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Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieria should swoop for EFL star John Swift who has been the top scorer for relegation battling Reading having tallied 24 goal contributions this season.

The Eagles have been linked with a move according to Football League World who suggest that they may rival West Ham for his signature.

The 26-year old is a former Chelsea youth product having rose through the Cobham academy which has been deemed one of the best in world football.

Although he never made it through to the first team at Stamford Bridge a decent loan spell at Brentford scoring seven goals for them in the Championship.

He was described as “super-talented” by his former manager Veljko Paunovic last summer and his performances have proved that.

As a result he joined The Royals on a free transfer and has since been pivotal in their battle for survival, but with his contract expiring in the summer it could be the perfect time for the Eagles to land him.

Link up with Olise

Palace have surprised people this season by taking points off Arsenal and beating both Tottenham Hotspur and reigning champions Manchester City.

Moving to Selhurst Park would not only give Swift the chance to finally experience playing in the Premier League, it would also see him link up with former Reading teammate Michael Olise.

Olise, like Swift, rose through the ranks at Chelsea before eventually ending up at Reading via Man City. Last season he shone and at just 19-years of age scored seven and assisted 12.

This led to him being named the EFL Young Player of the Season and he was also included in the Championship team of the season and the PFA Championship team of the year.

The last time the pair played together was on the final day of last season where they were both rated two of the best players on the day for Reading by the Chronicle.

It would be a no brainer for Vieira to make a move for Swift especially seeing as he’s available on a free transfer.

He would likely be competing for a spot in the team with Cheikhou Kouyaté too.

The Senegalese midfielder has has an amazing year with his country winning the Africa Cup of Nations and securing World Cup qualification he has also played a big part in Palaces’ success.

The 32-year old ranks in the 90th percentile in a number of defensive categories when comparing him to other Premier League midfielders this season, but his attacking stats aren’t great having only tallied one goal contribution to his name all season. That differs considerably from Swift who has 34 goals for the Royals.

It’s here where Swift could offer a lot more and link up with the front three which includes a player he know extremely well in Olise.

IN other news: “Fearless” £34k-p/w prodigy drops out, “special talent” unleashed: CPFC predicted XI…

Everton could take midfielder Fabian Ruiz from Napoli, according to Gonfia La Rete (via Sport Witness).

The lowdown

The Spaniard is valued at a hefty £49.5m by Transfermarkt but significantly his contract is due to expire at the end of next season.

If Napoli can’t tie him down in the next couple of months, they may view the summer transfer window as their last opportunity to cash in, knowing that Ruiz could negotiate pre-contract terms with foreign clubs come January 2023.

The 26-year-old has split his minutes so far this season between central midfield (20 games) and defensive midfield roles (12).

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The latest

The report from Gonfia La Rete (via Sport Witness) rates Napoli’s prospects of agreeing a contract extension with Ruiz.

They claimed that things could get ‘difficult’ for the Serie A title-chasers if Everton make an offer to ‘cover the Spaniard in gold’.

Newcastle United are also said to be interested and could present a counterproposal.

The verdict

Newcastle are one of the wealthiest clubs in the world, so Everton may not be able to compete with the kind of financial package that the Tynesiders can offer.

If the Toffees can win the race, though, they would be picking up a long-range specialist. Remarkably, all six of Ruiz’s Serie A goals this season have come from outside the penalty area – that’s as many as Everton have scored as a team.

One of those goals was a 94th-minute winner away to Lazio in February, which sports journalist Josh Bunting labelled ‘stunning’.

Ruiz has a penchant for the spectacular, although journalist Zach Lowy believes that his performances have also been ‘absolutely incredible’ in general.

This could be an early recruitment triumph for Everton director of football Kevin Thelwell if he pulls it off.

In other news, Ian Wright heaps praise on one Everton ace

Tottenham Hotspur will be desperate to return to winning ways after being knocked out of the Carabao Cup on penalties at Stamford Bridge on Thursday. 

