Former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini is open to taking on the job at Crystal Palace if Alan Pardew is relieved of his duties, according to The Mirror.
The Eagles have had a torrid time this season so far having won just three of their 13 Premier League games, which has left them 17th in the table.
The only reason that they are not in the relegation zone is because they have a better goal difference than Hull City, and the pressure is closing in on Pardew as the team have lost their last six league games on the trot.
Pardew is understood to have held talks with chairman Steve Parish this week, and despite the 55-year-old still being in a job, speculation is rife regarding a potential successor.
The Mirror reports that Mancini, who is out of work since leaving Inter Milan in August, has put his name forward for the role, while ex-England manager Sam Allardyce has also been linked to the position.
Once Mancini’s name was banded about in the media, fans on Twitter have been giving their thoughts on the possible appointment.
The Daily Star are claiming Porto defender Ricardo Pereira has emerged as a transfer target for Arsenal, who are considering a £20m offer for the player.
What’s the story?
As reported by the Daily Star, Arsene Wenger is looking to delve into the transfer market in search of a long-term competitor for Hector Bellerin and he has earmarked Pereira as a target.
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The right-back, who is currently on loan at Nice, has been in impressive form for the French club, helping to propel them to the top of the Ligue 1 table.
With Mathieu Debuchy expected to leave soon and Kieran Gibbs’ contract about to expire, Arsenal desperately need a new full-back and Pereira, who can play on either flank, might just fit the bill.
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Arsenal will have to part with about £20m to take the 22-year-old to the Emirates Stadium, though, with his parent club, Porto, known to be tough negotiators.
Who is he?
Ricardo Pereira is a Portugal international and has already been capped twice by his country, albeit he was not a part of their EURO 2016 success.
He has failed to make much of an impact at Porto and has been shipped out on loan to Nice for the past two seasons, where he has impressed.
The versatile player who can fill in as a full-back, wing-back or as a winger has made 47 appearances for Nice, chipping in with one goal.
Well, that was a win that pretty much 95% of Premier League fans wanted.
We have nothing against Chelsea, but an eight-point gap at the top at this stage of the season may well have demoralised the chasing pack and switched their attention to other competitions, so when Spurs came up with the goods to beat the Blues 2-0 at White Hart Lane, many rejoiced over the title race seemingly being blown wide open.
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It was, of course, sad to see the west London club fall agonisingly short of breaking the record for the most consecutive victories in a single top tier season in England, but the Lilywhites were excellent on the night, with Dele Alli grabbing the headlines by nodding two Christian Eriksen crosses into Thibaut Courtois’ net either side of half-time.
Naturally, the young Englishman got a lot of praise, while the Dane who teed him up also earned plaudits, but we were mightily impressed with Dembele in midfield, with the Belgian running the game…
The standout stat is clearly Dembele’s pass completion, which stood at a mighty 97% when the final whistle sounded. On top of that, the former Fulham man had 42 touches of the ball, made four dribbles, three tackles and supplied one key pass, while also being so clean in his tackling that he didn’t give away a single foul – no mean feat against energetic and technically adept players such as Eden Hazard, Pedro and N’Golo Kante.
Arsenal have certainly improved in the Premier League this season and enjoyed a rise to second in the table following their win over Burnley but Arsene Wenger will be concerned by the format of their victory.Struggling to find a breakthrough, before finally finding the net through Shkodran Mustafi, Arsenal flirted with dropping points once again as Francis Coquelin conceded a late penalty, which looked certain to hand Burnley a positive result.In the end though, Alexis Sanchez saved Arsenal’s blushes with a last-gasp panenka from the spot to hand the Gunners a victory and see Arsene Wenger’s side leapfrog Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool in the Premier League standings.One emerging stat after the game has raised eyebrows though but it could be taken a number of ways.
Firstly, going close to 11 hours without conceding a goal at the Emirates Stadium that wasn’t from the spot in a decent record- but it glosses over the fact that four penalties have been handed to the opposition, and scored, during that time.
If Arsenal were to fix their clumsiness in the box then perhaps they could be fighting for better glories. Whilst the impressive defensive aspects of that statistic cannot be ignored, the same can be said for their lack of control in tackles.
Chelsea’s hopes of landing one of the most exciting talents in European football have taken a huge hit, as Whoscored reports Roma are set to sign Franck Kessie.
What’s the word?
20-year-old Franck Kessie, who recently represented the Ivory Coast at the African Cup of Nations, has attracted a wealth of top-sides with his performances for Atalanta, including that of Antonio Conte’s Chelsea, who reportedly had a £27m bid rejected this week.
However the young talent, who has scored the joint-most goals for a midfielder in the Serie A this season with six, still looks set to land himself a big move before the transfer deadline next week- and Roma are the ones that will benefit.
That said, the deal is resting on a lot of potential scenarios and may not take place until the summer.
What’s the delay?
Roma’s offer consists of £21.3m up-front and bonuses that will take the deal just shy of the £30m mark, whilst Roma would send two young players 0n-loan to Atalanta to help the club without young Kessie.
