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Speaking to Polish news outlet Meczyki, West Ham United mainstay Lukasz Fabianski has made an intriguing comment involving Primeira Liga giants Benfica.

The Lowdown: Fabianski ‘untouchable’…

Despite the summer signing of Paris-Saint Germain shot stopper Alphonse Areola on a season-long loan with the option to buy, Hammers veteran Fabianski has remained one of the first names on manager David Moyes’ team sheet domestically.

This is despite a previous claim from Football Insider that the Scotsman was planning to steadily phase Areola into his starting eleven and eventually replace the ‘untouchable’ 36-year-old on a more regular basis.

Indeed, since signing from Swansea City back in 2018, the keeper has gone on to make 111 appearances in all competitions – but he has had opportunities to make a move elsewhere in that period.

The Latest: Fabianski drops Benfica admission…

Speaking to Meczyki, the former Arsenal man has lifted the lid on direct contact once made to sign him from Portuguese giants Benfica.

When asked about rumours of the specific offer from Portugal, Fabianski confirmed they were in fact real.

“Yes it’s true. It was after the first season at West Ham,” he explained.

“The people from Benfica contacted me directly and said they were interested in me.

“They wanted to discuss the details so I redirected them to my agent. He already had further talks, but to be honest I did not take this proposal seriously.”

The Verdict: Interesting admission…

Given Fabianski had opportunities to move elsewhere, as now confirmed by the man himself, the fact he chose to remain in east London, even during some of the darker days, should only endear him to Irons supporters more.

The keeper has gone on to become a good servant for Moyes and some fans may even be hoping he decides to extend his stay past 2022.

Whether that would be as a back-up to Areola or another new signing remains to be seen.

In other news: ‘Incredible’, ‘Bargain’…Pundit blown away as West Ham eye ‘very, very good signing’ for Moyes, find out more here.

Crystal Palace have been given a huge boost ahead of their match with Arsenal as £1.3m-rated midfielder James McArthur is expected to return from injury.

The Scotsman was out for 12 weeks earlier this season after he suffered a hamstring tear, before picking up another injury when returning in February.

He has been a key player for the Eagles since he joined from Wigan in 2014 for £7.9m. The 34-year old has made 242 appearances in a Palace shirt and is the vice-captain at Selhurst Park.

His return will be huge for the dressing room, especially considering Palace are without their star forwards Michael Olise and Wilfried Zaha who picked up injuries of their own whilst on international duty.

McArthur’s leadership qualities will be useful against a strong Arsenal side with Vieira describing him as “valuable” and “a warrior” when being interviewed earlier in the season.

The Eagles will be looking to better the result in the reverse fixtures at the Emirates Stadium where it finished 2-2. McArthur featured in that game but was lucky not to be shown a red card after ‘channelling his inner Vieira’ in a crunch tackle on Bukayo Saka.

His defensive attributes can be pivotal in stopping the Gunners, with the veteran midfielder ranking inside the top 10% in the past year across Europe’s top five league for blocks, clearances and recovering loose balls.

While Palace supporters are full of praise for McArthur’s impact, he is one of those players that go under the radar for those who aren’t followers of the club.

He may not be the most entertaining, but he fights and does the work that perhaps some other players are reluctant to.

Despite not featuring much this campaign, his impact has shown he is a player who picks up the ball a lot and has tallied 511 touches in the Palace midfield third, which is higher than Cheikhou Kouyaté who has featured a lot in his place.

Whether he will start in tonight’s game remains to be seen, he might only be partly fit, but as soon as Vieira can use him he should.

He could play a key part in making sure Palace finish as high as possible in the Premier League, meaning his manager will be delighted to have him back fit and firing.

IN other news: CPFC plot bid for “super talented” 34-goal gem, just imagine him & Olise…

Crystal Palace will look to make it back-to-back wins when they take on Liverpool at Anfield this afternoon.

The Eagles shocked Tottenham Hotspur last time out, securing an impressive 3-0 victory following Japhet Tanganga’s petulant red card, and new manager Patrick Vieira will be hoping to build on that result against the Reds.

However, Palace’s chances of doing exactly that suffered a blow when the Frenchman that confirmed Jeffrey Schlupp is ruled out of action through injury.

“Jeffrey Schlupp is getting better but is not going to be involved tomorrow,” Vieira revealed in Friday’s press conference.

“He didn’t have enough training with the squad, so will stay behind and do a session tomorrow, before getting with the team on Monday morning.”

