In a move that could see them add to the arrival of Romain Esse, Crystal Palace are now reportedly on red alert in the race to sign one particular Premier League midfielder for Oliver Glasner.

Crystal Palace transfer news

The Eagles have already seen just how much of an instant impact January arrivals can make after Esse scored with his first touch in a Crystal Palace shirt last time out. Despite eventual defeat at the hands of Brentford, there’s no denying that the young midfielder has enjoyed an excellent start at Selhurst Park.

He may not be the only debutant that those in South London have the chance to witness in the coming weeks, however, with the rumours coming thick and fast towards the end of the summer transfer window. Names such as Ben Chilwell have been among those to be mentioned in recent headlines, as the Chelsea left-back looks to end what has become a nightmare at Stamford Bridge.

With Tyrick Mitchell yet to put pen to paper on a new deal and, therefore, heading for the exit door this summer, signing an experienced replacement certainly wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Chilwell may not be the only Premier League ace to arrive either. According to GiveMeSport, Crystal Palace are now on red alert in the race to sign James McAtee from Manchester City this month after Bayer Leverkusen opted out of chasing the midfielder’s signature.

Instead opting to sign Emiliano Buendia on loan from Aston Villa, Leverkusen’s choice has left the door ajar for Crystal Palace to make their move in the coming days and secure another impressive young talent.

Crystal Palace join big race to sign "wonderful" star club may have to sell

The Eagles face plenty of competition…

By
Tom Cunningham

Jan 29, 2025

The question that remains is whether Manchester City will be willing to show McAtee the door following an impressive spell of form amid their growing injury problems. Whether the Eagles push for an answer to that question before Monday’s deadline remains to be seen.

"Fantastic" McAtee needs prominent role

Just as Cole Palmer did and the likes of Jadon Sancho and Romeo Lavia did before him, McAtee needs a starting role that he is unlikely to get at Manchester City. If Crystal Palace or others come calling, then the 22-year-old would be wise to follow in Palmer’s path in pursuit of stardom.

Praised by football talent scout Jacek Kulig for a “fantastic” start to 2025 after scoring a hat-trick in an 8-0 thrashing of Salford in the FA Cup, McAtee is rapidly becoming a player to watch at The Etihad amid growing questions over his immediate future at the club.

As Kulig reiterated, there’s no doubt that McAtee has the talent to become a key starter at a number of Premier League sides with Crystal Palace certainly among those.

Leeds United supporters will be hoping that the club can secure a return to the Premier League over the next couple of months with just 14 Championship games remaining in 2024/25.

The Whites are currently in their second season at this level after missing out on promotion last time around in the cruellest way possible – the play-off final.

However, Daniel Farke has done a superb job of leading the club to the summit of the table in recent weeks, with their 14-game unbeaten run in the league undoubtedly aiding their cause.

If they were to secure a return to England’s top flight, the German would have to do what many teams have failed to do over the last couple of seasons and avoid an immediate return back down the ladder.

Should they secure promotion, the hierarchy would have to provide the manager with the resources to be a success once more, learning from their previous mistakes of signing players not at the level required.

Leeds United’s transfers in 2022/23

Leeds’ last season in the Premier League was a challenge from the get-go, losing Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha to Manchester City and Barcelona respectively – with the pair two of their star players at Elland Road the season.

Subsequent funds were spent across the team to provide depth in all areas, with full-back Rasmus Kristensen joining the club from RB Salzburg.

The Dane made 26 appearances during his only season as a first-team member in Yorkshire to date, leaving on multiple loan spells after relegation at the end of the season.

He was just one of nine senior additions during the course of the aforementioned campaign, but he and his teammates were unable to prevent the club from dropping back into the Championship at the end of the season.

One of the signings joined in January, offering a last-ditch attempt to turn around the dismal form, but was subsequently unable to – thriving away from Elland Road in the last couple of seasons.

The Leeds player who’s similar to a £92m talent

Weston McKennie arrived at Leeds on loan from Juventus in January 2023, looking to add the needed quality to the midfield department to fight off any lingering relegation threats.

