Crystal Palace Targeting 6 Foot 3 Striker Likened To Abraham

Crystal Palace are keen on a move to bring Steve Biko FC striker Adama Bojang to the Premier League, according to reports.

Who is Adama Bojang?

The Gambian is an exciting, up-and-coming talent who has worked his way through the ranks to become a regular feature for his current club. The £650k-valued forward has also started making a name for himself on the international stage, having recently represented his country at the AFCON U20s tournament and is expected to feature at the U20 World Cup later this year.

Recent reports have suggested that the 18-year-old is hoping to put himself in the shop window by delivering a consistent run of strong performances for Gambia’s youth side, and it would appear that his hard work has already paid off, having caught the eye of the Eagles.

According to the Daily Mail, Crystal Palace and Chelsea are the latest clubs to “register an interest” in securing the services of Bojang ahead of the 2023/24 term. Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest are also name-checked as teams “monitoring” the teenager’s development. The Premier League sides are all “considering” purchasing the striker and sending him straight back out on loan as a result of potential issues arising when it comes to arranging a work permit. Meanwhile, Marseille, Ajax, Royal Antwerp and Napoli are also “in the mix”.

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson.

Would Bojang be a good signing for Palace?

Bojang is still very much in the early stages of his development and career as a whole, and would need to gain more senior experience before being considered a member of the first team, but he would almost certainly be an exciting signing for the long-term future at Palace.

The SPOCS Global Sports client scored four goals and provided one assist in six appearances at the AFCON tournament in Egypt where he significantly contributed to his side making it all the way to the final back in March, as per Transfermarkt. Standing at 6 foot 3, the youngster could also be an ideal target man, with his height making him a useful option and focal point to have in the final third when it comes to getting on the end of long balls and set pieces.

Finally, Bojang has been likened to AS Roma and former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham by talent scout Jacek Kulig, so should he possess similar qualities, he could yet be an extremely positive acquisition at Selhurst Park.

Graham Potter Must Ditch "Questionable" Chelsea Disaster

The pressure on Chelsea manager Graham Potter increased further on Saturday evening as his side succumbed to a 2-0 defeat against Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge.

The lack of a clinical striker once again came back to haunt the Blues as they registered 27 shots compared to Villa's five but were unable to find a way past Emiliano Martinez.

However, the away side could have easily scored more had they capitalised on a number of counter-attacking chances, with the Blues' three-at-the-back formation leaving them far too vulnerable, which is something Potter must look to amend if he is going to enjoy success at Stamford Bridge.

Should Potter change formation at Chelsea?

Ollie Watkins handed Unai Emery's side the lead when a long ball from Douglas Luiz was dealt with terribly by Marc Cucurella, with the makeshift centre-back only helping the ball into the Englishman's path, leaving him with time and space to lift the ball over Kepa Arrizabalaga to open the scoring.

Chelsea regularly found themselves outnumbered at the back, with Kalidou Koulibaly the only natural central defender in the back three, as Reece James continues to bomb forward, which often left gaps for Villa to expose.

While Villa were regularly three-on-two or two-on-one when attacking, they only doubled their lead thanks to a screamer from John McGinn but, in truth, a better side would have finished Chelsea off much sooner with clinical counter-attacks.

Soccer Football – Premier League – Nottingham Forest v Chelsea – The City Ground, Nottingham, Britain – January 1, 2023 Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella reacts Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club /league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further

On Match of the Day, Potter said: "We have to analyse the performance and look at the things we've done well and what we can do better. Defensively we've left ourselves too open."

During Sky Sports' coverage of the game, co-commentator Andy Hinchcliffe described Potter's decision to play a back three of James, Cucurella and Koulibaly as "questionable", suggesting that it was "too easy" for Villa to create chances.

A more dangerous attacking side, such as Liverpool, Brighton or Real Madrid, who are the next three visitors to Stamford Bridge, could have really put Chelsea's defence to the sword, and it was baffling that Potter opted not to change formation as the visitors continued to create chances at will.

Although the absence of the injured Thiago Silva is clearly being felt, Potter had both Benoit Badiashile and Trevoh Chalobah available to him on the bench, so if he wanted to stick with the three-at-the-back formation, why not start his natural centre-backs and get the best out of James by playing him in his preferred right wing-back role?

