After missing out on Joao Pedro to Chelsea, Newcastle United have reportedly turned their attention towards an instant alternative who scored 27 goals last season.

To say it’s been a disappointing summer for Newcastle thus far would be a major understatement. The Magpies first missed out on Dean Huijsen, then saw their bid rejected for Anthony Elanga and have since watched on as Pedro chose Chelsea instead of a move to St James’ Park. Going three for three for transfer failures, the Magpies will be desperate to secure at least one top target in the coming months.

To that end, there will be some relief around Tyneside that James Trafford is still on his way. The Burnley shot-stopper, like Elanga and others, has been a top target for quite some time. On this occasion though, the Magpies are set to get their man.

Whilst Trafford will offer Eddie Howe an instant upgrade on Nick Pope, what he will not end is Newcastle’s search for attacking reinforcements.

Once again, they simply must go again in pursuit of fresh options. The money is there for PIF to spend this time around after PSR struggles forced Newcastle to take a step back in the past and now they must back Howe with alternative targets.

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Robbie Walls

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Those around St James’ Park will be frustrated with how this summer has gone so far, but it’s far from over. Missing out on Pedro would even be a blessing in disguise if Newcastle now go and sign one particular forward as an excellent alternative.

Newcastle battling to sign Samu Aghehowa

According to O Jogo, as relayed by Caught Offside, Newcastle are now battling to sign Samu Aghehowa from FC Porto this summer. The former Atletico Madrid forward enjoyed a clinical debut season in Portugal and has attracted plenty of interest from the Premier League as a result. As has been the case with in-form forwards all summer, however, he will cost a hefty price.

Porto are in no mood to lose their star at a cut-price and will reportedly demand that his €100m (£85m) release clause is triggered if they are to bid farewell this summer. Having had bids around the £50-60m mark rejected for other targets already, that fee may not be a problem for Newcastle who will be getting more and more desperate to land key reinforcements.

League stats 24/25 (via FBref)	Samu Aghehowa	Joao Pedro
Starts	30	27
Goals	19	10
Assists	3	6
Expected Goals	14.1	8.1

Dubbed a player with “elite potential” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Aghehowa would turn any Pedro failure into an instant afterthought at Newcastle if he arrived this summer. With 19 league goals and 27 goals in all competitions last season, the Spain international would be worth every penny of his £85m release clause.

Following the news that Kevin De Bruyne is set to depart as a free agent this summer, Manchester City have now been handed a fresh concern by Real Madrid’s reported interest in signing one of Pep Guardiola’s star men.

Guardiola preparing for Man Utd revenge

In what will now go down as De Bruyne’s final Manchester derby, Guardiola and his Manchester City side will be seeking revenge over their rivals after Amad Diallo’s shock last-gasp winner left them on the losing side earlier in the campaign. In what has been a campaign to forget, the Citizens will be hoping to at least compile the misery on Manchester United.

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Guardiola reiterated that his side are currently in a good place ahead of the chance to earn revenge against their rivals, telling reporters: “Good. The last two games we were good and hopefully we continue in the last eight games in the Premier League and prepare. The people rest and tomorrow we’re going to prepare the game.”

However, the Spaniard’s main focus was on De Bruyne’s announcement and how he will miss the Belgian’s quality, saying in his pre-match press conference: “Sad day. It’s a happy day for the fact of the pleasure that I live this time that I have with him. He gave all of us his humanity and of course his influence in all our success. The last decade would not be possible to imagine without him.”

That said, De Bruyne may not be the only star man that Guardiola is left bidding farewell to this summer, with Real Madrid now readying a shock move to sign one particular Manchester City star.

Real Madrid readying Bernardo Silva move

According to reports in Spain, Real Madrid are now readying a move to sign Bernardo Silva this summer, with the midfielder keen to leave the Etihad and end an incredibly successful tenure in the Premier League. Like De Bruyne, Silva has played a pivotal part in City’s dominance over the years as a jack of all trades at Guardiola’s disposal.

