Galatasaray forward Wilfried Zaha is seeking an immediate return to the Premier League this summer, according to reports.

The Ivory Coast international is a Crystal Palace icon, notching 90 goals and 62 assists in 458 appearances across all competitions between 2010 and 2023, either side of an unsuccessful spell with Man Utd between 2013 and 2015.

Zaha left Selhurst Park at the end of his contract last summer to join Turkish giants Galatasaray, who he helped win the Super Lig title with nine goals and three assists in 30 appearances — a record extending to 10 goals and five assists in 43 games across all competitions.

However, reports (via Newcastle World) now state that Zaha is ‘desperate’ for a return to the Premier League this summer and would be allowed to leave Galatasaray on loan.

Former club Crystal Palace are understood to have expressed an interest in Zaha, while Leicester City are also potential suitors of the 31-year-old — who has also won the Turkish Super Cup during his time in Istanbul.

Could Newcastle revive Zaha interest?

Newcastle United were reportedly interested in Zaha last summer prior to his move to Turkey, but ultimately declined to pursue the winger any further.

However, the Magpies are undoubtedly short of options on the flanks right now. Anthony Gordon is their star wideman but has been heavily linked with a move to boyhood club Liverpool in recent weeks.

Beyond Gordon, Harvey Barnes and the out-of-favour Ryan Fraser the only senior wingers on the books at St. James’ Park.

With that in mind, would it be the biggest surprise to see Newcastle make a move for Zaha, whose availability on loan would certainly appeal to Eddie Howe’s PSR-limited budget?

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This article was originally published on Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing, a subscription service. If you would like to receive Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive transfer news via email ahead of publication on caughtoffside.com, please sign-up for the service here: thedailybriefing.io

‘Here we go’ x3 for Manchester United, plus update on midfielder search

Aaron Wan-Bissaka to West Ham is a ‘here we go’ and it’s a crucial story because, as I reported previously, Manchester United were waiting for Wan-Bissaka to leave in order to be able to bring in a new right-back and also a new centre-back.

Now it’s happening, with Wan-Bissaka joining West Ham in a permanent transfer, and it’s an important sale as United could have lost him on a free when his contract would have expired next summer. Inter were also interested in the 26-year-old, though it would have been in a year’s time as a free agent, not in a swap deal this summer. Still, Wan-Bissaka decided to accept the offer from West Ham for a five-year contract, and he’ll have his medical tests with the Hammers this morning.

So, everything is done for Wan-Bissaka to move from Man United to West Ham for £15m – this is the value of the deal, and West Ham are truly on fire at the moment with a big summer that has seen them appoint Julen Lopetegui as their new manager whilst also completing deals like Wan-Bissaka, and also Jean-Clair Todibo, Max Kilman, Guido Rodriguez, Crysencio Summerville and others.

As I previously reported, United want to attack the market and now we can say that it’s ‘here we go’ for Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui to move to Old Trafford. The deal is done with Bayern, and we have to congratulate United because the deal has been completed as they wanted – the timing was longer than expected, but it was worth it for United.

It was not always easy negotiating with Bayern, who for months insisted on guaranteed money, not add-ons, but United always wanted to get the deals done with add-ons. Now we can say that De Ligt will be joining the Red Devils for €45m plus €5m in add-ons. Bayern sources say these add-ons will be quite easy to reach, but it’s still structured quite favourably for United, and for Mazraoui it’s also €15m plus €5m in add-ons.

Now both players will travel to join United and both are set to sign five-year deals. In the case of De Ligt, this agreement was actually reached with his agent Rafaela Pimenta back in June, so he’s been waiting and waiting for United and was never negotiating with any other club. Mazraoui has also been waiting patiently since July, with United at times considering other right-back options like Vanderson and Denzel Dumfries. Still, Mazraoui looks a good option as he knows Erik ten Hag well from their time at Ajax, and he can fill in at left-back as well as on the right-hand side.

So, this is the double deal between Bayern and United, and now Bayern are expected to sign one more centre-back. Jonathan Tah’s agent is still working on the deal for him to move to the Allianz Arena so let’s wait for developments there, but he’s expected to be the new centre-back for the Bavarian giants.

