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Crystal Palace and Leeds United scouts were in attendance for Benfica’s Champions League meeting with Barcelona on Tuesday, Melissa Reddy confirmed.

The Lowdown: Barcelona keen on Gallagher?

La Liga giants Barcelona have been credited with an interest in Palace loanee Conor Gallagher in recent weeks.

Spanish outlet Fichajes believe the Catalan heavyweights have set their sights on a future move for the 21-year-old, who has been working under Patrick Vieira on a season-long loan at Selhurst Park.

However, it appears as if Palace, who pipped Leeds to Gallagher’s services this summer, have been looking at Barcelona and Benfica themselves.

The Latest: Reddy’s tweet

Reddy, The Independent’s senior correspondent, took to Twitter in the early hours of Thursday morning to share a list of scouts who were in attendance for Benfica’s 3-0 win over Barcelona.

Palace were on that list, along with Leeds and eight other Premier League sides.

The Verdict: Who impressed?

It remains to be seen who Palace went over to Portugal to watch, however, there were a number of impressive individual displays from the Liga Nos side.

Centre-forward Darwin Nunez was the best-rated performer on the pitch with a WhoScored match rating of 8.10/10.

The Uruguayan scored twice, while centre-back Lucas Verissimo and midfielder Julian Weigl also caught the eye.

Palace may well have come away from the match with new targets in mind, so it’ll be interesting to see who the club are linked with over the coming months.

In other news: Palace keen on free-scoring midfielder in cut-price move on less money than Mitchell.

Preston North End feared that Celtic may have made a late swoop for midfielder Ali McCann on deadline day, according to The Sun (05.09.21, pg. 62), as cited by The 72.

The Lowdown: McCann on the move

Celtic were extremely busy in the final hours of the transfer window, bringing in Cameron Carter-Vickers from Tottenham with minutes remaining prior to the deadline along with sealing a late move for Georgios Giakoumakis.

McCann was also on the move, completing a switch from St Johnstone to English Championship side Preston with just five seconds to spare before the transfer deadline. The Hoops were linked with a move for him late in the window, but a £3m asking price appeared to put them off.

The 21-year-old actually cost just £1.2m, and it seems as if the Hoops may have tried their luck with a late swoop.

The Latest: Preston’s fear

According to The Sun (05.09.21, pg. 62), as cited by The 72, Preston were fearing a late hijack from the Hoops in the hunt for McCann.

Celtic had an extra hour until the Scottish window slammed shut, and if the Deepdale club didn’t get a deal over the line, they were worried that the Hoops could have acted after the English deadline.

The Verdict: Missed a trick

Transferred for just £1.2m, Celtic may live to regret not making their move for McCann this summer.

They have enjoyed success in bringing a young Scottish midfielder to Celtic Park from a fellow Scottish side in David Turnbull from Motherwell, so McCann could have been the next one to follow suit.

Dominic McKay brought in James McCarthy over the summer, while Liam Shaw penned pre-contract terms earlier in the year, but Celtic could be short in the middle following the departures of Scott Brown, Olivier Ntcham and Ryan Christie.

Hopefully it isn’t a repeat of the John McGinn saga back in 2018.

In other news: ‘Seriously?’ – Lots of Celtic fans react to Ryan Christie’s social media post

Joleon Lescott has offered his thoughts on whether or not Manchester City should have signed Robert Lewandowski in the summer.

What’s the talk?

The club’s former defender has suggested that they should have made a move for the Bayern Munich forward, although he believes the German giants would not have sold him late in the transfer window.

When asked about whether or not City should have gone for the Poland international instead of Harry Kane, Lescott told GiveMeSport: “It would have been a great acquisition if we’d got him but I’m not sure Bayern would have left themselves in the lurch that late in the window.

“I think Pep spoke about there being two or three players able to pick their destinations and where they want to play, and he mentioned Cristiano and Messi being two, and I’m sure he meant Lewandowski being the other.

“But again, Bayern, I don’t think they’d have let him go that late in the window not having been able to replace him.”

Pep would’ve loved it

Manchester City attempted to sign Kane from Tottenham during the summer window but failed to get their man, ending up with no additions in the number nine position despite losing Sergio Aguero. Lescott has said that Lewandowski would have been a great signing for the Premier League champions but the timing was wrong, so why did City not go for him earlier in the window?

The 39-year-old said that Bayern would not have sold the Polish marksman towards the end of the summer, which means that City should have gone in for him at the end of last season. This would have given Bayern ample time to find a replacement and Pep Guardiola a number of months to work his team around the Poland international.

