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Desperately looking to turn their form around following a disastrous start to their Premier League campaign, Crystal Palace could be boosted by the return of a player who’s been sidelined for the last four games.

Crystal Palace injury news

Although injuries to the likes of Trevoh Chalobah and Adam Wharton have far from helped their cause, plenty of other factors have been at play in Palace’s incredibly disappointing start to the season. Currently sat in the Premier League’s bottom three, the Eagles have been a shadow of the side that defeated Liverpool at Anfield during the early months of Oliver Glasner’s tenure.

"Special" 4-2-3-1 manager keen on replacing Glasner at Crystal Palace

He has beaten the Eagles 10 times in his managerial career.

ByHenry Jackson Oct 18, 2024

The Eagles recently came full circle on that front just before the international break, when the Reds reversed their fortunes to pick up a narrow 1-0 victory and compound Palace’s misery just seven games into the season.

Truth be told, the international break came at the perfect time for Glasner and his side, who will likely be boosted by one returning player, albeit not until after their return to Premier League action on Monday night.

As reported by LondonWorld, Cheick Doucoure is set to return to Crystal Palace training and will be in line to return after the Nottingham Forest clash – by which time, he will have missed five matches for the Eagles.

In search of their first league win of the season, the return of the defensive midfielder should at least help to solve Glasner’s leaky defence in the coming weeks.

Glasner revealed the news, saying via the official Crystal Palace website: “No new injuries, so that’s a positive thing. They all came back from their national teams in good shape.

“But also no new injured players are coming back, so we have the same squad [as against Liverpool]. It looks like Cheick Doucouré will train with us after the Nottingham [Forest] game – at least parts of the training sessions – so he’s maybe the guy who is closest to returning.”

"Quick" Doucoure could spark turnaround

Sealing victory against Nottingham Forest on Monday and welcoming back Doucoure would have Palace’s week off to the perfect start. The defensive midfielder will be desperate to finally put his injury struggles behind him, having also missed the majority of the last campaign before struggling so far this season.

Palace will certainly share that sentiment given how fragile they’ve looked at the heart of their midfield without their £70,000-a-week star, who U23 scout Antonio Mango previously dubbed “quick” and “strong”.

Next to Wharton, Doucoure may even help to take those at Selhurst Park back to the type of form they initially showed under Glasner. As things stand, of course, the Eagles are heading down a dangerous and unexpected path towards Premier League relegation. Despite having plenty of time to turn things around, Palace must get back to winning ways as soon as possible.

Liverpool reportedly remain interested in completing the signing of a summer transfer target, potentially bringing him in for less than his £68m release clause.

Liverpool transfer news

There is still some transfer news doing the rounds with the Reds, despite the window being shut, with both incoming and outgoing rumours emerging in recent weeks. Darwin Nunez is struggling to be a key man under Arne Slot and the Uruguayan has been linked with a move to Barcelona. The La Liga giants are even believed to be preparing an offer for him, potentially ending his time at Anfield in one of the next two windows.

Borussia Dortmund attacker Karim Adeyemi has emerged as a rumoured incoming target for Liverpool, with club scouts said to be scouting him, possibly viewing him as a long-term successor to Mohamed Salah, whose future continues to be up in the air.

One young player who has caught the eye in 2024 is Adam Wharton, with the Crystal Palace midfielder excelling since joining from Blackburn Rovers and even getting in England’s squad for Euro 2024. The Reds are seen as one of the clubs in the mix to acquire his signature.

Liverpool eye £50m signing of "unbelievable" ace

According to Football Insider, Liverpool are still interested in signing Palace star Eberechi Eze, having shown a willingness to snap him up during the summer transfer window.

The report states that the England international’s £68m release clause “will become available in the summer of 2025”, but with just two years left on his deal at that stage, teams are hoping to bring that price down in negotiations with the Eagles. Palace could end up with between £50-60m for him, according to this update, even though they are reluctant to sell.

Eze may not have the most earth-shattering start to the season for a struggling Palace team, bagging one goal and zero assists in seven Premier League appearances so far, but there is no denying that he would be a great addition at Liverpool.

The 26-year-old has stood out as one of the best attacking players in the league over the past 12 months or so, netting 11 times in the division last season, while Palace manager Oliver Glasner has lauded him in recent weeks.

