The Sun

CRYSTAL PALACE'S Eberechi Eze could be auditioning for a move to Manchester City in the FA Cup final.

The 26-year-old delivered a masterclass in the semi-final, scoring a stunning goal to lead his side to a 3–0 victory over Aston Villa.

His performance not only secured Palace a place in the final against Pep Guardiola's side but also reignited transfer speculation linking him with several Premier League giants.

Throughout this campaign, the midfielder has been a standout performer for Palace, recording 12 goals and 11 assists.

SunSport understands that Eze has long been on the radar of top clubs, including Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, and Arsenal, all of whom have expressed interest in acquiring his services.

Tottenham Hotspur in particular are believed to hold a strong advantage in the race for Eze.

However, with Kevin De Bruyne’s future imminent exit Guardiola’s side may suddenly find themselves in need of a midfielder with Eze’s skill set and Premier League experience.

Sources suggest Eze is determined to play Champions League football and will take his time in deciding his next move.

Arsenal have also been monitoring Eze’s progress. While not as aggressive in their pursuit, the Gunners are reportedly keeping a close eye on his situation.

As the transfer window approaches, Eze’s future remains uncertain however, a decisive performance in the FA Cup final would undoubtedly increase his stock.

BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK

Last summer, Crystal Palace turned down several offers from Newcastle for defender Marc Guehi.

But the centre-back is entering the final year of his contract - and is prepared to run it down to land a dream transfer to Real Madrid or Barcelona.

Palace are well aware that Eze has been incredibly professional, staying loyal when Michael Olise left for Bayern Munich and has since established himself as a key figure under Oliver Glasner.

But this summer will test chairman Steve Parish’s resolve.

EMI MARTINEZ broke down in tears as he waved goodbye to Aston Villa fans after the victory over Tottenham Hotspur.

The Villans ended their last home game of the season with a 2-0 win over the North London side.

Martinez, 32, kept a clean sheet in the match against the Europa League finalists.

But at the end of the game, there was little celebration from the Argentine goalkeeper.

The Villa star could be seen teary-eyed as he applauded the home crowd.

The former Arsenal ace has been linked with a move away from Villa Park with Saudi Arabia touted as a possible destination.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp said: "What a signing he has been.

"Amazing player, great goalkeeper, but it looks like he was waving goodbye.

"Trying to find someone to fill that void will be very difficult."

Roy Keane insisted that he would be a "big loss".

JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS

He added: "He has been a good character, some people like him.

"He can be annoying at times with some of his antics.

"But he has been a great signing for them, he'll be a big loss as it does look like he his saying his final goodbyes."

Manager Unai Emery was asked about the goalkeeper's future in his post-match press conference.

The Spaniard was unable to give any assurances that Martinez would be at the club next season.

He said: "We will see.

"Of course, it is the last match (of the season) here, and I don't know.

"We will see about the team, the players.

"Of course, they are responding on the field, at the moment they are responding and they are so, so focused in how we are preparing and playing each match."

Martinez has been ever-present in the Villa team since his £20million switch from Arsenal in 2020.

He joined the club after only a few months of regular first-team football in the Premier League.

He has since gone on to become one of the best goalkeepers in world football and won the World Cup in 2022.

The goalkeeper was also awarded with the Yashin Trophy in 2023 and 2024.

Martinez also posted on Instagram a picture of himself looking emotional as he waved to the supporters.

He captioned a post: "Thank you for all your support this season.

"We finished strong at home but we got one more final to go."

Emery also mentioned Leon Bailey who was also in tears at the full-time whistle.

He added: "Of course, Leon Bailey is playing now less because other players are responding very well. They are performing well.

"And we are going to play Manchester United for the last three points. And for us it will be very important again, to prepare, to be focused everybody.

"And of course, then we will see about everything, how we are going to try to get better for the next season."

UNAI EMERY had unlikely heroes Ezri Konsa and Boubacar Kamara to thank for three crucial points as Villa turned the heat on their Champions League rivals.

