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Crystal Palace are thought to be in pole position to sign a new forward who stunned Chelsea earlier this year.

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner responds to Man Utd rumours

The Eagles have enjoyed a brilliant start to the 2025/26 Premier League season after lifting the FA Cup and Community Shield earlier this year and are now on a club-record 18-game unbeaten run.

Saturday’s dramatic win against champions Liverpool saw Palace move on to 12 points after six games, with Eddie Nketiah’s late winner ending the Reds’ 100% start to the campaign.

As a result of the brilliant job Oliver Glasner is doing at Selhurst Park, he continues to be linked with roles elsewhere.

There have been claims he is on Manchester United’s radar to replace Ruben Amorim, with reports even suggesting he would take the Old Trafford job “in a heartbeat”.

“My information is if Glasner was offered the Manchester United job, he would take it in a heartbeat.” (Ben Jacobs)

However, when asked about the direct rumours of a move to Manchester and other ‘top clubs’, Glasner has now said:

Steve Parish and co will be hoping Glasner continues in his position when the January 2026 transfer window opens, and it looks as if the Eagles are already working on one potential addition.

Matthew McConaughey reveals shock Premier League team that he's a "fan" of

The Hollywood star has made an unexpected reveal…

ByTom Cunningham Oct 1, 2025 Crystal Palace "in negotiations" to sign Flamengo forward Wallace Yan

According to reports in Brazil, relayed by Sport Witness, Crystal Palace are thought to be in pole position ahead of Wolves to sign Flamengo forward Wallace Yan in 2026.

The Eagles had talks in the summer which will continue into the New Year. Flamengo director Jose Boto is aware of Palace’s talks for Yan which involve the player’s agent, Claudio Guadagno.

Journalist Julio Miguel Neto said: “The Flamengo forward is in negotiations to move to Europe, and Crystal Palace appear as the main interested party.”

At the age of 20, Yan has now scored seven goals in 28 appearances for Flamengo’s first team after coming through the academy, two of which came at the Club World Cup. He even sealed a shock win for the Brazilian side over eventual winners Chelsea, scoring the third goal of a 3-1 win late on.

Filipe Luis, a former Chelsea left-back, is the manager of Flamengo and has described what Yan is like as a centre-forward.

“He uses both feet and finishes very well with either. He is light, versatile, healthy and a finisher. I see him much more as a nine, a guy who attacks space.”

A move to Selhurst Park is seemingly being worked on behind the scenes, making this one to watch over the coming months.

Allrounder claims career-bests with bat and ball but is denied at the last as visitors hold out for draw

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay05-May-2025Derbyshire fought out a final-over draw as Glamorgan took a pendulum-swinging thriller down to the final ball thanks to Ben Kellaway’s heroics in the Rothesay County Championship.Kellaway claimed career best batting and bowling figures on the same day as Luis Reece and Derbyshire No. 11 Blair Tickner survived 28 balls to secure a draw. Kellaway, 21, had struck 78 to set up a declaration before taking 5 for 101 in 25 overs, falling just short of handing Glamorgan a win.Tasked with the last over after taking two wickets in two balls, Kellaway produced a spectacular turnaround after twists and turns on the final day with Derbyshire firing towards victory on numerous occasions when set 338 in 65 overs.David Lloyd ignited Derbyshire’s winning hopes against his former side before Martin Andersson and Brooke Guest’s 97-run partnership put Derbyshire in the ascendancy for 56 of their 65 overs.The day began with all results possible. Glamorgan had an explosive end to the first session via Chris Cooke and Kellaway, despite the latter having some fortune when kicking a ball away from his stumps on 19. With 124 added in 32 overs from the overnight score, Glamorgan subsequently declared at lunch with the veteran keeper on 49 not out.Derbyshire, requiring a chase which would rank fourth amongst their successes if achieved, started strongly with the opening pair chalking up a half-century partnership in just 10.5 overs, stamping their authority early.But Ned Leonard struck in his first over to trigger a “will they, won’t they” scenario. Wayne Madsen took over as enforcer for his 22 from 19 balls, ended by a diving catch from Andy Gorvin at fine-leg, another for Leonard.Kellaway sparked Glamorgan hopes on two occasions, initially with the prize wicket of Caleb Jewell short of 50, sweeping against the spin. But Guest and Andersson’s run-a-ball 50 partnership with innovation and big hitting in form of reverse-sweeps, muscled pull shots and clean strikes over mid-on put Glamorgan into defensive mode, until Asitha Fernando broke through by trapping Guest in front.Kellaway kickstarted the hosts for a second time to forehadow a Derbyshire collapse, removing Andersson and Zak Chappell with successive balls before having Anuj Dal stumped to complete his five-for. That dismissal left Derbyshire nine down with almost five full overs remaining.But Tickner showcased his international experience in blocking out for 1 in 10 balls alongside the injured Reece, batting at No. 10, as the last pair survived against an ambidextrous over from off-spinner-come-left-arm-orthodox Kellaway.