“Who’s a better player than Eze? For me he’s absolutely top, if he was luckier this season he would have five or six goals. He’s always dangerous because he has the quality and ability at 1-1, he’s such an unbelievable finisher, in some situations he can improve, he’s a guy who can always score and he’s someone who everyone likes.”

Admittedly, Liverpool aren’t crying out for more attacking players, but with Nunez and Salah’s futures not exactly feeling secure, the England ace should be viewed as a great option to come in.

Liverpool wanted £235m star in the making but signed Szoboszlai instead

Liverpool’s midfield would have been taken to another level with this addition.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 7, 2024

The fact that the Reds could perhaps get him on the cheap – relative to his clause – is an added bonus, while his flair and versatility will surely appeal to Slot, with the Palace man capable of excelling out wide or in an attacking midfield role.

Despite the suspensions, injuries and nightmare run of fixtures, it has been a brilliant month or so for Arsenal.

Due to his ankle injury, Mikel Arteta’s side have been without club captain Martin Odegaard for some of their most challenging games of the season, against Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.

However, the North Londoners have come out the other side practically unscathed, level on points with City in the Premier League and undefeated in the Champions League.

There have been plenty of fantastic performers over the last few weeks. Still, perhaps one of the stand-outs has been Leandro Trossard, who, as we all know, only joined the club following the failed pursuit of Chelsea flop Mykhailo Mudryk, but there was another star the club were interested in at the time as well.

Trossard's Arsenal record

Trossard joined Arsenal in January 2023 for a relatively minor fee of around £27m from fellow Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion, and to say he has since exceeded expectations in North London would be a vast understatement.

In his first half-season for the club, the Belgian international racked up a seriously impressive haul of one goal and ten assists in just 22 appearances, equating to a goal involvement every other game, even though he was in an entirely new environment.

The following season saw the 29-year-old become more of a goalscorer than a provider, as in his 46 appearances for the club, he found the back of the net on 17 occasions and produced two assists for good measure, meaning that he maintained an average of a goal involvement once every 2.42 games for a team that came painfully close to winning the league.

This year has seen the 37-capped international go through yet another overhaul in how he plays for the team, as the absence of Martin Odegaard has seen him both fill in as one of the leading creators in midfield and form an interchanging strike partnership with Kai Havertz when the team revert to a 4-4-2 shape.

So far, Trossard has scored twice and provided one assist in his eight games this season, and while he did get himself sent off against City, he has generally been excellent, so it was a real stroke of luck that Arsenal signed him and not Mudryk or the other young star they were targeting in January 2023.

Arsenal's interest in Mudryk and Felix

Yes, as most of us are well aware of by now, before he joined Chelsea for a ludicrous fee of around £89m, Mudryk was one of Arsenal’s top priorities, with reports suggesting that Edu Gaspar had flown out to Poland to hold a meeting with the player’s representatives. Luckily, nothing came of it.

However, alongside this interest in the Ukranian, the Gunners were also in with a shout of landing Portuguese international João Félix.

An article from The Athletic on the 2nd of January revealed that, among other English clubs, the North Londoners had been offered the services of the then 23-year-old and were seriously considering bringing him in to help with their surprise title charge.

However, as they did with Mudryk, the Blues beat them to the punch and brought him in on a six-month loan, during which he didn’t do an awful lot, scoring just four goals in 20 appearances and picking up a red card on his debut.

The following season saw the former Benfica ace join Barcelona on loan, where he did a little better, racking up ten goals and six assists in 44 games, before finally getting himself a permanent move back to Chelsea this summer for a rather hefty fee of £46.3m.

Now, unlike his Ukranian teammate in West London, there is no doubt that the 24-year-old “genius”, as dubbed by Roma sporting director Tiago Pinto, is an incredibly talented player, but he hasn’t really shown that in recent years, and when you compare his output to Trossard’s over the last couple of seasons, there is no competition.

For example, the Belgian has racked up a haul of 20 goals and 13 assists since January 2023; in the same period, the Viseu-born ace has produced 15 goals and seven assists, while the Blues’ £89m man has just seven goals and six assists to his name.

