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Daily Mail
21 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Crystal Palace weigh up move for LaLiga star as they consider replacements for Arsenal-bound Eberechi Eze
Crystal Palace are exploring a move for Villareal attacking midfielder Yeremy Pino as they continue to evaluate options to replace Eberechi Eze. Spain international Pino, has been on the radar of the likes of Tottenham, Bournemouth and Everton in recent months and Palace are the latest to check on his availability. Key will be whether they can match his valuation and convince him to move to Selhurst Park. So far Palace have made offers for Christos Tzolis at Bruges and El Bilal Khannouss of Leicester City. They have also discussed Liverpool 's Harvey Elliott among others internally but recognise the difficulty of keeping deals within their financial constraints while matching Oliver Glasner ambitions at the same time. Getafe attacking midfielder Christantus Uche is another who has been floated with West Ham and Brentford also showing degrees of interest in the Nigeria international. Palace are working on a deal for Wolves forward Hwang Hee-Chan and will continue to assess what is available in the last weeks of the window. Eze looked bound to join Tottenham Hotspur after they spent 10 days negotiating a deal with Palace worth around £55m plus add-ons. But the England midfielder made a dramatic U-turn on Wednesday when Arsenal expressed their interest in him as a possible replacement for Kai Havertz, who is set for an extended period on the sidelines. Eze favours a move to Arsenal and the deal is believed to be moving quickly. Despite the sudden development, in actuality Arsenal have been laying the groundwork for the move for some time. Sporting director Andrea Berta and manager Mikel Arteta met Eze last month, and he was sold on the idea of moving to the Gunners but an offer failed to materialise at that time. Eze is a boyhood Arsenal fan and was in their youth system before he was released at the age of 13. His release clause of £60m, plus £8m in bonuses, lapsed last week. Daily Mail Sport understands Spurs agreed to Palace's demands on Wednesday and also agreed terms with Eze. At that stage, the player was keen to finalise the move. However, Palace are understood to have insisted Eze remain available for their Conference League play-off first leg against Norwegian side Fredrikstad on Thursday night. The Gunners had earmarked signing the 27-year old England international earlier in the window and knew they were his preference but, following their £63m outlay on Viktor Gyokeres, they had wanted to concentrate on outgoings before adding another left-sided attacker. There is dismay at Tottenham at how things have unfolded, but a belief that there is little more that they could have done. Tottenham moved for Eze after James Maddison was ruled out for the majority of the season with a serious knee injury. Talks had been progressing but stalled as Palace scrambled for a suitable replacement, with Spurs even understood to have proposed offering forward Richarlison as part of the deal to help negotiations progress. Spurs' inability to close the deal will prompt further criticism from fans, after the club missed out on Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White this summer. The club remain interested in Manchester City winger Savinho and Brentford's Yoane Wissa but both clubs are reluctant to sell. Eze has been training with Palace ahead of tonight's game, along with Liverpool target Marc Guehi. Speaking on Wednesday afternoon, Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner said: 'They will play a crucial part for as long as they're here.'
