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Crystal Palace have made an inquiry for Bournemouth midfielder David Brooks as new manager Patrick Vieira looks to further bolster his squad.

What’s the story?

According to The Sun, the Eagles opened talks with the south coast club over the highly-rated 24-year-old, but the Cherries were quick to inform them that he’s not for sale.

The report claims that the Bournemouth hierarchy wanted £50m to release Brooks a year ago following their relegation from the Premier League and are now refusing to quote a price.

He’d be another Parish masterclass

After leaving boyhood club Sheffield United in an £11.5m move back in the summer of 2018, Brooks enjoyed a fabulous maiden Premier League campaign at the Vitality Stadium.

The Wales international bagged seven goals and laid on a further five assists in 30 league appearances for his teammates as the versatile youngster showcased his quality and potential in the top flight. However, Brooks’ progress was severely hampered by a persistent ankle injury throughout 2019/20, limiting him to just nine outings in the entire campaign.

A return to form last season saw the creative talent make 13 goal contributions in all competitions, though, but his efforts weren’t enough to get Bournemouth out of the Championship.

As a result, the £14.4m-rated magician is now attracting interest from the Premier League, and Vieira openly admitted that he’s searching for extra reinforcements in Friday’s press conference.

“When you look at the squad we are maybe a little bit more light on numbers, and we are working hard to improve the squad (with) the window are still open. We will try to bring players that can improve our squad,” the Palace manager stated.

“I think where we are maybe a little bit more short is upfront and in the midfield, I think it would be good to reinforce those positions.”

Palace chairman Steve Parish has already pulled off several pieces of impressive business in the current window, securing the services of Joachim Andersen, Marc Guehi, Michael Olise and Conor Gallagher.

Adding Brooks into the mix would certainly go down as another masterstroke from the capital club’s chief, given the impressive figures the Welshman has racked up at Bournemouth.

In other news… Journalist drops exciting Crystal Palace transfer update, fans will be buzzing

Celtic’s swoop for VVV-Venlo striker Georgios Giakoumakis is in doubt, according to a report from Inside Futbol.

The Lowdown: Fee agreed?

Duncan Castles was the man who shared the initial links to Giakoumakis earlier in the week.

The transfer expert added more details on the 26-year-old on Thursday, claiming a fee has been struck between Celtic and VVV-Venlo for his services.

However, even though a move is seemingly heading in the right direction, one report isn’t so sure a transfer is as straightforward as it appears.

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The Latest: Doubts shared

Inside Futbol shared a report regarding Celtic’s move for the Greece international on Thursday evening.

They claimed that a transfer to Parkhead is currently rated at less than 50 per cent likelihood, with negotiations not running smoothly.

The coming days will be crucial over any deal going through, with the report adding that Bundesliga side Werder Bremen are also keen.

The Verdict: Not ideal

It looked as if Dominic McKay’s attempts over a move for Giakoumakis were gathering real pace, so this update comes as a shock.

Even though Celtic weren’t thought to be after a new centre-forward at the beginning of the month, it now seems as if they want to bring in Giakoumakis.

If they fail in their attempts to land the forward who Ange Postecoglou personally called, it may have a knock-on effect with Odsonne Edouard.

Should a new striker not come in, the Hoops could be reluctant to part ways with Edouard, which could see him leave for nothing next summer and therefore harm Celtic in the long-term.

In other news: ‘I’m told’ – Anthony Joseph drops Celtic update on McKay’s fresh pursuit of ‘very special’ ace. 

Former Premier League centre-back Steve Howey has exclusively told Football FanCast that Arsenal are in trouble under Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal head into their daunting weekend clash with champions Manchester City still looking for their first point and goal of the new Premier League season after consecutive league defeats.

Arteta’s Gunners opened up the new campaign with a trip to newly-promoted Brentford on the Friday Night Football but turned in a woeful performance and were deservedly beaten.

Another 2-0 loss followed for the north Londoners against capital rivals Chelsea nine days later, which means they find themselves in the relegation-zone at this early stage of the season.

They did pick up a morale-boosting Carabao Cup victory over a youthful West Brom side in midweek, but a top-four place already looks beyond Arsenal, with the season just two weeks old.

Howey was asked for his reaction to their wretched opening two fixtures, and exclusively told Football FanCast:

“One of my friends is an Arsenal fan and obviously the Brentford game was an absolute disaster.