Appearances

76

69

64

Goals

20

15

7

Assists

13

7

6

Goal Involvements per Match

0.43

0.31

0.20

Ultimately, it’s undeniable that Arsenal dodged a bullet regarding Mudryk, and while Felix has shown far more over the last few years, Trossard has been by far the best player of the three since he joined the North Londoners in 2023.

Arsenal's "top signing" left for free, now he's outscoring Saka & Trossard

The talented forward has been on fire this season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 3, 2024

Aston Villa are building a squad for the future, with a whole host of talented youngsters staking their claims in the first team this season.

Jhon Duran is showing his worth as an elite goalscorer, having scored four goals already this season in only 131 Premier League minutes, whilst Jacob Ramsey, Ian Maatsen, Lamine Bogarde and Kosta Nedelijkovic all other notable names.

But one of the best young players who is really showing his importance this season is Morgan Rogers.

The 22-year-old has impressed at the start of this campaign, most notably against Arsenal, despite losing 2-0.

Villa haven’t particularly been lacking a talisman since a certain Jack Grealish departed, but Rogers is showing shades of the tricky Manchester City star with the way he glides forward with the ball.

Jack Grealish's time at Villa

Jack Grealish left Aston Villa back in 2021 for a fee of £100m, making him the biggest transfer in British football history at the time.

The Englishman made 213 appearances for the Villans, scoring 32 goals, providing 41 assists, and totalling 15,338 minutes played for the club.

His play style was described as “playing in a playground with his schoolmates” by ex-Villa manager, Dean Smith, who waxed lyrical about his balance whilst carrying the ball.

Grealish would mix agility, balance, and end product, often bailing Villa out of trouble, as teams had to double or even triple-team him to stop him.

The 29-year-old has since gone on to make 131 appearances for Manchester City, scoring 14 goals, providing 19 assists in 8,698 minutes played, winning a few Premier Leagues, and a Champions league along the way.

Despite Rogers now having arrived, they may well have missed the boat on a dream replacement for the former club captain.

Emile Smith-Rowe could have replaced Grealish

Back in 2021, when Grealish left the club, Villa were linked with a move for Arsenal’s Emile Smith-Rowe. The Villans had two bids rejected and as a result, were forced to move on to other targets. The likes of Emiliano Buendia and Danny Ings arrived instead.

Buendia has since had cruel luck with injury – that cannot be helped of course – but one does wonder what might have happened if they got a move for Smith Rowe over the line instead.

The highly rated Hale End academy product was described as “dynamic” by one analyst on social media, who praised his technique and aggression when carrying the ball into space, certainly eye-catching qualities.

One that got away

The transfers that nearly happened but never did. This article is part of Football FanCast's One That Got Away series.

This ability to carry the ball, progress, play, and make things happen, is exactly what Villa needed to replace to fill the void of Grealish leaving the club, but a deal did not materialise, and now Smith-Rowe has joined Fulham this summer, for a fee of £27m initial, plus add ons which could take the deal to £34m total.

Since moving to Craven Cottage, he has turned into a “monster” – as Troy Deeney described – and is now even outperforming the aforementioned Rogers.

Goals

0.48

0.00

Assists

0.24

0.33

Progressive Carries

2.75

3.50

Progressive Passes

5.00

3.33

Shots Total

2.38

2.00

Key Passes

0.75

2.17

Passes into Final Third

3.50

2.00

Shot-Creating Actions

2.75

4.67

Tackles

2.25

0.83

Whilst Smith-Rowe and Rogers are performing relatively closely in their metrics, the Fulham man has shown more of a completeness to his game, notably scoring two goals and supplying one assist.

Offering progression via passing and carrying, having a high shot volume, creating for himself and others, and also doing the dirty work, winning 2.25 tackles per 90.

Rogers is a different type of player, who can link up really well in tight spaces, drive into space with his lengthy frame, and escape opposition players, but if Villa wanted someone to replace Grealish from all those years ago, Smith-Rowe definitely would have been better option over Buendia.

Sold for £15m: Aston Villa hit gold over star who's now worth millions less

They sold him for just £15m

1 ByJoe Nuttall Sep 26, 2024

Arsenal's potential move for Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia is "one to watch", should Thomas Partey leave the club this summer, however Liverpool and Chelsea are also interested, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

Is Thomas Partey leaving Arsenal?