Aston Villa are a club firmly on the up under Unai Emery, and NSWE have backed the Spaniard in the transfer market. But who is Villa’s record signing?

Football FanCast has taken a look at Aston Villa’s most expensive signings in their history, with a detailed look at the top 10.

1

Moussa Diaby

£51.9m

Bayer Leverkusen

2023

2

Amadou Onana

£50m

Everton

2024

3

Ian Maatsen

£37.5m

Chelsea

2024

4

Emiliano Buendia

£33m

Norwich City

2021

5

Pau Torres

£31.5m

Villarreal

2023

=6

Ollie Watkins

£30m

Brentford

2020

=6

Leon Bailey

£30m

Bayer Leverkusen

2021

8

Diego Carlos

£26.8m

Sevilla

2022

9

Evann Guessand

£26m

Nice

2025

=10

Lucas Digne

£25m

Everton

2022

=10

Danny Ings

£25m

Southampton

2021

12

Wesley Moraes

£22m

Club Brugge

2019

13

Donyell Malen

£21m

Borussia Dortmund

2025

14

Tyrone Mings

£20m

Bournemouth

2019

15

Darren Bent

£18m

Sunderland

2011

=16

Philippe Coutinho

£17m

Barcelona

2022

=16

Bertrand Traore

£17m

Lyon

2020

=16

Emiliano Martinez

£17m

Arsenal

2020

=19

Douglas Luiz

£15m

Manchester City

2019

=19

Matt Targett

£15m

Southampton

2019

Here's a detailed look at Aston Villa's 10 most expensive signings: 10 Lucas Digne £25m from Everton

Left-back Lucas Digne moved to Villa Park from Everton in January 2022 under Steven Gerrard, and the Frenchman has gone on to become a regular under Emery.

Despite Emery bringing in Alex Moreno, Digne mainly remained first-choice during the manager’s first full season in charge.

9 Evann Guessand £26m from Nice

Evann Guessand was Villa’s only real marquee signing in the summer of 2025, with the forward costing around £26m from French side Nice.

An Ivory Coast international, Guessand was a man in-demand and can play anywhere across the front line.

8 Diego Carlos £26.8m from Sevilla

Defender Diego Carlos had his injury troubles after signing for Aston Villa.

The Brazilian joined Villa in 2022 and was named vice-captain under Gerrard, before rupturing his Achilles tendon on his home debut. He was sold to Fenerbahce on a permanent deal in 2025.

7 Leon Bailey £30m from Bayer Leverkusen

Winger Leon Bailey arrived from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen in 2021, but the Jamaican is another who has had his battles in the treatment room.

Bailey had his best season for Villa in 2023/24, scoring 10 goals and providing nine assists in 35 Premier League games but was sent on loan to Roma in 2025.

