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Crystal Palace have been linked with a move for Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey after his rather underwhelming stint in Serie A.

What’s the story?

The Wales international is currently lining up for his national side at the European Championships, but a summer switch could be on the cards after the tournament’s conclusion.

According to Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport (via Football Talk), Ramsey wants to leave Juve over the coming months to make a return to the Premier League, with Arsenal and West Ham United set to rival Palace for his signature.

Parish must swoop

After making just 24 Serie A starts in a two-year stint with the Turin giants, Ramsey is reportedly ready to return to English football.

The 30-year-old has enjoyed a stellar career in terms of winning trophies at Arsenal and then Juventus, winning three FA Cups, a Scudetto and an Italian Cup.

When at the peak of his powers, Ramsey can be a top-class operator and he was once described as an “outstanding technician” by former Gunners defender Martin Keown.

However, after finding game time hard to come by in recent years, the experienced maestro could be ready to move to a side where he’d be guaranteed a place in the starting XI.

Palace are in desperate need of new recruits ahead of the upcoming transfer window. Roy Hodgson’s departure has left the south London outfit in a precarious position.

The former England boss may have brought stability to Selhurst Park during his four-year stint at the helm, but he’s left the playing squad in a far from healthy state.

Experienced duo James McCarthy and James McArthur are set to become free agents at the end of the month, leaving a sizeable gap in the capital club’s engine room.

Therefore, chairman Steve Parish must swoop for Ramsey as he plots a mass overhaul of the first-team squad.

Whether the Welshman would be prepared to join Palace and battle against relegation is up for debate, but an opportunity to bring in someone of his stature and quality is something the club’s hierarchy cannot afford to turn down.

And, in other news…Get it done: Parish must sanction CPFC swoop for 19 y/o prodigy, fans will be buzzing 

Just when you thought Celtic were rolling out the red carpet in preparation for Eddie Howe’s arrival at Parkhead, they’ve been dealt another potential blow.

The Hoops’ pursuit of the 43-year-old has been a tiresome saga but there doesn’t appear to be an end in sight for Paradise chiefs.

What’s the word?

TalkSPORT reported last week that a deal had finally been agreed to bring Howe to Glasgow. Promising signs have emerged in the last seven days with details of Crystal Palace’s managerial situation coming to light.

The Eagles have been keen on Howe but, after Roy Hodgson announced he’d be leaving, the 43-year-old reportedly flopped during the interview process. That meant Celtic had a free run at the former Bournemouth boss.

Unfortunately for the Hoops, a massive twist has now occurred. Palace have also been in discussions with Frank Lampard but, according to Football Insider, they have sensationally pulled out of the race for the former Chelsea man following extensive talks.

Consequently, a Celtic source has told the outlet that there are fresh concerns over Howe’s move to Glasgow, with Palace potentially pushing hard to try and land him.

Disastrous news

With Howe seemingly all but through the door at Celtic, news that a job in the Premier League could actually be on the cards could tempt him to remain south of the border.

The 43-year-old hasn’t been keen on a return to management until the summer, with his agent insisting that he can still land a job in England’s top flight.

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Palace seemed the most likely destination but, after he flopped during an interview with Steve Parish, Celtic became his first choice again. However, the failure of Lampard’s own talks mean Howe could change his thought process and stay in England.

With so much to do at Paradise this summer, it would be terrible news if the 43-year-old snubs a move to Scotland.

Celtic need a new head coach and they need one quickly. They have already waited long enough for the former Cherries manager and cannot afford to delay any longer.

If there is the slightest hint that he prefers Crystal Palace, Dominic McKay and Dermot Desmond need to focus their attention elsewhere and move for a coach who is 100% committed to the Hoops.

With several players likely to leave Parkhead, a new manager is needed quickly to assess the recruitment and swiftly bring in replacements.

If the transfer window opens and Celtic chiefs are still deliberating over who will be the new manager, it could leave them significantly behind in their planning and preparation for next season. Those in the boardroom should be incredibly concerned with how long this whole process has taken.

It’s a sorry state of affairs but, after how their season has played out, we should hardly be surprised.

AND in other news, Celtic can find the new Scott McDonald by signing 24 y/o with “everything to his game”…

Former Southampton CEO Les Reed has recently admitted that Southampton were looking at signing Wilfried Ndidi in 2016 following the departure of Victor Wanyama.

Speaking to ThisisFutbol, Reed said:

“When Wanyama went to Tottenham Hotspur, Wilfried Ndidi was someone who was on our radar.”

Wanyama joined Spurs from Southampton in the summer of 2016 after making 97 appearances for the Saints between 2013-2016, so he was a big player for the South Coast club to try and replace.

Ndidi was at Belgian side KRC Genk at the time and would’ve been available for around £15m had Southampton looked to sign him in the same summer window, as he would join Leicester City for that price in January 2017.