Journalist Ryan Taylor has recently told GiveMeSport that he thinks Partey is set to leave Arsenal this summer, saying: "I do believe Arsenal will make a second midfield signing and I do also expect Thomas Partey to make way."

According to CBS Sports, the 30-year-old currently favours a move to Juventus, with his camp recently informing his suitors in Saudi Arabia that he has no intention of moving to the Pro League this summer.

Al-Nassr had been prepared to make an offer of €30m (£26m) for the Ghanaian, whose place in the starting XI is in doubt due to the imminent arrival of Declan Rice, but he would much prefer to move to the Serie A.

There may also be an option to remain in the Premier League, with it recently being reported that Manchester United have joined the race for the central midfielder, and Paul Ince has recently urged his former club to pursue a deal.

With Partey potentially on the move, Jacobs has recently told GiveMeSport that Arsenal could now go in for Lavia, however he stressed that a number of other Premier League clubs are set to battle it out for his signature.

The journalist said: "If Partey joins Xhaka in leaving, I can see Arsenal coming in for a midfielder.

"I think Romeo Lavia, much like with Liverpool, could be one to watch. The player obviously doesn't want to stay in the Championship. Southampton want around £50million.

"Even Chelsea have taken a little look as well, but it's very much Liverpool and Arsenal who have been exploring that deal, more so Liverpool at the moment.

"Arsenal may move if they have space to bring in another midfielder, and then Chelsea have had this historical interest in Lavia, so plenty of clubs are looking."

How much did Southampton pay for Romeo Lavia?

The Saints signed the midfielder for an initial fee of just £10.5m from Manchester City last season, so they are set to make a significant profit, although the deal did include a 20% sell-on clause.

Having been hailed as an "absolute monster" by members of the media, it is clear to see why the Belgian is attracting the attention of so many of the Premier League's top clubs.

Although he only got on the scoresheet once in the Premier League, the former Man City man put in a string of quality defensive performances, and he was one of only three U21 players in Europe's top five leagues to win possession in the midfield third over 100 times last season.

Given that Partey is now 30-years-old, and his position under threat due to the imminent arrival of Rice, it is probably wise for Arsenal to look at selling the midfielder, and Lavia is showing signs that he could be a fantastic long-term replacement.

West Ham United can 'play on' Leicester City's financial state and their relegation to the Sky Bet Championship as they attempt to sign Harvey Barnes this summer, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest transfer news involving Harvey Barnes?

According to 90min, Barnes is believed to be one of West Ham United's key transfer targets this window and talks are advancing over a potential transfer for the 25-year-old to the London Stadium.

Said Benrahma, Maxwel Cornet and Pablo Fornals are among the options David Moyes has to choose from on the left-hand side of attack; however, the Scot would be willing to offload players this off-season to freshen things up.

The Guardian report that Newcastle United are 'leading the race' to bring in Barnes while Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur also hold an attraction towards the £35k-a-week ace.

Leicester City would hope to demand a fee of around £50 million for the England international, though they acknowledge that they may be forced to sell for a lower price due to being relegated to the English second tier.

Following the sale of Declan Rice, West Ham United will have the financial capability to attract Barnes alongside the fact they will feature in the Europa League. On the other hand, Newcastle United's involvement in Champions League football could tempt Barnes to move to the North East over other options, as per The Daily Mail.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs thinks that West Ham United will try to haggle with Leicester City to land Barnes at a cheaper fee than £50 million.

Jacobs told FFC: "The challenge with Barnes, who West Ham have looked at as well because they want more quality on the left, is price, with Leicester potentially asking for £45 or £50 million, but they were pushing for a higher number with James Maddison and eventually, there was a fee settled on for £40 million plus add-ons. Suitors are going to be able to play on the fact that Leicester's finances aren't great and they've been relegated as well."

Would Harvey Barnes be a good fit for West Ham United?

However, this could all mean nothing as Newcastle are supposedly closing in on the attacker.

It's hard to argue that Barnes wouldn't be a good fit for a club like West Ham United, especially taking into account his consistent displays in the Premier League over the course of the last few years.

Last term, the 25-year-old enjoyed a productive time of things on the left flank for Leicester City, registering 13 goals and three assists in 40 appearances, as per Transfermarkt.

