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The Athletic’s Crystal Palace reporter Matt Woosnam believes it’s a great decision that Joel Ward has signed a new contract with the club.

Ward has signed a two-year contract extension which will take him up to the summer of 2023 at Selhurst Park and told Palace TV: “I’m delighted. I think it’s great to have committed the future to the club.”

Palace are under new leadership with Patrick Vieira appointed as the club’s new manager this summer, and he has looked to assemble his side already. This is because along with the new contract for Ward, Palace have made four summer signings with Michael Olise, Jacob Montes, Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen all joining Crystal Palace.

On the new contract for Ward, Woosnam told Football FanCast: “Joel Ward has obviously signed and that’s been announced by Palace and I think that’s a great decision in the end.”

Ward has been a terrific servant for Crystal Palace as he has been with the club nine years and played 273 times for the club, scoring five goals and creating eleven more.

Whilst operating as a right-back mostly, Ward has also played on the side of defence at left-back, as well as appearing as a centre-back on a couple of occasions in the past.

Under new management and with new faces arriving at the football club, Crystal Palace will be hoping that they can improve on last season’s 14th place this upcoming campaign.

Barry Fry insists West Ham United need to sell Felipe Anderson this summer.

The Hammers winger endured a frustrating season as he went on loan to Portuguese club FC Porto but roundly failed to make any sort of impact.

He made just 10 appearances for the club and he had just the one start in the Portuguese league.

He did not manage to complete the 90 minutes either, as he played a maximum of 57 minutes against Belenenses in February.

Anderson has subsequently, and unsurprisingly, returned to east London and it remains to be seen if he will be able to find himself a new club this summer.

Lazio are said to be interested in a potential reunion with Anderson, having seen him become a star during his time in Serie A prior to his move to east London, making 177 appearances and scoring 34 goals.

And Fry believes that he has simply failed to adjust to life in England, and should be moved on by the club if they can receive a decent fee.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said: “I think he’s showed in glimpses he’s got wonderful skill but he certainly hasn’t adapted to the Premier League and if they can get the majority of their money back he would be one, if I was in charge of West Ham, I’d be letting him go.”

Anderson arrived for a fee of £36m in 2018.

Lots of Manchester City fans have been reacting to the news that Pep Guardiola does not want to keep Lukas Nmecha at the club.

The Citizens will be without record goalscorer Sergio Aguero (mancity.com) next season following the Argentinian’s departure to Barcelona (fcbarcelona.com), and Nmecha could have been an interesting option at least as a back-up option. He scored 17 goals in 34 appearances in the Jupiler League for Anderlecht last season (Transfermarkt) to take his career tally to 24 strikes, while he also picked up the Golden Boot as Germany won the European Under-21 Championship on Sunday (uefa.com).

However, despite the 22-year-old’s impressive form over the past year or so, Guardiola has no desire to keep him at the club (BILD via Sport Witness). Nmecha has also said that it would be a dream of his to play in the Bundesliga.

The news was shared on Twitter by @City_Xtra, and it did not go down to well with some City supporters. These fans took to the social media platform to share their thoughts on the matter.

Let’s see what these fans had to say about the Nmecha news

“Actually wanted him as an option here but if it’s best for both sides I hope he has a great career”

Credit: @Saneologist

“Nmecha – No place. Sergi Roberto – Pep really likes him”

Credit: @HartOfManchester

“Clear of Andre Silva icl. I’d rather use him and wait for Haaland”

Credit: @MCFCPJC

“He’d be a huge asset as 2nd choice striker, to let him go for peanuts is another catastrophe by the Catalan board and manager.”

Credit: @RealistSeer

“bruh what is wrong with this bald man”

Credit: @mcfchamdan

“After we wrapped up the league, youths should really have been given a chance How are they meant to progress without opportunity”

Credit: @_mcfc1

In other news, some Man City fans were livid at this Fernandinho news.

Former England international Gabriel Agbonlahor believes Michy Batshuayi would be a good signing for Leeds United, increasing competition for places in the squad.

