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Crystal Palace are eyeing up a move for Rangers midfielder Joe Aribo in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Aribo a success at Rangers

The Nigerian has proven to be an excellent signing by the Gers after arriving in 2019, registering 25 goals and assists apiece in 141 appearances.

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Aribo has continued to be a key figure for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side this season, chipping in with eight goals and five assists in the Scottish Premiership.

A worrying update has now emerged from a Rangers perspective, however, with a possible summer exit on the cards.

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The Latest: Palace keen on move

According to Football Insider, Palace are interested in signing Aribo at the end of the season, with a recruitment source claiming they are ‘keeping tabs’ on his situation. Eagles club officials have even gone to scout him at Ibrox recently, further highlighting the level of keenness on show.

The 25-year-old’s current deal expires in the summer of 2023, at which point Rangers could lose him on a free transfer if he hasn’t extended his stay.

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The Verdict: Potential big loss

Aribo has grown into an influential figure at Ibrox, as shown by his aforementioned statistics, so losing him would be a big blow for Van Bronckhorst.

The idea of joining the Patrick Vieira revolution at Palace could be too good to turn down for the midfielder, with the Frenchman already getting strong performances out of vibrant players such as Wilfried Zaha, Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise.

The hope is that Aribo stays at Rangers, of course – Ezri Konsa has hailed him as ‘unique’ – but it is easy to envisage a scenario where his head is turned by a move to Selhurst Park.

In other news, Rangers are reportedly eyeing up a stunning move for one player. Read more here.

Sunderland’s eight-match unbeaten run came to an end on Saturday as they were hammered 4-0 by Portsmouth in League One.

Lee Johnson’s side found themselves 3-0 down by half-time as Pompey ran riot at Fratton Park, thumping the Black Cats and knocking them off the top of the table.

Wigan have overtaken Sunderland to lead League One on goal difference, with both teams having won seven, drawn one and lost two of their opening ten matches.

Whilst a number of players struggled throughout the match, one player who let Lee Johnson down badly was winger Aiden O’Brien.

The ex-Millwall man endured a rough afternoon as he failed to impress in general play and in the final third, playing the full 90 minutes of the 4-0 defeat. He was given the joint-lowest SofaScore rating (6.1) for Sunderland, highlighting how disappointing he was in the match.

In terms of his general play, he left plenty to be desired. Per SofaScore, he lost nine of his 17 duels on the pitch and gave possession of the ball away 21 times. He also completed 75% of his passes and made one tackle and one interception.

This suggests that he was sloppy with the ball at his feet as he failed to provide a reliable outlet for Sunderland on the left-hand side. He gave up possession far too often and that helped Portsmouth to build more attacks and continue to build the pressure on Hoffmann’s goal, which contributed to the home side dominating the match and winning comfortably.

O’Brien struggled to make an impact when in the final third. Per SofaScore, he had a 0% success rate from his attempted crosses and only completed one of his four dribble attempts.

This led to him providing zero key passes in the entire match, whilst having two shots – one on and one off-target – at the Pompey goalkeeper. So, he was unable to showcase his quality in-and-around the box, whilst also looking off the pace in general play.

Therefore, the dud let Johnson down as he did not offer anything out of or in possession in the game and that contributed to Sunderland’s ultimate demise.

Although he was not the sole reason for the defeat, with other players also struggling, his performance was worrying and his place in the starting XI could now be under threat at the head coach has two weeks of an international break to ponder changes to his team.

When Rafa Benitez was appointed as the new manager of Everton it sparked controversy among the Goodison Park faithful.

Supporters were hanging banners outside of his house in protest of the former Liverpool boss being handed the keys to the club.

Their concerns made sense after he dubbed the Toffees a small team during his stint at Anfield.

However, Benitez has hit back at his critics with Everton witnessing a near-perfect start to the new season. They haven’t spent a great deal in the transfer window but have still amassed seven points from their first three games.

Demarai Gray, the only man who cost anything this summer, has hit the ground running and has started the campaign with two goals in his last two matches.

The quick-footed winger is a throwback to the type of signing David Moyes made during his stay at Everton and it seems to be working a treat as he dominates Premier League defences.

Though, despite his goal in the club’s 2-0 win over Brighton on Saturday afternoon, it was actually a defender who stole the show.

Michael Keane has attracted his fair share of criticism this season and that’s completely justified. He has already made a plethora of errors leading to goals as he endures a torrid start to the campaign.

He turned too slowly against Leeds which allowed Patrick Bamford to pick up possession and then set up Mateusz Klich for a goal. Keane then lost his marker when Huddersfield scored against the Toffees in the Carabao Cup in midweek.

Yet, when the Toffees visited the south coast this weekend, Keane returned to form in emphatic fashion.

