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David de Gea did not look comfortable during the penalty shootout in Manchester United’s Europa League final defeat to Villarreal, claims Peterborough director of football Barry Fry.

Fry, an apprentice at United during his youth, recently discussed the Spaniard’s showing and the Red Devils’ heartbreak in Gdansk in an exclusive interview with The Transfer Tavern.

De Gea was unable to save a single penalty before going on to miss his own spot-kick, which proved decisive, in the epic shootout that ended 11-10.

It means United have now not won a major honour since their own Europa League triumph back in 2017.

On the role De Gea played in Ole Gunner Solskjaer side’s disappointing defeat in Poland, Fry said:

“Penalties is a lottery unfortunately and everybody took marvellous penalties. But I just thought David didn’t look comfortable in stopping anything and he didn’t look comfortable taking the penalty, to be honest.”

Since then, it has emerged that the Spain international has now failed to save the last 40 spot-kicks he has faced, a truly damning statistic.

Still, given his quality, you would expect De Gea to bounce back, while supporters will surely be quick to forgive him after everything he has accomplished at the club.

Crystal Palace must swoop for former Everton and Bournemouth striker Josh King this summer.

What’s the story?

It has been confirmed that the 29-year-old will leave the Toffees on a free transfer when his contract expires at the end of June following a disappointing six-month spell on Merseyside.

King failed to score in any of his 11 appearances after joining the Goodison Park outfit and is now able to talk to other clubs ahead of a possible move, having been linked with the Eagles last October only for a move to not materialise.

Imagine him and Zaha

With several players expected to depart Palace over the coming months, who chairman Steve Parish brings in to replace them could be key to the club’s fortunes next season. Key players such as Andros Townsend, Gary Cahill and Patrick van Aanholt are all heading for the exit door at this moment in time, so the Eagles’ recruitment will be vital to their future success.

Budgets are expected to be tight at all clubs this summer as the financial impact of the ongoing pandemic continues to cause problems, adding greater significance to bargain deals and thrifty purchases.

Picking up an experienced Premier League player on a free transfer would certainly come into that category, and acquiring King’s signature would represent a good piece of business for Palace as Parish oversees a significant squad rebuild.

The Norway international has an impressive record in the Premier League, bagging 48 goals and providing 15 assists in 172 top-flight appearances throughout his career, highlighting the quality he would bring to the capital club. Eddie Howe, his former manager at Bournemouth, hailed him as “the complete package” after a two-goal display against Newcastle in March 2019.

Although Palace talisman Wilfried Zaha has made his familiar statement outlining his desire to leave his boyhood club, the reality is that the Ivory Coast international is likely to remain in south London for at least another 12 months.

It could provide the hugely talented star enough time to build up a deadly rapport with King should the latter arrive this summer and fire Selhurst Park outfit to greater heights as they transition into the post-Roy Hodgson era.

At Bournemouth, King was at his scintillating best when he built relationships with Callum Wilson and Ryan Fraser. The prospect of the £45,000-per-week Norwegian developing a similar connection with Zaha is surely enough to get any Palace fan excited.

In other news…Palace could seal their next McArthur in £10.8m-rated gem who has “everything”

Wolves are reportedly eyeing a move for Joao Palhinha in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Wolves need Moutinho replacement

Given that Joao Moutinho is 34 years of age now, the Midlands club need to start to look for a suitbale long-term replacement for him in the middle of the park.

That could well be Palhinha, who at 25 is much younger, and would have learned off of Moutinho having played with each other at international level for Portugal.

The Latest: Wolves eye Palhinha

As per A Bola (via Sport Witness), the Molineux faithful are ‘still’ interested in signing Palhinha, given that they were close to making a bid for the defensive midfield player in last summer’s window.

The Wanderers continue to have him ‘very well referenced’, but they have been warned that his asking price has gone up to €30m (£25.8m).

Current manager at Sporting Lisbon Ruben Amorim considers Palhinha to be an ‘indispensable’ player, which is why his price tag is so high.