The Lowdown: Leeds tipped to sign Batshuayi

The Whites are looking to bring in attacking reinforcements this summer, in order to ease the burden on star striker Patrick Bamford.

One player who has been linked with a move to Leeds is Batshuayi, who spent last season on loan at Crystal Palace from Chelsea, scoring twice in 18 Premier League appearances.

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The Latest: Agbonlahor positive about move

Speaking to Football Insider, Agbonlahor was positive about the prospect of the 27-year-old moving to Elland Road, as long as he ups his work-rate:

“It could be. If his work rate can get up to that level, at Leeds your work rate has to be up there.

“He’s going to have to work hard to get to where Bielsa wants. But he’s a good striker so it would be good competition for that striker position.”

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The Verdict: Worth the risk?

While Batshuayi possesses plenty of pedigree – he has scored 22 goals in just 34 caps for Belgium – it is a while since he has been a formidable player for any team.

His aforementioned record at Palace last season was poor and he hasn’t reached double figures since the 2015/16 campaign when he was plying his trade at Marseille.

For this reason, Leeds may be best to look elsewhere for a new attacker, finding a younger option who possesses a strong work ethic and long-term potential.

In other news, a reliable journalist has provided a key update on Leeds’ pursuit of one player this summer. Find out who it is here.

Barry Fry believes Steve Parish has worked miracles as Crystal Palace edge towards appointing a new boss.

Palace are still seeking Roy Hodgson’s successor after the former England manager walked away from Selhurst Park at the end of the season.

Reports suggest ex-Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira, who was sacked by French club Nice in December, could be appointed as the Eagles’ new chief imminently.

The move comes after former Borussia Dortmund manager Lucien Favre became the latest big name to pass up the opportunity to take charge of Palace.

Fry, who previously claimed Parish could be looking to sell the Premier League club, feels the chairman deserves credit for the job he has done since leading a consortium to acquire Palace and save the club from a second spell in administration 11 years ago.

However, he feels a lack of funds has contributed to Parish being made to contend with problems in finding Hodgson’s replacement.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Peterborough United director of football Fry said: “Steve loves the club. He loves it to death, no doubt about it and he has worked wonders.

“He has been there in very, very difficult situations and the club was going to go out of business before Steve did a lot to keep it alive. He worked miracles at that time.

“Knowing Steve, he wants to take the club forward. He wants a manager and structure that the people behind the scenes, such as the management team, recruitment team and scouting team, will get on board with. But the problem is money.”

Aston Villa have been linked with a move for outgoing Tottenham goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga, as reported by Birmingham Live.

The Lowdown: Villa’s previous interest

This isn’t the first time Villa have been linked with Gazzaniga. Before they signed Emiliano Martinez from Arsenal, the 29-year-old was at the centre of an enquiry from Villa over a possible Midlands switch.

As we know, a deal never got going, and the club’s move for Martinez has proved to be an inspired one, with the shot-stopper keeping 15 clean sheets in the 2020/21 season.

Mauricio Pochettino described Gazzaniga as ‘fantastic’ back in 2019, and it seems as if Villa are interested in his services once again.

The Latest: A move ‘would make a lot of sense’

Birmingham Live shared a story on Thursday evening, claiming Villa are once again linked with the Argentine.

Tottenham recently confirmed that Gazzaniga will be released when his deal expires next month, with The Sun’s Alan Nixon suggesting a free transfer switch to Villa Park ‘would make a lot of sense’.

Gazzaniga, who spent the second half of the season on loan at Elche, was on £20,000-a-week in north London and made 37 appearances for Spurs in total.

The Verdict: A shrewd Heaton replacement?

Tom Heaton, on £42,000-a-week in the Midlands, has reportedly agreed to move to Manchester United this summer when his contract expires.

So, if Gazzaniga is willing to come in as backup alongside Jed Steer to challenge Martinez, it could be a smart signing.

He has 43 Premier League appearances in total under his belt as well as a senior cap for Argentina and Villa wouldn’t have to cough up a penny when it comes to a transfer fee.

At 29 years of age, he could be the quality backup option Villa need for the long term, and a cheaper one than Heaton judging by the wages, so a potential move may well be one to keep a close eye on over the coming months.

