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West Ham United are hopeful of adding some new faces before the Premier League season begins and could be about to up the ante in pursuit of a hot prospect, according to reports.

West Ham United close in on Callum Wilson deal

Following his departure from Newcastle United, free agent striker Callum Wilson is in talks over a move to West Ham to offer experience and depth within Graham Potter’s forward line.

Speaking about his next move, the England cap has claimed he still has ‘so much to give’ at the top level despite doubts from some given his age and scoring record of late.

He stated: “I am 33. I have still got so much to give in the game. I feel mentally and physically still able to more than contribute in however many games in a season.

“It is just difficult, you are playing at a club when you have got arguably one of the best strikers in world football at the moment, in the form of Alex Isak, to break in is difficult. I am never one who shies away from a fight, I would happily be there to push and take my opportunity when it arose, but it just didn’t seem to arise in the back end of the season.”

Aside from the Hammers’ pursuit of a forward, Michael Cooper has been identified as a goalkeeping target for West Ham after his excellent form at Sheffield United.

He'd be the new Kudus: West Ham keen on signing "electric" £23m star

Following Mohammed Kudus’ sale to Tottenham, West Ham are keen to sign a “brilliant talent” worth £23m to bolster Graham Potter’s attacking options.

By
Ben Gray

Jul 28, 2025

Alphonse Areola may well be replaced, though could another figure from the Championship be the man to offer a challenge between the sticks at the London Stadium?

West Ham United preparing bid for Pierce Charles

According to The Star, West Ham are readying a bid for Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Pierce Charles and could look to test the Owls’ resolve in light of their present financial troubles.

Nevertheless, the Championship outfit are unlikely to entertain an approach, with the Northern Ireland international not only viewed as their number one this term, but a player who could grow considerably in value before they sanction a future sale.

Labelled “excellent” by national boss Michael O’Neill, the 20-year-old managed a solitary clean sheet across 13 outings in all competitions, though his potential is there for all to see at Hillsborough.

With two years left on his deal, it remains to be seen if West Ham could tempt Sheffield Wednesday into a sale. The second-tier outfit need funds to tie them over until any potential takeover. Still, the Owls also don’t want to run the risk of relegation.

The Hammers are trying to recover from flying a little too close to the sun themselves, so it makes sense if they are now focusing the bulk of their activity on securing stars with potential to develop over the coming years.

The Croatian is still producing midfield masterclasses at 40 years of age, while the egalitarian environment at Barcelona is reaping rewards

Play has resumed in Europe after the international break and, along with Liverpool in England, we still have five teams boasting flawless records in the other ‘Big 5’ leagues.

Unsurprisingly, defending champions Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain continue to lead the way in Germany and France, respectively. In Italy, Napoli have also made the perfect start to their Serie title defence but a resurgent Juventus are keeping pace with Antonio Conte’s team, while Real Madrid are four from four in Spain despite playing with 10 men for an hour on Saturday.

Of course, there were plenty of other major talking points over the weekend, so who were the big winners and losers from the latest round of action across the continent? GOAL breaks it all down below…

• WINNER: Luka Modric

  AC Milan threw Luka Modric a surprise 40th birthday party last week. On Sunday, he scored the only goal of the game as AC Milan beat Bologna at San Siro to make it two wins in a row after their embarrassing loss to Cremonese on the opening day of the new Serie A season.

  "It was a great way to celebrate," Modric told after becoming the oldest midfielder to ever score a goal in Italy's top flight. "We won, which is the most important thing, and now we have to focus on the next matches.

  "It was a good move, Ale (Alexis Saelemaekers) gave me a great ball and it was easy to score, it was more his pass than my finish.

  "I just hope people will not remind me of my age anymore!"

  There seems little chance of that, though, as what Modric is doing at the age of 40 is truly extraordinary. 

  Not only is he already looking like a fantastic free transfer for a Milan side that lacked both quality and character last season, he also appears to have every chance of representing his beloved Croatia at next summer's World Cup, having helped his country continue their 100 percent start to qualifying during the recent international break.