Since then, he has made 176 appearances for the Foxes, contributing nine goals and 11 assists, in which time he has established himself as one of the best defensive-midfielders in the Premier League.

His transfer value has shot up during his time with Leicester City, with Transfermarkt now valuing the Nigeria international at £45m, which certainly suggests that he would have been a worthwhile signing for the Saints.

This season saw the 24-year-old contribute one goal and four assists in 26 league appearances for Leicester City, which helped him average an excellent 7.25 rating from WhoScored.

This ranked him as the best performer in Brendan Rodgers’ side this season as they fell narrowly short of securing a top-four spot, which emphasises just how good a player he has become during his time in the Premier League.

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Back in 2019, Rodgers was full of praise for his midfielder, saying:

“He is an incredible player. The offensive players get the credit but he does the dirty work.”

“He has this brain for the game, where he can smell danger and always finds himself there. The timing of his challenge is very good and he’s up there with the top players at winning the ball back.”

Therefore, it seems clear that Ndidi would have been a superb addition to Southampton’s side in 2016, and Saints fans will likely be fuming that their club did not pursue him further after Wanyama’s departure given how good he’s been for the Foxes.

And, in other news… Hasenhuttl can evolve his Saints attack with swoop for “unbelievable” star

Manuel Lanzini has been handed another gutting injury blow ahead of West Ham’s crunch match with Brighton this weekend…

What’s the latest?

According to Irons insiders Claret & Hugh, the Argentine midfielder was sent for precautionary scans on Monday after leaving the pitch early during their 1-0 defeat to Everton at the weekend.

It is thought that he has suffered a recurrence to the thigh and groin problem that has kept him out previously this campaign.

Before Christmas, he missed the game against Chelsea and more recently, he was absent for back-to-back matches against Wolves and Leicester City.

Speaking after Sunday’s third loss in four games, Moyes told reporters (via football.london): “Lanzini had an injury at the top of his thigh and it looks as if it is the top of his thigh or a groin strain that he had before.”

Gutting blow

It’s been the same story at the London Stadium all campaign.

As soon as a few players return from the treatment table, new ones face time out.

Having welcomed back the likes of Michail Antonio and Aaron Cresswell into the starting XI in recent matches, it seems that Moyes could well be without another key star once again as Lanzini’s withdrawal just 43 minutes into the match is serious cause for concern.

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If the problem wasn’t that bad, then you’d have expected him to last the extra few minutes until the break, or even shake it off but the fact that he didn’t is certainly worrying.

The 28-year-old has played a huge role in the Hammers’ recent outings, playing in a deeper midfield position in the absence of both Declan Rice and Mark Noble, if those two are absent again on Saturday, alongside Lanizni, then Moyes has one serious problem brewing.

It’s a must-win for the Irons, too. They have slipped out of top-four contention and may need to win their remaining three matches to qualify for the Europa League.

Liverpool could leapfrog them on Thursday evening with a win over Manchester United, meaning they’d be sat in sixth place with Spurs and Everton hot on their tail.

Moyes will be far from pleased with these latest developments and for the Hammers squad, it’s another gutting blow.

AND in other news, West Ham eye Jesse Lingard alternative in £18m “genius” who’s a “delight to watch”…

Southampton have been linked with Reims left-back Ghislain Konan recently, and he could be the ideal man to replace Ryan Bertrand in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s squad.

According to the Daily Mail, via TEAMtalk, both Southampton and Aston Villa are interested in the 25-year-old defender this summer, with the report suggesting that he would cost around £5.1m. It added that Konan is keen on a move to the Premier League and would come cheap due to only having a year left on his contract at the Stade Auguste-Delaune.

This immediately marks him out as someone who would be a viable option for the Saints this summer, as Hasenhuttl has already confirmed that his side will be targeting players who cost £10m or less in the transfer window ahead of next season.

The Austrian will be desperate to add a left-back to his squad ahead of the 2021/22 campaign, following the news that Ryan Bertrand would leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season.

Konan could prove to be the 31-year-old’s ideal heir on the south coast, as he has plenty of experience in Ligue 1 and in the Portuguese top flight with Vitoria Guimaraes, whilst he has also earned 11 caps for the Ivory Coast.

This season has seen the left-back make 30 appearances in the French top flight, in which he has contributed two goals and one assist, averaging a solid 6.75 rating from WhoScored.

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Bertrand, by comparison, contributed no goals and just one assist in the Premier League for Southampton this season, earning a much less impressive 6.41 rating for his performances from WhoScored.

Konan is very similar to Bertrand when it comes to defensive metrics such as tackling and interceptions this season, but the former seems to have the edge from an attacking perspective, averaging a better passing accuracy, more dribbles and more key passes per game than the 31-year-old.