“Against Chelsea, in the end they were toying with Arsenal, but they didn’t collapse, although that is a team that seems to have players, especially Aubameyang and Lacazette, that don’t look happy.

“So, he’s got problems there and he has to turn it around very soon.”

West Ham winger Jarrod Bowen is set to stay put with the Hammers this season, despite rumours linking him with a potential exit.

The Lowdown: Bowen linked with exit

The 24-year-old has done well in a West Ham shirt to date, scoring nine goals and registering 10 assists in 56 appearances overall.

He has also started all three of the Irons’ league games so far this season, but he has been linked with a summer move to Liverpool.

The Latest: Winger staying put

Thankfully, those claims appear to be wide of the mark, with The Athletic’s Simon Hughes claiming that Bowen will remain a West Ham player for the foreseeable future despite being monitored by Jurgen Klopp’s Reds.

David Moyes clearly sees him as a key player moving forward and will be keen to keep hold of him following such a strong start to the campaign for the Hammers.

The Verdict: Big boost for Hammers

This is a big boost for West Ham, with Bowen integral to the team’s success in recent times, providing attacking quality and a strong work ethic.

The former Hull City man may have been outshone by others this season, namely Michail Antonio, but he is undoubtedly a key cog in the Irons machine, and the London Stadium faithful can look forward to enjoying his talents for another few months at least.

In other news, one player is set to join West Ham on deadline day. Read more here.

Dundee have made a loan offer for Celtic striker Legh Griffiths, according to Anthony Joseph.

The Lowdown: Late transfer activity

Celtic have already been extremely busy this summer in regards to incomings and outgoings.

Dominic McKay has made nine signings and appears to be closing in on a 10th in striker Georgios Giakoumakis.

The Hoops have spent over £17m and have also recouped just shy of that amount, mainly due to Kris Ajer’s switch to Brentford.

Odsonne Edouard may seal a late exit with a number of sides circling, however, it appears as if Griffiths, who signed a contract extension earlier this summer, could also depart over the coming days.

The Latest: Loan bid

Griffiths, described as ‘tremendous’ by Alex McLeish, is at the centre of a late loan offer.

Joseph confirmed on Friday afternoon that Dundee have made a bid to take the Scot on a temporary basis, shortly after Leo Hjelde’s move to Leeds was announced.

The Verdict: Accept

Griffiths was reportedly on £15,000-a-week last season, and although his new deal could be worth less, it makes sense to accept the offer from Dundee in the final days of the window.

He hasn’t kicked a ball in a competitive match under Ange Postecoglou and has featured on the bench just twice.

With Giakoumakis also coming in, that would push Griffiths even further down the pecking order, so it wouldn’t come as a surprise if the Hoops allowed the 31-year-old to depart before the end of the month.

In other news: Pundit tips ‘composed’ ace to re-join Celtic in late activity.

Celtic’s lucrative sales of Odsonne Edouard and Kristoffer Ajer have been hailed as ‘incredibly good business’ by Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson. 

The former Tottenham Hotspur and Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper was speaking to Football Insider.

The lowdown

Both Edouard and Ajer had entered the final year of their deals at Celtic Park, meaning that, when January rolled around, they would have been in a position to arrange a free transfer for the summer of 2022.

Celtic agreed to sell Ajer to new Premier League arrivals Brentford back in July, banking an initial £13.5million, a fee which could rise depending on how he performs (via Sky Sports).

Edouard had to wait until the end of the transfer window to seal his move to Crystal Palace, this time for a base figure of £14million. Again, that could eventually climb to £18.5million (also via Sky Sports), albeit with some of that profit going to PSG.

According to Transfermarkt, Edouard’s sale is the third-biggest in Celtic’s history, with Ajer slotting into fourth on the all-time list.

The latest

Robinson says Celtic have pulled off a ‘very difficult’ feat, overcoming what looked like a weak negotiating position, but the focus must now turn to how CEO Dominic McKay will use those funds.

“That is incredibly good business considering they both only had 12 months left on their contract,” he said.

“When players of that quality get down to that stage of their contract it is very difficult to keep them and in a lot of cases they will leave for free a year later.

“You just hope some of that money gets reinvested into the squad in the January window.”

The verdict

The extent to which this really good business also depends on how Celtic’s replacements fare.