After a difficult campaign, however, the Portugal international could be among those allowed to leave the club in what would arguably be coming at the right time for all involved.

Once dubbed “irreplaceable” by Guardiola, Silva is now struggling to keep up with the pace of the Premier League and must make way for a much-needed rebuild at Manchester City this summer. And if that means a move to Real Madrid, then not many could argue over whether a player of his success deserves such a move.

Reporter Pete O’Rourke has delivered a significant update regarding Brendan Rodgers’ future as Celtic manager.

Rodgers backed to leave Celtic

The 52-year-old has enjoyed a superb second spell in charge at Parkhead, winning the Scottish Premiership title last season, adding to the two that already came his way in 2016/17 and 2017/18.

Celtic are again on the cusp of title glory this term, with the Scottish League Cup already coming their way and the Scottish Cup also still on the table, with a treble feeling very possible.

Despite things going so swimmingly under Rodgers, however, there is always the risk of losing him and his head being turned by a return to the Premier League, with former scout Mick Brown admitting as much earlier this year.

“If Rodgers was offered a Premier League job, he would take it. He’d be interested in coming back to England and I think he’s not entirely happy at Celtic. At the moment, Celtic are dominant in Scotland, there’s nobody challenging them. They’ve got to build on what they’ve got in the transfer window, they’re ruling the roost and they want to keep it that way. But Rodgers wants more than that – he’s thinking about European football.”

New update on Rodgers' Celtic future

According to Football Insider‘s O’Rourke, Rodgers “could quit” as Celtic manager at the end of this season, amid interest from Premier League clubs. A return to the English game appeals to him, and although it is also stated that he is “content” in his current role, he wants more backing after a lack of it in the previous two transfer windows.

Losing Rodgers would be a significant blow for Celtic, considering what a talented manager he is, bringing so much stability to the club and continuing to win trophies at the same time.

Former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder Steve McMamanan has always been an admirer of the fit in Glasgow, saying in 2017: “I’ve heard people say ‘it’s only the Scottish league’, which I feel is quite arrogant really, quite ignorant. Whenever you’re breaking records that have stood for a long, long time in football, you’re doing something marvellous and I think it takes it away from himself, or the team in general, of what they have achieved.”

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The lure of the Premier League is great for any boss, however, and as Brown alluded to, there isn’t the same level of competition in the Scottish Premiership, making it harder for the Irishman to truly test himself.

Hopefully, Rodgers still feels that he has plenty to achieve at Celtic, not least making more of an impression in the Champions League, which will persuade him to stay put for the foreseeable future and ignore any potential interest from England. If he does leave, though, he will be a hard act to follow.

The biggest game of the season so far is on the horizon, ahead of Thursday’s clash with Lyon in the Europa League, yet for those of a Manchester United persuasion, attention is already beginning to turn toward the summer transfer window.

As manager Ruben Amorim has already stated, even winning Europe’s second-tier competition would not be enough to “save” their season, with major surgery needed to the squad once again over the coming months.

Club legend Gary Neville stated after the dour Manchester derby that he feels United need at least “five new players straight away” to help give Amorim a fighting chance, while even the former Sporting CP boss has stated that he is keen to bring in “one or two big players”, ahead of next season.

Work is likely to already be underway in that regard, with rumours currently rife over just who will be on their way to Old Trafford. Might Wolverhampton Wanderers talisman, Matheus Cunha, be among them?

Latest on Man Utd's pursuit of Matheus Cunha

If Cunha had been auditioning for Amorim and co earlier this season, he certainly couldn’t have done much more to impress, with the Brazilian inspiring the hosts to a 2-0 win at Molineux on Boxing Day.

The 25-year-old memorably scored directly from a corner – while teeing up his side’s second goal – in what was an all-action display on the night, with scout Mick Brown stating that he “fits the system perfectly”, in relation to Amorim’s 3-4-3 set-up.

