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Crystal Palace are rumoured to have made a move for Torino midfielder Saša Lukić, who is also a Tottenham Hotspur target, as reported by Spurs Web [via Gianluca di Marzio].

The Lowdown: Another solid season for Lukić in Italy

Enjoying another accomplished season in Serie A at Torino, the Serbia international has made 32 appearances for the Turin-based club, registering three goals and one assist [Transfermarkt].

Also making 18 appearances for his country [Transfermarkt], the 24-year-old has an insatiable appetite to initiate build up play through intricate midfield passes.

Illustrated by his passing accuracy across the 2020/21 season of 81% [WhoScored] for a team who finished 17th in Serie A, it is easy to see why clubs would be interested in his services. That figure would put him joint-seventh among Palace’s squad and above one Wilfried Zaha, whose passing accuracy for the season came in at 78.3% [WhoScored].

Initially courted by Spurs back in March [The Sun], it now seems that Crystal Palace may be in pole position for his signature.

The Latest: Crystal Palace rivalling Spurs for the Serbian international, Spartak Moscow also keen

Looking to rebuild after the departure of Roy Hodgson, Palace are set to bid for Lukić, who is quoted as being potentially available for £8.5m this summer [Spurs Web].

Throwing the cat even further amongst the pigeons, Di Marzio claimed that Selhurst Park could be of Lukić’s likely destinations this transfer window. Spartak Moscow have also been credited with an interest in the former Levante man [Gianluca di Marzio].

The Verdict: Lukić would be a fantastic start to the Palace rebuild

Acquiring the Torino midfielder would appear to be a huge coup for the south Londoners if they can beat their capital rivals to his signature. In need of quality additions as they look towards 2021/22, Lukić could be a Premier League mainstay for years to come.

Beating off interest from Tottenham may also sweeten any prospective arrival. As they start to replenish an ageing squad, the deep-lying enforcer could generate much excitement if he were to make the move to SE25.

In other news, these Crystal Palace fans react to the club’s 2020/21 released list.

It would be a big surprise if Gini Wijnaldum remains a Liverpool player beyond this season, according to journalist James Pearce.

The Lowdown: Final season at Liverpool?

The Dutchman has been a fantastic servant for the Reds since arriving in 2016, proving to be a key figure in the middle of the park and being hailed as ‘incredible’ by compatriot and former Liverpool winger Ryan Babel.

With Wijnaldum’s contract expiring at the end of the season, constant speculation has linked him with a move away from Liverpool. The fact that the 30-year-old hasn’t yet signed a new deal at Anfield seems to speak volumes about where he sees his future, with Barcelona the front-runners for his signature amid a potential reunion with former national team coach Ronald Koeman.

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The Latest: Pearce provides key update

Speaking in a Q&A for The Athletic on Sunday, Pearce admitted that he fully expects Wijnaldum to be elsewhere come the start of next season, saying:

“Last I heard he was still weighing up various options, but I’d be amazed if he ended up staying out. He would bank a massive signing on fee as a free agent.”

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The Verdict: A wonderful servant

Wijnaldum looks nailed-on to leave Liverpool, but he should always be remembered as a legendary modern-day figure at Anfield, winning both the Premier League and Champions League.

He might not have made as many headlines as the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, to name just a few, but he has been vital to Liverpool’s success. His goal on a tense final day afternoon against Middlesbrough four years ago proved the catalyst for Champions League qualification, and who can forget his double against Barcelona on that night at Anfield in 2019.

Wijnaldum has made 235 appearances in just five seasons, speaking volumes about his consistency and fitness levels, and he will be a big miss should he move on, knitting things together in midfield in an understated manner.

In other news, a Premier League player has been linked with a surprise move to Liverpool. Find out who it is here.

Former Southampton vice-chairman Les Reed believes that Mario Lemina could still become world class, amid links with Newcastle United and West Ham United.

The Gabonese midfielder is still contracted to Southampton, although he hasn’t appeared for the St Mary’s outfit in the previous two seasons having spent time out on loan.

Lemina was in Turkey with Galatasaray 12 months ago, before spending this season at Fulham.

His only Fulham goal came at Anfield back in March, although that 1-0 victory was unable to save the Cottagers from relegation.

Lemina is unlikely to return to west London next season, but the midfielder could yet stay in the Premier League, with both Newcastle and West Ham interested in signing the former Juventus man who could be available for £7m.