At least the versatile midfielder is currently the only player sidelined through fitness concerns aside from long-term absentees Eberechi Eze and Nathan Ferguson, providing Palace hope of pulling off another surprise result this weekend.

With that in mind, here’s how Football FanCast expects Vieira to line up at Anfield, with two changes from the side which started against Spurs…

The dependable Vicente Guaita will keep his place between the sticks after a strong start to the season, ensuring that Jack Butland remains on the bench.

In front of the Spanish shot-stopper is set to be a back four which has shown plenty of promise over the last three Premier League fixtures.

Tyrick Mitchell, Marc Guehi, Joachim Andersen and Joel Ward have kept two clean sheets in the three games that they’ve started together, showing signs of a potentially formidable defensive unit.

The midfield may see one change made from last weekend’s win, with Luka Milivojevic coming in for the £5.4m-rated Cheikhou Kouyate – who came in for criticism from some fans for his performance against Spurs – completing a hard-working trio including Conor Gallagher and James McArthur.

Completing the starting XI should be talisman Wilfried Zaha, Jordan Ayew and summer signing Odsonne Edouard after the Frenchman bagged a brace against Spurs despite coming on as a late substitute. He should start today in place of former Liverpool marksman Christian Benteke.

In other news… Signed for £26m, released for free: Parish endured a Palace nightmare over 31y/o dud 

Sky Sports journalist Michael Bridge has told Football FanCast that he thinks Crystal Palace will sign a striker before tonight’s transfer deadline.

Palace look to be closing in on Celtic’s Odsonne Edouard, with Sky Sports reporting a deal worth £15-20m is close to being agreed.

Prior, the south London club had been heavily linked with Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah.

According to The Athletic, Palace were hoping to conclude a £10m deal with Arsenal for the 22-year-old. However, with the Gunners wanting significantly more, they decided to turn to Edouard.

A lot could still happen before the 11pm deadline, but Bridge fully expects the Eagles to swoop in and bag at least one No.9.

“I’m going to stick my head on the line and say I think they’ll sign a striker,” the Sky Sports reporter said to FFC. “I’ll go out and say they’ll bring a striker in.”

That has to be the priority for Palace today. While Christian Benteke did manage to reach double figures in the Premier League last season, his overall record in front of goal at Palace has not been great.

And even if it had been, you get the feeling that Patrick Vieira would have still needed another centre-forward anyway, with the Frenchman not currently blessed with too many other options.

Liverpool will have their sights set on the Merseyside derby on Sunday at Goodison Park, with Everton looking to get revenge after Divock Origi’s last-minute winner at Anfield. 

Jurgen Klopp has managed to turn a number of quality players into stars during his time at Liverpool, which has been one of the main reasons behind the Merseyside club’s success in recent times.

Interestingly, it appears as if FSG may have the opportunity to secure a special talent for a bargain price in the summer transfer window, as according to Bild and kicker (via This is Anfield), Julian Brandt could be available for just €25 million or £21.6 million as he negotiated a release clause when signing his extension at Bayern Leverkusen that can be activated at the end of this campaign.

The Reds were linked (as per Calcioinsider) with a move for Brandt back in the summer transfer window but nothing materialised, so the Reds should go in for him in the summer after catching wind of his release clause.

Indeed, the German has been hugely impressive in the current campaign, having produced seven goals and 10 assists in all competitions. He predominantly features out wide but has previous experience through the middle and Jurgen Klopp could definitely transform him into more of an attacking midfielder, with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane already working wonders out wide. So, he could finally be the answer to Liverpool’s search for Philippe Coutinho’s replacement.

Brandt would be the perfect man to fill the Brazilian’s void as he’s shown that he can score goals and provide assists in the final third, as well as being able to cause havoc with his skill, dribbling ability and pace. And, the 22-year-old can use both feet and would take Liverpool’s attack up another level with the ability to pick the final pass and create more space for the Reds’ dangerous front three.

What do you think Liverpool fans?

Newcastle journalist Liam Kennedy has made a claim on Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli, regarding a potential January swoop.

What’s the talk?

When asked about whether or not the England international is a player the Magpies could target, the reporter told GIVEMESPORT:

“He’s exactly the profile of player they’ll be targeting in the first couple of windows.”

This comes after Danny Mills tipped the midfielder to leave Tottenham in January in order to recapture his best form. He told Football Insider:

“Yes, I think he needs a fresh challenge of some description.

“Don’t forget he was on fire, he was absolutely outstanding in his younger days, when he first came to Spurs.

“Somehow he needs to rediscover that mojo. That could well be a new club, a new challenge, a new set of fans, whatever it might be, to re-energise himself.”