United also remain busy in the search for a new midfielder – they spoke with the agents of Sander Berge and have considered other options, but their top target remains Manuel Ugarte. PSG will have to drop their price as United will not pay crazy money, otherwise they could also sell one player in that position, it could be Scott McTominay or Casemiro, we will see, but they will likely need a sale in order to finance the deal.

Still, United could also go for a cheaper midfielder, so Berge could be one to watch after contacts with his agent, while Sofyan Amrabat remains a player on their list even after they initially decided not to sign him permanently from Fiorentina after last season’s loan came to an end. Amrabat remains appreciated by Ten Hag, so there are some Plan B options behind Ugarte, but let’s wait and see what happens with PSG on that one.

Two new signings close for Chelsea, but “impossible” for this Blues star to stay

Samu Omorodion is in London and ready to sign his seven-year deal with Chelsea, while Pedro Neto is also close to completing the formalities of his move as the Blues plan to unveil him in front of their fans at Stamford Bridge today.

Still, we also know that there are a few Chelsea players now out of the project – Romelu Lukaku, who has a three-year deal in place with Napoli, but also Kepa Arrizabalaga who is still dreaming of Real Madrid.

As well as that, Armando Broja is no longer training with the first-team, and it’s the same with Trevoh Chalobah. Both players are on the market, with Chalobah’s asking price at around £30m. It’s also important to say that David Datro Fofana is another player who could leave Chelsea on a permanent transfer, or on loan with an obligation.

Lukaku will not stay at Chelsea. Impossible. I keep saying it’s Napoli for Lukaku, regardless of the Osimhen story. Conte wants him, he wants to work with Conte, a three-year deal is ready and Napoli can accelerate soon. I don’t see any other option. Nothing is happening with Osimhen this week, there are no updates, but it’s not that strongly linked to Lukaku, and in any case the plan remains for the Nigerian striker to leave Napoli. Chelsea are still waiting, but for Osimhen we have to be patient because he is still not accepting a loan move, which is the only option at the moment for Chelsea, and also because Osimhen will not reduce his salary.

So, the conditions of the deal will have to change, or else other things could happen with the Osimhen story in the final few weeks of this summer’s transfer market.

There has been speculation about other potential Chelsea exits as well, with Carney Chukwuemeka linked with Barcelona. Still, my understanding is that there is nothing concrete so far. Chelsea have not received any bid for Chukwuemeka and the situation is currently quiet. Then in the next days we will see… but at the moment there has been no offer made to Chelsea from Barca.

Chelsea have also not received proposals from Juventus for Raheem Sterling so far, and Sterling has received no contact from Italy yet, despite rumours. What I’m told is that Juventus are working on the Nico Gonzalez deal with Fiorentina as their priority for the new winger.

Three Liverpool transfer updates

Liverpool are still working to convince Martin Zubimendi to join the club and are waiting for his final decision. Just a reminder that other clubs such as Arsenal have also been interested in the Real Sociedad midfielder in recent times but were unable to persuade him to move, though there were no negotiations from the Gunners for him this summer.

Elsewhere with Liverpool, Fabio Carvalho is closing in on completing his move to Brentford. It’s a permanent deal worth £20m plus add-ons. However, there is no news at all on Virgil van Dijk, despite some stories at various points this summer.

It’s currently very quiet as Liverpool are counting on Van Dijk and there are no significant updates so far. In my opinion, he should stay and continue as he’s a key player for Liverpool and new manager Arne Slot will need him and the quality and experience he brings.

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In other news…

Jadon Sancho – There’s still no major update on Jadon Sancho’s future, but he remains one of the cases of this market. PSG have been making contact with Sancho’s agents, but there’s no bid yet, and he’s back in the Man United squad so let’s see what they will decide to do.

Marc Guehi – Newcastle are still there, yes. It’s not over yet. They want to try again but Crystal Palace insist on £65m fee. There are currently no other clubs involved, but Newcastle have not completed the deal yet so it’s one to follow in the next days.