That’s because he’s reportedly not part of Ralph Hasenhuttl’s plans for next season, which shouldn’t come as a great surprise considering Lemina only played a handful of times under the Austrian two years ago before the Saints boss opted to loan him out.

Despite his testing period with Southampton, Reed, who was involved in the deal which saw Lemina move to the Premier League, has exclusively told Football FanCast that he could still become a top player in the right circumstances:

The former England technical director said: “Mario Lemina could be world class, he’s a superb athlete. When he first got in the team at Southampton, everyone thought we got the best deal out of Lemina and Pogba from that Juventus midfield.”

The winds of change are awry at Celtic. This summer is set to be a colossal one for the Bhoys and if they get things wrong, they can kiss goodbye to a title challenge again.

Parkhead will be a revolving door of exits and new arrivals with the playing squad and hierarchy set to undergo a big upheaval.

Dominic McKay has already taken up his position with Peter Lawwell due to retire from his role as CEO in a few months time.

Scott Brown is heading for Aberdeen and could be joined by Leigh Griffiths and Odsonne Edouard to name a few.

As they all exit, this is the time for Celtic to target younger players in a bid to reclaim their dominance. This season has proven that sometimes experience isn’t always the answer.

As Manchester United’s class of 92 showed, it is possible to win things with kids. That said, if Celtic are looking for a light dose of experience in the transfer market, Liverpool forward Xherdan Shaqiri could be an option.

That was the opinion of Kevin Phillips who revealed Celtic should consider signing him on temporary terms after the Switzerland international instructed his agent to find him a new club.

Phillips told Football Insider: “A loan move could work out for Celtic financially.

“Shaqiri has got a lot of quality and I think he would shine up in that league. That would be a great signing for Celtic so long as they did not have to break the bank to get him in.”

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The 29-year-old has so far enjoyed a glittering career, playing for the likes of Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and now Liverpool.

He has only played 13 times in the Premier League this season but it’s hard to ignore Shaqiri’s qualities.

A creative menace, he could be a direct replacement for Moi Elyounoussi once his loan spell at Parkhead comes to a conclusion.

The Norway international has been an inconsistent figure of late, scoring just one goal in his last 11 league outings. Despite that form, he will be a loss to the new manager at Celtic.

That’s because Elyounoussi is their second top goalscorer with 17 strikes to his name. He is also one of the club’s chief creators with eight assists.

Like Shaqiri, the Southampton loanee is capable of playing on the flanks and through the middle. Though, he isn’t as productive in front of goal.

Instead, he could offer a more creative threat to the Hoops. Described as a player with “breathtaking technique” by The Athletic’s James Pearce, the £80k-per-week earner has a habit of carving out chances.

Despite his lack of game time this term, the Swiss attacker has recorded 1.3 key passes per game for Liverpool, adding to the two per match he’s managed in World Cup qualifying.

If we compare his club form to those at Celtic, only David Turnbull, Ryan Christie, Callum McGregor and Greg Taylor have managed more chance creations.

Although Celtic should be thinking of moving away from players reaching the latter stages of their career, it would be hard to say no to Shaqiri.

The experience he’s gained at the very highest level could be game-changing as the Hoops bring through the next generation.

AND in other news, McKay could unearth another Turnbull if Celtic sign “very intelligent” 15-goal maestro…

Newcastle must land Chelsea starlet Marc Guehi in the transfer window amid reports linking the Magpies with a summer move.

What’s the story?

Steve Bruce’s side have one of the worst defensive records in the Premier League this season, with their total of 58 goals conceded only better than three other sides.

It’s no surprise then that The Athletic claim that the Magpies have got their sights set on reinforcing the centre of their defence this summer, with the Tyneside club having watched Guehi this campaign.

The 20-year-old is currently on loan at Championship side Swansea, and has been a regular starter for them all season, with The Athletic adding that Newcastle are set to face significant competition to sign him.

Bye-bye Fabian Schar

Reports in recent days have suggested that Newcastle’s defence could face some upheaval, with the likes of Fabian Schar as one of the players whose contract is coming to an end this summer.

And if the Magpies do wave goodbye to the Switzerland international and opt not to renew his deal, then Guehi should absolutely be someone who they look to target.