With 13 goals to his name for the Old Gold this season, Cunha has unsurprisingly caught the attention, with reports earlier this week suggesting that United have now joined Arsenal and Nottingham Forest in the race for his signature.

As per the report, there has already been ‘initial contact’ between the Red Devils and the player’s agent, ahead of a possible summer move, with the option there for United to trigger the forward’s £62.5m release clause.

The player himself has already confirmed that he wants to “take the next step” in his career, with it yet to be seen whether that ‘step’ will lead him toward the Theatre of Dreams.

Regardless of whether or not the one-time RB Leipzig star does move to Manchester, it could be argued that Amorim already has his own version among the current Red Devils ranks.

Man Utd already have their own Matheus Cunha

As the aforementioned Brown has stated, what sets Cunha apart is that he is “not a one-trick pony”, with the respected insider listing a variety of traits which make him such a worthwhile investment:

Those are all attributes which the Old Gold hero seemingly shares with a certain Amad Diallo, with the pair noted as similar players among those in their position in the Premier League this season, as per FBref.

Indeed, not only are both men remarkably versatile – amid their ability to feature centrally, or on the flanks – but they both have that knack for making things happen for their respective sides, with Amad ranking in the top 15% for shot-creating actions per 90, while Cunha ranks in the top 19% in that regard.

The pair are also adept at beating their man when in possession, with the 22-year-old United starlet ranking in the top 21% for successful take-ons per 90, while his Wolves counterpart ranks in the top 19% for that same metric.

Cunha’s PL record by season

Stat (*per game)

2022/23

2023/24

2024/25

Games (starts)

17 (12)

32 (29)

26 (24)

Goals

2

12

13

Scoring frequency

492 mins

204 mins

165 mins

Big chances missed

1

6

2

Assists

0

7

4

Big chances created

1

7

12

Key passes*

0.4

0.9

1.7

Pass accuracy*

76%

82%

78%

Successful dribbles*

1.5

2.0

1.9

Possession lost*

7.0

11.8

16.7

Stats via Sofascore

Defensively too, there is also a likeness in their ability to lead the press from the front, with Amad ranking in the top 23% for interceptions made, while Cunha ranks in the top 19%. In essence, neither man gives their opponent a moment’s peace.

While currently sidelined with injury, the Ivorian had dazzled prior to that at Old Trafford, notably chalking up six goals and six assists in 22 league outings, while averaging 1.8 key passes per game. That creative spark is mirrored by the Brazil international who averages 1.7 key passes per game, having registered 17 goals and assists thus far.

There is the prospect of having the two men operating in tandem in United’s forward line next term, although even a deal for Cunha can’t be secured, Amorim can rest safe in the knowledge that he has is own “sensational” talent – as described by journalist Liam Canning – to call upon.

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Manchester United played out a tame 0-0 draw at home to cross-city rivals Manchester City in the Premier League. The game was one of the more passive Manchester Derby clashes, with neither side having too many chances of note.

The first half went by with few moments to write home about. City’s best efforts came from long-range, with Phil Foden early on and Ilkay Gunodgan towards the end of the half, firing shots wide of Andre Onana’s goal. As for Ruben Amorim’s side, their best opportunity fell to Alejandro Garnacho. However, he squandered the chance, failing to fire Diogo Dalot’s cross into the back of the net.

The second half picked up slightly more, although each side was still fairly passive. Omar Marmoush saw two shots saved by Onana; one was a well-struck free kick, and the other was a ferocious volley that was parried away by the Cameroonian.

Joshua Zirkzee came close to scoring for United at the death. He hooked Patrick Dorgu’s cross goalward, and had it not been for an excellent reflex save from Ederson, the Dutchman might have won the game for his side.

As far as Manchester derbies go, this was not a memorable one. There were certainly some poor performances on the pitch, with Manuel Ugarte one player who struggled.

