their triple Japanese swoop.

He claimed that Ange Postecoglou could look to add to his defensive options, with interest in Mugabi emerging.

The Verdict: Is he needed?

With Christopher Jullien set to make a long-awaited return following the international break, a move for Mugabi doesn’t seem to be pivotal at this moment in time.

When the Frenchman returns, Postecoglou will have six centre-backs to call upon, all of whom could be permanent players should Cameron Carter-Vickers’ loan spell turn into a full-time switch over the coming weeks.

That should be plenty for Postecoglou, so perhaps he and new CEO Michael Nicholson should look elsewhere when it comes to any further winter additions.

In other news: Dressing room source shares big update on Postecoglou’s plan for Celtic ace with ‘tremendous composure’

Flocking to Twitter, many Crystal Palace fans bemoaned the performance of star Wilfried Zaha as their side succumbed to a 1-0 loss against Leeds United on Tuesday evening.

Patrick Vieira’s men, looking to record a first win since back-to-back victories against Man City and Wolves a month ago, left Elland Road disappointed thanks to some late drama.

The Eagles had chances to take control with striker Christian Benteke missing two big opportunities – first heading wide of the mark from close range and then seeing another late effort gathered by keeper Illan Meslier just before it crossed the goal line.

Palace were made to pay for their lack of ruthlessness when defender Marc Guehi’s handball gifted Leeds a penalty in added-time, with star man Raphinha going on to coolly slot home the eventual winner.

Palace fans slam Zaha…

As such, Vieira’s side remain just six points off the drop zone as fans took to social media with criticism, sharing their verdicts on winger Zaha in particular.

Some Eagles fans cited what they believe is a lack of form over the last few games whilst others even call for their highest-paid player to be dropped.

According to SofaScore, Zaha ranked in among the lowest-rated Palace players against Leeds with a 6.7/10 – and it appears he endured a tough afternoon against Marcelo Bielsa’s defence.

The 29-year-old won just seven of his 20 ground duels in Yorkshire whilst managing zero shots on target for the whole 90 minutes (SofaScore).

Zaha also gave away possession a seismic 24 times, leaving little wonder why many fans shown their frustration on Twitter.

Find their verdicts down below:

“Time to sell Zaha”

Credit: @SidViscous9

“Zaha hasn’t looked up for it the past 3 games”

Credit: @alfie22345

“He does nothing. Needs to be dropped.”

Credit: @stevebrookstein

“If it was any other player they would be calling for him to be dropped”

Credit: @cam_cpfc

“We have some players who makes stupid decisions at the final third. Ayew ball sense in the box is shocking, Benteke is unreliable and Zaha, slows the game. Sooo frustrating sometimes”

Credit: @ghanaplaylist

“As a Palace fan he’s been poor the last 2 games, earlier in the season he looked like his old self but this week looked like he’s playing for Roy again. Moaning more than looking to play. Hasn’t beat a player in the last games”

Credit: @kenroyben

“Zaha has been poor the last few games, like droppable don’t care if you come for me, it’s just facts”

Credit: @CTuckey99

“Sell Zaha”

Credit: @yeetusse

In other news, find out which injury news had Eagles fuming here!

Everton will be aiming to bounce back from a disappointing defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace last time out when they take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in their Premier League clash this evening.

A spirited 2-1 victory over Arsenal ended the Toffees’ eight-game winless run, but they failed to build on that over the weekend as the usual dose of disappointment soon returned.

It’s been a hugely underwhelming campaign for Rafa Benitez’s charges so far, with injuries playing a significant part in their recent run of disappointing results and performances.

The likes of Richarlison, Allan and Andros Townsend have joined Dominic Calvet-Lewin, Yerry Mina and Tom Davies on the treatment table, leaving Everton extremely short of options throughout the pitch.

As a result, Benitez is likely to call upon his more experienced stars to get him through this tough period, and one of those who is expected to be relied upon is Fabian Delph.