This is where the Englishman has been weak at times in recent seasons, so Konan’s arrival could give Southampton much more of an attacking threat down the left-hand side, similar to Bertrand’s first few seasons at the club when he provided a lot more going forward.

Therefore, it looks as if Konan could be the ideal target to replace Bertrand at Southampton this summer, and given his low asking price, Saints vice-chairman Martin Semmens should definitely try and bring him to St Mary’s.

In other news… Hasenhuttl handed golden chance to axe £13.5m flop, Gao surely buzzing

Peterborough Director of Football Barry Fry has exclusively told Football FanCast that he expects Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford to sign new deals at Leeds, irrespective of Marcelo Bielsa’s future.

The pair have been a key part of the Whites’ successful campaign back in the Premier League, and are set to be rewarded with bumper long-term contracts.

Phillips still has more than three years remaining on his current deal, although the striker’s expires next summer, with Leeds desperate to tie down two of their most important players.

Recent reports believe that the Elland Road outfit are expected to offer the duo fresh terms in the coming weeks, and Fry doesn’t think that uncertainty over manager Bielsa’s future will affect their decision.

Bielsa’s contract in South Yorkshire runs out at the end of this season, and he hasn’t yet decided whether he’ll stay on for a fourth season at Elland Road.

“I have been a great admirer of Leeds from day one, Fry told Football FanCast. Obviously they will want to keep them two players, they’re a big club, huge club and I don’t see a problem with the salary being turned down.

“I don’t think it will matter to them whether the manager stays or not, saying that, they will want the manager to stay because they enjoy the style of football that the manager demands of them.”

Ever since Leeds sold one of the club’s brightest young starlets in Ronaldo Vieira, Marcelo Bielsa has no doubt been keen on trying to unearth another midfield gem at Elland Road.

At the time of Vieira’s move to Sampdoria, Andrea Radrizzani made it clear that it was a deal just too good to turn down considering the financial situation.

He said: “He was one of best players to come from our youth but I cannot put the club in danger in the future. Unfortunately to sustain a club in this league, we need to sell one or two players each year. We’ve invested a lot and it’s not enough to break even, so we had to manage the club and look at the future, not just today.”

While Kalvin Phillips has grown into a bona-fide star and England international, the potential signing of Ainsley Maitland-Niles may be the closest Leeds get to replacing the talented Vieira.

Reports in recent days have suggested that Bielsa’s side are interested in signing the £16.2m-rated Arsenal star, who is currently on loan at fellow Premier League side West Brom.

The Baggies have been utilising him in central midfield this season, while the Gunners opted to field him in both full-back positions and even further forward too.

That ability to play in multiple roles and positions is something Chris Sutton has previously hailed, saying: “The young man’s versatility is a weapon. He is such a versatile talent – a diamond.”

But at Leeds, Maitland-Niles could develop into a real star in the middle of the park just like Vieira promised to be in his break-through season at the club.

Just like the former Whites starlet, the 23-year-old reads the game particularly well, and has averaged an impressive 2.2 tackles and 0.9 interceptions per game in the Premier League since joining West Brom in the January transfer window.

Compare that to Vieira’s break-out campaign at Leeds during the 2016/2017 season, when he averaged 2.1 tackles and one interception per game in the Championship – remarkably similar defensive numbers compared to Maitland-Niles.

The England international also has that comparable ability to cover the ground well, with his former teammate at Arsenal, Sead Kolasinac, hailing his pace, saying: “He’s so quick and he reads the game well, so he knows what to do before the ball arrives. When you’re that quick, it’s difficult to stop someone.”

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If Leeds do manage to pull off a deal for Maitland-Niles in the summer, then they could well finally replace Vieira.

Meanwhile, Leeds must make a ruthless call on this “massive flop”…

According to recent reports, Glasgow Rangers are plotting a deal for a top-class centre-forward this summer, should Alfredo Morelos leave Ibrox.

The report by Football Insider claims that Rangers sources have revealed that the club’s recruitment team are assessing a number of potential targets in the upcoming transfer window, and are “laying the groundwork” for a “blockbuster” signing in anticipation of Morelos’ potential departure this summer.

One target mentioned is Peterborough United centre-forward, Jonson Clarke-Harris, who has scored a quite remarkable 25 goals, as well as providing three assists, over his 37 League One appearances so far this season, with the 26-year-old averaging a highly impressive WhoScored match rating of 7.29 – with Darren Ferguson dubbing the Posh hitman an “outstanding” player.

Last weekend, Football Insider reported that Rangers had sent scouts to watch the £225k-rated striker in Peterborough’s recent clash with Accrington Stanley, a game in which Clarke-Harris undoubtedly impressed, bagging a hat-trick in a 7-0 win.

