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Crystal Palace will be feeling hopeful that they can enjoy a strong second half of the season. 

Whilst they’ve reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and made inroads to moving on up the Premier League table, Roy Hodgson can be happy with how his team have been performing in recent weeks.

The Eagles have far more attacking threat about them now with the loan signing of Michy Batshuayi, whilst their defence continues to prove stubborn and resistant on many occasions.

Crystal Palace, have the capabilities to achieve much more and that can be done by bringing in some new players during the summer transfer window.

Someone who could add even more strength and depth to the Eagles back-line is Huddersfield star Terence Kongolo.

Kongolo, (who is valued at £13.5 million on Transfermarkt) has proven to be a good player, especially when initially joining Huddersfield on-loan last season.

He proved to be a massive helping-hand in defence and was a large reason as to why they were able to again compete in the Premier League this season.

Having signed a permanent deal with the Terriers in the summer, Kongolo would have been hoping for more than two wins so far this season, something that leaves Huddersfield bottom of the league.

And whilst Crystal Palace have no guarantees of staying up this season, a move to Selhurst Park could potentially be a lot more prosperous for the former Dutch international, allowing him to show his best ability.

With the likes of Martin Kelly, Scott Dann and Joel Ward all able to be improved upon, Crystal Palace would do well to bolster their options with the capture of Terence Kongolo.

Do you agree… Let us know!

So far this season, Sunderland have managed to win 13 of their 21 played league games, drawing three and losing five, earning them 42 points and placing them in third place in the league table.

With Sunderland having had a number of injury issues to deal with for the past few weeks with the likes of Niall Huggins, Dennis Cirkin, Denver Hume, Aiden McGeady and Luke O’Nien all out, this shows how well manager Lee Johnson and the available players he’s had at his disposal have done lately.

Having gone unbeaten in their five previous league games, it seems as though the Sunderland fans could have something to be excited about and look forward to during the upcoming January transfer window that could help Johnson’s side make their final push for promotion.

On the subject of the January market, Johnson had this to say on the matter over the weekend.

He said: “Our aim will be to come out of the January transfer window better than we went into it. There’s always a natural evolution of any squad. I think we will be able to recruit – I expect us to be able to recruit. Nobody has told me any different.”

Taking this into account, it certainly sounds that Johnson will be looking to strengthen his squad in January as the Black Cats aim to finally win promotion back to the Championship after spending the previous three seasons in League One.

Given their injury issues, particularly in the defensive areas, perhaps this should be where the Wearside club look to add in the winter to make sure they don’t miss out on promotion.

With this in mind, January could provide Kyril Louis-Dreyfus with a great chance of giving Johnson exactly what he needs to get Sunderland through to the end of the season and in with a chance of securing their place in the Championship for next season.

In addition to any potential new players coming in, Sunderland also have the option of recalling some of their players currently loaned out elsewhere such as Jack Diamond and Josh Hawkes, which could also give Johnson some extra options in his squad to get them over the line to promotion.

In other news: Big blow: Sunderland dealt yet another injury setback that’ll surely have fans fuming – opinion

Celtic are interested in a deal to bring Johnny Kenny to Parkhead in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Football Scotland, who claim that both Ange Postecoglou’s side and Hibernian are keeping a very close eye on the situation of the Sligo Rovers centre-forward ahead of a potential swoop this winter.

However, the report goes on to state that the 18-year-old was in attendance at Hibs’ 1-0 win over Dundee on Tuesday evening, something that would appear to suggest that the Edinburgh side are currently in the driving seat in the race for the youngster’s signature.

Imagine him & Moffat

Considering just how much potential Kenny quite clearly possesses, it is not difficult to see why Postecoglou is reported to be interested in a move for the forward this winter.

Indeed, over his 32 Premier Division appearances for Sligo Rovers this season, the £68k-rated man scored 11 goals and provided his teammates with two assists, returns which have earned the teenager a considerable amount of praise.

Speaking about the Ireland U19 international’s potential, Brendan Tuohy – the player’s former coach – said: “He knew what he wanted, he wanted to be the best that he could be. He worked very hard. Even when we weren’t training you would know well that Johnny was doing more on his own. He was living for it… he had that hunger, dedication. He was very committed, and he didn’t like losing. He had that hunger for success.”

