All posts by z3u9t.icu

A big claim has been made on Newcastle United and their pursuit of Stade Reims striker Hugo Ekitike…

What’s the talk?

Transfer insider Pete O’Rourke has revealed that the Magpies are looking to snap the Frenchman up at the end of the season and are set to lead the race for his signature.

He has claimed that they are not the only team from the English top-flight eyeing him up, but they are the frontrunners after missing out on him in the previous window.

O’Rourke told GIVEMESPORT: “The Reims president has come out and confirmed that Ekitike is likely to leave this summer and a number of clubs in the Premier League are interested in the Frenchman.

“Newcastle were very close to signing him in the January transfer window and they still remain very keen on the teenager, so you would probably say that Newcastle are favourites for him right now.”

Howe would love him

PIF being the ‘favourites’ to sign the forward in the summer is a huge boost to the club because it suggests that they will be one step ahead of other teams attempting to sign him.

This will delight Eddie Howe because the ex-Cherries coach would love him on Tyneside, given his talent and potential as a player.

Back in January, journalist Graeme Bailey hailed the striker when discussing a possible move to St. James’ Park. He Tweeted: “Outstanding talent – huge signing for Newcastle if they get it done, many in France believe he could be the next Mbappe.”

These comments from the reporter illustrate how highly rated he is in Ligue 1. The comparisons to Mbappe are particularly exciting, given what he has achieved in the game in recent years. Since bursting onto the scene with Monaco, the current PSG star has scored 131 goals and assisted 38 in 180 French top-flight outings – winning the World Cup for his country along the way.

There is no guarantee that Ekitike will be able to follow in his footsteps and score at that rate but the comparison does suggest that people who have seen him play believe there is a chance of it happening.

This is an exciting prospect for Newcastle as it means that they would be signing a player with huge potential, which is why Howe would love him as he will surely enjoy helping him to develop into a top-class forward.

The 19-year-old’s nine goals in 14 Ligue 1 starts indicates that he has a strong base to build his career on and the Magpies coach can attempt to help him to reach the next level.

AND in other news, PIF now heading for first major NUFC disaster on £55k-p/w colossus who “eats weights”…

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has provided a big update regarding the future of Aston Villa youngster Carney Chukwuemeka. 

The lowdown: Rising star

The 18-year-old graduated from the Bodymoor Heath academy to make the step up to senior football and has already made great strides in Steven Gerrard’s first team.

Despite his tender years, Chukwuemeka has made 13 appearances for the Villans, having scored 13 times and provided another 13 assists in 55 matches among various youth levels for the Midlands club.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/aston-villa-latest-developments/” title=”Aston Villa latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

However, out of contract in 2023 (Transfermarkt), attention has already turned to where the talented England under-19 international’s future may lie…

The latest: Romano provides Chukwuemeka update

Taking to Twitter, reputable Italian journalist Romano stated that the Austria-born starlet ‘could leave’ Villa Park in the near future.

He outlined: “Carney Chukwuemeka could leave Aston Villa in the summer. His recent lack of game time has put a host of European clubs on alert – with Germany a likely destination as he enters the final year of his contract. Bundesliga clubs are already exploring this possibility.”

Villa boss Gerrard recently stated that there have been no discussions regarding a new deal for Chukwuemeka after fellow academy prospect Jacob Ramsey signed a contract until 2027.

The verdict: Worrying times

Losing the club’s most prodigious talents is never a good look and as such, the Villa Park hierarchy will no doubt be desperate for the five-cap England under-19 starlet to commit himself to the cause beyond 2023.

So far this season, Chukwuemeka – who has been a target for Liverpool in the past – has provided one assist in nine Premier League outings whilst also continuing his development in the under-23 setup.

Described as ‘outstanding’ by former Holte End favourite Paul Merson, Villa chief executive Christian Purslow must do everything in his power to keep the teenage sensation in the Midlands and stave off potential suitors this summer.

In other news, BBC man urges Aston Villa to sign ‘magical’ star. Read more here.

Sky Sports pundit Kevin Phillips has urged Tottenham Hotspur to raise transfer funds and free some salary by selling left-back Sergio Reguilon this summer.

The Lowdown: Could Reguilon leave Spurs?

The 25-year-old has had a mixed spell with the north London club since the arrival of Antonio Conte in N17.