6 Ollie Watkins £30m from Brentford

Arguably one of Villa’s best-value signings in the top 10 is striker Ollie Watkins, who arrived at Villa Park from Brentford with no previous Premier League experience.

The forward has starred under numerous different managers, scoring more than 10 Premier League goals in each of his five seasons.

5 Pau Torres £31.5m from Villarreal

Centre-back Pau Torres was one of Emery’s top targets in the summer of 2023 after previously working with his compatriot at Villarreal.

NSWE managed to bring Torres to the Midlands, and it is a decision that has paid off so far, with the Spaniard under contract until 2028.

4 Emiliano Buendia £33m from Norwich

Aston Villa won the race to sign Emiliano Buendia from Norwich City in 2021 after the Argentinian’s starring years at Carrow Road, pipping the likes of Arsenal to a deal.

Unfortunately for Buendia, he missed the entirety of the 2023/24 season through injury, but he is under contract until 2026.

3 Ian Maatsen £37.5m from Chelsea

After he starred out on loan with Borussia Dortmund, Aston Villa made the permanent move to sign left-back Ian Maatsen from Chelsea.

Costing around £37.5m, Maatsen signed a six-year deal at the time and is under contract until 2030.

2 Amadou Onana £50m from Everton

Central midfielder Amadou Onana also arrived at Villa Park in 2024 ahead of their Champions League campaign, costing £50m from Everton.

The Belgian was a shining light with the Toffees and is under contract with Villa until 2029.

1 Moussa Diaby £51.9m from Bayer Leverkusen

Top of the charts and Villa’s record signing is Moussa Diaby, who like Bailey, arrived from Bayer Leverkusen.

The winger quickly became a key player under Emery and helped the club to a top-four finish in 2023/24. However, Diaby then made the move to Saudi Arabia with Al-Ittihad, who paid around £50m for the Frenchman.

Champions Trophy squad members Jansen, Markram, Miller, Rabada, Rickelton, Stubbs, and van der Dussen will not take part in the tri-series

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Feb-2025

Gerald Coetzee experienced tightness in his groin while bowling•AFP/Getty Images

Gerald Coetzee has been ruled out of the ODI tri-series in Pakistan as well as the Champions Trophy after experiencing tightness in his groin while bowling at the Centre of Excellence in Pretoria on Wednesday.* Before the latest setback, a left-hamstring injury had restricted Coetzee’s SA20 to just one appearance.”Following further assessment by the Proteas medical team, it was determined that the symptoms posed an increased risk of significant injury at a higher bowling load required for the upcoming 50-over matches,” CSA said in a release. Corbin Bosch and Lutho Sipamla are the frontrunners to replace him.Earlier in the day, South Africa’s white-ball coach Rob Walter named the 12-member squad, which included Coetzee, for the first match of the tri-series, against New Zealand, in Lahore on February 10. It has as many as six uncapped players, but that will change as the SA20 ends over the coming weekend.For the opening game of the series, Walter will have among his choices batter Meeka-eel Prince, fast bowlers Gideon Peters and Eathan Bosch, and allrounder Mihlali Mpongwana – none capped at the international level so far – as well as Matthew Breetzke and Senuran Muthusamy. Breetzke has been capped in Tests and T20Is, while the experienced Muthusamy has played four Tests.Tri-series schedule

Feb 8 – Pak vs NZ in Lahore
Feb 10 – NZ vs SA in Lahore
Feb 12 – Pak vs SA in Karachi
Feb 14 – Final in Karachi

