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Crystal Palace have reportedly become the latest club to register an interest in Hatayspor striker Aaron Boupendza.

According to 90.com, the Eagles have been monitoring the Gabon international, alongside a host of fellow Premier League sides, namely Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton, Leicester City and West Ham United, amongst many others.

Steve Parish and the Palace hierarchy need to ensure that they push themselves to the front of the queue and secure the £6.3m-rated striker in the summer.

Boupendza is currently in lethal form for Hatayspor. He sits top of the Turkish Super Lig scoring charts with 18 goals in just 26 matches. That record is even more remarkable considering that the 24-year-old has started just 16 matches in the league this term.

He would certainly bring a distinct eye for goal to Selhurst Park should he sign for the Eagles, an aspect that Roy Hodgson’s current options are certainly missing.

Of the strikers currently at the club, Christian Benteke is the highest-scoring with a measly five strikes. Meanwhile, fellow forwards Jordan Ayew, Michy Batshuayi and Jean-Philippe Mateta all sit on just one goal each.

It goes without saying then that the Eagles need to bring in someone capable of finding the back of the net.

When comparing his match statistics, Boupendza continues to come out on top.

According to WhoScored, he attempts more shots per game than any of Crystal Palace’s current players with 2.8.

Remarkably, the striker also completes a huge 2.7 dribbles per game which would be by far and away the best in the Eagles’ squad – an astounding feat considering the fleet-footedness of the likes of Eberechi Eze and Wilfried Zaha.

It is no surprise then that there is considerable competition for his signature. Palace must make sure they push themselves to the front for him as they are in desperate need for a forward who can find the back of the net.

AND in more news, take a look at which former Premier League boss would be the perfect replacement for Roy Hodgson…

Tottenham Hotspur are monitoring the progress of highly-rated midfielder Gabriel Menino, according to reports…

What’s the word?

Sky Sports claim that the north Londoners have been looking into signing talent from South America after the region was opened up to new work permit regulations following Brexit.

The young Palmeiras star is one man who Spurs, among other clubs, have scouted ahead of the summer transfer window.

Menino has emerged as one of Brazil’s brightest prospects and has impressed in both central midfield and at right-back.

Imagine him and Hojbjerg

It’s no surprise to see Jose Mourinho in the market for potentially a new midfielder ahead of next season, with rising doubts over several of his current options.

Harry Winks has been linked with an exit following a serious lack of game time this season – Sport (via Sport Witness) claim the Englishman will ‘insist’ on a departure from his boyhood club.

Moussa Sissoko at 31 isn’t getting any younger and has been out of Mourinho’s starting XI for eight straight league outings, ever since that 1-0 defeat to Chelsea.

And there will be concerns over Dele Alli’s future as he’s still not getting regular game time this season, even after Daniel Levy blocked an exit to Paris Saint-Germain in January. According to Football Insider, the Lilywhites will not do the same should they come calling again this summer.

Therefore, eyeing up a new midfield star is a wise call, and they should look no further than Menino as he could well become Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s long-term partner in the engine room.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-spurs-news-mourinho-levy-gossip” title=”Read this week’s latest Spurs news, rumours and more!”]

Dubbed the ‘Brazilian Yaya Toure,’ the 20-year-old prodigy has studied the former City sensation profusely by watching videos of him, and some fruits of that labour were seen when he fired home a stunning strike from range against Bolivar in the Copa Libertadores last year.

In 2013/14, the Ivorian was simply unplayable and perhaps recorded one of the greatest individual seasons of all time. He scored 20 goals and provided nine assists from midfield, created 40 chances and still managed a 90% passing accuracy from 35 appearances, as per GiveMeSport.

Toure was an astonishingly good box-to-box enforcer, and that’s exactly what is required in north London. Hojbjerg, who averages 2.7 tackles and 1.8 fouls per league game, is certainly a more defensively-minded option whilst Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso have had some of their best games in the no.10 role.

Menino can fulfil that role, even with Oliver Skipp set to return from a successful loan spell in the summer. As per WhoScored, the Brazillian wonderkid provided six assists from only 24 starts, and displayed his ability in either box, averaging 1.2 tackles, 1.2 dribbles, 1.3 shots and 1.5 key passes per game.

Evidently, he can read the game in his team’s own third, just as much as he can deliver in an attacking sense too.

