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Some Crystal Palace fans have taken to Twitter to react after academy prospect Malachi Boateng signed his first professional contract.

The 17-year-old – younger brother of Hiram Boateng, a former academy player turned first-team appearance maker at Selhurst Park – has featured four times for the Under-23 side so far this season, scoring once with a well-taken strike against Hull City.

Under-23 coach Richard Shaw recently spoke glowingly of Boateng to The Athletic’s Matt Woosnam, saying: “I know for a fact Mal will make it. 100 per cent, because he’s cut from the same cloth as his brother.”

The defender enjoyed a brilliant 2018/19 campaign with the Under-18 side, where his performances earned him the Under-18 Player of the Season award before he was promoted to the Under-23 ranks.

One fan said that the news was “great”, before calling on the south London-based side to now tie academy left-back Tyrick Mitchell down to fresh terms.

Another supporter went slightly off topic and asked if Boateng was a striker, so he could replace Christian Benteke.

Let’s take a look at some more of the Twitter reaction…

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

As quoted by The Manchester Evening News, Gary Pallister has revealed James Maddison would be able to take Manchester United to the “next level”.

What did he say?

The England U21 international enjoyed a fine debut campaign in the Premier League last season after joining Leicester from Norwich last summer. The 22-year-old scored seven goals and seven assists in 36 games in the top-flight, and his displays have reportedly attracted the interest of United.

Reports in recent weeks have suggested the Red Devils are considering making a swoop for the attacking midfielder next summer as they look to reshape their squad. Now, Pallister has thrown his backing behind a potential move, and revealed he was particularly impressed with his performance against Tottenham last weekend.

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He said: “There was a lot of talk about him in the press. He stood out in the game against Tottenham, he’s got a lot of quality and energy – and he obviously scored the winner. He’s the type of player who can take Man United to the next level. However, Ole needs to try his best for now to squeeze the best out of the squad he has for the next few months.”

Goals

Amidst all the talk of United’s questionable decision to let both Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez leave this summer, the Red Devils have an equally pressing problem when it comes to goals from the midfield areas. Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata and Angel Gomes – all of whom have played in the number ten role for United this season – have yet to score. A swoop for Maddison would go a long way to solving that.

The Foxes man has been used in a variety of roles this season, but the one time he was deployed in the attacking midfield position, he scored – adding to his seven strikes in the Premier League last season. Having players from deep who can find the back of the net can dramatically ease the burden and pressure on those at the top of the attack. United desperately need someone like that right now.

With Liverpool starting to flounder in the title race, they need something new to light up their momentum. Their current system is being found out by Premier League sides and Jurgen Klopp needs to try new things. With that in mind, introducing wonderkid Rhian Brewster into the fray can be a wise decision.

Brewster has been suffering from persistent injuries since his heroics at the FIFA U-17 World Cup, where he won the Golden Boot, helping the Three Lions lift the trophy. However, he is recovering pretty well and wishes to be a genuine option for Klopp. With not many sides knowing Brewster’s strengths, the German coach can find something different in him.

While the youngster is still a few weeks away from attaining match-fitness, when he does become available, Klopp should utilize him. Be it as only a substitute, Brewster’s pace and a fantastic eye for goal makes him a dangerous player for the Reds. He scored eight goals in the U-17 World Cup and has been prolific in the youth level competition for the Reds.

While not the biggest in frame, Brewster’s unpredictable movement and clinical striking ability make him an assured option for goals. He doesn’t miss much in front of goal and the way Liverpool create chances, he can blend into their system in no time.

The Reds need goals to overtake Manchester City’s superior goal difference. Brewster brings many goals with him and if utilized well, can be Klopp’s trump card into prevailing in this tight championship race. Perhaps this season is too soon, but if Liverpool are going to compete in the years going forward, Brewster can be a wild card.

Fabio Paratici is reportedly thinking of signing Alvaro Morata for Tottenham Hotspur.

The Lowdown: Future uncertain

Calciomercato have reported that Juventus are reflecting on buying Morata on a permanent deal from Atletico Madrid as they are interested in buying Dusan Vlahovic from Fiorentina instead.

They claim that the Spain international ‘has become one of the first market objectives’ of the North London club as a result, as a potential replacement for Harry Kane.

The Latest: Paratici thinking of Morata

As per AS (via Sport Witness), ‘Paratici would be thinking’ of signing Morata to replace Kane, and could make an offer of €35m (£29.5m) for his signature.

The Old Lady could well accept that kind of offer, if it helps them fund a move for Vlahovic.

The Verdict: Avoid

Described as ‘amazing’ by Luis Enrique after scoring and helping Spain get through against Croatia into the quarter-final stage of Euro 2020, Morata can be a threat on his day, but those days just do not come consistently enough.

The 28-year-old generally struggled during his time in the Premier League with Chelsea, with £59.4m transfer fee.

Morata is a good player, but it is a big ask to fill the shoes of Kane, and so Spurs should be looking either to keep their talisman, or look elsewhere.

In other news, find out which ‘exciting’ 18-year-old may play in an upcoming THFC match here!