Spurs have failed to complete any signings up until this point in the January transfer window, which isn’t a great surprise as they weren’t able to strengthen back in the summer months.

One thing that has been bothering many supporters is the amount of doubt currently surrounding Christian Eriksen’s contract situation, with Mauricio Pochettino currently unsure (as per Sky Sports) on his future.

Eriksen has established himself as one of the best attacking midfielders in world football over the past couple of seasons, and his contributions have been priceless once again in the current campaign, with six goals and 10 assists.

So, the Lilywhites will be desperate to persuade him to stay in the English capital for longer, with an ambitious double swoop in the January transfer window signings possibly turning his head.

Mousa Dembele’s departure has left Spurs with a void to fill in the middle of midfield, so Daniel Levy will need to bring in a central midfielder before the end of this month.

Interestingly, Abdoulaye Doucoure could be the man to take the Belgian international’s place in North London.

The Watford midfielder has managed to produce three goals and five assists in the current campaign, but it has been his pure dominance in the middle of midfield that has really caught the eye. Indeed, the tall Frenchman is dominant in the air and in possession of the ball, with his passing and tackling ability making him very effective in all areas.

Also, another player the Premier League club should look at signing is Sevilla’s Wissam Ben Yedder.

Ben Yedder has established himself as one of the most impressive forwards in Spain over the past couple of seasons, with 17 goals and seven assists to his name in the current campaign, which includes six goals in Europe. He would be the perfect replacement for Harry Kane at the pinnacle of the attack while he continues to nurse his injury, with goals, assists and world-class performances being produced on a consistent basis.

There’s no doubt that securing these two transfer deals before the end of this month would show Eriksen that the club means business, with Pochettino then having the playing resources to go out and secure Champions League glory and a top four spot. Indeed, with Ben Yedder taking Spurs’ attack to the next level and Doucoure providing Eriksen with the licence to push forward in midfield, there’s no better place for the Dane to be.

Tottenham Hotspur fans – thoughts on potential moves for Ben Yedder and Doucoure?

An update has emerged on Newcastle United’s chances of signing Everton centre-forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin…

What’s the talk?

According to The Sun, the Magpies target is set to leave Goodison Park at the end of the season as they look to cash in on him whilst his value is high.

The report claims that he was valued at £60m in January, with Arsenal and West Ham also in the race to snap him up ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Rocking

PIF can get St. James’ Park rocking with a deal for the England international as he would be a superb signing for the Magpies this summer.

Calvert-Lewin is a proven Premier League goalscorer who would excite the fans with his arrival as they will surely have been watching him impress in the top-flight in recent seasons.

Last term, he found the back of the net 16 times in 33 matches for the Toffees. This came after he scored 13 goals in 36 games in the previous season for them, showing that he can score on a regular basis at the top level if he is provided with the service.

His form led to his teammate, Richarlison, heaping praise on him by comparing him to a Manchester United and Real Madrid legend. The Brazilian said:

“He’s had a superb start to the season and without doubt deserved his England call-up. He must be a nightmare to play against and he has an incredible leap on him like Cristiano Ronaldo.”

The attacker also excels at putting himself about and being a nuisance to defenders. As per ScoutCharts, he ranks in the 84th, 87th and 81st percentiles in the Premier League for percentage of duels won, blocked shots and total duels respectively. This shows that he works hard for the team and the Toon faithful would surely love to see him giving his all out on the pitch.

At the age of 25, he would also be a long-term signing for the Magpies. I News recently reported that PIF want to bring in players who can grow alongside the club instead of filling the squad with established stars at the top level straight away.

Calvert-Lewin’s age and current situation suggest that he fits their vision. He is not playing for a big club in the Premier League and has plenty of years left ahead of him to develop, which means that he can come along for the ride at Newcastle in the coming years.

Therefore, St. James’ Park will be rocking if the club can strike a deal for the English forward because of his pedigree and potential as a striker. It is now down to PIF to splash the cash to reach an agreement with Everton to provide Howe with the forward’s quality heading into next season.