The £12.6m-rated gem’s form, both in central midfield and at right-back, caught the eye of Brazil boss Tite and whilst he’s yet to pick up a senior cap, that day will surely come soon having featured seven times at U20 level.

His versatility would be a welcome benefit too, especially given the uncertainty and suspicions over the future of the struggling Matt Doherty, who according to ESPN, could be made available for transfer come the summer.

Furthermore, Mourinho handed Casemiro his Real Madrid debut in 2013, and that is another player Menino has modelled his game on, so that should please the Spurs boss immensely, too.

It remains to be seen how much Palmeiras would command for their undoubted a star of the future, but it’s a move that chairman Daniel Levy must consider irrespective of price. If he has half the impact of Toure, then Spurs are onto a winner.

Just imagine him alongside Hojbjerg.

AND in other news, Spurs handed Sergio Reguilon boost

Celtic have no manager at present but that doesn’t seem to matter to the club’s hierarchy, who are busy tying up some pre-contract deals.

Liam Shaw has already agreed a move with the Hoops while they’re also targeting Kyle Joseph from Wigan Athletic.

What’s the word?

It appears that the Bhoys are making an effort to bring plenty of young talent to Glasgow over the summer. That’s because fresh reports state that they’re targeting another teenager embedded within the English Football League.

GIVEMESPORT reported that Rochdale’s flying winger Kwadwo Baah is a target for Celtic ahead of the next window. The 18-year-old’s contract expires this summer and thus, the Hoops will be able to sign him on a free transfer.

However, they face competition from both Manchester City and West Ham to secure his signature.

Timely move

With Cameron Harper now back in America and Karamoko Dembele set to wind down his contract (via reports relayed by The Scottish Sun), securing some more young talent is a timely statement from the Hoops.

Dembele has long been the darling of the Celtic academy but, after finding first team opportunities hard to come by, he is seemingly on the hunt for chances elsewhere.

It will be a shame, especially given his glowing qualities. The teenager made his debut as a 16-year-old but hasn’t really built on what was a very early glimpse of his qualities.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-celtic-manager-hunt-stories-wagner-marsch-martinez-lennon-news” title=”The last stories on Celtic’s hunt for a new manager!”]

Signing Baah would therefore seem an excellent addition in order to replace him. The two players possess similar characteristics, too.

In League One this term, the Rochdale forward has scored three times and provided two assists, but one of the most eye-catching aspects of his game is the ability to take on and beat a defender.

Like Dembele, Baah loves to leave full-backs in a tangle, something his 1.6 dribbles per match signifies.

Judging by their ages – Dembele is also just 18 – they are at a similar stage of development, too. That being said, the Celtic target has far more senior experience and exposure to his name.

While the Hoops prospect has made just five senior appearances, Baah has featured on 37 occasions for Rochdale, being praised highly in the process. Speaking in December, Dale manager Brian Barry-Murphy said: “He’s a very special talent, he’s going to attract the headlines – and rightly so because he’s a very dangerous player.”

Barry-Murphy clearly rates him highly, commenting after Baah signed a new deal a year ago: “His talent is exceptional and he’s someone we’re very excited about for the future. He’s made a huge impact on the squad already.”

In terms of the impact made at senior level, Baah is already ahead of Dembele. That should be music to the ears of Hoops supporters.

AND in other news, 108 aerials won: Celtic could replace Edouard with “special” 6 ft 7 colossus…

Celtic’s managerial vacancy is one of the most talked-about gigs in world football right now.

Of course, the Hoops are a massive club so they likely won’t have any shortage of suitors in their hunt to replace Neil Lennon.

Big names like Roberto Martinez have been linked with the vacancy but another name mentioned in recent days is Thierry Henry.

He has recently left his role with Montreal Impact in MLS due to family reasons but a number of coincidences have occurred since. Indeed, the man he wanted as his number two a few years ago, Julien Stephan, has left his role at Rennes.

That provoked journalist Robin Bairner to comment the following on Twitter: “Interesting that Stephan has quit just days after Thierry Henry left Montreal. Henry wanted Stephan to be his assistant at Monaco but Rennes refused permission to talk. Could they team up, Henry as figurehead, Stephan as the coach?”

Described as someone with “a science to football” by Radamel Falcao, his coaching methods have drawn mixed results. He was sacked as manager of Monaco after just three months for instance.