Imagine him & Wilson

PIF must secure a deal for Alli in January because he could form a dream partnership with Callum Wilson at the top end of the pitch.

Wilson has scored 16 goals in 29 Premier League starts for the club since joining from Bournemouth at the start of last season, proving that he has the quality to be a regular goalscorer at this level. Imagine how many goals he would score if he had a playmaker behind him capable of providing him with a higher quality of service – that player could be Alli.

The Tottenham midfielder has enjoyed three top-flight seasons with nine or more assists and has 67 goals and 61 assists in all competitions for the club in 263 appearances. This shows that, at his best, he is able to score and create goals in the final third.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/check-out-the-latest-newcastle-pif-news-martinez-ward-prowse” title= “Read the latest Newcastle news!”]

Ex-Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino once claimed that Alli is a ‘fighter’ and that his mentality is not affected by his minutes on the pitch. He said:

“Dele is not one to be affected if he plays or if he does not play.

“He’s so strong, he is a fighter, very competitive.”

These comments suggest that he could stand up to the challenge of a relegation battle in the second half of the campaign. His quality in the number 10 role could help the Magpies avoid the drop, whilst creating a dream partnership with Wilson, proving in the past that he has the ability to regularly provide assists and the former Bournemouth man has shown that he can score goals.

Therefore, PIF must secure a deal for the £100k-per-week England international. If they could strike an agreement to sign him on loan with the option to make it permanent if they stay in the division, it could be an ideal transfer for all involved.

AND in other news, “Sources telling”: Journo drops major NUFC manager update that’ll leave fans ecstatic…

Rangers have fielded an approach from Newcastle United for striker Alfredo Morelos, according to 90min. 

The lowdown

The Gers have already lost one player to an English Premier League club this month, with Nathan Patterson sealing a £16m move to Everton; while Morelos said publicly back in September that he hoped he would ‘soon’ be given the ‘opportunity’ to take the next step in his career.

The Colombian is into the final 18 months of his £33,000-per-week contract and is valued at £11.7m by Transfermarkt.

The latest

The report from 90min states that Morelos is one of the names Newcastle who have ‘asked about’, with Magpies manager Eddie Howe potentially looking to bring in two forwards this month.

Other targets include Liverpool’s Divock Origi, Manchester United’s Anthony Martial and Flamengo’s Gabriel Barbosa.

The verdict

Rangers might not want to part with Morelos midway through the campaign. If they sell him in the summer, they would at least have more time to find a replacement for him, and the new man would also have more time to bed in during the off-season.

Cashing in at the end of the campaign could be wise, though. Based on those comments from September, the 25-year-old is unlikely to sign a new contract at Ibrox, and as the expiry date of his current deal draws nearer, Rangers’ negotiating position becomes weaker.

Moreover, across his Ibrox career, Morelos has scored once every 1.97 games, but this season that has dropped to one goal every 2.2 matches.

He has been dubbed a ‘genius’ by the Heart & Hand podcast, but you can understand why Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge argued that he’s not the ‘ultimate must-stay’ anymore, given the Colombian’s decline in form this season.

In other news, Rangers have received a boost in this transfer chase

A big Newcastle United update has emerged on Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma…

What’s the talk?

Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has revealed that the Magpies are keen on the Mali international heading into the summer transfer window, although he is not the only player in their sights.

Speaking with Football FanCast, Downie said: “I think Bissouma is a player of interest. I think that’s all it is at the moment.

“I think it’s going to be very much like January where they’re looking at a lot of players… a lot of players.”

Supporters will be delighted

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe and the club’s supporters will be delighted by this claim, as they would surely love to have Bissouma in the squad for the 2022/23 campaign.

The 25-year-old has been in fine form this season and Brighton reportedly valued him at £50m in January. This shows how highly his current club rate him and his statistics for the Seagulls this term back it up as he has consistently showcased his quality in the middle of the park.

In the Premier League, he has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.06 across 21 matches, making a whopping 5.1 tackles and interceptions per game and winning 59% of his duels.

This is not a flash in the pan from Bissouma either, as he also caught the eye last season. In 2020/21, he averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.07 in 36 outings – making 4.7 tackles and interceptions per game and winning 59% of his battles – almost identical to his form in the current campaign.

These statistics show that he is a proven Premier League performer, as he has been able to consistently deliver quality displays on the pitch over the past 18 months or so.

