Last Pundit Standing - finding the BBC's next football expertpublished at 17:47 8 July
17:47 8 July
Media caption,
The BBC's search to find a new football expert is under way, with 12 content creators competing in Last Pundit Standing to win a role as BBC Sport's next football content creator.
The first two episodes of the show - co-hosted by former Watford captain Troy Deeney and YouTuber and football presenter James Allcott - are available to watch on iPlayer, as well as BBC Sport's YouTube channel and TikTok account, with new episodes every week until 11 August.
The contestants, who were chosen from more than 400 applicants, will be whittled down through a series of tasks staged at iconic football locations as the creators are challenged by some of the biggest names in the game.
Italian defender Davide Calabria, 28, is also a target for the Selhurst Park club. He impressed on loan at Bologna last season but is a free agent after leaving AC Milan when his contract expired. (Sky Sports), external
Gossip: Palace reach agreement for Diomandepublished at 15:41 2 July
15:41 2 July
Crystal Palace have reached a £47m agreement to sign Ousmane Diomande, 21, from Sporting, with the Ivory Coast defender seen as a potential replacement for Marc Guehi. (A Bola - in Portuguese), external
Gossip: Arsenal hold Eze talkspublished at 07:19 1 July
07:19 1 July
Arsenal have held talks with representatives of Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze, who has a release clause of £67.5m. (Guardian), external
Meanwhile, Palace are eyeing a £27m double move for Middlesbrough's English midfielder Hayden Hackney, 23, and Dutch defender Rav van den Berg, 20. (Sun), external
'A farce' and 'absolutely ridiculous' - Fans react to Uefa's delaypublished at 16:18 30 June
16:18 30 June
Image source, Getty Images
We asked you how you feel after the decision on whether Crystal Palace will play in the Europa League next season has been delayed by Uefa.
Here are some of your comments:
Andy: It's a farce that needs sorting quickly. It could have grave consequences on our summer transfer activity and whether our top players stay or go. I see no connection with Lyon whatsoever. Yet our fate seems to rest with their appeal. It's all bizarre.
Stephen: This is unfair. Palace have clearly demonstrated that Textor had no controlling interest in the club and has even now sold his shares anyway. The delay will have a major effect on the club's transfer dealings unless resolved quickly but there seems to be no timeline here. Unbelievable bureaucratic nonsense typical of Uefa when everybody can see there is no case to answer.
Geoff: They wouldn't treat one of the so called 'big clubs' like this. It's obvious to everyone that Textor doesn't have, and has never had a significant influence on Palace's football direction.
Rich: Palace have dealt with the perceived issue and keeping Palace waiting puts them at a massive disadvantage in the transfer market. I hope they get on with the appeal and get to grips with what looks like a very easy decision taking everything into consideration.
Grant: If this was black and white against us; the decision would have been both made and announced weeks ago. The delay can only be positive with efforts being made to afford us our earned and well deserved European tour . . . surely!
Karim: The delay is absolutely ridiculous. Not just for the fan unrest but also from a wider club perspective. How are we supposed to implement a transfer policy for this summer? Having no idea whether we can attract players towards a European project means we have to wait until a decision is made before we can sign players. And even if the decision goes in our favour, most of the players who would have wanted the project of European football would have gone to other clubs by that point.
Missing out on Europa League 'remains unthinkable concept'published at 13:45 30 June
13:45 30 June
Alex Pewter Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
So far, Crystal Palace's first experience of European football has been a lot more bureaucratic and bylaw-focused than 'Porto away' and floodlights. Perhaps that encapsulates the 'Typical Palace' moniker self-imposed by the fans.
Unusually, the Eagles appear to be mere bystanders within the process, at least on this occasion.
Uefa's decision to delay making any decision is frustratingly logical. Why set a precedent and open yourself to appeals, whether Palace are awarded their Europa League spot or not, when John Textor and Lyon may spectacularly remove themselves from the equation with relegation to Ligue 2?
Logical or not, the wider issue for Palace is the impact on planning, on and off the pitch. Europa League football was likely to attract a higher calibre of players, as well as sponsors who could bolster finances and facilitate such moves.
Until Uefa rules otherwise, the concept of missing out remains unthinkable for fans.
Of course, a path still remains where Crystal Palace exit the four-year involvement with John Textor and Eagle Football entirely unscathed and with a place in the Europa League.
If anything, the chaos that surrounds his two European clubs, in contrast to Palace, is in itself a strong argument that Palace is not operating as part of his multi-club ownership.
In France, Lyon fans are protesting because the DGNC - the body which oversees the accounts of French professional football clubs - decided they should be relegated over the poor state of their accounts.
Meanwhile, in Belgium, many RWD Molenbeek supporters are upset about their club changing its name to Daring Brussels to become more marketable to an overseas audience.
Ironically, Eagle Football and John Textor have finally achieved the desired solidarity between the fanbases of their sister clubs, including Palace, but only in each wanting to see them sell up.
Thankfully for Palace fans, that sale is pending. Unfortunately, it did not come soon enough to avoid this current situation.
Gossip: Liverpool look to strike deal for Guehi published at 07:48 30 June
07:48 30 June
Liverpool are willing to offer 19-year-old Scotland winger Ben Doak as part of a deal for Crystal Palace's 24-year-old England defender Marc Guehi. (Sun), external
Palace lay out Austria summer planspublished at 16:47 27 June
16:47 27 June
Image source, Getty Images
Crystal Palace have revealed plans for a summer training camp in Austria at the end of July.
The Eagles will play two games in boss Oliver Glasner's home country during a week away in the Alps.
On Tuesday, 29 July, Palace will play two hour-long practice games against Mainz, with the first of those matches kicking off at 13:00 BST.
Then on Friday, 1 August, they will take on another Bundesliga side, Augsburg - twice - with the first game starting at 15:00.
Gossip: Premier League suitors gather for Eze and Guehipublished at 07:28 27 June
07:28 27 June
Arsenal will take on north London rivals Tottenham for the signing of Crystal Palace and England midfielder Eberechi Eze, 26, who is priced at £68m. (Sun), external
Meanwhile, Liverpool have opened talks with Palace over a deal to sign captain Marc Guehi, with the 24-year-old England defender said to favour a move to Anfield this summer. (Teamtalk), external
Crystal Palace have not only signed a solid and experienced player in Walter Benitez, but he's also a serial winner. The 32-year old has been victorious in 74 of his 97 Eredivisie matches with PSV Eindhoven – lifting back-to-back league titles – and his win ratio of 76.3% is the second highest among all goalkeepers to feature at least 50 times in the division, only behind Manchester United's Andre Onana.
He possesses plenty of European experience, with a total of 44 appearances in Uefa competitions for the Dutch giants and his previous employers Nice. He starred in triumphs over Liverpool and Juventus last season, but his performance against Arsenal in last season's Champions League round of 16 was one to forget – Benitez shipped seven goals from eight shots on target in a 7-1 home defeat.
The signing will also evoke memories of another Argentine goalkeeper Julian Speroni, who is considered a Palace legend after more than 400 appearances during a 15-year spell. He helped the Eagles reach the Premier League via the Championship play-off final in 2013, was on the bench for the FA Cup final in 2016 and was named the club's Player of the Year four times before hanging up his gloves in 2019.
Gossip: Eze on Tottenham's radarpublished at 07:22 24 June