Transfer Tavern Take

Considering the fact that Rangers were heavily linked with a move for the then-Peterborough striker, Ivan Toney, last summer, only for the 25-year-old to eventually join Brentford, where he has scored 28 goals and provided nine assists over 36 Championship appearances so far this season, it would appear as if there is a very clear lesson for Rangers to learn from their failed attempts to lure Toney.

Unless the club want to miss out on another diamond in the rough, it would appear highly advisable that Rangers’ transfer team should be doing all they can to convince Clarke-Harris of a move to Ibrox, which could lead the 26-year-old becoming the “blockbuster” signing Gers are looking for this summer.

In other news: this ‘superb’ £6.2k-p/w star lifted the lid on talks with the Rangers hierarchy – find out more here!

Celtic’s hunt for a new manager has rather summed up how the season has played out for the Bhoys at Parkhead.

It has been a messy affair, a saga that’s drawn out more questions than answers as the Hoops are dealt repeated setbacks.

What’s the word?

Celtic were thought to be in advanced discussions to bring Eddie Howe to the club a week ago.

However, over the last few days, it’s become increasingly likely that he won’t be arriving at Parkhead.

The reason why is unclear but a source close to the Hoops hierarchy revealed all over the course of the weekend.

Telling journalist and author Phil Mac Giolla Bhain, a source said: “Can’t be coming. Heard today that he wants to bring the kitchen sink with him – up to 5 backroom staff – and Celtic have dug their heels in and said no.”

This was after another source suggested that Howe had sought assurances from Dermot Desmond that he’d be able to bring his own staff with him to Parkhead.

Not good news

There have been a number of issues plaguing Celtic’s pursuit of the 43-year-old but until now, we hadn’t really been given a definitive ‘no.’

Thus, the dreaded three-word message; “Can’t be coming,” is unlikely to be too pleasing for Hoops supporters.

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The last thing they needed after a rather dreadful season was yet more toxicity and another tired saga.

The idea of Neil Lennon departing Celtic came about in the early months of the season but he didn’t actually leave his role until February. Even then, it wasn’t the Bhoys hierarchy that sacked him, the Northern Irishman simply stepped down himself.

Desmond, however, is unlikely to get a swift resolution here. He already knows that Howe doesn’t want to return to management until the summer and with backroom issues swamping him, he’d be better off seeking alternatives.

He does have one in the form of Lucien Favre but his future also remains unclear after being linked with Saudi club Al-Hilal.

The club’s majority shareholder, therefore, will need to act decisively. This is arguably the worst news he will have received yet.

Fortunately, it shouldn’t be a surprise given the events that have played out in recent days. Howe wants to bring Richard Hughes with him instead of Fergal Harkin, a man who was 90% through the door according to reports.

The former Cherries boss isn’t even at Celtic yet but he’s already causing difficulties for the club.

AND in other news, Celtic hero sees value soar by 257% after leaving, Rodgers called him a “big talent”…

Sheffield Wednesday will be looking to end a winless run of eight straight matches this afternoon, though standing in their way are not just their arch-rivals but a team vying for a spot in the playoffs too.

The Owls make the short trip to Oakwell to face Barnsley in the south Yorkshire derby in a game that is second-bottom against fifth place.

Darren Moore has plenty to ponder over team selection, so with that in mind, here’s the XI we’re predicting today…

There could be as many as three changes from the side drew to Huddersfield Town in midweek.

Moore will be sweating on the fitness of Sam Hutchinson, who has been filling in at centre-back amid the Owls’ mounting injury problems. Joost van Aken, Chey Dunkley and Dominic Iorfa are all sidelined through injury.

Hutchinson was withdrawn early at Hillsborough after picking up a knock and according to the 46-year-old,  his potential involvement is “an eleventh-hour decision,” so we’re expecting the 31-year-old veteran to not be risked.

That would mean a recall for Osaze Urhoghide, who comes back in to partner Tom Lees and Julian Borner, in front of goalkeeper Keiren Westwood.

Adam Reach is expected to continue at left wing-back, with Kadeem Harris dropping back into a similar role to allow a change further up the pitch.

Skipper Barry Bannan should also remain from midweek, though this time he’s joined by Celtic-bound 20-year-old Liam Shaw, which means Joey Pelupessy is axed. The Dutchman’s display on Wednesday was rather poor, as we outlined here, so he’s an obvious casualty from the starting XI.

Calum Paterson could return to the line-up in the third and final change, replacing Liam Palmer. He may have scored an own goal against the Terriers, but is still their joint top goalscorer.

Moore may also continue with a front two of Josh Windass and Jordan Rhodes, meaning Elias Kachunga and Jack Marriott will have to continue to wait for their opportunities.

AND in other news, Sheffield Wednesday have another Almen Abdi in £18k-p/w flop…