As such, it would appear as if Kenny is a player who perfectly fits the characteristics Postecoglou likes in a signing, and, when taking into account the fact he is still just 18 years of age, the youngster is also a player who the 56-year-old manager could very much mould into a top-level talent.

And, with Celtic already possessing a number of extremely exciting youth prospects at present, none more so than Owen Moffat, the signing of Kenny this winter would only appear to make the future of the club brighter – leading us to believe that the Bhoys must do all they can to land the Sligo Rovers star in January.

In other news: Forget Abada: Celtic gem who won 67% duels proved he’s now someone “Ange can’t ignore”

Leeds United reporter Adam Pope has revealed that star man Raphinha is ‘fit and available’ to face Aston Villa this evening.

The Lowdown: International scare

Raphinha, who Jermaine Beckford labelled as ‘phenomenal’, starred for Brazil during the international break in a 4-0 win over Paraguay.

The 25-year-old scored the opener, had a goal disallowed and hit the post before being replaced late on.

The forward was on the end of a heavy challenge with eight minutes remaining and limped off, with Leeds physios assessing Raphinha on his return to Yorkshire.

The Latest: Pope’s reply

Pope shared a video on Twitter on Monday evening in which he spoke with Raphinha regarding his future.

He was then asked by a Whites fan about the fitness status ahead of the trip to Villa Park, with Pope simply saying: “He’s fit and available.”

The Verdict: Phew

Raphinha has been the club’s shining light in what has been a difficult season at Elland Road, so knowing he has avoided serious injury is a relief.

The versatile wide man has been Leeds’ best Premier League performer by some distance and has contributed to ten Premier League goals, with Jack Harrison next on the list with five, as per WhoScored.

It seems as if he’ll have to continue to carry the goalscoring burden on his shoulders with Patrick Bamford still sidelined, but his availability in the Midlands this evening is a huge positive.

In other news: Leeds gifted another injury boost pre-Villa as Phil Hay relays news involving ‘important’ player. 

Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has dropped a major update on Newcastle United’s plans for the rest of the January transfer window.

What’s the story?

Speaking live on Sky Sports News at 16:05pm on Thursday afternoon, he said: “Hugo Ekitike is a player that Newcastle like, and is a player that Eddie Howe likes. Is he the sort of player that could go straight into the Newcastle first-team? There’s question marks over that.

“Ekitike is still a deal that could potentially happen between now and the closure of the window, but the necessity of getting the Frenchman in has been slightly subsided by the fact Chris Wood has arrived.

“It feels very much that the priority right now is, with Wood and Trippier through the door, is to bring in a central defender. Newcastle had been left to the bare bones in the FA Cup on Saturday, they had just the two centre-backs to choose from. I think at the start of the week we felt they would try and get a defender in by the weekend, they certainly have been pushing behind the scenes. They’ll push for that centre-back over the weekend and into next week.”

Fans will be excited

How quickly things can change in the space of a week.

After falling to a shock defeat in the FA Cup against lower league Cambridge United, Newcastle moved swiftly to address their striking concerns by snapping up Chris Wood from relegation rivals Burnley.

Now, Downie’s update that the Magpies have firmly turned their attentions towards signing a new central defender in the very near future should surely be music to the ears of supporters.

While landing Ekitike would certainly add to Eddie Howe’s attacking options even more following Wood’s arrival, it certainly makes sense for the Tyneside club to put all their eggs into the central defensive basket.

With the second-worst defensive record in the division, bringing in a top-quality centre-back could go a long way to solidifying Newcastle’s spine for the second-half of the Premier League campaign.

The club’s fans will surely be excited at not only seeing their club move fast in addressing their priorities, but also at how soon they could bring someone in too.

Meanwhile, Newcastle have made a fresh bid for this star…

An update has emerged on Sunderland’s pursuit of Linfield defender Trai Hume, regarding their efforts to sign him this month…

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, the Black Cats have placed a bid in excess of £200k for the youngster and are now in advanced negotiations to bring him to England.