Indeed, it was revealed just last week that a Spurs source told Football Insider that Fabio Paratici would be willing to listen to offers for the defender and would let him leave at the right price, following interest from an unnamed Spanish club.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-newest-updates/” title=”Tottenham newest updates…” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The report also claimed that the fee needed to complete a deal would be a lot less than the initial £43m buyback option available to Real Madrid, and former Sunderland striker Phillips believes that Reguilon could “have his eye” on a return to Spain after failing to make a strong impression at Tottenham.

The Latest: Reguilon not in Conte’s plans

Speaking to Football Insider about a possible move away from north London for the Spaniard, Phillips said: “From the outside looking in, that seems to make a lot of sense.

“He’s not really been first choice since Conte has come in, so I think it’s fair to say he isn’t in the manager’s plans going forward.

“If he can free that salary up by selling him on – then Tottenham can go out and have some money to play with in the transfer market. We all know they need to make a few signings, so that makes sense from a business point of view.

“From the player’s perspective as well, he could have his eye on a move back to Spain. That is a move which really makes sense from all angles, really.”

The Verdict: Reguilon might have to move

Despite making 31 appearances in all competitions for Spurs so far this season, with five goal contributions during that time (as per Transfermarkt), the six-time Spain international has recently dropped down the pecking order under Conte, who has preferred the likes of Matt Doherty and Ryan Sessegnon.

The £68k-per-week ace has shown plenty of potential during his time at Tottenham but hasn’t quite been able to fully establish his position in the starting XI.

As a consequence, Reguilon – who was once hailed as a “quality” player by ex-Leeds striker Noel Whelan – will realise that his future may be uncertain ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

Should the 25-year-old want to get some regular game-time under his belt next season, then a move elsewhere could prove to be the best option in the long run.

In other news… Alasdair Gold has shared an update on the club’s links to a former Spurs hero

Arsenal “could make a move” for a “world-class” forward, who Mikel Arteta is known to be a big fan of.

Gunners eyeing new forward after "painful" Aston Villa defeat

Arteta’s side suffered one of their first real setbacks of the season on Saturday, with Aston Villa emerging as 2-1 winners after Emiliano Buendia’s late winner, and the manager was left frustrated by the manner of the defeat.

The Spaniard said: “Last kick of the game we have the chance with the cross from Declan for Noni and Viktor. We don’t score. Goal kick long, second ball, clear the ball, individual action. The ball comes inside the box and you end up losing it. It is painful.”

On the brighter side, the Gunners remain two points clear of nearest rivals Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table, and a number of Arteta’s summer signings have hit the ground running at the Emirates Stadium.

Martin Zubimendi and Noni Madueke have received praise for their performances, with Eberechi Eze also catching the eye, most notably scoring a hat-trick in the emphatic 4-1 victory against Tottenham Hotspur last month.

Despite signing Eze and Madueke, however, Arsenal remain interested in signing another new forward, and journalist Pete O’Rourke has revealed they “could make a move” for AFC Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo.

Speaking to Football Insider, O’Rourke confirmed that a number of top Premier League clubs are in the race for Semenyo’s signature, namely Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

The Ghanaian’s £65m release clause will become active in the January transfer window, but the interested clubs may also choose to wait until the summer, at which point he will be available for just £50m.

Arsenal make strong move to sign "special" £111k-p/w Paris Saint-Germain star

The Gunners are looking to sign a new forward, who has been in impressive form this season.

ByDominic Lund Dec 7, 2025 "World-class" Semenyo may be ready for Emirates move

Lauded as “world-class” by Bournemouth teammate Justin Kluivert, the 25-year-old got off to a very impressive start to the campaign, and ranks third in terms of total goal contributions in the Premier League.

Player

Club

Goal contributions

Erling Haaland

Manchester City

18

Igor Thiago

Brentford

11

Antoine Semenyo

AFC Bournemouth

9

Arteta is known to be a big fan of the London-born forward, who is also impressive in the air, averaging 2.14 aerials won per 90 over the past year, which places him in the 97th percentile, compared to other attacking midfielders and wingers.

The former Newport County man has been impressing in the Premier League for quite some time, scoring a remarkable solo goal against Burnley during the 2023-24 campaign.

Clearly, Semenyo could now be ready to make the step-up to a top club, but having signed the likes of Madueke, Eze and Viktor Gyokeres in the summer, there are question marks over whether Arsenal need to bring in another new attacker next month.

Manchester United are in a tricky situation under Ruben Amorim, and a high-profile manager is now interested in taking over at Old Trafford.

