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Crystal Palace have been in contact to sign a “fantastic” Premier League striker, with his club now willing to cash-in for the right fee this month.

Palace stepping up pursuit of new striker amid interest in Mateta

Jean-Philippe Mateta didn’t exactly put himself in the shop window with his performance against Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon, receiving a SofaScore match rating of 5.8, after winning just two of the nine duels he contested in the disappointing 2-0 defeat.

However, as the Frenchman’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season, and fresh terms are yet to be agreed, interest from some rival Premier League clubs is now starting to grow.

With that in mind, Palace have now set out to bring in a potential replacement, and it was recently revealed that Strasbourg star Joaquin Panichelli has been identified as their top target.

However, another option has also entered the frame, according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states the Eagles have been in contact over a deal for Wolverhampton Wanderers star Jorgen Strand Larsen, but they are not alone in their pursuit.

Indeed, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham are also in the race for the striker, with his current employers willing to cash-in for £40m this month, given that they are almost certain to be relegated from the Premier League.

With Wolves keen to protect the Norwegian’s value, they are now open to a sale, but the Eagles should have some reservations about pursuing a move for the former Celta Vigo man…

Strand Larsen would be risky signing for Palace

Crystal Palace have already broken their transfer record once this month, shelling out £35m to sign Brennan Johnson from Tottenham Hotspur, and they may need to do so again if they are to win the race for the Wolves centre-forward.

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However, the Halden-born striker’s performances this season leave a lot to be desired, having been relegated to the bench for the past three Premier League matches, as a result of scoring just one goal this term.

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There are some indications the Norway international could be a success at Selhurst Park, given that he scored 14 top-flight goals last season, during which time the Wolves ace was lauded as “fantastic” by former manager Vitor Pereira.

The Eagles’ main priority, however, should be to keep hold of Mateta, as despite struggling against Newcastle last time out, the 28-year-old has been reliable in front of goal this season, netting eight goals in 20 Premier League outings.

Arsenal delivered a devastating statement of intent in the Premier League title race with a commanding 4-1 demolition of third-placed Aston Villa to stretch their advantage at the top to five points heading into 2026.

Manager Mikel Arteta described the emphatic victory as a “beautiful evening” after his side exacted revenge for their stoppage-time defeat at Villa Park 24 days earlier.

Goals from Gabriel Magalhaes, Martin Zubimendi, Leandro Trossard and a first from Gabriel Jesus since New Year’s Day had the Gunners four goals to the good at one point of the rout before Ollie Watkins bagged a consolation on his birthday.

Arsenal have now scored 22 set-piece goals, excluding penalties, in consecutive years, becoming only the second team to achieve this feat after AFC Wimbledon between 1993 and 1996.

Gabriel’s 19th Premier League goal also represents the most scored by any defender since his September 2020 debut in the competition.

Villa now sit six points adrift of the leaders with their title challenge potentially extinguished by the scale of this defeat.

Manager Unai Emery had played down championship talk in his pre-match comments, insisting such discussions did “not make sense” for his team, and this chastening experience vindicated his caution.

Second-placed Man City can reduce the gap to two points when they visit Sunderland on New Year’s Day, though Pep Guardiola’s side find themselves under mounting pressure following Arsenal’s most convincing performance in several weeks.

Related Jamie Carragher urges Mikel Arteta to drop Arsenal star after Aston Villa rout

The Sky pundit has made his feelings clear.

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The Gunners now travel to Bournemouth on Saturday seeking to maintain momentum in what promises to be a grueling title race over the campaign’s second half.

Off the field, sporting director Andrea Berta is working on ways to strengthen Arteta’s squad in any way possible, whether that be in January or next summer.

Arteta has confirmed that Arsenal could be active next month, and a report from CaughtOffside has claimed that Real Madrid sensation Arda Güler is on their radar.

Arsenal view Arda Güler as "Odegaard-style" signing on loan-to-buy

The Turkey international, according to their information, is viewed by Arsenal as a potential “Odegaard-style” project signing via a loan-to-buy deal, even if Xabi Alonso is very reluctant to let him leave.

Right now, Berta and Arsenal are admirers of Guler as they continue montioring his development at the Bernabeu.

The talented playmaker has transformed into a regular starter under Alonso following the Spaniard’s appointment as Real boss last summer.

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Guler has established himself as a genuine mainstay in Los Blancos’ midfield after limited action last term, contributing three goals and seven assists across 25 appearances in all competitions.