After arriving on Merseyside back in July 2019, the former England international has failed to showcase his best form on a consistent basis for the Blues.

Fitness woes have hampered Delph’s ability to affect games in an Everton shirt, but he regularly did so at Manchester City, becoming a key player for Pep Guardiola throughout their title-winning 2017/18 campaign.

The £92k-per-week earner illustrated his versatility by filling in at left-back for the Citizens, earning praise for his consistency and reliability despite the difficult circumstances.

“It is not easy when you play in different positions, but he has,” said Guardiola. “There is always room for the team to improve, but Fabian is always a banker for us – and the other players know it.”

And now Benitez must call upon Delph’s leadership qualities, ability to adapt, and track record of stepping up to the mark when called upon.

With so many first-team players unavailable, Everton will need to grind out positive results over the coming weeks even if they’re unable to play to the best of their ability, and having someone as resilient as Delph on their side will help them do exactly that. He may just lead a mini-revival at Goodison too.

And, in other news…Another setback: Rafa confirms injury blow pre-Chelsea, Everton fans surely devastated

As per an update from The Express & Star, West Ham United are still among the pack believed to be ‘interested in signing’ colossal West Bromwich Albion keeper Sam Johnstone.

The Lowdown: West Ham eye move…

Over the summer, reliable sources claimed that the Hammers made an attempt to sign the England international for manager David Moyes – with Football Insider even saying that Johnstone himself was ‘very keen’ to join.

According to The Athletic, West Ham lodged a bid for the 28-year-old but it fell ‘considerably low’ of the Baggies’ valuation of  a fee ‘well in excess’ of £10 million.

Their interest has remained since then even despite the signing Paris-Saint Germain keeper Alphonse Areola on a season-long loan with the option to buy.

Recent reports from journalist Ekrem Konur and The Sun state that West Ham, and by extension new head of recruitment Rob Newman, are very much keeping tabs on Johnstone with the latter source even claiming they already have an offer ‘pencilled in’ if he decides to leave on a free next summer.

The Latest: West Ham still interested…

Amid West Brom boss Valerian Ismael’s contract update, with Johnstone’s deal set to expire in 2022, reliable Express & Star reporter Joseph Masi backs that the Irons and Southampton are ‘believed to be interested’ in signing the keeper next summer.

The Baggies manager, meanwhile, wants to keep one of his prized assets and confirms that talks over a new deal will intensify in January.

“There’s nothing new. It’s a patient game now, like a chess game. He wants to see,” Ismael admitted.

“For sure, we want to extend. At the minute, I’m not worried, it’s a normal process.

“From January we will start to go more intensively in the discussion but at the moment we’re all focused on the pitch, on the performances.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

Depending on the future of current West Ham number one Lukasz Fabianski amid his ‘preliminary talks’ over a possible extension, signing Johnstone as his heir would be a wise bit of business from the club.

The Englishman enjoyed a fine Premier League season last year and attracted Gareth Southgate’s attention at international level, reinforcing the fact he is proven at the top level and may well be a bargain on a free deal next summer.

Lauded as an ‘unreal’ player by pundit and former top flight shot-stopper Paddy Kenny, it remains to be seen whether West Ham do win the race or if Johnstone puts pen to paper on a Hawthorns extension, but he certainly seems like the best option to target between the sticks.

In other news: ‘Huge’, ‘Don’t gas me’, ‘Announce league title’…ExWHUemployee’s ‘exciting’ striker claim has many West Ham fans buzzing, find out more here.

Flocking to Twitter, many Sunderland fans were left unimpressed by another lacklustre display from midfielder Lynden Gooch despite their victory over Ipswich Town on Saturday.

The Black Cats ran out 2-0 victors as they finally returned to winning ways, coming off their barren run of six consecutive matches without a victory in normal time (BBC).

Sunderland’s win keeps them well in contention for automatic promotion as they fight among one of the closest races England’s third tier has seen in recent years.