Manchester United lacking focus amid Brentford defeat

Soon enough, the Red Devils’ defeat at Brentford will be cast to the back of collective minds at Old Trafford. However, their performance on the day epitomised the inconsistency in performances across the board at the Premier League giants.

Leaky at one end of the field and profligate at the other, Manchester United have fallen to 14th in the top-flight standings, something that has left Amorim under increasing pressure as he aims to turn the fortunes of his side around.

Matthijs De Ligt has admitted the Red Devils lacked concentration at key moments, something the Netherlands international and his teammates will be keen to sort out before the visit of Sunderland this weekend.

He told BBC Sport: “It’s always easy to look at the manager, but in the end the players on the pitch have to do it. The goals we conceded, the chances we conceded, are because of what? You guys (the media) always talk about the system, but it also has a lot to do with focus and concentration.

“If that’s lacking in key moments, it is going to make a difference. When you’re up against a Brentford team who play like they do, they will kill you.”

Wayne Rooney says "no faith" in Ruben Amorim at Man Utd and names his biggest problem

The Manchester United legend made the comments after the recent 3-1 defeat against Brentford.

ByDominic Lund Sep 29, 2025

Graham Potter has been earmarked as a surprise Manchester United candidate to succeed Amorim, as has Gareth Southgate, though there may be another high-profile name on the Old Trafford wishlist should they part ways with the Portuguese boss.

Romano: Xavi interested in Man Utd managerial job

Speaking on his YouTube channel, renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano has made it clear former Barcelona manager Xavi would go ‘immediately’ to Manchester United if INEOS follow through and make an approach.

He stated: “Xavi is studying the Premier League. Xavi is monitoring the Premier League, and Xavi would go immediately to Man United, even without European football – he would go immediately to the Premier League.”

Xavi won the La Liga title with Barcelona in 2023 alongside a Spanish Super Cup in the same year. His only other experience in management came at Al-Sadd, where he won the Qatar Stars League in 2021, the Qatar Cup twice, the Qatari Stars Cup, the Emir of Qatar Cup and the Sheikh Jassim Cup in 2019.

Favouring a 4-3-3 formation, the former La Liga legend enjoyed a magnificent career as a player, although he has been out of work since May 2024, having been replaced by Hansi Flick.

Clearly, the 45-year-old is someone who knows what it takes to win, though he did struggle towards the end of his Barcelona tenure and would be walking into an entirely different set of circumstances at Old Trafford.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin is under immense pressure heading into the clash with Hibernian at Ibrox in the latest round of the League Cup.

It feels like a huge game for the former Scotland international after a tricky start to life in Glasgow, losing 2-0 to Hearts in the Scottish Premiership at Ibrox last weekend.

As the title of the highlights above suggests, the pressure is mounting on the Rangers manager due to the poor start to the season, with no wins in their first five league games.

The Scottish giants were also knocked out of the Champions League at the play-off phase with a 9-1 defeat to Club Brugge, which did little to help supporters warm to the new head coach.

On top of the poor results on the pitch, both domestically and in Europe, Martin has ousted Nicolas Raskin from the first-team squad for the last two matches.

The Belgium international did not feature at all in the 0-0 draw with Celtic or the 2-0 defeat to Hearts either side of the international break, and it remains to be seen whether or not he will get any minutes against Hibernian this weekend, although it has been confirmed that he will be a part of the squad.

Why Russell Martin is making a mistake with Nicolas Raskin

Before the defeat to Hearts, Martin said: “Nico is back training with the group but he won’t be in the squad. He has a duty to make sure he earns the trust of all his other team-mates.”

Of course, we are not privy to what goes on behind the scenes. Martin could be in the wrong. Raskin could be in the wrong. Both parties could be in the wrong. What is for sure, though, is that this situation does not benefit the football club.

Legendary Rangers striker Ally McCoist said “you cannot bite your nose off to spite your face” when asked about the situation with the midfielder. He is spot on.

Raskin has proven that he can be a difference-maker for the Gers, as shown in the clip above, after a return of five goals and 11 assists in all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore.

Rangers have scored two goals in their last five matches in all competitions, failing to score in any of their last three, and this shows that they are lacking his quality in possession at the top end of the pitch.

Appearances

33

12

Tackles per game

2.8

3.7

Interceptions per game

0.6

1.3

Ball recoveries per game

5.6

7.4

Ground duel success rate

57%

50%

Aerial duel success rate

56%

55%

As you can see in the table above, Raskin also brings defensive quality to the pitch that could have helped the Gers in their 2-0 loss to Hearts and the first half against Club Brugge, when they conceded five before only letting in one with him on the pitch in the second half.