  Maybe he really is a magician, as the Gazzetta dello Sport labelled him on Monday morning.

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  WINNER: Hansi Flick

  Barcelona obviously have several special players. La Masia remains a precious goldmine, saving the cash-strapped Catalans an absolute fortune in the transfer market.

  However, it's also abundantly clear that in Hansi Flick the Blaugrana are blessed with one of the best coaches in world football. Indeed, it's hard to overstate just how good a job the German is doing at Barcelona.

  Since taking over in the summer of 2024, he's had a ridiculous amount of off-field nonsense to deal with, from registration rows to incessant stadium setbacks. For example, Saturday's Liga clash with Valencia was played at the 6,000-seater arena beside their training ground because the revamped Camp Nou is still not ready to open.

  Despite the constant distractions, though, the senior squad continues to go from strength to strength – and Flick is the key factor in that regard.

  The former Bayern Munich boss is a bold tactician, with his high-risk high line continuing to reap rewards, but he's also an outstanding man-manager who treats everyone equally – as the 6-0 rout of Valencia underlined.

  Raphinha is one of the most influential and important players at the club but Flick had no issue benching the Brazilian for the game at the Johan Cruyff Stadium after he arrived late to training the day before the game.

  The message was that nobody gets special treatment at Flick's Barca. Everyone is treated equally and, for that reason, they're all willing to work together towards a common goal – which is why Raphinha accepted his punishment without complaint before responding in the best possible manner by scoring twice after coming on as a second-half substitute.

  So, while the construction work at Camp Nou may be behind schedule, Flick has already built a brilliant Barca team in every sense.

• AFP
  

  LOSER: PSG's injury issues

  One would be hard pressed to find anyone that feels sorry for Paris Saint-Germain. They have one of most expensive squads in world football, with the added bonus of being in a position of being able to regularly rotate players in between big European games because PSG are so far ahead of every other team in France that it's farcical.

  However, last season's treble-winners are "in a bit of a difficult moment", as Luis Enrique put it, ahead of Wednesday night's Champions League opener against Atalanta.

  Having already lost Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue to injury during the international break, PSG saw the other member of their first-choice forward line, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, forced off just half an hour into Sunday's clash with Lens.

  Obviously, PSG still won the game, with Bradley Barcola scoring twice to underline the Parisians' strength in depth – and make it four wins from four in Ligue 1. However, Kang-In Lee and Lucas Beraldo also had to come off at the Parc des Princes, meaning the reigning European champions are short on numbers as they begin their title defence.

  Of course, if last season's Champions League taught us anything, it's that the majority of games in the league phase are inconsequential. It's possible to lose four times and still progress. Still, the scale of PSG's fitness problems suggest that Luis Enrique's men might yet end up paying a heavy price for their participation in last summer's FIFA Club World Cup…

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• WINNER: Footballing brothers

  Lilian Thuram was a fantastic footballer, easily one of the finest defenders of the modern era. His sons Marcus and Khephren are pretty good, too, though – as both proved in Saturday's sensational Derby d'Italia.

  With just under a quarter of an hour remaining in a thrilling encounter in Turin, Marcus nodded home a Federico Dimarco corner to put Inter 3-2 up. However, Khephren levelled matters with a fine header of his own just minutes later before Vasilije Adzic hit a long-range winner for Juventus in the dying seconds.

  Unfortunately, Inter coach Christian Chivu had to put some mischievous members of their media in their place for trying to make a controversy out of the fact that the Thurams shared a joke or two at the full-time whistle – but there was no spoiling what was a wonderful occasion for Lilian and and his two boys.

  "Both Marcus and my father tell me I'm not good with my head and should score more headers, so I was glad to score with my head today!" an ecstatic Khephren told afterwards. "Marcus told me with his eyes well done, because he's a great brother as well as a great player. He was proud of me."

