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The 2023/24 Premier League season has been a rather middling one for Crystal Palace, as despite picking up some impressive wins over the likes of Manchester United and drawing away to Manchester City, they find themselves down in 14th place and out of the FA Cup already.

Roy Hodgson's side don't look in any real danger of being relegated, but neither do they really look like challenging those above them, and a significant reason for that is their lack of goals.

The Eagles' 22 goal haul is the third-worst in the league, so it is not surprising to see the club sniffing around a new striker who could bench Odsonne Édouard and has been likened to the legendary Didier Drogba in the past.

Crystal Palace consider move for in-form striker

According to the Standard, Crystal Palace are interested in adding some more firepower to their underwhelming frontline this month and have identified Krasnodar's Jhon Córdoba as someone who could do just that.

The report has revealed that the twice-capped Colombian was recommended to the club by midfielder and compatriot Jefferson Lerma and that while the Eagles would prefer a loan move, an option to buy the 30-year-old could also be included in any deal.

However, the South Londoners aren't alone in their admiration of the former Espanyol man, as the Standard has also named Nottingham Forest and Everton as other sides circling the in-form striker.

Regardless, while the finances might not be a problem for Palace, the fact that this deal would include a Russian side might be, as transfers from the country to British clubs have been practically impossible in the last couple of years.

That said, if a deal can be worked out, the goals that Córdoba could bring would surely fire the Eagles up the table.

Jhon Córdoba Track Record

Season

Club

Starts

Goals

Assists

2023/24

FC Krasnodar

16

8

1

2022/23

FC Krasnodar

22

14

5

2021/22

FC Krasnodar

12

6

4

2020/21

Hertha Berlin

17

7

1

2019/20

FC Koln

23

13

2

2018/19

FC Koln

22

20

1

All Stats via WhoScored

How Jhon Córdoba compares to Odsonne Édouard

Now, Édouard is undoubtedly a talented footballer. After all, in his final full season at Celtic, he scored 16 goals and provided three assists in just 23 league starts. Still, since making his way to England, he has been consistently underwhelming, with his current haul of six goals in 15 league starts being his best season in the capital.

There is certainly a place for him at Palace, but he just hasn't justified his position as one of the team's leading strikers, and while it would be fair to argue that signing a 30-year-old Córdoba wouldn't help in the long term, his current strike-rate would be a massive boost for Hodgson's side.

While in the Bundesliga, he was very open about who he styled his game on, saying: "Didier Drogba was my role model. A battering-ram type who would always ride roughshod over everyone."

While comments like that can often lead to ridicule and extra pressure, it seems as if there was a general agreement from those who watched and played with him that his style of play was similar to how people perceived the Ivorian great.

Former FC Koln teammate Simon Terodde described him as "the kind of player who can get the ball on the halfway line, run towards goal and score", which at this moment in time is precisely what Palace need.

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Moreover, the "explosive" forward, as described by former Espanyol sporting director Oscar Perarnau, has reached double digits for goals in three of his last five full seasons and looks well on his way to doing the same this year, which is not something that can be said for the Frenchman.

Ultimately, with Palace's need for a reliable goalscorer so acute, they should be pushing hard to get this deal over the line.

Manchester United are on the lookout for new reinforcements and could now look to bring in an exciting signing at the expense of Raphael Varane, according to a report.

Raphael Varane's Man Utd future…

Undoubtedly, Varane has had something of a stop-start campaign at Manchester United and injuries alongside spells in and out of the side have taken their toll on the Frenchman.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Dean Jones has indicated that Varane is frustrated with his lack of first-team opportunities at Old Trafford and could look to move on in January if the right type of opportunity arises, saying:

"Varane is still a great player. He's obviously extremely frustrated about his own opportunities in that team right now, so I can understand that. But he needs the right move for himself, too, and it does seem like he's only going to consider a very specific type of club at this moment in his career.

"Whether that comes on in January is also unlikely. But yeah, I actually personally think it will be a mistake to let him go."