It will take a while for supporters to be convinced by him again but this showed he does indeed have the necessary qualities to shine under Benitez.

The £22.5m-rated England international was rock solid at the back against Brighton, winning 100% of the defensive duels he was involved in. That meant the centre-half won an impressive four tackles and produced five interceptions.

That final statistic was the best on the entire field of play while only Allan completed more tackles (5) than Keane during the game.

The defender was also calm and composed in possession of the ball. Keane registered a pass success rate of 92% which once more, was only bettered by the diminutive Allan.

If the centre-back can produce performances like this on a regular basis then he can still be a huge part of the Everton squad. If mistakes pop up again, however, Benitez will need to axe him quickly.

AND in other news, “Joorabchian has told Everton” – Castles issues big transfer claim, fans surely scared…

A 2-2 draw with one of the Premier League’s top-flight teams is a result that Wolves will have happily taken after their languid start to the campaign.

Sadly, that outcome came in the Carabao Cup where Bruno Lage’s men ultimately had to settle for a penalty shootout defeat at Molineux to Tottenham.

It was the second time this season that Nuno Santo has got the better of his former employers and they must now be sick of the sight of the Portuguese.

There were negatives again in the way that Wolves defended, but at long last, they were scoring goals.

The Old Gold have only found the net via their own player once in the top-flight this term so when Leander Dendoncker and Daniel Podence found the net, it will have brought great joy to Lage and the club’s supporters.

The less said about Dendoncker’s penalty, however, the better.

His miss was made worse by Ruben Neves’ moments before and then skipper Conor Coady rattling the crossbar as the Midlands outfit crashed out.

Yet, one of the most disappointing performances on Wednesday evening was undoubtedly Fabio Silva’s.

It was a rare opportunity for the teenager to shine and it was surprising that he started. Raul Jimenez wasn’t included in the squad and it was expected that summer signing, Hwang Hee-chan, started instead.

He did begin on the flanks but it was Wolves’ club-record signing who was given the chance to steal the headlines.

Unfortunately, his display was extremely abject. Silva has shown glimpses of his enormous quality since arriving 12 months ago but for a player that cost £35.6m, you’d expect more than a return of four goals in 42 outings.

Game time has been limited for the youngster but even when he’s played, Silva has done little to justify the selection or his enormous price tag.

That was perfectly evident in the clash with Spurs in midweek when he was dragged off at half time after making a very minimal impact on the pitch.

The striker had fewer touches of the ball (13) than goalkeeper John Ruddy (29) while he made a measly six passes at a success rate of only 67%.

Silva struggled to hold onto the ball and ultimately lost possession every 2.6 times he received it from his teammates.

His abilities were limited so significantly that he had just one shot and was then bullied into losing 80% of his physical battles.

Based on this performance and the vast majority of his showings in the 2020/21 campaign, Silva has not been worth the money.

AND in other news, Signed for £18m, now worth £50m: Fosun played a blinder over “unbelievable” Wolves ace…

If Thursday night was a trial, then mooted West Ham target Paul Onachu would have hardly passed with flying colours.

In fact, his performance may be enough to put new Irons head of recruitment Rob Newman completely off making a move as the 27-year-old struggled against the east London outfit in the Europa League.

The Hammers dominated Belgian outfit Genk and came out on top with a 3-0 victory at the London Stadium to maintain their 100% record in the competition.

According to the Daily Mail, West Ham are among many clubs interested in a move for the Nigeria international, who is thought to be valued at around £20m.

There is said to be competition from Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton, whilst Borussia Dortmund and Atletico Madrid have also been linked by the report.

Well, luckily for David Moyes and co, they got to witness his credentials firsthand, and on that basis alone, he could struggle to have much of an impact in England as the Irons absolutely silenced him with their two backup central defenders.

Onuachu may have bagged 11 goals in 15 appearances beforehand, providing a total of 56 goals in only 85 games for the Jupiler Pro League outfit, but there is a vast difference in the quality of opposition.

The £19.8m-rated forward, who was once dubbed a “goal king” by former Wimbledon star John Fashanu, looked rather poor against the Irons.

Both Issa Diop and Craig Dawson dealt with his 6 foot 7 stature and usually impressive aerial ability (he has won 3.6 aerial duels per league game this term) with aplomb.

Onuachu was hooked after 73 minutes, having failed to make any sort of impact. As per SofaScore, his two attempts on goal were fired off target, with one of those a particularly weak effort with what was a golden chance for the visitors, whilst the towering striker also won only 50% of his battles in the air and managed just one successful dribble from three attempts.

It’s no secret that Moyes needs another frontline addition to help provide backup to Michail Antonio, who was not even in the squad on Thursday night, but on that midweek showing, the answer may not be the Genk talisman.

Newman must steer West Ham clear of the 27-year-old or else risk making a major transfer blunder.