Players will be added to the squad following the SA20 Eliminator between Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Joburg Super Kings on February 5, CSA said in a statement, adding that Keshav Maharaj and Heinrich Klaasen would be available for South Africa’s second ODI of the series, against Pakistan on February 12 in Karachi, and the squad for the remainder of the series would be announced on February 9 after the SA20 final.The series is of great significance to the three participating teams, since it will be their last set of games before the Champions Trophy is played in Pakistan (with India’s matches to be held in Dubai) from February 19. Of South Africa’s squad members for the big eight-team tournament, Marco Jansen, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, and Rassie van der Dussen will not play any part in the tri-series. They will leave for Pakistan on February 14, the same day as the tri-series final in Karachi.South Africa, in Group B at the Champions Trophy, will open their campaign on the third day of competition, against Afghanistan in Karachi. The others in their group are Australia and England.The 11 players for the first ODI, including captain Temba Bavuma and the support staff, will leave for Lahore on Wednesday evening.South Africa squad for first ODI of the tri-seriesTemba Bavuma (capt), Eathan Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Junior Dala, Wiaan Mulder, Mihlali Mpongwana, Senuran Muthusamy, Gideon Peters, Meeka-eel Prince, Jason Smith, Kyle Verreynne* 1210 GMT, February 5, 2025 The story was updated after Coetzee was ruled out.

Manchester United have enquired about the potential signing of a “completely unique” striker this summer, according to a new claim from Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg.

Man Utd still searching for new striker

It has been a good summer transfer window to date for United, with Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo having the potential to be strong signings from Wolves and Brentford respectively.

United desperately need to sign an elite striker, however, with Rasmus Hojlund not yet doing enough to suggest that he is the answer to lead the line for Ruben Amorim in the coming years.

RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko appears to be the current front-runner to come in this summer, with the Slovenian ultimately now having to choose between the Red Devils and Newcastle United.

While some reports have suggested that the Magpies have won the race to sign Sesko, a different update has claimed that Director of Football Jason Wilcox is confident of getting his man and bringing him to United. Now, another huge player has been mentioned as an alternative option.

Man Utd make contact over signing "unique" striker

According to Sky Germany‘s Plettenberg on X, Manchester United recently enquired about Newcastle striker Alexander Isak, amid strong interest from Liverpool.

In truth, it looks unlikely that United will be able to sign Isak, with Liverpool the obvious favourites to get him, and the player himself keen on a move to Anfield and turning down any chance of a move to Old Trafford.

That said, if the Red Devils were suddenly able to strike a deal for the £120,000-a-week star, it could have been a game-changing piece of business, with journalist Matthew Ketchell speaking glowingly of him.

“He’s got a real easy-on-the-eye, unique style about his play, it’s almost balletic the way he moves, it’s completely unique. The balance he has, the speed he has, the strength he has, the intelligence, it’s kind of all there. He had a little bit of an issue with one-on-ones last season (2023/24), start of this season, where he was going through on goal and not taking his chances – he seems to have cleaned that up.”

Assuming United miss out on Isak, it then has to be a case of them signing Sesko instead, with the Leipzig star having the potential to be a huge hit at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils don’t have Champions League football to offer him, however, or any European football for that matter, whereas Newcastle are playing in the top club competition next season.

INEOS hold key advantage: Man Utd now battling to sign teenage sensation

He’s the subject of a Premier League battle…

ByTom Cunningham Aug 2, 2025

Hopefully, the lure of United ultimately proves too great for Sesko to turn down, but missing out on him would be a big blow, forcing the club to look at an alternative.