The American would make 20 appearances but was unable to prevent the inevitable, leaving the Whites at the end of the season and moving back to Serie A, forcing himself back into the first-team picture in Turin.

The 26-year-old has now featured 64 times in the last two campaigns for the Italian giants, registering 18 combined goals and assists, with his latest strike coming in the Champions League against PSV last night.

As a result of his displays, McKennie has since been ranked as a similar player to Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard – highlighting how much he’s developed away from Yorkshire after his temporary stint with the Whites.

The Norwegian, who’s valued at £92m by Transfermarkt, has been a key member of Mikel Arteta’s side in recent times but has been unable to produce better stats than the former loanee who’s bettered the midfielder in various key areas.

How McKennie compares to Odegaard in 2024/25

Statistics (per 90)

McKennie

Odegaard

Games played

18

16

Goals & assists

5

5

Shot-on-target accuracy

56%

30%

Pass accuracy

85%

83%

Tackles won

1.3

1.1

Blocks made

0.8

0.3

Take-ons completed

55%

47%

Aerials won

1

0.4

Stats via FBref

The Juve star has registered the same amount of goal contributions in the league, whilst posting a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate, outperforming the former Real Madrid star who’s more of an attacking option.

McKennie has also completed more of his attempted passes and won more tackles per 90, showcasing his excellent box-to-box playstyle, finally starting to fulfil his potential after his spell at Leeds.

It’s bonkers to see such a quick progression after his short spell in Yorkshire, with the American undoubtedly one of the leading talents within Juventus’ current squad under Thiago Motta.

Outperforming Odegaard is no mean feat given his own form in recent times, with it being great to see a former Whites player thrive after a difficult period in his professional career following relegation in 2022/23.

Related Saved by James & Solomon: Farke must axe Leeds dud who lost possession 15x

Leeds United took a huge leap towards Championship promotion with a huge 4-0 win last night.

Posts 5 ByEthan Lamb Feb 12, 2025

Graeme Swann will spend the next week working with three of England’s best young spinners in the UAE after his success as Trent Rockets’ spin-bowling coach in the Hundred.Swann’s involvement with England has been limited since his sudden retirement from international cricket in 2013 and he has often expressed his frustration that he has not spent more time working with young spinners developing through the English system.Related

• Rehan Ahmed 'mentally ready' if fast-track development leads to England call

But he was a popular member of support staff in the Hundred this year, working closely with Samit Patel, Matt Carter, Rashid Khan and Tabraiz Shamsi as the Rockets won the title, and ECB announced on Friday that Swann would spend a week working as a mentor during the Lions’ three-week training camp, which starts on Sunday.There are three frontline spin bowlers involved in the Lions training group in Rehan Ahmed, the Leicestershire legspinning allrounder, Sussex offspinner Jack Carson, and Nottinghamshire allrounder Liam Patterson-White, while Dan Lawrence is also an occasional offspinner with three Test wickets to his name.Ian Bell, Swann’s former England team-mate, is also part of the Lions coaching staff and will work with the training group’s batters, along with Surrey assistant coach Jim Troughton. Jon Lewis and Durham’s Neil Killeen will work with the seamers and Kent’s Min Patel will be the main spin-bowling coach.”In Ian Bell and Graeme Swann, we have two people with so much international experience,” Mo Bobat, the ECB’s performance director who will lead the tour, said. “It’s brilliant to have them as part of the group, and I know everyone will be looking forward to working with them.”It’s a really exciting staff team for a trip that I think will be of huge benefit to all of our players. There’s a wide range of experience to call upon, from across the game, and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone come together this weekend.”

