It sure is getting hot in the England Premier League copy market! Clubs are racing to get deals done before the start of a new season. Teams like Crystal Palace, Chelsea & Tottenham Hotspur are all making big splashes and offseason moves worth paying attention to, even teams like Leeds United. At the same time, Sky Sports has declared its largest ever investment into live coverage of Premier League matches.
Sky Sports confirmed it will broadcast at least 215 live Premier League games this season, a substantial increase from the previous 128. This change is designed to increase access for viewers and give fans greater freedom to watch their preferred teams go head-to-head.
Premier League side Crystal Palace are leading the race to sign Bilal El Khannouss, with the Eagles making an official approach for the highly-skilled Amsterda. His imminent arrival would be the trigger for sale of Eberechi Eze to Tottenham Hotspur. The London club, of course, has recently said to ramped-up its interest in Eze, making a big play for a £60 million deal.
Chelsea’s transfer market activities have been characterized by plenty of high-profile pursuits getting away and falling through. The club is now believed to be working on their own £30m player-plus-cash offer to West Ham for Mohammed Kudus. Kudus chose to sign with Tottenham in the end. Now Chelsea are hoping to poach Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United. Negotiations are currently at an impasse as Chelsea have failed to move away from their quoted valuation of Christopher Nkunku.
In yet another unexpected twist, Tottenham Hotspur has tied down ominous presence Cristian Romero to a new contract. This new contract sees him joined as the club’s highest-paid player and runs until 2029. This calculated move highlights the club’s commitment to keep their best talent as they work to strengthen their roster for the 2024 season.
Crystal Palace’s discussions over an extension to England defender Marc Guehi’s contract, which expires in 2025, have recently stalled, with Liverpool thought to be keen. The Eagles are still playing hardball on Guehi, though, insisting on the highest possible price. With that as the backdrop, Palace has been working on a contingency plan. As for the back line, they are looking at Rennes’ Jeremy Jacquet.
At the same time, Chelsea are angling for loan moves for Raheem Sterling, signalling a very possible change in their squad’s direction. Sterling’s future at the club is far from guaranteed as Chelsea looks to continue with their long-term transfer strategy while these talks continue.
Leeds United have agreed a deal in principal for Milan winger Noah Okafor. On paper, this signing gives an important boost to their attacking options. The club is keen to enhance its squad ahead of the new season and sees Okafor as a valuable asset.
In yet another sign of change, giants Bayern Munich tried to coax Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku on loan as part of a tabling spree but failed with their bid. The injury will likely impact Chelsea’s plans with Nkunku and its broader transfer strategy.
Celtic are poised to reap a financial reward from Ben Gannon Doak’s transfer from Liverpool to Bournemouth. According to BBC Sport, this move will net the Scottish club a seven-figure windfall. Unsurprisingly, this move reinforces the current trend of players leaving Premier League clubs for foreign leagues as opposed to others in the league.
Finally, Napoli has added Jamie Vardy to its list of options following the injury setback of Romelu Lukaku, who will be sidelined for three months. Given Vardy’s experience and goal-scoring ability, he’d present himself as an interesting prospect for Napoli as they aim to further strengthen their squad.
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