Ugarte’s stats vs. Man City

It is fair to say that Ugarte struggled to have any impact on the game against City. Too often, he dove into tackles but did not see much success in those. He also struggled to retain possession for United in midfield.

In fact, his stats from Sofascore suggest that he did struggle to control the game in the centre of the park. The Uruguay international made just 17 passes from 22 he attempted, a pass accuracy of just 77%. He also lost the ball seven times and won just two from six ground duels.

Samuel Luckhurst, writer for the Manchester Evening News, gave Ugarte a 5/10 for his efforts on Derby Day. The journalist was critical of his ability in possession, describing him as ‘erratic with the ball’ against City.

The former Sporting midfielder did go close for United in the second half, though. His volley from outside of the box was sweetly struck but ended up going wide of Ederson’s left-hand post without troubling him.

It was certainly a tough day at the office for the United number 25, although he was not the only player who struggled against their East Mancunian rivals.

The other United player who struggled vs. Man City

It has been a tough season for Rasmus Hojlund, with Sunday afternoon’s clash against the Citizens summing that up in many ways. The Dane really struggled to impact the game and barely had any involvement throughout the 71 minutes he was on the pitch.

Indeed, the stats really reflect just how tough he found it at a sunny Old Trafford. Hojlund had just 15 touches in that time and completed just seven passes from an attempted nine, a 78% accuracy. He also lost the ball four times.

Touches

15

Pass accuracy

78%

Passes completed

7/9

Number of times ball lost

4

Duels won

1/4

Shots

0

Luckhurst also seemed to think the United number nine struggled against City. He gave Hojlund a 4/10 for his performances, the lowest of any United player. He explained that the Dane ‘showed why he has to be replaced up front in the summer’, a scathing assessment indeed.

With a huge game next up in the Europa League for United, Amorim will need to get his selection right. They face a trip to French side Lyon, who pose a tough challenge, and Hojlund’s recent form may well leave him with a selection headache.

Zirkzee seems to be the only viable option to replace Hojlund in the starting lineup, given that Chido Obi is unavailable in the Europa League. The Dutchman will certainly bring technical excellence and the ability to link up play.

It is a big call for Amorim, who cannot afford to lose this tie; it certainly feels like United’s whole season rests on their European campaign. Perhaps rotating Hojlund out of the side for Thursday is the right call, given his tough run of form in recent weeks.

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1 ByJoe Nuttall Apr 6, 2025

Michael Owen is a player who will forever live in the hearts of Liverpool supporters, emerging through the academy and making a name for himself in the first-team at Anfield.

The now-retired striker made just shy of 300 appearances during an eight-year period, notching 158 goals – sitting in the top ten for the club’s highest goalscorers.

He would win the Ballon d’Or in 2001, winning the award at the tender age of just 22, before leaving the Reds in the summer of 2004 to join Spanish giants Real Madrid.

His achievements on Merseyside have undoubtedly cemented him in the club’s history forever, with his goalscoring record a huge reason for the love he received from the fanbase.

Fast-forward 21 years on from his subsequent departure, current boss Arne Slot has the opportunity to land a new version of the England attacker.

Liverpool to plot £40m summer bid for PL star

According to the Daily Mail, Liverpool are keen on making a move for Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap this summer should they be relegated from the Premier League.

However, the Reds are not alone in their pursuit of the 22-year-old, with Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle United just three other sides wanting to land the youngster.

Despite the Tractor Boys’ lowly league standing, Delap has managed to notch 12 goals in 30 league appearances – three times more than the club’s next highest goalscorer this campaign.

The report states that the striker has a £40m relegation release clause in his current contract, potentially a bargain given his recent form in England’s top flight.

Despite the interest elsewhere, it would be a superb addition, allowing the young star to follow in the footsteps of Owen at Anfield and taking his own career up a notch.

Why Delap could be the next Owen for Liverpool

Former Reds striker Owen was a freak of nature during his time on Merseyside, with the striker becoming the second-youngest player to ever claim the Ballon d’or.