The report claims that he is expected to complete a switch to the Stadium of Light, having visited the ground to take in a game against Sheffield Wednesday.

Masterclass

Kristjaan Speakman is on course for a masterclass with this deal for Hume. £200k is a pittance and they could be landing a player with the potential to be a first-choice player for the club for years to come, which could make that fee look like a bargain in the future.

At the age of 19, he has already made 62 senior appearances and has played in a multitude of roles. He can play at centre-back, defensive midfield or on the right wing, but his main position is as a right-back and right wing-back.

Carl Winchester, who is a midfielder by trade, has been deployed at right-back to great effect this season, averaging a WhoScored rating of 6.84 in League One. However, the signing of Hume could allow him to fight for minutes in the middle of the park, providing Lee Johnson with more flexibility across his squad.

Retired midfielder Barry Johnston once lauded Hume’s talents, saying:

“He has played every game at Under 21 level at right wing-back, and he just has a bit of everything. He is talented, and he is tactically and technically very good. He understands the game and is magnificent in the air considering he is not a big 6ft-plus player.

“He is good going forward, you saw that with his goal against Glentoran. He wants to get in the box and get on the end of things. he also scores headers and is tough in the tackle.

“He wants to be a footballer, and he is a dream to have in a team and I am delighted there are clubs recognising his talent and hopefully it is good for our game.”

These quotes highlight some of his strengths and illustrate the potential he has as a player. At the age of 19, he has impressed enough at senior level to warrant this praise and that is why this deal could be a masterclass from Speakman if Sunderland are able to bring him in.

The Black Cats could be bringing in a player with the scope to improve further and build his value as the years progress. This means that he could be a transfer investment for the future, whilst potentially making an impact in the short-term at right-back.

Despite falling to his first defeat as Aston Villa manager, Steven Gerrard would no doubt have been left impressed by a number of his players following Wednesday night.

The Villans were beaten 2-1 by Premier League champions Manchester City at Villa Park, and brought an end to the quick turnaround in results Gerrard had produced in his first couple of weeks in the dugout.

One man who epitomised that newfound belief at the club, was Marvelous Nakamba.

The Zimbabwe international was at his energetic and dynamic best on Wednesday, covering every blade of glass looking to stop City from playing through the lines and dominating proceedings.

As per Sofascore, the midfielder won seven duels on the night – only Ollie Watkins and John McGinn won more – while nobody made more than his quite impressive six tackles (Matty Cash could only match it).

Nakamba was quick to snap at the feet of City’s attacking players, and was only taken off by Gerrard late on in the second half for the Villa boss to inject some fresh energy.

And, writing in his post-match player ratings for The Birmingham Mail, Ashley Preece gave him a seven, saying: “Tackled well as Villa’s middle man in midfield once again. Nakamba was workmanlike in his approach once more here before he ran himself into the ground as Sanson injected some energy for the final 13 or so minutes. Another good effort from Nakamba.”

On Twitter, journalist James Hendicott dubbed the Zimbabwean as an “absolute revelation” under Gerrard, and that he “looks a superb player all of a sudden.”

As is often the case with new managers coming in, there will be players who fall by the wayside and others who come more into the reckoning, and under Gerrard, Nakamba looks like a player reborn.

He’s started the past three games for the new Villa boss, while yesterday was the first time Gerrard had actually taken him off.

While much of the focus will be on how the former Liverpool captain can get the best out of Villa’s numerous attacking players, his ability to coach Nakamba into a midfield machine could be key too.

Meanwhile, this Villa man had a “rough night” vs City…

Keith Downie has now dropped some exciting Newcastle United transfer news involving Dan Burn.

The Lowdown: Bid made

As per Sky Sports journalist Downie, a bid of £8m from the St. James’ Park faithful has already been rejected by Brighton and Hove Albion to sign Burn, and it is expected that they will go in with another offer before the January transfer window shuts.

While they have signed Kieran Trippier and Chris Wood, and Bruno Guimaraes looks set to join them on Tyneside, they have still not signed a central defender or a left-back, and so these are positions that still need filling as the clock ticks.

