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After spending much of last season sidelined through injury, Eberechi Eze is starting to show exactly why he is so highly thought of at Crystal Palace.

The exciting young winger joined Palace from QPR in the summer of 2020 in a deal that could eventually be worth £20m, having starred for the Hoops in the Championship.

The 2019/20 campaign saw Eze contribute a hugely impressive 14 goals and eight assists in 46 Championship appearances, averaging a 7.36 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

He has since gone on to make 60 appearances for the Eagles, in which he has hit five goals and assisted nine times, with his ability on the ball catching the eye on a number of occasions, with Christian Benteke commenting on the winger’s “magic” after he scored in a 2-0 win against Sheffield United.

The youngster was even set to be called up to England’s provisional Euro 2020 squad before he picked up a devastating Achilles injury that ruled him out for six months but now that he is back fully fit, you would imagine that a phone call from Gareth Southgate is not too far away.

So far this season, Eze has contributed two assists in six Premier League appearances, with his 7.03 rating from WhoScored ranking him as the third best performer in Patrick Vieira’s side, which emphasises the impact he is beginning to have in games.

No player in the Frenchman’s squad has contributed more key passes or dribbles per game, which highlights Eze’s progression from a player who is not just exciting to watch but is consistently producing chances in the final third.

When the 24-year-old joined from QPR, Transfermarkt valued Eze at just £16.2m and two years later, despite his injury issues, he is now valued at £22.5m, which represents a significant 38.8% increase so far.

If the youngster continues to perform in Vieira’s side as he has at the start of this season, and he earns that call-up to the England squad, you would only expect his value to soar during his time at Selhurst Park.

Therefore, CEO Steve Parish definitely struck gold when he sanctioned the deal for Eze in 2020, as Palace’s commitment to overhauling an ageing squad with exciting young talents is continuing to pay off.

A major update has emerged regarding Newcastle United’s pursuit of Australian youngster Garang Kuol ahead of the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie, the Magpies are on the verge of signing the 18-year-old to be their first arrival at the start of 2023.

Downie tweeted: “Newcastle are close to finalising a deal to sign Garang Kuol from @CCMariners. The forward made his Australia debut last week, aged 18. #NUFC are exploring ways of overcoming any work permit issues – including a potential loan to a European club if they can get a deal done.”

The journalist added: “Newcastle are making it a priority to scout the global transfer market to try & sign some of the best young players in the world. Rookie Kuol has a chance of going to the World Cup in Qatar. Borussia Dortmund have also shown interest but #NUFC are close.”

Heir to the throne

Callum Wilson’s persistent injury issues throughout his time at St James’ Park so far are a cause for concern, and bringing in a player who could eventually replace him is a shrewd move by the club.

Since joining from Bournemouth in 2020, the Englishman has missed 42 competitive matches in seven different spells due to injury, often leaving Newcastle light in Premier League and cup games.

The striker is not reliable enough over the course of a full season, as Eddie Howe is not able to trust that the 30-year-old will be available for a large chunk of the campaign.

Kuol could now come in with a view to him being the eventual heir to Wilson’s place in the squad, competing with Alexander Isak for a place in the XI or playing alongside the Sweden international.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig described the Australian youngster as a “wonderkid” and listed the striker as being ‘very strong’ in terms of pace, finishing, off-the-ball movement, agility, acceleration and instinct.

This provides an insight into the type of player that he is and suggests that he could be an ideal heir to Wilson, who excels at racing onto through balls and playing off the shoulder of the last man, using some of the aforementioned qualities that Kuol has.

The 18-year-old has scored four goals and provided one assist in 10 first-team matches for Central Coast Mariners since breaking into the senior setup and recently earned his first cap for Australia at international level.

Kuol is a promising young talent, as evidenced by these statistics, Kulig’s analysis of him and Newcastle’s interest, and he has the potential to become a core member of Howe’s squad in the future if he can translate that form into the Premier League as he gains more experience.

Downie has stated that a loan move to a European club is on the cards for the 18-year-old for the second half of the season, and his performances in that time could go a long way to revealing whether or not he has what it takes to be Wilson’s heir at St James’ Park.