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According to The Daily Mail, former Real Madrid man Varane alongside teammate Casemiro, could be moved on in January to free up finances for Ten Hag to invest elsewhere in his side.

Joining from the La Liga giants for a fee of £42 million in 2021, The Athletic cite in a separate report that he is actually only under contract until the summer and could leave on a free transfer in 2024, which would be a damning reflection of the Red Devils' poor recruitment over recent years.

In light of this, United now look to have identified a potential replacement for Varane that could help to soften the blow that would be left by his prospective departure at Old Trafford.

Man Utd eye David Alaba move

According to reports in Spain, Manchester United are at the centre of a three-way battle to sign Real Madrid defender David Alaba next summer, who is also attracting interest from Serie A giants Juventus and Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ittihad. The Austrian international is valued at around €60 million (£51.6 million) by his current employers, who would consider selling him due to inconsistent performances.

Raphael Varane vs David Alaba comparison – 2023/24 (as provided by WhoScored)
Raphael Varane (subject to change)	David Alaba (subject to change)
Interceptions: 0.1	Interceptions: 1.2
Clearances: 2.5	Clearances: 2.6
Pass success rate: 92.4%	Pass success rate: 91.6%
Aerial duels won: 1	Aerial duels won: 0.7
Average match rating: 6.45	Average match rating: 6.76

The outlet claim that the Red Devils are keen to strengthen in central defence as Varane is mooted to be close to departing the club and Alaba has been identified as someone with the requisite experience and skills to replace the Lille-born man.

Labelled a "complete player" by Carlo Ancelotti, Alaba has made 16 appearances in all competitions for Los Blancos at the time of writing, registering two assists in the process (Alaba statistics – Transfermarkt).

Manchester United seem to have a habit of making high-profile signings at Old Trafford and Alaba could provide an elite-level pedigree should a move to England materialise for the former Bayern Munich star.

Spin-bowling allrounder Anna Peterson, who was the Player of the Match in the third ODI, has been named as replacement

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Feb-20190:49

‘It’s easier to transition to the T20s after playing the longer format’ – Satterthwaite

New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman Bernadine Bezuidenhout has been ruled out of the T20 series against India, owing to a fractured middle finger of her right hand. Spin-bowling allrounder Anna Peterson, who was the Player of the Match in the third and last ODI on February 1, has been named Bezuidenhout’s replacement, and will join the squad in Auckland on Thursday.Coming off an underwhelming run in the three-match ODI series where she scored 22 runs in two innings took two catches, Bezuidenhout was struck on the hand when batting at the Basin Reserve nets ahead of the T20I series opener on Wednesday. New Zealand head coach Haidee Tiffen confirmed Bezuidenhout will return home to rest.”You never like to see players miss out due to injury and it’s no different in Bernie’s case but unfortunately it’s just part of the game,” Tiffen said. “We wish her a speedy recovery and know she will be doing everything in her power to get back on the park.”Peterson, meanwhile, finished as the hosts’ leading wicket-taker with five wickets in two innings in the ODI series, and the second across teams, behind India’s Poonam Yadav.Anna Peterson is congratulated after one of her three wickets•Cricket Australia/Getty Images”Anna joins the side and brings with her experience as well as an option with both the bat and ball,” Tiffen said of the 28-year-old Peterson. “She will slot right in having already been with the squad for the ODI campaign.”New Zealand lost the three-match ODI series 1-2 but their captain Amy Satterthwaite was excited to see what the new faces can do during the T20I series that starts on February 6.Meanwhile, New Zealand Test opener Jeet Raval has been named captain of the New Zealand XI side for a one-off 50-over tour match against Bangladesh, in Lincoln on Sunday. Rachin Ravindra, the Under-19 batting allrounder, has also been included in the squad.”We’ve identified Rachin as a player of interest for a significant period of time now,” selector Gavin Larsen said. “He did a very good job for the NZ A team in both the UAE and at home against India A and we believe another day of international cricket would be very advantageous for him.”New Zealand White Ferns: Amy Satterthwaite (capt), Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine, Caitlin Gurrey, Katey Martin (wk), Frances McKay, Leigh Kasperek, Hannah Rowe, Amelia Kerr, Lea Tahuhu, Rosemary Mair, Hayley Jensen, Anna PetersonNew Zealand XI to face Bangladesh: Jeet Raval (capt), Andrew Fletcher, Rachin Ravindra, Finn Allen, Dale Phillips, Katene Clarke, Sean Solia, Max Chu (wk), Theo van Woerkom, Iain McPeake, Andrew Hazeldine, Jamie Brown

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly keen to strike a deal for a new defender during the upcoming transfer window, and he's already playing his football in the Premier League.