Only five points separate sixth place from the summit of League One and Lee Johnson’s side are right in the mix, helped in no small part by their victory over The Tractor Boys.

However, it was anything but routine as Sunderland left it late and secured the win in dramatic fashion with two goals in the last five minutes. Indeed, Luke O’Nien opened the scoring in the 85th minute before Aiden McGeady sealed all three points with an injury time penalty.

Sunderland fans slam Gooch

Despite this precious win, one man who failed to impress was Gooch, as numerous fans were quick to point out on social media.

This isn’t the first time he has been criticised by many Black Cats supporters this season, either, with the 25-year-old’s recent performance against Bradford also coming under fire.

It’s little wonder they felt the same way against Ipswich judging by Gooch’s SofaScore numbers, with the American ranking as Sunderland’s lowest-rated player on the day with 6.1. He also picked up another booking, his sixth of the season, whilst succeeding with none of his crosses, completing zero dribbles and winning just 33% of his duels (SofaScore).

Taking these numbers into account, you can understand why supporters felt his performance was “shocking” – check out some of their verdicts from Twitter below.

“Madness how Gooch still has the audacity to put a Sunderland kit on”

Credit: @drew1aws

“Evans, Embelton & Gooch off please, Mr Johnson.”

Credit: @JakeStappard_

“Gooch and O’Nien need hooking and never allowed to play for this club again…”

Credit: @safcftm2015

“Sub off Gooch, never play him again, recall Diamond & Hawkes.”

Credit: @Camer0nJohnson

“I thought Embleton second half especially was awful and could’ve been off 10 minutes earlier. Was typical Gooch too I thought, loads of effort and the ball but so wasteful and frustrating”

Credit: @JHerra18

“Not the best performance but the fight was there. Don’t think either team done enough to win the game so that’s a positive. Hopefully the end of Gooch, shocking footballer”

Credit: @1996SAR_

“Still don’t know how Gooch is a professional footballer”

Credit: @DomZvirblys

An update has emerged on Aston Villa midfielder Marvelous Nakamba, regarding Newcastle’s interest in his services.

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, the Magpies are lining up a January swoop to sign the midfielder as they look to strengthen their options in the middle of the park.

The report claims that he could cost a fee in the region of £15m, with Newcastle believing that he can add energy to their team.

Fans would love him

PIF must ensure that they are able to secure a deal for Nakamba in the January transfer window. They must splash out the £15m required to sign him in order to strengthen the squad, with the defensive midfielder a potentially excellent addition to the side.

Nakamba is a hard-working player who the Newcastle fans would love to watch in action in their midfield. He puts himself about and chips in with important defensive interventions, averaging an impressive 4.5 tackles and interceptions combined per match throughout his career.

Along with his fine defensive statistics, he has also completed 90% of his passes in the Premier League this season after averaging a success rate of 84.2% across his first two campaigns in the division. This shows that he is able to retain the ball after winning it back off the opposition.

Dean Smith’s comments on Nakamba upon his arrival at Villa Park highlight this. The manager hailed him being impressive with the ball at his feet, saying:

“Marvelous fits the criteria of the type of player we were looking for.

“He’s very mobile, he’s very good in possession and he will fit in with our style of play.”

Therefore, supporters would love the £34k-per-week beast as he has shown that he can play to a decent level in the top-flight and be a reliable operator. At £15m, he could be a bargain addition to the team and add some steel to the midfield, improving Newcastle’s defence whilst still having a player in the engine room who is capable of passing the ball efficiently.

This is why PIF must secure a swoop for the midfielder in January. The fans could be buzzing with this shrewd piece of business, with this deal potentially getting the ball rolling as the new owners attempt to bolster the entire squad in the next window.

AND in other news,  PIF must avoid first NUFC blunder over £20m “mentality monster”, fans would be fuming…

Crystal Palace will be aiming to maintain their four-game unbeaten run when they travel to the Etihad Stadium this afternoon to take on an in-form Manchester City side.

