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Crystal Palace are reportedly interested in signing Burnley midfielder Dwight McNeil, according to Sky Sports. 

The lowdown: In demand

A product of the youth system at Manchester United, McNeil cut his teeth in senior football in the Premier League and has racked up 134 appearances in the top-flight over five consecutive seasons, scoring seven goals and supplying 17 assists.

After suffering the indignity of relegation from the division with Burnley last season, the 22-year-old former England youth international is seemingly a wanted man with multiple suitors already in the mix.

Previously linked with a move to Everton, Tottenham, Brentford and newly promoted Fulham, an emerging report has claimed McNeil is now on the radar at Selhurst Park…

The latest: ‘Approach’ made

As per Sky Sports, Crystal Palace and West Ham have both made an ‘approach’ to sign the 10-cap England Under 21 starlet.

It’s claimed that McNeil is ‘keen to return to the Premier League’ and is currently ‘considering a number of options’ regarding his future.

The report also states that Burnley are ‘likely to demand a fee in excess of £15million’ for the youngster who was dubbed a ‘sensational player’ by The Athletic journalist Andy Jones back in June 2020.

The verdict: Strength in numbers

Eagles boss Patrick Vieira already has an embarrassment of riches at his disposal in wide areas with Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze, Jeffrey Schlupp and Malcolm Ebiowei all capable of operating on both wings.

Furthermore, despite the incessant links to a move away from South East London, including this summer with AS Roma touted as potential suitors, talismanic winger Wilfried Zaha remains in situ in the Palace squad.

However, still just 22, McNeil has already proven to be a capable operator at the elite level and would therefore be a superb addition to the ranks ahead of what looks certain to be a long campaign with a World Cup thrown into the mix.

Although the Englishman supplied only £16.2million valued ace still managed to outperform Zaha when it comes to what many would say is the Ivorian’s forte by completing 2.4 successful dribbles per outing compared to the Palace favourite’s 2.3 completed attempts.

All told, at the suggested price, McNeil would be an impressive signing for the South East Londoners.

Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard has ousted Bertrand Traore from the first-team squad, according to Ashley Preece of The Birmingham Mail. 

The lowdown

Villa paid £17m to sign Traore from Ligue 1 outfit Lyon in September 2020, but two years on, it looks like his time with the Midlands club could be up.

Traore only made one Premier League start last season, registering nine appearances and a mere 213 minutes of action overall. That was partly a result of injury, but he rarely featured even when available (via Transfermarkt).

The winger is under contract at Villa Park for another two years and is thought to be the sixth-highest earner at the club on a salary of £78,000 per week.

The latest

Preece took to Twitter to share ‘a bit of an AVFC team news round up’.

He revealed that ‘Bertrand Traore has been told to train with the under-23s’, adding in the attached article that right-back Frederic Guilbert has also been ‘banished’ from the first team.

The verdict

It’s no surprise that Gerrard would like to offload Traore, who is proving to be a financial drain for Villa, taking home more than £4m per year without really contributing on the pitch.

The former Chelsea man actually enjoyed quite a good first season at Villa Park, scoring seven league goals and providing seven assists. That form had then-manager Dean Smith calling him a ‘marvellous technician’ and predicting that there were ‘better things’ to come, but things have tailed off sharply since.

The fact that Traore has been ejected from the main group could potentially suggest that Gerrard is unhappy with the 26-year-old’s attitude in training.

It has been suggested that the Burkina Faso international could return to Lyon, and that would enable a frustrated Villa to cut their losses on him.

As far as signings go, Bertrand Traore has been one of the poorer additions at Aston Villa in recent times.

The 26-year-old returned to England, having come through the Chelsea academy, back in September 2020 after the Midlands outfit paid £17m to prise him away from Ligue 1 outfit Lyon.

But after two years of struggles and inconsistencies, it seems his future at Villa Park is in major doubt.

According to journalist Ashley Preece of the Birmingham Mail, the Burkina Faso international has been banished from the first-team squad by manager Steven Gerrard, meaning he will have to train with the youth team at Bodymoor Heath until a solution can be provided, likely in the form of an exit.

He will join contract rebel Carney Chukwuemeka and right-back Frederic Guilbert with the U23s for the foreseeable future, with the Villa boss not wanting the trio involved with the senior side.

