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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.

A report by The Telegraph and journalist Matt Law has shared an update on Antonio Conte’s future at Tottenham and the prospect of Ryan Mason as interim.

The Lowdown: Conte future debate…

The future of Conte is still very much up in the air and central to serious debate given Spurs still haven’t officially announced their managerial plans.

Speculation has been rife as to who could succeed the Italian if he is in fact sacked before the end of the season, with many candidates making their way onto Fabio Paratici’s managerial shortlist.

Mauricio Pochettino, a Lilywhites fan favourite and free agent, is seen as one of the favourites but Roberto De Zerbi, Luis Enrique, Marco Silva and Thomas Frank are also being considered according to Sky.

Chairman Daniel Levy is now unlikely to get his hands on Thomas Tuchel given reports highly suggest he’ll be joining Bayern Munich to replace Julian Nagelsmann.

Another option is appointing Mason as temporary head coach until the conclusion of this Premier League campaign, with Law sharing what he’s heard on that possibility.

The Latest: Mason update at Spurs…

According to the reliable reporter, writing in a report for The Telegraph, Levy has personally ‘given consideration’ to appointing Mason on an interim basis.

This would apparently be as the Spurs chief continues his search for a permanent manager off-the-field as a more long-term solution heading into next season.

The north Londoners are also believed to have ‘held talks’ over Conte’s future this week and Spurs could potentially sack the former Chelsea coach and agree to pay the remainder of his contract in one lump sum – which would amount to £4 million.

The Verdict: Good option…

Deciding Tottenham’s next manager comes as a very crucial decision and one which needs serious consideration.

Levy planning ahead on a permanent head coach while Mason takes charge in the mean time could be an efficient solution, especially considering the 31-year-old has previous experience in such a role.

Mason took temporary charge when Spurs dismissed ex-boss Jose Mourinho in 2021, overseeing their last seven games of the 2020/2021 season and winning four of them.

He lead Tottenham out for their 2021 Carabao Cup final against Man City, and while that ended in defeat, Mason did help to orchestrate impressive wins against the likes of Sheffield United (4-0) and Leicester City (4-2).

Praised for his ‘unbelievable’ work in the post by former Spurs star Toby Alderweireld, it would be a slight gamble in Spurs’ race for the top four, but the plan would have it’s merits.

West Ham United manager David Moyes needs a positive result against Nottingham Forest if he wants to save his job, so it’s time for the Scotsman to unleash Said Benrahma at the London Stadium.

The Times have suggested that a negative result for the Hammers on Saturday could be the final straw for the 59-year-old manager after last weekend’s defeat against Spurs saw them drop into the relegation places in the Premier League.

That game saw Moyes select an inexplicably defensive side, with five defenders and Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio arguably the only attacking selections from the start, with Benrahma unsurprisingly failing to turn the game around in his brief time on the pitch.

Will Said Benrahma start against Forest?

Throughout his time at West Ham, the former Manchester United and Everton boss has seemingly had a problem with starting Benrahma, with the Algerian featuring just 12 times from the start so far this campaign.

Despite this, the former Brentford man ranks third for shots, third for key passes and first for dribbles per game in West Ham’s squad this term, which emphasises the quality he can add in the final third for the Hammers.

Considering Moyes’ side are one of the lowest scorers in the division, it seems clear that they need their best attacking players on the pitch when they take on fellow strugglers – the Tricky Trees – this weekend, as they look to distance themselves from a relegation battle in the top flight.

There is no doubt that Benrahma, who earns around £55k-per-week, can be inconsistent but at his best. He makes West Ham a far more dangerous outfit, as was emphasised by BT Sport pundit Joe Cole after a dazzling display against Genk in the Europa League last season.

He said on BT Sport (via Read West Ham):

“Tonight at times he was unplayable. Fantastic, that’s how good he is, as soon as he saw the defender and squared him up, he knew he was in control of the situation. The finish was exquisite.”

Steve Cooper’s side have shipped 38 goals already this season and must be seen as defensively vulnerable by Moyes, so selecting another defensive lineup for such an important home game would arguably be worthy of the sack in itself, and he must give the fans something to shout about by selecting the exciting Benrahma on Saturday.

Journalist Greg O’Keeffe has insisted on the All Together Now podcast that he doesn’t think Dominic Calvert-Lewin will play for Everton this coming weekend.

The Lowdown: Injury woes continue to mount up

In what was only Sean Dyche’s second game as Everton manager, he was immediately met with the same problem that had been impacting Frank Lampard during his time at Goodison Park, as Calvert-Lewin was unable to feature due to injury.