The Eagles have made a solid start to life under new manager Patrick Vieira, securing a memorable 3-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the opening weeks of the campaign, but their inability to build on that result will be a growing concern.

A defeat against high-flying Liverpool and four consecutive draws have followed that win over Spurs, providing hope and frustration in equal measure to those associated with the south London club.

However, the solution to Palace’s problems may be a rather simple one. Vieira has been unable to call upon all of the impressive attacking weapons at his disposal in the early stages of his Selhurst Park tenure.

Creative talent Eberechi Eze is still recovering from a serious Achilles injury, while talisman Wilfried Zaha has been unable to feature from the off over the last couple of weeks due to an illness. The Ivory Coast international played no part in the capital club’s trip to Arsenal but did come off the bench last time out as Vieira went in search of a winning goal.

Today, the Frenchman must unleash Zaha from the first whistle. City will be one of Palace’s toughest opponents of the campaign, and his presence on the pitch could be vital.

Previous Palace manager Roy Hodgson outlined just how important the £40.5m-rated wizard is to the Eagles, comparing him to the likes of Kevin de Bruyne and Harry Kane.

“Many teams have a player of that type, a player who is a talisman and a player upon whom the team depends on,” Hodgson said back in 2018.

“Pep [Guardiola], [Mauricio] Pochettino and Jose [Mourinho] have to answer the same question about their Kanes, De Bruynes and Hazards. We are lucky to have a game-changer like they have.”

Indeed, Zaha’s importance to Palace has arguably grown since then. The 28-year-old hit a career-best 11 Premier League goals last season and has already bagged two goals this time around.

Therefore, Vieira has to select his most dangerous attacker from the start against City, with Zaha undoubtedly capable of causing Pep Guardiola’s charges some damage when on his best form.

In other news… Vieira could unearth CPFC gem in “quality” 19 y/o who has “so many strings to his bow” 

Crystal Palace could be set for a surprise injury boost over the coming months after a reliable journalist provided a positive injury boost on star midfielder Eberechi Eze.

What’s the word?

The highly-rated 23-year-old arrived at Selhurst Park in the summer of 2020 and quickly established himself as a pivotal cog in the capital club’s setup, starting 29 Premier League games throughout last season.

However, Eze ruptured his Achilles tendon during training back in May and has spent the subsequent months on the treatment table recovering from the serious setback.

His injury was initially thought to rule him out of action until the turn of the year, although hope of a quicker recovery was recently sparked after he shared a video of himself back in training.

And now, The Sun’s Tom Barclay has suggested that Eze’s comeback could be just around the corner. However, he has indicated that the club ought to be cautious with the player due to the significance of the injury that he is coming back from.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT regarding Eze’s ongoing recovery, Barclay said: “I’m told there is a good chance that there’s a good chance actually that he’s ahead of schedule on his return. Achilles injuries are bad injuries, they can keep you out for a long time, and they can affect you going forward.”

Palace fans will be delighted

News that Eze is believed to be ahead of schedule in his recovery process will undoubtedly leave Palace fans feeling delighted, given his importance to the south London outfit.

In his maiden campaign in the Premier League, the former Queens Par Rangers playmaker bagged four goals and provided a further six assists, playing a pivotal park in the capital club avoiding relegation.

And his underlying numbers were just as impressive. As per WhoScored, no Eagles player bettered or matched his tally of six Premier League assists and he also produced the most key passes and dribbles, with average totals of 1.3 and 1.9 per league game, respectively.

That sort of form saw him on the verge of England recognition with the attacking dynamo believed to be in Gareth Southgate’s 33-man provisional squad for the Euros before he was injured.

Therefore, new manager Patrick Vieira will be eager to bring Eze back into the first-team fold as soon as possible, providing a significant boost to their chances of success this season.

And, in other news…Parish must seal Palace move for £12.6m-rated gem, he’s an “outstanding technician”