Ultimately, performances and results have not been good enough for Rangers. Another loss, particularly if Raskin is not involved as a starter, should force the board to part ways with the boss.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

With this in mind, Kevin Thelwell and the board must consider swooping to appoint Kevin Muscat, whose contract at SH Port expires at the end of this year, per Transfermarkt.

Rangers Journal’s Kai Watson described the English-born head coach as a “perfect” choice and one the fans have “wanted” for several seasons earlier this month. He has been linked with the Ibrox post in previous years as well.

Why Rangers should appoint Kevin Muscat

Unless Martin can turn things around, starting against Hibernian on Saturday, the Light Blues should fire their head coach to appoint Muscat because he could resurrect Raskin’s Ibrox career and get the team back on track this season.

Above all else, the 52-year-old manager has proven that he can win trophies. He has won a league title and a domestic cup with SH Port, on top of two league titles and one cup with Melbourne Victory and one league title and a super cup with Yokohama F. Marinos, per Transfermarkt.

This shows that he knows how to build teams that can win major trophies. Perhaps the most impressive part of his record is that he has done it in three different countries: Australia, Japan, and China. This shows that he can adapt to different cultures and ways of playing and still build a side to win consistently.

2025 (24)

2.13

2nd

2024 (30)

2.60

1st

2023 (34)

1.88

2nd

2022 (34)

2.00

1st

2021 (18)

1.83

2nd

As you can see in the table above, Muscat has won two league titles in the last four seasons, and still has six games left of the current campaign to make it three in four.

Rangers could tempt him to give up on a chance to turn things around and win the league title with SH Port by offering him the job at Ibrox, should they decide to part ways with Martin.

As well as being a winning manager, Muscat also has a style of play that could get the best out of Raskin. The aforementioned Kai Watson claimed that the manager plays “fast attacking football” with “relentless pressing”.

This suggests that he would be the perfect head coach to get the best out of Raskin because that combines the two parts of his game that he thrives on, fast attacking play and pressing to win possession back.

As aforementioned, the Belgium international is a creative midfielder who can set his teammates up for high-quality chances on a regular basis, but he is also a combative and tenacious defender who wants to get stuck in and win the ball back high up the pitch.

Putting him in Muscat’s favoured 4-3-3 formation, per Transfermarkt, could allow him to thrive both in and out of possession at Ibrox once again, rather than having to sit at the base of a ball-dominant Martin side that does not give him as much freedom to burst forward or to get up the pitch to be combative off the ball.

Once worth £30m, Rangers flop now looks like he's worth less than Tavernier

This Glasgow Rangers flop who was once valued at £30m now looks worth even less than James Tavernier.

ByDan Emery Sep 17, 2025

Therefore, Rangers could revive Raskin’s Ibrox career by firing the underperforming Martin and appointing a head coach whose system and style would maximize the midfielder’s potential, while also enhancing the team’s overall winning culture.

Whilst they are yet to officially get their summer business underway, Nottingham Forest have reportedly set their sights on several rising talents and that includes a young Bundesliga left-back.

Nottingham Forest reject Elanga bid

As those at the City Ground push to welcome the likes of Timothy Weah and Samuel Mbangula, they also face a fight to keep hold of Anthony Elanga amid interest from Newcastle United. The Magpies reportedly formalised their interest with a bid worth £45m earlier this week only for Nottingham Forest to reject that bid without any counter as they look to keep hold of a key player.

Whether Newcastle return to the negotiation table remains to be seen, but Forest’s stance may not change anytime soon. The Tricky Trees will be desperate to enjoy a repeat of last season, if not better, when August arrives and keeping hold of players like Elanga will play a large part in matching those ambitions.

Given that Botafogo duo Jair Cunha and Igor Jesus are also reportedly on their way, it’s clear that Evangelos Marinakis is only in pursuit of boosting Nuno Espirito Santo’s attacking options rather than selling key men for profit.

Dream Elanga replacement: Nottingham Forest open talks to sign £12m winger

Nottingham Forest may lose Elanga this summer.

ByJoe Nuttall Jun 25, 2025

One player that the Greek owner will need to replace, however, is Harry Toffolo. The experienced left-back is now a free agent following the expiration of his contract at the City Ground and Forest would be wise to find a replacement.

To that end, it looks as though those in the Midlands have set their sights on young options who could challenge the likes of Neco Williams for years to come and that may see one particular Bundesliga talent arrive.