Guardiola would have loved the arrival of Lewandowski as he has proven himself to be one of the best players in the world. He was named UEFA Men’s Player of the Year in 2020 and scored 41 goals in 29 Bundesliga matches for Bayern last term.

Earlier this year, former Chelsea forward Tony Cascarino hailed the former Borussia Dortmund goal machine as “extraordinary”.

He told talkSPORT: “Lewandowski is extraordinary. I remember looking at his story a couple of years ago and in his early career being rejected, establishing himself and being top scorer in League 2, 1 and the Bundesliga itself.

“It’s quite clear he’s been the ultimate professional. He spoke about it in the article I read about what he thought he needed to do and the people around him.”

The £54m-rated attacker has scored 302 goals in 334 matches for Bayern in all competitions. This shows that he is a clinical, reliable goalscorer and that is why Guardiola would have loved to have him at the Etihad Stadium, as he would have been the go-to number nine to replace Aguero.

City should have ditched their efforts to sign Kane in order to pursue Lewandowski, as his immense goalscoring record suggests that he could have come in and scored the goals to bolster their Champions League hopes, with the striker having previously won the tournament.

AND in other news, Txiki must avoid Man City mistake over beast with “special quality”, Pep would hate it…

There’s been plenty of talk regarding Liverpool’s search for a new midfielder and forward player over the summer, with Jurgen Klopp desperate to put a hugely disappointing 2020/21 campaign behind him.

Several star names have been linked with plugging a Gini Wijnaldum-shaped hole in the engine room or coming in to add competition for a misfiring Sadio Mane, but the answer to the club’s conundrums could already be within Anfield.

On the chalkboard

Harvey Elliott rose to prominence after becoming the Premier League’s youngest-ever player at 16 years and 30 days, coming on as an 88th-minute substitute for Fulham against Wolves back in 2019.

Since then, the now 18-year-old has gone from strength to strength. After completing his transfer to Liverpool, the youngster made eight senior appearances for Klopp’s charges throughout 2019/20, adding to his top-flight experience.

A season-long loan move to Championship side Blackburn Rovers followed, and it was at Ewood Park where Elliott truly turned from a teenage prodigy to a potential wonderkid.

In 43 outings for the Lancashire outfit, the England Under-17 international bagged seven goals, providing a further 12 assists for his teammates.

His standout performances led to former teammate Elliott Bennett labeling Elliott a “special player” on Twitter and has seen Klopp reintegrate him into his first-team plans during pre-season.

“We have a new midfielder in our squad in Harvey Elliott,” the German tactician announced (as relayed by James Pearce). “We have players who can make a big step. We are not blind. We see what others are doing. We just have to be able to beat them. We will try to do that.”

“Harvey can play different positions. In pre-season, we wanted to see him in a deeper role. He’s made a big step in the pre-season. If he stays fit then the football world can be really excited about that. I really liked his performance and attitude in pre-season.”

With the financial impact of the ongoing pandemic severely restricting Liverpool’s spending power this summer, FSG, the club’s owners, may not have the spending power to buy both a midfielder and an attacker.

And that’s where Elliott comes in. With Jordan Henderson and Thiago only recently returning to training and Curtis Jones ruled out through injury, the diminutive gem is in contention to start the Reds’ curtain-raiser against Norwich at the weekend.

After becoming renowned for his technical ability, eye for a pass and ability to cooly slot the ball into the corner of the net, Elliott has showcased his truly world-class potential, the prospect of him linking up with Mohamed Salah is a mouth-watering concept.

His development could save the club millions, but more importantly than that, he has the ability to spark a new wave of Liverpool success, taking over the baton from Salah, the last player to fire the 19-time English champions to domestic and European glory.

And, in other news…Fabrizio Romano drops exciting Liverpool transfer update that’ll have the fans buzzing 

According to 90min, West Ham United manager David Moyes’ search for a new striker ‘could lead to a move’ for Sevilla ace Luuk de Jong.

The Lowdown: West Ham in striker hunt…

Claret & Hugh first revealed that signing a new forward as a back up and an alternative option to Michail Antonio was one of the Scotsman’s top priorities for this window alongside landing a centre-back and Jesse Lingard.

However, over two months after that report, it appears the Irons are no closer to finally sealing a new centre-forward option for Moyes.

They have been offered the likes of Alassane Plea and are currently linked with a late move for Liverpool striker Divock Origi, with 90min now bringing a fresh link.