The Spaniard celebrated his 100th Premier League game in charge of Villa with a hard-earned 54th win.

Konsa pounced to grab his third goal of the season but it was Kamara who supplied the cherry on the top of the cake with his first Premier goal - at the 69th attempt!

The win saw Villa leapfrog Manchester City and move to within two points of second-placed Arsenal as Villa set a new club record with their 32nd win of the season in all competitions.

Emery's men came into this game brimming with confidence…. and a burning sense of injustice.

They were unbeaten in 20 home games across all competitions - their best run for 48 years - and had won their last seven on the spin at Villa Park.

But there were empty seats as many fans couldn't make the hastily re-arranged date after the Premier League allowed Spurs more time to prepare for Wednesday's Europa League final.

Ange Postecoglou wrapped his stars up in cotton wool ahead of their midweek trip to Bilbao.

Guglielmo Vicario, Rodrigo Bentancur, Brennan Johnson, Richarlison, Dominic Solanke and Pedro Porro were all on the bench, while Sergio Reguilon started a Premier League game for Spurs for the first time since April 2022.

That meant the spotlight fell on Son Heung-min who faced a final audition ahead of Wednesday's cup final.

CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS

The Spurs skipper only returned from a foot injury for the last half hour of his side's 2-0 loss against Crystal Palace.

With just five days to go, this was his last chance to stake his claim for a starting place in Bilbao.

And he certainly gave Matty Cash a torrid time of it.

He burst past the startled full-back after five minutes but lacked that vital match sharpness and allowed the Villa man to recover and take the pace off his shot.

At the other end Antonin Kinsky got a vital touch to divert a cross away from Ollie Watkins' waiting head before John McGinn fired just over after dispossessing Djed Spence.

Villa were finding Spurs a tough nut to crack and Son was beginning to find his feet.

He chopped inside Cash before rifling a ferocious effort just over, then produced a fine pass to set Wilson Odobert clear.

The ball was worked wide to Mathys Tel who drilled in a low cross which Odobert turned goalwards with a cute Cruyff-flick but Emi Martinez reacted superbly to block with his left boot.

It was end to end stuff and Kinsky surpassed himself with a full-length save to prevent Morgan Rogers' delicate flick from finding the far corner of his net.

Villa's frustration was growing and Cash was booked for waving an imaginary yellow card at Pape Sarr, before Archie Gray joined him for clattering Ollie Watkins.

Marco Asensio then came close with a shot which flashed inches wide of the far post.

But at the break Postecoglou would have been the happier boss with the stalemate.

Ezri Konsa and Tel got the second half off to a bad-tempered start when they clashed and both captains were called in to have a word.

Tel escaped with a warning despite flashing an elbow at Konsa and Emery tapped a finger to his temple to warn his players to think about who was benefitting from the disruption.

But the tension was suddenly lifted just before the hour as Villa broke the deadlock with their 16th set-piece goal of the season in the Prem.

McGinn's deep corner was headed down by Watkins at the back post and Ezri Konsa spun to steer the ball beyond Kinsky from inside the six-yard-box.

That goal lifted a weight off Villa and Kinsky did well to deny Watkins before McGinn fired just wide as Emery's men pushed for the second goal needed to kill-off Spurs.

It finally arrived after 73 minutes from the unlikeliest scorer as Kamara broke his Villa duck.

Rogers fed him at the edge of the Spurs box and Asensio created space with a clever decoy run and Kamara cashed in to slam the ball beyond Kinsky from the edge of the box.

TOTTENHAM have been hit by another injury blow after Pape Matar Sarr was escorted down the tunnel by medical staff.

The midfielder was taken off in the 53rd minute and replaced by Yves Bissouma.

He was immediately seen to by medical staff and gingerly walked straight down the tunnel at Aston Villa.

Sarr, 22, is now an injury doubt for the Europa League final next Wednesday although Postecoglou said he was taken off as a precaution.

He said: "Pape felt something in his back so we took him off as a bit of a precaution.