In other news: Many AVFC fans buzz over Emiliano Buendia latest, find out more here.  

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Wigan Athletic manager, Paul Jewell, has claimed that Eddie Howe would love to get another Premier League job, amid more uncertainty over his desire to become the new Celtic manager.

Howe took Bournemouth from League One into the Premier League but eventually parted ways with the Cherries after he failed to keep them in the league at the end of the 2019 season.

The former Bournemouth manager has reportedly held talks with Crystal Palace to become their manager next season when Roy Hodgson is expected to leave Selhurst Park, but he is still expected him to take the Celtic job.

Speaking on how Eddie Howe would love another job in the Premier League and how there are still questions about him taking the Celtic job, Jewell exclusively told FFC:

“Eddie Howe could be a good fit for Palace because he is a brilliant young football manager, there’s no doubt about that, but he did go to Burnley where it didn’t quite work out.

“If he got offered another job in the Premier League I’m sure he would jump at the chance.”

It was also reported a few weeks ago that Howe had held talks with Newcastle United but since Steve Bruce has steered them to safety it appears a change there is unlikely.

Howe’s representatives have claimed that he won’t be accepting any job offers until at least the summer when all the seasons have finished.

When Kieran Tierney left Celtic two years ago it was a disappointing moment for everyone associated with the Bhoys.

The Hoops were losing one of their academy gems as the might of the English football once again came calling for one of their best players.

It’s been a recurring theme at Parkhead down the years and it could strike them down again when the window opens next month.

Odsonne Edouard is close to a move to Leicester while Kristoffer Ajer has been watched by Newcastle scouts ahead of a potential switch south of the border.

The duo could rake in pretty handsome fees but Kieran Tierney may still pocket Celtic a hefty sum as well.

That’s because of a shrewd piece of negotiating from Peter Lawwell.

It’s not often you can say that about the Celtic CEO but in selling Tierney to Arsenal for £25m, it included a 15% sell-on fee.

That means that if the Gunners ever sell him, they could receive a tidy windfall in return.

The good news for Celtic is that the Scotland international has been so impressive in Arsenal colours.

He’s become one of their most important players, proving to be a rampant force down the left-hand side with his relentless energy.

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The left-back is second for key passes per match at the Emirates Stadium and has contributed to four goals throughout the current campaign.

Tierney has caught the eye so much that in some circles, they’re touting him to be worth over £50m.

Speaking on the Go Radio Football Show this week, Barry Ferguson said: “What would you have to pay for a Kieran Tierney?  I’m talking £60-£70 million and I don’t care what anybody says. If somebody wants to call in and argue about it.”

He continued: “He’s Arsenal’s top player. He’s not just Scotland’s top player. He’s so important to Mikel Arteta. He was injured there for what, four or five weeks. Only trained that week and he was straight in the team. That’s how important he is.”

Therefore, if Tierney does indeed leave north London, he could fetch Celtic as much as £10.5m.

That would be a very handy boost to the transfer budget at Paradise, especially with the Bhoys needing a mass overhaul in order to achieve parity with Rangers.

As many as 12 players could depart Parkhead this summer so Celtic chiefs will need all the money they can get their hands on in order to rebuild the squad.

The idea of a big fee arriving for a player who has already departed should have the likes of Dominic McKay and Dermot Desmond grinning from ear to ear.

AND in other news, Forget Hickey: McKay can save Celtic millions by unleashing “tricky” rarely-seen 18y/o…

Everton are reportedly interested in signing Pedro from Roma this summer, but it would be a huge mistake by Marcel Brands to bring him to Goodison Park.

What’s the word?

According to Italian news outlet CalcioMercato, Everton are keen on signing the 33-year-old this summer as they look to add to their quality out wide.

It is suggested that Carlo Ancelotti is a long-term admirer of the former Barcelona man, so whether or not Everton will still be interested should the Italian return to Real Madrid ahead of next season remains to be seen.

Would he be a good signing?

Pedro was an excellent player in his prime, impressing with both Barcelona and Chelsea before moving to Roma on a free transfer last summer after his contract at Stamford Bridge expired.