Leeds United youngster Jack Jenkins has extended his stay with the Whites, signing a new deal that will keep him at Elland Road until 2024.

The Lowdown: Jenkins excites at Leeds

Kalvin Phillips may be Leeds’ undisputed main man in midfield for the first team, but Jenkins has similarly caught the eye for Under-23s.

The 19-year-old has made 24 appearances for the Whites’ youth team in total, including 22 in Premier League 2, registering five assists along the way.

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The Latest: Youngster rewarded with new deal

On Monday, Leeds’ official Twitter account confirmed that Jenkins had penned a new deal that will see him remain at the club until at least 2024.

The midfielder joins Whites duo Charlie Cresswell and Liam McCarron in agreeing new contracts.

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The Verdict: One for the future

It is important that Leeds build towards the future and Jenkins is someone who could become a key figure if his form at youth level translates to the senior game, highlighting the importance of tying him down.

Granted, he won’t necessarily be a first-team regular for a while – it may even be after Marcelo Bielsa eventually moves on – but long-term planning is essential.

Jenkins has one first-team appearance to his name, coming against Crawley Town in the FA Cup last season, and the hope is that it is the first of many.

In other news, Graham Smyth was disappointed with one Leeds player against West Ham. Find out who it is here.

West Bromwich Albion fans were delighted as Matt Clarke made his return to the action during the club’s Premier League 2 game on Monday against Sunderland.

Clarke made the move to The Baggies from Brighton during the summer transfer window, and he made three appearances in the Championship early on in the season. However, a hamstring injury has meant he missed the next eight league games due to the issue (Transfermarkt).

There was some positive news on Monday though as he was included in the Baggies’ U23 starting line-up for the clash against Sunderland. The Midlands outfit eventually prevailed 1-0, and Clarke should soon be able to play once more for the first team as the West Brom continue their push for promotion.

The update was provided on the club’s official Twitter account, and it attracted plenty of attention from the supporters. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts on the matter.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Clarke news below

“We’re actually winning it all”

Credit: @danwba_

“Big W”

Credit: @Jack58914528

“YESSSSSSSS”

Credit: @wba_nathan

“Love that”

Credit: @WBA_Rhys

“We need him ASAP”

Credit: @paul4wba

“Great news this soglad he’s back. Get him straight back in that team for blues game.”

Credit: @Richstevens_

In other news, West Brom fans were worried with this news.

According to Calciomercato.it, Tottenham Hotspur managing director Fabio Paratici ‘could come back to knock on Serie A’s door’ as he eyes a swoop for AS Roma defender Roger Ibanez.

The Lowdown: Levy fails in 2020 bid…

As per Italian newspaper Il Messaggero, this certainly isn’t the first time Tottenham have been linked to the Brazilian powerhouse with chairman Daniel Levy apparently faltering in a bid to sign him last year.

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Indeed, the outlet claimed that Spurs had a £22.75 million bid rejected for Ibanez who, at that point, joined Roma on an 18-month loan with an obligation to buy.

Now, an update has emerged and it appears Paratici could now also turn to the centre-back.

The Latest: Paratici could now swoop for Ibanez…

Over a year after Levy’s first attempt, Spurs’ new transfer chief apparently has his eyes on the 22-year-old and it is claimed he ‘could come back to knock on Serie A’s door’ for another target.

Calciomercato.it say Paratici personally likes the player and wants to sign another top defender from Italy’s top flight, after securing 2020/2021 MVP award winner Cristian Romero for £46.7 million (The Guardian).

Whether we could see a move in January or next summer isn’t stated, with the Italian outlet simply stating it could happen ‘in the next transfer market sessions’.

The Verdict: Get it done?

Lauded as ‘superb’ by Islington Gazette journalist Josh Bunting last season (Twitter), the South American ace has can also be deployed at right-back and as a defensive midfielder according to Transfermarkt.

This could solve many issues for manager Nuno Espirito Santo and Ibanez’ age means he comes with plenty of sell-on value too.

A fixture in Roma’s back four last season, making 30 Serie A appearances alone, the starlet already as a wealth of experience at the very top level, and we feel this mixture of immediate impact, growth potential and versatility would make him an excellent signing.

In other news: ‘Wow’, ‘Levy is a criminal’, ‘This can’t be real’…Many Tottenham fans flock to ’embarrassing’ claim, find out more here.

An update has emerged on Rangers dynamo Ianis Hagi as he continues to recover from a viral infection.

What’s the latest?

His father Gheorghe Hagi has revealed that the 22-year-old is feeling better after recovering from Covid and is now seeing out his isolation period in Bucharest.

The Rangers winger contracted the virus whilst on international duty and is now undergoing 14-day isolation in his home country, which is a boost for the Gers as it would have been 20 days in North Macedonia, where he picked up the infection.

Hagi senior told Glasgow Live: “Ianis is fine, he is at home, he is feeling better and better.

“He is undergoing treatment and we hope to get out of isolation as soon as possible. He is at home, in Bucharest.”