Nottingham Forest join Ullrich race

According to The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, Nottingham Forest have now joined the race to sign Lukas Ullrich from Borussia Monchengladbach this summer. The 21-year-old enjoyed a breakout campaign in the Bundesliga last time out and has since played his part in helping Germany reach the semi-final of the U21 Euros.

The Gladbach man particularly impressed against Elliot Anderson’s England side in the group stage, providing an excellent assist as Germany ran out 2-1 winners.

Anderson received a first-hand glimpse of the type of quality that he could benefit from next season if Nottingham Forest push on with their move to sign Ullrich.

It won’t be an easy race to win, however, given that they are joined by Premier League rivals Leeds United, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton in pursuit of the Bundesliga talent.

Gladbach, meanwhile, may not be keen to lose their defender who manager Geraldo Seoane has not been shy to praise. The manager told reporters when asked about Ullrich: “You can see that he’s got pace going forward and that he has a very good mentality. He’s confident, he’s active and he makes runs in behind. He brings a lot to the table playing as an attacking left-back.”

Reliable journalist Paul Joyce has claimed that Everton are interested in sealing a stunning move for a “special” attacking player this summer.

Moyes eyeing big future at Everton

After some grim seasons of late, which have included several relegation battles in the Premier League, there is a feeling of positivity with the Toffees, not least because David Moyes has returned as manager, easily steering them to safety ahead of the move to their new stadium.

The Scot has been forceful about how he is expecting a better future at Everton with him in charge, with the hope being that funds will be made available for important transfer business.

“I think more the feeling [is] that there might be a club which is ­coming back together. Signs that before there was a real break-up, of a sort of love affair with the supporters, the ­players, the club, the owners. So we’re all trying to get back. We’re obviously all looking forward to it. If we can take what we had today to the new stadium, it’ll be something.”

New signings are needed in various areas of the pitch for Everton, not least in attack, with goals coming at a premium at times this season, with 41 goals scored in 37 games. Now, a shock rumour has emerged regarding a potential attacking signing for the Merseysiders.

Everton keen on "special" Liverpool player

According to the reliable Joyce of The Times, Everton “hold an interest” in Liverpool winger Ben Doak, seeing him as an option to bring in this summer.

The 19-year-old has spent this season on loan at Championship side Middlesbrough, with the Reds unable to give him regular playing time, and a permanent move away from Anfield could now be on the cards.

The idea of Everton signing Doak is a mouthwatering prospect, not only because of the stunning nature of taking him from rivals Liverpool, but also due to his long-term potential.

The teenage winger is already a six-cap Scotland international, and he was enjoying a fruitful time loan at Middlesbrough before injury struck in January, bagging 10 goal contributions (three goals and seven assists) in the Championship.

Doak also caught the eye of Jurgen Klopp during their time together at Liverpool, with the German clearly a big admirer of the Scot, saying: “Special boy. Really confident, has something nobody else delivers, really; this kind of dribbling, this kind of straight-forward bravery, all these kinds of things.”

Moyes' next Branthwaite: Everton plotting bid to sign "elite" £17m star

Everton are gearing up for a summer of change in the transfer market.

ByAngus Sinclair May 23, 2025

Forgetting the Liverpool connection, Doak is a hugely exciting footballer who could reach great heights with his pace and unpredictability in the coming years, and while the Reds may be hesitant to sell to their rivals, Everton should look to strike a deal.

Nottingham Forest’s plans for the transfer window suffered a dent after Nuno Espírito Santo’s side lost out in the race for Champions League qualification, instead settling for Conference League place, but Evangelos Marinakis and co appear determined to bolster the squad.

Nottingham Forest's transfer plans after Champions League blow

While missing out on a place in world football’s most prestigious competition, not to mention a spot in the Europa League, came as a sour end to an otherwise overachieving campaign at Forest, this year’s Premier League underdogs are still preparing for a European adventure next season.

Approach made: Nottingham Forest enquire to sign "underrated" £20m forward

The Tricky Trees are now making moves for a forward, having recently stepped up their pursuit.

ByDominic Lund May 28, 2025

According to an in-depth analysis of the club’s transfer plans by Telegraph reporter John Percy, Forest are targeting at least five new signings this summer as they seek to build off what was a very promising 2024/2025 overall.

Marinakis and co are extremely eager to back Nuno in the market, with the Telegraph reporting they’ll aim to recruit players who are valued around the £20-30 million mark.