Whilst Delap is already at the same age as when the 45-year-old claimed the trophy, he still has a lot of work to do before he gets anywhere near emualting such a feat, but the signs of following in Owen’s footsteps are all positive.

The Ipswich ace – who has burst onto the scene at a similar age – has already wasted no time in demonstrating his goalscoring quality at the top-level, possessing a similar skillset, with his pace in behind the backline causing constant problems – just as Owen demonstrated during his eight-year spell in the first-team on Merseyside.

He’s just six goals off the iconic striker’s tally from his own first season in the Premier League, doing so whilst featuring for a lower-quality side – highlighting how impressive he’s been for Kieran McKenna’s side.

If he is to reach the levels set by his compatriot, Delap is in desparate need of a big-money move to a top-six side this summer, but given his nationality, Slot’s side would have to pay a premium for his signature – but it would be worth every penny, especially if his figures from this season are anything to go by.

How Delap compares to Liverpool’s current striker options

Whilst sitting top of the Premier League table, Liverpool have struggled to rely on a striker, with Mohamed Salah often being the man to produce the goods within the final third.

Whilst the Egyptian has registered 54 combined goals and assists in just 45 games across all competitions, with it unthinkable to imagine where the side would be without his contributions.

Strikers Diogo Jota and Darwin Núñez have struggled to nail down the centre-forward role, often sharing the role between themselves over the past couple of months.

However, the pair have only registered 11 combined Premier League goals between them in 2024/25, a tally lower than Delap has managed on his own at Portman Road.

Whilst on the face of it, the Manchester City academy graduate has outscored the pair, his underlying stats are also better than the aforementioned pair – highlighting what a superb signing he would be this summer.

Games played

30

20

25

Goals & assists

14

9

7

Shot-on-target accuracy

45%

32%

39%

Take-ons per 90

1.4

1

0.7

Take-on success

47%

38%

38%

Aerials won

46%

44%

34%

Fouls won

1.8

1

1.3

Delap, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has also achieved a higher shot on target accuracy rate, showcasing his clinical nature within the final third.

He’s also completed more take-ons per 90 this campaign and also having a higher aerial success rate, offering an all-round presence that the club have missed in the last few months.

Given the form of the current Reds strikers, it wouldn’t be a surprise to no one to see either of them offloaded during the upcoming summer transfer window.

Should they leave, Delap has showcased that he’s a perfect option to replace either of the current forwards, improving further with higher-quality players around him.

If he moves and gets anywhere close to the levels produced by Owen, it would be a bargain deal at £40m, potentially taking Slot’s reign at Anfield to the next level.

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When West Bromwich Albion handed Tony Mowbray the reins for his second spell at the Baggies, another promotion, one that the impressive Carlos Corberan failed to deliver, was being dreamt of.

Indeed, Mowbray has been here before when guiding West Brom triumphantly to the Championship title back in 2008, with his task in the here and now to steer the West Midlands outfit to a playoff finish.

Part of that great side were players like Graham Dorrans, James Morrison, Robert Koren and, of course, Jonas Olsson.

Perhaps Mowbray has found his next version of the big Swede in 2025.

Jonas Olsson's time at West Brom

Last time the current manager took West Brom up to the promised land of English football, Mowbray did, unfortunately send his side straight back down.

But, the dismal relegation that did occur at the end of the 2008/09 season – which ultimately cost the manager his job – didn’t mean it was all doom and gloom at the Hawthorns, with Olsson sticking out as a formidable performer even as the Premier League slipped out of his new team’s grasp.

In total, the Swedish powerhouse tallied up 261 appearances donning a Baggies strip, with this unfortunate relegation blot on his resume not deterring him from going on to amass eight goals and six assists in the Premier League from 201 clashes.

Often using his towering 6 foot 5 frame to resiliently battle and grind out important wins, there’s one player in Mowbray’s current camp who bares similarities to the modern West Brom icon by displaying equal amounts of grit.