It seems clear that if Chelsea want to recover from this awful season and progress against a scary Real Madrid side in the Champions League, Potter needs to completely abandon this particular tactic and select his best players in their natural positions.

Report: ‘Sensational’ Spurs manager twist

Journalist Wayne Veysey has shared a ‘sensational twist’ in Tottenham’s manager search involving former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann.

The Lowdown: Nagelsmann sacked…

The 35-year-old, in perhaps one of the biggest developments in world football this week, was officially fired by Bayern despite their solid season on paper so far.

Nagelsmann had guided the Bundesliga giants to a Champions League quarter-final tie, where they’ll now face off against Premier League champions Man City without the German.

Bayern are also still well in contention to retain their domestic crown and could also win the DFB-Pokal with a quarter-final looming against Freiburg on April 4.

However, as explained in a statement from Bayern chief executive Oliver Kahn, the European heavyweights took the decision to hand their ex-boss his P45 due to an apparent decline in performance.

“When we signed Julian Nagelsmann in the summer of 2021, we were convinced we would work with him on a long-term basis – and that was the goal of all of us right up to the end,” explained Kahn.

“But now we have come to the conclusion that the quality in our squad – despite the Bundesliga title last year – has come to the fore less and less often.

“After the World Cup, we have played less successfully and less attractively. The big fluctuations in performance have cast doubt on our goals for this season, but also our goals for the future.”

The Latest: ‘Sensational twist’ at Spurs on Nagelsmann…

The Lilywhites, amid their search for an Antonio Conte replacement, have been linked with a move for Nagelsmann with reporter Veysey sharing what he knows.

Writing for Football Insider, the journalist claims there’s been a ‘sensational twist’ in Tottenham’s manager hunt and the north London club now ‘will make contact’ with Nagelsmann.

News of the ex-RB Leipzig boss’ sacking is apparently viewed as a ‘game-changer’ by Daniel Levy and co as Spurs sense an opportunity to hire one of world football’s most exciting young coaches.

The Verdict: Swoop in…

We had been seriously in favour of moving for ex-Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino, who is also available as a free agent, but Nagelsmann’s status without a job really gives them something to think about.

Called a ‘sensational manager’ by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, the 4-2-3-1 boss encourages an intense, high-pressing brand of attacking football which is different to Conte’s more pragmatic approach.

Some Spurs supporters have been calling for their side to adopt a more attack-minded football philosophy which hasn’t really been seen since Pochettino’s tenure.

Nagelsmann could be the man to re-instil an exciting brand of play, and now that he’s a free agent, there appears to be little obstacle in Levy making a move.

Liverpool Contenders To Sign £97m Defender This Summer

Liverpool are well placed to bring RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol to the Premier League this summer, according to reports.

Who's going to sign Gvardiol?

The Croatian's contract at the Red Bull Arena isn't set to expire until 2027, but following his impressive performances for his nation at the World Cup last year, alongside his displays in the Bundesliga, he has caught the eyes of more than just Jurgen Klopp.

The Reds, Manchester City and Chelsea have all been credited with an interest in the 21-year-old, who has made it public knowledge to his admirers that it's his dream to one day complete a move to a club in the English top-flight. According to 90min, the Merseyside outfit have already sent scouts to watch the centre-back in action so that they can regularly monitor his situation ahead of the upcoming window.

Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg earlier this month claimed that despite there being a genuine admiration, the two clubs haven't yet held any kind of negotations regarding a potential deal, and whilst that may be the case, it sounds like they are confident that an agreement can be reached ahead of their fellow competitors.

According to Football Insider, Liverpool are "well placed" and are "in the running" to sign Gvardiol this summer, who has become one of the most "sought-after" defenders on the market right now. The Anfield-based side hold a "concrete interest" in their target but are fully aware of the "strong competition" they face with Manchester United and Real Madrid also in the race for his signature, alongside the two other earlier named potential suitors.

Klopp is believed to view his target as an "ideal partner" for Virgil Van Dijk and is therfore "pushing" the hierarchy to heavily invest in the months ahead, with a £97m release clause set to become active in his contract from 2024.

RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol.

Is Gvardiol a suitable fit for Liverpool?