That could occur both this window and in the summer but Roma would prefer to wait, which they will do if Leandro Paredes remains with the club. Should Paredes, who has been linked to Sevilla this window, leave, then Roma will swoop this month.
Still with us? Good. It basically means that Chelsea will have to raise their offer but the door remains open for them to hijack a move, especially if the Rome outfit don’t swoop until the end of the season.
Having sacked former manager Alan Pardew after a poor run of form and subsequently hurried to appoint disgraced former England boss Sam Allardyce, the Eagles have far from soared under the new personnel and find themselves second bottom of the Premier League table – only above bottom side Sunderland on goal difference.
Having invested in a number of players over the summer, including striker Christian Benteke, Andros Townsend, Steve Mandanda and Loic Remy, many expected Palace to be challenging to break into the top half of the table rather than scrapping for their top flight lives.
Stoke on the other hand have gone about their business rather quietly this season, and sit comfortably in their usual mid-table spot of 11th. The Potters are, however, without a win in three and will be hoping to change that this weekend.
All is set for an interesting clash, with both sides looking to turn the tables on their recent poor form. Here are the three battles that could decide the 3pm clash at the Bet365 Stadium.
Christian Benteke vs. Ryan Shawcross
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For all of Crystal Palace’s woes this season, it is hard to criticise Christian Benteke, as the Belgian has done what he came into the club to do 0 score goals. He has 11 this season and if he can get to 20 by the end of May, he will almost certainly be deemed a successful signing.
Big, strong and fantastic in the air, Benteke will come up against sturdy opposition in Ryan Shawcross, who is bound to give as good as he gets physically when trying to keep the striker quiet.
The physical prowess of both striker and defender makes for an interesting match-up, but Shawcross will need to ensure he keeps his hands to himself while at the task – the Englishman has a tendency to get carried away when marking big men, especially from set pieces.
Saido Berahino vs. Mamadou Sakho
Two January signings both looking to prove a point, Saido Berahino because of the potentially career-ending paddy he threw at former club West Brom, which saw him go from hero to zero in the Midlands. The striker should count himself lucky Stoke boss Mark Hughes has given him a shot at redemption.
For Mamadou Sakho, it is about his pride. After being falsely accused of taking a banned substance, the Frenchman was then isolated from the Liverpool squad during pre-season and hence was loaned to Palace last month. The former PSG defender will be keen to prove he still has what it takes to succeed at Liverpool by putting in performances to keep the Eagles up.
Wilfried Zaha vs. Eric Pieters
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Palace undoubtedly missed Wilfried Zaha while their star winger shot off to the Africa Cup of Nations to represent the Ivory Coast. Without him, Sam Allardyce’s side lack that burst of pace and excitement down the right-hand side, which more often than not causes defenders all sort of trouble.
His quick feet and pace make him a difficult prospect to deal with, however Zaha seems to have added a final product to his play too this season, making him all the more dangerous.
The winger will certainly be keen to get back to the sort of form he showed before leaving for AFCON and thus Eric Pieters will have his work cut out trying and keep him quiet.
Barcelona legend Xavi believes that Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will move for Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere if an opportunity comes up to sign him in the summer.
The City boss waxed lyrical about the England international’s qualities prior to Monday night’s meeting with Bournemouth, where Wilshere is spending the season on loan.
Unfortunately for the 25-year-old, he was unable to showcase his talent after getting injured in the first half of the Cherries’ 2-0 defeat at the Vitality Stadium.
Wilshere made a lasting impression on Guardiola – then Barcelona manager – six years ago when he dominated a midfield containing Xavi and Andres Iniesta.
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The Englishman helped the Gunners claim a 2-1 victory on the night in the last-16 stage of the Champions League.
There are no concrete indications that City will swoop for Wilshere when the transfer window reopens in the summer, but Xavi believes that he would be a good option.
The Spaniard, who ended a 17-year spell at Barca to join Al Sadd in 2015, told Fox Latin America:
“Technically [Wilshere] is the sort of player that Pep loves – his only problem has been injuries – and if it wasn’t for the issues he has had with injuries I am sure he would be one of the best midfield players in the world.
“At the moment he seems to be doing well with his fitness, and if there is a chance to sign him in the summer, I am sure Pep will give it real consideration.”
Manchester United have held talks with Gianluigi Donnarumma’s agent and are prepared to pay £43m for the AC Milan goalkeeper, according to Italian outlet CalcioMercato.
What’s the word?
Jose Mourinho is set for another extravagant spending spree in the summer transfer window and it could see the Red Devils sign a new number one, as the Portuguese boss has a contingency plan if long-term Real Madrid target David De Gea leaves.
Links speculating that the Spaniard could move to the Santiago Bernabeu will not go away and Mourinho has identified an alternative option to De Gea in the form of teenage AC Milan sensation Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Having just turned 18, the goalkeeper already boasts an impressive 56 Serie A appearances for AC Milan and is earmarked as the successor to Gianluigi Buffon’s spot in the Italian national team. As such, interest in his services is high but United have made their move.