That being said, it would certainly be an interesting line of approach for Celtic to take but it could be game-changing in keeping one of their star players.

Odsonne Edouard has regularly been linked with a move away, most recently to Arsenal. Given the mass interest and Celtic’s trophy-less season, it would be very difficult to keep him in Glasgow. That being said, he is a man that Henry rates incredibly highly.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-celtic-manager-hunt-stories-wagner-marsch-martinez-lennon-news” title=”The last stories on Celtic’s hunt for a new manager!”]

Speaking about the relationship between the two last year, Ally McCoist told talkSPORT; “I spoke to Thierry Henry at the Liverpool vs Leicester City game and he really rates Edouard. He was saying in France in particular [he’s rated] and he personally really, really thinks he’s got a chance of going right to the top.”

Henry, of course, is a legend of the French game and there would be few better strikers to learn from than the Arsenal great.

He is one of the most lethal strikers we’ve seen over the last two decades and if Henry sees Edouard as someone who could reach the top, he’d surely be central to his plans at Parkhead.

Of course, a move to a bigger club may be on the cards but surely a man of Henry’s influence in French football could sway him to stay?

After all, why wouldn’t he want to learn from a master craftsman in Henry? The 43-year-old could take him to the next level and help him earn an even bigger move than may initially be on the cards.

This has the potential to be a dream combination. Dermot Desmond needs to see if it can become a reality.

AND in other news, Celtic may have their new Ajer in 17 y/o “hungry talent” never-seen in the first team…

According to The Athletic’s Sam Lee, Glasgow Rangers are reportedly eyeing up a move for Rochdale winger Kwadwo Baah.

What’s the word?

Steven Gerrard has got Rangers miles ahead of Celtic in the Scottish Premiership title race and is looking at January additions to keep them there.

And it could see him trump Premier League club West Ham and European giants Bayern Munich and Juventus to the signing of the talented English teenager, according to The Athletic.

Baah has enjoyed a breakthrough season at the Spotland Stadium, with three goals and two assists to show for his seven starts from 13 appearances in League One.

But if Rangers want to organise a smash and grab they will have to act quickly before the transfer window closes this week.

Better than Brandon Barker?

Whilst the ever-reliable Ryan Kent is a shoe-in on the left wing, Gerrard has struggled to settle for a designated backup option behind the former Liverpool man. On the right-hand side, Rangers fans have borne witness to some remarkable players over the years, including Brian Laudrup, Dado Prso and of course Andrei Kanchelskis.

Kent aside, the same can’t really be said for the opposite flank, as until recently Brandon Barker and Jordan Jones have been the two battling to bag the substitute spot, although there are still questions over each. Jones is set to sign for Sunderland on loan until the end of the season while Barker has barely played since the start of the season.

It’s fair to say that Baah would be a significant upgrade on Barker and could in turn be seen as one for the future having impressed for Brian Barry-Murphy’s side so far this season. According to WhoScored, the 18-year-old’s attacking stats are already superior to Barker’s in almost every area this season.

He is currently averaging more key passes and dribbles per match and is fouled more times than the 24-year-old. Although Barker takes more shots, Baah has scored more goals (3) this season.

Rochdale boss Barry-Murphy recently hailed the “special talent” after he sparked a five-goal rout of League One strugglers Wigan.

If Gerrard is looking for suitable replacements on the left wing, then Baah would make a fine addition to the Rangers squad.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Rob Lee reacts to Rangers transfer interest in Billy Gilmour…

Crystal Palace winger Andros Townsend proved costly against Arsenal as it ended all square at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday night.

Alexandre Lacazette came close to breaking the deadlock before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang forced a fine save from Vicente Guaita.

But Roy Hodgson’s side dug deep and held firm against Arsenal to secure a point at a ground where Chelsea and Newcastle have previously come unstuck.

Having endured a torrid night at Molineux last time out, where they lost 1-0 to Wolves after Adama Traore scored his first goal of the season, it looked like Hodgson’s side hadn’t shaken off the hangover from the FA Cup when Aubameyang evaded Townsend to cut inside from the left flank and fire off a shot on target.

While Tyrick Mitchell may receive a portion of the blame for the early lapse in concentration, it would be wrong to pin the blame solely on the 21-year-old, who otherwise enjoyed a solid, if unspectacular, performance on the left-hand side of the back four.

