Crystal Palace could be set to lose another one of their most important players in a huge blow for new manager Pierre Sage.

Last season’s UEFA Conference League triumph put many of Palace’s star players in the spotlight. Maxence Lacroix impressed and earned himself a £52 million move to Chelsea.

Replacing Lacroix should be a priority but Sage does have an excellent pool of central defenders in his squad. The same can’t be said for out wide, and their single most influential player could be on the move.

Crystal Palace’s Sarr Says Yes to Fenerbahce

The standout performer for Palace last season was Ismaila Sarr, who won the Conference League’s Golden Boot with nine goals in 13 games. He finished with 21 goals in 45 games, becoming the first player since Glenn Murray in 2013 to reach 20 goals in a single campaign.

Sage will have been eager to start his reign with Sarr, but Italian journalist Marco Conterio has suggested the Senegalese winger could be on his way to Turkey. He is said to be “one step away” from a move to Fenerbahce, and he has already said yes to the Turkish Super Lig giants.

Fenerbahce are now “pressing for an agreement with Palace”, and they have accelerated a move for the 28-year-old after failing to sign Rafael Leao. With the player seemingly agreeing on a switch, it’s a nightmare situation for Steve Parish and the South Londoners.

Sarr, dubbed “incredible”, has been at Selhurst Park since August 2024 when he arrived from Marseille in a £12.5 million deal. He has won the FA Cup, the Community Shield and the Conference League in that time.

Palace Must Get Tough With Sarr

Hannah Mckay via Reuters

Unless Palace receive a club-record fee for Sarr, he shouldn’t be going anywhere and the club can’t let him depart without a suitable replacement. Their transfer business in January has come into question amid Brennan Johnson’s disastrous spell thus far.

Johnson has failed to live up to expectations and, as a result, isn’t a worthy backup to Sarr, let alone a permanent option for the right-wing berth. With Sage only just arriving as Oliver Glasner’s successor, the Senegal international is probably the one player he wouldn’t want to be sold.

Palace must insist on an astronomical fee for the former Watford man, who had previously said that he’d only move if the club wanted him to. He has three years left on his contract and has also been linked with Manchester United.

This summer, one of the biggest potential transfers could see Vinicius Junior move from Real Madrid to Arsenal. Amid all the speculation, the winger’s agency, Roc Nation Sports, has shared an explosive statement.

Vinicius Jr is currently locked in contract talks with Madrid, but it’s unclear if player and club will be able to come to an agreement on new terms. If not, he could potentially leave for free next summer, with his current deal set to expire in 2027.

Los Blancos obviously don’t want to lose a star player for free, so may look to sell in the current market. If that is the case, Premier League champions Arsenal appear best-positioned to sign the Brazilian amid their firm interest in the player.

Roc Nation Sports Speak Out ‘Unacceptable’ Reports

REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura

Naturally, there have been many rumours about Vinicius. Adding fuel to the flames of speculation, Real Madrid are looking to sign another winger, Yan Diomande. That deal appears close, but a transfer from RB Leipzig has yet to be anounced yet.

Diomande is also represented by Roc Nation Sports. And with so many rumours swirling around some of their key men, such as the Ivorian and Vini Jr, the sports agency has shared an explosive statement:

Vinicius Jr and Yan Diomande Both Linked With Huge Summer Moves

Thomas Mukoya via Reuters

It’s worth noting that the statement does not directly name any player or club; as such, Roc Nation Sports may not necessarily be talking directly about Vinicius.

Interestingly, trusted Arsenal insider HandofArsenal recently reported that the Real Madrid winger has agreed personal terms with Arsenal. The report also noted: ‘We fully expect Roc Nation to deny it but we stand on our information.’ Spanish journalist Ramon Alvarez de Mon did indeed later report that Vinicius’ entourage denied the agreement.

There is a great deal of talk about a possible move to north London, but the statement could also relate to reporting around RB Leipzig star Diomande. Transfer journalists Florian Plettenberg and Fabrizio Romano clashed online over the player, with the pair disagreeing on the status of the player’s potential move to Madrid.

In short, Romano has given the deal the ‘Here We Go’ treatment, claiming a move will go through soon. Plettenberg insisted that a full agreement has not yet been reached. The pair argued online, as Plettenberg warned Romano he had ‘crossed a line’ by accusing him of ‘fake news’.

Of course, Roc Nation Sports represent many other players – such as Gabriel Martinelli and Endrick – so their comments could relate to a different topic altogether. They may also be talking generally about all the rumours, as opposed to taking issue with just one thing.

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All signs are pointing towards Arsenal doing everything in their power to sign Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior this summer. David Ornstein reported that the Premier League champions are ‘exploring’ a possible deal.

The Brazilian is coming off the back of an impressive individual display at the 2026 World Cup, where he netted four goals and registered one assist for the five-time world champions. He’s been widely regarded as one of the best players in world football for a long time now.

It’d be one of the biggest signings in Premier League history if Mikel Arteta can convince the 26-year-old to swap the Bernabeu for the Emirates this summer.

Vinicius Junior Praised Another English Giant

via Reuters

In April 2025, Vini Jr was given an up-close experience of the atmosphere produced at the north London stadium. Real Madrid were battered 3-0 by Arsenal and then dumped out of the Champions League with a 2-1 home loss the following week.

The winger played in both matches, scoring in the home leg. That proved to be Los Blancos’ only goal in the tie, as he was left powerless in the trip to London. However, a different English stadium appears to have left a lasting mark on him.

When asked to name the best away stadium he’s ever played at in the Champions League, Vinicius opted for Liverpool’s historic ground, Anfield. He didn’t even appear to hesitate as he answered: “Best away stadium to play in the Champions League? I have to say Liverpool [Anfield].”

Those comments came one year after Real Madrid dismantled Jurgen Klopp’s Reds at Anfield. The 61,000-capacity ground, renowned for its ferocious atmosphere, was stunned into silence as Los Blancos overturned a two-goal deficit to win 5-2.

Vinicius Jr was central to that comeback victory, netting two goals and running the English giants ragged. Klopp even went as far as describing the Brazilian as ‘world-class’ after another meeting. The 2022 Champions League final, where Vini scored the only goal.

The German coach said: “He was that night [Champions League final] – with a really young age – didn’t get fazed by the way the game went, how they were not always dominant and stuff like that.

“He was there in the decisive moment, I’m pretty sure that already makes him a Real Madrid legend at a very young age. I hope he’s not fazed by any idiots who say something about him.”

Vinicius Junior’s Record vs English Clubs

Arsenal won’t have any worries about whether or not Vinicius can perform against their biggest rivals. He’s already emphatically proven he can.

In 26 appearances against English opposition, the winger has scored 10 goals and registered a further 12 assists. That’s 22 goal contributions in 26 games.

Manchester City and Liverpool, who happen to be Arsenal’s biggest rivals in recent years, have suffered the most at the hands of the Real Madrid superstar. He’s managed 10 goal contributions vs Man City and seven in just six games against Liverpool.