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Barry Fry insists that Crystal Palace need to appoint a new manager for a long-term project as they search for a successor to Roy Hodgson.

The ex-England boss has decided to walk away from his role at Selhurst Park.

He departs having repeatedly guided Palace to Premier League safety, and Fry believes that whoever comes into the club to replace him will have to be aware that this is now a long-term project at Selhurst Park.

Frank Lampard has been linked with the job, having been sacked by Chelsea midway through the 2020/21 season, but Fry thinks that their new manager hunt will depend largely on the budgets Steve Parish is willing to hand out to the new appointment.

There is also some doubt over just how many players will need to come into the club, given that so many of them are out of contract this summer.

Per Transfermarkt, 13 players, including Gary Cahill, Jeffrey Schlupp, and Patrick van Aanholt, have deals that are expiring in the next few weeks.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said: “I’m not sure what Steve Parish wants at Palace now because he’s got a lot of old players, and a lot of them are out of contract, and the new manager will have to make up his mind what he wants to do. It depends what sort of budget Frank Lampard or anybody else will have.

“I think, again, with Palace it’s a long-term appointment, rather than a short-term appointment, because I think there’s a lot of work to be done in and out in the transfer market. When you’re changing as many players as what Palace will have to change, I think it’s a long-term project.

“I’m not sure what the long-term expectations of Palace will be, I’m sure it’ll be to retain their Premier League status.”

Celtic reestablished their six-point lead at the top of the Premiership table as they won 2-0 away from Parkhead on Sunday.

Ange Postecoglou’s men continued their march towards the title with a comfortable win as Kyogo Furuhashi and Jota scored the only goals of the game.

The Hoops dominated the match and had the majority of the chances but were unable to make the most of their opportunities as they were forced to settle for just the two goals.

Despite the positive performance overall and the win, not every player on the pitch caught the eye in the right way. One dud who struggled for the Hoops was central midfielder Reo Hatate as he failed to give a good account of himself in the middle of the park.

Ally McCoist noted in the Sky Sports commentary of Celtic’s Scottish Cup semi-final clash with Rangers that he was “absolutely spent” in the second half and that is how he looked again in this match.

On and off the ball, he was not up to the standard required. He was unable to make a big impact in the final third when he had possession and was completely outmuscled off of it as he was carried by his teammates throughout the match before being taken off in the 74th minute.

Defensively, Hatate was a lightweight. Via SofaScore, he lost 100% of his individual duels as he lost all three of his battles on the ground and both of his ones in the air. He also failed to make a single block, interception or tackle in the game as he found himself being second-best to everything in midfield.

In possession, he did very little. As per SofaScore, he only created one chance and did not have a single shot on target, whilst failing with both of his attempted dribbles, his one cross and losing the ball 14 times. This shows that he offered almost nothing with the ball at his feet, which meant that he did nothing to offset his awful display off the ball.

Therefore, he let Postecoglou down badly in the end as he struggled at both ends of the pitch. Just as he did against the Gers in the last Old Firm clash, he looked spent and it may be time to drop him from the starting XI until he can prove that he deserves to be playing regularly.

AND in other news, Source: Celtic on course to seal “immense” summer signing, Ange will be buzzing…

Xisco Munoz’s Watford could miss out on signing Ivan Toney this summer, but the club must try to do all they can to get him.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Athletic, who claimed that both Leicester City and Everton are preparing a bid for the Brentford hitman, adding that the Hornets may now be unable to compete with those clubs to secure a deal for the striker they attempted to sign last summer.

When asked whether he believes Toney will be playing the Premier League next season, with or without Brentford, Thomas Frank remarked that if the player was to leave, it would be an expensive move for whichever club purchased him.

Giaretta must move

Since joining Brentford in a £5.04m deal from Peterborough United last summer, Toney has proven to be a revelation for the west Londoners, with the 25-year-old scoring a remarkable 30 goals, as well as providing 10 assists, over his 44 Championship appearances for the club.

This goalscoring form is a stark contrast of anything Watford’s forwards have managed this season – other than Ismaila Sarr’s 13 Championship goals, no Hornets player has scored more than 10 in the league despite gaining automatic promotion, with Joao Pedro scoring nine, Troy Deeney seven and Andre Gray four.

As such, following Watford’s elevation to the Premier League, it would seem as if the centre-forward position is in need of improvement over the course of the summer; and Frank’s “special” £21,000-per-week Brentford striker would appear to be an excellent candidate to add greater firepower to Xisco’s attacking arsenal.

Despite reports suggesting that Watford could be priced out of a move, it would be highly advisable for Cristiano Giaretta to release the funds and spend a large chunk of the club’s Premier League promotion cash in a bid to bring the striker – who Frank recently likened to Harry Kane – to Vicarage Road this summer, as Toney’s goals could well prove the difference between survival and relegation from the top flight next season.