Gvardiol has been dubbed "sublime" and a "gladiator" by journalist Ryan Taylor and he would most certainly be the perfect profile of centre-back to put pen to paper at Liverpool in the summer window later in the year.

The left-footed ace is currently averaging 2.4 clearances per league game, showing the rock he can be at the heart of the backline, but he also ranks in the 98th percentile for most successful take-ons, highlighting his desire to drive forward when playing out from the back to push his team as high up the pitch as possible – he also has eight goal contributions during his time at Leipzig.

The Zagreb native also has the versatility to operate at left-back alongside his natural centre-back position, which is a great quality for the boss to have at his disposal given the number of defensive injuries that have occured this season.

Man City: Haaland update ahead of Liverpool

Manchester City supporters have been handed an update on the injury of star striker Erling Haaland ahead of their crunch April 1 clash with Liverpool.

The Lowdown: City stopped…

The Premier League champions had been gaining serious momentum before being stopped by a poorly-timed international break.

Pep Guardiola’s side were on a real rampage both domestically and in Europe, winning eight games out of a possible 10 in all competitions and scoring an incredible 16 goals in their last four games.

City demolished both RB Leipzig 7-0 in the Champions League and Burnley 6-0 in the FA Cup just before the internationals, and Haaland was a major, major part of it.

To make this international break worse, the superstar sparked City fear earlier this week when Norway announced he has withdrawn from their squad with a groin problem.

Their medical chief, Dr. Ola Sand, said this in a statement:

“After doing tests and examinations yesterday it became clear that he will not make it for the games against Spain and Georgia. It is better that he receives medical follow-up at his club.”

The Latest: Journalist shares Haaland update ahead of Liverpool…

Writing on social media, chief Man City writer Simon Bajkowski of the MEN has shared an important update on Haaland ahead of Liverpool – the first match of City’s return from the international break.

He explains that further examinations are needed to see if he can feature against Liverpool, but the 22-year-old is certainly not ruled out and early signs are ‘encouraging’.

Bajkowski said:

“Erling Haaland will need further tests to determine whether he will be fit to face Liverpool in 12 days, but the initial verdicts on the injury are encouraging for #mcfc.”

The Verdict: Good news…

This update certainly comes as a promising one despite the lack of tests and City supporters will be hoping the early encouragement is a sign Haaland could be available.

The former Borussia Dortmund star has been absolutely pivotal to Guardiola in recent weeks, breaking record after record and scoring goals galore.

By far the signing of the season, if he stays at City for years to come, there is no reason to deny the forward could even break Sergio Aguero’s all-time goalscoring club record.

Again, depending on longevity, Spurs striker Harry Kane may also be looking over his shoulder at Haaland who has bagged a ridiculous amount this season.

Approaching the end of March, City’s new prodigal son has registered a quite astonishing 42 goals in all competitions, including 10 Champions League goals in in just six games (WhoScored).

Everton must end 14-year stay of "poor footballer"

Everton are a club shrouded in sentimentality, and whilst that may be appealing for many fans who might view the Toffees as their 'second team', for Evertonians it marks mediocrity that has spread into their 27-year (and counting) stint without a trophy.

So often the desire to keep dead wood around due to things they have done in the past has made the playing squad weaker, whilst a reluctance to act with a ruthless and decisive touch again leaves them behind the trend.

Even as recently as with Frank Lampard, who was clearly struggling, the 44-year-old was only dismissed as the January window neared its conclusion. This left his replacement Sean Dyche no time to bolster a threadbare squad, thus making them the only Premier League club not to make a signing.

To truly progress as a club the hierarchy must become more cut-throat, abandoning this happy-go-lucky attitude that allows them to be bullied by bigger clubs.

The first steps must come this summer, should they retain their status in the division, by culling a playing squad that have let down numerous managers. One such name that springs to mind when referencing both mediocrity and sentimentality is Tom Davies, who must be the first to go.

What is Tom Davies' record at Everton?

Having broken into the first team as an 18-year-old, his performances in that debut campaign led fans to believe that he could hold down their midfield for many years to come. He was all-action with an eye for a pass, yet had that youthful exuberance that saw him try the extraordinary, whether it be a skill or a shot.

tom-davies-everton-david-silva-failed-potential-transfer-sale

His infamous goal against Manchester City epitomised that, as he burst down the right flank only to chop inside, dumbfounding Yaya Toure and another defender before chipping over Claudio Bravo later in the move to score.