Everton correspondent for The Athletic Patrick Boyland was full of praise for Stanley Mills after the Toffees starlet scored for the U21s away at Harrogate Town on Tuesday night.

The Lowdown: Penalty shootout win

The Goodison Park outfit’s U21s won 4-2 on penalties against League Two Harrogate in the Papa John’s Trophy after a 1-1 draw in 90 minutes.

Mills had put the visitors in front, and the captain also scored his penalty in the shootout, wrapping up an impressive overall performance.

The Latest: Mills praised

Taking to Twitter, Boyland praised Mills after he scored with his weaker foot, calling his finish ‘brilliant’:

“Brilliant goal from Stan Mills to put Everton U21s ahead! Struck low and hard into bottom corner from edge of area – on supposedly weaker foot too.”

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The Verdict: Captain’s performance

Mills put in a true captain’s performance, as he guided his young team to an impressive victory against league opposition.

Aside from his well-taken goal, and the penalty that he scored in the shootout, the 18-year-old won three of his duels while recording one successful dribble, clearance and tackle a piece, also creating two chances for his teammates in a dominant display (SofaScore).

Having already made his senior debut in the 1-0 win away at Fleetwood Town in the Carabao Cup back in August, Mills will be hoping that his impressive performances for the U21s will be catching the eye of Frank Lampard, and so he will want to be given more opportunities in the first team.

Nonetheless, the Englishman played a key part in the win, as the young Toffees returned to Finch Farm with smiles on their faces.

Scottish champions Celtic continued their frustrating start to life back in the Champions League with a 3-1 defeat to Bundesliga side RB Leipzig on Wednesday evening, with the Glasgow side currently bottom of their group having claimed just a solitary point thus far.

Despite another promising showing from the Hoops away in Germany, a mixture of missed chances and defensive lapses ultimately proved costly, with Marco Rose’s side taking full advantage to clinch victory in the second half.

While the defensive unit had appeared far too open at times – allowing the lively Christopher Nkunku space to run in behind – the loss did showcase the quality of centre-back, Stephen Welsh, with the academy graduate having been a real shining light on the night.

The 22-year-old was deployed alongside summer signing Moritz Jenz for the third game running, amid the injury woes of both Carl Starfelt and Cameron Carter-Vickers, with the pair having previously looked somewhat shaky in recent weeks.

That was best illustrated in the defeat to St Mirren prior to the international break with the duo having been “all over the place”, according to journalist Josh Bunting, while pundit Frank McAvennie subsequently suggested that they “don’t look as if they know each other”.

Welsh, in particular, had been criticised for his “weak” defending – as described by BBC Sport pundit Michael Stewart – against the Buddies, having been outmuscled by striker Curtis Main in the build-up to Jonah Ayunga’s strike.

With injuries impacting manager Ange Postecoglou’s ability to make a change, however, the Scotland U21 international kept his place for the win over Motherwell, before the Hoops boss talked up the “great opportunity” for the young defender – and teammate Jenz – to impress ahead of the Leipzig tussle.

The £1.35m-rated ace certainly took that opportunity with both hands to illustrate that he is a figure to be relied upon moving forward, having been “very good” against a fluid attacking lineup, in the words of journalist Christopher Dodds.

That sentiment was echoed by ex-Bhoys striker Chris Sutton who suggested that the £10.5k-per-week man had given a “decent portrayal of himself”, adequately filling the void of the aforementioned Carter-Vickers.

Glasgow Live’s Ben Banks also lauded the Coatbridge-born starlet’s ‘bravery’ in possession up against a ‘menacing forward line’, with the 6 foot 3 colossus having shown little sign of nerves against such elite opposition.

That is also evidenced by the fact that he enjoyed an impressive 95% pass accuracy rate on the night, while also showcasing his defensive solidity by recording six clearances and completing one interception.

Such an outing has served to quash any doubters regarding his position at the club, with Welsh having proven his talent on the big stage.

West Ham United are a club famed for their production of exciting young talent, with the club’s most notable success story in recent times having seen midfield star Declan Rice emerge from the academy set-up to become a leading figure in the first-team.