Signed by former manager Dean Smith, Traore has failed to hit the heights that he reached over in France, managing only eight goals and seven assists from 48 appearances, as per Transfermarkt.

The £14.4m-rated winger featured in only ten matches last season, registering a total of 277 minutes of competitive action – a lot of his absence early in the campaign was through injury but when he was fit, Gerrard only utilised him in five games, one of which being a start.

Smith deemed his signing to be a “marvellous technician” and tipped him for big things ahead of the 2021/22 campaign but that failed to come to fruition, with the Englishman losing his job by early November.

With wages thought to be in the region of £78k-per-week, which makes him the sixth-highest earner at Villa Park heading into the new season. That’s an awful lot of money going to waste for a player that has been expelled to the U23s.

As such, it’s now on sporting director Johan Lange to find an exit for the former Blues gem as he clearly has no future at the club.

Once dubbed “inconsistent” by journalist Dan Bardell of ‘The Villa View’ podcast, Traore must be moved on in the coming weeks as the transfer window slams shut in less than a month’s time.

AND in other news, Talks ongoing: Lange could strike gold at Villa as Preece drops 9-word contract update…

Can’t get enough football? Watch Aston Vill live streams and highlights on StreamFootball

Transfer insider Dean Jones has now dropped some new details on Everton and Frank Lampard’s search for a new striker.

The Lowdown: Striker needed

Following Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s injury, the Goodison Park outfit are in desperate need of a new striker up top.

They have sold Richarlison to Tottenham Hotspur, and have let both Ellis Simms and Nathan Broadhead go out on loan to Sunderland and Wigan Athletic respectively, so they are extremely short in that area of the pitch at the moment.

The Latest: Premier League striker wanted

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones has shared that Lampard ‘wants’ the striker that the Merseyside club choose to bring in to be from the Premier League, so that he is familiar with them and can work with them straight away:

“I was told Lampard specifically wants to know a fair bit about whichever striker he ends up signing because he wants to have somebody that he knows he can get the best out of pretty early on.

“So, on the back of that, he pretty much wants a Premier League striker. He wants someone that’s been around the league.

“Even if they haven’t been a regular, he wants to have seen them and understand what they’re about. So I think he’ll probably look for someone that’s on the fringes already at a Premier League club.”

The Verdict: Understandable

The Toffees need to bring in a centre-forward that can hit the ground running quickly, and so it is understandable that Lampard wants them to be from the top flight.

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This perhaps narrows their search for a new number nine, with Chelsea’s Armando Broja and Southampton’s Che Adams two of the names who have been linked with a move to the Blues.

Nonetheless, the foreign market could also prove fruitful, and may be cheaper then buying directly from a rival, but Lampard seems to know exactly what he wants.

Sky Sports pundit Kevin Campbell has backed his former club Arsenal to make a move for Lyon midfielder Lucas Paqueta this summer.

The Lowdown: Paqueta linked with Arsenal

Last month, Goal reported that the Gunners had made contact with the 24-year-old’s representatives over a potential move to the Emirates Stadium.

Following this, it was reported that the French outfit have indicated they would be willing to entertain offers for the Brazil international. When quizzed over Paqueta’s future, Lyon’s head of recruitment Bruno Cheyrou claimed: “We are prepared for every eventuality”.

The Latest: Campbell’s claim

Campbell, the ex-Arsenal striker who works as a pundit for Sky Sports, believes that Paqueta would be a fantastic signing for the Gunners.

Speaking with Football Insider, the 52-year-old claimed: “Paqueta looks like a really, really good footballer.

“He is another Brazil international. Hey, come and join the Brazilian revolution! It is happening in London and it is happening at Arsenal.

“Listen, you can never have enough quality players, especially with the five substitute rule now.

“The pursuit of the likes of Paqueta and [Youri] Tielemans could go right to the end of the window. These are the players who are difference makers.

“The team is performing now. Could you imagine if you bolster that with two, three, four of the players we are talking about? All of a sudden people would be like, ‘Hold on a minute, something it really happening at the Emirates.’

“I like what I am hearing and I like what I am seeing. Paqueta would be a brilliant signing.”

The Verdict: Would be a huge signing

When looking at Paqueta’s underlying statistics, it is easy to see why Mikel Arteta would be keen on welcoming the midfielder to the Emirates.

As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, the 24-year-old ranks in the 99th percentile for tackles, the 94th percentile for pressures and the 93rd percentile for progressive passes received.