However, having since played 176 games for the senior side, the 24-year-old has struggled to push on from the immense platform he gave himself.

His recent cameos from the bench this season serve to exacerbate this, as he looks erratic and uncomfortable, doing little to calm the nerves of fans.

Even back in 2021, podcaster Lee McLean called for his exit, as he rather harshly branded him an "extremely poor footballer" on the Bullens View podcast.

However true that may be, the £25k-per-week disappointment is set to see his contract expire this summer, and Dyche would surely have seen enough to know he does not merit an extension to his 14-year stay.

The former Burnley boss must let him go, which would finally mark an exit from the club's usual desperation to hang onto the past. If they are to finally earn success once again, they must instead look forward and move past the dead wood that has haunted them of late.

Man United still back captain Bruno Fernandes

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes is still receiving the backing of his teammates and the club despite the recent criticism from Sunday’s defeat.

What did Bruno Fernandes do against Liverpool?

Sunday showed just how much things can change in the space of the week with United going from lifting the Carabao Cup at Wembley to a 7-0 thumping at Anfield in just seven days.

And Fernandes was on the end of some heavy criticism on the weekend after being slammed for seemingly giving up after the game had gone from United.

Sky Sports man Gary Neville tore into the Portuguese midfielder for his behaviour during the game despite wearing the captain’s armband for Erik ten hag: ‘Some of Fernandes’ behaviour in this half has been a disgrace,’ said Neville.

But speaking on his YouTube channel, journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed the 28-year-old is still really appreciated by the club:

“From what I understand, guys – and this is really important to mention – Bruno Fernandes is really appreciated by his teammates. He has a fantastic relationship with many of his teammates, so he has no problem at all, no issue with his teammates at Manchester United. He’s a player really appreciated by Erik ten Hag.

“So this is why the expectation around Manchester United is for Bruno to be in a great relationship with his teammates.”

Should Fernandes still be United’s captain?

On the whole, it has been an impressive campaign for the Portuguese midfielder who has returned seven goals and 11 assists across all competitions (via Transfermarkt).

And his form since the World Cup break has been particularly impressive with eight goal involvements in the Premier League since his return from Qatar.

However, wearing the captain’s armband brings other responsibilities and it could be viewed as the midfielder failing to show those qualities on the weekend.

A video clip has circulated on social media of Fernandes stopping still after being beaten by Stefan Bajcetic which has seen him come under a lot of fire.

And the game should certainly act as a learning curve for the midfielder who was also slammed for his reaction to the slightest of touches from the opposition.

It is clearly not the example that Ten Hag would expect his captain to set especially in a game at Anfield against their bitter rivals.

So it will be interesting to see whether Fernandes does change his ways over the coming months and if not whether that might be something which Ten Hag may consider going into next season.

Tottenham: Paratici readying offer to sign ‘massive’ player

Tottenham Hotspur and by extension their sporting director Fabio Paratici are readying an offer to sign one ‘massive’ player for manager Antonio Conte, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs summer in full swing…

Spurs are reportedly eyeing a right-wing-back, central defender and new forward after completing a plethora of deals already this summer.

Paratici has been working behind-the-scenes as the Lilywhites are tasked with appeasing Conte and realising the Italian’s ambition ahead of his first full Premier League season in charge.

Already, the Lilywhites have confirmed a trio of signings in Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster and Yves Bissouma and more could be set to come in.

The Latest: Paratici readying bid for ‘massive’ player…

According to reporter and Sport Italia TV journalist Gianluigi Longari, it appears Paratici is now readying a bid for another potential incoming at Hotspur Way.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-developments-2/” title=”Tottenham latest updates” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Indeed, as per his information, Tottenham are willing to submit an offer for Leeds United star Raphinha.

He explained (via Twitter):

“Also #Tottenham want #LUFC winger and ready to submit an offer (50M+10M ).

The Verdict: Get it done…

The 25-year-old stands out as a real star target for Spurs, and while they may struggle to get a deal done given all the competition, we believe Paratici’s efforts will be justified.