The England international simply can’t get on top of his injury problems, as since the start of last season, he’s managed to start just 23 Premier League games, coinciding with the Toffees’ spiral down the league.

Everton currently rely heavily on Calvert-Lewin, as their only other striker options are Neal Maupay – who’s hit double figures just once in the Premier League – and Ellis Simms, who has just two league starts in the top flight under his belt.

The Latest: Calvert-Lewin expected to miss Leeds clash

Dyche is seemingly facing a challenge to get Calvert-Lewin fit and then keep him fit – and O’Keeffe isn’t expecting to see the striker in what is a huge relegation clash on Saturday afternoon.

Speaking on Dyche’s lack of forward options, O’Keeffe said: “He’s got very little capacity to change it now. Well, he’s got no capacity to change it until the summer. But because of the absolute disaster of January, we’ve left ourselves in such a difficult situation and I don’t think Calvert-Lewin will be fit for Leeds.”

The Verdict: Dyche must cope without Calvert-Lewin

While some may say Everton can move away from the threat of relegation if they can keep Calvert-Lewin fit, the facts are that nobody can rely on the England international because his injury record is simply horrendous.

Therefore, Dyche must find a way to get his tactics clicking without their target man, as that simply didn’t work on Monday night, with Ellis Simms struggling massively at Anfield – he managed zero shots on target and touched the ball just 19 times (as per FBref).

Dyche may well turn to someone more experienced in the form of Maupay, however, given his slight frame and lack of height, Dyche clearly felt starting Simms was the better option at his disposal. And given how he has worked with players such as Chris Wood, Ashley Barnes and Wout Weghorst at Burnley, it may require a change of style to get the Frenchman working under his system.

Leeds United could potentially look at signing free agent Faouzi Ghoulam to bolster their left-back options, claims LeedsLive reporter George Bennett.  

The Lowdown: Ghoulam profiled

Ghoulam is 31 years of age and has been without a club since the summer after leaving Napoli. The Algeria international made 216 appearances and contributed to 31 goals for the Serie A side after joining in 2014.

He is primarily a left-footed left-back but can also play further forward as a left midfielder or a left winger and is still sponsored by Nike.

The Latest: Leeds claim

Bennett shared a story for LeedsLive on Sunday, looking at free agents the Whites could potentially target once the transfer window shuts on Tuesday.

Ghoulam was one of those, with the reporter claiming that the full-back ‘could be a strong option’, should Jesse Marsch wish to add to his left-back ranks further.

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The Verdict: Not needed?

The Whites have addressed their left-back issues this month by bringing in Max Wober from RB Salzburg, with the Austrian capable of turning out as a centre-back or left-back.

Pascal Struijk has excelled as a left-back for large parts of the season and is currently the club’s best-performing player, as per WhoScored. Junior Firpo has also returned to the fold in recent weeks and has played every minute of the club’s FA Cup run, contributing to two goals, so is another available option for Marsch.

Therefore, it appears as if the club are well-stocked in that department for now, and with Leeds rarely dipping into the market for players above the age of 30, it would be a surprise if they looked at signing Ghoulam.

Tottenham Hotspur rely heavily on the efforts of their wing-backs to uphold Antonio Conte’s system, and as such the failings on both sides are exacerbated because of their importance.

Ivan Perisic’s signing was a shrewd one, adding experience and a winners mentality to a dressing room devoid of such a characteristic.

It was expected that he would occupy the left flank with ease, and with five assists thus far he has hardly disappointed.

But, at 33 years old, there is little expectation that he can continue this for the foreseeable future.

Therefore, his Italian manager must strive to find his long-term successor and seems to have sent Fabio Paratici on such a mission.

The director of football has seemingly since returned, with reports circulating that link the Lilywhites with a move for French youngster Adrien Truffert. Whilst only briefly mentioned, it is said that the north London outfit are monitoring the 21-year-old with a keen eye.

There is a belief that, with his attacking exploits down the left-hand side, he could emulate the successes of his legendary compatriot Patrice Evra in the Premier League.

The Manchester United hero joined from AS Monaco in 2006, also in the January transfer window, and struggled at first. However, having now retired and filled his trophy cabinet with many Premier League and Champions League titles, this is the ultimate goal for Spurs to attain.

They will hope that Truffert can bring such success with him to the club, with his ability going forward likely to play a big role for many years to come should he join.

Boasting a keen eye for an assist but the defensive qualities to match, the Frenchman is the quintessential modern defender.