The 6 foot centre-back has been a revelation at Swansea this season in the Championship, with his tally of 1.7 tackles and 1.6 interceptions per game in the league ranking him in the top four among all his teammates – a sign of someone who’s comfortable being a front-foot defender and being aggressive, and who can drop off and pick off passes.

It’s no surprise then that his teammate at England U21 level, Josef Bursik, has waxed lyrical about the kind of dominant presence that he is.

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When asked who the strongest player in the squad was, he said: “Easy, Marc Guehi. He’s an absolute tank. It’s like having a brick wall in front of you, he’s massive.”

At just 20, Guehi has got all the time in the world to kick on from the season he’s had at Swansea, and if the Magpies do want to move on from Schar and look to the future, then the Chelsea starlet should be near the top of their summer shopping list.

Meanwhile, this man was Bruce’s unsung hero in the win over Leicester…

David Moyes will be desperate for West Ham United’s medical team to confirm that Michail Antonio has not sustained a third serious hamstring injury of the season.

Antonio was forced off 36 minutes into the Hammers’ 3-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday night after going to ground clutching his leg following a powerful advancing run.

The 31-year-old had toyed with Nuno Espirito Santo’s players alongside Jesse Lingard throughout his time on the pitch as the pair ran riot at Molineux, but had to watch on as the Black Country side strove to come back from three goals behind.

Lingard opened the scoring before strikes from Pablo Fornals and Jarrod Bowen – who had only been on the pitch for three minutes after replacing Antonio – saw West Ham take a three-goal lead inside the first 38 minutes, and eventually see out the Irons’ 15th win of the Premier League season.

Moyes is now facing an anxious wait to see if the 31-year-old can feature on Sunday when West Ham host Leicester City with a chance to move to within a point of the third-placed Foxes.

The Scottish tactician hinted after the Wolves win that Antonio was not overly concerned by his hamstring injury, but any lengthy absence would be a huge blow to the London Stadium natives’ hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.

“He [Antonio] felt his hamstring, but he doesn’t feel too bad now,” Moyes said, via quotes by football.london. “We are not sure yet, we will assess it tomorrow, we will check it tomorrow and see what it is.”

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Moyes had described Antonio’s performance in the early stages of Monday’s win as being “as well as he has [played] for a long while”, despite the striker failing to score for a fourth successive appearance.

However, Antonio earned his manager’s praise after working himself into the ground for the team with a string of superb runs on and off the ball, while he came close to ending his recent drought in the fourth minute when Rui Patricio clawed the £10.8m-rated striker’s effort onto the post.

Antonio had stormed past two Wolves defenders to create an opening to try and break the deadlock, while his run minutes later dragged Conor Coady out of position for Lingard to steer clear of Romain Saiss and lob Patricio for West Ham’s first goal of the night.

Saiss would have been glad to see Antonio leaving the action so early having been turned inside out by the seven-goal centre-forward, before West Ham’s sole recognised senior frontman smashed the side netting from a very tight angle.

Moyes will be loath to be without Antonio when West Ham host Leicester at the weekend, knowing that the match represents a strong chance for the east Londoners to stamp their claim to Champions League qualification and keep Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool behind them.

West Ham have already been without Antonio due to hamstring injuries on two occasions this season, with an issue sustained in October’s draw with Manchester City keeping him out of action for three games and a second unrelated issue sidelining the 31-year-old for a further five fixtures.

The Hammers won three of the eight Premier League games that Antonio missed, drawing twice and losing three, but have only dropped 15 of a possible 45 points since his return away to Southampton on December 29.

With Moyes also describing his half-hour showcase against Wolves as being among his best performances for a while, the Irons chief will be desperate for Antonio’s withheld concerns proving true in his eventual tests and scans.

AND in other news, West Ham trail a Premier League rival for a five-goal, seven-assist star once labelled an “exciting prospect”…

Ben Jacobs has dropped a behind-the-scenes claim on the potential takeover of Newcastle United involving the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium.

Writing as part of a Twitter thread in reaction to the emails between the Premier League and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) that showed how close the deal between Mike Ashley and the KSA group was, the journalist and regular takeover commenter tweeted:

“Can also reveal prior to withdrawing, & in mid-June, club & consortium considered releasing a statement putting pressure on EPL to conclude Test. They spoke openly about this tactic, only to instead withdraw in July. Very possible DCMS were aware of this potential statement, too.”