Plucked by the Hammers at the age of 14 following his release by London rivals Chelsea, the Englishman subsequently went on to make his debut at the tail end of the 2016/17 season, having not looked back since after going from strength to strength in recent years.

Hailed as the “best central midfield player in the country” by pundit Paul Parker last season, the 23-year-old has regularly been linked to the Premier League’s elite clubs as a result of his impressive displays for both his club and at international level, notably featuring in all seven games of the Three Lions’ Euro 2020 campaign.

The 34-cap sensation has grown to such importance for the Irons that he was even named captain following Mark Noble’s retirement at the end of last term, despite his relative youth, with manager David Moyes suggesting that his star asset could now be worth as much as £150m.

With doubts over the £60k-per-week machine’s long-term future at the club, however – with his current deal set to expire in the summer of 2024 – the focus will now likely be on finding a suitable replacement, with it set to be a sizeable hole to fill once the Kingston-born menace does depart.

Rather than looking to the transfer market as a solution, however, the London Stadium outfit could well save themselves millions by instead turning towards the academy, with the case of Rice showcasing the benefits of promoting from within.

One impressive youngster who could well take the West Ham captain’s place in the side in the coming years is Pierre Ekwah, with the 20-year-old having caught the eye at youth level of late, having joined from Stamford Bridge last summer.

The defensive midfielder was lauded by journalist Alan Rzepa at the time of his arrival, who stated that the emerging prospect “is going to be insane” for the east Londoners in the future, with the current evidence suggesting that that prophecy could well become reality.

The exciting Frenchman has already scored seven goals and provided one assist from his 35 games at U21 level over the past year or so, including three goals in just eight appearances at Premier League 2 level so far this term.

The versatile ace – who like Rice can also be deployed at centre-back – is yet to feature at senior level thus far, although was named on the bench for the Europa Conference League qualifying games against Viborg back in August.

A France U20 international, Ekwah looks set to be a player who could well make the step up to join Moyes’ ranks in the coming months and years, with the hope being that he can follow in Rice’s footsteps and become a key figure for the Hammers, while also leaving the Blues to pay for their mistake once again in letting such a quality young asset depart.

Sunderland have been handed an injury boost involving Everton loanee Ellis Simms.

The Lowdown: Early setback

Tony Mowbray confirmed earlier this month that the 21-year-old could face another three weeks or more ruled out after suffering a setback in his recovery from an injury to his big toe.

The striker has Championship in mid-September as he continues his recovery ahead of the Black Cats’ next set of fixtures.

The Latest: Simms ‘back on the grass’

Speaking to the media in his pre-game press conference ahead of Sunderland’s match at home to Wigan Athletic in the Championship on Saturday afternoon, Mowbray has confirmed that Simms is now ‘getting back on the grass’, adding that the 21-year-old ‘felt fine’ when he got back on the treadmill for the first time.

The Black Cats boss stated (as per Sunderland Echo on Thursday): “Ellis is getting his boots on today and getting back on the grass. He’s been on the treadmill and he felt fine so he’s getting his boots on and going outside.”

The Verdict: Big boost

It is certainly a big boost for Sunderland to have Simms back out on the grass as he looks to speed up his recovery.

The Wigan game will likely come too soon for the 6 foot 3 forward, but he could now look to target a return to the Stadium of Light over the next week or two.

Having wowed his former manager Alex Neil with two goals on his Black Cats debut in the 3-2 win at Bristol City in August, Simms has only featured three times under Mowbray so far, so the 21-year-old will want to impress his new boss in training in order to get back into the team.

Leeds United made it to four straight defeats in the Premier League with a 3-2 loss against Marco Silva’s Fulham at Elland Road on Sunday.

Jesse Marsch’s side failed to make the most of taking the lead in the match as the Cottagers came from behind to pick up all three points in Yorkshire.

Rodrigo opened the scoring as he nodded the ball in from close range after Jack Harrison’s deflected effort landed in the perfect position for him to find the back of the net with ease.