Having secured five assists already this season in Ligue 1, he ranks in the top 6% for assists per 90 when compared with other full-backs across Europe.

This is supplemented by an impressive number of blocks and aerials won per game, of which he also sits in the top 4% and 16% respectively when compared against the same group.

His fine all-around displays have captured the attention of the French media, with RMC Sport labelling him “incredible” after one of his many outstanding performances.

To offer such defensive security yet be so clinical going forward is a rare skillset to boast, which Evra managed to attune as part of one of the best sides ever assembled.

Across his time at Old Trafford, he would record ten goals and 38 assists whilst accumulating a mammoth 379 appearances. His dynamism was likely well appreciated by Sir Alex Ferguson, given his longevity within his side.

He was merely a flash of what the modern-day defender might become, and now Truffert could show the world the full vision with a move to Spurs.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are one of several clubs in the running for a hot European prospect…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to the Evening Standard, who note the Old Gold as one of numerous interested parties in Greek wonderkid Giannis Konstantelias.

Valued at £10m, the forward predominately occupies the left-wing role coming inside onto his favoured right foot. Therefore, there is a belief he could be Julen Lopetegui’s very own Pedro Neto, who had earned similar success from the right flank before a succession of serious injuries.

The next Pedro Neto

Whilst the 19-year-old has hardly set his domestic league alight, having yet to score in the current campaign, it is clear that he is highly regarded by many clubs across European football.

What stands as a glittering testimony to his talents is exemplified by a tweet from Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, who likened him to Eden Hazard whilst commending the “amazing job” of the PAOK academy, 

However, it is perhaps more realistic to hope that he can instead be more like Wolves’ Portuguese wizard.

During the 2020/21 campaign, Neto scored five goals and set up a further six in what was his standout season. However, he somewhat struggled to initially acclimatise to life in England, scoring just three times in his debut Premier League season in 2019/20.

The early signs from Konstantelias suggest that he too could make the move to England with success, having already posted four assists this season in just 12 domestic appearances. This is supplemented by his averages of 1.1 shots and 1.3 key passes per game, outlining him as a constant offensive threat.

As such, journalist Stavros Kolkas could seldom believe the talent on display when viewing the teenage sensation, claiming: “PAOK has a Messi clone in its academy”.

This is a notion which would be wholeheartedly supported by Agia Paraskevi academy head Alexandros Malakasiotis, who noted: “Such a player does not emerge every day. Not even every 50 years… For me, he is a phenomenon. If you see how he passes and moves into space, you will understand what he is about.”

Should he achieve the immense potential that those who have seen him in action seem to attribute to him, the Greek youngster could even surpass Neto at Molineux if Lopetegui brings him in.

Wolves full-back Rayan Ait-Nouri is reportedly being eyed by French club Nice for a move to the continent. 

The Lowdown: Ait-Nouri’s season so far

So far this season, the 21-year-old has made 14 appearances for the Old Gold across all competitions, scoring two goals and delivering one assist along the way.

The defender’s latest appearance saw him score Wolves’ last-gasp winner in their 2-1 victory against Everton in the Premier League at Goodison Park after coming on as a substitute in the second half.

Despite his latest heroics, some behind-the-scenes details have emerged regarding the possibility of the former France underage international departing Molineux.

The Latest: Ait-Nouri linked with Wolves exit

After Foot Mercato recently claimed that Nice are interested in signing the Wolves defender, a recent report from French outlet Le 10 Sport has backed up this line.

They stated that Nice are in discussions with Wolves over the possibility of signing Ait-Nouri, and while the Midlands club are open to letting him leave, they would not do business for anything less than €25m (£22m).

The Verdict: Wolves should keep hold of Ait-Nouri

As things stand, the left-back’s contract at Wolves runs until the summer of 2026.

To highlight how valuable a player Ait-Nouri is for the Old Gold, particularly from an attacking point of view, he has made the third-highest number of passes into the 18-yard box (12) at the club, while also recording the second-highest number of successful dribbles (14).

His overall performances in the league have earned him a season rating of 6.58/10 from WhoScored, making him the fourth-highest rated player at the club.

Having been hailed by Tim Spiers this year for his “outstanding work” on the pitch, we feel that Wolves should have no intention of letting Ait-Nouri leave Molineux next month, even if an offer comes in that the Old Gold would see as being financially suitable.

Arsenal will return from the World Cup break with some troubling news.