A superb unbeaten century by Phil Salt led England to a convincing eight-wicket victory over West Indies for a 1-0 lead in their five-match T20I series in Barbados.Saqib Mahmood took career-best figures of 4 for 34, including three wickets in the powerplay and a tight over at the death, but in the meantime West Indies blitzed their way through three key partnerships to set England a lofty target, despite having lurched to 117 for 8.Nicholas Pooran, who top-scored for the hosts, and captain Rovman Powell put on 41 runs together from just 17 balls but it was Pooran and Andre Russell who defied a steady flow of wickets to add 39 from 26 and then tailenders Gudakesh Motie and Romario Shepherd with 49 off 26 who pumped up the hosts.Their efforts were ultimately futile, however, in the face of Salt’s remarkable 103 not out off just 54 balls in which he attacked from the outset, helping himself to 22 runs off one Shamar Joseph over and never looked back.It was a case of two second-home lads doing good as Salt, who spent six of his pre-teen and teenage years living in Barbados, shared an unbroken 107-run stand with Jacob Bethell, the latter raising his maiden T20I fifty to enthusiastic support from the crowd, having been born and raised in Barbados up to the age of 13.All-out (as)SaltWhen Salt struck five consecutive boundaries off Joseph to take his side past the 50-mark in the fourth over of the run-chase, England looked all business. He brought up his own half-century off 25 balls with the second of three sixes to come off Motie’s first over, crunched over deep midwicket before Will Jacks launched the third over long-on. Jacks fell on the next ball, bowled middle stump attempting to sweep, but by that time England had closed out the powerplay at 73 for 1, compared to West Indies’ 58 for 3. Motie couldn’t stay away from the action, his brilliant one-handed take at third removing Jos Buttler, batting at No. 3 on his return to action after a five-month injury lay-off, for a first-ball duck.For all his big hitting, Salt’s deft punch for four just behind backward point off Joseph in the ninth over was prettier than any of his four sixes up to that moment and highlighted the range of shots which comprised his innings. Bethell mimicked the shot, slightly finer off Shepherd, as he settled into just his third innings in T20Is, playing the perfect supporting role to Salt, his unbeaten 58 coming off 36 balls and including an elegant six over cover off the penultimate ball.He followed that immediately with the winning runs, pulling Shepherd for two to seal victory with 3.1 overs to spare. Salt had moved into the nineties swinging Shepherd to square leg, where the ball shot through the fingertips of Sherfane Rutherford as he tumbled over the boundary for six more before he brought up his ton in what turned out to be the last over of the game with four down the ground. It was Salt’s third century in T20Is, all of them coming in the Caribbean against West Indies.Saqib Mahmood celebrates dismissing Brandon King•Getty Images

In the MahmoodMahmood struck early when Brandon King, a centurion as West Indies won the third and final ODI for a 2-1 series win, slammed his fifth ball – the 11th of the match – straight to short cover. In his next over, Mahmood had two wickets in as many balls as Bethell took an excellent low catch running in from the rope at deep backward square to remove Evin Lewis and then luring Shimron Hetmyer with a superb length ball that moved away ever so slightly as it took an edge through to Salt. It was quite the comeback from Mahmood, playing just his third T20I since January 2022 after suffering two stress fractures in his back. His two other matches in the format since had yielded 2 for 21 and no wicket for 37 against Australia in September, but now he had 3 for 12 from two overs.Meanwhile fellow seamer Reece Topley conceded 20 runs from 15 balls, including Powell’s nurdled four through deep third then six over square leg immediately before Topley slipped in his follow-through clutching his right knee. Topley was visibly limping as a brief rain shower arrived, sending the players from the field for just over half an hour. Topley returned after the stoppage, only to be greeted by a lofted drive for six by Powell and that was enough to send the bowler from the field for the rest of the innings with what was later confirmed as a jarred knee as Jamie Overton finished his third over. Mahmood returned to have his figures blighted by conceding 18 runs off his third over, Pooran heaving over the fence at wide long-on, threading four through deep backward point and swinging over deep midwicket for another six.No fearAdil Rashid entered the attack in the seventh over and struck with his second ball, Powell going big again but unable to clear a leaping Overton just inside the boundary at long-on. Although he had handed the wicketkeeping gloves to Salt, returning captain Buttler sprung with the reflexes of a cat to snare a brilliant one-handed catch at slip in Rashid’s next over to remove Rutherford. Pooran and Russell forged a defiant partnership, Russell slamming back-to-back sixes off Rashid and moving to a 16-ball 30. But Liam Livingstone managed to end their union when he responded to seeing his third ball deposited back over his head for six by having Russell caught at deep cover by Dan Mousley. Pooran followed for 38, falling to another spectacular catch by Buttler, launching himself high and twisting in the air in the covers off Overton.West Indies looked determined to go down blazing. Rashid claimed his third when he pinned Akeal Hosein at the second attempt with an excellent leg-break. But just as it looked like the hosts’ fightback might fizzle, Motie strode to the crease at No. 10 and struck 16 runs off the first three balls he faced, including back-to-back sixes off Rashid. He had raced to 33 off just 14 balls by the time Mahmood had him caught on the deep midwicket boundary to claim his fourth wicket of the match. It ended Motie’s ninth-wicket stand with Shepherd, who ended with an unbeaten 35 off 22, their union helping West Indies to a total which had seemed so unlikely earlier.