The away side soon found their equaliser, though, as Aleksandar Mitrovic flicked the ball in at the near post from a corner. He pushed Luke Ayling aside and Illan Meslier had little chance of stopping the Serbian’s effort from point-blank range.

Bobby Decordova-Reid made it 2-1 in the 74th minute before Willian sealed the win for the away side with just over 15 minutes left to play, with Crysencio Summerville scoring a consolation goal in stoppage time.

It is a result that could leave Marsch’s position in a spot of bother as his team are now sitting 18th in the Premier League table and he was not helped by some of the individual performances against Fulham.

One player who let the side down with a disappointing display out on the wing was English forward Jack Harrison. The attacker struggled after being recalled to the starting XI, as he failed to impress on or off the ball for the Whites.

Out of possession, the former Manchester City man was a weak link in the team.

As per SofaScore, he lost 11 of his 14 (79%) individual duels and was dribbled past a whopping four times. For the second Fulham goal, he did not close Willian down quickly enough and then could not come out to cover Pereira out wide, although he was not helped by Pascal Struijk tucking into a central position.

On the ball, Harrison did not show the quality that he is capable of providing. He has scored one goal and created five ‘big chances’ in the top-flight this season but his play going forward left a lot to be desired.

Also per SofaScore, the Englishman completed 60% of his 30 attempted passes and lost possession every 2.3 touches (23/52), whilst also failing in four of his five long pass attempts.

So forget about the likes of Luke Ayling – making his first Premier League start of the season – and Rodrigo – the goalscorer – Harrison’s statistics suggest that he was not good enough on or off the ball and that is why he was the real villain for Marsch against Fulham, as he weakened the side at both ends of the pitch.

Leeds United have endured a rough season, with Jesse Marsch failing to live up to the expectation set of him after he had steered the Whites to safety last campaign.

Having taken over from the legendary Marcelo Bielsa, the American instantly was put at a disadvantage as he was to be forever compared to the Argentine who had returned them to the Premier League.

With a similarly frantic style but with arguably even less structure, his dismissal was unsurprising. It was this philosophy that makes Javi Gracia seem all the more refreshing, with his change of pace seemingly turning the tide in Yorkshire.

Players and fans alike have bought into the Spaniard wholeheartedly, and it shows dramatically on the pitch. Everyone is fighting for their shirt, and even formerly underperforming players seem reborn under the new leadership.

Arguably their biggest accomplishment thus far has been the reignition of Junior Firpo in particular, who seemed destined to depart Elland Road after what had been a miserable spell at the club.

How is Junior Firpo playing?

Having signed for £13m under Bielsa, the former Barcelona man was expected to hold down the vacant left-back position for the foreseeable future with a quality that should have surpassed most in the squad.

However, it has been far from smooth sailing for the 26-year-old, who last season endured an average rating of 6.60 as they narrowly avoided the drop. This has risen only slightly during this campaign, but his 6.65 rating is threatening to improve alongside his performances.

Whilst Wilfried Gnonto might steal the headlines for his emergence onto the scene, and his five goal contributions at 19 years old would merit that, Firpo's slow recovery has arguably been the more compelling arc given how low his stock has been at the club. Just last year was he branded a "liability" by journalist David Anderson, and yet he continues to persevere.

His winning strike against Southampton was a culmination of his recovery, in a cathartic moment that saw them snatch three points against bitter relegation rivals. It even led Luke Ayling to write on Instagram: "So happy for @juniorfirpo3 the guy always works so hard and so pleased he got that moment today".

A well-liked figure, he has become a mainstay under Gracia now, who trusts him in a more simplistic role. He still might struggle from time to time, but the upturn in his displays is marked. Three of his last five league matches have seen him handed rating of 6.8 or higher, an improvement on his average.

Journalist Phil Hay hinted at an ideal end to the season for the Whites, as he finished one piece by writing: "From doom at Goodison Park to the tantalising idea of a resurgence in which Firpo comes good while Leeds stay up. Stranger things have happened and Elland Road has seen most of them."

The tide does seem to be turning for the once-down-and-out defender, but he must maintain consistency if he is to repay the faith the club continue to show in him.