Tottenham's backline hit by injuries and suspensions

The Lilywhites have Cristian Romero, Micky Van De Ven, Eric Dier and Ashley Phillips as their natural centre-backs as it stands, but this is a position that supporters have always known is one that the hierarchy are keen to strengthen. Ange Postecoglou’s side have already been linked with several candidates in the form of Bournemouth’s Lloyd Kelly, Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, Torino’s Perr Schuurs, alongside Edmond Tapsoba and Piero Hincapie who are both at Bayer Leverkusen.

Should Daniel Levy and Johan Lange fail to secure the services of those players, they have also highlighted an alternative in Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah, who has never been able to nail down a regular starting place having been sent on loan three times to Ipswich Town, Huddersfield and FC Lorient throughout his career (Transfermarkt – Chalobah statistics).

England’s former youth international has failed to make an impression following Mauricio Pochettino’s arrival having made zero appearances in any competition so far this season (WhoScored – Chalobah statistics), but the 24-year-old might now have the perfect opportunity to start a new adventure elsewhere.

Spurs considering swoop for Trevoh Chalobah

According to Football Insider, Tottenham are eyeing a move for Chalobah at the start of next year, but they are set to face stiff competition for his services with Bayern Munich also keen in the Bundesliga.

"Tottenham are interested in a January swoop for Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah following Micky van de Ven’s injury, sources have told Football Insider. It is believed Spurs, as well as German giants Bayern Munich, are interested in the defender.

"Tottenham are ready to throw their hat in the ring for Chalobah’s signature following the devastating injury to summer signing Micky van de Ven."

Chalobah can be Postecoglou's "soldier"

Whilst Chalobah hasn’t been given a chance to prove what he’s capable of at Chelsea under Pochettino, he more than displayed his potential last season where he was averaging 2.2 clearances and 1.2 aerial wins per top-flight game. Standing at 6 foot 3, Freetown’s native also has the versatility to operate everywhere across the backline and even in three roles in the midfield, so his ability to easily adapt to the demands of a manager could make him a wonderful option to have in the building.

Sponsored by Nike, Stamford Bridge’s £50k-per-week earner (Chelsea salaries) even knows what it takes to beat the current squad having secured three victories against Spurs when part of the opposing side, so one has to think he could thrive under the guidance of Postecoglou.

Chalobah, who is a defensive “soldier”, according to his former manager Graham Potter, additionally shares the same representative, CAA Base Ltd, as Son Heung-Min, James Maddison, Pedro Porro, Pape Matar Sarr and Richarlison (Tottenham agents), so this existing connection that his management have to the club could give them a small advantage over Bayern.

West Ham United goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski has heaped praise on an "underrated" teammate and insists he can become "very important" this season.

West Ham 1-0 Olympiacos

Hammers boss David Moyes avenged his loss in Greece with a 1-0 win over Olympiacos on Thursday night. Lucas Paqueta scored the only goal of the game to send West Ham joint-top of their Europa League group and on the cusp of knockout round action, coming after their Conference League triumph in May.

West Ham's fine European form continues and it is a result which eases some pressure off their head coach, amid reports Moyes could leave after nearly four years in the dug out.

"It's good to get back on track. Olympiacos are a seasoned European team and they showed that tonight," said Moyes to the press afterwards (via BBC).

"We're top of the group, we still have two matches to play but I think this is the hardest group we've had. Europe has been great for this football club, we've had some great nights and long may they continue.