The Latest: West Ham could now swoop for de Jong…

As per the news source, Moyes and West Ham could move for La Liga hitman de Jong as their options wear thin.

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The towering 6 foot 2 forward, an established international with the Netherlands, may now become an option for the Irons as the club look to address the attacking areas before August 31.

It is also claimed de Jong ‘will be allowed to leave’ the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium this summer as Sevilla close in on a deal for Wolves forward Rafa Mir.

The Verdict: Right man?

Valued at around £9 million by Transfermarkt, the experienced forward could prove to be a capable back up option for Antonio given his very good track record with injuries especially.

Scoring 201 career goals in total since his professional debut in 2008/2009, the 38-cap forward isn’t exactly a star name who would overwhelmingly excite supporters but could prove a capable option.

He has played 39 games or more in six of his last seven seasons and may be a reliable choice given West Ham’s more highly congested fixture schedule this year.

In other news: Bid tabled: West Ham have now made offer to sign ‘unbelievable’ player for Moyes, find out more here.

Evening Standard journalist Jack Rosser doubts David Moyes will pay £30m to bring Manchester United attacker Jesse Lingard back to West Ham.

Lingard helped West Ham to a brilliant sixth-placed finish last season, scoring nine goals and providing four assists during his loan spell.

Understandably, Moyes now wants to bring the 28-year-old back to the London Stadium, with The Athletic claiming his parent club are seeking a £30m fee in a potential permanent deal.

It is a fee Rosser cannot see the West Ham boss being prepared to pay, however, though based on his information, United’s asking price may actually be lower.

“There’s been reports of Man United wanting 30 million, which I think by my understanding is significantly higher than what they’re asking for,” Rosser told TT.

“But if that were to be the case, I don’t think Moyes would pay it. He’s got that sort of attitude that, you know, it’s not his money and he wants to spend it carefully.”

While Moyes is having trouble signing Lingard to bolster his attack, he is at least having some fortune at the back, with Alphonse Areola coming in to challenge Lukasz Fabianski between the sticks.

With an option to buy, the Frenchman could be the 36-year-old’s long-term successor at the London Stadium.

Celtic are on the brink of winning the race for OH Leuven striker Thomas Henry, according to The Scottish Sun.

The Lowdown: Henry profiled

Henry is a French centre-forward who has been with his current employers in Belgium since 2019.

He’s scored 45 goals in 78 appearances for Leuven, with his career tally standing at 67 goals in 173 games.

The 26-year-old is on just €150,000-a-year (£127,000) with Leuven and is at the absolute peak of his powers, with his Transfermarkt valuation standing at a career-high £4.5m.

The Latest: Celtic move

The Scottish Sun ran a story late on Monday evening, suggesting the Hoops are hopeful of securing a big-money deal for Henry.

The report claims that Ange Postecoglou’s side are in pole position to sign the striker, who is viewed as the ideal replacement for Odsonne Edouard.

Leuven are reluctantly willing to cash in on Henry, with a number of clubs keen.

The Verdict: Much-needed

Even though Kyogo Furuhashi netted a hat-trick on the weekend, replacing Edouard, who has been tipped to join Brighton, is crucial, so a move for Henry looks a smart move at first glance.

He’s an out-and-out centre-forward and has just come off the back of his most productive season in front of goal, striking every 132 minutes in the Jupiler Pro League.

The 6 foot 4 striker could be exactly what Postecoglou needs going forward, and it appears as if the Hoops are willing to back the boss to secure Henry’s signature.

In other news: Roma interested in Celtic ace, find out more here. 

Atletico Madrid are considering a move for Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Rafa Mir, according to Spanish newspaper AS (via Sport Witness).

The lowdown

Mir has only ever made four senior appearances for Wolves, and none of those have come in the Premier League. He spent the 2020/21 season on loan at La Liga outfit Huesca, and even as they unsuccessfully battled relegation, he netted 13 goals.

That’s as many as Barcelona’s Antoine Griezmann, who moved to the Camp Nou for a full £107m, could manage.

Mir, who will represent Spain at the Tokyo Olympics, has one year left on his contract at Molineux and is valued at £10.8m by Transfermarkt.

The latest

AS claimed(via Sport Witness) that Atletico have been admirers of Mir for a ‘long time’ and could escalate their interest. They are looking to sign a striker who can provide cover and competition for Luis Suarez.