Vladimir Coufal – There has been talk of West Ham sales, and it is the case that Coufal could leave and also some players upfront, but for now I can guarantee that focus remains on completing signings. The Wan-Bissaka deal is being sealed, then West Ham will discuss outgoings in the final three weeks, with nothing imminent yet.

The post Transfer news: ‘Here we go’ for Man Utd deals, two Chelsea signings imminent, Liverpool update & more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Crystal Palace are lining up a bid to sign midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka from Chelsea this summer, according to reports.

Chukwuemeka is a product of the Aston Villa youth system and made 16 senior appearances for the club between May 2021 and July 2022.

The midfielder then signed for Chelsea, where he’s played 27 times across all competitions during the past two seasons, scoring twice but never truly establishing himself as a first-team regular.

Still only 20 years old, Chukwuemeka is a player with considerable talent and has 25 caps to his name across various youth levels for England, who he helped win the 2022 U19 Euros — being named in the Team of the Tournament along the way.

In fact, with Chelsea looking to thin their squad after another busy summer of spending, Spanish giants Barcelona have been heavily linked with his signature — although Fabrizio Romano has cooled speculation slightly.

“There has been speculation about other potential Chelsea exits as well, with Carney Chukwuemeka linked with Barcelona,” Romano told CaughtOffside.

“Still, my understanding is that there is nothing concrete so far. Chelsea have not received any bid for Chukwuemeka and the situation is currently quiet. Then in the next days, we will see… but at the moment there has been no offer made to Chelsea from Barca.”

Crystal Palace lining up Chukwuemeka bid

According to The Sun (via The Chelsea Chronicle), Crystal Palace are also lining up a bid for Chukwuemeka.

The report states that the Eagles are ‘willing to spend big’ on the youngster, who is keen to leave Stamford Bridge in search of first-team football, with new manager Enzo Maresca seemingly preferring other options.

The post Crystal Palace willing to spend big to beat Barcelona to Chelsea star appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Newcastle United’s pursuit of Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi does not look to be over just yet as they want to try again for the £65m-rated England international, according to transfer news expert Fabrizio Romano.

Guehi has shone for Palace and had an impressive Euro 2024 with England as well, so it’s not too surprising that the Eagles seem determined to get as much money as possible from his sale if he is to leave Selhurst Park this summer.

It remains to be seen precisely how this saga will pan out, but it seems Romano is aware of Newcastle being keen to try again for Guehi, while other clubs joining the race perhaps can’t be ruled out either, even if it hasn’t happened yet.

Newcastle will no doubt be keen not to fall foul of Financial Fair Play regulations, so £65m might be a lot for them to pay, though of course there may be ways of bringing that fee down if the deal includes any particular bonuses, add-ons, or perhaps even the inclusion of a player moving in the opposite direction.

Guehi transfer update from Fabrizio Romano

Discussing the latest on the Guehi to Newcastle saga, Romano spoke exclusively to CaughtOffside for his latest Daily Briefing to make it clear that this story is not over yet and will be one to watch in the coming days.

“Newcastle are still there, yes. It’s not over yet. They want to try again but Crystal Palace insist on £65m fee,” Romano said.

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“There are currently no other clubs involved, but Newcastle have not completed the deal yet so it’s one to follow in the next days.”

NUFC have shown plenty of ambition and nous in the transfer market in recent times and this would be another smart signing if they could pull it off.

The post “Not over yet” – Newcastle United want to try again for potential £65m transfer appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Newcastle United are considering a shock bid for Al-Ittihad defender Luiz Felipe, according to reports. 

The Magpies have already added Lloyd Kelly to their defensive ranks this summer, but with both Sven Botman and Jamal Lascelles injured for some time yet, Eddie Howe is in need of reinforcements.

Newcastle are being heavily linked with Crystal Palace and England star Marc Guehi but even if he arrives, they will be thin on the ground at centre-back during the opening months of the 2024/25 campaign.

But according to UOLesporte (via NUFC Blog), the Toon Army are also lining up a bid for Felipe regardless of if they land Guehi.

Felipe joined Al-Ittihad from Real Betis for a reported €22m last summer but enjoyed his most successful spell with Lazio between 2017 and 2022, playing 144 times across all competitions for the Serie A side.

