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Crystal Palace are monitoring FC Cincinnati striker Brandon Vazquez ahead of a potential move to the Premier League, according to reports.

What's the latest on Vazquez's future?

Roy Hodgson has Odsonne Edouard, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Jordan Ayew as his current options at centre-forward, but given the latter is out of contract at the end of the season and with the forward line failing to make an impact amid the Eagles' dangerous league position, reinforcements will be needed in the summer regardless of whether they survive the drop.

The United States international’s contract at the TQL Stadium isn’t set to expire until 2025, but having started all six Major League Soccer games under Chris Albright this season which sees his side top the Eastern Conference, he has been generating interest from Selhurst Park.

According to 90min, Crystal Palace, Everton and Bournemouth are all “keeping a close eye” on Vazquez, whilst Sheffield United, Norwich City, Middlesbrough and Rangers have also “scouted” him. The Eagles and their fellow competitors believe that he would be “well suited” to English football given his style of play and the physical presence that he brings standing at 6 foot 2 – but previous reports have additionally linked German giants Borussia Monchengladbach.

Meanwhile, speaking during a recent interview, Cincinnati’s forward admitted that he would be open to a move elsewhere in the summer.

Do Palace have a good chance of signing Vazquez?

Palace will have an awful lot of rivals to overcome if they are going to beat them to Vazquez’s signature, but with him sharing the same agent as Ayew, that could potentially give them a slight advantage.

The Chula Vista native has posted 60 goal contributions in 144 appearances throughout his career, with one goal and one assist to his name in six outings this term, as per Transfermarkt. The £9.5k-p/w talent is also averaging 3.8 aerial wins and 2.7 shots per game in MLS, highlighting the physical threat he provides up top (WhoScored).

How that form would translate into the Premier League remains to be seen, but with the likes of Miguel Almiron (eventually) making a success of his move across the Atlantic, there is every hope Vazquez could adapt and excel in south London if Steve Parish sanctions a move in the coming months.

Dubbed a “goalscoring machine” by journalist Chris Smith, Vazquez is capable of operating on either wing and as a second striker alongside his natural centre-forward position, making him even more of an attractive option on the market for Hodgson – or indeed, whoever is the permanent manager at Selhurst Park come the summer.

Aston Villa now have a penchant for spending heavily in the transfer market, and it will only continue to get worse as time goes on and clubs start demanding more money for players.

Since the start of the 2021/22 campaign, the Midlands side have splashed out £33m to sign Emiliano Buendia, £25m on Leon Bailey and just last year, £26m to sign defender Diego Carlos.

Signing quality players on a budget just simply doesn’t happen too often, with arguably the last such buy for Villa being John McGinn, who cost a paltry £2m to sign back in 2018, with his value currently standing at €40m (£35m) according to Football Transfers.

Arguably one of the club’s finest signings in terms of value for money was that of Christian Benteke, who joined in the summer of 2012 for a fee of just £7m and went on to become a sensation in the Premier League.

How did Christian Benteke do at Aston Villa?

The Belgian had scored 20 goals for Genk prior to moving to England with Paul Lambert certainly taking a gamble on the player, however, it paid off handsomely.

In his first season, he was incredible, scoring 19 league goals and while the subsequent two campaigns saw a slight drop-off, scoring ten and then 13 times in the league respectively, they were still solid totals.

Across three seasons, Benteke managed to find the net on 49 occasions while registering 12 assists for the club. It’s no wonder, therefore, that he was dubbed “outstanding” by writer Joel Rabinowitz.

When Liverpool came in with a £32.5m bid for him before the start of the 2015/16 season, it was too hard to turn down but without his goals, the Villa Park outfit were relegated that season.

The fee the club received from the Anfield side was a staggering 364% more than what they had paid for him just three years earlier, and it was evident that they had struck gold over the striker.

He didn’t hit it off at Liverpool, though, scoring just ten goals all campaign. As a result, he was soon off to Crystal Palace, where he enjoyed a more stable run of form and got back to his goal-scoring best.

The “sensational” gem – as lauded by the Telegraph's Alex Shaw – is now plying his trade in the MLS for D.C. United, with it hard to believe that the 45-cap Belgium international is still only 32.

He may have shone briefly for Villa, but they managed to rake in a serious profit on the player and his time at the club won't be forgotten.

Liverpool have struggled to maintain their high standards this season and Jurgen Klopp will surely already be looking to the summer to find ways to improve his squad ahead of next season.

The Reds are looking less and less likely to qualify for Champions League football next season due to their inconsistent performances in the Premier League that have left them now 13 points adrift of the top four with just nine games left to close the gap.