Gerrard will love it

Steven Gerrard, who previously dubbed Ianis Hagi an “outstanding talent”, will love this update from the player’s father for two reasons. Firstly, his presence in Romania means that his isolation is for a shorter period than it would have been had he been forced to stay in North Macedonia, which means that Rangers will have the 22-year-old back in his squad sooner than perhaps expected. 

Secondly, the update indicates that the player is feeling better and offers hope that he is not struggling severely with any serious symptoms, which is also a boost to the Gers as it means that he might not be out for a prolonged period of time due to struggles with the virus. Had he been suffering from extreme symptoms, he could have been out of action for a number of weeks, given the impact that it can have on the respiratory system.

Gerrard will be buzzing with this update as Hagi has the ability to be a crucial player for Rangers. In the 2020/21 Premiership campaign, he produced seven goals and 11 assists from 23 starts for the club. The 22-year-old has 13 goals and 18 assists in 64 appearances for the Gers in all competitions since arriving in Scotland in January 2020.

This highlights the level of quality he is able to provide when fit. He has shown that he can score and create goals in the Premiership for Rangers, which means that having the Romanian back will be a boost to Gerrard’s side as he will have another excellent option at his disposal. Therefore, the 41-year-old must be delighted by Hagi senior’s quotes, as they provide a positive update on his son’s recovery.

AND in other news, Rangers flop has seen value soar by 203% since leaving Ibrox, he deserved more time…

The Athletic’s Phil Hay has confirmed a major Leeds United boost over Raphinha ahead of their Premier League clash against Liverpool later today.

What’s the story?

Marcelo Bielsa’s side appeared to be heading into the game against the Reds on Sunday afternoon without one of their talismans, with the Brazilian FA and FIFA looking to impose sanctions on those Premier League clubs who opted against sending their players out for international duty.

The likes of Raphinha, and Alisson, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino for Liverpool, were all in danger of missing today’s game, but Hay has confirmed that everything has now been cleared for the South Americans to play this weekend.

On Saturday morning, he tweeted: “Raphinha’s available for tomorrow’s game. Everyone placated and approval for him to play against Liverpool came through just before before midnight yesterday. #lufc”

Fans will be buzzing

Make no mistake about it, having Raphinha cleared to play against Jurgen Klopp’s side is a massive boost for Bielsa and Leeds’ chances of beating the Merseysiders.

Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has previously lauded the bargain that Leeds got in Raphinha, declaring: “He’s full of energy, he’s got a (good) work ethic as well where he works for the team, he just does everything right.

“I’m a big fan of his and the recruitment there to find that player, because for £17m, there will be people now scratching their head going ‘why didn’t we get him?'”

It was quite the debut campaign at Elland Road for the former Rennes man, becoming a real game-changer for Bielsa’s side in their first campaign back in the top-flight.

He ranked fourth for goals and first for his assists among his teammates in 2020/21, and his willingness to take players on and try and make things happen for his side was reflected by him averaging the most dribbles of any Leeds player with 1.9 per game.

That sort of attacking impact is exactly why Leeds fans will be absolutely buzzing at the news that Raphinha has been cleared to play against Liverpool today.

Meanwhile, Adam Pope has dropped a Leeds United transfer update…

Fabrizio Romano has revealed what he’s heard about next season’s transfer plans from Tottenham Hotspur, and by extension Fabio Paratici.

The Lowdown: Five in for Nuno era

With the last transfer window closing over a fortnight ago, Spurs have started the Nuno Espirito Santo regime with nine points from a possible 12 and five incomings as they look to return to the top six of the Premier League.

Bryan Gil, Pape Matar Sarr (loaned back), Emerson Royal, Cristian Romero and Pierluigi Gollini all arrived at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, totalling 615 minutes of football between so far this season.

But with the future of Harry Kane unclear in the next year or two, news has emerged about Spurs’ striker hunt next season.

The Latest: Paratici moving swiftly

Speaking on his ‘Here We Go’podvast, [via The Spurs Express], Romano has revealed that Spurs are ‘already looking at potential strikers for summer 2022’.

The club didn’t bring another striker in during the previous transfer window and have Kane as the only out-and-out forward at the club, with teenager Dane Scarlett a constant figure on the substitution list.

Carlos Vinicius was at the club on loan from Benfica last season and struggled to impress with one Premier League goal in only nine appearances.

The Verdict: Needs to happen

Watching Tottenham’s performance at Crystal Palace on Saturday all but proved their desperation for another forward. With Kane sincerely struggling against a resolute Palace defence, he failed to touch the ball inside the Eagles’ box and there was no plan B to help him out.

Another striker at the N17 club provides a different outlet of attack for Nuno’s side and provides extra competition for Kane.

Heung-Min Son is capable of putting in a shift down the middle, but his best position is down the left and they miss his presence whenever he is played as a striker.

Fabio Paratici’s successful start to his time at Spurs will be blighted if he cannot secure an able deputy or even future replacement for Kane, so it is great to hear he is already plotting for next summer.

In other Tottenham news, a Serie A striker remains on Spurs wishlist for next summer. Find out more here.