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Crystal Palace are targeting Swansea manager Steve Cooper and Burnley boss Sean Dyche as possible options to succeed Roy Hodgson at Selhurst Park.

What’s the story?

According to a huge update from EuroSport reporter Dean Jones, the Eagles have moved on from previous targets Eddie Howe and Frank Lampard in their pursuit of a new manager and the club’s owners now have Cooper and Dyche on their wishlist.

Hodgson announced his departure from the south London club a few weeks ago after four relatively successful years at Palace, but chairman Steve Parish is yet to appoint his replacement.

Fans will be buzzing

Although Cooper and Dyche are completely contrasting in their styles of play and managerial experience, both are likely to be appealing options to the Palace supporters.

The Swans boss has only been in charge of a senior side for two seasons, guiding the Welsh outfit to the Championship play-offs on both occasions.

He’s built an impressive reputation for developing young talent throughout his time working in Liverpool’s academy and as the England Under-17’s manager, though, guiding the young Three Lions side to World Cup glory back in 2017.

Cooper often likes his sides to build patiently from the back and play combinations in the wide positions. Although it hasn’t always been successful at the Liberty Stadium, Swansea have been lauded for their attractive style on many occasions, and the prospect of bringing in a young, exciting coach will surely have the Palace fans buzzing.

Dyche, on the other hand, is an appealing appointment for a host of different reasons. The 49-year-old has been in charge at Turf Moor for nine seasons now and has achieved unprecedented success with his Burnley side.

Despite working on a shoestring budget, the Clarets have achieved two promotions and two top-half Premier League finishes under his tutelage.

The Englishman’s name has virtually become a byword for guaranteed top-flight safety in recent seasons: something Palace will be desperate to achieve in 2021/22.

While Dyche may not win many plaudits for his back to basics approach to the beautiful game, his style is certainly effective, and the Palace fans would surely welcome someone like him with open arms to oversee this transitional period and ensure the club maintains its Premier League status throughout the process.

Parish appointing either one of these two men should be something that has Eagles fans buzzing.

And, in other news…Massive CPFC contract update emerges over £8.1m-rated “colossus”, fans will be buzzing 

Sporting CP midfielder Matheus Nunes would be an excellent signing for Wolves, as well as a show of ambition, according to Midlands reporter Josh Holland.

The Lowdown: Nunes linked with Wolves move

Bruno Lage will be looking to bolster his options in the summer transfer window, ensuring his Wanderers side continue to head in the right direction next season.

One player Wolves have been linked with signing is Nunes, who is enjoying an impressive season for Sporting, starting 28 Primeira Liga games and chipping in with two goals and assists apiece.

The 23-year-old’s creative class has shone through in his central midfield role, with an 85.6% pass completion rate and an average of 2.4 dribbles per game.

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The Latest: Journalist talks up signing

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Holland talked up the idea of Nunes joining Wolves in the summer, saying it would be a statement of intent:

“I think it shows ambition and the fans will love that Bruno Lage wants players like that.

“Depending on where they finish, they need to be looking at players that will want to come to Wolves and help them get into the Champions League rather than a player who wants them to be in the Champions League now.”

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The Verdict: Neves replacement?

Nunes looks like a class act who could fit in seamlessly at Molineux, not least because of his Portuguese roots, and he is surely being viewed as a replacement for Ruben Neves.

The Wolves hero looks increasingly likely to move elsewhere at the end of the season and his compatriot could help the sizeable void left by him, considering he is not dissimilar in style, even hailed as ‘one of the best players in the world today’ by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola.

At 23, Nunes would be considered a long-term replacement who should improve further in the coming years, also making up for the loss of one of the club’s most influential players.

In other news, one player has emerged as a new Wolves transfer target. Find out who it is here.

According to an update by Bild journalist Christian Falk (via Sport Witness), dropping an enticing Tottenham transfer claim, target and 6 foot 3 colossus Jerome Boateng could ‘imagine’ moving to London this summer after his contract expires.

Boateng is set to leave the Allianz Arena at the end of 2020/2021 after Bayern Munich sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic confirmed his current deal will not be extended (The Athletic).

Now, amid speculation surrounding his future, Falk believes the World Cup winner could be open to a London move in a possible boost for Tottenham Hotspur.