"He [Lucas Paqueta] took the goal brilliantly tonight but there were lots of things I wanted him to do better. We've got room for improvement."

West Ham next take on Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Sunday at 2pm, a match which will again be crucial for Moyes as it represents a chance to turn around their dismal top flight form of late.

One man who played a heavy hand in West Ham's victory at the London Stadium in midweek was summer signing James Ward-Prowse, who provided the assist for Paqueta 17 minutes from full time.

Fabianski tips Ward-Prowse for stardom

The Englishman yet again missed out on Gareth Southgate's Three Lions squad for their upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Moldova and North Macedonia, which is arguably harsh considering his form this season.

Ward-Prowse has two goals and three assists to his name in the league alone, with Man City's Kalvin Phillips barely playing a minute yet getting the nod over him.

Fabianski is in no doubt over the 29-year-old's quality, though, insisting he can be an "important" player for the Irons.

"I think as players, we know," said Fabianski on Ward-Prowse (via The Standard). "Even when he was at Southampton, we knew that he was a really good player on the ball, in terms of controlling the tempo of the game, the passing game he has and today with a beautiful assist.

"We always knew the quality he had and we see it even more now he's in our team. Hopefully, he can stay at this level for a long, long time and be a very important player for us — from set-pieces and playmaking on the pitch."

Ward-Prowse strengths
Set pieces
Direct free kicks
Passing
Long shots
Finishing
Ball interception
Concentration
(via WhoScored)

The former Southampton star, during his time at St. Mary's Stadium, was also called a very "underrated" player by Sky pundit Micah Richards.

"He’s the most underrated player in the Premier League for years," said Richards (via Yahoo Sport).

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O meia Kevin Malthus, de 17 anos, teve uma segunda-feira inesquecível. O jogador foi inscrito pelo Santos na Libertadores. Ele tem atuado por três categorias diferentes no Alvinegro: sub-17, sub-20 e B.

O próximo duelo do Santos na competição continental será contra o Grêmio, nesta quarta-feira, às 19h15 (de Brasília), na arena gremista, pelo jogo de ida das quartas de final.

Ao LANCE!, Kevin revelou a surpresa, fez autoanálise de seu trabalho e contou mais detalhes da inscrição.

– Sim! Fiquei surpreso. Me ligaram pedindo meu passaporte semana passada. Nunca imaginava que seria inscrito para um campeonato do tamanho da Libertadores. Isso mostra que meu trabalho está sendo visto e me sinto muito honrado – contou Kevin.

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Na Libertadores, o meia usará a camisa 7, que estava com o uruguaio Carlos Sánchez. O veterano de 35 anos, porém, se lesionou no início de outubro e voltará a jogar somente em 2021.

E Sánchez é um dos atletas que Kevin se espelha e sonha em trilhar os mesmos passos no profissional. É bom ressaltar que a armação do Santos é a principal carência do técnico Cuca, que já improvisou jogadores de ataque no setor, mas não encontrou solução.

– É uma grande honra. Reconheço o peso da camisa 7 na história do Santos e no futebol. Seria um sonho usá-la na Libertadores. O Sanchez vem sendo um nome de muito destaque com ela e a quem eu observo muito para aprender. Reconheço o quão ele é importante para o Santos. Tudo que faz e que fez antes se lesionar, como grandes jogos e lances, sempre se dedicando e principalmente, por sua liderança técnica dentro de campo – finalizou o jogador.

So far this season, Aston Villa have very much looked like a side on the up under Unai Emery, who has got things right at the second time of asking in the Premier League, restoring his reputation after the disaster that was his Arsenal spell a few years ago. The credit for their rise deserves to be shared around Villa Park, and not just given to Emery, with the recruitment team working wonders to build an impressive squad.

Their job doesn't end with the summer, though. Instead, their attention simply turns to the January transfer window, when they will undoubtedly look to bolster Emery's squad even further. One recent transfer update will leave them disappointed, however.

What's the latest Aston Villa transfer news?