Georgios Giakoumakis looks to be some coup, having netted a league-high 26 goals for a relegated VVV-Venlo side in the Eredivisie.

But can the same be said for £4.5million centre-back Carl Starfelt? Yes, it’s early days, but as Alan Hutton notes, he’s had ‘a difficult time’ so far.

While Robinson’s praise for McKay’s ‘incredibly good’ negotiating power is certainly correct, only time will tell how effective this summer’s rebuild has really been.

In other news, Alan Hutton offers his reaction to another outgoing.  

According to a West Ham United source, speaking to Football Insider, the club and GSB have set sights on Preston North End starlet Lewis Leigh.

The Lowdown: West Ham academy booming…

After superstar Declan Rice emerged through the Irons’ academy, there has been no shortage of young talent following in his footsteps.

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The likes of Conor Coventry, Ademipo Odubeko, Jamal Baptiste and Emmanuel Longelo have all been nurtured, while West Ham also brought in a plethora of talent from elsewhere over the summer.

Indeed, the club signed promising young starlets Armstrong Oko-Flex, Pierre Ekwah Elimby and Thierry Nevers, with news now emerging about yet another talented target.

The Latest: GSB now eyeing Leigh…

As per Football Insider, sharing information from a club source, West Ham have ‘set their sights’ on Preston hotshot Leigh following his performances for the Championship side’s youth setup.

Rush Green scouts have apparently been ‘hugely impressed’ by the midfielder and are set to keep further tabs in the coming months.

However, while West Ham are very keen, they are not the only club keeping close watch as Premier League rivals Everton also hold an interest.

Despite only just signing his first professional deal until 2024 last month, Leigh is already a wanted man at West Ham and has been on the fringes of Preston’s first team squad without yet being given a senior debut.

The Verdict: Carry on…

Following on from their astute transfer window business regarding young talent spotting, it appears that West Ham scouts are showing no sign of stopping.

This could be great news for the club over these next few years, and in particular for manager David Moyes, who is looking to not only restructure his first team but the academy as well.

In other news: ‘Had a shocker’, ‘Offered nothing’…West Ham fans slam ‘poor’ ace who lost the ball 16 times against Southampton, find out more here.

Rangers’ six-game unbeaten run in all competitions came crashing to an end as they lost 2-0 to Ligue 1 side Lyon on Thursday night in the Europa League.

Steven Gerrard’s side were unable to pick up their first points of the group stage as a stunning strike from Toto Ekambi and an own goal from James Tavernier sealed the win for the French outfit at Ibrox.

Despite the defeat, there were some green shoots of potential in the performance, with a few players impressing throughout the match. One player who was a shining light for Gerrard was central defender Leon Balogun, who caught the eye at the back.

The centre-back was paired alongside Connor Goldson and was excellent throughout. He could do nothing about either of the goals, with John Lundstram allowing Ekambi to beat him too easily for the first and the second coming when Goldson’s block ricocheted off Tavernier and rolled into an empty net.

Defensively, Balogun was excellent. As per SofaScore, he won seven of his 11 duels on the pitch, making two clearances, two interceptions and two tackles. He also put in two blocks to show off his superb positioning and bravery to get in the way of the ball and prevent Allan McGregor from needing to make a save.

This shows that he was able to answer the majority of the questions Lyon posed of him. He showcased his strong defending and proved that he is able to perform at Europa League level, which will delight Gerrard as the manager will now know that he can rely upon the Nigerian for the rest of the group stage if needed.

The Rangers beast was also impressive on the ball. As per SofaScore, he had 61 touches and completed 87% of his attempted passes, including four of his eight longer pass attempts. The experienced 33-year-old was also successful with one of his two dribble attempts and won two free-kicks for the Gers, showing his nous to relieve pressure on his team.

This shows that he was competent on the ball to go along with his stout defending at the back. He put in an all-around top-class performance at centre-back for Rangers and was a shining light in an otherwise disappointing night for the Gers.

AND in other news, 62% duels lost: Rangers lightweight who lost possession 12x badly let Gerrard down…

Tottenham Hotspur remain interested in Nicolo Zaniolo, according to reports in Italy…

What’s the word?

Calciomercato claim that AS Roma are keen on tying down the 22-year-old attacking midfielder to a new contract at the Stadio Olimpico, as he current deal expires in 2024.