Being able to lay on opportunities on a plate for his teammates is a big part of Barnes' game and he managed to record 63 successful shot-creating actions in 2022/23 in the Premier League, as per FBRef.

WhoScored also show that Barnes averaged around 2.1 shots on goal per match in the English top flight over the course, proving to be a difficult presence for opposition backlines to keep at bay.

West Ham United boss Moyes will be keen to build on his side's Europa Conference League triumph this season as he aims to make strides in the Europa League and bringing in someone like Barnes would help to continue the Hammers' upward trajectory.

Arsenal could be set to tie up their latest transfer of this busy summer window, according to reports…

What's the latest on Jurrien Timber to Arsenal?

The latest on Mikel Arteta's pursuit of Jurrien Timber is detailed by Fabrizio Romano, who took to Twitter to update fans on the Gunners' progress. It seems like the completion of such a deal is just around the corner.

Detailing in a short tweet, the Italian journalist would write: "Jurrien Timber deal, now at final stages as revealed earlier. But no medical has been scheduled yet and there are still some details to clarify between clubs. Looks like a matter of time and then Mikel Arteta will have one more top signing."

This added to a prior announcement, in which he suggested a fee of around €48m (£41m) had been submitted by the north London outfit, who are doing all they can to close the gap to Manchester City.

Could Jurrien Timber copy John Stones?

As a ball-playing centre-back, there are few across Europe as technically gifted in his role as Timber. However, unfortunately for Arteta, one of those few features under Pep Guardiola.

John Stones captured the imagination last season with his mesmeric work in advancing the play, as his Spanish boss even sought to employ him in a midfield role as an inverted full-back to maximise these talents.

He recognised the elite skillset the 29-year-old boasted and made the necessary changes to elevate the England international to new levels. He starred in the heart of a side that would go on to claim a famous treble, winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.

As per FBref, it was clear to see that such a tactical shift was destined for success. When compared to other centre-backs across Europe, he ranked in the top 10% for passes attempted, the top 4% for pass completion, the top 12% for progressive passes and the top 8% for progressive carries.

This helped him maintain a 7.03 average rating in the league, in which he offered another calming and controlling presence beside Rodri in the engine room.

Having not been afraid to copy his former mentor on occasion, given his current philosophy greatly resembles the revolutionary style of the former Barcelona boss, Arteta could now be set to secure his own version of Stones through Timber.

After all, the Netherlands international actually ranks in the top 1% for all of the aforementioned categories when compared against the same group. He would be more than capable of operating in a similar role, with Rafael van der Vaart even noting: "Timber is so quick, light feet, always sharp, never panicking on the ball. Almost like a great midfielder in defence."

It should come as no surprise to see the 22-year-old also branded a "special, special talent" by journalist and U23 scout Antonio Mango.

As a couple of technically-exceptional defenders, both with the physicality to compete at the highest level too, the Gunners could once again emulate the success of their rivals in the hope it can push them even closer to the levels needed to truly end their monopoly over English football.

Mikel Arteta could be a crucial factor in Arsenal's pursuit of West Ham midfielder Declan Rice.

Are Arsenal signing Rice?

Despite having two bids rebuffed by West Ham already, Arsenal are still confident of getting a deal done for Declan Rice. The Hammers want more than the £75m upfront and £15m in add-ons that the Gunners proposed in their most recent bid.

According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, however, a key factor in any deal for Rice could be Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, who is incredibly eager to add the midfielder to his already impressive squad.

"There is a crucial part of the story to mention," said Romano. "There is the player. At the moment the player, Declan Rice, has been very clear from what I understand. He wants to be open, and to see what Arsenal and Manchester City will do."

The Italian added: "We know one crucial point on this story: Mikel Arteta. Arteta is pushing at the best level to sign Declan Rice. Arteta is trying in every single way. Of course, it doesn't depend on him, it depends on the owners and how much they want to spend on the deal."

"But Mikel Arteta is trying his best. He's really pushing for Declan Rice to join Arsenal. So, Arteta could be crucial. If Declan Rice will be an Arsenal player, trust me, Arteta would be a crucial factor."

This will come as good news to Arsenal fans now that treble winners Manchester City have entered the race to sign the 24-year-old.

Declan Rice has been allowed to leave West Ham this summer following the club's Europa Conference League victory, and the Hammers are holding out for a bid closer to their £120m valuation. The club's captain has 245 appearances under his belt, as well as 42 England caps.