Born in Brazil but capped once for Italy at senior international level, Felipe is still only 27 years old and may well feel he has a point to prove in Europe following a 27-game spell in Saudi Arabia.

The main sticking point from a Newcastle perspective would be sanctioning large fees for two centre-backs, with attacking areas of the field still requiring reinforcements.

If no further signings were made, Newcastle’s starting centre-back pairing for their Premier League opener against Southampton on Saturday would most likely be new signing Kelly alongside Fabian Schar.

The post Newcastle targeting second centre-back alongside Marc Guehi appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Marc Guehi has done little to reassure Crystal Palace fans that he will remain at the club beyond this summer.

Guehi has impressed during his three-year, 111-game spell with Palace since joining from Chelsea, subsequently breaking into the England squad.

The 24-year-old played a key role in the Three Lions’ run to the final of Euro 2024 this summer, eventually losing 2-1 to Spain in the final in Berlin.

However, Guehi’s form has not gone unnoticed and he is now being heavily linked with a move to Newcastle United, while Wolfsburg’s Maxence Lacroix and Trevoh Chalobah of Chelsea are already being rumoured as possible replacements.

Of course, Eagles supporters would much rather keep hold of Guehi, who has become a very popular figure at Selhurst Park and has worn the captain’s armband on numerous occasions in recent years.

In a clip circulating on social media, however, one Palace fan asked Guehi if he is staying at the club, to which the centre-back merely looked back and struggled his shoulders.

“Marc, are you staying?”: #CPFC fan

Guehi: ?????

Not exactly a convincing response from an Eagles perspective…quite promising for #NUFC fans however ?#NUFC pic.twitter.com/5IKMzcqsTR

— Magpie Media (@MagpieMediaX) August 9, 2024

While that doesn’t necessarily mean he is leaving and could simply be down to the player simply being unsure how to react to the question, Guehi’s refusal to state that he is staying put will undoubtedly put Palace supporters on edge.

According to Chronicle Live, Newcastle currently have a £50m offer at the table for Guehi, who is valued at £65m by Crystal Palace, with the London club holding out for their asking price at present.

The post Video: Marc Guehi responds to Crystal Palace fan asking if he’s staying amid Newcastle rumours appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Crystal Palace attacking sensation Jesurun Rak-Sakyi unlikely to join Leeds United.

Despite all their efforts and a third-place finish in the EFL Championship last season, Leeds United couldn’t secure an immediate return to the Premier League. It has resulted in a massive financial blow and they have already lost arguably their most important player from last season, Crysencio Summerville.

The Yorkshire-based club did identify Jesurun Rak-Sakyi as a potential replacement and as per reports, they had agreed on a deal with Crystal Palace for his transfer. But, according to Yorkshire Evening Post via Leeds United News, Daniel Farke’s team are all set to drop their interest in the 21-year-old Crystal Palace winger.

Summerville contributed towards 31 goals last season. He was their go-to man in the final third of the pitch and bringing in a replacement for him is the most important piece of business Leeds need to take care of before the end of the window. They identified Rak-Sakyi as an ideal option to bolster their attack and according to reports, the Whites were one of the three clubs to have agreed terms with the Eagles for the services of the English youth international.

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Jesurun Rak-Sakyi unlikely to move

But, a report from Yorkshire Evening Post suggests Rak-Sakyi is unlikely to make the move to Leeds. The Championship outfit are all set to drop their interest in his services as they can’t guarantee him enough game time from the start because of the existing options in their squad.

Since the 21-year-old is not considered an important part of Crystal Palace’s first-team, they are willing to negotiate his departure. But, he won’t be moving to Leeds. At this point, Sheffield United are front-runners for his services and it won’t be a surprise if he ends up joining them before the end of the window.

The post Leeds linked with a move for 21-year-old Crystal Palace winger appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Crystal Palace are considering Maxence Lacroix and Trevoh Chalobah as possible replacements should they sell Marc Guehi this summer, according to reports.

A product of the Chelsea youth system, Guehi has impressed during his three-year, 111-game spell with Palace, subsequently breaking into the England squad.

