Crystal Palace's Bold £50m Move for Jarrod Bowen
Crystal Palace are ready to test the market’s nerve with a bold £50m move to haul Jarrod Bowen back to the Premier League, according to reports. The London club are said to be lining up an audacious offer as they look to add proven top-flight firepower to their attack.
While Palace plot a marquee signing, Al Hilal are circling the English game with heavyweight intent. The Saudi Pro League side are reported to be working on a double swoop for Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli and Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins, underlining once again their determination to lure elite talent away from the Premier League.
Watkins’ situation at Villa took a dramatic twist at the weekend. In the wake of Villa’s bruising 4-0 defeat to Brighton at the Amex on Sunday, Unai Emery pointedly refused to deny claims that the forward had declined to play. The omission and the manager’s stance have only intensified speculation around the England international’s future.
Over at Old Trafford, Manchester United’s interest in Alejandro Balde has a new layer. The Barcelona full-back was left out of the squad for their LaLiga opener against Elche, a decision that will not go unnoticed by United’s recruitment team as they continue to assess defensive options.
Away from transfer intrigue, Anfield and St James’ Park shared a poignant moment. Liverpool and Newcastle supporters united to pay tribute to Kevin Keegan ahead of their clash on the opening Premier League weekend, saluting a figure who remains a giant for both clubs.
EFL shake-up is coming too. Preston North End forward Milutin Osmajic, one of the more controversial figures in the English game after a series of bans, is set to leave the country. He has agreed a move to Serie A side Genoa, a switch that brings his combustible spell in England to a close.
On the continent, Paul Pogba is making moves off the pitch as his career shifts away from AS Monaco. The former Manchester United midfielder has slashed the asking price of his five-bedroom Cheshire mansion, cutting £450,000 from the original £3.95m tag after struggling to find a buyer. It’s a significant reduction that mirrors the uncertainty around the next phase of his career.
In Spain, Diego Simeone has stepped in to cool a potential flashpoint. Arsenal target Julian Alvarez did not join his Atletico Madrid team-mates in applauding the home support after the final whistle on Sunday, but Simeone insisted the decision was pre-planned rather than a sign of unrest. For clubs tracking Alvarez, every gesture is being scrutinised.
Germany, meanwhile, has crowned a familiar face. Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane has been voted the 2026 player of the year in Germany by an association of sports journalists, finishing ahead of team-mate Michael Olise. The award underlines Kane’s dominance in the Bundesliga and his status as the standard-setter in German football.
North of the border, the transfer carousel is spinning again. Couhaib Driouech now looks likely to leave PSV after all, just nine days after his proposed move to Rangers collapsed. The winger’s future is back in flux, with fresh interest expected.
Former Celtic winger Nicolas Kuhn is also at a crossroads. He has been placed on the transfer list after being left out of Como’s squad entirely, a clear signal that the Italian club are ready to listen to offers.
Celtic themselves are preparing to move. The Scottish champions are poised to step up their pursuit of Gvidas Gineitis after Tuesday’s Champions League play-off, with recruitment plans firmly tied to their European ambitions.