Newcastle takeover talk looming again

As was very much the case in the summer, when the emails were said to be exchanged before the KSA’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) eventually decided to withdraw their bid, the talk of a potential takeover of the St. James’ Park faithful has come roaring right back in recent days.

Jacobs’ claim from within the club seems to supply more evidence of just how desperate both the Magpies and the consortium were to get this done, given that they were willing to try anything to heap pressure on those making the final call.

Considering how close it was to being pushed through, it is very possible that the takeover will be revisited come the end of the 2020/21 term, when the fate of the North East club is sealed in terms of whether they manage to avoid being relegated from the top flight down to the EFL Championship.

Nonetheless, a path would have to be cleared for PIF to come back to the table, and the Premier League would surely have to hurry their Owners’ and Directors’ Test (ODT) given the growing impatience, with the results holding the key over whether the deal can be revived or not.

In other news, find out what revelation Craig Hope has dropped on the potential new owners here!

Tottenham Hotspur are a long way off competing for silverware, let alone the Premier League title, on a regular basis, under Jose Mourinho.

The north Londoners do have a Carabao Cup final on the horizon, the very trophy of their last true success in 2008, but this fails to compare to that of the top-flight, the FA Cup or European success.

One of Spurs’ biggest problems lies in defence, where the ‘Special One’ simply cannot find a backline suited to his defensive nature.

In 2004/05, Mourinho’s title-winning Chelsea side conceded only 15 goals throughout the season – a Premier League record that still stands to this day. Given the way football is played now, it may never be beaten.

The Blues were incredible, even unbeatable, at the back. Arsenal’s Invincibles side conceded 11 more goals than that, even Liverpool with Virgil van Dijk spearheading the defence leaked 33 goals.

It was the colossal presence of Peter Cech between the sticks, with natural leaders in John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho in the middle, though one name was certainly an unsung hero – William Gallas.

The French defender was already at Stamford Bridge courtesy of a £6.2m deal conducted by Claudio Ranieri.

Then, 28 years old, Gallas slotted in anywhere he could in that backline. A serious injury to Wayne Bridge meant that he primarily played at left-back, but was a central option by trade.

That versatility was crucial for Mourinho that season and interestingly, the Spurs boss could take inspiration from that masterstroke now.

In academy product Japhet Tanganga, he has the perfect prototype to replicate that stroke of genius, as the 21-year-old has already played in all three positions at the back since making his debut against the Reds in January 2020.

His performance that day, at right-back, drew glowing praise from Jurgen Klopp, who dubbed him “very impressive” (via football.london).

Former Spurs striker Darren Bent was soon talking about him, too. He told Football Insider: “He’s a very, very exciting prospect and he’s not let them down.”

The £7.2m-rated gem has only featured ten times this campaign, but again, has shown immense versatility to play through the middle – keeping clean sheets against Lugogorets and Antwerp in the Europa League – and on the right, where he most recently stood out against Aston Villa in the absence of both Serge Aurier and Matt Doherty.

Dan Kilpatrick of the Evening Standard graded his performance an 8/10, whilst similarly, football.london reporter Alasdair Gold claimed the youngster was ‘very assured’ and made some ‘big blocks.’

At 6 foot in height, the “multi-functional” Tanganga is perhaps best suited at full-back, a position that Mourinho believes is his best, though the fact he can play centrally could prove to be a hugely valuable asset over the coming years.

Earning just £25k-per-week in north London, the young prodigy should thrive under the tutelage of assistant coach and club legend Ledley King.

Mourinho could certainly unearth his new Gallas in Tanganga if he hands over the reins to the emerging prospect.

AND in other news, Spurs’ next midfield gem: Jamie Bowden…

David Moyes must urge David Sullivan to increase his efforts to strike a deal for West Ham United to sign VfB Stuttgart striker Sasa Kalajdzic.

What’s the word?

While speaking with Give Me Sport, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano claimed that the Irons are still undecided on which centre-forward to target in the next transfer window.

West Ham are expected to be active in the off-season looking to improve Moyes’ offensive options, having opted against pursuing deals in January following Sebastien Haller’s move to AFC Ajax.

Kalajdzic has emerged as a potential option to support Michail Antonio at the London Stadium next season, with reports suggesting the towering 6 ft 6 target man is seen as a cheaper option than Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham or Abdallah Sima of Slavia Prague.