Indeed, it is not ideal for the club to miss out on playing its part in the prestigious European competition, but it now presents a harsh wake-up call to the reality of the rebuild and refresh of the squad that is desperately needed at Anfield.

The Liverpool recruitment team will be expected to invest heavily in new additions when the transfer window opens in a few weeks' time with the midfield the likely focus, but the defensive positions could come under question too, following a real struggle to dominate opponents on numerous occasions from the back-line.

It will cost nothing short of a fortune for FSG to repair the damage that has been chipping away at Anfield due to a lack of reinvestment in midfield positions since the signing of Thiago Alcantara back in 2020.

However, Klopp could already have a fantastic option to add to the depth of his midfield personnel next season, as Tyler Morton has been shining out on loan with Blackburn Rovers and could be ready to follow in the footsteps of Stefan Bajcetic by becoming a regular player in the team.

How is Tyler Morton doing out on loan?

The 20-year-old dynamic midfielder signed a brand new five-year deal back in January 2023 half-way through his season-long loan in the Championship at Ewood Park.

Morton has been a breakthrough talent after being a promising product of the Merseyside giant's academy and making nine appearances in the senior team before continuing his development with first team football at Blackburn Rovers, and the opportunity has paid off massively so far.

Over 37 Championship appearances, Morton – once hailed "class" by journalist Leanne Prescott – has delivered two assists, created seven big chances and tallied up an 82% pass completion rate, as well as averaging 1.2 key passes, 57.4 touches, 1.6 tackles and 3.1 duels won per game, proving he has been a huge presence on the pitch and influential in progressive play delivering creativity in advanced areas.

Whilst the level of his contribution next season will be determined by Liverpool's ability to secure the transfer targets they are looking at this summer, there is no doubt that combining Morton's progressive and creative play with Bajectic's pace and incisive passing range into the attacking third could be a huge asset to the Merseysiders next season.

With that being said, it is obvious that the future is bright for Morton and his talents are clearly valued by the club due to being retained for the next half a decade, so it will be interesting to see whether he will be given the opportunity to finally break into the senior team next season to inject another youthful perspective into the centre of the pitch.

Leeds United could be boosted by the return of Cody Drameh in the summer with the right-back seriously impressing during his latest loan move.

What has happened to Cody Drameh?

Once again, Leeds find themselves scrapping at the wrong end of the table with just several games to go with relegation a serious threat.

The Whites could be set to return to the Championship over the coming weeks with their league form taking a recent dive over the last few games.

However, there could be something to look forward to over the summer in the expected return of Drameh from his latest loan spell away from the club.

The 21-year-old has spent the second-half of the 2022/23 campaign away on loan with Championship side Luton Town who are looking to make their move into the top flight.

This comes after the Englishman's stint out on loan last season with Cardiff City where he was awarded their Player of the Season despite only arriving in January.

Yet Leeds decided it was best for the youngster to move away from Elland Road once again in search of more regular football.

And speaking on his podcast, Phil Hay has waxed lyrical about the right-back who has enjoyed an impressive backend to the campaign under Rob Edwards at Kenilworth Road:

(39:10) "It's funny because Cody Drameh is having a very, very good season at Luton in the way that Charlie Cresswell up until that eye injury was starting to put together a really good season at Millwall, as well.

"And suddenly you look, I mean I've always liked Cresswell. Drameh has looked good in the U21s but hasn't really played enough at first-team level at Leeds to be sure about that.

"But he's looked excellent at Luton and you start to think to yourself, maybe actually there are options there going forward that are potentially better than some of what they've got."

How well has Drameh played for Luton?

Since arriving in the latter stages of January, the 21-year-old has gone on to make 14 appearances for the Hatters in the Championship and he has started all 14 of those games (via Transfermarkt).

Drameh has racked up two assists in those games, however, what is perhaps most impressive is Luton have only lost once with Drameh on the pitch.

And that solo defeat comes with the caveat of being against – the already-promoted – Burnley and it was a narrow 1-0 defeat to the Clarets.

Meanwhile, Leeds have begun to chop and change their right-backs with Luke Ayling and Rasmus Kristensen after the Englishman's recent run in the starting XI.

Hay was clearly impressed with what Drameh has been able to produce in the Championship and it is clear to see why when he ranks inside the top third percentile for tackles made (via FBref).

The 21-year-old ranks inside the top third percentile for blocks, too, but he has also shown his threat in attack as he ranks inside the top eighth percentile for shot-creating actions.