AND in other news, Moyes handed fresh injury blow to key West Ham star ahead of Spurs…

Lots of Wolves fans have been left reacting on social media as a transfer update emerged on Noni Madueke.

As per Sky Sports, the PSV ace is attracting interest from the Midlands club, as well as both Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City.

However, he has a current valuation of between £30-34m, which may prove to be too expensive.

Madueke scored no fewer than nine goals and supplied a further eight assists in 32 matches in total over all competitions in the 2020/21 season, which is very impressive considering that he often operated on the wing (Transfermarkt).

Dubbed a ‘very explosive’ player by former PSV midfielder Tommie van de Leegte, he could certainly add a new dimension to Bruno Lage’s attack, but they may now have to sell a few players first in order to be able to afford him.

Wolves fans on Madueke transfer update

These members of the Molineux faithful gave their reactions as the transfer update was shared on Twitter, and while they were generally excited by the link, some feel as if it would be unrealistic to sign him:

“Won’t be this window but that would be amazing”

Credit: @CaritaMejor

“If we pull this off”

Credit: @Wolvoryan04

“Yes yes yes yes”

Credit: @charliewwfc_

“Would be some signing but idk if its worth the risk of selling Adama to afford him”

Credit: @OscarWWFC_

“All good being linked with these class wingers but we still need a CB and CM this window”

Credit: @PedroBackOfNeto

“If we sold Adama his money would be enough but I don’t really wanna sell Adama”

Credit: @Wolvoryan04

In other news, find out what injury news has been bemoaned by Wanderers here!

Jack Harrison, Raphinha and Pascal Struijk stood out as star performers in Leeds United’s crucial 3-2 win away to West Ham on Sunday afternoon.

The Whites picked up an enormous Premier League victory in east London, battling their way to a priceless three points after a thrilling game.

Harrison scored a hat-trick against the Hammers on a memorable afternoon for the winger, as the visitors dug deep amid more injury problems.

We’ve delved into the numbers from statistical website Sofascore to analyse the Whites’ three best performers from those to have played at least 45 minutes of action. No prizes for guessing who one of them was, but who else stood out against the Irons?

Jack Harrison – 9.0

There was no doubting who the best player was for Marcelo Bielsa’s side, as Harrison enjoyed arguably his best game for the club.

Aside from the headline-making hat-trick, the 25-year-old also won two tackles and four ground duels and played two key passes in a superb all-round display.

That’s now four goals in his last three appearances for Harrison, who appears to be returning to his best.

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Raphinha – 7.8

Raphinha has been Leeds’ best player so far this season and he was a constant threat to West Ham’s defence today.

The Brazilian was unfortunate to see a brilliant assist chalked off for offside but he still managed to play an incredible eight key passes against the Hammers.

Not only that, but the Brazilian created two big chances and hit the woodwork with a stunning free-kick, while also pitching in defensively by winning five ground duels and one tackle.

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Pascal Struijk – 7.3

Struijk has been limited to 10 league starts so far this season but he was excellent on Sunday, playing an important role in a huge win for Leeds.

The 22-year-old won all five ground duels that he contested at the London Stadium, summing up the dominant nature of his performance. The Dutchman also won five tackles and made one interception, not being dribbled past once in the whole game.

In other news, one Leeds player has been linked with a move away from Elland Road. Find out who it is here.

Aston Villa could have Marvelous Nakamba back in a matchday squad for the first time since December today, with the Zimbabwe midfielder back from a knee injury which has ruled him out for nearly four months.

The Villans host Tottenham Hotspur in the late kick-off and will look to return to the top half of the table with a victory.

Villa manager Steven Gerrard confirmed that the 28-year-old is in contention to feature today after playing for the under-23s last Friday, saying: “He has played for the under-23s. So you couldn’t rule out the possibility of him making the matchday squad soon. If not for the Tottenham game, then he’s certainly going to be available for that Leicester fixture.

“But he has an outside chance of being involved in the matchday squad this weekend, although it wouldn’t be a start.”

Although there are doubts regarding Nakamba’s fitness, Gerrard should definitely consider reintroducing the Zimbabwean back into his team if possible.

On the chalkboard

It’s fair to say that the Villans have endured an inconsistent campaign in 2021/22, although a top-half finish is still very achievable.

Therefore, the final eight Premier League games of the season should be taken seriously, with this stage of a campaign sometimes seen by players as an opportunity to take their foot off the gas when there seems little to play for other than pride.

Having as many players fit and available as possible will certainly be vital to ensure a strong conclusion to the season, and Nakamba’s return will be incredibly welcome.

In the 28-year-old’s absence, the regular midfield trio of John McGinn, Douglas Luiz and Jacob Ramsey has borne fruit on occasion, but there is a lack of competition in the middle of the park.