Falk drops enticing Boateng claim

The Lilywhites and chairman Daniel Levy have been linked with Boateng recently and Falk has addressed those rumours to Bild (via Sport Witness).

“Yes, from the people we heard about the potential interest and that the player very well could imagine a move to London at the moment,” explained the journalist.

“Nothing has been said yet, there are no concrete talks, but just that his name appears on the shortlist.

“I think his stock has gone up a bit because we saw him playing against Paris Saint Germain and he was used to defend against Neymar. It was good publicity for the man.”

Transfer Tavern take

While Boateng has plenty of experience at the highest level, we believe that Tottenham should be looking elsewhere for much needed defensive reinforcements.

Alasdair Gold recently claimed that Spurs are eyeing a ‘leader’ to marshal their shaky backline, and his listed targets Lewis Dunk, Joachim Andersen and Nikola Milenkovic all come as much better options than Boateng.

The German could command high wages of around £205,000-per-week, and at 32-years-old, he may not be able to put in brilliant performances on such a regular basis in the Premier League.

In other news: Tottenham could lose this ‘fantastic player’, find out more here.

New Tottenham Hotspur manager Nuno Espirto Santo will want to get his own ideas across to the group of players he has inherited at the club, and also bring in his own players, but former Spurs captain Graham Roberts has admitted he’s never heard of reported target, Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Working alongside Tottenham’s new Director of Football, Fabio Paratici, who left his role of chief football officer at Juventus, Espirito Santo will be hoping the club can make additions to the playing staff this summer.

One name that Tottenham have been linked with is, Bologna defender Tomiyasu, with Bologna chief Riccardo Bigon confirming to football.london that they have received a bid from Spurs.

Tomiyasu featured Olympic games with Japan.

When asked by Transfer Tavern about the signing of Tomiyasu, former Spurs skipper Roberts said: “I’m not sure, I think we should go for two really out-and-out, proper centre-halves.

“If they cost £30m, £40m each, you go and buy them, but we don’t know what this lad’s like, I’ve never heard of him”.

New Director of Football Fabio Paratici would have seen Tomiyasu play whilst with Juventus, and Roberts thinks Paratici must rate him highly, saying: “I’m sure somebody, you know Paratici would have seen him in Italy when he was with Juventus, so he must think a lot of him, to go back and try to get him”.

Crystal Palace linked forward Andre Ayew has joined Qatari side Al Sadd on a free transfer, penning an initial two-year deal.

A number of Palace supporters got wind of the confirmed deal on social media, with plenty sharing their relief at the news.

Reports earlier this month from 90min suggested that talks were underway between the Eagles and Ayew, who left Swansea City after his deal expired at the end of the previous campaign.

Ayew, brother of Palace forward Jordan, was reportedly keen on a move to London, but he’s now made the move to Qatar, where he will work under Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez.

Palace fans react

@CPFCtransfersHQ shared the news on Ayew’s two-year deal with Al Sadd on Friday morning.

This is what these Palace fans had to say, with the majority thankful a move to Selhurst Park never materialised, possibly due to his £83,000-a-week wage in Wales and the fact he is 31 years of age.

“Christ a bullet dodged. Don’t know if this is an in the know or in the dark account, but would be disappointing if we truly were still in the market for this level of player.”Credit: @ARJW78″Thank god for that”Credit: @cpfcjj89″Bullet dodged”Credit: @hheatheagle”phew”Credit: @BobbyCPFC”I’m very OK with this”Credit: @PalaceBySea”And…..relax. Wish him good luck though”Credit: @StevofY

In other news: Many CPFC fans go wild at what’s been happening inside Selhurst Park.

Interest is growing in Derby County centre-forward Martyn Waghorn ahead of the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Football League World, who claimed that Ipswich Town are considering a move for the £1.8m-rated 31-year-old as the striker looks likely to become available on a free transfer upon the expiry contract at Pride Park this summer – unless the Rams offer him a new deal.

Waghorn must go

So far this season, Waghorn has been in rather disappointing form over his 31 Championship appearances for Wayne Rooney’s side, with the 31-year-old scoring just three goals and registering three assists, as well as losing an average of 64% of his duels and giving away possession of the ball 8.1 times per game.