It seems apparent the youngster has plenty to offer and it will be intriguing to see if he feels his opportunity will come at Leeds or whether he will have to look for a permanent move in the summer to find regular football.

Manchester United have 'internally' discussed the prospect of signing Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, says CBS Sports reporter Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest transfer news involving Alexis Mac Allister?

According to Football Insider, Liverpool and Manchester United are keen on signing Mac Allister this summer and would be willing to pay a substantial fee to secure his services.

As per the same outlet, the Seagulls are said to value the Argentina international at around £70 million and could be tempted into selling him if their asking price is agreed upon.

The Telegraph have revealed that Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has shortlisted Mac Allister in their hunt to freshen up the engine room this summer. His teammate Moises Caicedo is also said to be attracting attention from Old Trafford.

The report states that Manchester City are also looking to bolster their midfield ranks amid uncertainty over the long-term future of club captain Ilkay Gundogan. At the same time, Chelsea were also previously interested in the playmaker.

Mac Allister is understood to pocket around £50,000 per week on the South Coast on a contract that runs until June 2025, as detailed by Capology.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, CBS Sports reporter Jacobs gave an update on the state of play surrounding Mac Allister, stating: "I would keep an eye on Liverpool and also potentially Manchester United, they've discussed him internally as well. With Brighton, both European football and different player movements will impact the likelihood of other transfers.

"As I've said, we hear a lot about Moises Caicedo, we hear a lot about Mac Allister, we might hear a fair bit about Kaoru Mitoma, we hear a lot about Evan Ferguson, we hear a lot about Robert Sanchez.

"Quite clearly, Brighton aren't going to want to throw out a core of star players in the summer window in which they've reached European football."

Would Alexis Mac Allister be a good fit for Manchester United?

All things considered, Mac Allister could be a good fit for Manchester United in midfield and help provide further creative intuition in the middle of the park at Old Trafford.

In the 2022/23 campaign, the 24-year-old has made 30 appearances in all competitions for Brighton & Hove Albion, registering ten goals and two assists, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored also notes that Mac Allister has picked up a rating of 7.07/10 for his exploits on the South Coast this term, making him the third most consistent performer at the club behind Solly March and Kaoru Mitoma.

As the Red Devils chase more silverware in 2023/24, Mac Allister could be an exciting addition to the fold if they were able to entice him to Old Trafford in the summer.

But it seems as if United could face some significant competition for the World Cup winner who has been hailed as a "superstar" by writer Ryan Adsett.

Arsenal's surprise pursuit of the Premier League title this season was coincidentally upheld by their rivals, as it almost seemed like Mikel Arteta finished off his team with two Manchester City players.

Bringing in Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus both finished off his system perfectly and added the goalscorer they craved, yet it seems set to not be enough with just four games left for the Gunners to play.

That could explain why attention has already turned to this summer, as Edu has been tasked with bolstering the squad to a level where it can feasibly compete with Pep Guardiola's side for a full campaign.

The rumour mill has therefore kicked into overdrive, as a switch to the Emirates has fast become one of the most attractive propositions in football. Joining up with a youthful, hungry manager who is overseeing the joint-youngest squad in the division, means success is almost guaranteed in the near future. However, Arteta will crave it immediately.

Having come so close and fought for so long, a few key additions could prove to be the difference in taking that final step. Ironically enough, one proposed signing is that of Barcelona's Ferran Torres, who also spent time in Sky Blue as part of the Cityzens' relentless regime.

Is Ferran Torres better than Gabriel Jesus?

What makes this potential deal all the more tantalising for the Gunners is the reported price tag of just €35m (£30m), as the Catalonian giants desperately scramble for funds to re-sign the wantaway Lionel Messi.

Edu could pounce on this opportunity, seeking to welcome the Spaniard who could actually prove to be a better finisher than Jesus.

The Brazilian has come under fire of late for squandering chances in big matches, with his role in their 3-3 draw with Southampton particularly frustrating. The 26-year-old accumulated an expected goals (xG) of 1.14 yet did not find the net, and vital points were dropped.

Although he might have scored ten goals this year, outperforming Torres' seven in all competitions, the former forward has actually underperformed his expected goals for the whole campaign.

The 23-year-old too has suffered from his own expected goals tally, but only by 0.89 compared to his potential competition's 3.35. This suggests that the £265k-per-week finisher should have scored far more than he actually has.

Not only this, but Guardiola himself even suggested that the current-Barcelona talent was a more natural finisher than Jesus, claiming:

"I spoke with Gabriel and he likes to play sometimes more in wider positions than the central one, and Ferran has a big sense for the goal, I would say a little bit higher than Gabriel when he plays in central positions."