During the summer transfer window, the Villans got their expensive additions spot on, and have been rewarded with results ever since. In total, Aston Villa's summer spending reached the €93m (£80m) mark, as they welcomed the likes of Nicolo Zaniolo and Moussa Diaby.

Player

Price

Moussa Diaby

€55m (£48m)

Pau Torres

€33m (£29m)

Nicolo Zaniolo

€5m (£4m) loan fee

Youri Tielemans

Free

Clement Lenglet

Loan

The Midlands club may not face the same success when it comes to January arrivals, though, with the latest Jonathan Rowe transfer news suggesting that Villa could face disappointment. According to Pete O'Rourke of Football Insider, Norwich City are set to block the Villans' January move for their star player, and will not entertain any offers.

This comes as a blow for Villa, who were reportedly in pole position to land the winger's signature. It looks like they'll now be forced to wait until next summer to test the Canaries' resolve, which could be easier to break down if they fail to secure promotion into the Premier League this season.

How has Jonathan Rowe performed this season?

Rowe's stats show that he has been the standout player for Norwich this season. The winger has scored seven goals in 13 games in all competitions, and at 20-years-old, will only get better with time. If his side are to earn promotion back into the top flight, then Rowe will undoubtedly be at the forefront of their charge, despite still being so young.

The Villa target has earned deserved praise for his performances this season, including from Norwich boss David Wagner, who said, via the Pink Un: "Hopefully he comes back healthy. He has done great so far, and he deserved every praise, but he knows he has to start to work even more if he wants to improve and continue this form. He is a very smart guy. He will do what is necessary. He is in a good mood, obviously.

“Everyone else can speak about the (Coventry) goal, I would speak about the defensive block in the second half because it showed how committed he is to do the hard work as well for the defence. He is a team player, he works hard. Obviously, he is scoring goals, which is great.”

With that said, Villa will be frustrated by their recent transfer blow, especially given Rowe's form. Norwich may still face a fight to keep hold of their rising star during the summer, however.

A former Cricket Australia (CA) employee, sacked over a series of social media posts criticising the Tasmanian government over the availability of abortions in the state, has taken the matter to the Fair Work Commission.Angela Williamson, who had worked as CA’s government relations manager in Tasmania since 2016, was informed via formal letter on June 29 that her employment had been terminated after the Cricket Tasmania Board lost confidence in her ability to do the job due to a succession of tweets about the inaccessibility of abortions, most recently on June 18.In that message, Williamson criticised the state’s health minister Michael Ferguson, describing him as “most irresponsible … gutless and reckless” for helping the government reject a parliamentary motion to return access to abortions in public hospital. In a report published by Fairfax Media, Williamson revealed she had been compelled to fly from Hobart to Melbourne on the mainland to have a surgical abortion in February this year.”We can confirm that Cricket Australia ended its employment arrangement with Ms Williamson in late June,” a CA spokesman said. “The circumstances surrounding that decision are now the subject of legal proceedings and it would be inappropriate for Cricket Australia to publicly comment on Ms. Williamson’s specific circumstances any further.”We will continue to follow and respect the current process. Cricket Australia respects an individua’s right to their opinion. However, it expects that employees will refrain from making offensive comments that contravene the organisation’s social media policy.”Williamson’s lawyer, Kamal Faroque, outlined their concerns about events. “Our client raised an important and personal view about the need to ensure that women in Tasmania have access to appropriate reproductive health services, and that she was disappointed in how the relevant government [official] had dealt with the issue in Parliament,” he told Fairfax Media.”Those views, and her raising them, have nothing to do with Cricket Australia or Cricket Tasmania, they have nothing to do with the work that she was performing and the question needs to be asked about why she has lost her job for this. In our view the actions of Cricket Australia and Cricket Tasmania have gone too far. Political opinion is a protected attribute under the Fair Work Act, but in this instance an employer is seeking to constrain that opinion, with a person losing their job as a result.”

USMNT star Tyler Adams got some vital minutes on his way to injury recovery, with Bournemouth youth team boss Adam Connell hailing him a "lovely lad".