Meanwhile, no central midfielder for Newcastle has averaged a Sofascore rating of higher than 6.95 (Bruno Guimaraes) this season in the top flight, while Jonjo Shelvey’s score of 7.04 was the highest in 2020/21.

Therefore, Howe will be delighted by PIF’s interest in signing Bissouma, who would be an upgrade on what the Toon boss currently has at his disposal. The Malian has been able to perform at a higher standard than the likes of Shelvey, Joe Willock and Joelinton, although it is hard to judge Guimaraes considering that he has only been at the Tyneside club for a few months.

At the age of 25, Bissouma also has room to grow and develop even further, and Howe may be eager to help the midfielder fulfill his potential. It is now down to PIF to work their magic…

AND in other news, “I’m hearing..”: Keith Downie drops big Newcastle claim which will infuriate Howe…

Leeds United will be aiming to build on what was just their third Premier League victory of the campaign last time out when they welcome Brentford to Elland Road this afternoon.

Raphinha slotted home a 91st-minute penalty against Crystal Palace on Tuesday night to put some daylight between the Whites and the relegation zone. However, Marcelo Bielsa will be desperate for his charges to secure their first consecutive top-flight victories of the campaign when they host the Bees.

In his pre-match press conference, the 66-year-old revealed that Patrick Bamford, Luke Ayling and Patrick Stuijk will be available for selection, providing Leeds with a significant boost as they go in search of a positive result.

With that in mind, here’s how Football FanCast expects Bielsa to line up to face Brentford, with only one change from the side which featured from the off in midweek…

In goal, Illan Meslier will keep his place between the sticks after making an impressive start to the season, and he’ll be looking to keep just his fourth Premier League clean sheet of 2021/22.

Ahead of the France under-21 international is set to be a back four made up of Stuart Dallas, Liam Cooper, Diego Llorente and Struijk. Summer signing Junior Firpo is yet to settle into life on English shores after arriving from Barcelona back in July, while Robin Koch is still sidelined through injury.

The midfield is likely to feature no alterations after some promising performances of late. Adam Forshaw has made a remarkable return from an extensive injury lay-off, and Kalvin Phillips has slowly been getting back to his best after impressing throughout the European Championship over the summer.

Mateusz Klich should complete the midfield trio, with wingers Dan James and Raphinha supporting lone striker Rodrigo, who comes in for the £5.4m-rated Tyler Roberts after drawing yet another blank against Palace.

In other news… Orta can seal Bielsa’s dream LUFC transfer with “powerful” £9m-rated “real goalscorer” 

Rangers have enjoyed a strong first transfer window under manager Gio van Bronckhorst as they have made two additions to their ranks at Ibrox.

James Sands has arrived on an 18-month loan from New York City FC and John Souttar is poised to arrive in the summer after penning a pre-contract agreement with the central defender.

Football Scotland reporter Mark Hendry has claimed that the Dutch head coach is now eyeing up a deal for a Scottish youth international this month.

He Tweeted: “EXCLUSIVE! Rangers interested in Motherwell and Scotland prospect Bailey Rice as Manchester City also weigh up move.”

Patterson 2.0

Van Bronckhorst could land the club’s next Nathan Patterson by securing a swoop for Rice this month as he is a promising young player with the potential to break into the first team down the line.

The right-back made the breakthrough at Ibrox and went on to play 27 times in the senior side before being sold to Premier League side Everton for a club-record transfer fee this month.

Managing director Stewart Robertson explained the thinking behind the sale, saying: 

“This is a deal which fits with our long-term, strategic vision for the club. We have been very clear that player trading is an important element of our business model but only when the circumstances suit Rangers.

“We are delighted for Nathan and his family, wish them all the best for the future and they will always be welcome back at Ibrox.”

This shows that the club are looking to bleed through youngsters from the academy and into the first-team in the hope of developing them into a player who can make them a large profit in the future.

Therefore, the signing of Rice could be a shrewd deal as he could follow in the footsteps of Patterson by impressing in the youth teams before breaking into van Bronckhorst’s side in the years to come.

Rice has captained Scotland at youth level and is said to be one of Motherwell’s most talented prospects, which suggests that he has the potential to grow into a top player.

The fact that Rangers and Manchester City have become alerted to his possible availability also indicates that they have seen enough from him at such a young age to believe that he could be a valuable asset moving forward.

This means that he could be the next Patterson for Rangers and Scotland in the future and that is why van Bronckhorst and Ross Wilson must work hard to pip Pep Guardiola’s side to his signature.

AND in other news, Major development emerges in “groundbreaking” Rangers move, GvB will be buzzing…