AND in other news, NUFC now plotting move for “one of the best ever”, just imagine him and Burn…

Crystal Palace could be handed a major boost ahead of this afternoon’s FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea with the return of both Michael Olise and Tyrick Mitchell.

What’s the story?

Speaking to the media ahead of Palace’s trip to Wembley, manager Patrick Vieira confirmed that both were in training.

“We had Tyrick [Mitchell] and Michael [Olise] who had some training on the field, individually yesterday, a little more today,” revealed the Frenchman.

“Then we have to wait tomorrow to see if there’s any kind of reaction. They will only get involved in the game if they are 100% fit.”

There hasn’t been a further update on how the pair reacted to training and where their fitness levels are at, however, the prospect of having two key players available for the Eagles’ biggest game of the season will delight supporters.

Huge boost

Both Mitchell and Olise have seriously impressed in red and blue this season, particularly the former who was handed his first senior England caps at the back end of last month.

According to SofaScore, the left-back has averaged a match rating of 6.89/10 in the Premier League whilst keeping nine clean sheets in 31 matches.

Moreover, the 22-year-old has been excellent defensively, averaging 1.2 interceptions, three tackles, and 2.5 clearances per game whilst completing over half of his attempted dribbles.

However, the Englishman was withdrawn after just half an hour in last weekend’s 2-1 defeat at Leicester.

As for Olise, the young Frenchman has also impressed in his first top-flight campaign in England after joining from Championship side Reading last summer for £8m.

The winger, who hasn’t featured since the international break, has netted four goals for the South London outfit this term, two of which coming in Palace’s FA Cup run to Wembley, whilst registering eight assists.

It’s been in the FA Cup where the 20-year-old has really shone, with standout performances against Millwall and Hartlepool United particularly memorable.

Olise’s creativity has made a major difference to Vieira’s side, with the youngster contributing five assists in the Premier League whilst also creating seven big chances and averaging 0.8 key passes a game in the top-flight.

Whether either player will be fit to start is yet to be seen, however, their return to training will certainly be a major boost as Palace look to reach their second FA Cup final in seven years and that should leave the French head coach absolutely delighted heading into kick-off this afternoon.

AND in other news: Vieira dealt setback as early Chelsea team news emerges, it’s a huge blow for Palace

Taking to Twitter, Canadian sports reporter Matthew Scianitti has made a Tottenham Hotspur transfer claim involving in-form Lille star Jonathan David.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye striker…

As explained by reliable reporter Alasdair Gold, signing a striker is one of manager Antonio Conte’s four main priorities for Spurs as he seeks to begin the N17 rebuild.

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Many names have been linked with a potential, namely Fiorentina star Dusan Vlahovic as the most prevalent target, but other, more obscure forwards can’t be ruled out.

In terms of quality, there are few options in greater form than Ligue 1 sensation David, who is already drawing comparisons with superstar Luis Suarez.

Making a Twitter claim, TSN sports journalist Scianitti has shared some news involving the his countryman and Spurs.

The Latest: David ‘open’ to Spurs possibility…

He claims that the Canada star is now on Tottenham’s radar as they join the ever-growing list of clubs eyeing a move.

While it is ‘unlikely’ David will be leaving before January 31, the player hasn’t yet got a particular destination in mind as is ‘open’ to all possibilities – including Spurs.

“Add Chelsea & Tottenham to teams interested in Jonathan David, @TSN_Sports has learned,” he explained.

“Barcelona & Man United still interested too, adding to Arsenal, Liverpool & Real Madrid reports.

“Jan move unlikely. David hasn’t narrowed his list, he’s said to be “open” to every possibility.”

The Verdict: Major coup…

If the 22-year-old were to narrow down his options to Tottenham, there is little arguing he would be a major coup.

Scoring a brilliant 16 goals already this campaign, David’s international record with Canada is equally as impressive – having netted a sublime 18 goals in 24 caps (Transfermarkt).