The transformation represents vindication for Real’s decision to snub reported loan approaches from multiple clubs, including Bayer Leverkusen, Real Sociedad and AC Milan, over recent windows.

Alonso’s determination to retain Guler could prove decisive in any potential negotiations.

The manager has deployed him primarily as a left-sided attacking midfielder, mirroring the role Florian Wirtz occupied during Alonso’s successful spell at Leverkusen, and Real’s boss has even compared him to the Liverpool star.

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Matthew Bell reached 188 before his captain declared © Getty Images

ScorecardWellington wrestled their way back to the top of the table with a 90-run win against Canterbury in Wellington. Matthew Bell’s second-innings 188 helped them to 414 for 8 declared, to set Canterbury 358 and they promptly bowled out their visitors for 267, Dewayne Bowden leading the attack with three wickets.Bell’s unbeaten 188 contained 24 fours and he received good support from Neal Parlane and Grant Elliott, who both made fifties. Parlane also made a half-century in the first innings, as did Chris Nevin, while Brandon Hiini bagged his third five-wicket haul to bowl them out for 256.Kruger van Wyk gave Canterbury hope with 42 to go with his first-innings 111, as they reached 213 for 6. This was some recovery from 139 for 5, the bulk of which was Peter Fulton’s 92. But van Wyk’s dismissal, bowled by Charlie Shreck for 42, brought about a further collapse of 5 for 54. Shreck grabbed another wicket to bring his match haul to seven, following his 5 for 77 in the first innings.Fraser Quarterman struck first in the second dig, removing Shanan Stewart, before Bowden opened his account by bowling Michael Papps for 28. He went on to trap Johann Myburgh for a duck and remove Hiini for 20.

Team	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	Draw	Aban	Pts	Quotient	For	Against
Wellington	3	2	0	0	1	0	16	1.371	1711/43	1742/60
Auckland	2	1	0	0	1	0	10	2.407	918/22	572/33
Canterbury	3	1	1	0	1	0	8	0.913	1466/48	1706/51
Central Dist	2	0	1	0	1	0	2	0.737	923/29	1079/25
Northern Dis	2	0	2	0	0	0	2	0.622	967/40	971/25
Otago	2	0	0	0	2	0	0	0.710	1392/36	1307/24

Glenn McGrath has the thumbs-up from Stuart Clark © Getty Images

Stuart Clark has urged his retiring mentor Glenn McGrath to help Australia with his vast playing experience after he quits.McGrath and Shane Warne will play their last Test in Tuesday’s fifth and final Ashes encounter against England at the SCG, although McGrath, 36, will play in the World Cup in March before retiring.Clark has been a revelation in his first eight Test matches taking 42 wickets, half of them in the Ashes. He believe his fellow seam bowler McGrath would be too useful a resource to be lost to Australian cricket once he retires. Clark said he learned the art of fast bowling from studying McGrath at close hand.The two have been team-mates at club, state and national level and have similar bowling actions. They also share the ability to find good bounce and movement off the seam, and maintain accuracy.”He’s retiring from Australian cricket but I don’t think he’ll be lost to Australian cricket,” Clark told reporters in Sydney on Sunday. “There’s a lot of knowledge in that 13-year career so we’ll be doing everything we can, whether it’s for Australia or for NSW, to be keeping him around the team.”Clark said McGrath and Warne were irreplaceable, but he was focused on forming a strong, lasting new-ball partnership with Brett Lee. Lee and Clark bowled impressively in the fourth Test, where their combined 11 wickets helped Australia beat England by an innings and 99 runs.”Partnerships in bowling work like batting,” he said. “If you get a good one it can lead the whole team into a good position in any Test.”

Bermuda’s authorities have finally acted over the disgraceful scenes which marred this year’s Somerset-St George’s cup match.Almost four months after the game, the Bermuda Cricket Board fired Herbie Bascome, the Under-19 coach, and put George O’ Brien jr and Stephen Outerbridge on suspension for two years. The pair had already been fined by their clubs.The match itself was an ill-tempered affair, and it has continued to overshadow Bermuda’s other achievements in recent months. That has not been helped by the time it has taken the BCB to address the issue.Bascome, who captained St George’s, was also put on probation for two years and told he couldn’t coach a national side until January 2007. He was accused of sledging during the game. He had denied the claims, and his punishment appeared to be harsh considering that meted out to the other two for their behaviour – O’Brien allegedly punched Outerbridge, after the latter reportedly spat on him.The pair are expected to be included in Bermuda’s World Cup squad, although it seems unlikely that they will room together.