RB Leipzig ace Benjamin Sesko has a "performance-based release clause" in his current contract which means the better he plays, the more he will cost.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Sesko has enjoyed prolific season with RB LeipzigWanted by Premier League clubsClause in his contract means price has gone upFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Sesko has enjoyed a prolific campaign in the Bundesliga which has led to speculation he could move on in the summer. According to Sky Germany, Sesko's performance-related release clause means that he is currently valued at over €80 million (£68m/$90m). However, an exit is also possible without the release clause being activated. If that were to happens, Leipzig would likely demand a higher fee and a different payment structure. The report suggests clubs could be asked for €75m (£64m/$85m) up front and an additional €15m (£13m/$17m in add-ons, making a total cost of €90m (£76m/$101m)

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Premier League sides Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Newcastle have all been credited with an interest in Sesko as the clubs seek to bolster their attacking options before the start of the 2025-26 season. Sesko has scored 21 times and contributed six assists in all competitions this season for Leipzig, an impressive record in what's been an underwhelming season for the Bundesliga side. The striker is also still only 21, meaning there is likely to be much more still to come from the Slovenia international.

DID YOU KNOW?

Champions Bayern Munich have conceded just two goals in the first 15 minutes of this Bundesliga season – both were scored by Sesko for RB Leipzig.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR SESKO

Sesko and Leipzig will wrap up their season with Bundesliga games against Werder Bremen and Stuttgart. An interesting summer then awaits, with Leipzig expected to receive plenty of interest in their young hotshot.

وجّه السيد الرئيس عبد الفتاح السيسي، رئيس جمهورية مصر العربية، التهنئة إلى نادي بيراميدز وجماهير الرياضة المصرية، بمناسبة التتويج بلقب دوري أبطال إفريقيا لكرة القدم لأول مرة في تاريخ النادي.

وجاءت تهنئة الرئيس عبد الفتاح السيسي عبر صفحته الرسمية على مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي، حيث قال: “أتقدم بخالص التهنئة إلى فريق بيراميدز وجماهير الرياضة المصرية بمناسبة تحقيق هذا الإنجاز التاريخي بالفوز بدوري أبطال إفريقيا لكرة القدم لأول مرة في تاريخه”.

وأضاف سيادته: “إن هذا الانتصار يجسد روح العزيمة والإصرار التي لطالما ميزت الرياضة المصرية، ويؤكد قدرة أنديتنا على التنافس بقوة في الساحة القارية والدولية. وأتمنى استمرار النجاحات للكرة المصرية في كافة المحافل”.

طالع أيضًا | خالد الغندور بعد تتويج بيراميدز: رمضان صبحي “الطموح” أخذ بثأر الأهلي من صن داونز (فيديو)

ويُعد هذا التتويج هو الأول قارياً في تاريخ نادي بيراميدز، بعد فوزه على صن داونز الجنوب إفريقي بنتيجة 3-2 في مجموع مباراتي النهائي، ليضيف صفحة جديدة إلى تاريخ الإنجازات الرياضية المصرية.

ويُعد نادي بيراميدز من الأندية الحديثة على الساحة الكروية المصرية، إذ تأسس في عام 2008 تحت اسم “الأسيوطي سبورت”، قبل أن يشهد تحولاً جذريًا في 2018 عقب انتقال ملكيته إلى المستشار السعودي تركي آل الشيخ وتغيير اسمه إلى “بيراميدز”. ومنذ ذلك الحين، بدأ النادي في فرض نفسه كمنافس قوي بين كبار الكرة المصرية، إلى جانب الأهلي والزمالك.

وعقب عام واحد فقط، انتقلت ملكية النادي إلى رجل الأعمال الإماراتي سالم الشامسي، ليستمر في دعم المشروع الرياضي للنادي، وعلى مستوى البطولات، نجح بيراميدز في التتويج بلقبه المحلي الأول بفوزه بكأس مصر الموسم الماضي على حساب نادي زد، قبل أن يحقق إنجازه الأكبر هذا الموسم بالفوز بلقب دوري أبطال إفريقيا للمرة الأولى في تاريخه.