Several of the Gunners’ stars are currently in Qatar competing for the world’s biggest prize but one player has been sent home early. On Friday night, striker Gabriel Jesus was struck with a tournament-ending blow as he picked up a knee problem in Brazil’s 1-0 defeat to Cameroon.

Reports in Brazil (via talkSPORT) are now suggesting that the £45m summer signing is in line to miss a whopping three months of action as he needs surgery.

That would put a serious dent in Arsenal’s title hopes as they went into the international break sitting top of the Premier League standings. Mikel Arteta only has one other ‘out-and-out’ forward option in Eddie Nketiah and he’s yet to deliver on his new contract.

If the aforementioned claim is true, then the 25-year-old is likely to miss some crucial encounters, including games against arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and his former club Manchester City.

As such, sporting director Edu Gaspar may want to rectify the issue by utilising the January transfer window and he could do so by swooping for a player that caught the eye just a few hours before Jesus agonisingly went down injured.

Earlier on Friday, Granit Xhaka and Switzerland went to battle with Serbia for a place in the knockout stages and whilst the Rossocrociati came out on top, it was a familiar name for the opposition that starred in the defeat.

Much of the Emirates faithful will know about Dusan Vlahovic, who was embroiled in a long transfer saga with the club before opting to sign for Serie A giants Juventus.

Things haven’t gone to plan in Italy since then and ahead of the January window, the Gunners have been linked with interest once more, as per 90min.

Vlahovic isn’t the first choice for Serbia, at least when Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic is available but both started together against the Swiss, with the former particularly impressive.

He bagged a deft goal – described by CBS Sports journalist Ben Jacobs as “clinical” – to put the Eagles in the lead ten minutes before the break but Xhaka’s men came on strong in the second half to seal a place in the last-16.

The 22-year-old could be an interesting solution with Jesus facing some time on the sidelines. Juventus are in turmoil off the pitch after the whole board resigned, with some suggestions that the club would have to sell several of their key stars.

It remains to be seen if the £70m man is one but with the Gunners in need, Edu could chance his arm with a move.

Despite a slow start to life in Turin, Vlahovic has found the net six times in ten league appearances this term, reverting back to the sort of form we witnessed at Fiorentina, where he scored a whopping 21 goals in 2020/21.

That free-scoring output once saw him lauded as a “monster”, whilst Serbian FA president made a rather bold claim suggesting he was better than Erling Haaland. He told Tuttosport (via GOAL): “Vlahovic is better and more complete than Haaland.”

After his arrival on the world stage – combined with his early season form – the Juve frontman may be back to his best and it would be wise for Arsenal to capitalise on the Italian outfit’s ongoing situation to aid their own woes.

Vlahovic could be what Arteta needs to soften the blow to Jesus this January.

AND in other news, Arteta could land his own Van Persie in Arsenal swoop for “dangerous” £34m sensation…

Borussia Monchengladbach will find it hard to keep hold of rumoured Aston Villa target Marcus Thuram, according to assistant manager Oliver Neuville.

The Lowdown: Villa keen on Thuram signing

The 25-year-old is currently on 2022 World Cup duty with France, as he looks to help the world champions retain their crown in Qatar.

Away from international commitments, Thuram has been linked with a move to Villa, with Unai Emery eyeing him up as a potential new signing.

The forward has scored 10 goals in 15 Bundesliga appearances this season and his current Monchengladbach deal expires at the end of the current campaign.

The Latest: Hard to keep hold of him

Speaking to Radio Sportiva [via Sport Witness], coach Neuville admitted that the German side are going to struggle to keep Thuram, amid much interest in him:

“He’s having a great season, he scored a lot of goals. It’s clear that last year he may have been injured a lot, but he still has a contract until the end of the season.

“I think it will be difficult for him to stay at Gladbach because if he continues to score so many goals it is certain that he will have many offers in Italy or Spain or England.

“You also have to be a bit realistic. I hope he stays here at Monchengladbach, but now he has also been called up by the French national team for the World Cup. It will be difficult for him to extend his contract, I hope so, but the chances are slim.”

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The Verdict: Will Villa have the pull?

Thuram could be a potent attacking signing for Villa as his goalscoring ability for Monchengladbach is undeniable, with 41 goals coming his way for them, taking his senior tally to 59.

Whether or not the Villans have the pull to lure him to the club is debatable, however, with the France international potentially keen on playing in Europe, with the likes of Newcastle and Tottenham also linked with a move.

Emery’s reputation as an elite coach who has won four Europa League titles could certainly help, though, and Thuram has the ability to take Villa to another level, being hailed as ‘phenomenal’ by Denis Zakaria.