Harbhajan will be back at one of his favourite grounds come April© Getty Images

Harbhajan Singh expressed his happiness at Surrey having chosen him as their overseas player for the 2005 season. Speaking after the first day’s play against South Africa at Kanpur, Harbhajan said that he was looking forward to playing at The Oval, one of his favourite hunting grounds.In his only Test there, the fourth and final game of the 2002 series, Harbhajan picked up 5 for 115 in the first innings of the high-scoring encounter which was finally drawn with Michael Vaughan falling five short of his double century after Rahul Dravid had compiled 217.His last match at the ground was during the NatWest Challenge against England where he finished with 2 for 14, one of his most economical spells, in a match where England scored 307. Harbhajan suggested that his display that day might have impressed the Surrey bigwigs. “I have fond memories of the ground where one of my best figures have come,” he said, adding that Surrey had approached him with an offer during the ICC Champions Trophy that followed.”I was keen and had to wait for the Indian Board’s approval, which has finally come now,” he said. This is not the first time that Harbhajan has agreed to a contract with an English county. In 2003, he agreed terms with Lancashire, only to skip the entire campaign after he was advised to rest the troublesome finger which subsequently needed surgery in Australia last winter.

At 32, it is unlikely that Habibul Bashar will ever set the world alight. But for the time being he is providing a ray of hope every time he goes out to bat for Bangladesh. With 376 runs already in the series against Pakistan, Bashar has earned his team some long-overdue respect.In an exclusive with Wisden CricInfo, Bashar spoke to Nagraj Gollapudi about his new-found self belief, and his evolution as a player.You seem to do well against Pakistan – one century and five fifties so far.
I don’t look at it that way at all. It’s just that I somehow ended up performing well against them.

“Whatmore has contributed a lot … He just wants us to perform from our hearts and his motivational words have given us this self belief.”

But so far in this series you are the highest run-getter.
I have finally found the self-belief, which was not there previously. Before this series, I had this psychological block and was unable to convert my fifties into hundreds. But I can confidently say that block is no more, now that I’ve reached my second Test century.

Time to celebrate: Habibul Bashar after scoring his second Test hundred © AFP

So how did it feel after getting that century?
It was like a mountain off my shoulders. Throughout the previous night I was unable to sleep properly: I went to bed around midnight and suddenly woke up at three o’clock. I couldn’t settle down, always thinking about the century, which was just 18 runs away. But throughout this misery I was positive, telling myself that I would be able to break that barrier. I was very angry with myself for playing a rash shot when on 71 in the first innings, and my only aim then was to improve on that effort. My 97 at Peshawar showed that the Karachi effort wasn’t just a fluke, and I almost made another big one today, but got out in a casual fashion. [He made a valuable 72 in the third Test at Multan]Where did this self belief come from?
Our coach Dav Whatmore explained to me how important my role is as a senior player and batsman: the team’s batting relies on me and the youngsters in the team look to me to show them the direction. When I started playing I was like any other rookie batsman and I used to just swing the bat at anything. I still am not brilliant at restraining my aggression, but I am steadily learning to be patient and more focused on the job.So Whatmore really has made such a big impact in so short a time?
Yes, truly – in this short time – without really doing anything, he has contributed a lot. By that, I mean he doesn’t do anything special. He is never negative in what he says, and whatever’s on his mind, he gives it to us straight. He just wants us to perform from our hearts and his motivational words have given us this self belief. You would argue, why wasn’t this approach taken by the former men in charge? And it’s true – they never gave us that kind of belief. We were never confident enough to show the kind of intensity we are now showing on the field.How much progress do you think Bangladesh has made since acquiring Test status?
We are getting there, and with more experience and more games we’ll raise our standards further. And with the type of guys like Dav to lend a hand, I am confident Bangladesh will soon thrive and make real progress. When we first played Test cricket, the team consisted of a few oldies who were past their best, and no-one to give us proper guidance, so it was really difficult to make the desired growth quickly enough. However, at the moment there has been an infusion of raw talent, which needs time and proper nurturing if the individuals and team are to prosper. So there has been progress, even if it’s been minimal.