It’s not just Atletico in the frame, though, with Mir’s exploits at Huesca apparently catching the eye of ‘multiple teams’, but Diego Simeone’s side could look to tap into their ‘great relationship’ with Wolves after they struck deals for Diogo Jota and Jonny Castro Otto.

The verdict

New Wolves manager Bruno Lage has shown a preference for a 4-4-2 formation. If he adopts that shape at Molineux, you’d think the returning Raul Jimenez would guaranteed one of the two starting spots given his goalscoring record prior to fracturing his skull.

Does Lage go with teenager Fabio Silva, or consider bringing Mir back into the fold? The latter’s goal return was impressive considering Huesca’s struggles, but it should be noted that he considerably under-performed on his xG tally of 16.5.

Perhaps Wolves should look at that concerning figure and take what could be their final opportunity to cash in on Mir, whose stock is quite high after a prolific season.

In other news, Wolves are expected to bid for another young forward. 

Rangers have been handed a boost in their hopes of signing Peterborough United striker Jonson Clarke-Harris this summer, as he is reportedly keen on a move to Ibrox.

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Record, the 27-year-old striker has been attracting interest from a number of top-half Championship clubs, as well as CSKA Moscow, but he rates a move to Rangers as the most desirable option he has this summer, with the Scottish Champions a favourable option with betfair sign up offer users to retain their title.

The report suggests that Rangers scouted the former Bristol Rovers man extensively last season, as he scored 33 goals in all competitions, including 31 in League One, as he helped Darren Ferguson’s side earn promotion to the Championship.

Although Gerrard looks well-stocked in the attacking department ahead of the 2021/22 campaign, speculation is still rife regarding Alfredo Morelos’ future at Ibrox, and Clarke-Harris’ performances in recent seasons suggest that he could be a success should he move to Ibrox.

Should Rangers sign Clarke-Harris?

Whilst Rangers won the league title unbeaten last season, their top scorer in the Scottish Premiership was Kemar Roofe with 14 goals, with right-back James Tavernier scoring 12 times and while it is never a bad thing to have goals spread throughout the squad, you could argue that they are still missing that clinical striker who guarantees 20 goals a season.

Should Morelos depart, then the onus would likely be on Cedric Itten and Roofe to replace his goals up front, and whilst the Swiss striker has had an impressive pre-season, scoring against Arsenal and Real Madrid, his performances last season were very disappointing at times.

Clarke-Harris is contracted at Peterborough until 2024 and they will feel little need to sell following their promotion, but given the heavy interest being shown in him this summer, it does seem that he could still leave the Posh.

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It is no surprise that the 27-year-old Englishman is keen on a move to Ibrox, as it could give him the chance to feature in the Champions League, so it could be a smart move by Rangers to sign him this summer.

Given the uncertainty about Morelos’ future, Ross Wilson should take advantage of this transfer boost and bring the “outstanding” Clarke-Harris to Ibrox this summer, as he could prove to be a huge success in Gerrard’s side next season.

And, in other news… Bye-bye Katic: Rangers should seal transfer swoop for “the best type of leader”

Moussa Sissoko was once Tottenham Hotspur’s record signing when he was bought for £30 million from Newcastle United, but Graham Roberts admits that he would like to see Spurs do a swap deal with Wolves to bring in Ruben Neves for the Frenchman.

It comes off the back of Steve Bull claiming that Sissoko would be a quality signing for Wolves and with the Midlands club expected to sell Neves this summer, a swap deal may well be on the cards if both parties can come to an agreement.

Wolves are in need of a powerful midfielder who can be a physical presence in the middle of the pitch and Spurs are in need of someone who can slot in alongside Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, dictate play and be the one who can thread the ball through the eye of a needle for their forward players.

Sissoko was cast aside last season when Jose Mourinho was sacked as he was handed just one Premier League minute under Ryan Mason, and when asked if he would like to see a deal seeing Neves go to Spurs and Sissoko go in the opposite direction, Roberts had this to say exclusively to Transfer Tavern:

“I like Moussa, I get on really well with him but I would do that because I think Neves is a good holding midfield player and he could play with Hojbjerg.”

Since he arrived at Spurs, Sissoko has reached a Champions League final and won the World Cup with France so it has been a great few years for him on a personal level but Roberts would let him go if it meant bringing in someone like Neves, he said:

“I think just for the sake of Moussa Sissoko, that could be a good deal actually.”

Both clubs are going to be under new managers heading into next season and with Nuno Espirito Santo likely heading to Spurs, that could be a huge factor in where Neves decides to play his football next season as he was brought to England by his former manager.