Valued at around £45 million by Transfermarkt, there is little wonder he could command such a hefty fee, with commentator Maximiliano Bretos branding David ‘phenomenal’ for his exploits on the world stage.

In other news: Spurs edge closer to first January signing as Conte personally eyes ‘massive’ £15m man, find out more here.

Liverpool have reportedly agreed on personal terms with Benfica star Darwen Núñez ahead of possibly signing the striker this summer.

What’s the latest?

According to sources online (via Sports Illustrated), his agent Jorge Mendes has been turning down offers from other potential suitors as the player wants to join Liverpool with terms already agreed upon verbally.

The Uruguayan is rated at £36m and after a great season has attracted interest from several top clubs. He currently earns £31k-per-week at Benfica which would rise to £60k-per-week if he joins the Reds.

Klopp will be buzzing

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will be delighted with the news that Núñez is reportedly one step closer to a move to Anfield. The Reds have much-improved squad depth this season which has been one of the reasons they have reached the latter stages of every competition.

The club are still on for the quadruple, having already lifted the Carabao Cup, and they are now in the final of the FA Cup, the semi-final of the Champions League and the title is going down to the wire.

However, it’s never too early to start planning for the next campaign and Núñez would be the perfect addition. The 22-year old has an outstanding goal scoring record this season with 25 league strikes in 26 appearances

The “special” striker’s form hasn’t been enough to propel Benfica to the league title as they currently sit third in the table with no guarantees of Champions League football next season.

If they don’t qualify for Europe’s premier competition then it makes it even more likely that Núñez will want to depart the club, and with Merseyside seeming like the most likely destination, it shouldn’t be long before we see him in the Premier League.

When you compare him to Roberto Firmino, Diogo Jota and Sadio Mane, the three players who usually play through the middle for Liverpool, he has a much better goal per 90-minute average at 1.25.

The player closest to him is Jota on 0.70. Whilst the Premier League is undoubtedly a much tougher division, we don’t think it would take long for him to adapt, and with the number of chances Liverpool create it wouldn’t be surprising to see him get close to those numbers.

AND inN other news:  Forget Bobby: Liverpool can give Efc nightmares by unleashing their “new Luis Suarez”…

Leeds United could still make a move for Derby County midfielder Jason Knight in the January transfer window, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Knight impressing at Derby

The Rams may be experiencing a torrid time off the pitch at the moment, with the future of the club even in doubt, but Knight has been a rare positive this season.

The 20-year-old has become a key figure at Pride Park, scoring two goals and setting up another two in 20 Championship appearances, not to mention captaining the team on a handful of occasions.

Leeds have been linked with a move for the Republic of Ireland international as they eye up midfield reinforcements this month.

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The Latest: Journalist talks up Leeds move for Knight

O’Rourke believes that this motted transfer could potentially happen, telling GiveMeSport that Knight could be a player who flourishes under Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds.

The journalist claimed: “He’s one that maybe could fit the bill for Leeds. If they get him now, they could then mould him into the type of player that Bielsa wants.”

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The Verdict: Strong long-term addition

Knight may not be the big-name midfield signing that Leeds are seeking in the final week of the transfer window, but he would be a long-term addition who can already add quality to the squad.

Derby manager and England’s all-time record goalscorer Wayne Rooney has even compared the youngster to himself as a player, which speaks volumes, and the fact that he is already captain of a Championship team at 20 says a lot about his maturity. Indeed, the Rams boss quipped of the youngster: “His attitude in training and his performances have been first-class.”

Knight is someone who could initially come in and make up for the loss of Kalvin Phillips to injury, perhaps becoming an eventual replacement for the England midfielder further down the line.

In other news, Phil Hay has confirmed a serious injury for one Leeds player. Find out who it is here.