Having been further lauded in the past by the legendary Spanish boss for his "exceptional" numbers during his debut campaign, as he notched 13 times in all competitions, perhaps ample time for further development could see him return and turn into the true monster he was expected to be.

Manchester United are in pole position to sign Napoli defender Kim Min-jae this summer after the South Korean won the Scudetto with Napoli.

What's the latest on Kim Min-jae to Manchester United?

According to Calciomercato, Manchester United are in pole position to sign Kim this summer as they look to reinforce a defence that has conceded 40 goals in 33 Premier League games.

Despite leaving Fenerbahce last summer for Napoli, his incredible title-winning performance at the heart of Luciano Spalletti's defence means he could be on the move again.

United are reportedly ready to trigger his £44m release clause – a move that would make Napoli powerless to stop him leaving.

Only clubs outside of Italy can trigger his release clause and with ten Hag looking to upgrade his defensive options, Kim fits the bill perfectly.

Can Kim "The Monster" Min-jae improve Manchester United?

The player himself said his nickname "The Monster" sums his style up and Napoli fans would agree. While Victor Osimhen and Kvicha Kvaratskhelia have stolen the headlines this season, it's players like Kim that really win you titles.

Without a strong and reliable back four, it's incredibly difficult to challenge for silverware. Adding a player like Kim to United's squad would not only immediately improve the back four, it would promote much-needed competition for places.

Additionally, it would ensure there is more quality in reserve for when Erik ten Hag is forced to contend with untimely injuries to key defensive personnel.

Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez are worrying absentees and without them, United look far weaker and more likely to crumble under pressure.

What Kim would offer in defence is a consistent pathway to winning the ball back in dangerous areas. His greatest strength, however, has to be the calm manner in which he handles the ball after winning it, which is evident just from looking at this highlights package.

It's the secret behind Napoli's incisive counter attacking football. Whenever the ball is won back, the likes of Kvaratskhelia and Osimhen feel comfortable making the dangerous runs they do without the fear of immediate turnover of possession.

Arsenal are preparing to make a €70m (£62m) bid for Valencia midfielder Yunus Musah, an offer that the Spanish club would find it difficult to resist, according to recent reports from Spain.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

The Gunners are interested in bringing in several new midfielders this summer, with journalist Manu Sainz recently claiming they will "most likely" win the race for Celta Vigo's Gabri Veiga, if they decide to bid for the youngster.

According to the Daily Mail, Mikel Arteta is understood to possibly want two central midfielders, and the north London club's hierarchy will sanction a costly summer recruitment drive to target West Ham United captain Declan Rice.

Earlier this week, it was reported Arsenal have been "following" Musah since January, with the 20-year-old being tipped to leave Valencia this summer, and they now appear to have taken their interest one step further.

According to reports from Spain (via TEAMtalk), the Gunners are preparing a bid worth €70m (£62m) to sign the Valencia star this summer, and with the Spanish club struggling financially, they will find the offer hard to turn down.

Rice remains Arsenal's number one target, but they are the club with the strongest interest in Musah at present, although Liverpool and Inter Milan have also been named as potential suitors.

Is Yunus Musah worth £62m?

The starlet is having a solid season, with football scout Jacek Kulig particularly impressed with his performances for the USA at the World Cup, describing his displays out in Qatar as "superb", while he waxed lyrical about his vast potential.

Kulig lauded the maestro for his "elite engine", claiming he has a "huge future" ahead, and it is hard to disagree, given how impressive he has been for Valencia since breaking into the first team.

One of the American's most notable attributes is his ability to carry the ball, ranking in the 95th percentile for progressive carries per 90 in the past year, and in the 88th for successful take-ons.

That said, the New York-born midfielder will need to improve certain aspects of his game before he is good enough to regularly start for Arsenal, given that he only very rarely weighs in with goals and assists.

As such, it may be wise for Arsenal to go all out to sign Rice, rather than taking a risk by signing Musah, who is not guaranteed to be a success at Premier League level.

Todd Boehly has finally found the man that he hopes will take Chelsea into a new era starting next season, with Mauricio Pochettino set to take charge of the Stamford Bridge outfit.

He will have a lot of work to do during the summer transfer window in order to get rid of some of the deadwood, both to balance the books and to free up some of the wage bill for future signings.

The Argentine will be hoping to take some inspiration from his transfer dealings whilst in charge at Tottenham Hotspur, luring the likes of Heung-min Son, Lucas Moura, and Dele Alli to the club where they all performed well.