“The Australian series was like a watershed for Bangladesh cricket. Before that there was no direction to our game – we were just drifting along …”

Does Bangladesh have a strong domestic structure in place to produce international talent?
Our structure is not perfect, but I would say we are getting there. The grounds – including the national stadium at Dhaka – are not up to global standards, but the Bangladesh Cricket Board is doing a great job and trying to help the players. So I feel it would take a few more years – two or three – for things to fall in the proper places.What about the pool of young talent: is it healthy or running dry?
I would like to cite an example. Before we were granted Test status there were about 100 youngsters watching cricket, but today there are thousands more watching the game. So for every hundred there may be one genuine talent, and likewise ten more for every thousand. Cricket is the most popular sport at the moment in Bangladesh and our good performances have given hope to young ones and parents alike in opting for the game. And I feel very happy about that.You’ve been in great positions in the first two Tests of this tour, only to throw it away. How can you change that?
As I said, most of the batsmen are still young and at an impressionable age. So it is very difficult for them to curb their impulses. They can only be cured as they gain experience. Also, for that to happen, a senior player like me has to lead by example.Doesn’t that mean that your captain, Khaled Mahmud, will be having a negative impact on the youngsters?
Yes, it does, but he [Mahmud] is just unable to get it right. However, I can tell you one thing – over the years, Mahmud has been liked by everyone in the dressing-room and he really is a good leader of men. Unfortunately he hasn’t produced the goods to back that up. The team understands that and we hope he gets in the groove soon.What about the bowlers – do they have the talent to claim 20 wickets in a Test?
You know we don’t have it at the moment, but there are youngsters who are showing the right kind of attitude to make inroads into the opposition. But I think we need a real match-winning spinner. Without that it is really difficult to take regular wickets.You’ve suffered 17 defeats in a row. Do you really have enough self belief to enter a Test match with a positive attitude?
Till now it wasn’t there, but the Australian series was like a watershed for Bangladesh cricket. Before that there was no direction to our game – we were just drifting along, but in reality we were drifting apart. However, Whatmore helped us just in time. Also, the Australian players gave us enough motivation by chatting to us and helping us improve our game. We were very touched by that kind of gesture coming from the best and toughest side in the world. That trip helped us tidy up our mistakes and we have done a fair job so far in Pakistan. But there’s lots more to do.

As if anxious to spend as little time as possible at Goodyear Park, India took just 11.3 overs to sweep to a 10-wicket victory over Kenya in their Standard Bank One-Day International on Friday evening.There were very few spectators in to watch the two “away” teams in this triangular and those that were present might have felt a little short-changed in terms of overs for money. Kenya lasted only 37.1 overs in making 90 and, in all, the match consisted of just 48.4 overs.India didn’t bother to used their regular openers, Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar, entrusting the task of knocking off the runs to Deep Dasgupta and Virender Sehwag. In many respects Sehwag is a Tendulkar lookalike and apart from the resemblance he played a Tendulkaresque innings, helping himself to 55 before the match ended. Dasgupta’s contribution was 24.The gulf in class between the haves and the have-nots of international cricket was never more evident than on Friday as the Kenyans were simply blown away. The only thing that went right for them was winning the toss, but even this proved a mixed blessing.Ajit Agarkar bowled Ravindu Shah with the last ball of the second over and from there on things went downhill for Kenya. Agarkar’s opening six-over spell brought him three for 9 and he was to come back later in the innings to finish with four for 27.And when he wasn’t in action from the Loch Logan end, Anil Kumble was, claiming three leg before victims as he took three for 14 in his 10 overs. It was an innings, in fact, mostly notable for its statistics – eight wickets fell to bowlers operating from the Loch Logan end, there were five lbw victims, four batsmen out bowled and just one catch in the innings – and an umpiring curiosity.When Thomas Odoyo had 9 he was adjudged run out by umpire Dave Orchard after being sent back by Martin Suji. As he left the field, the third umpire Wilf Diedricks got on the radio to Orchard to inform him that he’d made a mistake.At this point Odoyo was already off the field of play, but Orchard reversed his decision and called Odoyo back. It was, in the end, the right decision, but Orchard got to it by probably the wrong procedure. In a match so one-sided as this one it made no difference, but in a tighter contest a major controversy would almost certainly have erupted.How much Kenya benefited from this trouncing is a moot point. It is one thing to argue that the East Africans, and other lesser sides, need to play the bigger teams for experience, but one-sided humiliations serve very little purpose for anyone.And, certainly, the Bloemfontein public voted with their feet by almost completely ignoring this match. A head-to-head series between South Africa and India would have provided six or seven matches and far better cricket than the mismatches currently involving Kenya.Perhaps the only positive feature of the entire match was the fact that by winning so easily India have now moved to the top of the triangular table on run rate over South Africa.