As per WhoScored, Raphinha finished 21/22 as Leeds’ best performing-player by average match rating and scored their most goals – all while racking up the highest rate of shots at goal, key passes made and completed dribbles per 90.

Taking all of this into account, it’s hardly a surprise his manager Jesse Marsch branded the Brazil international a ‘massive’ player, while ex-Spurs boss Tim Sherwood has also called him ‘phenomenal’.

Indeed, he may well be worth the investment.

Spurs must secure Raphinha transfer

Tottenham Hotspur have been rather active in the transfer market since Antonio Conte was appointed as their manager last November.

During the January transfer window, the Lilywhites brought in Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur, both from Juventus.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-much-more” title= “Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours and more!”]

Despite it still only being early days in the current transfer window, the north London club have already secured deals for Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster and Yves Bissouma.

Looking back over their recent Premier League campaign, one man who was undeniably a standout figure for Conte was Heung-min Son. In 35 top-flight appearances, the attacker found the net 23 times and delivered nine assists, earning himself a share of the Golden Boot.

Looking ahead to the rest of the summer transfer window, Fabio Paratici could follow up his already impressive work over the past few weeks by securing what could be Tottenham’s next version of their South Korean star.

Earlier this week, it was reported by The Athletic that Spurs are interested in signing Leeds United winger Raphinha.

In October 2020, the Yorkshire club struck a £17m deal with Ligue 1 club Rennes for the Brazilian. Since then, the 25-year-old has gone on to score 17 goals and deliver 12 assists in 67 appearances for the Whites.

With the same number of Premier League appearances to his name as Son last season, the Leeds star made more dribbles, delivered more crosses and took just one fewer shot at goal than the 29-year-old.

This highlights the attacking similarities between the two and shows why the Brazilian could be a great attacking asset for the north London club if he swaps Yorkshire for N17.

Described as a “magician” by fellow Leeds attacker Dan James, Raphinha has also had his attacking flair and tricks on the pitch labelled “disgusting” by an admiring Jermaine Beckford.

Despite having a reported price tag of at least £60m, this could be an investment worth making for Spurs, as the Elland Road star seems to have the ability to be another Son at Tottenham.

With the Lilywhites having the prospect of Champions League football under a hugely successful manager in Conte to use as persuading factors when it comes to signing players this summer, there’s every chance that this could sway the Brazilian to say goodbye to Leeds and start a new chapter of his career.

In other news: Sky Sports drop big behind-the-scenes transfer claim, it’s terrible news for Spurs

Leeds hold ‘conversations’ for Junior Adamu

Leeds United have reportedly held ‘conversations’ over a move for Red Bull Salzburg striker Junior Adamu.

The Lowdown: Leeds interested in Adamu

The Whites have already raided the Austrian giants twice this summer by signing Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen. Leeds may not stop there though, with Sky Sport Austria recently claiming that Adamu is of interest to Jesse Marsch’s side.

Described as ‘ice cold’ and ‘special’ by UEFA-licensed coach Cherno Samba, Adamu has contributed to 14 goals in 44 games for Salzburg, and it looks as if a move to Yorkshire could be on the cards for the 21-year-old.

The Latest: Adamu transfer update

LUFCFANZONE provided an update regarding Leeds’ pursuit for a striker on Friday evening, which they shared on Instagram.

They spoke to a source close to Adamu, who confirmed that there have been ‘conversations’ over a possible move to Elland Road. The source added that ‘nothing is concrete yet – but he is definitely on Leeds’ shortlist’.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-updates-4/” title=”Latest Leeds United updates!” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Exciting

Victor Orta, Andrea Radrizzani and Marsch aren’t hanging around when it comes to bolstering Leeds’ squad this summer, with a third signing from Salzburg now on the cards.

Adamu looks like an exciting target, as he is still just 21 years of age and has an excellent record for Austria under-21s, scoring 11 goals in 13 games, so he could fit in perfectly at Elland Road alongside Patrick Bamford and Joe Gelhardt.

LUFCFANZONE have mooted a £12m figure over a potential transfer, so Adamu could be the next exciting forward to leave Salzburg for the Premier League, following in the footsteps of Sadio Mane and Patson Daka.

In other news: ‘In the last few minutes’ – Sky Sports drop live TV news; Leeds now free to secure third summer signing

Game
Register
Service
Bonus