In fact, Mitchell received the joint fourth-highest SofaScore rating out of all his teammates, including midfielder James McArthur. Despite his diminutive stature, the 5 ft 7 in left-back was a colossal at the back for Hodgson’s side – he made one tackle, four clearances and four interceptions, which was more than he is currently averaging per game this season so far, meaning he was a level above his average work rate in terms of his defensive shift.

The same can’t be said for Townsend, who was also utterly wasteful in terms of his possession, as the right winger managed to lose control of the ball ten times despite taking 52 touches throughout the entire 90 minutes.

Indeed, the 29-year-old lost 12 out of his 16 duels overall (75%) on the right wing last night, and was dribbled past five times, which shows that he was run ragged by the likes of Aubameyang and Ainsley Maitland-Niles all evening, with the pair winning the same number of individual battles between them, as per SofaScore.

On top of that, Townsend took one shot off target to sum up his frustrations after he blasted a shot well over the bar inside the first ten minutes of the first half following a promising passage of play, so it’s perhaps hardly surprising he failed to find the back of the net for the 16th game in a row this season. He also only managed to produce one accurate long ball from four attempts, which just goes to show the kind of quality Christian Benteke and Wilfried Zaha had to work with on the night. It’s fair to say that he lacked any real ambition and looked fairly sloppy on the ball.

The former England international didn’t take too kindly to Arteta’s tackle whilst he also intervened to separate Zaha and David Luiz, but those were his only real contributions of note as he endured a night to forget at the Emirates.

SofaScore graded Townsend as the worst Palace player on the pitch with his 6.5 score and quite rightly, too, after his lack of genuine quality in the final third proved costly as the two sides were forced to settle for a point apiece.

The Independent’s Karl Matchett was left unimpressed by his performance and noted he was ‘a hard-running but peripheral figure.’

The £8.5m-rated right winger, who earns around £55,000-per-week at Selhurst Park, was largely ineffective against an Arsenal side who otherwise struggled to break down the well-drilled visitors. He failed to record a shot on target for the second time in as many games in all competitions this season, via SofaScore.

Had he decided against lashing a hopeful shot into the stands, the score line may have read very differently indeed, as he could have created a chance for either Benteke or Zaha instead.

AND in other news, Crystal Palace shouldn’t renew Nathaniel Clyne’s contract…

According to the PA news agency (via BT Sport), Glasgow Rangers are interested in signing Gustavo Hamer.

Gers eye Hamer

£1.8m-valued Hamer (Transfermarkt) made the move to Coventry from Dutch side PEC Zwolle just last summer.

Now, after having impressed for the Sky Blues so far this campaign, he has attracted the attention of the Ibrox outfit. The report says Hamer is one eyed for the future by Steven Gerrard and co.

Class act

Signed for £1.5m last summer (BBC), Hamer has been a revelation upon Coventry’s return to the Championship. Despite playing leads the way in their squad in both departments. He has also made more key passes per game than any other Coventry player (WhoScored).

Following Coventry’s 2-1 win over Millwall at the start of 2021, Ali Maxwell called Hamer a “class act” (EFL on Quest via Coventry Live). The Gers are in fantastic form so far this campaign as they lead the Premiership by 21 points. However, the likes of Scott Arfield and Steven Davis are well into their thirties – the latter is actually 36 – and are not representative of the club’s future. 23-year-old Hamer, therefore, could be exactly what the 54-time Scottish champions need beyond this campaign.

In other news, Rangers fans slam this rival player’s comments.

What a difference a few games have made for Arsenal.

After losing to Everton in the Premier League, things looked really bleak for Mikel Arteta’s side, but the Gunners started to turn things around with an impressive 3-1 victory at home to rivals Chelsea.

That was then followed by up another couple of fine away victories against the likes of Brighton and West Brom respectively, and the momentum is well and truly with the north Londoners now.

On late Saturday afternoon, Arsenal entertain Newcastle at the Emirates as they begin their defence of the FA Cup, and Arteta is likely to ring the changes to keep his team fresh.

And with that in mind, below is a look at how the Gunners might line up.

In goal, Bernd Leno is likely to keep his place, with Alex Runarsson certainly not showing enough in the time that he has been on the pitch that he can be a reliable no.2 for Arteta’s side.