The Latest: Burn interested

According to Downie, Burn would be interested in a move to the Magpies before the deadline, as he is a Toon fan:

“Newcastle are expected to go back in for Brighton defender Dan Burn. 

“The St James’ Park club have had an initial offer in the region of £8m rejected for the 29-year-old. 

“Burn is a Newcastle fan and we’re told he’d be interested in a potential move back north.”

The Verdict: Exciting

The fact that Burn is a NUFC supporter and would be interested in a move back north is very exciting ahead of Transfer Deadline Day, as it means that should a fee with the Seagulls be agreed, personal terms and add-ons should not be a problem when negotiating his transfer.

Crucially, Burn is equally as comfortable at left-back as he is at centre-back, and so can add depth in both positions for Eddie Howe with no difficulties.

Nonetheless, he would be an upgrade on the Magpies boss’ current options, as he averages more tackles, interceptions and passes at a higher accuracy than Ciaran Clark, Fabian Schar and Jamaal Lascelles in the Premier League so far this term (WhoScored).

Even with an opening £8m bid rejected, this is a deal that should not cost too much given he is out of contract next year, and thus could potentially end up being a bargain.

In other news, find out which ‘amazing’ attacker alongside Eddie Nketiah Newcastle could sign here!

Liverpool have agreed a deal to bring Fabio Carvalho to Anfield on transfer deadline day.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Fabrizio Romano, who revealed in a post on Twitter that Liverpool and Fulham have finally concluded terms after a lengthy meeting this evening.

He said: “Fabio Carvalho to Liverpool, agreement in place for total fee around €10m after 2 hours meeting tonight. Five-year deal ready for Carvalho. #LFC Time to prepare paperworks and sign before midnight then… here we go. He’ll stay at Fulham on loan.”

Klopp will be buzzing

Considering the sheer amount of potential Carvalho quite clearly possesses, the news that the Reds are have tied up a deal for the attacking midfielder with only a matter of hours remaining before the transfer window slams shut is sure to have left Jurgen Klopp buzzing.

Indeed, the £3.15m-rated sensation would appear to make a fantastic addition to the German’s current attacking options at Anfield, as, over his 18 Championship appearances this season, the 19-year-old has been in remarkable form for Marco Silva’s side.

The England youth international has already scored seven goals, provided four assists and created six big chances for his teammates in the league, as well as taking an average of 2.1 shots, making 1.8 key passes and completing 1.3 dribbles per game.

These returns have seen the £650-per-week forward average a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.07, ranking him as Fulham’s eighth-best player in the second tier of English football.

As such, while it is undeniable that Carvalho would not be a starter upon a potential switch to Merseyside, it is clear for all to see that the youngster is a player with a brilliant future in the game – something that leads us to believe the Liverpool transfer team were right to do all they can to get a deal over the line for the 19-year-old prior to tonight’s transfer deadline.

Newcastle United are reportedly now set to snatch Robert Sanchez from Brighton and Hove Albion.

The Lowdown: Goalkeeper wanted

As per The Athletic, the St. James’ Park faithful are now weighing up moves for Manchester United’s Dean Henderson and Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga.

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This suggests that they are looking for a new goalkeeper in the summer to take over from Martin Dubravka as number one, with the new owners surely set to flex some financial muscle once again when the transfer window opens.

The Latest: Sanchez move

According to The Sun, the North East club are now ‘set to snatch’ Sanchez from the Seagulls, and are ‘lining up’ a £20m offer for the Spain international.

Eddie Howe’s scouts have been ‘tracking’ him, and insiders have revealed that he is Howe’s first choice.

The Verdict: Sign

With Dubravka getting on now at 33 years of age, Sanchez is an exciting shot-stopper that has a much higher ceiling at just 24.

Described as having ‘amazing’ ability and a player who can be ‘anything he wants’ by his manager Graham Potter (Sky Sports), Sanchez certainly has a lot of potential, and could be a mainstay in the Tyneside outfit’s side for years to come.

Despite a dip in Brighton’s form of late, he has still managed to keep five teams in the top flight have conceded fewer goals than them.

Nonetheless, at £20m, he could be a bit of a steal.

In other news, find out what fresh NUFC update this transfer insider has now dropped here!