Annabel Sutherland stars with ball and bat to give the Stars a last-ball win over the Renegades

AAP13-Nov-2022

Alyssa Healy notched her fifth WBBL century, crunching a boundary from the final ball to deliver Sydney Sixers victory over Perth Scorchers to keep them on top of the ladder.Chasing the Scorchers’ 4 for 176 at Junction Oval, Healy was battling on 1 off 10 balls. But the new Australian vice-captain found her groove to finish on an unbeaten 107 off 64, pairing with Ellyse Perry for a 154-run stand that powered the Sixers to within 20 of the target with two overs to bowl.After going for 17 runs off her previous over, Scorchers captain Sophie Devine had Perry (48 off 40) dismissed and Healy dropped in a fine 19th over that left the Sixers still needing 14.Healy watched from the other end as Ashleigh Gardner hit the first two deliveries for six. She was bowled from the next ball and Piepa Cleary was on a hat-trick after claiming Erin Burns next ball. Nicole Bolton chipped that delivery just short of deep midwicket for a single and then, with one to win off the final delivery, Healy gave herself room and calmly dispatched the winning runs to the cover boundary, letting out a boisterous cry in the process.No other player has scored more than three WBBL hundreds, Healy’s century coming off 62 balls and featuring a one-handed six over mid-off.Victory keeps Sixers on top of the ladder. Scorchers, who beat them last week, could have jumped above them from fourth with victory.Earlier, Beth Mooney and Marizanne Kapp put on 97 off 58 balls to continue their own stellar form. Their stand came a day after combining for a devastating 123-run partnership in just 56 deliveries, Mooney also scoring an unbeaten 99 against the same opponents last week.But Gardner (2 for 30 from four overs) helped slow them just enough, moving to the top of the competition wicket-takers’ board in the process.Annabel Sutherland smacked 62 not out off just 29 balls•Getty Images

All-round Sutherland keeps Stars’ hopes aliveAnnabel Sutherland hit three sixes in the final over to deliver a stunning last-ball win for the Melbourne Stars over the Melbourne Renegades.Needing 23 to win from the final over, 21-year-old allrounder Sutherland held her nerve and swung freely to bring to life a chase that looked futile. Sutherland (62 not out off 29) cleared the boundary twice off Sophie Molineux’s left-arm spin, the bowler’s knee buckling as she delivered the second of those deliveries. Molineux was assisted from the ground and Georgia Prestwidge was thrown the ball for the first time with nine to get off three balls.A wide was followed by another strong-armed six by Sutherland, who then took a quick single and watched captain Nicole Faltum clear the off-side field for the winning runs. Sutherland also took three wickets in the win that kept the Stars’ finals hopes alive.Earlier, Sarah Coyte hit two sixes in a six-ball knock that pushed the Renegades to a respectable total, wicketkeeper Josie Dooley’s 54 anchoring their innings. Stars spinner Sasha Moloney took 4 for 15 from her four overs before Coyte put the clamps on the Stars’ batters. Sutherland wasn’t deterred, though, her innings featuring five sixes and coming with no other team-mate able to strike above 106.

Australia finger spinner continues her rotten luck with injury after missing the 50-over World Cup and Commonwealth Games due to a foot injury

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Nov-2022Australia allrounder and Melbourne Renegades WBBL captain Sophie Molineux is set to be sidelined for up to 12 months after rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament on Sunday.Molineux suffered the injury in the field during Renegades loss to Perth Scorchers at the Junction Oval in Melbourne. She will require surgery to repair the ruptured ACL in her knee which will likely see her sidelined for up to 12 months.Molineux has had a rotten run with major injuries this year. She missed both Australia’s 50-over World Cup triumph in New Zealand and the Commonwealth games triumph in Birmingham after suffering a stress fracture in her foot. She was also dropped off the CA central contact list due to injury.”It’s disappointing for Sophie after she has worked so hard to come back from recent injuries and having such an outstanding start to the domestic season including scoring her first WNCL hundred,” Cricket Victoria’s head of female cricket Sharelle McMahon said.”Sophie continues to set the example for the rest of the squad and we have no doubt she will demonstrate that in her rehabilitation and recovery from this setback. We’re right behind Sophie in her recovery, we’ll provide our full support in any way we can.”Melbourne Renegades general manager, James Rosengarten, said. “Our thoughts are with Sophie, and we will do everything we can to support her now and through her recovery period. Sophie had put in a power of work over the winter to return from her foot injury and has been a fantastic leader for our team this season. We know Sophie will bounce back from this latest setback and we’ll be there with her every step of the way.”Molineux becomes the second Australia spinner in 12 months to rupture her ACL after her Australia, Victoria and Renegades team-mate Georgia Wareham suffered the same fate last year.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Corinthians está muito próximo de firmar um acordo com a Caixa Econômica Federal referente ao pagamento do empréstimo para a construção da Neo Química Arena, feito por meio do BNDES, em 2013.