Guehi played a key role in the Three Lions’ run to the final of Euro 2024 this summer, eventually losing 2-1 to Spain in the final in Berlin.

However, the 24-year-old’s form has not gone unnoticed and according to Fabrizio Romano, Palace are now having to line up replacements as Newcastle United circle for Guehi.

Palace lining up Marc Guehi replacements

According to Romano, Wolfsburg’s Maxence Lacroix and Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah are top of Palace’s shortlist of centre-backs to sign should Guehi depart.

The Eagles are thought to face competition from abroad for Chalobah.

“On Trevoh Chalobah’s situation, Crystal Palace are interested but it’s the same with clubs from abroad. Chalobah will take his time to decide what will be the best opportunity for him,” Romano wrote in his Daily Briefing (via Give Me Sport).

“What I’m told too is that Crystal Palace also have Lacroix on their shortlist, a player that’s really appreciated by Glasner. So, a decision will be made once Marc Guehi’s future is clarified as talks with Newcastle are still ongoing, not done yet.”

The post Crystal Palace identify two possible Marc Guehi replacements amid Newcastle interest appeared first on CaughtOffside.

With a week to go until the start of the 2024/25 Premier League season, Newcastle United are still trying hard to improve their squad.

Ahead of what’s expected to be another gruelling campaign, Eddie Howe clearly isn’t 100 percent happy with his options, but the Magpies have had a second bid rejected for Crystal Palace and England international ace, Marc Guehi.

Guehi, 24, had a brilliant European Championship with the Three Lions and arguably put himself in the shop window, however, he also likely added a few more millions to his potential transfer fee.

Crystal Palace turn down Newcastle’s £50m bid for Marc Guehi

According to Sky Sports, Newcastle’s second bid for the player was £50m, but that’s way short of the Eagles valuation of £65m.

It isn’t clear at this point whether Howe and the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) would be willing to risk upping their latest offer given that it could see them fall foul of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

Having already lost Michael Olise to Bayern Munich, playing hardball on a Guehi transfer is perfectly understandable from Oliver Glasner and owner, Steve Parish.

It’s all very well and good getting some decent money into club coffers, but the fact remains that these excellent players still have to be replaced.

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After enjoying such a brilliant end to last season, one can imagine that Glasner is loathe to break up that team, who could power the Eagles to a top half finish in the forthcoming campaign.

Perhaps the will of the player will be the deciding factor in whether he continues plying his trade at Selhurst Park, or if he moves to St. James’ Park and a fresh start.

The post Newcastle fail with second bid for £65m-rated Euro 2024 ace and PSR may force them to look elsewhere appeared first on CaughtOffside.

The Everton takeover scenario appears to have gone on for an age, but help could be at hand which might finally bring an end to the issues that have dogged the Toffees under the ownership of Farhad Moshiri.

Fined for breaching Financial Fair Play rules, the Merseyside outfit have also been languishing at the wrong end of the Premier League table for far too long.

In short, Everton are a club in desperate need of a decent cash injection and the right owner being at the helm.

Crystal Palace part-owner John Textor could be Everton’s saviour

That’s where Crystal Palace come in.

According to The Guardian (subscription required), businessman, John Textor, who currently owns 45 percent of the South London club, is interested in steering Everton into a new era.

With a brand new stadium to move into shortly, it could be an opportune time for Textor to invest, but in order to do so, he would need to sell his stake in Palace.

On the face of it, given that Palace are on the up, selling up would appear to be an odd decision from Textor, particularly if he’s to move to a club that are in dire financial straits.

However, the businessman clearly sees a way in which he can lead Everton back to their former glories, and ownership would also afford him a majority stake in the Goodison Park outfit.

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Aug 11 2024, 22:54

Given that, with respect, Everton have been historically considered as a bigger club than Palace too, it may well be that Textor’s potential investment will be the shrewdest piece of football business that he’s done to date.

With the 2023/24 Premier League season about to start, the sooner that any deal can be agreed, the better for all concerned.

The post Crystal Palace set to play a huge part in Everton’s salvation appeared first on CaughtOffside.