However, he will turn 34 ahead of next season and still has two years left on his contract with the Giallorossi, so it would be a mistake by Everton to spend a fee on bringing him back to the Premier League.

The 2019/20 campaign saw Pedro make just eight starts for Chelsea in the top flight, contributing one goal and one assist and earning a solid if uninspiring 6.78 average match rating from WhoScored.

This does little to suggest that he would be more of a success should he return to the Premier League with Everton this summer, especially after an injury-hit first campaign with the Serie A side.

The former Spain international made 27 appearances in Italy’s top flight this term, contributing five goals and two assists and averaging a less than impressive 6.67 average rating from WhoScored for his performances.

It would be a strange decision by Everton to allow 32-year-old Theo Walcott to join Southampton on a free transfer before bringing in an older, more injury-prone replacement such as Pedro. Whilst the Spaniard has enjoyed an illustrious career, he managed just 29 Premier League goals during his five years at Chelsea (5.8 per season) and is now way past his best.

Walcott’s Premier League goal return of 78 in 15 years is broadly similar (5.2 per season), while many Everton fans seemed less than devastated when reports first emerged in April about the Saints potentially making his loan move a permanent one.

If the Toffees wanted to have an experienced option on the wing in their squad for next season, they may  been better off keeping Walcott rather than signing the £6.75m-rated Pedro.

In other news… Ancelotti should end 11-year Everton association and axe £25k-p/w flop this summer

There is now a growing belief at Tottenham Hotspur that Jose Mourinho will no longer be in charge next season.

That’s according to the ever-reliable Alasdair Gold of football.london, who dropped this bombshell over the weekend.

With only six games left to play in the Premier League, Spurs are five points adrift of West Ham and the top four, making Champions League qualification seem out of reach.

Whilst they’ve been knocked out of both the FA Cup and Europa League in what has been a dismal second half of their 2020/21 season.

One recurring issue has been defensive mistakes, with Mourinho unable to settle on a regular partnership at the back. Indeed, he’s utilised as many as 16 different defensive combinations, so it’s no wonder errors creep in and linger.

Spurs’ calamitous campaign has largely been summed up by their abysmal record when going in front – they have lost a whopping 20 points from winning positions, a feat that would see them occupy second place.

If Mourinho does leave, the new manager would need to alleviate this problem as their top priority, that’s for certain. But who?

Julian Nagelsmann is thought to be Daniel Levy’s top target should he hand the Portuguese his P45, though his inexperience in the Premier League has to be one concerning factor.

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His RB Leipzig team have the best defensive record in the Bundesliga but he’s got quality weapons at his disposal, with the likes of Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konate all better options than Spurs’ current trio of Eric Dier, Toby Alderweireld and Davinson Sanchez.

Perhaps a manager who’s proven a little more with less resource in England is a better fix for this big issue.

Gold believes Fulham boss Scott Parker, who used to play for the Lilywhites, is one to keep an eye on as he still has “a lot of friends” at the club, and they’re monitoring his progress down the river.

Even though the Cottagers are in the relegation zone, he’s done a fantastic job to turn things around, especially defensively, where Lyon loanee Joachim Andersen has looked every bit like a future Premier League star – he’s someone Spurs could also look to sign in the summer, so maybe Levy should try and bring both to north London.

The Daily Mail have previously lauded the 40-year-old for his ‘defensive rebuild’ at Craven Cottage – when they went down in 2019, they leaked a whopping 81 goals. Now, they have the second-best record of any side 13th or below, having conceded only 43 times.

Parker has received glowing praise from two of the best in the English top-flight, too.

Pep Guardiola called him “incredibly good” and Jurgen Klopp echoed has such sentiments.

Perhaps Spurs ought to look to their former midfielder over Nagelsmann at this stage; he hasn’t spent bucketloads and the club’s hierarchy know what he can do all too well.

He could well be the lesser risk in comparison to Nagelsmann this summer.

AND in other news, Spurs can land Aurier upgrade in 22 y/o beast who’s made 74 tackles this term…