The Verdict: Wolves must sign Palhinha

Despite the fairly hefty price tag, WWFC should do all that they can to try and sign Palhinha, as his value will likely only continue to rise.

He was such a key player in Sporting’s title win in the 2020/21 season, winning a really remarkable 9.1 duels a game, while he also averaged 3.3 tackles, 1.5 interceptions and 1.2 clearances per match (Sofascore).

Standing at six-feet-two-inches tall as well, Palhinha should have no trouble whatsoever in adapting to both the physical and aerial demands of the Premier League.

Nonetheless, the summer may provide the best opportunity for Wolves to go out and get their man, who looks to be a real enforcer in the middle of the park.

In other news, find out what Wanderers loved about what one player did on international duty here!

Danny Rose is now a free agent and considering his last taste of first-team football was with Newcastle United, former Toon defender Steve Howey believes that signing the England international would be a great move.

The 30-year-old, who has 194 Premier League appearances under his belt, has been backed to make a sensational return to his boyhood club, Leeds United, by Gabriel Agbonlahor, however Steve Bruce may be interested in the left-back if he can prove his fitness and commitment.

Rose managed to rack up 13 appearances for the Magpies during the 2019/20 season and with left-back being an area of interest for Bruce amid links to Brest’s Romain Perraud, then the former Spurs star could be a viable option.

The former Sunderland defender totally fell out of favour under Jose Mourinho which saw him exiled out of the first-team squad for two seasons but Howey would be happy to see Rose come back to the club as he told The Transfer Tavern:

“He is somebody that is a very good player and an England international. So, if you can get somebody like him and get him playing week in week out on good form, then he would be fantastic and a fantastic recruit.”

Wherever Rose decides to go next it must be a club where he feels loved and adored by the fans, much like Tottenham was for him during the majority of his time spent in north London.

There is no doubt that he is still a top-class defender however, managers will be questioning whether that hunger and desire is still there or if Spurs have wiped that out of him by not giving him any opportunities recently.

Peterborough United Director of Football Barry Fry has confirmed that the club are set to receive millions across the next season due to the clauses included in the deal to sell Ivan Toney to Brentford.

The striker was sold last summer for an initial £5m and has gone on to enjoy a terrific campaign with the Bees as they won promotion to the Premier League.

Toney made a total of 45 appearances in the Championship and scored 31 goals, while also laying on 10 assists, and he was on the scoresheet as Brentford beat Swansea City in the play-off final to seal their promotion.

Fry has previously revealed that Posh landed a £1m windfall because of their rise into the top-tier and he has now told The Transfer Tavern that there will be plenty more money filling the Posh’s coffers over the next few months.

Indeed, he has confirmed there is a sell-on clause, meaning Posh will get a percentage of any fee if he does leave this summer, and there are also clauses for Toney scoring goals and playing games for Brentford next season.

Speaking exclusively to TT, he said: “Going on next season we’ve got a sell-on, so if they do sell him we’re laughing.

“If they don’t sell him, we’ve got a lot of money on games, we’ve got a lot of money on goals, we’ve got a lot of money on Brentford retaining their Premier League status so we’re still in clover with Ivan, it’s an ongoing thing that we’ll get more millions so I’m delighted.”

Leeds United’s Andrea Radrizzani could deliver a major statement this summer by landing Real Madrid’s Marcelo.

What’s the story?

According to The Daily Mirror, Marcelo Bielsa’s side and fellow Premier League outfit Everton are said to be interested in landing the veteran defender this summer, after Madrid decided to sell him.

The report claims that the player’s agents are searching for a new club, especially with his contract expiring in the summer of 2022. It’s also said that it could take a fee of just £5m to prise him away from the Santiago Bernabeu.

Would wow the fans

In a glittering career that has seen him make over 500 appearances for Madrid, and 58 caps for his country, Marcelo has truly established himself as a genuine icon at the Santiago Bernabeu and in world football – when you think of some of the best modern-day left-backs, the Brazilian’s name is right up there near the top of the list.