The £7,900-per-week forward also averages of a mere 0.3 interceptions, 0.5 tackles and wins possession 0.2 times per game, demonstrating his overall lack of commitment to the cause – something which is also reflected in his average SofaScore match rating of 6.62, ranking him as the Rams’ 11th-worst performer in the second tier.

As such, regardless of what league Derby happen to be playing their football in next season, it would seem as if they would not be any worse off without Waghorn on their books, as the former Ipswich forward – whom Frank Lampard signed for £5.04m in 2018 – does not appear to be giving anywhere near 100% for the side, something which would more than likely continue to be the case if he were offered a new deal in the summer.

If we were Rooney, the 31-year-old – of whom Ryan Conway has previously, and somewhat surprisingly, claimed he would “never question his work-rate”, as well as dubbing the forward a “problem” for defenders – would be getting nowhere near the starting XI for the crucial fixture against Sheffield Wednesday coming up on Saturday, where defeat would ensure that Derby will be playing their football in League One next season

In other news: Rooney must avoid Derby swoop for 29 y/o flop who “plays like he’s on roller-skates” – opinion

Manchester City do not want their pursuit of Harry Kane to drag on into the final days of the transfer window, according to a joint-report from The Telegraph from Mike McGrath and Sam Wallace.

The lowdown

Kane has expressed a desire to leave Tottenham after they finished sixth in the Premier League and saw their wait for a trophy extend to 13 years.

The 27-year-old has scored 221 goals and provided 47 assists in 336 appearances for the club (via Transfermarkt). Last season, he landed both the Golden Boot and the Playmaker Award.

Manchester City have identified him as one of their top targets for the summer after Sergio Aguero left to join Barcelona at the end of his contract at the Etihad Stadium.

Kane is currently on Euro 2020 duty, which may delay any clarification as to where his future lies. A recent report from the Daily Star suggested that City will table a £100m ‘take it or leave it’ offer for the England captain.

The latest

The report from The Telegraph underlines the determination of Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy to keep hold of Kane, while claiming that City are ‘reluctant’ for their pursuit of the 27-year-old to become a protracted saga. This leaves Kane facing transfer ‘heartbreak’, with a ‘dream move’ potentially blocked.

The window, which opened on 9 June, is set to close at 11pm on 31 August, and intriguingly Tottenham are due to host the Premier League champions on the first weekend of the 2021/22 season.

The verdict

Levy may take this as a sign that an obstinate stance in the coming weeks could be enough to put City off buying Kane, as the chairman may feel that Pep Guardiola’s side will have a list of alternatives if Spurs simply refuse to play ball.

The concern, though, is how Kane would react to being denied a move. It’s difficult to imagine him going on strike, but he won’t simply be passive in this process. Manchester United could also have a say, if indeed they’re willing to enter into lengthier negotiations.

In other news, Fabio Paratici has identified his next managerial target.

Leeds United youngster Jack Jenkins has extended his stay with the Whites, signing a new deal that will keep him at Elland Road until 2024.

The Lowdown: Jenkins excites at Leeds

Kalvin Phillips may be Leeds’ undisputed main man in midfield for the first team, but Jenkins has similarly caught the eye for Under-23s.

The 19-year-old has made 24 appearances for the Whites’ youth team in total, including 22 in Premier League 2, registering five assists along the way.

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The Latest: Youngster rewarded with new deal

On Monday, Leeds’ official Twitter account confirmed that Jenkins had penned a new deal that will see him remain at the club until at least 2024.

The midfielder joins Whites duo Charlie Cresswell and Liam McCarron in agreeing new contracts.

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The Verdict: One for the future

It is important that Leeds build towards the future and Jenkins is someone who could become a key figure if his form at youth level translates to the senior game, highlighting the importance of tying him down.

Granted, he won’t necessarily be a first-team regular for a while – it may even be after Marcelo Bielsa eventually moves on – but long-term planning is essential.

Jenkins has one first-team appearance to his name, coming against Crawley Town in the FA Cup last season, and the hope is that it is the first of many.

In other news, Graham Smyth was disappointed with one Leeds player against West Ham. Find out who it is here.

Former Premier League striker Tony Cascarino is adamant that Donny van de Beek is not good enough for Manchester United as his Old Trafford nightmare continues.