Babar Azam’s unbeaten 104 off 100 balls and Jahandad Khan’s three wickets with the new ball handed Dolphins their third defeat in three games as Stallions registered a mammoth 174-run win in Faisalabad. The result also meant that the teams batting first have won all seven matches so far in the tournament.After Stallions opted to bat, Shan Masood and Yasir Khan gave them a start of 76 in 13 overs. Faheem Ashraf broke the stand with Masood’s wicket and put the brakes on the scoring rate. Yasir, too, fell soon after but Babar played the anchor’s role to perfection. Along with Tayyab Tahir, he added 57 for the third wicket and took the side to 150 in the 30th over.Dolphins used six bowlers in the match and each of them picked up a wicket, but Babar stood firm. At the end of 40 overs, he was on 50 off 65 balls. In the last ten, he smashed 54 off 35, with the help of three fours and three sixes, and lifted Stallions to 271 for 7.If Dolphins thought they would break their duck, Jahandad shattered their hopes quite early into the chase. With the second ball of the innings, he had Muhammad Hurraira caught behind for a duck. In his third over, he trapped Umar Amin lbw to make it 15 for 2.Sahibzada Farhan and Saud Shakeel struck five fours in the next 20 balls but Jahandad struck immediately after that, this time cleaning up Shakeel.Soon after, Haris Rauf dismissed Sarfaraz Ahmed and Qasim Akram in the space of three balls to leave Dolphins gasping for air. From 60 for 5, there was no comeback. The lower middle order surrendered without any resistance against the spin duo of Abrar Ahmed and Mehran Mumtaz. The two shared five wickets as Dolphins folded for 97.

Manchester United have held a meeting with the representatives of an “exceptional” player over a summer move to Old Trafford, according to a fresh transfer claim.

Man Utd eyeing more attackers after Mbeumo

It looks as though the Red Devils are gradually closing in on a move for Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo, with a third offer of over £70m everything included reportedly accepted.

The Cameroonian will be an excellent signing for United, but Ruben Amorim will know that further attacking reinforcements are needed before the new Premier League season gets underway, in order to improve drastically on last year’s woeful showing in the top flight.

Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson has been linked with a move to Old Trafford, with an upgrade on the struggling Rasmus Hojlund required in the No.9 role, but it remains to be seen if the Blues would even entertain the idea of selling him to a Premier League rival.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins has been mentioned as an alternative option to lead the line for United, with the 29-year-old now a hugely experienced and proven player at both club and international level. Now, another attacking player has been backed to come in for the Red Devils this summer.

Man Utd hold talks with "exceptional" ace's agents

According to a new report from Sport [via Sport Witness], Manchester United have had a meeting with Xavi Simons’ representatives over a move to the club before the current window slams shut at the start of September.

Chelsea are also in the same position when it comes to the £67m-rated RB Leipzig attacker, who is desperate to seal a move away from his current club this summer.

Simons is a fantastic option for United, with the 22-year-old already achieving plenty in his career, being hailed by Bayern Munich sporting director Christoph Freund.

“He is a very good player. He had a very good European Championship and a great season with Leipzig. He’s developed really well. I think he’s going to have a really good career at the highest level. He has everything, mentality, character and is just an exceptional player.”

Simons impressed for the Netherlands at Euro 2024, not least scoring a stunning goal in the semi-final defeat to England, and he is adept at shining both as an attacking midfielder and out wide.