  Remarkably, the Thuram brothers weren't the only set of siblings from France to score at the weekend.

  On Saturday evening, Kylian Mbappe maintained his red-hot start to the new Liga season with the opening goal in Real Madrid's hard-fought 2-1 win at Real Sociedad.

  The following day, his teenage brother Ethan came off the bench to earn Lille a 2-1 victory over Toulouse with a 98th-minute strike that sparked scenes of wild celebration at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

  Unsurprisingly, Kylian was among the first to congratulate his younger brother, labelling Ethan "STARBOY" in a post on Instagram. 

Aston Villa fans have cheered on a lot of potent attackers in recent memory.

Indeed, last season saw the Villans masses become enamoured with the heroics of Jhon Duran, with the Colombian firing home a quickfire 12 goals from 27 appearances, before being picked up by Al-Nassr.

Of course, there is also Ollie Watkins still at Villa Park, as the England international chipped in with a lethal 17 strikes all across the 24/25 campaign.

However, with rumours continuing to circulate that Watkins might be leaving the West Midlands behind this summer for pastures new, a new striker looks to be a priority for Emery and Co. ahead of September’s approaching deadline, as a deadly target now comes into focus.

Villa maintain interest in £51m forward

Indeed, Watkins has been linked with a move away to Newcastle United and Manchester United in recent days.

Regardless of this rampant speculation, the 29-year-old has allowed his football to do the talking on Villa’s pre-season tour, as seen in the header above, cannoning into the net against Nashville SC.

Fulham attacker Rodrigo Muniz is allegedly on the Villa shopping list as they hunt down reinforcements up top, but Emery might well fancy a move for this alternative attacker instead from the Bundesliga.

As per Sky Sports Germany reporters Florian Plettenberg and Philipp Hinze, Villa also have their eyes on RB Leipzig marksman Lois Openda, with the report openly stating that the Belgian would be viewed as a viable replacement for Watkins.

Sunderland is also named as another Premier League outfit looking at the in-demand 25-year-old, with the Leipzig number 11 also now available at a far more reasonable £51m price tag, having once had a weighty £70m release clause above his head.

Villa will hope they can advance to the front of the queue for Openda’s services, having experienced great success in the past when snapping up a Belgian attacker who has been a hit in Europe, in the form of Christian Benteke.

How Openda can be Emery's own Benteke

Benteke’s name will most certainly still be uttered in the same breath as Duran and Watkins.

The current DC United centre-forward would instantly take the English game by storm when leading the line for the Villans with venom, as seen in him accumulating a prolific 19 goals across his debut top-flight campaign.

In total, at Villa Park by the end of his blistering three-season association with the club, the imposing Belgian would collect a deadly 49 strikes from 101 clashes, leading to former Villa teammate Andreas Weimann hailing him as an “unbelievable” talent.

Openda has been described in equally glowing terms for his goalscoring exploits at Leipzig – having been dubbed as “terrifying” to shut down by football journalist Seb Stafford-Bloor – with the hope history can repeat itself in the here and now as Emery wins his very own Benteke-style figure.

Amazingly, Openda is already ahead of where Benteke was when he burst onto the scene in England, with the 27-time Belgium international boasting a hefty 105 goals next to his name, lining up in the Bundesliga, Eredivisie, Ligue 1, and even the Jupiler Pro League, where Benteke initially made a name for himself.

It will, of course, come at a greater cost; therefore, with the DC striker only costing the Villans £7m to bring in from Genk 13 years ago. Whereas, the lethal Leipzig 11 will set Emery and Co. back around the £51m price range.

Still, this feels like a worthwhile amount of money to fork out for a striker who fired home a ridiculous 28 goals in all competitions across the 23/24 season.

He could well become even more of a nuisance up top in his new surroundings as the likes of Morgan Rogers could supply him with chances, as Villa attempt to lessen their worries about Watkins exiting by securing a deal for a potent Belgian who might soon follow in Benteke’s esteemed footsteps.