Being heavily linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur back in the summer of 2018, Daniel Levy ultimately failed to pull his finger out for then-Aston Villa playmaker Jack Grealish.

Indeed, despite it being reported that the 26-year-old had identified Spurs as his preferred destination, as well as Villa demanding a fee in the region of just £40m in order to part with the England international, the Tottenham chairman did not manage to get a deal over the line for the versatile forward – with Grealish remaining a Villa player.

However, just three years later, Levy’s indecision concerning the Birmingham-born sensation was made to look extremely foolish, with Manchester City coughing up £100m in order to prise the attacking midfielder away from Aston Villa – breaking the British transfer record in doing so.

And, considering the form the £72m-rated forward had been in for the Midlands club in the season prior to his move, it is not difficult to understand why Pep Guardiola believed the 26-year-old would be worth his hefty price tag.

Indeed, over his 26 Premier League appearances in 2020/21, the £250k-per-week star scored six goals, provided ten assists and created 14 big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.9 shots and making a quite remarkable 3.2 key passes – the joint-most in the division, alongside Kevin De Bruyne – per game.

These returns saw the player who Aston Villa podcaster Steve Froggat dubbed a “world-class superstar” earn a breathtaking seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.54, not only ranking him as Villa’s best performer in the league but also as the fourth-best player in the top flight as a whole.

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As such, while hindsight is a wonderful thing, considering the world-beater Grealish has turned into since Tottenham’s failed attempts to sign the forward back in 2018, Levy’s inability to get a deal over the line for the playmaker has undoubtedly proven to be something of a nightmare for Spurs – as not only have the north London side missed out one of the most exciting players in world football but also a colossal payday.

AND in other news: David Ornstein drops huge behind the scenes Spurs claim, Conte will be buzzing

West Indies Under-19 entered the quarter-final of the World Cup in controversial and tense circumstances, as Keemo Paul effected a mankad to claim the last Zimbabwe Under-19 wicket – that of Richard Ngarava – with three runs needed off the final over. Paul ran through the bowling crease without entering his delivery stride and broke the stumps, catching the non-striker Ngarava with his bat on the line while he was standing a couple of steps out of his crease.The two on-field umpires conferred before asking West Indies if they wanted to uphold the appeal, and once it was confirmed that they did, the third umpire was called in and found the batsman just on the line, ending Zimbabwe’s campaign in a game they had to win to make the quarter-final. The dismissal was within the rules of the game.A visibly upset Zimbabwe captain Brandon Mavuta refused to comment on the mankad after the game “We got so close, no comment about it. I don’t have anything to say right now,” Mavuta said. “No comment.”The West Indies captain Shimron Hetmyer said he was comfortable with the decision to appeal for the wicket. “I would say yes, cricket is a game of uncertainties, we’ve seen it happen in cricket before, it’s not a big deal for us.””Probably not,” said Hetmyer, when he was asked if he thought if it was in the spirit of the game.The Zimbabwe manager Admire Marodza said the team was unhappy but there was little they could do but console the players because the dismissal was within the rules. “It is too early to comment but we are trying to get emotions under control in the dressing-room. Everyone is disappointed at the loss,” Marodza said. “Rules are rules. We can’t change them and we can’t change what happened. A run-out is a run-out. I don’t think it is anything to protest about. We are not happy about losing the game from such a good position. The way our boys competed, it is an achievement. We are happy how we played in this tournament.”The Zimbabwe coach Stephen Mangongo said he was “disappointed with the way the game ended.””I have debriefed the boys in the dressing room and they were all crying,” Mangongo said. “We have explained that technically the run-out is legal. We left it to the last man and we should not have done that. It was a hard lesson and they have learnt it the hard way.”I am proud of my boys. Restricting the West Indies for 226 on a batting-friendly wicket was a good performance and we were up for the chase. And like any other games, we lost quick wickets under pressure.West Indies coach Graeme West said he felt sorry for Zimbabwe after the game. “I can imagine what they must be going through now. I feel sorry for them because they got themselves into winning positions and then we pulled it back. I share their disappointment.”