He’s won a mammoth 23 trophies in his time as a footballer, including four Champions Leagues (three in a row between 2015 and 2018), and five La Liga titles.

And, speaking after a special performance against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, former Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane raved: “Everyone has seen what (he can do with the ball. He’s contributed to the history of this great club and has already been here ten years. It’s also important that one contributes enough to the group and it’s really good to have him here with us as a person and a player.”

It would be a major statement of intent from Radrizzani to lure someone of Marcelo’s iconic status to Elland Road, and would surely send shock-waves around Europe that the club can convince some of the game’s biggest and most high-profile players to join.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/leeds-united-marcelo-bielsa-transfer-gossip-rumours-news-elland-road-rodrigo-de-paul” title=”Read the latest Leeds transfer rumours and news!”]

Leeds fans would surely be wowed at the prospect of seeing someone of the Brazilian’s calibre and title-winning credentials rock up. Marquee signings, even those who are near the end of their careers like Marcelo is at 33, can help elevate the profile of a club and have players, agents and fans across the world sit up and take notice.

It would be the kind of signing that gets people talking, and could even act as the catalyst for other big-name signings in the future.

Meanwhile, Bielsa must make a ruthless call on this Leeds United star…

Former Leeds United midfielder Carlton Palmer fears Marcelo’s wages would have a negative impact on the Whites’ dressing room.

Talk of the Real Madrid left-back joining Leeds this summer has recently emerged, with the Mirror reporting that the Yorkshire club are ready to do battle with Premier League rivals Everton for his signature.

According to one website, Marcelo is currently earning over £250,000 a week. And while you would not expect him to be paid anywhere near that at Leeds, a side who were only promoted to the top flight last year, a player of that profile is still likely to command big wages.

It is a concern for Palmer, who has warned his old side about paying one player so much money. On the Brazilian potentially moving to Elland Road this summer, the ex-Leeds star told FFC:

“I remember when we were at Leeds United and they brought in Tony Yeboah. If you bring in a player like Tony Yeboah and he’s on more money than everybody else, you get away with it because Tony Yeboah was getting us a win bonus, getting us into Europe.

“He delivered, he came and delivered and he was a great lad – then you get away with that. It’s when you’ve got a player that comes in who earns an awful lot of money and doesn’t do it, and then it kills the dressing room. You’ve got to be very, very careful.”

It is certainly something for Leeds to consider, who will have to give the 33-year-old a two-year contract, according to the same Mirror report.

Celtic are in advanced talks with Charlie Wyke regarding a move to Parkhead this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Football Insider, who claimed that the 28-year-old has informed Ange Postecoglou that he would require a four-year deal to join the Bhoys, in addition to requesting that his current £6,400-per-week salary at Sunderland is doubled, as well as asking for a multimillion-pound signing-on fee.

Previous reports have revealed that the centre-forward is a man in demand, with Championship trio Cardiff City, Nottingham Forest and Millwall all thought to have held talks with the £270,000-rated man this summer, although The Northern Echo claimed that Celtic are confident of getting a deal over the line for Wyke in the coming weeks.

Forget Edouard

With Odsonne Edouard likely moving onto pastures new this summer – the 23-year-old is heavily linked with a move to Leicester City – as well as Leigh Griffiths being out of contract at the end of the month and the Hoops having already sold Patryk Klimala back in April, centre-forward is certainly an area in which it would seem Postecoglou must strengthen this summer.

Considering the remarkable form Wyke showed for Sunderland last season, the soon-to-be free agent would appear to be a player who could well be the answer to the Celtic manager’s attacking prayers.

Indeed, over his 45 League One appearances last term, the 28-year-old scored a whopping 26 goals, registered three assists and created six big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.4 shots and making one key pass per game.

These returns saw Wyke earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.36, ranking him as Lee Johnson’s best performer in the division.