Stuttgart are cited to value Kalajdzic at between €20m and €25m (£17m-£21.5m), with interest not only from West Ham but also RB Leipzig and AS Roma. Premier League duo Everton and Newcastle United, plus Serie A side Juventus, have also been linked.

Romano believes Kalajdzic is indeed on the Irons’ radar, but does not feel the 13-goal frontman is the leading candidate at this stage.

“Yes, he is one of the players that they are looking for,” Romano said. “Obviously, they have a list with names as a striker. They were looking for [Youssef] En-Nesyri from Sevilla in January but Sevilla say no, and let’s see what happens in the summer.

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“They’re looking for an important striker, so West Ham wants to do something with a good striker this summer, let’s see if he could be an option. For sure [he’s] in the list, but at the moment there is still nothing decided, they will decide at the end of the season.

“Also because of the opportunities, you know, probably one of the clubs will find a new striker and could derive a new opportunity for West Ham.”

Should West Ham sign Stuttgart’s Kalajdzic?

West Ham’s need for another centre-forward is very apparent and will see that the east London outfit will have to spend in the summer, but it clearly remains to be seen if those funds will be used to sign Kalajdzic.

The Stuttgart striker should sit highly on Moyes and Sullivan’s shopping list, though, as the 23-year-old can provide West Ham a plug-and-play option who should be capable of hitting the ground running from the get-go.

Kalajdzic is thriving in the Bundesliga this term with 13 goals in 25 games to sit sixth in the scoring charts during his first year of German top-flight football, and on the back of an injury-plagued 2019/20 campaign.

His success has come in a system not too dissimilar to how West Ham operate under Moyes, with Kalajdzic enjoying a lethal relationship with left-back Borna Sosa. The Croatian’s pinpoint deliveries have created four of the 23-year-old’s goals, marking the fourth-best partnership in the Bundesliga this term.

The Irons would expect to see Kalajdzic frequently dispatch headers to the net at the London Stadium next season if signed in the summer, with Aaron Cresswell the club’s leading playmaker with seven assists in 29 Premier League games this term.

Cresswell has further offered the highest number of accurate crosses (47) by a Hammers player, as well as the highest number of inaccurate deliveries (122), struck the highest number of accurate free-kicks (50) and corners (26) and misplaced a combined 56 set pieces, per WhoScored.

Kalajdzic would surely thrive with Cresswell creating chances for him week in week out, making it necessary for Moyes to urge Sullivan to begin taking action and move to edge out the increasing interest.

Click here to see the full interview with Fabrizio Romano.

AND in other news, West Ham eye 10-goal livewire who destroyed David Moyes’ side last year…

Many Sheffield Wednesday fans have been discussing the club following a tweet about absentees by journalist Dom Howson.

Howson reported that the Owls could be without nine players through injury and suspension in their next Championship game. It doesn’t get any harder for them as they face league leaders Norwich.

The Owls are currently on a torrid run as they have lost their last five games and are now seven points from safety (SofaScore).

The problems are mounting up for new manager Darren Moore, and it really looks like he has joined a sinking ship which seems to be heading for League One sooner rather than later. Perhaps in hindsight the Owls boss might have stayed with Doncaster Rovers, who are battling for promotion in that division.

If Wednesday can get anything from the game against Norwich, it should be a huge morale booster and could turn around their season, but Moore needs things to start changing quickly.

Here’s how some SWFC fans reacted to Howson’s update about the spate of absentees:

Here is how Owls fans reacted to the news:

“On paper we should be doing a lot better than what we are, what do you think the problems are apart form injury’s Dom? Have most players become complacent because they know the won’t be here come season end?”

Credit: @BigDave35942245

“Hiya League 1 – we’ve missed you”

Credit: @newcole78

“Joke club.”

Credit: @PistolPete1867

“No excuse whatsoever, the players should be playing for their future but they just don’t care.”

Credit: @Trigger1410

“I’m not sure anyone would notice tbh, most haven’t turned up for a game all season”

Credit: @lizburgess83

“The ones who aren’t injured Dom won’t bother turning up either. You would think they’d be playing for the futures at the very least. Most not good enough, all not giving 100% which is indefensible!”

Credit: @Wawaw___

In other news, some Owls fans raged over one player in their recent loss to Reading.