Crystal Palace keep producing left-backs that bigger clubs want, and the latest one on the list is Tyrick Mitchell. Both Manchester United and Liverpool are said to be watching the 27-year-old England defender, according to Wednesday's round of newspaper reports.
Mitchell has been a Palace regular for six seasons now. He came through the academy, took the shirt during the 2020-21 campaign and has barely given it up since, picking up three England caps along the way. The interest is not new, but the volume of it has gone up.
Why two clubs at once
United and Liverpool have different reasons for looking. United have cycled through left-back options for years without settling on one, and Mitchell offers Premier League experience at a price that will not wreck a summer budget. Liverpool are thinking further ahead, with the age profile of their defence something the recruitment staff have flagged internally.
Palace are under no pressure to sell in the middle of a season. Whether they hold that line into next summer is a different conversation, and one that usually depends on how many years are left on the contract.
Garnacho is being watched from Spain
Another name doing the rounds is Alejandro Garnacho. The Argentine has managed only a handful of minutes since joining Aston Villa on loan from Chelsea in the summer, and clubs in La Liga are reportedly keeping an eye on the situation. A player of his profile sitting on a bench rarely stays quiet for long.
Staying in the Midlands, Bayern Munich are said to be interested in Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White. The 26-year-old was called into the England squad this week as a replacement for one of the five withdrawals, which will not have hurt his profile in Germany.
Liverpool moves off the pitch
Julian Ward is set to return to Liverpool as sporting director. The 45-year-old held the role during the 2022-23 season before moving into Fenway Sports Group's wider structure as technical director, and he would replace Richard Hughes. It is an unusual bit of recycling, though Ward knows the building better than any external candidate would.
Liverpool have also had to bat away noise around Florian Wirtz. Bayern have reportedly sounded out the 23-year-old German's representatives, but the club's position is that they intend to get the best out of him rather than move him on.
Arsenal are working on a long-term deal for Declan Rice during the international break. They hold a 12-month extension option on his current terms, though the preference is a proper new contract in line with how the club treats players Arteta considers untouchable. There is also a claim from Spain that Vinicius Junior came far closer to joining Arsenal in the summer than anyone realised, with team-mates reportedly assuming the move was already done.
Gossip round-up: Tyrick Mitchell, 27, Crystal Palace left-back, three England caps, academy graduate. Alejandro Garnacho on loan at Aston Villa from Chelsea. Morgan Gibbs-White, 26, Nottingham Forest. Julian Ward, 45, in line to return as Liverpool sporting director. Florian Wirtz, 23, Liverpool. Declan Rice, 27, Arsenal. Other names in circulation: Adama Jeng (15, Samger FC), Endrick (20, Real Madrid), Arthur Dias (19, Athletico Paranaense) and Vinicius Junior (26, Real Madrid). Sources: Teamtalk, The Athletic, Guardian, Talksport, Mail, Calciomercato, ESPN Brasil, Cadena SER.
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