New Watkins: Aston Villa could see bid accepted for "super-fast" £60m star

Aston Villa target RB Leipzig’s star foward as Ollie Watkins replacement

By
Will Miller

Aug 2, 2025

Liverpool have ended a 417-match unbroken run of naming a homegrown player in their starting XI for a European fixture. The Reds face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday, and Arne Slot has not named a single English player in his team. There are four homegrown players on the bench, however.

• Slot makes huge call

  Liverpool face Atleti in the Champions League on Wednesday, and Slot has made a remarkable decision, as he has opted against including a single English player in his starting XI. There are four English players on the bench: Freddie Woodman, Joe Gomez, Rio Ngumoha, and Jayden Danns. But they are absent from the first-team. 

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  Isak makes first start after summer move

  Perhaps the headline news is the inclusion of Alexander Isak in the XI, as he makes his debut after his £125 million ($171m) move from Newcastle. Britain is represented in the XI, as Scotland international Andrew Robertson starts at left-back. Four Dutch players start: Jeremie Frimpong, Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch, and Cody Gakpo. 

• Slot looking for European success

  Slot's side fell short in the Champions League last season, losing to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties in the Round of 16. Given how successful their domestic season was, the Dutchman will be desperate to put that right. 

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  Who else do Liverpool play in Europe?

  After facing Atletico, Liverpool will then play Galatasaray, Eintracht Frankfurt, Real Madrid, PSV Eindhoven, Inter Milan, Marseille, and Qarabag. 

Antony was the inspiration for Real Betis with two key contributions to deny Forest on their long-awaited return to European competition in Seville. His dramatic equaliser came with five minutes remaining, following his assist for Cedric Bakambu in the 15th minute which had given Betis the lead. Forest squandered their lead, which came courtesy of a brace from Igor Jesus, during their first foray into European competition since the 1995-96 season.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Antony spoils Postecoglou's party

  Antony's impressive performance came following his switch from Manchester United, which was made permanent earlier this month. Betis took the lead, but two strikes from Jesus had given Postecoglou's side hope of securing a famous win in Europe. But Antony made no mistake from inside the box to earn his side a draw. 

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• Watch Antony's late equaliser for Betis

  Antony savoured his late equaliser to deny Forest…

• Joe Cole says confidence was key

  Joe Cole, who was watching for TNT, said: "I think what's happened with that team tonight is that they haven't won a game this year, they know they've played well, they know they should win the game but when you know you should've already won the the game, you're trying to hold onto it then it becomes more precious. They got in that middle position and that's something, as a team, they need to do better on nights like this."

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  Antony's bright new future

  Betis boss Manuel Pellegrini has invested heavily in Antony, whose performances on loan in Spain last season convinced him to shell-out £21 million ($27m) to make the move permanent. Antony bagged nine goals and provided five assists in 26 appearances and he's off to a flyer this season, too. The diabolical spell at Old Trafford is becoming a distant memory. 

Crystal Palace now hold a strong interest in signing a “talented” goal-scoring defender, and they could be set to battle a fellow UEFA Conference League club for his signature, according to a report.

Palace demoted to Conference League after unsuccessful appeal

It should be a time of celebration for Palace, having recently won the Community Shield for the first time, but UEFA’s recent verdict has certainly dampened the mood somewhat, and a strong statement has been issued in response.

“It appears that certain clubs, organisations and individuals have a unique privilege and power.

“This growing and unhealthy influence has shattered the hopes and dreams of Crystal Palace supporters, and does not bode well for aspirational teams all over Europe competing to progress when rules and sanctions are unevenly applied in the most flagrant way.”

Crystal Palace may sign "extraordinary" £30m+ UCL player in Eze swap deal

The Eagles have now set their sights on a Champions League player.

By
Dominic Lund

Aug 13, 2025

Not only is being denied the right to compete in the Europa League a blow for the supporters, who would have been dreaming about trips to some of Europe’s biggest clubs, but it could also have an impact on the Eagles’ summer transfer plans.