West Brom's new version of Olsson

The second-tier promotion chasers were very proactive in the busy January market, with the likes of EFL sharpshooter Adam Armstrong joining the ranks on loan, alongside Tammer Bany joining from Scandinavia in a surprise switch.

Amazingly, this isn’t the only pursuit from this neck of the woods that West Brom have signed off on in recent times, as tough defensive battler Torbjørn Heggem joined from Swedish top-flight side IF Brommapojkarna for a modest £500k last summer.

Heggem has managed to instantly fit in – much like Olsson after his move in 2008 – with a header being powered home back in December eerily similar to the many goals the Swede scored in crucial moments.

Moreover, the ex-Brommapojkarna titan has managed to shore up Mowbray’s side like the memorable number 4 before him, seen in Heggem winning a high five duels on average per Championship clash.

Heggem’s league numbers this season

Stat (* = per 90 minutes)

Heggem

Games played

39

Games started

39

Goals scored

1

Assists

2

Touches*

67.8

Accurate passes*

44.5 (88%)

Ball recoveries*

3.3

Clearances*

4.9

Total duels won*

5.0

Clean sheets

12

Stats by Sofascore

The “outstanding” summer recruit – as he’s been lauded by pundit Carlton Palmer for his Baggies heroics – has also managed to collect 12 clean sheets from his 39 second-tier appearances, resulting in Heggem cementing himself as a regular by missing zero Championship games this season.

Heggem would love to round off his stunning debut season in England with a promotion in hand, as the 26-year-old no-nonsense defender potentially becomes more and more like West Brom’s next Olsson if he passes any upcoming hurdles in front of him with flying colours.

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Everton have turned a corner since David Moyes replaced Sean Dyche in January, but the Merseysiders still need more in attack.

With just three losses in 14 Premier League matches since the Scotsman’s arrival, those of a Toffees persuasion have long forgotten the fear of relegation.

But, barring the three doomed outfits in the bottom three, no top-flight team has scored fewer goals than Everton.

16.

West Ham

17th

37

17.

Everton

13th

34

18.

Ipswich Town

18th

33

19.

Leicester City

19th

27

20.

Southampton

20th

24

Moyes and incoming Director of Football Angus Kinnear need to fix this problem during the off-season.

Why Everton need a new striker

Beto has been a man transformed since Moyes took to the dugout, scoring five goals across four Premier League matches after notching just four goals over his opening 44 appearances in the English division.

However, the wellspring of potency has dried once more, with the powerful Bissau Guinean star having now gone seven games without scoring.

Armando Broja’s loan spell from Chelsea has been disastrous due to horrible injury luck and Dominic Calvert-Lewin is set to leave at the end of his contract this summer, with long-time fitness issues and a total lack of prolificness this season sure to leave him without a fresh deal.

Moyes is a pragmatist, in the best sense of the word. While he won’t be expecting to sign a goalscorer on the level of Mohamed Salah or Erling Haaland, Everton do appear to have found a rising star on a similar vein of goalscoring form to the superstars.

One who could comfortably upgrade on the departing Calvert-Lewin.

Everton eyeing Calvert-Lewin upgrade

Beto will hopefully stick around next season. Even when he’s not scoring, the 6 foot 4 striker adds such a strong focal presence to Moyes’ system, almost factory-built for the role.

However, with Calvert-Lewin going, Everton need someone else, and that player could be Mika Biereth, though it won’t be an easy deal to engineer.

As per TEAMtalk, Everton have shortlisted the AS Monaco centre-forward ahead of the summer transfer window, impressed after his prolific start to life in France, scoring 12 goals and supplying three assists since leaving Austrian club Sturm Graz in January for a £13m fee.

The 22-year-old, a product of Arsenal’s academy, is actually outscoring Salah in 2025, with the Liverpool talisman having scored 11 times at club level since the turn of the calendar year.