continua após a publicidade

+ Saiba quais os atletas da base que mais integram os profissionais do Corinthians com Vítor Pereira

Em reunião realizada na noite desta segunda-feira (20), no Parque São Jorge, sede social corintiana, os detalhes do acerto foram comunicados ao Conselho de Orientação (Cori).

A dívida total do clube alvinegro com a Caixa é de R$ 611 milhões, quantia R$ 211 milhões acima do empréstimo tomado pelo Timão. O aumento se justifica pela execução da dívida por parte do banco federal em 2019, que gerou multas, além dos juros e correções.

+ Veja a tabela do Brasileirão e simule os próximos jogos

O acordo amarado entre as partes prevê um novo período de carência em relação ao que havia sido firmado entre as partes em 2020. Caso as tratativas se concretizem, o pagamento da primeira parcela, que deveria ocorrer no fim deste ano, poderá ficar apenas para o segundo semestre de 2023.

Pela nova conversa, o parcelamento anual teria duração até 2041, sendo os dois primeiros anos (2023 e 2024) para pagamento dos juros e os seguintes destinados a quitar o valor original.

As parcelas serão de aproximadamente de R$ 32 milhões, mas como o Timão recebe anualmente o pagamento da Hypera Pharma referente ao naming rights da Arena totalmente destinado a esse fim, caberá ao clube alvinegro arcar com algo entre R$ 17 e 18 milhões por ano.

Para o acordo ser oficializado, ele precisará da aprovação do Conselho Deliberativo, que se reunirá para discutir o assunto em data ainda a ser definida.

With Matheus Cunha possibly heading for the exit door in the summer transfer window, Wolverhampton Wanderers have reportedly made contact over a potential move to sign a replacement.

Wolves transfer news

He has single-handedly dragged them away from the bottom three at times this season and still stayed put in the January transfer window, but a big move is awaiting Cunha. Whether it’s the Premier League’s top six or one of Europe’s top clubs outside of English football, the Brazilian looks destined to return to the top for the first time since a disappointing Atletico Madrid spell.

Just how Wolves replace their star man remains to be seen, but they’ll likely have £62.5m to do so if his next potential club decide to trigger his hefty release clause when the summer arrives.

All things considered, it’s looking increasingly likely that those in the Midlands are in for quite the transfer window and one that they must simply get right if they are to avoid a disaster. It’s one that they are already reportedly preparing for too, setting their sights on one potential Cunha replacement.

Wolves tracking "tremendous" £12m ace who's "a cut above" his current level

The Old Gold have set their sights on a defender ahead of the summer transfer window.

ByDominic Lund Feb 19, 2025

According to Calcio Mercato, Wolves have made contact to sign Yuri Alberto from Corinthians this summer. The Brazilian side reportedly value their striker at just €35m (£29m), handing the Molineux club the chance to spend just half of the potential fee that they could receive for Cunha in the coming months.

They’re not alone in the race for Alberto’s signature, however, with Midlands rivals Nottingham Forest also battling to welcome the 23-year-old alongside Fulham and West Ham United. Amid such interest, it’s Wolves who will hope to have new-found spending power to secure Alberto’s arrival and potentially replace star man Cunha.

"Quick" Alberto could replace Cunha

Swapping one Brazilian for another, Alberto could arrive in the Midlands and instantly pick up where Cunha potentially leaves off this summer. Although the 23-year-old has endured a slow start in the current campaign – scoring three times in 10 games – all it takes is one look at Alberto’s numbers in the previous campaign to realise just how clinical he can be.