Playing in the more prestigious Europa League is a more attractive proposition for potential new signings, and Oliver Glasner’s side may need to bring in a few new arrivals before the end of the month, given the doubts over Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi’s futures.

Should Eze and their captain move on, it will be vital for Crystal Palace to bring in a new attacking midfielder and centre-back, but they are also keen to bolster their options at right-back.

That is according to a report from Italy, which states Crystal Palace now hold strong interest in signing Cagliari defender Nadir Zortea, but there may be competition for his signature, with Fiorentina also keen.

Should the Italian club successfully navigate their Conference League play-off match, they could be one of the Eagles’ opponents next season, and they are also set to do battle over the signature of Zortea, with a deal potentially set to amount to at least €10m (£9m).

"Talented" Zortea could be solid Munoz alternative

Daniel Munoz was a vital player for Glasner last season, with the right-back proving himself as a real threat on the front foot by picking up four goals and six assists in the Premier League.

As Palace are set to embark on a European campaign, they will need to strengthen their squad depth, and they may want to bring in a new right-back in a similar mould to Munoz, with the Cagliari defender fitting the bill.

Much like the 29-year-old, Zortea is impressive going forward, and displayed a keen eye for goal in the Serie A last season, finding the back of the net six times in 35 outings.

Having also been lauded as “talented” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Italian could be the ideal option to come in and provide competition for Munoz’s starting spot.

Fabrizio Romano has shared what Man City sensation Rico Lewis is thinking about a move to Nottingham Forest, coming after Nuno Espirito Santo’s side opened negotiations for the talent earlier this week.

Since it was announced by UEFA that Forest will be taking Crystal Palace’s place in the Europa League this season, Evangelos Marinakis and co have seriously started kicking the club’s transfer plans into gear with a late-window flurry.

Nuno lost one of their key attacking stars from last season, Anthony Elanga, to Newcastle United in a deal worth £55 million earlier this summer, and were on the verge of losing star playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White to Tottenham before Marinakis intervened.

The summer didn’t exactly start in rosy fashion for Forest, but in the space of a few days, Marinakis has sealed a triple signing for Nuno worth around £92 million.

Man City’s James McAtee and Ipswich Town’s Omari Hutchinson are on their way to the City Ground, as is Arnaud Kalimuendo, with the striker now sealing a £27 million move to Forest ahead of an imminent medical.

So much is happening at Forest right now, with the club also reaching an agreement on personal terms for Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz, who could make a swift return to the Premier League just one year after leaving the Midlands from Aston Villa.

Forest are pushing to sign the Brazilian, who bagged 10 goals and 10 assists in all competitions during his final year at Villa, to complement Gibbs-White in the middle of the park.

Forest have also opened talks with Juve over Luiz, so this is certainly one to watch out for, as is a move for Lewis.

Rico Lewis stance on joining Nottingham Forest after opening Man City talks

It’s hard to keep up with all the activity going on under Marinakis’ watch.

On Friday evening, Romano shared news that Forest have submitted an official bid for Lewis – opening talks with City as they push to sign the versatile 20-year-old – who can play at full-back and in midfield.

In a further update, the reliable journalist shared Lewis’ stance on making the move to Forest from Eastlands.

The reporter claims there is real belief at Forest that the player is keen to join them, and this has resulted in Nuno’s side insisting on finding an agreement with City – though it is stressed that Marinakis’ initial bid is currently below Lewis’ asking price.

The starlet has already earned five caps for England as a result of his sky-high potential, with Pep Guardiola even once calling Lewis one of the best players he has ever coached.

Julian Alvarez ended his goal drought in spectacular fashion with a hat-trick that sealed Atletico Madrid’s 3-2 win over Rayo Vallecano, offering a lifeline to Diego Simeone’s inconsistent side. While Simeone hailed the Argentine as Atleti’s “best player” and called for him to stay long-term, the result only briefly masks the club’s broader struggles as they prepare for a decisive Madrid derby.