The Lowdown: Van de Beek’s struggles

The Netherlands international moved to United last summer from Ajax after making 175 appearances for the Dutch champions.

However, he has had to mostly settle for a substitute role under Ole Gunnar Solksjaer and has only appeared once in the Premier League so far this term, with that one appearance being for a mere six minutes.

With Fred and Scott McTominay ahead of him in the midfield pecking order and minutes hard to come by, the move from his boyhood club to Old Trafford seems to have been a failure.

The Latest: Cascarino slams Van de Beek

Speaking on talkSPORT, Cascarino has slammed Van de Beek and has questioned the £40m price tag paid for his services over a year ago.

The ex-Chelsea striker said: “I was lucky enough to see him as a younger player, he’s not good enough for Manchester United.

“I actually said that when he joined. I said he’s not the level of what people expect of a £40m player. I think they wanted a very good footballing type goalscoring midfielder, he’s pleasant.”

Cascarino continued: “There have been great centre forwards like Ruud van Nistelrooy but generally midfielders you’re getting I find it hard to imagine them in the Premier League.”

The Verdict: Harsh but facts

Whilst the statement from Cascarino seems slightly harsh, opportunities for Van de Beek have been hard to come by and it does seem like Solskjaer isn’t the £100,000-per-week Dutchman’s biggest fan. However, the midfielder has seemingly failed to seize upon any rare starts he is given, being whipped off at half-time in the Champions League loss to Young Boys, for instance.

After seeing a proposed switch to Everton fall through in the summer and his minutes limited yet again this season, a move away from Old Trafford does seem the likeliest move in the career of the £27m-rated ace.

Labelled ‘perfect’ by former United midfielder Owen Hargreaves, Van de Beek’s quality shouldn’t be slept on, as he proved for Ajax, so a move to another Premier League club and a chance to prove his worth could provide a chance for him to prove Cascarino wrong.

In other news, these United fans have slammed one defender for his performance in the weekend draw with Everton. Find out more here.

When John Stones came to Everton as a teenager, he was a rare breed, especially for an English centre-half.

Previously, you had to look far and wide for a player with his attributes in England. Stones could play the ball out from the back and dribble forward like a number 10.

He was calm, composed and looked like he’d be at the heart of Everton and England’s defence for years to come.

Stones consequently moved to Manchester City in a deal worth £47.5m, but has since struggled to consistently nail down a place in their starting XI.

He still earned a place among Gareth Southgate’s squad for the 2018 World Cup – a tournament he scored twice at – but his club form began to deteriorate.

City might have sold him and a return to Everton nearly materialised. Yet, the ball-playing defender grabbed the bull by the horns and fought for his place.

The result of which was one of his most mature campaign to date in 2020/21. He played more often Aymeric Laporte and wasn’t forgotten about despite the £65m addition of Ruben Dias.

Stones won the league title and has impressed again at Euro 2020. Though, if the Toffees now have zero chance of bringing him back to Merseyside, they could find a like-minded player in Ben White.

Cut from a similar cloth, Rafa Benitez has been touted with making a £55m switch for the Brighton defender.

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Just 23 years of age, he has only one year of Premier League experience under his belt but looks wise beyond his ears.

His short passing success rate is impressive, completing 90.2% last season compared to Stones’ tally of 95.8%.

White’s dribbling is also an eye-catching characteristic. Throughout 2020/21, the newly capped England defender completed 0.68 successful dribbles per 90 minutes. By comparison, Stones managed 0.42 per 90.

Speaking about the Everton target during 2019, Noel Whelan compared the two, saying: “He is going to be an England international and is heading for a top club, a Champions League club. There’s no doubt he’s good enough.

“Right now, he’s on a par with John Stones, if not better than him. Ben White is much younger, has room for improvement and has a massive career ahead of him.”

Whelan isn’t wrong about his assessments. Arsenal are also in the race to sign the centre-back and even if he favours a move to north London, he mustn’t forget what Everton did for Stones before he joined Manchester City.

This would be a massive outlay for someone with little experience at the top level but he’d surely improve Benitez’s defence.

AND in other news, Brands must seal Everton swoop for “unstoppable” £40m star, Rafa thinks he’s “great”…