Nottingham Forest’s rumoured transfer targets this summer

Target

Current club

Position

Taty Castellanos

Lazio

Striker

Jarell Quansah

Liverpool

Centre-back

Martin Baturina

Dinamo Zagreb

Attacking midfield

Adrien Truffert

Rennes

Left-back

James McAtee

Man City

Attacking midfield

While Forest are not under any pressure to sell players to appease PSR, with their balance sheet described as being in a “healthy state” (John Percy), star midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White could still be sold amid links to Man City.

Gibbs-White’s sale could fetch at least £70 million for Forest, which would go a long way to improving Nuno’s first-team in other areas, and the manager has already confirmed that City Ground officials will be working to recruit fresh blood ahead of next term.

“People in the club are dealing with next season, not us as coaching staff,” said Nuno when asked about Forest’s plans for the summer.

“This moment requires everything that you have for the responsibilities ahead of us. The recruitment staff and scouting team will be working on that and there will be the right moment to speak and sit down.”

Defensively, Forest are keen to bring in a left-back to assist this season’s breakout star Neco Williams (The Telegraph), and the addition of another centre-back cannot be ruled out either.

Nottingham Forest make offer for Botafogo defender Jair

According to South American news outlet GE Globo and their reporter Jessica Maldonado, Botafago defender Jair Cunha is attracting serious interest from Forest.

Nuno’s side have already submitted a proposal for their striker, Igor Jesus, and they’re now pursuing his central defensive teammate.

The outlet reports that Nottingham Forest have made an offer to sign Jair, and while they cannot disclose the amount, it comes in at above £11.5 million – which is the amount Botafogo paid Santos to sign the 20-year-old back in February.

As the Brazilian club reportedly evaluate this bid, it is worth noting that Jair has drawn comparisons to Liverpool legend Virgil van Dijk, and he’s described by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig as a “complete, dominant, and elegant central defender”.

He’s also able to play as both a right and left centre-back as part of a four-man defensive line, with Jair towering over most of his teammates at 6 foot 3.

The Brazilian is highly-rated and could come as an excellent back-up option behind the likes of Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic.

As rumours persist over Jean-Philippe Mateta’s future, Crystal Palace have now reportedly entered pole position to sign an impressive striker who could replace the Frenchman this summer.

Mateta could leave Crystal Palace

Following another excellent season at Selhurst Park, Mateta was always likely to find himself on the radar of several top clubs. The big question is whether he departs this summer. Recent reports have revealed his desire to push towards France’s 2026 World Cup squad with a move away part of that plan, and that could deal Palace a killer blow.

What makes matters worse is that Manchester United are reportedly among those jostling for the forward’s signature this summer. To lose Mateta to any club would be a major blow for the Eagles. To lose him to another Premier League side, however, would be more frustrating than anything.

Appearances

45

Goals

17

Assists

4

All it takes is one look at the numbers to realise exactly why Manchester United have set their sights on signing Mateta. The Crystal Palace star, who helped his side defeat Manchester City in the FA Cup final recently, has done something that both Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have failed to do by reaching double figures for goals this season.

Palace will be desperate to keep their forward, of course, and Oliver Glasner is well aware of his quality. The Austrian told reporters earlier this season: “We don’t always talk because he knows what we demand of him. With his two goals today, he is amazing in the box.

“He has the feeling that a number nine must have in the box. He makes so many runs where he doesn’t get the ball. You need to suffer as a striker because you make so many runs where you don’t get the ball. He gets the reward and it decides the game for us.”

Whilst his future continues to hang in the balance, however, those at Selhurst Park are reportedly eyeing an instant replacement for Mateta this summer.

Crystal Palace leading Emegha race

According to TEAMtalk, Crystal Palace are now leading the race to sign Emanuel Emegha from RC Strasbourg this summer. The 22-year-old has enjoyed a fantastic campaign for the Ligue 1 side, who shocked the rest of France’s first division by finishing as high as seventh under Liam Rosenior.

Almost a month since football talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed his season as “fantastic”, Emegha has taken his total to 14 goals in all competitions to leave the likes of Crystal Palace in pursuit of his signature.

Crystal Palace jostling to sign "complete" midfielder in deal worth £30m

The Eagles could swoop in ahead of rival clubs.

ByTom Cunningham May 24, 2025

At this stage, a fair few dominoes would have to fall for Emegha to become a Crystal Palace player, but if Mateta does depart, he should remain the Eagles’ top target to arrive in the coming months.