"I don’t think it’s anything too significant speaking to him afterwards but he just felt something in his back and I think Mikey (Moore) was okay."

It is yet another blow for Spurs, who have lost James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski to injury in the build-up.

That means Ange Postecoglou will be scratching his head over who to start in midfield, with Lucas Bergvall also out.

Postecoglou made sweeping changes for the visit to Villa Park with the crucial trip to Bilbao on the cards.

But Spurs could not avoid another injury, which has been the case all season long.

BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS

It comes after Postecoglou said his side "could not afford to lose" any more players to injury.

He said ahead of the Villa clash: "The reality of our existence at the moment is we can't lose another player to an injury. It's just too finely balanced for us considering what's at stake.

"Look, in a normal world you use this to be sharpening up, but we're not living in a normal world.

"Even with the best planning we're still getting hit with these setbacks. From my perspective I've got to take that into account when considering the [Aston Villa] game."

RUBEN AMORIM has no intention of quitting Manchester United — but knows the pressure will ramp up if he fails to win the Europa League.

The Portuguese boss confirmed he paid for 30 of his staff to take their families to Wednesday’s all-English ­final showdown with Tottenham in Spain.

Amorim stunned supporters after ­Sunday’s defeat to West Ham when he admitted he will have to be replaced if he cannot turn United around at the start of next season.

Amorim, who has won only six out of 25 Prem matches in charge, said: “Since I arrived here I am always talking about the standards.

“I cannot see the team having these results — especially in the Premier League — and not say anything and not take the responsibility.

“It’s just that. I have a clear idea what to do. I understand the problems of the team and I am far from quitting.

“What I am saying is we need to perform this season and in the future or else they will change us.

“That is a normal thing. That was my feeling after West Ham and is still my feeling today.”

Amorim has tried to play down the importance of the Bilbao showdown.

But he accepts losing to Tottenham, who last won silverware in 2008, would crank up the pressure.

CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS

He added: “For sure, if we don’t win, that is clear . . . but I am not concerned about that.

“It’s going to be really bad. I don’t want to use that as an excuse, it’s going to be really tough.”

Amorim’s move to pay for tickets out of his own pocket — after the club said they would not fund them — was an attempt to boost morale following a difficult time at Old Trafford.

With up to 450 redundancies announced as part of co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s cost-cutting measures, staff fear more cuts will follow should United fail to beat Spurs.

Amorim explained his decision to pay for the tickets and said: “In this moment for our club sometimes it is hard when to give, when to take, to respect the people that are losing their jobs.

“It is complicated for the club to start giving to other members of staff so it is a really hard position.

“That situation was explained so my reaction was to help. It is not going to change my life.

“So I wanted to help the staff be there and comfortable and be a better staff for the final.

Three stars sidelined

“Then they talk to the players and the players have the same reaction.

“Everybody wants their families there, the staff there but it’s hard to manage things in our club. So it’s a simple thing.”

Amorim confirmed Leny Yoro, Matthijs De Ligt and Diogo Dalot will not feature on Friday's Prem clash at Chelsea in the hope they can be fit for the Europa League final.

The United boss said: “I don’t know if they are going to be available.

“We are going to try and push because it is a final and all the players want to play in that.

“They will not go to Chelsea but there is a possibility we will get some of them back.”

DEJAN KULUSEVSKI has been ruled out of the Europa League final after undergoing knee surgery - leaving Tottenham with a midfield crisis.

Swede Kulusevski hobbled off in the 19th minute of Sunday’s 2-0 home loss to Crystal Palace with an injury to his right kneecap after a heavy challenge with Marc Guehi.

The 25-year-old went under the knife earlier today and will now miss next week’s showpiece with Manchester United in Bilbao.

It leaves boss Ange Postecoglou without his three most creative midfielders with Lucas Bergvall and James Maddison already out for the rest of the season.

Young Swede Bergvall, 19, damaged his ankle ligaments in training at the end of last month.