Scoring 31 goals and assisting another seven in 57 games last season, the Corinthians star is more than ready for a move to a European club. Praised for his “quick reactions and determination” by analyst Ben Mattinson last summer, Alberto righty remains one to watch.

It would be quite the coup for Wolves if they managed to win such a busy race, but it’s crucial that they do welcome a replacement for Cunha if he does depart this summer. Just where they would be without a player of his calibre is not a question they’ll want answering.

After winning the AFC Champions League last season, can the UAE's most successful club cause a shock this summer?

We're going to get it out of the way right here at the start: the Club World Cup isn't going to be easy for Al Ain FC. Hailing from the United Arab Emirates, Al Ain have been drawn into a group with Manchester City and Juventus. Good luck with that one!

But that's the fun part of this tournament, isn't it? Al Ain are the UAE's most successful club and, as they prepare to head to the U.S. for this summer's tournament, they'll be dreaming of causing an upset against one of the world's Goliaths.

Back on home soil, the club is known as , which translates to "The Boss". Rightfully so. They are far and away the UAE's top trophy winners, having won 38 in total, including 14 league crowns. Most notably, though, they are the only UAE side to have won the AFC Champions League, which has booked them their date with the world's best.

They do have a history in this competition, too. In 2018, as hosts of the Club World Cup, Al Ain topped Team Wellington and Esperance de Tunis to earn a clash with Argentine giants River Plate. They won that on penalties, thus getting a lucky ticket to face Real Madrid in the finale. The UAE side lost, 4-1, but it was a dream run, one that will give them hope ahead of this summer.

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will be played in 12 stadiums in 11 U.S. cities, from the opener on June 14 until the final on July 13. In the U.S., fans can stream or watch matches on DAZN or TNT. Leading up to kickoff, GOAL will provide scouting reports on each of the 32 participating teams in the expanded field.

Next up is Al Ain, with a look at key players to watch, and expectations for the UAE side at the tournament.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  The Basics

  DOMESTIC LEAGUE: UAE Pro League

  CLUB WORLD CUP HISTORY: Second appearance (Finished second in 2018 edition)

  GROUP: G (Al Ain, Juventus, Manchester City, Wydad Casablanca)

  OPENING MATCH: Juventus – June 18, 9 p.m., Washington, D.C

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  How they got here

  Al Ain are the reigning AFC Champions League winners, having run through plenty of familiar faces on their push to the trophy. En route, they took down Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr and the similarly stacked Al Hilal, who currently feature the likes of Kalidou Koulibaly, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Joao Cancelo, Ruben Neves, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Malcom.

  Once in the finale, they crushed Yokohama Marinos, 6-3 on aggregate, to win the club's second Champions League and, more importantly for the purposes of this preview, earn a spot in the Club World Cup.

• AFP
  

  The player to watch

  Al Ain feature a familiar face for die-hard MLS fans: none other than former New York Red Bulls star Alejandro 'Kaku' Gamarra. The Paraguayan was a pretty good attacking presence during his three seasons in MLS, but his exit was unceremonious, to put it lightly. Kaku joined Al-Taawoun in February 2021, setting off a series of lawsuits related to his contract with the club.

  That's all in the past now, and Kaku has been with Al Ain since 2023. The creator behind star striker Soufiane Rahimi, who led the AFC Champions League with 13 goals last season, Kaku has been quite prolific himself. With 18 goals and 22 assists in his two seasons so far with the club, Kaku is the one who will have to pull some strings if Al Ain are to cause an upset.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Realistic expectations

  Expectations aren't high, but emotions sure will be if they do find a way to get a result. Al Ain will head into the tournament knowing they aren't one of the favorites, but they do have enough recent tournament history to have the crucial thought: why not?

  Al Ain were given a tough draw, for sure, particularly with Juve and Manchester City being their first two games of the tournament but, if they can somehow get a result out of one of those two games, Al Ain will be dreaming. Still, they'll need just about every break to go their way to get out of the group so, with that in mind, the more likely approach is to just be happy to be here and enjoy this chance to lead your club into matches against the world's best.