However, with a current market value of £31.5m, this seems to be an unlikely signing for Arsenal, given that Lyon are expected to command a much higher fee than this, with sums of €80m (£67.5m) having been mooted.

Therefore, whilst this would be a fantastic signing for the Gunners, it also appears to be somewhat unlikely.

Everton have made five signings so far this summer in their pursuit to improve the team following a disastrous relegation scrap last season, and now a new potential transfer target has emerged.

What’s the latest?

According to journalist Karim Bennani, Everton have been offered the chance to sign Marseille striker Arkadiusz Milik in the remaining weeks of the transfer window.

Bennani tweeted: “OM would have proposed Arkadiusz Milik to several European clubs.

“Among the clubs surveyed there would be Everton, Manchester United or Juventus Turin.”

Imagine him & McNeil

There is no doubt that the desperation for a new striker is growing every single day for the powers at Goodison Park as the side is set to go into their third fixture of the season without a decent centre-forward to convert chances in front of goal.

Frank Lampard currently has only 32-year-old Salomon Rondon to rely on in the striker role with Richarlison making an exit for Tottenham Hotspur earlier this summer, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin currently recovering from another injury issue.

As a result, the signing of Milik could be a great piece of business for the Toffees as the side have not picked up a single point in the league so far and have only found the net via an own in their first two fixtures of the season.

The €20m (£17m) Polish machine who was dubbed “sensational” by former Toffees boss Carlo Ancelotti, certainly has no trouble finding the back of the net with 144 career goals so far, scoring 30 in 55 appearances for his current Ligue 1 side, with a goal contribution every 125 minutes played.

If Lampard could land the signing of Milik he could form a fantastic attacking partnership with Dwight McNeil in the final third, as the pair could equally complement each other’s best attributes.

Last season McNeil produced plenty of shot-creating actions (2.81 per 90) but shooting and scoring are not his strong points as he failed to score in the league in 2021/22. The former Burnley winger is much better at winning the ball than finishing, which will complement Milik perfectly as he is an out-and-out striker who is far more aggressive in his approach compared to the man he could line up alongside.

Milik ranked in the 84th percentile for shots in total per 90 minutes over the last 365 days and ranked in the top 5% for pass completion, whilst McNeil ranked in the top 10% of positional peers in the top five European leagues for tackles, interceptions and blocks.

This shows that the pair could form a formidable threat to opponents with McNeil consistent in winning the ball and playing very direct alongside Milik, who is confident in putting himself in a position to score, playing neat passes to build goal-scoring opportunities with his teammates.

With that being said, if Farhad Moshiri and Kevin Thelwell can seal a positive deal for Milik, it could be a great signing for Everton as they attempt to recover from their forward line being weakened.

Leeds United’s proposed move for Juventus striker Moise Kean won’t be straightforward, according to French outlet Jeunes Footeux. 

The lowdown

Italian publication Calciomercato report that the Whites, along with Premier League rivals Newcastle, are lining up a swoop for the 22-year-old, for whom the two clubs are apparently winning to pay up to €20m (£17m).

Juventus, who also have Dusan Vlahovic and Kaio Jorge at their disposal, have decided that the Italy international isn’t part of their plans for the 2022/23 campaign.

The latest

Jeunes Footeux corroborate Calciomercato’s claim, adding that Leeds and Newcastle front a group of ‘several’ Premier League clubs who are in the running for Kean.

However, they warn that it will not be an ‘easy’ deal to complete because Juventus will first have to exercise their €28m (£23.7m) option to buy Kean.

The Serie A club only signed him from Everton last summer on an initial two-year deal, and Leeds’ reluctance to shell out more than £17m could also be a ‘problem’.

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The verdict

Kean only scored five Serie A goals in 32 appearances for the Bianconeri last season, but while that seems underwhelming on surface level, it must be put into context.

His average of 0.43 non-penalty goals per 90 actually ranks him in the 70th percentile among all centre-forwards in the big five European leagues (via FBRef).

Kean, who also places in the 84th percentile for dribbles completed, is similar in profile to Gianluca Scamacca, Jamie Vardy and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, according to FBRef’s similar players model.

He may only have netted four times in 39 outings at Everton, but with 39 senior career goals already at the age of 22, perhaps Marsch believes that the Italian deserves another shot at proving himself in the Premier League.