England star Maddison, 28, faces three months out with a knee problem picked up in the semi-final first leg win over Bodo/Glimt earlier this month.

Postecoglou will have only four fit central midfielders - Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma, Pape Matar Sarr and Archie Gray - for the three positions in the middle of the park.

It remains to be seen how serious Kulusevski’s injury is with Postecoglou describing it only as a “knock” on Monday.

Big Ange will give an update on Thursday at his press conference previewing Friday's Premier League trip to Aston Villa.

But there are fears Kulusevski could miss the start of next season and is definitely out of next week’s final.

CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS

A Spurs statement read: “We can confirm that Dejan Kulusevski suffered an injury to his right patella in our Premier League fixture against Crystal Palace last weekend.

“Following further specialist consultation, the midfielder has undergone surgery today and will commence his rehabilitation with our medical staff immediately.

“We're all with you, Deki.”

Postecoglou’s squad have been beset by injuries all season long and had a five-week period over the winter where their absentee list was in the double figures.

It has severely impacted their league campaign, which has seen them lose a record 20 games and put Postecoglou’s position in jeopardy whether they triumph in Europe or not.

Spurs were boosted on Sunday by the return to action of Son Heung-min.

Man Utd vs Spurs - Europa League final: Kick-off time, TV channel and live stream info for Bilbao clash

The Tottenham skipper had been out for a month with a foot issue.

Son, 32, came on as a 58th minute substitute in the defeat by Palace.

The South Korean is the only Spurs starter from the 2019 Champions League final still at the club.

Ben Davies, 32, was an unused sub in Madrid.

THE 2025 Europa League final is laced with compelling narratives.

Tottenham and Manchester United will compete for the continent's second-most prestigious trophy in Bilbao next Wednesday and the stakes are sky high.

Both teams have endured miserable domestic campaigns with Spurs currently 17th in the Premier League table and the Red Devils just one point better off in 16th.

The winners of the Europa League will salvage their season while the losers will be forced to reflect upon a disastrous year that may have significant consequences.

Then there's the Dream Team angle.

Despite their persistent league woes, both Spurs and Man United have provided plenty of points throughout the season with their European adventures being a major contributing factor.

Just two Gameweeks remain before the fat lady sings and with fixtures at a premium, most engaged managers will be looking to target the Europa League final as a source of precious points.

Ange Postecoglou and Ruben Amorim's sides are two of just four teams set to pull double duty in Gameweek 36 and so there's every chance the events in Bilbao will shape Mini League standings worldwide.

GAMEWEEK 36 DOUBLE HEADERS

TOTTENHAM vs Aston Villa (a) & Man United (n)

MANCHESTER UNITED vs Chelsea (a) & Spurs (n)

CRYSTAL PALACE vs Man City (n) & Wolves (h)

MANCHESTER CITY vs Crystal Palace (n) & Bournemouth (h)

First and foremost, Bruno Fernandes (£7m) has to be considered a must-have asset at this moment in time.

The Portuguese playmaker has racked up 425 points this season via 19 goals and 19 assists.

Only Mohamed Salah (£6.8m) sits above Fernandes in the overall rankings but United's captain is in a league of his own among midfielders, a 106 points ahead of his nearest rival, Bryan Mbeumo (£4.6m).

There's a chance the 30-year-old will be rested at Stamford Bridge on Friday night but he should still be considered a top target for Gameweek 36 given he averages eight points-per-game in 2024/25.

Deciding upon another viable Man United asset is far from straightforward.

Alejandro Garnacho (£3.5m) ranks 11th among Dream Team midfielders with 269 points to his name but the young Argentine winger is unpredictable.

It may be that Noussair Mazraoui (£3m) is the man to accompany Fernandes for gaffers who think the Europa League final will go the way of the Northerners.

Betting on a clean sheet for either side is fraught with danger but the Moroccan defender has an ace up his sleeve in his immense tackling ability.

Mazraoui has made 166 tackles in all competitions this season, comfortable the highest tally among all players - only two other players have registered more than 120.