If he can fire home the goals to keep them up, he’ll be worth every penny.

In other news: Watford have a “huge chance” of signing £91k-p/w ace, Giaretta must reject it – opinion

As per Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol, shared by the broadcaster, there has been another promising update on Tottenham Hotspur’s links to winger Adama Traore.

The Lowdown: Spurs in talks…

In what has been a long-winded transfer saga, with Spurs having been in talks over this last fortnight, reports have suggested that an agreement is near but they haven’t quite wrapped it up yet.

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Some sources suggest that Tottenham were looking to sign him on loan with the obligation to buy at one stage with reports then emerging of a rejected £15 million bid for Traore.

Wolves apparently want around £10m more than that if Spurs are going to seal a deal with Solhekol now sharing the latest on Sky.

The Latest: Spurs ‘very, very close’…

According to his information, Tottenham are ‘very, very close’ to signing Traore in a deal worth £20 million with a compromise fee on the cards.

“Spurs are getting close to signing him for a compromise fee of around £20m,” Solhehol explained.

“Last week they offered £15m, that was rejected, Wolves want about £25m, I think a deal is there to be done for around £20m.

“I think Adama Traore is now getting very, very close.”

The Verdict: Exciting times…

As Spurs also attempt to conclude other moves, both incomings and outgoings, the Lilywhites may well want this over the line first as they have been in negotiations for a while.

Lauded as a player who ‘could really excite the Tottenham fans’ by pundit Noel Whelan, his impressive average of 4.2 successful take-ons per 90 indicates a real threat who could be of use to manager Antonio Conte in the right-wing back role.

For £20m, he could be a real snip, especially considering he is still just 25-years-old and possesses bags of Premier League experience.

In other news: ‘Never been closer’…Journalist has major Spurs exit news, find out more here.

There is a ‘minimal’ distance between Fiorentina and West Ham United as they look to reach agreement on a fee for Nikola Milenkovic, according to Italian newspaper La Repubblica (via Viola News).  

The lowdown

Milenkovic played 34 Serie A games last season for Fiorentina, averaging 3.6 clearances, three successful aerial duels and 1.4 tackles per match (via WhoScored).

The Croatian’s contract has less than a year left to run, which puts his club in a somewhat weak position as he would be able to walk away for free next summer as things stand.

His team-mate Pol Lirola has hailed the 23-year-old as a player of ‘extraordinary quality’ and declared him ‘ready for a great team’.

The latest

The report from La Repubblica (via Viola News) stated that West Ham have made a €15m (£12.7m) bid, but Fiorentina value Milenkovic closer to €20m(£17m). ‘An agreement could be found’ at around the €18m (£15.3m) mark.

Encouragingly for the Irons, Fiorentina have already lined up their replacement for the Serbian, as Milenkovic’s exit would give them the ‘green light’ to sign former Manchester City defender Matija Nastastic from Schalke 04.

The verdict

West Ham have needed another centre-back since Fabian Balbuena left, but if Milenkovic comes in – and the development regarding Nastasic would suggest that the Irons’ chances of getting their man have improved – he would do more than just provide squad depth.

Indeed, you could argue that he would represent an upgrade. No Hammers defender won more headers per game than him in 2020/21, while his tackling record was better than that of Angelo Ogbonna and Issa Diop [WhoScored].

West Ham might try to wait it out a little in the knowledge that Fiorentina are under pressure to sell, but there seems to be confidence that this deal will go through. If it does, they should then turn their attention to recruiting a much-needed centre-forward alternative to Michail Antonio.

In other news, West Ham have opened talks for this Champions League winner. 

Sabri Lamouchi is reportedly a leading contender to take over from Nuno Espirito Santo at Wolves.

The Lowdown: Nuno to leave Wolves

It has been confirmed that Nuno will leave the Midlands club after taking charge of his final game against Manchester United at Molineux as the Premier League season draws to a close today.

Interestingly, it has been reported that Fosun initiated the end of his reign and moved to take action after what has been a very disappointing campaign overall.

It is understood that the Chinese ownership thought that him leaving is the way forward after months of tension behind the scenes, having been left frustrated by some poor performances and results, while there have also been arguments over the transfer policy and Nuno’s communication.

The Latest: Lamouchi a leading contender

As per Football Insider, Lamouchi has emerged as a leading contender to replace Nuno.

A source from the club has told the news outlet that the 49-year-old was lined up a year ago to take over from the Portuguese manager when it was feared that he would leave Molineux at the end of the 2019/20 campaign.