As such, while these performances may already have been enough to convince Postecoglou to move for the man whom Johnson dubbed a “clinical” striker this summer, that Wyke looks set to be available to sign on a free transfer should result in the Celtic boss doing everything he can to get a deal over the line in the coming weeks. The 28-year-old could well prove to be the spark which fires the Hoops back to the top of the Premiership standings next term.

In other news: Get him gone: Postecoglou must ruthlessly axe “unacceptable” £14k-p/w Celtic disaster

An update has emerged regarding West Ham’s interest in Mikkel Damsgaard.

What’s the talk?

According to La Razon, as transcribed by West Ham World, the Hammers are among a number of clubs interested in signing the 21-year-old this summer following his impressive performances for Denmark at the European Championship.

The report claimed that Tottenham, Barcelona and Liverpool are also running the rule over the Sampdoria midfielder, whilst David Moyes is hoping West Ham can swoop in ahead of some huge European clubs to secure his services in the coming weeks.

Fans would love him

West Ham fans would surely love to have Damsgaard at the London Stadium next season should he come through the door in the summer transfer window. He is an exciting young winger and could get supporters off their seats with his driving runs down the flank. The 21-year-old likes to get at his opponents and commit defenders, which could fantastic to watch for those who want to see the kind of fast-paced, attacking football for which the Irons are historically renowned.

Damsgaard has been particularly impressive for Denmark at the European Championship. In three games for his country at the finals, he has produced one goal and one assist and averaged an excellent WhoScored rating of 7.25, completing eight dribbles and creating five chances. Not only does this highlight his willingness to run head first at the opposition and make things happen, it also shows that he has the mentality required to perform at the very top level in a major international tournament.

TV2’s football expert Martin Mikkelsen hailed Damsgaard as being “magical” and praised how mature he is in terms of his decision-making in the final third despite his young age, saying: “He’s magical – what speed!

“He is dynamic and can go both ways. He is creative but also so mature in his decisions.”

The £11.7m-rated dynamo could be a terrific addition to West Ham’s squad and that is why Moyes must ensure that a deal can be done for the Danish winger. He has proven his class at international level and was directly involved in six goals for Sampdoria in the Serie A last term, showing that he has experience playing top-flight football and could adapt to regular Premier League action relatively quickly.

Moyes could have the chance to develop him over the course of several years. Damsgaard turns 21 today and has the majority of his career ahead of him, which means that he would be in no rush to have an instant impact at the London Stadium. The former Everton boss could take his time with the youngster and make sure that he is ready to come in before giving him regular minutes in the team, whereas that may not be the case with an older signing who could expect to play straight away.

AND in other news, Imagine him and Soucek: West Ham must seal swoop for £17m maestro, Moyes needs him…

Sunderland fans are eager for the club to sign Alex Pritchard this summer after the club were linked with a move for the 28-year-old.

The Black Cats are preparing for the 21/22 campaign, one in which they will once again be targetting promotion to the Championship. However, despite losing a number of players such as Josh Scowen, Max Power, Grant Leadbitter and Charlie Wyke, they have so far made just one signing – a 20-year-old goalkeeper called Jacob Carney (safc.com).

However, it seems they are at least looking at several targets, one of which is Alex Pritchard as per Football League World. The £2.25m-valued attacking midfielder (Transfermarkt) is currently a free agent and struggled at Huddersfield, but he has plenty of talent and could be an astute signing for Sunderland if they can capture his services.

The Black Cats supporters, it appears, would be keen to take him to Stadium of Light, and they took to social media platform Twitter to share their thoughts on the speculation.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Pritchard link below

“Massive if true. Would rip up league 1 and proper statement of intent. Can’t see it, he’s too good for L1.”

Credit: @WW4__

“Instantly be the best player in League One by a mile.”

Credit: @kielwats0n

“Bang on exactly what we need especially with Maguire gone now”

Credit: @BenCra1g

“Would be a big statement if he joins!”

Credit: @lewygsafc

“Good signing if we get him”

Credit: @molej4mes

“If this is real it’s CLASS”

Credit: @Johnnnn31230606

In other news, Sunderland fans were far from happy with this club tweet.