This defensive effort has allowed him to collect 226 points despite United's defensive frailties, enough to place him eighth in the rankings among players in his position.

In terms of Spurs options, Pedro Porro (£5.4m) deserves credit for his mammoth tally of 287 points as Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.4m) is the only defender who boasts a superior total after 35 Gameweeks.

The Spaniard has contributed four goals and TEN assists from right-back this term.

Furthermore, he has earned 51 bonus points, which makes him joint-leader in the metric alongside Youri Tielemans (£4.5m).

James Maddison (£4.4m) leads the way among his attack-minded team-mates with 272 points but the ex-Leicester midfielder has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury.

Frustratingly, Dejan Kulusevski (£3.9m) is flagged as a doubt for Gameweek 36 having hobbled off after just 18 minutes against Crystal Palace last time out.

The Sweden international provided plenty of points earlier in the campaign but injuries have tanked his viability in the last two months.

And so it appears Dominic Solanke (£4m) is the best attacking threat for gaffers keen on Spurs.

The 27 year-old target man scored important goals against Frankfurt and Bodo/Glimt to help his side reach the final of the Europa League.

Solanke averages a goal involvement every 128.8 minutes this season.

Alternatively, Son Heung-min (£4.3m) is available again having returned against the Eagles last weekend but his minutes are not guaranteed by any means.

One way or the other, the Europa League final will have a bearing on the business end of the Dream Team season.

EUROPA LEAGUE final tickets are being flogged for £23,000 on Vivid Seats - a company part-owned by Chelsea's Todd Boehly.

Manchester United and Tottenham are preparing to do battle in the Bilbao showpiece on May 21.

The San Mames Stadium has a capacity of just over 53,000.

Both United and Spurs have been allocated 15,000 seats each, with the most affordable tickets starting at £34 thanks to Uefa's 'Fans First' scheme.

Tickets for the general public are split into three categories, with the face value prices between £55 and £204.

But tickets currently on sale on Vivid Seats - part-owned by Boehly - are available for eye-watering sums a week before kickoff.

'Prime seats' situated along the halfway line are listed on the site for £22,738 each, per The Price of Football.

Other options are available, with some tickets on sale in Category 1 for up to £17,054.

Furious fans were quick to slam the prices, with one writing on X: "Everything wrong with top level football right there."

Another said: "Unfortunately this is where the tourist league is going. Franchise soccer UK next."

BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK

While a third fumed: "Why is this allowed. Absolute disgrace."

And a fourth commented: "Shocked but not surprised."

SunSport has contacted Chelsea for comment.

American businessman Boehly became a minority owner at Chelsea in May 2022.

The 51-year-old is a director and investor in Vivid Seats, a role recently described as a "conflict of interest" by the Chelsea Supporters Trust.

Vivid Seats, which has its base in Chicago, is legally allowed to operate overseas but is prohibited for use by UK users.

Boehly's Eldridge Industries owns 41 percent of the ticket resale site, according to IQ.

In an open letter penned in March, the CST wrote to the Premier League and asked them to "act and investigate" in an effort to clamp down on ticket touting at Chelsea games.

The letter read: "Many CST members are clearly infuriated by this connection and have written to us.

"As a director of Chelsea FC and part-owner, Mr Boehly's connection with Vivid Seats is totally inappropriate and significantly undermines the efforts of Chelsea FC, the Premier League, and the Metropolitan Police to combat ticket touting.

"Mr Boehly has been contacted directly by the CST and has been offered multiple opportunities to both publicly and privately address supporters' concerns.

"Neither Mr Boehly nor his representatives have, however, acted on these requests, and thousands of tickets remain for sale on the Vivid Seats website."

A Uefa spokesperson told SunSport: "Uefa strongly urges fans not to purchase tickets on the secondary market.

"Ticket sales to the general public and fans of the teams who have reached the finals are carried out exclusively by Uefa."

GARY NEVILLE has insisted that only ONE Manchester United player would get into Tottenham's starting XI.