Metro
23 minutes ago
- Metro
Man Utd targeting three goalkeepers but unknown star could be the answer
Manchester United emerged from their opening game of the new Premier League season showing some overdue promise but were undone by the same old problems. The club have spent almost £200milliion rebuilding their attack with Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha starting brightly against Arsenal as Benjamin Sesko made his debut off the bench. United are still in the market for a midfielder before the summer transfer window closes in 12 days. But Altay Bayindir's calamitous error that allowed Riccardo Calafiori to nod home Sunday's winner heightened concern over an issue that threatens to undermine any progress for Ruben Amorim's side this season. In the wake of Sunday's defeat, Amorim defended Bayindir after his error, suggesting the Turkey international had been impeded. Andre Onana, left out of the squad that day, inspired little confidence last season with nine errors leading to goals– at fault in the Europa League final against Tottenham. At 39 years old having not played a competitive game in almost four years, Tom Heaton is not the answer. Messages out of United this week have been there are no plans to sign a new goalkeeper. Another calamity this weekend against Fulham could change that. Metro's weekly football newsletter: In The Mixer. Exclusive analysis, FPL tips and transfer talk sent straight to your inbox every Friday – sign up, it's an open goal. United have already explored a move for Emiliano Martinez this summer with reports suggesting Amorim personally requested the arrival of the World Cup winner, twice voted the best shop stopper on the planet. With a penchant for delivering on the biggest stages, Martinez certainly has the personality to be the commanding leader in goal United need. In shot-stopping, his distribution and aerial presence, the Aston Villa star has been among the best in the Premier League in recent years with only Jordan Pickford (569) making more top flight saves than Martinez (530) since the Argentine joined Villa in 2020. But judging him solely on the eye test, there appeared to be a decline in his performances last season following on from a sublime 2023-24 campaign with the data supporting it. A save percentage of 67.9 per cent is only good enough for 14th best in the English top flight, declining from 74.4 per cent in 2022-23 when he scooped his first Lev Yashin Trophy. Only four goalkeepers conceded more than the former Arsenal youngster (45) last season. On Sunday, Bayindir was bullied in the United goal with William Saliba putting him under pressure and forcing the error in a relatively straight forward manner. Onana's reluctance to come off his line for crosses has been a constant theme during his struggles and it highlights the need for United to bring in a commanding and dominant threat in the air. In that respect, Martinez could be their man. No other goalkeeper in the Premier League stopped more crosses than the Argentine during the 2024-25 season. If you put aside the huge salary it might take to lure him in, Gianluigi Donnarumma would be the obvious candidate for United. Still just 26 years old, the Italy international is also the very definition of a big-game player for club and country with his string of saves in the knockout stages of last season's Champions League just as important as the magic woven by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele. But there is reason for caution aside from the financials. Despite his huge frame, Donnarumma can struggle with high balls with his crosses stopped percentage last season at 5% a, marginally worse than Onana's and some way short of that of Martinez. The Italian managed just four clean sheets in his 24 Ligue 1 appearances despite PSG's domestic dominance, recording a save percentage of 66.7 which leaves him right down in 15th place compared the rest of the division's shot stoppers. Signing Donnarumma on a huge salary would been in fitting of previous regimes at Old Trafford but perhaps not anymore. Instead of targeting one of Europe's established goalkeepers, an emerging name is perhaps more in line with INEOS' thinking. With that in mind, Senne Lammens could be the answer. More Trending The 23-year-old has drawn comparisons with his countryman Thibaut Courtois and is regarded as one of the best goalkeepers operating outside Europe's top five leagues, still plying his trade in Belgium with Antwerp. Similarly to Martinez, the Belgian would offer United a huge improvement dealing with crosses, boasting near identical stats to the Villa shot stopper in crossing metrics, also outranking the likes of Onana, Alisson Becker, Ederson, Jordan Pickford and Jordan Henderson. Averaging more saves per match than both Martinez and Donnarumma with a huge save percentage of 81.4 per cent, Lammens has excelled across a number of different areas. While Donnarumma and Martinez might be regarded as the penalty saving kings on the grandest stage, the Belgian is building his own fearsome reputation, stopping five spot kicks since the start of last season – more than any other goalkeeper in Europe's top 10 leagues during that period. United have three very viable targets in front of them, all within a fairly modest price range. But they are running out of time to address a problem they cannot afford to let fester any longer. MORE: Ruben Amorim has already named 'complete' midfielder Man Utd must sign MORE: Fulham vs Man Utd: Predicted lineups, latest team news and injuries MORE: Will Arsenal's £60m transfer hijack of Eberechi Eze signal the end for one Gunners star? Your guide to the week in football. Exclusive analysis, FPL tips and transfer talk – sign up, it's an open goal.