It’s thought that the Italian playmaker is keen to sign but Spurs are in the market to land him, having been linked to him in summer 2020. Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness) even suggested that the north Londoners had a bid knocked back.

Zaniolo is currently valued at £36m by Transfermarkt.

Desperate need

Spurs must do all in their power to try and secure a move for the Roma star this January.

Nuno Santo’s side have been clearly lacking a creative influence since the start of the season – a Christian Eriksen-type player who can provide goals and assists in the final third.

Indeed, as per The Athletic, Spurs have recorded the lowest expected goals (4.42 xG) of any team in the Premier League, even those in the relegation zone. They have also only created two big chances and are second-bottom for total shots (46).

Only three teams have actually scored fewer goals than the Lilywhites, who possess a lethal frontline involving Harry Kane and Heung-min Son.

It’s an alarming issue which needs to be fixed in the transfer market and there won’t be many better candidates than Zaniolo.

Once described as a “modern mezzala” by former Inter Milan coach Stefano Vecchi, the young Italy international has been likened to Premier League greats Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard, which bodes well for his potential fit in England, as well as the fact that they were both lethal in and around the opposition’s penalty box.

A serious injury ruled him out of featuring in 2020/21 but, during the previous campaign, the 22-year-old emerged as one of Roma’s attacking gems. He scored eight goals and provided four assists across Serie A and the Europa League, whilst also averaging 2.9 dribbles and 1.2 key passes per game, via WhoScored.

Zaniolo’s talent has also caught the eye of Roma’s record appearance maker, highest goalscorer and club legend Francesco Totti, who believes that the emerging talent “plays like a veteran” and “has explosive strength and technique, and everything it takes to become a truly great player.”

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Harry Winks and Oliver Skipp offer very little in the final third, whilst the likes of Tanguy Ndombele, Dele Alli and Giovani Lo Celso have struggled to step up in the past season or so.

It would make the world of sense for Spurs sporting director Fabio Paratici to launch a move for Zaniolo at the turn of the year. He can play out wide or through the middle and is clearly someone who could solve Nuno’s creative problems.

Whatever the price, the Premier League outfit must pay it.

AND in other news, “They will..”: Romano reveals what Paratici is planning at Spurs, fans will be buzzing…

Michael Ball has offered his thoughts on the prospect of Premier League side Everton signing Nathan Patterson from Rangers.

What’s the talk?

Michael Ball, who played for both Everton and Rangers, has backed the Toffees to take Nathan Patterson away from Ibrox, hailing their reported pursuit of the defender as clever.

He told Transfer Tavern:

“I think it’s good that Everton are looking north of the border and trying to be clever.

“We all like big signings, we all like the big name players but moving forward, it’s a mixture of trying to bring in players from the academy, a bit of youth from elsewhere, who can compete in every position, as well as your bigger signings and Nathan is really highly thought of at Rangers.”

Fans would hate it

Ross Wilson must avoid a Rangers blunder with Patterson in the January transfer window. Fans would hate it if the club decided to cash in on one of the promising young players in the squad midway through the campaign, as it could mean that there is no succession plan for captain James Tavernier.

The ex-Newcastle man turns 30 in October and Patterson, 19, could be his long-term replacement at right-back if all goes well. Patterson averaged a solid SofaScore rating of 6.86 in seven Premiership appearances last term, whilst also managing a score of 6.85 in four Europa League games.

This shows that he is already capable of stepping up into the first-team and providing a reliable outlet down the right. At his young age, he also has plenty of time to continue his development and become a player who could thrive as a regular starter at Ibrox.

The club’s head of academy Craig Mulholland once lauded the defender as a fantastic player, saying: “Nathan has been fantastic for us this year.

“Again, we started the project five, six, years ago to get a level of player that we felt could go and compete in the Europa League, could go and compete in Old Firm games.

“And if you go and look at Nathan in the last 16 of the Europa League, if you look at him in the Old Firm game, it’s a great example for all the young players in here of what we’re trying to achieve.”

This highlights how highly the £4.9k-per-week gem is rated by the club behind the scenes, which is why keeping him should be a priority for Wilson. It would be a disaster to lose such a promising talent, one who could be the heir to Tavernier’s throne and that is why fans will hate it if they accept any offers from Everton, or any other club, in the January window.

AND in other news, Forget Aribo: Rangers beast with 93 touches stole the show for Gerrard’s side…