In front of Leno, the Arsenal boss may wish to completely change things up, with the likes of Cedric, David Luiz, Gabriel and Ainsley Maitland-Niles ready to come in and give the first-team regulars a rest.

The midfield area could also see some changes, with Mohamed Elneny coming in to replace Granit Xhaka – Dani Ceballos may be one of the few players who actually keeps his place from the superb victory over West Brom last time out.

Further forward, the likes of Reiss Nelson, Nicolas Pepe and Joe Willock could all get their chance to impress, with Eddie Nketiah starting up front.

Predicted XI: Leno; Cedric, Luiz, Gabriel, Maitland-Niles; Ceballos, Elneny; Pepe, Willock, Nelson; Nketiah.

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former footballer and current pundit Carlton Palmer has spoken about Liverpool’s chances of signing PSG striker Kylian Mbappe.

The Reds have been linked with a move for the French wonderkid, with rumours intensifying as a result of Liverpool’s Nike deal they signed earlier this year.

The young striker has established himself as one of the brightest young talents in European football in recent years, having moved to PSG from AS Monaco in a £165.7 million deal in 2018 after spending the previous season on loan.

Now rated at £162 million, Mbappe has been prolific in his time with Les Parisiens, with 103 goals and 59 assists to his name, in just 140 appearances for the club.

He has also been in sensational form this season, having contributed 11 goals and five assists in 11 appearances in Ligue 1, resulting in a superb average rating of 8.06.

Here’s what Palmer had to say about Liverpool’s chances of signing Mbappe when speaking exclusively to Football FanCast…

“Why not? The Premier League is the most marketable league in the world. If you’re a top player, at some point you want to have played in the Premier League. So, why not?”

Palmer seems to suggest that Mbappe will want to Premier League at some point in the future, so why shouldn’t that be with the Reds?

After all, PSG have won seven out of eight of the last league titles, so it could definitely be argued that the French league isn’t much challenge for the prolific forward, and he must try his hand in another top league if he wants to be appreciated as one of the best players in world football.

Of course, Mbappe has already won the World Cup with France but is yet to taste European success with PSG, so if they are unable to win the Champions League again this season, it would perhaps not be a surprise to see him depart the club.

Whilst it would cost Liverpool a huge amount of money to sign the striker, he could be a top striker with the Merseyside club for the next 10-15 years and would perhaps take the Reds to another level, so maybe we will see Liverpool try and sign Mbappe at some point in the near future.

And, in other news… Klopp must sanction January exit for LFC liability with “a taste for the big games”

Liverpool have been heavily linked with a move for Schalke centre-back Ozan Kabak in recent months, and whilst the Reds opted against bringing in him during the summer, a recent update on the Turkish international could lead them to sign him in next month’s window.

What’s the word?

According to Tuttosport newspaper (via Milan Live), the Bundesliga side are in dire straits this season and have therefore lowered their asking price for Kabak to just €15 million (£13.77 million).

The Reds are, of course, without the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez for the foreseeable future, so whilst Fabinho and Joel Matip have done a superb job at centre-back in recent weeks, surely the club wouldn’t turn down this opportunity to sign Kabak at such a cut-price fee?

The 20-year-old has earned a lot of plaudits for his performances in the Bundesliga in recent seasons, having already made 46 appearances in the German top-flight in his career.

Worldly-wise…

During his time with Stuggart, the defender earned the praise of sporting director Thomas Hitzlsperger, who said:

“It’s incredible how worldly-wise he is for his age. It’s astonishing. I see him every day and am amazed at how mature he is. He wants to know everything; he wants to learn German right away and understand everything. That’s the kind of attitude we need. He’s already a role model, despite his age.”

The Bundesliga website also compared the youngster’s style of play and ability to read the game to Real Madrid centre-back Sergio Ramos, so it seems as if the Reds would be getting a very talented player should they sign Kabak in January.

Considering he is currently valued at £22.5 million by Transfermarkt, to sign him for around £14 million in January would surely represent good business from the Merseyside club, especially if he can go some way towards easing the current defensive injury crisis at the club.

Even more so when he has a release clause of €45m (£40m), as per Bild (via BuliNews).

At 20-years-old, there’s no reason why Kabak couldn’t go on to have a long successful career at Liverpool, and perhaps he could be the man to replace Van Dijk in the long-term.

And, in other news… Liverpool handed huge transfer blow on “unbelievable talent”