The Guardian
23 minutes ago
- The Guardian
The perils of drawing conclusions from first week of the Premier League season
It would not be a Premier League opening week without football-starved fans and pundits leaping to some kneejerk conclusions. Sunderland, tipped by many to make a swift return to the Championship, caused the biggest upset of the weekend with a thumping 3-0 win over West Ham, marking their first Premier League success in the month of August since 2010. Suddenly Sunderland are being talked up as safe, West Ham as doomed, and Graham Potter already on borrowed time. Brentford, Burnley and Everton joined West Ham in being dragged into the relegation fight conversation, with their respective 3-1, 3-0, and 1-0 defeats sparking talk that all could now be in for a tense survival battle. It was not just the bottom of the table making headlines; Pep Guardiola's six-time champions, Manchester City, ranked third favourites behind Arsenal and Liverpool for the title this season, swept aside Wolves 4-0 thanks to two goals from Erling Haaland. The result made them the Premier League's most in-form side over the last 20 games with 43 points, and reignited talk that City look back to their pre-Rodri injury best, with Haaland firmly on course for another Golden Boot. Liverpool's 4-2 win over Bournemouth has dampened talk of another comfortable title charge, with defensive frailties drawing concern and the former defender Jamie Carragher warning: 'If Liverpool continue like that, I don't think they will win the league.' Elsewhere, Chelsea were described as rudderless in their 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace, raising concerns that they need another gear, a far cry from their pre-season hype as top-spot challengers. Unfortunately for the likes of Sunderland and Manchester City, and perhaps fortunately for those sides already written off, history shows that the first day of the season is not a reliable indicator of how a team will fare over the campaign. A glance back at previous seasons provides plenty of evidence. Sunderland fans, in fact, should know better than most that an opening-day win is no guarantee of a smooth season. In 2007-08, the Black Cats began with a last-minute Michael Chopra winner against Spurs, only to finish just three points above the relegation zone. A more striking cautionary tale came in 2010-11, when the newly promoted Blackpool thrashed Wigan 4-0 on the opening weekend, sparking survival hopes. They went on to win just nine more league games all season and dropped straight back into the Championship. One good afternoon in August can be quickly forgotten once the grind of the full season sets in. On the same weekend that the Seasiders were revelling in their first top-flight win in over 39 years, fellow newly promoted side, West Brom, were on the receiving end of a 6-0 battering from Chelsea. While most assumed they were nailed on for the drop out of the two sides, it was Roberto Di Matteo/Roy Hodgson's side that stayed up, finishing 11th in the league. Burnley fans will no doubt take solace in hearing this. History is littered with similar turnarounds. Portsmouth in 2005-06 lost 2-0 to Tottenham on the opening week and, with 10 games remaining, were eight points adrift of safety, yet they claimed 20 points from a possible 27 to finish ninth. West Ham in 2022-23 stumbled out of the blocks with a 2-0 defeat by Manchester City and three opening losses, sitting 16th at Christmas, only to recover and win the Europa Conference League while finishing 14th in the league. Crystal Palace in 2017-18 endured seven straight defeats without scoring under Frank de Boer and Hodgson, seemingly written off by September, but rallied to finish 11th. Even Everton in 2004-05, hammered 4-1 at home by Arsenal and tipped for relegation after losing Wayne Rooney that summer, enjoyed a remarkable season that saw them finish fourth and qualify for the Champions League. These examples prove that early jitters rarely dictate the final outcome. Brentford and West Ham fans, maybe do not hit the panic button just yet. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion Rocky starts do not always bury title chances either, Manchester United are proof of that. In the 1992-93 season Alex Ferguson's side began their campaign with a 2-1 loss at Sheffield United and a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Everton before going on to win the inaugural Premier League title by 10 points. In 1995-96 Alan Hansen's famous 'You can't win anything with kids' jibe after a 3-1 loss to Aston Villa was answered with another championship. Even in 2007-08, when United opened with a 0-0 draw against Reading and went three games without a win, they recovered to storm to the title and added the Champions League for good measure. In the 2021-22 season, Manchester City suffered an opening day loss at Tottenham but Pep Guardiola's side still went on to win the second of a record four consecutive titles. The title will not be decided in August, no matter how convincing City looked, how shaky Liverpool's defence seemed, or how hopeful Arsenal fans feel. After a Premier League opening weekend that threw up some shocks and unforeseen results, pundits and fans were quick to declare who was safe, who was doomed and who would lift the trophy. But history reminds us that early results can be misleading. From Blackpool's collapse to West Ham and Everton defying early predictions, the first day rarely tells the full story. So, whether City are back, or if Sunderland look safe from relegation, one thing is clear: the Premier League title, and the battles at the bottom, will not be decided in August. This is an article by WhoScored