The Red Devils take on Spurs in the Europa League final on May 21 as they look to end their catastrophic season on a high.

A spot in next season's Champions League is at stake as both teams try to salvage their campaigns with both hovering just above the relegation zone.

Man Utd reached the final by thrashing Athletic Bilbao while Spurs eased past Bodo/Glimt.

The two sides currently sit 16th and 17th in the Premier League, having both lost their last match at the weekend.

West Ham's 2-0 win at Old Trafford saw Graham Potter's side leapfrog the two and put them just above the bottom three.

Spurs have been able to win three times against Man Utd this season, twice in the Prem and once in the EFL Cup.

Neville is aware of this and admitted that he has a "sickly feeling" about the match in Bilbao.

The United legend has also insisted that only Fernandes would get into Ange Postecoglou's side when every player is fit.

Speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, he said: "I have got a sickly feeling about this game next Wednesday.

JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS

"The biggest reason I have a sickly feeling about this game is when I look at every player in the team, [Dejan] Kulusevski, [Heung-min] Son, Brennan Johnson, Dominic Solanke, James Maddison if he was fit, [Yves] Bissouma and [Pape] Sarr, [Cristian] Romero and [Micky] van de Ven and [Pedro] Porro and [Destiny] Udogie.

"When you look at those players like for like with United, only Bruno [Fernandes] would get into the first XI of Spurs.

"I would select every single Tottenham player.

"The goalkeeper is a 50-50 split because I’m not a big fan of Vicario and I am not a fan of Onana.

"But I would choose every single player of Tottenham’s over Manchester United’s next Wednesday. That is my worry."

Fernandes, 30, has played a key role in helping United reach the final of the Europa League.

He has scored seven goals and assisted four more in his 13 appearances in the competition.

Only Bodo's Kasper Hogh and Olympiacos' Ayoub El Kaabi have managed as many goals as the Portuguese midfielder.

Meanwhile, Neville did make his prediction over which team would be victorious.

He added: "United do have a couple of players, the likes of Casemiro and Bruno, they have something in them that will step up for a one-off game.

"But if the players play like they should, Tottenham should win that game."

A MANCHESTER UNITED scout saw Cristiano Ronaldo Jr make his Portugal Under-15 debut as a raft of top clubs sent representatives to the match.

The 14-year-old son of the legendary former Red Devils No7 was cheered onto the pitch when he came off the bench in a 4-1 win over Japan’s Under-15s on Tuesday.

Wearing the same number his father wore with distinction during two spells at Old Trafford, Ronaldo Jr gave a few brief glimpses of his talent during a second-half run-out at the Vlatko Markovic tournament in Croatia.

Ruben Amorim’s staff will add the scout’s report to their file on the youngster, who could earn a start in one of Portugal’s remaining matches against Greece or England.

United will already know plenty from the 14 months Ronaldo Jr spent at their academy.

He played alongside Wayne Rooney's son, Kai, in the youth set-up when his father returned for an ill-fated second stint under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erik ten Hag.

The Europa League finalists were among several high-profile clubs to send scouts to the match.

United’s Bilbao opponents Tottenham were in attendance with up to 10 Bundesliga clubs also rumoured to be represented in the crowd.

Croatian newspaper Sportske Novosti report that Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Hoffenheim, Red Bull Salzburg, Inter Milan, Juventus and Atalanta sent spies to cover the game.

The Portuguese players caught the eye with their superior technique and tactical appreciation, running out easy winners over the Japanese kids.

CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS

Braga forward Rafael Cabral was the star of the match and stole Cristiano Jr’s thunder by bagging a hat-trick before he stepped out onto the pitch.

The 14-year-old honed his ball skills by playing futsal from an early age while his mobility allows him to operate just as effectively from the wings as he does from the middle.

He is Braga’s top scorer in the youth league with 13 goals this season and leads a seven-strong contingent from the club in Portugal’s squad, which contains no players from the traditional powers of Benfica and Sporting Lisbon.