Have Man City bid for Rice?

Romano insists that Man City "have always been informed" about Rice's situation but are yet to launch an official bid for the player. With the finances of the deal a potential stumbling block for Arsenal, the Premier League champions could hijack the transfer.

One of City's current defensive-midfield options, Kalvin Phillips, has already been linked with a move to West Ham, and it is understood that David Moyes is keen on bringing Rice's international teammate to London.

While this could give the reigning champions an edge over Arsenal in the hunt for Rice, it is unclear whether or not City would be willing to let Phillips leave the club, especially considering he has only been at the Etihad for one season.

Either way, Rice's future is in the balance as the Premier League's top two do everything in their power to land the midfielder.

Tottenham Hotspur have been "offered" Roma defender Roger Ibanez after Roma sporting director Tiago Pinto's trip to London for talks, according to reports out of Italy.

Who could Spurs sign this summer?

Defensively, Spurs endured a very tough season over 20222023, shipping more goals than any other side in the Premier League above Bournemouth in 15th.

These make for alarming numbers and it's a problem that new manager Ange Postecoglou must attempt to resolve very quickly, especially if they're to qualify for Europe next season.

Luckily for Spurs supporters, all the noises suggest that a central defensive signing or two is certainly on the agenda. Posteocoglou, according to recent reports, has already given the green-light for his side to capture a star defender this summer.

This has lead to links with the likes of Ibanez and Wolves defender Max Kilman, among others, while Tottenham are also on the hunt for a new goalkeeper to replace Hugo Lloris.

Elsewhere, there have been suggestions that Spurs are targeting Leicester City star James Maddison and talks have apparently been opened. Maddison's teammate, Harvey Barnes, is also said to be attracting real interest from the north Londoners.

Going back to the defensive position, there has been an update on their chase for Ibanez of Roma, after claims thar Tottenham are "above all" attempting his signing alongside Atletico Madrid.

Italian newspaper Il Messaggero, via Sport Witness, claim Spurs have now been "offered" Ibanez with London rivals Chelsea handed the same opportunity.

Roma chief Pinto has travelled to London in an attempt to negotiate incomings and outgoings, and during his visit, he has apparently gifted Spurs the chance to go for Ibanez.

His price tag is set at around €30 million (£26m), contrary to previous suggestions that Roma are willing to part company for less.

Who is Roger Ibanez?

Called "outstanding" by members of the press, Ibanez starred for Roma last season, having made more interceptions per 90 than anyone in their squad (WhoScored).

He also ranked in their top two for tackles and clearances per 90, showcasing his true ability, with Mourinho even calling him "untouchable".

"When we went to Seville to face Real Betis earlier this season, the morning of the game I saw him [Ibanez] and thought it was going to be impossible for him to play. And yet he played. He’s one who always fronts up.

“When we win, we all win together. When we lose, we all lose together. For me he is untouchable."

Erling Haaland has shown he doesn’t save all of his goals for games, scoring an unbelievable volley during training for Norway.

What’s the latest on Erling Haaland?

The 22-year-old had an explosive first season in England, scoring 52 goals and creating nine assists across all competitions after joining Manchester City last summer.

His goalscoring prowess isn’t just saved for club football, though, with Haaland scoring for Norway during the nation’s recent 2-1 loss to Scotland, and now he’s shown that he keeps finding the back of the net, even in training as a video of him scoring a spectacular volley has surfaced on Twitter.

After the ball was played in his direction, the forward controlled it with his chest, before letting it bounce. Then he took aim and unleashed a ferocious effort that struck the inside of the post before sailing into the back of the net.

No keeper in the world would have been able to keep it out, and it serves as a reminder of just how good Haaland is in front of goal. The striker has, at times, been accused of only scoring from close range, so the goal will silence the critics and prove he is capable of scoring from anywhere.

Check out the effort in all its glory below.

Here are some of the best fan reactions on Twitter to the sublime finish…

The plaudits kept coming, with fans comparing Haaland to a certain Transformer, an extraterrestrial and even an ancient Norse warrior…

One fan was quick to point out the goal was quite different to the close-range finishes he’d become known for, while another questioned why we don’t see more of those from the forward in games…