After Nakamba and those three, Morgan Sanson is the only other senior central midfielder in the squad, with 18-year-old Carney Chukwuemeka being slowly integrated into the first team. The Frenchman has disappointed this term and could well depart in the summer, with Nantes reportedly interested in him.

Moreover, Luiz was poor against Wolves last week, with SofaScore handing the Brazilian a 6.4/10 match rating.

Although the Zimbabwean – who has previously been described as “outstanding” by former Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor – may not start every game until the end of the season, his presence should certainly encourage the other midfielders to remain consistent in order to avoid losing their place in the team.

Prior to his injury, Nakamba had started all of Gerrard’s first five games in charge and certainly has an admirer in the 41-year-old, who was a world-class midfielder as a player.

His is a timely return, even if it is to be from the bench this evening as the manager has hinted, and Aston Villa should certainly benefit from having the £34k-per-week midfielder back in action as they look to secure a first top-half Premier League finish in 11 years.

In other news: Aston Villa’s “crazy” £22.5m-rated talent could now leave, fans will surely be fuming

An exciting update has emerged on Newcastle’s transfer plans ahead of the upcoming January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Magpies reporter Liam Kennedy has claimed that PIF will make multiple ‘marquee’ signings and has admitted that they could come in January, although they may wait until the end of the season.

He told GIVEMESPORT:

“I think Newcastle will make a couple of marquee signings, it might not be in January, although I do think they might try and do something in January.”

Buzzing

Newcastle fans will surely be buzzing with this claim from Kennedy as it suggests that they can look forward to some exciting transfer business in the next two windows.

Although he has not said that they will 100% go for a marquee addition in January, he does believe that it will come eventually and that they will still try to bring players in during the winter market.

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It would sensible for the club to make a few shrewd additions in January to bolster the squad in order to achieve survival, rather than splashing out the cash instantly. If they are able to sign the right players to keep the club in the Premier League then they could go into next summer in a better position to tempt stars into joining, rather than coming to them with the prospect of six months in a relegation battle.

For example, the Magpies may choose to wait for the summer months and go for someone like Dusan Vlahovic. He has recently been linked with a move to Tyneside and he could fit the profile of the marquee addition needed to lift the team to the next level.

The Serbian international is not playing Champions League football with Fiorentina and, therefore, could be more open to the move than, say, a player competing at the very top with Real Madrid or Manchester City. However, he has the performance levels to suggest that he could be an extravagant signing, with 29 Serie A strikes since the start of last season.

For now, though, Newcastle supporters will be elated at the prospect of an exciting January transfer window speculating over who may or may not arrive.

Hopefully, Eddie Howe and his team will then provide the goods in reality during the window to bolster the squad and improve the displays on the pitch in order to stave off relegation to the Championship.

AND in other news, “My future…”: NUFC transfer target makes big statement that’ll leave fans gutted…

Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side have been handed a huge boost ahead of Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi-final clash, with bad news emerging from the opposition camp.

What’s the latest?

In his pre-match press conference prior to Rangers’ Europa League quarter-final clash against Sporting Braga this evening, Giovanni van Bronckhorst revealed that, following his withdrawal at half-time in the 4-0 win over St Mirren last weekend, Filip Helander now looks set to miss the remainder of the season due to injury.

Regarding the centre-back’s knock, the Dutchman said: “Filip Helander’s injury is not good, we won’t have him for the remainder of the season.”

Postecoglou will be buzzing

Considering that the key Rangers duo of Alfredo Morelos and Ianis Hagi have also been ruled out for the rest of the club’s 2021/22 campaign, the news that the Light Blues have suffered yet another injury setback is sure to have left Postecoglou buzzing.

While it is true that Helander had not been a regular in Van Bronckhorst’s starting XI this season – with the 28-year-old making just six Premiership appearances due to a long-term knee injury – the Sweden international has nevertheless proven just how important a player he can be for the Gers.

Indeed, over his 22 league outings in 2020/21, the £3.15m-rated defender played a key role in Rangers’ title-winning campaign, helping his side to keep 13 clean sheets, along with making 0.7 interceptions, 1.7 tackles and 2.2 clearances and winning seven duels (at a success rate of 68%) per game.

These returns saw the £14.5k-per-week centre-back average a very impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.10, ranking him as Gers’ 12th-best player in the Scottish top flight.

As such, the fact that Helander will not only miss the Scottish Cup semi-final clash with the Hoops this Sunday but also the Old Firm meeting in the league on May 1, plus Rangers’ remaining four Premiership fixtures this season, will undoubtedly come as a huge boost to Postecoglou and his Celtic side.

AND in other news: Sold at £6m, now worth £25m: Celtic will be having nightmares over £35k-p/w “unicorn”