Raiola’s connection
Manchester United are reported to have used their connections with super-agent Mino Raiola to discuss the future of Gianluigi Donnarumma, having worked with Raiola last summer to orchestrate the transfers of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba.
AC Milan have no intention of cashing in on their young prodigy but their continued takeover has left Donnarumma waiting in the dark for a new deal, boosting Manchester United’s chances of landing his signature.
The Italian giants would earn a bumper pay-day from a deal though as it’s reported United are prepared to pay a whopping £43m for the teenager, whilst offering him wages of £1.2m-a-year at Old Trafford.
The Premier League attracts some of the biggest stars in world football.
Year after year, clubs in England’s top flight raid the divisions of the rest of Europe and indeed the world in order to bring the finest in footballing talent to their doorsteps.
It is something that has caused controversy over the years, with many arguing that the Premier League’s interest in foreign players has contributed to the downfall of the England national side and hence the league should focus more on home grown talent.
But some of those who have set foot in England are amongst the world’s most experienced and travelled footballers.
Visit Britain are looking to find the biggest Super Football Fan in the world. Reckon you have what it takes?
Here is a list of the Premier League’s five most traveled players of the Premier League era to help add to your plethora of football knowledge and help your case to be the biggest Super Football Fan ….
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Not only is Zlatan Ibrahimovic one of the most well traveled players in the current Premier League crop, he is also without doubt one of the most highly decorated. The big Swede has won a major European league title with six different clubs – Ajax, Juventus, Barcelona, Inter, AC Milan and PSG – and he is the only player in history to amount to such a feat.
He is also his country’s all-time leading goalscorer, having netted 62 times in 116 appearances for Sweden. The list goes on and on and the striker is continuing to break records with current club Manchester United, with whom he has already lifted the EFL Cup and Community Shield this season.
Nicolas Anelka
The Frenchman’s career may have taken a turn for the worse during it’s latter stages during spells at West Bromwich Albion and Mumbai City, but it is easy to forget that Anelka was once a Premier League and European great.
The striker has played for a whopping 12 different clubs during his career, including Real Madrid, Arsenal, Bolton Wanderers and Chelsea, the club where he undoubtedly enjoyed the greatest success. Anelka has 125 Premier League goals to his name.
Andy Cole
Another of the great Premier League strikers, former Manchester United and Newcastle striker Andy Cole also makes the list of the most well travelled Premier League players of all time.
The third highest scoring player in the league’s history has played for 12 different clubs and scored a total of 271 goals in a silverware drenched career.
Cole never stretched his wings outside the UK, only getting as far as Portsmouth between 2006-2007.
Ade Akinbiyi
Football – Leicester City v Everton – FA Premier League – 24/9/00 Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Aubrey Washington Leicester’s Ade Akinbiyi Celebrates scoring Leicester’s goal
A player who succeeded greatly at the lower levels of English football but generally failed to replicate that form when given the chance in the top flight.
The former Leicester City striker had played for 15 different sides come the end of his career, including Houston Dynamo in the USA and Colwyn Bay of Wales.
The striker has been the club record signing for Wolverhampton Wanderers, Leicester City and Sheffield United, and he failed to validate the then huge transfer fees paid for his signature at all of them.
Marcus Bent
Marcus Bent never spent more than three years at any one club and ended up playing for 16 different clubs during his career.
While Bent does have 113 career goals to his name, he appears to have been a bit of bad omen for many of the clubs he played for – he was relegated from the Premier League four times with Birmingham, Crystal Palace, Ipswich and Leicester.
Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey may have been more glamorous arrivals from the United States in the Premier League over the years, though few American imports have been as solid across a few seasons on these shores than Stoke City’s Geoff Cameron.
With Visit Britain’s exciting competition to bring the biggest Super Fan in the world over to England to take in a Premier League game of their choosing in mind, it’s time to take a look at someone who has embarked on that very Transatlantic journey, to much success.
Signed by the Potters from Houston Dynamo way back in 2012, the versatile defender has amassed well over 100 Premier League appearances for a club constantly on the up. Able to operate as either a right-back or in central defence, Cameron is perhaps the most formidable USMNT star we’ve seen ply his trade on these isles.
A prominent figure in the local community during his time with Dynamo, Cameron helped raise money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and has been working with charities around the Stoke area since joining well over four years ago now. As formidable as he is on the field of play, it’s clear the United States international takes his standing as a role model seriously indeed.
Noted for his physical style of play, the versatility he boats up and down the park has made him crucial to Mark Hughes’ cause at the bet 365 Stadium. Whether it be bombing up and down the flanks, pushing onto into midfield or forming a wonderfully solid defensive shield, the 31-year-old is a lynchpin in the Potteries.
Despite the ever-improving standard of American soccer, few outfield USMNT stars can claim to have had such a solid career in the Premier League, making him the ultimate flag-bearer on these shores.