• Julian Alvarez ends goal drought with hat-trick

  Alvarez netted a brilliant hat-trick to give Atletico a 3-2 win over Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday. He opened the scoring with a volley, levelled the match by firing in a rebound from close range and then sealed the win in the 88th minute with a superb shot from the edge of the box. These goals not only broke his dry spell but delivered a much-needed boost for Atletico's campaign, registering their second win in La Liga. Coach Simeone was delighted by his team's performance as he brough the spotlight on Alvarez's performance.

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  Diego Simeone wants Alvarez to stay at Atletico for years

  The Los Rojiblancos coach was elated that his team were finally getting back on track after their strong performance against Liverpool in the Champions League and now winning their fixture against Vallecano.

  "Julian is the best player we have," he told reporters. "We need to take care of him, to keep him here at Atleti for many years. He has to help us, and we have to help him, so he can become even better than he already is. Every time he makes a difference, he helps us a lot."

• Atletico Madrid's struggle continues despite Alvarez's heroics

  Alvarez had faced a six-match goal drought and growing frustration over his role at Atletico in recent weeks. Reports suggested dissatisfaction from the youngster regarding his playing time and position, fuelling transfer rumours linking him to Barcelona and Liverpool ahead of the 2026 transfer window. His hat-trick against Vallecano ended that drought and provided a rare highlight in what has been a disappointing start to the campaign for Atletico, who have struggled to find consistency and have only picked up nine points from a possible 18 in the league. While Alvarez's performance may ease speculation about his future, questions remain about the club's form and direction this season.

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  Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid get ready for derby clash

  Simeone's next game will be a defining one for this year's campaign as they face Real Madrid in their upcoming league fixture on September 27. After their derby, Los Colchoneros will switch their attention to the Champions League where they host German club Eintracht Frankfurt on September 30.

Joao Felix stepped up in Cristiano Ronaldo's absence as the Portuguese forward scored a stunning goal towards the end of the game to seal a 2-0 win for Al-Nassr over Al-Zawraa in their second match of the AFC Champions League Two on Wednesday. 'Super sub' Abdullah Al-Khaibari had earlier handed the Saudi Pro League giants the lead with a world-class finish at the start of the second half.

• TELL ME MORE

  Cristiano Ronaldo did not travel to Iraq for the AFC Champions League Two clash as Jorge Jesus had earlier clarified that the 40-year-old was being rested, amid a hectic schedule. In Ronaldo's absence, new signing Joao Felix spearheaded the team's attack with Sadio Mane and Kingsley Coman at his side.

  Al-Zawraa started the game on a positive note and created as many as three goalscoring chances within the first 20 minutes as they completely dominated proceedings against the Saudi giants. As the game progressed, both teams slowed down their intensity and at the end of the first half, the score line remained goalless.

  After the break, Jorge Jesus brought in Abdullah Al-Khaibari in place of Ayman Yahya and the decision proved to be a masterstroke as Al-Khaibari proved to be a 'super sub' as he broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute. Mane sent a cross from the left side of the box, which was intercepted by an Al-Zawraa defender but Al-Khaibari scored the goal from the rebound with a first-time attempt as he fired the ball into the goal through the bottom right corner. 

  After having a quiet game for the majority of the match, star striker Felix finally got his name on the scoresheet as the ex-Chelsea and Barcelona star scored with a stunning finish from the edge of the box after receiving a pass from Mane.

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  THE MVP

  Mane was undoubtedly the most active Al-Nassr player on the pitch tonight in a relatively slow game. The ex-Liverpool winger worked hard on the left flank and provided the assist for Felix's winning goal. He was also instrumental in creating the move for Al-Khaibari's opening goal.