Appearances

25

Starts

25

Minutes played

2157

Goals

10

Assists

7

Key passes per game

2.0

Shots per game

2.0

Dribbles per game

1.3

Tackles per game

1.1

The Leipzig ace’s end product is highlighted by an impressive tally of 10 goals and seven assists in the Bundesliga last season, and given his age, there would be so much time for him to mature under Amorim at United.

It is SPFL fixture release day and as Premiership champions, Celtic will have a home game on the opening weekend, 2/3 August.

But, how many new signings will Brendan Rodgers have on board in time for his team’s first pre-season match on 4 July?

Well, Celtic have already added Kieran Tierney to their ranks, re-signing the left-back after he became a free agent, while they’ve also reportedly agreed a fee of £1.7m to land winger Benjamin Nygren in the coming days.

The Hoops are not content with just one attacking signing, however.

Celtic chasing a new winger

According to a report by RMC Sport, talks between Celtic and Royal Antwerp are “underway” as the Hoops seek to sign Michel-Ange Balikwisha, who he claims is ‘keen on the move’ to Scotland.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Meantime, Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider has previously reported that Celtic are ‘well-placed’ to make this deal come to fruition, describing the winger as a ‘long-term target’.

Balikwisha, who is 24 years old, began his senior career at Standard Liège, before joining Royal Antwerp in July 2021, making 141 appearances for the Reds to date, scoring 29 goals and registering 17 assists.

He was a key figure in the Antwerp team that won the domestic treble in 2023, the club’s first Jupiler Pro League title for 66 years, then scoring the goal against AEK Athens that saw them qualify for the Champions League for the very first time, also on target against Shakhtar Donetsk at Bosuilstadion in the tournament’s group stages.

This season though, Antwerp missed out on European qualification altogether, disastrously beaten 2-1 by Royal Charleroi in a European play-off last month, fuelling speculation that he could be on the move, and hence why the club are looking to cash in.

How Michel-Ange Balikwisha would improve Celtic

Celtic are in the market for a new winger this summer, partially due to the fact that Jota will be sidelined for between “six to nine months” after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament at Tannadice in April.

So, would Balikwisha be a good replacement? Let’s assess his statistics.

Minutes

1,784

99th

Goals

7

17th

Assists

6

9th

Progressive carries

85

10th

Carries into penalty area

34

9th

Shot-creating actions

69

30th

Goal-creating actions

10

13th

Big chances created

6

40th

Key passes per match

1.5

24th

Average SofaScore rating

7.32

14th

Worth noting that the 2023/24 season was chosen because, similar to Jota, Balikwisha is coming off a long-term injury, requiring knee surgery just over a year ago, before a meniscus injury saw him make just three appearances this season before 9 March.

After that, he did enjoy a run of games, starting each of Antwerp’s final 11 matches to conclude the campaign.

Despite his injury issues, analyst Ben Mattinson labels him an “amazing” talent, describing him as “two-footed” and “capable of beating a defender either way”. That certainly suggests he’d be a great replacement for the injury-stricken Jota.

Meantime, Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout believes he operates best as an “inside forward”, praising his “pace, dribbling and finishing”, which he believes to be his strongest attributes.

Said to be one of the most ‘talented attacking players’ in the Belgian top-flight by Lee Scott of Total Football Analysis, that’s high praise considering Global Football Rankings believes the Jupiler Pro League to be the eighth-strongest division in the world; for context, the Scottish Premiership is all the way down in 43rd.

Given that Balikwisha has just one year remaining on his contract at Antwerp, it would appear as though Celtic will be able to sign him at a cut-price, and he seemingly has all the qualities to thrive in Glasgow’s East End.

Dream Miller alternative: Celtic ramping up move to sign £1.6m star

Celtic are reportedly keen on signing a star who would be a dream alternative to Lennon Miller.