Glasgow Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst is facing increasing pressure after his side lost 2-1 to St. Johnstone in the Premiership at the weekend.

Football Insider recently reported that the head coach is set to remain in charge for at least the next two competitive matches but is in danger of the sack heading into the World Cup break.

Ex-Light Blues midfielder Michael Laudrup has questioned whether the Dutchman is the right man to lead the team forward and criticised the 47-year-old’s demeanour on the touchline.

Speaking in the Daily Mail, via Football Scotland, Laudrup said: “With the World Cup break looming next week, it’s time for the Rangers board to think seriously about the direction of the club and the manager’s part within it.”

He added: “Van Bronckhorst has tried a lot of different things with his team and is still trying to find answers. I also look at his body language at times. Hands folded. Looking down. He doesn’t look like a manager who is certain he can turn things around. It looks almost like he has given up a little bit.

“I’m not sure if he always knows his best line-up or the best approach to games. A dressing-room can feel that. Players become insecure.”

Sport5 recently reported that the Gers made an enquiry over a potential swoop to replace van Bronckhorst with Maccabi Haifa head coach Barak Bakhar, with the current Light Blues manager’s position said to be ‘unstable’.

Rangers could now land an upgrade on the former Feyenoord boss by pinching Bakhar from the Israeli Premier League side in the coming weeks.

Van Bronckhorst arrived at Ibrox with the club sitting four points clear at the top of the Premiership table last season and finished the campaign four points behind eventual winners Celtic, whilst he currently has his side lagging seven points behind their Old Firm rivals after 13 matches.

He also struggled badly in the group stages of the Champions League as his team became the worst outfit to ever grace the competition, with six losses out of six and a staggeringly poor -20 goal difference.

Bakhar, meanwhile, is a serial title winner who could come in and instil a winning mentality in the squad, having secured the Ligat ha’Al in each of the last two campaigns and five times in total.

Van Bronckhorst, meanwhile, has only won one league title – with Feyenoord in 2015 – in his career, despite being four years older than Bakhar, and his inexperience in title races has seemingly cost Rangers dearly over the last 18 months.

The 43-year-old’s team also gave a much better account of themselves in the Champions League than the Dutchman’s did. Maccabi Haifa picked up three points and scored seven goals – five more than the Gers – in a group with Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and Benfica.

CBS writer Ives Galarcep claimed that Bakhar’s side put on a “clinic” against Juventus as the Israeli outfit beat the Italian giants 2-0 at home, whilst registering 14 shots to their 11.

This suggests that the Haifa tactician could be an upgrade on van Bronckhorst for Rangers as he has more experience when it comes to winning league titles and has shown that he has the coaching chops to mastermind big wins in the Champions League.

Everton and Frank Lampard have been handed a double injury boost involving Ben Godfrey and Yerry Mina.

The Lowdown: Injury problems

Both Godfrey and Mina started the Goodison Park outfit’s 1-0 loss against Chelsea in the Premier League on the opening weekend of the season, but Godfrey had to come off in the first half injured and has not featured since.

Mina has also not played since that game in August, forcing the Merseyside club’s hand to dip into the market to bring in James Tarkowski and Conor Coady.

The Latest: Back in training

Speaking to the media ahead of this evening’s game at home to Leicester City, Lampard has confirmed that Godfrey is ‘back on the training pitch’ with the rest of the team after injury, and Mina is ‘very close’ to returning to action:

“Ben Godfrey is back on the training pitch with the team, Yerry Mina is in the last stage of his recovery and so is very close to being able to play.”

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The Verdict: Double boost

Ahead of the break for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, having both Godfrey and Mina back in training is a big boost for Lampard and the squad.

Given that Colombia did not qualify for the tournament, and Godfrey is very unlikely to be picked for England having had so few minutes this campaign, they can both concentrate on getting back to full fitness during the break, and come back much stronger once the league season resumes.

Godfrey and Mina played 41 matches between them last term, and so are still useful squad players to have available, especially if the likes of Tarkowski and Coady were to pick up injuries over the remainder of the season.