• THE BIG LOSER

  Al-Zawraa made a bright start to the game and maintained pressure on the Al-Nassr defence in the first 20 minutes of the match, however, they failed to take an early lead despite creating multiple chances. The Iraqi side's attack was wasteful, which led to Al-Nassr taking control, and ultimately led to them winning the game. 

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  WHAT COMES NEXT?

  Jorge Jesus' side will be back in action in the Saudi Pro League after the international break on October 18 when they host Al Fateh. 

Despite picking up both the FA Cup and Community Shield in quick succession, Oliver Glasner might well feel somewhat defeated from the Crystal Palace dug-out currently.

All of that recent success wasn’t enough to keep Eberechi Eze at Selhurst Park, who is now a £67.5m superstar at Arsenal, with Marc Guehi’s exit from East London also still looking to be on the cards as we head nearer to transfer deadline day.

With the clock ticking ever closer to September’s abrupt cut-off, the Austrian will be praying some positive additions come into the building, as a new midfield target now appears on their radar.

Crystal Palace lodge enquiry for £40k-p/w star

Away from all the talk about departures, it has been a rather subdued window to date at the Eagles.

Indeed, only Borna Sosa has actually cost Palace a fee this summer, and with the Selhurst Park bank account rising courtesy of Eze’s dramatic move to the Gunners, there will be hope that a major move or two is in the offing.

Of course, the main name taking up a large chunk of Palace transfer discussion at the moment is Conor Gallagher, with it being speculated that the ex-Chelsea midfielder could return to the Eagles shortly, having once experienced a formative loan stint at the club.

This would get the fanbase on side after Eze’s exit, considering Gallagher is known to have an eye for a goal and assist. He might well be joined by another creative asset in the middle of the park, too, in the form of RB Leipzig star Christoph Baumgartner.

Sky Sports Germany is reporting that Palace have lodged an enquiry for the £40k-per-week midfielder, as Glasner and Co. keep their options wide open to try and replace the star quality that has left East London behind.

Whilst the report does further elaborate that Glasner’s fellow Austrian compatriot isn’t pushing to leave Leipzig, the pull of the Premier League could well prove to be a tempting one, particularly if he is given the freedom to strut his stuff, alongside a potential teammate in Gallagher.

Why Baumgartner could shine with Gallagher

After all, Baumgartner has shown he has a moment of quality like this up his sleeve for his nation regularly, with a stunning 19 goals amassed from 51 caps for Austria.

His well-known reputation for delivering the goods for his country even saw his national team boss in Ralf Rangnick, declare that he is a “difference-maker”, with the number ten spot looking a lot less depleted if the exciting 26-year-old were to walk away from Leipzig for a shot at Premier League glory with the Eagles.

It will all rest on whether the Leipzig number 14 can show off his Bundesliga best consistently under Glasner’s wing in England – with a mightily impressive 54 goal contributions under his belt playing in Germany – but that transition could be made to feel a lot easier if he has the experience of Gallagher by his side.

Much like Baumgartner, the 25-year-old has garnered a reputation for being a lively presence centrally, as seen in him collecting eight goals and five assists during his first stint at Palace, but he is also well-equipped to sit back and be an anchor for his team, which will gift the 51-time Austria international the immediate freedom to express himself.

Away from collecting five goals and seven assists during his final Premier League season with Chelsea, Gallagher also stood out as a relentless livewire willing to get stuck in, with a hefty six ball recoveries averaged per clash, on top of also averaging a high 5.7 duels won.

Baumgartner has also displayed similar levels of vigour plying his trade in Germany, with 4.9 duels won on average for Hoffenheim during his breakout 2019/20 campaign.

The pair working alongside each other in the Palace midfield really could end up being a match made in heaven, with Glasner’s side hopefully looking revitalised with these new additions arriving through the door, even with Eze nowhere to be found.

Crystal Palace want to complete £40m double deal to replace Eberechi Eze

The Eagles are ready to plough their summer budget into attacking reinforcements.

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By
Sean Markus Clifford

Aug 25, 2025