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Adams has barely featured since summer signingBut got minutes in with development squadBournemouth youth team boss lauded him as "lovely lad"Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Adams signed for the Cherries for £23 million ($29m) in the summer following Leeds' relegation from the Premier League. But the United States midfielder has made just one appearance all season amid continued issues with his hamstring. However, Adams made significant steps in his recovery last week, playing 60 minutes for Bournemouth's development squad in a 5-0 win over Colchester United in the Professional Development League. After seeing him get his first minutes in over five months, manager Connell was full of nothing but praise for the American.

AdvertisementWHAT CONNELL SAID

The Cherries youth team boss told (via ): “Tyler is a lovely lad. Just from seeing him around the building every day, he’s very humble and very hard-working. Obviously he was probably our marquee signing last summer, so it was great to have him train with us and you could just tell straightaway he wanted to train well, get back and play some competitive football. It was great for our players to play with such a talent and such a big player, captain of the US national team as well. So it was great experience, especially for Lewis Brown playing next to him in midfield. Tyler came through it and looked fine, made some good passes and intercepted well. Hopefully it was a good day for him. It seemed that way and hopefully he can get back out there for our first team soon.”

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Adams' only appearance this term came in a Carabao Cup fixture against Stoke back in September, with those 20 minutes on the field putting an end to a six-month spell on the sidelines. However, he aggravated his hamstring issue in that clash and required surgery which saw him laid off for another five months. Adams did make a return to the bench against Sheffield United on Saturday, and with an hour under his belt for the development squad, a return to action cannot be too far away.

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WHAT NEXT FOR ADAMS?

That return is likely to be staggered, even despite those minutes last week, with Adams probably set for another spot on the bench in Bournemouth's next match. Andoni Iraola's side host Luton on Wednesday night in the Premier League, before they take a break from club football for international fixtures.

Leicester City find themselves looking good for a quickfire Premier League return at the moment, but one key player is being linked with a move there.

Will Leicester be promoted from the Championship?

The Foxes suffered the misery of relegation to the Championship back in May, with their season unravelling completely as performances and results were not even close to being good enough. Now, the feel-good factor appears to be back at the King Power Stadium, with new manager Enzo Maresca making an immediate impression and Leicester in excellent form. They sit second in the table after seven matches, dropping only two points in that time, and it would be a surprise if they weren't one of the frontrunners for automatic promotion come the end of the campaign.

For that to happen, though, Maresca will know that he needs to keep hold of influential players rather than potentially lose them during the January transfer window. A fresh update is worrying in that respect, with one star man being linked with a switch elsewhere.

Which Leicester player is wanted by a Premier League club?

According to talkSPORT, Leicester midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is wanted by Premier League side Fulham in the near future:

"Fulham are admirers of Leicester midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Whether Fulham can tempt Dewsbury-Hall away from the club he joined as an eight-year-old schoolboy is likely to depend on if the Foxes can maintain their push for automatic promotion. Dewsbury-Hall is under contract until 2027 and seen as a key player by Leicester boss Enzo Maresca as he tries to plot an immediate Premier League return."

Dewsbury-Hall is clearly a hugely important figure for Leicester this season, with his quality in midfield undeniable – whether it be his creativity, work rate or end product in the final third. This season, the 25-year-old has already scored twice and registered three assists in the Championship, arguably standing out as one of the best players in the division, and has started six of his side's league matches.

To lose Dewsbury-Hall midway through the season would be a major blow – seeing him leave next summer would also be a setback, even if he has helped Leicester get back into the Premier League by that point – and the Foxes' promotion chances would clearly be hit if it happened.

The lure of going to a team like Fulham could clearly be great for the Englishman, but the hope is that he stays loyal to the club he has been at since he was a boy and continues to help them get back into the top flight at the first time of asking.

Former Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers called Dewsbury-Hall "wonderful" in the past, and he is arguably one of the first names on the teamsheet, so the club must do all they can to retain his services. The fact that he is contracted with the club until the summer of 2027 does at least mean that they can demand big money, but selling him for an expensive amount would still be less preferable than retaining his services.