Agent Jorge Mendes had already laid down the groundwork for Lamouchi to join Wolves from Nottingham Forest, whom he has since left for his current role at Al-Duhail SC, only for his move across the Midlands to be kiboshed by the first lockdown last year.

The Verdict: Wolves should not rush into things

Wolves should not rush into getting a new manager just yet, as other potential candidates may emerge from now until the start of next season – for example, they have been recently linked with former Benfica coach Bruno Lage.

Although Lamouchi has had past Transfermarkt). Indeed, Forest blew a seemingly nailed-on play-off place last season under him, while a dreadful start to the current campaign saw him given the bullet in October.

His overall CV flatters to deceive, in truth, and so Wolves should really be waiting for a better candidate to come forward.

In other news, this big contract update has had many Wolves fans talking!

Aston Villa may move for Burnley winger Dwight McNeil this summer, according to The Athletic’s Gregg Evans.

The Lowdown: Previous links

This isn’t the first time McNeil has been linked with a move to the Midlands.

Back in May, Football Insider suggested that Villa were lining up a £15m offer for the player who Sean Dyche described as ‘very adaptable’.

Rumours of a move have since gone quiet, with Villa signing Emiliano Buendia from Norwich City in a deal worth £34.56m.

McNeil’s name has once again popped up in discussion when it comes to Villa’s transfer business.

The Latest: Evans claim

Evans shared a transfer update on Friday. Within his story, he claimed that a number 10 is still a priority for Villa.

A move for Tammy Abraham is not on the cards at this moment in time, with Arsenal’s Emile Smith Rowe a priority target.

Evans then added that if a move for Smith Rowe fails to materialise, McNeil may be looked at as an alternative. The 21-year-old has already been discussed as a player of interest and is valued at £19.8m by Transfermarkt.

The Verdict: Grealish central?

Should Villa end up signing McNeil over Smith Rowe, that could mean Jack Grealish would have to move in from the left to a more central role.

Manchester City are preparing a bid for Grealish, however, Villa are determined to keep hold of their club captain.

If they do succeed and stand firm, Grealish could take up the number 10 position, with McNeil an out and out left-winger, and Buendia on the right.

Villa aren’t done with their summer business by any stretch of the imagination, and it’s good to see that Smith Rowe alternatives are being lined up.

In other news: ‘Absolute madness’, ‘Leave us alone’ – Many AVFC fans erupt at ‘garbage’ transfer news, find out more here. 

Not only is Sergio Reguilon saving lives, but he may have also saved Nuno Santo’s bacon as Tottenham Hotspur made it three wins on the bounce this weekend, despite reports of the Portuguese being under intense pressure in north London.

It wasn’t too long ago that an embarrassing 3-1 defeat to arch-rivals Arsenal saw many outlets, including The Evening Standard and The Sun, claim that the 47-year-old was fighting to keep his job, just months into his reign.

Spurs have now thrashed NS Mura in the UEFA Conference League and secured wins against Aston Villa and Newcastle United in the Premier League, scoring a whopping ten goals in the process.

By comparison, the Lilywhites had only scored four goals in their opening six league games beforehand.

Nuno has largely relied on the attacking exploits of Heung-min Son, who currently sits as their top goalscorer on four goals, three more than the prolific Harry Kane, who only opened his 2021/22 account at St James’ Park on Sunday.

The South Korean sensation rates out as Spurs’ second-best player (7.15), per WhoScored ratings, and he ranks first for shots (2.9) and key passes (2) per game, proving to be a major influence in the attack.

However, it is the Spaniard at left-back who has proven to be a bit of an unsung hero and that’s not just because of his urgency in the northeast to alert the referee.

He’s been delivering the same sort of intelligence on the pitch, particularly in their recent outings. And after a concerning dip in form last season following injury, it’s certainly a welcome return to the Reguilon they know and love.

Averaging a rating of 6.93 for the campaign, the 24-year-old provided one assist on Spurs’ way to victory against the Magpies and he has also notched six clearances, five tackles, three interceptions across their last two league games, via WhoScored.

So not only is he doing his defensive duties but he is also getting up the pitch to provide some extra creativity in the attack. He’s delivered just as many assists as Son in those games, for further context.

Previously lauded as a “complete player” by his former Sevilla boss Julen Lopetegui and dubbed a “phenomenal” left-back who “everyone loves at the club” by football.london reporter Alasdair Gold, it’s clear to see that Reguilon has a major influence in north London.

The £36m-rated dynamo has certainly been Nuno’s saving grace, ever since he started to appear on the hot seat in the dugout.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Winks: Paratici can form formidable Spurs unit with “complete” £26m-rated gem…

When Rafael Benitez walked through the doors of Finch Farm for the first time as the new Everton manager, he appeared to be promised money to spend.