Premier League champions Manchester City are interested in signing Leeds United youngster Archie Gray, according to reliable journalist Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: An exciting prospect

The 16-year-old is arguably one of the most exciting youth products at Elland Road currently, with big things expected of him in the future.

Gray has already registered three assists for Leeds’ Under-21s, despite not being close to that age bracket yet, while Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp has described him as a ‘future England star’.

The teenager is not yet at the age to sign a professional contract with the Whites, however, and a new update suggests they could struggle to keep hold of him.

The Latest: Man City eye up move

According to The Athletic‘s Hay, City are eyeing up a move for Gray, who has become part of Jesse Marsch’s first-team squad during pre-season and the start of the 2022/23 campaign.

Pep Guardiola’s side are thought to be one of a host of top clubs watching the midfielder.

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The Verdict: Worrying update

Losing promising youngsters is always concerning for any team and that is no different with Leeds and Gray, with the Englishman hopefully staying put at Elland Road for many years.

The lure of joining a City side littered with world-class players and one of the all-time great managers could be too great to turn down, however, and Gray could feel his game could go up another notch there.

There is the risk that Gray ends up being lost amongst a group of elite players and isn’t afforded the chance to grow however, so staying put in Yorkshire at least for now could make more sense.

Leeds fans will have their fingers crossed.

Rangers are interested in making a late move for FC Midtjylland midfielder Evander, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Second opportunity gifted

The 24-year-old had negotiated an exit agreement with the Danish giants and looked all set to link up with Galatasaray, but director of sport Svend Graversen has since revealed that the move has fallen through.

The Scottish Premiership side had also been linked with the maestro earlier in the window, and despite initially missing out, it appears that the Glasgow outfit may now have a strong second chance to secure their target heading into the final 24 hours of the window.

The Latest: Rangers considering Evander deal

According to Daily Record, Evander is ‘on the Ibrox radar’ of Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who is ‘weighing up his options’ before Thursday’s 11pm deadline.

Graversen has admitted that Midtjylland are ‘open to cashing in’ on the Brazilian, who is ‘keen to find a new club’, with Ibrox being touted as the player’s ‘preferred destination’ this summer.

The Verdict: Instead of or alongside Barkley?

Chelsea star Ross Barkley has been linked with a move to Rangers after being released by the Blues, but Evander is the midfielder who GVB might favour given his long-standing interest.

The Rio de Janeiro-born talent, dubbed ‘immense’ by sports journalist Josh Bunting, has netted 49 goals throughout his career and is a versatile individual, having previously been used in all three midfield positions and on both wings.

With Rangers having now secured Champions League football, the club should have become even more of an attractive proposition for potential new signings, which could have a huge impact on whether Evander decides to make the switch before 11pm on Thursday.

Wolves target Mohammed Kudus is looking likely to remain at Ajax beyond the summer transfer window, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Wolves in Kudus talks

Wanderers have been linked with a move for the 22-year-old attacking midfielder, as Bruno Lage looks for more potency in the attacking third of the pitch.

Kudus has been described as a ‘great talent’ by journalist John Bennett and has already scored 25 goals at senior level for club and country, despite his tender years.

This has led to links with several Premier League sides, with Ghanasoccernet, the top source for all things Ghanaian football, insisting the Wanderers were in talks over a loan deal.

The Latest: Loan move set to collapse

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that Kudus now looks more likely to remain at Ajax this season:

“Kudus, from what I’m hearing, I’m not sure Ajax are even that keen on letting him go at this point. They’re not totally ruling it out – a couple of other clubs have been linked too. I think the player’s just looking for opportunities to play football at the moment.

“But Ajax’s argument on the flip of this is ‘do you think you’ll see many minutes in the Premier League, are you ready for that move?’ So I think that’s in his head a little bit too and he’s got to be wary of where he would make a move to.”

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The Verdict: One that got away

Kudus could have been an excellent temporary signing by Wolves, giving them something different in the middle of the park – most notably, a more regular stream of end product.

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Five goals in 16 caps for Ghana from midfield is a testament to that, and given his age, he could have matured at Wolves and been a strong squad player.

As it is, Wanderers may have to look elsewhere or simply accept that their business could be done in midfield for now, though the fact that none of Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho, Matheus Nunes or Leander Dendoncker are prolific scorers could bite them if Saša Kalajdžić doesn’t hit the ground running.