Salah, who has gone five matches without scoring, has lulled of late but still remains one of the deadliest forwards in the Premier League, an expert creator too.

But it still underscores Biereth’s brilliance, actually ranking among the top 5% of centre-forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for non-penalty goals scored per 90, as per FBref.

Fast and powerful, the 6 foot 1 Dane has even compared himself to Haaland. Manchester City’s number nine is widely regarded as one of the most prolific marksmen of his generation and comparisons only bear testament to Biereth’s blooming prowess.

Biereth commented that “like Haaland,” all he really cares about is scoring goals. He’s doing all the right things in that regard, to be sure, with just nine big chances missed in Ligue 1 despite his clinical return of 12 goals, as per Sofascore.

Everton could do much worse.

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Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace have largely been in excellent form since the start of 2025, only losing three times in their last 11 Premier League matches, keeping eight clean sheets in all competitions this calendar year and earning themselves a spot in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.

The Eagles didn’t start the campaign at 100mph. After losing the likes of Michael Olise and Joachim Anderson in the summer, Palace had to reassemble their tools, find ways to recruit and replace those players and then begin to build.

After the first ten matches of the season, Palace found themselves 17th, only picking up seven points in that time.

But due to their excellent form since then, Palace now find themselves in mid-table in the Premier League, with the top seven not too far out of reach.

So why did it take a while at the start of the season, and how much did Glasner’s side miss Olise?

Michael Olise's creative burden

Olise was sold to Bayern Munich in the summer, joining the German giants for a fee of around £50m. Since joining Bayern, Olise has been in sublime form, making 43 appearances, scoring 13 goals, and providing 16 assists.

But, the Frenchman was key in his time at Palace, making 90 appearances in his three years at the club, netting 16 times, providing 25 assists and totaling 5,782 minutes played.

Having Olise on the right and Eberechi Eze on the left made it tough for teams to contain the Eagles, with the duo often combining to create chances out of nothing.

With Olise gone, more focus being solely on Eze and a right-hand side that had to be re-invented, it was always going to take some time to find the best way to replace the French wingers’ presence.

That being said, Glasner has certainly found a way to do it.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Glasner's "spectacular" duo have replaced Olise

Crystal Palace signed Ismaila Sarr from Marseille in the summer, joining for a fee of around £12.6m. The 27-year-old was the clear signing destined to take the spot of Olise on that right-hand side, but the difference in overall quality is clear, and therefore, a new dynamic on that side would be needed.

Daniel Munoz, working in tandem with Sarr on the right, has been Glasner’s key weapon to replacing Olise’s output, with both players proving to be very direct, making clever runs in behind and stretching play for their teammates. This right side has proven to be a key outlet for Palace this season.

Goals

0.17

0.29

Assists

0.14

0.11

xG

0.15

0.33

xAG

0.14

0.26

Progressive Carries

1.51

2.52

Progressive Passes

2.44

2.91

Shots Total

1.04

1.93

Key Passes

1.22

1.41

Passes into Pen Area

0.72

1.41

Shot-Creating Actions

2.29

3.85

Successful Take-Ons

0.61

0.60

When looking at the pair’s underlying metrics this season, you can see how their combined effort has helped to replace the French star, both getting forward and getting shots off, both putting balls into the box, chipping in with output and contributing in build up.

Munoz was described as “spectacular” by Jefferson Lerma and that is certainly one way to describe the pair down that right-hand side, working in tandem to attack in a direct fashion and create chances for the team.

Whilst Olise will never fully be replaceable, losing a world-class talent is always tough to replace, even more so when you are a mid-table Premier League side.

Therefore, Palace fans must be fairly happy with their right-side rebrand, with Glasner proving he can make it work.

Contact made: Crystal Palace make move to sign "Pique-esque" £5m defender

The Eagles have made an approach for a defender, who is also attracting interest from West Ham United.

ByDominic Lund Apr 10, 2025