Newcastle United are preparing to make a second bid for Atalanta’s Robin Gosens after their first offer was rejected, according to Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown

The report claims that Atalanta turned down an offer worth €30m (£25.1m) for their left wing-back, who has 18 months left on his contract. The Serie A outfit paid just over £1m to sign Gosens from Eredivisie club Heracles Almelo in 2017, and that has proved to be very shrewd recruitment.

Alas, Gosens hasn’t played since September, having sustained a hamstring injury in the early stages of a Champions League clash with Young Boys. The German then suffered a setback when he was on the verge of returning in November.

The latest

According to Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Newcastle are apparently ‘ready to return to the assault’ in the final week of the transfer window with an improved bid.

It’s unclear just how much they’ll need to pay in order to persuade Atalanta to part with Gosens.

The verdict

Gosens is hugely effective in that attacking role on the left flank. He has been directly involved in 50 goals (scored 29, set up 21) in his 157 appearances for Atalanta, and six goals (scored two, set up four) in his 13 Germany caps.

Fans might remember his masterclass in the 4-2 victory against Portugal at last summer’s European Championship, as he set up Kai Havertz before finding the net himself. It was also his shot which deflected in off Manchester City’s Ruben Dias for Germany’s first goal.

Sports journalist Josh Bunting dubbed it ‘one of the best individual performances’ at the tournament, while CBS Sports’ James Benge remarked that the 27-year-old was evading Portugal so easily that it was as if he was wearing an ‘invisibility cloak’, a reference to the Harry Potter books and films.

If Eddie Howe did get his hands on Gosens, he’d probably be most effective in the left midfield slot in the manager’s 4-4-2, with full licence to attack, as opposed to being restricted to the left-back position.

In other news, Newcastle are considering a swoop for this PL defender. 

Newcastle United are closing in on the signing of Galway United starlet Alex Murphy.

What’s the story?

Writing on Twitter, The Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson reported: “#NUFC win battle to sign teenage defender Alex Murphy – with Irish full-back set to leave Galway United and move to Tyneside in the summer…”

In a follow-up article, he added: “Murphy will leave Irish side Galway United to move to Tyneside in the summer, once he turns 18, and is set to join Newcastle’s development ranks.

“The 17-year-old, who is primarily regarded as a left-back, joined Galway United from Corrib Celtic, and has been attracting attention from scouts from right across Europe in the last few months.””Torino and Celtic are understood to have made contact with his representatives, with Brighton also having been linked with a possible move, but Newcastle have won the battle to secure his signature.”Exciting prospect for NewcastleVersatile enough to play at both left-back and centre-back, Murphy has been a regular presence for Galway since the start of the League of Ireland season earlier this year, playing seven games and registering one assist.The 17-year-old has also broken onto the scene at international level, playing for the Republic of Ireland’s under-18s, while also featuring most recently for the under-19s in their European Championship qualifiers against Portugal and Armenia just last month.Having seen his club play a vital role in Murphy’s early development, Corrib Celtic’s chairman Jack Barrett raved about the teenager’s work ethic.He said: “Corrib Celtic were aware from an early stage that we had a huge talent on our hands. I often witnessed Alex’s determination and strive to make himself better. On a lot of occasions off-season I would visit our grounds with nobody around and next thing witness Alex arrive on a bike on his own, with two footballs, to spend the next three hours practicing free-kicks and all the other skills of the game.”This shows a real attitude to go further in the game. All in all, Galway United have the real deal on their hands.”While Newcastle fans will be excited to see the prospect of big-money signings and marquee arrivals this summer, Murphy’s move to Tyneside should have Eddie Howe delighted, with the teenager no doubt someone who could very much become part of the club’s future.Already gaining valuable experience at first-team level with Galway United, Murphy should find a home in the Magpies’ academy sides as Wilson has suggested, with a view to integrating him into the senior setup sooner rather than later if he really showcases his talent and potential.The 5 foot 11 starlet could be a part of the long-term project at St James’ Park for Newcastle.AND in other news – Sold for just £100k, now a two-time title winner: NUFC flop has delivered huge payback