That may indeed still be the case but the first three signings under the Spaniard tell us that a huge wave of financial injection may not be forthcoming.

On the chalkboard

The Toffees have acted shrewdly in the window so far, snapping up Andros Townsend, Asmir Begovic and Demarai Gray on the cheap.

It would appear as though Benitez is planning for life without some of his fringe players at Goodison Park, with Bernard taking his leave and others potentially following him through the exit door.

Richarlison, who scored a hat-trick for Brazil at the Olympics on Thursday, has been linked with Real Madrid, while there is a larger threat that James Rodriguez could leave.

Reports earlier this week stated that the pair were both looking for an escape route to Spain, but Rodriguez’s agent Jorge Mendes has held discussions with AC Milan over a potential move.

The Colombian has only been in Merseyside for a year but, after a topsy-turvy season which was ended prematurely due to injury, he’s looking for a way out.

The solution

Everton have been linked with a host of attacking midfielders and wingers in the transfer window to date. Euro 2020 star Mikkel Damsgaard has been a topic of debate while former Liverpool magician Philippe Coutinho is also reportedly a target.

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However, one of the most striking reports to emerge this week regards Jesse Lingard. The Toffees have joined the race to prise him away from Manchester United following a stellar campaign on loan at West Ham.

Lingard’s 2020/21 season had been a disaster before he completed a switch to the Hammers in January. He had failed to add to his 33 United goals, but was in devastating form once he headed elsewhere.

Described as “exceptional” by David Moyes, the Englishman found the net on nine occasions in just 16 outings, providing a further five assists for his teammates on top of that.

He was a wizard with the ball at his feet, beating players with flair and trickery while providing some ingenious moments of play.

Lingard’s football intellect improved significantly during his stay at the London Stadium, turning himself from a dancing fashion meme to a footballer who can be taken more seriously.

Everton’s interest in the 28-year-old is timely with Rodriguez potentially leaving. If the Colombian does walk through the exit door, then Lingard would be a fabulous replacement.

Like James, he can play out wide and also occupy more central areas for the team. A year ago, Lingard would have been a questionable signing but now it feels like a no-brainer for Benitez and Marcel Brands.

AND in other news, Everton eye swoop for 18-goal “supreme talent”, he’s their dream Richarlison successor…

West Ham United fans won’t be impressed with the latest claim surrounding PAI Capital’s reported second takeover bid…

What’s the word?

Over the weekend, The Sunday Times reported that the consortium would be preparing another offer for the east London outfit after they saw a £400m attempt rejected by majority shareholder David Sullivan.

A spokesman for the firm told them: “PAI Capital has assembled a top-tier team of respected executives … the group has carefully prepared and submitted a second innovative bid which it believes will be successful and crafts a new vision for the club, stadium and park …We hope to be able to share positive news very soon.”

However, Irons insider Sean Whetstone at Claret and Hugh has poured cold water on this suggestion in a series of tweets.

“Sorry but I guarantee that it will not! The board never considered the first approach as a formal bid & there is no chance that further bids will be accepted, absolutely none! No proof of funds have been provided in the formal legal sense & they have not had full access to books,” he said.

He then added: “Does TC release statements through Central now? I had no idea he had become his spokesman. Internet rumours that a second bid has been verbally agreed are nonsense. Too many people are being misled with misinformation. Time will soon tell but you could be waiting a while!”

Fans won’t be happy

This latest development will certainly leave many around the London Stadium absolutely reeling.

There are mixed emotions about the potential takeover of the Hammers, particularly as ex-players like Rio Ferdinand are involved, and that leaves a sour taste in the mouth of some.

However, the vast majority of supporters have been longing to see GSB out the door.

During back end of the 2019/20 season when West Ham were staring down the barrel of relegation to the Championship, the Irons faithful protested against the board.

In one game against Liverpool at Anfield, fans unfurled banners that were very much anti-GSB – One read: “Run like a circus – Owned by clowns”, whilst another read: “GSB out – Sold a dream, delivered a nightmare.”

Later that summer, after David Moyes pulled off a miracle with one game to spare, the fans were furious with the club’s hierarchy once more. This time, the exit of Grady Diangana on a permanent basis caused another protest.

And it doesn’t stop there as fan group Hammers United are planning another display against GSB ahead of their clash with Manchester United later this month.

It’s clear that people want GSB gone from the club and this interest from PAI Capital poses a very good chance of that happening, so this claim from an inside source is unlikely to go down well.

He suggests that there will be no second bid and that it is all “nonsense”, so that’ll seriously dent the hopes of those that are in the aforementioned camp.

Now with the transfer window over, this saga could well rumble on for the foreseeable future.

AND in other news, Moyes must mercilessly axe West Ham’s forgotten £70k-p/w dud, he’s stealing a living…