Son was arguably his finest signing in terms of his goal and assist statistics as the South Korean winger has registered 224 goal contributions during his spell at Spurs – 145 goals and 79 assists – and while his partnership with Harry Kane didn’t lead the club to any trophies, they did reach the League Cup final in 2015 and the Champions League final in 2019.

With Chelsea seemingly keen on signing Bayern Munich winger Sadio Mane this summer, Pochettino could repeat his Son masterclass by acquiring another special talent from the Bundesliga.

Why should Chelsea sign Sadio Mane?

According to Football Insider, Chelsea are planning on submitting a proposal for Mane ahead of the transfer window in a bid to lure him back to the Premier League.

The Senegalese star hasn’t enjoyed the best of seasons in Germany following his high-profile move from Liverpool last year, scoring just 12 times for Bayern across all competitions and following a publicised falling out with Leroy Sane, he could well be on the move this summer.

Pochettino could revive the struggling £35m-rated winger, however, and bring Mane back to his frightening best which he displayed for Liverpool during his six-year spell on Merseyside.

The 5 foot 8 maestro was in stunning form last season under Jurgen Klopp, scoring 23 goals and grabbing five assists as he won the FA Cup and League Cup, eventually leaving the Anfield side with a total of 168 goal contributions, of which 111 were Premier League goals.

At just 31 years old, Mane still has plenty to offer should he complete a switch to Chelsea and with the club finding themselves as the fourth-lowest scorers in the top flight with just 36 goals, he could offer a serious threat from the flanks.

Having been dubbed “electric” by writer Leanne Prescott, the comparisons to Son don't stop with that Bundesliga comparison; in short the Bayern superstar is a dazzling winger capable of terrorising any defence on the continent, just like the South Korean.

Indeed, the £373k-per-week sensation could offer Chelsea some much-needed attacking dynamism next year and with plenty of trophy-winning experience, it could be an ideal move.

Arsenal are looking ahead to the summer transfer window as their impressive 2022/23 campaign nears a close.

Mikel Arteta’s side fell just before the final hurdle as their title bid took a rogue turn in April that saw Manchester City pounce on their mistakes.

Despite the agony of being so close to their first league title win since 2004, the Gunners have gained entry to the Champions League next season as well as cementing their highest league finish since 2016.

Looking forward, the Spaniard is reportedly ready to be active in the transfer window in the bid to strengthen their few exposed weaknesses this term.

Erling Haaland has been the talisman of the Premier League this season, firing Arsenal’s rivals to a potential treble-winning year, which merely highlights the gap between the league’s top two.

Arteta could have an answer to Pep Guardiola’s forward with reports linking one of Europe’s best to the Emirates.

What’s the latest on Lautaro Martinez to Arsenal?

According to a report from InterLive – as relayed by SportWitness – Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez has gained interest from several clubs including Arsenal.

The report focuses on the Gunners’ reported £200m transfer budget this summer, suggesting the club could pull off a “blitz” to sign the forward and “could do everything” to sign the talisman.

What could Lautaro Martinez offer Arsenal?

Once lauded as an “animal” by his national team coach Lionel Scaloni, the Argentine forward has contributed to 25 goals in Serie A this season, scoring 20 and assisting five as per FBref.

The explosive frontman could be the striker to take Arsenal to further heights next campaign and act as a worthy upgrade to Gabriel Jesus, who is not really known for his free-scoring exploits.

While the Brazilian is well-loved in north London, he hasn’t been the firing figure that Arteta’s team could consistently rely on since joining last summer from City.

The defending champions disposed of the 26-year-old and upgraded to Haaland, which ended in ways that blew the Gunners out of the picture.

Inter’s £184k-per-week striker has averaged 0.58 non-penalty goals per 90 in the past year, placing him in the top 9% of forwards in Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days. By comparison, Arsenal's no,9 has averaged 0.36 per 90, highlighting the gap in quality between the two, via FBref.

Martinez is well admired by Argentina superstar Lionel Messi, who has hailed him as “spectacular”, and the 25-year-old helped to rocket his side to the Champions League final last week, having scored three goals and assisted three in the competition.

With Arsenal ready to compete with the very best, a striker that has consistently performed across the continent could prove vital for their expedition to return as an elite figure in world football, in Martinez, they might just find that.

Valued by FootballTransfers at €81.6m (£70m), Gunners chief Edu Gaspar will have to be prepared to spend to lure the forward away from Inter – a big price for an even bigger investment.