ByDan Emery Jun 18, 2025

Scott Parker will hope he’s in it for the long haul at Burnley as they step back up to the Premier League, after finding his last venture in the top-flight to be short-lived with AFC Bournemouth.

The 44-year-old would only last four top-flight contests with the Cherries during the 2022/23 season before being handed his abrupt marching orders, with a horrific 9-0 loss suffered at the hands of Liverpool during his final game not helping his cause whatsoever.

He returns to the elite division with a point to prove, therefore, having just successfully guided the Clarets up to the big time by collecting 100 points, with a defensive solidity on show that was nowhere to be found at Anfield.

However, bit by bit, the defence that only leaked 16 league goals last season is being picked off, with Maxime Esteve perhaps the next to leave Turf Moor behind after CJ Egan-Riley’s distressing contract situation.

The latest on Esteve's Burnley future

Annoyingly, Egan-Riley – who shone brightly next to Esteve last season – looks set to exit Lancashire for good, amidst interest in his services from RC Strasbourg and West Ham United.

The imposing Frenchman, meanwhile, also has his fair share of Premier League admirers, with Crystal Palace and Everton recently named as onlookers keen on adding the 23-year-old to their rosters, alongside ex-Clarets boss Vincent Kompany also keeping tabs on him from the Bayern Munich dug-out.

This would be a huge blow to Burnley’s confidence if they were to lose their in-demand number five, considering Esteve is just fresh off a campaign that saw him average an unerring 91% pass accuracy per Championship clash, alongside also showing off his brute strength with 3.6 duels won per match too.

But, the Clarets might now have a dream replacement for the ex-Montpellier titan up their sleeve, with the target in question already well-versed in how to battle and fight amid a Premier League relegation scrap.

The £12m "warrior" who'd be the dream Esteve replacement

After all, Esteve has struggled in the demanding top-flight in the past, away from his name currently generating a buzz, with zero clean sheets coming his way for Burnley from 16 league appearances during their relegation season.

On the contrary, the Clarets’ new defensive target – as has been reported by the Irish Sun – in Dara O’Shea at least exited this campaign just gone with his head held high, with the Republic of Ireland international even winning Ipswich Town’s Player of the Season accolade for his valiant efforts at the back, despite the Tractor Boys slipping straight back down to the second-tier.

On top of that, O’Shea was also a popular figure when he last donned claret and blue – away from deserting the Clarets after relegation – with the Dublin-born titan even amassing three goals and four assists in league action during the 2023/24 season at Turf Moor, alongside averaging an imposing 5.5 duels won on average.

Again, however, all of his heroic efforts were for nothing as relegation was ultimately served up. But, the £12m defender will hope to buck that ongoing trend if he does relocate back to Lancashire shortly, amidst interest also coming in for his services from Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leeds United.

Games played

35

46

Goals scored

0

1

Assists

2

0

Touches*

58.9

78.0

Accurate passes*

34.0 (79%)

60.5 (91%)

Ball recoveries*

3.1

3.7

Clearances*

6.2

5.0

Total duels won*

5.4

3.6

His most recent stint with Ipswich shows off how he could be a dream Esteve replacement, with the table above displaying his similarities to the Bundesliga-linked defender, as seen in both centre-backs being unfazed by having the ball at their feet, away from completing their gritty defensive basics.

Parker will just pray that he can land O’Shea over other rivals, especially if Esteve does heartbreakingly seek out pastures new, with the Irishman also being labelled as a “warrior” by former West Bromwich Albion manager Valerien Ismael for his full-blooded displays.

The under pressure 44-year-old will need everyone singing off the same hymn sheet defensively if his team stands any chance at survival, with a familiar face in O’Shea rejoining potentially working wonders.

Burnley could sign dream Egan-Riley replacement in "outstanding" £25m star

Burnley would soon forget about CJ Egan-Riley leaving Turf Moor behind if they signed this outstanding replacement.

ByKelan Sarson Jun 5, 2025